Archive for the 'Villae International 4' Category

A master of form and function, Starck is like an alchemist. With the mind of an alchemist, he sees what others cannot – conjuring up images, shapes and dimensions that dazzle the senses.

For over 30 years, Philippe Starck has been defying the boundaries of imagination and creativity, redefining shapes, textures, materials and the way we use space. A leading figure of the New Design movement, his name ranks along the likes of Raymond Loewy, Henry Dreyfus and Christian Dior of influential designers who helped shape the post-war era. But Starck’s influence continues into the 21^st century, where he stands amongst Jean-Paul Gaultier and Damien Hirst as the pioneer of a new era.
Continue reading…Philippe Starck – The world re-imagined…

The five-star deluxe hotel voted one of the UK’s Top 5 Business Hotels by Condé Nast in its Traveller Reader Awards finds itself within the very essence of Knightsbridge, where sophisticated eateries, grand boutiques and the likes of Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols, Chanel and Prada raise refinement to new levels of enjoyment.

Continue reading…Jumeirah Carlton Tower – Modern opulence in the heart of London…

Djemaa El Fna – when Marrakech’s iconic square awakes at dusk and transforms into an oriental bedlam, the full stretch of all senses is required. Snake charmers, storytellers, musicians and street entertainers are the actors on this magical stage that is accompanied by the fragrance of numerous food and spice stalls. Marrakech, a city of exotic beauty and enchantment, is the ideal starting point for a sojourn into the thrilling contrasts of Morocco’s Great South.Continue reading…Morocco’s Deep South…

Paris: City of Light, beacon of romantics and capital of fashion and elegance. Yes, this beautiful city is all these things, but much more besides. More profound than the sum of its famous parts, such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe or Champs Elysées, Paris is a city of many layers, its history and present intertwined in a rich mosaic of beauty, grandeur, passion and sorrow. To truly discover Paris is as great an endeavour as to tame a wilderness or scale a giant peak.

Like most great cities Paris is a place of clichés. Do the great monuments, sights and romantic aura of cinema, fiction and travel brochures hold true? Yes, Paris is not one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations for nothing; go out and marvel at the elegant buildings, walk the broad boulevards, visit the museums, soak in the café society and be seduced by those chic shops. This city has it all to offer; just don’t think you can come to grips with a place as big and as fascinating as this in one visit. To unravel the many layers that truly make up Paris takes an understanding borne out of many years of experience – some even say a lifetime.Continue reading…Paris – City of enlightenment…

The Giorgetti Company is an exclusive manufacturer of finely crafted furniture in the finest of Italian tradition. Founded in 1898 in the little northern Italian town of Meda, this family business is in many ways typical of its genre, with much emphasis placed on the workmanship, design, quality and tradition that has brought forth a well-respected name, and that typifies furniture houses in this segment of the market.

Such descriptions create a picture of painstakingly made classical antiques and decorative pieces by a company whose spirit seems to belong to another era, but while Giorgetti qualifies on all traditional scores for bespoke quality, design, craftsmanship and the tradition that comes with a longstanding name in top quality furniture, this is a company very much at the forefront of design and technology.

A look at Giorgetti’s broad range of products confirms this more strongly than any description could, for this is most definitely a stylish designer collection of our times. Modern quality and style ooze off the lush sofas, tables, chairs, desks and cabinets that form the backbone of the company’s product range, solid in their dimensions and strength yet sensual and light in their design.

Continue reading…Giorgetti – When architects design furniture…

For most of us, the search for perfection is an unremitting one. No matter how well we perform, there’s always a higher standard that’s just outside of our grasp and, even when we do reach the dizziest heights of our careers for a few awe-inspiring moments, there’s an inevitable tumble back down from complete greatness. It’s always with an air of amazement, therefore, that I meet people or clans who have not only been at the very top of their professions for years and years, but actually helped to redefine the very parameters of their craft.Continue reading…The Roux – When Greatness Runs in the Family…

The past 15 years have seen a revival of small engineering firms specialised in making state-of-the-art sports cars – some even reviving great racing names such as Bugatti and Ascari. Among the finest of these mostly British, Italian, German and French marques, comes a manufacturer of sumptuous bespoke sports cars: Spyker.Continue reading…Spyker – The ultimate statement of bespoke individuality…