In our weekly TWIL series, we bring you the latest in luxury news from around the world. This week’s highlights: Louis Vuitton kicks off a year-long celebration commemorating the 130th anniversary of its Monogram, Samsung’s (and the world’s) first 130-inch Micro RGB TV, and Malaysian artist Sean Lean’s premiere at ART SG.
Louis Vuitton Celebrates The 130th Anniversary Of Its Iconic Monogram
The maison marks the 130th anniversary of its Monogram with a year-long celebration beginning in January 2026. Created in 1896 by Georges Vuitton as a tribute to his father, the Monogram has become one of the brand’s most enduring emblems, standing as a universal symbol of heritage, creativity, and distinction. The anniversary year celebrates the Monogram’s most emblematic designs—Speedy, Keepall, Noé, Alma, and Neverfull—each reflecting a distinct expression of travel, freedom, and modern elegance. Alongside these icons, Louis Vuitton introduces its new Monogram Anniversary Collection, taking the codes of the trunk’s savoir-faire into three special-edition bags that reinterpret the Monogram through modern design, diverse materials, and both cutting-edge and traditional craft techniques.
Bell & Ross Unveils Its Official Partnership With The Defender Rally
As part of the partnership, Bell & Ross equipped the Defender Rally team—who will compete in the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) at the Dakar Rally 2026—with the BR-X3 Black Titanium, the embodiment of watchmaking excellence and precision engineering. Its grade-2 titanium construction, COSC-certified manufacture movement, and optimal legibility make it an instrument perfectly suited to the challenges of the Dakar Rally. During the first round of the championship on 3 January 2026, Bell & Ross served as the team’s official timekeeper, where drivers in the Defender Dakar D7X-R relied on Bell & Ross’ watchmaking expertise to take on the most demanding stages of the Saudi desert.
Guerlain Celebrates Its Bee Bottle Icon With New Global Ambassador Song Hye Kyo
The maison unites French heritage with contemporary South Korean elegance, with Song Hye Kyo lending her refined, modern sensibility to the emblem, highlighting the shared values of precision, emotion, and artistry. Her personalised Bee Bottle houses Angélique Noire from Guerlain’s L’Art & La Matière collection, underscoring the brand’s commitment to made-to-measure luxury. First created in 1853 for Empress Eugénie, the Bee Bottle remains a symbol of Guerlain’s craftsmanship, distinguished by its hand-applied bees, gold detailing, and bespoke personalisation options.
The JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo Introduces A Mindful Floor
The recently opened hotel, located in Takanawa Gateway City in Tokyo, is introducing a world’s first: a Mindful Floor, where everything is tailored towards rest, reflection, and holistic well-being. Nine Mindful Rooms, including two suites, on the hotel’s 28th floor all feature curated amenities supporting wellness initiatives, such as Fitness & Meditation; Beauty & Bath Rituals; Mindful Tea Selection; Reflection & Journalling; and Soundscapes for Serenity. The floor also has the Spa by JW (guests in the Mindful Rooms can enjoy a 75-minute Ultimate Aromatherapy Experience), a 24-hour fitness centre, 25m indoor pool, a whirlpool, as well as dry and steam saunas. Complimentary yoga sessions on the 30th floor are also available.
Prices start at ¥170,775 for stays from now until 31 Dec 2026 (based on single occupancy). For more information, visit JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo‘s website.
The Luxury Collection Debuts L’Escape, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Myeongdong
Designed by acclaimed French master Jacques Garcia—honoured as Chevalier of the Ordre of the Légion d’Honneur by the French government in 2018—L’Escape is an ode to 19th-century France. The hotel is perfectly positioned within the city’s cultural and shopping epicentre and offers 204 guest rooms, including pet-friendly options. There are also 80 suites, including the L’Escape Suite, a singular masterpiece personally styled by Garcia. To complete your South Korean voyage, L’Escape presents refined dining experiences, including the one-Michelin-starred L’Amant Secret by celebrity chef Jongwon Son, as well as Marque d’Amour, ranked among the World’s 50 Best Bars.
L’Escape, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Myeongdong
Enjoy A Trilogy Of Japanese Craft Whisky At The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur
From now until 28 February 2026, the Smokehouse Bar in The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Autograph Collection, is offering a refined gentleman’s experience featuring three craft whisky expressions from Akashi. The Akashi Tasting Set (RM110) features the Red Oak Blended Whisky, White Oak Blended Whisky, and the Single Malt Whisky. Need to update your look? Make a reservation for the Akashi Tasting Set with Truefitt & Hill Duke’s Haircut (RM260). Or, for a sophisticated pairing session, try the Akashi Tasting Set with Robusto Cigars (RM260), featuring selected Akashi craft whiskies complemented with the very best from Robusto.
For more information and reservations, please call or send a WhatsApp message to +6019 600 3400.
Samsung Unveils The World’s First 130-Inch Micro RGB TV
It’s been less than a year since Samsung first stunned the market with its 115-inch Micro RGB TV, yet the South Korean electronics giant is already pushing the boundaries further. Unveiled at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, its new 130-inch Micro RGB TV not only ups the ante in sheer scale but also stakes its claim as the world’s first of its kind. Powered by Samsung’s most advanced Micro RGB innovations to date, the TV is framed by the new Timeless Frame—a contemporary evolution of the brand’s 2013 Timeless Gallery concept—reimagined to embody the philosophy of ‘technology as art’. Inspired by the proportions of a grand architectural window, the refined frame creates the illusion of a floating screen, transforming the TV into a sculptural centrepiece that looks less like a television and more like a vast, immersive window into a world beyond.
The Samsung 130-inch Micro RGB TV will be available exclusively at home appliance distributor, Hoe Huat.
Wei-Ling Gallery Is Set To Present Malaysian Artist Sean Lean At ART SG 2026
Audiences at ART SG 2026 can catch Malaysian artist Sean Lean, who will present Family Portrait, a major sculptural installation in the fair’s Focus sector. Presented by Wei-Ling Gallery, the work explores cultural inheritance and diasporic identity through the familiar yet unsettled space of the family home, reflecting on how memory, tradition, and belonging shift across generations. Marking Lean’s first presentation at ART SG, the work offers an entry point into the wider conversations shaping this year’s fair and Singapore Art Week.
Now in its fourth edition, ART SG, Southeast Asia’s leading international art fair presented by Founding and Lead Partner UBS, returns to Marina Bay Sands from 23 to 25 January 2026, with a VIP Preview and Vernissage on 22 January. Bringing together 106 galleries from more than 30 countries and territories, the fair continues to strengthen its position as a key platform for contemporary art in the region and beyond, with expanded partnerships, new curatorial initiatives, and an enhanced programme spanning exhibitions, performance, film, and talks.
Tickets for ART SG 2026 are available here.
Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery Presents A Special Exhibition With More Than 60 Works By Pablo Picasso
The Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery in Penang, which opened to great fanfare recently, presents its inaugural special exhibition, Picasso and Lin Xiang Xiong – A Dialogue Across Time. Running from now until 31 March 2026, this exhibition brings together more than 60 works by Pablo Picasso alongside more than 300 paintings by Professor Lin Xiang Xiong. The showcase explores the universal theme of peace through the works of two visionary artists from different eras.
Ticketing info for this special exhibition:
- Adults (aged 13 years old and older): MyKad, RM38 (RM42 on weekends); Standard, RM50 (RM55 on weekends)
- Children (aged 5 to 12 years old) as well as senior citizens (60 and older): MyKad, RM19 (RM21 on weekends); Standard, RM25 (RM28 on weekends)
- Children (4 and younger): free
For more information, visit Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery’s website.
