FORCE ONE MAGAZINE 29

BARNABA FORNASETTI SUPER SAINT-TROPEZ

MIKE THOMPSON MICHAEL KORS SUNREEF A BRAVE NEW DIGITAL WORLD PAOLO ROVERSI

Sunreef Yachts | Doki 1, 80-863 Gdańsk, Poland | +48 797 842 754 | info@sunreef-yachts.com www.sunreef-yachts.com

27 r ue du commandant andré, canne s

"SUMMER SPECIAL"

FORCE ONE

#29 Cover : "Lewis" by Mike Thompson

Force One’s editorials always start with a reference to the same concept: change.

Change is the very essence of life, it’s what keeps us moving forwards, evolving and looking to the future with unshakable optimism.

So here at Force One we’re changing too: changing publishing schedule to just two exceptional “collector editions” per year, always presenting the very best of the best; changing cover style, trusting the design to one of the greatest pens produced

by Marvel and DC over the last thirty years, Mike Thompson; and we’re soon changing office to new headquarters right on the port of Monte Carlo.... stay tuned!

Force One #29 "Summer Special" is an ode to rebirth and new starts after such dark times, with contributions from the greats in design and photography, solid references and certain values, new fashion, new openings and all the best destinations for the happiest of summers. The yachts are ever greener, the art ever more digital, and the desire to get together again ever more intense.

Happy reading!

Special Thanks I’d like to personally thank all our partners who’ve stayed with us through all these years, all the top fashion brands who’ve trusted in us for our exclusive editorials, and all those who’ve shown themselves to be less and less collaborators and more and more friends.

Truly heartfelt thanks to our Art Director Florent Sammut who had the wherewithal to create such a beautiful product and navigate the stormy waters to reach the port of Monte Carlo, fair winds and following seas to you... and to our Fashion Editor Alberto Corrado who, like an unstoppable machine, contributes to every edition with his long-standing experience and childlike enthusiasm.

Luca Marotta

Publisher and Creative Director

#29

INDE X

08 - Interview / MIKE THOMPSON 16 - Design/Interview / FORNASETTI - THE MAGIC OF FURNISHINGS 24 - Fashion / MICHAEL KORS - THE STYLE IS NOW 28 - Fashion / DOLCE&GABBANA - BELIEVING IN THE FUTURE 32 - Fashion/Interview / MVP - CREATIVE UTILITY 36 - Art / A BRAVE NEW (DIGITAL) WORLD 40 - Art / SIMONE D’AURIA 44 - Art / JENK - A SWEET NEW LIFE 46 - Photography / PAOLO ROVERSI 54 - Yachting / SUNREEF YACHTS - RIDING ON A SEA OF GREEN 60 - Art / MUSEO DEL PARCO - PORTOFINO 63 - Music / PUCCINI FLOATING MUSIC ACADEMY 64 - Venues / LET ALBANIA SURPRISE YOU! 68 - Venues / GRAND-HÔTEL DU CAP-FERRAT 70 - Venues / A CHARMING MADEMOISELLE 72 - Venues / DIOR FOR EDEN ROC 74 - Venues / LILY OF THE VALLEY - WELLNESS LUXURY HOTEL 76 - Venues / FROM POLO CLUB TO COUNTRY RESORT 78 - Venues / KUBE SAINT-TROPEZ 84 - Event / FORMULA E - SILENCE PLEASE, WE’RE RACING 86 - Watches / RICHARD MILLE - KEEPING TRACK 90 - Books / CAR RACING 1968 / THE UNPUBLISHED ARCHIVES OF DPPI 92 - Books / TASCHEN - ULTIMATE COLLECTOR CARS 94 - Fashion / VANISHING LINES 108 - Special / SHOPPING 112 - Event / BACK TO BUSINESS!

Creative Director Luca Marotta

Jewelry and Watches Editor Laura Canepa

Editorial Director Andrea Dini

Senior Contributor Alice Gardner

Art Director Florent Sammut

Editorial Contributors Keith Francis Victoria Morris Manuela Schinaia Barbara Pieroni Rob Ross

Cover photo "Lewis" © Mike Thompson Fashion Editor Alberto Corrado

Styling Fabio Pravato

Translations Marsglobus Open to Translation Ltd Photographers Giorgio Andreuccetti George Apostolidis Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Maxime Besse Sam Bloxham Matias Callejo David Churchill Colombo Images Josh Czachur

Bruno DeMarquis François Fernandez Andrew Ferraro Douglas Friedman Giovanni Giannoni Roman Khomlyak Kateryna Mashkevych Zdenek Matyas Carlo Modonesi Landon Nordeman November Studio Jean-Michel Sordello Corey Tenold Anna Positano / Studio Campo

Advertising Michel Gomiz +33 (0)6 63 02 17 92 contact@force-one.net +33 (0)6 40 61 02 05 Colours Thomas Bourgoin ISSN 2271-4111 www.force-one.net

8

Self Portrait

MIKE THOMPSON AN ILLUSTRATING MARVEL

By Luca Marotta There is something quite super-human about the ability to draw. Especially if that ability makes it hard to determine whether it’s an illustration or a photograph. With realism as his super power, award-winning illustrator Mike Thompson has found some of the most powerful characters in the universe at the end of his pen; with commissions from Marvel, DC Comics and Warner Bros – to name a few – you can find his latest commission right here… on our front cover!

F.1.M.: Your professional roots lie in the world of fashion and advertising. However, your path for many years has been dedicated to illustration and collaboration with big names such as Marvel, DC, Warner Bros, as well as the production of purely artistic illustrations. Which type of work gives you the most satisfaction: the success of an advertising campaign, the illustration of a comic that millions of people will see, or the total freedom to create 3D sculptures for example?

M.T.: I think the best part of my career as an illustrator/ sculptor is that I have the freedom to work on several different types of projects. I often find myself moving from a 2D illustration for packaging or a movie poster, to sculpting a statue of a superhero or celebrity personality.

That is my favorite part of the job, it continually changes and brings new challenges every day. It's incredibly satisfying having a global fan base too.

F.1.M.: Digital art is achieving incredible success right now.

In a way, the work of digital illustrators like you has contributed to the opening of this type of market, and illustration is now fully recognized as part of the world of art.

Do you consider yourself an artist? Or do you still feel very attached to professional illustration for corporate clients?

M.T.: I don't think the two are mutually exclusive.

I definitely consider myself an artist. At the same time, I value my corporate clients and know, without them

9

Russell Brand and Uncle Sam

10 [...] That is my favorite part of the job, it continually changes and brings new challenges every day.

PICT 1 DESCRIPTION

11 I definitely would not be where I am today. I have been fortunate enough to work with brands that I genuinely enjoy. Growing up drinking Coke and reading Marvel comics made working with those companies dream jobs.

Working on movie posters earned me two CLIO Awards.

I'm always looking to expand my client base in addition to creating commissioned pieces for private collectors.

F.1.M.: Still in the world of digital art, the NFT phenomenon has exploded with enormous force on the market. What is your opinion on this? Are you working in this sense? if so, where can we buy your creations?

M.T.: I find the whole NFT movement extremely exciting.

We are on the verge of an entirely new way to collect and curate art. As someone who has been creating art in some form or another since The 80s, I can't help but be intrigued. I am working on a large NFT project at the moment. I've partnered with Epix, an NFT Premium platform to be launched on the Flow blockchain, the most serious player in the NFT scene with 1.3 million-plus users, and Dapperlabs, the company behind the Flow blockchain which developed Crypto Kitties and NBA Top Shot with an estimated $7.5B valuation. My Hip Hop Icons card sets will launch on the Epix platform around June/July 2021.

▲ Powerman & Iron Fist ◄ Bishop

MARVEL CIVIL WAR I created this team battle for Marvel's Captain America Civil War film in 2015. Marvel provided costume designs as well as character turn arounds for reference and a list of who was on who's team. At the time Antman was on Team Iron man ; ). After doing some work for Guardians of the Galaxy, I was incredibly excited to work on a piece for Civil War. I hope you like it.

Because the deadline for this was so tight I painted as a grayscale illustration then colorized in Photoshop.

I usually work in color first, but I have to say I was pretty happy with how it cut my work time dramatically.

14 I definitely consider myself an artist.

At the same time, I value my corporate clients and know, without them I definitely would not be where I am today.

Misty Knight

miketartworks.com

15

Black Panther

16

17

FORNASETTI THE MAGIC OF FURNISHINGS

By Alberto Corrado

Atelier Fornasetti turns imagination into reality with a magic that makes even a pillow, a lamp or a simple tray something special. The magic that lets dreams take form and rise to the level of artworks.

Secret rooms inside the atelier open up to visitors like creative horizons, where customers’ desires are heard and visualised to create tangible décor projects.

Anyone with a little culture is drawn there just to see how those everyday objects transform into veritable “conversation pieces” through a unique visual language made up of humour, nostalgia, metaphor and allusion.

Atelier Fornasetti: for the people of Milan it’s a civic pride, furnishings positioned at the highest levels of the international market, objects craved by collectors from the American oil giant ordering 100 placemats to the Russian magnate choosing the “Leopardo” chest of drawers.

The story began back in 1913 with the birth of Piero Fornasetti, painter, sculptor and above all brilliant printer, who worked a lithographic press for Lucio Fontana, Pietro Cascella, Giorgio De Chirico and Aligi Sassu. Later he worked with Gio Ponti creating furnishings of the kind they were to present at the 1951 Triennale.

With his creative flair, Fornasetti nurtured a desire to bring art to everyday people, reproducing his designs, true masterpieces, on silk, wood, ceramics and everyday objects. He created over 11 thousand objects, from trays to dressers, all with the unmistakable signature that distinguishes his neoclassic, surrealist, sometimes metaphysical style, and sense of humour.

At international auctions, Atelier Fornasetti items reach remarkable values, like the 32 panels of his Metaphysical Room, produced in 1958, sold at Sotheby's for 301 thousand dollars in 2008.

© George Apostolidis

18

Today, as then, the Fornasetti dream remains the same under the artistic direction of Barnaba Fornasetti, custodian of his father's legacy: everything is still done strictly by hand, in limited annual editions. “Lately there’s been something of a struggle between industrial production and limited edition production, but ours is a separate case” - explains Barnaba Fornasetti – “it’s a physiologically limited process, because it’s hand-made. The various phases of the process ensure that each artefact is unique, each object a veritable work of art.”

A strategy both precise and clearly defined: that of repurposing the furniture Piero Fornasetti created between the ‘fifties and early ‘eighties, often with custom modifications, while Barnaba Fornasetti’s creations materialise in new works and collaborations, like the Kiss cabinet for the Nilufar Gallery, the gym equipment storage unit for l’Eclaireur in Paris, or the capsule collection with the Japanese brand Comme des Garçons, up to his passion for music, to the point of becoming a super-trendy DJ setting the dance floor afire at the Salone del Mobile’s most exclusive parties, as well as opera, conducting an orchestra together with his great friend Simone Toni for Don Giovanni in 2016.

Another of the Atelier’s prides is the collaboration with Nicolas Ghesquière, artistic director of the Louis Vuitton women's collections, presented at the F/W 2021-2022 collection in the Louvre’s Michelangelo and Daru galleries, which established an aesthetic, creative dialogue between the styles on the catwalk, the themes and works of art selected from the Fornasetti archive in Milan and the Greek, Etruscan and Roman sculptures exhibited in the galleries themselves.

«In this collaboration I wanted to include creations capable of evoking the enduring modernity of Fornasetti's concept of art» - explains Nicolas Ghesquière. «Fornasetti's extensive body of works comprises both extraordinary technical execution

© Anna Positano / Studio Campo

"Maybe in the near future we’ll think about increasing production, but we have to find skilled workers first, or at least apprentices willing to take on our philosophy, the fundamental aspect of our brand identity, corporate values and the role we want to play in the social context. That’s why I deliberately chose a niche market."

19

in design and a magical vision of the world. I was particularly attracted to the way Fornasetti rediscovers and reworks the classical, ancient Roman heritage, adding new references to the historic imaginary."

In 2020 Fornasetti expanded his creative horizons, inaugurating a new space in Milan facing onto via Senato, with two windows dedicated to custom-made products. A huge area entirely designed by the in-house design studio under his own direction, divided into two communicating spaces: an entrance with exhibition area offering a hands-on opportunity to experience some of the creations, and an adjacent space reserved for meetings with architects, interior designers and design studios offering support for all phases of their projects.

© George Apostolidis

Fornasetti has been experimenting this type of design process since the early ‘fifties, when Piero himself created bespoke interiors for Gio Ponti, including the luxury suite of the Andrea Doria, one of the last great transatlantic ocean liners plying the Genoa-New York route. Over the years Atelier Fornasetti has nurtured its interest in this type of project, customizing private boats and hotels, as we see in the Fornasetti Suite at the Mandarin Hotel in Milan, commissioned by invitation of Citterio Viel & Partners, or L'Albereta Relais & Chateaux swimming pool, decorated with the “Ortensia” mosaic design from the Fornasetti collection for Bisazza.

20

Alongside its collaborations and manufacturing works, Fornasetti now conceives and produces cultural projects that represent an essential part of the brand identity, and of the values created by its founder and carried forward by Barnaba Fornasetti, which have led to the creation of a new company branch, currently managed by Fornasetti Cult, a company born within Fornasetti itself.

Fornasetti is a name that continues to seduce with the magic of craftsmanship bordering on art. And to anyone who asks if it’s hard to re-invent an image like that of his father, Barnaba Fornasetti replies “It comes easy, I’m comfortable in this world because it’s always been my world”.

© courtesy of Fornasetti

And he adds with that cheeky smile “I’d like to propose decor as a lifestyle, to bring some joy to a life full of minimalism and purist atonement”. He’s now weighing up the possibility of establishing a chain of patisseries or tea rooms in the some of the world’s capitals, all different, all hyper-decorated: places of delight for both eyes and palate, to be children again where everything’s allowed. Cream puffs and imagination.

21

BARNABA FORNASETTI

HISTORIA MUNDI

By Alberto Corrado From Piero to Barnaba Fornasetti. The story of a family that transformed history into something we can truly own, and a wonderful niche in the socio-economic system.

F.1.M.: There are two aspects to time, the historic and the contemporaneous. Let's begin with the first: how do we reconcile tradition and innovation?

B.F.: IHistoric time and contemporary time can’t exist without each other: the now, with its distinctive characteristics, only stands out in relation to the past it has behind it. History is something that belongs to us and that we have to own every day, it’s a powerful stimulus. In a general sense, my feeling is that the more we get back into circulation, the more it will have to offer us in the future.

Fornasetti is a perfect example of this: artisan techniques, for example, are the perfect realization of just how traditional know-how takes on greater significance in the contemporary. For us, handmade isn’t just a traditional method or an old-fashioned habit, but a way of surviving in the contemporary socio-economic system, an ethical line that sees man at the centre of the production system. It is the mark by which we distinguish ourselves and experience the contemporary world. .

F.1.M.: How do you see Fornasetti’s relationship with art?

B.F.: Very intimate. Fornasetti was born in the middle ground, or should I say, battleground between art and design, the same ground we work on today, deepening the relationship in the contemporary context.

The original idea came from the extraordinary utopian dream of disseminating art on everyday objects, a desire for the democratization of art, shared by both Ponti and Fornasetti.

Today this desire is as strong as it’s ever been, despite considerable changes in the context. Our furniture and furnishings still inspire the imagination, and we’re driven by the desire to create beautiful objects, "good" for both man and the environment, made to last.

Now, in a context with obviously different characteristics and sensitivities, we’ve added a new dimension to our ties with art with Fornasetti Cult, an association dedicated to cultural research and artistic projects of all kinds that works closely with the atelier, effectively promoting the free circulation of ideas and vital lymph for the outside world.

© courtesy of Fornasetti

© courtesy of Fornasetti

22

F.1.M.: The pandemic has brought about changes to the way people experience the home. Do you see this as an opportunity for a company like Fornasetti?

B.F.: The pandemic has made us focus on the home, the effective centre of our lives. But at the same time, the ways we experience the home have also changed, and we ourselves have changed, with new expectations, needs and demands very different to those of the past.

I wouldn't say that this re-focusing on the home is an opportunity in itself. What has been an opportunity was our decision to make the changes we made precisely at a time of uncertainty like the pandemic.

We chose to listen to the outside world, found renewed sense and sincerely asked ourselves how we should proceed in this contemporary scenario.

Digitalisation was one of the major changes. The process was already underway but this latest phase saw the launch of our new e-commerce platform, and renewed attention to our "Made to Measure" service for projects, in response to an increasing demand for customization, in terms of both service and offer.

www.fornasetti.com

23

F.1.M.: At the Paris Fashion Week you collaborated with Nicholas Ghesquiere, creative director of Louis Vuitton Donna, in a very successful presentation. How did this come about?

B.F.: Our partnership with Ghesquière on this project was both unique and constructive; and a great opportunity for a generational confrontation between different creative contexts. We found we had many common traits, for example, extraordinary harmony in terms of style, creative thinking and ethics, which made the whole process so fluid.

Nicolas’ collections are an ongoing marriage of past, present and future, and he loves to mix ideas from all eras. The visual language of Fornasetti's is itself founded on this principle, on the ability to associate images while transcending the confines of epochs, disciplines and dates: it’s a precise creative principle and poetic to which Fornasetti has been bound since its origins. My father claimed it, and I in turn claim it as freedom of expression: the imagination can have no confines.

© Giovanni Giannoni

© Giovanni Giannoni

Fornasetti and Louis Vuitton have so much in common, from their close relationship with the world of art, to the way they enhance everyday things as multiple artistic originals. Not surprisingly we refer to them both as “ateliers”. This definition works simply because craftsmanship know-how and attention to detail are paramount for both, the heart of their identity.

24

MICHAEL KORS THE STYLE IS NOW

By Alberto Corrado Fashion runs at a different time, where different temporal planes merge in perennial metamorphosis. In Michael Kors’ case, it’s an eternal emblem of the most evanescent forms of creativity and flair.

A new era has opened a new reality, redefining the global system of fashion.

© Corey Tenold

© Douglas Friedman

© Landon Nordeman

The pandemic has radically changed not only the fashion’s information and dissemination systems, but its production, distribution, trade and consumption systems as well.

25

In this emerging economic and social renaissance with parameters set by the net, we find ourselves yearning for the space we want to win back after the total isolation imposed by the crisis, wishing to get back to experiencing normality made space: space to listen to music, dine with friends and re-contextualize ritual, without distancing, whether in space or in time.

It’s a new awakening with a succession of profound metamorphoses, intertwining innovations and transformations aimed at saving the world and everything else, where a new vision of time is at work, putting fashion where it’s made both symbolically and in reality, feeding the ongoing regeneration of the signs that nourish it. Giving it life in the weavings of time both real and imaginary, in ritual and object constructing that which expresses the depth of a society in concrete revolution.

Michael Kors' fashion is all this, both fluid and innovative, creating social time, connecting his objects and his signs with time.

It combines a dream of beauty and of a perfect aesthetic model with the colour and light of the seasons. A fashion that leads to an anachronistic, dualistic temporality, playing in both senses of our chronology.

We have to conceive Michael Kors' fashion in a time where all past and all present condenses into all feelings and passions, and the entire future too, with the infinite possibilities of an unstable and unpredictable reality.

A time out-of-time, the instant universe created by the new aesthetic instructions of a fashion where the moment, the timeless moment, and endurance coexist, where we find the capacity of a product to survive its physical, communicative and symbolic consumption.

At Kors’ events, especially the 40th Anniversary FW 2021 show staged on the streets of Broadway, with singer songwriter Rufus Wainwright performing an optimistic New York medley including “City Lights”, there is both present, future and the unconscious time that accompanies the ways in which objects, events, lifestyles and aesthetic sensitivities disappear like setting suns to reappear in the weavings of time.

26

So we have to brush up fashion’s time so it can only be rewritten from the actual present with a memory of the past that tends toward the future, where exist the signs and objects that not only come back in time, but create new configurations, remaining and returning to the concept of elegant, seductive fashion.

This is why the 40th Anniversary collection contains all the key elements that have always distinguished the brand, from the sportive and romantic to tailored-meets-soft. It’s a veritable handbook for seasons to come, written in the name of freedom and chic.

A collection with feminine, luxurious looks and sexy suggestions mixed with soft cuts and fabrics, nuancing into jumpsuits with sequin dresscode, all directed towards a world without barriers.

© Landon Nordeman

© Corey Tenold

© Landon Nordeman

A world where the aesthetic of beauty falls on every look, making it timeless and iconic: from suits to furs, blouses to dresses, decreeing the artistic heritage of the Maison as the pure creative poetry it is known for the world over.

27 This is how Kors' fashion presents itself through different temporal, perennial citations capable of generating ongoing, incandescent presentifications of motifs and objects experienced, of which he becomes the future messenger.

Fashion’s time is indeed synaesthetic time, experiencing the past through all senses, but at the same time each season brings secret signs of future things in its latest creations, and that’s what marries fashion and society.

Thanks to this timeless fashion, and the pertinacity to stand against the generalist trend that’s no longer fashionable, we can go back to living and dreaming.

www.michaelkors.com

29

DOLCE&GABBANA

BELIEVING IN THE FUTURE

By Alberto Corrado Inspired by the blue Mediterranean and verdant hues of the Côté d’Azur, Dolce&Gabbana open in Cannes extending accessibility into the virtual realm but always with the warmth of the human touch.

“There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the passion for life”.

Words of the late great Federico Fellini we can easily attribute to the divine duo that is Doce&Gabbana.

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have always loved the idyllic blue of the Mediterranean and its luxuriant nature, so much so they’ve chosen Cannes, the capital of luxury and fun on the fascinating Côté d’Azur, as the venue for their new summer season boutique.

Magnificent spaces, like a movie location, where precious coloured marble exalts the professional career of Dolce&Gabbana in a structured, articulate and integrated universe, from Côté fashion with the men’s and women’s Ready to Wear, Accessories and Fine Jewellery collections, to lifestyle, specifically in a Martini Bar corner on the upper floor, for a truly diverse experience while savouring the timeless beauty of life

30

A magical location where fashion dresses the body and architecture dresses the space the body inhabits the space and architecture dresses the space, as well as creating it: from the three grand entrance portals in precious Verde Lapponia Norwegian marble, to the furniture and furnishings in rosewood with steel fittings and mirrors creating a visual play of transparency and containment.

A project orchestrated personally by the Maison’s creative directors, in collaboration with Marco Costanzi of Marco Costanzi Architects, for an immediately and perceptibly fresh outlook as this elegant glass box embellished with precious Norwegian marble tastefully intrudes onto Boulevard De La Croisette between numbers 3 and 5, visibly reflecting the waves of the crystalline sea.

And for those not fortunate enough to visit in person, there’s the Virtual Boutique Experience, offering visitors a virtual tour of the boutique and its majestic architecture, and more: for a complete experience you can even make a virtual appointment with a real sales assistant, by phone or video-link, to show you around the boutique and the collections, make a wish list and choose the items you want.

A new way of shopping halfway between digital and real that makes the most of virtual accessibility with the irreplaceable human touch.

31

www.dolcegabbana.com

32

mvpwardrobe.com

MVP

CREATIVE UTILITY

By Alberto Corrado The creativity of a new brand, and the ways in which it comes into being, like a sort of utility for developing a new concept of fashion. These were the topics of our chat with Maria Vittoria Paolillo, creatress of a brand wardrobe that magically renews itself virtually month by month, fruit not only of her many inspirations but the demands of her girls as well, who like her always love to be elegant every moment of the day. For years a researcher of beauty, raised in a family where an aesthetic sense of clean style was a must. For years a researcher of fashion working through social media to become ambassador for fashion houses the world over, her career undoubtedly gave her just the right touch of craziness to create her MVP Wardrobe brand, and realise her life’s dream.

F.1.M.: In your career as influencer, ambassador and jewellery designer, you grappled long studying the phenomenon of creativity linked with the simple but elegant aesthetic you learned from your family. How would you define creativity?

M.V.P.: Creativity is the capacity to solve a problem in an original, innovative way, rather like the way I constructed my brand, very much on a woman to woman basis. And then creativity doesn’t necessarily have to be capricious, eccentric or particularly artistic, as we’ve been led to believe, it can be pragmatic too.

F.1.M.: Where does creativity come from, and how can we develop and nurture it?

M.V.P.: Creativity comes from skill and knowledge, and above all from lifestyle. No idea comes from nowhere. Creativity needs a system capable of recognising and rewarding the most innovative ideas, in terms of economics and the opportunities for realising them, as well as from a social and cultural point of view. The social and cultural climate I grew up in, a family of diamond merchants with 180 years of history behind it, was fundamental for me I’d say.

F.1.M.: What role does creativity play today, for example, in the development of a brand like MVP Wardrobe, the one you created immediately after your jewellery line?

M.V.P.: Creativity plays a fundamental role not only at the individual level, because nowadays people who’ve achieved a minimum level of material security look for different kinds of things; they give more weight to selfexpression, intellectual growth; but also at a general overall socio-economic level, because the competitive advantages of the more advanced economies are less and less focused on manufacturing capacity in itself and for itself, and more and more connected to the capacity to invent new products, new services and new ways of organising production, distribution, marketing and so on .

Take MVP Wardrobe for example, we guarantee rapid production and support our stores through a very special kind of company-store-customer relationship, a sort of asset not only made of e-commerce but of social business as well, that is to say, the technology that facilitates a relaunch of traditional channels on all fronts.

33

34

35 F.1.M.: In 2019 you established the MVP Wardrobe brand, creating a product with an aesthetic sense of fashion far more usable by its consumers. Has anything changed over the last two years?

M.V.P.: The only thing that’s changed is the production. It’s better aligned with the seasons in terms of real collections destined for our stores from September, but we’ve kept the original concept of monthly releases.

F.1.M.: What can we do to improve the situation in Italy?

M.V.P.: Like I’ve always said, there’s no single measure or single economic policy to solve everything. We need systematic change in so many different areas. As a first step, we should start by opening up research and the world of fashion to international competition, and reward quality and quality alone. Fashion always has to be distinguished by elegance and chic. Then businesses and the labour market in general have to be more flexible. A lot of businesses still have to rely on recruiting methods anchored in antiquated systems that only produce low-skilled profiles and above all invest little in training.

This isn’t the kind of fertile terrain we need for creating, developing and valorising innovative, avant-garde ideas.

What we need are measures that incentivise and support businesses, both large and small, still stuck in these outdated processes, and establish some serious policies dedicated to training and innovation. Then there’s the question of society itself. If we want a dynamic and modern economy, we need to build a dynamic and modern society. At present we’re taking one step forward and two steps backward on too many fronts: women's liberation, the acceptance of diversity, respect and promotion of civil rights. We need to work hard to build a society that’s culturally open, inclusive; ready to stimulate and accept individual forms of expression, innovation and creativity.

F.1.M.: In your work, do you find yourself dealing with different realities? Where have you seen the best applications of creative potential?

M.V.P.: Italy has many flaws, but of the countries I’ve come to know on my travels in search of my particular aesthetic sense, it’s the one with the most stimulating and rewarding environment.

Just think of the artistic heritage we’ve got right before our eyes, every day, every time we leave home.

Italy is a highly competitive reality, too, but one that offers real opportunities for expression, and knows how to motivate and nurture creativity and innovation.

36

‘Observer NFT’

by Vladinsky (2021)

A BRAVE NEW (DIGITAL) WORLD

By Alice Gardner Volatile. Controversial. Alluring. The continual reinvention of the art market has always fascinated, ever since its infancy in the 14th-century. What’s in vogue one day is out the next; fortunes can be made and lost on the same piece.

This evolution is driven by the art itself, and the climate in which it is created. A mixed media collage à la Picasso would have not only been out of place amongst the collectible sculptures and oil paintings of the 1500s, it would also have been pretty impossible.

This interlinking of art and the time during which it is created, therefore, is an enchanting pictorial comment on our own society.

Which is why, however confusing, NFTs seem to have casually slotted themselves in amongst the multi-million dollar greats; they even make Banksy look outdated.

‘Red Flower IV’

NFT by Zhuang Hong Yi (2021)

37

Taken from the recent release of NFTs

by ARTCELS Banksy’s Grin Reaper, Screenprint in colours on wove paper, Signed and dated (2005)

For those unfamiliar with the acronym, Non-Fungible Tokens are a unique unit of data stored on a digital ledger – a blockchain. This then certifies the digital asset to be unique. Powered by the Ethereum blockchain it works a bit like the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Essentially, they are crypto artworks. It’s an artform in itself just to understand it.

These NFTs don’t have any intrinsic value. They don’t really exist at all. Yet the art market has gone crazy for them over the past few months. There’s something to be said about the art market and its fear of missing out.

But the early bird catches the digital worm, and Mayfair’s HOFA Gallery was the first fine art gallery to offer purchases via cryptocurrency back in 2018. So it is little wonder that they have positioned themselves at the forefront of this NFT movement.

As of March this year, HOFA – along with sister digital art investments platform ARTCELS - launched a new NFT programme of crypto artworks by established contemporary artists; The process of purchase is almost as captivating as the works themselves. The marketplaces allow artists to mint their NFTs straight onto the Ethereum blockchain where bids for ownership can be made. This in itself creates its own market, bringing artist and collectors together at the inception of the work; while authenticity and ownership of a work are certified via the blockchain, while the unique work moves through various collectors the original buyer retains status as the official owner of the first iteration of the piece - the artist receives royalties with every resale.

And breathe.

38 It’s a whole new world, and one HOFA believes is the Next Big Thing. One needs only a slight interest in the market to realise that the March 11th $69 million sale of Mike “Beeple” Winkelmann’s Everydays – The First 5000 Day represented a significant shift.

For HOFA, their foray into the world of NFTs began with Zhuang pink flower. Artist Zhuang Hong Yi's Pink flower IV NFT sold as a unique 1/1. This marks just the beginning of NFTs at this premier contemporary art gallery.

Matter & Form runs from 29th April - 30th May both NFT and physical Exhibition in HOFA gallery, showcasing crypto works from emerging artists such as Gregory Siff, Jan Kaláb, Vladinsky, Zhuang Hong-Yi, Jason Sims, Romina Ressia, Katya Zvereva, Loribelle Spirovski, Bran Symondson, Mary Ronayne, Chris Lizarraga, Ilhwa Kim, Marie Soliman, Noman, Aleksandr P, Derrick Santini and Darian Mederos. “Our new crypto-artworks will break new ground for collectible digital contemporary fine art. It’s part of our ongoing effort to diversify the options available for art investments while also welcoming a new and enthusiastic cohort of young, affluent investors.”

These investors couldn’t be in better hands; ARTCELS digital art investments platform is also now offering shared ownership of high-value artworks through NFTs. And while contemporary artists like Banksy might now feel outdated by all of this blockchainpowered art, the ability to purchase his works certainly isn’t.

ARTCEL’s latest portfolio – Millennials – is opening up part-ownership investment into their latest blue-chip contemporary art portfolio that includes works from the likes of Banksy, Jonas Wood and Yoshimoto Nara, among others. And for the first time ever, investors will be able to purchase their shares using NFTs.

Red Squiggle by Josh Sperlin, Acrylic on shaped canvas

Kouros by Fabio Viale, 2020, a highlight of the new ‘Millennials’ portfolio

We have always aimed to innovate in this market. Our entry into NFTs will become another first, as we successfully usher contemporary art by recognised and celebrated artists into the cryptosphere.

Elio D’ Anna HOFA & ARTCELS Co-founder

Girl with a Balloon by Banksy; a distinctive screen print by Banksy ARTCELS’ art investor walks past Temporary Friend; a unique set of 5 relief prints by Nina Chanel Abney

These will be backed by their own revolutionary Swiss-based cryptocurrency, ARTEM. Works by these artists have appreciated in value, demand driven by the rising numbers of millennial collectors who have turned to more contemporary investment methods. Hopes are that this latest portfolio will perform along the lines of the sold-out success of their first, XXI. The price of a single Millennials share is $1,000. The portfolio will open with an initial offering of $250,000 capped by 250 shares.

Based on the performance of their last portfolio, the team believes that Millennials will attract a large value of commitment from each investor, also drawn to the benefit of ‘owning’ a personalised online gallery with investor dashboard and an in-platform social network. Art still remains one of the most secure investment options available.

ARTCELS launched their next investment portfolio Millennials at HOFA Gallery London on 22 April 2021. In compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols, all visits to the gallery will be strictly on RSVP basis.

HOFA Gallery’s Matter & Form exhibition NFT release will be 2 May 2021 via Zora.

www.artcels.com www.thehouseoffineart.com

40

ART IS JOY

NOT SUPERFICIALITY

By Luca Marotta

An explosion of energy, exuberant style and the serene look of someone who gobbles up everyday life with the same intensity, who certainly does not mince his words. Simone D'Auria is an artist who's sure of his message and knows how to move on the market without compromise, without having to be "liked by everyone".

Let's start with Simone D'Auria's alter ego: a spoon. Or rather, "Mr Spoon".

Mr Spoon has travelled through time in city spaces, from the first recycled plastic sculptures exhibited in Florence, to the paintings in which it features as a homage to great artists who've lived their lives with everyday passion (remember? you have to eat your life today...) like Edvard Munch, or those who observe life from the comfort of anonymity, like Banksy.

© Carlo Modonesi

Where did it come from? What does it mean?

To answer these questions, the Bergamo-born artist responds with his motto: "Eat your life today, not tomorrow!".

This is how an object with an apparently simple use represents the perfect synthesis of D'auria thought, which at least in the initial part of our chat tended to develop around culinary concepts, like when I ask him about the blue flock ham (in homage to Yves Klein, along with other works, from the "White Lies" Pinocchio to "Sheep to be different") he answers once again with a sort of motto: "culture is the only real nutriment in today's world ". Simple. Unopposable.

© Carlo Modones

i

But Mr Spoon, as we said, hasn't got a problem when it comes to speaking its mind, like when we find it intent on inflating a Jeff Koons dog, in a not-even-slightly veiled critique of the values of the art market and the effective value of certain artists.

Another significant aspect of D'Auria's body of work is that much of it is outdoors, in the urban environment, fine examples of which came from the artist's collaboration with Ferragamo on the "Personal/Impersonal" installations, again in Florence. "I was strolling around the city, the Uffizi and in and out of various churches and the cathedral. I kept on seeing animal faces represented on human bodies. I asked myself why, and found an explanation in the history of the city itself: during the renaissance the people of Florence used to associate the character of an animal with members of the influential personages and families of the time. So I did this installation where these figures first move skyward and then fall back to earth and into real life, symbolising how each of us has the spirit of an animal within us, that influences the way we are and the life we lead ".

43

If on one hand every artist has the need for absolute freedom of expression, on the other it is equally true that they're always in search, even on an unconscious level, of a distinctive trait that renders them unique and recognisable, like the crystalline hardness of Fontana or, on the contrary, the excessive rotundity of Botero.

So we could say the distinctive trait of Simone D'Auria lies not in the graphic and style of the sculpture despite its evident personality - as much in the psychology of that conditioned response of immediate, joyful sympathy his works arouse at first sight, opening up seconds after to reflection in search of a message, a veiled reality revealed by a simple phrase, a simple gesture.

But always fun, because art is joy, period!

www.simonedauria.com

44

JENK!

A SWEET NEW LIFE

By Luca Marotta The professional life of an artist naturally goes through different phases, both conceptual and personal.

Laurence Jenkell, creatress of the celebrated "Candies" that enchanted the entire world at the 2011 G20 summit in Cannes, has turned a corner onto a new path that opens up new horizons brimming with creative freedom.

And to celebrate her new-found freedom, why not start with a new name?

Ladies & gentlemen, good-bye Jenkell, hello JENK! This time the scene for my meeting with Laurence Jenkell was one of Monaco's most classic events, the Gran Prix. This year, too, the tone of the event was a little subdued due to the restrictions imposed on the organisers, but JENK - her new nom d'arte - certainly managed to sweeten the atmosphere somewhat with her wonderful "candies".

Big and beautiful, clear or coloured, rouge et blanc of course because this year they're celebrating the queen of Formula 1, Ferrari.

Jenk's sweeties are an unmistakable expression of artistic expression, joyful and light-hearted, but the cheer intrinsic in the subject shouldn't fool us into taking these works of art too lightly.

In itself, a sweet is an ephemeral, evanescent object. It is not its own and immediately unwrapped to reveal the multitude of flavours and sensorial stimuli within it.

Jenk's candies are all of this and the opposite too: they can contain any message, veiling it or revealing it in transparency.

A multitude of messages presented always in the same form.

JENK THE ONLY OFFICIAL WEB SITE www.laurencejenk.com @laurencejenk

There lies the intuition of the artist: Jenk creates a singular, infinite container of the most diverse emotions, always in the same, recognisable, reassuring form.

In her own way Jenk, with acute intelligence, rationale and formal rigour, has created an identity so recognisable as to be truly unforgettable and unique.

45 Candy wrappings aren't just a promise of sweetness and surprise, they symbolise the fatigue, the interior search, the struggle against one's contradictions.

46

PAOLO ROVERSI TIME, LIGHT, SPACE

By Luca Marotta Time, light, space: fundamental concepts for anyone who works in design. To communicate the importance of these elements, Poliform called on Paolo Roversi for his photographic interpretation of the company’s fifty year history, its evolution and its ongoing search for an absolute synthesis, for radical simplicity that have made it a benchmark for contemporary furniture.

I’ve had an unconditional, almost fanatical love for Paolo Roversi’s work for over twenty years. Since the very first work I found him in, a catalogue of photographs that saw two of the most important fashion photographers of our time in dialogue with each other: the Italian Roversi, maestro of light, shadow and glimpses of the soul, and the German Peter Lindbergh, who better than anyone else knew how to portray the human side of the top models of the ‘nineties.

And once again, when I discovered Roversi’s recent work for Poliform, one of the world’s leading makers of fine Italian furniture, I was truly ecstatic. Roversi seems to dialogue with these beautiful, though inanimate, items of furniture in almost exactly the way he does with the models in his celebrated portraits, managing to grasp the essence, the soul, the deeper meaning. With the three fundamental elements he knows so well: time, light and space.

51

a family affair Poliform was established in the year 1970, from an evolution of a small artisan’s shop dating back to 1942.

Its history is that of a company which, despite having achieved an international dimension, has maintained its family character, with strong ties with the territory - the world capital of furniture design Brianza, Northern Italy - and its values and traditions.

The minds behind such evolution are Alberto Spinelli, Aldo Spinelli and Giovanni Anzani, who still head the company today, successfully blending specific technical expertise and know-how with an entrepreneurial approach in absolute harmony with the social and economic changes of the era.

PAOLO ROVERSI POLIFORM: TIME, LIGHT, SPACE Hardcover - 381 x 297 mm - € 95

This book presents the design and history of Poliform from a unique perspective-that of fashion photographer Paolo Roversi. This is the story in pictures of a dimension of living that differs from every other. While there have been attempts to create a philosophy of interior design, there has rarely been an effort to discover the soul of furniture and objects.

That is what Paolo Roversi has tried to do with his camera in these pages, which are devoted to Poliform, the Italian company that has successfully transformed ancient Italian artisanal traditions into contemporary furniture. By using what have always been his raw materials - Time, Light, Space Roversi leads us on a photographic journey to the middle of the Poliform universe, helping us to relive the company's story and capture the mysterious, unmistakable soul that makes the surfaces and volumes of its objects vibrate. www.rizzolibookstore.com

PARTNERSHIP

52

SPACE & CONTEMPORANEITY An ultra-modern villa built for a family in the hills overlooking Cannes.

Integrating furniture into a pre-existing structure of this kind is a challenge that demands high-level architectural analysis.

"The aim is to create a living environment, with furniture and furnishings not made to specifications but nevertheless able to give the personal touch that communicates welldefined style, on a relatively tight schedule" These were Karine Foubet's initial thoughts before starting on the design and choosing the furniture for this project.

Above and beyond its significant dimensions, a particular feature of this villa is the way the space is articulated over different levels, with large glazed areas

creating a continual dialogue between interior and exterior. A continual flow of different perspectives, of intimate and distant horizons, of environments designed for the various moments of everyday life.

The incredible range of forms, fabrics and materials played a determining role in the choice of Poliform creations for this type of project. "Poliform is the perfect partner for projects like this, the way it combines aesthetics with the canons of functionality characteristic of our times."

53

Poliform Cannes 94, La Croisette - Cannes www.poliform-cannes.fr +33 (0)4 93 69 17 73 contact@bkaconcept.com

54

RIDING ON A

SEA OF GREEN

By Alice Gardner

55 You can’t escape the global sustainability push. “Doing your bit” is no longer a case of chucking the odd bottle into a recycling bin and reusing a crumpled plastic shopping bag from under the sink. It’s become a lifestyle. A bit of a necessary one.

And as with any new lifestyle, there are varying degrees to which we integrate it into our old one. Living a sustainable life to one person may be a move towards eating more organic food and cutting down on meat products. To another, it could be swapping a gas-guzzling SUV for a Tesla.

And for a lucky few, it could mean sailing into the sunset on one of Sunreef Yacht’s eco-catamarans.

It’s no secret that the yachting industry isn’t exactly eco-friendly. That rainbow sheen on the water’s surface in any port will tell you that. Then there’s the cross-Atlantic voyages, the importation of exotic woods and the sending out of helicopters to retrieve a specific type of lobster – badges of honour within the yachting community – that we have to contend with.

Yet there has been a noticeable shift as of late. These elements of a “conspicuous consumption of wealth” that has so defined this industry have turned a tide (pardon the pun). And Sunreef are riding that wave.

Sustainability is now luxurious in itself. In fact, it’s the new badge of honour.

Sunreef Yachts Eco are at the helm (sorry) of this responsible yachting movement with their new range of sail and power – electric – catamarans.

Inside and out, these eco catamarans herald energy saving, with no loss of luxury.

56 First up: Solar Skin. Sounding like the sea-hardened hands of an old skipper, Sunreef’s Solar Skin are solar panels that have been cleverly and subtly integrated into the yacht’s framework. In fact, they can be mounted pretty much anywhere including on the hull, superstructure and mast. They are the industry’s lightest panels. Which, if you’re in the business, know is a big deal.

These panels then team up with ultra-light batteries – custom-engineered marine battery packs. With a density below 5.2kg per kWh, they can be recharged in various voltages. Technical speak aside, this means that the batteries can run things like the air-con through the night, using up to 70% less energy than other yachting systems. And thank your lucky deodorant as they can even provide for top humidity control even in tropical climates.

But when you think of luxury yachting you don’t think solar panels and marine battery packs. Luxury is all in the look and feel of something. You’re not exactly going to make your batteries the first port of call when showing off to your friends.

© Josh Czachur

© David Churchill

© David Churchill

This is where Sunreef has also got it right in their sustainable yacht design; sustainable décor. Having to think about a product’s origin may feel limiting. But a careful consideration of materials – and their carbon footprint – can actually open up a world of possibilities. Even if that means looking closer to home.

© David Churchill

57

58

Sunreef have been careful to take the old-school durability x quality x aesthetics approach, ensuring that the interiors of their eco-catamarans are timeless and won’t need to be replaced after a few years. They take the entire lifecycle of any product used within their catamaran into consideration, and this focus on sustainability has paid off; the interiors are stunning.

Natural materials like linen, wool and bamboo are in abundance, as well as other recycled materials – like ecological suede. Unless you have a microscope to hand, telling the difference between recycled materials and the real thing is impossible. And this really is the driving force behind ethical luxury.

But it’s not only Sunreef whose focus has shifted; ours have too. There has been a surge of new enthusiasts entering the industry being more aware of the impact yachting has upon the planet, and they are willing to compromise.

This growing consciousness of eco-materials has presented yacht designers with a new challenge, and new styles to contend with. Yet as demand grows, so does supply and development. This can only be a good thing.

Sunreef has got their approach to sustainable yachting right. Ultimately, we all want to be on the water because we love it. And by making the move towards a green yachting lifestyle, we can enjoy it at the same time as helping to eliminate marine waste.

www.sunreef-yachts.com

59

FRANCIS LAPP FOUNDER & CEO

“In the early 90s I started racing on small catamarans.

I owned a Hobie 14 & 16. I then bought a couple of power catamarans for a charter fleet I set up in Madagascar. I gradually became disappointed with their level of finish and overall quality. This wasn’t my vision of luxury. And this is how my idea became clear: I needed to redefine the word “catamaran” and give it a luxury edge.”

“The launch of the first Sunreef catamaran was the first major step. I knew I had quite a unique product.

At the time, luxury catamarans were non-existent. On top of that, my boat had a flybridge – the world’s first on a catamaran.”

“Our yachts are a relevant response to what people are looking for at sea. Our creative approach to yacht design is something that has built our reputation.

Perseverance is what keeps the company running. I rarely ever give up.”

“Today we are building superyachts. It’s both a challenge and a reward. I feel pride because I see it as a recognition of our achievements and evidence of our expertise in multihulls. We are currently building a 49 meter motoryacht” “The Sunreef Yachts Eco catamarans are part of our brand philosophy and a message at the same time.

The idea behind this new range is a 360-degree approach to sustainability. All of this is an effort in order to have a harmony of luxury and sustainability.

Those two worlds belong together.”

60

MUSEO DEL PARCO CULTURE IN PORTOFINO, THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE RECOVERY OF TOURISM

By Manuela Schinaia

In his first speech to parliament, Mario Draghi defined Italy as a “great cultural power, and in the aftermath of this weird pandemic we find ourselves valuing our culture and tourism assets as never before. One such asset is certainly Portofino, the Pearl of the Tyrrhenian, famous for its beauty and historical association with celebrated artistic visitors, and a popular resort since the Romans, who knew it as Portus Delfini.

The words to describe the unique charm of this place have been bequeathed us over the centuries by poets and writers, and in times closer to our own by those who have made culture the focus of their lives. One such is Daniele Crippa, who in the ‘seventies founded and directed the Civic Gallery of Portofino in the enchanting Castello Brown aided by a panel of the most prestigious experts of the time, including Argan, Ballo, Briganti, Maltese, Marchiori, Strehler and Restany, presenting artists they considered interesting and who have since become part of art history: Manzoni, Agnetti, Arman, Rotella, Venet, Parmiggiani, Pomodoro and Mitoraj, to name but a few.

Another of his playgrounds is the garden of Castle Mumm where MuPa – Museo del Parco – Centro Internazionale di Scultura all’Aperto was born more than thirty years ago.

61

F.1.M.: How did MuPa come to be?

D.C.: For its sheer beauty. At the inaugurations of the exhibitions held at Castello Brown, visitors were always struck by the intriguing view over Portofino from the magnificent Castle, fascinated by the sight of the terraces as they drop to embrace the sea creating one of the world’s most incredible gardens. It took years but I finally managed to separate the activities of the castle and the garden with the idea of hosting sculptures by contemporary masters, and naturally to celebrate the immense passion the garden’s original owner, Baron von Mumm lavished on it (as well as his champagne) collecting rare plants from around the world to establish the extraordinary microclimate we see today. At the time the Civic Gallery had suspended its activities while restorations were going on in the old villa, and I took that as the stimulus for a new challenge.

It certainly wasn’t easy at the start. The artists were a little sceptical at first, but given the power of the name Portofino and I think a little out of respect for my own history, they came to see the space and immediately imagined their works set in the gardens facing onto the port, one of the world’s most glamorous, offering views of the sculptures to the luxurious yachts that line up to moor in this incredible natural haven.

F.1.M.: How are the various works selected?

D.C.: The collection we present to the public isn’t deliberately intended to lean toward any particular artistic style, whether abstract, figurative or informal, but to be a veritable excursus into the world of international sculpture. This is one of the great values of a museum that hosts works in a variety of materials ranging classic marble, ceramic and bronze to new experimental ones like plastics and resin.

F.1.M.: Do the works presented cover a particular period?

D.C.: No, they cover most of the twentieth century, from De Fiori’s work of 1911 to the Fontana (1944) and on to the present with Parra. All the works are by major internationally acknowledged sculptors, like Beuys, Pomodoro, Kosice, Ferrari, Marchegiani, Man Ray, Oppenheim, Spoerri, Cucchi, Cuttica, Tolomeo, Cacciola, Dorfles, Vigo and many others in a dialogue with future masters including Mustica, Costa, Galliani, Micheletti and Hart. And they’re just the best known, given that the list goes on. The park has more than two hundred, all interacting with each other thanks to the juxtaposition offered by the terraces, and the luxuriant vegetation tended by the capable hands of Mumm Castle’s gardeners that protects them from a backdrop that could be more chaotic than harmonious. The figurative works seem to dance and converse with the abstract forms and conceptual creations creating one of the many fascinating aspects of this magical place.

62 F.1.M.: Does the museum organise other events, as well as exhibitions?

D.C.: It’s such a fascinating space that sometimes, but very rarely, some events appropriate for the place have been held. One such even I remember was the presentation of Ferrè’s "black and gold" perfume, alongside an exhibition of works from Burri to Fontana, all black and gold obviously; others include the three evenings of classical music organised by Publitalia and the “volumes” days, sculptures in dialogue with Azimut's wonderful yachts.

The latest great success for the whole town was the presentation of the new Portofino Red Ferrari. That was when the Panoramic Art Gallery was born. Ferrari wanted a space at the top of the museum from where customers could admire the sculptural beauty of Ferrari Design’s director Flavio Manzoni’s creation, set amongst other works of art.

admiring the works.

This unique museum boasts a prologue written by Jorge Luis Borges in 1983, part of which reads “Each statue is a Golem. Psychoanalysts have popularised a parlour game which consists of asking each person what a given word suggests to them. Here I leave written what the word sculpture suggests to me".

F.1.M.: Future projects?

D.C.: New synergies are developing thanks to this latest municipal council which, in addition to having brilliantly overcome the devastating storm that destroyed the seafront road and isolated the village, and taking on the pandemic with great courage and care, is showing given greater attention to culture. The Museum and the Municipality are working together toward the same goal in the vast world of culture, alongside Castello Brown and the Strehler Theatre.

F.1.M.: Different sculptural forms in a kind of symbiotic dialogue…

D.C.: Very much so. That’s why through its president Daniele Crippa, MuPa is always acquiring new works to enrich the collection further, all chosen with a view to acknowledging international creativity and creating a global vision of how contemporary sculpture can interact with the space, developing a dialogue with the visitors

For the Puri Negri regattas, the Theatre will be putting on an event that I leave you in suspense about for the time being, MuPa will be hosting a sculpture by Edi Rama and the Mayor will be opening the Civic Gallery of Portofino, risen like a phoenix after so many years, with an exhibition of one of the greatest living Italian artists: Elio Marchegiani.

Everyone’s invited. And who knows what other fireworks the future has in store.

www.museodiportofino.it

© Giorgio Andreuccetti

63

NOTES ON THE WATER THE PUCCINI FLOATING ACADEMY WILL BE THE NEW PEARL OF TUSCANY

By Barbara Pieroni Following its public debut last July, the Puccini Floating Music Academy European Cultural Heritage project has reached its final phase.

Culture, Tourism and the Lake itself are the mainstays of this project to revitalise the Torbiere Peninsula, the port and the spaces overlooking Lake Massaciuccoli, an area of outstanding natural beauty near Viareggio in the hamlet of Torre del Lago Puccini, world renowned as the birthplace of Maestro Giacomo Puccini and the open-air Gran Teatro, venue for the annual Puccini Festival celebrating the magnificent works of the Maestro every summer.

The way the project reconnects the lakeside with the urban fabric creates a unique cultural, musical, environmental and sporting pole of attraction. The music and culture of Giacomo Puccini harmoniously blends with the natural beauty of lake and yachting, offering a unique opportunity to musicians and artists from all over the world to come and record or rehearse in specially designed sustainable house boats on land and afloat, and making this splendid portion of the city available for tourism and sports for most of the year.

It’s a great media opportunity as well thanks to the links between Puccini and the nautical world, of which he was a pioneer ship-owner with a keen eye to innovation and sustainability.

The Puccini Floating Music Academy is also sure to attract international-level artists thanks to the cutting-edge recording technology offered by the production company associated with the Puccini Festival. The project indeed includes a DPMA (Department of Production and Music Art) offering top-end music production facilities, making it the perfect place not only for future ideas but historic

musical culture as well. The DPMA is certain to become a benchmark in the field of music production running master and specialist courses for producers, musicians, composers, authors and artists.

The Puccini Floating Music Academy will be offering house boats with classrooms, recording studios, guest quarters, sound engineers and specialist personnel on innovative sustainable floating structures, in themselves a great innovation for water-borne tourism.

The Natural Tourism part of the project includes the development of innovative residential islands with house boats, cycle tracks and ecological catamarans for sailing between Viareggio and Torre del Lago Puccini.

This unique natural and cultural experience will be promoted through highly impactful tourism packages.

Thanks to the Puccini Floating Music Academy project, the entire location could become a pole of attraction for large sporting events, regattas, environmental tourism, gastronomic and cultural events and performances almost all year round. The project works include a substantial revamp of the buildings, outdoor spaces and marina, as well as improvements to the links and interconnections between the various existing areas.

The project’s promotors include NAVIGO, a development innovation company in synergy with the Municipality of Viareggio, the Puccini Festival Foundation and all of the district’s major operators.

64

MEDITERRANEAN'S BEST KEPT SECRET

LET ALBANIA SURPRISE YOU!

By Victoria Morris

© Roman Khomlyak/Shutterstock

Outdoor activities, yachting, art, culture, history or business … whatever you are looking for, the “Land of the Eagles” is a hidden gem that is sure to amaze you.

NATURE/OUTDOOR

You’ve probably never heard of the names Llogara, Karavasta, Prespa Lake or Dajti, yet Albania has many conservation areas, reservations and national parks with stunning landscapes. Throughout the country, nature is rich and diverse, with many high mountains and deep valleys, beautiful lagoons and lakes, pretty little villages and deserted beaches. Such a varied landscape offers an array of activities such as climbing high mountains, canoeing down deep canyons, paragliding over beautiful scenery and scuba diving in the Ionian Sea.

65

If you want to get away from the overcrowded Riviera, Albania should be top of your list. The coastline boasts pristine white sandy beaches and breathtaking mountains with hardly a building in sight. Many marinas are currently being planned, including Porto Albania which will be able to welcome yachts up to 70 metres. In the meantime, be sure to stop over at Porto Palermo, you won’t regret it.

HISTORY/MONUMENT

Albania has a fascinating history: from the first Neanderthals to Illyrian tribes, the Greeks, the Romans and the Ottomans, there have been many influences so you’ll find plenty of ruins and monuments to admire. Butrint (a UNESCO “World Cultural Heritage” site) and Apollonia are two well-known archaeological sites.

A little less old is the castle of Kruje, which played a role in the series of sieges by Skanderberg in the 15th century. In the town of Berat, you’ll discover a mix of different heritages including Greek, Roman and Byzantine.

© Zdenek Matyas Photography/Shutterstock

YACHTING

© Kateryna Mashkevych/Shutterstock

© Kateryna Mashkevych/Shutterstock

66

DRESS/FOLKLORE

Albanian is one of the oldest languages in Europe and is not derived from any other language. The Albanian dress is equally unique and was declared by Lord Byron “the most wonderful in the world”.

In addition to its rich history, Albania has an exciting art scene led by young original artists. A good example is Tirana’s Art Lab Contemporary Centre, which promotes new Albanian artists, and there are many other contemporary art centres that are well worth a visit. Agim Rada is a name that often pops up when speaking about Albanian contemporary art. The gallery of this “rebel sculptor, painter and engraver”, which is in his home in the town centre, is open to everyone.

© ollirg/Shutterstock

In fact, Albanians used to be able to determine where somebody came from simply because of how they dressed, as each region had its own style influenced by ethnic tradition and religion.

MODERN CULTURE

Agim Rada

Ibrahim Kodra - The date (1987)

© StoriesFromAnywhere/Shutterstock

67

TIRANA/BUSINESS TOURISM

The cities of Tirana and Durrës constitute the economic and financial heart of Albania due to their high population, modern infrastructure and strategic geographical location. Shkodra, Fier and Vlora are also major business centres.

Tirana's gastronomic scene has evolved and now boasts many restaurants with stylish interiors and delicious locally-grown food.

More good news: you won’t have any problem finding a decent cup of coffee, as in 2016 Albania overtook Spain for the highest number of bars and coffee houses per inhabitant!

OUR GUIDE

Our guide on this first short trip was Enkeleida Zeko, a symbol of modern society in Albania. She is one of the most prominent figures of sports journalism on Albanian television as the presenter of the show "Fair Play”.

She is a descendant of the Zakate family and the first female journalist in Albania to present a sports program solo. She believes that “you cannot become a journalist if you are afraid and do not speak about the problems that concern our society.”

As a sports presenter, she is very excited that the final match of the 2021-2022 UEFA - Conference League will be played on 25th May 2022 at the Arena STADIUM in Tirana. Her message to you?

“Come and visit us in Albania, you’ll receive a warm welcome”.

http://albania.al

www.fourseasons.com/capferrat

TIMELESS ELEGANCE

& ICONIC GLAMOUR With a guestbook signed by everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Winston Churchill and an enviable perch overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the palatial spread of the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel has been the epitome of Côte d’Azur chic for more than a century.

The Hotel is ideally located at the tip of the secluded and private peninsula of Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat, amidst 17 acres of lushly landscaped gardens, only half an hour to Monaco and to Nice.

With a total of 74 rooms and suites, including the spectacular Four Seasons Pool Suites which offer a private pool in the suite, and the iconic Villa Rose Pierre, with 4 master bedrooms and its private tennis court and infinity pool, this Resort is ideal for family reunions or romantic gateways.

The talented Yoric Tieche and its Michelin-starred Provençal and Mediterranean cuisine, offers various

gastronomic options on property.

In terms of activities, guests can enjoy playing tennis on property, and relax at the awarded Le Spa to enjoy a moment of peace and tranquility. Le Spa is dedicated to well-being, offers outdoor and indoor cardio fitness studios, indoor spa treatment rooms as well as state-ofthe-art Spa facilities.

In addition, the legendary Club Dauphin offers one of the world’s most beautiful swimming pools and twenty brand new private cabanas, equipped with all the comforts to enjoy a relaxing summer retreat facing one of the most inspiring sea views.

©Gregoire Gardette

© Martino Dini

© Christian Horan

© Martino Dini

© VChristian Horan

68

C U L L I N A N

D I A M O N D S

Every ultimate precision cut Cullinan Diamonds engagement ring TM

comes with the option of a CULLINAN DIAMOND REPORT

TM

the first to provide a unique signature, the DNA of every stone.* Girdle Inscription

* CULLINAN DIAMOND REPORT™ at additional cost

Diamond Fluorescence Image

© Jean-Michel Sordello

70

A CHARMING

MADEMOISELLE Here’s a young lady from Cannes who is definitely worth getting to know better. She’ll charm you with her imaginative flair and bohemian-chic style and encourage you to indulge in shameless relaxation, while enjoying her gourmet fare and carefree ambience.

Mademoiselle Gray - Plage Barrière Boulevard de La Croisette, Cannes +33 (0)4 92 99 79 99

© Jean-Michel Sordello

71

Some guests, in relaxed dress-down mode, will spend all day in her happy-go-lucky company, while others, in outfits which are carefully put-together without looking too obviously smart, will visit just for a drink or maybe for lunch or dinner. It’s all the same to her: she offers the same welcome to all – one which is warm, friendly, attentive and full of epicurean delights.

The name of this gem is of course Mademoiselle Gray, the beach venue at Barrière’s Le Gray d’Albion hotel in Cannes. Situated at the heart of the Croisette, looking

out towards the Lérins islands, Mademoiselle Gray is the queen of the summer, who will captivate the hearts of all who cast eyes on her. She will fill your lazy summer days with myriad pleasures: the warm sun; the gentle lapping of the sea on the beach; the fun of trying your hand at Mariole (a type of pétanque played on the sand); the southern-flavoured cuisine of chef Pierrick Cizeron; the lounge-style ambience and its musical backdrop; the unequalled cocktails; the sun setting behind the Estérel mountains; the magical evenings and so much more besides.

Even if this is just a summer love affair, Mademoiselle Gray is so much more than a holiday romance – it is also a chance to share experiences which are full of the good things in life.

www.oetkercollection.com

72

THE EMOTION OF AN

EXCLUSIVE VACATION Eden- Roc is the new exclusive fragrance from Maison Christian Dior, an olfactory image of the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, translating the authentic concept of luxury into a perfect olfactory blend.

François Demachy is the nose behind the olfactory pyramid Eden Roc, an exclusive perfume from the Maison Christian Dior collection dedicated to the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, the legendary hotel that celebrated its 150th anniversary last year.

Every time you hold the bottle of a new fragrance in your hands, you simply can’t avoid your mind retracing all the steps of the long journey led to its creation.

Eden-Roc is no exception. This unisex fragrance from Maison Dior started out from the choice of a hotel of which it’s impossible to list the celebrities who’ve sojourned there at different times and in different epochs.

The Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc and its nine hectares of splendid, park and pine forest stretching along the shores of the Mediterranean have been the exclusive haunt of celebrities and film stars visiting Cannes for the festival since it began back in 1946.

When Maison Christian Dior chose to develop this olfactory escape to the Cote d'Azur, they were certainly creating it for true and dreamers and romantics, as well as for lovers of sheer exclusivity.

And in the wonderful gardens of the Hotel, François Demachy found the perfect synthesis of the true values of elegance, refinement and tradition, the cornerstones of Maison Christian Dior. A world of indisputable beauty, depicted through the emblematic gardens of the Eden-Roc, choosing top notes of citrus and luminous middle notes of white jasmine flowers, perfectly evoking summery moods accompanied by intriguing bass notes of pine that gradually meld into a sea salt crystal placed on the tip of the tongue while fruity overtones play on the olfactory composition like sunbeams.

At first test it begins to draw you in, hinting at the fundamental concepts of its composition as the pungent bass notes suggest the protective canopy offered by the pines of the Hotel and the middle notes evolve like water sprinkled on bronzed skin warmed by the sun. Then you understand it all revolves around colours: the fantastic blues of the Mediterranean, the intense yellow of the sun shining on the rocky shores and the verdant hues of the pines sheltering bronzed bodies relaxing on loungers.

It’s vacation in a bottle, with the discreet charm of authentic luxury.

74

LILY OF THE VALLEY WELLNESS LUXURY HOTEL

Lily of the Valley, the only five-star luxury hotel on the Riviera dedicated to the art of living and wellness, is a peaceful haven in the heart of the countryside just a few kilometres from St Tropez, on the hill overlooking the beach. Since its opening in 2019, it has established itself as one of the top luxury addresses in its field that offers both high-end hotel services and a very comprehensive range of treatments and weight-loss programmes.

Designed entirely by Philippe Stark, it boasts 38 bedrooms and 6 suites, all with private terraces, in a building with a living roof. Or, right on the sea, there are 8 brand new pool-suites that will open early July.

Guests can enjoy a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean from the main terrace. Recently expanded, it hosts the bar and diners in the main restaurant, Le Vista, where Chef Vincent Maillard serves Mediterranean cuisine with Provençal touches, all prepared with local and seasonal produce.

Upgraded features The reopening of Lily of the Valley took place after careful preparation, in order to offer future residents an environment that is perfectly adapted to today’s situation and its new requirements. All areas were rethought and have been better equipped so that space for relaxation is enhanced by the ability to telework, so you can continue your professional activity with peace of mind, in a unique and revitalising setting. Additionally, the management team, with the help of Bureau Veritas, has put in place all the required measures in terms of social distancing, prevention, disinfection and routes for moving around, in order to guarantee the protection of everyone’s health.

© November Studio

75

This reopening takes place just a few weeks before the inauguration of the Lily of the Valley Beach Club, which also comes entirely from the imagination of Philippe Stark. At the foot of the hill, you can continue enjoying the luxury lifestyle by the sea, at the well-equipped private beach where there are two Italian restaurants and eight pool-suites featuring 1 to 3 bedrooms.

New in 2021: Three programmes specially created

by Dr Fricker to lose weight At the heart of Lily of the Valley, the 2000 m² Shape Club, which is dedicated to weight loss, sport and wellbeing, welcomes residents who want help with realising their ambition to slim down.

This much anticipated opening is a great opportunity to discover the sophisticated programmes that have been specially developed

by Dr Jacques Fricker, the hotel’s specialist.

The nutritionist doctor has adapted his famous method to lose weight quickly and sustainably into three themes of four durations. He has personally trained the professionals in charge of monitoring residents and he worked hand in hand with the Chef to put together menus that were created especially for the programmes.

As well as at Le Vista, residents can enjoy them at the Club House, the restaurant at the Shape Club which is ideal for a quick light snack between sports sessions and treatments.

+33 (0)4 22 73 22 00 reservations@lilyofthevalley.com www.lilyofthevalley.com @lilyofthevalleyhotel

76

FROM POLO CLUB TO

COUNTRY RESORT The Polo Resort & Country Club (PRCC) in Saint-Tropez moves upmarket for its members and top sports people.

Now with three options available for annual memberships: Single, Couple and Family, PRCC is a high-end multi-sport centre open throughout the year for both amateurs and professional members, and sports teams. It is also the perfect place to relax for those who don’t do sport and just want a change of scene, with a new sauna and hammam room, cryotherapy treatments and an – of course - an Argentinian restaurant… all this in a unique and safe setting, just 5 minutes from Saint Tropez and only 25 minutes by helicopter from Monaco.

JUMPING & DRESSAGE - open all year round Jumping & Dressage has developed thanks to a partnership with Rodrigo Pessoa, a Brazilian rider who is the Olympic show jumping champion.

His right-hand man Ivan Carmargo, a highly experienced rider and trainer, has settled in at the club.

Facilities and services • Horse and rider training (for all levels) • Possibility to do train with Ivan Camargo or Rodrigo Pessoa: upon request Workshops from 1 day to 1 month, or all year round, with your own horse or one of Ivan’s.

Facilities and services dedicated to show jumping and dressage: • Owners’ stables, saddlery and treatment area • Solarium • Grooming service • Horse walker • 27 paddocks • 1 covered manège and 2 outdoor training rings • A double racing track

Ivan Camargo +33 6 48 70 66 27 / jumping@polo-st-tropez.com

RESTAURATION - open all year round Nicolas Sale, Michelin-starred chef from the Paris Ritz, has partnered with the Polo Club this year and has designed the menu of the Argentinian and Peruvian restaurant “Polo 1999”.

• Nicolas Sale will be available upon request for members and VIP clients.

• The restaurant is open all year round for members, partners and polo team bosses.

POLO - From May to October Former top professional Argentinian rider Julio Zavaleta (9 international handicaps) is the new manager of polo and training for the polo school.

© Matias Callejo

Polo School : Initiation, private or group lessons, training for competitions...

• April to October, welcome sessions are open to all, whatever your level or age.

• The aim of the initiation to polo lessons is to teach the technical basics of the game, to learn how to handle the mallet and your horse, and to get to know the various movements used to hit the ball.

• It’s an original way to do team building! Polo is ideal for strengthening relations between work colleagues and learning the techniques of this sport brings a team toget her.

Matchs / Sunday Polo : open to members and partners of the club only.

• 10 tournaments of 8-10 goals and 5 tournaments of 14-16 goals.

In full season this means 20 matches a week, over 500 horses on-site, with professional players from around the world.

• Each tournament ends with a Sunday polo match with 2 finals and, depending on the time of year, an evening reception or a cocktail lunch or dinner.

• In 2021, during July and Aug ust, there will be 5 themed Sunday polo gala evenings.

Julio +33 6 43 79 30 49 / polo@polo-st-tropez.com

SPORTS IMMERSION We welcome top sports teams or athletes for training and recovery sessions. Everything has been designed with performance in mind: Recovery : Full body cryotherapy (“MECOTEC” machine for 4 people) Hammam & Massage room 30-metre swimming pool, heated all year round Facilities : • 600 m² Sports Centre with high-tech machines • 5 polo fields with Tifton grass, the size of 18 rugby or football pitches ...

• 1 synthetic Padel and tennis court & 1 clay court • A 100 ha estate including 60 ha of woods, of which only 2% are built on • Over 300 horse boxes, a covered manège, a double racing track and 2 show jumping training rings.

• A 132 m² conference room with a video projector and giant screen for high quality Zoom meetings.

Accomodation and Catering on-site: Athletes can stay on-site, where they enjoy a catering service that can be adapted to their specific needs.

3 HELIPADS - Only 25 minutes from Monaco!

Landings and take-offs are reserved for members and partners, upon request.

www.polo-st-tropez.com

78

KUBE

SAINT-TROPEZ A 5* resort based on three themes, mixing luxury & comfort with the Saint-Tropez way of life WHITE With Scandinavian-inspired design and uninterrupted lines, the rooms and suites of the WHITE universe are all infused with light, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto private terrasses under the azure blue of the St Tropez skies.

WOOD Throughout the 5 villas, cosy rooms are adorned with raw and natural materials. One of the villas, which overlooks the sea, can be rented privately and features a kitchen, dining-room, and two living rooms.

IBIZA It’s just one step from Saint-Tropez to Ibiza. An independent “bohemian chic” world provides the perfect setting to enjoy time with family or friends, opening onto its own terrace which allows private access to the pool.

PARTNERSHIP

79

MARC LEVEAU GENERAL MANAGER KUBE SAINT-TROPEZ Marc Leveau first learned his trade in Brussels and the Czech Republic before being appointed Managing Director at the Grand Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat in July 2009.

His professional expertise is reflected in the prestigious prizes awarded to the establishments he managed. Today, Marc Leveau has taken up the reins at the ultrachic Kube Saint-Tropez, which is part of the Machefert Group. His ambition is to offer the famous address a “new lease of life”.

80

In 2021, our restaurant will completely transform itself to become “DAKI DAYA”, with its all-new decor inspired by the sea breeze that recalls the fine sands of the Pampelonne beaches and the rocky shores of Ramatuelle.

DAKI DAYA, which means “from here and there” in Provençal patois, pays tribute to the colours of Provence with gourmet Mediterranean surf and turf cuisine.

The restaurant is open to all. You’ll be sure to enjoy a moment of pure bliss, with the terrace’s peaceful shaded areas and their spectacular views of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.

At Kube Saint-Tropez, the love of Mediterranean cooking is something we live and share.

81

ARMAND ESBELIN CHEF Armand Esbelin is well known on the French Riviera, where he has brought his flair to several prestigious establishments.

After a short stop in Courchevel as Head Chef at Le Carlina Hotel (1996-1997), his career brought him to the East French Riviera where he had the opportunity to work in various ‘centres of excellence’. He has held the positions of Deputy Chef at the Hostellerie les Gorges de Pennafort in Callas, Deputy Chef at Ponte Romano in Plan de la Tour, Head Chef at the Domaine de l'Astragale in Saint-Tropez, Catering Manager at L'artichaut barigoule in Saint-Tropez, Head Chef of the Ferme la Douce restaurant in Ramatuelle, Chef of the restaurant La Galiote aux Marines in Cogolin, Chef at the Aqua Club beach in Ramatuelle and more recently Head Pastry Chef at Maison Léone in Cavalaire.

© Maxime Besse

Then, he then took over the kitchen at the Kube Saint-Tropez resort as Executive Chef. At Kube Saint-Tropez, Armand Esbelin pays tribute to the Mediterranean flavours and shares his love of the Var region with his gourmet, yet healthy, cuisine.

82

Take advantage of your stay at Kube Saint-Tropez to enjoy a journey filled with the sensations, colours and scents of the Côte d’Azur. Well-being, spa, nutrition and fitness are the four pillars of wellness at Kube SaintTropez. Between the pine forest and the Mediterranean, experience the joy of slow living. Here everything has been imagined and designed for your well-being, so you can take time to look after you, to reveal the best of yourself, reconnect your mind and body, and find inner peace.

© Maxime Besse

New range In 2021, the Carita Spa now boasts a new range, THALGO, a pioneer in marine cosmetics. The THALGO treatments, made with seaweed and marine extracts, combine effectiveness and well-being to revitalise mind and body.

www.kubehotel-saint-tropez.com

83

Online sales on www.stajvelo.com

84

SILENCE PLEASE,

WE'RE RACING

By Andrea Dini Although electric motors are much quieter than their Formula 1 cousins, the excitement for these races grows with the passage of time and the technical implementation of the cars.

© Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images

© Andrew Ferraro

Da Costa, who started the race on Julius Baer Pole Position, played a pivotal role in an ever-continuing

Robin Frijn's second place takes him to the top of the Drivers' standings ahead of previous points leader Nyck de Vries (Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team), with five points separating the pair going into the mid-season break.

Mitch Evans came home in third, although he was leading the race until the very last moment. As he sought to conserve usable energy with Da Costa on his tail, the Kiwi fell off the pace but managed to secure the final podium position.

© Andrew Ferraro

Going back to the race: the legendary streets of Monaco have hosted round 7 of Fia Formula E 20202021 championship. Reigning champion Antonio Felix da Costa, who started from the pole position, sealed victory in a last lap thriller.

rotation for the lead, but made “one of the riskiest moves of his Formula E career” half way around the final tour of the race, taking home victory around the Principality.

© Sam Bloxham

From the point of view of the public, the two formulas are not to be put in competition with each other, but it is a fact that in Formula E having cars with minimal differences in performance enhances the qualities of the drivers more. The organization of the races is also much more streamlined and enjoyable by the fans.

EXCLUSIVE ST TROPEZ DEDICATED TO INTERNATIONAL GUESTS YOUR ONE STOP SERVICE FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS Home Hunting for you if you wish to buy Finding a Perfect Summer Villa if you wish to rent Conciergerie Services during your Stay

Feel free to contact us at +33 675 723 640 www.exclusivesttropezproperties.com www.sttropezconcierge.com

85

86

RICHARD MILLE

KEEPING TRACK

By Alice Gardner There’s an undeniable allure to Formula 1; Fast cars. Exotic locations. Trackside celebrities.

It’s its own genre of luxury.

Which is why it attracts luxurious brands like world-renowned watchmaker Richard Mille, who has just signed a multi-year partnership with Ferrari.

And it’s quite the match. For both brands, time is everything.

87

But time is not the only bond Ferrari and Richard Mille share. There is a common ethos of excellence and precision – essential in both the chronographic and racing world. Inspiration is forged from age-old expertise, coupled with undeniable passion and artistry. One need only compare the mastery under the surface of both watch-face and engine to understand the commonality.

Both are things of beauty. Both are top of their game.

It would appear then that the partnership between Ferrari and Richard Mille is a match made in heaven, a match that sees this new multi-year partnership extend from Formula 1 through to WEC endurance programs, Competition GT, the Ferrari Challenge, Ferrari Driver Academy and Esports. What inspiration, seeing the product of a perfect marriage between performance and technical prowess on your wrist, all while behind the wheel of a racing car that exhibits exactly that.

© Foto Colombo Images / Scuderia Ferrari Press Office

© Foto Colombo Ima

ges / Scuderia Ferrari

Press Office

88

89

Yet it will not just be a case of sending out a few watches to Ferrari’s top drivers and plastering their name all over the cars. This is a partnership in the truest sense. A collaboration. The specialist Richard Mille team in Switzerland will work closely with Ferrari’s design department over the next few years to produce some incredible timepieces born of this new relationship. Luxury watches and Ferraris combined.

You can’t get sexier.

Richard Mille are no stranger to this type of collaboration. They have worked closely with Felipe Massa to co-develop three special-edition Toubillion watches. Rafael Nadal and Bubba Watson have also worked in collaboration with the team. It would seem that where world-class sport goes, Richard Mille not only follows, but keeps in time.

This new partnership is where innovation meets art. Excellence meets expertise. And passion meets inspiration. These two brands, each bearing the name of their founders, may be iconic in their own right, but together… if only they could speed up time for us to see the finished product.

www.richardmille.com

90

arolo, Matra MS7 rage, Brabham BT23C / Henri Pesc azzoni, Tecno PA68 / Piers Cou Reg Clay a ntin Arge da pora F2, Tem

en Rindt, Brabham F1, Grand Prix du Canada - Joch

BT26

CAR RACING 1968 THE UNPUBLISHED ARCHIVES OF DPPI

By Keith Francis Car Racing 1968 is every bit a worthy successor in the tradition established by the three previous tomes of the ‘Car Racing’ series (1965, 1966, 1967). It is still through treasures unearthed from the archives of the DPPI photographic agency that this book published by Éditions Cercle d’Art offers, for the title year, a unique experience of immersion in the atmosphere of 1960s motorsport. Created in 1965 by a group of photographers fascinated by the fury of the track and the bravura of drivers, DPPI has always gone where the action is. And, in the ’60s, the expression was by no means mere metaphor!

The book Impelled by the momentum of Matra, French motorsport underwent a renaissance in the 1960s. For the1968 season, the French firm entered Formula 1 full time and even developed its own V12 engine! This ambitious commitment fanned public enthusiasm for Formula 1 Grand Prix racing in France. DPPI’s photographers, who were friends with Jean-Pierre Beltoise, had a front-row seat to this fantastic adventure. The stars of the sixties are featured across the board in this volume. Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Jochen Rindt and the other driving and engineering virtuosos are amply represented, naturally. Unfortunately, this is only a glimpse in some cases… For, as one of the six stories written by Johnny Rives and Alain Pernot explains, fate was particularly cruel that year: too many drivers lost their lives at the wheel, including the talented Jim Clark, then at the top of his game.

The authors A fixture on the circuits since the mid-1960s, Manou Zurini was among the first to lend motorsport photography an artistic dimension. Now retired from the racing circuit, he has forgotten nothing of this exciting period and punctuates the pages of Car Racing with his colourful commentary.

91 F1, Mexican Grand Prix - Chris

Amon, Ferrari 312/68

© dppi

ny Servoz-Gavin, Matra MS10 F1, Mexican Grand Prix - John

Another key witness of the period, Johnny Rives has been a leading motorsport specialist since he joined L’Équipe in 1960. Here, he brings all his enthusiasm and liveliness, notably by drawing moving portraits of driving legends.

For this 1968 edition, a key season in many respects, contributions were invited from Alain Pernot, an independent journalist and motorsport expert who knows how to share his exhaustive knowledge with all the passion that drives him to collect it.

The collection One of the strengths of the Car Racing collection is that it remains true to its initial purpose, namely an editorial approach that is essentially photographic: ‘This is not an umpteenth book on the history of motorsport,’ insists Fabrice Connen, DPPI’s editorial director.

‘In every case, we favoured the strongest, most unusual pictures or those that best recreated the atmosphere of the time, even if they were taken at minor events.’

CAR RACING 1968 240 pages – 280 x 328 mm – € 95

LIMITED EDITION 1968 : Each volume in the collection is also issued in a special cloth-boxed edition of which only 200 numbered copies are printed.

These come with an original photograph from the DPPI photo agency’s archives, printed on 315-gram Hahnemühle paper by the Picto laboratory in Paris and its associated certificate of authenticity.

(Cloth-bound boxed, limited-edition photograph in 200 numbered copies, certificate of authenticity - € 250) www.cercledart.com

92

1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic: Front 3/4 © Mullin Automotive Museum/photo Michael

Furman

ULTIMATE DREAM

COLLECTOR CARS

By Keith Francis Another beauty from Taschen full of eye-wateringly gorgeous photographs of the world’s most desirable, unobtainable cars, for the petrolheads among us.

Every year brings new publications about cars, some of them good, well-researched scholarly tomes, others more like designer accessories for coffee-tables than legitimate publishing endeavours, but none come anywhere near this: Ultimate Collector Cars, the new 904-page two-volume set from Taschen is anything but an accessory, but at 11 x 14 inches it’s nearly as big as most coffee tables, and weighing in at 24 pounds, be careful how you lift it!

Beautifully bound in black linen, Volume 1 opens with a forward by auction impresario and RM Sotheby’s founder Rob Myers, who lovingly describes it as “a most impressive anthology of collector cars… an utterly incomparable assembly of vintage cars that are, in every respect, the best of the very best”, followed by chapters devoted to each decade of the first half of the twentieth century, barring the ‘forties when less than a half-decade’s worth of consumer vehicles were made due to World War II. The surprisingly uniform photos are fleshed out with insightful interviews, including conversations with collector Dr. Frederick Simeone, whose Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum is home to some of the world’s greatest cars. Contributors to the chapter on the 1950s include The Duke of Richmond and Gordon, founder of the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival.

Volume 2 covers the 1960s, a particular era of post-war design featuring a visually feast of 24 delectable sports cars, each an indisputable masterpiece.

Most, like the Ferrari 250 GT SWB, saw their way into competition; others, like the Maserati Tipo 61 “Birdcage,” were strictly made for racing. Then there were some, like the Aston Martin DB5 Convertible, made purely for the road, while a few, like Jaguar’s XJ13, barely saw the light of day. Next up are the 1970s through ‘90s, and finally the 2000s, wrapping up with the exclusive 2020 Maclaren speedtail.

Limited to a first-printing of 10,000 copies, the book itself is likely be earn a place as the ultimate collectable book of Ultimate Collector Cars, if we consider the likely future of the internal combustion engine and cars in general. Cars like these may never be made again, giving way to new electric, electronic and digital technologies that unfortunately lack the fascination, excitement and sheer beauty of these mechanical masterpieces. And as the greens of the world celebrate their passage into history (and rightly so for the good of the planet!), we poor petrolheads can at least mourn the things we could never have had anyway… over this beautiful book!

93 2020 Aston Martin Valkyrie: Doors open rear

© Courtesy Aston Martin Lagonda

3/4

ULTIMATE COLLECTOR CARS Charlotte & Peter Fiell

Hardcover, two vols. in slipcase, 28.1 x 36 cm, 11.10 kg, 904 pages - €200 TASCHEN Store 2 rue de Buci - 75006 Paris Tél : +33 01 40 51 79 22 Store-Paris@taschen.com www.taschen.com

2020 Aston Martin Valkyrie: Interior © Courtesy Aston Martin Lagonda

1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa: Interior © photo Darin Schnabel / courtesy of RM Sotheby's

VANISHING LINES by chiara giannoni

Body in vegan natural rubber and high wasted midi skirt with rounded deep split ALESSANDRO VIGILANTE Leather patent platform sandals GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI Tights PIERRE MANTOUX

Cotton dress FENDI Knitted bathing cap MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION Gold and maxi-stone neck chain SHARRA PAGANO Tulle gloves ERMANNO SCERVINO

Worsted stretch wool plexy jacket and skirt DSQUARED2 Swarovski earrings SHARRA PAGANO, Leather mini bag JIMMY CHOO Leather decolletè CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

Vertigo top and skirt FENDI, golden bangles SHARRA PAGANO

Poplin jumpsuit, top embroidered in rhinestones, skirt embroidered in rhinestones PRADA

Body and black with blue lining skirt with pleated waistline ADELBEL Jewel sandals RENÉ CAOVILLA

Striped taffetà shirt and bustier jumpsuit in shantung with broche PHILOSOPHY DI LORENZO SERAFINI Earrings and ring ILENIA CORTI VERNISSAGE Patent leather boots ROGER VIVIER

Silk organza dress, fluid sleeveless jacket in viscose and cupro, over shirt in habotai silk FORTE_FORTE Embroidered sequin shorts OSÉREE, Earrings ILENIA CORTI VERNISSAGE Necklace ROSANTICA MILANO, Bijoux sandals GIANVITO ROSSI

Cotton tank top, leather skirt, belt with studs, sunglasses, leather slingback ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, necklace SHARRA PAGANO

Short dress in patchwork lace, earrings DOLCE&GABBANA

Cady embroidered top MIU MIU

One shoulder dress in silk chiffon VALENTINO Ring Rose ILENIA CORTI VERNISSAGE

Oversize Jacket MVP WARDROBE White t-shirt and leather skirt decorated with Swarovski chandelier drops and crystals, DES_PHEMMES

Dress in technical satin jersey, Doll bag in patent leather, yellow gold bracelets BOTTEGA VENETA

Fashion Editor Alberto Corrado / Stylist Fabio Pravato / Model Lisa Helene Kramer @ Womenmanagement.it / Make up Gianluca Casu @ mmgartists, using @narscosmetics / Hair Stefano Rolandi / Photo assistant Daniel Location ED DESIGN Special thanks to Davide Pizzorno & Roberto Colantuoni

SHOPPING

Women Classic

108

SCHIAPARELLI Penelope Mules, in laminated python with maxi jewel-buckle.

Essential lines for this pants suit in cool tropical weight wool, with luxury details drawn from the archives and language of Elsa Schiaparelli.

www.giannicoofficial.com

www.schiaparelli.com

GIANNICO

JACQUEMUS Slinky dress that clings to the curves exalting the figure, in natural fabric.

www.jacquemus.com

XACUS Scoured silk macro/micro stripe blouse, a distinctive sign for a summer wardrobe in pursuit of lightness.

www.xacus.com

HERNO ‘50s flavour collection, distinguished by a precious foulard accessory coordinated with a timeless item, the cotton raincoat.

ZAGO MILANO Founded in Milan in 2017 by Gianluca Ottolina and Andrea Zorloni with a mission: to spread the culture of knowing how to look after yourself and your skin with top-end skincare products made entirely in Italy. .

www.zagomilano.com

www.herno.com

Women Sport

109

BLAZE MILANO Capsule Bride sets itself as a modern, sophisticated alternative to the classic wedding dress: “Sunshine Blazer” coordinated with “Basque Pants” in flowing tone-on-tone silk.

www.blaze-milano.com

GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI Tone-on tone leather applications for these colourful white-base sneaker, with the new “Omnia” sole in two-tone rubber.

www.giuseppezanotti.com

MIU MIU A twofold desire for action and attraction inspired the creation of this outfit, where the shapes are simple and the fabrics light.

www.miumiu.com

ORCIANI “Beth in Fanty” shoulder-bag, a revisitation from the saddlery in a fashion key, with contrasting seams and ethnic echoes in the fabric strap.

www.orciani.com

KRIZIA Sleeveless, hyper-feminine but with masculine cut, an unprecedented experiment in both style and volume, coordinated with a bag created using innovative techniques.

www.krizia.it BORSALINO Woven raffia hat, reaffirming the Maison’s predilection for natural fibres.

www.borsalino.com

SHOPPING

Men Classic

110

GUESS Salameda backpack with all-over Guess logo, colourful waterproof zips and contrasting draw-string inspired by the world of basketball.

In denim, leather and nylon.

www.guess.eu

DIOR Elegant single-breasted jacket and pullover embroidered with chrysanthemum motifs, on techno-trousers and extra-luxury street-stle sneakers.

www.dior.com

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA Celebrating the Brand’s 110th year, the collection draws from the House archives: jacket-like shirts, Jodhpur-style or balloon forms ample pants punctuated by darts.

www.zegna.com

SAINT LAURENT Total look, for the famed lean figure where the shirt coordinates with dégagé jacket, cigarette pants and, naturally, a broad-brimmed straw hat.

www.ysl.com

SUICOKE White fabric open-toe sandals with characteristic logo to the side, on a flat two-tone rubber sole.

www.suicoke.com

Men Sport

CROMIER Innovative sneakers created by the verve of Filippo Pisani d’Arcano: Italian leather, artisan craftsmanship and transparent 3-D logo in the tongue.

www.cromier.it

CELINE “The Dancing Kid” collection: hoodie with bomber and oversize tie-dye pants in homage to the young generation ‘nineties style.

www.celine.com

WHITE MOUNTAINEERING Yosuke Aizawa’s collections bring together four essential elements: design, practicality, technology and lightness. Striped oversize shirt and bomber over bermudas, all in shades of blue.

www.whitemountaineering.com

SAVE THE DUCK Anais, long jacket in Gore-Tex Infinium® 75D, water-resistant double frontal closure with double cursor zip and snap fasteners and contrasting trim on the hood.

ROA Sneakers with new style fastening and slip-on design perfect for urban crossover, in camouflage colours inspired by traveller Naoki Ishikawa.

www.roa-hiking.com

www.savetheduck.it

PARTNERSHIP

112

BACK TO BUSINESS! The business events season re-start in Monte Carlo.

Business Talk Monaco has been the starting event of a new - private and exclusive - events series conceived with the aim to exchange on future-relevant topics and to regenerate business in the M&A, Yachting, and Energy sector.

In 2021, this new venture will see Business Talks event format on stage in Monaco, London, Dusseldorf, Huston and Al khobar in Saudi Arabia.

One hundred accomplished, open and dynamic business professionals, owners and experts gathered together with qualified senior lecturers and panelists.

Moderated by Andrea Dini, the key note speakers have been: Andrew Newport, describing "Energy Transition and Outlook in Offshore projects", Gianluca Fossat, talking about "Trends in Merger & Acquisition", Marco Ramundo for "Yachting as investment" and Gramont Manzo to foresee the "Economic Outlook after pandemic".

The event, hosted in the prestigious Salle d'Or started with a business networking breakfast, followed by the four topics speeches and ended with a Business Lunch.

Next 2021 stops confirmed in Europe, Usa and Saudi Arabia. Stay tuned...

© Bruno De Marquis

The 1st Business Talks Monaco has been hosted at Fairmont Monte Carlo on May 11th, in full respect of the anti-pandemic measures of Monegasque Government. The event, organized

by Investor Media Monaco in close collaboration with main partners GO ON Group (leader in international B2B sales), Sherbiny Holding (Saudi Arabia), NPD consulting and BA legal, has been a real success and one of the very first business event organized in Monaco in 2021.

www.investormediamonaco.mc

TOURBILLON AUTOMATIQUE RM 71-02

BOUTIQUES RICHARD MILLE PARIS 8e 17 avenue Matignon +33 (0) 1 40 15 10 00

MONACO Allée François Blanc +377 97 77 56 14

www.richardmille.com