Coty and its new fragrance for Chloé, See by Chloé, has launched an online competition to coincide with its UK release.
   The new competition, located at www.seebychloe-fragrance.com, encourages fans to make personalized advertisements for the fragrance based around four mini-webisodes.
   Each of the videos can be customized with users uploading three photographs, choosing the mood from the options available, and letting the website generate a new, personalized ad. The ad can then be shared with their friends on Facebook, and entered online into the competition.
   Fragrances and accessories from See by Chloé are up for grabs.
   See by Chloé is a floral fragrance, with notes of sandalwood and vanilla. Top notes are bergamot, with mid-notes of apple blossom and jasmine.
   The brand was first introduced by Chloé as an extension in 2001, with more casual styles, though prices can creep up near the US$1,000 mark, though considerably less than the typical four-figure sums one normally might pay for something from the main line. The fragrance is, however, only a recent introduction.
   Each of the inspiration videos can also be viewed below.

A Lucire special promotion

Today, Lucire has come full circle. One of the earliest stories on the web for our group was on the Renault Clio’s Nicole and Papa campaign, created in the early 1990s by Publicis. The Clio, which was the first Renault to hit the best sellers’ lists consistently in the UK, was sold with a cheeky campaign featuring two characters—Nicole, a young French lass, and Papa, obviously, her father. Those were the only two words uttered in the majority of the commercials, with the exceptions of ‘Maman’ and ‘Bob’, the final referring to comedian Bob Mortimer.
   The last Nicole and Papa TVC, released when the Clio II was launched in 1998, saw Nicole finally walk down the aisle, about to marry Vic Reeves (a.k.a. Jim Moir) when she finally decides, at the last minute, to run off with Bob Mortimer instead.
   It’s hard to believe that Nicole and Papa entered the British consciousness 20 years ago, in a series which also marketed French flair and the belief that the French have a better lifestyle than the British.
   The Clio is still with us, but it’s much larger than before. Now on its fourth incarnation, the latest Clio is more expressive and sporty in looks, thanks to the work of Laurens van den Acker. It’s on the previous model’s platform, albeit heavily revised, and that’s a good thing. In the stories we did on the Clio—both publisher Jack Yan and travel editor Stanley Moss took Clio 3s around France and New Zealand—we found it one of the most capable superminis, a small car with a big-car feel. In fact, we found it better for cruising New Zealand’s South Island than the Holden Commodore, which we tried around the same time.
   Clio IV features an 899 cm³, three-cylinder engine, but it’s turbocharged, developing more than 90 PS—those are the sorts of eco-friendly, yet powerful, specs that you can expect from the French these days. Renault claims a combined 88·3 mpg from the Energy dCi 90 engine. Archrival Peugeot similarly has three-cylinder units for its 208, the Clio’s closest rival at home, though the entry-level engine here is actually a 1·1 four which develops 75 PS. An RS model appears in 2013, getting 200 PS from a turbocharged 1·6, continuing the tradition of pocket rockets from Clio—Lucire photographer Doug Rimington once owned a Clio RS 182, which proved to be an able and taut sports hatch.
   The great thing is that Clio IV has the looks to match its ‘va-va-voom’ nature. The new model’s styling conveys everything that Nicole and Papa tried to do: that when you get a Clio, you’re getting a dose of French flair. But wait, there’s more: ‘va va voom’ includes a sense of passion, something which van den Acker’s styling attempts to do. This isn’t a dull little hatch in the domestic appliance mould: Clio IV is emotive, and even sexy. They’re not words you tend to hear in the B-segment.
   To show just what Renault means, the company has come up with two videos, one for unsuspecting male test drivers who come to a corner and are surprised at what happens when the ‘va va voom’ button is pressed, and the other for female test drivers.
   And to bring things full circle, Nicole and Papa make an appearance, uttering the lines that made them famous. It does seem that the years have not been kind to Nicole and Bob, because there’s no sign of Mortimer, as Nicole has found herself a new man.
   But isn’t that just what we expected?

Find out more from or book a test drive at the Renault website. Renault’s Twitter account can be found here, and its Facebook here.

Sponsored by Renault

Updated March 28, 2013 at 10.56 a.m. GMT with The Delivery film and other highlights

James Bond star Daniel Craig has helped launch the Range Rover Sport in New York City with a drive through Manhattan, revealing the car to a celebrity audience that included former American football player Michael Strahan, Yasmin Le Bon, Zara Phillips, MBE, and Jade Jagger, at Skylight at Moynihan Station on 8th Avenue.
   The drive is part of a short film called The Delivery, broadcast live by Land Rover at www.newrangeroversport.com.
   The Delivery was directed by Jonathan P. B. Taylor, who most recently worked on A Good Day to Die Hard. It followed the journey of the new Range Rover Sport from Solihull to Manhattan, before it was driven by Craig over Manhattan Bridge to Moynihan Station.
   Craig drove the earlier Range Rover Sport in his second Bond film, Quantum of Solace, but was also attracted to working with the company because of its connection to the charity SAFE, of which he is a patron. Among other things, SAFE uses mobile street theatre and community programmes to help effect social change in third-world countries.
   Jaguar Land Rover says it chose New York for the launch as it sells more units in the US than in any other global market. New York is the car’s best selling city.
   The new Sport is no longer based on a Discovery, but has a new platform based around the company’s aluminium architecture, lightweight suspension design and chassis technologies. It was developed alongside the latest Range Rover but JLR claims that 75 per cent of the Sport’s parts are unique to it.
   It can be specified with occasional seating for sixth and seventh passengers, again appealing to the US market. The power seats can be folded to leave a flat floor.
   The new V6 diesel is 420 kg lighter than the outgoing model, while carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced to 194 g/km.
   The exterior design is more muscular and purposeful than the Range Rover presented last year, and some might say it is better balanced. It is positioned between the Range Rover and the smaller Evoque.
   It is 62 mm longer than the outgoing Sport, but the wheelbase has been increased by 178 mm—the overhangs have been shortened to give it more muscular proportions compared to the previous model. At 4,850 mm, it is shorter than other seven-seater SUVs and E-segment saloons, says the company. The drag co-efficient has dropped to 0,34.
   Connectivity includes Stolen Vehicle Tracking and a high-bandwidth wifi hotspot can be installed. An optional head-up display is available. Other features include lane departure warning, automatic high-beam assist, and a Wade Sensing feature that provides information on depth when driving through water.
   Land Rover said it had set out to create the most capable Range Rover ever, one which would be agile on-road, but unbeaten by its rivals off-road.
   In a release, Land Rover Global Brand Director John Edwards noted, ‘We’ve taken ride, handling and agility to another level for Land Rover to deliver a truly rewarding, sporting drive, together with unmatched luxury, capability and versatility.
   ‘Building on the success of the recently launched flagship Range Rover, the new Range Rover Sport also employs a vast array of new technologies which help to transform its performance, refinement and all round capabilities.’
   Again recognizing its clientèle, the wheel sizes range from 19 through to 21 inches.
   Suspension is fully independent, with double wishbones at front and multi-link at the rear. Wheel travel is 260 mm at the front and 272 mm at the rear; ground clearance has been increased to 278 mm. Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 system selects the most suitable terrain program.
   A hybrid diesel with 169 g/km carbon dioxide emissions will follow, but at launch, the Sport has a supercharged five-litre V8 developing 510 PS, and a three-litre diesel developing 292 PS. Three- and 4·4-litre diesels will be added in 2014.

Above, from top Michael Strahan. Yasmin Le Bon. Daniel Craig and SAFE’s Nick Reding. Jade Jagger. Zara Phillips, MBE. Sienna Guillory and Jamie Chung. Thierry Henry. Below More shots of the new Range Rover Sport.

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The Jameson Empire Awards took place at the Grosvenor House, a J. W. Marriott Hotel, in Park Lane in London at the weekend, with Sam Mendes, Dame Helen Mirren, Daniel Radcliffe, Martin Freeman, and Jennifer Lawrence among those honoured.
   Other VIPs included Sir Ian McKellen, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Kevin Spacey, Mark Strong, Vanessa Kirby, Beth Tweddle, Ellie Goulding, Alexandra Roach, Edgar Wright, Robert Sheehan, Johnny Vegas, Michael G. Wilson, Jonathan Ross, Nick Park, Sam Claflin, Laura Haddock, Tom Riley, Laura Whitmore, Maia Dunphy, Mariella Frostrup, Rickie Haywood Williams, Melvin O’Doom, Dexter Fletcher and Blake Harrison. Ed Byrne was host.
   The Empire Awards, which celebrate the best movies of the previous year, are judged based on an international public vote.
   Mendes picked up three awards for the James Bond film Skyfall, including the Empire Inspiration award presented by Jameson Irish Whiskey, as well as Best Film, presented by Sky Movies, and Best Director, presented by Monitor Audio.
   The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey won two awards, for Best Sci-Fi or Fantasy Film, presented by MediCinema, and the Jameson Best Actor award, presented by Rebecca Hall, which went to Martin Freeman.
   Sightseers was Best British Film, presented by Trésor Paris.
   Dame Helen Mirren took home the second Empire Legend award, presented by Tom Hiddleston, for her career, which has seen films such as The Queen and Hitchcock. Director Danny Boyle won the Empire Outstanding Contribution award, for his films, including Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire and Trance.
   Daniel Radcliffe won the Empire Hero award, presented to him by director James Watkins.
   Jennifer Lawrence, who was not present at the awards, thanked audiences from location in Hawai‘i, after winning Best Actress, presented by Citroën, for The Hunger Games.
   Tom Holland won Best Male Newcomer for The Impossible, presented by Entertainment Tonight, while Samantha Barks won Best Female Newcomer for Les Misérables.
   Ted won Best Comedy, presented by Magic 105.4; Headhunters won Best Thriller, presented by Vue Entertainment; and Dredd 3D picked up the Art of 3D award, presented by RealD.
   The Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds short film award was won by Philip Askins, for his remake of Blade Runner. Tom Hiddleston, Edith Bowman, Alex Zane, Joanne Froggatt, Bauer Media CEO Paul Keenan and Empire editor-in-chief Mark Dinning served on the judging panel.
   The Awards will be televised on March 30 at 8.30 p.m. on Sky Movies in the UK, and repeated the following night at 7.30 p.m. on Sky Movies Showcase. To celebrate the awards, US readers can download Empire’s US edition for Ipad free from now through March 27.

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Daniel Radcliffe on the Frankenstein remake

Babies ’R’ Us UK has announced a collaboration with Heidi Klum, which sees a range of baby products exclusive to the chain.
   The Truly Scrumptious by Heidi Klum range has arrived at stores as well as the Babiesrus.co.uk website.
   The range has already launched in the US and Canada, and has been well received there. It is particularly colourful and includes floral prints. Clothing items include bodysuits, two-piece sets, and accessories such as socks and hats. A stroller joins the range in May, retailing at under £130.
   In a release, Klum, who has four children. calls the project ‘one of the most exciting and fulfilling’ that she has worked on.
   Meanwhile, while publisher Jack Yan was covering ID Dunedin Fashion Week, US west coast editor Elyse Glickman was at Vogue Eyewear’s launch, at which Eva Mendes was guest of honour, promoting the latest line with her as spokesmodel. You can read that story here, and Elyse’s pre-Oscar suites’ write-up here (with her earlier Grammy one here).
   In London, Elina Lukas has checked out Anna Popovich’s spring 2013 collection and notes some additional shows at London Fashion Week; we return to Sundance after nine years, thanks to Lola Saab; and Stanley Moss is in Vicenza, in the Veneto, in our latest travel special.

Since Cheryl Cole always gets additional readers for the British tabloids, she’s the subject of further speculation again—that The X Factor supremo Simon Cowell will offer Cole her old judging job back on the American version of the franchise.
   Cole was heavily promoted in the British press when she went to the US for its version of The X Factor in 2011, only to be quietly dumped. One episode had Cole start the show and her replacement, Nicole Scherzinger, end it.
   A rift had been reported between Cole and Cowell in the British press in subsequent months, but neither would offer an official comment on what had happened.
   Since then, Scherzinger, and her replacement, Britney Spears, have left the show. L. A. Reid is also leaving The X Factor USA.
   Cole’s legal team has filed suit against The X Factor USA producers Blue Orbit, claiming she is owed the equivalent of £1·4 million. Blue Orbit claims that Cole lacks standing in the case.

GHD has released another great collection of straighteners in time to brighten up your winter hair days.
   The Candy Collection has been inspired by retro pastels of the ’50s and ’60s and the current neon brights lighting up runways around the globe. GHD’s original cult item, the GHD IV styler, has been transformed with a colour palette as sweet as candy.
   With fresh colours straight from the spring–summer 2013 runways, GHD is encouraging girls to indulge in sweet style this summer with three delicious hues: brilliant bright turquoise, dazzling electric violet and sunny lemon yellow.
   The GHD Candy Collection is available from approved GHD salons from mid-March.—Sopheak Seng, Fashion and Beauty Editor

Top MAC’s new Mineralize Rich Lipstick promises the same high quality as the company’s other lines. Above Chloé is offering free engraving for its Signature fragrance this weekend, but only at Selfridges.

If you’re in the UK, Chloé and Selfridges have teamed up to offer free complimentary engraving for Mother’s Day, but only this weekend (March 9 and 10). With any purchase of a Chloé Signature fragrance (30 ml and above), you can receive free engraving in store.
   Shiseido, meanwhile, has won an award at the the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the second consecutive year. The announcement by the Ethisphere Institute, an American think-tank, was announced on March 6, awarding companies that have best practices in ethics and corporate social responsibility, not unlike the Medinge Group’s earlier Brands with a Conscience awards.
   The ceremony took place in New York.
   MAC Cosmetics, meanwhile, have three new releases. For the eyes, the MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot range (bottom), still with its highly pigmented colour and pearlized finish, has a new creamy formula that dries more quickly. Suggested retail price is NZ$44, with the 242 Shader brush at NZ$68. The Paint Pots hit retailers on March 11.

   On March 18, MAC’s Mineralize Moisture SPF 15 foundation (below) becomes available, featuring shea butter, emollients and conditioning extracts. MAC says the combination of powders has an ‘optical blurring effect’ that helps even the skin tone. The foundation, with 18 shades, retails for NZ$75 each, and the 130 Short Duo fibre brush at NZ$90.
   Completing the MAC releases, also due on the 18th, is its Mineralize Rich Lipstick line, which the company says is larger in size and has a mineral moist complex for hydration. There are 12 vibrant shades, each retailing at NZ$58.