Austerity is out as French luxury goods group beats analyst forecasts with 13% sales increase in six months to June 2011 This article titled "LVMH's 'remarkable' half-year results reveal luxury is back in fashion" was written by Zoe Wood, for The Guardian on Tuesday 26th July 2011 19.08 UTC LVMH, the world's largest luxury goods group, on Tuesday reported waiting lists for its Louis Vuitton handbags and a thirst for its finest Krug and Dom Perignon champagnes – illustrating that austerity chic is so last season. The French group beat analyst forecasts with a 13% increase in sales to €10.3bn (£9.1bn) in the six months to 30 June. Its chief executive, Bernard Arnault, said the bumper sales figures for the first six months of the year were "remarkable" as they came on top of an equally strong performance a year ago. Profits from continuing operations at the group, which makes €1,500 Louis Vuitton handbags and Givenchy ...

This past weekend, visionary hotelier, Vikram Chatwal added to his collection of 5-star boutique hotels with the opening of Dream South Beach.  His ultra-modern destinations add a playful sense of decadence where your fantasies can become reality whether you are in NYC, Bangkok, India or now South Beach. Sant Singh Chatwal and Vikram Chatwal welcomed guests to experience their dreamy environment on Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.  The new property includes two deco hotels they have transformed into their high style. The hot, steamy, sexy night under the moon of Miami was made even hotter with a fire show poolside and platinum blonde-wigged babes and boys in skimpy, gold lame attire.  The rooftop setting with multiple bars is the perfect place for partiers to congregate.  The liquids flowed endlessly and the food was flavorful and fabulous. The chef presented unique items in visually appealing ways from appetizers to mini desserts.  I personally loved the little key lime pies in ...

La Thérapeute - René Magritte     This article titled "Cy Twombly, René Magritte and Thomas Struth – the week in art" was written by Jonathan Jones, for guardian.co.uk on Friday 8th July 2011 16.17 UTCJonathan Jones's top shows this weekThomas Struth: Photographs 1978-2010When is a documentary photograph not a documentary photograph? When it's by Thomas Struth. The German artist's epic studies of people marvelling at sites of such profound cultural value as the Pantheon in Rome cause you to wonder what these places mean to their modern visitors.• At Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, until 16 SeptemberThe Cult of Beauty: The Aesthetic Movement 1860–1900Seize the last chance to see the best London exhibition of the year so far, a subversive visual essay on the true nature of our ancestors – the Victorians. Nineteenth-century British artists, designers, and writers are revealed as radical hedonists whose luxuriant worldview helped to shape the modern imagination.• At ...

  Portuguese  artisanal luxury brand, Boca Do Lobo has revealed its latest works of art: "Mondriam", "Heritage", "Crochet", "Oporto" and "Time Goes By" in their 2011 Limited Edition collection, Large Emotion designed by Pedro Sousa.  Artisan, Pedro Sousa created 12 distinct furniture designs and only a limited series of 20 pieces per design are crafted  by this single artisan.  Applying traditional methods of crafstmanship that can stand the test of time, Sousa adds a whimsical fusion of art and design that gives each piece an opulent, yet fun vibe.  See below for more photos of the Large Emotion collection.   Related posts:Benedict Wormald Shares His Passion for Bespoke & Artisanal Luxury Benedict Wormald, connoisseur of British bespoke and artisanal luxury ,... Limited Edition Ferrari Steals the Grand Prix Show ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Ferrari Introduces the Scuderia Spider 16M in Celebration of... LuxSecret Likes: Koket’s Guilty Pleasure, the Mandy Stool Sensuality and modernity enhanced by classic high- quality craftmanship...

ABFF Founder Jeff Friday with his wife, Nicole The 15th Annual  American Black Film Festival held it's opening night at Miami Beach's Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road.  The pre-opening Grey Goose Cocktail party was hosted at next door at Segafredo's Cafe where celebrities, thespians, movie executives and festival attendees joyfully mingled. The opening night commenced with ABFF founder, Jeff Friday explaining the origin of the ABFF and  the very personable Miami Beach Mayor, Matti Bower presenting Mr. Friday with a Proclamation, declaring July 6th as officially American Black Film Festival Day. The ABFF's opening night film was critically acclaimed director and trailblazer Robert Townsend's "In the Hive,"a gritty, timely, yet endearing film written by Cheryl L. West, based on the true story of North Carolina's alternative school  for at-risk teenaged boys "The Hive" and its founder Vivian Saunders, played by established actress Loretta Devine. [caption id="attachment_1431" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="L-R: "In the Hive" Young Cast;Exec. Producer, Rey Ramsey; Director, Robert ...

  Ladies and gentlemen it's time to put on your blue attire and contribute to a wonderful cause as you party aboard a spectacular megayacht.  Jetsetting event organizer Hope Gainer, along with sponsor Tokyo Blue,  will be hosting the Sounds & Sails Soiree aboard the Allure Shadow megayacht in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County on July 9th. Guests can arrive to the megayacht soiree by land or sea and enjoy  food and an open bar as they listen to sounds from  Armand Pena, Resident DJ for Nikki Beach worldwide, DJ Valdemar & DJ Cross and view art by Glenn Mayo and Luise Valle. RSVP and purchase tickets at: www.sailsandsoundssoiree.com Related posts:The 15th Annual American Black Film Festival ( ABFF )in Miami – LuxSecret Recommendation The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) will be bringing Hollywood... YACHT & STYLE SOIREE Miami Yacht & Brokerage Show Hope International presented a Presidents’... Dr. Lenny Roudner ...

This article titled "New Zealand's island ruled by artists" was written by Stephen Phelan, for The Guardian on Friday 1st July 2011 21.45 UTCMy first impressions of Waiheke Island are coloured by the sight of bare bottoms, all brightly painted in tinges of lime green, lemon yellow, electric blue and blushing pink. Sailing in from Auckland on the hourly Fullers ferry, we pass underneath a whole hillside of these cheeky sentinels, life-sized human figures standing stock-still and buck naked on the headland above Matiatia Bay. They were carved from wood and screen-printed to look three-dimensional by a sculptor named Christian Nicolson. His installation, titled Barebottomland and inspired by the Spike Milligan story Badjelly the Witch, was selected to open the biennial Sculpture on the Gulf festival which ran earlier this year.There is talk of making it a permanent fixture, a way of saying "Welcome to Waiheke" that encapsulates the spirit of the place. ...