In spring 2012, Meissen unveiled its new Villa Meissen headquarters (+39.02.894.237.25, www.meissen.com) in a restored 16th-century palazzo on Milan’s Via Montenapoleone. This January, the German porcelain house presented a 23-piece furniture collection at the historic villa that speaks to the company’s future. The opening of Villa Meissen was part of a rebranding effort intended to transform Meissen—established in 1710 by the Saxon king Augustus II—into a comprehensive design enterprise offering tableware, je…

The Icon A5 amphibious light sport aircraft(LSA) has been in the works since 2006, and now that the company is close to starting deliveries, a slew of similar amphibious aircraft (those able to operate from both and water) are emerging to compete for this market niche. Icon Aircraft was founded by Kirk Hawkins, a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and a graduate of Stanford Business School. He and his team designed the A5 to be appealing and easy to fly for first-time pilots, hoping to capture the attention o…

Davos, Switzerland’s new mascot—the egg-shaped, golden InterContinental—is out of this world.
Why Go:Among Swiss Alpine towns, Davos earns the gold medal for largest resort and highest city—it is the highest city in Europe, in fact, and it hosted the 2014 World Economic Forum. There are 58 ski lifts among its well-maintained pistes, known for having consistent snow cover. The town is a proper city rather than a quaint village, with a wide range of restaurants, shops, and outdoor activities in both the winter …

Known for its luxurious men’s clothing and accessories, Zilli has developed its first collection of skiwear and skis this winter. The company enlisted the French companies Degré 7 for the skiwear and Lacroix for the skis. The new products combine performance materials and the latest technology with Zilli’s design elements. The stylish black bi-stretch Gore-Tex ski jacket ($17,200) has matte crocodile shoulders and a chinchilla-and-cashmere-blend collar; the pants ($5,400) are made in Schoeller technical fabric…

Honolulu’s Kahala Hotel and Resort will celebrate its 50th anniversary throughout 2014 with a variety of special perks and vacation packages. The unquestionable standout among these is the Imperial Golden Jubilee Vacation Experience, a $50,000 five-night travel package for two in the resort’s Imperial Suite penthouse. Highlights from the package include a private multi-island helicopter tour with a picnic lunch, a sunset catamaran sail, a five-course dinner at the resort’s Hawaiian-fusion restaurant Hoku’s, an…

Norman Carr established the first safari camp in Luangwa, Zambia, in 1950. In an era when African safaris were hunting expeditions, Carr persuaded visitors to observe and photograph animals instead of shooting them. Throughout its history, Norman Carr Safaris has been a pioneer. Its most recent milestone is the launch of a new luxury bush camp, which opened in June 2013: Chinzombo.
In celebration of Chinzombo’s debut, Norman Carr’s family invited Robb Report readers on a curated journey to get to know Zambia’…

Robb Report and Frosch transported guests to the “land of smiles” for a voyage to the kingdom of Thailand. The local guide and television personality Dan Frasier, of the Smiling Albino tour company, led an itinerary from the capital city of Bangkok to the cultural hub of Chiang Mai and the natural wonders of northern Thailand’s Golden Triangle.
At each destination, a Four Seasons hotel provided sumptuous accommodations for the group. In Bangkok, a contemporary tower with gardens, world-class cuisine, and lavi…

A Formula 1 driving experience in Abu Dhabi fired the engines of a group of Robb Report readers. Frosch Travel planned an exhilarating itinerary for this intimate group featuring an exclusive driving experience at the Yas Marina Circuit, one of the world’s most prestigious racing venues. 
Upon arrival, the group shuttled from the airport to the St. Regis Saadiyat Island, a beautifully landscaped environment located along a pristine five-mile length of white-sand coastline. The resort offered a complete s…

The Swedish camera maker Hasselblad has introduced the new amateur-friendly HV DSLR ($11,995), which features a 24.3-megapixel full-frame sensor, a Carl Zeiss 24-to-70 mm lens (known for its ability to capture detail and contrast), and 35 mm full-frame HD-video recording capabilities. The HV DSLR is ergonomically designed to allow for a steady grip and comes in a professional-grade resin case that protects it from dust, water, chemical agents, and temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The HV DSLR…

As part of its more than $687 million Best and Beyond initiative to upgrade amenities on long-haul flights, Air France has unveiled its newly redesigned business-class seating. Conceived by Mark Collins of Design Investment, which has previously created cabins for Airbus and Lufthansa, the new business-class seating is designed with comfort and privacy in mind. The seat’s gentle curves envelop the passenger and create a distinct personal space, while its padded headboard blocks peripheral distractions. Passeng…