Shoe designer Manolo Blahnik takes inspiration from Italian architecture

SINGAPORE (Mar 25): Manolo Blahnik invites you to put a spring in your step this season with a new collection that pays tribute to the art and architecture of Milan. In particular, he is inspired by the graphic wall and hallway designs of Giuseppe Roberto Martinenghi, the architect responsible for many of the buildings in Milan.

Blahnik reinterprets these designs with monochrome polka dots paired with bold red patent edging. The Villa Necchi Campiglio’s walnut ceilings, walnut parquetry and heavy sliding doors inspired designs on pumps, sandals and mules.

Blahnik also found inspiration in Anna Piaggi, the Italian fashion editor of women’s magazine Arianna in the 1960s, then Vogue Italia in the 1980s. In his spring 2019 collection, he pays tribute to her by using her love of bold monochrome styles on his shoes. Feast your eyes on the rest of the collection at Galleria Level, B1-80A, Marina Bay Sands and Takashimaya.

Italian style

mute

Stefano Ricci, a leading brand in luxury menswear and lifestyle, has opened its flagship store in Singapore at the Marina Bay Sands. The Stefano Ricci collection consists of a wide range of menswear such as suits, dress shirts, jeans, polo shirts, casual wear and neckties. You can also select matching cufflinks and leather goods for the suits. Founded in 1972, the brand has expanded to include the SR Home collection, which features crystal dinner ware, silverware, linens and leather home accessories. Check out the full collection at Galleria Level, B1-77A/78, Marina Bay Sands.

New Carrera

For the latest interpretation of its elegant Carrera sports watch range, Swiss manufacturer TAG Heuer introduces a brand-new development: the carbon composite hairspring. Building on the innovative Carrera Heuer 02T, which was launched with much fanfare in 2016, the new iteration has a blacked-out titanium case with a carbon bezel decorated in hexagon motifs — a reference to the patented hairspring’s nanoscopic hexagonal structure that is not visible to the naked eye. Another distinguishing feature is its multi-layer dial and movement display, visible through the openworked dial. Bright neon green accents add a sporty element to the otherwise cool monochromatic tone.

Reaching for excellence

The new Montblanc Explorer is a fragrance for adventurous men who thrive on challenges, be they climbing a mountain or travelling the four corners of the world. Only the finest ingredients sourced globally are used, including Bergamot from Italy, Vetiver from Haiti and Patchouli from Indonesia.

Looking back

The Art Deco style of the Arceau timepiece by Hermès designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978 lives on in this new iteration that has been crafted from mother-of-pearl marquetry and set with diamonds. On the dial is a moving heart that is a reinterpretation of the H déco pattern of Hermès’ porcelain tableware, which is a blackand- white motif inspired by the ironwork adorning the boutique on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. There are two stunning versions: The black version is set with gemset hoops and the white version is paved with 432 diamonds. The watch runs on a mechanical self-winding Manufacture Hermès movement.

Saddle up

Almost two decades after the Saddle bag first appeared at Dior’s Spring 2000 ready-to-wear show, the French brand has come up with a version for men that continues to pay homage to the world of equestrianism. Kim Jones, artistic director of Dior menswear, adorns the bag with a wide jacquard strap woven with the “Christian Dior” signature and an industrial-inspired gilt metal CD-logo buckle, specially developed by designer Matthew Williams. Jones’ saddle bag, a cool accessory for those who want to make an impression, is fashioned from handcrafted grain leather enhanced with white topstitching for impact.