Chanel to Release New J12 Chromatic

On June 1st, Chanel will unveil the J12 Chromatic – in Titanium Ceramic – an exclusive new watch with a totally new and truly innovative color that is the result of a high-tech 21st-century material.
 What makes this watch different from the existing J12 models is the unique compound from which it is made.  This is no regular ceramic – it is ceramic mixed with diamond powder and titanium to give the watch the look of metal, with the durability of ceramic. Ceramic is increasingly present in the watch industry following Rado’s pioneering use of the material when in 1986 the firm’s scientist discovered a new substance for the watch industry. Previously the material was valuable to the F1 motor racing world and used as heat shields on space shuttles.

 When the original Chanel J12 watch debuted in 2000, it really popularized ceramic in a big way. What was their secret? Simple really. Rado was always avant garde in their designs. While the watches had good guts, their designs prevented them from being too mainstream in the Western world. The J12 for was lack of a better term... a modified Rolex Submariner homage, with a classy dial in black or white ceramic. Finally a fit fashion watch with world appeal. It was a well-made watch with a mechanical movement in a material that felt great.
 Then watchmakers started to experiment with forms of matte or brushed ceramic. The idea was to try and emulate the finishes that could be achieved with metal. This is a step in the right direction, but doesn't offer a metal looking watch that will last forever. There are many people to whom the allure of a $10,000 watch becomes more immediate if they know that watch will look cherry for decades.

 The addition of titanium to the ceramic recipe produces a cloudy-sky grey hue that once polished with diamond powder develops an attractive sheen that catches the light. For all its user-friendly characteristic, producing high-tech ceramic in colours other than black or white has proved a challenge for the watch industry where aesthetics are paramount.

  This is why the arrival of the J12 Chromatic in a new variant of high-tech ceramic is so significant. While Panerai, the Italian heritage watch house, has been experimenting with an aluminium composite ceramic that has a pleasant brown hue, its use is limited to just two watch models. But unlike its more humble cousin steel, ceramic is warm to the touch, light and scratch proof.

 "Ceramic Titanium" as they call it is a bit like the next step in the evolution of wear resistant compounds that will help high-end watches cosmetically last much, much longer. If you need any more proof that ceramic is really the key material of the next decade, just look at all the high-end brands that now rely on the material for at least parts of some of their watches.
 Together the collection is not something that revolutionizes the Chanel J12 line, but is a further evolution in the concept and a step closer to ageless metal, bringing the iconic watch into a new era.

Source: aBlogToRead.com

Aura by Swarovsky

 Ok, here is perhaps the most wanted launch of 2011. Finally, after 2 years of supositions and speculations, now it is official: Swarovski launched its First Fragrance called Aura and with it Swarovski also decided to team up with Clarins Group to launch three gorgeous special make-up jewels to make a stunning entrance in the world of beauty products.

 4 years ago, one of the biggest and sexiest fragrance license was bought by Clarins: Swarovski Beauty. It might be the biggest potential license brand in the world. We are talking here about several million dollars sales. The Central-Europe brand changed a lot on the past 20 years. Swarovski succeeded to make Crystal glass more « valuable, cool and sexy » than any precious stones.
 The initial goal with Clarins was Fragrances, make up and beauty accessories. The project is leaded by Thierry Mugler Parfums teams that built a special A-Team for the occasion. As you might know, Thierry Mugler team works already with Swarovski on Angel limited editions for the past 10 years. So a nice interesting marriage.
 According to Thesaurus, Aura is an invisible breath, emanation, or radiation. From the Latin via greek auras, aurae: Breeze.

 The Eau de Parfum takes centre stage in this collection, not only is the bottle dressing-table-worthy (complete with a set Swarovski crystal… of course) but it smells divine. This is a fruity floral scent which is surprisingly light, making it perfect for spring. Notes of lychee, white tuberose, pink pepper, amber and white musk are brought together in a harmonious fragrance which seems to deepen and warm on the skin.
 The flacon tried to capture the purity of Crystal into a fragrance. The Flacon designer is Gwenaël Nicolas, a french artist living in Japan for many years now. He was the one who knew how to capture the idea. He already worked for the brand in 2010 during an artistic installation in MilanoThe perfumers are Jean-Pierre Bethouart and Olivier Cresp, from Firmenich. Olivier Cresp is used to the Thierry Mugler teams as he is the creator of Angel.
 The fragrance is described by their creators as an incandescence Chypre, dixit Pierre Aulas, the Olfactive director of the Brand. Aura evokes the idea of crystals in a state of fusion. Lychee melds with tuberose and a ‘prism of energy’ accord blending amber, benzoin and musk, and a lush, woodsy trail.

 The make-up, available in three textures, contains powdered, micronized Swarovski crystal and Crystal Shine® iridescent pearls that fuse with the skin to create stunning shine. Because it is crafted from crystal and pearl, this complex has an effect on the skin that is radically different from the one obtained through classic "glitter" make-up. Here, the skin itself becomes luminescent, diffracting light in a thousand and one directions. A highly personal touch of glamour for day or evening.

 The pendants are made in palladium finish and are set with genuine and exclusive Swarovski crystals, specially cut and faced with the unique Swarovski expertise. Inside the jewel, there is a hidden compartment which opens to reveal either a transparent and soft pink lip gloss, a crystal touch with a glittery finish, or a more discrete crystal gloss.
For the Advertising, the brand choosed the english photographer Craig McDean. He already worked for the brand on several occasions as well as for different luxury fashion houses. The tagline is: « The Grace of Light »

 The product range has:


Eau de Parfum
:
15ML Refillable spray EDP

30ML Refillable spray EDP
50ML Refillable spray EDP

75ML Refillable spray EDP

50 ML Refill bottle EDP

“Crystallize Your Body” Bath Line
:Perfumed Body Cream 150 ML
Perfumed Body Lotion 200 ML

Perfumed Shower Gel 200 ML
Perfumed Deodorant Spray 100 ML

Make-up Jewels
:
Crystal Gloss: Transparent Shimmer and Glistening
Pink
Crystal Touch: Silver Shimmer

"Aura crystal touch jewel pendant adds a touch of shimmering radiance to enhance the face and body, the crystal embellished pendant cleverly conceals this face and body highlighter..." 

"Aura crystal gloss palette pendant thong, enriched with genuine micronized Swarovski crystal and iridescent Crystal Shine powder, doubles up as a lipgloss for lips that shine with dazzling radiance."  

 

Alexander The Great

 It’s been more than a year since the death of the designer Alexander McQueen and so far we have seen plenty of tributes paid to the designer. This month he was honored in many ways.
 Harper’s Bazaar paid him tribute in an editorial named “Long Live McQueen“, featuring the supermodel Kate Moss and Annabelle Neilson. Photographed by Solve Sundsbo, both models are wearing Alexander McQueen archive pieces from 2004.

Vogue US didn’t want to be left out of the “tribute wave” and photographed Coco Rocha, Karen Elson, Caroline Trentini, Karlie Kloss and Raquel Zimmerman all styled by the amazing Grace Coddington.
 The editorial is named “Alexander The Great” and presents looks that will be displayed at the Costume Institute from today, May 4th in another homage to the designer. Of course the photo shoot was photographed by Steven Meisel.

For Spring in 2007, McQueen was inspired by the movie “Saraband”. According to Vogue, this dress had fresh flowers when it was first wore.

Playing the role of a chess piece, this is how the models from Spring 2005 collection dressed.

This dress belongs to Fall 2006 collection which inspiration was “Widows of Culloden”.

Karlie Kloss is wearing a dress from Spring 1999.

Voss, Spring 2001: a kimono with long sleeves and real flowers on the hat.

For Spring 2011, McQueen focused on the world’s madness and design pieces like the one above. “The Ice Queen and her court” was the motto of the Collection.

In New York the Alexander McQueen`s boutique  is celebrating the opening of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibition celebrates Alexander McQueen’s remarkable vision and creativity, showcasing his ingenious fashions as works of art. Comprising approximately 100 designs – including many rare examples of his early work – and selling 5 limited edition prints signed by Sølve Sundsbø, photographer of the exhibition catalogue. The pieces were photographed while worn by models transformed to look like mannequins using a combination of makeup and technology.
 All proceeds from the sale of these prints will be donated to the Japan earthquake and tsunami relief fund of the International Federation of the Red Cross. The prints will be on display at Alexander McQueen, 417 West 14th Street, New York from 3rd -13th May. More information on the exhibition: www.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen.

See selected images from the exhibition catalogue, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty by Andew Bolton:

Ensemble, It’s a Jungle Out There, Autumn/Winter 1997–98

Dress, VOSS, Spring/Summer 2001

Ensemble, VOSS, Spring/Summer 2001

Dress, The Horn of Plenty, Autumn/Winter 2009–10

Dress, Irere, Spring/Summer 2003

Ensemble, Dante, autumn/winter 1996–97

Dress, VOSS, spring/summer 2001

Dress, Widows of Culloden, autumn/winter 2006–7

 “When we put the antlers on the model and then draped over it the lace embroidery that we had made, we had to poke them through a £2,000 piece of work. But then it worked because it looks like she’s rammed the piece of lace with her antlers. There’s always spontaneity. You’ve got to allow for that in my shows.” – Lee Alexander McQueen

Dress, No. 13, spring/summer 1999

 “[The finale of this collection] was inspired by an installation by artist Rebecca Horn of two shotguns firing blood-red paint at each other.” – Lee Alexander McQueen

Dress, autumn/winter 2010–11

Dress, Sarabande, spring/summer 2007

 “Remember Sam Taylor-Wood’s dying fruit? Things rot…I used flowers because they die. My mood was darkly romantic at the time.” – Lee Alexander McQueen

Ensemble, Plato’s Atlantis, spring/summer 2010

 “[This collection predicted a future in which] the ice cap would melt…the waters would rise and…life on earth would have to evolve in order to live beneath the sea once more or perish…Humanity [would] go back to the place from whence it came.” – Lee Alexander McQueen

Dress, autumn/winter 2010






*Pictures Courtesy of: The Metropolitan Museum of Art