Italian yachtbuilder Perini Navi, makers of the world's finest sailing yachts including the famous Maltese Falcon, have collaborated with superstar British architect Lord Norman Foster on its latest launch, the 184-ft. Panthalassa (above). Designed specifically for use as an ultra-luxe charter in the Caribbean and Mediterranean with rates beginning at about $300,000 per week, the all-aluminum alloy ketch can reach a maximum speed of 15 knots and has accommodations for up to 12 guests and a crew of 10. Foster + Partners designed the yacht's spaces as a fusion of contemporary living and the finest nautical heritage.

Outside the decks features a variety of places for relaxing and outdoor dining . Flexible, open living areas are the hallmark of the craft's interiors characterized by a lounge, bar, library and boardroom all featuring glazed screens that can be opened to create a generous central saloon. The three decks are connected by an oval stair, which is surrounded by light-reflecting acrylic rods to mirror daylight back into the living areas. Materials include teak, saddle leather and granite table surfaces. Inside the cabins, leather wall paneling complements silk rugs and gold and black marble tiled baths.

[via JamesList]

The Fine English Company is a recently launched line of luxurious furniture, luggage and lifestyle accessories reminiscent of Britain's colonial past with a contemporary flair. Founded by former financial consultant Benedict Wormald, the company was born out of a desire to trade in his city lifestyle in London and turn a lifelong passion for classic British design and antiquities into a business. The Fine English Company's products combine traditional craftsmanship with its detailing of exotic animal skins, rare and native woods and veneers to create a range of collectible and desirable objects betokening the best of bespoke British luxury,

With 15 years of experience sourcing unusual items and commissioning bespoke products, Benedict worked tirelessly to create the Fine English Company's first collection, a selection of which is now available at Holland & Holland, the famous London gunmaker established in 1835 and holder of the Royal Warrant. The core range includes steamer trunks finished with exquisite detailing and exotic zebra and giraffe skins, for £2,750 - £5,750. Larger furniture pieces include traditional leather armchairs, sofas and footstools, and club-style fireplace fenders upholstered in tweed, zebra and giraffe skin giving them a contemporary flair.

Fine English also has range of smaller items for sporting gentlemen including traditional handmade slippers with leather soles in a range of animal skins, bold tweed, and for the pocket pirate, a skull and crossbones. Also available are a number of iconic humidors for the busy plutocrat with rich wood finishes such as ebony, macassar and walnut, some decorated with the skull and bones (£2,500) or iconic Union Jack. Also a collection of stunning bespoke pocket knives featuring William Morris acanthus engraving, 18k pink gold with gold lipped pearl details, Damascus steel blades and ivory from the woolly mammoth, rivaling creations from the world's finest gun and watch makers.



A well-curated collection of fine antiques is also on offer, drawn from military, architecture, automotive, aeronautical and sporting pursuits and restored to perfection. Of course the company offers a complete bespoke service as well; if you can conceive of it, Wormald promises to make it happen - he claims to have never turned down any client's request. From unique taxidermy - one recent example being the finest Van Ingen Tiger to be seen in Europe - to whole games rooms, gun rooms, dramatic architectural statement pieces and even a mahogany WC seat with the skull and bones motif, Fine English will furnish it to your requirements.

Louis Vuitton is bidding adieu to aging pop chameleon Madonna and replacing her with model-of-the-moment Lara Stone, nearly 30 years her junior, in its upcoming ad campaigns. The Dutch stunner, who appears on the cover of the new British Vogue and has starred in numerous other high-profile ad campaigns, will bring a breath of fresh air to the famed French brand. Stone poses on a bed of moss and ferns surrounded by doves in the new ads, photographed by Steven Meisel, which will debut in Februrary fashion mags. "Because the collection loosely took its cues from the idea of the New Age traveler, we decided to create a green, outdoorsy set that would evoke a spirit of peace and love," Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs tells Vogue UK. "To model the clothes, we wanted a modern, iconic, sexy beauty... It had to be Lara Stone."

Back in 2008 we reported that Tiger Woods was set to become the world's first billionaire athlete, with earnings on target to cross the billion-dollar mark, which they did in October. In order for his net worth to follow suit however, he would need to continue the momentum for at least another year, given the taxes and management fees he has to pay, to be considered a bona fide billionaire. Now in the wake of his fateful car crash and ongoing mistress revelations, along with the looming prospect of one of the most expensive sports divorce settlements ever and now news of his lucrative advertising revenue stream drying up, it seems Woods may never reach that goal. The golfer's $110 million in annual income from endorsements and tournaments, as estimated by Forbes magazine, hinges on his standing with consumers, which is currently at an all-time low. Sorry, Tiger, looks like you'll have to be content as a mere multimillionaire several times over - at least until that divorce goes through. For God's sake please don't end up like Lenny Dykstra.

Belvedere, the all natural super premium vodka from Poland, has come out with a limited edition silver bottle for the holidays perfect for gift giving or festive occasions.

Available only until the New Year, the Belvedere Silver bottle features the brand's signature design set against a mirrored background for a modern, celebratory look.

Using only Dankowskie Gold Rye grown solely in the sweeping plains of Poland's Mazovia region, water from a pristine artesian well, and a proprietary purification process, Belvedere is distilled four times to uncover the vodka's strength of character.

The preciseness of the distillation process allows the distinctive notes of the vodka to come through without stripping away the subtle nuances, resulting in a smooth, creamy, peppery taste with a clean finish.

The limited edition Belvedere Silver bottles are available in four sizes: 375 ml, 750 ml, 1 litre and 1.75 litre, with the 750 ml size retailing for $35.

Italian fashion stars Dolce & Gabbana have come out with an exclusive new collection of Gold Edition sunglasses and eyeglasses plated in pure 18-carat gold. Priced at $580 per pair, the limited edition aviator-style shades and specs feature a mix of different materials for the temples, enhanced by the Dolce & Gabbana logo engraved in the same color. Made in Italy, the sunglasses feature polarized glass, and a certificate of authenticity comes with each pair of glasses attesting to the originality, design and quality and the use of 18-carat gold. Each pair is presented in its own jewelry case featuring a plaque with the words "Dolce &Gabbana Gold Edition" and containing two tiny side drawers to hold a cleaning cloth and certificate of authenticity. Inside there is a semi-rigid glasses case in black leather, decorated with a tiny plaque and logo. The Gold Edition models are available at ILORI Luxury Sunglass boutiques.

Gregor Tarjan, designer of the Aeroyacht 110, a superfast 110-ft. catamaran equipped with an Icon A5 exploration airplane, has commissioned Monegasque yachtbuilder Wally to construct the avant-garde craft. Representing the first model of a sleek, new range "embodying the ultimate high-performance, supremely styled world yacht," the Aeroyacht 110 will be one of the largest composite multihulls in the world. As standard equipment the craft will come fitted with a two seat Icon A5 amphibious, retractable and fold-able sports plane, launched and retrieved from a specially designed pod. The yacht, which is expected to do 35 knots at full speed, will be ready for delivery in 2011.

Vertu has come out with a new range of stylish, high-tech accessories created to complement the brand's pioneering range of luxury, handcrafted mobile phones like the new Constellation Ayxta.

First previewed at Baselworld, the inaugural collection features a luxury Vertu V Bluetooth Headset and Vertu V Memory Card reader together with contemporary versions of the traditional ballpoint pen and a collection of small leather goods.

The Vertu V Bluetooth Headset (right) for $730 is made from stainless steel and high quality resin. The resin combines low weight and high strength properties in a scratch resistant material with an ability to be hand polished to achieve a lifetime lustrous finish.

The Vertu V Memory Card Reader for $490 is a discreet USB memory stick with the ability to expand its memory capacity via a micro SD card. A three stage connection process also enables users to easily transfer data between a Vertu handset and computer.

The Vertu V Ballpoint Pen for $330 has a masculine look in black and steel. With a perfectly tuned twist mechanism it's ergonomically balanced. The small leather goods collection completes the range with its matching accessories cases made from Vertu's highest quality black saddle leather.

For our final installment on the eye-popping holiday offerings from that glossy chronicle of the filthy rich Robb Report - following the matching custom private jet and megayacht set costing $500 million and more - we have a bespoke basket of goodies from famed French luxury goods house Hermès. Starting at $215,000 depending on what exactly the recipient chooses to indulge in, the gift includes: a custom eight-piece luggage set handcrafted by a single Hermès craftsman in Paris from their incredible range of luxurious, exotic leathers (above) including crocodile, alligator, ostrich and lizard, dyed in any of 300 shades; consultation with a specialist from Hermès to create a bespoke suit, topcoat, shoes, and leather and knit accessories, all of which will be made to the recipient's specifications; and a private tour of the Hermès leather atelier in Paris for the recipient and a guest. Some luggage items, like the portable alligator skin bar trunk the firm once made for Sammy Davis Jr., may take up to a year to complete.

My colleague Deirdre Woollard has been entertainingly chronicling former baseball star Lenny Dykstra's travails in bankruptcy court. Now it seems the hard-charging athlete-turned-entrepreneur is trying to raise a little ready money by selling off some of his prized possessions. Among the lots at Patrizzi & Co.'s Dec. 14th Exceptional Watchmaking Masterpieces auction in NYC is Dykstra's 18K white gold Patek Philippe (above) made in 2004. The fine and rare annual calendar timepiece shows the phases of the moon and has a power reserve indication. Estimated at $28,000 - $ 35,000, it comes accompanied by a photograph of Dykstra playing with the New York Mets. Also included in the sale are two major pieces of Dykstra sporting memorabilia: a 1986 New York Mets World Series trophy and plaque, estimated at $18,000 - $25,000; and a Silver Slugger Award from 1993 with a Louisville Slugger bat and National League Player of the Week 1990 plaque, estimated at $12,000 - $16,000.