Zerotwonine

Your friends at 029 love a good party. And you know when 029 is involved, the party is not just good, it is legendary.

Such a legendary time was had by all when 029 jetted off to Miami in March for the launch of Escada’s newest fragrance Marine Groove. Although everyone at 029 loves a glam night out on the town, we left the partying in Miami to our very capable, utterly fun-loving and über-stylish colleagues Isabelle and Christian. It’s tough working at 029 sometimes.

The party started on Saturday night at one of South Beach’s hottest nightclubs, LIV. Trust us, you haven’t really “liv-ed” the life of a true partier until you’ve partied at LIV.

The club was packed, the music was pumping and the sex-appeal was on overdrive. Multi-platinum recording artist Mya was the guest of honour for the evening. Miami’s VIPs were in attendance, in addition to members of the media, models, our friends from Nolcha & United Creators and of course 029.

The action did not stop when the sun came up on Sunday. What better way to relax after a long night out than aboard a chartered yacht sailing around Miami? 029 and accompanying entourage boarded the Venetian Lady on Sunday morning (for those individuals who did not miss the boat thanks to Daylight Savings Time in the good ole’ US of A).

Mya also showed up for some relaxation, photo-ops, autograph signing and interviews. 029’s Isa even donned an Escada girl outfit when one of the models called in sick last minute. We are ever so proud of our model-worthy colleague, rocking the Escada tee. Not to be outdone, Christian showed that he prefers a whole lot of woman as he cuddled up to his supersize dream girl.

But don’t just take our word for it, check out the videos below:

Courtesy of LMH Mag

This one is from StiloMag.com

Mya and Escada

For those of you who are just completely overwhelmed with how cool 029 parties are, we will be holding a Escada Marine Groove fragrance, the sequel, on the party-haven island of Ibiza with DJ Fedde Le Grand.

Check out the trailer below and be sure to stay tuned.

You may or may not have heard, but 029 is having a lottery. It’s pretty spectacular, we suggest you keep reading.

What is it?

029’s Lottery, cleverly & simply called Invite! Join! Win! is our way of rewarding our members for helping 029 to grow. You invite your friends to 029. They join. You have the chance to win 1 of 50 travel and event experiences.

Interested? We thought so. Keep on scrolling south!

How it works?

Every friend you invite, who joins 029, counts as an entry/lot/raffle ticket etc. At the end of the lottery, we are going to pick the winners from all of the entries/lots/raffle tickets we have.

It’s a lottery; there is always an element of chance.

If you have more friends than China has people, you have a better chance of winning, but someone whose circle of friends resembles the population of Vatican City can also win.

If your friend wins one of the first 2 prizes, you win too just for inviting them! Double the chances to win!

If you are a member of 029, click here to start inviting your friends!

What can you win?

Let’s get to the good stuff! What’s in it for you? Plenty!

Grand Prize is a 7 day safari to Rwanda for four people to visit their Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. Come face to face with these gentle giants of the forest as you observe a family of gorillas in their natural habitat.

Of course, it’s not only gorillas, it’s a safari drive in Akagera National Park, a tour of Kigali, a visit to see the Golden Monkeys, relaxing day at Lake Kivu, free flights and a lifetime of memories. You will be a Rwandan tourism expert by the time you get back!

Extra incentive: If one of your friends you’ve invited to 029 wins this prize, you win too just for inviting them. That means you go together (with your travel partners too) to engage in some friendship bonding time in the heart of Africa!

2^nd Prize is a 7 day safari for four people to Tanzania with Mt. Kilimanjaro as your backdrop. Explore Tanzania’s diverse landscape from the lush green mountain forests of Mt Meru, to craters and lakes to the endless savannahs and wide open spaces of the Maasai steppe. Your week will be spent on game drives in Arusha National Park and South Amboseli. Spending time with the Maasai and seeing how they live will not only be unforgettable, but also educational.

While your days are action packed with animals and adventure, your nights are filled with luxury and relaxation at Hatari Lodge. Think bush chic. But that’s not all, you will also be spending time at the newly opened luxury Shu’mata Camp  set under an umbrella of acacia trees looking out across the plains that lead up to Kilimanjaro.

Extra incentive: If one of your friends you’ve invited to 029 wins this prize, you win too just for inviting them. That means you go together (with your travel partners too) to engage in some friendship bonding at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro!

Additional Prizes

029 not only has incredible African experiences, we also have weekend getaways to fascinating and exotic locations for our next three prizes.

• What’s in a name? Everything if you win the 3rd prize which is a weekend for two people including breakfast at the Portman Ritz-Carlton in Shanghai.

• Looking for a real Turkish delight? 029’s 4th prize a weekend at the W Hotel in Istanbul including breakfast for 2 people.
• Not to be outdone, spend your Arabian nights in style at the W Hotel Doha for a weekend including breakfast for 2 people as part of our 5th prize.

Do you want more? We will give you more! More prizes that is!

• 6th Prize: Be BOLD with your BlackBerry® Bold™ 9000 - this smartphone embodies elegant design, without sacrificing the features or functionality you expect from a premium smartphone.
• 7th Prize: CURVES in the all the right places:  balance work, life and everything in between with your BlackBerry® Curve™ 8900
• 8th & 9th Prize: Every PEARL has its oyster - open up a world of possibilities! With the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8200 series smartphone tucked in your pocket, you’re always just a flip away from the people, fun and facts that matter.
• 10th to 35th Prize: DKNY Men 50 ml or DKNY Women 50ml- if you consider yourself comospolitan, be sure to leave behind the scent created for young urbanites.
• 36th to 50th Prize: Baldessarini Del Mar Seychelles Edition 50ml - smell like paradise with this limited edition fragrance too!

How long do you have?

Until the end of March 14^th, so approximately 33 days left. You have a little more than one month left to invite your friends to increase your chances to win spectacular travel and lifestyle prizes. If you are a member of 029, click here to invite your friends!

Not a member of 029?

Oh no! Don’t worry, be happy and click here to send an email to our Member Relations team to request your log in to 029 – The Experience Club today.

We all like to walk on the wild side sometimes, even if we just pretend to. What if you had the chance to not only walk on the wild side, but mingle with some seriously impressive wildlife?

Welcome to 029’s Invite! Join! Win! Lottery and your exclusive chance to WIN a FREE trip to Rwanda and go tracking to find the elusive (and really big) Mountain Gorillas!

Ladies and gentlemen, this is no typical, tame encounter in a controlled zoo environment.

There are no fences, no “Do Not Feed the Animals” sign and most importantly, no admission fees.

029’s beloved bosses (and their better halves) have scouted out the Rwandan gorilla tracking experience and this photo shows just HOW CLOSE you get to these mighty primates.

Up-close-and-personal, face-to-face. Goose-bumps guaranteed.

They not only lived to tell the story and show us some incredible pictures, it is also an experience that they whole-heartedly recommend and would do again in a second.

029’s Invite! Join! Win!’s Grand Prize to Rwanda not only includes an unforgettable encounter with such animal kingdom royalty, but you will also experience tracking to the habitat of the elusive Golden Monkeys, a tour of Kigali and a game drive through the Akagera National Park.

And this wealth of natural experience is FREE as part of 029’s Invite! Join! Win! Lottery.

All you need to do is invite your friends to 029, ensure that they join and wait until the 15th of February to see whether you have won. Every friend you invite, that actually joins, counts as one entry into 029’s virtual raffle box.

As extra incentive - if one of your invited friends wins this prize, you also get to go to Rwanda too just for inviting them.

029 wants you to get in touch with your wild side. We want you to be lucky enough to travel to and experience Rwanda with its beautiful, rugged landscapes, exotic and diverse wildlife & warm and welcoming people.

You know what you have to do - log on to 029 and invite to win!

If you are not yet a member of 029 - The Experience Club, send us a message at memberrelations@zerotwonine.com to become a member.

There are not many things that 029 enjoys more than traipsing around the world to exotic locations, exciting cities and secluded spots of serenity.

But if we had to pick something we love possibly as much as travel, it would have to be shopping.

And what happens if the best of both worlds are combined? Keep reading, we’ll tell you.

buy·v!p offers limited time premier brand campaigns to its members which is the perfect partner for 029 as we offer incredible premier travel experiences.

029 recently launched its first campaign on buy·v!p which was met with great success and enthusiasm. In less than 72 hours, our Vienna and Prague experiences were completely sold out. Completely understandable. People who love gorgeous fashion must undoubtedly love gorgeous cities.

Here’s a bit more about buy·v!p.

buy·v!p is Europe’s leading members only online shopping community with over 3 million members. buy·v!p is an exclusive, invitation-only online shopping portal where members have access to limited time campaigns from premier brands such as Gucci, Fendi, Calvin Klein, Jean Paul Gaultier, Missoni, JOOP!, Valentino and Versace and other lifestyle brands like True Religion, Samsonite, Mandarina Duck, George, Gina & Lucy, Furla, Diesel, Citizens of Humanity.Products are either end of season or are not yet available thus making buy·v!p a unique platform for great deals usually 30-70% off the original retail price.

Yesterday, on 029’s Facebook Fan Page, I started a discussion about what the best island was. And the response was overwhelming. From the Galapagos to Greenland, Bahamas to Bora Bora - it seems that the majority of our members are partial to turquoise blue waters and white/golden sandy beaches.

Since there is nothing better than looking at beautiful beach pictures, let me direct your attention to the Best Beaches in Malaysia courtesy of our Malaysian beach experts at the Frog & Princess blog. And as Princess is a Malaysian herself, travel connoisseur and diving enthusiast, you can be sure that she knows exactly what she is talking about.

So let’s here it for paradise, Malaysian style!

Best Beaches in Malaysia

It’s la rentrée in France, the big return to the office after the long summer break. Depressed, as the grey Autumn weather falls, the last thing we want to do is think about work.  So what could be better than plan for your next vacation – Christmas! So here to help out my friends (many of you keep asking) are some tantalizing, exotic beach destinations in Malaysia for you to dream.  Just check Monsoon season as West Coast Malaysia is best November – February whilst East Coast Malaysia is best April – September.

Perhentian Islands

North East Terengganu of East Coast Malaysia is sublime. Pristine white sandy beaches and crystal clear blue waters that would make Leo (di Caprio) rethink twice of filming The Beach in Thailand. Seriously unrivalled diving in the region, the two islands are dotted with rustic beach huts and has become the number one destination for beach lovers and backpackers around the world. The location is so amazing you’ll forgive for the lack of luxury hotels. Just suck it up and dive into paradise.

Redang Island

Another diving hot spot in Terengganu, that’s not far from Perhentian. One of the largest and most beautiful of the east coast islands, Redang is also the most developed. Redang Archipelago is made of 9 islands that together constitute a protected marine park. With crystal clear waters and some of Malaysia’s best coral reefs, the island offers excellent diving and snorkelling.

Langkawi Island

Made up of 99 islands, Langkawi (duty free island) has now been given geopark status by UNESCO. Langkawi is the easiest to access of all the islands (40 mins direct flights from KL) with gorgeous sandy beaches. Boasting some of the most luxurious hotels, such as Four Seasons, The Datai, Westin, The Andaman, Casa del Mar etc you’ll be spoilt for choice!

Pangkor Laut Island

It’s not the main Pangkor island I’d recommend but Pangkor Laut Resort – a top notch 5star luxury hotel alone on an island. Voted as best romantic hotel, best spa, best hotel in Malaysia – Pangkor Island Resort is the ideal romantic getaway. Book for the Spa Village Villa, on stilts in the middle of the ocean and you’ll forget easily the real world. Heaven.

Tioman Islands

The largest of Malaysia’s east coast islands, Tioman is famed for its soft, sandy beaches, warm waters and coral reef. Most of the resorts are strung out on isolated bays along the western coast. Diving and snorkelling is excellent but also jungle hiking and sunbathing. Best luxury hotel is Japamala resort – to simply die for!

Rawa Island

Not far from Tioman, the privately owned island of Rawa is surrounded by sugary sands and transparent waters. There’s only one place to stay on the island but worth if you’re looking for the charming rustic feel.

Sipadan Island

Leaving the best til last, rated among the wold’s top 5 dive sites, Sipadan is fringed with white, sandy beaches. Surrounding the island is stunning coral reef teeming with over 3000 species of marine life and sightings of sharks, barracudas, turtles and manta rays are also common. Located in Sabah, Borneo in Malaysia – this is a true paradise delight.

Malaysia – truly Asia! See you soon folks.

PZ.

http://frogandprincess.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/best-beaches-in-malaysia/

Copyright for all photos - Jonas Werner

Professor and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus was in Germany from 04 to 11 of November for a week packed with events.

On the evening of 5 November, Professor Yunus held a public speech at the Schlachthof Wiesbaden, and your friends at 029 were in attendance. Over 1,000 people came from all over Germany to hear him speak; needless to say, the place was packed!

Professor Yunus gave a moving speech about how he first introduced the idea of microcredit, which led to founding the Grameen Bank, which together with him, were the Nobel Peace Prize recipients in 2006 for helping so many poor people lift themselves out of poverty. He then went on to outline the concept of social business, and how that has the potential to end poverty in the world.

At the end of his speech, Professor Yunus was met with a standing ovation, as he called upon Wiesbaden to be the centre of the social business movement - not only in Germany, but also in the world.

The evening began with a musical performance from Finn Martin who created some moving music with a senza, an African string instrument, as well as with his saxophone. Adding to the mood of the music, was the native language that Finn sang it, whatever it was, it sounded incredible.

,

Professor Yunus also made his way to Berlin while in Germany to attend the 20th year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall celebrations at Brandenburg Gate, along with such high-profile public figures such as Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy, Gordon Brown, Hillary Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev, among others.

Copyright of Nasir Ali Mamun

A large wall made up of 1,000 dominoes was erected in the days leading up to the event, which reached from Potsdamer Platz to the Brandenburg Gate. The domino pieces represented the Berlin Wall - and the end of the evening was marked by the toppling of the dominoes.

After the various political representatives gave their formal speeches in front of a large crowd gathered under the rain, Prof. Yunus was the last to speak before the last of the dominoes fell, as he addressed the millions of viewers on TV in Germany and around the world, as he encouraged them to “Together, let’s make poverty history.”

You know that 029 loves everything travel & lifestyle related. And we go weak in the knees for exceptionally designed hotels. That is why we wanted to share with you this excellent article, courtesy of The Frog & Princess - about their favourite design hotels.

Because when it comes to jet-setting around the world and staying in exquisite hotels, well Mrs. Princess and Mr. Frog have quite some expert experience under their Gucci belts, or maybe Hermès?

Without further ado…The Frog & Princess’ favourite design hotels from two very stylish individual.

My Favorite Design Boutique Hotels.

Definition: boutique hotel = a small, luxury hotel offering premium services, often located in a fashionable location.

Etymology: from boutique ’small, exclusive shop’.

Hotel Keppler

PZ loves boutique hotels. So does her Frog. I drool over the gorgeous modern designs, charming ambiance and cool high-tech facilities. The small number of rooms also mean better client attention and less likely to bump into troops of noisy children.

Boutique hotels have mushroomed all over the world, in answer to travelers looking for small, luxury, intimate accommodations, the alternative to the large mass-market chain hotels. Boutique hotels are the fastest-growing niche market in many cities with individual, chic hotels quickly ascertaining its presence as THE place to be.

They tend to be life-style focused, brand-marketed and intent on creating a dream and not just of practicality for providing a place to sleep. The origins of boutique hotel I’d say started with Blakes Hotel, London by hotelier designer Anouska Hempel. Each of the 51 rooms carries its own unique individual design, earning its reputation as “The Couture Hotel.” Although I’ve been lucky to dine there, I have stayed at the sister hotel Blakes in Amsterdam (now The Dylan) and I can most certainly say if Amsterdam wasn’t so beautiful, I’d be happy to stay in the red oriental bedroom all day.

Blakes, Amsterdam

So here I’d like to share with you some PZ favourites – old classics and new – just to spread the joy. There’s so many of course that it’s a really tough selection!! So note there will be further posts on this topic. Please do share your must-stay boutique hotels wherever it may be and I’ll add them with your mention in future posts.

Paris:

L’Hotel

- L’Hotel (Oscar Wilde’s haunt on the Left Bank). Winner of the best urban hotel in the world 2008, Harper’s Bazaar. 20 rooms individually decorated.

Hotel Keppler

- Hotel Keppler by Pierre-Yves Rochon. 39 divine rooms. New.

London:

Haymarket Hotel

-The Haymarket Hotel by Tim and Kip Kent. A landmark building by the
legendary John Nash.  50 rooms.

The Sanderson

- The Sanderson hotel by Philippe Starck.

Barcelona:

Casa Fuster

- Casa Fuster. Restored Landmark building in the modernist style (like Gaudi.)

Hotel Omm

- Hotel Omm by architect Juli Capella and interior designers Sandra Tarruella and Isabel López. 91 rooms.

Singapore:

New Majestic Hotel

- New Majestic Hotel. 30 individually designed rooms, mixing vintage and designer.

Hong Kong:

Abeo

- Abeo. 52 rooms. State of the art technology and architecture

Lang Kwai Wang Hotel

- Lang Kwai Wang Hotel. Boutique hotel style but 162 rooms (pretty typical in HK). Gorgeous though with fantastic panoramic views.

PZ.

http://frogandprincess.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/my-favorite-design-boutique-hotels/

029 was lucky enough to be in Barcelona this past weekend, where the weather was perfect, the food spot on and the city was as sexy and appealing as always. 029 was also lucky enough to have stayed at the W Barcelona, the 3 week old beachside property which calls the chic Barceloneta district home.

The sail shape building is easily and prominently visible from both land and sea and the W is the first beachfront hotel in Barcelona. Thankfully our plane had to do a go-around due to traffic at Barcelona’s airport so I was able to get an excellent view of what awaited me down by the sea.

Double takes are necessary, as are strolls along Barceloneta during the morning, afternoon and evening to see how the changing light reflects off the window-ful W.

First impressions are everything and in this respect the W does it right. Note to other hotels - staff the front of your hotel with incredibly attractive Spanish bellboys to make an appealing first impression. And I am not just saying this because I am female.

If you want your hotel to be seen as a temple of cool, image is everything. And image includes those guys who open the door for me, welcome me to the hotel and take my suitcase off my hands. (Side note - I can only speak for the guys at the door on Friday morning at around 11:00).

Check-in was easy and breezy, much like the Barcelona atmosphere. We were escorted to our Fabulous room on the 12th floor and given a mini-tour on how to work the various controls in the room. But to be honest, we were not paying attention, how could we? Have you seen our view? It was Fabulous and corresponded perfectly with the Fabulous room category. One of the benefits of having a hotel all the way at the end of the beach on its own mini-peninsula is uninterrupted, unparalleled views of the city, beach and sea (in our case).

Let’s get down to basics - because that is what you are all interested in anyway. Super soft bed sheets that retain their coldness (you know what I’m talking about), pillows and comforters that encourage you to stay in bed and take in the views, rainfall shower (a must in my book) and excellent bliss amenities. With a name like bliss, you know you are in good hands.

And in case the enormous windows didn’t offer enough opportunity to gaze at Barcelona, channel your inner lifeguard and watch out over the beach, or look down at those walking by wishing they were at the W, they provided a handy little telescope (first pic, blue & silver microphone looking piece) to improve your vision.

In my expert opinion, the best part of the room was the couch-like piece of furniture that extended the entire length of the massive windows (did I mention that already?) so that you could lay (or is it lie?) pretty much on the window while gazing at Barcelona, channelling your inner lifeguard etc… Nice touch. Possibly not so nice if you are scared of heights.

The pool area was very chill, with white loungers that were über-comfortable, plush violet-coloured towels (that I will be purchasing when they become available), cabanas, loungers built into the pool, sexy lounge music (what else would you have expected?).

I actually dedicated 3.5 hours of my time at the pool, which is pretty impressive considering the city of Barcelona with its to-die-for shopping and dining was constantly beckoning me. And if you find yourself lounging away the day at the pool, order the crab and shrimp in rice paper. Yum.

I also gave their spa, bliss, a try, because all that trekking around Barcelona looking for sexy Spanish fashion and sampling the city’s tapas and cava can take a toll on your feet. It is a very cool and hip spa - as they themselves say, they don’t play “whale music,” no waves, tree frogs or sounds of nature - and the spa is adorned in playful and calming bluish tones and not in every colour of beige under the sun. And I did fall in love with their cheeky marketing of their products and services - who would have thought that reading the back of body lotion would have you laughing?

So all in all, even though the W just opened and there was a bit of refining and finishing touches going on, the hotel will quickly become the place to be in Barcelona, if it isn’t already. From the building, to the views and not to mention some of the staff, it is definitely a hotel with a view.

Last added bonus, for some reason there were fireworks on Saturday night in celebration of something - I didn’t know that that many people realised I was going to be staying there (joking). But the symphony of colour exploded right in front of our window and it was perfect ending to a perfect Barcelona weekend.

Our inspirational & über-creative friends over at United Creators had their own time in the spotlight during all the New York Fashion Week frenzy. During Fashion Week, UC had their  Fashion’s Night Out 2009 to contribute to the fashion industry’s inspiring efforts to stimulate the economy.

United Creators and New York artist Skye Nicolas extended a helping hand by conceptualising a sophisticated and sexy piece that was unveiled during Fashion’s Night Out 2009, New York Fashion Week: The Salut Beauté Lux-Tee - featuring stunning artwork by Skye Nicolas.

And the marvellers came out in droves. Kate Nauta, fashion model, actress and singer was there to give her support to Skye and Artists for Fashion. The Contemporaries‘ Moran Bar-Kochva was in attendence, R&B singer from the UK, Nathan was there, fashion photographer Jacob Sadrak, entertainment industry specialist Lucia Kaiser, New York society VIP Francois Alexander, models from Ford Models among others were all there to feast their eyes on The Salut Beauté Lux-Tee.

Being the first design to be released from the Artists For Fashion series makes this unique piece a highly collectible item; only 300 of these special limited edition tees will be made available to the public in a joint venture between United Creators and American Apparel. An overwhelming amount of pre-order inquiries from both supporters of the art world and eager fashion fans have already flooded the production team, foretelling that this unique piece may earn its place on the hot list of must-haves for Spring 2010.

More info about Skye Nicolas

The work of Skye Nicolas cultivates a perfect synergy between two forms of art: the art of portraiture, and the art of fashion photography. Both art forms are thematically known to celebrate idealized beauty, romanticism, human sexuality, and the female figure. The provocative power of Nicolas’ large-scale portraits of stunning faces lie in his ‘up-close and personal’ approach to capturing the elusive underlying sensuality and sublime eroticism within his chosen subjects.

Below are some of Skye’s stunning artwork and the first two portraits are featured on the The Salut Beauté Lux-Tee

You read our newsletters, you saw it plastered all over our website, 029 went to New York for Fashion Week and now we are back with the update. Nolcha Fashion Week, which took place from the 14 to 17 September, featured emerging fashion talent from all over the world.

And we were happy to be there to see these up-and-coming designers, many of whom are already famous in their respective countries. And based on the looks they sent down the runway, 029 would like to wager a friendly bet, that some of them won’t be local secrets for long.

So ladies and gentlemen, without further delay - here come the models!

Jorge Afandor

Columbian designer Jorge Afandor merges architecture, art and design into his fashions. FASHION CULTURE MIXTURE was the name of his Spring/Summer 2010 collection.Basics with a special touch of glamour. Prints inspired in Jorge’s own paintings, mixed with the rich and authentic past of Asian and Mid west countries and their ancient and distinctive traditions.

Anaessia Sydney

Sue Vanikiotis’, the designer behind Anaessia Sydney, love of the theatre and fashion from the 20’s and 30’s right through to the 60’s has been her motivation to design and produce highly structured pieces with an element of the theatrical; tasteful pieces that embellish the utmost in style and sophistication.

Dora Abodi

Dora Abodi’s 2010 spring/summer luxury pret-a-porter collection’s theme is the both euphoric and bitter love named aptly M’amour. The keywords and inspirations are: bondage, changing the shape of silhouette, the distorted body-art works of Lucy and Bart, the mixture of soft materials (like muslin) and hard materials (like leather, technical ribbons, industrial materials).

Quiet Riot

Quiet Riot’s Spring Summer 2010, the collection Portobello Princess, is a collage of the many different people who have inspired Buffi Jashanmal, the label’s designer. From the free spirits in Ibiza, to the rock chicks in NY’s East Village, to the boho hippies in London, these are the girls that she mixed together for this collection, that is for a girl with attitude, knows who she is, even if no one else does!

Pizzuto

The Australian-based label Pizzuto is Suzie Rose Vella’s maiden name. The sentimental emotion, which started by creating a label name, has flowed through to the collection. Showcasing a collection of designs manipulated in vibrant hand painted silks, contrasting fabric textures and interpreting drape catour into ready to wear is her signature style, the fun and flirty but smart and sassy designs cater for fashion conscious women.

Kimmystic. Clo

Kimon Baptiste, the former Miss St.Vincent and the Grenadines, is reponsible for the Kimmystic.Clo 2010 collection. It was colorful, intense, energetic, fun, vibrant, and chic. The collection which includes some hand painted pieces was inspired by the colors of nature and features an explosion of colors which represents the flavor and diversity of all the Caribbean islands.

Šišková

Sárka Šišková is the only Czech fashion designer whose pieces have entered into permanent collection of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. “Planets” collection shows unique and original pieces for special occasions and represents typical features of Šišková’s outstanding artistic expression.

Rock Hard Atelier

Rock Hard Atelier is “Day-to-night” dresses for the young professional with a social agenda. This collection is based on the female form, playing with shape and lines to flatter the body in a fresh and unexpected way.  Inspired by her time in corporate luxury, Emily Brickel designed for the girl who is going to work in a beautiful dress, polished and sophisticated; then jets to dinner, a charity event or another adventure on her hectic social calendar with no time for a wardrobe change.

Christina Crawford

Christina Crawford, this British-Brazilian brand believes that no design discipline should be ignored, as there is fascination and inspiration in everything. The evolution of  this Spring / Summer 2010 comes from the personality of Mariyln Monroe, who represents a style of  unique femininity. The collection is called: “I don’t mind living in a man’s world, as long as I can be a woman in it” – Marilyn Monroe. With all this in mind Christina Crawford puts forth timeless pieces a little out of the ordinary that idealizes the female form.

Sado

Carlotta Gherzi for Sado has showcased her work through Milan, Moscow and London Fashion Week since Spring 2008. In 2004, Sado decided to enter a growing prosperous market- the Russian arena, one that Carlotta understood very well, having lived her formative years in Russia. The instincts proved correct and Sado’ sold three consecutive collections in the finest silk, wool, cashmere, suede, to some of the best retail outlets in Russia.

emeDesigns

With Erica Mae Eng as the lead designer and Shelli Eng as the creative partner, emeDesigns has created a true Parisian Couturier right in their studio in Illinois Quad Cities. Combining the passion of a couturier and the skill of a dressmaker atelier each design comes together, not simply as another dress but as a work of art for life. Spring 2010 has emeDesigns committed to their usual glorious fit.  It is about the woman, not the label, but this season they have added in the Romance of Vintage with a Soft Palette of Natural Colors.

KabukiU

Designing and manufacturing comfortable, wearable, beautiful clothing to suit every stage of being a woman, Telina Webb has created KabukiU.  The collection is an infusion of Eastern and Western cultures, resulting in a collection of uniquely modern clothing that emphasizes traditional Japanese attire.  This Spring’s 2010 collection “Maiko Infusion” features the unique 3-piece Kimono Trousseau Set comprising of a kimono, matching pants, and 3-metre Obi.

Sodaliscious

Cindy Renée Mathieu’s  Sodaliscious line is a haute couture line that caters to clients who pride themselves on looking and feeling good. Sodalicious’ Spring / Summer 2010 Haute Couture Collection FLORAL FANTASY draws inspiration and color palette from lilac bushes, peonies, French irises and tea roses with cream and honey petals blooming in a vibrant airy backyard. FLORAL FANTASY invites the discerning woman to envelop themselves in rich sumptuous fabrics including satin, lace, silk and chiffon. With intricate pieces adorned with Swarovski Crystals, the FLORAL FANTASY collection becomes an ethereal experience for its clientele offering a mixed bouquet of the most exquisite gowns.

Nadia Nour

The 2010 Spring Nadia Nour contemporary collection features vibrantly dyed organic silks and cottons crafted into intricate couture-inspired silhouettes.  Introducing richly hued organic fabrics with high thread counts and the sophisticated feel of conventional designer fabrics, she proves that women don’t have to sacrifice style and sophistication to be green!

Jessica Joyce

The Dutch designer, Jessica Joyce,  is renowned for her sophisticated and distinctive designs. This contemporary sculptress of fabric says her mission is to “be a trendsetter in the pursuit of the perfect balance between touch and visual senses”.  Her 2010 collection expresses mystery, femininity, comfort and playfulness. Choosing naturally comfortable fabrics and creating novel shapes by playing with sophisticated details and nature-inspired prints the unveiling will be both energetic and contemporary.

MinnaK.

Minna Kao founded MinnaK company in 2006. The company began as a custom bridal line, and eventually expanded to bridal ready-to-wear and eveningwear. This 2010 collection called “Symphony in C” is a compilation of movement, but the way it is best described is how a dance performance changes in stages. Balanchine Symphony in C is the perfect example, as the movement of this dance begins with explosion, then it morphs into romantic longing, to the finale where it climaxes in joy and excitement.

In case you missed Oktoberfest this year and the highlight of Oktoberfest, which in our humble opinion, would be 029’s Oktoberfest Party hosted by our very own and beloved colleague Christian - here are some pics to make you feel like part of the action and make you jealous that you didn’t come. Trust us, Oktoberfest 2010 will return and 029 will return to Oktoberfest 2010.

We had quite an “entourage” at the party, even Adrian Grenier of HBO’s Entourage series made an appearence. He knows what’s good and he’s also looking pretty good. Would love to run my fingers through that sexy hair of his. Would love to shake his hand and compliment him on his stylish plaid shirt.

But there was plenty of other eye candy there…

The Cannes Film Festival - the event to see and be seen at on the Côte d’Azur – and of course 029 was in attendance.  Although the parties were a bit more tame and less plentiful this year, due to the global economic downturn, the celebrities did not disappoint as they descended on the Croisette.

029, serving as an in-kind sponsor of the Maybach Foundation, and also as the official concierge of this philanthropic organisation was there for all the action at Celebrity Entertainment Night, hosted by the Maybach Foundation in cooperation with Sunflower Children. Here are some of 029’s impressions from the evening.

For those of you who received our Insider News yesterday, you will have noticed that 029 is offering a spectacular benefit to our members - the ability to join Seven Swans, the über-cool members only club in Frankfurt.

We have high quality standards here at 029, and you know what, the Seven Swans multifunctional clubhouse leaps over our quality hurdle. We were particularly enamoured with the fingerprint access bit - very James Bond/Bourne Identity-like (insert your favourite spy film title). Let’s be honest, isn’t there a little secret agent in all of us? We thought so.

So, you want to know more about the Seven Swans membership? Our influential Member Relations team will give you the inside scoop on how to get the inside access at Seven Swans.

Your mission, should you accept it, is to get in touch with us! Black suit and sunglasses not required for entry, but also not frowned upon either. Debonair is never a bad thing.

Wait. You didn’t receive our Insider News yesterday? We would love to fix that…because we’re proud of our informative newsletters, which I might add, also have a tendency to be creatively written, as they detail our  member benefits and worldwide experiences. People like being in the loop and love being the first to know about something fresh and new.

We are the membership only club for discerning travellers and thrill seekers. Our members are not common, average, or ordinary, they are extraordinary. And part of the draw of 029 is that it is a network of like-minded individuals, and although it is global and rapidly expanding, 029 does not seek to be all encompassing. As we aim to keep the exclusivity aspect, we count on our already trusted and valued members to help expand 029 by inviting their trusted and valued friends. Don’t worry, if you truly are an international jet-setter, experience seeker, or wanderlust-professional you will come across a like-minded individual who is already a 029 member to invite you into the selective world of 029.

029’s very own, Christian Schwägerl had the difficult and challenging task of visiting the Seychelles. One of the many benefits of scouting the globe for all things luxurious – the opportunity to become better acquainted with the gorgeous islands that make up the Seychelles. 029 invited along one of our Brand Ambassadors, Nikolaus Nicolaus for the experience.

Christian and Nikolaus had the pleasure of staying at the Banyan Tree Seychelles. Located in Intendance Bay on the island of Mahé, this stunning hotel offers 60 exquisite pool villas that effortlessly combine contemporary and colonial décor. Highly recommended by our two travellers, the Banyan Tree is blessed with breathtaking surroundings, impeccably landscaped grounds, gorgeous and well-appointed villas and personnel committed to the highest level of service,  ensuring that all guests feel as though they have found heaven on earth.

Christian and Nikolaus flew with  ZIL AIR (a new heli-service on the Seychelles with brand new Eurocopters) over to Zil Pasyon (Island of Passion) to have a look at a real estate development project taking place on the island. So for those of you who have a few million dollars sitting idly underneath your mattress, 21 luxurious & private villas on Zil Pasyon are on sale for those who are looking to expand their real-estate portfolio with a truly unique acquisition. Completely private, utterly stylish, uninterrupted views – your own piece of paradise for sale. The first houses are currently being built and are expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2010. Whoever said money couldn’t buy happiness was and is obviously mistaken.

Interested in visiting the Seychelles? Want to know what you can/should see & do? Where to rest your head? Charter a yacht? Dive under the sea? Just give us a shout, we’ll help you out.

Check out some of Christian’s pictures here

In collaboration with InterContinental Hotel Group and Middle East Airlines, 029 visited the Lebanese capital at the end of March.  Our purpose was to familiarise ourself with the city and surrounding areas and to visit some spectacular hotels within the InterContinental Hotel Group to expand our Middle Eastern MICE portfolio.  We are grateful for the hospitality we received at InterContinental’s Mountain Resort and Spa in Mzaar, nestled atop Mount Lebanon.

Click here to see pictures documenting our trip.

Near-perfect weather, fresh-fallen powder, a super chic hotel, and plenty of après-ski action - all ingredients from the recent 029 Hits the Snow event which took place in the Austrian ski village of Biberwier-Lermoos.  We skied, boarded, sun-bathed, and celebrated in true 029 style. The CUBE BIBERWIER-LERMOOS hotel was our base, conveniently located right next to the ski-lift, with a unique layout (read: cube design) and the sort of modern, stylistically-forward thinking architecture and design that we love at 029! Pro-skiers, funky freestyle boarders, beginner slope enthusiast and those who would rather be seen than ski all added to the super-fun experience we had in the Alps. Be on the look-out for our upcoming events which are guaranteed to be worth your while.

Check out our pics here

The Maybach Foundation is known worldwide for their philanthropist efforts in helping disadvantaged children around the globe, through their Excellence in Mentoring Leadership programme. Their annual charity event held during the Cannes Film Festival brings in much needed donations for oganisations such as the Sunflower Children Foundation and is attended by Hollywood heavyweights, key personalities in the cinematographic world and global philanthropists. The Maybach Foundation’s motto is to invest “in the select few who have the skill, the potential and the vision to help the many.” 029 has the distinct honour of collaborating with the Maybach Foundation at events such as the Cannes Film Festival, whilst providing the members and friends of the Foundation concierge services and special service packages. We are proud to be associated with such a key player in global humanitarian efforts and look forward to a successful partnership.

029 AND THE CITY started its event series in Frankfurt together with the Jet-Club and wonderful guests. Thanks to all of you who visited our kickoff event!  We had a sumptuous dinner and rocked the house until the early hours together with Aural Float and the Jet-Club’s DJs.  As 029’s first event was so successful, you can be sure that more 029 AND THE CITY parties are in the pipeline.  Coming soon to a city near you!

Check out our video compilation detailing the evening!

ETRE is an invitation-only meeting attended by a selected group of leading CEOs, entrepreneurs and financiers from the information technology and communications industries.  029’s CEO, Xavier Sarras was among the 700 attendees hailing from over 40 countries.  ETRE is a medium for influential players in the IT and communication industries to exchange information regarding state-of-art technologies, potential future developments,  establish new alliances and solidify existing partnerships.  Watch interview excerpt here