LE KAP - Summer 2014 edition

THE KING OF DIAMONDS A QUINTESSENTIAL RETREAT JACQUES LAGRANGE COUTURE

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THE MONDIAL DE L’AUTOMOBILE

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PARIS FASHION WEEK

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editor l Steve Swanepoel creative l Le Mag Publications Group proofreaders l Moira Theart l Marion Pfeiffer photographers l Gary Silberman & others wine route correspondent l Margi Hoffe international research & correspondents Howard Linsee-Tutill l Liz Webber advertising enquiries l sales@lemagpublications.com editorial enquiries l info@lemagpublications.com event enquiries l info@lemagpublications.com website l Warren Richardson editorial contributors l Marion Pfeiffer, Richard Webb, Steve Swanepoel, Rae Oliver, Daniel Snyman Shiraz Reddy, Anina Malherbe, Liz Webber, Sarah Woods, Mark Elliot publisher l Le Mag Publications Group editor l editor@lemagpublications.com email l info@lemagpublications.com web l www.lemagpublications.com tel l 021 829 7120 l 021 829 7205 fax l 086 554 5580 COPYRIGHT Š 2014 - LE MAG PUBLICATIONS GROUP The opinions and views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Le Mag Publications Group. The publisher and editor regretfully cannot accept any liability for omissions or errors contained in this publication. The ownership of registered trademarks is duly acknowledged. No part of this publication or any of its content may be reproduced, digitally stored or transmitted in any format without the express and written permission of the publishing editor.

10 FROM THE EDITOR 12 THE KING OF DIAMONDS 19 BREGUET - HIGH JEWELLERY 26 JACQUES LAGRANGE COUTURE 36 PILATUS PC-24

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CONTENTS 43 THE WORLD’S MOST LUXURIOUS BED

71 THE MONDIAL DE L’AUTOMOBILE

46 THE LEOPARD 48

76 LAPPING IT UP

52 OMEGA DE VILLE ‘PRESTIGE BUTTERFLY’

82 ICE-BOUND & PRISTINE

56 PARIS FASHION WEEK

88 BESPOKE CHAMPAGNE

62 THE BIG BOTTLE FESTIVAL

92 A QUINTESSENTIAL RETREAT

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From the Editor Most editors in the foreword of their year-end publication would make mention of how rapidly the year had come to a close and I now join them in this generally boring statement.

It is said that as one gets older time passes faster and I stand in witness to this theory, as 2014 must have been the shortest year of my life. Having said that, the second edition of Le Kap magazine leaves me with a feeling of accomplishment, and, to a large degree, it stands in support of meeting the chief objective on my 2014 new year resolution list. Sadly my performance on some of the items listed was inadequate, as my editor’s desk still has the traditional ashtray full of half smoked cigarette butts - so this resolution will top the 2015 list.

Le Kap magazine is, and will always be, a work in progress and to that end I invite our readership and our advertising partners to communicate any suggestions, whether positive or negative, to me. I would like to believe that Le Kap magazine is a joint effort in which all of us share and have a vested interest. We, at ‘Le Mag Publications Group,’ aspire to produce the finest publication in South Africa and this is only achievable with the input of our readers and the support of our advertising partners.

It goes without saying that the printed media has come under significant financial constraints due to the digital media onslaught. However, I am of the firm opinion that premier publications such as Le Kap magazine will not fall prey to this phenomenon, as this medium cannot be substituted without the loss of the visual and tactile experience it offers.

We complete 2014 with our spectacular annual event, Le Kap Lifestyle Fair, which embraces the offerings of a luxury lifestyle that we capture in our pages.

I hope you enjoy the read.

Steve Swanepoel Founder & CEO - Le Mag Publications Group

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The King of Diamonds ‘We design what we consider to be the world’s finest jewellery.

From the way we bring diamonds together through the skillful cutting of the stone to the making of each special piece, it is a great art form.’ Laurence Graff OBE

Laurence Graff holds a selection of the world's most valuable gemstones

CONTENT l LE MAG PUBLICATIONS

Graff Diamonds is synonymous with the most fabulous jewels in the world. Graff jewellery is exceptional; the quality, style and workmanship are the best in the world. Laurence Graff OBE, Founder and Chairman of the company, is often described as ‘The King of Diamonds’ and has a passion for diamonds that began from an early age.

‘I have always been fascinated by diamonds.’ says Laurence Graff’. When I first started working in the industry I remember looking at them, studying them closely to understand their purity and the way they had been cut and crafted. Without realising it, I was becoming a self-taught gemmologist and I truly believe that this is what I have been born to do. It was an inherent feeling which has turned into a lifelong passion’.

From the founding of the company in 1960 to the present day, Graff continues to operate as a family business. Laurence Graff’s son François Graff is the company’s Chief Executive Officer, his brother Raymond directs Graff’s jewellery production and nephew Elliott is responsible for operational logistics, merchandising and design.

With over 45 Graff stores worldwide and corporate offices in London, New York, Hong Kong, Japan and Geneva, Graff is one of the world’s pre-eminent jewellery brands. In the last three years, Graff has opened stores in Shanghai, San Francisco, Gstaad, Dubai, Tokyo’s prestigious Isetan shopping district, Hangzhou, Macau, Seoul, Abu Dhabi and at Delaire Graff Estate in South Africa.

The year 2012 saw the opening of a newly renovated and extended flagship store on London’s prestigious New Bond Street. This year, Graff opened a new store within Harrods’ Fine Jewellery Room, marking its third London location. Throughout 2014, new stores opened in Europe, the Middle East and across Asia, furthering Graff’s global expansion. The South African Diamond Corporation (SAFDICO), a diamond wholesaler and manufacturer based in Johannesburg, is also part of the Graff group of companies. Today SAFDICO is one of the main diamond producers in South Africa with one of the largest polishing and cutting factories based in Johannesburg.

Rough diamonds are cut and polished in South Africa, Antwerp, New York and in Botswana at SAFDICO’s new generation diamond cutting facility which is situated in the Diamond Technology Park - a campus instigated and developed by SAFDICO. The Park is designed to be the central hub for the burgeoning diamond cutting industry in Botswana and employs 500 people producing diamonds using state of the art technology and skill. Thousands of carats of diamonds are cut and polished from these diamonds each month and only the best are selected for Graff jewellery.

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Graff jewels are made by hand in the Graff London workshop; from the creation of the design to the immaculate setting, each piece requires many hours of work, some several hundred hours. The highly skilled craftsmen, many of whom are trained at Graff, have perfected the extraordinarily fine settings of exceptional quality that are synonymous with Graff, known for the most fabulous jewels in the world.

Over the years Graff has handled the world's most fabulous and treasured gemstones. It has been said that more important gem quality diamonds have passed through Laurence Graff’s hands than any other Diamantaire. Some of the stones are centuries old and steeped in myth and history while others have just been discovered and brought to life in Graff's own workshops. Graff takes great pride in knowing that these gems of everlasting beauty will pass from generation to generation, building their own legends on the way.

The Lesotho Promise rough

In 2008 Graff acquired the 15th largest diamond ever discovered the 603ct Lesotho Promise. This rough diamond was painstakingly cut and polished by an expert team, yielding 26 magnificent flawless gems ranging from 3.14 to 76.41 carats. These diamonds were then set by Graff’s team of Master Craftsmen into one stunning necklace, one of the most valuable and unique in the world. The same mine, the Letšeng Diamond mine in Lesotho, hailed two further record stones, the Letšeng Legacy, weighing a remarkable 493cts and listed as the world’s 18th largest rough ever to be recovered, and most recently the 478ct rough Light of Letšeng, both of which were acquired by Graff. The 20th largest rough diamond in the world, the Light of Letšeng yielded 10 diamonds, including the Graff Constellation; the world’s largest round brilliant D Internally Flawless diamond at 102.79cts, and a 51.20ct D Flawless heartshape diamond. At the same time as the unveiling of the Graff Constellation in 2010, Graff also presented the Delaire Sunrise, the largest Fancy Vivid Yellow square emerald cut diamond in the world, at 118.08cts. >

The Letseng Star rough

‘Lesotho Promise’ necklace

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Yielded from an exceptionally rare octahedral shaped rough diamond, the Delaire Sunrise is named after the Delaire Graff Estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Perhaps one of the rarest and most historic diamonds of all time, the Wittelsbach-Graff was repolished

by Graff, transforming it into the largest Fancy Natural Deep Blue Internally Flawless diamond in the world, at a magnificent 31.06cts.

In 2011 Laurence Graff unveiled the Graff Pink, a stunning 23.88ct Natural Fancy Vivid Pink Internally Flawless type IIa diamond.

The diamond had originally displayed 25 inclusions, which with incredible care and particular attention to the diamond’s weight and cut, were removed through polishing, yielding a diamond of higher colour and clarity and sacrificing less than 1ct in weight.

Says Laurence Graff, ‘the Graff Pink is without a doubt the finest pink diamond I have ever seen.’ In 2012 the Graff Sweethearts were unveiled, two perfectly matching D Flawless heart shape diamonds exceeding 50cts each, cut from two rough diamonds.

The latest diamond to join Graff’s extraordinary list of impressive jewels is the 550ct Letšeng Star, sourced from the famous Letšeng Mine where many of Graff’s notable diamonds have been discovered. Stunning in colour, cut and clarity, these breathtaking stones will forever remain as special and important stones in Graff’s illustrious history.

The Graff Hallucination

The Delaire Sunrise rough

As a mark of authenticity, Graff diamonds are laser inscribed on the girdle with the Graff logo and unique GIA (Gemological Institute of America) identification number. The inscription is visible only under 10-power magnification and is not detrimental to the clarity grade of the diamond. Le

The Delaire Sunrise

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Breguet, the innovator.

Classique Hora Mundi 5717

An invitation to travel across the continents and oceans illustrated on three versions of the hand-guillochĂŠ lacquered dial, the Classique Hora Mundi is the first mechanical watch with an instant-jump time-zone display.

Thanks to a patented mechanical memory based on two heart-shaped cams, it instantly indicates the date and the time of day or night in a given city selected using the dedicated pushpiece. History is still being written...

ELEGANCE JEWELLERS SHOP HL15 MELROSE ARCH, JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA +27 11 684 1380 TA N U R J E W E L L E R S S H O P 1 4 7 , V I C T O R I A W H A R F, V & A W AT E R F R O N T, C A P E T O W N S O U T H A F R I C A + 2 7 2 1 4 1 8 5 5 2 4

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High Jewellery

Few luxury brands have achieved the magnitude of international influence like Breguet.

After two decades as an iconic watchmaker the brand has become an inherent part of European culture and is synonymous with aristocracy.

French-Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, born to Huguenot parents, studied watchmaking for 10 years under Ferdinand Berthoud and Jean-Antoine Lépine before setting up his own watchmaking business in Paris during 1775. The dowry that came with the marriage to the daughter of a prosperous French bourgeois empowered him to open his own workshop.

The influential relationships Breguet formed as a student of mathematics and apprentice watchmaker paid off almost immediately when he was introduced to the royal court. The queen, Marie-Antoinette was fascinated by Breguet’s unique self-winding watch and Louis XVI bought several of Breguet’s watches. Being connected to the royal court gave Breguet liberal access to the powerful and wealthy aristocracy, and he proved himself to be a technical genius when he perfected the self-winding movement invented by Perrelet and invented shock resistance for balance bearings. Prior to this development most pocket watches were badly damaged when dropped. Breguet also developed ‘la repetition’ - a pocket watch that chimed in order for one to tell time in the dark.

One of Breguet’s most famous inventions is the ‘tourbillon’, which is an addition to the mechanics of a watch escapement. A tourbillon counters the effects of gravity by mounting the escapement and balance wheel in a rotating cage, which keeps it in the same position irrespective of the attitude of the watch. This invention was so cutting-edge that even today, with the benefit of modern day technology, only the most skilled watchmakers can build the tourbillon. Breguet began with the theory that the gravity of a pocket watch, almost always carried vertically, led to deviations in timekeeping. He wanted to rule out all differences of position with the tourbillon. Breguet’s tourbillon eliminated most deviations caused by differences in position and allowed many watches to attain chronometer-like accuracy.

These inventions of Breguet ensured the growth and success of his watch business under the rule of two Bourbon kings, three governments of the First Republic and the reign of Napoleon. In fact, Napoleon was one of Breguet’s most loyal customers.

At the time whoever was in power in Europe wore a Breguet.

In this edition of Le Kap magazine we showcase a select few pieces from the ‘High Jewellery’ collection, which reflect the work of this iconic watchmaker.

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DÉSIR DE LA REINE Inspired by the costumes worn by the Breguet company’s first female client, Queen Marie-Antoinette of France, this new Breguet jewellery collection presents an astonishing complexity of form, recalling the elegant silks and ruffled lace of the period. Breguet’s watchmakers have often sought their inspiration from this feminine world to elaborate the company’s jewellery timepieces.

The dressmakers of old made vivid and sophisticated costumes where bows, ribbons, lace and frills competed to proclaim the femininity and status of the wearer. This flourishing creativity has inspired some of Breguet’s finest jewellery watches. Breguet has once again interpreted the seductive power of these dress accessories in mechanisms and gemstones with the ‘Désir la Reine’ collection. Thus metal playfully evokes the fleeting beauty of fabric in motion, while the rustling chaos of frills can be imagined in the gem-set bow with scrolls that cling to the bezel and lose themselves haphazardly in the dial made of natural mother-of-pearl.

Thanks to Breguet’s expertise in jewellery, a myriad of diamonds bathes the Volants de la Reine watch in an exquisite fire. The case is of 18-carat white gold and the case band and bezel is set with 146 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 2,848 ct). The flange is set with 66 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0,132 ct) and 193 brilliant-cut Baguette diamonds of approximately 1,07 ct make up an interwoven ribbon surmounted by two cushion-cut sapphires (approx. 0,59 ct), while the scrolls and the bow are decorated with a fine frosting of diamonds. The dial in mother-of-pearl is decorated with 20 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0,02 ct) with a Breguet medallion inset at 12 o’clock. The beautiful satin strap with folding clasp is set with 28 brilliant-cut diamonds. The exquisite Volants de la Reine timepiece is fitted with a self-winding mechanical movement and the crown is set with a briolette diamond of approximately 0,28 ct, which completes this masterpiece to perfection.

A jewellery set consisting of a ring, a necklace and earrings complements the watch. Each item of jewellery features one or more blue sapphires as its central theme. The ring displays a cushion-cut sapphire in its centre, surrounded by a wrap of brilliant-cut diamonds.

The necklace is set with six cushion-cut and pear-cut sapphires poised on a ribbon of brilliant-cut and baguette diamonds.

As for the earrings, they are each set with a pear-cut sapphire and brilliant-cut and baguette diamonds. This elegant regalia and the accompanying watch invite frivolity with their delicate curves skilfully crafted by Breguet’s master-jewellers.

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DÉSIR DE LA REINE

MARIE-ANTOINETTE DENTELLE The ‘Marie-Antoinette Dentelle’ jewellery set is an anthem to the femininity and elegance of the wife of King Louis XVI. The meticulous setting of the brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds accentuates the white gold lacework pattern and highlights the majestic rubies in this collection.

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BREGUET CRAZY FLOWER Once again Breguet High Jewellery displays stunning boldness in the design of contemporary gem-set pieces. This year Breguet presents the Crazy Flower, combining the pure beauty of diamonds with the technical daring of a mobile setting.

Housing a calibre 586 self-winding mechanical movement, the watchcase features asymmetrical rows of baguette-cut diamonds mounted on minimalist settings affixed to the case from the middle section up to the bezel. These supple, springy settings make the most of the stones’ brilliance, swaying gracefully in response to movement. The 116 baguette-cut diamonds will thus oscillate back and forth in a graceful and subtle dance reminiscent of wind-ruffled petals. For its part, the dial comprises 206 brilliant-cut diamonds ‘inverse-set’ on a concave face rimmed by a flange set with a further 66 brilliantcut stones and enhanced with an hour circle composed of 20 baguette-cut stones. Over 36 carats of diamonds glimmer in wondrously fine settings – a truly exceptional achievement by the talented craftsmen of Breguet’s Haute Joaillerie workshops.

This dazzling tour de force comes with a Crazy Flower haute jewellery suite made up of a ring featuring a blooming-flower motif along with ear pendants and motifs also displaying mobile diamond clusters.

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BREGUET SECRET DE LA REINE In 1783, Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun painted a portrait of the queen of France entitled ‘Marie-Antoinette with the Rose’. In tribute to one of its most illustrious clients Breguet drew on the world of Marie-Antoinette to create some incomparable timepieces.

The collection entitled ‘La Rose de la Reine’ borrowed the rose of the portrait to recreate it as a shell cameo. This traditional craft from southern Italy consists of carving a relief image on a shell. To this suite of a ring, a bracelet, earrings, a pendant and a sautoir necklace of Akoya pearls, Breguet has added a watch named Secret de la Reine. As is traditional with secret watches, pressing on the cameo rose reveals the time.

This finel carved cameo depicts the first petals of the rose enhanced by the diamonds set into the watch and the emblematic bow of the collection. The Secret de la Reine is available in rose or white gold and in keeping with Breguet’s promise to provide mechanical movements in women’s watches, this magnificent timepiece is fitted with the selfwinding calibre 586 movement, which is visible through a glass with anti-reflective coating on both sides. Le

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Jacques LaGrange

haute couture

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‘Haute couture remains a luxury reserved for only a few while fashion is for the masses.’ Jacques LaGrange

CONTENT l MARION PFEIFFER

Cape Town, South Africa’s prime coastal resort is where couturier, Jacques LaGrange, is located at the centre of his fashion world and his private clientele travel here for appointments with him; this demonstrates their high regard for his concepts and designs. His sophisticated wearable haute couture, attention to detail, superior craftsmanship, while making use of beautiful and individually selected fabrics creates stylish designs and transforms fantasy into reality.

The Cape Town social calendar is studded with high society occasions including the Veuve Cliquot Polo Masters, the J&B Met and Le Kap Lifestyle Fair, amongst numerous others. Elegant and classy designs fashioned by Jacques LaGrange are an essential for trendsetters with extravagant lifestyles. ‘Couture is a lifestyle and not a party dress,’ says Jacques.

Jacques grew up in Paarl in the Cape Winelands and credits his mother’s influence in teaching him to believe that he could become and realise his dream, as vital to his success. While still in high school, he presented his first fashion show and local media recorded this first attempt. He was a student of Fashion Design at the Academy of Clothing Technology in Cape Town and put this into practice whilst working with internationally celebrated couturier, Errol Arendz as his personal assistant for almost seven years before he started his own label as Jacques Lagrange Couture in 1999. In 2001, after travelling in Europe and working in Paris for an extended period he moved back to South Africa and assisted with the launch of French design house, Lancel.

He has been in the fashion business for 15 years and this experience, combined with his creativity, is central to his success. The fairy tale element in his sometimes-whimsical designs reflects the dreamy nature of this designer, although he describes his style as being ‘wearable couture’.

High quality fabrics sourced from all over the world, astonishing attention to detail and all the work being done by hand, from dyeing the material to the beads stitched onto the fabric, ensures that he meets even the most fastidious client’s demands. Jacques believes that maintaining quality, sophisticated techniques, excellent service and superior products are vital to success.

‘Real couture can take three to six months to create one garment,’ Jacques states; ‘I love pushing the boundaries of fabric. You can only break the rules, if you know the rules.’ However, he does recollect that it can be a struggle at times, as couture is a luxury concept and success is conditional to patrons spending their money on fashion creations.

‘For me, to have clients flying across continents to see me for a dress is an achievement. My clients have first-class lifestyles,’ he adds. ’They have the money to buy garments from any of the acclaimed designers in the world but they come to me. I feel very honoured.’

Jacques’ designs have been presented at South African Fashion Week, Cape Town Fashion Week, Mozambique Fashion week and his styles have featured in various media publications. His client base was launched by word of mouth and cultivated an international and adoring following. Clients book dates for appointments with him six months in advance and his bridal gowns are renowned. For this reason his concentration focuses more on his private clientele rather than events such as fashion weeks. Every year he holds a gala dinner, where some of his designs are showcased and funds raised go to various charity associations, such as Reach for Recovery, Go Red Heart Foundation, Red Cross disaster relief, Imibala and CANSA. His team consists of four people and this ensures that his operation is manageable and hands-on, which is his intention. ‘A couture piece is one-of-a-kind. I’m a perfectionist and I want that dress to look beautiful because what people see at that wedding will make clients

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come back to me,’ he continues, ‘I don’t want to expand. If one goes bigger, the quality deteriorates. I want to move forward. I enjoy putting time into a garment because there’s joy in making it.’

He returns to his atelier to give his attention to what he does best, concentrating on his ideas and concepts. ‘You don’t have to do fashion week. It doesn’t mean if you don’t see me at fashion week that I’m not a designer. I have clients who take up all my time.’

So what’s the next step for the designer who has already accomplished so much in such a short time? ‘I’ve been thinking about doing a ready to wear collection. Perhaps team up with someone young and exciting,’ he says. Well, if it has the Jacques LaGrange flair, there is no doubt that it will be gorgeous. Le EDITOR’S NOTE: An exclusively photoshoot for Le Kap Magazine at the stunning Kitima Restaurant at Kronendal Manor in Hout Bay. Photography: Gary Silberman. Model: Michelle Du Toit. Hair: Brendan Palmer from Marios Company. Make up: Anneline Black

Elegance is an attitude Kate Winslet

Conquest Classic

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PILATUS PC-24

The Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus introduced the much-anticipated Pilatus PC-24 business jet at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva during May 2013. The sound reputation of the PC-24's predecessor, the single-engine turboprop Pilatus PC-12, renowned for its versatility, reliability and performance provided enough confidence in buyers who snatched up the entire first three years of production of the PC-24 during the first two days at EBACE.

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...flying in a penthouse CONTENT | STEVE SWANEPOEL

On the 1st of August 2014 at a lavish ceremony, and coinciding with the company’s 75th anniversary, the first example of the PC-24 was unveiled. The rollout of the first PC-24 prototype was a dramatic affair, with the Jet being towed out of the hanger by 24 horses, this number signifying the 24 in the name of the new Pilatus. Adding to the excitement of the big day, there were more than 120 performers and numerous flying displays from various Pilatus models.

Pilatus chairman, Oscar Schwenk, indicated that the PC-24 development programme is going well and that a maiden flight has tentatively been scheduled for March 2015 with the first deliveries being planned for early in 2017.

The two Williams FJ44-4A turbofan engines are the key to the PC-24’s performance; each delivers 3,435 pounds of thrust and produces a top cruise speed of nearly 800 km/h. With its 2,700 kg fuel capacity the PC-24 has a range of around 3500 km and will be certified at 13,716 m (45 000ft).

The PC-24 may appear to be just another standard medium-sized jet, but that is more or less where such similarities end. This aircraft is being marketed as a ‘Super Versatile Jet’, but incorporates all the benefits of small turboprops. The PC-24 has been specifically engineered to be ‘off-road’ friendly and offers outstanding short-field performance. Being able to land on unpaved runways as short as 820m opens up an incredible level of mobility to almost all airports around the world and hence closer to one’s final destination.

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As with all Pilatus aircraft, the PC-24 is certified for single pilot operation. The cockpit layout is efficient and intuitive. From the comfort of his seat, the pilot finds an environment that has been designed specifically to reduce workload thus improving safety while providing full situational awareness under all circumstances.

Simply put, the PC- 24 is the perfect combination of single-pilot operational knowhow and state-of-the-art avionics technology.

The Advanced Cockpit Environment (ACE™) sets the standard for high-tech simplicity. Pilatus ACE™ offers such a wealth of functionality that in its most basic configuration it boasts the most user-friendly cockpit concepts ever seen in business aviation. Four 12-inch screens ensure that all relevant information is displayed in the right place. The Inertial Reference System (IRS) guarantees excellent reliability and accuracy of altitude and navigation data. As standard equipment, the Pilatus ACE™ also includes a Synthetic Vision System, Autothrottle, Graphical Flight Planning, Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II) and Localizer Performance with Vertical (LPV) guidance capability.

The interior of the PC-24 has been designed for quick and easy reconfiguration.

Each passenger seat features quick-change capability enabling its addition or removal in just a few minutes. The aft partition is movable so you can easily enlarge the passenger cabin or increase the baggage compartment volume for each and every flight. The PC-24 features a fully enclosed, externally serviceable private lavatory that is highly discreet and seamlessly integrated into the forward area of the cabin. The cabin interior is available in different configurations ranging from an executive layout with 6-8 passenger seats to a commuter setup with room for up to 10 passengers or even combination versions with space for passengers and cargo.

Only the finest-quality materials have been used to create an interior that fits in perfectly with the latest standards of comfort and functionality. Every component is chosen to enhance the passenger experience: soft leathers and rare hardwood cabinetry full of exquisite details create a bespoke interior that reflects the meticulous purpose of the aircraft. This will make you feel as if you were flying in a penthouse.

The generously-sized cabin, with its continuous flat floor, allows for an exceptional amount of headroom for both passengers and crew. Thirteen extra large cabin windows flood the interior of the PC- 24 with bright, natural light.

The PC-24 also introduces the world’s first business jet with a standard pallet-sized cargo door. Its dimensions are simply outstanding.

‘Key to the PC-24’s short-field performance is a unique design feature of the jet’s two 3,435-pound thrust Williams engines,’ says Pilatus. They further assert that ‘the engines are meant to enable a maximum cruise speed of 425 knots and a maximum range of 1,948 nautical miles with four passengers’. According to Pilatus, the PC-24 will sell for $8.9 million in 2017 economic terms. Le

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John Richmond available exclusively at D’Oré stores - Sandton & Cape Town: www.dorefashion.co.za

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The World's Most Luxurious Bed The result of years of craftsmanship and a passion for perfection, Hästens Beds has created the ultimate sleeping experience. Considered to be the most elite and luxurious bed in the world, the Hästens Vividus is crafted from the finest natural materials available and with meticulous attention to detail. Described as ‘sleeping on a fluffy cloud’, the Latin name vividus translates directly to what we all aspire from a good night’s rest, ‘Full of Life’. Each bed, which is made by hand, takes between 140 and 160 man-hours to construct. Consequently, the Hästens Vividus represents quality and precision, designed especially for the purpose of divine sleep.>

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Great care is put into choosing the finest materials to achieve ultimate luxury. For generations the master craftsmen and product developers at Hästens have focused on artfully layering the perfect balance of luxurious cotton, wool and horsehair for their product. With the use of these natural resources and an increased understanding of their properties, the Hästens craftsmen have uniquely mastered the process of maximising their best qualities.

This knowledge, passed on from generation to generation, has equipped the modern Hästens craftsmen with the skills to build the Vividus, resulting in a bed, which allows one’s body to sink gently into the mattress, while still providing firm support.

‘The idea of building a bed completely by hand, solely by proven methods in the very finest natural materials has been our philosophy for a long time. With the Vividus we take everything a step further; we set out to create the ultimate bed, a bed with absolutely no compromises. We have done so, based on the accumulated knowledge of 160 years of bed building,’ says Jan Ryde, owner of Hästens Beds who represents the fifth generation of the family to head the company since it was established in 1852.

Each component of the Vividus bed is given extensive attention and time. The frame alone takes a total of one week to construct and it is the foundation for its comfort and is built exclusively from the finest quality solid pinewood, sourced from the slow growing forests of Sweden. The mattress is a carefully balanced combination of horsehair, cotton and wool. The horsehair is hand teased and is said to help keep air flowing in the mattress keeping the body cool and moisture levels to a minimum. While these elements are responsible for the comfort of the mattress, it is the springs of the mattress that provide the key aspect of any good night’s sleep. Hästens is proud of the way their 18-centimeter ten-turn pocket spring system supports the body’s weight, they have gone as far as having it patented.

In making the Vividus, Hästens craftsmen employ techniques that have been used in Swedish furniture making since the 1850s. Many of these techniques were discarded when the age of industrialization began. However, Hästens has defied the norm, maintaining their commitment to handcrafting every product, giving each Vividus a personal feel.

‘To use old world crafting techniques guarantees high quality.’

We are particularly careful in creating the Vividus. Each bed is made especially according to the customer’s wishes.’ says Jan Erik Leander, senior master craftsman at Hästens Beds. Like any genuine masterpiece, priced at an appropriate premium, Vividus is custom built for its owner and bears Leander’s signature, as well as a personalized engraved brass plaque signifying that the unique bed had been manufactured especially for its owner.

Celebrities who have opted for this customized take on luxurious sleep include actor Tom Cruise, amongst others. Considered to be ‘an investment in a better quality of life’, the Vividus is only available at select Hästens stores. Due to its exclusivity, price is available on application. Le

What ’s the b es t b ed?

S imple. It’s one that gives you a longer, healthier and happier life. In other words , a bed that brings you tru ly deep peac efu l s leep, night after night. At Häs tens we s et ou t to make the bes t beds in the world, bu t only you c an dec ide whic h one is bes t for you . S o vis it you r loc al Häs tens s tore today and experienc e s leep like you ’ve never had before.

HÄS T E N S S T ORE C APE T OWN C nr So m erset & H ighfi eld Ro ad, G reen Po int Tel: 02 1 418 0 434/0384, info @ha stensca p etown.co.za

HÄS T E N S S T ORE JOHAN N E S BURG C nr Kra m er & Desm o nd Street, Kra m erv ille, Sa ndto n Tel: 011 2 62 4431/2 , info @ha stensjhb.co.za

hastens.com

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he Leopard 48 comes with the pedigree sailors have come to expect

from Leopard Catamarans. Focused on bluewater performance and comfortable living, the award-winning Leopard 48 has become one of the most popular Leopard sailing models to date. Now with a brand new interior to add to her resume, this cat is a must-see for anybody shopping the 40-50’ cruising catamaran market.

Built by world-renowned boat builders, Robertson and Caine, and designed in collaboration with naval architects Alex Simonis and Voogd, the Leopard 48 features modern lines, an open floor plan complete with an updated interior design, a raised helm station and a large forward cockpit.>

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Sailing The Leopard Way With The Leopard 48 While the Leopard 48 is aesthetically pleasing, it is her quality of build and sailing performance that has left people most impressed. Adam Court of Sail magazine expressed his admiration for the quality build and bluewater capabilities of the Leopard 48 saying: Like the rest of the line, the Leopard 48’s hulls are vacuumbagged with a balsa core to maximize rigidity and minimize weight by carefully regulating the amount of resin in the layup.

The boat’s shallow keels are filled with closed-cell polyurethane foam to prevent water ingress and increase buoyancy, and the bow and stern both have sealed bulkheads to keep the water out in the event of a collision - a good idea for a boat built with bluewater passagemaking in mind.

The Leopard 48’s sailing performance is in large part the reason she won multiple awards. While she is not a racing cat, she is still swift and nimble enough to satisfy a discerning helmsman.

In the same article, Court went on to describe his sailing experience aboard the Leopard 48, saying: ‘In 10 knots of wind, we managed a respectable 8-knots-plus close reaching through a light chop and were able to maintain 6 knots of boat speed at an apparent wind angle of 45 degrees. Equally important - if not more so - was the feel of the helm, which was not only responsive but provided a satisfying amount of feedback when playing the shifts, something that is often missing from a cruising multihull.’ >

A world of luxury and performance that you can call home.

Your Leopard catamaran.

One design.

Two catamarans.

Choose your style!

39 | 39PC | 44 | 48 | 51PC | 58

+27 21 200 1825 www.leopardcatamarans.com southafrica@leopardcatamarans.com

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‘Overall, the Leopard 48 holds nothing back in its pursuit to excel in all areas.’ - Daniel Snyman

dining table, white Corian counter tops, beautifully updated cabinets and modern galley fixtures and appliances. This blonde interior is fresh and bright and offers a stark change

Contact Daniel Snyman for more information on the entire Leopard line of catamarans and upcoming opportunities to see these catamarans in person.

from the traditional dark yacht interiors. ‘This new design has been a huge success and has increased the popularity of the entire Leopard line, including the Leopard 51 Powercat.’ – Daniel Snyman, Leopard Catamarans South Africa.

‘Overall, the Leopard 48 holds nothing back in its pursuit to

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The Leopard 48 comes in a 3 cabin and 4 cabin layout. The brand new interior design features light gray wood floors and

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Cape Town Office • 2nd Floor Marina Centre, Lobby 1 West Quay Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town 8001, South Africa • southafrica@leopardcatamarans.com • +27 21 200 1825

excel in all areas’ says Snyman. Its sleek style, comfort, spacious interior and exterior living spaces, bluewater sailing capabilities and unique features combine to make a perfect catamaran for any sailor. Le

Armand Arton - CEO Arton Capital

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OMEGA De Ville Prestige ‘Butterfly’ Inspired by the enchantment of nature

CONTENT l LEMAGPUBLICATONS

Graced with a delicate butterfly design, the new OMEGA De Ville Prestige 'Butterfly' is inspired by the beauty found in nature and is an enchanting addition to the Prestige collection. The exquisite butterfly motif on the dial is inspired by Chinese popular culture, which associates this delicate being with love and longevity.

The watches in the De Ville Prestige 'Butterfly' collection are distinguished by itheir elegant and understated design. These are timeless classics destined to be cherished by the women who wear them.

The De Ville Prestige 'Butterfly' is available with a choice of three dials with exquisite detailing. A selection of models is presented with a mother-of-pearl dial with a diamond-paved butterfly between 7 and 8 o’clock. Other timepieces in this collection are decorated with transferred butterflies with a matt outline against a mother-of-pearl background while a third design - found only on the models powered by a quartz calibre - makes use of a silvery or champagne dial whose unique butterfly pattern is achieved using a decorative technique known by the name of ramolayage and a mechanical guillochage technique that creates a circular brushed finish. All three of the dial designs are complemented with eight or nine diamond indexes.

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The watches in the De Ville Prestige 'Butterfly' collection are presented in 18K white, red or yellow gold, understated stainless steel or a beautiful bicolour combination of steel and 18K gold. They are available in three sizes: 36.8 mm, 32.7 mm and 27.4 mm. The timepieces are presented on a white satinbrushed leather strap with a mother-of-pearl effect; the smaller sizes are also available with a bracelet matching the case metal.

Powering the enchanting De Ville Prestige 'Butterfly' is the Co-Axial calibre 2500, the automatic movement that introduced the Co-Axial escapement and signalled a revolution in mechanical watchmaking.

The 27.4 mm models are equipped with the quartz calibre 1376.

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OMEGA brand ambassador Nicole Kidman admiring the De Ville Prestige ‘Butterfly’

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THE SOCIAL SCENE CONTENT l ANINA MALHERBE-LAN

I decided to visit the Paris Fashion Week Spring Summer 2015 shows in September with one of my most stylish friends, actress / producer Tarina Patel. The global citizen that she is, Tarina has arguably THE most enviable wardrobe of anyone I know in South Africa. She literally has hundreds of hot-offthe-runway couture dresses and limited edition pieces of most of the world’s most enviable fashion brands in her wardrobe; Gucci, Chanel, Lanvin, Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Alexander McQueen, Dolce&Gabbana, Prada and Fendi, you name it, she’s got it. And not just a few pieces here and there, but literally stacked wall to wall in her extensive walkin wardrobe. And I thought I had a good wardrobe, owning several of the abovementioned brands myself. Well, it doesn’t come close to Tarina’s!

As you can imagine, doing the shows and parties at Paris Fashion Week is a wardrobe challenge extraordinaire… You just don’t mess with Paris Fashion Week. You have to be prepared, and look every bit the part, especially when you sit front row at shows and are invited to ‘invitation only’ VIP parties at night. Even if you are just hanging out at Hotel Costes, another favourite fashion industry hangout, … Fashion Week in Paris is a serious affair.

‘If you’re going to do Paris Fashion Week, you have to do it in style.

Paris is not one of those cities that you can do half-heartedly, or walk around while wearing your old trusty travel flats, let alone during Paris Fashion Week!’

It is also one of the most exciting weeks of the year in the city, with trendy cafes, restaurants, clubs and the sidewalks of Avenue Champs Elysees heaving with stylish people from morning till late. Getting a taxi becomes a major feat, never mind finding a decent hotel or a table at a top restaurant. It always helps if one is well connected. As special guests of the owner of Emanuel Ungaro we were taken care of very well by our host, IT billionaire, Mr Asim Abdullah,a dear friend of Tarina’s, at least for a few days during the shows. The exquisite Hotel Plaza Athénée became our second home. The waiters knew us by name at our table in the Plaza’s exquisitely renovated courtyard lounge, as fashion friends from all over the world popped in and out, leaving perfectly perfumed air kisses behind, and of course the Billecart Salmon kept flowing.

As the saying goes, ‘When in Paris…’

A well-heeled visit to Paris Fashion Week‌

Tarina Patel

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A well-heeled visit to Paris Fashion Week‌

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And this is also where we met renowned Vogue and Vanity Fair fashion photographer, Patrick Demarchelier. Famous for photographing Princess Diana and a host of other stars, Patrick is considered the god of fashion photography and it was an honour to meet him. Patrick has also done shoots for international advertising campaigns for Dior, Louis Vuitton, Celine, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren to name a few. And of course Patrick and Tarina hit it off immediately.

One of the first shows of the week was Dior. With fashion genius Raf Simons at the helm, Dior has never looked better. Taking inspiration from the past, Simons reinvented the brand into one reflecting a modernistic feminine attitude. With frock coats, tapestry cuffs and turn-ups aplenty, the past has never looked this modern.

Patrick Demarchelier & Tarina Patel

Next up was Jean Paul Gaultier, the enfant terrible of fashion and creator of some of fashion’s most provocative and legendary designs, who showed his ready-to-wear collection for the last time. Known to always push the envelope, Gaultier produced his last show to look like a beauty pageant, with inspiration from the musical Grease, Madonna in the 80s, the world’s most legendary fashion editors (think Suzy Menkes, Grace Coddington, and Carine Roitfeld), and superheroes of all things. It was a celebration and extravaganza of good humour and perfectly summarized all of his most iconic looks over the years; a show that was like none other.

Then came the much-anticipated Emanuel Ungaro show… what an experience, from start to finish! Our group of ‘friends of the brand’ was chauffeur driven to the show, only a few minutes away from Avenue Montaigne where we were based. As we approached the steps, a flurry of paparazzi appeared. Tarina, dressed in Ungaro, really got the attention of the press and when they realised she was wearing the same dress as another model also dressed by Ungaro, the cameras literally buzzed.

We sat in the front row, from where we had the best view of the runway. Before the show, we met a flurry of familiar fashion faces…

Vogue Japan editor, Anna Dello Russo was sitting opposite us and we bumped into Canadian supermodel, Coco Rocha and Italian street style muse, Erica Pelosini. We also met famous blogger and designer,

Marinda Kerr

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Chiara Ferragni who has 3 million followers on Instagram and happened to sit next to us. The energy was electrifying and the collection breathtaking.

This iconic fashion house, founded by Emanuel Ungaro himself in 1965 is now under the new creative direction of Fausto Puglisi and did not disappoint. The once troubled fashion house, after the retirement of its founder (of the same name) in 2005, saw new creative directors come and go over the years. At its Spring Summer 2015 show, one could truly see the revival of an empire, while the brand embraced high fashion with its ultra-feminine and sexy silhouettes. Bold colours, brave silhouettes and iconic shapes made the Ungaro SS15 collection one not to forget. We celebrated his success with champagne after the event at the Plaza Athénée.

Next up was an exclusive ‘invite only’ party for the footwear brand Stuart Weitzmen. The brand decided to launch its new short film, ‘Rock Roll Ride’, which was produced by the famous French model and art director, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld (daughter of Carine Roitfeld, editor of CR Fashion Book), to a group of VIPs, Media and Celebrities during fashion week. The film stars supermodel Poppy Delevingne and up-and-coming celebrity offspring-turned-model Dylan Penn as Brigitte Bardot-inspired bombshells. They ride bicycles and motorcycles and travel in fast cars - all while wearing some very enviable footwear to the sounds of Lana Del Rey’s latest soundtrack.

Poppy Delevingne

We had a chance to meet the stars of the film, as well as supermodel Miranda Kerr, and model royalty Rosie Huntington-Whitely in the VIP section. It was a night where beautiful people and cutting-edge fashion mixed with fountains of Moët & Chandon.

After all the parties and shows, nothing could beat a few glasses of Billecart Salmon in the courtyard café at Hôtel Costes to close off a memorable fashion week. You would be forgiven if seen there a few times during the same week. It’s Paris Fashion Week after all and it ended just in time. With an overdose of fashion, champagne and parties, we were quite happy to finally head back to our sleepy, hollow towns of Cape Town and Sandton. They may not be the fashion capitals of the world, but they’re home. And sometimes, enough of a good thing is just, well… enough. Le

Coco Rocha & Tarina Patel

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THE BIG BOTTLE FESTIVAL ‘South Africa’s most prestigious wine and gourmet food festival ’

The Big Bottle Festival South Africa’s most prestigious annual wine and gourmet food festival took place over the weekend of the 29th and 30th of August 2014. Now in its fourth year and one of only two events of its kind worldwide this event celebrates and features only wines bottled in big bottles.

Unique in concept and execution, this indulgent affair bought together 45 of South Africa’s foremost winemakers and importers and five of South Africa’s top ‘chefs de cuisine’ and was held at the luxurious 5 star Taj Hotel in Cape Town. Synonymous with opulent style and grandeur The Taj has introduced a number of initiatives to entrench its position as the pre-eminent destination for those partial to the appreciation of fine wine and added a distinctive urban feel to this year’s Big Bottle Festival.

The 2014 Big Bottle Festival was flawlessly complemented by the

event’s exclusive brand partners: Lamborghini Automobili, Glenmorangie Whisky, Hennessy Cognac, The Taj - Cape Town, Winterhalter and Spiegelhau.

The new Lamborghini Huracán LP610-4, recently launched in Geneva, made its Cape Town debut at this year’s Big Bottle Festival and had motoring enthusiasts, journalists and car lovers from all over the country flocking to the event to feast their eyes on these magnificent supercars. The crowd could not get enough of the red and white Lamborghini Huracáns, which were positioned on either side of the entrance to the venue. Thousands of photographs were taken on the day by visitors posing with the cars. The Lamborghini staff in attendance had their hands full with event attendees wanting to know more about the thoroughbred Italian speed-machines. Lamborghini had a strictly invitation only VIP lounge which was strictly reserved for their private guests. >

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The ongoing success of The Big Bottle Festival is the result of a symbiotic partnership between Fine Wine Events, Vivid Luxury and Le Kap magazine. Le Kap magazine is also the official media partner to The Big Bottle Festival.

The Big Bottle Festival kicked off on Friday evening, the 29th of August with a very exclusive 'Gourmand Dinner' reserved for a select few. The dining spaces, limited to 50 and priced at an appropriate premium of R2700.00 per person, were snapped up and sold out well in advance. Guests experienced exceptional food which was prepared by Taj executive chef, Shyam Longani and impeccably paired with an extensive selection of local and imported wines selected for the occasion by the original founder of the event, acclaimed sommelier Jörg Pfützner.

The indulgent Big Bottle 'Walk-About & Tasting' experience on Saturday 30th August afforded attendees the opportunity to enjoy specialty dishes crafted by five of South Africa’s leading chefs.>

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The celebrity chef line-up this year included: Rudi Liebenberg (Mount Nelson Hotel), Gregory Czarnecki (Waterkloof Restaurant), Brad Ball (Steenberg’s Bistro 1682), Shyam Longani (Taj – Bombay Brasserie) and Christian Harbeck from Raith Gourmet. This indulgent food and wine affair was presented in four themes: ‘Modern Classics, ‘Champagne & Sparkling Wines’, ‘Wines of Elegance’ and ‘Wild Ferment’ and took place in the Taj Cape Town’s newest venue par excellence, The Reserve.

The Reserve exudes a sense of elegance and opulence that perfectly complement this celebration of big format bottled wines.

Wine producer participation to the Big Bottle Festival, as in the past was strictly by invitation only and included premier wine estates such as Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Paul Cluver Wines, Jordan Vineyard & Winery, Luddite Wines, Raats Family Wines, Mullineux Family Wines, Dellaire Graff, Chevallierie and Cape Point Vineyards, amongst others.

The phenomenal success of The Big Bottle Festival has resulted in plans for the event to be hosted annually in Johannesburg as from July 2015. Even more exciting news is that The Big Bottle Festival will make its first annual international debut in Asia during 2016. The most likely city of choice for the international debut is Hong Kong, but this will only be confirmed during the latter part of 2015.

Be sure not to miss this event extraordinaire in 2015. Le EDITOR'S NOTE: Visit our website: www.bigbottle.co.za and join The Big Bottle Festival Facebook page to see more photos and regular updates.

EST. 1989

COMFORT ZONE

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The Mondial de l’Automobile ‘If cities have sexes, then New York is metro-sexual, London a man, but Paris is a woman. And a beautiful one at that.’

CONTENT l RICHARD WEBB

Ooh-la-la, Paris. This is a city of timeless familiarity for visitors to this capital, which is designed for intimacy with its patchwork of quartiers and the sense of community, alongside the iconic architecture.

Here in Paris the past cannot be escaped, yet what is so endearing is that the past and present intermingle so seamlessly, and its constantly evolving culture does not seem an encumbrance.

The City of Light has inspired lovers, artists and poets for centuries with its air of romance, majestic art and its venerated cafe culture. I flew to Paris to continue my life-long love affair with the city and was immediately reminded that it would take several lifetimes to discover Paris. However, I had four days to explore the city, two of which were to be spent at that ‘Other Paris Fashion Show’, where supreme mechanical artistry reins, The Mondial de l’Automobile, or Paris Motor Show.

The halls were packed with lavish stands, all hosting the best new production and concept cars that could be assembled by the manufacturers. In 2015, these are some of the most significant models that we can look forward to in South Africa.

For some, cars like the Bentley Mulsanne are an opulent and ostentatious display of wealth, even a cry for attention. For others, and I include myself here, they are a thing of beauty and craftsmanship

of a bygone era. Yet, they have a sustainable future; they are cleaner, more frugal, safer and faster than ever and therefore are worthy machines to covet. >

Bentley Mulsanne Speed

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I did get to spend a week with the Mulsanne in London, but now, I have been trumped. The magnificent Bentley Boys unveiled their 4-door performance flagship Mulsanne Speed in Paris, which combines imposing appearance with more than enough substance to support its style.

This is one of the most dynamic, most exquisite automotive creations I have ever seen and is the fastest ultra-luxury driving experience in the world.

Jaguar XE Jaguar has a rich history of producing stunning, seductive, aerodynamically efficient cars, so what’s the new XE all about?

Positioned below the XF and XJ model lines, this is a hugely significant car for the British brand and they expect big things from it in terms of sales impact. Pure and purposeful, it is instantly recognisable as a Jaguar and it will do battle in the hotly contested compact executive car market, habitually ruled by the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series.

Underpinned by a first-in-class aluminium-intensive monocoque, this dynamic rear-drive is the smallest, lightest and stiffest and most efficient Jaguar ever, so this car is a big deal.

Dr Mike Bell, Jaguar’s Global Connected Car Director, says this model has been designed and developed from scratch. ‘We’re introducing an entire suite of cutting-edge driver aids and entertainment systems in the XE, making every journey simpler, more relaxing, safer, and effortlessly enjoyable.’ Ian Callum, Jaguar Director of Design, says great proportions and a dynamic, edgy feel are at the core of Jaguar design.

‘We wanted to create a strong sense of movement, and have given the XE a dynamic and purposeful look that is without compromise. Sleek, low, coupé like exterior proportions combine with an efficient package.’

The XE is the first model designed, using Jaguar’s all-new modular vehicle architecture, which will underpin a range of different models in a number of different segments, so clearly we can expect a number of new cars from Jaguar.

Joining the Mulsanne Speed at the Paris Show was Bentley’s fourdoor sedan - the Flying Spur - and two dynamic Grand Tourers, the Continental GT V8 S and the GT Speed. The brand seems to have taken heed of the preferences of their customers and it’s that approach that has made Bentley one of the most sought after ultra-luxury car brands in the world.

Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors, commented: ‘We are the choice of many high achievers, independent thinkers, world leaders and Royal Families around the world.’ These cars are the perfect place for work or relaxation on the move

Some of the most impressive functions on the new Jaguar XE are Torque Vectoring, proven on the F-TYPE Coupé and now standard on the XE, which will mitigate any understeer by subtlety braking individual wheels to assist in keeping the car on line through the bends.

Jaguar is launching the new XE with Ingenium; a new family of four- and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines matched with 6-speed manual and 8-speed automatic transmissions to position the XE as a car for the serious driver. Running costs will be much lower than any other Jaguar in the past.

The XE will go on sale in South Africa later in 2015 and local prices have yet to be announced. In England, the 2.0-litre diesel starts at £29 775 (That’s R535 950 based on R18.00 to the pound sterling), but helter-skelter currency fluctuations and taxes may well massage that figure upwards.

Jaguar XE

Mercedes-AMG GT The stunning Mercedes-Benz stand was bristling with head-turning cars, including the new Mercedes-AMG C63 and the MercedesAMG GT Edition 1. It is difficult to cause a sensation at the Paris Motor Show, but the GT certainly grabbed its share of media attention. The AMG GT’s frameless doors and arched roofline swoop into sculpted tapering profiles, making the car look stunningly fast even at standstill. This simply screams fun and speed.

Developed entirely in-house by AMG, this car flies in the same rarified jet stream as the Porsche 911 and the Jaguar F-Type.

Heritage is honoured in its charismatic muscular contouring, steeped in the legend of Juan Manuel Fangio’s 1954 Mercedes W196 F1 Silver Arrow, yet it is completely focused on the here and now.

Inside the GT’s cabin, the surprisingly spacious interior is accented by multiple trim options like high-gloss or matte carbon fibre, silver chrome and black diamond. Think fighter jet more than leather armchair. More like the F1 world constructors’ championship winning MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One, only far more accessible.

Mazda MX-5 After 25 years and almost a million sales worldwide, the world’s most popular roadster has a great new look. Now in its fourth generation, this drop top has shed over 100kg and features the same Kodo design language as the pretty Mazda 3 and Mazda 6, but with an added swathe of aggression in its edgy cascading lines and flared sheet-metal.

Slender LED headlights are placed under its flourishing front haunches giving the car a prominent front end.

The new MX-5 follows the High Fat, Low Carb automotive diet, bucking the trend of so many cars becoming bloated and heavier, this is the smallest MX-5 ever. Inside, it looks much like the Mazda 3, which is not a bad thing, because this is a beautifully finished and driver-focused cabin. The bonnet has been lowered and the delicate A-pillars and windscreen have been moved back to give a better view of the road ahead.

SKYACTIV technology lowers the centre of gravity and lightweight, but rigid suspension improves handling, whilst 97kW 1.5-litre and 123kW 2.0-litre petrol engines are fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. An automatic transmission version is also available.

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Lamborghini Asterion Asterion is the proper name of the Minotaur; part man, part bull. Fusing intellect and instinct, Lamborghini’s car-mad boffins at Sant’Agata call this new plug-in hybrid concept car a ‘technology demonstrator’. Ahem, it’s more than that; it is a stunning 676kW hybrid that lights the path for supercars of the future! The design language is completely different to that of the current Aventadors and Huracáns, but it is what this car actually does that is completely spellbinding.

Legislation has forced supercar brands to embrace turbocharging, fuel cell and plug-in hybrids as the way forward. Customers are far more aware and vocal about huge, thirsty, dirty cars and Lamborghini’s plutocratic buyers want cleaner, socially acceptable power. But can Lamborghini achieve this whilst still honouring its coveted brand values?

Well, I have a pretty good idea how the Asterion will perform, having recently driven the outrageous Huracán, with which it shares the ballistic V10. Asterion uses a parallel hybrid, with an electric power plant supplementing the petrol engine. Battery powered electric motors drive each front wheel, adding another 220kW and torque vectoring four-wheel drive.

Traffic light grand prix racers will approve of the 0-100 km/h times of 3.0 seconds en route to the 296 km/h top speed. Square this against Greenpeace activist pleasing 98g/km of CO2 and one can begin to see where Lamborghini is going with this. You want more? How about 50 km range purely on electric power and a combined fuel consumption of 4.1l/100 km? If this car is a ‘technological demonstrator’, then we can look forward to some even more breathtaking, significant cars from Lamborghini.

Land Rover Discovery Sport One of the darlings of the assembled world’s media in Paris was the new Land Rover Discovery Sport, claimed to be the world’s most versatile and capable premium compact SUV, with class-leading versatility and optional 5+2 seating within a footprint no larger than existing 5-seat premium SUVs. This is the first member of the new Discovery family. ‘Our challenge has been to combine premium design with exceptional versatility; the two attributes must work in harmony,’ said Land Rover’s Gerry McGovern.

‘I’m proud to say we’ve achieved that; Discovery Sport’s dynamic design will resonate on an emotional level with consumers, and this vehicle is more versatile than any other premium compact SUV on the market.’

Inside, high-quality materials abound, as well as up to four 12V power points and six USB charging sockets for all three rows of seats. Supple,

Volvo XC 90

long-travel suspension makes the Discovery Sport comfortable, refined and rewarding to drive on-road, while retaining the breadth of all-terrain capability for which Land Rover is world-renowned. Want to get seriously off-road? Approach, departure and breakover angles of 25, 31 and 21 degrees respectively, Terrain Response® technology, and the ability to wade in water up to 600mm deep, the Discovery Sport is going to be a big seller in South Africa. Both 9-speed automatic and 6-speed manual transmissions will be available, with a choice of two- or four-wheel-drive.

Initially, a range of four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines will be available, including the Si4 2.0-litre petrol engine and the 2.2-litre turbo diesel, followed by a highly efficient ED4 turbo diesel engine with CO2 emissions of just 119g/km. Ultimately Jaguar Land Rover’s new family of Ingenium four-cylinder engines will power this likeable legend.

The Volvo Concept Estate, which debuted at the BMW Group Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este last year, is a reinterpretation of the classic shooting brake silhouette, and this new design direction continues with its flagship SUV, the Volvo XC 90.

Wrapped in sophisticated new sheet metal, the XC90’s prominent chrome trimmed grille and T-shaped LED daytime running lights look fantastic. A long, sculpted bonnet sweeps all the way back to the shoulder line, culminating at the tapered rear lights, giving the XC90’s broad, swaggering stance.

This bold design also extends to the interior. A new tablet-sized touch screen replaces the normal swathe of buttons and dials, making it as clutter-free as a Swedish sauna. Wood and leather occupy centre-stage throughout the cabin; along with some delightful surprises like the crystal-glass gear level and diamond cut designs for the starter button and audio controls.

The first XC 90 was launched 13 years ago and this latest generation SUV is jam-packed with the Swedish manufacturer’s technological wisdom, making it one of the safest hi-tech SUVs on the market. When it arrives in 2015, it will square off against other premium SUVs like the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne.

Like Paris itself, the Motor Show reveals the heartbeat of automotive couture to each of us through the act of walking one step at a time, pausing amongst the exhibits of beautiful shiny automotive endeavour.

On my flight back to Cape Town I wondered if Paris, that city of lights actually, truly exists. I think everyone of us creates our own Paris; a city, both real and imagined, formed through a series of overlapping visions by the individual traveller. Le

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Lapping it up After a sensational eight months of intense competition with his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton stormed to his second world title with the victory at the final race of the 2014 season in Abu Dhabi.

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CONTENT l RICHARD WEBB

It’s January 2014, just before the start of the Formula One Grand Prix season. We were in Geneva and I was sitting with a slightly bored looking Mercedes AMG PETRONAS driver, Nico Rosberg. I had travelled to Switzerland with one of his team sponsors, watchmaker, IWC Schaffhausen, to talk to him about his prospects for winning the 2014 F1 World Championship.

The ice-cool 28-year-old German sportsman looked directly at me, saying: ‘I am a demanding person to interview’. This was a euphemism for ‘I hope you’ve done your homework and you don’t ask me any stupid questions’.

The trending pit-lane gossip, at that time, had put him as being the favourite to spray that famous Jeroboam of GH MUMM champagne from the highest step of the podium at the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 23 November 2014 and to clinch the World Championship.

If pre-season testing had promised predominance of both Rosberg and his British teammate Hamilton, the first race in Melbourne, Australia had all but confirmed it. There were 22 drivers on the grid, but only two of them had a chance to win the championship this

year and both, who’ve been friends and racing rivals since they were teenagers, were piloting a Mercedes AMG Petronas.

The 2014 season has seen the biggest-ever set of rule changes in F1, as teams embraced green technologies and ditched the 2.4-litre naturally aspirated V8s in favour of tiny 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged engines. Racers were also limited to a measly 130 litres of petrol per race, only manageable thanks to the hybrid technology known as ‘energy recovery system’ (ERS). The ERS harnesses kinetic energy from braking and deploys it again via the electric motor under acceleration, producing a significant 150kw boost useable for about 30 seconds a lap.

I asked Nico how important it was for him to be quicker than Lewis.

‘Yes, absolutely,’ he said, sitting up straight, as if irked by the question. ‘He’s the only guy with the same car, so Lewis is the only guy I can compare myself to.’ As the season progressed, Rosberg was initially the quicker of the two, and maintained a hold on the championship lead until the Spanish Grand Prix, where a fourth victory for Hamilton saw Lewis leading Rosberg on the scoreboard.

Both Rosberg and Hamilton live in the same apartment building in

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Desert denouement The season finale in Abu Dhabi Grand prix didn't turn out to be the 'Desert Duel' between Hamilton and Rosberg that fans were hoping for, but it was still a spectacular event for all sorts of reasons.

The rich and the mega-rich jostled to find a berth to moor the more than 220 yachts at Yas Marina at the biggest sporting spectacular of the year. Kim Kardashian hosted a VIP Room party held at the Radisson Blu Hotel and Pharrell Williams wowed the crowds with some of his most recent hit tracks from the seminal Happy and Marilyn Monroe albums as part of his ‘Dear Girls’ world tour.

Bringing the F1 race season and the Abu Dhabi GP to a celebrated and powerful close was one of rock’s legendary and defining bands of all time - The Who. They rocked the fans with famous songs from albums such as Who’s Next, Tommy, Quadrophenia and My Generation.

Nico Rosberg and his wife Vivian

the glamorous European principality of Monaco and its here, in Monaco, that that bittersweet homecoming played out, with Rosberg accused of blocking Hamilton during qualifying. Another flashpoint emerged in Belgium, when Rosberg collided with the rear of Hamilton’s car, ultimately putting the Briton out of the race. From May to September, Rosberg held the championship lead again, but Hamilton dug deep to take the checkered flag in Singapore, Japan, Russia and the United States to make it five in a row. Rosberg managed to fight back in the penultimate race in Brazil to close the gap to just 17 points. The final twist of a stellar 2014 Formula One season, did not result from double points at the final race in Abu Dhabi, but from the fierce rivalry between these two champions. And it proved to be Rosberg’s undoing.

At the halfway stage of the final race, Rosberg’s hybrid energy recovery system failed and he crossed the line in 14th position; his lowest finish of the entire season. Hamilton won the title by 67 points, but even without the bonus of double points his championship victory would still have been an emphatic one.

Rosberg was magnanimous in defeat. ‘Hamilton was the best on the grid this year and I came very close and to be able to fight with

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They said it…

‘We would like to sign Lewis up for a long time. He fits in so well with the team. When he wakes up tomorrow after a long night we will talk contracts.’

Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Executive Director ‘The grand world we live in when we are in F1 is less important than the human relationship between us.’

Felipe Massa ‘I don’t know driving in another way which isn’t risky. Each one has to improve himself. Each driver has its limit. My limit is a little bit further than the others.’

The late Ayrton Senna ‘Aerodynamics is for those who cannot manufacture good engines.’

The late Enzo Ferrari ‘To drive an F1 car you have to be a little mad.

On the morning of a race there’s a mix of excitement and fear. If it’s a wet track, then it’s worse as you’re not in control most of the time, which is the thing all drivers fear the most’ Jenson Button

him has been great,’ he said. In the green room, before the drivers headed out to receive their trophies, Rosberg came to congratulate Hamilton on taking the championship, a sportsmanlike gesture after such an intense title fight.

As for Hamilton, he joins an impressive list of double world champions: Alberto Ascari; Jim Clark; Graham Hill; Emerson Fittipaldi; Mika Hakkinen and Fernando Alonso. A tearful Hamilton said, ‘this is the greatest day of my life. It’s really due to the people around me. 2008 was a special time in my life but the feeling I have now is way, way past that, it means even more than the first championship.’

On his relationship with Rosberg, Hamilton added: ‘it’s been so intense between us all year long. Without a doubt we’ve had a friendship that we built a long, long, long time ago, so that will always be there. Perhaps things naturally will ease up a little now.

I know what it’s like losing a championship so, for sure, we’ll keep working at it’. Le

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Ice-bound and pristine The emotional pull of Lapland is undeniable - a place of magical, otherworldly white landscapes of frosted forests and iced lakes. Richard Webb donned a snowsuit and headed far north.

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‘Lapland...the place Santa Claus calls home’ CONTENT l RICHARD WEBB

Lapland is the original winter wonderland with its saw-toothed coast, sweeping tundras of frozen Arctic, jutting mountains and snow-dappled forest. It’s the place of the ‘northern lights’ and a winter that lasts six months; also where the reindeer outnumber people. It’s the place Santa Claus calls home.

Where is Lapland though? Some suggest that any area north of the Nordic landmass above the Arctic Circle to be Lapland, even if this is not just in terms of culture, spirit and appearance. Although, Finland and Sweden officially refer to their northern territory as Lapland, it is Finnish Lapland that captured my heart.

I flew from Helsinki to Kittilä and travelled onwards by bus to Levi, one the most northerly hamlets in Europe. It plays host to striking Polar Nights, a time when the moon provides low-level light to illuminate the way for holidaymakers who flock to the region, as the sun does not rise above the horizon for up to 51 days.

Whether you are seeking to meet the mystical figure of Santa Claus, or you are stalling the acceptance of the disappointing truth about Santa, the young and young at heart are amply catered for here.

There are numerous Lapland outlets where one can experience Santa’s largesse, as he gleefully dispenses exquisitely wrapped presents to the faithful. It is enough to make even the most jaded adults feel six years old again.

For me though, the chance to witness the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) is truly one of life’s celestial joys. Lapland, on a clear and dark night is the best place in the world to secure a ringside seat for this icy light show, especially during September to October and February to March. These solar, wind driven, east to west arcking lights occur when electrified particles are accelerated by the earth’s magnetic fields as they collide with air molecules. They disperse energy in the form of vibrant colours that rapidly change in hue, intensity and form, similar to the way televisions or fluorescent lights work.

The yellowish-green and occasionally red hues are produced by oxygen in the atmosphere, while the blue and violet lights are made by nitrogen. The Finns call it ‘revontulet’, meaning ‘fox fires’, after

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an ancient Finnish fable of an Arctic fox that started fires by running in the snow, with its brush-like tail spraying up crystals and sending the spectral sparks off into the sky.

In addition, Finnish Lapland is also an enchanting and perfect playground on ground level. For those who want to explore far from any beaten track, the vast and rugged expanses make for superb skiing. The season can begin in October and last until as late as June, thanks to it being colder and more snowbound than the Alps.

Back at Levi, my host cheerfully asked who would like to join her for a spot of traditional sauna and ice swimming. ‘Are you mad?’ I asked wordlessly, as I dismissed the notion as an extreme sport for masochists. ‘The initial shock and momentary loss of feeling in one’s legs soon passes,’ she says breezily. The prospect of slipping into black, frozen water was not appealing, yet once I got in past my waist (where have those profanities lurked all this time?) it was like having an out of body experience.

I felt an incomparable energy boost as I thawed out later in the sauna, which may have had something to do with the Finlandia Vodka.

Suddenly ravenous, I asked my Helsinkiläinen host, Editor-in-chief of Nokia Conversations Tiina Jaatinen, what they eat in Finland.

Traditional Lapp food has always used nature’s bounty, with recipes

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that have been passed on through the generations by word of mouth. ‘Reindeer and fishing is a traditional way of life and we eat a lot of fish and Reindeer’, says Tiina. Dried meat and hearts are used as snacks, much like our much-loved biltong.

‘Cloudberries’ are the most famous berry, used for jams, desserts and in liqueurs. However, getting the locals to reveal where to find them is difficult’, she laughs. Dry and sour rye bread is superb, especially with a prodigious knob of butter or olive oil. ‘Finland has really delicious chocolate’, says Tiina. ‘Local firm Karl Fazer produces 65 million kilos of chocolate a year in many flavours like yoghurt, honey, and yes, cloudberry.’

There are so many things here to be ticked on your ‘bucketlist’, like mushing a team of huskies tethered by a harness to a sledge. Boundless, noisy energy is husky-powered, guided almost soundlessly by a series of almost subliminal ‘ssshhh’ sounds and deft clicks of the musher’s tongue. It is an unforgettable symbol of Lapland’s frosty charm.

This is a place of contrasts. Comfort and luxury can be found amidst an expanse of sub-zero temperatures and remote landscapes. When you start to look beyond its simple beauty, there are hundreds of things to do and just as many stories waiting to be told. >

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Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints.

My ‘camera’ of choice for the Lapland trip was the Nokia 1520. As I was coming from an Apple iPhone environment, I expecting to be baffled

by Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 Black platform, but using the fabulous 20-megapixel camera on the 1520 was a revelation. It performed well in bright sunlight, thanks to its ability to recalibrate based on ambient light conditions, and can handle use with gloves pretty well, ideal for those crisp, bright Lapland days. The 1520 is big. In fact, it is a big list of big firsts for Nokia, and for Windows Phones, but it’s what you do with it that counts.

Juha Alakarhu, Nokia’s Head of Imaging shared some tips on how to get the best out of smartphone photography. ‘Taking great photos with a smartphone has some particular quirks worth paying attention to,’ he says.

These are his top five tips: 1 Touch to Focus AND Meter Metering is how the camera decides how much light to let into the camera.

Tap on what you want to focus on, and the phone meters from that point.

It prevents someone’s face being pitch-black, but the pinprick of light next to them comes out perfectly.

2 Clean your lens A quick polish-up with a microfibre cloth will rid the lens of smears. No one likes ‘selfies’ with greasy fingerprints to smear the smile.

3 Be clever with the light Most smartphone cameras have a small sensor. The bigger the sensor, the more light is transmitted and the better your low-light photos will look.

Balance your phone on something stable to reduce the blur that can come with a long exposure. Use Flash sparingly, as you can achieve better photos by turning the flash off, and trying to improve the lighting.

4 Use HDR HDR is high dynamic range imaging using software to compensate for there being both bright and dark things in a photo: rather than just one photo, at one exposure, the camera in the Nokia Lumia 1520 takes three exposures in quick succession, then takes the best bits from all three and stitches them together. Don’t use HDR is when your subject is moving.

5 Digital Zoom Don’t do it, unless it is something like the Lumia 1520. If you absolutely have to, just crop after you’ve taken the picture, since that is all you’re really doing instead of blowing up individual pixels, which only makes your photo horribly pixelated in the process.

The 1520 is the biggest, most powerful Windows Phone to date and continues Nokia’s legacy of pushing the Windows Phone envelope. While it might not have the large sensor of the Lumia 1020 its camera is still hugely impressive, producing shots that are good enough to lay your compact cam to rest. Le

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Gout de Diamants

''I drink champagne when I win, to celebrate and I drink champagne when I lose, to console myself � NAPOLEON

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bespoke Champagne ...

Champagne has long been synonymous with royalty, success, celebration and opulence and it is embraced the world over for its luxury appeal. In this edition of Le Kap magazine we showcase 5 extraordinary ones.

1. Gout de Diamants – 21 Million Rand Gout de Diamants, meaning 'a taste of diamonds', has been popping up at A-List events around the world. This luxuriously bottled champagne is produced by 'Champagne Chapuy', in the Côte des Blancs region of Champagne and sells for approximately R2000.00. Gout de Diamants is an elegant blend of 100 per cent rated Grand Cru Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes.

Instead of traditional paper labels the bottles are adorned with labels made from pewter and the one label resembles the Superman logo and has a 'brilliant cut' Swarovski crystal mounted in the centre.

Gout de Diamants reached iconic status is when Shammi Shinh, founder of the luxury Knightsbridge-based Prodiguer Brands, received a mandate from a wealthy client to produce the world's most expensive bottle of Champagne. To achieve this he collaborated with famous luxury product designer, Alexander Amosu. They replaced the standard pewter labels with hand crafted 18-carat solid white gold labels and the Swarovski crystal was upgraded to a flawless 19-carat white diamond resulting in this the world’s most expensive 750 ml bottle of Champagne at a staggering price of 21 million rand.

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Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1995 - R34 000 Quite a number of factors make Clos d’Ambonnay notable - not only is it the first blanc de noirs produced by 'Champagne Krug', but it is their first new Champagne cultivar since this legendary Champagne house introduced their Rosé in 1983. Clos d'Ambonnay 1995 comes from a a small single (1,5 acres) vineyard of Pinot noir in the heart of Ambonnay. Due to the small vineyard only 3000 bottles was produced after being aged for over 12 years in Krug’s cellars.

'Champagne Krug' was founded by Joseph Krug in 1843 and is one of the most famous names in the world of Champagne. Based in Reims, the capital of France’s Champagne region, Krug is owned by the multinational conglomerate LVMH (Louis Vuitton S.A. - Moët Hennessy) whose portfolio includes other well known wine brands such as Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Château d'Yquem and Ruinart. Regardless of LVMH's majority ownership, the Krug family is still actively involved in key decisions pertaining to the Champagne production.

The R34 000 price tag of this magnificent Champagne positioned it right near the top of the wine list. It has been said that once you have tasted this champagne that one will forget every other wine you ever tasted.

Shipwrecked 1907 Heidseick - R400,000 Next on our list is the 107 year old Heidsieck & Co, Gôut Americain, 1907 vintage. This rare vintage, more commonly known as 'Shipwrecked 1907 Heidseick', reached iconic status after more than 2000 bottles were discovered and salvaged in 1997 from a Swedish Schooner, named, the Jönköping.

The ship was sunk in 1916 by a German U-Boat in the Gulf of Finland during world war while on route to deliver the Chapmpagne to the court of Czar Nicholas II. Miraculously, the champagne was found to be in superb condition due to the near perfect cellaring conditions at 64 metres on the bottom of the cold Baltic sea. Once the bottles were salvaged they were snapped up at auctions.

Twenty four of the first bottles salvaged were sold by Christie's auctioneers in October 1998 at an average price of 2000 USD per bottle.

There has however been significant misconceptions about the price of the 'Shipwrecked 1907 Heidseick' and it has been rumoured that the Carlton hotel in Moscow, who acquires quite a quantity of the champagne are selling them at $275 000 each, but in fact they are being sold at the hotel for approximately $37 000 at the current rand/ dollar exchange rate.

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Dom Perignon White Gold - R26 000 To suggest that this 3 litre Jeroboam of Moët & Chandon's prestige cuvée, Dom Perignon, is extravagant may be an understatement.

This special 1995 vintage is encased in a white gold bottle sheath and has the Dom Perignon label engraved on it. The expensive encasement together with the fact that only 100 bottles were produced justifies the price tag to some degree.

Dom Pérignon is produced by Moët & Chandon and serves as this Champagne house's prestige champagne.

Dom Pérignon is always a vintage champagne, meaning that all grapes used to make the wine were harvested in the same year. In years when the harvest is not up to standard Dom Pérignon will not produce champagne.

To fully comprehend the non-negotiable standard of this Champagne house one has to be mindful that in the 80 year period between 1921 to 2004, only 40 of those respective years harvests were deemed superior enough to produce Dom Pérignon.

Boërl & Kroff Brut Rose NV 1.5l – R23 000 Boërl & Kroff Brut Rose NV is produced by the Champagne House Drappier. In 1995 Michel Drappier decided to separately vinify the best grapes from one acre of his vineyard and designate them exclusively for the Brut Rose. Made from a blend of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir and this Champagne demands an average selling price of R23 000.

It is interesting to note that the entire range of Boërl & Kroff Champagnes is only bottled in magnum format.

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A QUINTESSENTIAL RETREAT

CONTENT l SHIRAZ REDDY

Surrounded by the clear blue tropical waters of the Seychelles, there exists an oasis of calm, a pristine paradise, which is known as North Island. Although it only measures 3,5 km by 2,2 km, North Island is known as one of the world’s most exclusive eco-resorts. Luminous white beaches protect a tropical interior of coconut palms and Takamaka trees that seem sheltered by three granite outcrops, whose polished grey ramparts ascend from the white sands and filigree reefs of the azure ocean. This is truly paradise!

The island is situated about 30 km from the main island of Mahé, within the 42 ‘inner islands’ of the Seychelles and it is this unique position that affords North Island its private isolation. Accessible only via helicopter, the island is renowned as a playground for the rich and famous. This is where George Clooney and his beautiful bride Amal Alamuddin chose to spend their honeymoon in seclusion.

Other guests have included Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, the Beckhams, Shakira and Bono, amongst others.

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The accommodation on North Island comprises of 11 exclusive and self-contained beach-facing villas, which had been built from local materials resulting from a rehabilitation process. A combination of Seychellois and African craftsmanship from wood, local-hewn stone, alang-lang thatched roofs and glass combine harmoniously with the natural surroundings and capture the true essence of the Seychelles where luxury and simplicity mingle to form a signature architectural style called ‘barefoot luxury’.

Villas 1 to 10 are discreetly tucked in amongst the trees and face on to ‘Anse dEst Beach’. These 450 m2 villas are unimaginably decadent. Each is comprised of a luxuriously proportioned airconditioned master bedroom with overhead fans, as well as a second bedroom, which can be set up as a study. The villas have stunning living and dining areas with attached kitchenettes. A large decked area features a sala and plunge pool, and a private buggy, similar to a golf cart, is available for each lodge, to facilitate easy travel for guests around the island. All the villas feature sizable luxury bathrooms, which have large baths and double vanities, as well as indoor and outdoor showers. Retractable doors create the feeling of an open-air bathroom.

‘Villa North Island’, the quintessence of privacy, is the 11th villa and is neatly tucked away on the far northern side of the beach in the Takamaka forest. This is on a much grander scale and spreads across multitiered levels, cascading down granitic boulders onto a private beach. Secretly tucked away in this position, the views from this villa are simply spectacular.

The accommodation on North Island is priced at an appropriate premium; the daily rates for villas 1-10 will set one back roughly R38 000 per adult sharing. Should you decide to take your children along, budget for an additional R17 000 per child (ages 13 to 19).

Should you choose to stay in ‘Villa North Island’, you will incur a basic daily rate of R120 000 for you and your partner, but strictly no children allowed in this unit.

Rates for accommodation do not include helicopter transfers between Mahé and North Island, but do include local government taxes, all meals and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (with the exception of high end premium wines and champagnes on the reserve list). In addition, rates also incorporate all scuba diving courses, scuba diving activities and snorkelling in and around the North Island, as well as silhouette dive sites; further activities such as sea kayaking, mountain bikes, sunset cruises, guided walks and the >

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Island and Bonnet Carre Beach is another small private beach at the southern end of Grande Anse Beach.

North Island aims to provide the very best in accommodation, services, facilities and experience, yet has still managed to restore the surrounding environment to a place of verdant plenty, surrounded by warm tropical waters in colours of blue and aquamarine. The true essence of North Island is this rare encounter of harmony combined with the environment; this touches and inspires the lives of all who visit here. There is a strict conservation programme called ‘Noah’s Ark’ and thousands of indigenous plant species have been cultivated in their nursery. These have been transplanted throughout the island.

South African based ‘Life Interior, Architecture & Strategic Design’ has been involved in the design and creative direction of this luxury retreat for 14 years. The company has recently carried out a sophisticated and stylish refurbishment of the interiors and is committed to the continued development of this private island, hence ensuring its relevance, sustainability and aesthetic appeal.

The island has been the primary focus of interior designer, Maira Koutsoudakis and her husband, John Koutsoudakis.

use of fully-equipped gymnasiums on and around North Island; shore based fishing on North Island and half day fishing trips. Other facilities include a magnificently decorated library and the dazzling swimming pool built into a granitic outcrop.

As part of the North Island dining experience, the island has adopted a ‘non-fixed’ menu policy. Resident chef, Geoffrey Murray, meets guests upon arrival to discuss their food preferences and then specifically develops a daily ‘carte du jour’ around this information.

Cultural influence is combined with the abundance of seafood on offer from the Indian Ocean. Each meal is a feast for the senses, perfectly completed by a choice of some of the world’s great wines and champagnes from the cellar. A selection of exotic, beautiful dining settings complement the meals; from the large dining area set against a backdrop of natural granite with superb sea views to secluded beaches, the pool deck or the privacy of your villa.

The North Island Spa offers a variety of treatments ranging from facial skin care, massages and holistic therapies to full body treatments and finishing touches. In addition, each spa therapist is trained to provide a consultation for a personalised spa experience during your stay on North Island. Wellness treatments are available; these are ‘in-villa’ massages or in the spa centre, to relieve stress, to detoxify, to cleanse and purify, refresh and rejuvenate before you take leave of North Island. The Spa is a holistic journey of visual and textural contrasts for body and soul. For the more energetic, the gym provides state-of-the-art equipment.

The Tropical Heat Sunset Bar, perfect for a relaxing evening cocktail, is tucked away on Grande Anse Beach on the western side of the island. This is one of four idyllic beaches and is located on the western side of the island, with beautiful coral reefs. Petite Anse Beach is located on the south east of the island, flanked by granitic outcrops; Anse dEst Beach is situated on the eastern side of North

North Island has been the recipient of several awards; Tatler’s ‘Most Innovative Style’ that recognises organic aesthetics; ‘Best of the Best in the World’ from Conde Nast Traveller UK; and ‘Most Consistently Brilliant Hotel in the World’ from Tatler UK. Le EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information visit www.north-island.com

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in every woman is a queen

E L E G A N C E J E W E L L E R S G R A N D B O U T I Q U E , M E L R O S E A R C H , J O H A N N E S B U R G , S O U T H A F R I C A + 2 7 11 6 8 4 13 8 0 TA N U R J E W E L L E R S S H O P 14 7 , V I C T O R I A W H A R F, V & A W AT E R F R O N T, C A P E T O W N , S O U T H A F R I C A + 2 7 2 1 4 18 5 5 2 4