El Estilo 5

summer 2011 | design, fashion & lifestyle | digital publication by Mark McGough

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special message

EL ESTILO* would like to say “Congratulations!” to Jessica Alba, who’s been made the new face of Piaget’s Posseion collection!

What’s inside the summer 2011 issue

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8 DEPUTY EDITOR Olivia Burton

16 ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

24 EPSOM EDITOR Amanda Oberoi

9 EDITOR Mark McGough

18 HAIDER ACKERMANN

30 KINGSTON EDITOR Emma Piercy

12 INTERVIEW Heba Elawadi

20 HOT NEW CAR NEW MINI

34 CUCKOO CLUB Kate Dowman

14 INTERVIEW John Stephen

22 APPS helloflower

36 CAFE LUC Tea Cocktails

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elestilo.co.uk

CRITICS CHOICE PAGE 54: SHARING THE LOVE An interview with Rich Martell, founder and CEO of floxx.com the nets favourite ‘fit finder’

37 LOCALE Luxury Trip for 2

47 ECCLESTON SQUARE HOTEL

54 INTERVIEW Rich Martell

38 RESTAURANTS Best in London

48 ASPREY British Luxury

56 MISS WIMBLEDON Sunny P. Sin

40 ALAIN DUCASSE 3 Mitchelin Stars

50 BOOK REVIEW Natalie Young

58 WIMBLEDON 5 THE GREEN

42 HOTTEST HOTELS In the City

52 UCA Zandra Rhodes

60 ESSENTIAL BEAUTY ITEMS EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011

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deputy editor

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his month’s EL ESTILO* aims to offer a guide to this summer’s hottest names, from the world’s leading fashion designers, to cutting edge beauty brands, London restaurants, luxury city escapes and much more. Enjoy!

OLIVIA BURTON | DEPUTY EDITOR olivia@elestilo.co.uk

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editor & designer

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elcome to issue 5! We are happy to announce that this month we have a few more new members that have joined the team, which include Deputy Editor Olivia Burton, UCA Editor Amanda Oberoi and Kingston University Editor Emma Piercy.

Olivia has made a great contribution this week, having managed to produce articles on Alexander McQueen, Haider Ackermann, beauty, the new Mini, London restaurants, the worlds hottest city hotels, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Asprey and the book We all ran into the Sunlight.

Amanda Oberoi and Emma Piercy have also managed to source some great work from both the UCA and Kingston University. If you’d like to showcase work make sure you send through an email with some hi-res images.

Carlos Ulloa, famous for creating Papervision (a 3D engine for Flash), has developed an app for designing your very own flower and is surprisingly addictive.

Other items that deserve a mention include articles on Timothy Schreiber, Miss Wimbledon, Kate Dowman at the Cuckoo Club, Cafe Luc, Locale Restaurant, Eccleston Square Hotel, 5 The Green by Finnan Developments, interviews with John Stephen & Heba Elawadi and Zandra Rhodes visit to the UCA. If you run a business or produce work related to design, fashion or lifestyle please get in touch. We are always looking for the next hottest thing and believe in promoting new talent. Until next time ;) MARK MCGOUGH | EDITOR & DESIGNER editor@elestilo.co.uk EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011

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showcase

“He has worked on some of today’s most exciting projects such as the 2008 Beijing Olympics Watercube”

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The best make-up & beauty products to prepare

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ighly driven by today’s advancements in digital technology Schreiber implements cutting edge equipment and techniques from development to finished product.

Schreiber’s designs are the outcome of his ambition to delve into and challenge boundaries between architecture, digital design, manufacturing methods and social/environmental sustainability.

Through this exploration he has achieved an award-winning body of work which includes the iconic Morphogenesis chaise and the artificial intelligence “Universal Table Generator,” which received the coveted Red-Dot Design

Award and has resulted in the “e-volved” table now produced by Dutch high-end manufacturer FueraDentro.

After earning his degree in Architecture and Design at Bauhaus University, Germany and Westminster University in London, Schreiber has worked with today’s leading architectural practices and has collaborated with highprofile companies across Europe, Australia and Asia. During this time he has worked on some of today’s most exciting projects such as the 2008 Beijing Olympics Watercube. He founded his own studio in London in 2005 focussing on furniture and object design.

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interview

She is an ambitious young Egyptian designer who wishes to conquer the fashion world. She hangs out with stars like Paris Hilton and Naomi Campbell and already has her accessories stocked all over the world.

Mark McGough interviews her 1. What was your upbringing like?

My upbringing was a mix of cultures. My dad is Egyptian, my mum is Moroccan, I was born in London and lived between Cairo and London. Cairo is historical and cultural, and London is cosmopolitan and modern. So I am the infusion of both.

2. How did you get into Fashion?

How could I not? I was born into a family that owned designer childrens’ wear boutiques across the UK. So naturally I spent a lot of times in the boutiques. I always knew my future would be in the fashion industry. I had my mind made up when I was 7!

3. What have the greatest challenges for Hebz been?

To continue to believe in my work, to grow, to learn so many things along the way through the experiences I have had to go through. Any designer faces challenges, to find themselves in their work and create the brand’s DNA and to continue using the aesthetic throughout the collections.

4. What have Hebz's greatest accomplishments been?

Hebz’ greatest accomplishments are a few; first the joy it gives me, the fact that we are stocked in different cities in the world making the products available for more people, getting featured in magazines such 12

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“Getting featured in magazines such as Vogue means a lot to me” as Vogue means a lot to me, and for me being able to achieve brand recognition.

5. How did you manage to get Hebz stocked in so many different countries?

Hard work! In this industry, you need to constantly be in the loop with everything going on in the world and being social since it is connecting with people and making your little address book not so little which is important. I always have my business cards on me, you never know who you’ll meet or bump into!

6. Which high street brand most closely resembles Hebz?

I don’t like to resemble brands with Hebz.

And Hebz isn’t a high street brand.

7. Where will Hebz be in 5 years time?

Hebz hopefully will be stocked in more cities across the globe and possibly have a Hebz boutique. www.hebz.com

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interview

Interview with the chairman, John Stephen. Photo shoot with Miss Wimbledon 2011 at Chinawhite Photography by Johnathan Dawes

1. What’s your background and how do you think it influenced you?

My background was a mixture of buying and selling in various fields fashion and real estate. If you can deal with fashion and real estate people you can deal with anyone!

2. What magazines do you read?

Vogue, H&Q, Men’s Health, Tatler, Sunday Times, Evening Standard.

3. What were you doing before Chinawhite?

I ran Tramp in LA and then returned to be Assistant GM and Restaurant Manager at Mortons.

4. What was the launch party like?

At the Club in Air Street, we didn’t have a launch party as we decided to create a ‘word of mouth’ campaign. At the club

in Winsley Street, we had a few opening parties, some were corporate and some were friends.

5. What makes Chinawhite stand out from the rest?

A very different design, creating family loyalty from the staff, good direction and management and that we hold The Party of The Summer at the Cartier Polo, which this year, will be held on Sunday 24th July 2011.

6. What has been the clubs best choice?

Making Jeremy Hartley Managing Director.

7. When you were looking for an interior designer how did you find him/her and what were you looking for?

It just happened when I asked what interior design we should go for my partner Rory

“If you can deal with fashion and real estate people you can deal with anyone!”

Keegan said he was having coffee with Cara Satmoko, a Javanese interior designer and that was when we decided to go for an Asian look!

8. Who was your hero and why?

Johnny Gold from Tramp was my mentor.

He ran Tramp for over 30 years and it is still going! www.chinawhite.com EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011

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fashion

For Alexander McQueen - Ray of Light on Dark Rituals

By Olivia Burton

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ebruary 11th 2010 was a day many in the fashion world will remember as marking the terrible loss of one of fashion’s greatest visionaries and craftsmen. For so many years Lee McQueen’s shows had injected that essential dose of makebelieve, of drama, and of fantastically unrestrained opulence into the realm of fashion... Joan of Arc standing masked in a swathe of red and surrounded by flames. Statuesque lace-enrobed models crowned with antlers. Placing a glass wall of an asylum between the audience and the models for ironic double-edged voyeurism. Barefaced eroticism with crackrevealing bumsters. Puppet shows. Board games. Film re-enactments. Masochistic surrealism. Loud political messages. All of this, and so much more, was Lee’s and he dominated it with shameless and cunning theatrics... Now all of a sudden, in one tragic blow, we were left with nothing but a gaping abyss, where the very essence of makebelieve which Lee had created, had seemingly vanished.

However, this very same day marks the birth of a wholly different creative talent in the form of Sarah Burton, who up until May 2010 when she was named creative director of the brand, had been working relatively anonymously alongside Lee as his right-hand woman for over 14 years, overlooking and implementing all of the above with deft precision. At the time there was much speculation as to whether this woman could live up to the task of taking over the reins of Alexander McQueen and being able to handle them successfully. it wouldn’t be too disimilar to asking an unknown film producer to replicate the extraordinary animations of of Tim Burton. Few were aware that Burton had been running womenswear at the house since 2000. The question on everyone’s mind was ‘how can anyone feasibly follow on from Lee McQueen?’

The answer to this came, firstly, in her debut s/s 2011 collection which complemented Lee’s fantastical aesthetic perfectly by injecting an essence of

subtlety and fragile femininity into what beforehand might have been riotous dramatics. The effect was no less breathtaking than any of Lee’s shows, and one might argue, even more so as it did not, as one might have expected, pay homage to the late designer by simply emulating his artistic vision.

Instead it whispered a quiet breath of mourning through ...petals and the swish of angelic plumes, all gilded with specks of yellow gold. The models seemed like a cross between Guillermo Del Toro’s twisted fairytale imps and Shakespeare’s Midsummer nymphs. Whether deliberate or not, Burton’s debut was like the laying of dark laurel on the House of Lee McQueen and a ray of light towards promises to come. In short, it was a symbol of hope.

And this hope was delivered more spectacularly, and even more significantly,

“Never would one have expected such understated elegance from the house of Alexander McQueen” on 29th April 2011 in the form of the exquisite wedding gown created by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and worn

by Kate Middleton for her marriage to Prince William. The moment Kate stepped out in front of Westminster Abbey to reveal the dress in all its glory crowned Burton’s position at the height of not only British, but global fashion. Never would one have expected such understated elegance from the house of Alexander McQueen, and indeed, perhaps if Lee were still at the helm of the brand, Kate would not have chosen such a daring designer. But Burton offered a demure, and in many ways restrained, creation which harked back to the elegance and majesty of Grace Kelly rather than pointing forward through shadows of the imagination as we have so often seen in otherwordly creations both

Lee and now Burton have sent out on the runway.

But if we take into account the ethereal finery of Burton’s ice white collection for a/w 2011and its quiet yet ceremonial serenity, the choice of royal wedding dress designer seems, in hindsight, inevitable. In this snow queen collection Sarah Burton reminded the world that she was every bit a part of Alexander McQueen as was Lee, but was able to soften the message and lighten the theatrical blow with a delicate romanticism which was no longer dark and broody as was that of Lee, but instead glacial, tender and idealistic. The McQueen fantasy was still there in structural feats of workmanship, in thigh-high, laced boots and detailed corsetry, in metallic skull caps and white powdered faces. But at the same time, there was a softness (complimented by the sound of a flock of birds) created by swathes of frayed organza yielding to clouds of soft fur on cuffs and hemlines ...almost as though a dove had come to lay amongst the crows. Sarah Burton has proven herself to be a designer and visionary every bit as exceptional as her predecessor, and we wait with baited breath to see – and experience – her next exploits. E* EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011

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fashion

Olivia Burton explains who this new master of the fashion universe is, and why he is causing such a stir

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arl Lagerfeld commented that it should be French designer, Ackermann, to eventually replace him at Chanel and he is tipped, alongside Tisci, to take over from John Galliano at Dior. His a/w 2011 show was hailed as ‘the show of the season’. And yet it seems as though Ackermann has appeared out of nowhere.

The Haider Ackermann label is still somewhat in its infancy, less than a decade old, and fairly inconspicuous in terms of brand marketing, yet the designer displays a sophistication of cut and vision which would lead one to believe that he has been honing his skills in the industry for years.

Ackermann’s artistry seems to be founded upon a clever play of opposites, which can be seen in every detail of his design.

His dramatics are bold and daring, but quiet. There is no audacious outlandishness, just a subtle sense of boundary-crossing. The audience of his pre s/s 2011 show were in awe when, in the majestic surroundings of an Italian palazzo, the opening model, Jamie Bochert, walked off the stage and sat at a grand piano to tinkle a rendition of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.

Ackermann skilfully intertwines the seductive with the sedate: waists are accentuated by wide martial leather belts, long leather gloves ruched nonchalantly below the elbow reveal glimpses of skin, asymmetric jackets are teemed with slashed skin-skimming floor length skirts.

The designer deliberately contrasts texture and volume to stand them in relief: silk cuffs and lapels stand in glossy contrast from woollen exteriors. Robes spill off naked shoulders whilst a glimpse of thigh is revealed through slashed swathes of sequin. Oversized jumpers are cinched casually and paired with second-skin skirts. Robust leathers are teemed with soft velvets. Masculine, low-slung crotches accompany tightly knotted tops. Gowns

gape to the navel, backs are bared, and trains of silk are draped with cool precision...

Ackermann plays with contrast in his palette too. His a/w 2011 collection is based on a subdued mix of black, silver and grey, but shimmering jewel tones of jade and sapphire, interjected with eyepopping ivory in the form of glistening silks, gilds the collection with an enticing preciosity.

“Karl Lagerfeld commented that it should be French designer, Ackermann, to eventually replace him at Chanel”

an extraordinary feat indeed to manage to eternalise an ethereal attraction, the antagonistic pull of escapism versus continuity. But take a step back from the more obvious contrasts of colour and form and you will notice that it embodies every part of Ackermann’s vision, from unfinished hemlines versus manicured folds, to how he manages to create a sense of fluidity from fragility and sets it off against a sense of staying power from sturdy leather-clad warriors.

The designer has expressed disdain for the way time is whittled away with rushed designs and churned-out collections. One must take the time to absent oneself, to let the mind wander, to appreciate one’s own internal rhythm... Let’s just hope Ackermann doesn’t take his appreciation for time-taking too seriously and continues to deliver up his mesmerising creations. E*

The effect of these interplays is hypnotically alluring and trains the eye of the spectator to notice the finer details of design: twisted waists, knotted leathers, doubled-up belts, sequins, studs and origami-esque folds. Ackermann creates a woman who is feminine and yet empowered, relaxed and all the while displaying an almost equestrian elegance.

In short, a woman who is everything every woman aspires to be.

There is another layer of significance, however, to Ackermann’s play of contrast and one which is influential to the designer’s aesthetic as a whole: that of time. Ackermann was enthralled as a young child by women passing in the street who shimmied by like ghosts, leaving him with only a glimpse of a flash of skin, a swish of material. It is that very fleeting mysteriousness which Ackermann now strives to capture in his designs. It is EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011

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HOTTEST NEW CAR MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD

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cars

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n the 1st July at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, MINI revealed its latest and most exclusive car yet to the UK market - the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD. This special edition model is the result of an exclusive collaboration with the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design team. The stylish supremacy of the car is characterised by the highest level of workmanship (partly handmade) and exceptional top grade materials, including cashmere roof lining and foot mats made from deep-pile lambswool.

The Rolls Royce Motor Cars design team and Alan Sheppard, Interiors Design Chief, have overseen the unique and pioneering creation of a MINI which reflects the outstanding workmanship of a Rolls Royce. Production is limited to one thousand units worldwide. The interior veneers - the exclusive Rolls-Royce variant Corn Silk and Walnut Burr finish, on the surface of the instrument panel and doors, have been selected at the Goodwood factory exclusively for the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD.

“This special edition model is the result of an exclusive collaboration with the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design team”

The exterior, meanwhile, boasts a Diamond Black metallic shade developed by Rolls-Royce Design. Alternatively, the MINI colour variant Reef Blue metallic can be specified as an option.

THE MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD will be available to order from July 2011, starting from £41,000.

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apps

Carlos Ulloa’s app lets you design your own flower

HELLOFLOWER helloflower is an intuitive 3D editor that allows you to design your own beautiful flowers from a petal outline.

CREATE Use simple tools to create any flower you can imagine. Just touch to shape the petals, choose colors and finely tune your design until you get the most fantastic blossom.

And don’t forget to save your own unique creations in the gallery.

WATCH Stunning 3D graphics take full advantage of the iPhone 4 Retina display and HD resolution on the iPad. Drag your finger to look around your flower. Pinch to zoom and admire its detail and beauty.

SHARE Compose gorgeous pictures to use as wallpapers or give a new look to your profile. Save pictures to the photo album on your device and share on Facebook or email.

You can even export your flowers in OBJ format to most 3D graphics packages.

ENJOY Relax creating dazzling 3D flowers! Let your imagination run wild and creativity take over. Engage in a magical design experience where anyone can produce professional looking results.

creative applications for the Web and mobile.

We believe in bringing the magic of interactive 3D to a broader audience, taking advantage of the latest technologies to build experiences that allow anyone to play, learn and create.

The studio partners with advertising agencies around the world to create engaging 3D content for the following cutting edge platforms: iPhone, iPad and Android using the Unity game engine.

Unity Web Player for the best 3D experience inside a browser.

WebGL for native 3D graphics in the next generation of browsers.

HelloEnjoy was founded in 2007 by Carlos Ulloa and Libertad Aguilera and proudly remains a team of two, drawing upon a network of talented professionals as each project requires.

CARLOS ULLOA Our Interactive Director has been passionately involved with 3D graphics since the early 90s, developing Playstation & PC titles at Psygnosis and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

In 1999 he moved into online advertising, employed by leading agencies in Madrid, Barcelona and London, and his work evolved into the fields of graphic and typographic effects, motion design and interactivity, always focused on 3D. In 2006 he created Papervision3D, the Open Source engine that pioneered the use of 3D graphics in Flash. He later moved on to high-end development with Unity and now WebGL. Carlos is a regular contributor and speaker at international conferences such as TEDGlobal, Creativity and Technology, Casual Connect, FITC, Flash on the Beach, Adobe MAX and Thinking Digital.

WEBSITE HelloEnjoy.com

Available for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and online.

AWARDS Runner-up in the Best Non-Game category at the Unity Awards 2010.

Awarded FWA Mobile of the Day for November 19th 2010.

Featured in the upcoming FWA’s The Mobile Case Study Book published by TASCHEN. LINKS http://helloenjoy.com/helloflower http://helloenjoy.com/helloflower-online HELLOENJOY We are an interactive studio based in Brighton, UK. We make 3D games and EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011

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showcase

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i, I’m Amanda Oberoi, the Epsom Editor (half Filipino & half Indian in case you’re wondering). I’ve always been highly interested in anything under the arts and it is my passion to pursue a career in and around this field of work. Being a creative individual it has always been a fascination to see the outcomes of other people’s work whether it be within the fields of art, fashion, music or performance.

The idea of having a section in EL ESTILO* that showcases students’ work from in and around London was an extremely exciting concept. The response was amazing and so many different styles, ideas and media came back it was so difficult to choose which ones to showcase first!

London has always been buzzing with new and innovative talent but we want to push this a little further. This is the perfect first step to promoting yourselves and your work. I am always looking for budding artists, designers, graphic designers, photographers, musicians and performers.

If you’re a student or you know anyone who wants to showcase anything creative, all you have to do is send me up to 5 examples of your work with your full name, course and the name of your university/ college to estilo_amanda@btinternet.com.

Better yet you don’t have to be a student either! You can be featured by sending photographs of some of your best work and any other information that can back you up. Musicians and performers can do the same by sending mp3 files, website addresses or videos to the address above.

You send it in, we’ll do the rest!

Here are just a few examples of some of the fantastic work we’ve been sent already...

AMANDA OBEROI | EPSOM EDITOR estilo_amanda@btinternet.com 24

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Stanislav Peev Fashion Promotion and Imaging UCA, Epsom

Nicola Crawford Silversmithing, Goldsmithing and Jewellery UCA, Rochester

Lianne Hatcher Fine Arts UCA, Farnham

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Chloe Sophia Burr Photography UCA, Farnham

Jenna Morley Fashion Promotion UCA, Rochester

Digpal Singh Rathore Photography UCA, Rochester

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Michael William Sweeney Photography UCA, Farnham

Sabina Hannila Photography UCA, Farnham

Vesselin Nickolov Photography UCA, Rochester

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Emma Morris Graphic Design Camberwell College of Arts

Abi Denton Fashion with Photography Southampton Solent University

Anna Kolosova BA Fine Art Central Saint Martins

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Lucy Kinsella Fine Art student UCA, Farnham

Melina Xenaki 3DD (ceramics) UCA, Farnham

Timothy Holt Fine Art UCA, Farnham

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i, I’m Emma Piercy from Kingston University and am the Kingston Editor for the July issue of EL ESTILO* On the following pages is the work of a very talented student who goes by the name of Jacek Rudzki. If you’d like to get published in the next issue make sure you email Mark hi-res images of your work. Enjoy the summer!

EMMA PIERCY | KINGSTON EDITOR editor@elestilo.co.uk

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Jacek Rudzki Graphic Design, Kingston University

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showcase

Jacek Rudzki Graphic Design, Kingston University

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Jacek Rudzki Graphic Design, Kingston University

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clubs

To perform on Wednesday 6th July for one night only

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n Wednesday 6 July, Opera singer Kate Dowman will perform at Mayfairs Cuckoo Club for one night only. A special 5 course Italian menu created by Cuckoo Club Head Chef Chris Cooper will be available for £55 per person.

The evening will feature two performances

by Kate Dowman from 9pm.

The Cuckoo Club defines itself as one of the most in-demand destination venues in the world, bringing its unique style to London’s Mayfair. Offering style and substance in equal measure, the 300-capacity venue features 5,000 square feet of glamorous interior design spread over two floors, complemented by The Cuckoo Club’s alternative music policy, superior menus and a committee list which reads like a who’s who of creative talent in London. www.cuckooclub.com About Kate Dowman - Soprano Kate Dowman is a freelance soprano soloist based in London. She made her international debut at age 18 singing to 55,000 people in the Ajax stadium, Amsterdam and since performed in front of the British Prime Minister, the Mayor of London, Madonna, Goldie and the Maharaja of Jodpur. She has also performed at Milan Fashion week , for Bulgari and Ferrari and has toured as far as Tokyo and China.

Kate trained in Australia with the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, performing in a number of venues including the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. She was also the soprano soloist for St Mary’s cathedral for the two years she spent in Sydney and was featured on Australian television. Kate is currently recording her debut album for release in 2011.

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restaurants

Cafe Luc launches new mariage frères tea cocktais

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arylebone’s Belgian brasserie, Cafe Luc, has teamed with established tea makers Mariage Frères to launch a new range of cocktails, made using Mariage Frères tea and a selection of fresh seasonal ingredients.

Mariage Frères was founded in 1854, after the Mariage dynasty had been travelling and trading for almost two centuries. 130 years later Mariage Frères entered the retail business, selling over 500 types of high quality tea. In addition to supplying tea grown in 35 countries,

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Mariage Frères encourages the art of serving tea through the design and sale of exclusive teapots and tea services.

The Cafe Luc bar menu includes Louis Roederer and Bollinger Champagne, and classic cocktails such as Negroni, Bloody Mary and Whisky Sour. The wine list is predominantly European with some new world wines. A selection of bar snacks is also available, including fried rice balls with tomato sauce and cheese sables. www.cafeluc.com

THE THREE NEW COCKTAILS - Bourbon Vanilla Martini - Bourbon vanilla tea-infused vodka, with dry/sweet Martini £8.50 - Marco Polo Ice Tea – Marco Polo teainfused gin, with mint and ginger ale £8.50 - Orange Pekoe Ceylan Mojito – Orange Pekoe Ceylan tea-infused rum, with sugar syrup, mint and soda £8.50

Locale Restaurants and Birra Moretti to Give Away A Luxury Trip for two to Italy

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etween 15 May and 15 August Italian restaurant group Locale is teaming-up with Italian beer Birra Moretti to giveaway a trip for two to Tuscany and the chance to learn how to create authentic Italian recipes like those served at Locale’s restaurants.

The winners will receive two return flights, two nights’ accommodation at Toscana Saporita Agriturismo, a 15th Century villa where guests can reside in the grounds’ modernised Italian country style houses, and spend two days at the Toscana cookery school which has featured in both the New York Times and International Herald Tribune. To enter, customers must complete

a competition form at any Locale restaurant or via the Locale Facebook page. The winner will be chosen at random and announced at the end of August.

Locale has separate sites in Balham, Blackheath, County Hall, East Dulwich and Fulham. Each of the Locale restaurants and bars are operated individually with a typically Italian, community atmosphere.

Locale’s seasonal menus are devised by Executive Chef, Gianpaolo Barone, from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in Italy.

Barone has worked with Locale since its inception in 2005, and continues to implement authentic Italian recipes that

have been passed down for generations. All ingredients and dishes such as pasta, breads and desserts are made fresh on site and Paolo will soon introduce a range of his own cured hams and salamis to the menu.

Birra Moretti is an authentic Italian beer launched in 1860 and is now exported to more than forty countries. Brewed according to traditional methods, Moretti uses a special blend of high-quality hops and malts giving it a unique aroma and is an ideal match for a number of classic Italian dishes including risottos, pastas and white meat dishes. www.localerestaurants.com

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restaurants

By Deputy Editor Olivia Burton

Eat Indulge in their selection of the finest contemporary Spanish tapas- Prawn ali oli, Ensaladillam, Piquillo pepper and tuna belly, iberian sausage, paella, huevos rotas with chorizo and confit of pig – all washed down with Louis Roederer champagne.

BEST FOR: RELAXING LUNCH PETERSHAM NURSERIES CAFE, RICHMOND Open Tues –Sun. Contact: 020 8605 3627

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

BEST FOR: BREAKFAST LANKA, PRIMROSE HILL Closed on Mondays Contact: 020 7478 0540 What This tiny bakery in Primrose Hill is run by gourmet chef Masayuki Hara, a specialist in French & modern British cuisine and who is famed for creating the finest pastries and deserts. Freshly baked on-site, you will find yourself lured in by the delicious smell of fresh-from-the-oven banana loafs, green tea gateaux, steaming croissants or freshly

Aqua Nueva

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torched crème brulées. You can eat at the small side bar or if the weather is good, take away and enjoy on Primrose Hill.

Lanka also offers party catering, bespoke cakes and cookery classes.

Eat Any of their patisseries are to die for. Enjoy with their delicious freshly squeezed orange juice.

BEST FOR: TRENDY BRUNCH AQUA NUEVA, REGENT STREET Contact: 020 7478 0540 What Launched in May and inspired by the everincreasing appetite for the Brunch trend, Aqua Nueva’s Infinity Brunch allows you to enjoy traditional Spanish cuisine on their famous terraces looking out onto London’s skyline, with live music. Available from 12-3pm on Sundays. £65 per person for unlimited tapas and champagne.

What Stunning restaurant tucked down a quiet side street above Richmond. Head chef Skye Gyngell has recently been awarded a Michelin star for her exquisitely fresh creations. Enjoy a peaceful lunch in the quasi-greenhouse amidst beautiful antiques, Cire Trudon candles and terracotta earthenware spilling with sweetpeas and tulips.

Eat Gyngell works only with produce which is in season and which she can find growing around her – herbs and salad leaves are supplied by Petersham House Kitchen Garden. The short menu therefore changes on a weekly basis.

Be sure TO TRY the freshly baked pastries and cakes from the adjacent Tea House.

BEST FOR: UNIQUE BRITISH CUISINE DINNER BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL Contact: 020 7235 2000 What Dinner By Heston Blumenthal offers delicate, historic (the dates from which the dishes stem are listed accordingly) British cuisine with a subtle modern twist. The kitchen is headed up by Ashley Palmer-Watts who worked for nine years

The River Cafe

with Blumenthal at The Fat Duck. The interior is sleek and contemporary yet the conception has traditional, almost rustic, undertones. Glass walls allow you to see the chefs at work and private dining boasts views over Hyde Park.

Eat Roast scallops with cucumber ketchup and borage, Black foot pork chop with pointy cabbage and Robery sauce, Brown bread ice cream with salted butter caramel malted yeast syrup.

BEST FOR: THE FINEST ITALIAN CUISINE THE RIVER CAFE, HAMMERSMITH Contact: 020 7386 4200 What Owned and run by chef Ruth Rogers and until early 2010, Rose Gray, and housed within the former Duckhams oil storage facility modified by Ruth’s husband Lord Rogers. The modern, open-plan restaurant is warm, relaxed and inviting with a magical atmosphere, unbeatable food and the most welcoming and friendly staff. Somehow this restaurant only ever seems to get better. Take advantage of the location and indulge in an after-lunch/ dinner stroll along the river.

Skye Gyngell: Head chef of Petersham Nurseries Cafe Photography by Martin Hartley

Lanka

The River Café is also famed for the number of successful chefs that have trained in its kitchens, including Ed Baines of Randall & Aubin, April Bloomfield of the Spotted Pig (in New York), Jamie Oliver, Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall and Tobie Puttock.

Eat Chargrilled Squid with fresh red chilli and rocket, Wild Sea Bass with olives, large leaf rocket and slow-cooked Florence fennel, Pear & Almond tart. Drink Planeta Chardonnay and be sure to stock up on their i Canonici Polvereto Olive Oil. BEST FOR: NO TIME TO COOK OTTOLENGHI, BELGRAVIA Contact: 020 7823 2707 What Take-away shop with a small table in the back for a quick bite to eat. Expect tasty Mediterranean dishes, created from scatch in their kitchens below with the finest ingredients. They pride themselves on not freezing any of their food and refrigerating for short periods of time only. The chefs use mainly organic, local produce and are forever testing OUT new dishes. The menu changes daily. Branches can also be found in Islington, Notting Hill and Kensington.

“The River Café is also famed for the number of successful chefs that have trained in its kitchens” Eat Crushed green peas and shredded mangetout with feta, pea-shoot and shiso; Grilled king prawns with lemongrass, ginger and chilli sauce, served with pickled green mango; Dark chocolate mousse, served with honeycomb and soured cream. *If you have time, nip round the corner to Pierre Hermé and take away a selection of the finest maccarons. E*

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restaurants

The inspiring and incredibly young front of house team at one of London’s finest restaurants talk to EL ESTILO* about the magic of working with Alain Ducasse and getting ahead in today’s restaurant industry by Olivia Burton

S

itting in the lobby of The Dorchester on a rainy Saturday, I looked around at the extraordinary melange of people drifting in and out, tight-lipped ladies weighed down with shopping bags, wide-eyed visitors come to behold the glory of this renowned hotel, and silent soloists awaiting a guest, a lover, a friend. I’m here to meet the front of house team behind Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester and, despite reading otherwise, am expecting the kind of reserved mockmodesty one normally associates with managers of such prestigious restaurants.

I am somewhat surprised, therefore, when Nicholas bounds up to me and introduces himself with a boyish, beaming smile and shows me through to the restaurant with ill-concealed excitement at inviting me in for a glimpse at this gastronomic Eden. He takes a small pause before opening the doors, straightens the lapels of his jacket and ushers me into the serene dining room. “This is where the magic happens, or so they say,” he says as he glances at me with a look of satisfaction. He has indeed brought me to the edge of serenity. A

crisp, clean and modern room, bereft of superfluous decor and far from the hustle and bustle of the hotel lobby. Here, amidst varying hues of browns and pinks, guests can enjoy Alain Ducasse’s creations in a calming, simplistic space, in keeping with

“It is not about perfection but rather about innovation” “what is expected of 2011.”

Nicholas Defremont is the restaurant’s Director and despite being just 30 years old had already won the Acorn Award in 2009 for Youngest Restaurant Manager of Gordon Ramsay’s 3 Michelin star namesake restaurant prior to joining Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. This is not, however, a job he had dreamt of doing since childhood, as I would imagine. He fell into it as a whim, he tells me. “When I was sixteen years old I had no job, no career. My dream was to study mechanics and go into motor racing.

Instead, one day my friend told me he was going to be a chef and it suddenly hit me that that’s what I would do. I’d be a chef!”

After his two years of training (the first as a chef, the second in front of house) Nicholas managed to secure a job at Alain Ducasse’s 59 Poincare in Paris, to which he had to commute for over 3 hours each day, often working a fourteen hour shift.

He then went on to work for Gordon Ramsay for more than six years between

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Paris, New York and London. Nicolas joined Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in August 2010 and has brought with him a fresh vision of what service means and a young dynamism (a characteristic deemed essential to the front of house by Monsieur Ducasse, and for which I can now vouch) to the well-established restaurant.

As Nicholas shows me around, from the private dining areas (one of which can seat up to thirty people and overlooks the park), to the kitchens where the twenty members of kitchen staff are busy at their stations preparing for the evening service, he speaks with such passion and sincerity that I start wondering whether perhaps I myself should be going into the restaurant industry. All of a sudden I am marvelling at the most minute detail: the arduous task of ironing and re-ironing each tablecloth, setting the tables according to the chosen Hermès china detailed by the guests, and ensuring everyone is well-versed not only on the menu, but more importantly, on each of the diners. “When a guest has come to the restaurant three times, we will then take notes on exactly what they ate, what they drank, what they liked and didn’t like so that we can bring a higher level of personal service when they next visit.”

“The focus is on the customer. That is why we must be on the floor during lunch and dinner. It is important that you maintain consistency,” Nicholas explains. “Our aim is to go beyond the waiter-guest service you find elsewhere. We are in 2011, there is no room to be cold and stuffy anymore.

When someone comes to dine at Alain Ducasse, we want them to be able to enjoy it. You cannot enjoy the meal properly if you are concerned with having to sit up straight and whisper.” As a result they find themselves receiving regular feedback from customers who were pleasantly surprised with the friendly, yet professional, service.

“We don’t turn tables. We don’t rush guests,” Jamie Cameron, assistant manager, later explains. “We will adapt to each guest.

Sometimes we have people staying on late into the early hours of the morning because they don’t want to leave. Other times we have businessmen who need to be in and out within the hour, and we will accommodate that too.” Nicholas often receives a phone call from frequent diners to his personal mobile so that he can reserve a table for them. “After all,” he says, “we belong to an exclusive club of 76 restaurants in the world. Guests have higher expectations. They pay to get the best, so we make sure we deliver the best. It is faster and more convenient for someone to give me a call than to have to go online or hear an automated service to try to get a booking. At the end of the day it’s about simplicity.”

The front of house team is made up of Nicholas, Vincent Pastorello, the head sommelier, William Lusteau, Manager, and Jamie Cameron, Assistant Manager.

As a team they appear laid-back and surprisingly young. Vincent is 27 and yet already has a startling range of

experience, from Head Sommelier at the Rockpool Bar and Grill in Melbourne to Sommelier at Gordon Ramsay Maze and Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s. William is 26 and has spent the last five years working in Alain Ducasse’s restaurants in Paris whilst Jamie is a mere 23 years old and yet speaks with the flair and confidence of someone who might have been in the business for decades.

When I ask them how they manage to maintain a level of perfection, they are quick to correct me that “it is not about perfection but rather about innovation.

You have to try different approaches and push new boundaries. Then you can take the good and discard the bad.” The need for innovation and fresh views in the business dictates that, by necessity, there is usually a quick turnover of staff.

“I don’t want to keep staff for more than two years, especially juniors. It is very important for them to build up their experience, to work for other restaurants in other locations,” Nicholas explains. I ask, for my sins, if the Michelin stars are only about the food. “Certainly not! Three Michelin stars is an award for a restaurant which takes you on a journey. That journey is about the food but also about the experience.”

William quips. “It is true! London is a more dynamic and diverse market place.

It is international and as a result it has become fiercely competitive. The general level of food here in London is better. The standard of the kitchen is better. ” When it is time to leave I am genuinely sorry not to be staying into the evening.

I had arrived to the meeting expecting the cold and haughty greeting one would normally associate with such a prestigious restaurant. Instead I could quite happily go on chatting to the team for hours and as I reluctantly don my coat and say my goodbyes I am already thinking ahead to which day I can book in for dinner. As Nicholas walks me out towards the doors I ask him what his advice is for anyone considering going into the business. “Hard work, dedication and love. You have to really love this industry to get far.” It is one thing to love the job you’re in, but to make others around you feel that very same enthusiasm is a rare feat indeed... one which this team has certainly mastered. E*

When asked to compare their home capital to the London restaurant scene, they unanimously agree that Paris might offer some of the finest food, but it is French food. “If you go for a Chinese in Paris, you will most likely leave sick,” EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011

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hotels

What to do, shopping and dining by Olivia Burton 7 NIGHTS THE PENINSULA BEVERLEY HILLS, LOS ANGELES Located in the heart of Beverly Hills and just a stone’s throw from the shopping mecca that is Rodeo Drive, The Peninsula Beverly Hills delivers everything you could associate with the very height of luxury and comfort.

There are 196 guest rooms, including 36 suites and 16 private villas set amid tropical gardens, all with vast marble bathrooms and exquisite linen (*once you have stayed three times at the hotel they will even initial your pillow cases).

On the rooftop you will find the perfectly positioned 60 ft rooftop swimming pool, surrounding which are several private cabanas replete with ipod docks and flat screen tvs. There is also the state-of-theart Peninsula Spa health club (expect

Fiji water on tap, ice cold flannels and energy bars by the treadmills). Between the pool and the spa you will find the hotel’s famous Roof Garden which has recently reopened after undergoing a $4 million renovation. Overlooking the city, and tucked far from the beedy eye of the paparazzi, up here you’ll find celebrities, guests and businessmen flittering in and out of lunch meetings in the sunshine. The

”Once you have stayed three times at the hotel they will even initial your pillow cases” restaurant is understated and charming, the cuisine unfussy and market-fresh. The chefs can often be seen discretely exiting the kitchen, climbing down to the garden below the swimming pool and returning with bowls full of fresh herbs.

The legendary Peninsula Afternoon Tea, meanwhile, is served in The Lounge where you can relax amidst the tinkling of the grand piano and silent flickering of the large open fire. In the adjacent Club Bar you can indulge in a pre-dinner cocktail in a darker, broodier atmosphere, with its Californian birch panelled walls and live music.

The icing on the cake is the iconic chauffeur service which offers guests complimentary chauffering around Beverly Hills in one of the hotel’s Phantom Rolls Royce. What really sets the hotel apart, however, is the extraordinary attention to detail and faultless service. Ice cold water is delivered to your poolside before you

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even have to ask. Staff will offer to go and fetch a new set of magazines. Restaurant reservations, however late, and however coveted the location, are deftly dealt with by the concierge. Car rentals for the day will be haggled by the front-desk staff and all paperwork taken care of. Medications, no matter how late, will be fetched and delivered to your bedroom. In short, The Peninsula seems one step ahead in every sense. Nothing is too much trouble, the staff are extraordinarily helpful and accommodating, and everything down to the most minute detail is presented and delivered to perfection.

WHAT TO DO Rent a car for the day and drive to The Getty Center (1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, 90049) where you can take in one of the best views over Los Angeles and while away the hours in one of their breathtaking exhibits (we recommend Paris: Life & Luxury showing through August 7th). The dramatic and pure white architecture, together with tranquil gardens , makes for a place of sheer serenity and reflection.

For haircare, head to Chris McMillan on Burton Way where they will transform your locks . Faithful clients include include the likes of Jennifer Aniston (Chris’ close friend), Penelope Cruz and Victoria Beckham. The fact that the hair stylists themselves have the most lustrous locks around.

WHERE TO SHOP In Beverly Hills head to Rodeo Drive for the big names (LV, Gucci, La Perla, Bottega Veneta etc), but be sure to stock up on coveted Adriano Goldschmied denim on Beverly Drive (329, North Beverly Drive) and head to Wilshire Boulevard for Neiman

Marcus (9700 Wilshire Blvd) where you can find everything from Lanvin and The Row to Alexander Wang and Paige. Also on Wilshire Boulevard you will find Niketown (9560 Wilshire Blvd) where they stock a vast range of the most sought-after gym kit.

Osteria Mozza (6602 Melrose Avenue, at N Highland Avenue) for mouth-wateringly exquisite Italian food. Must try their burrata with vine ripened tomatoes Katsuya (800 West Olympic Blvd) for excellent sushi amongst the stars and glitz of Philippe Stark’s design creation – but beware the din Nobu (903 North La Cienaga Blvd) for faultless and world-class Japanese time

For boutiques which are more Off-thebeaten-track, ask to be dropped on Robertson Blvd and walk up towards Melrose Avenue. Robertson boasts a cluster of privately-run boutiques as well as a Chanel, the shop facade of which is fully open onto the street. Melrose Avenue is home to the likes of Balenciaga (Neonlit and surrounded by cacti), Paul Smith (with its vast, shocking-pink exterior wall) and cutting-edge boutiques, where you will come across the likes of hard-to-find Haider Ackermann and Iro.

“The Cavalieri is also home to La Pergola restaurant, which is esteemed by many to be Rome’s finest”

If you rent a car for the day, head over to Santa Monica and rub shoulders with the stars who head to Fred Segal (5th Street between Colorado and Broadway) to get their fix of Isabel Marant and comfort house wear, and Venice Beach for a more eclectic selection of brands and boutiques.

after time. Must try the Wagyu tacos.

Bouchon (235 North Canon Drive) for simple and traditional French cuisine in grandiose yet comfortable surroundings.

3 NIGHTS ROME CAVALIERI, ROME

WHERE TO EAT The Farm of Beverly Hills (439 North Beverly Drive) for fresh and wholesome breakfast and brunch

The Rome Cavalieri Hotel boasts one of Rome’s most idyllic locations, set within 15 acres of Mediterranean parkland with breathtaking views over the entire city, and

yet only a moment’s taxi ride or walk from Rome’s most iconic monuments.

Each spacious and luxuriously decorated room is designed with separate sleeping and living area and have deliciously scented Aqua di Parma products in the bathrooms. For the ultimate in luxury, however, check in to an Imperial Room which offers, amongst other benefits, king size ‘floating featherbeds’ and the use of the Imperial Club Lounge, where you can enjoy complimentary food, drink and entertainment throughout the day, as well as complimentary access to the Grand Spa..

The Grand Spa itself is akin to a large private Health Club complete with a vast Turkish bath with hot and cold plunge pools, four swimming pools as well as hydro-massage and whirlpools. They specialise in treatments from around the world including Ayruvedic healing and Shiatsu massage. There are also 2 Davis Cup day tennis courts, a Technogym with yoga and pilates rooms , as well as a vast outdoor swimming pool where you can watch the world, with its well-heeled women and perfectly groomed children, wander past.

The Cavalieri is also home to La Pergola restaurant, which is esteemed by many to be Rome’s finest, and indeed the EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011

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only restaurant in Rome to have been awarded 3 Michelin stars. There are more than 53,000 bottles in their wine cellar and 29 different choices of water on the menu. Accordingly, expect only the finest: spectacular panoramic views over the city, exquisite food by the hand of Heinz Beck and team, Sevres porcelain and priceless artwork… Meanwhile, adjacent to the restaurant and spilling onto the balcony overlooking the spectral lights of St Peter’s Basilica, is the exclusive Cigar Lounge which offers vintage liqueurs and rare lagers.

The hotel is famed for its astonishing art collection – look out for works by the likes of William James, Alessandro Magnasco, Andy Warhol and Constantino Rinaldo among others.

WHAT TO DO Tip a taxi driver handsomely in the late hours of the evening and ask him to take you around the city sites. I consider this to be the most authentic approach to getting your tourist fix – you will be whisked from the Colosseum to the Pantheon, past the Pyramid of Cestius, stopping at the Trevi Fountain to throw the customary coin, past the Colonna de Marco Aurelio and up the Aventine Hill to the peaceful Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta where you can look 44

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through the open key hole of the vast wooden door and behold the ‘Cuppolone’, St Peter's dome, which appears at the far end of a path flanked by perfectly symmetrical trees. Not a soul in sight and all viewed in the silent and magical roman night time.

For carefree tourism by day, make like Audrey Hepburn and embark on the Roman Holiday Vespa tour. You will travel through the city in conjunction with scenes from the iconic movie: VIA DELLE 4 FONTANE (Escape from the palazzo), PIAZZA DELLA REPUBBLICA (On the drinks truck), VIA DEI FORI IMPERIALI (The meeting with the journalist), VIA MARGUTTA (The journalist’s house), TREVI FOUNTAIN (The hair-cutting scene), SPANISH STEPS (The ice-cream scene), PANTHEON (At the bar with the photographer, friend of the journalist), COLOSSEUM (Escaping on the Vespa), PIAZZA VENEZIA (Escaping on the Vespa), LA BOCCA DELLA VERITÀ (An unconfessable secret), CASTEL S.ANGELO (The fight)...

For bookings contact HR Tours +39 06 70613720 hri@happyrent.com WHERE TO SHOP Head to the Via Condotti for the finest

in Italian big-name brands: Armani, Ferragamo, Bulgari, Versace... The Valentino boutique is particularly beautiful and head to Prada to admire the store with its mirrored lifts and bathrooms. If you’re not looking to splash the cash, the Via Condotti is also a wonderful place to people-watch and window shop and it opens, of course, onto the coveted Spanish Steps. For small boutiques head to Via Borgognona and for a touch of La Dolce Vita stroll through the Fellini-famous Via Veneto. For contemporary jewellery nowhere beats R-01-IOS, Paolo Giacomelli and Roberta Paolucci’s flagship store on 39, Via del Pigneto.

WHERE TO EAT Le Jardin de Russie, the garden restaurant of the Rocco Forte Hotel de Russie, located between the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo on the Via del Babuino. Here you can enjoy the finest cuisine from the hand of ‘two Michelin stars’ Fulvio Pierangelini amidst the lush and tranquil surroundings of the charming gardens.

La Terrazza dell’Eden, Via Ludovisi 49, Hotel Eden’s top floor restaurant has beautiful views and delicious Mediterranean cuisine (Zucchini blossoms stuffed with ricotta and crispy langoustine and scallop...), but it is the adjacent Bar La Terrazza with its equally

hotels

stunning views, famed live pianist and excellent cocktails which is a must-visit.

Caffe Canova-Tadolini, Via del Babuino 150, is dedicated to Antonio Canova, the neoclassical sculpture, and his student, Adamo Tadolini – indulge in delicious pastas and cocktails beneath looming sculptures in this cafeteria cum sculpture museum/atelier.

2 NIGHTS LE PAVILLON DE LA REINE, PARIS This sumptuously romantic, privatelyowned hotel standing majestically back from the Place des Vosges is nothing short of magical. The Pavillon de la Reine has that otherworldly quality which gives you the comforting appeal of being at home, and yet at the same time, a feeling of guiltless indulgence. Although there is an undeniably rich aura to the hotel, it has none of the clutter and overexuberance of your usual baroque French decor. The interiors feel modern, sophisticated and sleek - yet all the while in keeping with a Proustian luxuriousness.

The hotel has recently undergone renovation by esteemed Parisian designer Didier Benderli, who has transformed each bedroom into a unique entity, with a

whopping budget of, on average, 120,000 euros per room. The 54 bedrooms are all

“It is no wonder Christian Lacroix stayed in the hotel for 2 years in the Victor Hugo suite” very different - some modern and spacious with state of the art bathrooms complete with rainshowers and walk-in wardrobes; others in keeping with the house’s history (which dates back to the 17th century) with burgundies, silks, beams and low ceilings.

The suites are exquisite - The Suite de la Reine is majestic yet homely, one of those rooms you could quite happily live in. It is no wonder Christian Lacroix stayed in the hotel for 2 years in the Victor Hugo suite. With their high ceilings, chandeliers, marble bathrooms, stand-alone baths, vast beds, walk-in wardrobes and luxurious fabrics, these are certainly fit for a queen.

Choose to while away the hours in the

library or the sitting room. Kick back with a good book next to the large open fire and indulge in an artisan tea. For pampering, head to the Spa de la Reine which offers gym, jacuzzis, steam rooms and Carita treatments - the beauty brand once coveted by Brigitte Bardot.

WHAT TO DO Walk south to see the splendours of Notre Dame, the Jardin de Luxembourg and the calm of Saint Sulpice. Head west along the river to the Musée d’Orsay to see the rare and beautiful works of Renoir, Gauguin, Cézanne, ... Look out for Jacques-Emile Blanche’s famous portrait of Marcel Proust, Monet’s La Charrette, Van Gogh’ selfportrait and The Siesta. Continue along the river up towards the American Church to see the two beautiful stained glass windows by Tiffany and then cross back over to the regal Place de la Concorde, and stroll through the Tuileries up to the Louvre and enjoy tea at Angelina’s, 226 rue de Rivoli.

Head to The Musée des Arts Décoratifs to behold the incredible selection of classic cars from Ralph Lauren’s personal collection. Art of the Automobile runs from 28th April to 28th August.

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hotels

WHERE TO SHOP Le Marais is the fashion district of Paris so there is no need to leave this golden triangle to get your retail fix. Just steps away from the hotel you will find L’Eclaireur (40, rue de Sévigné), one of the world’s leading fashion boutiques. Here you will find the very best of cutting-edge fashion and hard-to-find designs. Stroll along towards the Rue des Rosiers for Annick Goutal perfumes and Carry-worthy footwear in Lobato. Head up the rue Vieille du Temple for the hippest in French labels such as Sandro, Maje, Manoush, Paul & Joe, Les Petits..., Vanessa Bruno as well as vintage Chanel-crammed boutiques and privately run shops such as Shine and Swildens which are awash with Marc Jacobs and Chloe. The rue des Francs Bourgeois will be buzzing on a Sunday as it is one of the few shopping streets in Paris which is open (thanks to Le Marais also being the Jewish quarter of Paris).

Up in the North Marais you will find Isabel Marant, No.60 and Gaspard Yurkievich among many, many others.

WHERE TO EAT Tea or breakfast in Le Loir dans la Theiere (3, rue des Rosiers) is a must. This artist’s den has an eclectic and bohemian atmosphere with every wall space taken up by theatre and art posters. There are soft, antique armchairs squishy sofas and rickety old wooden tables. The cakes here are the main reason the queues in the afternoon are often found to be stretching down the street outside. There are usually about 7 different cakes available which are freshly baked within the hour.

For lunch, La Chaise sur la Plafond (10, rue du Tresor) offers a quieter, calmer atmosphere than its buzzing sister restaurant next door, Les Philosophes.

There are heated wooden benches inside for the winter and tables outside on the terrasse for the summer. A great place for people-watching, you can often find impeccably-dressed students whiling away the hours here with a book and a chocolat chaud a l’ancienne. The Authentic Chai is not to be missed. For blow-out dinner cross over the Place des Vosges from the hotel to L’Ambroisie (9, Place des Vosges): with 4 knives and forks, 3 rosettes and described as serving ‘food of the gods’ by the Michelin Guide, L’Ambroisie is an exclusive and allusive gastronomic haventhe food is so good the restaurant almost assumes a mythical status. For something equally enticing but where you can slip away from prying eyes into the soft red velvet armchairs in dimly lit corners head down to 239, rue Saint Honoré to the Hotel Costes. The buzz, the delicious food and 46

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the glamazons make for an exciting and delectable evening every time.

1 NIGHT THE METROPOLITAN LONDON, LONDON There are many outstanding hotels in London, but none encapsulate the Londonian spirit quite as well as The Metropolitan. The hotel is sophisticated, quirky and contemporary and boasts era-defining artists behind its cool and innovative interior design, music and cuisine. Rooms are minimalist yet inviting with warm colours interjecting soft white and pear-wood panelling. Furniture is Asian-inspired and all rooms offer high-tech detailing and state-of-the-art technology.

The Met Bar is members-only but is open to hotel guests. It is here where London’s hottest names in music come to regale clientele with live music and DJ-ing.

You can also have a light lunch of dim sum during the daytime and Afternoon De-Light Tea with low-fat cupcakes and Eco-Tinis. The hotel restaurant, meanwhile, is the ever-coveted Michelin-starred Nobu where you can enjoy their famous black cod, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno and sweet shrimps. You need not worry at the end of the night about having to grab a taxi or drive home, instead simply step into the lift to your bedroom or the bar for a nightcap.

For a wind-down after strolling around the shops, head to the hotel’s COMO Shambhala Urban Escape Spa where you can indulge in Reiki, acupuncture, shiatsu and Thai massage. They also offer excellent Holistic and Dr Perricone facial treatments.

WHAT TO DO If the weather is good, take a boat down the Thames to the Tate Modern and enjoy

“None encapsulatethe Londonian spirit quite as well as The Metropolitan” the views of St.Pauls and the London skyline. Head back along the river to The Savoy for afternoon tea and as the sun goes down, make sure you have a drink at Galvin at Windows, just a few steps from the Metropolitan, where you can watch the caramel burnished skies darken over London.

WHERE TO SHOP Head down to Sloane Street for Harvey Nichols and across to Knightsbridge for Harrods. For less shopping mall, more village atmosphere, get a taxi to Brompton Cross and shop at the vast Joseph, Bamford and Sons and Ralph Lauren. Chanel at Brompton Cross is famed for having the most welcoming staff and down on Walton Street you will find a wonderful cluster of fine jewellery boutiques, sleek homewear, luxury children’s boutiques and delicious bakeries and delis. You can walk back towards Hyde Park Corner via Pont Street.

WHERE TO EAT Lunch at The River Cafe, Thames Wharf, Rainville road is a must. Overlooking the river, The River Cafe is unbeatable whatever the weather. It is deliciously secluded and yet buzzing with the hip crowd and serves unparalleled Italian cuisine. E*

hotels

An ultra high-tech urban cocoon opens July 2011 “The team at Eccleston Square Hotel have pulled out every stop to deliver the most advanced, state-of-the-art bedroom interiors”

Smart Glass walls turn opaque with a touch

F

rom July 11th 2011, behind a striking late Georgian façade, the ingeniously renovated 39-bedroom Eccleston Square will become Europe’s most high-tech hotel.

Its groundbreaking technology will set it apart from modern contemporaries and bring to London something completely unique.

The team at Eccleston Square Hotel have pulled out every stop to deliver the most advanced, state-of-the-art bedroom interiors with 46 inch 3D LED TVs, HD Movie and 3D channels, 3D Blu Ray DVD players, free super-fast Wi-Fi, free London calls and worldwide VoIP calls at cost.

Advanced features include finger-tip control pads for every possible function: lighting, curtains, TV, soundtrack and even electronic wake-up and bedtime settings.

In addition, every bedroom will boast its very own iPad2. Every conceivable function or request can be managed from the device, be it room service, spa bookings, shopping guides or a Boris bike!

High-spec marble bathrooms have ‘smart glass’ walls which turn opaque at the touch of a button, plus a TV incorporated into the heated, steam-proof mirror. The wet room features a rainfall shower, highpressure massage heads and aromatherapy

products including L’Occitane essential oils.

Another first: every bedroom offers the ‘world’s best beds’ sourced from the acclaimed Swedish manufacturers, Hästens.

At £12,000 each, they are electronically adjustable at a touch and feature relaxing massage programmes that synchronize with the inspired Hästen’s Mind Spa TV. Relaxation or fitness menus coordinate with massage, light and music sequences.

A 50-cover bar and restaurant serves modern French cuisine and, for business, there’s a meeting and events space with 3D Media Wall and Video Conferencing.

Located within the desirable area of Belgravia, this affordable hotel is ideally placed for tube, bus and rail connections including the Gatwick Express.

Wellbeing, comfort and the soundest night’s sleep are central to the design concept being implemented by Olivia Byrne - a graduate from the esteemed Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne and the Hotel Director of Eccleston Square Hotel.

Through this veritable tardis of modern design and 007-smart wizardry – Olivia aims to bring to London a whole new 21st Century genre of city hotel. www.ecclestonsquarehotel.com

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interview

Olivia Burton speaks exclusively to Paddy Byng , CEO of Asprey, about their upcoming launch into the world of electronic commerce, a revamp of their iconic headquarters and the importance of maintaining an elite status in a world of accessibility

Olivia: What do you consider to be the core values of Asprey and how do you envision adapting them for 2011?

Paddy: Well first of all we don’t want to change them. Our core values are what sets our brand apart – it is important to uphold them. In terms of what they are, first and foremost we believe in quality; quality of the highest level, underpinned by the best craftsmanship. We make a lot of our goods ourselves which is rare for an established brand these days. We also ensure that our 48

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products and designs remain understated and timeless. Our bespoke service is important in this respect: there are so many brands out there who claim to offer ‘bespoke’ products, but Asprey actually walks the talk. It is a very important aspect of our brand.

I think it makes perfect sense to do so – the world is so digital these days and an online service will be a huge opportunity for us to take the brand worldwide. After all, we’re not a widely distributed brand.

The internet is an extremely dynamic marketing tool.

Olivia: Asprey is a very old, British brand.

Does this hinder international appeal?

Olivia: Asprey seems to be arriving quite late in the game to ecom. What are your plans to distinguish the Asprey e-site to other luxury brands?

Paddy: Not at all. Our provenance is extremely important to us – the look of our products and feel of our stores has a sense of Englishness to them and this is the very root of the brand – it is what sets us apart. We are holding on to a special sense of heritage. And the very fact that Asprey has been around for such a long time – at 230 yrs old it is one of, if not the, oldest accessories house in London - creates a strong sense of authenticity. Our customer knows and understands what we stand for and can therefore trust that we will deliver only the very best.

Olivia: There’s been a lot of change this year to the Asprey team. You have hired Mike, for example, to launch your ecommerce business. Is this a conscious effort to make Asprey more accessible?

Paddy: We do indeed have plans to launch our ecommerce business in September.

Paddy: I don’t think one can ever be too late to the internet. And there is certainly always room for a brand like Asprey online.

Yes it’s crowded in the digital market, but it is also crowded in the physical market.

Our aim is to keep our digital world as close as possible to the physical and this has the added advantage in that we can finally open up the doors to exactly how our products are made by providing online videos of our manufacturers at work. The client will be able to visit the store virtually.

Olivia: Asprey was always very much the go-to place for royalty and aristocracy. How has the Asprey customer changed?

Paddy: Well luckily we are fortunate enough to still have Heads of State and royal families amongst our clients, but the business is now very much driven by international clients.

Olivia: I would have thought that the very fact that Asprey has such exclusive designs and is so firmly rooted in British heritage would create an obstacle to expanding your client base internationally...

Paddy: Our design may well be exclusive but it is quiet. We are not interested in creating IT bags for example. You’ll be hard-pushed to find any sort of logo on our accessories. There is a lot of new money out there and people who want something which they won’t see on anyone else.

Understated luxury is in huge demand and that is exactly what Asprey offers.

Olivia: What about the young? You see so many of the young these days with Louis Vuitton, for example...Is this something you want to see with Asprey?

Paddy: Louis Vuitton is much more accessible than Asprey. They use materials such as canvas which lowers the cost of the product and therefore appeals to a younger client base. Asprey is more akin to the likes of Hermès and Bottega (Venetta).

We aim to be aspirational to our young customers rather than too accessible.

That’s not to say that we veer away from products which appeal to the youngour jewellery, for example, is very much targeted towards a younger customer. The designs are fresh and the prices are more affordable.

Olivia: With a brand like Asprey which is made up of such a vast array of components from leather to jewellery to silverware, how difficult is it to maintain a consistent vision and a sense of unity to the house?

Paddy: It all comes down to the team. It is so important to have a good team around you, and I’m fortunate enough to have this at Asprey from marketing, to design all the way through to finance.

Olivia: And what can we expect from Asprey going forward?

Paddy: We aim to expand within the markets where we already have a presence

– specifically in the US, the Middle East and in Japan. Later down the line we would also look to penetrate China and Korea.

But in the near term we are concentrating on refreshing the interior design of our headquarters to make the store more inviting, and of course the launch of our ecommerce business in September will be a very big step for us. We also have several new product ranges being released, including a reinvigoration of our Daisy jewellery line. There is a one-off necklace which is being made at the moment in our workshop for this collection which features an amazing yellow diamond and this will be available in August.

Olivia: And your aims for the brand?

Paddy: To never lose our roots. They give us our identity. In a world where luxury has become so ubiquitous it is essential that we don’t lose focus on the importance of our bespoke offering. We may have plans to expand internationally but we would never want to become too accessible.

There is a lot to be said for ‘less is more’. E* EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011

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books

S

et in the shimmering landscape of southern France, Natlie Young’s novel alternates between the postwar years and the present day to explore a dark family secret and its ripple effect on people’s lives...

Kate and Stephen Glover have taken a break from their hectic London life to spend the winter in the secluded village of Canas. The slow pace of life there affects them in different ways. While Stephen feels restless, Kate finds herself drawn to the village and to the beautiful, derelict chateau at its heart. But soon her excursions over the chateau wall are spreading rumours among the locals. What she doesn’t know is that the house has a terrible legacy, and that her private journey of escape and self-discovery is threatening to reawaken the trauma of the past. We All Ran into the Sunlight is a heartbreaking story of love and ownership, misplaced desire and the damage done when the truth is withheld.

“The past grabs hold and will not let you go in this uncanny and beautiful novel. Strange and delicious in the manner of Rebecca.”

Sarah Blake, author of The Postmistress “We All Ran Into the Sunlight is the sort of intricate invention that only a few masters – like Ian McEwan or Graham Greene – could assemble. This novel will mesmerize you – and it will break your heart.”

Stefan Merrill Block, author of The Story of Forgetting “Poised, well-written, richly detailed.”

– Ben Okri AN INTERVIEW WITH NATALIE YOUNG When did you start writing and why?

I began to read avidly at the age of nine

and was very quickly writing in response to the books I read. I wrote a play at the age of 11. Reading stories for me was always a peaceful, private activity, but also a way to lose myself in adventure, character and plot. Writing about the things I was feeling and seeing was a form of escapism, but also a path to self-discovery Was publishing the book worth all the effort you put into it?

Of course. Writing a book isn’t about the thing in your hands at the end of it, or the people who are reading it. It’s about the time you spent in that world, the things you learnt about how to manage in real life. It changes you What are you writing now?

I’m working on a thriller. It’s set in the woods near to where I grew up. I’ve been reading a lot of detective fiction. P D James is marvellous. There’s something quite comforting about the rules of genre fiction.

It’s a good way to work through writer’s block What would you save in a fire?

I would save my children and my son's beloved gerbils. Everything else can be replaced What would be your desert island book?

The complete works of Shakespeare What or who inspires you?

Creative, resourceful, independent women What is your philosophy?

Maturity is resilience. Joy is the most we can aspire to.

What would you do on your last day on earth?

Walk in nature, eat and drink fine wine with my family and friends.

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uca

Famous ex student returns

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egendary fashion designer, Zandra Rhodes, made a triumphant return to the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) at Rochester yesterday (17 March 2011) where she began her studies.

Zandra Rhodes said: “It’s very exciting to come back to Medway and visit UCA Rochester, my old college. I never thought I’d return here as Chancellor, so I’m absolutely thrilled and proud to be doing this.

Zandra, who was installed as UCA’s first ever Chancellor in May 2010, gave a free Public Lecture about her 50 years in fashion to a packed lecture theatre.

“The college was down on the High Street when I was here and my memories were of it being a vibrant, hard-working place and I am really pleased to see that, 50 years on, it’s still the same.

Members of the public, students and fans were treated to photos and anecdotes from each decade of her illustrious career which has seen her dress some of the most famous people in the world. Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury, Lauren Bacall, Sarah Jessica-Parker, Kylie Minogue and Paris Hilton are just a few of the celebrities she has worked with.

She studied at UCA Rochester from 19591961 when it was Medway College of Design. Her mother also taught fashion at the institution.

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“I have been very impressed with the students and the work that I’ve seen today.

The facilities are fantastic and there is a great mix of digital and traditional but what has really caught my eye are the teaching practices – I can’t tell you how pleased I am to see that they are being taught to draw still, rather than relying totally on computers.”

Zandra toured the university on the day that the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) announced that UCA’s

“Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury and Paris Hilton are just a few of the celebrities she has worked with” budget would be cut by 7.8%, more than double the national average.

“The whole world has over-spent and we have to do something about it but we have to make sure that universities as special as UCA, with its talented graduates, win through,” she said. “This university is very positive and I think now it’s up to people like me to be called upon to see what we can do to get suitable donations and scholarships to make sure that, whatever happens, specialist institutions survive and go on to thrive after this difficult period.”

DESIGNER Rayo Collection PHOTOGRAPHER Linda Scuizzato MAKE-UP ARTIST Freda Lil MODEL Fenella Foxx

info@rayocollection.com | rayocollection.com

For cost effective advertising with impact contact Mark McGough editor@elestilo.co.uk

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interview

Mark McGough interviews Rich Martell, founder and CEO of floxx.com the nets favourite ‘fit finder’

1. What's your background?

Floxx’s predecessor, FitFinder, was set up as a joke between my friends and I – we would text each other when we saw someone attractive in the library. I made the website in one night, which wasn’t too difficult as I was studying computing sciences at University. The site instantly became a viral sensation, crashing the server it was running on. When it went live again, it received 20,000 hits in just two hours. However, the website got me into trouble with my University, who threatened me with disciplinary action if I didn’t shut the site down. All very ‘The Social Network’, right?

with people in certain areas even if you haven’t met them or don’t know what they look like.

After University, I relaunched the site as Floxx with investment from Doug Richard (of Dragon’s Den) and Silicon Valley investor Kevin Wall. Recently, we have been working on mobile apps and lots more new developments so we can be bigger and better when University starts in September.

5. Is it breaking even?

We haven’t monetized the business yet because we think it’s crucial to get traction and build a loyal user base first – in the long run, it just isn’t worth cashing in too early for the sake of it, as you end up alienating people and looking like a faceless, money grabbing corporation.

And we definitely don’t want to do that!

2. Who's the team behind Floxx?

So far, there’s me, another back end developer, a social media/marketing guy (who also manages the office and does everything else not technical…!) and a front end developer who’s working on making everything look good! We also have a graphic design intern in over the summer. We just moved into our new offices in Angel, which we’re all really excited about – after sharing office space for a while, it’s great to have a place that feels more like ‘ours’.

3. How is Floxx different to other social networks?

Floxx is different in that it takes the emphasis off talking to people you already know – a lot of location based apps around right now claim to allow you to meet new people, but in practice they only allow you to keep in touch with people you’re already friends with. Floxx allows you to interact

4. Where do you see Floxx in 5 years?

Hmm, five years is a long time…I suppose the obvious answer is it would be as popular as Facebook and Twitter are now, but trying to think five years ahead in the tech world is really difficult because things change so quickly. We have a lot of new developments planned over summer, which will really be kicking off in September – I think we’re excited enough to see how things go with that without thinking too far into the future!

6. What has been the best lesson Floxx has taught you?

I’ve learnt that there are often times it would be very easy to give up on an idea – e.g. after the pressure I received to shut down FitFinder – but if you see a need for something and are passionate about it, you can find a way to make it happen.

As a team, we’ve also seen how people sometimes take something and run with it a slightly different direction to what was intended –for example, FitFinder and Floxx have been used to reunite users with missing handbags, report on celebrity sightings and make small talk with people nearby. When developing new features, we always try to bear in mind things like this so we can make the site into what people really want...

FOR MORE INFO VISIT floxx.com facebook.com/floxxdotcom twitter.com/floxxdotcom

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exclusive

The first lady of Wimbeldon 2011: Sunny Plaisuwan Sin

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n Monday 6th June Miss Wimbledon 2011 was announced as Sunny Plaisuwan Sin. Sunny is a local Thai girl who came to the area in 2004. Soon after arriving in the UK she started teaching classical Thai dancing to little kids in the Buddhapapida Temple, not too far away from Parkside Hospital, one of London’s leading private hospitals. She is now a member of a professional Thai dancing group and will be travelling to Dublin later this month to perform.

“Soon after arriving in the UK she started teaching classical Thai dancing to little kids in the Buddhapapida Temple” with big ideas “One day I hope to open a restaurant where you can also get facial massages.” She laughs.

Mark is particularly proud of Sunny “She is a wonderful girl, very polite and respectful and by choosing to promote the Buddhapapida Temple, the only Thai temple in London (located in Wimbledon) she is spreading the word of Buddhism, which in itself is a very noble cause.”

Photography by Xiarm Evia

After having enjoyed her Food Technology lessons at Ricards Lodge High School she has taken up a degree course at Roehampton University in Nutrition & Health. She also worked at Bayee Village,

one of Wimbledon’s most famous Chinese restaurants. Sunny is a big food lover

Left to Right: Louis Julien, Mark McGough, Sunny Plaisuwan Sin, Ayesha Mubarak, Xiarm Evia and Michael Shilling EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011

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homes

With a window view of Wimbledon Common and a super modern luxury interior, could this be SW19’s most desirable house? “Yes!” says Mark McGough Photography by Helena Tepli

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N

ot many people know this but Wimbledon is home to the most expensives homes in the UK, outside of Central London.

The reason? There are a few actually.

The transport is fantastic. From Wimbledon Station you can get to Waterloo in 15 minutes (there’s usually one every 3-5 minutes), to Clapham Junction in 5 minutes, to Earls Court in 15 minutes and trains to Farringdon, Richmond, Surrey and Sussex. There are also plenty of buses and a tram and also a Northern Line from South Wimbledon Station (10 minute walk from Wimbledon).

Those visiting usually also miss the Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium, along Plough Lane but is certainly worth checking out (excellent for stag nights).

The Broadway has a number of shops to tickle your fancy along with Centre Court Shopping Centre. It also has it’s very own version of Selfridges that goes by the name of Elys. And if that’s not enough you have the fashion conscious high street in Wimbledon Village, up the hill past the famous Wimbledon High School that the legendary Lara Croft character went to. The town centre has an excellent selection of bars, restaurants, supermarkets and is also home to one of the most advanced IMAX

cinemas in Europe. The screen is not as big as the one in Waterloo but the image is pin sharp, ideal for films with vibrant colours and beautiful cinematography. If you’re more into your art house films though there’s also the hmvcurzon, which hires out its screens for up & coming film directors.

“The house includes a home cinema, gym & spa, packaged into an ultra modern shell a stone’s throw away from the village” The Piazza provides a great public space and often hosts various markets akin to Portobello Market but on a slightly smaller scale.

Wimbledon Village is home to one of the last remaining horse stables and also Wimbledon Common, a huge area popular with nature fans, dog owners, cyclists and golfers, yep there’s a Wimbledon Golf Club too. The only Thai Temple in London is also located in Wimbledon, which acts as a central hub for the UK’s Thai community.

Wimbledon is also home to Wimbledon College of Art, renowned internationally for the talent it puts out into the art & theatre world.

Just on the boarder to Wimbledon is Europe’s largest racquets club, The David Lloyd Raynes Park.

And of course there’s the tennis, which for 2 weeks attracts everyone from Kings Road to Bangkok. It’s great for landlords too, who make a fortune from renting their properties during the famous championships.

So you’re ready to move into SW19? There are some really nice homes but 5 The Green by Finnan Developments is probably the most desirable one. The house includes a home cinema, gym & spa, packaged into an ultra modern shell a stone’s throw away from the village. And for under £10 million it’s a bargain! www.finnanonline.co.uk

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beauty

Olivia Burton’s best make-up & beauty products to prepare, protect and repair your skin this summer BODY BEST SKIN SUPPLEMENT: Perfectil Skin, Hair & Nails Take one a day and after 30 days you will see a noticeable improvement to nail strength BEST SKIN SCRUB: Jo Malone Vitamin E Body Treatment Scrub Deliciously buttery, this body scrub will gently slough away dead skin to leave you silky smooth BEST FOR INGROWN HAIRS: Tend Skin Liquid A magic lotion! It will reduce inflammation of existing ingrown hairs and prevent them from forming Use after shaving, or 24 hrs after waxing, daily. The first topical lotion which has immediate effect BEST BODY FIRMING LOTION: Chanel Precision Body Excellence Purple Bengle PFA helps firm skin, whilst Hibiscus seed extract works to inject elasticity into the skin. A little goes a long way and skin immediately feels nourished and firm BEST FALSE TAN FOR BODY: St Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Moisturizer in Medium Dark Their Aromaguard fragrance technology means no more tell-tale false tan scent.

The lotion is light and has a subtle effect so minimizes streaky errors and can be used on a daily basis for a gradual build-up of colour BEST SUMMER NAIL COLOUR: Chanel Le Vernis in Mimosa For a wild and wicked injection of colour – stand out in the sunshine BEST FOOT TREATMENT: Clarins Crème Jeunesse des Pieds This nourishing foot lotion is best applied 60

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BEST EYEBROW THREADING: Shavata Brow Studio at Urban Retreat at Harrods Nothing beats this brow studio – after just two visits brows are transformed and give new definition and structure to your face for a mini facelift effect HAIR BEST NEW HAIRCARE: Unite Unite has taken storm in America and is predicted to have equal success here in the UK. Praised by celebrities and hair stylists for ‘doing what it says on the tin’. We love their ‘7 SECONDS DETANGLER’ which turns matted locks to buttery softness at night and rubbed in thoroughly for flipflop worthy feet. We recommend pumicing heels before applying to achieve a softer, smoother effect

BEST NEW COLOUR PHENOMENON: Balayage at The Urban Retreat at Harrods Headed up by pro-balayage colourist Nina

BEST HAND CREAM: Jurlique Lavender Hand Cream This lotion is intensely moisturizing without feeling greasy or heavy and smells divine

BEST TWEEZERS: Tweezerman Tweezers Use the slanted ones backward to remove stubborn hairs and maintain perfectlygroomed brows.

BEST DRY SHAMPOO Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo Spray liberally and brush out to freshen up greasy roots. We also recommend using it on the crown as a styling agent for extra volume BEST HAIRSPRAY: Bumble and bumble Big Shine Apply sparingly to hair for a light hold and brilliant shine

BEST BIKINI WAX: Urban Retreat at Harrods Visit Rita for a thorough and no-nonsense approach BEST OVERALL WAXING SALON: Strip, Chelsea Strip uses the premium Lycon wax – it is less painful and much gentler than normal wax. The hot wax will remove hair as short as 1mm and their strip wax will remove hair as short as 2mm. You can even watch TV whilst being treated in their plush treatment rooms plus you can choose the flavour of your wax, from sweet-smelling lavender to the more delectable chocolatehazlenut. Who thought you could make strip waxing sexy and sensuous!

BEST HEATPROTECTING HAIRCARE: Kérastase Ciment Thermique Apply a pea sized amount to the ends of hair before blow-drying to help prevent heat damage and to repair weakened hair

BEST FOR COLOUR: Neville Hair & Beauty, Pont Street Recommended by the Chris McMillan SUMMER HAIR TIPS FROM EXPERT MARCUS ALLEN OF THE URBAN RETREAT SALON AT HARRODS

Define, The Urban Retreat has mastered different techniques to achieve the perfect colour gradation BEST HYDRATING TREATMENT: Moroccan Oil Continuing to fly off the shelves this truly is a miracle product at creating silky locks BEST HAIR CLEANSER: Kérastase Elixir Ultime Use before shampooing and on toweldried hair for manageable and glossy locks BEST FOR ELLIMINATING BRASSY BLONDE TONES: L’Oreal Silver Gloss Protect System We recommend using a small amount of this shampoo once or twice a week to brighten up brassy looking blonde tones.

Immediately rinse after applying

- Invest in a really thick, deep conditioner (Frederic Fekkai do great hair masks) and slather it on wet hair. Slick it back in a Saint Tropez bun and then lie back and let the sun bake the conditioner into the hair. Not only will this hydrate your locks throughout the day, but it fills the hair follicle and acts as a barrier to damaging chlorine and sea water.

- For the perfect summer curls, wrap hair around your finger and clip it loosely into a bun at the side of your head. Leave for 30mins-1hour and take it out to have beautiful loose ringlets.

- The summer must-have is the Moroccan oil spray shine for your beach bag and the fantastic new luminous hairspray that you can keep layering without any dusty effects, just fresh, glamorous style hour upon hour.

- For amazingly glossy hair, my favourite DIY remedy is applying a “Radiance cocktail” of a mashed fresh avocado mixed with a few drops of Moroccan Oil Treatment. Leave on for as long as possible, and rinse well for a super-shiny, revitalised head of lustrous locks!

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beauty salon in LA, friend and hair colourist to Jenifer Aniston.

This hair salon will create natural and healthy looking colour and offer a variety of specialised treatments FACE BEST FACIAL MASK FOR DRY SKIN: Chanel Precision Hydramax + Active For soft and supple skin, this mask acts at the very heart of cells and works to activate them to retain moisture BEST SKIN RENEWAL TREATMENT: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence Described by SK-II as their ‘holy water’ and praised by beauty editors across the

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globe as a miracle product, SK-II’s Facial Treatment Essence contains over 90% of SK-II’s iconic ingredient Pitera which helps restore vital balance to the skin by promoting its natural 28-day surface renewal process. The skin absorbs the benefits immediately on contact helping to renew the skin. Creates smoother and visibly softer skin. We recommend using in conjunction with the SK-II Facial Treatment Masks once to twice a week for an extra boost to the skin

Younger sister to the Clarisonic Classic System, now available in a compact and lightweight version and comes in a range of colours. Perfect for use at the gym or whilst travelling BEST TONER: Darphin Intral Tonique Calms skin and doesn’t have the paintstripper feel of some toners. Gentle, soothing and refreshing

BEST ANTI-AGING MASK: >> ESPA Lift and Firm Mask Natural oils and Vitamins A, C and E help nourish maturing, stressed skin. For tired skin we recommend leaving on overnight

BEST CLEANSER: Jo Malone Avocado Cleansing Milk Gentle and moisturising, this light cleanser is surprisingly effective at removing stubborn makeup and doesn’t sting eyes as do so many other cleansers

BEST FACIAL CLEANSING SYSTEM: New Clarisonic Mia Colour Sonic Skin Cleansing

BEST FACIAL SERUM FOR ANTIPIGMENTATION: La Prairie Serum Éclat Caviar Nacre

This luxurious serum is a serious beauty investment. It helps stimulate the skin’s natural renewal process using caviar extracts, Resveratrol and antioxidants, making it one of the most effective cosmetic treatments for anti-pigmentation, illumination and firming BEST FACE MOISTURISER: Estee Lauder Daywear Advanced Multiprotection anti-oxidant spf 15 for Normal/ Combination Skin A new version of their cult moisturiser Vitamins C and E, Eukarion and EGT help fight free radical damage that can lead to the appearance of premature signs of aging. Their innovative technology allows the Super Anti-Oxidant Complex to be “recycled” throughout the day for longerlasting anti-oxidant protection BEST SKIN PRIMER: Clarins Beauty Flash Balm This miracle cream should feature in every makeup bag. It can be used before applying makeup for a staying effect or otherwise use throughout the day to tighten and brighten tired skin BEST COOLING FACIAL SPRAY: Avene Eau Thermale Perfect for flights or when you are out in the sun. This facial spray calms and soothes the skin whilst being wonderfully refreshing BEST CROWS FEET PREVENTATIVE: ESPA Lift & Firm Eye Moisturiser Cooling and light, this eye moisturiser has the texture of a serum and immediately makes skin feel fresh and taut BEST DE-PUFFING EYE TREATMENT: Chanel Precision Eye Tonic Especially handy if you’re on the run, this roller-ball eye serum cools and diminishes dark circles BEST FALSE TAN FOR FACE: Clarins Liquid Bronze Self-Tanning We recommend using this lotion over your night time moisturizer and washing off in the morning. Creates a subtle glow and can be used daily

immediate healthy, glowing effect BEST BLUSHER: Laura Mercier Pink Mosaic Shimmer Bloc Use the lightest shimmer under brow line and on the cheek bones as a highlighter.

Together with the deeper pink blush it helps to sculpt the face and gives great definition to cheekbones BEST FOR CREATING A PEACHY GLOW: Burberry Copper Glow Natural Bronzer This copper tone is a warm, modern take on the classic bronzing powder and doesn’t have the cakey appearance of some bronzers BEST SHIMMER: Chantecaille Poudre de Perle This easy-to-use compact shimmer can be brushed over cheekbones or swept over the décolleté for a luminescent glow BEST UNDER EYE CONCEALER: Laura Mercier Secret Concealer in 2 This light cream lasts for months as you need only dab a minute amount on your little finger and apply to the inner eye circle

area. Creates a flawless finish and is hydrating so will restore moisture to tired eyes and slack skin BEST EYELASH CURLERS: Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers Still unbeatable for bambi-effect eyes all day long BEST EYELASH PLUMPER: Diorshow Maximizer Apply this lash plumping serum after curling and before mascara to create longer, thicker looking lashes BEST MASCARA: Sublime de Chanel Perfect for creating a longer lash and curl effect. It lasts longer than many of the high-end brand mascaras and is clumpfree BEST LIQUID EYELINER: Shu Uemura Liquid Eyeliner pen The fine brush is easy to use and creates a waterproof, smudge-proof, subtle wingeyed Moss effect. Refillable with cartridges BEST EYESHADOWS: Bobby Brown Easy to apply and don’t form creases. We like Bone 2 and Sable 18 for a natural effect BEST TINTED LIP BUTTER: Korres Quince Lip Butter Shea butter and rice wax make for a silky lip butter which is perfect for parched lips BEST LIP PENCIL:

BEST FOR CALMING SENSITIVE SKIN Avene Eau Thermale Tolerance extreme Preservative and fragrance free and rich in Avene Thermale spring water, this lotion is the perfect soother for sun-scorched or sensitive skin MAKEUP BEST TINTED MOISTURIZER: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 Illuminating Apply a pea size amount all over the face on top of your moisturizer or primer for an EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011

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BEST SUNTAN LOTION: Avene Moderate Protection Spray SPF 20 Easy to apply and perfect for sensitive skin BEST SUNTAN LOTION FOR FACE: Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Sun Indulgence Lotion for Face SPF 15 Advanced UVA/UVB protection and nongreasy formula helps keep skin moisturised and protected from the sun’s harmful rays BEST TANNING OIL: Lancaster Tan Deepener Dry Oil Spray Great for use after you have already achieved a base tan. Layer on top of your higher SPF cream to create a deeper tan on arms and legs BEST AFTERSUN: Lancaster Aftersun Intense Moisturiser for Body This thick body cream will ensure you keep your colour longer. Exfoliate regularly before applying to avoid a mottled tan

Nars Belle de Jour This matte lip pencil is easy to apply and creates the perfect Bardot effect when teamed with a natural gloss and kohl eyes BEST LIP MOISTURISER: (MALIN+GOERTZ) Lip Moisturizer Helps to restore dry lips. No stickiness, easily absorbed and fragrance free BEST NATURAL LIP GLOSS: Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Shine City 02 After testing a vast number of lip glosses, Revlon wins hands down: non-sticky, light, moisturising and affordable. Layer over bright lip colours or wear alone for a natural effect SUNCARE

BEST SUMMER HAIR TRANSFORMING TREATMENT: Brazilian Blowdry at The Urban Retreat at Harrods Oliver Daminar, Yuko and Brazilian Blowdry specialist at The Urban Retreat, is king of eliminating frizz and taming unruly curls. He and his team have mastered a technique to create smooth and conditioned hair without flattening it. The great thing about the Brazilian blowdry is that it works best on coloured, bleached or processed hair. Unlike other hair relaxing treatments on the market, the product doesn’t damage your hair, but instead works to condition, moisturise and reconstruct, thanks to a mild chemical solution enriched with Keratin. Oliver will coat the hair in sections with the solution, leave it to process for about 20 minutes before blowdrying and then ironing it into the hair. You are not allowed to get your hair wet for 48 hours after the treatment, nor allowed to tie it back, and Oliver recommends using sulphate-phosphate free Moroccanoil shampoo and conditioner thereafter, for a prolonged effect. You will immediately notice the difference as Oliver works to dry the treatment into the hair and, even over the 48hr post-treatment period, you will enjoy having shinier, softer and more manageable hair. The application takes approximately one to two hours depending on hair type and can last up to three months as the product gently washes out over time. Each additional time you have the treatment it will last longer.

Prices start from £195. www.urbanretreat.co.uk Tel. 0207 893 8333

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EL ESTILO* BEAUTY TIPS: - APPLY VASELINE TO CUTICLES AND EYELASHES BEFORE BED FOR MOISTURIZING EFFECT - RUB OLIVE OIL INTO DRY ENDS AND LEAVE IN OVERNIGHT FOR HEALTHIER, SHINY HAIR AFTER WASHING IN THE MORNING - KEEP EYE LOTIONS IN THE FRIDGE ALL THE BETTER TO DEPUFF TIRED EYES

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68Tang, EL ESTILO* / SUMMER 2011 SW1 9LE | shanghaitang.com Shanghai 6A/B Sloane Street, London