Kay & Burton - The Luxury Report (Issue 1)

THE

LUXURY

ISSUE 1

REPORT

P R E S T I G E P R O P E R T Y | P R I VAT E W E A L T H | P R E M I U M L I F E S T Y L E

THE GREAT MIGRATION What this means for property in 2022

SPOTLIGHT ON: MORNINGTON PENINSULA From holiday hotspot to red-hot market

SUMMER TAILORING COUNTRY DINING CELLAR GOALS

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THE

LUXURY

REPORT

WELCOME

I’VE LONG DREAMED of creating a prestige magazine that would not only be unique to Australia, but would also help to define and drive the local luxury market. And here it is: “The Luxury Report”.

The global luxury landscape has been a passion of mine for decades. Within this landscape, Australia is a beacon of hope — despite recent lockdowns and other challenges — with brands reporting increasing consumer engagement and, at the same time, expanding their offerings and raising their level of customer service.

According to projected revenue growth, Australia’s luxury sector will be worth $4.5 billion by 2025/26. While this is small on a global scale, it’s a buoyant market driven by excellence. We are lucky to live in a country that’s full of incredible people who execute luxury offerings as well as anywhere else in the world.

What does luxury mean? To me, it is many things: goods, experiences, memories. Most of all, it means achieving the lifestyle you desire. At Kay & Burton, we represent the owners of prestige properties in some of Australia’s most enviable suburbs. Since the company’s founding in 1938, Kay & Burton has evolved and pioneered new ways to become the luxury brand it is today. In all that time, we have never stopped listening to our clients in order to help them realise their dreams.

We’re with our clients as they make significant lifestyle decisions, as they buy and sell some of the finest homes in the country. And we have spent thousands of hours creating an international relationships database across New York, London, Singapore, China and beyond, which means our clients have access to trusted advisers who provide firsthand business, property and lifestyle insights.

We see “The Luxury Report” as another platform through which we can offer in-depth property and lifestyle advice. The magazine is created in collaboration with NAB Private Wealth, a key member of the Kay & Burton family for over five decades. Within these pages, you’ll find expert commentary from the team at NAB, which is guided by CEO Ross McEwan CBE. We look forward to sharing their knowledge and hope you enjoy our launch issue. May your summer be filled with family and friends, majestic holiday homes and the coastal lifestyle that makes Australia the envy of the world.

Ross Savas

Managing Director, Kay & Burton KAY & BURTON

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CONTENTS ISSUE 1

1 From the MD

Talking launches and local luxuries with Kay & Burton’s Ross Savas

6 Future Forward

1 3 Fine Bovine

Grand designs meet great steaks at Armadale’s take on “the most beautiful butcher in the world”

2 2 Movers and Shakers

What the mass exodus from our capital cities means for house prices in the year ahead

By Dean Pearson

Surviving — and thriving — as Australia undergoes the largest transfer of wealth on record

14 10 Precious Drops

Five of Australia’s best sommeliers spill on the wines that got away

24 Light Relief

8 State of Play

16 Ultimate High

By Jen Nurick

By Justin Greiner

The market is up and momentum is good, according to NAB’s group chief economist

By Chris Morrison

It’s boom time for prestige property, with Melbourne experiencing the greatest demand on record

This season, menswear takes its cues from the Mediterranean, with relaxed tailoring and lots of linen

27 Gift Guide

By Mark Browning

Little luxuries to show that special someone you care

1 0 Escape Plan

1 8 Head Space

2 8 NFTs: Fad or Force?

By Louis White

By Helen Hawkes

By Grace O’Neill

By Alan Oster

The city slickers who’ve traded the big smoke for the simple life

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Expert tips for creating the perfect home office (bar cart encouraged)

Is $14,000 too much to pay for virtual sneakers? The kids don’t think so

CONTENTS ISSUE 1

Home designs by Tobias Partners: Deepwater (this page), Spring Cove (previous) and Bronte House (cover). Photography

by Justin Alexander.

3 0 Home Truths

Essential reading for anyone with a portfolio packed with property

By Sally Auld

32 Grass Roots

We ask the experts: what makes an Australian home uniquely Australian?

By Louis White

3 8 Standard Issue

For those in the watch world, stainless steel is worth its weight in gold

By Luke Benedictus

42 Next Big Things

Names to know in the art world, according to Australia’s top gallerists

By Jen Nurick

46 Escape the Everyday

With international travel back on the agenda, it’s time to go OTT

By Ute Junker

52 Out to Pasture

The 35-seat farmyard eatery recently named Australia’s No. 1 restaurant

By Jeni Port

5 6 Need for Speed

Hypercar plug-ins from Tesla and co

By Stephen Corby

6 0 How the Garden Grows

The five-year revitalisation of “Darriwill”

By Helen Hawkes

64 Design Brief

Ross Gardam on the tabletop inspired by the Australian outback

By Carli Philips 4

THE LUXURY REPORT | SUMMER 2021/22

CONTRIBUTORS NAB

Justin Greiner CEO, JBWere & Executive, NAB Private Wealth Alan Oster Group Chief Economist, NAB Mark Browning Head of Property Services Group, NAB Dean Pearson Head of Behavioural and Industry Economics, NAB Sally Auld Chief Investment Officer, JBWere

KAY & BURTON

EDITORIAL TEAM

Peter Kudelka Director

Art Directors Melanie Milne-Davies Aleksandra Beare

Ross Savas Managing Director

Gowan Stubbings Director, Armadale Alex Schiavo Director, Bayside Scott Patterson Director, Hawthorn Liz Jensen Director, Portsea Andrew Hines Director, Flinders Tom Barr Smith Partner, Flinders Nick Kenyon Head of Luxury Strategy

Marketing & Advertising: Kay & Burton theluxuryreport@kayburton.com.au 226 Toorak Road, South Yarra VIC 3141

Editor Katarina Kroslakova

Copy Director Emma Mulholland Sub-Editors Tom Lazarus Haki Crisden Olivia Krohn Contributors Luke Benedictus Kirsten Burghard Stephen Corby Helen Hawkes Ute Junker Col McElwaine Chris Morrison Jen Nurick Grace O’Neill Carli Philips Jeni Port Peter Tarasiuk Louis White

The Luxury Report is published four times a year. Copyright © Kay & Burton. Printed by Neo, 5 Dunlop Road Mulgrave VIC 3170.

The contents of this document (contents) have been prepared and are provided by Kay & Burton (which means and includes Kay & Burton Pty Ltd, its associated entities and its officers, servants, contractors, employees and agents) in good faith.

Some of the contents have been provided to Kay & Burton by others.

Kay & Burton does not represent or warrant the accuracy of the contents.

The contents are provided solely for information purposes and do not constitute any recommendation, advice or direction by Kay & Burton for anyone to use any of the contents to make any decision about anything and in particular, about making any investment or participating in or acquiring, disposing, selling or purchasing anything or entering into any agreement, arrangement or dealing (whether legally binding or not).

Kay & Burton recommends that any such decision should only be made following the receipt of advice from an appropriately qualified advisor.

Future Forward NO-ONE CAN PREDICT WHAT’S TO COME WITH CERTAINTY — THE PAST TWO YEARS HAVE REMINDED US OF THAT. YET THERE IS MUCH WE CAN DO TO RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIE AHEAD.

BY JUSTIN GREINER, CEO JBWERE, EXECUTIVE NAB PRIVATE WEALTH

Understanding what’s to come

Recent events have reminded all of us how the unexpected can threaten even the 6

THE LUXURY REPORT | SUMMER 2021/22

best-laid plans — and the confidence that underpins them. It’s why those who can adapt quickly and effectively to uncertainty are critical to our future success.

Of course, we are never completely blind. Thanks to the analysis and insights of research teams like those at NAB Private Wealth, we can identify the more salient trends and prepare for them.

In fact, there are several megatrends apparent right now that are likely to reshape Australia and the rest of the world, and it is by understanding and responding to these that our future thinkers can go head-to-head with the best and succeed.

Preparing for a bigger Australia

One of those megatrends is the size and composition of our population. Over the next decade or two, there is likely to be a surge in international migration globally, together with rapid urbanisation and an ageing population. This means our country and its needs will be considerably different to what they are today.

The state of our infrastructure will be critical as we prepare for a bigger, older population. And we can’t take our resources

Australia is going to see the greatest transfer of wealth in its history.

ILLUSTRATION: COL MCELWAINE

WHAT KIND OF Australia do we want?

And, perhaps more importantly, do we have what it takes to get there? Our country has done better than most over the past two years, but how are we placed in the mediumto long-term? Do we have what’s required to respond to a rapidly evolving world?

It’s our future thinkers who will be vital here. We need our community leaders and entrepreneurs to provide direction and support as they embrace the challenges ahead, as well as the opportunities.

At NAB Private Wealth, our clients are incredibly diverse, spanning all regions and all industries. They are professional services experts, healthcare specialists, business owners, executives of leading private and public companies and some of the country’s most respected and successful individuals and families. These people are instrumental to Australia’s future.

We need their ideas, drive and resources to build a more prosperous, more thoughtful nation. A better Australia.

PRIVATE WEALTH REPORT

for granted, either; they are, by definition, limited and will become more constrained over time. Meeting our requirements will require smarter thinking — something we are already seeing among those applying cutting-edge technology to their agricultural practices and those embracing the concept of the shared economy.

Investor funding for a better world

The changing climate and environmental degradation can’t be ignored. We must pursue practical, long-lasting solutions that rely on front-line technology, as well as significant changes in human behaviour.

Inevitably, this will call for huge levels of funding from the government and public markets, in addition to private markets.

At NAB Private Wealth, we think investors are up for the challenge. We are currently seeing a sharp rise in environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds and there’s no doubt that responsible investing as a whole is rapidly becoming mainstream.

Impact investing, in particular, is attracting a lot of attention among high-net-worth investors. This focuses on direct investment in projects where the environmental or

social benefits can be specifically measured and reported. While still in its infancy, the demand for such products is significant and keeps the JBWere arm of NAB busy as it develops new investment opportunities, such as the pure alternative assets impact fund that launched in 2021.

The fact is the private market will take up a far greater share of investment opportunities moving forward and that will be a positive for investors. While these deals were once only available to large institutional investors, they are increasingly within the reach of individuals who invest through a private wealth firm. Not only do they offer the potential for attractive returns over a longterm investment horizon, they may also provide portfolio diversification.

Looking to future generations

At the same time, Australia is going to see the greatest transfer of wealth in its history.

If managed well, this represents another important opportunity for individuals and families, as well as our nation.

Preparing for the transfer can bring families together, as they come to understand what matters to them and work towards

a shared vision. It can also encourage individuals to formalise their philanthropic activity, ensuring their life’s work has a positive, lasting impact in areas that matter to the whole family. So that they may leave Australia — and the world — in a better place than they found it.

The changing face of Australia is at the heart of NAB Private Wealth’s offering.

We want to support our forward thinkers, drawing on our expertise in lending, investing and wealth advice to help them make a difference — to their families, their communities, their businesses and the world around them. So together we move Australia forward.

The information contained in this article is gathered from multiple sources believed to be reliable as of the end of October 2021 and is intended to be of a general nature only. It has been prepared without taking into account any person’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information, NAB recommends that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances. NAB recommends that you seek independent legal, property, financial and taxation advice before acting on any information in this article.

WealthHub Securities Limited (WealthHub) and JBWere Limited (JBWere) are wholly owned subsidiaries of National Australia Bank Limited (NAB).

WealthHub’s and JBWere’s obligations do not represent deposits or other liabilities of NAB. NAB does not guarantee its subsidiaries’ obligations or performance, or the products or services its subsidiaries offer. You may be exposed to investment risk, including loss of income and principal invested. ©2021 NAB Private Wealth is a division of National Australia Bank Limited ABN 12 004 044 937 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 230686. ©2021 JBWere Limited ABN 68 137 978 360 AFSL 341162. ©2021 WealthHub Securities Limited ABN 83 089 718 249 AFSL 230704.

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State of Play CALENDAR 2021 IS FINISHING STRONG AND AS POST-LOCKDOWN RECOVERY TAPERS OFF AND CONDITIONS NORMALISE, IT SEEMS THE MOMENTUM WILL CONTINUE FOR SOME TIME.

BY ALAN OSTER, GROUP CHIEF ECONOMIST, NAB

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THE LUXURY REPORT | SUMMER 2021/22

which will be followed by some easing in 2022 as supply difficulties decrease and international arrivals increase. Wage growth should stabilise by the end of 2022 and increase to above 3% by the end of 2023.

That said, there are big differences in wage growth across industries, as highlighted by our October Business Survey, which indicates that wholesale, construction and manufacturing are showing more signs of wage rises than other sectors. Purchase costs are also a problem for some industries.

The third quarter 2021 price inflation data was an upward surprise in core terms.

The core measures increased by about 0.7 percentage points and returned the

inflation rate to the bottom of the RBA’s 2–3% target range for the first time since 2015. It looks like core inflation will increase a touch higher (to, say, 2.3%) by mid-2022. Thereafter, an easing in supply-side pressures and the reopening of international borders may help, but the core rate of inflation would still move higher — with wages growth — in 2023.

In brief, we see the current price rises as temporary; however, markets have reacted aggressively and have priced three rate rises into 2022.

We suspect the RBA will also view the increases in core inflation as temporary.

However, it will be mid-2022 before we

Wage price index 4%

FORECAST

3 2 1

2012

2023

SOURCE: ABS, NAB ECONOMICS

GRAPHICS: KIRSTEN BURGHARD

AFTER A SHARP fall in growth in the third quarter of 2021, we expect to see a significant rebound in the last quarter. Our data suggests the latest lockdown had about half the impact of the lockdown that started in mid-2020, so a third quarter fall in growth of about -3.8% looks probable, followed by a jump of about 3% in the fourth quarter. We forecast strong growth to continue into early 2022, such that GDP in the second quarter will match that of one year prior. We also expect labour-market participation to normalise and unemployment to continue its path south.

We expect annual growth of about 1.5% in 2021 before a solid rebound to 4.0% in 2022 and normalisation to about 2.5% in 2023.

More importantly, we see unemployment declining to about 4.2% in 2022 and 3.8% in 2023 – the lowest level in more than a decade.

The state of the labour market is somewhat mixed. Demand is at a critical high, with labour shortages particularly apparent in industries such as wholesale, construction, manufacturing and agriculture. There are also reported shortages in some professions, including technology-related sectors.

Our business surveys indicate moderate upward pressure on wages. That said, the Reserve Bank of Australia has highlighted reports that indicate some shortages are related to employers refusing to pay higher wages. We generally expect wage pressure to rise to about 2.7% at the end of 2021,

ECONOMIC UPDATE

can be sure, one way or the other. The key point is that our forecasts remain around the bottom of the target range before accelerating into 2023. We see the outlook for increased inflation as possibly bringing the timing of rate rises forward, with mid2023 now looking likely. Indeed, we recently brought forward the timing of our expected rate increase to mid-2023 (it was previously early 2024). Also, the RBA recently stepped away from yield curve control out to early 2024. We see quantitative easing finishing

by February 2022 (brought forward from mid-2022).

Turning to house prices, we recently published new forecasts for 2021 and 2022.

Basically, we see house prices up about 25% in 2021 and about 5% in 2022. When we include unit prices, the numbers show about 23% price growth in 2021 and 5% in 2022.

Finally, on macroprudential tools, the increase of the loan serviceability buffer to 3% has operated from November 1, 2021; hence, it is unlikely to have an impact until March 2022. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has promised to put out a special report by year’s end. If more prudential controls are to come, we’ll most

likely see them then. There could be further increases in the buffer and/or limits on debtto-income ratios. The latter would have a much larger potential impact.

On the outlook for housing credit, there was an increase of about 6.2% in the year to September 2021, and we see more like 4.6% by September 2022. The main impact will be on owner-occupied housing credit, which could slow from the current 8.1% and be nearer to 6%. Investor credit will probably stay in the 2–3% range.

The information contained in this article is gathered from multiple sources believed to be reliable as of the end of October 2021 and is intended to be of a general nature only. It has been prepared without taking into account any person’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information, NAB recommends that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances. NAB recommends that you seek independent legal, property, financial and taxation advice before acting on any information in this article. ©2021 National Australia Bank Limited ABN 12 004 044 937 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 230686.

NAB hedonic dwelling price forecasts (%) 2019

Core CPI with headline inflation – 12 mths to date 5% 4

■ Actual plus forecasts

■ Headline

2.7

27.5

5.4

-1.3

18.8

4.9

0.3

3.6

23.2

4.9

-0.2

5.9

20.4

3.9

-2.8

7.3

14.5

3.9

Hobart

3.9

6.1

28.4

4.3

Capital city average

3.0

2.0

22.7

4.9

3

Brisbane

2

Adelaide

1

Perth

-1

March 2005

March 2023

SOURCE: ABS, NAB ECONOMICS

2022f

5.3

Melbourne

0

2021f

5.3

Sydney

FORECAST

2020

SOURCE: CORELOGIC, NAB ECONOMICS

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ESCAPE PLAN

IN THE MIDST OF THE ZOOM BOOM, FAMILIES AND YOUNG AUSTRALIANS ARE HEARING THE CALL OF THE COUNTRY, WITH RECORD NUMBERS LEAVING THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE CITY FOR THE SIMPLE LIFE, AS LOUIS WHITE DISCOVERS. 10

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THE REGIONS IT’S NO SECRET that Australians like to be beside the seaside. A beautiful home with multiple storeys, spectacular ocean views and a lush green backyard — either in Portsea, Sydney’s Palm Beach or Perth’s Cottesloe Beach — is a privilege that many Australians aspire to.

A recent report from McCrindle shows that 90% of us live within 100 kilometres of the beach. But while many of us still dream of a prestige home with sea views, there has been a bit of a shift during the pandemic; coastal regions are teeming with newcomers, yes, but we’re also seeing more city slickers escaping to the country.

The ocean will always have its pull but it seems that many of us also desire a rolling acreage with a hinterland backdrop and the sounds of nature.

A report from the Regional Australia Institute in February 2021 revealed that one in five city residents wanted to move to the regions within the next 12 months, with 77% of respondents citing space and connection to nature as the main reasons.

Traffic congestion and a chance to reduce the cost of living were other popular reasons, at 70% and 68% respectively.

Left: perched among the sand dunes, a home in Portsea offers panoramic views. Below: a galleryinspired extension designed

by Powell & Glenn, located in Merricks North, an hour’s drive from Melbourne’s CBD.

“My family and I moved last year, from Sydney’s North Shore to Nulkaba in the Hunter Valley, where we bought a farm,” says Alex West, the CEO of the ASX-listed telco Swoop. “It was something my wife, Joanne, and I always wanted to do but hadn’t, as it wasn’t suitable for work.

“During the pandemic, we realised that working from home allowed us to work from almost anywhere. With the Swoop offices also shifting to remote working when the first Sydney lockdowns started, it gave us the chance to move away from the busy city life to the country.”

One of the main considerations was the children’s education. The Wests have three kids: Sophie, 14, Will, 12, and Zac, nine.

“With my middle son, Will, about to start high school, we thought the timing was right,” West says.

“All three children have coped quite well, aside from what you might normally expect at their age. They are still involved in the same things as they were in Sydney and continue to play sport. They were impacted by the pandemic more than anything else.”

With Newcastle Airport close by, West has no problem moving around the country and says the extra space at home and on the 16-hectare property benefits everyone.

Plus, he adds, “Lifestyle and schooling are much more affordable when you move to regional Australia. We have the same number of opportunities here as in the city. And it provides a different perspective on lifestyle, too, for my children.”

During the pandemic, many Australians re-evaluated what they want from their home: for some, like the Wests, it was more space; for others, it was a rural or coastal backdrop, or an architecturally designed home that embraces the elements.

The statistics don’t lie.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data for the March 2021 quarter revealed a net migration of 104,100 people to interstate locations.

This is a 19% increase on the corresponding quarter from the previous 12 months and the highest it has been since 1996. The biggest shift was people leaving Victoria.

The same quarter also saw the biggest loss of people from capital cities since the bureau started collecting this data in 2001.

“For the better part of 20 years, Australians have longed for a sea change,” Bernard Salt, KAY & BURTON

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THE REGIONS the executive director of The Demographics Group, says. “This has now morphed into a tree change. The coronavirus pandemic has just expedited that outflow from cities into regional Australia, with Melburnians leading the way.

“What is interesting from the ABS data is [that it shows] those aged 25–44 are moving into coastal and rural towns, whereas previously it had been the 55-plus group.”

As Salt notes, the city exodus would not have been possible if the pandemic had happened in 2009. “If the NBN had not been rolled out, the work-from-home shift, which has been hugely successful over the past two years, would have been a disaster.”

Now, Salt says, “people don’t want to commute to work. They want to move beyond the metropolitan cities and do their job from their new residence.”

On the regions most favoured by city expats, Salt says, “Australians are driven by lifestyle. Where we move to has to be a lifestyle destination: either near beaches, the countryside or the airport. If you can combine two or three of those aspects, even better.”

Liz Jensen is an early adopter of the coastal lifestyle, having moved to the pictureperfect town of Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula at the age of 19. “I fell in love with the place as a child, coming here for school holidays,” she says.

Jensen opened a health food store but the business next door — a real estate agency — caught her eye and she soon realised there was more money in property than lentils.

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Above: a contemporary Tuerong home overlooks 40 lush hectares and includes one of the finest vineyards on the Mornington Peninsula. Below: Port Phillip Bay and a distant CBD, seen from Red Hill.

Today, some 30 years later, Jensen is the director of Kay & Burton’s Portsea arm.

“Sorrento and Portsea have so much to offer with the little coved beaches and Point Nepean National Park,” she says. “There’s the salty air, the crashing waves of the ocean and a big sky that constantly seems to change — so many people tell me they love the big sky you get when you’re living on the coast.”

Andrew Hines, the director of Kay & Burton’s nearby Flinders office, which covers the entire Mornington Peninsula, has also been flat-out over the past few months as more and more Melburnians make the move.

“Housing is more affordable from Flinders to Portsea and what used to be a popular holiday destination has become a permanent residence for many,” he says.

“People are over the hustle and bustle of town,” he adds, noting that when couples or families relocate, they tend to be focused on making the most of the Peninsula lifestyle.

“New residents are finding that their social life is more active than ever,” he says.

Of course, this mass migration has impacted prices, with Hines estimating an increase of about 50% over the past 10 years.

“There are no signs of that abating,” he says, “but it is still affordable.”

The main attractions are the Peninsula’s schools, beaches, fresh produce and ease of movement. “We are only 70 minutes away from the Melbourne CBD and the only time you hit traffic lights is when you are turning into the city,” says Hines. “You can actually drive to Sydney and the first traffic lights you hit are in Randwick.”

RETAIL Copper arches add height to the counter and The Bar (below), a nod to baroque cathedrals and the family’s Croatian heritage. Left: the charcuterie counter.

FINE BOVINE Part retail store, part design showcase, Victor Churchill’s Melbourne outpost offers a fresh take on the classic butcher shop, complete with a charcuterie counter, cocktails and caviar.

DARK MARBLE FLOORS, fine copper arches, moody lighting, and plenty of theatrics... Welcome to the new face of Australia’s oldest continuously run butchery. Marrying artisinal products with worldclass design, Victor Churchill’s flagship Melbourne store offers a retail experience like no other.

Opened in November, the Armadale outpost expands the footprint of the original business, located in Sydney’s Woollahra (a store described by the late American chef and food writer Anthony Bourdain as “the most beautiful butcher in the world”). Founded by the Churchill family in 1876, the Sydney store has been operated by Anthony Puharich and his father, Victor, a fourth-generation butcher, since 2009.

The family also runs the wholesale business Vic’s Premium Quality Meat, which sells to many of Melbourne’s best restaurants, including Attica, Flower Drum and Florentino. Their suppliers include the Wagyu producer Cobungra, set in the foothills of Mount Hotham, and Gippsland’s O’Connor Beef, famed for its grass-fed Angus beef.

With each of his Victor Churchill stores, Puharich has set out to defy our expectations of what a butcher shop looks like. First of all, you won’t find a traditional counter separating the customer from the butcher, with Puharich deliberately eliminating the physical barrier from his store designs. “We did it first in Sydney and it’s become a huge part of what we’re about,” he says. “We want our customers to feel comfortable and important. Above all, we want the experience of shopping at Victor Churchill to be personal, intimate.”

But the real game changer is the horseshoe-shaped bar tucked at the back of the Armadale store, which offers Champagne, cocktails and wine, plus lunch and afternoon menus (with a dinner service to come in 2022). Naturally, premium steaks take centre stage, but there’s plenty for seafood lovers, too, including fresh lobster, oysters, caviar and even a modern take on the classic prawn cocktail.

Victor Churchill, 953 High Street, Armadale; (03) 9978 1968; victorchurchill.com.au KAY & BURTON

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10 PRECIOUS DROPS Five of Australia’s leading sommeliers tell drinks writer CHRIS MORRISON about the local and international wines they can’t get enough of (literally).

TO DISCOVER WINES that are truly rare, you must venture deep into the list of a good sommelier — someone who has developed relationships over time with domaines, chateaus and wineries. But even the most established somm has their unicorns: wines so elusive they can take decades to track down. Here, we ask five of the country’s best about the allocations they thirst for, tomorrow’s unicorns and must-haves for the modern collector.

1.

Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino

PIEDMONT, ITALY Xavier Vigier, who was recently awarded Australia’s Best Wine List, has a passion for the nebbiolo-derived wines of Italy’s Barolo region. “The winemaker Roberto Conterno is, for many, the most outstanding ambassador of the region,” says Vigier, the head sommelier at Ten Minutes by Tractor’s cellar door restaurant on the Mornington Peninsua. “He produces the most ethereal expressions of nebbiolo and Monfortino is a cuvée only made in the best vintages.”

2.

NV Domaine Jacques Selosse Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Initial

AVIZE, FRANCE Vigier’s next wish-list wine has a cult following among sommeliers and comes 14

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from one of the world’s most exclusive Champagne houses. “Anselme Selosse is a role model in the world of wine,” Vigier says of the producer who learned his craft in Burgundy rather than Champagne. Not only is Selosse a pioneer of sustainable viticulture, he uses oak and oxygen to make his wines and employs the solera system, a method of ageing and blending commonly associated with sherry. “His wines are the most potent and intense expressions found in the region,” says Vigier.

3.

Domaine Francois Raveneau Montée de Tonnerre Chablis Premiere Cru

CHABLIS, FRANCE It’s the allocation every sommelier wants and with recent vintages affected by frost and hail, this Chablis will become rarer still. “Montée de Tonnerre is the estate’s most sought-after wine,” Vigier explains. “It can age for decades in your cellar. You can drink it young but it will offer so much more with age.”

Pierre Stock, sommelier at the South Yarra bistro France-Soir, also names Raveneau.

Stock has probably handled more bottles of rare French wine than anyone in Australia and his understanding of the country’s up-and-coming producers is unparalleled.

“I love the classical wines of France,” Stock admits, “but we also champion new and emerging producers, and vignerons who are breaking new ground.”

As for Raveneau, it’s an established winery in a region whose success is relatively recent by French standards.

Its holdings comprise almost exclusively Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards.

4.

1962 Penfolds Bin 60A Cabernet Shiraz

COONAWARRA & BAROSSA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA Today, Alex Kirkwood is the food and beverage director at The Point Group, which owns hip venues in Sydney and Bali, but he was previously the head sommelier at Sydney’s Aria restaurant, where he oversaw the fine diner’s legendary wine program.

When asked about his unicorn, Kirkwood selects a Penfolds vintage that is not only one of Australia’s rarest and most-awarded bottles, but is also considered an icon of modern Australian winemaking. “This was my favourite cellared wine at Aria,” he says.

“It was an honour to have it and sell it.” It is a true unicorn but it can still be sighted in the wild, at fine wine auctions around the world.

5.

Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay

BEECHWORTH, VICTORIA “We try to hide these ones for as long as we can,” Kirkwood jokes of Aria’s small annual allocation of Giaconda chardonnay, which is an incredibly popular wine among

WINE

grandfather of Australian wine and this wine is capable of ageing for decades,” says Wong. “It stands shoulder to shoulder with the great wines of the world.”

8.

2019 Domaine Vaccelli Granit Blanc

CORSICA, FRANCE “I love to see our guests discover wines at Society,” says Loic Avril, the beverage director at Lucas Restaurants, a group that includes Society, Chin Chin and Kisumé.

Avril believes Corsica is one of the wine world’s best-kept secrets. “This is a new style of wine from Corsica and it’s perfect for those looking for something new and exciting,” he says. Only small allocations of the impossibly delicious vermentino are drip-fed into Australia — right into the hands of people like Avril.

9.

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Muscat di Frontignac

drinkers with an interest in Australian growers. An intoxicating chardonnay, it’s built for the long-haul and will become even rarer as it ages.

6.

Bindi Block Five Pinot Noir MACEDON RANGES, VICTORIA “It’s hard to pass up anything that Bindi winegrower Michael Dhillon makes,” says Shanteh Wong, the head sommelier at Sydney’s Quay restaurant. Under her stewardship, the wine list at the legendary fine diner combines the contemporary with the classical, offering a mix of cult labels from emerging superstars and those from traditional producers, like Dhillon.

Bindi makes wines in miniscule volumes

and has sommeliers scrounging around for whatever is available. “Buy literally every bottle you can get your hands on,” says Wong. “Especially Block Five as allocations evaporate each year.”

7.

Mount Pleasant Maurice O’Shea Shiraz

HUNTER VALLEY, NEW SOUTH WALES “I love this wine for its sense of place, rigorous fruit selection and incredible history,” Wong says of the wine that takes its name from Mount Pleasant’s founder, who created medium-bodied dry wines, like those he’d drunk in France, at a time when Australians were drinking fortifieds. “O’Shea is the

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA “This is history and mystery in a bottle,” says Avril, whose CV includes a stint at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck. South Africa’s first muscat vines were planted in 1659 and this remarkable dessert wine is regarded as one of the best examples in the world — if not the best. Made from unbotrytised grapes, it’s naturally sweet yet also refreshing.

10.

Place of Changing Winds Clos de la Connerie Pinot Noir

MACEDON RANGES, VICTORIA With the inaugural vintage, from 2019, sold out and the 2020 vintage lost to fires, there’s very little of this wine around. But Avril believes Place of Changing Winds and its unique pinot noirs will soon have a cult following. “This wine proves that the belief system behind the great wines of the world has no borders,” he says. “The passion and attention to detail is remarkable.”

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Ultimate High THE RETURN OF WEALTHY EXPATS AND PENT-UP DEMAND HAS FUELLED RECORD-BREAKING PRESTIGE SALES, MAKING FOR A YEAR UNLIKE ANY OTHER.

EVEN WITH DELTA lockdowns affecting sales in Melbourne and Sydney, the prestige property market has continued to smash records in 2021. Not only have we seen a large volume of transactions, vendors and agents are securing prices beyond anyone’s expectations. This has helped drive price growth in the broader residential market.

While luxury properties typically take longer than others to find a buyer, and are limited to a specific group, the lack of supply and return of expats, along with record low borrowing costs, have added momentum to the market. And with border closures putting a hold on overseas holidays, many buyers directed funds that would otherwise be spent on travel towards the purchase of a new home.

In the months ahead, we can expect to see a return of foreign purchasers as international travel increases. This should further boost sales in the prestige sector, particularly in the short- to medium-term.

What follows is a closer look at the prestige markets in the eastern states...

Melbourne

The city continues to experience some of the strongest demand on record for luxury homes.

In 2021, we’ve seen numerous sales over 16

THE LUXURY REPORT | SUMMER 2021/22

In Toorak alone, there have been 35 sales over $10 million.

$10 million within the Stonnington local government area. In Toorak alone, there has been at least 35 sales in excess of $10 million in the 12 months to October 2021, with about 14 of these reported to be above $20 million.

In October, a home at 47 Lansell Road, Toorak, sold for a reported $43.1 million, making it the most expensive property sold at auction in Australia and the second-most expensive property ever sold in Victoria.

Surrounding suburbs, such as Armadale, South Yarra, Hawthorn and Malvern, have reported strong results since the resumption of the market in mid-September. The lifting of Covid-19 restrictions has led to an increase in listings of trophy homes, particularly around Kew and Hawthorn, as vendors hope to engage pent-up demand, which continues to outstrip opportunities.

Records are not limited to Stonnington, with renewed interest also evident in Brighton and the Mornington Peninsula. In July, Brighton achieved a new record, with a house on Kent Avenue understood to have sold for about $25 million. One month earlier, a beachfront allotment in Seacombe Grove, Brighton, sold for $20 million, a record price for a vacant block in that most desirable suburb.

ILLUSTRATION: COL MCELWAINE

BY MARK BROWNING, HEAD OF PROPERTY SERVICES GROUP, NAB

PRESTIGE MARKET REPORT

On the Mornington Peninsula, popular yet tightly held prestige locations such as Portsea and Flinders, have recorded sales in excess of $10 million, including a $23.5 million Flinders sale in July. Mount Eliza has also reported transactions in excess of $5 million.

Sydney

Home to some of the most expensive real estate on the globe, Sydney recorded 145 sales over $10 million in 2020, the most we’ve seen at this pricepoint in 15 years. But the city has already moved well beyond that figure this year, with 170 sales recorded by the start of October (both settled and unsettled). This is the highest ever monthly rate of sales in excess of $10 million.

In the second quarter, the volume of homes selling between $3 and $10 million in Sydney’s prime regions increased by 23% from the previous quarter. Activity slowed slightly in the third quarter but demand appears to have returned since the city emerged from lockdown.

Key sales over the third quarter include Woollahra’s “Rosemont” estate, which was sold off-market and set a new suburb record, and Rose Bay’s waterfront “Villa Florida”; both properties are understood to have

sold for about $45 million. The suburbs of Vaucluse, Mosman, Northwood, Bronte and Tamarama also recorded a number of sales over $20 million.

Luxury apartments have also proved popular. The ANZ Tower penthouse, which sold for $60 million, claims the title for 2021’s most expensive residential property thus far. Meanwhile, interest in the Sirius development at The Rocks demonstrates a desire among affluent buyers for lowerdensity living. In excess of $400 million worth of stock was sold at the opening, including all seven penthouses. Of those, six were priced at about $20 million, with the largest selling for around $35 million.

Queensland

Despite Queensland’s border restrictions, demand for prestige real estate in Brisbane continues to be strong, fuelled by interest from locals and interstate parties (many buying sight unseen), plus wealthy returning expats. Drawn by the South East Queensland lifestyle, these buyers are setting new records, with suburbs such as Ascot, Kangaroo Point, Paddington and Hamilton achieving prices well above $7.5 million.

The Gold Coast is also reporting record

activity, with prestige property sales focused on dwellings with beachfront or canal frontage positions. Popular areas for buyers include Sovereign Island, Isle of Capri, Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach Waters, Currumbin and Palm Beach. Meanwhile, on the Sunshine Coast, they’re continuing to enjoy the strongest market conditions ever for the luxury segment, with the Noosa region totalling 28 sales over $5 million between July and October.

The information contained in this article is gathered from multiple sources believed to be reliable as of the end of October 2021 and is intended to be of a general nature only. It has been prepared without taking into account any person’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information, NAB recommends that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances. NAB recommends that you seek independent legal, property, financial and taxation advice before acting on any information in this article.

©2021 National Australia Bank Limited ABN 12 004 044 937 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 230686.

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DESIGN

HEAD SPACE 18

THE LUXURY REPORT | SUMMER 2021/22

In a Melbourne home office, a Chester Moon sofa

by Paola Navone creates a striking contrast with walls daubed in a moody, royal blue.

ONCE RESERVED FOR captains of industry, the home office has become an essential element of a prestige property — a practical take on the parents’ retreat. As the Melbourne-based architect Ed Glenn explains: “The phrase ‘home office’ conjures up ideas of a room far more sterile and functional than what high-end clients now desire.”

The principal of Powell & Glenn in South Yarra, Glenn says his clients are seeking to add value to their property by incorporating an architecturally designed home office with a custom workspace.

“Studies are no longer the leftover space that people find a use for; they are an important part of a briefing document,” he says. “In most instances, people are choosing to prioritise the quality of the room and outlook, and want to create a more convivial relationship with the rest of the house.”

Demand has increased with Covid-19 restrictions, but Glenn says the momentum pre-dates the pandemic. “Even before lockdowns or restrictions, people who had worked hard and had good fortune in business were wanting to increase the amount of time they devoted to their family or children,” he says. “Many businesspeople found they enjoyed working from home and wanted somewhere spacious and comfortable with the technology they need.”

As working from home becomes the norm, business leaders are asking architects and designers to elevate their home offices. HELEN HAWKES talks to the experts about blending personality with professional style.

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Additional finishings and furnishings include an Anna Charlesworth light fitting and a work by the Australian landscape artist Peter Watts, which seems to have been painted with this very space in mind.

These blend with the client’s own special finds, including an Italian drinks trolley, a French lamp, postmodern coffee table and vintage record player. Framed Royal Air Force silk scarves, which belonged to the client’s grandfather, who flew Spitfires, are a sentimental addition that provide a talking point.

Business meets pleasure

Your best light

A Blainey North fit-out, featuring the firm’s Vauban desk in lacquered ebony timber with polished stainless steel and leather, and a Hercule desk chair upholstered in fabric by Loro Piana.

“I love a room with some sort of private courtyard,” says Glenn, “or a terrace that opens up onto a landscaped garden, or an ocean view, where it is possible to take a phone call, or a mental break.”

Referred to as blue space or green space, an ocean view or a perfectly manicured garden also offers an ideal backdrop for Zoom meetings. Failing that, a designer may create an eye-catching background using customised and professionally styled bookshelves.

“Colour is important when considering a background for videoconferencing,” explains North, who also recommends

THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE: BLAINEY NORTH. PREVIOUS PAGES: PETER TARASIUK

A well-designed study reflects both the business and the individual, says Blainey North, the managing director of the eponymous architecture and interior design studio, who has created home offices for prestige residences around the world. As she puts it: “The study has become as important as the clothes one wears in communicating who we are to the world.”

In the home office of the Los Angeles-based furniture designer Alexandra von Furstenberg, an Eames office chair and Philippe Starck floor lamp contribute to a vibrant, creative working space.

An easel is used to display an issue of Interview magazine signed

by Andy Warhol.

The New York study of the novelist Jay McInerney and the publishing heiress Anne Hearst features a colour photograph by Elliott Erwitt overlooking a Jansen desk. A day bed upholstered in linen adds an element of cosiness.

The interior designer Sally-Anne Walton worked with Powell & Glenn to breathe life into the Melbourne home office of an investor.

Walton installed a striking Chester Moon sofa by Paola Navone, which contrasts with walls daubed in a moody royal blue.

“The style is suited to the masculinity of the room, while the late 19th-century desk, from Miguel Meirelles Antiques in Melbourne, is extremely elegant,” says Walton. “A study always has to have a grounding point — even one good antique will make a room.”

Once used as a formal lounge, with windows facing east and north, the room boasted an original fireplace, a stained-glass window, maid call buttons and lofty panelled ceilings, all of which have been retained. Powell & Glenn remodelled the existing openings and designed joinery to present as standalone bespoke furniture pieces.

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THE LUXURY REPORT | SUMMER 2021/22

DESIGN

Essentials include an impressive desk, customised joinery to house books, and some sort of drinks/bar component. fabric panels, wallpaper and drapery. “Not only do they add visual interest,” she says, “they play an important part in the acoustic qualities of a home study.”

Other essentials, according to Glenn, include an impressive and functional desk, customised joinery to house books, printers and other technology, a designer lounge suite, and some sort of drinks/bar component. For a compact space, Walton recommends Molteni&C’s 505 modular system, an impressive-looking unit that can house paperwork, multimedia and even a desk.

“Artwork and warm, dramatic lighting are also necessary to elevate a room,” says Glenn. If you plan to install a television, and it won’t be disguised by joinery, consider a model that can be used to feature artworks on rotation.

“Great lighting is a must,” agrees North, who recommends placing a desk lamp in front of your face “to show expression and remove a few frown lines on the screen” as well as installing “a few strategically placed wall sconces to create mood and interest. I particularly like lighting bookshelves for dramatic effect.”

Those who work with sensitive data, or simply want to up the ante, may consider hidden spaces. “Invisible doors in bookshelves and veiled compartments in desks are [among] the great pleasures to design,” says North, who has even created a secret garden disguised by walls.

Family values

A striking piece, designed to be both an artwork and a desk, takes centre stage in a study by Blainey North. The ostrichfeather lamp, featuring a bronze base made in London, is from Becker Minty.

It’s important to consider the role the study will play in your home, Glenn says. “Do you see it as part of family life, or somewhere you can conduct business without family life being interrupted?”

A well-appointed study not only enhances the value of a home, it offers immediate lifestyle benefits.“Many clients are now spending a substantial amount of time in this new space,” says Glenn, “especially when it doubles as a library, den or a drawing room, where you may invite friends after dinner, and even a place where one of the children may play or work without creating absolute chaos.”

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Movers and Shakers ONE IN 10 AUSTRALIANS HAVE MOVED DURING THE PANDEMIC, WITH MANY LEAVING THE CAPITAL CITIES FOR GREENER PASTURES. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR HOUSE PRICES IN 2022? A BEHAVIOURAL ECONOMIST EXPLAINS.

COVID-19 ABRUPTLY and radically changed the way Australians do business.

Given the opportunity to work remotely, it seems many Australians re-evaluated their living situation and chose to leave the big smoke behind.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that capital cities had a net loss of 11,800 people in the March quarter — the largest quarterly net loss on record. There’s also been significant movement between the states.

In the year prior to April 2021, Victoria lost 42,900 people, New South Wales reported a modest growth of 11,700 people (this was before the state’s extended lockdown) and Queensland gained 43,900 residents. At the same time, international border closures put a halt on overseas migration, slowing population growth to a near standstill.

It remains to be seen whether this drift away from the capitals is permanent. As life returns to some sort of normality, employment opportunities and amenities in major cities may entice people to return. That said, we know that when people experience change for the better, it can be extremely difficult to persuade them to go back to something they perceive as less desirable. NAB research suggests that almost one in 10 Australians 22

THE LUXURY REPORT | SUMMER 2021/22

Where we live can have a real impact on our wellbeing.

have moved within their own state or territory, or to another one, because of Covid-19 and are not planning to return.

This presents a real opportunity for certain regional areas to become greater hubs of economic activity and to encourage more Australians to live in them long-term. That said, there may be significant challenges in terms of land use and infrastructure planning, most notably in South East Queensland.

NAB asked those who had moved, or planned to move, what prompted their decision. Four in 10 said it was for “lifestyle” reasons (this response was particularly popular with those in South Australia and Queensland). Around three in 10 cited “wellbeing” or “employment” and just over one in four wanted to be closer to family and friends. Three in 10 of those surveyed said Covid-19 played a key role in their decision.

Where we live can have a real impact on our wellbeing. About seven in 10 Australians told us that they currently live in an area or region they really want to be in, with four in 10 having managed to purchase property there. Queensland and Western Australia had the greatest number of people who had purchased property in their desired location; NSW had the smallest.

ILLUSTRATION: COL MCELWAINE GRAPHICS: KIRSTEN BURGHARD

BY DEAN PEARSON, HEAD OF BEHAVIOURAL AND INDUSTRY ECONOMICS, NAB

MARKET REPORT

According to about half of those surveyed, the most important considerations when deciding where to buy are good shopping, restaurants and other amenities, plus the size of the dwelling. Other key drivers (identified by four in 10 people) were the amount they were prepared to borrow, their ability to buy a house rather than an apartment, the size of the land and good public transport. With many now working from home, almost one in five Australians highlighted the importance of having the opportunity to live in a regional area; the same number said that a study or work area was of value to them. Apartment living (rather than a house) was a key factor for fewer than one in 10 Australians.

The housing market has proven remarkably resilient throughout the pandemic, despite lockdowns in our two largest capitals and the sudden slowing of population growth. In part, that’s thanks to low interest rates, the federal

government’s HomeBuilder program, a range of incentives from the state governments and a labour market that’s performed better than expected. That said, house price growth has recently eased (though it remains strong) and market activity has slowed, while construction and loan approvals have dropped.

NAB Economics has revised up slightly its forecast for dwelling prices in 2021, based on stronger-than-expected outcomes in recent months, and we’ve made a small upgrade to our expectations for the fourth quarter and early 2022. Overall, that means a strong run for house prices in 2021, but we can expect a sharp slowing in 2022 as the impact of lower interest rates fades and affordability constraints begin to bind.

A survey conducted in the third quarter shows that the number of Australians who think now is a good time to buy a home has fallen for the third consecutive quarter, to

What is most important to you when deciding where to buy a property?

Good local shopping, restaurants & other amenities

53%

Size of the house/apartment

47%

Amount I am prepared to borrow to buy

40% 39%

House instead of apartment

37%

Size of the land Good public transport Buying in a metro area

36% 22%

Having a study/work area

18%

Being in a regional area

18%

Apartment instead of a house Other SOURCE: CORELOGIC, NAB ECONOMICS

just 25% (at the same time last year, 44% said it was a good time to buy).

Looking at individual states and territories, we see that the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland buck the trend, with 28% of those surveyed in the ACT saying that now is a good time to buy a home, compared with 24% in the second quarter; in Queensland, the figure was 26% compared with 23%. In other states, the numbers fell quite sharply, including WA (26% vs 36%), SA (25% vs 35%) and Tasmania (17% vs 25%).

The number of respondents who thought it was a good time to buy an investment property also moderated, to 23% (down from 25% in the second quarter and 31% at the same time last year). But again Queensland bucks the trend, with 25% believing it was a good time to buy an investment property, up from 22% in the second quarter. The number of respondents who intended to buy an investment property in the next 12 months was highest in NSW and the ACT, and lowest in Tasmania.

Even though house price growth is expected to slow sharply next year, the number of Australians who intend to buy a home in the next 12 months has fallen slightly, to 13% (compared with 14% in the second quarter). Those intending to buy investment property is unchanged at 9%.

By state, the number of people who planned to buy a home was highest in the ACT (18%), Victoria (15%) and NSW (14%), and lowest in Tasmania (6%).

Looking at the data, it seems that the pandemic has reinforced the value Australians place on their home. For many, it is not only their most significant asset, it also satisfies an innate desire for safety and security. If nothing else, the past two years have given us a chance to reassess where we want to live and what we prize most.

8% 7%

The information contained in this article is gathered from multiple sources believed to be reliable as of the end of October 2021 and is intended to be of a general nature only. It has been prepared without taking into account any person’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information, NAB recommends that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances. NAB recommends that you seek independent legal, property, financial and taxation advice before acting on any information in this article. ©2021 National Australia Bank Limited ABN 12 004 044 937 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 230686.

KAY & BURTON

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FASHION

light

24

THE LUXURY REPORT | SUMMER 2021/22

LA FONTELINA MAY have been off the cards for a while, but the Mediterranean will be influencing our wardrobes for the next few months, according to Alireza Shakoori, the menswear curator at the luxury fashion boutique Harrolds. Based in Melbourne, Shakoori is taking his cue from holidaymakers in the Northern Hemisphere who enjoyed time in the sun while much of Australia was in lockdown.

“That look is going to be quite strong this summer,” he predicts.

The vibe? Think the relaxed poolside soirées captured by Slim Aarons at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France, or a young Romy Schneider and Alain Delon sunbathing in “La Piscine” (1969). Or, closer to home, think long lunches and pre-dinner dips at Bondi Beach or Byron Bay. We have our own summer to dress for, after all.

This season, the colour palette of menswear emerges from the ocean itself, in gradients that mimic the shifting shades of the sea.

“You’re going to see a lot of men wearing white trousers with different tones of blue — navy or pale blue jackets — mainly in a blend of silk and linen,” Shakoori says, noting the importance of unlined clothing and breathable fabrics in Australian climes.

These cool shades complement softer, subtle hues, introduced overseas for spring and summer to offset the seriousness of suiting.

Shakoori points to pastel pink and low-key lilac, seen on the runways in Paris and Milan. “They’re also going to be making an appearance in menswear this summer,” he says.

OPPOSITE: PETER TARASIUK

relief

European designers are lightening up this season, as they play with laidback suiting, ice-cool greys and lots of linen. Here, we find out how to make it work for an Australian summer (footwear optional).

By JEN NURICK

Above: Elegance returns with Brioni exclusive to Harrolds.

Opposite: Harrolds’ Alireza Shakoori preaches the power of a well-tailored suit.

It’s all thanks to those at the helm of storied houses like Dior and Givenchy, where the wide-eyed incumbents Kim Jones and Matthew Williams have been whispering a quiet elegance into their designs of late. It was evident in Dior’s autumn 2021 collection, where Jones began with palette-cleansing black. He cast razor-sharp silhouettes in nighttime hues to draw attention to the finer details, like belt buckles and brooches, in preparation for pops of colour that signalled a brightbut-refined optical treat. This approach was echoed in spring 2020, when he co-opted the maison’s signature pale grey — something he’s done in every one of his Dior collections — using the ice-cool shade as a primer for dialled-up flight jackets in strawberry sherbet and single-breasted suits in acid green.

Grey for a summer’s day? Shakoori says that the unlikely shade, typically shunned in favour of happier hues, works as a blank canvas. It’s less intimidating than stark white and complementary to all skin tones.

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THE LUXURY REPORT | SUMMER 2021/22

Polished, paredback looks, in brown from Luigi Lardini and white from Stefano Ricci.

For Shakoori, colour, fabric and print come secondary to what he views as the beating heart of menswear — tailoring — with the suit the pièce de résistance.

Casual looks hold sway at Harrolds’ menswear department.

BOTTOM: PETER TARASIUK

“Jones is trying to show that there are colours that help us see other colours better,” he explains, recalling the interplay of grey, orange and cobalt blue that the designer has made part of his vocabulary. “When you bring a neutral colour like light grey, it gives you the option of bringing other colours to the spectrum without having a very impactful clash,” Shakoori says.

For him, the colour, fabric and print of a garment come secondary to what he views as the beating heart of menswear — tailoring — with the suit the pièce de résistance. “The suit is a tailoring masterpiece.

It immediately changes your posture; it pushes you to stand straight, to have your shoulders wide, chest out and stomach in,” he says. “It’s still a source of inspiration for a new generation of designers, like Jerry Lorenzo of Fear of God and Kim Jones of Christian Dior.” Granted, these designers are OK with pairing suit pants with sneakers or slipping hoodies underneath blazers to create a different look and explore new combinations. “Sometimes they are changing the ratio of the lapel, they’re moving things around, sometimes using different elements,” Shakoori says, “but at the same time, [the essence] is still the same.”

For many, the pandemic shoved corporate wear to the back of the wardrobe, as tracksuits replaced trousers and ties (bar Zoom meetings).

Shakoori admits sales slowed at the height of Covid-19 but says there has been an uptick since then, with men seeking out easy-to-wear separates that are clean-lined and elevated enough to wear to work, albeit in a more casual fashion. “We are getting more demand for blazers and sports jackets — things people can mix and match,” he says. “They can achieve a professional look with a sports jacket and they can also dress it down.”

It’s hardly a blow to business attire. Shakoori says this relaxed approach has restated the value of expert tailoring and craftsmanship — ironically, he believes the suit’s absence has helped preserve its integrity and sense of occasion. “Imagine a person who is buying a two-piece suit, commuting to work while he’s carrying his backpack,” Shakoori says. “The first thing that’s happening is the structure of the jacket is being destroyed. Then, when he’s sitting behind the desk wearing the jacket, he’s constantly putting pressure on it, rubbing the sleeves on the desk. The pants are being destroyed because of the way he’s sitting on the chair and, as a result, the overall look is not appealing.” Now, Shakoori believes, suits will be restored to their rightful place: “occasions, eventing, the boardroom and business deals.”

If the suit is the sartorial masterpiece, signifying power, identity and individuality, Shakoori identifies Tom Ford, Luigi Lardini and Norbert Stumpfl at Brioni as its masters, praising Ford’s architectural approach to proportion and Stumpfl’s minimalism. Still, the question remains: how can we translate these visual tropes to the Australian seaside, where everyone is barefoot?

Start with a capsule summer wardrobe. Shakoori advises investing in the essentials: linen shirts, white trousers and a pair of loafers. He also suggests opting for lightweight suiting fabrics, like hopsack, and trousers that are less tapered, for better breathability. By pairing “flowy, drapey” silhouettes, like linen trousers, with sports jackets, Shakoori says you can achieve a polished yet pared-back look. “Wear shirts with an open neck and then you can roll up your pants, wear them with slides or a pair of espadrilles and go to the beachside,” he says.

Or you could simply look to Shakoori’s wish list. “The first piece is a jacket from Brioni called the Tour Jacket,” he says, “then I will go for a look by Tom Ford, a brown velvet blazer with brown trousers, and the brown jersey shirt to complete the look.”

THE EDIT

1.

2.

3.

Gift guide 9.

8.

FOR CHRISTMAS OR JUST BECAUSE... A LITTLE LUXURY SHOWS THAT YOU CARE (AND HAVE EXQUISITE TASTE).

AFTER ALL, WHAT SAYS “I LOVE YOU” BETTER THAN BOUGIE BEACH RACQUETS?

4.

6.

5.

1. “Athens Riviera” by Stéphanie Artarit, published by Assouline, $140.

2. Cire Trudon Fir Christmas candle (3kg), $989. 3. Marloe Marloe Stevie Capri ceramic vase, $410. 4. Master & Dynamic MW07 Go True Wireless Earphones, $319. 5. Acne Studios Audrey cotton-blend tote bag, $590. 6. Lakrids by Bülow boxed licorice (335g), $59.95. 7. Versace Crete de Fleur beach racquets, $340.

8. Patricks EB1 Triple Correction eye balm, $95. 9. Aero System Black Bluetooth AeroBull Nano Speaker, $199. All from Harrolds; harrolds.com.au.

7.

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OWNERSHIP

NFTS: FAD OR FORCE?

Non-fungible tokens are revolutionising the fashion industry, one pair of $14,000 virtual sneakers at a time.

So, has the world gone mad?

Luxury houses like Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga don’t think so. By GRACE O’NEILL

28

THE LUXURY REPORT | SUMMER 2021/22

IN 2019, AN Amsterdam-based design collective called The Fabricant created a dress that would make headlines across the globe. The piece in question — an iridescent, asymmetric day dress covered in abstract splashes of colour — was purchased by Richard Ma, a San Franciscobased executive, for $US9,500. When his wife, Mary, wore it, the material appeared so delicate it almost floated. “Appeared” being the operative word: the dress exists only as a two-dimensional object.

If Mary wants to wear it, the team at The Fabricant would need to render it onto an image of her.

With that purchase, Ma became an investor in “digital couture”, which exists only in the virtual world. Since then, digital fashion has exploded, spurred on by the sudden ubiquity of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) — unique digital assets that can be bought, sold and traded. In 2021, Rtfkt Studios emerged as a leading player in the world of NFT sneakers. Rtfkt’s founders — Benoi Pagotto, Chris Le and Steven Vasilev — cut their teeth creating custom footwear for characters in the popular video game League of Legends, and soon realised virtual accessories were destined to become a lucrative market beyond the world of gaming. Their hunch proved correct: a March 2021 capsule collection made in collaboration with the artist FEWOCiOUS included sneakers with a retail price of about $14,000. The trio pocketed about $4.4 million in seven minutes.

A couple of months later, an NFT of a virtual Hermès Birkin bag created by the Los Angeles creatives Mason Rothschild and Eric Ramirez (who projected an animation of a growing foetus onto the bag) sold for more than $32,000 — more than double the asking price of a coveted real-life Birkin.

But is digital fashion just an overhyped fad? Luxury brands don’t seem to think so. Louis Vuitton was an early adopter of virtual fashion, selling “skins” for League of Legends characters as early as 2019. In December 2020, Balenciaga presented an entire collection in the format of a virtual-reality video game. In May 2021, Gucci created a virtual version of its signature Gucci Garden on the gaming platform Roblox. We’re seeing rumblings among

Above: a virtual Hermès Birkin bag, complete with animated foetus. Opposite: Jimmy Choo’s first NFTs included a collection of 8,888 digital cards with the brand’s Love heels, created in collaboration with the artist Eric Haze and the fashion curator Poggy.

A virtual Hermès Birkin bag, created by the Los Angeles creatives Mason Rothschild and Eric Ramirez, sold for more than $32,000 — more than double the asking price of a coveted real-life Birkin.

Australian labels, too. In November 2021, the NFT fashion brand MYAMI launched, selling streetwear-inspired outfits for digital avatars, and the Australian Fashion Council has announced plans to create an industry road map that includes helping local brands tap into the multibillion-dollar NFT market.

Many hail digital fashion as an antidote to the industry’s waste problem, which is to blame for 10% of the greenhouse-gas emissions resulting from human activity. For generations Z and alpha, however, digital fashion is simply a natural extension of growing up on the internet. Social media has created a world in which our twodimensional avatars are increasingly treated as stand-ins for their real-life counterparts. Why spend money on clothes a handful of people might see in person, when the virtual world gives you immediate access to an endless stream of acquaintances and strangers? Mark Zuckerberg has revealed plans for a slow social migration into the metaverse. If he has his way, early adopters of digital will be that brave new world’s best-dressed occupants.

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Home Truths AN APARTMENT IN THE CITY, A HOME IN THE COUNTRY AND A RENTAL PLACE IN THE ’BURBS. THAT’S THE DREAM. BUT BEFORE YOU PACK YOUR PORTFOLIO WITH PROPERTY, CONSIDER THESE TIPS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD.

BY SALLY AULD, CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER, JBWERE

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it tends to be less liquid, especially if prices are declining. Moreover, the asset class itself is not fungible; for example, an inner-city apartment in Melbourne is quite different to a detached dwelling in Rockhampton or a harbourside property in Sydney. Plus, there are nontrivial transaction costs involved when entering and exiting the market (stamp duty, agency fees), which is not always the case with other financial assets.

On the upside, you usually have more leverage with residential property, and investors and owner-occupiers alike have access to significant tax advantages, including negative gearing and capital gains tax exemptions.

Putting together a portfolio

Housing is the largest component of a household balance sheet.

Our analysis shows that the addition of domestic residential property to a theoretical 60/40 portfolio (60% growth assets, 40% defensive assets) would have reduced the volatility of portfolio returns over the last 20 years. Particularly during periods of turbulence in equity markets, we see that an allocation to residential property reduces the overall variability of portfolio returns, as drawdowns are generally less pronounced in periods of risk aversion. However, when risk markets are performing well, we observe more upside in a portfolio that does not include residential property.

ILLUSTRATION: COL MCELWAINE

WHAT ROLE SHOULD residential property play in an investment portfolio? It’s a question often asked of my wealth-management colleagues at JBWere. Property is undoubtedly a strong asset — over the past 20 years, residential property has tended to deliver better risk-adjusted returns than other asset classes — but there are significant differences between property and, say, shares or bonds.

Australians have a relatively high rate of home ownership compared with the citizenry of other G20 countries. Data from the OECD suggests that about 30% of Australians own their property outright, while about 33% have a mortgage and the remainder rent.

Housing is, by far, the largest component of a household balance sheet in Australia, both on the asset and liability side. About 53% of gross household assets are held in land and dwellings (superannuation assets are the next biggest holding, at 23%).

Of course, returns vary according to a property’s use. For investors, there’s capital gain and rental yield. For owner-occupiers, the total return is simply capital gain — similar to owning gold or a venture capital investment — as there’s no explicit income stream (although it could be argued that owner-occupiers benefit from a stream of imputed rents).

One issue with this kind of asset is that

PORTFOLIO REPORT

When we look at the difference in returns between a simple AUD-denominated portfolio with an allocation to residential property (at the expense of equities) relative to one without, it averages out to a 0.71% per annum underperformance over a 20-year period. However, the portfolio with property would have less volatility, suggesting that the risk-adjusted returns would be higher.

When times are good

Clients often ask if property is a good asset in times of inflation. Since 2002, residential property has exhibited significant outperformance versus inflation. In other words, real house prices have increased by a magnitude.

The correlation between quarterly changes in inflation and quarterly changes in house prices is generally positive (they usually move in the same direction) and has become stronger in recent years. Given the myriad factors that influence house prices, there is no simple or obvious explanation as to why the positive correlation between house prices and inflation has strengthened since 2015.

Regardless, the point remains that, like many of its real-asset peers, residential property appears to outperform versus inflation and exhibits strong positive correlation to inflation outcomes. It is

important to note that, in the period we’re referring to, secular trends have been biased towards lower interest rates and lower rates of inflation. This may shift in the next decade, but we don’t think it will necessarily change the ability of residential property to outperform against inflation.

What lies ahead

It seems that annual returns on residential property won’t be as strong in coming years as they have been over the last couple of decades. If historical precedent is any guide, we think rental yields will be pinned to the longer-term trajectory of risk-free interest rates. At some point in the next year or so, capital gains will be handicapped by affordability, given that household incomes are not rising at the same rate as house prices. Near-term, the greatest threat to house prices is likely to be more macroprudential regulation, given the sharp rise in investor lending of late and the increase in lending with elevated debt-to-income ratios.

Already the prudential regulator has mandated tougher standards for banks assessing whether borrowers can afford loans, which analysts say may limit the amount many can borrow by as much as 5%. Longer-term, the main issue for capital gains relates to interest rates. To the extent that the bull market in interest rates has

run its course, the tailwind to house prices over the next decade will need to come from other sources.

Population growth may contribute as borders re-open but, given the already favourable tax treatment and ongoing monitoring of lending standards, it is hard to see what else could replace the role declining interest rates (and deregulation of the financial system) have played in fuelling growth since the 1990s. Land supply issues in large capital cities may help the relative outperformance of house prices in Sydney and Melbourne, but that’s contingent on those cities continuing to absorb the lion’s share of net migration flows.

It’s fair to say, however, that the two main challenges to house prices — unemployment and higher interest rates — aren’t likely to be major problems in the next two years.

Unemployment is trending downward and, all else equal, this should support house prices. Borrowing rates have begun to rise, but we suspect the magnitude and pace of any tightening cycle will be modest, even if it begins a little earlier than the Reserve Bank of Australia now expects.

The information contained in this article is gathered from multiple sources believed to be reliable as of the end of October 2021 and is intended to be of a general nature only. It has been prepared without taking into account any person’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information, JB Were recommends that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances. JB Were recommends that you seek independent legal, property, financial and taxation advice before acting on any information in this article. ©2021 JBWere Limited ABN 68 137 978 360 AFSL 341162.

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ARCHITECTURE

Sea breezes and sweeping views... These are defining features of the modern Australian home. Here, LOUIS WHITE sits down with the experts to talk about the evolution of local architecture and interior design, and what we can expect in the years to come.

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A holiday house on the Sapphire Coast (above left) and a home in Manly, Sydney, (above) designed by the team at Tobias Partners (left).

OWNING A HOME is the great Australian dream and when it comes to residential design, our practitioners lead the way globally.

“I actually think Australia influences other cities around the world when it comes to architecture,” says Richard Peters, of the awardwinning practice Tobias Partners.

So, what is it that defines the Australian approach? Peters says it’s the combination of natural, unadorned materials; relaxed, informal areas; an embrace of outdoor living; and a strong connection with the landscape, which is typically a coastal one.

At its best, he says, Australian architecture encourages airflow, sea breezes and shade (think big verandahs with barbecues, swimming pools and established trees). In winter, it bathes its occupants in sunshine; in summer, it protects against harsh winds and excessive heat. “The use of natural light really says a lot about the way we live here,” says Peters, “and I think a lot of people probably aspire to that.”

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Based in Sydney, Tobias Partners has a strong aesthetic that is both refined and timeless. As the firm’s founding partner Nick Tobias explains, “Every decade, every century, of Australian home design has some influence on current residential architects. But we have spent the past 20 years staying away from trends: we are very focused on what a project needs from a look, living and feel perspective.”

Describing his approach, Peters, a principal at the firm, says: “It’s all about tapping into the tranquillity of the place and its engagement with nature. In many ways, the house is the backdrop and the natural surroundings are the focus — with bare feet, family and friends also key elements.”

The firm recently completed a project on the Sapphire Coast, New South Wales, where the outdoor living spaces were just as considered as the indoor ones. “Designing the interior and the garden together helped us focus on the connection with nature and tempering the elements,” says Peters. “The building’s finely detailed concrete form enables large retractable window openings, and that was key.”

Living spaces

Peninsula House (above) on the rugged Mornington coast is a contemporary take on the classic farmhouse, featuring interiors by Sue Carr (left).

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also notes a change in the way Australians view their home as a result of the pandemic.

“As we are moving through the back end of Covid, there is a shifting understanding of the importance of home in facilitating our wellbeing on a personal, interpersonal and professional level,” he says.

“Our homes recently became our whole world; they had to be a place to live, work, raise families, recreate and so forth. During this period, we became acutely aware of

FROM LEFT: JAMES BRAUND; BEN HOSKING PREVIOUS PAGES: JUSTIN ALEXANDER

“Design is not about the aesthetic or the superficial; it goes much deeper,” says Sue Carr, one of Australia’s most revered interior designers and the founding principal of the Melbourne practice Carr. “Design is about creating space that enhances the quality of life. It is about the feel of the space, not just the look.”

Sue, who was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2021 and is a member of the Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame, says Covid-19 has changed the way Australians utilise their home. “The pandemic has called for spaces to work harder,” she says. “Living spaces that can be flexible — where people can work during the day and be social with their family in the evenings — are increasingly important, particularly in smaller residences.”

She says clients want a central place in the home that encourages informal gathering and has a strong connection with the outdoors.

“The kitchen is often the heart of the home,” she adds, “with our clients embracing a sense of informality in dining and entertaining spaces.”

Nic Brunsdon, the principal and creative director of an eponymous firm that has studios in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Denpasar, Bali,

ARCHITECTURE

their shortcomings, not only in how they are planned and function, but also in how they address their external environment — for example, access to daylight and fresh air.”

A light touch

According to Carr, what people want right now are “spaces that have a feeling of generosity”. She explains: “In this sense, generosity doesn’t necessarily mean large spaces; rather, rooms that have a sense of

purpose, with good proportions, natural light and ventilation, views to the exterior, and considered materials.”

For Carr, one of the most important steps in the design process is helping her clients understand the essence of their existing house.

“We review what elements ought to be preserved and celebrated, and where we can refine or extend the dwelling to accommodate the owner’s needs,” she says.

She has recently been through this process with the owners of a Federation-era house in Hawthorn. “While the original home was wellbuilt and had character, it was also quite dark and had extensions that compromised connections between rooms,” she says. “We sought KAY & BURTON

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FROM LEFT: BEN HOSKING; DION ROBESON

ARCHITECTURE

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A northern void brings the outdoors in at the Perth home designed

by Nic Brunsdon and (left) the architect’s work at The Tiing hotel in Bali.

to celebrate the Federation character, while making considered openings and a series of moves that unlocked the plan and created connection between spaces.

“We have brought in ample natural light, created long vistas through the house, distinct areas for living and sleeping, and a stronger connection to the large garden. The new elements are distinctly contemporary but complement the existing architecture.”

Seeing stars

Brunsdon sees a connection between modern Australian design and features embraced by homeowners of centuries gone by. “I think there is a real movement back to ancient technologies,” he explains.

“We have celestial and climatic patterns that can be predicted and understood, and they’re the most powerful systems available.

It is only in the last 80 years that we have relied on external and mechanical means for powering the comfort of our home.”

His firm recently designed a home in East Fremantle, Perth, that harnesses celestial and climatic patterns to ensure the occupants are comfortable. “The most important part of this house is the space that is not built — specifically, a large northern void — a space for sun, light, sky, sound and breeze to inhabit,” he says. “The house then traces this edge, creating rooms with immediate connection to these elemental conditions.”

By adding a simple, linear form to the northern face of the heritage cottage, the southern mass of the building has become an efficient, connective living space — in effect, a garden room. “It gives incredible amenity to the project,” he says, “and shows that a connection to our celestial sphere can shape the rhythms, patterns and quality of daily family life.”

According to Brunsdon, whose work has featured on the television program “Grand Designs Australia”, the ultimate Australian home is a well-orientated structure that takes advantage of prevailing breezes. “It has mass and thickness to hold in heat and keep the cool out, it can use the sun to power itself, and collect and re-use water.” Most importantly, he adds, “it does it all in a way that doesn’t feel like a clumsy add-on, but is natural, integrated and beautiful.

Then we will have created a calm, confident, and settled space.”

‘The most important part of this house is the space that is not built — specifically, a large northern void — a space for sun, light, sky, sound and breeze to inhabit.’

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WATCHES

STANDARD ISSUE How stainless-steel sports watches rose from their utilitarian roots to become the new horological flex.

By LUKE BENEDICTUS

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ON REFLECTION, PAUL Newman must shoulder some of the blame. In 2017, the actor’s Rolex Daytona (Ref. 6239) went under the hammer at the Phillips auction house in New York. After 12 minutes of ferocious bidding, the 1968 watch was sold to a telephone bidder for $US17,752,500.

At the time — before things got really silly — this was a record price for a watch sold at auction and a truly astonishing result. The previous record for a Rolex was just over $US5 million for a watch that belonged to His Majesty Bao Dai, the last emperor of Vietnam.

Yet that was a unique piece of almost legendary distinction. Bao Dai’s Rolex triple calendar moonphase (Ref. 6062) was one of just three black-dial 6062 models known to exist and the only Rolex to have diamond markers at the even hours. In addition, it was the most complicated Rolex ever made and was hewn from 18-carat gold.

Newman’s Daytona, on the other hand, was a relatively stockstandard chronograph, of which there are thousands of completely identical references (one was recently listed on a pre-owned watch site for $136,595). Sure, Newman’s watch had rare provenance, having belonged to a world-famous actor, yet beneath the stardust, it was just another watch made of stainless steel — a material typically chosen for its basic utility rather than its luxury cachet.

But the Daytona sale reflected another notable shift in the market.

For many years, a gold watch was the ultimate wrist-bound statussignifier. Yet right now, steel sports watches from Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet are the most-wanted models going. In fact, they’re virtually unobtainable unless you have serious pulling power at a boutique, the patience to endure an interminable waiting list or incriminating photos of your authorised dealer.

To clarify, in horological talk “sports watch” refers not to a timepiece you’d wear to the gym, but to one that offers solid water and shock resistance, has a screw-in crown and reasonable

Steel timepieces by (from far left) Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Urban Jürgensen Grand Seiko and Zenith.

lume — as opposed to, say, a fragile dress watch that’s designed to nestle under the cuff of your shirt.

In 2020, Rolex unveiled a new Oyster Perpetual range, a collection of steel sports watches with a choice of boldly coloured dials. These were standard-issue watches that weren’t part of a limited-edition run.

But just weeks after the launch, demand was so great that one batch of the fivepiece range was deemed worthy to be sold at The Hong Kong Watch Auction, which generally specialises in rare and vintage pieces. At retail, the watches were priced at $7,850 a pop; by the time they went under the hammer in Hong Kong, most had doubled in price, selling for up to $18,613.

One year on, things have become crazier still, as demonstrated by the fate of a certain Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711. In April, the brand released the watch in stainless steel with an olive dial and a recommended retail price of $49,350. In July, a brand-new model sold at the Antiquorum auction in Monaco for $492,000.

What’s Newman’s Daytona go to do with all this? Well, the headline-grabbing sale of that watch alerted the public to the potential value of certain watches. Here was a Rolex you could have picked up for about $US2,000 in the late 1980s now selling for

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WATCHES

a frankly ludicrous sum. Investors outside of horological circles began to realise that watches are commodities and can be traded like blue-chip shares. Demand for these timepieces was already healthy, but Newman’s watch supercharged it in a way that makes the rise in Sydney house prices look tame.

Stainless-steel watches also reflect a change in the zeitgeist; fashion today is more casual than ever before, with the likes of Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan in the United States switching to business casual. With the mood less buttoned-up, people have had to find new ways to peacock You could compare what’s happened with steel sports watches to the evolution of sneakers. This formerly casual footwear has graduated from the streets to luxury status, with the likes of Dior Homme and Valentino muscling in on the territory of Nike. Steel watches have enjoyed a similarly upward trajectory (and, like sneakers, they work with a T-shirt and jeans — not always the case with a dress watch). Just as sneaker brands deliberately balance demand with insufficient supply to build hype and stimulate the market’s hunger, there is no doubt that watch companies do the same.

Admittedly, the demand for a brand-new Daytona or Royal Oak seems so hysterical one suspects the bubble will eventually burst and the circus will move on. In the meantime, however, the likes of Patek and company can sit back and enjoy the miraculous ascent of steel, a material that proves precious metals can come in unlikely forms.

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You could compare what’s happened with steel sports watches to the evolution of sneakers. This formerly casual footwear has graduated from the streets to luxury status.

Watches by (clockwise from top left) Moser, Bulgari, Omega, TAG Heuer and Vacheron.

ART COLLECTING

NEXT BIG THINGS

Three Australian gallerists let JEN NURICK in on the emerging art talents to invest in (and name-drop) before everyone else does.

Above: installation view of Darren Sylvester’s 2021 exhibition “Shoobie Doobie” at Neon Parc, Brunswick.

Opposite: Neon Parc gallerist Geoff Newton.

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HOW DO YOU define a piece of art? In the infancy of his career, Keith Haring may have pointed us underground, to the bare advertising spaces in New York City subway stations that famously became his canvases. Perhaps Jean-Michel Basquiat would have guided us to Great Jones Street, in Manhattan’s NoHo, where he tagged the walls with “SAMO”: shorthand for “same old shit”, a concept he developed with another subway graffiti artist, Al Diaz. Or he may have led us closer to home, to the realm of the domestic, where refrigerator surfaces and other mundane household objects took his fancy, becoming vessels for his art.

Artists like Cindy Sherman and, here in Australia, Destiny Deacon and Gerwyn Davies may present their own reflections as an answer, having used their bodies to convey their art. The digital artist Mike Winkelmann (also known as Beeple, his online alias) would surely point us to a screen. It was his non-fungible token, “Everydays: The First 5000 Days”, that sold at Christie’s for a record $88.9 million in March 2021. Works like his are becoming increasingly desirable but still evade simple definition: they are pieces of art, digital files, a series of hundreds of thousands of intangible pixels.

Artist: DARREN SYLVESTER Gallerist: GEOFF NEWTON Gallery: Neon Parc, Melbourne

“As a gallerist, I’m looking for a range of things — ideas, materiality, an engagement with society — but as a collector, I am drawn to political art and abstraction, or if a work simply knocks me out.

In Darren Sylvester’s current exhibition, ‘Shoobie Doobie’ [until 18 December; neonparc.com.au], there is a large-scale photograph also called ‘Shoobie Doobie’, which Darren refers to as a throwaway quip among New Yorkers in the late 1970s. We see a deeply saturated cluster of purple clouds with creamy edges in a soft, almost pointillist, style. Over the top of these bulbous clouds are streaks of marshmallow, like powdery droplets of rain. The scene is nostalgic, almost dreamy. It feels like you’ve seen it before. I’m seduced by the technique, use of light and trickery of the composition. It’s sophisticated and simple, so those would be the traits that drawn me in.

Darren is an established Australian artist who utilises kinetic sculpture, photography and sound to expand our imagination and emotional response to art. He has a distinct style, as he mines elements of the everyday, like sunsets on Instagram stories or the design of McDonald’s hamburger boxes in the Styrofoam era. Darren makes a version of things we are familiar with and transforms it into something dazzling, unattainable and desirable. He works with notions of commerciality to create iconic images, mixing emotion with hyperreality.

A lot of Darren’s work embodies the artist’s ironic use of metaphor within an era of pop culture and advertising. He- speaks to a removed nostalgia intrinsic to late capitalist culture. For many, we experience the brands alluded to by Darren in a second-hand fashion — via television, billboards, print media — and they are, therefore, ingrained in the fabric of developmental periods of our lives.

Darren is a truly multidisciplinary artist and the themes of his pieces — hopes and dreams, work conundrums, loss and longing, fear of death — are reminders of what it means to be alive in the here and now. The value of his work is that it is intrinsic to the identity of Australian art and in dialogue with a global cultural discourse.”

So the art world remains elusive and accessible to very few. Among those who are familiar with it, some may argue that a work should activate a message, that it should stir up a reaction in us and jerk us to politicise its purpose. Others may believe it should hang on a wall, without disruption, a thing of beauty. Most, however, share one goal: to discover an unknown artist before they rise to fame.

And who better than the gallerists of Australia’s pre-eminent art destinations to guide us towards the nation’s most promising artists, those who are working to reshape the fabric of Australian art on a local and global stage? We’ve asked three of the country’s most interesting gallerists to each name one Australian artist who has seared in their imagination — and soon, hopefully, ours too.

ARTIST: REKO RENNIE

Gallerist: SAMANTHA BARROW Gallery: Station Gallery, Melbourne & Sydney

“Based in Melbourne, Reko Rennie has Kamilaroi heritage and is informed by both his Aboriginal background and his urban western suburbs upbringing. Reko’s work is uniquely his own in its visual style, but it’s also internationally facing and speaks within an international context. It’s very distinctive, very arresting and colourful. It has this real allure in terms of its strong, potent aesthetic and geometric forms.

Reko didn’t follow the traditional route to fine art. He studied journalism because he was moved by his family’s history and the struggles of Aboriginal people. He wanted to find a way to deliver messages that would counter what he saw as a negative, stereotypical mainstream dialogue. He soon realised it wasn’t that effective, but he had an interest in street art, having been a graffiti artist as a kid, and he was successful in transferring his message to a studio practice.

Earlier this year, between lockdowns, one of Reko’s works was installed in the foyer at 101 Collins Street. I feel particularly KAY & BURTON

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proud — of Reko, the gallery and the client that commissioned it — because the eightmetre, four-panel work is on Collins Street, the beating heart of colonial wealth and institutional power. The piece is named after David Collins, a lieutenant governor who came to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788. He went on to be the first lieutenant governor of Tasmania where, arguably, there was the most horrific genocidal campaign against our First Nations people. Somehow, against all odds, this painting sits at 101 Collins Street and says ‘Always was’, referring to the fact that no matter how high in the sky we might stand in the pillars of power and wealth, we’re still on unceded Aboriginal land. It’s not a statement of aggression or claim for retribution, just a pervasive, relentless statement of fact.

Reko has shown in Los Angeles, New York and the Nevada Museum of Art. Although we’ve obviously got more work to do in Australia, we do have a level of experience in the process of decolonisation that is considered an exemplar in some parts of the United States and Europe. An artist of Reko’s calibre can have a real impact when shown at a place like the Nevada Museum of Art, particularly in the region’s ongoing dialogues with its First Nations people.

He did a mural work in the foyer and had interesting, challenging conversations with curators and patrons about the treatment of First Nations people in the US. Reko’s work has this subversiveness that slowly begins to take effect. It’s a bit of a slow burn but once it takes hold, it sticks.”

ARTIST: DAN KYLE

Gallerist: MARTIN BROWNE Gallery: Martin Browne Contemporary, Sydney

“At 32, and with 10 years of exhibitions under his belt, Dan Kyle has developed a unique visual language that positions him directly in the lineage of the major painters in the Australian landscape tradition, particularly Frederick McCubbin and Fred Williams who redefined the way we see the Australian bush.

Dan works from a studio that sits among eucalypt forests at Kurrajong Heights in the lower Blue Mountains and, more recently, at Kangaroo Valley,

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Above: installation view of Reko Rennie’s 2021 exhibition “Reckoning”, held at Station Gallery, South Yarra. Below: “All Summer II” by Dan Kyle.

New South Wales — a residency that was awarded to him as a joint winner of the 2020 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship.

Wherever he’s located, Dan’s paintings capture the essence of his surroundings at specific times, from the smoky, searing winds — yet often beautiful light — of the 2019/20 summer bushfires, which threatened his studio multiple times, to the cool, lush growth and tumbling waterfalls that surrounded the site of his residency.

In April, we showed the paintings that resulted from his residency in a solo exhibition, ‘The Path of Least Resistance’. In preparation, I visited Dan’s studio to see what he had been up to. Nothing prepared me for the golden paintings arranged around the studio, paintings that seemed to vibrate with colour and energy. The first one I laid eyes on was ‘All Summer II’ and I immediately knew that when the exhibition was over, that one would be coming home with me. Misty veils of falling water contrast with a slash of ochre paint on the left — a crevice in the escarpment, perhaps? — all set against a glowing hillside that, on closer inspection, is composed of myriad imprints of paint-soaked flowers. The overall sense is of abundance, light, air, movement and the joy of summer.

TOP IMAGE: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND STATION GALLERY

INTERVIEWS HAVE BEEN EDITED FOR LENGTH AND CLARITY.

Flower ‘prints’ have become a hallmark of Dan’s work. At the time of the bushfires, he was struck by the appearance of a yellow daisy that, seemingly turbocharged by the heat, bloomed profusely in the bush around his studio. He collected the flowers and used them to create a collage in his bushfire images, pressing them into the wet paint.

In other works, he stamped the paintsoaked flowers onto his canvases, leaving an imprint of the flowers’ forms. Since that time, his own garden has provided dahlias, cosmos, anemones and other flowers that he’s used in his paintings. In their seasonality, they provide a timeline of when the works were created.

The dominant genre in Australian art, since the environmental illustrators, has been that of landscape painting. Dan’s paintings develop and enrich this tradition, adding a fresh, contemporary voice that challenges us to see and appreciate the Australian landscape through new eyes — and to protect it.

Over the past 18 months, many people have discovered — or rediscovered — how the presence of artworks can enrich their lives, creating peace, joy, an escape that inspires the imagination to wander, or be a source of meditative contemplation.

Dan’s paintings inspire all of this while connecting us to the landscape in new and exciting ways.”

‘Nothing prepared me for the golden paintings arranged around the studio, paintings that seemed to vibrate with colour and energy...

The overall sense is of abundance, light, air and the joy of summer.’

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TRAVEL

ESCAPE THE EVERYDAY It’s time to rip up that to-do list and replace it with a single directive: unwind. For those who prefer to do their de-stressing somewhere extraordinary, our travel writer UTE JUNKER has picked five of the world’s most luxurious hideaways.

SUITE DREAMS Menorca Experimental, Spain

The designer Dorotheée Meilichzon loves a bedhead. Meilichzon works with Europe’s Experimental Group — responsible for some of the hippest cocktail bars in Paris and London, as well as a growing collection of chic boutique retreats across the Continent — and she believes a bedhead creates a sense of occasion. It’s a way of letting guests “sleep like a royal”, she says.

At Menorca Experimental (menorcaexperimental.com), the group’s first country retreat, Meilichzon’s signature stylings — sleek lines, geometric shapes, plenty of natural light and, of course, those grand bedheads — are in evidence, but there’s also a sense of tradition.

Set in a whitewashed 19th-century farmhouse, the timeworn terracotta tiles and rough-hewn timber floors add to the atmosphere of the charming 43-room hotel.

The vibe in Menorca is very different to that of its sister island, Ibiza, and this extends to Menorca Experimental’s tranquil take on the classic Mediterranean hotel. Instead of buzzing clubs and bars, Menorca is a place of aromatic pine forests, sheltered rocky coves and endless hiking trails.

The hotel’s clever fit-out offers open-plan spaces for convivial evenings and quiet corners for curling up and enjoying your own company. Guest activities range from horseriding to yoga sessions.

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Modern geometric furnishings meld with classic Spanish design elements at Menorca Experimental hotel.

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Want to get creative? Pottery, painting, mozaic and drawing classes will help you find your flow.

Chinese and Ayurvedic traditions. Relax in the Japanese infrared sauna or head over to the marine research centre, where you can join the experts in a tag-and-release fishing expedition. This encounter includes everything from marlin and yellowfin tuna to wahoo and hammerhead sharks.

If romance is on the menu, a lavish picnic amid the sand dunes or aboard a traditional Mozambican dhow (sailing vessel) is recommended. In the mood for fun? Take one of the resort’s electric Mini Mokes for a spin,or grab a slice from the Pizza Tuk Tuk that roams the resort.

NATURAL WONDER Kisawa, Mozambique

If you’re dreaming of an island escape — the type where white-sand beaches are washed by tropical waters and the most pressing decision is whether to have the spicy prawns or grilled fish — Kisawa (kisawasanctuary. com) is calling. Tucked away on the lovely Benguerra Island in Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago, Kisawa comprises 12 residences, each set on a 4,000-square-metre block.

Designed to sit within the landscape rather than on top of it, the residences are styled with natural materials, each including an infinity pool and hand-carved stone tub.

Every element at Kisawa has been carefully considered, from the organic cuisine and purpose-built yoga dome to the Natural Wellness Centre, where treatments draw on

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STAR OF THE SEA Borgo Santandrea, Italy

A bedroom at one of Kisawa’s spacious bungalow residences features a day bed and two dressing rooms.

Some mornings, it’s just too tempting to stay in bed. At Borgo Santandrea (borgosantandrea.it), that’s perfectly acceptable. One of the best things about the Amalfi Coast’s latest luxury hotel is that you can enjoy views of that magically blue Mediterranean whilst snuggled under the sheets.

Sooner or later, however, you will want to emerge from under the covers, simply because there are so many ways to enjoy this intimate cliffside hideaway that overlooks the village of Conca dei Marini on Italy’s most picturesque slice of coast. Start slowly by spending some time soaking up the sun on the hotel’s private

TRAVEL Sweeping windows capitalise on the Mediterranean views at the new Borgo Santandrea on the Amalfi Coast.

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A 27-metre pool sets the scene at One&Only Desaru Coast’s expansive four-bedroom villa.

beach — the ultimate Amalfi Coast luxury.

Or take a dip in the saltwater pool. When you are ready to explore further afield, the staff can organise a boat for the day. You may want to pop over to Capri to add some see-and-be-seen glamour to your holiday, or take the scenic route and drop in at some of the picturesque bays nestled beneath the soaring cliffs that dominate the shoreline.

Either way, be sure to make it back in time for dinner. All three of the resort’s restaurants serve elegantly executed meals.

From plates of handmade pasta to locally harvested olives and the unmistakable flavour of Amalfi’s famous lemons — not to mention the freshest seafood around — every meal is an indulgence.

JUNGLE FEVER One&Only Desaru Coast, Malaysia

You might take a seat by the lap pool, lined by tall trees in which monkeys happily gambol. Or you might head to the chic beach club, where laidback beats and a Mediterranean feel prevail.

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A long, lazy day at one of Malaysia’s newest luxury resorts beckons. Question is, where are you going to set up base camp? You might take a seat overlooking the resort’s main lap pool, lined by tall trees in which monkeys happily gambol.

You might head over to the chic beach club, where laidback beats and a Mediterranean feel prevail. Or you might just chill out in the courtyard of your villa, where sleek, clean lines dominate — a hallmark of the celebrated Australian architect Kerry Hill, who created some of Asia’s most memorable resorts.

At One&Only Desaru Coast (oneand onlyresorts.com), there are always options.

Positioned between the jungle and the coast on Malaysia’s south-eastern tip, not far from Singapore, this resort delivers luxury and adventure in equal doses. Intrepid travellers can go on jungle expeditions or take a Malaysian martial arts class.

Those who prefer a slower pace should book themselves into the magnificent Chenot Spa, which features treatments based on traditional Chinese and alternative medicines.

For maximum results, three-day wellness programs, designed to boost the process of de-stressing and decompressing, are offered.

Meals are a highlight, from the exquisite omakase menus in the moodily lit Hoshi Japanese restaurant to the Asian-inflected barbecue on offer at the Ember Beach Club.

Afterwards, wrap up your day with a postdinner cocktail and relax as the balmy night air drapes itself over your shoulders.

TRAVEL

ARCTIC HIGH Aurora Lodge, Norway

Your bags have been stored in your room. The helicopter you arrived in has disappeared into the vast blue sky that spills towards the horizon.

Silence descends and you finally realise you are at the edge of the world — and you are wonderfully, blissfully alone.

Positioned in the Lyngen Alps, high above the Arctic Circle on Norway’s north-western edge, where the icy waters are freckled with uninhabited islands and ice-carved peninsulas, Aurora Lodge (black tomato.com) redefines remote luxury. An exemplar of contemporary design, the six-suite retreat is only available for exclusive use. A host and private chef will ensure a steady supply of creature comforts but beyond that, you and your crew are on your own.

This is the perfect place to find some stillness and let yourself be mesmerised by the rhythms of nature. If you want to explore further, you can hike the pristine forest, visit a puffin colony via sailboat or have a professional photographer teach you how to capture the magical light of the midnight sun.

Just a word of warning: chances are, you’ll enjoy this slice of Norwegian wilderness so much that you will want to do it all over again in winter, when you can ski fresh powder down slopes that lead all the way to the sea and also witness the northern lights blaze in the endless sky.

Modern architecture meets creature comforts at Norway’s six-suite Aurora Lodge.

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FOOD

OUT TO PASTURE

Lured by the rich soils and bounteous sea, Brigitte Hafner traded her lauded Fitzroy eatery for a converted farmhouse on the Mornington Peninsula. This year, it was named Australia’s best restaurant. By JENI PORT

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Below and left: Slow Food chef Brigitte Hafner and her restaurant, Tedesca Osteria, in Red Hill.

W

e have to do this because we can’t not do it,” Brigitte Hafner remembers saying. It was late 2019 and Hafner, a co-owner and chef at Fitzroy’s Gertrude Street Enoteca, had decided to act on her forever dream of opening a restaurant on the Mornington Peninsula. She and her husband, Patrick Ness, an architect, had moved to Red Hill years before and, with its natural bounty, country feel and easy access to Melbourne (an hour’s drive), she knew it would be the perfect place for her hearty, home-style cooking.

The next step, though, was a big one. A proponent of the Slow Food movement, Hafner is very hands-on in the kitchen. Gertrude Street Enoteca, which she ran with her friend and long-time business partner James Broadway, needed her in the kitchen daily. But the new business in Red Hill would need her, too. Then Covid-19 struck.

“Covid made it very easy,” she says of closing the Fitzroy restaurant. “Gertrude Street Enoteca was a wonderful thing that we did for a while but it was difficult with our landlords. Covid came along and closed it for us. And you know what? It was just time to shut the door on something that we’d had for a long time and do something completely new.”

When we speak, Melbourne’s sixth lockdown is coming to an end and Hafner is about to re-open her new restaurant, Tedesca Osteria.

A rustic take on fine-dining, the eatery is set in an old weatherboard house that was brought to life by Ness and is surrounded by 11 hectares of farmland. When I first call, she is wrangling a lost lamb out in the paddocks and is unable to speak. The next time I rang, news had broken that Tedesca Osteria had just been named Gourmet Traveller’s Restaurant of the Year.

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‘This is something very much in me, a way I like to cook around my kitchen table — the immediacy of it, the fire.

It is really an extension of my home.’

“This kind of thing never happens to me,” she says, laughing.

“The phone hasn’t stopped.” The accolade not only affirms Hafner’s decision to open a country restaurant, but also her Slow Food philosophy, with the magazine describing Tedesca as the embodiment of a new approach to fine dining.

The team, which includes just four other chefs, turns out fivecourse seasonal lunches that are intended to span two hours or more ($155/head; tedesca.com.au). A wood-fired oven and grill forms the heart of the kitchen; the coals are used to cook eggplant and artichokes, and chillies are turned into sauces and pickles. Meat and other vegetables are prepared in a hot and cold brick smokehouse — one of Hafner’s lockdown projects.

“This is something very much in me, a way I like to cook around my kitchen table — the immediacy of it, the fire,” says Hafner. “It is really an extension of my home.”

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Diners enjoy hearty, vegetable-forward dishes, part of the five-course fixed menu at Tedesca.

And the name, Tedesca?

It’s a nickname bestowed on Hafner by an Italian chef she once worked with. It means “German”, a reference to her heritage (Hafner’s mother, Magdalene, a fine cook in her own right, is Bavarian).

Being based on the Peninsula, with its varied climate, Hafner has access to some of the country’s best produce, from seafood and truffles to olives, honey, lamb, beef and, of course, great wine. But much of what is served at the 35-seat restaurant comes from the 1,000-square-metre kitchen garden that she runs according to biodynamic principles.

“The menu is defined by what we are growing,” she says. “I go for a walk in the garden, I have a look at what’s coming up and then I write the menu with that in mind.”

Getting her hands dirty comes naturally to Hafner. Her father, Harald, was a landscape gardener. “I fell in love with gardens from an early age and I always had my hands in dirt,”

she says. Right now, in her greenhouse, she has tomatoes grown from seeds, ready to be transferred to the garden. They’ll grow alongside chillies, fennel, radishes, spicy cresses, lettuce and zucchini.

Hafner’s next big project is a vineyard.

The Peninsula is world-famous for its cool climate wines, including sparkling and table varieties, led by chardonnay and pinot noir.

There are about 200 small-scale makers across the region, many of them focusing on organic and biodynamic wine-growing.

She and Ness plan to join the biodynamic crowd, having set aside a hectare of the farm for close-planted pinot noir, as well as red and white grapes that can either go it alone or be used in blends such as cabernet franc, sangiovese, ribolla gialla, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. The couple won’t make the wines but, says Hafner, “I think we will be very much involved in it and we will learn along the way.”

Broadway, formerly of Gertrude Street Enoteca, manages the wine cellar at Tedesca, which features a number of Peninsula makers alongside international producers, led by Burgandy, with a focus on biodynamic labels. He and Hafner have been friends for more than 25 years and have been working on a cookbook for some time, with Hafner responsible for the recipes and Broadway in charge of the photography. Just don’t ask when that particular project will be finished.

“That is actually a little bit further down the list than I would like it to be,” says Hafner.

“A tiny 35-seat restaurant takes just about everything I’ve got at the moment.”

The private dining room (above) and main restaurant, designed

by Hafner’s husband, Patrick Ness.

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NEED FOR SPEED Hypercars have entered the electric era. Here, we take a look at five definitive plug-ins, from a mix of heritage marques and bold emerging carmakers. By STEPHEN CORBY

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AUTOMOTIVE

Pininfarina Battista

When we talk about how long something is we tend to measure it in football fields; if we’re making a weight comparison, we’ll reach for how many elephants it equates to. But when it comes to talking about how fast a car is, the benchmark is always Formula 1.

That’s because road cars, even the hyper ones, are never quite as fast as an F1 race car, or they weren’t, until Pininfarina — an Italian design house that previously helped supercar companies make their cars more beautiful — unveiled its Battista.

The company’s first-ever vehicle is all-electric and all-round ridiculous, with 1,416kW and 2,300Nm on tap, a $3.4 million price tag and the bold marketing tagline “faster than a Formula 1 racer”.

With a motor tucked into each wheel it’s actually twice as powerful as the average F1 car so it seems a reasonable claim, as is its subtwo-second 100km/h dash. But who, other than an F1 driver, will be brave enough to tame one?

Tesla Roadster

Above: the Pininfarina Battista, said to be faster than an F1 racer.

Opposite: Tesla’s much-hyped Roadster.

Elon Musk, the marketing genius behind Tesla, makes a habit of promising outlandish things, but what makes him one of the richest people in the world is the ability to actually deliver.

Which is why we should probably take his claims about the much-mooted Tesla Roadster at least slightly seriously. True, it’s difficult to comprehend his suggestion that the $326,000 Roadster will be able to provide 10,000Nm of wheel torque — that much grunt should simply dig a hole for the car to fall into — but the suggestion that a Tesla can hit 100km/h in 2.1 seconds doesn’t seem implausible at all.

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The Roadster will also, allegedly, have a battery capable of providing a 1,000 kilometre range and enough room for four adults.

We’re not quite sure if Musk is serious about his promise that high-performance variants of the car will include small rocket thrusters, borrowed from one of his other companies, but anything is possible.

Rimac Nevera

Is it wise to not so subtly hide the word “never” in the name of your new car?

Is there not a danger that it might give people a sense that what you’re promising is never actually going to arrive, that it’s just vapourware on wheels?

Obviously the answer is yes, but this is just the kind of crazy, non-mainstream behaviour that Rimac Automobil — a truly outside-the-mainstream brand — is set to become famous for.

You might recall that Richard Hammond, a co-presenter of “Top Gear”, narrowly escaped with his life back in 2017 when he crashed Rimac’s absurd 913kW Concept One. But that didn’t slow down the Croatian EV company, nor did it do anything to discourage investors, with Porsche recently purchasing 24% of the company.

Rimac’s next big, bad thing is the Nevera — and it really does sound like something from Neverland. The size of its price tag, $3.2 million, is exceeded only by the power from its four electric motors, which promise a huge 1,400kW and 2,360Nm. If the tyres don’t simply explode, the Rimac Nevera will hurl you to 100km/h in 1.97 seconds, or to 300km/h in 9.3 seconds. Top speed is 412km/h.

It might sound like something that will never happen, but pre-production models are already out there, somewhere.

Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider

Exploring the rare air beyond 300km/h is the kind of thing that’s tempting for adrenaline junkies, but usually even they like to be able to walk away afterwards with their hair still attached to their scalps.

The Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider will take you all the way to 330km/h with its removable carbon-fibre roof safely tucked away, but the chances that the wind at those speeds will suck the top of your head right off seem fairly high. Perhaps the $5 millionplus price tag will include helmets.

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Electric hypercars from (clockwise from right) Aston Martin, McLaren and Rimac.

There’s certainly plenty of race-car tech on offer here, with Aston Martin promising the Spider can deliver an experience closer to a Formula 1 racer than any road car ever. That’s partly down to the extreme use of aerodynamic nous, lifted from the company’s F1 team, but it’s also due to the hybridised 6.5-litre V12 engine, which offers 850kW of power and a very racy redline of 11,000rpm.

You have to wonder if hearing loss might be another side effect to consider if going roofless (bonus: the Spider will hit 350km/h if you leave the roof on).

McLaren Artura

The designers at Ferrari believe their cars are the most visually delectable in the world, because Italians grow up surrounded by beauty, and the folks at Lamborghini will tell you that their more brutalistic, aggressive style is better again.

But if it’s pure speed you’re after, with a touch of high-tech cool thrown in, McLaren is the brand for you. Bringing Formula 1 know-how to the road has always been the company’s goal and it pretty much perfected the idea of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) hypercars with the incredible P1, which launched in 2013.

Now, it is updating the breed with the Artura, which slots into the McLaren line-up in 2022, somewhere between the less violent GT and the stupidly wild 720S. Powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 linked with an electric motor, the $449,500 Artura offers a hefty 500kW and 720Nm, with all of that going to the rear wheels for serious sideways fun. It can combine its electric and petrol power for a zero to 200km/h dash of just 8.3 seconds, or you can save the planet by using its 7.4kWh lithium-ion battery to drive up to 30 kilometres in zero-emission EV mode at speeds of up to 130km/h.

You could, but you almost certainly won’t, because you’ll want to hear the noise its petrol engine makes.

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GARDENS

HOW THE GARDEN GROWS

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Flowing from formal plantings to the farm, the revitalised ‘Darriwill’ property on the Moorabool River offers a lesson in considered design — and patience.

By HELEN HAWKES

IT WAS THE artist Francis Bacon who wrote that a garden is the purest of human pleasures. It’s a pleasure well known to the interior designer Sasha, whose 400-hectare property is one of four private Western Victorian gardens that will feature in the NGVWA Virtual Garden Day 2021 (runs until February 28, 2022).

Previously based in the United Kingdom, Sasha and her husband were lured back to Australian shores in 2014 after they purchased “Darriwill”, a picturesque property on the Moorabool River, north of Geelong. “We were so lucky to inherit a garden full of a variety of substantial European and Australian trees, well-structured garden beds and a lovely enclosed vegetable garden,” she says of the property, previously owned by Dougal and Nellie Ramsay.

Sasha has always been a keen gardener and her vision for “Darriwill”, with its immense proportions, was inspired by stately properties she toured in Europe. She enlisted the help of renowned

Victorian bluestone, which defines the entry to the homestead (above left), features throughout the property, including in the headers and footers of the pergola pillars (above).

Melbourne-based landscape architect Sam Barber, whose team specialises in humancentred design and restoration work. His aesthetic, evident in properties across Portsea, Toorak and East Melbourne, is defined by a commitment to cohesion, connection with nature and a respect for provenance.

“We seek to deeply understand the original fabric of a site, as well as the architectural built form,” says Barber. “From climate and topography to history and locality, this understanding informs and inspires a sensitive and creative response.”

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a garden and designing a plan that is sympathetic to both nature and the client’s needs. As such, the work Barber did at “Darriwill” was staged over five years.

His team collaborated with Sasha and builders to reimagine the entry courtyard and remodel the kitchen, living area and adjoining terrace. This work, he explains, turned a “disjointed arrival experience into one of balance, tranquillity and flow”.

It’s an approach that extends to the rest of the property, with Barber designing fluid transitions from indoor to outdoor areas and from the formal gardens to the farm.

The team used plantings to create moments of softness and greenery between the forecourt, dwelling and main terrace. The four established crepe myrtles that already punctuated the space were underplanted with English box of varied heights, which were left unmanicured to avoid harsh lines.

The crepe myrtles are notable for their appealingly sculptural trunks and glossy green leaves that turn red, yellow and orange in autumn. Come spring, the trees burst into a stunning white blossom, providing another delightful reminder of the changing seasons for those enjoying sundowners on the terrace.

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Come spring, the crepe myrtles burst into a white blossom, another delightful reminder of the changing seasons for those enjoying sundowners on the terrace.

Clockwise from above: crepe myrtles underplanted with English box; the pergola, complete with crimson glory vine; perennial plantings by the drive.

All photography by Earl Carter.

It was imperative that the Victorian bluestone walls, which dominate the scene on the approach to the homestead, were preserved. However, to modernise and elevate the look, Barber juxtaposed the bluestone with Chalford Limestone, which has a lighter colour and feel, installing the new material in areas adjoining the house, such as the courtyard and northern terrace. “The colours and movement within the limestone play up the silvered timber work, existing bluestone and polished concrete inside,” he says.

Pergola pillars with headers and footers that mirror the bluestone subtly connect the structures. Overhead, Barber has had twin ironbark beams installed and used

tensioned stainless-steel cables to form a support for a crimson glory vine, a deciduous creeper with a big heart-shaped leaf.

In the formal gardens, texture was enhanced by interspersing existing plantings with lilac and white butterfly bush, blue bugle, seaside daisy and smoke bush, plus native grasses such as swamp foxtail and reed grass.

In an exercise Sasha describes as daunting, several established trees were transplanted to less-populated areas. Among them was a cork oak, with elegant, twisted branches and distinctive deep, fissured bark, which was repositioned to help extend the homestead garden towards the stables. Mature olive trees were moved from an existing grove and replanted along the homestead drive.

Tour the sprawling gardens and you’ll be struck by the majestic Italian stone pine that grows behind the vegetable garden. “It’s one of my favourites,” Sasha says of the tree, which can live for up to 300 years. Another highlight is the red flowering gum growing at the rear of the house, near the stables.

On a summer afternoon, the smack of mallets against a ball echoes up to the homestead as chukkas are played and games are won and lost on a polo field that is much used by her husband, sons and guests.

A gravel driveway has been constructed to accommodate the horses and vehicles, while a circular viewing platform, with built-in bench seating, has been added for spectators.

Of the hard landscaping additions, the most eye-catching has to be the ha-ha wall Barber designed and had built by the drystone waller Bronte Payne. “We used it to create a subtle transition between the manicured garden and the farmland,” says Barber.

The months and years of work have been a labour of love for Sasha, who is philosophical about her role in the ever-evolving landscape.

“Garden owners are custodians for a short time in the creation and long legacy of a garden,” she says. “My wish is that ‘Darriwill’ will continue to grow and flourish under our custodianship.”

Darriwill is one of the gardens featured in the NGVWA Virtual Garden Day 2021. Tickets are available until January 31, 2022, and include unlimited viewing until February 28, 2022. Go to ngv.vic.gov.au.

Kay & Burton is the Principal Event Partner of the NGVWA, which supports the National Gallery of Victoria by funding art for gallery collections and travel scholarships for curators.

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Q&A

DESIGN BRIEF

Ross Gardam catches up with CARLI PHILIPS to talk local craftsmanship, lockdown lulls and furniture that’s made to last the distance.

MERGING CRAFT WITH technology, the Melbourne-based multidisciplinary designer Ross Gardam is lauded for the pure forms of his light fixtures, furniture and objects. His studio comprises of nine designers, engineers and manufacturers, and is committed to producing its wares locally.

Here, Gardam reflects on a challenging year.

What makes an object timeless?

“I like to use materials that have a longevity about them, whether that be stone, timber or glass. I’m attracted to the inherent beauty of materials and I think that goes a long way to making an enduring product. As a studio, we’re always disciplined with material use and we engineer things to last for as long as possible.”

What are Ross Gardam hallmarks?

“There’s an overarching aesthetic that runs through our designs that has formed naturally.

I suppose it’s developed from my personal experiences and affinity for clean, simple forms — it’s a constant thread. I’m also intrigued by the emotional connections people have with objects and that drives the functionality of most things I create. When it comes to problem-solving, we’re meticulous and unpack all the information to find the best response.”

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Ross Gardam’s work is characterised by pure form and long-lasting craftsmanship.

What part of the design process do you enjoy most?

“Working with different manufacturers and makers means I travel around Melbourne quite a lot — I don’t spend days on end sitting in front of a computer. We have a workshop integrated into the studio where we produce all our lighting and there’s a 3D printer that allows us to investigate ideas quickly. The space allows us to tinker with furniture pieces as well. I enjoy most parts of the processes involved in bringing a product to market.

The photography at the end is particularly satisfying — all the hard work is behind you and it’s just about how the product will be seen by people.”

Where did you find inspiration during the lockdowns?

“As we’ve moved in and out of the studio over the past 18 months, it’s been difficult to stay focused and motivated. Not being able to travel has been especially challenging as I draw inspiration from people and places.”

Why do you make your products in Australia?

“Early on, I started designing pieces that had singular processes of manufacture sourced locally. Things developed from there and now I have strong relationships, which keep me close to the process. Being nearby also allows us to manage production to ensure each product meets our standards.”

One of your most recent collections, Breeze, is inspired by the Australian landscape. Can you tell us about it?

“Breeze is expressed with curved panels, planar forms and the play of light on surfaces.

When you first view the product, it appears asymmetrical — it’s only when you pick it up there’s a realisation that it is, in fact, symmetrical. This ambiguity of form is something I am attracted to with product design, as different silhouettes form new perspectives and allow products to take on fresh personalities. For the tabletops, we used Australian Emperador marble, sourced from a quarry in Queensland; the combination of brick red and white veining reminded me of aerial views of the Australian outback.”

What can we expect in 2022?

“We’ll be releasing a new edition of the Place collection, which is the most modular collection the studio has created so it will be interesting to see how people interact with the new pieces. We’re always working on a diverse range of products and new materials, which keeps everything fresh.”

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