Luxist

NetJets Inc., the fractional ownership and plane leasing company owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc., has announced major layoffs. Due to a slowdown in business travel and the overall usage of private jets the company is firing 495 pilots.

Bloomberg quotes a statement from David Sokol, NetJets CEO who said that the decision came from looking at current and predicted flight demand. The news comes just around two months after Sokol took over and the company moved back to Columbus, Ohio.

Currently the company owns more planes than it is using. NetJets employs over 3,000 pilots worldwide. The layoffs come after an earlier layoff of 350 non-pilot workers which was announced in September. Some are questioning whether or not the fractional private jet model still has a place in this economy. I think it does but that the scale may be smaller than these companies would like.

If you had asked me earlier this week which suitor I thought would claim Escada as their own I would have guessed M1 Group, the owner of Faconnable. But the new owner of the German fashion house is actually Megha Mittal, daughter-in-law of steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal. Mittal purchased the brand for an undisclosed sum.

Mittal beat out a bunch of fashion insiders including the former head of Gucci and persuaded the German insolvency administrator that she would be the best steward of the brand. She bought Escada through a family trust said to be in in the three-digit million range. The German press has estimated that the deal is worth around 100 million Euros including the debt.

Ms. Mittal is 33 years old and has had a lifelong love of fashion. She is married to Aditya Mittal and has two daughters. She has a degree from Wharton Business School in finance. The Economic Times in India quotes her as saying that her first priority is to preserve the heritage of Escada and help it achieve a successful feature. Mittal's success is also good news for current CEO Bruno Slazer who will likely stay in place during the transition and has wanted to move the brand toward more affordable careerwear and everyday fashion and away from red carpet and couture gowns. Mittal will serve as a board member and brand ambassador for the fashion house.

Celebrity-friendly restaurant Orso Los Angeles becomes the latest restaurant to close. Orso opened in 1989 and its location near Robertson Blvd. and the tree-shrouded smoking-friendly patio have made it a popular film industry haunt. But the NY Times reports that the Italian trattoria serving fare priced at around $25 per entree will close by November 21. Orso restaurants in New York and London will remain open. The NY Times article says that Orso Los Angeles began to falter when the Creative Artists Agency and International Creative Management moved into Century City office towers and when the nearby New Line Cinema once a huge client, began deep job cuts. There's no shortage of other restaurants in the area but its always sad to see a restaurant that has survived 20 years in the fickle world of Los Angeles restaurants close down.

The Jack Rabbit The Bandit Studded Leather Crossbody Bag is totally quirky and lovely.

This little red number is made of elegant artisan glazed leather, and decorated eye-catchingly with pyramid studs. We love the long, brash gold chain and the matching leather shoulder pad, as well as the size (8"W x 6"H x 2"D, big enough to actually hold some stuff) and the simple shape.

It also comes in black, green and purple, but we'd love to see this red one paired with your blue jeans or knee-high boots -- just don't wear it with lace; those pyramid studs will catch!

The Jack Rabbit The Bandit Studded Leather Crossbody Bag is available from Bloomingdale's for $335.00.

Makeup brushes tend to be overlooked, perhaps because many makeup products include a puff or brush or some sort of applicator. As poor quality as some of these applicators are, many women balk at the idea of buying separate tools -- the brushes that come with the products are smaller and more portable, and good brushes can indeed be pricey. But here's a good line I read recently: Your skin is like a delicate piece of silk. Your makeup brushes shouldn't feel like they are brooms sweeping across your skin. Quality brushes also will make applying makeup easier, faster, and more pleasurable, because they are made in specific shapes and sizes for the job at hand (e.g., blush brush, powder brush, eyeshadow brush).

Before purchasing a brush or brush kit, check that each brush head is soft and full. Run your hand through the bristles. It is a bad sign if they come out readily/shed or feel coarse on your skin. The handle should feel comfortable and seem solid. Keep your brushes in a protective case or upright in a decorative glass or container on your dresser, not in the bathroom, where moisture accumulates. Every few weeks, or at least once a month, gently wash them in a mild liquid detergent or baby shampoo. Do not soak them. Pat each brush dry, especially around the area where the brushes meet the handle, and lay them flat over the edge of a table or counter so that the bristles are open to air on all sides, and reshape the brush head.

I'm not endorsing this brand, but BareEscentuals offers a good selection of brushes. Take a look simply to see what shapes and sizes of quality brushes are available, and their cost.

If only Pamela Anderson had discovered the new SENSAI Platinum Edition Coffret Gift Set, before she let her platinum addiction drive her into bankruptcy. The new luxury gift set out just in time for the holidays offers for the first time ever, platinum, in a soft pearl powder and highlighting platinum body lotion. If that sounds decadent to you, it is. Forget the latest diamond cremes, platinum is the new luxury ingredient, straight from the renowned Japanese beauty line, which counts Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Aniston as fans. The Platinum Gift Set, which includes the powder, flawless brush, and body lotion packaged in a velvet clutch is available exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman, and retails for $80. It's literally all you need to take to any party this season. But use sparingly. A brush of powder is all you need to make your whole face glow.

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British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been in the news a bit lately. He's been increasing his profile in the United States with more acting roles (he's set to take on the Dudley Moore role in the remake of Arthur) and with his romance with Katy Perry. Perhaps Brand is considering a permanent move to the U.S. because the BrickWork blog reports that Brand's home in the Hampstead area of London is on the market.

The Victorian home has been renovated in a hiply goth style that reminds me of the vintagey creations of Douglas Little. The home has five levels and features dark flocked wallpaper, large televisions and modern furniture. An entire room is given over to Brand's love of yoga and the plush black and silver master bedroom is exactly what you might from this self-confessed sex addict. The home also includes a media room, outdoor hot tub and a top floor bedroom suite which currently serves as an office. It is listed at £2.5 million.

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With an official debut soon at SIHH 2010 in January here is a peek at two new Vacheron Constantin watches - the Historiques 1955 (round dial) and 1968 (square dial). Both watches are going to be smaller in size and much thinner than what we are used to. The 1955 is 36mm wide and the 1968 watch is a 35.2mm wide square. Vacheron Constantin is on this "vintage kick" lately. so expect to see more of these retro-themed watches. They don't have the wow factor you are used to when looking at them, but they are comfy to wear, and surprisingly easy to read - trust me. Worth the big prices though? Maybe, if you are a brand enthusiast.

Most of the appeal is inside the watch as they each have 100% in-house made movements. Each is super thin, and manually wound. The Historiques 1955 has a caliber 1003 movement, while the 1968 has a caliber 1120 movement in it. Interestingly enough, the movements are in 18k yellow gold. The watch cases themselves are in something called 4N gold. The alloy is somewhere between yellow and rose gold in color. The watches will be officially unveiled in January in Geneva, and I will be there to take lots of paparazzi style pictures.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

A little shopping inspiration can be found in New York City when jewelry designer and fashion blogger Wendy Brandes will open a popup store in the West Village for two days this holiday season. The Wendy Brandes popup store will be open on November 20th and 21st from 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at 48 Greenwich Avenue near Perry Street. Wendy will be on hand both days to showcase her detailed handcrafted pieces. Hear straight from Wendy about the rich and witty inspirations for each unique piece. In addition to being a talented designer Brandes has an abiding love of history which manifests in unique pieces like a tiny sarcophagus that opens to reveal a mummy with diamond eyes or her popular poison rings which have secret compartments. Her collections have been inspired by a variety of historical figures including an Anglo-Saxon Queen, an Empress of Rome and the Queen of Scots.

The Wendy Brandes Popup Store will also have styles from her friend Zang Toi's collection available for shoppers interested in clothing to go along with their jewels. Zang Toi established the "House of Toi" collection in New York in 1989, and was awarded the 1990 Mouton Cadet Young Designer of the Year award, which recognizes the top young US designer of the year. Over the years, his design has evolved from the bright and decadent of the 1990s to the timeless yet modern lines of the turn of the country.