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SAM KERR ON SUCCESS, SACRIFICE & WHAT COMES NEXT

Australian football superstar and Matildas captain Sam Kerr has joined one of the world’s most exclusive luxury watch brands, reflecting on the sacrifices behind a career at the pinnacle of professional sport and revealing she only signed with her new club last week.

As Richard Mille’s first and only Australian partner, Kerr has joined an elite group of global athletes, artists and innovators associated with one of the world’s most prestigious watchmakers.

Speaking in Sydney, the 32-year-old reflected on her next chapter, the extraordinary growth of women’s football and the personal sacrifices required to reach the top of the game.

Founded in 2001, Richard Mille has built a reputation for producing some of the world’s most technically advanced and exclusive timepieces. The Swiss watchmaker is renowned for its use of ultra-lightweight materials, Formula One-inspired engineering and limited-production watches that often sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and, in some cases, more than $1 million.

Its ambassadors include tennis great Rafael Nadal, Formula One stars Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris, actress Michelle Yeoh and sprint champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

During the Sydney event, Kerr wore the Richard Mille RM 07-04 Automatic Sport, a lightweight model featuring a pink case, blue strap and skeletonised movement. Designed for active lifestyles, the watch reflects the brand’s philosophy of combining high-performance engineering with luxury craftsmanship.

For Kerr, becoming the brand’s first Australian partner is a source of considerable pride.

“Of course, being the only Australian is incredible to me,” she said. “I am very proud to be Australian and I like to put Australia on the map.”

The announcement comes as Kerr prepares for the next stage of her football career following her departure from Chelsea after six-and-a-half years.

While speculation around her future has been mounting for months, Kerr revealed a decision was only finalised recently.

“Everyone thinks that it was decided and I’ve known that (it was) reported that I’d signed somewhere in April, but honestly, I only signed my contract on Wednesday last week,” she said.

“I really hadn’t decided what I was going to do until last week.”

Kerr said she expects details of her new club to be announced around the beginning of July once her Chelsea contract officially concludes.

Despite her excitement about what lies ahead, she admitted leaving one of the world’s biggest football clubs has been emotional.

“I am really sad about it,” she said. “It’s been my home for 6.5 years. I have so many good memories there. I have so many amazing teammates. I’m sad to leave.

“It sucks to leave such a big club like Chelsea too, but it comes to an end to everything, right?”

The 32-year-old also reflected on the transformation of women’s football during her career, describing the Matildas’ rise from relative obscurity to household-name status as one of her proudest achievements.

“What the Matildas have done over the last four or five years has been incredible,” she said.

“The most important thing for me is that you leave the game in a better place.”

Kerr noted that when she began playing, there were few professional pathways for women, limited sponsorship opportunities and crowds that bore little resemblance to those regularly attending matches today.

“We are a part of that generation that still knows what it was like when there was no one in the crowd,” she said.

Today, she said, crowds of tens of thousands remain something the team never takes for granted.

“Even last night we had 20,000 on a Tuesday night nearly. That’s special to us,” she said.

“We feel very lucky that people come out and spend their money and come to a game and watch us.”

Yet behind the accolades, sponsorships and sold-out stadiums, Kerr said there have been significant personal sacrifices.

“I’ve been living out of home since I was 17 years old. I’ve missed a lot of my family’s life,” she said.

“I’ve missed a lot of weddings. I’ve missed funerals. I’ve missed so many things that people don’t see.”

Kerr revealed she was unable to return home for her grandmother’s funeral last year because of football commitments.

“You have to love what you’re doing. You have to want to sacrifice,” she said.

“Everyone makes sacrifices, of course, and what I do is a massive privilege, but there comes a lot of sacrifice with it.”

Away from football, Kerr said Australia remains central to her identity despite spending much of her adult life overseas.

“I think we take for granted in Australia the beaches, the ocean, the open spaces,” she said.

As she prepares for a new club, a new season and a new role with Richard Mille, Kerr said she remains motivated by the same passion that first drew her to the game as a teenager.

“It was really organic,” she said of her relationship with the luxury watchmaker.

“It’s a real family brand.”

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Celebrity-backed fund nears US$50m as investor demand builds 

A new investment fund targeting celebrity-founded consumer brands has secured US$40 million in commitments and is rapidly approaching its US$50 million fundraising target, signalling growing investor appetite for alternative opportunities beyond traditional asset classes. 

The Global Talent Fund, which has a maximum raise of US$100 million, focuses on building and investing in consumer businesses alongside celebrities, athletes, and influential personalities who play an active role as co-founders rather than simply endorsing products. 

The strategy is based on the belief that changes in consumer behaviour, particularly the rise of social media and digital engagement, have fundamentally altered how brands are built and scaled. 

GTF founding partner Jeremy Hunt, who is helping lead the fund’s strategy, said consumers increasingly feel connected to personalities they follow online and are more willing to support products developed by those individuals. 

“Consumers are searching for content to engage with, and when a celebrity they like or follow takes them on the journey of creating a product or brand, they genuinely feel part of that process,” he said. 

The fund is targeting high-growth consumer sectors including wellness, hydration, beauty and recovery, areas Hunt believes continue to benefit from strong global demand and ongoing innovation. 

Rather than backing celebrity endorsement deals, the fund is seeking businesses where talent is deeply involved in product development, brand creation and long-term growth. 

According to Hunt, authenticity remains one of the biggest differentiators between successful celebrity-backed brands and those that fail. 

“The consumer can see clearly if someone is simply being paid to promote a product,” he said. “The winners are typically the brands where the celebrity has genuinely helped build the business from the ground up.” 

The model has attracted support from several prominent Australian investors and business families, reflecting broader interest in alternative investments with global growth potential. 

Hunt said consumer brands offered a level of tangibility that many investors found appealing. 

“Consumer brands are what we touch, feel, smell and taste every day,” he said. “Our investors understand the growth potential in the model, but they also want to be part of the journey.” 

The fund’s rapid progress towards its fundraising target comes amid growing recognition that celebrity influence, when combined with strong commercial execution and scalable business models, can create significant enterprise value. 

With several high-profile celebrity-founded businesses generating billion-dollar exits in recent years, supporters of the strategy believe the opportunity remains in its early stages. 

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The travel initiative touching lives across 27 countries

Luxury travel has long been associated with extraordinary experiences, remote destinations and exclusive access.

Increasingly, however, it is also being measured by something less visible: the impact it leaves behind.

New figures released by Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy (AKP), the charitable arm of luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent, reveal the organisation raised a record $3.3 million in 2025, supporting 80 projects across 27 countries and reaching almost 550,000 beneficiaries since its inception.

The result marks the philanthropy group’s largest year to date and reflects a broader shift within the luxury travel sector towards community development, conservation and long-term local partnerships.

Keith Sproule, Executive Director of A&K Philanthropy, said the organisation’s focus remained on creating lasting change within communities visited by travellers.

“From feeding thousands of students each day to expanding access to clean water, healthcare and economic opportunity, 2025 was a landmark year for A&K Philanthropy,” he said.

A changing definition of luxury

The growing focus on social impact comes as affluent travellers increasingly seek deeper connections with the destinations they visit.

Across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America, AKP’s projects span education, healthcare, conservation and enterprise development, often in remote regions where tourism can provide an important economic lifeline.

Among the year’s milestones was the delivery of approximately $800,000 worth of medical equipment to healthcare facilities in Uganda and Zambia, while more than 6,400 students gained access to clean drinking water through school-based initiatives.

The organisation also expanded school feeding programs in Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and Zambia, providing daily meals to more than 7,200 children.

Investing in communities

Several projects highlighted in the report focus on helping communities generate sustainable income rather than relying solely on aid.

In the Peruvian Amazon, AKP partnered with the Nueva Arica community to develop businesses centred on punga fibre, aguaje fruit and honey production, creating economic opportunities while supporting environmental conservation in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.

Elsewhere, near Petra in Jordan, 40 young women completed a vocational mosaic-training program designed to help participants establish businesses and generate independent income.

Education also remained a priority, with a new library opening at Pusanki Primary School in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. The project included the delivery of more than 1,100 books for 440 students living near important wildlife conservation areas.

Tourism’s broader legacy

While luxury travel remains centred on exceptional experiences, reports such as AKP’s highlight the growing expectation that tourism should deliver benefits beyond the visitor experience alone.

The organisation now employs 17 Impact Managers who work directly within local communities, helping oversee projects and maintain long-term partnerships in some of the world’s most isolated regions.

As travellers become increasingly conscious of where their money flows, the concept of luxury is continuing to evolve, with many high-end operators placing greater emphasis on the legacy their journeys leave behind.

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Top Maldives resort launches immersive fine dining voyage inspired by the Age of Discovery

NH Collection Maldives Reethi Resort has unveiled an ambitious new fine dining concept that transforms dinner into a journey through history.

Called Caravela, the immersive culinary experience draws inspiration from the great maritime expeditions of the 14th to 17th centuries, blending Spanish culinary traditions with Maldivian ingredients into a multisensory tasting menu centred on exploration, trade, and cultural exchange.

Located within the UNESCO-protected Baa Atoll, the newly renovated resort has designed the experience for just 12 guests per evening, centred on a communal dining table that encourages connection and shared discovery.

The inaugural five-course menu, titled The Atlantic Voyage of 1487, traces the route of early explorers sailing from Iberia along the African coast in search of a sea passage to India.

The concept was developed under the direction of resort manager and Master Sommelier Melroy Fernandes, who worked alongside the culinary team to create a storytelling-led experience inspired by the Age of Discovery. Fernandes has also curated the accompanying wine pairings designed to complement each stage of the culinary journey.

Dishes include crispy king crab fritters with ikura and lime-yuzu vinaigrette, torched Maldivian tuna loin with escabeche and Moroccan spices, and a 12-hour sous vide pork belly glazed with smoky chilli and Spanish chorizo jus.

Dessert references Portuguese navigation history with an olive oil cake featuring port wine and blood orange gel encased within a delicate sugar sphere inspired by the historic Armillary Sphere.

Future menus are already planned, including voyages themed around the Pacific and Indian oceans, with the concept designed to evolve over time through different flavour maps and historical narratives.

The experience was developed under the direction of resort manager and Master Sommelier Melroy Fernandes alongside the resort’s culinary team, with curated wine pairings accompanying each course.

“Caravela offers a journey of a different kind, one that connects history, culture and cuisine in a truly immersive way,” Fernandes said.

The Atlantic Voyage tasting menu with wine pairings is priced at USD190++ per guest and available by reservation only.

The resort is positioned as a private island retreat focused on nature, tranquillity and immersive experiences. The resort features 105 renovated beach and overwater villas surrounded by turquoise waters, coral reefs and lush tropical greenery.

Beyond its dining offerings, the resort features a collection of restaurants, bars, and destination-led experiences, from all-day dining and Japanese-inspired cuisine to sunset cocktails and private beachfront dinners.

The property also offers close access to Hanifaru Bay, one of the Maldives’ most celebrated marine sanctuaries, known for seasonal gatherings of manta rays and whale sharks.

Part of the global NH Collection portfolio under Minor Hotels, the resort reflects the growing shift in luxury travel towards more experience-driven stays, where gastronomy, storytelling, and connection to place are becoming just as important as overwater villas and white-sand beaches.

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PORSCHE UNVEILS LIMITED-EDITION 911 TURBO S SADU EDITION TO MARK 70 YEARS IN KUWAIT

Porsche has unveiled a limited-edition 911 Turbo S created exclusively for Kuwait, marking 70 years since the first Porsche sports car was imported into the Middle East.

Called the 911 Turbo S Sadu Edition, the bespoke model is based on the latest 992.II-generation Turbo S, with production limited to just 20 vehicles.

The release commemorates the arrival of a Porsche 356 Cabriolet imported into Kuwait by Morad Behbehani in 1956, establishing Behbehani Motors Company as the brand’s first Middle Eastern dealership.

The special-edition model draws heavily on Al Sadu, the traditional wool weaving practice recognised as part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2020. Known for its bold geometric patterns and cultural significance across the Arabian Peninsula, the weaving style has been incorporated throughout both the exterior and interior detailing of the car.

“The Turbo S Sadu Edition combines high performance with exclusive craftsmanship,” Porsche Middle East and Africa CEO Dr Manfred Bräunl said.

“This very special project has been years in the making and the final product is a fitting tribute to the Behbehani family’s 70-year Porsche story.”

Finished in Cremewhite with black high-gloss accents, the car features bespoke Sadu-inspired decals across the lower doors and rear wing, alongside specially painted Sport Classic wheels and gold ‘Turbo S Sadu Edition’ badging.

Inside, the two-tone leather cabin combines black and Bordeaux Red finishes with GT Silver detailing and custom Sadu-pattern textiles integrated into the seats and door panels. The ‘70 Years’ anniversary motif has also been embossed into the headrests in Arabic lettering.

Additional detailing extends to the key case, owner’s manual wallet and illuminated door sill guards, while the car is equipped with Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, titanium sports tailpipes, a Burmester High-End Surround Sound System and front axle lift technology.

Behbehani Motors Company President Ali Behbehani said the model reflected both Kuwait’s traditions and Porsche’s bespoke craftsmanship capabilities.

The limited-run vehicles will be completed through Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur in Zuffenhausen, adjacent to the 911 production line.

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Is the Weight-Loss Drug Revolution Causing a Frailty Epidemic?

Chanel Robinson achieved exactly what the gold rush of blockbuster weight-loss drugs promised: She lost nearly 100 pounds, lowered her cholesterol to normal levels and reined in her polycystic ovary syndrome.

Yet, nearly three years into her journey on Mounjaro, the 30-year-old from Atlanta, Ga., is discovering the hidden costs of the slimmed-down life.

Robinson experiences muscle fatigue daily, feeling physically weak, frail and often cold. Robinson said she experiences bursts of sluggishness sporadically during the day, and has trouble with basic tasks like opening a jar. “It shouldn’t be this difficult,” she said.

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Zepbound have been a success for public health and the pharmaceutical companies that make them. Obesity rates are falling, the volume of food consumed in America is declining and retailers report a slump in sales of plus-size apparel. It has improved health and happiness for millions of people.

But for at least some of the 13 million Americans taking them, losing muscle along with fat is an unexpected downside that isn’t broadly discussed or immediately apparent.

The drugs can cause rapid and significant loss of lean muscle mass, up to 10%, comparable to a decade or more of aging, according to an analysis published by the American Diabetes Association.

The loss of lean tissue is similar to weight loss from dieting, but the magnitude over a short period can lead to frailty, instability and lack of coordination, doctors and researchers say. Another concern is that losing muscle could slow down patients’ metabolism, leading to weight regain.

“We are curing obesity by encouraging frailty,” said Daniel Green, principal research fellow at the University of Western Australia, who contributed to the analysis. Many taking weight-loss medications initially lose fat and feel great, but quickly start to feel weak and lethargic, he said.

Green’s research showed that the rate of muscle loss could be slowed significantly by regular strength workouts. “It should say ‘must be taken with resistance training’ on the box,” he said.

Drugmakers say weight-loss drugs should be taken only on the advice of a physician and as part of a long-term plan that includes diet and exercise.

A spokesperson for Eli Lilly, maker of Zepbound, said Food and Drug Administration guidelines say it should be used “with increased physical activity.” The spokesperson added: “Sustainable weight loss is about more than a number on a scale.”

Both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk said clinical trials showed users did lose some lean muscle tissue, though at far lower rates than fat. Liz Skrbkova, a spokeswoman for Novo Nordisk, said that trials for its drug Wegovy showed changes in muscle mass didn’t “significantly differ” from patients who took a placebo. Eli Lilly said users lost three times more fat weight than lean tissue.

Rayna Kingston, 30, from Denver, said her injections of Zepbound left her feeling so tired the following day that she struggled to complete anything other than basic tasks. She said she shifted her dose to a Sunday because Mondays were her least busy day. Her partner would bring her meals in bed because she felt so weak.

She stopped exercising, and said her doctor didn’t give her any guidance on strength training or muscle maintenance. “I was relying on Reddit forums to understand what was happening to my body,” she said. She got so frustrated with the fatigue she came off the medication just under two months later.

Experts say that losing muscle at such a rate can be especially dangerous for those over 50 or with osteoporosis or limited mobility as it could lead to an increased risk of injury. “Loss of muscle mass is detrimental to moving around and quality of life, but it is also not safe,” said Katsu Funai, associate professor at the University of Utah.

Elderly Americans are set to be able to get GLP-1s from Medicare from July.

There is also pushback from doctors and regulators against using weight-loss drugs as a “quick fix” to lose a bit of weight.

People who take GLP-1s regain weight four times faster than those who lose weight through lifestyle interventions, and weight regained is often mostly fat, according to a recent analysis published in the British Medical Journal. There currently are few, if any, guidelines or studies on de-prescribing the drugs, researchers say.

The nurse practitioner who prescribed Robinson the medication didn’t warn her that resistance training is essential to maintaining muscle mass, Robinson said. She said she regrets not exercising and now does Pilates once a week.

In the haste to disrupt the obesity epidemic, weight loss has been treated as the singular, undisputed metric of success, which experts say is problematic.

“People worship body weight as an outcome measure because it’s simple, quick and inexpensive,” said Green. “But what matters is fat and muscle mass, which is more expensive to measure as it requires an MRI.”

Grace Parkin, 34, a property manager from Sheffield, England, has lost 125 pounds after she started taking Mounjaro in 2024. “I don’t care about my muscle mass as long as I’m a healthy weight,” she said.

The doctor who prescribed the drug didn’t tell her to exercise, though the pharmacy that sold the medication gave her information on exercise and protein intake, she said.

She didn’t exercise and said she soon felt side effects: a “deathly cold, from the inside” likely because of the drug. Still, she vowed to keep going, saying the weight loss was worth it.

In response to some of the side effects, drug companies are hoping to develop weight-loss treatments aimed at preserving or even building lean muscle mass.

German drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim recently said it had promising results from one such drug. Eli Lilly last September halted a trial of a similar drug.

While weight-loss medications are designed as lifelong treatments for chronic diseases, namely obesity and Type 2 diabetes, they are increasingly marketed as lifestyle fixes.

Tennis superstar Serena Williams, who used GLP-1s to slim down after having children, was featured in this year’s Super Bowl commercial promoting telehealth company Ro’s weight-loss medication.

Serena Williams holding a GLP-1 weight-loss medicine injector.

Serena Williams poses for an ad campaign for a weight-loss drug. Ro/Handout/Reuters

Women may be particularly vulnerable to the drugs’s side effects, which can also include nausea, diarrhea, migraines and rarer cases of pancreatitis.

A study last year from a university hospital in Turin, Italy, showed that women are more prone to adverse reactions to weight-loss drugs than men, including muscle loss.

Green, the researcher, said the issue is of particular concern to those taking GLP-1s recreationally and who don’t have much muscle mass to begin with. Others say a lack of oversight is compounding the issue.

“Patients are self-reporting, and telehealth companies don’t have the patient in front of them to conduct a proper medical assessment,” said Rupal Mathur, an internist in Houston whose practice specializes in weight loss.

She said medical spas are prescribing off-label drugs that don’t meet the criteria set out by the FDA that justify a prescription.

The number of people taking weight-loss drugs who are not living with obesity or Type 2 diabetes is difficult to track since it is unregulated.

However, an analysis by the FDA from 2023 found that more than half of new Ozempic and Mounjaro users didn’t have Type 2 diabetes.

Scientists are calling for more clinical trials to pin down the full effects of weight-loss drugs on muscle loss in different demographics.

“The only studies that have been done have looked at people living with obesity or Type 2 diabetes,” said Green. “That makes it all the more concerning for those using weight-loss drugs in an ad hoc or unregistered way.”

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MAISON de SABRÉ unveils its most personalisable handbag collection yet

Australian luxury bag and accessories brand MAISON de SABRÉ  has unveiled The Trio Collection, a new handbag concept centred on personalisation, interchangeable styling and the brand’s signature bold use of colour.

The launch follows the highly successful launch of the brand’s Palais Collection, which marked a new chapter for MAISON de SABRÉ with its use of butter-soft calf leather, dual-tone carryalls and elevated craftsmanship designed to blend luxury with functionality.

Now, the brand is taking a more playful and customisable direction.

The Trio Collection centres around The Soft Trio, a softly structured leather crossbody crafted from a single piece of full-grain European leather using a stitch-free trifold construction.

The collection also introduces interchangeable accessories including The Utility Strap, The Twist Handle and the limited-edition Bow Padlock Charm, allowing wearers to style the bag in more than 720 different combinations.

At a time when luxury fashion houses are increasingly leaning into personal expression and collectability, MAISON de SABRÉ’s latest release feels designed for customers who want one bag to shift across moods, outfits and occasions rather than sit quietly in a wardrobe.

For the first time, the brand has also introduced its vivid dual-tone colour combinations across an entire collection, including new shades Daisy Yellow and Brick Red alongside pairings such as Dove Sky, Candy Plum and Daisy Matcha.

“The Trio Collection is designed as a system of infinite possibilities,” said Omar Sabré, co-founder and creative director of MAISON de SABRÉ.

“It’s crafted to adapt, to transform and to carry with purpose – crafting a new approach to longevity through design.”

The collection continues the brand’s sustainability focus, with every piece crafted using DriTan™ leather technology sourced from LWG Gold-Rated European tanneries, while several accessories incorporate upcycled leather offcuts.

Prices start from $109 AUD for the limited-edition Bow Padlock Charm and rise to $559 AUD for The Soft Trio carryall.

Founded in 2017 by brothers Omar and Zane Sabré, the Australian-born label has built a global following through its colour-driven leather accessories and collectible SABRÉMOJI™ charms, with celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep and Katy Perry among those seen carrying the brand.

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An 18th-Century Barbados Villa Built Over a Network of Ancient Caves Lists for $22.5 Million

A historic Barbados estate with a 300-year-old villa and 11 acres overlooking the Caribbean Sea is now for sale with a guide price of $22.5 million.

The seller is Kit Braden, chairman of the U.K. branch of French beauty empire L’Occitane Group, whose family has spent every winter for the last 13 years at the island property, known as Fustic Estate.

“It’s very much a family house,” Braden said. “We love having a lot of people there. It’s a collection point to keep everyone together.”

The main villa dates to 1712, though it’s been reimagined and expanded substantially over the years.

It spans 13,000 square feet and features seven en suite bedrooms across three wings, as well as expansive verandas, stone courtyards and rows of louvered doors in gay Caribbean pastels.

In the 1970s, when the home was owned by Charles Graves—brother of British poet Robert Graves—it was reimagined by stage designer Oliver Messel, one of the foremost theater designers of the last century. Messel expanded the home, added a lagoon pool with a natural waterfall and other theatrical features, according to Braden.

“The whole place is a little bit magical,” he said.

The home sits about 350 feet above the water, and surrounded by lush gardens that slope towards the water.

“We look down through our garden—which is about 12 acres of tropical gardens and palm trees and wonderful old mahogany trees—onto the Caribbean,” Braden said.

He and his wife first saw the property on New Year’s Eve 2013, during a quick trip from where they were staying in Grenada.

The couple spent an hour walking the perimeter, some of it still untouched jungle, in the pouring rain.

“By the time we got back, I had fallen in love with it,” Braden said.

His wife, however, wasn’t so sure. But in Braden’s telling, a second visit in sunnier weather with two of their children brought her around.

“She had to be talked into that it was a jolly good idea; now she absolutely loves it,” he said.

When they bought the property, the edge that runs along the waterfront was a jungle, so they cleared the ridge and transformed it into gardens.

They also bought an additional sea-level parcel with two beach cottages, giving the property direct access to the water and the town below via a five-minute walk.

The property also has a 15-person staff, a reflecting pond, an outdoor pavilion suitable for yoga and a commercial grade kitchen that can serve more than 100 guests, according to a brochure from Knight Frank, which posted the listing in March. They did not provide further comment.

For Braden, the property is special because of its natural beauty, its proximity to the town of Saint Lucy and its history—which dates way way back to when the island of Barbados was first formed via tectonic activity.

“It was basically tectonic plates that collided about a million years ago so the seabed is the top of the hill,” Braden said. “We’re on coral rock.”

As a result, Fustic Estate includes an extensive network of caves that were likely used by the Arawaks, a Venezuelan fishing tribe that followed the fish to these islands about a thousand years ago.

“If the fish were good they’d camp here,” Braden said. “There’s evidence that they stayed there in those caves, they lived there in good winters.”

Now it’s someone else’s turn to live on the land shared by Arawaks, the plantation owners of 1712, Charles Graves and the Braden brood.

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Lamborghini and Babolat unveil limited-edition BL.001 padel racket

Automobili Lamborghini and Babolat have unveiled a new evolution of the BL.001 padel racket, introducing five fresh colour variants for the limited-edition design collaboration between the Italian supercar marque and the French sporting giant.

First launched in 2024, the BL.001 marked the beginning of the partnership between the two brands, combining Lamborghini’s expertise in engineering and composite materials with Babolat’s long-standing pedigree in racket sports.

The latest edition was revealed at Lamborghini Arena, the brand’s annual showcase event, with production once again capped at just 50 units globally.

According to Lamborghini, the new collection places a stronger emphasis on colour and finish, elements the company describes as central to its design identity.

Produced at Lamborghini’s Sant’Agata Bolognese facilities using processes inspired by its super sports cars, the racket features a 3K carbon surface designed to maximise responsiveness, power and precision.

The frame is reinforced with KORIDION, a rigid foam technology intended to improve structural stiffness and energy transfer on impact, while maintaining a high level of control for players.

The companies said the collaboration reflects a shared focus on innovation and high performance, with the racket positioned as more than simply a sporting accessory.

The BL.001 will be exclusively showcased and tested during Lamborghini Arena 2026, taking place at Italy’s Imola Circuit on May 9 and 10, where media, influencers and guests will have the opportunity to trial the racket firsthand.

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ITALY’S FINE WINES GAIN GROUND AS VALUE PLAY FOR COLLECTORS

Italian fine wines are gaining momentum among Australian collectors and drinkers, with new data from showing a surge in interest driven by value, versatility and a new generation of producers.

Long dominated by France, the premium wine conversation is beginning to shift, with Italy increasingly positioned as a compelling alternative for both drinking and collecting.

According to Langtons, the category is benefiting from a combination of factors, including its breadth of styles, strong food affinity and more accessible price points compared to traditional European benchmarks.

“Italy has always offered fine wine fans an incredible range of wines with finesse, nuance, expression of terroir, ageability, rarity, and heritage,” said Langtons General Manager Tamara Grischy.

“There’s no doubt the Italian wine category is gaining momentum in 2026… While the French have long dominated the fine wine space in Australia, we’re seeing Italy become a strong contender as the go-to for both drinking and collecting.”

The shift is being reinforced by changing consumer preferences, with Langtons reporting increased demand for indigenous Italian varieties and lighter, food-first styles such as Nerello Mascalese from Etna and modern Chianti Classico.

This aligns with the broader rise of Mediterranean-style dining in Australia, where wines are expected to complement a wider range of dishes rather than dominate them.

Langtons buyer Zach Nelson said the category’s versatility is central to its appeal.

“Italian wines often have a distinct, savoury edge making them an ideal pairing for a variety of cuisines,” he said.

The move towards Italian wines also comes as prices for traditional French regions continue to climb, particularly in Burgundy, prompting collectors to look elsewhere for value without compromising on quality.

Italy’s key regions, including Piedmont and Etna, are increasingly seen as offering that balance, with premium wines available at comparatively accessible price points.

Nelson said value is now a defining factor for buyers in 2026.

“Value is the key driver for Australian fine wine consumers… Italian wines are offering exactly that at an impressive array of price points to suit any budget,” he said.

The category is also proving attractive for newer collectors, offering what Langtons describes as “accessible prestige” and a more open entry point compared to the exclusivity often associated with Bordeaux.

Wines such as Brunello di Montalcino and Nebbiolo-based expressions are increasingly being positioned as entry points into cellar-worthy collections, combining ageability with relative affordability.

At the same time, a new generation of Italian producers is reshaping the category, moving away from heavier, oak-driven styles towards wines that emphasise site expression and vibrancy.

“There’s definitely a ‘new guard’ of Italian winemaking… stripping away the makeup… to let the raw, vibrating energy of the site speak,” Nelson said.

Langtons is also expanding its offering in the category, including exclusive access to wines from family-owned producer Boroli, alongside a broader selection spanning Piedmont, Veneto, Sicily and Tuscany.

The company will showcase the category further at its upcoming Italian Collection Masterclass and Tasting in Sydney, featuring more than 50 wines from 23 producers across four key regions.

For collectors and drinkers alike, the message is clear: Italy may have been overlooked, but it is no longer under the radar.