Fashion Conglomerates

The largest fashion conglomerates in the world

Richemont (holding company)
www.richemont.com

  • Alfred Dunhill
  • Baume & Mercier
  • Cartier
  • Chloe
  • IWC
  • Lancel
  • A. Lange & Söhne
  • Jaeger-LeCoultre
  • Roger Dubuis
  • Montblanc
  • Officine Panerai
  • Piaget
  • Shanghai Tang
  • Vacheron Constantin
  • Van Cleef & Arpels

LVMH (holding company)
www.lvmh.com

  • Louis Vuitton
  • Dior
  • Fendi
  • Loewe
  • Céline
  • Givenchy
  • Marc Jacobs
  • Donna Karan
  • Emilio Pucci
  • Kenzo
  • Berluti
  • Moynat
  • Edun
  • Thomas Pink
  • TAG Heuer
  • Zenith
  • Hublot
  • Chaumet
  • Bulgari
  • De Beers

Kering (holding company)
www.kering.com

  • Gucci
  • Bottega Veneta
  • Brioni
  • Girard-Perregaux
  • Stella McCartney (50%)
  • Alexander McQueen (51%)
  • Puma
  • Saint Laurent Paris
  • Sergio Rossi
  • Boucheron
  • Sowind Group
  • JeanRichard
  • Queelin
  • Christopher Kane (51%)

Prada Group (holding company)
www.pradagroup.com

  • Prada
  • Miu Miu
  • Fendi
  • Helmut Lang
  • Jil Sander
  • Azzedine Alaia

Luxottica (holding company)
www.luxottica.com

  • Alain Mikli
  • Oakley
  • Ray-Ban
  • Arnette
  • Oliver Peoples
  • Persol
  • Sunglass Hut
  • LensCrafters
  • Bulgari Eyewear
  • Burberry Eyewear
  • Chanel Eyewear
  • Dolce & Gabbana Eyewear
  • DKNY Eyewear
  • Miu Miu Eyewear
  • Paul Smith Spectacles
  • Prada Eyewear
  • Ralph Lauren Eyewear
  • Stella McCartney
  • Armani Eyewear
  • Versace Eyewear
  • Stella McCartney Eyewear
  • Tiffany & Co Eyewear

Get the basics right – it makes a big difference

You don’t have to buy bespoke shoes or bespoke suits to look great. And the improvements you make on basic off-the-peg will make the biggest change to how you look.

So here are my tips for the man that wants to take it up a notch:

– Switch to made-to-measure suits. Save bespoke for when you make partner. Just find a great made-to-measure suit maker. The improvement on ready-to-wear is marked.

– Look after that suit. Hang it up at the end of the day, wear it no more than twice a week, brush it down occasionally and only dry clean it twice a year. Steam press it in between if it gets wrinkled.

– Buy benchmade shoes. As much as they may be disparaged on this and other style sites, good benchmade shoes from Loake, Cheaney or Grenson are a big jump up from the basic, glued, curly-toed, slip-on ones you bought in Shelly’s.

– Look after those shoes. Put shoe trees in after you’ve worn them, brush them down at the end of every day and don’t wear them two days in a row. They’ll look good and last three times as long.

– Buy expensive ties in conservative patterns and colours. In my opinion, expense shows off best in ties and in shoes. So spend more than you think you should on ties from the great tie makers. Not Armani, not Prada; but Hermes, Charvet, Bulgari. Wait until the end of the Ralph Lauren sale, when all the ties are reduced to £25, and pick on a Purple Label one reduced from £95. They just hang better.

– If you wear a pocket handkerchief, don’t scrimp there either. Wearing one is a signal that you think about your clothes and are willing to be noticed for it. Buy good quality white linen to start with. Then some dark colours – burgundy, forest green – and a pale blue, all in conservative patterns.

– Finally, match your socks to your trousers. Buy grey socks and blue socks. Not black. And make sure they are full-calf length.

Follow all of these rules and you will not extend your budget or your wardrobe dramatically. But you will be a hell of a lot better dressed.

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=95642289859

Choosing Men’s Suits – A Focus on Color

Most men choose a suit’s color based off of two factors. 1) The salesman says the color looks good and 2) it looks like a suit he has purchased in the past. The problem here is that most men do not know what colors compliment their complexion and instead of choosing a color that enhances their looks, they choose a color that simply fits in. The result is a closet full of suits made from the wrong fabric.

The purpose of this article is to open your eyes to the world of men’s suit colors and encourage you to choose a fabric that compliments your individual style.

The Triad: Navy Blue, Black and Charcoal Gray

These three colors dominate the men’s suit industry, and for good reason. Most men are complimented by one or more of these dark colors. Dark suits have the ability to seamlessly transition from business to pleasure, in addition to a slimming effect of the silhouette. Let us talk about each color quickly

Navy Blue

Navy blues strength lies in its sheer dominance. Most men own at least one, and if you have ever walked into a business meeting you can be sure more than half the men will be clad in one. But this is its chief weakness; how can you stand out when 90% of your body looks exactly the same as over 50% of the room. We tend to forget that our clothing sends off strong signals, and if you want to be anything but average you want to present yourself as such, not always try to blend in. In addition, those with a very light complexion need to pair navy blue with rich colored shirts; a white or ice blue shirt will drain the color right from their face. Finally, young men are advised to avoid this color as that it has a habit of accentuating youth.


Navy Blue suit made by WW Chan, Hong Kong


Black

A more difficult color to wear, it is perceived by many as the choice for funerals and weddings. No argument there; however, it is so much more for the man with the right complexion. No other color has such a slimming effect, and depending on the dress shirt it can go from regular office wear to drinks with friends at the hippest clubs in Asia. The key to wearing black is being a high contrast individual (which as most Asians are) is a man with dark hair with light to medium colored skin. The effect is a properly framed face to where all the attention is drawn.


Black suit by Kilgour, London

Charcoal Gray

Charcoal gray suits projects an image of authority, stability, and professionalism. It is an excellent choice for a first suit, especially for young men as that it does accentuate youth (unlike Navy Blue). Although clearly lighter than black or navy blue when placed side by side, it nonetheless is just as acceptable at all business functions and interview situations. Possibly the most versatile color, it looks good with almost any colored shirt imaginable.


Charcoal grey suit made by A Man Hing Cheong, Hong Kong

Colors more men should consider.

Brown

Brown ranges from a light through a deep chocolate hue. Many men look their best in earth-tones, making the brown suit an important part of their wardrobe; it is also a popular color for causal options including tweed suits and sports jackets. One caveat: until the early 1980s, brown was not considered a color for business (we can thank Ronald Reagan for their return). While the times have changed there are still some members of the old guard who continue to hold to the old rule that brown does not belong in town. This should not dissuade the well-dressed gentleman from wearing brown with confidence, but it is important to be aware.

Tan

The navy suit for warm weather, tan is an excellent choice. Less flashy than white, it none the less commands attention and can set you apart from the crowd while keeping you cool. If you live in a cold weather city, a tan suit is ideal for spring and summer while in a warmer climate it is appropriate year round. The tan suit pairs well with white, light blue, or any pale pastel shirt. Best of all, this gives you the chance to really make your dark ties stand out.

Taupe

A color that falls between gray and brown, taupe is a great choice for the man who has a couple of the basic colored suits in his wardrobe and is looking for a color out of the ordinary that still maintains a professional appearance. Great for use year round, the taupe suit is a little less dressy than a charcoal suit but more likely to draw compliments because of it’s ability to compliment a man’s finer features.

Light Grey

A great spring and summer color that doesn’t draw attention to the wearer but instead signals a suave persona confident in his own skin, light grey is an excellent choice for any complexion. Live in a warmer climate? Then light grey is appropriate year round. The light grey suit pairs well with white, light blue, and almost any pale colored shirt, although if you are light complected you may want to go with a bolder hue.

White

The classic color of summer. You don’t have to be Tom Wolfe to stay cool and look great. White compliments all but the lightest complexions, and even then the right shirt choice can remedy that situation. The key to wearing a white suit is confidence, especially in Hong Kong where a suit in this color is hard to come by.

What is a Journey?

Long version

Client: Louis Vuitton
Title: A Journey
Agency: Ogilvy, Paris
Creative: Christian Reuilly
Agency Producer: Laure Bayle

Production Company: Quad Productions, Paris
Director: Bruno Aveillan
Producer: Martin Coulais
DP: Philippe Lesourd
Cameraman: Bruno Aveillan

Post-Production: WIZZ Paris
Post-Producer: Manuel Beard
Editor: Fred Olszak
Flame Artist: Bruno Maillard
Special Effects/Processes: WIZZ, Paris
Music: Gustavo-Santaolalla

Parlux Hair Dryers

I’ve been looking for a hairdryer. Not the usual run of the mill ones which I’ve been using all my life, but one that can do a good job. One that is top of its class.

So one day I went to IL COLPO in Hong Kong and their hair dryers were very good. The stream of air was confidently strong but narrow, yet not uncomfortably hot. Better than the Braun or Philips that I used at home. I visited department stores to see whether they carried something like this. I tried and tested Vidal Sassoon (China), Philips (China), Babyliss (France) and Valera (Switzerland) but they couldn’t compare with the one at IL COLPO. So what on earth were they (and Toni & Guy) using?

Finally, I had my opportunity. When the IL COLPO hairstylist went off to tend to another client, I grabbed his hair dryer to check what brand it was. It had neither a label, model name nor number. Only engraved on the back of the handle on its shiny jet black plastic body were the words:

“Parlux – Made in Italy”

I went home and did a search on the internet – and because of the shape and size, I identified it as the Parlux 2000 Superturbo.

I wanted to get it, but since then there has been an improved model – the Parlux 3200 Ionic which is 20% more expensive but adds ionic ions to the hot air – making your hair smoother and more shiny. Parlux is the best selling professional hair dryer in the UK.

But of course Parlux has competition. Namely, the T3 Tourmaline and the CHI Nano. But these competitors are not used by professional hair salons. not that I know of. There must be a reason. I read on a forum that the internal mechanism of CHI damages easily if you drop it. Parlux is designed for more heavy duty, daily use by professionals. Hence, if you use it only at home, it will last you for years.


Salon International, London 18-20th October 2008

Parlux 3200 User Reviews
http://forums.vogue.com.au/showthread.php?t=111535
http://www.makeuptalk.com/forums/f13/parlux-3200-hair-dryer-12042.html

Photos
http://www.justbeautifully.co.uk/parlux-hair-dryers-61148.php

Here’s the deal:

I bought the Parlux 3200 Ionic model for HK$590. And it is selling for 70 pounds in the UK (HK$900) and US$165 in the US (HK$1,287).

This product will save your time and energy on a daily basis and make your hair look better. If you would like to know where to buy it in HK, please contact me.

Just letting you know about this because I wish found out earlier. And if you don’t believe its performance, just drop by your nearest professional hair salon and see for yourself!

PARLUX S.p.A.
via Goldoni, 12
20090 Trezzano S/N
Milano – Italy

5+1_Annapurna

The history of Italy’s finest cashmere knitwear is also the story of Annapurna S.p.A. in Prato. Since its foundation in 1978, the company whose name reminds us of a place in the Himalayan mountains, has been benefiting from an exceptionally favorable blend of knowledge and skill. Annapurna S.p.A. owes its impressive growth and leading position in the high-grade cashmere trade to the intuition of Mrs. Aida Barni. She is one of those enterprising women who have committed themselves, and their name, solely to the philosophy and achievement of top quality.

Primarily, Annapurna’s production uses only double-threaded worsted cashmere imported from the Himalayas that is extremely and subtly twisted to create a softer, more resistant and more elastic yarn than conventional single-threaded cashmere. Use of the topmost cashmere, unique design and wide color palette has earned Annapurna a reputation for luxurious Italian knitwear. 5+1 Annapurna is a new line presented by Annapurna S.p.A.

Charlott Vasberg

I bought a new bag today from Harvey Nichols. The most rock-and-roll tote bag in the universe, this leather shopper from London sensation Charlott Vasberg is also ingeniously designed for busy city-dwellers. Features unusual handle details and zip pockets aplenty, including an open-and-shut bottom compartment for your much-needed backup pair of slippers.

Kamala

“Kamala alone had been dear to him, precious to him – but was she still? Did he still need her or she him? Were they not playing a game without end? Was it necessary to live for that? No, it was not necessary! This game was called samsara, a game for children, a game that might be lovely to play once, twice, tenfold – but again and again?”

Siddharta by Herman Hesse