Entries Tagged as 'Designer jewellery'

Adventures with Martini Royale!

20.07.13

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This time last week I was sitting in a vintage F1 car at one of the world’s biggest car festivals. The Goodwood Festival of Speed is a glorious 3 day occasion of non-stop motoring and decadence, celebrating the life of the automotive. I was down there not only to revel in engine noise and lust over Maseratis, but to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the sassiest of drink brands, Martini.

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The Italian house of vermouth is infamous for its cocktail glamour specifically the Martini Royale ( half MARTINI Bianco (70ml) and half MARTINI Prosecco (70ml) in a wine glass full of ice. Squeeze a lime wedge, drop and garnish with fresh mint- sublime) the chicer version of an Aperol Spritz. I’ve lost count of how many I’ve drunk this year already, on the balcony of Soho House West Hollywood to a terrace in Porto Fino, or even Buck Pal ( below) where I found myself once more sipping Royales in the royal gardens. #hardlife 

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Above At Buckingham Palace, wearing Escada, for the Coronation Festival- The Martini Terrazza was vibing (below) Read More about my Buck Pal Adventures in my HELLO! mag interview here!

Amber Atherton

Martini the company started in the mid-19th century, in the wonderfully underrated Italian city of Turin, with three men businessman Alessandro Martini, winemaker Luigi Rossi and accountant Teofilo Sola, In 1992 Martini & Rossi merged with Bacardi and to this day the brand is ranked the world’s fourth most powerful “spirit” brand. This year as the brand celebrates 150 years in the biz, they made a return to racing, having previously sponsored Ferrari and Porsche, they’re back in the game with their badder than bad logo. (below)

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I’m not sure what I like more, the drink or their company slogan ‘LUCK IS AN ATTITUDE’.  

See www.martini.com for more…and follow my adventures later this year with the brand.

Shopping: Folli Follie Summer Sales Picks!

22.06.13

Sometimes you’re just strolling down Bond Street on a way to a meeting, ferociously focusing on your route, ignoring the world class, enticing window displays of Louis Vuitton or  Mulberry, when 4 big words come into focus. 

S A L E 

Playful luxury brand Folli Follie was too cute to resist so I stumbled in the other day and threw myself at the mercy of the seriously well trained, charming shop assistant.  Folli has a super delightful range of handbags and watches (perfect for the English summer season) and with a little jewellery collab in the works with MYFLASHTRASH.COM , I couldn’t resist a momentary detour for some totally worthwhile retail therapy..

Happy Nugget Hand Bag £110

HEART 4 HEART HANDBAG was £175 now £125

DAYDREAM WATCH COLLECTION 

I have the blue one in this collection but love the idea of this pink colour way stacked up with pastel friendship bracelets. 

♥ CLICK TO SHOP MORE AT FOLLI FOLLIE ♥

The Secrets of Santa Maria Novella

08.06.13

SANTAMARIANOVELLA

Founded in Florence, Italy, by Dominican Friars shortly after 1221,  the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, situated behind the famous church of the same name, is one of the world’s oldest pharmacies. With the apothecary originally serving the church’s monks ,little by little the products made their way into the public domain, and in 1700 the pharmacy became an open retail location, with its balms and ointments in international demand even as early as the 18th century.

Now with over 25 stores worldwide from London to Taipei, how has this centuries old brand remained relevant? And what lessons can retailers learn from their Florentine flagship store?

Through word of mouth 4 or 5 years ago, Santa Maria Novella came onto my brand radar via a conversation I had about soap with a very glamorous woman in the south of France. Ever since,  I have noticed it, so whilst finding myself in Florence the other weekend I had to make a trip to the flagship.  The entrance to SMN is as low-key and humble as the products themselves. Located on a side street behind the church square, the anticipation and sense of true local discovery is already building positive emotions in the consumer mind. A great wooden door leads you into a marble entrance hall to a buzzing, renaissance atrium of activity.

What’s interesting about the retail set up of this quasi-luxury brand is its balance of church like reverence and serenity, museum like importance, and the trust traditional apothecary retail brings. Split into four decandtley decorated rooms, the main foyer houses the vast majority of products behind curiosity like antique cabinets. The sheer volume and diversity of merchandise was initially daunting – there is no clear journey to take, but this is not a grab and go style shop. The focus is on immersing the consumer soothingly into all manner of lotions and potions.  

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The decision to place interactive digital screens in every corner has definitely worked to their advantage, helping consumers find the item they may need, and indeed it was the touch point I noticed many asian consumers used ,rather than talking to staff.   Restaurant like menus in over 10 languages are stacked in neat wooden racks that list the products and prices, again emphasising the freedom of consumers to wonder through to say, the candle and fragrance room, or the tea shop and museum, literally with all the information they need to hand.

 When one wants to buy an item, you are handed a plastic card to take with you to the till room – this separation between product discovery and conversion is the most interesting part of the shopping experience. Indeed the ‘payment room’ as it were, has a calming sense of affirmation and medicinal security, even religious faith, to instil in you the divine belief that the 20 euros you are about to spend on a tiny soap is definitely worth it. 

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Skinny Sunday: 75kcal Raw Raspberry Tart!

26.05.13

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I started making raw food dishes a couple of years ago in Hong Kong and this raspberry tart is one of my favourites! Packed full of omega, protein and vitamins this delicious treat is a sin- free sweet fix ,perfect for dessert!  Why eat raw food?  I find when I’m running around all week from the office to a meeting or an event, eating raw helps keeps my energy high and my mind clear why not try it one day a week?

rawfoodsummerskinnydietskinnydessertOnce the fruit is blended slightly, put it in a bowl in the fridge. Start on the base, pour the base ingredients into a blender and  spoon out into a cake tin. Once the cake tin is covered in the biscuit like base, put in the freezer for 2 hours before pouring in the filling! Decorate with grapes or other fruit and enjoy! 

rawfoodrawfoodrecipes 

NEW JEWELLERY LOVES

Eye Spy Arabia BraceletInitial Charm NecklaceNeon Chain Earrings

Kismet Lola Eye of Arabia Bracelet £50  Initial Charm Necklace £25  Neon Chain Earrings £18 FLASH TRASH GIRL

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