At once fresh, bold and modern, the Dior spring-summer 2022 ready-to-wear collection’s Diorarty boots and ballerina flats will brighten up any look. Created in the heart of the House’s Italian ateliers, this object of desire goes through several stages of production, in an echo of the excellence and craftsmanship so dear to Dior.

Depending on the model, the 1,000 to 3,000 rhinestones – in nine vibrant hues – are meticulously hand-applied one by one. Discover this virtuoso savoir-faire in pictures.

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Photo © ARR

Hublot has become a partner of the Polar Pod exhibition created by explorer Jean-Louis Etienne to study the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica. The mission will share data with the international scientific community gathered by a zero-emission ecological vessel. The Swiss watch manufacture is proud to support the world’s first expedition to explore the planet’s main oceanic carbon sink and a vast reservoir of marine biodiversity.

As part of its Hublot Xplorations program, the Swiss watchmaker has signed a new partnership with the Polar Pod expedition. The brainchild of French explorer Jean-Louis Etienne, this adventure will explore the waters of the ‘Furious Fifties’, so named for the Southern Ocean’s high winds and rough seas.

Designed to withstand extreme weather, the Polar Pod is a vertical vessel 100 meters high – with a draft of 80 meters – stabilized by 150 metric tons of ballast. It will drift with the Antarctic circumpolar current, which runs from west to east around Antarctica, and be powered by energy from six wind turbines.

Construction of the Polar Pod will begin in June 2022, with a launch date in late 2023. The exhibition will span three years until 2026.

The Southern Ocean captures 50% of the carbon dioxide absorbed by all the world’s oceans and constitutes a gigantic reservoir of marine biodiversity. Thanks to its powerful instruments, the Polar Pod will perform measures and observations of this remote part of the world and provide a continuous stream of data that the international scientific community is currently lacking. This data covers biodiversity, ocean current dynamics, the impact of human pollution and atmosphere-ocean interactions that regulate the climate.

Research using this data will be coordinated by the (French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in partnership with the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) and Ifremer, the French National Institute for Ocean Science. Scientists from 43 institutions and universities in 12 countries will be contributing to the research. The project includes educational outreach as well and will let students at schools follow the adventure through videos and exhibition.

Hublot’s participation is part of its Hublot Xplorations program, which counts three pillars: Space, with the design of components for the Space X Exomars Martian robot; Earth, with support for Sorai, a charity that protects rhinoceroses and other endangered animal species; and the Sea, with Anticythère and now the Polar Pod expedition.

This partnership with Jean-Louis Etienne celebrates Hublot’s maritime heritage and resonates with the source of the brand’s very name, embodying the Swiss Maison’s philosophy: “Be First, Different and Unique”.

Photos © ARR

Maison Krug has created a unique space for culinary experiences exclusively for the Voyage Samaritaine restaurant, inviting guests to discover exceptional pairings of music and food with Krug Champagne, bridging all the senses.

Krug has designed a private dining room fitted out like a music studio, nestled discreetly in the kitchens of the restaurant Voyage, a vibrant space for culinary experiences beneath the famed frescoes on the top floor of the Samaritaine, an icon of Art Nouveau and French art de vivre. Here, up to seven guests can enjoy a moment of pure epicurean delight, bridging gastronomy, music and champagne.

The experience begins with an intimate musical tasting, presenting the history and unique savoir-faire behind the Krug champagnes selected for the occasion. The tasting is a singular experience where each cuvée is paired with different melodies, enhanced by the superb acoustics created by Devialet.

The tasting can be followed by an equally exceptional lunch or dinner in a discreet room overlooking the kitchens of two-star chef and Meilleur Ouvrier de France Mathieu Viannay, along with Voyage Executive Chef Jimmy Elisabeth and Associate Chef Antony Dorland. The menu is a memorable immersive experience that discreetly awakens all the senses. Each trimester, the chef and his brigade conceive subtle and creative culinary offerings that pair perfectly with Krug Grande Cuvée 169ème Edition or Les Créations de 2006 (Krug 2006 and Krug Grande Cuvée 162ème Edition), each a distinctive celebration of the great 2006 vintage.

Krug Cellar Master Julie Cavil has worked closely with IRCAM, the French Institute for Acoustic and Musical Research, to pair champagnes with melodies and the tasting menu. The goal is to better understand how hearing, smell and taste interact. Each champagne can be perceived as a musical allegory to be savored thanks to exclusive menus with four or six compositions.

“Prestigious champagnes for exceptional moments” has always been the Krug promise. When Joseph Krug founded the Maison in 1843, his dream was to offer the very best champagne every year, regardless of year-to-year climate variations. More than 175 years after its first elixir was released, the Maison continues to fulfill this promise each year, creating the most generous expression of champagne with each new edition of Krug Grande Cuvée.

“My family has been defying conventions for centuries, which is why this non-conformist spirit lives on in everything we do today,” says Olivier Krug, the sixth generation of the Krug family to head the Maison.

For more information: KRUG STUDIO | Samaritaine (dfs.com)

Please enjoy responsibly.

© Adrien Dirand

Following more than two years of renovation, Maison Dior’s legendary hôtel particulier at 30 Montaigne has reopened its doors.

Dior collections have come to life in this building in the heart of Paris since 1946. The historic home of the revolutionary New Look has undergone a stunning metamorphosis and transformed into a place that is absolutely unique in the world, the embodiment of limitless possibilities.

This 10,000-square-meter Dior universe is not only an extraordinary store, but in addition welcomes a haute couture salon, a pastry café and the Monsieur Dior restaurant, with a menu featuring some of the founder’s favorite dishes. The architectural genius of Peter Marino has given 30 Montaigne two stunning gardens as well, one open to the exterior, the other in an enclosed glass area. Visitors can discover this fabulous space from March 6.