Fragrances mean a lot of things to different people. Some scents evoke emotions associated with our past; others carry sentimental value, whether passed down by a loved one or an unpleasant reminder of a former lover. For Lady Gaga, the face of Valentino's new Voce Viva, fragrance serves as an extension of the strength, power, and confidence of one of her most innate gifts: voice.
Today, September 17, Valentino debuts the campaign for its Voce Viva fragrance titled #MyVoiceMyStrength. Known for her powerhouse vocals empowering messages on- and off-stage, Gaga explains that Voce Viva, which translates to "the voice is alive," celebrates the individuality and self-expression as everyone's voice "has its own life. It’s a force of nature. Nature is powerful."
The scent taps into Valentino‘s femininity and features a mélange of Italian bergamot, mandarin essence, orange blossom, and a whiff of vanilla and crystal moss accord. Voce Viva is packaged in a sleek glass bottle with pink detailing (a departure from Valentino's signature red), the same color of the flouncy gown Gaga dons in the campaign.
MAISON VALENTINO
It took Gaga years to find the power of her voice and to use it for positive change. "I have to give confidence to myself for it to be real. I work on building it all the time. I focus on skills I have, and work from there. I feel like it's building a house that’s never finished. I also remind myself that skills can be simple," she explains via e-mail. "I believe most voices have the ability to positively impact, but all voices are impactful. This includes hateful voices, which is why hateful speech is so negatively powerful—why we need to fill the negative space with kind speech."
Shop the new Valentino Voce Viva below.
VOCE VIVA EAU DE PARFUM Valentinosephora.com$30.00 SHOP NOW
Luxury ‘collector’ watch brand Brax la Rue is bucking the trend and proving that success is possible in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown.
The new UK based company has already caused quite a stir despite the fact that its first Tourbillon watch hasn’t been officially launched until today (1 September 2020).
The 500 stunning limited edition timepieces have been hand assembled and are individually numbered. They are housed in a 42mm diameter stainless steel case with anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass and hand winding Tourbillon movement.
What’s more, one of the watches will be worth significantly more than its sale price thanks to world famous micro-artist Graham Short who has engraved a tiny badger’s paw print on its working mechanism – viewed through the glass on the reverse of the watch.
Brax La Rue started when watch enthusiast Peter J Fuller had a vision to make watches a little different
Graham is considered to be one of the most talented living micro-artists in the world. He is well-known for engraving a portrait of the Queen onto a pinhead, which recently sold for £100,000, but admits that the Brax la Rue paw print, engraved using a using a shard of diamond glued to the tip of a needle, was his most difficult engraving yet.
The dedicated artist, dubbed ‘hands of a genius’, spent over 50 years going to physical and mental extremes to produce the highest-quality, and tiniest, hand engravings ever seen – in fact his smallest works of art cannot even be seen by the naked eye.
As well as the portrait of the Queen, his masterpieces include engravings of Jane Austen and Harry Kane on bank notes, and an engraving on the edge of a commemorative medal given to the artist by Neil Armstrong.
One of the watches will be worth significantly more than its sale price thanks to world famous micro-artist Graham Short who has engraved a tiny badger’s paw print on its working mechanism – viewed through the glass on the reverse of the watch
Brax La Rue started when watch enthusiast Peter J Fuller had a vision to make watches a little different.
Peter explains: “There are so many watch brands out there already, but through Brax la Rue I wanted to create something different, unusual and unique; something that will make people look twice. I want Brax la Rue to become a great British brand.”
The Tourbillon was patented in 1801 by Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet. Tourbillon is French for ‘whirlwind’ – its purpose being to negate the effects of gravity on time accuracy. It is housed in a rotating cage with the whole assembly constantly moving. So whatever position the watch is in, any timing variations are cancelled out.
The Brax la Rue limited edition Tourbillon watch will be launched on Ingiegogo, a platform which supports new start-up businesses, on 1 September 2020.
Barack and Michelle Obama honored late actor Chadwick Boseman in separate social media posts on Saturday. The 43-year-old Black Panther actor's family confirmed on Friday that he died of colon cancer.
"I'll always remember watching Chadwick in 42," the former first lady wrote. "Barack and I were alone in the White House, on a weekend night with the girls away. I was so profoundly moved by the rawness and emotion in the barrier-breaking story. And not long after, when he came to meet with young people in the State Dining Room, I saw that Chadwick's brilliance on screen was matched by a warmth and sincerity in person. There's a reason he could play Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, and King T'Challa with such captivating depth and honesty. He, too, knew what it meant to truly persevere. He, too, knew that real strength starts inside. And he, too, belongs right there with them as a hero—for Black kids and for all of our kids. There's no better gift with which to grace our world. ❤️"
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"Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson," the former president wrote in his post. "You could tell right away that he was blessed. To be young, gifted, and Black; to use that power to give them heroes to look up to; to do it all while in pain—what a use of his years."
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In 2016, Boseman shared this photo of him and Barack Obama during his White House visit surrounding the release of his 2013 Jackie Robinson biopic, 42. "Thanks for your service and for your advice. #theprinceandthepresident#inthehousethatslavesbuilt#tbt#DemsinPhilly," he wrote.
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The last social media post Boseman shared his endorsement of Kamala Harris as vice president.
When it comes to finding the right outfit for any occasion, it’s now easier to head online and trawl your favourite boutique and designer sites and have the perfect combination delivered to your door in under 24 hours – and, during the current global pandemic, online shopping is experiencing more of a surge than ever before, with many preferring to peruse the their favourite luxury sites from the comfort of their own homes rather than mask up for a real-life rummage through the rails.
As summer heads towards a close, many are now starting to think ahead to their autumn wardrobes, and as the shops fill up with the latest must-have pieces and style statements for the season ahead, it’s a great time to give yours a refresh.
But if you’re finding that you just can’t get your hands on those one-of-a-kind vintage pieces and unique modern garments online, yet are keen to avoid a masked visit to the shops in such stiflingly hot weather, you may be feeling a little disheartened. Fashion, after all, is all about individuality, and no fashionista worth her salt wants to be seen sporting the exact same outfit as a friend at that next big event. So how exactly can you restock your rails with the good stuff, all without leaving your home?
Wandering I Fashion is an exciting online store which brings together a curation of independent labels and vintage attire from the world’s biggest fashion capitals
Enter, Wandering I Fashion – an exciting online store which brings together a curation of independent labels and vintage attire from the world’s biggest fashion capitals. Perfect for those who enjoy a heady mixture of classic and cutting-edge, here, you can find a range of unique pieces to punctuate your new season wardrobe – and all without heading out to trawl your usual favourite boutiques.
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Always ensuring it is one step ahead of the fashion curve, its creator is known only as ‘S.M.J’, a woman with a true passion for fashion and who has described it as her ‘calling’. A British/American citizen who adores travelling the world in search of new ideas, she draws inspiration from cultures around the world, hand-picking some of the very finest garments she can lay her hands on and bringing them back to offer up fresh new looks to the loyal ‘Wandering I’ customer base.
Bringing new meaning to the phrase ‘global brand’, this is truly a fusion of all of the best bits the world’s fashion industries have to offer. As much as we all love to travel, shopping whilst away can be stressful – so here at LLM – Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, it’s a relief to have someone do the hard work for us.
Wandering I is the creation of ‘S.M.J’, a lady with a true calling and a passion for fashion
S.M.J says: “Wandering I is all about authenticity, and with this in mind, we take great pains to ensure that our collections are always genuine and original. They are also distinctive, and represent ‘outside the box thinking, all whilst pro-actively empowering women to feel fantastic.”
Certain to make a stir for the season ahead is the inspired and edgy ‘Cities’ collection, which draws inspiration from famous fashion capitals including London, Paris and New York.
If you’ve always had a particular thing for Parisian chic, then look no further, because Wandering I has curated a beautiful collection that is just perfect for the autumn months as the weather begins to cool.
Whether you’ve got a classy Michelin-starred dinner, a last-minute soiree or a casual lunch with friends to attend in the near future, Wandering I has got you covered
Edgier dressers, meanwhile, should head straight to the ‘Seoul’ and ‘Madrid’ sections, for an eclectic collection of clothes from up-and-coming designers and independent labels, along with some gorgeous vintage finds. Head over and view their city inspired collections now, because these pieces are bound to sell out fast.
As pandemic restrictions continue to ease and we’re able to enjoy a return to a more normal way of life, it’s time to swap that casual lounge-wear we’ve all been living in – designer, of course – for some show-stopping pieces that remind us exactly how much fun fashion can be.
And whether you’ve got a classy Michelin-starred dinner, a last-minute soiree or a casual lunch with friends to attend in the near future, Wandering I has got you covered.
The kids really wanted homemade chocolate chip cookies and I really wanted a cute picture, so win win! I found the best recipe so I had to share. I love these so much. I ball up all the dough, and freeze the balls in zip lock bags for later. Half my house likes chewy cookies and the other half likes crispy, so these are a happy medium. How about you, what’s your favorite? Recipe adapted here.
Ingredients
1 cup butter softened 1 cup of white sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons hot water half teaspoon salt 3 cups all purpose flour 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto un-greased pans.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.
I’ve always seen myself as a city girl at heart. It probably has a lot to do with the fact I grew up in a relatively small town, surrounded by mountains and open space — which naturally only made me crave the complete opposite as I got older. Funny how it works that way, huh? The things our parents tell us we’ll appreciate later, we shrug off in a moment of self-assured resentment. The allure of skyscrapers, Broadway shows any night of the week and world-class museums largely motivated the independence of my 20s and the entrepreneurial spirit of my 30s — and quite honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. But I do have this lingering itch — one that’s only intensified the longer our quarantine has lasted — where I find myself missing the ease of my youth to which I could escape into nature. To watch a sunset over an open field. To cool off from the heat of the day and jump into an ice cold lake. To feel small under the shade of a leafy tree, as fireflies dot the dusk air above, as if they’re trying to blend in with the stars. Of course, I suppose it comes as no surprise that most of my current summer wardrobe reflects this desire, featuring the likes of linen midi dresses in earthy neutrals, leather strappy sandals and vintage scarves. A relaxed uniform that, in some small way, transports me, if only figuratively these days, to the bucolic setting I’m craving in my heart. Do I love New York? Of course. That’ll never fade and I certainly won’t be leaving her anytime soon. But who knows, perhaps this city girl, much like her 16-year old self years ago, is craving a change down the road… ONE // How to help Lebanon after the Beirut explosion A great starting point of who and what to donate to at this time to help in the wake of this week’s devastating explosion in Beirut. TWO // The new dating timeline I couldn’t help but nod and laugh at this. Does anyone else feel this way about dating in the midst of a pandemic?
Blake shared a sneak peek of all the pieces from her upcoming Amazon Drop collection and guys, it’s SO good! Plus, it mixes and matches so easily! Make sure to sign up for text updates here — the launch date isn’t set, but tentatively early fall.
To mark former President Barack Obama 59th birthday today, Michelle Obama posted a lovely tribute to her husband on Instagram. Michelle's post had all the essentials: a cute, scenic throwback pic of the couple on vacation with their daughters when they were kids, a sweet caption, and a flirty emoji sign-off. "Happy birthday to my favorite guy," Michelle wrote. "Here's to all the good days, blue skies, and new adventures to come. " This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Michelle's tribute comes days after the first episode of her Spotify podcast,
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