Sandra‘s Closet

Since clocks were first miniaturised to be carried or worn as watches, women have played a pivotal role in determining the aesthetic of time and the ways in which it is worn. Thanks to the pioneering spirit of its founder, LeCoultre & Cie recognised the tremendous aesthetic and technical potential of timepieces that could also be worn as jewels and accessories and, at an early stage in La Grande Maison’s history, began creating watches for women as well as men. Blending the arts of horology and jewellery, the Maison has continued to marry technical sophistication, creative design and aesthetic beauty in a process of constant evolution.

Underlining this commitment to feminine expressions of fine watchmaking, the Reverso – although originally conceived for the gentleman polo player – began to appear in feminine form very soon after its launch in 1931. Among the many variations were models that could be worn on a cordonnet bracelet or transformed into brooches, handbag clips or pendants. In 2023, presented at Watches & Wonders, Jaeger-LeCoultre takes this creative legacy to a new level, presenting a new interpretation of the Reverso in the form of a magnificent piece of High Jewellery – the Reverso Secret Necklace, which transforms the design icon into a graceful and exquisitely feminine sautoir, or long necklace.

The cordonnet, the original black textile bracelet (literal translation: fine or small cord) seen on Reverso models of the 1930s has been reimagined as a supple chain of intricate diamond-set links and polished onyx beads, from which a richly gem-set Reverso is suspended. Two pendants of polished onyx charms add a refined flourish to this elegant new way of wearing the time.

Among High Jewellery watches there is a long history of secret watches – watches with a gem-set cover hiding the dial until the wearer wishes to read the time. The swivelling case of the Reverso is a twist on this idea, concealing the time when turned over. Although initially designed for purely practical reasons, the blank metal flip side of the case offers almost limitless potential for decoration with gem-setting, enamelling or engraving.

Worn with the case back turned to the front, the Reverso Secret Necklace is a beautiful Art Deco-inspired jewel that conceals its secret power of time-telling until the wearer chooses to reveal it; worn with the front dial showing, it is an exquisite timepiece that hides its reverse side like an enchanting, personal pleasure. It is notable that while the dial appears to observers to be upside-down, it is set that way so that the wearer can read the time naturally as she lifts the watch to her line of sight.

Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of the very few watchmaking Maisons to have its own Métiers Rares® (Rare Handcrafts) atelier, bringing multiple craft skills together in a specialised workshop within its Manufacture.

Recalling the Art Deco origins of the Reverso, the reverse side of the pink gold case is set with white diamonds and black onyx in an intricate pattern of geometric repeats, contrasting with the warm tone of the metal. Vertical rows of grain-set diamonds wrap around the convex sides of the case and frame the dial. Contrasting with the richness of black onyx and pink gold, the centre of the dial is set with white diamonds, as are the signature brackets that define each corner of the dial. With over 3,000 diamonds, the gem-setting on the Reverso Secret Necklace requires over 300 hours of meticulous work for our Métiers Rares® atelier artisans.

Concealed within the case, the movement that powers the Reverso Secret Necklace is testament to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s commitment to mechanical excellence. Developed and produced entirely in house and comprising 93 parts, the manually-wound Calibre 846 was created specifically for the Reverso and, in keeping with the Manufacture’s philosophy of product integrity, is shaped to follow the contours of the rectangular case.

The Reverso Secret Necklace is an exquisite creation that represents a rare and noble marriage of high jewellery, rare handcrafts and fine watchmaking.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Jaeger-LeCoultre
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Welcome to the second drop of the Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama collaboration.

When does fashion go beyond fashion? Maybe when it’s made with eternity and infinity in mind. In the project’s collections an idea of proliferation is paramount. The cascading motifs, their qualities, and the notion of infinity mirrored in the collections’ expansiveness, sweeping up the iconic pieces of the Maison and transforming them along the way, both reflects Kusama’s process and themes while testing and furthering the limits of Louis Vuitton’s savoir faire. And it is perhaps in the apotheosis of handcraft that the idea of the eternal exists for both Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama.

At the same time, there is a notion of how the infinite can translate, of how it can reach people, and be made to function in the everyday, of how it touches people and transforms them. These are clothes and accessories after all, and it is a joyful participation through wearing them that is always sought – this is something Kusama is no stranger to in her art and Louis Vuitton understands through craft.

Encompassing both the universes of women and men through ready-to-wear, bags, shoes, accessories, luggage and trunks and fragrances, Drop 2 of this artistic collaboration explores in even greater breadth the graphic and joyful motifs and motivations of Yayoi Kusama. From PUMKINS to FLOWERS, FACES to INFINITY DOTS and NETS, these latest creations will be available in Louis Vuitton stores starting 31st March 2023.

PUMPKINS

It is perhaps the PUMPKINS that takes joyful, centre stage for Drop 2 of this collection. One of the most meaningful and comforting motifs for the artist, the Pumpkin speaks to Kusama – quite literally at times. PUMPKINS have been part of Kusama’s hallucinatory world since being a child, are one of her long-standing themes and occupy a talismanic place in her art. As she says in her autobiography Infinity Net, «I was enchanted by their charming and winsome form. What appealed to me most was the pumpkin’s generous unpretentiousness. That and its solid spiritual balance.»

In the PUMPKINS collection, women’s leather goods take on the startling form of squash at times. In a nod to the original 2012 collection Pumpkin Minaudiere, the present project’s leather Pumpkin Bag, appearing in yellow & black and silver & multicoloured variations takes on the vegetable’s winsome form and marry it to the LV Monogram in a feat of advanced maroquinerie. In more conventional Monogram offerings, the traditional supple canvas and iconic shapes of the House, such as the OnTheGo, Neverfull and Speedy, are the site for large-scale ‘pumpkin portraits’ aligned and overlapping at the base of the bags.

This approach continues in the hard-sided luggage, namely the iconic Louis Vuitton trunks. In the men’s leather goods, the same approach is utilised in an alternate blue colour scheme and grounded on the dark, Monogram canvas Eclipse. Here, the Weekend Tote, Trio Messenger and Keepalls draw focus.

In men’s ready-to-wear, it is an abstraction of form and pattern that is the emphasis in exacting jacquards and denim discharge prints in workwear and technical silhouettes. Graphic playfulness with gradations of saturated teals, turquoise and blues, form the sinuous lines of the Pumpkin in a technical, casual blouson and cargo shorts. While a zipped denim workwear jacket and trousers echo the same themes through expert discharge prints that are the height of denim savoir-faire. Denim accessories, such as the Bucket Hat and Baseball Cap, further explore this abstraction.

While jewellery and eyewear are concentrated on luminous colour saturation. A wool stole encapsulates all the qualities of Kusama’s PUMPKINS perfectly while L’Immensité fragrance is also engaged in the artist’s pumpkin realm.

FLOWERS

The next wave of the project further utilises Kusama’s psychedelic take on FLOWERS. Growing up in rural Japan, Kusama’s parents ran seed nurseries on vast tracts of land and in hothouses; the FLOWERS became part of the vivid childhood visual and aural hallucinations that Kusama documented through drawing, easing the shock and fear of the episodes. As the artist states in Infinity Net: ‘That is the origin of my pictures.’

Utilising Kusama’s FLOWERS painting from 2004, the collection focuses on the women’s world. Here, Kusama’s elegant hyper-florals are translated through the height of savoir-faire as delicate embroideries, leather intarsias and intricate prints on clothing; entwining as placement prints on the legs of gabardine trousers, wrapped dresses and skirts and used as an intricately worked intarsia flourish on leather gilets and bustiers. These techniques are echoed in the precise marquetry of leather goods, such as on the Capucines and Monogram Empreinte OnTheGo and Speedy bags. The FLOWERS are also simply and chicly printed on silk foulards and replicated on the bottles and travelling cases of Spell on You.

FACES

Alongside flora, there is also Kusama’s hallucinogenic fauna, in the shape of FACES. Joyful stylized FACES from «My Eternal Soul», a series of paintings that the celebrated Japanese artist began in 2009 are extracted from and reconfigured, chosen and changed by Kusama and Louis Vuitton, to become distinct characters in the collection. Appearing throughout the women’s and men’s worlds, her joyful creations cascade over clothing and accessories through a combination of hyper-printing and intense embroideries, often on a ground of luminous Delphinium Blue – a new signature colour for Louis Vuitton – or enveloping the Maison’s iconic Monogram.

A certain casual insouciance is found in the clothing of the collection, in part because of the use of denim for women. Here, a light blue stonewash is utilised and features a complex, engineered printing process over jeans, jackets and bustiers. A take on varsity jackets appears for both women and men, with Kusama’s FACES taking the place of the more traditional ‘letterman’ embroideries. For women, luxurious double wool & cashmere is combined with leather shoulder protection in black. While for men, a Delphinium blue wool with contrast white leather sleeves is utilised. For women, ultra-bright repeat prints on sharp white gabardine skirts and shifts are contrasted with repeat-printed fluid silk pyjama suits. While a more focused concentration on individual character FACES is found in comfortable cotton jersey pieces.

A sense of ease essentially prevails for men in silhouette, at the same time there is an intensity in savoir-faire as much of the men’s collection features embroidered FACES; from a technical casual blouson and cargo shorts to the intarsia fleece jacket, a level of skill is applied that elevates the everyday. The Monogram is joyfully interrupted once more in men’s clothing; a technical teal shirt and shorts is made from a new jacquard that marries the Monogram to Kusama’s chaotic characters.

While in women’s leather goods, the iconic Monogram canvas is disrupted by a riot of FACES, with a focus on one of the four (nameless) main characters in a combination of rich printing and distinct embroidery on the Neverfull, OnTheGo, Speedy and Alma. The combination of chicness and chaos continues with the FACES printed and embroidered on the men’s Taurillon leather Monogram bags, all appearing in the new signature blue. A Multi-Pocket Back Pack, the Bum Bag, the Hobo Cruiser and Keepall are just a few of the new, FACES incarnations. While reversible Bucket Hats, Bandanas and Beach Towels also find a proliferation of characters on them in the new signature blue.

Meanwhile, the women’s white leather Capucines also succumbs to the FACES; as do blue foulards and the fragrance, Attrape-Réves. The FACES finally finish their journey on footwear; from embroideries on the women’s Lous Open Back Sneakers, and Monogram Pool Flats to prints on white and black men’s LV Trainers.

INFINITY DOTS (PART 2)

The second wave of the INFINITY DOTS collection is found across categories and genders once more. Here, additional colourways include black & fuchsia, sky blue & white and white & red. Printed gabardine and 3D knits provide style and structure in signature women’s silhouettes realised in black & fuchsia. While black & fuchsia dots also find form in Monogram Empreinte women’s leather goods, such as the OnTheGo, Neverfull and Pochette Metis.

Monogram Empreinte also provides a medium for the sky blue & white colourway, particularly for styles such as the Speedy 20 and Nano Noe. Meanwhile, Epi leather structures white & red dots for House icons such as the Twist and Neonoe.

Additional ‘accessories’ can also be found in these colourways: from black & fuchsia reversible bucket hats and silk foulards, via sky blue & white dotted baseball caps to white & red INFINITY DOTS surfboards! For men, the collection mainly finds form through footwear: from grained calf moccasins and sandals to the latest LV Trainer drops in sky blue & white and yellow & white.

INFINITY NET

Kusama’s mesmeric and vast INFINITY NET paintings first brought her to prominence in the New York art world of 1959. Beguiling viewers with their repetitive, obsessive, rhythmic hand, the series of paintings she completed then are amongst the most sought-after of her works now.

In the INFINITY NET collection, it is both the delicacy and strength of these works that are quietly celebrated and utilised. Using the blue-black ground and white details of the original composition, an INFINITY piece is translated into a print on Taurillon leather, enveloping the entire Capucines bag. An alternate, contemporary fuchsia iteration is also printed on the Capucines.

Drop 2 of Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama‘s collaboration will once again be celebrated within a globally immersive visual landscape, ranging from window displays, to Pop-ups, to anamorphic billboards, and an advertising campaign featuring some familiar Ambassadors and friends of the House.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton and YAYOI KUSAMA, 2022 COPYRIGHT OF YAYOI KUSAMA PHOTO BY YUSUKE MIYAZAKI – Yayoi Kusama Museum
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HENNESSY X.O UNVEILS MASTERPIECE COLLABORATION WITH KIM JONES

In a first for the Maison, the acclaimed fashion designer transcends couture and cognac in a special collection featuring a collectible sneaker, Masterpiece decanter, and Limited Edition bottle.

Hennessy is pleased to announce a collaboration with the world-renowned British Artistic Director Kim Jones. In an audacious meeting of two icons, the Hennessy X.O x Kim Jones collection bridges street and luxury in a unique celebration of the legendary blend’s impact on culture. Interweaving the richness of Hennessy X.O’s 150-year heritage with Kim Jones’ creative vision, the collaboration features the Hennessy X.O Masterpiece designed by Kim Jones, the Hennessy X.O Limited Edition bottle by Kim Jones, and in a first for the brand, the HNY Low by Kim Jones. This also marks the first time Maison Hennessy has partnered with a fashion designer, and that Kim Jones collaborates with a spirits brand.

HNY Low by Kim Jones

«We are thrilled to embark on a new odyssey blending cognac-making and couture with Kim Jones, a creative master of our time,» said Laurent Boillot, Hennessy CEO. «Inspired by the emblematic personality of Hennessy X.O, Kim has developed a resolutely contemporary collection that is destined to make an impact on culture today and in the future.»

For Hennessy X.O, Kim Jones pays tribute to cognac-making and couture, two processes that touch on an understanding of science and the natural world as well as artisanal craftsmanship and savoir-faire. He follows in the footsteps of a formidable lineage of great masters who have helped cement Hennessy X.O’s cultural resonance over the years, including Frank Gehry, Cai Guo-Qiang and Ridley Scott.

«I’m fascinated by the rich heritage of Hennessy, a household name behind which artisans have spent hundreds of years creating this special cognac,» says Kim Jones. «Storytelling is very important for me regardless of what I’m designing or who I’m collaborating with – I want my designs to educate and inspire people through the stories they tell.»

WHERE COGNAC MEETS COUTURE: THE HENNESSY X.O MASTERPIECE AND HENNESSY X.O
LIMITED EDITION DESIGNED BY KIM JONES

Designed exclusively for Hennessy by Kim Jones, produced using 3D printing technology, and finished by hand, the sculptural Hennessy X.O Masterpiece has been produced in a limited edition of just 200 examples. The decanter demonstrates how humanity and technology can work together to create something unique, «like a piece of bespoke couture for a bottle,» the designer notes.

The Hennessy X.O Masterpiece

The Hennessy X.O Masterpiece draws inspiration from the making of Hennessy X.O, an art perfected by eight generations of Master Blenders. A specially developed titanium casing entirely encapsulates the bottle like an architectural second skin. Its twisting folds evoke both the couture technique of draping and the way in which, at the turn of the 20th century, Hennessy bottles were carefully hand-enveloped in tissue paper as a way of protecting their fragile parchment paper labels. Its base, an undulating oak plateau, nods to the barrels used to age eaux-de-vie that would eventually be blended to create Hennessy X.O.

While the bottle is entirely obscured from view, the cognac can be extracted using the fusil designed by Kim Jones, an elegant and playful ritual to serve a glass of the Hennessy X.O blend. As a finishing touch, the decanter itself has been dipped in gradient colors, an effect inspired by the shades of the different eaux-de-vie selected by the Master Blender to compose Hennessy X.O.

Says Kim Jones: «When I saw how the vintage Hennessy bottles were wrapped, it spoke volumes to me about how precious each one is, and how they were handled. I was particularly touched by their history, and the sense of how generations have dedicated their time to making each step of the process better and better. That same process also holds true with fashion.»

The Hennessy X.O Limited Edition

The third element of the collaboration is the Hennessy X.O Limited Edition ‘ready-to-wear’ version of the decanter specially imagined by Kim Jones. The Hennessy X.O bottle is encased in an aluminum second skin, its structure showcasing the signature shape of the bottle while evoking a couture silhouette. A true representation of the merger of fashion and culture with excellence and legacy, the limited edition bottle is the final piece of the Hennessy X.O x Kim Jones partnership.

The Hennessy X.O Limited Edition by Kim Jones is available exclusively at Globus for CHF 241.50 now.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Hennessy
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Right in time for Watches & Wonders next week, Cartier presents its newest must-have watch: Clash [Un]limited which is characterised by an elegant mechanism that stands out for its beauty, creating a jewellery watch that combines finesse with power.

Personally speaking, I am absolutely blown away by this new model. With beads, picot studs, clou carrés and mobility, the Clash de Cartier codes flow, intertwine, forge their way and manifest themselves in the form of a precious watch.

From faceted corners and bevelled dials to full and empty spaces, as well as round and square elements, its geometry is constant and true to the Maison’s style. A culture of design counterbalanced by Cartier’s graphic precision through movement, from the beads that roll over each other to the hinges of the bracelet, all articulated to create softness on the skin. An ambition to structure the watch and create perspective: from the form of its links to the mini case with its sixteen-faceted cut glass that accentuates the distinctive lines.

My favorite: SMALL MODEL, QUARTZ MOVEMENT, YELLOW AND VIOLET GOLD

The legacy of Jeanne Toussaint and her sense of volume comes to mind. As early as the 1930s, she dared to provoke glittering collisions between preciousness and the industrial aesthetic of ball bearings. A natural link between the past and present, as seen in this Clash [Un]limited watch, which also uses chromatic contrasts to emphasise the geometric motifs. How? Firstly, by alternating brushed and satin-finish gold, then by combining yellow or rose gold with violet gold, a new shade of gold in tones of shimmering violet, entirely developed for Cartier. It punctuates the watch, from the clou carré to the beads on the bracelet.

With variations on the same theme in limited-edition releases, the Clash [Un]limited watch is available in diamond-paved yellow gold, rose gold and white gold. It also unites exceptional pieces with stones that enhance the design in black and white with onyx, black spinels, obsidian and diamonds, or in different colours with coral, black spinels, chrysoprase, tsavorites and diamonds. Designed by the Cartier watchmaking studios, the Clash [Un]limited watch resides in the Maison’s creative repertoire of jewellery watches.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier
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Welcome to a colorverse of infinite self-expression with the Me, Myself and OPI Collection for Spring 2023. Featuring a palette that pays homage to the metaverse where color knows no limits, this collection of 12 unfiltered brights and pastels in four different formulas celebrates nail color as a vehicle for showcasing outward individuality and personal self-identity.

Consumers will fall in love with hues of pink, from baby pink and peachy pink to powder pink and pink punch, in pearl and shimmer finishes. Feel-good, playful pastels in a rainbow of hues including yellow crème, tangerine, honeydew, and turquoise crème make a sweet statement, while powerful cherry red can be worn as an accent or a bold singular hue. Two purples in shades of heliotrope and twilight lavender offer vibes of balance, stability, and serenity.

«Nail color offers an easy and versatile way to express your personality,» remarks OPI Co-Founder and Brand Ambassador Suzi Weiss-Fischmann. «With Me, Myself and OPI, we’re inviting wearers to join us in the metaverse – or as we say, colorverse – where we can be whoever we want to be – your only limit is your own imagination.»

«This collection features a range of refreshed, digitally-inspired pastels,» adds OPI Global Director of Color Equity Jill Bartoshevich. «With warm, welcoming shades in a range of crème, shimmer, and pearl hues, this collection encourages consumers to have fun with color. Top trend pick NFTease Me is a beautiful turquoise crème that will be a standout hue for Spring 2023.»

Me, Myself and OPI Collection shades will be available in Infinite Shine, Nail Lacquer and GelColor, formulas, including:

Pink in Bio
A soft pink crème that drives all traffic to you.
Switch to Portrait Mode
A powder pink pearl that makes you camera ready.
Blinded by the Ring Light
A pastel yellow crème that needs #nofilter.
Silicon Valley Girl
Strut your high tech stuff in this tangerine orange crème.

Clear Your Cash
Honeydew your shopping thing in this green crème.
NFTease Me
Be totally non-fungible in this turquoise crème.
I Meta My Soulmate
A baby pink pearl that sets your status to In a Relationship.
Data Peach
Collect allll the data you want in this pearly peach.

Spring Break the Internet
You’ll go viral in this shimmery hot pink.
Left Your Texts On Red
A shimmery red that makes them want you more.
Incognito Mode
A purple mauve crème that hides you in plain sight.
I Sold My Crypto
Get rich quick in this shimmery violet.

GelColor provides a salon-perfect finish with up to three-week wear, while Infinite Shine offers a high-shine finish and traditional lacquer application. Nail Lacquer features a highly pigmented, rich formula for even application without streaking.

• Launch date Switzerland: 13th March 2023
• Recommended retail price Infinite Shine 15 ml: 24.90 CHF (at the discretion of retailers)
• Recommended retail price Nail Lacquer 15 ml: 19.90 CHF (at the discretion of retailers)
• Online-Partners: www.perfecthair.ch, www.manor.ch, www.globus.ch

LoL, Sandra

#MeMyselfAndOPI Photos: © OPI
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A square in a circle, small squares in a large square. Hermès loves to play with shapes. From the distant memory of those children’s games combining colours and volumes, Hermès has given life to a unique and playful watch. It could have been called Double Face, or Recto/Verso. Wow suits it so much better!

Wow, like his original idea. Two years ago, young comic book artist Ugo Bienvenu designed a surprising silk scarf for Hermès. It was named Wow. Why Wow? Because it picks up Hermès’ cherished equestrian spirit and transposes it into the world of comics.

The designer vaulted into the saddle and set his foot in the stirrups to offer small square comic-book-style panels within the large square shape of the silk scarf. Squares, bubbles, animation… A heroine crosses Paris on jet skis, rollerblades, in cars and of course on horseback. Two amused golfers wonder who this intrepid woman is? Amazon, secret agent, Parisian heroine? All that and more: she is the Hermès woman.

The Wow effect comes not only from the pattern, but also from the way in which is created, including a different colour scheme on each side: a multicolored interpretation on the front and a monochrome version on the back.

The idea made its way from Paris to Switzerland and the workshops of Hermès Horloger. A double-sided dial? Why not, as long as it is thin and translucent like the silk thread that inspired it. The obvious choice was mother-of-pearl, a dainty, elegant and feminine material through which the ray of light could shine and enable the artisan to set about creating a playfully radiant motif.

On the first side, the design is initially reproduced in black ink, visible on both sides. It guides the deft touch of the artisan until the last brush stroke. The entire décor of the motif is then hand-painted on this first side. The pastel colours are applied one by one: thick enough to give depth to the design, yet thin enough to let the light shine through – a subtle balance calling for the finest skilled craftsmanship. It takes about 20 layers to bring out every nuance of this design. Each is fired in the kiln at 90 °C to solidify the precious pigment.

The horse and heroine are majestically enthroned on the second face corresponding to the upper dial side of the watch. The colour is sharper, the volume denser, the design is every bit as lively as the rider and her mount. Together, they literally burst out of the dial. The Hermès gallop responds to the silky, muted solid colours painted on the reverse side of the watch with its brightly varied shades, its relief effects and its boldness. While the horse’s movement makes a sudden appearance, it stems from a wealth of meticulous and diligent work involving more than 35 hours to produce a single dial.

This timepiece with its Arceau case designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978 comes in two versions powered by the same Manufacture H1912 self-winding movement. The first flaunts a dial in soft pink tones, while the second opts for bluish accents. Paired with a Hermès calfskin strap, each of these white gold Arceau Wow model features a bezel set with 82 diamonds and is issued in a 24-piece limited edition.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès / David Marchon / Anita Schlaefli
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Prada announces the tenth installment of their Timecapsule NFT Collection. The drop on March 2nd, which is the final release in a three-part series of shirts, features special prints by Italian photographer Enzo Ragazzini from his archives of the 1960s’ and 1970s’.

Titled INTERFERENZA OTTICA ART PRINT BY ENZO RAGAZZINI, 1969, the March shirt will feature a design made in 1969 for the Enzo Ragazzini exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London (ICA) with the optical interference technique, using mechanical devices of his own invention (the «rotating plane» for the circular patterns and the «rotating drum» for horizontal ones). This work was then digitized in 2017.

The shirt is in popeline, featuring the Prada enameled triangle logo with «MARCH» transferred on the back of the shirt. Each shirt comes accompanied by its own gifted NFT, which serves as an invitation to join Prada’s exclusive Crypted NFT community.

Prada is continuing to expand their Web3 community to those who purchased a Prada Timecapsule prior to the NFT initiative, launched back in June 2022. First launched in December 2019 and now marking its 39th iteration, Timecapsule collection holders can claim their own Timecapsule NFT, in sync with their existing physical product. More details can be found on the Prada Crypted Community on Discord.

The drop is limited to 50 items, for 24 hours only, starting from March 2nd, 2023 at 3pm CET.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: ©Prada
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Jimmy Choo has unveiled a capsule collection in collaboration with Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon in celebration of the Japanese anime series 30th anniversary. The first Sailor Moon episode aired in 1991, followed by the adaptation Sailor Moon Crystal in 2014. Created by Naoko Takeuchi, the show has become a pop cultural phenomenon, stanned for its feminine magic, humor, and fashionable characters.

Sandra Choi, creative director of Jimmy Choo, has worked with Naoko Takeuchi, creator of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, on the collection that champions «bold individuality, zeitgeist-defining imagery and female empowerment». The Jimmy Choo x Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon collection aims to translate the anime series femininity and female power with a capsule range of footwear and accessories themed around the ‘Sailor Guardians’ characters, including Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus, their mentor cat Luna and Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon herself.

The capsule collection includes for example knee-high boots, ankle boots, patent pumps, lace-up leather combat boots, and high-heeled platform pumps as homages to the shoes worn by the characters. Moreover, Sailor Moon’s most memorable moments are immortalized as manga drawings on bags and sneakers. Highlight of the collaboration is a pair of limited-edition boots encrusted with roughly 19,000 Swarovski crystals. The fuchsia-colored silhouette is complete with a moon motif at the top in addition to a 10-centimeter-tall heel, maintaining the original look of Jimmy Choo’s classic shoes.

Celebrating the team-up and the 30th anniversary of Sailor Moon, Jimmy Choo is putting one pair of these boots on display exclusively at Tokyo‘s Mori Art Museum in Roppongi.

The Jimmy Choo x Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon collection will be exclusively available in Europe at Selfridges from February 14. The launch will coincide with a dedicated pop-up in the department store’s ground-floor accessories hall, featuring «playful installations with the ultimate photo opportunity for Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon superfans.»

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Jimmy Choo
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First unveiled in June last year, Louis Vuitton’s Spirit high jewelry collection continues its odyssey into the next and final chapter, featuring 30 unique pieces that pulse with a distinctive graphic energy and the iconic codes of the Maison, embodying the emanating strength of the Louis Vuitton woman.

Spirit is the fourth high jewelry collection designed by Francesca Amfitheatrof, the Maison’s Artistic Director for Watches and Jewellery. Francesca Amfitheatrof has always believed that jewellery and its wearer are inextricably linked. «I don’t think anything else in the world has the power to hold the spirit of the person so much as jewellery does,» she said.

Destiny Bracelet and Ring

That ethos continues in Spirit Chapter II, where masterfully executed creations channel the singular design codes of the Maison – and which, like Chapter I, are set across four universes that reflect the values of the house: Destiny, Liberty, Fantasy and Radiance.

Destiny Necklace

Destiny is an ode to the ruby, in the most luminous, perfect red hue, with stones that seem to emit their own special power. The Destiny universe is anchored in the geometric energy and symbol of the Louis Vuitton V, which channels the dynamism of the Maison, propelling its legacy and vision into the future.

Liberty Medaillon and Ring

Freedom to explore and discover. To travel and to open up to new horizons and to venture into unknown territories both physically and metaphorically. The Liberty theme embodies the desire for freedom that has always guided Louis Vuitton like a light.

Fantasy Necklace and Earrings

The world of Fantasy embodies the imagination of Louis Vuitton and evokes the pioneering spirit of the founder of the House; the creative genius and the creative genius and vital force of a man who never stopped innovating, dreaming and pushing back the boundaries.

Radiance Necklace

Since her very first Louis Vuitton Haute Joaillerie collection, Francesca Amfitheatrof has imagined her creations as armor, a second skin that protects a woman’s identity and soul as she courageously moves forward in her journey. The new Radiance necklace exudes a bold energy highlighted by mirror yellow gold triangles that set the stage for a geometry of pyramids and diamond-paved Vs.

My personal favorite: The Liberty Trunk Pendant

Made exclusively in the House’s Parisian workshops, Louis Vuitton’s Spirit Chapter II Haute Joaillerie collection is the latest in a series of striking pieces that are both singular and unique.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton – Laziz Hamani /Solve Sundsbo
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As a result of their new collaboration, Hublot and Takashi Murakami present thirteen new NFTs and thirteen unique timepieces featuring the iconic smiling flower that is central to the Japanese artist’s work. It is a continuation of past projects, by rewarding the first buyers of the watches and collectors of the first NFTs through an exclusive approach.

«When my collaboration with Hublot was announced, we made it known that we would be adopting new forms of artistic expression. After creating all the timepieces together, as well as the digital works of art, we are now imagining new ways of accessing contemporary art.»
TAKASHI MURAKAMI

The thirteen unique NFTs are inspired by Japanese video games & TV from the 1970s as well as the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black, the first collaboration between the Swiss watchmaker and Takashi Murakami launched in January 2021. These NFTs are linked to a limited edition of 13 new and unique Classic Fusion watches that will be at Watches & Wonders 2023 in Geneva. Twelve of these watches will be available for purchase exclusively online on hublot.com, which can only be accessed by owners of at least one of the 324 NFTs issued in April 2022 as part of the third collaboration between Hublot and Takashi Murakami.

These 324 NFTs were originally offered to owners of one of the two Hublot x Takashi Murakami watch models (Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black & Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow), before they were allowed to be exchanged on the decentralized NFT trading platform, OpenSea. The period between the announcement of the project in New York in February 2023 and the start of sales in early April 2023 in Geneva will allow any collector interested in one of the new watches to collect one of the NFTs available on OpenSea. Each buyer lucky enough to purchase one of the 12 new unique watches will receive a corresponding exclusive NFT.

Hublot and Takashi Murakami take the watch as a work of art to a new level, by bridging the art of fine watchmaking with digital art. The 13th watch of the collection is the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow and it is also the masterpiece. Taking inspiration from the two previously launched pieces, this watch reinterprets the iconic emblem of Takashi Murakami: the smiling flower. Here, the 12 petals of the flower form a perfect gradient of rubies, sapphires, amethysts, tsavorites and topaz. Thanks to an ingenious ball-bearing system developed by Hublot’s engineers, the petals create a dizzying spectacle of colour as they spin on an axis with each movement. The kinetic effect of the petals creates a striking effect against the 45mm black ceramic case. The center of the smiling flower is placed on top of the sapphire glass to create a three-dimensional effect.

The twelve other references, which will be available for purchase by holders of the NFTs on the dedicated ecommerce platform, recall the master flower and represent one of the petals. Twelve references for twelve hours on the dial, and twelve NFTs.

The heart of the watch beats with the manufacture Unico calibre set in the emblematic Classic Fusion design, a unique movement that offers a 72-hour power reserve. As the third watch collaboration between Hublot and the Japanese artist, this launch is proof of the incredible collectability of this partnership.

As the second step, collectors will then have a period of one year during which they will have the opportunity to trade the twelve NFTs on the OpenSea platform. In April 2024, at the end of this period, only the collector who has managed to collect all 12 of the new unique NFTs will be eligible to purchase the thirteenth and most sought-after watch: the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow. In the event that no single person has managed to gather all twelve NFTs, the watch will be auctioned by Hublot to raise funds for charity.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hublot #Hublot
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