It seems Donatella Versace has taken up blogging. She made her first blog post today on The Huffington Post, “White House Correspondents’ Dinner: Glamour is Back“. Donatella attended the dinner last night with a Versace clad Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Among the other guests at their table were Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter. Wanda Sykes provided the entertainment.

Donatella’s writing is quite skillful, yet very conversational in tone — perfect for a blog. (She mentions being unsure of how to write, not wanting to commit any blogosphere faux pas, but she did a brilliant job.)

Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging, Donatella! Hopefully we will hear much more from you soon at The Huff (and perhaps in a personal blog too?).

After last season’s Segway from the Chanel Sport collection, many of us were asking, how will they top that? South Korean car designer Jinyoung Jo had the answer with the Chanel Fiole Concept Car, an ultra-sleek and ultra-chic three seater. Check out the video below, which is better than most real car commercials of late!

A section of the "Crucifix" sculpture by R. Lloyd Ming

New York, NY, March 19, 2009 — As part of his latest exhibit entitle “I Am Not Chinese”, R. Lloyd Ming has incorporated twelve Monogram Alma bags from Louis Vuitton in a unique way — they have all been cut in half for a sculpture he calls “Crucifix”. The bags were purchased at a Manhattan Louis Vuitton store over the Christmas 2008 season by one of the artist’s assistants for a cost totaling more than $12,000.

Ming’s show is a study of the relationship between China and America focusing on issues such as censorship, capitalism under a communist regime, human rights and trade imbalance. As the title of his show suggests Ming is not Chinese, despite his surname, and has never been to China. Rather he was born in New York in 1966 and raised in Bermuda.

From Ming:

“Crucifix is a commentary on the new wealth and materialism that has been created in China. However it can also refer to America and many other societies where materialism is rampant. As a result of China’s capitalist revolution the ranks of the rich and middle class in China is growing. However, capitalism often produces a culture of insecurity, were people can only find a sense of self worth or salvation through possessions and materialism.”

Ming frequently works with found objects incorporating them into mixed media pieces and is notably influenced by artists such as Marcel Duchamp and Robert Rauschenberg.

I Am Not Chinese runs until April 3, 2009 at 5 West 74th Street Studio C. New York NY, 10023, and is by appointment only. Telephone (212) 362-3093. For more information on R. Lloyd Ming visit www.r-lloyd-ming.com.

Source: PR.com

Does anyone remember Suzanne Saperstein? In 2002 Vanity Fair named her as the world’s biggest consumer of haute couture and 18th century furniture. She had Fleur de Lys built near Beverly Hills as a near replica of the Château de Versailles, even going so far as to have an exact replica of Marie Antoinette’s bed created for herself. She also purchased Karl Lagerfeld’s entire collection of Louis XV furniture to help fill the massive house.

Since her divorce from media billionaire David Saperstein in 2006 (which was purported to be the most expensive divorce in history), she has had Fleur de Lys on the market, listed at $125 million (also, purported to be the most expensive estate in history). She may have finally found a buyer in Mariah Carey, as it was reported that Carey and husband Nick Cannon have made an offer of an undisclosed amount for the mansion.

Fleur de Lys features leather covered walls, gilded crown moldings, frescoes on the bathroom ceilings, two kitchens, a dining room to seat over 100 guests, and a 50 person screening room. This, all built by a woman once quoted to say “We are just simple country folk trying to keep bread on the table.”

Turns out Mariah really warmed to the place because “there’s so little that needs doing to it,” a source close to her reported. I can’t imagine that there is much more that one could do anyways. Well Mariah and Nick, have fun living it up!

Source: Luxist

Turns out Daniel Lalonde, president and CEO of Louis Vuitton North America, and I are very much alike in our travel habits. We both prefer to fly, and keep it to  one carry-on bag only (LV Keepall - natch). And, we don’t make small talk with our seatmate, instead opting to work or prepare in some manner for what lies at the destination. He trumps me though for number of flights per year at 200!

Read the full article: Executive Class: Daniel Lalonde from The Globe and Mail.

Hermès fragrances are some of my favourite, especially those created by Jean Claude Ellena — the in-house nose since 2004. Have a read of the Jean Claude Ellena Q&A over at Wallpaper* Magazine where he discusses his creative process for the fragrance Un Jardin Après La Mousson. (I’m actually wearing it right now!)