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Burberry trenches; Kailis pearls; Carsten Holler's art in London; Queensland's Q1 Resort & Spa; Yves Saint Laurent's new L'Homme range

Burberry trenches; Kailis pearls; Carsten Holler's art in London; Queensland's Q1 Resort & Spa; Yves Saint Laurent's new L'Homme range

Summer rain
When thoughts turn to Britain, chances are they also turn to its weather. The UK had one of its most dismal summers on record last year with August rainfall 40 per cent above average. All that precipitation, however, is great news for the land – think of Britain and you also think of its verdant gardens. And what better item of clothing is there for trudging around a muddy English garden in the rain than a Burberry trench coat? For Burberry’s Spring Summer 2009 Prorsum collection, creative director Christopher Bailey took inspiration from the earthy tones of his garden in Yorkshire. His reinterpretation of the classic trench appears in a range of fabrics and tones of ochre, brown and mossy green, all very appropriate for striding through a sodden field in England’s green and pleasant (if somewhat damp) land. The advertising campaign for the collection, an image from which appears above, also takes its cue from the country’s gardens and was shot by Mario Testino in Richmond upon Thames, southwest London. The campaign features an all-British cast, including model Lily Donaldson, musicians George Craig and Sam Beeton as well as actor Alex Pettyfer. A behind-the-scenes video from the shoot can be viewed at burberry.com.

Have a heart
As a nod to Valentine’s Day, here’s a gift that could have a two-pronged effect: kick-start your love life and give the economy a much-needed injection. The “Everlasting Love” necklace from Kailis features a 17mm pink-hued, drop-shaped Australian South Sea pearl as well as two rare, pink heart-shaped Argyle diamonds from the East Kimberley – one of 0.38ct and another of 0.51ct – set in 18ct rose gold and surrounded by pave-set, brilliant-cut diamonds. Between the pink hearts is a blue pear-shaped Argyle diamond, and 1.56ct of diamonds surround the gems. Yours for $190,000; see kailisaustralianpearls.com.au for details.

Congo line
The work of Belgian-born and Stockholm-based artist Carsten Holler often blurs the line between art and good old-fashioned fun. In 2006 he installed giant slippery slides in the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, which was a huge hit with children. Last year he took part in a group show at the Guggenheim in New York, where his contribution was a revolving hotel room that could be booked overnight (under the watchful eye of museum guards, of course). His latest large-scale work takes the fun element even further. It’s a nightclub, restaurant and bar in London called The Double Club, which is sponsored by Fondazione Prada, the arts philanthropy arm of Italian fashion brand Prada. Holler has described his past work as half art and half non-art. Taking the notion one step further, The Double Club is half Western and half Congolese, reflecting his passion for the Congo. Rather than serving fusion-style cuisine, the restaurant has separate menus: Congolese and Western. Artworks are a mix of paintings from big-name, Western artists such as Andy Warhol, Louise Nevelson and Carla Accardi and work from Congolese artists such as Cheri Samba and Monsengwo “Moke the Painter” Kejwamfi. Then there’s the nightclub, which is divided into an African side and a Western side. The DJ sits on a revolving dance floor and alternates between two styles of music, depending on which side of the international divide he or she finds him or herself. Holler enlisted the help of some big names in London hospitality to pull all this off, including Jan Kennedy, who has worked at Quo Vadis and Pharmacy restaurants. The menu is overseen by Mourad Mazouz of London establishments Momo and Sketch as well as 404 in Paris. The Double Club is in an old Victorian warehouse near Angel tube station and will be in operation until the end of April.

Rise above it all in Queensland
See what made the Gold Coast famous from the Q1 Resort & Spa, the world’s tallest residential tower, enticingly situated a block from the beach at Surfers Paradise. The views from the 80-storey tower’s sub-penthouses are phenomenal. And it’s not the high-rises that dominate – nature still has the upper hand. A viewing area in the apartment resort allows guests to stick their heads out the window, all the better to see the band of gold sand stretching uninterrupted for 40km and backed by the waterways and islands of the Tweed river delta. Heavenly. Also marvellous are the exquisite morsels on the tasting menu at Q1’s Absynthe. A French-inspired degustation menu challenges and delights, especially when matched with lavishly served international wines. It’s said some Gold Coast diners do not yet fully appreciate the gastronomic sorcery of chef and owner Meyjitte Boughenout. After six years raising the standards of fine dining on the coast, he is still struggling to find acceptance at street level, despite Absynthe winning the Queensland Regional Restaurant of the Year in 2007. The Q1 Spa is another jewel in the resort’s crown. Its lauded signature treatment, the Mala Mayi, takes you to another world, incorporating a hot foot-bath, skin-softening almond oil rub, tingling salt scrub, mind-altering Vichy shower, body wrap and a head and body massage. It’s worth the $235. q1.com.au

Homme and hosed
Discreetly packaged in gun-metal grey and small enough to slip in a suit pocket, Yves Saint Laurent’s new L’Homme range promises to put a glow on men’s faces. The three “healthy look tools”, formulated for the male of the species, are an Anti-fatigue Treatment ($65), in the form of an icy-effect stick with caffeine and bamboo extracts to stimulate and energise; a Healthy Look Moisturizer ($85) that nourishes the skin and also contains invisible particles that release a hint of colour to brighten dull complexions; and (mirroring YSL’s highly successful product for women) Radiant Touch for Men ($78), a clever little pen-brush designed for use around the eye area. Its plant-complex liquid has arnica, cypress and Solomon seeds to stimulate cutaneous micro-circulation and light-reflecting pigments that mask imperfections and signs of fatigue.