How about an afternoon of Champagne, couture and cake?
The Lanesborough is holding such an afternoon with guests indulging in a Champagne afternoon tea in Apsley’s, an exclusive presentation of Hervé Léger by Max Azria’s Autumn Winter 2010 collection, as well as the opportunity to take advantage of styling advice and a 15% discount.
The hotel’s recently launched restaurant, Apsleys, a Heinz Beck Restaurant, was awarded its first Michelin star in February 2010.
A huge fashion hit since the ‘80s, Hervé Léger pioneered the body-con look which has returned to the fashion spotlight in recent seasons since being relaunched by Max Azria.
His designs are a modern interpretation of the signature bandage dress and have already earned a host of stylish celebrity fans including Diane Kruger, Kate Winslet, Victoria Beckham, Rachel Weisz and Keira Knightley.
The event heralds the launch of The Lanesborough’s Christmas package, which will include a private in-room fitting with Hervé Léger by Max Azria and entitlement to a 15% discount on the collection.
The Lanesborough is renowned for its traditional afternoon tea and has won numerous awards including Best in London and an Award of Excellence, both by The British Tea Guild.
The Lanesborough and Hervé Léger by Max Azria’s Champagne Afternoon Tea is on Friday 26th November, from 4.00pm to 5.30pm and is priced at £49.00 per person plus 12.5% Service Charge. For reservations, please call 020 7259 5599 or visit http://www.lanesborough.com.
Go on, treat yourself!
The Larusmiani flagship store in Milan is a hugely successful partnership of Italian heritage and immaculate finish.
The store reminds me of a popular advert for Danish lager, where the finished results of holidays / flatmates / banks etc all have the same tagline…This is probably the most stylish store and it has everything to do with Luxury Interior Designer David Collins .
Founded in 1922, Larusmiani represents an unrivalled pedigree in luxury menswear and immaculate tailoring. The vision for the elegant building dating from the 1950s was to create a space dedicated to tailoring and fabrics, relating Larusmiani’s vast heritage to visitors.
The boutique, based in Milan, opened to much acclaim on the eve of Spring/Summer 2011 Milan Fashion Week. Deservedly so.
A colour palette of ivory, blue and white has been selected, using heritage Larusmiani fabrics for interplay of colour and texture. Details such as ivory linen walls with navy grosgrain ribbon panels; navy leather fixtures and red saddle stitch all perfectly compliment the collections on show.
Of the overall design, David Collins comments, “My inspiration for the space is a reflection of the quality and attention to detail that is the hallmark of Larusmiani”
The flagship store oozes simplicity and understated luxury – reflecting the subtlety of the sumptuous apparel.
Full of unmistakable, classic and irresistible Italian flair, the store features a walk in vault showcasing jewellery, watches and technology from the leaders in global design innovation. Setting the standard the world over, Larusmiani takes luxury retail to a new level.
Other exciting projects from the masterful David Collins team include the opening of the Bassoon piano bar in March 2011. This project has allowed David to draw parallels between music and design noting that ‘the symmetry, balance and harmony are all subliminal reminders of how the environment influences us’ - David plans to incorporate music more fully into his work moving forward.
Elsewhere in London, the team is also working on a number of restaurant projects for internationally acclaimed chefs, including Massimo Riccioli at the new Corinthia hotel, set to open in the Spring.
Larusmiani garments are sold exclusively at the Concept Boutique at 7, Via Montenapoleone, Milan.
Posted by Paul Handley on Wed 27th October 2010 at 07:43 AM, Filed in Luxury Clothes
Rarely, these days, would you see something so absolutely perfect created out of the hands of local artisans close to the Himalayan mountains.
Something so unique, a one-of-a-kind piece of art, that has taken anywhere from 3 months to create a shawl with a simple hand embroidered border to 12 years to create a true masterpiece.
Ladess produce distinctive and beautifully luxurious hand woven cashmere scarves and stoles featuring intricate hand embroidery.
Priti Lad, founder and designer of Ladess infuses a contemporary edge to these traditional heirlooms. She uses the talents of local women of Kashmir, masters of an age old heritage which has been passed down from generation to generation. Each piece is truly unique.
It shows.
These wonderfully creative women work only 2-3 hours a day to ensure the tedium and strain of the required skill does not affect their long term health, or the highest of quality finishes.
These handmade pashminas are made using only the purest cashmere sourced from the Himalayan mountain goats of Kashmir.
The temperature is dropping and soon Christmas will be here. If you want to spoil your loved ones this Christmas, why not treat them to a luxurious cashmere Ladess scarf? With so many colours and styles to choose from there is ‘a perfect scarf’ for everyone.
Available at The Monogrammed Linen Shop, Walton Street. Prices start at £650.
Iconic Italian luxury menswear house Larusmiani launched its newly revamped David Collins Studio designed flagship store to much acclaim last week in Milan, with a cocktail reception on the eve of Milan Fashion Week S/S 2011. Famed for numerous luxury hotels and bars around the world, the David Collins Studio has given a no-expenses spared, residential feel to the city’s most elite fashion store. Collins has incorporated heritage Larusmiani fabrics to the design effortlessly complimenting and enhancing the quality and style of the exclusive Larusmiani product.
A colour palette of ivory, blue and white has been selected for the menswear sections with ivory linen walls and navy grosgrain ribbon panels. The same level of detail has been used throughout womenswear, but a separate colour palette of ivory, burnished macassar, parchment and brown employed for a more boudoir feel.
Of the overall design, Collins commented “My inspiration for the space is a reflection of the quality and attention to detail that is the hallmark of Larusmiani”. This may be the designer’s first Italian project but he has certainly made his mark on the fashion capital.
Posted by Paul Handley on Wed 1st September 2010 at 08:02 AM, Filed in Luxury Clothes
With Summer drawing to a close for another year, It’s time to look ahead.
It’s time to pack away your shorts for another year. It’s time to invest wisely. Soon it will be cold. How do you look good and stay warm at the same time? For Women cashmere is the answer.
Luckily for us, Clan Douglas Cashmere Studio are launching their first collection for Autumn Winter 2010 next week.
Clan Douglas Cashmere Studio is a division of Hawick knitwear ltd. Arguably the home of British Knitwear, Hawick supply collections for all the major players in the industry; Lyle & Scott, Pringle, Burberry, Black fleece by Thom Browne, Agent Provocateur.
Scottish cashmere is renowned for its high quality and luxurious texture, and Clan Douglas Cashmere Studio is proud to claim its heritage, design and production as exclusively Scottish.
The sumptuous feel of cashmere is emphasised by the variety of styles available in the Clan Douglas Cashmere Studio collection.
The finest yarns are used to ensure the production of elegant colour details and consistent superior quality.
The 30 piece collection includes intricately designed cardigans, knitted dresses with contemporary silhouettes, exquisite twin sets with a modern twist, oversized cowl-neck jumpers and signature Studio Stripe accessories; all hand-finished by craftsmen and craftswomen.
The collection’s creator is designer Alex Feechan, an award-winning designer with a 1st class honours degree and an MA from the prestigious Royal College of Art, London.
Furthermore, and this is a nice touch, every designer cashmere piece in the collection has been given the name of a Scottish poem to reflect its authentic origins.
Clan Douglas Cashmere Studio will be available at various boutiques around the country & online at http://www.cashmerestudio.com. Recommended retail prices start at £144 to £599 - available at selected boutiques including; Austique on the King’s Road, KJ’s Laundry in Marylebone, Bridget Salmassian in Wimbledon Village.
Please enjoy the collection and, below,one of the poems used in tandem with the new collection -
Those Winter Sundays by Robert E Haydn
Sundays too my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blueback cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labour in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.
I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he’d call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,
Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love’s austere and lonely offices?
