Fendi Opens Children’s Store in Kuwait City

Luxury brand Fendi has unveiled its first kids’ store in Kuwait City. The Fendi Kids Store, located in the Avenues Shopping Mall, is “an adorable and cosy space carrying collections from the newborn to kids.”

Fendi opened its first freestanding children’s store in Hong Kong in September 2011, and the concept has exploded around the world with boutiques in Rome, Prague, Jeddah, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and Doha having opened up. There are additional locations within the Harrods department store in London, at Paris’s Galeries Lafayette, and at Milan’s La Rinascente.

Children’s luxury is a growing sector. This September Canadian designers DSquared² are set to unveil their debut collection, while fellow Milanese label Roberto Cavalli already has a successful Junior line.

Gucci, Stella McCartney, Dolce & Gabbana and Burberry have also entered children’s wear as brands have recognized the value of dressing the next generation of luxury consumers as early as possible.

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Bentley and Vintage Team up for $1200 James Bond Book

Bentley Motors and Vintage Classics are partnering for a 500-copy limited run of James Bond debut “Casino Royale,” pricing the leather-cased copies at £750 (about $1200) apiece.

The Bentley link is in reference to James Bond’s affinity for the performance cars, and Random House furnishes the limited edition accordingly.

Its hand-bound beluga leather case comes from the same tannery as Bentley’s interiors, the metal spine is reminiscent of Bentleys tread plates, and a secret compartment hides a set of playing cards.

The Bentley edition of “Casino Royale” is to go on sale from November 1, with orders being taken via telephone numbers available from Fleming’s official website.

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Aston Martin to relaunch Lagonda brand

Lagonda, the sportscar company bought by Aston Martin some 66 years ago, is to get a new lease of life as its parent company looks to boost sales and break into other premium car markets.

Speaking to Drive, Aston Martin’s CEO, Dr. Ulrich Bez, said: “I am confident in the future we will see a Lagonda on the road,” but indicated that the first new cars to carry Lagonda branding probably won’t be making an appearance for at least five years.

Aston Martin has been toying with the idea for some time and in 2009 showcased a Lagonda concept SUV at the Geneva Motor Show (pictured above). However, that was when the company was still under Ford’s ownership and had unfettered access to the US automaker’s parts bins and R&D facilities.

Since regaining its independence, Aston Martin has struggled in the face of increasing competition from Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, McLaren and Mercedes and its most recent accounts show that while the rest of the motoring industry is in rude health, it actually made a loss over the past 12 months.

Aston needs to reinvigorate its line-up and it needs to innovate if it is to continue to compete with the best of the rest, and a partnership with Mercedes Benz AMG, is a very big step in the right direction. Breaking into the growing luxury SUV market seems to be another key step to profitability.

Let’s hope for Aston Martin’s sake that the resulting car is nothing like the last Lagonda-branded vehicle the company built.

The Aston Martin Lagonda, which launched in 1974 (immediately after coming out of bankruptcy) was throughout its 16-year lifespan the world’s most expensive production car. As well as being one of the most costly cars ever built, it was also one of the most technologically advanced, using TV screens rather than dashboard dials and a computerized engine management system.

As such it was incredibly unreliable and thanks to the complexities of the construction process took up to three years to reach each perspective owner.

In all, just 645 were produced and during that time the car won a host of unwanted accolades including an appearance on the Time magazine list of “The 50 Worst Cars of All Time.”

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Victoria Beckham wants to create fashion empire

Victoria Beckham, the one-time pop star who is now one of the most courted designers at the upcoming New York Fashion Week, says she has even bigger plans for her eponymous brand.

“I want to get bigger and bigger,” the former Spice Girl told the New York Times ahead of the unveiling of her spring-summer 2014 collection during fashion week. ”I absolutely want an empire.”

Beckham, who was once only famous for her stint as Posh Spice and as the wife of David Beckham, has come into her own since her first runway show in New York in 2008 took the fashion world by surprise.

Beckham designs clothes she would want to wear herself, from chic, ultra-flattering dresses to her current fall line of masculine-influenced coats and body-skimming skirts and trousers.

She has also branched out into sunglasses, handbags and denim, and her main Victoria Beckham label is expanding rapidly in Asia.

Beckham has also created a new, more-affordable diffusion line, Victoria, which is more casual and colorful to appeal to a younger market. ”I want to reach as many women throughout the world as I can.”

“There are more categories that I want to enter into. I have five categories at the moment. But at some point I would love to do shoes, I would love to do fragrance, I would love to do makeup, I would like to do underwear. There are so many things I want to do.”

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Giorgio Armani stars in his own campaign

The famous Italian designer has decided to cast and photograph himself in an advert for his bespoke tailoring line. While he doesn’t seem too camera shy, like most designers, Giorgio Armani has in the past usually chosen someone else to model his clothes.

This time around though, the 79-year-old billionaire designer has chosen to steal the limelight for his new Made-to-Measure campaign, appearing in a black and white shot that he took himself.

“I like the idea of being its testimonial, wearing a jacket and a tie and presenting myself with a different image from the one people normally associate me with,” Armani told WWD.

Launched in 2006, the bespoke Made-to-Measure is focussed on what Armani calls “sartorial attention”. The campaign launches later this month alongside a new dedicated website which will allow customers to book tailoring appointments and explore the fabric, cut and finish options on the clothes.

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Kate Hudson launches fitness fashion line

American actress Kate Hudson has cofounded a new fitness fashion line that launched Tuesday in partnership with shopping website JustFab.

Fabletics is said to be inspired by the star’s own personal wardrobe and active lifestyle. Hudson is reportedly a fan of Pilates, spinning, and yoga.

“The most exciting part about cofounding this line is creating looks and pieces for every woman and every body type; things women can feel good in all day,” Hudson said. “At Fabletics, we believe all women should be able to have hip styles and amazing quality at prices that won’t break the bank.”

Fabletics’ pieces include workout essentials such as sports bras, shorts, leggings, and tanks. The collection focuses on easy-to-wear layering pieces, such as jackets and hoodies, “buttery soft” tees and long-sleeved tops, cardigan wraps, and scarves. Items ship to the US and Canada only.

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Lara Stone named the new face of L’Oreal Paris

Just ahead of turning 30, the Dutch supermodel has joined the prestigious ranks of international beauty icons representing L’Oréal Paris.

With her perfect figure, intense gaze, and immediately recognizable smile, Lara Stone has a distinctive beauty that has appealed to fashion and beauty brands across the board.

Over the course of a few years, the young mother has emerged from the ranks of fashion models to become a true style icon, so it’s no surprise that L’Oréal Paris has chosen her as the face of its next makeup, skincare and hair care product campaigns.

“Lara is a true modern icon. Her sensual, edgy, and rebellious beauty has made her as strong as she is talented. And nonetheless, she remains sincere, real, sensitive and funny. I love her iconoclastic style, which makes her stand out on all the runways” said Cyril Chapuy President of L’Oréal Paris International.

Stone has thus joined the elite group of the French brand’s ambassadors, including Doutzen Kroes, Eva Longoria, Inès de la Fressange, Beyoncé, and Freida Pinto.

Discovered at age 12, Lara Stone has walked the runways for some of the world’s most prestigious fashion labels, including Chanel, Prada, 

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