One of the more gentlemanly of sports is hunting, killing and mounting (in the non-zoophilic sense) one’s own prey, despite what the animal liberationists have to say on the subject. Recently, taxidermy has reared its head (my apologies) to once again become a stylish and edgy addition to any interior, because who doesn’t want a creepy [...]

How many times have you been at a dinner party and offered to help clean up and have been pounced upon just as you’ve gone to put your host’s Riedl stemware in the dishwasher? You haven’t? That’s what the help’s for, you say? Well step out of the dark ages, you reprobate; get off your [...]

We never make any point of hiding our love for all things French and literary, so when the two are combined, you can imagine how hot under the collar and moist in any every other crevice we become. In fact, perhaps being a Francophile and a bibliophile are the only two socially acceptable ‘-philes’ out [...]

For years they’ve been the find of the flea market scourer, the veritable hidden treasure of the Paris’ Les Puces: the antique steamer trunk. From long-established and master malletiers, such as Goyard and Louis Vuitton, to antiquated trunkmakers since lost along with the golden age of travel, the luggage of days gone has become a coveted accoutrement, [...]

Let’s kick off the year with a brief visit to one gone by. Famed Surrealism artist, Salvador Dalí and his wife, Gala hosted a charity dinner party in 1941; the hostess herself dressed as a unicorn, entertaining guests from a bed. Guests were treated to such delicacies as fish served from women’s satin slippers and [...]

Another year has flashed by like a streaker at a football match and now you’re faced with the ultimate dilemma: what to wear to your New Year’s Eve bash. If you have youth on your side (or access to some hospital-grade narcotics), you’re possibly backing it up with the New Year’s Day double-bill, in which [...]

“Gee, you shouldn’t have. No, really you shouldn’t.” Sound familiar? It’s that predicament we face each year when confronted by those around us who invariably have poor taste and attempt to thrust their impaired gift-buying judgement upon us. Of course, you should accept anyone’s generosity graciously, but what do you do when left with armfuls [...]

Dior and Hermès have been at it for years, Gucci and Chanel have recently joined, and now Versace is the latest contender with its latest retail outlet in Milan. Childrenswear for luxury brands is a simple decision: take an itty bitty piece of fabric, fashion it into something for the most entitled of children, say [...]

If you’re haven’t puked from last night’s office Christmas party, then consider this your ipecac. In what can only be described as ‘cute overload’, animator Kirsten Lepore brings this sickeningly saccharine video, “To Give a Present” for Yo Gabba Gabba. Admittedly it’s targeted at children, so perhaps I’ve had little too much brandy custard for breakfast? ‘Tis [...]

There are only five more shopping days left until Christmas, which means there’s only four more business days in which to abuse your office privileges and run things off on the colour printer. And we’re not talking about your body parts at the Christmas party. Wrapping paper is usually known for being overpriced, naff and [...]