For the man in your life who appreciates the finest in vehicles perhaps a pretty package of fine accessories from a premiere auto manufacturer would be the perfect present under the tree. Porsche's new Winter Gold Collection includes a stunning pair of shades, two timepieces and a pair of cufflinks. He can shield his eyes with the gold-toned P'8440, reminiscent of their 'Exclusive Sunglasses' from 1978. Then bejewel his dress shirt with the 18K rose gold cufflinks marked in onyx and crystals. Finally, two stunning watches, one is the Worldtimer P'6750 and the other is a choice from three of the timepieces from the Dashboard Series. I''m pretty sure he'll feel the speed and bling of Porsche in these gifts.

[via Born Rich]

This past summer we wrote about all the various books, auctions and so forth paying tribute to the King of Cool. The one we've long been waiting for has finally arrived, and it's without a doubt the best we've ever seen: Unforgettable Steve McQueen, edited by Henri Suzeau from Verlhac Editions in conjunction with Tag Heuer. This is the perfect gift for the enthusiast of classic men's style or really any connoisseur of cool.

It's a stunningly well-curated collection of McQueen photos, encompassing some iconic images but also plenty of rare and little-known pictures of the man Uma Thurman calls "Extremely sexy, extremely wild and extremely talented" in the introduction. Steve McQueen's rugged sportiness, authentic masculinity and innate good taste have inspired countless fashion designers, not to mention scores of other actors who followed in his wake.

This past summer we wrote about the battle over Sardinia's famed Billionaire club, which some felt was overly ostentatious in these straitened times. The club's owner, playboy Formula One mogul Flavio Briatore, blasted the criticism, defending the rich's right to luxury. Obviously Briatore has the courage of his convictions; his ultra-high end men's clothing line, Billionaire Couture, has just come out with the world's most expensive umbrella.

Made entirely of crocodile skin, the ultra-luxe umbrella (above) is available by special order for $50,000 from Billionaire Couture's London boutique. The brand, which is worn by the likes of Paul McCartney, David Beckham and Sean "Diddy" Combs, is founded on "a relentless search for original details that express quality, sophistication and eccentricity [that] at times goes intentionally overboard." We'd say a $50,000 umbrella falls into that latter category.

Omega may now be the official watch of the James Bond films, but offscreen, nouveau 007 Daniel Craig is a diehard Rolex fan. In the original books, Bond creator Ian Fleming wrote that "[Bond] could not just wear a watch. It had to be a Rolex." In the early Bond films, Sean Connery sported a Rolex Submariner, and Craig has said in interviews that he favors the identical model. Over at the Rolex Blog, Jake Ehrlich has done some impressive sleuthing into the James Bond / Craig / Rolex connection, examining quotes, photos and other clues.

In a 7-part series of posts, he determined that Craig usually wears a Rolex Submariner on a NATO spec, striped nylon strap (sold as the "James Bond" model). It is in fact not exactly the same as the one Connery sported in Goldfinger, as his was on slightly different regimental stripe strap. Most recently, Craig has been spotted wearing an understated stainless steel Oyster Perpetual (above), so he obviously has more than one Rolex in his arsenal.

As part of Barneys New York's 1960s Peace & Love "Hippie Holiday" theme, cooked up by creative director Simon Doonan, the store is offering a special set of Volkswagen Beetle cufflinks. The links, designed on behalf of a holiday partnership between Barneys and Volkswagen by the Caroline Collection, are modeled on the iconic 1967 Beetle. The whimsical "antiqued" cufflinks (above) are made of sterling silver and enamel in various colors and will retail for $550.00 a pair. Commenting on his adoption of the hippie theme, Doonan noted, "We only picked the cheery, upbeat aspects of the '60s! No overdoses or assassinations."

The other day we told you about Karl Lagerfeld's bespoke trunk from Louis Vuitton which holds the Chanel kingpin's collection of 20 iPods and a speaker system. In the same vein, we now present Eric Clapton's ultra-luxurious, custom-made crocodile guitar case from Hermès (above). Hermès also has a Special Orders workshop which can produce everything from a handbag to a bespoke interior for a Rolls-Royce, and is if anything more exclusive than Vuitton's atelier.

Clapton's case was specially made to hold his Martin 00028 EC acoustic guitar, the rock star's signature model ("EC" are his initials) which he helped to design. The shell of the case, which is covered in the world's finest matte-finish crocodile skin, is handmade of poplar wood from Nazareth, Pennsylvania and the whole is lined in blue silk velvet. While we don't know what Clapton paid for the one-of-a-kind case, it is likely to have cost at least $100,000.

Classic luxury Italian fashion brand Brioni, best known for outfitting Pierce Brosnan during his tenure as James Bond (right), is looking to sell a 25% stake in the business. "This is a family company. We need to think about the future and ways to develop the brand," Brioni CEO Antonella De Simone tells WWD.

The company, founded in Rome in 1945 and named after a resort on the Adriatic Sea, makes ready-to-wear and bespoke men's suits costing from $6,000 - $36,000, and has a women's line as well. Some of its luster may have been lost when James Bond switched to Tom Ford, but the brand is undeniably valuable.

Beginning this month, Italian design duo Dolce & Gabbana are debuting an incredibly luxurious collection of one-off crocodile bags for men as part of their Spring / Summer 2009 offerings. The collection is limited to 20 unique pieces worldwide, each costing about $50,000. The One-of-A-Kind collection "blends together the artisan leather tradition of Tuscany with Dolce & Gabbana's innovative use of precious materials," the company notes. Each piece is crafted out of "the finest mix of luxurious multi-colored crocodile skin in a unique and not-reproducible combination meant for those men who are looking for the ultimate object of desire." Inside each bag is an embroidered label reading "Limited Edition - Number 1 of 1." Last summer my colleague Rigel Celeste wrote about the women's version.

Louis Vuitton makes a case for everything. Really. If there's something you want to carry in a Louis Vuitton case, they will probably make one for you.

The only criteria-strictly enforced to honor the original spirit of the 150-year-old company-are that the item is portable and that its raison d'être is transport. "We are in the business of movement," says Patrick-Louis Vuitton, a fifth-generation member of the founding family who oversees all of LV's custom projects. "A special order is a compromise between desires and needs from the client and our aesthetic and technical requirements." - Men's Vogue

Louis Vuitton makes about 450 special-order cases every year at their Asnières, France workshop. The process of creating a perfect case for a client's needs can take four to five months, but their policy is to never exceed eight.

Over the years, cases have been created for everything from hookah pipes to a portable altar for a French priest heading to a desert archaeological dig in the 1920's.

Louis Vuitton won't make just anything, though. If they don't like your request (say, to put little LV's all over the interior of your car, a move similar to the one that ended up with Britney Spears on the losing end of a Vuitton lawsuit), they'll modify the idea and make a suggestion - their polite version of refusal.

[via Men's Vogue]

London men's luxury goods firm Dunhill is coming out with the ultimate alligator belt for the holidays, featuring a high-tech gold, steel and diamond buckle. The Mechanical Belt, which is being produced in a limited edition of 25 pieces globally at a cost of $10,600 each, is designed for ultra-precise adjustments of exactly 35mm - the "two thumb" measurement a tailor will traditionally build into a custom made suit for added comfort. The five-axel buckle contains a patented system of over 108 movable, mechanical parts including roller bearings, plates and levers.

The mechanics make perfect one-handed adjustments a cinch, so to speak, for instance while maneuvering into and out of a low-seated vintage British sportscar. Hand finished by expert artisans, it is comprised of stainless steel and 18 carat rose gold components ornamented with two inset diamonds. A choice of two alligator skin straps are supplied as well. The belt will only be available in Dunhills' flagship stores located in London, New York, Shanghai and Tokyo, with only a handful of pieces to be sold at each one.

Last month we wrote about the timeless appeal of classic men's tailoring as epitomized by Savile Row, especially during times of economic uncertainty. There's no need to travel all the way to London however to indulge in custom-tailoring of the highest quality and style that transcends trends and fads, if you know where to look. In New York City, David Chu, founder of the Nautica brand who has since gone on to revitalize luggage maker Tumi, operates an ultra-chic Bespoke shop at his gorgeous Townhouse in Gramercy Park.

The Bespoke shop (above) is located in the penthouse of the Townhouse, which is home to Chu's design studio and other businesses. Ebonized and limestone floors, marble fixtures and a collection of contemporary artwork and Chinese antiquities create an elegant, polished and modern atmosphere. French doors open out from the shop onto a landscaped roof deck with captivating city and park views. "The bespoke experience is about understated elegance," Chu tells Luxist. "It's more for yourself. You put it on, it feels great, and that's the most important thing."

David Chu Bespoke "blends the best of Savile Row and Neapolitan tailoring, marrying craftsmanship with modernity." Garments are hand-cut and stitched by a master tailor based in Naples. A gentleman can order anything he requires to be custom made, from suits, overcoats, tuxedos, and sport jackets to trousers, shoes, scarves, and 12-fold ties. The emphasis is on classic, luxurious fabrics such as super 150's wool, worsted spun cashmere and vicuna sourced from the world's best mills.

In terms of a luxurious take on the classic sneaker, it's hard to beat this crocodile skin version from Superga by Isaia. The result of a collaboration between two famous Italian brands, the limited edition kicks are available by special order from Barneys New York for $2,000. Isaia is one of the world's last remaining Neapolitan sartorial brands, known for its beautiful tailored clothing, while Superga makes Italy's most iconic rubber-soled sport shoes. Other luxe variations include ostrich, sharkskin and Aquacashmere, a stain and water repellent cashmere blend exclusive to Isaia. The special edition sneaks are made to be worn with suits as a way of embodying casual elegance.



[via Affluent Page]

This holiday season, Ralph Lauren is coming out with luxurious and exorbitantly colorful collection of modern classics, featuring decadent accessories for men, women and the home. One of our favorite items is this vintage-inspired sterling silver flask with an enameled portrait of a 19th-century jockey, priced at $2,495. Other highlights include eye-popping takes on the elegant alligator and crocodile belts Lauren has been doing for decades, in shocking go-to-hell colors like purple and orange. The women's version features a horseshoe-shaped buckle and costs $1,895.

In addition, there are velvet slippers for men embroidered with a bold equestrian figure in several colors for $950; a pillow made from a silk equestrian-themed scarf backed by luxurious cashmere for $795; cashmere throw blankets in bright tones bordered with contrasting suede for $995; and saddle leather jewelry boxes with brightly-hued alligator lids for $2,895. Lauren was just named the most powerful man in men's fashion meanwhile by industry bible DNR, beating out Giorgio Armani for the top spot.

Today in Vivre Notes, founder Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti recommends a few products for the gents, including these quilted cashmere slippers by the famed Italian design group Loro Piana.

The pair at right was featured on Jeanbart-Lorenzotti's list of gift suggestions for the holidays, though they might be equally soothing to wear during a little weekend staycation right about now.

They retail for $475.

In times of economic uncertainty luxury consumers looks to timeless classics they know will hold their value and last for years as opposed to flash-in-the-pan trends and glitzy impulse buys. Witness the sudden increase in Rolex sales as Iceland's financial markets tanked, or the way the traditional tailors of Savile Row are weathering the crisis, which we wrote about in this space last week. In fact, the very basis of this column as you may recall is timeless style, enduring elegance, and true, built-to-last luxury as opposed to mere extravagance.

We think that London-based men's clothier and luxury goods firm Dunhill, which dates back to the 1890s, is well situated to weather the storm in similar style thanks to their espousal of these same values. That's a very good thing as the company recently opened two new flagship stores, in New York City and London. The 7,000-sq.-ft. NYC store (above), on the corner of Madison and 55th, replaces the old shop at 711 Fifth Avenue.

It carries the full range of Dunhill's luxe merchandise, including menswear, leathergoods, accessories, writing instruments, watches, gifts and games. The lower level houses Dunhill's custom-made menswear and leathergoods offerings, as well as a display of one-of-a-kind pieces from the firm's illustrious history such as Truman Capote's Dunhill tuxedo worn at his famed Black & White Ball in 1966, and original sketches of a Dunhill bespoke suit made for Frank Sinatra.