L'Atelier de Courvoisier and the £95,000 bottle

by Sophie Mutevelian

Courvoisier is delighted to announce the launch of L'Atelier de Courvoisier - an explorative insight into its renowned aging cellar in Cognac. L'Atelier will celebrate the alchemy of this prestigious cognac: the meticulous craftsmanship of their master blender Patrice Pinet in bringing together regional grapes, copper pot stills, new oak barrels and intricate techniques to create this most precious liquid. This one-of-a-kind experience will take place in the exclusive Tasting Room in the Wine Shop on the lower ground floor of Harrods, London from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 December.

our tasting experience began...

Each day between 12 and 4 p.m., brand ambassador Rebecca Asseline will be conducting tastings of Courvoisier's celebrated XO directly from the barrel and explaining the magic behind the brand. On Saturday 8 December, L'Atelier will play host to a one-off special evening, where guests will embark upon an immersive and educational journey through Courvoisier's rich heritage and alchemy, which we were lucky enough to try out. Starting with a bespoke cognac cocktail designed by Nathan Merriman (from The Ivy), followed by a tasting of Courvoisier XO and a rich food pairing. The tasting and educational experience ends with a chance to taste the limited edition Courvoisier Succession J.S., which was presented in a beautifully handcrafted wooden replica of Napoleon's War Chest and was only produced in 2,500 bottles. 

To finish our tasting experience with a bang, Rebecca Asseline unveiled the world's oldest bottle of Courvoisier cognac, bottled in 1789 (the year of French Revolution) and is exclusively on sale at Harrods for £95,000. Previously it was sold to Bay van der Bunt, who bought it from Sotheby's, and has kept it in his cellar up until now.

DIsney Princess Collection by Chopard

Chopard is proud to present a new collection of Haute Joaillerie inspired by the iconic Disney Princesses in partnership with Harrods and the internationally renowned department store’s Disney themed Christmas celebration. Caroline Scheufele interprets the key characteristics of Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Tiana by designing ten unique and exceptional Haute Joaillerie pieces unveiled at the Chopard boutique at Harrods.

This launch coincides with Harrods unique festive collaboration with Disney, the centrepiece of which is an extravagant set of window displays showcasing 10 stunning dresses created by world-leading designers including Oscar de la Renta, Versace and Elie Saab – each based on their glamorous interpretations of the original Disney Princess dresses.

Alongside the Haute Joaillerie creations, Caroline Scheufele has collaborated with the famous shoe designer, Giuseppe Zanotti, to create one pair of unique jewellery shoes in line with the Disney Princess theme. The shoes are to be auctioned for charity.

The unique creations will be showcased exclusively at Harrods from the 2^nd of November running until the end of December in the Chopard boutique, Harrods Fine Jewellery Room.

Ralph Lauren handbag event in Harrods

For those absolute Ralph lauren fans, Harrods will be hosting two events for the fashionistas, where guests will be able to interact with an Italian artisan and learn about the bespoke options available for Ralph lauren Ricky bag, which include exclusive fabrics, colours, hardware and an engraved interior plaque.

Harrods will let guests order a personalized handbag and shop the new Ralph Lauren collection at the events, both lasting 4 hours on the 28th and 29th of September from 2-6 p.m.

Manolo Blahnik in Harrods

Manolo Blahnik in the Harrods boutique (Photo by http://www.everythingbutthedress.com/)

Exciting news for Shoe-a-holics in London - Harrods introduced Manolo Blahnik by unveiling a new personalised boutique dedicated to women's shoe collections and presenting a selection of men's styles within the Men's Shoe Salon. 

The luxurious boutique will bring together the most sought-after styles hand selected for Harrods, with exclusives including the classic BB court in red and blue croc, and the Driver flat mocassin in purple python. A special made-to-order service will be available giving clients the opportunity to customise styles through a personal consultation to select the colour, material and finish. 

The Manolo Blahnik boutique in Harrods is truly exquisite and a must stop for anyone who loves shoes. It is located on the first floor in the Shoe Budoir.

Armani EA7 event at Harrods and Soulmatefood treats

Wow, what a week it's been, we have had lots of food to make but our wonderful Soulmatechef's have still had time to create some delicious healthy treats for Armani's launch of their EA7 Sportswear at Harrods.

Hosted in the amazing fifth floor Technogym with 30 minute training sessions held by none other than celebrity trainer to the stars Joshua Holland. Here is a selection of our photos we thought we'd share for those who couldn't attend!

Harrods lovely staff welcoming people into the building!

 The lovely Technogym gang!

 Joshua Holland training hard!

 Healthy treats! Parma ham & Melon, and Protein Brownies & Skinny blueberry and Vanilla muffins!

Refreshing drinks after a good workout!

The new Toy Kingdom opens in Harrods

The best department store in the world has got even better, with a 26,000 square ft brand new Toy Kingdom.

The brand new Toy Kingdom department literally has everything a child desires - an enchanted forest, intergalactic science lab, a curious sweet emporium, a reading room, and a fair and toy 'grand canyon'.

All in all young children will love the new Toy Kingdom, and we think even the adults inner child will come out in what is a fantastic toy wonderland.

The Toy Kingdom also houses a 'big top' where you will be able to see circus acts, jugglers, magicians, costumes, rocking horses, and soft toys.

It also houses an incredible amount of delicious candy, ranging from chewy sweets to different flavoured bubble gum.

And the reading room offers a fantastic place for children to be able to pick up a good book and delve in to a magical mystery, surrounded by the huge array of choices that the Toy Kingdom offers.

The Toy Kingdom is located on the third floor of London's most favourite department store.

For much more information on the Toy Kingdom, and what else it has to offer, please visit http://www.harrods.com/content/the-store/news-events/2012/july/the-new-toy-kingdom/

Step into the world of Cirque du Sweet at Harrods

Step into the world of Cirque du Sweet, opening Saturday 14th July 2012.

Located within the new Toy Kingdom on the Third Floor, a magical candy haven awaits the sweet-toothed. Opening on Saturday 14th July, Cirque du Sweet is an interactive space that's set to provide a sensory experience for children and adults alike, with newly introduced exclusive concepts and products. Embark on a taste adventure with our traditional sweet shop or our Jelly Belly pick 'n' mix range, or experiment with something a little more adventurous, including...

The curious chocolate counter: Tantalise and trick the taste buds with Willy Wonka-esque combinations such as bubble gum-flavoured cookies, ice cream fondants, popcorn truffles and popping candy bombes. Handmade and finished by our expert team of chocolatiers, the range is also free from artificial colours and flavours.

Cirque du Sweet range: Taking inspiration from The Big Top, the circus-themed collection includes ginormours gobstoppers, magnificent gumballs, marvellous marshmallows and death-defying humbugs.

Papabubble: Exclusively available at Harrods, artisan candymakers Papabubble will offer customers a theatrical feast for the senses. Specialising in hard candy, Papabubble's ranges come in a variety of different colours, flavours, and shapes. All the candy is handcrafted by skilled candymakers, and customers can watch the entire process from the heating of the sugar to the shaping of the soft, colourful candy mixture. Pre-made, made-to-order and personalised sweets are available for weddings, birthdays and other occasions.

Patchino: Exclusively available at Harrods, imagination and innovation combine to give you delicious chocolates and fun toys. Prepared with premium ingredients, Patchino is a health-conscious chocolate brand that's made exclusively for children by renowned chocolate gift creator Patchi, and offers a variety of chocolate flavours packaged in colourful boxes and bags, together with exciting toys and games. Meet the entire lovable gang: Bonny the rabbit, Catty the cat, Doggy the dog, Dolmy the reindeer, Elly the elephant, Gerry the giraffe, Leony the lion, Timmy the tiger, and Zoey the zebra, through a wide range of products, varying from chocolate boxes and bags to tin boxes with a surprise gift inside, as well as gift toys, painting sets and plush toys accompanied by chocolates. Patchino present the ideal gifts from the wrapping paper to the goodies inside.

For more information, please visit http://www.harrods.com/

There is only one Harrods sale

There's many things synonymous with the British summer. Rain, Wimbledon, and of course, the Harrods summer sale.
So why not get yourself down to Harrods to indulge in some summer spending. The sale began on Saturday 16th June, and will run until Sunday 8th July.

For more information, visit http://www.harrods.com/

Harrods' Jubilee Celebrations

To commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Harrods is collaborating with a host of the world’s finest fashion brands, showcasing exclusive ballgown and crown creations in a magnificent display across the façade of Harrods.

From Tuesday 15th May Harrods will unveil a dedicated pop-up ballgown boutique in celebration of the V&A’s spectacular exhibition Ballgowns: British Glamour since 1950. The boutique will exclusively feature an array of exquisite evening gowns created by leading international fashion names, including Erdem, Marchesa, Ralph & Russo, Carolina Herrera, Toujouri, J. Mendel, Roberto Cavalli, Valentino, Nina Ricci, Jenny Packham and Elie Saab. Customers will be able to view a selection of the unique creations within a number of the store’s Brompton Road windows and, for those wishing to make a purchase from the special collection, there will be the opportunity to visit The Penthouse – Harrods’ most exclusive personal shopping space – on the Fifth Floor for a one-to-one consultation.

The rest of the Brompton Road windows will be transformed into an exhibition of bespoke display crowns, each of which is based on a replica of the St. Edward’s coronation crown. These unique crowns have been created by 32 leading brands available at Harrods, including Paul Smith, De Beers, Tiffany & Co, Boucheron, Roberto Cavalli, Prada, Mulberry, Fabergé, Shu Uemura, Jo Malone and Lanvin.

Ballgowns & Crowns will be on display in-store and in the Brompton Road windows from Tuesday 15th May to Friday 15th June 2012.
Ballgowns: British Glamour since 1950, sponsored by Coutts, opens at the V&A on Saturday 19th May 2012 and runs until Sunday 6th January 2013.