henry jacques | clic-clac sertis

Who knew pianos and luxury cars had so much in common? Steinway & Sons and Bentley Motors, apparently. The two heritage houses have joined forces for a collaboration that celebrates precision, craftsmanship and design through the launch of Steinway’s ‘Ultra Black’ and ‘Ultra White’ limited editions.

Built in Hamburg, just fifty-two of these grand pianos will exist worldwide, evenly split between the two finishes. Each takes cues from both brands’ most recognisable signatures: Steinway’s timeless silhouettes and Bentley’s sleek monochrome palette. The Ultra Black, finished in a deep Jet Black that’s been a favourite in Bentley’s veneer catalogue, feels sculptural and commanding; its mirror image, the Ultra White, draws from the carmaker’s Arctic White, luminous and modern in tone.

“The Ultra Black and Ultra White editions embody Steinway’s ability to honour our heritage while exploring new expressions of design,” confirms Guido Zimmermann, President of Steinway & Sons Europe. “These pianos are not only instruments of the highest musical quality but also works of art, created for those who value craftsmanship, individuality, and timeless beauty.” 

It’s a statement Bentley could easily echo. And indeed, to mark the launch, the British marque unveiled a ‘Flying Spur Speed’ finished in Arctic White with a Piano Black veneer interior – a perfect mirror of Steinway’s monochrome duo. 
“Our collaboration with Steinway & Sons is a meeting of worlds, where craftsmanship connects music and motion. The Flying Spur Speed, paired with Steinway’s Ultra Black and Ultra White editions, represents a dialogue between two distinguished names, creating objects of rarity and enduring beauty,” says Wayne Bruce, Chief Communications and D&I Officer. 

Founded in 1853, Steinway & Sons remains the gold standard for concert pianists, its instruments painstakingly made by hand over the course of a year in just two factories located in Hamburg and New York. Bentley, meanwhile, has been crafting luxury cars in Crewe since 1919, evolving from W.O. Bentley’s original vision into a symbol of British engineering and design.

What makes this collaboration more than just a meeting of logos is the exchange of craft behind it. Steinway and Bentley artisans shared techniques in veneering, finishing and woodwork – a merging of two disciplines united by precision and touch. Both brands have built their legacies on that tension between handcraft and innovation: from Bentley’s meticulously engineered interiors to Steinway’s SPIRIO | r system, which can record and reproduce a live performance with astonishing fidelity.

Elegance shouldn’t be limited to concert halls or car showrooms and, together, the two brands prove that this is what happens when sound and speed share the same rhythm.

photography. courtesy of Steinway & Sons, Bentley Motors
words. Gennaro Costanzo

The famed Kurfürstendamm, Berlin’s grande dame of boulevards, has an exciting new resident. While Westwing, the colossal online interiors platform, unveiled its latest physical store back in August, it made its presence known with a star-studded launch event last week.

The festivities were hosted by Westwing founder and Chief Creative Officer, Delia Lachance, alongside CEO Dr. Andreas Hoerning. The new store is the latest embodiment of the brand’s mission, as Dr. Hoerning explained: “With our new store on Kurfürstendamm, we bring our brand even closer to design lovers in Berlin and beyond.”

Around 280 invited guests from the worlds of media, design, culture, and fashion turned up to toast the new interiors hotspot. Attendees were treated to a sensory journey built around the spatial concept, ‘A Journey Through Beautiful Living and Sensory Exploration.’ Every detail was meticulously designed to appeal to the senses and express the emotional power of ‘Beautiful Living,’ transporting guests directly into the world of Westwing.

The store itself perfectly showcases Westwing’s premium claim, combining natural materials, warm tones, and clear shapes. It features selected products from the Westwing Collection alongside renowned partner brands. Customers can easily purchase smaller items on the spot or conveniently order larger pieces of furniture via QR code.

Following the main reception, the evening culminated in an exclusive VIP dinner held in the Kantgarages. This intimate supper club was reserved for fifty key attendees, including iconic figures like supermodel Nadja Auermann, singer Mandy Capristo and acclaimed actor Malick Bauer. For the most part, the evening was dedicated to distilling the brand moment into a sensual, unforgettable narrative.

photography. courtesy of Westwing, Bastian Thiery
words. Gennaro Costanzo

The magnificent Prada Rong Zhai, the historic, restored residence in the heart of Shanghai, has opened its stunning doors for the first time to SEA BEYOND, the ocean preservation initiative run by the Prada Group in partnership with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. Launched on 11 October, this ten-day, multi-faceted educational programme engages the local community in the vital, yet often overlooked, relationship between humanity and the ocean.

The focus of the initiative is the Ocean&Climate Village, a travelling, immersive science exhibition from the IOC of UNESCO, making its second ever stop in China. This experience has transformed the historic Ballroom of Prada Rong Zhai, a room famed for its massive, sixty-nine-panel stained-glass skylight, into a vital learning hub. The SEA BEYOND partnership between the Prada Group and the IOC began back in $2019$ to raise awareness of ocean sustainability globally, and has since shared its educational principles with over $35,000$ students worldwide. 

Visitors are guided through interactive displays by student volunteers from local universities, exploring crucial issues like marine biodiversity and ocean acidification. Guests can also witness the impact of global warming via the UpSeaDown installation, which projects rising sea levels right up to 2100, or literally Feel the Change by touching models of marine ecosystems in both their natural and acidified states. Experts from the First Institute of Oceanography (FIO) and the UN Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC-OCC) supported the adaptation of the science to the local context.

Beyond the formal exhibition, the programme weaves art and personal stories to encourage action. On the fourth floor, Emmy-nominated environmental photographer Enzo Barracco presents a striking selection of images captured during his expeditions to threatened marine environments across Antarctica, the Galapagos, Hawaii and, for the first time, Alaska. 

Barracco shared that he focuses on the beauty of the ocean as he genuinely believes “a positive story can inspire and drive a change,” demonstrating how art can bridge science and society. Down in the garden, open-air screenings highlight impactful work supported by SEA BEYOND, including the project focused on the discovery of black coral in Sicily.

The launch was marked by a series of insightful thematic talks live-streamed on Tencent Channels, which brought together high-level figures from science, the arts and the private sector. 

Japanese Ichthyologist and Artist SAKANA-KUN and Coral Gardeners Founder Titouan Bernicot shared how their childhood passions blossomed into lifelong commitments to marine protection. “Sharing knowledge empowers children, who will lead the next generation, to learn. Projects like SEA BEYOND are not just about today; they connect to the future through ocean education,” said SAKANA-KUN.

The most heart-warming element saw a group of elementary school students from Guizhou, an inland province of China, travelling to Shanghai to experience the seaside for the very first time thanks to the SEA BEYOND project, combining personal adventure with hands-on educational workshops blending art and science. The entire cultural and educational content was thoughtfully developed with the UCCA Foundation, reinforcing the mission to build a more informed, engaged and sustainable relationship with the ocean.

The SEA BEYOND programme is free to the public and will run until 19 October 2025. Learn more here.

photography. courtesy of Prada Group
words. Gennaro Costanzo