Luxury = LVMH

127 year old Italian jewelry house, Bulgari is the latest addition to the LVMH empire.
In what is slated as their biggest takeover in a decade, LVMH bought the family’s controlling stake for $5.2 billion. With Bernad Arnault at its helm LVMH, which sells everything from Louis Vuitton bags to Dom Perignon champagne and Royal Van Lent yachts, has emerged as the world’s largest luxury goods house, making Arnault the 7th richest man in the world.
LVMH, which stands for Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy and is synonymous with luxury, wasn’t always the global giant it is now. In 1984, Bernard Arnault acquired Boussac, a sinking textile company which also owned Christian Dior. He sold all of the company’s assets and retained Dior and Le Bon Marche, a department store.
LVMH was founded in 1987 from the merger of Moet Hennessy, whose CEO was Alain Chevalier and Louis Vuitton, whose president was Henry Recamier. It is said that Arnault exploited a growing conflict between these two owners to succeed to the LVMH throne. Since then, the company has completed more than two dozen acquisitions in the past decade as Arnault forged a luxury goods maker now valued at $77 billion.

Keeping up their track record of partnering with innovative brands such as Benefit, Make Up For Ever, and Fresh, the group has recently acquired Ole Henriksen, a renowned skincare brand. In 2007 the group acquired a 20% stake in Hidesign, India’s premier leather goods company.

Some of the gems that make up the LVMH crown are haute-couture houses Christian Dior and Givenchy, as well as luxury champagne grandes marques such as Dom Pérignon and Krug, and fashion labels Donna Karan, Céline and Marc Jacobs. The other brands include Fendi, Hennessy, Pucci, Sephora and Tag Heuer.

LVMH and its owner Arnault have been in the news recently for their relentless pursuit of acquiring a controlling stake in rival luxury goods maker Hermes of the Kelly and Birkin bag fame. Though LVMH has built a 20.2% stake since October, Hermes is supposedly unimpressed.

Well, the swords have been drawn and Arnault has said that he is willing to wait this one out…so will Hermes succumb to the pressure? This luxe batle should be worth watching.

If you aren’t listening it already, you should be

Snoop Dogg has his 11th studio album coming out and it's so aptly titled Doggumentary and the second official lead single from the album is the track 'Boom' featuring singer T-Pain. The song is sampled on the 1980's hit Situation by Yazoo.
I listened to it and the song's pretty good but I knew I had heard the sample from another recent track, so to avoid having the 'tune stuck in your head all night' scenario I got right down to it... I knew it was by a popular female artiste but surprise...surprise it turns out that the same sample was used on the track
'Body Language' by Heidi Montag of The Hills and silicones fiasco fame. She did perform it at the Miss Universe contest in probably 2009 and I think the sample was the only thing that saved that track!

Faux Pas

British Cosmo delves into some archives, picks up a cover-worthy picture of Beyonce and they've got themselves their April 2011 covergirl...but wait-a-minute...that picture was soooo 2005... Vanity Fair beat Cosmo to it six years ago! They had the same picture featured as the cover for their November 2005 issue. C'mon editors...someone was bound to pick up on that one! Tsk..tsk.

Biker Chic and Bohemian Chic

There are no two styles more far removed from each other than the biker and boho chic styles...but these are two of my two favorite styles!

Stella McCartney racer back tank top, 60 GBP
Alexander Wang asymmetrical skirt, 270 GBP
Giuseppe zanotti sandal, 309 GBP
Alexander McQueen skull handbag, 690 GBP
Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti leather jewelry, 102 GBP
Lanvin jewelry, 416 EUR
Black & Gold Belt by McQ Alexander McQueen, 165 GBP

Red Sighting

From the Elle UK Style Awards to the Oscars, Cherry Red seems to be the latest bright shade on the color wheel doing the rounds on the Red Carpet. No complaints here!

Gone

After working their magic on 'Dilemma' it's now 'Gone' that Nelly and Kelly Rowland have collaborated on and are currently shooting the video for.

If you aren't listening to it already, you should be

If you watched this year's Grammy's, you must've caught Dr. Dre's return to live TV after a decade, with his performance with Eminem and Skylar Grey.

The song, I Need a Doctor, Eminem's tribute to Dre as his creator, mentor and savior is powerful to say the least...but the video is explosive!!



The floating "holy" presence is played by model, actress and former synchronized swimmer Estella Warren. Skylar Grey plays one of the doctors.
To say it's good to have Dr. Dre back is an understatment...it's awesome!!! His return means the return of some good music!! 'Kush' with Dre, Akon and Snoop Dogg is a testament to that and with this track it's signed, sealed and delivered!