The Lens

On moments of excellence

The Future Arrives in Moonlight Grey

Ferrari has unveiled the HC25, a new One-Off creation from its Special Projects programme, revealed at Ferrari Racing Days at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Based on the architecture of the F8 Spider, the HC25 marks both an ending and a beginning: the closing chapter of Ferrari’s mid-rear non-hybrid V8 spiders, while gesturing toward the sculptural future seen in the marque’s newest flagship designs. Designed under the direction of Flavio Manzoni, the roadster carries a striking dual-volume silhouette wrapped in matt Moonlight Grey, intersected by a dramatic black ribbon housing the car’s thermal systems and aerodynamic language. In true One-Off fashion, the HC25 exists as a singular commission: deeply personal, technically uncompromising, and unmistakably Ferrari.

Melbourne’s winter social calendar finds its jewel box

This winter, NGV Friday Nights returns in celebration of CARTIER, transforming the gallery into an after-hours world of opera, jazz, cinema, champagne, and conversation. Across the season, Melbourne’s cultural institution becomes less exhibition hall and more modern salon, where music drifts through the galleries, old films flicker late into the evening, and visitors gather beneath the glow of jewels, velvet nights, and winter coats. In a city often at its most beautiful in the colder months, the program feels less of an event series and more of a return to occasion dressing, ritual, and the art of going out again.

The Stage Is Set

The FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ returns for its 14th season with a renewed format and a sharpened sense of suspense. Beginning at Gestüt Marbach in Germany on 14 May 2026, the Series unfolds across five qualifying legs before culminating in Boekelo, where the top ten nations will meet on equal footing for the Final. Gone is the long march of cumulative points; in its place, a more dramatic structure where scores reset before the championship decider, allowing every qualified nation a fresh run at the title. With Gestüt Marbach’s historic grounds welcoming the opening chapter, the 2026 season begins not quietly, but with the sound of hooves carrying expectation across the sand.

Ritual at Shai Salon, Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach

At Shai Salon within Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, afternoon tea is reimagined through the language of ritual. Curated by Senior Executive Pastry Chef Nicolas Lambert, the experience unfolds through thoughtfully composed savouries, delicate pastries, and refined desserts designed to be enjoyed slowly. Set against the elegant rhythm of the salon, Ritual invites guests to embrace craftsmanship, conversation, and the quiet pleasure of slowing down.

Mahindra Racing back on top as Nyck de Vries takes victory in Monaco E-Prix

Mahindra Racing returned to the top step of the podium in Monte Carlo as Nyck de Vries delivered a composed and commanding victory at the 2026 Monaco E-Prix, marking the team’s first FIA Formula E World Championship win since London in 2021 and its first of the Gen3 era. Against the glamour and tension of Monaco’s street circuit, de Vries balanced precision, energy management, and calm under pressure to secure a significant moment for Mahindra Racing, while team-mate Edoardo Mortara’s impressive recovery drive was heartbreakingly undone by a late puncture.

Banyan Tree Expands Its Connections Programme Globally

Banyan Tree extends its approach to wellbeing with the evolution of its Connections programme: a series of immersive retreats, practitioner residencies, and global partnerships designed to deepen both personal and shared experience. Introduced in 2025, the initiative now expands across multiple destinations, offering small-group journeys shaped by movement, mindfulness, and local ritual. From Montenegro to Bali, each setting becomes part of the practice, guiding guests through reflection, stillness, and reconnection. Alongside this, visiting practitioners bring diverse disciplines into intimate settings, while a global partnership with Manduka integrates performance and intention into the physical environment. The programme invites, creating space to slow, to listen, and to return, gently, to oneself.