A LIFE IN BALANCE
HIT REFRESH Your spring interiors update starts here
MAR /APR 2023 £4.95
SUN DAZE Fancy a move to the Caribbean?
HOCKNEY BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW HIM
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Women ONA ROLL
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Contents
MAR APR 2023
COLUMNS 20
22 192
THE GOOD LIFE Alice B-B’s boyfriend’s new TV series is finally streaming THE RURBANIST Alice Temperley LAST WORD How being an outsider led Kamal Ahmed to find his identity
STYLE 27
28 30 32 34 36 42
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT Joyful rainbow knits THE EDIT Style updates TREND Perfect pastels THE MAGPIE Jewellery news WELL GROOMED Men’s style GREAT BRITISH BRANDS AWARDS Who won this year? And who came to the party... SPRING INTO SPRING Longchamp’s kaleidoscopic looks
SAVE THE DATE 49
Your wedding black book with everything and everyone you need to know to make your big day swing
77
78 80 82 84 86
THROWING SHAPES Mission is London’s latest movement mecca BODY LANGUAGE Bottoms up! says Olivia Falcon BODY & SOUL Make your home work for you THE SCOOP The age of rage TAKE TEN Hydrating essentials BEAUTY BUZZ Skincare news
CULTURE 89
90 98 100 101 102 104
112
108
BUCKLE UP The Sony World Photography Awards CULTURAL CALENDAR What to see, read and do GOOD NEWS Feel-good stories to give you hope ARTIST’S STUDIO Louise Kaye THE EXHIBITIONIST Ed Vaizey on David Hockney, but not as you know him LITTLE GREEN BOOK Meet Roberto Klabin, the man saving the jaguar in Brazil THE CONSERVATIONIST Why counting birds is good for our feathered friends, says James Wallace ROAD TEST Behind the wheel of the Citroen C5 X
PHOTOS: COVER BY CARLA GULER ; WEDDING FASHION SHOOT BY TRISHA WARD
HEALTH & WELLBEING
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Contents
MAR APR 2023
CULTURE 110
SCARFES BAR Sian Sutherland is on a one woman mission to change rid plastic from our lives
FEATURES 112
120 125
131 134
ROLL UP, ROLL UP Get your skates on for some seriously playful spring style WOMAN’S WORK Amy Wakeham meets the deeply impressive art entrepreneur Marine Tanguy THREE STEPS TO...? The fact is that female founders have a tough time getting investment. Lucy Cleland investigates the funding gap FASHIONING A GREENER FUTURE Amy Powney is a fashion force for good, says Charlie Colville CROSSING CONTINENTS Nigerian gallerist Oyinkansola Dada is bringing art from the African continent to a wider audience
ON DESIGN 139
All you need for an interiors update with sumptuous wallpapers, fabulous fabrics and design advice straight from the experts
HOTELS & TRAVEL 172 174
NEW HORIZONS Is there hope for change in Saudi Arabia? THE ESCAPIST Travel news BREAK BRITAIN Staycations for a fabulous, flight-free weekend away
FOOD & DRINK 177
179 180 181
A CRACKING GOOD TIME Lerato Umah-Shaylor’s plantain shakshuka WINE YOUR WAY An all new winemaking members’ club GASTRO GOSSIP Food news A FEAST FOR THE EYES Art-themed restaurants
PROPERTY ON THE COVER Top and jeans, Versace
49
TEAM Fashion director: Nicole Smallwood; Photographer: Carla Guler; Make-up: James Riley @ One Represents using Giorgio Armani Beauty; Hair: Davide Barbieri @ Caren Agency using Leonor Greyl; Video: Tracer Ital @ Adrenalin Photographic; Fashion assistants: April McCarthy & Alice Hare; Photographer’s Assistant: Alex Ingram
183
184 186
HOUSE OF THE MONTH A castle in Provence LET’S MOVE TO... The Caribbean FIVE OF THE BEST Design-led homes
REGULARS
12 14 182
EDITOR’S LETTER CONTRIBUTORS STOCKISTS
PHOTOS: COVER BY CARLA GULER ; WEDDING FASHION SHOOT BY TRISHA WARD
169
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Editor’s LETTER
’m blown away by the raft of strong, talented brilliant women featured in our pages this issue. From Sian Sutherland, whose moonshot is to entirely change our relationship with plastic from the design stage up (p110) to Marine Tanguy, who set up the first talent agency in the art world that’s already worth millions, has B Corp certification and counts artists Lorenzo Quinn, Claire Luxton and Robert Montgomery among its clients (p120). Plus, there’s Oyinkansola Dada,
EDITOR’S PICKS BOOST I’m loving new company Lifebio’s transdermal patches to give me a boost of Vitamin D and C while I wait for summer’s return. life.bio
APPLY I’m late to the party but Soho Skin (the skincare brand from Soho House) is filling my cosmetics cupboard nicely, thank you. sohoskin.com
REVIVE Getting my trusty Barbour reconditioned (I’ve had it since I was 18) has given me the biggest thrill. barbour.com
VISIT Don’t miss the sumptuous new exhibition of the radical Rossetti (and his generation) at Tate Britain, from 6 April. tate.org
PHOTOS: DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI, LADY LILITH 1866-1868, ALTERED 1872-1873 (C) DELAWARE AER MUSEUM, SAMUEL AND MARY R. BANCROFT MEMORIAL, 1935
112
the young Nigerian curator who is platforming artists from the African continent and driving an open, accessible and non-elitist agenda (p134), and Amy Powney, whose powerful journey into regenerative fashion with her brand Mother of Pearl, has been captured in a new film by Becky Hutner (p131). However, what lies beneath these thrilling tales of dynamism, dedication and success is somewhat murkier – for the fact remains that female-founded businesses attract only one to two percent of available venture capital investment, meaning it’s far harder for women to scale their businesses. Following the publication of the 2022 Rose Review on female entrepreneurship, I talked to a series of female founders about their own experiences, what the challenges are (ideally not being propositioned in an investment pitch, for starters) and their ideas for fi xing them. It makes for a thought-provoking read and I’m really grateful to those women for sharing their stories (p125). Onto more positive vibes. You may be hearing the thud of heavy embossed card hitting your doormat quite often this year as 2023 continues to be one in which the wedding is well and truly back. So for brides, grooms, guests and more, we’ve compiled your complete wedding dossier on everything (and everyone) you need to 139 know to make your occasion sing (p49). And if it’s a home you’re investing in as a new couple, Carole Annett’s special spring interiors section will have you wedding listready before you can say John Lewis (p139). Last summer, you may have noticed massive billboards on the streets of Knightsbridge advertising that Saudi Arabia is opening its arms to western tourists. Problematic as the country’s politics and regime definitely are (I don’t need to spell out why here), Annabel Illingworth presents an interesting case for keeping an eye on the state and its lofty ambition to create a sustainable tourism model. Never should we disregard the issues but you never know what changes might one day be possible (p169). So here’s to curiosity, openness of mind and spirit – and, of course, the support and investment in the female founder. May a brighter future await. 60
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CONTRIBUTORS
New Horizons, p169
Crossing Continents, p134
Fashioning a Greener Future, p131
ANNABEL ILLINGWORTH
NELSON CJ
CHARLIE COLVILLE
Favourite design era? Georgian architecture for the proportions, with a touch of contemporary cool in the fixtures and fittings. What’s on your wishlist for your home? I recently spotted Lauren Baker’s Radiant Moon at Drang Gallery – I love the diamond dust and neon pink combo. Favourite artist? The photographer Sebastião Salgado, for his humanity, awe and respect of the natural world. Favourite gallery? When I get to a new city, I make a beeline for the galleries, as art is such a great way to absorb the local cultural heritage. It’s a tie between the Gold Museum in Bogotá, with its references to shamanism, and the National Gallery in Singapore, with exquisite Vietnamese lacquer paintings and political propaganda from across south-east Asia.
Favourite design era? The Brutalist Era. It appeals to my love for clean, symmetrical forms and provides a sturdy, infinite canvas for exploring colors and shapes. What’s on your wishlist for your home? A Toyin Ojih Odutola painting. Her works tell such delicious, classic stories, with some of her thematic concerns involved with queerness, Blackness, heritage, and spirituality. They seem to engage in an unending conversation with their viewer. Favourite artist? Yagazie Emezi, an incredible Nigerian photo-journalist whose work suffuses the mundane with an extraordinarily dramatised quality. Favourite gallery? Retro Africa, in Abuja, Nigeria. Its space is dynamic enough to allow experimental exhibitions and regularly displays works from a diverse pool of Nigerian artists.
Favourite design era? Pop Art. I’m a sucker for oversaturated colours, pop references and Andy Warhol. As he said, ‘Everything is beautiful. Pop is everything.’ What’s on your wishlist for your home? Probably a really bougie chaise longue, with lots of pillows and blankets. It would make the WFH lifestyle feel a little more luxurious come Monday morning. Favourite artist? Early Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli (best known for the Birth of Venus). He had a beautiful attention to detail and used it to depict lots of classical and religious scenes. Favourite gallery? The V&A. It’s really great at curating exhibitions that can plonk you down right in the middle of everything, with lots of interactive features and engaging storylines.
Roll Up, Roll Up, p112
CARLA GULER Favourite design era? For me it’s Art Deco, probably because it’s symmetrical, geometric, somewhat simple, but also beautiful and challenging to the eye. What’s on your wishlist for your home? I would buy a photography studio so that I can continuously put my ideas into reality and create shoots. Favourite artist? It has to be Salvador Dalí because of his surrealism within his artwork. I am drawn to surrealism with the angles in my own photography. Favourite gallery? The Saatchi Gallery in London. I think the exhibitions put on there challenge the boundaries of what is seen as art in the modern world.
WA N T T O K NOW W H AT ’ S ON ? Get the C&TH editor’s picks and our weekly guide to What’s On — and you’ll never say you have nothing to do. Sign up at countryandtownhouse.com/newsletter countryandtown
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BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN SUPPLIERS OF WALLPAPER, COLE & SON (WALLPAPERS) LTD. LONDON
02/03/2023 13:48 02/03/2023 14:27
LUCY CLELAND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
EDITOR-AT-LARGE ALICE B-B ASSOCIATE EDITOR CHARLOTTE METCALF MANAGING EDITOR AMY WAKEHAM FEATURES ASSISTANT & SUB EDITOR TESSA DUNTHORNE SUB EDITORS KATIE BAMBER & RUBY FEATHERSTONE FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD BEAUTY DIRECTOR NATHALIE ELENI INTERIORS DIRECTOR CAROLE ANNETT CULTURE EDITOR ED VAIZEY EXECUTIVE RETAIL EDITOR MARIELLA TANDY SUSTAINABILITY EDITOR LISA GRAINGER PROPERTY EDITOR ANNA TYZACK MOTORING EDITOR JEREMY TAYLOR ONLINE CONTENT DIRECTOR REBECCA COX DEPUTY ONLINE EDITOR ELLIE SMITH ONLINE WRITERS CHARLIE COLVILLE, OLIVIA EMILY ONLINE ASSISTANT MARTHA DAVIES SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVE ZOEY PHOON CREATIVE & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR PARM BHAMRA PRODUCTION DESIGNER MIA BIAGIONI ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ELLIE RIX HEAD OF FASHION EMMA MARSH ACCOUNT DIRECTORS PANDORA LEWIS, SERENA KNIGHT DIGITAL COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR ADAM DEAN ACCOUNT MANAGER SABRINA RAVEN SALES SUPPORT, OFFICE & JOINT B-CORP PROJECT MANAGER XA RODGER TECHNICAL DIRECTOR MARK PEARSON FINANCE DIRECTOR JILL NEWEY FINANCE CONTROLLER LAUREN HARTLEY FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR RIA HARRISON HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTANT ZOE JONES PROPERTY & MARKETING ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AND JOINT B-CORP PROJECT MANAGER GEMMA COWLEY CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER TIA GRAHAM CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER JAMES THROWER MANAGING DIRECTOR JEREMY ISAAC CONTRIBUTING EDITORS STEPHEN BAYLEY, FIONA DUNCAN, OLIVIA FALCON, DAISY FINER, LYDIA GARD, AVRIL GROOM, MICHAEL HAYMAN, LAUREN HO, RICHARD HOPTON, EMMA LOVE, MARY LUSSIANA, ANNA PASTERNAK, CAROLINE PHILLIPS, HOLLY RUBENSTEIN, MARCUS SCRIVEN THE EDITOR editorial@countryandtownhouse.co.uk FASHION fashion@countryandtownhouse.co.uk ADVERTISING advertising@countryandtownhouse.co.uk
PROPERTY ADVERTISING property@countryandtownhouse.co.uk ACCOUNTS accounts@countryandtownhouse.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS subscribe@countryandtownhouse.co.uk
COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE is a bi-monthly magazine distributed to AB homes in Barnes, Battersea, Bayswater, Belgravia, Brook Green, Chelsea, Chiswick, Clapham, Coombe, Fulham, Holland Park, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Marylebone, Mayfair, Notting Hill, Pimlico, South Kensington, Wandsworth and Wimbledon, as well as being available from leading country and London estate agents. It is also on sale at selected WHSmith, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s stores and independent newsagents nationwide. It has an estimated readership of 150,000. It is available on subscription in the UK for £29.99 per annum. To subscribe online, iPad, iPhone and android all for only £24.99 visit: exacteditions.com/read/countrytownhouse. For subscription enquiries, please call 020 7384 9011 or email subscribe@countryandtownhouse.co.uk. It is published by Country & Town House Ltd, Studio 2, Chelsea Gate Studios, 115 Harwood Road, London SW6 4QL (tel: 020 7384 9011). Registered number 576850 England and Wales. Printed in the UK by William Gibbons and Sons Ltd, West Midlands. Paper supplied by Gerald Judd. Distribution by Letterbox. Copyright © 2023 Country & Town House Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Materials are accepted on the understanding that no liability is incurred for safe custody. The publisher cannot be responsible for unsolicited material. All prices are correct at the time of going to press but are subject to change. While every care is taken to ensure information is correct at time of going to press, it is subject to change, and C&TH Ltd. takes no responsibility for omissions or errors.
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COLUMN
The GOOD LIFE
The new must-watch series, and why soles are the new palms. By Alice B-B
S
Did Mr Love find inspiration close to home for his new TV show?
K Y HIGH EXCITEMENT in our household, as my boyfriend Mr Love’s new TV show, A Town Called Malice, airs on Sky on 16 March. A paean to the 1980s, the show is a riot of colour, clobber, song and gangsters set on the Costa del Sol – that sunny place for shady people. Before I met Mr Love I had no idea about movie-making. I naively imagined you dreamed up a fabulous idea, someone instantly gave you wodges of cash to write and make this glorious fantasy, glamorous people did their cool business as the director blasted ‘Action’ and ‘Cut’. And then everyone went to the Oscars. After 16 years together, I’ve seen behind the velvet curtain: it’s a sweaty, gritty place where only determination, patience and self-belief get you through. I’m so proud of my man for having spade-loads of that stuff. And a barrowful of talent too. Enjoy Malice… (though I’m sure someone’s mistakenly added an M to the title!) THE COTSWOLDS continues to dazzle. The latest buzz – The Club by Bamford. A wellness members’ club to rival even the hottest spots in London (bamford.com). Set in 3,500 acres of farmland at Carole Bamford’s Daylesford organic mothership, imagine the joy of working out in the chicest gym with panoramic views across rolling hills, instead of a sweaty urban basement. Or breathwork and cold plunge sessions overlooking a pretty orchard. Playing padel tennis to the sound of newborn lambs. This stuff can’t fail to make you feel well. I’m a bit keen on the 25-metre steel pool and red light therapy room, while Mr Love has his eye on cryotherapy sessions at -120oC. Also standout is the collaboration with Effect Doctors, who will be doing initial bloodwork for all members and delivering personalised IV infusions, with a view to encouraging proactive health – know what’s going on with your mind and body before it waves a red flag at you. MY TROTTERS! An email arrived asking to see… my feet. It wasn’t a wind-up or a weird fetish stalker. But a genuine invitation from the chic Belgravia wellness space House of Kalmar – to have my feet ‘read’ by visiting practitioner Kirsty Elwood (kalmarlifestyle.com). How could I resist? Two weeks later and I hotfooted it to meet Kirsty, a sensitive – sort of a psychic spin-off – with the ability to feel people’s emotions, pain, life stories. And having trained as a reflexologist, she found a way to combine both. I was astonished at how much she could tell from just my toes or a tiny line beneath my foot arch. I learnt a thing or two about where my future could go. And I’m jolly glad I recorded the entire session as Kirsty finished with an hour of blissful reflexology that had me deep in the land of slumber. Not even tickling my feet would have woken me. n
THIS MONTH I’LL BE...
THRILLED with my new Sorel waterproof boots for dog walks (sorel.com). SPRITZING scents by LilaNur; Indian ingredients crafted by French master perfumers (lilanur.com) DREAMING of a summer white suit by Alex Eagle (alexeagle.com).
ILLUSTRATION BY MEI MEI, @MEIMEI_2503
‘A PAEAN to the 1980s, the show is a RIOT of COLOUR, clobber, song and GANGSTERS set on the Costa del Sol’
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toccata collection www.raymond-weil.co.uk
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INTERVIEW
The RURBANIST
Alice Temperley on loving the country, working too hard – but never being a busy fool
What’s bringing you joy at the moment? The fact
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Alice with her new fabric designs for Romo; the Euphoria cushion in Coral Boudoir; a Leica Q camera; sushi; Costes 2 eau de toilette; the Jurassic Coast
that spring is coming, the sun is shining, and we’re about to launch something really exciting after focusing on it for two years. It’s a collaboration with Romo: we went through 20 years of my archives, bringing back timeless pieces for our lifestyle offering. It’s really exciting to see all that hard work be given a new lease of life. What’s annoying you most right now? How volatile the world is right now, with energy prices going up and ever-changing logistics. Advice you’d give to your 15-year-old self? Make sure you do what gives you pleasure, don’t try to please other people. Never be a busy fool. What keeps you awake at night? Too much red wine. And being responsible for a lot of people – family and work. It’s a heavy weight on my shoulders. What could you have been arrested for? So many things. Where do I start? Country or city? In Covid I moved back to the countryside, and now I only go to cities when I have to. I like fresh air, I love views, I love space. I love walks when I don’t have to see other humans. I love the peace. Where do you go to escape? Most weekends I go to the Jurassic Coast – around Seatown and Charmouth – and walk and swim. You wouldn’t know it but… I’m pretty good at singing opera when I’m drunk. The book you wished you’d written? A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. The film you wished you’d starred in?
Anything with Edith Head costumes, like a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers old Hollywood film. Greatest failure? Working too hard. Greatest triumph? Staying true to who I am, and my son. What would you epitaph say? A sense of humour, a touch on the wild side, passionate, compassionate, and loyal.
What does a life in balance mean to you?
Focus on your mental health and making time for yourself – a few hours in the day that are just for you. Alice Temperley x Romo collection is out now. romo.com/temperley n
PERFUME Costes 2 CHOCOLATE Lindt dark chocolate. SONG My Silver Lining by First Aid Kit. DISH Sushi. GADGET Leica Q camera. RESTAURANT Mark Hix’s Oyster & Fish House.
PHOTOS: GETTY IAMGES
QUICK FIRE FAVOURITES...
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AUDLEY HOUSE, LONDON W1K 2ED | + 44 (0) 20 7499 1801 | PURDEY.COM
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STYLE Edited by Mariella Tandy
The Future is Bright Inspired by the colours of Brazil, Farm Rio’s clothes will travel the world with you with their rainbow knits and vibrant tropical prints. Even better, every purchase is matched by a tree planted to reforest the Amazon. farmrio.com
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STYLE | Shopping
The
EDIT
New season style stories. By Mariella Tandy
SWEET DREAMS
Get set for World Sleep Day on 17 March
Hayley Menzies’ SS23 collection, ‘Memories of Utopia’, is inspired by daydreams of a better, wilder, more nature-filled future. Each small-batch design features in-house prints, traditional handiwork and techniques, and responsibly sourced fabric. hayleymenzies.com
ON MERIT
One of the most anticipated beauty arrivals of the year has now landed in the UK. Merit garnered huge waiting lists when it launched in the USA thanks to its brilliantly formulated products that are safe for the body, skin and the planet. The range is made for consumers who don’t want a thousand products, but a few that work wonders. It consists of targeted products such as the famed Glow Serum and Minimalist Perfecting Stick. From £26, meritbeauty.com
1 Slip Silk pillowcase, £89. slipsilkpillowcase.co.uk 2 Dreem Distillery CBD infused Bed Balm, £75. dreemdistillery.co.uk 3 Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep Bath Foam, £25. neomorganics.com
FEELING ELECTRIC
Oushaba is the new fine jewellery brand mixing mobile phone waste with responsibly sourced diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. The limited-edition pieces are handcrafted in Sicily and combine traditional lost-wax casting techniques with modern materials like circuit boards and charging leads. The result is compelling pieces that resemble archaeological artefacts. oushaba.com
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AGOLDE Charli tin foil jacket, £420. agolde.com
FAIRFAX & FAVOR Denim herringbone gilet, £250. fairfaxand favor.com
GOING FOR GOLD
Back in February, Boodles announced its sponsorship of the 2023 Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival by inviting jockey Rachael Blackmore to take part in a shoot outside the boutique on Bond Street with previous racehorse winner, Native River. Rachael, a brand ambassador, became the first woman to win the famous race back in 2022, when Boodles first sponsored the Gold Cup. See the jockey in action again on 17 March at the Festival. boodles.com
AGOLDE Cooper cargo pants, £300. selfridges.com
ON THE RADAR Dialled up denim
NOW IN TECHNICOLOUR
SEA NY Denim lace up maxi skirt, £345. netaporter.com
Bring some colour to your nine-to-five with Smythson’s vibrant new Colour Block collection, featuring its signature Envelope accessories – from crossbody bags to phone cases and purses, – reimagined in shades of cerise, nile blue, jade, and buttercup. smythson.com
CARO EDITIONS Reworked Levis jacket, £545; jeans, £385 matchesfashion.com
LATHER UP
BALMAIN @ HEWI Crystal embellished skirt, £585. hardlyeverwornit.com
Molton Brown’s new limited edition collection of the iconic Heavenly Gingerlily fragrance comes housed in redesigned packaging beautifully illustrated with lilies. From £25, moltonbrown.com March /April 2023 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 29
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STYLE | Trend
PASTEL POWER
Style up with a soft palette for the spring season, says Mariella Tandy
VINTAGE
INVEST
RENT
MULBERRY Softie bag £1,495. mulberry.com
DASKA @ MWHQ Wrap top, £42; trousers, £36. mywardrobehq.com
CITIZENS OF HUMANITY Recycled leather trousers, £630. harrods.com
ASPREY Colour Chaos earrings, £5,225. asprey.com
YOLKE Dress, £285. yolke.co.uk
ACNE STUDIOS @ SELFRIDGES RENTAL Juylie blazer, from £78. selfridges rental.com
CECILIE BAHNSEN @ FRONT ROW Anna wrap midi dress, from £126. frontrow.com
REJINA PYO @ RITES Linen jacket, £195. rites.co
GUCCI @ FRONT ROW Wicker bag, from £168. frontrow.com ANNA MASON @HEWI Blouse, £145. hardlyeverwornit.com
CHANEL @ HEWI Vanity bag, £5,500. hardlyeverwornit.com
TOAST Cableami beret £110. toa.st
LE MONDE BERYL Mary Janes, £395 matchesfashion.com
FOR STOCKISTS PLEASE SEE P182
SELF PORTRAIT @ RITES Crossover chiffon dress, from £49. rites.co
AGUA BY AGUA BENDITA @ MWHQ Elowen dress, from £33. mywardrobehq.com
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STYLE | Jewellery GLORY DAYS
Pragnell’s ever-expanding range of vintage gems sits in its newly renovated Mount Street Boutique. Aiming to collate the best jewels from each maison’s prime era, Pragnell is a must visit destination for any jewellery connoisseur. 14 & 16 Mount Street, London W1, pragnell.co.uk
PEARLY QUEENS
Monica Vinader and Mother of Pearl have once again joined forces with the launch of five new pieces. Proceeds from the collection will be donated to a range of charitable efforts including Women for Women International and Our Dementia Choir. Crafted in 100 percent recycled gold vermeil, the range features keshi pearls and is designed to be reworn and restyled alongside the bestselling pieces from their first collaboration. From £80. monicavinader.com
The Magpie
Sparkle with the latest droolworthy gems, says Mariella Tandy
Georgian Wedgewood cameo necklace, £7,250; Art Deco Sterlé coral and diamond ring, £42,175
SILVER SURFERS
Last year’s gold rush has given way to this year’s crush: sterling silver
IN THE STARS
Dior’s Victoire de Castellane continues the story of the Rose des Vents collection with a new celestial lucky charm. The medallion necklace turns on its chain to switch between the sun and moon sides. £POA, dior.com
FEELING LUCKY
1 GIOVANNI RASPINI Chain link silver necklace, £790. giovanniraspini.com 2 LYLIE Ori sterling silver coral hoop earrings, £140. lylies.com 3 BUCCELLATI Blossom sapphire earrings, £1,300. buccellati.com 4 TIFFANY Elsa Peretti sterling silver bone cuff with white jade, £3,350. tiffany.co.uk
PHOTOS: © TIM LOVE
LUXURY ON LOAN
London jeweller Theo Fennell has teamed up with co-ownership and subscription website Covett, which now provides its members with a treasure trove of 18 of his signature designs to borrow and wear. cove.tt
Van Cleef & Arpels’s Lucky Animals brooch collection has been expanded with new companions. Teddy Bear, Fox, Dachshund, Bichon Frisé, and Frog join the fold and, like their companions, are comprised of ornamental stones, mother-of-pearl and 18ct yellow gold. From £5,800. vancleefarpels.com
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STYLE | Men’s READ ON Actor Callum Turner stars in Montblanc’s campaign for its revisited Sartorial collection of leather goods, inspired by the written word and utilising motifs of envelopes and ink bottles. montblanc.com
MADE IN BRITAIN
SimsWear is a new independent British clothing brand that sprang from an appreciation of well-made clothes, slow fashion and an interest in British manufacturing. Check out its ethical and ultrawearable styles. simswear.com
Well Groomed
DO IT NATURALLY Green your grooming routine
Spring style’s a shoe in for Matt Thomas
LOAFING AROUND
GOLDEN HOURS
Based on Savile Row, Arthur Sleep is London’s first shoe factory in 100 years. The brand’s skilled craftspeople can make a pair of bespoke shoes in as little as five hours, thanks to the site’s cutting-edge tech. From £1,000. arthursleep.com
Sporty yet elegant, the Hermès H08 watch is composed of a black DLC-treated titanium case-back topped by a rose gold case middle. £14,000, hermes.com
LET THE SUN SHINE
Hit refresh with these springtime styles
John Smedley Hatfield mandarin knit, £180. johnsmedley.com
John Lobb Foundry orange trainers £840, johnlobb.com
1 VOYA Lime and eucalyptus natural soybean candle, £32. voya.ie
Laz Emporium Metropolitan Peace T-shirt, £45. lazemporium.com
Peper Harow Mayfair burnt orange socks, £16. ethelloves.me
2 ALTRA Dualist leafy fragrance, £168. altraprofuture.com 3 BAZ & CO Body wash, £22. bazandcoskincare.com 4 PENHALIGON’S Gentlemen’s Fragrance Collection, £40. penhaligons.com
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Harvard 2 Khaki Suede
BY APPOINTMENT TO HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES MANUFACTURER AND SUPPLIER OF FOOTWEAR CROCKETT & JONES LIMITED, NORTHAMPTON
MADE IN ENGLAND | SINCE 1879
Our best-selling, unlined Penny Loafer Made using the finest English suede Featuring our flexible rubber sole
CROCKETTANDJONES.COM
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2023 AWARDS
Country & Town House is delighted to celebrate some heroic Great British Brands with our 2023 awards, judged in another year of extraordinary challenge and adversity Legacy Award
Awarded to a brand that has shown itself to be a true hero by doing better by people and the planet, while never compromising the quality of its offering.
When the announcement came that Dame Vivienne Westwood had died just before Christmas, GBB wanted to acknowledge her work – and her place in the canon of the UK’s most iconic fashion designers – with a special award. No one has been untouched by her radical, rebellious attitude and what she most importantly leaves behind her is the idea that fashion is far more than just what you wear. It is a statement of who you are. Long may her influence be felt.
WINNER: ANYA HINDMARCH
For continuing to dazzle, amuse and amaze her customers while also producing beautiful, functional products and doing a vast amount to shine a spotlight on the environment and, in particular, the use of plastic.
Planet
Next Level
Craftship
Community
Awarded to a brand that has set ambitious and verifiable carbon reduction targets, and that has done the most to phase out environmentally unfriendly practices.
This is an important award given the enormous challenges brands have faced in the last year. The aim was to find a brand that continued to up its game despite everything thrown at it.
Awarded to a brand that has harnessed the best of artisan and craft skills to design beautiful products and/or a brand that has found new ways to keep traditional skills alive.
Awarded to a brand that has demonstrably supported its own people, along its value chains, as well as its local community and the community at large.
WINNER: MULBERRY
WINNER: BREMONT
WINNER: JOHN SMEDLEY
WINNER: CADOGAN
Mulberry has continued to excel with its outstanding work in getting ahead of its targets to achieve a truly regenerative and circular business, in particular its pre-loved and buy back initiatives.
Bremont has done so much for British manufacturing, being the first watch company to build its own movement at scale and really moving to the next level as an internationally renowned brand.
John Smedley continues to craft products of the highest quality, collaborating with artisans, and is always looking to ways of boosting craftship in the future.
Cadogan is leading the way with its outstanding contribution to making the Royal Borough of Chelsea a flourishing, sustainable community.
JUDGES’ HONOURABLE MENTION: BARBOUR For continuing its efforts to be a truly circular brand.
JUDGES’ HONOURABLE MENTION: TOM DAVIES For always finding ways to delight and engage its customers.
JUDGES’ HONOURABLE MENTION: THEO FENNELL For encouraging young people to learn the craft via the Leopards and Gilded Youth programmes.
JUDGES’ HONOURABLE MENTION: SCOTT DUNN For its remarkable and varied charitable work as a travel company.
PHOTOS: © MARCUS DAWES
Judges’ Award
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SPRING SUMMER 2023 AVAIL ABLE NOW
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GREAT BRITISH BRANDS
Isabella Charlotta Poppius and Rosie Shepherd
Caroline Rush
Giles English
Annoushka Ducas and John Ayton
Michael J Harwick and Precious Muir
Nicky and Rob Carter
OH WHAT A NIGHT!
Christopher di Pietro
Anya Hindmarch
Boy, did our Great British Brands 2023 launch kick up a storm at Tramp, the Jermyn Street night spot that’s been attracting the glitterati for over 50 years. With Let’s Get Tramped cocktails (thank you, Nicholson Gin) free-flowing, it was the perfect excuse to shake off the January blues and celebrate excellence in British luxury. British Fashion Council CEO Caroline Rush gave out the awards and the audience was spellbound to hear from Vivienne Westwood’s Global Brand Director, Christopher di Pietro, speak so movingly and eloquently about fashion’s first rebel and the legacy she leaves us. Buy less, choose well, make it last. We stand behind you, Dame Vivienne.
Lucy Cleland and Marine Tanguy
Griffin Lille and Clover Hogan
Stephen and Flo Bayley
Juliet Kinsman and Richard xx xx xMackichan x xx x xx xx xx xx xx xx x xx x x x xx Anabel Kindersley Sebastian and Gertrude Conran
PHOTOS: © MARCUS DAWES
xx xx x x xx x xx xx xx xx xx xx x xx x x x xx
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THE HOME OF COUNTRY CLOTHING Wild safari styles step out of Africa into The House of Bruar in our new Spring/ Summer collection. Luxury natural fibres are at the forefront, with crisp linen and cool cotton in evocative new designs, ready to bask in summer rays. With everything from vivacious Liberty prints and bright summer cashmere to this smouldering safari range, we’ve got just what you need to take the new season in your stride.
STRETCH COTTON CHINO - DRESS | TQ11013 | £149.95, JACKET | TR11019 | £79.95, TROUSERS | TP11022 | £59.95 SEE ONLINE FOR MORE COLOUR OPTIONS AND ACCESSORIES
www.houseofbruar.com
To order call 01796 483 236 or visit our website. The House of Bruar by Blair Atholl, Perthshire, PH18 5TW
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A WOR K OF ART, CR AFTED W ITH LOVE We believe the bed is the world’s most important piece of furniture, because it is where you restore yourself. For more than 170 years, master craftsmanship and refinement led us to create a bed that is the centerpiece of the home. The Grand Vividus. Designed by Ferris Rafauli, for a Life Well Lived. HASTENS.COM
LONDON | HORSHAM | AMERSHAM
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Swing into
SPRING Make your colour palette kaleidoscopic FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD PHOTOGRAPHER DAN HACK
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Model (left) Red polo dress, Box-Trot crossbody bag XS, Box-Trot coin purse with leather lace, Gold-rimmed sunglasses Mannequin: Green cap, White sunglasses, Pink dress, Le Panier Pliage vanity bag Model (right): Red swimsuit (just seen), Belted coat, Le Pliage Xtra Bag All Longchamp
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Left: Le Pliage travel bag, Blue swimsuit, Red shorts Le Pliage Re-Play belt, Sneakers Right: Red cap, Knitted top (around neck), Knitted t-shirt, Épure coin purse with leather lace, Patterned trousers, Le Pliage Re-Play flat sandals All Longchamp
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Pink cap, Green polo shirt, Green shorts, Box-Trot crossbody bag S All Longchamp
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Red jacket, knitted green bralette, Epure bucket bag, Light blue trousers, Red clogs All Longchamp
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Left: Le Pliage Re-Play XS bag, Green dress Silver heeled pumps Right: Le Pliage Re-Play XL bag, knitted bralette, Box-Trot crossbody bag XS, Épure coin purse with leather lace, Box-Trot belt, Pink trousers, Yellow clogs TEAM Fashion Director: Nicole Smallwood Photographer: Dan Hack @ Adrenalin Photographic Make-up: James O’Riley @ One Represents using Giorgio Armani Beauty & Skincare Hair: Louis Byrne @ Premier Hair & Make-up using L’Oréal Pro Steampod Video: Tracer Ital @ Adrenalin Photographic Fashion assistant: April McCarthy Photographer’s assistants: Patricia Benitez and Louis Patten Models: Nayra @ Established and Sofie Theobald @ The Hive Shot on location at the Longchamp New Bond Street boutique. Fashion courtesy of Longchamp. longchamp.com
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Knightsbridge
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Corset and necklaces, Vivienne Westwood Trousers, Max Mara
Nail your BIG DAY with 27 pages of WEDDING INSPO
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WEDDING GUIDE
Contents 52
SPOTLIGHT, PLEASE
56
STYLE SQUAD
58
ON THE LIST
60
SUITED AND BOOTED
62
DIAMOND OF THE SEASON
Dreamy dresses for the woman in white
The bridal entourage never looked so good Don’t outshine the bride – but get really close Strapping looks for gorgeous grooms
The best wedding bling 64
62
LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF WEDDINGS
Names to know to create the day of your dreams 68
ONE HIT WONDERS
70
SAY I DO
72
SAIL AWAY WITH ME
74
FEEL GOOD
EDITOR ’ S LET TER
52
T
he old adage of ‘anything goes’ couldn’t be more true for bridal planning this year. Whether your vision is to elope to Las Vegas or host a week-long party for 50 of your closest friends, the established wedding formula has been disrupted. Of course, the age-old white dress and church ceremony is still the most popular route for many brides, but there has been a shift into something that feels more personal – for example, ditching the white meringue or choosing a colourful non-diamond engagement ring. The major trend that grows in popularity every year is that brides and guests want a dress or outfit that they can wear again or repurpose. Renting your wedding dress is also here to stay. Every year when I put these pages together I get so excited by the endless possibilities to create a dream wedding. I tell myself this is the year I will finally marry my partner and father of my four children. Maybe 2023 will be the one. We hope you enjoy our guide.
Gifts they’ll treasure forever
Where to seal the deal in style Honeymoons for every kind of escape
Prepping mind, body and soul for a day to remember
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Suit, Eudon Choi Earrings and necklace, Annoushka
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WEDDING GUIDE
SPOTLIGHT, PLEASE Wedding dreams are made of these
HENRI BENDEL @ RETOLD VINTAGE Shantung suit, £495. retoldvintage.co.uk
HALFPENNY LONDON Hula dress, £6,950. halfpennylondon.com
HALPERN @ MWHQ Slip dress, rent from £19 a day. mywardrobehq.com
A HEAD START ON LOVE
ERDEM Caped gown, £3,495. matchesfashion.com
SAVANNAH MILLER @ MWHQ Poppy gown, £1,194. mywardrobehq.com
NADINE MERABI Olivia dress, £375. nadinemerabi.com
1 Chanel Hair clip, rent from £21 a day. mywardrobehq.com
DOWN THE AISLE
2 Jennifer Behr Tori headband with veil, £210. fenwick.co.uk 3 Michel Millinery Pearl and crystal beret, £145. mywardrobehq.com
STEVE MADDEN Viable sandals, £130. stevemadden.co.uk
FREYA ROSE Bertie Valentine June boots, £845. freyarose.com
DI MINNO Bayley sandal, £770. diminnoshoes.com
MALONE SOULIERS Bella mules, £650 malonesouliers.com
4 Susan Caplan Vintage @ Harvey Nichols 1980s vintage wedding head piece, £225. harveynichols.com
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Dress, Cecilie Bahnsen Earrings, Completed Works. Bracelet, Hatton Labs
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WEDDING GUIDE
ILTA STUDIO Tallulah dress, £580. iltastudio.com
HERMIONE DE PAULA Astrophile gown, £7,500. hermionedepaula.com
ALESSANDRA RICH @ MWHQ Dress, £840. mywardrobehq.com
WHISTLES Lina dress, £499. whistles.co.uk
ALWAYS BY YOUR SIDE DRESS @ RETOLD VINTAGE £385. retoldvintage.co.uk
MIU MIU Shirt, £1530; skirt, £1,200. matchesfashion.com
RIXO @ BY ROTATION Dress, rent from £79. byrotation.com
HOW TO… MAKE AN ENTRANCE CAROLINE CASTIGLIANO, BRIDAL DESIGNER
CAROLINE CASTIGLIANO Gala dress, £POA. carolinecastigliano.com
‘Before you start dress hunting, decide on the vision you want to create – this is not a silhouette or shape, it is simply the overall impression: traditional, or modern and romantic? Glamorous or boho? Really think about the first moment your partner and guests see you, and the vision you want to create.’
1 Shrimps Vida bag, £250. shrimps.com 2 Self Portrait @ By Rotation Bow bag, rent from £63. byrotation.com 3 Jimmy Choo Micro Cloud suede and pearl clutch, £1,395. jimmychoo.com n
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WEDDING GUIDE REFORMATION Shayla dress, £390. reformation.com
HOW TO... CHOOSE BRIDESMAID DRESSES KATE HALFPENNY, BRIDAL DESIGNER
PRADA @ HEWI Maribou dress, £576. hardlyeverwornit.com VAMPIRE’S WIFE @ HURR Midnight Garden dress, rent from £213. hurrcollective.com
HALFPENNY LONDON Florence dress, £350. halfpenny london.com
STYLE SQUAD
BEULAH @ MWHQ Jumpsuit, £280. mywardrobehq.com
Bridesmaid looks to keep everyone happy
‘1. Choose a colour, not a silhouette. 2. Don’t try to shoehorn your bridesmaids into one dress style. 3. Get together with your bridesmaids first and look for inspiration – let the individual styles and personalities of your bridesmaids shine through. 4. Decide on a budget before you start looking and be transparent about your plans about who’s paying for what. 5. Consider practicality – some fashion tape may be necessary to keep their modesty on the day!’
IF THE SHOE FITS
A Cinderella moment for your MOH
ALESSANDRA RICH @ FRONT ROW Heart print dress, rent from £154. frontrow.uk.com
JENNY PACKHAM @ FRONT ROW Tess gown, rent from £350. frontrow.uk.com
DE LA VALI Clarence mini dress, £390; Grimaldi shirt, £290; Grimaldi shorts, £140; Jolene maxi dress, £520; delavali.com
TIED TOGETHER 1 Christian Louboutin Condora sandals, £650 christianlouboutin.com MATILDE Amor bracelet, £400. matildejewellery.com ROXANNE ASSOULIN Ride or Die bracelets, £45. netaporter.com
MONICA VINADER Corda friendship chain bracelet, £250. monicavinader.com
2 Loeffler Randall @ By Rotation Sandals, rent from £69. byrotation.com 3 Mach & Mach Sandals, £805. harveynichols.com
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WEDDING GUIDE
HOW TO... PICK A PHOTOGRAPHER
RICHARD PAYNE, WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
16ARLINGTON @ HURR Feather dress, rent from £149. hurrcollective.com
‘Look at several photographers’ work – whose stood out? You’re not trying to remember the most amazing single image but the portfolio as a whole. Your photographer is with you all day, after all – you’re not after one cracking image! You might see photographers’ images that all looks a bit similar – in this case they may be worthy photographers but lack an individual style. And I wouldn’t advise looking at trends as they can pass.’ richardpayneweddings.co.uk
TALLER MARMO Altea dress, £1,260. matchesfashion.com
JIL SANDER Cannolo bag, £980. jilsander.com
ON THE LIST
BEST DRESSED GUEST Ditch the dress for a cool trouser co-ord
Amp up the style stakes with your next wedding outfit
ROTATE BIRGER CHRISTENSEN @ HURR Dress, rent from £70. hurrcollective.com
LALAGE BEAUMONT Claire dress coat, £1,299. lalagebeaumont.com
LIRIKA MATOSHI @ HURR Heart Dress, rent from £51.86. hurrcollective.com
PARTOW Colette dress, £1,562. netaporter.com
JIMMY CHOO Genevi flats, £625. jimmychoo.com
A HEAD OF THE GAME MERVE BAYINDIR Alva hat, £1,400. mervebayindir.com
LOCK & CO Ventnor Panama hat, £1,405. lockhatters.com
1 Lisou @ MWHQ Culottes, rent from £8; jacket, rent from £10. mywardrobehq.com 2 Lollys Laundry Kayla shirt, £120; Maisie trousers, £110. lollyslaundry.uk
BUNDLE MACLAREN @ MWHQ Jelena headpiece, rent from £19. mywardrobehq.com
3 SemSem Top, £866; trousers, £866. netaporter.com
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Dress, Molly Goddard Earrings, Completed Works. Necklace, Sophie Bille Brahe Necklace, Lylie
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WEDDING GUIDE
HOW TO... CHOOSE A WEDDING SUIT Oliver Spencer, Favourbrook
CHRISTYS’ HATS Fur Melusine top hat, £370. christys-hats.com
NEW & LINGWOOD Pocket square, £65. newandlingwood.com
SUITED & BOOTED
FAVOURBROOK Sky Evering linen Ebury jacket, £620; Windsor trousers, £240; linen waistcoat, £290; silk tie, £75; Gatsby shirt, £120. favourbrook.com
Style counts when all eyes are on you
‘Even a great suit can be made to look mediocre with a poor choice of accessories. A white Marcella cotton poplin shirt is non-negotiable for a morning suit or three-piece lounge suit, as are a pair of polished black Oxfords. Where you can get creative is with the waistcoat. Silk and linen styles are a great fit for summer. Double-breasted styles are considered slightly more formal than their singlebreasted variants, but you must ensure that the fit is correct – no part of your shirt should be visible from beneath the hem of the waistcoat.’
RIGHT FOOT FORWARD Perfect shoes for the occasion
RICHARD ANDERSON Silk tie, £150 richardandersonltd.com
GRIMA @ MORELLE DAVIDSON Cufflinks, £POA, morelledavidson.com
OLIVER BROWN Morning coat, £655; waistcoat, £195; morning trousers, £225; shirt, £175; silk tie, £65. oliverbrown.org.uk
THOMAS PINK Evening Marcella shirt, £125; bow tie, £65; silk cummerbund, £95; mother of pearl cufflinks, £125; bespoke suit. thomaspink.com
GET ME TO THE CHURCH ON TIME
1 Edward Green Newbury shoes in nightshade, £1,020. edwardgreen.com 2 Cheaney Cambridge Oxford shoes, £445. cheaney.co.uk
BREGUET Classique 7337, £41,300. breguet.com
CARTIER Tank Louis Cartier, £11,900. cartier.com
ORIS Big Crown Calibre 473, £3,700. oris.ch
LONGINES Flagship watch, £1,750. longines.com
3 Crockett & Jones Lion velvet slippers, £320. crockettandjones.com 4 Fairfax & Favor Bedingfeld shoes, £190. fairfaxandfavor.com
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Womenswear and Menswear available at
16 & 17 PALL MALL, LONDON SW1Y 5LU www.favourbrook.com
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WEDDING GUIDE
RECARLO Solitaire heart cut diamond ring, £2,345. james-porter.co.uk 1 VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Double boucle ring, £POA. vancleefarpels.com 2 MASON & BOOKS Bow earrings, £5,040. netaporter.com 3 SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE Peggy rosette necklace, €5,300. sophiebillebrahe.com 4 KIRSTIE LE MARQUE Elizabeth earrings, £250. kirstielemarque.com
BOW DOWN
5 GRAFF Gilda’s bow necklace, £POA. graff.com
Tying the knot in style
DIAMOND OF THE SE A SON
HARRY WINSTON Emerald cut diamond ring, £POA. harrywinston.com
ROBINSON PELHAM Small Rainbow Eye Love U Eternity Ring £8,055. robinson pelham.com
CARTIER @ PRAGNELL Vintage Bombe ring, £POA. pragnell.com
Sparkle your way down the aisle
HANCOCKS Vintage unheated Ceylon sapphire and yellow diamond ring, £29,500. hancocks-london.com
HOW TO... SOURCE THE PERFECT VINTAGE STONE Guy Burton, Hancocks London
6 KIKI MCDONOUGH Grace peridot and diamond drop earrings, £2,800. kiki.co.uk 7 JESSIE THOMAS Earrings, from £995. jessiethomasjewellery.com 8 ANNOUSHKA Marguerite earrings, £26,000. annoushka.com 9 BOODLES MayMay Rose platinum and diamond earrings, £8,400. boodles.com 10 ILLUSTRATED JEWELLER Swallow earrings, £1,470. theillustratedjeweller.com
LISTEN ’EAR
Glittering accents for your big day
‘Don’t overpay to get an internally flawless stone – you won’t be able to tell with the naked eye. The cut is most important – it can bring out life in an imperfect stone or, if done badly, ruin a flawless one. Never buy an old-cut diamond without a certificate – and GIA is the best and most reliable one to get. Always look at diamonds in natural light before buying. Most importantly, trust your gut instinct; diamonds speak to you, so if your gut’s screaming at you, it’s a sign.’
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Earrings, Jessica McCormack Dress, Rejina Pyo
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WEDDING GUIDE
THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF WEDDINGS FLORISTS
CATERERS
1 JAMJAR FLOWERS Catering for both large-scale and intimate ceremonies, JamJar Flowers uses seasonal blooms to create dainty bouquets and floral decorations. Perfect for an ultra-cool, low-key city wedding. jamjarflowers.co.uk; @jamjar_flowers
6 KEMP AND KEMP Kemp and Kemp curates brilliant meaty, vegetarian and vegan menus, and even provides crockery, cutlery and linen to avoid single-use plastic waste. kempandkempcatering.co.uk; @kempandkempfood
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2 XOXO Aberdeen-based wedding florist XOXO offers contemporary takes on Scottish designs, with a focus on stunning Fair Trade flowers. xoxofloristaberdeen.co.uk; @xoxoflorist
7 LETTICE EVENTS This family-run catering business creates zero-waste menus using seasonal, local produce – you’ll even find that scraps used to make ‘wasteful canapés’. letticeevents. com; @letticeevents
3 THE GREAT BRITISH FLORIST After something a little different? This Cornish farm and florist has a gorgeous range of dried flowers that would rival any fresh bouquet. greatbritishflorist.co.uk; @greatbritishflorist
8 BLAME FRANK Not a fan of sit-down dinners? Blame Frank serves up BBQ boards, tacos and delicious desserts on aesthetically designed serving boards. blamefrank.co.uk; @blamefrank
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4 GEORGINA CHAPMAN FLOWERS Georgina Chapman brings wedding dreams to life with vivid pops of colour, seasonal flowers (sourced from local growers) and elegant arrangements. gchapmanflowers. com; @georginachapmanflowers
9 RHUBARB With menus curated by an expert team of Michelin-starred chefs, Rhubarb has been dazzling wedding parties since 1996. rhchospitality.com; @rhchospitality
5 PULBROOK & GOULD This long-standing British florist brings its signature English country garden aesthetic to all its weddings, creating exquisite bouquets and extraordinary displays. pulbrookandgould.co.uk @pulbrookandgould
10 SOCIAL PANTRY One of London’s go-to caterers, Social Pantry offers everything from theatrical live cooking to creative food stations – with an emphasis on hyper-seasonality. socialpantry.co.uk; @social_pantry
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HOW TO... CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING FLOWERS LU C Y VA IL , FLO R I S T
‘Don’t be shy of colour. I have always been a big advocate for bold colour and I have noticed that more of my brides are embracing it this year, which is so exciting. I cannot stress enough how much a space is lifted with pops of pinks, blues and purples – it completely illuminates an environment. It also makes your photographs sing. Whites and greens or pastels can sometimes be very tricky to photograph well, so introducing colour helps the flowers stand out.’ lucyvailfloristry.com 64 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | March /April 2023
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The bridal heroes to make your day one to remember
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BE RACE DAY PERFECT Morning Wear | Top Hats | Accessories Purchase or Hire In-Store & Online oliverbrown.org.uk
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WEDDING PLANNERS 16 NIEMIERKO Mark Niemierko is one of Britain’s leading luxury wedding planners, praised for his attentive and detailoriented approach to celebrations. niemierko.com; @niemierko
STATIONERS 11 SMYTHSON British heritage brand Smythson prints beautifully delicate wedding invitations with gilt edges, romantic engravings and elegant cursive. smythson.com; @smythson 12 KNOCK KNOCK PENNY STUDIO This Cheshire-based wedding stationer is perfect for designconscious couples – think modern layouts finished with neat wax seals. knockknockpennystudio.com; @knockknockpennystudio 13 PAPER GRACE If you’re after something sleek and minimal, try the award-winning Paper Grace. Stationery sets are characterised by abstract shapes and cool neutral palettes. papergrace.co.uk; @papergraceuk 14 CONFETTI DESIGNS Handmade in Dorset using recycled materials where possible, wedding stationery from Confetti Designs is printed with beautiful colours and floral illustrations. confettidesigns. co.uk; @confetti_designs
17 THE STARS INSIDE Led by self-professed ‘hopeless romantic’ Valentina Ring, The Stars Inside specialises in intimate weddings and elopements far afield. thestarsinside.com; @thestarsinside
DJs
18 KATRINA OTTER WEDDINGS Katrina has been making couples’ dreams come true for over 15 years now, organising nuptials held in quintessentially English venues. katrinaotterweddings.co.uk; @katrinaotterwed
21 KRYSTAL ROXX DJ and radio host Krystal is known for her rave-worthy sets and infectious energy – expect one heck of a party. management@krystalroxx.com; @krystalroxx
19 BYCHENAI EVENTS Named National Wedding Planner of the Year 2022, Chenai Bukutu is known for planning meaningful wedding ceremonies that embody sophisticated luxury. bychenai.com; @bychenai
22 SIMON CABRERA Cabrera has over 15 years of experience, playing sets for royal celebrations and swanky parties at big hotels like The Ritz. londonsdj.uk/djsimoncabrera
20 ALICE WILKES DESIGN (ARW) Known for opulent (and highly Instagram-worthy) celebrations, London-based wedding planner ARW is a favourite among celebrities, royals and fussy clients alike. alicewilkes. co.uk; @alicewilkes_design
15 ROMEO + JULES Founded by former British Vogue Art Director Jennifer Grant, Romeo + Jules creates classic and contemporary wedding stationery from recycled stock. romeoandjules.studio; @romeoandjulesstudio
23 DJ BAJ A firm favourite among upscale wedding planners, DJ Baj curates a multi-genre setlist built around afro beats and party anthems. shaunlolu@yahoo.co.uk; @dj_baj 24 DJ DAN BROWNE Having played at the likes of movie premieres and award shows, Dan is an expert at getting crowds on the dancefloor. djdanbrowne.com
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25 DJ LUCY LANE Those who fancy an Ibiza-style party to see out their nuptials will feel right at home with this Ministry of Sound regular. info@lucyjanemusic.com; @LucyJane_Music
HOW TO... WRITE A GREAT WEDDING SPEECH FER GU S O ’ S UL L I VA N , PR O FE S S I O N A L WED D IN G S PEECH WR I T ER
‘First, set a timer for five minutes and write everything that comes to mind without filtering yourself. Then, the editing begins! Highlight parts that you like and cross out parts you wouldn’t want to include. Repeat this exercise as many times as you need. Don’t feel like you suddenly need to become a stand-up comedian. It’s great to have humour in your speech, but heartfelt moments are just as important. The more authentic and truthful your speech is, the better.’ osullivanspeeches.com; @osullivanspeeches 66 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | March /April 2023
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PHOTOS: UNSPLASH; © REBECCA GODDARD PHOTOGRAPHY; © HOLLY CLARK
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LOCK & CO. WEDDING COLLECTION BY AWON GOLDING Lock & Co. Hatters 6, St. James’s Street, SW1A 1EF London lockhatters.com | +44 20 7930 8874 | shop@lockhatters.co.uk
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WEDDING GUIDE
SAVERNAKE 18cm chef’s knife, £169. Via the Wedding Shop registry. weddingshop.com
GLOBETROTTER Palm Springs collection, from £1,095. globe-trotter.com
NAIM AUDIO Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation Wireless Bluetooth Music System, £799. Via John Lewis registry or naimaudio.co.uk
ONE HIT WONDERS Struggling with what to get the happy couple? Think long-lasting pieces destined to become family heirlooms ETTINGER Sterling cufflinks, £80. ettinger.co.uk
LEICA Leica M6 in black, £4,500. leica-camera.com
GREENER WEDDING REGISTRIES
Minimise your wedding footprint with these eco options
DENBY Blue glaze stoneware cafetiere, £85. Via the Buy Me Once wedding registry. buymeonce.com
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BUY ME ONCE Last year, Buy Me Once launched its wedding registry, which sources gifts that can truly last a lifetime. The idea is to reduce an individual’s (or couple’s) eco footprint radically by eradicating the need to buy anything more than once. buymeonce.com
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HONEYFUND Opt for a honeymoon fund versus a physical registry. And the money doesn’t need to go to a honeymoon – it could fund a down payment towards a big, necessary purchase, or be donated to a charity of choice. honeyfund.co.uk
3 HEIRLOOM LINENS Bathrobe, £324. heirlooms-linens.com
THE GLENTURRET 12 years old whisky, £67. theglenturret.com
PATCHWORK Friends and family can contribute their money – or time and skills – to a patchwork of ‘gifts’ decided by the couple. Whether that’s purchasing tiles for a kitchen renovation or helping paint the hallway, it’s an alternative registry filled with a ‘patchwork’ of tasks and asks. patchworkit.com
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Dress, Stella McCartney Necklace, Completed Works. Necklace and bracelet, Lucy Delius Ring, By Pariah
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PROMOTION
HAMSWELL, Bath
With its honeyed Cotswold stone and glorious panoramic views across the Hamswell Valley to the Westbury White Horse, this is quite simply one of England’s most romantically beautiful and enchanting houses. The 16th-century manor is set in 50 acres of private gardens in the Cotswolds AONB, and is the home of Rupert and Victoria Legge. As Rupert says, ‘Hamswell House is a private family house and estate and not a hotel or corporate events venue. It’s what makes it so special for your wedding.’ The award-winning venue is available for exclusive hire for a wedding to remember. For your ceremony, there’s the glorious 18th century orangery with a Cotswold stone roof and huge arched windows, or alternatively you can exchange your vows under the boughs of a 400-year-old lime tree in the grounds of the estate. For a traditional English church setting, the charming St Mary the Virgin, in the village of Marshfield, is a mere ten minutes away. After the vows have been said, toast the nuptials with champagne and canapés on the Hamswell House terrace, with glorious views over the surrounding countryside. There’s also a splendid marquee that can seat 200, and you’re free to bring your own champagne as the owners don’t charge corkage. During the reception guests can explore the lovely walled gardens with the 200-year-old wisteria-clad pergola, knot garden and 18th-century water garden with its waterlilies and Neptune fountain – these make a beautiful backdrop for photos, too. Close to Bristol and Bath, Hamswell House is under two hours from London. hamswellhouse.co.uk
STORRS HALL, Cumbria
SAY I DO Tie the knot in style in one of these sumptuous wedding venues
ELMORE COURT, Gloucestershire
Magical rewilded estate Elmore Court holds wedding ceremonies in the Hall or 13th century Elmore Church. The party afterwards is held in The Gillyflower, its dedicated reception space. elmorecourt.com
OCEANDIVA, London
Set sail for a new adventure on this revolutionary C02-neutral private boat, available to hire for your big day. Welcoming 500 seated and offering fabulous catering and entertainment, it’s a truly unique option. oceandiva.co.uk
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BOVEY CASTLE, Devon
Set in 275 acres of beautiful countryside and rolling valleys, Bovey Castle offers a grand backdrop for a spectacular wedding. There’s a choice of four spaces for ceremonies of all sizes. boveycastle.com
LAKES BY YOO, Gloucestershire
For a simple lakeside wedding, Lakes by Yoo is the perfect, nature-filled location to celebrate. Plus, there’s space for everyone to stay in the estate’s cabins, suites and Manor House. thelakesbyyoo.com
PHOTOS: © LUCY DARBY PHOTOGRAPHY; © ROSIE HARDY PHOTOGRAPHY
This luxury Georgian country house hotel on the shores of Lake Windermere in the Lake District offers a spectacular spot to tie the knot, whether it’s a spontaneous elopement or a brilliant bash where you and 80 guests take over the whole venue. storrshall.com
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PR O M OT I O N
A DREAM COME TRUE
The wedding of your dreams? The expert planners at GSP Events can bring it to life in style
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PHOTOS: © HOLLY CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY
s your dream wedding an intimate nuptials in Provence, featuring a romantic ceremony under breezy oliviers in front of your closest loved ones? Or is it a three-day festival set to the backdrop of the Tower of David in Jerusalem, your guests swept through a series of dazzling events – from an exquisite flower-adorned ceremony to a glamorous cocktail hour, to a spectacular black-tie ball they’ll remember for years to come. It’s oh-so-simple to bring either of these visions to life when you’re relying on the right people. Choose an expert team that can do both, and anything in between: you can dream bigger when trusting your special day with the wedding planners at GSP Events. With over 25 years of experience planning the most stylish events both in London and all over the world, GSP Events
is the planner of choice for celebrities, luxury brands and high-profile clients. Now the go-to name in party planning, founder Emma Gold and her team have cultivated an unrivalled little black book of contacts, meaning they can truly make your wedding dreams come true. GSP Events’ experienced wedding planners have received multiple awards over the years for their event production and design. While the company is based in the UK, GSP is fortunate enough to call Italy and France its second homes, allowing its passionate team to develop a particularly strong relationship with suppliers in the region, and gain unparalleled insider knowledge. One of the most exciting weddings GSP Events undertook recently was a five-day extravaganza held in Le Cap Estel, situated on the breathtaking Côte d’Azur – the tireless team transformed the venue, closing roads and tunnels every night for five days in order to reveal an unforgettably romantic paradise for the couple’s celebration. GSP goes to extraordinary lengths to pull off truly extraordinary weddings. To discuss your wedding dreams, reach out at +44 (0)20 8968 9331 ; sales@gsp-uk.com; gsp-uk.com
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SAIL AWAY WITH ME Fabulous honeymoon ideas for every kind of escape
ADVENTURE
NATURE
CULTURE
ROMANCE
PACUARE LODGE, Costa Rica The adventure begins before you arrive at Pacuare Lodge, as the only way in is via rafting down the river (or by helicopter and an off-road 4x4 trek). Once there, a hanging gondola transports you through the canopy to your treehouse suite. From $621, pacuarelodge.com
BRITISH COLOMBIA, Canada Explore the wilds of British Colombia with Turquoise Holidays, which will put together a bespoke itinerary for your trip. Options include bear spotting, wildlife tours, kayak adventures and hiking. From £8,995pp for two week trip, turquoise holidays.co.uk
MARRAKECH, Morocco This nine-night private tour takes in the best of Morocco, from dazzling Marrakech to the spectacular Atlas Mountains, and the enchanting coastal town of Oualida. From £3,300pp, scottdunn.com
ONE&ONLY REETHI RAH, Maldives It’s a classic for a reason: honeymoons in the Maldives always hit the spot. Whether you go for a luscious beach villa or a charming overwater option, One&Only Reethi Rah provides the peace and privacy you need. From $2,000, oneandonlyresorts.com
ANDAMAN SEA, Thailand Set sail for an adventure around the Andaman Sea, and the idyllic coastline and islands of Thailand, including Phuket, Phang Nga and the Phi Phi islands. BoatBookings offer crewed and uncrewed yacht charters. Individually priced, boatbookings.com
KENYA Join wildlife conservationists in Kenya, where your trip will start at a rhino conservancy in the Laikipia region, before you join the the Lion Guardians, a group of young Maasai warriors who protect lion prides, and finish up with some turtle rescuing. From £7,000pp, pelorusx.com MASHPI LODGE, Ecuador Wildlife abounds at this eco-hotel in Ecuador’s Andean foothills. Spot butterflies, hummingbirds and other creatures native to the tropical cloud forest setting – think frogs, snakes, and insects. From £1,138, mrandmrssmith.com
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HOTEL EXCELSIOR VENEZIA, Italy Enjoy the best of Venice in five-star luxury at this hotel on a secluded beach in the Lido. It’s only 15-20 minutes by boat to St Mark’s Square. From €450, hotelexcelsiorvenezia.com
SHANGRI-LA PARIS Paris is always a good idea – and the Shangri-La makes an unforgettably luxurious base from which to explore the City of Love. From €1,000, shangri-la.com
NORTH ISLAND, Seychelles The Seychelles’ most luxurious resort, the picturesque North Island only hosts 11 villas, so you can lose yourself in its pristine beaches and azure seas. Individually priced, redsavannah.com GOLDENEYE, Jamaica Once the home of James Bond author Ian Fleming, today GoldenEye is a collection of private villas, cottages and beach huts, all set alongside the cerulean Caribbean sea. The perfect honeymoon escape. From £471, goldeneye.com
PHOTOS: © NORTH ISLAND / RED SAVANNAH
BLANKET BAY, New Zealand Blanket Bay is in the heart of the Southern Alps, just 45 mins from Queenstown. It offers hiking, horse riding and fly fishing in the gorgeous NZ back country, as well as heli-skiing in the winter. From £905, blanketbay.com
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Dress Chloé Earrings and ring By Pariah
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DR SEBAGH
As your wedding date draws nearer, take a trip to Dr Sebagh’s elegant new flagship clinic in historic Chandos House on Queen Anne Street. Here, the clinic has launched its revolutionary new PRF facial – a next step on from the famous ‘vampire facial’, it uses platelet-rich fibrin, a concentration of growth factors and cells collected from your own blood. This is then spun at high speeds in a Bio-PRF machine to create concentrated and natural growth factors, which, when injected, promotes the regeneration of cells in chosen areas. It can effectively improve the appearance of hollow eyes and dark circles, as well as reduce nasolabial folds, marionette lines, peri-oral lines and the skin of neck, chest and hands. Just the thing for looking your best on the big day. From £700 for a single session. drsebagh.com
GET THE GLOW On the day beauty essentials
FEEL GOOD Your toolkit for happily ever after
DR BARBARA STURM
DR ULIANA GOUT
Turbocharge your skin with the Bridal Glow facial, including a water-jet exfoliation treatment, and ultrasound, micro-current and radio frequency energy devices. Single session, £295. london-aesthetic-medicine.com
For a pre-wedding overhaul, go to the Mount St clinic for a Non-Surgical Facelift, which promises rejuvenated skin, boosted collagen, tightened skin and facial contouring in just 1.5 hours. £950, drsturm.com
1 Penhaligon’s Empressa Dry Body Oil, £60. penhaligons.com
DR DAVID JACK
Take a trip to Dr David Jack’s SkinTech Studio in Belgravia for a Korean-inspired bespoke treatment, which uses a signature micropeel, ionised oxygen bubble mask and LED light treatment for a long-lasting glow that lasts until your wedding and beyond. £170, drdavidjack.com
2 Neal’s Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm, £40. nealsyardremedies.com 3 Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care & Glow Foundation, £38. lancome.co.uk 4 Cellcosmet CellLift Serum, £465. harrods.com 5 Oskia Violet Water D-Spot, £28. thoskiaskincare.com
M I N D , B O DY, & S O U L
NAILS
Get hands and feet looking tip top at one of Townhouse’s award-winning nail salons across London, plus Guildford and Cribbs Causeway. Go for a luxury gel manicure/ pedicure to ensure nails last to the honeymoon and beyond. From £52. townhouse.co.uk
HAIR
Book yourself in for a personalised hair and scalp treatment at Philip Kingsley’s Belgravia clinic, where trichologists tackle everything from hair loss, psoriasis and dandruff, to dryness and breakage. philipkingsley.co.uk
HEALTH
Start the countdown to the big day with a daily dose of Bioglan Beauty Collagen, which blends marine collagen with biotin, selenium and vitamin C to support healthier looking hair, skin and nails. £29, boots.com
PERSONAL TRAINER
Pilates teacher and nutritionist Paola Langella’s classes encompass exercise, nutrition and mindfulness for achieving fitness goals, reducing stress, and increasing selfconfidence. Online or one-to-one, from £90. shapesstudio.com
COUPLES’ THERAPY
Preempt future issues, explore expectations and find effective ways to communicate with some premarriage counselling sessions at Coupleworks, a group of relationship counsellors and psychosexual therapists. coupleworks.co.uk
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Top, Tove Necklace, Boodles TEAM Photography: Trisha Ward Styling: Lauren T Franks Make-up: Camilla Hewitt using CHANEL SpringSummer 2023 Make-up Collection and No.1 de CHANEL Rich Revitalizing Cream Hair: Christos Kallaniotis @ One Represents using Sachajuan Nails: Ami Rai using CHANEL Le Vernis in Ballerina and CHANEL la Crème Main STOCKISTS: PAGE 182
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HEALTH &
WELLBEING
Throwing Shapes Wellness gets a new look in London this March with the opening of Mission – soon to be the largest yoga and movement space in Europe. Spread out over a 15,000 sq/ft warehouse on Fashion Street in East London, the space comprises five studios, three treatment rooms, a gym, sauna, roof terrace and a top-floor restaurant called Maene. Founder Genny Wilkinson Priest aims to redefine how yoga is taught and practiced in a post-Covid world, combining traditional classes with strength and mobility training. mission-e1.com
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HEALTH & WELLBEING | Lifestyle Take control of your health with regular check-ups
MIND & MATTER
Life’s little luxuries
SMOOTH Off with the tights and on with this long-lasting moisture gel that uses a postbiotic complex developed in Switzerland that does double duty to balance skin barrier function and smooth crepey skin. A spring must have. Cellcosmet Body Gel, £213. harrods.com
BODY LANGUAGE
A
very wise man, Dr Laurens Maas, recently told me, ‘The first 50 years of life are free but the second act requires some serious effort if you want to age well.’ How true. So with this in mind I want to share a couple of things I’ve been doing recently to boost my longevity. March is Colon Awareness Month and sadly also the two-year anniversary of the passing of one of my closest girlfriends to colon cancer. With this on my mind, I visited OneWelbeck’s (onewelbeck.com) state-of-the-art Digestive Health Unit for a colonoscopy (£1,900). I highly recommend everyone over the age of 45 book in for this procedure as it is the gold-standard method of detecting pre-cancerous polyps, which if spotted early can be removed on the spot, obstructing any cancer from developing. If no polyps are found the ‘all-clear’ can be given on the day of the procedure, and you’ll have peace of mind for the next five to ten years, after which the colonoscopy should be repeated. The team at OneWelbeck are fantastic. I was sedated for the procedure and can honestly say it was no big deal. The faff happens the day before, as in preparation you need to take some pretty hardcore laxatives to empty the bowel – station yourself near a loo and think of it as the ultimate spring clean.
Having thankfully got the all-clear on my colon, it was over to the Dr Medispa Clinic (drmedispa.com) on Beauchamp Place where I’ve been experimenting with the Emerald Laser (£1,800 for six sessions) to lower my cholesterol. This is a non-invasive fat loss treatment that not only expedites weight loss by shrinking fat cells but also offers a raft of wellness benefits, including decreased cholesterol and balanced hormones – making it ideal for those like me on a midlife/menopausal spectrum. Emerald uses ten low-level, non-thermal green lasers on the skin to shrink fat cells in stubborn areas (tummy, flanks, thighs) and patients can lose an average of six inches over a course of treatment – without any dieting I lost five inches. The treatment emulsifies the adipose (fat) tissue and releases excess fatty acids into the body, which give you a fantastic boost of energy (I felt so much more spritely) before the fat is processed through the lymphatic system. The treatment takes around 30 minutes, (15 minutes lying on your front and fifteen minutes on your back) and unlike other weight loss treatments involves zero pain or downtime – in fact the whole experience is super relaxing. Hurrah! With summer round the corner I honestly can’t recommend this enough to fast track weight loss and give people who feel close to burnout an added boost of energy. n
SNOOZE Chic and clever, this silk sleepwear range is infused with hyaluronic acid, marine collagen peptides and argan oils that are released onto skin through friction and body temperature to rehydrate and rejuvenate skin while you sleep. Narvvi Selene slip, £280. narvvi.com
SPRITZ Louis Vuitton’s most popular perfumes have a jaunty upgrade with jaunty packaging from Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. Louis Vuitton Attrape-Rêves, £235 for 100ml. uk.louisvuitton.com
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH
Bottoms up for Colon Awareness Month, says Olivia Falcon
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HEALTH & WELLBEING | Wellness
BODY & SOUL
Your home can affect productivity, sleep and emotional health, says Camilla Hewitt
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FIT FOR FUNCTION
Home workouts are a great way to incorporate wellness into your space. Fluidform founder Kirsten King tells us, ‘My secret to working out at home is creating a comfortable space for movement. A space to feel present, reset the body and calm the mind. A fulllength mirror will help you to self-adjust and improve your form; burn an essential oil with calming and cleansing properties and find a playlist which motivates you. Simple changes can go a long way in keeping you focused and motivated to move.’ fluidformpilates.com
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OUT LIKE A LIGHT
Our circadian rhythm is directly impacted by the type and quantity of light we are exposed to during the day. In order to have the best chance of feeling good throughout our sleep-wake cycle, interior lighting should mimic the natural light cycle. Bright light is similar to a shot of double espresso: it increases our energy and alertness in the morning, while low-level, warm light is a cue for our body to rest. Using candles or lamps instead of overhead lighting in the evening will gently induce a more sound night’s sleep. evermorelondon.com
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SPACE FOR PLAYTIME
We often set aside a specific space in our home for self-care, confining the feel-good factor to one 3 area. Jodie Cariss, author and founder of Self Space Therapy, tells us, ‘Wellbeing in my home is anywhere I make space for creativity. That could be playing card games with my kids at the dinner table, journalling on my bed, opening my wardrobe and thinking “what mood am in today”, or dancing on my own in the lounge! Anything that elicits a sense of play.’ Recognising that every interaction with our home environment contributes to how we feel opens the door to a more positive connection/relationship with it. theselfspace.com
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GET TACTILE
When we see textures, our minds are instantly drawn to how they feel to touch, and soft fabrics are the perfect way to create a cosy, safe-haven to come home to. The latest launch of lambswool and cashmere blankets from Tekla & Les Couleurs Suisse AG takes inspiration from the textiles, bright walls and bold artworks from Villa ‘Le Lac’ Le Corbusier, in Corseaux, Switzerland. teklafabrics.com 4
Located on Europe’s largest high-altitude plateau, Alpe di Siusi, Alpina Dolomites was built with a focus on ecological sustainability, and is harmoniously integrated into the surrounding environment. With access to myriad differing trails, the area is a real paradise for hikers, and throughout June and July the plateau transforms into Europe’s largest alpine wildflower meadow, criss-crossed by a network of well-groomed tracks. The hotel’s sizeable Como Shambhala Retreat is the perfect destination to unwind after exploring this extraordinary landscape. BOOK IT: From €430 B&B. alpinadolomites.it
PHOTOS: PEXELS
CHECK IN: ALPINA DOLOMITES
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HEALTH & WELLBEING | Notes
The
SCOOP
Forest fun, eyes wide open and menopause support. By Charlotte Cole RUN FOREST RUN
If you go down to the woods today, make sure it’s to the creamy confection of Lime Wood in the New Forest, especially since its recent interiors upgrade courtesy of Susie Atkinson. Now that spring is here, it’s the perfect time to book in for one of its rewilding retreats. Coming up in May is Forest Fix Workshop: taking advantage of the hotel’s bosky canopy surrounds, you’ll work up a little sweat with a forest run, led by Head of Fitness Justin Pimm, followed by outdoor training with kettlebells and a ‘Forest Combat Session’ (sounds intriguing, right?). After expending all that energy, thankfully you can retreat to the spa for restorative treatments, finger-lickingly good plant-based treats, plus some time to relax poolside. Next one takes place 16 May. £325pp, inc. breakfast and lunch. limewoodhotel.co.uk
THE EYES HAVE IT
I don’t know how you feel, but for me fatigue manifests in my eyes. They feel scooped out, dragged down and ditch-water dull when I’m knackered and it’s a confidence-knocker. But step forward Dr Joshua, who in a 30 minute non-invasive treatment can help give you back that eight hours’ deep sleep look we all crave. Called #InclinEyes, he injects tiny, super-precise doses of specially selected fillers (the treatment can always be reversed for peace of mind) along the upper eyelids and brow arches. The results? They’re subtle but effective and your eyes feel wide open once more. Lasts for 12 to 18 months. From £815. drjoshua.co.uk
Healthista’s Dr Dawn Harper
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH; © JAKE EASTHAM
ONE-STOP MENOPAUSE SHOP
Do you feel like you’re in the age of rage? Do tears prick your eyes more often than before? Do you want to scream at the bloke scoffing chips on the tube next to you? Perhaps you’re approaching ‘the change’, the biggest hormonal shift women endure since puberty. Nowadays, the menopause can be talked about in the same sentence as kundalini yoga and mushroom lattes, and access to help and understanding is on the rise. Digital platform Healthista has gathered together a group of top doctors, nutritionists, and mental and physical health experts to create The Menopause Pack, with bite-sized videos from Dr Dawn Harper, advice on coping with symptoms, audio guides, meditations and workouts (£34.99, healthista. com). Meanwhile, WomenWise uses at-home genetic and biochemistry testing, plus lots of symptom and lifestyle analysis to come up with a super-personalised plan to help you manage your symptoms and look after your mental and physical. It can see you through this stage of your life with good tools, sound knowledge and girl power. £599 for the tests, report and 12 months of support. womenwise.health 82 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | March /April 2023
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HEALTH & WELLBEING | Take Ten
WET, WET, WET
Hydrate and recuperate skin ready for spring, says Nathalie Eleni
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Christophe Robin Hydrating Leave-In Cream A transformative treatment that smoothes, protects and rehydrates each individual hair strand. A luxurious and lightweight cream to apply, keeping hair frizz free all day. £27.90, cultbeauty.co.uk
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Nature’s Journey Daily Cleansing Balm Enriched with premium CBD (grown by its makers), known for its healing and soothing properties, along with nourishing shea butter, broccoli seed and vitamin E, this balm brings instant relief to sensitive skin. £30, naturesjourney.co.uk
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Omnilux Contour Glove A saviour for dry and dehydrated hands when cream is just not enough. Reduces the appearance of sunspots, pigmentation, redness, wrinkles, dry cracking skin, and uneven skin tone. £269, omniluxled.com
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CHES Editions The Ultimate Oil, Edition 29 This 100 percent natural and vegan hair oil combines the highest grade argan, camellia, rosemary and pumpkin seed oils to deeply hydrate and restore the condition of both hair and body. £65, cheseditions.com
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L’Occitane Immortelle Shea Youth Body Balm Fusing shea butter and immortelle flowers, which work together to revive skin youthfulness and luminosity, this all-over balm is a luxurious antidote to tired, dull winter skin. Available from April. £55, loccitane.com
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Peep Club Hydrating Portable Humidifier This creates a gentle mist that replaces the moisture around the air of your work or sleep space to keep eyes and skin hydrated. £55, peepclub.com Evidens de Beauté The Night Recovery Solution All the hydration without the heaviness. This divine gelcream hydrating night mask revitalises even the most parched faces, with ultramoisturising ingredients that bring the bounce back to lacklustre skins. £99, fenwick.co.uk
Forlle’d Hyalogy Platinum Face Cream With biomimetic peptides and patented ionised hyaluronic acid, this is perfect for stressed city skins that need extra TLC and a restored glow. £207, forlled.com Révive Moisturising Renewal Triple Defense Hydrator A complex of sweet almond, meadowfoam, grape, evening primrose, and rosehip seed oils, combined with a biomimetic lipid blend to cushion skin with a barrier of moisture. £165, johnbellcroyden.co.uk
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH
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Oskia Rest Day Comfort Cream When your skin is super sensitised or deeply in need of an envelope of moisture, this is the comforting cream you need. No actives, just calming and restorative ingredients for your skin. £60, oskiaskincare.com
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Discover your home’s potential Introducing our
Colour Consultancy Service
neptune.com/colour-consultancy
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HEALTH & WELLBEING | News
Beauty BUZZ Nathalie Eleni has all the latest beauty news ZAP IT
ON THE FACE OF IT
The latest at-home skin tightening and contouring device from Dr Levy Switzerland, this uses two technologies: electro-muscle stimulation to tone and lift, and radio frequency to tighten and brighten. The Contour Pro, £249. niche-beauty.com
An effective collagen-remodelling treatment, Dr Sophie’s Advanced Collagen Remodelling Tweakment can give skin a fresh look and feel. It features HArmonyCa, the new hybrid injectable by Allergan Aesthetics, which restores facial volume, improves skin laxity and promotes the production of natural endogenous collagen. One month post treatment, you return for a Volite injection – not a filler, but a skin conditioning hyaluronic acid that maximises the effects of the treatment for long lasting results and a refreshed complexion. £2,995 for two sessions. drsophieshotter.com
ALOE ALOE!
Centred around the long celebrated health benefits of aloe vera, the Salobre Hotel Resort & Serenity’s Be Aloe wellness centre in Gran Canaria has a tailored programme using this natural plant (famous to the island) to deliver an effective menu of treatments to restore the body, beat the bloat and streamline contours with specialist lymphatic drainage massages. With a mild climate all year round and direct flights, it’s an ideal spot for a mini health break. Try the Aloe Experience, with a facial, full body massage and aloe vera drink included. €139, salobrehotel.com
GRACE AND FAVOUR
Just launched at Harrods is the new Grace de Monaco fragrance collection, comprising three delicate perfumes inspired by Grace Kelly herself. Even better, all revenue goes to the Princess Grace Foundation, which supports up-and-coming stars of theatre, dance and film. From £60. harrods.com
HOW TO… TACKLE HAIR LOSS Hair loss effects over 60 percent of the UK’s female population. An at-home treatment to try is cult beauty brand Nécessaire’s The Scalp Serum. Just launched, it’s a waterlight serum infused with a five percent biomimetic peptide blend and a one percent multi-molecular hyaluronic acid to support hair growth and minimise thinning (£60, netaporter.com). Elsewhere, The Hair Clinic at John Bell & Croyden offers a range of trichological treatments to help manage and improve different causes of hair loss. £60 for an initial consultation. johnbellandcroyden.co.uk
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
EXPERT ADVICE FROM C&TH’S BEAUTY DIRECTOR
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PHOTO:© ABDULLA AL-MUSHAIFRI, QATAR, WINNER, NATIONAL AWARDS, SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2023
CULTURE
Buckle Up Peer into the viewfinders of the world’s best photographers. The Sony World Photography Awards takes over Somerset House, presenting a curation of the best pictures taken in the past year. Be awestruck by images ranging from fascinating wildlife to composed landscapes and astonishing portraiture. 14 April to 1 May, worldphoto.org
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CULTURE | What’s On
THE CULTURAL CALENDAR
Art exhibitions, races and culture to soak in this spring. By Tessa Dunthorne
PATTERN PLAY REDUCE, REUSE...
The theme of World Recycling Day this year is Creative Innovation. London's first hands-on recycling shop, Are You Mad, is encouraging people to donate their home waste to be transformed before their eyes into multi-use objects. 18 March, areyoumad.co
What are the Scots best known for? Arguably whisky, castles – and its textiles are pretty extraordinary, too. The V&A Dundee presents Tartan, an exhibition exploring the story of one of its most famous cultural exports. Opens 1 April, vam.ac.uk/dundee
HORSING AROUND
GORGEOUS GEORGIANS
Peek into the wardrobes of the Georgians at the Queen’s Gallery – whether the opulent jewels and gowns spied in the Regency courts, or the practical dresses worn by maids and household servants. From 21 April, rct.uk
ROUGH AND TUMBLE
Physical theatre to make you gasp – Humans 2.0 is a circus presented for the first time to London audiences by Australian director Yaron Lifschitz. Feel awe as the bodies of these performers tumble from dizzying heights and create spellbinding movements. 12-15 April, southbankcentre.co.uk
ALL TIED UP
Explore the art of kumihimo at Japan House's exhibition. A Japanese braid made from handdyed silk threads, it's used in anything from samurai armour to the finishing touches of kimonos. Until 11 June, japanhouselondon.uk
PHOTOS: EVGENY KARCHEVSKY VIA UNSPLASH
The world’s best horses, trainers and jockeys go headto-head in four days of jump racing at Cheltenham Festival. Get caught up in the worldfamous action, and enjoy all the hospitality and entertainment on offer, too, like the food offering by chef Clare Smyth, whose restaurant has achieved three Michelin stars. 14-17 March, thejockeyclub.co.uk
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The Critical LIST
Watch, read, listen
Kelvin Harrison Jr stars as 18th century French-Caribbean violinist and composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, in a new biopic called Chevalier, which debuts at the Toronto Film Festival. Out 7 April
FILM
THE C&TH GUIDE TO…
LONDON DESIGN WEEK London is the world’s design capital – check out its answer to fashion week, says Tessa Dunthorne
Riley Keough and Sam Claflin star in the much-awaited TV adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & The Six, which details the rocky rise of a fictional band in 1970s America. Out now on Prime Video
L
acking in interiors inspiration, or have a project you want to get off the ground but don’t know where to start? London Design Week (LDW) is your answer, celebrating everything the capital has to offer in terms of design innovation, all housed in Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. For one week, join 600 brands as they showcase their newest collections.
PHOTOS: EVGENY KARCHEVSKY VIA UNSPLASH
DRINK IT ALL IN
Central to LDW are intriguing installations to capture your imagination – from huge hanging pendants to carefully curated showrooms (which you can see, feel and touch), there’s a lot of visual inspiration. If you’re intimidated by the sheer volume, not to worry: there are twice daily ‘Design Discovery Tours’. Allow your guide to provide an insider’s view into the most talked-about designs from the week. Once you’ve drunk in a visual feast, make sure to also enjoy an actual feast. Throughout the week, the Social Pantry is taking over the centre’s restaurant to create a unique dining experience for hungry design enthusiasts. LISTEN & LEARN
LDW provides an exceptional opportunity to connect with the British design community – and there are over 100 events facilitating those meetings and discoveries. Design workshops are a chance to get properly stuck in. Our picks?
TV
Design Week is an opportunity to see what 600 brilliant brands have been creating
On Mon 13 March, the owners of Paolo Moschino owners will present a masterclass on curating your home for harmony, alongside Studio Peake founder Sarah. For those looking to enter the business of design, industry talks focus on growing your business. On the Friday, three interior designers give advice on the first few steps into establishing an exciting career. And don’t miss out on the panels chaired by C&TH’s own interiors editor and House Guest podcaster, Carole Annett, who will be talking about how nature can spark creativity in the home on 17 March. We recommend dipping in and experiencing as much as you can. 13-17 February, dcch.co.uk
In a brand-new eponymous podcast for Spotify, Louis Theroux will work his interview magic on some of the world’s biggest entertainment stars from both sides of the Atlantic. Out spring 2023 on Spotify
PODCAST Melissa Coss Aquino’s Bronx-set debut Carmen and Grace explores women's choices through a tale of two cousins lured into the underground drug trade – one seeking power, the other desperate for a way out. Out 13 April 2023, £16.99, Head of Zeus
BOOK
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CULTURE | What’s On
PREVIEW
The Motive and the Cue at the National Theatre
O
scar-winning director Sam Mendes is at the helm of The Motive and the Cue, a new play opening at the National Theatre this April. Penned by His Dark Materials TV screenwriter Jack Thorne, the show explores the complex relationship between stage legends Richard Burton and John Gielgud, played by big-name stars Johnny Flynn and Mark Gatiss, respectively. The play takes us back to 1964, when Burton – newly married to Elizabeth Taylor (brought to life here by Tuppence Middleton) – took on the role of Hamlet in an experimental production directed by Gielgud. Running for 17 weeks, it was a roaring success by commercial standards – but behind the scenes, things were turbulent, predominantly as a result of tensions between Burton and Gielgud.
Staged in the National’s Lyttelton theatre, with set design by Es Devlin, The Motive and the Cue gives us a glimpse backstage. Creating the play, Thorne drew on the writings of two key texts from former cast members: the memoir Letters from an Actor by William Redfield, who played Guildenstern opposite Burton, and the book John Gielgud Directs Richard Burton in Hamlet by Richard L Sterne. In the former, Redfield wrote: ‘Between the two men there is an artistic disagreement, an aesthetic split. It is a fundamental difference of both belief and technique.’ It’s set to be an interesting look at what happens when two ages of theatre collide, as well as an exploration of the nature of fame and celebrity. From 20 April, nationaltheatre.org.uk
MY Cultural Life
Tuppence Middleton
Johnny Flynn
Richard Burton and John Gielgud as they prepared Hamlet
Mark Gatiss
I’m tuning into… The Rest is Politics podcast. Hooked from day one. Refreshing and insightful in a sometimes crazy world.. I’m reading… Geena Davis’ Dying Of Politeness. What a woman – a true icon and a very honest autobiography. The last thing I watched was… The Banshees of Inisherin. A masterpiece of filmmaking, and I’ve always loved Martin McDonagh’s work on stage and screen. My favourite painting… Right now – I’d have to say David Hockney’s A Year in Normandy. I was so lucky to see it last year in Bayeux and it’s staggeringly beautiful. What I’m most looking forward to seeing… Standing At The Sky’s Edge at The National Theatre. I’m a big Richard Hawley fan and those songs mixed with the incredible voice of Maimuna Memon. I cannot wait. My favourite film of all time… This is so hard! Well… It probably has to be The Princess Bride. The first video my dad bought us and a bit of true escapism. It’s genius. Singer I always have on repeat… Stevie Wonder. I have my mum to thank for introducing me to this legend when I was little. My ultimate cultural recommendation… When I was a student, I used to go to the BFI Mediatheque. You can go grab a booth, put the headphones on and delve into their incredible archive, all for free. Cultural guilty pleasure… GoggleBox. I could watch it for hours. My favourites are Giles Brandreth and Sheila Hancock.
Sian Brooke stars in police drama Blue Lights, out in March on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
SIAN BROOKE PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID REISS; HMU BY MARIA COMPARETTO; STYLING BY HARRIET NICOLSON
Actor Sian Brooke is brushing up on politics and jamming to Stevie Wonder
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Books | CULTURE
NATURE NOTES
Richard Hopton reviews three books about nature and the environment
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BRITAIN'S LIVING SEAS by Hannah Rudd
Hannah Rudd is a young marine biologist whose first book is a wideranging survey of the seas surrounding the British Isles. It is an illuminating read, simultaneously inspiring and dispiriting. Rudd provides a tour of the wonders of Britain’s coastal and maritime world, the geology, flora, and fauna, terrestrial and aquatic, offering easily digestible science with lots of eye-catching photographs. At the same time she spares the reader nothing in describing the devastation we have wrought on our maritime environment. Pollution, coastal development, over-fishing, deep-sea mining, and climate change are just some of the ways in which we are destroying the oceans on which we all depend. But the book is also a plea for action as all is not (yet) lost: ‘even small changes can turn the tide’ of maritime degradation. (Bloomsbury, £16.99)
2
URBAN JUNGLE, by Ben Wilson
Ben Wilson’s new book explores the wild side of cities: ‘The natural part of cities is as restless, fast-paced and cosmopolitan as the human.’ His thesis is predicated on the idea that far from being ‘sterile or deadening, urban areas … are stunningly diverse, often far more so than nearby countryside.’ Urban Jungle is a beguiling and beautifully written tapestry of history and ecology examining how cities and the natural world of plants, trees, birds, animals, and insects have co-existed, beneficially and otherwise, since time immemorial. He charts the appalling damage rampant and ill-considered urban expansion has done to cities’ natural environments and the threat this poses to their future. The book also examines how many cities are now embracing nature. ‘Cities,’ Wilson writes, ‘should be the conservation sites of the twenty-first century.’ (Jonathan Cape, £20)
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GHOSTS IN THE HEDGEROW by Tom Moorhouse
‘Hedgehogs,’ writes Tom Moorhouse, ‘are unquestionably Britain’s favourite mammal.’ We all love Mrs Tiggy-Winkle but hedgehog numbers are now in a steep decline. This new book, framed as the denouement of a murder mystery, examines the potential causes of this drop in the population. Road kill, badgers, human carelessness, and habitat destruction as a result of agricultural intensification and urbanisation are all suspects. Despite its light-hearted presentation Ghosts has important things to say about the way we treat our natural environment. ‘Modern life has ganged up on a beloved animal,’ writes Moorhouse, but it’s an observation that applies to species everywhere: ‘Hedgehogs are simply a prominent victim.’ The book ends on a practical and mildly optimistic note with some ideas for mitigating the hedgehog’s plight – and that of other species. (Doubleday, £16.99)
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CULTURE | Books they were personalities, performers. So much online content is bland and deadening. Mae is profoundly affected by her work. How did that theme of ‘overhearing’ impact your writing?
BIBLIOFILE
It’s strange but I think it changed how I listen, it made me so much more alert to sounds. The novel takes a paranoid turn, which would happen if you spent so much time listening, searching for something that might not be there. People were always jostling for position in the Factory too, and that naturally lends a paranoid element. When will I fail? When will I lose my position? Warhol’s greatest legacy? For me it’s his films. He had a gift for spotting star quality and the films remain dangerous and exciting. I don’t feel the same about his paintings.
Nicole Flattery's new novel is special, says Belinda Bamber
Nothing Special is a darkly funny novel about Mae, a teen typist employed by Andy Warhol to transcribe his audio tapes of life at the Factory. She’s fictional, but the story isn’t: intimate tapes of Warhol’s acolytes formed the basis of his 1968 book, A: A Novel. What gave you the idea for this story?
In 2017, before my story collection Show Them A Good Time was released, I was reading Olivia Laing’s Lonely City, fascinated by the idea of Warhol’s novel created by taperecording sessions. I bought it, and the more I thought about it the more attached I became to the idea of the typists. At the time I was working on a short story called Track, about a comedian who listens to canned laughter over and over again in order to become inspired, and it felt like it was the same language, almost. What research did you do? Extensive – I went to a lot of Warhol exhibitions, watched his films, read his biographies, researched books and films of the Sixties and Seventies, spoke to people who were there. Unfortunately I didn’t hear the original tapes as they’re in the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and I wrote it largely during lockdowns. But in any historical fiction you have to leave space for your imagination too.
Mae is an unreliable but engaging narrator. Did you enjoy writing her? I feel very close to
Mae, I’d never spent so much time with a character before. It was important to me that she shows her age – she’s only 17 – always trying on different identities, wanting to become someone else. That can lead to mistakes, but there’s something indestructible about her, too. Is the obsession with self-invention a 1960s trope? Maybe in the 1960s it felt new – with the
arrival of certain fashion styles that felt specifically youth-oriented – but people have been inventing
Why is a department store so pivotal to the story? I came of age when
department stores were where you hung out as a teenager, met boys, invented yourself. There’s so much performance in them. I love to watch people shopping. Annie Ernaux has a great paragraph in her diaries about how her sexual desire increases her need to shop. After brief fame, the lives of Warhol’s crowd often ended badly. Would you choose to be an It-girl or typist? I think I’d be a typist, I’m not
sure I’d have the energy to be an It-girl.
Nothing Special imagines the life of a typist at Warhol's Factory in the Sixties
and reinventing themselves forever. It’s one of the joys of being alive.
Lennon and Jagger were in that scene – which would you choose for your fantasy Factory party? Can I have Paul McCartney instead? With
Bianca Jagger’s wardrobe.
Which writers currently inspire you? American
We constantly watch each other online now. It’s a form of surveillance. We’ve lost something through this constant self-monitoring and self-display. I don’t care if that makes me sound old! A certain freedom has been lost.
writers Mary Gaitskill and Lorrie Moore have been constant inspirations. I thought about Alfred Hayes and Richard Yates’ work a lot when I was writing Nothing Special, that kind of chilliness and introspection. Don DeLillo too. Your next book? I’m working on a new novel that will be distinct from Nothing Special – darker, modern, different from anything I’ve tried before.
He might appreciate the effort, but I think he’d abhor the results. The Factory people were selfinvolved, narcissistic, stupid etc – but they were fun,
Nothing Special by Nicole Flattery (Bloomsbury, £16.99). Read the full interview on countryandtownhouse.com
Warhol’s continual recording makes everyone morbidly self-conscious. Any parallels?
Would Warhol approve of the TikTok generation?
BATTLING THE ELEMENTS
WATER Julia Armfield’s Our Wives Under the Sea is beguilingly strange – her writing wriggles into your consciousness with the flash of a minnow (Pan Macmillan, £16.99); EARTH The explosive impact of the Belfast Blitz on the lives of sisters Emma and Audrey and their lovers is explored in Lucy Caldwell’s engrossing These Days, based on four days in 1941 (Faber, £12.99); AIR The fatal allure of male charm is the heart of Emma Flint’s gripping true-crime novel, Other Women (Picador, £16.99); SUN Santanu Bhattacharya’s One Small Voice examines the impact of mob violence on the life of young Shubhankar, as nationalism catches fire in India at the approach of the millennium (Fig Tree, £14.99) n 94 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | March /April 2023
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CULTURE | News
GOOD NEWS
Tessa Dunthorne on the stories changing the world for the better Fingle Woods near Dartmoor contains one of the UK’s few temperate rainforests Artists including Es Devlin, FKA Twigs (pictured here) and Mark Wallinger have contributed art to The Wild Escape, which will be brought to life alongside works by UK children
CREATIVE EDUCATION
The Wild Escape has been launched as the largest ever collaboration between the UK’s museums and the Art Fund, with the aim of encouraging the nation’s children to visit them and learn about the threat to the UK’s biodiversity. During their museum trip, kids will spot animals in collections and create artwork in response to what they see. These will be brought to life by immersive games studio Preloaded, and unveiled on Earth Day 2023 (Sat 22 April), with children then able to enter an epic VR imagining of their art. It’s all in collaboration with the new BBC documentary series, Wild Isles, narrated and presented by David Attenborough, and expected to be released this spring. thewildescape.org.uk
GREAT BRITISH RAINFORESTS TO BE RESTORED
LET’S LEVERAGE THAT A new report by Systemiq and the University of Exeter has identified three ‘super-leverage points’ that could trigger mass decarbonisation in the sectors causing 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. A ‘super-leverage point’ is a small intervention which could cause a huge chain reaction, and the three that have been identified are: a global mandate for the sale of electric cars; a switch to ‘green ammonia’ in agricultural fertilisers; and government use of plant-based proteins in publicly service buildings. exeter.ac.uk
NATURE CURE
A new study has revealed that acts of citizen science – for example, counting insects or observing bird populations – has a significant impact on the wellbeing of its participants. britishecological society.org
PHOTOS: SCHOOL DINNERS BY KATERINA HOLMES VIA PEXELS; GETTY IMAGES
The Wildlife Trusts have announced an ambitious new project to restore Britain’s increasingly rare temperate rainforests (mostly in western Scotland, the Lake District, western Wales and the South West of England – occurring where coastal and upland ancient woodland meets a wet and mild climate) thanks to a £38m funding grant by Aviva. This aims to help create nature-based solutions to climate change. Aviva is investing this money twenty years ahead of a climate-intensive project, with the aim of balancing its carbon impact on the world. wildlifetrusts.org
HEALTHY BUSINESS
Owner of Los Mochis, Markus Thesleff
In a hospitality industry first, Los Mochis has guaranteed private healthcare for everyone who works for the company, from the kitchen porters to the managing directors. The move aims to increase staff retention, but also gives more egalitarian access to private staff benefits, setting an example across London’s restaurant scene. losmochis.co.uk
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ROBO-DOC
Conservation CORNER
Thanks to a new AI algorithm, developed by engineers at the University of Waterloo in Canada, there’s potential for doctors to better screen for breast cancer solutions straight after diagnosis. The algorithm predicts the efficacy of chemotherapy as a treatment for individual patients based on their MRI scans and the data from thousands of previous patients.
DAVID AND GOLIATH The Goliath frog is the largest on earth and an endangered species, subject to poaching and trafficking. But the tide is turning thanks to the efforts of the Conservation Leadership Programme in Cameroon, which have led to the return of this frog to the rivers it had previously deserted. conservation leadershipprogramme.org
WHAT’S FOR DINNER?
London mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a new scheme ensuring that all primary school children in London receive free school meals across the next academic year. The scheme will cost a sum of £130m, and will save families around £440 per child across the year.
PHOTOS: SCHOOL DINNERS BY KATERINA HOLMES VIA PEXELS; GETTY IMAGES
GET A LEG UP
A new – and serious – study in the BMJ has put the Ministry of Silly Walks to the test, to see how effective a different jaunt is for meeting exercise needs. The results? Imitating John Cleese in the famous Monty Python sketch for only 11 minutes a day is enough to meet weekly exercise recommendations with no big time commitment.
MIRACLE CURE The third-ever case of HIV being totally cured provides promise for a world without HIV/ AIDs. The ‘Dusseldorf patient’ was receiving stem cell transplants to treat his leukemia, with the astonishing side effect of also curing his HIV.
OPERATION PANGOLIN The world’s top researchers and conservationists at the University of Oxford and the Zoological Society of London (among others) have announced a plan to protect the world’s most trafficked mammal, the pangolin – all eight of its species are at risk of extinction. Monitoring pangolin populations through tagging and tracking, they will discover the movements of the elusive creature. They will further prevent wildlife crime using machine learning approaches to analyse data for any major patterns. gfjc.fiu.edu
LEAPING LIZARDS The work of conservation groups in the Caribbean has salvaged the population of the critically endangered Union Island gecko. Through prevention of poaching, local education work and careful study, this jewel-marked gecko has seen its population increase by 80 percent in the last four years. fauna-flora.org
AND IN THE HEADLINES
TAKE A BRAKE Wales scraps all major new road projects over environmental concerns. PLANET FIRST From November, all UK government policies will be developed with environmental protection and enhancement in mind. GREEN FOR GO The EU has drawn up plans to create a multibillion-euro package of state subsidies for green energy companies and electric car makers. RENEW NOW The Colombian government has announced that it will no longer support any new oil and gas projects. March /April 2023 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 99
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CULTURE | Interview Louise’s artworks are inspired by the natural world
LOUISE KAYE
ouise Kaye stands in her Hampstead studio, a former shop on the corner of a redbrick terrace, floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides. She mulls over the ‘mindset’ of both the artist and the yogi enthusiast. ‘Yoga emphasises an inward focus – but also a connection to the physical body through the asana practice [the poses] and the pranayama, the breathing. I feel this dynamic connection between the outside world and inner world in my artwork,’ she explains. Louise has taught yoga for 30 years. Only recently did she return to art, a passion she was discouraged to study in favour of Spanish (she also speaks Portuguese and French). In her twenties, she made knitted clothes that she sold on a stall in Covent Garden. ‘It was doing well, but I want to do something freer,’ says Louise, who then enrolled at Central Saint Martins School of Art. She feels they taught very little technical skill – in her mind, an advantage. ‘I don’t know how to do anything properly – I can try everything. I’ve never formally learnt how to use oil paint, clay or glazes so I just do whatever I want.’ A table of paint pots and brushes stands in front of a stack of huge canvases leant against the wall. Louise pulls one out, a six-foot long garden scene. ‘The tree is a huge cypress in Portugal: lovely stripey rats live in the branches. They scurry out to look for seeds in this quite barren garden.’ The flowers depict the messy, uneven beauty of nature. It shows, says Louise, the ‘overwhelmed, joyful experience of becoming lost in that space. But the tree – central and powerful, takes you somewhere else.’
In the window, colourful clay forms almost dance out of their cabinets. Some are designed to hold candles, others are sculptures: jagged pink shapes attached to sky blue. They all vibrate with colour, and were sold recently at Dover Street Market, a pop of colour in an otherwise minimalist shop. ‘This one is The Disappearing Night Moth. It expresses the obliteration of biodiversity. This one’s entitled We’re Fucked,’ says Louise, gesturing at another huge, multi-coloured creation. The tension in her creative process is intense. ‘There is a constant dialogue, a love-hate relationship with my work. Sometimes I don’t want to even look at it and I feel annoyed and so angry, then think, “Why did I wipe that out?” Then I can change, and I’m quite interested in what I’ve made.’ This ambivalent attitude to her own creations fuels progress towards the end result: work she finds satisfies her entire aesthetic; art she feels happy to present to the world. Sometimes, frustrated with a work’s progress, she even puts it away entirely out of sight for a few years, then gets it out for a refreshed appraisal. On the wall hangs a piece conceived in 2017 – it continues to frustrate her sense of completeness. ‘I don’t like the way the green and yellow are contrasting in the background,’ she explains. As we look around at her multi-coloured oeuvre, she sums up her attitude, ‘The power of a hyacinth bulb as it grows is incredible to me: that power is what I try to capture through colour.’ Louise’s works are on sale at Alex Eagle Studio, 6-10 Lexington Street, London W1. louisekaye.com n
PHOTOS: © CAITI GROVE
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Yoga, informality and a love-hate relationship inform this artist’s works, finds Caiti Grove
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Art | CULTURE
The EXHIBITIONIST David Hockney – but not as you know him. Ed Vaizey gets immersed
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PHOTOS: © JUSTIN SUTCLIFFE; © DAVID HOCKNEY
fascinating show has just opened in London, not just because of who the artist is, but because of the shift in ‘art experiences’ it represents. David Hockney has launched a fully immersive experience at the Lightroom, based in King’s Cross. But it’s not just the Hockney show, it is the launch of the Lightroom itself that is so intriguing. I don’t need to tell you anything about David Hockney. Alongside Freud and Bacon, he dominated the British art scene for decades, and is now this country’s greatest living artist. He is firmly a subversive member of the establishment, turning up at the King’s lunch for holders of the Order of Merit wearing a loud check suit and yellow Crocs. Despite his great age, Hockney remains an innovator, first with his ‘paintings’ made with polaroid pictures stuck together, and then going further with paintings on iPads. Only an artist with his credibility could have made these mediums acceptable to the art world. Now we have his show at Lightroom called Bigger & Closer, Not Smaller & Further Away. It’s a cycle of six themed chapters, with a specially composed score by Nico Muhly. Hockney provides the commentary, talking about his processes as an artist over the last 60 years. It’s a breathtaking experience, as you walk through vast rooms completely enveloped by the artist’s work, but it is also extremely intimate, as you feel you are being taken on a personal guided tour. The Lightroom is just the latest of the a number of immersive experiences that are gradually becoming the norm – the Van Gogh experience, Frameless at Marble Arch, and Frida Kahlo in Coventry are probably the best known over the last couple of years. The Lightroom is led by Nick Starr and Nick Hytner, the duo who ran the National Theatre and then built the Bridge Theatre. Indeed, the Lightroom is explicitly designed as a sister space to the Bridge Theatre, and designed by the same architects Haworth Tompkins. The team behind the show are listed in the credits – from composers to animators, video designers and executive producers. So this is a ‘show’ in the true sense of the word. It’s a form of
live digital theatre – and Hockney has also been a successful stage designer – where the art is a prop or inspiration for the show itself. People can get themselves very worked up about whether this is art. The show has a limited run, just like any exhibition, but the space is permanent, and after Hockney closes another artist will take his place. Personally, I am all for it. It’s a great way to introduce people to art. It’s not an either/or – you can still appreciate Hockney’s paintings in sit-in places like Tate. And it uses the latest technology to create a new kind of art experience – exactly as Hockney has done in the past, which is why he is the perfect artist to launch this latest iteration of immersive art. Until 4 June 2023, lightroom.uk n CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: David Hockey at Lightroom; Installation of David Hockney’s The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (twenty eleven)
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CULTURE | Sustainability
MY LITTLE GREEN BOOK Lisa Grainger takes to the skies of Brazil with conservationist Roberto Klabin
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lying across the Pantanal with Roberto Klabin offers a lesson in what one person can do if they put their mind to it. When his father died in 1983, the wealthy paper manufacturer’s family was left a quarter of a million hectares of grasslands in southwest Brazil. Like many other Brazilian landowners, some of the beneficiaries used their share of the land to ranch cattle. But with his own 131,000 acres, Roberto wanted to do something different. Like the Serengeti in Africa, Roberto explains to me as we flit over the grasslands in his Cessna 206, the Pantanal is a vast depression – 81,000 square miles of grasslands covering Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. And like the Okavango Delta in Botswana, in rainy season the area becomes a giant floodplain, with rivers feeding into it from the plains above. The problem is, he says, as we pass over islands of thick forests and wide rivers snaking through the grasslands, was that big agricultural business soon realised the area had the perfect resources for industrial farming. If they diverted the water, they could grow rice and soy beans and if they cut the forest, they could breed cattle. Slowly, they started a circle: the more crops and cattle they introduced, the more the wildlife disappeared. And the more fertiliser and pesticides they used, the more the birds died. In 1986, seeing the devastating effects that farming was having on wildlife in the area, Roberto knew he had to do something to halt the decline. So he took himself to Africa – to Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana – to learn how they managed farming alongside conservation. And on his return, armed with information, he drew up a plan to transform his farm into the Pantanal’s first cattle-cum-conservation reserve. A quarter of a century later, Casa Caiman is a model for Brazilian conservationists who want to combine rewilding with low-impact agriculture. At its heart is a 5,300-hectare, dense area of forest that can never be cut down – and in which creatures can live undisturbed.
Roberto transformed his slice of Brazil into an ecohaven in the Eighties
PHOTOS: © LAYLA MOTTA; ©FELIPE CASTELLARI
Tourists can visit Casa Caiman and witness its diverse wildlife first-hand
Nearby, there are comfortable farm buildings in which tourists can stay and spot wildlife; stables from which they can ride; an organic farm to provide produce; and a small herd of cattle to keep the grasses at an optimum level. And housed in a research station is Onçafari, the NGO founded in 2011 by the former racing driver Mario Haberfeld, to research jaguars. The result of his efforts, Roberto says proudly, is a reserve on which wildlife is not just surviving, but thriving. Since Onçafari opened its research station, its scientists have learnt that the Pantanal is home to a greater diversity of life than the Amazon, with more than 2,000 species of plant and 500 kinds of bird, as well as 124 types of mammal, from cute pig-like capybaras and 300kg tapirs to giant anteaters. Jaguars, whose numbers dropped to 150,000 in the wild, have started to thrive and produce cubs – in 2012, only 35 were sighted in his area, Roberto says, whereas in 2021 they saw 1,075. And Hyacinth macaws swoop between acuri and bocaiuva palms to find the nuts that make up their only food. These highly endangered – and extremely beautiful – blue birds, according to a pair of Hyacinth Macaw Project researchers who now live on the ranch, are the only one of the four species of macaws that they’ve managed to save in the wild. Thanks to the NGO, since 1990 their numbers have grown from 2,500 to 6,000. But their longevity isn’t secured, Roberto says, unless more people come on board and help to preserve the Pantanal – which is why he co-founded the NGO SOS Pantanal, to find sustainable ways to protect it. So far, he has persuaded nine other farm owners to link their properties to his, to create an ecological corridor of 740,000 acres. But, in spite of his efforts, large-scale soy farms upstream have started to divert rivers into their own fields. If more mainstream, pest-heavy, water-thirsty projects join them, ‘it will be game over,’ he believes. ‘So the world has to pay attention,’ he says. ‘If something isn’t done, wildernesses like the Pantanal could vanish. And the only thing that can stop that is us – all of us.’ caiman.com.br; sospatanal.org.br
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COUNTRYSIDE
COLLECTION
One-of-a-kind pieces you’ll love for seasons to come
On Model: Calumet Field Jacket Winter Quarter Sweater R.E.A.L Skinny Ella Jean Moresby Waterproof Boot ariat.com
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CULTURE | Conservation
The POSITIVE DISRUPTOR James Wallace issues a clarion call for the protection of our native birds Matt Best holding a ringed goldfinch
THINK DIFFERENTLY, ACT NOW Looking to the skies to save the planet
DISCOVER The results of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch 2023 will be released in April. rspb.org.uk HOP ALONG To your local citizen science group with Earthwatch. earthwatch.org.uk
become essential. Armed with the necessary evidence, organisations like Wild Justice can then bring about rightful prosecutions. And this behaviour is happening at the highest levels. It was only in 2022 that Chris Loder, the MP for West Dorset, famously stated that rare eagles were not welcome in his constituency. After an illegal killing of an endangered white-tailed eagle on a nearby shoot, he implied that the police should not investigate it. The Guardian then exposed that his 2019 election campaign was funded to the tune of £14,000 by Ilchester Estates, a shooting estate in his constituency. With recent government cutbacks, Natural England prosecutions of bird crime have plummeted. Seventy-two hen harriers were killed by gamekeepers on or close to driven grouse moors since 2018. There has not been a single prosecution. However, there is hope. These droves of Mattshaped citizen scientists have a very positive role. They educate and galvanise local communities and help reconnect people with the rest of the natural world. Last year, 700,000 people counted 11 million birds in just one hour during the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. Jays flaunting their jazzy blue-striped uniforms raced up the league table, who, along with magpies and red kites, are often (wrongly) blamed for declining songbird numbers. Every jay plants about 8,000 acorns annually, most of which are not later eaten. Imagine the forests of oak that will emerge if we just leave our featheredfriends alone, while quietly counting their recovery? n
VISIT Skomer Island to count puffins and Manx shearwaters with Welsh Wildlife Trust. welshwildlife.org/ visit/skomer-island SUPPORT Wild Justice in their quest to end bird persecution. wildjustice.org.uk
READ Rebirding: restoring hope and Britain’s wildlife with Benedict MacDonald. blackwells.co.uk
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; UNSPLASH
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eet Matt. He’s a twitcher. From the age of 14, his idea of fun has been early rises, lugging kit up a hill and setting up nets to catch birds to put rings round their legs, which helps keep track of what’s happening to them as a species. Together with thousands of other ornothologists, Matt is deeply worried by the UK’s rapidly declining bird population. Habitat loss, rampant agriculture, chemical pollution and a decimation of insect numbers are to blame. Remember the halcyon days of swathes of summer insects smeared across your windscreen? ‘Splat rate’ studies show numbers of flying bugs – bird food – have plunged by 64 percent between 2004 and 2021. It’s no surprise then that the RSPB’s State of the UK’s Birds Report shows a decline from 102 million breeding native birds in the 1960s to 83 million in 2020. Bizarrely, we introduce 57 million invasive pheasants and red-legged partridges each year for the pleasure of shooting them a few months later. Their impact on our native species already struggling to find a niche in our industrialised landscapes, and their role, along with factory-farmed chickens, in spreading avian flu, cannot be underestimated. How do we know these depressing figures are true? Enter Matt et al, the kind-hearted and generous army of volunteer bird ringers, the original ‘citizen scientists’. Their meticulous records help to inform nature conservation, political advocacy and law enforcement. With the killing of birds of prey and bird-egg theft commonplace, this has 104 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | March /April 2023
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FASHION FORWARD: POLESTAR’S DESIGN ETHOS Maximilian Missoni, head of design at Polestar, tells Caiti Grove how he has drawn on different industries, from architecture to fashion, to inform his design of a car brand that he considers to be the apex of his achievements
POLESTAR PHOTOS: POLESTAR, COURTESY OF THE BRAND; GANNI
‘W
e have our own identity but we’re not hiding our family as Polestar’s aesthetic chief where his true designer instincts have ties with Volvo – that link is beneficial for us, it creates been given freer rein. trust,’ explains Maximilian Missoni, head of design at Born into a family of architects, Missoni was immersed in design Polestar, the electric car company that spun out of the at an early age. Today, inspiration continues to come from different Swedish automotive marque six years ago. worlds; he has met designers at Spanish fashion house Balenciaga Polestar is creating ground-breaking new design, yet it is also and Danish fashion brand Ganni to learn about sustainability from open to its Volvo lineage. It’s a sign of confidence, recognising that the an industry that has adapted to change very quickly. Incorporating reassuring reliability of Volvo will be a powerful pull for those wary of these ideas into Polestar has been a challenge but it is, he believes, acquiring hugely complex, digitally enabled vehicles. It’s maybe just the apex of his design achievement. a logical step too: Polestar started life as Marrying contemporary issues Volvo’s racing skunkworks, pushing the about sustainability with the durability boundaries of engine and safety tech on expected of an automobile is, of course, the unforgiving circuits of rural Sweden, highly challenging, he reflects. But the before establishing itself as a standadvent of the electric car creates an alone company, which went public in opportunity to reimagine what power 2021, valued at £16.4 billion. and reliability look like, he says. For him, Missoni has been a pivotal figure at function here leads fashion to produce a both brands. Appointed head of exterior fiercely competitive product. design at Volvo at the age of 34 in ‘I started my career in an era when 2013, the Royal College of Art graduate the car was clearly a mechanical Maximilian Missoni (top and right, helped to revive the company’s financial product. That was part of its fascination pictured with COO Dennis Nobelius) fortunes after its disastrous decade – the gears, pistons, burning fossil is charged with the exhilarating under Ford ownership. The Austrian fuels, the whole rawness of it. To tame design of the Polestar marque wunderkind was rewarded with his role that beast was a very exciting thing,’
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C &T H X P O L E S TA R PA R T N E R S H I P
‘Those big engines – and 70-litre fuel tanks – are not needed anymore, so we require different signals about what a fast luxury car looks like. A change of mindset is about to break upon the motor world’
POLESTAR PHOTOS: POLESTAR, COURTESY OF THE BRAND; GANNI
says Missoni. ‘But now, the industry is waking up to the fact that cars are changing into a digital device. A mindset shift is about to break upon the motor world with a new paradigm of what luxury is: technology is luxury.’ Enter Polestar. With a spacious interior with an option to customise fabrics and colours, Polestar 2 exudes luxury comfort. Large, robust, practical – the car is slightly higher up off the road than your average saloon, but not as elevated as an SUV. Still, after adjusting the seats (electric controls are intuitive and simple), it’s a high and scenic ride on my whizz through Epping Forest as a thunderstorm raged outside. With a classy glass roof and large windows, it’s light and airy. With a sense of planted stability, there is a real sense of control, with the car gradually braking when the driver takes their foot off the accelerator, rather than cruising. This can be altered to specifications, but it’s a useful innovation that makes sense. Inside, you can access your own Google account from the generous-sized dash monitor. ‘We like to collaborate, not compete with the best,’ says Missoni of the marque’s decision not to create its own maps system – and that other Swedish mainstay, Spotify, can appear too with all its algorithmically chosen playlists. In this 21st-century world, we seem to crave the input of a screen to feel secure. But the screen is built for the vehicle, unlike other electric cars, which seem to reverse this dynamic. No theatrically large monitors but a generous-sized one that doesn’t distract. In Maximilian has looked to fashion brands like Ganni (above), which has adapted quickly to the need for sustainability to be embedded. For Polestar, the luxury lies in the technology and the space created around it
Polestar has a future-facing vision that is industry-leading
essence, it’s a car for drivers, though plenty here for tech geeks to enjoy. And parents will be pleased to see you can go some 330 miles before a recharge – about the limit for any trip with the kids. Polestar’s vision for the future is also admirable and ethical. This isn’t a company you will have to defend from the wrath of friends and neighbours. Recently Missoni has talked to the team at Balenciaga – provocative on the catwalk and working hard on luxury fashion’s new watchword: sustainability. ‘Maybe surface materials on the interior are not our major culprits when it comes to sustainability – we have aluminium, steel, factories,’ he reflects. ‘But when it comes to the interior, we like to look at fashion and see how they deal with their problems,’ he adds. Missoni also met the founders of Ganni. ‘They’re similarly extremely focused on sustainability, and they integrated it early in their design process by using it as part of the design expression.’ Those ethical flourishes shouldn’t be overlooked – and perhaps unsurprisingly come indirectly from Volvo, a company that invented the three-point seatbelt we use today and gave it patent-free to the world. It’s a useful nod to the company’s rich history but there’s plenty here to interest futurists. As a nervous parker, I was super-impressed by the 3D cameras around the car that made for easy-peasy parking even for the spatially challenged. As Missoni puts it, ‘In a Polestar vehicle, the emphasis is always on looking forward, the cameras will look after parking in the tightest of spaces.’ I think we may never glance in a rear-view mirror again. And certainly never look back. polestar.com
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Citroën C5 X PRICE £40,410 ENGINE 1.6-litre POWER 221hp 0-62mph 7.6 seconds ECONOMY 236.2mpg (official) STREAMING Je Ne Regrette Rien – Edith Piaf
Road Test
The French have a history of wacky cars – and Citroën’s C5 X has a character all of its own
COUNTRY
TOWN
RATING: 3/5 WELLIES
RATING: 3/5 HANDBAGS
Those large, squidgy seats may be comfortable about town but they won’t offer much lateral support on a twisty, country B-road. The Citroën doesn’t exactly wallow but this isn’t a car for spirited driving, with hardly any feedback from the steering wheel. Equally disappointing is the modest petrol engine, a motor that screams in pain when pulling out of a junction quickly, or trying to overtake. It’s disconcerting and combined with the hybrid’s jerky action when coming to a stop, the ride isn’t as relaxing as it could be. So, it’s best to treat the Citroën gently and settle in for a comfy ride in a serene and spacious cabin. The C5 X is no magic carpet ride like Citroën’s of old but our Shine Plus model was top of the range, with high equipment levels, including a fabulous sound system. It’s certainly not a match for a BMW or Volkswagen but there’s still something rather endearing about the Citroën – a car that feels that little bit different to other family motors and, as such, will likely engage with a certain type of driver. More ‘conventional’ rivals include the Skoda Octavia Scout and Volvo V60 Cross Country. However, it’s difficult to pigeonhole the Citroën, so you may have to decide what the laidback C5 X will be used for before seeking out alternatives. Just beware of secondhand values of large, unconventional Citroëns in the UK because historically, they aren’t very good. While loyal French drivers would buy a broomstick if it had a Citroën badge on the side, the British tend to avoid them with a bargepole.
Remember the pram-shaped Citroën 2CV and even odder DS? The French manufacturer has built some off-the-wall cars over the decades – and the latest C5 X shows there is still room for idiosyncratic vehicles in the 21st century. Who knows whether the C5 X is an estate car, a stretched SUV, or just an unconventional coupe that just happens to have four doors, instead of two. Perhaps the Citroën is best described as a large family-mover with attitude. The C5 X is certainly not a sports car, more of a five-seater designed for comfort rather than speed. It’s no slouch but the armchair-like seats suggest passenger wellbeing is the main priority, instead of performance. Owners will certainly get noticed around town because of the eccentric styling. Conventional SUV design has been thrown out of the window in favour of a profile that’s considerably easier on the eye. Sitting on those big, comfy seats, the Citroën glides around town, over potholes and speedbumps with the minimum of fuss. The central touchscreen is big, allowing the display to be split into tiles that allow more than one function on screen at the same time. The estate-like boot swallows up shopping, while the cabin in general feels much bigger than it looks from the outside – apart from rear headroom, which can be tight. A high-rise central armrest hides a giant bin for carrying bits and bobs, while the user-friendly dash has real buttons and dials to operate the ventilation – much simpler than a touch screen.
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Motoring | CULTURE
THE DRIVE
The Milestone Hotel
Destination: The Milestone Hotel, Kensington
Netflix series The Crown has often split the nation but there’s no escaping the significance of Princess Diana’s time at Kensington Palace in the royal drama. Her 1994 Audi 80 Cabriolet featured heavily on the palace driveway. Indeed, since the Noughties and despite an initial outcry, many members of the royal family have chosen the German marque over British cars. Audi’s top limousine is the A8, with a more potent, flagship twin-turbo model called the S8. Subtle styling makes it the perfect motor for escaping the glare of cameras. Understated yet refined, the S8 is almost classless – if it wasn’t for the six-figure price tag. The build quality and finish suggest a car costing twice as much, while an incredibly powerful engine also has the royal seal of approval. Even so, the sublime S8 won’t be around much longer in current petrol form, replaced in the future by an electric model. The 2023 version, then, is a last hurrah for a luxury car that demands respect, and for one that is considerably less obnoxious than some noisy rivals. Front or rear seat, the S8 really is fit for a princess. Audi only do good interiors but the best has been reserved for this car. Spacious, silent and equipped with air suspension, this is a supremely comfortable ride. My destination today is Kensington – not the palace itself but a room with a view over the grand building that has been a royal residence since the 17th century. The Milestone Hotel on busy Kensington Road looks across Hyde Park and is part of the exclusive Red Carnation chain. Opened more than a century ago, the building was formerly three Victorian townhouses and now includes a range of apartments too.
The Milestone is one of my favourite places to stay, not because it has exquisite gardens – it has none – or a spa and swimming pool (it has neither). I love the place because of the attention to detail and the brilliantly trained staff who go the extra mile to keep guests happy. This is old school service of the finest kind, relaxed, professional and committed. It’s also animal-friendly. From Stephen the concierge, who knows the name of my dog before he opens the Audi door, to the housekeeping maid who delivers personalised business cards to the desk of my suite, a visit to The Milestone is like returning home. Fancy a splurge? Try the Noel Coward Suite, direct view towards Kensington Palace, a bathroom the size of a small flat, plus a hot water bottle on request. Important because it is all about the details. BOOK IT: From £435. milestonehotel.com Audi S8 PRICE £103,830 ENGINE 4.0-litre V8 POWER 563 bhp 0-62mph 3.8 seconds ECONOMY 24.6mpg (combined) STREAMING Smooth Operator – Sade
IN THE BOOT
PEDDLE POWER Balance bikes for kids make learning to ride easier – by simply removing the peddles. The walk, run and then cycle concept reduces the risk of wobbles and falls. The Hornit, £139. hornit.com CHILLING READ Travel writer Edward Cooper sets out on a journey across Greenland and the Canadian Arctic in search of a note left by a little known explorer. The Inuit Way (JB Journey Books, £9.99) F1 STYLE Stylish suitcase brand Carl Friedrik has created an F1inspired suitcase for travellers in a hurry. The limitededition was designed with F1 team Scuderia AlphaTauri and driver Pierre Gasly. AlphaTauri Carry-on, £345. carlfriedrik. com n
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CULTURE | Interview
Charlotte Metcalf meets Sian Sutherland, the woman aiming for a plastic-free world
IN BRIEF COTTAGE OR PENTHOUSE?
Our Dorset cottage is our weekend salvation but I couldn’t ever leave London. DOG OR CAT?
Our two 18-year-old cats are siblings and live in Dorset – outside all week, inside at the weekends. COUNTRY PUB OR MICHELIN STAR?
Pub. My favourite is the Square and Compass, a holein-the-wall on the Purbeck Coast. GARDENING OR THEATRE?
Cinema! I love escaping into film and live next to the White City Electric in west London. DESIGNER CLOTHES OR COUNTRY CASUALS?
My dress sense has always been a quirky mix. Life’s too short to blend in.
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PORTRAIT BY ALEXANDRA DAO
ian Sutherland arrives in an immaculate, lustrous shirt that matches her hair and confesses she’d cycled to work in a sweatshirt emblazoned with ‘Chaos’, before remembering our meeting. She ran down Oxford Street, hurriedly buying the shirt on the way, a purchase she’s naturally squeamish about, given the shocking amount of microplastics that our garments shed daily. Few people know as much about plastic as Sian, co-founder of A Plastic Planet – and now much more besides. Banning plastic is her all-consuming cause and her solution-driven rhetoric is attracting more followers daily. She laughs when I ask what triggered her activism, ‘You mean what set me off to being the most unlikely eco-warrior on the planet?’ She was a serial entrepreneur, first opening her eponymous, Michelin-starred Soho restaurant, then running a brand agency and founding pregnancy skincare brand Mama Mio. By 2016 she was a mother of two 6’5” boys, busy, happy and successful, when she was asked to advise on distributing the documentary A Plastic Ocean. ‘Bear in mind this was before Blue Planet 2,’ says Sian. ‘We held a screening at the Notting Hill Electric and practically had to bribe people to come. David Attenborough attended, which of course helped, but watching it en masse, we realised guilt, fear and blame don’t stir people to positive action. The “recycling” obsession is just consumerism’s fig leaf, a distraction from what’s really needed, which is to turn the plastic tap right off.’ And so, with co-founder Frederikke Magnussen, A Plastic Planet was born. Its first project was to call on supermarkets to create a plastic-free aisle. For a year there was a sluggish response. Then Blue Planet 2 aired. Eighty million downloaded it, slowing down China’s internet. ‘Boom! The cork was out of the bottle,’ says Sian. ‘Attenborough had finally pointed to man’s negative impact on nature.’ In February 2018 the world’s first plastic free aisle opened in Ekoplaza, Amsterdam. ‘There’s not an inch of our planet not infected by plastic and every bit ever produced, unless burned, still exists. Yet plastic production will triple by 2040. We need more bans to create a vacuum for the green shoots of innovation to flourish.’ This is a tall order but Sian’s first step would be banning all variants of polyester: ‘Without it fast fashion can’t exist. Then fashion could revert to being about beautiful craft. We wear the average garment four times before chucking it and the West exports 20 million items of clothing every week to Accra in Ghana where 40 per cent is burnt. Even the once
pristine Atacama Desert in Chile has become a polluted fastfashion graveyard. Forget 2050 or even 2030! We have just five years to instigate dramatic action. Plastic is the gateway to hyper-consumption, which causes climate change, so we absolutely must ban it.’ A Plastic Planet’s newest venture is PlasticFree, the world’s first materials and system solutions platform, empowering 160 million creatives worldwide. Already luminaries like Thomas Heatherwick, Tom Dixon, David Chipperfield and Aric Chen have joined its council. ‘Plastic is not a pollution issue but a design issue,’ Sian insists. ‘So, we’re going to be very active at global events, like London Design Biennale. We shouldn’t blame the public for succumbing to plastic as it’s almost impossible to avoid. Designers must create without it and government must mandate that industry phases it out.’ What can replace it? ‘Materials that do good, not just less bad,’ she says, ‘like Natural Fiber Welding (NFW), that enables nature’s nutrients to be moulded and shaped like plastic but then returned to nature as nutrients. BMW plans to use it to replace its leather interiors.’ Sian’s solutionist arguments are now persuading governments, industry and manufacturers globally. She’s just flown back from launching PlasticFree in New York. What about the impact of her air miles? ‘I have to travel to collaborate effectively and I can’t be impactful without focus, so my singular mission is banning plastic. If the plastics industry was a country, it’d be the fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gases and yet the Trump administration greenlit 42 new plastic manufacturing facilities. Besides, the aviation industry uses 2.5 per cent of our greenhouse gas emissions budget, while the sneaker industry uses 1.4 per cent with the 26 billion pairs it makes annually. Everyone talks about planes, not sneakers, but imagine if all sneakers were plasticfree?’ She tells me about ‘The Degenerate’, the world’s first nutrient-based sneaker that can be ground up and fed into soil. ‘Create plastic-free sneakers and we progress to removing plastic from buildings.’ ‘We can achieve fast systemic change if we aim for a plastic-free world,’ Sian continues. ‘That word, “sustainable”, isn’t good enough – sustaining our status quo will be disastrous. The plastic crisis has given us a firm tap on the shoulder, waking us up to urgent action. Fortunately, I’ve never worked with such inspiring, brilliant people. Everything I’ve ever done has built me to do what I’m doing now.’ aplasticplanet.com; plasticfree.com n
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Sian is on a global mission to create a plastic-free world
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Model in centre: Dress Cecile Bahnsen Boots Gina Sail earrings in titanium and white gold, with brown diamonds and white diamonds Adler Skaters wear their own clothes
Roll Up
ROLL UP Turn to female designers for spring styles infused with fun FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD PHOTOGRAPHER CARLA GULER
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Dress Longchamp
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Dress Victoria Beckham Shoes Christian Louboutin Socks Adidas Olympia earrings in titanium and white gold with amethysts, sapphires and diamonds Adler
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Top, shorts, shoes and earrings Chanel Sunglasses Zimmermann
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Dress Molly Goddard Cap Longchamp Socks Adidas Heels Gina Ring Stephen Webster
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Jumpsuit and shoes Stella McCartney Sunglasses Zimmermann Rollerskates Flippers
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Top and skirt Zimmermann TEAM Make-up: James O’Riley @ One Represents using Giorgio Armani Beauty make-up & skincare; Hair: Davide Barbieri @ Caren Agency using Leonor Greyl; Video: Tracer Ital @ Adrenalin Photographic Fashion Assistants: April McCarthy and Alice Hare Photographer’s Assistant: Alex Ingram Model: Romi @ M&P Agency Skaters: Johnny Montero ( @thesunskater) & Ishariah (@stormskater), both wear their own clothes Shot on location at Flippers Roller Boogie Palace STOCKISTS: PAGE 182
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Marine was captured by photographer Alexandra Dao. The image encapsulates the idea that women can do it all: nude to reveal her pregnancy, and an expression of vulnerability and femininity; the paint to represent art; and the boots to represent Marine’s strength, career, business, and mindset.
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Woman’s
WORK AMY WAKEHAM talks leadership and life lessons with art entrepreneur Marine Tanguy
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n wet-look leggings, heeled boots and a fluffy jumper cropped above her baby bump, French art entrepreneur Marine Tanguy is the image of low-key Gallic style when we meet in her Marylebone townhouse office. We sit down to chat in a lightflooded gallery-cum-board room bedecked with paintings, sculptures and light installations from her stable of artists. Although she might not look like a stereotypical greysuited CEO, the London-based entrepreneur’s success is undeniable: she helms one of the fastest growing companies in the UK, now worth £35 million and counting. Marine herself appeared on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list back in 2018, and has done two TEDx talks on transforming cities with public art, and how social media images affect our minds. All very impressive for a woman with no initial industry connections, who grew up on the tiny French island of Île de Ré with parents who were teachers. She describes her upbringing as ‘socialist’, a worldview that helped her explode onto the art scene when she hadn’t yet finished university: she left her degree in art history at Warwick after two years, and was running a gallery in Soho by the age of 21. ‘I didn’t understand social classes because I didn’t come from them. The socialist vision of the world is that we’re all equal, and this meant I wasn’t intimidated by celebrity, or high class people, when I was 19,’ she explains. By 26, in 2015, she had founded her own industry-disrupting agency MTArt. Today, her company manages global talents such as climate artist David Aiu Servan-Schreiber, sculptor Lorenzo Quinn and AI innovator Leo Caillard, who created the cover for C&TH’s very own Great British Brands 2023. But despite all the success and accolades, it’s fair to say 2022 was Marine’s annus horribilis. It started when she broke her leg going into another round of fundraising for her business, a day before the opening of the Venice Biennale – she flew out on morphine and crutches. Shortly after she found out she was pregnant with her second child – beautiful
news, but added stress in an already overwhelming year. Then in late September what she describes as ‘cyberbullying’ started. Anonymous stories were posted on the Instagram page @BalanceTonAgency, a French account that shares allegations of harassment in communication and PR agencies. They accused Marine of everything from fiscal fraud to identity theft to bullying, and even infidelity to her partner of eight years, tech investor Will McQuillan. The salacious accusations were picked up in Le Monde, the only publication that reported them. ‘Defamation laws are stronger in the UK so you wouldn’t be able to do that here,’ says Marine. But that didn’t stop the allegations from impacting her business, and her team. ‘It’s really hard when it’s a public opinion case. You can’t just go,“Let’s sit down and go through the facts”,’ says Marine. ‘I think it’s to mentally break you, and to destabilise your company. None of my team members left, but one of them could have.’ She reflects on the gendered nature of the accusations and subsequent online abuse. She especially dislikes that Le Monde ran a picture of her from nine years ago at the head of its article. ‘Why is it my picture? Why isn’t it my business’ logo? Why was it not an interview with my current employees?’ She compares her experience to that of Audrey Gelman, the founder of women’s-only members club The Wing. Gelman resigned as CEO in June 2020, after complaints about the racist behaviour of its members, and an employee walkout. ‘I remember opening up to some of my girlfriends about how I felt really uncomfortable about the way she was being taken down [on social media]. And it was at the same time we found out that the founder of WeWork [Adam Neumann] had extorted millions from his investors. But for her I was seeing a defamation of her character rather than an assessment of her business.’ But the experience of cyberbullying was also a learning curve – and to get through it she had to drop the businesswoman façade she’d carefully March /April 2023 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 121
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Marine and her team at the Marylebone office, in front of a light installation by artist Liz West
built over years of fundraising and investor meetings. ‘I’ve had to be vulnerable and ask for help, which I’m really bad at,’ she says. ‘But the only way out was to be transparent – I said to my team, “don’t just take my word for it”, and I asked our lawyers to research everything [I was accused of] so they could see. It’s hard because you’re built as a founder to show no emotion.’ Being three months pregnant at the time was an added layer of difficulty. ‘You have a sense, especially when you’re pregnant, that you don’t want to jinx it, you don’t want to collapse, and you can’t collapse because you look after multiple people in multiple units – a family one and a company one. So it forces you to ask for help because there’s too much at risk if you collapse. That was a great lesson.’ Dropping the CEO ‘façade’, as she calls it, will be essential for the next phase of her business. ‘I think I survived stage one of my company with that façade, but going into stage two, now we’re scaling, I’m having to break it. At first you have to pretend everything is perfect, even though it’s really hard and you can’t confide in anyone because you’re trying to build a company. But now I’m at the stage where I have an amazing team and I need to confide in them.’ Although passionate about female leadership, Marine is conscious that the different treatment men and women receive in business – as exemplified by the cyberbullying she received – prevents many girls from aspiring to become leaders. ‘It’s the backlash that women founders face or female businesses face versus what a man faces,’ she says. ‘So I understand why [women] might not want to take that route. But I think that’s frustrating as it benefits a system that’s already not set up for us.’ She thinks another reason for the lack of female founders is that
girls aren’t socialised to be competitive – an idea she first read in a book called In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney, ‘which should be read by most men and women.’ For girls, ‘their worst nightmare is to be ostracised from the group. So they’re taught to never go into conflict.’ She continues: ‘We need to teach competition, that the workplace is competitive, but that doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Women aren’t taught how to resolve conflict because we are taught to be pretty and smiley and lovely.’ She adds: ‘Lashing out by calling five of your girlfriends who will then just team up against the other woman is problematic.’ Although Marine thinks it’ll take another year to fully accept what happened in 2022, she says she is ‘prepped for the next crisis’. There’s – naturally – lots more business growth on the agenda, and she’s writing a book for Penguin, to be released in January 2024, a follow on from her TEDx talk about how social media visuals affect the mind. She is also looking forward to a new start with the birth of her second child this March. He’ll be called Vivaldi, after the composer who, ‘while he had health issues, overcame his condition with his music’. She continues: ‘Listening to Spring of the Four Seasons literally pulled me and his father out of any challenges as it gave me that little bit of hope, resilience and strength. We hope to pass on that same resilience, hopeful nature, optimism and love that make us a couple, with his name. And just like spring, it’s a pure celebration of life and hope over anything else.’ Marine came up with the name with a couple of her artists (the duo Walter & Zoniel) back in October, as the cyberbullying fallout was at its peak. ‘Asked how I felt then towards my pregnancy, I kept saying, “it’s like the four seasons: it will pass and I shall look forward to spring”.’ mtart.agency n
PHOTO: © RAZIA JUKES
‘WOMEN aren’t taught how to RESOLVE conflict because we are TAUGHT to be PRETTY and smiley and LOVELY’
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There’s still huge inequality between male and female founded businesses when it comes to getting investment
Three
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
STEPS TO..? There are more women founding businesses than ever, but what’s really holding them back from scaling up is equitable access to funding. LUCY CLELAND investigates
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hy can’t a woman be more like a man?’ crooned Rex Harrison in the musical My Fair Lady nearly 50 years ago. Those lyrics still very much resonate today, especially when it comes to women entrepreneurs and the VCs that dish out the cash to help them scale their businesses. The statistics speak for themselves: according to the 2022 Rose Review, although femalefounded businesses account for a record share of new firms, total venture capital investment levels in them remain at a miserly one to two per cent. So what are the barriers? How can we overcome them and what do female founders think is really going on? The classroom is a good place to start, says former Goldman Sachs girl Farah Kabir, who founded women’s sexual wellness brand Hanx. ‘We need to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs and investors,’ she says. ‘We need greater teaching on starting a business and building an investment portfolio (be it small or large). Demystifying the process would encourage future female founders, angels and VCs to take that big step. I truly believe financial literacy would have an almost limitless positive impact on society.’ Undeniably that would be a game-changer for every child, but for the women contending with their businesses now, there are plenty of stones
to turn over that reveal the system for getting funding is harder for them. Although the Rose Review says that 134 organisations with a combined investment power of nearly £1 trillion have signed up to the Investing in Women Code, which commits them to improve the potential for female entrepreneurs to succeed, ‘this should not just be pretty words,’ says Tessy Mosindi, founder of Code Funhouse, an AI tutor for kids learning text-based programming. ‘There’s a lot of virtue signalling in terms of investors claiming to help women but the data suggests otherwise.’ Farah agrees: ‘I see the same cycle repeat itself periodically: statistics on the dire situation for female founders, followed by corporate pledges – and minimal moves to make tangible change.’ Of course, when you actually manage to get your feet through the door to pitch for investment, it’s common that the VC teams around the table are all men. As the Rose Review suggests the VC industry is ‘a close-knit group of investors, advisors and entrepreneurs, and there is a lack of transparency as to how funding decisions are made, suggesting signs of perceived bias’. Laura Harnett, the founder of sustainable eco-cleaning accessories company Seep, says, ‘Analysis shows that women get asked tough questions about downsides, financials and risks whereas men get asked about strategy
‘Analysis shows that WOMEN get asked tough questions about DOWNSIDES, FINANCIALS and RISKS whereas MEN get asked about STRATEGY and VISION’
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
‘W
The VC industry is notoriously male-dominated
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and vision.’ Farah got propositioned in one of her pitches. in their quest to create ‘the most beautiful digital space Joanna Jensen, who founded children’s wellness brand possible’. They also believe in the power of two: ‘Having Childs Farm in 2010 as her youngest child suffered from a business partner, who you have worked with before, has atopic eczema and treatments had not moved on from the been invaluable,’ says Serena. ‘It cuts out a huge amount of products she herself used as an eczema sufferer in the 1970s, unknowns and you propel each other forward.’ encountered all the clichés throughout her early funding Focused networks such as Female Founders Rise also come rounds. ‘As the divorced mother of two small girls, I had to into play. Started by Emmie Faust, serial entrepreneur and deliver on the [traditionally male] attributes of drive, ambition mum of four, FFR is a digital and in-real-life networking and hunger and then some. I’ve organisation to help more female founders been patronised many times – had get funded and support entrepreneurship in women. The community has grown to questions about the business I was over 1,500 members in less than six months. running directed to a male business partner and listened as he was praised ‘Being a founder can be lonely,’ says Emmie, for doing such an amazing job. But ‘and as a female founder there are additional if things went wrong, the finger was challenges so communities like this are vital.’ pointed straight at me and manners But, believes Joanna Jensen, it’s ultimately the tenacity, passion and drive of the founder, were left at the door.’ regardless of sex, that will be the biggest ‘We need women in investment determinant of whether a business will decision making roles,’ urges Grace Joanna Jensen, founder de Alvaro, who is bootstrapping her succeed. ’It is about 100 per cent commitment,’ of Childs Farm, which she skincare and makeup brand Sports she says. ‘I see many founders spending too sold to PZ Cussons last year HAI, catering to those who sweat. much time at networking events, ‘We need women there who act like talking about business, attending women and who have had experience conferences about business, within the startup journey.’ Grace reading books about business makes a good point here and brings – when they should be actively to mind Madeleine Albright’s oft-quoted, living, breathing, running and ‘There is a special place in hell for women working on their business. It is who don’t help each other.’ However, evidence a full-time job and if you have a shows that gaining funding from a woman family, you have to get up earlier in the early stages can, in fact, backfire later and go to bed later. This isn’t for on down the road. Last year Forbes reported the faint of heart.’ As she sold her on recent research published by Organization business to PZ Cussons for £36.8 Serena Hood and Lucinda Science in May 2022. It examined 2,136 million last year, her advice might Chambers, the former Vogue startups tracked by the database, Crunchbase, be the most sage of all, although colleagues disrupting the which provides information on startups and it did come at a cost to her mental digital retail space investment activity. It drew and physical health: ‘When I was the conclusion that ‘when full throttle, I didn’t look after women receive support from myself,’ says Joanna. ‘I just kept other women, observers may going – through three major implicitly believe that the operations and the menopause, while singlerelationship was motivated handedly bringing up my girls. I also gained by considerations other weight. I wouldn’t recommend it.’ than merit, which leads to It’s looking more and more like Rex a discount in perceptions of Harrison was right, so what’s the answer? Education, verifiable actions not just words, competence’. Ouch. Women, of course, have transparency around funding decisions and Emmie Faust launched their own superpowers to more women taking part in those decisions. Female Founders Rise as a bring to the table. ‘We Plus, an acknowledgement and provision networking community are resilient, empathetic, for the fact that it is undeniably intuitive, multitaskers women who take on more of – qualities needed for a great founder,’ says the ‘caring’ roles when it comes Carmella Sternberg, who has just started her to childcare, sickness, ageing third business Mamma, after burnout running parents and domestic work – and an events company. ‘And we collaborate,’ agrees this too comes at a financial and Laura Harnett. ‘As women, we all naturally time cost – and a wellbeing one help each other and magical things happen too. It seems there’s still a lot of when we get together and share anything from work to do. introductions to investors and customers to great What all women agree on service providers – advice is given that can save though is that it’s important to hours and money.’ maintain a sense of humour, ‘Calling upon your network for advice and if you can. So heed Tessy introductions has been a huge help,’ agree Serena Mosindi’s words: ‘Nigerians Hood and Lucinda Chambers, the former British say if you don’t chop life, life go Vogue colleagues who founded disrupter digital chop you, meaning remember to enjoy yourself.’ fashion and interiors retail platform Collagerie,
LEARN THE LINGO BOOTSTRAP When an entrepreneur starts a company with only a little capital (usually their own or from close friends and family) and then grows the business without any external investment. CROWDFUND A way of raising investment by collecting money from a large number of people via online platforms. SEED FUNDING The first official equity funding stage. It typically represents the first external investment that a business venture or enterprise raises. EIS Enterprise Investment Schemes offer a tax-efficient way for investors with the right risk profile to invest in earlystage companies with high growth potential. ANGEL INVESTOR Someone who invests their own money in a small business in exchange for a minority stake. VC Venture Capital is a form of investment for early-stage, innovative businesses with strong growth potential.
ALL WOMAN FEMALE FOUNDERS RISE A LinkedIn network founded by Emmie Faust with over 1,500 members that provides advice, connection, networking and support to help female founders succeed. linkedin. com/company/femalefounders-rise ALMA ANGELS An angel investor membership community with the aim of improving the lack of female angel investors in the UK earlystage ecosystem and breaking down the traditional ‘access to network’ problem for female founders. alma-angels.com ALLBRIGHT Digital and physical spaces that bring women together to learn new skills, build a strong network and find the inspiration and resources needed to supercharge their careers. allbrightcollective.com DIVERSITY VC Works with entrepreneurs, investors and universities in order to create an industry that is free from bias. diversity.vc
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TAKE FIVE – FEMALE FOUNDERS TO FOLLOW Meet the faces behind five cool companies to get excited about. By LUCY CLELAND
1
Carmella Sternberg MAMMA, wellbeing
‘In 2017 I suffered with anxiety, low mood, IBS and back issues, and running a very busy events company brought me to burnout. I went travelling around Asia and found different wellbeing therapies including breathwork, meditation and hypnotherapy. After just over a month of immersing myself in therapies, I felt like a different person. My back pain was gone, my IBS relieved, and my anxiety reduced significantly. Fast forward three years and I sold my half of the events business and started the wellbeing business Mamma, with co-founder Annabel James. We’re beginning our seed raise in May, having funded the business between us together with a pre-seed raise that was oversubscribed. We’re expecting the raise to be challenging because of the economic climate. We put it on hold last year because so much was changing economically in tech investment, but we will only work with investors who feel aligned and understand the importance of wellbeing. But this is my third business and I have never looked back. I am so excited about the future of women in business.’ mammawellbeing.com
2
Grace de Alvaro
SPORTS HAI, skincare, cosmetics
‘I started Sports HAI as there was no dedicated sweat cosmetics brand for men and women who enjoy an active life. I have funded the business bootstrapping, with friends and family and by selling personal belongings including jewellery. The most challenging thing has been creating a business plan in an ever-changing landscape, upended by Brexit, supply chains, Covid and now inflation – as well as keeping up with the digital landscape and the power of platforms such as TikTok. I also live in Dorset, so the opportunity to network and meet potential investors is challenging. I’m often doing a 160-minute drive daily to London and working from the car. It would be really helpful if there were more women in decision-making positions when it comes to financing – especially in the boardroom. When I asked female friends if they were interested in investing I was surprised to learn that the “wealthy” ones were not in positions to spend as their financial decisions were supervised by their husbands. Women who worked for their own money were more likely to invest and approached me.’ sportshai.com
3
Tessy Mosindi
CODE FUNHOUSE, EdTech SaaS
‘I worked in education as a Computer Science teacher and identified the struggles students and teachers were facing with programming skills. Students aren’t tech competent enough to compete on a global stage and this is leading to a pipeline issue in tech. Additionally, students are extremely disengaged with the traditional methods of learning in schools leading to a lot of challenging behaviour, so we launched an AI tutor for kids learning textbased programming. The business is currently bootstrapped, we’ve raised some funding via Boost Fund which hasn’t been disbursed yet. We also won the 2022 Innovate UK EDGE Women Entrepreneurs Investment Competition, but didn’t go ahead with our prize for investment. It has been difficult raising funding so far at a good valuation in the UK. Building a network of angel investors hasn’t been easy. The statistics for female founders getting funding look bleak but I’m not giving up. I’m pushing to make revenue from my business and take all the risks necessary to succeed. I’m staying optimistic and understand that building a startup regardless of gender is a marathon not a sprint.’ codefunhouse.com
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LIFE HACKS FROM THE MOUTHS OF FEMALE FOUNDERS ‘Keep things really simple and focus on fewer items’ GRACE DE ALVARO ‘Don’t be afraid to pivot’ SERENA HOOD
4
Farah Kabir
HANX, women’s healthcare
‘The standard sexual wellness offering on shelves just isn’t speaking to women. From garish packaging to penis-centric messaging, it’s hopelessly outdated and doesn’t consider women’s health or pleasure. I had a passionate debate with my oldest friend Sarah about her time working in NHS sexual health and we quickly realised there was a market for products designed with women’s needs in mind, and the ultimate aim of empowering people to own their sexuality and health. We quit our jobs to put our life savings into johnnies, much to the dismay of our families. Since then, we’ve raised £1.8m to date from angel investors, but as two young girls taking on a stale, male dominated industry, people initially laughed us out of the door. As a woman from a Bangladeshi Muslim background, I already don’t fit many people’s idea of what a “successful founder” looks like. I’ve come up against misogynistic attitudes from VCs across the table, particularly due to the nature of our business. On the few occasions I’ve been accompanied by a male advisor, the difference in their attitude towards Hanx has been palpable. It’s disheartening but ultimately spurs me on to find progressive and future-facing investors. What keeps me going is working with my best friend and maintaining a sense of humour in all aspects of my life. We sell condoms, so we have a giggle every day.’ hanxofficial.com
5
‘Giving to others is the most satisfying thing you can do, so seek out opportunities you can give your time or money to’ JOANNA JENSEN
Laura Harnett
SEEP, eco cleaning accessories brand
‘I founded Seep in 2020 to fill the gap between being able to buy sustainable alternatives for most things in my weekly shop, apart from cleaning accessories. I was buying polyester cloths, horrible green-topped sponges and bin liners that were all made of plastic and it felt wrong. I originally funded it with my own “rainy day” savings and money from family. I needed to be able to prove there was a market before I raised more investment and most banks and traditional lenders don’t loan to businesses with no track record. I have just closed the first round of seed funding, which has taken nearly six months and been pretty brutal. Even if you have good metrics, a good concept and an experienced team to pull it off, the funding landscape for earlystage businesses is really tough. Those heady days of unprofitable growth and some high-profile failures have meant that VCs who have been funding these challenger brands for years, now have cold feet. They are worried about the cost of living crisis and the outlook is looking more challenging for consumer products. I definitely feel that raising money is harder for a woman. As a gender, we’re naturally more risk averse and I feel I have needed to be “more like a man” in the sense of presenting myself as confident and bullish. If I could wave a magic wand, what I’d love is a listing with a major retailer. It would make such a difference.’ theseepcompany.com
‘Work with friends. You need someone alongside you in business who has your back’ FARAH KABIR ‘Write down your top three intentions every day and share these with the team and they do the same with theirs. It helps you to prioritise what really will matter to your business each day, plus it makes you accountable for doing it’ LAURA HARNETT ‘When you feel overwhelmed or anxious, then three minutes of breathwork does the trick’ CARMELLA STERNBERG n
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Amy Powney actively spotlights the many people involved in creating the fabrics used in her designs
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New documentary Fashion Reimagined will make you re-evaluate your relationship with clothing, says CHARLIE COLVILLE
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every moment of Amy’s journey – the highs and the lows – and puts a spotlight on the many hands that help the designer create her collection. Audiences get to meet hardworking communities from all over the world, from the team at Austrian steam-powered textile mill Seidra and the Uruguayan family-run wool suppliers Lanas Trinidad (led by the lovely Pedro) to the Turkish ex-prisoners weaving denim with the help of SARP CEO Uraz Batur. An extensive global network of people, connected by Amy’s brand, unfurls onscreen. The experience really resonated with Amy, who has since adjusted her design process to centre around her fabrics. ‘Creating clothing has become a more thoughtful process for me. The amount of respect that you give your fabric after learning about it is tremendous. Think about how many hands touch a metre of fabric before you, the carbon footprint from making it, every process involved. It’s epic.’ ‘That’s really something that we wanted to achieve with the film,’ adds Becky. ‘We wanted to show audiences all the different processes involved in making clothes across a very complex global supply chain, with the hope that it will give people more appreciation for their clothes.’ The film also gave Amy opportunities for self-reflection. She was raised by activist parents and lived with her family in an off-grid caravan in rural England, working on farms during most of her teenage years. This background made her feel more connected to
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hile fashion has never had the cleanest record when it comes to the planet, last year it hit new (and shocking) lows. According to stand.earth’s 2022 Fashion Supply Chain Emissions Report, the industry is responsible for up to eight percent of annual climate emissions – making it the sixth biggest polluter in the world. Despite a greater awareness of fashion’s impact on our world, many brands continue to do little in the climate fight (or hide behind greenwashing claims to appease shoppers). We’re used to seeing the horrible effects of fashion on the planet documented in film, from mountains of clothes in landfills and microplastic-filled oceans to the cruelty inflicted on animals used in supply chains. But where other fashion-focused documentaries rely on fatalism and fear-mongering, new film Fashion Reimagined shifts Fashion designer Amy Powney the focus onto the people creating solutions. Enter Amy Powney, the Creative Director of Mother of Pearl. In the eight years she’s been in the role, she’s rebranded the label into a sustainability-focused trailblazer. ‘When I took over the brand, I knew sustainability was the direction I wanted to take. When Mother of Pearl won the Vogue Designer Fashion Fund in 2017, that became the perfect opportunity to do what I felt passionate about.’ That year was also when Amy met Becky Hutner, a Toronto-born filmmaker who was covering the Vogue award at London Fashion Week. ‘We did a short film at Amy’s house after she won,’ says Becky. ‘I asked her what was next in her career, and she told me that she was on this mission to create a sustainable collection from field to finished garment. She wanted to see the sheep that made her wool and meet the cotton pickers who grew her cotton. At the time, I really wanted to direct and produce my first feature. Meeting Amy was a lightbulb moment.’ The resulting documentary, which follows Amy as she makes her supply chain fully traceable in time for London Fashion Week, draws on a combination of harsh figures and uplifting storylines to drive home a sense of urgency for change among fashion brands and shoppers – and also a sense that this change is indeed possible. ‘The stats are really powerful, aren’t they?’ muses Becky. ‘They seem to really stick in people’s minds.’ They are also what makes Amy’s achievements on screen seem so much more motivating. ‘I guess we wanted to shock and inspire,’ the designer says. ‘With stats alone, it’s too scary to do anything about – that’s why we have this hopeful story running alongside. If you shock, then inspire, you might get people leaving the cinema thinking they can do something about what they’ve just seen.’ And shock and inspire is what Fashion Reimagined does. Becky captures
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the farmers and craftspeople she met during filming. ‘I think it came full circle for me. They felt like the people I grew up with, and it made the whole process feel warm and authentic.’ ‘She’s experienced two very, very different worlds,’ highlights Becky, who went with Amy to visit her parents shortly before working on Mother of Pearl’s new supply chain. ‘I remember at the beginning of the documentary, Amy asking, “How can I marry these two different people in my head?” It seems like such a contradiction, the London fashion side and the environmentalist side, but she brings them together so effortlessly.’ Amy’s upbringing outside the fashion industry’s inner circles is never shied away from in the film. Instead, it’s celebrated for the refreshing perspective it’s given her later down the line. This running narrative was a huge source of pride for Amy: ‘I just love that Becky saw all the hard work and energy I had put in since I was a child, and that it’s been woven into the story. It stopped the documentary from just being all about facts and figures and gave it this greater quality of humanness and possibility. It sends the message that if this kid from a caravan can do it, we all can.’ ‘When I met Amy in 2017, I had not met anyone who was embarking on the same kind of mission as me,’ says Becky. ‘I’m really proud that we managed to make a film on a really difficult topic in a way that was non-preachy and hopeful, even light and entertaining at times. It was important for us to get the tone
ABOVE: Amy meets llamas in Uruguay; LEFT: the fashion designer and her team prep for LFW
Wren coat, £495
Documentary maker Becky Hutner
of the film right, especially since a lot of environmental films are heavy and can leave you in quite a dark place at the end of it. People like Amy and Chloe [Marks, Mother of Pearl’s Brand Manager] are such wonderfully inspiring characters, and it was such an enjoyable journey. They’re presenting us with solutions.’ While the documentary may be complete, Amy and Becky maintain that there is still work to be done. ‘Right now, sustainability for a brand is a voluntary endeavour. It’s not mandated in any way,’ says Becky. ‘We need to look at legislation because unfortunately most major brands are not going to fundamentally change. That’s why we’re running an impact campaign alongside the release of the film. We want to see how our film can support change in policy making, if we can show members of government what is happening so that we can move the needle and get these policies over the line.’ The concept of impact has become a huge priority for documentary-makers in recent years, Becky tells us, especially when they want to drive change. It’s hard to measure, and many films ultimately disappear off the radar, but today’s creatives are actively seeking ways to engage with audiences beyond the screen. ‘It’s all about leveraging your film to ensure that it makes the maximum impact. In our case, to do that, we need to show it to members of government, students and fashion brands. It’s about getting your film in front of the right people and planning activities that encourage engagement.’ ‘We’re going to be setting a live project for graduate fashion students working on their final collections,’ continues Amy. ‘The aim is to encourage future generations of designers to want to make their final collections about sustainability.’ Ultimately, Amy and Becky created Fashion Reimagined to reignite our sense of value for clothing. Between the layers of stats and stories, the two deliver a promising sense of hope – one that will hopefully resonate with future fashion changemakers. Fashion Reimagined is in cinemas now and available on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW from 9 April n March /April 2023 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 133
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Crossing CONTINENTS Oyinkansola Dada is the Nigerian gallerist championing underrepresented Black artists. She talks to NELSON CJ about the intersection of art and politics, and her mission for the future
FROM LEFT: Gallerist Oyinkansola Dada; her gallery in Lagos
n a warm Friday evening in November last year in Lagos, Nigeria, curator, African art connoisseur and gallerist Oyinkansola Dada, only 26, stood at the entrance to her stand at the 2022 edition of the ART X Lagos art fair, with a growing smile on her face. The purple-daubed stand featured paintings and sculptures by Samson Bakare, a multi-disciplinary artist represented by Oyinkansola’s eponymous space, Dada Gallery. As art lovers flocked over, Dada – wearing a black mid-riff blouse and flowy high-waisted skirt – shook hands, dispensed hugs, posed for pictures and eagerly showed off the works. These same aficionados would no doubt have taken with them a copy of the magazine piled on a tall stool in front of the stand; Oyinkansola recently launched DADA Magazine – a title dedicated to featuring underrepresented Black artists from within and outside the African continent. Oyinkansola’s passion is African art – and it’s one she generously poured into making DADA Magazine (a patronsponsored editorial project) a reality. ‘Much of the content in the magazine was inspired by ideas, people and works I’ve been thinking about over the years,’ says Oyinkansola. ‘I’d met many of the artists featured through my gallery and the interviews were inspired by conversations I’d had with them, so I just really tapped into that.’ This first edition presents original and ongoing work from some of Africa’s brightest art talents; from Nigeria’s Daniel Obasi’s mythical photography, to a mixed media painting by Senegalese artist Baye Ndiaga Diouf, and hair-themed paintings by Welsh-Ghanaian artist Anya Paintsil, among others. DADA Magazine stays true to its mission of offering a nuanced look at art coming out of the African continent. Oyinkansola didn’t grow up around art. The youngest of ten children, born in the boisterous West African city of March /April 2023 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 135
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Lagos and having a childhood she describes as ‘sheltered’, Oyinkansola’s first introduction to the art world and, along with it, a political awakening, came when she arrived in London to study politics and law at King’s College London. ‘I was reading [the books of] Chinua Achebe and Tsitsi Dangarembga and learning about feminism and fully understanding colonialism for the first time. In a way, all of it just played into art for me.’ It helped that King’s is located right in the heart of the capital close to its many cultural institutions, strengthening the intersection of her politics and her budding relationship with art. ‘1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair happened to take place in the building next to my campus,’ says Oyinkansola. ‘So after classes I could just stroll in and see what was happening and digest things without thinking too much about it [at the time].’ It was going back to Lagos for a year mid-study and interning at ART x Lagos that really fuelled the artistic embers though. In 2019, she started curating pop-up exhibitions in Lagos and had an online gallery, an evolution of her famous politics and arts blog, Polartics. It was a space where she could unpack her thoughts and experiences around art and politics. ‘For me,’ she says, ‘art can’t be divorced from politics and the decision to only show artists of African descent is
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FROM ABOVE: Artworks by Bunmi Agusto in the gallery; issues of DADA Magazine
a very conscious one. Blackness was always my starting point for art.’ In 2020, Polartics evolved into DADA Gallery (the gallery puts on exhibitions at Cromwell Place, London and a permanent physical space is in the works), representing exciting contemporary artists such as Bunmi Agusto and Djibril Drame, among others. The gallery is a welcome breath of fresh air, standing as it does as the antithesis of the elitism that the art world is often accused of, founded instead on the tenets of accessibility, affordability and underrepresentation. DADA Gallery has presented exhibitions in London and Lagos, and Oyinkansola also hosts an annual ball – called ‘Lagos Is Burning’ – that brings many of the city’s creatives together from all disciplines for a night of costumery, dance and unbridled self-expression. ‘The ball started as my birthday celebration,’ explains Oyinkansola. ‘But then someone was like, “Oh my god, you have to do this again”, so I did. It wasn’t part of any sort of grand mission, but it made sense because I realised the importance of creating space for doing things like that in a city which can feel so oppressive and where there’s a lack of places in which you can fully express yourself.’ For Oyinkansola, this year’s mission for the gallery and the artists she represents is to ‘find a permanent space – and to publish more issues of the magazine, collaborate with different brands, work with more artists, keep up our international presence, and look at expanding and doing more in the US.’ Not small goals then, but with Oyinkansola’s infectious smile, her enthusiasm and passion, there’s no doubt that this time next year it will be mission accomplished.
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ON DESIGN Benjamin faux fur fabric in chalk, from Drakes textured weaves collection by Zinc Textile, £120 p/m. zinctextile.com
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Your in-depth dive into a world of interiors inspiration, design and homeware Edited by CAROLE ANNETT
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ON DESIGN
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Contents 142
DESIGN NOTES
146
TO THE WALL
148
MATERIAL GAINS
150
THE MAINE EVENT
152
GET THE GLORY
154
FROM SMALL ACORNS
156
WHAT’S FOR DINNER?
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THAT SEVENTIES SHOW
What’s caught Carole Annett’s eye this month Prints and patterns to adorn your walls
Nina Campbell sprinkles her magic on a New England home A collab between Maddux Creative and Samuel & Sons Oli Carter carves his place in the design world Kitchen gadgets
Secondhand shopping 160
CUT & DRIED
162
BALANCING ACT
164
READY STEADY COOK
166
SPLISH SPLASH
Forget fresh flowers – try the dried stuff Tiffany Duggan’s redesign of a Notting Hill home Karen Howes lends her kitchen expertise Brilliant bathroom inspiration
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EDITOR ’ S LET TER
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iving in the countr yside, I often wake to the sound of a woodpecker. Listening to it busily drumming, I googled to find out more. Apparently, woodpeckers symbolise new opportunities, creativity and optimism – how apt at the start of a new season of design and decoration. There’s much to look forward to as this special section conveys, starting with Design Notes, p142, an array of furniture and showroom news. I particularly like the angularity of Roche Bobois’ Ava chair, made from material derived from industrial waste. Its vivid coral hue could sit happily in a Studio Duggan scheme. Flick to p162 and you’ll get my drift – a recent project by Tiffany Duggan and her team epitomising the studio’s bold yet balanced use of colour. The house has a Seventies look and feel, an emerging trend in fashion as well as interiors fuelled by TV shows such as Prime’s Daisy Jones & The Six. Tessa Dunthorne pulls on her flares and goes in search of iconic playful pieces from the era, p158. The recent Grannycore moment spotlighted blowsy, overblown florals and a plethora of ruffles but as you can see from the new batch of wallpaper and fabric designs, pages 146 and 148, it is diluting. Someone whose style can never be watered down is the eternally brilliant Nina Campbell. An extract of her new book, A House In Maine, features on p150. On p154 we head to the forest for an interview with Oli Carter of Adventurous Joinery. Oli’s a tree-lover, spending his days in the Hampshire countryside surrounded by nature, doing a job he is passionate about. You could say he has much in common with a woodpecker. I hope you find something to love in these pages.
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DESIGN NOTES
FRESH AS A…
Daisy appliqué border by Samuel & Sons features a delicate, embroidered daisy with petals that appear to float. £125 p/m. samuelandsons.com
Carole Annett on the interiors news
and launches to take note of this spring ROCK STAR
Fragmenta ivory and green porcelain chequerboard floor tiles, from £42 per sq/m. mandarinstone.com
DOORS, OPEN Sophie Cooney Runners has opened a new showroom in W14. An creator of contemporary, Kilim-inspired flatweaves for stairs, the showroom brings together unique designs and fine craftsmanship from Turkey and India. sophiecooney.co.uk
PASSION INGRAINED
AHOY THERE Anti-clockwise from bottom left: Mulberry ticking, blue, Naval Ensigns wallpaper, Spinnaker stripe, indigo/red and Wayfarer stripe, blue/red. Fabrics from £79 p/m, wallpaper from £175 p/ roll, all by Mulberry Home at GP&J Baker. mulberryhome.com
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Gaze Burvill is celebrating 30 years of creating beautiful wooden furniture. This design is from the new Levity collection. Chair, £1,290. gazeburvill.com
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ON DESIGN NEWS
WORTH A SNOOP London Interiors by Emma J Page is a wonderful round-up of beautifully designed houses around the capital. From classical mansions to industrial buildings, all the spaces are historic and utterly unique. (Lannoo, £50)
ART UNDERFOOT
Auray, from the collage collection at Riviere Rugs, £860 per sq/m. riviererugs.com
BIRTHDAY? CHECK
Hästen’s famous blue check pattern turns 45 this year. Pillow case from £100, duvet from £355. hastens.com
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PAST PERFECT
BLUE LAGOON
Venezia by Fantini at CP Hart, from £2,160 for a three-hole basin mixer in chrome with two-tone handles. cphart.co.uk
Emery Walker, a close friend of William Morris, decorated his Hammersmith home almost entirely in the designer’s patterns. An eponymous collection celebrates both the house and the friendship. The Emery Walker Collection of wallpaper and fabric starts from £99. morrisandco.sandersondesigngroup.com March /April 2023 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 143
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ON DESIGN NEWS
TIME TO FLOP
Heals’ Iver sofa’s seamless seating allows for a slim frame, while providing a generous place to flop. Iver three-seater sofa in sweet briar linen, £2,679. Cushions, £95 each, Makiko bamboo pendant, from £179, LF Markey for Heals rug, from £559. heals.com
MADE IN ENGLAND
Melissa Wilkes worked with master perfumers to create her soy-based wax candles, which are hand-poured into fine bone china vessels (made in Stoke-on-Trent ) with 22-carat gold lids. Pomelo Bitters, Speakeasy Honey and Elegant Rose fragrances, £285 each. melissawilkes.co.uk EASTERN SPICE Rectangular ottoman with bamboo-motif splayed feet and rattan shelf, £1,720. charlesorchard.com
PAINT STOP Edward Bulmer’s ‘Invisible Green’ paint is hardly invisible but refers to the 19th-century idea of painting ironwork a grassy green shade so it ‘vanished’ in the landscape. See it in person at the showroom in Ebury Street, SW1, or join his masterclass on pigment and paint via createacademy.com. £55 for 2.5L, edwardbulmerpaint.co.uk
GROOVY THING This Baobab diffuser encases its fragrance in richly decorated glass in a design reminiscent of the Seventies. Totem Bohomania, €370. baobabcollection.com
GOING STRONG
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FOREVER FURNITURE
Julien Chichester Tivoli cabinet, £6,988.80 and Tribal lamp, £988.80. julianchichester.com
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Roche Bobois’ Ava chair, designed by Song Wen Zhong, is made entirely from material derived from industrial waste and is one of the brand’s best sellers. The new coral colourway (plus an olive version) complete the palette. Ava chair, £440. roche-bobois.com
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ON DESIGN SHOPPING V&A Decorative Papers Collection by 1838 Wallcoverings, a familyowned business with Lancashire mills. These papers are created using a surface-printed technique for a hand-painted effect. Kyoto Blossom mural, £224 per panel. 1838wallcoverings.com
Tatami ginger rose wallpaper, £429 per sq/m, from the Osmanthus collection by Arte, It’s inspired by the folding and stacking manufacturing technique of traditional Japanese floor mats. arte-international.com
Soli from Senza Tempo Vol II by Cole & Son x Fornasetti, £POA. cole-and-son.com
TO THE WALL The writing’s on the wall with this array of stunning new designs
PVC-free Odila wallpaper with matching fabrics, £70 per 10m roll. thepureedit.com
Bird and Bluebell pea green mural created from fragments of wallpaper found at Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk, from The National Trust Papers III collection at Little Greene. £244 per panel. littlegreene.com
Folly chinoiserie by Fromental, rendered in raised molten silver on a metallic wash silk background, £POA. fromental.co.uk
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Tropical botanical wallpaper inspired by ananas by Warner House. £95 per roll. warner-house.com
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Sanderson’s Robins Wood (above bath), £125 per roll and Rubus, £85 per roll, both from the Arboretum collection at sanderson. sandersondesigngroup.com
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25 YEARS OF BRITISH CRAFTSMANSHIP LONDON NEW YORK ATLANTA WWW.SOANE.COM
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ON DESIGN SHOPPING Petite Cherie, a silk lampas fabric with graceful design derived from a document in the Rubelli archive. Frammenti Veneziani collection, £149 p/m. rubelli.com/en
Naturally Organic linen curtains in cashew by de Le Cuona, £222 p/m. Sheers mistral in drizzle, £198 p/m, and sofa in shore in dune, £258/m delecuona.com
Pashley fabric in tomato and aqua, from the Braganza collection at Colefax and Fowler. A distinctive embroidery design combining a wealth of traditions and techniques from the Indian subcontinent. £162 p/m. colefax.com
MATERIAL GAINS Enrich your life with texture and pattern
Ilaria fabric, available in three colourways, £132 p/m, at Osborne & Little. osborneandlittle.com
Cinque Terre linen from the Liguria collection at George Spencer Designs, £190 p/m. georgespencer.com
Edie, printed on Irish linen in green or red, is inspired by a fragment of hand-drawn 19th century French fabric. £220 p/m at Octavia Dickinson. octaviadickinson.com
Hackford, reminiscent of an early English silk and wool damask, created as single-colour woollen crewelwork on linen, £160 p/m at Fermoie. fermoie.com
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Bamboo Trellis exclusively designed by Serena Fresson for Mrs Alice, £72 p/m. mrsalice.com
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THE MAINE E VENT
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here are a few well-trodden options open to anyone lucky enough to take possession of a tired but much-loved family house. One is to tenderly bring it into the present day, reinventing spaces intended for a different way of life. The other is to knock it down and start from scratch with modified footprint, ceiling heights, and appearance to make it workable for a new era. Or, of course, it can be left in a state of gradual decay for another generation to address. There’s also another path, less travelled, that involves building a new house that embodies the spirit of the old with many of the same treasured elements, the same access to light, and the same orientation to harness a distinctive sense of place that evokes generations of memories of people and experiences. That, in essence, is what is address with this property – a house that has been rebuilt in almost exactly the same location as its predecessor and that combines the emotional strands of the past with the necessities of the future. Into the warp and weft are woven other elements, not least the tastes and personalities of the owners as well as the materials and artisanal traditions of the local area. Weaving is a complex art, requiring a mix of skill, experience, an understanding of materials, and an instinctive eye for colour, pattern, and texture – attributes that made Nina Campbell the perfect person to work with Ferguson & Shamamian on a project with a greater range of nuances than most and one that would involve an intimate working relationship
with the clients. While the body of the house was moved, its elevation when seen from the sea is similar in appearance and proportion with much of the mass of the building extended to the land side. Some of the spaces have the same outlook and orientation but have simply evolved. On the shaded veranda, where doors fully retract to expose the inside to the outside, the connection with the past is enhanced by the sofa that still sits, restored and reupholstered, in the same position that it has had for decades. The masterstroke in the conception of the house – as it is in all Ferguson & Shamamian’s projects – was to create a new house with spaces and proportions that look as though they have been there forever, but which conceal services that are carefully considered, beautifully engineered, and truly state of the art. Such architectural details as handsome fitted cupboards with lattice glazing, shallow arches, and discreet plaster detailing add a layer of interest that replaces the sense of permanence in the previous structure. Against this backdrop another layer was added by Campbell and her team. So often in new-build houses, the role of decoration is to overcome the clinical atmosphere and austere lines that can be their dominant feature. Here, the scene had been set by the architecture and simply needed the addition of comfort and a light touch that would re-establish it at the latest iteration of the family home. In this respect, Campbell was helped by the owners’ request to indulge their love of purple, lilac, mauve, and lavender. It’s a palette that pervades but doesn’t overwhelm and that
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Nina Campbell sprinkles her magic on a New England home in this exclusive extract from her new book, A House in Maine. Words by Giles Kime
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ON DESIGN CASE STUDY
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Nina was asked by the house’s owners to champion a palette of mauve, lilac and purple
mixes well with such neutral hues as taupes, greys and silver. While not rigidly imposed, it creates a sense of coherence as one moves from room to room and from floor to floor. The clients’ request for a tranquil colour scheme also set the course for the overall feel of the scheme. So often designers create schemes for seaside residences that take their cues from the surrounding landscape, but these interiors have a look that, while sympathetic to the geography, have an energy that is very much their own. They also address the fact that much of the appeal of this house is the views, and the spare, pared-back approach ensures that there isn’t too much that will distract from the glorious natural light. The windows, like the internal doors, are as tall as possible to maximise the impact of the setting while also framing the vistas beautifully. The main sitting room is Nina Campbell at her most delicate, with a look and feel that are enhanced further by a floor painted in a large checkerboard pattern in white and gray. On top is a room-size rug woven in rush, an English tradition that dates to the Anglo-Saxon period and that does much to soften the appearance of rooms while also absorbing sound. Considered and comfortable furniture plans are one of the hallmarks of Campbell’s work; the main seating area is centred on a set of four steeland-glass tables while the second focuses on an oval glass-topped table, pieces that do not overwhelm their surroundings. A pair of painted console tables, each with a pier glass above, creates symmetry and blends seamlessly with the setting. Having set the scene with a mixture of soft colours – punctuated with refined touches such as decorative wall sconces, rattan chairs, and mirrors – the contemplative hues are continued throughout the ground floor and the principal bedroom suites. The genius of the architects’ work is their ability to blend traditional domestic architecture with the demands of the 21st century. Throughout the different floors and wings of the building, the proportions and architectural detail blend to create a look that is true to the original building without ever descending into pastiche. Nor is there any sense that retaining any existing elements of this much-loved house has compromised the design of the remodeled structure. The artful balance of old and new is epitomised by the display of framed fragments of a mural depicting rural scenes that were saved from the entrance hall of the former house and hung so that they captured the spirit of the place in its past incarnation. (Rizzoli, £45). The new Nina Campbell store opens in Pimlico in April, marking a homecoming after 50 years. ninacampbell.com n
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ON DESIGN CASE STUDY
Carole Annett sings the praises of Maddux Creative’s new collection of passementerie for Samuel & Sons
‘G
loriette’ is a sumptuous collection of tassels, borders, braid and fringing inspired by the creative work of Scott Maddux and Jo leGleud of Maddux Creative. ‘As a studio, Scott and I have worked with Samuel & Sons since we launched, ten years ago. The designs always feel fresh and modern, never too old school, which is why collaborating and designing this collection has been a real honour,’ says Jo. In the first instance Jo and Scott sat down with books, ‘a favourite thing to do,’ she says. ‘Then I started drawing and making silk paper acanthus leaves, playing with ideas, sitting down and stitching and painting watercolours. I’m happy with materials in my hand. I love making a mess. Scott is a colourist and he’s great at editing, deciding what to take out and what to leave.’ The collection came to life working collaboratively with Samuel & Sons’ president Michael Cohen, executive design director, Marisa Gutmacher. ‘We spent hours chatting about different techniques,’ recalls Jo. ‘We are kindred spirits, with our shared commitment to the preservation of handcraft, dedication to design and pursuit of innovation’. The ‘Gloriette’ collection draws on a variety of principles of Neoclassical architecture, from Palladian symmetry to the extraordinary Florentine Pietra Dura mosaic work along with clarity of form and a sober yet vivid colour sensibility. 152 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | March /April 2023
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samuelandsons.com; madduxcreative.com n Scott Maddux and Jo leGleud of Maddux Creative
PHOTOS: CHRISTOPHER HORWOOD
GET THE GLORY
There’s an extravagantly beautiful, operatic beauty to the collection. It is divided by four colourways represented as seasons: ‘Tartufo’ for winter, ‘Castagna’, autumn, ‘Carciofo’ for spring and ‘Spritz’ for summer. Shades that are soft and subtle, reminiscent of the watercolours Jo initially produced. ‘I manipulated the palette and introduced collage to allow me to make the colour grading pop, finally settling on this group of colours that reflect natural seasonal transience,’ she explains. Passementerie resonates strongly with Jo as it takes her back to her first role, fresh out of art school, age 21. ‘I worked for a small fashion company based in a backroom in Soho, embroidering Emma Hope shoe uppers and beading buttons with semi-precious stones for Jasper Conran.’ From the heart of London’s fashion and entertainment district to grand stately homes – surely there’s an opera in there.
02/03/2023 19:58
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ON DESIGN INTERVIEW look like silk. The charity talks about ‘stitching people back together’, which for me resembles the cracks in the wood. Is there much waste? If I am using a whole tree, the prime timber comes from the middle, which could become a table; planks from sides may be used for bathroom shelves; and smaller pieces for chopping boards. Sawdust and offcuts go in to a biomass burner to heat my house and workshop. What’s your favourite wood? Currently ash – it’s a flexible wood traditionally used for making carts. I love it because the grain is a little more open and looks incredible.
FROM SMALL ACORNS
Carole Annett heads to the woods to meet Oli Carter, founder of Adventurous Joinery How did you learn your trade? My mum
is a potter, my dad a furniture-maker and sawyer, so I grew up with craft all around me. The first things I ever made were chopping boards from dad’s off-cuts, which I sold at fairs. After school I worked with my dad while apprenticing in traditional joinery. I met my Scottish wife in France and we headed back to Milland, West Sussex, eight years ago and launched Adventurous Joinery. Why do trees matter? They are the lungs of our world and give us so much of what we need to survive. A walk in the woods is known to improve your well-being and mental health. The area where I live has big houses and estates, and I’m often asked to make something out of a fallen tree. I love to think of that tree becoming a table and going from outside to inside the house.
What’s exciting you most at the moment? Over the last few months I have
been making a home office for a client, with an oak frame, local cedar on the walls and carved beams. Another client wants an oak chaise longue for outdoors and I am launching a line of coffee tables to be released in summer. Each one is made from a giant redwood, which fell locally. They are native to America but a lot of big estates used to have arboretums as their owners brought seeds back from their travels. Each table is shaped like a big bowl with burnt sides – it’s adventurous joinery. Love it. olicarter.co.uk n A table made from a single tree
Pollyanna Wilkinson approached me to make a bench for her garden supporting Mothers for Mothers, a maternal mental health charity. I sketched a pregnant female form and carved it in silhouette so the base of the bench resembles a woman in repose. I crafted it four months before the show with freshly sawn timber, leaving it to ‘crack’ as water within the wood leaked out. Then I burnt and polished it. When you burn cracks, the edges
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PHOTOS: UNSPLASH
Tell us about the piece you exhibited at RHS Chelsea in 2022? Garden designer
02/03/2023 20:00
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ON DESIGN FOCUS
CLEAN LINES
Kitchen cabinetry by Clive Christian Furniture Co, £POA. clivechristianfurniture.com
WHAT’S FOR DINNER? Kitchen designs to inspire your next gourmet adventure
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Barbie Dreamhouse Smeg’s 50s style fridge freezer. From £1539. smeg.couk
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Daily Grind Linley cuisine grinder, £225. davidlinley.com
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PHOTOS: UNSPLASH
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ON DESIGN CHATTY PIT Conservation pit inspiration from the discontinued Encylopedia of Good Decorating and Home Improvement (Greystone Press, 1970)
ART ATTACK Skullscape by surrealist Joan Gillespie was painted in 1970 before she became a much bigger name in the art world in the Nineties. £780, theoldcinema.co.uk
LIGHT IT UP The bulbs might need changing but lamps from the Seventies are uniquely stylish. £1,100, theoldcinema.co.uk
THAT SEVENTIES SHOW
EASY, TIGER This Tibetan tiger rug oozes Seventies chic. £1,250 (+VAT), retrouvius.com
M
ove over mid-century – we’re dialling it forward a decade or so to the 1970s, an era that’s got the interiors world firmly in its thrall. The trend is fuelled by on-screen depictions of its signature retro-futurist aesthetic: see Prime’s recently released Daisy Jones & The Six. The look is set to hold our imaginations (and thus living rooms) to ransom throughout 2023, with its era-defining styles now highly covetable and collectible. ‘Conversation pits’ (which recently featured in the AW23 Gucci show), teak sideboards, low-slung sofas and telephone seats are key pieces to look out for. n
I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW Merrow Associates round glass and chrome coffee table, designed by Richard Young. £575, retroliving.co.uk
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WHO’S THE FAIREST The Brutalist movement continued until the mid-1970s, leading to raw, geometric designs like this mirror. £375, retroliving.co.uk
IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES Oliver Mourgue’s famous designs favoured funky geometric shapes. £4,550, vinterior.co
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH
Throwaway interiors are out – homeware that will last 50 years is in, say Tessa Dunthorne
LAVA LAMP This 1970s German ceramic fat lava wall sconce provides a pop of colour. £225, retroliving.co.uk
02/03/2023 20:05
E X C E P T I O N A L B AT H R O O M S DESIGNED AROUND YOU.
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ON DESIGN INTERVIEW
After studying fine art, Emily Ayres turned her attention to the transient beauty of flowers. By Carole Annett
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stablished by Emily Ayres in 2017, Design by Nature signals an alternative approach to traditional floristry, eschewing fresh blooms for the faded glory of dried flowers. ‘There are endless possibilities,’ explains Emily. ‘I consider not just the flower itself, but colour, shape, form. When I started, I had no idea there was so much possibility using dried flowers and botanicals. They can be minimal and ethereal or completely abundant. I find that so fascinating.’ Interior designers such as Charu Gandhi of Elicyon and the highstreet brand Jigsaw, are among those who have commissioned Emily’s work. Emily decorated all of Jigsaw’s UK stores for winter 2022, while Charu’s team discovered Emily via Instagram and commissioned her for a Westminster penthouse project. Displayed on marble plinths and side tables, the subtle gold, grasses and faded greens of wild thyme, yellow achillea and seed pods meld beautifully with the soft, earthy tones of Elicyon’s design palette. Emily is inspired wabi-sabi, the ancient Japanese aesthetic concept centred on transience and imperfection that finds beauty and serenity in objects, landscapes and designs that are simple and impermanent. During student days at Kingston University she was drawn to cracked and broken textures, the impasto paintings of Frank Auerbach and peeling surfaces, fuelling a fascination for derelict buildings, sculptures 160 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | March /April 2023
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Emily’s ornate dried flower creations are works of art in themselves – without a use-by date
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH; © SARAH HIBBERT
CUT & DRIED
and experiential installations. ‘I had the idea of working in floristry for such a long time and knew it would be something I’d naturally pick up. The women in my family have always been intuitively green fingered, but I think I was drawn to the endless exploration of flowers and different botanicals available, most of which people never get the opportunity to see.’ After ten years working in artist and studio management, Emily found she missed making her own artwork and the idea of floristry started to become a reality. ‘I see flowers very much as building blocks of colour, shape and texture,’ she explains, ‘no different to clay or paint. In any kind of design your materials must work either in cohesion or contrast against each other. Flowers are really a paintbrush and you can piece together your designs stem by stem.’ The pandemic gave Emily the space to reflect on how Design by Nature could improve its sustainable credentials and reduce the levels of waste so prevalent in the world of floristry – there was room for a more considered approach through re-using flowers saved from weddings and events that would otherwise go to waste. Dried and wilted flowers are cherished just as much as those in full bloom; twisted branches and crisp dahlia heads admired rather than disposed of; and dried hydrangea heads revered months after their first full bloom has faded. It’s a more considered approach to the transient beauty of flowers and botanicals, and one that feels so fitting to our anti-throw-away culture of today. ‘I never thought I would start my own business but one thing led to another and four years later I’m loving it more than ever.’ It seems many others are too. designbynature.co n
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PHOTOS: SARAH GRIGGS
Tiffany Duggan used colour and global influences to create an out-ofthe-ordinary family home in Notting Hill
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ON DESIGN CASE STUDY
BAL ANCING AC T
The brief for this Notting Hill project was to create an uplifting space equally suited to family life and entertaining. Carole Annett meets the designer, Tiffany Duggan
PHOTOS: SARAH GRIGGS
‘O
ur clients wanted a living space that sparked joy,’ says Tiffany Duggan of the Studio Duggan-designed Notting Hill home she has recently completed for a young American family. ‘They wanted something over and above a traditional London terrace, with a global influence and that caters for the needs of a young family.’ Tiffany’s background in set design and styling for publications such as Elle Decoration and Livingetc formed a perfect foundation to launch Studio Duggan in 2011. From its Notting Hill base, she leads a passionate team sharing a design philosophy to create liveable, yet dramatic spaces by mixing old and new, uniting different eras and styles. The four-bedroom property has a classic ‘middle room’, common in most London terraced houses: ‘Always a head scratcher,’ laughs Tiffany, ‘it is usually a walk-through space, which makes furniture positioning tricky.’ The solution was a banquette and table, creating a multi functional room with a table that can be used for dining overflow from the kitchen, a children’s homework area, a spot for boardgames and a place to enjoy evening cocktails with friends (above right).
There were no original fireplaces, just openings, so two were added to enlarge the feel of the double reception room. Simple box surrounds clad in teal-coloured Zellige tiles (hand-crafted clay tiles from Morocco) unite the two in theme (above left). ‘Our clients love punches of colour and bright, primary tones,’ says Tiffany, ‘so the design process was all about balancing saturated colour against a calmer backdrop.’ Walls are painted in green-blue Sobek by Paint & Paper Library, a colour light enough to feel fresh and just opaque enough to add character and cosiness in the evening. ‘We kept the curtains a similar tone but in a heavy texture and added contrast trim for a little fun.’ A red-linen upholstered Talitha sofa, a custom piece from Studio Duggan’s Trove collection, is off-set by Pueblos Botanica trim by Pierre Frey. Vintage Halabala chairs were re-covered with banana-hue velvet, subtly referencing yellow used in the entrance hall. As for the rug, ‘It was an amazing find,’ says Tiffany, ‘by Nani Marquina – a piece of art for the floor drawing upon all the colours in the room to link the space together.’ It’s a beautifully balanced confection: very Notting Hill, very Studio Duggan. studioduggan.com n March /April 2023 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 163
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ON DESIGN KITCHENS
RE ADY, STE ADY, COOK
Karen Howes at home with her Aga x Taylor Howes cooker in situ
Designer Karen Howes can take the heat – and she’s got plenty of ideas for your next kitchen You have to strike the perfect balance of a beautiful design with practicality...
It’s particularly important to think about how you move around and use the space – what purpose you need it to fulfil outside the obvious. There’s also the adage of ‘a place for everything and everything in its place’, and a kitchen should house everything you need, whether this is through enclosed cabinetry or theatre-style open displays.
paint that you use is breathable and hardy. A well-curated kitchen should inherently be sustainable through its design, as a kitchen is not a transitory decision within the home that is changed with trends. Suppliers are everything... Teddy Edwards, part of the Kitchen Architecture group, is great. We also work with Graphenstone, which is a brilliant paint company. GMI is second-to-none for its stone and marble options. The team helped us to source some spectacular pieces including the granite in the kitchen.
So many people lean towards being quite neutral in the kitchen, but I believe in a bold colour or a darker kitchen... It typifies
a modern sensibility we’re seeing – an aesthetic driven by sustainability first and celebrating raw materials.
with Teddy Edward’s team who know me well. I always wanted a full-height pantry that houses all of the food you need to cook the perfect meal, so there is a pantry just off the kitchen that houses a second dishwasher and storage for large platters. I worked with the wonderful GMI to choose the perfect granite from Verona that is both beautiful and practical. There is space for everything, from spice drawers to knife drawers – all of the storage below the worktop is via drawers, it’s simply the best way to see everything you have. And then glass is behind glass-fronted units.
The collaboration with Aga came about when I was designing my new kitchen...
Make sure that everything has a space and give thought to the environments you find conducive to relaxation... If you’re
someone who likes to have things on display then integrate open shelving and utensil hooks. If you find clean lines and an appliance-free work surface induces and enables relaxation when in a room, then hide your appliances.
Be mindful of where the raw materials are sourced from... Ensure cabinetry is
from an FSC-accredited maker, and the
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We had an Aga in our last house in the country and we loved it – the dog warmed herself by it, the children dried their sports clothes on it and as a family they learned to cook on it. But I wanted something different, and our signature Taylor Howes navy blue is very much having a moment, as is copper, so that is how the idea came about. Longevity of design is always the key...
Which is why our collaboration with Aga is so important – the Aga we had in our last house was over 30 years old! taylorhowes.co.uk n
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH
My own kitchen brings my 30 years of design and experience into the most important room in the house... I worked
02/03/2023 20:14
MODERN KITCHEN FURNITURE
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ON DESIGN BATHROOMS
SPLISH SPLASH
A contemporary CP Hart basin
Bathroom designer Yousef Mansuri gives his top tips for creating the perfect water closet
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Layout really matters. It ensures that all your desired elements are contained and that the space flows, and is balanced, practical and cohesive. Plus that it works with the architecture and plumbing of the building. You can then develop a design with material, texture, and colour. Think about where your products have come from. Does the wood come from a renewable forest? Are the factories producing items such as brassware using renewable energy? And is the paint non-toxic and environmentally friendly?
Save water through good design. There are aerators in taps and flowrestrictors in showers that can limit water consumption without affecting use. WCs with dual flush buttons and electronic taps with auto shut-off are great ways to ensure no further water is wasted. Add a steam generator to elevate your space. They’re getting more advanced, smaller in size, and easier to install. Effegibi’s new ‘Inside’ generator is a fantastic example, and even has the ability to be camouflaged by cladding it with your chosen wall tile/covering.
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Mix classic styling with a modern twist. In my own 1891 Victorian conversion, I’m using a checkerboard tiled floor, azure-blue wall tiles and polished plaster (a nod to my North-African heritage). Yousef is Head of Design at CP Hart
JUST ADD BUBBLES WATERS BATHS OF ASHBOURNE Stream freestanding bath in Verdigris, from £1,995. watersbaths.co.uk
WEST ONE BATHROOMS BC Designs Tin Boat Bath, from £4,299. westonebathroomsonline.com
DRUMMONDS Wye bath, from £4,710. drummonds-uk.com
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RIPPLES BATHROOMS Bateau bath, with painted finish, £2,480. ripplesbathrooms.com
THE ALBION BATH CO Apollo Classic 1, £3,995. albionbathco.com
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH; RIPPLES BATH BY PAUL CRAIG
Five tubs to dive into – glass of wine optional
03/03/2023 11:41
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O
wning a holiday home should bring infinite pleasures. Be it waking up to a golden Tuscan morning, carving the first tracks in fresh Alpine powder, being inspired by the galleries of Paris or simply sitting fireside in the Cotswolds: they’re all compelling reasons to own a second home.
But why choose, when you could have them all? Luxury co-ownership firm August believes you shouldn’t have to settle for one holiday home. Their unique model gives owners a share in four or five beautiful homes in Europe’s most seductive
locations, opening doors for a global homeowning community that demands quality and understands the importance of variety. Every year, August launches a select number of property collections, sourcing, renovating and interior designing homes to the highest level with an interior flourish designed to reflect the region and make a house feel like a home, creating properties that are consistently excellent in quality but inspiringly varied in style. In their latest launch, you could own homes across three European Capitals and two beachside cities. By becoming an owner of the latest Pied-à-Terre collection, you will co-own 5 apartments in London,
Paris, Rome, Barcelona and Cannes. Yours for €340,000. For owners, it provides second-home ownership at a fraction of the usual cost but with none of the usual second-home property stress or hassles. Homeowners who have chosen to sell their ownership share have seen them snapped up within five days, demonstrating August's strong liquidity. Hundreds of families joined the August community last year, illustrating that co-ownership is a lifestyle choice increasingly in demand.
Start your journey to become an August homeowner
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HOTELS &
TRAVEL New Horizons
Saudi Arabia is plunging billions into creating a sustainable and environmentally conscious tourism model, starting in AlUla. There are naturally concerns around the country’s human rights record and its economy hitherto based on fossil fuels, but, asks Annabel Illingworth, is there hope for change?
A Concise Passage by Rashed Al Shashai, one of many artworks around AlUla
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AlUla’s ancient buildings date back to the 6th century BCE
100,000 residents a year, often sending them abroad on state-funded scholarships, and more diverse local colleges on the way. When I headed to the ancient territory of AlUla after the event, the talk was brought to life in a remarkably inspiring way. The fertile oasis in the north-west of the country is one of many Saudi ‘giga-projects’, effectively creating a tourist destination and industry from the ground up. The region is primarily a farming community with a strong cultural heritage. It sits at the southern end of the former Nabataean Kingdom with magnificent carved tombs in warm red sandstone echoing the Jordanian city of Petra, to the north. Along the valley, pre-Arabic rock carvings and inscriptions, nicknamed the ‘open-air library’, attest to a crossroad of ancient civilisations and trade routes. The fragrant embers of frankincense remain common in these parts. My local guide, Amal, is as authentic as they come and just one example of community empowerment. She trained in
PHOTOS: © ANNABEL ILLINGWORTH; © LITA ALBUQUERQUE
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momentous change is underway in Saudi Arabia. Many of us clocked the first sign when the ban on women driving officially ended in 2018. Then came the advertising: hugely expensive billboards in Knightsbridge, with no holds barred on splashing the cash to spread the word that the country is firmly open to visitors. Tourist visas were first issued in 2019, which coincided with a relaxation of the rules around wearing abayas and headscarves for women. Then, when the pandemic hit, it fell to domestic tourists to road-test the nascent leisure market and help iron out the kinks. On the surface, the country’s recent social reforms appear progressive yet they are often dogged by politics and human rights issues – as well as the fact that the country’s economy is based almost entirely on fossil fuels. While some people may hesitate to visit for now for good reason – restrictions around personal relationships and freedom of expression might impact a traveller’s sense of wellbeing in the country, for starters – who knows what the future holds. I had a good reason to visit and was intrigued by the ambitious new vision heralded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Along with tourism ministers, ambassadors and global CEOs in travel, I attended a conference in Riyadh focusing on ‘travel for a better future’ last November. Sustainability was high on the agenda at the conference, both economic and social. Travel provides one in ten jobs globally so it makes sense that Saudi Arabia is keen to diversify away from oil and future-proof the economy by opening up to tourists. The country also has a notably young population, with 70 per cent under the age of 30, so creating jobs is a high priority. The leaders eulogise about training 170 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | March /April 2023
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Saudi Arabia | HOTELS & TRAVEL the Grand Canyon in the USA, learning the etiquette of guiding, and imparts her local knowledge with ease and grace. In AlUla’s Old Town, a huge renovation programme is underway to bring the tumbledown mud-brick houses, with tree trunks for joists, back to their former glory. Young women run shops with luxury artisan wares and gather convivially on café terraces. Seeing them head-to-toe in black, my long flowing wardrobe choices feel like they hit the respectful mark. Here, I have another guide. White-robed Hatim Alanazi loves horses and plans to work in conservation after his studies abroad. The potential for this in AlUla is endless, with more than 150 archaeological teams from around the world working on different projects and making significant discoveries. The city feels more than a living museum, though, with a striking element of contemporary arts, culture, music and wellness offerings. We drive past the Maraya concert hall, the world’s largest mirrored building, which cuts a razor line against the organic formations of rock and sand. I’ve missed the outdoor Azimuth music festival, with tunes until dawn, but luck out at my hotel, watching a DJ and guitarist jam while lying back on the rugs in the sand with a chai in hand, gazing up at the stars and illuminated cliffs of the canyon. I’ve borrowed a faux-fur-lined robe, or Bedouin farwa, from my room, which keeps the cold of the night pleasantly at bay. When the music ends, my companions and I wander over to the black trampolines sunk in the sand for a giggle. Originally part of the Desert X exhibition of outdoor art installations, these were cannily purchased by the Royal Commission for AlUla to remain in situ. Other artworks dot our valley, including a vivid ultramarine woman in rest pose, an angular set of swings and colourful orbs set in a rockfall. The whole vibe is distinctly playful.
Habitas offers an immersive experience for travellers to AlUla
DON’T MISS PHOTOS: © ANNABEL ILLINGWORTH; © LITA ALBUQUERQUE
1 AlUla Moments offers a programme of events with a focus on the cooler months. Top picks include FAME: Andy Warhol in AlUla (exhibition at Maraya until 16 May); the annual AlUla Endurance Cup with 200 equestrians from around the world competing in the desert; and the Camel Cup with four days of races. 2 Explore Hegra, the ancient city, by night or by vintage 4x4 in the daytime. For a different viewpoint, take a helicopter tour or a via ferrata on the surrounding cliffs. 3 Look out for the Assouline coffee table book Arabian Leopard by Andrew Spalton.
Habitas was one of the first hotel brands in the area, with additional carefully aligned options in the pipeline. The travel company’s low impact ethos seems highly fitting, with prefabricated private villas set underneath camel and goat hair awnings. The reed walls camouflaging the outdoor showers are woven locally and guests whizz around on e-bikes or more sedate electric buggies. I have a quick dip in the pool but skip the morning yoga session as the spa is calling. Before we start, we stand in the silence of the canyon and my therapist invites me to focus on my favourite cliff to channel my thoughts. Having spent hours contemplating the immersive beauty, it’s almost surplus to requirements but I play along. In the adjacent valley, the Banyan Tree hotel is soft opening its palatial awned villas, so I nip over to check out its Thai restaurant. I dine well – in fact the whole restaurant scene here has exceeded expectations, although no alcohol remains the status quo. Signpost decorations allude to the elusive Arabian leopard, which numbers only 200 in the wild. A captive breeding programme further north is making headway to change that, with two cubs born last summer. Conservation and biodiversity are also high on the agenda here. Saudi Arabia has the luxury of learning from the mistakes of other destinations in its drive for development. Every element is carefully thought through – although whether everything goes to plan time will tell. Nevertheless, hearing that the Red Sea megaproject further west has set aside its turtle breeding areas as ‘off limits’ is reassuring. The future looks promising and I hope to return to check out the diving there when it’s been mapped. No doubt the beach will make a superb combination when paired with a trip to AlUla. Annabel Illingworth was a guest of the Royal Commission of AlUla. For more information, visit experiencealula.com n
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SAVE THE GLACIER
With glaciers being the most immediate evidence of climate change, acting now to preserve them is a no-brainer. Which is why Skyway Monte Bianco – a cable car which whizzes you to the ‘roof of Europe’ at 3,446 metres – has revealed a new sustainability strategy to safeguard the Mont Blanc glacier. Following three years of research, the company has put into place a list of impressive initiatives which started with a big clean-up of the Gran Flambeau glacier and has continued with actions such as reducing waste volume and eco-energy sources and emissions, with the aim to eventually develop a ‘green consortium’ that other companies, suppliers and institutions can join. The stations and cable cars themselves have been smartly designed to produce most of their own energy with cable car windows that collect heat to avoid dispersion, while the stations have heated floor and wall panels managed by electric heat pumps. In short, a firm plan that will hopefully ensure we can enjoy these majestic mountains for centuries to come. montebianco.com
The ESCAPIST A SLOW ADVENTURE IN FINLAND
Sustainable adventure travel company Slow Adventure has launched a series of new trip itineraries in Finland, including Arctic Sun & Frozen Lakes, a four-day expedition amid the remote Arctic landscape, where travellers can disconnect from the world and relax in a Finnish sauna, chase the Northern Lights or snuggle up in cosy log cabins. And of course, through the Slow Adventure Impact Fund, five percent of each booking goes directly back to the communities to support local conservation and regeneration projects. £1,665 pp, slow-adventure.com
STAY AT JA HATTA FORT’S NEW LOW-IMPACT CABINS
In answer to the UAE’s vision for sustainability this year, JA Hatta Fort Hotel has just launched Terra Cabins. Built with the environment in mind, each of the cabins have slanted roofs - for installation of solar panels - alongside an infrastructure that helps maintain and regulate the indoor climate. Set amid the rugged Al Hajar mountains on the border of Oman, the new cabins slot right into the landscape, thanks to an understated design that uses a combination of natural pine wood that has been treated with a dusk-grey wash. The cabins also have access to all of the hotel amenities, to boot. jaresortshotels.com
PHOTOS: ©METSÄ KOLO_@ JARCCE; © BEST OF THE ALPS FOR COURMAYEUR MONT BLANC
Lauren Ho has all the latest travel news and hot openings around the world
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News | HOTELS & TRAVEL
IT’S BEST OF BRITISH AT THE NEW PENINSULA IN LONDON
FIVE HOT NEW OPENINGS
The latest addition to London’s luxury hotel scene, The Peninsula London will be opening soon at 1 Grosvenor Place on Hyde Park Corner. As well as 190 elegant rooms and a jaw-dropping lobby designed by Hopkins Architects, the new hotel will feature exclusive offerings from a ‘Best of British’ creative line-up that includes fashion designer Jenny Packham, perfumer Timothy Han, food producer Zero Carbon Farms, and over 40 artists from The Royal Drawing School. Also involved is chef Claude Bosi, who oversees the new hot-ticket rooftop restaurant, Brooklands (rooms, £POA). The hotel group has also just opened its new Istanbul branch in Galataport, the city’s waterfront revitalisation project that includes museums and art galleries, restaurants, boutiques and a new cruise ship port. Its five-star offer includes 177 rooms, a rooftop restaurant and bar alongside a spa with opulent hammams and an indulgent treatment menu (rooms from €1,050). peninsula.com
THE FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL, New York, USA This 153-room hotel was designed by Martin Brudnizki and features an array of restaurants and bars under the direction of chef Andrew Carmellini. From $895, thefifthavenuehotel.com
ROSEWOOD, Munich, Germany Housed in two landmark buildings, with the original façade and stairways, this 132-room hotel with two restaurants and spa is in the heart of the historic city centre. £POA, rosewoodhotels.com
PHOTOS: ©METSÄ KOLO_@ JARCCE; © BEST OF THE ALPS FOR COURMAYEUR MONT BLANC
LE GRAND MAZARIN, Paris, France In the heart of Paris’ buzzing Marais, this hotel’s interiors are inspired by 17th-century designs. It includes 61 rooms, a restaurant, bar and swimming pool. From €690, legrandmazarin.com
HABITARE, Global A new hotel experience from OBMI that allows hoteliers to set up in any far-flung location of their choosing, Habitare’s pods are planet conscious and sustainably crafted. obmi.com/habitare
BELMOND’S ON A ROLL
From the re-opening of Maroma along Mexico’s glorious Riviera Maya coast to the unveiling of a glamorous new suite category in Venice Simplon-OrientExpress, luxury hospitality brand Belmond is on a roll. Not least with the launch of a new barge, which will take to the canals of Champagne, a much awaited renovation of Splendido Portofino, and a year-long series of events to commemorate the 100th birthday of the much celebrated Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro. From £72,000 for six nights private charter, inc. all meals, drinks, bike rental, guided tours and Ruinart exclusive experiences. belmond.com
SIX SENSES CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland This alpine hotel is an intimate bolthole with just 47 rooms and a full range of facilities from restaurants to a wellness offering that, of course, includes the Six Senses Spa. From CHF 1,800, sixsenses.com
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BREAK BRITAIN For a fabulous, flight-free spring break, head to one of these four beauties
A seven-bedroom restaurant with rooms, Boys Hall is the perfect excuse to escape London for a night or two. The 17thcentury manor house has a thrilling history: Charles I stayed here when fleeing to France around 1642; diarist Samuel Pepys was another guest; and the cellar contains the remains of tunnels used by smugglers. Original features like the huge tiled fireplaces, low beams, ornate heraldry, wood panelling and immense staircase means history remains imbued at every turn. The hall has recently been given a gorgeous makeover by its owners Brad and Kristie, with some of the cosy, welcoming rooms featuring four-poster beds, while others have free-standing baths. Sumptuous, colourful fabrics feature throughout. At the heart of the hotel is its restaurant, helmed by head chef Shane Pearson, previously of Blacklock and Caravan. The menu makes the most of its location in the Garden of England, using local, seasonal ingredients and fine English wines. What’s more, it’s located in Ashford, Kent, only a speedy 37 minutes away on the fast train from St Pancras. It makes an ideal base for exploring the local countryside with its vineyards, coastline and pretty villages. BOOK IT: Doubles from £160. boys-hall.com
Boys Hall is one of Kent’s best-kept secrets, just waiting to be discovered
2
Relais Cooden Beach’s fireplace is the perfect place to relax
RELAIS COODEN BEACH, Cooden Beach, Sussex
Sitting plum on a private pebbled beach on the Sussex coast with peerless seaviews, the newly named Relais Cooden Beach (sister hotel of Relais Henley and once a favourite of Sir Winston Churchill) makes a speedy seaside escape from the capital (especially since it’s a couple of minutes’ walk from the nearest train station). Fabled hotelier Grace Leo has worked her magic on the 1930s building, rechristening it as a ‘retreat’ and engaging French designer Pascal Allaman to oversee its most recent upgrade. Now there’s a bright contemporary beach club feel about the place: think Nantucket comes to Bexhill-on-Sea. Come to chill by the central, circular fireplace in the bar, listen to live lounge jazz, and chow down on fresh seafood sourced direct from the fishermen in the red-striped restaurant. You can only imagine the crowds that will flock to this new hotspot come summer, but it’s just as charming at any time of the year. BOOK IT: Doubles from £194. therelaisretreats.com
PHOTOS: © GREGOIRE GARDETTE
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BOYS HALL, Ashford, Kent
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Staycations | HOTELS & TRAVEL
3
THE RETREAT AT ELCOT PARK, Newbury, Berkshire
Sometimes you just want a quick, breezy, relaxing, yet spoiling, break away from London – you don’t want to drive too far; you don’t want to pack your finest threads; you just want to chuck the kids in the car with the dog, some wellies and off you go for a change of scene. Welcome to Elcot, the newest addition to The Signet Collection (which also includes The Mitre and soon Barnsdale Lodge). Hoteliers Hector Ross and his partner Ronnie Kimbugwe breathe new life into downtrodden hotels and shoot them up with great design, top-notch food and a large dose of relaxation – stuffiness is definitely off the menu. Come summer you can get sloshed on Whispering Angel by the outdoor pool, but it’s a place for all seasons with a lovely spa, live music events, monthly markets and even its own courtyard of cute independent shops (including a wine shop, barber and nail bar). Bedrooms are generous and unique (kids love the help-yourself pantry in the hall), and you certainly won’t go hungry with your choice of all-day buzzy 1772 Bistro or Yu, for pan-Asian treats (as long as you’re over 12). BOOK IT: Doubles from £180. retreatelcotpark.com
Bring the kids for a family-friendly spoiling getaway at Elcot Park
PHOTOS: © GREGOIRE GARDETTE
4 Kick back in spoiling yet unpretentious luxury at Farncombe
FARNCOMBE ESTATE, Broadway, Worcestershire
Just two miles outside glorious Broadway in the Cotswolds lies 400 acres of fields and forests that make up the Farncombe Estate. Within its splendid grounds you’ll find such a broad range of accommodation – from treehouses to shepherd’s huts; from the cosseting bedrooms of award-winning hotel Dormy House (don’t miss the spa) to private self-lets with swimming pools – that you’ll be spoilt for choice. Wherever you stay, you’ll find a buzzing all-day restaurant and bar – for snacks, coffee, home-made pizzas and seriously slap-up suppers, all staffed by genuinely kind and attentive people. You’ll also not want for things to do with a whole host of activities on offer, from meeting Billy, the barn owl, in a falconry session, to trying your hand at axe throwing or clay pigeon shooting. There’s an ‘adventure field’ where kids can run amok with games, football posts and general cavorting. For less adrenaline-pumped activities, there’s the spa and yoga studio. This is not a place for pretensions, yet it so easily could have fallen into that Cotswolds trap. Bravo for that. BOOK IT: Accommodation from £350. farncombeestate.co.uk March /April 2023 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 175
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FOOD&DRINK
A Cracking Good Time Cooking up a feast for breakfast and beyond
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FOOD & DRINK | Recipe
PICTURED ON PREVIOUS PAGE
SERVES 4-6 — 1 large plantain, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks — 2¼ tsp paprika — 4 tbsp olive oil — 1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped — 2 bell peppers (red and yellow), stemmed, deseeded and cut into 1 cm slices — 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed — 2 tbsp red harissa — 1 tbsp tomato puree — 3 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed, or 1½ tsp ground cumin — 2 tsp paprika — ½ tsp ground turmeric — ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional) — 800g vine-ripened tomatoes, or 2 x 400g cans plum tomatoes — 8 medium free-range eggs, 2 beaten — 1 small bunch of fresh coriander, torn
METHOD
Heat 2cm of oil in a shallow frying pan to 190˚C. Cook the plantain in batches for a few minutes, turning frequently to ensure browning on all sides. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with a pinch of fine sea salt and a ¼ tsp paprika and toss. To prepare the shakshuka, pour the olive oil into a 26cm sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and set over a medium heat. Add the onion and peppers, season with the salt and cook for five minutes until softened. Add the garlic, red harissa and tomato puree and cook for three minutes, stirring frequently, then stir in the dry spices, and the chilli flakes. Tip in the tomatoes, cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until thickened and sweetened. Scoop half of the sauce into a bowl then spread the remaining sauce out evenly in the pan. Scatter half of the plantain chunks over the top, then pour the two beaten eggs over the top to cover the plantain and sauce. Cover and cook for two minutes. Pour the reserved sauce over the layer of eggs and gently spread out evenly. Scatter over the remaining plantain. Use the back of the spoon to make six ‘wells’ in the sauce. Pour an egg in each one, cover the pan and cook for a final ten minutes over a mediumlow heat, or until the eggs are cooked as you like them. Scatter over the chopped coriander and serve with red harissa and toasted baguette.
Foodie TALES
Africana by Lerato Umah-Shaylor (Harper Collins, £22) n
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Plantain Shakshuka
What’s your food philosophy? I believe food is our human right, Food writer and and not just any food, great food. presenter Lerato Umah-Shaylor In all that I do, I try to use food to bring people together, to break down walls, race, class or status, bringing us together as equals. First dish you learnt to cook? Egusi soup comes to mind. A rich soup made of ground melon seeds, which are rather similar to pumpkin seeds (from an African variety of gourds). My mother taught me to cook this much-loved Nigerian dish and it is a favourite winter warmer. Favourite in-season ingredient? I love it when spring greens start to rear their heads. I love cooking with purple sprouting broccoli and spring onions, flavourful greens that are great for quick, healthy and nourishing meals. Biggest food mistake? Among my closest friends I am known to burn water. Although I have a kettle I can be very old-fashioned and prefer to boil water in a saucepan for tea. Quite often, in the past I must confess to boiling water and not paying attention, until there is nothing else left to boil. Most memorable meal? A feast at a restaurant in Ghana called The Buka. I visited twice in a week to eat the jollof, moin moin, and beef stew with refreshing glasses of Chapman, a cocktail made from orange and lime based fizz, grenadine and bitters. There Food is the ultimate unifier, is something about feasting on African soil under that warm says Lerato Umah-Shaylor glowing sunshine that creates the most memorable mood. When you’re not in the kitchen, where are you? I am in my home office writing recipes and stories or daydreaming. I get lost in my thoughts, planning creative projects, recipes or holidays. Do you have any unique cooking rituals? I enjoy listening to music and dancing away while I cook. I created a range of playlists, including an Africana playlist, and dance while I chop, stir and cook away. What's in your fridge? My fridge is packed at the moment with wine, halloumi, butter, cream cheese, jars of homemade harissa and the smoky tomato and date jam from my cookbook. Dream dinner date? Either in the Serengeti on the vast plain, with the animals strolling by, or overlooking the turquoise sea, perhaps on an east African island or archipelago.
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Wine | FOOD & DRINK
WINE YOUR WAY Aspiring winemakers can find a home at Osiris, says Richard Hopton
O
siris, a new private members’ club, is the brainchild of Paul McSharry, a charming and knowledgeable Californian winemaker of Irish descent. If you love wine but find that emulating Brad Pitt, George Clooney, or Sir Cliff Richard in owning a vineyard is perhaps a touch beyond your means, then this could be your salvation. Membership of Osiris is primarily an opportunity to make wine to your own precise specification. Osiris has joined with top wineries all over the world – in France, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, and California – to help its members create their own wines. Professional winemakers guide members in the skilful art – acquired through a lifetime’s experience of growing, tasting, and blending wine – of creating a unique vintage. Once blended, Osiris’s members are able to follow the progress of their wine as it matures until it is bottled with their own personalised label. Osiris has also teamed up with the concierge service Quintessential to provide its members with the opportunity to a join a calendar of luxury events and exclusive trips. A recent excursion to Château MalarticLagravière in the Graves region of Bordeaux provided a glimpse of the delights of an Osiris membership. Following a stunning dinner at the Michelin-starred restaurant L’Observatoire du Gabriel in the city, we were taken to the beautiful château, one of only six in Graves to be classified for both its red and white wines. There we were given a tour of the winemaking facilities and the cave by the charming
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH
Fancy making your own wine but lacking a vineyard? New member’s club Osiris has just the answer
co-owner, Véronique Bonnie. From there we repaired to the blending room where, under the expert guidance of Veronique’s brother and co-owner, Jean-Jacques, we attempted to blend a red wine from the four red grape varieties grown at the château. Suffice it to say, for the novice, blending young, cold, red wines is an almost impossible task. Blending over, we strolled across the lawn to the château itself – an elegant white Second Empire building – where a leisurely and delicious lunch was served during which we tasted four vintages of Malartic, three red and one white, all fabulous. It was a memorable day, a stolen moment of douceur de vivre. As might be imagined, none of this comes cheaply. An Osiris membership costs between $25,000 and $125,000 with an annual subscription on top but it will provide an unrivalled entrée to the wine world. And it’s a lot less expensive than buying your own wine estate. osirisclub.com n March /April 2023 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 179
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FOOD & DRINK | News
FEAST ON THIS For traditionalists, lamb and Easter go together like love and marriage. Make sure yours is organic, ethical and delicious by buying direct from Coombe Farm Organic. From £46.25, coombefarmorganic.co.uk
NEAR THE BELLS OF SHOREDITCH
A new opening from the brains behind Townsend in Whitechapel is cause to ring the celebration bells. Nick Gilkinson’s latest venture, Maene, will transport European bistro culture to an old Victorian warehouse in Spitalfields. Expect lounging lunches and impromptu latenight meals. Opens March. maenerestaurant.co.uk
Gastro GOSSIP Don’t hold back on the Easter treats, says Tessa Dunthorne
TEDDY BEAR’S PICNIC
Celebrate the return to milder spring weather with more outdoor adventures. Make sure to take Pique’s picnic hampers range with you. It includes childfriendly treats (from £15) and indulgent jam-packed spreads with paired drinks and chocolatey bites (from £60). piquefood.co.uk
TWO A PENNY
Hot cross buns stuffed with artisanal gelato? Sounds like a sinfully good – if unusual – Easter treat. Soho gelateria Gelupo and cult-favourite bakery Jolene are teaming up to create a spin on the mouthwatering Sicilian breakfast staple, brioche con gelato. From 27 March to 10 April, gelupo.com
NEST EGGS
The Easter Bunny doesn’t just have to visit for the little ones – here are our favourite grown-up Easter eggs
TIPPLE TOPPLE Rich alcoholic chocolate cream liqueur, 15 percent alc/vol. £29, harveynichols.com
HEN HOUSES Hettie’s Wacky Hen House filled with milk chocolate ganache mini eggs. £8.50, prestat.com
GREEN WITH ENVY Vegan dark chocolate egg made with vegetable fibre in reusable cotton bag. £35, venchi.com
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Restaurants | FOOD & DRINK
A FEAST FOR THE EYES The best art-themed restaurants for a sensory spectacle
MOUNT ST. RESTAURANT, Mayfair
A new London destination for art and food lovers, Mount St. Restaurant brings together brilliant culture and cuisines under one roof. Every inch of the venue is bedecked in awe-inspiring art, from the specially commissioned palladiano mosaic floor by Rashid Johnson, to the walls featuring works by Andy Warhol, Henry Matisse and Lucian Freud, to name just a few. The decor might be breathtaking, but the menu is satisfyingly down-to-earth, with chef Jamie Shears cooking up crowd-pleasers like beef Wellington, mock turtle croquettes, and a rich and unctuous lobster pie – the latter inspired by the little Picasso casually hung behind the bar. One thing’s for sure, it’s the place to see and be seen right now – King Charles and Camilla had been in the week before (they had the Highland venison loin) and, while C&TH was visiting, a former British prime minister (and his exchancellor) also stopped by for lunch. mountstreetrestaurant.com
PHOTOS: © JOHNNY STEVENS; © JASON SPOOR; © SIMON BROWN; © REBECCA DICKINSON
DINNER BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL, Mayfair
Let yourself be swept away into the mists of time and legend by none other than Heston Blumenthal, who has created a tasting menu at his restaurant Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental, inspired by the new exhibition Labyrinth: Knossos, Myth & Reality at the Ashmolean. Heston and his team have taken inspiration from the myth of the labyrinth and the reality of ingredients eaten in Ancient Greece to come up with a tantalising array of dishes, all matched with fine Greek wines. The octopus, whelk and cockle starter is taken from one of the show’s highlights, a carved marble triton shell, showcasing the skill of the Minoan people. Everything is infused with popular wild herbs from the period, while the Minotaur itself – half man, half bull – gets a nod through the decadent smoked beef broth and short rib with smoked fennel and onion. Until 1 May, mandarinoriental.com
FOR SECONDS
CYCENE, Shoreditch Chef Theo Clench presents a tight tasting menu that flexes his creative mettle and showcases the restaurant’s home-fermented, home-pickled, homepreserved ingredients. The intimate dining room is sexy and stripped back, with an impressive central sketch by Frank Auerbach. But the main spectacle is on your plate. bluemountain.school/cycene
PIZARRO, Piccadilly José Pizarro’s eponymous restaurant is his first central London venture, housed in the Royal Academy. Work up an appetite with a flit around the ongoing Spain and the Hispanic World exhibition (until 10 April) before heading upstairs to the airy Senate Room to pick at huevas, jamón and other delightful Spanish dishes. royalacademy.org.uk
BACCHANALIA, Mayfair A hotly anticipated recent opening, Bacchanalia exudes decadence – and is filled to the brim with impressive art. The Greek-Italian restaurant was designed by Martin Brudnizki, and hosts four original giant sculptures by Damien Hirst. Crane your neck for the frescoes while tucking into the opulent Bacchus Feasting menu. bacchanalia.co.uk
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PROPERTY Edited by Anna Tyzack
HOUSE OF THE MONTH
La Verdière in the Var, Provence, France, €18m 5,000 sq/m of living space, 120 rooms, 2 pools
Sell it to us in a sentence… This sumptuous château is the largest in Provence, and while it keeps all its historical charm, it has been stunningly renovated over 15 years. How would you describe it? The design is medieval. After a painstaking restoration project using traditional building methods, it has been returned to its former beauty. What’s unique about it? The size – there are 120 rooms in total and it was built originally in 980AD. Best room? The spacious covered lounge deck facing the pool and ocean. What would summers be like here? The property offers many different living experiences depending on the seasons, from cool ground floor living spaces that open onto private aromatic terraces for summer, to south-facing upper living spaces flooded with the warming Provençal sun for those winter months. The castle is surrounded by a multitude of terraces, French-style gardens, English-inspired gardens, fountains, statues, and two swimming pools. There is also an Olympic sized equestrian arena, stables, helipad, garages and many outbuildings. Perks of the location? The lavender fields of Provence and the Gorges de Verdon, described as Europe’s Grand Canyon are all around. For culture lovers, it’s about 45 minutes from Aix en Provence, one of the most popular cities in France. The lesser-known area has attracted many celebrities over the years such as George Clooney, Brad Pitt and George Lucas, who all own estates nearby. +44 (0)20 8144 5501; home-hunts.com March /April 2023 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | 183
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Let’s Move To...
THE CARIBBEAN Anna Tyzack dreams of a life in paradise – which is more realistic than you think
B
ack in the glamorous days of Concorde travel, British Airways’ Saturday morning flight to Barbados made perfect sense: the Caribbean was the holiday destination of choice for Britain’s wealthiest business travellers. ‘Since Winston Churchill and Jackie Onassis put Sandy Lane Hotel on the map in the Sixties, the Caribbean became a home from home for many high-profile families, many of whom have handed their beachfront estates down to the next generations,’ explains Chris Parra of One Caribbean Estates (onecaribbeanestates.com). Post-Covid, the appetite for Caribbean property is seeing a resurgence, he continues, with people discovering that the Caribbean is an idyllic place to work from home as well as to spend a holiday. ‘What was once a two or three week holiday has become a two or three month stay,’ agrees Edward de Mallet Morgan of Knight Frank (knightfrank.com). The return of ‘wintering in the Caribbean’ has prompted a flurry of high value property sales, not only in Barbados but on Mustique, where Knight Frank is currently selling the Caribbean’s most expensive property for US $200 million, as well as Antigua and St Lucia. ‘Those working from home in a flat with limited outside space in London have realised that for the same money they can have a large house on a 50-acre beachfront estate in Barbados,’ Parra says. Living and working for stretches of the year in the Caribbean is not just a lifestyle choice, he continues, but can make financial sense for those concerned about wealth preservation as there are business incentives, visa programmes and favourable tax regimes. ‘Younger buyers are seeing the benefits as well as those in their fifties and sixties – I recently sold a property on Sandy Lane Estate for more 184 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | March /April 2023
than $20 million,’ Parra continues. Beachfront estates, specifically on white sand beaches, are most coveted by UK buyers, according to Nick Vanassche of Christie’s International Real Estate Caribbean Affiliates (christiesrealestate.com). For those looking to relocate from London to the Caribbean, Barbados is an obvious choice: the infrastructure and property market are sophisticated and there are world class restaurants and golf courses along with leading hospitals and schools. ‘There’s no compromise at all; there are top independent schools, Providence and Codrington, exceptional health care, a low crime rate and plenty to do,’ Parra says. While the most expensive properties now cost more than $40 million, buyers are still surprised by the value; even in today’s more competitive market it’s possible to find a four-bedroom family house on the beach for less than $3 million. ‘Wealth whispers on Barbados: it’s not showy,’ Parra explains. ‘It doesn’t matter if you live in a three-bedroom villa on Royal Westmoreland or a mansion on Sandy Lane. It’s all about the community.’ Other Caribbean islands are also witnessing a hotter market; Christie's Estates is seeing demand for beachfront estates in the British Virgin Islands, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Maarten, while Parra has noted increasing interest in Canouan in the Grenadines, which has attracted luxury brands including Mandarin Oriental and Soho House. Robert Green of Sphere Estates (sphereestates.com) believes those looking for the buzz and sophistication of Barbados with more affordable house prices should look to St Lucia, which has direct flights to London, a vibrant culture and beautiful scenery plus a golden visa
PROPERTY programme – residents pay no wealth or inheritance tax or tax on income from abroad. ‘It’s accessible and safe with stunning rainforest and the Pitons, a UNESCO World Heritage site,’ Green says. At the new Cas en Bas Beach Resort, which borders a championship golf course and a spectacular one kilometre beach, freehold apartments start at $330,000 (casenbasbeachresort.com), while at Cabot Saint Lucia, a new golf club and residential community on a wild 375-acre peninsula, they start at $2.8 million (cabotsaintlucia.com). While branded residences such as those at Cas en Bas Beach Resort (managed by Dream Hotel Group) are dominating the Caribbean’s luxury property market, buyers are also queuing for hideaway-style properties on private islands; Jumby Bay in Antigua, for example, Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos and Mustique in the Grenadines and St Vincent. ‘Mustique is a place where doors are not locked and no one bats an eyelid when you arrive at dinner barefoot, an island whose visitors both host wild and glamorous parties while also being one of the most family safe and friendly FROM LEFT: Yachts in Britannia Bay, Mustique; a villa in Cabot St Lucia; Bridgetown in Barbados
environments in the world,’ says de Mallet Morgan. ‘It’s a place where high profile people have low profile holidays.’ According to Roger Pritchard, of the Mustique Company, the island is experiencing a major uplift in property sales from the UK. ‘In an increasingly unpredictable global climate, a house on Mustique is the ultimate property legacy – security, enjoyment as well as a rock-solid asset for generations to come,’ he says. With so few properties available in these locations and prices higher than ever, James Burdess, of Savills Caribbean recommends buyers consider private estates such as Pearns Point on the west coast of Antigua (antiguapearnspoint. com), where there are a small number of plots still available; similarly Parra points buyers towards The Liming on the tiny island of Bequia in the Grenadines, an undulating 137-acre estate with seven deserted beaches and beachfront cottages costing from $8 million. ‘The equivalent would be worth more than $20 million on Mustique,’ he says. Experts predict that prices in the Caribbean will keep rising due to a lack of resale homes available and the growing trend for working from home in paradise. ‘My clients get up early for work and finish by 2pm to spend the rest of the day on the golf course and beach,’ Parra says. ‘There’s no better place to raise a family – children here surf the ocean rather than the internet.’
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
FOR SALE
Cas en Bas Beach Resort, St Lucia, from $330,000 A collection of 90 luxurious freehold apartments with access to amenities including pool, restaurants, golf course, night life and a one km beach. onecaribbeanestates.com
Sandy Lane, Barbados, $4.5m Phoenix is a newly refurbished fourbedroom home a short walk from the beach and golf course, at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. It comes with sea views, a pool and rooftop jacuzzi. onecaribbeanestates.com
Mustique, $7.75m Tanama, inspired by the work of Mustique’s celebrated architect, Oliver Messel, is a hillside five-bedroom villa for ten guests. It has staff accommodation, and a large pool with pool house. mustique-island.com
Cabot St Lucia, $8m Lot 104 is 27,000 sq/ft, with the opportunity for a custom villa of your choice with views of the Cas en Bas beach and a cart ride or short walk from the resort’s spa and restaurants. cabotsaintlucia.com n
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PROPERTY | Five of the Best
GRAND DESIGNS
These London homes hide great design secrets, says Tessa Dunthorne TOWER BRIDGE, £7.95m
Oozing Bond appeal, this three-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment is found in the Anchor Brewhouse building, a swish redevelopment of an 18th-century brewery overlooking the Thames. Enter the property on its own private bridge – over a water feature – and enjoy a martini shaken, not stirred, at its opulent onyx bar area. andersonrose.co.uk
CHELSEA WATERFRONT, from £1.6m Powerhouse Chelsea’s apartments range from two to four bedrooms and occupy part of the old Battersea Power station. A love letter to the site’s heritage, the homes honour everything industrial: dark timber details, steel doors and black ironmongery are used throughout. powerhousechelsea.com
KENSAL RISE, £5.95m
Kenmont Gardens is a unique conversion of the former St. Jude’s Church in West London. The four bedroom, four bathroom Gothic church offers generous-sized rooms, with soaring ceilings and elegant ecclesiastical arches. The property is also blessed with stained glass windows throughout. rokstone.com
CANARY WHARF, from £3.9m
One Park Drive’s penthouses stare out over the London skyline, and were designed by award-winning Swiss architects, Herzog & de Meuron. Slick, clean lines make these homes a visual feast. Not to mention, each apartment boasts a hidden internal courtyard garden, plus access to a cinema room and gym. canarywharf.com/residential
LITTLE VENICE, £11m
A detached low built villa, sheltered by its walled garden, Warwick Place has been the recipient of three design and architecture awards. Its interiors – by Wells Mackereth in 2011 – hark back to the mid-century. The home’s hidden gem? A chic Seventies-style sunken conversation pit in the living room, finished in chestnut leather. savills.co.uk
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Part Exchange Available • T&C’s apply
A luxury gated development of only 30 apartments and houses set in 16 acres of private parkland, perfectly located on the outskirts of Brentwood, Essex. Prices from £625,000
For further information contact us on:
01277 217637 | newhomes@beresfords.co.uk Beresford.indd 1
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PR O M OT I O N
HOME SWEET HOME Whether you’re buying or selling, you can trust Harwood Advisory to find your dream home or ideal buyer
Interested in finding out what Harwood Advisory can do for you and your property? Call Sami for an exploratory and strictly confidential discussion on +44 (0) 7748 508891, or visit harwoodadvisory.com
Harwood Advisory’s experienced property experts have a impressive network of contacts
HARWOOD ADVISORY PROMISES
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Total transactional confidentiality with all deals being under the radar and kept out of gossip columns and media.
Unerring transactional success. Since its inception Harwood has successfully delivered on transactions exceeding £195 million for its clients, in just two years. Access to off-market property gems and to an extensive committed buyer list.
A seamless customer journey with no hassle, no surprises and end-to-end integrated and complete service. Reporting to suit a client’s preference, which can be hourly, daily, weekly or monthly.
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ooking for discreet and diligent property experts to help sell your property, or find your next dream home? Look no further than Harwood Advisory, a boutique agency that specialises in prime properties across London, the Home Counties and the South West. Harwood Advisory is headed up by Sami Robertson who, prior to launching the company in 2020, spent 17 years in Knight Frank’s prime property division. Joining him is Anna Lazenbury, a senior advisor who set up the property buying arm of Stonehage Fleming, and senior consultant Susannah Fox MRICS, a chartered surveyor with both prime London and country expertise. Altogether, the Harwood team has over 50 years of prime property experience. What sets Harwood Advisory apart from the crowd? For starters, it combines its leading UK property experts with a highly personal approach, meaning a seamless, flexible experience for clients from start to finish. Its vast network of contacts means the team is often the first to know about exciting off-market deals, so it can find the perfect home or buyer before a property ever hits the open market.
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ON THE MARKET 18 GORDON PLACE, W8
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ucked away on a quiet tree-lined street a stone’s throw from buzzing Kensington High Street is 18 Gordon Place, a family home that’s for sale through Harwood Advisory and Stroud Fuller Lurot Property. A charming and light-filled period house in a wonderfully serene and leafy neighborhood, 18 Gordon Place has been in the same family for 30 years. It has plenty of room for the whole brood, with five bedrooms, two studies, and two reception rooms to make your own. The open-plan kitchen and dining room, meanwhile, are perfect for both casual weeknight suppers or for entertaining friends over dinner. The end-of-terrace house also has triple-aspect windows for an abundance of sunshine, plus secluded front and rear patio gardens. As well as a private offstreet parking space, there’s a garage and spacious under-pavement vaults offering plentiful storage options. In addition to the bustling high street, nearby there’s also Kensington Church Street with its prestigious restaurants, beauty salons and antique shops. Plus there’s lots of green space, with Holland Park and Kensington Gardens both just a seven minute stroll. It’s also within easy walking distance of cultural hotspots like the Design Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Royal Albert Hall, while shopping in Mayfair or on Portobello Road is just a short drive or tube ride away. Gordon Place’s location also means there is an unparalleled range of prestigious educational options available in the area, from nursery to sixth form colleges, in both the state and independent sectors. There’s Thomas’s Kensington or Pembridge Hall for little ones, while older kids will thrive at Queen’s Gate School, or become bilingual at Le Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle. Nearby Holland Park School, meanwhile, has gained a sought-after reputation as a highly competitive secondary. Is 18 Gordon Place your dream family home? Call or email the Harwood Advisory team today for more information
‘After 30 YEARS with one family, it’s time for this SPECIAL HOUSE to make lasting HAPPY MEMORIES for someone else’ SAMI ROBERTSON, FOUNDER OF HARWOOD ADVISORY
The five-bedroom house is ideally located near soughtafter High Street Kensington
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PR O M OT I O N
ON THE MARKET HANS PLACE, KNIGHTSBRIDGE, SW1
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handsome Knightsbridge townhouse, Hans Place dates back to the 18th century, when it was built as part of historically significant Hans Town Development, on land owned by Sir Hans Sloane, which also encompassed Sloane Street, Sloane Square and Cadogan Place. This leafy garden square was created by celebrated architect Henry Holland. Holland’s other famous creations include Brooks’s Club in St James, The Brighton Pavilion and Carlton House, the London residence of King George IV. This magnificent six-storey house (with lift) extends to more than 5,300 sq/ft, and offers spacious living areas alongside five bedrooms and staff accommodation with separate access. The elegant reception rooms include a lavish dining room (seating up to 12) with a dumbwaiter, and a light-filled drawing room – one of the finest in Knightsbridge. Its double French windows leads onto a balcony with views across the garden square. For more intimate entertaining or family dinners, there’s the open-plan family kitchen and breakfast room, which accesses the courtyard garden through modern bi-fold doors. There’s also a media/TV room, study and wine cellar.
Upstairs, the principal bedroom occupies the entirety of the second floor, and features two elegant sash windows with views over the communal garden in the middle of the square. Its generous ensuite has twin sinks, a bath and a shower. There are also four further double bedrooms, all well-proportioned with built-in storage and ensuite bathrooms, two with baths and two with showers. A recently installed lift gives access to the lower ground and ground floor, and first three storeys. The entire house has been extensively renovated and refurbished in recent years, with great care and attention-todetail made in its upkeep, so it’s available in immaculate condition. As well as its own private patio area, the house also has access to the enchanting communal gardens of Hans Place, accessed via a gate almost directly opposite the house. A beautifully welcoming family home, Hans Place also offers an unbeatable London location in the heart of Knightsbridge. World-class shopping is on the doorstep, with Harrods and Harvey Nichols just a stone’s throw away, as well as the luxury boutiques of Sloane Street. A five-minute walk further on will take you to Sloane Square, with Peter Jones and outposts of Tiffany, Cartier and Ralph Lauren. Bustling Pavilion Road, with its
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‘Freehold HOUSES of this nature are extremely RARE, especially on a GARDEN square as sought after as HANS PLACE, just moments from HARRODS’
The six-storey property offers a slice of London history in the heart of the capital
JAMIE HOPE, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF MASKELLS ESTATE AGENTS village feel and artisan bakeries, cafes and independent shops, is also just a short stroll away from the house. Nearby green spaces are also plentiful, whether Hyde Park, Green Park or St James’s Park – all within walking distance. In terms of art and culture, the Saatchi Gallery can be found in nearby Duke of York Square, just off Sloane Square. There’s also the Royal Court theatre, where you can discover emerging and established writers, actors and directors, and Cadogan Hall, home of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The West End is also easily accessible via Knightsbridge Underground Station, which is only 0.3 miles from the house. For families with children, the house is also within easy distance of some of London’s leading schools and nurseries, including Eaton Square Schools, which offers co-educational, independent day schools for ages 2-18, and Hill House School, for boys and girls aged 4-13. For more information, contact the Harwood Advisory team or Joint Sole Agents, Maskells Estate Agents, on sami@harwoodadvisory.com or jhope@maskells.com n
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LAST WORD Michael and Kamal sat down to chat for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s ‘Journeys of Discovery’ programme of talks
Tales of our Time
Michael Hayman speaks to Kamal Ahmed about identity and entrepreneurship
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our story is your superpower – a life lesson from Kamal Ahmed, the former BBC News Editorial Director. While many of us will remember his sharp reporting and even sharper suits, Kamal’s life looks very different today: the disruptive entrepreneur is changing the way young people relate to news through his start-up, The News Movement. His mission is powerful: ‘to solve the undersupply of trusted, engaging, balanced, and objective news and information on social media platforms’. His vision is to create new ways of storytelling to ‘bring audiences on a journey of discovery’ through a community of creators ‘meeting you where you are’ in a digital world.
This new approach matters because, he says, ‘this century has been almost dominated by the idea of identity and belonging, and of whose history do we tell.’ Identity and belonging might be the inspiration for his new business, but it is also at the heart of his own story, captured in his 2018 book The Life and Times of A Very British Man. Born in London to a Sudanese father and Yorkshire mother, he has come to find ‘pride in both sides of the fence’ of a ‘mixed ethnic identity’. But this was no easy journey. Growing up in 1970s Britain came with the immediate challenge and longer-term consequences of being made to feel foreign in his own country. It’s beautifully captured by his reflections of first visiting the Sudan: ‘The romantic red dust of the Sahara is not mine, the call to prayer is not mine, not in the way the River
Thames is mine, the sands of a Devon summer holiday beach are mine, a pint down the pub is mine. I am as British as they come, like hot buttered toast and bacon sarnies. And still, something of an alien in my own country.’ Awakening to the question of his own identity and seeking to find answers has done much to inform his new career path and sharpen his mission to sew the seams of unity back into public discourse. He has been able to look at his own profession anew, co-creating an organisation whose ambition is to do nothing less than to change news for good. His life experiences, he says, have ‘helped me navigate and think about the journey so many people are now on’. That journey becomes the story of our lives. Being alive to it and its possibilities is how the things that once troubled us become the ones that can ultimately empower and unite us. n
LISTEN to my Journeys of Discovery interview with Kamal (rpo.co.uk). READ The Life and Times of a Very British Man by Kamal Ahmed (£7.99, bloomsbury. com) WATCH The News Movement – ‘We’re here to reimagine the news. Here to earn and keep your trust’. thenewsmovement.com
PHOTOS: © ANDY PARADISE
TA L K I N G P O I N T S
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