Published on Life in Luxury on 5th February 2015:
Category Archives: Publication
The Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Shanghai
Published on Bon Vivant on 17th January 2015:
Looking over the Jing’an district of Shanghai, you feel like you’re on top of the world. Especially if that bird’s eye view is garnered from one of the luxurious suites at The Portman Ritz-Carlton.
It’s one of the few hotels in Shanghai that you can mention by name to taxi drivers thanks to its long standing reputation as one of the best hotels in the city.
In fact, in 2014, the Portman Ritz-Carlton was voted one of the 25 best hotels in Asia by Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards; an accolade that it has held numerous times before.
What makes this astounding reputation? The charming service comes up top. The astute lobby manager’s friendly approach is such that, each time you pass through the grand hall to one of the six elevators, it feels like a welcome home.
The service keeps the guests coming back but it’s The Portman Ritz-Carlton’s fantastic location that attracts many first time visitors. Just a stone’s throw from Jing’an Temple, it’s within walking distance or a short cab ride to many of Shanghai’s other key attractions.
Tables is the main restaurant where they’ve recently launched what’s dubbed the Most Handsome Brunch in the city. Germain Tailor has suited up the staff who provide the free flowing martinis, wines and champagne. It’s decadent stuff.
Then there’s Ubuka, its Japanese restaurant focusing on sushi and teppanyaki, as well as, of course, the signature Ritz Bar.
The rooms are incredibly spacious with king beds furnished with 300-thread count linens and down pillows. The grand marble bathroom features a roomy bath and separate shower, made all the more indulgent with Asprey Purple Water products.
And then there’s the wardrobe with room for even the most luggage-laden travellers.
There’s character too. Taking contemporary Chinese as the design cue, you’ll find plenty of art work around the rooms; think bone china vase or oriental paintings.
But that top of the world feeling, it’s the one that’ll stay with you. And at the Club level, from the 35th floor, you have an unrivalled view of the city that’s beautiful even in the haziest of Shanghai days.
Ten photos from Le Vendôme, Beirut
Life in Luxury’s guide to: The Glenlivet Winchester Collection Vintage 1964
Published on Life in Luxury on 25th December 2014:
Single malt whisky aficionados, and particularly those who are fans of The Glenlivet, should take note as the first of the Winchester Collection finally makes it onto the shelves.
The new collection, named after The Glenlivet’s Master Distiller Alan Winchester, will be a series of exclusive 50 year old single malt whiskies for the true connoisseur. The first release, Vintage 1964 is limited to just 100 individually numbered bottles.
“Bottle No. 1”, priced at £17,995, has been on sale in Harrods since October but the exquisite whisky is also due to be made available elsewhere.
So just what should you expect from a whisky as old as this? Well influence from American oak that previously held bourbon is certainly at the top of the list. But pears, oranges, and black cherries are the sorts of fruit notes you’ll soon uncover in the enduring profile of this remarkably youthful blend.
Of course the whisky is presented in an equally beguilling bottle. The decanter is designed by Scottish glass artists Nichola Burns and Brodie Nairn while the stopper is designed by silversmith Richard Fox using rose gold. And to keep it all safe is a presentation cabinet designed by John Galvin.
This is one for keeps.
Ten questions with AMYKARINE
Published on Life in Luxury on 24th December 2014:
AMYKARINE is a new independent label, specializing in textile design and luxury silk scarves. Here, the designers of the brand, Amy and Karine Brutijan, answer Life in Luxury’s Ten questions.
Tell us about AMYKARINE, how did you begin?
AMYKARINE is influenced by our background. We were born into a very creative family and raised in a household full of works by distinguished Armenian painters, which were carefully curated by our father. It is no surprise that we have been drawn to the arts and design since early childhood. We also had an interest in fashion and all sort of things you could wear. Establishing AMYKARINE came as a natural development of our creative drive, our passion for design, fashion, visual arts, and our love for all things original and innovative.
Why scarves?
The scarf is the perfect item to showcase designs and patterns and to realise ideas related to textile design. A silk square is a statement accessory. Just like jewellery, it can boost confidence and change the overall style of an outfit. We personally love scarves, because they are great for accessorising and can be worn in so many different ways. We’re hardly ever seen out without a scarf, though styled differently each time depending on our mood or occasion.
If there’s one word that describes AMYKARINE as a brand, what would it be and why?
The best word to characterize AMYKARINE is “unique”. AMYKARINE is guided by the passion of creating beautiful pieces by blending art and fashion. We believe that accessories must be attractive to the eye and made with exceptional quality fabrics.
What should we know about wearing your scarves?
AMYKARINE scarves are the ideal choice for confident, hard-working, successful and elegant women with a subtle sense of beauty and style. They have a passion for all sorts of accessories – belts, shoes, jewellery. AMYKARINE woman is sophisticated, conscious of fashion but stays loyal to her own style. AMYKARINE scarves are rendered in vibrant colours, flattering both blondes, and brunettes. They fit perfectly well with mono-coloured shirts, jackets or dresses. They are also a great choice for those who like black, but avoid wearing it because it ages the face. AMYKARINE scarves can tweak and freshen any monochromatic look, so you can wear your favourite black, or charcoal ensemble and freshen it up with our amazing scarves.
What’s it like collaborating with your sister?
It’s absolutely amazing! One can hardly imagine what it is like, unless they have a twin sister or brother. We have always done everything together since childhood, and now working at AMYKARINE we spend more treasured time together. And we love it!
What’s your biggest source of inspiration?
We have travelled and lived in diverse metropolises, and taken inspiration from travelling and learning about the rich variety of cultures. We also take inspiration from music and literature. Our designs and prints are inspired by the fusion of cultures, and never by a particular land – they never feature a culture-specific pattern. We believe that the fusion of cultures creates a fabulous blend, especially when it comes to art and design. AMYKARINE is not an “ethnic” brand and its ethos is to transcend cultures and national boundaries with pieces inspired by world classics in music, literature and art.
How do you take an inspiration and turn it into a reality?
We have always liked painting, drawing, and making sculptures, before we started experimenting with textile design. We find inspiration in many ways, it depends on what’s in our world at the time when we are designing. We then discuss the overall style of the future collection and take the ideas into our sketchbooks. We may also play with colours just sitting next to each other and then, when we both like the outcome, we go on working at the particular pattern until it meets all our expectations. Then comes the sampling stage. Only the best pieces go into production.
What’s the inspiration behind your latest collection?
Our latest collection entitled Sonnet is inspired by English romantic poetry – the poems by Wordsworth, Shelley and Byron – the greatest classics of world literature, which, we are convinced, is easily understood anywhere in the world. Romanticism, a 19th century artistic and literary movement, which originated in Europe, was very strong in Britain, Germany and France, but also reached Spain, Latin America and North America. It produced great work and masterpieces in music, literature and fine art.
What’s on trend for 2015?
First of all, statement accessories – jewellery, bags, shoes and scarves, which add the final touch to the way a woman dresses; these are all about beauty and style. Also prints are everywhere, be it clothing or accessories. And they are varied, ranging from fruits to floral, paisley to pinstripes. Though digital photographic prints are interesting, the hand drawn images like the ones by AMYKARINE will outlive the digital trend.
What’s the next big step for AmyKarine?
It’s really exciting for a designer to know that your creations appeal to many different women from all over the world – from London and Paris to Delhi and Shanghai. And we are currently working at increasing brand awareness and sales, as well as working on our next collection. Still, our next big step is going to be a surprise to our fans.