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The Johnnie 100 US Edition

In September, Johnnie Walker Black Label will release a special collector’s US edition bottle (above) and the UK edition sold exclusively at Selfridge & Co. (below) to honor the famed Scotch’s 100th anniversary.

Celebrating the brand’s enduring achievements in blending, innovation, and quality, the limited edition black glass bottle contains the signature 12-year-old whisky and will retail for $50.

Black Label is blended in the same style as it has been in Scotland since 1909 when founder John Walker’s grandsons, George and Alexander II, officially named their signature blend Black Label.

The collector’s bottle also serves as a unique medium to tell the story of Black Label’s rich history with a historic timeline featured on its back, charting the rise of the world famous Scotch.

Alexander was the one who decided to package the firm’s famed whisky in square bottles to reduce the amount of breakages during shipment, and to use slanting labels to allow larger typesetting.

The Johnnie 100 UK Edition.

Wrinkles take form before you see them, invisibly rooted in the back surface of the skin. They grow day after day under the constant activity of facial muscles.

Immediately after application, visible wrinkles are smoothed, while those in formation still invisible to the naked eye are “Neutralized”. The face appears less lined and more youthful. The wrinkle formation mechanism is kept in check.

For the Biotherm Homme website click here.

Tom Ford will launch his latest men’s fragrance next month. Tom Ford Grey Vetiver fragrance is described personally by Ford as “the equivalent of the classic blue blazer, the beautiful watch, or the cap-toes shoe.”

The 1.7 oz bottle (a frosted glass version of the iconic TF men’s fluted bottle) will be $85 and is set to be released September 2009.

For the Tom Ford website click here.

While the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph watch was getting bigger (up to about 44mm wide now I think) someone must have thought it was too big and too much. So here comes a three-hand version of the classic looking Tag Heuer Carrera with the Caliber 5 movement that has made its way into other Tag Heuer timepieces such as the Aquaracer. This Caliber 5 based Carrera is now 39mm wide and in steel.

Most of the watch is what we know and love about the Carrera save for the smaller size and more simple looking face. To help keep the dial from looking too bare, the designers added Clous de Paris texture (just a series of square boxes pattern) on the face, and gave it one of those “open” date windows that I am loathing more each time I see them. In my humble opinion, the watch would have looked better minus the half-banana shaped eye-sore of a date window. To preserve symmetry, would not have something smaller at 6 o’clock made a better choice? An interesting design point are the spelled out hours next to the hour markers. Look closely and you can see them spelled out, “ten,” “three,” five,” etc…

Instead of the tachymetric scale on the aluminum bezel, there are now minute markers such as on a rotating diver’s bezel, however I don’t think this bezel rotates. The watch is available in the pictured brown color dial and (of course) black. Both are handsome in tone. The watches will be available soon and for a price that is likely a bit less than the Aquaracer automatic with the steel bracelet.

www.tagheuer.com

Escada has filed for bankruptcy protection. Sadly, we have watched and waited, and now it’s official. After months of financial negotiations, the German company filed on August 13th in Munich according to a spokesperson for the court, Ingrid Kaps. As a result, Escada’s stock has dropped more than 70 percent on the NYSE. The Wall Street Journal stated that for 2008 the company announced a net loss of 70 million Euros, with sales at 528 million.

As a name, Escada began in 1978 and over the years has grown to be one the world’s premier luxury fashion brands, acquiring St. John Knits in 1989. This is not the first time the company has seen financial hardships; it sold off St. John just a few short years later to pay off debt. During the last few years, Escada has been focused on further developing their high-end lines, including their haute couture. The company also includes a sport line, fragrance, cosmetics and accessories. Most of the profit Escada sees originates in the United States and Europe, their principle manufacturing is based in Germany. Many celebrities favor Escada including Demi Moore, Karolina Kurkova, Katie Holmes and Katherine Heigl have all graced the red carpet donning the luxury designs.

There is hope yet, that one of our favorite luxury brands will turn around, as they have in the past. If not, loyal fans of the brand might want to go on a shopping spree before it is too late. A few of the things on our shopping list?

Escada was founded by Margaretha and Wolfgang Ley in 1978. The company soon stood out, with its distinctive creations featuring unusual combinations of colors and patterns, exclusive embroidery and elaborately designed knitted fashions. Escada saw a rapid upswing and continually extended its collections and its creative work.

In the course of its international expansion, Escada AG went public in 1986. In 1994, the company launched the Escada Sport label, established its own accessories collection including bags and shoes and granted major licenses, collaborating with such partners as Procter & Gamble.

Escada comprises the segments Fashion (Escada Collection and Escada Sport), Accessories (bags, shoes and small leather goods) and licenses (fragrances, eyewear, watches and children’s fashion).

Escada also owns Primera AG based in Münster, Germany, comprises of Apriori, Cavita and Laurèl as well as the retail chain BiBA.

www.Escada.com