12.30.2008

Bing Bang Sale on ideeli - Friday


Anna Sheffield's line of Jewelry called, Bing Bang is described as Chic, hip, with a touch of retro glam. The Bing Bang line has been spotted on members of the fashion elite including Cameron Diaz, Kirsten Dunst, and Uma Thurman. In 2007, Sheffield was honored with a nomination for the coveted Swarovski Accessories Award.

at Bing Bang Sale on Friday ideeli

Louis Vuitton celebrates 10th anniversary of City Guides


For ten years Louis Vuitton has been capturing the spirit of cities and sharing its love of travel with the City Guides. Updated and enriched each year, the guides delight leisure travelers, nomadic business visitors and indeed the residents of the cities explored.

There are thousands of addresses, from reliable favorites to new locations, revealing the very soul of the city. For the new edition, the City Guide features a fresh look, a revamped format and new sections.

To capture the spirit of the cities in the 2009 City Guide series, Louis Vuitton calls on journalists, writers and artists. What’s more, 30 famous figures have been invited to offer their personal takes on the cities they love.

Actress Monica Belluci discloses her addresses in Rome, the sommelier Georges dos Santos reveals a few secrets of Lyonnais gastronomy, and opera singer Angela Gheorghiu recounts her trips back and forth to Bucharest.

For the first time, Mumbai, Miami, New York, Paris and Tokyo are available in individual volumes. The iconic European collection takes us to 32 cities, including six new destinations: Bucharest, Glasgow, Lausanne, Palermo, Manchester and Saint-Tropez. There are also maps and three audio walks that can be downloaded in MP3 format from www.louisvuittonsoundwalk.com for a unique discovery of three Chinese cities.

In a subtle reference to Louis Vuitton’s heritage, the design of the 2009 City Guides is inspired by the vintage luggage labels that used to be affixed to Louis Vuitton trunks, evoking the timeless theme of travel.

High Society



With insight and nostalgia, High Society explores the intrigue of New York’s upper-class society and culture. From Greenwich Village and the Sugar House to Stone Street, author Nick Foulkes unravels Manhattan’s past, starting in the early seventeenth century and leading up to the prosperous present. With stories of the residents that have made and make up Manhattan’s lavish citizenry—the Vanderbilt, Frick, Morgan, and Astor families—and the restaurants, playhouses, galleries, and night clubs where they socialized—Le Grenouille, El Morocco, and Le Cirque—the narrative weaves the political, social, and literary moments of the eras, delivering a spectacle of culture beside a poignant selection of photography.

Asprey Jack ring


Inspired by the iconic “Union Jack” flag, the Asprey Jack ring is a proud tribute to England’s rock and roll lifestyle appealing to the modern day patriot. The Jack ring with rubies, blue sapphires and pavé white diamonds, white gold. rubies 2.46cts, blue sapphires 0.99cts and pavé white diamonds 0.91cts

Asprey rings are available in sizes 50, 52, 54 & 56.

Fendi Casa Leather Cabinet & Bar


Fendi Casa has launched a Cabinet & Bar clad in leather. The Leather Cabinet features a sleek lacquered finish; and it's leather embossed with an exotic croc-skin pattern. This trendy reptile-inspired cabinet comes with a matching leather bar, equipped with a mirrored interior.

RM by Roland Mouret's Sacha gazar silk playsuit


RM by Roland Mouret's Sacha gazar silk playsuit has a fabulous futuristic feel and will instantly transform your outfit when worn with the matching skirt. Red silk gazar Sacha playsuit with cut out detailing. RM by Roland Mouret playsuit has a black sheer mesh bottom, press stud fastening and a concealed zip fastening on the back. 100% silk; lining: 50% silk, 39% polyamide, 11% elastane. Dry clean.

Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S


Maserati's Quattroporte Sport GT S, is their most powerful luxury sedan ever. The Sport GT S features four major technical and five significant stylistic improvements - increased power for the V8 4.7 liter engine to 433 HP; sportier gearshift management for a 0 – 60 time of less that 5.5 seconds; a re-engineered front and rear suspension system featuring stiffer springs and lower ride height; and a new sports exhaust system controlled by pneumatic valves for a “deep, throaty and captivating sound.”

Rolls Royce Phantom Sapphire



Rolls Royce's Bespoke Collection now offers a special edition Phantom called Sapphire. The Phantom Sapphire takes its name from the bodywork’s shade of Milori Sapphire which is a unique shade of navy blue. The interior comes in a choice of two colour combinations either navy blue with seashell highlights or seashell with navy blue highlights, the the walnut burr veneer featuring inlaid diamond pattern marquetry. Their is a cool box hidden under the back seats along with a pair of diamond motif hand engraved crystal tumblers and champagne flutes. The dashboard clock is finished with a fine guilloche pattern and features a single diamond shaped sapphire at the twelve o’clock marker reports sybarites

Visa Black Card


Visa has launched the Black Card ($495 annual fee). The Black Card is made with carbon graphite and comes with personalized assistance from a 24-hour concierge service, "luxury gifts," access to the Priority Pass airport VIP lounge program, and a high-end rewards program. Membership is limited to 1% of U.S. residents.

Movado limited edition Museum(r)


Movado released a limited edition Museum(r) to celebrate the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater' 50th anniversary. The dial watch designed with a double-wrap sliced strap that signifies the movement and the fluidity of dance. Ailey's signature anniversary orange inspired the strap color, and the case-back of the timepiece features Ailey's 50th Anniversary logo. The Movado Museum dial limited edition Alvin Ailey watch retails for $795 and is available at Macy's and select Movado Boutiques.

12.29.2008

Chaumet Attrape Moi Collection


Chaumet's new collection named Attrape Moi is made using the same techniques used since their 1780 founding. The Attrape Moi collection is based on the spider theme with spiders or spider webs. The collection includes earrings, rings, necklaces, pendants and bracelets.

Alexis Hudson Handbag Sale and Charles Nolan Sale at ideeli


This week, at ideeli. Alexis Hudson Handbag Sale and Charles Nolan Sale. You can access the invite only community by going to here or enter "momist" as invite code at ideeli.com


Alexis Hudson Handbag Sale
Tuesday 12/30. Start time 11:00 am
Up to 70% off, prices start at $160

There is a reason WHY celebrities including Keira Knightley, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Kate Hudson all sport Alexis Hudson bags. The line is classic, functional, and chic. No blaring logos or fancy embellishments. Just clean, crisp style!

Charles Nolan Sale
From ready-to-wear to accessories,
Wednesday, 12/31. Start time 11:00 am
Up to 73% off, prices start at $125

This sale includes a killer pair of 17" croc embossed patent leather boots with square toe and inside zip. If you haven't found your own personal "it boot" this season- this may be it!

12.28.2008

Caviar by Balducci


Balducci's, has introduced a new line of private label caviar reports Luxist. Balducci's Caviar comes in Wild Caspian, which includes Sevruga and Royal Osetra varieties, Farmed International, and Domestic. Prices range from $9.99 for domestic Salmon and Paddlefish up to $1,500 for the precious Wild Caspian Royal Osetra.

Armani Privé bois d’encens candle


Created with the very best white incense from Somalia, this Privé candle is scented with the vibrant, pure, mysterious note loved by Giorgio Armani. Exquisitely nestled within a solid beech wood candle holder with a unique colored resin in the middle for shimmering candlelight in visual harmony with the fragrance. Lasts up to 50 hours.

Urbane Nomads


Urbane Nomads is, a travel agency based in Singapore. The agency bills themselves as travel mixologists, offering unique destinations, pairing it with 'select accommodation and unusual travel modes.'

Some of the tours come 2009 include a private jet tour covering Golden Triangle Thailand and Myanmar, before moving on to Putao, a remote north-eastern state in Myanmar that is notoriously difficult to get to due to the erratic flight schedule.

Putao is at the foot of the Himalayas, where the lush jungles of Myanmar meet with the climate and mountainscapes of the Himalayas. What this results in is a rich biodiversity that includes red pandas and clouded leopards. Home here too, are many tribes including the Lisu, Rawang and Naga as well as the world's only Mongoloid pygmies.

Guests will be staying in a luxury resort designed by Jean Michel Gathy of
Aman Resorts' fame.

Come July '09, there will be the Shandur Polo festival(the site of the
highest polo grounds in the world) in Pakistan. Guests will be travelling
around Kafiristan(where fairy-worshipping, black robed tribes in
elaborate head dresses with distinctive features and believed to be the
descendants of Alexander the Great are to be found), the photoshopped
landscapes of Chitral and Hunza, the most likely contender for the
original Shangri-la.

More information on Urbane Nomads can be found on our website at:
http://www.urbanenomads.com

12.27.2008

La Grande Dame by Riva Gift Box


Veuve Clicquot has partnered with iconic Italian boatmaker Riva to create a wooden boat-inspired gift box. The La Grande Dame by Riva Gift Box is made of mahogany, chrome and black lacquer, and encases one bottle of Veuve Clicquot's La Grande Dame 1998 and sells for $140.

12.26.2008

Dolce & Gabbana's Diamonds & Pearls


Breathtaking, provocative and daringly glittery: a new book on Dolce & Gabbana with photos by the celebrated Viennese photographer Guenter Parth. The relationship between fashion and photography has always been an inspiring and fruitful one. The ideas and innovation of fashion design have generated an extraordinary creative output that have made fashion photography one of the most seductive and influential languages of our time. In 1982 when Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana decided to create their own line they enjoyed immediate success, a success that has never wavered. This talented duo soon won over the world's stars, taking the name of Italian fashion right to the top. Dolce & Gabbana is now one of the leading international groups in the clothing and luxury goods sector.

12.25.2008

Louis Vuitton caviar case


Louis Vuitton has created a special-edition caviar case for storing and traveling with caviar. The red leather-lined LV monogram box is outfitted with a dish to hold up to 500 grams of caviar, a plate for crushed ice, and engraved crystal vodka glasses, plus drawers to hold four caviar spoons made of mother-of-pearl, a non-reactive material designed to preserve the caviar’s fragile flavor.

12.24.2008

Electrolux Aurora


Electrolux has unveiled Aurora , a sleek illuminated induction cooktop.

Features

9 heat settings

* Booster function
All zones include a booster function for maximum power.

* Electronic touch controls

* Child Lock

* Stop/Go Function

* Cooking timer with acoustic signal

* Safety cut-out

Faralli & Mazzanti Vulca S coupe


Faralli & Mazzanti 's Vulca S is a new luxury coupe built on an aluminum chassis covered with hand-beaten aluminum panels. The exotic coupe's name again pays tribute to the Etruscans: Vulca da Veio was a famous Etruscan sculptor. Only ten examples of the Vulca are planned, with some of them swapping a V10 for various V12 engines offering between 445 and 600 hp.

The price €280,000..

Girard-Perregaux Cat's Eye Haute Joaillerie


Girard-Perregaux has unveiled its feminine Cat's Eye timepiece, which may well be the most expensive watch the historic Swiss manufacturer has ever offered. Crafted from 18K white gold, new Girard-Perregaux Cat's Eye Haute Joaillerie watch displays 394 baguette diamonds--52 carats in all--which necessitates over 1,200 hours of work undertaken by specialized experts in more than ten workshops.

The elegant oval case of the Girard-Perregaux Cat's Eye Haute Joaillerie measures 35.25 X 30.25mm and features 87 baguette diamonds (7.5 carats); the winding crown which is entirely protected by the case, displays five baguette diamonds (0.1 carat) which collectively form a star. Adorned with skeletonized polished white gold hands, a Breguet-style "12" hour marker, and applied white gold sectors for the subsidiary seconds and power reserve indicator, the dial displays a glittering field of 98 baguette diamonds that amount to 6.5 carats. Joining seamlessly with the case is the exquisite, tapered white gold bracelet with its 204 baguette diamonds (38 carats).

12.23.2008

Pinel & Pinel Lacroix Ski Set

Pinel & Pinel have teamed up with Lacroix to create this limited edition ski set. The ski set contains a pair of Lacroix skis with Smartrack bindings, a pair of carbon fiber ski poles, leather ski gloves, ski goggles. The set comes in a Pinel & Pinel trunk which is made of carbon fiber on a steel frame and covered with full grain leather. Only ten Pinel & Pinel Lacroix ski sets will be made.

Armani/Dada

The Armani Group and the Molteni Group announce the formation of a joint partnership for the future production and distribution of kitchen systems under the brand name “Armani/Dada”. The “Bridge” kitchen system was the first Armani kitchen concept to be produced by Dada, the result of a long term collaboration that now envisages the development of additional systems for both the residential and contract sectors.

Milan, 15th December 2008 – The Armani Group and Molteni Group announce the formation of a joint partnership for the future production and distribution of kitchen systems. This collaboration will result in a new line Armani/Dada.

Armani/Casa was launched in 2000 as an ad hoc division perfectly attuned to the other "worlds" within the Group, providing a platform for Giorgio Armani to transmit and establish his vision in the home environment: creating an intimate and individual ambience, simultaneously sophisticated and comfortable.
Dada, a company within the Molteni Group, has been developing and producing furnishing systems for the contemporary kitchen environment since 1980, always achieving a very high aesthetic and functional level.

Giorgio Armani, President and Chief Executive Officer of Giorgio Armani SpA, observes: “I am delighted to have such a well established new partner as Dada backed up by the Molteni Group, to develop and produce kitchens in the perfect Armani style. The original Bridge model has already delivered excellent results, in prestigious private homes and now in the Armani Residences in Dubai.”

Carlo Molteni, President of the Molteni Group, responds: “It is with great pleasure that we announce this partnership with the Armani Group. The excellence and total perfection that we have admired for so long in the Armani style will definitely present us with a challenging reference point for the development of new models.”

Design and comfort, elegance and functionality. These are the key words that define the Armani/Dada collection, which will be expanded to include new products as from the Salone del Mobile 2009, where the second kitchen system will be introduced – alongside “Bridge”, which has already found commercial success throughout the world.

The projects handled by Contract Armani/Dada include the development of kitchen systems for 144 exclusive Armani Residences within the Burj Dubai, the tallest building in the world, now under construction in Dubai. Armani/Dada kitchens also feature on the 57th floor of the Federation Tower in Moscow which, at 340 metres high, will be the tallest tower in Europe, now under construction near the Kremlin square.
Armani/Dada Systems will be available from single brand Armani/Casa outlets as well as the most appropriate concept stores belonging to the Molteni Group.
This collaboration between Armani/Casa and Dada has a cosmopolitan mission. To bring the simplicity and elegance of true Italian style to the whole world.

LEATHER BAG DESIGNED BY ASSOULINE MADE BY COLE HAAN

Beautiful genuine-leather unisex bag. Ideal for carrying books or laptop computer. Made by Cole Haan for Assouline. Embossed with numerals from the Didot alphabet. The inner canvas is lined with convenient zipper pockets. HOW TO ORDER: Exclusively available through the Assouline boutique at the Plaza Hotel in New York, visit or call: 768 Fifth Avenue Mezzanine Level New York, NY 10019

Venini Battuti Vase

Venini Battuti Vase available at MOSS is produced in a numbered and limited edition of 49 pieces. Towards the end of the thirties, a new development under the guidance of Carlo Scarpa saw the start of the production of works in which incised decoration was a determining factor. The techniques that were developed are "Battuto", "Valato" and "Inciso". The first examples of these techniques revealed themselves in vases with deeply incised decoration, mostly highly-worked one-offs of which all trace has been lost.

PICASSO: THE LAST YEARS

When Pablo Picasso was living in Mougins, on the French Riviera, he asked his friend Mariano Miguel Montanes to come and live with him to help him out as a secretary. From this time on, Miguel became the assistant and confident of the great painter and his wife Jacqueline. Years later, Miguel’s son, Alberto, discovered his father’s diary from this important period. Thanks to this journal, we are able to enter for the first time the day to day life of the most important artist of the 20th century. Picasso’s way of living, working, his friends and habits - the text brings to life the energy, generosity, and true originality of the Great Master. Alberto Miguel Montanes writes the introduction.

Trunk Upright 55

The Trunk Upright 55 perfectly compliments the other pieces in the Trunk Collection, combining heritage styling with modern features for today’s travel era. The Upright 55 is carry on sized with wheels and handle for ease of transport and features a TSA compatible lock system.

Aston Martin & Lord Foster Bus

Aston Martin and Architect Lord Norman Foster have won a competition to re-design London's double-decker buses. According to the AP, in the Aston / Foster model , "Passengers sit on reconstituted leather upholstery while gazing through a glazed roof coated with solar panels to power heat and air conditioning. The rounded bus also boasts wood flooring and a saloon-like lower deck that the architect hopes will create 'a tactile living room feel.'"

The Oculus Superyacht

Oculus is the first “design launch” of Schöpfer Yachts LLC. This 250-foot vessel was designed by E. Kevin Schöpfer, founder and owner of his namesake company. Designed to accommodate 12 guests in extraordinary comfort and style, Oculus is a long distance cruising yacht capable of speeds upwards of 25 knots.

The exterior styling is representative of the jaw and eye socket bone structure of large oceanic fish and mammals. Featuring a dramatic reverse bow configuration, the yacht’s armature balances an elegant expression of symmetry and structure.

In addition to the bow, Oculus also features a “low rider profile”. This slightly lowered surface allows for new side recreational areas, alternate dockage access and light cruising openness. Lateral retractable side panels close this area when heavier wave action is indicated.

The interior features of Oculus focus on a 12 foot high ceiling in the main salon, a cylindrical double height dining room, central stair and elevator tube, and seemingly anatomical ceiling and floor lighting extensions giving definition to the seating areas.

The second level is the dedicated Owner’s suite. Living areas and bedchambers are divided by a series of four freestanding tubes, which house bath and storage necessities.

In addition to the main common stair, the second Owner’s stair connects to the third level aft private salon and deck / water feature.

The third level also contains the forward pilothouse and separate captain’s quarters. The generous open decks with separate water features are located forward and aft for convenient guest use. Specifications and plans are in the final stages of completion and will be posted at a later time.

12.22.2008

Nail File of Natural Stone



Nail File of Natural Stone from the Pyrenees Mountains, with case. The perfect nail file that will not wear down, fits nicely in your pocket or handbag, and looks good in public when you have an emergency repair. 3 very smooth sides for smooth finishing and real control with 1 coarse side for filling down. Graphic pattern gives additional filing action. A little functional piece of art you can carry with you.
Dimension: 2.75 in. L x .375 in. W x .375 in.

$32.00



Via Selectism

Amedei Hot Chocolate

Amedei Hot Chocolate is a deliciously indulgent new premium hot chocolate , now available exclusively from Harvey Nichols Foodmarkets nationwide. The hot chocolate is made with the same expert craftsmanship and using the finest quality chocolate that connoisseurs have come to expect from Amedei and is free from any synthetic flavourings, thickeners and preservatives that can be found in other hot chocolate brands. Adjust the amount of milk to suit your taste and your occasion whether it be for breakfast, as an afternoon break or to enjoy whilst cosying up by a roaring fire on a cold winters night.

Amedei Hot Chocolate is now available exclusively at Harvey Nichols Foodmarkets nationwide, priced at £12.75 (?16.50) for 250g.

Versace Metallic Shopper

Versace Metallic Shopper - Wide-link goldtone chain straps top a roomy shopper shaped from pin-dot perforated metallic leather. A signature Medusa-head coin dangles from one side.

Boris Daybed

Armani Casa Daybed with acting as a pouf island meant to be placed mid-room, not along a wall. A perfect interior decoration item. Base with black lacquer stripes on Mdf frame; a thick cushion (10 cm. - 3,9 inch) recessed into the structure base, forms the seat; the item is provided with an additional backrest cushion 20x20 cm. - 7,9x7,9 inch running along the whole structure, as well as with a few loose cushions. To be used on both sides, great versatility for sitting comfort. Neutral base element in black lacquer. Removable cover in the standard collection fabrics, or in leather. This daybed recalls a setting of the 30s. Made in Italy.

Travel doghouse

Ceramic suitcase doghouse with platinum details available at wannekes.com for EUR 670.00

Nokia ' Princess Edition'


Goldstriker’s Staurt & Katherine Hughes have now started to work on new exclusive items for an exclusive website www.stuarthughes.com

Items include Nokia ' Princess Edition' totaling a massive 8.2 ct VVS color F diamonds on the front & rear, price will be £12000.

65 grams of solid Platinum will be used to replace the leather, and it will be held in by handmade Platinum screws this handset is set to be launched in Colette store in Paris. Also under construction now is the full 18ct solid gold iphone 3G. All projects will be ready for website launch in January.

12.21.2008

OTTO

OTTO is a Stove Top Espresso Maker, combining classic Italian style with unprecedented functionality. Meticulously engineered and crafted, "the little guy" offers inspirational ergonomics and delivers superb coffee.

OTTO is made almost completely of stainless steel promising you a lifetime of satisfaction from this modern international design classic.

2009 McLaren SLR Stirling Moss


Mercedes-Benz and McLaren have announced the 2009 McLaren SLR Stirling Moss to their highly successful SLR super sports car line. There is neither a roof nor a windscreen to separate the driver and passenger from the outside world; they enjoy unadulterated high-speed excitement with all the attributes of a speedster.


The new SLR Stirling Moss is also characterised by the most sophisticated technology and a breathtaking design which reinterprets the SLR legend. With 478 kW/650 hp the SLR Stirling Moss accelerates its V8 supercharged engine from standstill to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds, and has a top speed of 350 km/h – no other series-production car is at the same time so open and so fast. This extreme concept makes the new high-performance sports car a legitimate bearer of the name of the British motor racing legend and Mille Miglia record-holder Stirling Moss, who drove the legendary Mercedes-Benz SLR racing cars from victory to victory during the 1950s.

Hublot Black Caviar Bang


Hublot has announced the limited-edition Black Caviar Bang based on their Big Bang model. It features an 18k white gold case and a clasp that features hundreds of precision-cut black diamonds. The watch’s total of 34.5 carats is made up of 322 diamonds on the case, 179 on the bezel and another 30 on the clasp. These rare black diamonds are responsible for the million-dollar price tag.

Talon Air Serqué


Talon Air, has launched a new 132-foot motor yacht, Serqué. The six-stateroom vessel accommodates up to 13 guests and comes outfitted with two Yamaha watercraft, a 47-foot Intrepid sport motor yacht, and a six-person spa. Serqué, is scheduled to launch at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in October. Talon Air clients are granted the first opportunities to charter Serqué (priced from $85,000 per week) and can access her from the company’s facility in South Florida.

CHANEL SET



More than any other designer of her time, Gabrielle Chanel had the ability not only to predict the evolution of contemporary fashion, but also to see its future. Chanel was a true adventurer, always on the go, but sure of her feelings, which have made their mark on 20th-century fashion. This slipcase presents the history of Chanel, from its beginning through the creative trilogy which made this brand famous: Fashion, Jewelery and Perfume. CHANEL SET

U*tique


Utique offers an assortment of iconic luxury and beauty ‘must haves.’ U*tique is a secure and convenient way to get the products you love where you work, live, and play. The automated stores allow you to learn about products and have them conveniently dispensed to you with a swipe of your credit card. The little robot will gently carry your product from its shelf. The secure network keeps your data safe. And on top of that, there are some interactive bright lights and buttons to thrill you.


What products can we expect?
Products have been handpicked and tested by some incredibly fussy product specialists with backgrounds in global beauty, trend-hunting and innovation.

utiqueshop.com or W MAGAZINE

Christian Louboutin just for Barbie


Shoe Designer Christian Louboutin has created a pair of Christian Louboutin just for Barbie. To celebrate Barbie turning 50, Louboutin will be designing a special pair of pumps in her signature color: Barbie Pantone 219 Pink. Mattel Inc. is planning a special runway fashion show next February that will feature 50 models all wearing Barbie-inspired outfits.

Luxury Houses Top of the World


The latest in teNeues' Luxury Houses series, this generously proportioned volume focuses on the most select residences around the world. With stunning settings, sumptuous materials, sophisticated architectural detailing and interiors, these truly are homes to die for. Each house offers a unique perspective on what's possible if both money and taste abound. Lavishly illustrated with an array of stunning photographs, this book is sure to inspire luxury touches in even the humblest of dwellings.

12.20.2008

Dressy


Designed by Fabien Cagani and Laurent Matras of design agency Delo Lindo, Dressy 2008 available at ligne roset is unique chair combining innovative design with superior comfort. The simple filigree metal frame stands in contrast with the generous and inviting quilted cushioned seat and back. Suitable for many fabric or leather covers.

Parrot by Philippe Starck Zikmu speakers



Philippe Starck has announced Zikmu , a pair of wireless speakers the famed industrial designer created for Parrot. The 2.5-footers radiate sound from 360 degrees.

Parrot by Philippe Starck Zikmu speakers will be available next Spring for $1500.

Botkier Layla Small Shoulder Chain Bag in Purple


Monica Botkier first delved into the fashion industry as a photographer, one who needed a handbag chic enough to be trotted in front of the industry's scrutinizing eye. Functional and wearable, stylish and detailed-the Botkier bags were born. Botkier Layla Small Shoulder Chain Bag in Purple

YSL Handbag Giveaway Monday on Ideeli!



ideeli a members-only shopping community for trendsetting women. The great site offers authentic luxury items at preferential prices to their members - plus giveaways every week. On Monday, ideeli are giving away a Yves Saint Laurent Muse handbag on ideeli.com! This event is part of ideeli's Holiday Giveaway Series. They also have a huge Goldebleu handbag sale on Monday too. Prices are up to 71% off, and they start at $189. Goldenbleu, is a luxury accessories label that puts the focus on luscious Italian leathers and impeccable craftsmanship.

We have a special page at ideeli here

Use the invite code : momist at ideeli.com .

12.19.2008

reborn winter sale


Reborn’s fall/winter collections for men and women are now at 25% off both online and in their boutique.

12.18.2008

Thornton, Temple of Flora


A stunning achievement in botanical illustration

The complete reprint of all color plates from Robert John Thornton's monumental work The Temple of Flora, first published in London in 1799. Presented as 33 loose-leaf Elephant folio-sized color prints as well as a booklet including an introduction and explanations of the 31 botanical plates

The year 1799 witnessed the first installment of a work that has gone down in history as one of the most remarkable books of botanical plates ever published. Two centuries have passed since the publication of Robert John Thornton's The Temple of Flora, but its charm remains unsullied. Although trained as a medical doctor, Thornton (c. 1768–1837) passionately devoted himself to botany. Only a few decades earlier, Carl Linnaeus had established his revolutionary new system of classification, which today continues to form the backbone of such natural sciences as botany and zoology. Thornton greatly honored the ingenious Swedish scientist and wished his own prodigious undertaking to serve as an ultimate monument to the great botanist.

Today, Thornton's large-format plates with their stunning floral portraits number among supreme achievements of botanical illustration. Thornton engaged the most renowned flower painters of his age and spared no cost in the creation of this unique work. His reckless enthusiasm, however, reduced his originally considerable fortune so drastically that, sanctioned by Parliament, Thornton had to organize a botanical lottery in order to bring his spectacular project to a provisional end. Surviving complete editions of the Temple number today among the great treasures of only a few libraries; meanwhile, the individual plates have become sought-after and extremely expensive collectors' items, whose particular allure lies in their unusual combination of monumental, at times exotic plants with highly romantic background landscapes. More than any other floral painting, the bewitchingly illuminated blossoms of the Night-Blooming Cereus, posed before darkening ruins, expresses the late 18th-century sentiment that in the following decades found its characteristic expression in European Romantic literature and painting.

Including all the plates of the Temple of Flora as loose-leaf color prints, this large-format edition represents a consummate reprint of the work. In addition to the botanical and cultural historical explanations of the individual plate illustrations, the volume narrates the history of the origin of the work and the life of its author. This resplendent reprint has been made from one of the finest complete original copies, belonging to the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.

TASCHEN’s Temple of Flora consists of the following, packaged in a presentation case:
  • a 44-page booklet including author Werner Dressendörfer’s introduction as well as the texts of the 31 botanical plates
  • 33 loose-leaf Elephant folio-sized color prints for browsing or framing

sitemeter