Tiffany’s Bird Lands, Balenciaga Promotes Shoe Launch With China NFTs
NEW PERCH: Tiffany’s Schlumberger-designed Bird on a Rock is getting a little vacation from its familiar perch.
The jeweler on Wednesday night unveiled a capsule collection of “Bird on a Pearl,” designs in which Schlumberger’s perky avian friend sits on significant, saltwater pearls.
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The collection includes a brooch. There’s also a mismatched pair of earrings — bestowing each with a diamond-set bird with one perched on a black pearl and the other on a rosy white pearl. There is a necklace with three strands of pearls and a whole flock of Schlumberger birds affixed. Lastly, there is a pendant strung on a diamond-flecked chain.
The collection was unveiled at a brand event in Doha, Qatar. All of the pearls in the collection were sourced in the Gulf region and were purchased from the personal collection of Hussain Al Fardan — a Qatari business magnate who grew up in the pearl trade.
Tiffany chief gemologist Victoria Reynolds said of the collection in a statement: “Bird on a Pearl represents the pinnacle expression of Jean Schlumberger’s beloved Bird on a Rock brooch. We are very fortunate to have accessed the private natural saltwater pearl collection of Mr. Hussain Al Fardan — recognized around the world as the rarest and most extraordinary pearls.”
Bird on a Rock was released in 1965 and has received new attention under Tiffany’s LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton leadership. Earlier this month, Jay-Z wore the style to the Grammy Awards. — MISTY WHITE SIDELL
BIG DROP: To create hype around its 3XL sneaker collection, Balenciaga dropped 3,220 digital collectibles, or China‘s version of NFTs, this week.
From Monday to Wednesday , followers of the Balenciaga Wechat Official account were able to snap up one of the yellow and black 3XL digital sneakers free of charge. All units of the digital collectibles were taken within hours of the release.
The digital collectible enabled owners to secure a slot to preorder a pair of the real sneakers, priced at 8,300 renminbi, or $1,211, on WeChat Thursday.
On Chinese social media, VIP clients that were able to secure the flashy kicks ahead of the digital drop were already calling the 3XL “sneaker of the year.”
The latest iteration of the 3XL trainer is a part of the controversial spring 2023 show, which was opened by Ye and followed by an ad controversy that dented sales primarily in English-speaking countries. Kering reported a 4 percent drop in its “other brands” segment for the fourth quarter, which includes Balenciaga, and flagged a “difficult” December for the French brand.
According to a brand spokesperson, three colorways from the 3XL sneaker collection initially launched in the Chinese market in mid-January, a month ahead of its global launch, and has already sold out.
Balenciaga worked with Tencent’s Zhixin Chain on minting the digital asset. The digital sneaker will live on Wudeku, a Tencent-owned digital collectibles trading mini program. The brand said it is working with Zhixin Chain on other digital collectible projects in the future.
The launch is the second time Balenciaga has worked with Tencent on a Wechat-only digital collectible project. Last December, Balenciaga tested the waters by launching 30 digital collectibles on the Chinese super-app for its Balenciaga x Adidas Triple S sneaker.
In China, where cryptocurrencies and the reselling of NFTs are forbidden, NFTs are more widely referred to as digital collectibles to avoid regulatory risks.
Last April, Burberry became the first luxury brand to work with Wechat on a digital collectible release. During the brand’s The Burberry Generation Exhibition in Chengdu, which celebrated local artists and creatives, Burberry issued more than 350 unique photographs by local artist Myron Zeng on Huanhe, a Tencent-owned platform that mints and distributes digital collectibles.
Merely four months later, Tencent shut down the one-year-old Huanhe, as the platform faced lagging sales and reckoned with a Beijing cryptocurrency crackdown. — DENNI HU
L.A. LANDING: Tatcha is unveiling its first U.S. pop-up in Los Angeles. Open to the public, it runs Friday through Sunday at the Grove.
“We love that the pop-up is going to bring to life our core beliefs around the skin-mind connection,” said Tatcha’s chief executive officer Mary Yee. Launched by Vicky Tsai in 2009, the prestige beauty brand was acquired by Unilever in 2019.
Visitors will be immersed in a 4D re-creation of a Japanese forest, led by the voice of zen monk and Tatcha ambassador Toryo Ito. The exhibit is held to celebrate a new body collection: Forest Awakening Body Care, comprised of a body wash, oil and milk.
“Forest bathing, in Japanese shinrin-yoku, this ritual of connecting to nature through the senses has become a common medical practice prescribed by Japanese physicians to boost immunity and mood,” Yee said. “So, research shows that physical and mental health benefits of the forest come from breathing in this forest air, which is rich with phytoncides, which are these organic compounds produced by hinoki, one of our most beloved Japanese trees.”
There will be interactive activities, giveaways, contests and matcha drinks provided. To purchase the beauty goods, guests will be directed a few steps away to Sephora.
“It’s a cultural hub for our press and influencer partners based on the West Coast,” Yee said of choosing L.A. as its first U.S. destination. Past installations have been in Japan and London. “And we’re also really thrilled to be located just two doors down from one of our most traffic locations on the globe, Sephora, our top U.S. retail partner.”
Tatcha’s 4D Forest Exhibit is located at 188 South Gilmore Lane (near Dylan’s Candy Bar), accessible from 2 to 8 p.m. Those unable to be in-person can experience the pop-up online via a digital guided forest walk on the Tatcha site. — RYMA CHIKHOUNE
VROOM VROOM: The sixth annual Miami Concours, one of the country’s leading motoring events, is returning to the Miami Design District from Friday through Sunday, marking the 60th anniversary of Lamborghini.
The annual event will showcase the most significant automobiles ever produced. Led by cofounders John Termerian Jr. of Curated and Ronnie Vogel, alongside partner Brett David of Prestige Imports, the event features the most sought-after postwar automobiles and celebrated models from the world’s most recognizable luxury motoring brands.
On Saturday night, the Miami Design District will host the event’s signature red carpet as a backdrop for the world-class, handpicked automobiles, and collectors witness real-time, official judging. They can view an historical display of Lamborghinis on 39th Street, and view a display of Hypercars from Pagani Automobili as they celebrate their 25th anniversary, along with Czinger Vehicles, as they present the 3D-printed 21C.
Miami Concours showcases Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Pagani, Maserati, Jaguar, Ford, BMW, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz examples. A one-of-one Inter Miami CF Land Rover will be put up for auction later this year.
Craig Robins, founder of the Miami Design District, said, “Miami Concours is an incredible platform for luxury cars, presenting some of the most coveted rarities in automobile history. Each year, this weekend unites the community and devout car enthusiasts from all over the world for the shared appreciation of remarkable craftsmanship. I can’t imagine a more fitting destination than the Miami Design District to host this spectacular weekend.” — LISA LOCKWOOD
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