Sebastian Professional has teamed up with fashion designer Mara Hoffman, which sees a Mara Hoffman for Sebastian custom scarf given away with its latest limited-edition designer gift set.
   The gift pack comprises the Sebastian Professional Volupt shampoo and conditioner, along with Hoffman’s scarf, which features bold colours and graphic prints, inspired by her own spring 2013 collection, which had a São Paulo theme. The scarf has a retail value of US$120.
   Sebastian Professional lead hairstylist Thomas Dunkin says the scarf suits current trends: ‘This print is bold, beautiful and inspiring. Combine this with braids for a cool urban look or leave hair down and very natural, and tie the scarf in a bow at the crown for a more ’50s vibe.’
   The choice of Hoffman, with her Brazilian-themed spring collection, ties in with Sebastian’s Urban Explorer promotion, which educates consumers on different hair trends around the globe. The gift set shows step-by-step styling tricks from Dunkin as part of the promotion.
   Dunkin himself had led Hoffman’s hair styling at her spring 2013 show at New York Fashion Week.
   The pack will be available from Sebastian salons across the US for US$25 from May–June 2013.
   Details of Sebastian salons can be found at www.sebastianprofessional.com.

Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography

For husband-and-wife team Dan and Emma Johnstone, design has always run deep within their blood, Dan with a background in graphics and Emma in fashion. So like all great things it was inevitable they would join forces. Their creation is the newly founded label Falvé (Emma’s maiden name).
   Although a young label, having just formed in the latter part of 2012, the idea of doing a menswear brand was always something the pair was dreaming about when they had met years earlier. Their focus was to design a range that men needed, something else in the market that was not only well designed but also affordable.
   Their freshmen autumn–winter range of T-shirts, tailored shirts and chinos with a carefully curated accessories’ line of bow ties, matching pocket squares, leather card holders and wallets is not only well edited but also beautifully handcrafted, something that is often lacking in emerging labels. Other pieces will be added along the way as the brand grows.
   The attention to detail is evident in the high-quality finishing of the garments, beautiful top-stitching on their shirts, individually hand-sewn buttons, removable collar stays for all their shirting, and bias-bound seaming on all tailored trousers. Old-world tailoring techniques refined for a modern age. From the carefully selected fabric choices to the swing tags, everything about this brand speaks of a casual elegance perfect for any generation to wear, as evident from the wide range of guests that attended the intimate showing at the pair’s workroom.
   Favourites from the collection were the Collectors shirt, a classic white shirt in a fine cotton shirting with herringbone pattern, and all French-seamed. The Transmission T-shirt is another favourite, crafted from the finest Tencel; the Missoni-like zig-zag print is not only gorgeous to touch but out-there enough for even those who are not so brave. The Chalmers trousers are also a must-have in your wardrobe, fashioned from a cherry red cotton spandex. These are beautifully cut for the fashion-conscious, not too slim and not too wide—it is the perfect relaxed cut for either dressing up with one of the label’s shirts or dressing down with a casual T. The bias-bound seaming on the cuff of the trouser is a little clever touch: when the cuff is folded up, no horrible over-locking is seen, an interesting take on the roll-up cuff.
   The collection is well priced with accessories such as pocket squares and bow ties ranging from NZ$25 to NZ$51. T-shirts start at NZ$76 and shirts from NZ$190.
   Falvé also creates beautiful leather cardholders and wallets, all hand-made and hand-stitched by Dan in their small workroom.
   The level of design, attention to detailing and fashion-forward pieces should appeal to a wide market. Their passion is evident; if the duo keeps this up, a bright future is most definitely on the horizon for them.
   Falvé can be purchased online through www.falve.co.nz.—Sopheak Seng, Fashion and Beauty Editor

Nikita Brown/Nikita Brown Photography

Amid the bustling of holiday traffic, a layover, and no time for tea, I took a moment to speak with prominent talent, Yasemen Hussein. The London-based artist and creative all-star designs exceptional artworks that are both captivating to the fine art tenderfoot as well as any artistic mastermind.
   As I found a quiet space nestled in a corner of the airport, a few of Hussein’s designs came to mind: from the beautifully sculpted golden shield commissioned for Will.i.am (right) to the Marie Antoinette metal wig with antlers emitting from it called, Diana, exhibited at the Museum of London in 2010, which she also categorizes as one of her proudest pieces.
   Hussein’s art has intrepid layers. Whether fine-tuned in an extravagant coiled headdress or in the sparkling of Swarovski Elements (e.g. over 25,000 lavish crystals she used to create an outfit for Katy Perry’s American Idol performance of the single, ‘E.T.’ [below]), Hussein’s pieces speak for themselves!
   Outside the creative world, many people may not ponder in detail about the artist or designer behind such avant-garde works that a stage performer might wear. Some may even think it to be entirely the vision of a marketing team or performer themselves. Yet, however wonderful the end result is executed, it does start with an artist’s eye and most certainly one that can take on a mighty challenge transcending the intangible or conventional methods of design.
   Every designer has a process of development, perhaps a special moment when they are entirely in the zone of their body of work. For Hussein, an alumna from the Penland School of Crafts, getting in that zone means being fully open to experiment without limitations.
   ‘I came from a strict working class Turkish–Cypriot immigrant family where I was expected to live the norm of marriage and children. The UK gave me grounding and a true understanding of the importance of research and development. Living in the US gave me the time and experience to understand … to do anything I wanted without creative boundaries,’ said Hussein.
   Clothing has the ability to create an image, displaying expressions of one’s mood or style. Mere shoe choice can even make or break an outfit’s buoyancy! Then, there are forms of wearable art that need no special introduction. It’s the one-of-a-kind bells and whistles: the statement pieces, timeless accessories, and other fashioning elements that fairly garner a worthy showcase all on their own. Hussein’s designs are just that!
   With an eye for structure, an appetite for the bold and underlining æsthetic of sculpture, her art merges the love of working with diverse materials such as metal, glass, and clay. She somehow transforms the initial vision into a forward-thinking wonderland.
   ‘I secretly love the smell of metal when it’s been heated up to a cherry red and the sound it makes when I quench it in water,’ confessed Hussein. But, don’t place too much of a label on her artistic style, she’s a designer who is awe-inspired by a multitude of things. ‘I don’t really think about it or guide myself towards something, I just do it. My style is what I gravitate to, whatever has influenced me,’ said the designer.
   So, what advice would a celebrated and very down-to-earth designer give to aspiring artists? ‘You really do have to love what you do. There really is no winning formula, you have to create your own. Unfortunately it’s not always down to talent. I hate to say it, but a whole chunk is a business mind, patience, and timing,’ said Hussein.
   Needless to say, this was one layover with a chock-full of inspiration that I will not forget!
   You may catch more of Hussein’s (headwear) pieces currently being showcased in the must-see Head On exhibition at Fashion Space Gallery in London. She joins a roster of designers, including catwalk looks by Donna Karan, Gareth Pugh, and A. F. Vandevorst, as well as millinery works of Stephan Jones and Philip Treacy, amongst many others. The exhibition will run through March 23, 2013.
   For more information visit www.yasemenhussein.com.—Tamara Madison

David M. Benett/Getty Images

With the SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) in Genève presently, each of the luxury watch brands is going all out to catch VIPs and media. IWC Schaffhausen is no exception, with its Race Night event on Tuesday night, MCed by Kevin Spacey, hosting other celebrities and guests including Karolína Kurková, Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima, Eric Dane, Zinédine Zidane, Ewan McGregor, Luís Figo, Helen Svedin, Julian Cheung, Anita Juen, Jean Reno, Peter Lindbergh, Matthew Fox, Abdulaziz Turki Al Faisal, Oliver Bierhoff, Roberto di Matteo, Marc Forster, Boris Becker, Lilly Becker, Francis Ng, Richard Krajicek, Ferzan Ozpetek, Aloe Blacc, Maya Jupiter, Kiichi Nakai, and Ross Brawn. Jamiroquai provided the music, with Jay Kay arriving in a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG specially designed for Race Night.
   Some 800 guests were present at the Palexpo Hall 1.
   IWC CEO Georges Kern played host, promoting the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One team with Nico Rosberg and his Formula 1 racing car in attendance—although it should be noted that it was a replica. Mercedes-Benz also supplied a classic 1955 300 SLR Silver Arrow for the exhibition and Race Night event. Three race trucks were parked at the red carpet.
   Kern also took guests on a tour of the IWC exhibition stand, which measured just under 1,000 m².
   IWC Schaffhausen has inked a three-year deal as the racing team’s engineering partner.
   The company has also introduced a new timepiece in a carbon case. In the IWC range are titanium, titanium aluminide, ceramic and platinum.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

David M. Benett/Getty Images

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The Image Gate/Getty Images

The Image Gate/Getty Images

H&M brand & Other Stories—the ampersand is part of the official name—will launch its first collections this spring in ten European countries.
   There will be seven bricks-and-mortar boutiques in Barcelona, Berlin, København, London, Milano, Paris and Stockholm, while Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK will see online shops at stories.com.
   & Other Stories will offer shoes, bags, accessories, beauty and ready-to-wear items. According to the company, ‘The aim is to design lasting wardrobe treasures within a wide price range. In the creative ateliers in Paris and Stockholm diversified fashion collections are designed with great attention to detail and quality at an affordable price.’
   The physical stores are located at: Passeig de Gràcia 8–10, Barcelona; Neue Schönhauser Straße 15, Berlin; Amagertorv 29, København; 256–8 Regent Street, London; Corso Vittorio Emanuele 1, Milano; 277 rue Saint-Honoré, Paris; and Biblioteksgatan 11, Stockholm.
   Online, & Other Stories is at www.stories.com, and on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Tumblr.

Motoring news seems to be outnumbering fashion news: it’s been reported that among Miss France 2013 Marine Lorphelin’s prizes is a Peugeot RCZ, a very stylish Austrian-made sports’ car.
   Given that 40 per cent of the viewing audience watches the Miss France telecast on TF1 each year, it’s not surprising that the pageant attracts big prizes. Depending on the model, the car costs between €29,200 and €39,400 in France.
   Lorphelin says her plans are to serve her reign as Miss France before returning to university to study medicine.
   There are also a 50 m² apartment in Paris, jewellery, a diamond watch, two designer dresses, a video system, a trip for two to Mauritius, and beauty and gym treatments.
   Continuing the motoring theme, our writer Sarah MacKenzie headed to Queensland to test the 2013 BMW X1, which has had improvements throughout the range. Her story’s in the main part of the Lucire website. It’s not quite the first motoring piece in Lucire penned by a female member of the team—that honour goes to former Miss New Zealand Amber Peebles—but Sarah does thankfully break an eight-year domination by the boys.
   And if you thought, ‘I didn’t come to Lucire to read about cars,’ never fear: Paris editor Lola Saab looks at luxury jewellery from Van Cleef & Arpels at its current exhibition on at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris: cliquez ici, as they say in France.

Top Carrera y Carrera’s Círculos de Fuego cufflinks in silver with onyx. Above One of Curvy Kate’s designs with a black flower print, by Charlotte Davies.

Carrera y Carrera has launched a range of sterling silver cufflinks for men, with prices beginning at €300.
   Its Córdoba collection is inspired by the architectural elements of Córdoba. The La Viña collection is tied to the Mediterranean with what the brand calls a ‘Spanish spirit—sun, passion, energy, and joy.’ The Alegrías collection features ‘mini-sculptures with geometric reliefs inspired by the decoration of a Spanish guitar,’ while the Y collection uses the Carrera y Carrera identity.
   An Asian inspiration can be found in the Círculos de Fuego cufflinks, while Bestiario sees lions, tigers, crocodiles, and eagles.
   Meanwhile, Charlotte Davies, who graduated from the Fashion and Contour course at De Montfort University in Leicester last year, will return to her Alma Mater to judge a student competition next month.
   Davies designed the swimwear line for Curvy Kate, a brand specializing in D- to K-cup lingerie. The range has gone on sale in Australia and will be sold via the UK-based Simply Beach and Lace Lingerie.
   Davies graduated from De Montfort in August 2011 and had secured her job at Curvy Kate in November 2011.

Stuck on something to give the fashion person in your life?
   Christchurch designers Mister have come to your rescue with a new range of jewellery using their signature scissors cast in sterling silver.
   The new collection is available in limited quantities, much like their clothing.
   The expansion into jewellery sees the design duo of husband and wife Mickey Lin and Ra Thomson offer something unique to their growing customer brand. It is an exciting move for the pair.
   Although small, the collection of brooches, earrings, cufflinks and scissor pendant are hopefully just the start of a new venture. They are all presented in a beautiful jewellery box. This is one thing we wouldn’t mind receiving come Christmas morning.—Sopheak Seng, Fashion and Beauty Editor