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Solus Per Aqua – pamper that bod
SPA is the acronym for these Latin words, which actually translate as ‘enter by means of water’ and have been interpreted usually to mean ‘health through water’. The Spas today offer the best traditions of a Finnish sauna, a Turkish hamam and borrow heavily from every other suitable technique from yoga, ayurveda, Swedish message to other oriental gems. The list of World’s Best Spas in 2008 by Travel + Leisure and the Condé Nast Traveller Challenger’s top 26 Spa destinations in the world feature various global Spas with Asia hogging the top spots. Strangely South Africa, which has some of the finest hotels in the world, did not make the grade in the Spa category. Meher Castelino made a journey to South Africa and discovered a Spa haven. There is a Spa tucked away in every resort, be it a game reserve, a vineyard or a casino. She tells Newsvision readers about what she saw.
 An exclusive report by Meher Castelino from South Africa, for Newsvision
South Africa may be known for its safari trails but not many are aware that it is also famous for the many spas that dot this country where the most relaxing and opulent beauty treatment and massages can be had. That was surprising since South Africa is already big in the field of medical tourism and a favored destination for the rich and famous on the beauty trail. Some of world’s best plastic surgeons are found here. South Africa offers a wide choice in Spas, depending on the type of spa location one wants to revel in, right from a safari location to a casino and even a vineyard.
Safari Spa
In the Limpopo region, which is a pleasant three hour drive from Johannesburg, is the huge Mabula Private Game Reserve owned by our very own millionaire and politician, Vijay Mallya. Mabula, spread over 12,000 hectares of some of the most wonderful and scenic wild country side, is a haven for safari lovers. The twice daily drives into the wilderness provide a ring side view to a panorama of animals including the Big Five, as well as spectacular bird watching, camping, star gazing and flora checking.
 But it is the spa at Mabula that offers the most relaxing treatment for the whole body and mind and the treatments could just turn you into a new person on the outside. Not to forget, you need to have the luxury of spare time for this indulgence.
We didn’t have many hours to pamper ourselves, what with two daily safaris spent chasing the lions and elephants. But in between the three wonderful days we spent in the very rustic thatched roof cabins that dotted the picturesque grounds of the Mabula reserve; we rushed to the Mabula Health and Beauty Centre for some much needed quick rejuvenation fixes.
The massage menu was extensive and exhaustive but there were many permutations and combinations we could choose from. The relaxing Body treatments included options like Swedish, Aromatherapy, Hot stone and sports massages each of these can be had in the 30 or 60 minutes time limit and divided into back, neck and shoulders or full body. 
We wanted to try the Theranaka African Full Body Nuggets massage (60 minutes) and the Theranaka African Body Mud Wrap (90 minutes) but time was a discouraging factor. Some of us tried the Aloe Gel Wrap (90 minutes) though many loved the dry Indian head massage for a quick 30 minutes. Adding some New Age treatment like Reiki (70 minutes) Lymph draining (90 minutes) and Reflexology (40 minutes); the spa gave a variety of options. The products used were by RVB (Research Value Beauty and Lillian Terry International). Other regular beauty treatments like Facials (60-90 minutes), eye masks, back treatment, manicure, pedicure, waxing were all there for the asking.
Our blond friend Natasha from Denmark decided to have her eye brows and lashes tinted (R 50 – R 90) and there was a slimming and Cellulite offer for R 400.
There were many who were not exactly lovers of the outdoor safari and adventure but were there at the Mabula for the Relaxing beauty or Detoxing Packages which last for four and a half hours. These two packages include facials, massage, and eye treatment; manicure, a spa bath with African milk and African body mud wrap. Delicious, take my word.
 Casino Spa
For those who want to station themselves in Johannesburg, the Palazzo Hotel at Monte Casino has the Bliss Relaxation spa with Thai Treatment. Here the different items range from the packages like Absolute Bliss, Tip to Toe Royal Sawadee and Express De-stress. There are one hour bouquets like golf massage, Thai herbal hot compress, Thai yoga massage, Aromatic exfoliating body scrub and even a Thai cuisine and yoga lesson. Can you believe that! In most of the Thai massages there is no oil used and one is fully dressed in loose clothing, so those who want to rush back can do so without the tedium of having a bath after an oil massage. 
Vineyard Spa
For a really unusual spa one has to go to the Western Cape in Stellenbosch, the wine region. Here was a spa with a difference – in a vineyard! It was time to unwind at the Rosendal Winery and Wellness Centre started in 1805 where the Thera Vine aromatherapy oils worked wonders on us. The Guesthouse is a haven of serenity with a choice of eight elegant rooms located in the original Farm House and the new Manor House of the property. The facial oils made from herbal and Grape seed help to reduce Trans-epidermal water loss, thereby helping the skin’s elasticity. We had a choice of aromatherapy, hot stones, African wood massages and we lounged in the luxury of scented candles and soft music as the expert masseurs eased the tension from our bodies.
After the high emotion dramas at the Miss World 2008 pageant I attended at Johannesburg, this was rejuvenating.
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Audi defies meltdown in India
Audi India is out with its audits and has reported a sale of 1,050 units in 2008 as compared to 349 units in 2007 and half that in the previous year. The steady doubling and trebling of sale figures have thrilled the luxury German car maker, which, no wonder, has special offerings for the Indian buyers, and has expanded its presence in the country with the opening of another showroom in Mumbai. Benoit Tiers, Audi India MD, said, “The year 2008 has been an exciting time for Audi India as we not only have achieved, but exceeded our projected targets despite the overall slowdown in the automobile market.” Bring out the champagne. |
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"For luxury in India, the path is bumpy and long. You need size, experience and patience for the long haul."
- Mohan Murjani , Chairman Murjani Group which launched globally Gloria Vanderbilt jeans and Tommy Hilfiger and partners Gucci, Calvin Klein and Jimmy Choo in India.
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BMW India optimistic on Indian luxury car segment
 Peter Kronschnabl, President, BMW India Pvt Ltd, has affirmed his faith in the luxury car segment in the country and projected that it will pick up after the first quarter of 2009. During the press conference at the opening of the 12th dealership of BMW in the country at Kochi on 17th December, he reportedly said, “The high-end car market in India is less affected on account of the recession experienced worldwide even though there has been a slowdown in the market here. The customers are not affected by the slowdown and only sentiments are down, which will be revived by the second quarter next year.”
He pointed out that the total number of high-end cars sold in the country was 4,300 in 2007 and 7,000 in 2008. Of this, BMW has garnered a market share of 39 per cent in the luxury car segment. He added, “If the market comes back by next year, we will grow by 10 per cent,” he said. With its product range, the company aims to deliver 2,800 vehicles in India this year and the company had already retailed 2,703 cars till November.” He also said that the years 2007 and 2008 marked the most successful market entry for BMW in any country recently. The car maker plans to strengthen its dealer network by stepping into tier II markets of Ludhiana, Bhubaneshwar, Jaipur and Coimbatore by 2009 end. |
Rio Tinto’s new diamond deposit 
As per official reports from Madhya Pradesh Directorate of Geology and Mining, Rio Tinto Diamond, one of the largest producers of rough diamond, has discovered diamond deposits in Chhatarpur district of the state. Rio Tinto had put in around $ 25million and more than four years, in exploring and discovering the diamond deposits. The company has sought the mining lease from state government for running its commercial business in Chhatarpur. As per sources, Rio Tinto is the first in the last five years to have got prospecting license for diamond exploration in India.
As per sources, the Company expects 30 million carats of diamond deposit in Chhatarpur and the state government is hopeful of getting Rs 100 crore royalty from this project's commercial production. Reportedly DeBeers is also prospecting in the region for diamonds
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India yet a fledgling in the world of luxury
 A Merrill Lynch/Capgemini report reveals that in 2007 India had 123,000 millionaires, lowest among the emerging markets of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) countries. A Bain and Co report also states that luxury goods in India make up only just 0.4% of the overall retail market in comparison with China, where it has 2.7% share of the retail market. In view that Indian economy has seen a 9% growth over the past 3 years; the statistics of the luxury markets do not make sense. The reasons for this could be attributed to such factors as the undeveloped infrastructure with overpriced and unsuitable for luxury retail spaces, high import duties, cap on ownership in local units and even piracy. All this leads to a hike of almost 25% over the brands international retail price. The other reason which is posing a major challenge to the luxury brands, particularly the jewelry segment, is that Indians by temperament have a long-abiding suspicion of foreign brands. The brand has to offer value for money in terms of price, the offering and the total experience. Also Indian women prefer traditional jewelery and garments for special occasions. Claudia D’Arpizio, a partner with Bain and Co. in Milan, and author of a recent report on luxury, reportedly said, “India has a strong tradition in luxury apparel and jewellery so it should be easier to sell the concept. But the preference is for the intrinsic value of the jewellery rather than the brand, so a Cartier or a Tiffany’s will have a hard time cracking the market.” Nevertheless, the low count of millionaires is made up for by the emerging middle class, which is high on big spend. The Indian Government is also considering loosening the controls. D’Arpizio has predicted that India’s luxury market is likely to grow at an average annual rate of 25% over the next five years. Add to that the robust Indian economy even as the rest of the world teeters, a different story might emerge.
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Audi’s special offer for Indian customers
Audi, the German luxury car maker, has announced a special offer for its A6 range in India. The Indian customer gets zero per cent financing and an extended four years warranty. Benolt Tiers, Audi India MD, reportedly said, “We like to provide our customers with maximum benefits and ensure that they get the best value from us.” Audi’s A6 range includes four variants—2.8 FSI, 3.2 FSI quattro, 2.7 TDI and 3.0 TDI quattro. |
 Cartier demurs on expansion plans in India
Cartier, the luxury watches and jewelry maker finds the high import duties on luxury products an impediment in its expansion plans in India. Only recently Cartier has opened an outlet in India. Mr Patrick Normand, Managing Director, Cartier India and Middle East, is quoted to have said, “When you put all the duties and taxes, it comes to over 70 per cent for the company. We would much rather strengthen our presence in markets like West Asia and China.” Commenting on foreign direct investment, Mr Normand reportedly said, “We would like to have more opportunity in India. We have deeper interests to invest more in the country as the luxury market here is growing rapidly backed by a large number of high net worth individuals.”
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Louis Vuitton’s exclusive City Guides
Louis Vuitton City Guides is out with its 10th edition of the European Cities guide. The new edition is grouped together in nine booklets which come in a boxed set. Of the 32 cities featured inside according to geographical location, featured for the first time are Bucharest, Glasgow, Lausanne, Manchester, Palermo and Saint-Tropez. The 2009 releases also feature in individual volumes, five new cities—Miami, New York, Paris, Tokyo and Mumbai (plus Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur). Also thrown in are schematic city maps to help travelers find their way to the most exclusive addresses in town. Reportedly, Pierre Léonforté, editor-in-chief of the guides since 1998, says: “The City Guide is not about luxury shopping. It is a compilation of the very best addresses, at all price points, that we have found in a given city.” Also included are hotels, bars, restaurants, cafes, shops, museums, cultural attractions and must-see sights. |
Personalise your Rolex to your taste
Earlier this month, Bamford & Sons, the British ready-to-wear and accessories brand, launched a Bamford Watch Department Web site that allows customers to design and customize the details of their watch’s bracelet colors, dial indices, date color and write their own text on the watch’s face. They can check out the results of their creativity on a virtual watch on the website. This service is currently offered only the Rolex Submariner watch which starts at £5,500. |
World’s most expensive fabric
The fleece of the Vicuña Aymara will cost a cool Rs7.5 lakh per meter, leaving the Pashmina and now banned Toosh fabrics far behind. The steep price of the fabric, which is softer than cashmere, is for a number of reasons. Vicuñas live in the extremes of the high-altitude Altiplano region of the central Andes. The fiber of the vicuña fleece is only 12 microns in diameter, making it finer than cashmere. The Vicuñas can be shorn only once every two years in a chaccu, a tradition of fleecing the animal carefully and releasing it unharmed. The fabric takes more than five years to manufacture. To merely develop the fleece to an ideal yarn quality, the spinners of Holland and Sherry take more than 18 months. Fleece of five vicuñas are required to produce one jacket-length of Holland and Sherry fabric weighing 290g per meter. Interestingly, Digjam sells the fabric locally. |
Marc Jacobs for LV S/S 2009 Women’s collection
Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2009 Women’s Collection is brought to life by Marc Jacobs’ creativity with a new sexy line. The collection comprises cheerful pieces with short hemlines, striking colours, rich material, impeccable tailoring and glam accessories. Duchess satin was used for sharp shouldered jackets, which had python leather trimmings. A Japanese obi belt or a d’esprit lace at the back could be seen as outside influences. Bright colours like dark black, deep purple, yellow and green dominated the collection. Splashes of gold and silver add to the effect. Tailored shirts and jackets are worn over wide-legged, slouchy, high waisted pants. Notable is the use of ostrich feathers, decorative tribal patterns, animal printed accessories, tassels and wooden beads. |
Coach Spring Bags are the talk of the town
Coach Spring 2009 Women’s Collection has received a resounding response from the tasteful shopper. Brought out in three categories, Parker, Bonnie and Madison, the Parker series features bold pastel colours and brass and silver on tough looking shoulder bags, satchels and oversized bags. The Bonnie showcases Coach’s vintage appeal with a twist and offers new structured foldover convertible and crossbody bags as well as evening totes in leather and metallic fabrics. The Madison series has softer silhouettes for a more feminine appeal. |
Chanel resorts to retrenchment as luxury sales plunge
 The cracks are showing in the supposedly recession proof luxury market as reports of Chanel cutting 200 jobs, sent shudders down rue Cambon. Chanel, which recently shut down its much publicised Mobile Art exhibition in Central Park in New York, has suffered poor sales over the past year. CGT, the largest French union, said the losses at the French fashion label would concern all staff on fixed term and temporary contracts and come into effect on Wednesday. About sixteen jobs will get the pink slip in the brand’s boutique on rue Cambon in Paris. Reportedly, the last such crisis in Chanel occurred in 1939 when the war broke out and Coco Chanel had to fire all her staff.
Other major luxury brands are not far behind. Bulgari, the Italian jeweller, lost 44% of its third-quarter net profit, Prada in Milan put up sales posters and gave discounts, LVMH, which is the world leader among luxury goods, postponed the opening of its store in Tokyo.
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 Bugatti 57S in showroom condition after 50 years
A bag of gold in the barn is how one could describe the finding of a rare Bugatti supercar, 1937 57S Atalante, a limited edition (only 17 models made) two door sports coupe, owned by Harold Carr, an English surgeon from Newcastle, which sat in his garage untouched for fifty years until found by his nephew. After Carr’s death in 2007, the nephew was named beneficiary who found the car by chance when he cleared out the old garage. The Bugatti was one of the first super cars that could reach 130 mph (210 kmph) when most cars could only do 50 mph and was originally owned by British aristocrat and racing enthusiast Earl Howe, who was the first president of the British Racing Drivers' Club. It will be auctioned at the Retromobile Car Show and Sale being organised by Bonhams in Paris in February and is expected to fetch as much as € 6millions.
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Cartier Red Box
Cartier’s red, Morocco leather boxes may just be pill boxes but they are so identifiable with the brand that use it any which way, it remains truly a Cartier Red Box. These boxes, with gold lace borders on the surface and black velvet or white silk lining inside, were designed when the brand started out in Paris. Stack them any which way, they continue to remain an impeccable match to the classic jewelry of Cartier. |
Porsche buys into Volkswagen
Porsche, the German luxury sports car manufacturer, has purchased more than 50% of the shares of Volkswagen, which is Europe’s biggest car maker, with the intent to ‘increase its participation to 50.76% of the group’s capital compared with 42% before’. The Company eventually wants a 75% stake. |
Desirable luxury dreams for 2009
All that talk about small and fuel efficient cars and recession not withstanding, the world of luxury cars is geared for a dream offering in 2009. Keep those eyes and cheques peeled for Maserati Gran Turismo, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Bentley Azure T, Mercedes Benz SL550, for this year
2009 Maserati Gran Turismo S promises to be the fastest production model ever with a 4.7 V8 engine with 433 hp, a pickup 0-62 of 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 183 mph. Customise it to your taste and pick from a variety of eco-friendly Italian leathers with more options for the molding and colours. The S in the Gran Turismo stands for ‘speed’? Yes?
2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe is the ultimate in craftsmanship as usual. The exterior paint, available in 44,000 hues, is hand-finished between each layer and polished for five hours. All interior upholstery is checked by hand and eye for blemishes and infused with grace. For the Diva, the rear curved sofa is flanked with hand-crafted wooden fold-down trays and the ceiling has 1,600 stars (boulevard lights) that can be adjusted for brightness.
2009 Bentley Azure T is a four-seat convertible and has a twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 500 hp with a top speed of 179 mph and a 0-60 mph of 5.2 seconds. A touch-button, hydraulic powered, three-layer canvas roof, folds fast but not in the boot, which is large enough to hold two sets of golf clubs and hand luggage. Not to be missed is the iPod interface linked to the Infotainment system. Optional Naim for Bentley premium audio system features 10 speakers, a dual-channel sub-woofer and an 1100 watt amplifier
2009 Mercedes-Benz SL550 is high on creature comforts along with having a seven-speed V8 engine with 382 hp and 391 lb.-ft of torque in perfect balance. The music lover can relax with the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, 10 speakers (510 watt output), a slot for music memory cards and Bluetooth interface. You may download up to 4 GB of music to a memory card and slide it into the sound system. Best of all is the AIRSCARF, a heating system built into the driver and passenger seat headrests that circulates around the head and neck at the push of a button.
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Good Knight Sir John Galliano
As per a list of beneficiaries published on 1st January by the Government of France, John Galliano, designer for Christian Dior, has been appointed a chevalier of the French Legion of Honor. Time to bring out the champagne.
Designer Ted Lapidus dies of leukemia at 79
Ted Lapidus, the designer who has been accredited with democratizing fashion by making military gear a la mode, died of Leukemia on the French Riviera at the age of 79. The son of a Russian immigrant tailor, he opened his fashion house in 1958 at the age of 29. In the era when the hippy generation was high on flower power and peace signs, Lapidus presented his collection which was infused with military symbols like gold buttons, piping, epaulettes and four-button jackets. These became key elements of the Lapidus style and won a huge European following when the designer started mass production to reach out to the average consumer. This earned him the nickname ‘the designer of the streets’. Luminaries like Brigitte Bardot, Francoise Hardy and Twiggy have worn his designs, the last being the first to be dressed in a suit and tie. President Nicolas Sarkozy paid homage to Lapidus as “the poet of high fashion.” His legacy will be taken forward by his son Olivier Lapidus.
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The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper Collection for Dorothy
The Warner Brothers are celebrating the 70th anniversary of their classic movie, The Wizard of Oz. As part of the celebration, an in-store event ‘The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper Collection’, was held in September 2008 at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City, which officially launched the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Seen on the runway were many an interpretations of Dorothy’s red shoe by the geniuses like Alberta Ferretti, Christian Louboutin, Diane von Furstenberg, Giuseppe Zanotti, Jimmy Choo, Gwen Stefani, Manolo Blahnik, Moschino, Oscar de la Renta, Roger Vivier, Sergio Rossi, Christian Louboutin, Stuart Weitzman, Mui-Miu and more. Dorothy has now a lot more to pick from.
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Replica worn by Judy Garland in "Wizard of Oz" |
Alberta Ferretti |
Giuseppe Zanotti |
Moschino |
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Mui-Miu |
Manolo Blahnik |
Stuart Weitzman |
Jimmy Choo |
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Alexander Mc Queen |
Christian Louboutin |
Sergio Rossi |
StellaMcCartney |
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A pod on a tree - the Yellow Treehouse in New Zealand
The New Zealand Yellow Pages hired architects Peter Eising and Lucy Gauntlett of Pacific Environments Architects Ltd for a restaurant project appropriately called The Yellow Treehouse Restaurant. This restaurant is built around the stem of a tree in a redwood near Warkworth in New Zealand. The structure is suspended 10 meters above the ground and can be accessed by a ramp. |
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Gabriel turntable for those rare vinyl records
Angelis Labor, an Italian company, has designed a super duper turntable named Gabriel. The record player is a magnetic suspension constructed by overlapping bronze over aluminum and can be customized with up to four arms. The turntable system is composed of three parts- the table and base for one to four arms, the 13-inch arm, and the cartridge. Manufactured in an Italian Ferrari parts manufacturing factory, the Gabriel will be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this month and could cost between $27,000 and $64,000.
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Lifting luxury above the turmoil
 Walking through Indian luxury’s ‘hautest’ destination – DLF’s Emporio Mall – I couldn’t but marvel at rich glitz and warm elegance of the mall. This could certainly be the luxury address in any capital city be it Tokyo, Paris, London or New York. My reverie was however broken by near absence of buyers and proliferating notices of sales and discounts. Overburdened with stock and a lackluster footfall and conversions, some of the world’s most powerful luxury brands thought nothing of ‘price-off’ schemes even on opening day and in-season. Some blamed the terrorist strikes and the economic slowdown for consumer sentiment and excess stock. Wasn’t luxury billed as a ‘recession-proof’ industry? This is certainly only the top layer. There seemed to be issues of the appropriateness of product in the Indian context. And then Indian designers seemed to have been thrown into an ‘attic floor’ to play second fiddle to the main drama. A number of tenants also complained of ‘mile-high’ rentals totally out of proportion in the present scenario. A few of the India based high profile luxury franchisees of foreign brands already seem to be in trouble with some handing over their ‘fiefdoms’ to the new hopefuls. The proverbial need for deep pockets never seemed more important. Observers feel 3-4 years is the waiting time to cross the red line. Those who can hold their breath so long can go ahead and indulge!
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EDITOR
IN CHIEF : VINOD KAUL |
EDITOR
: NEELIMA MISHRA AGRAWAL
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