Tag Archives: Hermes

Around The World with Hermès Arceau Le Temps Voyageur

Image: Hermès

In his aptly named poem “The Voyage”, Charles Baudelaire wrote that “For the child, in love with maps and prints, the universe has the measure of his vast appetite.” Indeed, worldtimers have the uncanny ability to inspire an insatiable wanderlust. Just look at them. Highly sophisticated and sought-after, their distinctive ring of cities are veritable calls to adventure — one in each of 24 time zones.

Who better to express this poetic desire for travel than La Montre Hermès, the watchmaker known for igniting the imagination with their whimsical take on classical complications. The Arceau Le Temps Voyageur brings to life the notion of “time travelling the world” with a subdial that circumnavigates the globe with you.

Simply by activating the pusher, the satellite displaying local hours and minutes glides from one time zone to the next, automatically adjusting to its destination. The 122-component “travelling time” module took three years to develop in partnership with Jean-François Mojon and his team at Chronode, adapting the ingenuity and illusion of the 2019 Arceau L’Heure de la Lune and its twin revolving subdials. To underscore the technical complexity involved in this seemingly straightforward complication, even the little red marker that points to the cities travels in tandem with and around the wandering subdial. All of these moving parts are seamlessly contained within the 4.4mm thick module, itself integrated within the Hermès H1837 automatic calibre.

The Arceau Le Temps Voyageur is actually a dual time zone watch, with 24-hour home time indicated via the aperture at noon. Nevertheless, the feature is not treated as an afterthought. Locations affected by daylight savings time have an extra position marked with “S” for summer, or the corresponding alphabet in their respective languages (“V” for verano in the Spanish-speaking territories, for example). There is even a playful nod with “24 FBG” in place of Paris; 24 Rue du Faubourg is the home of La Maison Hermès.

Image: Hermès

The otherworldly manner in which the subdial soars without any visible mechanism evokes daydreams of carefree roaming. And since dreams are being hatched, might as well do so over a fantasy map drawn from the imagination of artist Jérôme Colliard. His “Planisphère d’un monde équestré” (“Map of an equestrian world”) graphic was initially depicted on a giant globe at an Hermès show jumping competition in Paris, and subsequently printed on an Hermès silk scarf. Now, his mythical topographies are etched onto the dial of the Arceau Le Temps Voyageur, possessing such thematic names as “Dressage”, “Éthologie Équine” and “Les Aides du Cavalier”.

The references to Hermès’ horse-riding heritage continue in the Arceau watch case designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978 featuring asymmetric stirrup-shaped lugs, as well as the signature “galloping” numerals. The Arceau Le Temps Voyageur is presented in black with a 41mm platinum case and matte-black titanium bezel, and in blue with a 38mm steel case, both fitted with alligator or Swift calfskin straps made in Hermès Horloger’s own workshops using the Maison’s long-established saddle-making and leather craftsmanship expertise.

Movement: Automatic calibre H1837 with second time zone and city names; 40-hour power reserve
Case: 41mm in platinum and titanium or 38mm in steel; water-resistant to 30m
Strap: Alligator or Swift calfskin leather
Price: NA

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DiorMen

The Great Outdoors Dominates Paris Men’s Spring Summer 2023

DiorMen
Image: Dior Men

The exploration of the great outdoors has been the cornerstone of this year’s Paris Men’s Spring Summer 2023 runway shows. Milan Men’s Spring Summer 2023 was ladened with utilitarian styles and similar aesthetic appeals were carried through to Paris. Major fashion houses led the conversation of the great outdoors through their intricate craftsmanship. Dior Men was one to look at, as with Hermès, where clothes appears to encompass lightweight materials with fabrication made for travelling, trekking and gardening. Others like Loewe, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy all gave a nod to the idea of springtime adventure.

Layering And Weatherproofing

 
 
 
 
 
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Outdoor exploration was apparent in Hermès’s Spring Summer 2023 collection as it showcased a varied range of weatherproof layers such as windbreakers, parkas and sweaters. The French Maison’s vibrant colours are layered over simple tonal colours of inner shirts, making for easy pairing at anytime. The inner shirts were lightweight, which enhanced the idea of weightlessness and resonated strongly with the brand’s focus on lightness — a recurring theme of the past seasons.

At Dior Men, the brand’s ankle-length wellington boots appeared to be able to withstand tough conditions common to hiking trails. This is a balance of essentials that suits the ruggedness of the outdoors while making a straightforward fashion proposition.

Fabricated For An Outdoor Escapade

Along with the idea of the great outdoors, Givenchy upgraded its ensemble with easy-to-wear cargo pants, skinny motorcycle pants and tracksuits — potentially preparing your wardrobe for the host of summer activities next year. The brand’s creative director Matthew M Williams further elevated Givenchy’s Spring Summer 2023 menswear collection with pieces like utility track jackets, windbreakers and belts — when venturing outside, these are the essential items to have.

 
 
 
 
 
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Apart from the usual trekking or biking, Casablanca gears you up exclusively for the wild west. The vibrant-coloured cowboy jackets, wide-collared shirts and loose-fitted pants prompted a tension-free expedition into the unchartered terrain of Texas. The brand, known for its vibrant orange and green, opts to go fresh with university blue, sky blue, pastel yellow and crimson red. The pop of colours, while reminiscent of summer, could easily be paired with warm brown or black scuffed boots.

 
 
 
 
 
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Uplifting Textures

 
 
 
 
 
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Looking at Y/Project’s Spring Summer 2023 Menswear collection, the mix of various layers of materials is evident. From cotton to chiffon and jersey to denim, these textures round up the collection’s looks. A fitted jersey top and loose-fitting chiffon overlay paired with ruffled denim skirts emphasised how different textures could play a vital role in reinventing a toned-down construction.

The main focus was encouraging a more casual summer look but keeping some necessary styling layers. Such were the classic Y/Project jeans, vests, polos and rib-knits. Mixing-and-matching different textures are how brands seek to elevate the stylistic element associated with the great outdoors. This pushed the boundaries of what forms and structure a silhouette could become when spring arrives.

Marine Serre Men’s Spring Summer 2023 spotlighted athleisure during its runway presentation by incorporating jerseys. The designer focused on the functionality of her clothes while creatively utility fabrics to accentuate the wearer’s body. We reckon that it will be a hit in the months to come.

Image: Marine Serre

Flower Power

Following through the outdoors to textures, we observe the late Virgil Abloh’s team that worked with him at Louis Vuitton, employed couture-grade techniques that the French luxury fashion house is familiar with into the collection. The iconic Louis Vuitton floral motif was hand-crocheted all up the sleeves of a denim jacket. An array of embroidered floral details of sequined poppies and wildflowers call to mind a vivid summer fantasy in the fields.

 
 
 
 
 
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Floral pattern shirts were also spotted at the Paul Smith’s Spring Summer 2023 collection. With the subtle floral prints, you do not need to know your hibiscus blooms from your orchids to be cognizant that print overkill is best to be avoided. To ensure you do not wander away from the garden and into the jungle, you may want to stick to a single print and blend it with simpler block colour pieces. Officine Générale, Isabel Marant and Kidsuper had hints of floral prints and patterns that resonate with the blooming season.

 
 
 
 
 
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Lemaire’s Spring Summer 2023 collection incorporated camp collar shirts that were pre-scrunched with hibiscus prints. For a refreshed look, a top could be paired with the patterns with light, crisp cotton pants making it a toned-down, relaxed summer attire for any getaway.

 
 
 
 
 
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Interestingly, Loewe Spring Summer 2023 collection had a different take on the season. Jonathan Anderson, creative director of Loewe, pushed the whole fascination with the great outdoors onto the garments. Plants were seen sprouting from the shoes, tracksuit bottoms, jeans and coats. As attention-grabbing as it is, some tinge of excitement is most welcomed and it is also a cool reminder that we are one with nature.

 
 
 
 
 
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Exposed Midriff

Image: Thom Browne

Paris Spring Summer 2023 Menswear was not all about nature and its vibrant atmosphere, the exposed area of the abdomen was quite apparent across multiple brands like Dior Men, Thom Browne and Y/Project. At Dior Men, models were seen wearing see-through garments or shirts with just one button holding the sides together. The midriff was exposed at Thom Browne while keeping in line with the brands renowned neat, sophisticated style. Y/Project and Amiri also had this feature in their collection, where the season is fitting to show some skin.

The overall styles of Paris Spring Summer 2023 Menswear altogether summarised luxury fashion houses’ technicalities of construction to suit the hot season. Furthermore, the styles were pushed even further, anticipating the concept of nature and reclaiming the conversation that summers should be spent outside.

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10 luxurious jewellery pieces of this Fall/Winter 2021

From Chanel, Chopard to Piaget, these top-of-the-line jewellery pieces definitely will elevate your appearance.

Chanel

It’s the 100th anniversary of the iconic N°5 perfume and Patrice Leguéreau has just the present to celebrate the milestone. The Chanel Fine Jewelry Creation Studio director has crafted over a hundred stunning haute joaillerie pieces for Collection N°5 and they include this Golden Sillage bracelet in yellow gold and platinum with yellow sapphires, spessartite garnets and diamonds.

 

Chopard

Everything in Chopard’s Red Carpet collection is literally breathtaking—one does not simply enumerate the components in each piece without gasping for air. This cuff bracelet, for one, features Mandarin garnets, Paraiba tourmalines, pastel sapphires, white opals, pink quartz, tsavorites, tanzanites, kunzite, amethysts, aquamarines, beryls, topaz, citrines, rubies, tourmalines and diamonds.

 

De Beers

Untamed nature serves as the backdrop for De Beers’ Reflections of Nature high jewellery range. Capturing the maze of waterways, floodplains and islands of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, the Okavango Grace creations, particularly these climber earrings, boast rough and polished diamonds in a true-to-life colour scheme of green, pink, brownish pink, purple and grey.

 

Dior

A decade has passed since Victoire de Castellane came out with her lush Bal des Roses collection. Now, once again paying a tribute to Christian Dior and his favourite flower, the creative director introduces the sparkling new RoseDior range, which brings forth a slew of exquisite designs such as these RoseDior earrings in textured yellow gold with diamonds.

 

Gucci

The oh-so whimsical garden at Gucci continues to grow with the expansion of the Hortus Deliciarum high jewellery collection. Echoing the eclectic quixotism of creative director Alessandro Michele’s kaleidoscopic universe, the new batch is inspired by the mesmeric hues of the sky at various times of the day which is perfectly illustrated by this classic cocktail ring.

 

Louis Vuitton

Diving deeper into its past, Louis Vuitton takes its devotees back to the very beginning—when its founder embarked on that journey across France to realise his dreams—for the Bravery high jewellery assortment. The Arrow ring cleverly narrates this account, serving as a metaphor for his odyssey and a literal interpretation of his legacy with the incorporation of the emblematic V motif.

 

Hermès

An icon at Hermès has received the ultimate star treatment with the brand’s latest jewellery entry. The Kellymorphose line, just as its name suggests, takes after the legendary Kelly bag defined by a strong and assertive form, side straps, clasp, padlock and key-holder—elements that are present in the pieces under the banner notably this Kelly Gavroche necklace.

 

Piaget

Where there’s darkness, there’s light. Promising to illuminate even in the bleakest of nights, Piaget’s Extraordinary Lights high jewellery pieces are imbued with the most spectacular light phenomenon. The Magical Aurora necklace, for instance, is bound to set the sky ablaze with the verdant hue of its emeralds and the unparalleled sparkle of its diamonds.

 

Habib

Springtime stretches all year long at Habib and the blossoming of The Bouquet in the fall season shows us just that. This stunning frangipani-inspired brooch, handcrafted in a restful combination of 18k rose and white gold, exudes the feeling of unfiltered femininity as the pink petals unfurl under the morning sun and unveil 391 pieces of brilliant-cut diamonds.

 

Tiffany & Co.

Nature’s most vivid chromatic displays are turned into mesmerising works of art at Tiffany & Co. as the jeweller releases its 2021 Blue Book collection. Themed Colours of Nature, the new roster is brimming with one-of-a-kind masterworks including this delicate butterfly brooch in 18k yellow gold peppered with purple sapphires and dazzling diamonds.

 

This article was originally published on www.lofficielmalaysia.com.

 

Season to rejoice with the new Hermès Twilly Eau Ginger

From mischievous to spicy and now joyful, bright and sparkling—characteristics we should all be lucky to have in every and any season—the Twilly d’Hermès family of fragrances delivers them all.

Created by Christine Nagel, the Twilly Eau Ginger, the third to join the Twilly d’Hermès tribe, emanated the same rule of three as her two elder siblings: tribe, boldness and attitude.

 

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Twilly Eau Ginger is presented in a box printed with the Astrologie nouvelle design that has been reworked in fresh palette of colours. Nestled within, the perfume’s rounded, curvaceous bottle comes tied prettily with a new silk ribbon and topped with a brilliant white cap.

Full of character and whimsy with a dash of audacity and unwavering joie de vivre, the new Twilly d’Hermès scent imparts its charm by weaving together three ingredients of generous and vibrant peony, vivid candied ginger, and supple, lively cedar.

 

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The new Twilly Eau Ginger (available in three sizes – 30 ml, 50 ml and 85 ml) is available at Hermès boutiques in Pavilion KL and The Gardens Mall, as well as at counters in selected Parkson, Isetan and Sogo stores, and Sephora Malaysia.

Visit hermes.com to find out more.

 

This article was originally published on www.lofficielmalaysia.com.

The Victoria Bag by Hermès

Fashion trends come and go but one movement is definitely here to stay: sustainability. Hermès, the French heritage house known for its ultra-luxurious calfskin bags, is now experimenting with a new fungi-derived leather alternative material.

The Victoria Bag, one of its classic handbag designs, is reimagined in a mix of canvas, calfskin and Sylvania — a new form of Fine Mycelium, produced by MycoWorks.

The San Francisco-based start-up has managed to find a way to turn a “network of threads from the root structure of mushrooms—into a material that imitates the properties of leather.”

Fine Mycelium, the genesis of Sylvania, is manufactured in the MycoWorks facility. It is then tanned and finished in France by the Hermès tanners to further refine its strength and durability, and shaped in the workshops by in-house craftspeople.

The amber-hued travel bag retains a sturdy silhouette with a natural patina finish, much like its original version that was born in 1997, Hermès’ Year of Africa, and named after Zimbabwe’s famous waterfalls.

It seems fitting that a travelling bag inspired by nature has now taken on a new sustainable material as a response to increasingly ethically minded and sustainability-focused consumers.

 

This article was originally published on www.lofficielmalaysia.com.

 

Hermès introduces L’Ombre Des Merveilles for him and for her

As part of Hermès’ most loved fragrance line, the new L’Ombre Des Merveilles fragrance transcends the warmth of light into a tender blend, using only three raw ingredients – incense, tonka bean and black tea. 

The L’Ombre Des Merveilles is grounded by a whisper of tonka bean, followed by incense as the heart notes to evoke a woody oriental aroma – fetched by a warm accord of black tea. And if you’re looking for something soft and sparkling, sunlit and dark for this fall, The L’Ombre Des Merveilles could be that ultimate expression of a chiaroscuro scent.

Encapsulated in the signature round bottles of Hermès Eau de Merveilles line, the silhouette resembles a magnifying glass that deliver different angles to see the world and unlock the wonders of Hermès – from innocence to fantasy, from childhood dreams to femininity, it is a world where the extraordinary is brought into the light.

Visit hermes.com for more.

This article was originally published on www.lofficielmalaysia.com.

New Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune redefines the Moon Phase

One of the new New Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune rendered in Blue Pearl dial which has an artistic effect reminiscent of tortoise shell. Lapis Lazuli and Blue Pearl Arceau L’heure de la lune is serially produced, priced at $33,200

The Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune is not the maison’s new Moon Phase. It’s not even a celebration of the moon landing 51 years ago, but it’s still an important update for a novelty which was officially unveiled last year. The new Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune redefines the Moon Phase simply because what I thought I witnessed last year was already the pinnacle accomplishment in haute horlogerie in terms of the moon phase complication.

When it was first launched in 2019, the Arceau L’heure de la lune overturned centuries of watchmaking know-how and design. The oldest watchmaking complication in the book, the visible phase of the moon’s sunlit side, is displayed according to an Earthling’s perspective. A lunar movement completes in 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.8 seconds, that’s the mathematical component of the watchmaking equation, required to cut the gear teeth to account for and work in tandem with the gear train already computing the 24 hours of the day.

One of our favourite New Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune with a “mossy” green Martian meteorite almost hinting at new life in a new frontier. The most expensive, it comes in limited production of two, price on application

New Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune redefines the Moon Phase with Black Sahara meteorite, Lunar meteorite and Martian meteorite

That still leaves the design of a moon phase complication unaccounted for.  A common version typically displays two moons on a rotating disc, one of them obscured as the other is shown through a shaped semi-circle aperture at a cardinal point of the dial. It’s an ingenious solution, the shaped aperture obscures part of the moon in the shape of a waning or waxing crescent, which then translates visually as the correct phase of the lunar cycle. Over the years, other watchmakers have experimented with variations of the theme, rendering the moon phase larger or more artistically but basically executed according to those pioneering principles but what the Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune did, was re-write the book on “how to create a moon phase complication”.

Jean Francois Mojon of Chronode, worked with Hermes in creating the Arceau L’heure de la lune. For the first time, the master of “visible” complications where one typically sees the exposed gear works behind the magic of the innovation like those of other projects he’s done (the Klepcys Tourbillon Vertical and the Opus X comes to mind), has hidden the mystery behind the Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune. It was something that World of Watches got Mr Mojon to grudgingly admit – that he was rather surprised and pleased with the outcome because he truly believed in displaying the openwork for all to admire. But more importantly, though the mathematical principles remained the same, for once, and under the auspices of La Montres Hermes, the Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune exhibited the correct depiction of the earth’s only natural satellite, regardless of your geographical vantage point in the world.

The New Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune with black sahara meteorite dial is least colourful yet the most gorgeously sophisticated of them all. Price: $54,100

As fellow editor Ruckdee Chotjinda pointed out, “The moon is an astronomical, cultural and even philosophical object. For Hermès, this is the perfect pretext to talk about the skies and the realm beyond.” Its predecessor model had raised the bar with two mother of pearl moon discs set on a bed of aventurine stars, but then the new Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune excelled in 2020 with its twin mobile counters orbit a lunar, Martian or Black Sahara meteorite dial, revealing mother-of-pearl moons in step with Mojon’s exclusive module, coupled with a Manufacture Hermès movement and this is what makes the 2020 Arceau L’heure de la lune a definitive evolutionary step up from its predecessor.

Our favourite: New 2020 Arceau L’heure de la lune executed with lunar meteorite with accompanying lacquered brown subdials – sublime execution

Meteorite inlaid with mother-of-pearl form a cosmos in which satellite dials float above hemispherical moons. The new Hermes Arceau L’heure de la lune sees the hemispheres swapped, with the south above and the north below, it’s unexpected for watchmaking (unsurprising for Hermes, makers of Le Temp Suspendu), causing observers to lose their bearings, and have heads metaphorically in the stars.

The horse, a recognisable nod to the legacy of Hermès, takes a place of prominence among the stars. At 12 o’clock, the moon is adorned by a Pegasus designed by the “dreamer-designer” Dimitri Rybaltchenko. Itself, a work of art titled: Pleine Lune (Full Moon), no other timepiece bears art within itself. The double moon of the new  Arceau L’heure de la lune eclipses a traditional aperture-type display, instead covering the entire surface of the dial. The result is a free-spirited and impertinent vision of mechanical watchmaking according to Hermès.

New 2020 Arceau L’heure de la lune Price & Specs

Movement self-winding H1837 movement with “L’heure de la lune” module and 38 hours power reserve

Case 43mm white gold case

Strap Leather

Price from US$33,200

 

Revenge Shopping becoming a trend as Ultra Rich Spend Millions on High Jewellery Online Auctions

As global trade and international economies come to a stand-still, the coronavirus pandemic is well on its way of creating the greatest recession since The Great Depression but meanwhile, in-home quarantine and social distancing is playing havoc with the ultra-wealthy (who are unfamiliar with constraints on their money and influence) – spending time in “parenting agony” while ensconced in high net worth resorts like Yellowstone Ranch or dropping $9 million on a car while doing a spot of revenge shopping like Ronaldo, Bloomberg has spoken to Sotheby’s and discovered that revenge shopping is indeed becoming a trend as the restless rich spend hundreds of thousands on jewellery and diamonds to cheer themselves up during these depressing times.

“What we’re finding is that anything of good quality is performing well, and actually better than it would have just a couple of months ago.” –  Catharine Becket, Sotheby’s “magnificent jewels” specialist speaking to Bloomberg

Revenge Shopping becoming a trend as Ultra Rich Spend Millions on High Jewellery Online Auctions out of Boredom

Auction season was beginning to look dire as auction houses cancelled their annual affairs as a result of strict social distancing measures in major financial cities like Zurich, Geneva, London and Hong Kong and for a moment there, it looked like jewellery sales for 2020 would come to an abrupt stop just as it has other economic segments. But, Antiquorum’s Geneva auction held via the internet, phone and absentee bids on March 21st, 2020 totalled US$3.34 million, with three of its top five lots belonging to Patek Philippe timepieces, so its certainly not out of the realm of possibility that consumers willing to pay top dollar for Patek Philippe watches online, sight unseen, would also find partners similarly willing to drop six figures on diamond bracelets and necklaces.

A recent Sotheby’s online sales projected to bring in $5.7 million conservatively, ended up beating estimates and bringing in $6.1 million through the four sales held across March and April. Speaking to Bloomberg, Catharine Becket, Sotheby’s “Magnificent Jewels” specialist in New York, gave a reason for the apparent growth in big-ticket luxury purchases: “Clients are sequestering at home and, generally speaking, leading relatively dreary lives. Everyone is waiting for this to be over, and I suppose knowing that a million-dollar piece of jewellery is waiting for you is a fulfilment of when things return to the new normal.”

Indeed, it shouldn’t be surprising as WWD first reported that when Hermes re-opened their flagship in Guangzhou, it led to a revenge shopping spree to a tune of $2.7 million in single-day sales. Psychologically speaking, everyone has status needs for prestige and social approval, often expressed in diverse ways, revenge spending has been merely been one manifestation, some pick up art and hobbies, others get super fit and if you have millions in the bank, you burn a little with some much needed retail therapy.

Becket was initially concerned that she wouldn’t be able to help her client to sell a 1930s high jewellery specimen – Cartier’s Tutti Frutti. A marriage of art and design, the Tutti Frutti is emblematic of heritage swagger and a symbol of old Indian Mughal Maharajah opulence. The name ‘Tutti Frutti’ wasn’t coined until the 1970s, and we don’t see true specimens very often. Town & Country estimates that we see smaller pieces like brooches every three to five years or so but the something on the scale of this magnitude is very rare and highly sought after both as a bit of high jewellery and artwork.

The 1930s-era Cartier bracelet is currently online for auction at Sotheby’s with an estimate of $600,000 to $800,000. Auction ends April 28th. Source: Sotheby’s

Sotheby’s estimates that it’ll bring in between $600,000 and $800,000, but a true benchmark of elite boredom and the lengths they would go for a bit of revenge spending would be a true test of their wallets and high net worth shopping power.

 

“Anti-Fragrances” For The Man’s Man

Singularity defines everything that is considered great — be it personality, the way one behaves or even the way he smells — the familiarity brings out the best in us. But change can bring surprising results too and if you are looking to break the mould, anti-fragrances bring a sense of identity unlike any other. These are not the usual sweet smelling or scent-trendy perfume, but a break from tradition.

Tied to every smell is a memory, the anti-fragrance simply connects the smell binary to everyday experiences that the smeller goes through; further personalising a musk by tapping solely on this phenomenon and not relying on an olfactory-pleasing smell. The scent can range anything from an everyday smell we simply do not think much of to something usually thought to be repulsive, but they all have the common objective of making the wearer one of a kind.

 

“Anti-Fragrances” For The Man’s Man

The “Almost-No-Fragrance”

Molecule 01 by Escentric Molecules

Hitting the nail on its head, Escentric Molecules scores a point for the anti-fragrances by coming up with the Molecule 01. Interestingly, this musk barely brings any form of smell on its own but it is formulated to mix with body chemicals to produce a smell that can only be owned by its wearer. This takes personal fragrance to the next level in an… Escentric manner.

 

Everyday Smells

Eau d’Hermès by Hermès

Inspired by the interior of their bags, Hermès has extracted that into a musk to make literal of the smell — a note of fine leather, wrapped in slightly spicy citrus. Hermès captured the everyday smell of the start of a new work day when one opens his briefcase at the office, typically not thought much of, to be worn by both men and women.

 

CB BEAST by CB I Hate Perfume

If you want to smell like food and have people drooling at you, this anti-fragrance fits the bill. Imagine roasting a prime cut on the barbecue, marinated deeply in herbs, spices and black pepper along with the smell of burnt wood — commonly associated with a more masculine tinge to the scent. Definitely recognisable by any nose on the street, it will make heads turn when you walk into the room and have people asking “where’s the barbecue at?”

 

The “Unconventional” Ones

Muscs Koublai Khan by Serge Lutens

No prizes for guessing where Serge Lutens got the inspiration from. The unique fragrance brings out the beast in you with fur at the heart of the scent — a portrayal of sheer masculinity and dominance. Contrary to the typical sweet or less prominent fragrances, this one goes against the tradition to prioritise a bestial stark imagery over tamed crowd-pleasing convention.

 

Dzing! by L’Artisan Parfumeur

L’Artisan drew much inspiration from the old circuses of Europe and captured the slightly savoury smell of popcorn mixed with sawdust and caramel. It brings those who smell it — possibly to an early film of Dumbo — and gives one a whiff of the inside of a circus tent. But if you want a common modern description, it probably would just be plain old cardboard.

This article first appeared on www.mens-folio.com.

 

Are you ready for a full Hermès beauty collection?

Known for its luxury leather goods and fragrances, Hermès is set to take new heights in 2020 as the French luxury house prepares itself for the launch of the first ever Hermès makeup and skincare collection in year 2020.

Prior to this, Hermès has had minimal venture into the beauty world with the exception of a scented body balm and its signature line of fragrances.

Aiming to become a global beauty brand, Hermès will add skincare and makeup collections to its beauty portfolio and also plans to use plastic-free packaging in its effort to be an eco-friendly beauty label.

In an interview with Business of Fashion, Hermès chief executive Axel Dumas says, “It’s quite exciting: It’s a new activity, with all the risks that involve, so we will deploy it progressively, initially in our own stores mainly, in a limited distribution so that we can learn.”

World’s Rarest Hermès Birkin Bag Worth USD380,000 Was Auctioned By Christie’s

Hermes’ Birkin bags are one of the most highlight sought after luxury fashion items in the world. Hence, there’s no surprise that a diamond-encrusted crocodile-skin Hermes Birkin handbag with white gold details has broken the record for the world’s most expensive ever sold at auction, fetching nearly US$380,000 at a Hong Kong sale. The rare Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Birkin 30 went to an unknown phone bidder Wednesday for HK$2.94 million after intense bidding, a spokeswoman for auction house Christie’s told AFP. The new record beat one set last year, also in Hong Kong, by an identical Hermes bag that sold for HK$2.32 million.

Only one or two Diamond Himalayas are created each year globally, making it one of the rarest production runs for handbags, according to Christie’s. “It actually has been rumoured that they will discontinue Himalayas altogether this year, which may be part of the reason that we’ve seen the increase in the value this season,” Matthew Rubinger, Christie’s international head of handbags and accessories division, told AFP.

Designer handbags are increasingly seen as investment opportunities and have become a craze for collectors, taking global auction houses by storm and scoring record prices.

The handmade bag—described by the London-based auctioneers as “the most desirable handbag in existence”—is encrusted with diamonds, while the buckle and trademark mini Hermes padlock are from 18 carat white gold.

The bag was made in 2014 and is from Hermes’ “Birkin” series named after actress and singer Jane Birkin, who was born in Britain and lives in France.