AIR Magazine - Al Bateen - June'21 by Hot Media

JUNE 2021

JOHN KRASINSKI

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Contents

AIR

Credit: Kate Moss, 1993 © Albert Watson

JUNE 2021: ISSUE 117

FEATURES Thirty Two

Thirty Eight

Forty Six

Fifty Two

John Krasinski on this month’s follow up to his huge horror hit and his mentor, George Clooney.

Legendary Scottish photographer Albert Watson reflects on a career spanning more than 50 years.

Scarlett Russell is charmed by Ellie Bamber as the actress talks getting back on set.

When the going gets tough, fashion students need a little extra help. Luckily, there are style titans at the ready.

Honest John

Image Is Everything

The Girl With All The Gifts

Schooled in Style

CALIBER RM 17-01

www.richardmille.com

Contents

Credit: Sarah-Louise & Christopher from @the_adventuresofus

JUNE 2021: ISSUE 117

REGULARS Fourteen

Radar

Sixteen

Objects of Desire Eighteen

Critique Twenty

Art & Design

EDITORIAL

Twenty Four

Timepieces

Chief Creative Officer

Twenty Eight

john@hotmedia.me

John Thatcher

Jewellery

ART

Fifty Eight

Art Director

Motoring

Kerri Bennett

AIR

Sixty Six

Illustration

Journeys by Jet

Leona Beth

COMMERCIAL

Sixty Eight

Managing Director

What I Know Now

Victoria Thatcher General Manager

David Wade

david@hotmedia.me

PRODUCTION Digital Media Manager

Muthu Kumar Sixty Two

Gastronomy Meet Wagyumafia head honcho Hisato Hamada, purveyor of the world’s finest beef.

Tel: 00971 4 364 2876 Fax: 00971 4 369 7494 Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from HOT Media is strictly prohibited. HOT Media does not accept liability for any omissions or errors in AIR.

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Welcome Onboard JUNE 2021

Welcome to AIR, the onboard private aviation lifestyle magazine for Al Bateen Executive Airport, its guests, people, partners, and developments. We wish you a safe journey and look forward to welcoming you back to Al Bateen Executive airport – the only dedicated business aviation airport in the Middle East and North Africa – to further experience our unparalleled commitment to excellence in private aviation.

Al Bateen Executive Airport

Contact Details: albateeninfo@adac.ae www.albateenairport.ae

Cover: John Krasinski by Justin Bettman AUGUST

Al Bateen

AIR

JUNE 2021: ISSUE 117

Al Bateen Executive Airport

Flying into the Future Abu Dhabi Airports shares its view on the future of chartered aviation

In the modern age of air travel, the height of luxury is to travel by a private aircraft. Private aircrafts allow for the ultimate in convenience and luxury, enabling their passengers to move around the world with ease, style and comfort. Their use has traditionally been reserved for the most exclusive of customers: those able to meet the expense of operating and maintaining a private plane. However, in the modern age of air transport, this status quo is beginning to shift allowing a much broader range of passengers to experience the 10

luxury of private air travel. Chartered air travel has been a part of the history of aviation, but the sector has been growing over recent years in size and scale. With chartered private aircraft companies being able to reach larger market segments through online bookings, the market valuation of the global chartered air services sector is currently valued at USD$1.2 billion. Over the subsequent five years, the market’s size is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 11.4%, reaching USD$2.2 billion in 2024. Through being able to access a larger market segment

via online systems, chartered services are able to appeal to a significantly wider range of customers and clients interested in benefiting from the services offered by charter airlines. Through enjoying a wider customer base, chartered services can grow their fleets and lower prices, appealing to a wider range of potential passengers looking for the very best that modern aviation can offer. Airport infrastructure is thus going to have to change over the next decade to meet an increase in both fleet side and the number

Al Bateen Executive Airport is the ﬁrst dedicated private jet airport in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Our exclusive status offers ultimate and prestigious luxury with several enhancements currently underway. We offer: The

Al Bateen

JUNE 2021: ISSUE 117

Al Bateen Executive Airport

of passengers, who are arriving and transiting through executive airports. It is worth emphasising that this change is not only limited to private jets making short or long haul flights around the globe, but also helicopters and light aircrafts making long journeys on the road realisable in a far faster time frame. Executive airports will need to update the infrastructure they have put in place for managing aircraft fleets to ensure that they can offer chartered air services a fast turn round time that meets customers’ expectations. Of equal importance is reviewing and updating the existing infrastructure which is provided for passengers who are arriving at the airport, and being able to provide the height of luxury to those about to step on board a private flight of their dreams. At Al Bateen Executive Airport, situated in the centre of Abu 12

Dhabi city, we welcomed 203,920 passengers in 2020, and supported 21,403 aircraft movements. We are proud to offer clients using our bespoke services a range of unique benefits, and we are continually seeking to update our landside and airside infrastructure to accommodate their changing needs. These expansions include a new 2,101 square metre VVIP facility and improvements to our terminal and lounges for passengers arriving and departing from the city. In addition, we are upgrading the airport’s runway, taxiways, aprons, and hangers, as well as developing a new fuel farm for private aircraft. With these improvements, we are the executive airport of choice for passengers seeking to travel in the best that aviation can provide, both within the Middle East and internationally.

Abu Dhabi International Airport accredited by ACI Accreditation granted for its health and safety measures Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) has successfully received the Airport Health Accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI), as testament of its implementation of extensive health and safety measures in response to the global pandemic. The accreditation reflects the quality of the airport’s measures, which align with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization Council’s Aviation Recovery Task Force (ICAO CART), as well as industry best practices. The accreditation is based on assessments of the new health measures and procedures, which were introduced following the emergence of COVID-19.

PRAETOR 600: CERTIFIED OUTPERFORMANCE. The Praetor 600 — the world’s most disruptive and technologically advanced super-midsize aircraft that leads the way in performance, comfort and technology. Unveiled at NBAA in October 2018 and now certified by ANAC, FAA and EASA, the Praetor 600 did not just meet initial expectations, it exceeded them. Named for the Latin root that means “lead the way,” the Praetor 600 is a jet of firsts. It is the first super-midsize jet certified since 2014. The first to fly beyond 3,700 nm at M0.80. The first with over 4,000 nm range at LRC. The first with full fly-by-wire. The first with Active Turbulence Reduction. The first with a cabin altitude as low as 5,800 feet. The first with high-capacity, ultra-high-speed connectivity from Viasat’s Ka-band. And all of this, backed by a first-placed Customer Support network.

Learn more at executive.embraer.com/praetor600.

L E A DING T H E WAY

Radar JUNE 2021: ISSUE 117

AIR

With the unveiling of the RollsRoyce ‘Boat Tail’ – the culmination of a four-year collaboration between the marque and three of its key clients – RollsRoyce signals a return to its coachbuilding roots by offering commissioning clients the opportunity to create their own unique models in tandem with the Rolls-Royce design team. This demands their personal involvement at each stage of the creative and engineering process, crafting a car that, like the client, is utterly unique. rolls-roycemotorcars.com

OB JECTS OF DESIRE

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Master craftsmanship, effortless style and timeless appeal; this month’s must-haves and collectibles

OB JECTS OF DESIRE

BANG & OLUFSEN

B E O P L AY H X

Featuring the next generation of noise cancellation technology and improved speech delivery, Beoplay HX headphones have been developed to not only offer outstanding sound, but superior comfort too. This includes a revamped headband, which has a

centre-relief zone for long-time wear – a useful addition to a set of headphones that delivers 35 hours of play time from a single full charge. What’s more, the ear cushions are made from soft lambskin; the inner material from memory foam that adapts to the curves of the ear. 1

OB JECTS OF DESIRE

MESSIK A

MY MOVE Referencing both the free-moving brilliant-cut diamond at its heart, and the near endless possibilities it offers for customisation (there are in fact more than 300 combinations available), the My Move unisex bracelet sees Messika use leather as the canvas for a colourful

collection that’s perfectly timed to shine through the bleakness of the pandemic. Among shades of leather in raspberry pink, cherry red, and tangerine orange, is this English green version, a hue which sets the stage for the gold and diamond to sparkle. 2

OB JECTS OF DESIRE

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

LOOPINGA TOE PLUME Christian Louboutin hit new heights to unveil his FW21 collection by launching his own imaginary airline, Loubi Airways. It took to the skies during the golden age of travel – the 1960s – with the digital journey taking viewers from a JFK terminal designed by Eero Saarinen

and onto the red-hued aircraft of our dreams. Along the way, the collection was showcased in ever-creative interactive ways. Catching our eye was this pair of striking 100mm sandals, crafted from veau velours, specchio, and patent Tivoli. 3

OB JECTS OF DESIRE

R M SOTHEBY’S

F E R R A R I 2 5 0 G T/ L Pininfarina, the construction of it was carried out by Scaglietti and it is truly amongst the pair’s very best work. It goes under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s Milan auction on June 15, with an estimate of EUR1.4-1.8 million.

Retaining its original engine and gearbox and restored to its original colours, this Ferrari 250 GT/L was introduced in 1962 at Paris Salon and remains one of the most attractive grand touring cars ever built. While the bodywork itself was designed by

OB JECTS OF DESIRE

RICHARD MILLE

R M 4 0 - 0 1 A U T O M AT I C T O U R B I L L O N M C L A R E N S P E E D TA I L The latest product to emerge from Richard Mille’s partnership with McLaren is also their most ambitious, honouring McLaren’s most advanced and fastest road car yet – the Speedtail. Production of the Speedtail is limited to 106, the same number of RM 40-01 timepieces to be 6

manufactured. Enclosing an entirely new movement, the case alone took over 18 months to perfect and contains as many as 69 individual parts, such is the intricacy of its design, which is significantly wider at 12 o’clock than at 6 o’clock.

OB JECTS OF DESIRE

CDLP

DECK SHORTS Swedish design house CDLP is a fine example of why you don’t have to compromise on style, comfort and fit if you want to wear environmentally aware fashion – their underwear is the world’s best, bar none. These tailored-fit deck shorts are made using Econyl – a regenerated

nylon fibre made from plastic waste salvaged from oceans and landfills – and feel luxurious to boot. Fast drying, they are designed to be worn in or out of water, with side seam pockets and a back pocket with a handy zipper for securing your credit card. 7

OB JECTS OF DESIRE

C H O PA R D

MILLE MIGLIA MIDDLE EAST EDITION By way of celebrating their role as partner and official timekeeper of the 1000 Miglia – renowned as the world’s most beautiful car race – Chopard has released the Mille Miglia Middle East Edition. Comprising just 100 numbered pieces, it’s the latest in a line of high-

precision chronographs that honour the link between classic cars and mechanical sports watches. You’ll see it expressed in the crown, engraved with a steering wheel, two piston-shaped pushers, and a strap lined with rubber featuring a 1960 Dunlop racing-tyre motif. 8

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Critique JUNE 2021 : ISSUE 117

Film A Quiet Place II Dir. John Krasinski Continuing their fight for survival in silence, the Abbott family quickly realise that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threat. AT BEST: ‘Shockingly, this is even better than the first film. Very slick.’ – Grace Randolph, Beyond The Trailer AT WORST: ‘Let down by some laughably contrived screenwriting.’ – David Jenkins, Little White Lies

The Sparks Brothers Dir. Edgar Wright AIR

Edgar Wright’s documentary details the musical journey of art pop duo Sparks, whose decades-long career has so far spawned 25 studio albums. AT BEST: ‘By the time Wright’s somewhat exhaustive film concluded, I was in the strange duo’s thrall.’ – Oliver Jones, Observer AT WORST: ‘Runs a whopping two hours and 15 minutes, though it feels as fleet as a three-minute pop song.’ - Stephanie Zacharek, Time Magazine

Summer of Soul Dir. Ahmir-Khalib Thompson Questlove’s directorial debut documents the Harlem Cultural Festival, which spanned six weeks across the summer of 1969. AT BEST: ‘It really can’t be overstated what a miracle this film feels like.’ – Oscar Goff, Boston Hassle AT WORST: ‘Any you-had-to-be-there joy and energy wear thin quickly.’ – Martin Tsal, Critic’s Notebook

F9 Dir. Justin Lin Still driving into myriad problems, Dom Toretto’s crew encounters the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever come across. AT BEST: ‘It’s exhilaratingly ridiculous, yes, but it’s also ridiculously exhilarating.’ - Alonso Duralde, The Wrap AT WORST: ‘An overblown and shambolic pastiche of former glories.’ – James Marsh, South China Morning Post 18

Critique JUNE 2021 : ISSUE 117

Books A

and women who will not rest until American laws are changed to protect our citizens, while offering an inspiring blueprint for how this struggle can – and will – be won.” Separated by the events of WWII, lovers Alec and June reconnect in peace time. But their scars – both visible and unseen – make them strangers to each other. So sets the scene for Rafe Posey’s The Stars We Share, which fellow author Susan Meissner describe as, “A beautifully rendered story, tender and true, that gets to the heart of what it means – and what it costs – to love a person in this imperfect world of ours, and to be loved in return. An evocative and stunning debut.” Author Georgia Hunter was full of praise for the debut author: “Whether portraying the bewildering map of a star-studded sky, the low whine of an incoming Zero, or the shifting, tender terrain of love and family, Posey’s exquisitely rendered prose dazzles from start to finish.” As

was bestselling scribe Susan Ella MacNeal: “A gripping, tender, and sparkling debut – with impeccable research and exquisite prose, Posey weaves a story of love and loss before, during, and after the Second World War. A beguiling, thought-provoking, and ultimately satisfying novel.” Another debut novel, Highway Blue is equal parts road novel, love story, and coming-of-age tale. “An undeniably talented writer,” says Kirkus Reviews of Ailsa McFarlane. “A beautiful, sundrenched road story . . . a novel that’s in love with the idea of America, both contemporary in its concerns and deeply nostalgic, full of Edward Hopper diners and faded blue jeans,” adds The Guardian. Fellow author Susanna Moore was also fulsome in her praise: “The richness and pathos of the ordinary is heightened by the private mysteries of McFarlane’s innocent fugitives as they run from both the law and themselves. It is a journey filled with unexpected kindnesses and the illuminating effect of transformation. I so admire it.”

Credit: Penguin Random House

merica’s apparent obsession with guns is baffling to many. It’s something author Chris Murphy attempts to understand in The Violence Inside Us, which tells the story of his profound personal transformation in the wake of a mass murder. “A nuanced exploration of the history of violence in America, the driving forces behind the country’s fascination with firearms and why so many American citizens are impacted by gun violence,” reviews Time Magazine. “This book is essential to understanding America’s gun violence epidemic, our history of gun ownership, and the nature of violence itself. It’s an essential primer for anyone who’s sick of thoughts and prayers in the wake of these tragedies and wants to be armed with the knowledge for change,” suggests Tommy Vietor, co-host of Pod Save America. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Samantha Power states that, “Murphy shines a light on the men

AIR

Art & Design JUNE2021: ISSUE 117

Let There Be Light Neon artist Marcus Bracey reveals his family’s film legacy ahead of an exhibition of their blockbuster pieces WORDS: JOHN THATCHER

AIR

f the global pandemic has plunged the art world into darkness, with galleries and exhibitions across the globe forced to close, we’re about to see the light. And it’s neon bright. Movies have always provided an escape route from reality, and this month sees London’s Leadenhall Market celebrate that fact by teaming up with God’s Own Junkyard to direct their own technicolour production of Electric City, which delves into the neon-soaked, after-dark worlds created for film sets. “Our journey in film began with Bladerunner,” Marcus Bracey says, who, along with his mother and brother [all neon makers and designers] have run God’s Own Junkyard since his father, Chris Bracey, died in 2014. “But it blossomed from one particular day. While up a ladder installing a piece of neon in Soho, Dad (Chris) was approached by the art director of Mona Lisa [1986 film starring Bob Hoskins and Michael Caine] who wanted to film scenes in an authentic strip club. My father arranged this, and as a reward for doing so he ended up making the sign for the film. From there, word spread and we started to get more commissions.” Leadenhall Market has its own links to the big screen – most notably when it was used to house Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – and serves as the perfect setting for Electric City. “The market is Victorian, but dates back to Roman times,” Marcus says. “We’ve never exhibited our film neons before and it was always something we wanted to do, but it had to be somewhere really special. This is certainly that. When I was walking down the area’s cobbled walkways the other day, it was raining and I could see the neon reflections from three streets away.” Most of the neons displayed are from the blockbuster films Eyes Wide Shut

and Judge Dredd, both of which hold fond memories for Marcus. “For Judge Dredd, we spent nine months on set, creating what was called a mega city,” he remembers. “Sylvester Stallone would come on set with his entourage, where he had a gym set up so he could get himself all pumped up for scenes. I dressed all of the shop windows on set for this film and I ended up as an extra – being blown-up during the riot scene! “The wrap party was the most extravagant I’ve ever been to. The set decorator, Peter Young, created the head of the Statue of Liberty, out of which came a stage. We all had our wrap party dinner around this, being entertained by dancers. “I was also on set for the duration of Eyes Wide Shut. One day, I was enjoying a cup of tea and a cigarette at Gillespie’s Cafe when Tom Cruise walked in during actual filming. As I was sat at the window, I got caught on camera and ended up having to be part of the filming for the next five days for continuity purposes! I also drove the yellow New York cab with Tom Cruise in the back, on his way to Rainbow Fancy Dress.” Off set, Marcus remembers Cruise as an equally colourful character. “One of the film’s props guys owned two greyhounds who were due to race one evening. Tom got wind of this, put money on them, and won £50k, from which he bought the whole crew a lobster dinner! “We also worked with him on Interview with the Vampire, where I got on really well with Christian Slater and Brad Pitt. One of the make-up girls introduced me and they were great. They used to invite me back to chill with them at their hotel. We even went go-karting. Both were such nice, very relaxed guys.” Chris Bracey started God’s Own Junkyard in the 1970s, born of his ambition to work artistically in neon as

well as commercially. Today it is part neon-museum, part-cafe and bar, and part shop stocking both its own work for film and fashion and other vintage signs and pieces from neon’s rich history. Chris’s own father, Dick Bracey, proved pivotal in neon’s use in London, launching Electro Signs in 1953 to help inject colour into the city’s post-war leisure industry by making signs for cinemas, clubs, circuses, casinos and fairgrounds, a role which Chris took on to great effect, his neon signs coming to define the Soho area of London. It was Chris’ transformation of England’s Pinewood Studios into New York’s Greenwich Village for Eyes Wide Shut that proved a dream come true, however. “My Dad couldn’t believe it when he got the call,” reveals Marcus. “He was such a big fan of Kubrick and had seen all his films. Once we got the call, we raced up the motorway to go and meet Kubrick personally. “He [Kubrick] loved incandescent bulbs and fairy lights and wanted more and more. We sat with him and ate an Indian takeaway on the floor. He knew exactly how to get the best out of everyone and he knew what he wanted. We even had to create signs that were back-to-front and install these for continuity reasons. “There was no additional lighting, only what you see on set, and that’s why the film has that look. This is the aesthetic that we’ve tried to recreate as part of Electric City.” It’s an aesthetic that’s of the night alone. “A liquid fire that draws you,” is how Marcus describes neon. “Whether seedy or commercial, it tries to draw you in. The Chinese have tried to create an alternative but it just isn’t the same. There’s nothing like the real thing.” Electric City is at Leadenhall Market until the end of July. godsownjunkyard. co.uk / leadenhallmarket.co.uk

Credit: Images by Thomas Butler

I got caught on camera and ended up ‘having to be part of the filming for the next five days for continuity purposes ’

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Timepieces JUNE 2021: ISSUE 117

Time For Reflection The actress and Breitling Spotlight Squad member Charlize Theron on using her time to give back WORDS: JOANNE GLASBEY

ou could be forgiven for thinking that when the good Lord divvied up his bounteous gifts, Charlize Theron ended up with more than her fair share. A talented actress, who hasn’t allowed her glamorous and sexy looks dictate the parts she takes. A powerful force in Hollywood with a raft of awards. These include an Academy Award for best actress, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild award, plus her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Theron, 45, has appeared in a wide spectrum of films, from The Cider House Rules to Monster, playing serial killer Aileen Wournos – for which she won the Oscar – and also a rebel assassin in Aeon Flux, MI6 agent in Atomic Blonde and talk-show host in sexual harassment drama Bombshell. She also wears an abundance of other hats: as producer with her

own production company, as a working mother, businesswoman and as a philanthropist active in outreach work for HIV/Aids and LGBTQ+ rights. She founded the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project more than 13 years ago. “When I got to a place in my life where I could give back, I wanted to channel my time and resources into making a positive impact in my home country of South Africa,” she says. “It was and remains the country with the highest number of people living with HIV, and I grew up there during the time the HIV epidemic was getting its strong foothold, so this was always close to my heart.” It’s a hectic life, and time management is crucial. “I’m not going to lie and say I have some magic solution for how I manage it all,” Theron admits. “But I am very lucky to have some incredible 25

you need ‘ Sometimes to take a step back and appreciate what’s in front of you ’

scare the hell out of me,” she says. “And in terms of being a parent, it’s scary. I don’t know what I’m doing half the time, and it’s a lot of trial and error.” The best piece of advice she’s ever been given was from her mother: “Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t.” And she’s followed this instruction throughout her life. This spirit chimed with Georges Kern, CEO of Breitling, when recruiting ambassadors for the luxury watch brand. “Charlize Theron is at the top of her game professionally,” he says. “She pushes boundaries as an actress and producer but also in her commitment to change and diversity.” For her part, Theron says, she knew about Breitling. “It was a no-brainer when they approached me. The brand emulates a lot of the things I try to convey personally.” And, she adds, “I was pleased to find out

that they’ve been making watches for women since the Forties.” As part of Breitling’s Spotlight Squad, Theron champions the versatility of the women’s Chronomat models. “I love my Chronomat 32 in white with red gold accents. It’s a perfect mix of elegant and understated. You can wear it pretty much everywhere and don’t have to change watches to adapt to your outfit,” she says. Theron says her forties are the best time in her life. And that time has taken on new dimensions in the past pandemic year. “It has taught me that sometimes you need to take a step back and appreciate what’s in front of you. I’ve really cherished the time I have spent with my mom and kids.”

Credit: Joanne Glasbey/ The Times LUXX/ News International

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people in my life, like my mother with whom I co-parent my kids [two under the age of nine], who keep me on track. It’s a team effort, and that’s the way I operate my life.” Theron might appear to have it all now, but it wasn’t plain sailing growing up in South Africa. Her father Charles was an abusive alcoholic, and she’s described the agony of waking up not knowing how each day was going to pan out, as they would be determined by his drinking and moods. When she was 15 her father rampaged round the house firing his gun until her mother, Gerda, finally shot him dead in self-defence. This traumatic episode behind her, Theron began modelling in Europe, before moving with her mother to New York to attend dance school. When an injury prevented her continuing, Gerda bought her a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. There she grafted, attended acting classes, eventually got noticed – and has been unstoppable ever since. Known for playing fearless women on screen, she admits she’s far from brave in her domestic life. “I like to take risks in my professional life, but that does not mean those risks don’t

Jewellery JUNE 2021 : ISSUE 117

AIR

Ming the Marvellous Meet Ming Lampson, the best-kept secret in jewellery WORDS: SARAH ROYCE-GREENSILL

and she’d never recreate a design that already exists. “I don’t let people come to me with pictures of what they want me to make. There’s no joy or pleasure in that, for me or the client. Creating something new and bespoke doesn’t need to be more expensive than buying a massproduced piece. It’s not the easiest route, but it is the most enjoyable.” Whether working around a client’s own gemstone, redesigning an unworn piece or creating something new, she’ll start by getting to know the individual’s style and personality. Initial sketches are often cut out and placed on the body to get an idea of scale, and she plays a lot with loose gemstones, using blu-tack to mock-up how a selection of stones would suit a client’s skin tone and proportions. “I love exploring what suits people, trying to capture something about them in a piece. I find it so interesting.” The results might range from a

Opening pages, left to right: stained glass hoops; Ming Lampson These pages, clockwise from above: chain belt; emerald armour; fringe earrings; ceramic dome rings

Credit: © Sarah Royce-Greensill / Telegraph Media Group Limited 2021

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ing Lampson is refreshingly down-to-earth about her teenage design skills. “Somebody gave me a bag of amazing gemstone beads when I was about 17 which I made into necklaces,” she says, recounting where her jewellery journey began. “I had no idea what they were but they sold really well. Looking back, it was obviously down to the quality of the beads rather than my designs, but it started an absolute obsession.” I think she’s being characteristically modest: the Londonbased jeweller’s innate creative talent sings from her designs, which combine colour, bold geometry, originality and exceptional craftsmanship in joyous and unexpected ways. Her teenage experiments led her to India, where she spent two and a half years learning from gem dealers and goldsmiths, before she returned to London to complete a jewellery making degree and her diamond diploma. She dipped her toe into the world of wholesale with her first silver collections, but “realised my love was for design and stones, not business,” so decided to focus on creating bespoke pieces for private clients. That was over 20 years ago. “People are often surprised by how long I’ve been doing this,” she says. “It’s evolved very slowly and in a way it’s been advantageous because I’ve been able to experiment, make mistakes along the way, and push myself to create more interesting pieces with better stones and techniques.” Having opened a showroom in London’s Ladbroke Grove in 2007, beneath which is her workshop, Ming has amassed a loyal clientele through word of mouth, who come to her for bespoke commissions that often end up entirely different to what they’d imagined – and all the better for it. “I like to push people beyond their initial ideas, to make sure I’ve really explored all possibilities. You can always simplify something, but it’s good to push a concept to its limits first,” she explains. “Otherwise I’m not doing my job. If you go to a designer, they should design for you. It’s up to me to stretch your imagination and make you more excited by my ideas than by what you had in mind.” All of her creations are one-offs,

‘

Female jewellers design quite differently to male jewellers – I think their pieces can be more subtle, as it’s more about the wearer than the piece

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geometric starburst of jade and lapis lazuli surrounding a fivecarat sapphire, a bulbous stack of ceramic, enamel and gold punctuated with rubies and mandarin garnet, or chandelier earrings comprising organic leaves of yellow, orange, brown and green sapphires. Ming sources every gemstone herself, prioritising traceable stones, and every piece is made entirely by hand by her in-house goldsmiths. It’s not fast – bespoke commissions take around 12 weeks from the time the design is signed off, depending on their complexity – but, she says, “a piece of jewellery should exist forever, so you need to make it right rather than make it quickly”. Having long been a fan of her beautifully crafted, bold designs, which encompass Art Deco references, a touch of exoticism inspired by her early childhood spent in Hong Kong, and a hint of fierceness, it’s a wonder that Ming has remained under-the-

radar. That may be about to change, though, as she featured in last month's Woman to Woman, a month-long selling exhibition hosted by Phillips. Featuring 15 female jewellers, including celebrated 20th-century designers such as Suzanne Belperron, Paloma Picasso and Angela Cummings alongside contemporary talent including Lauren Adriana, Hannah Martin, Silvia Furmanovich and Solange Azagury-Partridge, the 42-piece exhibition was curated by jewellery historian Vivienne Becker in partnership with Flawless, Phillips’ fine jewellery private sales department, with the aim of highlighting the female voice in jewellery design. “Female jewellers design quite differently to male jewellers – I think their pieces can be more subtle, as it’s more about the wearer than the piece,” says Ming. The three pieces chosen for the exhibition hail from her new Secrets collection, which explores the idea of hidden meanings or surprises – whether the confessions being shared behind a church’s stainedglass windows, represented by a pair of gloriously spiky pink-sapphire and diamond earrings, or the treasure contained within a Chinese wedding chest, parlayed into a geometric ring of glossy scarlet enamel and gold, set with a 2.54ct kite-shaped diamond. Her Fringe earrings, set with custom-cut diamonds, are designed to shimmy like the beaded curtains that obscured doorways in Hong Kong and intrigued her as a child. “I wanted to explore the idea of what a secret is and where it’s held – the symbols that suggest there’s something going on that you can’t see,” she says. “Jewellery itself is a vehicle for storytelling; it’s a guardian of secrets and surprises.” Becker describes Ming’s work as “quietly imaginative...with meticulously hand-crafted secrets and details.” For Ming, being chosen as one of the world’s 15 leading female jewellers, and featured alongside revered names “felt amazing… Anything that puts me in the same bracket as Belperron makes the earth move for me. She’s somebody I admire so much, who is incredibly important in the history of jewellery. To share some of her starlight is incredible.” But if you ask any of her loyal fans, it’s not a moment too soon. 31

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John Krasinski on this month’s sequel to his huge horror hit and his mentor, George Clooney WORDS: ED POTTON

ohn Krasinski is explaining how he convinced his wife, Emily Blunt, to appear in A Quiet Place Part II. That’s the sequel to his excruciatingly tense horror of 2018, about a family who live silently to evade alien monsters that hunt by sound. You may recall that Blunt had a rum old time of it in the first film (and if you’ve not seen it, beware spoilers imminent). Her character, Evelyn, lost one son, Beau, and a husband, Lee, played by Krasinski, to the monsters and had to give birth soundlessly – after stepping, hard, on a foot-long nail. The movie, which the Bostonborn Krasinski, 41, directed and co-wrote, was a worldwide hit, grossing more than $340 million. A sequel was inevitable, and was due for release last March, before you know what intervened and it was pushed back to this month. Blunt

was not short of offers, though. The British actress, 38, is one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood, having starred in Mary Poppins Returns and opposite Dwayne Johnson in the forthcoming Jungle Cruise. Krasinski recalls the conversation. “I said, ‘You know, I have a way into the second movie,’ and she said, ‘Great. Good luck. I’m not going to be in it. So I hope your idea doesn’t involve me.’ I said, ‘No problem.’ She said, ‘Well, pitch me your idea.’ And I said, ‘No, it’s totally cool. I mean, your decision, business-wise, is always your own.’ And I started pitching the idea and she was, like, ‘OK, so obviously, I’ll be in the second one.’ ” As well as an intriguing window into a marriage, this impressive example of reverse psychology tells you a lot about Krasinski’s powers of persuasion. Sitting in a suite at the Four Seasons

Hotel in New York in crisp shirt and jeans, his hair teased into a heroic quiff, he is full of clean-cut amiability and self-deprecating asides (“I’m not smart enough to do that”, “this sounds totally selfish but . . .”). Beneath that, though, is a deeply ambitious operator. Krasinski made his name in 2005 in the American version of The Office, playing the everyman Jim, the equivalent of Martin Freeman’s Tim, and went on to star in Sam Mendes’s Away We Go and Gus Van Sant’s Promised Land. He says he has learnt many things from his mentor George Clooney, not least how to make the transition from TV to film, and from actor to director. You suspect he also learnt from Clooney how to combine charm and drive. A filmmaker needs both, and Krasinski’s nascent second career is going swimmingly, with another 33

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A Quiet Place was my potential love letter to my kids, which sounds psychotic now that I say it directorial project, Imaginary Friends, in the works starring Ryan Reynolds. So swimmingly, in fact, that he had “no intention” of doing a sequel to A Quiet Place. He understands the corporate side of film production, he insists, “wanting to make a second one of anything successful”, but he didn’t want to “be party to any version of a cash grab”. You can understand why he was cautious, given how personal the first film was. Working from a draft script by Bryan Woods and Scott Beck, Krasinski had made it into a metaphor for parenthood. He and Blunt have two young daughters and he channelled a father’s neuroses into a story where danger lurks at every turn for Lee and Evelyn’s children. Loud noises – most heartbreakingly the siren on poor Beau’s toy – generally spell doom. The family have learnt to walk around barefoot, use cutlery padded with fabric and communicate via sign language. A Quiet Place was “my potential love letter to my kids”, Krasinski says, “which sounds psychotic now that I say it.” He was ready for his involvement to end there, telling the studio, Paramount, to find another writer and director for the sequel. They started interviewing some. Then, suddenly, he found a way in. What would happen to the remainder of the family – Evelyn, her son Marcus, daughter Regan and the new baby – after Lee’s death? How would they fare beyond the (relatively) safe environs of the farm where they lived in the first film? That film was about “that promise that you make as parents, which is: if you stay with me, everything’s gonna be great”, Krasinski says. “And we all know that it’s a promise that, inevitably, one day will be broken. Whether it’s nursery school or college or getting married, you’re going to let your kids go. And that’s what growing up is all about.” Growing up, he decided, should be the subject of A Quiet Place Part II. Growing up very rapidly in the case of Regan and Marcus. The constant threat of large homicidal arachnids

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does that to kids. “The entire timeline of the second movie is the father died hours ago,” he says. “So they’re living very freshly in the moment.” The Quiet Place films are part of a wave of horror movies that engage with their times, from Get Out (race) to Hereditary (grief). “I totally disengaged with horror in the late Eighties, early Nineties because that was the era of the slasher film,” Krasinski says. “There was nothing I could relate to other than pure fear for my life. Now these movies have so much going on that you can relate to.” He cites something that his friend, the screenwriter Drew Goddard, said: the beauty of horror and fantasy is that “it keeps you at an arm’s distance from the movie in a good way. If you’re a child of divorce, Kramer vs Kramer or Marriage Story might be way too real, and you might not engage with it. Whereas if you watch ET you are so much more willing to engage in the conversation of divorce because it allows you this prism to look at it through.” As essential as Blunt was for the commercial viability of the sequel, which Krasinski directed and wrote, it’s Regan, played by the deaf actress Millicent Simmonds, who has the lead role this time. “This idea that Millie would be the main character was really important to me,” he says. “This idea of the franchise being led by a 15-year-old girl was really fun.” Extraordinarily expressive and emotionally intelligent, Simmonds seems to beguile everybody who works with her. “She’s kind of an angelic character,” Krasinski says. He first saw her in Wonderstruck, the drama by Todd Haynes. “I wrote to Todd and said, ‘How was your experience with this girl?’ And he said, ‘She’ll not only make your movie better, she’ll make your life better.’ I mean, isn’t that amazing?” They communicate in the film in sign language – Krasinski says he’s pretty good, but Noah Jupe, the English actor who plays Marcus, is fluent. (Offcamera, Simmonds has an interpreter, 35

although she often doesn’t need them because her lip-reading is so good.) Signing has a way of intensifying cinematic conversations. Krasinski’s favourite scene in the first film, “which probably sounds totally selfish, is when I say to Regan, ‘I have always loved you.’ ” Lee had partly blamed her for the death of Beau on a bridge. The father-daughter rapprochement comes just before Lee sacrifices himself, getting chomped by a monster so Regan and Marcus can escape. “One of the most important things about the first movie to me was exploring a relationship between a father and a daughter that wasn’t perfect,” Krasinski says. “They were best friends at some point. And because of what happened on the bridge, there is a level of forgiveness that couldn’t be reached by the father. But in his last moments he lets her know that his love for her never changed. “What does that do to a kid who had lived the last two years thinking that her father hated her? Now that the father’s gone, what is her decision making? I wanted to deal with loss in a very real way, as much as we dealt with parenthood in a very real way.” The sequel features a newcomer, played by Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders), who lacks some of Lee’s touchy-feeliness. “Having our family come from this incredibly supportive place of love and preparation and safety is certainly not where anyone else is coming from,” Krasinski says. “When you are living devoid of those things, you become a lot darker.” The film hadn’t been finished at the time of our interview, but trailers suggest that the family make their way to a 36

city. Not a quiet place. Lots of noise, lots of peril, including a tripwire connected to a string of glass bottles. There are also flashbacks to before the alien invasion, which opens the door to a Krasinski cameo. He admits that he sometimes missed acting on set “because you’re missing out on the fun. When someone’s starting to deliver a real performance, you’re conjuring some sort of magic dust, and to be the disembodied head behind the screen that goes, ‘Cut, let’s do it again!’ — the dust all falls to the floor.” A Quiet Place Part II was largely shot in Buffalo, New York, Krasinski and Blunt moving there with their daughters Hazel, seven, and Violet, four, in 2019. That was far preferable to filming Mary Poppins Returns, when the girls went to the shoot in London with Blunt while Krasinski remained in the US. “That was brutal,” he says. “Leaving your children is always the hardest part.” (Since the pandemic, the family live together in London). Neither Hazel nor Violet has seen A Quiet Place, for obvious reasons. “Emily says our movie is PG-40,” Krasinski says with a laugh. His other day job is similarly inappropriate, playing the title role in the spy series Jack Ryan. “I think the girls think I just go in to be an accountant all day or something,” he says. “Mummy, they’re very clear, is an actress, because she’s got Mary Poppins. And now she’ll have Jungle Cruise. I’m screwed.” His next project, Imaginary Friends, sounds more kiddie-friendly. Krasinski will direct and act in the comedy-drama, which stars his friend Reynolds as the only person in the world who can see children’s

imaginary friends. “The only people doing that perfect integration of comedy and drama in my and Ryan’s opinion is Pixar,” he says “So we’re trying to do a live Pixar movie.” While living in Brooklyn, Blunt had to get used to “raising two Americanaccented kids rather than small Mary Poppins children”, he says. His family were relatively nearby in Boston, where he grew up, the son of a doctor and a nurse. His early life sounds like one of textbook East Coast overachievement, culminating in an English degree at the Ivy League Brown University and a spell studying with the RSC in Stratford. His friends include fellow Bostonians Matt Damon and Ben and Casey Affleck; Krasinski and Damon came up with the story for Manchester by the Sea, for which Casey won an Oscar. Yet Clooney looms even larger in his life. “George has been a mentor to me in every aspect, more as a person even than as someone involved in the business,” Krasinski says. He and Blunt got married in 2010 at Clooney’s house on Lake Como in Italy. The two men have been friends since Krasinski played a college American football star in Clooney’s Leatherheads in 2008. When he turned down Clooney’s invitation to an early preview screening of the film, to allow the film-makers to iron out any problems, he was given a dressing down. “George said, ‘Are you telling me that for the rest of your career you’re just going to be an actor? You have to see how the sausage is made.’ It was an incredibly important moment in my life.” Krasinski is now an actor, writer, director and sausage-maker extraordinaire.

Credit: Ed Potton/The Times/News International

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Previous pages: Krasinski sets up a shot for A Quiet Place Opposite, top to bottom: Still from Leatherheads; Krasinski and wife Emily Blunt

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George Clooney has been a mentor to me in every aspect, more as a person even than as someone involved in the business

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Legendary Scottish photographer Albert Watson reflects on a career spanning more than 50 years WORDS: CHRIS ANDERSON

EVERYTHING

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lbert Watson’s accent is hard to pin down, a bit like the man himself. Born in Edinburgh in 1942, but emigrating to the US in the early 1970s, the famed photographer’s voice is softer and warmer than expected, with those familiar Scottish notes obscured, polished and buffered by decades of working abroad. In short, he is a joy to listen to, and this is perhaps a reason why he has succeeded putting his subjects at ease, from celebrities to supermodels, or embarking on photography tours of Las Vegas and Morocco – if he suggested such an ambitious assignment to a client, he would ask so nicely they would probably just agree. Talking to Watson, and at the same time flicking through his new book, Creating Photographs – which is his personal guide to becoming a professional photographer, with advice on everything from finding inspiration to lighting, using 100 of his most iconic images to help illustrate his points – the sheer scale and variety of his work becomes apparent. But what he has chosen not to dwell on is his own historic successes, including over 100 Vogue covers; 40 covers for Rolling Stone; exhibitions in galleries and museums around the world; being named one of the world’s 20 most influential photographers of all time by a leading industry magazine; and collecting an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II. Does it need to be mentioned? After all, the images speak for themselves. But as we move through the pages, switching from shots of Mick Jagger to outtakes from campaigns for Prada and Chanel, back to Mike Tyson and then onto a stunning landscape image from the Isle of Skye, is there a reason 40

why Watson chose never to specialise? After all, some photographers might opt for the fashion or celebrity angle, then keep a tight focus on their client base. “I’ve always kept an interest in still life, portraiture and fashion, and I like to run all these things together,” he explains. “I’ve been in New York now for 40 years – working, always doing my own projects, really holding on to all these experiences from the past, but always looking towards the future.” Yes, Watson is still working, which is remarkable as he approaches 80. His career, meanwhile, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, taking off when the photographer first moved to the States in 1970, selling an early shoot to Max Factor in Los Angeles and establishing himself in the fashion industry. “In 1973, I got a call from Harper’s Bazaar, and they asked me if I’d photographed anyone famous before,” he recalls, describing how his journey evolved. “I said, ‘Yeah,

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We had to build a glass partition next to Jagger, so that the leopard couldn’t get to him. That was interesting

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Opening pages, from left to right: Andy Warhol, 1985; Christy Turlington, 1990 These pages. from left to right: Albert Watson; Mick Jagger, 1992

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photography is like learning to drive a car. And like ‘ Learning driving a car, it’s not how you do it, but where you take it ’

These pages, clockwise from opposite: Gigi Hadid, 2019; Alfred Hitchcock, 1973; Mike Tyson, 1986

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one or two,’ and of course I hadn’t. So they asked me to photograph the film director, Alfred Hitchcock.” Apparently, Hitchcock was a gourmet cook, and was to present the magazine with a goose recipe for its Christmas issue, which needed an image to illustrate it. The brief asked for the director holding a plate with the goose on it, but Watson had other ideas. “I told them, I think it might be better if he’s holding the plucked goose by the neck, like he’s strangled it,” he says. “So I put some Christmas decorations around the goose’s neck, it seemed to me a little more Hitchcock. The magazine loved it, and that portrait changed my career.” Watson also uses the story to illustrate one of his tips in the book – even if you feel you might not have the right experience for a job, just go for it. Taking that risk paved the way for other iconic images, from a striking 1985 shot of Andy Warhol, who was holding a beach ball out of view to achieve his twisted pose, to Christy Turlington blowing smoke from her mouth in 1990. 44

There is also the shot of a young Mike Tyson from 1986, taken from the reverse, showing the incredible width of the fighter’s neck. “I had this idea to do a fighter from the back,” Watson explains. “My father was a boxer, and he always said the strength of a really good fighter is in his neck. I had Mike Tyson work out for 15 minutes before I photographed him, so you can see the sweat beads on him.” Preparation was also key in the slightly concerning image of Mick Jagger, sat in a Corvette next to a leopard, taken in 1992. “That was for the 25th anniversary issue of Rolling Stone,” says Watson. “It was before digital, and nowadays you’d shoot the leopard and Jagger separately, then put the two together, but it turned out this leopard was actually quite dangerous. We had to build a glass partition next to Jagger, so that the leopard couldn’t get to him. That was interesting.” There are other surprising shots in the book, gathered from Watson’s long career, with a running man, originally taken as a Polaroid in San Francisco in

1992, blown up as a large-format print for an exhibition, and the scratches of the format complementing the composition, among the highlights. This sits next to an image from a 1992 fashion shoot inspired by Malcolm X, with models portraying the activist, a bodyguard and a shouting aggressor, inspired by an old film Watson had glimpsed on a TV screen just minutes before. Both are used to illustrate points about creativity. Much can be learned from Watson, and by reading his book, with it only fitting to offer him the last word – especially with his soft-spoken voice, and that velvety Scottish accent. “Learning photography is like learning to drive a car,” he muses. “And like driving a car, it’s not how you do it, but where you take it. You have to work very hard, but if you truly want to be a photographer and you’re passionate about it, that will carry you through.” Creating Photographs by Albert Watson is available now from Laurence King Publishing, laurenceking.com

asked if I’d photographed anyone famous before. ‘ Harper’sIBazaar said, ‘Yeah, one or two,’ and of course I hadn’t ’

These pages. from left to right: ‘Running Man’ from Luomo Vogue, 1992; fashion shoot inspired by Malcolm X from Arena magazine, 1992 45

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Tom Ford had ‘an immediate crush’ when they met and she’s one of Chanel’s youngest muses. Scarlett Russell is charmed by Ellie Bamber WORDS: SCARLETT RUSSELL

These pages, left to right: still from TV production of Les Miserables (2018); still from Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals (2016)

it up on London’s nightlife scene? “I’m not that glamorous,” Bamber insists. “But we do hang out here and there. We have fun when we’re all on a job together, when you run into each other at parties, that sort of thing. There was a Serpent reunion in London before the lockdown, which sadly I couldn’t make because I was away filming. We do have a WhatsApp group.” She grew up in Berkshire, England. Her father, David, “manages people’s private investments”, while her mother, Zoe, is actually her manager. “She couldn’t be less of a momager,” Bamber says. “She’s not pushy at all.” Bamber’s career started at 18 when she starred in an Old Vic production of High Society. Shortly afterwards Tom Ford cast her as Jake Gyllenhaal and Isla Fisher’s daughter in his 2016 thriller Nocturnal Animals. After their first meeting Ford told her that she had “great style” and he later said: “I had an immediate crush on her the first time I met her.” The two are still on great terms. “A while ago we sat next to each other at a party. He’s great at imparting wisdom. If I ever wanted advice I’d go to him.”

Karl Lagerfeld is another designer who fell for the actress and she became one of the fashion house’s youngest muses – he started dressing her for events from 18 and in 2017, when she was 20, made her a Chanel ambassador. The two would send each other handwritten letters. “I’ve kept them all, of course,’’ she says. Her “off-duty” look consists of Nike Dunk trainers, an Acne Studios bomber jacket and paisley flares, and a Chanel backpack. “I like to mix and match,” she says. “I shop for vintage – I’m big on Depop at the moment. I find joy in fashion. My style is eclectic. My friends are, like, ‘What’s she going to turn up in this time?’” Of course she hasn’t been turning up in anything recently. The life of an actress in lockdown is “Zoom meetings, Zoom chemistry reads, Zoom all sorts”. She turned 24 in February. Celebrations were “very chilled. My brother is living with me at the moment, so we hung out, watched a film, went for a walk and had some food.” Thai is one of her favourites, and she learnt how to cook it during the three and a half months she spent filming The Serpent at the end of 2019.

Credit: Scarlett Russell / The Sunday Times Style Magazine / News Licensing

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he pub!” Ellie Bamber exclaims. “A restaurant! Dancing with my friends! Dressing up!” I’ve asked the actress what she’s most looking forward to when restrictions lift in the UK and people are finally allowed back out into the wild. “The Scotch of St James in Mayfair is a great place to go. I really love to dance, so anywhere that bridges the gap between pub and club.” She pauses, then says wistfully: “I just can’t wait to wear heels again.” I’m speaking to Bamber shortly after UK prime minister Boris Johnson has announced plans to end restrictions in England on June 21 and everyone is breathing (albeit from behind a mask) a huge sigh of relief. Especially, I imagine, an actress such as Bamber, one of the bright young things on the London acting scene and who is having ‘A Moment’. She played one of the leads in the hit crime thriller The Serpent, the true story of the dogged pursuit by Herman and Angela Knippenberg (played by Billy Howle and Bamber) of the ‘bikini killer’ Charles Sobhraj in the 1970s. The first episode alone was streamed 5.5 million times, even before moving to Netflix. By rights, as a 24-year-old starlet, Bamber should be spending her evenings on red carpets, reaping the glory. She shrugs. “It will be lovely to go to parties again, but what can you do? I had one of the best experiences I’ve ever had making that show. It was so much fun and so creative. I will always hold that dear to me.” If you didn’t watch The Serpent (and, seriously, what were you doing instead?), you may have seen Bamber playing the 1960s model Mandy Rice-Davies in The Trial of Christine Keeler or Cosette opposite Dominic West in Les Misérables: primetime roles in seasonal dramas seem to be a speciality. “One of my friends calls me the ‘Christmas special’,” Bamber says with a laugh. Indeed, she’s terrific company: I suspect the centre of fun and mischief on a night out. Howle and Jenna Coleman, her co-stars in The Serpent, are “100 per cent great friends” and she has also acted opposite James Norton, Lily James, Matt Smith and Douglas Booth (a rumoured ex-boyfriend). Were it not for Covid, would they all be living

Ford is great at imparting wisdom. ‘ Tom If I ever wanted advice, I’d go to him ’ 49

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Everyone should be working on themselves, to understand that we all have faults as human beings and we can all be better

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“We were living in the same apartment block and would take it in turns to host dinners. I already knew Jenna a little. We all had such fun exploring Bangkok and became really tightknit.” Acting isn’t the only thing that Bamber and Coleman have in common: they have both dated the actor Richard Madden, Coleman in 2012 and Bamber for 18 months, splitting in early 2019. “Sorry, I prefer to keep those things not secret but …” she replies when I ask about it. So is she single now? She laughs and throws up her hands to her face. “There might be a someone. I’m not telling.” I ask if having a tabloid-interest relationship has put her off dating fellow actors. “I don’t think so. It’s about the connection with the person. I need to be open to finding love in any capacity. [Dating publicly] is a hard thing to navigate. I know who I am as a person, but I’m still growing. I feel like I need a glass of wine and to talk to you about this!” She’s passionate about therapy, though, and thinks that everyone should have it. “Therapy has

definitely helped me with anything I’ve been struggling with. Everyone should be working on themselves, to understand that we all have faults as human beings and we can all be better. I know that from a personal perspective it has helped me with myself at times when I felt not so great. I’m very happy now, though.” And why shouldn’t she be? This year she will be filming Willow, a big-budget Disney+ TV series airing in 2022, produced by Ron Howard and based on the 1988 dark fantasy film. She is the top-billed lead and the project will certainly boost her profile in America. There are four more independent films in the works, including Stranger with a Camera, shot by a mainly female team in Northern Ireland last year. “It’s about a girl living with her father, but she has trauma, inherited PTSD, and she starts uncovering her family’s involvement in the IR A,” Bamber says. “I’m looking forward to getting back to work, going back on set,’’ she admits. ‘‘Working will take up most of the year – and that’s great!”

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When the going gets tough, fashion students need a little extra help to get going. Luckily, a host of style titans have stepped up WORDS: STEPHEN DOIG

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iego Della Valle, the charismatic chairman of the family-owned footwear titan Tod’s, wins the contest for most impressive Zoom setup. While most of us make do with a neutral backdrop – and perhaps a shirt collar if we’re really making an effort – the 67-year-old appears fresh from one of his morning runs through the cyprus-dotted hillsides of rural Italy, which he has been enjoying throughout lockdown, in a pin-sharp ensemble. No leisurewear for Mr Della Valle; he’s in his signature blazer (with pocket square), shirt with upturned collar and a cascading silk foulard in lieu of a tie. “I have to jog because there’s so much good food here; it’s non-stop mozzarella, spaghetti, tomatoes. So I’m trying to make an effort,” he says, as sunshine streams in across whitewashed walls. Della Valle is no stranger to going the extra mile – after all, in 1987, he took over the modest family shoemaking business and steered it to an annual turnover of £800 million ($1.132 billion) – and his latest venture is a prime example. Tod’s has partnered with Central Saint Martins, London’s most prestigious fashion school, to offer mentoring and training to its students. “Last April, the world was in such a crisis, everyone was finding it so tough, and it felt right to try and do something. This virus has devastated the older population, obviously, but it’s had a terrible impact on the young, and on their futures. We could help, so we did,” he says of the support the brand has pledged, working with students on the fashion MA course, which fostered the talents of Alexander McQueen, Phoebe Philo, Stella McCartney and Christopher Kane among others. Kanye West once applied to join the course, but was turned down by its formidable director, the late Louise Wilson. As a former student myself, I can attest to her fearsomeness (as well as her kindness), and to the demanding nature of the course. What you do in class matters, but so does building relationships with brands and understanding how they operate. In practical terms, the collaboration tasks MA students with submitting designs to interpret some of the stars in the Tod’s firmament – for example, the bestselling Gommino driving shoe, as well as bags and clothing – in their 54

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They are so much on their phones, seeing the world in a virtual way – especially now – that to feel and touch something that’s taken decades to perfect really has an effect on them own way. From there, 35 are chosen by Della Valle and his design team to enjoy a period of mentorship with a panel that includes Vogue Italia editor Emanuele Farneti, fashion critic Sarah Mower, and designer Simone Rocha (virtually for the moment, but in due course in the flesh). When conditions allow and travel is safe, the plan is to send some students to the brand’s impressive HQ in Brancadoro, Le Marche, to learn from the skilled artisans at this historical centre of shoemaking. Here, the craftspeople will impart their wisdom; it’s not unusual for two or more generations of the same family to sit alongside each other in the workrooms. The elder statesman among them is Toni Ripani, the doyen of the leathercraft department, who has been there for 43 years. A chosen few will be awarded an internship within the manufacture, with the possibility of seeing their designs come

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to life and go on sale. Della Valle has also made an undisclosed financial contribution to the college, and he has plans to roll out the enterprise to other fashion schools across the world. “I wanted to shine a light on these young talents, because now more than ever it’s difficult to get a start in the industry. It’s great for the students, obviously, but it’s also wonderful for us,” says the genial mogul. “They are the next generation, and they bring an exciting new energy with them. I’m sure our craftspeople will teach them, but they can teach us a lot, too. Saint Martins is utterly unique.” Its course may be unique, but the stresses its students operate under affect all those studying the arts. The UK government’s financial support for further education has prioritised STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) over creative ones. With the pandemic throwing the academic calendar – and the

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Opening page: Diego Della Valle All other pages: behind the scenes and fledgling designs from the Tod’s Legacy Project

internships that act as crucial footholds into the industry – into disarray, things have only got worse. “The world has changed, and we have to give back. You have a responsibility to the people who work for you, to your country, and to your heritage,” Della Valle says, alluding to his grandfather Filippo, who founded the family shoe making business in 1900. In a sense, imparting knowledge to the younger generation has always been part of the Tod’s modus operandi, with older craftsmen in Brancadoro working with fledgling members of the team to train them in the intricacies of leather, the suppleness of soles, the details of stitching. “One shoemaker will teach two or three young men or women. I think a lot of them are surprised to learn about the quality. They are so much on their phones, seeing the world in a virtual way – especially now – that to feel and touch something that’s taken decades to perfect really has an effect on them.” Della Valle is not the only tycoon among an older generation to be worried about the future for today’s students. It was a similar concern for new graduates that prompted the shoemaking legend Jimmy Choo to venture into education this year. The designer, who co-founded the Jimmy Choo brand in the 1990s together with Tamara Mellon, has set up a new enterprise, the JCA London Fashion Academy, to teach a BA in fashion design, as well as courses in branding and entrepreneurship. Situated in a Grade II listed town house in Mayfair, his academy aims to combine the creative aspects of fashion with savvy business acumen.

The world has ‘ changed, and we have to give back. You have a responsibility to the people who work for you, to your country, and to your heritage

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“Now more ever it’s important for higher education to teach students about both design and business,” says Choo, who was bought out of his half of his namesake brand 2001, walking away with a £21 million (£29 million) golden goodbye. Coming from a family of shoemakers in Malaysia, Choo honed his craft at the Cordwainers College in London, but in retrospect feels it didn’t teach good enough business skills to its students and didn’t give them an insight into the gritty realities of the commercial world. “We were not taught how to run a business, and success was not measured in profit,” says the 72-year old. “Teaching our students to be entrepreneurs is at the heart of the JCA.” The college opens its doors to students this September and is taking applications now. For Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen, launching an educational programme was a way to give back to the institutions that had trained her and Lee McQueen himself – both graduates of the Central Saint Martins MA. Debuting

last year, a fabric donation scheme supplies surplus material to fashion courses across the UK. The fabrics include taffetas and tailoring cloths, with the Manchester School of Art receiving specially developed tulle. The house’s Bond Street store hosts exhibitions, talks and a workshop in fabric draping that students are encouraged to take advantage of. “I was so lucky,” says Burton. “Because when I first worked at McQueen as a student, Lee helped me source fabrics for my final collection.” Last month, she oversaw a second round of fabric donations, with young designers benefiting. “The McQueen fabric donations are a great equaliser, because materials are expensive and often it’s the students with generous parents who end up getting the best,” says Steven StokeyDaley, who encountered the initiative while studying fashion design at the University of Westminster. “The McQueen project gives everyone access to the finest fabric and creates a level playing field.” The designer was approached by the house after graduating to continue using their offcut materials. Since then, his billowing trousers in floral fabrics have caught the attention of Harry Styles. “I think there’s something in the masculine feminine interplay that appeals and is interesting. “When times are so much more difficult for young creative people, taking action to share resources and open eyes has become a central commitment,” says Burton. And in doing so, she and other powerful figures are ensuring a future generation of McQueens in the making. 57

Motoring

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JUNE 2021: ISSUE 117

It’s A Rollercoaster Universe-rippingly quick, is the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo just too hot to handle?

it’s as tough-looking as it is pretty. In front of the driver is the classic Porsche setup, with three dials, the central one being the largest. But it’s a fully digital driver’s display – no analogue dials here – and of course, as it’s electric the traditional rev counter has been done away with, since there are no gears to change. Instead there’s a power metre and speed display as standard, though you can switch what’s displayed in each of the three binnacle elements using the controls on the steering wheel, for example to show navigation, trip data, power flow to each wheel or G-forces. If you prefer, you can make the navigation full width across the entire driver’s display. Digital screens are everywhere in the front of this car – the central infotainment touchscreen is complemented by a screen below it that seems to be for temperature control and media, but I can’t say that I needed to use it once during my time with the car (and, due to the ferocity of the performance, I didn’t have time to take my eyes off the road). The seats in the Turbo S are tremendous — supportive and comfortable, without being overly padded. Forward and side visibility are very good, though visibility at the rear is less easy — the view through the mirrors isn’t terrible but the reversing camera and sensors are handy to have when reversing into tighter spaces. Space for rear passengers is surprisingly good in four-seat configuration, though the Cross Turismo can be ordered with three seats in the back, which would restrict shoulder room. But with an extra 47mm of headroom available in the saloon, even very tall adults don’t have to crane their necks (even with the spectacular one-piece panoramic glass roof), and their legs should have plenty of space, too. When using sat nav, the car can calculate how much charge you’ll have when you reach your destination, and if you set a specific battery level required at journey’s end, charging stations en route will be highlighted to ensure you arrive with enough charge. It’s smart enough to recognise how fast the chargers are, and how long charging will take, and can therefore select the speediest options. It will also pre-condition the battery before

you arrive at a rapid charger in order to speed up the initial warm-up phase. The basic set-up of the adaptive air suspension involves double-wishbones at the front and rear, though it’s more complicated than that and I won’t bore you with it here. Those are linked to three-chamber air suspension allowing for a comfortable ride when cruising around or in town, and stiffer settings when pressing, with millisecond adjustments during acceleration, braking and cornering. The effect is very obvious, and refinement on motorways is as impressive as I have experienced in any car – so smooth, comfortable and quiet, with little noise noticeable from tyres, air or motor. The steering feels heavy and focused on the straight ahead to keep it nice and centred in your lane. Then take it on twisty, bumpy British country lanes and the character changes. The Turbo S is so fast (062mph takes 2.9sec) and agile it becomes almost frightening, with the suspension tested to the extreme. Changes of pace can be ferocious. Slow down to a safe speed for a corner and then plant the accelerator, and the chassis seems to contort as differing amounts of grip is found in each corner and you’re blasted over potholes and undulations as if skipping a jet fighter along the asphalt from corner to corner. The performance, grip, rear steering, optional PDCC roll stabilisation, torque vectoring, stopping power and, crucially on these roads, extra ride height, render the car’s heft utterly irrelevant. Honestly, I found that the Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo is much more capable than I am of keeping it all together along country lanes, to a point at which I began to feel nauseous and had stop for a breath of fresh air. It’s a rollercoaster ride, and you’re either a fan of rollercoasters or not. I fear I may no longer have the stomach for them. Having been thoroughly shocked at the Turbo S’s turn of pace on tricky backroads, though, give me the entry-level Taycan 4 Cross Turismo any day. It comes with a plenty quick enough 0-62mph time of a shade over five seconds. Now, where are my slippers…

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t may seem ambitious that by 2025, Porsche expects 50% of the cars it sells to be either pure-electric or plug-in hybrid, but the company says it’s already well on the way to achieving that: one in three of the vehicles it delivered in Europe last year had an electric powertrain. The pure-electric Taycan saloon (or is it a sports car? Or grand tourer?) is a major part of that plan, and the burgeoning product range now includes this: the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo, a new model based on the same formula but with jacked up suspension, off-road driving modes and an estate-style rear end. I was handed the keys to a Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo – the most powerful version – and ventured into the English countryside. Prior to doing so, however, I asked Porsche’s PR man, “Is it an estate? A shooting brake? You don’t call it a crossover, I take it?” “Well, we just use the term Cross Turismo, really,” came the reply. As unhelpful as that may seem, it’s an honest answer for a car that spans a few categories. It combines sports car performance and grand tourer comfort with estate practicality and a coupé rear end (hence shooting brake), but it sits 20mm higher off the ground than the regular Taycan to make it more usable on broken surfaces. Opt for the Off-Road Design Package and you get a further 10mm of ground clearance, along with plastic trim to help protect the paintwork. Stefan Wekkman, Porsche’s product chief, describes the new Cross Turismo as “the automotive equivalent of a Swiss army knife”. But if this was a car designed by committee, its remarkably good-looking. From every angle, it’s clearly a Porsche, with the Taycan’s front end receiving a tweak around the front apron, while the back end is a masterclass in unboxy, contemporary design. The rear end has a squat, powerful, shrink-wrapped look. The pictures don’t do it justice; you need to see it in the metal. Of course, the sloping roofline doesn’t maximise boot space, and I’m not the biggest fan of modern Porsches’ headlight design, but the higher stance, off-road trim and black roof rails (which come as standard), means

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You’re blasted over undulations as if skipping a jet fighter along the asphalt from corner to corner

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Gastronomy JUNE 2021: ISSUE 117

Mafia Don

Wagyumafia head honcho Hisato Hamada talks prized cattle and his world-famous sandwich

WORDS: JOHN THATCHER

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hile chefs will differ on what constitutes the perfect slab of beef – from how the cow was reared and fed to how it has been cooked – Hisato Hamada is in no doubt that what’s served up from his kitchens is without equal. The reason? “The criteria are pretty simple: we only use the top one percent of the top one percent of Wagyu, and it must be handchosen by me,” he states unequivocally. Wagyu carries quite the reputation in the West, where stories abound of cattle being massaged daily while listening to classical music and slurping up sake. “Not entirely accurate,” Hamada says. “But the cows are combed and groomed. Sometimes they are fed malted barley, a by-product of beer, to help them have a healthy digestive system. Ultimately, they need to be raised by a farmer who is a good person. A farmer who is a good person will raise good Wagyu” This belief is at the heart of what spurred Hamada to open Wagyumafia, a collective of ultrahigh-end restaurants celebrating the qualities and versatility of Japan’s most famous beef through various dynamic concepts, the latest of which, Wagyumafia District, opened earlier this year in Tokyo. “In 2008, I was working on the film distribution of the documentary, Food Inc., which exposed the practices of US corporate farming,” remembers Hamada. “A Japanese Wagyu farmer named Muneharu Ozaki had watched the film and contacted me afterwards, inviting me to visit his ranch. Ozaki 62

san wanted to show me how he raises his cattle, with love and care, as a contrast to how many other cattle are treated. While many cows are injected with additives such as hormones and antibiotics to engineer a desired type of meat, Ozaki san insists on natural and organic feed. He feeds his cows organic ryegrass and natural mineral water with a homemade mix that includes corn and barley. “I had some preconceived ideas of Wagyu as being fatty or unhealthy, but this meeting with Ozaki san inspired me and showed me the truth about Wagyu. I saw Ozaki san as a farmer who wants to change the system, no matter how challenging that may be. From my visit to the farm, I was compelled to share what the Wagyu farmers are doing and how they devote their lives to ensuring a safe and healthy environment for the animals. I wanted to help them gain recognition for their work and their craft. From there, I started another business called Viva Japan and eventually became a Kobe beef supplier. Ultimately, this led to the opening of the first Wagyumafia.” Despite starting out in the film industry, a change of career was always likely. “My parents’ love for food, their home cooking and the time we spent together in the kitchen, has always stayed with me throughout my life. I grew up watching my mother cook and loved helping her. I developed an appreciation for making food, learned how to use certain kitchen items, and what went into her dishes.”

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What was a surprise, however, was the type of restaurant Hamada debuted. “It was a members-only French restaurant where I could show French films that I had purchased, and members could watch movies while enjoying a multi-course meal. Though I didn’t work in the kitchen, I created the menu and hired the chefs.” The idea of a members-only restaurant remained with Hamada, with the pandemic proving the right conditions to rebirth the idea in a new guise. And while ‘members only’ may hint at elitism, it translates to something more inclusive for Hamada. “Wagyumafia District is my answer to coping with this crazy COVID situation. When everyone needed to be isolated, they realised that the most important thing about being a human is community. “As a membership-based restaurant, I wanted to create a place people know they are not alone and can feel attached to a community. It was challenging, but after half a year now, you see solo diners make friends with other guests, everyone gets to know one another. It is similar to Japanese street culture, like Nonbei Yokocho in Tokyo, where you are shoulder to shoulder with other people at these small counters, and everyone becomes friends and knows each other. I wanted to recreate this feeling so people can feel safe and warm,” he enthuses. Wagyu is a generic term for Japanese beef, with Kobe being a specific type and arguably the best known outside of Japan. It comes from Tajima cattle, an old province in the north of Hyogo prefecture, which is one of the criteria it must meet to qualify (others include that it must be a heifer or bullock; must have a marbling score of between 6 and 12 on a marbling scale of 1 to 12, and must be born, raised and slaughtered by certified farmers, with the entire procedure handled in Hyogo prefecture.) These cows are costly to farm and equally costly to purchase: “the cost of a good-looking Mercedes-Benz,” Hamada jokes. Which may explain why Wagyumafia (which sources five brands of beef from 15 farms, including that of the aforementioned Ozaki) hit the headlines for serving up the world’s most expensive sandwich. “I like my food to be simple,” Hamada says of 64

Previous page and right: Hisato Hamada by SarahLouise & Christopher from @the_adventuresofu Left: Wagyumafia District

only use the top one percent of the ‘topWeone percent of Wagyu, and it must be hand-chosen by me ’ the Kobe beef chateaubriand cutlet sandwich. “One day I thought, ‘Why don’t we just use the most expensive cut of beef in the sando?’ The cutlet sando is a simple food, but it is difficult to make because you have to source the chateaubriand, the most premium cut of beef. But the significant part is, everyone understands it immediately; whether they are a child or a grandparent, they get it. I love street food; everyone does; I’m often inspired by it and then translate it into a fine dining experience.” A recent culinary tour of Japan has provided further opportunities for Hamada to celebrate some of the country’s lesser-known produce. “A few weeks ago in Hokkaido, I met some potato farmers, and now I’m making a potato dish. These potatoes are incredible; they are stored for two years in an enormous warehouse temperature-controlled by the Hokkaido snow. After I learned about farming these potatoes, the Hokkaido government asked me to create a dish using them, so it’s

become very meaningful to me. “I will be, and already am, integrating a lot of these newly discovered products into my cooking at the restaurants, bringing these flavours and ingredients from all over Japan to our kitchens. Many people have beautiful products; they just don’t always have a way to showcase them, so I feel I can help with that.” Having toured the Wagyumafia brand to over 85 cities across 15 countries for pop-ups and one-off chef collaborations, could the Middle East be one of the places where such produce is permanently showcased? “I have visited the Middle East four times in the last two years and find it incredibly fascinating each time,” Hamada replies. “I love visiting local areas, trying the cuisine, and seeing the historical sites, which are all so vibrant and interesting. We also really enjoyed participating in Riyadh Season in 2019. So, definitely, yes to visiting and yes to opening something in this region of the world.” Simple as that. Just the way Hamada likes it.

JOURNEYS BY JET

The Rooster

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Antiparos, Greece

Travel JUNE 2021 : ISSUE 117

he lesser-known Greek island of Antiparos holds a special place in the heart of Athanasia Comninos. To embody that love, Athanasia has created her own special place on the island, The Rooster, a 17-room boutique hotel that debuts this month. Conceived as a wellness and lifestyle retreat that embraces ‘slow living’, The Rooster has been designed with unpretentious luxury in mind and excellent service to the fore. Cloistered between the sandy, unspoilt beaches of the Aegean coastline and the dramatic landscape of the Cyclades amidst open fields and the mystical caves of Antiparos, The Rooster is a complete passion project of owner Athanasia, who made it her mission to safeguard the island by fostering ‘respectful’ tourism. This is a retreat all about space and privacy: just 17 individual houses of differing size, each with its own independent character. With four different layouts to choose from, each is complete with ample space, private gardens, a freshwater pool and outdoor showers. Overlooking landscaped gardens or the sparkling Aegean, they all feature furnished terraces and spacious sundecks. Physical and emotional wellbeing, and environmental awareness, lie at the core of The Rooster’s thinking. The property’s farm-to-fork philosophy celebrates seasonal, homegrown ingredients and many of the traditional and regional recipes served at The Restaurant contain fruits and vegetables plucked straight from the farm. Fresh fish is delivered daily by the island’s fishermen, while cheeses, free-range eggs and spirits are all procured locally – and exclusive to Antiparos and Greece. And while The Restaurant is the communal hub of the resort, the Secret Garden is an intimate, romantic experience reminiscent of the traditional courtyards found within Cycladic houses. This is a secluded spot to drink and dine under the light of the stars. Inside the spa (christened here as the ‘House of Healing’) treatments are tailored to the individual, using pure organic products and guided rituals that draw on traditional ancestral and ancient medicine to embrace primary ways of healing – sound healing, being one. This is a place to arrive, completely relax away from the stresses of everyday life, and leave feeling renewed. Land your jet at neighbour island, Paros, before taking a short boat transfer. 67

What I Know Now

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JUNE 2021: ISSUE 117

Ricardo Guadalupe CEO, HUBLOT

I had the chance to work with Jean-Claude Biver, who is one the biggest personalities of the Swiss watchmaking industry. I would even say he’s the number one. And I had the chance to meet him and to live 25 years of adventure with him. At first, I was just an employee. Throughout the years, it was more than just work: it became friendship. Today, I can say that Jean-Claude is a true friend beyond our professional relationship. The best piece of advice I’ve ever received is when you reach the top of the mountain, continue climbing. The time I first felt successful was actually back in 2008, when LVMH acquired Hublot! 68

One thing I make sure to do every day is to try to learn something. A lesson I learned the hard way relates to the pandemic. The confinement we are currently facing as a result of it has definitively changed how we spend our time. In the past year, I took time to read, time to walk in the forest, time to think, time to cook, as well as time to reinvent myself. Outside of my busisness, gastronomy inspires me. A chef constantly has to reinvent and be precise in his creations. My definition of personal success is having freedom.

Wash Basin and Accessories: RAK-DES Bathtub: RAK-CLOUD Shower Tray: RAK-FEELING Mirror: RAK-JOY