Beautiful

Diesel | Only The Brave

IT IS PRETTY COOL HOW THE ITALIAN BRAND DIESEL HAS CONQUERED THE WORLD IN ONLY 30 YEARS TIME. FROM A CLOTHING BRAND AILED AT THE YOUTH MARKET IT HAS GROWN INTO A SERIOUS FASHION BRAND WITH A VERY UNIQUE AND OWNABLE STYLE, NOT IN THE LAST THANKS TO CREATIVE DIRECTOR WILBERT DAS WHO JOINED THE COMPANY IN 1988.

From what as merely a jeans brand, Diesel has grown into a fashion and lifestyle house of worldwide format. Besides the several jeans collections, Diesel also offers underwear and shoes and other casual apparel, as well as – through smart partnerships – accessories, timeframes, shades, bijoux and even home textile and yes, a car. And of course the Fuel For Life perfume line that was so successfully launched in 2007.

Now, after the huge success of Fuel for Life, Diesel has imagined a completely different scent housed in an unconventional figurative bottle for its new men's cologne named Only The Brave. The flacon represents a clenched fist with a two-finger ring inspired by Diesel founder Renzo Rosso's holding company and charity foundation both called Only The Brave as well as his own two initial R & R tattoos on the hand. L'Oréal reportedly asked him for something a little extra personal to help construct the identity of the new perfume and these are the insignia both parties came up with. Rosso also hopes to build awareness for his charity foundation through the perfume and has promised to unveil a major charity project in a year or so.

The new masculine cologne is described as being artsy and virile in spirit, going three ways as far as the fragrance personality goes: oriental, woody, and leathery. Only The Brave was launched in Germany in March and will be available on the French market as of this month, before being released worldwide in May. The launch is accompanied by a campaign featuring two so far unknown models. Assortment of perfume Only The Brave includes eau de toilette in three amounts: 30, 50 and 75 ml, with 100 ml after shave lotion and balm, 200ml perfumed baths and 150 ml deo spray.Word has it a female variant is in the making. –B-

DIESEL | BEAUTIFUL

Urban Glamour by Chanel

FASHION HOUSE CHANEL IS DEFINITELY ON THE MOVE. LITERALLY THAT IS. OF COURSE THERE IS THE IMPRESSIVE MOBILE ART PAVILION, A TRAVELING ART SPACE DESIGNED BY ZAHA HADID, THAT WAS COMMISSIONED BY CHANEL’S LEAD DESIGNER KARL LAGERFELD IN ORDER TO HOST AN EXHIBITION OF ARTWORKS INSPIRED BY CHANEL BAGS BY 20 ARTISTS. THE PAVILION, ENTIRELY INSPIRED BY THE CHANEL SIGNATURE QUILTED BAG, OPENED LAST DECEMBER IN HONGKONG AND IS WITH ITS ORGANIC SHAPE AN INTRODUCTION TO A NEW ERGONOMIC AND SURPRISING CHANEL.

And that Chanel thinks in ergonomic and dynamic terms they proof with their unusual range of sports and urban products. Not losing the fashion aspect out of eye of course. Just imagine how stylish you look sliding down the slopes on these rosewood, fiberglass and aluminum parabolic skis with Chanel signature, fit for every level of skier. Or, if you are more a boarder, this resin, wood and fiberglass Chanel snowboard could give you that little extra touch of style.

With Spring coming son, Chanel also thinks of those who like to spend some time outside without using car or public transportation. The Chanel couture bicycle provides with a-everything a high quality bike needs to have for safe and easy transportation. The bicycle was developed for Chanel by a high quality manufacturer, and all spare parts such as brakes and the saddle were made by leading worldwide specialists.

Top of the range is of course the Chanel personal transporter. Hipper then a bike and more fun than roller blades, the urban personal transporter comes with a front pouch which is a directly adaptation of the famous Chanel 2.55, which transforms into a backpack. By simply leaning in the direction you want to go, you drive your personal transporter with a maximum speed of 20kph through your city. Shopping, sporting and relaxing has never been so glamorous. –B-

CHANEL | BEAUTIFUL

MiTo

ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A LITTLE CAR CALLED COOPER. BECAUSE IT WAS SO SMALL IT SOON GOT THE NICK NAME MINI AND SO IT BECAME KNOWN AS MINI COOPER. ALTHOUGH LOVED BY MANY, MINI STAYED ALONE FOR A LONG TIME. IT TRIED EVERYTHING TO MAKE FRIENDS AMONG THE OTHER CARS, INCLUDING A TOTAL MAKE OVER, BUT IT DIDN’T HELP. MINI COOPER WAS ALONE AND LONELY.

But that has come to an end with the introduction of Alfa Romeo’s little version. By the name MiTo, Alfa created a real friend for Mini, a small car with British égard and a smart spirit in its Alfa DNA. With a length of a little over 4 meters, and a width of 1,72meters, Alfa MiTo is a small companion but with the sports car image Alfa Romeo is so well known for. The interior has an aggressive, forceful and top-of-the-range personality and the smart DNA, providing 3 drive settings, 3 steering wheel styles and 3 types of road behavior, allows the driver to customize the cars personality. British charm or Latin passion, Alfa MiTo gives it all. –B-

ALFA ROMEO | BEAUTIFUL

Bigger Is Better?

WHEN GUSTAVE EIFFEL REVEALED HIS PLAN TO BUILD A 274 METAL TOWER  (320 METERS INCLUDING THE ANTENNA) AS THE MAIN ATTRACTION FOR THE 1889 WORLD EXHIBITION, IT WAS FIERCELY DECRIED BY THE 19TH CENTURY AESTHETICS. MANY PARISIAN CITIZEN BELIEVED THE TOWER WAS NOT MEANT FALL DOWN ON THEM.

Originally built to impress the exhibition visitors, the tower was meant to be a temporary addition to the Paris skyline, but its success made the city of Paris decide otherwise. The Eiffel Tower remained and was the highest building on Earth until the completion New York’s Chrysler building in 1928, soon to be followed by the Empire State Building just a few blocks further down. The Empire State held the title of tallest building for several decades, until it was surpassed by the Twin Towers of the World Trade center in 1972.

Over the past 35 years, skyscrapers in all shapes and lengths haven risen all over the world. With a length of 508 meters, the Taipei 101 in Taiwan is currently record holder, but that won’t last long. The futuristic Burj Dubai will opens its door to a dazzling height of 705 meters in 2008, and will most likely be the tallest building for about 7 to 12 years, while the world is waiting for the completion of Shanghai’s newest and most ambitious project, the Bionic Tower in the Vertical Garden City.
   
The Bionic Tower - torre bionica - is a design project Eloy Celaya, Mª Rosa Cervera and Javier Gómez, and will, after completion, rise 1,228 meters into the sky. This modern equivalent of the Tower of Babel will be resting on a 1km diameter base, and house 100,000 people, gardens and even complete forests. In other words, it will be a complete city, all in one giant building. Is bigger truly better? That remains to be seen. For sure it will be impressive. –B-

BEAUTIFUL

The Andronikos Hotel | Mykonos

THROUGHOUT THE ANDRONIKOS HOTEL, AT EVERY TURN, A UNIQUE CONCEPT AND DESIGN IS UNVEILED BEFORE YOU : THE ATMOSPHERIC SURROUNDINGS AND THE RELAXED AMBIENCE OF THE HOTEL LEAD YOU INTO A NEW WAY OF EXPERIENCING FREE TIME.

This ‘new generation’ hotel is built on the edge of the town of Mykonos and lies within easy reach from every centre of activity on this cosmopolitan island. The team of the Andronikos Hotel tries to pleasantly surprise, excite and release you into your vacation. They offer peace, rejuvenation and reverie to remember.

Different from each other, every room or suite is a sensual and stylistic delight. Brilliant white in contrast with the aegean blue and the orange of the sunset, passionate reds and fuscias for heightened moments of energy…  The choice is personal, the experience is unique.

The pool & bar area sets the tone for the easy-going, fun and funky atmosphere of the hotel. Casual and unpretentious style, variations in space and mood depending on the season, the events and the people, unexpected openings and encounters throughout the long hot summer. -B-

THE ANDRONIKOS HOTEL | BEAUTIFUL