Luxury London Magazine September 2019

September 2019 £7.00

MAGAZINE

HAR I S

THE INTERIORS ISSUE

NUKEM INTRODUCING LO N D O N ’ S M O S T P R OVO C AT I V E FA S H I O N PHOTOGRAPHER

F E AT U R I NG

AFRODITI KRASSA, ACHILLE SALVAGNI & THE GREATEST ROOMS OF THE PAST CENTURY

J O H N CAU DWELL O N WH Y E VERY BI LLI O NAI RE H AS A R E SP O NS I BI LI TY TO GI VE BACK

T W E N T Y G R O SV E N O R S Q UA R E I N S I DE M AYFAI R’S M OST S O UGH T-AFTER AD D RE SS

I NDIAN ADVENTU RE N AV I G ATI NG TH E S UBCO NTI NENT’S M OST C AP TI VATI NG ATTRACTI O NS

LENNY KRAVITZ

PERFECTING

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ROYAL

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COVENT

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ZOË KRAVITZ

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CONTENTS

26 UP FRONT

78 46 EYE OF HARIS

54

INTERIORS

Fashion photographer Haris 10 EDITOR’S LETTER

Nukem on finding faith in

13 THE BRIEFING

a secular world

London Bridge station shortlisted for top RIBA prize

CONNOISSEUR

68 IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK The greatest rooms of the past century – and the designers behind them

26 JOHN CAUDWELL The philanthropic billionaire on his new Mayfair development 32 AT YOUR SERVICE

Inside the Four Seasons’ first standalone London residences

C U LT U R E 40 THE AGENDA Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag comes to the National Theatre

54 HOT TOWN, SUMMER IN THE CITY The hottest restaurant openings in the capital this summer 58 PLACE MAKING Meet the interior designer turning banquette seats and

77 G O BIG OR GO HOME

Take inspiration from interior

design’s boldest creatives

78 ACHILLE’S HEAL Interior designer Achille Salvagni on moderism and meticulousness

pendant lamps into London’s

84 TOP DRAWER

top restaurants

David Linley unveils his new

64 RESTAURANT REVIEW

Alba collection, a modern ode to

Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat

marquetry and trompe l’oeil

4

58

68

COUTURE

ESCAPE

88 BUTTON DOWN

110 OF COLOUR AND

The dynamic fashion designers throwing caution to traditional

CONTRASTS Navigating the cultural wonders

tailoring 94 OFF THE WALL

of majestic India 120 FAR FROM THE

The best frothy frocks, frills and avant-garde suits from the

MADDING CROWD For a quieter Mexican adventure,

couture shows 102 MANY FACES Swiss watch specialist

110

head to the south

PROPERTY

Girard Perregaux lands in Wempe London

134 TAKE ME TO CHURCH

104 LINEOUTS

A renovation project in an historic

Tackle transitional season styling

Chelsea chapel

with classic rugby jerseys in

140 STREETS AHEAD

myriad stripes

The hottest homes on the market

COV E R Cole & Son’s Rose wallpaper, from the Botanical Botanica collection reimagines the traditional bloom in cerise and gold hues. £105 per 10m roll, cole-and-son.com

EDITOR Richard Brown

FROM THE EDITOR September 2019 Issue 16

It must have been a kick in the teeth, for the ceremony’s organisers at least, when Trump refused to cut the ribbon of the new US Embassy in Nine Elms. Last January, the President tweeted that he was cancelling a visit to London because he was “not a big fan of the Obama Administration”, which he blamed for selling “perhaps the best located and finest embassy in London for ‘peanuts’”.

The decision to relocate from Grosvenor Square to a new £1 billion glass fortress south of the river – the most expensive embassy ever built – was, in fact, made by George W. Bush’s people, but, facts aside, it’s difficult to argue that Trump didn’t have a point.

The American administration upped sticks – selling its lease to Qatari real estate group Qatari Diar for somewhere between £300 and £500 million – just as the historic rectangle of prime Mayfair real estate was regaining its reputation as a power enclave; ergo its prestige; ergo its property value.

On the east side of the square, Indian developer Lodha is building 48 luxury apartments on the site of the former Canadian High Commission. Prices for two bedrooms start at £8 million. On the south side, an apartment that was once home to the Onassis family has hit the market for the first time in 28 years. The asking price is £25 million (p.140). Then, on the north side, there’s Twenty Grosvenor Square. The former headquarters of the US Navy is being converted into Mayfair’s answer to Knightsbridge’s One Hyde Park. We speak to the co-founder of Finchatton, the architect firm behind the scheme, on page 32.

Who else to talk to in an issue dedicated to exceptional homes and inspiring interiors?

How about John Caudwell? The Phones-4u-billionaire-turned-property-developer is in the process of converting an old car park on South Audley Street – a stone’s throw from the former US embassy – into London’s other most anticipated luxury residence (p.26). We also interview Achille Salvagni, the cult-like interior genius who Michael Bloomberg and Jeff Koons turn to for in-home style advice. Find Salvagni in print on page 78 and in person at PAD London during the first week of October.

Back to that Square that’s making Mayfair great again. Had America’s diplomats still been based in W1 they might have lunched at the most talked-about restaurant of 2019, Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat – the latest in a long line of Asian fusion restaurants that have come to define fine dining in the capital over the last decade. We speak to the venue’s interior designer, Afroditi Krassa, the creative vision behind Itsu and Dishoom, on page 58, and discover whether the dishes match the décor on page 64.

Enjoy our interiors issue. Because it’s what’s inside that counts.

DEPUTY EDITOR Ellen Millard CONTENT DIRECTOR Dawn Alford SENIOR ASSISTANT EDITOR Anna Prendergast EDITOR-AT-LARGE Annabel Harrison EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Abisha Sritharan ONLINE EDITOR Mhairi Graham HEAD OF DESIGN Laddawan Juhong SENIOR DESIGNER Ismail Vedat GENERAL MANAGER Fiona Smith PRODUCTION MANAGER Alice Ford COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Rachel Gilfillan BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS Samantha Lathan Danielle Thirsk BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE Madelyn Curnyn BRAND EXECUTIVE Dom Jeffares MANAGING DIRECTOR Eren Ellwood PUBLISHED BY

RICH ARD B ROWN Ed itor LUXURYLONDON.CO.UK

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THE BRIEFING THE

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NEWS

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LUXURY

THE CAR THE FUTURE OF GRAND TOURING As the marque celebrates its centenary, Bentley looks to the future of luxury mobility with the EXP 100 GT. The fully-autonomous car, Bentley imagines, will have a zero emissions all-electric powertrain capable of 700km before it needs recharging.

An on-board Bentley Personal Assistant will maximise comfort by monitoring occupants’ wellbeing, while exterior paintwork will be made from recycled rice husks.

T he Bentley EXP 100 GT reimagines the Grand Tourer for the world of 2035.

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NEWS

LUXURYLONDON.CO.UK PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK ROXBURGH

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LUXURY LONDON

THE BRIEFING

THE ARCHITECTURE

LONDON BRIDGE STATION MAKES 2019 STIRLING PRIZE SHORTLIST THE £1BN STATION OVERHAUL IS PRAISED BY THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS

Last year, London Bridge was named Major Station of the Year by the National Rail Awards, and in 2017 won ICE’s Greatest Contribution to London. This year, the station (which has remained open throughout its £1bn redevelopment) has been shortlisted for the prestigious Stirling Prize, awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Nominated for its improved connectivity and user experience, as well as its careful re-use of brickwork from the station’s original arches, RIBA has applauded Grimshaw, the architect firm responsible, for ‘[setting] the standard very high for future station redevelopment’.

In 23 years of the prize, London Bridge could be the first station to earn the top spot, and 2019 also marks the first year the shortlist includes a social housing enterprise.

Values recognised

by RIBA include design vision, innovation, accessibility, and a building’s capacity to stimulate visitors and how fit it is for purpose

Other shortlisted buildings include Nevill Holt Opera building in Leicestershire and the Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience on the River Spey

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Goldsmith Street in Norwich, designed by the city council, was inspired by the city’s ‘Golden Triangle’.

Dubbed the underdog by bookies, Goldsmith Street is up against one of the broadest ranges of buildings the competition has ever seen. From a carbon-negative cork house to a theatre set in a converted stable, candidates are answering the call to arms of the Architects Declare movement, signed by last year’s Stirling Prize winner Foster + Partners, in the face of the current climate emergency. Conversations around sustainable materials, energy efficiency and social responsibility correlate with a conscious effort to avoid ‘greenwashing’ – environmental PR spin. AP. RIBA’s Stirling Prize winner will be announced on 8 October, architecture.com

The project will be complete by 2022 and will last 10 years, with all 15 displays expected to be seen 137 million times a year

T he lighting kit has a 20-year lifespan, and will be gifted to the bridges’ owners after the first decade

THE ART INSTALLATION

ARTISTS LIGHT UP THE THAMES FOR A LONG-TERM INSTALLATION

ILLUMINATED RIVER IS A LARGE-SCALE ART PROJECT THAT SEES ALL 15 OF CENTRAL LONDON’S HISTORIC BRIDGES LIT UP WITH FLUORESCENT L.E.D ARTWORK

The moody greys of the River Thames have long provided inspiration for artists and creatives alike; from Monet’s Impressionist masterpieces to J.M.W Turner’s hazy watercolours. It’s fitting, then, that the world’s longest art installation is set to take place on London’s river banks, spreading across a total of 4.5 nautical miles.

Illuminated River will see 15 of the capital’s bridges lit up with a series of colourful light installations. The first phase was unveiled in July, bringing dazzling displays to London, Cannon Street, Southwark and Millennium bridges.

American artist Leo Villareal and British architecture firm Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands are behind the project, which

is as sustainable as it is eyecatching: the LED bulbs will minimise direct light spill onto the river. It will also be switched off at 2am in a bid to reduce energy consumption.

Illuminated River required the cooperation of seven local authorities, which, between them, granted 30 planning permissions and 18 listed building consents. As a result, the project is the biggest single planning application ever made without an act from Parliament.

Phase two is due to complete in autumn 2020 and includes Blackfriars, Waterloo, Golden Jubilee Footbridges, Westminster and Lambeth bridges. EM illuminatedriver.london

THE BOOK

BURNING MAN THE FESTIVAL’S CO-FOUNDER, WILL ROGER, CAPTURES THE SCALE OF NEVADA’S NINEDAY ART CELEBRATION USING AERIAL AND DRONE TECHNOLOGY

Black Rock City, the temporary metropolis built as part of Burning Man Festival each year, has grown exponentially since the event was founded in 1986. Will Roger, one of the festival’s six founders, has seen firsthand how it has transformed from a small camp, started on a San Francisco beach, into a veritable city perched on the edge of the Nevada desert, where more than 70,000 visitors flock each year. In Roger’s new book, Compass of the Ephemeral, the festival’s growth has been captured using drone and aerial photography, taken between the years 2005 and 2013. EM £25, smallworkspress.com

No money, mobile phones, advertising or any semblance of consumerism are allowed at Burning Man festival

G uests create their own entertainment for the weekend, with spontaneous art installations, peformances and costumes

LUXURY LONDON

THE BRIEFING

THE JEWELLERY

HARRY WINSTON’S DAZZLING TRIBUTE TO THE BIG APPLE THE JEWELLERY HOUSE RETURNS TO ITS ROOTS WITH A COLLECTION INSPIRED BY NEW YORK

From his first atelier on 7 East 51st Street, Harry Winston could see the Neo-Gothic spires of St Patrick’s Cathedral. An exquisite work of architecture contrasted against a sea of skyscrapers, the cathedral was one of New York’s many landmarks that provided inspiration for the jeweller throughout his life.

More than 80 years since the house was founded, the Harry Winston design team is paying homage to its roots with a collection themed around the city that never sleeps – and its unique quirks that provided the company’s founder with so much inspiration.

Three years in the making, the New York Collection is divided into eight sub-categories and encompasses 32 exquisite one-of-a-kind pieces, each of which showcases a different craft and setting technique.

Every piece has been designed to mimic a New York moment in Winston’s life, from the traditional brownstone buildings in the Upper West Side, where he was born and brought up, to the Eagle that guards Grand Central Station – chosen because he met his wife, Edna, on a train.

St Patrick’s Cathedral is represented in a dazzling necklace (right) that plays on the architectural excellence of the building. A diamond collar, set with marquise diamonds and gleaming pear-shaped emeralds, mirrors the building’s green slate roof. A complementing pair of drop earrings (right) completes the suite. EM POA, harrywinston.com

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The décor in Harry Winston’s New York City flagship boutique, 701 Fifth Avenue, has inspired three of the collection’s sub-categories.

The manicured gardens of Central Park and the rainbow lights of Broadway informed the final two categories.

LUXURY LONDON

THE BRIEFING

THE YACHT

NEWLY-RESTORED HAIDA 1929 SETS SAIL FOLLOWING A RESTORATION BY PENDENNIS, THE YACHT IS AVAILABLE TO CHARTER THROUGH EDMISTON

So impressive was the refit that the yacht scooped the top prize in the ‘Rebuilt Yachts’ category at the 2019 World Superyacht Awards. The judges considered this a worthy rebuild that saved a historic yacht from ruin.

When the current owner of Haida 1929 acquired the classic motor yacht, it was in a state of disrepair.

It was hardly a surprise; the yacht was launched in the late-1920s, had had fever than 11 owners and even served a stint in the US Navy in the Second World War. It had certainly lived a life.

A 16-month renovation followed – a labour of love for the owner, who had admired the ship for 10 years before it came to be his.

Central agent for charter Edmiston, shipyard Pendennis and designer Adam Lay were charged with restoring the classic clipper bow yacht to its former glory – and then some. The team worked with

the owner to reconstruct heritage features, replacing the entire hull below the waterline, which involved more than 110 tonnes of steel. The engines were also replaced; in lieu of a spare 1930s engine, the team created a new piston and 12 new fuel injectors.

The addition of contemporary lifestyle features bring this historic ship into the 21st century: 80-inch cinema screens, working period fireplaces, and a spa complete with hammam and barber. EM Haida 1929 is available to charter in the Mediterranean exclusively through Edmiston, from $310,000 per week for 12 guests, edmiston.com

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LUXURY LONDON

THE BRIEFING

THE CARS

THE RISE OF THE SELF-HIRE SUPERCAR SERVICE LONDON-BASED AZ LUXE LEADS THE CHARGE WITH A FLEET OF HEAD-TURNING MOTORS

It’s all very well owning a fleet of supercars if you have the garage space to house them. In London, such luxuries are few and far between. Happily for petrolheads, the rising trend for self-hire and chauffeur services is filling the Lamborghini-shaped gap in their lives.

Abbass Zadeh is one force driving the change; having steered the H.R. Owen luxury hire and chauffeur arm from ground-up to a fleet of more than 30 vehicles, he subsequently founded his own

company, AZ Luxe, in 2017.

The then 28-year-old sold his house to fund the business, and bought one of company’s first cars with the proceeds: a Rolls-Royce Phantom that was originally the company car of Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös.

Today, the fleet includes four supercars (see right) and four chauffeur-driven luxury vehicles, which are also available for self-hire. EM azluxe.co.uk

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AZ Luxe’s fleet of supercars includes a Lamborghini Huracan Spyder, Lamborghini Huracan Performante, Rolls-Royce Wraith and MercedesBenz AMG GT Roadster, while the chauffeur service is available in a Rolls-Royce Ghost, Mercedes-Benz S Class and Mercedes Benz V Class. The company also offers a jet chartering service, with private jet travel to and from airports in London.

JOHN

“I see how the world is a horrific place for a lot of people and I’m in a position where I could improve thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of lives. I don’t see how I could justify not doing so”

CAUDWELL T E L E C O M M U N I C AT I O N S M O G U L T U R N E D P R O P E R T Y D E V E L O P E R A N D P H I L A N T H R O P I S T, J O H N C A U D W E L L H A S P L E D G E D TO D O N AT E 7 0 P E R C E N T O F H I S £ 1 . 5 B N F O R T U N E TO C H A R I TA B L E C A U S E S . A S W O R K C O N T I N U E S AT H I S A U D L E Y S Q U A R E A PA R T M E N T D E V E L O P M E N T, T H E U K ’ S F O R M E R H I G H E S T TA X P AY E R TA L K S M O B I L E P H O N E S , M AY FA I R R E A L E S TAT E A N D W H Y E V E R Y B I L L I O N A I R E H A S A R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y T O G I V E B A C K

Words: Josh Sims

J ohn Caudwell is building his new home. It will total more than 40,000 sq ft, comprising two Grade II-listed houses linked by a basement. When the project is finished – scheduled for this September – it will have an additional three storeys in the basement and feature 15 bedrooms, a ballroom, five kitchens, a nightclub, theatre, spa complex and underground stacker system for eight cars. The exterior of both buildings will have undergone full restoration.

The interior will also be suitably impressive, with lots of marble, stone, mosaic, oak timber parquet and bespoke carpet. Not to mention a tropical plant-packed rooftop conservatory – complete with river and fish – inspired by the new owner’s love of Thai food. Well, why not?

What is perhaps most striking of all about this four-year project is that Caudwell’s new home isn’t in the country, where such space and extravagance might be more expected.

No, it’s in the middle of Mayfair, on Chesterfield Street.

“It’s been a huge job, and so much of the success of the end result is in picking up on the detail. But that’s who I am. I’m a very detail-oriented person,” says 66-year-old, Birmingham-

born Caudwell. “I have a knack for picking up mistakes.”

Caudwell, for those who don’t know the history of what might be their most treasured possession, was the founder of Phones4U, a now defunct retail chain that helped drive the mobile phone revolution in the UK. The onetime car dealer bought 26 brick-sized mobile phones from Motorola in 1987, at the dawn of the technology, after he spotted auction hunters using them.

He took eight months to sell them and from that built a business that at one point employed 10,000 people.

In 2006, Caudwell – sensing the winds of change in his market – sold the business, pocketing around £1.25bn, a net worth he’s reputed to have since pushed up to something closer to £1.57bn. That explains how he can afford to be obsessive about the finer points of his new Mayfair palace.

But just why he is, is another matter.

It turns out that Caudwell is something of a secret aesthete – to the extent that he bought the house next door to another of his developments, on Mayfair’s South Audley Street, in order to oversee work. The site being developed was a car park – a rather unsightly one, given the 18th and 19th century surroundings – which has since been levelled and will, within the next four years, be a building of some 29 apartments. Or “super, super prime apartments,” as Caudwell enthusiastically calls them.

“It’s a project that offers the combination of creativity, pleasure and profit. And the third one of those is, believe it or not, the least important,” he says. “I wouldn’t have done it if there’s wasn’t profit at all

in it – I’m not interested in being a busy fool. It’s commercial, but it’s also transformative, and my primary motivation is to make ugly places into beautiful ones. It’s not philanthropic exactly, but I am horrified by horrible architecture – many of the buildings that went up in the 1960s and 70s. It damages the visual environment, and people’s view of London. We need buildings that in 500 years’ time people will still think are beautiful. Does that mean a certain style? Absolutely. It’s classical and richly detailed, which I feel is most people’s idea of a beautiful building. And when the world’s superrich want a home, they want it to have those [aesthetic] layers.”

In terms of the super-rich. it might be said that it takes one to know one, although Caudwell argues that just because he’s a regular on The Sunday Times Rich List doesn’t mean he can guarantee his fellow billionaires will share his taste. Some, he concedes, will prefer the distinctly contemporary, “but if I’m swamped with people wanting to buy these properties, then I’ll know I was right,” he smiles. The Mayfair schemes aren’t Caudwell’s only property projects. He’s also building “best in class” apartments in Cap d’Antibes in the south of France, as part of his property development company Caudwell Collection, and is restoring hotel building Le Provencal there in a contemporary Art Deco style.

Caudwell certainly appears energised by his new-found interest in supplying his fellow wealthy types with what he says will be exceptional places to live. And he really doesn’t mince his words on this. His Mayfair apartments will be among “the world’s

“I am horrified by horrible architecture – many of the buildings that went up in the 1960s and 70s”

LUXURY LONDON

INTERVIEW

AUDLEY SQUARE Caudwell Properties Ltd acquired the Audley Square site in 2011 for a reported £155 million knowing that it benefited from planning permission for a new residential building. Caudwell aims to create a property that will rival One Hyde Park in Knightsbridge.

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LUXURY LONDON

INTERVIEW

most desirable properties”. Still, it all seems to be a very different world from selling mobile phones. Is property a kind of hobby, something for him to do, or are these buildings about much more – about creating a legacy?

“With mobile phones I was building a business with huge value at the cutting edge of technology, as mobile phones were back then. I enjoyed the dynamism. And the difficulties – because wherever there are difficulties there are opportunities, because they make your competitors squeal,” Caudwell says. “We were making decisions by the second sometimes.

It was edge-of-your-seat stuff and phenomenally tiring. But there wasn’t much creativity in it. Property development is hugely creative though, I couldn’t have chosen a more opposite activity in terms of speed. But I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t feel I wasn’t creating things of beauty; if it wasn’t spiritually rewarding. I don’t need to work hard on anything. I don’t need to work hard to make money, other than to be able to give it away.”

A long time ago, Caudwell changed his will and – before Bill Gates and Warren Buffet’s Giving Pledge popularised the idea – made a public commitment to give away 50 per cent of his fortune to good causes, a figure that he’s more recently increased to 70 per cent. A few million each for his four children is, he suggests, more than enough to have a positive impact and ripple down through the generations.

Most of his day-to-day efforts now focuses on his Caudwell Children charity, which helps those families with seriously ill children who have reached rock bottom.

In fact, he feels somewhat obliged to give his money away. “Why, I don’t

OPPOSITE CAUDWELL’S DEVELOPMENT IN CAP D’ANTIBES IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE

“Do we want London to become some utopian society for the filthy rich?

Well, in a way, yes” know,” he admits, “but I see how the world is a horrific place for a lot of people and I’m in a position where I could improve thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of lives. I don’t see how I could justify not doing so when I have the amount of money that I do. If I had half a million, I’d be less sure. I’d still want to but would feel less certain about my ability. But with this amount of money, yes, there’s an obligation. My feelings about philanthropy have always been the same: it’s about doing the most for the most people at the lowest cost, so for me philanthropy has to be immensely efficient. It’s my money, but it’s other people’s money too, so we have to deliver value.”

Caudwell is also concerned about the impact of the growing divide between the rich and poor. “It’s just so wide and needs to be narrowed,” he says, arguing for the admittedly unlikely creation of a global tax policy to prevent the super-rich from avoiding their tax obligations. He pays his taxes in the UK – admitting that he’s not above managing his tax contribution – and has to date, at least by one account, paid more than Google. By the same token, he’s opposed to what he calls “punitive” taxation of the well-off.

“Of course, the threshold [of what is punitive] is different for different people – mine is higher than that of people who have moved to Monaco, and I’m told that loads [of the very wealthy] are looking to move [to tax havens] now,” he says. “I pay taxes by staying in the UK and because I believe in the richness of the fabric of Britain.

And my approach is to encourage more

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people with money to give it away.”

It doesn’t always work. “At my daughter’s wedding recently I was talking to a wealthy friend and he joked to me that he was one of those people I hate,” he laughs. “He’s very charitable but he’s also moved to Monaco. It’s not healthy for society, including the rich, for people to be as rich as they are now. We need to narrow the gap without driving the rich away.” That, in some sense, is what Caudwell argues he’s trying to achieve by creating these benchmark Mayfair homes: by attracting yet more of the very wealthy to London, he hopes to bring their spending power to the UK, so that they might stay long enough to generate jobs; and that, ultimately, they might choose to create a permanent life here in the UK and pay taxes accordingly.

“Do we want London to become some utopian society for the filthy rich?” he asks. “Well, in a way, yes, because wealth spreads out, even if more needs to be done to get it out to the country beyond London. But that kind of wealth is already here and the fact is that it has to go somewhere.

What is wrong, I believe, is frightening these people off. I could pontificate on this tricky subject for years.”

But he doesn’t. Caudwell must be off for another intense round of discussions regarding taps, or whatever it is that he knows will make for his ultimate home, or hopes will make a place in his Audley Street development a must-buy for the kind of people who, like him – and good for him – really don’t have to think too hard about the price at all.

AT YO U R SERVICE THIRTEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING, F I N C H AT T O N ’ S L A N D M A R K D E V E L O P M E N T TWENTY GROSVENOR SQUARE HAS OPENED WITH A UNIQUE SUITE OF AMENITIES SUPPLIED BY THE FOUR S E A S O N S . F I N C H AT T O N C O - F O U N D E R ALEX MICHELIN EXPLAINS HIS DECISION TO M E R G E T H E WO R L DS O F H AU T E H OT E L S W I T H H I G H - E N D H O M E S

Words: Josh Sims

“I

t was,” concedes Alex Michelin, “a chunky amount of money.

And back then, given the financial crisis, the world was in a different place. It was a big risk.

But then the chance to acquire such a building is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s one of the best addresses in the world.”

Michelin, who’s the co-founder of the London-based property development and design firm Finchatton, is boyishly enthusiastic about his latest project, the new Twenty Grosvenor Square apartment building, despite it being some 13 years in the making. It was back in 2006 that the 250,000 sq ft site first came up for sale.

Finchatton bid then, and lost.

“We were gutted,” he recalls, “but you can only pay what you can pay.”

For whatever reason, the new owners never got around to developing the building – which sits opposite the old US Embassy, itself set to be turned into a five-star Rosewood hotel – and it sat empty until 2013, when it came onto the market again. Finchatton wasn’t going to miss out a second time. It pooled and

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INTERVIEW

managed a group of investors. Some £250m later – the property was arguably well undervalued given the potential return – it was theirs. “And,” says Michelin, “it’s the best thing I’ve ever worked on.”

That’s hardly surprising. The location is globally renowned. “It’s one of those very few places in the world of which you can say the name and

ALL IMAGES TWENTY GROSVENOR SQUARE. PHOTOGRAPHY BY SIMON UPTON

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everyone knows where you’re talking about,” Michelin suggests. “Eaton Square is one of them, Fifth Avenue in New York another. But there are very few.” Grosvenor Square has been home to royalty, prime ministers and titans of industry, and featured in the works of Dickens, Austen and Wilde. It’s where John Adams lived when he was America’s first ambassador to Great Britain.

Then there is the building itself. The site of Twenty Grosvenor Square has been home to earls, dukes and barons, and, for a spell, the Italian embassy. Remodelled as flats between 1933 and 1935, it was seconded to the US Navy in 1939, and from 1943 was the headquarters for General Eisenhower’s orchestration of the recently commemorated D-Day landings.

When renovation work began on the property in 2014, builders uncovered a lead-lined room hidden between floors, presumably used for the most top-secret of conversations. The walls in Eisenhower’s private study were painted with a giant world map, one of them – unlike the commonplace Mercator projection – with the United States placed firmly at the centre.

“Sadly it was too damaged to save,” says Michelin, “but it was a reminder of the globeshaping decisions that were made in there.

We did manage to save the giant marble eagle logo in the floor of the main entrance – it’s the kind of thing you always see in the lobby of the CIA in thrillers. Although more than half of sales have gone to Brits so far, many of the new apartments have attracted American buyers.”

Planning permission was granted for the demolition of everything except the classical Italianate facade, “so Twenty Grosvenor Square isn’t just another shiny glass and steel building,” says Michelin. “We want this to be a listed building of the future, so generally we always went for the best materials even when we could have saved some money, because we knew the cheaper option just wouldn’t look as good in decades to come.”

That means Italian marble, 6,000 sq m of stone laid, the roof redone in Welsh slate, as well as the use of advanced materials such as thermally and acoustically high-grade glass from a specialist maker in Switzerland. And behind said facade is now an additional floor and some 37, three-, four- and five-bedroom super-swanky apartments, ranging in price from an eye-watering £17m to a positively sphincterclenching £30m-plus.

“When the Grosvenor Square opportunity came along I was doing back-flips”

“What we really needed as the icing on the cake was servicing,” explains Michelin.

“What the kind of people who buy this kind of property typically lack is time, so we knew buyers would want as much of that saved as possible.” And who better to service such a building than a five star hotel brand? That’s why Twenty Grosvenor Square is the first standalone residential project with services provided by Four Seasons – the latest, and arguably the most spectacular, example of the trend for luxury-branded homes.

And they’re serious services too. Aside from the residence’s own amenities – a spa with a 25m pool, treatment room, fitness centre, games room, wine cellar, cinema, business suite, garden room, 26,000 sq ft car park and on and on – Four Seasons will provide concierge facilities, security, housekeeping, catering, car valeting, grocery shopping and a crèche. The Grosvenor Estate has taken back Grosvenor Square Garden – the biggest garden square in the West End -- and will be overhauling it over the next couple of years. Should Fido need to relieve himself, Four Seasons will be there with the poop scoop.

“Twenty Grosvenor Square would have found buyers anyway, but Four Seasons gives added credibility. And I think projects like this are the way forward for brands like that,” says Michelin. “People like hotels and the service they get in hotels, but they don’t typically want to live in a hotel. It’s not as cool as being in your own apartment. But you still want the service – without a lobby full of tourists or people smoking outside your front door. Four Seasons had been thinking about doing something like this for a long time – and we kind of fell into their lap with this project. They wanted their first residential project to be very impressive – and Grosvenor Square was clearly that.”

“When the Grosvenor Square opportunity came along I was doing back-flips,” says Paul White, president of residential for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “For a real estate guy it really doesn’t get much better. Planting a flag in standalone residences with one of the most famous squares in London was a chance to make a statement about our residential business. It’s not exactly an obscure location in a tertiary city, is it?”

Four Seasons is putting a lot of money into standalone residences: it has properties under development in Bahrain and Washington DC, with others in Los Angeles and San Francisco

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set to open next year. The idea of the branded residence is not new: the Sherry-Netherland hotel in New York is believed to have been the first to have operated serviced apartments alongside its guests rooms back in the 1920s. But it was Four Seasons that revamped the idea for the luxury market in the early 1990s.

Now it’s not alone in big brands looking to put their names to residences – fashion labels such as Missoni and Armani have done so over recent years, as have automotive companies, from Lamborghini to Aston Martin, which in July poured the foundations on its 66-floor, sail-shaped building in Miami. Luxury brands like these are starting to give hotel groups, such as Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, which also have residence properties, a run for their money.

In many cases, developers simply pay a licence fee, typically between two and five per cent of gross income, to use a brand name. According to a Savills study last year, branded residences sell – for the time being at least – at an average 31 per cent premium over non-branded ones.

And, as White points out, the Twenty Grosvenor Square set-up goes markedly deeper, not least because Four Seasons is the property’s manager.

“We’re never going to be doing condos of thousands of units,” he says.

“We don’t even have plans to do another standalone residence like this one in London. Yes, high-net-worth individuals want location, but they also want scarcity. They want as much of their lifestyle curated as possible, including access to hotel-style services delivered with the same service standards.”

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It’s more about the experience of living there than the amenities, White adds. “These apartment owners don’t have to do anything – we’ll do their shopping, collect their dry cleaning, bring up the right car from their collection. That kind of service is invaluable to someone who’s short on time. They don’t really want room service at home. What they want is for a chef to come over at short notice when they’re hosting a dinner party.”

A party to celebrate their new home, perhaps. “We have buyers who say they’ve been looking for two years and just haven’t been able to find what they want, and then have seen these apartments and bought within a week,” says Michelin. “There have been challenges putting this all together, moments of real stress. But it’s been well worth it.”

LUXURY SHOPPING & DINING IN THE CITY PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR A FULL LIST OF STORES THEROYALEXCHANGE.CO.UK THE ROYAL EXCHANGE, EXIT 3 BANK, CITY OF LONDON EC3V 3LR

P.40 THE SESSION, MARKUS KLINKO

DIARY DATES Exhibitions and events to mark in your calendar this month

P.46 HARIS NUKEM The photographer on his solo show at Maddox Gallery

C U LT U R E MUSIC,

MUSEUMS AND

MASTERPIECES

Unseen snaps from David Bowie’s Heathen album shoot, photographed

by Markus Klinko, will go on display in Hampstead this autumn (p.40)

T H E A G E N DA YOUR CURATED GUIDE TO CULTURE IN THE CAPITAL Words: Anna Prendergast

P I C C A D I L LY ANTONY GORMLEY’S MOST AMBITIOUS EXHIBITION IN A DECADE From the life-sized figure that appears to walk on water during high tide in the Thames (rumoured to be owned by actor Ian Mckellen, from whose living room the statue is visible) to the Angel of the North, Antony Gormley’s contemporary sculptures have always drawn on elemental materials and played with the concept of scale. The Royal Academy will be shedding light on rarely-seen early works from the 1970s and 80s and guiding attendees through immersive installations.

21 September – 3 December, £18, Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly, W1J, royalacademy.org.uk

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT MATRIX II, 2014, PHOTO: CHARLES DUPRAT; EARTH, BODY, LIGHT, 1989; LOST HORIZON I, 2008, PHOTO: STEPHEN WHITE; BODY AND FRUIT, 1991/93, PHOTO: JAN UVELIUS; ALL IMAGES ©ANTONY GORMLEY

THIS PAGE, FROM TOP PITY, WILLIAM BLAKE, C.1795, ©TATE; CAPANEUS THE BLASPHEMER, WILLIAM BLAKE, 1824-1827, ©NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE; THE PROTECTOR, MARKUS KLINKO

WESTMINSTER AN INTIMATE COLLECTION OF WORKS BY POET, PAINTER AND PRINTMAKER WILLIAM BLAKE The Tate will be recreating William Blake’s first (and only) solo exhibition, which was held in 1809 at a room above his brother’s shop. While the public’s negative reaction was not what Blake hoped, and sent him into

recluse for years, more than 200 years later this exhibition underlines his posthumous success as an artist, rather than a poet alone. It’s the largest show of Blake’s paintings, watercolours and prints, with more than 300 works on display.

11 September - 2 February, from £5 for children and £17 for adults, Tate Britain, Millbank, Westminster, SW1P, tate.org.uk

HAMPSTEAD UNSEEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF DAVID BOWIE’S ICONIC ALBUM SHOOT On 1 October, photographer Markus Klinko will reveal a series of unseen polaroids of the late David Bowie at Tramp club, where the shapeshifting musician was a regular.

Ziggy Stardust fans might recognise the series of images from the singer’s album Heathen, in which Bowie took on the character of a blind man, and his GQ October 2002 cover, both of which were taken by Klinko. The exhibition will be open to the public at Hampstead’s Zebra One Gallery for a month after the launch.

From 2 October, Zebra One Gallery, 1 Perrin’s Court, NW3, zebraonegallery.com

R E G E N T ’ S PA R K EVITA COMES TO THE OPEN-AIR THEATRE IN ONE OF LONDON’S LOVELIEST GREEN SPACES ‘On this night of a thousand stars/ let me take you to heaven’s door/ where the music of love’s guitar/ plays forever more,’ sings Migaldi to Evita. Watch the story of Eva Peron unfold under your very own night of a thousand stars (and likely some clouds – this is London, after all) at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Tim Rice and THIS PAGE EVITA AT REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE. PHOTO: MARC BRENNER

Andrew Lloyd-Weber’s soundtrack tells the story of the Argentine political figure who created divide and discourse throughout her country, with choreography by Fabian Aloise and set design by Soutra Gilmour. It’s a familiar tale that, retold by a fresh-faced cast navigating Gilmour’s bleachers with West-End finesse, feels heartbreakingly relevant. Tickets are selling fast; this too, won’t play forever more.

Until 21 September, from £25, Regent’s Park, Inner Circle, NW1 openairtheatre.com

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LAMBETH THE UNMISSABLE FLEABAG LIVE IN LONDON

PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE, PHOTO: JOAN MARCUS

VA R I O U S L O C AT I O N S GLASTONBURY MEETS NIGHT AT THE MUSEM AT LONDON’S EMERGE FESTIVAL Ever chastised yourself for missing all the cool new artists at a festival in favour of Ed Sheeran? This month, Emerge Festival will take all the best rising artists from the UK’s music and performing arts scenes and present them on stages across the capital. From Glastonbury’s Croissant Neuf stage comes trippy sax-led quartet Ishmael Ensemble; while Mr Gee who ‘has poems, will travel’ hails from Russell Brand’s Radio Show.

There are also body positivity workshops with acclaimed author Bryony Gordon, a lively evening dedicated to the female anatomy led by The Vagina Museum and provocative storytelling by the Masala Monologues, plus performances

by Poppy Ajudha (right) and Ady Suleiman (above).

Tickets for the stage adaptation of Fleabag sold quicker than Glastonbury (probably), but don’t despair – this side-splitting onewoman show will be broadcast live from the West End theatre into cinemas on its penultimate night in London. The filthy, funny, fourthwall-breaking Phoebe WallerBridge, who writes, directs and stars in the on-stage performance, has sold out in New York and in London, but National Theatre Live gives fans the chance to see the show in real time. It’s relatable content in all its painful, perceptive glory, tackling sex and sisterhood with appearances by animals such as in-laws and guinea pigs.

27-28 September, from £15, emergefestival.co.uk

12 September, tickets vary per cinema ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk

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VA R I O U S L O C AT I O N S LONDON FASHION WEEK OPENS ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME In February 2010, Burberry positioned itself ahead of the zeitgeist when it became the first design house to livestream its Autumn/Winter show in 3D. Almost a decade on, influencers, technology and time have continued to blur the boundaries between consumers, creators and tastemakers.

In July, the British Fashion Council confirmed that this September’s London Fashion Week would be the first to open its doors to the public, who can purchase tickets to an immersive experience including catwalk shows, installations, panels and exhibits. As for the names to know? Eftychia Karamolegkou takes cues from traditional men’s tailoring and (at time of press) was shortlisted for this year’s LVMH prize and is the BFC’s NEWGEN ‘One To Watch’.

Previous names supported by the initiative include Wales Bonner, Molly Goddard and Richard Quinn.

13-17 September, £135, londonfashionweek.co.uk

FROM TOP MARTA JAKUBOWSKI; BURBERRY; BOTH COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

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C ANARY WHARF · COVENT GARDEN · JERMYN STREET O L D B ROA D S T R E E T · O N E N E W C H A N G E · R E G E N T S T R E E T S L OA N E S T R E E T · W E S T F I E L D W H I T E C I T Y

H A C K E T T. C O M

HERO LIFE, HARIS NUKEM

EYE OF HARIS I N J U S T F I V E S H O R T Y E A R S , FA S H I O N PHOTOGRAPHER H A R I S N U K E M HAS GONE FROM HUMBLE OFFICE WORKER TO ONE OF THE UK’S MOST LAUDED C O N T E M P O R A R Y A R T I S T S , H AV I N G W O R K E D WITH SELFRIDGES, UNIVERSAL MUSIC AND WA R N E R G R O U P. A H E A D O F H I S F I R S T S O L O E X H I B I T I O N AT M A D D OX G A L L E R Y THIS SEPTEMBER, HE EXPLAINS WHY THE NUANCES OF HUMANITY ARE HIS B I G G E S T I N S P I R AT I O N

Words: Ellen Millard

DOPAMINE, HARIS NUKEM

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K

ikz is a vision of power. The Nigerian-born dancer (right) escaped a life of child slavery, emigrated to the UK and started anew on unfamiliar soil – and here she sits, dressed in her native finery typically worn

by West African queens, raising a teacup (for what could be more British?) to her personal coup. With her expression blank, she gives nothing away – but the compelling juxtaposition of these two cultures is enough to leave the viewer wanting more.

Such is the skill of Haris Nukem. Each of his ethereal snaps is designed to tell a story, to pull the viewer in and to start a conversation of sorts – “to give people access,” he says, to a world that isn’t theirs.

“Often we can feel quite incubated inside of the civilisations we live in, and I don’t think we ever consider how fragile they are,” he muses. “What photographers do is help us understand how lucky we are.”

Just five years ago, this particular photographer was at a crossroads; it wasn’t a mid-life crisis as such – he is, after all, only 30 – but his years spent working in an advertising job he was desperately bored of were beginning to take their toll. In an effort to find a sense of purpose, he launched a small fashion line with a friend – a move that provided a springboard to a new career.

“When it came to taking pictures of people wearing the clothes, everything clicked,” Nukem recalls. “I just became obsessed with taking photographs.”

In the five years since, Nukem has plunged into the world of fashion photography with aplomb, shooting campaigns for the likes of Boy London, Selfridges and Visit Britain, and working with record labels Universal Music and Warner Group.

More recently, he’s turned his focus to his personal portfolio of portraits, which has captured the attention of the art world and spawned two solo exhibitions. It’s been a lightning trajectory for somebody who has no formal training in the medium – but it transpires that this is what gives Nukem his edge.

“When I started taking pictures, I wanted to do so in a way that other photographers didn’t; I wanted to create a new style, give a new polish to an image – and a lot of that was predicated on the fact that I really didn’t pay much attention to what was in vogue for fashion photography, or any form of photography really,” he says. “So I try and avoid looking at other people’s work. The type of photography I do like looking at is probably a lot more basic than my own.”

And you wouldn’t be hard pushed to find a simpler style than Nukem’s. The photographer’s works are provocative and thought-provoking in equal measure,

KIKZ, HARIS NUKEM

involving an emotional brainstorming technique (“I go somewhere on my own and I make myself feel anxious,” he says), a mixed bag of eclectic props and elaborate set designs. The results appear other-worldly, an effect amplified by the photographer’s preference for cinematic lighting.

One image, 21st-Century Romance, sees 50 people entwined “in a sort of human tapestry,” he grins.

Another involves a life-sized mould of Nukem’s friend Alice, which took 600 hours to 3D print and cast in cement. He then photographed the two together, a human model emerging from her concrete shell. “She broke the mould,” he chuckles.

Others incorporate cultural and historical icons, enveloped in a modern-day cloak that contemporary viewers can relate to: Elizabeth I with a sleeve of tattoos,

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COUNTING BLESSINGS, HARIS NUKEM

peeking out from underneath a golden brocade dress; the traditionally self-disciplined Batman and Robin revelling in their status as heroes at a party; and Joan of Arc leading a mob of protestors brandishing “Meat is Murder” and “Not My President” signs.

Portraiture is Nukem’s preferred medium, an attempt to capture “some semblance of emotion”.

He credits his inquisitive nature to his childhood – his family sought asylum in the UK from Bosnia (then called Yugoslavia) when he was three years old.

“Because of all of the transitions in my youth, I’ve always been very curious,” he says. “Something that’s always interested me is seeing things that we all have in common, regardless of everything around us – the minute nuances of humanity. It’s something I would really notice as a kid, because there wasn’t a great deal of input into what was what. I was just bumbling about, trying to understand interactions with people.”

His upcoming exhibition, Faith, which opens at Maddox Gallery on 6 September, allows this curiousness to transcend to the viewer. A satirical commentary on the ideologies of the 21st century, each image is focused around the idea of starting a conversation – whether that be about vanity, drug culture or social media.

“This exhibition is about where, in a more and more secular western world, we place our intrinsic needs as humans to believe,” Nukem explains. “There are so any ideologies now – having a deep oneness

VICTORY BY ANY MEANS, HARIS NUKE

with the idea of astrology; different political fringes; people trying to affect change – and all of these things are kind of an awakening. As we become more secular, people look for places to put their beliefs that are more tailored to their own ideas. Every image in this exhibition is there to pose a platform to discuss how things really are.”

His subjects tend to be his friends “almost exclusively” and are often women – a by-product of a female-heavy industry, he says: “Men are championed in a lot of things, but the fashion industry is one of those places where women reign supreme – and probably for a good reason.”

His close-knit community provides a breeding ground from which his shoots are born, but it’s London, he says, that provides the biggest inspiration of all.

“London is the coolest place in the world,” he smiles.

“Some of the most inspirational places on earth are so local, and I feel super-grateful to have the opportunity to work with so many talented and wonderful people.

If I lived anywhere else, I wouldn’t be able to do these shoots that have 50 people in one photograph – that kind of thing is very London-centric. In those moments, more bonds are formed and more people become friends, and it’s a really powerful and beautiful thing.”

Faith, 6-27 September, Maddox Gallery, 9 Maddox Street, W1S, maddoxgallery.com

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LEADERSHIP QUALITIES, HARIS NUKEM

PHOTO: KALEN ARMSTRONG; CREATIVE AGENCY: SRVCE CREATIVE

CONNOISSEUR TA ST I N G N OT E S FO R T H E U R B A N E E P I C U R E A N

P.54 TURN UP THE HEAT The hottest restaurant openings of the summer

P.58 AFRODITI KRASSA Meet the interior designer beheind Itsu, Dishoom & Lucky Cat

P.64 THE REVIEW Taste-testing Gordon Ramsay’s first London venue in five years

Arros QD in Fitzrovia is the first international venture of Michelin-starred Spanish chef Quique Dacosta. Expect the best paella you’ll find this side of the channel (p.54).

CIRCOLO POPOLARE, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JÉRÔME GALLAND

HOT TOWN,

SUMMER IN THE CITY R E S TA U R A N T L A U N C H E S T E N D TO S LO W D O W N I N T H E WA R M E R M O N T H S A S T H E C A P I TA L’ S D E N I Z E N S VA C AT E T O WA R M E R C L I M E S . T H I S YEAR, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN AN EXCEPTION. H E R E A R E T H E H OT T E S T R E S TA U R A N T S TO H AV E O P E N E D T H I S S U M M E R

Words: Nick Savage

SETTE KNIGHTSBRIDGE GREEN, SW1

ARROS QD 64 EASTCASTLE S T R E E T, W 1 Quique Dacosta boasts an eponymous restaurant in Denia, Spain, which has held three Michelin stars since 2013, El Poblet in Valencia (another Michelin star) and a raft of other eateries across Iberia. For his first international venture he’s chosen Eastcastle Street in Fitzrovia to launch Arros QD. The dining room is a sultry, seductive affair with industrial ventilation painted lacquer black, brass rails and birch bark ceiling installations, as well as an inviting upstairs bar. The restaurant specialises in molecular gastronomy starters and an incredible array of rice dishes – it will almost certainly be some of the best paella you’ve ever tasted. arrosqd.com

CIRCOLO POPOLARE 4 0 - 4 1 R AT H B O N E P L A C E , W 1

Sette is the first European venture from Scarpetta, one of the hottest tickets in Manhattan’s trendy NoMad district. The team has brought over its extremely popular formula for Italian-American cuisine in an illustrious setting. Situated in the Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge, the independent restaurant has been designed by Thomas JuulHanson. He has created a mid-century modern masterwork paying homage to the Madison Avenue heyday of the 1950s and 60s with swooping luxurious banquettes, banker-style chandeliers and a statement wine display. Make sure to try the ‘susci’. settelondon.co.uk

Unrestrainedly extra, the Big Mamma Group has made a bigger splash in London than any French restaurant group in recent memory. Following the untrammelled success that was Gloria, they’ve launched Circolo Popolare in the heart of Fitzrovia. The dining room is the major talking point here, with giant floor-to-ceiling particoloured bottle displays, rafters festooned with fairy lights and foliage, communal seating and an anything-goes ambience.

They’ve brought the same effort to the menu, with a larger spread of options impeccably sourced from the Italian peninsula. Molto bene! bigmammagroup.com

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SIREN BY N AT H A N O U T L AW AT T H E G O R I N G 1 5 B E E STO N P L AC E , SW1

GEZELLIG HOLBORN HALL, WC1

Nathan Outlaw is no stranger to the Michelin guide, having garnered two stars at his eponymous restaurant in Cornwall and another at Outlaw’s at the Capital. It’s a testament to his excitement about his new project that he upped sticks from the Capital (bidding adieu to the star in the process) to relocate a stone’s throw away to The Goring hotel in Victoria.

The room has been designed by the inimitable Russell Sage Studios and guests will avail themselves of the choice catch from Cornish waters, shipped in daily. Whether it’s a siren song to London’s gastronomes remains to be seen – but it’s certainly looking very promising. thegoring.com

Gezellig was launched in Grade II listed Holborn Hall by a hospitality supergroup. Between them, Graham Long, Wieteke Teppema and James Comyn have CVs comprising stints at The Ledbury, Viajante, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Pied à Terre and The Square. The food lives up to the résumé, whether it’s for bar snacks such as pulled pork bitterballen and pork shoulder sausage rolls or more upscale dishes such as brandade ravioli with octopus ragu and tarte fine of courgette and tomato with baked aubergine and Belper Knolle cheese.

Thanks to Ms Teppema, the wine list isn’t messing about either. gezellig.co.uk

BOB BOB CITÉ 122 LEADENHALL S T R E E T, E C 3 Bob Bob Cité is a masterwork of over-the-top opulence – guests are whisked up the Cheesegrater building by way of a space-age lift to a dining room that is equal parts James Bond and Stanley Kubrick. The original Bob Bob Ricard had ‘Press for Champagne’ buttons, ahead of its time in terms of perfect Instagram fodder, and this one ups the ante – those who press the button will have their table number flicker ticker-tape style along neon signage. Michelin-magnet Eric Chavot has done a brilliant job with the menu, creating Russo-tinged Gallic cuisine par excellence. That being said, a trip isn’t complete without that old Great British staple: fish pie. bobbobcite.com

Man-about-town, Innerplace’s Nick Savage, gives you the insider lowdown on London’s most hedonistic haunts Innerplace is London’s personal lifestyle concierge.

Membership provides complimentary access to the finest nightclubs, the best restaurants and top private members’ clubs. Innerplace also offers priority bookings, updates on the latest openings and hosts its own regular parties. Membership starts from £75 a month, innerplace.co.uk

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“ I H AV E A S I M P L E C H A L L E N G E E A C H T I M E ; T O D E S I G N T H E T R U E C AT E G O R Y- D E F I N E R ”

PLACE MAKING T H E F I R S T F E M A L E D E S I G N E R T O B E E M P L OY E D B Y R E N O W N E D I N N O VAT I O N S T U D I O S E Y M O U R P O W E L L , B R I T A I N ’ S A F R O D I T I K R A S S A S U B S E Q U E N T LY P R O V I D E D T H E INTERIOR VISION FOR ITSU, DISHOOM AND HESTON BLUMENTHAL’S FIRST AIRPORT R E S TA U R A N T, T H E P E R F E C T I O N I S T S ’ C A F É AT H E AT H R O W T E R M I N A L T W O .

F O R H E R L AT E S T P R O J E C T, K R A S S A WA S C H A R G E D W I T H C R E AT I N G T H E A E S T H E T I C C O N C E P T F O R G O R D O N R A M S AY ’ S L AT E S T V E N U E , L U C K Y C AT

Words: Chris Allsop

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I “

t’s effectively bullshit.”

Afroditi Krassa, one of London’s hottest interior designers, is having no truck with the idea of restaurants showcasing a designer’s ‘signature style’. “You should be creating something that is, every time, bespoke and fresh.”

Despite her strenuous condemnations, it may be that her latest big project becomes her own socalled signature in the minds of the less enlightened. Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat – the irascible chef’s first London opening since 2014 – is perhaps her highest-profile opening to date. When some critics began to quibble over Ramsay’s broad-brush ‘vibrant Asian eating house’ concept, one sensed a quelling of the social media squall as the first renderings of Krassa’s

glamorous Tokyo-inspired interior appeared online.

But this is hardly Krassa’s first rodeo.

She’s had to wrangle with Heathrow restrictions for Heston Blumenthal; she’s taken on the iconic Curzon Victoria redesign; and she caused a citywide intake of breath with her stunning, cliché-shattering interior for Indian restaurant, Dishoom. Krassa, it’s becoming clear, is no ordinary designer of restaurant interiors. Her MO, in block capitals on the About page of her website, reads: ‘I want to turn spaces into three-dimensional stories infused with meaning, innovation and timeless value.’

PRODUCT OF HER TIME It’s a philosophy that seems out of time in our rapid-fire, surface-obsessed culture, but Krassa isn’t one to run with the crowd, and celebrates individuals

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she dubs ‘salmons’ on her blog for “challenging the status quo within the hospitality industry”. After a childhood split between her native Greece and her London birthplace, she eventually settled for good in the city that she describes as “the best place to be”. As a punk and goth-obsessed teen, she recalls seeing the punks on the King’s Road in the 80s and thinking this was something you wouldn’t see anywhere else in the world. “Once I settled in, I never wanted to go back, or go anywhere else.”

After graduating from Central Saint Martins college of art with a degree in product design, she did a rather punk thing by becoming the first female employee at Seymourpowell – then the largest industrial design agency in Europe. She recalls it being “very weird” only in hindsight, which hints at the confidence and self-possession of

the young graduate, qualities that no doubt convinced Seymourpowell HR that it was time to let their hair down.

She departed after three years and, after first acquiring a master’s degree with a specialism in furniture, set up her own studio. Her breakthrough moment came when she teamed up with Pret a Manger entrepreneur Julian Metcalfe. At the time, Krassa had a habit, every Friday, of hand-writing a letter to people she admired. After penning a letter to Metcalfe, he called her into his office. Several meetings later, he dropped a bombshell: he invited Krassa to join him in designing what would become the Itsu sushi chain.

“I told him that I would absolutely love to do this,” Krassa recalls, “but I’m a trained product designer. I know how to design planes, cars, furniture, electronics. I’ve never designed a space, brand or anything to do with food.”

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FROM TOP THE PERFECTIONISTS’ CAFÉ; NITRO ICE-CREAM PARLOUR AT THE PERFECTIONISTS’ CAFÉ

Metcalfe brushed aside her protestations. He gave her a small site on Hanover Square and eight weeks to prove herself. When Itsu’s conveyor belts finally fired up, the opening became a phenomenal success for Metcalfe and Krassa.

“There’d been nothing like it,” Krassa says. “I remember Property Weekly wrote at the time: ‘an average spend for a Londoner for lunch is £1.20. Asking them to spend £5 on cold fish… it will never become a mass chain’.”

Afterwards, Metcalfe kept Krassa on to help with Itsu’s roll-out. Krassa describes the experience as stumbling upon her true calling. Restaurant design, she says, “combined my product designer’s understanding

of differentiation when bringing new concepts to the market with my fascination of trying to understand consumers and people. When you open a space, you see immediately how consumers react – it’s something you don’t get in other design disciplines.

I thought: ‘I don’t want to be doing anything else’.”

L U C KY G O R D O N If London’s restaurant scene in 2004 was dynamic, it’s turbo-charged today.

With Ramsay’s Lucky Cat opening in the same premises as his former restaurant Maze – following losses of £3.8m in 2018 – the eyes of the restaurant industry were trained on the Scottish super-chef, waiting to see what

he would do next. Knowing that only a roaring success would do, Ramsay turned to Krassa.

With Dishoom, the interior designer had proved her ability to think outside the box. She took a brief to create an Indian Wagamama and stripped out all the hackneyed maximalism of the British curry house, presenting London with a vision in monochrome.

“If you look at a lot of restaurants from the 80s and 90s,” she says, “they were nice spaces, but there was nothing about what they were; unless it was done in a clichéd way, like your clichéd Italian.”

Dishoom reflected her appreciation of a perspective on Pink Floyd’s music – how the secret is “not what they added but what they took out”. With Lucky

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Cat, it’s been more about the putting in – tasting the food at the outset and constructing a layered narrative around what she found on the plate. Her interiors have been described as being based on ‘reflections, shades, layers and superimpositions’ (she laughs as this is put to her, describing the summary as “more poetic than I would have put it”) but this description works both on a material and narrative level.

With Lucky Cat, she’s layering a niche period in Japanese restaurant history upon present-day London, conjuring up the outlaw vibe of the kissa cafes of 1930s Osaka and Tokyo, where the monied youth of the post-war era locked themselves in for all-night parties, eating, drinking and partying to the strains of illegal jazz.

That’s what Ramsay wants to bring to Grosvenor Square. For almost 18 months of development, Krassa has been alongside him, advising on how to align uniforms, menus, music, the smell of the restaurant, even food presentation. Wait, she advised him on how to prepare food?

“When I’m working with someone like Gordon Ramsay I’m not going to tell them how to prepare food!” she laughs. “But we would sit with his team and say, ‘Look at the overall story that we’re trying to create – how do we

ALL IMAGES LUCKY CAT

BY GORDON RAMSAY

make the food really fit?’”

That Krassa has excellent people skills is clear. Ramsay, somewhat disappointingly, didn’t throw kitchen knives at her, and impressed her with his ability to give all his focus during their meetings, which often lasted three hours.

Not all celebrity chefs are cut from the same cloth, of course. Working with Heston Blumenthal on The Perfectionists’ Café in Heathrow, she had to somehow meld his blue-sky approach with the prosaic confines of Terminal Two. Blumenthal would turn up to meetings with gadgets and foaming cocktails and Krassa would tactfully remind him that no-one is allowed to bring liquid nitrogen into an airport. But somehow, despite no airport in the world allowing live flame cooking indoors, Krassa managed to get a wood-fired pizza oven – and the liquid nitrogen – into Heathrow.

“People forget that design is not just making something that looks beautiful – you have to create something that works beautifully as well,” she says. “You won’t find a better pizza in any airport in the world as it’s the only one with a proper burning pizza oven.”

As for Krassa, her favourite places to eat in London are small, often familyrun restaurants. “One of my favourites is

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a Greek restaurant in Maida Vale called Tsiakkos – if you passed it you might not even think it was open, it looks almost derelict.” Her least favourite places are those designed for the Instagramage: marketing-led spaces good for an initial burst of social media interest but ultimately cold and disengaged.

If Krassa has a signature anything, it’s a signature ambiance. “We’re trying to create atmospheric spaces that make you feel at ease. Making people feel relaxed as they go out for dinner is the biggest gift you’re given as a designer.

These are places where people go to have a great time, to make great memories.”

To illustrate her point, she quotes Marco Pierre White as having said: “‘Restaurants are the most romantic places. If you’re on first date, you’ll probably go to a restaurant. If you’re going to propose, you’d usually go to a restaurant. If you’re having your wedding, you’d probably celebrate in some dining or restaurant environment. And if you’re having an extra-marital affair, you’d probably conduct that in a restaurant too’.”

Despite its cynical twist, her point – perhaps unsurprisingly for someone named Afroditi – is that what London’s restaurant scene needs is a little more magic. Who’d have thought that stuffy old romance could become punk?

REVIEW

L U C K Y C AT G O R D O N R A M S AY ’ S F O R AY I N T O A S I A N F U S I O N F O O D I S A F E A S T F O R T H E E Y E S , B U T N O T H I N G YO U ’ V E N O T TA S T E D B E F O R E

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hile promoting whitewater thriller The River Wild in 1994, Kevin Bacon casually remarked to Premiere film magazine that he had “worked with everybody in Hollywood or someone who’s worked with them”. Shortly after, a thread appeared somewhere on the internet entitled ‘Kevin Bacon is the Center of the Universe’. It claimed that the actor’s varied career proved the legitimacy of the Six Degrees of Separation theory.

Pick any actor, the online post posited, and you’ll be able to plot a path to Bacon in six or less connections. How exactly the Footlooseheartthrob-turned-4G-poster-boy became the cult face of the decadesold acquaintance algorithm – it was thought up by a Hungarian author in 1929 – only the internet will know.

Whatever, however, the game blew up.

A book was published. Bacon was even persuaded to write the intro.

A decade or so later, ‘Bacon’s Law’, as it became known, got the backing of

some boffins at Microsoft. After studying billions of electric messages, the tech giant calculated that any two strangers are distanced by an average of just 6.6 connections. How destiny chooses to arrange these connections can result in some truly unlikely quirks of fate.

Take, for example, the single street in suburban England that spawned 12 table tennis champions during the 1980s (Silverdale Road, in Reading,

in case you were wondering). Or, how an impoverished Moscow tennis club produced more top 20 female players between 2005 and 2007 than the whole of the United States. Separation theory, or rather acquaintance theory, might also explain how a tiny cohort of culinary confrères were able to create the most successful dining concept of the past 20 years. The story of London’s upscale Asian boîtes goes something like this.

In 1999, inspired by the runaway success of New York’s Japanese restaurant Nobu – which had landed in London two years earlier – Hong Kong-born Londoner Alan Yau opens upscale Cantonese venue Hakkasan in a back alley just off Tottenham Court Road. Yau employs German chef Rainer Becker as a consultant, who, knowing a business opportunity when he sees one, promptly goes off to set up high-end Japanese joints Zuma in Knightsbridge in 2002 and ROKA on Charlotte Street in 2004. The quartet of swanky Asian eateries remain the hottest tickets in town, even after Yau opens Sake no Hana in St James’s in 2007 and ex-ROKA chef Jeff Tyler helps launch Japanese-Mediterranean mashup Novikov on Berkeley Street in 2011.

The following year, Sushisamba opens on the 38th and 39th floors of Heron Tower. City boys and girls no longer need to schlep to Mayfair to get their sweet, sticky black cod fix. In 2015, however, everyone piles back to W1 when Zuma alumnus Bjoern Weissgerber opens Sexy Fish in Berkeley Square. In 2016, it’s off to Sloane Street where Flavio Briatore – a man who has made a career out of cashing in on the lifestyle trends of the one per cent – has launched JapaneseItalian party restaurant Sumosan Twiga.

By the time Briatore poaches Kobebeef specialist Cláudio Cardoso from Sushisamba in 2018, you’re probably thinking ‘surely London has reached peak Nikkei?’ (That’s Japanese food fused with Peruvian). But no. This year saw Gordon Ramsay jump on

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Gordon Ramsay jumps on the bandwagon with Lucky Cat, directored

by Flavio Pensa, previously of Zuma, and executive head chef Ben Orpwood, of both Zuma and Sexy Fish

the bandwagon with Lucky Cat, a restaurant directored by Flavio Pensa, previously of Zuma, and helmed by executive head chef Ben Orpwood, formerly of both Zuma and Sexy Fish.

Ramsay was reprimanded for describing Lucky Cat as “an authentic Asian eating house”. Small plates from Burma and Mexico apparently amounted to cultural appropriation.

Our beef wasn’t with the menu per se, but with the fact we’d seen it at all before. Same food, same format: sushi and sashimi, buns and dumplings, snacks and skewers, sweet chops and spicy cutlets, all served izakaya-style, where dishes are fired at you in rapid succession at a pace that feels rushed.

The upshot of the aforementioned incestuous recruitment process is that all of London’s top Japanese restaurants have merged into one.

Some of the food at Lucky Cat –

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the pork belly, maitake mushrooms, seared scallops and duck dumplings – is delicious. Some of it is not: the prawn toast was burnt, the pea tempura tasteless, the chicken satay completely bland. Nervous waiters arrive in pairs, as if to reassure one another, answering questions unconvincingly before nervously stabbing orders into iPads. The process feels cold. Chopsticks are the cheap takeaway type; the menu is a flimsy pub-like single sheet of paper. The décor and DJ just about save things, but can’t distract from an overall feeling of ‘meh’.

If you’ve ever been to one of London’s other fancy Asian fusion venues, you’ve already been to Lucky Cat. And in today’s hyper-connected world you don’t need to know someone who knows someone who knows Kevin Bacon to tell you that. gordonramsayrestaurants.com

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INTERIORS I T ’ S W H AT ’ S I N S I D E T H AT CO U N T S

P.77 POWER HOUSE Statement pieces for your home

P.78 ACHILLE SALVAGNI The Italian interior designer on his most extravagant creations

P.84 DAVID LINLEY Marquetry and trompe l’oeil collide in this new collection

Tony Duquette and Hutton Wilkinson, who have worked with the Duke & Duchess of Windsor, Gucci and Bergdrof Goodman, were tasked with updating the 12th-century Palazzo Brandolini in Venice in the 1980s. It is one of many interior design highlights featured in Phaidon’s new book, The Greatest Rooms of the Century (p.68)

IF THESE WA L L S COULD TA L K A NEW BOOK BY PHAIDON OFFERS A GLIMPSE INSIDE THE MOST GROUND-BREAKING R O O M S O F T H E PAST C E N T U RY A N D T H E I N G E N I O U S M I N D S T H AT BROUGHT THEM TO LIFE

Words: Ellen Millard

Below: Interior designer Ashley Hicks’ London home is located in the Albany, a prestigious apartment block next to the Royal Academy of Arts on Piccadilly

that was once home to Lord Byron. Hicks inherited the apartment from his interior designer father David, although little remains of the original design.

Instead, Hicks’ preferred jewel-tone colour palette reigns supreme, complemented by his eclectic curios, giant cast-resin gemstones and neon obelisks.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MANOLO YLLERA

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Left: When it comes to decorating your home, it pays to have one of Madrid’s top interior designers in the family. For his brother’s apartment, Lorenzo Castillo championed his signature style of antique-meets-modern design with tobacco armchairs and vintage rugs offset against a contemporary spiral staircase centrepiece. It was completed in 2010.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAI LINH

Right: Founded by Emiliano Salci and Britt Moran, Milan-based Dimore Studio has a star-studded CV that includes Hermès, Fendi and Ian Schrager. This duplex apartment in Paris, designed for a private client in 2015, is a prime example of the duo’s signature aesthetic, for which disparate eras and styles are blended with ease.

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onfession time: I have a dirty secret. A clandestine compulsion played out in magazines burrowed under my bed, images saved in folders on my phone, and webpages covertly bookmarked. And now I know I’m not alone. You probably have the same desires; the same adrenaline rush and flutter of excitement that comes with the sight of your wildest fantasies being played out in front of you – a New York loft, a Mayfair townhouse, a summer home in St Tropez... I’m talking, of course, about property porn.

From Grand Designs to Homes Under the Hammer, the human instinct of curiosity — or, perhaps better described as nosiness — is never more prevalent than when looking into the literal windows of other people’s lives.

An interiors magazine is a curtain twitcher’s

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dream; a home improvement programme a snooper’s paradise. It’s the same fascination that probably drove you to flick to the property section of this very magazine first (thanks for coming back to the wordy stuff); the very same intrigue that forces people to stop and gawk at the windows of estate agents.

It’s also what spawned a new book by Phaidon, which looks through the keyholes of the homes of some of the top creatives from the past 100 years. Interiors: The Greatest Rooms of the Century provides a glimpse into the living spaces created and commissioned by some of the most influential people in design — from interiors greats Anouska Hempel, Zaha Hadid and Colefax & Fowler to fashion aficionados Karl Lagerfeld, Coco Chanel and Gianni Versace.

Inside, there’s an introduction by William Norwich, interior design and fashion editor, formerly of Vogue and The New York Times, as

Left: Interior designer Roger de Cabrol began his career as an assistant to Salvador Dalí – and the Surrealist artist’s influence has clearly stayed with him.

In de Cabrol’s New York loft apartment, which was completed in 2014, red velvet stiletto chairs and heartshaped bookends bring a pleasing air of whimsy to the space.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID S. ALLEE

well as essays by Graeme Brooker, head of interior design at the Royal College of Art, interior designer David Netto and textile designer Carolina Irving — but it’s the pictures that do the real talking.

Flicking through provides an insight into the creative minds and lives of some of the world’s best artists, style icons, film stars and visionaries. In some cases, the connection between designer and home is obvious: Laura Ashley’s St Tropez retreat, where she entertained the likes of Margaret Thatcher and Diana, Princess of Wales, is a chintzy mansion with the same floral Victorianera prints with which the designer is synonymous. Terence Conran’s 17thcentury home in Berkshire is a remodelling of the cluttered chic championed in his early Habitat stores.

Even Salvador Dalí’s fisherman’s cottage in Spain is as you would expect from the master of Surrealism — in the

Right: In 2015, Jan Showers designed the interiors of this Grade II listed Belgravia townhouse to complement the expansive art collection of dealer Lauren Gurvich King and her husband, hotelier Jeremy King.

Opposite: Karl Lagerfeld’s Romebased apartment, which he acquired in the 1990s, is one of 20 residences he designed with the help of interiors greats Andrée Putman and Christian Liaigre – with each room and property different to the next.

living room, above a tasteful but otherwise simple antique suite, are three life-sized taxidermy geese.

In other cases, the choice of design is surprising. Gilbert & George, whose distinctly colourful graphic-style collages are brash, noisy and attention-grabbing, have decorated their Spitalfields-based home in an homage to the 18th-century,

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATE MARTIN

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRITZ VON DER SCHULENBURG

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ART DEPARTMENT LA/PIETER ESTERSOHN

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Left: Martin Brudnizki’s homefrom-home aesthetic has been lovingly applied to Annabel’s, The Ivy and Sexy Fish. His twobedroom flat in west London, completed in 2014, is rather more modest than his usual projects, but it has the same chic-meets-snug style typical of the designer.

Below: Julia Morgan was one of America’s most important female architects – she was the first to be licensed in California and designed more than 700 buildings. Hearst Castle, built for magazine magnate William Randolph Hearst, kept her occupied for 28 years – it was completed in 1947.

“Karl Lagerfeld seems to reinvent himself through his homes” Opposite: This Mississippi mansion was one of Richard Keith Langham’s first projects, completed more than 30 years ago. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2011, the designer refurbished the property. Today, the same opulent design is found throughout the house.

Below: Completed in 2013 and named “best new house in the world” two years later by The Architectural Review, David Chipperfield’s Fayland House – created for a private client – is deliberately minimalist so as not to draw attention from the surrounding woodland.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SIMON MENGES

with lead paint, period plastering techniques and furniture previously owned by Gothic Revival architect Augustus Pugin. The house is kept meticulously neat, the artists say, to allow them to channel the “chaos and filth” into their artworks instead.

In Rome, king of monochrome Karl Lagerfeld requested that interior designer Andrée Putman create him a wood-panelled bathroom, with Fortuny fabric and furniture from the Wiener Werkstätte. The only hint that this is the home of Chanel’s late creative director is a stack of ivory towels, embroidered with a simple black KL monogram. According to writer Cathy Horyn, since Karl Lagerfeld arrived in Paris in the 1950s, he lived in more than 20 residences. “The wellfurnished mind of Karl Lagerfeld needs an ever-changing stage... He seems to reinvent himself through his homes,” she wrote.

In essence, our homes are truly a reflection of ourselves, a private hole in which to burrow, relax and decorate as

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHUTTERSTOCK/GNOHZ

we please. “And then he or she will most likely take a photograph and post it on Instagram,” writes Norwich in the book’s introduction. “Why not? Is it conspicuous consumerism, flagrant status-seeking?

Or isn’t feathering a nest the best kind of soldiering on, showing how the harmonies of one’s own can soothe an inharmonious world?”

Interiors: The Greatest Rooms of the Century is out now, £59.95, phaidon.com

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4 1. AMAZONIA WALLPAPER, POA, DEGOURNAY.COM 2. VENUS LOVE SEAT, POA, SOANE.CO.UK 3. SPIDER CHANDELIER, £82,915, ACHILLE SALVAGNI,1STDIBS.COM 4. ROOM DIVIDER, £67,685, ACHILLE SALVAGNI,1STDIBS.COM 5. CUSHION, £165, UK.JONATHANADLER.COM 6. SCULPTURE, POA, R-AND-COMPANY.COM 7. TATO CHAIR, £22,000, ACHILLESALVAGNI.COM 8. CORAL CONSOLE, POA, R-AND-COMPANY.COM

GO BIG & GO HOME Words: Anna Prendergast

Between a collection of the century’s most beautifully designed spaces (see p.68) and hyper-opulent interiors (see p.78), we couldn’t help but be drawn to supersized proportions and statement pieces this issue. Achille Salvagni’s off-kilter silhouettes provide an element of unpredictability and channel nature’s disregard for symmetry; Ashley Hicks makes a case for playful colour palettes and trophy-like sculptures. Mirrors and lighting have the power to transform a space, while tongue-in-cheek (or pill-in-teeth) graphic textiles such as Jonathan Adler’s cushion collection makes a room look less calculated.

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ACHILLE’S HEAL A C H I L L E S A LVA G N I I S T H E I N T E R I O R D E S I G N E R O B S E S S E D W I T H D E T A I L , A M A N W H O L A B O R I O U S LY A D D S PAT I N A S TO D O O R H A N D L E S , W H O I S K N O W N FOR COMMISSIONING THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR C A S T I N G B R O N Z E S F O R T H E VAT I C A N T O M A K E A S I N G L E B AT H R O O M M I R R O R . T H I S I S W H Y S A LVA G N I P I E C E S R E G U L A R LY C R O P U P I N A U C T I O N S A T S OT H E BY ’ S A N D W H Y H E CO U N TS T H E L I K E S O F PAU L SIMON, MICHAEL BLOOMBERG AND JEFF KOONS AMONG HIS CLIENTS. AHEAD OF THE OCTOBER LAUNCH OF THE F I R S T M O N O G R A P H O F H I S W O R K , S A LVA G N I TA L K S MODERNISM, MIND-SETS AND METICULOUSNESS

Words: Josh Sims

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t’s a fair question, concedes Achille Salvagni. Just why does anyone need an interior designer – especially creative people such as songwriter Paul Simon, artist Jeff Koons and the businessman Michael Bloomberg, all of whom he counts among his clients? Don’t people want to live in a home of their own making? “It’s not really a question of capability,” he says, “but of vision. It’s why people go to restaurants rather than cook for themselves. Sure, I can evaluate a recipe or a dish myself, but I can’t put it together properly like a chef.

“You know,” he adds, “there are people who have, say, an incredible eye for art but then aren’t sure how to put it together in their house. And then there are people who can’t even pick an ashtray. Likewise, you can be well-educated and wealthy but still be very tacky, in the way you dress for example. And then you can be, say, an indigenous Australian in the middle of the outback and be extremely elegant. It’s all a question of mindset.”

Salvagni’s clients are not typically Aboriginal. But nor, indeed, do they tend to be the oligarch sort or the new rich. The latter, he says, tend to just want out-and-out opulence. But not, he stresses, his kind of opulence: “something simple can be opulent,” he points out. “Opulence doesn’t have to mean some shiny gold thing.” He describes a lot of what he does as a kind of armchair psychology, sitting with the client to work

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out what it is they want “but that they’re not actually saying – sometimes you end up more doctor than architect.” Sometimes too, he admits, he has to back out of a project. “It’s just respectful to recognise that working together isn’t the right thing to do.”

Of course, that’s not to say the Italian architect and star interior designer isn’t used to working to all tastes. Indeed, perhaps his greatest strength is his diversity. This is illustrated in the first monograph of his work, Achille Salvagni, to be published by Rizzoli.

He describes himself as having more a method than a style: “I’m just not interested in developing some signature look and doing that over and over again for different people,” he says. “There’s already a big list of architects and designers who just do the same thing regardless of whether it’s in uptown New York or the middle of the Egyptian desert.

It’s an easy, secure approach to have and it’s successful for a lot of people. But that’s not for me. One way of working is just to impose your ideas on someone. But another is to be a tailor who tries to adapt your own sensibility to the needs of the individual.”

All the same, he has been described as a modernist, but this doesn’t express the lushness or the exquisiteness of his designs.

Salvagni’s attention to details and materials is verging on obsessive: when he wanted a mirror frame made in bronze, he tracked down the craftsperson responsible for the bronzes in the Vatican and persuaded him to take on

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THIS PAGE, FROM TOP MINI VITTORIA SHEARLING CHAIR; 24-CARAT GOLD PLATED CHAOS VASE; OPPOSITE PAGE GENEVA INTERIOR, COURTESY OF ACHILLE SALVAGNI, PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAOLO PETRIGNANI

THIS PAGE YACHT AURORA, COURTESY OF ACHILLE SALVAGNI, PHOTOGRAPHY

BY PAOLO PETRIGNANI OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP YACHT AURORA, COURTESY OF ACHILLE SALVAGNI, PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAOLO PETRIGNANI; ROME INTERIOR, COURTESY OF ACHILLE SALVAGNI, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES MACDONALD

ACHILLE SALVAGNI, text by Pilar Viladas, foreword by Benoist F. Drut, Rizzoli New York, £50, release date: October 2019, rizzoliusa.com

the commission. Rome is where Salvagni was born and where he lives with his family – a place where, as he puts it, you are living not just with 3,000 years of history but also with the artisans dedicated to its preservation.

Salvagni’s unusual method is to find the artisan and then develop the potential locked up in their particular craft skill. He’s recently started working with an expert in parchment, a material Salvagni hopes to use in an ongoing series of cabinets; and with the makers of glass in Murano, with whom he’s explored the potential alpaca silver, a metal alloy that appears either gold or silver depending on the light.

“I couldn’t have built my business in, say, New York, because the craftsmanship is here in Rome. I spend a lot of time meeting with people who really know the materials they work with. And that in turn determines how I work,” Salvagni explains. “I start with their ability and then create an item around that, contrary to the usual way of designing a piece and then finding someone to make it. But I do need to educate the artisans I work with – just because you have the talent of being able to restore an ancient marble piece doesn’t mean you know how to make a new one. I’m trying to convert their talents. Some artisans are reluctant, but others are excited to explore something new with me.”

Certainly some of the furniture and other interior items Salvagni designs and has made for his clients are little short of stunning – sometimes they’re in strictly short runs for those who want the piece but not the full home design service. Prices can be stunning, too. An armchair might set you back £18,000, a lamp

or chandelier £25,000, a coffee table £30,000, a cabinet £90,000-plus. But the execution is superb: chaises longues in rich orange velvet; side tables with alloy surfaces extending from marble eggs; chandeliers that nod to space age designs of the 1950s and 60s but can’t quite so easily be placed in a specific era; likewise, curvaceous walnut, bronze and marble cabinets that might belong to the 18th or 22nd centuries, in a chateau or a sci-fi setting.

Salvagni, it transpires, is a bit of a sci-fi fan, at least when it comes to visions of possible living environments. If he’s still around once commercial space travel becomes a reality, he would like to create a suitably functional yet fantastic spacecraft interior. He’s already applied the same sense of the unique one-off to floating interiors. In 2017, he designed the interior of the 164ft super-yacht Aurora, from the Italian Rossinavi shipyard. He’s won various awards from the boat design world for developing a system that works as a shell within a yacht’s interior, to which can be fixed pieces of furniture that look as though they’re freestanding – not typically an option for rough seas, of course.

All of his designs come with a definite Italian aura, perhaps moderated by a touch of the clean and calm look that he sought during a month-long road trip around Scandinavia. It nods to the work of the nation’s design greats, the likes of Gio Ponti, Tomaso Buzzi and Paolo Buffa. It’s for this reason, no doubt, that Salvagni takes being called a modernist as a compliment.

“I think that means someone who doesn’t let go of the roots, of heritage, while also trying to look to the future,” he explains. “Designing with some sense of history means I’m then very much in my comfort zone as a Roman.

For me every piece has to give the sense that it will last – not just in terms of construction quality but in its look. It’s traditional craft given a new perspective. That for me is what modernism is about.”

He has showrooms in New York and London, where you can also pick up pieces by Gio Ponti or perhaps a 2,200-year-old piece of Roman statuary, but Rome is Salvagni’s creative heartlead. The Roman influence runs deep: Salvagni’s Brancaleone onyx and bronze sconce borrows its shape and name from a helmet worn by the 13th-century Roman governor Brancaleone degli Andalo. The legs on a cabinet might be inspired by the papal tiara.

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“Rome is best to create in, but London remains the best place to reach my calibre of clients – not just those with money but with the ability to distinguish between a good and a bad piece,” he says. “What’s great about interior design is the fact that people are much more educated about it now, in large part because of the internet.”

Whether his two children know what they’re talking about too – they’re aged just 10 and seven – is something Salvagni is working on. Look at images of his family home in Rome and, while far from austere, there’s a Spartan order to affairs. It must be a nightmare with two energised kids.

“They’ve always been educated to appreciate beauty. Besides,” he adds with a chuckle, “they have an area of the apartment that’s just theirs. I was always taught to appreciate things and not to destroy them as children sometimes do. And I try very hard to pass that on. They haven’t done too much damage yet...”

Achille Salvagni will be exhibiting at PAD London, 30 September - 6 October 2019, achillesalvagni.com

TO P D R AW E R :

THE NEW LINLEY ALBA COLLECTION T H E R E V E R E D B R I T I S H F U R N I T U R E C O M PA N Y F O U N D E D B Y D AV I D L I N L E Y D I S P L AY E D I T S L AT E S T B E S P O K E C R E AT I O N S AT M A S T E R P I E C E LO N D O N , C O M P L E T E W I T H H I D D E N D O O R WAY S , R E V O LV I N G WA L L S A N D T R O M P E L ’ O E I L E F F E C T S

D

avid Linley, son of HRH Princess Margaret and the legendary photographer Lord Snowdon, founded his eponymous brand in 1985 with the aim of producing furniture of the highest standards.

His commissions speak for themselves. The company has since created a 60-person boardroom table for New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and conceived the marquetry for the grand lobby of the cruise ship Queen Elizabeth. LINLEY’s clients include Sir Elton John and fashion designer Valentino Garavani.

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T H E A L B A C O L L E C T I O N

Framed within a Parthenon-like atrium at this year’s Masterpiece London, four key pieces form LINLEY’s Alba collection – a drinks cabinet, coffee table, sofa and chair. Under the direction of LINLEY’s creative duo, Graham Green and Michael Keech (who met while working in Ralph Lauren’s design team), the brand has taken a noticeably more sensual approach, with a softer aesthetic allowing the eye to be drawn to delicate silhouettes. What remains unchanged is the brand’s unmistakable marquetry and patterned veneers, with painstaking

attention paid to the smallest of details. Inspiration is provided by great European abstract painters, including Piet Mondrian, Joan Miró and Wassily Kandinsky – ensuring the furniture will imbue any room with an Art Deco vibe.

As is so often the case with LINLEY furniture, things are not always as they first seem. The coffee table’s twisting tabletop reveals builtin storage for a corkscrew, bespoke stacking coasters and a stainless steel ice bucket. It is the drinks cabinet, however, that boasts the best party trick: a bookcase front rotates inwards to reveal a luxurious bar, complete with hidden drawers and pleasingly weighty accessories.

Alba Drinks Cabinet, £158,000; Alba Chair, £39,000; Coffee Table, £64,000; Alba Sofa, £78,000, davidlinley.com

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LIFTING ELEVATED TO NEW HEIGHTS REMASTERED WITH

CAVIAR PREMIER

GOING BEYOND WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT POSSIBLE, CAVIAR PREMIER CAPTURES THE FULL POTENTIAL OF CAVIAR FOR NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN LIFTING AND FIRMING PAIRED WITH A NEW DIMENSION OF SENSORIAL INDULGENCE.

P.88 BLAZERS OF GLORY New season twists on traditional female tailoring

P.94 HAUTE STUFF The couture designers championing brocade suits and frothy frocks

P.104 RUCK AND ROLL Earn your stripes with vintage rugby jerseys

COUTURE CUT FROM A DIFFERENT CLOTH

Famed for his love of colour, photographer Erik Madigan Heck has turned his arty eye to Cerutti’s AW19 campaign, which stars models Lia Marie, Xavier Gibson, Akeem Osborne and Ismael Savane (pictured), cerruti.com

Sienna jacket, $650, annaquan.com

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B U T TO N D OW N T H E B AC K-TO - W O R K U N I F O R M YO U N E E D TO K N O W A B O U T

Words: Anna Prendergast

In 1968, socialite Nan Kempner was turned away from Le Côte Basque in New York while wearing a YSL tuxedo. In defiance of the antiquated dress code, she removed the jacket and turned it into a skirt. Fifty years on, defiance is the attitude in tailoring once again, and designers are disregarding the rulebook. Or certain pages of it, anyway – fit, structure and cut are all prioritised, moderated by the same elegance demonstrated

by Kempner that evening. The asymmetric new cut seen at the AW19 shows of Dior, Brunello Cucinelli and Jacquemus will elicit double takes for its subtle transgression of traditional styles, with its single-breasted closure on a double-breasted construction. Block colours go big – see House of Holland’s fruity orange belted jacket and high-impact fuschia at Attico and Jacquemus – while checks are oversized to balance generous lapels. The Row’s take is a slimcut, understated staple, and while we like the extra length in the torso of Anna Quan’s Sienna jacket (a street style highlight at Copenhagen Fashion Week in August), we recommend having the sleeves shortened by your tailor for the perfect fit. As with the best tailoring, the trend is unisex – Naomi Campbell wore Kim Jones’ interpretation at the Dior Homme SS19 show in Paris, where male models wore it down the catwalk with plimsolls.

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1. Grey blazer, £850, acnestudios.com 2. Crepe silk blazer with detachable sequin cuffs, £3,460, shop.brunellocucinelli.com hecked wool blazer, Brunello Cucinelli, 3. C £3,650, net-a-porter.com 4. E mbellished checked woven blazer, Tibi, £895, net-a-porter.com 5. F uschia wool-blend gabardine blazer, Attico, £840, net-a-porter.com 6. O range wool-blend belted jacket, £550, houseofholland.co.uk 7. C iel wool-blend crepe blazer, The Row, £2,260, net-a-porter.com

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FLASH BACK THE KING OF AMERICAN GLAMOUR, MICHAEL KORS R E T U R N S T O T H E H E Y D AY O F T H E S U LT R Y 1 9 7 0 S F O R H I S AW 1 9 C O L L E C T I O N O F B O H E M I A N S T Y L E , H I G H - O C TA N E C H I C A N D D I S C O V I B E S

N

owadays, there are few places that would leave a fourtonne, four-inch layer of glitter on a dancefloor after a New Year’s Eve party, not least for sustainability reasons. But those were the heady days of the 1970s at Studio 54, one of New York’s biggest and brashest clubs.

The former nightclub saw the rich and famous pass through its doors ready for hedonistic fun and a memorable evening. So it’s no wonder that designer Michael Kors, known for his vivacious American glamour, wants to relive this era through his latest collection. From sparkling shoulder bags to snakeskin platform boots, the 70s are back with free love and funk in the Michael Kors AW19 collection.

The label’s latest campaign shows off the best of the new range. Photographed by Dutch duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in a New York mansion, model Rianne Van Rompaey sports plush feather boas, knee-high boots and suede leather accessories. Living in the past never looked so good. michaelkors.co.uk

FROM TOP CRUSHED BUTTON DOWN SHIRT, £820; LUCIENNE BOOT, £820; BANCROFT SHOULDER BAG, £1,050, ALL MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION

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HERE COMES THE SUN CAUDALIE’S FIVE-STRONG SUNCARE COLLECTION OFFERS E C O - F R I E N D LY, H I G H - F A C T O R P R O T E C T I O N

C

an you handle the heat? If you’re British, probably not. When the temperature soars, our nation becomes a sticky mess. Our houses aren’t cool enough, our transport isn’t robust enough and we the people simply aren’t hardy enough. And yet, that doesn’t stop us stripping off with gay abandon when the thermometer needle reaches the mid-20s.

But as likely as it is to see a gaggle of halfnaked sweaty sunbathers in your local park, so too is it to see your fellow countrymen tinged Pantone shades of pink and red. The season of the sunburnt Brit is upon us and, thankfully, there’s a host of innovative sun damage solutions to keep your skin protected this summer.

Enter Caudalie’s Suncare collection. Based on research by the brand’s Natural Research Laboratory, Caudalie’s best-performing SPF formula provides high-factor protection in a choice of non-sticky textures to suit all skin types and levels of sun exposure, from face creams to sprays and oils. The formula, which has a light, frangipani fragrance, is enriched with organic grape water and grapeseed oil to provide hydration and sooth sensitive skin.

And it’s kind to the seas, too.

Oxybenzone and octinoxate are chemical filters used in traditional sun creams; they contaminate sea algae, which corals depend on for nourishment. Caudalie’s Suncare collection has neither of these chemicals, and is also water-resistant and highly biodregrable – making it as good for the marine environment as it is for your skin.

From £18, uk.caudalie.com

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@luxurylondonofficial @luxurylondonofficial @luxurylondonofficial  @luxurylondonofficial @luxurylondonofficial  @luxurylondonofficial  @luxurylondonofficial   @theofficialll @luxurylondonofficial  @theofficialll  @theofficiall  @ @luxurylondonofficial @luxurylondonofficial @theofficialll @luxurylondonofficial  @luxurylondonofficial  @theofficialll @luxurylondonofficial @luxurylondonofficial @luxurylondonofficial  @luxurylondonofficial @luxurylondonofficial  @luxurylondonofficial  @luxurylondonofficial   @theofficialll @luxurylondonofficial  @theofficialll  @theofficiall  @ @luxurylondonofficial @luxurylondonofficial @theofficialll @luxurylondonofficial  @luxurylondonofficial  @theofficialll

Rose-cut white diamond Phoenix collection earrings with round white diamond surrounds, set in 18ct white gold, POA, Double flower Palm collection ring with marquise and round brilliant white diamonds, set in 18ct white gold, POA, davidmorris.com; Silk shirt, Brocade trousers, Brocade cape, Shoes with bow detail, POA, dolcegabbana.com; Rhinestone tiara, ÂŁ1,110, stephenjonesmillinery.com

O F F T H E WA L L ENTER THE MAGICAL WORLD OF COUTURE, WHERE AVA N T- G A R D E TA I L O R I N G , FROTHY FROCKS AND FA N C I F U L H E A D W E A R RULE SUPREME

PHOTOGRAPHER TURI LØVIK KIRKNES STYLIST VICTORIA WRIGHT

THIS PAGE Silk dress, £4,650, valentino.com; Black and white ostrich pillbox, £793, racheltrevormorgan.com; Arpeggia Five-Line earrings and necklace, POA, White gold Arpeggia Three-Line bracelet with white diamonds, POA, debeers.co.uk; Ophelia satin opera feather trimmed gloves, £110, corneliajames.com OPPOSITE PAGE Rose jacquard knit off-shoulder dress, £2,990, Black Leather Double Belt, £640, alexandermcqueen.com

THIS PAGE Floral dress, POA, giambattistavalli.com; Cresswell felt hat, £355, lockhatters.co.uk; Necklace with South Sea pearls and 12.25cts of diamonds set in 18ct white gold, £26,000, yokolondon.com; Serena silk satin sandals, £595, charlotteolympia.com; Virginia lace gloves, £75, corneliajames.com OPPOSITE PAGE Sequin and tulle gown, POA, zeynepkartal.co.uk; Pear shape, marquise and round brilliant white diamond Le Jardin collection tiara, set in 18ct white gold, POA, davidmorris.com; Choker with South Sea pearls and12.32cts of diamonds set in 18ct white gold, Bracelet with Akoya pearls and 6.47cts of diamonds set in 18ct white gold, POA, yokolondon.com; Ophelia satin opera feather trimmed gloves, £110, corneliajames.com; Liquid mirror leather sandals, £1,495, jimmychoo.com; Handpainted croc printed calf leather jewellery box, £1,795, smythson.com Photography assistant: Tristan Fennell Set design: Kathryn ‘Madge’ Healey Makeup: Maria Asadi Hair: Enzo Volpe Model: Wei Wei from Milk Management

T H E

M O T H E R

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PEARLS

J A PA N E S E J E W E L L E R Y H O U S E TA S A K I H A S B E E N T H E I N S I D E R ’ S P E A R L G O -TO S I N C E I T S F O U N DAT I O N I N 1 9 5 4 . T H E C O M PA N Y ’ S N E W AT E L I E R C O L L E C T I O N , INSPIRED BY THE OCEAN, GOES BACK TO THE BRAND’S ROOTS

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W

hen Plato created the fictional island of Atlantis, he was making a comment on the hubris of nations. On this land, bigger than Asia and Libya together, he said, “existed a confederation of kings, of great and marvellous power, which held sway over all the island, and over many other islands also”. Following an earthquake, Plato wrote, Atlantis sank into the ocean, and disappeared in 9,000BC. Despite the philosopher’s attempts to authenticate the story – he claimed it had been passed down through generations – his is the only known record of this allegorical utopia.

And yet, more than 2,000 years since it was created, the legend of the lost city remains a source of wonder and inspiration.

Prabal Gurung, the creative director of Tasaki, is certainly inspired. The Japanese jewellery house has long had an affiliation with the ocean; specialising in rare Akoya and golden South Sea pearls farmed in Japan and Myanmar, the house has been diving to the depths of the seabed for 65 years. The latest iteration of its Atelier collection is an ode to the brand’s oceancentric technique – and Plato’s mythical island was the first port of call for inspiration.

“The sea is peaceful, tranquil and serene – but also ferocious. The sea represents everlasting fearlessness,” Gurung said. “We have learnt that Tasaki is limitless. Now, going into each collection we are able to create things that we previously could only dream of.”

“The sea is peaceful, tranquil and serene – but also ferocious”

OPPOSITE PAGE WATERFALL EARRINGS, £286,000; WATERFALL NECKLACE, £410,000; WATERFALL RING, £52,400 THIS PAGE, FROM TOP £52,400 SURGE EAR CUFF, £55,300; SURGE NECKLACE: £343,000; NACREOUS EARRINGS, £13,200; ELYSIUM BRACELET, £191,000

A submarine world, dotted with high-rise buildings and rainbow coral, is what Gurung imagined when picturing Atlantis, and it’s this on which he has based his new jewellery pieces.

Divided into six collections – Narcreous, Aurora, Buoy, Waterfall, Elysium and Surge – the new range of pendants, earrings and rings play on the ocean theme with innovative cuts that mirror the unpredictable nature of the sea.

Surge, for example, captures the energy of an ocean wave and its ever-changing form.

The cool sheen of 18ct white gold represents the break of a wave, while miniature pearl and diamond detailing symbolises the brilliance of the surf, caught in the sunlight.

More avant-garde is the Buoy collection of pendants, earrings and rings. Pearls are suspended between curving lines of white and yellow gold, shaped like a crescent moon to reflect the surface of the sea.

But perhaps most dazzling of all is Elysium.

Taking its name from the Greek word for utopia, the blue topaz, sapphire, garnet and diamond suite mimics the brilliance of the North Star, as it would have been seen from the shores of Atlantis.

170 New Bond Street, W1S, tasaki.co.uk

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M A N Y FAC E S WEMPE’S NEW BOND STREET SHOWROOM WELCOMES G I R A R D - P E R R E G AU X , O N E O F T H E O L D E ST CO M PA N I E S I N T R A D I T I O N A L WATC H M A K I N G

Words: Richard Brown

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D

ebuting in 1975, GirardPerregaux’s original Laureato arrived in the decade of the steel sports watch, landing three years after Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak and one year before both Patek Philippe’s Nautilus and IWC’s Ingenieur. A piece of horological trivia: the watch took its name from the Italian translation of The Graduate, Dustin Hoffman’s seminal 1967 coming-of-age film.

In 2016, Girard-Perregaux reintroduced the Laureato in a limited-edition run to celebrate its 225th anniversary. While the original watch housed an industry-leading quartz movement, the modern

LAUREATO ABSOLUTE FUNCTIONS: HOURS, MINUTES, CENTRE SECONDS, DATE

version was equipped with an inhouse mechanical calibre, visible through a sapphire crystal case-back.

A year later, the Laureato became a permanent collection, delivered in four sizes (34mm, 38mm, 42mm and 45mm) before being bolstered by a range of chronograph models in 2018.

This year, Girard-Perregaux launched the Laureato Absolute, the most athletic and exciting manifestation of the sporty timepiece yet. The Laureato Absolute introduces a new case size, 44mm, which, thanks to a PVD-treated titanium construction, wears incredibly lightly on the wrist.

Three models – a time-and-date,

LAUREATO ABSOLUTE WW.TC FUNCTIONS: HOURS, MINUTES, CENTRE SECONDS, WORLD TIME WITH DAY AND NIGHT INDICATOR

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chronograph and world-timer – make up the all-black, electric-blue-dial collection. Water resistance has been upped to 300 metres, pushers made more angular and power reserves maintained at a minimum of 46 hours.

With origins dating back to 1791, Girard-Perregaux is one of the oldest and most revered brands in mechanical watchmaking. Its current name was established in 1856 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, with the marriage of Constant Girard and Marie Perregaux. Discover more about the brand at Wempe’s New Bond Street Boutique now.

43–44 New Bond Street, wempe.com

LAUREATO ABSOLUTE CHRONOGRAPH FUNCTIONS: HOURS, MINUTES, SMALL SECONDS, DATE, CHRONOGRAPH

LI N E O U T S B E F LY E R T H A N A F LY - H A L F T H I S A U T U M N

Words: Anna Prendergast

We wouldn’t usually look to fashion for intimidation tactics. But while the New Zealand team has the Haka and England has Maro Itoje’s tackle tekkers, the international style squad has Alessandro Michele’s vaguely threatening Gucci shirt with ‘Thanatos’ emblazoned across the shoulders. Thanatos is the Greek god of death. How’s that

THE BRITISH ISLES VS WAIRARAPA BUSH, 20 JUNE 1950, NEW ZEALAND

for cross-cultural referencing?

As the world prepares for the Rugby World Cup to kick off in Japan and take over every TV screen in the country from September 20th, the classic rugby shirt is the easiest way to get into the team spirit and score mid-season menswear points. Archive designs that feel like you’ve borrowed your dad’s school kit, preppy polos

and varsity club colours are as timeless as the Gil Evans whistle – and you’ll get just as much use out of them. Two-tone horizontal stripes (or ‘hoops’) are brought to life with soft contrast collars and imaginative crests such as Drake’s Chinese tiger motif, Hackett’s vintagestyle number patches and Kent & Curwen’s reimagining of the English rose.

Blue and red jersey polo, £69, rmwilliams-store.co.uk

Red and blue Thanatos shirt, Gucci, £820, farfetch.com

Beige and red striped shirt, Kent & Curwen, £115, farfetch.com

Embroidered blue and white shirt, Gucci, £1,452, farfetch.com

Pink and blue vertical striped shirt, Adidas, £73, farfetch.com

Ecru and navy polo with crest, £112.50, drakes.com

Red, white and blue jersey, £160, rowingblazers.com

Black and yellow jersey, £160, rowingblazers.com

Pink and pale blue shirt, £115, kentandcurwen.com

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THE CITY EDIT

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE, EC3V THEROYALEXCHANGE.CO.UK

F I G H T E R J E T-T H E M E D WAT C H E S , T R AV E L A C C E S S O R I E S A N D C I T Y- I N S P I R E D S C E N T S F R O M T H E R O YA L E X C H A N G E

ASPINAL OF LONDON Make the necessary airport admin a little more chic with Aspinal of London’s neon travel accessories – a selection of travel wallets, passport holders and luggage tags in a range of summer shades.

From £130, 19 Royal Exchange

PENHALIGON’S Inspired by Egypt’s sprawling capital city, Penhaligon’s Cairo cologne is a heady mix of damascan rose, saffron and Sri Lankan sandalwood. £173, 4 Royal Exchange

BREMONT MARKS 10 YEARS OF MARTIN-BAKER PARTNERSHIP For the past decade, Bremont and Martin-Baker, the aviation company responsible for supplying more than 70 per cent of the western world’s Air

Forces with fighter ejection seat technology, have worked together in a celebration of British engineering. In 2009, the pair created a definitive aviation watch solely for pilots: the MB1. Now, to celebrate 10 years of collaboration, the two have produced the

Limited Edition MBIII/10th, which includes design nods to the aviation brand: an ejection danger triangle logo on the dial and an etching of the MK16 seat, from the F-35 fighter jet, on the case back.

From £4,195, 12 Royal Exchange

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GRIND More stylish than your average jar of instant coffee, these Grind Nespresso pods allow you to enjoy your favourite caffeine hit from the comfort of your own kitchen. £12, 34 Royal Exchange

Collect Harrods Rewards points with every holiday booking

LUXURY WINTER WARMERS The holidays you need to soothe your soul From beach breaks to tailor-made travel, your winter holiday is safe in our hands. Book by 30 September to enjoy spectacular discounts Visit A&K on Harrods’ Lower Ground Floor for more information

020 7173 6440 abercrombiekent.co.uk/winterwarmers

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08/08/2019 11:21

ESCAPE TO ST R I V E , TO S E E K , TO F I N D. . .

P.110 AN INDIAN ADVENTURE The ultimate guide to navigating the subcontinent

P.120 MEX IT UP Discover the more tranquil, southern side of Mexico

Palace Jal Mahal was built during the 18th century in the middle of Man Sagar Lake, and was opened to the public for the first time in 300 years in 2012 (p.110)

HAWA MAHAL IN JAIPUR, © KANOKRATNOK / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

OF COLOUR AND CONTRASTS

A RIOT OF COLOURS, SOUNDS AND SMELLS, I N D I A I S A J OY F U L A S S A U LT ON THE SENSES. YET THE VA S T N E S S O F T H E C O U N T R Y C A N M A K E N AV I G AT I N G I T A D A U N T I N G P R O S P E C T. S T E P I N A B E R C R O M B I E & K E N T, WHICH HAS CONCEIVED AN E I G H T- D AY T O U R O F T H E SUBCONTINENT’S MOST C A P T I VAT I N G AT T R A C T I O N S

Words: Lily Devan

Jaipur

UTTAR PRADESH

RAJASTHAN

Udaipur MADHYA PRADESH

Taj Baghvan Pench

Mumbai

I

ndia is fabulous, vibrant and complex in almost equal measure. From the splendours of the Mughal Empire and the Hindu rulers of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to the wildlife of Madhya Pradesh and the urban blend of ancient and modern life in the cities, the country is spectacular, yet can also be bewildering. Its vastness and its rich history pose a challenge to the curious traveller. To move between palaces of mind-blowing architectural prowess (the glittering fort outside Jaipur; the royal lake residence at Udaipur), requires an expert guide, an authoritative driver, a certain determination and plenty of time (Indian welcomes are warm, but never rushed). Even better, seek the help of a discerning specialist, such as Abercrombie & Kent, who will seamlessly organise travel between far-flung reaches, arrange respite in the depths of central India’s jungle, and line up a cultural introduction to the subcontinent in Mumbai – each destination singular in its delights.

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TAJ MAHAL PALACE, MUMBAI

THIS PAGE, FROM LEFT GATEWAY OF INDIA MUMBAI; TAJ MAHAL PALACE, MUMBAI; OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP BAGHVAN TAJ SAFARI LODGE; GAME DRIVE IN PENCH NATIONAL PARK

Mumbai is a place of two extremes: beaches of the western shores are juxtaposed by hectic traffic and huge slums

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MUMBAI

Cosmopolitan glamour finds its expression in Mumbai, presenting an almost overwhelming mixture of colonial architecture from the British Raj era and fast-paced contemporary urban lifestyle. It is a place of two extremes: beaches of the western shores are juxtaposed by hectic traffic and huge, surprisingly industrious slums. Appreciating the apparent symbiosis between these Mumbai components is part of the challenge of a visit here. There is perhaps no better way than to join the locals on a morning jog along the Colaba promenade, followed by a meditation session, before either the sun or the city truly rise.

Overlooking the Victorian-era Gateway of India monument, the seafront Taj Mahal Palace Hotel is a lesson in metropolitan luxury. Much like Mumbai itself, it is a venue of contrasts (although this time, only stylistic): nearly 300 rooms are split between the original building of 1903 – full of cantilevered staircases, marble and white wooden beams – and a contemporary high-rise addition, with nine restaurants and bars between them. Petal footbaths await tired feet, plush furnishings are invariably fringed in gold and flawless service is de rigueur. With a masterful afternoon tea, sizeable swimming pool and new spa that hones in on hammams and traditional techniques, this grande dame is ideal for easing yourself into India.

The accomodation is hewn from wood and surrounded by families of monkeys, each with a rooftop machan (viewing platform) for mid-afternoon lounging. The lodge’s main building, meanwhile, serves an incredible variety of sweet curries and breads to fuel long days of wildlife tracking.

On a safari drive you quickly learn to keep a keen eye out for rustling leaves in order to spot well-camouflaged birds and mammals. In India, admission to tiger reserves is strictly controlled; at designated times in the morning and afternoon, travellers and their driver-guides may enter Pench park accompanied by a watchful government guide.

Then, assigned one of three routes, they explore by vehicle, sticking to tracks – either natural or carefully created by controlled burning – that keep humans at a comfortable distance from wildlife. This means that the Taj driver-guides are expert both in expectation management (there is every chance that your only encounter with a tiger will be the exhilarating sound of distant growls) and in the wonders of the forest’s other flora and fauna. Wild dogs might tag team to chase a fawn in fateful terror into a lake; alarm cries from peacocks and deer echo through the silent forest; a leopard might prowl concealed along the tops of rocks; while jackals

S A FA R I

While India is home to the majority of the world’s wild tigers, these big cats are still shockingly rare. According to figures released by the Indian government in July 2019, there are now nearly 3,000 tigers living in the wild in India, which is a marked increase from four years ago – although conservationists are still anxious about the future. Almost in the centre of the country, the remote and ecologically rich Pench National Park is home to around 50 tigers. On the eastern fringes of the reserve is jungleluxe Baghvan Taj safari lodge, a haven of just 12 bungalows.

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peer from behind pale kulu trees (which look so ethereal they are also known as ghost trees). The elusive tiger may be king of India’s jungle, but it is by no means the only royalty.

JAIPUR

Jaipur glitters in every sense, from the jewellery specialists for which it is perhaps best known, to the Rajput maharajas’ magnificent Amer Fort near the town, its halls intricately decorated in thousands of mirrored mosaic pieces. In Jaipur itself, the City Palace is also a major attraction, and here colourful peacock sculptures guard a wealth of ornate archways. Just outside the old city, another of Jaipur’s palaces has become a sumptuous hotel: partly decorated in the city’s trademark pink, the Taj Jai Mahal Palace dates from the 18th century. Each room pops with Rajasthani colour. Nothing is done half-heartedly: sprawling grounds are home to peacocks (real), landscaped courtyards, pavilions, a formidable spa and pool, and a giant chess set. Just outside the Old City, sightseeing is but a short drive away, whether a guided tour of the astronomical instruments at Jantar Mantar, including the world’s largest stone sundial, or visiting marvellous stationery stores off the beaten path.

U DA I P U R

For all the bustle of other cities, Udaipur is the serene antidote, offering stunning palaces, Hindu temples and a sublime centrepiece in the form of Lake Pichola, crowned by the Taj Lake Palace: a whitewashed mirage of breathtaking elegance. Constructed in the 18th century as a summer getaway for royalty, it faces the restored City Palace across the water and has beautifully retained a sense of regal grandeur.

To reach it, a small wood-panelled boat collects guests from a private jetty; a romantic flurry of petals scattered from the rooftop creates a fragrant carpet for new arrivals. Sharp 24hour butler service is discreet and attentive in equal measure.

THIS PAGE, FROM LEFT JAI MAHAL PALACE, JAIPUR; CITY PALACE, JAIPUR CITY; OPPOSTITE PAGE, FROM TOP TAJ LAKE PALACE; SUITES IN TAJ LAKE PALACE HOTEL, UDAIPUR CITY

Albeit grand, this romantic marvel feels intimate. It is laid out around a picture-perfect courtyard, which is framed by lush palms. As dusk falls each evening, musicians and dancers put on a dazzling performance involving dizzying spins and piercingly high notes. The hotel’s suites are elaborately decorated with lavish textiles, ornate antiques and wood furniture inlaid with mother of pearl. Inviting cushioned lounge nooks and marble bathrooms beg ultimate relaxation.

Best of all are the suites, where jewel-toned glass windows light up the entire space, or a private terrace sees hundreds of bats fly overhead from the mainland every night. Romance is at an all-time high here, no more so than a table for two that might magically appear on the rooftop, with a thoroughly majestic view and dishes that are flavoursome without fault.

LUXURY LONDON

ESCAPE

Abercrombie & Kent offers a trip starting from £3,425pp including all flights, private transfers, sightseeing and accommodation based on a bed & breakfast basis at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai; Vivanta by Taj Ambassador Hotel, New Delhi; Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur; Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur and Baghvan; A Taj Safari, Pench National Park on a full jungle plan (breakfast, lunch and dinner per day, park fees, forest guide charges and tea/coffee service), as well as flights with British Airways, abercrombiekent.co.uk

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LUXURY LONDON

PROMOTION

OUT OF AFRICA F R O M T H E W O N D E R O F V I C TO R I A FA L L S TO T H E O R N AT E M O S Q U E S O F D U R B A N , T H E S P O I L S O F A F R I C A A R E R I P E F O R E X P L O R I N G . A Z A M A R A’ S A F R I C A N V O YA G E S P R O V I D E A N E X H I L A R AT I N G TO U R O F T H E C O N T I N E N T ’ S B E S T S I G H T S , B OT H O N S H O R E A N D AT S E A

H

ow to plan an African sojourn? There are ample safaris to undertake, wonders of the world to observe and cultural sites to be explored – but where to begin?

At Azamara, a plethora of land experiences can be paired with the brand’s intensive voyages, making your decision all the easier.

One of Azamara’s most popular tours follows this structure; available as a pre- or post-cruise package, the Victoria Falls & Chobe Game Park experience will take you through

Zimbabwe to Botswana, where you will seek out the Big Five on both dawn and evening game drives, and marvel at Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Team this with one of Azamara’s South Africa, Western Africa or Indian Ocean voyages, which span 10 to 21 nights and begin in Cape Town. On the South African intensive voyage, you will sail to Richards Bay, where the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is home to the largest white rhino population on earth, and dock at the golden sand beaches of Durban.

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While at sea, you’ll experience the height of luxury as the holiday continues on board one of Azamara’s bijou vessels. For optimum relaxation, be sure to opt for a suite. As a guest staying in a World Owner’s Suite, Ocean Suite, Continent Suite and Spa Suite, you will receive a range of exclusive benefits – including a private balcony, complimentary in-room afternoon tea and your own private butler.

For more information about Azamara, visit azamara.co.uk

TIME IS PRECIOUS MAKE THE MOST OF IT

T H E U LT I M AT E AIRPORT EXPERIENCE PRIVATE ENTRANCE BUTLER | LUXURIOUS SUITE EXCLUSIVE SECURITY EXPERIENCE CHAUFFEUR | PL A N E H EATH RO WVI P.C O M

CHABLÉ RESORT & SPA YUCATÁN

FA R FROM THE MADDING CROWD F O R A T R U E TA S T E O F M E X I C O S K I P T H E N I G H T C L U B S O F P L AYA DEL CARMEN AND THE TOURIST TRAPS OF TULUM AND MAKE FOR T H E Q U I E T E R WAY S O F T H E S O U T H

Words Hannah Lemon

While the larger cities and towns like Playa del Carmen, Cancún, and, of course, the capital Mexico City might draw in the tourists, Mexico’s lesser known municipalities and villages have just as much to offer. A nine-day tour of the south peninsula can provide a rich offering of crafts, cuisine and culture away from the masses and closer to the locals. Tequila and tacos galore, your stomach certainly won’t be left wanting, particularly with a stay at one of the luxury resorts operated

by Hamak Hotels.

T H R E E D AY S I N P U E B L A

About two and a half hours southeast of Mexico City is the dinky student town Puebla, centred around the leafy Zócalo de Puebla plaza. Proudly declaring its mole poblano – an ancient Mexican dish – the best in the country, you might as well sample some here. The rice and chicken dish is covered in a thick, rich puddle of sweet chilli and chocolate and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Merely strolling up and down the multi-coloured streets and numerous antiques stores will keep you more than entertained. Don’t miss the ‘Street of Sweets’. Bright pink archways are nestled together down this lone cobbled lane with ‘dulces’ piled high to the delight of milk-toothed children or sweet-toothed adults.

When it’s time for a little pickme-up, prop up the bright marigold La Pasita bar with locals by sampling its in-house sweet liqueur (its namesake), made of raisins and decorated with a cube of fresh goat’s cheese. Be warned though, there is no time to hang about; doors shut promptly at 5.30pm.

While on a tour of the town, include a drive-by of the antiques markets (open on Sundays); the

creaking, wooden Palafoxiana library, the oldest library in the Americas; and the impressive goldceilinged Church of San Francisco.

The Amparo Museum has works of art by famed Mexican Surrealist sculptor Alejandro Colunga – see his five-headed bench in the museum’s courtyard. If you don’t speak Spanish, the exhibits won’t keep you occupied for long so head up to the rooftop restaurant for a 360-degree view of the town’s terracotta rooftops.

The Hotel Cartesiano is a short stroll from the centre with a more sophisticated approach to hospitality than some of its neighbours. It is made up of four redeveloped grand family houses; the largest was once a tile factory and remnants of the delicate paintings and ceramic artistry are thoughtfully embedded into the walls of the bedrooms and communal areas. The spa area, restaurant with roof terrace and downstairs café provide the finest Mexican cuisine.

For the best experience, opt for one of the seven suites on the second floor, each with an impressive bathroom, king-sized bed and lounge area.

From $180 per night, hotelcartesiano.com

LUXURY LONDON

ESCAPE

T H R E E D AY S I N C H O C H O L Á

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT OUTDOOR SHOWER AT CHABLÉ RESORT & SPA YUCATÁN; CENOTE SUYTUN AT VALLADOLID, YUCATAN; PRESIDENTIAL VILLA AT CHABLÉ RESORT & SPA YUCATÁN; THE BIBLIOTECA PALAFOXIANA IN PUEBLA

A short flight east and you arrive at the small and friendly town of Chocholá. Winding dirt tracks, rusty signs, bicycles and long grass are the main attractions here, but that is part of its charm. Turn off down a discreet road and you’ll find Chablé Resort & Spa Yucatán set on a grand 750-acre estate. It’s time to turn off your phone and unplug the internet as staff receive you at the gates and bundle you into a buggy for a tour of the steamy jungle-like terrain.

The resort is made up of 36 casitas and four family villas, each with a private pool; there’s almost no need to leave your abode. Tea is brought each morning to the door, which can be drunk as soon as you’ve managed to pull yourself out of the four-poster bed and draw back the blackout blinds.

The shower is quite the experience, too – cover yourself in soapy suds with only a glass door separating you from the leafy outdoors.

In the main part of the building, there are three restaurants to choose from: the Asian-inspired Ixi’im, the poolside Ki’ol or the Spa Restaurant with its healthy vegetarian-only menu and freshly-

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pressed juices. These wholesome offerings, alongside the clipped lawns, the old 19th-century stone buildings, calming water features and palm-tree covered pool, are sure to relax your soul.

The perfect place to unwind, Chocholá isn’t too far from the buzzing town of Merida, the Yucatán state capital, nicknamed Ciudad Blanca (White City).

There’s the food market piled high with fruits and vegetables; a rich calendar of dancing and music most evenings; and a few trendy bars, such as La Negrita with its Wild West swing doors and an impressive array of tequila.

About an hour away is the Mayan city of Uxmal with pyramids much like those found at the more renowned Chichén Itzá complex. Bucket-list activities should also include a visit to a cenote. These underground pools of water decorated by stalagmites and stalactites have been transformed into a tourist attraction of winding wooden steps and pop-up shops.

From $974 per night, chableresort.com

ALL IMAGES CHABLÉ MAROMA

LUXURY LONDON

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T H R E E D AY S I N P U N TA M A R O M A

Swap to the other side of Mexico’s shores and you have the Caribbean Sea lapping on the quiet beachfront of Punta Maroma. Just north of the bright lights of tourist hotspots Playa del Carmen and Tulum, this area is another location for those wanting to retreat from the hustle and bustle.

Chablé Resort & Spa Maroma opened its doors at the end of last year and offers guests a prime seaside location and relaxing spa sessions. The villas don’t quite live up to the private extravagance of the Yucatán property, but the draw here is the pristine white sandy beach. Hours can be spent sunbathing by the infinity pool or down on the sand with a friendly waiter occasionally topping up your glass. Sample some of the pink tuna ceviche, which is delicately placed on

a perfectly symmetrical tostada, sprinkled with seeds and spring onions and drizzled in lime.

Once again, the local area is bristling with ancient secrets.

Just over an hour away is Tulum for its cocktail bars and shopping, but nestled on the beach right next to the resort are the ruins of an old Mayan settlement that served as a major trading post and where you can now buy tickets to have a wander and soak up the history. On the way back to your palatial villa in Chablé, you could always take in the pumping music and vodka shots of Playa del Carmen’s nightlife; but why do that when you could snuggle up in the pristine sheets of your king-sized bed and be up for sunrise in your own private pool?

From $620 per night, chableresort.com

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Cape Town South Africa

Destination

South Africa Journey through the wonders of South Africa with a Country-IntensiveSM voyage onboard Azamara Quest® and spot the Big Five in their natural habitat with a pre or post voyage land tour. r le be Sa 5% em n 1 pt O ve Se 0 Sa by 3

ok Bo

th

Pre or Post Cruise Tour

10 Night

5 Night

31st January 2020, Azamara Quest®

Cruise down the Zambezi River as the golden sun sets in the distance.

Look out for the majestic Big Five in their natural habitats, including Water Buffalo, Lions, Elephants and Leopards.

South Africa Intensive Voyage

Victoria Falls & Chobe Game Park Safari

Itinerary: • Cape Town, South Africa

• East London, South Africa

• Port Elizabeth, South Africa

• Cape Town, South Africa

Itinerary:

• Richards Bay, South Africa

• Johannesburg, South Africa

• Chobe Game Reserve, Botswana

• Durban, South Africa

• Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

• Cape Town, South Africa

Suite Prices From

£4,108pp*

Escorted Tour Prices From

£5,960pp*

Why Azamara?

Longer stays. More overnights.

Country-IntensiveSM Itineraries.

Land and Sea packages. Authentic Shore Excursions. Complimentary AzAmazing Evenings®.

Gratuities. Beverages.

Self service laundry.

And more!

Boutique Hotel.

Concierge services.

Shuttle services to and from port communities.

For more information and to book: Call 0344 481 7690= | Visit Azamara.co.uk *Voyage price shown includes promotional 15% discount, book by 30th September. Prices and itineraries subject to change and availability, price shown based on lead in Suite price only. T&Cs apply. Please see website for category availability and prices. **Provided the minimum participation of guest level is met. †Calls cost the same as calls to geographic numbers (01 or 02) and are included in your landline or mobile free call package.

Customer Rating based on independent verified reviews.

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P R O P E R T Y T H E F I N E S T H O M E S I N T H E C A P I TA L

ABBEY ROAD The Chelsea chapel with planning permission

P.140 STREETS AHEAD The best homes hitting the market this month

A former National Grid site in Fulham is set to turn into a series of luxury homes (p.140)

Cambridge Street, SW1V £2,750,000 This magnificent Victorian property has been refurbished to a high specification, boasting impressive proportions throughout and is located on a quiet residential street in the highly desirable Pimlico Grid. Freehold. EPC=D • Arranged over five floors • Four bedrooms • Private garden and two balconies Pimlico office: 020 8033 9030

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sales.pim@marshandparsons.co.uk

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An elegant, high-end dwelling, exquisitely decorated throughout.

Matching people and property in London for over 160 years.

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L I V E P O S I T I V E AT B AT T E R S E A P O W E R S TAT I O N

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Discover a place like no other, now open, with exclusive spots to dine al fresco and endless views of the River Thames.

Unique and luxurious homes designed by world renowned architects with a selection of apartments from studios to penthouses.

• Studios 1, 2, 3 & 4 bedroom apartments and penthouses available • Zone 1 tube station opening in 2021 • Direct River access to the City and West End

by MBNA Thames Clippers River Bus • Residents’ club including bar, business centre and lounge • Gym, pool and spa • Investment guarantee available • Leasehold 999 years • Prices start from £510,000

Limited availability Call +44 (0) 20 3797 1883 or email sales@batterseapowerstation.co.uk to make an appointment.

Search Battersea Power Station

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Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

LUXURY LONDON

PROPERTY

TA K E M E T O C H U R C H S T L U K E ’ S C H A P E L I N C H E L S E A H A S H I T T H E M A R K E T, A N D I T C O M E S W I T H P L A N N I N G PERMISSION TO TRANSFORM IT INTO A FIVE-BEDROOM RESIDENCY

A

Victorian chapel in The Bromptons, which has stood empty for 30 years, is up for sale – and it comes with plans to turn it into a deluxe £25m home.

St Luke’s Chapel was built in 1850 to serve the Brompton Hospital (which was turned into a series of luxury apartments by Northacre in 1997), but has been unused since 1991. Now, the Grade II listed building is being sold for £7.5m, and it comes with the opportunity to transform it into a unique five-bedroom residence.

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea has given approval to expand the chapel’s current footprint from 4,257 sq ft to 7,330 sq ft, having previously turned down two applications for planning permission. The development is expected to cost around

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£5m, including £3.15m for development and £1.1m for a one-off service charge to nearby residents, to compensate for what could be a year of disruption.

The cherry on the cake is the neighbouring Northacre development’s five-star suite of amenities, which the new buyer would have access to – including porterage, a residents’ gym and swimming pool, a board room and on-site security.

When complete, it is estimated the property will be worth around £25m – a conclusion drawn from similar developments in King’s Chapel Chelsea, which saw two residences offered for £20£25m, and St Saviour’s in Knightsbridge, a single dwelling that sold for £45m. £7.5m, for more information visit struttandparker.com or russellsimpson.com

DI S C OV E R I NG C OV E N T G A R DE N ’ S N EW BEST K EP T SECR ET A dramatic residence, in a secluded address, situated at the heart of London’s most celebrated cultural neighbourhood.

40 contemporary apartments, ready for occupation.

To arrange a viewing of our show flat please contact: sales@londonewcastle.co.uk / residential.sales@cbre.com

CHAPTERHOUSE.LONDON

Fabulous family apartment Gledhow Gardens, SW5 Gloucester Road Underground Station: 0.3 miles Reception room, kitchen/dining room, master bedroom suite, 2 further bedroom suites, 2 further bedrooms, family bathroom, study area, utility room, direct access to communal gardens, EPC = D

Share of Freehold | 3,001 sq ft | Guide ÂŁ6.95 million

Toby Downes Savills Chelsea Residential Sales 0207 578 9003 tdownes@savills.com

Stunning penthouse apartment Lowndes Square, SW1X

Knightsbridge Underground Station: 0.2 miles

A beautifully designed penthouse apartment overlooking the gardens of Lowndes Square, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, utility room, 2 roof terraces, direct lift access, EPC = C

Leasehold, approximately 994 years remaining, plus Share of Freehold | 3,402 sq ft | Guide ÂŁ13.5 million

Ben Morris Savills Sloane Street Residential Sales 020 7730 0822 bmorris@savills.com

Spectacular first floor apartment Grosvenor Square, W1

Bond Street Underground Station: 0.3 miles

Entrance hall, reception room, kitchen, dining room, master bedroom with en suite shower room, further bedroom, family bathroom, cloakroom, lift, 24 hour porter, off-street parking, EPC = C

Leasehold, approximately 37 years remaining | 1,687 sq ft | Guide ÂŁ6.25 million

Charles Lloyd Savills Mayfair & St James's Residential Sales 020 7578 5111 clloyd@savills.com

Stylish house with large garden Kensington Park Road, W11

Notting Hill Gate Underground Station: 0.1 miles

2 reception rooms, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, garden, off-street parking, semi-detached, EPC = D

Freehold | 3,932 sq ft | Guide ÂŁ9 million

Ben Davies Savills Notting Hill Residential Sales 020 7727 5750 bdavies@savills.com

STREETS AHEAD DISTINCTIVE HOMES ON THE PROPERTY MARKET THIS MONTH

47 GROSVENOR SQUARE, W1K

A palatial Mayfair apartment once home to the Onassis family has hit the market for the first time in 28 years. Previously owned by Artemis Onassis, sister of billionaire Aristotle Onassis, the first floor, five-bedroom property has hosted the likes of Maria Callas, Jackie

Kennedy Onassis and Princess Lee Radziwill. Today, it is in need of refurbishment to update it with the latest specification and interior dressing, but a redesign is a worthy investment, adding an estimated £1,000 per sq ft to the value of the apartment – creating a £30m home. £25m, 020 7529 5566, wetherell.co.uk

LUXURY LONDON

PROPERTY

K I N G ’ S R OA D PA R K , S W 6

Part of the Fulham Riverside Regeneration Area, the King’s Road Park development is located on a former National Grid site and, once complete, will offer 1,800 homes alongside a 25m swimming pool, a spacious gym, two cinemas, two games rooms and a 24-hour concierge service.

From £655,000, 020 3004 4112, kingsroadparksw6.com

WA R W I C K H O U S E S T R E E T, S W 1 Y

A property of contrasts, this Grade II listed townhouse in St James’s is surprisingly light and airy, an aesthetic juxtaposed to its imposing jet black frontage. Spread across six floors and featuring four bedrooms and four reception

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rooms, this house is vastly spacious given its central London location – it is just moments from Trafalgar Square and some of west London’s best attractions.

Gym and spa facilities are an added bonus. £6.95m, 020 7591 2216, struttandparker.com

Markham Square, Chelsea SW3 £4,500 per week

Furnished

Chepstow Place, Notting Hill W2 £2,950 per week

Unfurnished

A fantastic five-bedroom house on this award winning square just off the King’s Road.

A beautifully presented five-bedroom period house in the heart of Notting Hill.

2,965 sq ft (275.5 sq m) Reception room | Dining room | Kitchen | Five bedrooms | Five bathrooms | Garden | EPC rating D

2,617 sq ft (243.1 sq m) Kitchen/dining room | Drawing room | Five double bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Study | Utility room | Garden | EPC rating D

Chelsea 020 3504 5588 | chelsea.lettings@struttandparker.com

Notting Hill 020 3773 4114 | nottinghill@struttandparker.com

Priory Walk, Chelsea SW10 £4,250 per week

Inverness Gardens, Kensington W8 £2,500 per week

Unfurnished

Unfurnished

An utterly charming family house extending to 3,278 sq ft within The Boltons Conservation area.

An elegant five-bedroom family house, with excellent entertaining space and a magnificent drawing room on the raised ground floor.

3,278 sq ft (304.55 sq m) Two reception rooms | Drawing room | Kitchen | Six bedrooms | Four bathrooms | Conservatory | Garden | Summer house | EPC rating D

2,618 sq ft (243.2 sq m) Drawing room | Kitchen/dining room | Sitting room | Five bedrooms | Bathroom | Shower room | Two cloakrooms | Utility room | Access to communal garden | EPC rating E

Chelsea SW10 020 3813 9185 | chelseaSW10lettings@struttandparker.com

Kensington 020 3813 9477 | kensington@struttandparker.com

*After an offer is accepted by the Landlord, which is subject to contract and acceptable references, the following charges and fees will be payable before the commencement of the tenancy: Preparation of Tenancy Agreement £222 (Inc VAT),

/struttandparker

@struttandparker

struttandparker.com

60 Offices across England and Scotland, including prime Central London.

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Cranley Mansions, South Kensington SW7 Furnished £4,250 per week

Mablethorpe Road, Fulham SW6 £950 per week

A newly refurbished triple aspect lateral apartment with wooden floors throughout and lift access.

An immaculate four-double bedroom family house in the heart of the Munster Village which has been neutrally decorated throughout.

2,538 sq ft (235.8 sq m) Entrance hall | Reception room | Dining room/kitchen | Four bedrooms | Three bathrooms | Two balconies | Storage room | EPC rating D

Unfurnished

1,481 sq ft (137.59 sq m) Kitchen | Double reception room | Four bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Cloakroom | Garden | EPC rating D

South Kensington 020 3504 5901 | southken.lettings@struttandparker.com

Fulham 020 8023 6671 | fulham@struttandparker.com

Sloane Court West, Chelsea SW3 £1,750 per week Flexible Furnishing

Chapel Street, Belgravia SW1X £6,750 per week

An exceptional first and second floor maisonette overlooking beautiful communal gardens, moments from Sloane Square.

A beautifully presented end of terrace house overlooking Belgrave Square.

1,327 sq ft (123.3 sq m) Entrance hall | Reception room | Kitchen/dining room | Two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms | Residents parking | EPC rating D

3,859 sq ft (359 sq m) Six bedrooms | Six en suite bathrooms | Guest WC | Three reception rooms | Kitchen | Terrace | Garden | Balcony | Lift | Study | Utility room | EPC rating D

Chelsea 020 3504 5588 | chelsea.lettings@struttandparker.com

Knightsbridge 020 3504 8796 | knightsbridgelettings@struttandparker.com

Furnished

References per Tenant £54 (Inc VAT), a deposit – usually between 6-10 weeks of the agreed rent. Any rent advertised is pure rent and does not include any additional services such as council tax, water or utility charges.

Strutt & Parker is a trading style of BNP Paribas Real Estate Advisory & Property Management UK Limited, which provides a full range of services across the residential, commercial and the rural property sectors.

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Cheyne Place, Chelsea SW3 £5,500,000

Leasehold

Devonshire Terrace, Notting Hill W2 £1,200,000

Leasehold

An exceptional lateral three-bedroom newly refurbished penthouse apartment spanning two period buildings with direct lift access.

A stunning first floor flat located moments from Hyde Park.

2,618 sq ft (243.21 sq m) Dining room | Sitting room | Kitchen/breakfast room | Master bedroom suite | Two further bedrooms | Shower room | Laundry room | Balcony | Roof terrace with 360° views | Direct lift | EPC rating D

634 sq ft (58.9 sq m) Kitchen/reception room | Bedroom | Bathroom | South-west facing terrace | EPC rating C

Chelsea 020 3504 5588 | chelsea@struttandparker.com

Notting Hill 020 3773 4114 | nottinghill@struttandparker.com

Woodsford Square, Holland Park W14 £2,750,000

Freehold

Lamont Road, Chelsea SW10 £3,950,000

Freehold

A very well arranged four-bedroom house with a garage, private parking, garden and access to communal gardens.

An utterly charming family house extending to 2,140 sq ft and situated in the sought after Ten Acre Estate.

2,209 sq ft (205.22 sq m) Entrance hall | Reception room | Kitchen/breakfast room | Study | Master bedroom suite | Three further bedrooms | Family bathroom | Two shower rooms | Garden | Private parking | Garage | EPC rating D

2,140 sq ft (198.88 sq m) Entrance hall | Reception room | Kitchen/dining room/family room | Four bedrooms | Three bathrooms | Garden | EPC rating E

Kensington 020 3813 9477 | kensington@struttandparker.com

Chelsea SW10 020 3813 9185 | chelseaSW10@struttandparker.com

/struttandparker

@struttandparker

struttandparker.com

60 Offices across England and Scotland, including prime Central London.

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Holmead Road, Fulham SW6 £2,450,000

Freehold

Abingdon Road, Kensington W8 £2,175,000 Share of Freehold

A fabulous Victorian house, situated in this sought after location and immaculately refurbished to an exacting standard throughout.

A well-presented three-bedroom upper maisonette close to Holland Park and Kensington Gardens.

2,313 sq ft (214.88 sq m) Reception/dining room | Kitchen | Drawing room | Master bedroom with bathroom suite | Three further bedrooms (one en suite) | Family bathroom | Gym | Utility room | Garden | EPC rating E

1,129 sq ft (104.79 sq m) Entrance hall | Reception room | Kitchen/breakfast room | Three bedrooms | Two bathrooms | EPC rating D

Fulham 020 8023 6671 | fulham@struttandparker.com

Kensington 020 3813 9477 | kensington@struttandparker.com

Collingham Gardens, South Kensington SW7 £1,350,000 Share of Freehold

Montrose Place, Belgravia SW1X £11,795,000

An exquisite two-bedroom flat, offered with a share of freehold and direct access to award winning communal garden.

An exceptional three-bedroom lateral apartment with underground parking, 24-hour concierge and staff accommodation.

1,098 sq ft (102 sq m) One reception room | Two bedrooms | Kitchen | Two bathrooms | Garden | Patio | Share of freehold | EPC rating D

3,084 sq ft (286.5 sq m) Entrance hall | Reception room | Kitchen | Three bedrooms | Three bathrooms | Private terrace | Wine cellar/storage room | Two secure underground car parking spaces | 24-hour concierge | EPC rating D

South Kensington 020 3504 5901 | southken@struttandparker.com

Knightsbridge 020 3504 8796 | knightsbridge@struttandparker.com

Leasehold

Strutt & Parker is a trading style of BNP Paribas Real Estate Advisory & Property Management UK Limited, which provides a full range of services across the residential, commercial and the rural property sectors.

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12/08/2019 17:48

Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea SW3

ÂŁ7,500 per week Furnished

A stunning newly built eight-bedroom, four-reception room house, spread over four floors offering open-plan entertaining areas in heart of Chelsea.

4,562 sq ft (423.8 sq m) Entrance hall | Two reception rooms | Kitchen/breakfast room | Two bedroom suites | Six further bedrooms | Five bathrooms | Cloakroom | Study | TV room | Utility room | Pantry | Garden | Terrace | EPC rating C

Chelsea 020 3504 5588 | chelsea.lettings@struttandparker.com *After an offer is accepted by the Landlord, which is subject to contract and acceptable references, the following charges and fees will be payable before the commencement of the tenancy: Preparation of Tenancy Agreement ÂŁ222 (Inc VAT),

/struttandparker

@struttandparker

struttandparker.com

60 Offices across England and Scotland, including prime Central London.

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St Luke’s Chapel, South Kensington SW3

£7,500,000 Freehold

An incredible opportunity to acquire St Luke’s Chapel with planning permission granted to create a four/five-bedroom home, two underground parking spaces and use of The Brompton’s (Rose Square) facilities (porter/gym/pool).

Current footprint GIA 4,257 sq ft Completed footprint of GIA 7,330 sq ft Underground parking | Swimming pool | Five bedrooms | Development project South Kensington 020 3504 5901 | southken@struttandparker.com References per Tenant £54 (Inc VAT), a deposit – usually between 6-10 weeks of the agreed rent. Any rent advertised is pure rent and does not include any additional services such as council tax, water or utility charges.

Strutt & Parker is a trading style of BNP Paribas Real Estate Advisory & Property Management UK Limited, which provides a full range of services across the residential, commercial and the rural property sectors.

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12/08/2019 15:51

MADDOX GALLERY PRESENTS

BY

HARIS NUKEM