Luxury News from InsideLux – The Daily Luxury News Authority

Christie’s can always been counted on to give a one of a kind item at their auctions and they haven’t disappointed.

Here’s a collection of vintage Louis Vuitton luggage going under the hammer on September 28th. The collection is made up of over 20 pieces of timelessly luxurious luggage from the famed French luxury goods house dating from the late 19th century to the 1940s. This is a perfect opportunity to add to or begin a vintage Louis Vuitton luggage collection.

Mario Testino, easily the best fashion photographer of his generation has released a book dedicated to his favorite muse Kate Moss. The $500 book;Kate Moss by Mario Testino is a cheaper version of the $75,000 series of life-sizeKate Moss portraits at an exhibition held at Phillips de Pury & Co’ s London branch.

Kate Moss by Mario Testino follows the iconic supermodel from early days backstage at fashion shows to scenes glimpses of the ground-breaking editorials she and Testino continue to produce for the world’s most respected magazines. Many photographs have been chosen from Testino’s private archive and have been published in the book for the first time.

The contents of Kate Moss by Mario Testino include a foreword by Mario Testino, an exclusive essay by Kate Moss, over 100 images in black-and-white and colour including many unseen private photographs. The book is a boxed hardback special edition limited to 1500 signed copies.

Kate Moss by Mario Testino is Testino’s tenth book and its release coincides with the exhibition of selected works by Mario Testino entitled ‘Kate Who?’

Prada has launched a collection of Swing Sunglasses to match the modern femininity of its Autumn/Winter 2010 collection.
The swooped frames of the Swing Sunglasses collection combine a slightly 1950s cats -eye shape with the simple ultra-minimalist lines of Prada’s 1990s fashion.

The collection’s arty image and video campaign features supermodel Angela Lindvall and was shot by Steven Meisel. The launch took place at Joe’s Pub in New York City this week; it also featured a “Manga Contest.” The participants have to design a fantasy heroine who must wear Prada Swing sunglasses in the comic strip. The winner will be invited to create a Manga-style heroine with a starring role in a Prada publication.

Prada Swing is priced at £125 and will be available at Prada boutiques and selected retailers worldwide from October.

As a tribute to its very first Le Mans victory in 1970, Porsche Designs have unveiled this limited edition Porsche Le Mans 1970 dashboard watch. The Porsche Le Mans 1970 dashboard watch celebrates the 40^th anniversary of the famous win; the watch is inspired by the Porsche 917 winning car and is modeled after the race car’s steering wheel. The Porsche Le Mans 1970 dashboard watch comes with black calf leather, red stitching and features a titanium pin buckle.

Only 917 pieces of the Porsche Le Mans 1970 dashboard watch will be released to retail outlets in September 2010.

The Life Ball, Europe’s biggest AIDS charity event has outdone its efforts to raise money this year. The event which usually auctions off one ‘Life Ball Mini’ unveiled three ‘Life Ball Minis’ created by three fashion designers.

Last week the three designers Francisco Costa, Diane von Furstenberg and Kenneth Cole unveiled their creations at Vienna’s City Hall Square; Kenneth Cole startled the crowd with his silver MINI Convertible that had shimmering interiors done with Swarovski crystals, Francisco Costa presented his MINI Countryman in matt black paintwork with a reflective logo on each of the front doors and tinted windows and Diane von Furstenberg turned heads with her bright red MINI featuring numerous colorful lips and pearl white touch wheels, mirrors and roof.

Francisco Costa’s The Life Ball 2010 MINI was auctioned off for 40,000 Euros during the amfAR Gala in Vienna, the other two will be auctioned off at forthcoming amfAR events.

Stella McCartney has been appointed creative director of Adidas 2012 Olympic Team GB ranges. The British designer will create the label’s athlete kit for both the national Olympic and Paralympic teams.

McCartney already has an established relationship with the sportswear giant dating back to 2005; she designs a sports-inspired performance collection for the brand called  Adidas by Stella  McCartney.

Commenting on Adidas’s decision to appoint McCartney; Nick Craggs marketing director of Adidas said “Adidas is bringing together the best British athletes performing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games with the best British designer and we are thrilled to have someone of Stella’s stature working with us in the run up to London 2012.”

This appointment is the first time a high-end designer has designed sportswear for the Olympic Games

Last night Valentino unveiled his high tech 45-year archive at his Chateau de Wideville in France.

The archive was put together by Valentino’s business partner, Giancarlo Giammetti who started the compilation in 2008 when Valentino retired.

The archive includes more than 200 sketches from 1959 when Valentino first opened his atelier in Rome to 2008, when he showed his final couture collection. Ipad shows the designer sketching his creations and a 40 meter gallery displays original sketches laid out on notepads and scraps of paper. The archive will also show photographs of some the world’s most famous women including Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqui Kennedy wearing Valentino designs. The collection opens from September by appointment only and available to students from next year.

Pop singer, fashion designer and now creative design executive for Range Rover, looks like the sky is the limit for Victoria Beckham.

Mrs. Beckham’s new role was unveiled at the 40th birthday celebrations of Range Rover at ‘The Orangery’ at London’s Kensington Palace. To mark the celebration the brand unveiled a smaller, sleeker model called the Range Rover Evoque.

Beckham will be working in collaboration with the creative team on the Range Rover Evoque which goes on sale next summer and is described as the “greenest” Range Rover yet.’’

In explaining the decision to take on Victoria, Land Rover and Range Rover design director Gerry McGovern said “She knows a lot about fashion and a lot about trends, a lot about luxury products; she has her own fashion business that’s been going for three years and has gained critical acclaim.”

iPad has caught the fashion industry at a feverish pace with multiple designers extending carrying cases for the latest in apple technology. Long-established brand and design team Dolce & Gabbana utilized the iPad to pay homage to their successful 20 year run as a fashion empire. A multimedia exhibit, open to the public at the Palazzo Marino in Milan will be on display through Sunday. iPads, seeming to be floating in a glass wall throughout Milan’s city hall, display images of everything Dolce & Gabbana from the last 20 years. From celebrity displays on red carpets and entire runway shows to ad campaigns and editorial shoots, the presentation is expecting to bring in celebrity spectators such as Morgan Freeman, Juliette Binoche, Matthew McConaughey, Chace Crawford and Eva Herzigova.

Starting June 17^th, the lines of communication between Boris Becker, three time Wimbledon winner, will be hindered as Ralph Lauren launches his online interactive Legends Clinic for tennis. Live feeds, streaming in real time on tennis enthusiasts’ computer screens, will star professional tennis players answering fan questions as well as demonstrating techniques. Ralph Lauren being the official outfitter of Wimbledon is hoping to bridge the gap between fans and athletes, creating a more personal relationship via his marquee Polo Ralph Lauren brand and the world wide web.