The French brand puts a creative spin on scrap material by creating a whole new collection out of it.

Luxury brands thrive on perfection, so its no surprise that this results in a significant amount of waste and scrap material that would just be thrown away. Hermes is known for its impeccable quality and luxury fabrics, and they have now decided to put their discarded and excess materials from their workshops to functional and artistic use.

Hermes have also commissioned various artists to create a collection of “unidentified poetic objects” from the material.

This initiative has resulted in the creation of a series of one of a kind handcrafted accessories and toys, such as leather stuffed animals and porcelain beaded bracelets. This range of pieces has formed the Petit h Collection, which was presented at Hermes’ Madison Avenue store in New York during November.

The whole concept was the mastermind of Pascale Mussard  – the granddaughter of Émile Hermès, who established the brand with her brother.

Petit h has 2,200 creations, including leather doorstops ($730-760) to a bamboo and crocodile swing. Some of the items were created specifically for New York sale such as a life-size panda made from calfskin, costing $100,000.

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The Cote d’Azur may have become renowned for being a popular spot for aristocrats to muse the days away, but when the legendary rock n roller’s The Rolling Stones found refuge here in the summer of 1971, the region was catapulted into a sanctuary for legendary yet somewhat anguished stars.

Exactly 40 years ago, The Rolling Stones, battling with drug addiction, constant harassment by the British authorities and financial problems, went into exile in the South of France.

The troubled rock band spent the summer at Villa Nellcote, a sixteen-room mansion on the waterfront of Villefranche-Sur-Meron on the Cote d’Azur. It was during their time at Villa Nellcote, that the group recorded sessions in the basement of the villa, for their classic 1972 album ‘Exile on Main Street’.

The Rolling Stones are reported to have been inspired immensely by their temporary residence on the Cote d’Azur. Their stay at Villa Nellcote, granted reciprocal notoriety for both the Stones and the venue itself, the former for producing arguably their most celebrated and storied album, and the latter for becoming a practically world-known venue almost overnight.

Villa Nellcote was built in the late 1890s by Eugene Thomas, a former banker. The villa was built imposingly, decorated elaborately framed by iconic columns made from marble. In 1919, the “Amicitia Castle” as it had become known, was rechristened as “Nellcote”.

This almost baroque house on the Cote d’Azur provided the perfect solution for the band to avoid having to pay 93% income tax if they had stayed in the UK. The ingenious solution was thought up by the Rolling Stone’s financial advisor, Prince Rupert Lowenstein.

But asides from being a pragmatic ‘business’ reason that saw the Stones say ‘goodbye’ to London and ‘bonjour’ to the south of France, the British rock band had a relaxing, peaceful and stunningly beautiful spot to write and record what was arguably their most legendary album.

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Perrier-Jouet is now planning to put its latest limited edition champagne on sale for the public – if you are lucky enough to live in Monaco that is.

The bottle was created for the Prince Albert II of Monaco and Miss Charlene Wittstock royal wedding that took place earlier this year.

It was also a symbolic choice for Perrier-Jouet as the brand was born from a love story between founder, Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Adèle Jouet over 200 years ago. This made the limited edition version an ideal addition to the royal wedding with its romantic background.

The champagne was served in magnums at the official wedding dinner, which was held on the beautiful terrace of the Opera Garnier in Monaco.

There was also a dinner served by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse and the Monte Carlo SBM teams. There were around 500 guests including European royalty, Heads of State and other notable personalities.

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Perrier-Jouet is now planning to put its latest limited edition champagne on sale for the public – if you are lucky enough to live in Monaco that is.

The bottle was created for the Prince Albert II of Monaco and Miss Charlene Wittstock royal wedding that took place earlier this year.

It was also a symbolic choice for Perrier-Jouet as the brand was born from a love story between founder, Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Adèle Jouet over 200 years ago. This made the limited edition version an ideal addition to the royal wedding with its romantic background.

The champagne was served in magnums at the official wedding dinner, which was held on the beautiful terrace of the Opera Garnier in Monaco.

There was also a dinner served by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse and the Monte Carlo SBM teams. There were around 500 guests including European royalty, Heads of State and other notable personalities.

The champagne chosen for the occasion was describes as the “ultimate expression of elegance and refinement of Perrier-Jouet distinctive signature style” by Hervé Deschamps – the cellar master of the Perrier-Jouet house.

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When you think of the French lifestyle, laid-back sophistication is perhaps the most appropriate way to describe it, whether you are picturing the luxurious French Riviera or the unique character of Paris.

Therefore it is no surprise that the French enjoy a drink, especially a cocktail – the ultimate symbol of relaxed luxury. Here are the top 4 cocktails to come from France…

French 75

This particular cocktail has been around since before World War II and French soldiers have been drinking it for decades. It was created in 1915 in the Paris landmark, Harry’s Bar, by barman Harry MacElhone, and it is said to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm field gun. It consists of 1 oz gin, 1 oz Cointreau, a squeeze of lime, 1 sugar cube, and is topped off with champagne.

French Sidecar

There are mixed ideas of the exact origins of this drink, but it is thought to have been invented around the end of the Second World War. It is very popular in France and apparently became famous in Harry’s Bar in Paris, however The Ritz Hotel in Paris also claims to be the birth place of the Sidecar. It is made from ¾ oz Cointreau, ¾ oz Cognac, and sometimes a dash of lemon juice. It is served in a sugar-rimmed glass and is often garnished with a strip of lemon rind.

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