A SELECTIVE INVENTORY OF WHAT HAS EARNED OUR ATTENTION THIS SUMMER, FROM RIVIERA INSTITUTIONS AND SWISS PRECISION TO THE SORT OF JEWELRY AND WINE BEST DISCOVERED BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE CATCHES ON.
BY: THE EDITORS
HOUSE FAVORITES
At Hôtel Byblos, one arrives for the mythology as much as the hotel itself. The legendary property, equal parts Riviera glamour and social theater, also happens to maintain a dangerously chic gift shop. Particularly irresistible, the Senecio Byblos ceramic piece by Laura Gonzalez, inspired by the hotel’s iconic staircase and almost impossible to leave behind. byblos.com
CULT FOLLOWING
Oregon wine still carries the pleasure of discovery, the feeling that one has stumbled onto something quietly superior before the rest of the table catches on. Abbot Claim’s 2023 Chardonnay is refined, mineral-driven, and deeply elegant without trying too hard, which, incidentally, is also how one hopes to appear after the second glass. abbotclaim.com
SOUL SEEKERS
Most jewelry is content merely to sparkle. Fie Isolde aims for something far more memorable. The Boulder necklace, an unbroken strand of solid gold and white diamonds, feels sculptural rather than ornamental, while the Ray Trinity ring, centered around a dramatic elongated cushion-cut diamond, belongs in the category of objects likely to derail conversations at dinner. fieisolde.com
CONTINENTAL DRIFT
There are men who insist on suffering through summer in leather loafers, and then there are men who understand the elegance of an Italian espadrille. ISAIA’s goat-suede version moves effortlessly from long lunches in Capri to late dinners in Saint-Tropez, all while maintaining the sort of studied nonchalance Italians treat as a birthright. Available at ISAIA Bal Harbour Shops.
SWISS DIPLOMACY
The Swiss have long understood that true luxury rarely announces itself. Akris applies that philosophy beautifully with a silk midi dress so impeccably tailored that it almost feels architectural. Paired with the Alice Mini Top Handle bag, compact, polished, and discreetly glamorous, the effect is less “fashion victim,” more woman who spends August in Gstaad. Available at Akris Bal Harbour Shops.
TIME KEEPERS
With its platinum case and diamond detailing, the Tambour Convergence from Louis Vuitton is less a watch than a small exercise in seduction. Sleek, mechanical, and wildly unnecessary in the most wonderful way, it is the kind of object purchased by men who appreciate that timing, much like style, is everything. Available at select Louis Vuitton stores.
CHECKED OUT
There are vacations intended for sightseeing, and then there are those designed almost exclusively around one’s nervous system. Almare, a Luxury Collection Resort, falls firmly into the latter category. The adults-only retreat offers cocoon beds, hydrotherapy rituals, steam rooms, and enough sun-bleached serenity to briefly convince guests they should answer fewer emails and possibly move to the sea. More at marriott.com.
