Twenty years ago, tequila was a drink associated with youthful excess: downed in shots and sandwiched between lime squeezes and salt licks. What only a few aficionados appreciated was that in small places near the town of Tequila and villages along the Tequila Route, highly purified fine liquor had been distilled for use by aristocratic families for centuries. When tequila was rediscovered by Western connoisseurs in the 1990s, it was hailed as “a spirit redolent of ripe fruits, honey and cinnamon.” Since then, the finest tequilas – made from the juice of the blue agave plant – have been introduced into some of the most respected bars in the world. Recently Sean “Diddy” Combs acquired part-ownership of boutique tequila brand DeLeón, sold in bottles made of French glass, seen here, that are as valuable as the nectar they contain. Although fashioned to appeal to Western consumers, they bears traces of the drink’s roots. “Look at the top and you will see calavera [skulls] associated with the Day of the Dead and snakes that symbolise the guarding of all that’s sacred to Mexico, including this precious juice,” says Brent Hocking, DeLeón’s CEO. deleontequila.com

When one considers the sheer beauty of a pair of stilettos by Manolo Blahnik – slithers of the finest leather, artfully constructed above an elegant heel – it is unsurprising that some women have become obsessed with them. Although high-heeled shoes have been worn since Roman times, the slimline modern heel only came into existence 60 years ago with the evolution of metal extrusion, allowing short lengths of extremely strong metal rods to be made, which cobblers realized could be used to support the foot. After seasons of vertiginous clumpy heels, the stiletto is back in force: this year many are super-sexy, such as Antonio Berardi’s Roman-style sandals, while others, like Balenciaga’s ankle-strap creations, are studded in crystals. Yet Blahnik’s designs continue to be a favorite of serious aficionados: strappy, delicately heeled and, of course, padded underfoot. “What shoes need to do is transform the way you feel,” he explains, “and to emphasise the way your buttocks move. That what makes shoes sexy. They make you feel good in your body.” manoloblahnik.com

This is the bicycle’s moment. It is the most popular means of transport on earth, with more than a billion models whizzing across the planet. There’s good reason for its renewed popularity. Ridden at low speeds of 10 to 15 miles an hour, a bicycle utilises the same amount of energy as walking. It’s cheap to run, eco-friendly, requires minimal maintenance and doesn’t get stuck in traffic jams. Today there are dozens of small new manufacturing companies, such as the Vickers Bicycle Company, which hand-builds its made-to-order Roadster, pictured right, specifically for the sophisticated urban gentleman. What their clients want, says Vickers’ founder Ian Covey, “is an elegant bike on to which they can leap, whatever they are wearing, in whatever weather, and arrive in style”. Hence this model’s elegant handlebars, which help to maintain an upright posture, and prevent suit jackets from pulling or creasing. “But then, because our bicycles are bespoke, we can make anything for anyone, no matter what their wardrobe,” he adds. “If you’re a kilt-wearer, for instance, we just remove the crossbar.”

In his poignant family memoir, Edmund de Waal describes how he inherited a collection of 264 netsukes from his great-uncle Iggie and traces their journey through generations of the Ephrussi family. “Netsukes have an extraordinary, irreducible character,” De Waal explains, “some funny, some hideous, some charming. And you can feel their stories through your fingers. I kept one in my pocket the whole time I was writing the book.” In the past, the tiny, carved Japanese figurines were not just objects of beauty, but part of a gentleman’s wardrobe: an accessory that demonstrated the wearer’s wealth, taste and social status. Because traditional kimonos had no pockets, men would suspend pouches on a silk cord passed behind their sash. The netsuke was threaded on the end to prevent the cord from slipping. As one craftsman explains, many young Japanese have little figurines hanging from their mobile phones or bags. “Although these are modern, and often commercial, the tradition is ancient. As more young people realize they can get them hand-made, the demand for traditional folkloric characters is once again rising.” rosemarybandini.co.uk

The film A River Runs Through It has a lot to answer for. When Robert Redford turned Norman Maclean’s novella into a movie starring Brad Pitt, fly-fishing graduated from a pastime for old-timers into a super-cool sport, from the rivers of Japan to the mountain streams of Aspen. Even two decades on, fly-fishing has lost none of its appeal, with increasing numbers going abroad to pursue their passion. “When it’s cold in the northern hemisphere, there’s nothing like sea fly-fishing in the Seychelles,” says Sean Clarke of Farlows, who accompanies international clients to rivers, lakes and seashores all over the world. “Or in summer, going into great wildernesses: in Canada, say, or Russia. You can helicopter into parts of Russia where there isn’t another soul for 150 miles.” This year’s cult documentary Kiss the Water tells the story of Megan Boyd, whose skill in creating such fly models as the Jock Scott and the Silver Doctor from feathers, tinsel and silk made her a revered figure among anglers, including her lifelong friend, Prince Charles. Ironically, Boyd hated the fact that her gorgeous lures were ultimately used to kill fish. farlows.co.uk

There’s something magical about honey. It’s natural, created by one of nature’s more extraordinary alchemical processes – and it’s great on toasted sourdough. Small wonder that it is increasingly highly prized in a culinary world which obsesses over source and seasonality. Steve Benbow, who started the London Honey Company 14 years ago, points towards a new honey connoisseurship, whereby enthusiasts talk about the sticky nectar “in the same way we talk about different varietals of wine”. Thyme honey from Greece is very popular (“really dark and flavorsome”), while lime-blossom honey has floral, citrussy top notes. At The St. Regis San Francisco, bees are kept in rooftop hives and provide honey for the hotel, courtesy of executive chef Olivier Belliard. In the US one third of bees have disappeared since 2006, and in Europe it’s a similar story. So when considering a hive on your roof, remind yourself that it’s pro-planet as well as on-trend. Although for travelers, there is a sting in the tale. “Bees really do need your attention,” says Benbow. “I hardly have time for holidays.” thelondonhoneycompany.co.uk

When Led Zeppelin released remastered, deluxe editions of their first three albums this year, they weren’t just streamed digitally or produced on CD. They were released, too, as old-fashioned vinyl records: that circular mold of plastic that for decades had been the favored medium of thousands of music-mad teens. This is no anomaly: last year dozens of groups released both digital and analogue sounds, resulting in sales of more than 6 million vinyl albums in the American market alone (considerable growth given that fewer than 500,000 were sold in 1993). As you’d expect, a growth in vinyl also means a growth in sales of record players: both new and old. Music Direct, one of America’s biggest music retailers, reports selling thousands of models ranging in price from $249 to $30,000 – and more than 500,000 vinyl albums besides – last year. Why do they believe the resurgence is happening? Because children’s parents play CDs. And why would you want to use the medium enjoyed by your mother and father when you can handle the über-cool object revered by DJs? henleydesigns.co.uk

Some pop their bottle open, others twist. But there’s only one way to open champagne with true brio: beheading the bottle with a ceremonial saber. It is a practice with Napoleonic roots, and many saberagers even carry their own swords for the purpose. One such enthusiast, Nicolas Krafft, president and CEO of French silverware company Christofle says, “I have an extensive collection of antique sabers, and each has its own character”. So what’s the appeal to fans? “It’s the wonderful moment of anticipation before the saber connects with the bottle.” According to Tom Tuke-Hastings, founder of luxury company Henry Tuke, which offers a saber through Harrods in London priced at $46,000, “There are whole brotherhoods of sabering. It’s particularly popular with military fraternities.” Henry Tuke designed its saber to be a little shorter than a cavalry saber, forged it from stainless Damascus steel, and finished it with a solid-silver guard and shagreen grip. It claims the Guinness World Record for most bottles sabered in a minute: 35. And yes, that is a challenge. uk.christofle.com

This year at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong a 500-year-old Chinese ceramic known as a “chicken cup”, due to its decoration featuring a rooster, a hen and her chicks, sold for a record-breaking $36 million. This enhanced the sense of vertigo in the auctioneering world caused by a 2013 sale when a Song dynasty bowl went for $2.23 million (incredibly, this 1,000 year-old piece had been bought for $3 at a garage sale). Stacey Pierson, a specialist at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, says, “The interest comes particularly from the Chinese.” But the tastes of enthusiasts are changing. “Qing Song Emperor-ware, which was extremely popular a few years ago and highly-decorated and blingy, is dying down,” she adds. Her current tip is for Song-period ceramics and for the muscular, earthier ware from the Yangshao culture in the Neolithic period. Collectors should be wary, however. “It’s a minefield. Pieces are hard to identify and there are many forgeries,” says Pierson. Which means that in southeast China’s “Porcelain Capital” Jingdezhen you’ll find plenty of fakes – while a flea market find in the West might yield the real thing. chinese-porcelain-art.com

Jacqueline Onassis was renowned for leading many fashion trends, but one item truly became her signature – those paparazzi-confounding, jet-setting sunglasses. Jackie O’s favorite “bug-eye” Nina Ricci 3203 shades are not only coveted by fashionistas from Lady Gaga to model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, but are being reissued by the French fashion house and L’Amy America. Los Angeles can claim to be the vintage shades capital of the world, with specialists such as Russ Campbell’s Old Focals dressing the film industry. Also scouring yard sales and buying up “dead stock” from old optometrists around the world are the Vintage Frames Company in Montreal; Klasik in London; and Berlin’s Vintage Sunglasses: so enormous it’s become known as a sunglasses superstore. Vintage eyewear offers quality, durability and solid technology, which is why you’ll now hear the cool crowd talking of the classic shapes in reverent terms. Never before has it been so fashionable to look through old glass darkly. vintagesunglasseslondon.co.uk