Celebrity Life

As Chaumet's CEO Jean-Marc Mansvelt tells us, bringing the house's 240-year heritage into the modern era is an immense task that amounts to a "daily obsession". But if the new pieces in the Chaumet Joséphine collection are anything to go by, the Place Vendôme stalwart is heading in the right direction.

What kind of woman today does the Joséphine collection appeal to?

First, it’s about a woman with a certain character. Because when you choose to wear a tiara on your finger, you’re making a choice of distinction, a choice of character. You’re sending a message to say you’re not like everyone else and you have a certain strength and a certain personality. But also a sense of virtuosity, grace and beauty, because it’s not for women who want to be too provocative.

It’s a way to set your personality. And then of course, there are two major reasons to become a client of Joséphine. On one side, it remains one of the favourite pieces chosen for a bridal purpose. It’s connected to the initial history of Chaumet, the history of the power and love between Napoleon and Joséphine. And Napoleon is known everywhere, that’s incredible. There’s another type of client on the other side of the connection with the pearls, the coloured stones, something a bit easier and more accessible.

This year, Chaumet's creations have also incorporated sleeker, more modern takes on the tiara. Can you tell us a bit about the new high jewellery?

After many creations that were a bit more tiara-like, a bit more decorative, more visible, more baroque in a certain way, we wanted to enrich the collection with new ways to mix and match, and to go for designs that were slicker, with a more minimalist approach, because that’s also the style of today. We have a feeling that clients today are a little more understated, and we have the capacity to create beauty through a fine line, rather than an accumulation. So one of our high- jewellery pieces, which is sort of a V with a stone in suspension, doesn’t shout about its design. It’s all about balance.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Joséphine collection...

But we don’t mark it that way for two reasons. I always feel that if you start doing anniversaries for everything, then at the end, what’s the meaning in it? Last year, when we did the 240 years of Chaumet, that was slightly different. For Chaumet, our heritage is much longer than a decade, it’s about centuries. Instead, this year, we’re celebrating our connection with the 200th anniversary of the death of Napoleon, which is significant in Europe and in France. We’ve done an exhibition at 12 Place Vendôme that was open to the public which tells the love story of Napoleon and Josephine through 150 different objects, beautiful loans from museums and private owners.

Which piece proved to be the most challenging piece in the collection?

The most discussed and the most debated one was the watch. Because we’re clearly a jeweller, and we’ve focused all our efforts and attention on jewellery. But since a few years ago, we’ve reassessed and repositioned what watches mean for Chaumet. It’s true that with the business of watches within Chaumet, we’ve really tried to be coherent with what the story of watchmaking for Chaumet is as a jeweller. One of our challenges was to look at the market – in the market, 90 percent of watches are round – and nobody’s waiting for Chaumet to create a round watch, because we already have thousands of beautiful options on the market.

We decided on a shaped watch, and it wasn’t very difficult to settle on the pear shape, like an illusion of a diamond. We also faceted the watch’s dial.

How do you balance 240 years of heritage behind a brand and stay relevant at the same time?

That’s really the obsession every single day. How do we continue the narrative, the link to the story? Since the pandemic, we’ve seen clients choose Chaumet because there’s longevity. And so it becomes a daily obsession of ours to convey this message to our clients through different means, including the digital approach, so we can speak to the needs of our audience today. We also go through the traditional channels and have books and exhibitions. I regularly write down on paper in two columns: on one side, how much do we tell the story of Chaumet, and on the other, how do we take a contemporary approach, either through the narrative or through using different tools? I take a step back and ask myself is there a balance? If we’re going too much in one direction, maybe it’s time to rebalance. It’s in everything we do.

The post New in Beauty This October 2021: Gucci Beauty, Benefit, Fenty Skin appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

New scents to sate that wanderlust.

The post 4 fragrances to take you scent travelling during the pandemic appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

New scents to sate that wanderlust.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

While holiday shopping might look a little different for everyone this year, we can still enjoy the thrill of finding the best Christmas gifts for the beauty lovers in our life from the comfort of our homes thanks the countless options available online.

We know that it can be overwhelming to navigate online shopping this time of year - possibly even more than making your way through a crowded department store - and that's why we did all the work for you and found some of the best finds out there. From make-up sets and creams to perfumes, here are our favourite picks for 2020.

Vilhelm Parfumerie

More than a perfume range, Vilhelm Parfumerieis a multi-sensory library of tales and luxury experiences. Created in collaboration with the prestigious perfumers Jerome Epinette and Marc-Antoine Corticchiato, each scent is unique and housed in a stylish bottle of spun glass with a flower symbol on the cap. Room Service (HK$1,920), Victoria Beckham's favourite fragrance, evokes the image of a lover in a hotel room waiting for her ultimate self-care treat: a bath of flower petals with warm water releasing aromas of citrus, red fruits, bamboo, violet, black amber, and sandalwood and makes for a memorable Christmas gift.

Aesop

Aesop, one of the symbols of the ultra-popular millennial-chic aesthetic, has launched Sensory Chronicles, a 2020 gift kits collection that pays tribute to the remarkable power of the imagination. Our personal favourites include the The Lore Collector (HK$740), a quartet of hand and body care products inspired by a dreamy tale (contained within the gift as an eBook) by Japanese writer of Greek-Irish descent Lafcadio Hearn, and The Metaphysical Voyager (HK$1,250), A duet of hydrating formulations enriched with skin supportive ingredients.

NARS

For a gift that celebrates the festive season with boldness and glam, NARS has launched a limited-edition holiday collection gilded in glitz. The line includes holiday essentials and sets like the Vip Audacious Lipsticks (HK$275 each), the Iconic Glow Cheek Duo (HK$350), the Free Your Mind Mini Lipstick Coffret (HK$400), and the shiny Mini Brush Set (HK$800).

Louis Vuitton

This festive season Louis Vuitton has launched an exclusive service that has already become one of the most desirable Christmas gifts for beauty lovers around the world. LV's Master Perfume, in fact, has opened his prestigious workshop to bespoke perfumery, for unique and personalised creations made upon request to best encapsulate each client’s personality. To add to the charm and exclusivity, the trunk in which the perfume will be presented is crafted in Asnières, Louis Vuitton’s historic workshop and can hold four 100ml bottles, three 200ml bottles, a 100ml travel case, a travel spray and 16 refills.

SKIN NEED

Independent Hong Kong vegan and natural cruelty-free skincare label SKIN NEED has launched a brand new Body Line with two gift sets just in time for the festive season. Formulated especially for Hong Kong skin type and climate, Carry Love Around (HK$398), a collection of the label’s new nature-meets-science skincare signatures and A Lover’s Chest (HK$998), an ode to skincare and beauty rituals in a luxury box complete with embroidered robe and a playlist, are the perfect Christmas gifts for beauty lovers who are also passionate about sustainability.

Helena Rubinstein

Heritage beauty brand Helena Rubinstein is celebrating the holidays with a tribute to its three most iconic products, the Replasty Age Recovery Night Cream, the Powercell Serum and the Prodigy Cellglow, a deep renewing concentrate. In order to provide clients with diverse gift kits, the popular creations are exclusively sold in season-exclusive sets, like the Powercell 24H Eye Care Set (HK$680), the Prodigy Cellglow the Radiant Eye Treatment Set (HK$1,320), and the Powercell Skinmunity Serum 50ml Set (HK$1,440).

Lancôme

Lancôme has put together a series of festive exclusives packed with magic and its signature dreamy Parisian atheistic. This year, the French maison has launched the 2020 Holiday Advent Calendar, (available at HK$630 upon any purchase of Lancôme regular products) and the Festive & Sparkling Christmas Beauty Box (available at HK$695 upon any purchase of products over HK$520). Both kits include signature make-up and skincare products and fragrances. Additionally, Lancôme has created a series of themed gift sets on “youth secrets”, “rejuvenating luminosity”, “French makeup” and “refreshing scent” to make it even easier to find the perfect Christmas gifts for beauty lovers.

Amorepacific

To celebrate its 75th anniversary and global success, South Korean heritage brand Amorepacific has launched a series of gift sets and exclusive treats just in time for Christmas. For a full skin pampering experience, we recommend the Ace Essence Set (HK$5,350), which includes a series of energising and revitalising serums and creams created with the powerful formula that has contributed to the brand's decades-long success.

Natura Bissé

To pamper your skin like never before during the 2020 festive season, Natura Bissé has put together a selection of signature items to restore and improve radiance with an effortless holiday glow. The Christmas kits include the Diamond Extreme & Eye Set (HK$3,625), an energising and cosmetic treatment with lifting effects, and the Inhibit Neck Set (HK$3520), an anti-aging innovating formula.

The post Best Christmas Gifts for Beauty and Skincare Lovers appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

While holiday shopping might look a little different for everyone this year, we can still enjoy the thrill of finding the best Christmas gifts for the beauty lovers in our life from the comfort of our homes thanks the countless options available online.

We know that it can be overwhelming to navigate online shopping this time of year - possibly even more than making your way through a crowded department store - and that's why we did all the work for you and found some of the best finds out there. From make-up sets and creams to perfumes, here are our favourite picks for 2020.

Vilhelm Parfumerie

More than a perfume range, Vilhelm Parfumerieis a multi-sensory library of tales and luxury experiences. Created in collaboration with the prestigious perfumers Jerome Epinette and Marc-Antoine Corticchiato, each scent is unique and housed in a stylish bottle of spun glass with a flower symbol on the cap. Room Service (HK$1,920), Victoria Beckham's favourite fragrance, evokes the image of a lover in a hotel room waiting for her ultimate self-care treat: a bath of flower petals with warm water releasing aromas of citrus, red fruits, bamboo, violet, black amber, and sandalwood and makes for a memorable Christmas gift.

Aesop

Aesop, one of the symbols of the ultra-popular millennial-chic aesthetic, has launched Sensory Chronicles, a 2020 gift kits collection that pays tribute to the remarkable power of the imagination. Our personal favourites include the The Lore Collector (HK$740), a quartet of hand and body care products inspired by a dreamy tale (contained within the gift as an eBook) by Japanese writer of Greek-Irish descent Lafcadio Hearn, and The Metaphysical Voyager (HK$1,250), A duet of hydrating formulations enriched with skin supportive ingredients.

NARS

For a gift that celebrates the festive season with boldness and glam, NARS has launched a limited-edition holiday collection gilded in glitz. The line includes holiday essentials and sets like the Vip Audacious Lipsticks (HK$275 each), the Iconic Glow Cheek Duo (HK$350), the Free Your Mind Mini Lipstick Coffret (HK$400), and the shiny Mini Brush Set (HK$800).

Louis Vuitton

This festive season Louis Vuitton has launched an exclusive service that has already become one of the most desirable Christmas gifts for beauty lovers around the world. LV's Master Perfume, in fact, has opened his prestigious workshop to bespoke perfumery, for unique and personalised creations made upon request to best encapsulate each client’s personality. To add to the charm and exclusivity, the trunk in which the perfume will be presented is crafted in Asnières, Louis Vuitton’s historic workshop and can hold four 100ml bottles, three 200ml bottles, a 100ml travel case, a travel spray and 16 refills.

SKIN NEED

Independent Hong Kong vegan and natural cruelty-free skincare label SKIN NEED has launched a brand new Body Line with two gift sets just in time for the festive season. Formulated especially for Hong Kong skin type and climate, Carry Love Around (HK$398), a collection of the label’s new nature-meets-science skincare signatures and A Lover’s Chest (HK$998), an ode to skincare and beauty rituals in a luxury box complete with embroidered robe and a playlist, are the perfect Christmas gifts for beauty lovers who are also passionate about sustainability.

Helena Rubinstein

Heritage beauty brand Helena Rubinstein is celebrating the holidays with a tribute to its three most iconic products, the Replasty Age Recovery Night Cream, the Powercell Serum and the Prodigy Cellglow, a deep renewing concentrate. In order to provide clients with diverse gift kits, the popular creations are exclusively sold in season-exclusive sets, like the Powercell 24H Eye Care Set (HK$680), the Prodigy Cellglow the Radiant Eye Treatment Set (HK$1,320), and the Powercell Skinmunity Serum 50ml Set (HK$1,440).

Lancôme

Lancôme has put together a series of festive exclusives packed with magic and its signature dreamy Parisian atheistic. This year, the French maison has launched the 2020 Holiday Advent Calendar, (available at HK$630 upon any purchase of Lancôme regular products) and the Festive & Sparkling Christmas Beauty Box (available at HK$695 upon any purchase of products over HK$520). Both kits include signature make-up and skincare products and fragrances. Additionally, Lancôme has created a series of themed gift sets on “youth secrets”, “rejuvenating luminosity”, “French makeup” and “refreshing scent” to make it even easier to find the perfect Christmas gifts for beauty lovers.

Amorepacific

To celebrate its 75th anniversary and global success, South Korean heritage brand Amorepacific has launched a series of gift sets and exclusive treats just in time for Christmas. For a full skin pampering experience, we recommend the Ace Essence Set (HK$5,350), which includes a series of energising and revitalising serums and creams created with the powerful formula that has contributed to the brand's decades-long success.

Natura Bissé

To pamper your skin like never before during the 2020 festive season, Natura Bissé has put together a selection of signature items to restore and improve radiance with an effortless holiday glow. The Christmas kits include the Diamond Extreme & Eye Set (HK$3,625), an energising and cosmetic treatment with lifting effects, and the Inhibit Neck Set (HK$3520), an anti-aging innovating formula.

The post Best Christmas Gifts for Beauty and Skincare Lovers appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Chantecaille Ocean Collection Cheek Palette

What’s summer without a dip into the ocean? Inspired by founder Sylvie and her husband’s trip to swim with whale sharks in Mujeres, Chantecaille launches their Ocean Collection. The Illuminating Radiance Chic Cheek and Highlighter Duo comes in ocean-themed packaging and the pressed powder itself is embossed with wave patterns.
HK$780

Natura Bisse Inhibit V-Neck Collection

Apart from the eyes, the neck is the most telling in terms of age. Natura Bisse’s newest launch targets the delicate skin of the neck and décolleté. An advanced cocktail of tightening, filling and firming, your age can now be your best kept secret.
HK$2,970/60ml

Helena Rubinstein Powercell Skinmunity The Emulsion

Ten years since Helena Rubinstein launched Powercell, the line is still a front runner for the brand. This season, Powercell Skinmunity The Emulsion – an all-day hydration supplement that works together with HR hero serum of the same range – joins the family. Lighter and fresher in texture, it’s a dream to use on these long, hot days of summer.
HK$2,350/100ml; HK$1,440/50ml; HK$980/30ml

Amore Pacific Moisture Plumping Nectar Cream

Dewy is the word that comes to mind when using Amore Pacific’s latest release, the Moisture Pumping collection. Using bamboo nectar and its exclusive Nectar Plumping Formula™, the Cream, Concentrate Ampoule, Dewy Mist and Eye Treatment Gel are summertime must-haves. The lightweight formulas absorb and lock in hydration instantly while fortifying the skin’s moisture barrier. Take that, Hong Kong heatwave.
HK$1,120/50ml

Aesop Melange Body Cleanser

To cool you down in the height of these heat-stricken months, Aesop introduces its Citrus Melange Body Cleanser. The ingredients speak for themselves, with a blend of essential oils, petitgrain, jasmine, lemon and grapefruit rind, the crisp and zesty scent results in a gentle gel that is a mid-summer sensorial delight.
HK$325/500ml

Note: Available from 6 July 2020

Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia

What’s old is new again with Gucci’s popular scent Flora Gorgeous Gardenia repackaged in a beautifully painted opaque lavender bottle. The unique colour pays homage to the nuances of violets found in nature and preludes the delicious scent characterised by sweet red berries, plush white gardenias and warm frangipani.
HK$680/50ml; HK$975/100ml

Chanel Les Beiges Le Vernis

Chanel’s latest release embraces the sea, sun, and freedom of the great outdoors through its summer collection. Its Le Vernis nail polish gets two new additions in vibrant shades of sun-drenched apricot (745 Cruise) and sugar raspberry (749 Sailor). The fun colours exude a chill summer vibe for the new season.
HK$210

Yves Saint Laurent Beauté Pure Shot Airthin UV Defender SPF50/PA++++

If sun screen wasn’t so uncomfortable to wear, we would all do a better job at wearing it everyday. That’s why YSL Beauté’s new Pure Shots was formulated – a defence solution which fights against urban aggressors such as UV rays, pollution and dust, that is multiple times thinner so pores won’t get blocked.
HK$470/30ml
Note: Available from 11 July 2020

Goutal Petite Chérie Fizzling Body Fragrance Mousse

Inspired by the travelling birds that soar the most beautiful landscapes, is Goutal’s Petite Chérie scent. Adding to its collection this month is the new Fizzling Body Fragrance Mousse – a fresh summer shower product that leaves the skin cool and reinvigorated.
HK$580/125ml

Drunk Elephant E-Rase Milki Micellar Water

As far as cleansers go, micellar water is by far the easiest to use. With just a few drops on a cotton pad, you can wipe away the stresses of the day while sitting on the couch. Drunk Elephant’s version, E-Rase, can gently remove makeup, dirt, pollution and bacteria while refreshing the skin without stripping the skin’s acid mantle. Made with ultra-mild micelles, Vitamin E, and fatty acids, the skin is still hydrated even when squeaky clean.
HK$220

The post New In: 10 Recently Launched Beauty Products to Try This July appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Adapting to our current travel-less lives, we follow our noses to cure our wanderlust withdrawals.

With the loss of freedom to explore the globe, we turn to fragrances to transport us to faraway paradises and exotic locales. From the zesty notes of Sicily to the spicy aromas of Jaipur or the musky tones of Nairobi, we take a trip around the world through our olfactory senses that remind us of the distant destinations on our travel bucket list – even if only for a moment.

Capri, Italy

[caption id="attachment_207014" align="alignnone" width="1733"] HK$1,255/150ml; HK$840/75ml[/caption]

While we could all do with a drop into beautiful Capri during any time of the year, there is nothing quite like summer on the island off the Sorrento Peninsula. Envision yourself sailing away on incredible waters with the relaxing and bright scent Arancia di Capri by Acqua di Parma characterised with radiant top notes of zesty orange, mandarin and lemon fused with a heart of cardamom and finally rounded off with a touch of caramel and musk. Fruity and sunny, this EDT captures the essence of a relaxing Italian Mediterranean vacation.

Ibiza, Spain

[caption id="attachment_207013" align="alignnone" width="1757"] HK$710/50ml[/caption]

Jonathan Anderson shares the same pain of being locked down and locked in. So in “an aide-mémoire of better times to come,” the Loewe creative director partners with legendary boutique Paula’s Ibiza in a collaboration to bring back fond teenage memories spent on the Balearic island in the midst of summer. Coconut water is layered with bright green galbanum and mandarin oils, driftwood, sand lily and frangipani flowers that nod to the tropical Bohemia vibes inherent to Ibiza. Even the candy coloured gradient bottle of Loewe Paula’s Ibiza is reminiscent of summer sunsets.

Palm Springs, USA

[caption id="attachment_207010" align="alignnone" width="1799"] HK$1,050/75ml; HK$860/50ml; HK$595/30ml[/caption]

The name says it all – Nomade by Chloé is all about voyages, exploration and freedom. Envision the sun reflecting on the sand in the heart of the deep desert dunes of Palm Springs in a landscape of colours. Borrowing references from men’s cologne, Nomade combines warm oak moss and soft sandalwood with sweet Mirabelle plum and velvety davana, to create a new intoxicating, sensuous scent for spring which brings memories and dreams of a place in the sun.

Morocco, Africa

[caption id="attachment_207017" align="alignnone" width="1824"] HK$1,850/100ml; HK$1,300/50ml[/caption]

An ode to the fantastical journeys taken by Ben Groham’s father, the founder of Byredo created Bal d’Afrique: a scent to celebrate his vision of African culture and its influence. He visits the land of the Sahara through his infatuation for the continent and blends notes of bergamot, neroli, black amber, Moroccan cedar wood and African marigold to encapsulate the cultures shaped by the art, music, dance and way of life that he relives through the diaries of his father. We can all use a little imagination and save on flight time for a quick excursion to Africa.

Jaipur, India

[caption id="attachment_207015" align="alignnone" width="1820"] HK$1,850/100ml; HK$1,330/50ml[/caption]

India’s royal and spiritual splendour meet in Creed’s Original Santal. The romance and opulence of India has captured the attention of Oliver Creed, who then took the nation’s signature Mysore Sandalwood as the core of his fragrance. The majestic allure comes from the powerful aromas of orange tree, ginger, lemon, rosemary, peppermint, pinkberries, cedar and vanilla. Warm and robust with just a hint of spice, just like south Asia, it captures you at first and leaves you wanting to discover more.

Lake Biwa, Japan

Taking Charlotte Perriand’s passion for extensive travels, egalitarianism, a love for the wild outdoors and modernism, Aesop’s latest fragrance Rōzu is a reference to a blend of the creative muse’s lifelong affections including her love for Japan. Appealing to both genders, the fragrance opens with rich floral notes of rose, petitgrain, bergamot, shiso and pink pepper; while the heart is composed of headier florals such as ylang ylang, jasmine and guaiacwood, with hints of sandalwood, vertiver, patchouli and myrrh to end. Find yourself wandering through a Wabara rose garden off the shores of Lake Biwa by Kyoto with just a spritz.

The post Travel the World with These 6 Fragrances appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The fourth and latest fragrance to join Aesop’s collection is Rōzu Eau de Parfum (HK$1,300/50ml), a unisex scent that draws inspiration from the life, work and enthusiasms of muse and celebrated French modernist designer, Charlotte Perriand, and the Japanese rose that bears her name. Lending his nose for the new launch is perfumer and long-time collaborator Barnabé Fillion who you may know from previous Aesop favourites such as Hwyl Eau de Parfum (a natural fragrance rich in dark green textures and robust spices) and Marrakech Intense (a journey of the senses encapsulating evocative spices in local fare, and woody and oriental aromas).

[caption id="attachment_204704" align="alignnone" width="772"] Rōzu and the three main ingredients: rose, wood and shiso. Photo: Julien T Hamon[/caption]

Taking Charlotte Perriand’s passion for extensive travels, egalitarianism, a love for the wild outdoors and modernism, Rōzu is a reference to a blend of her lifelong affections including her love for Japan. Appealing to both genders, the fragrance opens with rich floral notes of rose, petitgrain, bergamot, shiso and pink pepper; while the heart is composed of headier florals such as ylang ylang, jasmine and guaiacwood, with hints of sandalwood, vertiver, patchouli and myrrh to end.

The Rōzu Eau de Parfum is available in a 50ml glass bottle, encased in an elegant box featuring an image from Perriand’s personal photographic archives.

The post Introducing Aesop’s New Unisex Fragrance, Rōzu Eau de Parfum appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

When you close your eyes and think of your favourite scent, what do you smell? Is it freshly cut grass; a burst of zesty citrus; a field full of lavender; or maybe even bread baking in the oven? Whatever it is, it's likely to be your favourite because it relaxes you. For centuries, ancient cultures have used fragrances and scented oils as a form of aromatherapy to soothe and relax stressed souls. In this sense, not much has changed. Today, we use scents in the form of candles, essential oils and incense to create a calm and relaxed ambiance at home. And since we're at home a fair bit at the moment, we thought it fitting to share our top seven luxury items to light up at home today.

The post The 7 Luxury Candles, Incense and Essential Oils We’re Burning at Home appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.