AIR Magazine - Empire Aviation - April'24

THE SUSTAINABILITY ISSUE

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Mrs.Mahallati

The Sustainability Issue

Publishing our annual sustainability issue during the holy month of Ramadan feels fitting. This time for reflection, renewal and solidarity, when we stop to consider others and the world around us, are also fundamental drivers towards a more sustainable way of living.

As the topic of sustainability has grown widespread in recent years, so too has its meaning developed to encompass not just conservation and environmental concerns but also health and social change. Celebrating that fact, we’ve drawn together people and brands from across the luxury landscape who are making a difference where change is needed.

We hear from model Amber Valletta, a thought leader and sustainability advocate; speak to the founders of pioneering luxury resort brand Soneva; and talk to an impassioned Kevin Pietersen about how he and Hublot are fighting for the rhino’s very survival. We also discover the young entrepreneur behind a new luxuryfocussed lab-diamonds brand; find out why Hollywood legend Leonardo DiCaprio is working with a little-known Swiss watch brand; and get a glimpse into the future of art, as technology intervenes to preserve artistic heritage. Enjoy their stories. Embrace their spirit.

JOHN Co-Owner & Editor-in-Chief AIR

FEATURES

Thirty Six Model Citizen Supermodel and sustainability advocate Amber Valletta on how her upbringing inspired her activism.

Forty Two A Voice For The Voiceless

How former cricketer Kevin Pietersen teamed up with luxury watchmaker Hublot to bat for wildlife’s cause.

Fifty Enough Is Enough

Back when upcycling wasn’t part of fashion’s lexicon, One Vintage and its eclectic founder Marcelle Symons blazed a trail. But has anything else changed?

REGULARS

Eighteen Radar

Twenty Objects of Desire

Twenty Two Art & Design

Twenty Six Jewellery

Thirty Two Timepieces

Fifty Six Motoring

Sixty Four Travel

Sixty Eight What I Know Now

Sixty Gastronomy

How a passion project in Cape Town became the world’s most sustainable restaurant, as well as one of its best.

Empire Aviation Group

Welcome Onboard

APRIL 2024

Welcome to this issue of AIR – Empire Aviation’s inspiring luxury lifestyle magazine. If you are reading this issue onboard an Empire operated flight, we wish you a comfortable and enjoyable journey.

It always feels good to share good news and so I am really delighted to confirm that the Empire Aviation team has added a further recognition to our growing list of aviation industry awards. The latest - ‘Aircraft Management Service Provider of the Year’ - was presented to a group of our senior team members at the Aviation Achievement Awards 2024, in Dubai.

According to the citation, the Aircraft Management Service Provider of the Year award is presented to the aircraft management organisation displaying exceptional dedication and service excellence, demonstrating why their aircraft management service is unique. This is a wonderful achievement by the team and a testament to their skill and dedication. The Aviation Achievement Awards are organised by Creative Middle East Media.

We are very proud and grateful to receive this industry award and especially for our core service – aircraft management. It’s the commitment, expertise and experience of our passionate team that delivers a very high degree of personalised service, which is essential when managing these high value assets and maximising the benefits and pleasure of the ownership experience. It’s a service built on close working relationships with aircraft owners and a high degree of trust in the company’s team of 130 experienced aviation experts.

Our goal is to ensure private aviation remains an unparalleled experience for owners while safeguarding aircraft asset value. We’ve been delivering this service since 2007 and have had the privilege of managing business jets from leading manufacturers such as Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, Gulfstream, and most recently, our inaugural Boeing Business Jet (BBJ).

While private jet ownership may not be a viable option for all, many can still relish the unparalleled experience of private aviation through aircraft chartering. Beyond its business utility, travel by private jet can serve as a gateway to remote locations, uncharted by conventional travel routes. Be it the secluded islands nestled in the Indian Ocean, adrenaline-inducing safaris in Africa, or the tranquil retreats located high in the Alps - a business jet makes them all effortlessly attainable.

A model like the exceptional Global 6000 not only ensures easy access but also promises an unparalleled journey marked by distinctive style and comfort. Dive deeper into the performance of the G6000 and the opulence of charter travel in the following pages.

Enjoy the read.

Paras P. Dhamecha Managing Director

Empire Aviation Group

About Empire Aviation Group

Since launching in Dubai UAE in 2007, Empire Aviation Group has developed into a global private aviation business integrating a comprehensive range of services, based on a distinctive aircraft management approach and personalised service, ensuring aircraft owners and clients enjoy all the privacy, safety, comfort and convenience of private aviation. Empire Aviation operates one of the Middle East’s largest managed fleets of business jets, with aircraft based in global locations. The company operates in the key regions for private aviation, covering the USA, Europe, India, Africa and Indonesia, in addition to the Middle East. The Empire Aviation team comprises 130 aviation specialists across the globe. Empire Aviation holds AOCs (Air Operator Certificates) in the UAE and San Marino.

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Cover : Kevin Pietersen, courtesy of Hublot

Empire Aviation Group

Fly To A Whole New Level

How elegance and performance combine to make Bombardier’s Global 6000 the perfect charter experience

Luxury travel is a serious business and travelling by private jet is one of life’s ultimate luxuries for couples, families and friends.

Empire Aviation’s Bombardier Global 6000 charter aircraft takes this experience to a whole new level. This trans-pacific private jet sets the standard and simplifies global business travel, getting you to your destination swiftly and in style.

The Bombardier Global 6000 is an ultra-long-range jet, providing nearly limitless flight options to both business and leisure luxury travellers. The aircraft stands out for its class-leading power and superb flying range of 6000nm (nautical miles), making it the perfect choice for long-haul flights. It puts you in easy reach of many of the world’s leading business and leisure destinations.

It comfortably accommodates up to 13 in plush seating, has a well-equipped galley, plus private

seating areas. There’s plenty of headroom and plenty of the allimportant luggage space. For onboard entertainment, the aircraft is fitted with the latest technology which includes wi-fi connectivity. The Ka-band (the fastest in-flight internet connectivity worldwide) will ensure that wherever you travel, you can always stay connected.

Beyond just the technical performance, the Bombardier Global 6000 offers generous interior space and style. With three defined interior zones, you can work, rest, or entertain in unparalleled comfort whenever you choose. The cabin design prioritises passenger comfort, with luxurious seating, sleep and rest areas providing ample room for movement.

One of the key benefits of chartering a private jet like the Bombardier Global 6000 with Empire Aviation is the flexibility it offers. Unlike commercial flights, a private jet

charter flight follows no rigid schedule and can be tailored to suit any travel need or specific itinerary, including multiple destinations. It goes where and when you want it to go.

In addition, Empire Aviation offers comprehensive aircraft charter services, allowing you to book charter flights from Dubai to anywhere in the world. The commitment to luxury and comfort ensures that you’ll travel in style, no matter where your destination may be.

Experiencing a journey aboard Empire Aviation’s Bombardier Global 6000 charter aircraft is truly unparalleled, irrespective of whether it’s for professional pursuits or personal escapades. This remarkable aircraft seamlessly marries the practicality of a business jet with the indulgence of a private charter, guaranteeing that you arrive at your destination in a state of utmost tranquillity and rejuvenation.

That’s serious travel luxury.

Empire Aviation Group

Travel Beyond The Ordinary

How travelling by private jet is the ultimate luxury

Luxury travel is not just about where you go but also how you get there. At a time when personal branding and storytelling is all part of the sharing experience of travel with your network of friends, families, colleagues, and social media followers, nothing impresses more than the refined and exclusive experience of a private jet. But it’s not all about ‘show’ –the end-to-end experience is truly unique and is driven by the ultimate luxury – the privacy and personal service that redefines travel.

Just imagine passing effortlessly through a private terminal that offers all the calm comforts of a 5-star hotel, boarding your private jet at leisure and taking off at your schedule and perhaps to arrive at one of the world's most fabulous destinations and your awaiting luxury hotel suite. It’s a rare and privileged experience that few of us can access but charter

makes the dream possible.

When you do choose to fly in your chartered private jet, the experience begins even before you board or take off, with a departure like no other. Exclusive access to private VIP terminals ensures you glide through a serene oasis at the lounge, where every detail from the plush seating to the ambient lighting speaks of a quiet sophistication with discreet personal service from attentive staff.

Your transfer to the awaiting business jet may be by limousine, whisking you quickly and directly to the steps.

Stepping aboard your jet and you enter a world like a penthouse apartment, with reclining leather chairs and fine design detailing all around - wood panelling caught in the sunlight filtering through the large cabin windows.

Inflight, highly trained crew offer personalised VIP service and ensure that your every need is met with

precision and personality. Silver service dining options catered to your taste, the finest beverages, entertainment and the choice of connecting – or disconnecting. It’s all about creating the peace of mind that comes with complete privacy and transforming your travel experience into a journey of tranquillity.

Even before you have taken off, you somehow know you’ve arrived. That’s the ultimate luxury.

As a charter broker, Empire Aviation can also arrange aircraft charter anywhere in the world for business or leisure, combining end-to end luxury and privacy, on the ground and at the destination. The company’s ‘Luxury Partner’ programme combines the unique benefits of private jet travel with award-winning travel partners. Your chartered business jet will take you there and stopover for as long as you need it.

When it comes to responsible luxury, Chopard has pioneered. A mesmeric celebration of its entrenched ethos, the ChopardxJuliaRobertshigh jewellery capsule collection is formed from a single 6,225-carat Insofu Emerald, which Chopard acquired in its rough form so that it could trace every step of the stone’s journey, from cutting through to its transformation into a ring, necklace, and pair of extraordinary earrings. “We’ve had a lot of fun bringing this set into reality, creating jewellery that’s beautiful, sustainable, and mixes the timeless allure of emerald with stunning colours and a stone I cherish, the turquoise,” enthused Roberts.

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

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

Since starting out as a small boutique beloved by locals in Berlin in 2014, Rianna + Nina has developed into a global brand worn by the likes of Rihanna, Billy Porter, and Madonna. Sustainability has been part of their practice since the beginning, so as well

as using upcycled vintage fabrics for their one-of-a-kind collection, all unused material from their ready-towear collections – the latest of which includes this beautifully patterned piece – is conserved to be reincorporated into the brand’s archive collection.

RIANNA + NINA SS24

John Lobb states that its commitment to sustainability has been an ‘unwavering constant’, feeding through its entire production process which employs the use of low-impact recyclable natural materials. There is also the fact that a handmade John Lobb shoe is not just for a season but for life – reparability and reusability are essential elements of its offering. That’s an added bonus should your eye be taken by these new ska-influenced Smith shoes, defined by their twin tone and electric blue piping.

JOHN LOBB AW24

The second-hand watch market may have nosedived since the perfect storm of covid lockdowns and cashrich enthusiasts whipped it to an unprecedented high, but while the market corrects itself brands like Rolex will always be in demand –

estimates suggest the brand’s prices are 26% up from August 2020. Available from Dubai’s pre-owned Love Luxury boutique, this Rolex Day-Date Oyster in rose gold and diamond dial is a new piece that comes accompanied by its box and papers.

LOVE LUXURY ROLEX DAY-DATE

Since debuting in 2019, the allelectric Taycan has been a big success story for Porsche. Five years on and it’s time for a new chapter to be written. Or, in the words of the manufacturer, time for ‘a particularly extensive update.’ That translates

as all three body variants – sports sedan, Cross Turismo, and Sport Turismo – being configured to deliver more power, more range, and quicker acceleration, while also charging faster. The design’s had a tweak too, with new headlights and tail lights.

PORSCHE TAYCAN

Stella McCartney’s winter 2024 collection was delivered to our inbox with a factsheet outlining the admirable – and significant – steps the brand has taken since 2001 to limit the environmental impact of its production cycle. Continuing to fight the good

fight from within an industry that’s the world’s second largest polluter, 90% of this ready-to-wear collection is crafted from responsible materials, including innovations like Airlite® that coats the brand’s Falabella bags, a pioneering technology that actively purifies the air.

STELLA MCCARTNEY WINTER 2024

NET-A-PORTER

In its bid to champion circularity within the fashion industry, Net-a-Porter’s Net Sustain programme provides a platform to brands, both big and small, who have sustainability attributes at their heart, whether that’s how they handle their waste, source their materials, or who

they use to make their clothes. In the case of Agua by Agua Bendita, makers of this vibrant, botanical-inspired mini dress, it means investing in their own community by using locally-based artisans in their native Columbia to craft their pieces.

AGUA BY AGUA BENDITA

TYDE X BMW THE OPEN

Excuse the pun, but after making waves with the launch of The Icon, the first battery-powered maritime vehicle of its kind, Tyde and BMW have teamed up again to present their latest concept – the world’s largest hydrofoil luxury yacht. At a length

of just under 15 metres, it offers all the amenities of a luxury day yacht but none of the emissions. It’s based on foiling technology, which sees the yacht rest on hydrofoils below the water level while the hull floats above the surface.

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Anew technological era is taking shape in the art world, allowing works of the Old Masters to be displayed in stunning digital form. The patented technology offers an alternative to traditional exhibitions by sharing priceless works of art housed in Italian museums with venues around the world.

Making this new phenomenon possible is Italian firm Cinello, which was founded on a promise to protect and preserve artistic heritage through new digital technologies, while creating value. This is done by creating nine authenticated and individually numbered Digital Art Works (DAWs) per original masterpiece. All nine are protected by a patented digital encryption system, then exhibited to art lovers in galleries and at events. Canvases are swapped for monitors to give people the best and most authentic experience when visiting the digital exhibitions. Initially, Cinello used TV screens to showcase the pieces but soon realised glare was an issue, whereas monitors are not only higher in resolution but they also don’t reflect light. The result is that the digital artwork can be viewed almost identically to the original. So much so, in fact, that the artwork is displayed in frames that are identical to those of the original masterpiece, each one delicately hand carved by the very same restorers used by the respective museums to get an inch-perfect match. This painstaking process takes a month to complete, then the digital art is displayed at exactly the same size as the originals.

The company was founded in 2015 by John Blem and Franco Losi, two IT engineers passionate about Italian art. The pair spent the first five years developing the patent and registering it worldwide, before entering the market in 2022 with its two business models — sales to the private market, and exhibitions. Along the way, they enjoyed fruitful conversations with Italy’s major museums, of which Cinello has now partnered with 11, to create official digital masterpieces of the pieces they display.

“John and Franco wanted to do something to help Italian museums and offer whole new revenue streams based on their IT experience,” Cinello’s Giacomo Nicolella Maschietti tells us.

“Since then, we’ve had shows in New York, London, Saudi Arabia, UAE, the Netherlands and more. Our aim is to build new partnerships with international

museums, but we don’t want to be mistaken with immersive art shows.”

Artworks are displayed and linked through MYGAL, Cinello’s hardware device that hosts the software. “We plug the hardware into the monitor, and the serial number of the file and the serial number of the monitor are linked through an algorithm, becoming unique,” explains Maschietti. “If you unplug this hardware, if you try to plug it into another monitor, it doesn’t work. If it gets stolen, we can deactivate it remotely. These are new guarantees that the digital art market doesn’t usually offer.”

What this also means is these DAWs are different from NFTs. “The museums give us high resolution files and we put them inside the hardware, which works only when plugged into the linked monitor, so it becomes a piece of art again. Only nine of each piece will ever be produced. The museum director

This page: Head of a Young Girl, Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920); Head of a Woman, Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519); Right: Eleonora di Toledo, Agnolo di Cosimo Tori detto Bronzino (1503-1572)

‘The digital artwork is exactly like you’ll see it in a museum, with an identical hand-carved frame’

also signs each certification so it can be tracked online, whereas with NFTs the ownership and file are on a blockchain, but that doesn’t protect the content.”

Cinello’s catalogue is made up of 200 pieces and all are available for purchase. From each sale, the museum that owns the original receives half of the revenue. The number of DAWs on display at any one time depends on the size of the show, but usually ranges from ten to 50 pieces, depending on whether it’s for a museum or private company.

The company has buyers all around the world, says Maschietti. “We have a big client from Boston and clients in the UK, France, and a few in the Gulf.” Cinello recently displayed at Art Dubai, where it showed a Leonardo Da Vinci DAW

priced at $310,000, a figure determined by the fact that there are only twenty Da Vinci paintings in existence today attributed to him by official sources.

Maschietti believes the future lies in digital art, especially in countries that are embracing new technology. “The response from Dubai, Russia and India has been great, probably because they are not sceptical about digital.” Next steps for Cinello? To secure those partnerships with international museums and show more DAWs to art fans globally.

“We’d love to work with the Louvre, and places like the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the Prado in Madrid, and the National Gallery in the UK,” Maschietti says with a smile.

Bond Ambition

As lab-grown diamonds become increasingly popular, a new store on London’s label-loaded Bond Street aims to be a rare luxury. AIR meets its owner, Jamie Patel

WORDS: JOHN THATCHER

If you don’t ask, you don’t get. The truth of that adage is how Jamie Patel came to secure a store on London’s luxury-label-lined Bond Street, home to Bulgari and Burberry, Cartier and Chanel, without so much as a website to promote her start-up business, The Diamond Lab. “I actually found the store before I had the idea for the business,” says Jamie, recalling how she was drawn by its wealth of natural light, the perfect space to showcase the sparkle of lab-grown diamonds. “The agent suggested I prepare a pitch deck for the landlord but warned that he already owned stores on Bond Street and favoured large luxury brands. But he said yes to the proposal, and I discovered later that he used to own his own jewellery brand at a similar age to what I am now and could relate to what I am doing.”

As well as recognising a fellow entrepreneurial spirit, there is also the fact that this seasoned landlord knows a thing or two about what consumers want. Depending on your source material, it’s estimated that lab-grown diamonds now account for somewhere between 6-20% of the entire diamond market worldwide. But what’s not disputable is that their popularity remains on an upward trajectory. First developed for jewellery in the 1980s, lab diamonds are created when pure carbon is exposed to a large amount of heat and pressure in a metal cube, which weeks later forms a diamond that’s virtually indistinguishable from

the traditional mined kind, identical visually and chemically. They share the same sparkle, the same variety of colour, clarity, and carat weights, and can be cut into the same shapes. Little wonder that the traditional diamond industry has worked hard – and spent much on marketing campaigns – to try and differentiate the two types. But not everyone thinks all things are equal. Paul Zimnisky, a NYC-based diamond-industry analyst, told US Vogue that, “A manufactured product that has infinite supply and is relatively low-priced just doesn’t pack the same emotional punch for consumers.” Yet he also thinks that, “people will be willing to pay a premium for fully traceable, high-quality, lab-grown diamonds made with renewable energy, compared to the cheapest possible stones grown in factories in China.”

Which is how Jamie’s idea for The Diamond Lab was born, aware that another commonality between lab and mined diamonds is the fact that the quality of the stones can vary tremendously.

“I was aware that lab-grown diamonds had been selling well in America for a number of years but that their popularity hadn’t stretched to Europe, so I spoke to some of the pioneers of lab-grown diamonds and they gave me some real insight, which made me think that someone should offer a luxury version of what the other lab-grown retailers were doing.”

Jamie’s confidence to do so stems

‘The biggest misconception is that it's just technology. It's really important to bring nature into the conversation ’

from over a decade spent working for luxury jewellery brands, including the likes of Dior, De Beers, Jessica McCormack and Piaget, for whom she would service clients in Asia. This time last year, when The Diamond Lab didn’t even have an Instagram account, let alone stock, the head buyer at storied London department store Selfridges asked her to open a pop-up summer store in its Wonder Room, home to precious jewellery and watches sold by the world’s largest luxury brands. “It was a risk because the brand was in its infancy and I didn’t know who was going to come into the Wonder Room to buy our diamonds. But we had UHNWIs who have been buying mined diamonds their whole lives, these women in their 60s, coming in and buying large lab-grown diamonds as if for fun. I couldn’t believe it. It was crazy.”

One of Jamie’s pieces at the Selfridges pop-up, a necklace bearing multiple three-carat diamonds, was priced at £350,000 ($448,000), while bespoke creations are an important part of her offering and clients requested items for sums of £200,000 ($256,000) and £300,000 ($384,000).

The Diamond Lab sources its stones from India-based, solar-powered grower GreenLab, whose stones Jamie hails as, “second to none” and

‘ I thought someone should offer a luxury version of what other lab-grown retailers were doing ’

come certified by the International Gemological Institute (IGI). And while the customer would still go through the normal routine of looking at several stones and consider their grading and cut, what surprised Jamie was the speed at which they would make a decision to buy them, particularly the higher-priced items in her collections. “In my experience, these type of sales take about six months to a year to close. But at the pop-up it took the maximum of a week to convert customers.”

Lab-diamonds have, of course, proved particularly popular with Gen Z and millennials, not only for their lower price points but for their much-touted superior eco-credentials compared with mined stones (though while growers like GreebLab utilise renewables in their manufacturing processes, others rely on electricity derived from burning coal). Yet Jamie was surprised to discover that the majority of her customers are more mature. “The feedback I’ve had from

them is that they don’t want to wear their traditional jewellery outside because they don’t feel safe. They love jewellery and they want to have fun. Also, I’ve had people say that they can now buy their own diamond for £12,000 ($15,300), rather than wait for their husband or whomever to buy one for them. And divorced women who have said it’s the first piece of jewellery they have ever bought for themselves, which makes me feel good.”

Does she still get customers who are put off by the idea of lab-grown diamonds? “I think we’ve had probably one in every 100 people mention the romantic pull of stones that come out of the Earth, but the majority just want to know things like, what are lab-grown diamonds and how are they made? The biggest misconception is that it's just technology; you press a button and a diamond just grows. But they open-up to the idea when we explain that they are grown from the tiny carbon seeds of pre-existing diamonds and follow the same natural path till creation, when a rock is formed that’s then taken to be cut and polished. It's really important to bring nature into the conversation.”

With her store set to open and a soon-to-be-announced collaboration with a world-renowned designer – his first using lab-grown diamonds –The Diamond Lab has a lot to talk about.

Time Difference

Sustainable watchmaker ID Genève has its name in lights as A-List royalty swaps Hollywood for horology and backs the eco-friendly disrupter

WORDS: NICK WATKINS

Seaweed and luxury aren’t usually two words found in the same sentence when talking about timepieces. Nor is seaweed usually found in the homes of luxury watch collectors. But times are changing thanks to a forward-thinking Swiss start up that’s seamlessly integrating sophistication with the unexpected.

The inclusion of seaweed is the tip of the iceberg for ID Genève, whose luxury timepieces come in unique biodegradable boxes made from marine algae that dissolves within hours when placed in water. But it’s not just its boxes that are eco-friendly; its timepieces are, too. The watch cases are made from 100 percent recycled stainless steel, the straps are entirely made from green waste, and the movements themselves are created, through a process of removal and restortation, from unsold stock that other brands have no use for.

Its sustainability practices have earned the company B Corp

Certification, something awarded to businesses for meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on environmental factors, making ID Genève the first Swiss luxury watch brand to achieve such a feat.

The eco-conscious attitude of the seven-person team, along with the impressive quality of the product, has not only caught the eye of the luxury watch industry but also a certain A-List star and environmentalist, which has propelled the Swiss outfit to a whole new level. In 2023, and already enjoying a run of steady growth, the company announced Leonardo DiCaprio as a major investor in a dream deal for the brand. It was, says the brand’s co-founder Nicolas Freudiger, the result of manifestation.

“ The New York Times did an article on us, and at the end of the interview the journalist asked me a question about my dream for the company. Because we had already started to gain

momentum, I naively said our objective would be to work with somebody like Leonardo DiCaprio within the next three years,” he says. “Then, I said to myself, actually, let’s take this seriously. All I really wanted was to have a conversation with him because I was raising funds. Then we got into contact because he saw our mission and liked the product, so we made a deal. We couldn’t be happier that he’s joining and supporting us financially.”

Along with a $2.2 million investment, the Hollywood superstar also brings priceless attention to ID Genève, turbocharging its momentum. After DiCaprio was pictured wearing the brand’s Circular S–Sun, a timepiece made of 100% recycled steel melted in a solar furnace, all 300 pieces were completely sold out within two days.

Freudiger, a former digital and e-commerce manager at Coca-Cola, quit his job to launch the brand with childhood friends Cedric Mulhauser (COO) and Singal Depery (designer). The 35-year-old grew up in Geneva and witnessed the world of watchmaking through the eyes of friends who had apprenticeships at Vacheron Constantin, as well as doing a few days there himself in a discovery workshop as a teenager. From that point on, the friends struck a deal to one day start their own luxury watch brand. When they each turned 30, they decided

‘You’re not going to change the world by buying or owning a luxury watch, but you can lead by example’

it was time to follow their dream. “I quit my job in 2019 and came back to Geneva to do a certification on circular economy because I thought that in the bracket that we’re in ($3000 to $5000), I think we could do much better in terms of sourcing and knowing. So, there are three opportunities that we’re tackling first: sustainability as a purchase criteria, traceability, and transparency.”

ID Genève is motivated to change the mindset of the luxury watch industry by proving that luxury can be ecofriendly, reusing materials as much as possible while remaining mindful of where things come from. “You’re not going to change the world by buying or owning a luxury watch, but you can lead by example. We want to make a statement that’s more than a social statement or social marker; it’s a shift to an environmental marker. That’s very important for us.”

As the overarching mindset in luxury watchmaking moves to a more sustainable one, demand is increasing for brands who are more environmentally minded. Proof of this is that the ID Genève team of seven is projected to grow to 12 by the end of the year. Currently, it makes 1,000 watches annually, but a bigger team, Freudiger stresses, does not always mean more watches — the quality comes first. “We’re learning to scale,” he says, “but we want to do so sustainably, delivering 100 percent quality and 100 percent circularity. There’s not going to be a compromise on those two points.

“ We’re still a small brand, but we were at Dubai Watch Week last year and now we have a presence in the UK and US, with a keen eye on Asia. Our main mission is to be a credible alternative to traditional luxury. In the future, we will be a global brand and a global player, but this will take time. Until then, it’s about taking baby steps every day in that direction.”

Opening pages: Co-founders of ID Genève Above: ID Genève’s recycling facility

WORDS: CAROLINE LEAPER

Supermodel and sustainability advocate Amber Valletta on how her upbringing inspired her activism

“I

’m doing a lot of selfreflection right now,” admits Amber Valletta. It would be a frank start to any interview, let alone one with a supermodel. By the end of our hour together, she concludes we have “had therapy.”

But Valletta is not like other supermodels – she’s not the nevercomplain-never-explain type. She’s open and warm; trusting, raw and honest. When we speak, she’s sitting in her Los Angeles home office, make-up free, wearing an old Alaïa T-shirt and holding a chihuahua.

This year brings a lot of milestones. She is turned 50 in February, is 25 years sober, and has been with her partner [French hairstylist Teddy Charles] for 10 years. “I am looking back at how fast everything went and is going.”

As a second-wave supermodel, Valletta arrived in the early 1990s, immediately after the famous four: Naomi, Christy, Cindy and Linda. Her clique was the ‘waifs’ – she shared her first model apartment in New York with best friend Shalom Harlow, and a “cute little British girl” called Kate Moss had just arrived in the city and came over to hang out.

She cut her teeth with Karl Lagerfeld, and her hair for Vogue. She launched Tom Ford’s Gucci in 1995, and modelled Jennifer Lopez’s Versace jungle dress before the singer even knew she wanted it. “I’ve been in the fashion industry 35 years,” she nods. There’s another milestone, then.

Longevity is Valletta’s advantage. When so many fizzled out (or were, more specifically, dismissed by what has traditionally been an ageist industry), she is as in demand as ever. She spent almost a decade away to raise her son, and focus on acting in the early 2000s, but triumphantly returned to the catwalk again at 40. And this isn’t tokenism – she is getting the best jobs of the lot.

These days, though, she is incredibly selective about what she will say yes to. Her values around sustainability, she explains, now lead her career choices. Valletta is a contributing sustainability editor at British Vogue and a sustainability ambassador for the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She first took a close interest in climate change in her

‘ I can’t work with someone who’s just churning out stuff that is thoughtless ’

early 20s, and attended a course in environmental politics at New York University. At the time, she says, talk was all about the ozone layer, and while fast fashion was booming, the damage caused by the garment industry was yet to be fully appreciated.

Valletta is acutely aware of the contradictions presented by her personal values and her job, and admits she is constantly grappling with them. She reads up and asks questions of every company before agreeing to work with them and attempts to use her fame to raise awareness of those who promote slow fashion. “I can’t work with someone who’s just churning out stuff that is thoughtless,” she says.

Valletta’s eco-campaigning roots reach back to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she grew up. Her mother, who worked in a post office, was the first person she saw using her voice to protect the environment, and campaigned against the building of the Black Fox Nuclear Power Plant on Native American-owned land, which was cancelled in 1982. Valletta was herself arrested in 2019, alongside Jane Fonda, at a climatechange protest in Washington DC.

“My mom would drag us to protests because she didn’t have a babysitter,” says Valletta. “She was always community-driven. She struggled to make ends meet, but she would say, we have enough and there are people who always will have less and need more from you. She wanted to motivate us.”

While Valletta’s mother did inspire her activism, as a teenager she rebelled against inheriting her sense of style. This, with hindsight, was a bad idea. “My mom was very cool – she wore Dodgers baseball shirts with camo pants and Converse,” Valletta recalls.

“I thought that was embarrassing and I didn’t want to look like her, so I went for the opposite.” Which was?

“Laura Ashley. It was a big thing in Oklahoma in the 1980s – it was the prim and proper Bible Belt look. I really didn’t have any clue about fashion until I actually got into fashion.”

Valletta’s passion for performing was evident from the beginning, and to give her ‘an outlet’ her mother enrolled her in a modelling school, aged 15.

A scout from New York visited. “He said, you’re really cute, but you have funny ears and you look like Dumbo. He started laughing. I was like, OK…”

Within two months, she had been selected to spend a summer in Milan building a portfolio. She flew to Europe with one other teen from Oklahoma, whose mother was the chaperone, as her own mother had to work. She acknowledges that she was “really lucky” both to ultimately be successful, and to avoid the predatory characters who were notoriously operating in the industry at that time. “I have to say, I’ve been extremely fortunate,” she says.

“I have really great memories of my time early on. People were very nice to me. There were definitely people who were preying on younger women. I saw stuff. But I didn’t go down that path, I didn’t get hooked into anything.”

The friendships that she made back then, particularly with Moss and Harlow, have been lifelong. Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington, who were a couple of years older, acted as big sisters. “We had a tremendous amount of pressure that most people can’t really understand because it’s so public-facing,” she says. “The pressure inside the industry is also coming from adults, and you’re a kid, it’s hard to navigate… None of us were ready for the politics of an industry. So we connected because you understand each other’s experience.”

Even though Valletta was young, she says she’s glad that her career grew steadily over a few years, rather than becoming an overnight success. “In the past you started out doing smaller magazines and built your way up,” she says. “That was an amazing way to learn how to work and be a professional; whereas today, a lot of these young girls come in, they do one big show or editorial, and then they’re gone in a month. They struggle so much. I had time to learn – even though I was still a kid. I was 18 when I did my first Vogue cover.”

Since that February 1993 American Vogue cover there have been 18 more, including the January issue of British Vogue. When Valletta started out,

the idea that a model could be superfamous was relatively new. There were exceptional cases – such as Twiggy, or Veruschka – but the world was only just feeling the quake from the famous four, and no one could yet anticipate what the aftershocks would be for fashion models going forward.

“I never expected to be publicly known,” says Valletta. “That was a surprise when people started recognising me. I just loved working. And I knew I was good at it.”

At their best, great fashion shows are “like theatre”, she notes. While that can still be the case from time to time, Valletta acknowledges that the industry has changed beyond recognition because of social media, and that it can never be as it was again. “I’m grateful that I grew up in a time without computers and without social media,” she adds. “I do think we’ve lost a lot of creativity.” She has adapted with the times, though, with a threedecade career to prove it, and social media has helped her to stay relevant.

There are entire forums and fan pages dedicated to 1990s supermodel nostalgia. YouTube and TikTok videos have introduced her now-vintage catwalk moments to a new generation. Valletta loves to see it – especially the funny ones. “It’s those moments with the girls, passing each other on the runway and trying not to laugh,” she smiles (Valletta and Harlow’s 1995 takeover of the Todd Oldham fashion show lives for ever as a meme). “Or you are looking at each other like, ‘Oh my God, your outfit is ridiculous,’ while still smiling. We weren’t always perfect, but we had a lot of fun.”

It means a lot to her, clearly, that Harlow remains her best friend, but she is still also close with most of her “classmates,” to use Valletta’s term. “Everybody went and had kids, or did new projects, but in the last five or so years, we’ve come back around to each other,” she says. “And our friendships have a deeper meaning today. For us, as with anyone as you get older, time and distance gives you a new perspective. We’ve real camaraderie, and now we look back and think, wow, that was a time.”

Valletta talks a lot about communities – the groups in her life, mostly of women, who help her

‘ I’m grateful that I grew up in a time without computers and without social media ’

to soar and keep her on track. She spends as much time as she can with her 93-year-old grandmother in Tulsa, and the matriarchal family do an annual “girls’ retreat” with her myriad aunties and cousins.

She acknowledges, too, her ‘sober community’: “All of these people have buoyed me, and pushed me to be a better person,” she says. In 1999, aged 25, Valletta made the life-affirming decision to be sober. She reasons that working in the fashion industry wasn’t the cause of her drug and alcohol addiction, but that it certainly assisted it – in those days Champagne flowed freely backstage, and a party lifestyle was almost an essential for the job.

“Sobriety is so much a part of me that it’s second nature,” she says. “And my sobriety is uncompromising, I will not compromise that. It’s my superpower, it gives me my life. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to drink – it’s hard out there sometimes. But I also know that without sobriety, I’ve nothing else in my life.”

Her willingness to talk about the subject is rare and inspiring. Valletta takes her mental and physical health seriously and hopes that being truthful will only encourage others to do the same. “I tend to my spiritual and mental health on a daily basis,” she says. “It’s something like if I had diabetes, I would tend to it every day.”

When I ask how she feels, generally, she answers with a level of selfawareness only achieved after decades of therapy. “This morning, I’m great,” she says. “But I’ll be very honest with you, I’m tired mentally. I do know that when we get into these places where we’re uncomfortable, feeling apathetic or down mentally, it’s a time to go in, but what comes out of it is better and is brighter.”

She is keen to tell friends reading this not to worry about her, adding she is “blessed beyond measure. I just have to be in acceptance of where I’m at right now,” she explains. “I don’t want to stay in this place. I want to be effective and I don’t feel I’ve been very effective recently.”

Some relaxation is on the cards. When we speak, Valletta is set to have the rest of the month off, and will spend it at home on the Pacific Palisades coast in LA. She has been based in California for more than 20 years and describes it as the perfect place to “remove herself” from the industry when she needs to.

Life suits her here: she enjoys the occasional kooky wellness fad (“buccal face massage, inside the mouth, is my favourite, which I know sounds odd”), but is equally at peace hiking in the hills. She shares her life with Teddy Charles and their blended family – her son, Auden, with her ex-husband Chip McCaw, and Charles’s two daughters from a previous relationship – plus the chihuahua and a Doberman.

Auden, 22, has inherited her easygoing approach and her dedication to looking after the world around him. “He’s a very loving person and a gentle soul,” she says. “He’s switching career ideas – he’s still in university but he wants to do something that’s service-oriented.”

As an almost-empty-nester, Valletta has had the chance to think about her own next act, and reveals she’d like to get back into acting. She took a break from modelling in the early 2000s to pursue film and television parts, with a breakthrough role in What Lies Beneath (2000). She also starred with Will Smith in 2005’s Hitch, and had a recurring role in the TV series Revenge.

“It was extremely tough to get into acting because models haven’t always been well perceived in that industry,” she says. “I had to put modelling down in order to have to take myself seriously as an actress for almost a decade. I had a great time but I haven’t worked in that industry in a while. I needed space from it, but I’m ready now to take on a project again.”

Her goal is to work with an openminded director, who could focus on her versatility rather than her supermodel beauty. “It could be for just five minutes in a film – a great cameo would be cool,” she says. Being typecast is her nightmare. “I feel like in film and television I’ve gotten stuck in people seeing me as the beautiful mistress. I’m happy to lose myself. Now I want to be unexpected and different.” Her piercing green eyes flicker. “I would love to get weird.”

Credit: © Caroline Leaper/Telegraph Media Group Limited 2024

‘ We struggled to make ends meet but Mom would say we have enough and there are people who always will have less and need more from you ’

How former cricketer Kevin Pietersen teamed up with luxury watchmaker Hublot to bat for threatened rhinos

WORDS: JOHN THATCHER

Kevin Pietersen made his name by taking the fight to opposition bowlers. Unarguably one of the most captivating cricketers to ever play the game, he amassed 8,181 runs from 104 Tests as an England batsman and was the fastest player to pass 2,000 runs in One Day International cricket. As another measure of how good he was, a feature on sports website The Bleacher Report ranks his top 25 innings, placing his scintillating 202 not out versus India at Lords only a lowly seventh. No bowler relished facing the maverick they called KP. Following retirement from the game in 2018, it’s now wildlife poachers that Pietersen takes the fight to, having swapped the hallowed turf of Lord’s for the wilds of South Africa. It’s a country very dear to his heart and where he was born in Pietermaritzburg, its Big Five wildlife the source of national pride. But the Big Five are prized elsewhere too, particularly in Asian countries, where the chemically complex Rhino horn has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. More recently, it has become a status symbol in Vietnam, where to own it is to flaunt

one’s wealth. On the black market it’s literally worth more than its weight in gold. No wonder poachers are enticed.

According to figures published in February, 499 rhinos were poached in South Africa last year alone, 307 of them in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal, which has been heavily targeted in recent years. In Kruger National Park, home to the world’s largest rhino population, though the killings remain the picture is a little brighter: having once bore the brunt of the country’s rhino deaths, last year saw its numbers drop to 78, a decline of more than a third since 2022.

Much of Kruger’s success in combating illegal poaching stems from the work of socially conscious enterprises such as SORAI, an acronym for Save Our Rhino Africa India. It was founded by Pietersen in 2018 with a goal to ‘significantly increase the survival rate of keystone species in the wild and generate sustainable long-term funding for animal impact projects globally.’ When Pietersen stepped up to the crease to support the rhino, Kruger’s need was dire.

“At that time (2013) there were

‘There were three rhinos being killed every day and I wanted to know how I could use my profile to help’

three rhinos being killed every day and I wanted to know how I could use my profile to help,” he outlines over a Zoom call. “It started by making people aware of the situation, and with the situation being as bad as it was, people’s ears instantly pricked up. Then it went from raising awareness to raising money, to setting up a foundation (The Legacy Experience Foundation (TLEF), to setting up a social enterprise (SORAI), to now being in a position where we don’t see that many rhino being poached in the Kruger National Park, where we have a stronghold of surveillance and technology that we’ve been able to fund, and where we’ve been able to do a lot of stuff within that space. It’s something that we continue to do because we have to make sure that Africa doesn’t lose one of its iconic species. I mean, if the rhino goes, one of the Big Five goes, and that’s Africa, that’s heritage. We won’t let that happen.”

It’s also important, as Pietersen points out, to understand what’s driving many

poachers to commit their crimes. “There are very desperate people bordering Kruger National Park. They’re not looked after by the government in a country that has the highest level of unemployment in the world and they’re taking their lives into their own hands to go and poach for the money. The human side of me actually feels really sorry for these guys and I’ve previously asked myself: if it’s providing food for my family, would I do it?”

Pietersen says he’s a big believer in what he calls ‘the human fence’, educating young minds on the subject so that they can police themselves in the future. “We educate over 3,000 kids a year and have scholarship programmes in place. It’s about trying to keep that message clear and simple.”

Supporting Pietersen and SORAI in its quest to preserve threatened species is innovative Swiss watchmaker Hublot, for whom Pietersen remains a brand ambassador. “Once I told them the scale of the problems and how I thought they could make a

‘ If the rhino goes, one of the Big Five goes, and that’s Africa, that’s heritage. We won’t let that happen’

big impact they were all ears.”

Hublot’s support began in 2019 with the release of the limited edition Big Bang Unico SORAI. A chunk of all proceeds from its sale were donated directly to Care For Wild, the world’s largest orphan rhino sanctuary, which both rescues and rehabilitates orphaned rhinos. In addition, Hublot has helped SORAI gain access to more state-of-the-art technologies on the ground and put together more surveillance teams to ward off poachers.

“It’s been an amazing partnership,” enthuses Pietersen. “My cricketing past gives me a platform in certain places around the globe. But cricket doesn’t really venture into places like China and Vietnam, which is where the Hublot partnership has proved so powerful. One of the most wonderful periods was when we launched the first edition of the watch and the story got picked up in Vietnam before anywhere else. For me, that was just unbelievable. I mean, this is an area of the world that I couldn’t penetrate, a part of the world that’s creating a

demand for the rhino, and Hublot was able to directly access that market right away, generating awareness and getting messaging into areas where it’s really needed. That’s why this partnership is so important in the grand scheme of things, not really to Hublot or SORAI, but for the preservation of the species. It’s just magnificent.”

Next up for the partnership is the fourth edition of Big Bang Unico SORAI, to be released later this year. Was Pietersen involved in its design? “Very,” he laughs. “I need to wear it, so I need to be happy with it. But it obviously helps that they have the most incredibly gifted people at Hublot. We’ve changed the style for the next one and it’s just been a fun process.”

As for the process of saving rhinos from extinction, does he remain optimistic about his cause? “Absolutely, because we don’t get tired of what we do. And that’s very important. I don’t lack energy.”

The bowlers KP once slogged all over the cricket pitch would likely concur with that.

‘Hublot is able to generate awareness and get messaging into markets where it’s really needed’

Left: Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe, Petronel Nieuwoudt and Kevin Pietersen at the Care For Wild rhino sanctuary

Below: Skukuza Primary School, Kruger National Park; Hublot Big Bang Unico Sorai III

Back when upcycling wasn’t part of fashion’s lexicon, One Vintage and its eclectic founder Marcelle Symons blazed a trail. Two decades on and sustainability is an industry buzzword, but has anything else changed?

WORDS: JOHN THATCHER

On the face of it, all seemed well work wise for Marcelle Symons as the new millennium edged closer. Not long after leaving university she landed a plum role in luxury retail, which would see her open a new Prada store on London’s Bond Street and afterwards manage a franchise of the Parisian brand Paul & Joe. But something did not sit well with her. “I realised there was a big problem with excess manufacturing,” she says, recalling the amount of stock that was left unsold, season after season.

It sparked an idea.

Taking apart some of the more expensive clothing that would otherwise go to waste, she would use the fabric and other textiles, lace and silk prints sourced from vintage markets and her own collection to create unique pieces. “It was almost like a social experiment, reworking these materials into contemporary silhouettes that were often adorned with incredible embroidery and beading. And no two pieces could ever be replicated.”

Nowadays we have a name for what Symons did, upcycling. But two decades ago Symons was somewhat of a pioneer. “Sustainability at the time had a bad reputation,” she remembers. “It was considered uncool and irreconcilable with high fashion and anything that was

labelled eco-friendly just looked awful.”

To draw attention to her handmade pieces, Symons would place them on the rails of the fashion boutiques she managed, where they’d hang alongside established designer labels like Vanessa Bruno and Helmut Lang. And whatever she made, she sold. “From day one it was an instant success.” It was when her pieces caught the eye of one shopper in particular that things began to skyrocket. More than twenty years on and Symons still gasps in almost disbelief at the memory of Harrods’ head buyer walking in and picking up one of her pieces. “It was one of my proudest moments. She was this incredible American buyer and was an absolute hoot, and I remember her going bananas over it,” she recalls fondly. “She was someone who loved to take risks, because at that time there was nothing like it at all and I didn’t even have a label, but she placed an order for 200 tops.”

Though it’s easy to imagine those pieces being swamped by the sheer amount of clothing on the shop floor at Harrods, the buyer had other ideas for her prized discovery. “I remember bringing my parents with me to visit the store, and as we walked up the escalators and onto the second floor, the first thing we saw were my

‘ One can only call themselves sustainable if they use what resources we already have ’

Left: Marcelle Symons All pages: One Vintage designs, onevintagedesigns.co.uk

pieces. She had – and I will never forget this – dressed a number of mannequins in my designs so that it looked something like an exhibition of costume from The Great Gatsby It was a fantastic thing. There was nothing like it and I loved seeing people trying on the clothes and their reaction to them. She was one of the first people to really champion vintage.”

One Vintage was born and a standalone store followed in London’s Notting Hill, which is where another influential visitor, Natalie Massenet, then of Net-a-Porter, discovered the label. “I sold to them exclusively for the next seven years,” says Symons. “They would buy 60 pieces a month and sell them all. It was the best marketing exercise I could do at the time because of Net-a-Porter’s global reach.

“I garnered a wonderful clientele in that store and met a lot of designers who would buy my pieces for inspiration. It was a lot of fun.”

These days One Vintage has Instagram as its storefront, but it’s the brand’s physical studio that Marcelle speaks to us from, where clients come to shop by appointment only. Taking us on a tour of it via her handheld iPhone, it’s an Aladdin’s cave of vintage wares and materials.

Her unique sense of style was bequeathed to her by her mother and grandmother. “Both were very strong, eclectic women. My grandmother never used to go out without a big hat and corsages in her hair; very eccentric and in Chanel the whole time. My mother was more creative and was always making things when I was growing up. That was a big influence.

“When I started out I’d collect things that I found in places like Portobello Road (the London street that’s famous for its market) or on my travels, buying lots of antique fabrics that became of interest to museums and similar establishments that had textile archives, because what I had was really special and inspiring.”

Symons stills collects all sorts — trinkets, fabric swatches, anything that she considers “beautiful” or “unusual” — and continues to use them in her work, which is now supported by a network of skilled seamstresses. “My main concern is crafting timeless and unique heirlooms that can be enjoyed without

‘ My main concern is crafting timeless and unique heirlooms that can be enjoyed without depleting our planet’s resources’

depleting our planet’s resources.”

Where once she would have been one of a few to hold such concern, now she is one of many. “I think there is a much bigger divide between fast and higher end fashion now. Large brands have to be seen to be doing something sustainable as there is much more awareness around the subject.”

Does she think there is an element of tokenism when it comes to the efforts of some brands regarding sustainability? “Well, I don’t think that this is a movement. There will always be brands who are going to jump on the bandwagon of anything that is perceived to be trending, but I don’t see sustainability as a passing trend. I think it is here to stay.

“The resale business is now a multibillion-dollar sector, and in my opinion we’re still at the beginning. The shift in mentality since I started out has been massive.

“Sustainability has to be the future because what we have is already enough. One can only call themselves sustainable if they use what resources we already have, including clothing. For me, that is the very definition of sustainability.”

Best In Klasse

Electrification, digitalisation and circularity are the cornerstones of BMW’s new fleet of stunning electric vehicles,designed to redefine the motoring world as we know it. Enter the Neue Klasse

WORDS: NICK WATKINS

The speed at which technology is advancing will have the world looking a very different place by 2030. Doors are being unlocked thanks to innovation, particularly in the automotive industry, where electric cars are fast becoming the norm due to improvements in battery technology, efficiency, and energy integration revolutionising the EV sector.

As technology continues its unstoppable ascent, smarter, more ecofriendly cars mean the motoring horizon has never looked greener, and one car manufacturer keen to shine light on an already bright future is BMW. The German carmaker has grand plans to release a fleet of ground-breaking, next generation electric vehicles it’s termed Neue Klasse, increasing its footprint in a flourishing market. Between 2025 and 2030, it aims to release six electric vehicles into this fleet, each based on an 800-volt architecture, promising to set the industry standard in terms of range, charging speed, price and comfort.

So what do we know so far? For a start, the Neue Klasse range will use Gen 6 cylindrical cells, which will be installed directly into the battery pack, improving charging time and total driving range by a whopping 30 percent. Batteries will range from 75 kWh to 150 kWh and some vehicles will offer a staggering 1,000 kilometre driving range.

The forerunner for this new generation of vehicles is the Vision Neue Klasse, a concept car revealed at September’s IAA Mobility Show in Munich that was designed to showcase what the future looks like for BMW. From it, it’s clear that not only will BMW’s electric fleet set the standard for performance and battery life, but it will also rip up the rule book when it

comes to interior design, transforming the look of vehicles from the inside.

BMW’s iDrive display and operating system is like having a virtual assistant in the car with you, responding to all your commands. What this means is not only can you operate almost every aspect of the driving experience without having to lift a finger, but you’ll also have fewer controls, dials and hardware taking up valuable space. The steering wheel does more than turn the wheels too; it acts as a projector, displaying driving information, navigation and more, right the way across the windscreen.

On the subject of glass, you also get a full outdoor experience thanks to the huge windscreen and panoramic roof, meaning you’re (almost) at one with the elements as you drive. The vehicle is not only environmentally friendly in use;

it’s also put together sustainably, thanks to upholstery made from old clothing and door panels made from recycled fishing nets. The Neue Klasse range may be something the world has never seen before, but in true BMW fashion it will still be instantly recognisable on the road thanks to certain unmistakable elements of the brand that remain, namely the kidney grille, which houses the headlights and numerous exterior sensors. The sporty sedan is elegant in design with flat, clean panels allowing the grille and taillights to take centre stage.

Oliver Zipse, BMW CEO, has made three pillars of action key to delivering the car of tomorrow – electrification, digitalisation, and circularity – all of which are evident in the Vision concept car. In fact, BMW says the Neue Klasse is just the start of its vision, and despite being a car of the

future, the fleet is ahead of its time. Electric, digital and circular are three words motorists will be hearing a lot more as the automotive landscape shifts to a more sustainable one. To the German carmaker, they’re more than just buzzwords, they’re representative of a leap into a new age. The words encapsulate the new principles in which vehicles will be rolling off the production line in years to come, with battery-powered vehicles occupying more space on our roads while giving the environment a much-needed chance to breathe.

As we hurtle towards an exciting new era of mobility, these three words will become the pillars for which electric cars are judged. And with these principles already ingrained at BMW, there’s no doubting that the Neue Klasse range will have a head start on the competition.

‘It’s clear that BMW’s new electric fleet will also rip up the rule book when it comes to interior design’

Fyn Dining

How a passion project in Cape Town became the world’s most sustainable restaurant, as well as one of its best

WORDS: JOHN THATCHER

Spanning thirteen protected areas across the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa lies the Fynbos, a coastal and mountainous ecoregion rich in biodiversity and home to some 6,000 endemic plants. More than that, some studies have suggested that modern humankind evolved from this unique region, doing so by thriving on its omega-rich seafood and bountiful plant life.

It’s an idea that fascinated chef Peter Tempelhoff, the driving force behind Fyn (pronounced Fane) a multi award-winning restaurant in Cape Town that takes its name from the Fynbos region. In fact, so intrigued was Peter by the thought of discovering long lost ingredients consumed by our ancestors that he enlisted the assistance of Jan De Vynck, a professor at the African Centre for Coastal Paleoscience at Nelson Mandela University and an expert in early human existence. Together, the pair got to work in the Fynbos. “We spend time in the field and ocean looking for interesting things that we can bring to market through agriculture and best foraging practice,” says Peter. “When we get new ingredients we have a development kitchen that we use to research and develop new ideas in. This is a very important part of the restaurant’s growth and innovation.”

As you may well imagine, not all new ingredients make it onto the menu. “Of course, there are lots of errors. When you are trying new things that may or may not work there is always a degree of failure. But you are prepared for that while in development mode. Not everything works, even after 10 or more attempts at it. I eventually tell the guys that some things just weren’t meant to be and we start looking at it from a different angle. This doesn’t happen often, but when it does we make peace with it and start again.”

It really doesn’t happen often at Fyn. Opened in 2018, it first appeared on the list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2022, scooping the title of Africa’s best restaurant in the process. A year later it was named the world’s most sustainable restaurant.

But it’s not just Peter’s love of his

‘ We spend time in the field and ocean looking for interesting things that we can bring to market ’

country’s endemic ingredients that makes Fyn a success, it’s how he uses them. In this regard, he cites a trip to Japan as life changing. “I have been obsessed with Japanese cooking techniques and plating style for decades — even before I became a chef. Combining them with our ingredients in a way that complimented both was the challenge that ultimately birthed Fyn,” he says proudly.

“It was the uniqueness of Japanese culture and its ingredients that intrigued me and was so appealing at first. For most in the western world Japan remains a fairly unknown place of unfamiliar ingredients, strange culture and ancient tradition. This is why it is such an exhilarating place to explore as a chef. Trying to understand the Japanese psyche and their obsession with food has been incredibly interesting. When I discovered real Japanese cuisine it opened up a world of new possibilities and flavours. Using what I’ve learnt over the years about umami, cooking fresh and light, and the importance of salt and fermentation, has been career changing for me.”

Fyn serves a particular dish that Peter thinks best characterises this happy

marriage of ingredients, flavours and techniques: the local wagyu and the humble carrot. “We enhance these two ingredients with shiso and amarogo, a local amaranth seed which is related to shiso. We furthered the dish by adding pickled carrots with beef essence sauce. With this dish we are telling the story of the African wagyu, which is a combination of pure breed Japanese wagyu and African angus beef. The wagyu gives it extreme richness and tenderness while the angus beef provides that familiar beef flavour that the locals appreciate and recognise.”

People often eulogise their first taste of pure-breed Japanese wagyu. Not so Peter. “My first taste of Japanese wagyu was actually overwhelming. As an African I was used to leaner meat, and the richness of the pure Japanese wagyu turned me off it for a long time. It was only after I tasted it for a second and third time that I started to understand and love it.”

The recognition of Fyn as a pioneer of sustainability extends beyond its commitment to foraged or sourced ingredients from suppliers who are also committed to sustainable practice (and whom the Fyn team makes a point of meeting at their premises). At Fyn, being sustainable means playing a role in society. To that end, the restaurant partners with Infinity Culinary Training in Cape Town, teaching chef skills to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, one of whom has gone to be an executive sous chef at Fyn. The restaurant also raises money for programmes that fight immediate and long-term hunger. Further afield, Peter also works closely with Nihon Ichiban, a company that supports struggling 100-plus-year-old artisanal businesses in Japan, importing their produce in one single shipment per year.

“The feedback and positivity we’ve been getting from the local culinary industry has been amazing,” said Peter when receiving the award for the world’s most sustainable restaurant. “It puts pressure on us to be open and upfront about how we do things here, to spread our message of sustainability and how the restaurant is making a difference.”

Let’s Get Together

Sonu Shivdasani and Eva Malmström Shivdasani, founders of the resort brand Soneva, on how luxury and sustainability can, and should, coexist

As co-founders of Soneva, we have always believed that luxury and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. For us, sustainability is not just a buzzword; it is a way of life, deeply ingrained in every aspect of our business.

Since the inception of our first resort, Soneva Fushi in the Maldives in 1995, we have strived to redefine luxury by incorporating principles of environmental responsibility and social consciousness into every experience we create. Our journey has been one of innovation, dedication, and unwavering commitment to leaving a place better than we found it. The Maldives is a special locale, and we are proud to have our businesses here, as well as call this beautiful island our home for the past thirty years.

At the heart of our philosophy lies the concept of SLOW LIFE — an acronym for Sustainable-Local-Organic-Wellness Learning-Inspiring-Fun-Experiences. It is about slowing down, connecting with oneself and the natural world, and embracing a more conscious way of living.

As guardians of the culture we inhabit, we have always strived to leave places better than we found them. For us,

sustainability is not just a professional obligation; it is a personal mission that gives our lives purpose. We are deeply passionate about pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and about finding innovative solutions to environmental challenges without compromising on luxury or guest satisfaction. We believe that every interaction and every experience on our properties is an opportunity to inspire positive change and promote a more sustainable way of living.

We are committed to innovation as one of the ways to achieve those goals. But beyond technological advancements, we also believe in the importance of education and intentional living. We aim to empower our guests to become sustainability ambassadors, inspiring them to make conscious choices even after they leave our resorts. This approach, however, is two-way, and requires consumers to be increasingly mindful of their choices and actions, considering not only their wellbeing but also the welfare of the planet.

As others also continue to move towards more sustainable travel, we must all look at the power of collective action. It is

Left: Sonu Shivdasani and Eva Malmström Below: Soneva Jani

‘ We must come together as an industry and as a global community to address the pressing challenges facing our planet’

Soneva Fushi

Soneva Fushi

not enough for individual companies to embrace sustainability; we must come together as an industry and as a global community to address the pressing challenges facing our planet. This includes reducing carbon emissions, supporting local communities, and preserving biodiversity. We all have a role to play in creating a more sustainable and regenerative future.

Of course, this transcends just environmental initiatives. We believe in empowering our guests to lead healthier, more intentional lives. We are seeing that travellers are more in tune with wellness, with wellness tourism becoming the fastest-growing sector within the wellness industry. This has always been a priority for us, bringing together both eastern and western medicines. Through our extensive wellness programs at Soneva Soul, we aim to not only provide relaxation but also inspire holistic wellbeing. Health is one of the biggest challenges facing the world right now. By drawing from ancient forms of medicine and embracing cutting-edge treatments, we strive to address the root causes of illness and promote lasting health and vitality. After all, isn’t our health the simplest luxury? Looking ahead to the future, we see

sustainable luxury as more than just a trend – it’s a paradigm shift in the way we all should approach travel and leisure. As consumers become more conscious of their choices and their impact on the planet, the demand for intentional, responsible experiences will only continue to grow.

As this shift surges, we are dedicated to providing options for consumers through initiatives such as Soneva Stars, where we collaborate with exceptional Michelinstarred chefs, athletes, and wellness practitioners who not only are the best in their field but also share a commitment to our ethical values and luxury standards.

As advancements in technology continue to accelerate, the cost of renewables is becoming increasingly affordable, making sustainable practices more accessible than ever before. We are constantly evolving and adapting, embracing state-of-the-art technologies like glass blowing to create unique experiences that not only delight our guests but also educate and inspire them to live more sustainably and educate them in the process. This offers them an opportunity to not only witness the small actions we are taking on the property first-hand, but to walk away armed with more information than when they arrived.

To us, the concept of sustainable luxury is not just a utopian ideal; it is a tangible reality that we are proud to embody and promote at Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani and our latest property, Soneva Secret [opened in March]. As guardians of the environment and champions of conscious travel, we are committed to leading by example and proving that luxury and sustainability can indeed coexist.

Our vision for the future is one where every guest leaves not only rejuvenated and inspired but also empowered to make a positive impact on the world around them. Together, we can create a future where luxury is synonymous with sustainability, health is more valued than wealth and where every journey is a step towards a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow for our planet. We often say that work is our life, that we don’t feel as though we are working. It is this sense of purpose that drives and motivates us to continue pushing the boundaries of sustainability and all that Soneva stands for. With creativity, passion, and unwavering commitment, we will continue to pave the way towards a more sustainable and luxurious future for generations to come.

Aya Ahmad

OWNER, FYNE

The best piece of advice I’ve ever received is to find comfort in change. If we conform to the status quo, our growth and true potential often remain unrealised. I always try to embrace challenging professional and personal opportunities with a sense of confidence and enjoyment.

One thing I do every day is to start my day with gratitude. During our busy lives, practicing gratitude allows us to slow down and appreciate the littlest of things that can bring joy and peace to our lives. As well as reducing stress, I find that practicing gratitude improves my business outcomes, as I am able to solve problems with a more focused, clear and balanced mindset.

A lesson I learned the hard way was the realisation that I cannot do it all. When I started my business I opted for

organic growth with a lean approach. As a result, I took on most tasks myself, from accounting to branding to designing – some of which I had no prior experience in. The learning curve was steep and I acquired many new skills that I still use today because I took it upon myself to research and learn all aspects of running a business. However, I soon understood that to achieve substantial growth, I needed to invest in areas where my skillset was lacking. I ended up rebranding twice, as well as working with over four different packaging suppliers before achieving an aesthetic that truly aligned with our values. Of course, this resulted in costing more than it would had I outsourced these aspects from the beginning.

All mothers, especially my own, are a huge inspiration to me. Following

my recent transition into motherhood, I’ve gained a new-found appreciation for the immense workload involved in caring for a child. Balancing family, personal and professional commitments has proven to be one of the most challenging aspects I’ve had to deal with to date. Our society has drifted away from collectivist culture and parents – mothers in particular – don’t have the support they used to in the past.

Personal success for me is hard to define as it’s constantly evolving depending on what phase I’m at in my life. But I would say, overall, it’s about meeting my ambitions and goals while remaining authentic to myself and others around me.

If I could go back in time and advise my younger self I’d say to slow down and enjoy the moment.

Illustration: Leona Beth