The Assouline family takes us inside the publishing house bound by good taste.
2
An exclusive offering of seventeen residences designed by renowned architecture practice Jolson and landscape designer Paul Bangay and delivered by Prime Edition.
Register for your exclusive preview.
Matt Davis 0412 466 858
Nick Kenyon 0429 858 616
BRUCE STREET, TOORAK
& Burton
Director
In the grand tapestry of life, few threads are as precious as those woven through generations. As we curated this issue we found ourselves contemplating the intricate patterns of heritage, and the wisdom passed down through time. In an era marked by rapid change, the pursuit of lasting value remains more relevant than ever.
Our journey takes us from the sun-drenched vineyards of Tuscany, where the Ferragamo name continues to flourish beyond fashion (p22), to the workshops of Switzerland, where two brothers have breathed new life into a venerable watchmaking house (p43). We explore the resilience of family businesses, from a 90-year-old Milanese furniture atelier (p20) to a New York publishing house that sets the gold standard for coffee table opulence (p10). Closer to home, a sibling duo ushers their family travel enterprise into its third generation, instilling fresh energy into a legacy built on exploration and service (p34). These narratives remind us that luxury is not born overnight but cultivated through years of dedication and unwavering commitment to excellence.
In the cultural realm we examine the intersection of art and ancestry, delving into ancient stories told through video installation with boundaryblurring artist Angelica Mesiti (p50) and uncover the inspiration behind Christopher Boots’ crystal chandeliers, where childhood memories merge with mythological influences (p58).
We also investigate how the migration of ultra-wealthy individuals is reshaping global wealth hubs, with Melbourne and Sydney firmly on the radar of those looking to establish roots in vibrant cities that celebrate both heritage and modernity (p31). And, as always, financial wellbeing receives careful attention in our pages. In this issue, we explore how single-family offices are leveraged to manage assets, values and traditions (p18).
These stories collectively illustrate that true luxury transcends mere acquisition or fine materials; it resides in the commitment to preserving something extraordinary. I hope this edition serves as a thoughtful companion on your own path to creating a legacy of substance and elegance for your family, community and future generations. Kay
CONTRIBUTORS
NAB
Alan Oster
Group Chief Economist
Peter Roach
Senior Consultant, JBWere
Darian Kuzma
Private Client Executive
KAY & BURTON
Ross Savas
Managing Director
Peter Kudelka
Executive Director
Gowan Stubbings
Executive Director
Alex Schiavo
Executive Director
Scott Patterson
Executive Director
Tom Barr Smith
Executive Director
Jamie Mi
Partner & Head of International
EDITORIAL
Common State
Managing Editors
Luke McKinnon
Nick Kenyon
Editors
Leanne Clancey
Carlie Trotter
Writers
Katie Baron
Paul Best
Alice Blackwood
Lachlan Colquhoun
Cameron Cooper
Hayley Curnow
Kirsten Craze
Catherine Gillies
Michael Harden
Neha Kale
Carli Philips
Laura Rysman
Thor Svaboe
Glynis Traill-Nash
Kim Wilson
Design and Art Direction
Amber Goedegebuure
Original Design Concept
The Stories We Tell Cover
The Assouline family.
Image: Oliver Pilcher.
ADVERTISING
Nick Kenyon
Head of Luxury Strategy, Kay & Burton Telephone +61 3 9825 2554 nkenyon@kayburton.com.au Level 7, 505 Toorak Road, Toorak, VIC 3142
The Luxury Report is published four times a year. Copyright © Kay & Burton. Printed by Neo, 5 Dunlop Road, Mulgrave, VIC 3170. The contents of this document (contents) have been prepared and are provided by Kay & Burton (which means and includes Kay & Burton Pty Ltd, its associated entities and its officers, servants, contractors, employees and agents) in good faith. Some of the contents have been provided to Kay & Burton by others. Kay & Burton does not represent or warrant the accuracy of the contents. The contents are provided solely for information purposes and do not constitute any recommendation, advice or direction by Kay & Burton for anyone to use any of the contents to make any decision about anything and in particular, about making any investment or participating in or acquiring, disposing, selling or purchasing anything or entering into any agreement, arrangement or dealing (whether legally binding or not). Kay & Burton recommends that any such decision should only be made following the receipt of advice from an appropriately qualified advisor.
A MATTER OF TASTE
Discover how the Ferragamo heirs have lovingly restored a centuries-old Tuscan estate, forging new family ambitions in winemaking and hospitality.
in giving the glamorous spoils away.
COVETABLE CULTURE
Immerse yourself in the story of New York-based publisher Assouline and its 30-year legacy of handcrafted books celebrating artistry, adventure, and a well-lived life.
08 ESSENCE OF A CLASSIC
Experts unpack the elements shaping the value of collectable art and design. 18
LEGACY
JBWere’s Peter Roach reveals how family office services blend financial acumen with unique value sets.
20 THE TEST OF TIME
Legacy Italian furniture brand Molteni effortlessly merges tradition and originality.
28 RUNWAY IN SIGHT
NAB’s Alan Oster decodes Australia’s economic trajectory, examining interest rate forecasts and consumer behaviour shifts.
31 LIFESTYLE UNLOCKED
H ow Australia is capturing the attention of globally mobile house hunters, and the factors driving their relocation choices.
34 INHERITING THE ADVENTURE
APT’s co-directors share how they are fortifying the storied Australian travel brand.
43 IN GOOD HANDS
How one Swiss family is boldly reimagining the bounds of traditional haute horlogerie.
46 PREMIER CREW
Discover the global members’ club for wine enthusiasts arriving soon in Melbourne.
50 WRITTEN IN THE SKIES
Multidisciplinary artist Angelica Mesiti explores collective rituals and the cosmos. 56 DESTINATION: SINGAPORE
Restaurateur and hotelier Loh Lik Peng shares gems from his home city’s culinary landscape.
58 CRYSTALLINE VISION
Designer Christopher Boots reflects on Greek mythology and the wonders of the everyday.
62 GRAND FINALE
An ambitious new multi-level venue by Melbourne restaurateur Chris Lucas is his most personal project yet.
THE SHORTLIST
02 Luciano Baldessari Luminator floor lamp.
Designed by Italian architect Luciano Baldessari in 1929, the Luminator floor lamp epitomises Milanese futurist design, embodying both innovation and elegance. Baldessari’s signature philosophy of ‘thinking in motion’ is expressed here through the lamp’s minimalist aesthetic features, with its tubular steel column tapering into a conical shade that casts soft, upward ambient light. Its sleek design, combined with revolving arms mounted on ball bearings that evoke the fluid grace of a dancer, has secured Luminator’s iconic status. From $13,653. mobilia.com.au
01 Toogood Gummy chair.
With its plush, rounded curves and generous depth, the Gummy Chair by London-based design studio Toogood exudes a playful, almost edible charm. Blending comfort with contemporary style, it is available in a range of luxurious Pierre Frey fabrics and upholstered using traditional techniques and natural materials including ‘Yeti’ (a fuzzy blend of wool, mohair and alpaca). Made to order in eight stunning colours, the chair has all the makings of a classic. From $11,913. district.com.au
03 Studio Truly Truly Klaar table.
Handcrafted from translucent and coloured glass, this vibrant occasional side table is meticulously mouth-blown by master glassblower Gert Bullée and his team at the National Glass Museum in the Netherlands. Using bespoke moulds, the glass is shaped into organic forms, showcasing a dynamic pattern of floating colours. Viewed from different angles the table evokes the essence of abstract art. The interplay of curves and hues makes each piece one of a kind, celebrating the natural beauty and expressive potential of glass as a medium. $2754. studiotrulytruly.com
05 Cordon Salon Volume 4 mirrors.
Debuting at Melbourne Design Week 2024, these hand-poured mirrors seamlessly unite traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. Handcrafted in Melbourne, they utilise a centuries-old artisanal technique that merges glass, polyurethane and silver nitrate through a unique alchemical process. This exploration of long-forgotten methods results in a fusion of vibrant hues and fluid, organic forms reminiscent of the shimmering allure of precious metals. This combination of materials and process brings forth stunningly dynamic mirrors, each one a distinctive piece of functional art certain to elevate any space. $46,500 (for a set of three). cordonsalon.com
04 Frank Lloyd Wright Racine Executive Desk by Steelcase. A design legacy spanning 85 years is honoured in this reinterpretation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Racine desk. Originally conceived for the SC Johnson Administration Building in 1939, Wright’s groundbreaking design has been thoughtfully updated by longtime collaborator Steelcase for today’s work-from-home era. Part of a recent collection of refreshed Wright pieces, the new executive model boasts a larger form, gracefully curved drawers and modern materials. This contemporary take on the original preserves Wright’s innovative spirit to redefine today’s workspace. From $9337. steelcase.com
ESSENCE OF A CLASSIC
What makes certain artworks or objects more covetable than others? Is it possible to identify the next big name before they become a sensation? Here, two experts discuss interpretations of value in art and design, examining how cultural impact and future potential influence the collectors’ market—by Alice Blackwood.
When Simon Maidment joined the National Gallery of Victoria as a senior curator of contemporary art in 2013, one of the most valuable pieces in the gallery’s contemporary Australian collection was the Lockheed Lounge (1985-86) by Marc Newson. It may seem curious that a design object would be considered more valuable than a contemporary Australian artwork but as Maidment points out, the value of any object or artwork is both layered and highly subjective. Maidment attributes the Lockheed Lounge’s value to Newson’s status at the time as an international designer of growing renown. Indeed, by 2009 the aluminium chaise longue had already broken the world record for the highest price ever paid for furniture by a living designer. The 10 editions of the lounge have continued to set record prices at auction since (one
selling for A$4.69m in 2015); a verifiable icon of contemporary design said to have inaugurated a new aesthetic language for the 21st century.
Now the founder of Useful Objects in Melbourne, a gallery specialising in collectable design, Maidment says there are many ways of considering the value of an object. Intrinsic value and cultural value can be deeply intertwined. Value can be endowed upon an object that exemplifies a designer’s distinctive way of working or encapsulates their ethos as a practitioner. “[These elements] make [a piece] much more desirable, but also much more valuable as a cultural object,” Maidment says.
He points to the work of Canberra-based artist and designer Elliot Bastianon, whose pieces are produced in very limited runs. His beautifully crafted Oregon Chairs (presented as a set of three) represent Bastianon’s experimentation with copper and its dynamic colour in archetypal and functional furniture forms. The Oregon Chairs, like many of Bastianon’s
pieces, typify a particular investigation and speak to a specific period in his practice. As Maidment points out, the value inherent in Bastianon’s work is enhanced by its scarcity and its signature. And it is laden with promise—for the future.
Future value is a consideration that is deeply layered into any piece and for collectors, represents both an impetus for investing and a personal belief in what the artist will go on to do.
When it comes to making a meaningful investment, Collingwood-based art advisor James Makin also believes that the concept of value can be open to personal interpretation, but certain attributes should be considered. He works with ASX-listed companies that hold corporate art collections, as well as private collectors nurturing their own fascinations and magpie-like acquisitiveness.
“Speaking domestically, Australia has a love affair with sporting culture and strangely enough, the art world has had to fall in line,” says Makin, referencing the competitive spirit found in many art prizes where there is little room for second place. Beyond industry recognition, these awards offer artists significant prize money and cultural capital, elevating their stature in the eyes of both galleries— key players in determining the value of art—and collectors.
Future value and provenance each play an important role here. Makin says: “While no one can ‘crystal ball’ the future, we can hypothesise based upon historical examples, such as if [and when] the artist has won a prize, if they have been acquired by a major institution, who has the strongest CV, who has works in the better exhibition, if their works have [that] provenance.” If there is a ‘yes’ on all these counts, then greater future value may be attributed to that artist.
In Makin’s book, to achieve blue-chip status an artist must overcome the challenge of time and the vagaries of their vocation. By staying focused and continuing to produce work year after year they might achieve longevity through accolades and attract both private and institutional collectors.
Like Maidment, Makin believes that high cultural value should be inherent in an artwork of future worth. For example, he posits: “What is that artist adding to the conversation around contemporary Australian art? When we look back in 30 years, will these artists be considered groundbreaking?”
One figure he sees as exemplifying this potential is New Zealand-born, London-based artist Francis Upritchard, a decades-long leader in contemporary art with a multidisciplinary practice that ensures her continued growth and a long list of acquisitions that has already confirmed her longevity. He also cites Australian multidisciplinary artist Abdul Abdullah, who is currently “exploding” on the global art scene while commanding attention for his unique viewpoint as a self-described outsider among outsiders. Tasmanian painter Zoe Grey, the newly minted winner of the $100,000 Hadley’s Art Prize, has also proved her potential as an artist under 30 by impressing the judges in this long-running acquisitive prize.
For those private collectors keen to make their next investment count, Makin emphasises that personal aesthetic taste should remain the guiding principle above all else. He says a good place to start is to look at artists who are interesting and highly technically competent within the areas of one’s personal taste. He also advises being cautious about social media fame, as internet clout does not indicate the quality of an artist’s mastery, nor their future value.
Though Maidment also directs us to buy the thing we love, he proffers the following caveat: “Look carefully at who’s making the piece and think about where they’re at in their career, where they’re going, what they might do.”
01 Lockheed Lounge (1985-1986) by Marc Newson. Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Victoria.
02 An unexpected change in plans (2024) oil on linen work by Abdul Abdullah. Image courtesy of Ames Yavuz Sydney. 03 You, me and the edge of the sea (2024) acrylic and oil on canvas work by Zoe Grey. Image courtesy of the James Makin Gallery.
COVETABLE CULTURE
Prosper and Martine Assouline at company
on Park Avenue. Image: Oliver Pilcher.
For 30 years, New York-based publishing house Assouline has stood as a glossy bedrock of worldly good taste. Here the family behind the brand discuss the changing language of luxury and increasing value of objects of desire in the digital era—by Katie Baron.
Preceded by their formidable reputation for consummately French personal chic, the family affair that is the Assouline publishing house—the protagonists being co-founders Prosper and Martine Assouline and their youngest son Alexandre—exists as one of the book business’ most beguiling dynasties. With a roving eye spread across the pointiest ends of art, architecture, fashion, travel, gastronomy and automobiles, and into the slightly more amorphous subjects of style and lifestyle, the eponymous publishing house has stood as both a bastion of sophistication and a wholly unapologetic gatekeeper of taste since its inception three decades ago.
To be part of the Assouline inner circle is to embrace elite affirmation; blue-chip property owners want its bookshops in their lobbies, erudite hoteliers clamour to be the stewards of its destination guides, while megabrands such as Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton salivate over the prospect of a super-book all their own—a fantasy made achievable via the publisher’s partner books division.
The charmingly organic origin story of outliersturned-publishing gurus begins in 1994 when Prosper
and Martine—him a Moroccan-born, Paris-raised thenart director working in the advertising industry; her a former publicist working for high-end brands including Rochas—were staying at La Colombe d’Or hotel in France’s Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. A beacon for artists and bon vivants, with a history to rival the Bloomsbury Group’s Charleston Farmhouse or the Sussex home of surrealist painter Roland Penrose and photographer Lee Miller, the hotel has hosted the likes of Matisse, Miró, Braque, Picasso, Chagall and Calder over the years, each one leaving their creative mark on its walls or gardens.
“It’s one of our favourite places in the world,” says Martine, speaking to The Luxury Report from the family’s holiday residence in St Tropez. “As we soaked in its beauty, we thought there should be a book about this special place. We realised that the design and essence of the books available at the time did not match what a book on La Colombe d’Or would deserve, so we decided to create our own. Prosper took the pictures and I wrote the text.” The project combined the couple’s shared aesthetes’ antennae for all things luxuriously magnetic; anything more was just a glint in their eyes.
“At the time, we didn’t realise this would lead to founding a publishing house. We aimed to go beyond generic editorial content and create something much larger.” Bigger, bolder books that double as the props of desire are still at the core of their proposition, Martine states: “Our vision was the same then as it is today: to be the first luxury brand on culture. We create books that are more like objets d’arts.”
Since the early days, the house has largely focused on the power of posterity, immortalising the creative genius or magic aura of places (Ibiza, Jaipur, The Hamptons), brands (Moschino, Tiffany), movements or epochs (Bauhaus, pop art, Moroccan decorative arts, 1920s Paris), and intriguing individuals or couples (from Warhol to Jorge Luis Borges and María Kodama). In doing so, Assouline books have committed their subjects’ importance to both the printed page and the wider cultural discourse—all the while quieting the frantic pace and noise of internet-churned pop culture.
“In the beginning […] we decided to create a small series on maisons de couture called Memoires de Mode [memories of fashion], celebrating Azzedine Alaïa, Coco Chanel, Madeleine Vionnet, and Christian Dior,” Prosper explains. “Then and now, our goal is to shape cultural conversations, creating a lasting source of inspiration for generations to come.” It’s a strategy that even extends to evergreen mainstream characters and brands, if storied enough to transcend their humbler roots. Assouline’s book on Barbie, along with the dollmaker’s canny limited-edition collabs with artists such as pop surrealist Mark Ryden, will most certainly help cement the doll-icon’s elevated place in cultural history.
The physicality of the printed page, the sensory pleasure of analogue touch, remains core to sparking the synapses of a true luxury experience, says Martine. “Our digital world goes faster than ever and nothing remains of it. But books are a solid part of our past and present. For us, books are a matter of intellect and emotion, of heritage and innovation, and nothing can replicate the pleasure of leafing through a handcrafted title and enjoying its design.” In this sentiment, she reveals, the Assoulines are not alone—an assertion supported by the small but sure (0.37 per cent) predicted annual growth in global sales of physical books until at least the end of the decade according to Statista, a resurgence attributed to a
desire for tangible reading experiences that digital counterparts clearly have not satisfied.
Galleries, museums and physical events are also experiencing a revival rooted in more than just a fleeting post-pandemic rebellion. “In Assouline’s clients, we’ve found an entire network that feels the same way,” says Martine, “so we think that there will always be people who feel a desire for and connection to physical sources of inspiration.” Which is not to say that digital innovation and media are anathema to the Assouline cosmos. As part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, the firm has launched a podcast and digital magazine, Culture Lounge, with the intention of “uncovering and complementing the stories behind Assouline”. Yet the element of physical touch still bears the most tantalising grip.
While Assouline cannot claim the monopoly on beautiful physical books, the brand’s respect for savoir-faire, for the magic and extraordinary quality inherent in artisanal making, does set it apart, says Prosper. “Almost every aspect of an Assouline book is developed in-house by us and our editorial and creative teams, which is unique in the publishing industry,” he shares. “And nearly all of our titles are printed in Italy. Our Ultimate Collection is particularly distinctive because it pays homage to the art of traditional bookmaking. [Each book is] handbound using traditional techniques, with colour plates hand-tipped on
02 Martine holding a copy of La Colombe d’Or (2002).
03 Ocean Wanderlust waterproof edition (2023).
04 Assouline boutique, Saint-Germaindes-Près, Paris. Image: Simon Detraz.
“Since the beginning we have created books that are treasures that reflect a lifestyle, and [...] continued to push the boundaries of what a book can be.”
Versailles: From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons special edition (2020) is the ultimate cultural eye candy.
art-quality paper. Each limited-edition tome of this series bears the unique imprint of the artisan.”
Immoderate extravagance is essential in this sphere, acknowledges Prosper: “We have made many gorgeous and sometimes crazy ‘special edition’ books, but one that always stands out in our memory is South Pole: The British Antarctic Expedition 1910-1913. The oversized limited edition (only 150 were made) was the world’s first waterproof coffee-table book, signed by Monaco’s Prince Albert and Britain’s Princess Anne,” he explains.
He also cites Gold: The Impossible Collection (pictured p11), a homage to the precious metal which bore a gold leaf-covered case and a clear sliding lid infused with gold flakes. “The tactile pleasure of holding a finely crafted book, the visual delight of its illustrations, the intellectual satisfaction of its content […] since the beginning we have created books that are treasures that reflect a lifestyle, and over the past 30 years we’ve continued to push the boundaries of what a book can be—whether waterproof or hand-sewn.” He continues: “We just released Rare Cars, which is handcrafted in sleek metal using the same techniques artisans use to build sculptures. It has an interior lined with hand-stitched Italian leather, and a hard cover fabricated and lightly scented with rubber, creating an immersive experience.”
But luxury, of course, is far from a static beast impermeable to changing cultural appetites. With the perception of prestige arguably in flux, how does Assouline intend to evolve? According to the family, contemporary extravagance means having an eye on the future of luxury, not just a finger on its pulse. Some of the brand’s concepts lean into the value of sensory-and-beyond experiential delight, for example, it is not unheard of for Assouline publications to be accompanied by an access-based experience, presenting the books as a more-than-metaphorical portal to other worlds. Presented in a velvet clamshell, the hand-bound special edition Versailles: From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons featured a sculpted medallion of Louis XIV on the cover and came with a private palace tour of Versailles when it was released (with a run of just 100 and cover price of US$4900) in 2020.
Martine concurs: “Luxury has always been synonymous with quality, heritage and attention to detail, but over the last 30 years the essence of luxury has evolved from purely [material] possessions to encompass more profound experiences.” Alexandre, too, talks up an at least partly post-product future: “This is exciting for Assouline as we continue to create new books with the intangible qualities luxury buyers are looking for, like the emotions our books evoke, the inspiration they provide, and the culture they preserve.”
Strategy aside, 1700-plus releases have brought a wealth of nostalgic affection for Prosper and Martine. Reflecting on the opening of their Manhattan HQ in 1999 (on the heels of the global success of Memoire de Mode), Martine defines the milestone as “the moment we became a true international brand”. Then there was the launch of the first Assouline retail space on the seventh floor of legendary New York department store Bergdorf Goodman in 2003. Martine recalls the moment’s significance: “We created the idea over a meeting with Ron Frasch, Bergdorf Goodman’s CEO at the time, who understood that our niche in the marketplace was having a clientele not typical of publishers, but more like [Bergdorf Goodman’s own] clients, with books perceived as objets d’arts in themselves.” The first standalone boutique in Saint-Germain-des-Près, Paris (2006), the very first Ultimate Collection hand-bound book (2009), the opening of Maison Assouline in London (2014) and the launch of Assouline’s Travel Series (2017) also receive honourable mentions from the pair, who live on the Upper East Side.
Thirty-year old Alexandre joined the business in 2016, reimagining the vision once again via a pan-generational lens that has been invaluable to maintaining the brand’s currency: “It’s helpful to have multiple generations [providing] different perspectives on what’s most important in culture at the current moment,” he explains. “We push each other to do our very best work, and as a result stretch the limits of our creativity.”
Alexandre Assouline. Image: Oliver Pilcher.
Part of that creative ingenuity for Alexandre has been in engineering partnerships, transferring the brand’s DNA into collectables—an approach that has long borne fruit for the publisher. In 2008, there was a limited-edition book trunk designed in collaboration with heritage French luggage brand Goyard. And few can forget the headlinestealing amber and saffron-scented ‘co-caine’ candle accompanying the 2018 book Cocaïn: History & Culture. Next up, according to Alexandre, is a partnership with premium US audio brand Master & Dynamic, which will soon debut the Assouline Red MW75 active noise-cancelling wireless headphones. The headphones are billed as a companion to Assouline’s upcoming podcast, and the Spotify playlists developed for its Travel from Home candle collection. The company is also diving into interior design, turning a fledgling library design services arm (which sees the brand designing and creating custom libraries for private homes), into a standalone division. With stores also under Alexandre’s remit, a near-1000sqm Middle East flagship
with integrated fine dining venue recently opened in Riyadh, with smaller boutiques and pop-ups set to follow in destinations worldwide including Marrakech and Porto Cervo in Sardinia.
Despite a prolific publishing rate (60-70 books per year), Martine and Prosper are still very hands-on, affirming the books’ status as labours of familial love. Such is the passion behind their projects, Martine drew all of the cover motifs for the contemporary Travel Series. When probed on their personal favourites, Martine lists the recently released Ocean Wanderlust (pictured p12), which traverses topics including submarines, mythology, exotic marine species and ocean-inspired fashion; “It has opened the series to another kind of travel, mixing history and reality with all the imagination that drove humans into these them.” And New York by New York, an odyssey through the history of the city’s boroughs that is another of the brand’s all-time bestsellers. “My darling baby is the Legends Collection. Its success pushed me to work on a volume inspired by Paris’ history, which is yet to come,” she divulges.
Prosper reveals his pick to be Cecil Beaton: The Art of the Scrapbook, for which Martine trawled Beaton’s archive to find prints and clippings that would illuminate the scrapbook fanatic’s inner vision. Alexandre, meanwhile, lists the very first book he worked on, Valentino: At the Emperor’s Table written by late US Vogue editor André Leon Talley. These personal insights prove remarkably tender coming from a company that has sometimes been criticised for being more concerned with its books’ covers than with the quality of their contents. With three decades in the business of books and diversification increasingly driving the brand, what, ultimately, does the Assouline family hope the impact of its portfolio will be? For Martine, it is about providing a means for internal transformation. “We hope our impact on culture has been one of inspiration; providing knowledge and beauty through our books, from which to learn and expand your horizons.”
assouline.com
As arbiters of shelf wealth, the Assoulines harness Parisian refinement and Big Apple ambition. Image: Oliver Pilcher.
SHAPING LEGACY
Single-family offices are an increasingly popular option for high net worth Australians looking to better manage their wealth and legacy, but drafting in specialist external advisers is often valuable too— by Cameron Cooper.
As a growing number of high net worth Australians establish single-family offices to manage their governance, financial and personal affairs, the need for support and expertise from experienced advisers is becoming increasingly important. Though families that use such an entity naturally demand wealth management expertise, trustworthiness and communication skills tend to be just as important. So says Peter Roach, a senior consultant at JBWere and formerly the chief executive of one of this country’s largest single-family offices for more than a decade. “When families engage you, they’re often looking for what I call old-fashioned values such as confidentiality, respect and being discreet,” he reflects. “You must be a good listener; too many wealth managers tell people ‘the way it is’ but for the family advisory work that I do you really have to encourage family members to talk and gain a clear understanding of what’s important to them.”
TAILORED AND TIMELESS
A 2023 report by KPMG cites a conservative estimate of 2000 family offices in operation across Australia, including those that manage wealth for a cohort of families. This represents a doubling since the 2008 global financial crisis, reflecting both significant wealth acquisition over the period and an increasing focus on philanthropy and impact investing. Family offices can formalise and structure such efforts by facilitating the creation of charitable trusts and foundations, or by investing directly in causes that reflect a family’s passions and values. Though set-up requires significant investment, a single-family office can lead to long-term financial savings by bringing all legal, financial and tax services under one umbrella. They are also useful for managing complex financial structures such as private equity or cross-border investments. Among the critical motivators for many families is a desire for greater customisation of investments, tax strategies and legacy planning than the traditional banking model provides.
Frequently established when the guardians of family fortunes are entering their golden years, these entities map out how wealth and responsibility will flow from one generation to the next. “It is a way for the family to look at the future and consider any governance requirements beyond the lives of some of the senior members,” says Roach, who now advises family offices of varying sizes.
Two key governance elements for an office and its advisers to determine are a legacy statement and family charter. Roach says the former “defines what the family’s all about” while the latter establishes guideposts for all family members as part of their shared values and mission. In the event of a family member requesting access to capital, for example, the family charter addresses questions such as whether the money should take the form of a distribution or a loan. “All of these things can
be sensitive discussions if they’re held between a parent and a child,” Roach says. “So we try to depersonalise it by putting in place clear policies that are not aimed at any one person.”
BALANCING SCALE AND STRATEGY
A perennial question is how much wealth is required to justify setting up a single-family office? Roach finds that the model is well-suited to those with assets under management of at least $250m, bearing in mind the cost burden of assembling a team with the skills to adhere to strict reporting and financial requirements. He says the family office landscape is evolving, however, as more people look beyond wealth preservation to consider the lasting imprint of their family’s story and principles. “I’m now seeing people with assets of about $150m establish their own small family offices,” he says. “You’re never going to be able to cover everything internally but a hybrid operational model can be effective at this level.” In this approach, two or three staff members coordinate core functions such as investment management, governance and reporting with external advisers who provide specialised expertise in domestic and international market trends. According to KPMG, around a fifth of Australian family offices have less than $25m assets under management, while the majority fall within the $250-500m range.
The primary objective of any family office, emphasises Roach, is to mitigate the potential for family discord both in the near and distant future. Achieving this goal often requires making challenging decisions. One such decision, which he terms “pruning the family tree to promote growth”, involves the careful exclusion of family members whose personal values or objectives have diverged significantly from the family office’s established culture and strategic aims. This process, while potentially difficult, is sometimes necessary to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the family’s wealth management strategy.
BRIGHTENING HORIZONS
Roach expresses satisfaction at the ripple effect he has seen within the family-office sphere, observing that philanthropy has become embedded in the core values of numerous families managing wealth across generations. As the industry grows, he anticipates the management of ESG principles will become increasingly prominent. “ESG resonates with young inheritors who are pursuing purposedriven investment, so it’s a real emerging theme,” he says.
The gravity of being entrusted with a family’s legacy is not lost on him; “The thing that exercises the minds of a lot of families with significant generational wealth is family ethos and leaving their mark on the world.” He adds: “Single-family offices are a great way to bring those dynastic dreams to life.”
THE TEST OF TIME
Over the span of 90 years, Italian furniture house Molteni&C has established itself a global design leader. Here, Carlo Molteni shares the key ingredients behind the brand’s sustained success—by Carli Philips.
Renowned for its inimitable blend of Italian craftsmanship, innovation and elegance, Molteni&C has evolved from humble beginnings into a revered global brand. Along the way, it has collaborated with a roster of iconic designers—including Gio Ponti, Patricia Urquiola, Luca Meda, and its current creative director, Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen—to integrate tradition with forward thinking.
When founders Angelo and Giuseppina Molteni launched their furniture making company in 1934, it comprised a small artisanal workshop in Brianza, north of Milan. Having found success early on with its classic pieces, it shifted in the 1940s (with the advent of industrialisation) to producing modern furniture on a mass scale, becoming one of Europe’s leading manufacturers.
Though the company continued to grow, Angelo never sacrificed quality for quantity; his eye remaining firmly on superior materials and attention to detail. His passion for Italian design expanding beyond the realms of furniture, he is credited with being part of the team that founded Milan’s Salone del Mobile. This dedication to craftsmanship was passed down to his son Carlo, who joined the family business at a young age and, now in his 80s, remains heavily involved as president. “It was a privilege for me knowing I could follow my father’s journey,” he reflects.
The company’s fortunes surged in the mid-1970s when it began supplying turnkey solutions for embassies and a prestigious hotel in the Middle East, giving rise to the Molteni Contract division. This new direction expanded the firm’s capabilities, establishing its position as a leader in both residential and commercial projects.
Gio Ponti D.154.2 chair designed in 1953, then
01 Carlo Molteni and team for Molteni Mondo (2024). Image: Jeff Burton.
02 Augusto sofa (2023) designed by Vincent Van Duysen.
Carlo explains: “On one hand, we focus on customisation, and on the other, standardisation—a dual approach that continues to define our vision today.”
Remarkably, the Molteni Group holding company remains privately owned, thriving as a third-generation family business with Carlo’s children involved in varying capacities: Giovanni as vice president of Molteni&C and Giulia as Molteni Group chief marketing officer. Francesca, a cinematographer, collaborates on occasional film projects. “My children grew up in this environment, their involvement was a natural outcome of that. I am pleased they enjoyed it so much that they chose to take active roles in the company,” he says.
While innovation and research are at the forefront of the Molteni approach, Carlo emphasises “one thing that remains unchanged is quality” and although the company is constantly in motion, its trademark elegance and quiet luxury endure. Collaborations with esteemed architects and designers have been a constant source of inspiration and fresh perspective. “It’s important to create synergies with professionals who share the values and fundamentals of Molteni&C,” he enthuses. “We bring together their ideas, tradition, art and technology, which inspires us and pushes us to think ahead.”
This creative ethos can be traced to the 1960s, when the brand began working with Italian design luminaries of the time such as Aldo Rossi, Afra and Tobia Scarpa, and Luca Meda. These important relationships and others are now celebrated in Molteni Minds, a video series highlighting important long-term partners including lighting designer Michael Anastassiades and Italian architect and designer Michele De Lucchi.
Emerging talents also have a place within Molteni&C’s vision, fuelling the brand’s dynamism. Award-winning Milanese designer Francesco Meda describes being awestruck by the opportunity to collaborate with Italian
design royalty; “When I started the collaboration, it felt like a great honour because [they] usually work with more seasoned designers. It was brave of such a big company to approach a young designer like me.”
One of Molteni&C’s most significant projects in recent years has been the re-edition of iconic pieces by legendary architect Gio Ponti, following an extensive research process that involved an exclusive agreement with Ponti’s heirs and archives to bring his work to life. Crafted using advanced manufacturing techniques, these re-editions play a key role in preserving Italian design history, given the originals were made for private clients and never produced en masse. Indeed, without Molteni&C’s intervention, Ponti’s designs may have been lost forever.
This balance of past, present and future also comes together at the Molteni Museum, located on the grounds of the company’s Giussano headquarters. Redesigned in 2021 by Tel Aviv-born designer and longtime collaborator Ron Gilad, the immersive light-filled space honours those who have invented and crafted the products, prototypes, stories and images that define the company’s legacy.
Today, Molteni&C has flagship stores in over 100 countries, including one in Melbourne and a new location set to open in Sydney’s Surry Hills in 2025. Carlo describes the store design as a physical embodiment of the company’s commitment to tradition, quality and sustainability—thanks to the vision of Van Duysen, who joined Molteni&C in 2016.
To mark its 90th anniversary, the firm recently released Molteni Mondo: An Italian Design Story, a book documenting its journey from post-war ingenuity to modern luxury. “In this important year,” Carlo concludes, “we want to share our goal for the future, which is to spread the culture of quality living throughout the world.”
A matter of taste
WORDS
Laura Rysman
The Ferragamo name, long synonymous with Italian luxury, is now collecting associations with fine wine, hospitality and community revitalisation thanks to the iconic designer’s enterprising descendants.
Here, The Luxury Report asks Salvatore Ferragamo what it means to bring his family’s golden touch to Tuscany’s hallowed vineyards.
Deep in the rolling hills of the upper Valdarno south of Florence, amid vineyards and horse paddocks, grain fields and woodlands, sits the country estate of the Ferragamo family: Il Borro. As one might expect of a property with ties to a global luxury goods empire, the villa, vineyard and guest accommodation promise a rather more manicured version of Tuscan lifestyle than the average farm around here.
Flanking the cypress-lined driveway, champion racehorses-in-waiting graze contentedly in open pasture. On one side, neat rows of sangiovese vines cascade along straight-strung wires, continuing all the way to the forest’s edge.
The medieval buildings surrounding the resort centre, however, are where the uniqueness of this place truly comes to life. Made up of a cluster
of terracotta-roofed stone houses encircled by a deep ravine and perched atop an overgrown bluff, the village is connected to the surrounding land by an old stone bridge that curves gently upwards. To cross feels like entering an ancient, somewhat magical domain set apart from the ordinary world.
In the small piazza, a canopy of vines is heavy with kiwis. Potted red geraniums flank the little windows of the village houses. The gorges often seen in the background of da Vinci’s portraits lie just beyond the boundary, and every stone seems as if it had been cleaned and put back in place.
Since acquiring the 1100ha plot in the 1990s, the Ferragamo family has dedicated its love of beauty to reanimating this bygone village and its surrounds, creating a working farm that supplies Il Borro’s restaurant and produces acclaimed wines that are sold around the world.
The 19th-century master villa is available for exclusive hire. The estate, which is part of the Relais & Châteaux group, spans over 1000 hectares.
Over a century ago, a teenage Salvatore Ferragamo left his home east of Naples for Los Angeles, where he crafted custom shoes for the emerging Hollywood elite. In doing so, he became a fashion star himself before returning to Italy to establish his eponymous shoe line in Florence in 1927. Unmatched in his innovations, Ferragamo developed the first wedge shoes and cage heels, and pioneered unconventional materials like cork and fish skin. The label would vastly expand under the leadership of his children with ready-to-wear and bags, becoming one of the most urbane brands in the luxury universe, deeply connected to refined Italian taste. So what is part of the family doing with their hands ‘in the dirt’, growing vegetables and grapes, far from any fashion capital?
A LIVING LEGACY
The red grape harvest is in full swing when The Luxury Report meets Il Borro chief executive Salvatore Ferragamo the younger (grandson and namesake of the iconic shoemaker, who died in 1960). Now co-manager of the project initiated by his father Ferruccio (who serves as chairman) alongside his sister Vittoria, Salvatore carries forward a rich legacy.
“My grandfather always believed in quality, comfort, and design,” he explains. “At Il Borro, we’re doing something very far from fashion and my grandfather’s path but his values
are part of a [culture] that we’re bringing to life here, with the same attention to quality, comfort and design in every aspect of hospitality and what we produce.”
FROM SOLID FOUNDATIONS
While the family has been at the helm for 30 years, the property’s history stretches back at least a thousand years, when a castle and small peasant homes were built on the spot. In the 1700s, the estate passed from the extinguished Dal Borro lineage to a succession of nobility: the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, then the HohenloheWaldenburgs, and the Savoy-Aosta family which ruled Italy from 1861 to 1946. In his shoemaking heyday, Salvatore Ferragamo would holiday here. In 1993, his eldest son Ferruccio
purchased the mini fiefdom with plans to convert the dilapidated settlement and circa-1854 villa (which had been badly damaged during World War II) into a self-sustaining resort infused with Ferragamo taste.
According to Salvatore the younger, the family saw great importance in reviving a property that “like so many estates in Tuscany, was left in a state of abandonment [after] the sharecropping system was abolished in the post-war period”. They began with the idea of an agriturismo (holiday farm) and a branded line of seasonal produce, but the project quickly grew in grandeur. “People expect more from the Ferragamo family,” says Salvatore.
To meet these expectations, the property’s vast woods and arable fields needed to be revitalised.
01 As shoemaker to the stars, Ferragamo was inexorably linked to the Golden Age of Hollywood.
02 Artisan jewellery is among the treasures to be found in the meticulously restored village.
“We’re doing something very far from fashion and my grandfather’s path but his values are part of a [culture] that we’re bringing to life here.”
The 10-bedroom villa required extensive renovations, eventually becoming a private guesthouse and each of the village’s 38 medieval homes were painstakingly restored and transformed into individual guest suites, with furnishings reflecting the rustic history of the area. Several smaller villas dotting the boundary were also revamped and a farm building converted to exhibit the family’s private art collection, which is open to guests. More recently, a spa was installed in a former wine cellar, while small structures once used by hunters are being restored to offer a forest bathing experience for visitors seeking a technology detox.
Much like the Tuscan hamlets of old, here local artisans can be seen at work in small ateliers among the cobblestone laneways. “Artisans occupy such an exalted role for Tuscans, and for my family especially,” says Salvatore. “My grandfather was able to establish his business in Florence thanks to the talents of the city’s artisan shoemakers.” Il Borro’s village hosts the workshops of a jeweller, a painter, a restorer, a weaver and, of course, a shoemaker. “[He is] an excellent craftsman, we felt that having handmade shoes here was fundamental,” enthuses Salvatore.
Today, Il Borro’s hotel guests infuse the historic estate with energy, convening at the tavern housed within the former church or at one of the three farm-totable restaurants. Most ingredients are sourced from the estate’s certified organic farm, including the fruit and vegetables, flour, honey, cheese and eggs. Il Borro’s eponymous restaurant has even expanded internationally, with a location in Florence as well as franchises in Dubai and Crete.
Ever since Ferruccio—an early adopter of organic and regenerative farming practices—bought the property, sustainability has been at the core of its
Osteria Il Borro dining room.
Salvatore outside Il Borro’s wine cellar.
mission. Solar panels now generate three times the estate’s energy needs, ensuring that the operation of its resort, farm and vineyards is carbon neutral.
Vittoria joined the family farm in 2013 after studies abroad, and now oversees the fields cultivating typical Tuscan produce such as artichokes, salad greens, grains and legumes, as well as the olive groves for Il Borro’s delicately grassy oil. There are also 30 beehives and 200 Valdarnese and Livornese free-range hens to care for, plus a small herd of as the area’s famed Chianina cows, prized for their meat. For those keen to enjoy Ferragamo vegetables at home, there’s even a delivery service for residents of Florence and nearby towns.
A passionate equestrian, Vittoria also manages the estate’s horses— from breeding and riding to managing polo matches held at the property. While Ferruccio has passed the principal responsibilities of managing the estate to his children, he can often be seen driving a tractor around the fields—the Ferragamo who traded tailored blazers for barn jackets after a high-powered career in his father’s business.
Each family member maintains a residence on the property or nearby, which sees them naturally immersed in
the local community, particularly with the area’s coalition of grape growers.
TRUE TO NATURE
Wine has been the pride of this corner of Italy since at least the Renaissance, when Cosimo III de’ Medici designated four distinct appellations to the sub-regions of the Chianti countryside. Il Borro belongs to the Val d’Arno di Sopra DOC appellation, with a consortium uniquely composed of organic winemakers—perhaps the only all-organic DOC consortium in Italy, as Salvatore is pushing to have officially accredited.
“Our wines are crafted with a deep respect for terroir.”
Certified organic in 2015, Il Borro’s 85 hectares of vines produce 250,000–350,000 bottles a year, an unusually high volume among organic producers. Salvatore oversees vineyard management, which incorporates biodynamic practices that eschew pesticides and chemical fertilisers in favour of natural preparations designed to enrich the soil. Typical methods include pruning during a waning moon (said to respect the vine’s sap), and
using horses rather than tractors to avoid pollution that could affect the grapes. One way that production veers away from biodynamic prescriptions is in the use of sulphites, which help deliver the stability needed for export.
The underground cellar and winery is set in a 3000sqm cavern originally dug out in the medieval era and recently modernised to incorporate a monumentally long tunnel for housing more than 600 French oak barrels.
The winery’s signature is its IGT Toscana Rosso, a super-Tuscan blend of merlot, cabernet and syrah. The site’s gentle slopes and sandstone bedrock topped by a clay-heavy soil create the ideal growing conditions for sangiovese—Tuscany’s most important grape. The finest sangiovese bunches make it into Il Borro’s Petruna, which is aged in amphora as practised by the Etruscans two millennia ago—a method that proponents argue allows a wine to most authentically express its terroir. Salvatore affirms this:
“Our wines are crafted with a deep respect for terroir.”
This reverence for terroir and tradition extends to effervescent offerings such as the Bolle di Borro, a sparkling rosé also crafted from sangiovese grapes and fermented in the labour-intensive Champagne
method over 60 months to produce fine persistent bubbles, bright red fruit aromas and palate-cleansing minerality.
To cement their commitment to Tuscan winemaking, in July the family acquired the historic 21ha Pinino estate, located around 90 minutes away and regarded as one of Montalcino’s first vineyards. The expansion will add around 80,000 bottles per year to the portfolio, including wines from the prestigious DOCG Brunello di Montalcino. Should this venture lay the foundation for a Ferragamo-branded Brunello, it would mark a significant milestone in the family’s viticultural journey. Indeed, this fusion of centuries-old winemaking tradition with the Ferragamos’ innate understanding of luxury and discerning clientele may herald a new chapter in the world of fine wine.
As Salvatore reflects on Il Borro’s transformation, he radiates a sense of pride—not just for the winery’s success, but for forging a new kind of legacy for his family. “We’ve been here for three decades building up the wines and Il Borro [...] has become a series of enterprises that have brought a measure of economic wellbeing to this part of Tuscany,” he says. “From a place that was abandoned to its decay not so long ago, I’m happy to say we’ve come very far indeed.”
05 A long tunnel lined with barriques connects the tasting room to the old subterranean cellar dating back to the 1700s.
Image: Valeria Raniolo.
06 Il Borro’s resident tartufaio guides guests through the woods to unearth truffles.
Image: Marco Badiani.
07 Salvatore and Vittoria with their father Ferruccio.
08 A ride through the vines is one of the popular ways to take in the scenery.
RUNWAY IN SIGHT
While the average Australian is strapped in tight against cost-of-living turbulence, a smooth touchdown for the economy remains within range, writes NAB chief economist Alan Oster.
For those with substantial liquidity, now could be an ideal time to pursue that long-coveted weekender in Portsea, as rising interest rates, higher land taxes and broader inflationary pressures converge to drive motivated sellers into the market. As history often demonstrates, periods of economic volatility can unveil opportunities for the cash-rich to capitalise on depressed asset valuations born of financial strain. In the current cycle, such opportunities are relatively scarce. While Victoria’s elite seaside locale may be on the cusp of increased activity, property values across Melbourne as a whole are lagging behind other cities after decades out in front.
Tasmania too, which has boomed in recent years, is exhibiting signs of housing market stagnation and may be heading for a correction. Meanwhile, initial signs of deceleration in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide are only perceptible against the backdrop of record highs witnessed earlier this year. Despite these ongoing regional variations, our projections still anticipate an average Australian house price increase of 7% this year, followed by a more modest 4% next year.
STEERING THROUGH FISCAL CLOUDS
While mortgagees eagerly await the respite that a cash rate cut would bring, the Reserve Bank seems a while off enacting this. Our current forecast envisions the official rate reaching a neutral setting of 3% by 2025 or 2026, with economic growth rebounding to approximately 2% (a marked improvement from the current 1%). The confluence of falling interest rates and certain businesses prioritising market share over price could serve as a dampener on inflation, potentially bringing it within the RBA’s target range.
Despite the absence of widespread retrenchments, the economy’s lacklustre performance is insufficient to maintain the current unemployment rate of 4.2%. Our projections indicate the rate will hover below 5%, yet this seemingly benign outlook belies a more nuanced reality of prolonged subdued growth before a return to robust economic momentum.
On the global stage, two pivotal factors are set to shape Australia’s economic trajectory. China’s slowdown and the spectre of a US recession could catalyse interest rate cuts while at the same time exerting downward pressure on equity markets, crafting a challenging landscape for both investors and policymakers.
Consumer sentiment surveys indicate lingering fears that Australia’s recovery could be disrupted by external shocks; a concern echoed in retail sales data showing that most households are feeling the pinch. Many are economising with essentials like groceries and clothing while postponing major purchases such as vehicles. Despite this broad pullback in spending, however, a silver lining is the relative absence of home loan defaults. While we have seen a modest uptick in mortgages exceeding 90 days in arrears, the overall incidence remains at a historically low level. And despite nascent signs of distressed property listings in certain catchments, the data does not point to an incoming wave of such sales.
RECOVERY ON THE RADAR
Barring the anomalous period of the Covid-19 pandemic, the economy is expanding at its most sluggish pace since the recession of 1991. While it is true that earlier predictions for a turnaround have proved somewhat
optimistic, there is reason for cautious hope that the worst of the downturn is behind us. Astute navigation of the economic cycle involves recognising that certain assets are due for appreciation while others experience a frustratingly protracted recovery.
With the anticipated combination of lower interest rates and improved consumer confidence likely to be mirrored by an uptick in property prices, whether to place that bid on the dream home now or next year comes back to careful consideration of timing.
As we emerge from this period of subdued growth, it is imperative to shift focus towards enhancing productivity and innovation. Yesterday’s solutions may prove inadequate for tomorrow’s challenges. The nation’s ability to navigate these changes successfully will hinge on its willingness to embrace technological advancements, foster a culture of innovation, and maintain a clear-eyed assessment of both risks and opportunities.
Suit up, Santas! Held in Melbourne on November 23 and Sydney on November 30, this fun-filled event is a great way to get active while supporting Vision Australia’s vital work in the community.
Dash into the holiday season and join hundreds of Santas for a festive run, walk, jog or roll. It’s a family friendly event for all ages. Learn more at santafunrun.org.au. Vision Australia’s SANTA FUN RUN 2024
Lifestyle unlocked
WORDS
Kirsten Craze
In a time of geopolitical instability, evolving tax regimes and shifting property values, is Australia becoming a prime relocation choice for the global elite?
Global unrest, changing international tax policies, and a desire for a better standard of living are all catalysts for ultra-high net worth individuals currently reevaluating where they wish to park their money and relocate their families. Australia may not be at the top of the international tax haven hit list compared with the likes of Switzerland, the Cayman Islands or Singapore, but its secure economy, stable political climate, enviable lifestyle and world-class real estate make a move Down Under financially stack up for affluent families looking to rehome their wealth.
Data shows Australia is high on the relocation radar for a swathe of global house hunters. Searches for properties to buy on realestate.com.au rose 9 per cent month-on-month and 3 per cent year-on-year in July, which is the highest mid-year figure in five years. According to the PropTrack Overseas Search Report, US-based buyers have searched for Australian homes more than any other origin country in recent months, likely due to the heated presidential race.
Report author Karen Dellow says: “In recent years, we have observed spikes in searches from specific countries during periods of political, social or economic change. The increase in searches from the United States came when polls suggested Donald Trump was favoured to win the election.” While she notes that a certain amount of this activity can be attributed to Australians living overseas, the appearance of affluent neighbourhoods such as South Yarra and Brighton in the top 10 underscores a broader recognition of Melbourne’s
Above: Victoria’s rugged bushland exemplifies the freedom and connection to nature that draw global citizens to Australia. Image: Craig Holloway.
lifestyle appeal. “The sustained growth in searches coming from the US over the past five years suggests it’s a combination of interest from different cohorts of the population,” Dellow adds.
Searchers from China, Hong Kong and India are also notably focused on Melbourne, according to the report. When combining searches from all countries and price brackets, the Victorian capital emerges the most popular location, followed by Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
GREAT WEALTH EXODUS
According to research by British-based citizenship advisory firm Henley & Partners, around 128,000 of the world’s millionaires will relocate in 2024. Among the factors influencing their choice of destination—and whether to move at all—is the impact of evolving tax regulations. For instance, the UK Labour party’s proposal to eliminate favourable tax treatment for nondomiciled residents on overseas earnings is reportedly driving many UHNWIs to leave London. Similarly, Los Angeles realtors suggest that the introduction of a so-called mansion tax last year, imposing a 4-5.5 per cent levy on property sales over US$5m, has deterred many from establishing permanent roots in the city.
Darian Kuzma, the Victorian head of NAB Private Wealth’s UHNW team, says that while Australia might not be on a level playing field with ‘tax-friendly’ nations, this country offers other favourable conditions. “Can we compete with the likes of SIngapore? No, not when you’re comparing a flat non-resident tax rate with our heavier and progressive tax system, but the drive here is less about tax than it is other factors like liveability, climate, education and healthcare. For the ultra wealthy or wealthy middle class, Australia is a great place to raise your family.”
He continues: “Being surrounded by water means Australia is considered safer from a future Covid-style outbreak or physical threat than New York, while our climate is much better than London’s. And the fact that both our secondary and tertiary education institutions are well renowned drives a lot of migration.”
Standardised healthcare and wide open space also figure highly in conversations with non-residents, says Kuzma. “The bang for buck in terms of the size of the properties you can buy is certainly better in some parts of Australia than what you’ll find in, say, Singapore. The Asian city state might have the draw of a better tax structure for individuals, but that’s coupled with a very high cost of living.”
Based on property trends and his own interactions with worldly investors, Kuzma is confident that Melbourne and Sydney are well on the path to being globalised cities. “We’ve seen a couple of recent sales of $75m-$80m in Melbourne and some transactions over $100m in Sydney so it’s not hard to imagine our prices trending similarly to New York, Paris or London in the future, where the ticket price to buy into the prestige suburbs is quite substantial.”
Data released by the Australian government’s Foreign Investment Review Board recently showed that over 1500 residential real estate investment proposals worth a total of $1.9bn were approved in the final quarter of 2023. Some $800m of these came out of China, plus an additional $100m from Hong Kong. Indian, Vietnamese and Taiwanese buyers played a key role too, with each nationality contributing $100m to Australian home purchases.
“Australia means beautiful beaches and inviting cities in a world that feels overcrowded and over-polluted.”
CHASING SECURE SHORES
Lily Ong, a Melbourne-based immigration specialist and property lawyer, also finds that Australia’s lifestyle positives typically outweigh the tax negatives for her clients. “We do tax pretty highly, especially those who buy a property here and leave it vacant for an extended time, [but] some of these individuals are happy to absorb those costs,” she says. “These high-value home buyers can afford to live anywhere in the world but want their children to have an Australian education; they like our weather, our wide open spaces and health system.” She adds: “In reality, many of them consider Australia relatively inexpensive because our dollar is weak.”
After 30 years in immigration law, Ong has noticed an uptick in enquiries from US, European and Russian citizens about the pathway to living in Australia. She explains: “Political reasons are definitely behind some of the individuals looking to move here. We’ve previously seen a lot of clients move to places like the UK or US, but now they’re looking to come to Australia. People perceive us as a safe haven, they feel that they can come here and be themselves… and we’re a democratic country with [robust legal protections].”
Kay & Burton managing director Ross Savas agrees that Australia ticks the right boxes for UHNWIs seeking security and opportunity. “For some, the ‘tyranny of distance’ means safety,” he says. “For others, Australia means beautiful beaches and inviting cities in a world that feels overcrowded and over-polluted. They’re saying ‘I want to bring up my family in a great country away from all the trouble of the world’.” He also highlights Australia’s position as a gateway to unparalleled prospects in the Asian Century; “Asia is the engine room of the world, and we’re in the right region to benefit from and contribute to that economic dynamism.”
Inheriting the adventure
Carrying the legacy of a family business forward is rarely a straightforward journey, but for Rob McGeary and Lou Tandy, assuming leadership of an Australian travel empire marks a pivotal point in its evolution and chance to channel the joy of jet-setting into broader societal benefits—by Kim Wilson.
For siblings Rob McGeary and Lou Tandy, the APT Travel Group apprenticeship began around the dinner table when they were children. Holidays with their parents Geoff and Anne were designed around the family business, whether joining existing tour groups or visiting hotels to determine their suitability. “It was a bit like being part of a circus, in a really fortunate way,” Tandy says. “It’s been a very long indoctrination,” McGeary continues lightheartedly. “I always felt it looked like a great journey and something I wanted to do… whether my father was trying to launch a new product or the discussion was a problem-solving one of ‘there’s a cyclone in northern Queensland and we’ve one tour group stuck in Townsville, another in Cairns’.”
The co-directors are the third generation to lead the near-century-old Melbourne business that owns Australian Pacific Touring (APT), horticultural tour specialist Botanica World Discoveries and upscale operator Captain’s Choice, known for its commercial private jet itineraries. Their grandfather Bill started with a regional bus company in the 1920s, his death in 1963 placing the responsibility of the firm squarely upon the shoulders of their father, then aged 22. Despite being warned by the family accountant at the time that the business would fail, Geoff spent 50 years boldly transforming it into a global travel company. Last December he formally stepped aside, empowering his heirs to write the next chapter of the story.
With more than three decades of hands-on experience, Rob McGeary seems as comfortable at the helm as he is inspired by his father’s tenacity. “Dad was living at home when he took over so I think he felt a keen sense of obligation to support his mother,” he says. “From that came a fierce determination to make it work, which is why he started to improve the business and cultivate the spirit of innovation that has carried all the way through to today.”
In other words, embracing the speed and breadth of change that defines the travel industry is simply business as usual at APT.
Rob McGeary and Lou Tandy at Fairfield Park Boathouse, Melbourne. Image: Josh Robenstone.
04
“There’s constantly something happening here and that’s what’s so rewarding; you can’t stand still, you have to keep developing and evolving and progressing,” McGeary shares. “Following the same DNA that the business was founded on just comes very naturally, it’s not something we have to consciously think about,” adds Tandy. “We know that product innovation is core to the business, we know that collaboration is core, and we always have this eye on building for the long term.”
ANCHORING SUCCESS
While Covid restrictions hit the business hard, the period also accelerated some important processes of consolidation and strengthening. McGeary explains: “Now we’re out of that we’re glad we reinvested heavily, continuing to elevate our international product to ensure it is the premium offering, from Europe to Vietnam to Egypt.”
APT will end a long partnership with US cruise line AmaWaterways later this year, transitioning to its own fleet of uniquely Australian custom-built ships. These include the Mekong Serenity, which tours Vietnam and Cambodia, plus three new luxury river ships due to sail Europe in 2025. Tandy explains: “We saw an opportunity to elevate ship design and this enables us to have complete control, not just over the design and infrastructure but the whole onboard experience.”
Celebrated Melbourne design practice Hecker Guthrie— whose work is as likely to win industry awards as fit into an art gallery setting—was engaged to customise the vessels. “We deliberately chose an organisation that hadn’t worked on ships before in order to bring fresh thinking,” Tandy says. “We wanted local designers who have worked on high-end hospitality venues around Australia and really understand our customer.” Larger cabins, commissioned artwork, more entertainment and socialising spaces are all part of the plan.
There is also a renewed focus on the Captain’s Choice offering, which seeks to streamline travel to remote destinations with finely tuned itineraries that might combine private jet transfers with a luxury train journey or supercar self-drive. A “phenomenally high” rate of return suggests they have cracked the code for this tier of small group travel. Tandy says: “This is our six-star brand; there’s nobody else in Australia doing anything like it and very few around the world so guests treat it somewhat like a secret club.”
PRIVILEGE AND PRESSURE
Both are conscious of preserving the essential character of the family business for their own children and ensuring future generations have the same chance to enjoy and contribute to their grandfather’s legacy. McGeary says: “Dad’s view of the business is that it has afforded him a wonderful life in terms of enjoyment, financial wellness and personal fulfilment, and he wants the same to be available to his children, grandchildren and great-children as an opportunity, not an obligation.” He continues: “If they choose to be doctors, tradesmen, analysts, whatever, so be it. They have a choice, but he’d like this business to be an opportunity. From that point of view, we see ourselves as custodians, here to preserve—but that does not mean standing still, it means continuing to keep our business at the forefront of the industry.”
The siblings candidly address doubts over their credibility as inheritors, acknowledging that concerns
01 With travel and adventure in their genes, the siblings’ tenacity for steering the business was instilled at an early age.
02 Artist’s impression of the Hecker Guthrie-designed sundeck of APT Ostara, set for its maiden voyage next year.
03 With six dining venues, the new ships will surpass other vessels on the Rhine and Danube in culinary variety (artist’s impression).
APT has partnered with Seabourn to offer polar expedition cruises complete with wellness amenities.
about nepotism are understandable. Tandy says: “I think as a family member you have to work harder than anybody else, at least that’s how I’ve always felt, you don’t want to make mistakes.” She adds: “We’re also lucky to have a great team of people around us; we’ve always had a nonfamily CEO running the business day-to-day, with [current chief] David Cox having been with APT almost four decades.”
The firm also has a non-family chairman and board of directors, which enables this generation’s leaders to be laser-focused on parts of the business where they feel they can add the most value. McGeary says: “We get the best of both worlds in terms of the professionalism and efficiency of a corporate structure, plus the longterm vision and dedication to excellence that a familial approach can bring. For us, it’s a formula that works.”
CHERISHED VALUES
Strategic philanthropy is another important part of that formula. APT’s OneTomorrow charitable fund supports the habitats and communities around the world that are touched by its tours, with volunteering and fundraising activity treated as part of the business rather than an offshoot. “Giving back and supporting other people is very much something that has been part of our life from when we were kids, largely driven by our mum, who always had a
strong involvement in philanthropy and often at a grassroots level,” Tandy recalls.
Informed by their own childhood travel memories of modest bus trips and local adventures, McGeary and Tandy are keen to ensure their children appreciate the privilege associated with luxurious holidays and lifestyles. “We’re very conscious of raising well-grounded kids who can also have a positive impact on the world when it’s their time to create change,” she says.
Of course, taking over a global company with the welfare of more than 500 staff to consider has the potential to be a burden as much as a blessing, but McGeary and Tandy are proud and pragmatic about the task ahead. Tandy says: “Sometimes you have to pinch yourself, I can’t imagine a more interesting and joyful industry to be part of. What we do can enrich people’s lives, create experiences that they might have spent a lifetime working for.” She adds: “Dad’s influence on the business and who we are as individuals made this transition more natural and smoother than it could have been.”
aptouring.com.au
05 Artist’s impression of the conversation pit aboard APT ships Ostara and Solara.
38 THRILL OF THE CHASE
Fuelled by a belief in the cultural and social power of museums, Melbourne philanthropist Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM stands among a select few global power players in the competitive world of vintage couture collecting—by Glynis Traill-Nash.
June was a busy month for Krystyna Campbell-Pretty. The Melbourne-based philanthropist was in London and Paris, sourcing items for the National Gallery of Victoria’s fashion and textiles collection. She had a sneak peek at a private collection of pieces belonging to late British designer Vivienne Westwood prior to it going to auction at Christie’s, then headed to Paris to view some vintage Christian Dior pieces before they went under the gavel. “I bought 31 pieces,” Campbell-Pretty tells The Luxury Report. “It was a very expensive month. But what do you do when Vivienne Westwood’s own personal wardrobe is being auctioned? Wait for another day?”
Waiting is not in Campbell-Pretty’s DNA. Since starting her collecting journey in 2015, with the acquisition of the Dominique Sirop collection of haute couture—an assemblage of 130 vintage and historic pieces dating from 1800 to 2003 that was acquired by the NGV for $1.4m with her support—she has purchased and gifted hundreds more. With garments by the likes of Chanel, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Lanvin and Patou among her contributions
to the permanent collection, as well as an archival fashion research library, Campbell-Pretty’s generosity has helped put the Melbourne institution on the map for its ever-evolving fashion offer.
For haute couture enthusiasts, Campbell-Pretty’s urge to collect on behalf of the gallery brings some of the world’s most talked-about garments to Melbourne’s door. At the recent Westwood auction, Campbell-Pretty says she bought several “very good pieces” including a taupe taffeta offthe-shoulder corset gown worn by the designer to a gala held in her honour at the London’s Victoria & Albert Museum in 1998. According to public record, the gown (part of Westwood’s A/W 1998-99 collection) sold for £33,000 against an estimate of between £50008000, with proceeds going to charity.
At the Dior auction, meanwhile, rather than go all-in on “one absolutely spectacular” embroidered dress that Campbell-Pretty knew was on the wishlist of the fashion house itself, she ended up buying six pieces. “We [the NGV team and I] had a lot of meetings beforehand about what we
wanted to go for, and I picked my marks,” she explains. “[The embroidered dress] was just amazing but it was going to go very, very high. And I said, ‘look, if we go for that, that’s it, but if we go for other things we can get five or six pieces’.”
She was also keen to round out the NGV’s collection with what she describes as “beautiful, fine daywear”, a category she says is often overlooked by collectors. In the end, the strategy was a success; “We got at least four good dress-jacket-coat combinations, and the rest were nice evening dresses, just to add to the balance.”
The enigmatic and impeccably attired collector first started her philanthropic work with the NGV alongside her late husband Harold Campbell-Pretty, setting up the gallery’s school support program, which facilitates free gallery access for underprivileged children and schools from regional and remote areas. When Harold passed away in 2014, she donated the Sirop collection to the NGV in his memory.
While Campbell-Pretty—whose career spanned social work, market
research and management consulting— has always loved fashion, it is not just the aesthetics that appeal when it comes to collecting pieces for the gallery. “Mostly [with fashion] we’re talking about women and we’re talking about how women lived—what they did, how they existed, what their lives were like,” she explains. “We’re also talking about beauty because fashion is beauty; art and art history are all about beauty. For me, ultimately, it’s about history.”
“[Museums]
increasingly represent the way we live today.”
Her passion for making museums and galleries more accessible stems from this deep love of history. “I believe in the importance of museums as a place that everyone can share.” she says.
She fervently believes that fashion belongs in museums, not just from an artistic and historical perspective but as a social record and for the benefit of the institutions. This is reflected in the exponential rise in popularity of fashion exhibitions ever since the blockbuster Alexander McQueen exhibition
Savage Beauty debuted at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011.
“The trend in museums these days is if you haven’t got fashion, you’re not going to be appealing to the younger audiences,” Campbell-Pretty explains.
“You must do it to keep refreshing your customer base.” She cites the example of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, widely known for its fashion exhibitions; “Because they do so much fashion their customer base is hugely skewed to the under-40s, even under-30s. [Fashion] just brings a dynamic that the museum otherwise wouldn’t have.” She continues:
“I believe in the importance of museums. I don’t think they’re old and dusty places, quite the opposite. They’re dynamic, they’re fresh, and they increasingly represent the way we live today.”
In her near-decade of acquiring pieces for the NGV—she occasionally purchases for other institutions, outside the fashion realm—Campbell-Pretty has honed her talent for the hunt. Along with close discussions with the curators at the gallery, she is on speed dial with the world’s top auctioneers for fashion, including Kerry Taylor in London, who keeps her across what will soon become available. Competition can be fierce between the mere handful of buyers in this milieu. One is the owner of a private fashion museum in Chile, then there are other museums and galleries from across the globe that tend to pop up “when they have money”, as well as the luxury fashion houses, which she says come and go when they want to buy back pieces for their archives.
“There are a few other private collectors and [those] who buy for the stars to wear on red carpets, but they will usually buy isolated pieces, they don’t buy in a cohesive way,” she explains. Diego Della Valle, the billionaire Italian owner of Tod’s and Schiaparelli, is often in the mix, but Campbell-Pretty says he has stepped back a little of late. “In fact, I bought a wonderful, very simple little Schiaparelli day dress late last year and he wasn’t [present at the auction], so I got it cheaply, which was good. He usually pushes the price; he has unlimited budget.”
While Campbell-Pretty adores fashion, the spoils of her collecting pursuits are largely for the benefit and enjoyment of others. She recalls a recent dinner in Brisbane with Dutch couturier Iris Van Herpen, whose Sculpting the Senses exhibition was staged at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art this year.
“[Van Herpen] asked: ‘Do you collect yourself?’ And I replied: ‘No—then I’d need to have a curator and someone to look after it all’,” she recalls matter-of-factly. “I’ve never felt comfortable with the idea of having stuff in a wardrobe somewhere or hived away in a warehouse. I buy the pieces and then I get to visit them. These creations need to be in a museum so everyone can access them.”
An exhibit of 1920s-era couture embroidery from the Campbell-Pretty Fashion Research Collection is on display at the NGV International until 30 November. ngv.vic.gov.au/lesage-x-vionnet
01 Krystyna Campbell-Pretty Fashion Gift exhibition (2019), NGV International. Image: Tom Ross.
02 Grès evening dress (1985) featured in the 2019 exhibition. Image: Tom Ross.
03 Alix dresses (1934-42) by Madame Grès form part of the NGV’s Fashion and Textiles collection.
04 Campbell-Pretty enjoys a martini at Melbourne restaurant Gimlet. Image: Daniel Mahon.
05 Aluminium Paco Rabanne mini dress (1967), part of the NGV’s permanent collection.
on.
Our fully furnished division is renowned for connecting global corporates with the best homes and apartments across Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.
Kay & Burton is one of the few agencies that specialises in shortto-medium term fully furnished accommodation. We are the first port of contact for corporations seeking accommodation for their interstate and overseas employees. Our experts are always on hand to provide advice on which properties have the potential to earn greater returns as a fully furnished offering.
The benefits of leasing a property fully furnished include:
Potential higher rental return*
Flexible lease terms
Security bond of up to six weeks
Rental provider and renter are covered by the Residential Tenancies Act
Applications checked against the National Tenancy Database
Comprehensive condition and inventory check
Renter is responsible for all utilities where separately metered (i.e. electricity, gas, water)
Taxation depreciation benefits on furnishings**
Traditional marketing combined with direct marketing to our network of relocation agents and large corporations
Flexibility to use your property between tenancies
Less wear on the property
Concierge service to assist with setting up a furnished property.
*Dependent on current market conditions and property specifications.
**Please consult with your accountant for further information on the benefits to you.
IN GOOD HANDS
Under the ownership of the Meylan family since 2012, Swiss watchmaking house H. Moser & Cie is celebrated for its blend of traditional technique and futurist flair. Here, parent company chief executive Bertrand Meylan shares how the independent brand strives to innovate and inspire. Interview by Thor Svaboe.
In the world of haute horlogerie, where heritage and history often dominate the narrative, few brands have managed to marry past and future quite as elegantly as H. Moser & Cie. While many legacy watchmakers lean heavily on tradition, Moser has carved out a niche by balancing its distinguished history with a bold, contemporary approach to design. The result is a brand that captivates both purists and modern collectors alike.
Founded in 1828 by master Swiss watchmaker Heinrich Moser, H. Moser & Cie quickly established a reputation for precision and craftsmanship. Moser’s innovative spirit led to international success and saw him expand operations across Europe, cementing the brand as a leader in watchmaking. Yet, like many venerable houses, Moser faced challenges maintaining relevance in an increasingly competitive market. The brand’s fortunes changed in 2012 when it was acquired
by Georges-Henri Meylan—a former Audemars Piguet chief executive and relative of the seminal 19th-century Swiss watchmaker Claude-Henri Meylan.
Under Meylan’s leadership, with sons Edouard and Bertrand alongside, Moser has undergone a remarkable transformation to establish itself as one of the industry’s most intriguing houses.
“When the opportunity [to acquire H. Moser & Cie arose], we knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance,” explains Bertrand Meylan, formerly of Audemars Piguet and now at the helm of Moser’s parent company, MELB Luxe Subsidiaries, from his base in Hong Kong. “We loved the brand and believed in its huge potential.” He adds that while the venture was initially viewed as “a big risk for us as a family”, it turned out to be a gamble the entrepreneurial Meylans are very happy to have taken.
With Zurich-based brother Edouard running H. Moser & Cie, its market reach has increased markedly over the past decade, while Bertrand’s leadership of the holding group (which also owns Swiss watch brand Hautlence, and manufacturing firms Precision Engineering and Agenhor) has propelled international expansion.
Exposing Moser watches to a new generation of collectors everywhere from Doha to Tokyo to Sydney has not, however, diminished the brothers’ commitment to craftsmanship. By maintaining
03 Watchmaking dynasts Edouard and Bertrand Meylan.
04 L-R: The Heritage Perpetual Calendar (2016), Heritage Tourbillon (2019) and Heritage Tourbillon Funky Blue (2019).
01 A unique micro-rotor powers the slimmest Streamliner model, released in 2023.
02 Bertrand Meylan manages market expansion for the two-century-old brand.
limited production, each piece remains rare, collectable and highly coveted.
Bertrand says that Moser’s identity— both now and in its foundational years—is tied to design that challenges conventions. A prime example is the mirror-like Swiss Alp Concept Black minute repeater tourbillon. A study in elegant simplicity, Moser’s thought-provoking take on the modern smartwatch defies horological norms by forgoing numerals and hands entirely. Infused with a thoroughly contemporary sensibility, this pared-back approach has become a hallmark of the brand.
“Our founder Heinrich Moser was a visionary,” says Bertrand. “He understood the importance of creativity and entrepreneurship, principles we continue to uphold today. It’s about finding that balance between respecting our legacy while constantly pushing the boundaries of design and technical innovation—and also bringing some of our [the brothers’] personalities in.”
This ethos is most evident in Moser’s flagship, the Streamliner. Inspired by the aerodynamic aesthetics of 1920s locomotives and automobiles, the Streamliner’s design merges style and utility. Powered by Moser’s in-house automatic movements, the range showcases the brand’s knack for precision engineering and artistic elegance—with each new interpretation bringing a considered contemporary edge. One of the most recent (released earlier this year), is the art deco-inspired Streamliner Tourbillon Wyoming Jade. With its integrated bracelet, rose gold case and dial crafted from rare jade stone, it has naturally captured the attention of collectors worldwide.
Collaborations have also played a key role in Moser’s recent success. From its unexpected tie-up with cult LA streetwear brand Undefeated to co-creations with Swiss watchmaker MB&F, Moser is unafraid to experiment.
“Our first major collaboration with MB&F in 2020 came at the perfect time,” Bertrand recalls. “It created a huge buzz and pushed us to explore new creative possibilities.” The Undefeated collab (which produced a camouflage Streamliner wall clock earlier this year—a follow-up to the 2022 Streamliner Chronograph Camouflage Undefeated wristwatch) continued this tradition of pushing boundaries, as did its decidedly playful recent project with avant-garde British watch brand Studio Underd0g.
Today, H. Moser & Cie is a creative force that dares to rethink what a timepiece can be. Far more than reviving a sleeping giant, the Meylan family has positioned the near 200-year-old watchmaker as one of the most exciting names in independent watchmaking—offering collectors an inimitable blend of history, artistry and innovation.
TIME REDEFINED
Three conversation-starting watch designs.
Streamliner Tourbillon Wyoming Jade
With its eye-catching dial featuring jade stone sourced from the wilds of Wyoming, Moser’s 2024 limited-edition take on the popular Streamliner features a flying tourbillon complication, double hairspring technology and three-day power reserve.
Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon
Born from a decades-long friendship between Edouard Meylan and MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser, this 2020 release is a stunning tribute to collaboration and craftsmanship. Limited to just 15 pieces, its striking sculptural design integrates a unique three-dimensional cylindrical tourbillon and off-centre inclined sapphire dial.
Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept
This 2021 collaboration with enigmatic Parisian artist Romaric Andre (aka seconde/seconde/) brings a cheeky twist to Moser’s elegantly minimal aesthetic. Sporting a pixelated-style eraser-shaped hand, it offers a wry comment on the creative tension between old and new.
Premier crew
A new members’ club for wine drinkers, founded in London, is set to raise a glass to Melbourne’s proud history as a commercial bastion that knows how to mix business with pleasure—by Paul Best.
Grant Ashton (pictured) may run the world’s first group of private members’ clubs exclusively devoted to wine lovers, but he confesses the idea was not his. When he established the original 67 Pall Mall in London’s St James in 2015, the city had already been home to two dedicated wine clubs for some time, while the concept of private members’ clubs dated back, more than 150 years.
“They were a big thing in London in the 1870s and 1880s,” Ashton, an ex-banker, says over the phone from Singapore, where he is now based. “At that time, London had 200-300 gentlemen’s clubs.” He had initially thought to open a wine bar with a few like-minded mates as a means of offloading some of their collective overgrown wine collections before he set up 67 Pall Mall, at the address of “an old bank building going for a song”.
01 The Singapore outpost launched in 2022 with a 6000-strong wine list considered the largest in south-east Asia.
02 Club activities range from museum tastings to overseas winery tours.
At the same time, he had grown frustrated at restaurants’ “young” wine lists and limited selections. But he is sympathetic: “Few restaurants can afford to lay down vintages anymore. It’s bonkers economics. If you run the model commercially, it doesn’t work.”
Ashton was also unhappy at paying through the nose for wine at overly inflated prices. As he explains, restaurants need to return a 70 per cent gross profit margin on food and beverage to remain solvent. This is why we pay three or more times the retail price when we sit down and let someone else do the pouring. His response was to set up a club that offered not just a couple of hundred but several thousand different wines from more than 40 countries, with 1000 by the glass, “a good age profile” and minimal markups.
“Wine is at the core of everything we do, and we aim to produce the best wine list in the country,” he explains. “Our by-the-glass program is front and centre of that, [offering] the biggest list in the world.” The concept proved a timely aligning of the stars that Ashton says struck a chord with other wine enthusiasts. “It’s why we’ve been so successful,” he says. “We thought perhaps 500, 600 people in London might think a wine club isn’t a bad idea. We were stunned by how many loved it. We now have 4000 members.”
The advent of Coravin—a then-revolutionary system that allows wines to be poured without opening the bottle (thereby preventing oxidation and waste)—proved well timed. Another stroke of luck that contributed to the brand’s early success was the resurgence of private members’ clubs in London, a phenomenon that has also gained pace in the US and Australia post-pandemic as people seek out immersive experiences and a renewed sense of belonging with like minds. “We got lucky with an upswing in people becoming increasingly mobile in how they work and spend their social life outside the home,” Ashton explains. “That has fed into a big uptake of this new style of members’ club.”
Following his early good fortune with the London HQ, Ashton expanded the concept to Verbier in Switzerland in 2020 and then Singapore in 2022. There’s also an en primeur membership in Hong Kong, which, in place of a bricks-andmortar club, brings together a community of passionate wine drinkers in partner locations that subscribe to the 67 Pall Mall ethos. Ashton has plans to open several more venues, including in Burgundy and Bordeaux, as well as across Asia (Shanghai, Bangkok, Jakarta), plus the southern hemisphere’s first outpost, which will launch in Melbourne’s CBD in mid-2025.
As to why he chose Melbourne over Sydney, Ashton says the Victorian capital won out for its established international reputation as a gastronomic city, and for its natural alignment with European and broader wine culture. “We see ourselves building on Melbourne’s existing [food and wine] culture,” he explains. This latest 67 Pall Mall will span the top four levels of the 16-storey former office tower at 85 Spring Street, originally known as Esanda House, at the historic east end of the CBD. Entering on level 14, members and guests encounter a soaring 7.5m temperature-controlled wine tower. The double-height space will offer contemporary all-day
dining, including classics from the London flagship such as Scotch eggs and beef Wellington as well as a selection of sharing dishes inspired by Melbourne’s wine bar culture. Level 15 will house a grill-style restaurant with guéridon service and private dining rooms, while the floor above will be devoted to champagne and oysters, plus a whisky bar offering 400 different drops.
The new outpost will launch with a wine list of about 5000 wines categorised as being in their “optimal drinking window”, with at least half of these Australian and around 1000 Victorian. Membership will bestow access to vertical tastings—think a museum release of Henschke’s Hill of Grace or the rarest Blanc de Blancs from Champagne Salon, or a sommelier-guided tour through a dozen different Burgundy crus.
Ashton emphasises that 67 Pall Mall is not some kind of British expat or elite business club. “We’ve had people drink Château Latour 1959 with a burger. That’s fine if that’s how you roll,” he says, adding there are members in Singapore who do not even drink. While its offering and demographic mix might have a modern sensibility, the brand’s signature design aesthetic nods to the notion of heritage and, much like a fine Bordeaux, is intended to get better with age.
“There’s a classic quality that underlies everything we do,” Ashton decrees. “We build clubs to be there for at least 50 years. People think 67 Pall Mall Singapore has been there 20 years, not two.”
A REPUTATION built on results
01 115 Mont Albert Road, Canterbury
This magnificent home has discreetly transacted to a local family eager to call Canterbury’s prestigious Golden Mile home, an area renowned for hosting some of Melbourne’s finest properties. Positioned on a north-facing 1174 sqm (approx.) allotment, the custom-built residence represents the pinnacle of luxury. Designed by bespoke home designer David Liddiard, with interiors by Justin Bishop and gardens by the legendary Paul Bangay, this masterpiece of timeless European style offers luxurious family living and lavish alfresco entertaining amidst impeccably manicured gardens.
02 150 Jones Road, Rosebud
Nestled amidst the tranquillity of the Mornington Peninsula’s foothills, this exceptional elevated acreage blends exquisite ocean and bay views with a rural charm that’s simply unmatched. Years of thoughtful planning and impeccable execution have culminated in a multigenerational property sprawled across 14 stunning acres. A family relocating from regional Victoria for their children to finish their schooling in Melbourne purchased the lifestyle haven eager to host weddings, parties, and family gatherings at the modern masterpiece for years to come.
03 373 Glenferrie Road, Malvern
This 1930s Art Deco gem sold ahead of its expressions of interest campaign, surpassing expectations. With its timeless charm and beautiful emotive feel, the property attracted multiple offers. A local family, seeking the ideal home for their five children, secured the residence, drawn to its ample living and entertaining spaces, which include a pool and fully equipped poolhouse. Its proximity to Scotch College and Melbourne Girls’ Grammar further enhanced its appeal for the purchasers.
04 21 Moule Avenue, Brighton
An expat family, captivated by the flawless renovation of this resort-style masterpiece, is excited to soon call the Golden Mile home. The property’s extensive lifestyle features, including a tennis court, gym, sauna, and pool, all contributed to its undeniable allure and secured a remarkable result in off-market negotiations. The breathtaking residence, situated on one of Melbourne’s most highly regarded streets, was one of three sales Kay & Burton Bayside achieved in excess of $10 million in just a few weeks, underscoring the enduring strength of Brighton’s prestige market.
05 67 Were Street, Brighton
Following a textbook campaign, this masterpiece of luxury nestled in the exclusive heart of Middle Brighton sold at the close of its expressions of interest campaign. Three offers were in contention for the extraordinary architect-designed residence which exudes unparalleled elegance and refined leisure, seamlessly merging expansive 87 sq interiors with northern poolside setting across two liftconnected levels. A local family enamoured by the quality of the brand-new build was the successful purchaser. Breathtaking features include a soaring 9-metre void and a sweeping central ribbon staircase which create an unforgettable entrance and luxurious finishes of back-lit onyx, Venetian plaster, Italian marble, and oak.
Kay & Burton has always been a leader in the premium and luxury real estate markets. Since selling our first home in 1938, our success has been underpinned by the depth of knowledge, experience and relationships that we have formed within the markets in which we operate. We are proud to present some of our top results from the past quarter.
WRITTEN IN THE SKIES
In a landmark commission for the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Paris-based artist Angelica Mesiti channels the power of ancestral ritual to imagine another world. Here she offers us a glimpse into her distinctive vision—by Neha Kale.
Angelica Mesiti has long observed the power of collective ritual to connect the present with the past. The internationally renowned artist recently became interested in an asterism of stars called Pleiades, best known in Australia as the Seven Sisters. Mythology around Pleiades, she learned, has appeared across different cultures throughout history, dating back to ancient Greece. As she delved into the subject, Mesiti started thinking about the way past generations—from Indigenous Australians to her own southern Italian ancestors— looked to the sky when the seasons changed; how the movement of the stars could, itself, spark occasions to gather. It was this notion that gave rise to her new work, a major commission for the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) entitled The Rites of When.
“Pleiades is one of the most visible star clusters with the naked eye,” Mesiti explains. “It emerges on the horizon around September/October, when in the northern hemisphere it’s the beginning of autumn and in the southern hemisphere, it’s spring. Many cultures talk about it in relation to renewal. I started thinking about [how] seasons have played such a huge role in our annual cycles for humankind and that, in earlier times, [they] were marked by these social, communal events.” Pausing for a moment to reflect on this, she adds: “We’ve all been noticing our seasons changing, experiencing weather patterns that are unusual and there’s a feeling that there’s something off-balance.”
Mesiti is speaking to The Luxury Report from Paris, having relocated from Sydney in 2012. It is high summer in Europe and behind her, there is a wash of dappled light through the window. With her curly, chin-length hair and crisp blue shirt, Mesiti appears in the laptop frame as if in portrait. She has an elegant, otherworldly quality. She weighs her thoughts carefully, considering each word, each sentence. She is attentive to the way that language is not always the most reliable carrier of meaning; that when we talk, we are often subject to mistranslation. “I didn’t [speak] any French when I moved here,” she admits. “When you’re in the situation where you’re outside the familiarity of your native tongue, you have to [be] understood and try to understand others.”
The 47-year-old artist has spent the past 20 years making hypnotic video installations that map non-verbal terrain. She is interested in the choreography of everyday life; how we invent and imagine new ways to communicate. In 2009 she won the prestigious Blake Prize for Religious Art—becoming the first video artist to do so—for her work Rapture (Silent Anthem). The work depicted teenagers filmed in a mosh pit close-up, their faces beaded with sweat, their bodies united in a fandom reminiscent of spiritual worship. A decade later, she would represent Australia at the 58th Venice Biennale, the highest honour for an artist, with ASSEMBLY. The three-channel installation, part of a presentation at the Australian Pavilion curated by Juliana Engberg, took cues from protest movements such as Occupy Wall Street. In the same year she was honoured with a solo show at the Palais De Tokyo in Paris.
“I think what I’ve become aware of since making ASSEMBLY is the fact that nothing is sure,” she says. “Nothing is certain, things that we thought were impossible [in 2019] have happened.” To make ASSEMBLY, the artist used a stenographic machine (discovered at a Roman flea market) to transcribe To Be Written in Another Tongue, a poem by Australian novelist David Malouf in which he struggles to interpret the language of his grandfather. The poem becomes the basis of a musical score by Australian composer Max Lyandvert, performed by over 40 musicians and dancers from various traditions. In one scene, a woman plays a clarinet. In another, Lebanese percussionists gallop
01
across the screen, their drumbeats exuberant. The work, filmed at Australia’s Old Parliament House and the Italian Senate in Rome’s Palazzo Madama, meditates on the fragility of democracy. But it is also about the human desire to come together, to find commonality amid difference. “In the Italian community we were always going to weddings,” Mesiti laughs. “I understand now why there were hundreds of people there.”
Mesiti grew up in Sydney, the daughter of second-generation Italian migrants. “Like so many of us, I came from a family where there was one way of being at school, another way of being at home,” she says. “[There] are these different selves that we present. We become fluid, shifting between them.” Her first love, she says, was dance—a form in which the body is the highest tool of expression. While on a dance scholarship at the Laban Centre in London, one of Europe’s foremost institutions for contemporary dance, Mesiti learned to read music. Then, in the early noughties, after undertaking a Bachelor of Fine Arts at UNSW, the artist became a founding member of all-female performance group The Kingpins.
During this era, Mesiti says she became galvanised by the exchanges that could take place between audience and performer. “This unique thing can happen in the moment when you’re all joined together,” she says. “I had some amazing mentors who introduced me to feminist thinking
and The Kingpins felt strongly about challenging expectations. I became interested in who was being left out.”
Set in then-affordable Surry Hills, Imperial Slacks, the artist-run performance space where Mesiti and a group of other emerging artists lived, worked and exhibited during this time, sparked the collaborative mode of artmaking that would become a hallmark of her career. “We were living together, working together, creating together,” she recalls. “I loved being surrounded by other creative people. The kinds of ideas that could emerge out of group thinking really appealed to me.”
Her installations are polyphonic affairs, involving collaboration with cinematographers, choreographers and recordists. Her best works draw on sound and moving image to tune the audience into unseen frequencies, cultivating an awareness of an invisible resonance that connects us. In Citizen’s Band (2012), Mesiti follows four migrants who have adapted their musical lineage for their new countries. Geraldine, a Cameroonian woman in Paris, taps her fingers on the surface of a public pool, carrying out akutuk, a practice of water drumming. A Mongolian throat singer called Bukhchuluun busks on a Sydney street corner. Asim, a Sudanese taxi driver, whistles an improvised tune in Brisbane. Private memories manifest here as public rituals, and in the end their soundtracks meld together, playing out as a polyphony. “I’m reading a book at the moment called Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy [by Barbara Ehrenreich]. It’s interested in the ways that gathering communally over the ages has been such an important aspect of forging bonds,” Mesiti explains. “Researchers I’ve read say that music, dance and song are the central functions of a spiritual experience. These ideas still interest me.”
In 2014 Mesiti won the inaugural Ian Potter Moving Image Commission for The Calling. To create the work she travelled to Kuskoy in Northern Turkey, La Gomera in The Canary Islands and the Greek island of Evia to observe the whistling languages that have been used in these parts of the world for generations; non-verbal forms of communication that allow communities to convey messages over vast distances. “This language
Rites of When (2024) features dancers silhouetted against colours evocative of a changing sky.
02 Mesiti in the Tank. Image: Jenni Carter.
03 The immersive video and sound installation comprises seven portrait screens.
developed very closely alongside the environmental terrain of these communities,” she says. “They are very much linked with how these groups of people were living in their landscape, among other species. Most of them had shepherd practices that were integral to their agrarian lifestyle.” She continues: “It’s about humans in their environment, humans living alongside other species and a functional method of communication that—despite the technological advances around it— has managed to survive and adapt.”
A hundred years (2024), a haunting film commissioned for the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, revisits the landscapes of the Somme in northern France, the site of the western front of the first world war. The film charts the ways in which nature has reclaimed culture, erasing the trace of human history. “The work focused on battlefields that have been preserved as memorial sites,” explains Mesiti. “Some of them have returned to their function prior to the war, as forests or parklands or fields of wheat. I was interested in this seasonal regeneration as a hopeful idea.”
For Mesiti’s first solo exhibition at the AGNSW, The Rites of When will unfold as a large-scale video and sound installation in the Tank, the 2200sqm subterranean bunker beneath the gallery’s north building that was originally built to store oil during the second world war. “The scale [of the space] has a real effect on the body,” she says. “It reminded me of experiences I had of being in the Duomo in Milan and sacred architecture that references natural spaces like forests.”
For AGNSW senior curator Beatrice Gralton, The Rites of When invites viewers to become attuned to the landscape. “It has been a privilege to witness Mesiti ‘play’ the Tank [like] an instrument, tuning into its particular sonic and architectural qualities,” she remarks. “This work is a reminder to listen—to our environment, our bodies and to each other.”
The artist says The Rites of When revolves around the collective rituals that have always accompanied the
seasons. Contained within its seven channels are movements that evoke the winter and summer solstices. “There’s the harvest, which coincides with the solstice and the equinox,” she explains. “It would call people together and there was singing involved. Fire has a new meaning to us because of the unprecedented rise of bushfires.”
In one still, a figure is adorned with a horse-head mask as flames explode in the background. Elsewhere, a performer stands on another’s shoulders as if in awe of a sky that ripples a radiant blue and purple.
The work references the Nebra disc, a Bronze Age star map that is also one of the earliest known depictions of Pleiades. Here, the constellation— beamed to us from light years away— is a reminder to look upward, outward towards the cosmos that was a salve
“This work is a reminder to listen—to our environment, our bodies and to
each other.”
for those who came before us. The world, now, is in crisis. “Now we look up and there are satellites moving, there are planes,” Mesiti says. “But our myth-making, our origin stories are all in the sky.”
The Rites of When, then, is about the power of collective artistry. When she makes her installations, Mesiti often acts as an observer, documenting those she performs with. But this work, she believes, represents a leap for her as an artist. For the first time, she is working with her collaborators to imagine another world. “I feel now, for me, it is more interesting to invent through research rather than set frames around existing situations,” she says. “I think imagination has become more important than observation for the moment.”
The Rites of When is exhibited until 11 May 2025. artgallery.nsw.gov.au
Destination: Singapore
Restaurateur and hotelier Loh Lik Peng offers his recommendations for where to eat, drink and explore in the Lion City.
INTERVIEW BY Leanne
Clancey
Combining the best of east and west, Singapore is a study of contrasts, revealing its charm through its futuristic skyline, well-preserved colonial architecture and world-class food culture. The fusion of old and new is never far away: from ultra-modern skyscrapers rising above historic shophouses to bustling hawker centres nestled next to Michelin-starred dining rooms. Here, Loh Lik Peng, Unlisted Collection chief executive and the man behind some of Singapore’s best-known restaurants (among them, Burnt Ends and three-star Zén) as well as London’s Da Terra, shares his top local experiences.
I would describe the local culture as multicultural, definitely. It’s the first thing most people notice when they arrive in Singapore. We’re a young country, largely made up of immigrants, and we’ve developed a society that is very tolerant and accepting of differences. We’re also very connected to the world—Singapore is both Asian and global, making it easy for people from anywhere to navigate.
Something Singapore does better than anywhere else is connections. Singapore excels at bringing people together. We’re a blend of east and west, north and south, and that’s why we often serve as a neutral meeting ground for foreign diplomats. Singapore is a safe, well-connected hub for people from all over the world. While rich in Chinese cultural heritage, Singapore is known for its cosmopolitan atmosphere that embraces people from all backgrounds..
One thing I miss most when I’m away is roti prata [a fried flatbread akin to Indian paratha]. When I’m traveling, it’s one of the few foods I actually crave. There’s just something about the way it’s done here— crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, especially good when paired with fish curry. Almost all the wet markets and food centres will have it, but one of my favorites is Mr and Mrs Mohgan in Joo Chiat. It’s an institution in Singapore so you need to be prepared for a queue.
Left: Originally built in 1950 and revitalised in 2006, Tiong Bahru Market endures as a local favourite for traditional Singaporean fare. Image: Singapore Tourism Board.
Coffee culture has definitely grown in the past few years. One of the pioneers in the space is Chye Seng Huat Coffeehouse, which is set in an interesting, upand-coming former industrial area in Singapore. They roast their own beans, and the neighborhood is full of little retail shops, so it’s a great spot to visit.
For breakfast, my family and I love going to Tiong Bahru Market. It’s an art deco district and the market has one of the most famous hawker centres in Singapore. For breakfast we often get chee kueh, which is a simple steamed rice cake topped with preserved radish. It’s a dish I’ve been eating since I was a kid, so for me it’s pure nostalgia.
Casual lunch, Singaporean-style is a good way to explore the local cuisine. I recommend The Coconut Club. The food is consistently delicious, and it’s easy to order—perfect for a laid-back yet satisfying lunch. Another favorite is The Banana Leaf Apolo, which is famous for its fish curry. If you’re in the mood for Indian cuisine, try Samy’s, a local institution. You’ll often see lawyers and business professionals dining there—a sure sign the food is excellent. Both spots are casual but serve food that’s rich in flavour and local tradition.
For upscale dining, [I’m only slightly biased when I say] Burnt Ends is a must-visit; it remains one of the hardest restaurants in Singapore to book. Standouts include the smoked quail eggs with brown butter and, of course, the signature steak. Another option is Claudine, the little sister of the three-Michelin-starred Odette, which offers a casual French bistro experience and outstanding food.
For something different, I recommend trying some of the new restaurants by young Singaporean chefs who are reinventing our cuisine. Born is a brilliant example— recently awarded a Michelin star, it offers local-inspired dishes with French techniques, and the result is phenomenal. Another one to look out for is Fiz, which serves upscale Malay cuisine with incredible finesse.
The cocktail bar scene is huge in Singapore. I tend to prefer a low-key atmosphere, which is why I like Manhattan—known for its expertly crafted cocktails and old New York-inspired atmosphere. Another standout is Atlas with its enormous wall dedicated to gin; it’s quite impressive and the bartenders are excellent at customising something special. For a unique experience, I take visitors to Native, which specialises in cocktails infused with local herbs and flavours. One of their standouts is a creative take on rojak, a popular Singaporean dessert.
For local art, design, and culture I really like New Bahru. Recently opened, it’s a buzzy destination precinct filled with art galleries, restaurants, cafes, wellness, design studios and retail spaces, all set in a repurposed 1950s high school building. You could spend an entire day there exploring and soaking in the creative energy. It’s one of those rare new developments that has been done right—full of life, without losing its soul.
01 Smoked eel, oyster pearl, Amur caviar and sea succulent dish at Loh’s Michelin-starred Marguerite.
02 The generous ayam goreng berempah nasi lemak spread at The Coconut Club.
CRYSTALLINE VISION
INTERVIEW BY Hayley Curnow
Melbourne lighting designer Christopher Boots shares how an enduring fascination with materials and storytelling shapes his artisanal creations.
Your lighting is unified by a strong material language. How do the objects in your Fitzroy studio inspire your work and philosophy?
Objects tend to physicalise a memory for me. I can tell you a story about almost any object in this building because they are like little mementos. Isn’t that what we’re doing when we buy a shirt or a pair of shoes? What are those choices telling me about you? Then something more permanent, like a lighting piece, tells a story about our human experience. We have a beautiful collection of ceramics [in the studio], and while we don’t produce ceramics here, we study them: ‘look at the curve on that, look at the patina on this’. Then we might aim for that feel, that emotion, in our own work. We live in a material world. As much as we try to escape it, we still have to turn on the lights and [need] tables to sit at. So, if we’re doing that, why don’t we do it in a way that is meaningful?
Quartz crystal is a hallmark of your work. What sparked your interest in this material?
As a kid, I’d take walks on the beach with my mum, who passed away a few years ago. We were like bowerbirds picking up shells and bits. One day, when I was seven or eight, I found a quartz crystal encrusted on the beach
and I was so intrigued by it. Being an only child who spent a lot of time in nature, I always observed my surroundings, gathered materials and really examined them. I value that analogue childhood and way of engaging with the world.
Your latest collection, Crux, was unveiled at Milan Design Week and Melbourne Design Week earlier this year. What makes this series unique for the studio? We work with a lot of precious materials, following the philosophy that lighting is like jewellery for the home. That still blows me away, even though I’m surrounded by it. We need to dance to that beat but test different ideas too. Crux explores new forms using textured, mouthblown glass—a recyclable material that responds to the climate crisis and preserves our artisanal approach.
Your approach emphasises quality that stands the test of time, much like antiques. How do you blend traditional craftsmanship with new technology? I used to say ‘our driver is to make things I know are going to be sold at Christie’s in 250 years’. The way things used to be made was right; they’re repairable and just get better with age. [This notion] resonates with me and guides our approach. We use 3D printing for much
← Boots inspects a rose quartz crystal in his Fitzroy studio. Image: Guy Lavoipierre.
01 Detail in an Hermès window display (2014-15).
02 Crux Mono pendant lights and Crux sconces (2024). Image: Annika Kafcaloudis.
of our prototyping, which has streamlined that process. What once took months can now take hours. I’m dedicated to passing on my skills to keep them alive for the next generation, and we seem to be on the cusp of an interesting time where technology can solve many things at once. As [philosopher Antonio Gramsci said in the 1930s]: ‘the old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born’.
How do you embed your design ethos across the wider team for the collaborative process of taking lighting concepts from initial idea to final product?
You have to get your language right, your visual language. I drive the overarching creative direction for the works, the design team develops that and we check in together to rationalise the decisions and refine each piece. Sometimes I’ll set something aside for years, letting it marinate, before I revisit and fully develop the idea. Wings Of Pegasus, for example, was made on a whim for the Hermès window project in 2014 [as part of the longstanding Vitrine d’Artiste program at Hermès in Madison Avenue], and we only released it as a product last year. That’s nine years from prototype to product. Creatively, it is a privilege to design without the pressure of releasing collections to a particular schedule. I think the spirit of the work is affected when projects are rushed. Writing is also a fundamental part of my process. People might not pick all of it up, but certain messages might stick if I articulate them.
Your collections are underpinned by narratives from Greek mythology, science and astrology. What draws you to these themes?
I’ve been passionate about these subjects for as long as I can remember. I came across a box of things in storage recently and found a 1970s map of the heavens from a National Geographic magazine I’d bought as a child; it’s always felt true to me. The Greek mythology piece reflects my Greek heritage. What once seemed daggy in my youth, I now deeply appreciate after delving beyond the surface. Books gifted to me by my mum and grandma in the ‘80s and ‘90s fostered those interests and left a lasting impression—they’re in the studio library to this day. Ultimately, our work seeks to inspire people’s curiosity, and I think it’s crucial that our stories are told, passed down and remembered. Perhaps that’s the common thread in what we do. We’re making pieces for future generations. Geometry never goes out of fashion, that is fact. Playing with these enduring ideas is at the core of our philosophy.
Is it an affirming reminder that the principles driving your work have been a part of you from an early age?
It’s lucky. My interests have guided a weaving, organic career path. I couldn’t tell you exactly how I got here; it’s a result of exploring ideas since I was a kid and then actively choosing to study industrial design as a stepping stone to my own practice. I don’t think a linear path is reflective of our humanness. I’m constantly learning; linguistics, psychology and literature are ongoing sources of interest to me. Perhaps there are traces of that in the work too.
What’s next for Christopher Boots?
I can never separate the work we do from where we do it. Community is crucial. We’re working on a Fitzroy home salon next, which will be a place to get together and have great conversations.
03
04
05
Ouranos wall sconce (2022). Image: Matt McQuiggan.
Prometheus I + II pendants (2016).
The Stalactite pendant and Petra III light (2019) commissioned by Cartier for its Sydney store. Image: Nic Gossage.
“I’m dedicated to passing on my skills to keep them alive for the next generation, and we seem to be on the cusp of an interesting time where technology can solve many things at once.”
Grand finale
Restaurant mogul Chris Lucas reveals the inspiration behind his masterwork: a French-inspired venue that weaves together architectural heritage, Melbourne dining history, and his own culinary discoveries by Michael Harden.
Maison Bâtard, the seventh Melbourne CBD outpost from Lucas Restaurants since Chin Chin recalibrated the innercity dining scene in 2011, exudes a powerful sense of legacy. It is in the hospitality lineage of the site, previously home to The Italian Society, established in the 1920s and one of Melbourne’s original iconic restaurants. It is also in the Bourke Hill heritage precinct location, which means Bâtard rubs shoulders with icons like Florentino, Pellegrini’s, Parliament House and the Princess Theatre. But this is also personal for entrepreneur Chris Lucas, who has spent eight years bringing the four-level mega-venue to fruition.
“I think what we are doing here is one step further than anyone’s really done in Melbourne before, in terms of the design and concept being led by both the building and its history,” he says. “But also, to be honest, I’m 64 and haven’t got another one of these in me. So, it’s a legacy project for Melbourne, but also for me because it reflects everything I’ve done over the years, from the little boy working in my dad’s pub and my Greek heritage right up to where I am today.”
He adds: “It’s like being a film producer—when you are in your 20s or your 40s you make different kinds of films for particular reasons but when you’re in your 60s you just go ahead and make the film you really want to make.” This outing is something of a blockbuster then, influenced by the existing ‘universe’ that includes Chin Chin, Society, Grill Americano, Kisume, the recently-opened Tombo Den in Windsor and Canberra’s Carlotta.
Bâtard is a French-inspired maison of fun. There is the two-level Restaurant Bâtard, rooftop bar La Terrasse complete
with a Paul Bangay-designed garden, and basement supper club Le Club, all tucked behind the fully refurbished circa-1901 Roman revival facades of two buildings. A third building located behind Maison Bâtard contains back-ofhouse components like offices and cool rooms, which frees up space in the main building to ensure “everyone gets served properly” from separate kitchens on each level.
Everything behind the facades—meticulously restored to Heritage Victoria guidelines and designed by heritagespecialist studio Mills Gorman—is brand new, from the spectacular oval-shaped spiral staircase hung with art and vintage French light fittings to the oak floors, wood mouldings and marble bar tops. Even the basement is new. The supper club, which features velvet banquette seating, a baby grand piano and a rotating roster of live acts, was something of an afterthought, indirectly inspired by council regulations. Lucas explains: “Digging holes is expensive, so we decided to do something with it rather than just fill it with bins, which is what the council wanted us to do.”
The long lead time has also allowed Lucas and team to get the balance right in creating a French-accented space that is also emphatically rooted in Melbourne’s dining culture. The four levels might be liberally furnished with vintage smoked mirrors, lamps and chandeliers sourced in flea markets and galleries across Europe by Lucas and his wife Sarah, but there is a modern, flexible, quintessential Melburnian approach to the food. “The reason we called it maison was because I didn’t want people to pigeonhole this as a French restaurant,” he says. “It’s like a house of
entertainment. The food’s not overtly French—we’re not trying to be France-Soir—but we do take inspiration from French provincial cooking that’s less about butter and cream and more about simple uncluttered food using olive oil, citrus and fresh herbs.”
Bâtard features multiple Josper ovens and rotisseries for cooking beef, chickens and ducks, and there is a street-level seafood bar that includes an oyster menu that, allowing for seasons, features between 10 and 20 varieties. One kitchen is dedicated to fries (so the oil is uncontaminated by other flavours) and bread and pastries are all baked on-premise under the precision eye of pastry chef Michaela Kang.
Crafted by culinary director Damian Snell and executive chef Adam Sanderson, all Maison Bâtard’s menus offer a flexibility that makes it as easy to drop by for a snack and glass of wine (from a Burgundy and Bordeaux-heavy list assembled by sommelier Loic Avril) as it is to settle in and make a night of it.
“We have gone further here than we ever envisaged,” Lucas muses. “What started as an idea for a small wine bar has grown into something that I think captures the golden age of Melbourne hospitality, both historically and right now.”
Restaurant Bâtard and Le Terrasse open 26 November, followed by Le Club in December. maisonbatard.com.au
01 Restaurateur Chris Lucas pictured with the venue's executive chef Adam Sanderson at the street-level seafood bar.
02 A dish of confit Ora King salmon exemplifies the restaurant's elegant approach to French cuisine.
03 Gallic classics such as canard rôti will feature on the provincial-style menu.
OUT AND ABOUT
To open its 50th anniversary season, the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) will present an extraordinary double bill honouring two titans of classical music. Highlighting the melodic brilliance of Brahms and the intensity of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, six-time ARIA winner and veteran violinist Richard Tognetti will conduct an ensemble comprising rising ACO stars and elite wind players from top global orchestras. Lauded by The New York Times as ‘too exuberant to be bottled up’, the ACO has retained its status as a force in the world of classical music for the past half-century. Arts Centre Melbourne (9 Feb) and Sydney Opera House (16 Feb). aco.com.au
Incorporating two distinct venues over two levels, this new destination from the team behind San Telmo and Pastuso offers a distinctly Melbourne take on Italian dining. On the ground floor, bistro-style all-day venue Caffè Amatrice offers a range of hearty dishes, from Italian-accented brunch standards to pastas, salads and house-made focaccias—set in sophisticated marbleaccented interiors designed by Brahman Perera. Due to open this spring, upstairs restaurant Amatrice Rooftop will see head chef Dean Little (ex-Cumulus Inc) bring a refined approach to pasta classics. 16 Stephenson St, Cremorne. amatrice.com.au
Located within the recently completed Thomson House in South Melbourne, this all-new urban sanctuary provides a broad menu of services designed to bolster mental wellbeing and physical longevity. These range from yoga and meditation classes to hot and cold thermal therapy in the on-site bathhouse, LED light treatments for skin rejuvenation and 30-minute ‘breathe and bathe’ sessions combining breathwork with cold plunges to reset mind and body. In addition to fitness and nutrition coaching, the centre offers alternative therapies such as kinesiology and Reiki energy healing. 18 Thomson St, South Melbourne. trinityco.com.au
Five years in the making and encompassing over 180 works, NGV’s latest blockbuster invites audiences to experience the vibrantly immersive world of groundbreaking Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, whose iconic installations and kaleidoscopic ‘infinity rooms’ are known for transporting viewers into her uniquely whimsical universe. Spanning eight decades of Kusama’s multidisciplinary work, this major retrospective will feature many never-beforeseen works plus the global unveiling of her most recent infinity room installation. NGV International, 15 Dec–21 Apr. ngv.vic.gov.au
The first major retrospective of revered Belgian surrealist René Magritte is landing on Australian shores this spring, including over 100 of his bizarre and witty works. Featuring masterpieces such as Golconda (1953), Le fils de l’homme (1964) and Le faux miroir (1928) alongside other rarely seen gems, the exhibition showcases the artist’s subversive sense of humour and deadpan, realist style. The blockbuster exhibition sheds new light on Magritte’s enigmatic world and his striking transformation of the everyday into the extraordinary. Art Gallery of New South Wales, 26 Oct–9 Feb. artgallery.nsw.gov.au
Performing Arts BRAHMS & BEETHOVEN
Visual Art MAGRITTE
Food & Drink AMATRICE
Visual Art YAYOI KUSAMA
Hotels & Retreats TRINITY CURATED WELLNESS
SONG BIRD
Spanning three floors of Double Bay’s iconic mid-century Gaden House, Neil Perry’s newest restaurant celebrates the veteran chef’s enduring love affair with Chinese cuisine—this time spotlighting southern Chinese fare. Head chef Mark Lee (ex-Rockpool, Margaret) interprets classic Cantonese elements through Perry’s distinctive modern Australian lens, where superlative local produce is always king. Downstairs, Perry and wife Samantha continue their Double Bay takeover with luxe new subterranean cocktail bar and live music venue Bobbie’s—a collaboration with Linden Pride of New York’s awardwinning Dante. 24 Bay St, Double Bay. themargaretfamily.com
Performing Arts TRUTH
In a world premiere, this compelling original work by acclaimed Australian playwright Patricia Cornelius (Who’s Afraid of the Working Class?, Do Not Go Gentle), invites audiences to reflect on the notion of freedom of information via the life of hacker-turnedpolitical whistleblower Julian Assange. Tracing Assange’s Melbourne roots to the founding of WikiLeaks and his eventual house arrest, Cornelius—in collaboration with award-winning director Susie Dee—explores key moments in Assange’s life to delve into the profound personal and political costs of challenging authority and confronting power. Merlyn Theatre, The Malthouse, 18 Feb–8 Mar. malthousetheatre.com.au
This major survey of internationally acclaimed New York artist Julie Mehretu marks a groundbreaking Australian first. Spanning her career from the mid-1990s to today, the exhibition delves into Mehretu’s dynamic visual language, which skillfully captures the complexities of the human experience through paper, painting and printmaking. Often resembling powerful palimpsests, Mehretu’s works reflect her deep-rooted activism and fascination with social dynamics, drawing inspiration from literature and music to craft a compelling narrative. Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 29 Nov–27 Apr. mca.com.au
Celebrating contemporary art from across Australia, Asia and the Pacific, this unique showcase will feature over 500 works from 70 visionary artists and collectives, including first-time participants from Saudi Arabia, Timor-Leste and Uzbekistan. With representation from more than 30 countries, the exhibition interweaves narratives of cultural heritage, environmental stewardship and diaspora through diverse storytelling and artistic expression. The event offers a unique window into Asia Pacific’s most dynamic creative voices. QAGOMA, 30 Nov–27 Apr. qagoma.qld.gov.au
Charting the evolution of 20th-century Italian design, this remarkable collection of over 170 design objects exemplifies Italy’s profound and enduring influence on global design culture. Sourced from both public and private collections, the exhibition showcases Italy’s rich legacy of craftsmanship, technological innovation and daring creative experimentation—with iconic pieces such as Olivetti’s pop artinspired Valentine typewriter (1968) and Ettore Sottsass’ totemic Carlton bookcase (1981) shown alongside works by the likes of Carlo Mollino, Gio Ponti and Gaetano Pesce. Heide Museum, 26 Oct–23 Mar. heide.com.au
Culture
MOLTO BELLO: ICONS OF MODERN ITALIAN DESIGN
Visual Art
JULIE MEHRETU: A TRANSCORE OF THE RADICAL IMAGINATORY
Visual Art
ASIA PACIFIC TRIENNIAL OF CONTEMPORARY ART
