Lifestyle

y ROAD WORTHY The allure of classic design becomes even more irresistible when combined with discreet and innovative technology. Take the new Fuoriserie bicycle from luxury-automobile manufacturers Pininfarina, for example (from £6,450). Design-wise, its sleek shape is inspired by the tailor-made cars produced by the brand in the 1930s. Brought to fruition by bespoke bicycle-makers 43 Milano, the frame is made from lightweight chromed-steel tubes and coated with highly polished walnut briar-root. The handlebars and seat are decorated with cross-woven leather, in homage to the seat backs in the 1936 Lancia Astura Bocca car. And that’s where the vintage qualities end.

Innovative features such as an LED lighting system and a pedal-powered mobile-phone charger are both practical draws, but perhaps the Fuoriserie’s most considered touch is the barely noticeable mini electric engine that takes the sting out of uphill stretches – ensuring that, when the admiring heads turn, you’ll appear just as cool and well-composed as your ride. pininfarina.com

x PRINTS CHARMING A splash of scarlet among the whitewash and terracotta of the breathtaking Italian coastal town of Positano, the tasteful and sumptuously decorated Le Sirenuse hotel encapsulates the luxury Amalfi lifestyle. Its store, Emporio Sirenuse, offers a painstakingly sourced range of fashion, accessories and homeware goods, all either hand-selected or produced by its owner, Carla Paravicini Sersale. So it’s hardly surprisingly, then, that it should collaborate with an equally renowned arbiter of taste, the luxury textile and print designer once placed among the world’s top-10 best-dressed women by Vanity Fair: Allegra Hicks.

Over lunch with Sersale two years ago, Hicks casually played with the Sirenuse logo and inadvertently designed two sets of beautiful patterns. Sersale fell in love and soon immortalised the prints in a limited-edition range of men’s swimming trunks, which sold out within weeks. Now a staple line, the trunks start at €98 and are available from the website – and in the Positano hotel boutique, should you need a tenuous excuse to book in. store.emporiosirenuse.com

y TREATS IN STORE La Martina recently celebrated the opening of its luscious new flagship store in London’s St James’s. The luxury equestrian shop aims to become an international destination for polo fans and players, offering clothing – team kits, formal wear and fashion lines – plus shoes and accessories. It also serves as a high-end tack shop, with a large section of sporting equipment, including saddles and polo mallets. Like all La Martina stores, customer service is key – so it ensures a team of expert sales assistants is on hand with astonishing technical prowess. The main capsule collections, plus sports- and footwear, leather goods and accessories, can all be found upstairs, while one floor down, the store is divided into two sections: a bright, sumptuous boutique area for women, with glass chandeliers and plush red leather sofas; and the technical area, with its rows of leather boots and mallets. Guards Polo Club and Maserati are well represented, sitting comfortably among the exclusive St James’s collection and a wider range of hand-picked items from La Martina’s European collections. Over-spenders beware: everything is desirable. lamartina.com y LATIN LESSONS With over 15 years’ gastronomic experience, Martín Milesi, founder chef of UNA – a revolutionary culinary project that brings together 12 diners around just one table – is dedicated to creating exclusive culinary events. Drawing on his experience in the kitchens of Martín Berasategui, Joan Roca and Nuno Mendes, Milesi first launched his project at London’s St Pancras Clock Tower in May 2014. A year later, the concept is flourishing.

‘Over the years, the food business has changed,’ he says. ‘Today, people are looking for more than just exceptional tastes – they’re seeking an authentic experience, combining culinary creativity with personal service.’ And that’s what UNA aims to deliver. Diners enjoy a seven-course taste journey, which is inspired by the culinary styles of Latin America. Featuring both classic and conceptual dishes, Milesi applies techniques gathered from around the world and personally hosts each event. unalondon.com

y MI CASA ES SU CASA A dynamic new restaurant and bar is due to open in London’s exclusive Holland Park this month. Housed in a historic Victorian building with a fully restored façade, Casa Cruz will be set over three floors and have a stylish ground-floor bar (with an impressive line in tequilas), as well as a pretty terrace for drinks and dining. This is the fourth venue in the portfolio of entrepreneur, designer and polo player Juan Santa Cruz, who is responsible for creating some of Buenos Aires’ most noted restaurants and retail venues. The menu – a blend of global cuisine – reflects the places around the world he has called home, including Chile, New York, Europe and his native Argentina. The drinks list will comprise the classics with a focus on those from Latin America, as well as an extensive collection of old- and new-world wines. santacruzco.com

x EYES RIGHT Archibald Optics is the latest Western brand to harness Japanese craftsmanship, its quest being to bring top-quality frames to customers. Design enthusiast Rohan Dhir founded the company in 2013 with the purpose of ‘cutting out the middle man and sourcing the finest artisans in the world’ to make its products. Having scoured China, Germany and Italy, he eventually found himself in Fukui in Japan – a region that has been nurturing its optical skills for 150 years. After spending months immersed in the culture, he forged a relationship with a local manufacturer that was willing to let him bring its skills to a wider audience – and Archibald Optics was born.

With a distinctly ‘British eccentric’ feel to the current collection – viz names such as Arthur, Clive and Edmund – each pair of glasses comes fitted with ultra-thin 1.67 high-index MR lenses, individually cut and fitted by specialist technicians in Japan. And, what’s more, they’ll be in your hands within just eight days of ordering. This handcrafted British eyewear starts at £175 per pair, including lenses. archibaldoptics.com y SPIRIT OF SUCCESS It’s hard work being an overachiever – just ask George Clooney. Since he first appeared on TV screens in ER in 1994, the actor has excelled not only in the fields of film production and direction, but also political activism, serving as a UN Messenger of Peace. So it’s not hard to imagine him relaxing in his Mexico home at the end of a long day, sharing a bottle of tequila and trading success stories with pals like restaurant mogul Rande Gerber and Discovery Land Company CEO Michael Meldman. In fact, their mutual passion for the country’s national drink led them to create their own brand, Casamigos, or ‘house of friends’.

Available at Selfridges in blanco (unaged), reposado (aged for seven months in oak barrels) and añejo (aged for 14 months) varieties, each of the small-batch, smooth tequilas, from £62.99, is made from seven-year-old Blue Weber agave grown in Jalisco, created by master distillers and personally tested by the founders. We’re just waiting for the unstoppable Clooney to start breeding horses. casamigostequila.com

y IN THE DRIVING SEAT Mayfair has long had a reputation as a prime location for top-end luxury car retailers, and none more so than the JD Classics showroom, which, for more than 25 years, has enjoyed an international reputation for excellence that is unrivalled in the world of vintage cars.

As well as the small number of immaculate models to be found in its Mayfair shop, the company’s workshops in Essex are home to around 100 roadworthy classics and 50 historic competition cars. However, a major part of the 9,400sq m premises is given over to its core business: restoring cars to their former glory. What began in the early 1980s as a one-man hobby for founder Derek Hood has evolved into an extensive enterprise restoring, refining and exporting classic road and racing cars worldwide, and he now employs 60 craftsmen, technicians and engineers.

Synonymous with classic Jaguars for many years, the company also works on other important marques, such as Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari and Porsche. With the values of rarer models appreciating considerably, maintenance is key, and at JD Classics, your prized possession will be in the safe hands of people whose passion equals your own. jdclassics.co.uk