LOUIS VUITTON'S 'ART FOR BABY'

LOUIS VUITTON AND YANA PEEL RECENTLY HOSTED AN 'ART FOR BABY' RECEPTION AT ESPACE LOUIS VUITTON HONG KONG. THE 'ART FOR BABY' EXHIBITION BROUGHT TOGETHER IN CELEBRATION OF THE ASIA LAUNCH OF THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED BOOK BY THE SAME NAME. IT SHOWCASES THE 20th CENTURY'S MOST PROLIFIC PAINTERS FFROM AMERICA, EUROPE AND ASIA, WITH WORKS BY DAMIAN HIRST, GARY HUME, JULIAN OPE AND TAKASHI MURAKAMI. CHOSEN FROM AMONG WORKS BY KASMIR MALEVICH, PAUL MORRISON, BIDGET RILEY AND DAVID SHRIGLEY, EACH OF WHOM IS ALSO FEATURED IN THE ART FOR BABY BOOK. THE BOOK ART FOR BABY WAS CONCEIVED BY YANA PEEL ON THE BASIS OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT WHEN BABIES ARE FIRST BORN, THEY CAN SEE COLOUR BUT HAVE NOT YET DEVELOPED THE ABILITY TO DISTINGUISH SIMILAR TONES. AS A RESULT, BOLD GRAPHICS ALONG WITH MONOCHROMATIC BLACK AND WHITE CONTRASTS PROVIDE THEM WITH THE TOOLS TO NURTURE THEIR VISUAL SKILLS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME INTRODUCE THEM TO THE WORLD OF ART. THE ART FOR BABY EXHIBITION CONTINUES UNTIL APRIL.2011, AT ESPACE LOUIS VUITTON, 5 CANTON ROAD, HONG KONG, WITH ALL BOOK SALES GOING TO THE OUTSET CONTEMPORATY ART FUND.

SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL CHRISTMAS TREE

IN CELEBRATION OF THE FESTIVE HOLIDAY SEASON, SWAROVSKI PRESENTED A 30 METER HIGH OUTDOOR CRYSTAL CHRISTMAS TREE AT STATUE SQUARE IN CENTRAL HONG KONG. INSPIRED BY URBAN EFFERVESCENCE, AND A LANDSCAPE DOMINATED BY SKYSCRAPERS AND BUILDINGS WITH A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS NUMBER OF WINDOWS, THE SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL CHRISTMAS TREE TOWERS OVER 30 METERS. RHOMBAS-SHAPED MIRRORS IN SILVER AND GOLD, REMINISCENT OF WINDOW PANES, SHEATH THE TREE. THEY ARE EMBELLISHED WITH OVER 20 MILLION PIECES OF SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS. AT NIGHT, THE SWAROVSKI CHRISTMAS TREE DAZZLES BY MEANS OF INTERACTIVE LIGHTS FROM OVER 200 PIECES OF SWAROVSKI ANNUAL EDITION 2010 CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS.

CARTIER OPENS NEW BOUTIQUE IN HONG KONG

CARTIER, THE NUMBER ONE LUXURY JEWELRY BRAND IN CHINA, CONTINUES TO BUILD UP ITS PRESENCE IN THE ASIAN MARKET WITH THE OPENING OF YET ANOTHER STUNNING FLAGSHIP ON FRIDAY. THE NEW STORE, WHICH SPANS 900 SQUARE METERS, IS HOUSED INSIDE THE PRINCE'S BUILDING, AN UPSCALE SHOPPING CENTER IN HONG KONG. THE THREE-STORY BOUTIQUE REPLACES CARTIER'S OLD STORE, OPENED IN 1970, THAT WAS LOCATED ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE SAME BUILDING. THE NEW SPACE IS OPULENTLY DECORATED WITH OAK-CLAD AND BRONZE INTERIORS, CHANDELIERS AND MIRRORED WALLS. IN ADDITION TO CARTIER'S FULL RANGE OF TIMEPIECES AND FINE JEWELRY, THE NEW PANTHER DE CARTIER COLLECTION WILL BE ON VIEW HERE THOUGH ITS OFFICIAL RELEASE ISN'T SLATED UNTIL NEXT YEAR. THE PANTHER DE CARTIER COLLECTION WILL BE CRAFTED IN JADE, DIAMONDS AND JADEITE AND IS EXPECTED TO BE A HIT AMONG LOCAL SHOPPERS SINCE THE CHINESE CONSIDER JADE AN AUSPICIOUS STONE. CARTIER TOLD THE WALL STREET JOURNAL THAT IT EXPERIENCED DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH IN ASIA SINCE THE FINANCIAL CRISIS TWO YEARS AGO. CARTIER, WHICH INTENDS TO DOUBLE ITS BOUTIQUES ACROSS CHINA IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS, IS HARDLY THE ONLY WESTERN LUXURY BRAND WITH ITS EYES SET ON THE ASIAN MARKET. TIFFANY & CO RECENTLY ANNOUNCED PLANS TO OPEN 25-30 NEW STORES IN CHINA IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS. AND, FRENCH JEWELER VAN CLEEF & ARPELS OPENED FOUR NEW BOUTIQUES THIS YEAR, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SHOPS IN CHINA FROM FOUR TO EIGHT.

BONHAMS BREAKS RECORDS WITH SNUFF BOTTLE SALE

BONHAMS HONG KONG RECENTLY CELEBRATED ITS SECOND 'GOLDEN GAVEL AUCTION', WHEN PART II OF THE WORLD'S FINEST COLLECTION OF IMPORTANT CHINESE SNUFF BOTTLES, THE MARY AND GEORGE BLOCH COLLECTION, SOLD 100% AND ACHIEVED WORLD RECORD PRICES. AGAINST PRESALE
ESTIMATES OF HK$24,000,000, THE SALE TOTAL WAS HK$54,832,000 (£4, 437,930) WITH EVERY ONE OF THE 155 RARE BOTTLES SUCCESSFULLY SOLD. A GOOD NUMBER OF THE LOTS SOLD FOR TWICE TO FOUR TIMES ITS ESTIMATE. A NEW WORLD RECORD FOR A PORCELAIN SNUFF BOTTLE WAS REACHED WHEN LOT 121 SOLD FOR A STAGGERING HK$8,384,000 (£678,815), FOR TIMES ITS ESTIMATE PRICE. COMMISSIONED BY THE QIANLONG EMPEROR AND ENAMELED IN THE WORKSHOPS OF THE IMPERIAL PALACE BETWEEN 1736 AND 1760, THIS EXTRAORDINARY SNUFF BOTTLE, DECORATED WITH 'DOUBLE-GOURDS', SYMBOLIC OF LONG LIFE, IS IDENTICAL TO ANOTHER RARE EXAMPLE STILL PRESERVED IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY PALACE MUSEUM. THE HIGHEST PRICE OF THE SALE, AND NEW WORLD RECORD FOR A GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE WAS ACHIEVED BY LOT 152, A 'FAMILLE-ROSE' ENAMELED GOLD-GROUND GLASS 'LOTUS' SNUFF BOTTLE, WHICH SOLD FOR HK$9,056,000 (£732,921), ALMOST FOUR TIMES ITS PRESALE ESTIMATE. THE EXQUISITE SNUFF BOTTLE WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE QIANLONG EMPEROR AND DECORATED WITH LOTUS FLOWERS AGAINST A RICH GOLDEN GROUND, AND INCISED ON THE BASE WITH THE IMPERIAL MARK. PART III OF THE SNUFF BOTTLES FROM THE MARY AND GEORGE BLOCH COLLECTION WILL TAKE CENTER STAGE AT BONHAMS SPRING 2011 AUCTIONS TO BE HELD IN MAY 2011.

RITZ-CARLTON HONG KONG TO HAVE WORLD'S TALLEST INFINITY POOL

THE NEW RITZ-CARLTON HONG KONG WILL BE THE TALLEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD AND THERE WILL BE AN INFINITY-EDGE POOL ON THE TOP FLOOR. THE CURRENT RECORD FOR THE HIGHEST HOTEL POOL IS THE INFINITY POOL ON THE EDGE OF THE MARINA BAY SAND HOTEL IN SINGAPORE, AN OPEN-AIR POOL PERCHED 55 STORIES UP. LIKE THE MARINA BAY SANDS, THE RITZ-CARLTON POOL WILL ALSO BE AN INFINITY POOL, BUT IT WILL BE LOCATED INDOORS ON THE 188th FLOOR. THE HOTEL IN THE MAKING WILL BE THE FLAGSHIP PROPERTY FOR THE RITZ-CARLTON IN ASIA, OCCUPYING LEVELS 102 TO 118 OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE CENTER. AT THE BASE OF THE ICC TOWER, THE ELEMENTS SHOPPING MALL OFFERS SOME OF THE FINEST LUXURY SHOPPING IN HONG KONG WITH BRAND NAMES AND INTERNATIONAL FASHION BRANDS FIGHTING FOR SPACE IN THE WORLD-CLASS LOCATION. THE BUILDING SITS DIRECTLY ACROSS VICTORIA HABOUR AND OFFERS MAGNIFICENT VIEWS OF THE HARBOR, HONG KONG AND THE NEW TERRITORIES. THE RITZ-CARLTON HONG KONG IS SET TO OPEN MARCH OF 2011.

LINDT CHOCOLATES CREATES MOONCAKES FOR MIRA HONG KONG

COCO, THE CAFE-PATISSERIE AT THE MIRA HONG KONG, IS COLLABORATING WITH WORLD FAMOUS LINDT CHOCOLATES TO CREATE THIS YEAR'S MOONCAKES FOR THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL. TEH CHOCOLATE MOONCAKES COME IN FOUR SOPHISTICATED FLAVOURS: SOUR, WHICH CONSISTS OF LIME GANACHE,DRIED MANDARIN WITH LEMON CREAM; SWEET, A LUSCIOUS BLEND OF CARAMEL TOFFEE, CARAMELIZED HAZELNUT WITH MANJARI GANACHE; BITTER, A SUBTLE BLEND OF COFFEE GANACHE, 99% DARK CHOCOLATE WITH COFFEE BEAN; AND SPICY, WHICH IS A UNIQUE BLEND OF CRISPY RASPBERRY, RASPBERRY MILK CHOCOLATE GELEE WITH CHILI GANACHE. PRICED AT HK$288 PER BOX OF 4, TEH LINDT MOONCAKES ARE AVAILABLE FROM NOW UNTIL 23.SEPTEMBER.

Priced at HK$88 per piece and HK$288 per box of 4, the Lindt Mooncakes are available from now until 23 September 2010.

SOTHEBY'S TO SELL RARE BLUE DE BEERS DIAMOND

A RARE FLAWLESS BLUE DIAMOND THAT WAS ONCE PART OF TEH DE BEERS MILLENNIUM COLLECTION IS EXPECTED TO FETCH ALMOST £4 MILLION AT AUCTION. THE STUNNING 5.16 CARAT, PEAR-SHAPED INTERNALLY FLAWLESS FANCY BLUE GEM IS THE FIRST DIAMOND OF ITS KIND TO APPEAR AT AN AUCTION FROM TEH COLLECTION THAT DE BEERS, THE WORLD'S LARGEST DIAMOND PRODUCER, PRESENTED IN 2000 TO CELEBRATE THE MILLENNIUM. IT IS BEING PUT UP FOR SALE BY A PRIVATE COLLECTOR AND IS THE STAR LOT AT SOTHEBY'S HONG KONG JEWELS AND JADEITE 2010 SPRING SALE ON 7.APRIL AND BIDDING IS EXPECTED TO REACH IF NOT EXCEED THE £3.8 MILLION ESTIMATE PRICE. THE DE BEERS MILLENNIUM COLLECTION COMPRISED 12 UNIQUELY RARE GEMS AND TOOK DECADES TO ASSEMBLE. 'THE DIAMOND'S HIGH AND EVEN SATURATION OF BRILLIANT SKY-BLUE COLOUR, INTERNALLY FLAWLESS CLARITY AND CLASSIC PEAR SHAPE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SPUR INTENSE BIDDING AMONGST DISCERNING COLLECTORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD', TEH AUCTION HOUSE SAID IN A STATEMENT. BLUE DIAMONDS ARE AMONG THE RAREST OF ALL GEMS AND OWE THEIR NATURAL BLUE COLOUR TO TEH PRESENCE OF TEH CHEMICAL ELEMENT BORON DURING TEH STONE'S FORMATION. IN MAY 2009, A 7.03 CARAT, CUSHION-SHAPED INTERNALLY FLAWLESS FANCY VIVID BLUE DIAMOND SET TEH WORLD RECORD PRICE PER CARAT FOR ANY GEMSTONE AT A SOTHEBY'S GENEVA AUCTION WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT BY A HONG KONG COLLECTOR FOR £6.4 MILLION.

GRAND MARNIER 2009 IRRESISTIBLE

ICONIC FRENCH TRIPLE SEC LIQUEUR GRAND MARNIER IS CELEBRATING THE UPCOMING WINTER HOLIDAY SEASON IN HONG KONG WITH A SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION OF ITS CORDON ROUGE CALLED IRRESISTIBLE. ADORNED WITH VIVID RED LACQUER, IT IS THE 7th IN AN ANNUAL SERIES RELEASED BY GRAND MARNIER SINCE 2003. THIS YEAR'S THEME CELEBRATES A 'PLAYFULLY INDULGENT' HOLIDAY SEASON WITH ELEGANCE AND A SLIGHTLY UNORTHODOX, YET REFINED ADVENTURE FOR THE TASTE BUDS. GRAND MARNIER HAS BEEN THE LEADING FRENCH LIQUEUR IN EXPORT SALES FOR OVER 25 YEARS, AND IS THE THIRD HIGHEST SELLING LIQUEUR BRAND WORLDWIDE. THE 2009 GRAND MARNIER IRRESISTIBLE IS LIMITED TO 300 BOTTLES IN HONG KONG, AND SELECT HIGH-END BARS AND SPECIALTY OUTLETS FOR A RETAIL PRICE OF HKD308.

ART STATEMENTS GALLERY, HONG KONG, PRESENTS ZEVS

FRENCH STREET ARTIST ZEVS HAS CREATED A SERIES OF DRIPPING LOUIS VUITTON AND CHANEL LOGO PAINTINGS FOR HIS UPCOMING SOLO ARTIST SHOW AT ART STATEMENTS GALLERY IN HONG KONG. THE ARTIST CREATED BRILLIANT PIECES ON LACQUER, WHICH IS THE TRADITIONAL CHINESE WAY, IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL CRAFTSMEN. ZEVS ALSO MADE A SERIES OF CERAMICS AND PAINTINGS ON METAL. ALL THESE AMAZING WORKS WILL BE PRESENTED IN ADDITION TO A VARIETY OF HIS OTHER SIGNATURE LIQUIDATED LOGOS BEGINNING THURSDAY, 16.JULY
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EXHIBIT VISIT www.artstatements.com

SHANGHAI TANG OPENS NEW KOWLOON BOUTIQUE

SHANGHAI TANG IS THE FIRST LUXURY DESIGNER BRAND TO EMERGE FROM CHINA, WITH A DESIGN MISSION TO REVITALIZE CHINESE INNOVATION AND TO INTERWEAVE IT WITH THE DYNAMISM OF THE 21st CENTURY, HAS OPENED A STUNNING NEW FLAGSHIP BOUTIQUE IN KOWLOON. THE NEW STORE IS HOUSED IN THE FORMER MARINE POLICE HEADQUARTERS, ONE OF THE OLDEST HISTORIC GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS STILL SURVIVING IN THE HONG KONG AREA. ITS STUDIO OF INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS FROM EAST AND WEST, CREATE MODERN, WEARABLE, SOPHISTICATED CHINESE-INSPIRED COLLECTIONS, COMPRISING A FULL RANGE OF READY-TO-WEAR FOR MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, ACCESSORIES AND HOME DECORATIONS, USING THE MOST LUXURIOUS NATURAL FABRICS FROM CHINESE SILKS TO THE VERY BEST MONGOLIAN CASHMERE.
COINCIDING WITH THE LUXURY BRAND'S DEVOTION TO PRESERVING HERITAGE WHILE SHOWCASING NEW AND EXCITING PRODUCTS WHICH REFLECT CONTEMPORARY STYLING, THE KOWLOON BOUTIQUE RESIDES IN THE RESTORED TIMBER AND BRICK FACADE OF THE OLD FIRE STATION OF THE HONG KONG MARINE POLICE. BUT THE INTERIOR HAS BEEN FITTED WITH THE WELL UNIQUE SHANGHAI TANG STYLE, BOASTING A LUXURIOUS DECOR OF BLACK LACQUER AND BRIGHT BURSTS OF COLOUR THAT JUXTAPOSES WITH THE TRADITIONAL ASIAN WOOD-BEAMED CEILING AND MIXED WOOD FLOORING. TOPPING IT OFF IS A ROOFTOP TERRACE OVERLOOKING THE TSIM SHA TSUI WATERFRONT AND CLOCK TOWER, TRULY MAKING THE NEW BOUTIQUE A DISTINCTIVE DESTINATION FOR GLOBAL FASHION SHOPPING.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.shanghaitang.com