The boom in car sales continues in 2016 as Italian raging bull Lamborghini reports sales of 3,425 cars in 2015. This is a first in the luxury performance firm’s 53-year history and, believe it or not, it is already predicting that the sales pace will likely break records multiple times as 2016 progresses. This strong and steady growth in sales, as CEO Stephan Winkelmann described, can be attributed to the growing demand for supercars. “We are getting ready for groundbreaking changes with the introduction of our third model in 2018,” said Winkelmann of the Urus, a new sports SUV which, when it goes on sale will be marketed as the world’s fastest and most powerful off-roader. However, that car is two years away from becoming a production reality, and, for the year ahead, all attention will be focused on Ferruccio. This year marks the 100th birthday of the company’s charismatic founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini, with Lamborghini planning something special for the Geneva Motor Show: A limited edition supercar, expected to be called the Centenario, which will be restricted to just 20 examples. It will boast an even more powerfully tuned version of the 6.5-liter V12 engine currently found in the company’s range-topping Aventador Superveloce. Internal whispers suggest an output of 760bhp and a 0-100km/h time of 2.5 seconds. 1What has been made abundantly clear by Winkelmann is that the car will not be based on either the Huracán or the aforementioned Aventador. Instead it will be a “completely different” design and one that prospective clients have already seen and obviously love. No word of prices has yet been mentioned, but the suggestion is that all examples have already found a home.
VINAYA'S BLUETOOTH | Enabled ring, necklace or bracelet will send you subtle vibrations whenever you wish to be notified
Gadget gifts are not just a man’s domain but also the prerogative of a cosmopolitan lady who needs all the help she can to further ace her multitasking, multi-faceted life. Time-saving, trendy and tough, these gadgets can range from wearable tech to stylish accessories complimenting the mainstays of a busy, full-to-brimming life of today’s chicas. The demands of being constantly on-the-go while navigating various spheres of an urban life require one to be amply armed and here come in the practical [yet fun], uber-cool [also clever], and nifty-sized [yet enviably efficient] gadgets which can at the same time add to the style quotient with their suave design and innovative sophistication – totally worth their place in a fashionista’s purse or on her person.
TECH AROUND YOUR NECK | With Vinaya’s Altruis rose gold and white smart notification necklace
Having sifted through the shelves, we bring you a handy guide to selecting the smart tech pieces so-suited for the urban diva. We will start with some wearable tech and here, Vinaya’s Altruis rose gold and white smart notification necklace [at $430, vinaya.com] redefines designer wearable technology. Now, for all those in love with smart jewellery, this one from Vinaya is a steal because it looks like jewellery and the embedded tech does not add to the bulk. With its motto – “Stay connected, not distracted” – the Altruis is a smart notification necklace made of zirconia ceramic, which is gemologically closest to diamonds, is set on a rose gold chain, and comes replete with the latest Bluetooth technology and vibration motor. Along with Vinaya’s Bluetooth-enabled ring and bracelet, this sleek necklace from their Cleopatra collection is also available in rose gold and white or silver and white. Precious and precocious at the same time, this nifty neckpiece filters notifications and alerts you subtly while your phone remains safely tucked away in your purse.
WIND UP THE WORLD ON YOUR FINGURE | With Neyya’s stainless steel smart ring
From the neck to the finger, we land straight on to Neyya’s smart ring combines form and function in an admirable way. The Neyya is a stainless steel ring, which comes in titanium or gold plated finish, with a flat, black touchpad for a cap on which you can use your thumb to tap, swipe up, down, left, or right to control various functions on a connected device. This works like a “mood ring”, translating your gestures to a phone or other Bluetooth connected devices so that you can leaf through presentations, navigate and select music, or even take a selfie, just to mention a few of its superpowers. Packaged with a magnetic charging dock that doubles as a presentation case, ninety minutes of charging feeds it full and that lasts for three days and works in sync with iOS or OS X devices, Windows laptops, GoPro and Roku.
BRACE UP TO A FITTER YOU | With the stylish activity tracker called the Mira Bracelet
One thing the Neyya can’t accomplish is that it cannot track fitness stats, so if you are a fitness junkie, you might want to shell out some for the Mira Bracelet where fashion meets function and sits pretty on the wrist. The Mira Bracelet [at $169] is a stylish activity tracker with a removable opal to clip onto clothing [optional] as it counts steps, calories, distance and elevation while you can press to check the time and your daily progress on the LED screen. The bracelet can be synced up with the My Mira app on iOS and Android devices both. The water-resistant Mira includes a rechargeable battery and USB charging stand and comes in different colours and sizes to choose from.
NOW CHARGE AS YOU GO | With Belkin’s tassled MIXIT charging cables hanging onto your purse
With all of this going on the personal tech front, there is also the anxiety around batteries dying due to constant use, therefore the whole issue of carrying power banks around [which also need to be charged]. Now, if one were to look for the option of charging multiple devices in one go, say by latching them onto a laptop, then carrying those many cables is a must. Or maybe not, with Belkin’s MIXIT charging cables which allow you to charge and sync up phones and tabs in one go. The Mixit Lightning-to-USB Leather Tassel [at $35] puts your charger cable within your easy reach, as a keychain on your purse. Camouflaged as a chic accessory on your purse or overnight bag, the cable stays untangled, and ready to charge, share music/pictures, or simply connect. Premium metallic cables have been tailored into leather tassels in four fashion-forward colors – black, brown, pink and grey – with coordinated braided cables, and complementary metal hardware, which clips easily onto your bag or purse for a perfect match.
WATCH ALL YOU WANT FROM YOUR WRIST | With the slimmest ever Pebble Time Round smartwatch
Now for some slim wonder on those slim wrists, comes in the Pebble Time Round smartwatch [at $249] which at 7.5 mm thickness weighing a mean 28 gms is the lightest smartwatch in the world. So, take to your wrist to check and control your day’s timelines, notifications, messages, incoming calls, and even music. As all of the Pebble Time Round models work with Android and iOS devices via the Pebble Time app, the syncing up is no hassle as long as Bluetooth is activated on your phone. Once the watch is synced and updated, you can even customize display which is a colourful, always-on e-paper display that wakes up with your wrist movements. Available in a variety of band sizes, watch finishes, and band options, there is a Pebble Time Round for everyone in black, silver, or a special-edition Rose Gold exclusively for the 14mm band size.
Looks like Burberry is really impressed with the Beckham siblings. After casting Romeo Beckham for their Holiday campaign, the Brit luxury brand has hired the older Beckham kid Brooklyn for their next campaign. Unlike luxury brands who want celebs kids in front of the camera, Burberry has brought Brooklyn on board to actually shoot the entire campaign for them. Brooklyn Beckham recently posted an update to his Instagram profile, making his appointment as the official photographer for Burberry’s #ThisIsBrit campaign official. The campaign is for a new perfume launch.
You will soon be able to enjoy a new line of Tiffany & Co fragrances. Teaming up with Coty Inc, the famed global beauty company, the brand will expand upon its existing range. The scents created for both men and women will be sold at Tiffany stores as well as other select luxury retailers. With a long established heritage, the American jewellery stalwart is known for producing some of the finest designs from precious stones. This new collaboration sees the 178-year-old jewellerry house working with a beauty company behind fragrances from Chloé, Marc Jacobs and Calvin Klein. While there are no pictures of the new packaging and such, both Coty and Tiffany are known for their attention to detailing and design, so we’re brimming with anticipation!
Axiom Hotel the latest boutique hotel in San Francisco has opened it doors to the public. Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc announced the eagerly-awaited opening of the newAxiom Hotel (28 Cyril Magnin St.) in San Francisco. Opening at the famed Cable Car turnaround at the nexus of historic Union Square and innovative Mid-Market, the boutique hotel offers 152 rooms and tech-forward amenities. Axiom Hotel, managed by Kokua Hospitality with design from New York City-based Stonehill & Taylor, welcomes guests with rates starting at $279 per night. Catering to both business and leisure travellers, state-of-the-art amenities include 48-inch Samsung Smart TVs; smartphone docking stations; Kube Bluetooth clock radios; and an optimal green technology that requires less energy to operate while delivering speeds five to 10 times faster than an average hotel’s Wi-Fi. The televisions are equipped with Apple TV for seamless Internet access and streaming for iOS devices, hotel and area informational guides, a mobile app for guest information and room service ordering. In addition, guest rooms provide convenient USB outlets at the tabletop level for easy access without a limitation on the number of devices that can be connected to Wi-Fi. Axiom’s guest rooms also include mini refrigerators, tiled showers with glass doors, signature Axiom robes, convenient task desks that can be moved to any location, and high-end LATHER guest room amenities. The basement level offers CORE fitness centre, open 24 hours a day and complete with Life Fitness equipment and cardio machines with integrated HD monitors.
While owning a Jaegar Le-Coultre Reverso watch is a matter of prestige; it certainly would only add to one’s pride to own a piece with one’s initials engraved on the back-case. Celebrating Valentine’s in a unique style, the luxury watch brand will offer patrons the liberty of getting their initials or anything they fancy engraved on the back-case of their JLC Reverso, etching a special moment of love forever. Using an in-house mechanism, the by-appointment service will be offered only to owners of the Reverso at a JLC boutique closest to them. Celebrating the Reverso’s 85th year, JLC has surely identified an exclusive way to make this Valentine’s Day memorable for their patrons.
It was back in 2013 when Twilight actress Kristen Stewart appeared in the campaign for Chanel’s Paris-Dallas Métiers d’art collection. Cut to the present, the brand has announced Stewart as the face for their latest make up line. In fact, she has already shot for the brand’s new ‘Eyes Collection’ captured by renowned photographer Mario Testino; her first beauty campaign for Chanel is scheduled to debut in March 2016. Appearing in a series of portraits embodying the various facets of the ideal Chanel woman, the actress reflects modernism, magnetic beauty and free spirit, qualities the brand picked while identifying her as the face of their beauty collection. In the past, Kristen’s been a muse for Lagerfeld’s shoots and fashion shows; and the crown she wears as Chanel’s ambassador is a legacy of the likes of Keira Knightley, Gisele Bundchen and Blake Lively.
As the temperatures soar, hair buns and top knots become the order of the day. To embellish your tied up mane, Amrapali has unveiled the Feminine Mystique collection-an array of beautiful hair pins. India-based Amrapali Jewels has been crafting exquisite fashion jewellery for the urban women for quite some time now. With a touch of tradition on contemporary styles, the pieces sure are covetable. Breaking the norm of conventional hair ties, these dainty hair pins are ideal to express one’s personal style. They are designed in stunning silver and gold metal with dual tones, flaunting floral motifs, detailed danglers and much more. Some of the pieces even have smoky quartz and black, green onyx. Apart from these, the pieces even have Egyptian cut-outs, wired sun and detailed peacocks.
Etihad Airways will open a new First Class Lounge at Abu Dhabi International Airport Terminal 3 in May 2016. The posh new lounge will be for the exclusive use of guests in First Class and The Residence as well as Etihad Guest Platinum and Etihad Airways Partners Platinum members. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The new First Class Lounge in Abu Dhabi will be the jewel in the crown of our ever-growing global lounge portfolio, a showcase of intelligent design and innovation, and the world’s best premium airport experience. “We are confident that it will deliver a product and service which is as highly acclaimed as it is inflight and look forward to unveiling its many unique features with great pride.” The state-of-the-art space combines modern Arabian design elements and the understated elegance and luxury synonymous with the Etihad Airways brand, demonstrating the airline’s legendary hospitality and constant drive for perfection in its multi-award-winning First Class experience, both on the ground and in the air.
Salvador Dalí has been a muse for Montegrappa for a few years now. To add to their league of exquisite Dalí-inspired writing instruments, the brand has now introduced the Geopoliticus Child Pen. In the past, the Italian luxury goods brand, Montegrappa created writing instruments based on Salvador Dalí’s 1944 work-Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening and the 1938 masterpiece-Apparition of Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach. To complete the trilogy, the brand has now unveiled a pen inspired by the artist’s work-Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man. Painted in 1943, Dalí had turned to the Renaissance for inspiration before creating this canvas. Montegrappa’s writing instruments collection-the Geopoliticus Child consists of a fountain pen and a roller-ball pen in lush green resin, trimmed with either sterling silver or 18k gold. The nib is crafted using 18k gold and the cap top bears Dalí’s signature. The main design element is the clip that bears resemblance to the central feature of the masterpiece art. The writing instrument comes in a limited edition of 333 fountain pens and 333 roller-balls with silver trim, and 18 roller-balls and 20 fountain pens with solid 18k gold trim. Prices start at €1,721 (approx. INR 1 lakh).
