This season Rimowa introduced a brand new color in the Limbo line. They call it Creme.
The Limbo collection blends the durability of it’s aluminum with the lightness of polycarbonate. Previously offered in colors such as black, blue, and burgubdy, the newest color is Creme; a cream colored polycarbonate with dark brown aluminum corners and trim. The color is soft and chic and is probably the most fashionable color in the Limbo line yet. Ont the outside it features the usual high quality and durable Rimowa details such as the ratcheting telescopic handle, dual TSA locks, and incredibly nimble castor wheels that allow you to spin on a dime. On the inside you’ll find two hold-down flaps which also serve as added storage.
Find the Rimowa Limbo in Creme now at CHARALS, 171 Robson Street, or call 604.689.3497 to reserve.
This year for Mother’s
Day show mom you don’t just celebrate her on one day, but every day. CHARALS
has the perfect gift that will surely say “I love you” like nothing else.
Rimowa Salsa Deluxe Lugagge (various colors and sizes); $595 to $725
This amazing item is available for purchase in-store and online at www.charals.com.
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This year, CHARALS celebrates thirty years in business. In these three decades, Canada has seen CHARALS expanded from carrying simply fine writing instruments to exquisitely crafted leather goods, luxury housewares, and even luggage. Today, CHARALS is truly a purveyor of the best accessories to life one can have.
Over the years CHARALS has built an identity both in Vancouver and across Canada. With it’s humble beginnings as a small shop nestled in the atrium of the Sinclair Centre at 757 West Hastings Street, CHARALS grew its business over time through careful curation of product assortment and providing world-class customer service. One can always count on walking in and finding something truly unique and rare, and be assured that it was expertly crafted and of great quality.
With continued success the store expanded into the adjacent space in 1997, and the product assortment grew. And in 2015, twenty-nine years after it first opened it’s doors, and with a growing demand for quality and luxury goods in Vancouver, CHARALS opened its second location at 171 Robson Street in the heart of the Stadium District. “The Vancouver market is currently demanding stores like ours and the products that we carry, so we felt the timing was right to expand again” says Al Charania of CHARALS.
The new location is an architectural marvel meticulously designed and fitted with custom fixtures and installments. It is also home to the only Montblanc in-store installment in Vancouver, and the only Graf von Faber-Castell Writing Boutique in Canada.
With the celebration of its 30th anniversary, CHARALS, aims to carry-on its success for another thirty years and truly create a lasting legacy not only in Vancouver or Canada, but the world. That will continue to be done by carrying the best goods and providing the best service. Throughout 2016 CHARALS will be holding various events to celebrate this momentous occasion. For details on these events please call 604-974-9497, or email info@charals.com. Of course one can always simply stop by and say hi.
Just released by German luggage maker Rimowa is the brand new advertisement campaign for 2015, and boy is it magnificent.
The theme is vintage, classic, old-school. However you want to call it, it’s an homage to the past, and reminds us of the company’s history and heritage. Nostalgic themes and backdrops paired with the latest pieces from their collections presented to you by world renowned models Alessandra Ambrosio and Johannes Huebl make for an interesting blend of generations and technology. The 2015 Rimowa advertisement campaign is truly a thing to marvel.
You can find the entire collection of Rimowa luggage at CHARALS in Vancouver; both in the Sinclair Centre, 757 West Hastings Street, and at Hotel Blu, 171 Robson Street. Email us at info.charals.com, or call 1.800.811.7333 for more information.
The Sheep (Goat) is a
Yin energy, a symbol of Peace, Harmonious co-existence and Tranquility.
The Sheep is the symbol of the Arts. It
relates to passive and nurturing times. It will help the healing process
with regard to past events caused by individuals who have little
respect for the human race or life itself. It will be a year of banding
together in faith and in belief that good will prevail and win out over
the forces that refuse to comply to a peaceful way of life. For those
who trust in goodness, happiness and success will follow.
The aura of the 2015 Sheep (Goat) year
will gradually radiate its way to all. The most turbulent times will be
during the period of the Dragon, which is from the Vernal Equinox on
March 20th till April 20th, and especially the period of the Ox where a
grave threat will again raise its ugly head. This will be from the Day
of the Winter Solstice on the 22nd of December till the 20th of January
2016. But for the moment, allow the calming balms of the Sheep’s
vibrations to flow through you, and through you, to touch every heart
you meet.
2015 is a year to use mental abilities
over brute force. For those who wish to be aggressive, expect to be
out-maneuvered by strategy and common sense.
Celebrate the Year Of The Goat and the fortune it will bring with the purchase of an incredible item from CHARALS. You can find the items below and more at our Sinclair Centre location, our brand new location at 171 Robson Street, or online at www.charals.com.
A new year is upon us and we have some very exciting news for 2015. First and foremost our second location at 171 Robson Street (part of The Shops at Hotel Blu) is nearing completion. The new store will be a true 1,000+ sqft mecca of unique and extraordinary luxury goods and accessories. New additions to CHARALS at 171 Robson Street will be the only Montblanc and Graf von Faber-Castell shop-in-shops in Vancouver, a brand new Filofax installment, and a Rimowa installment. We will still feature the best selection of the finest writing instruments from renowned brands such as Parker, Waterman, Visconti, Lamy, S.T. Dupont, and Montegrappa, as well as exquisite leather goods from Bosca, Secrid, Graphic Image, and Tumi. Stayed tuned for updates and the announcement of our grand opening.
Since 1898 Rimowa has been known as makers of the quintessential hard shell luggage. They were the originators of the grooved luggage. Rimowa has always been made for strength and durability. There were never too many bells or whistles that came with it. It was by far the strongest hard shell luggage on the market and the company could have cared less about how “pretty” the cases looked. Only recently did the company gain international notoriety as the official fashion luggage to the stars. All of a sudden that harsh, industrial aluminum case with dings and scratches that it collected through constant abuse by baggage handlers and negligent bellhops is a fashion statement.
Over the last few years, however, Rimowa has come out with luggage that is slightly easier on the eyes, yet retaining their core brand aesthetic. The introduction of their lightweight Salsa collection offered travelers both light weight convenience in polycarbonate, and a vast choice of colors. Considering the weight restrictions in today’s air travel and the ever expanding size of airports, ultra light weight luggage is a great idea. But Rimowa is always going to be known for their bread and butter – aluminum cases.
The Topas collection is the epitome of what performance luggage should be. This is the stuff you take with you on a whirlwind world tour, a trek through the Australian outback, or an African safari. A Topas case will hold up to almost anything and will chronicle your journey in every beautiful nick and scratch that it accumulates through the journey. For the longest time the Topas collection was only offered in the traditional silver aluminum. Recently, a special matte black finish has been made available and they aptly call it the Topas Stealth collection.
With the paint job very much resembling that of a B2 Stealth Bomber and/or an exotic sports car you might see on the road today fitted with the matte black coating, the Topas Stealth cases look like they mean business (in case they didn’t already). Made of the same, practically bomb-proof, aluminum as the original Topas collection, the matte black gives the Stealth pieces a certain contrasting edge. If the silver Topas cases are for the high profile international jet-setter, then the black Stealth cases are for the low profile international jet-setting spy. The Stealth collection is both incognito, but highly recognizable at the same time. Of course, hiding within that matte black paint, it will take a closer look for someone to recognize it’s a Rimowa, but once you see those famous grooves, there is no denying what it is. Every case comes with not one, but two TSA combination locks, an add-a-bag holder, two shoe bags, one laundry bag, and of course a luggage tag. The Topas Stealth collection can be found exclusively at CHARALS in Vancouver, or on their online store.
Some would argue that the classic gentleman is dead; that the dapper, courteous, and romantic man died a long time ago when society deemed it appropriate to wear sneakers with dress pants, let the lady pay for dinner, or budge in front of lineups. Well, we find this to be an outrage. Basic guidelines set forth generations ago by the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, Paul Newman, and James Stewart – the icons of sophistication, elegance, and cool – must be preserved in order for society (and quite possibly humanity) to stand a fighting chance at staying, well, normal. Without the most basic of manners and proper gentlemanly conduct, we might as well be moving backwards in evolution and eventually find ourselves back in the cave. Having said all of that, here is what the modern gentleman should have to set themselves apart from the rest; not in a competitive way, but simply a unique way:
Use a real pen, one that is made of something other than clear and cheap plastic, and has a clip so you can carry it with you at all times. It doesn’t have to be super nice or expensive either. A Parker or Faber-Castell would do just fine! Because searching around your general vicinity for one is time consuming, and breaking out your own to sign a credit card receipt at a restaurant is so much cooler than using their house Bic.
Wear a watch, but use your cell phone to tell the time. In this day and age, nobody actually needs to wear a watch anymore because we all have cell phones, they all tell the time, and they’re all probably more accurate than our watches anyway. That’s not the point, however. With the rise of the cell phone, the wrist watch has been reduced to nothing more than an accessory – almost like a bracelet. But a Casio calculator watch is like wearing a hospital tag, and a cheap $40 Carnival you got at Zellers is like a string made of metallic thread wrapped around your wrist. You don’t have to go drop $5,000 on a Rolex either, but a slightly sporty Momentum, elegant Ingersoll, or a truly masculine and authoritative TW Steel won’t break the bank either and will provide you with that perfect gentleman’s accessory for years.
Carry your stuff in a bag, not in your pockets. We all know how it feels and looks when we over stuff our pockets with the things we need to have with us on a daily basis: cell phone, wallet, glasses case, pack of gum, whatever. Sure, there are at least four pockets on your pants, and if you’re wearing a jacket of some sort you can add at least another two, but nobody said you had to use each one! The best thing to do is actually use none of them. That way your clothes fit you the best they can and flatter your body – your legs will look longer and you won’t look like you have a huge tummy in your mid section. Don’t just go and buy yourself a fanny pack, throw everything in it, and hook it up around your waist now, either. No. Get something that suits what you’re wearing. If you’re mostly in jeans and a t-shirt or hoodie, use a tote or a duffel. If you’re a young professional, use a nice Rimowa. And if you’re a corporate guy who ever steps into a meeting to meet people of any level of importance, carry a briefcase; preferably something from Bosca or Tumi. I cannot stress this enough. If you want people to take you seriously, look like you want to be taken seriously. Because that Nike gym bag just says you can’t wait for the meeting to end so you can hit the gym, and that MEC bag says your weekend hike is more important than the task at hand. Enough said.
These are merely accoutrements to make a man stand apart from the boys. How a gentleman conducts themselves is paramount as well. When entering or exiting through a door with a lady, open and hold a door that swings in towards you, and push, step through first, and hold on the other side a door that swings out. Stand up when a lady leaves a dining table even if you’re the only other person there with her. Always make sure you’re presenting the best version of yourself to the world everyday as a sign of respect to the people around you. And always shake hands with a firm grip and smile.
