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January Journal

Hello 2018!

It’s been a busy start to the year and we’re raring to go on some very exciting projects for 2018. So what’s new this month? After mourning the loss of Colette in Paris in our last issue, we discover that some of the old faces are opening something nous. In the month that grapes overtook apples to become Britain’s best-selling fruit, we also went along to Maison & Objet in Paris to take a look around the latest interior design trends and innovations. It’s a perfect mix of concept, retail, influences, design and architecture.

H&M Nyden

We’re looking forward to H&M’s new co-created affordable luxury brand Nyden aimed at millennial customers. Nyden won’t follow trends or the traditional fashion calendar. Drops for its affordable luxury will be limited and price points will vary depending on the product.

Nyden’s products will be sold exclusively in pop-up shops and through e-commerce. It will operate via tribe leaders, who will co-create the clothes they want. The first tribe leaders will be Swedish actress Noomi Rapace and tattoo artist Doctor Woo. The brand hopes to appeal to a new customer they call the Netocrat – which might be a more advanced version of the millennial.

“the Netocrat is more sensitive than ever to credibility, authenticity, and personality… They’re also more sensitive than ever to exploitation of themselves or other people.”

Amazon Go is go!

The first checkout-free Amazon Go store in Seattle has opened to the public. Employees have been able to use the store since December 2016 but there were teething problems in identifying shoppers of similar body types, and issues with children moving products around. Gianna Puerini, head of Amazon Go, said the store had operated well during the test phase: “This technology didn’t exist – it was really advancing the state of the art of computer vision and machine learning.” Unsurprisingly, people are queuing round the block.

Egg on Cadbury’s face?

Barely have the baubles come down when Cadbury announce a hidden white chocolate Crème Egg in a Willy Wonka-esque competition with cash prices. All over the country, shops are dealing with what we shall call ‘disturbed packaging’… in other words, people peeling back the foil to check the colour of the egg inside then wrapping them up again. Ew. So we’ll be giving those a miss then. #nothanks

Word of the month

Hoarfrost: the heavy frost that settles upon plants, trees and other things when the air drops below freezing and the atmosphere is moist. An ugly-sounding word for a mighty pretty phenomenon. #winterwonderland

Dry January

How’s that going for you? We’re intrigued by Seedlip – the world’s first alcohol-free spirit (is that an oxymoron?). Over 20 London bars including Nobu and The Coral Room are giving away 500 booze-free cocktails, like the Seedlip NOgroni. To claim your cocktail download one of 500 e-vouchers at DrinkUp.London and then check out the list of participants for this month only.

Sneaking around

Sneakersnstuff has opened its first American store in New York. The space will be its first store outside of Europe, with current locations in Stockholm, Paris, Berlin and London. The store is also set to feature a revolving gallery wall, a massive outdoor mural viewable from High Land Park, and a full bar/club area. We’ll be dropping in and attempting not to buy loads of sneakers. #fail #weakwilled

Icehotel #28

The 28th incarnation of Sweden’s world famous Ice Hotel is now open. Featuring suites sculpted as a frozen jungle, a mountain gorilla, and a frozen cloudscape. 500 tons of crystal clear natural ice has been used to create the art, ice glasses and ice bars this year. 1,000 hand-polished ice crystals were used to create the chandeliers that hang in the main hall, and surfaces are decorated with 200 hand-sculpted flowers of ice and snow. Sub-zero temperatures make this place way too cool for school. #freezing

The Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire experience will transport guests into the Star Wars universe, allowing them to walk through hyper reality interactive sets with real-time special effects and innovative technology. Hyper reality allows you to not only see, but to hear, feel the heat and the cold, touch and even smell.

The experience will run until 7 March in The Atrium at Westfield London and is currently running at Disney Springs, Orlando, before moving to Downtown Disney District in California in January 2018.

We popped along to Maison & Objet this week to take a look around the latest offerings from the international interior design and lifestyle community. Here’s our quick round up of what’s hot and what’s not.

And finally…

On the film front, Star Wars fans (including the LukeWarms) are going crazy for The Last Jedi. We’ve been hearing things like different, exciting, surprising, intense and emotional. If that’s not really your thing, and you’re not offended by category 5 expletives (in context of course) and eye-watering violence, then we heartily recommended you head towards Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. It’s f*****g brilliant.

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