Cathay Pacific launches new Business Class seat

Posted December 10, 2010

Cathay Pacific Airways recently unveiled its latest innovations in product and service at an extravagant event in Hong Kong. The launch was attended by over 3,000 guests, majority of which are Cathay Pacific’s frequent flyers.

The airline revamped its Business Class service to include luxurious amenities to cater to an increasingly demanding business traveler. The business class cabin has been redesigned to provide more legroom and a more private cocoon for the passenger. Each seat sports a wingback design for privacy and has its own vanity mirror. An additional storage space has also been incorporated on the seats: there’s a side storage for handbags or laptops, which can be fixed in an open position to double as a privacy screen, and a shoe locker hidden at the base.

The first aircraft to feature the new Business Class product will be an Airbus A330-300, which is planned to enter service on some of the flights on the Sydney route in March 2011. The new seats will be rolled out rapidly, being installed on all Cathay Pacific’s new long-haul A330-300 and Boeing 777-300ER deliveries and progressively being retrofitted on existing aircraft. By February 2013, all 30 Boeing 777-300ER and 20 long-haul A330-300s in the fleet are expected to have the new product.

TW Steel opens first concept store in Manila

Posted November 19, 2010

TW Steel, the Dutch watch brand specializing in oversized timepieces unveiled recently its first-ever stand alone TW Steel Boutique in Manila.

Located on the ground floor of The PODIUM Mall at the Ortigas Complex, the store showcases the entire TW Steel “Big in Oversized Watches ” range - the collection currently numbering 124 executions.

TW Steel, whose name means “The Watch in Steel ”, is showcasing its on-going commitment to the Asian market, including the opening of a regional headquarters in Hong Kong, with the launch of its first dedicated store platform in Metro Manila.

The contemporary design of the store is truly reflective of TW Steel, featuring innovative styling and the instantly recognizable, distinguished, bold look expressed by the ambitious international lifestyle brand.

“This is an exceptionally proud moment for everyone involved with TW Steel, ” said TW Steel Chief Executive Officer, Jordy Cobelens in a press statement. “To be here launching our first TW Steel Boutique store today is a landmark moment in the history of our brand and once again, a fantastic accomplishment in our short five-year history. It’s particularly exciting to see the TW Steel collection housed in a dedicated retail environment and I’m delighted it’s here in Manila as part of our continued investment in Asia.”

TW Steel in the Philippines will be carrying some of its latest executions such as the updated version of the CEO label, which is an evolution of last year’s sought-after “Ceramic” edition. The new CE1037 and CE1038 also incorporate white ceramic bezels into their sleek designs, this time with a stylish steel case featuring an elegant, high-end “Mother of Pearl” dial.

TW Steel timepieces have been available in the Philippines since 2008 through the brand's exclusive retail partner, Lucerne Jewelers. In addition to the elegant new boutique platform, TW Steel is also available in the territory in Lucerne, Chronos, Wrist Pod and Swiss Gear outlets.

Fissler heats up Millionaire Fair with diamond-studded saucepan

Posted October 25, 2010

The annual Millionaire Fair in Moscow, Russia, is usually the site where the world gets a sneak preview of some of the most outrageously expensive items that will hit the market for the coming year.

In other words, it’s the world’s largest exhibit of blings: only at the Millionaire Fair will you find diamond-encrusted rims for luxury cars, refrigerators wrapped in Swarovski crystals and snakeskin, and toilet bowls made out of gold.

This year did’t disappoint. The trade show, which concluded yesterday, October 24, showcased some luxury goods that ranged from the most exquisite, like the $729,000 Lamborghini, to the borderline absurd, like the German skincare line that’s packaged in containers covered with 5,000 Swarovski crystals.

But the item that got the most attention in the exhibit is the diamond and gold saucepan made by German cookware company Fissler. The company brought back this limited edition saucepan, which made its debut in London store Harrod’s back in 2007. Before anyone could question this sparkly cookware’s functionality, Fissler representatives claim it is not designed for cooking, but only for serving food “beautifully”. This 11-inch saucepan is bedecked with 18-carat solid gold handle, lid and log, which makes it about two pounds heavier than any ordinary cooking pot. Lining the lid and the handle are more than 270 diamonds (TWSI) of varying sizes.

The Diamond Pan, which everyone in the exhibit had come to describe, is a one-off creation that is handmade in Rhineland Palatinate, Germany. Once ordered, it will be delivered in a luxurious jewelry box made of rootwood. It fetches 150,000 euros or roughly $210,000, which is probably enough to buy yourself perhaps a Porsche Cayenne SUV, but then again, if you’re a Russian billionaire who’s into high class cuisine, you wouldn’t mind throwing in that much money into this pot.

via: www.bornrich.org

Boucheron launches “magic mirror”
for virtual jewelry fitting

Posted October 14, 2010

Purchasing luxury goods online can be tricky. Not only are you buying an expensive item that you haven’t seen or touched, but you’re not guaranteed that it’s the right fit or if it looks good on you.

However, a trending online application launched by a few luxury houses might ease your worries, eventually. French jeweler Boucheron, for instance, recently introduced an application for its new sister website, myBoucheron, that allows visitors to virtually try on rings and timepieces using the “magic mirror” screen technology.

The application requires a computer, a webcam and a piece of printing paper. First, the user needs to download and install the program on his or her computer. The next step is to print out Boucheron's drawing of a watch or ring from the website, cut out the design, wrap it around one’s wrist (if it’s a watch) or finger (if it’s a ring). The user can then raise his or her hand in front of the webcam.

The “magic mirror” works by digitally transforming the reflection of the paper cutout into whichever Boucheron model the user selects on the myBoucheron website (separate from the brand's main website and online boutique).

However nifty this feature is, this is not the first time an online retail site offered virtual fitting for customers. Last month, American retail chain Macy’s introduced the "Magic Fitting Room", an in-store installation located at the retailer's Herald Square store. The installation, which debuted at Vogue’s Fashion's Night Out, features a large-scale mirror with multi-touch technology.

Just like navigating a touchscreen device, customers can browse, shop and virtually "try on" the latest Macy's items on the touchscreen mirror. They can flip through a catalog of tops, dresses, bottoms and coats, select their picks and then watch as the items are fit to the their reflection in the mirror. Not only that, Facebook users can also send photos of themselves "wearing" the outfit, or they can e-mail or text the images to themselves, too.

Lush introduces palm-oil free soaps

Posted October 7, 2010

Lush, maker of handmade natural soaps, recently launched a campaign that advocates the non-use of palm oil in manufacturing cosmetics. Concerns regarding the use of palm oil originated when representatives of Lush traveled to Indonesia to meet with animal and environmental groups in Indonesia to discuss the impact of palm oil sourcing to the Indonesian rainforests.

Global demand for the oil is causing the clearing of ancient rainforests, Lush found out, forcing indigenous people off their land and pushing orangutans to the brink of extinction to make room for more palm oil plantations.

As a company, Lush decided that the best way to preserve these precious rainforests is to no longer use palm oil, which is why the company worked with another soap maker to come up with an industry first – a palm-free soap base that can be used to make large quantities of soap. A blend of sunflower oil, rapeseed oil and coconut oil is now the base used in all Lush soaps.

Lush is also urging other retailers and manufacturers to cut their palm use by at least half. To do this, the brand is working with environmental organizations and Industry by forming a collaborative working group called Actively Seeking Alternatives to Palm (ASAP).

In the Philippines, Lush is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) and is located at Glorietta 4, Power Plant Mall, Shangri-La Mall, Greenbelt 3, Mall of Asia, and Bonifacio High Street, Trinoma and Alabang Town Center. You may also visit us online at www.lush.com.ph

Vacheron Constantin releases Patrimony Traditionnelle collection

Posted September 20, 2010

In the world of Vacheron Constantin, the Patrimony collection best expresses the manufacturing company’s genetic makeup that is the inheritance of skills painstakingly acquired since its inception. Their round cases span the past and the future as an eternal design of natural elegance that needs no adornment, for the simple beauty of time-honored workmanship is sufficient to denote Swiss watchmaking of the highest order. The collection remains true to the artistry apparent in some of Vacheron Constantin’s finest historical work. The craftsmanship serves as a reminder that tradition and modernity coexist as a matter of course.

The “Calibre 2253” model in the Collection Excellence Platine is an outstanding timepiece and chief among the Grand Complication models presented by Vacheron Constantin. In addition to the tourbillon escapement, it includes such astronomical complications as the perpetual calendar, the times of sunrise and sunset and the equation of time. Furthermore it has an exceptional running time of 14 days. Only 10 numbered pieces will be produced in this limited edition. The Calibre 2253 movement also bears the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva, which is an independent and legally sanctioned label of workmanship, origin, precision, resilience and competence. This seal of watch making perfection, among the oldest of professional labels, is reserved for a handful of Geneva manufacturers.

The “Calibre 2755” on the other hand is a watch in platinum concentrates - the major complications in which Vacheron Constantin excels both technically and stylistically. It combines the tourbillon and the perpetual calendar with a minute-repeater that features an original and completely silent mechanism to pace the strike. This particular model belongs to the super-complication category as a worthy heir of Vacheron Constantin’s 250th anniversary masterpiece and as the ultimate demonstration of its unequalled skills. Such a revelation of the quintessence of the watchmaker’s art provides the most accomplished expression of that art and its three score of associated crafts that are in daily practice at Vacheron Constantin.

The third model, also in platinum, is the Patrimony Traditionnelle Chronograph Perpetual Calendar “Calibre 1141QP”, which embodies the Vacheron Constantin convention in styling. It brings together a chronograph and a perpetual calendar driven by a highly regarded hand-wound movement. It carries an exceptional design that has been used in some of the best chronographs. Experts consider it a model of highly complex chronograph construction.

This jewel of the watchmaker’s art that’s only 7.40 mm thick is of the mechanical kind and wound by hand. To give it due honor, Vacheron Constantin this year presents it in a case commensurate with its status: a version in 950 platinum of the Patrimony Traditionnelle model that took its place from the outset among the reference masterpieces of the Geneva-based manufacturer.  Like all Vacheron Constantin movements, the Calibre 1141QP is distinguished by the detailed manual labour that goes into chamfering the bridge plates decorated in Côtes de Genève and by the circular graining of the baseplate, also done by hand.

Vacheron Constantin is exclusively distributed by Rustan’s Commercial Corporation and is available at Rustan’s SilverVault in Rustan’s Department Store in Makati.