It’s already too late to add to the last minute New Year celebrations, but here’s your chance to unleash your fast and the furious side with this custom go-kart. This well-built kart is gas powered with an 8HP Briggs Stratton electric start…

Filed under: Journeys

Hotels shutting their glass and filigree doors or going into some form of financial distress could have made more of this year’s new than new openings; still, the quantity and quality of newly available suites to call your own felt just as stellar as in better years past. Sure, we didn’t get the J line of hotels (yet), but we did get the Bardessono — and 82 geothermal wells and hand-loomed Coyuchi linens are probably as good as anything Jay Z had to offer. Whittled to just ten, with the help of our friends over at Tablet Hotels, in no particular order here are Luxist’s top openings of 2009…

Continue reading Top Ten Hotel Openings of 2009

Top Ten Hotel Openings of 2009 originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anyone who’s ever played a massively multiplayer online role-playing game like World of Warcraft is familiar with the concept of a virtual world, but gaming isn’t the only application for such a world. Virtual worlds like Linden Lab’s Second Life and MindArk’s Entropia Universe aren’t so much games as enormous online communities with virtual economies, […]

Here’s yet another attempt to bring Victorian aesthetics to our world, and the result, as usual, is fabulous. This 16GB USB flash memory drive is a one-of-a-kind art object with an engraved signature by Will Rockwell. The encasing of technology in…

Filed under: Apparel

Chanel is the winner of the Readers’ Choice Award for Best Clothing Line.

Known for its sumptuous handbags, elegant dresses, and, of course, the interlocking “C” logo, Chanel has been one of the first names in fashion for nearly 100 years.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, who is one of the most recognized couturiers of the 20th century, started out in 1909 with a single store in Paris store. By 1913, she had opened boutiques in the resort towns of Deauville and Biarritz, France. With the onset of World War I, materials and finances were scarce; it was then that Chanel began to focus on using functional fabrics, especially jersey, in her designs.

In 1924, Chanel went into business with brothers Pierre and Paul Wertheimer. Though they funded the expansion of her company, tensions occasionally flared as Coco Chanel often felt that her efforts left here relatively unrewarded compared to the brothers. Still, she led a luxurious life, socializing with aristrocrats and political figures, and was the creative force behind Chanel until her death in 1971. Chanel’s groundbreaking designs include a jersey dress and cardigan coat during the 1920’s. She was a modernist who’s designs was always ahead of the time in which she lived. The company is credited with creating many other fashion-firsts, from the quilted handbag and the two-tone pump shoe to the gilt chain belt.

In the wake of Coco’s death, Chanel’s fortunes fell briefly. Despite the staying power of classics like the perfume Chanel No. 5, Chanel was largely considered a moribund brand among Europe’s elite fashionistas by the late 1970s. So in 1983, Pierre Wertheimer’s son, Alain, brought in Karl Lagerfeld to revitalize the spirit and identity of Chanel. The flamboyant designer did exactly that, scrapping the brand’s traditional restrain in favor of a flashy, splashy aesthetic that made Chanel a gaudy, bad-boy alternative to more demure designs of Prada.

Today, Lagerfeld remains the creative force behind Chanel and the Wertheimers are billionaires. After hiring Nicole Kidman to shill Chanel in the early 2000s, the company replaced her with French actress Audrey Tautou for latter end of the decade. In 2005, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art held an exhibition featuring many of Chanel’s designs and accessories. Today, Chanel operates over 200 boutiques in posh enclaves throughout the world. Somewhere, Coco is smiling.

Chanel Wins Readers’ Choice Award for Best Clothing Designer originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The technology that has invaded every part of our lives has made its way into high-end fashion too. So we went ahead and compiled a list of 15 other-worldly, geeky pieces of high end couture that will not fail to get excited yelps, or for that matter.

Filed under: Timepieces

IWC is the winner of the Readers’ Choice Award for Best Watch Line.

With a deep connection to functionally themed luxury sport watches, IWC rejects an approach to watch making that focuses on form over function. In recent years according to one poll, IWC, has risen to be considered the top luxury watch brand among wealthy Americans. Frequently sighted on the wrists of athletes to actors and bankers, the wide adoption of IWC watches proves that watch lovers want timepieces with utilitarian roots.

IWC watches are split between two major styles, with activity themed offerings such as Pilot or Aquatimer diving watches, and classic “thinking person” styles such as the mega popular Portuguese or Ingeniuer timepieces. Equally proficient in steel or gold, IWC is also known to offers excellently finished movements of in-house design and manufacture. IWC is also known for offering luxury watches for a wide array of budgets from mid level luxury to the ultra high-end.

While a name like “International Watch Company” might sound universal, the brand is totally Swiss in design and quality. IWC watches have little trouble being recognized in most circles and benefit from a distinct lack of pretentiousness in their brand image. Owning an IWC luxury watch typically communicates that you buy nice watches for your own enjoyment, not merely for others to see.

IWC Wins Readers’ Choice Award for Best Watch Line originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

Hermes is the winner of the Readers’ Choice Award for Best Leathergoods Line.

The company has come a long way since its inception nearly two centuries ago. Hermes was founded by a Frenchman named Thierry Hermes in 1837 as a maker of harnesses and bridles. Since then, it has grown into one of the world’s most sought-after luxury brands; customers have ranged from Humphrey Bogart to Paris Hilton.

Hermes is known for leather goods like the Kelly bag and Constance bag, favored by actress Grace Kelly and former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Like all Hermes products, these bags are made by hand without assembly lines; only one craftsman may work on a bag at a time.

The Birkin bag, which takes its name from actress Jane Birkin, is perhaps the most coveted of them all. Made from exotic animal skins and adorned with hardware hewn from precious metals, these bags boast waiting lists in excess of two years and price tags starting at $5000. A one-of-a-kind pink crocodile Birkin fetched $140,000 in 2007.

Hermes peddles its goods through boutiques sprinkled throughout posh U.S. enclaves like New York, East Hampton, Palm Beach and Beverly Hills. Based in Paris, the company continues to expand abroad into lucrative developing markets such as China. In a nod to its heritage, Hermes still offers equestrian paraphernalia.

Cast your vote for the Readers’ Choice Awards at http://www.luxist.com/awards-vote/accessories-awards.

Hermes Wins Readers’ Choice for Best Leathergoods Line originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

If you’re looking for a reason to not check luggage and go carry-on only, here’s one: My friend’s holiday flight to France was canceled due to bad weather, but her luggage went to Amsterdam and Nice anyway. She waited a week for it to be returned to her.

Here’s another reason: Briggs & Riley Travelware’s smart 20-inch upright carry-on. At just 8.7 lbs., and 20 x 14 x 8.5 in. (50.8 x 35.6 x 21.6 cm), it’s easy to maneuver and fits in the overhead compartment. Some other facts: The bag is made with Briggs & Riley’s exclusive Tuff-lite fabric, offering strength as well as abrasion resistance. The company’s “The Outsider” handle system means that the bars are on the outside, ensuring flat packing inside. And if anything goes wrong — even airline damage — you’re covered with the “Simple as that” lifetime warranty. FoxNews.com even named the bag in its “Top Five Coolest Pieces of Luggage” as the “Best All-Purpose Carry-On.”

Available in Desert, Silver, Rainforest, and Sunset (shown). $235.00

Briggs & Riley’s Upright Carry-On originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The New York watch company Tiret has come up with the Gotham collection of watches to impress the Batman fans, because Batman fans come in all ages and sizes. With their strong appeal, strength and agility, the Gotham collection is a mixture of…

Filed under: Journeys

If your tween or teenager shows a sudden interest in the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas here’s the reason. Teen singer Justin Beiber will be holding an acoustic performance at the resort on January 9. If you book a last-minute winter getaway with the resort’s reduced rates you get free tickets. Tickets are first come, first serve and guests can book any price point currently available online and use Atlantis’ free companion airfare promotion. Rates start as low as $499 per night. The move is a savvy one for Atlantis, a way to get older kids interested in a vacation with their parents.

Justin Bieber Concert Lures Tweens To The Bahamas originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

A new private resort retreat has opened on the west end of Grand Bahama Island. Nandana is a private resort designed in the style of a Thai beach mansion. The retreat offers 18,000 square feet of living space and comes with a complete staff that includes a chef, masseuse and boat captain. The Lioness, the resorts’s 43-foot yacht, is available for fishing, scuba or other aquatic adventures.

The main house has living and dining areas with a 40-foot-high ceiling.Sliding-glass doors open out to a 120-foot-long infinity pool overlooking the sea. Five one-bedroom suites surround the main house: two 1,000-square-foot beach front pavilions, two garden bungalows and a 2,000-square-foot luxury canopy suite. A landing strip allows guests to arrive by private jet, or they can dock a yacht at one of two dock sites which hold yachts up to 100 feet. In the upcoming High Season, January 4 - May 31, 2010, the resort rents for $6,500 per night for up to six people or $10,000 a night for ten people.

[via Elite Traveler]

Nandana Resort Opens In The Bahamas originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces

The newest dual time watch from Richard Mille applies some rather exotic materials to the component mix, further making Richard Mille watches standout as those who enjoy fascinating mechanical features as well as fascinating construction. Actually, as far as Richard Mille watches go, the RM022 Aerodyne Tourbillon Dual Time watch is pretty “simple.” This, the watch has an impressive level of complications that are meant to keep your eyes busy on the dial.

As a watch, the RM022 tells the time as well as a second time zone. The second timepiece is displayed on a transparent ring that travels around the main dial. The hour here being indicated on that part of the ring over the white colored segment. That is it for telling the time. However, the Aerodyne Tourbillon doesn’t stop there. Of course there is the tourbillon escapement complication located under the cage at 6 o’clock, a function indicator on the dial (you press a button in the crown to select its function rather than pulling the crown out), a power reserve indicator for the 70 hours of power reserve in the RM022 manually wound movement, as well as a torque indicator for the movement. Does that watch need all this? No, but it certainly distinguishes the luxury sport watch buying experience with Richard Mille.

Materially speaking the 39.7mm wide by 48mm tall case is in either titanium or 18k red gold (would look nice in either material). The front and rear of the watch contain an interesting alloy known as Orthorhombic titanium aluminides. This metal creates the honeycomb pattern that you see and is utterly spage-age in origin. Beyond looking cool and sounding like a necessary part of a growning space shuttle’s diet, it is only there to delight your senses.You don’t have to love the watch via first glance, but once you get a chance to handle Richard Mille watches in person, you’ll realize they are a different type of luxury item.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Richard Mille RM022 Aerodyne Tourbillon Dual Time Watch originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Apparel, Jewelry, The Fashion Statement

This has been a wonderful year for fashion. From the emergence of fanciful fashion-rebel Lady Gaga to the arms of Michelle Obama, we’ve had inspiring influences right and left. At a time when most designers were playing it recession-friendly (aka safe), trends and personalities stood out more than ever. Here are Luxist’s Top Ten Fashion Statements of 2009.

1. Michelle Obama’s inauguration outfit (pictured, by Isabel Toledo)
2. Lady Gaga in general
3. Susan Boyle’s many makeovers

Click through the gallery for pics of the whole list!

Continue reading 10 Fashion Statements of 2009

10 Fashion Statements of 2009 originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Estates

Today’s estate is a modern home in Denver’s Cherry Creek neighborhood. The contemporary home has floor-to-ceiling windows and is a light and airy rendered in stone, stainless steel and blonde wood. The four-bedroom home includes a spa, gym, massage room and an indoor heated saltwater pool. An upstairs glass bridge connects the library mezzanine to executive office and there is a home theater and a sound system.. A guest suite has a separate entrance. The home has snowmelt in exterior patios and entrance way and there is a three-car garage. This home is listed at $5.695 million.

Continue reading Marquis Estate of Cherry Creek, Estate of the Day

Marquis Estate of Cherry Creek, Estate of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Apparel, Handbags, Jewelry, Shoes

Harrods is the winner of the Readers’ Choice Award for Best Department Store.

With over one million square feet of selling space and more than 330 departments, Harrods is one of the largest stores in the world. On busy days, some 300,000 shoppers visit the store, serviced by a staff of 5,000 people from 50 different countries. A Luxist nominee for best department store, Harrods was also a finalist for in our Best Gourmet Grocer/Food Hall category.

Founded in 1834 by Charles Henry Harrod, the original Harrods initially operated out of a single room in London as a sort of general store, specializing in tea. Within fifty years, it had grown to a company with 100 employees, expanding into neighboring buildings as its customer base grew. In 1912, Harrods opened its first and only store abroad in Buenos Aires.

The past few decades have seen the venerable store change hands more than a few times. In 1959, a British holding company called House of Fraser purchased Harrods; in 1985, that company was purchased by Egyptian businessman Mohamed Fayed and his brother Ali for 615 million pounds.

Today, Harrods offers clothing for men and women of all ages, as well as electronics, toys, appliances and a host of other categories of goods. The store also contains dozens of eating establishments ranging from the elegant (Caviar House) to the fattening (Krispy Kreme), all in keeping with the Harrods motto: Omnia Omnibus Ubique - “All Things for All People”.

Harrods Wins Readers’ Choice Award for Best Department Store originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 20:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Jewelry, Timepieces

Harry Winston is the winner of the Readers’ Choice Award for Best Jewelry Line.

Ever since Harry Winston draped actress Jennifer Jones in diamonds at the Oscars more than half a century ago, the jewelry company has been synonymous with glamour and fame. From the legacy of Hope Diamond to the sparkle of the red carpet, Winston diamonds have become an icon of international glamour.

The son of turn-of-the-century Ukrainian immigrants, Winston was a savvy gem-hunter from an early age. As legend has it, a 12-year-old Winston recognized a two-carat emerald in a New York pawnshop, bought it for 25 cents, and sold it two days later for $800. In 1932, he opened his own store, focusing on buying stodgy collections to re-cut, re-set and re-sell.

In 1949, Winston purchased the Hope Diamond from the estate of socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean, who had acquired the gem from Pierre Cartier nearly forty years earlier. Over the next decade, Winston highlighted the stone in his “Court of Jewels,” exhibited to audiences across the country — but not before daringly re-cutting it to increase its brilliance. Winston donated the stone to the Smithsonian in 1958, reportedly sending it in a plain brown paper bag via U.S. Mail.

Winston passed away in 1978 and the company is now publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (HWD). Today, the company’s gems adorn stars from Halle Berry to Madonna. They’re also available to the public through Harry Winston Jewelers’ two-dozen stores across the world. Just be sure to pack a hefty checkbook before shopping — Winston rings usually start at around $10,000.

Harry Winston Wins Readers’ Choice Award for Best Jewerly Line originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

This Christian Louboutin Sequined Pouch is a perfect handbag for a New Year’s Eve party — it looks like a glamorous little disco ball. Available in black also I much prefer the red version shown here. Red sequins mix with silver ones in various shades from light to dark in an unpredictable pattern that looks like dancing shadows and light. Silvertone hardware and the signature Louboutin shoe-shaped kisslock closure. A perfect way to dress up your favorite LBD for a night out on the town any time of year. $995

Christian Louboutin Sequined Pouch, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces

Easily the most distinctive moon phase watch out there today, Finnish watch maker Sarpaneva’s Korona K3 line of watches have just been given more international acclaim. The watch cases are 44mm wide and utterly unique in character. Very edgy and dark with a designer twist. Stepan Sarpaneva is inspired by the long and gloomy Finland winters in the design of his timepieces. The mostly dark tones conceal mythic tales about world as told through aspects of European lore. The large moon phase disc itself has a highly expressive face that isn’t happy or sad, but rather purposeful in its aura.

Very much a manufacture style watch, they use modified automatic Soprod A10 movements. The dial has been skeletonized like a web, with the main features of the watch all being transparent. The case is either in steel or DLC coated black while the movement can be had in various different metal tones. One of the coolest features is the face of the moon again visible on the rear of the watch as located on the automatic rotor.

The Sarpaneva Koronoa K3 watch collection won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award in the past, but has now also won another Good Design award by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design. This award was given specifically to the pictured Sarpaneva Korona K3 Black Moon limited edition model. A very impressive timepiece, it is limited to just 20 pieces. Keep watch for more fascinating horological creations from Sarpaneva.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Sarpaneva Korona K3 Black Moon Watch Wins Good Design Award, Again originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you want to take your off-piste skiing to a completely new level, Wally’s skis could be the first step to get you there. Known for its avant-garde yacht designs, Monaco-based boatbuilder Wally has offered a new range of high-tech,…