Winter Luxury Guide: TheGlitz Exclusive

Winter has always known how to make an entrance, but this season arrives with particular élan. This year’s luxury landscape offers particularly compelling reasons to answer that call. From fashion houses unveiling collections that marry heritage craftsmanship with contemporary audacity, to distilleries releasing expressions worthy of the most discerning palates, the season’s arrivals reward those who seek the exceptional. New dining destinations are rewriting the city’s culinary narrative with audacious menus and impeccable execution, while festive pop-ups promise experiences as memorable as they are ephemeral.

Whether you’re curating your own winter wardrobe, selecting the perfect dram for fireside contemplation, planning celebratory dinners, or assembling gifts that genuinely impress, this season’s offerings provide ample opportunity for distinction. Consider this your insider’s guide to winter’s most coveted treasures for spending well and choosing better.

RED CARPETS Worth Watching

Gucci’s Recent Placements

Gucci’s celebrity roster delivered varied results lately. Miley Cyrus chose a black sequin-embroidered gown with tulle and a bow for the “Avatar: Fire And Ash” premiere – safe, shimmering, forgettable. More interesting: Dua Lipa‘s custom tour look layering a feathered GG blazer over a crystal-embroidered bodysuit and stockings during her Radical Optimism shows – committed, if maximalist. Kim Petras‘ ivory shearling with a metallic chain belt in Paris felt oddly restrained by comparison. Gucci dresses many; not all wear it equally well.

Elsewhere Worth Noting

When what’s happening abroad deserves mention – for travellers and dreamers.

Galeries Lafayette Rooftop Ice Rink Returns

Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann revives its rooftop ice rink through January 4 – a month-long run offering skating with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop and Christmas lights stretched across the city below. Created with Courchevel, the setup promises decent ice and unbeatable views for tourists and Parisians alike. Whether you’re planning December in Paris or simply filing this under “reasons to book flights”, the setting does most of the work. Skates provided; vertigo not included.

Time Well Spent

The season’s most compelling arguments for upgrading your wrist.

Casio India drops the All-New Vintage AQ-240

Casio’s latest vintage offering makes its case quietly. The AQ-240’s soft octagonal case and that pleasingly anachronistic TV-shaped digital window suggest the brand understands restraint – no small feat when nostalgia typically invites excess. The sunray dial provides actual depth rather than merely printed simulation, while the dual-display functionality remains genuinely useful for those navigating multiple time zones without theatrical fuss. Three colourways – with teal showing the most nerve – arrive at a price that won’t require justification. Sometimes accessible means intelligent.

Ducati Watches via Titan

Ducati arrives on Indian wrists through Titan with 43 timepieces that translate the Bologna marque’s visual language – instrumentation dials, that signature deep red, angular cases suggesting speed even while stationary. Whether motorsport cues belong on a watch dial remains debatable, though the Titan partnership suggests genuine engineering intent rather than mere badge licensing. For enthusiasts who’ve longed to wear their passion beyond the garage, the collection delivers. Restraint, as expected, took a back seat.

Through New Lenses

Sunglasses and optical frames worth actually wearing.

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2)

Essilor Luxottica and Meta push their connected eyewear forward with Gen 2 – double the battery life (now eight hours), 3K video capture via an upgraded 12MP camera, and three seasonal colorways plus a limited run. The glasses translate, stream, photograph, and field calls while looking decidedly less dystopian than competing wearables. New: Meta AI now speaks Hindi and adopts Deepika Padukone’s voice for English interactions. At this pace, Ray-Ban Meta leads the category less through innovation than through making tech feel wearable. Sometimes that’s enough.

The Vanity Update

Skincare and cosmetics that earn their shelf space.

YSL LOVESHINE Plumping Lip Oil Gloss

YSL Beauty extends its LOVESHINE line with a plumping lip oil gloss—97% caring oils, including ginger and pepper, promising eight hours of shine, instant plumpness, and a non-sticky texture. Whether it delivers on the hydration-plus-volume claim or simply joins the crowded lip gloss market with prettier packaging, early adopters will determine. The formula sounds promising enough to warrant attention.

Kiehl’s Ultra Body Mega Moisture Squalane Cream

Hydration has just had its couture moment. Kiehl’s Ultra Body Mega Moisture Squalane Cream has finally landed in India, and it’s no timid lotion. With plant‑derived squalane, pro‑ceramides, shea butter, and glacial glycoprotein, it reads like a runway lineup in a jar. Three days of moisture, barrier support, and skin so soft it could scandalize silk. Lightweight, unscented, and non‑greasy—this is body care stripped of fuss, dressed in pure indulgence. Sensitive skin, dry patches, fragrance‑free devotees—consider this formulation your new obsession. And yes, it absorbs faster than gossip at a cocktail party.

Fall/Winter Collection 2025

Collections that justify the investment and flatter mercilessly.

Ray-Ban Wayfarer Puffer by A$AP Rocky

Ray-Ban’s first-ever Creative Director, A$AP Rocky, reimagines the Wayfarer as an inflated spectacle – literally. The Puffer arrives in three escalating editions: crystal-studded frames in six colourways, pavé crystal versions dripping embellishments temple-to-tip, and a diamond edition featuring 1.65 carats of ethically sourced stones set in 14k gold. Whether this represents fearless creativity or maximum excess depends entirely on your tolerance for eyewear as performance art. The price stratification ensures exclusivity; the aesthetic ensures you’ll be noticed. Subtlety was explicitly not the brief. Collectors and spectacle-seekers, take note.

Jimmy Choo Autumn Winter 2025 Eyewear

Jimmy Choo and Essilor Luxottica deliver their autumn/winter eyewear collection, leaning heavily on house codes: crystals, pearls, monograms, and diamonds. Creative Director Sandra Choi translates the signature Romy pump into rectangular sunglasses – sleek, wearable, predictably elegant. The vintage-inspired pilot opticals pair acetate fronts with engraved metal temples. Campaign imagery shot along the Amalfi Coast trades autumn atmosphere for lingering summer nostalgia, which either enhances the romance or distracts from the product depending on perspective. Solid execution, familiar territory. No risks taken, none needed.

Vogue Eyewear Autumn Winter 2025

Vogue Eyewear’s latest collection offers runway-influenced shapes with the requisite bold finishes – sparkle for maximalists, sleek lines for those favouring restraint. The range promises versatility across moods, which either means genuine adaptability or safe hedging depending on execution. Notably, the Teens Collection returns for its second season, sized for younger wearers and petite-faced adults – a practical acknowledgement that not all faces demand oversized frames. Accessible price points keep the barrier low. Style remains subjective; options remain plentiful.

Emporio Armani FW25 Eyewear

Emporio Armani’s fall eyewear collection balances streamlined minimalism with bolder geometries, employing bi- and tri-layer construction techniques and the requisite eagle emblem on temples. British actor Nicholas Galitzine fronts the campaign with appropriate charisma. The collection incorporates partially renewable materials – a nod toward sustainability without revolutionary commitment. Whether these frames “command attention” or simply occupy face real estate competently depends largely on who’s wearing them. Solid craftsmanship, recognisable branding, nothing particularly surprising. Sometimes consistency suffices.

Burberry Autumn Winter 2025 Eyewear

Burberry’s autumn eyewear under Daniel Lee leans predictably on heritage – Equestrian Knight detailing, meticulous craft, and the usual “classic meets contemporary” positioning. Lee continues mining house codes rather than rewriting them, which either reassures long-time devotees or feels cautiously unadventurous depending on expectations. The frames exist. They’re undoubtedly Burberry. Whether that’s recommendation enough remains entirely personal.

United Colors of Benetton Fall Winter 2025

United Colors of Benetton leans enthusiastically into Gilmore Girls nostalgia for its Fall-Winter collection – striped knits for Rory’s academic energy, flannel and denim for Luke’s pragmatism, and bold coats recalling Lorelai’s coffee-fuelled spontaneity. Whether this pop culture positioning helps sell sweaters or merely dates the collection to Netflix’s 2025 adaptation remains debatable. The pieces themselves deliver Benetton’s reliable formula: color, comfort, and accessible pricing. For fans reliving Stars Hollow fantasies or simply needing layered autumn basics, the collection provides. Zeitgeist-chasing included at no extra charge.

AND’s Winterwear 2025

Winter just got its wardrobe upgrade. AND’s Winterwear 2025 is comfort stitched with quiet sophistication—plush knits, tailored jackets, and timeless hues. Elevated yet effortless, it’s the season’s chicest excuse to stay warm and look scandalously good.

Step Up

The season’s footwear that walks the line between style and sense.

BIRKENSTOCK

The Arizona’s been around forever and still works. Two straps, that footbed everyone talks about, now lined in piumato leather. Patent finish, those zamak buckles catching light. Men, women—doesn’t matter. It’s comfortable, it’s chic, it simply is.

TOD’S

Tod’s T Timeless tote in supple leather – spacious, smart, with that signature hardware. Perfect for festive self-indulgence or gifting someone who deserves it. The season calls for something this good.

New Addresses Worth Noting

When a store opening signals more than just another retail addition.

Minizmo Opens South Extension Flagship

Delhi-NCR’s Minizmo expands into South Extension with its largest made-to-measure menswear flagship yet—dedicated zones for suiting, shirting, festive ensembles, and personalized consultations. The brand’s Italian-inspired tailoring meets contemporary Indian sensibility through couture-grade construction and technology-enabled fittings. Whether the capital needed another luxury MTM house is debatable; whether Minizmo executes well enough to justify the real estate will reveal itself soon enough.

Tables To Claim

New dining spots where the cooking is serious and the reservations scarce.

The Patio at 24/1, JW Marriott Bengaluru

JW Marriott Bengaluru’s latest venture hedges every bet – pickleball court (the city’s first in a five-star setting), pool table, matcha rituals at dawn, and cocktails by dusk. The menu roams ambitiously: truffle fries alongside Awadhi biryani arancini, and pulled butter chicken tortellini sharing space with seafood risotto. It’s determinedly all things to all people, which either sounds exhausting or exactly right depending on your Bengaluru social calendar. The pickleball detail, at least, shows someone’s paying attention to what actually draws crowds now.

The Dugout Café, Hennur Road, Bengaluru

North Bengaluru gains a sports-adjacent hangout with The Dugout Café, a 40-seater tucked inside Ballpark Central alongside pickleball courts and football turf. The menu delivers expected comfort—burgers, pizzas, pastas, and thick shakes—with lighter salads (watermelon feta, broccoli chicken) for the health-conscious. Retro-sporty décor leans into athletic nostalgia without overdoing it. At ₹1,000 for two, it positions itself squarely in casual territory: post-match meals, laptop sessions, and weekend loafing. Whether Hennur Road needed another comfort-food café is debatable, but proximity to actual sport gives it purpose beyond pizza.

Menus Worth the Journey

Fresh culinary creations from kitchens that refuse to play it safe.

The Penthouse Brunch at Kai, Bengaluru

Kai, perched 13 floors above MG Road with those enviable 360-degree views, now extends its rooftop ambitions into weekend brunch territory. The menu roams confidently – from Kyoto mushrooms to Penang curry, truffled dim sum to harissa chicken – while DJ KYM provides the soundtrack. At ₹3,750 for the alcoholic package, it positions itself squarely in special-occasion terrain rather than casual Saturday habit. Whether Bengaluru needs another sky-high brunch or whether Kai’s execution justifies the altitude remains to be tested. The view, at least, delivers without argument.

SALT Indian Restaurant Bar & Grill – Winter Menu

SALT unveils its winter lineup with dishes that lean into seasonal comfort – achari New Zealand lamb chops, paneer-anjeer tikka sweetened with fig and cranberry, and roasted broccoli meeting Maharashtrian thecha’s heat. The beverage programme shows equal ambition: spiced winter margarita, bourbon soul with elderflower and pineapple, and a festive mimosa for those inclined. Black carrot halwa paired with tandoori pineapple closes proceedings with appropriate richness. Whether SALT’s “contemporary interpretation” elevates or overcomplicates depends largely on execution. The menu runs through winter; reservations are recommended for weekend slots.

Hunaaan Winter Menu, Indiranagar, Bengaluru

Hunaaan’s Indiranagar outpost unveils its winter lineup – steaming tom yum, tom kha, and miso soups alongside handcrafted dim sum, including Thai basil dumplings and spicy prawn har gao. The menu follows Hunaaan’s established Pan-Asian approach: authentic foundations, contemporary tweaks, and nothing too adventurous. Whether these classics justify a dedicated “winter menu” or simply represent smart seasonal merchandising of year-round favourites is debatable. The dishes promise warmth and umami depth, which winter certainly warrants. Execution will determine whether this feels essential or expected.

The Festive Moment

Pop-ups and seasonal experiences designed to vanish before you’re ready.

Chef Yildiz Öz Samaha at The Persian Terrace, Sheraton Grand Bangalore

The Persian Terrace hosts Turkish chef Yildiz Öz Samaha through December 7 – a week-long Levantine excursion featuring smoked-tahini hummus, pomegranate muhammara, slow-braised lamb with sumac and freekeh, plus rosewater baklava to close. Chef Samaha’s Ottoman-rooted approach emphasises authenticity over reinvention, which either reassures or predictably plays it safe depending on your appetite for culinary risk. The rooftop setting at Sheraton Grand Brigade Gateway provides the requisite skyline views. À la carte pricing means commitment varies by hunger. Reservations are recommended; the window closes Saturday.

Thai Food Festival at Sheraton Grand Palace Indore

Sheraton Grand Palace Indore commits fully to Thailand with S Café’s festival – live wok stations turning out pad thai and stir-fries, proper som tum tossed tableside, and Chef Karam Dogra navigating the canonical dishes without visible shortcuts. Tom yum, green curry, satay grills – the lineup reassures rather than surprises. Muay Thai demonstrations and traditional dance accompany dinner, which either enriches the evening or distracts from it depending on appetite. Through February, for those craving Bangkok without the boarding pass.

Tasted & Under Review

When an invitation warrants attendance – and proper consideration.

Amrut x Geist Stout Cask Single Malt

Amrut Distilleries and Geist Brewing Co. gathered a select audience last evening for an exclusive tasting of their Stout Cask Finish Indian Single Malt – Bangalore’s craft beer and whisky worlds colliding with genuine intent. Master Distiller Ashok Chokalingam, Head Brewer Vidya Kubher, and CEO Narayan Manepally walked attendees through the collaboration’s craft and ambition. TheGlitzMedia was present, glass in hand, notes taken. A proper review follows shortly. For now: intriguing premise, serious execution, worth your attention. Stay tuned.

Where to Be Seen (And Heard)

The month’s essential gatherings – music, sport, and the social calendar that matters.

560025 Returns at RCB Bar & Café

RCB Bar & Café revives 560025, its music series spotlighting Bengaluru’s emerging sound, with a launch weekend that drew loyal returnees from the 2022 edition alongside new converts. Ritviz and SpinDoctor pulled the expected 22-to-40 crowd; speciality cocktails (Afterglow, Island Prescription) accompanied the sets. Next up: Chess N Chill on December 7 – a strategic pivot from high-energy performance to quieter competition. At ₹1,750 inclusive, it positions itself somewhere between accessible and aspirational. Bookings open now.

Sunday Soul Sante Christmas Edition, Ecoworld, Bengaluru

Sunday Soul Sante marks 15 years with its Christmas edition at Ecoworld on December 21 – a full-day affair promising 250+ stalls, dedicated zones for pets and sneakers (an unusual pairing), kids’ workshops, and performances by Dhruv Visvanath, among others. What began as a flea market now positions itself as Bengaluru’s largest Christmas gathering, spanning 10 AM to 10 PM. Free entry for children under five and seniors over 60 shows consideration. Whether scale improves intimacy or dilutes it, attendees will decide come Sunday.

India Bike Week, Panchgani

India Bike Week pivots from Goa to Panchgani’s Deccan hills for its 12th run – election scheduling, not creative impulse, forcing the move. What could’ve been mere logistical scrambling instead yields something genuinely intriguing: hill climbs, bonfire nights, and camping among mist-wrapped plateaus. The lineup delivers Pol Tarres’ endurance stunts, a proper FMSCI hill climb, Harley flat track racing, plus King headlining the music side. Whether Panchgani can absorb the biking faithful remains to be seen, but the setting certainly upgrades the scenery. Sometimes necessity improves the script.

Bottles That Matter: India’s Single Malts

This season’s whiskies – from must-trys to reliable companions for long winter nights.

Winter demands proper whisky, preferably shared. GianChand from DeVANS’ Himalayan distillery offers clean, approachable sipping – the kind that doesn’t require expertise to appreciate. Indri’s Trini delivers lush fruit and spice with a velvety texture, ideal for long evenings and easy conversation.

Amrut’s 15-Year Expedition and Peated Cask Strength reward patience with complexity and warmth – serious bottles for serious gatherings. Paul John’s PX and Oloroso bring tropical maturation’s sweetness, while Crazy Cock’s bourbon-sherry cask marriage provides bold character without aggression. Each earned accolades this year, but what matters more is that they’re genuinely pleasant company when temperatures drop and company gathers.

Cover image: Adolfo Félix via Unsplash