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ICONS, WHAT’S HOT, AND WHERE TO HANG
QUALITY TIME
KEEP IT CONSTANT
DIOR HAUTE COUTURE PASSAGE NO2
NURTURE ART
TEXT MATT MORLEY
Getting childishly excited about watches is nothing to be ashamed of, even if it’s a model explicitly intended for the opposite sex. Dior’s Haute Couture range might just be the most formidable selection of female wristwatches to emerge onto the haute horlogerie scene in the past year and, as such, deserves universal appreciation. Status-driven buyers will be attracted to Dior’s couture associations and the use of prominent precious stones on the case, but there is enough here to impress fashion aficionados and watch connoisseurs too; which is where the watch earns its price tag. Designed in Paris at the legendary Dior headquarters on Avenue Montaigne before being made in Switzerland by a small team of master craftsmen, the five watches in this series were inspired by actual couture dresses from the Dior history books. And true to their name, they are each entirely unique, once-off pieces that guarantee exclusivity to the wearer. The prettiest of the pack is arguably No 2 with its white gold case and 4.2 carats of baguette rubies that create a subtle ridging effect along the bezel and shoulders connecting case to strap. On the main dial is a spellbinding interplay of delicate white
As the saying goes, time stops for no man, and with this QLOCKTWO typographic face clock from Ligne Roset, you won’t want it to. An LED light that automatically adjusts to ambient lighting will spell out the time for you, and the body is available in seven different colours of polished synthetic glass. (011) 706 9961
TEXT MICHELLE CONSTANT
mother-of-pearl with tiny diamonds and sapphires to create a spiraling milky way that neatly mimics the clockwise rotation of the hour and minute hands. A diamond-set crown marks the midpoint between the front and rear of the case with a generous splash of sparkle, while the transparent sapphire crystal case-back reveals an automatic movement with an oscillating weight decorated with yet more
of those whirling diamonds and sapphires. Most watches designed for women today are still quartz-driven, even at the upper end of the market, yet Dior have boldly opened up their case-back to expose the watch’s inner workings and brought in Zenith, one of the top manufactures in the business, to provide the watch movement. This is a real treat for any woman frustrated by the assumption that a Made in Japan quartz battery is going to provide the same level of satisfaction as a Swiss made self-winding alternative that depends upon the wearer for its energy source. Finishing off the power-dressing ensemble is a purple satin strap that has been painstakingly hand-pleated to echo the detailing of a chiffon ball gown. A superlative example of haute couture horlogerie if ever there was one.
Case: 33mm, white gold with rubies Features: 72 rubies, 105 sapphires, 207 diamonds Movement: automatic Elite calibre, made by Zenith Price: R720 000 Distributor: Picot & Moss, (011) 669 0500, www.picotandmoss.co.za
THE HOUSE OF LOUIS VUITTON TEXTILE COLLECTION HAS CONJURED UP TWO EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS FOR AUTUMN/WINTER 2011. PARTNERING WITH SURREALIST COLLAGE ARTIST FRANCOIS CADIERE, THE EDEN SILK SCARF OFFERS US AN ENTICING GLIMPSE OF BERLIN THROUGH PATTERNS INSPIRED BY CADIERE’S EXPERIMENTS WITH PAPER AND THE STREET ART THAT EMBELLISHES THE CITY. PARSONS DESIGN SCHOOL GRADUATE MARC JACOBS HAS ADDED HIS TOUCH TO THE LATEST COLLECTION OF CLASSIC LOUIS VUITTON SCARVES IN THE FORM OF A DETACHABLE BOW AND FUN POM-POMS. WWW.LOUISVUITTON.COM
As I write this, I am staring out over hazy mountains and dusty valleys. In the distance a lion is roaring; the sun is edging over a rocky outcrop and a bird with a blue belly has just glided by. I’m at a game reserve, Bongani Mountain Lodge, on the border of the Kruger National Park, and I have to admit, life doesn’t get much better than this. (Although perhaps seeing the lion the night before was even better.) As part of our trip to the lodge, we also visited an art collective in the nearby village, Lupisi. The collective can be found a few streets away from the Bright Future Women’s Club, and it shares space with the local spaza shop. The walls are crowded with painted works by the artists who paint in a style reminiscent of the African Barber Shop posters found throughout Africa. Painted on both hardboard and canvas, the works draw from different inspirations: photographic images of political and musical icons, and the landscapes and wildlife in the area. Tables, chairs and vases made from wire by a crafter in the collective make an interesting creative collection, and deserve to be seen further. Herein lies the challenge for the artists. They need to find ways of marketing their work, of having access to buyers, and importantly, of developing and growing their talent. I use the word challenge, but this is more of a problem, and one not easily solved. The cool morning breeze has just blown helicopter-like seeds from a tree that could be found in a Japanese print. Down in the valley there’s a herd of elephants, and the diversity of shapes and colours in the bush are enough to give Dutch trendsetter Li Edelkoort something to write home about. Likewise the shapes, colours and designs offered by that small collective deserve mention. After all, if we are seriously going to grow our creative economy we need to get back onto the road and into the journey. There’s still plenty to discover, see and nurture in this beautiful country we call home.
For information on the co-operative call Raymond, 071 495 4463 Michelle Constant is the CEO of Business and Arts SA (BASA) and presenter of SAfm Lifestyle (Saturdays 9am-12pm) 49 JULY 2011, WANTED