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This article was produced in partnership with Castlery.

With The Year That Was both forcing us to spend more time at home (and proving we can stay there to work) there has quite literally never been a better time to invest more wisely in your home furnishings. No longer should we resort to cheap, convenient pieces but instead, we should be more considerate of the furniture we place in our home. 

It would be fair to assume, however, that furniture that exhibits longevity, quality, timeless design and exceptional comfort will come at a price. With Castlery furniture, you can expect these features guaranteed, but without the sky-high prices demanded by other designer furniture brands. 

Having been founded in 2013, Castlery knows what goes into designing and producing great furniture. With in-house designers dreaming up pieces that cater to the living room, dining room, bedroom and all manner of storage options, the brand is one you can’t pass up when you’re thinking about redecorating your home.

Focusing on the living room in particular, so often the heart of the home for many, Castlery has five new sofa collections that reflect the best, most exciting design trends seen in 2021, and are simply perfect for winter nights at home. And right now, you can save up to $500 off as part of Castlery’s End of Financial Year Sale.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”293374″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Whether you’re a loyal fan of Castlery or you’re new to the brand, it’s important to be brought up to speed with regards to what has made it such a well-loved furniture designer. The answer is the Adams sofa collection. One of the standout best-sellers, the Adams is now available in three new colours, all of which have come as a result of customer feedback and demand. 

The Pearl Beige, Indigo Blue and Jet Black Velvet fabric options will all slot perfectly into any tastefully designed contemporary home. The collection includes a three-seater, two-seater, armchair and matching ottoman, or is available as a variety of sectional configurations. The Adams can also be specced with black, brass or silver metallic legs, highlighting how you can integrate quality, premium pieces into your home, without the high price tag.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”293375″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_separator][vc_column_text]

Furthering that ethic is the Pebble collection, now available in Ivory White, Ocean Blue and Shadow Grey colours, as well as with brass caps on its matte black legs to give some extra sparkle, it’s a collection for those who love to settle down for a night of movies. With high back cushions and exceptional seating depth, the Pebble is a sofa you won’t want to remove yourself from.

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”293376″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Does your home have more of a boho flair to it? Then it needs the Owen sofa collection. With curves in all the right places, the Owen can be specified in various forms, including with a chaise section for truly luxurious lounging. The fact that the Owen’s cushions are filled with pocket springs to ensure they never lose shape is yet more evidence Castlery is a brand you need to know, not only for the quality you receive, but for the thought and care that goes into its versatile designs. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”293377″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_separator][vc_column_text]No apartment or home is complete without a statement sofa, and the Madison is just that. Guaranteed to be a focal point of any living room, the Madison serves up all the conveniences of a modern sofa, but with a hint of retro charm. Available in either velvet or polyester fabrics and with spring coil seating for comfort and durability – as well as some exceptional colours including Aquamarine – the Madison is a lounge that will have you falling in love at first sight. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”293378″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Rounding out Castlery’s new sofa collections for 2021 is the Isaac, which is a sofa for socialites who live to entertain and homebodies to stretch out. A modular sofa, the Isaac can quickly and easily be switched to various configurations, including having the ability to transform from a left to right chaise design. Modern and minimal, the Isaac is a dependable sofa that will nestle in nicely in any home. 

With Castlery’s End of Financial Year Sale running from June 1st  to July 31st 2021, why wait to spruce up your home with a brand new sofa that will last you a lifetime. Right now, you can save $100 off any $1200 spend, $200 off a $2000 spend or $500 off a $4000 spend. 

Shop Castlery’s new sofa collections and check out now for additional savings from their EOFY sale.

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The post Premium Yet Affordable Furniture For The Savvy (Australian) Shopper appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Brisbane might not be the largest city in Australia, but that shouldn’t mean its residents are any less likely to in a luxury watch. Besides, with time being universal, it doesn’t discriminate by location. While you could turn your attention to any number of online watch shops to score your ultimate timepiece, being able to walk into a store and try one on brings with it a much greater emotional attachment.That means Brisbane needs to bring its A game to the watch-buying game and serve its horological enthusiasts with a number of watch shops from which to buy both new and used time tellers. Fortunately, whether it be your very first Swiss piece or a watch to mark a major milestone, Brisbane does indeed boasts a somewhat limited, yet reliable number of retail outlets selling some of the world’s finest timepieces.Not only do some of the most prestigious names in horology have their own boutique stores in Brisbane, but the city is also home to some independent stores that should be your first port of call if you’ve chosen to buy second hand and pre-loved.

Vintage Watch Co.

Vintage Watch Co. is one of Brisbane’s most reliable watch retailers who look after both new and pre-loved timepieces. Established in 1994 with locations in both Sydney and Brisbane, the store has built a solid reputation over the decades for stocking a wide selection of new, modern and vintage watches along with an assortment of watch accessories. So whether it’s an heirloom Rolex you’re after or something from OMEGA, Vintage Watch Co. can help with competitive pricing and friendly servicing. For peace of mind Vintage Watch Co. also offers a 12 month guarantee on all transactions.Brands: Rolex, Omega, IWC, Breitling, Patek Philippe, Panerai, Cartier and Tag Heuer, Longines, Tissot, RADO, U-Boat, Maurice Lacroix, VictorinoxAddress: Shop 12-13 Ground Level, Brisbane Arcade, 160 Queen Street, Brisbane, 4000Phone: 07 3210 6722

Lotte Watch Co.

If it’s a sweet deal you’re after then stop by the Lotte Watch Co. outlet on your next departure from Brisbane International Airport. Marked as the crowning jewel of the airport’s retail precinct, Lotte Watch Co. stocks a premium range of luxury Swiss timepieces at competitive prices. On top of this, the staff there know their watches so you can rest easy on the flight knowing that you’ve picked a winner.Brands: IWC, Omega, Breitling, Longines, Tudor, Chopard, Tissot, Baume & Mercier, Chopard, Frederique Constant, Girard Perregaux, Hublot, IWC, Montblanc, Jaeger LeCoultre, RadoAddress: Brisbane International Airport

The Hour Glass

Hailing from Asia as one of the most esteemed retailers of luxury watches, The Hour Glass sports over 40 boutiques across nine cities including Brisbane. Leading the advocacy movement of not just fine watches but also the art of horology, The Hour Glass is endeavouring to be the watch world’s leading cultural retail enterprise for both enthusiasts and collectors. They stock over 50 of the world’s best brands of Swiss-made watches under the one roof so you can be sure you’ll find something you like here.Brands: Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Hublot, IWC, Patek Philippe, Richard Mille, Rolex, TAG HeuerAddress: Shop 3, 171 Edward St, Brisbane City, 4000

Langford’s

If you only have your sights set on a Rolex, then you’ll definitely want to pay a visit to Langford’s. The jeweller was founded in 1907 and today serves as a Rolex Official Retailer, dealing solely in the prestigious Swiss timepieces, meaning you can walk in and enquire about any model in the current collection and if the store doesn’t happen to have it in stock, will be able to put you on a waiting list while your order is processed and fulfilled.Brands: RolexAddress: 260 Queen Street, Post Office Square, Brisbane, 4000Not in Brisbane? Check out the best places to buy watches in Sydney and Melbourne.

The post Where To Buy Watches In Brisbane appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

There’s rich and then there’s rich. While most of us look longingly at the world’s most luxurious hotels, the rich look at them like fast cars – DIY projects in constant need of improvement.Though that’s an insulting stereotype, if the following viral Reddit thread, which recently revealed what really goes on at luxury hotels, is anything to go by, there could be something to it.From pleas to “never ever ever” use a chocolate fountain from a hotel (“chocolate is waaay too expensive to throw away”) to absurd concierge systems which can procure guests (almost) anything (to the wild things staff have seen guests do), the thread provided both interesting insights and horrifying anecdotes.

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Some, such as: never drink out of a hotel water glass, (“GRAs are so stretched thin on time that they will clean the glasses with the same rags they clean the bathroom, after all their goal is to make the room look clean”), will give many travellers anxiety, others are interesting, and others are disgusting.Entitled, “People who work at 5 Star Hotels: what type of shit goes on that management doesn’t want people to know?” the thread has been commented on 13.8k times and was created by Reddit user u/catstevenseagal.The top comment? See below.“A friend of mine works for a small luxurious hotel in London. He told me the concerge system there is absolutely absurd. Money buys everything.”“Anything the clients want, clients get. They are told never to say no, worst case they say ‘I don’t think this is really appropriate.'”“Obviously, drugs and escorts are a classic. He showed me 20 phone numbers of drug dealers in his phone to be able to get whatever drugs to the customers (he never buys though, only gets people in contact).”“And for harder tasks, he goes through professional concierges who charge A LOT.”

“You want a new Prada dress at 2AM for the party you are about to attend? Sure thing, let’s wake a few people up, charge triple the price and split the benefit between people involved. Have a good night madam.”

“You want tickets for the Wimbledon final that takes place tomorrow? You have £20k? Enjoy the game, sir.”“But in some cases, they can’t satisfy the customer. So when a couple of clients came back drunk asking him to have sex with the wife while the husband was watching and filming, he felt like it was a good time to say ‘I don’t think this is really appropriate.'”Another commenter wrote: “My husband worked at several luxury hotels and residences (rich people who live at the hotels) and besides how absolutely disgusting everything inside the rooms actually is…I was most shocked by the behavior of the ultra rich.”“I’m not talking businessmen and doctors. I’m talking Saudi Princes and Heirs to Dynasty families. The level of comfort and technology these people have come to expect is things we cannot imagine.”“’What do you mean there isn’t there access to intercoms next to the bathroom for when I need services while going potty?’ ‘The television inside the shower is only a 40 inch and there is no gold in this room I need a better suite’. ‘I’m gonna need you to go out, buy me better bedding, remake my bed, and then do it again tomorrow because I won’t sleep on the same bedding twice.'”

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Another Reddit user said extra fees would be tacked onto rowdy guests’ bills, especially when a corporation was paying.“Corporate intern events where the kids would get plied with alcohol. Infuriating. We had one company annually bring 80 interns as part of a site visit tour, and it was a nightmare.”“I was sure someone would die every year. One year there were three hospitalizations though, and one of the boys sent the hospital bill to the hotel. To be clear, the entire F&B team knew about the event and were very vigilant about refusing service. We were not involved or liable in his medical issue. The audacity.”“Particularly because he and all of his intern colleagues trashed everything. We had to prepare the lobby by removing sculptures and porcelain plant pots. One year we started always removing a kind of sharp-cornered bookcase because too many drunk interns had hurt themselves on it. There were bodily fluids everywhere and linens destroyed beyond continued use. Plumbing broke daily. There was always smoking damage in some rooms.”“But all the adults were useless, of course. And all adults were culpable in providing alcohol to the underage people. The company accepted the bill for the damage every year, and always came back. And we would add literally everything we could. We would tack weeks worth of room nights onto their bill because we had to keep dozens of rooms out of service while damage was repaired. The company paid for everything we comped for complaining guests too.”“They also paid for anything we had to replace, and they were so used to the damage fees we would just throw things in there sometimes. Like a treadmill finally broke during their residence. But did one of their guests break it? Don’t know, didn’t care, they bought us a new treadmill.”Another Reddit user explained what it was like to greet celebrities who stayed in the hotel: “We weren’t allowed to greet celebrities by name since they wanted to be anonymous, so we would use their alias that day.”“Some were greeted by prostitutes or ‘escorts’ who were always super nice to everyone. A regular would rent out a room for a day, once a month, and make 30-40k that day from clients. Celebrities, business guys, you name it. Crazy.”Another commenter on the thread, who claimed to have worked at the high end restaurant at a ski resort that hosts a famous film festival, wrote: “Lots of sex in the walk in coolers, but never the people you’d want to walk in on.”The comments weren’t all bad though. One user said rich people used to tip very generously.“My SO worked for a fancy hotel. The building owners (not the chain, the actual building itself) came to visit. He was on the Forbes billionaire list.”“He was a nice man who had buffet lunches everyday and tipped every staff members he saw a crisp $100, every time he saw them.”“House keeper walking past? $100. Bar tender setting up? $100.”“Shift swap? 100 on the way in and out.”Further down the thread the stories get even more salacious.“Worked in five star hotels in Beverly Hills.. boy do I have stories,” one Reddit user wrote.“Sheikh picks up an [escort] in the bar, takes her to his room. She roofies him and steals tens of thousands of dollars of cash, watches and valuables.”“Husbands who will say hello to staff with their mistress on their arm on Thursday night and their wife on Friday night.”“Famous teen celebrity left a room full of needles and various drug paraphernalia behind for housekeeping to clean up.”“Middle eastern royalty ships in multiple Ferraris and Lamborghinis to the hotel from their home country to drive for the week; caught drag racing later that night by the cops in the neighborhoods of Beverly Hills.”“Largest checkout bill I’ve ever seen was roughly $2 million for guest who rented out an entire floor of suites for three weeks, promptly paid via wire transfer.”“Had to procure $100k cash for a guest whose wife wanted to shop on Rodeo Drive the next morning, the local bank doesn’t even have that much. Had to get an armored car from the central LA bank branch to deliver.”Another sad topic mentioned by another Reddit user was suicide. The user wrote: “A lot of lonely people going on vacation to end their life. Happens a lot but is never mentioned on the news.”There you have it. A look behind the veil at some of the world’s five-star hotels.

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The post Luxury Hotel Workers Reveal The Wildest Things They've Seen Guests Do appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Luxury fashion is meant to push boundaries and challenge expectations.Take the infamous Supreme brick from the cult skate brand’s FW16 collection: some people call it stupid, some people call it subversive. Or what about Balenciaga’s $800 Birkenstocks or their Crocs collaborations. Taking the mundane; the kitsch and elevating it as something worthy of desire is a favourite trick of modern haute couture.But Louis Vuitton – or more specifically, its current creative director, Virgil Abloh – might have gone a bit too far with their latest accessory.Lookbook images of the French luxury house’s upcoming FW21 have recently emerged, with one accessory standing out as particularly ludicrous: the Louis Vuitton Eraser Necklace. As the name implies, it’s a silver link chain with a monogrammed holster for what appears to be a functional eraser. Oh, and they’re apparently pricing it at 810 USD.While fashion fans normally have quite an appetite for the quirky, it seems as if this necklace is a step too far for many.

Choice comments on Instagram include “Virgil destroying the LV brand”, “take this guy’s laptop away” and “this is a joke”.

“They need to fire him bruh, he’s not even trying, what use would this have??”

“Rich people don’t deserve money” was another highlight, with others question whether “stationery [is] becoming something to flex now?”Of course, taking stationary or office artefacts and elevating them to objects of desire has been an essential part of Abloh’s oeuvre. From the iconic red zip ties and ratchet strap belts that made his personal brand Off-White so famous to his paperclip-shaped ‘Office Supplies’ jewellery collection with Jacob & Co., this sort of thing is par for the course for the controversial designer.RELATED: Decoding The Hidden Genius Behind Virgil Abloh’s Ghastly Mercedes-Benz CollaborationLV are apparently also releasing a Pen Necklace in the same style, although we think they’ve missed a trick there: you can’t erase pen ink with a normal eraser! But maybe a No. 2 isn’t quite haute couture enough… Guess you have to draw the line somewhere.

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The post ‘Erase Your Wallet’: Bizarre Louis Vuitton Accessory Has Fashion Fans Divided appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Joe Rogan is as muscly as he is motivated. Whether it’s revealing the secret to staying ripped in your 50s or speaking to the mind-melting benefits of sitting in a sauna, the 53-year-old comedian, UFC commentator and podcast host is a source of constant inspiration.Our attention was recently drawn to one piece of advice that Rogan shared on his podcast a few years ago, which requires a simple change to your weekly routine, but one that could have huge ramifications for your gains. His tip? Schedule your workouts on a Sunday.In other words: treat your workouts a bit more like work.It sounds simple, but if you’re someone who turns up to the gym each visit dithering over what you’re going to do, you will find yourself much more motivated if you have a plan. And though there is still something to be said for varying your workouts and keeping them fun, when it comes to planning your week, you may actually be better off treating your workouts less like a hobby and more like a job.You are also far more likely to turn up to the gym in the first place. As Rogan explains: “I schedule my workouts every Sunday. I schedule everything I’m going to do that week.”

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“I say, ‘I have to do yoga two times this week’ and ‘I have to lift weights three times this week’ and ‘I have to run twice this week'”.

“‘And however I fit that in, I fit that in. But I owe those things so I have to get those things in.'”

He also revealed he tries to fit in time for various martial arts including kickboxing and Jiu-Jitsu.It’s not just workouts Rogan gives the calendar treatment either; he also makes sure he knows what he’s doing to eat and what diet he’s going to adopt. He’s experimented with the carnivore diet in recent years, and going by his latest admissions, he appears to be continuing on that path (or somewhere close to it). He cuts out bread entirely (though still struggles to say no to a cheeky lasagna), strictly limits his carb intake and ultimately doesn’t feed his body with any “bullshit.”“‘I do everything that I can to put my body and my brain in a good place so I’m keeping my engine smooth. I’m chaining my oil, I’m changing my spark plugs and I’m making sure that it’s operating.”

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This all adds up and over the long run can have a massive impact on your gains.It’s not just Rogan who sees Sunday as an important day to think about fitness. 49-year-old American actor, producer and retired professional wrestler Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson also uses Sunday to “unplug and recalibrate.”Taking to his Instagram account recently, the muscle mountain posted a video of himself having just come out of his “iron paradise” where he doesn’t have any air conditioning or mirrors so that he “doesn’t get distracted or get too comfortable.” He says the work you do on a Sunday can be especially important, especially if you can do it away from others and essentially just get into your own zone. You’ll feel the benefits immediately.

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DMARGE reached out to former NRL star and owner of Flow Athletic Ben Lucas, to get his thoughts on adopting a Sunday ritual.“I actually already do this on Sunday,” Ben reveals, “and it is an enjoyable part of my routine.”“I think of what workouts I want to do so I have an idea of what I’m doing before I even walk in the gym, which is a huge time saver. I then put my workouts into my diary and I stick to it as I would any other meeting or appointment.”Ben also admits adopting this method can have huge mental health benefits, as well as physical ones. “No one wants to wake up feeling overwhelmed on a Monday morning. I imagine you would be way less productive on the first day of the week, which will probably then stress you out all week.”RELATED: Study By Leading Mental Health Institute Reveals Why Exercise Is So Damn Important Right NowHowever, understanding that Rogan perhaps lives a slightly more self-driven life than the majority of us, who have 9-5 jobs and ‘life’ that gets in the way, scheduling workouts and other activities around your professional commitments can be tricky.To this, Ben says, “it would really depend person to person. I would usually recommend signing up to a gym near home or near work, depending on which location you will be more likely to show up. Alternatively, you could have a home gym.”“For me, I usually schedule my workouts for the morning as on the extremely off chance I can’t train in the morning, I have all day to make up for it. Everyone is different, but that works for me.”We also wanted to get Ben’s recommendation for a solid weekly workout plan, as many gym junkies have their preferences for either isolating muscle groups, or grouping them all into something such as a push day and pull day routine.Ben’s advice? “My ideal week would be chest, arm, back day on Monday, leg day Tuesday, complete a full-body workout on Wednesday, take a break, or walk or practice yoga on Thursday, repeat Monday and Tuesday on Friday and Saturday, and then take Sunday to do whatever you want and schedule your next set of workouts for the week ahead.”It’s a simple change, no doubt, but taking Sunday to plan your week could be the straw that breaks your skinny frame out into something larger. It could also have benefits for your mind and stress management too.

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The post Savvy Joe Rogan Workout Hack Could Massively Increase Your Gains appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The development of modern fashion has always been tied to ‘influencers’ – both in the traditional and literal sense.From groundbreaking designers like Coco Chanel, Gianni Versace or Virgil Abloh to celebrity fashion icons like Jean Shrimpton, Grace Kelly or Harry Styles… While supermodels still exist, fashion these days is a game largely driven by social media influencers. Indeed, many influencers have transcended simply modelling new clothes or pioneering new trends and have branched out into producing their own fashion lines – take Kylie Jenner or Alexa Chung.Now it seems that the next frontier for fashion is ‘anti-influencer’ fashion. For every Gwyneth Paltrow shilling turtlenecks and yoni eggs to scores of admiring followers, there are savvy social commentators skewering the influencer world with hilarious memes and takedowns. Some of these accounts have become so influential in their own right that they too have started offering their own fashion lines, which are ironically becoming more popular than some of the influencers, brands and products they ruthlessly satirise.Take Super Slutty Snake (@supersnake) – a British Instagram account that ruthlessly satirises the world of the 1%, influencer culture and modern haute couture. Not only has SSS quickly become one of the most incisive and influential satire accounts on the social media platform, but his own fashion line – SSS London – has become incredibly hot property among some of the circles he so hotly lambasts.Most notably, influencer supreme and would-be boxer Logan Paul was spotted wearing SSS x Culprit underwear both before and after his headline-snatching fight against Floyd Mayweather – proof positive that ‘meme merch’, anti-influencer (or just straight ‘influencer’) fashion, whatever you want to call it – is a real phenomenon.

“It was a huge coup, I wish more people knew! Logan is a friend of mine and also a close friend of the Culprit founders, so he is always wearing our underwear,” SSS shared exclusively with DMARGE on the eve of his June merch drop. While there’s a big difference between satirising clothing brands and making your own, SSS relates expanding into e-commerce was a “pretty logical step”.“Once you establish a page, you are consistently looking for ways to monetise and clothing appeared the most obvious route for me. I always saw SSS as a badge of “knowing” or feeling part of a movement and therefore I had always dreamed of followers sporting the logo. It is an incredibly important way to grow an audience and build brand loyalty. I still get overwhelmed when I see people on the streets wearing my products; it is a huge honour and I never take it for granted.”RELATED: ‘The Devil Wears Nike’: Sportswear Giant Loses Control Over Its Own Bloody ReleasesIndeed, it’s this ‘if you know, you know’ aspect to fashion from accounts or sources like his that are a crucial element of their appeal. Wearing a SSS cap, for example, shows that you’re into luxury fashion, but self-aware or savvy enough not to fall for the foibles (or outrageous price tags) that come with living that lifestyle. More to the point, SSS argues that influencer fashion offers a level of authenticity and value that genuine haute couture, the likes of which he and others satirise, can’t compete with:

“I really do see ‘influencer’ fashion as the future of fashion. I feel that consumers are getting increasingly frustrated with luxury fashion brands’ margins and can’t justify spending £300 on a t-shirt. Influencers connect with their followers on an extremely genuine and natural basis, which means that we understand what to offer our fans and how to price things.”

“I often post polls on my page to see what followers really want and whether they think the pricing is fair or not; this is incredibly important to me. I want to offer my followers incredibly high quality and fashionable clothing; I do not want to exploit them for cash.”

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SSS is by no means the only operator in this space. Take The Gstaad Guy (@gstaadguy), another Brit whose self-aware brand of skit comedy similarly pillories the privileged world of the international jet-set, who not only offers his own merch but has even secured high-end collaborations with brands like Italian menswear label Loro Piana, cult cashmere knitwear brand Letanne and British cosmetics company The Organic Pharmacy.Other more news-focused accounts also have their own successful merch lines. Diet Prada (@diet_prada), one of the fashion industry’s top sources of news and social commentary, has a successful line of fashionable home decor. Australia’s very own Betoota Advocate – the notorious satirical newspaper who satirises everything from Aussie politics to sporting fixtures – also makes a tidy bit of change selling everything from parody rugby league jerseys and tote bags to their very own beer, Betoota Bitter.This is all to say that it’s interesting that internet comedians’ e-commerce offerings are often more successful than those of the brands or people they frequently make fun of.RELATED: I Wore Every F*ckboi’s Favourite Footwear For A Week & It Changed My LifeOf course, not all meme merch is made equal. Satirists and earnest influencers alike can’t just rest on their laurels if they want to have any sort of success in the highly competitive world of modern fashion.“A lot of the merch I see on the internet is incredibly unimaginative, low-budget and derisory,” SSS relates.

“Followers are not stupid and the only chance you have at building a real brand is by providing clothing that people ACTUALLY want to wear. I feel that some creators just flog products for the sake of flogging and seem to think followers will just blindly buy.”

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“My view is that SSS London is a means for me to provide my followers with a genuine fashion label, that happens to be SSS-branded. The quality of product is extremely high and the designs are fantastic. We have even hired a team in order to be able to execute high-quality clothing twice a month, one “affordable” merchandise-style drop and one high fashion luxury drop.”RELATED: $800 Balenciaga ‘Birkenstocks’ Enrage Social Media’s Luxury ConsumersAt the end of the day, the most valuable currency in modern fashion is authenticity. And that’s why SSS and others like him have become so successful when it comes to fashion and e-commerce: they’re authentic in a way that the Dolce & Gabbanas and Danielle Bernsteins of the world just aren’t.It’s definitely food for thought. Especially if the food in question is baked tagliolini from Cip. Again, if you know, you know…

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The post New Frontier Of Luxury Fashion Coming From Most Unlikely Source appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Think 50 Shades Of Grey is masochistic? You should see Australians’ relationship with rockpools. Though it might not be so obvious as toting a dodgy paperback everywhere you go (the standard move for many Aussies when the aforementioned book first came out in 2011), it’s still a ~flex~.“Oh, you barely made it to work this morning with enough time to rub the sleep from your eyes? I swam 800 metres and have already deleted two flat whites.”As DMARGE has reported numerous times over the last few months, Australia has pockets of coastal communities which are glued to their local watering holes in ways that would make the average Tinder commitment-phobe run for the hills.RELATED: Photographer Captures The Australian Winter Ritual Americans Will Never Understand Aside from the exostosis, this is positive, with this refreshing ritual bringing both physical and mental benefits – something we believe the following photo by ilana Sallick (and posted to Instagram on April the 26th) sums up nicely.

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A post shared by ilana Sallick | Photographer (@thelensandi)

The image, taken at Coogee’s Wylie’s Baths, shows a simple scene. But there is actually (we reckon) some serious social psychology behind it.Given we are coming into the peak season for shivering cold dips (and short sunny days), we thought we’d take a browse through the Instagram geotags of some of Australia’s most popular rock pools (including Wylie’s), interview a bunch of the people whose photos appear at the top, and ask what their relationship status is with rock pools – and how they believe beach-going is different in Australia compared to Europe (which, as we recently reported, Australians are often guilty of over glamorising).

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A post shared by PlacesWeSwim (@placesweswim)

Caroline from Places We Swim, whose Instagram photos rank highly for everywhere from Victoria’s The Pillars to NSW’s Clovelly and Bushranger’s Bay, told DMARGE: “Swimming is part of our daily lives and psyche in Australia.”“I’m sure it’s to do with the landscape and climate. But we are very connected to swimming in Australia. We also learn to swim much younger than in most countries.”

“With regard to ocean pools, they almost exclusively exist in NSW, and there is over 100 dotted down the coast. NSW has to be one of the friendliest places to swim in the world.”

Another part of the attraction is that it’s a challenge: you can’t just rock up and score the perfect beach day or beach photo. It’s an art of reading the wind, swell, weather and tide, and when it pays off it’s a lot more satisfying than simply dropping by your local chlorinated swim (or bridge) club.Reading the conditions makes you feel more connected to nature. And you don’t even need to be an ultra-fit surfer to learn. Like golf, it just takes practice. The following Instagram post by Places We Swim shows this mildly neurotic side to rock pool swimming (and photography) perfectly.

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“Before we moved to Manly (from Bondi) we didn’t realise we would enjoy the harbour beaches so much,” Places We Swim captioned the above photo. “There’s a calmness to them that is different to the ocean beaches.”

“But the best part about Manly is that you get both options. And when the wind is on one side of the peninsula, you can almost be certain the other side is protected. It blows our mind that you get this right in the city. We’re having a real Delwood lovefest at the moment.”

When DMARGE spoke to photographer ilana Sallick (@thelensandi), whose image of Coogee’s Wylie’s Baths inspired us to start thinking about all this in the first place, she told us that – although European beaches are “definitely thought of as photogenic” – she thinks a big part of why we over glamorise Europe (and potentially undervalue our own beach culture) “is a result of photographers, like Slim Aarons, who have showcased the rich and famous at play at private beach clubs.”

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A post shared by ilana Sallick | Photographer (@thelensandi)

“These old photographs conjure up feelings of a romantic, worldly and glamorous lifestyle that is so different to what we have in Australia – or who we are…”Australia is a [different] country with a laid back lifestyle,” ilana added. “We love the outdoors. I think Australia’s overall warmer climate helps as we generally spend more time outdoors, at the beach than in Europe. We go to the beach to have fun in the water, and relax on the sand.”

“I think it also helps in Australia that a lot of our beaches are surrounded by nature, full of soft white sand, Compared to Europe’s pebbled beaches that are often sandwiched between old towns and buildings.”

Pip Edwards, Australian fashion designer and co-founder of sportswear label P.E Nation (who has been called “one of the most influential figures in the Australian fashion industry” and whose photos can also be seen at the top of the Wylie’s Bath Instagram geotag page), told DMARGE: “We absolutely love a beach rock pool. We work with the natural coastline. All our coastal beaches have their own rock/ocean pools. Bondi, Tama, and Wylie’s.”

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A post shared by PIP EDWARDS (P.E) (@pipedwards)

“We experience massive high and low tides and powerful surfing waves, so having the option of an ocean pool is awesome to still get in the water, even if you aren’t a strong ocean swimmer. It encourages fitness whatever your level.”“It also encourages connection to the landscape. Our coastline is our lifeblood. It impacts our energy and outlook and for me, is the biggest source of inspiration. And to breathe and bathe on the concrete whilst being close to the water and beach is everything.”DMARGE also spoke to photographer Rachael Kane, who has experience taking photos in Italy’s Capri and Amalfi Coast as well as Sydney’s Eastern and Northern beaches.

Rachael told us there may actually be more to justify Europe’s classy stereotype than we have been giving it credit for: “I personally find photographing the beaches in Europe a different experience to Australia, and I adore the Australian coastline. The European coastlines from Cannes to Corfu are enchanting, there is a depth of colour and contrast, there is height and drama, and there is no getting around it there is a level of sophistication and style that Australian beaches just don’t have, and oh boy is it beautiful to photograph.”RELATED: Iconic Italian Beach Scene Sparks Age-Old Debate “I think it is a magic cocktail of; people at the beach are all on holidays, they are walking to the beach, they dress to impress – no matter if you are a movie star or a mechanic. Anchored off the calm Mediterranean beaches are glamourous super yachts. You as a participant absorb the beauty, you believe in it. No sand no worries, they happily lie on pebbles all day to unashamedly worship the sun, or even better a sun lounge on the pebbles with a personal waiter.”RELATED: ‘A Place To See & Be Seen’: Incredible Photo Shows Why Every Traveller Should Visit Capri Once 

“All these elements add a depth to the images you take. I know many Australians who live in beachside suburbs but only ‘go to the beach’ when they are on holidays in Europe.”As for Australia and rockpools, Rachael told us: “I find it interesting that many of the iconic Australian East Coast rockpools were built during the Great Depression as government initiatives for the unemployed men, and even today these rockpools and baths are still embraced and very loved. I wish there were more along our dangerous coastline.”“You have to imagine back in the 1930s that not everyone could swim well, and certainly the rugged surf pounding coastline would have been daunting, so it seems almost like Australia’s first step was to tame small corners of our oceans and seas until we understood the beast better.”

“Even recently when we had the high winter swells bashing Sydney’s coastline some of the ocean pools were a place of calm that allowed the dedicated daily winter swimmers to pursue their pleasure in safety.”Photographer and videographer Chris Mohen shared his thoughts about rockpools with DMARGE too. “My experience with rockpools is pretty expensive. Since I began shooting 12 years ago the main go-to for any outside shoot would always at least have a rockpool as an option. We have Wylie’s baths in Coogee, which has been adapted from the natural Rockpool to make a place safe and easy to swim, or simply hang out.”“You see the regulars there from the time the gates open in the morning to the time they shut at the end of the day. They’re using the pool as their place, their home, their pool. It’s a form of addiction, but also they use it as their routine for the day. This is pretty similar across the country, as close as Bronte with the southern rockpool and as far away as Injidup natural spa in WA. Injidup is a little harder to get to but still spectacular and visited daily by locals and tourists alike.”“The way that Australians have used the rock formations of the coastlines to create beautiful and safe swimming areas is pretty incredible. Some with facilities like Wylie’s in Coogee and others just down a dirt road like Injidup really shows to me how much variety there is in a natural or semi-natural rockpool and how much people need that place to clear the mind and start or end the day.”“After travelling overseas quite extensively, especially to places like Nice in the south of France really shows that to me, the daily swim is pretty essential for humans of coastal areas and probably shows why people who live on the coast crave that morning or evening swim so much.”“The rock pools in Nice may not be the same, but the essence of a daily swim and a bit of sun is not lost on the French, especially the old leatherbacks just like here.”Finally, photographer Laura Reid told DMARGE, in her view, “for many coastal locations the ocean pool is like a European town centre, it is a meeting place.”

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A post shared by Laura Reid (@laurareidphoto)

“During winter the water is usually warmer than the outdoor temperature (especially early in the morning).”

Read Next

• Controversial Bondi Beach Photo Depicts Scene That Could Never Happen In America 
• Parisian Photographer Captures ‘Weird’ Beach Habit Australians Think Is Normal 

The post Photo Sums Up Difference Between Going To The Beach In Australia & Europe appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Las Vegas goes by many names. The Entertainment Capital of the World. The City of Lights (although isn’t that Paris?) America’s Playground. But the most famous – and perhaps most appropriate – is Sin City.

One of the world’s most visited tourist destinations, Las Vegas is one of the most unique and bizarre cities on the planet. Known for its elaborate casinos and hotels, Vegas is quite unlike any other city in the United States, or any city anywhere. The glitz, glamour and racy character of the town makes it a potent source of inspiration for literature, film, music and even luxury watchmaking.

Enter the IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch Edition “Las Vegas” (ref. IW501014): a surprising horological tribute to the infamous party town which imbues the iconic yet sombre instrument watch with a sense of playfulness and class that we wager you’ll find extremely thrilling. A thrill you might even find a little bit sinful…

The most obvious feature of the Las Vegas Edition is its silver-plated dial. It’s a striking and unusual choice for the minimalist Big Pilot: highly legible yet somewhat luxurious, it fits the character of the timepiece perfectly. We’re surprised they didn’t decide to go full bling for something that’s supposed to celebrate Sin City with a gold dial (or indeed a gold case), but the watch is better for it.

But the unusual dial isn’t the only special thing about this piece. Where most Big Pilots feature a transparent caseback (or a prominent version of IWC’s trademark ‘probus scafusia’ seal), the Las Vegas Edition features an engraving of a roulette wheel – roulette, of course, being one of Sin City’s favourite gambling games.

The roulette theme continues with the date window at 6 o’clock: dates alternate between red and black, with 1 appearing in green. The power reserve hand at the 3 o’clock subdial, too, is filled in with red. Like the caseback design, they’re subtle nods to Las Vegas that’s tasteful enough that even the most flutter-averse horologist can appreciate.

Indeed, that’s the entire thesis of this watch. You could say that the Las Vegas Edition has a poker face… Rather than going gaudy, IWC have exercised restraint and in doing so have produced something that’s really worthy of a collector’s attention. Simply put, it’s an elevated version of the classic Big Pilot we all know and love, with a few additional touches that make it a bit special. So maybe less ‘sinful’ and more ‘singular’.

RELATED: IWC Schaffhausen Unveil Biggest Change Yet To Their Most Iconic Watch

A limited edition of 250 pieces, the Big Pilot’s Watch Edition “Las Vegas” will be available worldwide – you don’t have to go to Vegas to get your hands on one (although don’t let us stop you, high roller). Find out more about this quirky watch at IWC’s online boutique here.

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The post IWC Schaffhausen Unveil Their Most Sinful Watch Ever appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Tourists are the lifeblood of Bali. They have also kind of messed it up. Ask anyone who visited before it was commercialised and they will probably tell you how much better it was.Though the above analysis paints with a broad brush, there’s a lot to it. What it misses, however, is that there are places without thumping day clubs and (quite so many) hipster cafes.In fact, there are areas where deer still outnumber the tourists, as freelance writer and author Mark Eveleigh recently wrote an article explaining.

 

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Writing for the South China Morning Post, Eveleigh gives readers a glimpse into life on Bali’s West side.“A herd of deer blocks the potholed forest road, so I ease the car to the side of the track and switch off the engine. As I watch a young fawn foraging quietly near its mother, the rasping call of a green junglefowl – a wild cousin of our domestic chicken – breaks the silence. Then, from up in the canopy, comes the bickering chatter of two gleaming white Bali starlings, which are among the world’s rarest birds.”

“After living in west Bali for six years, it still strikes me as almost inconceivable that this expanse of wilderness can exist on an island that has become a byword for saturated tourism. Few people, even among the islanders themselves, realise that the interior of the western end of the island – an area measuring about 600 square kilometres (230 square miles) – is still covered with uninhabited jungle.”

 

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“The coronavirus crisis has had a dramatic effect on tourism in Bali, with an estimated 40,000 hotel bookings cancelled over recent weeks. But crowded streets and traffic jams remain a factor of daily life in southern Bali, and the sprawling hotel complexes and resorts of the tourist strip are, for the time being at least, still jostling with holidaymakers.”

 

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A post shared by WestBali.net (@west_bali)

West though, things are quieter. And it’s not just Eveleigh’s words that suggest this (he’s written a book on it, too): the ‘West Bali’ Instragram hashtag and geotag pages appear to back up his claim.

 

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A post shared by Muklis Anwar (@muklis_anwar_bali)

 

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A post shared by I Gusti Danang Sudiarsa (@gunk.dna)

From the less-crowded waves to the stunning national park and rice terraces, these West Bali pictures show there is a whole lot more to Bali than Uluwatu, Seminyak, Ubud and Kuta.Places to go in West Bali include Balian, Medewi, Negara, Menjangan and Pemuteran.

 

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A post shared by WestBali.net (@west_bali)

As Eveleigh points out on his website there is more variety (in terms of accommodation) in West Bali than you might think. Despite the lower volume of tourists (compared to other hotspots), his West Bali website has advice for everyone from those looking for earth-friendly travel and budget hotels to honeymooners, yogis, surfers, families and foodies.

 

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A post shared by Alba Fit Yoga (@albafityoga)

It’s a surprise it’s still somewhat of a secret, really.

Read Next

•  I Tried Bali’s Instagram Famous Floating Breakfast & It Was A Complete Disaster
• I Went To Bali’s Most Instagram Famous Oasis & It Was A Complete Disaster

The post Expat Reveals Secret Bali Spot Most Tourists Have Never Heard Of appeared first on DMARGE Australia.