Top seven grooming tips from David Olsen, VP of Grooming at MRPORTER.COM

1.  Don’t get a haircut too close to the wedding date. Make sure you do a couple of tests a few months before the wedding to see what perfect length you want. Once you’ve decided on that, get it cut again a month before and tidied up 2 days before the big day.

2.  Make sure you test the pomade you’re going to use, you don’t want to look like you’ve used too much, especially on your wedding day. I like Blind Barber 90 Proof Pomade which has a strong hold and matte finish, allowing you to shape strands with maximum control making sure it lasts you the whole day.

3. Be sure to use an aftershave that prevents a nasty shaving rash. Pankhurst’s Ice Gel has been developed for use after a close shave, making sure it cools and calms the skin by closing pores and moisturising.

4. Use a good moisturiser that’s going to keep you looking fresh without looking shiny as the day goes on. I like Dr Jackson’s 01 Skin Day Cream, as this also acts as an anti-inflammatory to reduce any blemishes and redness whilst increasing hydration to boost the appearance of younger looking skin so you’re photo ready.

5. Use a good eye cream every day so you look refreshed on the day of the wedding. My favourite is Perricone MD’s cold plasma, its lightweight formula ensures all fine lines, puffiness and dark circles disappear. Dab around the eye contours morning and evening.

6. Use a good whitening toothpaste and a great electric toothbrush to make sure you have a mega-watt smile on the day. Foreo’s electric toothbrush is 100% silicone meaning it has a non-abrasive bristle head which covers more surface area and removes plaque more effectively.

7.  Get a manicure. A professional manicure is a great way to keep your nails and hands looking healthy making sure all nails are nice and even, try and maintain them using Czech & Speake’s beautiful set. Do, however, make sure to always buff nails and not polish.

Both a haven of peace and a new space of freedom, the Riviera of the Roaring Twenties was a favourite destination of Gabrielle Chanel. Contemplating the Mediterranean, the eye wanders as far as the shores of Italy and time approaches a standstill in the clear air. Under the blue Riviera sky, skin is tanned and style is casual. Between sunny getaways and dips in the sea, summer brings with it a new lifestyle, far from Paris and the rue Cambon; close to nature. The Chanel Makeup Creation Studio extends the memories of the season with a vibrant collection immersed in azure blue and infused with light.

RIVIERA-COLOURED MAKEUP

Sun-kissed colours take on more intensity and glow with luminosity to enhance a naturally golden face. Carefree elegance: the spirit of beauty by Chanel has inspired the must-have accessory of the collection. Applied in a single sweep, Stylo Eyeshadow delivers a fresh hue and traces Riviera-coloured eyes. On eyelids and nails, the colour palette honours the blues, olive greens and browns of the sunny shores before ending on an intense violet note. From soft pink to vermilion, a shiny lipstick dresses the smile in radiance and lightness. For the final touch, a powder with delicate golden shimmers sets off a natural complexion with a radiant effect.

Complexion

EXCLUSIVE CREATION LUMIÈRE D’ÉTÉ

A pure complexion, beautifully bronzed by sunbeams. This is how one might picture elegant women discovering the Riviera of the Roaring Twenties. Tanned skin embellishes bodies and faces. And a new, more natural way of being comes into play. Embossed with a camellia flower on its surface, the Lumière D’étè exclusive creation celebrates the spirit of freedom that reigns over summer. This illuminating powder is swept lightly over the face, enhancing a natural complexion with golden shimmers and a satiny finish. The skin glows in just a few strokes. The cheekbones and décolleté glimmer as they catch the light.

Eyes

Eye makeup embraces the energy and radiance of summer. Fresh, dazzling and joyful, colour lights up every bat of the lashes.

STYLO EYESHADOW

The travel-friendly Stylo Eyeshadow is the ultimate summer accessory. The Chanel Makeup Creation Studio creates an irresistible eyeshadow in a compact and easy-to-use pen format. It is applied in one single sweep and slips easily into a handbag. Stylo Eyeshadow is a comfortable and creamy eyeshadow that glides on perfectly. Formulated with a high concentration of water, its texture provides an instantly fresh sensation. Its pen tip allows for precise, adjustable colour on the eyelids in a dense monochrome, a sheer halo or a thin line. Its radiant, long-wear texture lights up the eyes with varying satin finishes.

Stylo Eyeshadow can be chosen on an impulse or collected one by one to mix and match colours all summer long. Campanule. A violet with blue shimmers, inspired by the Florentine iris so dear to Mademoiselle Chanel, to dress eyelids in bold colour. Azulejo. A turquoise blue glistening with tone-on-tone pearlescent pigments, like the sea sparkling in the sun. Laurier Rose. A golden powder pink, both soft and ultra-luminous. Olivine. An elegant and slightly satiny olive green. Caroube. A luminous, warm brown accentuates the beauty of golden summer skin.

STYLO YEUX WATERPROOF ORCHIDÉE

Eyes are playful, outlined in an intense vivid violet along the base of the lashes. This pure and vibrant colour stays radiant for hours on end. To be used on its own or with Stylo Eyeshadow Campanule to accentuate the effect.

Le Vernis

Along the steep coasts, strewn with wild plants and flowers, flamboyant brown rocks plunge into turquoise waters. The Riviera tells a colourful tale on nails as well. Four audacious shades revel in a delicious breeze of freedom.

TERRANA. A chocolate brown with pink shimmers.

MÉDITERRANÉE. A pure, deep ocean blue.

COQUELICOT. A luminous vermilion red.

LAVANDA. An intense vivid violet.

Lips

ROUGE COCO SHINE

Fresh, spontaneous, luminous: Rouge Coco Shine adapts perfectly to summer moods. Both incredibly lightweight and rich in colour, the most charming of Chanel lipsticks enjoys varying the intensity of its palette. The smile is sensual, natural and sparkling, glimmering with soft shine. Three luminous and semi-sheer shades are discreetly touched with golden or coppery notes, like drops of sunlight sparkling on lips.

RÊVEUSE. A delicate golden pink.

AMOROSA. A sun-kissed copper brown.

INTRÉPIDE. A vivid pink touched with soft gold.

A more pigmented shade redefines radiant and easy-to-wear summer lipstick with INSOUMISE, a coral red: an obvious reason to smile in the sun.

LÈVRES SCINTILLANTES

The iconic gloss by CHANEL dresses lips in brilliance and bold colours.

ROSE PARADIS. An intense pink with blue shimmers.

ALLEGRIA. A striking red.

Power, Precision and priceless presentations weren’t the only highlights of the day we spent at the Spring Mountain Motorsports ranch in Las Vegas, It was also the pleasure of chatting to Alain Zimmermann, CEO Baume & Mercier.

How did this collaboration come to life?

It all started when we were shooting with Peter Lindbergh our campaign “Celebrate Moments”. There is the picture with a guy driving an exceptional car. We started using this picture with the Capeland collection and the fit was amazing. People loved it! It was a bit different. And this is when we said that this might be our story! Since Capeland was missing an emotion and a story unlike our other Men’s watches: the Clifton where had the 50’s, the Classima, the Promesse and the Hampton.

So we started scouting for a partnership between cars and watches where there are lots of common grounds, and brainstorming on who may be the perfect match in terms of values. We had a potential list and when the name Cobra was among them. I said this is it! Since yes, it has performance, it has the timeless elegance, and above all they are free! We flew over to Los Angeles to pitch the collaboration and through our first meeting, immediately we had a fit!

It was a win- win collaboration to create.

Then they explained that 2015 will be a great year to them, and since at Baume & Mercier it is always about celebrating moments and events, we worked against time with full speed to make it on time and be able to present the watch at the SIHH fair in Geneva. Both teams were committed to this project and super excited for this collaboration and when we launched it at the fair, it was well received and the retailers loved it!

 Speaking of the fair, SIHH took place earlier this year, how do assess it?

The fair started with very critical conditions where the Swiss Franc value collapsed so it was the five-minute topic that started every meeting, then things automatically started moving forward and everyone started discovering the novelties.

For us, we had a great and powerful product this year that was the Classima where the design was extremely well received and more important keeping the price in the right context. So to answer your question, it all started with a big question mark and ended with a smile!

What do you think people are looking for nowadays when buying watches?

There are many players in the market but people are looking for a brand that they can trust and rely on, a brand with a very balanced offer. There was a trend of very limited and exceptional pieces with specific target customers, but we need to keep in mind the young people.

The medium luxury trend is coming back. Even the market in terms of size, is going back to normal.

For us, it’s a great opportunity; we don’t have to change our DNA or business model since we have all those conditions. It is a window for more market shares and attracting more people. I consider that we are still in the launch phase of “Promesse” and there is more to come in the ladies segment. Keeping the balance is key for Baume & Mercier even though the men market is larger for us and with Clifton and Classima and the new shape of Hampton we have a great feedback. Now it’s about implementation and making sure that with this collection we move ahead in every single country including the Middle East.

The Middle East has great performance and we ‘ve had our partners for many years where trust is a great asset that we share.

In the UAE we have the Seddiqi family, the Behbehani family in Kuwait, and Atamian in Lebanon. We work very closely together and what we do is in line with their roadmap. Investing in this region is very important.

I always say: “It’s not sell and run, its sell and stay”. Always give your best with a lot of passion.

You’ve been with Baume & Mercier for almost 5 years now, what’s an objective you still aim to achieve?

It’s a journey! When you see that this brand is celebrating 185 years, 5 years is nothing!

My job is to make the brand prepared for the future. To do this, we have to make it stronger in Asia, we have to take full advantage of the ladies segment, which is till today not strong enough, and to continue day after day to create a very qualitative offering with affordable prices.

Our objective is to always attract young people. We don’t do electronics, we don’t do lifestyle, we do watches and we are 100 percent focused on that. This is what makes our road map exciting.

What is the inspiration behind Modern Muse Chic?

Modern Muse Chic was inspired by the bold, daring, more dramatic and creative side of a modern muse.  It captures a bold vision of modern femininity, expressing a modern muse’s daring and dynamic spirit.  A unique contrast of vivid florals and ebony woods reveals the never ordinary, always feminine essence of her character.

 How would you describe Modern Muse Chic?

Modern Muse Chic is a vivid woody floral scent. It blends a unique contrast of sophisticated florals and succulent fruitiness juxtaposed against deep sultry woods to capture the duality of her charismatic personality. The innovative “dual impression” structure allows women to connect with the fragrance through two contrasting aspects:

Vivid florals accord: This facet of the fragrance exudes her bold femininity.  Jasmine sambac is the centrepiece – it blends with vibrant florals of tuberose and stargazer lily, accented with succulent juicy plum and davana, for an impression of vivid floralcy with attitude.

Ebony woods accord: Her creativity and stylish individuality are expressed through a captivating combination of cashmere woods, agarwood and labdanum.  An intense patchouli blend is at the core of the ebony woods accord, creating a deep magnetism.  The woods are enhanced with sueded musks and Madagascar vanilla for an addictive and irresistible sensuality.

 How is Modern Muse Chic different from the original Modern Muse?

Modern Muse Chic is a vivid, more intense expression of the Modern Muse emotion.   The lush floralcy is maintained with jasmine sambac as the centrepiece; however, the fresh lilies of Modern Muse are replaced by bold, more intense stargazer lilies; while a deeper Tuberose element enhances the signature.   These vibrant florals are combined with plum and davana for a saturated, vivid floralcy.   In the background, the addition of cashmere woods, agarwood, labdanum and more patchouli creates a darker magnetism.

 Who are your muses?

I have been fortunate to have a number of inspirational muses in my life, including Mrs Estee Lauder who taught me to connect with my inner vision and to trust my instinct.   But I would have to say that my two most important muses have been my mother, who taught me too many life lessons to list here and to whom I will always be grateful, and Mrs Evelyn Lauder, who was a teacher, a mentor and a friend for the many years we worked together.

 What has been one of your favourite fragrances that you have worked on so far?

There are so many fragrances I’ve enjoyed working on that I couldn’t just name one.  My “fragrance of choice” really does vary depending on emotion I want to feel. I’m known for loving certain kinds of green notes. I think they’re a modern way to give naturalness to fragrances. Of course, I love floral notes, especially peony and jasmine. I’m also fascinated with spice notes and love finding different ways to use them so they add new dimensions to traditional perfumery ingredients.

 What is the best way to make fragrance last on you?

Layering fragrance is an approach in which multiple same-scented product forms are used so that you get a richer, longer lasting impression without having overwhelming strength. On a weekend, for example, you might wear only the scented body lotion for a lighter, more casual impression.   But when you go to work, perhaps you would wear the body lotion and the fragrance for a fuller, more sophisticated impression.

And if you really wanted to pamper yourself, you could cleanse with the same-scent shower gel or soap, moisturise with the companion body lotion and cream and finish with a luxurious spray of the eau de parfum. In fact, by layering these different forms you are able to vary the impression and the depth of the scent, get great awareness and lastingness and not over-use the eau de parfum for strength. I think women today enjoy experimenting with how they wear and experience a fragrance.

It’s a strong comeback with the Tiffany CT60 watch after being somehow absent from the market, what’s your strategy to regain the market share?
It is all about doing things properly with proper timing. We learned from our previous mistakes, so the only way we could make it was to go back to Switzerland, since that’s the place where you want to make watches. The other key thing is that it’s a work that takes time and it’s about gaining confidence internally first with our own people, and externally second by our customers. Selling watches is not like selling jewellery. You need to know the product. We are educating our people and putting huge efforts in our marketing approach.

Credibility doesn’t come in one day, and we are a credible brand. We want to talk about our history, as a watchmaker, our craftsmanship and attention to details, all will take a while. The fact that today we are thinking about our ten year projection shows how committed we are. The results are very important and if all is done properly, we aim to be among the top 15 watch brands within the coming 10 years.

Today we do 4.3 billion and we plan to be much bigger in 10 years. So now you can understand what objective we have for our watches.

Tell us about the design process for the Tiffany watches.

It’s key for any brand to be successful and to be true to what the soul of the brand is that’s why I spent a lot of time at the archives trying to understand what we went through. It is about the taste, the feel and what you want to see.

We had different design directors across history but all had a common line.

It’s important to understand which path you want to go through. When we found the FDR, the watch that is very different from any watch you will find today, we didn’t want a vintage piece we needed a vintage twist. We took a few elements from our archives to achieve that. That how we are different. It’s the spirit we design watches with.

How would you describe the spirit of this watch and who is your customer?

It’s casual elegance!

If you look at New York, the most cosmopolitan city in the world you can see many types of people. We don’t think schemes. This watch goes with whoever you are. You can wear the CT60 during the day or to any cocktail. It is the watch for the man of today.

Charles Louis Tiffany was quoted saying: “Good design is good business”, to you what makes a good design?

Good design is what expresses perfectly the soul of the brand, and that sells. People see how true you are to your brand. Take Tiffany T for example, the design was so simple yet, it is the spirit of Tiffany.

 In what markets the watch will be available?

It will be available globally.

 What did you think of the novelties at SIHH this year?

I didn’t see anything sparkling or new. I saw pieces that spoke about the heritage of other brands. There was no wow factor, and it’s the first time in a few years. I am looking forward to Basel though.

 What is in the pipeline for 2015?

It is going to be a challenging year for everyone due to the global economy. For us, we have a good start with what we created and this is just a small part of what we wanted to say, and there’s more to come. We have a new piece with diamonds; it is a cocktail piece that will be revealed this year as well as an art deco inspired piece. We are also in the process of designing an entire new iconic collection to be revealed 2016. We Just hired a new Chief Designer in Switzerland. So wait to see what’s coming next.

 How would you describe your relation with Patek Philippe?

We have nine Patek Philippe salons inside our stores. We are honoured to work with them and they are happy with this partnership as it dates back to many years. It’s two amazing brands working together.

 Any future plans of manufacturing watches with high complications?

It’s a good question as it allows me to talk about how committed we are.

Clearly, the Swiss industry is changing fast and dominated by big groups. Pretty soon there will be scarcity for movements and the industry manufacturers are becoming less and less.

We as a brand, decided to be back. A brand like Tiffany can’t wait or stay there and observe. So we are working now on our industrial strategy for the future. We will talk about specific things that will serve our collections, could be movements but not highly complicated watches. I am thinking about easy complications that really help you everyday like GMT, power reserve, the Perpetual calendar and the tourbillion maybe at a later stage. In that world there are people that does it better. We think about specific expertise, it could be Métiers d’art or special techniques. Gold enameling or things like that. Tiffany cant wait! That’s the future.

Interviewed by Lara Mansour Sawaya

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In a honeymoon of jewellery-making, Cartier has crafted a quartet of precious rings encrusted with diamonds. These intimate pieces celebrate the union of style and craftsmanship in a display of exquisite carats. At once wedding rings, solitaires and evening jewellery, these rings make an impression on every occasion. They are adornments for the skin that sparkle with femininity and elegance. Each one artistic and delicate, these are the modern-day incarnations of Cartier style, from floral to abstract and from the golden age of cocktail rings to the dazzling whirl of the Trinity.

Unions of Diamonds and Style

Flowers interlace in an organic diamond embrace. This white-gold wedding ring blooms as fresh and youthful as floral lace. Set with diamonds, paved with brilliant-cut diamonds and adorned with pear-shaped fancy-cut diamonds, this precious flower is the fruit of Cartier’s extraordinary jewellery-making expertise. This is a ring of sparkling romance and luminous lightness that perpetuates the charm of Cartier’s first pieces in the garland style.

Between abstraction and minimalism lies the strength of style. All is in the lines and intended simplicity of shapes: bezel-set brilliant-cut and princess-cut diamonds clutched in the bejewelled geometry of circles and squares. This timeless wedding ring is the rightful heir of Cartier’s art deco style, with its graphic roundness encased in glittering round diamonds.

A triumph of voluptuousness and ultimate femininity. This flowing, supple ring with fully articulated links is weaved like an haute couture piece that embraces every feminine move of the finger. In an expertly executed feat of fine jewellery craftsmanship, the mounting is entirely masked by a tangle of baguette- and round-cut diamonds. This ring is an explosion of light, with a scale and sensuality that celebrate ultimate femininity, much like the rings that adorned elegant fingers during the Maison’s golden age.

The diamond and the Trinity ring: two myths, two creative mysteries; here, the most impregnable stone of the mineral world graces three bands enlaced together forever in an enigmatic display of jewellery alchemy.

Joined together, for better, in a shared celebration of emotion and eternity, an ideal of purity that is embodied by the Trinity Ruban solitaire.

A solitaire in motion, a swirl of love and diamonds, a single never-ending line in celebration of an eternal bond; Cartier’s legendary three-banded ring, uniquely re-interpreted as a ribbon of platinum paved with diamonds.

A whirl of elegance, light and balanced, it waltzes from one curve to the next in the radiant euphoria of a promise of of happiness.

Sensual and pure, luscious and sophisticated, this creative ring draws on the magic of the famous Trinity, a thrice-tied knot of bands surrounding a diamond available in weights from 0.50 to 4.99 carats. A marriage of splendour and symbolism crafted with exquisite jewellery expertise that allows Cartier to curve, bend and wind metal with such grace and exhilaration.

Los Angeles-based photographer, Nicholas Alan Cope captures the beauty of Dior’s Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2015 collection.

To bring the Dior Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2015 creations to life requires the expertise of incredible seamstresses and tailors who have mastered the most subtle savoir-faire. By juxtaposing the austere white of the toile with the colour-drenched fabrics of the runway-ready clothes, American photographer Nicholas Alan Cope reveals this age-old technique of basting the line and the drape of a garment stitch by stitch and sculpting the fabric to follow the curves of the female body. It’s an approach that resembles modern architecture wherein the form is the result of a rigorously shaped structure.

An array of eye-catching accessories represent Dolce&Gabbana’s Blue Majolica Pre-Fall 2015 collection.

The summer light shines in the brushstrokes of typically stunning Mediterranean majolicas; blue and white blend together to create the accessories of this collection. Together with the iconic bags of the brand, Sicily and Dolce, there are various models of shoes like espadrillas and bejeweled sandals that are part of this dazzling line.

Available at Dolce&Gabbana boutiques worldwide.