Luxury

Jewels, journeys, launches and initiatives in the Kingdom of Luxury

remymartin XO cognac cinnamon notes sydney 12micron barangaroo
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Cognac couture | the XO factor | aromarama

Brando
Charisma and character - and just a little bit game-changing. Action!

Describing the ‘notes’ in a glass of wine or Cognac has always been the somewhat mysterious art of the connoisseur. Rémy Martin’s international ambassador Alexandre Quintin puts a simple spin on it. The six-foot long table in the private dining room at Barangaroo’s 12-Micron restaurant table is dressed like an Old Master’s still life. It’s an artfully…

nick smart agence de parfum sydney distributor niche perfume
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Prince of perfume | sniffing the breeze | glitz and spritz

Monroe
Sexy and glamorous. Red carpet ready. Did someone say 'rescue fantasy'?

Perfume lovers have Nick Smart to thank for retail access to some of the oldest and loveliest fragrances in the world. So how did a property lawyer ended up shrouded in the mists of time? Niche perfume is one of the fastest growing sectors of the multi-billion-dollar fragrance and beauty industry. Of the 2,240 fragrances released last year,…

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In search of the best chocolate | Cacao couture | The block

Garbo
Cool, understated elegance that belies inner sparkle and sizzle.

Technique, vision, and a Venezuelan cacao bean have produced a chocolate that leading chefs are doing their block over … Some never forget a face. Chef Giovanni Pilu, of the award-winning Sydney restaurant, Pilu, never forgets a taste. Several years ago, he encountered what he thought might be the perfect chocolate. “It was at the…

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Ritzy jewels | not just afternoon tea | Put a ring on it |

Monroe
Sexy and glamorous. Red carpet ready. Did someone say 'rescue fantasy'?

While waiting to be seated for jewel-like morsels of afternoon tea, there’s a very different menu to check out at the Ritz… There are many things the Ritz Hotel London is renowned for: the world’s best-dressed afternoon tea (five sittings, these days), a tea sommelier, the creamy white Ritz rose bespoke-bred in the Netherlands; acres…

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Ferrari’s firebrand | Luxury car design | Speed date

Groucho
Brainy and cheeky. Witty and inventive. Always smoking hot.

Sixties shapes, the Sydney Opera House, 3D printing, music … these are some of the things that inspire Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari’s design director. Susan Skelly reports Roped off outside the three-hat Sydney harbourside restaurant, Quay, the LaFerrari looks like it’s landed on the wrong planet. Futuristic, fabulous – and so shiny it looks ready to spontaneously combust…

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In bed with London | UK check-ins | Hotels from heritage to hip

Brando
Charisma and character - and just a little bit game-changing. Action!

From the Ritz London to the Ham Yard to One Aldwych … three very different sleepovers for discerning London visitors. What’s it to be? Aristocratic splendour … bold contemporary colours and folk frisson… a city hub that’s a perfect jumping off point for theatre and exploration? In London’s Big Smoke, accommodation options are plentiful. Here…

Alexander Mcqueen stefan sielaff bentley motors design director francois guillot AFP Getty images
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5 great designs | things that inspire | easy on the eye

Garbo
Cool, understated elegance that belies inner sparkle and sizzle.

Stefan Sielaff, Director of Design at Bentley Motors, is inspired by many things, from haute couture to architecture, timepieces, and even aircraft design. Success, notes the 54-year-old German-born innovator, is rooted in having a clear idea of what makes a brand unique. “For me, it’s the beauty of a fantastic exterior concealing innovations and craftsmanship that…

hennessy8 cognac arik levy decanter 2
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Cognac gets a rap | Sipping on status | house of spirits

Brando
Charisma and character - and just a little bit game-changing. Action!

  From the princes of rap to titans of industry, Cognac confers status. To mark the launch of the Hennessy 8 limited edition, Susan Skelly clinked glasses with brand ambassador Maurice-Richard Hennessy. When it comes to symbolism, this year’s limited edition Hennessy 8 Cognac is all but drowning in it. First there is the liquid…

Copyright © Susan Skelly 2020.