Today's Luxury Pulse
Hotels Must Pivot to ‘Splurge or Stay Home’ Guest Mindset
The hospitality market is seeing a “splurge or stay home” shift, with cost‑conscious travelers spending only on highly curated, wellness‑focused experiences. Guests now expect authentic design, personalized service and transparent pricing, turning arrival moments and signature spaces into key ROI drivers. Hotels are urged to prioritize thoughtful design and premium perks to capture this demand.
Spice Up Your Life With This Spice Girls Music Video Penthouse On The Market For £7.5m
The iconic penthouse where the Spice Girls filmed the *Wannabe* video is back on the market for £7.5 million (approximately $9.4 million). Situated in the Grade I listed St Pancras Chambers—originally the Midland Grand Hotel—the 6,000 sq ft triplex occupies three floors of the historic water tower. Previously listed at £11.5 million ($14.4 million), the property was once home to model Lily Cole and has attracted interest from stars like Ed Sheeran. It offers private lift access, a rooftop entertainment suite, and 24‑hour concierge services linked to the hotel’s five‑star amenities.
Mulberry Sales Rise as Strategy Reset Takes Hold
Mulberry announced a 5.7% rise in annual revenue on a constant‑currency basis, driven by a strong second‑half performance. Sales in the second half surged 13.6% after a 3.2% dip in the first half, reflecting the impact of its “Back to...
The New IWC ProSet Brings Practicality to the Perpetual Calendar
IWC has introduced the Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar ProSet, a new take on its iconic pilot’s watch that combines a perpetual calendar with a user‑friendly crown‑only adjustment system. The model is offered in three case materials—white ceramic, stainless‑steel and 18‑carat...
Rising Metal Costs Push Jewelers Toward Alternative Materials
As metals prices continue to rise, jewellery brands are seeking out new ways to keep designs accessible to their existing clientele and retail networks. Some are turning to alternative materials Check out my edit in the March issue of Retail Jeweller https://t.co/SttRBTzHo6...
Why a £100,000 Handbag Can Now Function Like a Bank Account
Luxury goods such as Hermès Birkin bags, Rolex watches and high‑end art are increasingly being used as collateral for short‑term, non‑recourse loans aimed at ultra‑wealthy borrowers. Lenders provide cash within hours, bypassing credit checks and relying solely on the resale...
Daniel Craig and Lily Allen Sell Their Brooklyn Brownstones
Actors Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz sold their Cobble Hill brownstone for $11.8 million, a sizable gain from the $6.75 million purchase in 2017. The four‑story, 6,600‑sq‑ft property changed hands via an all‑cash deal to an anonymous buyer. The couple also sold a...
His Watch Brand Is ‘Doing It The Traditional Way’
Watchmaker Love Hunter, a lifelong horology enthusiast, is debuting his eponymous brand’s first timepiece after five years of hand‑crafting. The watch is offered in titanium or 18‑karat gold, with optional skeleton backs and 42‑44 mm Art Deco dials. Nearly every component—from wheels...
With These Watches, It’s Not Just What’s on the Inside That Counts
At Watches and Wonders in Geneva, Hermès, Piaget and Panerai unveiled new skeleton watches, signaling a broader move of high‑end mechanical timepieces into the spotlight. Hermès introduced the H08 Titanium Skeleton, built around an all‑titanium movement (H1978 S) with diamond‑like carbon...
AlUla Development Company Commences Construction on NUMAJ, Marking a New Phase of AlUla's Development
AlUla Development Company (UDC), a Public Investment Fund entity, has broken ground on NUMAJ, a 250‑room Marriott Autograph Collection hotel slated to open in 2027. Designed by GioForma and named after the ancient star system Nu Ursae Majoris, the resort...
Mulberry Turnaround Gathers Pace as Sales Rebound and Christopher Kane Appointment Boosts Buzz
Mulberry reported a 5.7% constant‑currency sales increase for the year to 29 March, driven by a strong second‑half rebound after a 3.2% decline in the first half. The luxury brand credited its "Back to Mulberry Spirit" turnaround plan, tighter discount control...
ROCCO FORTE HOTELS LAUNCHES THE GRAND EUROPEAN GOLF TOUR
Rocco Forte Hotels has unveiled the Grand European Golf Tour, a luxury golf‑travel program created with Golf Travel Centre. The offering links the brand’s flagship properties—from The Balmoral in Edinburgh to Verdura Resort in Sicily—with some of Europe’s most prestigious...
Zhang Ziyi Wore Armani Privé To The 2026 Hong Kong Film Awards
Zhang Ziyi attended the 2026 Hong Kong Film Awards, where she is a Best Actress nominee for *She’s Got No Name*. On the red carpet she paired a Giorgio Armani embroidered jacket with a black sequinned skirt from the Armani Privé...
Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance Brings a Couture Touch to His New Lamp Designs for Dior
Noé Duchaufour‑Lawrance has refreshed his iconic Corolle lamp for Dior, unveiling 27 new glass‑based designs at Milan Design Week. The collection translates the textures of Dior’s New Look fabrics into handmade Murano glass using pleating, sandblasting and filigree techniques. Prices start...
Despite All Obstacles, Design Is Still Betting on China
European luxury design firms are deepening their foothold in China despite a slowing economy and tighter consumer sentiment. Molteni&C has opened flagship venues in Hong Kong, Hangzhou and Shanghai, while Versace Home, Cassina, Minotti and Gubi are expanding across first‑ and...
Loro Piana Honors Legacy of Plaids at Milan Design Week
Loro Piana launched Chapter I of its new “Studies” series during Milan Design Week, presenting an exhibition of 24 handcrafted plaids at its Cortile della Seta headquarters. The showcase highlights the brand’s historic use of plaids since the 1980s and...
Buccellati Celebrates Caviar Collection With Immersive ‘Aquae Mirabiles’ Installation at Milan Design Week
Buccellati used Milan Design Week to showcase its iconic Caviar silverware collection through the immersive "Aquae Mirabiles" installation. Curated by Federica Sala, designed by Balich Wonder Studio and illustrated by artist Luke Edward Hall, the exhibit creates a submerged, myth‑laden world that...
Style Edit: Stars Reveal What’s in Their Bag for Louis Vuitton’s Speedy P9 Campaign
Louis Vuitton revived its iconic Speedy P9, first re‑imagined in Pharrell Williams' 2023 menswear collection, as the centerpiece of the brand’s "In My Bag" campaign celebrating the LV monogram’s 130th anniversary. The campaign showcases a roster of high‑profile ambassadors—including Jeremy Allen White,...
Style Edit: Graff’s Ethereal Butterfly Motif Takes Flight Anew
Graff has revived its iconic butterfly motif with a restrained new campaign photographed by Liz Collins, featuring models Rosalieke Fuchs and Xinyue Guo against the brand’s signature green backdrop. The collection showcases a blue suite of over 33 carats combining marquise diamonds, pavé...
Zara Larsson’s Roberto Cavalli Fringe Pants Are Literally All Strings
Zara Larsson revived a Roberto Cavalli Spring 2004 fringe pant in Tyla’s “She Did It Again” music video, turning a vintage Y2K piece into a modern statement. The gold‑hued pants are made almost entirely of shredded strings, paired with a matching...
Tesla Confirms Work on Autonomous “Robovan” After Social Media Exchange
Tesla’s Director of AI Ashok Elluswamy told Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan on X that the automaker is “on it” with a fully autonomous van dubbed the Robovan. The reveal revives a concept previously described as shelved during the Q3 2025...
Win a Two-Night Luxury Escape at The EVE Hotel Sydney
Gourmet Traveller’s 2026 Hotel and Travel Awards are inviting readers to vote in the People’s Choice categories—Best Tour Operator, Best Airline and Best Hotel Brand—to enter a draw for a luxury getaway. Participants must provide a brief reason for their...
The Breakers: America’s Best Oceanfront Luxury Hotel
Someone I trust recently told me The Breakers is the best hotel in America. So I flew to Palm Beach to see for myself. Verdict? Add it to your list. The property is massive, the oceanfront setting is unreal, and I...
How a Journalistic Eye Can Elevate a Hotel: Adrian Zecha’s Approach to His New Resort Collaboration in Rural Japan
Adrian Zecha, the founder of Aman Resorts, approaches hotel development like a journalist, observing and amplifying the existing environment. His latest venture, Azuma Farm Koiwai, opens in rural Iwate, Japan, in partnership with Naru Developments and East Japan Railway Company....
Transfer Citi Points To Leading Hotels Of The World With 25% Bonus: Worth It?
Citi ThankYou is running a limited‑time 25% transfer bonus to the Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) Leaders Club from April 19 to May 16 2026. The promotion improves the standard 5:1 transfer ratio to an effective 4:1, meaning each 1,000 ThankYou points...
TAG Heuer’s New Aquaracer Professional 500 Brings Even More Depth to the Aquaracer, in More Ways than One
TAG Heuer has launched the Aquaracer Professional 500 Date, a 42 mm grade‑2 titanium diver’s watch rated to 500 metres and equipped with a helium‑escape valve. Weighing just 120 g, it sits between the earlier Professional 300 and the Superdiver 1000, offering a slimmer profile without...
Dries Van Noten Launches 'The Only True Protest Is Beauty' Exhibition in Venice
Belgian designer Dries Van Noten inaugurated his foundation’s first exhibition, “The Only True Protest Is Beauty,” on April 25 at Venice’s Palazzo Pisani Moretta. The show marks his shift from runway to cultural programming, underscoring luxury fashion’s expanding role in the art...
Luxury At Scale – Grand Wailea Maui Highlights
The Milestones review revisits Grand Wailea Maui after fifteen years, noting that a five‑night stay now costs 440,000 Hilton Honors points versus 280,000 points previously. An upgrade to an ocean‑view king room was secured through Diamond status, but the renovated...
A Rare I.M. Pei-Designed Private Home Hits the Market
I.M. Pei’s 1969 Fort Worth private residence has hit the market with a $22 million price tag. The 19,000‑square‑foot home, built for an oil‑and‑banking heiress, features seven bedrooms, three kitchens, an art gallery, wine cellars and a garden atrium. It is...
Chanel Revives J12 Superleggera in All‑Black 42mm, Pricing at $13,750
Chanel has re‑introduced its iconic J12 Superleggera as a 42mm all‑black, COSC‑certified chronometer priced at $13,750. The move expands the brand’s unisex watch line and taps growing male demand for high‑end fashion timepieces.
Mazda Made a Six-Minute Mini Doc About Its Le Mans 787 Four-Rotor Rebuild
Mazda’s motorsports division released a six‑minute YouTube documentary detailing the rebuild of its legendary 787B four‑rotor R26B engine, the only rotary to ever win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991. The R26B produces roughly 700 hp and features unique engineering...
Luxury Brands Exploit Status by Overpricing Simple Objects
I have a theory that most luxury brands are actually trolling customers just to see what they can get away with. $7,000 dollars for a flask. 'How much status value can we wrap around a fundamentally ordinary object?' No shot this cost...
South of France Luxury Charter: Wine-Focused Private Yacht Experiences on the French Riviera
In 2026, South of France Luxury Charter, operated by DMA Yachting, positions the French Riviera as a premier wine‑focused luxury yacht destination, offering itineraries that hop between Riviera vineyards and the wine regions of Corsica and Sardinia. Guests can charter...
Check Out Klipsch X Devon Ojas K0‑R2 Speakers in Milan
If you are in Milan this week you need to stop in to see the @klipschaudio x @devonojas kO-R2 speakers in the listening room at the Foundation Luigi Rovati 🔊 You can book an appointment on @devonojas profile 🔗
How Rare Are Standard Reward Nights at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives? What the Data Shows
The Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi offers standard room awards at 250,000 Hilton Honors points, but they represent only 10.8% of all awardable nights. Data from Gondola shows an average cash value of $3,240 for these nights, yielding roughly 1.3 cents per...
What Makes a True Five-Star Experience? It’s Not What You Think
The Boca Raton Hotel and Resort secured four simultaneous Five‑Star ratings from the Forbes Travel Guide for 2026, making it the only property in the Americas to achieve this distinction. Forbes inspectors, who remain anonymous and pay their own way,...
Fendi Awards Gustav Craft First Design Prize at Milan Design Week
Fendi announced the inaugural Fendi Design Prize during Milan Design Week, awarding Swedish designer Gustav Craft for his "Via" collection. The competition, curated by Giulio Cappellini and a jury of prominent designers, required participants to up‑cycle Fendi leather or fur...
Tyson Fury Flaunts $630,000 “Ring of Fire” Jacob & Co Watch Amid Comeback Bout
Tyson Fury unveiled a custom Jacob & Co “Ring of Fire” watch worth roughly $630,000 ahead of his fight with Arslanbek Makhmudov. The piece, created to mark his 2024 bout with Oleksandr Usyk, joins a collection that includes a $378,000...
Le Cirque Shuts Doors After 28 Years, Signaling Shift in Vegas Fine Dining
Bellagio's French fine‑dining institution Le Cirque will close on Aug. 23, 2026, ending a 28‑year run that helped define Las Vegas as a destination for celebrity chefs. The closure comes amid a broader refresh of MGM Resorts' restaurant portfolio and changing consumer...
Shu Qi’s Cut‑Out Gown and Jun Ji‑Hyun’s Jewel‑Heavy Look Lead Taiwan Fashion Week
Actress Shu Qi turned heads in an Armani Privé cut‑out gown and actress Jun Ji‑hyun commanded attention with a cascade of jewel‑encrusted watches at Taiwan’s Fashion Week. Their high‑visibility looks are shaping consumer demand for daring couture and maximalist accessories.
Marriott Bonvoy Promises To Give Notice Of Negative Changes… If You’re In China
Marriott Bonvoy has amended its terms to require advance notice of any program changes that could materially harm members with Chinese citizenship residing on the mainland. The new clause is triggered only when adjustments are likely to have a material...
LV CEO Calls Repair Shops Loyalty Investment, Not Profit
Louis Vuitton CEO on investing in repair shops to build consumer surplus "This is a significant investment, by the way. This is not a profit center. This is something we invest to develop customer loyalty. So well, most of the repairs...
Citi Points Transfer to LHOTW Gets 25% Bonus—Worth It?
Transfer Citi Points To Leading Hotels Of The World With 25% Bonus: Worth It? https://t.co/z0Rhc51Wna
A $150,000 Living Room in Denver Trades Neutrals for Nostalgia
Two Colorado doctors transformed a $150,000 living room in Denver’s Platt Park after finding their pandemic‑era home too neutral and impersonal. They hired Duet Design Group, which replaced muted tones with bold, nostalgic pieces—including a wood‑paneled fireplace, black leather chairs and...
Hotel Butler Service: Luxury Perk or Unnecessary Gimmick?
Hotel Butler Service: How Do You Use It? Is It Valuable Or A Gimmick? https://t.co/ATURyUesNu
Thermo‑Sensitive Green Stone Island Jacket Revealed at HQ
Got this incredibly cool Stone Island jacket that a) is a beautiful green but b) is done up in a thermosensitive nylon that changes colors in warm temperatures Im in Italy and heading to their HQ tomorrow to see the...
Four-Step Guide to Earning Zenith Chronomaster Sport
My path to Zenith Chronomaster Sport — 4 steps across 4 categories on HaikuZone https://t.co/iu7pLVoUxT https://t.co/ujYm2l0SG4
Europe May Ban Carry‑On Fees, Claim Bin Space Rights
Europe Could Ban Carry-On Bag Fees — Makes Overhead Bin Space A Human Right - View from the Wing https://t.co/kAjwXCRpr8
If Everyone Gets a Penthouse, No One Has One
“Everyone can have a penthouse if they want” So the building will just be all penthouses then? Then which one’s the real penthouse?
Milan Design Week: Inspiring Masculine Architecture Mastery
My trips to Milan for Design Week always leave me feeling completely inspired. Milan has this imposing but balanced masculine architecture. You see up close the work of Piero Portaluppi (of which I’m a big fan), and Borsani, and Ponti… and...
Air France Cancels Business Ticket, Then Charges $1,800
Air France Cancelled A Business Class Ticket, Said They Could Fix It — Then Demanded $1,800 More To Travel Anyway - View from the Wing https://t.co/ifCmuZaDyQ