iPad, more than a name…

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Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs and the iPad

We could think Apple did a extraordinary breakthrough with the iPod. Then the iMac came and the MacBooks… Then suddenly a strange object named iPhone just become the biggest technological tsunami ever after the invention of internet. How far can Apple go ? Well quite far actually. Nobody remembers the failure of Apple TV (fans will say the contrary but yes guys it was a failure) but Apple always knows how to get around things and their incredible creativity strenght always makes you travel beyond any possible statement. The cool thing about Apple is that they have dreams and these dreams become true. I would say Nokia is the opposite : beautiful dreams that remain dreams that one day perhaps…

Last dream come true at Apple : THE IPAD. Some people love it already and others hate it since the rumors.  What should we think ?

First, it is a brillant marketing strategy that makes the usage of the iPad as simple and common as any daily life object. “My granny could use it! But we know this is a niche product right ? How many people read regularly the daily press and books in the world ? A few. How many people read the free online press – more than a few – and electronic books : less than a few. So the iPad represents a micro-niche. But what if we just replace the laptop by an iPad ?

iPad revolution
iPad Revolution ?

That’s the second point. Steve Jobs presented the iPad saying the net-books are useless, just cheap laptops and that the iPad is

ipad
iPad, the new Laptop ?

not a computer or an iPhone but a third gender product. We can see on the advertising that this is definitely not true. Everything is done to make you think the iPad could replace your laptop. In a certain way it can but actually this is really a dream that will not become reality. Why ? Try to type for 2 hours on a iPad virtual keyboard. The horizontal place on a table or the uncomfortable typing on ones knees are definitely a barrier. What about multi-tasking. Can I listen to music, talk with someone on skype and read my emails at the same time ? Ok, perhaps I am a little pushy but not so much actually. Or let’s say I want to have my Twitter open and follow up a conversation. Forget it. Files ? What is this word ? The iPad is not a computer, so you do not have any files.

Third, we know some people will be disappointed, so what then? I know that my last sentences are not so optimistic right ? But here is what is cool about the iPad. It brings a different vision of what we call personal computer. What if we forget evetything we know about computers. What if instead of having the old good files on your harddisk, everything is onnline (Mobileme?). What if the iPad will make people read more books ? We need to give more time to the iPad. Revolution is on going. Remember the iPhone : it did not had Copy/paste at the beginning! By the time being, Apple proposes here the most evolved mobile device that gives you the best navigation, Calendar and email consulting ever.

Last, I would say we will have 3 kind of people : the ones who loves it for the “coolness” and basically they will only use 50% of it. The ones who are interested in what this object will evolve, and trust me it will and finally the ones who will be so disappointed that they will get back their old good laptop. And this is fair enough. After less than one month, Apple sold 300,000 iPads, people downloaded more than 1 million apps and more than 250,000 ebooks.

So iPad or iQuit ?
LA

Dita von Teese for Perrier, sexy and refreshing?

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Dita Von Teese and PerrierThe worldwide french beverage Perrier will launch in June 2010 a new campaign with Dita Von Teese, the sulfurous ex-Mrs Marilyn Manson and sexiest pin-up alive… This collaboration represents the customization of the legendary green bottles and cans with creative sexy pictures of Dita. Black and white with a hint of RED on her lips… A brillant move for Perrier that will be able to communicate on a worldwide reference, to attract people during this summer. The collection will be called Paparazzi.

A special website will be available soon and dedicated to the operation : http://www.perrierbydita.com. For the moment if you try it in your browser, you will be redirected to the Nestle page. A little patience…

Dita Von Teese and PerrierDita Von Teese and Perrier

Perrier is not at its “first shot”. Check this out. Here is an old advertising from the 70’s and as you can see here, Perrier likes when the “ambiance” becomes hot… perhaps because then we need a cool refreshing drink…

LA

If you want a fake luxury bag, do it yourself!!!

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Ok, we know how difficult is to fight against the fake luxury products around the world. It even seems that there is more fake LV bags in the world than real true ones… can you imagine that?
Here an image found on fashionising.com about fakes… and this one is really what I could call a good fake…
fake chanel

The big problem is not really the person who is buying a fake and knowing it. The problem are people of good will that think they are doing a good deal for a “real one” and then they are disappointed with the quality, the usage or the product life cycle. They will not say this reseller sucks, but more like this brand sucks… Of course when you buy a copy, you are also steeling the artistic rights from the true creator, but how make people realize that in a world where getting an illegal copy of a DVD movie or a small mp3 music in the web seems not to be a big deal… People sometimes do not see that the price of a luxury bag or watch or jewel represent the time, talent and quality material invested to create the object. Of course sometimes we might wonder if we are paying the product or the marketing around… but that is another question.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the International Anticounterfeiting Coalition calculate that counterfeit sales equal $600 billion to $650 billion a year  in the world. these numbers are equal in news releases by companies claiming to fight piracy. Counterfeit goods represent 5% to 7% of all world trade.

A luxury brand selling its goods at a high level of price can easily justify prices just by explaining the incredible process to manufacture it. Ask Hermès why a crocodile coat costs a 6 digits price… or ask Bugatti why a Veyron car is so expensive… they are real masterpieces… only made possible at that level of price… Otherwise it would be just beautiful dreams and nothing more… so How much would you be ready to pay for a Dream to come true…

LA

Jil Sander, the success story of Uniqlo.

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Jil Sander and the President of UniqloSince Fashion designer Jil Sander left her company owned by Prada Group since 1999, she invested herself into the young japanese brand called Uniqlo. The queen of minimalism design is back with great success.
Jil Sander, has confirmed that she LOVES working for Uniqlo – and is in no hurry to go anywhere else soon.  So committed are the brand and designer to each other that plans are afoot shift her design studio from Tokyo to Hamburg in Germany to avoid the taxing intercontinental commute. “I still have a big studio there,” she added.
The Japanese brand is going from strength to strength financially at the moment and +J its collaboration with Ms Sander is always quoted as one of the jewels in its high street box.

Ms Sander had another reason to smile this week when she picked up the Designer of the Year award from theFashion Editors Club of Japan at a gala dinner on Tuesday. This is the first time the club has awarded the prize to a non-Japanese designer, but Sander qualifies since Uniqlo is a Japanese company.

After the fashion cult for Jil Sander fashion brand, are we now generate a new cult to Uniqlo ? for sure….
LA

And Mugler goes for Womanity Perfume

José Amorim
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thierrymugler“I used fashion to express myself as much as I could. But at some point, it was not enough.” declared Thierry Mugler, the french fashion designer.
That is why he has been so successful with perfumes.

angel thierry muglerWe all know the planetarium success of Angel, the first Blue fragrance captured in a glamourous star… and what a scent!

We also remember Alien, launched in 2005.  Someone should be crazy to imagine such fragrance to be so successful, especially in France. And it is true.

Today, the perfume brand is launching a new perfume, called Womanity. As I explained in my previous article, Thierry Mugler Parfums created a huge buzz by developing one of the first crowd-sourcing brand website in march this year.
The idea behind Womanity is this invisible link that exists between all women. A great idea although we knew they had a perfume launch coming in. Any way, at leat we can say that Thierry Mugler does not follow any beauty trend, no “me too”. The audacious work they do always prevent to other competitors to generate copies. Who a part from Mugler to launch such concepts any way? Brillant!
alien thierry mugler

Womanity is the fragrance of all women as we can see in the advertising. A feminist fragrance? not so sure because we overcame all these fights and we women are looking for something more clever then.Womanity thierry mugler

Womanity thierry muglerThe bottle looks as always coming at the same time from nowhere and everywhere… Between Stargate and our grand ma’s drawer. A message that crossed years and generations and to be delivered, highlighted… Thierry Mugler always want to delivery a message. With Angel, beware of Angels, with Alien, do you believe in the extraordinary? and now with Womanity, see the invisible link of femininity. This is a beautiful trilogy. The only question we might pop up is about the customer they are targetting. Ok, this is a fragrance for all womem, but sometimes when you try to talk to everyone, finally you talk with no one… Let’s hope this is not the case here.

Available is all good perfumeries in September 2010.

LA

Vacheron Constantin, The mastery of excellence in watchmaking

Sebastien Eich
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One of my preferred Watch brand, VACHERON CONSTANTIN.
vacheron constantin American 1921In its Dream Room at Pisa Orologeria, Milan, Vacheron Constantin will, between the 10th and 13th of March, be offering a journey through its collection to present that watchmaking excellence that has been the hallmark of all of the Manufacture’s creations for over 250 years. The most significant of Vacheron Constantin’s watches will be on show, including limited-series timepieces and the latest articles from the recent Geneva Salon, premiered here for the Italian market. From the apparent simplicity of the time-only models to the most complex grandes complications, and from the ultra-thin timepieces to such works of art as the Tourbillon Minute-repeater with Perpetual Calendar and the Tourbillon with Time equation, the Manufacture’s entire production is forever outstanding thanks to its heritage, comprising technical skills, aesthetic sensitivity and care for detail, which is still today continued and developed by the Manufacture’s master watchmakers.
source: vacheron-constantin.com

LA

Is flash dead or long life to HTML5 ?

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html5When Steve Jobs talk about Adobe Flash, we could think that he needs to have a seduction plan, otherwise it will be a long way before we will see flash in an iPhone. Or actually, Steve Jobs is clearly saying that Adobe is a past thing. If you go to Apple’s webpage on the hotnews area, we can read an article where Steve Jobs defends Apple position for not having Adobe flash.

In the Article, Steve Jobs says about Adobe Flash :Insecure, power-hungry, inappropriate for touch devices, never ready, outdated… Only that! check here.

Between Apple and Adobe we assist in a real Cold War. We wonder how far this will be ? Well until one of the 2 buy the other.
So we think it is not tomorow or even next year that we will see flash in an Apple product. As we can see the power of persuasion from Apple, we might think this is the end of Flash in the world… Long live then to HTML5.
Here is one of the thousands videos that display an iPAd with HTML5… just to make pressure on Adobe…

LA

Womanity by Thierry Mugler… a new era?

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Brands understand much better today the impact of multi-channels strategies. Some of them explore the online possibilities, not because they believe on it but because they might find it cool or trendy or cheaper… Others have a clear strategy behind.

American Apparel was one of the first brands to invest the online new strategies by creating a virtual shop in Second life (do you remember this online game so 20th century?).
american apparel second life
Then Dior and Jean-Paul Gaultier arrived with the aim of investing internet and all different complementary tools, as Facebook, Twitter and the iPhone. Today, lots of brands are using the dissimination power of internet and of social networks to develop a 360° action around people.
Dior iphone strategyjean-paul gaultier twitter

Today, brands are discovering some online phenomenons like intense micro-blogging, the crowd-sourcing or the live-research.
The first concept, intense micro-bloggind, Twitter is the best example but here we are talking about the use of SMS. Twitter uses 1 billion SMS per year. Now Twitter bought a SMS specialized company, so it will be able to implement and invest more on this area. Of course after the trend Twitter, other websites launched their micro-blogging area, like Jaiku, Moodmil or Pownce. In this case here I would highlight Hictu. It is by far the most uglier of all but Hictu proposes a very interesting fonctionality : the video blogging. And as we know, video is the future of internet. Why read a text, even if 140 characters long if we can have a 30seconds video instead?!!!.
Crowd-sourcing and Live-search are pretty similar. In both cases, experts use the power of many to discover, explore, measure the impact of a phenomenon, a concept, a story or an idea. The french luxury brand Thierry Mugler (who does not know Angel raises a hand) launched on the 8th of April a participative website based on the crowd-sourcing dynamics.
Thierry Mugler Womanity
The Brand hopes to gather around the idea of Womanity, all women around the world and these would share their thoughts, aims, desires or dreams. In the 50’s we had the famous tupperware meetings and now we have internet. It is a very interesting project, nice navigation and layout. Sometimes it might be a little confusing but it is part of the game (being not so structured). Some say that there will be a perfume launch in september, others say this is just an observatory for the brand. The future will tell even if I might guess the answer… See here: http://www.womanity.com.

LA

Lady Marion in blue Shanghai

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The Lady Dior Saga continues, this time in shanghai.

Let’s remember. The first chapter was Lady in Black. The action took place in Paris (Where else?!) and we discovered a beautiful Marion Cotillard under the eye of Olivier Dahan. These two worked together in the movie The Mome, the life of Edith Piaf. A very challenging advertising where we can admire Miss Cotillard on the top of the Eifell Tour in Paris. Not only a beautiful bag but also wonderful legs…
Lady Dior in Black

After chapter one, Lady Dior travelled to somewhere in the USA. Marion left Olivier Dahan for the EYE of Rolling stones magazine, Annie Leibovitz. This american photograph is known for her portraits of celebrity people (John Lennon, Bill Gates, Barack Obama…). In the Printed ad we can definitely recognize Ms Leibovitz touch in a rock opera ambiance.
Lady Dior in Red

In the TV advertising, we have the astonishing pleasure to hear Marion Cotillard singing “The Eyes of Mars” with the worldwide known Rock band Frantz Ferdinand. Rocky as I love. Here the video:

Third Chapter of the Saga The Lady Dior Affair, Marion takes the plane to China. Let’s welcome Lady Dior in Blue Shanghai.
Lady Dior in Blue
John Galliano himself with the help of Steven Klein and Julien d’Ys. Steven Klein is a photographer and image maker. He worked with different fashion names like Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein or D&G. But his notoriety came for his collaboration with Madonna in different exhibitions and shows. Today he brings his EYE to John Galliano. And the 3rd mousquetaire is a good friend of Galliano, Julien d’Ys. He is a french Hair dresser and photographer. Considered as one of the most influent Hair masters nowadays, he redically changed the heads of top models in Catwalks. He worked a lot with Galliano during different projects and today he brings his experience and a hint of sexyness to Miss Cotillard hair. What a team!
The only question I have (definetily I do not have so much as these works are just artistically sublime) is why John Galliano is wearing an Adidas Y-3 cap in the making off??? Couldn’t he wear something else. During all the making off video I got obsessed by this detail. It might be a “friendly” hand to Yohji Yamamoto career? Well, for Galliano fans, here is the picture:
Why Galianno has an Adidas Y3 cap

So, Mister Galliano, any thoughts ?
LA

Voyage d’Hermès, perhaps one of the most beautiful launches of the year…

José Amorim
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We know Hermès is a beautiful brand. For many years this brand had generated wonderful stories. Their marketing concepts look like Children fairy tales…. magic.
Last weekend, I went to discover the launch in the point of sales of VOYAGE D’HERMES. I must say that for me it might be one of the most beautiful and luxury launches of the year. Ok, it is Hermes, but apart from that, the key visual is pure poetry, the fragrance is a great hint of elegance and the POP material in the point of sales are brilliant.

First the concept.
Voyage d'Hermès
“Give winds to your dreams “, I would keep this message as a life credo. Everything is poetry. The myth of Pegasus as an Ode for Freedom.  Natural elements in their raw state that blends to create the magnificent.
Hermès hit really strong this time. They have an unique brand, barely incomparable.  Each detail is an invitation to escapism and dream. Between power and delicacy, straight forward and second degree… A simple story, universal and warm hearted executed.
Voyage d'Hermès
All the quintessence of this brand is in this film. The future, the past and the present. The film director is Eric Valli. He is a french photographer and known film director. Remember he was the one who directed the great film Himalaya. We recognize the artistic touch. Here is the video :

Then, the Bottle.
It is the first time Hermès created almost everything inHouse. The bottle was created by Philippe Mouquet. He spent almost half of his career creating magnificent objects for Hermès. It was a real challenge for him. As he is not a fragrance bottle designer, he decided to create this bottle as an art object. As timeless as elegant… a Hermès object.
Voyage d'Hermès

Finally, the Fragrance.
Nobody could create such elegant fragrance than Jean-Claude Ellena himself, the inHouse Perfumer.
The first seconds for me remind me Declaration de Cartier (same creator) : Cardamom and Cedarwood. A mysteriously elegant blend. Then we see that Voyage is more musky, more transparent, a real unisex.

We can say that Hermès are really lifting up the fragrance industry with honor and artistic elegance. Let’s hope others will follow the example.
LA

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