At first sight it’s a nondescript—if a little futuristic—cube, but appearances, as they say, can be deceptive. And so, this isn’t just any cube, it’s the world’s first personal air conditioner, and it’s called Evapolar. Measuring 17 cm on each side, it can be placed on a flat surface, cooling your immediate environment. It goes a step further to purify and humidify the space at the same time. Unlike traditional air conditioners that use mildly-toxic refrigerant gases (e.g., Freon) to create a strong flow of cold dry air, Evapolar employs just plain water and the ecologically sound, paper-thin evaporative materials, emulating a natural air cooling process. The unit features a detachable 750 ml water tank (which needs to be refilled every 6-8 hours), and it plugs into a regular power grid or power bank via USB, for convenient portability. It cools down a area of of 4 m² with a max temperature decrease of 15 °C. Oh, and lest we forget: unlike your regular AC, it consumes only 10W, so you can be smug in your environment-saving luxury. And it’s yours for $180.
Kalki Koechlin features in the latest campaign for the launch of Label Ritu Kumar’s Autumn Winter 2016 collection and “BASICS by LABEL, Ritu Kumar”. In a first for both, KalkiKoechlin and Label Ritu Kumar, the national award-winning actress features in two videos for the launch of the Basics range. The campaign featuring videos and stills was shot in Pali Hill, Mumbai by ace photographer Bikramjit Bose and videographer Christina MacGillivray. The BASICS are a collection of essential high quality must-have garments for every womans wardrobe. The campaign features Kalki exuding vintage glamour in mainly printed dresses bringing together Indian and European influences in easy to wear silhouettes. “I’m thrilled to feature in the Label Autumn-Winter 2016 campaign by Label Ritu Kumar. They really understand my style and my fashion aesthetic”, said Kalki Koechlin. “We are extremely excited to have Kalki on board as part of our AW’16 campaigns. The essence of the collection lies in portraying vintage glamour in a contemporary way. We also wanted to immerse ourselves in the wearer’s lifestyle – a mix of music festival, day time chic and evening soirees,” said Amrish Kumar, CEO, Ritu Kumar. The new collections will be available in all Label Ritu Kumar stores as well as online starting August 2016.
American jeweler Tiffany & Co has launched three new ring series for all its loyal lovers. In celebration of its 130th anniversary this year, the jeweler has created a special rose gold edition, which supports the iconic six platinum prongs that hold the diamond gently, allowing for maximum light reflection from each of the exquisitely cut facets. You can also opt for the limited edition Pave Tiffany Setting – inspired by the unique Tiffany Setting ring featured in the 2016 Blue Book Collection, where hundreds of diamonds are set within the shank of the ring. For couples, the Tiffany T Two series is an update from the previous Tiffany T collection, and brings forth minimalist silhouettes with the distinct T marked across the rings.
Nothing can be too good for the little princess in your life—so how about this absolutely mesmerising Little Mermaid Bed? Created by furniture brand Circu, this bed is designed for kids fascinated by undersea stories, and appropriately is shaped like a shell, featuring lighting on the inside to add to the enchantment! Attached to the base of the bed are smooth “rocks”—what’s an ocean without rocks, after all? The outside of the fiberglass bed is nacre painted, and alongside the bed, your princess can also have a “magic mirror” to house her very own flat screen T.V. Shaped like a large handheld mirror, this fixture features intricate hand carving that uses traditional techniques to stunning effect. With a silver leaf finish and pink translucent paint for the handle and frame, it actually houses a 19″ television inside! How’s that for mirror, mirror on the wall! You can get the Little Mermaid bed for €14,610 (approx. $16,281) while the Magical Mirror with T.V. is priced at €6,140 (approx. $6,842). Small price to pay for all the happiness!
The news had been buzzing within the fashion industry for quite some time now, and it’s finally official. Belgian designer Raf Simons has joined Calvin Klein as the new Chief Creative Officer. This role will have the 48-year-old oversee the brand’s clothing, underwear, jeans and home furnishings effective immediately. Fans of the designer can look forward to seeing his first collection under Calvin Klein this fall. ‘The arrival of Raf Simons as Chief Creative Officer signifies a momentous new chapter for Calvin Klein, said Steve Shiffman, CEO,Calvin Klein, in an official statement on the brand’s social media handle. He added, ’Not since Mr Klein himself was at the company has it been led by one creative visionary, and I am confident that this decision will drive the Calvin Klein brand and have a significant impact on its future.” Prior to his role at Calvin Klein, the Belgian designer was the creative director at Dior. And he will also be bringing along his former right-hand man Pieter Mulier. who would be executing Simons’ creative and design vision for men’s and women’s ready to wear, as well as the bridge and better apparel lines and accessories. Earlier in April, Calvin Klein had reported that it would be unifying all its brands under one vision, in a bid to increase its global retail sales.
The world’s very first smart umbrella is named Jonas, and he’s truly smart: he gives you weather updates as you step out of the house, and he also ensures you’d never lose him. Developed by digital accessories company Fantastick, Jonas can accomplish a host of tasks: he can give you weather data for seven days from Yahoo! Weather if you sync your phone with an application he supports – called JONAS; he can give you daily forecast by LED colouring at the front of your door, when you want to step out, and best of all— he can send alerts to your phone if you forget him somewhere. The umbrella sends you the last location, directing you to him. And if you still can’t find it, the helpful little guy will go ahead give you a cal— by just shaking himself! Jonas is create with ultra-light aluminium and unbreakable fibre glass ribs, dressed in pongee fabric, and you can choose from a range of vibrant colours. Underneath the cap lie 4 AAA batteries and 3 colour LED, Bluetooth 4.2 and a gravity sensor, and he’s also yours for $105. That’s one smart umbrella!
The world’s tallest moving observation tower situated in Brighton, opens to the world today, August 4. Completed 10 years after its conception by husband and wife team David Marks and Julia Barfield, the tower is designed by the same geniuses that created the iconic London eye. Named British Airways i360, the tower is shaped like a futuristic glass viewing pod and slowly glides visitors up 450 feet in the air on a vertical cable car. At the top it stops, enabling you to take in 360-degree views across Brighton, the South Downs and the Sussex coastline, for a duration of about 20 minutes in the day and 30 minutes after 6 pm, because then the pod transforms into the Sky Bar, serving locally produced sparkling wine. The tower itself is powered entirely on green and renewable energy, and the pod’s descent generates half of the energy required to power its ascent. At the base of the tower, the beach building is set to house a trio of different dining options that will include a formal dining area, a tea room and casual café with terrace that overlooks the pier. Other features include a children’s play area and retail spaces.
The breathtakingly artistic limited edition Reverso watch is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s tribute to Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, an outcome of the collaboraton between the Swiss watchmakers and the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. Featuring the artist’s “Self Portrait as a Painter” from 1887-1888 painstakingly enameled on the dial by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s master craftsmen, these watches are ultra-exclusive and ultra-limited-edition, for only four of these will ever be created. The watch has been titled Reverso à Eclipse Tribute to Vincent van Gogh. This particular Reverso not only features a swivel case but also a shutter on the dial that can be opened to reveal the enameled miniature. Inside the watch is the company’s super slim hand-wound caliber 849 movement. Priced at €101,000 (around US$ 113,108) each of the four timepieces will be presented in a platinum box and sold at the Van Gogh Museum.
ARM CANDY | Combining Indian craftsmanship with genuine materials and a contemporary, classic design sensibility, Rashmi Modi’s colourful creations are an indie label lover’s delight
There was a time when purse, parasol and a pooch were the accompaniments of a lady out for a promenade around the park. Now that the parasol and the pooch are out of the picture, it is the purse’s duty to keep it looking full and flash. So, handbags are more than just accessories, rather they are key creating a complete ensemble. While top notch luxury fashion brands might have contributed in their own individual ways by introducing some timelessly classic designs to the handbag movement, which remain so coveted beyond the decades, yet there are some brands which are reinterpreting the bag story, in their own silent ways with some seriously cutting edge designs to show for. One might be all for big ticket international luxury leather and accessories brands with their latest products displayed in all their glory across the glossy’s centerfold, yet there are times when dreaming and drooling is not enough, or times when you need to strike on unassuming doors to get your fashion fix from an under-the-radar yet unquestionably chic indie brand. For times like these, [and all others], we bring you our favourite picks from among the homegrown designer labels out there, which are dishing up dream arm candies with dollops of sass.
RASHMI MODI | The Loafer mini crossbody bag is handcrafted in finely tanned cow Nappa leather and has a detachable chain strap that transforms it into a hand clutch
There’s no denying the simpering hotness of the cool pastel shades that totally becomes the confident sheen of original Nappa leather handcrafted into one of Rashmi Modi’s handbags, housed under her eponymous label with studios in Mumbai. The aesthetic veers towards minimalism but there’s no mistaking the statement making details – fringes, tassels, studs, woven textures and such – that make her designs stand out. A handbag designer by education, Rashmi Modi designed for other brands before launching her own line which has seen a growing crowd of celebrity adopters as well. As she wondered, “why are we not making and selling luxury handcrafted handbags made in India with such trained artists amongst us?”, she decided to take matters in hand, or rather her design board in hand to etch structured and classic shapes which were to become her collections, simple and succinctly named – The Nobel, Illume, Fringe, Loafer, Woven. There is a whole range of clean cut totes, satchels, hobos, clutches, crossbody bags, bucket bags, shoulder bags and the best part is that one design is available in multiple colours so that you can swing from neutrals like grey and black to pretty pastels like pink and powder blue in a swipe. The fresh colour palette, the sophisticated glam is all further accentuated by an assurance of top notch quality as the designer insists on hand-picked materials from leather to lining and artisans who are experts at their craft. And the wow factor doesn’t end there as there’s scope for customization as well, so that you can add inside pockets, change handles, swap shapes and even get the bag in a colour you desire rather than that displayed. Shop the collection at rashmi-modi-online.myshopify.com
OCTOBER JAIPUR | An unorthodox blend of leather and Ikat Durrie work, this tote is for those who like their space, comfort with a generous dash of fun
Moving on to a more ethnic ethos, that takes you across the deserts of Rajasthan and the fields of Orissa, we have October Jaipur which is all about heritage fabrics and contemporary product design. Avowing a “rugged individualism”, the brand promises craftsmanship, artisanal expertise, and innovative designs using different textures and colors, all the while rooted in the rich and versatile culture and colours of Rajasthan. Sticking to a neatness of form, their range of bags embody functionality and are visual pleasures given the ‘seductive bursts of colours’. While their basics are derived from the techniques and tradition of leather craft, founders Akash Sinha and Rabia Singh strive to offer their consumers a unique blend of craft and design with bags in various styles, all made of genuine leather and hand-woven fabric, fit for being travel, professional or everyday lifestyle accompaniments. So their collection, Ikat Story, offers wallets, totes, slings, briefcases, laptops and camera bags in finely woven threads of the Ikat durrie in remarkable patterns that are a splendid blend with leather. And then for the lovers of indigo, there is the Tie Dye collection of leather and canvas overnighters, bowling, bogie bags and backpacks which celebrate the age old art of dying cloth. Practical, pretty and types aplenty, you will find camera cases, laptop and iPad cases, shoulder and duffle bags, wallets, clutches and spectacle cases along with backpacks and overnighters, all conjoined by the brand’s ethos of craftsmanship and heritage textiles. Shop the collection at octoberjaipur.com
CORD | The hemisphere shaped bag is handcrafted in harness leather with antique finish hardware and a
Taking an almost extreme swerve towards structured minimalism, there is Cord, a bespoke label that has found a loyal following among those who love doing things a little differently. Served simply as a mix of modern plus classic, the brand speaks of a ‘non-standard elegance’, which looks carefully cultivated through their eclectic creations. Founders, Pranav Guglani and Neha Singh are very particular about the traditional craftsmanship and the design details that mark all Cord bags as unique, even as one can feel the thought and the stress on quality that define the at once quirky, and then practical designs, be it of the interesting shapes of the hemicycle bag, the halo and barrel slings or the solid statement made by the roomy tartan messenger bags, checkered weekend bag and more. As each bag is designed for everyday use, the comfort and ease of material and form strikes the Cord carrier with a non-fuss, non-bling echo.
Sanctum Inle Resort, the first upscale hotel to come on line in one of Myanmar’s most compelling tourist destinations will officially debut October 1 with its grand opening on the shores of Inle Lake. Traditional dancers and musicians from the Shan, Intha and Pao tribes will gather to mark the grand opening and celebrate a sunset barbecue buffet dinner with cocktails and candles floating around the resort’s jetty. The event will also include a fashion show of recycled garments, fireworks display on the lake, and DJ spinning the decks at the resort’s Cloister Bar. An Olympic-sized saltwater swimming pool overlooking the lake, the 150 square meter presidential Sanctuary Suite and a Shan and international cuisine restaurant, The Refectory, are among the new features to be unveiled as part of the Brigitte Dumont de Chassart-designed resort’s grand opening. “In a region long closed off to the wider world, we’re opening the doors on an experience of accommodation that celebrates removal and contemplation,” said Philippe Arnaud, the resort’s general manager. At 120 square kilometers and 800 meters above sea level, Inle Lake is renowned for its stilted wooden homes, floating vegetable gardens and fishermen with their singular, one-legged rowing style. The resort offers four room categories, including a pair of suites with full vistas of the lake, and a window on some of Asia’s most remarkable markets, pagodas and stupas. The Chapter House is a quiet venue with books and board games that can be transformed into a meeting space. Totaling 170 square meters, Sanctuary Spa is home to five treatment rooms and offers a multitude of therapies including its signature Tamarind Scrub with tamarind harvested from the property. Opening room rates start at MMK 334,470 ++ [USD 284 ++] per night.
