Best of 2013: Luxury Collaborations

Wouldn¡¯t you want to get your hands on a Jaeger LeCoultre watch for Aston Martin, or Manolo Blahniks by Sarah Jessica Parker... or even better yet, perhaps a condo by Donald Trump for Lodha?

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2013 was a year of collaborations aplenty, and here¡¯s looking at the ones that seriously stirred up the lust factor on some already luxurious offerings

Hot Property

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From an India perspective, Donald Trump and Lodha coming together is easily one of the top headlines in the property section. The two have tied up to develop the luxury Trump Towers in Mumbai, which will be part of Lodha's 17.5-acre development, The Park, in Upper Worli.?

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The over 800-feet high Trump Tower will offer 3, 4 and 5 bedroom apartments and the prices are expected to be over Rs 8 crore for 3-bedroom and Rs 10 crore for 4-bedroom residences.

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?The 77-storey tower will have over 460 apartments and Lodha expects to deliver the project by 2018.

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Runner Up: Keep an eye out for David Beckham¡¯s luxury resorts and hotels with Las Vegas Sands in Asia, and closer home, the 3C and Four Seasons tie-up for uber swank residential apartments in Noida will also be worth the wait.

Auto Drive

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Ermenegildo Zegna's designs on the new Maserati Quattroporte was all part of a new year, three-year-long arrangement between the two. While 2014 will involve Gildo Zegna putting his signature spin on the upcoming Maserati Centennial, the limited edition will be followed up with yet another facelift for the 2015 models.

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With a new range of optional trims, colours and fabrics at your disposal, the only way it promises to get better is in 2016 when Zegna will offer up a custom-made service for the Maserati customers.

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All hail to the glory of Italian finesse!

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Runner Up: Neiman Marcus + Aston Martin¡¯s 2014 Vanquish Volante was a limited-to-10 edition worthy of any James Bond flick.

Beauty Buzz

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Undoubtedly, the hottest beauty collaboration this year is was the one between Michael Kors and beauty giant Estee Lauder.

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The fashion giant rolled out lip glosses, lipsticks and nail lacquers for three signature looks¡ªSexy, Sporty, and Glam¡ªall of which found buyers even before they hit the shelves.?

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With nude, red and violet as the colour palette for each avatar (in that order), Kors simultaneously released a trio of fragrances tuned to the tri-fecta¡ªSporty Citrus, Sexy Amber and Glam Jasmine.?

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Runner Up: The two other beauty partnerships that also created a stir were RiRi (Rihanna) Loves MAC, and Katie Holmes for Bobbi Brown.

Style File

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Bring two big-wigs like Damien Hirst and the house of Alexander McQueen and what you have is an iconic partnership that¡¯s geared to be a collector¡¯s edition.

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What¡¯s more, the best from both quarters¡ªHirst¡¯s ¡®Entomology¡¯ series and McQueen¡¯s iconic skull-print¡ªformed the basis of limited edition scarves retailed at a totally-worth-it ?315 (Rs 29,000 approx) price tag.

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Runner Up: Perhaps the collaboration that instantly sold out courtesy its star power¡ªStella McCartney and Gwyneth Paltrow¡¯s Goop Capsule Collection.

Time In!

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Marking the 180th anniversary of the Jaegar-LeCoultre (JLC) Grande Maison and the centennial of Aston Martin were three special edition watches that brought together the best of both brands. A mix of Swiss craftsmanship and British design sensibilities, all three watches were tuned to stay centered around the concept of time zones.?

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While the Master Compressor Extreme W-Alarm¡¯s universal hour display lets you read time at a glance in any time zone in the world, the Master Hometime is a globetrotter¡¯s delight with its two-zone reading gear; the AMVOX5 World Chronograph Cermet finishes the range with a racing special ticker that can simultaneously display up to 24 zones, and can also record the minutes and hours to suit your specific needs.

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Moving from functionality to design, it¡¯s the black dial with alternating red and white indicators that will charm you about the Compressor Extreme, and the sophisticated, monotone sleek appearance of the Hometime that makes ?it worthy of a business meet. The World Chronograph is the perfect way to look flash for sporty activities or to accessories when you¡¯re at a casual fare. Time Out!

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Runner Up: For reasons that are purely about glamour, heavy branding and instant recognition, Jay-Z's Limited Edition Watches for Hublot, and the Karl Lagerfeld Rolex by Bamford Watch Department are our second and third best bets as collector¡¯s tickers.

Shoe Story

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For years, seasons, series and movies, women around the world followed Sex and the City for its twisted tales of romance, glorious images of New York, and of course, the innumerable fashion cues provided by the lead actress, Sarah Jessica Parker¡¯s character Carrie Bradshaw.

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Well, need we explain then why the SJP label debut collection by the famed Manolo Blahnik is our hottest pick in the category?

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The two have collaborated to release a line of bags, accessories, trench coats, and most importantly, designer alternates for the well-heeled fashionista.

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Determined to use a mix of unusual, bold colour combinations, Sarah Jessica Parker reveals that the bags will be a take on the 70s-moving-into-80s period, and will retail exclusively at Nordstrom early next year. The collection will be priced between $200 and $700 (Rs 11,500-Rs 40,500).?

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Runner Up: Tod¡¯s seemed to be hitting out of the racetrack with 50th anniversary edition moccasins for Lamborghini and a capsule collection for Ferrari too.

Audiophile

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Hublot Inspiration luxury headphones by Monster are known for their sound clarity, luxurious design and high performance. The over-the-ear headphones were released at BaselWorld, and claim to provide terrific noise cancellation, a wireless Bluetooth alternate, and a direct USB audio plug-in.

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It also sports Monster¡¯s dual mono amplification system for enhanced sound quality, and the brand¡¯s new Enigma Audio Engine for crystal clear music and a realistic soundscape.

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Just as premium on design, the Hublot Inspiration headphones are a sophisticated black, comfortably lightweight and exquisitely carved in carbon fiber with genuine leather padding¡ªall at a cost of $2,270 (Rs 1.20 lakh approx).

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Runner Up: If you¡¯re a music enthusiast, you could also invest in Alexander Wang¡¯s Limited Edition audio gear for Beats by Dr Dre, and The 805 Maserati Edition Speakers by Bowers & Wilkins for your home.


Source: ?Luxpresso???


Also see: Rohit Bal¡¯s Recipe for the Perfect Luxury Wedding?