L'Officiel Island Capri

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Saint-Tropez

The French Riviera new vibe: bobo-chic

Ibiza movida

Partying and having fun in the Spanish cult place

CAPRI with CAMILLE JANSEN In the island of La Dolce Vita with the new Parisian it-girl: a charming experience of lifestyle in Italy CAMILLE JANSEN in LESLIE AMON swimsuit, AUDEMARS PIGUET watch and CHANEL hat, portrayed in LA FONTELINA

CAPRI with CAMILLE JANSEN An Island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea, that hosted Hollywood élite, princesses and socialites from Grace Kelly to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lea Radziwill. Capri today is still the best place to be for a glamorous holiday

PHOTOS GUEN FIORE SYLING JENNIFER EYMÉRE

Previous spread: viscose dress ACNE STUDIOS. This page: Lycra swimsuit LESLIE AMON, vintage necklace and ring.

Opposite page: Lycra swimsuit LESLIE AMON, Capri jeans PAUL & JOE, plated brass and crystal earrings SAFSAFU, vintage necklace, vintage belt PALOMA PICASSO, canvas sneakers SPRINGCOURT. Opposite page: viscose jacket ACNE STUDIOS, Lycra swimsuit LESLIE AMON, metal sunglasses RAY-BAN, raw cotton earrings CARALARGA AT 85ยบ PARIS, vintage necklace, watch Millenary Collection, 18-carat pink gold, 39,5 mm AUDEMARS PIGUET. Next spread, from left: viscose cardigan JACQUEMUS, Lycra swimsuit LESLIE AMON, synthetic resin earrings and necklace MISSONI. Opposite page: viscose jacket ACNE STUDIOS, Lycra swimsuit LESLIE AMON, metal sunglasses RAY-BAN, raw cotton earrings CARALARGA AT 85ยบ PARIS, vintage necklace, watch Millenary Collection, 18-carat pink gold, 39,5 mm AUDEMARS PIGUET.

This page: watch Millenary Collection, 18-carat pink gold case, 39,55 AUDEMARS PIGUET, vintage earrings and necklace.

Opposite page: Lycra swimsuit LESLIE AMON, gold pleated earrings BECK JEWELS AT 85ยบ PARIS, vintage rings.

Next spread, from left: Lycra swimsuit LESLIE AMON, gold and brass earrings CHLOร , vintage necklace and earrings.

Opposite page: viscose dress ACNE STUDIOS. Raw cotton and thread earrings CARALARGA AT 85ยบ PARIS, vintage necklace.

This page: raw cotton and thread earrings CARALARGA AT 85º PARIS. Opposite page: Lycra swimsuit LESLIE AMON.

Next spread, from left: Lycra swimsuit LESLIE AMON, watch “Millenary Collection”, 18 - carat pink gold case 39,55 AUDEMARS PIGUET. Opposite page: Lycra dress MARCIA, straw capeline CHANEL, gold pleated earrings BECK JEWELS 85º PARIS

This page: cotton dress and metal earrings LOUIS VUITTON. Opposite page: Lycra swimsuit LESLIE AMON, knitted foam skirt, gold and brass earrings, polyester belt and leather bag CHLOÉ, vintage necklace and suede mules.

Model: Camille Jansen@Next. Hair Stylist and Make up artist: Sergio Corvacho. Photographer assistant: Francesco Zinno. Styling assistant: LucĂ­a Wegier. Producer: Joshua Glasgow. Art director: Jean Marie Delbes. Special Thanks to Leslie Amon and Ronen Chicportich

L’OFFICIEL CAPRI

With her eponymous brand, this 30-year-old designer of Egyptian origin offers an innovative idea of fashion swimwear. Meeting with this new swimwear actress.

By pauline borgogno

Tell us about your background?

I am a graduate of Central Saint Martins in London, with a Bachelor’s degree in women’s fashion. The fact of entering this school has always obsessed me and that is why, beforehand, I took a sabbatical year, to give myself time to complete my portfolio and apply as an independent candidate.

Two years later, I launched my swimsuit brand. Parallel to my own activities, I have worked on various projects for other fashion houses as a freelancer for Lanvin under Alber Elbaz, Giambattista Valli, or Maison Michel with Laetita Crahay. Currently, I am a consultant for a large French company.

a hotel, holidays, nature...

I get my inspiration from everywhere.

When did you first become passionate about fashion?

As a child, I was already very determined about how I should dress: no pantyhose nor dresses, but rather pants. My muses were Mary-Kate Olsen, Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton.

Now that’s changed, it’s more like Gloria Vanderbilt, Verushka, and Jane Crawford.

The part of your wardrobe you’ll never leave?

All my JAR rings.

How would you describe your work?

Kind of like organized confusion.

On the opposite: a portrait of the designer Leslie Amon

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Your best advice for choosing a swimsuit?

Never trust a photo. It is essential to try before buying, because you can quickly come across cheap material and unf lattering cuts, even if the picture looks convincing. There are a lot of online sales for swimwear on Instagram, and believe me, very few are worth the cost.

Your style in a word?

Eclectic.

Your favorite designer?

Without hesitation, Giambattista Valli.

The ideal destination to escape?

There’s not just one, but I do need some sun! Why not Cala di Volpe in Sardinia, Positano or Capri in Italy.

Or Los Angeles.

Your best holiday memory?

All holidays are linked to different memories.

Three adjectives to describe the woman/ muse Leslie Amon?

Chic, sensual and fun.

Your summer playlist?

The Blaze, Claire Laffut, La Femme, Earth Wind and Fire, Agoria, Tony Renis... As well as Benjamin Eymere’s complete playlist.

Your inspirations to create?

My friends, women on the public beach, Instagram,

A book to take away on the beach?

“A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara.

Photo Sergio Corvacho

The girl to follow: Leslie Amon

CAPRI L’OFFICIEL

A guilty pleasure to be enjoyed in summer?

A lot of Bellini...

Your beauty ritual for beautiful tanned skin?

I apply a SPF50 cream for 10 days, before reducing to a 30 index. I also do scrubs or an ultra close waxing just before the beach, so as not to end up with crocodile skin. Not to mention a good moisturizing milk right after the exposure; I particularly appreciate the Esthederm skin care range.

More like yogini on the sand or adventuress on a kitesurf ?

More like yogini to start my holidays gently, then definitely kitesurfing in the end.

A fashion faux-pas excusable in summer?

The tan line of a Leslie Amon swimsuit.

Your mantra for this holiday?

La vida loca!

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L’OFFICIEL CAPRI

THE CAPRI PLAYLIST By fabrizio massoca

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TU VUÒ FA’ L’AMERICANO Renato Carosone An eternal classic, mocking Italian youth and American culture in the aftermath of the post-war period, a model of Neapolitan singing with an elegant swing.

UN BACIO È TROPPO POCO Mina «Mina è sempre la numero Uno» they say. What can I add? After having struggled to elect only one song, hesitating for a long time between “Se Telefonando” and this one, with its delicate rhythm, almost trip-hop and a pinch of summer’s bitterness.

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NON ESISTE L’AMORE Adriano Celentano If it only took one song to relate the disillusionment of the sentimental excitement of vacationers, well, here it is. Tender, melancolic and cheerful at the same time.

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CHE COSS’È L’AMORE Vinicio Capossela He carries on his shoulders the renewal of the greatness in Italian song. In this register, between folk heritage, American influences (Tom Waits) and baroque singularity, Caposella is at his best, with talent and a touch of madness.

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GUARDA CHE LUNA Fred Buscaglione A perfect song to whistle in the middle of the night, hand in hand with whoever you want to be with. Handsome like a gangster, a late-night crooner, Buscaglione died in full glory like James Dean.

L’ANNO CHE VERRÀ Lucio Dalla He looked like Carlos, but with the fantasy of Bob Dylan during his Rolling Thunder Revue era. His modest lyricism, his melancholy of a lost child and his closeness to folk songs make him infinitely precious.

CHE FANNO I MARINAI Francesco de Gregori & Lucio Dalla Dalla’s back? Yes, because this duet with Francesco de Gregori is a summit of transalpine coolness. His cheeky, relaxed manner brings a renewed joy with each listening.

In this page: the Italian singer Mina.

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DIECI RAGAZZE Lucio Battisti A song to twist to and enough to wear out your knees; an escape route for any broken heart.

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CIAO AMORE, CIAO Luigi Tenco Another hot-headed singer of Italian pop music, Tenco, committed suicide (the rumour of an assassination is on-going) when he was 28, just after having interpreted this song which deserves better than a sinister posterity.

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IL NOSTRO CARO ANGELO Fabio Viscogliosi Artist, comic strip artist, but also musician, the Frenchman of Italian descent, paid a mischievous tribute to Lucio Battisti, with this nursery rhyme full of protest...

Photo by Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

Quick! Add these great Italian music titles to your playlist, to show off or just daydream....

CAPRI L’OFFICIEL

THE 5 BEST TABLES IN CAPRI

To mess up your holidays, it’s simple: all you have to do is choose the wrong restaurants.

To succeed, it’s not enough just to go to the right ones, but it helps. Especially in Capri.

By fabrizio massoca

The best pizza

The most romantic

AURORA CAPRI A masterclass of the kind, from ultra-fine dough to puffed crust, incredibly delicious toppings, you will never see pizza in the same light again.

PAOLINO Despite the years, despite the clichés, we know few spots as deliciously oldfashioned as Paolino. The cuisine is quite simple but perfectly made and it blossoms with as much grace as ever, under the mythical lemon trees on the terrace.

via fuorlovado, 18-20. www.auroracapri.com

via palazzo a mare.

The most beautiful beach LA FONTELINA Sublime grilled fish, spaghetti alle vongole that one would swim across the bay of Naples to taste.

At the foot of the iconic Faraglioni or sea stacks planted in the sea, you can sunbathe, swim or have lunch... For dinner, unfortunately, it is only possible if you manage to crash a wedding - the restaurant is only open in the evening for private events... www.fontelina-capri.com

www.paolinocapri.com

The best gnocchetti

The most local flavours

RISTORANTE MAMMA At Mammà’s, of course. Light, delicate, small, lemon-flavoured treats, escorted with clams and broccoli... The chef also has a light hand for desserts: impeccable, gourmet and in harmony with a season struggling to keep sugar intake to a minimum.

È DIVINO È Divino. Some evenings, even in the middle of summer, there are more locals here than tourists. With its domestic-mood décor, where sofas and beds can be used for lack of available tables, the restaurant offers honest, straight forward cuisine: eggplant parmigiana and a spectacular pasta dish with daily fresh caught fish and pistachios.

www.ristorantemamma.com

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WELCOME ALBER!

It is difficult to mention Capri without thinking of Diego Della Valle, who is, with his family, one of the most important figures on the island and which he has loved for many years. And that’s a good sign because the news about the Italian leader of Tod’s Group is buzzing, especially with the recent launch of a collaboration signed by the designer Alber Elbaz, who is making a comeback on the fashion scene.

By anne gaffié

I On the opposite page: a portrait of Alber Elbaz

nitiated last season, and launched in October, the “Tod’s Factory” project is Diego Della Valle’s latest creation. “The fashion industry is going through a small revolution today,” he admits. With a series of remarkable successful stories and great ideas for things to do, it is imperative to create your own place, with new concepts, and new business models.”

The opportunity for the Italian businessman to position Tod’s brand in the frenetic race for collaborations, whose capsule collections and other “drops” now ensure that the fashion houses can keep up with the creative and commercial pace in a competitive market, in constant motion. And above all to seduce a younger generation eager for new products and collector products. Internally defined as a “creative laboratory”, Tod’s Factory makes its iconographic heritage, artisanal excellence and know-how available to creators and guest artists in an “exclusive, innovative and unconventional way”. After Alessandro Dell’Acqua last October, it’s Alber

Elbaz’s turn to present his very personal interpretation of the Italian brand’s iconic models in a capsule called “Happy Moments”, which he tells us it will be like no other.

How did the Tod’s adventure start for you?

AB: I met Diego Della Valle two years ago and he introduced the project to me. Then, I quickly discovered the brand’s Italian factory, where I was immediately seduced by the working atmosphere that reigns. Here, there is no place for the virtual, we are in the real world, and it feels good. Artists and craftsmen work with their hands, but also with their hearts and they work together with their families. It was hard for me to imagine being able to bring something different to it, but I finally agreed to recreate this first impression for a season.

How do you feel about this return to the limelight of the fashion scene?

A lot of emotions. For almost four years (editor’s note: since he left the Lanvin fashion house), so many people have asked me why I haven’t been back sooner... And I’ve often asked myself 69

L’OFFICIEL CAPRI

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

HAPPY FAMILY

HAPPY

TO BE IN LOVE

HAPPY TO DANCE

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the same question! But, I like the idea of having been able to step back and see things from a different perspective.

For the last two years, I have been really observing what is happening there, day after day, discovering the needs, new ideas and what I could possibly add that is different.

Have you found it?

Today, the industry is very difficult to understand. What is the role of a designer today? What are we supposed to do? Create, networking, curate?

To be talented first, or famous first?

These are basic questions I often ask myself...

Accepting a collaboration, isn’t like being part of the game?

I admit that I’ve given a lot of thoughts to the meaning and essence

Is it possible you were dreaming of something less technical and much softer?

Yes, I decided to work on the idea of these “Happy Moments” in our daily lives, and that’s the name of the collection too. I worked with the desire to make shoes that would make people happy. I must say that I haven’t been really happy for the last four years. And I also saw that the fashion world wasn’t really filled with joy either! In the world, the fashion industry is probably one of the most successful field to sell dreams, and those who work in it, are in desperate need of dreaming. At least, that’s what I’m hearing a lot around me these days.

And in concrete terms, what does that mean?

I worked around the idea of

“I decided to work on the idea of “Happy Moments” in our daily lives, and that’s the name of the collection too. I worked with the desire to make shoes that would make people happy” Alber Elbaz

of this “capsule” phenomenon, so newly anchored in the spirit of the times. What should its priority be: to ensure a talented collaboration, or a simple marketing coup, a “buzz” as they say? Sometimes I wonder how much creativity a designer needs to show to the world, what he is capable of doing, and hope to have his Instagram moment.

On the opposite page: sketches made by Alber Elbaz for the “Happy Moments” collection

What was your first inspiration for Tod’s?

Our initial idea was actually to work around a pair of sneakers.

I understand the importance they represent in such a hurried world. Paris has never been so crowded, and half of these streets are now reserved for pedestrians. It’s as if our shoes have become a means of transportation in their own right!

moments in life, based on stories, words and people. I’m not so much into images, I think there’s an overdose.

“Happy family”, “Happy to be free”, “Happy to be in love”... At every happy moment, there is a pair of Tod’s to match! Recently, I went to a wedding where I saw a suffering bride wearing 14cm heels all day. It was sad to see that she was in pain during the happiest day of her life! A pair of tuxedo flat shoes would have been so good for her! Beauty also means happiness.

How can be recognized the Elbaz touch in this “Happy Moments” collection?

It’s very simple: I took all the iconic models of Tod’s and replaced their traditional pebbled sole with a sneaker sole!

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L’OFFICIEL ISLANDS

RIVA, THE (BEAUTIFUL) LADY OF THE LAKE They are known as the Rolls-Royce or Ferrari of the seas. Objects of desire for stars - Sean Connery, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Rita Hayworth, Brigitte Bardot - and many others. With their mahogany shell and aquamarine colour, the Rivas have conquered the shores of all five continents. A destiny that is out of the ordinary and originates on the shores of Lake Iseo in Northern Italy... which owes a lot to an extraordinary engine.

By edson pannier

W

alking on water!

A dream that is still a little crazy for many, but has become a reality for the million of onlookers who gathered this summer on the outskirts of the coastal village of Sulzano, in the Italian province of Brescia. Here, on a lake surrounded by mountains, the artist Christo chose to install his “Floating Piers”, a floating pontoon three kilometres long linking the small town to the neighbouring islet of San Paolo and Monte Isola, the largest lake island in Europe. A winning bet for the Bulgarian-American whose ultra-mediatized work has welcomed twice as many people as expected and brought a real spotlight to Lake Iseo, until now the Mecca of water sports enthusiasts. And for good reason, on these same wooded banks, in the heart of Lombardy, a naval legend was born: Riva.

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A FAMILY HISTORY In 1842, when a storm swept through the boats moored on Lake Iseo, local fishermen were called on the assistance of the well known Pietro Riva to restore them. The young apprentice from Como settled with his family in the village of Sarnico where he started a business manufacturing wooden boats and was very successful. At the end of the 19th century, his son Ernesto innovated the business by offering steam barges, then under the impetus of his grandson Serafino, the modest family shipyard gained speed and with the arrival of outboard engines they entered the world of boat racing. When Carlo Riva, the fourth generation, took over the “cantiere” (shipyard) in the 1950s, the company’s reputation was well established, but it was under his direction that the name Riva became synonymous with luxury. His will? To start a series production assembly line for recreational boats, according to the highest quality standards. And in order to achieve it, he built a shipyard in Sarnico to match his ambitions and entrusted the project to the architect Balineri, who was already designing the company’s boats. In these futuristic buildings, the mythical mahogany boats were designed, such as the “Florida” in 1952, the “Tritone” in 1953, the “Aquarama” in 1962 or the “Super

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This page and on the opposite page: vintage images of Rivas

Ariston” in 1973.

A LOOKOUT OVER THE SEA Even today, the building that resembles an ocean liner with its immaculate whiteness and portholes has remained virtually unchanged. And although Carlo Riva has given up the reins of the company, his office - the Plancia suspended above the lake, is undoubtedly the soul of the building: the captain’s cabin. So there’s no discussion of changing it! Moreover, like the rest of the shipyard, the office is protected by the Superintendence of Architectural Heritage and Landscape. 40 metres high, it overlooks the bay and dominates all the buildings that cover 36,000 m2.

Every year, about forty yachts are manufactured here models ranging from 8 to 20 metres - compared to about twenty in the La Spezia shipyard, which opened in 2004 on the Tyrrhenian Sea for larger yachts. In Sarnico, some 400 workers start their day on site from 6 a.m. «They are not just workers but real craftsmen,» says Alberto Galassi, CEO of the Ferreti Group, Riva’s parent company since its acquisition in 2000. And indeed, the manufacture of these yachts requires special attention, as shown by the 24 successive layers applied by hand to varnish the mahogany, 74

according to the teachings of Carlo Riva himself. «You don’t just put wood on a structure, you create something unique, something inimitable, something impossible to reproduce anywhere else but in Sarnico,» explains Alberto Galassi. And he knows what he’s talking about: «My father owned a small Riva in the 1970s, so I was kind of raised on these boats and I still remember the smell of gasoline when I was water skiing.

I don’t think we can do my job without that passion.»

He shares this passion with Mauro Michele and Sergio Beretta, the duo at the head of Officina Italiana Design, who have been responsible for the design of the Rivas for two decades, and of course with Carlo Riva, whom he consults before each new project. The latest: the Fiat 500 Riva, «the smallest yacht in the world», one of the few partnerships to have come to an agreement with the transalpine group. «We’re constantly approached, but I prefer to be careful. I can’t imagine a cologne or a Riva wine. Our job is to build boats, if we move too far away from our core business we lose credibility. But the collaboration with Fiat was an obvious choice. The result is fun, elegant, and that’s exactly what we wanted. Two Italian

ISLANDS L’OFFICIEL

«THE COLLABORATION WITH FIAT WAS AN OBVIOUS CHOICE. THE RESULT IS FUN, ELEGANT, AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED. TWO ITALIAN ICONS THAT MEET AROUND COMMON VALUES»

icons that meet around common values. » A WORK OF ART FOR PURISTS And Riva doesn’t intend to compromise on these values.

So, to protect its identity, the brand is ready to make sacrifices.

While many customers dream of customized boats, they won’t find them in Sarnico. Of course, the interior of the boat can be slightly redesigned but there is no question of modifying the exterior lines. «A Riva must remain a Riva! It’s a concept that can’t be paid for. I’d rather miss a sale than give up our image,» the CEO insists. A strict policy with a few exceptions, the most memorable of which was granted to Ferruccio Lamborghini. In 1968, the Italian industrialist ordered an “Aquarama” from Carlo Riva and equipped it with two V12 engines, borrowed from the Lamborghini 350 GT. A real work of art if you listen to the brand’s purists. And there are many of them. More than any other boating company, Riva has a community of enthusiasts that is not limited to billionaires and other jet-setters. «Some people can’t necessarily afford a Riva, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be active members of our community,» says Alberto. Many of them follow us on the Internet, advise us and don’t hesitate to castigate at the slightest incident,» admits the CEO. So to satisfy this demanding audience, the company is organizing events all over the world, developing a real dynamism on social networks and creating products derived from the Riva universe while always taking great care not to damage its image. Among these, the miniature Rivas made with real mahogany are a hit. Enough to transmit Rivamania from the cradle to the “daughters and sons of”.

RIVAMARE, THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE RIVA SITE Just out of the Sarnico factories, the “Rivamare” is already announced as the worthy heir to the mythical “Aquarama”.

This marvel, nearly 12 metres long, splits the waves at a cruising speed of 31 knots and can climb to 40 knots if it feels like it. With its sinuous lines and sporty appearance, the boat, which is recognizable at first sight, is about to set the trendy 75

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LONG LIVE THE VILLA This is the villa seen in Godard’s film Le Mépris. The writer, Malaparte, wanted it to resemble his image: modern and provocative. He chose its location, somewhere inaccessible. Endowed with a dreamlike power, it merges with the nature of Capri.

By éric troncy

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A

nother villa, without much originality has four bedrooms.

It was sold for $202,500 in 2011 and is now estimated at only $192,000. It is located on Villa Malaparte Avenue, on the northwestern edge of Las Vegas, very close to Sun City.

It is ultimately the antithesis of the Villa Malaparte which despite itself, lends its name to this Las Vegas avenue where dozens of identical houses rub shoulders, without grace and interchangeable. The one we know instantly brings to mind a very memorable image, accompanied by the music of Georges Delerue: that of “Le Mepris” (UK title: “Contempt”), the film made in 1963 by Jean-Luc Godard. The image is easily composed and quickly we perceive this house as an object, almost like a slow-rotating model on a computer screen: Godard’s camera captured it with high-angle shots from all directions. On its dark, ochre coloured rooftop terrace, we can see Brigitte Bardot climbing the stairs and then sunbathing on a yellow sponge towel. Michel Picoli who asks her: “Why don’t you love me anymore?” She answers: “That’s life.” “Why do you despise me so much?” “That, I will never tell you.”

WITHOUT REAL RATIONALE The Villa Malaparte (the real one) is not at all located on an avenue. On the contrary, it is built on a piece of rock hanging over the Mediterranean waters in Punta Massolo, east of Capri island - a place impossible to access. On the cliff that separates the house from the water, 32 meters below, a vertiginous and narrow staircase, cut into the rock, seems never ending. This is where the writer Curzio Malaparte (born Kurt-Erich Suckert in 189, Prato, Italy, and who changed his civil status in 1929) wanted it built for himself in the mid-30s. In this precise place, that he himself described in the text dedicated to the house and entitled Ritratto di pietra: “In Capri, in the wildest, loneliest and the most dramatic part, oriented towards the south and the east, where the island becomes ferocious, where nature expresses itself with an incomparable and cruel force, there is a promontory of extraordinary purity of lines, which seems torn from the sea by its rocky coastline claw. No other place in Italy offers such a vast horizon, such a depth of feeling. It is definitely a place belonging only to strong, free-spirited human beings. For it is easy to allow oneself to be dominated by nature, to become a slave to it, to be torn by these delicate and violent fangs, to be engulfed by this nature, like Jonah inside the whale.” A “stone portrait”, his own stone portrait, as he explained. This was his request to the Italian architect Adalberto Libera: “A house like me.” Modern, like scripting each movement with a pronounced taste for provocation. This

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THE VILLA IS BUILT ON A ROCK HANGING OVER THE MEDITERRANEAN WATERS IN PUNTA MASSOLO, EAST OF CAPRI ISLAND - A PLACE IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCESS. THIS IS WHERE THE WRITER MALAPARTE WANTED IT BUILT

portrait was certainly tormented and Malaparte corrected it himself: they say that the architect served him only to obtain a building permit and he finally refused his drawings, fired him and built this “house-portrait” himself with the help of a local builder, Adolfo Amitrano. From this turn of events, the villa retains the traces of a long trial and error period, some parts seem cobbled together without any real logic - far from the work of an architect.

Malaparte added in particular, the grand monumental staircase, which connects the ground to the roof and as we can clearly see today, is not far from the inspiration that this house provided to postmodern architects in the 80s, and that designer Ettore Sottsass described as “the vestige of an orgy in which everyone participating dies”, adding: “here, a drama is played out, more metaphysical than symbolic”. Sottsass again explains that the “Villa Malaparte has a certain quality.

It gives you a distance, a point of reference. The wild world is confronted with a bloodstain. The cliff gets higher, the sea

CAPRI L’OFFICIEL

This page: two scenes from the movie “Le Mepris”

by Jean-Luc Godard with Brigitte Bardot and Michel Piccoli.

becomes bluer”.

SPECIAL POWERS This house seems endowed with particular powers, in any case it has a singular aptitude to transform the landscape around it (as much as the landscape transforms the house), making it take shape; forcing it to stretch hard, fixing the limits and the margins by opposing it to the sheer cliffs. Few buildings today can boast a dreamlike power similar to this villa: built in the middle of nowhere, both geographically extravagant and yet seemingly gives the landscape its full meaning.

The bay windows, all of different sizes and different heights (and all the windows for that matter), cut through the landscape whether you are inside the house or moving through a labyrinth, without head or tail of small rooms and the large living room. The painter, Giorgio de Chirico’s brother, Alberto Savinio, designed the furniture, which

disappeared almost entirely during the long period of abandonment which the villa was subjected to. When the writer died in 1957, and even though he had made a donation of the house, by will, to the People’s Republic of China, and the family challenged this bequest. It was simply abandoned, subjected to the weather and vandalism - just like the house built by Eileen Gray in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin ten years earlier and whose painful restoration is barely complete today.

Godard’s film, shot a few years later, bears the cruel traces of this abandonment; the wall coverings are crumbling, the large comma of white concrete on the roof which serves as a windbreak, seems to be literally peeling.

Efforts to restore the villa were undertaken much later, in the 80s, when many elements had already disappeared.

Today, it is a place of study for architects from all over the world: it narrowly escaped a project by promoters who wanted to transform it into a pizzeria.

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Saint-Tropez

The French Riviera new vibe: bobo-chic

Ibiza movida

Partying and having fun in the Spanish cult place

CAPRI with CAMILLE JANSEN In the island of La Dolce Vita with the new Parisian it-girl: a charming experience of lifestyle in Italy CAMILLE JANSEN in LESLIE AMON swimsuit, AUDEMARS PIGUET watch and CHANEL hat, portrayed in LA FONTELINA