BLUSH DREAM #26

TOD’S SOLIDARITY AND SUSTAINABILITY MISSONI FROM SUMIRAGO TO THE WORLD A WEEKEND IN FLORENCE ITALY SEEN FROM ABOVE

DOLCE VITA

SALMA HAYEK IN THE PINK PHARRELL WILLIAMS MUSIC ELECTRIFIES ME

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Publisher: Blush Editions Publishing Director: Grégory Ayoun Managing Director: Christian-Jules Ayoun Art Director: Yvan Babillon Editorial Project Manager: Caroline Sambucchi Editorial Consultant: Marine Pasquier Writers: Sophie Colin, Quitterie Pasquesoone, Hélène Battaglia, Delphine Gallay, Stéphane Lechine Photographers: Sandra Fourqui, Johann Sauty, Ron Contarsy, Frank Rousseau Translators: Victoria Selwyn, Emma Lingwood Publisher: Publiscope Marketing Manager: Fiona Esther.A Advertising Coordination: Cyril Montegu Editorial Office: Blush Editions 136 cours Emile Zola - 69100 Villeurbanne - FRANCE Advertising: EUROPE Blush Editions Case Postale 6349 1211 Genève 6 MIDDLE EAST Dubai UAE International circulation: KD Presse 14, rue des messageries 75010 Paris - France Tel.: +33 (9) 53 39 42 71 contact@kdpresse.com Distribution Export: Pineapple Média BLUSH Dream is a biannual edited and published by Publiscope.

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TOD’S SOLIDARITY AND SUSTAINABILITY MISSONI FROM SUMIRAGO TO THE WORLD A WEEKEND IN FLORENCE ITALY SEEN FROM ABOVE

DOLCE VITA

TOD’S SOLIDARITY AND SUSTAINABILITY MISSONI FROM SUMIRAGO TO THE WORLD A WEEKEND IN FLORENCE

SALMA HAYEK IN THE PINK PHARRELL WILLIAMS

MUSIC ELECTRIFIES ME

ITALY SEEN FROM ABOVE

DOLCE VITA

SALMA HAYEK IN THE PINK PHARRELL WILLIAMS

MUSIC ELECTRIFIES ME

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Cover: Pharrell Williams Photo © Fox productions

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Cover: Maeva Coucke Photographer: Sandra Fourqui Necklace: Julian Pelliccia Earrings: Vincent Michel Swimsuit: Calarena

Un’estrema ispirazione alla bellezza e alla ricerca scientifica. In ogni sua forma.

Inspired, at the highest level, by beauty and scientific research. In its every form.

P 23 EDITORIAL P 26 PHARRELL Music electrifies me.

P 32 SALMA In the pink.

P 64 SARAH ROJAS Traditional savoir-faire with a fresh, modern twist.

WILLIAMS

P 66 SOANN A distinctive vision of the jeweller’s art.

HAYEK

P 38 WATCHES & WONDERS Via a selection of major timepieces.

GENEVA 2021

P 44 JAEGER-LECOULTRE’S The Reverso story.

P 48 LOUIS MOINET Around the World.

A Journey through Time and Space.

P 68 BOLLWERK JEWELLERS A luxury jewellers in the centre of Mulhouse.

P 70 TATJANA GRÜNINGER Never without love.

P 72 SHOPPING Italian style.

JEWELLERY

P 74 TOD’S GROUP Bet on Solidarity and Sustainability to reach the new generations.

P 52 CARL F.BUCHERER The manero minute repeater symphony.

P 78 THE MISSONI FAMILY From the little town of Sumirago to the world.

P 56 CYRUS Latest creation: Klepcys GMT retrograde.

P 82 RAISAVANESSA The Turkish luxury fashion brand which empowers women.

P 58 PIER ENRICO BESANA Watchmaker instructor at the Watch Academy by CIMIER.

P 84 CALARENA Another vision of beachwear.

P 60 CHARLY ZENGER Jewellery and watches in a perfect Ticino setting.

P 86 SHOPPING BEAUTY 2021 summer vanity case.

P 62 PELLICCIA’S JEWELLERY Luxury jewellery inspired by sakura and samurai.

P 88 SHOPPING Sacred elixirs.

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PERFUMES

The Art of Sound. Since 1978.

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EIDOS REFERENCE SACD

P 92 24 HOURS with Maud Ganry Boutaric Founder of How to Spa.

P 144 RICHARD MILLE A union of passions.

P 94 SUBLIME COCOONING Below are some of our favourite spa venues.

P 148 NATHANAËL BERTHON An interview with an eclectic driver.

P 98 SUMMER SKINCARE Top tips from the Callys Laboratory.

P 150

P 100 GREENTECH Chemicals for the future.

PHOTO EDITORIALS P 104 P 116

Paris Riviera with Maëva Coucke

BY SANDRA FOURQUI Maison De Gournay

BY CONTARSY & KARECHA

P 128 CHRISTO The last of the Pharaohs.

P 134 MARC ANGE Weaves his web of extraordinary creations.

P 138 VIRUS ARCHITECTURE Buildings to feel at home in.

P 140 GORDON A lifetime’s work.

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MURRAY

AND FERRARI

NEWS DRIVE

P 152 A WEEKEND IN FLORENCE The highlights of our recent visit to the Tuscan capital.

P 156 HVF VILLA FRANCA Positano’s best-kept secret.

P 158 HOTEL IL PELLICANO A luxury hideaway on the Tuscan coast.

P 160 ITALY SEEN FROM ABOVE Sit back, relax and enjoy the “dolce vita”.

P 164 MASSIMO BOTTURA Chef extraordinaire and modern-day hero.

P 166 RECIPE From glass Hostaria’s Kitchen.

P 168 VISITING MILAN With Raffaella Iten.

Maximum Wellbeing What is luxury, if you don‘t have the time to enjoy it?

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Luxury means not having to be concerned with its practical matters, but to be able to enjoy the perfect moment in the company of family or friends. Totally free of worry, knowing that in the background there is a team who will fulfill all your wishes.

This is why Maura Wasescha doesn’t just have exclusive properties for sale or rent. Maura Wasescha does more. She offers the perfect luxury service, so that the magic of the moment becomes timeless enjoyment.

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OFFICIAL FERRARI DEALER

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Ferrari.com

Fuel economy and CO2 results for the Ferrari Roma in mpg (l/100km) combined: 29.1 (9.7) to 15.9 (17.8). CO2 emissions: 220 - 404 g/km.

Figures shown

are for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.

Photo © Sandra Fourqui

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ummer is just around the corner. After a stressful start to the year, the first rays of sunshine seem to promise a unique summer season, where freedom is synonymous with far niente. In an ode to the dolce vita, Blush Dream takes you on a fabulous escapade to wonderful Florence and then onto the Italian Riviera, from Positano to Porto Ercole, for a glamourous sunbathing session on a rooftop terrace, before enjoying a selection of authentic aperitivi in Rome. Discover the studios of shoe designer Tod’s and learn about the secrets of “Made in Italy”; immerse yourself in the creative universe of Christo, or allow yourself to be tempted by one of the latest watchmaking beauties, presented in Watches & Wonders.

Bold and refreshing, this latest issue has plenty of surprises in store. From Salma Hayek’s confessions to Pharrell Williams’ success story, to the sublime Miss France 2018, Maëva Coucke … there’s something for everyone in this summer edition. And as one piece of good news deserves another, Blush editions are pleased to announce the following latest releases. Learn about the art of jewellery from Lugano to Lausanne, thanks to the authentic creations of jewellers Charly Zenger and Vincent Michel, and admire the collections of the Rojas family at Jeweltech and Custom House Geneva, which bring together a father’s traditional expertise with the boundless imagination of his daughter. Finally, what better way to accompany your tanning sessions than to discover the latest novelties from Swiss cosmetics laboratory Callys or the glorious well-being bubble that is How to Spa, whose wellness kits guarantee a moment of home relaxation as good as any spa.

We wish all our readers a wonderful summer!

Gregory Ayoun Managing Editor

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Paris - Hong Kong www.pineletpinel.com

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PHARRELL WILLIAMS

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Music electrifies me

e are talking to a singer, producer and the man behind a string of global number ones. The Afro-American star the planet has been talking about for years. His name is Pharrell Williams and if you haven’t heard of him you must be living in a cave ... or on another planet. Not that he needed you to make his mark. His “Get lucky” and “Happy” are now part of the collective unconscious and, if Google is to be believed, there are no less than 36 million websites dedicated to this mercurial phenomenon. Respect to the artist.

Interview conducted in Los Angeles by Frank Rousseau, our USA correspondent - Photos © Frank Rousseau

Apart from being how you earn your living, what does music mean to you?

Music? It’s my super power.

It’s thanks to music that I got everything I dreamed of. It’s music that opened up all the opportunities in the industry.

It’s what gets me up with a big smile in the morning. Nothing in the world would make me betray the thing that inspires me and nourishes me. I’d never complain about my job. I’m extremely grateful to be able to do what I do.

What do you feel when you sing?

Music electrifies me inside!

For me, music is the most effective form of expression when you want to get a message across or touch people. It goes straight to the heart and soul of everyone who knows how to appreciate its real value! The most beautiful quality of a singer or artist is to be able to communicate emotion. Without emotion, the job makes no sense. But to keep the emotion, the sensibility, you need to stay in touch with the audience, your fans, people close to you, your audience.

I have one fault. I sing all the time. My wife and my son Rocket might say too much! (laughter). What drives them mad is that I never switch off. When I sing, it’s not necessarily couplets, it can be La-la-la-la-la-la.

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or Di-di-di-di-di-di-di. Generally, I start in the bathroom in the morning and finish in the evening before I go to bed.

I don’t sing in the shower any more since I realised I was swallowing water and could end up drowning. (laughter). Musically, I’m very eclectic. I love early-80s rap because the words were positive, optimistic and less heavy than today. That’s probably down to the economic situation.

I’ve also loved drumming since I was a kid. Thinking back, it can’t have been easy for my parents. I’m sure they cursed me and stuffed their fingers in their ears sometimes.

What is the secret if you want to last in such a competitive business?

It’s really just to enjoy what you do. If you don’t do it with love that comes through straight away. You have to have a positive attitude, and it has to be real not fake. Be happy. Infuse it with a good energy. After that it’s a question of quality. You have to think that an album, a song, are going to be listened to on a loop. The finished product has to be perfectly smooth. Make sure its flawless.

What do you think we need right now?

More love. More openness to others. Now, more than ever.

We are living in a very tough world right now. A world where everybody’s struggling. We can never forget how important it is to remember that solidarity, goodwill, love of life opens lots of doors. What our society is also missing is that we are trusting each other less and less.

We are pulling back into ourselves. But it’s only by opening up, communicating, swapping ideas or life experiences that we create ourselves.

What kind of student were you?

I got a lot of Ds. A few Cs on a good day. I was never a very academic student. I had good teachers who tried to teach me loads of stuff but frankly I could never see the point.

I think in fact what I didn’t like was that they wanted to make me conform to certain rules.

This wasn’t easy for a free spirit like me. I wanted to learn, but in my own way.

My only motivation was music classes. As I didn’t want them to kick me out on my ass and miss out on the chance to play an instrument, I forced myself to work a bit on other stuff.

What annoys you most in life?

You who always seems “happy”.

You know, negativity is everywhere. It’s all around us.

You only need to go on the net to realise there are loads of

things that are only trying to divide us. You don’t need to look hard. That said, it’s not all dark on the planet. We are also doing some really cool actions like feeding other nations or sending out aid to people suffering in war zones.

We can also dream when Elon Musk starts talking about his ambition to send people to Mars one day or when you look at this community that lives in space on the space station. Of course, when you see such gaps, such disparities, you can’t avoid the fact that the world is an unequal place. Even so, I think we’re getting there. I don’t know if we can change the minds of older people. I love them and like lots of them. But those who have let themselves get infected by negativity, that hurts, and I really don’t know if we can change their outlook. I think ultimately we’re in the women’s century and it’s time they played a bigger part in our society. Over the last few centuries, who was it taking the mad decisions? Who started the wars? Not the women. I’m a man, I’m happy to be one, but you know what? It’s time women had a chance to take the most important decisions. I know some people won’t appreciate what I just said.

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You think women are more gifted on environmental issues?

Yes. Don’t we say Mother Nature?

Girl, your old album, was also a homage to women and their condition Yes. In a way. I have a deep respect for them. I admire their courage, their capacity to cope and juggle several things at the same time. They work both in and outside the home.

They take care of their family without ever looking down on it.

And without them we wouldn’t be here today, because they give life. And plenty of times they bring us up. I think our institutions, our governments, our companies are horribly short of women. The problem is that there is a real imbalance.

This album is a love statement.

Hence your eternal modesty.

It’s true, you never show off.

That’s life experience I guess.

I would add that every morning I tell myself there are seven billion people on this planet who could easily have been in my shoes. I can never get over being this lucky. I particularly never forget that life, you career, your fate can turn on its head tomorrow. Nothing is sure in this world.

It seems that you have never had a mentor or someone to show you the way...

Yes, I never had any coach or mentor, like a superstar I could follow. I had something better than that. A superstar, you know, you see him coming, he makes a lot of noise, waves his arms around. That’s kind of overblown. The people who guided me are everyday folks, who saw something in me that I couldn’t see yet.

So you were “guided” by nobodies?

You know, I come from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

One thing that means is that Broadway and Hollywood, it’s not exactly next door. When you’re born or grow up in New York or Los Angeles, you develop in cities with a lot of artistic potential. You have a critical mass of people who live their art in these big conurbations, who put on shows and help each other out. Personally, I never benefited from the influence of these places...

That doesn’t stop you being the most hyped singer of the moment and being celebrated as one of the artists of the decade. For instance, you got a star on Hollywood Boulevard.

This is a great honour, I agree.

But I wouldn’t have got there, if all my music teachers hadn’t encouraged me. None of them knew each other but each in turn told me “You know, you’ve got something and you should go that way”. They didn’t even know themselves which way that exactly was. But they were sure of one thing. I had talent and they had to feed me a bit of compost and enough water so that it would grow and eventually flourish. If I take a step back, I’d say that they are the superstars, they are my coaches, my mentors, all these music teachers....

You also mentioned your grandmother once as a source of inspiration.

It’s true she had a big influence. She was always scolding me because I would steal her spoons and pots to mock up a drum kit in the kitchen. Since she got sick of these metallic noises, it was she who went on to buy me my first drum kit and that’s how it all started.

What is the biggest thing you have found out about yourself in recent years?

Whoah! It’s getting hyper-smart this interview. We’re getting into metaphysics.

But I’ve got an answer for you.

The best thing that happened to me is to understand that I was a guy who in the end knew what he was doing. For decades, I had the feeling that I had lost my compass. I was looking for myself. It was only at 30/35 that I finally found myself. Above all, I understood that the worst thing for a man is ego. I finally managed to vanquish mine.

It took a while, but I did it.

they’re all part of our everyday life and lifestyle. They’re now essential and you can’t do without them.

Since “Get lucky”, the worldwide hit with French duo Daft Punk, you get the feeling you’ve fallen in love with France.

Am I wrong?

What I can say is that the French have been very good to me. They’ve all been extremely kind. When I say that, I’m not just talking about the audience, I mean all the creative guys I’ve met in France. For instance, it’s in France that Marc Jacobs gave me the chance to work with Vuitton. There’s also Colette who followed me from the beginning, and I worked on a project with Luc Besson a dozen years back. Every time, the French were extremely generous creatively. When I worked with people, I always had my eyes and ears wide open. In that way, France was a great school for me. In the end, I can’t even remember when it all started, but anyway it’s still going on and I’m very happy about it.

Do you think you are a prima donna?

I’m not a prima donna. I don’t have weird demands when I get to a hotel. I don’t make people do stupid stuff. I start from the principle that everyone knows their job and it’s not down to me to give lessons or judge anyone. There is one thing I am very careful about, though, and that’s cleanliness. As I am very OCD, I don’t put up with badly folded or badly washed linen.

You’re nearly 50 without a line in your face. What’s your secret?

Water! I drink gallons of the stuff. I don’t stress out either.

You became a megastar on social media. Could you drop these media tomorrow?

No. (laughter). It’s as if I said “could you buy a house without water or electricity?” Today, the internet, cellphone, computers 29

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What does Pharrell Williams’s closet look like?

It’s a kind of Ali Baba’s cave.

You can find anything. Plenty of accessories picked up here and there. My wife thinks I’m a slob.

But it works for me and that’s the main thing. (laughter).

You have how many shoes for instance...?

I don’t do that kind of accounting. But I can tell you that my feet are spoiled for choice. (laughter). Plenty of basketball shoes.

What tends to grab you when you’re choosing shoes or clothes?

It’s a question of the vibe.

Also, I have to see something original in it. Fashion is a way to stand out and not follow a movement or trend.

You also started a new fashion.

And in an unusual move for a singer, you started a fashion label. If you hadn’t done music would you have been tempted to be a fashion designer?

Presentation is always important, in the sense that we’re all human and there’s always going to be a bit of vanity in us.

This is what makes us different from the animals. The desire to seem, to cover your tracks, to want to change your image.

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This drive is inevitably more palpable when you’re in a business like show biz. And for fans, there’s always a certain curiosity about the artists. The fans will always try to find out what their heroes do, how they dress, make up, etc. There’s unquestionably an identification process at play.

Somewhere, music and fashion are a bit like space and time, two worlds that live together and one can never work without the other.

But could you have become a 100% creator?

I’m very happy with what I’ve got. Music is my clothes. It envelops me like a soft coat that feels good to slip into. Now, there’s always this nice gap between the media and me. If I was in fashion, if I was a great couturier, I am sure that you’d be asking me if I’d rather be making music. (laughter) Why did you decide to launch your own fashion label one day...

It’s very simple. When you can’t find the clothes you need.

When you are desperately looking for a style, an original look, the only solution that occurs to you is to launch your own label.

I’m still convinced that you’re never better served than by yourself. (laughter)

You pride yourself on your “eccentric” side?

I don’t pride myself on anything. I’m just trying to feel good. To be happy with what I’m wearing.

I’m very sensitive to the aesthetics of things. And not just in fashion. For instance, I love architecture, particularly Frank Gerhy buildings.

You also know a lot about ecology...

You’re talking about the partnership I just signed with G Star and Bionic Yarn. Yes, it’s about making jeans from waste picked up from the ocean. Particularly plastic waste that we recycle.

This stuff is all over the place unfortunately. You only need a mask and snorkel to find out the sea-beds are totally covered in a pile of stuff that suffocates animals and plant life. I find it really interesting to “divert” this bad stuff into making something useful. In this instance, jeans.

Before you met your wife, do you think that fame was a plus when it came to picking up girls?

That’s kind of the big problem for celebrities. They never know whether someone likes them for what they are or what they represent. (laughter). I was lucky enough to never come across gold-diggers. I should

add that I’m like Spiderman, I have a sort of inner alarm that goes off inside whenever I’m in danger.

What is the most ridiculous thing a fan has ever asked you for?

It was a girl fan actually.

She asked me to sign an autograph across her chest with a marker. At first, I thought she was joking. Until she lifted up her T-shirt.

What did you say?

Errrr, that I didn’t have a pen on me. (laughter) What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

I go into my kids’ room. I love seeing them sleep or wake up.

Then I try to find the kitchen to make a black coffee.

You always seem cool. What could make you lose your cool?

Evil, ignorance, condescension.

Basically Hollywood.

Not at all. (laughter) I don’t think you could last or make it in this industry if you’re tagged with even one of those labels.

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salma Hayek

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in the pink

exican-US-Lebanese actress, director and producer Salma Hayek Pinault, full name Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez, usually known as Salma Hayek, was born in Coatzacoalcos, in the state of Veracruz, in Mexico. In the last few years, she has shown that she can move mountains. Small in size but big on ambition, she has also gained a reputation for being sharp and funny, with a sense of humour as spicy as a bowlful of salsa.

So without further ado, here it is, the interview where Salma Hayek reveals all!

Ms Hayek was interviewed by Frank Rousseau, our USA correspondent

What do you think when you look in the mirror?

I see a very familiar face - my own! Seriously, when I hear the word “sexy”, I have very mixed feelings. It’s an adjective I neither love nor hate. During the years when I was growing up, I thought sex was taboo - probably because I was very badly educated in an overly strict Catholic environment.

These days, I’m not ashamed to play the charm card. But through my acting roles, I try to say that a sexy woman isn’t just window-dressing with nothing beyond the exterior. You can be sexy and highly intelligent, crazy sexy, sexy and wicked, sexy and complicated, and so on.

Remember the striptease in Tarantino’s film From Dusk till Dawn? Some journalists wrote that all I did was shake my ass. They didn’t know it tooks weeks of hard work to play that vampire queen and shoot that steamy five-minute dance.

During shooting, whenever my friends suggested going out, I would tell them I couldn’t because I was working on my character. To which they would reply, “You’re kidding us! You’re only playing a stripper!” They didn’t realize that the vampire queen’s dance is primarily about power.

It’s a dance by a monster in a woman’s body...

It seems as if time has no grip on you…

What a nice, flattering

remark! Thank you. The other day, my husband claimed I look much better now than ten years ago. He was looking at photos of me, and he said “You were pretty then, but now you’re magnificent!” - meaning, “You’ve got better-looking since you married me!” I find it encouraging that nowadays we’re not afraid of aging. You can be 50 and still look good, be full of energy and in good health and do lots of things. When I look around me, I realize there are no longer any taboos! You have people starting new careers and new hobbies at over 50 because they want to find things out, to explore, to emphasize different aspects of themselves as they get older and maybe because they are more enthusiastic about life. Medicine, science and diet have helped lessen the ravages of time a lot, so people feel less pressured.

Wild Wild West, which came out in 1998, is the film that brought you to the attention of mainstream audiences. But in that film, your character seems to be just a foil for Will Smith.

Now that people are campaigning for feminism and gender equality at all levels of society, with hindsight, do you feel a bit shamefaced for letting yourself be exploited?

When I accepted the role, I knew my character wouldn’t stand out for her intelligence but for her physical attributes.

I don’t feel anyone pulled the wool over my eyes, though I would have liked to have a few more lines to say!

On the other hand, I think the type of woman I was playing was quite a faithful depiction of the kind of chick who hung out in the Wild West back then.

Nineteenth-century America wasn’t the America of today.

I mean, the weaker sex were a silent minority who weren’t often allowed to open their mouths!

Cowboys back then were roughnecks who swilled beer and whisky all day long and patronized saloon whores.

Do you have a social media adviser or team?

No one tells me what photos to post online! Sometimes people tell me I do things all wrong on my Instagram account - for instance, I don’t always use the same colour palette for photos and don’t stick to a particular visual presentation. I don’t take any notice of them, because I can’t bear rules and regulations! I detest them. I prefer to let myself be guided by instinct.

It must work, because you noticed that photo! (Laughs.)

pretty much going berserk.

I was driving them nuts. I must have been about thirteen or fourteen. The food they served us was so disgusting that one day when the Mother Superior’s back was turned, I put tequila in the soup. It tasted a whole lot better! My big thing was eating packets of Rice Krispies and giant pizzas - foods that weren’t allowed on the school premises.

Speaking of rules, I’ve heard you were expelled from a convent school because you were incapable of obeying the rules.

Is that true?

No! I left of my own accord.

But the sisters must have been delighted, because they were pretty much going berserk.

I was driving them nuts. I must have been about thirteen or fourteen. The food they served us was so disgusting that one day when the Mother Superior’s back was turned, I put tequila in the soup. It tasted a whole lot better! My big thing was eating packets of Rice Krispies and giant pizzas - foods that weren’t allowed on the school premises.

Speaking of rules, I’ve heard you were expelled from a convent school because you were incapable of obeying the rules.

Is that true?

No! I left of my own accord.

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For quite a long while, you kept a low profile - or at least, you gave the impression you were taking a step back from your career - before bursting back onto the scene with lots of acting and producing projects. Is there any particular reason why you’re making a comeback? Is it because your daughter is older now, and you want to reclaim a particular form of independence?

My daughter is really supportive. She’s delighted to have a mom who works. You know, Valentina is a teenager now! But I don’t think that’s the reason. I think it’s mainly that I have more opportunities than before. And maybe also because I’ve never been so creative! Sometimes I have so many ideas buzzing round my head that I can’t get to sleep. One example is Monarca, which I’ve just produced with my business partner Jose Tamez. José and I were among the first people to produce content for Latinos and the Latino market. At the time no one would listen to us.

They told us it was a stupid idea, that we’d screw up, etc.! Now people say we were pioneers, and everyone who missed the boat regrets it! In any case, if Hollywood hadn’t given me parts that came up to my expectations - roles that really fit my personality, I would have given myself a helping hand via my production company! [Ed.: Ventanarosa, which is Spanish for “pink window”] When I have a dream, I go all out for it.

What is the most successful dish you’ve ever cooked?

A very long time, I grilled a pig myself for New Year’s Day. It was so big it wouldn’t go in the oven, and there were 75 of us round the table. Everyone had second helpings, except my then boyfriend - I think seeing me eat the pig’s ears put him off a bit.

Three decades ago, in 1991, you crossed the Rio Grande with two suitcases and headed for Hollywood. What was it like?

The first obstacle to overcome was the language, and it was a big one. I spoke hardly any English. When I asked where such and such a street was, Americans couldn’t understand me. To make matters worse, in Los Angeles a huge number of streets have Spanish-sounding names, and when I used the correct Spanish pronunciation, rolling the “R”s, people stared at me as if I was an extra-terrestrial who’d just stepped out of a UFO. I’m proud of my career.

For years, Hollywood confined Latino actresses to roles such as cleaning women, waitresses and nannies. One time I even met a producer who told me flat that I would never play an astronaut because rednecks wouldn’t be able to hack the idea of a Mexican woman orbiting the Earth above their heads!

Along with other actresses with the same ethnic origins, we’ve broken those barriers. We’ve smashed the ceiling of prejudice and proved that we can do more than make guacamole and roll tortillas!

Monarca is a Mexican family saga and one of the family’s businesses makes tequila. What kind of relationship do you have with tequila?

Pretty healthy - for the moment, at least! (Laughs.) I love it. Drinking tequila makes me happy. It’s made from a plant that is beneficial to health.

[Ed.: Agave, the plant used to make tequila, Mexico’s signature alcoholic drink, contains a substance that may prevent diabetes and osteoporosis.] So it’s natural. Still, I don’t overdo it.

A few years back, my speciality was soup with tequila. I used to serve it at the start of a meal.

A quarter of an hour later, everyone would be under the table. After that, I could serve my guests anything, edible or not.

No one noticed if dishes were burnt or undercooked, too salty or not salty enough.

What is the film you’re most proud of?

Frida. I was fourteen and living in Coatzacoalcos, the city in Mexico where I was born, when a friend showed me some photos of Frida’s pictures.

I don’t mind admitting I didn’t like them at all. But the weird thing was, despite my aversion, I couldn’t get her disturbing images out of my head. I was so intrigued that I decided to find out more about the artist’s life and works. I became more and more fascinated. I fell in love with her to the point of actual obsession!

I was hell-bent on portraying this woman who was a symbol of so much, come what may. If I hadn’t succeeded, I think I really would have gone mad. Frida alienated me, haunted me, took over every cell of my body, of my whole being, one by one. It took

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eight years of grind before I could finally bring her to life on the big screen. I didn’t want to make just another movie, but to do justice to her artistic output and her bravery. She was a great lady who had the courage to be her unique self in an era when women weren’t allowed to do that.

But you succeeded. That shows you’re a fighter!

In Hollywood, it’s already difficult enough to produce films about artists, so you can picture what kind of reception I got, turning up speaking barely two words of mangled English, with plans for a film whose plot chiefly revolved around the love story between a hairy Mexican Communist female artist and an obese man! People laughed in my face! They asked me if I hadn’t been overdoing the tequila! (Laughs.) Especially as in the Mecca of movie-making, the Hitchcock type is still seen as the be-all and end-all. Some producers have very limited powers of imagination, and for a long while, they couldn’t get their heads around the idea of a heroine who wasn’t a tall, paleskinned, blue-eyed blonde.

Has your career suffered as a result?

When I started out, people tended to confine me to a particular range because of my looks and accent - despite the fact that Ingrid Bergman had an accent too!

I’m fully aware that there are lots of roles I’ll never be offered because I don’t speak English like Nicole Kidman. I’m sure Juliette Binoche comes up against the language barrier too, except that it’s cool to be French in the USA! You’ve always been a passionate advocate of women’s causes.

Do you think Hollywood does enough for women, and in particular aspiring female film directors?

For decades, the industry didn’t give women much of an opportunity to direct, quite simply because the Hollywood studios were run by white males.

As a result, would-be female film directors’ creative and professional growth was stunted and they didn’t get the chance to show what they were capable of. We can’t expect to things to change radically overnight.

Still, I think there are far more

opportunities for women directors nowadays. But we have to be patient. We won’t suddenly see changes, because in the past we haven’t succeeded in letting women speak and listening to what they have to say. But let’s stay positive. I’ve noticed that there are now as many women as men studying to become directors in film schools, whereas before they were in a minority. In some schools, there are even more female than male students! So we’re on the right track!

I imagine you watched more TV than usual during the lockdown.

I’m going to ask a question that might seem odd: I’d like to know where you watch television, in what situations, with whom, and so on?

TV is very much present in our home. We have a big living-room and we watch television programmes as a family, sometimes even while we’re having dinner. But what I love doing is channel-hopping live TV from my bed, with my husband next to me. We really enjoy talking about programmes together and commenting on news items, documentaries and reports. Sometimes we get so involved in the discussion that one of us ends up saying, “Now shut up! I missed what they were saying.” Then we grab the remote and “rewind” to where we stopped listening. (Laughs.) We don’t just sit there side by side, watching TV in total silence.

And we love making jokes and kidding each other.

What about when FrançoisHenri is away from home?

When my husband’s away, something really strange happens. I watch TV with someone who says nothing - the ideal partner!

Really? Who? My pet owl. (Laughs.) When my husband’s away, I invite her into my bedroom. Sometimes I play Sudoku on my iPad at the same time as watching TV. My owl seems to love technology: she’s got into the habit of perching on my iPad. She uses it as a launching pad when she flies onto the TV. She flies backwards and forwards between the two. Sometimes she just flies round the bedroom. Sometimes she lands on my head and watches television with me.

Sometimes she sits on top of

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the TV and observes me with her big round eyes. Maybe she likes the TV because it gives off warmth or vibrations. Anyway, it depends on her mood. Believe me, I have a lot of fun watching TV with my owl.

What are her favourite programmes, if it’s not indiscreet to ask?

She doesn’t care. She watches whatever’s on. My husband is much more picky - but less than he used to be. We watch all kinds of programmes. FrançoisHenri likes action - stuff that’s fast-moving rather than leisurely. I like action sometimes.

In fact, I’m not difficult. I’ll watch anything.

What’s the owl’s name?

Kering, like my husband’s consortium! I knew François-Henri liked owls. The group’s logo is even an owl - a stylized owl. I pretended I was giving him the owl so he would match his company, but as it turned out, she was a present to myself! (Laughs.)

Apart from your relationship with your pet owl, all owls have big watchful eyes so they can spot everything that moves.

Maybe that’s why Kering, with its owl’s eyes, seems to know about all the latest trends and new products. I can’t help wondering what your bathroom looks like. You seem to have all the Gucci cosmetics anyone could possibly want. When you want a

perfume that’s made by Kering, do you call François-Henri to ask for a discount?

(Laughs.) No way! It would be totally unromantic. Choosing a perfume is something really sensual and personal. Honestly, can you see me calling my beloved to ask for a discount? Especially as I’ll be wearing the perfume for him - to please him. That’s not at all the way I operate, darling! But you’re right, I have lots of cosmetics around the house.

I accumulate more than I actually use. Like all women, I’ll buy a product thinking “This one will really work!”, then forget it in my cupboard or my makeup bag. I’m very busy nowadays.

These days I don’t have time to be obsessed with what I put on

my face or what colour eyeshadow I use! When I was young, it was another story. But then, that was all I had to do! So yes, I have lots of cosmetics, but they’re not all Gucci. I generally like natural, organic products. For instance, I love sprinkling drops of sweet-scented oil on my face.

And when I need something from Gucci, I automatically get a discount. I don’t need to make a phone-call. They know it’s me as soon as I walk into the shop!

(Laughs.)

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What was your first reaction when billionaire François-Henri Pinault proposed to you? How did you feel about going to live in Paris?

I told him, “I’m not sure I can live in Paris. I don’t see myself dropping my whole life to become someone I don’t know, and can’t figure out or imagine!” (Laughs.) “What’s more, I’ve been working for 40 years.

I’ve worked hard to get where I am.” I was a bit scared at the thought of spending the rest of my life with the same man and I told him so. So then François said, “I understand. If you like, you can come for a day and stay longer if you feel comfortable.”

I didn’t see it coming, but I was in Paris more and more, and after two or three months, I was spending more time in France than anywhere else. When someone asked where I lived, I’d say, “Los Angeles” - until I realized that I was spending eleven months of the year in Paris!

I think François knew exactly what he was doing! (Laughs.)

When you’re in love, how do you feel inside?

I feel a kind of fluttering in my stomach, like little butterflies. Plus I have a feeling of inner peace. But there was a period in my life when I associated the word “love” with 36

danger! Like everyone, I suppose, I sometimes made bad choices in love…

In the Pinault household, what language do you speak to your daughter?

I speak to her in Spanish and her father speaks to her in French.

Who decides on the interior decoration in your home, FrançoisHenri or you?

I have an eye for style and I like houses to be comfortable, warm and colourful, but I have to admit my husband is much better at interior decoration than I am. We don’t hire interior decorators - the two of us decide on the decoration together. We never argue about it and that’s a good thing, because I often hear that decoration can practically lead to divorce in some couples!

You meet a lot of famous people. Is there one that has had a big emotional impact on you?

Yes, the gymnast Nadia Comaneci. I come from a small town in Mexico where we didn’t know gymastics even existed.

No one had ever heard of gymnastics, the beam, asymmetric bars, floor exercises and so on.

When I saw what Nadia was capable of doing with her body

and her steely determination, I persuaded my father to take me to Mexico City to learn gymnastics for two months in the summer. There was no other option. There were no lessons, no teachers and no equipment where I lived. While I was there, I worked so hard that an Olympic coach noticed me. I was nine! They would have paid for a place for me to live and I would have done six hours of gymnastics per day and only a few hours of school work.

The coach clearly had big plans for me, but my father refused.

He thought I wouldn’t have had a normal childhood. But mainly I think he couldn’t bear for me to leave home at the age of nine. I don’t hold it against him.

Without that experience – after all, I was alone in Mexico City for several weeks – I would never have been brave enough to leave my home town to try and live out my dream of working in movies and travelling the world!

It taught me how to go outside my comfort zone.

What kind of tourist are you?

Certainly not the kind that arrives in a luxury hotel in a foreign country and orders a hamburger and French fries! When I visit a place I don’t know, I never go by what the guidebooks say. I love hanging out in little

shops in the hinterland, away from the main shopping streets aimed at suckers looking for souvenirs. As regards food, I like going to local eateries where you’re served with just a smile and no fuss rather than clichéd restaurants. Most foreigners don’t like to be adventurous and take risks with cuisine, but I dive in.

Do you talk to local people too?

Of course! Like I said before, I’m not the kind to stay holed up in my hotel room watching CNN! When I go to a foreign country, I start trying to acclimatize from the moment I arrive. And interacting with local people is the best way to do that.

I remember one time on a safari in South Africa, I was with people who lived in huts and – miraculously – didn’t have TV, so the name Salma Hayek meant nothing to them. It was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. They were totally natural and unpretentious.

There was absolutely nothing showy or superficial about them. They didn’t know me, but they allowed me inside their huts and even let me dance with them. When I remember that day, I still find it really moving.

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Watches & Wonders Geneva 2021 via a selection of major timepieces

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he Watches & Wonders Geneva 2021 digital edition provided a showcase for new watch designs that surmounted technical challenges, took innovation to new heights and strove to satisfy collectors’ every wish.

By Sophie Colin

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“Riviera Baumatic” BAUME & MERCIER

“Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar Titanium” BVLGARI

Riviera Baumatic © Photo Baume & Mercier

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ince it was launched in 1973, the Riviera Collection has consistently illustrated the creative mindset that has set Baume & Mercier apart right from the start, when the pragmatically-minded William Baume decided to combine his technical expertise with Paul Mercier’s flair for design in 1918. Today, as well as being an iconic collection that has stood the test of time, the Riviera is a living tradition that forms a bridge between past and future, with several exciting artistic partnerships

in the offing and a continued emphasis on unusually-shaped watches. In 2021, three new versions of the Riviera are on offer, one of which is this high-end model with a Baumatic calibre, five days’ power reserve and accuracy to within -4 s/+6 s per day. It is also 1500 Gauss antimagnetic, making it highly resistant to magnetic fields.

Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar Titanium © Photo Bvlgari

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vlgari’s take on the traditional complication of the perpetual calendar bears the stamp of L’Estetica della Meccanica - the art of simultaneously innovating in terms of both form and function. It has resulted in the world’s slimmest perpetual calendar watch, at a total thickness of 5.80 mm, a case diameter of 40 mm and an automatic BVL 305 calibre only 2.75 mm thick - a technical feat that has earned the Italian watchmaker its seventh world record. Achieving this extreme level of miniaturization meant

using a micro-rotor and taking a bold approach to the arrangement of the watch’s 408 components. The radically new designs of the hour, minutes and perpetual calendar displays (with retrograde date and day, month and leap years) reflect a forward-thinking mindset in which innovation and avant-garde aesthetics are ends in themselves.

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“Hermès H08 Titanium Black Rubber” HERMÈS

“J12 X-Ray Electro Calibre 3.1” CHANEL

J12 X-Ray Electro Calibre 3.1 © Photo Chanel

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HANEL revealed its CHANEL ELECTRO collection capsule, whose look references the Electro culture of the 1990s.

The hypnotic beat of electronic music became a global craze and the electro scene sparked other forms of artistic expression. With the iconic J12, surely destined to become a star, CHANEL references the wacky outfits of electro parades, contrasting a spectrum of bright colours with white, as here, or black. The 18-carat white gold bezel is set with 46 baguette-cut rainbow sapphires. The sapphire 40

dial is set with 12 baguette-cut rainbow sapphire markers. Two of the links in its sapphire bracelet are set with 34 baguette-cut diamonds. This dazzling beauty is powered by a 3.1 calibre and a manually-wound Manufacture movement, and is waterproof to a depth of 30 metres, with a power reserve of 55 hours.

Hermès H08 Titanium Black Rubber © Photo Hermés

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ts name is reminiscent of a mathematical formula. At a guess, H probably stands for Hermès - and Hour. The typography of the 0 and the 8 on the face of the watch echoes the shape of the dial and the sideways 8 looks like the symbol for infinity. The formula might refer to the materials of which this model is made. It certainly has a mineral look about it, contrasting a case made of a composite with a high graphene content for resistance and lightness with a satiny sunray ceramic bezel with a mirror-polished bevelled edge, a dial coated with black

gold with a grainy centre, hands coated with black nickel, and a rubber watchstrap. Inside, the H08 formula is a self-winding mechanical Hermès H1837 manufacture movement made in Switzerland.

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“Escape II Absolute Sapphire” PURNELL

“Submersible eLAB-ID™ PAM01225” PANERAI

Escape II Absolute Sapphire © Photo Purnell

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urnell’s conception of watchmaking revolves around three words: emotion, which springs from movement, the origin of all life; simplicity - a watch has to be pleasant to wear; and modernity - the Maison is nothing if not forward-looking. It has made the technical choice to focus exclusively on tourbillon watches, and has developed the world’s fastest triple-axis tourbillon - the “Spherion”, which has two external cages. “Escape II Absolute Sapphire” is the fastest triple-axis double tourbillon watch in the world - and the first

to feature a case made entirely of sapphire, with transparent sapphire dial, power reserve, hours wheel and dial bridges.

This transparency draws attention to the six barrels that power the movement of the double tourbillon. This quest for the absolute and the void took several years of research and development.

Submersible eLAB-ID™ PAM01225 © Photo Panerai

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anerai is always experimenting with new and better materials and innovative technologies. This year, the Laboratorio di Idee presents the most environmentally responsible watch ever made. The Submersible eLAB-ID™ PAM01225 contains 98.6% recycled materials. With its EcoTitanium case made of an ultra-light recycled titanium alloy used in aerospace engineering, its 100% recycled SuperLuminova™ hands and its movement’s 100% recycled silicon escapement, it ushers in a revolutionary new approach to

watchmaking. And Panerai does not intend to stop there. In the firm belief that we can only save the world by working together, it has invited other watchmaking firms and partners to join it in working towards a more sustainable future and reducing consumption of natural resources by developing a circular supply chain.

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“Polo Skeleton Diamond Set Bracelet Fully Paved” PIAGET

Polo Skeleton Diamond set Bracelet fully paved © Photo Piaget

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f the four new Polo Skeleton models launched by Piaget, this high jewellery design is a wonderful embodiment of Piaget’s dual DNA. Watchmaking meets jewellery in a diamond-paved firmament in the heart of the Manufacture’s “Ateliers de l’Extraordinaire”.

The unbelievably intricate task of setting the minuscule components of an ultra-thin gold movement with diamonds takes four days of work. Then the entire case has to be paved, meaning several more days’ work. When all is done, the case 42

sparkles with 208 diamonds plus an extra one on the crown, the strap is paved with no fewer than 1442 diamonds, and the brace with 72, while the skeletonized movement is resplendent with 292 diamonds and 11 brilliant-cut sapphires.

“Traditionnelle Split Seconds Chronograph Ultra-Thin Collection Excellence Platine” VACHERON CONSTANTIN

Traditionnelle Split Seconds Chronograph Ultra-thin I Excellence Platine Collection © Photo Vacheron Constantin

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his ultra-thin split-seconds chronograph is the latest addition to Vacheron Constantin’s very extensive Traditionnelle collection. This rare complication is powered by the 3500 Manufacture calibre, in which the Maison’s consummate watchmaking skills are demonstrated by a movement that is just 5.2 mm thick, featuring 473 components, a 48-hour power reserve and a 22-carat gold peripheral oscillating weight in a 42.5 mm case. This timepiece has the special aura of exclusiveness of the Excellence Platine

950 collection. Made of platinum in a limited edition of 15 watches, each of which is individually numbered, it perfectly captures the spirit of Vacheron Constantin’s “Classic with a Twist” 2021 theme, in which technical expertise and stylistic experiment combine the solid foundations of the past with an increasingly adventurous conception of timekeeping.

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“Nuit Fantastique” TRILOBE

“Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon Titanium and Meteorite” LOUIS VUITTON

Nuit Fantastique © Photo Trilobe

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t Trilobe, time is constructed like an architectural edifice, told like a work of literature and felt like poetry. “Nuit Fantastique” is the translation of Phantastische Nacht, the title of a short story written by Stefan Zweig in 1922.

The inspiration for Trilobe’s “Nuit Fantastique” watch collection came one night during the lockdown, and the design centres on freedom of form and function and geometries that break watchmaking rules. Its dial has been completely deconstructed. In its stead, three rotating rings with fixed markers

for the hours, minutes and seconds, polished to a sheen in the tradition of Swiss craftsmanship, sketch a free figure.

The X-Centric calibre meets the highest technical standards and features a built-in self-winding mechanical movement with a micro-rotor and a power reserve of 48 hours.

Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon Titanium and Meteorite © Photo Louis Vuitton

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he Tambour traveller’s watch, which came out in 2002, was inspired by the svelte curves of international airport terminals. The Curve GMT Tourbillon Volant titanium and meteorite version features striking design, openwork and Gaston Vuitton’s “V” logo at 9 o’clock on its flying tourbillon cage. To ensure that the unusual-looking markers, with their baguette-cut diamonds, hug the curve of the dial, they are machined individually after the dial has been positioned. The self-winding mechanical movement, designed and assembled

by Louis Vuitton’s Fabrique du Temps, is powered by the LV 82 calibre and contains 201 components. It beats at 28,800 full oscillations per hour and has a power reserve of 65 hours.

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The Reverso Story

Initially designed for polo players, over the years, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s iconic Reverso watch has offered the Manufacture’s watchmakers and aficionados of the brand boundless scope for experiment. This year, the historic design celebrates 90 years of consummate technical skills and superb design.

By Sophie Colin - Photo © Jaeger-Lecoultre

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he Reverso story begins in 1930 on a polo ground in India, where the fast-paced sport was all the rage with British army officers.

César de Trey, a Swiss entrepreneur who sold luxury watches, happened to attend a game, and one of the players asked him if he could think of a way to prevent watch glasses and dials from getting smashed by a stray mallet blow. De Trey came up with the idea of a rectangular case that could be turned over, and mooted it to the watchmakers Jacques-David LeCoultre and Edmond Jaeger, who were acquaintances of him. They took the proposal seriously and set a French engineer called René-Charles Chauvot the task of designing the case.

The Reverso's destiny was sealed. For such a daring idea to come to fruition, there needs to be a context, demand and people who are sufficiently taken with the idea to pick it up and run with it, who have the farsightedness and technical skills to make it tangible and the determination to persist despite doubts and setbacks. The Reverso met all the conditions.

Its official date of birth is 4 March 1931. Jaeger-LeCoultre's watchmakers and connoisseurs have been writing the story with unabated enthusiasm ever since - the former imprinting the design with their savoir-faire, the latter having personal messages or designs engraved on their watches. Today, 90 years on, the iconic Reverso design has

responsible for inventing the millionometer - an instrument that could measure to a thousandth of a millimetre. His unique approach to watchmaking earned him a gold medal at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London. His grandson, JacquesDavid LeCoultre, who was to go into partnership with Edmond Jaeger, in 1903, was a worthy successor.

Advertising Reverso - Photo © Jaeger-LeCoultre

come to be seen as a timeless emblem of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture and a milestone in watchmaking history, whose technical ingenuity and imaginative design continue to be a source of wonder.

Inventiveness and technical expertise When the revolutionary concept of the Reverso emerged, lidded watches already existed, but they were thick and convex.

The principle of the reversible watch was a base-plate made in one piece, attached to the wrist by a strap and folded up at either end to form grooves along which the case could slide as it rotated to leave the solid underside facing outwards and the glass safely protected. On 4 March 1931, the Paris Patent Office received an application to register a patent for “a watch that is able to slide in its casing and can completely turn over”. Upon payment of the sum of five francs, it was

duly registered at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Paris under the number 712 868. In November 1931, it was given the name “Reverso” - Latin for “I turn over.” César de Trey and Jacques-David LeCoultre immediately launched production.

The Reverso’s contemporary Art Deco look, with a geometric upper side framed by the now-famous triple gadroons, was an instant hit. Gold and stainless steel versions were available, and there were ladies’ versions in the form of wristwatches, pendants or bag jewels.

The invention would never have seen the light of day without the spirit of innovation and technical skills that marked out Jaeger-LeCoultre from the start.

Charles-Antoine LeCoultre, who set up the first workshop of what was later to become the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture, in the Vallée de Joux in 1833, was a prolific inventor who was fascinated with mechanics.

Among other things, he was

The firm’s major advances, notably in terms of microengineering and the architecture of watch movements, paved the way for the Reverso design. In 1907, the 145 calibre, which was only 1.38 mm thick, represented a spectacular improvement in terms of thinness, as did its 1929 successor, the 101 calibre, which packs 98 components into a space 14 mm long, 4.8 mm wide and 3.4 mm deep. The 1925 Duoplan featured a revolutionary movement structure in which the barrel and gear train were positioned on the same level and the balance was placed above them to make room for a bigger balance wheel. This made it possible to obtain an unprecedented level of accuracy for a small mechanical movement. Each of these advances brought the Manufacture a step closer to the Reverso. And over the decades since it was first designed, the Reverso has constantly evolved, keeping step with technological advances, new trends and changing tastes and lifestyles while retaining its essential features.

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Reverso Tribute Nonantieme - Photo © Jaeger-LeCoultre

The watch with four faces Over the past 90 years, 50 complications have been added to the Reverso. Working to the most exacting standards, patiently perfecting each minute detail, the Master Watchmakers of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Manufacture have pushed the boundaries of watchmaking ever further. They know the timepiece so well that they find the challenge exhilarating. They are past masters at combining a particular calibre with the Reverso and soon overcome any obstacles that arise - as they inevitably do when an idealized projection comes up against reality.

The first Reverso to feature complications dates from 1991 and was made to mark the Collection’s 60th birthday. It had a power reserve, date windows and a sapphire crystal case back. After that, a new

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complication was added each year - the tourbillon in 1993, the minute repeater in 1994, the retrograde chronograph in 1996 and the perpetual calendar in 2000. The Reverso Grande Taille was launched in 1992, and 2001 saw the advent of the Reverso XGT (Extra Grande Taille). The Reverso Grande Taille paved the way for the Reverso Duoface, which displays the hour in two time zones, one on the face of the watch and the other on the back. This model also features a 24-hour counter and a day/night indicator. The Reverso Duetto, which came out in 1997, was a hit with women who wanted a mechanical watch with two dials at a time when quartz watches dominated the women’s market, and the rounded figures and sunray guilloché decoration of the Reverso One, which came out in 2016, also proved highly popular with women.

Reverso One Precious Flowers - Photo © Jaeger-LeCoultre

One of the most astonishing Reverso designs was the Reverso Grande Complication à Triptyque, an absolute masterpiece that illustrates just how closely the firm’s designers, engineers, watchmakers and case-makers work together - a hallmark of the JaegerLeCoultre culture. With 642 components, 179 rubies, 18 complications, 6 patents and for the first time - information displays on three sides - the front and back of the case and the inside of the cradle. But the temptation to go one better was irresistible. At Watches & Wonders 2021 in Geneva, in April, JaegerLeCoultre unveiled the amazing Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185, the most complicated watch in the Collection and the first wristwatch in the world to have indicators on four sides.

This quadriptych took over six years to develop and illustrates consummate mastery of the

techniques required to make chiming watches, precision mechanisms, astronomical complications and ultra-compact horology. It boasts 11 complications, which include a perpetual calendar, a minute repeater and rare lunar information, and includes 12 patented features.

A glorious way to celebrate 90 years of supreme watchmaking achievements! The Reverso Tribute Nonantième, also launched in April, is another 90th birthday design with a totally novel presentation. The elegant front dial features a moon phase display inside the small seconds counter, alongside the hours and minutes, and a large date indicator, while the case back shows the hours on a digital semi-jumping display and the minutes on a disc that rotates round a day/night indicator.

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Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 - Photo © Jaeger-LeCoultre

Virtuoso craft skills The Reverso also offers the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares® fantastic scope for expression.

Some 30 highly-skilled in-house employees practise the age-old crafts of enamelling, engraving and skeletonization, gem-setting and guilloché work. Each timepiece is shaped by their skilled hands. Working on an infinitesimally small scale, bringing out colour and light, paying attention to minute details, knowing how to kindle emotions, they constantly aspire to make objects that are even more exquisite. It takes years of experience to master techniques such as snow-setting, in which precious stones are set side by side, fitting their shapes so closely into each other that they entirely cover the metal, or of grand feu enamel, which has to be heated to 800°C and vitrified by 17 to 22 firings. Some truly stunning Reversos feature

vividly realistic depictions of scenes in enamel or as miniature paintings. The dazzling floral motifs that adorn the case of the brand-new Reverso One Precious Flowers are a wonderful tribute to the decorative arts and crafts. The firm also excels at reproducing art works at watch-case scale, as in the Reverso Tribute, which depicts The Wave by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.

The other side of the Reverso, or Making the Reverso your own Admirers and collectors have also made the Reverso their own. From the beginning, the makers offered to engrave the back with monograms, first names, codes, coats of arms, mottos, personal messages, symbols, club emblems or maps.

Like a book, the Reverso can be opened to tell its stories, or kept shut to keep confidences

private. The Maison’s archives include a lacquer engraving made as a tribute to the aviator Amelia Earhart’s non-stop solo flight between Mexico City and New York in 1935, a South Korean customer’s commission to engrave his watch with his five-year-old son’s portrait of him, and a Brazilian collector’s request to have his favourite tattoo of a tiger and a dragon - the Chinese astrological signs of his two sons - immortalized. When you wear the Reverso, you feel as if it is bringing you good luck, like a talisman. And the reason the design has become so uniquely iconic and continues to live and grow is that its story has been written - and is still being written - jointly by its makers and by its wearers.

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Around the World

With Louis Moinet I

n the “8 Marvels of the World” collection presented at the most recent edition of Watches and Wonders, Jean-Marie Schaller, the founder of the Ateliers Louis Moinet, boldly reinterprets eight of the greatest wonders ever produced by ancient or modern cultures.

To recreate the world’s most impressive buildings, monuments, cities and archaeological sites, Louis Moinet’s skilled workers wield paintbrush, chisel and graver, shaping their materials with consummate craftsmanship. Like the Moon Race collection, the “8 Marvels” are housed in a miniature travelling trunk which opens to reveal an exquisite eighteenth-century drawing of a terrestrial globe by Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr on the underside of the lid. Join us on a voyage of discovery via this delightful set of decorative timepieces!

By Marine Pasquier

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Journey to ancient lands The Colosseum was the biggest amphitheatre ever built by the Romans - a major work of architecture and engineering that expressed the might of the Roman Empire. Louis Moinet’s tribute timepiece conveys its volume and contrasts. The outer arches are engraved on the pink gold bezel, while the dial depicts the audience seating and the oval arena, surrounded by a gorgeous rainbow sapphire edging. At the heart of this impressive work of art is a 60-second tourbillon movement that was awarded the gold medal in the most recent edition of the International Chronometry Competition.

The same movement powers the model that depicts the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, in Jordan, once a trade hub for Arabia and the Mediterranean.

Several artistic techniques have been combined to depict

the alcoves of the famous AlKhazneh facade and bring the construction to life. Bas-relief engraving simulates volume and depth, grisaille uses different shades of the same colour to suggest Petra’s famous redbrown sandstone, and fresco painting adds the finishing touches. The white gold case is engraved by hand with symbols and motifs from the Petra site.

To recreate the Pyramid of Khufu, the largest of the Giza pyramids, Louis Moinet’s skilled workers cut a dial from a natural stone whose pattern resembles sand dunes, then overlaid it with transparent hieroglyphs to add an air of mystery. The Great Pyramid is made of gold and covered with grains of enamel. In keeping with Ancient Egyptian tradition, King Khufu’s statue is made of black basalt.

The dial illustration is perfectly complemented by a hand-engraved case featuring lotus flowers and Khufu’s cartouche.

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Worship and remembrance For the watch illustrating Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the building’s impressive silhouette has been recreated in mother-of-pearl marquetry work in differing shades of blue. This ambitious work of art captures the mosque in all its complexity, from the pattern of its vaulted ceilings to its cupolas and its six minarets, whose grooves are emphasized by fine chasing. The case is engraved with intertwined arabesques an essential element of Islamic art. This triumph of intricacy and precision is complemented by a 60-second tourbillon movement.

The Taj Mahal mausoleum is a gem of Mughal architecture, famous for its dazzling ornamental stone (one of its names means “the illumined tomb”).

The Louis Moinet manufacture has replicated every detail of the palace to create a truly unique timepiece. The white marble dial features a miniature painting of the central dome surrounded by minarets and a pinnacle decorated with a crescent moon, turquoise has been used to depict the reflecting pool in the palace gardens, and the case is adorned with Indian mandala motifs to lend contrast.

Bestriding the world The Ateliers Louis Moinet have succeeded in capturing the 6,200 kilometres of the Great Wall of China by showing it as an endless vista, depicted on an applique, that gradually metamorphoses into a mighty dragon. In the background, above

the mountain, is a deep-blue celestial vault with diamonds for stars. The hand-engraved case features dragon-related motifs that emphasize the strength and domination of the animal most closely associated with China. The watch is powered by a 60-second tourbillon movement.

From the summit of Corcovado, Christ the Redeemer symbolically watches over Rio and its bay and islands.

The huge statue is lovingly reproduced on the dial of the latest Louis Moinet creation - a hymn to Brazilian culture and traditions. The hand-engraved Christ stands out majestically from the landscape, overlooking a translucent azure-blue enamel sea and a foreground of typically Brazilian brightly-coloured houses in the foreground, while the case features clever reworkings of local motifs such as coffee and tobacco leaves.

Perched on a promontory, the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu is the most iconic example of Inca architecture. It was also of major religious significance - an aspect conveyed by Louis Moinet’s tribute watch.

The dial illustration shows a city of gold nestling between two mountains, surmounted by a sun flanked by Andean condors - a national symbol of Peru - in a deep blue sky. The condors on the dial and case are inspired by Nazca geoglyphs, and all the engravings on both dial and case are done by hand.

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A Journey through

Time and Space A

t the latest edition of Watches and Wonders, the event no watchmaking professional or aficionado can afford to miss, the Swiss manufacture Louis Moinet unveiled its newest designs. Carefully stowed in a miniature travelling trunk, the Moon Race collection beckons us on a journey through space. Its models record four of the most gripping episodes in the modern-day saga of the race to conquer the Moon. Made from a lunar meteorite and spectacular natural stones and decorated with consummate craftsmanship, each of these watches contains a genuine fragment from a historic spacecraft. Ready for take-off? Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...

By Marine Pasquier 50

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First on the moon

Man on the moon

Around the moon

Last on the moon

Louis Moinet’s “First on the Moon” watch pays homage to the first successful soft landing on the Moon. On 3 February 1966, Luna 9, a Soviet space probe, landed in Oceanus Procellarum and began to take photographs. The pictures it sent back to Earth offered the first panoramic view of the surface of the Moon. The hand-engraved dial of the watch shows the spacecraft against a black astralite sky and a craggy lunar surface that has been blackened to create an effect of mystery.

The picture of the spacecraft contains an original piece of woven fibre from Luna 24.

Earth is depicted in a miniature painting done on an applique to make it stand out against the sky. The bezel features engravings of Luna 9 and its lunar landing capsule, from which the first images of the Moon were sent back. The model is powered by an LM 35 calibre with a 60-second tourbillon movement that was awarded the gold medal in the most recent edition of the International Chronometry Competition.

Jean-Marie Schaller’s Man on the Moon design is inspired by Apollo 11 - the first spaceflight to land humans on the Moon, at a time when the Space Race between the Soviets and the Americans was at its height. The watch is powered by a 60-second tourbillon movement and its dial is illustrated with a detailed colour painting of an astronaut’s helmet with a visor made of a genuine fragment of the Apollo 11 spacecraft’s protective polyimide film. The Moon and stars are represented by a real lunar meteorite and rocks and fine stones of exceptionally high quality. The bezel depicts the Saturn V rocket, with the central hand engravings symbolizing the first steps of Man on the Moon and those at the base, the foot pads of the Apollo lunar module.

On the Apollo 13 mission, the US space programme’s third manned mission to the Moon, a serious incident damaged the transporter and the astronauts had to abort the mission and return to Earth. Although the mission did not achieve its goal, the safe recovery of the astronauts is one of the most spectacular rescue operations in history. The dial of Louis Moinet’s timepiece features an engraving of the spacecraft enhanced with a fragment of the polyimide film that protected the spacecraft on its return journey, particularly during reentry to the atmosphere. The spacecraft is depicted against a deep black agate ground symbolizing the Moon’s mysterious hidden side. Blue Pietersite (also known as tempeststone) from Namibia is used to convey the beauty of Earth. The bezel engravings depict the Odyssey service and command module, whose heat shield enabled it to bring the crew back to Earth safe and sound.

Analysis of the samples collected by Luna 24, the last probe to land on the Moon, revealed the existence of water on the Moon. Jean-Marie Schaller has come up with a wonderfully imaginative design to record the final chapter of the Moon Race.

The depiction of the spacecraft includes a genuine fragment from Luna 24. Copper etching has been used to highlight the Moon’s craters, and the black aventurine sky is lit up by a yellow Pietersite Sun. The bezel features lunar engravings and engravings representing the Proton rocket used for the mission. This model is powered by a 60-second tourbillon movement, making it high-performance as well as visually stunning.

LOUISMOINET.COM 51

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Carl F. Bucherer

sets new peripheral technology standardS Introducing the manero minute repeater symphony Carl F. Bucherer and the New Era of Peripheral Technology Its very name is music. The Manero Minute Repeater Symphony is a tribute to technical innovation, the Swiss watchmaking tradition and artistic excellence. It is the most extraordinary timepiece Carl F. Bucherer has created in a long and impressive history that can be traced back to 1888.

The COSC-certified chronometer takes peripheral technology to places no watch brand has ever been before, with three peripheral movement elements – the rotor, the regulator, and a remarkable tourbillon that appears to float freely – developed in-house and patented by Carl F. Bucherer.

Not only does the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony´s MR3000 manufacture movement have a peripheral winding system and a peripherally suspended floating tourbillon, it also features what is arguably the most sophisticated complication in the art of watchmaking, the minute repeater with a peripherally mounted regulator. This regulator, along with the peripheral winding system and the floating tourbillon,

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are patented by Carl F. Bucherer, and, together, these peripheral innovations combine to create a true horological symphony – a composition which, in fact, inspired the renowned Lucerne Festival Orchestra to honor it with a brilliant new opus. Both masterpieces – the musical and the watchmaking symphonies – will be premiered during Watches and Wonders 2021.

Sascha Moeri, Carl F. Bucherer’s CEO, points out that the Lucerne Festival Orchestra’s composition and the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony are ideal partners: “The word symphony in the name of our watch expresses harmonic complexity and the delicate interaction among different parts – qualities it shares with the orchestra. Their stunning new piece of music and our watch are a perfect pairing. We both share a commitment to artistic perfection and a dedication to craftsmanship.”

The MR3000 Manufacture Caliber: Setting New Standards Carl F. Bucherer’s MR3000 sets new standards in the field of peripheral technology.

For the first time, the brand’s

peripheral rotor is not only combined with a peripherally suspended – and thus floating – tourbillon, but also with the peripherally mounted regulator of a minute repeater mechanism. In this way, the Lucernebased watchmaker not only demonstrates the highest level of manufacturing expertise, but also emphatically underscores its leadership in the field of peripheral technology.

Sascha Moeri emphasizes the importance of the achievements in peripheral technology to the brand: “Clearly, our accomplishments in peripheral technology have become our flagship.

When we secured our patent on the peripheral winding system back in 2008, it sparked the passion that ultimately led to the creation of this new watch.

We are proud of what we’ve achieved and excited about sharing it with the world.”

Patented Peripheral Technology: Carl F. Bucherer’s Leitmotif Peripherals, which the MR3000 uses three of, are among Carl F. Bucherer’s unmistakable leitmotifs. This technology premiered with the peripheral

rotor, patented by the brand in 2008, when this in-house manufactured caliber became the first movement ever to implement this principle successfully in series production.

Not only does the bidirectional automatic winding movement draw its energy from a peripherally rotating oscillating weight, its slim rotor also reveals the beauty of the movement. With the T3000 movement, which premiered in 2018, the manufacturer further extended its lead in peripheral technology when peripheral winding was combined with a groundbreaking Carl.

F. Bucherer–patented transparent peripherally mounted tourbillon that appears to float.

As the heart of the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony, the elaborately finished and COSCcertified MR3000 manufacture movement with a power reserve of 65 hours has ushered in an exciting new era of peripheral technology.

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A Minute Repeater with a Peripherally Mounted Regulator Repeater watches, with their sophisticated striking mechanisms, are among the most admired complications in all of watchmaking. With their acoustic qualities, they add a sensual dimension to time.

The Manero Minute Repeater Symphony takes the classic minute repeater technique and puts this innovation to use in true Carl F. Bucherer style. Its mechanism is finely orchestrated to produce two different tones on two gongs which, along with the sculpted hammers, can be admired, most unusually, through cutouts at the edge of the dial.

They are complemented by openings at 5 and 7 o’clock, through which the work of the striking hammers can be observed. A window above 6 o’clock showcases the watch’s innovative regulator, which sets the beat of the chimes. This patented regulator is mounted peripherally via three low-friction ceramic ball bearings.

However, the minute repeater 54

from Carl F. Bucherer scores not only with outstanding technology, but also with genuine functionality. A protective mechanism built into the movement prevents inadvertent misuse: visible via the discrete display at 9 o’clock, it indicates the current mode of the watch – a blue dot shows that the crown is pulled out, and a musical note lets the wearer know that the minute repeater function is activated. Another safety measure further ensures the protection of the watch: the crown cannot be pulled out when the repeater mechanism is running – it locks.

Conversely, when the crown is pulled out, the repeater mechanism is locked.

The Peripherally Mounted Tourbillon The tourbillon – the classic complication originally designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet in the eighteenth century to offset the effects of gravity on the accuracy of the watch – is another sublime expression of the art and craft of watchmaking. And the watchmakers

at Carl F. Bucherer have made this epitome of their craft float: the cage of their minute tourbillon is supported peripherally – and invisibly to the observer – by three ball bearings.

These frictionless ceramic ball bearings ensure stability and precise guidance. It is another ingenious technical feature on which Carl F. Bucherer also holds a patent. The tourbillon in the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony, which is proudly and prominently displayed at 12 o’clock, not only “floats”, but also stops on command: thanks to the stop-seconds function, the rotating cage is locked when the crown is pulled, allowing the time to be set to the second.

The Manero Minute Repeater Symphony: The Beauty Is in the Detail As breathtakingly complex as the interior of the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony is, its exterior, in contrast, is clear and structured: the classically elegant timepiece is clad in a 43.8 mm diameter case of 18-karat rose gold, whose open-worked and hand-angled lugs seductively follow the silhouette of the

wrist. These spoke-shaped horns reduce the mass of the case and thus amplify the watch’s melodious sound. The 18-karat white gold dial is hand-galvanized and features a fine grainé texture.

18-karat rose gold hands and hour markers reflect the warm hue of the case. Connoisseurs of sophisticated watchmaking will appreciate the elaborate finishing: the carefully diamond-beveled and highly polished chamfers, the sandblasted crown, the hand-angled dial edges and windows, or the Geneva-striped, angled, and diamond-beveled bridges that can be seen through the sapphire crystal case back. The individual numbering of the model, limited to 88 pieces, is engraved by hand on a small plaque in 18-karat gold at the 6 o’clock position on the dial. The watch is presented on a hand-stitched alligator leather strap whose every individual scale has been finished by hand. It is secured with an 18-karat rose gold folding clasp.

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Carl F. Bucherer’s Customization: A Watch as Unique as the Person Who Wears It For those who wish to accentuate the unique character of this limited-edition masterpiece to create their very own symphony, Carl F. Bucherer offers further customization options. There are opportunities for the customer to choose from different designs and finishes, creating a timepiece that is as unique as he or she is.

A Unique Resonator, Sharing the Music!

Inside the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony´s luxury box is a stunning, specially designed resonator that will allow proud owners of this remarkable watch to share its unique music with their friends. The ingenious amplification system is meticulously crafted from spruce harvested from the forests in Switzerland’s Jura Mountains.

This spruce has long been regarded for its qualities as a tone wood and has been used for

the tops of some of the world’s finest guitars, violins, and other stringed instruments. This unusual amplification system doubles the volume of the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony minute repetitions, making it easy to let others enjoy the phenomenon.

A Symphony Meets the Symphony: Carl F. Bucherer and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra Not only do the celebrated Lucerne Festival Orchestra and Carl F. Bucherer share a hometown, but also a rich history and the common pursuit of excellence. Through the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony, these two prominent Lucerne natives have now found each other: inspired by the unmistakable sound of the minute repeater, the young Swedish composer Lisa Streich wrote the piece “PERIPHERY”, commissioned by Lucerne Festival, which will celebrate its premiere during this year’s groundbreaking Watches and Wonders along with the watch that inspired

it. In addition to the watch’s unique striking mechanism, its three peripheral elements also play an important role in this intriguing musical composition.

Lisa Streich’s inspired piece takes core elements of the watch’s design and gives them voice for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. The Manero Minute Repeater Symphony is distinguished by its minute repeater and triple peripheral technology, so these components are represented musically by an imaginative combination of instruments and techniques. For example, the repeater function’s extremely mobile beat generator – its peripherally-mounted regulator – is reproduced by the striking and stroking of a triangle positioned vertically on a timpani. The sounds of a violin bow drawn against the length the strings, breathing noises from the wind instruments, and the quirky drone of an instrument called a buzzing bow combine to express the complexity of the peripheral rotor.

The floating tourbillon and its delicate cage find their counterpart in the brass section, whose

players tap the bells of their horns with a pencil, triggering the wiping motion among the strings.

In doing so, the trumpet stimulates a response from the higher strings, and the trombone the lower ones; the exquisite choreography of the hands is recreated with a distinctive tick, tock, tick, tock.

The Carl F. Bucherer Manero Minute Repeater Symphony: Setting the Standard With its Manero Minute Repeater Symphony, Carl F. Bucherer has unequivocally established some new benchmarks in the Swiss watch industry. The brand, which has been in the hands of the founding family since 1888, is still resolutely independent and has again secured its place in the ranks of true manufacturers while reconfirming the status as the leader in peripheral technologies that it has enjoyed since 2008.

WWW.CARL-F-BUCHERER.COM 55

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CYRUS

WELCOMES ITS LATEST CREATION: “KLEPCYS GMT RETROGRADE”

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YRUS Geneva, the independent Swiss Maison with its manufacture based in Le Locle, is moving forward from its explorations into watchmaking complications to introduce a newcomer, the KLEPCYS GMT RETROGRADE. A complete new automatic manufacture movement, a specifically designed case with modified diameter and thickness that will join the Klepcys collection.

By Marine Pasquier

The conquest of innovation The new KLEPCYS GMT RETROGRADE incorporates all the brand’s hallmark features, both in terms of cutting-edge technology and its futuristic, unconventional style: the functional double crown, the 3D architecture of the dial, the exceptional decoration and finishing are all combined with a reliable, newly-designed manufacture movement. The newly-developed automatic movement sees a ‘second time zone’ function housed in a titanium case which is smaller than existing models. For the first time, the ergonomic cushion-shaped case of 42 mm is waterproof to no less than 10 ATM. Available in three versions, in natural polished 56

titanium, two-tone with a black DLC titanium bezel and all black DLC titanium, this watch holds the characteristic crowns set at 3h and 9h.

A cutting-edge design The original three-dimensional structure of the dial, long a key feature of the Swiss Maison’s masterpieces, is achieved with overlapping layers that give the watch depth and a style all of its own. The first element is a transparent antireflective sapphire disc with Arabic luminescent numerals indicating the hours of local time, that showcases the upper plate of the movement, which has an elegant sunray open-worked pattern. The display of the KLEPCYS GMT

RETROGRADE is completed with a blue lacquer ring featuring the luminescent 24-hour indication of the second time zone. The small seconds sub-dial is adorned with the blue three-armed helix, the Cyrus logo. The end result is an exquisite dial which is harmonious in its many details.

Innovative mechanics KLEPCYS GMT RETROGRADE is driven by a powerful customised ‘engine’, the new CYR708 inhouse automatic calibre, developed by our master watchmaker Jean-François Mojon, which offers outstanding precision performance including a power reserve of 55 hours. Designed to be a time instrument that is

practical, easy to use and a trusty companion in our globetrotting adventures, the GMT function allows two time zones to be displayed at the same time: local time and home time. KLEPCYS GMT RETROGRADE comes complete with a customised black caoutchouc rubber strap with a central groove bearing the Cyrus symbol.

The perfect watch for globetrotters, but also for fans and collectors of exclusive watches, in search of a sophisticated and reliable time accessory made in just 50 pieces per version.

CYRUS-WATCHES.CH

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Photo © Agence NEUE SA – Peseux, Switzerland

Pier Enrico Besana Watchmaker instructor at the Watch Academy by CIMIER

Pier Enrico Besana, watchmaker instructor at the Watch Academy by CIMIER, is in charge of supervising «watchmakers» for a day. With over 40 years’ experience at the heart of renowned manufacturers, he shares his knowledge and watchmaking know-how with all types of enthusiasts. Pier Enrico tells us more.

By Marine Pasquier

How would you define Watch Academy by CIMIER? Joining the Watch Academy

by CIMIER gives access to a limitless world of knowledge and know-how. The participants are at the heart of the intricate technical process, which a watchmaker experiences on a daily basis. I complement this aspect with a touch of historical and practical knowledge. By doing so, participants discover the finer workings, the complications and origins of a movement, historical anecdotes, etc.

What is your approach to each participant?

My priority is to create an air of confidence to ensure they experience a moment of pleasure.

During the various watchmaking courses, I answer each of their questions fully. During the watchmaking sessions, I evaluate everyone’s skill. Depending on their skill, I will support them from the right distance for each stage of assembly necessary to create the watch.

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The watchmaking profession is a very complex skill, so can anyone participate in the Watch Academy by CIMIER? It is true that we should not trivialise the skills of a watchmaker who only obtain their qualification after several years of study. Of course, to ensure the success of this experience, we offer all the elements perfectly adapted and accessible to any participant. Therefore, my experience and that of the team of instructors allow us to provide everyone with an in-depth and personalised approach, in a friendly atmosphere. I ensure that the participants leave with a strong feeling of satisfaction, as well as great pride in wearing a watch they completely assembled with their own hands.

A watch which reflects their personality thanks to the various choices of watch components made available to them.

MONTRES CIMIER SA WATCH ACADEMY BY CIMIER CHEMIN DU LONG-CHAMP 116 CH – 2504 BIEL / BIENNE SWITZERLAND WWW.CIMIER.COM WWW.WATCHACADEMY.COM

Photo © Johann Sauty

MULHOUSE 8 rue de Metz +33 (0)3 89 45 65 90

BELFORT 8 Fbg des Ancêtres +33 (0)3 84 28 09 91

bollwerk-joailliers.com - contact@bollwerk.fr

jewellery

Charly Zenger

Charly Zenger Jewellery and watches in a perfect Ticino setting

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he name Charly Zenger instantly conjures up outstanding quality and traditional craftsmanship. Its expertise in the complex arts of jewellery and watchmaking dates back to 1944. Elegant fabrics and materials set off the discreet, exclusive atmosphere of its shops, where the present moment meets the promised future.

By Marine Pasquier

Jewellery made in Switzerland Charly Zenger is about traditional craftsmanship, meticulous attention to detail and above all a passionate love of beautiful things. Its Ascona and Lugano shops display bold designs featuring diamonds and precious stones, carefully selected before being cut, polished and set in the jeweller’s own workshops to create unique, timeless jewellery designs in dazzling, intense colours. Charly Zenger will design made-tomeasure and personalized wedding rings, solitaire rings and jewellery sets to the customer’s specifications, keeping within the allotted budget. The jeweller’s “Made of moments” campaign is a paean to love and sharing, inviting us to celebrate the instants that shape our lives by associating each significant moment with a particular jewel.

A Ticino institution Ticino’s lovers of superb jewellery and timepieces head straight for Charly Zenger.

Now run by jewellery and watchmaking connoisseur Alfredo Paganetti, the establishment CHARLY ZENGER VIA BORGO 40, 6612 ASCONA VIA PESSINA 8, 6900 LUGANO CHARLYZENGER.CH 60

remains a byword for professionalism and expertise. Charly Zenger was the first authorized Rolex dealer to open a dedicated brand corner, in 2007, enabling it to offer its customers a wide selection of Rolex watches and specialist advice.

The oval sales table is a unique feature you won’t encounter in Rolex corners elsewhere. Charly Zenger also has dedicated retail spaces for other leading jewellery and watch brands such as Tudor, Breitling, Hublot, Tag Heuer, Chopard, not to mention Pomellato, Wellendorff, Fope and many others.

When Charly Zenger met Giberg More recently, the jeweller’s window displays have housed spectacular designs by Giberg.

Charly Zenger was the first Swiss retailer to stock the brand.

The Ticino jeweller is delighted to count Andreas Altman, the founder of Giberg, among its partners, and cannot wait to show its customers the brand’s stunning pieces, which combine bold creativity with intricate detailing to superb effect.

Rue Eugène-Marziano 39 - 1227 Carouge, Switzerland www.jeweltech.ch

jewellery

Pelliccia’s jewellery

Luxury jewellery inspired by sakura and samurai

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ulian Pelliccia’s jewellery creations take inspiration from Japanese philosophy and symbolism.

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By Sophie Colin

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is delicate pieces bear the names “Samurai”, “Royal Sakura” and “Butterfly Effect”.

Julian Pelliccia is a gifted young jeweller, passionate about Japanese culture, whose spirituality and martial arts, which he has practiced from a young age, never fail to nourish his artistic sensibility. Whenever he begins a new piece, he performs the same ritual. He en-ters into a kind of natural meditation consisting of periods of concentration, punctuated by reading (anything from Confucius to texts by philosophers and stories about the samurai), providing the necessary calm propitious to creation. First, he comes up with an idea for the jewellery item. According to this designer, a jewel must express an idea or a vision, rather than simply serving an aesthetic purpose. Next, he reflects about the form. His approach here is intuitive, instinctive; shapes and volumes emerge spontaneously. He models the piece in wax before turning to the raw materials. “As the piece progresses,

emotions grow until the final polish has been done.”

Julian Pelliccia learned his trade at the Haute Ecole de Joaillerie on the rue du Louvre, in Paris, then with a special course dedicated to the 3D technique. In 2018, he founded his own company. While he makes everything by hand in the pure artisanal tradition and with the utmost respect for the codes and values of high-end jewellery, the use of 3D helps him to imagine the finished jewel. In addition to his own personal designs, he also works on tailor-made orders. His favourite stone is the ruby, which, according to him, “provides a certain depth”, particularly when it is cut into a pear shape. An example is the one hanging in the centre of the “Royal Sakura” necklace, whose composition reflects the Japanese spirit, based on the concepts of full and empty, with floral motifs and a minimalist silence between the stones, akin to a meditation. Like each of Julian Pelliccia’s pieces, it carries a visible or hidden

symbolism. The neck-lace, in 18K black gold, is set with 420 pink sapphires, 435 diamonds and 20 rubies, which embody the “sakura” (Jap-anese cherry blossoms), the emblem of renewal.

The “Samurai” belt, a masterpiece representing three months of work on top of meticulous research, associates opposing symbols: white gold (white is the colour of death in Japan), and the diamond (symbolizing eternity). Its tip “points towards the sky as this is where the spirit will go.” “The symbolism is connected to the belief that once the samurai has fulfilled his duty on earth, his spirit shall ascend to the sky,” explains Julian Pelliccia, whose way of expressing himself reflects the spirituality that characterizes him, as also evidenced in his explanation of the ruby: “it is pear-shaped, pointing upwards.” There is a deep desire in this young designer to elevate himself above his peers and his universe is certainly rich.

What, one might ask, does Julian Pelliccia really know about Japan? While waiting to visit, his thoughts and dreams frequently take him there. His goal is to travel to Mount Fuji and see the cave where Miyamoto Musashi died (1584-1645). The designer is fascinated by this emblematic figure who was the ultimate bushi master (warrior gentleman), as well as a calligrapher, painter, philosopher, and the greatest fencer in the history of the country. The katana (a Japanese sword with a curved blade pointing upwards), whose virtuoso design and finish require a considerable amount of work, is yet another challenge that Julian Pelliccia hopes to take on one day.

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jewellery

Sarah Rojas

Traditional savoir-faire with a fresh, modern twist

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arah Rojas has been living and breathing jewellery-making ever since she was a tiny tot.

She belongs to the third generation of a family of jewellers, and she has inherited the family passion. She started out at her father’s firm, Jeweltech. Then, in 2020, she spread her wings, setting up an innovative customization service. Meet the brains behind Custom House Geneva!

By Marine Pasquier

Can you start by telling us about your career and how you came to work for Jeweltech?

I started working at Jeweltech on a temporary basis, standing in for my sister while she was on maternity leave - and never left!

I soon found a niche for myself in the family business, developing our customer base and working out ways for Jeweltech to raise its profile via own-name projects in addition to working with big jewellery firms. My sisters and I bring a fresh, youthful approach to the family business, and that helps us devise strategies to take the firm forward.

Where did the idea of Custom House Geneva come from?

My sisters and I have always been ahead of the pack and liked to set our own styles.

It started with the idea of making ourselves diamond-studded 64

sneakers or sunglasses, and from there it grew into a fully-fledged business. If we could customize objects for ourselves, why not do it for other people?

Why did you opt for customization in particular?

I think we’re observing a new trend. Although brands are still important, we have to find ways of incorporating customers’ own ideas, especially in luxury goods. Customizing an object ensures that it will be totally unique and unlike any other, and allows the customer to be involved at every stage of production.

Custom House Geneva sets out to be modern and disruptive, while Jeweltech is undeniably classic and traditional. How do two such different entities manage to work together?

Our services are based on Jeweltech’s technical skills.

The fact that Jeweltech is a family firm that goes back decades, staffed by experienced jewellers, means customers rest assured that they can rely on us. Custom House Geneva simply adds value to what Jeweltech does.

Custom House Geneva has only been in existence for a few months, and you are already getting orders from showbiz celebs. What is the most amazing item you’ve designed so far?

Maybe the diamond-studded watch we made for the footballer Mehdi Benatia - or perhaps the pair of loafers set with fluorescent diamonds that we did for Mani Nordine, who is currently the most influential talent agent in the USA, in association with the tailoring firm Maison Renomdom. We also designed

a pair of customized sunglasses for the American rapper Tyga.

The project didn’t come to fruition, but it was a great challenge for a young outfit like ours.

Today, your father, Francisco Rojas, is a highly-respected jeweller. What was the best advice he gave you when you were starting out?

He taught me to be patient that everything comes to him who waits. He encouraged me to believe in my plans and not be too quick to trust people.

He also taught me to work towards my goals step by step, even if it takes time, because if you have a dream, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t eventually come true.

RUE EUGÈNE-MARZIANO 39, 1227 CAROUGE, SUISSE WWW.JEWELTECH.CH

Rita & Zia Flagship Boutique Rue du Rhône 80, CH - 1204 Genève

w w w. r i ta - z i a . c o m

jewellery

Soann

a distinctive vision of the jeweller’s art

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oann worked for leading Parisian jewellers for upwards of fifteen years. His superb craftmanship and virtuoso technique make him one of the most accomplished exponents of high jewellery. After six years working as a sub-contractor for Place Vendôme jewellery firms, Soann’s desire to make exquisite items of jewellery was unabated, but he wanted to be able to make his designs and expertise directly available to customers, so in 2012, he opened his own shop.

By Quitterie Pasquesoone

Decorative craftsmanship à la française All Soann’s jewellery designs exemplify the outstanding decorative craftsmanship for which France is famous. As a creative professional who is passionate about his craft, Soann is a stickler for quality and absolute precision. He insists that all his designs are made up in his workshop, which is equipped with state-of-the-art machines. But it is the craftsman’s eye for quality and sure gestures that take precedence, guiding him through each stage of the making of an item of jewellery. From initial sketch to final polish, every detail is painstakingly attended to.

One of his motivations is to make jewellery accessible to everyone, so he deliberately 66

designed his premises in Paris’ 7th arrondissement to be welcoming. Seeing customers wearing jewellery that will never go out of fashion is an essential part of an artisanal jeweller’s job satisfaction, and Soann’s collections are designed to be timeless as well as distinctive.

Perfectly balanced designs Each of Soann’s designs is gradually honed to achieve a perfect balance of shapes and volumes via a long phase of exploration and numerous sketches. His jewellery features pure, architectural lines and shapes that are simple and pared-down but sensual and characterful. He appreciates gorgeous, bold designs from the heyday of fine jewellery-making, and

is a discriminating aficionado of vintage jewellery. To pass on his love of fine work, he has put together a collection of vintage Art Deco items.

Fashions come and go, but Art Deco, which was so innovative in its time, has now become timeless - in jewellery, at least. Like the urban architecture that changed the face of cities in the early 20th century, Soann’s designs use plain, unadorned geometrical shapes such as rectangles, squares and even triangles - and his technical expertise allows him to add just the right amount of sophistication.

His great strength is that his jewellery combines elegance with high-end French craftsmanship.

Jewellery to be proud of Soann advocates a thoroughly modern, customer-centred conception of high jewellery - and he practises what he preaches.

He takes pride in giving your ideas expression in the form of bespoke pieces or transforming items of jewellery you no longer wear into fresh, modern designs. And as befits a man of his times, he uses Fairminedcertified gold that benefits mining communities and the environment, and upcycles metals and stones brought to him by customers.

FURTHER INFORMATION: SOANN-JOAILLERIE-PARIS.FR

Performance and refinement, magically balanced.

The new Flying Spur Spur.

Discover more at BentleyMotors.com/FlyingSpur The name ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B’ in wings device are registered trademarks. © 2019 Bentley Motors Limited.

BENTLEY LUGANO Via Grancia 4, 6916 Grancia - Tel: +41 (0)91 994 55 71 www.lugano.bentleymotors.com

The new Flying Spur is not yet available to order in EU28 countries, Israel, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey or Ukraine. It will be available to order in these markets later this year.

Model shown: Flying Spur.

jewellery

Bollwerk Jewellers

A luxury jewellers in the centre of Mulhouse

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erfectly located in the heart of Mulhouse, a stone’s throw from the historic district, Bollwerk Jewellers offers its customers a wide choice of unique pieces, and guarantees a warm welcome. Recognizable by their brick-coloured frontage, reflecting the local architecture, the establishment, created in 1963 by jeweller Camille Muller, hides a surprisingly modern interior. The refined but inviting boutique houses a double sales area and private lounges dedicated to upscale jewellery and watch brands, like Rolex, Chanel, Cartier, Chopard, Baume & Mercier and Messika, without forgetting their own personal creations, fresh from the Bollwerk jewellery workshop.

By Marine Pasquier

A highly professional jewellery service Tucked away on the first floor of the boutique is the Bollwerk jewellery workshop. Designed from A to Z in the pure tradition of French luxury jewellery, Bollwerk creations are the fruit of a collaboration between expert and specialized artisans: jewellers, gem-setters and polishers work as a team to give birth to some stunning and original jewellery creations.

This production is carried out entirely in-house, without any intermediaries and with the aim of perpetuating artisanal expertise. As well as designing pieces, today the workshop also offers jewellery transformation, 68

Renowned expertise

the leitmotif of the Bollwerk team. There is no tolerance for errors or shortcuts with the Muller family. Every creation must be perfect, no matter how complex. A mantra that Patrick Muller shares with his employees on a daily basis: ‘If the piece isn’t perfect, you need to start over. I don’t impose deadlines on my employees when it comes to jewellery creation. What matters is that the work is always perfect.’ This boutique is undeniably the only name to remember amongst the Mulhouse jewellery offer.

Since its foundation, Bollwerk Jewellers has forged its identity and modus operandi on its level of expertise. Quality is

BOLLWERK JOAILLERS 8 RUE DE METZ MULHOUSE, FRANCE BOLLWERK-JOAILLIERS.COM

repair and maintenance services, which include tightening settings and restoring old pieces.

Thanks to this service, Bollwerk enables customers to give new life to an inherited stone or outmoded jewel. A complete and varied offer, which today remains the prerogative of great jewellers. A title that the Bijouterie du Bollwerk can rightly claim: it is one of the last French houses to have its own creative workshop.

THE LIGHT TRANSCENDED

www.charleszuber.com/perfos

jewellery

Tatjana Grüninger

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Never without love very item of jewellery designed by Tatjana Grüninger is made with love. When you look at her collections, you sense the love that has gone into them. Connoisseurs spot that at once, and their eyes light up when they see her designs.

By Apolline Chaize

The client is central to the design Tatjana Grüninger worked for many years as Swiss representative for major jewellery brands, with a clientele made up exclusively of the very wealthy. As her circle of clients grew, it became more difficult to find each of them their heart’s desire. So she decided to create bespoke jewellery designs herself and have them made up by a well-known goldsmith.

Tatjana adores everything about her job - talking to clients to make sure she understands exactly what they want, discussing the choice of precious stones and thinking up jewellery designs. Her philosophy is “The client is central to the design.”

That way, every item of custom jewellery she designs is built around a uniquely individual core idea, and the client can be sure they will never encounter anything similar.

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An inherited eye for colour

White Diamonds Event

Tatjana gets her eye for colour from her grandmother, Valeria Dauwalder, an artist who left Ukraine to live in Switzerland.

Dauwalder’s colourful artworks feature strong contrasts and clusters of precious stones.

The gorgeous shades she used made a lasting impression on Tatjana, and Valeria let her granddaughter into a secret: “Use colour to make your work more convincing.” Tatjana has put her advice to good use: her brilliantly-coloured jewellery designs are utterly convincing!

As well as being a highly-regarded jewellery designer, Tatjana Grüninger organizes events. The biggest of these is the White Diamonds Event, a private soirée for her partners and private clients and all her partners, at which brands show their jewellery collections and give workshops on jewellery design. For Tatjana, it is a way of sharing her love of “fantasy, timelessness and uniqueness”.

FURTHER INFORMATION: AGENTUR TATJANA GRÜNINGER, RIEDHALDENBUCKSTRASSE 10 C, 8427 FREIENSTEIN ZH TEL. +41 79 215 55 02

© arto 2021

(source d’enchantement)

E v ian rE s o rt • Lac Lé man

jewellery

Jewellery italian s tyle F our of the greatest names in Italian jewellery pay homage to female beauty with fresh, elegant, seductive designs in a stylish spectrum of bright colours.

By Sophie Colin

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“Serpenti Viper” necklace

“Iconica” earrings

“Blossoms” earrings

“Petit Joli Bouquet” earrings

€6,720

€6,300

€1,300

€3,900

BVLGARI

POMELLATO

Bvlgari’s signature snake began by wrapping time in its coils with Tubogas wristwatches in the late 1940s, then slithered into the firm’s jewellery collections in the 1960s. For the mesmerizing, venomously-named contemporary interpretation “Serpenti Viper”, the snake sheds its skin to reveal a still sleeker, more dazzling new incarnation. The way each diamond scale fits into the next to form the snake’s sinuous curves is a marvel of skilled craftsmanship. Rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces are garbed in this undulating jointed armour - seen here in a 18K pink gold necklace with 0.63-carat pavé diamonds. With this striking design, the Bvlgari woman’s unabashedly sensual allure becomes utterly irresistible.

Photo © Bvlgari

BUCCELLATI

At Pomellato, jewellery is about creativity, design, colour and sustainability. A kaleidoscope of precious stones - amethyst, tsavorite, blue sapphire, blue zircon, red spinel, pink tourmaline, tanzanite and orange zircon - elevates these 18K pink gold earrings from the “Iconica” Collection to the truly sublime. Since it was set up in 1967, Pomellato has built its reputation around sophisticated combinations of coloured stones, unusual gem cuts and distinctive assembly techniques.

Nowadays, the firm is also committed to sustainability: all the gold it uses is Fairmined certified, which means it comes from independent, environmentally and socially responsible artisanal and small-scale mining organizations, and Pomellato also champions women’s rights, working to advance women’s cause in the areas of education, equality at work and improved quality of life.

Photo © Pomellato

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PASQUALE BRUNI

For the “Blossoms” collection, Lucrezia Buccellati has dreamt up a silver and vermilion gardenia with pistils set with pink sapphires. The delicate hand-engraving perfectly illustrates the fine gold- and silversmithing skills in which Buccellati has specialized ever since the firm was founded by Mario Buccellati in Milan in 1919.

This savoir-faire is complemented by careful selection of stones and a sense of elegance that has been passed on from generation to generation. Lucrezia Buccellati, who now works with her father, Andrea Buccellati, is the firm’s first woman designer.

The “Blossoms” collection also includes a gardenia ring and earclips.

Photo © Buccellati

Pasquale Bruni heralds summer with the new “Petit Joli Bouquet” collection celebrating the perfection of nature with a bouquet of the designer’s signature five-petalled flowers that harmoniously combines precious stones in strong colours.

Green and white agate symbolizes the vigour of nature; pink chalcedony suggests sunset - a lovers’ meeting between earth and sky; carnelian stands for the vitality of the earth; onyx for the power and drama of life; and lapis lazuli is the colour of the sky. The inspiration for these delightfully fresh, smart flowerpieces came to the designer during a visit to the Biblioteca degli Alberi (Library of Trees) in Milan.

Photo © Pasquale Bruni

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fashion

TOD’S Group bet on Solidarity and Sustainability to reach the new generations

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he TOD’S group is one of the most flourishing excellences the Made in Italy claims. A small shoes factory from Casette D’Ete (Sant’Elpidio a Mare) in the Marches turned into a powerful world-renowned holding company led by successful entrepreneur and chairman Diego Della Valle and owner of the luxury brands TOD’S, Roger Vivier, Hogan and Fay. A leading company in the industry of shoes, leather goods and ready-to-wear, listed on the Milan’s stock exchange since 2000, which on last April, has welcomed Italian fashion influencer and digital entrepreneur Chiara Ferragni as a member of the board of directors. A further strategic move towards the new generations.

By Hélène Battaglia - Photos © Tod’s 74

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TOD’S group would probably never have existed without the good intuition and the hard work of the one who started everything: Filippo Della Valle, father of Dorino (1928-2012) and grandfather of Diego, Andrea and Gisella, the third generation. A shoemaker from Casette D’Ete who, at the beginning of the twentieth century, started to product his own shoes and went by bike to sale them on the markets of the area. An Italian craftsman, with a passion for his work and for quality, who became the proud owner of a small but blooming shoe manufactory. After years of learning side by side his father, his son Dorino took the reins in the 1940s. He was visionary and brought the firm to the next level, putting the passion for hard work and high handmade quality he inherited, first.

He was not only a great craftsman like his father was, but he quickly proved he also was an entrepreneur with a great business sense. He decided to reorganize the assets of the family business in order to get it ready to growth in a quick and safe way. His strategy went well.

At the end of the seventies, his firstborn son Diego entered the company. He brought freshness and new creativity which, mixed with the winning combination heritage and know-how, allowed to achieve the further step towards the international fame.

He launched the luxury brand TOD’S and have the brilliant and innovative idea of the iconic-to-be shoe with its 133 rubber balls outsole - A perfect artisanal masterpiece handmade in Italythat made the brand famous all

over the world and became its signature. Shoes but not only anymore. In 1997, Diego introduced the first bag collection: the world discovered the D Bag, a classy bag named in honour of Lady D which soon became iconic. Fashionistas and celebrities loved it at first sight. As collaborations and partnerships are important to the brand and to him, Della Valle has launched the Tod’s Factory, a project which plans partnerships with celebrities, designers, artists…to create capsule collections. In 2019, TOD’S collaborated with fashion designer Alber Elbaz (19612021), former creative director of the French maison Lanvin for his TOD’s Happy Moments and the same year, with Pelleteria San Patrignano the workshop of the notorious Italian Rehab Community. TOD’s group is indeed one of their main sponsors because supporting people with addiction finding their way back home, is a real duty. More than ever, the powerful Italian group based in Sant’Elpidio a Mare, is looking forward to being involved in the social development area and in the fight to preserve the planet. Solidarity and sustainability are two of its priorities for next decades.

Diego Della Valle want to build a real and positive relationship with the new generations.

He wants to speak the same language. Social media is part of the plan. That is why he strategically welcomed Italian fashion influencer, digital entrepreneur and designer Chiara Ferragni as a member of the board of directors.

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“ I’m extremely pleased that Chiara Ferragni has joined the board of Tod’s. Chiara’s knowledge of the world of young people will certainly be precious” he said.

The brand recently commissioned the talented Italian collage artist Luca Mainini to create a serie of animated artworks for Instagram. The American artist and painter Allison Zuckerman customized the Shirt Bag Circle.

Not only celebrities like Katie Holmes, Jessica Chastain, Sienna Miller, Jessica Alba, Cate Blanchett, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Garner and Alessandra Ambrosio big fans of the brand. Della Valle is working hard to build together with his team a new image of the 76

brand: arty and trendy not only that classy and chic it used to be. Dorino, who passed away in the 2012 at the age of 87 years and who really has loved to stay behind the scenes following his motto: “To create without appearing” would be surely happy regarding this new commercial approach which targets normal people with taste for quality, craftsmanship, beauty, art and culture. The TOD’S group which gives work to nearly 5.000 people, has just embarked on a new exciting journey. Stay tuned.

WWW.TODS.COM IG: @TODS

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The Missoni family from the little town of Sumirago to the world A

n Italian heritage to cherish. A 68-yearold small family business turned into a flourishing group. Three generations: The founders: Ottavio Missoni (19212013) and his lovely wife and long-term business partner Rosita Jelmini. Their children: Vittorio (1954-2013), Luca and Angela. And after them, Margherita Maccapani Missoni and her cousins Ottavio and Giacomo Missoni, three of their nine grandchildren. As the decades went by, thanks to passion, hard work, lots of love and a rainbow of colors ‘Put together’, the Italian Missoni family became one of the most powerful families in international fashion. One of the great ambassadors, ‘Made in Italy’ ever had.

By Hélène Battaglia - Photos © Missoni

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ade in Italy is famous all over the world.

Italian fashion designers, brands and Maison did and still do Fashion. Since several decades, they are the ones who set the trends. Italian people are very proud of it. Nobody loves fashion like Italians love it. And in the Bel Paese, fashion is often a family matter from generation to generation. As it is for the Missoni family, the worldwide well-known respected and loved family from Sumirago- a little town located near Varese in the Milan’s area- lucky owners of the successful eponymous Maison, founded in 1953 in Gallarate by Ottavio ‘Tai’ Missoni, a former olimpic atlete and his wife Rosita Jelmini.

The two met earlier in 1948 in 80

London after he competed for Italy as hurdler at the Wembley Stadium during the first postwar Summer Olympics. It was love at the first sight. The kind of fairytale love story everybody wishes for. It was destiny: Tai’s number was the 331, the lucky number of Rosita’s grandfather.

They not only loved each other for 60 long years but they built a beautiful family and a prestigious and flourish fashion house. They had been part of the group of Italian designers who launched Italian ready-towear in the 1950s. They started slowly but surely with a little production of track suits- Ottavio was already producing some for the National Basketball team in a 100 smq basement- and sweaters.

fashion

Their pioneering and unique multicolored aesthetic vision quickly catched the eye of Italian influent Fashion editor and journalist Anna Piaggi.

As well as the one of the French fashion Designer Emmanuele Khanh with whom they started to collaborate. In 1969, Iconic Prophet of High fashion and editor-in chief of Vogue America, Diane Vreeland felt in love with the Missoni’s style.

The international fame started then. On September 1973 in NYC, Mr and Mrs Missoni got the Oscar of Fashion from the hands of Mr Stanley Marcus, owner of the Neinam Marcus stores. « To Rosita and Ottavio Missoni of Sumirago, Italy, husband and wife team, whose alchemy has produced new dimensions and color relationships from the crucibles of the traditional knitting machines and whose daringness has made then the most potent force in knitwear for women and men. » In 2013, after his firstborn Vittorio died in a plane crash a few months earlier, Tai passed away at the age of 92. The family grieved but didn’t give up.

Rosita is today honorary chairman and proudly in charge of the Missoni Home which was launched in 2000 and presents a collection per year. Her daughter Angela, who started to work in the family business in the 1990s and officially became creative director in 1997, decided, after the collection F/W 2021, the time has come for her to regain her freedom and to let this main role to Alberto Caliri, his fifteen-years-right-hand man.

However she still is the happy chairman of the Missoni Group owned for 41.2% by the FSI Mid-Market Growth Equity fund since June 2018, year of the 65th anniversary of the Maison. And with the same passion and innovative vision of her parents, she will continue to work hard, together with CEO Livio Proli who joined the team on may 2020,

to enhance Missoni’s awareness and development potential to become a modern and global player, with an adequate organizational structure and size to compete in the global fashion and luxury industry. As she used to work with her mother, Angela has worked with her daughter Margherita Maccapani Missoni from 2019 until march 2021.

Referring to her, the latter was the perfect ambassador of what she was creating at the moment. As creative director of the soon-tobe sister label M Missoni, the second line launched in 1990 and produced by the Marzotto Group, recently back in house for the better, the 38-year-old fashion icon and female role model for thousands of women worldwide brought her freshness and put immediately the focus on sustainability. Because as many of her generation, she is convinced that the future of fashion is green. And she was so right. For personal reasons, the happy wife of Eugenio Amos and mother of two decided to resign.

But fortunately, the third generation is still on board and cherishes its precious heritage.

Two sons of Vittorio are honouring the memory of their father and grandfather: Ottavio jr is in charge of the sustainability project and Giacomo is CEO of Missoni USA. Bold and avantgarde Ottavio would be so happy and grateful. Succession is assured. On last march, the Maison paid tribute to Tai’s long life work and presented the Missoni 331 Automatic Chronograph Limited Edition, a sportswear classic produced by Timex Group Luxury Division in 331(his number at the 1948 London Olympics) individually numbered pieces only.

WWW.MISSONI.COM IG: @MISSONI IG: @MMISSONI 81

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RAISAVANESSA, the Turkish luxury fashion brand which empowers women B orn and raised in Istanbul and happy London residents for a while, twin sisters Raisa and Vanessa Sason are the lucky founders of RAISAVANESSA, the fashion brand with proud Turkish heart and roots launched in 2011 which quickly has turned into a cosmopolitan, haute couture with a touch of Ready to wear, brand appreciated all around the world by brave and independent women as well as by A-List Celebrities. Meet the two talented fashion designers and successful entrepreneur behind the scenes who use their fashion to empower other women to live their life strong and independent and to follow their dreams as they both are and do.

By Hélène Battaglia - Photos © Raisa & Vanessa

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Who are Raisa and Vanessa Sason?

We were born and raised in İstanbul, but we spent most of our educational life in London.

We were raised in a household that appreciated art in all forms. After taking painting lessons as children, we studied at Pera Fine Arts High School in İstanbul. We later moved to London where we studied Theatre Costume design and then we started to see and to interpret the deep connection which exists between fashion and art.

Your collections which are a mix of haute couture and Ready to wear are made for talented, successful, modern and strong women as both you are. Yours is clearly a fashion empowerment style. Do you consider yourselves as feminist activists?

We are chosen by brave and independent women from all around the world, which makes us extremely happy. Women empowerment will forever be one of the main goals in expressing ourselves with our designs, so we hope to keep up this spirit.

When did you really understand that fashion would be your common destiny?

We always were in love with fashion. Already in our childhood, we were intrigued by mixing art in the form of fashion.

Tell your truth: Is it sometimes difficult to be a successful and independent woman today in Turkey?

Turkey has been a home to so many different nationalities and societies that our people have now embraced most of the cultures that they brought. We believe that women are strong creatures with the superpowers to achieve anything they put their mind into in any case and condition. Regardless, we wish for our country and the world to embrace and show the love and respect we deserve as women.

When did you decide you will work together as business partners and launch your own brand RAISAVANESSA? We knew it from the start: We always had the same passion, so we took the same steps.

Speaking of success, you are two of the few lucky young Turkish fashion designers famous abroad and already appreciated by A-List celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Paris Hilton, Gabrielle Union-Wade,

Were you born and raised in a family which works for the fashion industry?

Our uncle works in the home textiles industry and our grandfather, at one point, also did, but we are the only family members in fashion.

Elisabeth Moss, Isla Fisher. How do you explain you made it?

We can’t say we made it; we grow bigger each day and we have been fortunate enough to achieve this success. But this doesn’t happen overnight: it’s beyond our talent as designers. We indeed have an amazing In-House marketing team which knows our vision and the importance of celebrity’s styling. You must know the clients and how to communicate with them. We also work with great PR companies in NY and LA. Fundamentally we are happy that we became a brand that is loved around the world and that we have this big team/family supporting us.

Even if you graduated in Costume Design for Performance at the London College of Fashion, you keep a strong relationship with your hometown Istanbul where all your collections are designed and produced in your atelier. In which way the Turkish culture and heritage inspired you?

We love living in İstanbul: our roots are connected to this city.

Even though we lived in London for quite a while and travel all the time, we still love coming back home. We are inspired by the sophistication and versatility of our country and city.

You apparently love partnerships: You collaborated with Maybelline New York, Nike, Luisa Via Roma & Swarovski.

Do you have already planned some new collabs? Commercial or arty?

We have had great partnerships over the years, so if our visions match why not? Let’s not give away any clues.

After having the privilege to show your SS20 collection for the first time in New York during the Fashion Week in September 2019, on last February, during the pandemic, you presented your F/W 2021. Could you tell us more about the beautiful and architectural site you have chosen? Are you an architecture lover?

We like to convey a different world in each of our shows and we have managed to pull the audience in every time… Historic and contemporary architecture has always been a muse of ours.

Do you have a claim/motto that help you in your everyday life?

We don’t have a strict routine but, as we like to live with a healthy and chill mind, we go with the flow most of the time.

IG: @RAISAVANESSA WWW.RAISAVANESSA.COM 83

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Calarena

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another vision of beachwear

ore than a style, the House of Calarena offers a veritable art of living. A unique concept built around a stunning line of swim and beachwear, to be discovered when the sun shines…

By Quitterie Pasquesoone

Calarena, another style of beachwear The Calarena promise?

Inspired, multi-purpose clothing for women for the duration of their vacation. Imagine a chilled summer by the coast or cocktails by the pool, while you sport a colourful swimsuit, a light dress, or an elegant printed sarong in soft, figure-skimming fabrics, with a natural feel, discreet seams, and various colour hues. Calarena boasts an identifiable signature, built on renewal, innovation and respect for the strong values of a brand 84

that has been making a name for itself over the past ten years in the swim and beachwear world. The alliance of luxury and creativity for timeless collections…

Luxury and simplicity Launched in 2004, this Corsican brand is unlike any other and will undoubtedly appeal to women in search of elegant, clean-cut and high-quality clothing. With its clearly identifiable and unique style, Calarena is now enjoying international success and has established itself

as an essential item in any summer wardrobe. The brand plays with trends in a creative way and takes inspiration from the world around us by designing collections that combine luxury and simplicity, dynamism and elegance. Last but not least, it uses its expertise to accentuate women and the female form: the hallmark of the House of Calarena.

in Porto-Vecchio and a production workshop in Italy, the brand takes inspiration and guidance from its Corsican-Italian family roots on a daily basis. Creations designed by Calarena are available via a network of French and international retailers, but the brand also boasts its own boutiques in Porto-Vecchio, Bastia, Bonifacio and Calvi.

Family spirit Craftsmanship, home and family are the solid foundations of this luxury brand. With a studio

FURTHER INFORMATION: WWW.CALARENA.COM +33(0)4 95 24 77 65

beauty

2021 summer vanity case

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ummer is here at last! This year of all years, we bet you can't wait to be off on your travels or lazing around in the sun. But what skincare products should you pack? Here's our selection of the latest must-have beauty products to keep you at your sleekest and most alluring all summer long.

By Quitterie Pasquesoone

A refreshing boost

Phthalate-, paraben-, silicon-, sulphate- and GM-free, this anti-pollution mist from MZ Skin contains a potent blend of highly effective detoxifying agents.

Ideal to protect your skin from pollution when you’re out and about, it consists of a unique complex rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-stress and hydrating adaptogens, for skin that glows with health and vitality.

Use it daily on your face and neck, to fix your make-up and for added radiance - and at any time of day for instant protection and to refresh the outer layer of your skin. For an intense cooling sensation, keep it in the fridge between uses. We put it very high on this summer’s list of must-have products.

MZ Skin Anti-pollution Mist, €72 for 75 ml

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The scent of summer

This dry body oil from Natura Bissé is irresistibly addictive. Its anti-oxidants simultaneously firm, tone, moisturize and protect the skin, and its delicious perfume complex blends lemon, cypress, sage and rosemary to energize your entire body and waft you mentally to the garrigues and scented lemon-trees of the Mediterrean. It can be used daily on dry or damp skin.

Alternatively, add a few drops to your usual body cream for an instant boost or in your bathwater so you can inhale its evocative scent while benefiting from its effects. Utterly essential.

Natura Bissé Dry Oil.

Give me sunshine!

In 2021, we expect a lot of our solar skincare products.

They have to provide maximum protection by effectively filtering out 100% of the solar spectrum including UVB, UVA and infra-red rays, to be kind to our skin and environmentally-friendly, and to let us build a radiant, sensuous tan over several sessions with no sensation of discomfort. The new Sun Sensitive range from Lancaster does all that, providing total suncare so that even the most sensitive skins can achieve a golden tan with no risk of sunburn. Its wonderfully smooth, comfortable formulas respect the skin and help protect the oceans. Definitely this summer’s hottest suncare range!

Sun Sensitive SPF50 Body Milk from Lancaster, €36.90

Brighten up

The Diorsnow Essence of Light Serum is the ideal thing to brighten your skin and light up your face. It works by combining a potent edelweiss-enriched formula with revolutionary D-NA (Diorsnow Native Aura) Light Reboot Technology to achieve the four aspects of flawless, intrinsically radiant skin: skin tone, texture, evenness and - a first for Dior - transparency.

Nature meets technology in this unique serum made from 88% natural ingredients, which blends edelweiss from the Swiss mountains, yeast extract and zinc to regulate the skin and prevent shine. The result is a more transparent glow, a brighter complexion and smoother skin, with dark shadows and brown patches noticeably reduced. This really is the crème de la crème!

Diorsnow Essence of Light Serum from Dior, €125 for 30 ml

High-End Jewelry Designs

cervinblanc.com SHOP COLLECTION ONLINE F I N D U S AT G S TA A D PA L A C E , A L P I N A G S TA A D & Z U R I C H

perfumes

SACRED ELIXIRS H

ere's a round-up of our favourite niche perfumes - some new, some classic.

Leathery, floral, fruity or musky, each of these fragrances is totally distinctive.

By Quitterie Pasquesoone

Second skin

Marc-Antoine Barrois launched his first perfume, B683, in 2016, ten years after opening his couture house.

But the story began before that, when he met the perfumer Quentin Bisch - and continued with N°6, a scented candle launched in 2017, and Ganymède in 2019. Each was an invitation to explore the couturier’s inner world - his childhood memories, his dreams of adventure and his particular conception of timeless elegance. With B683 Extrait, MarcAntoine Barrois and Quentin Bisch explore a new dimension 88

of their first perfume, plumbing the very core of materials.

The result is a sensual, compelling reinterpretation that feels like a second skin, with a distinctive, intense lingering scent. Its creators beckon us to immerse ourselves in the warm depths of the perfume’s signature leather and wood accord, heightened until it becomes a fully-fledged patchouli leather. Other notes gravitate around this core - pimento and cumin add vibrant, spicy accents and oud enhances the overall effect.

B683 Extrait by Marc-Antoine Barrois Gold lacquer bottle 50 ml €275

Strong and sensitive

Created by Jean Jacques, Caron's in-house perfumer, Aimez-Moi Comme Je Suis pairs the smoky, woody notes of a high-quality natural vetiver - the classic ingredient of men's perfumes - with deliciously edible (but not at all sweet) hazelnut.

This startling pairing forms the core of an elegant, addictive men's perfume that runs counter to market trends by proudly proclaiming its originality.

The stance reflects Caron's conception of contemporary man as someone genuine and sincere who goes his own way.

Forget clichéd concepts of

virility: today's men realize that sensitivity is a strength and identity is complex.

Aimez-Moi Comme Je Suis by Caron Set of 125 ml Eau de toilette Spray + 10 ml Travel Spray + 50 ml Deodorant Spray €98

Kufu, KOS, Kerzon, Huile E-Sens, Konzac Spone Company, Couleur Locale, The Organic, Pharmacy, Natura Brasil, Cinq Mondes, Les Huilettes, Skin & Tonic London, Vinésime, Nathalie Bond, Bloom & Give, Whole, So Cosy, Chic Des Plantes, Livre du Hygge, E-Candles, kiss The Moon, Thémaé, Salt Way, OM Organics Canada, WorldBest Travel Pillow, Dream Essentials, Fitness Mad, Joco. www.howtospa.com - contact@howtospa.com

perfumes

Floral bouquets

Floral accords form a counterpoint to the aromatic notes of fresh green leaves in Chloé's Atelier des Fleurs. Each floral, aromatic or woody plant variety has its own perfume, but as in flower-arranging, their essences can be combined in countless different ways to create a myriad personalized bouquets.

The collection originally consisted of nine perfumes created at Chloé's invitation by great names in perfumery and inspired by their signature flowers and the special connection they had with them. Three totally new perfumes made from botanical ingredients of the finest quality have now been added: Vanilla Planifolia by Quentin Bisch (a floral oriental), Papyrus

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by Alexis Dadier (a woody aromatic), and the wonderfully flowery Tuberosa 1974, a reissue of Chloé's first perfume.

Atelier des Fleurs by Chloé 50 ml bottle, €110

Sacred journey

Le Jardin Retrouvé's Sandalwood Sacré fragrance coaxes, enchants, captivates, moves, inflames, seduces, lures and charms us. The French family firm that pioneered niche perfumery has blended aerial woody notes with warmer creamy ones to create a velvety-smooth eau de parfum evocative of mystical Indian rituals. It transports you to a sacred grove containing a little Hindu temple, somewhere near Chandod, on the shores

of the Narmada River. A cloud of delicate perfume notes wafts towards you - first sandalwood, patchouli, oakmoss and musk, then coriander, petitgrain and orange-blossom - enveloping you in the spirit of the place.

Dreamt up in 1979 by the Master Perfumer Yuri Gutsatz, Sandalwood Sacré is still produced using its creator's protocol. Maxence Moutte, Le Jardin Retrouvé's in-house perfumer recreates the fragrance as closely as possible, and it is made up by hand in the firm's own laboratories in the Rue Montmartre, in Paris.

Sandalwood Sacré by Le Jardin Retrouvé 50 ml bottle in gift box, €98

Bursting with fruit

Here comes the sun! Like the delicious smell of ripe, juicy fruit, Pear Inc. conjures up summer - fine sunny days, laughter and good times. Its green pear accord top note and ambroxan core note combine with muscenone, ambrettolide and habanolide base notes to create a subtly delicious fragrance that is simultaneously musky and fruity. It comes in a distinctive shaded green bottle whose colour is reminiscent of pear-tree leaves, hot stamped in silver with the brand’s most recent signature, with a metallic lid. Scrumptious!

Pear Inc. by Juliette has a gun

spa

24 hours

with Maud Ganry Boutaric Founder of How to Spa

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oth an entrepreneur and spa professional, Maud Ganry Boutaric is the founder of the wellness concept How to Spa, and is also a proud mum to two little girls. Between phone calls, an appointment and quality time with her children, Maud Ganry Boutaric makes some time in her busy routine for Blush Dream and tells us about her typical day.

By Marine Pasquier

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6.30 am I like to emerge slowly, taking time with my two young daughters (11 months and 4 years old). I prepare breakfast for the family and get my older daughter’s bag ready for school. I take turns doing this with my husband. To give myself the energy I need for the day, I do a yoga or Pilates session. This moment is essential for me because it allows me to refocus on my body and breathing, and to take care of myself.

9.30 am While my youngest daughter is taking her nap, I start my work day with a “homemade cappuccino”. At the moment, I have several projects underway: updating the e-boutique and our tutorials with a modernized visual identity; I’m also in the process of creating tutorials and kits with specific themes (mother-baby, aromatherapy, Reiki, etc.), and I usually devote some time to the magazine Real by How To Spa… My workload can be quite varied, depending on the projects and deadline priorities at any given time. Other tasks include emailing the various brands with whom I work, calls and video-conference meetings (in our current Covid climate, it’s

no longer possible to meet faceto-face). There is always plenty to do in terms of overseeing customer orders, logistics with the warehouse, site management with my web designer and developer, finances with my accountant, and communication questions with my project manager, etc.

When I am creating tutorials and kits, I need to carve out an allotted time slot on a quieter day or week, so that I can put myself in a serene, relaxed state of mind. I need to be as zen and calm as possible, in order to create quality products that encapsulate the rituals and benefits of the spa experience.

11.30 am

and this is what I enjoy most. It’s extremely rewarding. At the moment, due to Covid, we can’t do public events like we used to do before (pop-up stores, wellness festivals, workshops, etc.), and so we are trying to find digital ways to stay in contact with customers, especially through live events and webinars.

Getting customer feedback is very rewarding. My goal is to do people good, by providing them with the right relaxation tools and a real spiritual awakening.

Raising awareness of the value of taking care of yourself, in order to love others better, and to better fulfil yourself, is what drives and motivates me on a daily basis.

5.30 pm

At lunchtime, I take a break with my youngest child, to feed her and play. This break provides me with a great deal of perspective on things and often allows me to refocus on the present moment.

When my older daughter comes home from school, we spend some time together, just the two of us. I love this part of the day. We take time just to chat and have fun.

2 pm

6 pm

I go back to work while my daughter takes her second nap.

I have no specific morning or afternoon chores. It all depends on what needs attention.

In my job, I’m constantly interacting with people. There is a very human dimension to it

In the evening, I tidy away my phone and my computer so I can properly enjoy some family time. It’s very important to know how to set these personal and professional boundaries when you are a business owner. Not only is it a healthy and

important limit to respect for our children, but also for ourselves.

9 pm This is my favourite part of the day. I often like to have a hot shower and take the opportunity to exercise moments of gratitude and conscious breathing.

This is a great way of releasing stress and pressure, and one of the reasons why I’m such a fan of the spa world. Water really does have beneficial properties: I find it healing and calming.

If I have the time, I do a little “Home Spa” session.

Then I like to relax with a book, music, a podcast or maybe a film or a series. This is my time to unwind and disconnect.

11 pm I like to be in bed no later than 11 pm and as much as possible, I try to stick to this routine. After 11.30 pm, sleep is definitely less restorative. I have to admit that the zero screen time rule before sleep is tricky for me. But these days, I’m turning off my laptop earlier and earlier, having realized the benefit to the quality of my sleep.

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Sublime cocooning I

n need of a spa getaway to refuel your batteries this summer? Below are some of our favourite spa venues, to be enjoyed without moderation!

By Quitterie Pasquesoone

Italian detox

Azure escapade

The Palace Merano is located in Merano, in the Italian South Tyrol. This luxury spa hotel remains the unrivalled benchmark for medical spas in Europe, thanks to its long tradition of individualized care. Guests are accompanied throughout their spa stay by the team of loyal medical specialists, coordinated by Medical Director, Dr Massimiliano Mayrhofer. The treatment à la mode this season: the new Revital Detox package

The spa at the Angsana Corfu Resort & Spa is every bit as good as some of the world’s most exclusive venues. Brand new, it gives pride of place to Asian inspiration and emphasizes the use of natural ingredients such as fruits and flowers, along with aromatherapy treatments, for a physical and mental well-being experience based on and inspired by nature. The spa boasts a spacious and luxurious space with eleven treatment rooms, five outdoor pavilions, one yoga terrace and an indoor swimming

For more info: www.palace.it

and the Revital three-day kit.

With these, the Palace takes care of your health, both on-site and at home. The Revital Detox treatment begins with four nights at the Palace and continues for three days at home with the Revital three-day kit and the invaluable advice of the medical staff. This is the ideal way to start the summer season on the best footing, while shedding the excess weight and pressures of daily life…

pool. Here, contemporary Western techniques are combined with the art of Asian wellness, all with a hint of the local character. The traditional Greek spirit of “philoxenia” or hospitality permeates every aspect of this high-end spa. The philosophy?

Demonstrate a “generosity of spirit and kindness to strangers” at all times. Here is a place with a warm and authentic welcome, offering a range of Asian and Mediterranean treatments, catering to every taste.

For more info: www.angsana.com/en/greece/corfu

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#faceaface_paris / faceface-paris.com

spa

Mountain air

Communion with nature

The Deep Nature Spa boasts a unique natural setting, with stunning views of the Mont-Blanc range. With its signature treatments, Les Granges d’en Haut has become a sought-after wellness destination in its own right.

Making use of the house’s own line of cosmetics, the treatments consist of over 95% of ingredients of natural origin, and with a high concentration of remineralizing active ingredients

At the Château du Launay, in Morbihan, bees are the stars of the show! Enjoy a truly unique experience in the apitherapy cabin, which welcomes guests for a moment of relaxation and proximity to nature. The cabin is nestled in the heart of a clearing of centennial trees in the castle grounds, and it is in this idyllic setting that guests can take advantage of a treatment based

(minerals from the Argentières glacier, extracts of Polynesian Tamanu oil, seaweed from the Iroise Sea, and volcanic powder from Iceland, etc.) These treatments target specific needs, and can be used on both the body and face. Guests to the spa can also benefit from an indoor swimming pool, Nordic baths on the terrace, hammam, sauna, jacuzzi and yoga lessons by reservation. A veritable sensory joy!

on the inhalation of beehive air, while listening to the calming vibrations emitted by thousands of bees enclosed in a nearby hive.

Thanks to the fragrances and substances emanating from the hive—propolis, wax, honey, pollen and pheromones—as well as the vibrations of the bees, this treatment has been proven to slow down the heart rate and reduce stress.

For more info: www.chateaudulaunay.fr For more info: www.lesgrangesdenhaut.com

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beauty

Summer skincare

top tips from the Callys Laboratory

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ummer is just around the corner but between the first rays and the hot weather, our skin can easily become sensitized. Shine, dryness and redness; it’s difficult to take care of your skin when the temperatures soar. To help you look your best when the mercury rises, the Swiss laboratory Callys, known for its serums with their innovative packaging, has devised four new treatments for fresh and radiant skin.

By Marine Pasquier

Dry, dehydrated skin

Dull, oily skin

Your skin is not the same in summer as it is in winter.

Therefore, you need to modify your skincare routine to adapt to the changes. But it’s worth understanding what’s happening within your skin, and what mechanisms are involved.

The skin becomes dry under the effect of heat. The Callys ‘Voile des Glaciers’ (Glacier Veil) mask made from hyaluronic acid promotes hydration of all layers of the epidermis. Plant extracts of mallow and orange blossom water, as well as vitamin B3 (niacinamide), soften and smooth the skin, for a firmer, plumper effect. The gel texture soothes, refreshes and stimulates skin radiance.

With the summer heat comes the production of sweat and sebum. To regulate body temperature, our skin sweats, adding an extra layer to the protective hydrolipidic film, which worsens the symptoms of oily blemished skin. To counter this problem, the Callys laboratory has designed ‘Pause en Altitude’ (High-Altitude Pause), a balancing and purifying mask. Made from extracts of Alpine roots and plants like gentian, pine, thyme and cornflower blossoms, this treatment has an astringent effect that rebalances the skin and unifies the complexion.

Both antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, the mask acts on blackheads and pimples, activates microcirculation, and forms a protective barrier against external aggressions.

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Also an antioxidant, this mask stimulates the production of elastin and collagen. For best results, it should be applied once every two weeks for purified rebalanced skin.

and stimulates regeneration.

Your face is rehydrated and more resilient. With its revitalizing benefits, ‘Songe des Prairies’ is the ideal mask for nourished, soothed and radiant skin.

Irritated, inflamed skin

Intense hydration

During the summer months, our face is not immune to sunburn and redness. To calm skin irritated by the sun, the Callys range includes a repairing and nourishing mask treatment, called ‘Songe des Prairies’ or ‘Meadow Dream’. This hypoallergenic formula is composed of floral waters of rose and matricaria chamomile for intensive regeneration of the epidermis. Combined with extracts of Centella asiatica, the antioxidant Resveratrol and revitalizing Edelweiss, this powerful treatment protects the skin

For ongoing hydration, apply the ‘Mist Hydra Booster’ serum.

A deeply hydrating toning serum mist for the face, neck and décolleté, made from pure Swiss glacier water, floral waters of orange blossom and chamomile, and enriched with hyaluronic acid. To be applied as desired, throughout the day, the ‘Mist Hydra Booster’ serum is a veritable ally for dry, tight skin, summer and winter.

CALLYS.COM

W W W.CA L A R E N A .C O M C O N TA C T R E V E N D E U R S : + 3 3 ( 0 ) 4 9 5 2 4 7 7 6 5 - C O N TA C T @ C A L A R E N A . C O M

green

GREENTECH chemicals for the future

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REENTECH specializes in plant and microbial biotechnology. For over 25 years, the group has been producing high-tech active ingredients developed from plants, algae and micro-organisms from all parts of the world for use in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. GREENTECH is made up of four companies specializing in different areas including GREENCELL, which markets micro-organisms, GREENTECH BRASIL, which focuses on Brazilian biodiversity, and GREENSEA, which develops marine cultures. Today, the group is a global operator with expertise in all aspects of the biology of the future, ready to meet tomorrow’s challenges.

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Plant chemistry GREENTECH has been developing innovative active ingredients sourced from all over the world ever since it was founded in 1992. Its multidisciplary teams of scientists have contributed to progress by harnessing the natural systems of individual species to produce over 300,000 bioactive molecules.

Jean-Yves Berthon, GREENTECH's founder, Chairman and CEO, holds a doctorate in biochemistry. He is an inveterate explorer whose scientific curiosity about the vast cornucopia of molecules found in Nature remains unabated. Using state-of-the-art techniques, GREENTECH has developed a wide range of innovative active ingredients from fresh or dried whole plants, flowers or leaves from land and sea, anticipating future needs in the areas of cosmetics, phytochemistry, 102

microbiology and agroecology.

All GREENTECH's plant-based ingredients are subjected to Ecocert's inspection procedures.

Global reach and marine biology expertise With three foreign subsidiaries - in Germany, the USA and Brazil - in addition to its headquarters near ClermontFerrand, and an extensive network of local distributors, GREENTECH is present in over 30 countries spread over all the continents. GREENSEA, the group's marine biology arm, is based in Mèze, in France, where it extracts, grows and develops new active ingredients from algae and micro-algae. The group has also conducted research into the role these organisms play in processing and cleansing water, on which we depend for our survival.

The unique power of water Water plays a uniquely important part in life on Earth. It is essential for all forms of plant and animal life and has been circulating between land, sea and sky in an endless cycle for over three billion years. It covers more than 72% of the globe - hence Earth's nickname "the Blue Planet". Surface water is there for all to see, but water is also present underground at various depths and temperatures. It plays a major part in shaping contours, in tectonic movements and in transforming magma and rocks.

Water, water, everywhere - in varying quantities Over 97% of the total volume of water on Earth (including water in solid and gaseous forms) is what is known as salt water.

It is found mainly in oceans

and inland seas and to a lesser extent in underground water tables. Salt water is an extremely important resource, because it is home to numerous micro-algae and other phytoplankton that release oxygen into the atmosphere and make it possible for other species to live on land. There are thought to be over a million species of marine micro-algae on Earth, and they produce half of the oxygen breathed by terrestrial organisms.

Not only does fresh water represent less than 3% of the total volume of water on Earth, but most of this is polar ice rather than groundwater or readily available surface water such as lakes and rivers. The issue of water quality and access to water resources is undoubtedly one of the major challenges facing humankind in our century, and water pollution is one of the chief causes of overall environmental

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pollution. Although the total volume of fresh water is stable, it is unevenly distributed over the Earth's surface. About a third of the world's human population do not have access to a safe supply of drinking water.

The domestic water cycle Drinking water is mainly sourced from groundwater collected by catchment then transferred to a processing plant that produces drinking water fit for human consumption. Before it reaches our taps, water has to go through several stages of processing to make it safe to drink, because it may have come into contact with potentially toxic substances. However, in its natural state, it also contains substances needed by our bodies - mineral salts like calcium, magnesium and chlorine, and trace elements like fluor, copper and iron - and these need

to be retained in drinking water. GREENTECH is fortunate enough to be located between the lakes and mountains of the Auvergne, near natural springs that supply it with excellent quality water with a range of beneficial properties.

Essential to our well-being As well as being a basic necessity for survival, water plays an essential role in our day-to-day well-being. An intake of 1.5 to 2 litres of water per day prevents us from becoming dehydrated, keeps us alert and maintains our ability to concentrate. Water with a high magnesium content helps us stay calm and get a good night's sleep. Drinking plenty of water helps distribute nutrients around the body and strengthens ligaments, thereby reducing the likelihood of strained muscles. The micro-algae present in thermal water supply numerous

trace elements and minerals that can help cure chronic diseases such as rheumatism, psychosomatic conditions and digestive problems. Thermal water also helps irrigate the respiratory tracts, hence the popularity of spa cures and thalassotherapy treatments. Last but not least, water is a powerful cosmetic.

It helps eliminate toxins, keeping our skin hydrated and our complexion fresh, accelerates cell renewal and can even combat acne. GREENTECH's teams of scientists have been quick to spot its potential.

Cosmetics and salt water GREENTECH is now a premium partner of MyBlueCosmETIC, an international conference focusing on beauty products and the sea. The sea harbours a wealth of fauna and flora whose benefits hold potential for the beauty industry. Seawater

currently contains no fewer than 99 trace elements and minerals. Its high levels of magnesium, calcium and potassium mean that it has a moisturizing effect and, mixed with sand, its salts can be used to exfoliate dead skin cells and help form scar tissue. Seawater bathing helps the body maintain its fluid balance, stimulating blood circulation and preventing water retention and cellulite. Salt water is rich in negative ions, which strengthen bones, regenerate muscle cells and eliminate toxins, and the iodine it contains improves the flow of hormones and energy around the body and reduces overall stress.

On top of all this, seawater is readily available. Not surprisingly, it is already widely used in cosmetics - and new possibilities are currently being explored.

Watch this space!

WWW.GREENTECH.FR 103

PA R I S

RIVIERA

with Maëva Coucke Photographer: Sandra Fourqui Stylist: Thibaud Romain Stylist Assistant: Nicolas Monnier Make-up: Dounia Joua Hair: Steven Quintois / Salon Confidences Prestige Special thanks to OFF Paris Seine, Talent Lab Paris and La Tarte Tropézienne.

Dress: Calarena Bag: Pellegrino Paris Scarf: Leonard Paris Earrings: Soann Joaillier

Ring: Rita & Zia Earrings: Rita & Zia Swimsuit: Prima Donna

Bracelet: Giberg Earrings: Vincent Michel Bikini: Calarena Sunglasses: Face À Face Paris

Hat: Leonard Paris Sunglasses: Face À Face Paris Crop top: Caroll Swimsuit: Prima Donna Bag: Bocage Watch: Briston Watches Rings: Soann Joaillier

Dress: Pain de Sucre Hat: Bocage Shoes: Bocage Bag: Pinel & Pinel Bracelet: Marion Godart Watch: Carl F Bucherer

Shoes: Spartoo Bikini: Pain de Sucre Dress: Telos Costumier Necklace and earrings: Purelei

Necklace: Rita & Zia Dress: Gemy Maalouf Watch: Briston Watches

Bag: Pinel & Pinel Bikini: Calarena Necklace: Rita & Zia

Dress: Georges Chakra Necklace: Julian Pelliccia Watch: Carl F Bucherer Bracelet: Valerie Valentine

Bag: Pellegrino Paris Dress: Pinko Watch: Montres Cimier

Bikini: Pain de Sucre Cardigan: Rose Carmine Bag: Le Tanneur Necklace: Julian Pelliccia Ring: Rita & Zia

Reem Acra: Strapless floral gown with taffeta bow Price Upon Request @ www.reemacra.com Erickson Beamon: Black leather Victorian rose & pearl chocker Price Upon Request @showroomseven

MAISON DE GOURNAY PHOTOGRAPHERS: CONTARSY + KARECHA FOR HIGHMARK STUDIOS @CONTARSY1 AND @HIGHMARKSTUDIOS FASHION DIRECTOR: NIKKO KEFALAS @NIKKOKEFALAS HAIR & MAKE-UP: ROBERTO MORELLI @ROBERTOMERELLI1 MODEL: RAHA EUROP/ NEW ICON MODELS NYC @RAHAEUROP @NEWICONMODELS POST PRODUCTION: SETH KARECHA AT HIGHMARK STUDIOS LOCATION: SPECIAL THANKS TO CHRISTINE SPEARE AT DE GOURNAY HAND PAINTED WALLPAPER WWW.DEGOURNAY.COM @DEGOURNAY

Zimmerman Luminous Tiered Collage Midi $1,750 USD www.zimmermannwear.com/us Zimmerman: Ruffle Patchwork Bootie $1,200 USD www.zimmermannwear.com/us Erickson Beamon Pink enameled flower extravaganza Price Upon Request @showroomseven With floral Mask if you sent them Victor de Souza Garden II Jeweled Garden sleeping Couture mask www.victordesouzany.com

Victor de Souza: Embroidered and jeweled floral brocade vest, maxi skirt and mask (used as fascinator) Made to Measure at Ikram Chicago Price Upon Request www.victordesouzany.com - www.ikram.com

Dior Dress and bustier Price Upon Request Dior Ring $470 Earring $590 Dior Belt $1,200 Scarf $520 All Available at Dior boutiques nationwide 1 800 929 Dior

Marchesa One shoulder floral print silk twill draped gown with plunging back and train with bow detail Color: Garden of Versailles Retail: USD $4,995 Available: Neiman Marcus, Saks 5th Ave Giuseppe Zanotti: “UMA” Pink Satin Sandal with Metallic Heel, Price: $885 Available at Giuseppe Zanotti boutiques: Bal Harbour (305) 868-0133; Brickell (786) 482-2986; Atlanta(404)-814-0002; Orlando (407) 363-3970 Online store: www.giuseppezanotti.com Echo New York: Floral Border Silk Square is 35”x35” Suggested. Retail is $89 at echonewyork.com

Chanel: Printed Crepe de Chine – Spring/Summer 2021$11,050 / P70557 Chanel: Calfskin / Metal / Strass Belt $1,325 USD / AA7568 Chanel: Earrings $450 USD / AB6112 Chanel: Necklace Metal / Glass / Resin $ 2,175 USD / AB6161 Chanel: Sandals Goat Velvet $2,175 USD / G37383 Chanel: Headband $750 USD / AB6238 All available at select CHANEL Boutiques World wide For more information, please call (800) 550 0005

Mola Walker: Floral dress and Sheer polka-dot cape both Made to order Price Upon Request @showroomseven

Valentino: Valentino Garavani Spring Summer 2021 Roman Stud Flats, $1,100 Availability: Valentino Boutiques Erickson Beamon, multi color crystal ring Price Upon Request @showroomseven

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THE LAST OF THE PHARAOHS

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aster of the monumental, Christo draped, wrapped and signed some of the 20th century’s most memorable site-specific environmental installations alongside his beloved wife Jeanne-Claude. Even after leaving us, the renowned sculptor continues to hit the headlines. The last great project by this genius of the art of envelopment, L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, is scheduled for autumn this year.

By Delphine Gallay

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art

Christo at The Floating Piers

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n case you were wondering who wrapped the Pont Neuf and the Reichstag..... it was Christo! And who put up saffron-coloured gates in Central Park or surrounded a set of tropical islands off the coast of Miami with pink polypropylene fabric? Christo again!

To complete the eccentric track record of this extraordinary artist and his inseparable partner, Jeanne-Claude, there could be no more fitting swansong than wrapping the Arc de Triomphe – the long cherished dream of a Bulgarian exile who fled the grim world of communism and took refuge in an attic room in Paris from which he would gaze longingly at the Place de l’Étoile. And we don’t have long to wait to see that dream fulfilled!

Christo’s spectacular works of art have marked over six decades of collective consciousness with their quirky ephemerality. Prominent figures on the 130

contemporary art scene, the artistic duo sought to appropriate and disrupt space, enshroud it in material and offer the public a totally new sculptural dimension. The originality of Christo’s work lay in its ability to conceal urban and natural landscapes in order to reveal their magnificence more clearly. Interactive, fleeting experiences, colossal structures, often controversial, with a single goal: to arouse amazement.

Nomadic art, as he loved to call it “In wrapping there is the idea of laying out a fabric, as nomads and travelling people do, then folding it back up and moving on. The leitmotif running through all their work is the intensity of experiencing something that exists only for a short period of time and then disappears,” explains Sophie Duplaix, curator of the Christo

and Jeanne-Claude. Paris! exhibition presented in the Pompidou Centre last July.

Nomadic, just like the man himself who was stateless for a large part of his life. Born in Bulgaria, Christo Vladimirov Javacheff studied painting, sculpture, architecture and anatomy at the Sofia Academy of Fine Arts. Stifled by the communist regime, in 1956 he fled the country as a stowaway on a freight train. Homeless, paperless and penniless, he passed through Prague, Vienna and Geneva before reaching Paris.

Arriving in the French capital in 1958, the young refugee threw his efforts into surviving and fulfilling his ardent dreams, earning a living by painting oil portraits of members of Parisian high society. His subjects included the wife of General de Guillebon, war hero and director of the Ecole Polytechnique, who was the mother of a certain Jeanne-Claude...

“Christo and Jeanne-Claude are One.” They were only 23 when they met. They came from radically different worlds, he, a political exile steeped in utopian ideals, she, the child of a “respectable family” with a voice that left no doubt about her origins.

Nevertheless, they seemed destined for each other from the moment they were born. For indeed, they were born on the same day in the same year, 13 June 1935, he in Bulgaria and she in Morocco, two soulmates whose fates were intertwined from the very outset. Recalling their first meeting, Christo described his future wife as “a flamboyant red-head, as if she was wrapped in a plastic film”.

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L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, Project for Paris - Place de l’Etoile - Charles de Gaulle

A frenzy of experimentation Inseparable in life as in art, they joined forces and became “Christo”. Then they set out together on an artistic adventure that was to last more than 50 years. While the Parisian years were a period of abstract painting and total fascination with the works of Jean Dubuffet and Jackson Pollock, they were above all a time of artistic exploration spent working with materials, broken surfaces and the famous “craters”. It was also the time when Christo began to experiment with wrapping objects: starting with bottles, boxes, furniture and paintings, he ended up wrapping up live models! Spurred by curiosity, the couple frequented the circle of Nouveau Réalisme artists including Yves Klein, César, Gérard Deschamps and Niki de Saint Phalle, acquiring a taste for happenings and

performance art along the way.

And it wasn’t long before his art hit the streets. On 27 June 1962, the artist erected a barrier of 200 oil barrels on Rue Visconti in protest against the Berlin wall, calling it Iron Curtain.

A gesture of political activism that was to mark a turning point in Christo’s career.

48 Howard Street New horizons for bold projects! In 1964 the Christo duo moved to New York and became United States citizens. On the border between Soho and Chinatown, “48 Howard Street” became the cradle of their artistic output, combining studio, showroom and living quarters in this five-storey building where the whole story unfolded.

A true couple, or “foursome” as Jeanne-Claude joked in reference to the fact that they were both twins, Christo drew and

carried out extensive preparations while Jeanne-Claude battled against the elements, juggling the roles of organiser, financier and spokesperson for the Christo undertaking. And woe betide anyone who tried to relegate her to second place: “It’s not Christo’s work, it’s the work of Christo and JeanneClaude!” she would yell at anyone who dared suggest the contrary.

The public arena was their playing field While the Christo style wasn’t everybody’s cup of tea, the couple was determined to spin their webs in the craziest of places and make no sacrifice to the principle of creative freedom. To the inevitable question, “How much will it cost?”, he would systematically reply: “Not a penny. I’ll cover all the costs. I refuse all sponsorship

and official aid. It’s a matter of principle.” This emancipated art of the extreme is all the more awe-inspiring when you consider the millions of dollars spent creating works that never lasted more than a couple of weeks and required decades of administrative procedures, all self-funded through the sale of exhibitions, collages, drawings and mock-ups of their artwork. The couple had to battle through endless and sometimes perilous negotiations in order to see 22 projects accepted and 37 refused.

There is no message: Christo’s artwork worthy of a Hollywood epic aims simply to capture the attention of the general public by taking a radical approach to the urban and natural landscape. “I want to offer different perspectives and different habits to a public that has been accustomed to immutable spaces for centuries.”

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Christo and Jeanne-Claude at The Gates

These unprecedented, ephemeral transformations overstep visual boundaries and open the gates toward new horizons.

Lavish and poetic as they are, these works are also completely irrational in terms of the energy required to build them. But is this not the essence of Christo’s magic?

The folly of grandeur Christo’s major “wrapping” period lasted until the mid1990s, a period which saw land art taken to hitherto unprecedented extremes. His most extravagant works include: Wrapped Coast (1969), 2.5 km of Australian coastline wrapped in plastic fabric; Valley Curtain (1972), an immense orange curtain suspended between two Colorado mountains; Running Fence (1976), 200,000 m2 of windswept white nylon running for nearly 40 km through the Californian landscape into the Pacific Ocean; Surrounded Islands (1983), eleven islands off the Miami coast surrounded by 650,000 m2 of pink polypropylene floating fabric; The Umbrellas (1991), a symbolic bridge formed by thousands of umbrellas planted on both sides 132

of the Pacific, along the shores of Japan and California, at a modest cost of US$26 million; and last but not least, The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Paris (1985).

The last project was a considerable technical challenge given that the listed historical monument had to stay open for vehicles and pedestrians! Ten years of hard bargaining with the Paris City Council were necessary in order to obtain permission for the facelift. Wrapping all of these arches, parapets, mouldings, gargoyles, streetlamps and the earliest pavement in Paris was no less complex a task, requiring 40,000 m2 of fabric, 13 km of ropes, 12 tons of steel chain and an army of 300 engineers, mountaineers, acrobats, carpenters, scuba divers, tree surgeons to name but a few of the many occupations involved. But didn’t they do a good job! Clothed in a sandstone-coloured fabric caressed by sun and wind, the Pont Neuf revealed the beauty of its proportions and propelled Christo to worldwide recognition.

While Christo’s performances are perfused with democratic and popular leanings, they most often attack symbolic locations

like the German parliament building, which Christo draped in 100,000 m2 of silver fabric in 1995. “A scandal”, some cried!

After 24 years of acrid and tortuous negotiation, Wrapped Reichstag went viral, attracting 5 million visitors from all over the world eager to catch a unique view of the Berlin palace completely veiled in a shroud of fabric and ropes. An achievement steeped in meaning for this refugee from communism and his soldier’s daughter wife.

Getting into the open At the beginning of the 2000s, the duo continued to finalise projects that had long waited in the wings. Take for example The Gates (2005) – a 37 km journey through Central Park marked by 7,500 saffron-coloured gates – which also took its time to appear… 25 years to be precise! After that, Christo gradually turned away from wrapping towards new challenges… like walking on water! This was to be the last project launched by the inseparable couple: Jeanne-Claude passed away in 2009.

Working alone for the first time, Christo masterminded

The Floating Piers (2016), a 3 km series of floating walkways installed at Lake Iseo in Italy that attracted over a million pilgrims eager to see how it felt to walk on water. In 2018, Christo installed his last megalith in Hyde Park: a pyramid consisting of 7,506 oil barrels, The London Mastaba did not fail to recall Christo’s early experiment on Rue Visconti and the last resting place of the pharaohs.

Christo died in 2020 just before his 85th birthday, as he was preparing for the opening of the Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Paris! retrospective exhibition at the Pompidou Centre in Paris and the fulfilment of one of his most cherished dreams: wrapping up the Arc de Triomphe, a lifetime obsession for the exile who fell in love with this archetypal symbol of the French Republic back in the early 1960s.

Scheduled from 18 September to 3 October 2021, the posthumous artwork in all its extravagant splendour will involve wrapping the monument in the colours of the French flag using 25,000 m2 of recyclable silvery blue fabric interwoven with 7 km of red rope… a fitting tribute to the values of liberté, égalité and fraternité!

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MARC ANGE WEAVES HIS WEB OF EXTRAORDINARY CREATIONS

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izard of the contemporary design world, Marc Ange conjures up the objects and interiors of tomorrow. Iconic pieces, animal silhouettes, weird structures… welcome to the amazing world of Marc Ange.

By Delphine Gallay

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Il Pavone Throne - © Max Zambelli

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Le Refuge Flamingo Pink - © Marc Ange

H

e is talented, FrancoItalian, “instagrammable”, divides his life between Paris and L.A. and bears the name of an angel.

Rock star of the design stage, Marc Ange fashions tomorrow’s living spaces, injecting a generous dose of poetry into all of his creations. Like a Peter Pan of the modern era, he cultivates childhood memories and transforms dreams and illusions into surrealistic furniture and decor.

Nothing Less Than The Extraordinary If the extravagance of his style never ceases to win over publishing houses and top luxury brands, it’s because this native of Rome brought up in Paris and settled in Los Angeles has an inborn propensity for contrast, challenges and exoticism.

His world, an idiosyncratic mixture of boundless imagination, Italian lyricism, French elegance and Californian imagery, exploits the ambiguity between 136

the real and the unreal, art and design… the very essence of his creations.

Emotion As The Playground Of Expression Founder of the Studio Ange studios in Paris and Los Angeles, the LJ Edition furniture label and the Chimère brand alongside Frédéric Stouls, Marc Ange is currently one of the most widely courted artistic designers. A true chameleon, this champion of fantasy operates on all fronts: design, decoration, interior architecture, concept cars, fragrances, champagne, modern furniture for animals… nothing can stop him in his headlong course towards “creating the extraordinary”.

An unusual twist of fate for this former car designer for Lamborghini, Ferrari and Pininfarina. Fed up with the codified industry, Marc Ange decided to embark on a new adventure, that of imparting emotions to objects and places!

Back in Paris, in 2008 he founded the Bloom Room agency.

This was the pivotal moment in his life. The first contracts were signed. Prestigious partners included Christian Louboutin, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Moët et Chandon, Jean Paul Gaultier, Paco Rabanne, Peugeot, Citroën and the new Orient Express…

In 2016, with operations in full bloom, Marc Ange travelled to La La Land to expand his creative studio to the other side of the Atlantic.

From Miami To Milan, The Consecration Of His Career If his name is on everyone’s lips, it’s because Marc Ange knows how to create surprises at big contemporary shows like Art Basel Miami, Design Week and the Salone Mobile in Milan. Thanks to artistic installations that look like something out of Alice in Wonderland, his success has been viral and his photogenic creations have taken social media by storm. This

enthusiasm has been spurred by powerful dreamlike creations such as Le Refuge, a daybed sheltered by pink metal palm leaves, a cocoon of tranquillity resembling a child’s bedroom far removed from the bustle of the real world; Les Araignées, a phantasmagorical chair range inspired by the unbridled fears of childhood; Le Roi, a solitary giant teddy bear surrounded by an army of spiders; the Poupons wall lamps, the Tables Astrales and the majestic Peacock Armchair.

The theme running through all of his output is the duality of the emotions and a crazy desire to revive the memories and imaginary creatures of childhood. His latest projects include a series of Refuge lamps, the Refuge Library and the “glamorous” renovation of a 1930s Hollywood Regency mansion right in the middle of the Sunset Plaza district. Another building block in Marc Ange’s legacy in this city that lives up so well to his name.

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Il Pavone Throne - © Max Zambelli

Refuge Lamp - © Marc Ange

Refuge Scone - © Marc Ange

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Virus

Architecture Buildings to feel at home in

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ranck Galifier, the founder of Virus Architecture, shares his experience as an architect with us. His studio in Lutry, in the heart of the Lake Geneva basin, designs, develops and implements architectural projects.

Do you have a trademark architectural style?

My trademark is interpreting the client’s ideas. I adapt my style to each client’s specifications. They describe the kind of architecture they have in mind, and it’s my job as an architect to expand on their ideas and work out the details as far as possible.

For me, sensitive design and listening to the client - building a relationship of trust with them - are the whole basis of Virus Architecture.

How do you want your architecture to make people feel?

I want them to experience a sense of well-being - the feeling 138

that sweeps over you when you come home. That comes from the right spatial proportions, the right amount of light, and an atmosphere that subtly reveals the soul of the building.

Virus Architecture also offers an interior decoration service.

My team and I can transform an ill-thought-out interior by looking at the furniture and the decoration scheme as a whole before suggesting changes.

What are Virus Architecture’s goals?

Our main goals are to enjoy what we do and share our love of architecture. We put our heart and soul into the task of

designing and developing buildings, so we’re always trying to think of ways to improve.

Do you find increasingly strict building regulations a constraint?

It’s true that building regulations are getting stricter and stricter. We have less and less leeway: the approach to planning is very different from what it used to be. But constraints and limitations on what we can do encourage us to push our creative boundaries and rethink living spaces. The more constraints we have, the better the project ends up being.

WWW.VIRUSARCHITECTURE.CH WWW.VIRUS-ARCHITECTURE-LAVAUX.CH WWW.PISCINEDESIGN.CH INFO@VIRUSARCHITECTURE.CH

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A lifetime’s work The “unfair advantage”: the search for a key advantage over the competition. This was the guiding principle throughout the career of the brilliant engineer Gordon Murray.

By Stephane Lechine

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The fan car

Gordon Murray Automotive

Superlight!

The concept was born in the late 1970s. Then technical director of the Brabham F1 team, the British engineer caused a sensation with a car that competed only once and won hands down!

The discovery of the ground effect in 1978 was a major breakthrough for Formula 1. The underbody was shaped like an inverted aircraft wing and fitted with skirts that rubbed against the ground. The low-pressure air trap thus created had the effect of pressing the car to the ground. In addition to being unreliable, this device was subject to sudden variations in the pressure generated, making the cars unstable to say the least. Gordon Murray came up with the idea of completely sealing the periphery between the car underbody and the ground and adding a huge fan creating a suction effect. It was behind the wheel of this car that Niki Lauda won the Swedish Grand Prix. This was the only appearance of the fan car.

Due to its unprecedented level of performance, it was immediately banned by the Formula 1 governing bodies.

40 years later, having retired from F1 and developed the first McLaren road car, Murray set up his own independent company, Gordon Murray Automotive.

He immediately set about designing a Supercar to match his image. In fact, the GMA T50 is the epitome of the innovative and uncompromising spirit that has guided Gordon Murray’s entire career. The car is immediately recognisable as a descendant of the McLaren, from which it takes its general structure with its central driver’s seat. Optimised at all levels, the T50 stands out from the (soon to be plethoric) production of overpowered hypercars. Guided by efficiency and sensations, it is the archetype of a (relatively) simple car. Developed in collaboration with Cosworth, the engine is a true aluminium and titanium showpiece. The naturally-aspirated 3.9L V12 engine has 663hp and revs up to 12,500rpm. Gordon Murray thus created the lightest engine of its kind (only 178kg), with an almost instantaneous response time.

The quest for lightness continued with the creation of the carbon monocoque chassis weighing only 150kg! Carbon and aluminium reign supreme on all the specific hand-assembled components. The pedals alone are a real artwork with their openwork pedals. Nothing is left to chance in the construction of the T50. It weighs less than a ton, i.e. one third less than other cars in its category.

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The fan car 2.0 Form dictates function, and the overall design remains very fluid. Despite the noticeable absence of a spoiler, the most spectacular aspect of this car is its aerodynamics. In line with the Formula 1 Brahbam “Fan Car” concept, Gordon installed the famous turbine at the rear of the car, which was prohibited in its day. With a diameter of 400mm, it has a number of features that can be used either to generate additional downforce or act as an airbrake if necessary. Combined with the mobile spoiler, six aerodynamic modes allow for a balance of traction and performance. This feature

transforms the T50 into a track beast with considerable downforce (+50%) or into a more efficient car with a drag reduction of almost 12.5%.

At the heart of innovation Light and perfectly balanced, this car guarantees the pleasure of pure driving sensations.

The brilliant engineer did not forget his driving instincts and designed a Supercar suitable for all circumstances. Surprisingly, the methods used do not take into account the prevailing technological debauchery.

The highly conventional engine, the almost reasonable power and the lightness of the car go against the grain of production at the time. With a classic approach, Gordon’s obsessive refinement and optimisation of every aspect of the T50 makes it paradoxically the most avant-garde vehicle of its generation. Priced at €2.6m for a mere 100 cars, lucky buyers would have the satisfaction of owning an exceptional Supercar whose spirit and genesis correspond in every way to the philosophy of one of motorsport’s most iconic engineers.

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A unioN

of passions When passion drives a sensible partnership Richard Mille, whose involvement in motor sport continues to grow, has just announced a multi-year partnership with the most prestigious brand: Ferrari.

By Stephane Lechine - Photos © Ferrari / Richard Mille

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A blossoming of new talents The roots of this collaboration go back to 2005, when the Ferrari driver Felipe Massa became an ambassador for the watchmaker. But it was with the advent of a young driver whose talent was splashed across the junior formulas that Ferrari and the Swiss watch manufacturer began to forge relations. Jules Bianchi joined the Maranello firm and entered Formula 1 with the support of Richard Mille. A pure talent, he soon made his mark behind the wheel of a modest Marussia.

From brilliant driving to stunning overtakes, he was quickly approached to join the prestigious Ferrari team. Tragically, he was involved in a terrible accident at the Japanese GP and died after many months in a coma.

At the same time, a young boy was making his mark in Karting and winning numerous titles. Charles Leclerc, godson of Jules Bianchi, owed it to his godfather to pursue his promising career. Jules had indeed spoken to his manager about supporting his young protégé.

Barely 13 years old, Charles now wears the Richard Mille colours on the karting tracks and is already eager to win in order to deserve this trust. Today, the 146

story is all the more compelling.

The Monegasque dominated and won GP3 and Formula 2 back-to-back. He became a Formula 1 driver with Sauber Alfa Romeo, then a Ferrari driver in his second season in the elite. The crowning glory came in his first year in red at the Monza GP in 2019, where he won a spectacular battle with Lewis Hamilton in front of the jubilant Italian crowd. A new F1 prince is born.

History is always repeating itself, and Mick Schumacher made his Grand Prix debut this season after following a similar path. Thanks to, or in spite of, his famous name, the young German learned the ropes in the junior formulas within the Ferrari network, also with the support of Richard Mille.

A brilliant Formula 2 winner in 2020, he joined the Haas team with very modest ambitions.

More than just making a splash, Mick’s aim is to learn the craft of F1 driving before hoping for greater achievements in 2022.

A new network Clearly visible in Formula 1, the partnership between Ferrari and Richard Mille affects all the Scuderia’s activities. Endurance Racing with the FIA World Endurance Championship

while waiting for the announced return of Ferrari in the Hypercar category at Le Mans, the GT championships and the Ferrari Challenge which allow amateurs to compete with Ferrari race cars on the most spectacular racetracks in the world, will see the watchmaker associated with the Prancing Horse on the track. E-Sport is not left out of the equation with the championship organised by the Formula 1, a true virtual replica of the Grand Prix, in which all the official teams participate. But the greatest impact of this collaboration will certainly be seen in the spotting of young drivers. Richard Mille is not only active in the highest echelons of motor sport, but has also set up a real talent-spotting programme for young drivers, starting in Karting. The Young

Talent Academy brings together the best drivers who compete in a selection process with a view to obtaining a scholarship guaranteeing their debut in Formula 4. Active since 2019, this programme has already proved successful, with the first laureate, Enzo Valente, winning races in his very first season.

From Mick Schumacher to James Wharton (only 14 years old), the Ferrari Driver Academy has a pool of 8 active drivers from Formula 1 to Karting. In Formula 3, Arthur Leclerc, Charles’ younger brother, and especially Maya Weug, the 16-year-old Dutch driver who is the first woman to join the prestigious academy, will be closely followed.

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Girls on Track The young girl was revealed by the Girls on Track operation organised by the FIA, whose objective is to facilitate access to women in motor sport and give them a chance to enter Formula 1 in the coming years.

Far from being a flash in the pan, this operation is part of a genuine policy to spot young talent and complements the Richard Mille Team, the all-female endurance team, which is competing in the FIA World

Endurance Championship this year, culminating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Richard Mille, a member of the FIA Endurance Commission, was sympathetic to the arguments of Michèle Mouton, who was runner-up in the 1982 World Rally Championship during the famous Group B era.

The president of the Women in Motorsport Commission for the FIA authorities was able to persuade and find a favourable echo for her project to allow the girls to compete on equal terms

with the boys. Here’s betting that the future of motorsport will be female, and it’s safe to assume that it will be dressed in red!

High tech It should not be forgotten that Richard Mille is certainly the brand that has shaken up watchmaking the most in the last 20 years. The partnership with Ferrari is accompanied by a technical collaboration from which new watch models

are expected to be developed during the course of next year.

These technological exchanges are not new, however, as the watchmaker has already succeeded in implementing a specific material in conjunction with the McLaren racing team.

Design, engineering and the desire to be at the forefront of the luxury market are the ingredients that will make this partnership a success to be seen in future productions on the track and on your wrists.

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High hopes for Nathanaël Berthon

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In France, there aren’t many professional drivers. The 31 year old from Clermont-Ferrand has obtained a contract with Audi to participate in the highly competitive FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR). An interview with an eclectic driver whose ambitions could be fulfilled this year with the German brand.

By Stephane Lechine -Photos © FIA WTCR

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How did you get into motorsport?

My father was an amateur rally driver and we used to go to the Monaco GP every year.

I was immediately fascinated with the cars and the competition. When I was 8 years old, he entered me in a rental Karting contest which I won. The scholarship I got allowed me to start racing. Then I climbed the ladder to GP2.

How were your seasons in the antechamber of Formula 1?

I had a lot of fun in GP2, because the standard was very high and we were part of the Grand Prix circuit. There was also a certain amount of frustration because all the teams are not at the same level and it is difficult to be noticed outside a top team.

But that didn’t stop you from being spotted by a Formula 1 team!

That’s right. First, I tested for HRT and then I became third driver for Caterham. It was incredible to be working with the

top level and to be part of an F1 team. I learnt a lot about the technical side of things.

What do you remember most about this experience?

I have an anecdote that illustrates what F1 is all about.

During my first tests, the main driver came to warn me that the car was not behaving well, was rather reactive on the kerbs, etc. When I did my first laps, the car seemed so much better balanced compared to what I had driven up until then. In fact, even a single-seater at the back of the grid in F1 is still an absolutely fabulous car to drive.

How did your contract with Audi come about?

This contract is ultimately the result of two years of work with Comtoyou Racing, for whom I drove and developed the car in WTCR. At first we faced reliability problems, but the work eventually paid off and we managed to get a very good level of performance despite a rather dated car.

And what does it mean to you to become a testing driver?

First of all, it is a great source of pride. I find it very gratifying to be recognised for my technical abilities. I love working with the engineers and I’m really looking forward to being involved in the development of the new car. It also means more responsibility outside of driving.

You have to spend more time describing and analysing the car’s reactions.

What will Audi bring to the Comtoyou team?

The team is already very professional, but a brand like Audi brings additional resources.

It also means more tests, with new parts to be tested, which means more driving and ultimately better preparation.

What are the objectives set by Audi for this season?

First and foremost, to perform well! There are no specific goals in terms of results, but we have to compete for the title. The WTCR races are very competitive and quite

unpredictable. Let’s just say that we want to turn the performance we have seen into strong results.

And on a personal level?

I want to fight for the World Champion title. I think we have what it takes!

Especially as the French are particularly successful in the WTCR. Absolutely! It’s a great success to have had 3 French drivers on the podium last year and I hope to be one of them this year!

Finally, what would be your ultimate dream in motor sport?

To win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I was lucky enough to fight for victory last year against Toyota and unfortunately we finished just off the podium.

My dream would be to win with Audi when they come back in 2023.

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News

By Stephane Lechine

CAR RACING 1968

Car Racing 1968 is a magnificent book released by Editions Cercle d’Art and showcasing the best unpublished photos by the DPPI sports press agency. Curated by photographer and artist Manou Zurini, the illustrations plunge us straight into the atmosphere of 1960s racing. Johnny Rives, world-renowned motor sport writer, recounts the exploits and tragedies of these drivers from long ago. The DDPI shots take us back in time to the golden era of French motor sport with Matra. Powerful images put you face to face with track heroes like Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart and recapture the atmosphere of Formula 1’s glory days. Blending art and nostalgia, the work is thelast issue in a collection beginning with 1965 and will be a fine addition to any library.

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GLICKENHAUS MONACO HYPERCAR JOINS HISTORIC GRAND THE 24 HOURS PRIX OF LE MANS James Glickenhaus is about to live the dream of racing his self-designed car in the 24 hours of Le Mans. The Glickenhaus 007 competes in the hypercar class and will take on Toyota at the Sarthe circuit in August.

The Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus is not on his trial run and can boast some success with a previous original prototype, including a good runout at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Testifying to the seriousness of the venture, the car has already come through a series of on-track trials with promising results. The engines are made by French engineering firm Pipo, a big name in the world rally championship and the lead driver for the team will be Romain Dumas, a two-time Le Mans winner. Together they could well spring a surprise in the narrow world of endurance racing.

People can’t get enough of vintage racing, and they keep coming back to the classiest of them all: the Monaco Grand Prix. Cancelled last year because of the pandemic, Formula 1 cars from across the years were back on the principality’s streets in the hands of star drivers like Jean Alesi and René Arnoux, and warmly welcomed by a passionate audience. There were seven series of races for vehicles ranging from pre-war to the 1980s.

Each category is named after an iconic driver of the era, such as Louis Chiron for the oldest cars and Niki Lauda for the 1973-76 category. The magnificent sight of Lotus, Matra, Maserati, Talbot and various Bugattis roaring back onto the track, which has barely changed since their time, was the cue for a string of tight battles. Jean Alesi was on the verge of victory until a slight contact with a rival put his car into the rails.He has already promised to come back next year.

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LE CHRONOGRAPHE TAG HEUER CARRERA PORSCHE

GIRARDPERREGAUX PARTNERS ASTON MARTIN

MASERATI MC20

Tag Heuer has teamed up with Porsche to create an exclusive chronograph with the iconic name Carrera. Surprising as this may seem and despite a long-standing partnership with Porsche’s sports racing activities, the two brands have never before worked together on a technical challenge. But they have long shared the name of one of the world’s most dangerous races, the Carrera Panamericana which has been run for nearly 70 years. Since 1955, Porsche has been producing its premium Carrera model and Tag Heuer has more than 100 watches called Carrera. Picking up the Porsche graphics, the design of this latest Carrera in a 44mm case uses asphalt grey for the dial and has the Porsche name emblazoned in red on the ceramic bezel. The Heuer 02 movement, whose oscillating weight echoes the steering wheel from the Stuttgart automaker’s sports cars, provides a power reserve of nearly 80 hours.

Following a major takeover by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin’s return to Formula 1 has not passed unnoticed. The new chairman of the marque, whose son Lance takes one of the driving seats, only needed to rebadge the Racing Point stable and persuade four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel to sign up for the venture. Bravely painted in the famous British racing green, the cars are capable of the kind of performance that could disrupt the current hierarchy. Girard-Perregaux, the Locle watchmaker, is official sponsor of the British brand. Aside from its visible logo on the mirrors, the tie-up between the two firms should result in a new timepiece to be unveiled in the course of the year.

Maserati’s revamp of its sports range continues with the MC20 which rolls off the production line this year. This supercar is the new flagship for the Modena-based carbuilder. The initials stand for Maserati Corse and it has a 360hp V6 biturbo engine in-house designed by the Italian firm.

The sportivity of the car comes from the confluence of careful weight management - it tips the scales at less than 1.5 tonnes and especially well tailored aerodynamics with an impressive Cx value of 0.38. Scissor doors open on a stripped-down interior with touch-screens handling many of the controls. The powerful 8-speed transmission promises 0-100km/h in less than 2.9 seconds. Thus equipped, this Maserati, trident emblazoned on its oval radiator grill in a direct callout to the marque’s glorious history, looks certain to make a splash in the supercar market.

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A WEEKEND IN FLORENCE

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enaissance palaces, Uffizi Gallery, beautfiul monuments wherever you look... enough to tempt you to visit Florence and meet the local population? From idle strolling to unexpected discoveries, here are the highlights of our recent visit to the Tuscan capital.

By Delphine Gallay

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Gucci Garden, home to the iconic Florentine fashion house Nestled in the Piazza della Signoria, the Gucci Garden is a journey through the universe of the 100-year old brand. Orchestrated by its famous artistic director Alessandro Michele, the Palazzo della Mercanzia, which used to house the Gucci Museo, was entirely redesigned by the man responsible for reviving the double-G brand.

An aesthetic paradise, this Baroque enclave offers the cream of artistic creation within its walls. More than just a museum, the Gucci Garden now constitutes a rich and varied living space. We adored the “curiosity shop” with its unique selection of articles exclusively designed for the prestigious address, iconic objects and souvenirs mingling with brocade tapestries and period furniture amid a theatrical backdrop reminiscent of the mercantile origins of this 14th century palace! Another pleasant discovery was the Gucci Osteria, a restaurant run by three-star chef Massimo Bottura where traditional Italian cuisine is spiced up with a generous dose of international Gucci sauce, all served up in exquisite floral design tableware.

GUCCI GARDEN PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA, 10 – 50122 FLORENCE WWW.GUCCI.COM

Falling in love with La Ménagère You go there for the décor, the flowers, the linen, the cocktail menu, the aperitivo, your morning cappuccino or, quite simply, to taste the exquisite cuisine of its superb restaurant. Since opening in 2015 the concept-store-restaurant has scored a resounding success.

Florence’s first household goods store (1896) has now become a trendy venue where design and good taste merge with the pungent aromas of creative Italian cuisine that penetrate every nook and cranny of the workshop-style interior.

LA MÉNAGÈRE VIA DÈ GINORI, 8/R – 50123 FLORENCE WWW.LAMENAGERE.IT

Manifattura Tabacchi, the place to be A far cry from Brunelleschi’s dome, the Manifattura Tabacchi has become the go-to cultural venue for the whole of Florence in record time, a happening place on the modern art scene. Housed in a former 1930s tobacco factory, this Mussolinian wasteland embodies the new face of the alternative Tuscan scene. Exhibitions, concerts, yoga classes, coworking areas, schools, workshops and art galleries, flats, bars, bistrots… there’s even an open-air cinema in summer!

MANIFATTURA TABACCHI VIA DELLE CASCINE 33/35 – 50144 FLORENCE WWW.MANIFATTURATABACCHI.COM

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Follow your nose…

A treasure among treasures, the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is one of Florence’s most iconic establishments. Founded in the 13th century by Dominican monks, this ancestral pharmacy flung its doors open to the public in 1612 and hasn’t looked back since. Frozen in time, the historic address niched in one of the convent’s chapels attracts passing gentlefolk come to savour the luxury of time, the benefits of medicinal herbs or a drop of the precious elixir so highly prized by Catherine de Medici. Aromatic water, vintage eau de cologne, toners & lotions, soap bars, balms, scented candles, pot pourris, hand moisturisers and many more exquisite offerings have proudly stood on display in the windows of the illustrious apothecary since time immemorial.

OFFICINA PROFUMO FARMACEUTICA DI SANTA MARIA NOVELLA VIA DELLA SCALA, 16 WWW.SMNOVELLA.IT

Numeroventi, the chance to hob-nob with a future Donatello What would you say to spending a night in an artists’ residency housed in a 16th century palace?

A stone’s throw away from the Palazzo Vecchio, the Numeroventi is a destination unto itself. There is no place for the ordinary at No. 20 - atypical and intimate, this jewel of Italian classicism combines a characterful guest house decked with amazing lofts and bedrooms, a creative studio and an art gallery. In non-stop turmoil, painters, sculptors, designers and writers from all over the world pass through, live side by side and leave their mark on this family palace entirely remodelled by art-loving grandson Martino. Inspiring for both creativity and encounters, Numeroventi is the setting for a unique interplay between ancient and modern. Minimalist aesthetics, 100-year old frescos, Renaissance paintings, design furniture, luminosity and spaciousness under towering ceilings, all co-existing under the benevolent divine gaze.

NUMEROVENTI PALAZZO GALLI TASSI – VIA DE PANDOLFINI 20 – 50122 FLORENCE WWW.NUMEROVENTI.IT

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Exploring the Oltrarno district To discover the real Florence, all you need do is cross the Ponte Vecchio to the other side of the Arno! Off the beaten track, the former working-class districts of Santo Spirito, San Niccolò and San Frediano offer a plethora of architectural treasures and erstwhile workshops. There’s nothing the native Tuscans love doing more than strolling among these quaint alleys, bustling squares, grandiose churches and intimate palaces. Stepping inside the shops, you will catch a glimpse of the ancestral techniques practised by what are locally known as botteghes – leather craft, goldsmithery, marquetry, marble paper, scagiola, Florentine mosaic, and more.

Craft simply oozes from every pore of the Oltrarno district! But Oltrarno has other attractions to offer: craft shops, antique shops, trattorias and charming cafés abound wherever you go. Our favourites included an unforgettable dinner at the iO Osteria Personale in the San Frediano quarter and the famous straciatella ice cream made by the Gelateria Santa Trinita. Other wonders of the left bank waiting to be explored at dusk include the poetic Giardino Bardini, the Romanesque church of San Miniato al Monteou, with its façade of white Carrare and green Prato marble, and the Piazzale Michelangelo belvedere offering a breathtaking view of the city and its hills.

IO OSTERIA PERSONALE – BORGO SAN FREDIANO, 167 R – 50124 FLORENCE WWW.IO-OSTERIAPERSONALE.IT GELATERIA SANTA TRINITA – PIAZZA FRESCOBALDI, 11-12 R – 50125 FLORENCE WWW.GELATERIASANTATRINITA.IT

A gastronomic walkabout: when in Florence, do as the Florentines do Albeit crowded, the Mercato Centrale just has to be seen! Built in 1874 by Giuseppe Mengoni, the architect responsible for the famous Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery in Milan, the market is brimming with magnificent stalls offering a sumptuous selection of local produce. While you may be forgiven for wanting to try everything, don’t leave out a pit-stop at Da Nerbone to taste the trattoria’s legendary specialities: panino al lampredotto and trippa la la fiorentina! Different market, different world. A little way from the centre, the Mercato Sant’Ambroggio offers an authentic immersion in the heart of Tuscan gastronomy, surrounded by locals and far from the madding crowds of tourists.

MERCATO CENTRALE – PIAZZA DEL MERCATO CENTRALE, VIA DELL’ARIENTO – 50123 FLORENCE MERCATO SANT’AMBROGIO – PIAZZA LORENZO GHIBERTI – 50122 FLORENCE

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HVF Villa Franca

Positano’s best-kept secret

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rashing seas, picturesque landscapes and rich culture… it’s easy to understand why Positano is nicknamed the « jewel of the Amalfi Coast ». A peaceful enclave, where the « Dolce Vita » takes its full meaning. Here, perched high on the hill overlooking the typical pastel-colored houses of the town, HVF Villa Franca Positano offers a magical scenery to discover what best the Mediterranean coast has to offer.

By Marine Pasquier - Photos © Hvf Villa Franca Positano

A sense of detail Up a narrow winding road above pebbled beaches, sits HVF Villa Franca Positano, a private home reborn as 44 guest rooms with breezy balconies and terraces. A theme of comfort and sophistication runs through this elegant boutique hotel.

A mix of design and contemporary art where each room is unique but all sharing this luxurious signature style, harmonizing a private art collection with a neutral color palette and heavy beams…

An interior design that allows visitors to escape from reality, take the distance from everyday life while admiring the wonders of Mother Nature.

For decoration lovers, know that everything is sold at the HVF Villa Franca Emporium, from hand-painted ceramics created by accomplished local artisans through skincare products to superior bed linens… A good reason to bring a bit of Italy home.

Discover Campanian traditions Awarded Resort Hotel of the Year by Small Luxury Hotels of the World, HVF Villa Franca Positano offers a wide range of experiences.

Starting with an incredible culinary journey to discover the best of Mediterranean cuisine in the kitchens of the gourmet restaurant Li Galli.

In Positano, food is about spirituality where

Campanian traditions meets innovation, to perfectly reflect the resort’s philosophy. The establishment also proposes master class with the executive chief to delve into the cultural heritage and origins of Italian cooking. Our advice: enjoy a day off to try the Amalfi lemon tour, to get the chance to taste the citrus fruits hanging from pergolas and sample them in homemade cakes, drinks and of course, limoncello. The best ones that you will ever taste.

A dream amid sea and sky By the evening, we dabble to the famous « aperitivi » at the O’RO Incanto Lounge Cocktail Bar & Osteria, where you can choose in a variety of signature cocktails served with delicious appetizers carefully prepared by the Chef. But it’s the sapphire pool terrace set in the clouds that steals the show. An L-shaped swimming pool with stellar views of the Amalfi Coast that seems to be the perfect place to laze on a sun lounger, take a breeze and watch the sunset, enjoying the rich blue sea and the charming streets of Positano. Every moment at HVF Villa Franca Positano is meant to be a special one, simply unforgettable.

HVF VILLA FRANCA POSITANO VIALE PASITEA 318 84017 POSITANO - ITALY VILLAFRANCAHOTEL.IT

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Hotel Il Pellicano

a luxury hideaway on the Tuscan coast

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elcome to Hotel Il Pellicano, where luxury is timeless yet understated. Open from spring to autumn, the hotel captures the loveliest times in Italy, when sunlight glints off the fresh seas lapping Il Pellicano’s private cove. No surprise that the establishment is famed for its « sprezzatura », both stylish and effortless.

By Marine Pasquier - Photos © Il Pellicano

The story of a Tuscan home In 1950 two lovers, a charismatic American socialite, Patsy Daszel, and a dashing British aviator, Michael Graham, created a romantic hideaway in a secret cove. They were swept away by the area and they had a vision for Il Pellicano.

Glamorous friends like Charlie Chaplin, Henry Fonda, Gianni Agnelli, Slim Aarons, and the European Royalty, came to bathe in the azure sea and party by moonlight; soon this Tuscan home was transformed into Il Pellicano. In 1979, Roberto Sciò fell in love with the hotel’s beauty and bought it. Today, his daughter Marie-Louise, Creative Director and Vice President of Pellicano Hotels Group, keeps that Pellicano style right up to date, a combination of freewheeling spirit and old. As an acknowledged arbiter of contemporary fine tastes and armed with an architectural background, Marie-Louise cultivates the creative spirit of Il Pellicano, which she shares with warmth and wit.

Somewhere to live life to the full Il Pellicano is not only one of Italy’s most fabled hotels but a gorgeous destination in its own right. Somewhere to enjoy the abundant riches of Tuscany’s Maremma region: wine tasting, medieval hill towns and artistic gardens above Monte Argentario. Composed of seven cottages and a main building counting 47 welcoming hotel rooms, sleeping at Il Pellicano is like a dream.

Each room and cottage offers a beautiful view over the Tyrrhenian Sea from their terraces and balconies and a panorama flourishing from the Mediterranean gardens created by the Architect

Paolo Pejrone. Interiors are created by MarieLouise Sciò, with light Tuscan references, an Italian flair that typifies Il Pellicano. They have an indisputable cachet and a cache of vivid colors, from waves of green rosemary to sapphire seas, that seduced adventurers looking for a romantic hideaway. A place of relaxation where you can also enjoy as a couple the new experience of spa therapy with a team of expert in the Pelliclub.

A delightful place where is beauty is about skin deep, more about the « touch than the cream ».

Delicious idleness From their legendary beach and pool club and piano bar to the treasures of their wine cellar including their events and parties field, Hotel Il Pellicano offers various experiences of lounging and leisure. In the gastronomic side, Tuscany’s bounty of land and sea takes on divine Italian form under Michelin stars. At Il Pellicano gourmet restaurant, Chef Michelino Gioia offers traditional Italian cuisine with a twist of international tasty flavours and innovative techniques to transform ingredients into contemporary creations.

All the Chef’s favourites like pigeon, oyster, red mullet, lobster and shrimps are part of the menu, made with love and passion, giving the right value to the natural aspects of products. A responsible vision of Italian culture and gastronomy, that will enchant all your senses.What more could you ask for?

HOTEL IL PELLICANO LOCALITÀ SBARCATELLO, 58019 PORTO ERCOLE - ITALIA HOTELILPELLICANO.COM

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Italy s e e n f r o m above S

ip a cocktail by the pool, let your mind drift to a soothing soundtrack of lounge music or enjoy local specialties at “aperitivi” time … Blush Dream offers you its selection of the best and most exclusive hotel rooftops and terraces, boasting panoramic views of Italy’s stunning landscapes. Sit back, relax and enjoy the “dolce vita”.

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Three-Sixty Immerse yourself in the Florentine artistic ambience thanks to the Three-Sixty, the panoramic terrace of the Grand Hotel Minerva.

Located on the Piazza Santa Maria Novella, this recently renovated 4-star boutique hotel offers one of the city’s most enviable of views from its 6th floor. With an unobstructed view of the facade of the Church of Santa Maria Novella, the Duomo, Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower) and the Palazzo Vecchio, this venue is the preferred spot for lovers of architecture and beautiful buildings, and allows you to discover Florence from another angle. On the peaceful haven of the hotel roof, relax and unwind in the heated swimming pool or jacuzzi. During the day, soak up the sun’s rays on the deckchairs and sample the bar’s selection of refreshments. In the evening, hotel guests and locals alike come together for an Italian-style happy hour, sipping prosecco and nibbling local cold meats. Then watch the sun set over what is known as “the city of dreams” from your sumptuous surroundings.

GRAND HOTEL MINERVA PIAZZA SANTA MARIA NOVELLA 16 FLORENCE, ITALY GRANDHOTELMINERVA.COM

Sky Lounge - Caruso On the 10th floor of the Grand Hotel Vesuvio, the Sky Lounge allows you to bask in the sunshine or enjoy a drink while admiring the panorama of the legendary Bay of Naples, the port of Sorrento and the imposing silhouette of Vesuvius. Boasting a solarium and cocktail bar, the establishment also offers a restaurant dedicated to Italian gastronomy on its rooftop terrace: the Caruso. A name that pays homage to the legendary tenor and once regular hotel guest, Enrico Caruso, who liked to refer to the Grand Hotel Vesuvio as his “Neapolitan home”. Here, the focus is on fresh, local ingredients, straight from nearby producers. The menu is an ode to traditional dishes from the Campania region, simple yet delicious, like the flagship dish, Bucatini alla Caruso, pasta with sun-gorged vegetables, garnished with chilli and basil. A feast for the senses.

GRAND HOTEL VESUVIO VIA PARTENOPE 45 NAPLES, ITALY VESUVIO.IT

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Terrazza Duomo 21

With its spectacular terrace and refined interior spaces, Terrazza Duomo 21 stands out as one of Milan’s most exclusive venues. Set in a trendy location overlooking the Piazza del Duomo and a stone’s throw from the luxurious Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, this venue offers guests a unique view over the Milanese skyline. Whether you’re in need of a relaxing break after an afternoon of shopping, or looking for a venue for a business lunch, a lively aperitif on the terrace, or an evening out with friends, Terrazza Duomo 21 is the ideal place, whatever the circumstances. Prepare to be seduced by the wide choice of refined and carefully mixed cocktails, the selection of gastronomic specialties, and live concerts until late at night.

The warm and friendly atmosphere makes the Terrazza Duomo 21 a truly memorable experience.

PIAZZA DEL DUOMO 21 MILAN, ITALY TERRAZZADUOMO21.IT

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Empireo On the roof of the Plaza Hotel Lucchesi, is the Empireo, a rooftop little known to locals, despite the fact that it offers sweeping views of the city’s architectural highlights, including the Arno River as it meanders through the Tuscan hills. With its sumptuous swimming pool and American bar, take advantage of this magical setting to read, relax on the loungers and as the sun sets, admire a breath-taking evening panorama. The Empireo offers plenty to attract visitors. On summer nights, the establishment is open to residents and non-residents looking to experience the magic of a Florentine evening. Enjoy local aperitivi from the buffet of Italian specialties, sample a delicious cocktail from the eclectic drinks’ menu, and dance till the early hours to sets by Italian and international DJs, for a night as vibrant as it is memorable.

PLAZA HOTEL LUCCHESI LUNGARNO DELLA ZECCA VECCHIA 38 FLORENCE, ITALY HOTELPLAZALUCCHESI.IT

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Massimo Bottura

chef extraordinaire and modern-day hero

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eet Massimo Bottura, the multi-faceted star chef whose dazzlingly inventive dishes and campaign for socially responsible fine dining have made him a poster boy for contemporary cuisine. He was one of the first chefs to champion Italian culture, is wild about art and inspires couture houses.

Feeling giddy? Read on...

By Marine Pasquier

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From traditionalist to trendsetter With his hip-to-be-square glasses, trim pepperand-salt beard, V-necked sweater, close-fitting trousers and New Balance sneakers, Massimo Bottura seems utterly contemporary - a trend-setter totally in synch with the zeitgeist. Yet he learned his craft from two traditionalists, by observing rezdora (pasta-maker) Lidia Cristoni in his first restaurant, the Trattoria del Campazzo, in his home town of Modena, and Georges Cogny, a legendary exponent of traditional French cuisine. After that, he honed his skills in Monte Carlo, working alongside Alain Ducasse in the kitchens of the Louis XV. There, he realized how vital it is for a chef to work closely with food producers. In 1995, he returned to Italy and put this insight into practice at his new restaurant, the Osteria Francescana. But that was just the start!

Where food meets art Massimo Bottura is a creative genius who boldly goes where no chef has gone before. His restaurant has been awarded three Michelin stars every year since 2011 and currently ranks fifth on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. He deconstructs Italian cuisine and puts the components back together in startlingly novel ways, offering an eyebrow-raising new take on Italian culture that is a fantastic showcase for his suppliers. The Osteria Francescana is a seething cauldron of ideas where Bottura can experiment and give free rein to his fertile imagination. His consummate technique in no way trammels his creativity, and his love of

art comes through in his cuisine, both in the way he uses form and colour and in frequent artistic references. From his signature dish, Italy from the Alps to Etna, which combines smoked ricotta, mozzarella mousse, caramelized tomatoes and roast mint, to Cappuccino, a bold reworking of everyone’s favourite cup of coffee as a creamy onion and potato soup topped with a balsamic vinegar sauce and accompanied by a savoury pork rind pseudo-croissant, Bottura is constantly shocking conventional gourmets - as in 2018, when he opened his first Gucci Osteria in association with Italy’s most outrageous fashion house.

Principled fine dining Bottura is a committed humanist who has set out to raise awareness of food waste and social exclusion among chefs and gourmets. At Expo 2015 in Milan, he launched the Refettorio Ambrosiano, a community dining hall housed in a disused theatre, where chefs from all over the world congregate to turn left-over produce into healthy, nourishing meals for the needy. It has been such a success that Bottura and his wife, Lara Gilmore, have set up a non-profit organization called Food for Soul to found Refettorios in other locations including Rio de Janeiro, London, Bologna, Modena, and latterly Paris. For Bottura, cooking is an act of love, and each mouthful should express a unique emotion. Ciao bello Massimo!

We totally agree.

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From GLASS HOSTARIA’S KITCHEN

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he only female chef with 1 Michelin star in Rome, shares one of her favorite summer recipes exclusively for Blush Editions .

Since 2004, Glass Hostaria offers a modern approach to Italian cuisine without ever forgetting to be in the middle of Trastevere, one of the most traditional antique area in Rome. Among the small vicolos, the traditional atmosphere that Trastevere profuses, you can easily spot Glass as it represents an exception to the rule: modern, brave and surprising. When you are tired of traditional carbonara, cacio e pepe and scottadito, there’s Glass with new and unique approach to ingredients and dishes. New and comforting at the same time. Glass is headed by Michelin Star Chef Cristina Bowerman who’s constantly raising the bar with new and innovative tech-niques and ingredients. Her kitchen style is the result of experiences, travels, meetings, culinary training and studies, always been the primary source of inspiration.

GLASS HOSTARIA VICOLO DEL CINQUE 58 00153 ROMA, ITALY GLASSHOSTARIA.IT 166

Potato gnocchi, sea urchin and black garlicbagnacauda Ingredients for 8 portions -

50 gr Edamame 50 gr semidried tomatoes 160 gr sea urchin 40 gr squid ink corn bread crumble

For the bagnacauda: 3 heads of black garlic, 10 anchovies from Cetara, 1 lt of milk, 300 gr of cream, Franciacorta 1 glass, 20 gr kuzu For the potato gnocchi: 1/2 kg of red potatoes, 2 saffron sachets, 640 gr of salt, 335 gr of 00 flour, 335 gr of potato starch Cook potatoes with salt in 4 litres of water. Once cooked, mash the potatoes and knead them with saffron, starch and flour. Vacuum the dough 100% twice. Let the dough rest for thirty minutes and then make the gnocchi.

In a saucepan, dissolve the anchovies in olive oil. Add black garlic and deglaze with Franciacorta. Add milk and cream and bring to simmering. Reduce by 1/3, blend and filter with a chinoise.

Put back on the stove and add Kuzu to thicken bagnacauda. Cook the gnocchi for 4 minutes in salted boiling water. Pour the bagnacauda on the bottom of the dish and serve with semidried tomatoes, edamame and sea ur-chins. Complete with black truffle and the corn bread crumble.

lifestyle

Visiting Milan with Raffaella Iten

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e head to Milan with Raffaella Iten, designer and founder of the leather goods brand De Marquet. Swiss Italian by birth, the designer of the Night & Day bag with its interchangeable covers tells us about some of her favourite spots and hidden gems in the fashion capital.

By Marine Pasquier

1. Lunch 2. Shopping at the Convivium therapy at Cavalli & Nastri When in Milan, I love going for lunch at the Convivium restaurant, a typical Milanese establishment in the heart of the Brera district. In a warm and refined atmosphere, chefs Claudio, Nicola and Anselmo propose a modern interpretation of traditional cuisine, with carpaccio, ossobucco and risotto. All accompanied by quality wine from their impressive cave, featuring wines from all over Italy. What makes the restaurant truly magical is its breath-taking view of the Chiesa del Carmine (church), lit up after dark.

Restaurant Convivium Via Ponte Vetero 21 conviviumristorante.it

Cavalli & Nastri is one of Milan’s most famous vintage boutiques. Here, you can find clothes and accessories from the late 19th century to today, at very reasonable prices.

From the Pucci blouses of the 1980s to the iconic Chanel suit, founder Claudia Jesi carefully and lovingly selects some of the most sought-after designer pieces. The boutique is the ideal place for anyone looking for fashion inspiration or hoping to unearth the creations of renowned fashion designers and stylists. Every time I go to Milan, I like to come to Cavalli & Nastri to find an original piece that I wouldn’t find elsewhere.

What’s not to love about sustainable and unique fashion?!

Cavalli & Nastri Via Brera 2 cavallienastri.com

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3. Il Salotto di Milano

4. Take a break at the Libreria Hoepli

5. Guided visit of the Gallerie d’Italia

In the heart of Milan, this showroom brings together Italian-made luxury goods under one roof. Showcasing a variety of brands, particularly in furniture, design, fashion, jewellery and accessories, I selected this showroom to exhibit De Marquet models in Milan.

The chic and modern architecture makes it the perfect place to host our Italian events. In addition to its product collections, Il Salotto di Milano frequently organizes contemporary art exhibitions in its spaces. A place not to be missed!

Founded in 1870, this is one of the city’s oldest bookstores.

A true literary institution, housing over 100,000 books arranged over five floors. There is a huge choice on all topics.

From the kitchen to the garden, via computers, history and even marketing … there is something for all tastes, including a fine selection of foreign, modern and classic books. When I have a spare moment, I like to visit and lose myself in the aisles of this intellectual labyrinth, in search of new inspiration. The Libreria Hoepli is a book lovers’ paradise!

With its enviable location on the Piazza della Scala, this museum of modern and contemporary art is housed in an old bank, built within a sumptuous palace. The establishment has retained all the charm of its history, thanks to its ticket desks and sublime architecture. Today, this museum is home to a stunning collection of statues and paintings, mainly works by Lombardy artists but it also boasts pieces by the Great Masters like Canova and Boccioni. Known to just a few, the Gallerie d’Italia is also home to a remarkable garden, displaying modern sculptures by artists like Miró.

Il Salotto di Milano Corso Venezia 7 ilsalottodimilano.it

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Libreria Hoepli Via Hoepli, 5 hoepli.it

Gallerie d’Italia Piazza della Scala, 6 gallerieditalia.com

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