Luxist

A few years ago I was in a home with bamboo floors. They were just beautiful, and with bamboo being sustainable, much less guilt-inducing than non-sustainable floors.

Boston-based EcoModern Design has taken the sustainable floor a step further with one of its newer products -- EcoLux flooring. This is a gold-, silver- or copper-leafed, or imitation gold leaf, Forest Stewardship Council-certified hardwood, bamboo, or engineered maple. It is made with metal gilding using a 2,000-year-old technique. The company's David Sanborn previously was a paintings restorer and now uses the same techniques to produce flooring.

The floors are offered with custom border edges, which can be used as wall panels and veneer wallpaper. EcoLux is sold by the square foot, as a border edge or in repeating border edge patterns.

Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini has collaborated with author and illustrator Michael Roberts for the fifth anniversary of the Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF. As in the past, this year's initiative centers around the holiday period promotion of an original collection of items designed by Giannini to be exclusively sold in more than 200 Gucci stores worldwide and on Gucci.com.

Giannini has commissioned acclaimed author and illustrator Roberts to create a sequel to his highly successful 2004 children's book, Snowman in Paradise. The new book, Snowman in Africa, will be exclusively on sale in Gucci stores and on Gucci.com until December 31, 2009. Gucci will donate 100% of the retail price of the book to UNICEF.

Giannini also has designed exclusive Gucci accessories as well as a Gucci Gift Card to benefit UNICEF, all of which are inspired by Roberts' magical book illustrations -- two new medium sized Gucci Joy handbags, symbolic charms, and a wrist wallet and coin purse. The Joy Bags, charms, small leather goods, and gift cards will be on sale in Gucci stores in more than 20 countries until December 31, 2009, and 25% of the retail price of each item will be donated to UNICEF.

The annual Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF has consistently supported education, healthcare, protection, and clean water programs for orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. In this five-year period, Gucci has committed more than $7 million to UNICEF.

Shoe paradise Zappos is opening the doors to its VIP Club during a special four-day window from Black Friday, November 27, through Cyber Monday, November 30. Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday and lasting until midnight on Monday only, log onto to the special holiday VIP Club page and join for free, overnight shipping forever.

My love for Zappos has been documented on this site, plus all my friends and family know too. I am a hazard to my budget when I get within an inch of the site. But keep watching my posts on Luxist for more from Zappos, including great holiday gift ideas -- Zappos also carries bags, clothing, housewares, beauty items, and more -- a gift card giveaway, design contests, and more about its Couture section, which is what Luxist readers really care about, right?

Legwear and shapewear experts Sculptz made their NYC and U.S. debut earlier this month with an upscale cocktail party and display at The Glasshouses in Chelsea. What made this show special was that there was a mix of mannequins and live models, so you could really see how the products worked and ask the models questions about their outfits. Hosting the event were Sculptz president Jean P. Vernor and "tastemaker" and celebrity stylist Robert Verdi.

Scultptz, which makes products along the same line as that other shapewear company (beginning with an "S" and ending with an "x"), only less strangling, more affordable, more colorful, and more wearable, has been in business since 1974 and is headquartered in Philadelphia. All products are made in the U.S.A. I tried one of the products, and like the slogan says, it was so comfortable I did indeed forget I was wearing it. (When I tried that other brand, I wanted to pull it off as soon as I got in the door.)

The NYC event was titled "A Girl for All Seasons" and featured models dressed in Sculptz products, à la iconic '40s and '50s pinup girls, in displays that represented the four seasons. Another model walked the room and a sixth was in a classic evening display complete with faux fur rug and garter belt. (See the gallery.)

Sculptz products promise to "flatten the tummy, lift the rear, and slim the hips and thighs, while providing the freedom and confidence to wear everyday styles from day to night." The collection features shorts, sheers, tights, slips, body shapers, camis, bras, and briefs. There also are sexy thigh highs and pants-friendly trouser socks. New for fall 2009 are leggings and capris in lots of fun, autumnal colors as well as classics like red and black. All the colors feature clever names, too. Black is "A Girl's Best Friend," for example, while copper is "All Spiced Up" and white is "String of Pearls."

Sculptz prices range from $15 - $70. Products are available only online right now, although plans are in the works to be in retail stores soon. Sculptz also has sites in Britain and Canada.

Special for Luxist readers: Get 25% off Sculptz shapewear and legwear from Sunday, November 29, 2009, until Thursday, December 10, 2009. Just enter promo code B809 at Sculptz.com.

The "Heloise" underwire halter neck corset is part of Agent Provocateur's kinky new lingerie collection, Soirée. It's made of black ribbed duchess satin and lined in soft black leather, with a deep plunge neckline and hand-embellished biker studs. À la Scarlett O'Hara, this corset really will pull in the waist. The hips are "emphasized" (I'll say) with 2-inch metal spikes -- back view below. Not for the fainthearted or shy, or one who wishes to snuggle. $4,900

Too much Swarovski is never enough, especially during the holidays, when we all want sparkle. And during the holidays in New York City, the most popular sparkle can be found at Rockefeller Center, where each year gaggles of locals as well as tourists stop by to view the Christmas tree, which has been topped by a Swarovski star each year since 2004.

This year's star is 9½ feet in diameter, 1½ feet in depth, weighs a whopping 550 pounds, and comprises 25,000 crystals with 1,000,000 facets. The star is high-tech and low-cost (energy-wise): It has enhancements such as a new cutting-edge computerized lighting system and energy-efficient LED bulbs. The star's 12 rays are outfitted with 720 bulbs on 3,000 feet of wire to create a twinkling effect through customized light sequencing programmed by a complex computer system.

Rockefeller Center officially began the Tree Lighting Ceremony in 1933, when a Christmas tree was erected in front of the then-RCA Building and covered with 700 lights. This is the first year, however, that the Swarovski star will feature dynamic light movement. A team of nine artisans and engineers spent three months (1,200 hours) installing, programming, and testing the star to ensure the effects would withstand the challenging winter weather conditions 76 feet above Rockefeller Center.

A replica of the Swarovski Star will be on display in Rockefeller Center to allow visitors to get a closer view of the detailing and craftsmanship. Swarovski is even offering a selection of star-themed holiday jewelry and ornaments on sale at the Swarovski holiday kiosk at Rockefeller Center, at Swarovski boutiques nationwide, and online.

The 77th Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, December 2, from 7-9 p.m. The ceremony will be televised live, locally on WNBC-TV from 7-8 p.m. and nationally on NBC from 8-9 p.m. Spectators can view the lighted tree each day from 5:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.; all day (24 hours) on Christmas Day; and from 5:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve. The last day to view the tree is January 7, 2010.

Sources: LuxuryLaunches.com and PR Newswire

Forbes loves lists, and this is a great one if you love to resent actors' huge paychecks -- the Top 10 Overpaid Actors, that is, actors who cost more than their box office worth. According to MSN, in order to qualify for the list, each actor had to have appeared in three films in the last five years that opened in at least 500 theaters. No. 1 on the list is Will Ferrell. For every $1 Ferrell earns, his movies only earn $3.29. The No. 2 spot is filled by Ewan McGregor. His ratio is $1 to $3.75. Nos. 3, 4, and 5 are Billy Bob Thornton, Eddie Murphy, and Ice Cube. Coming in at No. 6 is Tom Cruise; No. 7 is the only woman on the list, Drew Barrymore; and Nos. 8, 9, and 10 are Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jim Carrey. Forbes explains it all here. View the official list, with photos, here.

Partnering with The Elton John AIDS Foundation, Jimmy Choo has launched Project PEP, a line of bold, punk rock accessories whose sales benefit the Simelela Rape Center in Cape Town, South Africa. The collection comprises 11 items -- bags, shoes, a cuff, and mobile accessories -- that range in price from $85 - $995. The shoe pictured, the PEP LOOP, is $975. Take a look at the gallery for a few more items from the collection.

Love your dog but are distressed over all the leather products made for him or her? Then take a gander at House of Dog, which offers only 100% cruelty-free pet products made from fine faux materials. Products from all the main dog categories are available: collars, leashes, apparel, beds, carriers, toys, bowls, and even wedding sets, which I presume are special items so your dog can participate in a wedding (while collar, white leash, white carrier). House of Dog's signature creations feature a Luxist favorite -- handset Czech crystals. Click on each category to see the offerings, and take a look at the gallery for a selection of some of the products and the price ranges. The Signature Paw Bag shown, for example, is $320, and comes in seven colors. (Celebs love House of Dog; go here to see.)

K-Swiss has just released two limited-edition colors for its Classic Hi P hi-top men's shoe that are going to snazz up your wardrobe and add some glitter. Putting a metallic twist on its iconic, classic sneaker, the new colors are a patent red upper with a black sole and a bronze upper with white sole. Available online in U.S. sizes 7-13 (no 12.5). $115