Sunday, 9 February 2025

Dyson Announce Car+Boat Handheld Possibly Just a Rebranded V8.

 


Dyson have announced a brand new product, the compact, and ultra efficient Car+Boat handheld vacuum.  At least, that's what they say they have announced, we have a sneaking suspicion this is not quite what it says on the tin.  We suspect this is merely a rebranded V8 vacuum.

We have seen this a few times over the past year.  An example being Bang Olufsen's fancy new Eleven earbuds.  We wrote recently that they seem more like the EX headphones in a new colour with a higher price tag (see here).  Ad it seems as if we might have been close to the truth.  As a well known YouTube tech channel did a teardown of them and found they are essentially the same product.  It seems as if the same thing is happening here.

Dyson haven't even done a very good job of concealing it.  If the specs on their own website are viewed, we see they are identical.  There's been some effort to hide it, as the V8 models dimensions are all listed including the longest accessory, giving the appearance of a different device.  Yet simple logic tells you that's not right.  There's the same charge time, suction power, bin volume, weight and runtime.  But more significantly. they just look the same.  Need further proof?   Check the spares and accessories, it's the same battery.

To an extent it's understandable.  The V8 is an amazing piece of technology.  Compact but strong enough to clean a small flat.  Very light.  And styled in a way it looks good hanging up, while also being able to fulfil your space laser fantasies while in use.  But if you're going to rerelease it with a new name and pretend it's a different product, at least discontinue the V8 and wait a year or something.  So the obvious lazy marketing attempt isn't clearly on display for all to see.

In any event, you can now get the V8/Car+Boat, on Dyson's website for £250, or just get a reconditioned V8.  Or keep the one you have because there's no point in upgrading as this is the same product.




Saturday, 25 January 2025

Porsche Design Honor Magic V2 Smartphone Reminds us of how Redundant Luxury Phones are.

 


Luxury technology is, frankly, oxymoronic.  Technological devices are designed to be on the cutting edge, and therefore are inherently disposable.  While luxury goods are theoretically supposed to be superior quality products meant to last.  It’s therefore endlessly amusing to see brands attempt to buck this trend, inevitably producing things which are forgotten after a year or two.

No category of electronic device better exemplifies this than phones.  The average life of a cellphone is 6 months to a year, so the idea they can have any permanence is faintly ridiculous.  It’s one thing to suggest a Bang Olufsen stereo will last for years, and often it does, but pretending a phone can stay with you longer than 12 months isn’t realistic.  Vertu, Nokia’s now defunct luxury phone arm showed this, as it shuttered repeatedly.


Yet that doesn’t stop brands continuing to try.  Such as for example the new Porsche Design Honor Magic V2 luxury smartphone.  it’s specs are. . . Irrelevant.


No one wants this, no one asked for it, and likely, no one will buy it.  After all, a top of the line fully specced Apple iPhone Pro is more luxurious, and more expensive.  It’s completely redundant, and a bit sad, when you consider the waste of resources and environmental impact that went into these landfill fillers.


Maybe you disagree?  Well, you shouldn’t.  Doubt we're right?  It's already been reduced to clear from £2,340 to £1,650. 






Sunday, 19 January 2025

Pharell Copies Nike Cortez but Badly with Louis Vuitton ButterSoft Sneaker's.

 


It's fair to say that Pharrell's tenure as Louis Vuitton's creative director has attracted a lot of criticism. While mainstream media has been towing the party line and clamouring with effusive praise, smaller independent commentators have been largely negative.  Observing a profound lack of creativity, and generally ugly releases.

It's not hard to see why this position has been taken.  Virgil Abloh, who Pharell took over from, revolutionised fashion by introducing industrial design cues, and an entirely new wave of pared down styles.  He brought that creative energy to LV, and while some pieces were a bit formulaic, there was genius and brilliance in every collection.

Pharell so far only seems to be re-releasing collabs, such as the Murakami, and now, an "original" sneaker release from the brand under his direction, is effectively a Nike Cortez sneaker in leather.  Worse in fact, as the stubby, ugly toecap mean that a simple leather Nike Cortez would be a better choice.

These will be £900 a pair on release, and we suggest looking elsewhere, perhaps towards Hermes Quick trainers if you want a luxe sneaker.  Or, you know, just buy some Nikes.

Thursday, 9 January 2025

Bottega Veneta x Lorenzi Milano Collaborative Collection.

 


There are many brands in the world of luxury which quietly tick along, surviving for decades, or even centuries, doing very-well-thnakyou, with the majority people never even knowing they exist.  Sometime's, they are unceremoniously brought into the spotlight, and suddenly everyone want's a piece. Goyard is an excellent example, of this.  Most however just continue, enjoyed by the small loyal luxury consumers who know them.  

Lorenzi Milano is just one such brand.  Founded in 1929, this Italian luxury homeware's brand has been producing high-end pieces, with a penchant for horn, with a brand update in the last decade.  This update has brought them to the attention of some of the larger luxury houses, and, as often happens, we see the first collaboration with a mainstream well-known brand, Bottega Veneta.

The collaboration has produced three items.  A shoe horn, travel comb, and manicure set.  The items are made by Lorenzi Milano, and the leather comes from Bottega. With prices staring from £270 for the comb.

We think this is a perfect collaboration.  Bottega, despite being owned by the Kering Group, manages to retain what made it excellent, which is exceptionally well crafted leather goods, with an emphasis on their intrecaiatto leather.  While Lorenzi Milano bring what makes them shine, their horn and high quality accessories.  We hope to see more from the pair, and hope the potential exposure and success doesn't result in Lorenzi Milano being bought out, and loosing what makes them special. 








Saturday, 28 December 2024

Bottega Veneta Release Uninspired Odyssey Cabin Luggage.

 


All brands seem to want to cover every possible product category, to have as broad as possible appeal, and capitalise on possible profits.  Bottega Veneta's new attempt at hard-sided luggage is yet another demonstration that "stay-in-your-lane" isn't an insult, or an attempt to diminish, but rather, it's a prescription to avoid ridicule.

Bottega Veneta are known for high quality leather, with a complicated woven pattern, called "intrecaiatto", Italian for intricate.  For their hard sided luggage they've made a black plastic case, with a vague attempt to recreate this woven pattern.  We think it's a failure.  Indeed, we go futhrt than this, it is in fact not an appealing prospect.  It's very small, at just 21.5" x 13.8" x 8.3", with only a 7lb capacity, meaning it can barely carry a couple of outfits.  It also costs £2,300.

For just £300 more you can purchase Bottega Veneta's Weekender in canvas and genuine leather, with considerably more carrying capacity.  Alternatively, you can pick up two Rimowa Aluminium carry on's with double the capacity. 

We suggest this offering looks cheap, and poorly put together. The wheels and locks for example look like throwaway luggage you would buy when the check in desk say you\re overweight and you need an emergency buy.  It's  also heavier than most cabin luggage on the market, such as the aforementioned Rimowa Aluminium luggage weighing 3.1kg against the 3.2kg of this, and is woefully overpriced.  If It weren't already available for pre-order we would say it's another attention getter.  An intentionally bad product to get tongues wagging.  But it's not, and we suggest avoiding it.






Sunday, 22 December 2024

Burberry COMME des GARCONS Trench.

 


Last year Rei Kawakubo collaborated with Burberry to produce a most unusual piece, of a hybrid tartan and fur trench.  They've come together once again this year, with this rock-n-roll trench.

This comes of course as a product of Burberry's new creative director, Daniel Lee, wanting to create statement pieces that get people talking, and to show he's taking the brand in a new direction.  It's pretty unlikely anyone will wear this, as it looks faintly ridiculous.  Not to mention being impractical, and overpriced at £3,500.

But that's not the point, the point is to encourage precisely what is happening now, attention to be paid.  It is however always interesting to see what these brands do in attempts for relevance and interest.  Especially when it's a "new-broom" type situation. 

Disagree?  You're wring, but you can buy it now if you really want to.





Thursday, 12 December 2024

Rolls Royce Cameo Decor Piece.


We love tasteful home decor pieces, and if they have some touch that makes them unique and stand out from the crowd, we like them all the more.  Roll's Royce's new miniature car sculpture, the Cameo,  definitely falls into this category.

A classic car sculpture always works.  The Amalgam company has come from nowhere with an exceptional range of them, which sell for five figure prices in some cases.  However, while they're listed edition's, they don't have the unique cachet that the Cameo has.  Because in order to purchase one of these, you need to own a Roll's Royce.The models are only sold in Private Office Boutiques, and only to customers designing a car.  Meaning that this will get seen by fellow owners, and will be a genuine IYKYK moment.  

Furthermore, the models are made from the very same materials that go into the cars.  Oak, aircraft grade aluminium, and a charming 3D printed interior designed by Grace White.  All in all, a charming little piece, with some elements that make it a real head turner.