Momist is a blog obsessively covering luxury products. Luxury reviews, buying tips, advice, ratings and prices

Email Me
Previous Posts
- Louis Vuitton Aquarelle Bag
  Limited edition Victorian F-style Mandolin
  Per Se
  Ferrari Leggenda e Passione Auction
  IN THE SPIRIT OF THE HAMPTONS
  Double Cross Vodka
  Bottega Veneta Cosmetics Case
  Dior - Extreme Gladiator Platforms
  Ferrari California
  Strata Tower
Syndicate
Blogroll
- Google News
- lvmh
- thisnext
- Luxist

author: Fabien Montique

Luxury Lifestyle

5.16.2008

Limited edition Victorian F-style Mandolin

Gibson Original, has announced the introduction of the Limited Edition Gibson Victorian F-style Mandolin with only 15 available in the world.

The Gibson Victorian Mandolin has each of the time-proven features that mandolin players demand while combining the best attributes of the F5 and the F4 mandolin. It is constructed of figured maple back, sides and neck, and a red spruce top with f-holes, all held together with a hot hide glue. As a special touch, the limited edition instruments are made with a one-piece figured maple back, stunningly accentuated in an early teens Victorian Era Red Sunburst finish.

The limited edition model is a result of a decade of innovation and craftsmanship and can only be owned by 15 fortunate players. Gibson will only produce 15 of these models. Dealer locations can be found on www.gibson.com. Each instrument will come with complete with a hardshell case and a certificate of authenticity.

Labels: Limited Edition, Luxury, Victorian F-style Mandolin

Ferrari Leggenda e Passione Auction

RM Auctions in collaboration with Sotheby’s has announced the “Ferrari Leggenda e Passione” (Ferrari - Legend and Passion) set for June 18. LiveAuctioneers.com has opened bidding online, and will also carry streaming audio/video of the event.

Labels: Auction, Cars, Luxury, Motoring, Sotheby's

IN THE SPIRIT OF THE HAMPTONS

Take an unparalleled photographic journey through the Hamptons. The best-known residents of this exclusive cluster of towns open their personal albums and invite you to see the Hamptons—their way. Calvin Klein, Julian Schnabel, Patrick Demarchelier and Peter Beard are just a few of the people who share their visions of one of the most unusual getaway spots in the country. More than a playground for the rich and famous, the Hamptons has an incredibly diverse community. Fishermen and year-round locals have coexisted for more than a century with artists, writers and actors, making this small piece of Long Island so alluring.Combining photo archives and beautiful shots from famous vacationers, In the Spirit of the Hamptons captures the past and present, the mix of culture, stunning beaches, exclusive homes, day-to-day small-town life and the people who have made the Hamptons such a unique place.

Labels: Books, IN THE SPIRIT OF THE HAMPTONS, Luxury, Read, Travel

Double Cross Vodka

Double Cross, is a new luxury vodka with great packaging. The Double Cross Luxury Vodka out of Slovak Republic was awarded a Gold at the 2008 Packaging Design Awards.

Labels: Design, Double Cross Vodka, Drink, Luxury

Strata Tower

Strata Tower is a new luxury residential building in Abu Dhabi. The building designed by New York-based architects Hani Rashid and Lise Anne Couture of Asymptote is scheduled for completion in early 2011. Asymptote used state-of-the-art, advanced computer modeling tools to create the tower’s curvaceous and innovative design, including a cantilevered exoskeleton structure that allows generous amounts of light to bathe the building’s interiors.

Labels: Abu Dhabi, Luxury, Strata Tower

5.14.2008

Arper Leaf, Aston & CATIFA 60

Arper continues to distinguish itself in the furniture sector with consistency , creativity, original product lines, elegance and versatility. Arper will present new luxurious products of 2008, Catifa 60 (design by Lievore, Altherr, Molina) and new variations on the existing collections designed by their and Jean-Marie Massaud’s studios at the ICFF in New York. (17/20 May)

CATIFA 60 (top image) (Lievore, Altherr, Molina)
New from Arper for 2008. Further enriches the already extensive Catifa range. The same sinuous, soft lines that already give Catifa chairs their distinctive look, but with a new shell that make them even more practical. The Catifa 60, conceived by the Lievore, Altherr, Molina studio, is available in three heights (low, medium and high) and has been designed for executive rooms, offices and conference rooms. The Catifa 60 chair is available in soft polyurethane with leather or fabric covering, in a choice of colours, and can be fitted with covered armrests. The base is available in 5-star version on castors, swivel or with tilt mechanism, or in 4-star aluminium version, swivel or with repositioning mechanism.

ASTON (Jean-Marie Massaud)
The Conference version of the chair presented in 2006 and designed by the Jean-Marie Massaud studio is now available in more variants. The version of Aston with low backrest is in fact now also available with four-legs steel base, more suitable for the home, or with cantilever frame, also in steel, which is ideal for offices. Available with a wide choice of leather or fabric coverings, the Aston shell (in three heights: low, medium and high) is padded with polyurethane, providing comfortable support for the whole body with its wrap-around forms. The base is available with central swivel structure in shiny aluminium, or painted aluminium for the version with low shell, as well as in cantilever and four-legs version.

LEAF (Lievore, Altherr, Molina)
The Leaf range is complemented by a comfortable polyurethane cushion, available for all versions: chair, stackable chair, lounge chair and, from this year, also available for the chaise longue. Even more comfort and originality for a seat that stands out due to its natural inspiration and its adaptability to every type of space. Produced in steel with painted finish suitable for outdoor use, in white, mocha or green, Leaf is also available with a choice of two types of cushion, depending on the seating: polyurethane for outdoor use, with a decorative effect that echoes the motif of the metal structure, or in soft leather for indoor use. The chair also comes with a chrome finish. From today, the cushion is also available for the chaise longue.

Labels: Arper, Aston, CATIFA 60, Design, Home, Leaf, Luxury

5.12.2008

Study for a Woman in Blue makes $39M at auction

The cubist oil painting by Fernand Leger sold in New York for more than $39 million Sotheby’s reports.

The auction house says the 1912-1913 painting, “Study for a Woman in Blue,” sold Wednesday for $39.2 million, a record for the 20th-century French artist. The painting’s pre-auction estimate was $35 million to $45 million. The abstract geometric painting shows a woman in a blue dress seated at a table with her hands in her lap.

Labels: Art, Auction, Luxury, Sotheby's

The Circus, 1870-1950

With 670 pages and nearly 900 color and black-and-white illustrations, The Circus, 1870-1950 brings to life the grit and glamour behind the circus phenomenon. Images include photographic gems by key early circus photographers such as Frederick Whitman Glasier and Edward Kelty, about 180 of the earliest color photographs ever taken of the circus from the 1940s and 1950s, 200 posters by the famous Strobridge lithographers, iconic circus photographs by Mathew Brady, Cornell Capa, Walker Evans, Weegee, Lisette Model, and little-known circus images by Stanley Kubrick and Charles and Ray Eames; also included are rare color and black-and-white lithographs and engravings from the 16th–19th centuries illustrating the worldwide roots of the circus, as well as original sideshow banners by legendary sideshow banner artists Nieman Eisman, Fred G. Johnson, and David “Snap” Wyatt.

Labels: Book, Luxury, taschen, The Circus

5.07.2008

Rodriguez DJ tables

SpaceTek offers, high end DJ Booths designed and hand built by Reynold Rodriguez. Rodriguez DJ tables are custom built for your specific needs.
Made of composite wood, plastic components and Hand veneered in various exotic wood species.

Labels: DJ, Fun, Luxury, Reynold Rodriguez, Rodriguez DJ tables

5.05.2008

Christie's $400 Million Contemporary Art Auction

Christie's New York will host a Post-War and Contemporary Art sale on May 13 that could see a $400 million day. Christie's expects several records to be set. Highlights include Francis Bacon's 1976 Three Studies for Self -Portrait, estimated at $25 - $35 million; Lucian Freud nude, billed as the most important Freud painting ever offered at auction, also est. $25 - $35 million.

Labels: Auction, Christie's, Contemporary Art, Luxury

Goldmund Epilogue Speaker System

Goldmund, have created a new version of their Epilogue flagship speaker system that is being built specifically for use in the Goldmund Media Room.

Introduced in 1995, the original Epilogue Speaker System met the demands of Goldmund's most discerning audiophile customers seeking a very high-end home theater system. Featuring the same subtle sonic quality found in its predecessor -- the Apologue, while also reproducing realistic theater levels, the Goldmund Epilogue has become an elite speaker system in the audiophile marketplace.

The price of the Goldmund Epilogue Speaker System for use in the Goldmund Media Room is comparable to its freestanding counterpart, starting at $300,000 per stereo pair. Goldmund products range in price from $16,900 for the recently released Eidos 20BD blu-ray player up to $550,000, the entry price for the Goldmund Media Room.

Additional information can be accessed by visiting the Goldmund website at http://www.goldmund.com. The Goldmund Media Room in Los Angeles is available for select demonstrations by appointment.

Labels: Epilogue, Goldmund, Home, Luxury, Speaker System

One Hyde Park

The world's most expensive apartment sold for $200 Million. One Hyde Park, the new luxury apartment building in London's Knightsbridge neighborhood has pre-sold 1 of its 4 exclusive penthouse apartments.

Labels: London, Luxury, One Hyde Park, Travel

Carrozzeria Touring Maserati Quattroporte Bellagio Fastback

Carrozzeria Touring has unveiled the Maserati Quattroporte Bellagio Fastback. The Carrozzeria Touring Maserati Quattroporte Bellagio Fastback is named after the village on the shores of lake Como and is based on the Maserati Quattroporte. The entire rear end of the vehicle has been remade to give it a fastback design giving it both a sleeker more sport like profile and more space in the trunk. The car is only available by special order directly from Carrozzeria Touring in Milan.

Labels: Carrozzeria Touring, Cars, Luxury, Maserati Quattroporte Bellagio Fastback

Trinity De Cartier Cufflinks

Cartier's Trinity De Cartier Cufflinks is a study in pure yellow gold simplicity that lends a quintessentially masculine elegance to the shirt cuff .

Labels: cufflinks, Luxury, Mens, Trinity De Cartier

Vera Wang tableware collection

Vera Wang has teamed up with Wedgwood to release a tableware collection. The Wedgwood Vera Wang collection features designs by Vera Wang on Wedgwoods signature bone china porcelain as well as crystal glasses.

Labels: Home, Luxury, Table, Vera Wang, Wedgwood

Audemars Piguet’s Divrine Watch

Audemars Piguet’s Divrine Watch is set with 18-carat white/pink gold case and 18-carat white gold jewelry pin buckle set with diamonds.

Labels: Audemars Piguet, Divrine Watch, Luxury

Cirrus The-Jet

Cirrus has announced The-Jet, a seven-seater single-engine jet that is conceived as an owner-flown aircraft.The-Jet can climb up to more than 7,500 meters (or 25,000 feet), and traverse the skies at 555 km/h (or 345 mph), with a range slightly above 1,600 km (or 1,000 miles). Cirrus is taking US$100,000 for The Jet, with delivery slated for 2011.

Labels: Cirrus, Jet, Luxury, Travel

Malene Birger Travel Kit

Danish Designer Malene Birger offers this great travel kit. The kit includes a silk mask, slippers and inflatable pillow. comes in a cute travel bag.

Labels: Luxury, Malene Birger, Travel

Be My Guest

With fifteen special events captured on film by the celebrated photographer Jessica Craig-Martin, Be my guest is a detailed, original and practical guide to building a successful theme party written by renowned party-giver Rena Sindi. Invitations, table settings, recipes, cocktails, decorations, music—this book will show you how to make your parties unforgettable. The fifteen theme parties in this book can be adapted to two, two hundred or two thousand people.

Labels: Assouline, Be My Guest, Book, Luxury

Pioneer's HTS-LX70 home theater system

Pioneer has announced the HTS-LX70, a new home theater system. The system offers up HTIB simplicity, at a component-level price.
Key features of the Pioneer HTS-LX70:

* Four multidirectional satellite speakers
* 7.06-inch dual-drive subwoofer
* Three HDMI 1.3 inputs
* Onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio
* Illuminated LCD touch-panel remote
* XM and Sirius ready
* Two optical digital audio inputs
* $1,800 list price, available now

Labels: home theater system, HTS-LX70, Luxury, Pioneer, Product

William & Son Lilac Lizard Purse Wallet

William & Son's Lilac Lizard Purse Wallet. The Lizard purse wallet features double zippered compartments and credit cards slots.

Labels: Lilac Lizard Purse, Luxury, Wallet, William Son

4.30.2008

Wineside Test Tube Wine Testers

Wineside allows Paris is offering Wineside Test Tube Wine Testers at Colette, the tubes allows wine lovers to sample multiple selections of quality wines.

A wide selection of sweet and classic wines are offered, including Muscat and Sauterns for sweets, and Pomerol and Chateau Neuf du Pape for classics. Sweets come in 6cl tubes, whereas classics are available in 6cl and 10cl variants.

The flat-based glass tubes with flavor-protecting screw tops are sold both individually or in packages, which offer introductions to differing varieties, years or regions.

Labels: Luxury, Paris, Travel, Wineside

julian mayor ‘impression’ chair

With Impression, julian mayor devised a chair that carves the recess a human shape occupies out of a 3D grid, creating a realization of a graphic model. Impression was created from the map of a person’s seat that was then digitized and sectioned on a computer.

“The way a computer sees is so imprinted into our visual acceptance of things that I created a chair that would look in reality as it would on a screen,” says Julian.

Labels: Design, Home, julian mayor, Luxury

FASHION NOTEBOOK NEEDLE

assouline offer this Leather-bound notebook with fashion illustrations by François Berthoud. The book features Signature cotton ribbon to mark the page and 144 ivory pages with silver foil edges

Labels: Book, FASHION NOTEBOOK NEEDLE, Luxury

4.28.2008

Balenciaga Perforated foam dress with water lily print

Balenciaga Perforated foam dress with water lily print is an exquisite showpiece that looks great look with towering heels. The foam dress features lilac, black and green print blossoms over the orange background. Round neck leads into a stitched front. High waist. The hemline falls to mid thigh. A zip fastening runs down the back. Short sleeves.

Labels: Balenciaga, foam dress, Luxury, Perforated, water lily print

Toshiba ET20

Toshiba's TDP-ET20U is the optimum projector for users who expect and demand connectivity flexibility, usage versatility and performance at a tremendous value. With an integrated DVD player and 5.1 channel Dolby Pro Logic surround sound for true cinema sound quality, the TDP-ET20U delivers all the big screen drama, sound and excitement with extreme short projection capabilities. The TDP-ET20U can project up to a 100 inch screen image from just 3.9 feet away. Ideal for movie nights, sports events, video games, digital photos and business presentations, the TDP-ET20U all in one projector is a complete solution for mobile professionals, teachers, businesses, and home entertainment. Other features unique to the TDP-ET20U are its sharp and clear display with 1100 Lumens brightness, 2000:1 high contrast ratio, and widescreen format with adjustable aspect ratio from 16:9 to 4:3. Toshibas TDP-ET20U integrates the data, video and audio features necessary for flexible use such as business presentations, DVD movies, video games or viewing digital photos. The projector comes packaged in a sleek, black piano finish casing with one computer input one RGB 15 pin, one video input for composite, one S video, three component video via 3 x RCA, and one HDMI/ High Definition Multimedia Interface port. The HDMI port is an industry supported, uncompressed, all digital audio/video interface, providing an interface between any compatible digital audio/video source.

Labels: Design, Luxury, Technology, Toshiba ET20

Cheyenne Studded Bag

Renaud Pellegrino Collection's luxuriously soft calf suede bag is studded with pewter arranged in the style of traditional Cheyenne tapestry. Leather tassels fasten the zip pockets along the side and chrome studs secure the handles. There are interior zip and pouch pockets and a tassel finished zip closure. The bag is lined with silver silky cotton. $3,012

Labels: bag, Luxury, Renaud Pellegrino Collection, Travel

4.25.2008

Anantara Seminyak Bali

Situated on 3,500 square metres of prime beachfront, Anantara's Bali resort at Seminyak features 59 suites of approximately 80 square metres, furnished in true Anantara style, including plasma screen TVs, contemporary Asian-inspired furniture, broadband internet connection and signature spacious baths. Anantara's facilities include a destination restaurant on the ground floor, offering an al-fresco and indoor international dining experience, a rooftop terrace bar to enjoy the famous Seminyak sunsets, an onsite Anantara Spa, and two infinity-edge swimming pools overlooking the Indian Ocean.

All this in one of Bali's most upscale enclaves, home to some of the island's most elegant restaurants and cafes, shopping and a chic nightlife scene drawing international jetsetters from the world over. Dive into Bali's rich culture, local charm and international style with Anantara's stunning Bali resort.

Labels: Anantara Seminyak, Bali, Luxury, Travel

JetSuite

JetSuite, founded by Alex Wilcox, one of the founding team members at JetBlue Airways pays private jet owners $25,000 per month to charter their aircrafts out to others during any downtime , while guaranteeing that owners can fly their planes whenever they want.

JetSuite has agreed to purchase 50 Embraer Phenom 100 very light jets on firm order and an additional 50 Phenom aircraft family options. With the 100 jet aircraft order, JetSuite is both the largest U.S. customer for the Embraer jet and the only operator currently planning to serve the West Coast with it once it obtains the necessary government approvals.

Labels: JetSuite, Luxury, Travel

CHANEL JEWELRY

One of the most visible personalities of her era, Gabrielle Chanel invented a style synonymous with modernity and chic. What is perhaps less well known is that the ‘grand dame’ of 20th century fashion also worked with silver and diamonds to create an exceptional collection of the finest jewelry - a collection that is both classic and contemporary, in keeping with the tradition of one of the great names of the 20th century. In this volume, Chanel’s foray into the world of jewels is told.

Labels: Assouline, Books, Chanel, Jewelry, Luxury

4.23.2008

BEADIFUL Jewelry by Catherine Howe

BEADIFUL is a luxury jewelery line by the talented Catherine Howe. Catherine started off making her own custom pieces, before coworkers begged for her to make them pieces. The collection for spring 2008, is fun and chic, playing off the colored stone trend. BEADIFUL also offers a custom service to bridal clients.

Labels: BEADIFUL Jewelry, Catherine Howe, Design, Luxury

Henk

10 years in the making the "Henk" is an exotic & elegant mix of materials and engineering from mastermind Henk van de Meene in collaboration with Frog Design. Price- 20,000.

Each case consists of 500 separate parts (more than 22 of them moving), fashioned from Italian burl, black ebony, horse hair, magnesium, aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber, parachute fabric and the finest leathers.

$20,000
www.henk.com

Labels: Design, Henk, Luxury, Travel

4.22.2008

Giorgio Armani Luxury Traveler

Giorgio Armani has launched a Luxury Traveler Collection featuring men’s and women’s luggage in luxury materials. Part of the line aimed at women travelers, includes a three-piece set in patent crocodile. Two suitcases and a doctor’s bag.

The men’s set includes four suitcases in calfskin and with soft, smooth nappa interiors.

Labels: Giorgio Armani, Luxury, Suitcase, Travel, Travellers

Kohler Karbon Kitchen Faucet

With its clean, crisp lines, the Karbon articulating faucet introduces a new geometry of versatile functionality to the kitchen. Intelligently engineered to hold any pose for hands-free operation, Karbon allows you to streamline your work surfaces and workflow. You can extend the faucet fully to fill large pots, lower it into the sink for food preparation and cleanup, fold it compactly out of the way when not in use, or position it anywhere in between.

Kohler Karbon's list price is "$925 and up," available by June or July.

Labels: Design, Home, Kitchen, Kohler Karbon Kitchen Faucet, Luxury

LUXE City Guides Bespoke Box

The LUXE Bespoke Boxes are available exclusively at Luxe City Guides, and hold 5 LUXE City Guides of your choice.

These handsome, handmade boxes feature sleek embedded magnetic fastenings and are available in rich, albino faux lizard skin with embossed gold logo. Just select LUXE Bespoke Boxes and fill it with any five LUXE guides of your choice from the LUXE City Guides range.

Labels: Bespoke Box, Design, LUXE City Guides, Luxury

Gemesis $500,000 Diamond Necklace

Gemesis, designer Lee Havens is exhibiting a yellow cultured diamond necklace retailing for $500,000. The necklace features 72 stones assuring 64 carats.

The 10% of the sales are contributed to benefit The Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR).

Labels: Gemesis, jewelery, Lee Havens, Luxury

Palm Jumeirah Island

Palm Jumeirah is an artificial island created using land reclamation by Nakheel, a company owned by the Dubai government. It is one of three islands called The Palm Islands aimed at increasing Dubai’s shoreline by a total of 520 km. The Palm Jumeirah is the smallest and the original of three Palm Islands (Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira) under development by Nakheel. It is located on the Jumeirah coastal area of the emirate of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. The Jumeirah Palm island features themed boutique hotels, luxury villas (Signature Villas, Garden Homes and Canal Cove Town Homes), shoreline apartment buildings, beaches, marinas, restaurants, cafés and a variety of retail outlets.

Labels: Dubai, Luxury, Palm Deira Island, Travel

The Great Brazil Express

GREAT BRAZIL EXPRESS, is a new and unique luxury train trip in Brazil. Great Brazil Express offers an exclusive tour, in which you are treated as a VIP client during the whole journey from Rio de Janeiro to the waterfalls of Foz do Iguaçu or vice versa. Prices start at $3500.

Labels: Brazil, Luxury, The Great Brazil Express, Travel

Jimmy Choo sunglasses

Jimmy Choo has introduced a brand new range of sunglasses to their accessories lines.

Founder and President of Jimmy Choo, Tamara Mellon came up with the idea for the sunglasses range because she didn't feel satisfied with what was on the market at the time.

From the Aviator style Charleys, to the glamorous Rock shades which have a large Swarovski stone on each arm, there is a style for every taste. And each pair comes in their own specially designed cases.

Jimmy Choo sunglasses are available exclusively at Harvey Nichols London.

Labels: Harvey Nichols, Jimmy Choo, Luxury, sunglasses

THE NEW ENGLISH DANDY

Just in time for the return of the suit comes THE NEW ENGLISH DANDY : a fashion handbook and treasure trove of ideas tailored to the contemporary male.

Fusing classical principles with today’s sensibilities, the book celebrates the return of the well-dressed man. Each thematic section features a specially commissioned fashion shoot by a rising star of fashion photography and a text of bespoke inspiration, instruction, interviews and insight. A reference section provides a tailor’s glossary and contact information.

Labels: Book, Luxury, Mens, Suit

Philips Arcitec

The Philips Arcitec is a new shaving system, touted to offer the most effective shave to the neck. The ‘head’ and ‘body’ of the new shaver is separated by a thin ‘neck’ area which offers a radical increase in control for the user. ‘Flex & Pivot’ central drive technology allows the heads to be driven via a single shaft. Heads move separately and pivot, facilitating an up and down contour following system following the shape of the user's face.

Labels: Design, Luxury, Mens, Philips Arcitec