1.8.09

FROM RAPHAEL TO CARRACCI: THE ART OF PAPAL ROME EXHIBITION CATALOG


IMMERSE YOURSELF IN 16th CENTURY ROME'S FASCINATING CULTURAL AND POLITICAL HISTORY WHEN YOU READ THE EXHIBITION CATALOG OF 'FROM RAPHAEL TO CARRACCI: THE ART OF PAPAL ROME'. ORGANIZED BY THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA AND PRESENTED BY SUN LIFE FINANCIAL, THE EXHIBITION IS ON VIEW UNTIL 7.SEPTEMBER.2009. WRITTEN BY A TEAM OF INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS, THE CATALOG HIGHLIGHTS CONSIDERABLE NEW RESEARCH AND DISCOVERIES IN ITALIAN RENAISSANCE ART HISTORY THAT ARE BEING PUBLISHED FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT REVEALS A PERIOD THAT WAS AS EVENT FILLED AND DRAMATIC AS ANY IN THE HISTORY OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE POPES WHO REIGNED FROM 1503 TO 1605, WERE AS RESPECTED, FEARED AND EVES AS CORRUPT AS OTHER EUROPEAN FAMILY DYNASTIES AND FAVORED THE TALENT OF CELEBRATED MASTERS SUCH AS RAPHAEL, MICHELANGELO, SALVIATI, AND VASARI. THROUGH THEIR ENLIGHTENMENT PATRONAGE, NOR ONLY DID THEY FURTHER THE BELIEF SYSTEM OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH BUT THEY ALSO RESHAPED THE CULTURAL AND POLITICAL LANDSCAPE OF ROME TRANSFORMING IT INTO THE CULTURAL CAPITAL OF EUROPE FOR OVER THREE CENTURIES. RICH IN CONTENT, ITS FOUR ESSAYS ILLUSTRATE THE THEMES OF THE EXHIBITION: FROM RAPHAEL TO CARRACCI: AN INTRODUCTION, BY DAVID FRANKLIN: ART AND ART PATRONAGE IN 16th CENTURY PAPAL ROME: PATTERNS AND INTENTIONS, BY SEBASTIAN SCHUTZE; ROME RESTORED: VILLAS, COLLECTIONS, AND GARDENS OF ANTIQUITIES IN 16th CENTURY ROME, BY INGRID D ROWLAND. AVAILABLE IN HARD COVER ONLY, THE FROM RAPHAEL TO CARRACCI: THE ART OF PAPAL ROME CATALOG IS ON SALE IN ENGLISH AND FRENCH AT A COST OF $75.00 AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA BOOKSTORE OR ONLINE AT www.shopngc.ca.

VERSACE OPENS TWO NEW STORES IN DUBAI MALL



VERSACE RECENTLY OPENED TWO STUNNING BOUTIQUES IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. THE FLAGSHIP VERSACE STORE AND THE MAISON VERSACE JEWELERY STORE ARE BOTH LOCATED IN THE DUBAI MALL, THE LARGEST SHOPPING CENTER IN THE WORLD. THE IMPRESSIVE BOUTIQUES COVER A RETAIL AREA OF OVER 1,000 SQUARE METERS AND IS TO DATE ONE OF VERSACE'S LARGEST FLAGSHIP STORES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE BOUTIQUE HOLDS A STRIKING RETAIL ATMOSPHERE THAT MIRRORS THE GLAMOR AND ATELIER ITALIAN CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH THE HOUSE OF VERSACE NAME. THE ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS ECHO THE NEW STYLISTIC AND VISUAL CONCEPTS FOR THE MOST RECENT IMPORTANT VERSACE FLAGSHIP BOUTIQUES WORLDWIDE. WITH A FOCUS ON PURITY AND DETAILS, THE STORES FEATURE CONTEMPORARY UNEXPECTED COMBINATIONS AND MATERIALS SUCH AS BLACK GRANITE FLOORS, WHITE LEATHER PANELED WALLS AND MATTE WHITE CEILINGS.
THE VERSACE BOUTIQUE WILL FEATURE THE LATEST VERSACE READY TO WEAR COLLECTIONS FOR MEN AND WOMEN, A FULL RANGE OF MEN'S AND WOMENS ACCESSORIES INCLUDING THE MOST CURRENT SELECTION OF BAGS, SHOES, BELTS AND EYEWEAR, AS WELL AS A LARGE SELECTION FROM THE VERSACE HOME COLLECTION -- ALL BEARING THE SIGNATURE MEDUSA LOGO. THE MAISON VERSACE JEWELRY BOUTIQUE WILL FEATURE VERSACE FINE JEWELRY AND WATCH COLLECTIONS, MIRRORING THE MAISON'S AVANT GARDE RETAIL CONCEPT OF UNIQUE ELEGANCE, STYLE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP. THE BOUTIQUE WILL ALSO OFFER EXCLUSIVE SELECTIONS FROM THE VERSACE VINTAGE JEWELRY COLLECTION.

HERMES ALLIGATOR LEATHER TABLE CLOCK FOR ONLY WATCH 2009


HERMES, THE FRENCH HIGH FASHION HOUSE SPECIALIZING IN EXOTIC LEATHER ACCESSORIES AND LUXURY GOODS, THAT ARE WORLD RENOWNED FOR ITS QUALITY, REPUTATION AND STUNNING WORKMANSHIP, HAS RELEASED AN IMPRESSIVE CREATION FOR THE UPCOMING 24.SEPTEMBER 'ONLY WATCH 2009 EVENT'. THE HERMES ALLIGATOR LEATHER TABLE CLOCK IS A ONE OF A KIND PIECE MADE SPECIALLY FOR THE CHARITY EVENT WHICH IS HELD EVERY TWO YEARS AS PART OF THE MONACO YACHT SHOW UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF HSH PRINCE ALBERT II, WITH ALL PROCEEDS BENEFITING THE DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY FOUNDATION. THE TABLE CLOCK PAYS HOMAGE TO THE UNIVERSE OF THE SADDLER BY ITS STYLE AND USE OF FULL LEATHER WITH THE SKILLFUL USE OF 12 LAYERS OF RED HERMES LEATHER COVERING THE STAINLESS STEEL CHASSIS. THE DAZZLING TABLE CLOCK MEASURES 175mm IN HEIGHT, 150mm IN WIDTH AND 37mm IN THICKNESS, WITH A SWISS MOVEMENT THAT HAS AN 8 DAY POWER RESERVE. ON THE ONE INDEX IS DISCREETLY ENGRAVED "ONLY WATCH" AND WILL BE DELIVERED IN A HERMES RED LACQUERED TRAVELING CASE WHICH CARRIES A SMALL PLAQUE: "ONLY WATCH 2009".

31.7.09

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY ACQUIRES MISSING JULIA CHILD POTS AND UTENSILS




THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY RECENTLY ACQUIRED THE PREVIOUSLY 'MISSING WALL' OF COPPER POTS AND UTENSILS THAT ONCE BELONGED TO PIONEERING AMERICAN CHEF JULIA CHILD. THE NEWLY INSTALLED WALL COMPLETES THE 14 BY 20 FOOT KITCHEN, WHICH IS ON DISPLAY IN THE EXHIBITION "BON APPETIT! JULIA CHILD'S KITCHEN AT THE SMITHSONIAN". THIRTY GLEAMING FRENCH COPPER POTS AND PANS AND THE ORIGINAL PAINTED PEGBOARD ON WHICH THEY HUNG IN HER CAMBRIDGE, MASS, WILL BE ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL EXHIBITION. THE BLUE PAINTED PEGBOARD SHOWS AN OUTLINE FOR EACH POT AND PAN, DRAWN BY HER HUSBAND PAUL CHILD, TO ENSURE EACH OBJECT WOULD BE RETURNED TO ITS PLACE ON THE WALL AFTER USE. IN ADDITION, THE WALL CONTAINS EIGHT BLACKSTEEL CREPE PANS, FOUR CAST-IRON BAKING PANS, A GIANT TEA BALL AND A BRANDING IRON WITH THE INITIALS "JC", ALL OF WHICH WILL ALSO BE ADDED TO THE EXHIBITION. MANY OF THE OBJECTS WERE BOUGHT BY THE CHILDS DURING THEIR TIME IN FRANCE (1948-52) AND USED FOR 45 YEARS FOLLOWING THEIR RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES.
JUST PRIOR TO HER GIFT OF THE KITCHEN TO THE SMITHSONIAN IN 2001, CHILD LENT THE WALL OF POTS TO A CALIFORNIA CULTURAL INSTITUTION WHERE IT WAS EXHIBITED UNTIL 2008. CHILD'S FAMILY THEN OFFERED THE NOW LEGENDARY POTS AND PANS TO THE SMITHSONIAN TO BE REUNITED WITH THE REST OF THE KITCHEN, BRINGING THE MORE THAN 1,000 ARTIFACTS TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2001 IN A LONG-TERM DISPLAY. THE EXHIBITION IS LOCATED ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE MUSEUM AND INCLUDES THE ORIGINAL CABINETS, COUNTERS, COOKBOOKS, GARLAND COMMERCIAL RANGE AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER UTENSILS AND GADGETS. WHEN IT OPENED IN 2002 , 'BON APPETIT!' WAS MEANT TO BE A TEMPORARY DISPLAY, HOWEVER, WARM RECEPTION FROM VISITORS HAS MADE IT A LONG TERM EXHIBITION IN THE MUSEUM.

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN DESIGNS NEW LADUREE PATISSERIE BOXES


FASHION AND FOOD MEET IN THE CUTE NEW GIFT BOXES THAT LUXURY SHOE DESIGNER CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN HAS CREATED FOR LEGENDARY FRENCH PATISSERIE LADUREE, WHO IS KNOW FOR THEIR DELICATELY DELICIOUS MACAROONS. THE THREE DIFFERENTLY DESIGNED BOXES ARE DECORATED IN JEWEL-HUED LOUBOUTIN SHOES AND PURSES. THE LID IS DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE SOMEONE HAS ALREADY TRIED TO OPEN THEM FIRST, GIVING A SLIGHT HINT AS TO THE DELICATE CONTENTS, WITH A UNIQUE TROMPE L'OEIL EFFECT. INSIDE, THE FLAVORS OF THE MACAROONS TAKE ON A SUBTLE MEDITERRANEAN TWIST, CREATED BY PHILIPPE ANDRIEU. THE AMAZING TREATS WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM 11.SEPTEMBER AND WILL START AT £9.80 FOR A BOX OF SIX.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.laduree.com

LOUIS VUITTON TO RELEASE MURAKAMI MULTIPANDA


THE VUITTON/MURAKAMI PANDA FIGURE IS ONE MORE COLLABORATION BETWEEN LOUIS VUITTON AND ARTIST TAKASHI MURAKAMI. THE ADORABLE PLUSH FIGURE, FROM THE VUITTON MULTICOLORE SPRING PALLETE COLLECTION, COMES IN A LOUIS VUITTON BAG, SIMILAR TO THE ONES THAT HOLD ALL OF THEIR WALLETS AND BAGS, ONLY THIS BAG COMES WITH A FEW MURAKAMI IMAGES SCREENED ONTO IT. BEGINNING 30.JULY THE MULTIPANDA WILL BE AVAILABLE IN TWO DIFFERENT LIMITED EDITION STYLES, AND ALSO AVAILABLE WILL BE A SMALLER MOBILE PHONE CHARM.

SIX YEAR OLD, KEIRON WILLIAMSON, STUNS ART WORLD


SIX YEAR OLD, HOLT, NORFOLK, YOUNGSTER KEIRON WILLIAMSON, WHO HAS TAKEN THE LOCAL ART SCENE BY STORM WITH HIS AMAZINGLY STUNNING WATERCOLORS OF THE PICTURESQUE NORFOLK COAST, WITH THEIR EVOCATIVE ATMOSPHERE AND UNDERSTATED BEAUTY. MOST SIX YEAR OLDS PAINT PAINT RAINBOW BRIGHT PICTURES OF BIG SUNS, LOLLIPOP SHAPED TREES AND MOON FACED PEOPLE WITH TINY BODIES. BUT KEIRON WILLIAMSON IS DIFFERENT AND HIS SUBTLE AND DETAILED LANDSCAPES, WHICH WOULD BE THE ENVY OF MANY ADULT ARTIST, HAS LEFT THE ART EXPERTS ASTONISHED. THIS WEEKEND, ON HIS SEVENTH BIRTHDAY, HIS WORK WILL GO ON SHOW AT A PROFESSIONAL GALLERY IN HIS HOME TOWN, WHILE EXPERTS RAVE ABOUT HIS ART SKILLS OF A BOY STILL AT PRIMARY SCHOOL. THEY SAY THE YOUNGSTER'S ATMOSPHERIC AND WELL COMPOSED PICTURES OF COASTAL AND RURAL SCENES HAVE PERSPECTIVE, SHADOWS AND REELECTIONS, AND SHOW TECHNIQUE BEYOND HIS TENDER YEARS. NORFOLK ARTIST AND AUTHOR BRYAN RYDER, WHO TAUGHT KIERON DURING A 12-WEEK WATERCOLOR COURSE, SAID: "I'VE NEVER MET ANYONE OF KIERON'S AGE WHO CAN DO WHAT HE HAS DONE."


ACCORDING TO HIS MOTHER MICHELLE, KIERON HAD NO INTEREST IN ART UNTIL A FAMILY HOLIDAY LAST MAY. UP UNTIL THEN HE HAD BEEN 'A TYPICAL BOY WHO GOES AT ABOUT 200 MILES AN HOUR' AND WHOSE IDEA OF FUN WAS PLAYING FOOTBALL OR RIDING HIS BICYCLE. HE STILL LOVES SPORTS AND PLAYING ON HIS X-BOX, BUT ART NOW TAKES PRIDE OF PLACE. ON HOLIDAY THE DEVON AND CORNWALL SCENERY INSPIRED HIM TO DRAW BOATS IN A CHILDREN'S SKETCHBOOK, AND WHEN HE GOT HOME THEY CAUGHT THE EYE OF FAMILY FRIEND CAROL ANN PENNINGTON, WHO RUNS A GALLERY AND IS AN ARTIST IN HER OWN RIGHT. AS DISPLAY OF KIERON'S WORK, WHICH INCLUDE SCENES AS CLEY WINDMILL AND MORSTON HARBOR, WILL BE LAUNCHED AT THE GALLERY ON SUNDAY. AND ANOTHER TOWN GALLERY PICTURECRAFT AHS ALSO RECOGNIZED HIS TALENT BY FRAMING HIS WORK AND IS PLANNING A WINTER SHOW OF ITS OWN. HE HAS BIG PLANS FOR THE FUTURE AND SAID HIS DREAM WOULD BE TO SEE HIS WORK ON SALE AT PRESTIGIOUS LONDON AUCTION HOUSE BONHAMS. AND KEIRON IS ALSO KEEN TO GET FEEDBACK ON HIS WORK FROM ONE PARTICULARLY FAMOUS FAMILY OF ART ENTHUSIASTS. "I'M GOING TO SEND ONE OF MY PICTURES TO RINCE CHARLES. I ALREADY SENT ONE TO THE QUEEN, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD A REPLY YET", HE SAID.

30.7.09

'JULIE & JULIA' OBJECTS DONATED TO NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY


WRITER AND DIRECTOR NORA EPHRON DONATED SEVERAL OBJECTS FROM THE SET OF HER NEW COLUMBIA PICTURES' FILM "JULIE & JULIA" TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY, WASHINGTON, IN A SPECIAL CEREMONY YESTERDAY. THE NEW FILM IS BASED ON THE TRUE STORIES OF JULIA CHILD AND JULIE POWELL, A WOMAN WHO SPENT A YEAR COOKING HER WAY THROUGH JULIA CHILD'S WELL KNOWN BOOK 'MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING' AND BLOGGING ABOUT IT. JULIA CHILD WAS A PIONEER IN THE CULINARY WORLD FOR BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FRENCH HAUTE CUISINE AND THE AMERICAN TELEVISION AUDIENCE", SAID BRENT D GLASS, DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM, "WE ARE PLEASED TO COLLECT OBJECTS FROM THE FILM THAT DEPICTS CHILD'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AMERICAN TABLE AND LIFE IN GENERAL." THE OBJECTS WILL BE PRESERVED IN THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION OF MUSIC, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY AND INCLUDES A COSTUME THAT MERYL STREEP WORE IN HER LEADING ROLE AS JULIA CHILD, AN ANNOTATED SCRIPT AND PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN ON-SET, AMONG OTHER ITEMS. THE COLLECTION TRACKS HOW ENTERTAINMENT REFLECTS AND PROPELS EVERYDAY AMERICAN LIFE, AND THE OBJESTS FROM THE SET WILL ALLOW THE MUSEUM TO SHOW AN IMAGE OF CHILD AS PORTRAYED BY ONE OF AMERICA'S GREATEST ACTRESSES.
THE MUSEUM PRESERVES AND DISPLAYS JULIA CHILD'S ORIGINAL KITCHEN FROM HER CAMBRIDGE, MASS, HOME. THE 14 BY 20 FOOT KITCHEN WAS THE TESTING SITE FOR HER NUMEROUS RECIPES AND DOUBLED AS THE SET FOR THREE OF HER COOKING SERIES ON PBS. CHILD DONATED THE KITCHEN IN 2001 WHEN SHE DECIDED TO MOVE BACK TO CALIFORNIA WHERE SHE GREW UP. CURATORS AND HISTORIC RESTORATION EXPERTS CAREFULLY DISASSEMBLED AND THEN REASSEMBLED THE CABINETS AND APPLIANCES TOGETHER WITH MORE THAN 1,000 UTENSILS AND GADGETS FOR THE MUSEUM'S EXHIBIT "BON APPETIT! JULIA CHILD'S KITCHEN AT THE SMITHSONIAN".

29.7.09

LOUIS VUITTON MONOGRAM NEVERFULL DEAUVILLE


IN CELEBRATION OF THE REOPENING OF THE MOCK TUDOR LOUIS VUITTON DEAUVILLE BOUTIQUE IN NORMANDY, FRANCE, NOW KNOWN AS VILLA VUITTON, AFTER AN EXTENSIVE REMODEL AND REDESIGN, LOUIS VUITTON HAS CREATED AN AMAZING AND LIMITED EDITION NEVERFULL TO MARK THE SPECIAL OCCASION, 'THE MONOGRAM NEVERFULL DEAUVILLE'.
"DEAUVILLE" IS WRITTEN IN PURPLE ON THE FRONT WITH A LINING OF MATCHING INTERIOR STRIPES, GIVES THE BAG A TIMELESS AND CLASSIC TWIST. IT MEASURES 15.7" X 13" X 7.9" AND IS ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE VILLA VUITTON DEAUVILLE. THE DEAUVILLE NEVERFULL IS SURELY A BRILLIANT ADDITION TO ANY LOUIS VUITTON COLLECTION.

DALI THEATRE AND MUSEUM PRESENTS RECENT ACQUISITION 'GALA'


THE DALI THEATRE AND MUSEUM, FIGUERES, SPAIN, PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC ITS LATEST ACQUISITION MADE POSSIBLE BY THE DALI FOUNDATION. THE SMALL OIL ENTITLED 'GALA' COULD BE THE VERY FIRST PORTRAIT OF HIS WIFE GALA ELUARD. WHEN, IN 1929, DALI MET GALA, A STRONG IMPRESSION OF LOVE WAS PROVOKED, SO INTENSE THAT FROM THAT POINT ON HE WOULD NEVER BE SEPARATED FROM HER, UNTIL HER DEATH IN JUNE OF 1982. WIFE AND MUSE TO DALI, HER REAL NAME WAS ELENA IVANOVNA DIAKONOVA, SHE WAS A MYSTERIOUS WOMAN, TRANSGRESSIVE, WITH GREAT INTUITION, WHO RECOGNIZED ARTISTIC AND CREATIVE GENIUS WHEREVER SHE SAW IT AND THROUGHOUT HER LIFE EVEN BEFORE MEETING DALI, SHE WAS RELATED TO NUMEROUS INTELLECTUALS AND ARTISTS.
THE PAINTING WAS MADE STARTING FROM A PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAIT OF GALA; A DETAILED PORTRAIT, WITH COLLAGE, FULL OF DETAILS, STARTING FROM THE SMOKE FROM A CIGARETTE, WHERE HE INTEGRATES THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE MOMENT, WHICH IS REPEATED OFTEN THOUGH-OUT HIS PAINTINGS MADE BETWEEN 1929 AND 1931: THE LOBSTER, THE BIRD, THE FIGURE OF THE GREAT MASTURBATOR, THE SHELLS, THE SQUIRREL, THE ANTS . . . ALL ACCOMPANYING GALA, WITH LONG HAIR; 'GALA THE IDEAL WOMAN'. ONE CAN READ, IN THE LOWER CENTRAL PART OF THE ARTWORK: 'POUR LOLIVETA SLAVADOR DALI 1931', OLIVETA, WAS ONE OF THE PET NAMES WITH WHICH DALI CALLED HIS MUSE. THE SMALL JEWEL LIKE OIL PAINTING CAN BE VIEW STARTING TODAY IN A MONTAGE DESIGNED SPECIALLY FOR THE HISTORIC EXHIBITION BY PEP CANALETA.

28.7.09

ROYAL COUPLE VISIT WATTISHAM AIRFIELD FOR MEDAL CEREMONY


THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL APPEARED TO GINGERLY PAT HER HUSBAND ON THE BOTTOM AS HE PEERED INTO AN APACHE HELICOPTER, RECENTLY DURING A PRESENTATION CEREMONY OF OPERATIONAL SERVICE MEDALS TO MEMBERS OF 4 REGIMENT ARMY AIR CORPS AT WATTISHAM AIRFIELD IN IPSWICH, SUFFOLK. THE CEREMONY WAS HELD TO HONOR THE HELICOPTER CREWS WHO HAD FOUGHT IN AFGHANISTAN. THE ROYAL COUPLE AWARDED MORE THAN 100 CAMPAIGN MEDALS TO SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN FROM THE REGIMENT WHO FLEW AND MAINTAINED APACHE HELICOPTERS DURING FIGHTING WITH THE TALIBAN BETWEEN MAY 2008 AND MAY THIS YEAR. IN A SHORT SPEECH, PRINCE CHARLES TOLD THE SOLDIERS THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS GAVE HIM 'ENORMOUS PRIDE'. "YOUR ABILITY TO APPEAR IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND DELIVER THE FIENDISH AMOUNT OF WEAPONRY THAT THESE ATTACK HELICOPTERS PROVIDE HAS MADE AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE TO OPERATIONS ON THE GROUND", HE SAID. PRINCE CHARLES THEN THANKED THE FAMILIES OF THE SOLDIERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND REFLECTED ON THE TIME WHEN HIS SON, PRINCE HARRY, WAS SERVING IN THE WAR ZONE. HE SAID: "I KNOW ONLY TO WELL, HAVING MY YOUNGEST SERVING FOR A PERIOD IN AFGHANISTAN, JUST WHAT IT IS LIKE BEING A PARENT OR AS ONE OF THOSE LEFT BEHIND. SO I JUST WANTED, ON THIS OCCASION, TO THANK ALL OF THE FAMILIES FOR THE MORAL SUPPORT THEY PROVIDE AND WHAT THEY GO THROUGH WHEN THEIR LOVED ONES ARE AWAY. I THINK SOMETIMES THAT SUPPORT IS TAKEN FOR GRANTED BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I MOST CERTAINLY DON'T." AFTER THE PRESENTATION OF MEDALS, CHARLES AND CAMILLA MET THE SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

27.7.09

ROBERTO COIN CREATES THE FIRST 100-FACET CUT DIAMOND


ITALIAN JEWELRY DESIGNER ROBERTO COIN IS ALWAYS CHANGING FASHION, ALWAYS INNOVATING HIS COLLECTIONS AND ALWAYS FOLLOWING HIS BELIEFS FOR INDIVIDUALITY. CENTO MEANING "100" IN ITALIAN IS ONE OF ROBERTO COIN'S MOST INNOVATIVE CREATIONS YET, NAMED FOR THE UNIQUE CUT OF THE DIAMOND. THE CENTO DIAMOND IS CUT FROM THE FINEST ROUGH AVAILABLE AND THE 100 FACETS OF THE CENTO MAKES IT THE MOST 'BRILLIANT' AND INDIVIDUAL DIAMOND TODAY CAPTURING THE ULTIMATE FIRE. THE REVOLUTIONARY CENTO 100-FACET DIAMOND IS AN UNSURPASSED CUT CONTAINING NEARLY TWICE AS MANY FACETS AS THE TRADITIONAL BRILLIANT CUT (WHICH HAS 57 FACETS), WHICH IS UNPARALLELED AND ALLOWS THE LIGHT TO PERFORM LIKE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN A FACETED STONE.
THE TRADITIONAL BRILLIANT CUT CONTAINS 33 FACETS ON THE TOP AND 24 FACETS ON THE BOTTOM. BUT A CENTO DIAMOND HAS 37 FACETS ON THE TOP AND AN INCREDIBLE 63 FACETS ON THE BOTTOM, ALLOWING THE STONE TO SHINE WITH HUNDREDS OF REFRACTIONS OF LIGHT. THE CUT IS APPLIED TO ALL COIN STONES WEIGHING 0.07 CARATS OR MORE AND FALL IN THE CLARITY RANGE FROM FL (FLAWLESS) TO SI (SMALL INCLUSIONS, NOT VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE). AND OF THESE, COIN SELECTS ONLY COLOURLESS TO NEAR COLOURLESS DIAMONDS. THE PARTNERSHIP OF ROBERTO COIN'S PASSION AND DEDICATION TO REINVENTING JEWELRY TIME AND TIME AGAIN WITH THE MOST EXPERIENCED MASTER CUTTER, BRINGS TO LIFE A NEW COLLECTION MADE ENTIRELY OF CENTO DIAMONDS; WHICH INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM BREATHTAKING ENGAGEMENT RINGS TO STUNNING GENTLEMAN'S CUFF-LINKS.

JUDITH LEIBER OPENS NEW BEVERLY HILLS BOUTIQUE


AMERICAN LUXURY BRAND JUDITH LEIBER IS KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD FOR THEIR FLAWLESS HAND CRAFTSMANSHIP AND STUNNING LIMITED EDITION CREATIONS WHICH ARE SOUGHT AFTER BY SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN. JUDITH LEIBER IS KNOWN AS THE LEADER OF COUTURE HANDBAGS AND SHE HAS CREATED OVER 3,000 DESIGNS SINCE 1963. RECENTLY JUDITH LEIBER UNVEILED ITS NEW WEST COAST FLAGSHIP BOUTIQUE IN BEVERLY HILLS' GOLDEN TRIANGLE. THE NEW BOUTIQUE LOCATED AT 220 N.RODEO DRIVE HAS BEEN DESIGNED WITH A CLEANER, MORE MINIMALIST, LOOK COMPARED TO THE SIGNATURE PLUSH JEWEL-LIKE STORES WHICH HAS BECOME THE STANDARD LOOK FOR LEIBER. JUDITH LEIBER'S CRYSTAL MINAUDIERE CLUTCHES, A FAVORITE OF CELEBRITIES AND FIRST LADIES, WILL BE ON OFFER ALONG WITH HANDBAGS, BELTS, GLOVES, SCARVES, EYE-WEAR AND WRAPS, WITH PRICES STARTING AROUND $400. AMONG THE MINAUDIERES TO BE HOUSED IN A 'CRYSTAL ROOM' WILL BE DESIGNS EXCLUSIVE TO THE BEVERLY HILLS LOCATION, INCLUDING A CLUTCH WITH A SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL FILMSTRIP ($3,795) AND ONE FEATURING A CRYSTAL-ENCRUSTED CAR FROM HOLLYWOOD'S GOLDEN AGE ($4,595)
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.judithleiber.com

26.7.09

PIERRE ET GILLES RETROSPECTIVE OPENS AT C/O BERLIN


C/O BERLIN, INTERNATIONAL FORUM FOR VISUAL DIALOGUE, WILL PRESENT THE RETROSPECTIVE OF FRENCH ARTISTS PIERRE ET GILLES FROM 25.JULY TO 4.OCTOBER.2009. "IT'S HARD TO THINK OF CONTEMPORARY CULTURE WITHOUT THE INFLUENCE OF PIERRE ET GILLES, FROM ADVERTISING TO FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY, MUSIC VIDEO, AND FILM. THIS IS TRULY GLOBAL ART", JEFF KOONS SAID IN A RECENT INTERVIEW. THE COSMOS OF THE WORLDWIDE RENOWNED FRENCH ARTIST DUO IS A VIVID, COLOURFUL WORLD POISED BETWEEN BAROQUE SUMPTUOUSNESS AND EARTHLY LIMBO. PIERRE ET GILLES CREATE UNIQUE AND STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAITS OF FILM ICONS, SAILORS AND PRINCES, SAINTS AND SINNERS, OF MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURES AND UNKNOWNS ALIKE. PIERRE ET GILLES PURSUE THEIR OWN, STUNNINGLY UNIQUE VISIONS OF AN ENCHANTED WORLD SPANNING FAIRYTALE PARADISES AND ABYSSAL DEPTHS, QUOTING FROM POPULAR VISUAL LANGUAGES AND HISTORY OF ART. AGAIN AND AGAIN, THEY RE-ENVISION THEIR PERSONAL DREAM OF REALITY ANEW IN CONSUMMATE AESTHETIC PERFECTION.
OVER THE LAST THIRTY YEARS, PIERRE ET GILLES HAVE CREATED PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAITS OF NUMEROUS CELEBRITIES INCLUDING MARC ALMOND, MIRELLE MATHIEU, CATHERINE DENEUVE, JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER, NINA HAGEN, MADONNA, AND PALOMA PICASSO. THEY WORK ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN THEIR OPULENTLY FURNISHED STUDIO, WHERE THEIR SUBJECTS ARE COSTUMED LAVISHLY AND PLACED BEFORE THREE-DIMENSIONAL BACKGROUNDS. PIERRE PHOTOGRAPHS THE MODEL, AND GILLES RETOUCHES AND HAND COLOURS THE PRINT. THE REPRODUCIBLE PORTRAIT IS RENDERED UNIQUE THROUGH LAYERED PAINTING, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS EACH DETAIL WITH CAREFULLY SELECTED MATERIALS AND ACCESSORIES.
AS THE ONLY VENUE IN GERMANY, C/O BERLIN PRESENTS THE EXHIBITION AS THE FIRST OF THE PIERRE ET GILLES IN 15 YEARS. THE SHOW COMPRISED OF 80 UNIQUE LARGE-FORMAT WORKS, FROM THEIR EARLY PHOTOGRAPHIES OF THE 1970s TO THE BRAND NEW PICTURES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SHOWN IN PUBLIC BEFORE. THIS IS TRULY A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW ARTISTIC CREATIONS THAT HAVE DEFINED AND INFLUENCED CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT http://www.co-berlin.info