Today's Luxury Pulse
Luxury brands surge into Bangkok’s premier malls
Luxury houses are expanding across Siam Piwat’s Siam Paragon and IconSiam malls as Bangkok climbs to fourth globally for new luxury openings. Since 2023, more than 40 brands have opened, adding over 14,000 sqm of premium space, with The Row debuting its first Thailand and Southeast Asia boutique.
Rolls‑Royce Launches Project Nightingale, 100‑Unit Electric Coach‑Built Convertible
Rolls‑Royce Motor Cars has unveiled Project Nightingale, its first electric coach‑built two‑seater, limited to 100 hand‑crafted examples. The ultra‑luxury roadster will be built at Goodwood and delivered to invited clients beginning in 2028, marking a new chapter for the marque’s bespoke program.
Signature Global Ties up with Tonino Lamborghini to Develop ₹2,900 Crore Luxury Housing Project in Gurugram
Signature Global has signed a licence agreement with Italian luxury brand Tonino Lamborghini to launch the $349 million "Tonino Lamborghini Residences Gurugram" on 12.4 acres in Sector 71. The project will deliver 812 premium apartments and marks the brand’s first residential foray in...
At Capital Markets Day, Kering Outlines Next Step for Beauty Business, L’Oréal Partnership
Kering announced at its Florence Capital Markets Day that beauty will be anchored in a new "Kering Next" division, signaling a strategic shift from licensing to a growth engine. The group will deepen its partnership with L’Oréal, leveraging the cosmetics...
Natalia Criado’s Tableware Collaboration Feels Like a Bridge Across Dimensions
Milan‑based designer Natalia Criado has teamed with family‑run ceramics studio Laboratorio Paravicini to launch Metalia, a tableware collection that fuses her signature silver‑plated metal with the studio’s hand‑illustrated porcelain. The partnership will be unveiled during Milan Design Week 2026 in...
What Not To Miss at Milan Design Week 2026
Milan Design Week 2026, anchored by Salone del Mobile (April 20‑26), turns the entire city into a sprawling design showcase. Highlights include Prada’s fifth "In Sight" symposium on AI‑generated imagery, Alessi’s collaboration with C.P. Company re‑imagining kitchen classics, and Alcova’s revival of...
Vans' Oddly Opulent Skate Sneakers Are Actually Crazy Luxurious
Vans has launched the Antwerp Fade Authentic sneaker, a $80 all‑black skate shoe upgraded with pebbled leather and suede detailing. The shoe’s chocolate‑brown outsole defies traditional color conventions, positioning the model as a premium offering rather than a standard skate...
Watches And Wonders 2026 — Fratello Daily Highlights
Fratello Daily is delivering daily video updates from the Watches and Wonders 2026 fair in Geneva, offering on‑site commentary and brand highlights. Over the first three days the team covered personal watch picks, ranging from Rolex and Patek Philippe to a...
Adidas' Italian Superstar Can't Decide If It's a Sneaker or a Dress Shoe
adidas has introduced the Superstar Lux, a premium version of its iconic Superstar sneaker crafted entirely in Italy with high‑end leather. The new model replaces the classic rubber shell toe with leather and adds a stacked leather midsole, giving it a...
You've Never Seen Laceless Timbs Before
Timberland teamed with Japanese retailer BEAMS to launch a laceless version of its iconic yellow “Timbs” boot, featuring an adjustable strap, custom‑molded last, and GORE‑TEX waterproofing. The collaboration, timed for BEAMS’ 50th anniversary, also includes a coordinated uniform—suede belt and...
Nissan Wants To Make 'Cool Cars' Again
Nissan announced a strategic push to rebuild a dedicated sports‑car lineup, extending beyond its current GT‑R and Z models. The move follows the recent unveiling of the Rogue E‑Power hybrid and a teaser for the Xterra nameplate. Executives, including global product...
The R36 Nissan GT-R Won't Be Electric: 'No EV GT-R'
Nissan confirmed that the upcoming R36 GT‑R will not be a pure electric model but will instead adopt a hybrid twin‑turbo V6 powertrain. Executives cited the current limitations of lithium‑ion batteries and a weak market appetite for fully electric sports...
2028 Audi RS Q5 Spied Testing; Would Offer Close to 640 Bhp Hybrid Power
Audi’s upcoming 2028 RS Q5 was spotted in testing, revealing a performance‑focused SUV that will deliver roughly 640 bhp through a plug‑in hybrid system. The powertrain pairs a 2.9‑litre twin‑turbo V6 with a 177 bhp electric motor, offering about 90 km of electric‑only...
Kering Aims to Double Profitability, Reignite Gucci with New Strategy
Kering announced a mid‑term goal to lift its operating margin above 22% and achieve a return on capital employed over 20%, effectively more than doubling current profitability. The plan hinges on a group‑wide efficiency drive, stable capital spending at 5‑6%...
EXCLUSIVE: Prada Home Unveils Theaster Gates-Curated Exhibit on the Japanese Art of Ceramics
Prada Home is debuting “Chawan Cabinet,” a Japanese‑ceramics exhibition curated by multidisciplinary artist Theaster Gates, in a new Milan retail space ahead of Milan Design Week. The show juxtaposes traditional chawan tea bowls, yumoni cups, and sake vessels with Gates’...
EXCLUSIVE: Lisa Yang to Open First Flagship in Stockholm
Lisa Yang, the Stockholm‑based cashmere label, will launch its first 137‑square‑meter flagship store on Birger Jarlsgatan 8 in the second half of 2026, marking a shift from wholesale to direct retail. The store’s design is being handled by Studio Anne Holtrop,...
Changi Airport Group, Plaza Premium Group to Develop Private Terminal and Lifestyle Hub at Terminal 2
Changi Airport Group and Plaza Premium Group have begun redeveloping the former Commercially Important Persons terminal at Terminal 2 into a private terminal and an expanded Hub & Spoke lifestyle hub. The joint venture will deliver lounges, private suites, dining, wellness and pet‑friendly...
CEO TALKS: Sarah Benady of Jacquemus
Jacquemus CEO Sarah Benady returned from a 10‑day Asia tour announcing a Shanghai flagship and a China‑focused digital platform slated for 2026. The brand is reshaping its leadership, adding a COO, chief digital officer and an APAC general manager while...
EXCLUSIVE: Bergdorf Goodman Launches Design Residency With Gabriella Khalil and USM Modular Furniture
Bergdorf Goodman has launched a four‑month design residency called “In Good Company,” featuring designer Gabriella Khalil and Swiss modular brand USM. The installation occupies the store’s seventh floor and includes a street‑level window display, showcasing a curated mix of USM...
EXCLUSIVE: Moncler Wants You to ‘Have a Puffy Summer’
Moncler unveiled its first dedicated summer‑oriented campaign, “Have a Puffy Summer,” fronted by actor Jamie Dornan and featuring whimsical inflatable animal installations worldwide. The brand is using the spring collection—representing roughly 25% of its €2.72 bn (≈$3.0 bn) 2025 revenue—to extend its...
EXCLUSIVE: Jacques Marie Mage Has Eyes on Loulou De La Falaise
Jacques‑Marie Mage has unveiled a limited‑edition eyewear and accessories line that pays tribute to the late style icon Loulou de la Falaise. The collection, developed with her longtime friend Ariel de Ravenel, reinterprets two signature 1960s frames and adds three sculptural bangles named after women in...
Hermès Bumps up Against Luxury’s Scarcity Paradox
Hermès continues to lean on its famed scarcity model, deliberately limiting production to protect brand exclusivity. Rising global demand and soaring resale prices have created a paradox where scarcity fuels both desirability and customer frustration. The French maison is now...
Golden Goose Opens Largest Flagship in Apac
Golden Goose unveiled its largest Asia‑Pacific flagship in Beijing’s upscale Taikoo Li precinct, occupying 475 sqm. The store mirrors the brand’s Venetian Haus, featuring industrial textures, a recreated cobbler workshop, and a library‑style reading area. Upper levels host a bespoke sneaker studio,...
Burberry CFO Says Asia Has Compelling Prospects but Faces Increased Competition
Burberry’s chief financial officer, Kate Ferry, told investors at the HSBC Global Investment Summit that Asia offers compelling long‑term growth opportunities for the luxury brand, but competition is set to intensify. The company reported a 6% comparable sales increase in...
ALL Accor Fairmont 25% To 35% Off Flash Sale For Stays April 29 – October 1, 2026 (Book By April...
Accor’s Fairmont brand has launched a Spring Escape flash sale offering a fixed 25 % discount on public rates for stays from April 29 to October 1, 2026, with ALL Accor loyalty members receiving an extra 10 % off. The promotion must be booked by...
House of the Shattered Rock / SO Arquitetura & Design
SO Arquitetura & Design unveiled the House of the Shattered Rock, a 315 m² residence on São Miguel’s southern coast completed in 2024. Built for the studio founder’s parents, the home blends exposed concrete façades with warm wood interiors, creating a...
Former Google Exec Brings in $56 Million for San Francisco Mansion in City’s Priciest Home Trade Since Laurene Powell Jobs’...
Former Google executive Daniel Alegre sold his Pacific Heights mansion for $56 million, the most expensive San Francisco residential transaction since Laurene Powell Jobs paid $71 million in 2024. The Beaux Arts‑style home, which the Alegres bought for $11.7 million in 2013, was heavily...
Hormuz Crisis Drives 3‑5% Rise in Indian Luxury Construction
Strait of Hormuz Crisis Threatens Luxury Housing in India. Developers are worried about delayed imports of key materials like aluminium, steel, Italian marble, and tiles. This is causing higher costs and possible delays in construction. Prices of these imported materials have already...
Bentley Bets on Priyanka Chopra Jonas: From Star Power to Identity
Bentley Motors announced a partnership with actress‑entrepreneur Priyanka Chopra Jonas on April 10, 2026, positioning her as the face of an identity‑led luxury ecosystem. The campaign for the Continental GT uses restrained, black‑and‑white imagery that places the car as a silent witness to Chopra Jonas’s narrative...
Style Edit: Breguet’s Tradition Collection Puts the Movement on Show
Breguet’s Tradition collection, rooted in 18th‑century innovations, showcases watches where the movement is placed on the dial, turning the calibre into a visual centerpiece. New pieces like the Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7037 feature a blue barrel, grand‑feu enamel dials and retrograde...
Holland America Line to Upgrade Six Ships
Holland America Line announced Holland America Evolution, a multiyear $500 million program to overhaul six vessels – the four Vista‑class ships and two Signature‑class ships. The upgrades will add new dining venues, expanded stateroom and suite categories, and a total of...
Sign of the Times: Houses Vie for Cultural Relevance at Watches and Wonders
The annual Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva showcased a fierce battle for cultural relevance among luxury watch houses, with brands unveiling new collections and immersive booth designs. Executives discussed the impact of the Iran war on consumer spending, noting...
The Best Boutique Hotels in San Francisco
Garrick Ramirez’s guide spotlights eight San Francisco boutique hotels that blend historic architecture, cutting‑edge design, and neighborhood character. From the Presidio’s Georgian‑Revival inn with Golden Gate vistas to the LGBTQ‑focused Hotel Castro, each property offers distinct amenities such as rooftop bars,...
The 23 Best Luxury River Cruise Lines (2026 Guide)
The 2026 guide ranks the 23 premier luxury river cruise lines, highlighting each brand’s unique blend of intimate vessels, all‑inclusive service, and destination‑focused programming. It covers a spectrum from Viking’s adults‑only cultural voyages to Uniworld’s art‑laden boutique ships and APT’s...
Luxury Condos Planned At Surfside Collapse Site Fail To Draw Any Buyers
Damac International bought the former Champlain Towers South site in Surfside for $120 million and announced The Delmore, a 15‑story luxury condo with 37 units starting at $15 million. After a soft launch in early 2025, the developer opened a sales gallery...
Luxury Real Estate Firms in Tokyo: 2026 High-End Guide
Tokyo’s luxury real‑estate sector remains fragmented, with no single dominant brokerage. Koukyuu stands out as the only firm that exclusively lists properties above ¥300M (≈$2.1 million), offering a trilingual concierge model. Other major players include Ken Corporation’s institutional network, Mitsui Fudosan’s...
Hermès Launches Women’s Fall 2026 Collection in Los Angeles, Expanding Chapter Two Runway
Hermès unveiled its Women’s Fall 2026 collection in Los Angeles on June 4, with creative director Nadège Vanhée steering the show. The event is the third installment of the brand’s Chapter Two runway series, following New York (2024) and Shanghai (2025), and signals...
Authentic Brands Group Is Bringing Barneys Back
Authentic Brands Group, the owner of Juicy Couture, Brooks Brothers and Forever 21, plans to revive Barneys New York at its former Madison Avenue flagship. The move follows the 2019 $271 million purchase of Barneys’ intellectual property and a failed licensing partnership with...
20 Kentucky Derby Dresses We Have Our Eyes On This Year
The 2026 Kentucky Derby fashion roundup highlights a parade of vivid, eye‑catching dresses, from poppy‑red silhouettes to multi‑way convertible wraps. Designers emphasize bright hues, lace, fringe, and statement bows, catering to the event’s tradition of flamboyant style. Celebrity influence is...
Fashion Editors’ Favorite Items for a Far-Flung Adventure Vibe
WSJ Magazine editors spotlight travel‑inspired fashion items that evoke a far‑flung adventure vibe, with a particular focus on Bottega Veneta’s new fragrance, Good Morning Midnight. The perfume blends wild strawberry and Thai oud and is presented in a striking Black Marquina...
Accessories Brand Helen Kaminski Gets Into the Apparel Business
Australian luxury accessories label Helen Kaminski has launched its first ready‑to‑wear collection, offering 26 coordinated pieces that blend travel‑ready functionality with seasonal prints. The line, priced between AU$165 and AU$600 (approximately US$110‑US$400), debuted exclusively on helenkaminski.com. Designed by head of design...
Only Watch Nerds Could Create This Freak
Swiss watchmaker Ulysse Nardin has unveiled the Super Freak, its most complicated time‑only watch to date, featuring more than 500 components, a world‑smallest gimbal system and a vertical differential. The crown‑less piece sets the time via its bezel, adds a...
New Brick In Town: A Volvo XC90 B6 Ultra Begins Its Long-Term Test
Volvo’s 2026 XC90 B6 Ultra, a mild‑hybrid luxury SUV, entered a month‑long durability test after the brand slipped near the bottom of J.D. Power’s 2026 Vehicle Dependability Study. Priced at $74,750—about $10,000 less than the plug‑in T8 PHEV—the B6 Ultra...
Are These Two Bags Worth the Investment?
Are these worth the investment? The second part of my series focuses on these two bags.
Airlines and Automakers Transform Into Luxury Brands
Just as the airline industry has become a luxury goods company in drag, so, too, has the auto industry. https://t.co/A8aU8LzaqC https://t.co/3E79dCTZ4M
Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City Unveils Renovated Rooms and Suites
Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City has launched the first phase of a comprehensive redesign, unveiling renovated rooms and suites to mark its 32nd anniversary. The overhaul, directed by Mexican designer Bibiana Huber, refreshes all 240 accommodations—including 200 rooms, 40 suites...
United Slashes Polaris Lounge Access for Star Alliance Business Travelers
United Just Cut Polaris Lounge Access For Most Star Alliance Business Class Passengers - View from the Wing https://t.co/6vXx1fuLz3
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane Announces May 2026 Launch of Refurbished Suites
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane will unveil 14 newly refurbished suites on May 1 2026. The collection includes Deluxe, Park, Grand, Royal Terrace, Presidential and Garden suites, designed in partnership with London studio Interiors with Art. Rates start at £4,700...
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Adds A New Transfer Partner — With A New Way To Get More Value From Points
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Signature, launched two years ago, offers a 60,000‑point sign‑up bonus after $4,000 spend, 5× points on hotels, 4× on airlines, and a $50 annual airfare credit against its $95 fee. The card’s transfer portfolio...
Enkei’s New Papaya RPF1 Wheels Let You Put a Little McLaren in Your Civic
Enkei has teamed with the McLaren Formula 1 team to release a limited‑edition Papaya RPF1 wheel series, offered in vivid papaya orange and understated black. The wheels come in three sizes—15×8, 17×9 and 18×8.5—with prices ranging from $333 to $463 per...
Lucid Names Silvio Napoli as the Electric Luxury Brand's New CEO
Lucid Motors announced Silvio Napoli as its new chief executive, succeeding interim CEO Marc Winteroff, who will revert to the COO role. Napoli arrives from the Schindler Group, where he led the Swiss elevator and escalator manufacturer. His appointment coincides...