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Home > Fashion> Beauty > Beautiful and bizarre things to buy: From Louis Flat Spikes by Christian Louboutin to Sennheiser HE 1 headphones

Beautiful and bizarre things to buy: From Louis Flat Spikes by Christian Louboutin to Sennheiser HE 1 headphones

In this weekly compendium of objects of desire, also a Vanities column by Swapan Seth

California Stripe summer dress by Shift.
California Stripe summer dress by Shift.

Dress Circle: California Stripe summer dress by Shift

Designer Nimish Shah’s fashion label, Shift, is based on a ‘conscious clothing’ philosophy, with its use of natural fibres, minimum wastage and fair trade practices. But those are not the only reasons we are crushing on this: The California Stripe is a cool, one-shoulder summer dress made in 100% cotton.

www.shift-india.com; Rs10,800.

Rich Sound: Sennheiser HE 1 headphones

Sennheiser HE 1 headphones.

The HE 1 is a high-end headphone that comes with a unique amplifier made of Italian Carrara marble. Leather ear cushions from Germany and remote-controlled elements make it a one-of-a-kind music experience.

Available through Sennheiser HE 1 Concierge Service; Rs45 lakh.

For Your Sole: Louis Flat Spikes by Christian Louboutin

Louis Flat Spikes by Christian Louboutin

The designer’s signature red soles are matched with glossy patent leather in these sneakers for men.

At flagship stores at Palladium Mall, Mumbai, and DLF Emporio, Delhi; Rs95,500.

Tracking Titles: Margiela: The Hermes Years

Cover of ‘Margiela: The Hermes Years’.

The book by Rebecca Arnold, Kaat Debo and Sarah Mower, published by Lannoo, captures the life and influence of Belgian fashion designer Martin Margiela and his early years as creative director of the French luxury house Hermès.

www.amazon.in; Rs2,870.

Hot Seat: Rocket Occasional Table by Roche Bobois

Rocket Occasional Table by Roche Bobois
Rocket Occasional Table by Roche Bobois

Apart from this glossy red lacquered finish, this table comes in a matte grey, glossy gold and pop yellow finish, among other options. Available at Roche Bobois stores in Mumbai and Bengaluru or

www.roche-bobois.com; Rs1.66 lakh.

Compiled by Komal Sharma and Nitin Sreedhar.

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By Invitation: Vanities

An ode to things you don’t need but must have

Kishu Binchotan

This week: Kishu Binchotan

Summer for my family means long trips by car.

And not all roads on those trips skirt Poshville.

To think that a chilled bottle of mineral water will be available at Kainchi Dham (Uttarakhand) is utopian. Actually, it’s stupid.

That’s where the Kishu Binchotan emerges from behind the clouds.

Essentially, these are glorified charcoal sticks.

Although many Asian countries produce Binchotan (a type of carbon made from tree branches), Kishu Binchotan (available on Amazon for $28, around Rs1,790) is better due to the superior quality of hard Japanese Holm Oak that it is made from. It turns ordinary tap water into fresh, filtered, and, I’d like to add, tremendously tasty water.

When you add one of these sticks to a bottle of water, a natural purifying and mineralizing process takes place. The tap water moves through the many cavities in the charcoal and it is naturally softened, ionized and freed up of 75% added chlorine while also enriching the water with potassium and magnesium. It is so sci-fi that it makes Interstellar look like a comedy.

How does one use the damn thing?

Once a week, you have to rinse your Binchotan under cold water. This gets rid of any possible ash.

You then boil the beauty for 5 minutes.

That sterilizes it.

Then you let it dry.

Post that you slip it into the bottle.

Easy?

You need to boil the Binchotan once a week in water to retain its powers.

When not in use, slip it into a zip lock.

After about three months of daily usage, the stick loses its mojo.

You then need to crush it. And mix it with potting soil, to which it adds nourishment while balancing the PH balance of the soil.

There’s a certain Zen calm to it all. Don’t you agree?

By Swapan Seth , CEO, Equus

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