Toyota Kirloskar Motor is considering launching one of its luxury MPVs in India, as reported by Overdrive. This would specifically be an Alphard and it could be a hybrid. Toyota has seen plenty of success with its Innova MPV and the recently launched high-end Innova Crysta (starts at Rs 26 lakhs) is reason enough to believe that MPVs are a success in the country. According to reports by Overdrive, “The 2.5-litre 2AR-FXE hybrid motor is perky, there’s strong performance on offer through a 6-speed automatic transmission and with the hybrid power train efficiency should not be an issue either.” The full-size luxury MPV is expected to be priced around the Rs 50 lakh mark.

In a recent research conducted by Amadeus, a major technology provider for the world travel industry, the travellers from the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) nations are expected to be more frequent in terms of making luxury outbound trips. And the country that would offer the most promising travel experiences and host the highest throngs of travellers is none other than India, with the highest CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 12.8 pc among the BRIC countries. The report, titled ‘Shaping the Future of Luxury Travel’ looks at the opportunities and improvements across the global luxury travel sector till 2030.It specifically highlights India’s rapidly growing middle class and Indian diasporas across the globe, which are both fueling a rapid growth in its luxury market, boosting medium and long haul air travel. Empowered by the growing middle class, India will likely lead the way in luxury travel, presenting a great potential for investments over the coming decade.

Jaguar Land Rover has revealed that it plans to make Land Rover SUVs in India for the local market and for exports. According to reports, the British luxury vehicle unit of Tata Motors is discussing internally and with component vendors about the possibility of making a mini version of the Defender in India by 2019-20. At present, the company has a facility on the outskirts of Pune to assemble luxury saloons and SUVs from imported kits. Indian buyers have been increasingly choosing SUVs over luxury sedans, and a mini-Defender would be just right for the company to cater to that growing demand. The Indian market stands to benefit from the local production of marquee brands like Land Rover, giving an additional fillip to the country’s image as a manufacturing base for automobiles. After its 2008 acquisition by Tata Motors, JLR had studied the possibility of manufacturing its vehicles in India, but the plans couldn’t materialise earlier owing to doubts over parts supplies.

For its debut perfume campaign, Louis Vuitton has unveiled a series of photographs by Patrick Demarchelier for the 7 fragrances created by Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud: Rose des Vents , Turbulences , Dans la Peau , Apogée , Contre Moi , Matière Noire and Mille Feux . The campaign features Léa Seydoux in South Africa, at Lone Creek Falls – Sabie Town, and is shot by photographer Patrick Demarchelier. Ranging from the breezy Rose des Vents to the intoxicating Turbulences and the darker notes of Matière Noire, Louis Vuitton perfumes “describe a journey of emotions” as the company puts it.

IMG Worlds of Adventure, an amusement park that cost more than $1 billion dollars and took three years to build, opened its doors to the public last Wednesday. The park is as big as 28 football fields, measuring some 1.5 million square feet in size, and features a mishmash of characters from Cartoon Network, like the much loved Powerpuff Girls and Disney’s Marvel universe, like the Hulk and Spider-Man, according to reports.

International network luxury travel specialists Virtuoso have picked a list of top ten adventure travel destinations and surprisingly, Iceland comes up top. Iceland’s picturesque landscape of volcanoes, waterfalls, glaciers and hot springs landed it top spot as most sought-after adventure destination. Following Iceland on the second spot are the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador, while Chile and Costa Rica along with Patagonia tie for the third spot. Fourth and Fifth spots are occupied respectively by New Zealand and Peru.

The YI Erida is the first consumer targeted drone with a carbon fiber construction, 4K video and top speed of 75mph, but the biggest feat it claims to achieve is to combine simplicity and ease of use with the most advanced technology. And it’s all set to debut at InterDrone in Las Vegas. The makers of this new drone believe it could bring professional grade performance to the masses at an affordable price. With a body constructed completely from carbon fiber, the YI Erida is durable yet light making it easy to manoeuvre and gentle on battery life. Initial tests show that it can reach speeds of 120km/h while remaining airborne for 40 minutes. The three sets of rotors fold down so that the drone is easy to transport when not in the air and as it doesn’t need a separate remote controller – it’s all operated via a smartphone app.

Bottega Venetta’s iconic Intrecciato design makes the leap from bags to eyewear this season. An extension of Tomas Maier’s polished ready-to-wear collection for fall, the Intrecciato Eyewear range would be available in three distinct collections, with the classic motif appearing on both sunglasses and prescription glasses.  The Light Intrecciato Profile will have the motif subtly applied to both unisex and feminine frame shapes, finished with tonal or contrasting color nuances and two iconic rivets on the temples. The Intrecciato Eyes range will be defined by an eyebrow metal insert with the engraved motif running along the unisex browline frame. The Intrecciato Rim style might see the woven motif engraved throughout, but the resulting look remains light and versatile. The range will be available in matte or semi-matte finishes, in a colour palette of black, brown and Havana, with accents of blues, greens and pinks for extra oomph!

As the first-ever mall in Asia and the largest mall in Hong Kong, Harbour City has evolved over the past 50 years and has become a global destination for fashion. To mark the 50-year milestone, Harbour City is collaborating with renowned cultural icon “BE@RBRICK”, inviting 37 international fashion brands to contribute to Hong Kong’s largest-ever BE@RBRICK fashion-art group exhibition,“Style Up BE@RBRICK at Harbour City” , from September 19 to October 16. A few participating brands will also create special BE@RBRICK store window displays at their Harbour City outlets. “Gallery by the Harbour” will celebrate the 15thAnniversary of BE@RBRICK and feature special edition BE@RBRICK figures from the past 15 years. After the exhibition, the 37 versions of the 2000% original BE@RBRICK figures will be available for charity sale, with proceeds going towards the Hong Kong Blood Cancer Foundation.  Harbour City will also launch its Harbour City x BE@RBRICK “Style Up in the Rain” Limited Edition Umbrella & Kid’s Rain Boots between August 22 and September 4 as a pre-launch of the exhibition.  To showcase the crossover umbrella as a fashion accessory, Harbour City has invited renowned photographer, Jimmy Ming Shum to take a series of fashion photos under the rain, with styling and wardrobe by Lane Crawford.

When the one you love declares his wish to lay the world at your feet, you might give him a hint that you’d like the Eiffel Tower at your feet instead. Wonder what we’re talking about? Christian Louboutin’s latest capsule collection inspired by vintage cityscapes of Paris features the Eiffel Tower on its shoes and the Siene river on its bags. The entire Plan de Paris collection flaunts the map of Paris and was created in the Louvre as a token of love by Christian Louboutin for his birthplace. Presented in soft calfskin and gleaming specchio leather, the collection consists of shoes, handbags and small leather goods for both men and women. There are also some of Louboutin’s signature products like the Pigalle Follies 100, Décolleté 554 heels and the reinvented version of the Paloma tote bag.