What’s new this month in travel, beauty, design and more

A roundup of this month’s most noteable updates from the Style desk.

HOTELS

Barbados’s latest oceanfront accommodation is a collection of secluded villas from the owner of the Crane

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Ninety-nine per cent of Barbados’s rugged east coast is national parks overflowing with caves, limestone cliffs, coral reefs and tropical vegetation. In a secluded corner of one verdant stretch, just outside the designated park area, is the island’s newest luxury hotel, East. The 10-villa resort is a 35-minute drive from Bridgetown, the island’s capital, but, nestled among a collection of fishing villages, it feels like a world away.

The resort, spread over 50 acres, was opened by Paul Doyle, the Canadian who owns the Crane hotel. With this new sister property, Doyle hopes he can offer travellers a true escape. “In the 30-plus years I’ve been here, civilization has come to us,” he says of the Crane. “At East, it will probably never come, it’s just too far away.”

While the Crane offers indulgent relaxation, East is more low-key with a focus on connections to nature and community. “The whole east coast, that’s where locals go to vacation, historically and today. And this coast is almost a different culture to Barbados,” Doyle says. “If Barbados was Canada, it would be Newfoundland.”

Villas range in size from one to three bedrooms and are secluded, built into the hill behind them to offer privacy. With private pools, hot tubs, outdoor grills and full-sized kitchens, it is very easy to feel like there’s no one else around. Local celebrity Yvonne Skeete, a fisher, can deliver his freshest catch to guests upon request and there are daily guided walks that follow cliffside trails.

If you are craving a more social experience, a Thursday night fish fry in Martin’s Bay is a must. Guests can also access the Crane’s amenities via a shuttle, and there are plans to open a small farm-to-table restaurant at East in 2026. – MARYAM SIDDIQI

Stays from US$199/night including daily breakfast (five-night minimum stay required) through eastresort.com.

FRAGRANCE

Nina Ricci designer Harris Reed lends his nose to the house’s first new perfume in a decade

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In the fall, guests at Nina Ricci’s spring 2025 runway show at Hotel Potocki in Paris’s 8th arrondissement gathered in its leafy courtyard post-catwalk to fete the house’s newest fragrance, Vénus. Composed of heady notes including magnolia, vanilla and white patchouli, the brand’s first new fragrance in 10 years was developed by the label’s creative director, Harris Reed, and perfumer Alexandra Monet. Reed, who has dressed the likes of Beyonce and Iman, explains what’s behind the new scent.

What has your relationship with fragrance been?

I would say I have a deeper relationship with fragrance than I have sometimes with fashion. Growing up, my mother was a perfumer and a candlemaker and my father worked in film, so I spoke to him about stories and ideas and her about the senses and botanical knowledge. I would say my nose was being fine-tuned throughout my upbringing, and my friends call me a fragrance snob.

Do you stick to wearing the same scent or do you mix it up?

I’ve always been someone who has known what I like very strongly, but at the same time, I’ve acquired this knowledge through experimentation and through trusting in others who are passionate. Funnily enough, magnolia flower, one of the main ingredients in the perfume, is something I’ve loved since I was young.

How did Venus come together?

Having two years to develop something instead of the four-month fashion design cycle was very different. It started much like I would start a collection: With a mood board. I’m answering questions such as, what is Nina Ricci trying to say 10 years since launching a fragrance? What are we trying to symbolize? I looked to a lot of goddesses and classic Hollywood stars like Audrey Hepburn – people that were symbols of a strong iconography that still resonates today. – ODESSA PALOMA PARKER

For more, visit ninaricci.com.

This interview has been condensed and edited.

FASHION

Revisiting its early 2000s collab with artist Takashi Murakami, Louis Vuitton reignites the fun-loving aesthetic of the era

In 2003, Louis Vuitton made waves when Marc Jacobs, the brand’s then artistic director, teamed up with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami for a collaboration that redefined luxury fashion. For the first time, the house’s historic monogram – created in 1896 – was reimagined in a vibrant palette. Murakami’s bold vision transformed the classic design into a joyful statement, forever changing the relationship between art and fashion.

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At a time when heritage brands rarely took risks, the collection became a cultural phenomenon. Duffle-style Speedy bags in Murakami’s motifs were spotted on every style icon of the early 2000s, from Naomi Campbell to Paris Hilton. Carrying one wasn’t just about owning the latest accessory, it symbolized a shift toward blending tradition with innovation.

This year, Louis Vuitton is reviving the collaboration for a new generation, launching a collection of over 200 pieces. Chapter one debuted in January, featuring the actor Zendaya as its campaign’s face and reintroducing Murakami’s vibrant energy. This month, chapter two will celebrate one of the most beloved designs from the original lineup: the cherry blossom.

Reflecting on the original collaboration, Murakami shared, “looking back now, I really feel there were various significances, but at the time I had no idea what kind of brand Louis Vuitton really was, and I didn’t understand the impact of it changing the products’ classic base colour to pure white, for instance. But now, I can see that it changing from something purely chic into something colourful really made a big impact.”

In an era where collaborations have become the norm, this revival underscores the lasting impact of the partnership. And with Y2K trends dominating runways, its bold vision feels as relevant today as it did two decades ago. -SANTANAE LUZIGE

For more, visit louisvuitton.com.

DESIGN

A historic estate-turned-easy escape outside Manhattan gets a DesignAgency revamp

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Stepping into Pendry Natirar is a bit like travelling back in time: a cozy flame aglow in a grand fireplace, wall-to-wall oak panelling and guests perched on sumptuous seating while sipping bubbly from crystal coupes. Swap their outfits and they could easily be inside an episode of Downton Abbey or another period drama that takes place far from where you actually are, New Jersey.

The resort, which opened in the fall on an estate formerly owned by King Hassan II of Morocco, is breathing new life into the state’s historic Somerset County. Designed by CosciaMoos Architecture, with interiors by Toronto’s DesignAgency, Natirar (“Raritan,” the river located within the sprawling grounds, spelled backward) is centred around a 1912 Tudor mansion, newly restored to include an added wing of stately rooms and suites, each which recall the property’s origins with a unique twist.

Contemporary finishes, such as a pink modernist light installation that greets guests on their way to the spa, modernize things beautifully. The spa itself is peak serenity, with a hydrotherapy plunge pool overlooking the grounds and a Himalayan salt room stocked with cozy blankets. Treatments, such as the signature Pendry massage, are customized to the changing seasons using ingredients harvested on property.

Natirar’s 10-acre sustainable farm serves up these botanicals plus produce and freshly laid eggs for its eateries. Ninety Acres, a fine dining spot, takes a locally sourced approach and hosts a cooking school, which allows culinary fans to try their hand at chef-designed recipes. Guests can further immerse themselves in the harvest with morning farm tours and the bravest can even don beekeeper attire at Natirar’s apiary. Amidst all this tranquility, it’s hard to imagine that you’re a mere 45 minutes from bustling Manhattan. – RANDI BERGMAN

Stays from US$744/night through pendry.com.

AUTOMOTIVE

For that next journey behind the wheel, Volkswagen, BMW, Genesis and Mercedes-Benz offer options tailored to every style of travel

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Even though most great coffee spots, hiking trails and local boutiques have been tagged to death on social media, hitting the open road can still be an adventure. The fundamental rhythm of a good road trip – drive, play, eat, sleep, repeat – beats a path to a genuine feeling of escape. On the road, certain cars can add a unique spin to a trip, whether that’s free and breezy, cheerful and upbeat, extroverted or quietly confident. This year, a foursome of new and upcoming road-trip-ready vehicles will do exactly that.

Approximately eight years after Volkswagen showed a concept for its reimagined 1950s minibus, the all-electric ID.Buzz is here. What it lacks in electric driving range (only 377 kilometres on a full charge), it makes up for in quirkiness and sheer delight.

BMW’s M5 wagon is extroverted in a completely different way. As SUVs and pickups dominate parking lots, station wagons are undeniably an oddity, and none more so than this show-off. It offers a hybrid engine and bring-the-dog spaciousness in combination with gut-wrenching speed and a wildly entertaining driving experience. In other words, it’s perfect for speed freaks with a family.

The upcoming flagship GV90 from Genesis is giving Range Rover and maybe a little Maybach, but it won’t draw the same sort of attention as those ostentatious SUVs. Little is known about the GV90, other than it’s rumoured to be unveiled late this year and should look like the brand’s palatial Neolun concept, pictured here.

For this summer, Mercedes-Benz offers its CLE cabriolet. It’s not just you – like wagons, there are fewer and fewer new convertible options. That’s a shame, because there’s no better shortcut to feeling the freedom of the open road than having the wind rushing over you. The Mercedes drop-top is thoroughly modern. Wear a dad cap, big sunglasses and head for the coast. – MATT BUBBERS

Style Advisor travelled to Paris as a guest of Puig and to New Jersey as a guest of Pendry. The companies did not review or approve this article prior to publication.