Robert De Niro is the unlikely star for Ermenegildo Zegna’s new fashion campaign. Artistic director Alessandro Sartori roped in De Niro in November 2016 to star in the Spring Summer 2017 cmpaign and the final project, titled Defining Moments, has now been unveiled, with De Niro appearing opposite American Honey star McCaul Lombardi. Both men appear in a three-minute film in which, as well as modelling garments by the label, a navy suit, and a grey jacket paired with black shirt and trousers, De Niro also discusses working with Marlon Brando, his early mentors, his doubts about TV work, his passion for New York, and what makes him take a role in various LA locations. The Hollywood actor has long worn Ermenegildo Zegna suits and has even sported the label in front of the camera, wearing a number of looks from the brand in his 2012 movie Red Lights.
A new and updated version of Audi’s RS3 Sportback is on the way to being unveiled at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show next month. As with the RS3 Sedan, the Sportback will come with what Audi calls “world’s most powerful production five-cylinder engine” – 2.5-litre TFSI engine which makes 394bhp and 480 Nm. The Sportback will sprint to 100kmph from standstill in 4.1seconds and top out at electronically limited 250kmph, though it can be pushed to 174mph by opting the ‘dynamic package plus’. The RS3 Sportback can be distinguished from standard A3 by the aggressive bumper with prominent splitters, brushed aluminium touches with Quattro moniker upfront. Inside the cabin, Audi’s Virtual cockpit is on full display, with a special RS screen. The sports seats are wrapped in black Nappa leather, flat bottom steering wheel with mounted paddle shifters and infotainment controls.
Faberge’s fabulous Imperial Easter Eggs are literally the stuff of legends, and now that the brand is all set for an India debut, looks like we’ll be brushing shoulders with yet another legend. Founded in 1842, Faberge has been one of the most iconic brands in the world of jewellery since Peter Carl Faberge became the official goldsmith to the Russian Imperial Court. Owned by the world’s top emeralds and rubies-miner Gemfields Plc and creating the most exquisite, drool worthy pieces of jewellery, uber-luxe brand Faberge’s entry in India is guided by the growing list of billionaires in the country. The brand plans to sell its products through select trunk shows for the uber rich, setting up in Delhi and Mumbai, India’s economic hotspots. Faberge retails through 39 multi-brand outlets including Mayfair and Harrods and plans to hold more trunk shows in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Products sold in India include a selection of coloured gemstones, emeralds rubies, and sapphires, and timepieces including the award-winning Lady Compliquee peacock watch. The prices of these iconic and bedazzling pieces range from $5000 to $3 million.
Toyota’s luxury sub brand Lexus is all set to make an entry in the Indian market, with March 24 being given as the likely date for its debut. The models with which Lexus will commence its operations in India are the RX 450h crossover, LX450d large SUV and ES300h, with the last one being the entry level luxury sedan for India, contending with the likes of Audi A4, BMW 3 series and Mercedes Benz C classs. The ES300h car is expected to be a hybrid version flaunting a sporty design, to be priced around Rs 50 lakh. Inside the hood is a 2.5 litre petrol engine combined with the electric motor and a CVT gearbox. The highly popular RX range will see the RX450h being powered by 3.5 litre V6 petrol engine connected with a hybrid system. In an identical configuration to the Prius, the maximum power output has been rated at 308 horsepower. All the Lexus vehicles entering India will come with features made available in the Japanese-spec models except for the navigation system.
The Valentine’s Day special edition watches created every year by Blancpain feature the recurring motif of the heart, positioned artfully on the watch, each time in a different style
Blancpain has been making the St. Valentine’s Day special edition watch for over a decade, since 2001. Perhaps that might not be so unique given that V-Day special editions abound among luxe brands, but the really special thing about these watches is that they come with great precision and complexity, and mechanical movements designed especially for the lady. Blancpain, in fact, lays claim to having created the first automatic watch for ladies.
The movements used for the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watches are all mechanical – Blancpain has never made a quartz movement – most designed specifically for ladies’ watches. Since the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watch was first introduced in 2001, it has been powered by several different movements, most with center seconds hands, which is rare on a ladies’ mechanical timepiece The calibers used in the past Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watches include the ultra-thin automatic Caliber 1150 with 100-hour power reserve; Caliber 6763 automatic day-date, with pointer-type date display; Caliber F185, a flyback chronograph, originally used by the brand in 1998 to power the world’s first ladies’ flyback chronograph; the “Lady Bird” Caliber 6150, which at the time it was introduced (in the 1950s) was the world’s smallest automatic movement (15.7mm diameter).
The movements used for the Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day watches are all mechanical
The 2017 Blancpain St. Valentine’s Day edition priced at $14,900 comes with a 29 mm steel case case that features 68 diamonds over the steel bezel and lugs and another 8 diamonds on the mother-of-pearl dial. It also boasts 50-meter water resistance, and an automatic movement, the ultra-slim Caliber 913. It has a glucydur balance wheel fitted with micrometric regulating screws, and a balance spring made of silicon, the low density of which makes it particularly light and shock-resistant. Silicon is also anti-magnetic. The gold rotor is given a snailed bevel and polished angles, as well as straight and circular Côtes de Genève patterns.
Every year since the first, Blancpain has kept the ‘heart’ as a recurring motif in each edition, positioned artfully on the watch. For the 2017 watch, the heart stands encrusted in a cluster of 19 rubies within the dial at 12 o’clock. The rubies are buff-top cut, a cut that makes light return even when a gem is set flush into metal – particularly when it is set into a thin layer of metal, such as a watch dial, where no light penetrates the pavilion.
The watch is a numbered limited edition one, engraved with numbers ranging one to 99
The Blancpain logo is red to match the ruby heart on the dial. It comes with two interchangeable alligator leather straps, one in red and the other in white. The watch is a numbered limited edition one, engraved with numbers ranging one to 99. The seconds hand is shaped like a Cupid’s arrow, with a red tip.
This watch is sure to be Cupid’s favourite accessory!
If the man you love has a serious love affair with technology, this is the ideal gift, come Valentine’s Day: a set of uber-luxe cufflinks that are stylish, futuristic and keep you connected, quite literally, by the edge of your wrist. Crafted from polished silver, these cufflinks don’t just double up as USB ports to store up to 2 GB of data, they also actually double up as your very own portable Wi-Fi hotspots! At the price of $200, they’re the perfect gift option this year. We know the man in your life would love these.
The Rubin Museum of Art will present “Henri Cartier-Bresson: India in Full Frame,” illustrating the pioneering photographer’s perspective on India in a period of political and cultural turmoil. Opening on April 21, 2017, the exhibition also coincides with the 70th anniversary of Magnum Photos, the cooperative agency co-founded by Cartier-Bresson. The exhibition features 69 photographs, selected by the artist, from his travels in India during the mid-twentieth century as well as his letters, camera, and other personal ephemera, shown in this configuration for the first time in the United States. This selection of Cartier-Bresson’s India work includes images of political leaders, refugees from India’s partition from Pakistan, and everyday people, offering insight into his deep understanding of issues that continue to resonate today. Cartier-Bresson is best known for his “street photography” that has influenced generations of photographers and was developed during his travels around the world. His first trip to India was in 1947, when the country was undergoing a massive political transition having gained independence from Britain that year. A key set of photographs on view show Mahatma Gandhi’s final hours, and events following his assassination, which helped catapult Cartier-Bresson to international fame when they were published in LIFE Magazine and other outlets.
A restaurant that tries to do its bit for the environment, by eliminating food wastage, and is now organising an event where you can savour culinary delicacies created, literally, from produce generally thrown away as trash. One way Michelin-starred chef Dan Barber (Blue Hill at Stone Barns) is going to be playing the planet saviour at his pop-up restaurant springing up from February 24 to April 2 on Selfridge’s rooftop. Called wastED London, the pop-up will feature food waste converted into sharing dishes to bring awareness to the amount of food thrown out each year that is still very much edible. The restaurant’s effort will bring together local farmers, suppliers, fishermen and retailers to reimagine by-products at every link in the food chain. What’s more, there’s going to be a whole team of internationally-renowned and Michelin-starred chefs from the UK and Europe, including Tom Kerridge, Gordon Ramsay and Clare Smyth, creating the menus. This should be something worth watching out for!
Hold your breath for this one, since Japan is just about to unveil an ultra-luxury train that gets its aesthetics designed by none other than Ferrai designer Ken Okyuama, who has supervised projects such as the Enzo Ferrari and the Ferrari P 4/5. To be debuted in the spring of 2017, this ‘Cruise Train’ is sure to be phenomenal, with 10 cars out which 2 would be completely glass walled with observation areas—to give you the feline g travelling open air! There’s also a dining car and a lounge car, and a super luxe deluxe suite car with two rooms designed by the master of Ferrari design, Ken Okuyama. The two-storeyed deluxe suite will have two beds on the first floor while the second floor will be covered with Japanese-style tatami mats. And this is a super exclusive train designed to carry 34 passengers only. The train is an electric one but can move just as efficiently on non-electric rails, owing to its adaptable EDC system. With all the technological and aesthetic prowess, this is sure going to be one splendid experience.
New Delhi is all set to host the second edition of India Arch Dialogue 2017, an architectural exhibition of sketches, presentations, talks and dialogue. Presented by Roca, India Arch Dialogue 2017 begins Feb 4 and continues till Feb 21 at Gallery 1AQ in the Qutub Minar Complex at Mehrauli. Roca, India’s leading manufacturer of bathroom products has focused its attention towards technology and innovation in design for IAD. An FCDI Initiative, the IAD will feature renowned professionals like Alexandra Schwarz, Roger Diener, Martand Khosla, Akash Bhatt, Priya Paul, Sandeep Khosla, Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Samar Jodha among a host of others, who would be sharing their professional expertise using varied mediums to stimulate, challenge, facilitate and grow an environment of exchange. IAD also promises the presence of top-notch architects from around the world who will host the session on Architectural Abstractions, followed by interactive sessions on The Impact of Contemporary Art on Architecture.
