Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms collection Introduces A New Titanium Version

Upon its release in 1953, Fifty Fathoms, the first modern diver's watch, immediately appealed to professional divers and soon thereafter to their civilian counterparts. It has since become the archetypal watch in this genre. As relevant as ever six decades on, its main original technical and aesthetic characteristics, revisited and complemented by a date in the 2000s, are now teamed with a titanium case.

When launched in the 1950s, the first Fifty Fathoms quickly stood out thanks to its practical features, entirely designed for professional diving. Among the decisive criteria that contributed to its renown were broad luminescent hour-markers and hands contrasting with a black dial and unidirectional rotating bezel, as well as a steel case with a soft iron inner cage intended to protect the movement from magnetic fields. This watchmaking legend was updated and enhanced in 2007 with a date placed between 4 and 5 o'clock, while preserving its immediately recognizable DNA. Today, Blancpain is offering a new version of this Fifty Fathoms Automatique model which combines its ebony-black color with a satin-brushed titanium case.

Known for its robustness as well as its high resistance to impacts and corrosion, titanium also has a low density that makes it particularly light. This major advantage, which distinguishes it from steel, has enabled Blancpain to produce a large-diameter model, offering all the technical guarantees of a diving instrument without having to feel them weighing on the wrist. Divers will undoubtedly appreciate this advantage, especially during dives requiring already extensive sports equipment, as will urbanites wishing to wear a generously sized yet airy timepiece on a daily basis.

Measuring 45 mm in diameter and water-resistant to 300 meters, the new Fifty Fathoms Automatique in titanium features a ratcheted unidirectional rotating bezel, fitted with a scratchproof domed black sapphire insert. For enhanced visibility in all circumstances, its markers, dial hour-markers and hands are made of Super-LumiNova®, a coating that strikes an ideal contrast with the sunburst black face of the watch. The sapphire crystal case-back provides an admirable view of the movement: the famous Blancpain 1315 caliber, notably endowed with an optimal five-day power reserve enabled by the use of three series-coupled barrels housing high-performance springs. Its silicon balance-spring protects it from the negative effects of magnetism without the need to isolate it behind a metal cage. Ensuring this movement is every bit as beautiful as it is reliable, meticulous finishing performed in the purest watchmaking tradition combines straight-graining, beveling, circular-graining and circular satin-brushing techniques to enhance the exclusivity of this new Fifty Fathoms Automatique.

EMILIO PUCCI Presents OBJECTS

Emilio Pucci introduces OBJECTS – an exclusive collection featuring four decorative items.

The vivid collection is composed by silk pillowcases, silk plaids, decorative porcelain trays and scented candles.

All the items come in iconic prints -“SOLE”, “OCCHI” and “FARFALLE”.

More than just decorative, the collection gives minimalists and maximalists the opportunity to play with objects by mixing and matching prints and colours in the quintessential Pucci way.

MR. BAGS X LONGCHAMP Celebrates The Year of The Pig

To mark the Chinese New Year 2019 Year of the Pig – Longchamp is renewing its collaboration with Tao Liang, aka Mr. Bags. One of China’s most influential fashion bloggers, his passion for – and encyclopaedic knowledge of – luxury handbags have made him a social media phenomenon followed by millions of “bagfans” on Weibo and WeChat.

For last year’s hugely successful debut, Mr. Bags revisited Longchamp’s iconic Le Pliage® Cuir, which is his personal bag of choice for travelling the world. This year, he returns to the theme with a wonderfully witty interpretation for the Year of the Pig – an animal which, for the Chinese, is an age-old symbol of wealth and abundance.

Longchamp’s Le Pliage® Cuir top handle bag in lambskin leather, in black, and in metis leather, in pink, is the backdrop on which Mr. Bags conjures a pig in a series of bold white lines: on the front, a curly tail; on the back, a pair of pointed ears and two dots for eyes; and hidden under the familiar flap, so only the bag’s owner knows it’s there – a tiny fart!

Available in black or pastel pink, the top handle bag is joined by the Le Pliage® Cuir travel bag in black lambskin leather, whose zipped outside pocket for a passport and tickets – a detail insisted upon by the much-travelled Mr. Bags is cleverly integrated into the drawing.

The collaboration extends to two further designs: a pouch with a zipped front pocket shaped like a pig’s snout, in black lambskin leather or pastel-pink metis leather; and a tote in transparent PVC with a pink, snout-shaped coin purse. For this, Mr. Bags was inspired by one of Longchamp Creative Director Sophie Delafontaine’s early reinterpretations of the House icon: Le Pliage® Aquarium, launched in 1998, which was memorably pictured with a fish swimming around inside it!

Following the demand for last year’s collection, the bags will be available in more stores and more countries worldwide, with personal appearances by Mr. Bags to follow in Los Angeles and Paris. The first stage of the roll-out will include all the leather bags, with the transparent top handle bag to launch by early February. Capturing the playful spirit of the collaboration, an animated film will launch on social media featuring the cute Mr. Bags character created by Tao Liang himself.

Reminiscent of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Little Prince – appropriately for the prince of handbags – the cartoon hero is seen chasing madly after a pig. He slips, jumps and bounces from one Longchamp bag to another, until he finally finds his own bag and gives it a big hug. Celebrate the Year of the Pig in style with Longchamp and Mr. Bags.

DVF Spring 2019 Collection

 DVF Spring 2019 Collection is about celebrating the pioneer in every woman…” – Diane Von Furstenberg

  

With a pioneer spirit, she embraces the new and makes it her own.

Independent and strong, she meets the dawn in a golden floral that shines on chiffon blouses and bias cut dresses. A graphic trench envelopes a finely printed dress, while a python sheath plays over an eyelet prairie blouse.

Dresses abound. The wrap reigns in crisp poplin styles featuring full skirts and pockets. At work, she commands sleek dresses and tailored suits, effortless separates in rich, earthy hues. For the weekend, cascading ruffles and smocking details accentuate blanket plaids and fresh florals.

Evening ushers in a red mesh gown painted in porcelain flowers; an effortless silk dress in ribbon pink and spicy orange.

On the road to freedom, she is a woman in charge, designing her life as she goes.

@DVF

#DVF

#DVFSpring19

Fabio Fognini & Flavia Pennetta - New Face of EA7 Emporio Armani Underwear

 The Armani Group announced that from January 2019, Fabio Fognini will be the new face for the EA7 Emporio Armani sports line and Emporio Armani Underwear worldwide. The former tennis player Flavia Pennetta, unique Italian to win the US Open and wife of Fabio Fognini, will also appear in some shots in the ad campaigns.

Fognini, who with his eight singles titles ranks second in terms of the number of ATP tournaments won by Italian players in the Opens era, will wear EA7 Emporio Armani technical garments on court, starting from 7th January. This is the first date of the Auckland Open tournament in New Zealand, which will be followed throughout the year by the Australian Open, the Davis Cup, the French Open and Wimbledon, with the season concluding with the US Open.

The technical clothing provided comprises functional outfits of T-shirts and shorts – one in green fading into grey and one in graphic designs in grey; a further tennis shirt and shorts combination comes in blue.The well-designed construction of the garments and the materials used facilitate sporting performance. VENTUS7 technology, with its innovative system for regulating body temperature and abrasion-resistant seams, is ideal for tennis players, whether playing indoors or outdoors. The looks are inspired by the EA7 seasonal collection and are complemented by wristbands, headbands, caps, socks and sweaters in French terry cotton.

The shots, by Serge Guerand for the Emporio Armani Underwear and EA7 Emporio Armani campaigns, portray Fabio Fognini and Flavia Pennetta on a neutral, white background, and emphasise their physicality and dynamic athleticism.

Hermès Presents The Arceau 78 Watch

Ever since its creation, Arceau by Hermès has played with different styles, a natural privilege afforded by its understated design and its deliberately simple lines. Arceau 78 features a round case in mirror-polished stainless steel, topped by a beadblasted bezel in matt brushed stainless steel and distinctive equestrian-inspired asymmetrical lugs reflecting the origins of the Maison founded on the Faubourg Saint-Honoré.Bearing hours, minutes and 6 o’clock date displays powered by a Swiss made quartz movement, the finely grained anthracite dial is punctuated by slender cream-coloured luminescent hands and Arabic numerals. This delicate contrast accentuates the characteristic design of its sloping numerals. The Arceau 78 is fitted with a natural Barénia calf leather strap crafted in the Hermès Horloger workshops, as indeed are the case and dial. The Arceau 78 watch features the understated and elegant allure of a timeless object paradoxically in tune with its time. In 1978, Henri d’Origny ‘unbridled’ aesthetic codes by combining a round case with asymmetrical lugs inspired by stirrups, and a sloping font evoking a horse’s galop. This Very Large Model in stainless steel with a 40 mm diameter now comes with a grained anthracite dial, cream-coloured numerals and hands, as well as a natural Barénia calf strap.