Lucire issue 33, on sale today, marks a number of firsts and is one of the best we’ve had.
   We’ve always been very fair on who makes the cover. Sopheak Seng, our fashion and beauty editor, and I choose from all the images we have, and these include ones that he has produced as creative director or stylist. And in the years we’ve worked together, he’s opted not to put his ones ahead of others’. We’ve both gone for what is best for Lucire. Some shoots that have appeared on the cover he has worked on in a supervisory role, but others have come from our brilliant network of creatives worldwide.
   Issue 33 sees his first cover that he has directed, and it’s one we’re both exceptionally proud of. Photographed by Dave Richards, and with the A-team of Michael Beel on hair and Hil Cook on make-up, assisted by Jaye Morgan, Natalie Henderson and Andy Alsop, and modelled by Chloé Graham, it’s the first time in 17 years that we’ve cropped the Lucire logo behind the model’s head.
   We realize this technique is commonplace and it’s probably a surprise to anyone reading the above that that hasn’t happened before. And we’ve had many great images—only the best get selected for the coveted spot. But for some reason, when it came to the crunch, we opted to keep the logo complete, as have always done on the website. This time, the image was so striking that we felt it was time to take the scalpel to the logo, thanks to head designer Tanya Sooksombatisatian.
   It is Dave’s first shoot with us, so to score a cover on your first go is very impressive, though it has happened a few other times—Courtney Dailey with Laura Vandervoort in issue 29, for instance.
   I have a feeling, too, that Chloé is the first Scot to be on our cover. While a New Zealander, she hails from Glasgow, and this is rather timely with the Commonwealth Games about to commence.
   I congratulate my good friend and colleague, Sopheak, and I think this is going to be one of those memorable Lucire covers that will be cited in years to come.
   There’s plenty more inside, and you can get a taste of the articles in our issue 33 preview.
   I’m very proud of one shoot by Jon Moe in there, with our California A-team of Jamie Dorman (now in New York, but who was our pointwoman on the shoot), Lei Phillips and Carina Tafalu, and starring two former Miss Universe New Zealands, Laural Barrett and Samantha Lochhead, each in their second appearances in Lucire. Jon lovingly shot this at Riviera 31 at the Sofitel Los Angeles, and I acknowledge our US west coast editor, Elyse Glickman, for her connections with Pivotal Public Relations in getting us the location.
   It’s not the only cover that we can talk about: some of you will have seen Dorit Thies’s and Olga Fonda’s announcement of their cover for Lucire Arabia. (The story is in issue 33, too, but it was strongly felt that Dorit’s shot was the best to début our title there. When you see the pages, you’ll also notice why this is an incredible shoot with the Vampire Diaries star.) We’ll have more on that officially soon, but, for now, you can get your issue 33 through the Lucire website, in print, for tablets (Ipad and Android), and as a downloadable PDF.—Jack Yan, Publisher

Andreas Rentz

Georgia May Jagger was guest of honour at Reserved’s German launch at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin. Jagger, who also serves as the new label’s face for autumn–winter 2014–15 and walked the catwalk on the night, was among numerous celebrities, including Franziska Knuppe, Daniel Brühl, Jasmin Gerat, Elyas M’Barek, Eva Padberg, Anna-Maria Mühe, Anna Julia Kapfelsperger and Anastasia Zampounidis. Reserved’s ‘Let’s Fashion’ party at Alte Münze Berlin was anything but reserved, with its 1,200 guests.
   DJs Beck To Beck, Terranova, Oskar Melzer, Adam Port and Rampa, and Niki Pauls performed, as well as indie band Oh Land.
   The launch, which showed the autumn–winter 2014–15 line, rather than the spring–summer 2015 one, marks the expansion of LPP SA’s brand into the German market. Reserved already has 500 stores in eastern and central Europe, and this month it will open its online store for German customers. Real-world shops will appear in the autumn at Recklinghausen, Stuttgart, Bremen and Hannover, with further stores planned in every main centre, as well as London and Paris, and in Croatia and Qatar.
   Polish-based LPP’s other brands are Cropp, Mohito, House and Sinsay. The company has revenues of over €1,000 million.

Andreas Rentz

Franziska Krug

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin’s spring–summer 2015 collections saw celebrity front rows at two of the first shows: Marc Cain and Laurèl.
   Marc Cain presented a collection at the Erika Hess Ice Stadium with a circus theme, and drew in an international crowd, including former WAG and model Sylvie Meis, Hilary Swank, Marcia Cross (who had made the journey especially for the Marc Cain show), Motsi Mabuse, Franziska Knuppe, and Nina Eichinger.
   His collection showed a return to pastel tones, with stripes, polka dots, flowers and animal prints.
   Marc Cain founder and chairman Helmut Schlotterer says that the label manages to reinvent itself every season and looks forward to strong sales.
   Laurèl, meanwhile, started its show with airline announcements for ‘Laurèl Airways flight LL 1978 to Berlin’ and ‘On behalf of the Laurèl crew, we wish you a very pleasant flight to our Bohemian Summer Islands. Thank you for choosing Laurèl Airways. Bon voyage!’
   The “dream destination” theme wasn’t a case of Caribbean brightness. Laurèl showed plant prints, frills and flowing pants as its take on a summer holiday: yellow, green and blue were the main colours here with only a few in fiery red and black. ‘Bohemian’ was accurate, but the spring–summer 2015 wearer could also be described as independent and confident.
   Guests included model Bar Refaeli and her brother Dor, tattooist Scott Campbell, Nikolai Kinski with Ina Paule Klink, Franziska Knuppe, Wolke Hegenbarth, Heino and Marie Jeanette Ferch, Barbara Becker and Noah Becker, Jana Pallaske, Vicky Krieps, Pegah Ferydoni, Dominic Raacke with Alexandra Rohleder, Fritzi Haberlandt, Jette Joop, Viktoria Lauterbach, Judith Milberg, Giovanni Zarella, Mirja DuMont, Minu Barati-Fischer, Mariella Ahrens with her daughter Isabella, Martin Krug and Julia Trainer, Jennifer Ulrich, Maria Ehrich, Aino Laberenz and director Bora Dagtekin.

Marc Cain

Laurèl

Jack Yan

For Every Minute held its mid-winter VIP evening at Coco Wellington last night, with co-founder Kenzy Cheeseman holding court, and an even more lavish spread of macarons, guimauves and madeleines from French Cancan, teas from Harney & Sons, wine from Nautilus and water from Waiwera put on for guests. Ruth Armishaw performed live jazz numbers, and neighbouring Woodstock florist provided the flowers, giving the event a classier ambiance.
   As with For Every Minute’s previous event, models, and Cheeseman and Armishaw, were dressed in the company’s silk, loungewear, pyjamas and sleepwear, but there were more giveaways, including beauty treatment vouchers and silk eye masks.
   Cheeseman used the event to début For Every Minute’s mid-winter merino line, which to our eyes looked even more comfortable than the silk designs.
   In other antipodean news, Best Western has announced that Harley–Davidson riders will have more travel perks across its 67 participating Australia and New Zealand properties.
   HOG members who sign up to Best Western Rewards will be automatically upgraded to Platinum status, with 10 per cent bonus points on each stay, a welcome gift on arrival, complimentary room upgrades, early check-in and late
check-out when available, as well as extra 10 per cent off their accommodation.
   Best Western International and Harley–Davidson extended their global partnership for three years in 2013.
   Finally, Veuve Clicquot will hold its Clicquot in the Snow celebration from July 30 to August 3 in Queenstown, New Zealand.
   The event, which has been held in Tignes and Aspen, sees Queenstown host everything from the Clicquot brunches at Pier 19, Steamers’ Wharf, from July 30 to 31, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (NZ$35), with a special session with guest DJ Vincent Hanna on August 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; the Clicquot Snow Bar at the Coronet Peak main deck (10 a.m.–4 p.m.), where guests can get a bespoke menu matched with a flute of Veuve Clicquot and a complimentary pair of Clicquot touch-screen gloves; the Clicquot dégustation dinner on August 1 at the Wakatipu Grill at the Hilton (NZ$150; call 64 3 450-9400 to book); an evening with Kathryn Wilson and Veuve Clicquot, where the designer will showcase her spring–summer 2014–15 shoe collection at the Heliworks Hangar on August 2 (NZ$50, see www.kathrynwilson.com for tickets); the after-party at the Bunker on July 31 from 9 p.m.; and the late-night sessions at Barmuda from on August 1 from 9 p.m.

Jack Yan

Francesco Pizzo

French actress Eva Green is the face of the 2015 Campari calendar, entitled Mythology Mixology. Campari is teasing the calendar with behind-the-scenes images and a video, featuring Green, announcing the project.
   This 16th edition has been photographed by Julia Fullerton-Batten, an acclaimed fine art photographer, and the first female who has shot a Campari calendar.
   The 12 months celebrate Campari’s history and its best loved classic cocktails. Each month tells the story behind the cocktail, with anecdotes and trivia.
   Campari believes that there has been a classic trend over the last decade, and an interest in history, which the calendar attempts to tap into.
   While some may dispute the presence of a classic trend, Campari has been on the pulse in recent years with its calendars. Notably, in 2008, Jessica Alba appeared in its 10th anniversary edition. Other calendar stars include Salma Hayek, Eva Mendes, Milla Jovovich, Penélope Cruz and Uma Thurman.
   Green, whose Penny Dreadful series is currently netting her headlines in the lead role of Vanessa Ives, came to prominence in Bertolucci’s The Dreamers (2002), and as Bond girl Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale (2006), for which she won a BAFTA. She has recently been seen in 300: Rise of an Empire and will soon be seen in Sin City: a Dame to Kill for.
   ‘To work with an iconic worldwide brand such as Campari is an honour and a privilege. There is something very special about this year’s theme as it strikes a compelling and almost magical balance between the classic and the contemporary. At the root of each image is this rich sense of history behind each of Campari’s best-loved cocktails but they are presented in a way that is ultra-modern, exuding imagination and style. It’s a thing of incredible beauty and clearly shows that whilst some of these recipes are over 100 years old, they are still relevant to and adored in today’s world,’ said Green in a release.
   Fullerton-Benton is known for her series, Teenage Stories (2005), which followed the transition of a teenage girl into womanhood. Campari says that the photos will carry her hallmarks of creative settings, unusual locations and cinematic lighting.
   ‘Campari has always had an inherent ability to recreate itself and keep the brand image fresh, inspiring and imaginative—a goal I constantly strive towards in my own work, too. This year’s theme was an interesting challenge, as there was an important job to do in terms of taking historical anecdotes and invigorating them with a modern edge. I’m confident we managed to strike that delicate balance with this year’s imagery,’ says Fullerton-Batten.
   Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO of Gruppo Campari says, ‘Though there has always been a sense of timelessness around our classic cocktails, we’ve been hearing reports from bartenders all over the world that there has been a surging popularity for classic recipes like the Negroni and the Americano. This year’s Campari Calendar is designed to celebrate those enduring recipes and the heritage behind them, so we’re very much looking forward to unveiling it later in the year.’

Francesco Pizzo

Above Ellen DeGeneres’s Twitter photo with Bradley Cooper in the foreground, which has been re-Tweeted over 3 million times.

Award-winning TV host Ellen DeGeneres will lend her name to a home ware, ready-to-wear fashion, accessories and pet care items range called E. D., to début as a capsule collection for the holidays this year, with a full collection launch in spring 2015.
   She is working with J. Christopher Burch, founder of C. Wonder and CEO of Burch Creative Capital.
   DeGeneres will provide creative direction while Burch provides brand development and manufacturing expertise. E. D. also has Michael Francis, chief global brand officer, Dreamworks Animation and former global CMO of Target; Marisa Gardini, managing partner of E. D. and former president and CEO of Isaac Mizrahi; and Janet Grove, former corporate vice-chairman of Macy’s Inc. and chairman and CEO of Macy’s Merchandising Group.
   DeGeneres said in a release, ‘I’m so excited to work with Chris and our incredibly talented team on this new venture. I’ve always wanted to launch a line of home goods, clothing and accessories. I already get to be inside people’s living rooms with my show. Now I get to be in their kitchens, in their beds, and in their pants. Wait. That’s not what I meant.’
   Ellen DeGeneres’s show is entering its 12th season and has won 51 Daytime Emmys. Her social media following comprises over 29 million Twitter followers and 15 million Facebook fans. Her Twitter selfie from the Academy Awards was the most re-Tweeted image in history (with three million re-Tweets). She has also received a Peabody Award and an Emmy Award, while her three books have all débuted at number one on The New York Times’ Best Seller List.

GM has released details of its fifth-generation Opel Corsa (Vauxhall Corsa Mk IV in the UK), promising that the new model will set benchmarks for its class.
   It will have to: it joins a talented segment with cars such as the Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio, Honda Fit, Toyota Vitz and Peugeot 208.
   The Opel Corsa E is virtually identical in length to the outgoing model, with much of the cabin space cleverly used in its 4 m.
   There is a new platform, dubbed Gamma II in GM-speak, with no carryover components from the Corsa D. The new sheetmetal has greater differentiation between three- and five-door models, with styling by Brit Mark Adams. A panoramic roof is optional. Other options include blind spot alert, lane departure warning, and a rear-view camera.
   The new interior has a redesigned instrument panel and dashboard, including Opel’s Intellilink in-car system, already seen on the Adam subcompact, which is on a shorter version of the Corsa E’s platform. Intellilink features a seven-inch colour touch-screen, which can be controlled via apps on the Apple Iphone and Google Android.
   Appealing to the Corsa’s urban drivers, there is a revised speed-sensitive power steering, with less understeer. Ride and handling have also been improved, says Opel.
   Opel has joined the trend toward three-cylinder petrol engines, with a one-litre Ecotec direct-injection turbo as the smallest unit, developing 90 or 115 PS. It is combined with a stop–start system to lower fuel consumption.
   A 1·3 turbodiesel, a 1·2 and 1·4 petrol engine, and a 1·4 turbo are also on offer, mated to new six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes.
   The Corsa will not be sold in Australasia or North America, where the Korean-made Chevrolet Aveo (under various names), also on the Gamma II platform, is GM’s entry in the B-segment.

Model and music producer Caroline de Maigret is the new muse of Lancôme, the company calling her choice ‘an obvious conclusion’.
   Lancôme says that de Maigret was chosen for her nonchalance and sophistication, as well as for her musical work (she created, with partner Yarol Poupaud, Bonus Track Records and Yarock Productions), her runway experience, and her aristocracy (descended from Polish and French royalty). She is described by Lancôme as ‘the favourite subject of the most renowned photographers of the last two decades; a woman from the fashion world, but one who prefers style in its every form to fashion itself; a strong woman, above all, with great intellectual curiosity and an exceptional grasp of people and things.’
   The collaboration with de Maigret will begin in September as she heads off on an international tour for her book How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits, a humorous look at the Parisian attitude, written with Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan and Sophie Mas.
   Lancôme says this intellectual wit is in line with its own brand: ‘The brand saw Caroline de Maigret as an expert with whom they could have an intelligent discussion in order to better transmit a different, liberating form of beauty, a smart mix of indulgence and perfectionism, carefreeness and commitment.’
   The second stage sees de Maigret work on a make-up collection for 2015.