Ventete Collapsible Bicycle Helmet.

 

In the current epoch, where we seem to find re-issues forming the majority of releases that manufacturers put onto the market, and 'innovations' are few and far between, it's refreshing to see a genuinely high-end product that actually incorporated real novelty.  In the Ventete collapsible bicycle helmet we find precisely that.

Developed by engineers at Imperial College London, and tested to an exceptional standard, the helmet uses specialised materials, and inflates with an included electric pump, and deflates in less than 30 seconds, to fold completely flat, and stash into a bag when on the move.

This really is a remarkable product, and as any reader of this little blog knows, we rarely say that.  It ticks every box, being well designed, manufactured to the highest standards, and exceptionally fit for purpose, and, considering these points, its price of £350 appears quite reasonable.  

We don't appear to be the only ones with this view.  It was launched on 16 July 2024, and has sold out it's first run completely, with those interested in it needing to join a waitlist.

Salle Prive Discontinue Clothing, Focus on Perfume and Beauty Only.

 

If there was ever a sign that the luxury fashion industry is more trouble than it's worth, Salle Prive deciding to cease their clothing range might be it.

Their elegant minimalism won them considerable praise.  As recently as 2022, Salle Prive was one of Mr Porter's stand out brands, with special feature editorials praising their high quality products.  Not to mention them beiung stocked at Harrod's, Selfridge's and Harvey Nichols, along with multiple online retailers, including FarFetch, End Clothing and SSense.  Yet according to the brands own website they are putting a "pause" on fashion.

To an extent this is understandable.  It's well known that the beauty arms of large brands are often the most profitable.  For example, Tom Ford, which recently sold his brand, when releasing figures for the deal, demonstrated that the fragrances made 1.5 times more than the fashion, and the entire beauty department was 3 times more valuable.

However, it's still surprising for a brand to make the bold move to entirely abandon fashion.  That's a big declaration that either, they were overstretching, or, they were never doing quite as well as it seemed they were.  There's no real way to know which of these is right.  Along with the fact that there's the additional possibility it's an indication of industry downturn generally.

Whatever the case, when you hear Salle Prive for the forseeable future, think perfume, not fashion.

Rimowa Aluminum Luggage Now Comes in Green.

 

Rimowa seems to be running out of ideas, because their latest announcement is the same old product, in a new colour.

That's pretty much it really, no new features, and nothing that makes this stand out above existing products other than being in green.  Although it's only the exterior, the interiors the same old colour of dark grey.

This probably comes from the ceaseless desire for growth and innovation, and the requirement to do something 'new' for stock prices to increase, however, as is often the case, this is merely the appearance of the new, when actually offering nothing.  Because lets be frank, this is just a new colour.

Available now from Rimowa at the same prices as the current line up, which is at least something.

Loro Piana Dip Their Toe Back in the Water of Sunglasses With Ski Goggles, Still no N.P.E.L.P

 

We have long written about Loro Piana's flirtation with having a Sunglasses collection.  From their stunning launch of a world first ultra-thin lens with  N.P.E.L.P lenses made from rare-earth minerals way back in 2011, to them gradually phasing out the N.P.E.L.P lenses, and discontinuing all types in 2022.  It's therefore surprising to see them attempt some sort of eye-protection once again, with a new pair of ski goggles.

Coming in at £855, with changeable lenses, Loro Piana appear to be making progress, as these are only 6 times more expensive than for example, a pair of Oakley ski goggles.  A huge improvement from their Loro Piana plastic frisbee which proudly declared it being manufactured from plastic, costing 175 times that of a comparable non-branded version.

However it's not all sunshine and rainbows.  The new Loro Piana Ski goggle appear to have no UV coating.  There is no mention of it on their website page for the product, and doesn't appear to be mentioned anywhere else either, by way of press release or sycophantically enthusiastic articles.

This is rather problematic.  According to the American Cente for Disease and Control, an absence of UV protection while on snow can lead to serous health concerns, as a result of the altitude, and sheer expanse of blinding whiteness.

It seems then that Loro Piana have outdone themselves here then, creating a product which is not onl;y overpriced, but also dangerous.  Unless we're incorrect and it does have UV protection, in which case they're merely overpriced, and ugly.

Light Phone Release Light Phone 3 Fail

 

Light Phone have produced the latest model of their minimalist tech device, the Light Phone 3, or III.  As the title of this entry suggests, we are not impressed.

Light Phone'e manifesto was a premium, pared back, minimalist communications device.  One which was light in both features, and in physical dimensions.  The Light Phone 2 is a testament to this, being just 95mm x 55mm x 8.5mm, and weighing just 78 grams.  It's features were also very light, yet essential, of just an alarm, GPS, basic music player, calendar, and podcasts, and phone and text only for communications.

The 3 however, is 72mm x 104mm x 12mm, and weighs 124g, and has video calling, a camera, and will incorporate NFC technology and AI.  Considering it costs £350 for pre order, and then will cost £600, they are asking the same money that an iPhone 14 costs, for a device that weighs nearly the same as an iPhone SE, and has far less functionality, and is slightly larger by width and depth.  The counterargument is "thats the point it's supposed to have less".  However, this fails, because by incorporating a camera there is an explicit acknowledgment that the minimalist phone idea is a bad one. 

There is another, underlying issue, with purchasing a luxury device that has "a few less" features, as opposed to the stripped back minimalism of the Light Phone 2.  Users are broadcasting to the world that they lack self-conrol to simply not use the apps that they consider "bad".  It's essentially an advert that users are weak, and incapable of controlling their urges.  Now the counter is all minimalist phone's have this problem, but that's not right.  

There's a real use case for the ultra minimal Light Phone 2, or a clamshell phone than many choose to opt for.  It's good for children, with the essentials for emergencies.   It can be a genuine second phone when you don't want to be disturbed.  Or it can be for when you go to places your primary smartphone might be at risk of being stolen.  Or even if you want to travel "light" due to the 2's ultra-compact design.  

All of this goes out the window with the Light Phone 3.  The camera makes it not safe enough for children.  The size and weight make it impractical for being "lightweight".  And the high costs makes it no real improvement on loosing a iPhone 14, and worse in fact than keeping an iPhone SE. In short, as the title said, Light Phone 3 Fail.

Pharrell's Louis Vuitton LVERS Fragrance and Camo Trunk.

 

From Louis Vuitton's creative director, Pharrell, comes an entirely original fragrance called LVERS.  

Made with Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud, it is a unisex fragrance, which press-releases say contains cedar, sandalwood, gum resin, ginger and bergamot.  All packaged in either a blocky camo print trunk triple set, or tube, with the tube coming in at £300, and the trunk expected to be £4,800.

We are not particularly interested in the dull simplistic, heteronormative concept of colour coding.  The classic and eternally cliched "blue is for boys and pink is for girls".  However, that being said, it is extremely difficult to conceive how on packaging alone this can be considered as coded in any way other than for a masculine audience.  Never mind the fragrance itself.

We have a chunky, pixel art print, with pixel art coming from video games, and these being historically considered (wrongly) a male pursuit.  Which is in camo, a design inspired by field military clothing for soldiers.  With soldiers having been solely males for the majority of human history.  Along with a combination of base notes usually seen in scents marketed towards the male consumer market as a summer perfume, of bergamot, cedar and sandalwood (Creed Aventus anyone?)

None of this really matters. This is a consumer product, and it's all just marketing.  Anyone who likes the smell of any fragrance regardless of gender or primary sex characteristics can use any they wish.  It is though, rather odd, to see such classically "male" semiotics marketed as "unisex".

A.P.C. Release Sunglasses Collection (Again)

A.P.C. have announced their first sunglasses collection.  When they say they announced ther first sunglasses collectuon however, they are in fact being slightly disingenuous.  In reality, they released a collection through Oliver Peoples around four years ago, which was discontinued around two uyears ago.

This new offering is remarkably similar, with four styles, wayfarer, rondo, aviator, and fake flip-up.  Are they made in the same factory?  Probably.  After all, Oliver Peoples is just another Luxottica brand, like Persol, RayBan, and many, many others.  It's pretty reasonable for A.P.C. to have them manufacture frames with their branding on, in order to save them having the outlay of manufacturing them in-house.

They're pretty cheap, which is predictable, as A.P.C. is well known for good quality and relatively reasonable prices.  In a market with brands like Jacques Marie-Mage selling sunglasses for over $1,000 all day long, these sellign for just €250 is quite surprising.  They're actually cheaper than many RayBan's.  With a decent enough style too.

Head over now, as they might sell out.  After all, we don't know how many pairs they had made in Luxxottica's factories!