The City Magazine December 2014 by Runwild Media Group

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issue no.

DECEMBER 2014

cOVER STORY: PISTE PERFECTION

contents

We discover what legendary skier Lasse Kjus has been up to since retiring from the sport

p86

on the cover 24

NYE IN THE CITY Nick Savage highlights the hottest tickets in town and how to see in the New Year in style

INSIDE THE ENGLAND DRESSING ROOM The City Magazine meets Mr Franck Mesnel, founder of Eden Park and the man responsible for dressing England’s Rugby team

42 masters of malt

This festive season, enjoy a tipple of some wellselected whiskey

OFF THE CUFF Richard Brown discovers that Deakin & Francis offer more than a way of keeping your cuffs together

Stand-out ski jackets Take to the slopes in year’s sharpish ski wear

106

THE CULT WINE PHENOMENON James Lawrence talks sourcing sacred cases and elusive single bottles

106

REGULARS

lifestyle: the city edit The commodities and consumables at the top of our Christmas wish list

COLLECTION: FLIGHT OF FANCY Olivia Sharpe captures our imagination with a treasure trove of coloured diamonds

FASHION: ART OF ELEGANCE This season, it’s all about festive finery, be that classic cocktail couture or the best in black tie

ART & INTERIORS: CHALET-CHIC We look to the slopes for inspiration and create the cosiest of home interiors

LIFESTYLE: TECH TALK Superlative sound in portable cases: The City Magazine stays connected with the very best in internet radios

100

MOTORING: AN ETHEREAL EXPERIENCE atthew Carter discovers the subtle differences from M both the front and the back seats of Rolls-Royce’s latest Ghost

110

TRAVEL: MAD ABOUT MACAU T iffany Eastland travels to Macau and discovers just how much can be packed into 11 square miles

144

HOMES & PROPERTY: HIGH SOCIETY Louise Rose takes a look inside The Chilterns’ highly anticipated penthouse suites

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issue no.

DECEMBER 2014

Contributors

E d i t o r - in-Chi ef Lesley Ellwood

M a n a g i n g Editor Emma Johnson (maternity leave)

a ct i n g Editor Richard Brown

a s s i s ta nt Editor tiffany eastland

M o t o r i n g Editor Matthew Carter

C o l l ect i on Editor Annabel Harrison

S ta f f Writer

DO M INI C NI C HOLLS

J A M E S LA W R E N C E

J E NNIF E R M ASON

Dominic has shot a wealth

A self-confessed wine obsessive,

Jennifer started out in luxury

of fashion, advertising and

James is passionate about

fashion marketing and has since

celebrities – Anthony Hopkins and

discovering the lesser-known

worked as a writer in the UK and

Rod Stewart to name-drop a few…

wines and wine regions of the

Dubai, specialising in motoring,

For The City Magazine, Dominic

world . This month, James turns

travel, lifestyle and local

captures cocktail couture and the

his head to the world’s most

features. Jennifer gives us the

very best in black-tie on location

revered vineyards, sacred cases

lowdown on the most powerful

at The Colony Club.

and elusive single bottles.

Spider in Prancing Horse history.

Melissa Emerson

E d i t o r i al int ern amy welch

Sen i o r Design er Grace Linn

B RAND C ONSIST EN CY Laddawan Juhong

Ge ne r a l Manag er Fiona Fenwick

P r o d uc tion Alex Powell Hugo Wheatley Oscar Viney Amy Roberts

P r oper t y D irec tor Samantha Ratcliffe

E x ecu t i ve D irector Sophie Roberts Mohair shawl Jacket, £395, Duchamp, duchamplondon.com

Krug – Clos d’Ambonnay, £2,000, Krug, bbr.com

Lady Inedita horizontal shopper, £780, Ferrari, ferrari.com

M a n a g i n g D ir ec tor Eren Ellwood

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J OSH SI M S

M AR K W E STALL

M ATTH E W C ART E R

Josh is a freelance writer

Mark is editor-in-chief of digital

Matthew is a former editor of

contributing to the likes of the

contemporary art magazine

Autocar and a noted freelance

Financial Times, The Times,

FAD and is on the advisory

journalist who’s been writing

Wallpaper, The National and

panel for STRARTA Art Fair.

about cars for most of his

The Rake. Josh hears of Jude

Turn to page 92 for Mark’s

working life. This month, he

Law ’s relief to have hit an age

introduction to yet another

turns entrepreneur for a day,

responsibility for unsolicited

that allows him to escape the

artist on the cusp of greatness,

taking to the front and back seat

submissions, manuscripts and

pretty-boy stereotype.

Stuart Semple.

of the latest Rolls-Royce Ghost.

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Blue Label, £182, Johnnie Walker, selfridges.com

She Died on TV digital print, £POA, Stuart Semple, stuartsemple.com

Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II, £216,864, Rolls-Royce, rolls-royce.com

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86 f r o m t h e E D I TOR issue no.

December 2014

fter a recent trip to New York proved that we are all aspiring to be carbon copies of each other – hurtling towards a future where we decorate ourselves with the same wearables made in the same factories sold in the same shops wherever we are in the world – this Christmas issue, we’ve decided to reject the ready-to-wear, the mass-marketed, the mainstream. Instead, we’ve dedicated

the following pages to the purveyors and pursuers of the truly extraordinary; the hand-crafted, the bespoke, the one-off. every commissioned piece is completed by hand ; model-makers create new designs from hand-drawn sketches; enamellers use methods that date back to the Pharaohs; and engravers carve initials and

A family affair for seven generations, Deakin & Francis manufactures much more than a way of keeping your cuffs together. While it may be a shrine to traditional manufacturing techniques, the company’s Birmingham-based headquarters makes nothing if not the most contemporary in cutting-edge cool. On page 64, I discover how D&F’s team of dye-sinkers, mould-makers, jewellers and enamellers produce the most remarkable cufflinks around. Continuing our celebration of the artisan, on page 48, we detail the plight of the pinball machine. Hugely popular from the ’50s to the ’70s, many electro-mechanical

family crests under microscopes.

pinball machines are works of art in their own right, the hand-designed illustrations on

– p. 64 –

their playfields being the only way of differentiating one game from another. Paul Rubens

meets the South Londoner dedicated to restoring these American icons. Elsewhere in this issue, we discover who’s making the planet’s best plonk, for how much it’s selling and where you can find it (p. 106). We also get a lesson in the art of tailoring when we join Eden Park at its fitting of the England rugby team (p. 32). The World Cup is just nine months away, and while we can only hope that the team will be looking honed on the pitch, take it from us, they’ll certainly be looking sharp off the pitch.

Richard brown, acting editor

Dear Resident

From local carol services and late-night shopping to sleigh rides and Santa’s grottos, things are beginning to feel decidedly festive. As the party invitations start to arrive, be sure to jot 7 December down in your diary as the ever-popular Belgravia Christmas Sunday returns to spread seasonal cheer through Elizabeth Street and Pimlico Road. Read more about this and other local highlights on the Notebook (page four).

BELGRAVIA

This month, we have asked the most discerning gift-givers in Belgravia to reveal what they will be leaving under the tree for their loved ones. Those struggling for inspiration should turn to page 10 to find out more. Anyone who wants to bypass all the mistletoe and wine, however, should take a leaf out of Henry Hopwood-Phillips' book. This month, he headed to Ransom Art Gallery to meet renowned photographer Terry O’Neill whose latest exhibition is drawing to a close. They talk about his rise to fame, what it was like to be a snapper to the stars and discovering Elton John. Flick to page six for the full interview.

Resident’s Journal

Please do not hesitate to get in contact with all your updates by emailing begravia@residentsjournal.co.uk. We look forward to bringing you all the latest news in 2015. Until next year…

England

Inside the

Dressing room meeT The man responsible for dressing The counTry’s finesT

Managing Editor Francesca Lee Assistant Editor Lauren Romano

NYE

Other titles within the RWMG portfolio

in the City The parTies Taking new year’s eve To new heighTs

Stand-out Ski JacketS This season’s mosT sTylish après-ski apparel

On the cover (p. 86) Off the Cuff

The BriTish BroThers making fashion’s foremosT cufflinks

the Cult Wine PhenOmenOn

revered vineyards, sacred cases and The mosT soughT-afTer BoTTles

masters Of malt

spread The cheer This year wiTh The world’s finesT whiskies

Image courtesy of Stefan Schlumpf for KJUS. stefanschlumpf.com

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood Managing Director Eren Ellwood

General Manager Fiona Fenwick Executive Director Sophie Roberts

Above / Paul McCartney playing at Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach's wedding, 1981. Photo by Terry O'Neill, on show at Ransom Art Gallery. Read more from page six.

Proudly published & printed in the UK by

DECEMBER 2014 • IssuE 31

Main Editorial Contributor Henry Hopwood-Phillips

Senior Designer Sophie Blain

Editorial Assistant Jennifer Mason

Production Hugo Wheatley, Alex Powell Oscar Viney & Amy Roberts

Editorial Interns Tom Hagues & Tamir Davies

Publishing Director Giles Ellwood

Head of Finance Elton Hopkins

Client Relationship Director Felicity Morgan-Harvey Business Development Manager Nicola Bloomfield

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| LIFESTYLE |

THE CITY EDIT The commodities and consumables raising our interest rates this month

a room with a view

ored of boozing, board games and Brussels sprouts? This year, escape the Christmas merry-go-round and get back to basics with a last-minute booking at The Whitepod resort in Switzerland. Created to marry ecology with luxury living in a type of accommodation unlike anywhere you will have previously stayed, Whitepod is a collection of 15 dome-shaped pods overlooking the picture-postcard-pretty village of Les Cerniers. One-time winner of the World Prize for Sustainable Tourism, each of the resortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pods is a room, or more accurately a suite, by itself and includes a king-size bed, a fully-fitted bathroom with toilet and shower, a wood-burning stove, a mezzanine and a terrace.

Standing at the centre of the resort is a charming, early 18thcentury wooden chalet complete with restaurant, bar and sauna. The retreat operates seven kilometres of its own ski runs, served by two lifts, which are available for exclusive use by Whitepod guests. Alternatively, guests can explore their stunning surroundings with the use of dog sleds, snowshoes or guided hikes. At only 90 minutes from Geneva airport, forget nasty, imitation markets and head for a real winter wonderland. Whitepod resort, Les Cerniers, Switzerland, whitepod.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

THE CITY EDIT: for him Eye of the Tiger Whether you know your way round a boxing gym, or have never stepped inside the ring in your life, man-up your man-cave with this punch bag from Italian design agency Seletti. Made from vintage-style brown leather, the professional-level punch bag sports a classic design and wellworn feel. Knock seven bells out of it after work or leave it hanging to show how ’ard you are. Boxitalia Punching Bag, £233, Seletti, seletti.co.uk

Life, Only Louder Already available in cream and brown, Marshall now gives us an all-black edition of its much-lauded portable Stanmore speaker. With a vintage-looking front fret, pitch-black metal details and the iconic script logo, the Pitch Black provides bachelor pads across the land with stadium-quality sound. Connect it to your TV, stereo, vinyl player or phone. Stanmore Pitch Black, £400, Marshall Headphones, marshallheadphones.com

Don’t Fret

“Boxing is the only sport you can get your brain shook, your money took and your name in the undertaker book.” – Joe Frazier, Former Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Audio legend Washburn has created its most advanced rock and metal guitar ever. Rising to the demands of the genre’s biggest names, the company’s 29-fret PXS29 is available in both 6-string and 7-string models and features super-jumbo frets, a Stephen’s Extended Cutaway set neck and Seymour Duncan Cool Rails. It’s available in the UK now. PXS29FR FTBBM, £929, Washburn, soundtech.co.uk

| LIFESTYLE |

Bags of Style Former head of design at Yves Saint Laurent, Stefano Pilati knows a thing or two about matching practical form with beautiful function. Now occupying the same role at Ermenegildo Zegna Couture, Pilati demonstrates his eye for elegance with his first bag for the Italian fashion authority. The Couture Bag comes in three types of leather and five colour options. Make for Brompton Road if you want one; the collection is stocked exclusively in Harrods. Couture Bag, £24,765, Ermenegildo Zegna Couture, harrods.com

Board Room Snowboard specialist Jones has given its Aviator model a makeover. Aimed at good intermediate to expert riders, the Wide version is the most freestyle-focused model in the range. New construction techniques make this one of the lightest and fastest boards on the market, just as good for putting down on backcountry as for carving up snow parks. Aviator Wide 14/15 Snowboard, £435, Jones, ellis-brigham.com

From City to Slopes Once the preserve of Alpine slopes, you’re now as likely to see Moncler on Bishopsgate as you are on the pistes of St. Moritz. The forerunner in aprèsski fashion takes its name from an abbreviation of its birthplace, the French village of Monestier-deClermont. The brand’s Orohena jacket features a sleek, fitted design with an entirely welded, hightech nylon shell, armpit ventilation and genuinefur-trimmed hood. Just don’t be that mug who wears it into spring.

Wingtipping It Rugged utility meets luxury craftsmanship in Coach’s new Brandon boot. The classic wingtip is made from smooth leather with a natural sheen. Quirkily perforated with signature Cs at the toes, the boots come equipped with tough rubber lug soles for traction on any terrain. Brandon Boot, £385, Coach, uk.coach.com

Grenoble Orohena Coat, £1,180, Moncler, store.moncler.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

THE CITY EDIT: for her The lbd All hail the Little Black Dress, it’s one wardrobe staple that simply no woman can be without. Italian design duo Dolce & Gabbana, has, in our opinion, hit the high note with this one, a timeless frock that taps into the season’s dark, enchanted mood. Made from sheer lace, this particular design features a detachable silk-blend slip for when you feel like departing from a safe all-black ensemble. Lace Dress, £1,670, Dolce & Gabbana, net-a-porter.com

SUN SERPENT Bulgari channels a rock and baroque vibe with the gorgeous Serpenti Scales sunglasses. Contrasting turquoise and green was chosen to give a 3D effect to the stunning metal and enamel detailing. Serpenti Scales Sunglasses, £253, Bulgari, bulgari.com

MAKE-UP MUST-HAVES This season, Burberry unveils Winter Glow, the festive make-up collection that’s illuminating complexions right across London. Featuring glowing shades of gold and oxblood in limited-edition gold packaging, the new collection consists of new mascaras, liners and brow definers to help achieve the signature Burberry Eyes look. Winter Glow, from £15, Burberry Beauty, uk.burberry.com

If the shoe fits Net-A-Porter has launched a line of Fantasy Gifts as part of The Holiday Shop, a dedicated offering of the most inspiring gifts this season. There are five experiences to choose from and each is designed to treat the receiver to the retailer’s ultimate products and services. Our favourite entitles the lucky recipient to choose a beautiful pair of shoes each week. Shoes Every Week of the Year, £26,000, Net-a-porter, net-a-porter.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| LIFESTYLE |

CAUGHT RED-HANDED

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER Charm a loved one with Harry Winston treasures like this Diamond Cluster Heart Charm. Capturing the timeless beauty of an enduring motif, this piece is only more extraordinary when paired with the Diamond Gates Charm, inspired by the New York flagship store‘s gates. Diamond Charms, £POA, Harry Winston, harrywinston.com

Wrap up Take a fashion-forward approach this season and accessorise with Givenchy’s Bambi-print scarf. Made from a lightweight silk and wool blend, this gorgeous piece features an iconic Disney print spliced with a classic painting. Who would have thought a childhood reference, could, in fact, create such an edgy aesthetic.

Aspinal puts a ladylike twist on the classic cross-body saddle bag, with its Letterbox Saddle Bag, a highlight of its Autumn/Winter 2014 collection. Handmade from the finest pebble-textured Italian calf leather in a gorgeous berry res, the Letterbox Saddle also features a shimmering grosgrain lining, Aspinal’s signature hardware and a shieldshaped leather closure. The Letterbox Saddle Bag, £350, Aspinal of London, aspinaloflondon.com

Bambi-print Scarf, £353, Givenchy, farfetch.com

PERFECT PLEATS Simone Pérèle has channelled a couture look this season, turning its attention to lace and graphic pleats. The French lingerie house has again delivered an outstanding collection, but for The City Magazine it’s the Absolue line that truly stands out, especially in this gorgeous emerald-green hue. Absolue Triangle Push-Up Bra and Shorty, £70 and £44, Simone Pérèle, simone-perele.com

A good virtue Never before has technology looked this good. The Signatures Clous de Paris Stainless Steel brings an entirely new dimension to the iconic and popular Signature design. Made up of 14 parts, this mobile is decorated with the Clous de Paris pattern and is finished with stunning black sapphire keys. This is a truly slick gift for the tech-savvy woman in your life. Signatures Clous de Paris Stainless Steel, £11,500, Vertu, vertu.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

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22/10/2014 14:20

| NEWS |

CITY social

KEEPING the epicure nourished WITH the square mile’s Latest launches and CULINARY CRAZES

REVIEW

Roka arrives in Aldwych Words: Richard Brown

decade after Rainer Becker launched what became the overnight success story Roka, the German-born chef and restaurateur rolls his Japanese food revolution into Aldwych. The largest restaurant in the chain, which now includes outposts in North Audley Street, Charlotte Street and Canary Wharf, opened last month on a site conveniently located at an address where the City, Soho and Theatre Land meet. For those unfamiliar with the name, Becker is the brains behind a global collection of Japanese restaurants launched in London that are now renowned as celebrity hotspots around the world, thanks, largely, to their nightclub atmosphere and gamechangingly modern cuisine. First was Zuma in Knightsbridge, which Becker set up with Indian business partner Arjun Waney after stints at the Park Hyatt in Tokyo and the Hyatt Carlton Tower hotel in London (where he launched the Rim Room). Having served as consultant on Alan Yau’s Hakkasan, Becker then

followed with Roka, Zuma’s slightly more casual sister, in 2004, before the New Yorkinspired Oblix arrived on level 32 of the Shard last year. For Aldwych, Becker has, for the second time, teamed up with acclaimed Italian designer Claudio Silvestrin (the product of the previous collaboration was Oblix). The result is a sultry space of porphyry stone, natural tanned leather, stained grey timber and dried green oak. And yet, while the design may depart from its Japanese sisters, you certainly won’t feel like you’re anywhere else other than Roka. “For the first time the restaurant and bar are on the same level, changing the way people will enjoy the space and the way it naturally flows,” says Hamish Brown, Roka Group executive chef. “We really wanted to cater to whatever mood the guest might be in, whether that be sat at the low tables in the Yaeyama-inspired bar, around the stone robata counter, on high tables for a quick bite or in the main dining room.” Following Aldwych, Becker has

Hamish Brown, Roka Group executive chef

announced plans to expand internationally, with US cities such as Chicago and Las Vegas and sites in Dubai on the horizon. So what does Brown believe is behind the restaurant’s runaway appeal? “It’s about the whole package. Our guests have certain expectations when they come to visit us; we try to exceed those expectations. It’s about the energy. Roka offers great food and great service in a great space, but so do many London restaurants. It’s also relaxed and fun.” Roka Aldwych features the UK’s largest Shochu wall and a dangerously-moreish cocktail menu. But what to eat? Well, the dishes exclusive to this particular outpost for one. Both the pure Japanese Wagyu beef tartare and smoked soy sauce with nori crackers are phenomenal. As is the black cod and lamb cutlets. Yet to truly understand Roka’s ascent, opt for the premium tasting menu – you’ll discover just how Becker became king of the capital’s fine-dining scene. 71 Aldwych, WC2B, rokarestaurant.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| NEWS |

Here’s the city ’s pick of seasonal treats

Trade Secrets

Roll up your sleeves for the ultimate masterclass Next class January 26, 7pm, 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N, sushisamba.com

Dark Horse Costèllo + Hellerstein’s pastry chefs have been hard at work in their Cotswolds workshop – four flavours made the artisans’ cut but it’s the dark chocolate-rolled salted caramel that we’ll be taking to dinner parties.

If you want to take your love for Sushisamba a little bit further, it is currently hosting exclusive evening masterclasses, teaching the harder than it looks art of making sushi rolls. With an introduction to sake and tastings of its aged, aromatic and sparkling varieties

£11.95 per box, costelloandhellerstein.co.uk

alongside, guests can fully immerse themselves in Japanese culinary culture, all with a killer London view from its Heron Tower viewpoint. Eating the creations is clearly the highlight, and we had top-class fresh Yellowtail fish flown in that morning from a catch in Australia.

the Cows come home If you’re not one for turkey, The Marvellous Meat Co. offers grass-fed, traditionally farmed Sussex beef. Order online and it will be delivered in tip- top condition in eco-friendly, natural insulation. Check where your food came from on the website, with information on the breed, history and traceability, plus how best to cook cuts. marvellousmeatcompany.co.uk

Double Dessert Hot on the heels of the cronut phenomenon, Cutter & Squidge has developed a new hybrid snack, the Biskie. Exclusive festive flavours of the cookie/cake/biscuit include pistachio and cranberry and chocolate orange. From £4.95, Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X

Top shelf It’s bye-bye chocolate liqueurs, as London duo Melanie Goldsmith and Emile Bernard have brought something new to the confectionery table. Their complex cocktail experimentation has resulted in a unique range of hand-made alcoholic pastilles, the first food product to be sold on Harvey Nichols’ alcohol shelves: grapefruit-coated Whisky Sour’s a winner. Box of six, £8.95, Smith and Sinclair, harveynichols.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

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Bon Viveur

Our man-about-town, Innerplace’s Nick Savage, suggests how to see in the New Year in style

Angler Angler is, hands down, my favourite seafood restaurant in the capital. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy Tony Fleming’s Michelin-starred cooking on three occasions and never experienced a bum note. Although the views of the fireworks display may be slightly obstructed, sharing mulled wine whilst swaddled in blankets on the heated outdoor roof terrace is worlds away from sharing the pavements with 100,000 shivering punters. anglerrestaurant.com

NYE Searcys at The Gherkin It’s hard to believe that the Gherkin was only completed a decade ago. The building was the harbinger of what was to come, with a thicket of viable high-rise options springing up around it. This year, Searcys will be bringing its New Year’s Eve festivities to new heights, with live entertainment and a five-course degustation menu. searcys.co.uk

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Aqua Hutong Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days, so London’s Chinese restaurants have plenty of experience to draw on when throwing an end-of-the-year celebration. Stave off the winter chill with smouldering northern Chinese cuisine at Hutong, perched on the 33rd level of The Shard. If the Red Lantern, a crisp soft-shell crab immersed in a basket of eye-poppingly carmine Sichuan chillies, doesn’t put fire in your belly, you may want to check your pulse. hutong.co.uk

in the City With so many appealing dining venues alighting on London’s skyscrapers, it would be criminal to pay a premium to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks from the Thameside, with tickets reportedly posted on Viagogo for £600 a pop. Opt out of the pedestrian experience in favour of something loftier

| LIFESTYLE |

Innerplace is London’s personal lifestyle concierge. Membership provides complimentary access to the finest nightclubs, the best restaurants and top private members’ clubs. Innerplace also offers priority bookings, VIP invitations and insider updates on the latest openings. innerplace.co.uk

Radio Though it may be lacking in altitude when compared with other City restaurants, Radio has one of the best panoramic vistas in London, hovering over Somerset House and taking in everything from Tower Bridge to Big Ben. One can expect a lively scene spurred on by DJs, an outdoor terrace with heating and rugs and a bevy of attractive candidates for a midnight kiss. melia.com

Ting

The Mondrian

The Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Group scored an ace with its eponymous hotel perched on the apex levels of The Shard. It will be ushering in the New Year with a Lost Horizon Gala Dinner, named after James Hilton’s famous adventure novel, with the ballroom, Ren, transformed into the mystical haven from which the group takes its name. Attendees will be lavished with a six-course, black-tie dinner and live swing and jazz music throughout the evening.

The Mondrian probably boasts the most enviable position from which to view the pyrotechnics, nestled squarely on the Southbank. It’s also bristling with an arsenal of alluring venues, including ground-floor cocktail bar Dandelyan and restaurant Sea Containers, as well as its roof-terrace lounge The Rumpus Room. Spending the last evening of 2014 in this fashionable hotel will certainly stand you in good stead for 2015.

ting-shangri-la.com

morganshotelgroup.com

Sushisamba Renowned for its Réveillon party, a Carnaval-esque celebration where all attendees don white attire, Sushisamba has been known to throw one of the wildest rooftop parties in the capital, complete with samba dancers and drummers. Revellers can expect lashings of Champagne and South American cocktails alongside the signature Peruvian/Brazilian/Japanese fusion fare. sushisamba.com

City Social For an eclectic grill menu that’s a cut above the rest, head to Jason Atherton’s restaurant on the 24th floor of the NatWest Tower. The dining room has been given a classic Art Deco treatment that would instantly put Don Draper at ease. On New Year’s Eve, the restaurant will offer special four and six-course meals of Atherton’s unfaultable gastronomy, at a great deal less than £600. citysociallondon.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| PROMOTION |

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS From 24 November to 23 December, Steam & Rye are offering

20% off on Mondays & Tuesdays

Team Steam, and bartender-extraordinaire Andy Mil, invite you to celebrate the festive season at the City’s cocktail hotspot, Steam & Rye

ff the rails fun can be expected all year round at Steam & Rye, but come December the City’s favourite night spot gives new meaning to the silly season. From dazzling dance numbers to the capital’s most innovative cocktails, Steam & Rye offers a truly spectacular line up for what could be your best ever Christmas party. Able to cater for a team of five to an office of 500, Steam & Rye’s expert Christmas party coordinators will do everything to ensure your Christmas party (and not just the scandal) is talked about well into the New Year.

FOOD & DRINK Steam & Rye’s celebrated chefs have created delicious party menus to tantalise the taste buds, with options including canapés, a three-course lunch or dinner and a Christmas buffet. Meanwhile, at the bar, Andy Mil and his team will create concoctions that pack a punch and prepare you to party it up with the live band and DJ.

PRIVATE PARTIES For some truly eccentric escapism, the team can also offer themed parties in the private rooms. From the luxurious 1st Class Carriages’ to the Eclectic Cargo Hold and Cloak Room, Steam & Rye guarantees to meet every guest’s tastes, needs and requirements. All that’s left for you to arrange is the next day off or at least a decent handover cure. Steam & Rye 147 Leadenhall Street, EC3V 020 7444 9960 steamandrye.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

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FROM THE FIRST WHISTLE TO THE LAST Wembley Stadium is home to the most important games in football, from The FA Community Shield and England’s European Qualifiers to The FA Cup Final. To find out how you can guarantee your place at this year’s biggest sport and entertainment events with Club Wembley, call 0800 783 1440 @ClubWembley

| LIFESTYLE |

Life IN Fifteen minutes with the Square Mile stalwarts of which every City sybarite should be aware…

W Phil Lanigan Store manager at Hackett

ho’d have thought that some of the best suits in the City today come from a company that started out by cleaning up and selling on second-hand clothes? Hackett has come a long way since its founders Jeremy Hackett and Ashley Lloyd-Jennings set up shop at Portobello Market. The brand is now a global gentleman’s outfitter, renowned for its bespoke tailoring, quintessential British touch and attention to detail. With a new store that’s just opened on Old Broad Street, under the sartorial expertise of store manager Phil Lanigan, City gents have no excuse not to spruce up. What makes the City such a good location for a Hackett store? Men dress incredibly well in the City and seem to enjoy shopping, whether it’s an accessory to complete their outfit or a complete new look. I think our new store is going to be able to offer them an exciting shopping experience. Give us your best black-tie advice for party season. Invest in a pair of evening shoes – they will finish your whole look. Don’t just stick to black either – Hackett has produced an incredible ink-blue dinner suit.

Favourite FILM The Italian Job starring Michael Caine

BOOK World Without End by Ken Follett

Restaurant I adore Thai food, so it would have to be The Mango Tree in SW1. Dishoom in Shoreditch is a must if you love Indian food

How can we stand out from the crowd at the office Christmas do? Less is more in my opinion. A velvet jacket will be your statement piece to subtly stand out from everyone else. What’s the biggest sartorial faux pas a man can make? Dress appropriately for your age, and find a good tailor so that your clothes fit impeccably. The accessory every gentleman should own is… A fine-quality leather bag. Where’s best to head when all dressed up in the City? Definitely a drink at The Shard – the views are breathtaking. Best place to cure a hangover? The Breakfast Club at Spitalfields. Who have been the most stylish men of the year? David Gandy and Douglas Booth. Best film for sartorial guidance? A Single Man, screenplay by Tom Ford. Favourite item of clothing in your wardrobe? A Tom Ford blazer and my Hackett Mayfair three-piece suit. Best piece of tailor-related trivia? Working cuffs were originally created for vets and doctors so that when they were working they could easily roll up their sleeves without having to take the jacket off. Hackett, 55 Old Broad Street, EC2M 020 7628 7078 hackett.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| LIFESTYLE |

Life AFTER The Square Mile alumni making waves away from the fickle waters of finance

volving out of his singing waiters business, Geoff Sewell’s Incognito Artists provides bespoke entertainment packages courtesy of highprofile singers fresh from lead roles in West End and Broadway operas and musicals. His team of undercover stars infiltrate events, private parties and weddings incognito before bursting into song. Among others, the group has performed for the Beckhams, Nelson Mandela, Sir Elton John and the Queen. A chartered accountant, Geoff is a trained professional tenor and multi-platinum-selling recording artist. Why did you quit banking for Broadway? I was 22, taking a tour through Graceland with my family following the accidental death of my elder sister. After the realisation that life is short, I was questioning my purpose in life. The tour ended at Elvis’s gravestone to the tune of the King singing My Way. It struck me. It thought “this is what I want to do: sing and make a difference.”

Geoff Sewell Creator and CEO of Incognito Artists

Age: 42 Previous Employer: Salomon Brothers

What’s the best party you’ve ever thrown? We celebrated our 10th anniversary at the Wax Chandlers Hall in Gresham Street. Thanks to our network of clients, suppliers and friends, we had 100 special people dressed up in a beautiful setting with the finest caterers and the most extraordinary entertainment. I’ll never forget it. What’s been the most elaborate stunt you’ve ever pulled? Boarding a stunning 70m superyacht, pretending to be a protester … and then bursting into song; or masquerading as a fan at a Cliff Richard stadium gig, coming out of the 80,000-strong audience to burst into song, badly – as part of the subterfuge – to be thrown off by security and then to return to get the stadium rocking to We Are The Champions. Has anything ever gone disastrously wrong? We had a gig in New York where the marketing director of a company organised for us to sing. Instead of being happily surprised when we got their employees jumping, singing and waving their arms around, the CEO insisted the marketing director shut us down because the CEO wasn’t informed about it prior to the event. It didn’t matter that the employees loved it; the CEO couldn’t cope with not being aware of the surprise. The key to running a successful business is… Cash flow is king – but so too is doing what you love. Our purpose at Incognito is to touch, move and inspire people; to make them present to the magic of being alive. The thing you are most scared of is? Losing the passion. If I’m not passionate about what I do, I may as well be dead. The most starstruck you’ve ever been was meeting… Prince William. The Queen. Nelson Mandela. Leonardo DiCaprio, Elle Macpherson, David Beckham… it never gets boring. I get to sing for so many cool people in so many cool places. What’s the most important mantra to live by? “Life is a daring adventure or nothing” [Helen Keller, American author and activist]. I also love the words of another great poet: “You better lose yourself in the music, the moment, you own it, you better never let it go...” incognitoartists.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Favourite Song: My Way, Frank Sinatra Album: A Night at the Opera, Queen Performer: Elvis Presley

Book: Man’s Search for Meaning, Victor Frankyl Film: Dead Poets Society

Est. 1937 Flagship Stores

34 Duke of York Square, Kings Road, Chelsea, London SW3 4LY 35 College Green, Dublin 2 Visit our website for retail partners in your area or to buy online

DUBARRY DC14-15 ken chel dec14.indd 1

04/11/2014 18:18

England Dressing Inside the

Room Ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup, The City Magazine meets the man responsible for dressing England’s finest: French rugby legend and founder of Eden Park clothing, Mr Franck Mesnel

inning 56 caps for France, four Five Nations crowns and playing in three Rugby World Cup finals, you might think Franck Mesnel was a man more suited to the back row than the boardroom. Turns out the Neuilly-sur-Seine-born fly-half has found enough parallels between rugby and fashion to forge a game-changing clothing company. Founded in 1987 by Mesnel and four other French internationals, Eden Park now boasts 52 standalone stores, a turnover of nearly £50 million and is retailed in more than 430 independent shops and department stores around the world. As part of the company’s contract with the RFU, Eden Park dresses all of England’s 215-strong squad, ranging from senior players through to the England Sevens, Under-20s and Under-18s, management and backroom staff. Tell us about your logo, the pink bowtie… One day, as students playing for the Racing Club de France, one of the backs urged us to play wearing the famous French beret. We proudly won that game and began to be known as the ‘showbiz’ team. We continued our rugby antics,

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| FEATURE |

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Tom Wood, Flanker

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Joe Launchbury, Lock

| FEATURE |

playing with our faces painted black to celebrate our Guinean prop’s birthday, or coming on to the pitch riding bicycles or celebrating the bicentenary of the French Revolution by wearing huge tricolour shorts. Before the final of the French Championship in June 1987, we had to come up with an idea to illustrate our special state of mind. We had to be elegant and add a touch of fantasy to our strip. Suddenly the idea of a bowtie came up, but as our mascot was the Pink Panther we decided it needed to be pink. We won that game, and everybody was talking about those crazy students wearing what would become our logo. Why would a Frenchman partner the England rugby team? The French love England. We are jealous of your British qualities like education, efficiency and your humour. The pink bowtie shows that we are different, like when Mr Bean played the piano with one finger for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games. We aim to add a touch of eccentricity. I like to think that the English also like the French for some of the qualities that they don’t have. What’s harder, winning a Grand Slam or running a successful clothing company? Developing a lovely brand, but the management of the team is very difficult. In rugby, we take on responsibilities and we pass the ball; in a company, we pass on the responsibility. The entire Eden Park staff are like rugby men committed to attacking the goal line. Can business ever give you the same kick as top-level sport? Definitely yes, but to be honest, getting my helicopter licence was one of my best moments. It is the same feeling you get during the first few months of dating the love of your life. Who’s going to be the best player at next year’s Rugby World Cup? From what I know about the French team, Brice Dulin could be in the top five and Alexandre Dumoulin could be the big surprise of the tournament. Who’s going to lift the Web Ellis Trophy? England are under pressure, but they have a good chance of winning. It would be nice to see them win, like South Africa did in 1995. The All Blacks are still the best and South Africa want to become number one. I think the Australians will come in fourth place and the French team will have a one-in-five chance of winning. Most memorable on-field moment? The day I entered Ellis Park for the first time in 1989, as an international rugby player to face the likes of Naas Botha and his South African teammates. Best players you’ve played against? Naas Botha, Jonathan Davies, Rob Andrew, Grant Fox, Michael Lynagh, and all the number 10s! Best player you’ve ever played alongside? Philippe Sella. And my daughter. Highlight of your career? I should have stopped playing rugby after the 1987 World Cup final. For me it was a French title with the Racing Club de France, a Grand Slam and a World Cup final. Another great moment was my first real selection in 1986 against the All Blacks in Nantes. If you could play one match again, it would be… Without a doubt, the World Cup final in 1987 in the Eden Park stadium in New Zealand. That is the reason why our brand is called Eden Park, with a name like that, we can only be successful! Eden Park is available at uk.eden-park.com and houseoffraser.co.uk

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| FEATURE |

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: George Ford, Fly half Joe Marler, Prop Marland Yarde, Wing

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| FEATURE |

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Danny Care, Scrum half Henry Thomas, Prop Kyle Eastmond, Centre All photography by Asia Werbel @AsiaWerbel

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Law unto

himself Is being a fallen pin-up as painful as being a full-blown fallen idol? Jude Law is having none of it

Words: Josh Sims

rankly, Mr Law is rather relieved, having hit middle age, to escape the pretty-boy stereotype. “The fact is that there’s less opportunity for you to be typecast when you’re into your 40s anyway – you’re less likely to be cast in the dashing hero lead,” he says. It might even work in his favour: “When you’re young and don’t have so much work under your belt you’re always trying to shed a perception, or I was at least. But [when you’re older] people start to look at the whole breadth of your work and have a broader opinion and, based on that, can come up with some surprising offers of the kind you’d never

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

have otherwise considered. You want to stretch that perception.” Law may only be doing that in fits and starts for the time being: Dom Hemingway, in which he plays a ne’er-do-well con artist well past his prime, might be offset by the likes of the recent short film he made for Johnnie Walker Blue Label, in which he effectively re-awakens the playboy of The Talented Mr Ripley. It’s the story of a man who has it all, except his friend’s prize yacht – so he seeks to win it with a dance. “I do enjoy dancing, although in this case it was pretty simple and repetitive,” notes Law. “And I sail a

| interview |

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

little bit – I had to learn to sail when I was making Ripley – but I’ve always been told that the best two days on a boat are the day you buy it and the day you sell it.” These days, indeed, he must be enjoying the refreshing experience of being judged more for his acting than his fortunate genetics, accepting of the fact that, as he puts it, “the business works on a cycle so there is always fresh blood coming up, right? In many ways it gets easier – you’re clearer on what you want and what you want to try. The search for the right part is still a challenge.” Certainly his Hollywood leading-man numbers are increasingly overshadowed by his ‘Hamlet’ and his ‘Henry V’. Yet despite a lifetime of being picked over by the tabloids – his love life became a running saga that somewhat overshadowed his actual performances, plus he was recently embroiled in the phone-hacking scandal – being picked over by the critics doesn’t come any easier, even after the two Oscar nominations, the César, the BAFTA and a one-time ranking as one of the world’s top 10 most bankable stars. Still, Law is sanguine about it. “It’s a really unusual process to come back from a poor critical reception,” he explains, with a slightly pained expression, perhaps at the thought of a distant drubbing. “Sometimes you see a finished product and you’re not overly keen on it yourself – your contribution has been only partial really and if you don’t like that experience of being part of something that doesn’t come together as you might have hoped you’ve got to give up acting and get into directing or producing. You just have to bounce back and carry on or get out of the career.” There is a pause, as if he is thinking of further reasons to be cheerful about a less-than-positive reception. “You also get to know that a piece of work that isn’t so regarded at the time of release can become regarded over time, so you need patience,” he suddenly adds. “You know, sometimes it’s even just down to a

film coming out on the wrong date – I’ve had two films released in New York on days of massive storms, with people under curfew, and so they were considered financial flops. I mean, that’s brutal. But there’s always the other reaction, of stubbornness: saying ‘sod them, I like it’ and just getting on with your life. But it does bruise you – because you’ve given part of yourself to the work, and it’s become part of you.” Which is why, with the lines starting to appear around those twinkly eyes, and the hairline on its rearward march, the nonetheless annoyingly charismatic Law is now looking for those roles that stretch, rather than simply pad him in dollar bills, or give him, courtesy of Johnnie Walker, the chance to hang out in the Caribbean for a few days – “that spectacular location wasn’t too shabby,” he notes with a chuckle, “although for most of the shoot we drank apple juice, unfortunately, not whisky.” Spring sees him play an ethically dubious submarine captain in Black Sea – more tired and grizzled than square-jawed and macho – which is followed by a comedy, Spy, with Melissa McCarthy and the first film from Michael Grandage, the theatre director who helped Law win new respect in his Shakespeare stage roles over recent years. It’s an acting cliché perhaps, but when Law says he is seeking roles that push him as an actor, he is convincing. “I think the challenge of performing is to embrace that fear, choose parts you know that will push the limits of your ability and push the limits of your own confidence,” he says. “It’s what makes you feel alive as a performer. In the last two plays I did, I was utterly terrified, and after two weeks of rehearsal you’re looking around for the person who got you into it all and then you realise it’s you so there’s noone to blame. So you still have to get down and do it. But what’s glorious about it is that if you come out of a performance, even if it wasn’t critically well-received, you still feel that you’ve achieved something.”

The Glenlivet ‘Vintage 1964’, £17,995, The Glenlivet, available at Harrods

Masters of

Malt

Be them deep and dark or light and fruity, spread the cheer with some well-selected whiskies this year

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, £13,500, Jack Daniel’s, whiskyshop.com

Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, £24.68, Monkey Shoulder, masterofmalt.com

| interview |

“Despite a lifetime of being picked over by the tabloids, being picked over by the critics doesn’t come any easier, even after two Oscar nominations, the César and a BAFTA”

Access to Mr Law was provided by Johnnie Walker whisky. All images courtesy of Johnnie Walker

Midleton Very Rare (117 bottles) Pearl Edition, £4,720, Midleton, available by calling Pernod Ricard on 020 8538 4484 Johnnie Walker Blue Label, £182, Johnnie Walker, available at Harrods, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols

Haig Club, £44.95, House of Haig, thewhiskyexchange.com

The Balvenie 50 year old Cask 4570 70cl, £26,500, The Balvenie, available at Harrods

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Words: josephine o’donoghue

Sparring Partners JASON ATHERTON Restaurant: Berners Tavern Location: 10 Berners Street, W1T Festive menu highlights: Foie gras and chicken liver mousse canapés, roasted quail with crispy Dingley Dell pork, Scottish Highland venison wellington, and spiced chocolate and orange brownies with gingerbread icecream all feature on the varied festive menu. Price per person £135, not including drinks. bernerstavern.com

Surroundings If you can manage to book it, the private dining room can seat up to 14 guests in an elegant yet intimate setting. A long, dark wood table beneath artful lighting is the ideal space to celebrate Christmas in more of a VIP setting. Downstairs, the tavern is described in The Times as “one of the most eye-catching and eyeball-polishing dining rooms anywhere... the final mad moment of the long 19th century: ostentatious, hierarchical decoration.” Critics say “This might just go straight in at number one for the most stunning venue in town […] I visited twice, once for Friday night dinner and once for a mid-week business lunch, and found the food pretty much faultless […] Atherton’s style is always much more refined and adventurous than it sounds […] Dishes veer eclectically but pleasingly between styles and continents.” (The Independent)

Christmas MASTER

CHEFS

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

For a short while, Jason Atherton was best known for his professional bust-up with boss Gordon Ramsay. “Try spending 10 years working for Gordon Ramsay. People think prison’s tough, but compared with working for Gordon it would be a breeze,” commented Atherton earlier this year. “All prisoners do is sit in their cells […] this was 18 hours of tough graft. But I learnt a lot working for Gordon. Being a chef is one thing, running a business is completely different.” And running a successful business he certainly is – a business empire, in fact. Atherton has been big news in the last

few years. Since leaving Ramsay and the six Maze restaurants he helped establish globally, he has won a Michelin star for his first Mayfair restaurant Pollen Street Social (named sixth best restaurant in the UK), been named Chef of the Year and opened six critically-acclaimed (and refreshingly varied) establishments in Hong Kong, China and Singapore. In 2013-14 he opened several new restaurants in London to further rapturous acclaim; his second Mayfair restaurant Little Social, the Social Eating House in Soho on Poland Street (which became his second

| opinion |

As the festive season approaches, the masterchefs of the capital square up to present their best version of the ultimate Christmas lunch – we drool over the menus from Jason Atherton’s Berners Tavern and the Rouxs’ at the Landau

ALBERT & MICHEL ROUX JR WITH CHRIS KING Restaurant: Roux at the Landau Location: 1c Portland Place, Regent Street, London W1B Menu highlights: Hansen and Lydersen’s juniper-smoked salmon, classic boudin blanc with pistachio crumb, spit-roast sirloin of dry-aged Scotch beef, and Albert Roux’s Christmas pudding are just some of the tempting choices. Price per person: £235 including a glass of Champagne and canapés per person, or £295 with additional wine pairing. rouxatthelandau.com

Surroundings Dining options include intimate circular snugs for four, just off the main room; a private dining room – Postillion – for up to 18; or the main dining room, which can seat up to 90 guests. With an interior design that effortlessly fuses classic styling with modern colour palettes and fabrics, the atmosphere is one of elegance, comfort and luxury – a perfect fit for the prestigious Langham Hotel. Critics say “If we could eat at only one fully-fledged French restaurant in London again, it might well be this one. The room is gorgeous, with swirly banquettes like bass clefs and elegant flower arrangements. As for the food, young chef Chris King has become quite a star under Albert and Michel Roux’s tutelage.” (Tatler)

Michelin-starred restaurant) and the Berners Tavern in The London EDITION Hotel in London’s Fitzrovia. That’s not to mention City Social on the 24th floor of Tower 42, and Aberdeen Street Social in Hong Kong. In opposition, father and son Albert and Michel Roux Jr and protégé Chris King offer a triple whammy of extraordinary culinary knowledge and skills as a threesome. “Chris King is a rising star,” says Michel Roux Jr. “His menus reflect the Roux trademark style of classically constructed French dishes, blended with a modern approach.” Of course, the

Roux trademark style has been a London institution since Albert and Michel Jr’s first venture in 1985 when Albert Roux OBE invited his son to join him at Le Gavroche, his two-starred Michelin restaurant in London. Champions of modern fine dining, their focus is always on achieving the perfect balance of ingredients, preparation and seasonal influence. “Taste is the most important,” said Michel recently (phaidon.com) “but understanding the seasons and nature certainly helps to source ingredients to create a dish of the highest quality flavour.”

The Roux family has been well-known in the culinary world for many years; described by The Guardian as one of the “great dynasties of the world” they were awarded their first Michelin star in 1974 at Le Gavroche, another in 1977, and a third in 1982. As many return home to their families for the festive climax of Christmas dinner, only a lucky few will be able to return to the home of fine dining in the kitchen of the Roux family, at Roux at the Landau. Forget the Christmas list; this could be one for the bucket list.

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

man cave mechanica

Alongside the watch on your wrist and the classic car in your garage, allow us to suggest two highly collectable man cave must-haves that share a very retro appeal NEON SIGNS Instilling an immediate night-on-the-town atmosphere, no man cave is complete without a neon sign. GEORGE CHAPMAN visited the zany Walthamstow wonderland God’s Own Junk Yard and had the privilege of meeting the late Chris Bracey

Throughout the early 1970s, ‘King of Neon’ and expert tube bender, the late Chris Bracey worked as a graphic designer. By the mid-70s, he was busy re-signing the majority of Soho’s infamous establishments, reinventing the visual landscape with the colours of the

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

fairground and exotic typography. Chris’ love of old signs and his fascination with the unusual inspired him to produce neon and bulb artworks. Created by hand, his pieces encompass new, originally illuminated sculptures, salvaged signs, vintage signage, old movie props and retrospective display pieces. Alongside his prestigious art, Chris also created unique items from discarded objects. Historical imprints of the 1950s seaside and circus figure as motifs in his work alongside Americana and rock ‘n’ roll. A passionate recycler, Chris re-fashioned pieces from salvaged iconic signs, spent window displays and discarded neon from yesteryear before they disappeared forever. Repaired and resurrected, the items were reworked and reincarnated for a new era. Many of the iconic pieces, like ‘God Save the Queen’ and ‘Seduce Me’, have fetched large sums of money at Phillips de Pury and Sotheby’s auction houses. To create the effect, neon tubing is heated and bent into shape and filled with rarefied neon or other gases. When a voltage is applied to electrodes inserted

| FEATURE |

through the glass, an electrical glow is discharged. Very often a phosphorescent coating is applied – the colour of the light emitted by the tube may be just coming from the gas or the light from the phosphor layer. Pure neon gas is used to produce only a third of the 100 available colours. The greatest number of colours is created by filling with another inert gas, argon, plus a drop of mercury which is added to the tube immediately after purification. Chris’ cavernous Walthamstow industrial unit God’s Own Junkyard glimmers with floor-to-ceiling items, including many of the iconic movie pieces he had created over the years. The ‘HOTEL’ neon from The Dark Knight Rises (starring Heath Ledger) is displayed next to the ‘STARK’ sign that Chris made for Captain America. An oversized top hat sign emblazoned with ‘Tuxedos’ and ‘Rainbow Costumes’ are two of the many pieces Chris made for Stanley Kubrick’s last movie Eyes Wide Shut. He described the interior as “what the inside of my brain looks like”, a pair of neon eyeglasses encased in black perspex is a nod to TJ Eckleburg, one of the dominant symbols of The Great Gatsby, which Chris fashioned after watching the 1974 version starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. He produced pieces for Scandal, Superman IV, Tomb Raider and the re-make of Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His credits also include many of the James Bond movies and Daniel Craig’s debut 007 flick Casino Royale. Some of his last commissions include Dark Shadows and Brad Pitt’s postapocalyptic movie, World War Z. “I want God’s to offer serious possibilities as a mutable space and for it to feel like a film set. As it’s much bigger than my last place, I really wanted to have fun with it and make it as Bladerunner as possible. I have a reclaimed shed that I filled with God and Jesus signs and turned it into a chapel. Now, though, I think I’m going to tilt it for a while, so it looks a bit like the Kansas house that lands in Oz. That car,” he said before his untimely death, gesturing to the front of what looks like a Bentley, “I did that for Tim Burton for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” The collection of neon Chris left behind was the largest in Europe and one of the most comprehensive in the world. Among the art pieces that Chris sold through Scream gallery are vintage signs from as far back as the 1930s and original circus signs made by Chris’ father. A God’s Own Junkyard studio range is also sold through a pop-up store at Selfridges, London. godsownjunkyard.co.uk

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| FEATURE |

When these machines were built the most important way to differentiate one game from another was by the artwork, the hand-designed illustrations on the playfield

PINBALL MACHINES Hugely popular in the 1950s through to the 1970s, electro-mechanical pinball machines, with their bell-chime rings and score-roll clack make charming man cave additions. PAUL RUBENS meets the south Londoner at the industry’s helm

Gleaming chrome, beautiful paintwork and complex machinery ticking away perfectly – if you appreciate classic cars then it’s not hard to understand the attraction of a painstakingly-restored vintage pinball machine. The similarities are striking; both are visually stunning, both rely on old-fashioned craftsmanship and precision engineering beneath the hood, the most sought-after ones are increasingly rare and valuable, and as well as being good investments both also exist to be shown off and enjoyed. Pinball designers frequently look at cars for inspiration when choosing a theme for a new table, resulting in machines with names including Stock Car, Road Race, Grand Prix, Nitro Ground Shaker and Corvette. Stern Pinball, the only largescale manufacturer still in business, even produced a Mustang pinball machine this year to celebrate the brand’s 50th anniversary. But it’s rare to see a pinball table “out in the wild” in a pub or arcade these days, or in a French café or an American drug store for that matter. That’s because the great Chicago-based pinball manufacturers of the past such as Gottlieb, Williams and Bally have been driven out of the business by video games and gaming machines. The majority of pinball tables that are still working are now in private

hands, and most of these are relatively modern electronic pinball models from the 1990s. But there’s a growing interest in the restoration of rare “classic” pinball tables – these are machines that were made in a much earlier period, from about 1955 to the early 1970s. Unlike the electronic machines from the 1990s, these vintage pinball tables are completely electro-mechanical, relying on relays, solenoid stepper units and score reels rather than microchips and dot matrix displays to make them function. Natural wear causes each of these parts to behave slightly differently, giving each table its own unique personality. And unlike the electronic tables that feature digital sound effects and licensed sound and video clips from films or television shows, the only sounds that classic pinball machines make are bell chimes, the noise of the silver ball bouncing off the mushroom-like pop bumpers and the clack of the score reels as they tot up the points as they are scored. But perhaps the biggest difference between electronic pinball machines and classic electro-mechanical tables comes down to aesthetics; many classic tables are works of art in their own right. That’s because when they were built the most important way to differentiate one game from another and to attract players was by the artwork, the hand-designed illustrations on the playfield – the surface on which the pinball moves around – and on the back glass where the scores are displayed. The style and theme of the artwork

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| FEATURE |

captures the prevailing mood and fashion at the time when each machine was built, turning each one into a kind of time capsule. A machine such as Genco Fun-Fair from 1958 features characters in conservative post-war dress shooting at a carnival side-show. The far racier 1963 Bally Star Jet captures the swinging 60s mood perfectly, its centrepiece is an astro-girl, with cartoon flying saucers in psychedelic colours in the background. Many of these tables are now more than half a century old, so happening on one in good condition and full working order is almost impossible. But there’s a small group of pinball craftsmen around the world who specialise in restoring these machines to their former glory. Giacomo Malvermi operates a pinball workshop in south London called Pinball Creative, from where he restores about two dozen pinball tables every year. Restoring a single machine can involve hundreds of hours of work: “The idea I have is to restore pinball tables from the period I think is the golden age back to the condition they were in when they were made,” he says. “My passion is restoring things and making them beautiful. “Most of my customers used to play these in the past, and see them as a work of art as much as a piece of memorabilia,” he adds. But not all of these machines are destined to be luxury toys, taking pride of place in a ‘man cave.’ Interior decorators looking for something beautiful and out of the ordinary are also becoming an

increasingly important source of sales, Malvermi says. A fully restored machine is likely to cost around £4,000 - £5,000, although Malvermi sold a rare example for £12,000 at a recent Christie’s auction. The restoration process starts with the refurbishment of the wooden cabinet, which is then repainted using paints that are painstakingly colour-matched to the originals. Meanwhile, the legs and other metal work are removed and sent off to be re-chromed, while the playfield is stripped down and cleaned. If the playfield is worn or faded, it is sent to a playfield specialist company in Germany for repairs and touchups. This company also retouches the back glasses or, if necessary, reproduces them by hand-painting original designs onto glass – a process which by itself can take more than 30 hours to complete. And while all this is going on, the stepper unit and other mechanical parts are removed, cleaned and refurbished or replaced so that the machine is restored to perfect working order. Finally, the machine is reassembled, new bulbs and rubber parts are fitted, and it is play-tested to ensure that it works exactly as it should. Once completely restored, a classic pinball machine needs a degree of care and attention paid to it to keep it going. Malvermi recommends cleaning tables every month or so, with a service every six months. Much like a vintage car, in other words. pinballcreative.co.uk

PINBALL MACHINES: Did you know? 1. The pinball is a 1 1/16 inch diameter (about 3cm) steel sphere that weighs 2.8 ounces (80g). On a normal (unwaxed) table, the ball can reach speeds of up to 90mph (145kph). 2. The wiring that runs from the controller board to the rest of the machine is massive, usually consisting of over half a mile (0.8 km) of wire. 3. The pinball playfield itself is usually made of a wood base coated with several layers of paint and finish. The playfield is inclined at a six to seven-degree angle toward the player, creating a hill on which the ball is influenced by gravity. 4. Pinball was banned from the early 1940s to the mid-1970s in most of America’s big cities, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago because it was regarded as gambling. 5. Hugh Hefner is a huge pinball fanatic. He has cooperated with pinball companies for at least three Playboy-themed machines. According to a former editor at Playboy, the magazine’s offices had a Bally Fireball machine in the ‘70s.

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

MUST HAVE SOUND SYSTEM One aspect of your man cave that is arguably best brought right up-to-date is the sound system. For the world’s most advanced Hi-Fi technology that is designed by engineers to create the best listening experience, look no further than British firm Naim Audio – official audio partner to Bentley Motors no less. We examine two of its latest offerings.

NAIM STATEMENT

Consisting of the NAC 51 pre-amplifier and the NAP S1 mono power amplifier, the Naim Statement is the result of three years, development to create the ultimate amplifier. Cased in a solid bullet of CNC-machined untreated aluminium with isolated individual sections to avoid unwanted interference, the NAP S1 alone is rated at a massive 746 watts (equivalent to one horse power) into 8ohms, making it incredibly loud and powerful. £135,000

NAIM MU-SO If you’d rather spend your hard-earned cash on one of Bentley’s cars but can appreciate the need for a soundtrack in your den, the Naim Mu-so is an all-in-one music player (also known as a ‘soundbar’ in the industry) that offers much of Naim’s expertise in streaming and amplification in one stylish and top-quality package. Beautifully finished in aluminium, the Mu-so offers connections for your TV, USB and analogue line-in, plus wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. £895 kjwestone.co.uk This article first appeared in DRIVE magazine by H.R. Owen

cassina.com

Design ﬁrst. “MyWorld” by Philippe Starck and Cassina. CASSINA SHOWROOM 238-242 Brompton Road London, Knightsbridge SW3 2BB Tel: 020 7584 0000 Info.uk@cassina.com

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05/08/14 15:28

M ESUR E ET D ÉMESUR E *

TONDA METROPOLITAINE

Steel Automatic movement Steel bracelet Made in Switzerland www.parmigiani.ch

ATELIER PARMIGIANI 97 MOUNT STREET, MAYFAIR, LONDON W1K 2TD, TEL. 020 7495 5172 EDINBURGH ROX DIAMONDS AND THRILLS | KENT RIZON JET UK LIMITED LONDON SELFRIDGES, THE WONDER ROOM | ARIJE | HARRODS, MONTREUX JAZZ CAFE WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND | FROST OF LONDON WINDSOR ROBERT GATWARD JEWELLERS

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WATCHES & JEWELLERY Celebrating the delightful and the divine from the world of fine jewellery and haute horology

In the Spotlight Nothing says timeless elegance quite like a Piaget watch. The luxury brand has been creating the finest jewellery watches for the world’s most celebrated women – including Jackie Kennedy and Sophia Loren – since the 1960s and it is a legacy upheld to this day. This year the house is reinventing its iconic Limelight collection once again with a collection of jewellery timepieces inspired by the shape of diamond solitaires. The ovalshaped case of each piece imitates the outline of the classic solitaire diamond, set with one carat of fine diamonds, while the emerald version mirrors the traditional rectangular cut from the house’s fine jewellery collections. Adding the elegant and feminine black satin strap makes this the perfect evening accessory, whether dressed up or pared down. piaget.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

JEWELLERY NEWS with Vogue jewellery editor

Q&A Carol Woolton

Carol Woolton’s new book, Floral Jewels, explores how the flower has been a source of inspiration for the world’s leading fine jewellery designers throughout the ages Which jewellery house do you think has captured the flower most accurately? Flowers are subject to trends like anything else and certain designers have captured their period. Tiffany’s enamel orchid, for instance, encapsulated the era of the Golden Age in New York and the wealthy industrialists who were vying to have the most exotic hot house. Dior has created a whole collection of flowers for a new generation; they’re bold, exotic, poisonous, lacquered and vibrant. You mention how environmental concerns have resulted in the current trend for wildflowers; could you elaborate on this? I think we’re all much more aware of the simplicity of nature and the need to protect it. Meadow flowers like buttercups and primroses, for example, will resonate with

people as they realise how important it is that we maintain natural beauty. If you had to base a collection around a flower, which one would you choose? I love the hydrangea because it maintains its structure. Most flowers lose their petals and fall apart as they wilt, whereas the hydrangea, even when it’s dying, is still rather beautiful. You have said in the past that often people don’t realise the importance of jewellery; do you think this is changing? I think the jewellery industry has completely changed in the last 15 years. Fashion brands which now incorporate jewellery into collections have propelled people towards becoming more adventurous and, in turn, designers too. The industry is more daring, adventurous and fun. Floral Jewels: From the World’s Leading Designers, by Carol Woolton; Published by Prestel, prestel.com

Masters of Modern Jewellery 2014 This year, the ground-breaking jewellery exhibition of 1961, which was curated by Graham Hughes, the art director of Goldsmiths Hall, and credited for kick-starting a wave of jewellerymaking talent, has been revived by the Beetles+Huxley Gallery in Mayfair. Taking up Hughes’ mantle, jewellery expert Joanna Hardy curated the show, which opened a month ago and presents jewellery from the Art Deco period to the present day. Alongside beautiful vintage pieces from the 1920s, 30s and 50s by the likes of René Boivin and Louis Boucheron will be contemporary designs by emerging jewellery designers, including Central Saint Martins’ graduate Noor Fares and Monique Daniels. Masters of Modern Jewellery 2014, curated by Joanna Hardy Until 13 December Beetles+Huxley 3-5 Swallow Street, W1B 4DE beetlesandhuxley.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

La Vie Bohème Proving that it’s moved on so much from the days when it was known chiefly as a luxury pen brand, Montblanc has released its latest jewellery collection, Bohème. The understated and refined jewellery collection remains very much in keeping with the brand aesthetic and features classic silver and gold pieces that have been created for a sophisticated, discerning woman, including a beautiful gold bangle in pink gold with diamond pavé and a pair of simple silver hoop earrings with white sparkling lacquer. Bohème, Montblanc, 10/11 Royal Exchange montblanc.com

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True Chromance There’s no doubting Solange Azagury-Partridge’s passion for colour and her latest collection, Chromance, is a true testament to this love affair. The kaleidoscopic line includes the Chlorophyll necklace in an intense emerald green and the Spectrum earrings which can be transformed into a necklace for a miraculous day to evening metamorphosis. solange.co.uk

Like a Charm In time for Christmas, Harry Winston has launched three new diamond charms, each of which pays tribute to a signature motif of the jewellery house. The Fifth Avenue Vault charm takes inspiration from Harry Winston’s iconic flagship store by featuring a vault door which reveals a hidden surface; this can be engraved with a personal message. Similarly, the Diamond Gates Heart charm reinterprets the New York flagship with round brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds while the Diamond Cluster Heart charm captures the timeless beauty of this enduring design with rows of exquisite brilliant and pear-shaped diamonds. harrywinston.com

Best Shot In a move towards bringing a more contemporary edge to the heritage brand, William & Son has collaborated with award-winning jewellery designer Sarah Ho on a range of cocktail rings. Each of the four pieces (£4,800) draws upon Ho’s signature style as well as her own unique take on the William & Son’s shotgun engraving, creating a perfect blend of the old and the new. Commenting on the collaboration, head of jewellery at William & Son Clémence Mérat said: “Our stories and history are so similar yet so different; working together came very naturally.” With their modern design, they’re the perfect night-time accessory. williamandson.com

Once in a Blue Moon Marco Bicego has become well-known for his natural approach to designing jewellery, hand-making each of his pieces in 18-karat gold. The designer has chosen to return to his roots and pay homage to nature in a new collection called Lunaria, inspired by the beautiful Lunaria Annua flower. Comprising necklaces, rings, bracelets and cuffs, each piece features irregular, disc-shaped pods to represent the flower’s seedpods and has been hand-crafted using the signature Bullino technique: a special tool gives all of the brand’s pieces their unique fine brushed texture. Lunaria collection, exclusive to Harvey Nichols. Prices start from £1,000, harveynichols.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Olivia Sharpe looks at the coloured diamonds that have caught our imagination this year and yesteryear, and highlights how demand has reached new heights

lights of

ancy A

ABOVE Butterfly ring from the Butterfly and Palm collection, POA, David Morris RIGHT Recreation of 1970 ‘Hair & Jewel’ image featuring 22 jewels worth half-a-billion dollars, Graff

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

t this year’s Baselworld, Graff unveiled the Hallucination watch. An overnight sensation, its defining feature was not, as one would expect, its complicated Swiss movement nor its astronomical $55 million price tag, but its phantasmagoria of more than 110 carats of exceptionally rare fancy coloured diamonds. The house’s chairman Laurence Graff OBE spent more than two years “scouring the world” in order to procure the stones. For him, the piece represented “the miracle of coloured diamonds” while for us, it revealed that these precious jewels are clearly having a moment. Graff is not the only jeweller to be making headlines. Harry Winston broke records this year for its acquisition of the ‘Winston Blue’. Purchased at Christie’s Geneva auction for approximately $24 million, the 13.22-carat, flawless, Fancy Vivid blue diamond is considered to be the largest of its kind. This managed to trump Laurence Graff ’s earlier purchase of a 100.09 carat Fancy Vivid yellow cushion modified brilliant diamond for $16.3 million, a world record for this jewel. And yet, the ‘king of diamonds’ still holds the title of having paid the highest price of any gem or jewel when he bought the ‘Graff Pink’ at Sotheby’s Geneva

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THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

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auction for a $46.2 million in 2010. Sales figures show how the value of fancy coloured diamonds has risen dramatically over the past few decades and their demand is now unprecedented, as highlighted by the increased offering and the swelling body of consumers willing to pay the hefty prices. Head of jewellery at Christie’s London Keith Penton comments: “Across the board we have seen an increased appetite in the first half of the year for fancy coloured diamonds of the most vivid hues”. This consequently triggered the launch of The Fancy Colour Diamond Foundation at the end of this year, a new research body that monitors the economic value and ethics of the fancy colour diamond industry for both consumers and traders. While coloured diamonds have always been sought after, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the market really began to open up, says Laurence Graff. “In the 1980s and in the past five to 10 years, the growth has accelerated as more people have become aware of their extreme rarity,” he explains. “Increased demand has been coupled with a scarcity of exceptional examples coming onto the market.” The influential businessman – who has bought and sold the most famous diamonds in the world and was awarded an OBE for his services to the jewellery industry in 2013 – has played an instrumental part in stimulating this growth. In 1970, Graff released its now iconic ‘Hair & Jewel’ campaign featuring a model wearing a million dollars’ worth of diamond jewels in her hair. The ostentatious image proved ground-breaking and in turn, illustrated how the jeweller was one step ahead of the game when it came to predicting the current trend for coloured diamonds. In the 1980s, when the very first pink diamonds were discovered at the Argyle Mine in Western Australia, Graff purchased the entire tender and set them into a flower brooch which was then sold to the Sultan of Brunei just hours after it was made. The following decade, the house secured a supply of exquisite yellow diamonds – these have since become its signature stone. So why now has the demand for coloured diamonds reached an all-time high? For Laurence Graff, the answer lies in rarity, an argument that is widely shared by the rest of the industry. “In my experience, quality and rarity are the two factors that most influence collectors,” says Keith Penton. “Compared to other categories, jewellery has the added advantage of being a highly portable asset. In the last few seasons records have continually been broken as competition reaches new heights for the most exceptional items.” According to David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby’s international jewellery division in Europe and the Middle East, the last decade has witnessed large incremental gains in the coloured diamond market due to small supply and increasing demand, and the last three to four years have seen very strong growth for big diamonds of the highest quality, in particular. He notes that globalisation in the last ten years has transformed the market, with collectors from 70 countries bidding in Sotheby’s jewellery auctions worldwide in 2013 and a total of 30 countries represented in the Geneva May 2014 sale. Roughly a third of the auction house’s buyers come from

LEFT Hallucination watch, Graff Diamonds ABOVE FROM TOP The ‘Winston Blue’ Fancy Vivid blue diamond, Harry Winston; Laurence Graff holds a selection of the world’s most valuable gemstones

North America, Europe and Asia, with “new buyers making up 24 per cent of the total in 2013, with strong new participation from Asia”. While red diamonds are the rarest in the coloured diamond family, pink diamonds are also reputably scarce. The only significant known source is the Argyle Diamond Mine, which is owned by Rio Tinto and produces more than 90 per cent of the world’s supply. Due to their rarity (they are the only coloured diamonds whereby the colour is not the result of an impurity but of extreme pressure beneath the earth’s surface), investors are urgently stocking up their supplies before resources are depleted. Calleija is the only Argyle pink diamond atelier in the UK and one of the jeweller’s latest treasures is an unusual but no doubt exquisite Argyle Tender 1.13-carat FIPP heart-shaped pink diamond. At this year’s Basel, experts noted how, despite traditional shapes including round brilliants and emerald cuts remaining popular, judging by some of the jewels on display at the trade show, there had clearly been a surge in demand for fancy shapes (Baselworld Daily News, 31 March 2014). The fascination with coloured diamonds has trickled down into the rest of the industry, with jewellers constantly interpreting these stones in new and exciting ways. Along with Calleija, another brand to have fallen for the heart shape is Parisian jeweller Messika; for the first time this year, it introduced a heart-shaped 7-carat pink diamond, fashioned into an exquisite ring. British jeweller

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

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David Morris is similarly well-known for using pink diamonds to great effect and in tribute to this, Jeremy Morris created a curated collection of pink diamond haute couture jewellery for the 2014 Biennale des Antiquaires. Although pink diamonds have a wide market, Boodles director and head gemstone buyer Jody Wainwright notes that yellow diamonds remain the most popular when it comes to engagement rings. Celebrities have played their part in this trend, with the likes of Heidi Klum and Adele having famously sported yellow diamond engagement rings. Graff is famous for being the supplier of the largest and rarest Natural yellow diamonds and it demonstrated this at Baselworld 2014 when it unveiled a spectacular yellow and white diamond Fringe necklace. Having taken inspiration from childhood memories of her father Andre (a well-known figure in the diamond trade) playing with precious gems, Valerie Messika has reimagined her Move bangle – originally designed in white diamonds – with three sliding yellow diamonds representing the ‘love of yesterday, today and tomorrow’. The limited edition set of 10 will be available exclusively at Harrods from December. With the industry currently saturated with coloured diamonds, buyers are being drawn to unconventional hues. Hall 3 at Basel was awash with coloured jewels, from a 2.02 carat green oval at A.A. Rachminov Diamonds to fancy brown diamonds at Aditya Gems. Oranges, too, proved very popular and Boodles’ Jody Wainwright confides that he was recently on the hunt for a 3-carat vivid orange but has only discovered two stones. However, the diamond expert advocates that fine pinks and blues still make for the best investments, not to mention reds which “are at the top of the tree.” In Tiffany & Co.’s 2013 Blue Book collection, the jeweller presented a rare brilliant Fancy Vivid green diamond ring, along with traditional coloured diamonds. While trends in terms of shape and colour will evolve, there’s one thing which experts are certain will remain constant; the high demand for top quality fancy coloured diamonds. With Christie’s having achieved $154m for its Geneva auction on 14 May – the highest total ever achieved for a jewellery sale – Keith Penton believes that there “seems to be no slowing down in demand for the best of the best as we commence the second half of the season”. FROM TOP RIGHT The Graff Pink; Move bangle with yellow diamonds, £14,800, Messika, Harrods; Coloured diamond ear pendants, Important Jewels Sale, London, 26 November 2014; Pendant with a Fancy Intense yellow diamond, from the 2013 Blue Book Collection, POA, Tiffany & Co.

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

“The growth has accelerated as more people are aware of their extreme rarity” - Laurence Graff

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WATCHes Bird Song Taste for Titanium Behold the athletic-looking new RM 33-01 Automatic (POA). The tripartite case, with a diameter of 45.70mm and a thickness of 9.20mm, is mounted on a rubber strap secured with a folding clasp in grade 5 titanium. The watch will be available from next year in titanium, red gold or white gold.

Jaquet Droz’ Bird Repeater Open Work is quite remarkable; the minute repeater features two blue tits feeding their fledglings. As the watch chimes the time, the birds spread their wings, a waterfall tumbles and an egg is hatched. Only eight of these beautiful creations will be made. Bird Repeater Open Work, POA, jaquet-droz.com

richardmille.com

Deep Sea Diver

ONE to WATCH

This year saw the launch of three new Cellini models; gorgeous dress watches that prove Rolex as adept at producing pieces for the boardroom as for the deep blue sea. The Cellini Dual Time features an elegant sun and moon day/night indicator and shows the time in two separate time zones. £12,900, rolex.com

The latest version of Blancpain’s Bathyscaphe features a flyback chronograph function enabling the wearer to reset and instantly restart the chronograph simply by pressing the pusher at 4 o’clock, proving extremely useful in taking fast measurements of successive times. Wear it to depths of 300 metres. £11,900, blancpain.com

Going for Gold Parmigiani Fleurier has unveiled a red gold version of its Bugatti Super Sport; only 30 will be made. The watch will feature the Calibre Parmigiani 372, a movement with a power reserve of 10 days. Parmigiani only employs external companies for rubies, sapphire crystals and leather straps, which it gets from Hermès. Prepare to part with £185,000 before tax if you want one. parmigiani.ch

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Cool under pressure

C11 TITANIUM EXTREME 1000 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; LIMITED EDITION CHRONOMETER Swiss made / Limited to 1000 pieces worldwide / Water resistant to 1000 metres (3280 ft) / Satin-brushed titanium case / Internal countdown bezel / Helium release valve / High density rubber dive strap with titanium clasp and embossed CW logo / 4.3mm sapphire crystal / High impact Superluminovaâ&#x201E;˘ indexes and hands / Self-winding, COSC certified Sellita SW200-1 chronometer

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12/11/2014 09:18

Off the

Cuff

A family affair for seven generations, Deakin & Francis manufactures much more than a way of keeping your cuffs together. Its team of dyesinkers, mould-makers, jewellers, enamellers and engravers might just make the noblest cufflinks around WORDS: Richard Brown

s family fables go, the Deakin’s is a good one. In 1430, a ship bound for England bearing a royal personage was attacked by pirates. Flanking the ship on both sides, the assailants cast hemp ropes towards the vessel and began their assault. Before they could lay claim to their bounty, an axe-wielding Deakin appeared; working his way down the ship, he slashed at the ropes until the ships parted and the pirates fell into the sea. Two years later, in honour of the heroic act, the Deakins were granted a family crest – an arm appearing out of a crown holding an axe. James and Henry, the legend’s latter-day heirs, have the paperwork to prove it. It rests behind glass at the brothers’ cufflink-producing, Birminghambased headquarters; a shrine to traditional manufacturing techniques that shelters three centuries of family history. Two-hundred-and-twenty-eight years after the company was founded, originally as a jewellers and silversmiths, and Deakin & Francis may just make the world’s best cufflinks. The company holds contracts with some of the most prestigious names in fashion; high-end, house-hold names that, for matters of discretion, I’ve been asked not to print here. It’s welcomed bespoke commissions from politicians and pop

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

stars, rock stars and royalty. Deakin & Francis may just be Britain’s best kept secret – a fact that kind of irritates the company’s current custodians. “It’s about the most annoying thing you can hear after being in business for more than two centuries!” says Henry, the great, great, great-nephew of co-founder of Charles Washington Shirley Deakin. “That’s why we’ve recently started a branding exercise; pushing our own boxes, lasering ‘Deakin & Francis’ on the stems of each cufflink and moving towards high-end retailers who want to take us on as a brand.” Now, every Deakin & Francis cufflink box comes with an axe coming out of a crown stamped on its side. “The packaging, the box, the name, the history; it’s improved sales no end,” says James. The brothers took over the company from their father David more than a decade ago. Both are fully qualified, James having studied at the Gemological Institute of America as a jeweller gemologist, and Henry having graduated as a gemmologist and designer from the International Gemological Institute in Vicenza. Following the duo around their factory, which is based in Birmingham’s historic jewellery quarter, it’s clear that the business has never veered from the high standards of craftsmanship and quality that are

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James and Henry Deakin are the great, great, greatnephews of company co-founder C.W.S Deakin

Deakin & Francis has been making jewellery, cufflinks and accessories in Birmingham since 1786

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

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Accessories to Invest In For a gift that will keep on giving, opt for an heirloomworthy accessory

“When it comes to jewellery, there is a limit to what a guy can wear... Cufflinks are a way of expressing your mood, your personality or what you’re about on a particular day” its tradition. Everything from signet ring-stamping, shaping and finishing, to stone-mounting and the production of special-commission pieces is done by hand; model-makers create new designs from hand-drawn sketches; enamellers use methods that date back to the Pharaohs; and engravers carve initials and family crests under microscopes. The workshop acts as a window into Britain’s manufacturing past. Yet while the way it produces its inventions may remain true to yesteryear, the cufflinks it creates are nothing if not cutting-edge contemporary. From snakes and skunks to skulls and shotguns, you name it, Deakin & Francis has made it. It’s the embodiment of the type of tongue-in-cheek humour that’s become central to the brand. “When you think of personality traits that define Britons, one of the first things you think of is eccentricity,” says James. “Some of our pieces are quite out there. When it comes to jewellery, there is a limit to what a guy can wear, so it’s a way of having a bit of fun. Cufflinks are a way of expressing your mood, your personality or what you’re about on a particular day.” So which pair of cufflinks does the company sell most of? “The skulls have done brilliantly for us,” says Henry. “We tend to sell along three main categories: the classic enamels, the three-dimensional pieces and the 18-carat designs. The vitreous-enamel designs form the main part of our silver collection. They’re beautiful; you cannot question the quality of the enamel and the brightness of the colours. But when you see a skull with a red bandana, a moving jaw and rubies for eyes, it certainly has the wow factor” – which is exactly what so many of the company’s creations evoke. A pair of cigar-box cufflinks, just one

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

illustrious example, are made from 18 carat yellow-gold, are hand-painted with enamel and feature a miniature, gold cigar-link fitting. The perfect Christmas gift for any true cigar connoisseur, the Romeo y Julieta-illustrated pieces are yours for £11,260. Then there’s the white-gold skull cufflinks with purple velvet and diamondencrusted crown. Made to mark The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the total weight of diamonds in each pair totals 0.40 carats. Only 12 were produced. Prepare to part with £9,075 if you want a pair. The appetite for all things D&F is global. Sales in the UK are increasing, Asia is its fastest-growing market and America remains where most of its creations are sent. With the brand’s foray into leather goods also going so well, it can’t be long until the world welcomes its first standalone Deakin & Francis store? “It’s in the plan,” says Henry. “But it’s not going to happen this year. We want to continue to grow slowly and organically. We are in-store in many high-end department stores around the world and it’s something that we’d love to take off with at some point. London and New York would be the obvious choices.” As my tour of D&F HQ comes to its conclusion, I consider that peculiar crest now stamped on every box. “The spikes of the crown are sails from a ship,” says James. “The family motto is ‘strike Deakin, the devil is in the hemp’.” For the modern-day brand, perhaps that should be ‘the devil is in the detail’ – and for as long as that remains the case, Deakin & Francis will continue to be the purveyor of choice for dandies in the pursuit of some consummate cuff candy. deakinandfrancis.co.uk

Rollagas Black Lacquer and Gold Plate Lighter, £460, Alfred Dunhill, dunhill.co.uk

Clifton 1892 Flying Tourbillon, £39,000, Baume & Mercier, watches-of-switzerland.co.uk

Patterned Silver Tie Bar, £200, Foundwell Vintage, mrporter.com

Dotted Silk-file Lapel Flower, £90, Charvet, mrporter.com

Meisterstück Solitaire Geometric Dimension Fountain Pen, £1,090, Montblanc, montblanc.com

Heathcliffe Natural Leather Briefcase, £995, Mulberry, harrods.com

Lilou et Lo誰c L O N D O N

S I Z E D O E S M AT T E R . . .

3kg Scented Candle From The Emperor Collection

www.lilouetloic.com

STYLE HIM

Look the part, feel the part, from Breakfast to boardroom to bar

Festive Finery - from dinner date to creature comforts Boskar Charcoal Leather Weekend Bag, £1,350, Bally, bally.co.uk

Silk Double Bow Tie, £55, Brooks Brothers, mrporter.com

Black Watch Tartan Wool Smoking Jacket, £320, Derek Rose, derek-rose.com

Cashmere Jumper, £610, Berluti, 43 Conduit Street, W1S 2YJ

Cleeve of London for Drake’s Shirt, £195, Drake’s, drakes.com

Long Bordeaux and Black Pinstripe socks, £17, Archer+Peyton, archerandpeyton.com

Morgan Wine Leather Slippers, £105, Derek Rose, derek-rose.com

Full Speed Ahead with

Michael Johnson The City was fortunate enough to catch up with Michael Johnson last month, winner of 13 Olympic and World Championship medals (gold of course), and talk about his latest project since leaving sprinting. “I was still ranked number one in the world, I probably

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Judson Cashmere and Silk Pullover in Italian Plum, £399, John Smedley, johnsmedley.com

could have continued on a few more years but I was really ready to move on to the next chapter. I was fortunate that I achieved all of the goals that I set”. Alongside his commentary work ( four Olympics and counting) his latest foray is into the design world, partnering with luxury British leather goods label Dom Reilly on the ultimate man bag. “Dom was asking for my input. I was involved from the very beginning with the concept of the bag

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Suited and booted

Silk Satin Handkerchief, £40, Hardy Amies, selfridges.com

Wool Cashmere Topcoat, £1,095, Burberry London, uk.burberry.com

Oatmeal Cashmere Dressing Gown, £250, Sir Plus, sirplus.co.uk

Wide Leather Belt, £80, Alfie Douglas, alfiedouglas.com

Slim-Fit Wool-Flannel Trousers, £195, Canali, mrporter.com

Savile Row has taken to the City with the new Richard James store on Brushfield Street, just off Bishopsgate. Housed in a timberfronted, late-18th-century building, its character is an appropriately elegant backdrop for the luxury collections inside. In addition to the seasonal, ready-to-wear lines and year-round coreline collection, a full made-to-measure tailoring service and exclusive products will be available. From knitwear and shirts to belts, cufflinks and luggage, there’s everything you’d need to live the Richard James lifestyle. It’s a bonus that all staff have fashion and arts backgrounds, authenticating any style guidance you receive. 14a Brushfield Street, E1 6AN, richardjames.co.uk

and trying to explain to Dom what form the bag I was looking for would take – I started with myself as the ideal customer. There’s rarely a day that I wake up and there’s just one thing that I’m going to do”. This was the key to the bag’s numerous compartments, especially the separate exterior shoe pocket – perfect for the selfconfessed “neat freak and control freak”. Its high-qualiy, Italian fabric makes it lightweight and water resistant, an all-round ideal piece

for the frequent traveller and multi-tasker. As for the look, Michael is clearly a fan of both the black and vibrant sky blue versions. “When I’m in my more extrovert mood and I really want to make a statement, definitely the blue, and when I want to be incognito, it’s the black.” We hope we’ll see further collaborations between these two in future. domreilly.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

Skate in the City at Broadgate Ice Rink 17 November 2014 to 26 February 2015 Book tickets now at www.broadgate.co.uk/ice

Exchange Square Broadgate Just two minutes from Liverpool Street Station @BROADGATELONDON

FACEBOOK.COM/BROADGATELDN

| LIFESTYLE |

Stand-out Ski Jackets Making the transition from slopes to après-ski as stylish as possible

TECHNICAL TAILORING The perfect transition to après-ski attire Farell Jacket, £715, Toni Sailer, snowandrock.com

MASTER OF DISGUISE For making inevitable crash outs in the alpine less noticeable Falk Jacket, £289.99, Colourwear, ellis-brigham.com

TOUGH TRAIL BLAZER Fantastic flexibility for riding that steep and deep backcountry Powslayer Jacket, £519.99, Patagonia, ellis-brigham.com

WINTER WARMER Developed for scientists in Antarctica, for ultimate thermo-technology Pacific Blue Expedition Parka, £800, Canada Goose, harrods.com

SEEING STRIPES BREATHE EASY Three-layer stretch fabric is ideal for racing conditions FRX Pro Jacket, £659, KJUS, kjus.com

You’ll be a mere neon blur shooting down those black runs NFZ Jacket, £280, The North Face, thenorthface.co.uk

SPORT LUXE

Just because it’s practical, doesn’t mean it can’t look good Orange KINLEY Jacket, £1,320, Moncler, moncler.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

|LIFESTYLE |

POST-PARTY PICK-ME-UPs Grooming essentials to help hide the tell-tale signs of a December bender

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POST-PARTY POTION

To spritz for refreshing results

Antaeus Eau de Toilette 50 ml Spray, £48, Chanel, chanel.com 72

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

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S YE EE en ak s aw eye 790 cc-4 noble metal/ black Series 7 shaver, £299.99, Braun, shavers.co.uk

AN ENERGY HIT

To strip you of your stubble

To bring you back to life

After Shave Energizer, £23, ClarinsMen, clarins.co.uk

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A CLOSE SHAVE

STYLE HER

The leading ladies and latest looks guiding style this season

DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

MAD HATTER

Felt hat, £230, Coach, uk.coach.com

SUGAR-COAT Belted oversized coat, £1,917, Rochas, farfetch.com

We’ve all fallen victim to some rather questionable fashion choices, and mainly it’s through the winter months, often in an attempt to stay warm. With that in mind, The City Magazine embarked on a search for a solution, whereby comfort and style could coexist. After sifting through the very worst of winter; think sequined or studded Ugg boots, oversized animal head hats and Michelin man jackets, we found the very best of A/W 14/15 – 12 wardrobe staples that will keep you warm and dry, while keeping you suitably stylish throughout the season.

SILK TOUCH Limited-Edition A Cheval sur mon carré for World Horse Welfare, £310, Hermès, maisondescarres.com

HAND IN GLOVE Long gloves in black suede calfskin, £750, Dior, dior.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| FASHION |

SKIRT AROUND Pleated stretch-cotton mini skirt, £230, Red Valentino, net-a-porter.com

UNDERCOVER San Francisco Landmarks walking umbrella, £325, Burberry, uk.burberry.com

CLEAR VISION 3170 glasses, £163, Dolce and Gabbana, myoptique.com

DRESS TO IMPRESS Dress Dejonata, £595, Escada, uk.escada.com

IN THE BAG The Newman in acid python, £1,895, Amanda Wakeley, amandawakeley.com

YOU BET YOUR BOOTS Beauford suede ankle boots, £625, Paul Andrew, matchesfashion.com

BELT IT OUT Serpenti Forever belt, £325, Bulgari, bulgari.com

CROSS MY HEART Drew python leather shoulder bag, £1,675, Chloé, mytheresa.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

THE FUTURE OF SKINCARE HAS ARRIVED ON NEW BOND STREET U+ FROM GENEU IS A DNA PERSONALISED ANTI-AGEING SKINCARE SYSTEM GENEU use their unique DNA BeautyLab on a microchip - (winner of European inventor of the year 2014) to analyse your skinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DNA and discover precisely what your skin needs. Be the first to experience U+ from GENEU and leave our flagship store with your own personalised anti-ageing serum. Book an appointment at Geneu.com

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0207 499 7 161

GEN EU.COM

| LIFESTYLE |

all that glitters For party prep and gifts galore, red and gold top the festive beauty charts

frost in the air

The City ’s stocking filler wish list:

Jo Malone’s enviably crisp and clean packaging has been given a limitededition festive twist, with cherry red decoration and frosting on its classic Pomegranate Noir fragrance. We also love this year’s seasonal scent; the frosted cherry and clove candle is infused with a traditional, warm hint of cinnamon.

Nailberry’s healthy, high gloss shades are free of animal-testing and some chemical nasties. Christmasinspired shades include a sheer sprinkling of starry silver and a deliciously rich holly berry red.

jomalone.co.uk

£13.50 each, Nailberry, nailberry.co.uk

Strike Gold

With (refillable) lightdiffusing and skinsmoothing pressed powder, this golden compact is perfect for party touch-ups and comes in a handbagworthy velvet pouch.

Dior has long had a love affair with gold, but for a more subtle nod to the iconic shade than its decadent gold leaf nail polish, try new editions of the classic 5 Couleurs palettes, where the precious metal is mixed with steel grey and bronze, or earthy plum. For the perfect mistletoe kiss, new two-tone lipsticks come with pure matte and gold iridescent halves.

Glittering Stars Powder Compact, £70, Estée Lauder, esteelauder.co.uk

dior.com

Kiss & Tell The humble key chain has been elevated to glamorous status thanks to metallic leather and golden cubes embossed with house-check, as part of Burberry’s festive offerings. One of the cubes reveals a solid lip gloss in natural Cameo pink, also great for creating a sheer, dewy effect on cheeks. It’s issued as a limited-edition so don’t wait for Santa to get your hands on one. Beauty charm, £70, uk.burberry.com

With rich cherry and a sparkling topcoat of golden pearl particles, you’ll hope both of these Guerlain seasonal collector shades are in your stocking. Gloss d’Enfer, £22.50 each, Guerlain, johnlewis.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

ART Elegance of

This party season, cut a striking silhouette with couture cocktail dresses and the best in black tie Photographer: Dominic Nicholls Stylist: Sarah Nash

He wears: Black jacket, £595, Duchamp, duchamplondon.com; Black tuxedo trousers, £200, Hackett, hackett.com; White shirt, £175, Kent & Curwen, kentandcurwen.com; Black grosgrain bow tie, £50, Peckham Rye at Charlie Allen, charlieallen.co.uk; White silk pocket square, £29, Thomas Pink, thomaspink.com She wears: Black beaded gown, £POA, Nicholas Oakwell Couture, nicholasoakwellcouture.com; Pillow ring with blue spinal and diamonds set in white gold, £31,000, Asprey, asprey.com

Three piece suit, £845, William Hunt, williamhunt.co.uk; White shirt, £120, Black tie, £85, both Aston Martin Tailoring at Bespoke HQ, bespokehq.com; Silver cufflinks, £195, Links of London, linksoflondon.co.uk; White silk pocket square, £29, Thomas Pink, as before

Black tuxedo suit, £1,415, Lanvin from Mr Porter, mrporter.com; White shirt, £265, Turnbull & Asser from Mr Porter, mrporter.com; Black grosgrain bow tie, £50, Peckham Rye at Charlie Allen, as before; Black leather brogues, £795, Christian Louboutin, christianlouboutin.com; 167 cufflinks in brown enamel and silver, £275, Asprey, as before; White silk pocket square, £29, Thomas Pink, as before

He wears: Black tuxedo suit, £475, white shirt, £85, both Simon Carter, simoncarter.net; Black silk bow tie, £45, Thomas Pink, as before; Black velvet loafers, £635, Christian Louboutin, christianlouboutin.com She wears: Red dress, £1,347.50, Suzanne Neville, suzanneneville.com; Timeless diamond bracelet, £POA, Garrard, garrard.com; Diamond spiral ring, £12,200, Robinson Pelham, robinsonpelham.com

Burgundy velvet jacket, £450, Hackett, as before; White shirt, £150, Duchamp, as before; Black tuxedo trousers, £415, Roberto Cavalli, robertocavalli.com; Black silk scarf, £119, Charlie Allen, as before; Black patent loafers, £585, John Lobb, johnlobb.com/uk; Silver and mother of pearl cufflinks, £45, Denison Boston from Charlie Allen, as before; Black socks, £13, Falke, falke.com

He wears: Black tuxedo suit, £1,480, Roberto Cavalli, as before; Black overcoat, £1,530, Paul Smith, paulsmith.co.uk; White shirt, £125, Hardy Amies, hardyamies.com; Black silk bow tie, £45, Thomas Pink, as before; Black patent leather shoes, £350, Aston Martin Tailoring at Bespoke HQ, as before She wears: Green dress, £4,649, Versace, versace.com; Black high heel strappy sandals, £595, Christian Louboutin, as before; Diamond necklace, £345, The Diamond Store, thediamondstore.co.uk; Vanilla diamond ring, £2,299, Le Vian at Ernest Jones, ernestjones.co.uk

Styling: Sarah Nash @ Carol Hayes Management | Styling assistant: Lauren Mellor | Make up & grooming: Charlie Duffy @ Carol Hayes Management using YSL beauty and Stila | Hair stylist: Luke Pluckrose @ Saks using L’Oreal Professionel

Photographer’s Assistant: Aurora Scheftel | Male Model: Ashley @ Next Model Management Female Model: Hanna @ Elite Model Management Shot on location at The Colony Club, London W1J 7SA – thecolonyclub.co.uk Rolls Royce Wraith kindly loaned by Rolls Royce Motor Cars – rolls-roycemotorcars.com/wraith/

FITNESS

The tips, tricks and training kit you need to stay at the top of your game

Piste Perfection The competitive endurance of retired Norwegian skier Lasse Kjus is well documented, his grit and determination being legendary within alpine racing circles. These days, the Olympic champion channels his passion for the slopes into high-performance skiwear. KJUS apparel fuses clean and minimal design with the racing requirements of textile ventilation, thermoregulation and moisture management. Simply put, it’s the most technologically-advanced skiwear available. The Swiss brand’s philosophy of uncompromising stylish skiwear looks as slick in the City as slaloming on fresh powder. kjus.com

Men’s Backflip Jacket, £349

Men’s Frx Pro Jacket, £659

Men’s Cuche Jacket, £1,319

Motivation Boost There is certainly no shortage of ‘cycle classes with a difference’ in the City. BOOM Cycle is one of the more enjoyable intensive spinning sessions out there and feels more akin to a nightclub than a fitness centre, a profusion of spin bikes aside. Energetic beats are compiled by ex-DJ and producer Marcus James and the lighting is set low, enabling a surprising amount of focus on your workout goals. 2-8 Scrutton St, EC2A 4RT

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| LIFESTYLE |

Survival of the Fittest Get your skates on Broadgate Ice Rink returns to Exchange Square this winter for seasonal skating and events. For the ambitious few with Biellmann spins in mind, individual or group lessons are available with NISA qualified Dancing on Ice coaches. Après skate, The Tasting Room pop-up smokehouse and bar serves freshly smoked meats, gourmet doughnuts and winter warmers. Private rink hire is also available.

The City Magazine has partnered with the renown Bodydoctor to answer your fitness woes. The doctor’s revolutionary six-week programme has transformed the lives, fitness and bodies of Sophie Dahl, Lily Allen and the entire West Ham football team; and now, David Marshall, aka The Bodydoctor, is available to answer your fitness queries.

17 November to 26 February 2015 10am-10pm, broadgate.co.uk/ice

Survival Instinct Calling all extreme fitness junkies: Those wanting to push themselves to the absolute limit are probably already aware of the Bear Grylls Survival Academy, the hard hitting outdoor adventure courses in pure survival. Instructors share self-rescue skills, as you climb, crawl and abseil your way to fitness. It’s a good draw for those looking for fitness excursions with a twist, or the most intense team building course imaginable. Christmas vouchers are also available, for the man who has everything, apart from extreme survival techniques.

“I devised a programme that works through a combination of specific resistance training, cardiovascular work, Pilates, and Yoga, doing everything over a full range of movement, which combined with the right diet works effectively within a shorttime scale.” “I’m not arrogant, I’m confident, and I can change your life,” he says.

beargryllssurvivalacademy.com ©Rafal Maciejczyk Photography

Test him by emailing your queries to bodydoctor@rwmg.co.uk

For personal training or to sign up to the six-week fitness programme, contact David at The Bodydoctor, 36 South Audley Street (020 7499 9990) or get started on the full Bodydoctor DIY personal training fitness and nutrition programme with the Fitness Book and Personal Training DVD available from bodydoctor.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

It’s that

TIME of year

Get ready to enjoy a magical December in Canary Wharf, Santa’s Grotto’s doors are open, the ice rink is in full swing, Santa’s Magical Silver Reindeer will be starring in a festive play, there’s a new Christmas market and our local restaurants are pulling out all the stops to make this Christmas one the whole family will remember

Festive activities for children There’s so much for children to do at the weekends in Canary Wharf. Meet the jolly man himself at Santa’s Grotto in Jubilee Place. The Grotto is open from 11am until 5pm* every weekend in December, and open the whole week before Christmas day, including Christmas Eve. Visiting is free but guests are asked to make a £2 donation to Richard House Children’s Hospice on entry. What’s more, this December the children’s

festive programme is bringing free, fun art and crafts workshops in Cabot Place, an enchanted mirror installation in Jubilee Place, and cookie and cupcake decorating provided by Canary Wharf’s Sweet Couture cupcake boutique in Canada Place. Plus arrive with a child and leave with a grinning snowman or sparkling fairy with free festive face painting in Cabot Place, Canada Place, Churchill Place and Jubilee Place.

Kid’s eat for free Treat the family to dinner knowing that kids aged under 10 eat free at The Parlour and Tom’s Kitchen, Canary Wharf. And, with special children’s menus on offer, there’s something to delight every little one.

Plus head to Montgomery Square, which has been transformed into a Christmas market. Inspired by the famous winter markets found in Germany, wooden chalets selling hot food, delicious sweet things and crafts are open against a backdrop of lights. Be sure to visit for a mulled wine, some roasted chestnuts and to pick up some unique Christmas gifts, such as the artisan soap and wooden toys.

Tom’s Kitchen, Canary Wharf, Westferry Circus

The Parlour, The Park Pavilion

*Please arrive early as we may need to close queues to ensure that each child queuing is able to visit the Grotto and/or participate in the activities before 5pm.

Learn while you Play

Santa’s Magical Silver Reindeer

Every weekend from 1pm until 4pm, Ibérica Canary Wharf offers free, fun Olé Kids Spanish workshops whilst adults dine in.

Santa’s magical Silver Reindeer show will be taking place in Canary Wharf’s East Wintergarden on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 December. With only a few tickets left, be sure to get yours now to catch this family show, and see elves Ellie and Elvin find a way to deliver all of Santa’s presents in time when Rudolph falls sick just before Christmas. The show is free for the under twos, with tickets priced at £2 for children and concession and £4 for adults. See canarywharf.com for details.

Ibérica Canary Wharf, Cabot Square

Skate up a storm There are some things you can only enjoy in winter, so get your skates on for Ice Rink Canary Wharf. Boasting the UK’s only skate path – which takes you through a enchanted path of fairy light-lit trees – the rink is in Canada Square Park. For children or those new to the ice, sliding penguin skate aids are

Date night in Canary Wharf on hand to keep you upright. Plus, after a session enjoy a visit to any of the surrounding restaurants or try its on-site dining spot, Q on Ice, where fried chicken and steaks are on the menu. Open until Saturday 28 February (with the exception of Christmas Day) you can book tickets on icerinkcanarywharf.co.uk.

If tonight is date night it’s easy to pick a place to impress. Enjoy an elegant choice of sushi and sashimi in Roka’s intimate restaurant, or let your hair down with live jazz and a brilliant diner at Boisdale.

Roka, The Park Pavilion

Boisdale of Canary Wharf, Cabot Place

canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

The Art and Design Window GALLERies: Galleries showcase up-and-coming artists, designers and craftspeople and are located in Canada Place. Showing this month are:

WINDOW

Daniel Lane  Canada Walk Daniel’s life has been driven by a need to know how things work. When you add to that his love for all things unusual and off-centre, you have a mix of interests that have inspired his imagination to create these constructions. Each sculpture is the result of months of searching and collecting fragments and objects, and the end results are dark yet beautiful.

VISUAL ARTS Take a break to explore and enjoy Canary Wharf’s temporary exhibitions and permanent art collection around the estate

D mechanica.uk.com

International Winter Lights @ Canary Wharf  December – January

Throughout Canary Wharf

Max Danger  Jubilee Walk It’s common knowledge that bees are disappearing, causing a global environmental problem. Through the medium of his jewellery, Max speculates on the future of bees and how they would appear if they have to adapt to the present changes. His message is to spread the word about saving the bees: they are crucial for the future of the human race and a world without them will be grey and dusty. D dangerjewels.com

11 artists from 9 countries present an array of spectacular illuminations throughout Canary Wharf during the winter months lighting up the Canary Wharf horizon with exceptional installations and artwork. This interactive festival includes sculptures, lasers, projections and digital art from a variety of artists such as UK artist Stephen Newby, Cédric Le Borgne from France, German design duo Heidi and Bernd Spiecker and Hungarian born artist Bálint Bolygó plus many more. To find out more about this amazing visual arts festival visit canarywharf.com for updates and further information.

first installation:

Karel Bata: The Tree That Blinked  8 – 29 December

South Colonnade Outside One Canada Square

A giant face appears to be living in on one of Canary Wharf’s Christmas trees! As the wind plays over the leaves of the tree, the face comes alive; blinking at you, frowning or smiling and aging whilst you watch on. The face is in fact a self-portrait of the artist who created this enigmatic light projection, Czech born but London resident, Karel Bata.

EVENTS

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in Canary Wharf

Festive Market

Until 24 December, Montgomery Square, Canary Wharf, Free

CANARY WHARF CHRISTMAS MARKET Canary Wharf shows its festive spirit by hosting a Christmas Market this winter. With the market full of Christmas cheer and buzzing with stalls offering festive food and drink, plus original crafts and unique gifts. Choose from personalised Christmas decorations, hot chestnuts, handmade soap, churros, wooden toys, mulled wine, jewellery, oil paintings, handbags, gingerbread houses and much more. The market is open Monday to Saturday from 11am – 10pm, and on Sunday’s 11am – 9pm. With Canary Wharf’s 300 shops, bars, cafes and restaurants, and Santa’s Grotto in Jubilee Place, you’ll want for nothing more – your Christmas is all wrapped up at Canary Wharf.

Project V

SKATE DATE

Until 28 February, All day, Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf

ICE RINK CANARY WHARF Skate amongst the twinkling trees and against the striking architectural backdrop that includes the famous One Canada Square building. Open until Saturday 28 February, with the exception of Christmas Day, Ice Rink Canary Wharf is the perfect venue for your Christmas party, leaving drinks, work event or even your birthday

celebrations. And, with the rink’s resident Q on Ice bar offering a varied selection of food and drink, there really is no better place to skate up a storm. BOOKING: Book tickets at icerinkcanarywharf.co.uk. Booking fee applies for telephone and online bookings. Ticket prices vary.

Cycle

The ultimate cycling challenge challenge where strategy 14 May, Throughout drives results! Corporate Canary Wharf, teams will experience the Sign up now pursuit of sporting excellence through expert coaching, structured training and a development programme – all prior to race day. The race day on 14 May next year consists of up to 40 teams of eight riders competing in an Italian Team Pursuit time trial of two teams racing at one time of four laps over a 1k distance around Canary Wharf, and a high-performance team of notable faces in cycling world. Register your team now at projectvlondon.com Facebook: ProjectVLondon / Twitter: @projectvlondon

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS FUN RUN Dress & run

Friday 12 December, Starts at 12.12pm, Throughout Canary Wharf, Sponsorship required

This year’s 1.2 mile fun run starts and finishes at the Ice Rink Canary Wharf. It’s in support of charities Kids in the City and Muddy Boots, which provide out of school activities to local children as well learning opportunities for adults. Both individuals and teams are required to raise a minimum of £200 sponsorship and all participants must dress up as one of the categories from the carol The Twelve Days of Christmas! To take part please email s.dawson@kidscity.org.uk

www.canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

Augmented Reality Mark Westall has been working in, and writing about, contemporary art on and off for almost 20 years. Each month, he introduces an artist on the cusp of greatness

This month: STUART SEMPLE

hat’s so interesting? No one would doubt that we live in anxious times, but how much of that anxiety is a product of our own behaviour? And if we are aware of what drives our anxieties, will it reduce the severity? These are questions that London artist Stuart Semple addresses in his latest exhibition ‘Anxiety Generation’, a show filled with paintings that titillate with the promise of salvation from this very modern disease. Filled with bright pop colours, words and slick stencilled graphic statements, Semple portrays a generation being hurtled at breakneck speed through a mass culture

BELOW: My Brain Hurts OPPOSITE PAGE: (clockwise from top left) Wanna Be Startin’ Something?, Ice Ice Baby, Could Have Won, Technicolour Hiroshima

that keeps them suspended between two states. It’s a repetitive cycle that sees, on the one hand, over-stimulation – the latest gossip, the news-of-the-minute, celebrity wedding or fall from grace, which vanishes in a blink – and on the other what he describes as an unconscious coma state, induced by this incessant, flickering mediaflow, which eventually leads to shut-down. The work itself is the product of an extraordinarily detailed technique in which Semple aims to slow down the flood of information and, drawing on the necessarily slow process of fine-art painting, to create a space to analyse it. Starting by collecting items, images, songs and texts, he progresses to creating digital collages, sometimes many at a time, before moving on to paint. As a result, the artworks draw on an amazingly large range of influences, from grindcore cinema to Allen Ginsberg and Paul Virilio, from Picasso and Guy Debord to superheroes. On the face of it, Semple – with a milliondollar sellout exhibition just behind him – a coterie of celebrity collectors and work in some of the world’s leading collections, has little to be anxious about. A growing reputation in the art world is accompanied by a successful modelling career, a music career with his band The Officers (last seen opening for Gary Numan no less) and even a successful stint as a gallerist, but his view of our times is a dark one. “We’ve inherited a purpose around consumption and attaining certain things that are valued, and I think we are realising that perhaps they are unobtainable and really that is making us very anxious,” he says. “We are at the mercy of an image world that keeps us suspended between a state of over-stimulation and a complete and utter zombie state. We are left craving that excitement. This constant bombardment weakens us. It’s violent.” Semple’s latest exhibition ‘Anxiety Generation’ will be on show at the Delahunty Gallery until 4 December 2014. 21 Bruton Street, W1J delahuntyfineart.com, stuartsemple.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| ART & INTERIORS |

Semple portrays a generation being hurtled at breakneck speed through a mass culture that keeps them suspended between overstimulation and an unconscious coma state

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

IAN SNOW METAL STAG HEAD This Christmas, transform your home into a Scandinavian lodge by giving a statement stag head centre stage in the living room. To add an extra touch of festivity, opt for a stag head with a gorgeous gold finish. £36.72, amazon.co.uk

NATURAL PINE CONE WREATH Dress up your door with a wreath made from natural pine cone and set the scene for the alpine retreat within. £39.95, harrods.com

BOND MIXOLOGIST BOX Shaken or stirred? Entertain in style with Ralph Lauren’s stunning Bond Mixologist Box. Equipped with everything you need to create incredible concoctions, this limited edition of fifty contains a Boston shaker, cocktail picks, a hickory cutting board, glass ice bucket, maple wood muddler, ice tongs and much more. £6,995, ralphlaurenhome.com

CHALETCHIC Words: TIFFANY EASTLAND

What could be cosier than a home that nods to a luxury alpine abode?

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| ART & INTERIORS |

BASS COPPER FLOOR LIGHT Tom Dixon is best known for honest metalwork design and the Base Copper Floor Light is certainly a testament to this. Perhaps the most striking aspect of its design is the unique combination of metals – a highly polished copper shade is paired with a traditional matt-textured, cast-iron bass.

NATURAL PLANK WOOD TREE Decorating at Christmas doesn’t have to mean tacky tinsel and blingedup baubles; in fact, Kaemingk’s natural, plank wood tree couldn’t be further from that. Cool and contemporary, all it needs is a few fairy lights for that truly festive appearance.

£845, tomdixon.net

£49.95, harrods.com

LYNX FAUX FUR THROW

CITY DRESSING TABLE This beautiful dressing table from Italian furniture company Cantori is a lovely addition to the bedroom or dressing room. Featuring a framework made from open-pore-textured, oakveneered, multilayer-wood, you’re guaranteed to get the quality for which Cantori is so well known.

A fur, or in this instance, faux fur is perfect for warming up those living areas when winter hits. Soft to touch and really quite realistic, Heal’s Lynx faux fur throw is an opulent addition to any home. £190, heals.co.uk

£3,793, prelwayinteriors.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

TECH TALK

Essential apparatus for keeping ahead of the curve

RADIO DAYS

Tune in to more than the shipping forecast, with our pick of the best internet radios

igital radios aren’t exactly ground-breaking technology, yet the industry is undergoing an expansive increase in both usage and revenue. User-friendly sets, with wireless extras, are constantly flowing into the market and it’s no surprise that those topping tech reviews mix timeless style with modern gadgets. Ruark’s third generation radio sits above the rest by integrating fantastic sound quality into an all-round compact music system. As for the gadget add-ons, the R2 offers Bluetooth, over 16,000 internet stations, OLED display and Spotify Connect.

Ruark Audio R2 Price £399.99 USP Made for music Best feature Treble and base settings ruarkaudio.com

Wi-Fi internet radio with access to over 16,000 stations worldwide

Spotify connect ready for instant access to 20+ million tracks

High contrast OLED display with large format clock

Wireless DLNA audio streaming from networked storage devices and PCs

: H120 × [ Dimensions

W340 × D185

mm ]

Pure

Ted Baker

Roberts

Evoke F4

Finisterre

Stream 93i

Price £170 USP Best portable Best feature Touch-sensitive controls pure.com

Price £200 USP Quality craftsmanship Best feature Brushed aluminium casing tedbaker.com/uk/mens_audio

Price £150 USP Best all-rounder Best feature Spotify Connect robertsradio.co.uk

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

| LIFESTYLE |

Feel the beat Alpine’s latest headphones promise to recreate the feeling of a live concert, using patented ‘Full Frequency Immersion Technology’. Aside from good vibrations – the music beat can be felt down to your core – the Bluetooth headphones analyse and organise your music library into different energy levels, thanks to the Level Play app for smartphones. Alpine headphones, Alpine Electronics of Silicon Valley, apple.com

Pixel perfect Tech giant Apple has introduced a gargantuan pixel product to the market. With a 27-inch 5120x2880 display, the iMac with retina 5K display has 14.7 million pixels and pretty much puts 4K screens to shame. Redeeming the underwhelming launch of the iPhone6, the iMac 5K is the highest resolution screen on the market. Whether you like Apple, or loathe them, it is hard to fault the ultra-high resolution display, which is immensely sharp. The desktop comes with 8GB of RAM as standard but, being an Apple product, you can add a plethora of specs on top of that at an extra cost, including up to 32GB with 3TB of storage. iMac with Retina 5K display, from £1,999, Apple, apple.com

The not so small screen For those with the means, home cinemas have always been a must-have luxury, but it seems they are now more popular than ever. Custom installation company, Finite Solutions, are projecting a 50 per cent increase in turnover for 2015. The Fulham-based firm specialises in digital consultancy, installing high-quality, bespoke audio-visual projects for the home. Home cinema options include tiers of electric reclining cinema seats, professional projectors, electronics and acoustic treatments to ensure an immersive experience. finitesolutions.co.uk

Up in the air Om Audio’s latest wireless speaker, the OM/ONE, features some seriously cool space-age styling and understandably went down a storm on Kickstarter. Thanks to a strong magnetic base, the speaker orb levitates and rotates whilst playing your favourite tunes. OM/ONE, approx. £125, Om Audio, omone.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

SOMETHING SPECIALE

THE POSITIVE The engine only generates 275 g/km of CO2 emissions THE PROMISE 0-62mph in 3.0 seconds – four-tenths quicker than a 458 Spider

Words: Jennifer Mason

THE POWER The 4.5-litre, V8 engine develops 597bhp and 398lb-ft of torque

errari are calling the new 458 Speciale ‘the most powerful spider in Prancing Horse history’, and I’m inclined to believe them. Ferrari’s racing heritage is proudly on display in the poised and aerodynamically-efficient supercar – boasting an engine based on Ferarri’s most extreme V8 Berlinetta that produces 9,000 rpm and that has helped the Speciale set a new specific power record for a road-going power unit of this type – lapping the Fiorano test circuit in Italy faster than the legendary Enzo. That might also have something to do with the new SSC (side slip angle control), which carries out instantaneous analysis to optimise the distribution of engine torque between the two driven wheels – a welcome aid for drivers hoping to cut some beautiful lines when cornering at speed. And, if rumours are true, Ferrari is considering a change to twin-turbo, 3.8-litre, V8 power for the next supercar to roll off the production, which means the Speciale could go down in history as the motoring giant’s last ever naturally-aspirated, V8-powered road car. But regardless of its standing in Ferrari’s inner circle of power (now there’s a place I’d like to visit) the 458 Speciale A will certainly be one of the rarest models ever sold. Just 499 are available globally. ferrari.com

THE CITY MAGAZINE | November 2014

INNER STRENGTH The chassis incorporates 10 aluminium alloys and side slip angle control (SSC) for stability

IN CONTROL The Speciale A features a rear-wheel drive, seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox

| MOTORING |

HIT THE ROOF The aluminium retractable hard top takes just 14 seconds to deploy or retract

WEIGH IT UP Despite the extra weight from the folding roof mechanism and stiffening measures, the Speciale A is still 90kg lighter than a regular 458 Spider â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a 1,445kg kerb weight

THE WHOLE PACKAGE The Speciale A premiered in a unique triple-layer yellow livery with a Blu Nart and Bianco Avus central stripe, as well as Grigio Corsa, fivespoke forged wheels

THE FINISHING TOUCHES Design accents throughout the concept are finished in Maserati Blue, as is the Alfieri signature at the rear, which has been reproduced from the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s archives

THE CITY MAGAZINE | November 2014

AN ETHEREAL EXPERI E

Matthew Carter turns entrepreneur for the day and enjoys the front (and back) seats of the latest Rolls-Royce Ghost

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I ENCE

| MOTORING |

he day begins with a breakfast meeting on the 24th floor of The Shard, after which a chauffeur whisks us by Rolls-Royce Ghost through crowded London streets to the next rendezvous, the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Wharf. So far, it’s a typical day in the life of a busy (and clearly successful) entrepreneur. But at the Four Seasons things change. Any pretence at me being the sort to spend his time in the back seat of a Ghost – or the back seat of any car for that matter – ceases and after a quick coffee, it’s time

to move to the front seat of this, the Ghost Series II. From here, we drive out into Kent and Sussex to sample Goodwood’s latest and to see what differences the subtle – very subtle – changes have made to the car, which according to the company “… has led a new, younger generation of highly successful men and women to Rolls-Royce ownership.” The underpinnings of the Ghost are based on the BMW 7 Series which helps to create something that’s more of a driver’s car than the larger, plutocratic, Phantom.

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And pushing the point home, RollsRoyce has devised a driving route that’s, shall we say, brave. It starts with a little London crawl and some urban sprawl before a quick motorway blast leads to some twisty countryside lanes… lanes that are only a little bit wider than the car itself. The idea is to show that despite its size – it might be smaller than the Phantom, but the Ghost is still a large car – it is as manoeuvrable as a humble hatchback. Well nearly. But before we talk about the driving experience, we ought to look at what changes have been made to justify the Series II moniker. In truth, this is a very mild makeover. There are some visual changes (though you’d need Series I and II side by side to really appreciate them). The biggest change to the look comes at the front where new headlights, framed by LED running lamps, have been installed. The front of the car has been raised slightly, while the Spirit of Ecstasy has been gently tilted forward for a more dynamic look. The bonnet, meanwhile, has been given a subtle redesign with what R-R calls a ‘tapered wake channel’ that appears to come off the flying lady’s wings and ‘evokes the sight of a jet’s vapour trail.’ If you say so. There are new wheels, complete with a 21inch option, redesigned bumpers and… well nothing else really: the changes are the very definition of subtle. Inside, it’s as sumptuous as ever, as you’d expect for £217k. There are new seats with greater under-thigh support in the front, revised instruments and a new rotary controller for the new infotainment system. The controller now has – and this is a big deal apparently – the Spirit of Ecstasy emblem underneath its glass surface. Mechanical changes are also fairly minor, though the adoption of the latest satelliteaided, automatic transmission, as already seen in the R-R Wraith, is a considerable enhancement. The eight speed ZF gearbox is fed information on the route ahead by the sat-nav system, so that it knows what’s coming next and either hangs on to lower gears or slips unobtrusively into the next gear without the driver being truly aware of what’s happening. You certainly can’t monitor the engine’s progress by looking at the rev counter, because there isn’t one. Instead R-R provides a ‘power meter’ that shows the amount of power remaining. It’s not easy to assimilate and is, frankly, an affectation. There have been a few other dynamic changes, including a sharper steering rack, new front and rear suspension struts and the option of a Dynamic Driving Pack that as well as stiffening the ride adds a thicker steering wheel for a better feel. I can’t help but feel that’s an odd thing to do in the Ghost: it makes more sense in the Wraith coupé, but the Ghost, like the

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THE RIVALS

BENTLEY MULSANNE, from £229,345 The most obvious rival for the Ghost, the Mulsanne is bespoke-built (unlike the off-the-peg Flying Spur) and is just as good from behind the steering wheel as it is in the back seat. Close on the Ghost’s money but lacks some the R-R presence… though that might be a good thing for some.

Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II Price £216,864 Engine Front-mounted, 6,592cc, twin turbo, V12 petrol Power 571hp Performance 155mph, 0-62mph in 4.8 secs Drive Rear-wheel drive, eight-speed automatic

RANGE ROVER HOLLAND & HOLLAND, from £180,000 Costing a mere £180,000, the Range Rover – as conceived by gun makers Holland & Holland – is a positive bargain alongside the Ghost. And it can go places the Rolls-Royce could never manage. The H&H RR has a unique exterior body colour, soft tan leather, veneer designed to look like oil-finished gunstocks and H&H engraved door handles. Bring your own guns, though.

Phantom, is all about passenger comfort. If you want a dynamic drive, buy a sports car. That said, there’s no denying this car is quick. No changes have been made to the gargantuan twin turbo 6.6-litre V12. Developing more than 570hp, it is a real Jekyll and Hyde unit. On one hand it will purr around town, making gentle progress on just a handful of revs. But if you really want to get going, it’s unbelievably quick. The 0-60mph time of less than five seconds is extraordinary for a car this stately. And the driving route chosen by R-R underlines this remarkable ability. At the start of the journey, undertaken from the back seat remember, we could almost have been in an electric car, so quiet, smooth and unruffled was progress. With fabulous, and dignified, access

| MOTORING |

thanks to the wide-opening rear hinged coach doors, ample legroom, a magic carpet ride and a whole host of screens to play with, life in the back of a Ghost is pretty good. But it gets better once you’re behind the wheel. When you’re not in a hurry, the Ghost lives up to its name by gliding in near silence. But give it its head on a stretch of open road and it shows the other side of its character. Top speed is limited to 155mph. While it can’t be thrown around like a 911, it handles exceptionally well for a limousine. The suspension changes mean less body roll when cornering and there’s a good deal less dive and squat under braking and acceleration than before. It even handles tight Kentish lanes with

aplomb, though such is the way of things it was the Rolls-Royce that invariably had to back up to let the oncoming white van past, rather than the other way round. In some respects, though, the Ghost Series II will be the last of the breed. Its performance is fantastic but its environmental credentials are severely lacking, with poor emissions and ridiculous fuel consumption. The Series III must be made available with a hybrid electric/ petrol drivetrain to improve both figures. So we are nearly at the end of the drive and it’s back to The Shard in the early evening rush hour. Traffic is predictably terrible and we drive in to London Bridge at a snail’s pace. Under normal circumstances this would

be motoring hell – stop-start progress, red lights everywhere, taxis making last minute U-turns, battered vans diving in and out of queues and Audi drivers (always Audi drivers) trying to win the Southwark Grand Prix. But in the Ghost none of it really matters and you just let the antics of your fellow road users go over your head. You sit in incredible comfort in a car that will blow the rest of them away were you to indulge in anything as vulgar as a race. As they get frustrated, you just sit there in your own world dreaming up your next money making business enterprise. The Ghost has always been that kind of car and small though the changes are, the Series II is no different.

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| promotion |

all Revved up

The capital’s newest classic car show is opening its doors at ExCel London this January, and with it the opportunity to admire, adore and own one of history’s finest motors

ondon is home to a thriving network of classic car dealerships and enthusiasts. The trend for investing in classic cars is on the rise, with old motors seeing a renaissance of late with buyers appreciating their rising worth and timeless style. Celebrating the cars’ revival, the team behind the hugely successful Top Gear Live is celebrating the country’s passion for motors by hosting the new London Classic Car Show at ExCel London between 8–11 January 2015. The centrepiece of the event will be The Grand Avenue, a motorised catwalk that will transform the show from a static exhibition into a moving experience. Operating at regular intervals throughout the four days, The Grand Avenue will feature 40 cars which have been handpicked to illustrate the story of the classic car. The 40 chosen range from a 1904 Lagonda Tricar to the ex-James Hunt McLaren M23 via a dramatic Lancia Stratos. Also lined up are the Maserati 250F that Stirling Moss used to win the 1956 Monaco GP, the ex-Elio de Angelis Lotus and a Jaguar C-type, originally owned by five times World F1 Champion Juan Manuel Fangio. The Grand Avenue will also give visitors the

chance to enjoy the rare sight of a 1920 Jaguar SS1 in action alongside a 1924 Bugatti, while other significant cars include a 1948 Land Rover, one of the first ever made, and a pre-production Range Rover from the 1970s. Visitors can also expect to hear the rumble of a Gullwing Mercedes (pictured), a 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa and a Lamborghini Muira S from the 1960s. For those who can’t wait, a preview night takes place on 8 January that will see the official opening of The Grand Avenue and the launch of Top Gear presenter James May’s own contribution, Cars that Changed the World. The latter being a debate-inducing exhibition of twelve cars that May has humorously grouped into the categories ‘The Hall of Obviousness’ and ‘The Corridors of Bloody Mindedness’. A thirteenth, secret car will be unveiled on the night as the winning motor which – in his opinion – has made the greatest historic impact. Another celebrity face will be TV star and applauded chef James Martin, who will not only be overseeing the pop-up Classic Car Café as it serves up good, honest food to the crowds, but who will also be hosting an exhibit of his very own. A man whose passion for cooking is only rivalled for his love of vehicles, Martin will be displaying his private collection of classics, which includes old Minis, a Ford Mustang and a pair of Ferraris – a 275GTB and a Testarossa to be precise. If you’re not already a car enthusiast, prepare to develop a new obsession at this unique and unmissable event.

The London Classic Car Show 8–11 January 2015 tickets from £13 ExCel London Docklands, thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk

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Lee Valley VeloPark, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Ready for your next challenge? Track | BMX | Road | MTB

Book your session now visitleevalley.org.uk/velopark

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| FEATURE |

The

Cult Wine

phenomenon Welcome to the world’s most revered vineyards, sacred cases and elusive single bottles WORDS: James Lawrence

ine buying and collecting have come a long way since the days of tunnel vision toward the Bordeaux region. Our tastes have diversified significantly over the last decade – top Burgundy, Californian, Spanish and Italian wines now fetch impressive prices in the UK auction market, which is being encouraged by the increasing rarity of the most prized wines. These so-called ‘cult wines’, released in small quantities, are often sold via strict waiting lists and only seen at the occasional auction, where prices can reach stratospheric levels. The origins of these wines vary; some of the estates have a long history of finewine production, others were founded as recently as the 1980s. They hail from different corners of the world, but their commonality is the rarity factor and often an endorsement by the world’s most prominent wine critic, Robert Parker. A high Parker score is almost guaranteed to raise a wine’s price and elevate it to the club of a luxury commodity. Burgundy Domaine de la RomanÉe-Conti – La TÂche What to buy: 2006 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche where to buy it: £10,000 per case of six, bbr.com

If one estate epitomises the glamour of Burgundy, then it is undoubtedly Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. British wine lovers have long adored in particular the incredible fragrance and power of the estate’s prized La Tâche vineyard, the wine writer Hugh Johnson describes top DRC as having “reserves of flavour beyond imagination,” and, unsurprisingly, the wines sell for crown jewel prices. The cult surrounding this estate is unparallelled, so much so that an undisclosed party attempted to blackmail the owners in 2011, threatening to poison their precious vineyards unless a €1 million ransom was paid. Thankfully, nothing came of their threat, and wine lovers can rest assured that investing in a younger vintage of DRC is bound to reap rewards. Ribera Del Duero Dominio de Pingus – Pingus What to buy: 2010 Flor de Pingus, Dominio de Pingus where to buy it: £825 for six, bbr.com

Spain’s first cult wine of the modern age, Pingus was founded by the Dane Peter Sisseck, who was determined to show the world that Spain does not just equal supermarket Rioja. Investing in

the Ribera del Duero region in 1995, Sisseck’s wine soon found an eager market in the US after a shipping accident which lost 75 cases (325 were produced in total in 1995) and rave reviews by Parker sent the wine into the stratosphere of cult status. Produced from prized old Tempranillo vineyards in the region’s most select sites, Pingus is an icon of modern Spanish wine: powerful, dense, concentrated and long-lived. A bottle can be yours for around £700 in top vintages. Bordeaux Right Bank Le Pin What to buy: 2005 Le Pin, Pomerol Where to buy it: £2,500, per bottle, bbr.com

Le Pin often achieves some of the highest Bordeaux prices at auction per case, far in excess of such iconic wines as Château Lafite and Latour. Amazing to think, then, that Le Pin started out life as a hobby for Belgian owner Jacques Thienpont, who purchased one hectare of Merlot in 1979 and sold the wines from his farmhouse basement. Gradually, over the years, its renown spread, and thanks to Parker’s

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| FEATURE |

lavish praise and its scarcity – only 700 cases on average are made each year – the wine has become a collector’s favourite. Le Pin is composed of 100 per cent Merlot and offers incredible ripeness, finesse and a velvety texture – a very decadent example of Pomerol. Napa Valley Harlan What to buy: 2009 Harlan Estate where to buy it: £595.75, per bottle hedonism.co.uk

California’s equivalent to Château Latour, the Harlan Estate was founded by a Napa property developer H. William Harlan in 1984, who set out to craft a wine that would equal Bordeaux’s finest and it must be said that this is one of the world’s greatest reds. Only 1,800 on average cases are released per annum, a blend of classic Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The estate’s resident winemaker works with the legendary consultant Michel Rolland and between them they produce a wine of immense dimension, opulence and richness. It may not be the original cult Napa red – that status arguably belongs to Screaming Eagle – but it is undoubtedly the best and frequently earns lavish praise from critics. Notaries such as Jancis Robinson have described Harlan as, “one of the ten best wines of the 20th century,” and understandably the estate commands high prices.

Best Wine Clubs for

2015

Forget dry January, start the year as you mean to go on – get the best drops delivered to your door courtesy of the capital’s most admired sommeliers

The Berry Bros. & Rudd Wine Club Gift memberships to the award-winning Berry Bros. & Rudd Wine Club range from £360 for a six-month Bourne membership, to the £1,800 yearlong Wellington membership. The Wine Club experience begins with the delivery of a personalised letter and member’s pack. This contains a stylish folder designed to house the wine-tasting notes that arrive with every case, along with food-matching tips, storage advice and grape information. bbr.com/wine-club

Champagne Krug – Clos d’Ambonnay What to buy: 1996 Krug, Clos d’Ambonnay where to buy it: £2,900, per bottle, bbr.com

This legendary Champagne house has been producing superlative Champagne for well over a century. Founded in the 1840s by Johann-Josef Krug, it has long been the favourite tipple not only of royalty (the 97-year-old Queen Mother alledgely smuggled a case of Krug into the hospital where she was being treated), but also among those who wish the world to know of their recent wealth. And there can be no greater status-seeking Champagne than Krug’s legendary 100 per cent Pinot Noir cuvée. First launched in 2007, it remains one of the region’s rarest (3,000 bottles in select years) and keenly sought-after Champagnes, offering unsurpassed richness, power and depth of flavour like no other sparkling wine.

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Château Boundary En Primeur Club Château Boundary En Primeur Club is Boundary restaurant’s version of the renowned wine futures system – the method of purchasing wines early, while a vintage is still in the barrel, offering customers an allocation of a rare or sought-after wine before it is bottled. Membership involves a one-off fee (£300 for individual membership and an extra £200 for corporate group membership) and gets you access to a range of unique events as well as discounts. theboundary.co.uk/chateau-boundary

The Wine Club Founded by the Gherkin’s private members’ club’s general manger Danny Kaljee (previously of Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill), thewineclub. co delivers bottles handpicked by London’s most respected sommeliers. Usually only found at the City’s best restaurants, each wine is selected by experts including João Pires (Dinner by Heston), Laure Patry (Pollen Street Social) and Mikael Hannequin (Searcys Club). Membership is free. Cases of six start from £50. thewineclub.co

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MAD ABOUT

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T MACAU

| TRAVEL |

Lisbon meets Las Vegas in one of the world’s richest cities, Macau Words: TIFFANY EASTLAND

t may be small (11 square miles) but Macau is most definitely mighty. This Special Administrative Region of China is the world‘s largest gambling hub, with an industry that brings in more than seven times that of the Las Vegas Strip. Perhaps best known for its casinos (I’ll admit, before my visit, that was the extent of my knowledge), Macau is home to everything from a Wynn to a Venetian, and it seems there’s no slowing down for the Monte Carlo of the Orient, well at least not in the immediate future. In fact, one need only observe the cranes on the Cotai Strip to know that Macau has much on the horizon, starting with the Ritz-Carlton’s first all-suites hotel next year. By 2017, Macau will also be home to the world’s first hotel designed by fashion industry icon Karl Lagerfeld, and Asia’s first Versace hotel. However, perhaps the most significant infrastructure taking place is the construction of a bridge that will connect Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai, drastically reducing travel times and helping boost tourism when it opens 2016. At present Macau attracts around 30 million visitors each year as the only region of China to have legalised gambling, in what was a successful attempt to generate revenue for the government during the 1850s. And that is just one small aspect of its fascinating history; the truth is, Macau’s unique Portuguese-Chinese heritage is unlike anything else in the

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world. A distinct 450-year-old blend of culture is reflected in everything from the architecture to the food. The historic centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, puts you in Europe and Asia at the exact same time, while its Macanese cuisine offers a taste of Africa, India, South America and Malaysia, brought to Macau by the Portuguese explorers who settled in the region. And despite being handed back to China 15 years ago, the Portuguese presence is certainly evident. At the very forefront of promoting Portuguese food and culture is chef and local personality António Coelho, who in 2008 opened his popular restaurant António. Serving a wide variety of authentic Portuguese dishes, this Michelinrecommended restaurant didn’t remain a hidden gem for long, and today it boasts a clientele of local and international foodies, not to mention a place in the Hong Kong/ Macau Louis Vuitton City Guide. One thing I learnt during my time in Macau is that there’s certainly no shortage of fine-food establishments, and for those looking for something truly exceptional, Vida Rica at the Mandarin Oriental is not to be missed. Upon entering, the décor and interior design alone are perhaps enough to impress, but for me, the highlight is a spectacular glass wall offering views over the South China Sea and Nam Van Lake. Open all day, the executive chef has created a classic menu with a clever modern twist that features highlights including wok-fried scallops and asparagus with peppers in taro nest. How does one top that? Perhaps by pairing your incredible dinner with an absolutely mind-blowing show. The House of Dancing Water at the City of Dreams combines high-dive acrobatics, high-wire stunts and stunning fountain effects in a multi-million-dollar production developed by Franco-Dragone, the man behind many of Cirque du Soleil’s most spectacular shows. From here, you really must enjoy Macau’s lively nightlife and pay a visit to one of Macau’s rooftop bars that take advantage of the generally fine weather. 38 Lounge on the top floor of Altira Macau features an outdoor terrace that opens up to unrivalled views of Macau peninsula, while the main hall indoors is a hot spot for performances and live music from the resident DJ. For those seeking a little more action away from the gaming tables, Macau Tower is worth paying a visit. As one of the world’s tallest towers, standing at more than 330 metres high, Macau Tower dominates the skyline and offers

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“A distinct 450-year-old blend of culture is reflected in everything from the architecture to the food”

the most incredible views over the Pearl River and this forever expanding region of China. Those who dare can experience the world’s highest bungee jump, as certified by Guinness World Records, and reach speeds of up to 200km/h during a four to five-second freefall, stretching the 50-metre bungee cord nearly four times its unloading length before rebounding at approximately 30 metres above the ground. If your heart just skipped a beat reading this, there is (slightly) less panic-inducing fun to be had at Macau Tower. The SkyWalk X takes you out onto the 1.8-metre-wide outer perimeter that encircles the tower 233 metres in the air, without any hand rails to cling to. Alternatively, if you’re a keen climber, the Mast Climb offers visitors a unique opportunity to stand atop the building after climbing 100 metres up the mast’s vertical ladder, a truly exhilarating experience if you can stomach it. If you are, however, risk-averse, don’t let the casinos or the tower keep you from discovering this truly extraordinary destination. Macau ticks more than a few boxes and packs an impressive amount into 11 square miles – you really must see it to believe it.

ABOVE The Venetian Macao Hotel OPPOSITE PAGE: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The House of Dancing Water at City of Dreams, interior of The Venetian Macao, St Dominic’s Church, Taipa Food Street

| TRAVEL |

Flights

Virgin Atlantic flies daily from London Heathrow to Hong Kong. Economy fares start from £320 plus £381.26 taxes return. For more information and to book, visit virgin-atlantic.com or call 0844 209 2770. Macau is just 45 minutes away by TurboJet ferry with the terminal five minutes by shuttle train from Hong Kong International Airport.

Accommodation

Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 offers rooms from £104 per night in a Superior Room, excluding tax and breakfast. For bookings, please visit sofitelmacau.com

Tourist information

For further information on Macau, please visit macautourism.gov.mo

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LONDON HOMES &

PROPERTY Covering THE CITY, Wapping, Shad Thames, Shoreditch & Islington

Past & present Predicting tomorrow’s market from the year that’s been

The Mondrian sideboard, from £12,720, Boca Do Lobo, bocadolobo.com

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PROPERTY NEWS

Keep tabs on the market, whether you are living or investing in the capital

SALES MARK BENNETT, senior negotiator at Knight Frank Wapping, comments on the residential sales market As Christmas approaches and the party season gets into full swing, now is the perfect time to reflect on how the London property market has performed throughout the year. We started with an unprecedented level of activity as domestic and international buyers clambered to buy London property. This led to many properties going to sealed bids and in some cases, achieving ten per cent over the asking price. The Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, then came under pressure to cool the market. In April, the introduction of stricter mortgage lending seems to have had the desired effect, as some people saw their budgets reduce once the new regulations took effect. It has been noted that the market has become more settled over the latter part of the year, but it would be unfair to suggest the market had dipped. The shortage of supply especially in the core market place (£450-1 million) has meant that well-priced stock has continued to go straight under offer, especially in Wapping and the City fringes. The same can be said for the £1-2 million bracket. We have seen prime property transactions (£2-5 million) slow down as buyers pause to see what, if anything, will happen regarding the possibility of the Mansion Tax. So what will 2015 bring to Wapping and the City fringes? It is perhaps a little early to tell. The general consensus is that prices will remain quite static. This isn’t surprising if you consider property prices have increased on average by 40 per cent over the past four years, exceeding growth of 15 per cent in the UK mainstream market and a nine per cent fall in the price of the safe haven asset, gold. We have seen the demographic of buyers change sharply over the past 12 months as the traditional Central London buyers look further afield for what they consider to be better value properties within an emerging part of London. This will bolster prices as the investment continues to change the skyline. Knight Frank Wapping 020 7480 6848 knightfrank.co.uk/Wapping

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Did you know? House prices outside of London have only recently recovered to the level they hit 10 years ago – 16 per cent below their 2007 peak, according to analysis of September’s Land Registry data by property investment firm London Central Portfolio.

Blackheath winter wonderland Independent estate agent John Payne has teamed up with The Conservatoire to create a winter wonderland in the heart of Blackheath. The Arctic explorerinspired installation, which is set to open on 6 December and is free to enter, also coincides with the turning on of the Blackheath Village Christmas lights. From local craft stalls and daily children’s activities to the promise of mulled wine and lots of delicious treats, Blackheath Winter Wonderland is tipped to be popular with all ages; however, the highlight for most will certainly be the promise of snow on the hour, every hour up until Christmas. Open daily from 6-24 December, 10am-4pm. Free to visit. conservatoire.org.uk / johnpayne.com

| HOMES & PROPERTY |

LETTINGS GARY HALL, partner and department head at Knight Frank Wapping, comments on the trends in the residential lettings market

Vintage virtue Combining their love of vintage and quirky home objects, interior designers Mark Bentham and Laura May Lane have created an online interiors brand for lovers of all things vintage. Combining original features and industrial materials, their range cleverly encapsulates rustic charm and aged elegance. From cabinets to stools and chairs to lighting, Uniche offers its handcrafted decorative objects in an eclectic online destination. Laura says: “Our home interiors are not about blending in and conforming to neutral design; we want to allow our customers to express themselves through rare and individual pieces that add just a touch of quirkiness to the home.” unicheinteriorfurnishings.co.uk

Eastern promise Canning Town’s popularity as a location to buy property is soaring, driven by its proximity to the soon-to-open high-speed Crossrail, and because the area is undergoing a huge regeneration that will see 10,000 homes and a new town centre built over the next 15 years. One of Canning Town’s most talked-about developments is Rathbone Market, the second phase of which, Aurelia, has completely sold off-plan. The development contains a mixture of 650 one and two bedroom apartments and was built by English Cities Fund (ECF) in partnership with Newham Council. If you’re looking to invest in London, it might be time to look east.

Whilst rental values rose for the eighth successive month in October, recovering to levels last seen two years ago in the City and East, we are still only 3.1 per cent higher than we were at the end of 2013. Even though the speed of growth is slow, these are positive signs for investors, especially with new applicants registrations increasing by 15 per cent and tenancies agreed increasing by 24 per cent from July to October compared to the same period last year. Rental yields are also looking more encouraging with percentages increasing across London, with better percentages the further east you head. Central London is currently at 2.9 per cent, Wapping is 3.85 per cent and Canary Wharf leads the way with 4.2 per cent. Surprisingly the only part of London to outperform Canary Wharf is Wimbledon. As the January rental market normally starts with a bang and competition for properties is high from the moment we return to our offices, tenants should make the most of the quieter market in December and find their perfect apartment before London shuts for Christmas. There is a good opportunity to secure a property in 2014 and a possible discount on your rental, while your fellow tenants are off enjoying Christmas parties and buying their presents. For a landlord, there is nothing better than knowing they have a tenant lined up for January as they break for Christmas. This is my 11th Christmas with Knight Frank and I am delighted to still be dealing with many of the same clients year after year. If I can be of assistance in 2015, I would be delighted to hear from you. Merry Christmas from everyone at Knight Frank and we hope you all have a prosperous New Year. Knight Frank Wapping 020 7480 6848 knightfrank.co.uk/Wapping

aurelia-apartments.co.uk

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

117

KnightFrank.co.uk Cinnabar Wharf, Wapping E1W Rare opportunity

An exceptionally large one bedroom flat on the 4th floor of a desirable development on Wapping High Street. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, reception room, kitchen, guest cloakroom, residents' lift, private parking and concierge. EPC rating C. Approximately 123 sq m ﴾1,324 sq ft﴿ Leasehold ﴾984 years 1 month﴿ Guide price: £725,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5372 ﴾WAP140147﴿

Ivory House, St Katharine Docks E1W Characterful conversion

A charming flat in a prominent position within this historic listed building in the heart of St Katharine Docks, with dock and lock views. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, kitchen, terrace, lift, porterage and parking space. Approximately 86 sq m ﴾926 sq ft﴿ Leasehold ﴾115 years 3 months﴿ Guide price: £1,500,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5372 ﴾WAP140023﴿

The City Magazine December 2014 SALES

o.ukKnightFrank.co.uk Cinnabar Wharf, Wapping E1W

Cinnabar Wharf, Wapping E1W

Guide price: £725,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5372

﴾WAP140147﴿

Rare opportunity the

om,

hin

KnightFrank.co.uk

Rare opportunity

Ivory House, St Katharine Docks E1W

Guide price: £1,500,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5372

﴾WAP140023﴿

Characterful conversion

The City Magazine December 2014 SALES

18/11/2014 13:53:00 The City Magazine December 2014 18/11/2014 SALES 13:53:00

KnightFrank.co.uk Capital Wharf, Wapping E1W

Views of Tower Bridge Spacious riverside apartment in west Wapping close to St Katharine Docks. 2 bedrooms, 2 en suite bathrooms, reception room, kitchen, large entrance hall, wooden floors, underground parking, communal gym, 24 hour porter and a large patio with stunning south facing views of the river and Tower Bridge. EPC rating C. Approximately 94 sq m ﴾1,012 sq ft﴿ Available furnished Guide price: £640 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings wappinglettings@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5366 ﴾WAQ139986﴿

The Heron, City EC2Y

Lifestyle development A brand new 25th floor flat in the City. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, open plan kitchen and reception room, balcony, 24 hour concierge and communal club lounge, conference rooms, screening room and access to a private landscaped roof garden. EPC rating C. Approximately 53 sq m ﴾571 sq ft﴿ Available furnished Guide price: £725 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings wappinglettings@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5366 ﴾WAQ207794﴿

All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/tenantcharges

KnightFrank.co.uk Cubitt House, Southbank SE1

Stylish new development Brand new first floor apartment on Blackfriars Road. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms ﴾1 en suite﴿, open plan kitchen and reception room, balcony. The flat boasts beautiful, comfort cooling, under floor heating and built in surround sound. EPC rating C. Approximately 88 sq m ﴾878 sq ft﴿ Available furnished Guide price: £750 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings wappinglettings@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5366 ﴾WAQ208573﴿

NEO Bankside, Southbank SE1 Luxury development

An outstanding apartment with panoramic views of London's iconic skyline overlooking the river Thames. 3 bedrooms, 3 en suite bathrooms, open plan kitchen and reception room, winter garden, 24 hour concierge, underground car parking, private residents' gymnasium and business centre. EPC rating C. Approximately 256 sq m ﴾2,750 sq ft﴿ Available furnished Guide price: £2,950 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings wappinglettings@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5366 ﴾WAQ208329﴿

KnightFrank.co.uk

Balham Park Road, Wandsworth SW12 Double fronted house with south facing garden

A wonderful family house close to Wandsworth Common with a beautiful south facing garden. 6 double bedrooms, 4 bathrooms (2 en suite), 4 reception rooms, study, kitchen, cinema room, utility room, downstairs cloakroom, garden. EPC rating F. Approximately 388 sq m (4,176 sq ft) Freehold Guide price: ÂŁ3,950,000 (WND080281)

KnightFrank.co.uk/wandsworth wandsworth@knightfrank.com 020 3597 7680

KnightFrank.co.uk

Montevetro, Battersea SW11 Two bedroom flat in Monetevetro Building

In this extremely sought after riverside building, we are delighted to offer this bright and sunny flat with excellent views of the River Thames. Superb living accommodation with a west facing terrace. Two bedrooms (1 ensuite), reception/dining room, kitchen, guest bathroom, balcony. EPC Rating C. Approximately 134 sq m (1,442 sq ft). Share of Freehold Guide price: ÂŁ1,995,000 (RVR140140)

KnightFrank.co.uk/battersea battersea@knightfrank.com 020 3597 7670

Inside every great home is an exceptional Christmas waiting to happen.

Savills Wapping Unit 1 Execution Dock House 80 Wapping High Street E1W 2NE

savills.co.uk

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Just a few of the properties we have recently sold and let, where we have made a big difference for our clients.

SOLD

IVORY HOUSE, E1W GUIDE £1.5 MILLION

PRUSOMS ISLAND, E1W GUIDE £1.2 MILLION

HERMITAGE COURT, E1W GUIDE £1.199 MILLION

SOLD

OSPREY COURT, E1W GUIDE £999,000

CHIMNEY COURT, E1W GUIDE £935,000

BRIDEWELL PLACE, E1W GUIDE £550,000

LET

IVORY HOUSE, E1W GUIDE £895 PER WEEK

SPICE QUAY HEIGHTS, SE1 GUIDE £765 PER WEEK

TEAL COURT, E1W GUIDE £600 PER WEEK

LET

DUNDEE COURT, E1W GUIDE £575 PER WEEK

GULLIVERS WHARF, E1W GUIDE £500 PER WEEK

CINNABAR WHARF, E1W GUIDE £460 PER WEEK

To discuss your property requirements further, call our team on 020 7456 6800.

09:59

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savills.co.uk

KING STAIRS CLOSE, se16

HERMITAGE COURT, e1w

2/3 reception rooms ø cinema room ø kitchen ø 3/4 bedrooms ø 4 bathrooms ø 2 terraces ø 2 balconies ø off-street parking ø 250 sq m (2,698 sq ft) ø EPC=C

Reception room ø kitchen ø 3 bedrooms (1 en-suite) ø bathroom ø terrace ø underground parking ø daytime porterage ø 98 sq m (1,050 sq ft) ø EPC=D

Offers in excess of £3 million Freehold

Guide £925,000 Leasehold

Savills Wapping nefthymiou@savills.com 020 7456 6800

Savills Wapping mmacfarlane@savills.com 020 7456 6800

IVORY HOUSE, e1w

DUNDEE COURT, e1w

Reception room ø kitchen ø 2 bedrooms (1 en suite) ø further bathroom ø daytime porter ø terrace ø underground parking ø 88 sq m (940 sq ft) ø EPC=C

Reception room ø kitchen ø bedroom ø bathroom ø daytime porter ø off-street parking ø 48 sq m (515 sq ft) ø EPC=D

Guide £1.5 million Leasehold

Guide £490,000 Leasehold

Savills Wapping twadhwani@savills.com 020 7456 6800

Savills Wapping nefthymiou@savills.com 020 7456 6800

3 4

L L O

1 2

savills.co.uk

LETTINGS LAYOUT ONLY

PAN PENINSULA, e14

LOVAT LANE, ec3r

3 bedrooms (1 en suite) ø further bathroom ø reception room ø 3 private balconies ø valet parking ø 24 hour porter ø on-site leisure facilities ø Council Tax=H ø EPC=C

2 bedrooms (1 en suite) ø 2 bathrooms ø reception room ø kitchen ø Council Tax=F ø EPC=D

Furnished £1,500 per week

Furnished £650 per week

+ £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply* Savills Canary Wharf ibates@savills.com 020 7531 2522

+ £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply* Savills Wapping djtaylor@savills.com 020 7456 6826

BERKELEY TOWER, e14

PIERHEAD WHARF, e1w

2 bedrooms (1 en suite) ø 2 bathrooms ø reception room ø kitchen ø balcony ø allocated underground parking space ø 24 hour porter ø Council Tax=G ø EPC=B

2 bedrooms ø bathroom ø reception room ø kitchen ø balcony with park views ø allocated parking space ø daytime concierge ø Council Tax=E ø EPC=C

Furnished £625 per week

Furnished £520 per week

+ £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply* Savills Canary Wharf lbrunning@savills.com 0207 531 2523

+ £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply* Savills Wapping kdabrila@savills.com 020 7456 6817

3 4

*£36 inc VAT for each additional tenant/occupant/guarantor reference where required. Inventory check out fee – charged at the end of or early termination of the tenancy and the amount is dependent on the property size and whether furnished/unfurnished. For more details, visit www.savills.co.uk/fees.

savills.co.uk

1 HIGHLY DESIRABLE HOUSE WITH MAGNIFICENT ENTERTAINING SPACE macaulay road, sw4 Double drawing room ø 3 further reception rooms ø kitchen/breakfast room ø master bedroom suite ø 4 further bedrooms ø 2 further bathrooms ø larder/utility room/wine store ø coach house ø 134ft garden ø garage and self-contained annexe ø 510 sq m (5,494 sq ft) ø EPC=E Guide £7.5 million Freehold

Savills Clapham Robin Chatwin rchatwin@savills.com

020 3430 6900

| HOMES & PROPERTY |

Insider Knowledge

The year ahead in numbers Diana Alam, Head of Development Sales and City Residential Office, JLL

Our Forecasts

* 2015-2019 cumulative figures

How do you predict house prices in London and the UK will grow in 2015? As we enter 2015 we expect external factors to be broadly supportive of the UK housing market and, as a result, we have predicted a UK house price growth of four per cent for 2015. We predict growth in Prime Central London will stand at 1.5 per cent, but it is the South East and Greater London that will see the greatest rise, with five per cent and 5.5 per cent respectively. We forecast that transactions across the UK will increase from current levels and then stabilise at around 1.13 million per annum. We expect housing completions in England to grow from around 120,000 to 150,000 per annum over the next five years, still vastly below the level of supply needed to meet demand.

How do you see 2015â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s general election impacting the property market? The general election will have little effect on the UK housing market and the results will not govern whether people buy, sell or move house. However, the prospects of a base rate rise, with current projections suggesting that it will move from 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent by the end of 2015, will influence activity. We predict further activity into 2016 as the new Government stabilises and beds in, and the economy continues on its upward trajectory of recovery. Constrained price growth and transactional activity will still be evident as activity levellers continue to dominate, but external support such as Help to Buy may ease these constraints to a degree.

And the the impact in the City? As we head into 2015, I expect that the market will remain steady although growth will be less than the previous 18 months as suggested above. There are a number of desirable developments coming to the market in the New Year starting with City Wharf, on Wharf Road (adjacent to City Road), in January 2015. The City Road location is still a huge growth area with its close proximity to Tech City and, as City Wharf will be completing by the end of 2015, it will capture the owner occupier and investor market. JLL 020 7337 4004 jll.co.uk/residential

THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

129

020 7337 4000 jll.co.uk/residential royalsales@eu.jll.com royallettings@eu.jll.com 16-17 Royal Exchange, London, EC3V 3LL

Rosler Building, SE1 £1,800,000

Avantgarde Tower, E1 £748,000

A brand new 2 bedroom duplex penthouse in the attractive Rosler building, with large reception, secluded terrace, balcony and spectacular City views. Benefits from concierge and parking. Convenient for Bankside, London Bridge and The City.

A bright and spacious 2 bedroom apartment with balcony on the second floor of this luxury development. Benefits from concierge, communal garden, terrace and residents lounge. Situated in the heart of Shoreditch.

Fetter Lane, EC4A From £615,000

Avantgarde Tower, E1 £549,950

A selection of 1 & 2 bedroom apartments in this newly refurbished building. Boasting new fixtures and fittings throughout, open plan fitted kitchen reception rooms, bedrooms with fitted wardrobes and shower rooms. Convenient for Chancery Lane tube.

A beautifully finished, spacious second floor 1 bedroom apartment in this popular development with balcony and comfort cooling. Facilities include concierge, residents lounge, gym & terrace. Based in the stylish hub of Shoreditch & convenient for Liverpool Street station.

The Heron, EC2 £545 Per Week

The Heron, EC2 £725 Per Week

A stunning galley suite in the heart of the City, located on the 11th floor of a luxury development and boasting a West facing balcony. This luxury apartment is finished to a high specification and offers comfort cooling. Available fully furnished.

A 1 bedroom apartment on the 18th floor of this luxury development. Offered fully furnished and featuring oak flooring, floor to ceiling windows, comfort cooling and iPod docking system.

St. Dunstan’s Court, EC4 Prices from £650 Per Week

Book House, EC1V £550 Per Week

Coming soon – a selection of luxury 1 bedroom apartments in this brand new development. High specification, timber flooring, under-floor heating and comfort cooling. 24 hour concierge and private gardens.

A luxury 1 bedroom apartment in the brand new Lexicon development. Featuring balcony with stunning views, contemporary kitchen and wood flooring. Close to Old Street and Angel stations.

CANARY WHARF DPS NOVEMBER 14.qxp_Layout 1 13/11/2014 10:21 Page 1

Limehouse E14

Two bedroom apartment I River views Large terrace I Parking I Concierge Furnished I EPC E

Two bedoom apartment I Modern development Balcony I Water views Furnished I EPC B

Limehouse Cut E14

Limehouse E14

Modern apartment I Two bedrooms I Canal view Concierge I Secure parking Part furnished I EPC B

One bedroom apartment I Balcony Residents’ Gym I Covered parking Part furnished I EPC C

£725 per week

£370 per week

Sales 020 7791 7000

Lettings 020 7791 7011

£395 per week

£355 per week

The Only Estate Agent @ Limehouse Basin HURFORD

SALVI

CARR

Limehouse E14

Seven Seas Gardens E3

Two bedroom apartment I 2nd floor I Period conversion Smart fittings I Close to Limehouse C2C/DLR 330sqft/31m2 I EPC D

Spacious one bedroom apartment I 5th floor I Balcony Secure Development I On-site gym I Concierge 496sqft/46m2 I EPC C

Narrow Street E14

Bartlett Park E14

Two double bedroom apartment I 3rd floor I Balcony Thames and basin views I Parking I Limehouse DLR 800sqft/75m2 I EPC C

Two double bedroom apartment I Views over Bartlett Park 2nd floor I Balcony I Langdon Park DLR 765sqft/71m2 I EPC B

£289,950

£550,000

£325,000

£365,000

hurford-salvi-carr.co.uk

Capital Wharf, West Wapping E1W ea2 are pleased to be able to show you this bright 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment with stunning River views from the balcony on the second floor within The second bathroom is also an en-suite in the second bedroom, bedroom. Wooden floors throughout and has cloak room. 24 hour concierge and use of residents gym. Secure underground 2 double 2 storey house set within thisa separate gated CCTV development. The property has been fully modernised toparking. include Closeglazing, to transport links to canary wharf wood and the floors, city. double replacement ceilings, , alarm, central heating system operated via remote control, smart phone or

this sought afterTerrace,Wapping development. The master bedrooms Wellington E1Wen-suite comprises of a 4 piece bathroom suite.

internet. Lounge. Fully fitted kitchen. Double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes. Garden. Secure Underground parking space. Potential to extend into the loft subject to planning permission. Close to Wapping station and local amenities.

£695,000 £1,175,000

Waterman Way, Wapping E1W ea2 are pleased to offer for sale this modern built 2 bedroom, 2 storey house. The property benefits from lounge, separate fully fitted kitchen, 3 piece bathroom suite. Garden. Garage and secure off street allocated parking space. Views over ornamental canal. Close to Wapping station and local amenities.

Tudor House,Tower Bridge, SE1

6th floor luxury 2 Double Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Open Plan Reception Room, large balcony. Master bedroom with en-suite and walk in wardrobe. Modern Integrated Kitchen, Balcony, 24 Hour Porter by Harrods Estates, Residents Gymnasium, Swimming Pool, Lifts to all floors. Close to Local Shopping Facilities, Walking Distance to London Bridge.

£1,595,000

£795,000

Kennet Street, West Wapping E1W ea2 are pleased to offer for rent this 3/4 bedroom terraced house in West Wapping. The property benefits from a garden overlooking the ornamental canal

and use of garage. Close to Tower Hill &E1W Wapping Stations. Easy commute to both Canary wharf and The City. Roding Mews, Wapping

ea2 are pleased to be able to show you this 6 bedroom 4 bathroom house for rental with a garden. This property is a very unique property and has views over the canal. Would suit 6 professional people. Close to Tower Hill and Wapping Overground and close to Waitrose.

£1,300 per week

£600 per week

Vinegar Street, Wapping E1W ea2 are pleased to show you this modern built 2 double bedroom, 2 storey house. The property benefits from a bright and airy lounge with an open sided staircase. Fitted kitchen. 3 Piece bathroom suite. a west facing garden. Quiet Location, off street parking space. Close to Wapping station and local bus routes. Cascades Tower, Docklands E14 £500 Close to local shops. Furnished or Unfurnished.

2 double bedroom, 2 bathroom 11th floor apartment within this secure modern development. Comprising a reception room with water/ City views, fitted kitchen, master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe & en suite bathroom, additional shower room. Balcony. Swimming pool, Gymnasium & Tennis court. Concierge.

per week

£435 per week

122 Newgate Street London EC1A 7AA

T: 020 7600 0026 W: www.scottcity.co.uk e: property@scottcity.co.uk

Barbican EC2 £470,000 Leasehold

St Pauls, EC4 £525,000 Leasehold

Breton House, BARBICAN is this large style studio apartment. This flat measures 420 sq. ft., has an original Barbican Kitchen, re-fitted shower room and a good size studio room with wood flooring. Moorgate and Barbican Underground stations and close to Liverpool Street.

ONE BEDROOM apartment in Priory House located in a conservation area between St. Paul’s Cathedral and Blackfriars Station. The property offers one bedroom, bathroom, open plan kitchen and reception room and is situated on the lower ground floor of the building.

West Smithfield, EC1 £595,000 Leasehold

Barbican, EC2 £995,000 Leasehold

ONE BEDROOM apartment approx. 505 sq. feet (47 sq. m). High quality features and fine detailing which include sealed wood floor, fitted kitchen and modern tiled bathroom. Hosier Lane is situated in the heart of West Smithfield between St Pauls and Chancery Lane. 24 hour porter.

This unique TWO / THREE BEDROOM house located in BRANDON MEWS. Original Barbican bathroom and Kitchen with the split level reception room boasting a fantastic view of the central Barbican Gardens. At lower ground floor level is a GARAGE with self-contained studio room.

Barbican, EC2 £295 Per Week

St. Pauls, EC1 £580 Per Week

This small style 6th Floor STUDIO APARTMENT, Available Now and offered Furnished, is a perfect pied-a-terre for any city client or individual who needs a place to put down their head during the week. Viewings are highly recommended for this sought after city pad.

Situated on the third floor is this UNFURNISHED TWO BEDROOM flat overlooking Postman’s Park. The flat measures approx. 700 sq. feet and has a day porter and communal roof terrace. Located with its many bars, cafes and Restaurants, Available Now.

Barbican, EC2 £515 Per Week

St. Pauls, EC2 £365 Per Week

This (type 21) TWO BEDROOM apartment on the first floor. A major feature of this property is its very light and inviting living area, enhanced by its large windows which lead to a private balcony, and Updated Kitchen. This property comes Furnished and is Available Now.

Located just off of Cheapside opposite St Paul’s cathedral. The property has been finished to an extremely high standard, with the Fully Fitted kitchen. This ONE BEDROOM is available on the 4th floor. Available December.

40% NOW RESERVED

New Show home LauNchiNg SooN A splendid terrace of five ‘Regency Style’ town houses conveniently located in the heart of Beckenham. Each home provides well planned living accommodation synonymous with traditional town house layouts combining the needs of modern living, offering kitchen/breakfast room, lounge/dining room, study, four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The top floor enjoys inspiring views creating a sense of light and space. The exterior of the development is landscaped and each property has a private decked/lawn area. Further benefits include off street parking and a 10 Year NHBC warranty.

Prices from £750,000 Selling Agents

Postcode Ref: BR3 6PY

For more information contact

020 8663 4433 www.acornnewhomes.co.uk

Developed by

pricEs FrOM £350,000

ExclusivE OppOrtunitiEs AvAilAblE FOr rEsErvAtiOns MAdE bEFOrE christMAs. cOntAct us nOw FOr FurthEr inFOrMAtiOn.

Call 020 8852 4455 acornnewhomes.co.uk

shOw hOME nOw OpEn sAturdAYs 10AM - 4pM sundAYs 10AM - 3pM A collection of two bedroom, two bathroom homes with selected apartments enjoying inspiring views of the tranquil Ladywell Fields or the City skyline. Only 9 minutes from Central London. • Private Patio/Balcony

• Video Entry Phone System

• Bespoke Kitchens

• 10 Year BLP Warranty

• Integrated Appliances

• Excellent Transport Links

59 Ladywell Road, Ladywell, London SE13 7UT

| HOMES & PROPERTY |

Development SHOWCASE

City Central Luxury London Dock, situated just moments from Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, St Katharine Docks, the City and Canary Wharf, offers a range of one, two and three bedroom apartments and is perfectly placed within easy reach of the capital’s hotspots to enjoy the unrivalled lifestyle in this world-class city. The stunning apartments and penthouses, beautifully-landscaped open spaces, water gardens, central squares and promenades lined with shops, bars and restaurants are at the heart of this vibrant new destination. London Dock offers an unrivalled level of hotel-style residents’ facilities including a gymnasium, swimming pool, squash court, virtual golf suite and residents’ screening room. This is complemented by a dedicated 24-hour concierge service and managed parking.*

PRICES FROM £819,950 - £3,499,950**

Pennington Street, E1W 2AD 020 7971 7880 londondock.co.uk

*Payable via the service charge. Parking available at extra cost and subject to availability. **Prices correct at time of distribution. All images are computer generated and indicative only.

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THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2014

THE ART OF SHOREDITCH LIVING Available to rent now

A stunning collection of 1 & 2 bedroom apartments available to rent now from just £1,725 pm • Brand new and unused • Superb finish, including wooden floors with underfloor heating • Be part of the vibrant Shoreditch community

Call 0800 542 7230 to book a viewing WWW.GENESISHAHOMES.ORG.UK Details and price correct at time of going to press. Images representative only.

London’s Finest Properties Lettings

Drake House SW8

£1,100 p/w

Bezier Apartments EC1Y

£550 p/w

Two bedroom, Two bathroom apartment | Dual aspect panoramic views

One bedroom apartment | Fully furnished | Gym, Sauna and Steam Room

15th Floor with lift access | Moments from Vauxhall tube station | Private roof terrace

Available beginning of November | 24hr Concierge | Moments from Old Street tube

Warwick Row SW1E

Romney House SW1P

£895 p/w

£475 p/w

Three bedroom, Two bathroom apartment | 0.1 miles to Victoria Station

One bedroom apartment | 24hr Concierge | Residents Gym included

Large open plan reception space | Available immediately

Secure underground parking | Available Immediately

Sales

Marconi House WC2

£825,000

Benefitting a comprehensive concierge service, the property not only offers a host of premium modern comforts to include climate control, under-floor bathroom warming, surround sound technology and touch dimmer lighting, but also the added security of live-feed video entry.

LETTINGS DPS_City.indd 1

MANAGEMENT

SALES

The Academy SW8

£685,000

A unique impressive one bedroom duplex apartment set within one of the most sought after addresses in Vauxhall. This extremely spacious apartment is located within a highly desirable Edwardian schoolhouse conversion and benefits from its own private outdoor entrance and south facing aspect with views across Vauxhall Park.

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liferesidential.co.uk 11/11/2014 11:07

| HOMES & PROPERTY |

HIGH SOCIETY Nicknamed the One Hyde Park of W1, The Chilterns’ penthouse suites offer the very best of luxury living in London says Louise Rose

hile André Balazs sealed Chiltern Street’s fate as one of the most stylish spots to be seen out-andabout in the capital, Frogmore and Galliard Homes have made it an equally desirable spot to call home with the launch of their flagship luxury residential apartments. The Chilterns, situated at 74-76 Chiltern Street in Marylebone, is built on a site that was once the home of Viscount François-René de Chateaubriand, and offers some of the finest homes in the West End. Just off Marylebone High Street, overlooking the greenery of Paddington Street Gardens and fronting onto Chiltern Street, you’re just a stone’s throw from a vast choice of top boutiques, delis, bars and restaurants. Totalling 44 luxury residences, the six premium and penthouse spaces provide an abundance of inside and outside lateral living space as well as five-star services. The first of the two penthouses is priced at £25m; a spectacular 7,566sq ft four-bedroom duplex located on the top two floors of the building, it provides 5,047sq ft of internal living space and 2,519sq ft of private roof gardens, the largest in the West End. On the top floor of the duplex is a grand reception room over 1,000sq ft in size that spans the entire depth of the apartment building and has a raised 3.8m-high coffered ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows. Folding glass walls open onto three beautiful private rooftop terraces. Priced at £12.575m, the second penthouse is a luxurious 3,962sq ft single-

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level, three-bedroom residence providing 2,886sq ft of internal and 1,076 sq ft of external roof gardens. Sliding walls open to give access to a 12-seater dining room and there is also a spacious family kitchen and breakfast room with a separate utility room. Set within the architecturally stunning seven-storey glass and stone façade, other details include a striking stepped roofline, floor-to-ceiling windows with sunshielding feature louvres and glass-fronted balconies. Lifestyle facilities are planned to include a signature restaurant with inroom chef and dining; private gymnasium and sauna; private cinema; 21 basement wine cellars with a wine tasting room; underground parking with valet; a lobby featuring photographs of the local area by David Bailey and a 24-hour hotel-style concierge service. Indeed, The Chilterns has earned its local nickname as the ‘One Hyde Park’ of W1. Stephen Conway, chief executive of Galliard Homes, said: “At The Chilterns we have combined luxury, technology, art and lifestyle amenities to achieve an outstanding level of quality. The Chilterns offering includes hospitality and leisure facilities, which when combined with exceptional homes creates the area’s very best address and a superb investment for the future.” For further information visit the show apartment and marketing suite at 11-15 Wigmore Street, W1 020 8418 1070; TheChilternsW1.com

Two Stunning New Show Apartments Now Open • 22 storey tower overlooking the beautiful Chaucer Gardens

• Luxurious specification

• Within walking distance from Crossrail connection at Liverpool Street and Whitechapel

• Comfort cooling to selected apartments

• 2 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and public open space • Spectacular views towards The City & Canary Wharf

• Residents only private screening room and business lounge • Leisure facilities to include a swimming pool, spa, jacuzzi and fully equipped gym

Studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and penthouses available. Prices from £735,000. Call 020 3773 5736 or email: goodmans@berkeleygroup.co.uk In the last ten years, the Berkeley Group has created 436 acres of public open space.

www.goodmansfields.co.uk Sales & Marketing Suite open 7 days a week 10am – 6pm (Open until 8pm on Wednesdays and 4pm on Sundays) 39 Leman Street, London, E1 8EY

At Goodman’s Fields there will be 2 acres of public realm. For Your Future

Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

Prices and details correct at time of going to press and subject to availability. Computer Generated Images of Goodman’s Fields are indicative only.

Kingwood Gardens at Goodman’s Fields

| HOMES & PROPERTY |

Development SHOWCASE

Show-stopping Views When it comes to buying in London, undoubtedly one of the most iconic views a property could have is that of Tower Bridge. Discerning buyers are realising that Wapping is one of the best locations to purchase homes in the capital, for, not only do its river-facing homes have stunning views, they also benefit from the amazing light that comes with facing south. Tower View, an exclusive development of just six apartments, is attracting strong interest from buyers searching for a truly special home. James Taylor, CEO of Private Property Group, one of the market leaders when it comes to marketing luxury developments, explains its appeal: “Quite simply, these apartments have some of the best views in the world; the lateral apartments have a window system which completely opens up the reception rooms creating some of the most beautiful living spaces I’ve seen in 20 years of working with developers”. Come for the view and stay for the beautifully appointed, modern apartments – Tower View is a luxury development that showcases London at its best.

Prices from £2.95 million

Tower View, E1W 020 7488 9146

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London’s Finest Residences 74 - 76 Chiltern Street, Marylebone w1 Six premier and penthouse residences providing an abundance of luxury living space, private roofgardens, balconies and 5-star amenities including – • Restaurant in-room dining • Wine cellars with tasting room • State of the art Gymnasium • Private Cinema • Private Art Gallery by David Bailey

M a r k e t i n g S u i t e AT 1 1 - 1 5 W i g m o r e S t r e e t, L o n d o n W 1 PRICES ON APPLICATION For more information about The Chilterns or to arrange a private appointment, please contact Oksana d’Offay on +44 (0)20 8418 1070 or email oksana@thechilternsw1.com CGI of Private Lobby Gallery and Garden Terrace

www.TheChilternsW1.com

NORTHAMPTON ENGLAND MAKERS OF FINE SHOES SINCE 1879

STYLE: HOXTON MATERIAL: DARK BROWN BURNISHED CALF / BLACK BOX CALF

LONDON

BIRMINGHAM

NEW YORK

BRUSSELS

PARIS

JERMYN STREET

COLMORE ROW

7 WEST 56TH STREET

RUE DE NAMUR

CHAUVEAU LAGARDE

BURLINGTON ARCADE

BOULEVARD RASPAIL

KNIGHTSBRIDGE

BON MARCHÉ

ROYAL EXCHANGE CANARY WHARF

CROCKETTANDJONES.COM