THE MAGAZINE FOR THE SUPER RICH
OCHAY ELITE
magazine
6TH EDITION
21
OCHAY
CONTENTS
ELITE
magazine
Welcome to our 6th edition!
This issue is packed with exclusive interviews with Lady Carnarvon, the De Mallet Morgans, Simon Cowell, Philip Donovan and luxury swimwear and lingerie designer Nichole de Carle. A tribute to Nelson Mandela and a profile of the enigmatic Zaha Hadid with some of her ubiquitous biomorph architectural masterpieces from around the world. I hope you also enjoy our selection of His & Hers Classic watches, a look at the new Lamborghini!
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Kevin Rochay Executive Editor Kevin Rochay Executive Editor
Nicholas Baker Editor in Chief
Ellora Harper Communications Director
Ashley Jordan Media Director
Louise Baxter Circulation Director
Richard Sussex Creative Director
Aaron Hewit Client Director
Oliver Pears Art Director
John Wilson Client Manager
Susan Chandler Executive Journalist
Jade Edwards Editorial Reporter
Emma Ward Editorial Reporter
Laura Jones Editorial Reporter
Natasha Rogers Editorial Reporter
Contributors: Andre de Trichateau Christopher Jordan Stephen Edwards A special ‘Thank you’ goes to all those who have supported Rochay Elite Magazine, especially: Lady Carnarvon, Andre de Trichateau, Juliet Jarvis, Nichole de Carle, Olga Scott, Rene Byrd, Tim Belson, Phil Donovan, Tommy de Mallet Morgan, Lulu de Mallet Morgan, Zaha Hadid, Davide Giordano, Laura de Castiglioni, Hardeep Chohan, Viviane Borges, Jessica Laneley, Gaelle Moatty, Wahyu Iskandar and Maree Perkins Front Cover image courtesy of Wahyu Iskandar www.beraplan.com/highclerecastle-in-snow-hd-wallpaper.
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ROCHAY ELITE ROCHAY GROUP HOLDINGS 123 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5EA United Kingdom (tel): +44 (0) 203 416 3624 (fax): +44 (0) 203 416 3635 web site: www.rochayelite.com Registered in England & Wales no. 05595818
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©2014 Rochay Group Holdings Limited, All Rights Reserved. Every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of published content. Rochay Elite Ltd and Rochay Group Ltd does not endorse any advertisements or opinions expressed. Rochay Elite Magazine is a registered trademark of Rochay Group Ltd. No part of Rochay Elite Magazine can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission of Rochay Elite Ltd and Rochay Group Ltd.
OCHAY ELITE
society
OCHAY ELITE
society
Image courtesy of Vacheron Constantin
Timeless Elegance By Ashley Jordan
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Vacheron Constantin launches the world’s thinnest minute repeater - the Patrimony Contemporaine Ultra-Thin Calibre 1731, bearing the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva. At just 3.90mm and 8.09mm thick respectively. Rather than merely building on heritage, Vacheron Constantin nurtures an authentic and enduring love story with striking watches. The manufacturer made its first minute repeater on a pocket-watch in 1810 before combining striking mechanisms with major complications throughout the following decades. In each case they produced exceptional timepieces that were among the most complex of their era including timepieces that made history like the one developed for King Fouad of Egypt in 1929 and then his son in 1935. In 1941, Vacheron Constantin launched its first wristwatch equipped with a single complication in the shape of a minute repeater housed within an ultra-thin movement: Calibre 4261. The quest for extreme slenderness continued over the subsequent years until 1992 when they once again transcended the realms of possibility by
presenting the Calibre 1755, a minute repeater measuring just 3.28 mm thick – truly unprecedented! Today, Vacheron Constantin celebrates this emotionally charged complication with an all-new calibre inspired by its illustrious predecessors: the 1731, thus named in tribute to the birth of the brand founder, Jean-Marc Vacheron. While the new Calibre 1731 is barely thicker than its predecessor from 1993 – 3.90mm compared with 3.28 mm – due to its impressive 65-hour power reserve, it is nonetheless the thinnest on the market today, having successfully overcome the difficulty of assembling and adjusting parts that have been slimmed down to extremes. It’s design is inspired by an ultra-thin model created in 1955 to mark the Vacheron Constantin bicentenary and then revived in 2004 to give life to the Patrimony Contemporaine. Since then, it’s extreme slenderness among many remarkable features have firmly established it as a timeless classic.
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The Ballon Blanc de Cartier watch unites the Maison’s jewellery and watchmaking secrets, strikes a pose and declares itself a jewellery watch: precious, feminine and delicate, with a touch of mischief when the time is right. Imbued with weightlessness, it has made design codes its own and created a new face for itself, just as one might try out a different look. The case still retains its enchanting pebble shape, like a precious powder blued-steel sword-shaped hands, the watch radiates Ballon de Cartier signature style.Yet the little detour made by the Roman numerals and rail-track minute addition of a single assertive diamond. The bracelet,
Image courtesy of Cartier
smooth beads, has the allure of a rivière.
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For decades, the Calatrava – the prototype of the classic round wristwatch, including its Officer’s-style variations with dust covers over the case back – has ranked among the most iconic creations of Patek Philippe. Uniting the key characteristics of this watch family, the new Calatrava Ref. 5227 now features a display back protected with a separate dust cover. The special twist: The entire hinge is on the inside of the cover, making it invisible even to the connoisseur. A close look at the new Calatrava Ref. 5227 from all angles with a loupe reveals that this watch can only be a Patek Philippe. The family-owned enterprise enjoys total creative freedom in designing new models, which always involves certain imponderables as well. This is especially true because new watches must fulfill the strict directives of the Patek Philippe Seal. The Stern family, whose tradition is intimately intertwined with the Calatrava collection, has the sole and final say on whether the challenge of creating a new watch is worth taking on. The Sterns acquired the manufacture in 1932, and the first Calatrava model, the Ref. 96, was launched in the same year. Since then, Patek Philippe repeatedly demonstrated that even a paragon of design like the Calatrava can be changed, optimized, and perfected.
Image courtesy of Patek Philippe
It is in the nature of consummately designed cases that they conceal the profound creative thrust, the extreme technical sophistication and the artisanal talent involved in their making. The classic round 39-mm case of the Calatrava Ref. 5227, a typical representative of its family with a concave bezel, gently curved lugs and slender silhouette is a fine example. But the fact that a 9.24-mm thin watch can have a sapphire-crystal case back plus a hinged dust cover reflects extreme craftsmanship and ingenuity.
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81 years after the debut of the Calatrava, Patek Philippe reasserts the timeless quality of this legendary watch collection as well as the creativity of the manufacture in leveraging its traditions and heritage. The new Ref. 5227 enhances the endearingly elegant Calatrava style with the flair of a perfectly integrated dust cover. It is available in 18K yellow, white, or rose (5N) gold and worn on a handstitched alligator strap with large square scales and a matching gold prong buckle. The strap is shiny black for the white-gold model, shiny chocolate brown for the yellow-gold version, and shiny dark brown for the model in rose gold.
A diamond company extraordinaire, Graff is involved in every stage of the jewellery making process - from the sourcing of each rough stone, right through to the cutting, polishing and final setting of each exquisite jewel. Throughout its rich history, Graff is said to have handled more diamonds of notable rarity and beauty than any other jeweller. Today, after more than five decades at the pinnacle of the luxury jewellery industry Graff continues to push the boundaries of ever-greater innovation and excellence. The outline of a butterfly has been depicted artistically throughout many different cultures over the course of history. One of the earliest references dates back to the Egyptian era when the image of a butterfly was frequently carved into architectural structures, used in art and incorporated into intricate jewellery pieces. The butterfly was first incorporated into Graff Diamonds’ jewellery as part of its enchanting Classic Butterfly Collection. Now, perfectly fusing the timelessness of a diamond with Swiss watchmaking expertise is Graff’s latest horological evolution, the Graff Classic Butterfly watch.
Set on a simple yet elegant black satin strap, the Graff Classic Butterfly watch is available in two striking designs with the butterfly motif positioned at 6 o’clock and 12 o’clock respectively. Limited to 300 pieces, it is also available in vibrant gemstone versions featuring the finest sapphires, rubies and emeralds and all diamond version.
Image courtesy of Graff Diamonds
A beautifully feminine arrangement of four pear shape diamonds trace the outline of an exquisite butterfly gently resting upon the 26mm watch face fully set with diamonds and with 41 diamonds around the white gold case
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Image courtesy of Breguet
The innovative spirit of the Breguet brand has contributed to a number of inventions that have improved time measurement. The brand has thus been able to file more than 100 patents in the last 10 years, especially concerning improved timekeeping and striking mechanisms. But with its patent of November 7, 2010 for a magnetic pivot, the brand has set another milestone in watchmaking history by harnessing magnetism to the service of precision and reliability. The Breguet Classique Chronométrie 7727 model shows that the company has reached its objectives and set a new level in the search for perfection. The watch is fitted with the new Hand-wound calibre 574DR. This achievement was mainly due to its balance frequency of 10Hz. When it was applied for the first time in the Type XXII chronograph, this frequency was shown to have improved the time-keeping performance of the balance and spring. Breguet’s mastery of silicon enables the Classique Chronométrie to be fitted with a double balance-spring, pallet lever and escape wheel, all in specially prepared silicon that reaches the high frequency necessary for optimum precision. The result is a regulating power equivalent to around 830 microwatts, an achievement when one considers that the regulating capacity of the best chronometers is between 300 and 400 microwatts. Despite its high frequency, the reference 7727 has a power reserve of 60 hours thanks not only to the energy stored in its barrels, but also to the very high quality of its balance. The major innovation of this Classique Chronométrie model is without doubt the use of magnetic pivots. It is likely that the impact of this invention will not be felt for a few years yet. With the magnetic pivot, Breguet not only controls the negative effects of magnetism in a watch, but also uses magnetic force to improve the pivoting, rotation and stability of the balance staff. Breguet’s watchmakers have designed a stable system using two endstones incorporating powerful micro-magnets (approx. 1.3 teslas) that keep the balance staff centred and self-adjusting. One of the magnets is stronger than the other to create a magnetic gradient. A magnetic flux, generated within the balance-staff induces a magnetic attraction that keeps the end of the pivot in contact with the endstone. Held in an artificial gravitational force, the balance staff is unaffected by the different positions of the watch and the conditions at each pivot remain unchanged. If a shock knocks the balance staff sideways, the system acts like a pare-chute to return it to its position, except that magnetic forces re-centre the staff to regain maximum magnetic flux. The result is a balance that is insensitive to gravity, more stable and resistant to shocks. These innovations bring the reference 7727’s average rate to -1/+3 seconds a day, well within the COSC chronometer standard of -4/+6 seconds a day. More importantly, the difference in rate between the six positions has been brought down to -2/+4 seconds a day (maximum wind). The dial is engine-turned in six patterns: “Geneva waves” in the centre, a hobnail pattern for the small seconds, sunrays on the tenth-of-a-second dial and chevrons for the powerreserve indicator. The hours chapter is cross-hatched while a barleycorn pattern decorates the outer edge. No fewer than six patents protect these technical achievements, which represent the excellence of Breguet’s watchmaking.
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It was in 1993 that Caroline Scheufele created one of the Chopard icons, the Happy Sport watch. Repeatedly interpreted over the years in occasionally humorous and consistently elegant ways, it has lived under various highly evocative identities: Happy Beach, La Vie en Rose, Happy Spirit, Mystery Pink… Now, in celebrating the finest anniversary of its diamonds moving freely just a few centimetres above exquisite watch dials, Chopard unveils the new Happy Sport Medium Automatic. The famous moving diamonds – one of the most fascinating jewellery innovations in recent decades – adds an unprecedented mechanical dimension to their entrancing natural charm.
Image courtesy of Chopard
Moving diamonds meet a mechanical movement: elegant, sophisticated and entirely loyal to the spirit of the original Happy Spirit. The new Happy Sport Medium Automatic reveals a guilloché silver-toned dial, a tribute to the decorative traditions of classical watchmaking and a perfect backdrop against which to highlight the seven moving diamonds. On the back, a sapphire crystal provides a chance to admire its mechanical self-winding movement adorned with a straight Côtes de Genève motif also known as Geneva stripes. Its 36 mm-diameter stainless steel case is water-resistant to 30 metres and fitted with a stainless steel bracelet.
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Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster
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El sol es el mejor torero The sun is the best bullfighter
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On October 15th, 1993 at the Plaza del Toros de Zaragoza, in the Aragon region of Northern Spain and before over 10,000 spectators, matador Emilio Muñoz fought and slew a 1,118 pound bull from the breeding stables of the sons of Don Celestino Cuadri Vides. The bull had been remarkably courageous and noble in it’s battle with the torero and thus earned the title “Trofeo de la Peña La Madroñera”. The bull had a number on it’s hide – 32. It also had a name – AVENTADOR. The new €300K Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster greets the world with a phenomenal set of performance goes on to reach a top speed of 350 km/h. These numbers super sports car that is without parallel in the competitive focal point. Power comes courtesy of the high-revving, highdisplacement and 515 kW (700 hp). The new CDS cylinder deactivation system deactivates one of the cylinder banks to make the engine run as an inline six and the innovative Stop & Start system enables an exceptionally fast start process that sets the V12 engine running again in a virtually imperceptible 180 milliseconds. This all makes the stunning decreases the average 16.0 litres/100 km.
fuel
consumption
by
7%
to
The most important new development in the Roadster is the
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dedicated locking system in the trunk for secure storage of the hard top during the journey. In a short space of time, the new Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster is ready to be enjoyed in all its open-air splendor. Even the electric rear the impressive sound experience generated by the mighty twelve-cylinder.
“[The matador, Cagancho] moves the cape spread full as the pulling jib of a yacht before the bull’s muzzle so slowly that the being one of impermanent, his veronicas minutes that
the major arts because it is in the arrogant slowness of becomes, for the seeming they endure, permanent.”
Death in the Afternoon, Ernest Hemingway, 1932
Beginning with a length of 4.78 metres, the car’s spectacular and a width of 2.26 metres (including exterior mirrors). It Aventador. The lines are evocative of artistic knife work – radical and precise to a degree that is unparalleled in automotive design. The powerfully taut surfaces of the
display
the
expertise
and
experience
of
Automobili
The interior of the Aventador Roadster combines the craftsmanship in the best Italian tradition with state-of-the-art technology and luxurious appointments. The interior is dominated by the new-generation cockpit – as in modern
shifting pattern for track conditions and also incorporates Thrust Mode (Launch Control) – the automated function for maximum acceleration from a standstill. The shift feel in the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster is highly emotional, with exceptionally short shift times of just 50 milliseconds being the norm. Permanent all-wheel drive delivers the extreme power of the V12 power unit to the road with the utmost reliability. An electronically controlled clutch in the drivetrain distributes driving force between front and rear. In the space of just wheels can vary continuously from 0% to 60% of the total
The twelve-cylinder is the crowning glory of engine design
together with the ESP facilitate an even more dynamic
model by Ferruccio Lamborghini, the 350 GT, left the factory in 1964 with what was at the time a highly innovative twelvecylinder. 3.5 litres of displacement and 320 hp were the vital statistics back then, and they formed the basis for ongoing increase and development over the decades that followed. Miura, Espada, Countach, Diablo and, most recently,
component, offering extreme stiffness and thus excellent handling precision, as well as the very highest levels of passive safety – with minimal weight. It is connected at the
the halls of Sant’Agata. All were and are driven by V12 engines, and all have long attained the status of automotive legend. switched in line with personal preference – three manual settings (Strada, Sport, Corsa) and two automatic strategies (Strada Auto and Sport Auto). The Strada mode is intended for particularly comfort-oriented shifting, while the Sport mode has a more dynamic setting with higher shifting points and shorter shift times. The Corsa mode offers the optimum
on which the suspension, engine and transmission are mounted. The suspension pushrod springs and dampers are inspired by Formula 1 and perfectly tuned for a highperformance, road-going sports car. In this arrangement, the structure. They are positioned horizontally, beneath the windshield at the front and close to the engine at the rear. Pushrods and relay levers transmit the forces from the wheel mounts to the spring/damper elements. Together with the ceramic brake system, this lightweight running gear forms yet concept. By Aaron Hewit
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Images courtesy of Lamborghini
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“Great nose... Full bodied... Terrific intensity...�
Images courtesy of Nichole de Carle London
Wine Advocate on 1995 Haut Carles Fronsac, Bordeaux
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Nichole de Carle Exclusive interview by Nicholas Baker
Far more has come from the De Carle family seat in Fronsac,
France than an exceptional Bordeaux. Pierre de Ronsard, the lauded Prince of Poets of 1500s France, once wrote of Lancelot De Carle, then Bishop of Reiz, in a poem titled Les Daimons, To Lancelot Carle, :
The artistic medium has changed, but the tenacious aspiration for excellence, structure and colour seems invited to view Nichole’s new ‘Marine’ collection at a Ferretti Superyacht event and was struck by her distinct architectural
“Carle, de quie l’esprit recherche l’Univers,
[Carle, whose mind seeks to understand the Universe,]
Pour gage d’amitié je te donne ces verse,
[To you I give these lines as a token of friendship,] [So that your Bordeaux, your shores and your river Garonne]
Flottant contre ses bords ta louange resonne,
[Lapping against it’s banks, may resound with your praise,]
Et ton nom par la France autant puisse voler as this poem]
the deserved adulation of clients such as Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Alexandra Burke, Nicole Scherzinger and Cheryl Cole, to name but a few. With experience within the lionized walls of luxury design houses such as Alexander McQueen in London and Donna Karan in New York, it is no wonder Nichole De Carle’s brand has grown exponentially in the last few years. I wanted to discover from where this creative predisposition derived... What drives you to succeed?
Lancelot de Carle served as secretary to Antoine de Castelnau, French ambassador to the court of Henry VIII and was very much in Francis I’s favour after his epic 1,318 line poetic missive upon the life and trial of Anne Boleyn, Queen Consort of Henry VIII: “...And hereby, Monseigneur, has accomplished a great part of a certain prophecy which is believed to be true, because nothing notable has happened which it has not foretold. Other great things yet are predicted of which the people are assured. If I see them take place I will let you know, for never were such news. People say it is the year of marvels.” Though Lancelot wrote this in 1536, it was not until June 1537, after Lancelot had returned to France, that Henry VIII learned of the poem’s existence. It elicited this response from King Henry whom wrote to Stephen Gardiner, Francis I had allowed such a book to be printed. He wrote, “...Gardiner is to tell the French king and the Great Master how much Henry is grieved that it should have been written in the house of his ambassador in England, and now there [in France] imprinted. Is to urge that all copies may be taken in and suppressed, leaving the punishment of the devisers to their discretion. Understands that the author was one Carle, attendant upon the French ambassador...” to have been ‘a founder of modern political philosophy in France’, married Lancelot’s only daughter, Marguerite De Carle. beautiful is a recurring theme in the De Carle family. It is carried through the centuries to include esteemed individuals such as the naturalist, James de Carle Sowerby, who was the founder of the Royal Botanic Society in 1839. His father and brothers were renown botanists and artists in their own right and their work displays immense detail in natural structure and colour. The vivacious Nichole De Carle continues this unabated.
Finding your true passion and holding onto it can become a drive in itself. Having always been inspired by the almost magical in its perfection world of couture fashion, just striving to be a part of it has been a strong motivation for me. Also, my entrepreneurial spirit and drive to succeed has certainly derived from my mother – always strong, independent and driven, she has set a great example to follow. How would you describe your dominant creative style and where does it come from? The dominant structured style in my designs has been inspired by masterpieces of architecture – the grandeur and precision of such creations always remind me of my days spent designing for Alexander McQueen. I also have been told that the creative style given to my design work woman, which is very important to me and my design ethos. What is your core inspiration for each collection? collections each season, all of which carry the strong signature style of structured, authentically contoured works of art. However, each collection is inspired by something complexity of linear symmetry and basket-weave design of the Chrysler building, while the Classics collection modelled Softer in style, more feminine Opal collection expresses my through the vast halls of the Louvre Museum – hence the range. What attracts your clients to your bespoke service? skill and knowledge, and an immense attention to detail. I believe that my clients continue to return to the brand due to the high level of service and skill applied to each
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this product journey is what I love to discover with the the idea of having a couture dress made for her – the allure of having a personal design made-to-measure only for you is just fascinating. And with the bespoke item being lingerie, it is even more personal – a Nichole de Carle London signature design, tailored to the client’s wishes for Why do you feel your work is so popular?
in terms of the structured style and functionality – I am not aware of many brands that design lingerie which is worn to brand loyalty is installed into the customers and private clients. We will continue to practice sustainable methods of development and production here in London. Our British, ethical approach is what distinguishes Nichole de Carle London amongst it’s competitors. Can you describe your creative process for a new collection? There is a detailed and strategic approach to this process me. While the majority would resort to rest, relaxation or meditation to spark their creativity, it is totally the opposite for me – I get inspired whilst out exploring the city rush amongst the complexity of the high-rise buildings in the major capitals of the world, my favourite state of play being both New York city and London town. The body shape and line detail featured within the designs and use of fabric is inspired by the fashion scenes and couture catwalks. The design needs to be in line (and even slightly ahead) with what’s out there on the couture and ready-to-wear catwalk. So there is a lot of trend forecasting events and trade shows to visit in advance of the new season. In terms of the actual design process, this will always happen when I am completely isolated, usually with really loud music! It is a distraction, I need to be focused during this time. what effect did it have on you? This would probably be when I started experimenting with Mum’s wardrobe, I was very young and playing dress-up with a catwalk was my thing! The items of my particular interest included her shoes and bras – that must have been the accessories designer in me oozing through at a very early age! How do your clients describe your lingerie and how does it make them feel? A feedback that I hear often is that wearing my designs transforms the mood of the client, and makes her feel
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as empowering women is something I strongly believe in. I also have found that clients really appreciate the fact that my lingerie can be a great styling tool to make even the features, which makes every piece a true investment. When not designing, how do you relax? Interestingly, I don’t feel the need to relax very often at all… I think that when you work in something you truly love doing, the job satisfaction factor generates an incredible amount of energy! Otherwise, if I feel like I need to take my mind off of things, nothing does it better for me than spending time with the people in my life of whom I love the most. Running is also a good distraction, and from time to time I am trying to get away on the yoga retreat, but unfortunately this doesn’t usually work for me as I am a very active person. What is/was the most challenging project for you? I would probably not be able to pinpoint a design project which proved to be the greatest challenge, however, I remember that to create a bespoke piece for Nichole Scherzinger we were only given two days! This included days! This was rather challenging but also enjoyable as the outcome was very successful. Also, as the Director of my company, it was very important for me to build a good motivated, passionate about the company and really understand the product and brand values. But once this is achieved, working with the support of a great team is something every Director can be really proud of. What are you currently working on? I never stop working on developing my company – this goes alongside all the other responsibilities of a creative always something more that can be done. Particularly at the moment, as I am also in the process of developing Nichole de Carle Marine, a luxury swim, beach and resortwear label. This is also the time when all new attention – so I would call it a relatively busy time! One thing I have learnt through the journey of building these companies is that, busy people make time! What are your future plans for NDCL? Brand building is something which takes time, and although a lot has been achieved already, we continue to explore some very exciting opportunities to further expand our celebrity following and secure their support as Brand Ambassadors. Also, positioning the brand in some of the most renowned luxury stores worldwide, as focusing on to achieve in hopefully not so far future.
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T he Platinum Idol 30
Simon Cowell “I don’t mean to be rude but... Born 7th October 1959 in London, England, Simon Phillip Cowell has dominated prime time schedules for many years with addictive talent shows, including The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, Pop Idol and it’s Stateside counterpart American Idol. Now said to be the highest-paid presenter on US television, earning $45 million per year from the Fox Network, Cowell has a lengthy apprenticeship in the music and entertainment business having spent his entire life in and around the music industry and performing arts. He is the son of Eric Selig Philip Cowell, an estate agent developer and music industry executive, and Julie Brett (née Josie Dalglish who is a former ballet dancer and socialite. He has a younger brother, Nicholas and a younger sister, Lindsay, and three half-brothers, John, Tony and Michael, and a half-sister, June. Educated firstly at Radlett Preparatory school, then Dover College and finally Windsor Technical College, Simon was then in and out of employment until he landed a job working at his father’s company, EMI Music Publishing, where his father looked after real estate. Initially Simon worked in the mail room but by 1979 he had established himself as an assistant to an A&R executive and then a talent scout.
“Work hard, be patient, and be a sponge while learning your business. Learn how to take criticism. Follow your gut instincts and don’t compromise.” In the early 80s Simon left EMI and started his own record company, E&S Music with Ellis Rich, his boss at EMI. After a few years he left E&S and formed an independent music label, Fanfare Records in 1985 with Iain Burton which had a string of top 10 hits with Sinitta.
After a brief dip when Fanfare collapsed, Simon went on to consult for BMG Records. He climbed the corporate ladder and signed a string of successful artists both in the UK and the United States, such as Westlife. In 2001 Simon teamed up with Simon Fuller to produce the reality TV show, Pop Idol, promising a BMG record deal to the winner. American Idol debuted in 2002 based on the UK show’s massive success and went on to discover artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson and Taylor Hicks. In 2002 Simon set up S Records which signed the top two finalists of Pop Idol. He later sold his half of S Records to BMG for $42 million. Simon formed SYCOtv and SYCO Entertainment creating hit reality television shows such as American Inventor, America’s Got Talent and X-Factor. The group also produce records for the winners such as Leona Lewis and Il Divo. Simon’s infamously brutal, honest and sometimes sardonic comments became his signature style which has since been imitated all over the world as his viewer ratings sky rocketed. Simon combined this role with artist management, signing the shows’ winners to his record company and earning huge rewards through cross-fertilising his assets. Occasionally music buyers react against such manipulation, causing a backlash, but Simon appears unperturbed. Notoriously harsh in his criticisms of performers, he is on the other hand very supportive of those he works with and various charities for whom he is a patron including Childrens Hospices UK, Against Breast Cancer and supports many others. His wealth has enabled him to invest in luxury properties and a collection of supercars, but Simon is well aware of the fleeting nature of fame. “You can’t keep doing this forever,” he says. “I think [before long] that the public will be sick to death of me anyway and it will be time to go.” By Jade Edwards
by Nicholas Baker
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Tenureship of a Countess
Images courtesy of Highclere Castle
Exclusive interview by Nicholas Baker and Susan Chandler
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grounds designed by Capability Brown, stands the Jacobean styled mansion of Highclere Castle. Highclere was built upon medieval foundations and then substantially remodeled from 1842 in beautiful honeyed Bathstone by Sir Charles Barry after Castle has been home to the Carnarvon family since 1679, now Abbey. On 18 February 1999 George Reginald Oliver Molyneux Herbert, known affectionately as Geordie and Godson of Queen Elizabeth II, married Fiona Jane Mary Aitken, eldest daughter of Ronnie Aitken and Frances Farmer. Fiona’s father was son of Brigadier W. H. H. Aitken. After Geordie’s father passed away two years later, they became ensconced at Highclere Castle, becoming the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, (Lord and Lady Canarvon). Lady Carnarvon previously studied English and German at the University of St Andrews before becoming an accountant and a senior auditor at Coopers & Lybrand. From 1995 to 2004, Lady Carnarvon launched her own fashion label called Azur, creating “timeless collections of clothes which looked and felt wonderful to wear”, such as scarves and frock coats which were then distributed by a team of 360 agents and retail outlets around America. Lady Carnarvon became a published writer in 2011 after immersing herself in previously undiscovered correspondence Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle centred around her husband’s great-grandmother, Almina Victoria Maria Alexandra Wombwell. Published in 2011, it made the New York Times best-seller list. Lady Almina was described as “a veritable pocket Venus” and was the rumored illegitimate daughter of Marie Wombwell and Alfred Charles Freiherr de Rothschild. She became the Countess of Highclere Castle in 1895, after marrying George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon. Queen Victoria was the Godmother of George’s sister, Evelyn. Lord Carnarvon was an enthusiastic amateur Egyptologist whom, with Howard Carter to assist on his excavations, eventually discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. Almina, however turned Highclere into a convalescent home for patients returning from the WWI trenches. Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey, was Published October 29th 2013 by Broadway Books. It reveals the story of Lady Almina’s son, Henry George Alfred Marius Victor Francis Herbert, Lord Porchester or ‘Porchey’, who married the beautiful American heiress, Anne Catherine Tredick Wendell in 1922. On 5 April 1923, aged just 56, Henry’s father died in Cairo making Henry the 6th Earl of Carnarvon. We learn of Lady Catherine’s life during the roaring 20s and the approach of WWII , of how she survived stress, anxiety, alcoholism and a series of breakdowns, giving testament to her fortitude and resilience, even in light of her husband’s philandering. When war broke out Highclere once again assisted in the war efforts, transforming into an American airbase for several hundred soldiers and homing This support for the Armed Forces prevails today as the current Lady Carnarvon prepares to host ‘Heroes at Highclere’ on 3rd August 2014 on the 100th Anniversary of WWI, honouring those
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I caught up with Lady Fiona during her very busy preparations for Christmas… What drives you to succeed? I think the death of our parents (I am one of 6 girls) has focused me into living and doing the best I can each day. I also feel that the “means” are so important, how you get somewhere, to help others, and whilst I may have a general direction, it is not the end that matters. I don’t and won’t get to the end at Highclere, there is always another room, another plumbing system, another folly to repair, more trees to replace, another box of archive material… What was your motivation behind your books? Almina (Lady Almina and the Real Downton abbey) was such a remarkable person. She made such a contribution to other people’s lives. I also wanted to explore the tragedies of the First World War through the letters and lives of the real men who were nursed here and yet keep the main battles in the background to keep the thread of history. I have had many wonderful letters, many from men actually, and that has been moving. With “Lady Catherine”, I wanted to explore what happened next, again tell a story and go through the Second World War. The twenties and early thirties were such glamorous years here and then the contrast with the rationing and stoicism of the Second World War still turns round in my mind. What is life like around the TV series? It is very busy with no rest in the diary. Which writers inspire you? I have always loved Shakespeare, but also the poet George Herbert, Jane Austen, Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead revisited, Edith Wharton. I don’t think I could choose between any of them. But I have long lists – I think of Chaucer, William Faulkner, Dickens, TS Eliot…. What has been your most challenging time and how did you overcome it? Dealing with grief, reconciling one’s life to loss. Reading, writing and friends all helped. Can you describe your creative process? I start reading around and through the period - biographies, novels, text books and diaries. Then I start reading the letters and notes and see who knew the characters. This is when I begin to hear their “voices” a little. I am not ‘them’ however and do not want to be presumptuous. I read a tear-spattered letter, as in Catherine’s story, and I began to write central scenes so that, by the end, I have created a rhythm through the factual elements. I read some of the letters of Almina’s time and felt so distressed and moved - I wanted to do them justice. What are you most passionate about and why? I am trying to tell a story. I never have enough time and simply want to share my passion. Out of my work I adore my son, husband and beloved sisters. We laugh a lot. What is your current focus? My next book - different but anecdotal about “Food and Entertaining at Highclere Castle”. I also have various large building projects coming towards an end and am sketching out other smaller ones for the next 2 years. The revenue side of the Castle business is never far from my thoughts either. What do you do to relax away from work? I read, ride, cycle with the dogs, I play tennis every Monday morning to start the week with some girlfriends, do yoga etc.
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“As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him...�
Images courtesy of McKenna Holdings LLC USA
Kevin Rochay’s
exclusive interview with
Paul McKenna McKenna started his career as a radio presenter. A hypnotist guest on the show sparked his interest in the subject. He went on to Television in 1993 when ITV began broadcasting The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna which was aired in 42 countries. This path continued through the late 1990s, presenting Paul McKenna’s Paranormal World in 1997 and Hyp the Streets in 1999. In 2008 Paul commenced a deal for a series of Self-Help programmes with The Discovery Channel for £23m, the largest ever, we believe, for a British TV personailty at that time. In an exclusive interview I asked Paul what it took to truly succeed...
Well, what drove me to succeed in the past was the insecurity of not being good enough and so, for a long time, I was over compensating. I got to a point where I was trying to make myself feel better with material things instead of looking inward and discovering what I didn’t like about myself and embracing it. I looked into all sorts of self-help and every kind of therapy out of interest and to make myself feel better. As a result I became quite good at it myself. Now what drives me to succeed is a feeling of making a positive difference. The purpose is a corner stone of good mental health. I am not a guru and I don’t have all the answers, but I have a particular skill set and I want to make a positive contribution to the world and make the world a better place, but also consider my own fun in all of that as well - I’m not entirely altruistic. One of the best things to do is become strong so you can help others not just said “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change Who inspires you today? It’s funny because I get inspiration from all kinds of people. If we were to think historically then obviously all the great geniuses - people like Leonardo Divinci, Mozart, Tesslar, and Einstein.They would be inspirations to me, but growing up it was my father and mother who have been a real inspiration to me. My father passed away last year. Very tough! But he instilled in me a very moral decency and this cannot be taught academically. I also get it from all kinds of people who are just doing a really good job and they are very balanced, happy and comfortable in their own skin. Also, if someone is exceptional at what they can do, especially in my area of personal development psychology - then I hunt them down or I pester them until they teach me how they do it. The person who is the best in the world at this particular thing is Richard Bandler - now he is an amazing character! Some would say controversial. He is the creator of a technology called NLP which is used by every major corporation and government in the world now and by a large group of therapists. He has superb operator. Whenever we do an event together it really is something to try and keep up with Richard. It’s like jamming with Jimmy Hendrix. It feels like you’re playing in the superleague when you work with him. But I get inspired by anyone and everyone and also people around me. I think you really can
What was your most challenging time in your business career and how did you overcome it? When I started doing hypnosis and hypnosis shows there was no love for it at all, it was like witchcraft. My, how times have changed! That was a challenging time. One of the other times has been recently. I went through a period where a lot of different things happened; my father died; my mother nearly died (luckily she is still with us); several of my friends and one of my dogs died. This all happened in the space of a few months and I was really hit by a sense of my immortality and what’s important. My work suffered as a result. I was working with people who were depressed and as a result I got infected with their mindset, which is very bad for my business and I never usually get down, but I got very down and went to a dark place for a while. People said “I’m worried about you, you are not time, from the edge of the abyss, and now I help people who are depressed or in this very dark place in a way I couldn’t before. I’ve been there and I’ve seen it and I understand it. In fact people who are depressed will do a very interesting thing - you can ask them “remember a
able to take things that were good and recode them. Literally their brain overrides the operating software and recodes everything as grey, dismal and pointless. I have found a way to undo that and, given that depression is the fastest growing disease in the world right now, I am pleased that I have had this breakthrough - although at the time it felt like it was at an immense personal cost that nearly broke me. That is probably the most challenging time recently although I wouldn’t feel frightened about going there again because I know there is a way back. What are your main interests outside business? For a long time I have been a workaholic and I think that it is partly what led to the success I have been able to create. As I have become more successful and better in many respects, I have acquired more things more knowledge, more power and more money, but the pressure has become greater as well. Here on the ranch I live with my manager Claire. We have four horses so I enjoy horse riding. I also like art and I used to paint. I think I may return to it soon because I want more ways of relaxing and enjoying life. One of the things I love to do is look into music. I was a radio broadcaster many years ago and I would sit for hours with friends and play different music, discussing and deconstructing it.
One of my friends, Simon Cowell, is a fantastic inspiration to me and also a very clear thinker with an encyclopaedic knowledge of music. Sometimes we would sit and play music late into the night and he would say so we were fascinated by the production. The one thing I love to do is sit on the couch here at our ranch with Bentley, my Great Dane, watch a movie and have a glass of wine in this very peaceful setting. That for me is almost like a meditation - it’s wonderful! I also like to socialise and spend time with interesting people. If they are exceptional and better than the rest, there is usually million questions for them so dinner parties are usually a great time to get to know somebody and what makes them so amazing. How do you manage the work life balance at the moment? When I was a workaholic I worked until I was burnt out and then I’d be out of the game for two weeks. Then I would go at it again at full strength, treating life as one big long sprint rather than a marathon and that would burn me out. So now I build in recovery time - I will say “I know this is an intense time so we’ll schedule a little holiday here and then a holiday afterwards, even if it’s to come in manageable bursts. In January I have a new book out here in the United States and UK. I’ve also got a TV show starting so I’ll be back and forth. What has been your most exciting product up until now? They have all been at the time I start them. If you have a project that is less exciting than another then you’re not really going to be very focused on it.You’re going to feel like you’re just going through the motions. For example, I have been working with a girl with an incurable disorder for the last six months is called Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome - if you just touch agony, but there is no physical cause for the pain. However it is real, but it is caused by a psychological event or a psychological interpretation of events and is medically pretty much impossible to cure. I started to have a breakthrough in the last session and we have reduced the pain with joy for days. It’s a few hours over a few months for me but it has been a
lifetime for this person. This discovery I can pass on to other therapists. But just as exciting is a project for a little movie I am making to put on YouTube. It has a very simple premise. When there is a boxing match on television a sociologist here in California has charted that the murder rate goes up, particularly in areas that are heavily communised, as much as 12.4%. Equally as interesting, is when a group of people get together to meditate, say two thousand people in a city like Washington DC, the violent crime rate goes in a group causes some kind of change in the psyche of the collective in that area. It’ll be free on YouTube. Literally 7minutes to get you into this great medative state, you’ll feel absolutely wonderful for the day. I am hoping millions of people will become very attracted to that and a wave of positive energy will go round the world cancelling out the fear based aggression, making a happier planet. What has been your least favourite investment? It’s a very tough question as I can absolutely say there are a whole load of things I thought would bring me closer, but didn’t. I could say I have invested emotionally in a relationship and it turned out to be a bad one or I like that. Property has clearly been a good investment for me. Then sometimes I obsess if I buy something from myself up about nothing. Likewise, I might make a mistake in a product and we have to spend thousands putting there isn’t any sense in it. It isn’t logical, its just a born eccentric thing. But I’d say all of them taught me something and this is what Richard Branson once said , “I have So there have been no long term regrets. What is your most favourite location to visit in the World? My favourite holiday destination has to be the south of France. Particularly I like the Loire valley, it’s just beautiful. Possibly the most beautiful scenery, food and wine. Their way of life is so wonderful - slow and slightly opulent. I know lots of people there and I look forward to going there each summer. Then a bit of madness up on the coast of Saint Tropez. We usually go with a group of friends so sometimes we go on a boat, sometimes a hotel or stay in a house. But for me it’s the Loire valley. What are your current plans for McKenna Holdings? moment we sell 10,000 books a week around the world.
At one time I sold nothing and managed to build up to this in less than a decade. I think the world is changing, very fast because of technology and we can see this What we are going to do is for those who are overweight or who have trouble sleeping or they need buy one of my CD’s or DVD’s or download one of my App’s. It then provides them psychological techniques to help them change. What will happen is this will become more readily available and also instead of people reading a book and having to work out should I do this or do that, I am going to pop out on their video screen or their iPad or on their phone and tell them what they need to do. So the technology that is available has enabled me to do my job better and to help more importantly the way I serve people in the future. How do you feel about the economy and feel it will change in the coming years? I am not a money guy and whenever I talk to money interviewed for the Rich book - Phillip Green, Barclay brothers, Stellios, Richard Branson, Dame Anita Roddick, Sol Kersner, really inspired me. These aren’t just people too. Philip Read said to me a while ago “anyone that says no one that really knows but I think recently everyone aren’t quite as stable as they had felt. Unfortunately, as usual, the mob mentality of the tabloid press has kicked in and blamed the bankers for everything and now they are the most mistrusted people in the country along with journalists and politicians. Actually the majority of bankers I know are actually really decent people and it is unfortunate that a few people gave the whole thing a bad name. It is the same with this phone hacking scandal, the majority of journalists I know are decent people. We face a number of challenges and it seems to me thing for mankind and I think that it has led to these problems. But I am optimistic about the future. It doesn’t mean we won’t have another big problem in say another decade or so. You can put as many regulations in place as you want, but you still get good and bad, but hopefully in the future we can learn something from this. Right now it has created an atmosphere of fear and that fear has created a bit of stagnation. People are only spending on the essentials like food or clothes and not luxury, except the super rich. What has happened as a result of this recession is the rich become richer and the poor become poorer which I think has created more envy
and jealousy which is not good for society. The positive is that people are more aware of the workings of the What is your prediction regarding NLP sector and hypnotherapy? It is like this, if you had a mobile phone in the 80’s it was the size of a brick and all you could do was make calls on it. Nowadays a telephone is the size of a chocolate bar and you can watch television on it! You can do all sorts of amazing things on it, receive emails, play games, etc. In the same way psychological technology has dramatically improved. Years ago, if you had a phobia, it would take six months for a psychiatrist to cure that, but today we can cure most phobias in about sixty minutes and that is because of the development of psychological technology. People are always coming up with new techniques; a friend of mine has just developed an extraordinary technique for post traumatic stress and we have been testing it on war veterans, rape victims and bereavement cases. The results are absolutely astounding - in one session the majority of I am fascinated by the concept of your most recent book “hypnotic gastric band”, can you expand on that? Certainly, what happened was a doctor came to see me, Mark Cohen, he deals particularly in obesity and he said he was very interested in a procedure where people are hypnotised having gastric bands. He had asked me to do a trial, so I went off and I did a CD. Then a guy called Mehmet Oz, a heart surgeon who does the most watched talk show in the whole of America, said to me “I really want to do a new thing on weight Hypnotic Gastric Band’ and he said “brilliant, results were astounding. I realised I had to turn this into a product, if you think about the actual operation itself, it cost around £6,000 with all kinds of potential dangers. The hypnotic process is amazing. When you are hypnotised to believe you have had the operation you are telling your subconscious mind you’ve had it. 18 out of the 20 people we gave it to lost weight and said it was like magic! They get half way through a meal and just feel they have to stop and don’t feel as if they are missing out. I have also put something in there as to why you might be overeating like stress and things like that, coming at it from a very holistic approach.
On the control stress will you be bringing out an app shortly or not? We are thinking about it. I have done three Apps; but they take quite a bit of time and effort. What I will try and do is three or four in one go and when has video and audio and will be able to keep up with the iPads. I think eventually we will put all our products on the Kindle but for now it’s no use I think just reading the words of the book isn’t enough. I think people need the CD and I think what would really be helpful is a set of videos with the techniques as well.
The Countess of Carnarvon's latest book, "Lady Catherine and the Real Downton Abbey" is now published by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and by Random House in the USA.
Available at Amazon www.amazon.co.uk www.amazon.com
London Floor Company The
Making Spaces Elegant and Opulent The London Floor Company 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden London WC2H 9JO T: 0845 230 9080 M: 07788586586 e: sales@thelondonfloorcompany.com
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Paragons of Prime...
Images courtesy of Lisa Gill Photography
An exclusive interview with the de Mallet Morgans by Nicholas Baker
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It is not often in one’s life that an opportunity arises to meet an individual who has left such a laudable and formidable mark on the property market, but have the grace and humility to do so without the need for approbation or a panegyric. From the moment I met both Tommy and Lulu de Mallet Morgan at a luxury jewellery event in London’s Regent Street, I was struck by their ebullience and decorous manner, tempered with self-effacing deference. Their philanthropic desires only enhanced the persona.
six months we agreed a phenomenal amount of sales only to be followed by another property collapse in 1989. As the market
disciplined prominent agency with Country Houses, New Homes, Developments and rental teams. My clients included Captains of Industry, Russian oligarchs, Indian property moguls, wealthy Middle Eastern purchasers, opera singers and Pop Stars, Formula I The de Mallet Morgan name retreats through history consuming racing drivers, bankers, politicians and wealthy friends. I was then pages of Burke’s Peerage at a prodigious rate, creating an aristocratic trail any prince would be proud of. Kings, Dukes and broadsheets as a ‘Super-Agent’. So overall, I would say these stages Viscounts to Earls and Barons, their name traverses almost a of my career were very exciting, a lot of hard work and a lot of millennium of venerable nobility. fun. I was fortunate to be working alongside very experienced and successful individuals who helped shape my thinking and I learned Holding senior positions in the Prime and Super-Prime property a tremendous amount about making the most of every opportunity. sectors with households names such as Harrods, Savills, Chestertons and now their own international business, I came What motivates you to succeed to learn that there is not much about prime property values and locations that Tommy de Mallet Morgan does not know... Lulu and I have a breadth and depth of experience that I think synergises well with our clientele. We are motivated by the What attracted you to the super prime market opportunity to use the resource of the knowledge we have gained to provide the very best service possible for our clients. We enjoy Our ancestry has been in large country houses and estates, on dealing with very inspirational people from all walks of life, from both sides of the family. Lulu and I spent our early childhood in those managing international investment portfolios to individuals the Far East. I was born in Malaysia, at Kuala Terengganu, where purchasing a beautiful home in the country. We recognise there I enjoyed a privileged upbringing with the Sultans of Terengganu are limitless opportunities in business, particularly when you are and Pahang and the lifestyle of the early 50s. Lulu was brought dealing in the super-prime market. up in Chennai (Madras) where her father represented India in the International Chamber of Commerce, was MD and then Chairman In addition we are only too well aware that to manage risk in of Binny’s, part of the Inchcape Group, and Commodore of the Royal Madras Yacht Club. It’s in our heritage. investment portfolio which could include residential, commercial, hotels, investment or developments, at home or abroad. We How did you begin your career in the property world enjoy advising our clients, helping them to increase their wealth across all these areas. At 17, my father introduced me to Sir Richard Burbridge, MD of What was your most memorable deal broad grounding in the sale of Knightsbridge’s best town houses and apartments, rentals, management and Country Estates. My penchant for smart suits began at Harrods. estate on the Surrey, Hampshire borders, with lakes surrounding At that time, Chesterton & Sons were in their heyday under Sir Oliver Chesterton, and I was asked to join them. It was a hugely enjoyable experience selling the best houses and apartments north of Hyde Park and in Mayfair and many of my professional contacts in London emanated from here. I then worked in their
ex-chairmen of two of the World’s largest banks competing for its’ purchase, each determined to win. I acted for the successful party and we secured the property after extremely tough negotiations. It was a considerable triumph. Sir Michael trusted my judgement and tenacity and knew that I was thoroughly conversant with the market which enabled us to work well together. He also knew that team of commercial and residential investments which entailed the property was indeed a ‘rare jewel’ and would not only make valuing portfolios of properties, not only in Town but throughout a lovely home to be proud of, but also be a sound investment. the UK for large property companies. In around 1974, I had my What inspires you today was an exodus of Indians from Uganda whom I began to do a lot of business with. They became large property investors in I am inspired by the variety of opportunity, properties and people Kensington and Earls Court with a particular interest in hotels. I we deal with. One day we could be involved with prime hotels, or had an approach from one of these clients to buy the Dorchester. looking for a royal residence close to London or a lateral apartment in Mayfair, alternatively selling a historic country house or seeking a purchaser for a development project in the UK or the Bahamas, or an and I was asked by a retiring partner of Hamptons to join them. I ex-royal residence in the South of France. Vive la difference! Most worked in London for their national Country House team and was Guildford, which became the leading agency in the area, covering appreciate attention to detail and craftsmanship in properties. It is the most valuable properties in Surrey (including the St. Georges particularly rewarding to have been engaged to sell and purchase Hill and Wentworth areas), West Sussex and Hampshire. properties that my forebears used to own, whether in London or
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in the country as I have historical information to add which builds memories for me. . the story. I am also inspired by my wife who I thoroughly enjoy working with. She carries such an important blend of experience, Lulu, were you featured in Country Life knowledge, perception and high standards. Yes, our families at the time were invited by Country Life to What inspires you, Lulu announce our engagement. I still have the photo from the Frontispiece in my dressing room at home in the country. glorious windows with incredible light and the wealth of fascinating stories that come with the history of a property. How do you feel about the current economic UK climate We work hard, and we play hard. The economic recovery in Great Britain appears to be on the mend. What was your most challenging time in business and how did We know that London has fared well in spite of the recession, you overcome it buoyed up by the huge and continuing international investment. At the same time the number of millionaires and billionaires are Making the break from corporate life to running my own business. growing at a pace that has not been seen before, in part due to the rise of the wealth of the ‘emerging nations’. Indeed, according to a I took the advice from many friends and individuals who encouraged me to harness my years of contacts and experience, become independent, and enjoy the thrill of my own destiny. I can good news and creates huge opportunities not only in the Capital, honestly say it has been worth the initial risk, the hard work and but in the rest of the UK. There is of course concern in the rising all that running your own business entails. I can already look back debt levels of many nations. My observation however is that this and say it has been a very rewarding time and something I should may further spur investment in prime and super-prime property as have done years ago. I really do feel that now is the most exciting it is increasingly valued as a solid asset class with a dependable period of my life. income yield. I overcame the challenge to becoming an independent property What are your future plans and I experienced grief, illness and loss. This brought me to We and our team recognise there is far more scope for de Mallet a place in my life where I took a really good look at what truly Morgan and are developing an exclusive variety of services with attention. It is of the upmost importance to us for this standard that I came to we are now intentionally including as a part of the to be maintained as we continue to expand and diversify. We are currently launching a high end Styling Department, “Opulance by de Mallet Morgan”. In addition we are encouragement from my family, friends and business contacts intentionally building strategic relationships with international who continued to believe in me. organisations such as Rochay Elite. Our desire is to work with others who have similar values and objectives, where What are your main interests outside of business honesty, integrity, experience, providing the very best advice the day. home with family and friends. As a mother myself, also dear to my heart are the orphanages in India, the country that I grew What are your predictions in your sector up in. I view it as such a privilege to have been able to help, even in small ways, over the years. We are optimistic, even in the current unsettled economic Global climate, values in London have confounded many and continue to climb. The impact of the international investor has outstripped our passion for the evolution of the town or country house, embracing home-grown buyers. Ten years ago the Russian oligarchs hit the everything from architectural detail, the history, trees, plants and headlines, the Middle Eastern buyers have been constant and this gardens. It’s a beautiful world we live in. has been followed by the Europeans. We are now embracing another wave from the Far East. The overseas buyers are charmed Tommy, where is your favourite location of building stock and green open spaces. They perceive London’s I was born in Malaysia so I naturally incline to the Orient. My property values as inexpensive and the Chinese in particular are culture and the exotic cuisine of that part of the world, for me and long term, Super Prime Property will continue to thrive in its home. I also enjoy the South of France, I adore the colour of London and in all Prime property areas worldwide. the water around St. Jean Cap Farrat. Lulu, where is your favourite location Grand Cayman, without a doubt! We have such special memories of holidays with the family there. Such a beautiful Island. A close second would be Whistler. I used to ski there during my time working in Canada. Again, it’s a place that holds very special
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“It is needful that you be strong, bold and without fear. If you behave in this way you will surely have victory.” Robert I (Robert the Bruce), June 1314, Ancestor
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Do you know your True Value...?
Into Interiors An Exclusive Interview with Phil Donovan
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The art of interior design has long been a specialist craft
for the very few. The clever combination of furniture, colour, light and texture offers an emotive bond to a room ranging Rococo, Neo-Renaissance to minimalist, austere and sterile and even sound. So often ignored and yet an integral and disregarded. Thankfully there are craftsmen like Phil Donovan, of The London Floor Company, who has spent thirty years honing his creative skills in every medium - natural wood, stone, ceramic, plaster, linoleum, polymers or an axminster - the options are endless, but have the ability to transform your space into something that is wholly a part of you. We caught up with Phil in London... specialists? Flooring is a vital component of any interior design. It’s been around for thousands of years and is an integral component of any good interior which makes it a high should provide a focal point and lead you when entering the room – the eye is drawn naturally across and into the of the room, and the texture should determine the activity would be instantly obvious and destroy any cohesion of underestimated. What is most challenging when creating ambiance through colours, materials and texture? the room – it is important to take into account the age and style of house or home and any outstanding or remarkable
lend themselves to more formal spaces whilst wood is more be blended so as not to be overpowering but at the same time create a strong focal point, adding to the overall visual impact of the entire interior design.
What are you most passionate about? surfaces transforming an ordinary house into a wonderful area that encompasses everything a home should be, with fabulous eye and radiate the persona of the owners with great choice and types and putting them together to create different and fascinating spaces are to be used and must engage with the rest of the structure without overpowering it. What was the most unusual project you have worked on? I have worked on many different projects and all are unusual in some aspect– the project for Heathrow was interesting as stores like Samsonite, Burberry, Harrods pursue a very luxurious experience for the shopper which is inherently more complicated than perhaps a single client in Knightsbridge. I’ve also worked with well known Radio Stations and TV channels, but perhaps hotels and residential are the most gratifying. What do you do to relax away from business? is sailing as there is nothing better than cruising in the warm Mediterranean under sail. You can take it easy or increase the sail area and up the tempo - always fun, always challenging, always learning! The second is motorcycling - Europe is full of wonderful roads to explore, especially in the Alps, but I also get a real buzz from travelling, meeting different people and enjoying their local environment with local delicacies and wines! Who inspires you the most? Daniel Kostiuc of Intarya Designs – he and his team always seem to get the balance right when merging the traditional with newer ideas and the attention to detail is superb. Alan Waxman of Landmass – has a good eye for transforming prime older buildings into interesting spaces with contemporary design and clean lines.
What are the latest innovations? There are some excellent new products coming through and in the right locations they really add a new dimension -
What is your current focus?
wider and longer planks, creating a stunning visual
limestone, wood and carpet are fantastic especially if they are installed well, but the new surfaces can blend themselves well to add a new contemporary feel to the area. New porcelain designs from Morocco and other places are now available
fantastic for playrooms, teenage bedrooms, entertainment and cinema areas but can also be focal points to many other spaces by the creation of colourful motifs. But stabilized aluminium foam which is a completely new resins - brilliant to showcase a centre piece or to place on a wall highlighting a piece of art. However it also has great and cinemas.
spaces that have long been forgotten and unfashionable – well they’re back and so they should be. They do not have to take over, just highlight or add to what is already there. This is a new and challenging opportunity to create beautiful, different and elegant environments that everyone can experience and enjoy. By Natasha Rogers
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Promemoria UK 99-101 Pimlico Road London SWIW 8PH - UK t. +44 (0) 207 703 2514 www.promemoria.com
Image courtesy of Zaha Hadid
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By Susan Chandler
“ Hadid creates the solid apparatus to make
us perceive space as if it morphs and changes as we pass through it... Her obsession with shadow and ambiguity is deeply rooted in open nature is a politically charged riposte to modern urban landscapes.
“
Design Museum
of spatiality…of multiple perspective points and fragmented life.”
inspired buildings in Baghdad. She came from a bourgeois intellectual family – Ms Hadid’s father was a politician, parties. Female role models were plentiful in liberal Irag during the 1950’s and 1960’s, though not in architecture. Ms Hadid education began with convent schooling in Bagdad and then Switzerland. With a degree gained at the American University in Beirut, Hadid enrolled at the Architectural Association (AA) in London in 1972. The AA was the perfect place to nurture ambitious, independently minded, would-be architects. During the 1970’s the AA rejected the swing towards historic post-modernism and conservation in favour of a more modernist, sophisticated idea of history and human identity. It led to a form of architecture embodying modernity’s chaos and disjuncture in its very shape. Of all Ms Hadid’s tutors it was Professor Rem Koolhaas that she was drawn to and, after graduating in 1977, Professor Koolhass offered her a job as a partner in his and Ella Zenghelis’s new Rotterdam. Koolhass describes her as “a planet in her own orbit”. Her graduation project had been a hotel on London’s Hungerford bridge, called Malevich’s Tectonik, after the supremacist Kasimir Malevich. In 1928 Malevich wrote, “we can only perceive space when we break free from the earth, when Hadid’s architectural designs. In 1980, Ms Hadid established her own London-based practice, Zaha Hadid Architects, employing more than 350 people in a former Victorian school building in Clerkenwell, London. Hadid was picked as part of the seminal Deconstructivist Architecture exhibition at the Museum of Modern art, New unusually presented her ideas in impressionistic, abstract paintings, designed to convey the feel of her spaces. Critics
loved it, though MOMA visitors found Zaha’s particular, perplexing.
shapes, in
a spa planned for Hong Kong, yet was never built. Other Station” in 1994, at the production complex of the Vitra border. It was a formal success but not a functional one - the Fire Service moved out and the building converted into a chair museum. In 1994 Ms Hadid’s winning design for the Cardiff Bay Opera house, was not realised. The project was said to have been destroyed by conservatism and provincialism in relation to the modern architecture, but was not helped by the successful application for funding for the Millenium Stadium a few miles distant. Ms Hadid, philosophically describes the experience as ‘a turning point in her career.’ Then, in 2003, “the most important new building in America since the Cold war” - The Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art was built in Cincinnati, Ohio. Described as “a kit of parts curators can customise for each show.” proving Ms Hadid’s architecture could be built and functionally utilised. In 2004, Ms Hadid won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the year history to win. Amongst many large successful projects like the Galaxy Soho in Beijing, China, there have been more modest ones: The Maggies Centre, a cancer care centre in Kirkaldy, Scotland; the and the Stirling Prize 2010 winner; the Serpentine Sackler Gallery, London; the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan and, more famously, the London 2012 Olympic
to include work on products as well as buildings, such as the privately commissioned, hydrogen-powered, three-wheeled automobile; an advanced boot for Lacoste; a Moon System Sofa for leading furniture manufacturer, B&B Italia and even a 90m Superyacht for Blohm+Voss. Some of her biomorphic, Hadid: Form in Motion” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Similarly Aldo Cingolani, Managing Director of Giugiaro Architettura, uses Biomorphism currently in his designs, to create primordial shapes bringing to mind new functions, creating new exteriors and structures. The premise encompasses innovative and environmentally sustainable systems. Aldo’s design for the Parco Sportivo Polifunzionale di In 2002, Ms Hadid was made Commander of the order of the British Empire (CBE) and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to architecture. Dame Zaha Hadid is fast becoming one of the World’s most
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The design of the Heydar Aliyev Center establishes a continuous, interior. The plaza, as the ground surface; accessible to all as part collective celebration of contemporary and traditional Azeri culture. Elaborate formations such as undulations, bifurcations, folds, and
Image courtesy of HÊlène Binet
that performs a multitude of functions: welcoming, embracing, and directing visitors through different levels of the interior. With this gesture, the building blurs the conventional differentiation between architectural object and urban landscape, building envelope and
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The MAXXI National Museum of the 21st Century Arts, Rome, Italy should not be considered just one building - but several. The idea was to move away from the idea of “the museum as an object” and towards the
Image courtesy of Iwan Baan
site is the walls that constantly intersect and separate to create both indoor and outdoor spaces. It’s no longer just a museum, but an urban cultural centre where a dense texture of interior and exterior spaces have been intertwined and superimposed over one another. It’s an intriguing mixture
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Images courtesy of Hélène Binet
The Galaxy SOHO project in central Beijing for SOHO complex, inspired by the grand scale of Beijing. Its volumes that are set apart, fused or linked by stretched bridges. These volumes adapt to each other in all directions, generating a panoramic architecture without corners or abrupt
traditional Chinese architecture where courtyards create an internal world of continuous open spaces. Here, the architecture is no longer composed of rigid blocks, but instead comprised of volumes which coalesce to create
Images courtesy of Iwan Baan
movement between each building. Shifting plateaus within the design impact upon each other to generate a deep sense of immersion and envelopment. As users enter deeper into the building, they discover intimate spaces that follow the same coherent formal logic of continuous curvelinearity.
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Images courtesy of Blohm+Voss
The design concept is based around the sculptural form of a master prototype conceived for a 128m yacht. In addition, the Unique Circle Yachts by Zaha Hadid Architects for
underwater ecosystems, with hydrodynamic research shaping the design of the hull. The exoskeleton structure of the upper section is an interwoven network of supports that vary in thickness and lend a natural aesthetic to the yacht’s external appearance; evoking the organic structural systems of natural marine formations and connecting the various levels and decks of the ship seamlessly via expressive diagonals. Whereas traditional yacht designs adhere to a strict horizontal order, this exoskeleton creates an intense connectivity between the various decks and elements of the design. highest correlation between the various options.
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Images courtesy of Victoria’s Secret
Angel Journey’s Victoria’s Secret Swim 2014
By Jade Edwards 33 67
This year’s Swim Catalogue was inspired by “Angel Journey’s” to the most glamorous beach destinations in the world.
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The first catalogue in the series was shot by fashion photographer Russell James in Saint-Tropez, France.
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The hot trends seen in the VS 2014 swimwear collection include cutout and lace-up details, hardware accents, animal prints,and black and white swimsuits.
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by Oliver Pears 38 72
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New swim silhouettes include the high-waist, flounce styles and long line bikini tops.
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Nelson
Mandela
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“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die” These words will echo for generations as the words that freed a of adversity and courage to stand up for what you believe in. It is our responsibility to ensure his legacy endures and never forget the suffering this man had borne.
passed. Rene Byrd, Ambassador for the Nelson Mandela President of South Africa - attended the premier and recalls the historic moment the news was broken by the Director, Justin Chadwick and the cries from the audience. “I was invited to attend the Royal Premiere for the Long Walk to Freedom and after the credits rolled there was a standing ovation. But cheers Wow! A night I will never forgot. As we all left the Odeon the world’s press was outside wanting to know how we all felt about morning following a write-up by The Times I was interviewed on the Boulton and Co show on Sky News. That was my chance to tell the world about the great man, Mr Nelson Mandela, and the Charity he set-up for the Children in South Africa. My duty is to put out the message of the charity to ensure his legacy lives on to help to raise awareness and fundraising for the hospital for the Children in South Africa. Please check out
Nelson Mandela, a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, activist, lawyer and philanthropist was a man who changed the physiognomy of racism forever. He was South representative, democratic election. He served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. His lifelong focus was the dismantling of the legacy of apartheid Having been found guilty of four counts of sabotage and conspiracy to violently overthrow the government in 1963 he spent 18 years isolated - imprisoned in a damp concrete cell, measuring just 8 feet (2.4 m) by 7 feet (2.1 m), with a straw mat on which to sleep. At night he worked on his LLB degree. But newspapers were forbidden and he was locked in solitary news clippings. Classed as the lowest grade of prisoner, Class D, he was permitted one visit and one letter every six months, although all mail was heavily censored. Nature also had challenges for Mr Mandela too; in 1985 he was treated for prostate cancer; in 1988 he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. But these lonely and harrowing years passed and Nelson did not waiver in his belief of a utopian society. So much so in fact that he had been offered, on three separate occasion’s, freedom - subject to certain conditions. He rejected them all because of his belief that there would come a time when all citizens, no measures! Although this message is still to be taught and learnt in remote parts of the world, it is this belief that has continued to shape the world today. After Mr Mandela’s release on Sunday 11 February 1990, nearly over a year later he succeeded Oliver Tambo as ANC president. In 1993 he and President FW de Klerk jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize “for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa” and on April 27th 1994 he was
December 5th 2013 tells this tale beautifully with a breathtaking performance by Idris Elba and Naomi Harris. Yet during the Royal Premier of this masterpiece movie, Nelson Mandela
Rene is also a singer/songwriter and works closely with various luxury fashion and make-up brands. Rene humbly says, “Having important. As a result I have aligned myself with various charities to use my talent to help spread awareness and fund-raising. I am honoured to be an ambassador for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, working closely with Kathi Scott, the director of fundraising, and creating awareness about the charity.” Rene has performed for and on behalf of The Nelson Mandela Children’s Charity, including Traci Ellis Ross (Daughter of Diana Ross) Showtime at Annabel’s Private Members Club London and the art gallery opening for the Lithuanian Prime Minister. But with all these miraculous achievements and prizes Nelson Mandela’s life was never truly his own. But he can be thanked importantly he has taught everyone that is or has been oppressed and deprived, that you can succeed in obtaining the are the lessons we should take from Nelson Mandela’s life story – the triumph of the righteous over the wicked and that when encountered with adversity, if you truly believe and apply yourself you can achieve anything. By Ellora Harper
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