《OMEGA House Opens @ The Heart of Soho》

OMEGA, the Official Timekeeper of the London 2012 Olympic Games opened its exclusive residence for members and invited guests on the 28^th of July. The party to celebrate the opening welcomed actress and OMEGA brand ambassador Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban, along with a number entertainment and sport personalities. Among the celebrity guests were Kit Harrington who has enjoyed recent success in the popular series Game of Thrones. Eddie Redmayne, the star of My Week with Marilyn and a number of West End theatrical successes, as was model and television personality Jodie Kidd.

 The party started rocking with tunes selected by no less a DJ than pop star Jarvis Cocker. The OMEGA House will remain a hub of OMEGA’s social activities through the night of the 12^th of August when the Closing Ceremony takes place. The stunning Georgian townhouse in the historic heart of Soho provides a central home for OMEGA's invited guests and offers its guests a luxurious retreat from the hustle and bustle of streets and venues in the Olympic host city. 

 

《BVLGARI @ The Automaton Watch》

BVLGARI ~ The automaton watch: Il Giocatore Veneziano brings an ancient, almost forgotten, tradition back to life. This minute-repeating wristwatch with an automaton takes its theme from a painting by Caravaggio, the 16^th-century Italian artist. Produced in a limited edition it ranks among the outstanding creations in watch-making. The old tradition of associating timepieces with automata has almost entirely disappeared from the watchmaking landscape. Il Giocatore Veneziano, signed by Bulgari, stages an ingenious comeback for this heritage. The wristwatch is doubly impressive: a complexity of mechanisms activates both an automaton and a minute-repeater besides telling the time. Patterned on the automata of the late 17^th and early 18^th centuries, Il Giocatore Veneziano restores the art to its rightful place in a brilliant demonstration of micro-mechanical intricacy.

Caravaggio’s The Cardsharps, painted in the late 16^th century gave birth to the idea of Il Giocatore Veneziano as the mechanical allegory of a dice player. The delicately painted automaton with moving arms rolls two dice to give 504 random numbers. Dangerously addictive to inveterate gamblers, the throws of the dice are not easy to guess. The unique mechanism for the automaton operates independently from the repeating work, which is activated on demand. The Giocatore Veneziano automaton can be brought into play with the minute-repeater or independently. The minute-repeater strikes the hours, quarters and minutes. It took three years of development to turn watch-making prowess into an authentic novelty. The minute-repeating Il Giocatore Veneziano is entirely finished by hand in the way of the old watchmakers and in the style of the amazing automaton pocket-watches of the 17^th century that featured mythological themes or scenes from daily life.

While adhering to watch-making’s traditional values, Il Giocatore Veneziano proclaims its modernity. The watchmakers designed an automaton wristwatch worthy of the name: unlike other products in which the automaton is linked to the minute-repeater, the two devices are here entirely independent of one another — a special and rare feature. Every aspect of this watch reflects its exceptional character, from the traditional craft methods that ensure the automaton’s reliability, to the hours, quarters and minutes strike of the repeater — a reminder of the days when time was heard rather than seen. It thus returns to an old tradition with all the advantages of a watch of today. This masterpiece of complicated watch-making, comprising more than 500 parts and many specific components, is entirely finished and assembled by hand.

《BALLY @ AW2012 Ad Campaign》

Bally’s AW2012 Ad campaign transports us to a winter playground of effortless luxury, set against the breathtaking alpine background that surrounds the chic Swiss ski resort of Verbier. Shot in early 2012 at Verbier’s prestigious Chalet d’Adrien Bally chose the iconic mountain resort town in Switzerland’s Valais to again directly reflect the Swiss brand’s own heritage and ethos of striking contemporary elegance and fine detail. Bally worked once more with New York-based photographer Norman Jean Roy, whose work includes covers for Vanity Fair and GQ as well as Vogue editorials, on this latest campaign. Roy’s deceptively casual style imbues Bally’s AW2012 collection with a seamless blend of fiercely sophisticated style and understated luxury, all set against an inspirational Swiss backdrop.

The Bally campaign features the aristocratic faces of Caroline Trentini and Hilary Rhoda partnered with the impeccable European look of models Andrew Cooper and Robert Konjic, who also appeared in Bally’s SS2012 campaign. This new Bally campaign cleverly works to off-set the rich seasonal tones of the collection against the crisp white backdrop of freshly fallen snow.

Bearing all the hallmarks of Bally’s design excellence and modern timelessness, AW2012 has been designed by Creative Directors Michael Herz and Graeme Fidler to continue carrying this Swiss luxury leather goods house into a realm of urban luxury, gently contrasted through Roy’s lens by the serene majesty of snow covered Swiss Alps. This polished campaign draws us in to the world of Bally by showcasing the sumptuous leathers and flawless design elements of the brand’s shoes, bags, accessories and ready-to-wear, once again reaffirming the Bally’s luxurious regal flair.  

Simonetta Ravizza @ FW2012 Women’s Collection

Simonetta Ravizza FW 2012 Collection haute couture is where exclusive tradition meets state-of-the-art technology. Featuring fabulous yet versatile furs and timeless, impalpable dreams, the collection is a complex and refined exercise in the duality of style and more. In the fur segment, Simonetta wanted to combine valuable techniques such as the most classic and virtuosic stranding process with a range of innovative, rough, dynamic and futuristic materials. Full of contrasts and antinomies, the result is a specular and original, aesthetic interpretation primarily expressed through the autonomous and unifying colour of black that is offset by only a few splashes of shades of white. It is an unusual blend of textures, lines and consistencies.

 

Light leather filleted from the inside and superb furs such as mink, fox, and ermine as light and as soft as velvet are paired up with the hard and almost metallic contemporary energy of neoprene, cloth, and boucle fabric. Lightness encourages the use of striking, sleek geometric lines, straight, cocoon-like, or slightly padded silhouettes, and exquisite cuts reminiscent of the golden age of French and Italian couture of the fifties and sixties. It also inspires the abstract vocation of informal art, Lisa Fonssangrives and Barbarella, Bunuel's sophisticated and bourgeois moods in Belle de Jour and Lucio Fontana's Tagli. It is a distinctive stylistic approach that embraces the allure of the past and gazes to the future with serenity and confidence.

 Simonetta Ravizza has created a total look from top to bottom that is perfect for a lunch or dinner in the city: pretty little black dresses that are sexy and practical, the ideal outfit for today's multifaceted woman and her busy day, at work or play. There are also neoprene mini-dresses with fur trim that reconfirm the same concept from a different perspective, which is the duality that characterizes the entire collection.

《DIOR HOMME Eyewear @ SS2012 Collection》

Dior Homme SS2012 Eyewear collection sunglass inspiration comes fromthe 80's acetate and metal sunglasses square shape. The refined mix of materials on the frame front is accentuated by the ultr-slim metal browbar and double bridge. The temples features the inconic "Dior Homme" metal cut. The engraved 'CD" logo is positioned at the tenon of temples.

The acetate aviator sunglasses is an elegant and contemporary design. The iconic "Plisse" pattern is work into the bi-layered acetate.The sophisticated mix of materials with a metal details on the bridge and temples.

The optical frames uses the refined mix of materials: the acetate frame contrasted with ultra slim metal browbar and the temples feature the inconic " Dior Homme" metal cut with the 80's inspired square design.



《MINI @ Birtish Mod Exhibition》

MINI British Mod Exhibition officially rolled in Hopewell Centre, Wan Chai by showing a hip outdoor Mod Exhibition demonstrating the coolest London subculture that peaked in the late 1950's and early 1960's revolving around fashion and music. A blast of London Street Snap area where you can preserve a special memory with a funny photo, a 1:1 Fiberglass MINI Countryman parked atop the shopping centre and revealing the boldness and creativity of MINI.

MINI has completely transformed the open piazza of Hopewell Centre into an old England Street, completed with a telephone kiosk, postbox and other exhibits that distinctively epitomise Mod Culture in its purest form.

To highlight this grand opening, the newly launched MINI Roadster has taken the spotlight in the showroom, agile handling, two-seater design, grazioso contoured exterior and its open-top with semi-automatic black hood. Exhibition ends 5th August 2012.



《Links of London Team GB Woven Band》

As official jewellery licensee of London 2012 Links of London have designed an iconic Team GB (Great Britain) collection.  A design of blue and red knotted threads with a slice of silver engraved with ‘Team GB’; this is the key fashion item for every wrist of every sports fan, fashionista, celebrity and tourist. Looking back after the Games these pieces will evoke your memories and the glory of London being the host for the greatest show on earth! The ‘hero’woven band is the must-have accessory for London 2012.

《ECCO @ AW2012 Collection》

ECCO AW12 expresses Scandinavian lifestyle as never before. A genuine statement of the well-known less is more philosophy emphasized by state of the art craftsmanship. The collection tells a story of an all year round collection offering shoes from all categories to all of us who live and breathe Scandinavian lifestyle. It is a collection which is described by timeless appeal, sleek simplicity and functionality rather than volatile trends.

The collection graced ECCO’s runway during Copenhagen Fashion Week in January 2012 featuring thick round high heels and squared toes in addition to the ultimate in craftsmanship and leather expertise even featuring handmade shoes. Three new trends were also revealed: Active vibrations, Aesthetic Being and Nordic Breathing. 

Active Vibration illuminated the spaces where sport meets fashion. Clean and functional lines in combination with sporty comfort and color blocking describe the shoes in this part of the runway. Shoes from this category are for an active life focused on health and wellness.  

  

  

 

 

 There was much focus on esthetics and elegance and a softer approach to classic minimalism in this part of the collection. Less is more, classics featuring fashion trends from several decades. Slow fashion, old school and even masculine styling were key words describing a number of the autumn winter ECCO styles.

ECCO's AW12 runway offers shoes to all of us who live and breathe Scandinavian lifestyle in terms of great natural materials, in particular leather. And leather will certainly be in the air when the leaves start falling from the trees this fall. Being one of the world’s leading leather manufacturers, ECCO will be top of the agenda.

《MCM @ ‘Brand Experience’ in London》

This year MCM joins the jubilee & celebrations of the games in commemorating the UK’s legacies of prestige, culture of distinction and world-renowned heritage of excellence. Entitled The MCM Brand Experience, MCM unveils the third edition of its logo-branded mobile centre, for the first time on the streets of London conveying a 360 degree brand experience to local & international customers alike. Inspired by London’s iconic traditional route master bus model, the double-decker MCM Experience launches in the UK’s grand Metropolis touring toward the London Eye, across the House of Parliament, over the London Bridge, under Wellington Arch and to other iconic hotspots, locales and landmarks.

In celebration of MCM’s commitment to travel, the double-decker ‘brand experience’is monogram-wrapped as a giant version of MCM’s Cognac Visetos Luggage offering an immersive opportunity in experiencing the brand’s history culture & lifestyle, its latest collections and the unforgettable ‘World of MCM’ in an elegant moving lounge for passengers.

This version of the MCM Brand Experience follows similar expeditions in Hong Kong & Berlin, commemorating luxury travel in association with its distinguished Modern Mobility Project. The current phase of this illustrious celebration of transport has additionally been created as a prelude to the soon-to-open MCM boutique at Harrods, one of the world's most famous luxury department stores.

The lower deck features an exclusive preview of the newly introduced AW2012 collection, while drinks, discourse can be enjoyed in the lounge area on the upper deck for passengers, VIP’s and enthusiasts alike.The MCM Brand Experience operated from 7 to 15 July and was found within Britain’s beloved grand Metropolis, London- an internationally-renowned cosmopolitan destination boasting a historically unique charm and characteristically timeless sophistication, befitting MCM’s value for the urbane. The Experience delivered the ultimate hybrid of contemporary British culture and luxury travel within one of the world’s most sought-after capitals, purveying the MCM experience to fashion cognoscenti worldwide.