Compared to its usual gin-tonic clinks and mad motorist honks, Paris is down and out right now. This year has seen ‘cruel’ new cafe rules, strict curfews and an eerie new reality. The city known for its glamour, defiance and hedonism has been forced to mask up and stay home.

Much like luxury brands have in recent years been trying to figure out how to be at once ‘devil may care’ and ‘woke,’ the world at large is now having to reconsider the point where individual rights and free thought become selfish, in the face of a massive communal need to Do The Right Thing.

Paris having the reputation it does, the city is arguably a focal point for this debate. Enter: the following photo. Taken 10 weeks ago (half way through September) and depicting a German model posing in front of Paris’ iconic Cafe de Flore, the image was noticed recently by DMARGE.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by CARINA ZAVLINE (@carina)

The photo shows the model not wearing a mask, while cafe patrons behind enjoyed the day (some wearing masks, some not). While DMARGE does not presume to know whether the model then sat down with or without a mask on, whether the shoot was ordained by authorities, or whether she sat down at all, the image represents the concept of defiance vs. reality quite well.

RELATED: The Truth About Why Parisians Are Rude To Tourists

According to a BBC article from August 28th, “Wearing a face mask in public has become mandatory across Paris and several surrounding areas, amid a surge in Covid-19 cases in France. On Friday the country recorded 7,379 new infections – its highest number since early May.”

“The number of ‘red zones’ where the virus is in active circulation has risen from two to 21.”

This is something France may have to wrestle with for some time. It also relates to a discussion DMARGE had in October with photographer Kiran Ridley whose ‘before and after’ curfew photos made waves on Getty.

Ridley told DMARGE in October (when the curfew came into effect), “[Some] people are either complacent or they are just choosing to ignore [the curfew].”

“The curfew has been in place for a week now” Kiran said at the time. The first night it came in, Kiran told DMARGE, “9pm came and went and there were still a lot of people about.”

“I went to Champs Elysees at about 10pm at night because I wanted to take a picture of that but there were still a lot of cars going up and down.”

“I think takeaways are still open.”

“Traffic is a lot lighter [than it would otherwise be] but 9pm is a bit fuzzy – a bit loose – restaurant workers and people who have work exemptions are still around.”

“I drove past a bar on Thursday night and it was packed at 8pm.”

“Strange in that respect.”

Having said that, Ridley’s ‘before and after’ photos also show the curfew has been far from completely ineffective, at least in the brute sense.

Ridley also told DMARGE “people are determined for it not to affect their everyday lives,” and that during the day Paris in October looked much the same as Paris in September.

On top of that, Ridley said, in his opinion, there could be something of a reactionary element to the laissez faire attitude he observed in the early stages of the curfew being introduced.

“Lockdown here in March and April was very tough, tightly regulated; very hard – more than the UK experienced in their lockdown.”

“There’s a real reluctance from the government and people to go back into another lockdown.”

Ridley also said the areas of Paris that are usually very touristy are struggling the most.

“Areas of Paris that don’t have a large local neighbourhood are really struggling – Notre Dame, 5th and 6th arrondissement, etc.”

“Local neighbourhoods and the bars there are thriving.”

RELATED: The Secret To Paris’ World Beating Cafe Culture, Revealed At Last

French citizens have endured a roller-coaster year. In Spring, as the virus first began to explode, rules were strict. Then, in a bid to stimulate the economy, regulations were lifted in Summer after case numbers dropped.

Now both confirmed cases – and the relevant restrictions to counter them – have risen once again.

Read Next

• Defiant Photo Suggests France’s ‘Flirty’ Culture Hasn’t Changed Since Lockdown
• Photographer Reveals How Paris Has Changed Since Covid Curfew 

The post Model's Mask Free Photo Sums Up Paris' Latest Dilemma appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Louis Vuitton is widely regarded as the world’s most valuable luxury brand, and forms the cornerstone of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, one of the world’s biggest luxury goods conglomerates. While the French company’s stable is a veritable ‘who’s who’ of the luxury world – with Bulgari, Dior, Hublot and Zenith just some of the many names under the LVMH umbrella – there’s no doubt that Louis Vuitton is the jewel in its crown. It’s literally in their name.

But uneasy is the head that wears a crown. The first half of the year saw LVMH take a huge hit to their bottom line thanks to The Bat Kiss, and while they’ve mostly recovered now on the cusp of 2021, they can’t be complacent if they want to survive in a post-COVID world.

One of the biggest business impacts of The Pandemic is that it’s highlighted just how important e-commerce has become. Luxury brands have been laggards in this field: a combination of tradition and arrogance. Luxury thrives on exclusivity; a luxurious in-store experience; and luxury brands are notoriously controlling about their image. But the future is online – which is why LVMH’s latest ‘cabinet reshuffle’ shows how even luxury brands are being forced to sit up and take e-commerce seriously.

With their chief digital officer Ian Rogers stepping down, LVMH has announced a new “chief omnichannel officer” role at the group level, elevating Louis Vuitton Vice President Michael David to the position, Business of Fashion reports.

“The shake-up comes as online luxury sales surge due to intermittent store closures since the coronavirus pandemic. For boutiques that remain open, online support features such as providing information about items’ availability, click-and-collect ordering and payments, or booking appointments to try on products have become key to driving traffic,” they relate.

While it’s easy to laugh at such a blatantly corporate-speak title like “chief omnichannel officer”, it’s a signal that LVMH are trying to future-proof their business.

The reality is that 2020 just accelerated trends that were already in motion before COVID – more and more consumers are going to move online, because the convenience factor of e-commerce outweighs even the most luxurious of brick-and-mortar experiences. The key for luxury brands is making sure their online sales presence is just as ‘luxurious’ as their in-store experience.

Australian luxury watch retailer Kennedy is a perfect example of this. Their new website is not only sumptuously designed – reflecting the exclusivity of their physical boutiques – but they offer an unprecedented level of service for online shoppers, including personal secured delivery, free of charge. Kennedy are unlikely to close their boutiques any time soon, but by treating e-commerce as an opportunity rather than an afterthought, they’ve set themselves up for success.

RELATED: Why 2020 Became The Year Australians Started Buying Luxury Watches Online

While LVMH’s brands hardly have substandard online presences – the TAG Heuer website stands out in particular thanks to its clever interactive watch visualisations – there’s definitely room for improvement. Time will tell how (or if) LVMH will evolve when it comes to e-commerce.

More importantly, LVMH will act as a bellwether for other luxury groups. Just as they set the pace when it comes to luxury, perhaps they will set the pace when it comes to luxury e-commerce.

2020 has been a momentous year for LVMH with the sale of iconic Australian bootmaker R.M. Williams to Western Australian mining magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest; the acquisition of French wine brands Château d’Esclans and Château du Galoupet, hoping to capitalise on the current popularity of rosé; the successful opening of a new Louis Vuitton factory in Texas (attended by US President Donald Trump) and the high-profile yet fraught $15.8 billion takeover of American luxury giant Tiffany & Co.

Clearly, these money moves have been good for business: LVMH Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault recently became the world’s second-richest person (after Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and overtaking Microsoft’s Bill Gates) thanks to LVMH’s surging share price, CNBC reports.

Read Next

• Why Australians Should Spend This Year’s Holiday Money On Luxury Goods
• Legalising Marijuana Could Take Australian Fashion To New Heights

The post Louis Vuitton's Digital Moves Evidence That Luxury Brands Are Finally Taking E-Commerce Seriously appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

News broke last week that Qantas is launching another round of expatriation flights to bring home some of the Australians stuck overseas.

The ABC confirmed Qantas planes will head to France and Germany to scoop up passengers this month.

According to the national broadcaster, “Some Australians have received an email from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) that says there will be limited seats available on the flights.”

“The new flights are on top of the current repatriation flights that have brought Australians home from India and London.”

Foreign Minister Marise Payne has also said Qantas will fly to more countries soon, with the ABC reporting her saying, “There are more to follow over the coming weeks from both New Delhi, London and other locations.”

RELATED: Why Returning Australians May Be Forced To Fly Home In Luxury

As for the cost of the repatriation flights (something that has come under huge scrutiny this year), “DFAT has now organized two Qantas flights in December, one from Germany, the other from France. Australians must make their own way there, and the cost of a ticket is about (AUD) $2000,” it was said on the ABC’s morning program last Friday.

However, these flights will not just be bringing people home, it appears. It has been reported by Executive Traveller that – while DFAT is helping co-ordinate the passage of Australians flying home from Frankfurt and Paris – “Qantas remains free to sell commercial fares on each flight’s outbound leg from Australia.”

Though surprising on face value, economically it makes sense. Though most Australians need government permission to travel overseas, those who have been granted it may find these flights useful (and potentially cheaper than some of the other options right now).

It was also revealed on the ABC’s morning show that all (repatriating) passengers will be required to get a COVID-19 test no more than two days before the flight leaves. Then, on arrival in Australia, each passenger must undergo 14-days of quarantine at the Howard Springs quarantine center outside Darwin in northern Australia.

Simple Flying reports ten repatriation flights will run “over the southern summer period” having been told by a Qantas spokesperson “three will depart from London, three from New Delhi, two from Frankfurt, and one each from Paris and Chennai.”

“Qantas’ 787 Dreamliners will operate all services, and all flights will have strict safety protocols in place for passengers and crew.”

Read Next

• Business Class Passengers Shocked By ‘Intense’ Treatment On Return To Australia
• The ‘Bizarre’ New Reality Of Flying Business Class To Europe

The post Qantas' New Repatriation Flights To Frankfurt & Paris Have One Surprising Feature appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

While virtually all industries and Australians this year have been adversely affected by The Bat Kiss, some have had it tougher than others.For example, the fashion industry has been hit particularly hard, and with many Aussies continuing to work from home even after restrictions have lifted, many are questioning if the demand for corporate fashion will continue to drop off. Conversely, the property market has continued to stay incredibly heated, despite the dire economic conditions.One industry that’s seen mixed fortunes has been the mining industry. One of the biggest drivers of the Australian economy, the industry is heavily reliant on ‘fly-in, fly-out’ (FIFO) workers. Because many of Australia’s active mines are far from towns and cities, miners are flown out to the site and work for a relatively short period of time before flying back to recuperate at home. It’s a cheaper alternative to relocating employees and their families to somewhere near the worksite and having to provide more permanent accommodation.FIFO is already a tough lifestyle: being on an isolated worksite for weeks at a time without your family, friends or the comfort of home is a challenge. COVID-19 has added to that burden – not only are many miners on casual or part-time contracts, but airlines serving the industry have had to pause operations or enforce social distancing on flights. The alternative? Less staff on-site, or longer periods in-between home leave.As a whole, the mining industry has weathered 2020 better than most. FIFO workers haven’t had to deal with quite as strict restrictions as other Australians have: Australia’s biggest export industry is ‘too big to fail’ for our state and federal governments, Australian Financial Review relates. But that doesn’t mean things aren’t still tough for miners, COVID or not.Two weeks ago, a recent Reddit thread on /r/Australia about a group of miners supporting Movember went viral. Donating as part of a team, there’s a variety of different pledges from the group: some are growing the classic Movember ‘mo, some are hosting events, one dude’s even shaving off his 15-year-old dreadlocks, which is what initially caught our eye.RELATED: Australian Man’s Brave ‘Movember’ Pledge Now Trending On RedditBut one of the other pledges, which superficially seems rather trivial, actually unearths (pardon the pun) one of the biggest challenges about working in the Australian mining industry. The pledge? “I am going alcohol-free on-site for November to support men’s health.”Some Redditors were quick to point out how lame the pledge seemed, until some other commenters chimed in with a few home truths.

“Working away from home and staying ‘on-site’ away from your home and family is the single most depressing thing I’ve ever done,” one related.

“I don’t think many people appreciate how hard it would be to get through that stretch without a drink.”

Another thought the Movember supporter “is doing an admirable thing… can’t be easy to be dry in a mining town.”One put it more succinctly: “challenges are different for everyone”.According to an ABC Rural article from 2017, nearly a quarter of Aussie miners have a drink before work. A Redditor in the thread explained that miners “will drink to a precise science leaving the pub at 10pm in case of a breathalyser starting shift the next morning,” and the practice of ‘9 before 9’ is commonplace.While the overconsumption of alcohol comes with its own physical and mental health impacts, there’s no doubt that drinking responsibly can be a source of comfort and solace, especially when in the rough-and-tumble, isolating world of FIFO mining.The question is this: do mining companies, and the broader public, really do enough to support miners with their mental health?You could extend this out to other Australians who work in challenging conditions or have unusual hours. Shift workers, health professionals, military personnel, teachers… The list goes on.What we can certainly say is that it’s admirable that these miners are getting behind men’s health in the way they have. Cheers to them.

Read Next

• Mark Ruffalo Shares ‘Luxurious’ Birthday Ritual More Men Should Practise
• ‘You’re Too Smart For This’: Comedian’s Mental Health ‘Clutch Message’

The post Miner's 'On Site' Pledge Reveals Scary Truth About Australia’s Drinking Culture appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

We may think the excess of the ancient Egyptians – burying live cats and all – disgusting in the cold light of (modern) day. But sacrificing millions to The Alter Of Ego is not as far removed a concept as you think.

Especially not to Sydneysiders in 2020.

It’s a well-documented fact Australians spend crazy money on houses. Though there are some rational reasons for this (see: Sydney Man’s Unbearable Experience Reveals The Perils Of Moving Too Far Away From The City) there is little doubt Sydney still has a particularly Pharoah-esque attitude to property.

Of course, there are cheaper areas outside the main hubs. But by and large there is a strong culture of expected homeownership all over Australia.

This runs counter to countries like Spain where – in parts – poor economic conditions have swathes of the population not even considering buying, and where ‘renting ’til you die’ is – for many – seen as normal rather than a moral failing due to an inability to control one’s Avocado Toast Addiction.

Whether you put it down to culture or economics, experts agree Australia is in a super cycle of debt which is momentarily pierced every now and then, but always propped up before any major correction occurs (so far anyway).

The result? Soulless neo modern architecture (and houses that look like nuclear power stations) selling for stupid sums, and reports like this Yahoo Finance one, which show Sydney is not only the most unaffordable market to enter in Australia but, by certain metrics, “more expensive than New York, London, and Singapore.”

All the while, Sydney’s median income is actually lower than cities like New York’s.

Awkward or fair enough? The following ‘racing graph’ of median income to house price ratios from 1970 to 2020, recently posted to the r/AusFinance Reddit community, and which claims to have been based on RBA and ABS statistics may help you make up your mind.

Interestingly enough, in the year the graph starts, 1970, the average house cost under 5 times annual salary. Not bad at all… and how times have changed.

“This chart looks at the ratio between historical house prices and median income (pre-tax) over the last 50 years,” the Reddit user who posted the chart explained.

“In Sydney, for example, we can see that back in 1970, an average house cost only 4.5 times median annual income. Today that number is over 12, meaning that (all other things being equal) you’re paying interest to the bank for an extra 7.5 years longer than you would have been 50 years ago.”

“Oh, and I should add that not all cities have data going back to 1970 – some pop in as late as the mid 80’s (I’m looking at you, Darwin).”

Some commenters pointed out the graph was not perfect. One wrote, “Thanks! Be interested to see it based on the cost of finance too. Think that is a better reflection of the cost of home ownership.”

“Yeah, we have to remember that back then interest rates were 15 to 20% so it was still a 30 year term.”

Another commented: “While this is the purchase price and I generally agree with the notion of what’s being told here……what about interest rates and the relative on going serviceability of loans? Repayment spendings vs household income throughout the life of the loan for instance.”

RELATED: ‘Money Is Cheap’: Why Now Could Be Your Golden Chance To Buy Property

To this, the author of the thread responded: “Yeah, it’s a tough one. Back in 80’s rates got as high as 18% or something, so even though the house itself (i.e. the principle) was way more affordable, the interest rate would have absolutely killed you… I’m going to add interest rates to my next video.”

Stay tuned, and – if you want a house – keep saving.

Read Next

• Property Expert Reveals ‘Lowball’ Mistake Australian Buyers Often Make In A Falling Market
• ‘Coogification Of Australia’: Nation’s Biggest Bridesmaid Suburbs Revealed

The post Incredible Video Shows How Far Australian House Prices Have Risen Since 1970 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Australia is on the cusp of an alcohol renaissance.

At the moment, it’s our gin makers who are enjoying their time in the sun, with distillers like Four Pillars, Archie Rose and Kangaroo Island Distillery garnering wide-spread acclaim for their quality. While wine may have long since eclipsed beer as our poison of choice Down Under, the quality of Australian beer has improved enormously in the 21st century, with independent breweries like Sydney’s Young Henrys, Canberra’s BentSpoke Brewing Co. and Matso’s in Broome at the forefront of innovation in the industry. And of course, Australian wine is tip-top. But you already knew that.

Yet it’s one Australian state more than any other that’s fuelled Australia’s journey of alcohol innovation. Specifically, Tasmania: Australia’s southernmost, smallest and least-populated state, isolated from the rest of the country by the Bass Strait.

Australia punches well above its weight when it comes to producing world-class alcohol, and Tasmania punches harder still. Despite only having a population of just over half a million and isolated by both latitude and the ocean from the rest of the country, Tasmania has – for many years, too – been one of the country’s leading destinations for quality alcohol. From the beautiful surrounds and tasty stouts of the Cascade Brewery in South Hobart to the oddball (yet critically acclaimed) sheep whey vodka and gin of Birchs Bay’s Hartshorn Distillery, it’s a booze-lovers’ paradise.

But it’s one spirit that’s laid the groundwork for Tasmania’s success more than any other: whisky. Tasmania has the most distilleries of any state in Australia by far, with over 22 whisky distilleries calling the Apple Isle home. And to focus in even further, much of this is thanks to Lark Distillery. Its founder, Bill Lark, is widely considered the father of craft whisky in the country and is one of the few non-Scottish or Irish inductees into the Whisky Hall of Fame. Lark has been producing world-class whisky for almost three decades and has helped turn Tasmania – and by extension Australia – into a whisky powerhouse.

How has one distillery helped transform Tassie into what it is today? DMARGE sat down with Lark’s Managing Director Geoff Bainbridge, who explained that it’s not just thanks to the climate, which is particularly suited to whisky production, but also thanks to the culture that Bill Lark and other Tasmanians have helped cultivate.

“The trite answer to ‘why does Tasmania make such good whisky’ is to say that it’s thanks to the climate or the water. Those things help, for sure, but water’s water. You can make claims about how pure the water is and so on but the mainland’s got pure water too.”

“What it’s thanks to is a culture of excellence, and a willingness to collaborate. First it was us versus the mainland, now it’s us versus the world.”

Lark’s commitment to excellence and innovation isn’t just hot air, either. Lark was awarded a record number of accolades at the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) this year, including two gold medals and its highest ever score (96 points) for their Muscat Cask Single Malt. They were also nominated for one of the industry’s most prestigious awards, the IWSC Worldwide Whiskey Producer of the Year: one of only four global nominees.

You only have to look to some of their most recent releases to see how their collaborative spirit is put into action, such as their Limited Release Christmas Cask. First, a local patisserie selects Tasmanian red wine casks to fill with fruit jus, used for making their Christmas fruit mince pies. Then Lark takes those casks and fill them up with whisky, the spicy jus that’s impregnated the wood of the casks filling the whisky with a wonderful holiday flavour.

Similarly, their Rare Cask PARA50 features single malt that’s been finished in 50-year-old casks that once held Seppeltsfield Para Vintage Tawny – collaborating with the storied South Australian winery on the first of what’s sure to be a successful Rare Cask series. Limited to only 825 bottles, they’re already flying off the shelves. It’s no surprise, either. It tastes like liquid gold, and is just as investment-worthy…

Bainbridge, who previously spent nine years working for Foster’s Group and notably co-founded Australian fast-food success story Grill’d, has big plans for Lark. He’s taken a real hands-on approach at working with venues, taking Lark’s philosophy of building genuine, collaborative friendships to the hospitality space – including overseas, a space that Lark traditionally hasn’t played in. His approach has already seen success: Lark Distilling Co’s share price has almost doubled since the beginning of the pandemic in March, Australian Financial Review reports.

It’s hard to argue with Lark’s success, as well as how valuable of a role model they’ve been to the Tasmanian (and Australian) alcohol industry. The challenge will be whether or not Lark can continue to stay true to their roots; their vision, while bringing Lark to the world, and Tasmania’s other players with them.

“It’s all in the pursuit of creating and celebrating the purest expression of Tasmanian whisky,” he relates.

If you want some Lark for yourself, you can check out their online store or head on into Dan Murphy’s.

Read Next

• Master Distiller Dispels ‘Bogan’ Bourbon Myths Australians Still Believe
• ‘Expert Tier’ Vodka Knowledge Every Gentleman Should Possess

The post Real Reason Behind Tasmania's Whisky Producing Success Revealed appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Salt Bae, the internet’s sexiest butcher just revealed a workout hack which could be your ticket to abdominals of steel. That hack? Adding resistance bands to your sit up routine.Confused? Hear us out.The butcher turned restauranter, fitness freak and internet meme has been a salt sprinkling icon since 2017. His workouts (and body fat percentage of 5.8%) provide muscle-building inspiration for many around the worldLast week he showed a breakfast hack to potentially increasing those gains. This week Salt Bae took to Instagram to reveal a strange sit up technique that could help you achieve similar abs of steel.Said technique? Adding a resistance band to your situps, to make the sitting down part harder.While most gym-goers will have tried the opposite – and vastly more popular – approach of holding a weight to make coming up more difficult, Salt Bae’s approach (or at least his rippling stomach) perhaps shows why it pays to think outside the box.Though some experts are dubious as to the benfits of sit ups, claiming six packs are really made in the kitchen, others (see here and here) spruik the benefits of incorporating a resistance band into your core workout. Salt Bae’s figure appears to testify to that sentiment.That said, no one, as far as we can tell, has been seen doing the exact move Salt Bae does in the video at the top of this page. Moving on from that, Salt Bae also recently showed off a few more conventional exercises, including his version of hip thrusts…

Watch some of Salt Bae’s most gnarly workouts

Read Next

• Salt Bae Reveals Carnivore Breakfast Hack Behind His Insane Physique
• Salt Bae’s Body Fat Percentage Will Blow Your Mind

The post Salt Bae Ab Workout So Scary Even He Can’t Watch appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

2020 has been ripe with innovation. From futuristic formula one seat designs attempting to revolutionise business class to skeletal economy seats purporting to solve ‘legroom rage’ it’s been a whirl.That’s before we mention the double-decker economy seats potentially ready to make germaphobes’ dreams come true, and the touchless travel trend. Suffice to say: there have been more new inventions and designs reported on than you can throw a plastic shield at.The phenomenon doesn’t appear to be slowing down, with Lufthansa now looking to make better use of its existing amenities (and the lower levels of demand now seen in the skies) to solve arguably the most stressful part of economy flying.Think it’s not being able to sleep? Think again.We’ll put the stress point like this: imagine walking into the depths of cattle class on a late-night flight. You’ve just flown from London to Dubai, have waited two hours in the airport, and are now boarding your second flight to Sydney. You walk onto the plane, all the way to the back. All is dark, and there are three or four completely free rows.Who gets them? The first to throw off their seat belt and claim them once you’re at cruising altitude, of course.It’s a bitter race, with some attempting to steal away these coveted seats from the very start (and often but not always being told to return to their designated seats by flight attendants) and others sharpening their nails and stretching their legs, limbering themselves up for the ‘seatbelt sign off’ dash.This moment of madness on Lufthansa may soon be a thing of the past.“The German airline is trialing its new Sleeper’s Row concept on its Frankfurt, Germany to São Paulo, Brazil flights from November 18 to mid-December,” CNN reported on Saturday.The concept? You’ll now have to pay for what you used to fight over for free. But at least you’ll be able to guarantee it.

Amirite, @talkairlines? Skycouch is trademarked so “sleeper’s row” it is? https://t.co/JBcty0Lu9x

— G-DLEE AVIATION 2020 (@JournoDannyAero) November 23, 2020

“The idea is passengers traveling in economy can nab a row of three to four seats, and then stretch out across them, replicating the experience of a lie-flat business class bed. Travelers will be given a blanket, pillow and seat topper to maximize the comfort, and also offered priority boarding,” CNN reports.“Those interested must purchase the upgrade at the airport, either during check-in or at the gate, for $260 [USD] on top of the price of their original ticket.”Lufthansa isn’t the first airline to try this. Air New Zealand launched its Economy Skycoach – a similar premise – in 2011 and “Airbus premiered its Settee Corner concept, which takes the economy three-seat-configuration as the inspiration for a lie-flat, sofa-style luxury seat that would take up less space — and weigh less — than the average Business Class seat” in 2019, CNN reports.On top of that, earlier this year, Air New Zealand took this economy lie flat bed concept to new heights, filing patent and trademark applications for the Economy Skynest invention which – if commercially implemented, would see economy passengers able to rent the ‘Skynest’ pods to sleep in by the hour.Read more about Lufthansa’s Sleeper Row here.

Read Next

• Hidden Benefits Of Flying First Class Business Class Passengers Have No Idea About
• The Biggest Business Class Myth People Still Believe

The post Lufthansa's New Concept Solves Most Stressful Aspect Of Flying Economy appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Getting David Beckham to support your brand is basically winning yourself the license to print cash. From whisky to watches, the man is bankable.He’ll also go the extra mile when it comes to promoting your product, as his most recent advertisement for Tudor demonstrates.A few hours ago, the 45-year-old football legend shared a brilliantly cheesy photo of himself on Instagram, making mulled wine in anticipation of Christmas, all smiles as he stirs the pot. He’s also flexing a Tudor Black Bay Chrono S&G (ref. M79363N-0002)… Which he’s wearing upside-down so that we lucky watch fans can get a good look at the thing. The ‘People’s Rolex‘, indeed.We don’t know if this is ultra-considerate, weird as hell, or if he’s just accidentally put his watch on the wrong way. We hope it’s that first one.

The Black Bay Chrono S&G is an unusual watch that not only blends the Black Bay’s diving heritage with the motorsports-inspired functionality of a chronograph but also blends steel and gold. It’s certainly distinctive, and unlike any other watch in Tudor’s (or even its big brother Rolex’s) lineup. For 7,900 AUD, you can get the Black Bay Chrono S&G with either one of Tudor’s famously comfortable fabric straps, or an innovative leather strap that features a removable ‘bund’. A two-tone steel and gold bracelet jacks the price up to 9,540 AUD.Bund straps, first worn by German pilots in the 1930s (‘Bund’ being an abbreviation for Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or the Federal German Republic in English) feature a protective leather backing and look almost like mini trouser belts. It was a purely functional innovation: the leather backing meant that pilots wouldn’t be scalded or frozen by the metal caseback of their watches when flying… Plus the leather has the added advantage of absorbing extra sweat and protecting the watch from moisture ingress.Bund straps saw a style revival in the 60s and 70s, in no small part due to the influence of Hollywood heartthrobs (and well-known figures in the watch world) Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. These days, bund straps are a rather controversial style choice, the horological equivalent of Crocs. But a retro-inspired two-tone watch like this Tudor suits the bund pretty well, we’ll admit.Bund It Like Beckham, we suppose?

Read Next

• Mark Wahlberg Spotted Wearing The One Rolex Everyone Wants Right Now
• Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Rocks Unexpectedly Elegant Breitling Watch

The post David Beckham Confuses Fans With His ‘People’s Rolex’ appeared first on DMARGE Australia.