Jeff Koons BMW Art Car Debuts at Art Basel in Miami Beach

Artist Jeff Koons and model Karolína Kurková unveiled Koons’ BMW Art Car, the M3 GT2 race car on December 4th, the night of the opening day of Art Basel in Miami Beach. The debut happened during a BMW reception in the Miami Beach Botanical Garden where Koons and Marc Spiegler, Director of Art Basel spoke.

“I always enjoyed the Art Cars – Warhol’s Car, Roy Lichtenstein’s car, Stella’s, Calder’s – all the cars have always been fantastic. I just wanted to participate. The art world is like a family and I wanted to also be involved in this dialogue of designing an Art Car. Today I’m proud that this car is there alongside their work too,” Koons said.

To see the Jeff Koons’ BMW Art Car in person, visit the Miami Beach Botanical Garden until December 8. This is also a fantastic opportunity to catch the iconic Andy Warhol BMW on display in Art Basel’s Collectors Lounge. The pop art icon painted a BMW M1, pictured below, that raced in the 24-hour race at Le Mans in 1979.

The Blakes Hotel, London

Close your eyes and repeat this phrase. I will leave London and travel the world without getting on a plane. Now, open your eyes and if you find yourself in front of the unassuming dark façade of the Blakes Hotel, you’ve come to the right destination. Burgeoning onto the scene in 1978, Blakes was the first official boutique hotel in the world, when couture furnishings and personalized details were clearly not the norm. Hiring master designer Anouska Hempel to bring character and charisma to the hotel allowed Blakes to pave the way for boutique hospitality. After a recent refurbishment, the hotel evokes an East meets West sentiment, narrating Hempel’s journeys through locales such as Turkey, China, Indonesia, Italy, India and Russia. The voyage begins in the exotically designed reception leading you through an urban retreat comprising of 47 spectacularly chic rooms, a small intimate bar, a charming private terrace and an eclectic, critically acclaimed restaurant. This is not just a hotel, that depiction alone diminishes the extravagance, stunning composition and stylish theatricality of Blakes. It is an experience, an oasis, an escape.

The furniture, linens, artifacts, accessories and color schemes illustrate Ms. Hempel’s eccentric global perspective. The ethnic art and thoughtful arrangement of the individually themed suites personifies tiny anecdotes of her experiences, encouraging guests to indulge in the imaginative wonder of travel. The dramatic setting of the Library Room epitomizes British heritage, while the Cardinal Room embodies a rich brick red and luminous gold sanctuary of Italian luxury. Although you can not see in the far off distance a white sand beach with waves crashing onto the shore, a stay in the ethereal Corfu suite will ensure your imagination takes you there.

With loyal clientele such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke and some of London’s most elite socialites, Blakes offers isolation from the paparazzi and a departure from the ordinary. The ingenuity of design, attention to detail and devotion to the guests’ experience catapulted Blakes’ status among the A-list and its reign as the “Couture” hotel in London has never faltered.

Escaping the hustle and bustle of the London city life often requires research, preparation, plane tickets, car services and train journeys, contrasting the allure and essence of the term holiday. With Blakes there is no complicated mode of transportation or elaborate scheme to get away, just a simple skeleton key – the passport opening to the door to your next voyage.

The Blakes Hotel
33 Roland Gardens
South Kensington
London
SW7 3PF
www.blakeshotels.com

Maserati Celebrates 100 Years

Maserati, the iconic Italian sports and luxury car brand, is planning a series of activities to celebrate its first 100 years across all of its major world markets which will culminate in the official Maserati gathering in Modena September 19-21, 2014.

Over 250 classic Maseratis will be expected at the event which will include track races, processions and history lessons. Some of the marque’s greatest-ever creations will also go on display at the The Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari at a special exhibition also scheduled for the second half of 2014.

The exhibition at the Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari is only possible because the car company is currently owned by Fiat — Ferrari’s parent company. Back when Maserati was in its racing pomp, the two marques were huge rivals.

Maserati opened its doors for business in Bologna, Italy, on December 1, 1914, led by Alfieri Maserati and two of his brothers, Ettore and Ernesto. And although it was focused on mechanical innovation and technology, it took the company 12 years to build its first car, but what a car it was.

The Tipo 26 beat all comers on its way to clinching victory at the Targa Florio and Indianapolis 500 and managing nine Formula One wins. In fact, its racing pedigree was greater and stronger than that of its closest rivals, Alfa Romeo and later, Ferrari.

And, like its rivals it also moved from the track to the road, and in 1947 launched its first passenger car, the A6 Grand Tourer, which although delightfully styled, was much slower than its Italian contemporaries.

However, the car that cemented Maserati’s place in road car history was the original Quattroporte, which in 1963 was the world’s first four-door luxury sports tourer. The same decade saw Maserati taken over by Citroen and entering the supercar fray with one epically designed car after another, from the Indy to the Bora and the Khamsin.

But Citroen sold the company to De Tomaso in 1975 and its fortunes hit the skids. It wasn’t until Fiat bought the brand in 1993 that it enjoyed a renaissance that it’s still undergoing today, thanks in no small part to serious financial investment and access to Ferrari, Fiat and Alfa Romeo technologies.

Maserati’s centenary celebrations will officially begin with the release of an official Centennial book “Maserati – A Century of History”, which goes on sale Friday.

The Maserati Centennial Logo. The new centennial logo was introduced yesterday as part of the centennial celebration. Two new sedans, the flagship Quattroporte and mid- size Ghibli, were also introduced in honor of the automakers hundredth year.

Personal Art Collections of KAWS, Jeff Koons & More

The New York Times’ T Magazine takes a look inside of today’s most popular artists, showing how their personal art collections connections with their personality. Above, KAWS’ lonely “Companion” figure is informed by the absurd, folksy drawings of R. Crumb and the mystic, psychedelic illustrations of Tadanori Yokoo. “I’m like a cat lady, but with drawings and paintings,” says Brian Donnelly, the 39-year-old artist known as KAWS. While below, Jeff Koons’ large balloon-esque steel sculptures work may seem innately childish, yet are somehow based in more sexual work by Picasso and Magritte. “I think art is about transcendence and consciousness, making connections to things in the world,” Koons says. The full feature can be found over on T Magazine’s site.

Radiant Orchid Named Pantone Color of the Year for 2014

Pantone, the global color authority and provider of professional color standards, unveiled its pick for the ‘color of the year’ for 2014, meet ‘radiant orchid’.

“A dazzling attention-getter, Radiant Orchid permeated the runways during the spring 2014 fashion shows and is already making its way onto the red carpet,” says the company. “Variations of this hue will carry into men’s and women’s clothing and accessories throughout next year.”

And there’s added excitement. On Thursday Pantone is due to unveil its first ever clothing line, the Universe Colorwear men’s wear collection. The sporty, European made pieces will get their debut at the Barneys Miami store, right as Art Basel Miami Beach is in full swing.

The line will include a range of men’s t-shirts, tanks, pants, shorts, sweaters, hoodies, jackets, accessories and swimwear. There are currently no plans to launch the products for women.

Pantone has previously applied its block color swatches to a range of watches, teapots and its famed coffee mugs. The clothing line will appear in other retailers from February onwards.

Marc Jacobs on Leaving Louis Vuitton: “I’m a Little Scared”

Designer Marc Jacobs seemed fairly confident in his decision to leave Louis Vuitton in order to concentrate on his namesake label. However, in talking with Peter Marino, Jacobs confides that he’s a bit scared:

“Actually, I’m a little scared. I mean it wouldn’t be me if I sat here and pretended to be super confident about everything. There’s a kind of healthy fear that I have – it’s how I operate. On a good day I believe it’s going to be amazing and on a bad day I think I need that other place to hide. But anyway, today I’m in a good place. I think it’s going to be great. I guess there’s a plus and minus to doing the Marc Jacobs Louis Vuitton thing. I loved it and I’ve learnt a lot from living in Paris. I don’t know what the future will be and I’m just sort of like lets see, lets see how it goes.” – read more.

Cara Delevingne and Friends for La Perla Lingerie

After the sneak preview via Instagram (first photo below), Cara Delevingne’s spring/summer 2014 La Perla campaign is revealed for the first time in full, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott with styling by Ludivine Poiblanc. The campaign for the Italian lingerie brand also features fellow models Liu Wen and Malgosia Bela.

Undoubtedly the “it girl” of the moment, Cara Delevingne has appeared in campaign after campaign throughout the year. In recent months, she posed for Pepe Jeans, Fendi, DKNY, and Mulberry.

See inside Barry Bonds’ 17,000 Square Foot Mansion

Former major league baseball slugger Barry Bonds has placed his 17,100 square foot mansion on the market for $23.5 million. Baseball’s all-time home run king bought the Beverly Hills property in 2002 for $8.7 million.

The enormous residence sits on almost two acres of land. It was designed by architect Robert Sinclair, mixing modern technology with old World Tuscan charm.

The home features Venetian plaster, custom moldings, vaulted ceilings, and limestone and Italian travertine flooring. There are also custom fish tanks, a music room, a wine room, a full gym, a steam shower, an elevator, and a movie theater sporting hand-painted Trompe L’oeil murals. Outside you’ll find a pool, a basketball court, a guesthouse, and a six-car garage.