FROM THE ARCHIVE: To make its signature No. 5 perfume, Chanel only uses the very best Rosa centifolia, which has come from the same fields in Provence for the last 89 years.
Claudia Cusano
Simon Beck for Icebreaker
The merino is one of the world’s most ancient breeds of sheep, and one of the toughest. Very different to regular sheep that chew grass in the lowlands, merino sheep live in New Zealand’s Southern Alps.
Signora Sophia
FROM THE ARCHIVE: Since the Pirelli Calendar’s inception in 1964, the images have been not just of beautiful women but of the beautiful women. Here, we look back on the epitome of Mediterranean beauty, Signora Sophia Loren, who appeared in the famed calendar in 2007.
The Peninsula in Paris
Hong Kong–based Peninsula Hotels has made its first European foray with the opening of Peninsula Paris at 19 Avenue Kléber, just steps from the Arc de Triomphe.
Pacific Sands Beach Resort
Set on 41 marvelous acres along Cox Bay in Tofino, Pacific Sands Beach Resort is fixed in a prime location. Quite frankly, this could be one of the most hauntingly spectacular settings on earth.
Chocolate Tofino
Tofino is, for Canada, the end of the line—all roads come to a dead-end here. This is the far west of the West Coast and known, in some parts, as “Hawaii of the North”. Tofino is where Kim and Cam Shaw, originally from Lloydminster, Alberta/Saskatchewan (a border city), now call home.
Signora Fiamma
The round-toe, low-heeled pump with grosgrain ribbon and a gold buckle stamped with “Salvatore Ferragamo” has long been a badge of country-club chic. The Vara, as Fiamma Ferragamo (Salvatore’s late daughter) called the model she designed in the late 1970s, remains a wardrobe staple.
The H Project
Provenance has long been the “it” word in the art world. Tracing the ownership history of a work of art is essential to understanding the historical, social, and economic context of the piece. This interest in the origin of things has extended well beyond the art world to the culinary realm—farm-to-table and slow-food movements—and now, it seems, to the fashion world.
Simon Beck Snow Art
FROM THE ARCHIVE: It’s possible you’ve never heard of Simon Beck. But after this, you won’t be able to forget him or his wintery creations. Beck makes snow art—intricate and precise drawings—in virgin snow with nothing but an expedition compass and a pair of snowshoes.
Le Train Bleu
To enter this restaurant is to step back in time and in all probability you’ve never—ever—seen a railway station restaurant as extravagant as this belle époque showpiece.
Homer St. Cafe and Bar
Every month seems to bring a new restaurant to Vancouver, and although foodies can be a fickle bunch, the Homer St. Cafe and Bar is love at first bite.
Red Hills Market
Red Hills Market delivers a taste of local goodness with a wide selection of cheeses, charcuterie, craft beer, and wine. The place is crowded almost all the time and for good reason.
Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York
Those with discerning tastes are familiar with the beauty and design of Baccarat crystal. This year, a select few will be able to enjoy a home of Baccarat design.
A-Rosa River Cruises
Those European riverboats that slowly make their way down the continent’s beloved waterways are picking up speed. River cruising has become the fastest-growing segment of the cruise industry—and these vessels are not your grandparents’ riverboats.
Peninsula New York
Peninsula Hotels exemplify an unmatched classical grandeur that embodies elegance, style, and all the finer things. A successful hotel must change over the years, but its unique role and reputation must remain consistent. Such is the case with the Peninsula New York, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this past September.
Mikimoto Four Seasons
Winter, spring, summer, fall—no matter what your favourite time of year, Mikimoto’s Four Seasons collection of nine one-of-a-kind, limited-edition pieces is bound to enchant.
Skin Deep
RoC was one of the first skin-care companies to offer stabilized retinol formulated in its products, and over the years, has optimized its retinol range to deliver better results and improve tolerance by the skin.
Nacho Figueras
FROM THE ARCHIVE: Every sport has a star who, both in and out of competition, comes to embody the character and personality of the sport itself. For polo, that athlete is Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras.
Timothy Oulton
The year 2013 has been a royal one, and British novelty has not waned. London antiques dealer and furniture reproductionist Timothy Oulton has opened his first galleries in Canada.
The 2014 BMW X5
Schön (beautiful) was the precise word the executives from German automaker BMW vocalized when welcoming journalists to Vancouver, the chosen launch city for the new X5, the third generation of BMW’s SUV.
Hawaii’s Big Island
Mention Hawaii and people think of pineapples, swaying palms, picturesque sunsets, foaming surf, and lithe hula dancers. This is all true. But with orchid jungles, lush green valleys, rocky shores, and rolling lava fields, Hawaii also provides some incredibly scenic drives.
The Broadmoor’s Ranch at Emerald Valley
For nearly a century, the Broadmoor, located in Colorado Springs, has reigned over the hospitality industry with unwavering gentility and grace. Her founder, Spencer Penrose, set out to make his hotel America’s finest.
Azuridge Estate Hotel
The hamlet of Priddis, Alberta, is a whistle stop off Highway 22X. Here in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, on 13 hectares of resplendent natural beauty, is Azuridge. Once a private residence, now a 13-suite estate hotel, Azuridge is a hidden gem in the verdant forest lands.
Of Dalmore Distinction
“Whisky runs in my blood,” says Richard Paterson, spirited ambassador for the Dalmore and a third-generation whisky man. Paterson’s skill at tasting, assessing, and blending whiskies has become so acute he is affectionately known in the trade as “the Nose”.
The Costume Designer
Imagine Saturday Night Fever without John Travolta’s white three-piece suit. Seems impossible. Costumes, created by the meticulous hands and utopian minds of costume designers, need actors to breathe life into them and the camera to capture them on film, resulting in a mystery moment of alchemy when it all comes together.
Lacoste: Celebrating 80
What began 80 years ago as one product defined by a crocodile—the polo—has evolved into a lifestyle. In celebration of Lacoste’s milestone anniversary, the brand has teamed up with the nobility of French heritage maisons to produce Maisons Françaises, a collection of nine notable objets—all commemorating the crocodile.
The Tiffany & Co. Blue Book Collection
The legacy of Tiffany & Co. design is richly told in the annual Blue Book Collection, featuring the company’s most spectacular jewels. Initially published in 1845, the Tiffany Blue Book was the first catalogue to be distributed in the United States.
Details Matter
The granite and limestone art deco building at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street in New York contains 16 jewellers’ benches on the seventh floor. The tools splayed on each bench mimic what would be found in a carpenter’s toolbox. The noticeable difference is scale: screwdrivers, pliers, and saw blades are a fraction the size of what Mr. Fix-It uses.
Biologique Recherche
Keeping skin healthy as decades pass can be as easy as remembering this adage: accept the things you cannot change, have the courage to change the things you can, and be wise enough to tell the difference.
Framing Sicily
On the horizon, the brilliant blue sky, freckled with pillows of white, meets the turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea. I am taking it all in on the balustrade terrace of this 18th-century villa, enjoying the solitude, the colours, and the atmosphere particular to this dramatic Italian island.
Home Fragrances by Dr. Vranjes
A waft of the sophisticated aroma magnetically pulls you to discover the source: the essences of Dr. Vranjes. In his boutique laboratory in the heart of Florence, Dr. Vranjes, chemist turned artisan perfumer, has mastered the art of aromatherapy with a collection of home fragrances including diffusers, candles, linen fragrances, and sprays.
Hotel Il Salviatino
It has become standard for staff at hotels to address guests by name. And at Hotel Il Salviatino, a 45-room masterpiece of Old World style perched in the hills of Fiesole, it is the dignified manner in which the hotel ambassadors voice your name, coupled with their discreet yet detailed attention, that leaves you feeling like master of the house.
The Resort at Paws Up
There are no room numbers or hallways. No elevators or stairways. Instead, timber homes in a forest of ponderosas overlook a meadow, and tent-suite camps are nestled at the foot of towering pines on the banks of Montana’s Elk Creek and the Blackfoot River. This is Paws Up.
Taverna la Cialoma
L’ambiente—atmosphere. That word describes the magic of Taverna la Cialoma, an eatery in the picturesque fishing village of Marzamemi, Sicily.
The Mütter Museum
FROM THE ARCHIVE: A venerable row of cultural institutions line the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. The cultural landscape on this nearly two-kilometre stretch is impressive, but it’s a museum on 22nd Street in the Rittenhouse Square neighbourhood that is the city’s trade secret.
Vail Country
FROM THE ARCHIVE: There is skiing. There is après-ski. If skiing tops your list because, well, it is a ski vacation, then Vail’s your venue. Skiing is the undisputed attention hog here. Mother Nature’s generosity in snow affords Vail the opportunity to credibly lay claim to being a resort, as their tagline states, “Like nothing on earth.”
Master Goldsmiths: Wellendorff
In a market that is dominated by luxury giants—with Bulgari joining forces with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton in March 2011, and Cartier, Piaget, and Van Cleef & Arpels already a part of the Richemont group—Wellendorff remains one of the few family jewellery companies still standing.
The Rebirth of the Barnes
The Barnes has changed, yet it is unchanged. After decades tucked away on a leafy campus in Merion, Pennsylvania, the Barnes collection, in all its richness, has relocated to a new building on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia.
Saut Hermès
Saut Hermès signs line the Avenue des Champs Élysées like bread crumbs leading to a big glass dome. The Grand Palais, designed for the Universal Exposition in 1900, is where, for the third consecutive year, la maison Hermès has returned to its equine roots to present the show-jumping spectacle Saut Hermès.
The 2012 Pirelli Calendar
“The nude figure is one of the most beautiful expressions of nature and the purest way for us to reveal humanity in the face of art,” says Mario Sorrenti, the photographer—the “chosen one”—for the 2012 Pirelli calendar. The Cal is a fashion beacon, a photographer’s artistic statement, and a cult object sought by enthusiasts around the world.
Piquadro Pride
The Italians have invaded Toronto. This time, though, it’s not a wave of immigrants but leather goods manufacturer Piquadro, which has opened its first North American shop on Bay Street. Luggage takes centre stage, but Piquadro also specializes in the production of leather items including purses, messenger bags, small accessories, planners, portfolios, and, these days, the requisite iPad and iPhone cases.
Bottega Veneta
Discretion, quality, and unsurpassed craftsmanship have defined Bottega Veneta since it was founded in Vicenza in 1966. Steeped in the tradition of Italy’s master leather craftsmen and renowned for its leather goods, the company stands for individuality and self-confidence. Make no mistake: Bottega Veneta may be a logoless product, but it has “an identity,” says creative director Tomas Maier, “that is focused on the make, the craftsmanship.”
Rimowa
When most North Americans think luggage, they picture soft nylon wheeled bags. Nothing challenges this preference more than a trip through a German airport. It only takes one trip to Deutschland to make any Canuck jealous of the ubiquitous Rimowa hard-sided cases that are the travel norm there.
Diaper Diary
I can now use the following word to describe myself: mamma. I made a new person. I get to feed her, diaper her, force her to take piano lessons, and make her “just taste it”, along with all of the other privileges of parenthood. First, though, I need to learn how to mom.
The Edgewater Hotel
Room 272 at the Edgewater hotel in Seattle seemed like most other hotel suites in the early 1960s. That is, until August of ’64. The Edgewater is perched above the waters of Elliott Bay on Pier 67, and it is steeped in rock-and-roll history.
A Voyage of Discovery
Blue. The colour suggests vacation: bright, sunny blue skies and rippling blue waters. There are endless hues within the blue spectrum—baby, electric, midnight—yet the purest of all blues is crystal. Likewise, there are endless cruise lines, but for the most genuine and luxurious experience, the one that tops the list is Crystal.
The W Hotel Barcelona
As the National Geographic Traveler has noted, Barcelona is best absorbed by “dancing slowly with her, like an elusive mistress. You have to seduce her to find her secrets.” Layers of architectural wonders, formidable cuisine, and a buzzing nightlife are all part of the territory when visiting Barcelona—but the seven golden-sand beaches that rim its Mediterranean coastline often come as a surprise.
Alessandro Papetti
The paintings of Alessandro Papetti have such an illusionary power that one seems to detect all kinds of details that have not actually been painted.
Into the Future
BMW’s latest design and powertrain study may have a clinical-sounding name, but beneath the avant-garde skin and lab coat–tested powertrain beats the heart of an ultimate driving machine.
Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm
Clear like a balm, firm like a lipstick, Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm melts on your lips. The polymer stick looks like crystal, glides like silk, and boasts a wax-free formula that contains lipid-like molecules designed to diminish the appearance of fine lines while delivering a shiny slick of gloss.
Nikolaikirche
Upon entering Nikolaikirche—St. Nicholas Church—in Leipzig, Germany, it is not what’s in front of you that marvels, but rather, what you don’t see. You’ll hear it first. Bellowing from above is a 6,804-pipe organ. The sound is all-encompassing and voluminous.
The Hudson’s Bay Company’s Signature Collection
The Hudson’s Bay Company has rummaged through their archives and created a signature collection inspired by their 340-year Canadian history, and featuring more than 120 items including fashion, accessories, and home decor.
Shrewsbury, England
“I was born a naturalist,” Charles Darwin once said. Born on February 12, 1809, the naturalist, explorer, and inquiring mind spent the first 27 years of his life in Shrewsbury, England, a medieval town that inspired his fascination with the natural world.
The Electric Cinema
Proclaiming itself to be the oldest working cinema in Britain, the Electric Cinema is a landmark on Station Street in Birmingham.
The Oberammergau Passion Play
We wait every two years for Olympic fever, four for the World Cup tifosi, and 10 for the Bavarian town of Oberammergau in Germany to enact their passion play, the story of Christ’s life, crucifixion, and resurrection.
The World of WearableArt
Described as “Mardi Gras meets haute couture at a Peter Gabriel concert, directed by Salvador Dalí,” the World of WearableArt (WOW) is a theatrical extravaganza, a phantasmagorical two-hour runway exhibition, held every September in Wellington, New Zealand.
The Rietveld Schröder House
The Rietveld Schröder House on Prins Hendriklaan in Utrecht in the Netherlands is an architectural marvel. Eighty-five years have passed since the home was completed in 1924 by Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld for the widowed Truus Schröder-Schräder and her three children, the first and only residents.
Brooks Brothers
Brooks Brothers has a distinguished history. The 191-year-old company, one of the oldest American clothiers, has dressed nearly every American president from Lincoln to Obama.
Droog Designs
There are, en route to Staalstraat, more than a few coffee shops, myriad boutiques, galleries, and museums, and an assortment of happenings on the streets of Holland’s capital city.
NARS Portrait Book
In celebration of the 15th anniversary of NARS, the full-range cosmetics line launched in 1994 by François Nars, 1,500 15×15 books will be produced.
Hôtel de Vendôme
No. 1, Place Vendôme. Located at this prestigious address in the midst of the finest landmarks of Paris—the Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens, and Sainte-Chapelle—is Hôtel de Vendôme, a discreet jewel of a palace.
Van Gogh’s Letters
The Van Gogh Museum is celebrating 15 years of research into the artist’s written correspondence with the release of
Evolution Of The Mini
It has been 50 years since car one rolled off the assembly line in the old Morris plant in Cowley, Oxfordshire, on May 8, 1959. The little Brit defied all style, and won the hearts of many and the world’s most famous rally.
Dutch Craft
A short drive from the museum hub of Amsterdam is the quaint town of Enkhuizen, where a gem of a building, the Zuiderzee Museum, is located.
Chanel’s Train De Nuit
Gabrielle Chanel launched Chanel No. 5 in 1921; its success was immediate, and since its creation the fragrance has been the world’s best-selling perfume. In fact, one product from the Chanel No. 5 portfolio is sold every six seconds.
Robert Tateossian’s Rare Stones
FROM THE ARCHIVE: When it comes to accessories, men have few options; basically, the tie, the watch, the briefcase. But there’s an old favourite in the dresser drawer worth reconsidering: the cufflink.
The Hermitage Amsterdam
The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg easily holds its own among the world’s preeminent cultural institutions. It is a treasure house and a guardian of masterpieces. “The rest of the world wants what we have,” says Dr. Mikhail Piotrovsky, director of the museum. Now, the institution is celebrating the opening of a new branch, the Hermitage Amsterdam, on June 20, 2009.
Bruno Pieters
You may have yet to hear of Bruno Pieters, but you should remember this Belgian fellow the next time you need a contemporary, well-tailored suit. Not for nothing he is the artistic director for HUGO, the most avant-garde line of the Hugo Boss group.
Paul Smith
Sir Paul Smith—multi-millionaire clothing impresario, avid art collector, and honorary member of the rock aristocracy (Eric Clapton, David Bowie, and Mick Jagger are friends)—occupies a place in the British fashion scene like no other.
The Adlon Kempinski
Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German emperor, was so enthralled with the Hotel Adlon Kempinski he demanded that he be the first to set foot inside, and he treated it as one of his palaces.
The BMW Art Car
The BMW Art Car idea was born in 1975. Race-car driver Hervé Poulain was interested in establishing a link between the worlds of art and racing, and approached BMW with the idea of working with an artist to alter the appearance of his BMW 480 hp 3.0 CSL.
Zeha Berlin Footwear
The crumbling of the Berlin Wall is one of the great events of world history. With barriers broken and a country no longer divided, revival in every sense burgeoned. One result of this was the unearthing of certain distinguished German brands like Zeha Berlin, a high-end designer of sport and urban footwear.
The Fazioli Sound
An Italian-made grand piano has captured the imagination of several legendary pianists, so much so that a few internationally renowned pianists, including the likes of Herbie Hancock and Louis Lortie, have declared the Fazioli to be their piano of choice.
Katie Gold’s Ceramics
Katie Gold’s striking ceramic shoes, boots and handbags are reminiscent of the opulent silk and brocade dancing slippers of the 19th century.
Time Travel
When you think art deco by the sea, you probably conjure up Miami Beach. Think again. The small city of Napier, tucked away in Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island, has one of the best collections of art deco architecture anywhere in the world.
Canadian Mountain Holidays
Gazing across a landscape of almost impossible purity and beauty, Edmund Hillary comes to mind. Glacier-specked mountains rise around me, forested at their bases, snowy at their summits.
Narciso Rodriguez
Narciso Rodriguez is widely regarded as one of the leading designers of his generation. His ready-to-wear collections for men and women are known for their clean lines, fine craftsmanship and precision tailoring. Dubbed a “minimalist with heat”, Narciso has recently launched a fragrance, for him, which follows his successful perfume, for her.
Andrea Shewchuck
Talented artisan Andrea Shewchuk has an insatiable need to make stuff; she is a master at creating one-of-a-kind hand-knit scarves.
