Faiza Seth of Casa Forma, a UK-based luxury interior design firm, is a brands buff. She recently launched her own jewellery line, called Soham. Now Seth has gone a step further with Soham for Kids, an orphanage in Hyderabad which will look after the needs of homeless, abandoned children.

Brand value

Business Standard

It&rsquo;s party time, and what better than Miele&rsquo;s wine conditioners to keep your expensive wines completely cool when your guests are ready to be entertained. The German company, now in India, is offering wine conditioners that are stylish too. Unique in design technology, Miele offers three varieties of wine conditioners. The wines can be cooled to the exact degree in three individually adjustable temperature zones. The wines can also be moved up to a tempering zone and held at a prescribed temperature. Different compartments for red and white wines, as well as champagnes, ensure even circulation of air to keep your party lasting long.

Best buys

Not too many large businesses of an international stature can claim to be more than 250 years old and still thriving. Which makes Luitwin Gisbert Von Boch-Galhau, the eighth generation of the family that founded the premium European ceramics maker Villeroy &amp; Boch in 1748, the equivalent, let&rsquo;s say, of the House of Windsor. It&rsquo;s a measure of how important a &ldquo;growing&rdquo; economy like India is becoming to premium brands across the world that 73-year-old Von Boch, CEO for a long 20 years and now honorary member of its supervisory board, should himself fly down to India to kickstart V&amp;B&rsquo;s latest retail thrust in the country &mdash; a series of exclusive V&amp;B &ldquo;bath and wellness&rdquo; stores in the metros.

Emotion loos

Abu Dhabi&rsquo;s new Formula One circuit goes into action today.

Desert F1x

With daybeds making a lasting impression in furniture trends, Abhilasha Ojha discovers that the market, apart from offering choices, is very high on design.

Daybed seating

Don&rsquo;t we all just love massages? Lounging in the luxury of a massage chair or, even better, lying on a mattress while it vibrates the spine gently but firmly &mdash; massages at home never felt so good. So say goodbye to stress and hello to indulgence even as these gadgets, with just a click of the remote, knead your muscles, soothe your tired nerves and help you face the grind of the next day.

Ah! Massage

Add a little colour to your living spaces with fresh orchids ordered from around the world.

Love, orchids

A t a time when investment books were not easily available in India, Hiren Gada recalls photocopying a borrowed copy of One Up On Wall Street by Peter Lynch (Rs 750) for himself. &ldquo;Later on, I bought my own copy. This became my foundation in investments and equities,&rdquo; he shares while adding that The Magic of Thinking BIG by David Schwartz (Rs 300) is another one of his favourite possessions. &ldquo;I have a strong emotional connect with both these books,&rdquo; says Gada.

Simple joys

Resorts in Thailand offer unbeatable therapies and treatments that promise to rejuvenate the senses.

Well-come holiday

What better way to end one year and ring in the next than with the choicest single malts.

Slainte Mhor!

It may be India&rsquo;s most popular beverage, but not everyone can make a good cup of tea. Or pick the finest leaves, for that matter. The Indian luxury market is flooded with a wide variety of specialty teas &mdash; and we pick a few of the best, ready to brew, from some of India&rsquo;s finest tea makers.

Chai, chai

What you need to flaunt this season are touchscreen phones that are smart and sassy.

It's the way you talk

She loves her brands but doesn&rsquo;t mind strutting around in high street wear fashion too. A singer by profession (she also collaborated with international band INXS for one of her numbers), Sona Mohapatra is busy performing all over the world. She&rsquo;s in New York at the moment for her shows (it&rsquo;s also where she recorded her music video) and accompanying her are some of her favourite things.

Bold designs

Bhopal should be known for more than the the unfortunate gas tragedy.

The city of lakes

When the market spoils you for choice, our advisory on tips and gifts goes a long way in helping you select what&rsquo;s most extraordinary.

A little give and take

The newest and hottest brands hitting the shelves today are from motown.

Auto-manic

With the festive season upon us, leading cosmetics brands have announced some of their new range of products. From &ldquo;eco-friendly&rdquo; creams and lotions to special limited-edition ranges of cosmetics to anti-ageing creams with diamond extracts, the options in the world of cosmetics are almost limitless. What&rsquo;s more, brands like Estee Lauder are also customising part of their range with a special machine that can engrave the name of your loved ones on the products.

It&#39;s skin season

Khajuraho is the all-too fleshly skeleton in India's cultural closet of schoolgirlish priggishness.

Incidental erotica

Van Heusen&rsquo;s 2009-10 winter collection goes back to the basics of reds and blacks. The cuts are classic &ldquo;yet edgy and hot&rdquo;, and the jackets and tops in knits and wovens can be starkly contrasted &mdash; and matched &mdash; by black lowers. What&rsquo;s more, apparel from the brand showcases fitted and well-tailored suits with arched collars and shoulder pads. The look is very sleek and appealing. You are bound to be a showstealer if you opt for the VH Woman look. We love the tweed coats that the brand has introduced in red. Very cool, very it.

Best Buys

These phones and laptops will make you look like a million bucks.

Ring-ring bling

If you are a beer drinker, it&rsquo;s time to cheer on the good times.

Head in a glass

Lifestyle News: Get latest art and culture news, travel news, books news, food news, fitness news, fashion news, fine arts news at Business Standard.

Lifestyle News: Art & Culture News, Travel News, Books News, Food & Fitness News

Get latest art and culture news, travel news, books news, food news, fitness news, fashion news, fine arts news at Business Standard.

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