The Gandhi family is getting their new retreat constructed in Mashobara, Shimla. As told to The Luxe Café, Sonia and Priyanka Gandhi have been personally active in designing and decorating the property. The duo travels to Shimla quite often to oversee the project.
Sabyasachi recently unveiled on Instagram his ethereally gorgeous Spring Couture collection, titled ‘The Udaipur Collection’. As the name suggests, there are references to maharanis, palaces, stately luncheons, rose gardens, gulaal, The Sheesh Mahal and more. The collection makes brilliant use of gulabi gulaal, gold and jade, all in intricate motifs, and presents an ethnic, old-world aesthetic with a muted sheen. The Udaipur lehenga has been the creation of 84 artisans working together over 2200 painstaking hours. Chiffons and gossamer muslin slide gracefully alongside silks and brocades. Traditional zardozi and intricate marori work combine artfully with digitally-printed floral artworks referencing tulips from Holland. The idea, as Sabyasachi states, was to showcase the ecelectic tastes of the Rajasthani royalty, who had ample global exposure but an inherent pride for their roots and orgins. That, in essence, is what the collection has tried to convey, and that is what Sabyasachi calls a “feral dichotomy” conveying the “essence of empowered luxury”.
Amitabh Bachchan became the showstopper for Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla when they showcased their Golden Door Couture Collection in a fundraiser event on Sunday, 26th February 2017, at Mumbai’s NSCI club. A celeb-studded affair, the show was opened by Sussane Khan and Sonali Bendre while Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan danced on the ramp. Titled ‘Caring with Style’ the event was presented in partnership with the Cancer Patients Aid Association and showcased signature styles from the duo featuring multi-layered embroidery and India-inspired silhouettes.
Louboutin Beauté has enhanced its collection with a bold new line of eye make-up. The range includes a Lash Amplifying Lacquer Mascara for dramatic volume, Oeil Vinyle ink liner available in black, kohl blue and a daring vibrant red; Brow Definer and Velvet Eye Definer in rich shades. The range isn’t just any old eye-make-up; it is imbued with signature motifs from Louboutin. Sample this: the ink liner adopts Louboutin’s signature stiletto-like spiked lid, while the mascara is presented in an opulent, jewel-like box. Gold lids crown the brow and eye pencils, atop shiny lacquer branded with Louboutin’s recognisable scrawl.
New Delhi hosted the very first Global Luxury Realty Conclave on Feb 26 and 27. The two day event was organised by North India Sotheby’s International Realty in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The Conclave was partnered by other apex industry bodies like Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Price water house Coopers (PwC). The event centred round discussions on luxury real estate with top business minds in the industry, providing an international networking platform comprising of real estate industry experts, select international and domestic developers, tax advisories, HNIs, creative leaders as well as luxury observers and innovators.
BMW i has launched its augmented reality product visualizer powered by Tango on Google Play, meaning customers can explore and pre-configure their ideal BMW i3 or i8 any time, anywhere. Through this, BMW i has become the first automotive brand in the world to offer customers an interactive, 3-D augmented reality experience of their products. Tango, Google’s smartphone augmented reality technology, allows customers to explore the innovative BMW i vehicles as a real-size, interactive visualization. Following a successful pilot program in selected dealerships worldwide, the BMW i Visualiser app can now be downloaded from Google Play by anyone with a Tango-enabled device in most countries in the world. After downloading the app, customers can visualize and experience the BMW i3 or i8 products: open the boot or the doors, even getting “inside” the car to take a closer look at the interior. It’s also possible to experiment with different interior and exterior colors and a variety of wheel rims.
Two of Dubai’s award winning chefs, Herve Courtot of Nobu and Grégoire Berger of Ossiano, are coming together to create a dining experience featuring award winning dishes from both, at underwater restaurant Ossiano, Atlantis, The Palm. The exclusive ‘Four Hands’ dinner will be hosted on 10thMarch. In a first for both restaurants, Nobu will combine its Peruvian Japanese inspired cuisine with the fine dining flare of Ossiano, which offers sophisticated seafood set to the backdrop of spectacular views of the Ambassador Lagoon. Starting at 7pm, guests will be taken on a culinary journey showcasing the synergy between the two chefs and restaurants through a delectable tasting menu for AED 1,250 per person.
Mercedez Benz India has launched the new-gen E-Class in India at Rs 56.15 lakh (Ex-showroom, Mumbai). It is for the first time that the luxury saloon has been launched in the country in its long wheelbase version. At 5,063mm in length, the new E-Class LWB becomes the longest sedan in its segment after the Jaguar XF. And with a wheelbase of 3,079mm, it is also one of the most spacious for rear passengers, where most of the target buyers are usually seated. In terms of exterior and interior appearance, the E-class borrows design traits from the current S-Class and C-Class sedans. Coming in both petrol and diesel variants, the petrol version gets a 2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbo unit which produces 182bhp of power and 300Nm of torque, while the diesel version gets 3.0-litre V6 engine that generates 255bhp of power and 620Nm of torque. Inside, the E-Class gets gets 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 64-shades of ambient lighting and a 13-speaker Burmester music box, along with a spectacular sunroof.
One of the greatest indulgences in life is to have a bespoke bed that enfolds you in itself and drives your cares aways. Savoir Beds, the creator of uber-luxe, handcrafted beds has revealed two new designs for 2017, titled Max 01 and Harlech 12. Featuring the signature high headboards of the brand in differing colours, the beds use natural materials to provide a breathable and temperature controlled surface for enhanced sleep. The Max 01 uses rich red woven horse hair fabric by John Boyd, brought in all the way from Argentina to London. Designed by Savoir’s Creative Director Mandeep Dillon, the full bedset costs $78,650. The Harlech 12 on the other hand, features Pantone’s colour of the year ‘Greenery’ along with ‘Pale Dogwood’ pink hues. The grand headboard is therefore upholstered in plush Donghia velvet in the lush green shade, while the covers feature the pale pink. Savoir first began its journey or creation in The Savoy, London’s first luxury hotel in 1905. Slept in by luminaries as diverse as Winston Churchill, Giacomo Puccini and Marilyn Monroe, the beds became legend for their cloud-like comfort.
Jaguar has recently launched the made-in India XF at Rs 47.5 lakhs. The company has started local production of the XF in India. The price given above refers to the petrol iteration of the locally manufactured executive sedan. The new Jaguar XF model continues to be offered in Pure, Prestige and Portfolio variants, powered by a 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel motor churning out 177bhp and a 2.0-litre petrol that delivers 237bhp. The car features a slew of advanced technology features including InControl Touch Pro with the new 25.9cm touchscreen infotainment system and a Meridian Sound System. Bookings for the locally manufactured XF are now open at all the 24 authorised Jaguar dealerships in India as well as the brand’s online booking platform.
