The first production Aston Martin V12 Zagato will début at the Kuwait Concours d’Élégance on February 15–18, the company announced today.
   The V12 Zagato is the latest collaboration between the famed English firm and the Italian styling house. The first DB4 GT Zagato, of which 19 were made, was introduced in 1960, with subsequent limited-edition collaborations based around the V8 in the 1980s and the DB7 in the 2000s.
   The latest model is based around the Aston Martin V12 Vantage, but has a distinctive aluminium and carbonfibre body and a bespoke interior.
   Aston Martin will hand-build 150 V12 Zagatos, with the first customers taking delivery at the end of 2012. Assembly will be at Gaydon. The official price is £330,000, excluding local taxes.
   The six-litre V12 engine generates 517 PS (380 kW, 510 bhp) with a maximum torque of 570 Nm (420 lb ft).
   Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin CEO, said in a release, ‘Over 50 years since the introduction of the iconic DB4 GT Zagato, Aston Martin and Zagato have collaborated to create this modern interpretation which remains true to the original focus of craftsmanship, performance and exclusivity.’
   The V12 Zagato was shown as a prototype in May 2011 at the Villa d’Este Concours on Lake Como, and won the Design Award for the concept and prototypes’ class. The two prototypes were subsequently entered into the Nürburgring 24-hour race (below).
   The Kuwait Concours d’Élégance is now in its third year, hosting vehicles from over 19 countries. A privately owned DB4 GT Zagato is expected to appear at the Concours.

Luxury watch brand Raymond Weil hosted a pre-Brit Awards dinner at Mosaica on January 26, hosted by singer–songwriter and producer Labrinth.
   The Mosaica restaurant in Wood Green, north London, is co-owned by Labrinth, who has fast risen into prominence in the UK.
   Eighty VIPs attended the dinner, including some of the UK’s best musical talents and previous Brit Award winners.
   Head chef Steve Goode created a traditional British menu with bespoke cocktails, while Labrinth, Kyra, Bluey Robinson and Etta Bond performed live.
   Other celebrities in attendance included Tinie Tempah, Ed Sheeran, Plan B, Emeli Sande, Rizzle Kicks, Wretch 32, Tinchy Stryder, Little Mix, Misha B, Alexandra Burke, Mz Bratt, Dudley O’Shaughnessy, Parade, Yasmin, Suki Waterhouse, Clara Paget, Maverick Sabre, Ozwald Boateng, Parade, Tali Lennox, Mr Hudson, Yogi, Jourdan Dunn, Sophie Sumner, Bip Ling, Miles Kane, Gary Numan, Delilah, Chipmunk, Devlin, Cover Drive and Sunday Girl.
   Although Raymond Weil now marks its fifth year of supporting the Brit Awards, and has created five special-edition watches to mark the occasions, the Thursday night event was the first pre-award dinner, according to Raymond Weil director Pierre Bernheim.

Sorelle, the luxury label of a third-generation shoe-making family, has launched in the US. The hand-made range of jewelled shoes—which includes gladiator sandals, flats and high heels—is made in Greece, using Italian leather, silk, Swarovski crystals and metal.
   The two sisters behind Sorelle, Aritsa and Valia Anastopoulos, follow in their grandfather’s footsteps in creating shoes. Their father, Theodoros, founded Ariana, a label specializing in elegant women’s shoes and leather items.
   Sorelle targets a high-end clientèle in Europe and Asia and hope to break into the North American market successfully.

Longines has opened a store in New York, with brand ambassador, tennis star Stefanie Graf—better known to us as Steffi Graf—doing the ribbon-cutting on January 24.
   The shop, inside leading US watch retailer Tourneau, includes the latest Longines watches, including the Longines Master Collection Retrograde Moon Phases, the DolceVita, and the Column-Wheel Chronograph.
   A private preview was held for the American media, followed by a cocktail reception for VIP clientèle, hosted by Condé Nast’s Details magazine.
   Guests also had a chance to win a Longines HydroConquest watch in stainless steel with a blue dial, in return for a small donation. Proceeds from the donations went to Graf’s charity, Children of Tomorrow, which helps children and families affected by war, persecution or organized crime.
   Graf has been a Longines ambassador since 2008. She was joined at the ribbon-cutting by Tourneau CEO Jim Seuss and Longines US brand president Jennifer Judkins.

Top Diane Krüger is one of the VIPs at the Versace Étoile de la Mer eyewear launch. Above Donatella Versace and Anna Wintour.

Versace hosted a dinner at Restaurant Lasserre in Paris on January 23 to unveil its spring–summer 2012 eyewear collection, dubbed Étoile de la Mer.
   The capsule collection features two sunglasses and one optical model, each in various pastel colours. Eagle-eyed readers will spot the signature frameless pilot-shaped model at the spring–summer 2012 women’s fashion show in Milano.
   Donatella Versace and Vogue Paris editor-in-chief Emmanuelle Alt played host, with celebrities including Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, Abbie Cornish, Diane Krüger, Haider Ackerman, Ludivine Sagnier, Daphne Guinness, Maggie Grace, Suzy Menkes, Bérénice Bejo, Salma Hayek and Riccardo Tisci.
   The campaign image features supermodel Gisèle Bündchen, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott at an abandoned pool in the California desert. Giovanni Bianco art-directed.
   Donatella Versace says of the campaign in a release: ‘Gisèle was the perfect choice for this campaign. Her beauty is so bold in these images and she radiates true strength and sensuality. As an iconic beauty, she is also the perfect fit for the Étoile de la Mer eyewear collection. The images of her in the collection are stunning and powerful. This is exactly the vision I had when I started the design process.’
   The Versace Étoile de la Mer optical style will be available at OPSM in New Zealand from February, with the sunglasses following at Sunglass Hut in April.

Above Scenes from the launch event, with guests including Maggie Grace, Emmanuelle Alt, Daphne Guinness, Bérénice Bejo and Salma Hayek, and Haider Ackerman and Suzy Menkes. Below The Gisèle Bündchen campaign image and the three Versace Étoile de la Mer designs.

Chanel

Top Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey. Above Diane Krüger.

As expected at the Chanel haute couture show, plenty of celebrities showed up wearing their favourites from the label, and staying very much of the moment.
   Vanessa Paradis wore a jacket from the ready-to-wear spring–summer 2012 collection with Chanel shoes. Her make-up was by Chanel.
   Cameron Diaz wore a dress from the cruise Antibes collection, with a coat from the Paris–Byzance collection, accessorized by a Chanel clutch.
   Spanish actress Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey wore a jacket from the Paris–Bombay collection with a Chanel bag. Her make-up was by Chanel.
   Elizabeth Olsen wore a jacket from the Starting Point spring–summer 2012 collection, with pants from the ready-to-wear autumn–winter 2011–12 collection, with make-up by Chanel.
   German actress Diane Krüger wore a look from the Paris–Bombay collection, complemented by a Chanel bag.
   British model Alice Dellal, new face of the Boy bag, wore an haute couture top with a black vintage skirt and carried a Boy bag, with make-up by Chanel.
   Ana Girardot wore the jacket of from the ready-to-wear spring–summer 2012 collection, accessorized by a Chanel clutch.
   Other celebrities spotted by the house included Amira Casar, Poppy Delevingne, Clémence Poésy, Harumi Klossowski, Caroline Sieber, Caroline de Maigret and Laura Bailey.

Chanel

From top, left to right Ana Girardot. Vanessa Paradis. Elizabeth Olsen. Alice Dellal. Cameron Diaz.

Maya Villiger

Following on the heels of its autumn–winter 2012 women’s campaign, Stolen Girlfriends’ Club has revealed its shoot for its menswear label, Stolen by Stolen Girlfriends’ Club.
   The campaign was photographed by Maya Villiger from street-style blog Turned Out in and around New York City.
   Villiger is a self-taught photographer who grew up in Switzerland, before heading to Los Angeles shooting fashion on the Californian streets.

Maya Villiger

Supermodel Kate Moss has moved on to a new gig after ending her arrangement with Topshop: she’s now the new face of Mango Fashion, débuting in its spring–summer 2012 campaign.
   Moss says she was tempted to return to working with Mango Fashion after being sent a treatment for an earlier promotional film, shot by Terry Richardson.
   The TV commercial is entitled Spy Game, and was shot in London. It will launch in early March in c. 40 countries, including France, Germany, México, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK.
   ’There’s always an undercurrent of sinister something going on with Terry in every picture,’ she describes.
   Moss describes Mango as ‘classic pieces, timeless pieces … it covers all bases, really.’ She describes the Mango wearer as ‘[an] eclectic, modern woman who likes to have fun and is quite laid-back, and not too up-tight.’
   ‘I’m really excited to be working with Mango for spring–summer 2012, we had a great time shooting the campaign, the team are so easy to work with and shooting with Terry is always fun,’ she adds.
   Moss takes over from Isabeli Fontana, who modelled for Mango’s autumn–winter 2011–12 collection. Previous spokesmodels have included Scarlett Johansson, Penélope Cruz, Milla Jovovich, Lizzy Jagger, Karolína Kurková, Naomi Campbell, Eva Herzigova, Inès Sastre, Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington and Diane Krüger.
   The spring collection has a 1960s influence, with lightweight fabrics and a feminine, more casual look. Ethnic details have been blended with sportswear for a strong urban look, says the company.