Anglomania Issue 1 by mo sow

FASHION•SPORT•LIFESTYLE

ISSUE02 WINTER 08 £5.00

DAVID HAYE barack obama • giorgio armani • arsÈne wenger • rafael nadal

petra ecclestone • salomon kalou • dirk bikkembergs • noemie lenoir

MODIO PUBLISHING ANGLOMANIA LTD PO BOX 206 77 BEAK STREET, SOHO, LONDON, W1F 9DB EDITOR IN CHIEF & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR mo galy sow FASHION & BEAUTY COORDINATOR cleo davis EDITORIAL TEAM aliou goloko ayo alli cleo davis paul joseph véronique de freitas EDITORIAL ASSISTANT véronique de freitas ART & DESIGN zuki turner PHOTOGRAPHY george bamford kristiina wilson michael thompson natalia skobeeva paolo regis paul de luna richie vuitti ryo kaikura uzo oleh CONTRIBUTORS camilla long catherine sevigny kerrie-ann murphy suzie p PUBLICATION DIRECTOR alain lecour @ exportpress paris OPERATIONS MANAGER michael scott carter PRODUCTION MANAGER tom simpson ACCOUNTS robert shaffran INFO info@anglomaniamag.com PRINT epc bristol DISTRIBUTION domestic comag international; export press ISSN 1758-9827

sporting glory winter is looming; the olympics are over and team GB achieved something of a miracle and britain is on a brink of a recession. but before it does, i predict that david haye; 27 year old london born heavy weight boxer will fight and win against 37 year old American, Monte Barrett on november 15, 2008 at the O2 Arena in London. I also predict that chelsea will win no less than three major trophies this year and that man city is the next big thing. i also predict the rise of sportswear as fashionable attire as it were in the late seventies and that Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States... that is of course if America doesn’t bottle it.

- MO SOW (EDITOR IN CHIEF)

CONTENTS 34.david haye-heavy duties 40.arsène

wenger-the safest man in football 44.rafael nadal-smashing summer 48.olympic goldrush 50.salomon kalousurvival of the fittest 52.el-hadji diouf 54.tag heuer celebrates british formula one 59.petra ecclestone-on form 66.giorgio armani-art de vivre 72.dirk bikkembergs 80.svensk 88.london fashion week ss09 102.black & blonde 112.duality 120.jeudi,avenue foche 148.ANGLO 154.afro flex 160.oxford 164.puma’s ocean racing boat party 166.ocean queens 180.empire of the sun 184.Gadgets-THE CHROME ZONE 189.opera gallery 192.jean-david malat 194.zaha hadid 196.herzog & meuron 200. noémie lenoir 206.cassandra hepburn 208. Barack obama-african hopes,american dreams 214.mission creep

When High Definition

meets High Fashion

Sky has teamed up with some emerging UK fashion designers to offer stylish limited edition set-top boxes. The Sky+HD Designer boxes, priced from £75 to £150, were designed by emerging designers including Henry Holland of House of Holland, PPQ, Erdem and avant-garde fashion illustrator Julie Verhoeven.

Sky+ HD also claims that it will increase the number of its current channels (currently 19 including Sky Sports HD, National Geographic HD and Sky Movie Premiere) to 30, by the end of the year.

It’s not the first time that Sky has teamed up with la ‘crème de la crème’ of the fashion world, last year, Giles Deacon, Gareth Pugh and Preen were among the designers who took part in the collaboration.

Sky+ HD viewers can pause and rewind live TV, record an entire series, record two different channels at the same time and set their Sky+ HD box to record from a mobile phone or PC.

“In addition to the launch of lots more channels on Sky+ HD, these unique designs are the perfect excuse to join the HD revolution this Christmas,” said Hilary Perchard, Head of Advanced TV Products at Sky.

Sky viewers can get the designer boxes if they subscribe to Sky TV and HD Mix, priced from £27 per month. The Designer Boxes will be available from 15th October 2008 to UK customers only, who order online or by phone at the following number +44 (0)8442 41054.

Winter Mist The First Galliano Girl “A perfume is so raw, so evocative, so pure and honest. Dressed up, dressed down you can’t disguise it with bows, laces and colours – perfume speaks without words, dazzles without a move. It is as invisible as it is captivating…” - John Galliano Twenty years ago John Galliano’s first collection wowed fashion insiders with outrageous romance, drama, and no shortage of art. Now the couturier at Christian Dior has unveiled his first fragrance, Galliano Girl, launched 28th September in London. Eau de Parfum 40ml £42

Essensual Oil Tom Ford White Patchouli is a classically inspired reworking of one of perfumery’s most distinctive scents. “I wanted to free Patchouli from that cliché and present it in a truly innovative way - sparkling, sophisticated, and clear.” Says Ford. The sensual scent is constructed around an exquisite variety of pure Patchouli—an ingredient historically associated with the luxury and opulence of imported finery from the East. • High notes include sparkles of Bergamot, white peony and spicy coriander • Heart notes unfold as Rose Absolute, Jasmine and Ambrette Seed • Base notes of exotic depth include Blonde Woods

Missoni ‘It’ Item This year, Missoni’s under the tree treat comes in the shape of a charm bracelet. The annual Missoni ‘It’ Item is more than decoration; a sweet surprise of the solid Missoni scent sits in a secret pot-like charm. This is the perfect gift for someone who has everything. £100 for set including charm bracelet and Missoni Eau de Parfum 100ml.

Fashion V Sport AT THE V&A Words: Cleo Davis

The marriage between fashion and sport is certainly taking a leap into the floodlights of the media stadium. With high-profile collaborations of couture catwalk designers such as Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen with global sports brands, the relationship between the two industries is scoring points among athletic fans and fashionistas alike. Running the same race as Anglomania, the V&A has taken aboard the growing relationship between the two street style cultures and as of August 5th opened an exhibition entitled Fashion V Sport. Curator and author Ligaya Salazaar showcases the work of fashion designers who have dabbled in sport silhouettes such as Japanese label Visvim. The exhibition also shows designers who have playfully incorporated the style of sportswear into catwalk fashion such as Bernard Willhelm’s Spring/Summer 07 patterned designs based on American bodybuilders and Jean Charles de Castelbajac’s colourful reinterpretation of a jogging suit for his Autumn/ Winter 01 collection. Look out for: Dries van Noten’s fashion jersey tracksuit, the Chanel fishing rod, Nike’s handmade crocodile-skin trainers and diamond-encrusted shoelaces from Ends. Fashion V Sport will run at the V&A until January 2009.

This page represents the journey of Portuguese Triathlon championship Vanessa Fernandes

Ladies Who Lunge words: CLEO DAVIS

Nike believes more girls and women should realise the importance of sports and the positive impact it can have on their lives. To celebrate the power of women and sport, Nike has produced a one-off book entitled ‘Here I Am’ Athlete Book, which hero’s 22 young international female athletes. Every chapter is a unique visual interpretation of each athlete’s journey, highlighting the confidence and strength they have gained through sports. The limited edition book will not be available for purchase, but, in true sporting style, those who log on to www.nikewomen.com have a chance of winning a copy. If competition isn’t your style, get yourself down to Oxford Street’s Niketown where a copy of the Athlete Book is on display, which was part of the ‘Here I Am’ exhibition that took place this September.

Graphic Imagery by 400m hurdler Perri Shakes-Drayton

“A lot of girls look at sports as being a masculine thing – not girly at all. This book will inspire girls. I hope it gets more girls participating in sports - not even just sport – getting active in some way that they enjoy.” - Perri Shakes-Drayton

“Together in 2008, Impossible is Nothing 16

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Adidas, the official sportswear partner of this year’s Beijing Olympics revealed these breathtaking images t0 thousands of sporting spectators at Beijing’s Yongdingmen Gate. entitled “Together in 2008, Impossible is Nothing” is the largest campaign ever created by ADidas. The campaign is about rallying the nation and showing how the people of china are supporting their athletes and the Games themselves. Famous Chinese Olympians such as key members of the Chinese Women’s Volleyball Team, diving sensation Hu Jia, basketball superstar Sui Feifei and football legend Zheng Zhi are featured in the campaign.

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1. Black leather metal stud trainer £280 VERSACE 2. Navy, red and yellow Rialto shoe £50 by PUMA 3. Velcro mesh light weight trainer £85 by MCLAREN 4. Red, white and black Capital shoe £45 by PUMA 5. Black and yellow suede and anthracite canvas sneaker £215 by YSL 6. Black and tan Venice shoe £55 by PUMA 7. Grey astrakhan high-top trainers €899 by LANVIN 8. Metallic silver sneaker £225 by Ysl 9. Black and white Air Max 90 SI £85 by NIKE 10. Canvas and leather tennis shoe £85 by MCLAREN 11. White, black and lime Harrier shoe £40 by PUMA 12. White perforated high top £110 by MCLAREN 13. Blue Cienfuegos Mid SS09 red tab collection shoe £64.99 by LEVIS 14. White ‘star’ Engineered Jeans SS09 collection £69.99 by LEVIS 15. Lej low Graf Engineered Jeans SS09 collection shoe £69.99 by LEVIS 16. Pink Cienfuegos SS09 red tab collection shoe £59.99 by LEVIS 17. Bristel Hi-top shoe £70 by K-SWISS 18. White and gold Cortex Mid £70 by GRAVIS 19. Dark blue patent leather sneaker £240 by YSL 20. Black and red suede and canvas £215 by YSL

Kish’s Kicks An Unlikely Pair Kish Patel is the co-director of Straight Up, distributor of street fashion labels in London. Following his recent involvement with the V&A’s Fashion V Sport exhibition, Kish Patel has been causing quite a stir with his 1000 strong trainer collection. Cardboard boxes stacked from floor to ceiling in his home, this footwear fetish began at the young age of ten when on a trip to America he discovered a whole new realm of trainer designs. That works out to about one new pair of trainers a week for 22 years…nice.

The latest and most surprising sport and high-fashion collaboration to come out into the open will be the Christian Lacroix trainers made for Gola Classics. In-keeping with classic Lacroix design, the trainers will have 19th Century baroque prints and paisley prints inspired by the capes worn by bullfighters. They will be available in gold, silver, black and white from February 2009.

adidas online

Adidas Shop, the sportswear brand’s first dedicated online store for the UK, has gone live. The site enables customers to buy from the Adidas Sports Performance and Originals collections and features a variety of online exclusives. To mark the launch of the shop and to celebrate the Olympic games, adidas has created the Bounce Medals footwear range, with 8,888 pairs of trainers available in colourways of gold, silver and bronze. www.shop.adidas.co.uk

King of the Road

Tamba 13 is a duo-run fashion business responsible for dressing some of the country’s most stylish footballers. Tamba 13 stands for: a shop, a style consultancy and a celebrity-shopping central, all rolled into one.

The ‘enter by appointment only’ Chelsea store, situated on London’s wealthy King’s Road, houses a wide range of designer labels including Silver Dagger (which is exclusive to the store) Bulzeye, China Wall, Philip Line, True Religion, Jade by Knight, Year Of, Robinsons, Marther Luker and Deceiver (a label favoured by many clients) plus many more. Tamba receives, on average two to three appointments on a daily basis, a minimum spend-age is about £5,000 maximum £20,000. The Tamba team consists of Tamba, who is the owner and Jada Pollock, the PR and stylist guru. The pair work closely with their clients not only to build up a rapport but to understand their style choices and fashion tastes. Local to the Fulham-end store is Chelsea FC, which houses a handful of Tamba 13’s most regular clients. Those who are too far from London (or too lazy) are offered a one-on-one appointment whereby the team personally visit their clients’ house along with an armful of clothing – picked out especially for

them by Jada or Tamba. This personal styling service is thoroughly thoughtout, with exact size and style specifications taken from the client on the first day they step into the store. A client can be kitted-out with a whole outfit (bar underwear) including jeans, t-shirts, jumpers, trainers, hats, belts and even jewellery. And with belts priced nothing less than £300 and Swarovski encrusted skeleton skulls, no stone goes unturned when it comes to acquiring the players’ fashion tastes. Tamba 13 also specializes in providing a customization service whereby clients can present or chose an image or pattern to adorn their clothing or even trainers. This decoration is usually in the form of Swarovski crystals, colours are available as well. This design process takes place in Paris by Orravin Design. A common customization choice is children’s names or faces to be drawn onto footwear, this gives a new meaning to running around after your children.

LONG LIVE THE KING one of the most recognized football boots in the game and the longest living performance concept still in existence TURNS 40 THIS YEAR Celebrating its 40th birthday this year The PUMA® King was first introduced in 1968 as the “King Eusébio,” after the legendary Eusébio da Silva Ferreira. The Portuguese international led all scorers with nine goals at the 1966 World Cup and then worked with PUMA to develop a signature football boot, which debuted just two years later. The PUMA King was born. It featured increased ankle protection, soft, subtle leather and exceptional ball control. The appeal of the King and the marketing around it was so powerful that consumers were no longer purchasing just a product – but a state of mind and a sporting image as well. Over the years, the King became legend and was worn by legends as well. The world’s greatest football stars wore the King including Eusébio, Pele, Maradona, Deschamps and Johan Cruyff. It became synonymous with reliability and success, selling millions of pairs over the past four decades.

Sport In Style

words: CLEO DAVIS

Forget Tiger and his turtlenecks on the fairway this season and concentrate your Saturday morning style on this fully functional golfer’s bag by BOSS Green by HUGO BOSS. Get matching shoes to really wipe the shine off your opponent’s diamond socks. www.hugoboss.com

The Machomai boxing boot by NIKE is the new in the footwear-fighting ring. Nike’s goal was to make the lightest boxing boot on the market, and the result was the flexible and versatile Machomai weighing in at just 292 grams. The boots were given to the Olympic Chinese boxing team to sample fit and were so successful that they have now been offered to the US boxing team. In true opposition boxing style, the shoes are also available in blue. www.nike.com

During the August group stage draw for the UEFA Champions League in Monaco, adidas and UEFA unveiled the adidas “FINALE 8”, the official match ball of the competition. Sure to see some fancy footwork, the ball is based on the traditional UEFA star ball design and reflects the colours which can be seen at the different venues: indigo represents the sky, indigo metallic refers to the floodlights and rave green stands for the grass. www.adidas.com

At Nike, less is always more, and that principle led to the creation of Aerographics, an engineered mesh that can remove up to half the yarn in a garment. Innovation designer Kirk Meyer was studying new ways to create passive cooling when he came up with Aerographics, “It really came from asking, ‘How do we get that air flow and that cooling without having to put in seams everywhere?’ We wanted to cut out anything unnecessary and get down to the lightweight essence of what you need to perform.” www.nike.com This large moonlight athletic bag in blue nylon and light grey canvas by YSL is the perfect carrier for any athlete wanting to impress off the field as well as on. Comes with a shoulder strap as well as handles, with stylish gold-colour features. www.ysl.com

Recently featured at the current V&A Sport V Fashion exhibition, this leather quilted fishing rod kit and case is by Parisian design house CHANEL. Perfect for the aristocratic angler, even the flies come with the classic CC logo. Fishes with an eye for fashion….you’ve been warned! www.chanel.com

British designer Alison van der Lande has scored a lot of love among tennis players with this pink leather tennis racket case. Men will be happy to hear that other available colours include black, brown and white. But for £495, be prepared to frequent the tennis court more than often to get your money’s worth! www.alisonvanderlande.co.uk

Oldman’s juggling tricks

English film actor Gary Oldman, who has starred in films including Batman: The Dark Knight, the Harry Potter movies and Dracula, features in an ITV advert, “Good things come in threes”, which promotes the broadcaster’s live England, FA Cup and Uefa Champions League coverage.

It wasn’t about the winning “With you I could win every war”, said José Mourinho of Didier Drogba. Now, one of the world’s finest strikers and undoubtedly intriguing characters has written his frank and moving autobiography. Born in the West African country of Ivory Coast, Drogba recounts his heartbreaking separation from his homeland at the age of five, and his unsettled formative years moving around France before early breaks at Le Mans and Guingamp revealed a precocious talent stunningly confirmed in his first season with Marseille. A subsequent £23.8m move to Chelsea saw him pivotal in Chelsea’s first league title in 50 years and the start of a dazzling haul of silverware.

Didier Drogba at the launch of his autobiography “C’était pas gagné” - Senegal, July 2008.

But there is much more to Didier Drogba. A committed humanitarian and peace campaigner, he now travels the world as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations. In the Ivory Coast he is a national hero, having captained ‘The Elephants’ to their first ever World Cup in 2006, and the African Cup of Nations final the same year. His fame there has inspired dance crazes and place names – and above all has been a crucial unifying influence after years of bitter civil war.

Blatter Meets Mbeki

2010 FIFA World Cup

In 2010 South Africa will host the FIFA World Cup, the first time the world’s premier sporting event will be held on African soil. “This event is South Africa’s biggest chance to show a united front, brining the 2010 FIFA World Cup to life,” quotes FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter. This will be South Africa’s biggest sporting achievement to date. “It is ordinary South Africans and Africans that are making the World Cup a reality. All of us - construction workers, engineers, educators, volunteers, business people, government officials - are transforming our country and continent as we prepare to host the world in 2010 and we are on course to meet all FIFA’s commitments “, said Mbeki, who added: “The government is totally committed to meet FIFA requirements and deliver an inspirational event. Together with the Organising Committee and the private sector the government is and will continue working to deliver an inspirational World Cup and leave a legacy for our country and the continent of Africa.” “South Africa will be ready! We are using this event to make things better in our society.” Cape Town is building a new stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The stadium will be in the suburb of Green Point, which the stadium is also named after. Fans will be a stone’s throw from the ocean and the mountains of Cape Town will be the backdrop for matches. The location is ideal as it is a short walk from the transportation hub of the city. The new stadium precinct will be built on part of the land currently occupied by a golf course. Upon completion, Green Point stadium will have a gross seating capacity of 70,000 and it is scheduled for completion by 2009.

British Artist Scoops

Gucci Award Steve McQueen is the recipient of the third annual Gucci Group Award, presented during the 65th Venice Film Festival on September 1st for directing “Hunger.” A striking strong and emotional film which is about the last six weeks of the life of Provisional Irish Republican Army hunger striker Bobby Sands. “I am very pleased and honoured to receive this award from the Gucci Group. And the fact that the award recognizes the efforts of an artist who has broken into a different genre gives me great pleasure.”

The ceremony was attended by some 300 guests from the world of art, cinema and international society. Members of the 2008 Gucci Group Award Selection Committee were Marco Müller, Director of the Venice Film Festival, Franca Sozzani, Editor-in chief of Vogue Italy, the artist Jeff Koons, the actress Isabelle Huppert and Stefano Pilati, Creative Director of Yves Saint Laurent. Each member of the Selection Committee nominated one artist, and together the Committee determined the winner of the award.

Steve McQueen Pascal Gregory and Amira Casar

Franca Sozzani

GUCCI

AWARDS CEREMONY Franca Sozzani and friend

Stefano Pilati YSL Creative Director and Natalie Portman

Steve McQueen and Isabelle Huppert

Stefano Pilati Robert Polet Gucci Group CEO, Marco M端ller, Steve McQueen, Isabelle Huppert, Franca Sozzani and Stefano Pilati

Franca Sozzani and friend

Gunnin’ for That #1 Spot Adam Yauch, also known as MCA, the American musician and founding member of the superstar pop and hip-hop trio, “The Beastie Boys,” was nominated for a Gucci Group Award this year. Using the pseudonym “Nathaniel Hörnblowér”, Yauch has previously directed a number of the Beastie Boys’ music videos in addition to directing the 2006 Beastie Boys concert film, “Awesome; I Fuckin’ Shot That!” The Yauch-directed music video for the 1989 Beastie Boys song “Shadrach” is also one of Rolling Stone’s Top 100 Videos of All Time. Yauch was nominated for the 2008 Gucci Group Award 2008 for his direction of “Gunnin’ for That #1 Spot”, a Harlem-set documentary that trails eight high school basketball prospects at the Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic at Rucker Park in Harlem, New York City. Other nominees for the third annual Gucci Group Award included Julian Schnabel, Isaac Julien and winner Steve McQueen. Each year, the prestigious Gucci Group Award is bestowed to an internationally-acclaimed artist who has made a remarkable contribution to a film in any capacity in honour of the multi-talented genius and innovation of artists who waltz the thin line between visual arts, music and film.

He Suits, He Scores

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chelsea F.C is known for the quality of its game and the internationalism of its players. I am Giorgio Armani continues his three-year partnership with proud to continue to dress these sporting icons. Chelsea Football Club. This new season brings with it the excitement of The good news for Chelsea fans is that they will be able to buy a replica of the new look suit from Emporio Armani exceptional new players and of course, a dynamic new manager.â&#x20AC;? Giorgio Armani. stores nationwide. 30

photo: PAOLO REGIS styling: CLEO DAVIS

SPORT DAVID HAYE ARsĂ¨ne wenger rafael nadal olympic gold rush salomon kalou el-hadji diouf tag heuer & formula 1

Heavy Duties story and interview: PAUL JOSEPH photography: UZO OLEH

David Haye is a man in a hurry. The Bermondsey-born fighter has set himself a three-year plan to reign supreme over the world heavyweight division. In an exclusive interview with Anglomania, he talks about his aim to inject

heavyweight division he joined after becoming undisputed champion at cruiserweight. When Haye refers to fighters as “bums” and “paper champions” – as is his wont – he is not launching personal attacks, but using catch-all phrases to emphasise the

new life into an ailing sport.

parlous state of the heavyweight game today.

Boxing’s most notorious trash-talkers have often polarised opinion. Mohammad Ali may be a global icon, but there are plenty who considered his belittlement of opponents unedifying and lacking in sportsmanship. More recently, Naseem Hamed and Floyd Mayweather have split fans down the middle with their brash, pre-fight tubthumping. For the time being at least, sharp-tongued Brit David Haye has avoided becoming yet another marmite boxer. He is unanimously respected by fans and pundits alike, with many in the sport viewing him as British boxing’s most exciting talent.

Since unifying the cruiserweight division and subsequently vacating his titles in May 2008, Haye has been etching out a name for himself as something of a boxing czar. He believes the sport is crying out for a heavyweight champion of genuine all-round excellence – not seen since the retirement of Lennox Lewis – and that he is the man to make it happen. He has vowed to reinvigorate the division over the coming three years, before hanging up his gloves and turning his attention to the myriad business interests that are already up and running – including his own promotions company, Haymaker Promotions, and a boxing training guide developed specifically for the fitness industry called Outbox, plus modelling for Versace and media punditry work.

One of the reasons Haye has retained his popularity is that the target for his disregard is not so much individual fighters, as the sport in general. And more specifically, the

His immediate ambition, however, is landing a fight with Ukrainian behemoth Wladimir Klitschko, current holder of the IBF, WBO, and IBO world heavyweight titles. In August

styling: CLEO DAVIS hair & makeup: KERRIE-ANN MURPHY

“

I bring my own judges and that’s my left and right hand his hopes were given a boost when the WBO placed him third in their rankings. Klitschko has dismissed Haye’s credentials, telling him to prove himself in the division before expecting a title shot. But as he told Anglomania, Haye is convinced there is no time, or reason, to wait.

Anglomania. Firstly, congratulations on your WBO ranking. A defining moment in your career perhaps? David Haye. Yeah definitely. It’s a real nice boost for me. Wladimir [Klitschko] told me to get in line, but now I’ve jumped the line a little bit, and I’m right on his tail. Were you surprised by the decision? Not really. I knew I’d get a favourable ranking. I certainly knew I wouldn’t be any lower than five. But three, that was very good. When you’re undisputed champion at any weight, it gives you a lot of clout when you move up a division. You don’t have to start at the bottom of the pile like everybody else. The two guys ranked above me [Alexander Povetkin and Alexander Dimitrenko] are actually nobodies. No-one’s ever heard of them. If Wladimir wants these mega pay days, if he wants to sell out on pay per view, or have a big fight in a Las Vegas casino, then he’s gotta realise that I’m the guy to fight. So what is the timeframe now for getting that fight on? Realistically I’m looking at mid to early next year. I’m fighting on November 15th at the O2 Arena [in London], the American Monte Barrett. The contract I’ve got with Setanta Sports says I have to fight someone who’s ranked in the top ten by either the WBC, WBA, WBO OR IBF. After that I should be fighting in February, another top ten fighter. Then the schedule is completely clear for a big fight with Wladimir. I know he hasn’t got any plans after November. He’s said quite openly that he wants to fight whoever is gonna earn him the most amount of money, and that’s clearly gonna be me.

He’s 6 foot 6 and by your own admission is a “real athlete”. How will you beat him? I will beat him because I’m a superior athlete. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s got a good knockout percentage; but whenever he’s fought anybody with my sort of attributes – someone who’s fearless, who throws punches, who can move their head – he’s either had a hard night’s work, or he’s come a cropper.

”

I’ve been looking at the blueprint for how people have beaten him in the past, and there’s no doubt, there’s some big flaws in his game. I’m already training for Wladimir at the moment to be honest. Lennox Lewis has questioned why you’re in such a rush to go straight for the big one, instead of easing yourself into the division. What’s your response? It’s true that if you’ve been in the game a long time then what I’m doing is very unorthodox. I know Lennox, I’ve trained with him before. He knows Wladimir is bigger than he is, so he thinks that it’s a bit of a crazy jump. Even Lennox took years to get to the top – about ten years – and I’m trying to do it in three. In his mind, he sees me as a cruiserweight, but after he sees my next fight I’ll be interested to get his view again. There’s a great YouTube clip of you confronting Klitschko in Hamburg where you look pretty riled up. Was that for real, or was it a publicity stunt? Well I’d spoken to him on a previous occasion and he’d said “Yeah, we’ve gotta make this fight happen.” But then I heard an interview where he was saying that I had to get in line, I hadn’t proved anything, etc. He completely flipped the script and I thought to myself, hold on, when you’re talking to my face you’re saying you want this fight to happen, but as soon as you speak to the press you change your story. So I wanted to tell him to show some sort of intent to the boxing and sporting public that he wants to fight me. But he still wouldn’t give me a clear answer either way. It shows you what

sort of mindset the guy’s in. He’s obviously had a look at a few of my fights and thought, ok, maybe this guy isn’t just a pumped up cruiserweight. Maybe he does actually have that kryptonite that I don’t really like. How does your training routine differ now you’ve stepped up to heavyweight? It’s just doing a lot more strength stuff. Until now I’ve not been doing too much because of the 200 pound limit at cruiserweight, but now that’s out of the window I can eat as much as I want – and I mean good, clean, non-processed, organic food – five, six, seven meals a day. I can really push my body to the limit. My strength’s gone through the roof, and everything seems to be coming together perfectly. You live and train in northern Cyprus and seem to have a strong affinity for the area. How is life there? Yeah, everything has gone really smoothly for me since I moved out here. It’s a good, healthy, clean place to train. There’s no pollution, I live literally on the beach. It’s a real nice place for an athlete to get the most out of yourself. There’s no distractions, unlike living in London where I lived for the bulk of my career. As you know from how hard it was to get through to me with a phonecall [I’d been trying to call him all of the previous day], I’m not gonna be pestered too much! I’ve got no social life. All I do is wake up in the morning, make sure I’m eating well, go to the gym, train hard, go back to sleep, go back to the gym. That’s all I have to do out here, and that’s all an athlete needs to reach that next level. I’m stepping up to a new division so I need to give myself that edge. If I dedicate myself like this for the next three years of my life I’ll become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, and then I can retire. You wear a Turkish flag on your shorts alongside the St George’s Cross – what is the reason for that? Yeah, the flag I wear is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It’s just my way of paying my respects to the people out here and how much they’ve looked after me. They could not have been any more positive or helpful. Even down to customs, who helped get my training equipment into the country. You’ve been quoted as calling boxing a “scum filled sport”. Do you ever fear alienating yourself with comments like that? The reason I call it a scum filled sport is because it’s not just my opinion, it’s other people’s too. I talk to other fighters and one way or another they all feel that they’ve been raped. It’s a harsh word but that’s how they feel. Most boxers believe they take away less than twenty per cent of the money they’ve generated from a fight, and that’s not right. It shouldn’t be the guys in suits making the bulk of the money, it should be the guys putting their life on the line, day in day out, getting brain damage, in the gym and in the ring. They’re the guys who should prosper. I promote my own fights, I’ve had full control of my own career from day one. You talk about having outsider views, and I have been an outsider from the start. I’ve had no favours from the boxing industry at all, but I’ve still achieved my goal because if you’ve got the talent it doesn’t matter what you say about other people. They can’t effect what happens when that bell goes, when all the politics go out the window and I’m the guy left in the ring. I bring my own judges and that’s my left and right hand. You’re obviously not scared of controversy, yet it doesn’t seem to have affected your popularity. Why do you think that is? It’s because I back up what I say. A lot of fighters talk a lot, try to do things on their own, but when it comes to the actual fighting, they fall short. I’m the opposite; I do what I say. For instance, when I fought Enzo Maccarinelli [in March 2008], they reckoned it was the biggest fight in 15 years. But I said from day one it was gonna be a non-event; it was just gonna be me beating him and him hitting the floor. I said I was gonna beat him like Rodney King! Everyone thought I was delusional, and what did I do? I smashed him to

pieces and knocked him out in two rounds. I talked big, and I went out and did it. So that’s why I can talk as much shit as I want, because I go out there and back it up. Having a big personality like yours seems to be an important part of a boxer’s armoury. Is there anyone who’s influenced the way you act outside the ring? The guy who’s influenced me most is probably Lennox Lewis. He wasn’t a loud or brash sort of guy, but I’ve always admired how he’s kept his private life to himself. He went in the ring, fought the best possible opponents, did the job and that’s it. You didn’t really hear too much crap between fights. I also respect him as a businessman, and how he’s always been in control of his own destiny. He’s never really signed a long term deal with a promoter. Anyone who’s worked for him has actually worked for him, not the other way round. A lot of promoters in Britain are the boss, and their fighters are employees. That’s something I’m completely against. It’s the main reason why I’ve set up my own promotion company [Haymaker Promotions] – to try and give other fighters who aren’t as brave as me, and won’t go up against the establishment, the opportunity to make real money, get the fights that matter and stamp their name in history. I want my fighters to retire nice and early, with their faculties in tact and a nice fat bank account. It’s something I definitely want to focus on after my career is finished. Hopefully we can sign up some young fighters who were at the Beijing Olympics. Most sportsmen your age would have tunnel vision, but you have so much going on outside the ring. Where does that energy and that business ethos come from? I haven’t got a clue! There just seems to be enough hours in the day to get this stuff done. What I do is make sure I hire good people to take the daily strain away from me. My coach, Adam Booth, has been instrumental in all of this. We’re business partners and we’re both in it together. It’s not like I’m in this on my own. We bounce ideas off each other, he’s got his strengths, I’ve got my strengths and so far it’s worked out great, fingers crossed. As long as the boxing keeps going the way we anticipate, we shouldn’t have a problem. You’d become a familiar face on Sky Sports but now you’re signed up with Setanta Sports, does that mean you can’t do punditry for Sky anymore? Well at the moment I have an exclusive deal with Setanta and I’m over the moon with that, so yeah I’d say my days at Sky are definitely over. Do you enjoy doing punditry work? Yeah I really do. If I’m in the country, as long as it doesn’t conflict with my training then I’m free and flexible for that side of things. Boxing is one thing I can talk about all day long. I’ve lived and breathed the sport since I was ten years old, and there’s nothing I’d rather talk about. Your number one fan seems to be the boxing journalist Steve Bunce. He must be a good judge then! I’ve know Steve since I was a kid. He’s not one of those journalists who sits and waits for the big fights to come. He actually gets out there, and goes to see young fighters, young talent, coming through. If you go to any amateur show, the prelims of the ABA championship, etc, you’ll see him there and you’ll also see him at the Mayweather fight, and that’s why he has a lot of respect within the game. At the moment you’re famous within boxing, but not yet outside of it. That could all change with one high-profile heavyweight victory. Are you ready for world superstardom? I’m already a world superstar, it’s just people haven’t realised it. Give it a year or so and everyone will fall into line.

The Safest Man

In Football 40

Arsène Wenger is Arsenal’s most successful post-war manager, but it has now been three years since the north Londoner’s won a trophy and virtually every pundit is predicting a fourth. Yet the chances of him being sacked remain virtually zero. So how did Wenger become football’s Teflon man? Paul Joseph investigates. About nine months ago I asked David Dein, former vice-chairman of Arsenal, a question which, as a life-long fan of the club, regularly has me waking up in cold sweats: how do you replace Arsène Wenger? “Well they’re making great advancements with cloning,” Dein replied. For now at least, the challenge remains distant enough to warrant such flippancy. Wenger’s current contract runs until 2011 and the expectation is that he will sign another before moving on – in likelihood to the French national job. If there is, in fact, any doubt over exactly how long he will remain at the club, what is certain is that the decision will be made by him. This is because Arsène Wenger has the safest job in football. It is now three years since Wenger’s Arsenal landed a major trophy – the FA Cup in 2004/05. Given that this period has included two further cup final appearances – in the Champions League and Carling Cup – plus a league campaign last season that Arsenal were a meagre four points away from winning, it cannot be considered a lifetime. But in today’s climate it is long enough to spark consternation in the boardroom of virtually any other club. Meanwhile the squad has been haemorrhaging, players, having lost four senior members from last season’s squad in Mattheu Flamini (to AC Milan) Alex Hleb (Barcelona), Gilberto (Panathinaikos) and Jens Lehmann (Stuttgart), plus bit-part players including Justin Hoyte (Middlesbrough) and Philippe Senderos (on loan to AC Milan). Five players have arrived - four youngsters, none established. An unconvincing start to the season, including two league defeats in six games, has in many fans’ minds confirmed their fears. With the transfer window open for five more days, there is still time for an established performer like Gareth Barry, Xavi Alonso or A.N. Other to arrive to bolster Wenger’s embryonic midfield, but until that moment fans will continue agitating like never before under the Frenchman’s rein. By anyone’s estimation, it all adds up to a period of major instability. Yet Arsenal have been here before. Last summer, with Thierry Henry departed and only the Croatian Eduardo da Silva and Frenchman Bacary Sagna notable signings, every armchair expert was predicting a struggle to qualify for the Champions League. Challenging for the title was a pipedream, but challenge they did, finishing third behind Chelsea and eventual champions Manchester United, racking up twenty points more than the previous season in the process. Progression in the Champions League (still Wenger’s – and Arsenal’s – holy grail) was halted by Liverpool in an enthralling quarter-final at Anfield. This followed victory in the San Siro against AC Milan, widely hailed as one of the most impressive performances by an English side in Europe for decades. In the domestic cups, Wenger continued his policy of fielding a virtual second string, who once again displayed their stark potential by beating Newcastle and Blackburn, before falling heavily to Spurs in the Carling Cup (losing 5-1 in the second leg) and Manchester United in the FA Cup (40). Many cited those two defeats as evidence of Wenger’s over reliance on youth, yet arguably the previous victories – against solid top flight opponents – were a better yardstick by which to judge Wenger’s young prodigies. At other clubs this kind of qualitative assessment would carry little weight. The proliferation of western tycoon and eastern oligarch-owned clubs has created a corporate culture of win-at ---allcosts. For the likes of Abramovich, Hicks, Gillett and Glazier, second is nowhere. The ethos at Arsenal, however, remains more traditional, and, to many, more desirable. The playing staff may be multi-national, but the club is still in the primary hands of custodians whose links with the club go back decades (though major shareholders do now include both an American and a Russian). To these people success is

measured not just in trophies, but in stability. In this regard, the continued trust in Wenger’s methodology makes perfect sense. On the pitch, the past three years may not have yielded silverware, but Wenger has continued meeting the minimum requirement of Champions League qualification, while the team has played a style of football that has promoted the Arsenal Brand across the globe. Off the pitch, attendances during the club’s first two seasons at Emirates Stadium have not fallen below 60,000 and the waiting list for tickets is not far off that figure either. Meanwhile financial figures last season showed the club’ turnover makes them the second richest in the world. It is worth noting that not all are happy with what is perceived by some as a lack of ambition on the club’s part. With the cheapest season ticket at Emirates Stadium now pushing the £1,000 mark, supporters are demanding full value for money: and that means trophies. The requirement to service the substantial Emirates Stadium debts fails to wash as an excuse given that the board have regularly insisted that building a new ground would not affect the budget for team building. While some fans feel they have been taken for a ride, others accept that the club’s conservative spending policy is Wenger’s choice, rather than one enforced on him by the club. ‘Wenger knows’ is the mantra oft-repeated by fans around the stadium, for the time being, with conviction. In truth, the precise financial situation at the club remains unclear – with the credit crunch muddying the waters even further (sections of the club’s old Highbury stadium have been converted into residential property, for which deposits do not guarantee an eventual purchase). That the club are not yet able to compete with Chelsea and Manchester United is largely accepted. Instead, Wenger seems to have come to a conclusion that conflicts with his reputation as a romantic idealist, and instead paints him as an arch pragmatist: that the difference between a £3million player and a £15 million player (likely to be the upper limit of Arsenal’s transfer budget) is often merely fame and reputation. Consider the evidence: three million for Adebayor, or sixteen million for Darren Bent? Six million for Sagna, or 13 million for Paulo Ferrerra? Say no more. Wenger’s brilliance has been in pulling off the greatest employee’s trick in history, by creating a mega-successful brand that relies entirely on his own, unique strategic thinking to maintain. Life at Microsoft will go on after Bill Gates, but, short of Dein’s cloning dream becoming reality, who could possibly carry the torch for Wenger’s intangible genius? One theory is that Wenger is already silently preparing for life after Wenger. “My heart is tied to this football club so signing a new deal was always my intention,” he said after signing an extension to his contact last season. “It has deep-seated roots and a tremendous heritage. It is my aim to uphold these values and help create new history for future generations.” The brave new post-Wenger world could be a very different place. Once the burden of debt has lifted, the club should finally have the financial clout to compete with Abramovich, Glazier (should they still be on the scene), et al. The players out of reach today – the Rooney’s , the Deco’s – may suddenly be assailable and Wenger’s great experiment with youth could be a thing of the past. That is unless the fruits of the club’s nascent academy will by then have emerged ripe and ready for action. Certainly, the hapless mortal who replaces Wenger will need all the options available. However benevolent, principled and long-termist Wenger may be, there can be no disguising his enduring, burning desire for victory. Last season saw him as animated as he has ever been – his theatrics on the touchline drawing comparisons with Basil Fawlty. By his own admission, he is not just a bad loser, but a tormented one, still haunted by distant defeats. And there have been some hard ones to take, not least in Paris in May 2006, when a ten-man Arsenal were twelve minutes away from winning the Champions League before succumbing to Barcelona in extra time. Indeed, Wenger remains the only ‘world class’ modern coach who has failed to win the fabled trophy. One suspects that it is the root of many reflections and flagellations that keep him awake at night. So that makes two of us then.

Wengerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brilliance has been in pulling off the greatest employeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trick in history, by creating a mega-successful brand that relies entirely on his own, unique strategic thinking to maintain 42

SMASHING SUMMER

words: VĂ&#x2030;RONIQUE DE FREITAS

Nadal is the faithful picture of the perfect European athlete: the clothes, the headband on the long hair, the thick and unmistakable accent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; combining feminine grace and masculine power. This year, he put the seal on a memorable summer of sport for Spain by taking Olympic gold in Beijing confirming his position at the top of the world rankings. Has the Nadalmania arrived and is it here to stay? 44

10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RAFA

1 . He takes a shower RIGHT before every match 2 . Nadal’s musical preferences are Maná, Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams 3 . When he was younger his uncle and dad would convince him he had super powers to boost his confidence before playing games 4 . Rafael is a keen Football fan and his favourite player is Frenchman Zinédine Zidane...or Zizou 5 . When he doesn’t train he loves fishing and bends his mind around games on his PlayStation 6 . Rafa is the nephew of former Spanish fooballer Miguel Ángel Nadal, one of Spain’s most capped players 7 . His weight is 75kgs and height 1.82m 8 . He is AFRAID of dogs and heights 9 . His favourite actors are Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman 10 . He competed in his first tennis championship in Baleares when he was only 8 45

Rafael Nadal-Parera, nickname Rafa, became this summer the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year. Nadal really has had a wonderful year. The four-time French Open champion has been striving diligently and with yearon-year progress to finally celebrate it and win eight singles titles, including a fourth successive French Open and a victory in Wimbledon, breaking Roger Federer’s grip on the trophy. Rafael Nadal was 19 when he won the 2005 French Open in his very first appearance at the event. A left-hander with a booming forehand (“zurdo con revés a dos manos” as fans say in his home country) Nadal was born on the third of June 1986 in Manacor, Mallorca. His family never thought that he would become a tennis player as he would rather play football and basketball when he was a child. Nevertheless, at the age of four he started to play tennis trained by his uncle Toni Nadal. Nadal had been known as a clay-court specialist since playing his first pro tournament in 2001 and he speaks openly of his preference for Roland Garros championship. He is now described as the undisputed king of Roland Garros

says Gustavo Kuerten, former world Number one tennis player, from Brazil. And British tennis fans will not disagree. The match against Federer was widely lauded as the greatest Wimbledon final, with some tennis critics even calling it the greatest match ever. The two rivals played the longest final in Wimbledon history, and because of rain delays, Nadal won the fifth set 9-7 in near-darkness. By winning his first Wimbledon title, Nadal became the third man in the open era to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year and the second Spaniard to win Wimbledon. “Nowhere in my best dreams could I have imagined something like I did this year,” Nadal said. He has so far won eight singles titles, including the Olympic games, had a career-best 32 matches winning streak during which he captured five titles securing the World No. 1 ranking for the first time. Nadal is the first male player ranked in the top five to win the gold medal. What does the future hold for the young tennis prodigy? Long considered the second man in tennis, his win over Roger Federer has given him a new perspective. And he has received a hero’s welcome as he

after he defeated Federer in the French Open final for the third straight year.

returned to his hometown of Manacor on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

However, Rafael Nadal has met considerable hostility from the Parisian public during his performances at Roland Garros. He is often booed throughout and even after the match, especially when he played against and beaten French players such as Paul-Henri Mathieu or Richard Gasquet. Commentators on French TV, such as Guy Forget (the former French professional tennis player) on France 2, said they wanted him to lose during matches, claiming that “we don’t need construction worker arms in tennis”. After the 2006 Roland Garros final against Federer, Nadal started by praising Federer in his speech but the translator mistranslated the speech, leading the public to think he was praising himself - Nadal was thus booed and whistled at throughout the speech.

And it sounds like the tennis stud has an asteroid named after him - Asteroid ‘128036’ has been renamed Rafael Nadal. The 4-kilometre-in-diameter planetoid is located between Mars and Jupiter and travels through space at a speed of 20km per second. This is what we can call the true ‘star power’. In July, the Wimbledon champion looked to be having a grand time as he chilled out in Mallorca with his girlfriend Maria Francisa Perello. The Spanish tennis stud enjoyed time with his girlfriend of three years at his new house in Manacor. And after the killer season he’s had, he deserves as much rest as he wants. He might decide to tie the knot with his missus, who kept such a low profile that many had no idea tennis star Rafael was in a long relationship. So congratulations to Rafael, on his championships and his relationship. And whatever the future holds for him, Rafa is now the man to watch in men’s tennis.

But there is no comparison between the Spaniards and his contemporary, Frenchman Richard Gasquet. “Rafa is the Ronaldinho of the tennis courts”

Olympic

Gold Rush words: VĂ&#x2030;RONIQUE DE FREITAS

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad will be known as a recordbreaking sporting event for Britain. Team GB finished the Olympics in fourth spot with 19 gold, 13 silver and 15 bronze medals. But ask any person who they consider the superstars of the Beijing Olympics and you will, most probably, get these three names: Rebecca Adlington, Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt.

Rebecca Adlington Olympics Games 2008 ACHIEVEMENTS:

Two Gold Medals - GOLD 400m Freestyle 4:03.22 - GOLD 800m Freestyle 8:14.10 This young English swimmer won two gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in the 400m and 800m. This is Britain’s first gold medal in women’s swimming in 48 years, breaking the record of 19 year old Janet Evans in the 800m. Adlington is now the greatest Olympic swimmer Britain has produced since 1908 with two gold medals and a world-record performance. Rebecca started swimming when she was seven years old, following in the footsteps of her sisters Laura and Chloe. She says that she started swimming “just for the social side of things but I just got better and better.” She had been talked about as a hot young talent as far back as 2004 when she won the European Junior Championships aged 16. But the following year she contracted glandular fever and laid low for many months. However, in April 2008 she came back and set a European record by taking gold at the World Short Course Championships in Manchester. Her double triumph is a reward for her intense training regime that includes sessions in the pool from 6am to 8am and from 5pm to 7pm six days a week, with additional workouts in the gym. “It’s all sleeping, training, driving and occasionally finding time to eat. That’s what my life is about,” she said. When she doesn’t swim, the double gold medalist loves wearing kitten heels - she was actually given a golden pair of shoes by Jimmy Choo to match her two gold medals. She loves designer shoes including, Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin. She also would love to meet The Office’s Ricky Gervais, “I think he is hilarious or Peter Kay, anyone funny”. Keep an eye out for this girl because the odds on Adlington lifting the BBC Sports Personality Award are now on.

Michael Phelps - The Neptune of the Olympic pool Olympics Games 2008 ACHIEVEMENTS:

Eight Gold Medals - 400m individual medley, 4 x 100m freestyle relay, 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 4x200m freestyle relay, 200m individual medley, 100m butterfly and the 4x100-meter medley. Nicknamed the ‘Flying Fish’ by the Chinese at this year’s Olympics, Phelps is the most successful Olympian of all time with a career tally of 14 gold medals. The swimming prodigy is the greatest all-round competitor in the history; he is 17 times World Champion, three-time Olympic record holder and it goes on. When he was only 15 years old, Michael Phelps competed at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, placing fifth in the 200m butterfly. The following year he broke the world record for the event, becoming the youngest male ever to set a swimming world record. He began swimming at a very young age, following in the footsteps of his father Fred, an all-round athlete, and his two elder sisters, Hilary and Whitney, who showed early promise as swimmers. He mastered the backstroke due to his fear of having his face in the water. When he was seven he refused to put his face in the water so his instructors allowed him to float around on his back. Four years later Bowman became his coach. One of the turning points for Michael came when he saw swimmers Tom Malchow and Tom Dolan compete at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta and at the young age of 11 years old, he began to dream of becoming a champion himself. Bowman claims that Phelps was exceptional right away. “He’s physically superior in terms of flexibility and feel for the water,” Bowman said. “Also, and most important, he has an incredible ability to relax and focus under pressure - you can’t coach that.” He took part in Athens in 2004, where he won six gold and two bronze medals.

Usain ‘lightning’ Bolt – the world’s fastest man Olympics Games 2008 ACHIEVEMENTS:

Two Gold Medals: 100 metres 9.69 seconds - 200 metres 19.30 seconds An unforgettable sportsman from the Beijing Olympics is Usain Bolt, who won three gold medals. The 22-year-old champion will be remembered for his three sprint medals (100m, 200m and 4×100m relay), in which he also broke the world record three times. After his world record breaking run in New York City, which was preceded by a lightning storm, the press nicknamed him “Lightning Bolt” and the “Bolt from the blue”. He is also famous for his exuberant celebration after this year’s Olympics; “I am a performer. I come down here to perform and if the people enjoy themselves I do as well. This is my job”, he said. The Jamaican amazed Olympics’ crowd with his 100m track final. He stepped into the history books by beating Michael Johnson’s 200m world record of 19:32, by crossing the finish line to win the 200-metre race gold medal with a time of 19:30. “I came here to prove that I’m the best in the world and I did that,’’ Bolt said. The Jamaican sprinter is the first athlete since American Carl Lewis in 1984 to win both the 100m and 200m finals. ‘Lightning Bolt’ made his first appearance at the 2001 OAF World Youth Championships in Doreen, Hungary, where he was running in the 200m event but failed to qualify for the finals. It was 2002 when he really made his mark, winning both 200m and 400m events in the High School Championships, where he became the competition’s youngest-ever gold medallist. Surprisingly, the Jamaican’s first love is cricket; he likes to say that if he was not a sprinter he would have been a fast bowler instead. During Beijing 100m final, Bolt wore golden Puma spikes that had “Beijing 100 m Gold” emblazoned across them - it seems he had a premonition…?

Survival of the Fittest

Salomon Kalou is often a forgotten name amid Chelsea’s roll-call of world superstars. But the 24-year-old has now survived three managers at Stamford Bridge. He talks exclusively to Anglomania. text: PAUL JOSEPH photos: ALEXEY SOROKIN Anglomania. You left the Ivory Coast to play in Holland [for Feyenoord in Rotterdam] when you were just 17 – what was that like? Salomon Kalou. Rotterdam is a really small city and I enjoyed living there because I was young and I didn’t have my family with me, so it made me grow up quickly and focus on my career. Moving to a big city when you are young can be harder, because there are so many temptations. But in Rotterdam it was fine – you would go out once a month, but apart from that you just focus on your game. Was it a culture shock coming to England? Well I never imagined playing in England. When I was young, and dreaming about becoming a professional footballer, I always thought of France, or Spain – but never England. But when the first opportunity came, I talked with people from Chelsea, and it’s difficult to say no because you know you can grow and become a big player at a club like this. How have you changed as a player since you came to Chelsea? I have learnt how to play for the team, how to fight for the team. When I was in Rotterdam it was all about me, I wanted to score the goals. I would just stand there and wait for the right occasion to score, but here I have to defend more and run more, and try to pass the ball to the strikers to help them score. But there are still lots of areas I can improve. I want to score more goals, and I want to improve my left foot, so I can hit the ball the same way I can hit it with my right. You’ve been used by Chelsea in a number of positions. Do you see your future as a central striker? Yes, that is something that has been difficult because since I’ve been at Chelsea I’ve played on the right side, left side, central striker…sometimes the trainer sees you are capable of playing different positions and he wants to use you in this way. It is good because I can learn how to play many different positions, but also it means you do not have continuity in your game, and you cannot grow into one role. Do you have an ambition to be the number one striker at the club? Because at the moment Didier Drogba gets most of the attention. Well Drogba at my age was not the main striker of such a big club. The same with Samuel Eto’o and others. That will come with time, with experience and with learning. In two years I have learnt a lot at Chelsea, and that has given me the confidence that one day I can become one of the top strikers in the world.

The Champions League semi-final against Liverpool last season was tiring just to watch on TV! Were they the most intense games you’ve ever played in? It’s always intense playing against Liverpool. It’s always difficult, always really tough, as they don’t give you any time to play and are really aggressive. Playing Liverpool at Anfield is even worse. You know every time we play them it’s going to be a battle until the very last minute; if the referee hasn’t blown his whistle the fight is still on. Liverpool is the most difficult opponent to play, more difficult than Manchester United or Arsenal. In fact, It is the most difficult team I’ve ever played against. What do you say to people who have accused Chelsea of playing boring football? Well even under [former coach] José Mourinho we tried to play nice football. But Chelsea has its own style, just like other clubs have their own style. You can’t ask Barcelona to play like Chelsea, or Chelsea to play like Barcelona. We are what we are – a strong team, who wait for a mistake, score a goal, and close everything down. That’s what Chelsea does, and you can’t change that in one or even two years. But as players do you feel a pressure to pass more, do more beautiful things with the ball? I think beautiful football comes with how good you feel. If you don’t care about the result, and just want to play beautiful football, then you play that way. But if you decide you are here to win, then that is beautiful also. Winning with ugly football is still great. The most important thing is victory. And that is the nature of English football. You can watch a game, a player does nothing, and if he scores two goals he is man of the match. But the one who gives everything all game – beautiful runs, passes, dribbles – he is forgotten. The goal of the game is to score goals, and to win. If you can win beautiful, then it’s great. Arsenal has won a lot of competitions playing great football, so you cannot say it is not a recipe for success. But ultimately, you always remember the winner and the one who scores. What is your favourite stadium apart from Stamford Bridge? De Kuip [home to Feyenoord, Kalou’s former club]. Every stadium I play in, I will never feel like I did there. I was there during the last pre-season with Chelsea and I felt like I was home again. I did great things there, scored a lot of goals, so the fans remember me and still love me. Would you consider ending your career there? Well I do hope to do that, but you never know.

El Hadji Diouf From Saint-Louis to Sunderland â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the unusual career of a football prodigy

words: Aliou Goloko photos: PAOLO REGIS

El hadj Ousseynou Diouf is without contest one of the most famous Senegalese football players of his time. Sunderland’s new player has had some turbulent life experiences starting from his childhood, to the career of a very accomplished football player. The child of Balacoss - the name of the area where he used to live in Saint Louis - won the “Golden Ball” title twice. He is very popular in Senegal, Africa, and the rest of the world despite some of his misbehaviours. Knighted by his counterparts but rejected by Liverpool because of his mischief at Bolton, he is starting a new career at Sunderland. He was chosen by the enigmatic Roy Keane, known for a similar temper, is convinced that Diouf is not a bad boy. He is still the best Senegalese player since the beginning of the qualification matches and is currently being picked for the Senegalese squad. Saint Louis, his childhood kingdom El-Hadji Ousseynou Diouf was born on 15th January 1981 in Dakar, the Senegalese capital. He spent his childhood in Saint Louis, the former colonial town, located near the mouth of the Senegal River and the Mauritanian desert in the Northern part of Senegal where his parents are both from. He had a happy childhood, a traditional upbringing from Saint Louis, divided between the learning at the Coranic School and life under the supervision of his family, including his grandmother, uncles and aunts. His parents were out of the country because of work responsibilities: with his father located in Portugal to negotiate his football future and his mother working in a fishing factory located in Nouadhibou, the second biggest town in Mauritania after Nouakchott. It was not always easy for Diouf to cope with the absence of his parents, at times he had to defend himself against bullying. Despite his grandmother’s care, he missed parental warmth and as a result, Diouf built up a tough mental barrier and gained the spirit of a fighter. Diouf escaped from the burden of his daily life by playing football with friends, these friendly matches made him very happy. From this moment on, Diouf knew he wanted to play football for a living. Diouf liked to show off his football skills whether he was playing at school or just having a casual kick-about with his friends. This triggered his popularity among the suburb as a talented player; everybody wanted Diouf on their team because they could see what great skills he possessed. From the river Senegal banks to Mersey banks Diouf was just a teenager when he met Pape Samba Mbow, an agent from SaintLouis, who heard about his talents and connected him with managers in France to launch his career. In Montbéliard, he meets Senegalese player Omar Daf who lived in the same training centre. He went on to train with Daf improving his professional skills. After a year, they go their separate ways as Diouf joins Rennes football club, the “red and blacks” where he began playing with the Sylvain Wiltord. However, he did not stay there for long, after playing several matches in premierships in 1999 and UEFA Cup, he misbehaved and was asked to leave the club at the end of the season: the reputation of the club seemed more important than the talent of a future great player. Diouf then went on to the Nord Pas-de-Calais in Lens, the ‘blood and gold.’ He finished a good season in Senegal alongside Ferdinand Coly, Pape Bouba Diop et Pape Seydou Diop. Back in France, he was reunited with his team - an ideal environment where his leadership was accepted by teammates. Feeling relaxed and at ease in this environment, he exploded onto the football scene and became one of the best players in the championship. During the two years spent in the North of France he played a total of 54 matches, scoring 18 goals. On the international scene, he experienced his first selection in a match against Benin for 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifications. His fame exceeded the Hexagon and in Senegal he gathered in the crowd. At this time, Diouf was blissfully happy and become a very important player. Twice Golden Ball Diouf received a warm welcome from the supporters at the Bollaert stadium and became their favourite player with the big clubs of the Hexagon queuing to sign him. The entire country of France agreed that the ‘Teranga’s Lions’ experienced a new era of great players led by French Bruno Metsu; Diouf became the icon of this new era and a backbone of strength alongside Khalilou Fadiga, Henry Camara, Salif Diao, Ferdinand Coly, Tony Sylva and the others. Africa discovered a real genius, with Diouf

going down as the second best scorer of the Can and 2002 World Cup, scoring nine goals after Ivory Coast player, Ibrahima Bagayoko who scored 11. Diouf’s goals opened Senegal’s doors to the World Cup for first time in history. Thanks to its performance, he won the African Gold Ball title in 2001 – a first for a Senegalese player and until now, the only. The “Lions” play their first final and lose to Cameroon after a series of penalties. Months later, the team renew their performance by reaching the quarterfinals in the world cup in Japan and South Korea. El Hadj Diouf confirmed his talent in front of the world by humiliating the Senegal opponents at the World Cup where he had a great tournament. The “King Pele“ was also convinced by Diouf’s talent. He is then listed amongst the ten players, published in Thursday by the Federation International of Football, to compete for the 2002 World Cup “Golden Ball” title. The selectors of the continent name him the golden ball in South Africa where he meets Nelson Mandela, and other head-of-state Africans. Diouf became a big star of football, and just 24 hours before the start of 2002 world Cup, he signed at the English red Club, Liverpool. Fantastic player or trouble-maker? At Liverpool, Diouf started his English experience alongside great players such as talented footballers Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen. He was bought for ten million pounds, but, with disappointing performances and not scoring any goals in 80 matches, the Liverpool supporters didn’t understand this grand purchase. Known as an emotial player, Diouf managed to accumulate a bundle of yellow and red cards, caused arguments and was renowned for occasional mood swings. His most notable action was when he spat at a Celtic fan during the UEfA Cup. Despite apologising, he is punished by his club. Not learning from his outburst, only a few months later, the supportes of Middlesborough were at the end of his spitting attack. This slipping of behaviour got Diouf his bad-boy reputation. But, at the same time, he was playing fantastic matches. This went unnoticed in the UK with the media heavily focusing on his out-of-order actions and was classed as a troublemaker. The rupture within the reds team is unacceptable and they send him to Bolton. Amongst players like Okocha and Anelka, Diouf recovered from his bad name by performing again like he used to. In four years, he played 141 matches and scores 27 goals, this good performance resulted in the team qualifying for the European Championship. While playing at the Wanderers, he calmed down despite spitting on Portsmouth captain Arjan de Zeeuw. He then spent four seasons in Bolton where in his personal life; he became a father to a girl named Kenza. The birth of his daughter was one of the reasons he stayed in control of his actions. After a good and long career at Bolton, Diouf decided to sign at Sunderland - this will be his third club after Liverpool and Bolton. His career with the ‘Teranga’s Lions’ started again and was then the best player, the best winger and the best striker (with two important passes and two goals since the beginning of the qualifications for the Can and the 2010 World Cup.) An icon of generosity The bad boy reputation that the world knows Diouf for very much clashes with the good Samaritan image he has harboured in Senegal - a man with a good heart, is very generous and shows genuine compassion for others. These are the reasons why he is still popular in Senegal. His faith also lies in donating to charity including helping provide incubators to maternity units and funding associations that help disabled people. He is also particularly generous when it comes to his family, friends and even strangers. For the launch of his charity called ‘Konfidence’, funded with his friend and famous Senegalese/American singer, he said: “We are in Senegal for positive actions because we only have our talent and we want to become role models for the future generation, that it is our aim. Instead of investing somewhere else we preferred to help our African and Senegalese brothers especially.” With his kindness and gratitude, the child of Saint-Louis coming from a simple background, El Hadj Diouf believes in sharing his success and to not forget his roots. He is the follower of Serigne Touba, who had to fight his way through.

TAG Heuer Celebrates

British Formula One

TAG Heuer, the leader in prestigious sports watches and chronographs since 1860 has joined forces with brand ambassador and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, former Formula One World Champion Damon Hill OBE, and legendary racing driver Sir Stirling Moss, OBE to host a unique photography exhibition celebrating British Formula One. The exhibition creates a spectacular celebration of drivers, cars and the heritage of British Formula One. This stunning archive of images, including Damon Hill as a child standing proudly next to his racer father, was unveiled at a private preview in London on Monday 15th September 2008 followed by an exhibition to the general public from the 16th-20th September 2008 at The Mall Galleries, The Mall, (near Admiralty Arch), London, SW1.

Doing their bit for charity, TAG Heuer is proud to announce that they have chosen Save the Children as their benefiting charity from the exhibition TAG Heuer celebrates British Formula One Drivers.

1. lewis hamilton 2. sir stirling moss, lewis hamilton, damon hill and tag heuer ceo and president jean christophe babin take to the stage 3. danny cipriani and kenny logan 4. kirsty gallacher and friend 5. neve campbell 6. james haskell and guest with antoine pin 7. damon hill 8. tag heuer ceo and president jean christophe babin during an interview 9. sir stirling moss chats to lewis hamilton

www.ANGLOMANIAMAG.com

photo: PAOLO REGIS styling: CLEO DAVIS

FASHION

&BEAUTY petra ecclestone giorgio armani dirk bikkembergs london fashion week

On Form

The words luxury, style and glamour have long been eponymous with the motor racing world. From Monaco to Bahrain the sport is known for attracting some of theworld’s most glamorous individuals,sowho better to translate such attributes to the fashion masses than Petra Ecclestone, who presents her menswear label FORM this season.

FORM presents a collection that bridges the gap between men’s casual wear and formal suiting; ranging from structured overcoats and elegant cashmere trousers to relaxed cardigans, leather gloves and accessories. For the tailored pieces FORM are collaborating with Edward Sexton, the renowned Savile Row designer who designed for the Beatles, Rolling Stones and the Kennedy’s. Combining traditional tailoring with a sumptuous mix of fabrics and heavy knits, FORM succeeds in adding a modern edge to the perpetual fashions of a sport reaped in heritage. Using refined yet durable materials such as cashmere, leather and soft corduroy, in a plethora of muted colours that range from sandy beige and chocolate brown right through to molten grey and deep-sea blue, FORM ensures understated style for any man with an eye for fashion. The new collection is sure to race into the hearts of those that adore timeless luxury. Inspiration from the race track can be seen when taking a closer look at the silhouette, the subtle use of shoulder pads, racing collars and belting ensures a streamlined and sleek shape. This juxtaposed with the deliciously soft fabrics, muted palette and Petra’s eye for detail that even incorporates the FORM logo discreetly onto the zip, shows that no stone has been left unturned in the quest for perfection.

FORM presents a collection that bridges the gap between menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s casual wear and formal suiting ranging from structured overcoats and elegant cashmere trousersâ&#x20AC;Ś

FORM

uses refined yet durable materials such as cashmere, leather and soft corduroy, in a plethora of muted colours that range from sandy beige and chocolate brown right through to molten grey and deep-sea blue

FORM is a victorious introduction of contemporary wear on the lasting fashions of a sport reaped in heritage

Silhouette design has been inspired by the structural shapes of racing suits; with subtle shoulder pads and tailored racing collars.

Tailored pieces are in track position with suits of a Savile Row standard as FORM announce collaborations with Beatlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and Rolling Stonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; designer Edward Sexton

FORM combines traditional tailoring with a sumptuous mix of fabrics and heavy knits for the unruffled comfort seeker

ARMANI ART DE VIVRE

words: CATHERINE SEVIGNY

Those who change the world, by making it more exquisite, through the power of their vision and the force of their efforts. The story of Giorgio Armaniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming-ofage is entrancing for this reason 66

It is in mankindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nature to strive, push forward, forever seeking new frontiers to conquer. The relentless, organic grind propels history as the world gives up its secrets, every nook and cranny explored for its

The push, that human drive - for faster better more more more - is in built to our DNA. But the truth of it is, it is almost exclusively our collective talents which achieve moments of extraordinary genius, or alternatively, the most craven brutality. Every

potential riches. When no centimetre of earth remains hidden from human eyes, we cast our eyes upwards at the sun and wonder whether our gravity-bound mortal selves can ever conquer such an impressive sight. Skyscrapers spring up from nowhere - entire gleaming cities sparkling with a hard-diamond intensity - where only decades ago cows stood contentedly chewing their cud in vast empty fields. In Dubai, architects are told, in the manner Salvador Dali prescribed a hundred years ago, to eat the strongest blue cheese they can find immediately before sleeping. This is to elicit the most powerful dreamscape possible, from which they are encouraged to take their inspiration. So spring up buildings (though the banal term hardly befits the feats of imagination it represents) that defy ordinary expectations, exceed normal boundaries and seem to challenge the very shifting sand upon which they are built.

breakthrough in modern medical science owes its existence to the bloody backstreet surgeons who, for centuries, hacked away at suffering patients in order to find a cure. This process of trial-and-error built the body of knowledge that gave rise to the astonishing quality of life we all enjoy and now take for granted. Equally, the face of the evil in the 20th century wears a strange little mustache and a sour messianic gleam, but Adolf Hitler could not have systematically murdered millions without the implicit acceptance of a hypnotised public. But just as among a thousand white swans, a black swan will suddenly appear, inexplicably, without genetic reason or predecessor, so does the very rare spark of genius touch one amongst us, as if to accelerate the process of human achievement by giving one person the gift to see further down the road than normally possible. They strive towards their vision, which once achieved, become our quotidian reality, so normal as to be banal, while new frontiers already being scouted out.

“I love things that age well – things that don’t date, that stand the test of time and that become living examples of the absolute best. For anyone to make anything of their lives, attention to the smallest detail is essential.” - GIORGIO ARMANI 68

The most wonderful details that surround such icons are the minutiae, the practical stuff, where they come from, how they live their lives every day and what they have for lunch. When someone dramatically exceeds normal human function, their place in the grinding wheel, so to speak, they divest themselves of the simple expectations of a life well lived and become so much more. They become icons, the canvas onto which our hopes, dreams and ambitions are projected. The most magical of these figures are those who truly deserve the amplification of our collective gaze, by sheer dint of their astonishing talent. Those who change the world, by making it more exquisite, through the power of their vision and the force of their efforts. The story of Giorgio Armani’s coming-of-age is entrancing for this reason – the small-town boy from Piacenza, Italy who followed his destiny, shaping his vision every step of the way. Born in 1934, he acknowledges his village roots with affection, showing how they helped shape his sense of sophistication instead of negating it. In an interview in 2006, he said: “Never in my wildest dreams did I entertain the idea that I would become a fashion designer. I first came to Milan as a young, impressionable boy – I was still in short trousers! I started working as a window dresser. I had come from a tiny village and to arrive in such a big city made a huge impact on me. It was very hard, at first, to get used to it. After 30 years working in this industry, it all feels like it started yesterday.” Giorgio Armani’s praise for Milan, the city that ‘welcomed him with open arms in the most extraordinary way’ speaks volumes about the man himself. He once said: “Milan is a city where you can live well, where you can make something of your life. Milan will always help you achieve that. I am where I am today – talking to you about this fantastic city which always excites me – thanks to Milan. It may not have the sweeping avenues of Paris or the skyscrapers of New York, or the

amazing sites of Rome. It is not even a shadow of what Shanghai or Beijing will become and yet no other city has driven my work or helped me be the best I can be.” For Paris, Rome, Shanghai and Beijing, read the show-stopping qualities that typify other designers, fashion’s enfant terrible Alexander McQueen ripping up the scenery, or Jean Paul Gaultier’s absurd take on the zeitgeist, or Roberto Cavalli’s red-blooded, unapologetic celebration of sexiness. Yet it is the purity of Giorgio Armani’s clean, classic aesthetic which outlives the vagaries of fashion and the iconoclastic ideal which pervades the many branches of his empire and keeps the potency of the Giorgio Armani brand as strong as ever. His eye never wavers, never fails. The most successful fashion designer to come out of the most fashionable country on the planet, he is Milan. He is fashion. He said: “I love things that age well – things that don’t date, that stand the test of time and that become living examples of the absolute best. For anyone to make anything of their lives, attention to the smallest detail is essential. To create something exceptional, your mindset must be relentlessly focused on the smallest detail.” Le classic, c’est chic, mais c’est du bulot. In other words, behind every flawless line, lies the blood, sweat and tears of the man who has defined beauty for the last forty years. The saying goes that brilliance is not born from privilege, it is born from the gutter - or even worse, the suburbs. That isn’t to say that a talent must endure hardship to prove its integrity, but it is the road the individual travels which shapes them, and in Armani’s case, the unexpected influences of his youth amplify and feed his vision. Few people know that he originally trained in medicine, but his early interest for photography indicated a passion for form. After performing his national service in 1957, he made his fated move to Milan, where he worked in a department store, La Rinascente, as a window dresser.

His ascendency in the world of fashion is the stuff of legend, largely because its trail-blazing nature. Most basic tricks of the trade, Armani invented. He achieved his international breakthrough by tailoring for numerous Hollywood names, most notably Richard Gere in American Gigolo in 1980. The rather average film turned an unassuming Buddhist vegetarian into an international superstar and seared Armani’s name into the public consciousness, proving that sometimes form does triumph over content. Giorgio Armani and Sergio Galeotti founded the titular company in 1975 with a capital of $10,000. Armani today employs about 4,700 employees and runs 13 factories around the world. He owns nearly 300 stores in 36 countries and recently launched an haute couture operation called Armani Prive at an age where most people would be justified in sinking into well-deserved retirement. Of the venture, he said: “People thought I was mad to go into an area of fashion that doesn’t often yield a great deal of success. I arrived at the grand old age of 72 and thought I want to have fun with something! I wanted to work without constraints and Prive Couture allowed me to do that.” One of the more astonishing facts about Giorgio Armani is that he manages to remain independent in a fashion world dominated by massive multi-nationals which rely heavily on licensing. His company is privately held and creates the vast majority of his products in-house. His careful involvement in all aspects of the company is a further testament to his age-defying energy. Just as he broke new ground marrying high-octane celebrity with high fashion, his eye for collaboration with the next big thing remains as sharp as ever. Armani Prive made history being the first haute couture Paris fashion show to be streamed live online. He teamed up with one of the world’s biggest DJs, Mario Tiesto, for the Armani Exchange

Search of Sunrise Summer Tour ’08, which took place in North America this year. Giorgio Armani announced in July that he was designing the costume for famed bullfighter Cayetano Rivera Ordonez, on the occasion the ‘Corrida Goyesca’, which took place on September 6th. The ‘Corrida Goyesca’ is a unique and historical bullfight, which takes place once a year in Rhonda, inside the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain. The town has an illustrious cultural past as the place where Ernest Hemingway wrote many of his finest novels and where Orson Welles’ ashes still remain to this day. Armani featured the darkly handsome Spaniard in his advertising campaign for Armani Couture in 2007. The Spanish bullfighter’s simmering intensity is a perfect contrast to the cool, light elegance that is Armani’s trademark. Cayetano’s suit of lights in the Goyaesque style, comprises a jacket, trousers and cloak in techno satin in a shade of Armani greige. The three piece’s are embroidered with sequins, small glitter stones and thread, all matching the colour of the background fabric. His newest exciting venture is Armani Hotels. He signed an agreement with Emaar Properties, where he will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of design for seven luxury hotels and three vacation resorts. The first 37 floors of the Burj Dubai skyscraper, in Dubai, will house the world’s first Armani Hotel. Giorgio will, of course, be designing the interior. The reason Giorgio Armani remains such a towering name in fashion, synonymous with effortless grace and style, is all down to the extraordinary man himself. Like the startling, exquisite black swan gliding amongst his thousands of white cohorts, never betraying the furious energy which propels him ever forward.

DIRK BIKKEMBERGS

words: CLEO DAVIS

Dirk Bikkembergs, the Muhammad Ali of fashion design, turned sportswear into luxury clothing. Sport attire has always been linked with stiff-as-a-board nylon polo tops and parachute plaintiff tracksuit trousers, but has now been rinsed of its old and sweaty style associations. This new breed of clothing has been brewing under the silky surface of the fashion world ever since the launch of Dirk Bikkembergs Sport Couture line since the turn of the millennium. Dirk Bikkembergs, Belgian based fashion designer and football fanatic, first fled to fame back in the 1980s as a sixth member of the graduate group, the ‘Antwerp Six’ which also included the likes of Dries van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and Martin Margeieler. Following their successful graduation from Belgium’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Belgium) the avant-garde group shot straight to the back of the net as design individuals in the fashion industry. Futuristic and fabulous were his designs, Bikkembergs was duly awarded the prestigious “Golden Spindle award for Best Young Designer in Fashion in 1985.” With his confidence booming and a reputable trophy in tow, Bikkembergs started walking his work into the likes of consumer wardrobes by creating his first men’s footwear collection for a Belgian shoe manufacturer. The collection consisted of cutting edge styles including perforated soles and innovative laces - a first for the particular time in the fashion world. The silhouette was strong, intense and solid - the designer’s signature style. Fashion-forward and ready to reveal, Dirk started stitching his style trail and took to the North Sea to deliver his label to an accepting audience

to the British Design Show. Not one to sit on his laurels, in 1987 Bikkembergs took on his big next challenge, the male body. And in 1989, his apparel line ‘Dirk Bikkembergs Man’ was launched, a knitwear collection for men. Italian made, the collection premiered at Paris Fashion Week showing a full menswear collection. This was shortly followed by the women’s collection in 1993. Made up of robust materials and simple shapes, and a strong influence of military aesthetics, both his men’s collection and women’s collection were the same (apart from size.) Currently, Dirk Bikkembergs shows his men’s collection in Milan and his women’s collection in Paris. But fashion is not the only love of Dirk’s life; he has a faithful following to his favourite sport football. In many eyes, he was the first creative force in fashion to understand that football is much more than a simple sport. For millions of people all-over the world it is a symbol of strength, even a way of life, and for Dirk, it represents a philosophy that pervades his artistic path. As a true Anglomania favourite, Dirk’s philosophy lies in his ability to take the core of each and every move he makes and his capability to create a real link between the worlds of fashion and sport have become his true and unequalled trademark. By the year 2000, Dirk Bikkembergs surpassed the way men were expected to look. He was the first fashion designer to fully understand and act upon the potential of football, considering it the universal language par excellence of the 21st century. “Sport in general, and football in particular, represent the language of a genuine and positive way of life.” Now, eight years later, this attitude has become as good as the common opinion in the world of fashion.

Sport Couture has given Bikkembergs the opportunity to design the clothing for the Inter Milan football club. He is currently the owner of Eccellenza football club FC Fossombrone from Fossombrone a small town in the province of Pesaro e Urbino. He was the first fashion designer who received permission to hold a fashion show in the famous FC Barcelona football stadium Nou Camp. So passionate about football, Dirk went as far as using the healthy looking players as (role) models for his catwalk shows to represent the living environment of young people, a conflict with the current trend of using androgynous looks and skinny models where the lines between masculinity and femininity are blurred. The Bikkembergs man is a man who calls the shots. He is a man who performs and pronounces his virility without hesitation. The Bikkembergs man is perfectly at ease combining feminine colors like powdery pink, accessories like handbags or satchels, or materials like jersey – a fabric of functional comfort in the world of sports - with a fully masculine style. As a counterforce to the rest of the collection, Dirk evokes a manly and futuristic environment through an exclusive selection of highly distinctive shoes, characterized by eyecatching fluorescent colours and reflective materials. This summer saw the special launch of the latest Bikkembergs masterpiece, Tirosegno, the second-generation football boot launched at Pitti Uomo in Florence. The name Tirosegno (the last football boot was called Bix) was named to reflect the significance

of the radiating circles found on the football boots, and should be read as a combination of the words ‘tiro a segno’. This means ‘target practice’ or more symbolically ‘launch’, ‘kick’, ‘to score’ or ‘signal’. The Tirosegno aims to be the number one designer football boot with top performance qualities and fashion upbringing. Four versions of the Tirosegno are available, soft ground, firm ground, astro turf and indoor. Testing was done by Dirk Bikkembergs’ own football team, F.C. Bikkembergs Fossombrone and more conventionally by Italy and Juventus stopper, Giorgio Chiellini. In true Bikkemberg style, the launch wasn’t any ordinary product launch. A picture perfect moment saw 100 footballers transcended down a spot-lit staircase baring their perfectly formed chests in open jacket suits and sporting the star of the show, the Tirosegno trainer. “The Tirosegno reflects the essence of the two worlds I stand for. It is the result of a unique project in which I confronted the exclusivity of fashion and the universe of football in the right proportion. What you will see is a fashion jewel with top performance qualities. What does a player want more?” says Bikkembergs. So what future lies in store for the soccer-boot-meets-metallic-manbag designer? With the Dirk Bikkembergs niche label scoring well fashioned hat tricks among the footy fans and hard to please fashion throng alike, this sport/ style concept should not be left sitting on the bench this season.

Zipped high-top trainers in suede and metallic calfskin both â&#x201A;Ź566 by LANVIN

BE A GENT

by CLEO DAVIS

1: Alligator carry-on travel bag £10, 995 by BAMFORD & SONS. 2: Black suede and leather trainer £300 by VERSACE. 3: Trequarti glasses £175 by ALEXANDER MCQUEEN. 4: Cream and brown brogues £249 by EMPORIO ARMANI. 5: Black leather zip-detail gloves £300 VERSACE. 6: Brown leather belt £135 by GIORGIO ARMANI. 7: Medium Hamptons overnight bag in black leather £645 by ysl.

SVENSK

by UZO OLEH

shirt: DSQUARED tie: ralph lauren cardigan: jean paul gaultier jeans : mq shoes: maison martin margiela

82 kors OPPOSITE PAGE: glasses: Micheal Kors shirt: maison martin margiela tie: Ralph Lauren cardigan: Alexander McQueen THIS PAGE: full look: michael

THIS PAGE: shirt: Ralph Lauren tie: DSquared cardigan: Moschino pants: Ralph Lauren OPPOSITE PAGE: jacket: MQ shirt: Marc by Marc Jacobs scarf: Diesel braces: DSquared jeans: Top Shop

THIS PAGE: hat: Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own poloneck: Alexander Mqueen vest: Jean Paul Gaultier jeans: Diesel shoes: Maison Martin Margiela OPPOSITE PAGE: T-shirt: Michael Kors jeans: Diesel shoes: Top Shop

fashion: Jocelyn Goldstein hair & make up: Glen Jackson @ Oliver Piro photographers assistant: Ezra Mabengeza retouching: bobby digital

LONDON FASHION WEEK SS09 photos: NATALIA SKOBEEVA

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1. BACKSTAGE AT JAEGER 2 & 3. BACKSTAGE AT QASIMI 4. JAEGER 5. BACKSTAGE AT OSSIE CLARK 6 & 7. JAEGER 8. BACKSTAGE AT ISSA 9, 10 & 11. OSSIE CLARK 12. AT THE AQUASCUTUM SHOW 13, 14 & 15. AT THE ELY KISHIMOTO SHOW 16. THE NATHAN JENDEN SHOW. 17. THE CHRISTOPHER KANE SHOW 18. NATHAN JENDEN 19. CHRISTOPHER KANE 20. ELY KISHIMOTO 21. AT THE ISSA SHOW 22 & 23. ELY KISHIMOTO 24. FRONT ROW AT JAEGER

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BACKSTAGE

CATWALK

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FACES

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1. RONALDO 2. NICOLA FROM GIRLS ALOUD 3. PEACHES GELDOF AT PPQ 4. MISCHA BARTON AT GILES 5. NAOMI ON THE ISSA CATWALK 6. ERIN O’CONNOR BACKSTAGE 7. TRACY EMIN & VIVIENNE WESTWOOD 8. DITA VON TEESE 9. NANCY DELORIO 10. ROISIN MURPHY (MOLOKO) 11. ROSAMUND PIKE 12. ERIN O’CONNOR BACKSTAGE 13. DAISY LOWE 14. BRENDAN COLE 15. OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLISTS FRONT ROW AT ISSA 16. PIXIE GELDOF 17. RUSSELL SIMMONS AND LADY VICTORIA HERVEY AT PPQ 18. JODIE HARSH 19. HANNAH SANDLING 20. NAOMI BACKSTAGE AT ISSA 21. ERIN O’CONNOR BACKSTAGE 22. PRINCESSES EUGINE AND BEATRICE 23. EMMA WATSON 21

LOUIS VUITTON AT PARIS FASHION WEEK

1 1. HELENE DE FOUGEROLLES 2. DITA VON TEESE, YVES CARCELLE, SOFIA COPPOLA, PIETRO BECCARI 3. CHRISTOPHER BENZ, EVA AMURRI 4. SEBASTIEN TELLIER, AMANDINE DE LA RICHARDIERE, ZOE CASSAVETES, SOFIA COPPOLA, KERRY WASHINGTON, YVES CARCELLE, CECILE CASSEL, HELENE DE FOUGEROLLES, DITA VON TEESE 5. LENNY KRAVTIZ, CECILE CASSEL 6. YVES CARCELLE, LENNY KRAVITZ, ANTOINE ARNAULT, KERRY WASHINGTON 7. MADAME STEPHANE FREISS, BEATRICE ARDISSON, THIERRY ARDISSON 8. MARC JACOBS AND THE MODELS 9. NIGO, YVES CARCELLE, KERRY WASHINGTON 10. PRINCESS SIRIVANNAVARI WARIRATANA 11. AMANDA SUDANO, MARC JACOBS

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Jewels

and

gems

are the dreams

of any

glamorous girl. Embellish your look with

colourful creations from

Swarovski crystals,

glittering

gold and

darling

diamonds

Diorart bracelet in gilded metal, Swarovski crystal and cabochons ÂŁpoa by DIOR

AN ANGEL’S DELIGHT by CLEO DAVIS

1: White opal diamante, black jet and flock shoulder bag £1,950 by GIORGIO ARMANI. 2: Cecile Gold metallic suede with glass patchwork £1,295 by JIMMY CHOO. 3: Cecile Gold metal mesh with gemstones £995 by JIMMY CHOO. 4: Multi-bead choker £1237 by CHANEL. 5: 1001 Nuits ring is priced at €220 by LOUIS VUITTON. 6: Black and white baroque brooch £390 by CHANEL. 7: Black onyx stone necklace in printed silk satin and Swarovski crystals £1,600 by GIORGIO ARMANI. 8: Black leather gloves with pearl detail £135 by PAUL SMITH. 9: Bracelet in resin with central feature in red crystal from £155 by GIORGIO ARMANI.

STRAPPED IN by CLEO DAVIS

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Black cut out detail wedge T-bar £poa by DIOR Teal leather multi strap buckle by £330 by BALLY Leather double-strap £poa by BOSS BLACK

Take a walk on the dark side in this season’s multi-strap killer heels

Patent bronze with stud detail £140 by KURT GEIGER Black patent delicate courts £poa by LANVIN Snakeskin effect with gold zip £850 by JIMMY CHOO

Feel the luxury of at your fingertips.

leather

In mock-croc, soft touch or patent, leather is the finest fabric to drape over your shoulder this winter

Dior 61 bag in purple patent crocodile finish leather ÂŁpoa by Dior.

LUXE LEATHER 1

1: Large Muse bag in almond croc-embossed suede £1080 by ysl. 2: Patent pyramid bag £550 by CHANEL. 3: Black wet-look patent bag with gold chain detail from £595 by EMPORIO ARMANI 4: Cherche midi bag €595 by BALENCIAGA 5: Black stitched patent leather bag £poa by LANVIN. 6: Purple and black patent strap bag £1,100 by GIORGIO ARMANI . 7: Black glossy python bag £1995 by JIMMY CHOO. 8: Lune bag €1545 by BALENCIAGA. 9: Black Posh Turnlock bag £poa by MARC BY MARC JACOBS.

The Beautiful Game

styling: Cleo Davis photography: Paolo Regis

THIS PAGE Oversized yellow ostrich holdall with large padlock detail £5110 by LOEWE Navy heeled brogues with white trim and gold chain feature £528 by LOEWE Fan: Stylist’s own OPPOSITE PAGE Cream metallic bag with gold trim £660 by PIATONNA Supreme Freestyle snow boots with gold sequin detail £220 by BURTON Gold colour mutli -chain choker £368 by MUSE at MY-WARDROBE Metallic magic 100 dust powders £4.50 each by BARRY M

BLACK& BLONDE 102

by UZO OLEH

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PREVIOUS PAGE all in one: MILLION DOLLAR BABES necklace: LA SENZA THIS PAGE dress: RACHEL GILBERT leather sleveless jacket : SUPERDRY shoes: naturalizer bag: forever new

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puffy jacket: firetrap jumpsuit: milk&honey glasses: POLAROID for MOOKS

dress: RACHEL GILBERT

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THIS PAGE sequinned dress and leggings: THIS IS GENEVIEVE sunglasses: Polaroids for MOOKS shoes: PIERRE FONTAINE bag: EQUIPE OPPOSITE PAGE T shirt: mavi corset : la senza trousers: hussy

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THIS PAGE dress: RUBY SMALLBONE shoes: country road bag: strandbag OPPOSITE PAGE jacket: MINKPINK dress: RACHEL GILBERT leggings: AMERICAN APPAREL shoes: PIERRE FONTAINE hat: FRESH JUICE

photography: UZO OLEH fashion: Dan Mancinetti hair & make up: Nigel Stanislaus photographers assistant: Holly Elsworth retouching: bobby digital

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112 by CH RI ST OP HE R

KO LK

aL ity

THIS PAGE suit: jean paul gaultier bangle, earrings and ring: david yurman beaded necklace: chanel handbag: derecuny headpiece: ophelie hats OPPOSITE PAGE knit dress: yohji yamamoto ostrich belt: carlos miele ring and pearl necklaces: david yurman bangle: alexis bittar stockings: wolford 113 bra and knickers: agent provocateur

THIS PAGE ruffle blouse and leather skirt: temperley of london cuffs and earrings: david yurman ring: alexis bittar OPPOSITE PAGE dress: roberto cavalli suede pumps: jenni kayne earrings and 3 necklaces: bulgari ring: m.c.l. stockings: wolford knickers: agent provocateur 114 bra: elle macpherson intimates

THIS PAGE knit turtleneck: halston silk trousers: yohji yamamoto bra: agent provocateur bracelet: tom binns ring and necklaces: david yurman headpiece: ophelie hats OPPOSITE PAGE dress: christian dior ostrich belt: carlos miele cashmere gloves: celine ring: david yurman silver cuff: alexis bittar dumont necklace: tom binns stockings: wolford shoes: jenni kayne

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THIS PAGE dress: moschino cheap&chic shoes: malo bangle and ring: alexis bittar chain bracelet: david yurman earrings: bulgari stockings: wolford bra and knickers: agent provocateur OPPOSITE PAGE cape: lima feu by yohji yamamoto wool pants: roberto cavalli shoes: cendrillion necklace and ring: alexis bittar bracelet: chanel earrings: david yurman

photographs: christopher kolk styling: jenni lee make-up: viktorIja bowers using make-up forever hair: kristanserafino.com model: karina @ new york model managemnt

jeudi, avenue foche 120

by PAUL DE LUNA

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THIS PAGE lace bra and knickers: Athena OPPOSITE PAGE satin corset and pants: ROSY

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lace and tulle thong-suit: rosy

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THIS PAGE silk and lace bra and bloomer: Vanina Vesperini OPPOSITE PAGE lace bra and pants: ATHENA stockings: Chantal Thomass

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lace corset: Chantal Thomass 128

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THIS PAGE LEFT: lace corset and satin pants: Chantal Thomass RIGHT: lace bra and pants: Athena OPPOSITE PAGE lace bra and thong: Chantal Thomass

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THIS PAGE: silk and lace bra and bloomer: Vanina VesperinI OPPOSITE PAGE: lace bra and thong: Legaby

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LEFT: pants: ATHENA RIGHT: satin corset and pants: ROSY

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lace and tulle thong suit: ROSY

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lace and tulle thong suit: ROSY

photographs: Paul de Luna â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.pauldeluna.com styling: Camille Vincent hair and make-up: Momo Rauch @ Sybille Kleber model: â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Alena Gorbunova @ Metropolitan Paris 139 production: Double Barrel Productions

fragrance

photos RYO KAIKURA

of the month

Hypnose, qua hypnosis: (n) a simulacrum of sleep, a trance, a state of consciousness drown in susceptibility, open, that is, to all suggestion. Lanc么me suggests the seduction of the earth and orient, the persuasion of passionflower, and the deception of sweet vanilla. Or the dark, playful child of the discoth猫que.

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product

photos GEORGE BAMFORD

of the month Exquisitely scented, vitamin-enriched Arovita C Line Response Serum invigorates skinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s defences to address first signs of aging. Artemia Salina Extract, Caffeine, Carrot protein, Noni Extract and vitamins C and E work together to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, firms and re-energizes skin.

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DARPHIN AROVITA C LINE RESPONSE FIRMING SERUM £45 143

A picture of perfection

but

comes only from the artist, he is helped greatly by his tools.

Make up your face

with this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colourful eye and lip palettes

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FACE PAINT

by CLEO DAVIS

1. Bellisimo five colour pressed eye shimmer palette £30 by B NEVER TOO BUSY TO BE BEAUTIFUL 2. Limited edition festive make-up palettes with gold chain mail evening bag £28 by CLARINS 3. Prisme blush glow four-colour set £24.50 by GIVENCHY 4. Colorscope refillable compact for eyes and cheeks in warm shades £26 by PRESCRIPTIVES 5. Mixture of metallic eye shadows from £14 for individual shades by BOBBI BROWN 6. Pink to Please lip, blush and eye palette in pink and gold shades £21.50 by BENEFIT 7. Eye and lip palette £40 by LAURA MERCIER at JOHN LEWIS 8. Copper diamond shimmer brick from £30 by BOBBI BROWN 9. Eyes on Manish eye palette £30 by MAC MANISH ARORA

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ALL WRAPPED UP Sweep your Christmas guests into sweet smelling oblivion with this perfect pick of beauty and grooming sets

by CLEO DAVIS

The Michael Kors Glamorous Fall Set is as stunning as it is essential. It contains the Michael Kors Eau de Parfum spray 50ml, a fabulous Body Lotion 50ml, a sexy BodyWash 50ml, and Leg Shine mini classic 30ml. The set is packaged in a clear take-you anywhere clutch with gold trim £40

Using 70 years of leading skincare expertise, No7 has developed 11 products just for men, a brand new range of products that specifically cater for men’s skincare needs. The hard working formulations are designed to deliver real results and as well as achieving great looking skin, the slick packaging means men will be proud to park the range on their bathroom shelf. The set includes products such as antiageing serum to gradual tan lotions. No7 Skincare Collection for men is £35

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A great fragrance never goes out of style. It lives on forever. The Donna Karan Collection is a luxe fragrance collection of eight inspired fragrances. Four are a re-introduction of Donna Karan’s iconic cult fragrances of past and present. The remaining fragrances comprise Donna Karan Essences. Each can be a sensual experience by itself or worn layered like clothing £55 per EDT bottle

Darphin Limited Edition ‘Rock & Glam Clutch’ in association with Longchamp The ultimate in skin care luxury, introducing an exclusive design for Darphin at Harrods. The ‘Rock and Glam Clutch’ will include the following Darphin skin care products:Hydraskin Intensive Moisturizing Serum, Rose Aromatic Care, Hydraskin Light, Dark Circle Relief & De-puffing Eye Serum, Arovita Eye & Lip Contour Gel, Soothing Mask Eye Contour, Aromatic Renewing Balm, Instantly Radiant Stick, Mild Aroma Peeling and Hydrating Kiwi Mask, £350 for the set, includes limited edition Longchamp bag.

At once masculine and elegant, the Aramis man is a true gentleman who celebrates style and sophistication. Embrace his refined taste with the Aramis Ultimate Collection Set, which includes Aramis Eau de Toilette 100ml, Aftershave 120ml, Aftershave Balm 100ml, Invigorating Body Shampoo 150ml and Soap on a rope, £59 for set.

Inspired by luxurious luggage, the Molton Brown sophisticated gift boxes are an elegant offering for Christmas presents. This Molton Brown Adore set offers a wide range of intoxicating davana blossom products including davana blossom eau de parfum, davana blossom foaming bath oil and Davana blossom body crème and is £99 for set.

The Makeup Artist Professional Colour Collection Ivory. Perfect for the party season, this is the 2008 Christmas blockbuster by Estée Lauder. Highly luxurious and fashionable, the set includes: Deluxe Eyeshadow Compact, Deluxe Face Compact, three lipsticks, two High Gloss, an Artists Pencil, Magnascopic Maximum Volume Mascara, Make Up Brush Set and Gentle Eye Make Up Remover, all packaged in a stunning mock-croc ivory and gold case and cosmetic bag, £45 with any Estée Lauder fragrance purchase

The promise behind Floris for Men is the ability to enjoy a traditional grooming experience which has contemporary appeal. Packaged in smart, stylish, masculine boxes the Santal range reflects the premium quality of these fragrances and fine toiletries. Opening with the crisp excitement of Sicilian Bergamot zest and the aromatic buzz of Provencal Lavender, cut through with ‘blades’ of Head Space green grass, products include Eau de toilette to conditioning shaving cream. Products are sold separately and are priced from £14.50 for the Luxury Soap to £62 for the Eau de Santal Extreme 100ml

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AMERICA

by UZO OLEH

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photography: UZO OLEH fashion: Natasha Lewis all items: AMERICAN APPAREL hair & make up: Ryutaro retouching: bobby digital

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afro flex

by KRISTIINA WILSON

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THIS PAGE: blouse: GF FERRE dress: OPERATIONS glasses: CHRISTIAN ROTH FOR ARTSEE OPPOSITE PAGE: jacket: VIVIENNE TAM dress: SUE STEMP

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THIS PAGE: dress: sue stemp scarf: galliano necklace: subversive tights: celeste stein OPPOSITE PAGE: top: chris han vest: c’n’c costume national scarf: c’n’c costume national pants: just cavalli shoes: model’s own bracelets: subversive

photography: KRISTIINA WILSON hair: lacy redway @ lacyredway.com for bigsexyhair makeup: cynthia rose for make up for ever stylist: angella n. model: jessi @ code

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www.dior-addict.com

ULTRA-SHINE

An ultra-brilliant innovation 158

A new ultra-sensual experience: ultra-brilliance in a stick, mirror-shine results. New ultra-reflective Full Reflex Pigments give crystal-clear, sparkling, intensely vibrant shades. A deliciously soft texture, enriched with hydrating and re-plumping ingredients, for irresistibly luscious lips.

13 LIFESTYLE oxford puma boat party ocean queens empire of the sun

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oxford text: AYO ALLI

Oxford is almost certainly the most famous city in the UK after London. The ‘city of dreaming spires’ - so called by poet Matthew Arnold because of its distinctive skyline - is also one of Britain’s most interesting places to visit.

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The city is located about 50 miles west of London, at the confluence of the River Thames – known locally as the Isis – and the River Cherwell. Oxford is very accessible by train, coach and car (though the complex one-way system, heavy parking fines and expensive parking means this is the least desired option) making it the ideal day trip destination. Architecturally, the city is a real gem. It has the distinction of being one of the few cities in the UK – actually in Europe - to have buildings in all architectural styles from the Saxon period to the present. Oxford is defined by its world famous university. Established in the 12th century, it is the oldest university in the English speaking world. The university consists of 39 separate colleges spread over the city. The Gothic splendour of the colleges’ chapels and grand buildings give the city its unique skyline. Its buildings, museums and collections, chapels and parks form the core of the city’s tourist attractions. Each of the colleges has its own character – some with buildings dating from the 12th Century, others from the 1960’s. Most of the colleges are closed to the public, though some are open for limited periods during the academic term holidays. The archetypal college is Magdalen, which is the first you see as you drive into the city from London. Some, like Christ Church College, are very familiar having been used in lots of film sets (Brideshead Revisited, and the Harry Potter films to mention a few). It is well worth a visit as it’s also mostly open to the public – and its very pretty (and small) cathedral has music performances everyday at evensong. Christ Church also has its own gallery with an important collection of old masters paintings.

rooms – but its stunning neoclassical architecture make it well worth a viewing. Another academic building worth a visit is the Charles Cockrell designed neo-classical Taylorian Institute building on the corner of St. Giles and Beaumont Street. Oxford is home to the UK’s oldest public museum, the Ashmolean Museum. Founded in 1683, it is housed in a vast and very imposing building in the city centre. It has an impressive collection of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Near Eastern artefacts on display – including the Armana Princess Fresco and the Alfred Jewel. It also has a huge collection of paintings, including works by Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Turner, and Picasso. It opens daily and is free to enter. Another must see is the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. This is also open daily, and is free to enter. It contains a vast display of exhibits devoted to the history and diversity of life of earth, and the rocks and minerals that it’s made of. It is home to the ‘Oxford Dodo’ – the most complete remains of the extinct bird in the world. It also has the biggest collection of dinosaurs outside of London. The Pitt Rivers Museum, which is accessed through the Museum of Natural History, is the city’s museum of Anthropology and Ethnology. It is laid out in Victorian style, making it a rare experience – thoroughly satisfying if you have the time to explore its nooks and crannies. The Museum of the History of Science is also a fascinating place to visit. It contains a huge collection of scientific instruments dating from the 12th Century to the present. It is housed in the Old Ashmolean Building.

The Sheldonian Theatre is an Oxford landmark. It is the building where most of the important university ceremonies take place. It was the first major building designed by Sir Christopher Wren, who designed St Paul’s Cathedral in London. It has a series of busts outside with some rather strange facial expressions and facial hair. It is open to the public for the regular concerts that happen there. It also has the somewhat dubious distinction of being the most uncomfortable theatre in the UK.

There are several outdoor attractions in Oxford. Perhaps the most famous, which is only available in the summer, is punting on the River Cherwell. You can do the punting yourself or hire someone to do it for you. Punts are available at Magdalen Bridge, from Salters at Folly Bridge, or from the Cherwell Boathouse in the north of the city. You can also take in the exotic flora at the University Botanical Gardens – whose entrance is opposite Magdalen College; or if you wish to relax and have a picnic, you can check out one of the several university parks along the Cherwell.

The University Church of Saint Mary the Virgin is a building of immense architectural and historical interest. Some of the best views of the city can

Oxford also has another university (Oxford Brookes) and College of Further Education (Ruskin College); as well as several private colleges

be seen from its 12th Century tower. The rest of the building was rebuilt in the 14th & 15th Centuries. It has a very good coffee shop, the Vaults and Garden, specialising in organic food and fairtrade tea and coffee.

(known as ‘crammers’ which cater to mainly international students studying for British A’Level qualifications). This gives the city a very young and international population. It means that Oxford has more students as a proportion of its population than any other UK city during term time – and this is reflected by the youth and vibrancy of the city. Oxford has several interesting shops (the covered market being a great place to explore), restaurants and pubs (try the Bear – Oxford’s oldest pub dating to the 14th Century; or the Eagle and child, locally known as the ‘bird and baby’) to explore.

A must see is the Bodelian Library: this is one of six legal deposit libraries in the UK – which has the right to request a copy of every book published in the country. It is not open to the public, but the grand building is well worth taking in. Adjacent to the Bodelian is the circular Radcliffe Camera. Again, this is closed to the public – it’s one of the university’s main reading

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Architecturally, the city is a real gem. It has the distinction of being one of the few cities in the UK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; actually in Europe - to have buildings in all architectural styles from the Saxon period to the present.

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The Gothic splendour of the collegesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; chapels & grand buildings give the c i t y i t s u n i q ue sk yline

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Pumaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ocean Racing Boat Party

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To mark the announcement of the crew for the Volvo Ocean Race 20082009, PUMA Ocean Racing hosted a party as the team gathered for official training in Newport, Rhode Island. Among the Boston-based boat party was actress Salma Hayek, who was given the honourable job of christening PUMA’s new ocean boat “il mostro” for which she was named its “godmother.” il mostro’s graphic design was conceived by PUMA and was based on the look of one of PUMA’s most iconic and popular shoes called the “Mostro.” The asymmetric graphics on the boat include the red PUMA formstrip on the starboard side and a texturized red shoe strap on the port side. The sole of the shoe wraps around the bottom of the boat to give it a full 3-D visual impact when the boat is heeling. The boat will be used in the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009, a round-the-world sailing competition with a starting date of 2nd October consisting of 39,000 Nautical Miles across five continents, four oceans, 11 port stopovers with a crew of 11 in a 70-foot boat.

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Ocean Queens Throughout the ages yachts have been symbols of fun, romance and seduction for every socialite, star and professional beauty. Camilla Long navigates her way through the lives of these boating babes, and the men who pursued them.

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1. Halle Berry 2. P. Diddy 3. Valentino 4. Coco Chanel 5. Georgio Armani

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There are few things more seductive than the words: “Would you like to come and stay on my yacht?” Apart from anything else, boats are the sexiest things on the planet. ‘A boat at night is an irresistible proposition,’ says Taki Theocoradopulous, himself the owner of an 86 ft love boat, the Bushido, the scene of many moonlit tryst. ‘The portholes winking in the darkness. The light gleaming on the brass fittings. A banquet laid out on deck... And, of course, once on board, you can’t escape.’

Santana for their film star friends.

Private oases with a different backdrop every night, yachts are the ultimate honey trap. ‘I can’t imagine a woman who would say, “I don’t love a boat”,’ says supermodel Naomi Campbell, one-time girlfriend of Formula One boss Flavio Briatore’s Lady in Blue. ‘The yacht is a house,’ agrees Briatore, ‘everything is on your doorstep. There’s no clearing up. You are served like a queen.’

According to Thompson, Bacall ‘hated sailing’, but the movie legend wasn’t finished with it quite yet. Over a decade later, just months after Bogie’s death from lung cancer, Frank Sinatra chartered a yacht and invited her aboard. His intention was romantic; but the liaison was ill-fated. They split up soon after and Bacall memorably described him as a ‘complete shit’ in her autobiography.

And what queens have fallen for it? Lauren Bacall, Elizabeth Taylor, Anita Ekberg and Jackie O: they all fell for the charms of a boat – and the extremely wealthy man who owned it. How different things might have been if Wallis Simpson had just said no when, in July 1936, Edward VIII asked her to accompany him on the yacht, the Nahlin, and sail along the Dalmatian coast. The couple’s on-board liaison was the famous climax in a very scandalous affair. A King had chartered it, a woman was on board with him, her husband was not there – and the King was a bachelor.

But the most golden of all Hollywood’s golden couples had to be Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor – and her boat, the Kalizma, became a symbol of passionate, but deeply troubled, love. In 1967, after dining on Gloria and Loel Guinness’ yacht, the Sarina, Taylor told Burton she wanted one. He responded by buying her a 165ft Edwardian motor yacht, for what was, in those days, a staggering £80,000. The Kalizma was named after their three children from various marriages, Katie, Liza and Maria – but Burton always called it the “K”. Now it is a token of doomed love, after Taylor and Burton’s divorce in 1974.

NAKED CHASE The boat became a symbol of undying romance. Edward and Wallis’ summer aboard the Nahlin marked the starting-point of some of the greatest maritime love affairs the world has ever seen: the golden age of seductive seafaring. Ever since F. Scott Fitzgerald immortalized the rich allure of the boat in The Great Gatsby, when an ordinary James Gatz saw Dan Cody’s luxury liner drop anchor in Lake Superior and realized it was his ticket out of obscurity, yachts had come to symbolize glamour, decadence and immense wealth. And, of course, sexual energy. And when it comes to sexual energy, where better to begin than Errol Flynn, the original Hollywood heart-throb? The dashing star of Captain Blood and Robin Hood, Flynn was descended from one of the crew of the mutinous Bounty, and boats were his passion. As was sex – and plenty of it. By the time he died at 50, Flynn – whose catchphrase was ‘in like Flynn’ – had had 12,000 lovers, most of them on the high seas. ‘Instead of killing myself I bought a new boat,’ he said. That boat was the 50ft Zaca, a small but exquisitely appointed yacht, the most luxurious of its day. Fuelled by vodka and recreational drugs, Flynn entertained a stream of lovers there, as he toured the world’s most romantic locations: the Greek islands, the Med, and particularly Jamaica, where he eventually settled. PLAGUED BY THE PRESS The Los Angeles basin in the early 40s was awash with glamorous vessels. Frank Sinatra, David Niven and Humphry Bogart were regular fixtures, their boats crammed with aspiring starlets. Bogie even romanced one of them on his beloved Santana – a beautiful 54ft racing yawl he bought in 1945. That starlet was a 20-year-old Lauren Bacall, and he had just made her his wife. They swiftly became the golden couple of the Hollywood yachting set, hosting legendary lobster and champagne parties on the

Bogie was so in love with the Santana that Bacall would laughingly refer to her as ‘the other woman in our lives’ – an irony, as he was also wooing another Hollywood hottie behind her back, with the Santana as the setting for their weekend trysts. Bogie had met Verita Thompson, a half-Mexican, half-Irish hairdresser who bore a striking resemblance to Rita Hayworth, in 1943 when he was working on Casablanca.

‘ARE ALL THE TARTS ON BOARD?’ If the glitziest boats belonged in Hollywood, the most elegant ones belonged in Europe. And the most elegant owner had to be Agnelli, Gianni Agnelli, founder of Fiat and the greatest playboy that ever lived. This was a man who loved his women and sailing in equal measures. In the late 50s, the Riviera was his hunting ground – a place of erupting blossoms, wine and sex, dripping with the most glamorous figures imaginable. Powerful men mixed with heavenly women. An unknown starlet called Brigitte Bardot had just changed St Tropez forever – and made it the centre of the party vortex. Artists, writers, sexpots and tycoons slinked out of night clubs, and into each other’s bunks. Here, boats were the social glue. Agnelli never missed the opportunity to be aboard the Agneta, and cruising up and down the coast, on the lookout for the beautiful women. He liked to hoist the sails and say, ‘Are all the tarts on board? Then let’s bugger off.’ Here, he romanced Rita Hayworth, Anita Ekberg and the actress Silvia Monti. In 1962, Jackie Kennedy joined him for a trip which was notable for a lot of kissing, caught on film by the paparazzi. ‘More Caroline, less Agnelli,’ read the angry telegram Jack sent his wife. SLEEK FORM Kennedy probably knew that his wife had a life-long weakness for wealthy men and sexy boats. And in the late 50s and early 60s, men didn’t come wealthier than the Greek shipping tycoons. With them, they brought their boats, huge, beautiful, floating palaces – Greeks, after all, have had romantic associations with the sea for thousands of years, right from the time King Menelaus sent 1,000 ships to recover the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Troy. On holiday and having fun, the First Lady of the United States had plenty of places to hop on. There was Latsis and his Alexander; Niarchos and the Creole, a black, 180-foot, three-masted beauty; Taki had his Bushido, which

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he used to romance his second wife, Princess Alexandra SchoenburgHartenstein; but the boat that inevitably caught her eye, was the Christina O, the mother-ship of superyachts.

marriage to the film star Grace Kelly aboard the Christina. A year later, Ari met the opera diva Maria Callas at a ball in Venice, and immediately invited her and her husband aboard.

King Farouk of Egypt called the Christina ‘the last word in opulence’, and it was here that Onassis invented yacht culture. He would spend months aboard its sleek form, doing business in the master bedroom and seducing women in his “lucky” stateroom: Eva Peron, Maria Callas, Greta Garbo, Marilyn Monroe and of course, Jackie.

The two most famous Greeks on earth experienced instant sexual attraction and disappeared to Ari’s master cabin right in front of their other halves. It was to destroy both marriages – in a twist of irony, Callas and her husband had their final argument in the stateroom aboard the Christina, all the guests and crew looking on aghast.

CAVIER AND CHAMPAGNE In spite of naming the boat after his wife, Ari’s greatest romances were extra-marital, and the action usually started in his notorious Ari’s Bar. The handles on the bar are whales’ teeth carved with pornographic scenes from The Odyssey, and the bar stools were famously covered in the foreskins of whales’ penises. The crew called the boat his “lust bucket” – at 5’3”, Onassis was very persuasive. In 1956, he even hosted the most romantic wedding party of the decade: Prince Rainier of Monaco celebrated his

But a romance of a non-sexual nature was eventually to destroy their union. Onassis was determined to win over Winston Churchill, the ageing British Prime Minister, and finally got him on board in the early 60s. Here he sat slavishly at his feet, spoon-feeding him caviar and champagne in the boat’s sumptuous lapis bar – so called because of its beautiful blue fireplace, made of lapis lazuli.

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Churchill fell for the opulence and became a regular visitor – and fatefully

introduced Onassis to Jacqueline Kennedy. Callas could only watch as the love of her life’s affections transferred from her to the First Lady of the United States.

allegedly said when she first stepped aboard. After they married, Jackie became uncomfortable with the Christina’s status as the scene of Ari’s many conquests. So when Onassis’ arch rival Niarchos built a boat which was bigger by seven metres, she saw the

Onassis would do anything to get her – even if it meant seducing Jackie’s sister, the beautiful Lee Radziwill, first. In 1963, Lee suggested Onassis invite Jackie on the boat to get over the loss of her third baby, Patrick, who had died shortly after his birth. Onassis obeyed; and set about ditching Lee in favour of her more alluring sister. He decked the Christina out with silver-framed photographs so Jackie would feel at home, and then stocked the place with eight varieties of caviar and vintage wine.

perfect opportunity for him to build an even bigger boat, and call it the Jacqueline.

The boat already had a crew of 60, two French hairdressers, three chefs, a masseuse, a maid for each of the 12 staterooms, and a small orchestra. There was everything a woman could ever desire on a boat, and more besides. Given his persistence and lavish attention, it was hardly surprising even Jackie was impressed. ‘So this is what it is to be a king,’ Jackie

But the project never went ahead. The oil crisis in the early Seventies signalled a hiatus in the advance of the superyacht – and coincided with Onassis’ greatest personal tragedy, the death of his son Alexander. In 1975, Onassis died – and an era died with him. Or did it? Another Ocean Queen was about to be born. At a staggering cost of $70 million, Adnan Khashoggi’s Nabila blew everything else out of the water. Named for his daughter, Nabila, it was the age of beautiful yachts named after beautiful daughters. LOVE-GIFT ‘There were a lot of girls on board,’ says Nabila Khashoggi of the finished

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‘A boat at night is an irresistible proposition ‘The portholes winking in the darkness. The light gleaming on the brass fittings. A banquet laid out on deck... And, of course, once on board, you can’t escape.’

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product, ‘when my stepmother wasn’t there.’ He hosted endless parties: Britt Ekland, Joan and Jackie Collins, Liza Minelli and the Monaco princesses were all among his guests. A young Heather McCartney Mills even cropped up on deck, long before her marriage to Sir Paul. Dodi al Fayed – son of Mohammed, of whose yacht the Jonikal more later – was a constant presence on the Nabila, and with him all the beautiful women he dated: Koo Stark, Marie Helvin, Brooke Shields. But the party ended abruptly in 1989 when the one-time billionaire was sent to jail on fraud charges. The first thing he got rid of was the yacht, which Donald Trump picked up at a price of $25 million, after a deduction of $1 million on the assurance the Donald would change its name – which he did, to Trump Princess. Khashoggi may have been out of the picture, but there was another Arab ready to take over the helm. In 1991, Nasser Al-Rashid, the Saudi multimillionaire and doctor to King Fahd, launched the Lady Moura, a stunning 344ft gin palace. Dedicated to his wife, the socialite Mouna Ayoub, at a mere $100 million it was the most expensive love-gift in history. GLAMOUR AND CELEBRITY Like Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor before her, Mouna was destined to become one of the yachting world’s greatest heroines. A Lebaneseborn socialite, she follows in a long line of Eastern beauties who loved the sea, right back to the strong-willed Phoenician queen, Dido. Mouna was an 18-year-old in Paris when she met her future husband, by that time a middle-aged businessman. He showered her with gifts – jewels, clothes, toys – and they married two years later. Over the next two decades they had five children and three divorces – and were hardly ever off a boat. The Lady Moura – the name is an acronym of her name and Rashid’s – was lavishly decorated, every inch of it by Mouna. But it was merely a launch pad. In 1996, she divorced her husband after he took a second wife. She lost the Moura – but she’d already seen another boat, four years before, the Phocea. She spotted it in the Bay of Volpe, off Sardinia, and fell completely in love. She immediately arranged a tour, but it was not for sale. She pursued, and eventually, after its owner was sent to jail, she scooped up the neglected yacht. She bought it at auction for $5.35 million and lovingly restored it at a further cost of $30 million. Mouna describes her acquisition of the boat as ‘a love story about a woman who was deprived of freedom since she was five, a love story about a woman who found love and freedom. It’s not a man who gave me this. It’s Phocea.’ The elegantly restored, Linley-designed Phocea has now become synonymous with Mouna’s glamour and celebrity, and is a regular sight on the Med. A million miles from the hulking vulgarity of some of her berthmates, she is the boat every rich, independent woman might dream of. ULTIMATE TRIBUTE But the Phocea is not the only representative of women’s lib on the high seas. Ivana Trump, the first wife of Donald, has My Ivana. In 1995, Ivana bought her 105ft dreamboat with $4.1 million of her divorce settlement, and with typical flamboyance, she named it after herself. The boat is a showcase for her inimitable style, complete with a pear-wood interior, Jacuzzi and ceramic ladybirds and frogs. Ivana couldn’t be more different from the next major boat of the 1990s: the

ravishing Talitha G. In 1993, the boat was bought by the reclusive billionaire J. Paul Getty Jr and restored to its former glory. Named for his second wife, the tragic Talitha Pol, who died in Rome in 1971 after a heroin overdose, it was the ultimate posthumous tribute. Now managed by his son, Mark Getty, it available for charter at $350,000 a week. Its traditional lines make it extremely popular with the British royal family: Prince Philip once borrowed it for Cowes Week in the absence of Britannia, and in 2000, Prince Charles’ mistress Camilla Parker-Bowles accompanied a friend aboard it. WIFE SWAPPING Which, inevitably, brings us to Diana, Princess of Wales. A modern-day mermaid, Diana loved the sea and spent some of the most poignant moments of her life on board a boat. For many years, it was the ideal escape for the most hunted woman on the planet. The Royal Yacht, Britannia, was where she spent her honeymoon with Prince Charles in 1981, and where, many years later they tried to patch up their doomed relationship. But by 1997, they had long since split and she had a new beau, Dodi al-Fayed to frolic with – much to the delight of the press. That summer, the paparazzi caught up with them aboard Mohammed al Fayed’s £20 million yacht, The Jonikal. Photographs of a carefree Diana hanging off the diving-board and canoodling with her boyfriend, quickly appeared in the newspapers. They came to symbolise the world’s last happy glance at an icon and ocean princess. Diana was on the Costa Smeralda, and the Costa Smeralda happens to be the favourite haunt of another of the world’s greatest playboys, the Italian tycoon Flavio Briatore. He even has a nightclub there, named Billionaire. Like many sea-faring billionaires before him, Briatore has enjoyed a long line of beautiful… yachts. An unmistakable sight among the flesh and thongs of Porto Cervo, where the jewellery shops stay open well past midnight, he is constantly surrounded by women. ‘There’s a modern Greek proverb made up by me that says: he who has a yacht has a different wife every night,’ says Taki – and it couldn’t apply to anyone better than Flavio, who has been linked to most of the world’s supermodels, including Elle Macpherson, Eva Herzigova and Heidi Klum, the mother of his baby daughter. But chief among them is Naomi Campbell, his one-time girlfriend and now close friend. MACHO STATEMENT They were still dating when he refitted his first yacht, the stunning Lady in Blue, in early 2000, so he flew her to have a look at it at a shipyard in Genoa. He then gave it to her as a birthday gift, and she had an annual birthday party – which continues, on his subsequent boats, a second Lady in Blue and his latest, Force Blue: ‘FB’ are his initials. With typical Italian flair, Briatore kitted out all these boats with stunning interiors, expensive artwork and topless beauties doing yoga on the deck. The parade of celebrities, lavish entertaining and the charm of the host make Flavio’s boat a positive babe-magnet; a formula stylishly repeated on charter yachts across the Med by junior playboys such as British industrialist Lord Hanson’s son the Hon. Robert Hanson and, more recently, the rap star P Diddy, who, complete with a pin-neat white suit and his butler, invokes old-world charm aboard the newly restored Christina O. There has only been one boat that might have been judged unappealing to women, and that yacht belonged to Prince Jefri of Brunei, another playboy

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in a very modern mould. Crammed with boys’ toys, the unromantically named Tits, with her twin tenders, Nipple 1 and Nipple 2, was such a statement of macho as to be repulsive. ‘A boat can be very boring,’ says Briatore, ‘it depends on the man.’ So thank goodness Jefri’s 55ft monstrosity was confiscated by the Brunei government and sold in 1998 to help pay his enormous debts. LIVE LIKE A QUEEN ‘Everything ends, nothing is forever,’ concludes Simone Levitt, the wife of the late property developer William J. Levitt and former ocean queen herself. In the mid-70s, her husband bought a 250ft superyacht, which he named La Belle Simone after her. There, they hosted some of the wildest parties of the late 70s and early 80s. Hollywood celebrities poured on board; he played the piano and she sang. With her two funnels, La Belle was an imposing boat, and even starred in a movie about Aristotle Onassis, The Greek Tycoon, as the Christina. Sexy, fast and loaded with unbelievable

riches, it was irresistible to women, and most of all, the woman who ran her. ‘It was a fairy tale,’ says Levitt. But like so many love affairs, and so many reigns, there was no fairytale ending. The couple lost all their possessions, every last penny, including the yacht – Levitt even wound up as a hostess on a cruise ship. ‘Do you realise what I would give now to have the money, that we spent on the champagne, the caviar, the trips, the crew, the oil, the gasoline? It cost a million a year. My God, I could live like a queen today.’ There are plenty of women – famous and otherwise – who couldn’t agree more. The above text was extracted from the giant-sized, limited-edition Superyacht. Published by luxury, Big Book specialists Gloria, Superyacht is limited to 1,000 copies only. For further information, go to www.superyachtbook.com or call +44 (0) 870 279 7353

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Empire of the Sun

Luxury property developer Polaris World continues to expand at a rate of knots across south east Spain. Paul Joseph went to sample some of its not-so-regional delights. British television viewers will be familiar with Jose Luis Hernandez – if not in name then definitely in voice and appearance. For the past two years, the wiry-framed president of Polaris World and his dulcet Iberian tones have been on our screens encouraging us to plough our hard earned cash into

Hotel, located within the Mar Menor golf resort on the Costa Calida, around 30km outside the city of Murcia.

the property boom that is rapidly changing the landscape of large swaths of the Spanish coast.

it seemed to tick all the boxes expected of a five-star hotel. The bell-boy service was deferential to the point of embarrassment, and in the lift up to my room my attempt at polite small-talk was rendered futile as months of intensive customer relations training appeared to kick in – my every question met with a “yes, sir”, a “no, sir”, or a “three bags full, sir”. Why do expensive hotels think this absurd charade will in any way enhance a guest’s experience?

The concept of Polaris World is centred around golf courses designed by Nicklaus Design – the golf course design and development firm set up by legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus and his sons. Around each course are a number of large-scale apartment, townhouse and villa developments with facilities such as supermarkets, restaurants, laundry services, a furniture and household goods store, a garden centre and even a bi-lingual school all falling under the vast Polaris umbrella. The focal point of the Polaris empire is the sun-drenched region of Murcia, where three resorts have been completed with four more under construction. My own two-night stay would be spent at the five-star Intercontinental

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Arriving at the opulent Intercontinental with my esteemed press colleagues,

Awkward lift conversation out the way, I was impressed to find my deluxe guest room kitted up with all mod cons, including a flat screen TV, stylish desk, high-speed internet access, individually controlled air conditioning and, most enthralling of all, a hydrotherapeutic bath. However my excitement was soon tempered by the realisation that I had absolutely no idea how to work the thing, and sure as hell wasn’t going to be asking my subservient

chum back up for another bout of forced, stunted conversation. Bathroom accessory awe subsided, it was downstairs for dinner with the press boys and our friendly Polaris hosts. We were taken to El Olivio, a fine bistro serving Mediterannean fare, and one of three restaurants located in the grounds of the hotel. The presence of high-quality, genuinely independent eateries is a major plus point of the Mar Menor resort, offering its guests a level of choice and quality that is so often missing in purposebuilt holiday complexes, where little imagination seems to have gone into the on-site amenities.

the resort is outdoors, in the shape of a nine-hole par 36 championship course, soon to be developed into a full 18 hole course, designed by the Jack Nicholas team. Golf lessons are available as well as a driving range and putting green. Already completed is the La Torre Golf Resort, a short drive from Mar Menor, and our destination for the afternoon’s activities, culminating in a full round of golf in the pulsating sunshine. Before that we were given a showroom tour, which highlighted the remarkable detail that has gone into the Polaris operation, with miniature versions of both the existing resorts, plus the planned expansions, showcased for prospective clients.

The next day began with a full tour of the £24 million hotel, including the resort’s pièce de résistance – an ultra-modern ESPA spa offering a mindboggling array of treatments. With their hypnotic music, mood-enhancing light and diffused aromas, the appeal of these pampering houses is obvious.

Next it was on to the real thing, as we were taken around the luxury properties that flank the La Torre golf course. On offer are two, three or four bedroom villas, semi-detached houses and one or two bedroom apartments. Prices start at a reasonable $90,000 euros for the more functional properties.

But for many (‘many’, being predominantly men), the real attraction of

The high-end developments, however, are pure decadence. Spacious

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patios overlooking private swimming pools and the lush green grass of the fairway creates a truly idyllic environment. Even the perennial risk of stray golf balls flying towards you represents only a mild disruption. Speaking of which, our arrival on the course should really have been the cue for all local residents to take cover – though I was not to blame as a shoulder injury prevented me from taking part in proceedings. Instead I was charged with caddy duties, which normally comes with a responsibility that I certainly wasn’t feeling amid the serene surroundings and perfect weather (Murcia enjoys around 320 days of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 21 °C.). The following day we were driven into the city of Murcia, ideally located for those missing the vibrancy of urban life. The city turned out to be something of an unexpected delight, boasting quaint cobbled streets, pretty plazas and an imposing cathedral bustling with activity. Polaris World seemed like miles away. So my verdict? The fundamental flaw with Polaris World is that as a one-off

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hotel guest or long-term investor I would feel like I was buying into a brand, rather than the pure, uncomplicated pleasure of a holiday. Spending two days within the Polaris kingdom was a bit like being on the set of the Jim Carey movie, The Truman Show: pleasant on the surface, but somehow it just doesn’t feel real. I guess what I’m saying is that the place lacks that idealistic, intangible component that every holidaymaker is looking for: character. No doubt it will appeal to many: the cheapest apartments are affordable for medium income families, and the range in quality means there is something for everyone. In this respect Polaris has succeeded in finding a healthy and workable balance between luxury and accessibility. The dual presence of golf and spa facilities is also cleverly designed to attract both sexes, offering the man a get-out clause that isn’t so readily available back home: “But you can use the spa while I’m playing, dear!”. Rooms at the Mar Menor Intercontinental hotel start at £120 per night. For more information on Polaris World, you can visit www.polarisworld.com.

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THE CHROME-ZONE This season’s best buy gadgets for guys and girls

Sony’s new BRAVIA Full HD Projector is designed to be the next logical step for the serious Home Cinema enthusiast. At its heart lies Sony’s SXRD™ (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) panel technology that delivers exquisitely fine-grained 1080p Full HD for a truly cinematic experience. www.sony-europe.com

Beam Bed

was designed by Ewan Robertson, a man inspired by the sun. The base of the bed comprises a system of “beams” that extend outwards from a central pivot under the bed. The lighting system at the base of the bed creates beam effects around the bed, extending throughout the rest of the room. €1800 at www.lagostudio.it

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Ok, so this isn’t a gadget by rule, but it doesn’t really look like a mascara either. With its futuristic appearance, this new lash luscious promising

Phenomen Eyes by Givenchy mascara,

has been sculptured with a rounded brush armed with spikes for bristles with the intent of bouldering every lash with layers of mascara, reaching right to the roots. Available from Harrods at £17.50

‘See it, shoot it, share it!’ say the makers of the

Creative Vado,

the new pocketsize video camera. Small and light enough to carry on your person, the cam captures your moves in VGA quality at the touch of a button. Equipped with a USB connector, plug in to any PC to share your show-time footage. Available in pink and silver at £79 at www.creative.com Bose has introduced the Bose Computer MusicMonitor, debuting patented technology to offer a new level of audio quality from two very small powered speakers. The new Computer MusicMonitor has been developed for listening to good quality music on laptops and desktop computers. It incorporates several Bose innovations, including a new invention to deliver deep low notes. Available from www.bose.co.uk for £279 Following the worldwide release of the iPhone 3G, Bang & Olufsen is introducing a new version of its wired, stereo headset with built-in microphone, designed to fit any ear firmly and smoothly, also providing the highest sound quality for the iPhone. How do they differ from normal headphones? Well, a high signal-to-noise ratio means that the annoying noise known from many ear sets and earphones is almost absent; instead every musical detail is audible. And, unlike the Apple earphones, they are not show-all-thedirt white, looking newer for longer. www.bang-olufsen.com

Samsonite Black Label £1,195 by ALEXANDER MCQUEEN.

The high shine silver effect has been developed in conjunction with Bayer and is scratch and UV resistant. The shine effect was first developed within the motor industry using a special mirror paint that is flexible and thermoformable, meaning it can stretch over luggage without cracking or breaking, making it highly resistant to impact. The striking silver adaptation will be available in two styles: Al1, which takes on the imprint of the human spine, and the AI2, which has a crocodile skin effect.

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24 ARTS

opera gallery bleck le rat jiao xingtao jean-david malat zaha hadid herzog & meuron

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More than a gallery... The Opera Gallery is a concept unique in art and business.

words: SUZIE P

Founded in 1994, by the French curator Gilles Dyan, the Opera Gallery is the only gallery that works 24 hours. It is a network of different art galleries located in 11 countries including London, Paris, Monaco, Geneva, Venice, Dubai and New York. The Opera Gallery art collection offers art enthusiasts an array of artists, painters, sculptors and photographers; from Impressionist movement pieces to modern artwork. Masterpieces covering the gallery walls in London include pieces from Picasso, Chagall, Matisse, Renoir, Lanskoy,

Dali, Warhol, Botero and Chu The Chun. There are also work by emerging talented artists such as Ron English, Lita Cabellut and Johannsson. Extra curricular, the Opera Gallery often organizes external exhibitions, showcasing its monumental sculptures. It also provides a service of lending masterpieces to international museums. Currently, one of the gallery’s masterpieces, Portrait de Guus by Kees Van Dongen is on display at the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco for the Van Dongen retrospective. Art has always been a reflection of the social evolution and the collectors’ daily lives. Opera Gallery reflects this lifestyle.

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BLECK LE RAT It smells like Victory Courtesy Opera gallery

Bleck not Banksy text: SUZIE P

Street Art has moved from the street walls to the galleries and later to auction houses. In matter of art, people should consider the trend effect. It is the case of Banksy, whose pieces reach peak prices, with dealers refusing to sell the artist’s work until the items reach their value records. This speculation does not affect the entire Street Art movement and paradoxically some of its biggest names like ‘Bleck Le Rat’ are affordable and a safe purchase. Considered by many as the man who gave birth to Banksy, the French artist is one of the pioneers of Stencil Graffiti. Even Banksy admits: “Every time I think I’ve painted something slightly original, I find out that Bleck Le Rat has done it as well. Only twenty years earlier”.

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Twenty-eight years ago, back from New York and influenced by its graffiti, Bleck began to adorn the street of Paris and other cities, using walls as his canvas. Streets have always been the best marketing strategy to express political, social and other ideas and share it with others enthusiasts. Bleck, as the elder, has influenced a whole new generation of street and graffiti artists. The contemporary urban landscape owes him a lot. Collecting pieces by the grandfather of Street Art is by far the cleverest art acquisition. It smells like Victory, The man who walks through the walls and Stencil Pope are among his best pieces. People interested in art as an investment should consider the leading role artists.

Jiao Xingtao Mao Bust - Big Red Courtesy Opera gallery

Jiao Xingtao Orange Courtesy Opera gallery

Art as an Investment

text: SUZIE P

If building an art collection has progressively become your favourite pastime, be aware of betting on the right artist. But in these rafts of artists, how to bet on a good one? The golden tip is to purchase from the heart. It is sometimes paradoxical but falling in love with art irrelevant of its investment potential is the clue. Don’t be afraid of being too eclectic or eccentric in your choices. Instead, remember that our today masterpieces were scandals at their time: the first Impressionist paintings by Monet, the first ready-made by Duchamp or the first Cubist works by Picasso… In matter of contemporary art, one must prefer art that defends great ideologies. Further France and Bleck Le Rat, Eastern artists such as Chinese, Russian and Iranian for example provide great cultural and

historical images with sharp points of views of their society. One such example is the Chinese artist Jiao Xingtao who criticizes through his art the current state of consumer society by using a Big Red chewing gum paper to “wrap”, Christo-like, a bust of Mao Zedong. Most of these artists are collected today because of their inherent meaning. As well, another advice would be to speculate on the emerging art markets and follow them. Middle eastern and Indian art are full of good upcoming investments, which are quite unfamiliar to most. The Syrian painter, Adam Shabhan, whose works are affordable from £15,000 for large-scale 180x100cm is one of them. He is starting to be seen at auctions such as Christie’s Dubai at their annual Arabic sale, certainly one to watch.

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Jean-David Malat, Emmanuel Petit and his wife and baby with Gilles Dyan, chairman of Opera Gallery during Lita Cabellut’s exhibition

Jean-David Malat Dealer of Dealings

text: SUZIE P

The exciting part of buying is negotiating a good price. Jean-David Malat, director of Opera Gallery London confirms it: “Negotiation is part of the process of purchasing a piece of art. Furthermore, it will

art. Jean-David’s goal is to give people the opportunity to have an art foundation or institution in their name. His passion for Contemporary Art has enlightened many who have wanted to invest in various

help the collector to feel at ease and come back to the gallery”. On this matter, Warhol said, “making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art”. Jean-David Malat, French-born, settled in London when the Opera Gallery opened a space there in 2005 is the faithful art advisor of many collectors. Above the numerous London bankers, Malat has also been the art advisor of famous collectors such as the footballers Emmanuel Petit or William Gallas, the actor Pierce Brosnan, the fashion designers Dolce & Gabbana and even the founders of the international theatre trust Joop and Janine Van Den Ende. For the Dutch couple, he has redecorated the Theater of Mogador in Paris with one hundred pieces of contemporary art. Jean-David Malat helps art lovers to build their collection. With a certain flair and the natural talent, he has been the consultant of either amateurs beginning from scratch or famous collectors improving and expanding their cravings for

Chinese, European and American Contemporary artists, all of whom are represented at the Opera Galleries worldwide. He also sells to museums and foundations promoting new up and coming artists. Amongst the many artists favored by Jean-David, he has a particular interest in Marc Chagall, coming from similar backgrounds of Russian blood with a Jewish upbringing. This interest initiated at the age of 15 when Malat purchased his first Chagall lithograph with his hard-earned savings. Jean-David particularly recommends visiting the Chagall Museum in Nice, South of France, where many Impressionist and Modern artists settled to paint. Other museums that he loves is the Tate Modern in London where an important Rothko exhibition will be held until February 2009 as well as the Tate Britain where a rare Francis Bacon exhibition will be showcased until next January. From galleries to museums, JeanDavid will be your guide within the art world.

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1 1. Jean David Malat with Romero Britto, Brazilian Pop artist during the charity commemorating Lady Diana at the gallery 2. Romero Britto, Brasilian Pop artist and Lady Bush 3+4. Oli G.Johannsson, Untitled 5. Jean-David Malat and Lita Cabellut signing her book for Emmanuel Petit during Lita Cabellutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exhibition

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Hadid It Again

Zaha takes to the Singaporean Skyline

Zaha Hadid spruces up the Singaporean skyline with proposals for Farrer Court. The latest project to arise from the Zaha Hadid Architects is the design for Singapore’s largest residential development. The Farrer Court site is located in a strategic position within the residential area of Singapore, close to the amenities of Holland Road and the future MRT station. The absence of high rise buildings in the near surroundings and direct connection to the main traffic route of Farrer Road makes this a prestigious and highly visible site across the whole city. The programme is organized into seven towers, which grow from sunken gardens within the site landscape. The lower floors kink in to highlight the point where buildings meet the ground, enabling yet a greater open area at the base and the creation of highly private gardens which are quite unique

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given the scale and density of the development. The towers are subdivided into petals according to the number of residential units per floor. With this common principle a series of diverse and unique towers can be generated. The petals are expressed in three dimensions thanks to vertical cuts, which give definition to the buildings’ façades. The buildings culminate at the top with a series of fingers stepped at different heights, which blend the transition between the architectural fabric and the sky. Through rotating the buildings across the site, and the careful use of balconies and façade paneling a combination of similar towers produce an incredible amount of diversity across the development.

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herzoG&meuron “A building is a building. It cannot be read like a book; it doesn’t have any credits, subtitles or labels like picture in a gallery. In that sense, we are absolutely anti-representational. The strength of our buildings is the immediate, visceral impact they have on a visitor.” — Jacques Herzog 196

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FOCUS NOĂŠmie lenoir Cassandra hepburn barack obama mission creep

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introducing

Noémie Lenoir

Meet the 5’10” green-eyed French model and actress, wife of French footballer and former Chelsea midfielder Claude Makélélé, Noémie Lenoir. photos: LAURENT HUMBERT styling: AZZA YOUSSIF jewellery: FANNY BLANCHELANDE words: VÉRONIQUE DE FREITAS

Beginning at the age of 17 when moving to New York City at the encouragement of a former model who got her started, Noémie soon was on her way to appearing in magazines such as Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition to name a few. In 2001, she became the spokesperson of L’Oreal alongside French supermodel Laetitia Casta and American actress Andie McDowell. In the UK she is best known as being one of the gorgeous models used in various lingerie and clothing campaigns for the department store Marks & Spencer that also feature fellow models Twiggy and Laura Bailey. In 2002, Lenoir took the leap from modelling to acting, appearing in the French film Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre. The film was based on the popular French comic book Astérix, and starred French screen icon Gérard Depardieu. Thereafter, she landed small parts in French films such as La Doublure and Gomes et Tavarès and in After the Sunset. The French lady also appeared opposite Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek in the film After the Sunset, as well as in Rush Hour 3, for which she shaved her head bald. Noémie was born in the town of Versailles, suburb of Paris, from a mother with a Magalasy ancestry, coming from the French island of La Réunion.

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She was spotted by an agent from the prestigious Ford Modelling Agency when she was just 16, and a magazine shoot for Ralph Lauren in Paris soon followed, but Lenoir was determined to finish school and learn English before setting out into the world of modelling. With those goals achieved, Noémie moved to New York in 1999 to give herself a better chance at furthering a modelling career. By now, the French bombshell has modelled for just about every major designer around the world, and has worked with some of the fashion industry’s hottest photographers such as Mario Testino (who is famous for the Pirelli Calendar), Ellen von Unwerth and Peter Lindbergh. She is also popular for being the face of Next, Gap and Victoria’s Secret. In 2004, Noémie met and married international football player Claude Makélélé of Paris St Germain. The couple had their first child, a boy named Kelyan a year later.

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CASSANDRA

HEPBURN International girl in the Spotlight

words: VÉRONIQUE DE FREITAS

With a multi-cultural upbringing, Cassandra Hepburn was born in the Philippines but has lived and worked all over the world including Hong Kong, London, Paris, Milan and New York. She began her film career at only 11 years old, with a role in Stephen King’s “The Stand.” The 28-year-old actress/model/dancer then moved to New York to try her luck in pursuing her acting ambitions and attended various acting courses, including Sande Shurin Studios and the School for Film and Television. After working as a waitress and dancing in music videos, she started modelling at the age of 15, travelling the world for designers such as Sonia Rykiel. She also lived in London, where she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. She has landed different roles on television including in the soap opera The Young and the Restless as character Maureen, and films such as Even Money, where she play alongside Kim Basinger, Danny De Vito, and Ray Liotta. Find Me Guilty directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Vin Diesel and Peter Dinklage in which Cassandra plays the secretary to Peter Dinklages’ character “Klandis”. Her last feature Hell Ride directed by Larry Bishop and released under the “Quentin Tarantino Presents” banner, is a raucous throwback to the days of the Sergio Leone spaghetti western. It tells the story of Pistolero (Larry Bishop) a bad-ass biker (named after the original title for Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado) who along with his cohort hits the road to avenge the death of Pistolero’s old lady Cherokee Kisum, by the 666ers, a rival motorcycle gang. Vinnie Jones and bike riding legend David Carradine star as members of the satanic biker gang. UK release date has yet to be announced.

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What role do you play in the movie Hell Ride? I play the role of Maria who is one of the main love interests of the lead character Pistolero. She is a very quiet woman but intense and mysterious. She doesn’t say a lot, but she is observant, sexy and dangerous. It was what Larry wanted from my character he wanted me to be a real woman, not a girl...a strong woman who hasn’t got to show her strength. What was your last movie/project? I have a new movie coming out next month in America. It’s a comedy called Surfer Dude produced by Matthew Mc Conaughey. On this movie I am totally deglamorised, I play a pregnant Polynesian woman called Luanne, the wife to Woody Harrelson’s character. It’s my first comedy. I liked it; it’s a nice change from the sexy characters that I usually play. My co-stars were amazing, Matthew is a gentleman, really charming - He loves to be topless but he has got a great body so that’s ok. He’s a very funny guy who likes to joke around all the time. You have lived in big cities such as Paris, London, Milan, which one do you prefer? I love Paris, I used to live in ‘Saint-Germain Des Prés’, and I love the charm of the city, there are so many nice places to relax, all these nice cafés such as ‘Café de Flor’. It’s an area with a particular charm that is rich of culture and has always inspired artists. But I also love London and Los Angeles because they are lively cities, the lifestyle is just amazing, it’s busy there is so much to do especially in London. I would love to act in a European movie, especially directed by Pedro Almodóvar. His movies are hilarious. I love the strong women characters that usually feature in European movies, such as Judi Dench and would like to portray the class, sophistication and appeal that most European women have. You have set up your own charity, Stop Trafficking Now, could you tell me more about it? What inspired you? I have set up Charity Stop Traffiking Now, in November this year. The foundation aims to raise awareness on child and sex trafficking. I created it after seeing a documentary about children with AIDS in Cambodia, I was shocked. I raise awareness about our 30 inalienable rights that the UN have created but never implemented. I am also an ambassador to Youth For Human Rights International – I believe that we all have the responsibility to help others and to make a difference.

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African hopes,

American dreamsâ&#x20AC;Ś by Ayo Alli

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Barack Obama’s presidential bid is certainly historic. It’s all about change. And he knows it. His campaign even has the slogan ‘Change we can believe in’. So, no chance of mistaking what he stands for. He has already irrevocably changed the American global and political landscape, even if he loses November’s election. As the first black presidential candidate for one of the two main American parties, his political story is epoch making. Not least because his background – Kenyan father and American mother; Muslim and Christian family (he’s middle name is Hussein); he grew up in Hawaii, Indonesia and LA; he’s an intellectual (he used to be a law lecturer), which makes him a highly unlikely candidate for US president. There are some very high hopes about what an Obama presidency will mean. And not just in America. All around the world, people have enormous expectations of him. In Africa and the Middle East, in particular, there is huge anticipation that Obama will deliver a new and better modus operandi for their relationships with the US and the west. The feeling is, given his background, Obama will make things all better. The hope is his administration will transform the US into what it actually claims to be – a moral leader that asks others to do what it does and not just what it says. But the big question is, will he actually change anything; and, perhaps more importantly, if he does, what form will that change take? Obama’s background is in stark contrast to most senior US politicians – in fact to most Americans, only 12% of whom have passports. To put it simply, Obama has been exposed to life and cultures around the world. Compare this with George W Bush (about as WASP and patrician as you can get), who had only visited Mexico as an adult before taking office; and famously couldn’t name the president of Pakistan. No chance of Obama not knowing who the Pakistani president is. More importantly, Obama’s candidacy has changed politics by making it popular again. His core supporter base is young people – notoriously hard for politicians to engage. Obama’s message of hope and change as well as his campaign’s sophisticated use of the internet and new media – both as a communication and fundraising tool - has really struck a chord with young Americans. It was their support and cash that propelled him ahead of the former favourite, Hilary Clinton, to clinch the Democratic Party nomination. He is also very different from most other Democratic Party presidential candidates. Both John Kerry, Al Gore and Hilary Clinton come from patrician families. In fact, that has been true of most Democrat presidents - JFK, Roosevelt, Carter, and Clinton, for instance. Obama, on the other hand, comes from a working class Kansas family and an intellectual, though lower class, Luo family in Kenya. Obama also has practical experience of being poor, and working with the poor and deprived. He used to be a very poorly paid community activist and organiser in the deprived, mainly black, south side of Chicago before he went to Law School at Harvard. So he knows what it means to work your way up. There is an American political adage – ‘Only Nixon could go to China’. Meaning only the virulently anti-communist Richard Nixon could engage with communist China in mutually respectful détente based on mutual needs. Basically, sometimes creating a fruitful working relationship with your opponent is easier than dealing with your friends and allies. These, inevitably have expectations that they should get preferential treatment. Giving them preferential treatment means losing some benefit yourself. Your opponent, on the other hand, is under no such illusions – the relationship is based simply on mutual necessity, nothing more. While this might sound cynical or pragmatic (depending on your point of view) it is pretty much on par for the course in politics and international relations.

The opposite of the Nixon adage is probably true of the nature of the relationship between an Obama administration and Africa. The support for Obama across Africa is almost universal, even though the expectations that Africans have of a special relationship with the US in an Obama administration are most probably misguided. Or, to put it another way, only Obama can directly tell African leaders that they need to shape up, without the fear of being branded a racist or an imperialist. Obama, after all, is half African. A clue to his likely attitude towards Africa can be gleaned from his autobiographical book, Dreams from my father. In the book he describes how his father was shabbily treated – basically forced into penury – by objecting to the tribal and connections based politics that determine your career prospects in Kenya. As Obama Sr was a Luo – the second largest tribe – and not Kikuyu, he was passed over for promotion; and finally dismissed for daring to point this out. So, few in Africa should doubt that President Obama, a meritocrat if there ever was one, will demand sweeping social and political reforms in Africa as the price for any special relationship. The question must be asked, even if Africa reforms, is it possible to get what it wants from an Obama administration – support and fair access to markets for nascent African industries; preferential credit and investment terms; and, perhaps most importantly, an end to American farm subsidies that distort markets? The most likely answer is, no. The relationship between Africa and the west is predicated on Africa providing cheap raw materials and commodities to drive industry and consumption in the west. So the likelihood of any tinkering with the world economic order to benefit Africa – which would almost inevitably be to the detriment of American industry and agro-businesses – is slim, to say the least. After all, Obama will depend on working class Americans to deliver the White House, and to get re-elected in 2012. The same is probably true vis a vis the Middle East. There are four interlinked issues that drive US policy in the region – Oil, Israel, Iran and Islamism. A stated policy of Obama for his administration is to reduce US dependence on Middle East oil. The consequences of this - if it’s achieved, and it is a very big if - would be to remove the imperative for continued US support the undemocratic (actually dictatorial), venal and ineffective regimes in the region. And this is pretty much all of them. It’s hard to say what would replace these regimes if the oxygen of US military and political support were removed. The most likely outcome would be that Islamist parties (think Hamas in Gaza) would sweep the region if democracy were established. And this isn’t necessarily a bad thing – it would reflect the will of the people, after all. Plus the Islamists, for all their faults, are far from venal and inefficient. In fact, quite the opposite is true. But, it’s unlikely - given their track record - the US would recognise and work with Islamist regimes. So the most likely outcome would be instability, or, more probably, a classic political fudge that changes very little. You could argue that the region is unstable already, but at least the current instability is a known quantity. On Israel, it is highly unlikely that Obama would tinker with the current most favoured nation status that Israel enjoys with the US. The consequences, if he did, would be constant attacks by the US Jewish lobby and evangelical Christians in the media; and almost certain electoral defeat in 2012. The chances of resolving the Israeli / Palestinian conflict without the US being an honest broker are almost non-existent. This means treating both sides fairly and not creating a Palestinian state of Bantustans that are walled-off and criss-crossed by Israeli-only roads, checkpoints and security zones. The key questions of balancing Israeli security and Palestinian freedom; the right of exiled Palestinians to return; and Jerusalem – which both sides claim as their capital – will be just thorny for Obama as they have been for every US president since 1948. Without

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“Only

Nixon

could go to China

”

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addressing these questions head-on (and inevitably offending both sides) no settlement of the conflict is going to happen. Also, the relationship with Iran is unlikely to change during an Obama administration. The US need to keep Iran non-nuclear will still be the same. And the Iranian imperative to acquire nuclear weapons will also still be there. The Iranians know that being a nuclear power is the only way to guarantee that the west won’t attack it. After all, this is the experience that they gleaned from the example of North Korea. And the history of the US relationship with Iran – essentially supporting dictators and violently stifling democracy - doesn’t really engender trust. It’s hard to see how Obama can reconcile these contradictions. Even if he can, would Congress and the American public support him? The question of engaging with Islamism is perhaps the stickiest one for Obama. Given his background, it’s very hard to see how he can without losing support at home. A worrying fact is that around a fifth of the US population believe Obama is a Muslim; so any moves to engage with the Islamists would draw huge criticisms of ‘appeasement’ from the public, media and politicians in the US. The contradiction here is that engaging with the Islamists is the only way to win the ‘War on Terror’. Of course this must be done from a position of strength. While most would disagree with their heinous methods, to deny that they have genuine grievances against the current order, which the US supports, is just foolishness. The Bush doctrine that Islamists are basically barbarians who should be destroyed has been proven ineffectual. In fact, there is more support for them in the region today than eight years ago. One thing few people

acknowledge is that the response of Middle East governments – basically arrest, torture and execution without trial - to the aspirations for fairness, opportunity and reform that Islamism originally sought in the 60’s and 70’s has led to their radicalisation. The consequences of this have been felt around the world in terrorist attacks ever since. There is a big question as to whether Obama can win in November. The attacks on his inexperience by McCain seem to be bearing fruit, if the opinion polls are anything to go by. You could argue his lack of experience is actually his greatest asset. He doesn’t have the experience of the fudges and compromises that characterise the Washington merry-go-round that McCain does after 26 years in the Senate. Obama is usually compared to JFK, though a more accurate comparison (which he seems to see himself) is with Abraham Lincoln. Like Obama, Lincoln worked his way up from poverty; like Obama, Lincoln was inexperienced when he became President (actually, they have almost identical public service experience – two terms in the Illinois State Assembly and one-term in Congress in Washington before seeking the presidency). Lincoln’s most significant contribution to US history was demolishing slavery – pretty much the biggest change to US society ever. We hope that’s where the comparison ends and Obama doesn’t end up assassinated like Lincoln. But will we be disappointed with an Obama presidency? Given the level of expectations, it’s probably inevitable. Coming from the notoriously corrupt and expediency driven Illinois politics, Obama is a canny operator by anyone’s estimation. Though we might be surprised and see hope triumph over expectation.

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MISSION CREEP By Ayo Alli

Something is very wrong. Not that you would believe it from the news. The orthodox view is both simple and somewhat dogmatic. More aid is going to Africa; aid is good; therefore everything is getting better. Bono and Bob Geldof – both rich, famous and saintly – tell us this. And who are we mere mortals to contradict such über-celebrities? But, like most things in life, reality is usually much more complex than slogans or mere dogma. It really can’t be boiled down to a three minute pop song.

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The fundamental question is, ‘how well does aid work?’ It is necessary to make a distinction between aid and humanitarian relief. Humanitarian relief is about helping relieve the effects of both natural and man-made emergencies – war, famine, floods, disease outbreaks, etc. This is the sort

aid’, essentially relief work. The total aid budget for Africa was somewhere in the region of $50-$100 million per year. Then came the Ethiopian famine of 1984, and the response - Band Aid and Live Aid in 1985.

of work that Medicins San Frontier, The Red Cross and Red Crescent, the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC – an umbrella group of aid organizations), and others do. A lot of this is vital, life saving and almost always harrowing work done in the face of great human suffering and tragedy. This is to be applauded. Aid for development, however, is an altogether more complex beast.

Perhaps ironically, this huge expression of humanity was a really defining moment in what has come to be known as globalisation. Not just in that human beings were affected emotionally by what happened in a relatively obscure part of the world and reacting to it by giving cash. It was also the first live satellite link up between simultaneous events all over the planet. The communications networks that drive global finance, business, media and news were born from this. It also raised a huge amount of money – estimates vary from £50-£75 million. But more than that, it made poverty in Africa a big political issue worldwide. Aid budgets were increased – both from governments and from charitable giving - and mission creep set in as preventing catastrophes and reducing poverty became part of the aid credo. Another interesting side effect is the ubiquity of the celebrity campaigner. And good intentioned though they are, you know what they say the raod to hell is paved with.

The problem has been what military strategists call ‘mission creep’ in both the operation and thinking of aid agencies. Mission creep is when the objectives of a mission expand beyond what was initially planned and resourced for. The tendency is for mission creep to become self-perpetuating. As the objectives expand, more resources are sucked in and the mission parameters continually expand to match these. Aid is a good case in point. In the 1970’s – when a few hundred aid agencies operated in Africa – it was literally ‘first

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Bono, who could invest of his

half

£100 million

fortune in Africa

(which wouldn’t change his lifestyle in any way)

and Bob Geldof -

worth over

£30 million-

could persuade their celebrity friends to

follow their lead, by starting an

Africa-wide

micro-finance bank

that provide loans for small business people in Africa.

It would probably do more than

10 Band Aids and Live8’s put together 216

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Aid in Africa is now an industry – and a growing one, at that. Actually, it’s Sub-Saharan Africa’s third biggest industry – after oil and mining. In some countries it’s the dominant one. For instance, according to a recent report on the BBC’s Newsnight programme in Tanzania – a beacon of political stability for over 40 years – aid accounts for 40% of the economy. Twenty-five years ago there were less than 1000 INGO’s (International Non-Governmental Organisations – acronyms and jargon are pretty much par for the course on

other more complex and insidious consequences of aid and its industry in Africa.

this subject) operating in Africa. Now there are tens of thousands. And the annual aid budget is now more than a staggering $25 billion (and the G8 industrialised nations – UK, USA, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, Russia and Italy - pledged to increase it to $50 billion at their Gleneagles summit in 2005.) Perhaps more worryingly, after governments, the aid industry is the biggest employer in Africa.

And if you do invest, it would be in industries like mining and agriculture that require unskilled labour, and produce only commodities and unprocessed products. Most value is added (and the benefits reaped) outside Africa in industrialised USA and Europe and the industrialising countries like India, China and Brazil. Also, the markets for investment and trade for these commodities and primary products are in London, New York, Paris, Chicago, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Hong Kong. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that this makes Africans both completely dependent on the rest of the world and left at the bottom of the pile.

Estimates vary but somewhere between $500 billion and $1 trillion of aid has flowed into Africa in the past 50 years. The sum total effect of this incredible sum of money has been that Africans are less better off now than they were then, by any indicator that you care to measure – life expectancy, GDP (Gross Domestic Product – how much money is generated in the economy per person in a country), susceptibility to disease, access to clean water and sanitation, access to education, you name it. There are several

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The first, and perhaps most negative impact that this aid has had on Africa, is the image it has given the country. Conventional wisdom is that Africa is a basket case of countries. Mere mention of Africa summons up images of war, famine, pestilence and plague. Hardly a place you’d want to invest in.

The second consequence has been on the aid agencies themselves. The origins of the big aid organisations are also very interesting. Most five aid organisations in the UK – Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), Christian Aid, OXFAM, Action Aid and Save the Children. Three

“Africa needs investment, not aid. In fact the clear message was, ‘please stop’. The aid agencies, no surprises here, disagreed, insisting that they need more money to finish the job.”

of these - CAFOD, Christian Aid and OXFAM – grew from the Catholic Church, the Church of England, and the Quakers respectively. Aid workers are the new missionaries in Africa. To call their approach paternalistic is a huge understatement. Also, if history is anything to go on, it is worrying for other reasons. During the days when African countries were mostly European colonies, the churches were responsible for educating and ‘civilising’ the populations. Missionaries were semi-official arms of the

UN’s World Food Programme now runs Kenya’s railways, not Kenyans. So the skills and experience necessary to run it are being lost in Kenya.

colonial administrations. This is becoming the case again. These big five aid agencies have become the main conduits of UK government aid to Africa. In fact around 40-50% of their revenue comes from government. No longer are they really NGO’s, rather they could be better described as QUANGO’s (Quasi-Autonomous NGO’s.) Because, as the saying goes, ‘ he who pays the piper calls the tune.’

as if reforming African states and institutions has been discarded as an impossible task. Aid makes it harder, not just by eroding this social contract, but also because a majority of aid ends up in the hands of corrupt officials, feeding the kleptocracy (a ‘government’ system designed to steal).

The third consequence has been the erosion of the role of African states, their institutions and their relationships with their citizens. This social contract is being distorted by aid. Simply put, this contract between a citizen and the state is that the citizen pays taxes and obeys the law; and the state provides security, basic services and legal framework. But as aid agencies supply even more services, African institutions atrophy and loyalty to the state (not very strong to begin with) are further diminished. For instance, the

Even more worrying, the most talented and educated Africans (those who can’t sell their skills to western healthcare, IT and other industries - approximated at 70,000 each year) instead of becoming entrepreneurs, engineers or civil servants, end up working for the aid industry. It’s almost

The total effect of this is that Africans are being written out of their own development narrative and decision making processes. Effectively, Africans are not seen as agents in their own transformation. A most striking fact is that there are now more expatriate Europeans – most of them in the aid industry – working in Africa today than at the height of the colonial period. And they have as much, if not more influence now as they had then. Around $4-$5 billion is spent annually on expatriate workers in Africa. The economic multiplier effect of this, if suitably qualified and experienced Africans (most of those who haven’t emigrated have no jobs or low income)

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“Conventional wisdom is that Africa is a basket case of countries. Mere mention of Africa summons up images of war, famine, pestilence and plague. Hardly a place you’d want to invest in.”

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had these jobs is about 10 times that figure – scarily this is the target annual aid budget from the west. These Africans would save, invest, educate their families and relatives, start small businesses, and generally add to their countries’ economies. This marginalisation of Africans in their own development was strikingly illustrated by events at the TED Africa conference in Tanzania in June 2007. TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conferences have happened annually since 1984 in Monterrey in California, and bring together movie stars, Silicon Valley geek zillionaires, musicians, scientists and ex-presidents in Davos (the annual World Economic Forum of business and political leaders in this Swiss town). At the insistence and advocacy of Bono, TED Africa was held to bring innovators from Africa together. The results of this though were instructive, for Bono and the aid agencies, who argued that aid worked in Ireland to end the Potato Famine; as well as Germany and Japan after the Second World War. Though most of the Irish emigrated to the Americas and Australia; and Germany and Japan were already industrialised countries before the war. The line advocated by these African innovators was simple. Africa needs investment, not aid. In fact the clear message was, ‘please stop’. The aid agencies, no surprises here, disagreed, insisting that they need more money to finish the job. This might seem like ingratitude and callousness at first glance. But remember the distinction between development aid and relief work. Development aid is about ending poverty. However, incredibly, wealth creation is not on the agenda for the aid industry. It seems blindingly obvious that to reduce poverty, you need to create wealth. And Africans think this as well. A BBC survey of Africans in 2004 showed that around 65% of Africans saw making money as their first priority. Other aspirations include getting a well paid job, skills training and education, and starting a business. Aid agencies have no experience in creating jobs or wealth; and seemingly no interest in it (except for themselves). And no institution with the word ‘government’ in it has ever created wealth. Business does this. The aid agencies are all of the ideological mindset that ‘business is bad’. In fact, their response to some of the most interesting and positive developments in Africa in the past decade is most illustrative. According to Michael Holman in a 2006 article, Foreign Aid: This kind of ‘help’ is just no help at all for the Africa Report, INGO’s fought tooth and nail against deregulation and liberalisation. For instance, they argue that it is outrageous that Africans (who already pay for water) should have to pay private companies for water when the state should provide it. Their position, in effect, just means that Africans have to pay for water twice – once to the state which then doesn’t provide it, and again to the local businessmen who do. Perhaps a more stark illustration of how wrong aid agencies can be was their vehement opposition to telecommunications liberalisation and deregulation in Africa. Without this, the growth in mobile phone networks (Africa is the fastest growing mobile market in the world today), independent radio and TV stations, and the internet in Africa wouldn’t have happened. The positive impact on democracy and business in Africa has proven that Africa is a highly profitable and growing market. For instance, MTN - one of the four Nigerian mobile phone providers – turns over more than $300 million a month. This is done mostly by selling top-up cards through street vendors, which creates employment and other opportunities. Mobile phone penetration in Nigeria is only around 30%. So the potential is obvious.

The aid agencies themselves are a very close knit and extremely opaque cartel. And like every cartel, they close ranks and become obstructionist whenever anyone challenges their orthodox view. For instance, while researching this article, four of the big five were contacted to provide information. Only one – Action Aid – responded with the requested information. The others – who shall remain unnamed – either didn’t bother, or said that the information was too complex to provide in time to make the deadline. And these are the organisations that collect money from the public via donations, and from our taxes, yet are completely un-transparent to any public scrutiny or questioning. Ironically, this is precisely what they criticise African governments of being – and argue is part of the reason that these governments are so ineffective. The basic contradiction here is that these are organisations whose ultimate aims and objectives should be their own demise. Yet none of them have this as part of their mission statements or objectives. In fact, the reverse is true. OXFAM, for instance, has a turnover of around $500 million, and is aggressively taking over (merging with, though in business this would be characterised as a takeover) other aid agencies. Essentially, OXFAM is increasing its market share. Interestingly enough, criticism of the aid industry comes from both sides of the ideological divide. For instance, on the leftist side, organisations like World Write (www.worldwrite.org.uk) criticise the aid agencies for being both sanctimonious and paternalistic, and not responding to the needs of their clients (or customers), Africans – money, jobs, etc. On the pro-business and multinational side, commentators like Niall Fitzgerald (Chairman of Reuters and former Chairman/CEO of Unilever) and Kurt Hoffman (Director of the Shell Foundation) argue that business practices and innovation will reduce poverty. Strangely, both sides agree that wealth and job creation are the most effective means of reducing poverty. An accusation that’s often levelled against any who dare criticise the aid industry and its celebrity advocates is that this criticism is ‘unconstructive’. Well, here are two constructive suggestions: First, the celebrity advocates who see themselves as the saviours of Africa should invest in the continent, not just spout platitudes. There are several investment opportunities that provide both investment security and good returns – in banks, private equity and stock exchanges. Or if he objects to multi-nationals (despite working for one, his record label), Bono, who could invest half of his £100 million fortune in Africa (which wouldn’t change his lifestyle in any way); and Bob Geldof - worth over £30 million - could persuade their celebrity friends to follow their lead, by starting an Africa-wide micro-finance bank that provide loans for small business people in Africa. It would probably do more than 10 Band Aids and Live8’s put together. Second, aid agencies should start investing in and delivering their services through social enterprises (businesses which plough profits back into themselves instead of into the pockets of shareholders; they mix business acumen and rigour with charitable intent). Social enterprise is increasingly the way effective social change is being delivered in the UK. At least half of their budgets in Africa should go into social enterprise – with job creation as the main criteria for measuring success. This will create wealth, alleviate poverty, and still fulfil their objectives. Also, they should come up with plans that aim to see their effective demise in 20 years or less – and deliver reports on how far this is being achieved as part of their annual reporting process. That way, we might perhaps see the end of development, and the beginning of progress in Africa.

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Estimates vary but somewhere between $500 billion & $1 trillion of aid has flowed in to Africa in the past 50 years. And the sum total effect of this incredible sum of money has been that Africans are less better off now than they were then. 223

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+44 (0) 1423 520303

Donna Karan - www.donnakaran.com

Missoni Fragrance +44 (0) 870 034 2566

Alexis Bittar - www.alexisbittar.com

DSquared - www.dsquared.com

Molton Brown - www.moltonbrown.co.uk Moschino - www.moschino.com

Alison Van Der Lande - www.alisonvanderlande.co.uk

Elle Macpherson Intimates - www.figleaves.com

American Apparel - +44 (0) 207 734 4477

Emporio Armani - www.emporioarmani.com

Muse - www.my-wardrobe.com

Aramis - www.esteelauder.co.uk

EstĂŠe Lauder - www.esteelauder.com

Naturalizer - www.naturalizer.com

Armani Casa

Firetrap - www.firetrap.com

No7 - www.boots.com

www.armanicasa.com

Floris of London - www.florislondon.com

Nike - www.nike.com

B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful

Forever New - www.forevernew.com.au

Ophelie Hats - www.opheliehats.com

+44 (0) 1202 493 789

Giorgio Armani +44 (0) 1423 520 303

Piatonna +44 (0) 207 730 1234

Balenciaga +44 (0) 207 317 4400

Givenchy +44 (0) 1932 233824

Pierre Fontaine - www.pierrefontaine.com.au Polaroid for Mooks - www.mooks.com/polaroid/

Bally - www.bally.com

Gravis - www.gravisfootwear.com

Bamford & Sons - www.bamfordandsons.com

Halston - www.net-a-porter.com/Shop/Designers/Halston/

Prescriptives - www.prescriptives.com

Bang & Olufsen - www.bang-olufsen.com

Hussy - www.hussy.com.au

Puma +44 (0) 845 123 7862

Barry M - www.barrym.co.uk

Jean Paul Gaultier - www.jeanpaulgaultier.com

Rachel Gilbert - www.rachelgilbertsydney.com

Beam Bed - www.lagostudio.it

Jenni Kayne - www.robertocavalli.com

Ralph Lauren - www.ralphlauren.com

Benefit Cosmetics - www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Jimmy Choo +44 (0) 207 823 1051

Roberto Cavalli - www.robertocavalli.com

Bobbi Brown - www.bobbibrown.co.uk

John Galliano Fragrance - www.johngalliano.com

Rosy - www.rosy.fr

Bose - www.bose.co.uk

K-Swiss - www.kswiss.co.uk

Ruby Smallbone - www.rubysmallbone.com.au

BOSS Black/green - www.hugoboss.com

Kurt Geiger - www.kurtgeiger.com

Samsonite - www.samsoniteblacklabel.com

Bulgari - www.shop.bulgari.com

La Senza - www.lasenza.co.uk

Sony - www.sony.co.uk

Burton - www.burton.com

Lejaby - www.figleaves.com

Strandbags - www.strandbags.com/au

Carlos Miele - www.carlosmiele.com.br

Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s +44 (0) 1604 599735

Superdry - www.superdry.co.uk/

Celine - www.celine.com

Loewe - Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street London W1A 1AB

Temperley of London - www.temperleylondon.com/

Cendrillion - www.cendrillion.com

MAC +44 (0) 870 034 2676

This is Genevieve - www.thisisgenevieve.com

Chanel +44 (0) 207 493 5040

Malo - www.malo.it

Tom Binns - www.shopstyle.com

Chantal Thomass - www.chantalthomass.fr

Marc Jacobs - www.marcjacobs.com

Tom Ford Fragrance +44(0) 870 034 6748

Clarins +44 (0) 800 036 3558

Martin Margieler - www.maisonmartinmargiela.com

Topman www.topman.com

Converse +44 (0) 207 287 4016

Mavi - www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk

Vanina Vesperini - www.vanninavesperini.com

Country Road - www.countryroad.com.au

MCL by Matthew Campbell Laurenza

Versace - www.versace.com

Darphin +44 (0) 870 034 2566

www.neimanmarcus.com

Wolford +44 (0) 207 529 3000

David Yurman - www.davidyurman.com

McLaren - www.woodhouseclothing.com

Yohji Yamamoto - www.yohjiyamamoto.co.jp

Derecuny - www.doverstreetmarket.com

Michael Kors - www.michaelkors.com

YSL - www.ysl.com

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