The Lens
On moments of excellence
IM L6 × Prof. Jimmy Choo Bespoke Limited Edition, bringing haute couture detailing to IM Motors’ electric fastback.
IM Motors × Jimmy Choo: When the Electric Fastback Meets Haute Couture
IM Motors brings automotive engineering into conversation with haute couture through the IM L6 × Prof. Jimmy Choo Bespoke Limited Edition, a limited-production electric fastback developed for the Chinese market. Known in Australia as the IM5, the L6 has been reinterpreted with Jimmy Choo as Haute Couture Design Master, introducing crystal-inspired detailing, blue brake callipers and a striking bespoke blue cabin. The interior draws particular significance from the blue satin shoes Choo designed for the late Diana, Princess of Wales, translating a piece of fashion history into an unexpected automotive setting. Rather than treating luxury purely as performance or specification, the collaboration places materiality, individuality and personal expression at the centre of electric mobility—a glimpse at an emerging world in which the automobile is considered not simply as transport, but increasingly as an object of design. The special edition has not been announced for Australia, although the IM5 and IM6 are currently available locally.
Dr. Afra Atiq and Senior Executive Pastry Chef Nicolas Lambert bring poetry and pâtisserie together in celebration of Emirati Women’s Day at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach. Courtesy of Four Seasons.
Poetry and Pâtisserie: A Tribute to Emirati Women
At Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, poetry leaves the page and arrives at the table. In celebration of Emirati Women’s Day, Emirati poet Dr. Afra Atiq and Senior Executive Pastry Chef Nicolas Lambert have created a collaborative work inspired by the strength, resilience and enduring legacy of Emirati women. Developed in dialogue, the poem and pâtisserie share a visual and literary language: mango evokes light, bloom and harvest; the dessert’s circular form speaks to continuity across generations; and mango slices resembling pages become stories and chapters. Lambert translates these ideas through Alfonso mango, roasted coffee, cardamom, cocoa nibs and Dibba Bay sea salt—ingredients selected not simply for flavour, but for the histories and associations they carry. The result is an intriguing meeting of literary and culinary arts, where a poem can be tasted and a dessert can be read. Available at Shai Salon through 30 September, the collaboration offers a particularly beautiful proposition: that heritage is not only something preserved, but something continually interpreted through new creative forms.
Boyd Exell (AUS) with Daan, Hero, Mad Max and Mister Bono Van ’t Hooge during the Four-in-Hand Marathon at the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026.
Exell and Australia in Pole Position Ahead of Driving Finale
Australia’s Boyd Exell heads into the final day of the FEI Driving World Championship in Aachen leading both the Individual and Team standings after a commanding marathon performance. Chasing an extraordinary eighth consecutive world title, Exell guided Daan, Hero, Mad Max and Mister Bono Van ’t Hooge through the eight obstacles with precision, taking a 5.38-point advantage into Sunday’s decisive cones. Alongside teammate Tor Van den Berge, he has also propelled Australia to the top of the Team standings — narrowly ahead of the Netherlands and Belgium, and within reach of a first Four-in-Hand Team world title.
The new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class interior, where traditional craftsmanship meets an increasingly intelligent and personalised digital environment. Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz.
The new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class: the next era of intelligent luxury
The new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class enters its next era with an interpretation of luxury that is increasingly intelligent, personalised and quietly technological. The latest generation introduces the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), an expansive MBUX Superscreen and sophisticated digital environments alongside the craftsmanship that has long defined Maybach. Inside, rose-gold digital accents, meticulous finishes and a new MANUFAKTUR Beech Brown interior contribute to a cabin conceived as a private sanctuary, while enhanced insulation, AIRMATIC suspension and intelligent damping further distance occupants from the road. Performance remains formidable: the new S 580 introduces a V8 producing up to 395 kW and 750 Nm, while the S 680 continues with its handcrafted 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12, producing 463 kW and 900 Nm. Yet the more interesting evolution is philosophical. Technology here is not intended to dominate the experience, but to recede into it—anticipating, adapting and creating a sense of ease. In the contemporary Maybach, intelligent luxury is perhaps best understood as everything working beautifully without demanding attention.
A timeless view across the Venetian Lagoon from Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel.
A New Chapter in Venice, Danieli, Venezia
Following its highly anticipated reopening, Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel enters a new chapter on the Riva degli Schiavoni, inviting guests back to one of Venice's most storied landmarks. Originally built in 1471 as the residence of the noble Dandolo family, the historic palace has been meticulously restored in collaboration with renowned interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, where Venetian Gothic architecture, local craftsmanship, and contemporary design are thoughtfully brought together. From restored interiors inspired by the colours of the Lagoon to reimagined suites, the celebrated Terrazza Danieli, and a renewed hospitality experience, the hotel offers a fresh perspective on one of Italy's most iconic addresses. In The Lens, we explore the architectural heritage, considered design, and enduring elegance that define Danieli's remarkable return.
Aline Teillard (FRA) and Elixir De Sienne competing in the CH-EU-Y-CCI3*-L dressage phase at the FEI Eventing European Championship for Juniors & Young Riders, Segersjö, Sweden. Courtesy of FEI.
Aline Teillard and Elixir De Sienne at Segersjö
At the FEI Eventing European Championship for Juniors & Young Riders in Segersjö, Sweden, France’s Aline Teillard and Elixir De Sienne take to the dressage arena in the Young Riders CH-EU-Y-CCI3*-L competition. The dressage phase brings a particular kind of stillness to eventing: horse and rider asked to demonstrate balance, accuracy and communication before the championship turns towards the speed and endurance of cross-country and the precision of jumping. For young riders competing at European Championship level, it is also an important stage in their development—an opportunity to represent their country while building experience within the demanding three-discipline structure of the sport. Teillard and Elixir De Sienne present a composed picture in Segersjö, capturing one of eventing’s quieter moments: the concentration between movements, the subtle conversation between horse and rider, and the preparation that precedes what is still to come.