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issue no.
112
februarY 2017
contents on the cover 25
Club dropping Making the case for the world’s best golf courses
34 Pulling the strings How Mike Pence can become the most powerful VP in American history 84 Modern Rockers Triumph injects new life into its range of retro café racers
84
Inside London’s fashion weeks
A tailored tour down the capital’s catwalks
from p55
REGULARS CITY LIFE: 14 The Edit The commodities and consumables raising our interest rates this month 20 The Social Steak, coffee and a 200-year-old whisky distillery
98
70
COLLECTION: 43 From Paris with love Chaumet launches a romantic city guide to Paris 44 Watch news in brief The latest stories from the watch world, including Apple, Bremont and Zenith STYLE: 62 L’Afrique, c’est chic Our fashion shoot journeys to Marrakech 80 Boots that are made for walking Dressed up or dressed down, statement boots are a proclamation of taste OUT OF OFFICE: 96 Maria Lassnig An introduction to another artist that should appear on your agenda 100 A land of ice and fire A trip to Iceland to find out what all the fuss is about 107 Queen of the castle The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle, northern Scotland, is a resplendent feast for the senses
100 8
THE CITY MAGAZINE | February 2017
HOMES AND PROPERTY: 112 Property news The latest trends in the residential sales and lettings markets
s luxurylo nd o n.c o.uk s
astron. the world’s first gps solar watch. As Novak Djokovic travels the world, his Astron GPS Solar keeps him on time, adjusting automatically to his time zone at the touch of a button and using just the power of light. With dual-time display, Astron is simply the world’s finest GPS Solar watch.
*If there are changes in the region / time zone, manual time zone selection may be required.
For stockists call: 01628 770988 | www.seiko-astron.com
issue no.
112
FEBRUARY 2017
f r o m t h e E D I TOR
P
Brand Nation assing by th e backlit billboard s of watchmakers and asset managers in Gen eva airport recently, it occurred to m e that Switzerland i sn’t so much a countr y, as a brand . More successfully than any oth er nation stat e, th e
Alpin e mu esli-maker has managed to cultivat e an int ernational reputation complet ely in its own image. Switzerland i s a trademark. It i s snow-capp ed mountains, cow bell s, cuckoo clocks and raclett e. It i s w hy, despit e b eing only th e 134 th largest countr y on Earth ,
Switzerland’s export industr y ranks as th e w orld’s 20 th largest. W h eth er we’re purchasing pharmaceutical s, watch es, chocolat e or ch eese, we’re buying into th e weight of th e w ord s ‘ Swi ss Made’. Britain , too, has don e a good job of aligning itself with certain charact eri stics. As a host of n ew lifestyle brand s are reali sing, ‘ Briti shn ess’ – craftsmanship, quality and custom – has particular currency in places like Japan , China and th e Middle East. On page 77, we m eet a range of n ew ly-launch ed companies harn essing th e concept of ‘ h eritage’ and turning it into a power ful marketing tool . Hav in g un d ergon e a rebrand of it s ow n , Brit ain’s l eadin g m en sw ear e v ent ar riv ed in Januar y a s ‘ L ondon Fa shion We ek Men’s’. Aft er f our d ay s of catw al k s , pre sent ation s and p ar ti e s, w e think w e’v e f ound th e b est of w hat y ou might actually wear. We present our sartorial findings on p a ge 7 0 . If y ou m an a ged to st ay of f th e sau c e in Januar y, w e appl aud y ou . Now enjoy fal lin g b a ck of f th e w a gon – th e City ’s b e en w ait in g f or y ou .
Richard brown, editor
Other titles within the RWMG portfolio
A website. A mindset. A lifest yle. Cover Image (80): X1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
Berlinetta, courtesy of Bonhams, bonhams.com
w w w.luxurylondon. co .uk
issue no.
Editor-in - C h i e f Lesley Ellwood
Edit o r Richard Brown
112
FEBRUARY 2017
Contributors
a ssistan t E d i t o r Bethan REES
Editorial a s s i s ta n t david taylor
Sen ior De si g ne r LISA WADE
B RAND C ONSISTE N CY Laddawan Juhong
Gen er al M a n a ge r Fiona Smith
Produ ct i o n Hugo Wheatley Alice Ford Jamie Steele Danny Lesar
Pro pert y D i rect o r Samantha Ratcliffe
Ex ec utiv e D ir ecto r Sophie Roberts
Managing Di r ec to r Eren Ellwood
Chris Allsop
Alexander Beer
Kari Colmans
Chri s i s a B ath-b a sed fre el an c e
L o n d o n - b o r n f a s h i o n , sp o r t
The former editor of Vantage
jour nali st and ph otog raph er
a n d a dv e r t i si n g p h o t o g ra p h e r,
Magazine, Kari is contributing
w h o m o stly w rit e s ab out
Al e x a n d e r s h o o t s f o r a w i d e
editor across the Runwild Media
trav el , f i lm and ch e e se. O n
ra n g e of p u b l i c a t i o n s a n d
Group, including Canar y Wharf
p a ge 34, Chri s do cum ent s
b ra n d s , i n c l u d i n g G Q , E s q u i r e ,
Magazine and The May fair
th e ri se of n e w ly-inau gurat ed
P u rd e y a n d R i c h a rd Ja m e s .
Magazine. Kari talks to Dan
v i c e pre si d ent of th e Unit ed
A l e x a n d e r s a m p l e s t h e si g h t s
Cruickshank about his home,
St at e s Mi ke Pen c e, th e man
a n d s o u n d s of a t m o sp h e r i c
Spitalfields, its chequered past
w h o c oul d b e c om e th e m o st
Ma r ra k e c h i n t h i s m o n t h’s
and its uncertain architectural
p ow er ful VP in hi stor y.
photo shoot on page 62.
future (p.38).
Nylon wool stretch Venice jacket, £445, JOSEPH, joseph-fashion.com
Cotton and linen blend collarless shirt, £55, Fitz & Fro, fitzandfro.com
Spitalfields: two thousand years of English history in one neighbourhood, £25, Dan Cruickshank, foyles.co.uk
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Mini star biography stud earrings, £70, Astley Clarke, astleyclarke.com
Italian leather golf bag, £2,482, Chiarugi, uk.forzieri.com
Men’s original tall Wellington boots, £95, Hunter, hunterboots.com
City Life
FEBRUARY 2017
Searcys Champagne Bar Swap the waiting room for the champagne bar at St Pancras International There aren’t many better places to wait for a train than Searcys St. Pancras Champagne Bar. Recently revamped, the bar, right next to your waiting Eurostar, evokes the golden age of travel, while sleek lines and mod cons keep things contemporary – The City Magazine was very appreciative of the under-the-table heating. Applause goes to Searcys bar manager, Michael Doudeskos, who toured us through the highlights from the Champagne menu. As well as the bubbly, the bar provides for a comprehensive list of plates, including beef sliders and Jersey and French oysters. Located in one of London’s under-loved culinary quarters, Searcys makes for a unique pre-dinner tipple, with German Gymnasium and The Gilbert Scott Bar & Restaurant just a stone’s throw away. DT St. Pancras International, N1, searcysstpancras.co.uk
the architecture
The 2y house
t i d ic ty e
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mab onsu c d n nth es a oditi es this mo m m o The c erest rat nt our i
les ra
The 2Y House has a particularly apt name, as the structure is based on a pair of intersecting Ys. This, along with timber stilt foundations, helps incorporate the surrounding landscape without encroaching on its natural beauty. Situated on Chile’s Lake Colico, latticed, full-height windows let in maximum light from multiple angles. A glass platform stretches through the trees to Lake Colico. sebastianirarrazaval.cl
Hublot has partnered with Ferrari on a range of watches inspired by the supercar manufacturer. A special Hollywood launch at the end of 2016, with an animated film by multiple Academy Awardwinning company Digital Domain, paid tribute to the MP-05 LaFerrari watch, and the new MP-05 LaFerrari Sapphire, based on the FXX K supercar. The watch took more than 600 hours to create from seven blocks of sapphire, leaving an ultralightweight 53.5g timepiece. Its record-breaking power reserve of 50 days is accompanied by a movement with a record 637 components. hublot.com/mp-05
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THE CITY MAGAZINE | February 2017
fifty house, milan
ising
the watch super watch meets supercar
the hotel
Fifty House, the first of a new hotel brand from Luxury Hotel Milan, blends modern design with bohemian style. Nestled in the heart of Milan’s fashion district in a former boarding school, the 50room hotel’s design retains original 19th-century style, but updates itself with a sophisticated colour palette and design by Italian brand Driade. Guests are also given a smartphone, which acts as a virtual concierge, offering maps, local information and advice. Guests can also use the phone to make and receive international calls. Via Benvenuto Cellini, fiftyhouse.com. Soft opening rates from approx. £259/ double occupancy suite
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| news |
the wish list
the bottles the outerwear mcnair shirts
Waterbury stainless steel and leather watch, £120, Timex, mrporter.com
Quilted gilet, £206, Belstaff, farfetch.com
1 2
MH30 foldable on-ear headphones, £299, Master & Dynamic, masterdynamic.co.uk
from top: Centenario 12-yearsold rum 70cl, £33.75, Flor de Caña, thedrinkshop.com; Hendrick’s gin 70cl, £27, Hendrick’s, waitrose.com. Glansa whisky 70cl, £44.95, Scapa, masterofmalt.com; Mezcal Eterno 50cl, £32.29, Mezcal Eterno, masterofmalt.com; La Hechicera rum 70cl, £39.95, La Hechicera, thewhiskyexchange.com; Navy strength gin 70cl, £57.80, Slingsby, ginkiosk.com
Navigate the trans-seasonal weather divide with a mountain shirt from McNair. Able to be worn as a shirtjacket (aka ‘a shacket’) this mid-weight merino number from the Yorkshire-based clothing company is comparable to a heavyweight fleece, just a lot more stylish. Established in 2013 by Richard Hamshire, Natalie Stapleton and Neil McNair (a professional snowboarder), every McNair shirt is weaved, milled, raised and steamed within a 10-mile radius of Huddersfield – a city that’s to wool, what Northampton is to shoes. from £335, mcnairshirts.com
the books f rom l e f t: O ver view : A n ew p ersp ective of Earth , £30, B enjamin Grant, waterstones.com; Narconomics: How to run a drug cart el , £20, Tom Wainwright, foyles.co.uk; How Coca-Cola took over th e world , £12.99, Giles Lur y, foyles.co.uk
3 4 Season 3 puffer bomber jacket, £542, Yeezy, farfetch.com
6
Lion head leather backpack, £665, Versus Versace, versace.com
M585DR trainers, £311, New Balance x Danner, danner.com s luxurylo nd o n.c o.uk s
5
Shearling lumber jacket in wool, £1,000, Kent & Curwen, kentandcurwen.com
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THE CITY MAGAZINE | February 2017
15
Elliott Erwitt, 2015
Michele De Lucchi - Giancarlo Fassina: Tolomeo
| NEWS |
h c e T city
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urve the c f o d a g ahe keepin r o f us parat ial ap t n e s Es
Well-rounded sound
Refresh your in-home audio set-up with the Aerix Duet. Unlike similar systems, which have an optimum sound width of around 45°, Duet transmits 360° due to verticalfiring drivers that compress airwaves down to a special panel at its base. This creates a halo effect surrounding the system, so that no matter where you’re standing, you’ll get the same quality audio. Sound is provided by a 1.5 inch transducer with circular horn diffuser and a double magnet subwoofer, plus a conical base for clearer bass reproduction. The Duet’s minimalist design features aluminium plating and a clear, simple dot LED display system, through which messages can be communicated – as seen here. Duet, £1,499, Aerix, aerix.co
best of the rest
LX-2
The scale of sound and the level of musical energy delivered, makes a pair of LX-2s the best ‘sound per pound’ speakers on the market. The LX-2 has also just won ‘Best Standmount Speaker Under £200’ at the What Hi-Fi? Awards. £160, Mission, mission.co.uk
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Diamond A1
‘True Wireless’ technology, thanks to a special wireless hub, means you can take the Diamond A1 speakers anywhere. Sleek, modern design is matched with acoustic tech from Wharfedale’s award-winning Diamond 200 series. £599, Wharfedale,wharfedale.co.uk
12L Classic Signature
Marking the 75th anniversary of Quad, and following the tradition of small loudspeakers with a big punch, the latest reincarnation of the 12L has been fine-tuned by Quad’s head of acoustic engineering, Peter Comeau. £499, Quad, quad-hifi.co.uk
THE CITY MAGAZINE | February 2017
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Ice Rink Canary Wharf 4 NOV 2016 - 25 FEB 2017
BOOK TICKETS TODAY ICERINKCANARYWHARF.CO.UK CANADA SQUARE PARK CANARY WHARF E14 5AB
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s s e n t i f city
| news |
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it ing f fight u o y ep to ke ricks t d n ips a the t
Back on track best of the rest 1. windchill APL is the brand that created a shoe with so much bounce, that it was banned by the National Basketball Association for providing an “undue competitive advantage”. Not bad for your morning jog, though. £125, APL, athleticpropulsionlabs.com
2. Vazee Pace v2 A great all-rounder, perfect for marathons due to its support for road running, comfortable fit, and a solid responsiveness. £100, New Balance, newbalance.co.uk
3
The shoes maketh the runner The previous iteration of Saucony’s Triumph ISO range, the Triumph ISO 2, was popular and highly praised, winning the Runner’s World Editor’s Choice in 2015. The Triumph range uses ISOFIT technology to make your feet feel snug, but not smothered – the upper giving you plenty of space to breathe, so that is doesn’t rub against the skin. The latest shoe is pretty light, too – under 300g. The Triumph line focuses on providing a neutral running experience, for runners who don’t need much foot support. The EVERUN material in the sole gives shoes a good bounce, and, according to running website Sole Review, the estimated life expectancy is around 400 miles, or just over 15 marathons. For both beginners and intermediates, the Triumph ISO is a solid choice of trainer. Triumph ISO 3, £135, Saucony, saucony.com
1 2
3. cloudcruiser A customised soft collar of memory foam helps create a comfortable hold around the heel and ankle, adding stability for longer runs. £125, On Running, on-running.com
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THE CITY MAGAZINE | February 2017
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Valentine’s treats As Valentine’s Day rolls
around again, there’s a lot to be said for that fail-safe formula of chocolates and Champagne. Pick your plonk wisely and opt for BillecartSalmon’s Brut Rosé, a zesty tipple with a hint of red fruits. For the sweet of tooth, there’s Godiva’s Heart Box, where flavours include lemon cheesecake, crème brûlée and strawberry shortcake. Brut Rosé, £65, bbr.com; Heart Box of chocolates, £20, godivachocolates.co.uk
l a i c o s ic ty
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the ZES Y CRA ed WITH AR h IN is r CUL ou s and ure n nche e epic u h a t l G t tes KEEPIN e’s La re mil a u q s
A MATTER OF TASTE
THE VESTRY Previously a vestry within St. Sepulchre’s parish, the aptly-titled The Vestry has opened near Smithfield Market, providing a modern take on the wine bar. Fresh West Country seafood and ethically-sourced meat, served up tapas style, accompany a comprehensive and provenance-packed wine list. The bar also uses the Coravin wine system: the wine can be extracted from the bottle without removing the cork, meaning rare wines can be tried by the glass instead of bottle. The Vestry holds regular food and drink sampling events, private masterclasses and live music from up-andcoming blues and jazz acts. 117 Charterhouse Street, EC1, foxandanchor.com
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THE CITY MAGAZINE | February 2017
At the end of last year, Hedonism Wines hosted Daryl Haldane, head of education at The Macallan, who conducted an expert whisky tasting session. The immersive evening highlighted the best 12-year-old expressions from the cabinet: Fine Oak, Sherry Oak and Double Cask, as well as Rare Cask and The Macallan M. It was the exquisite M expression that particularly wowed the crowd. The single malt whisky is presented in a Lalique decanter and made from the rarest whiskies at the distillery, making it the most expensive whisky ever sold at auction, with a bottle selling at Sotheby’s for $628,000 in 2014. Discover The Macallan’s full range at Hedonism Wines, Harrods, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and The Whisky Exchange, themacallan.com
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| news |
BAR + BLOCK The latest restaurant to open in King’s Cross’ burgeoning foodie hub is Bar + Block, a beefed-up steakhouse where steaks are hand-cut to order. Sourced from the Pampas in South America, then dry-aged for a minimum of 28 days, Bar+ Block’s meat comes from very good stock, and is accompanied by dishes such as chicken wings with raspberry and Tabasco sauce, beef empanadas and fresh flatbreads. Plus, from 125pm every weekday, Bar + Block’s express menu offers classics such as steak and chips and open club sandwiches, alongside a glass of wine or a beer for under £10. Bargain. 26-30 York Way, N1, barandblock.co.uk
THE NEW BLACK The New Black, recently opened next to the Walkie Talkie building, takes the concept of artisan coffee to another level. Channelling the intricacies of wine, baristas use technology previously unused in the UK to provide coffee lovers with a premium, business-class experience – and a top quality cup of coffee. Interactive iPads with tastewheels help customers better understand the different flavour profiles of the coffee roasts they’ve chosen, which come from the world’s most renowned roasters. Think hipster coffee in a suit and tie. 10 Philpot Lane, EC3, thenewblack.coffee
the REVIEW: DARBAAR
Splendour of the Subcontinent Words: DAVID TAYLOR
I
’m from the North. Yorkshire, to be precise. Having the UK’s curry capital – Bradford – on my doorstep, I feel better placed than most to identify a good ruby when one comes my way. And so I jumped at the chance of reviewing Snowden Street’s Darbaar, opened by award-winning Indian chef, Abdul Yaseen. Previously head chef behind the renowned Cinnamon Club, Westminster,
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Mr. Yaseen has moved east for his first solo venture, which is inspired by the banquets of the royal courts of India. Entering, there is certainly a sense of the grandiose, with midnight blue walls, gold chandeliers and ornate mirrors and drapes hanging throughout the expansive interior. The menu continues in the same vein, a huge range of dishes taking the best of the East and combining culinary highlights of the West. After the traditional starting papadum and chutneys (sweet doesn’t begin to cover it), my guest and I were presented with the chef ’s platter of assorted grills and kebabs, a sizzling plate of seared salmon, grilled chicken, lamb seekh and sumptuous paneer. The salmon was the best of the bunch, the zesty coating cutting through the fish’s rich edge. Make sure to try the Amritsari-spiced calamari fritters: good luck stopping at one plate. Mr Yaseen is well known for, among many dishes, his butter chicken curry, so it would have been remiss not to try it. I wasn’t disappointed, and neither
was my guest, who had more than his fair share of the dish. The curry was accompanied by peshwari naan, the sweet coconut suiting the subtle spices. Then again, I’m yet to find any curry that doesn’t go with peshwari naan, the miracle bread. Coincidentally, unexpected flavour combinations are the chef ’s bread and butter, and our desserts blended Indian and Western cooking; vanilla kulfi with dark chocolate and beautifully scented carrot cake rounding off a delicate and thoughtful menu. Make use of Darbaar’s comprehensive wine list. We chose a Malbec, which paired particularly well with the playful fragrances of the grill dishes. When a restaurant describes itself as influenced by royal banquets, expectations are high enough to cause altitude sickness. Darbaar exceeded expectations – these are Indian dishes fit for a king. 1 Snowden Street, EC2, darbaarrestaurants.com
THE CITY MAGAZINE | February 2017
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| news |
l a i c o s city
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join the club Haig Club isn’t just any brand – the signature blue bottle has been more than 360 years in the making Words: DAVID TAYLOR
S
itting down for dinner with Lady Haig at Bemersyde House, a stately home an hour from Edinburgh, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the set-up was a cunning ploy by Haig Club whisky to create a history. An elegant woman flown in to pose as Scottish aristocracy, the charming and down-to-earth Lancastrian groundsman, the quaint fishing hut down by the picturesque bend in the river, overflowing with salmon – it’s all too good to be true. Except, it isn’t. Bemersyde, the Haig’s home for more than half a millennium, has helped shape the history of Scotland, the country’s aristocracy having been regular
THE ANATOMY OF A CASK CANT HEAD
CHIME
CROZE RIVET
HEAD HOOP QUARTER HOOP
BILGE HOOP STAVE BUNG HOLE
BILGE
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THE CITY MAGAZINE | February 2017
visitors to the home of this revered Scottish family. Kings and queens came and went, but the family’s main business remained. The first recorded Haig to make whisky was Robert Haig, who was dragged before Church elders in 1655 for the crime of distilling on the Sabbath. The cheeky distiller was undeterred, and founded the beginnings a whisky empire, which, along with the Stein family (the families were married together in the 18th century), became the foremost producer of the amber nectar. My Haig pilgrimage started at Blackgrange, the Diageo drink company’s huge warehouse and distillery operation. Blackgrange comprises 10 miles of roads, has a dedicated fire brigade, and houses a third of Diageo’s 10 million barrels of maturing whisky. Thirty-six coopers are employed at the on-site Cambus Cooperage, to hand-make all barrels – one dud piece of oak, and a cask is ruined. Twelve apprentices are currently being taught the trade secrets. I was given the chance to help make a cask, and, barring one pretty nasty splinter, I survived unscathed, and with a new sense of respect for the unsung heroes of the whisky industry. Our next stop was the Diageo Archives in Menstrie. Alongside a stunning collection room of 10,000 bottles of all shapes and sizes – including a bottle of whisky that a pickled snake calls home – the basement archives include centuries-old ledgers, vintage advertising campaigns, and two larger-thanlife Johnnie Walker statues, made for the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. Next up was Cameronbridge. The 193-year-old distillery is Scotland’s oldest grain whisky distillery, founded by John Haig
in 1824. The entrance is a blend of the quaint and the industrial, the original distilling rooms still visible in grey stone alongside the three leviathanic stills helping produce 120 million litres of spirit every year. The quantities however don’t detract from the passion found throughout the plant, and all final tastings are still carried out by master blender Chris Clark and his team. The reason for the whistle-stop tour of Haig’s highlights was, of course, to see what it takes to create the new Haig Club Clubman, which was neatly laid out for us upstairs, back at Bemersyde. Matured in American aak casks, the single grain scotch has taken on the vanilla and sweet toffee of the bourbon barrels to develop a sweet and smooth finish. The sweetness lends itself to being drunk on the rocks, but with ginger ale, too, it’s sublime. Ewan Gunn, Whisky Master for Diageo, and perfect drinking partner, prefers his with cola, calling the mix “perfect in its simplicity”. A versatile liquid, then, to be enjoyed however you see fit. After a couple more Clubmans – or is it Clubmen? – I sleepily settled down into a pristine leather chair in the old laird’s room. I’ll not say whether I woke up in the same position the next day. Turns out that there’s much more to Haig Club than an iconic blue bottle and Mr David Beckham. Clubman 70cl, £22.95, Haig Club, thewhiskyexchange.com
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r u e v i v bon
| NEWS |
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Our man-about-town, Innerplace’s Nick Savage, gives you the insider lowdown on LONDON’S most hedonistic haunts
A spotlight on the capital’s contemporary Indian dining scene
F
or quite a while in the 1990s, Indian restaurants were more British than British ones. Tikka masala supplanted fish and chips as the go-to Friday night dish in the United Kingdom. Ingredients like cardamom and curry leaf became staples in the kitchen cupboard. Restaurants like Quilon, Benares, Tamarind and Amaya were receiving Michelin stars one after another. This, like many fads in London’s culinary milieu, eventually began to taper off. But, there now seems to be a resurgence in a different type of Indian restaurant, one that values fun over formality. A new generation of Indian eatery is showing its teeth.
GUNPOWDER Spitalfields restaurant Gunpowder was opened quietly by first-time restaurateur Harneet Baweja, but quickly made a loud bang – outshining any Indian in
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east London, and KRICKET Innerplace demonstrating a is London’s personal new, effective Since opening Kricket in Brixton, lifestyle concierge. Membership culinary tack Will Bowlby and Rik Campbell provides complimentary access to long-time have inspired countless to the finest nightclubs, the best restaurants and top private members’ operators on pilgrimages south of the river, clubs. Innerplace also offers priority nearby Brick with hungry diners queuing for bookings, VIP invitations and Lane. The the opportunity to dine on their updates on the latest openings. kitchen is run enlightened Indian cuisine within Membership from £50 a month. by Nirmal Save, the confines of a shipping container. innerplace.co.uk formerly of The Such journeys will no longer be Oberoi in Mumbai as necessary, as they’ve opened another well as Zaika and Tamarind restaurant on Denman Street in Soho, in London. He’s assembled a ‘greatest with a larger kitchen space and menu, as hits’ list of dishes from all corners of the well as a dedicated bar and semi-private subcontinent. Whether it’s the ferociously dining area. Pilgrims will be rewarded seasoned but unbelievably tender Kashmiri with exceptional Indian dishes crafted mutton chops, sigree grilled mustard with only the freshest, most seasonal broccoli or karwari soft shell crab saag British produce. with tandoori paneer – regional delicacies CHUTNEY MARY are de rigueur. You can rest assured you’ll leave with a pleasant radiance in your All things being equal, Chutney Mary mouth, and a glow. Expect big things to makes for an interesting inclusion on this follow from Harneet Baweja. list as it’s a reboot of sorts. Opened by the MW Eat Group (Amaya, Veeraswamy) the HOPPERS restaurant had been trading for 25 years The TKS Group has laid Midas fingers on a on the King’s Road, waving the flag for number of restaurants such as Trishna and Indian food that would satisfy the most Gymkhana, and, most recently, Hoppers. exacting gastronome. But, just as after 25 Named for the anglicised word for appam years married couples often change their (a pancake made from rice batter), which location and try out a new spot, Chutney British colonists would call Hoppers, the Mary had its eyes on the well-heeled restaurant serves Sri Lankan cuisine, which environs of St James. Since opening, it shares many traits with southern India. The has solidified its status as a sought-after jewel box small opening is as pretty as it is dining destination. pungent, and its dishes, whether it’s a kari, Top left Chutney Mary Circles, from left Kricket @Paul Winch-Furness; Kricket @Paul Winch-Furness; Kricket @Paul Winch-Furness; dosa, appam, idli or fry, will knock you flat Dosa and Red Pumpkin Kari, Coriander Chutney, Tomato Chutney, Coconut Chutney at Hoppers @John Carey with its reasonable prices.
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| FEATURE | NEW COLUMN
Sparring Partners
Some say he’s the world’s most published travel journalist; he says he was once tortured on a cruise ship by a cabaret. All we know, is that Kevin Pilley is The City Magazine’s newest columnist, and that each month he gets embroiled in a game of oneupmanship, with himself. This month, golf courses
CLUB-DROPPING
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ABOVE and below Mukul Beach, Golf & Spa, Nicaragua
’ve just come back from the Algarve – Sheraton Pine Cliffs.” His V-neck swelled and the club’s crest with it. There was a tumbleweed moment. His playing partner stared down the first fairway, resolutely unimpressed. He shook his head sorrowfully, quirking his mouth as if he just swallowed some tasteless caldo verde or dodgy bacalao. “Gave up on Portugal ages ago. Full of oiks. Overpriced. Food’s rubbish. I’m just back from Cuba. Varadero. Very pleasant. Che caddied in Argentina, you know. Fidel banned golf as bourgeois. Stayed at the Dupont mansion. An organ calls guests to dinner. Very nice. Spanish in a way that La Manga isn’t and never will be.” The other player began limbering up with a five iron behind his neck. “The wife and I had a glorious time at Royal Evian on Lake Geneva. The spa there was one of the Aga Khan’s pads. Switzerland’s Crans-sur-Sierre is delightful. But you can’t beat the Riviera. Monte Carlo is a very welcoming club. Spain too, Valderrama, the Marbella Club and all that.” His playing partner sighed, sniffed and flexed his golf glove making the ‘Royal Hong Kong GC’ logo more conspicuous. “France hasn’t much to offer to me, I’m afraid. Played most of the big ones there. Played La Jenny near Bordeaux, though. Nudist course. World’s only one apparently. The front’s better than the back, as they say.” Unmoved, player one teed off. The ball faded into the right-hand rough. “At least it’s not Africa. You don’t want to go in the rough there. Played a course in the Kruger. A leopard kill behind the green. “Played Bombay Presidency? Cobra on the tee. One of the bunkers is an old elephant trap pit. Royal Calcutta is the oldest club in the world outside the UK. Royal Blackheath etcetera , etcetera. The secretary’s a charming chappie.” Player two remained passive. “Discovered Donnafugata, Sicily? Landed up in a cemetery there. Same on the Old Course at Ballybunion, Ireland. Rescue club saved me on that occasion. But, on the sixth hole at Donnafugata the necropolis got the better of me. Took me three shots to get out of the sixth century BC.” Player one smiled, not convincingly. Player two drove off. “Best first tee shot I’ve ever was on Pinehurst One, North Carolina. But the new Nicklaus course on Hawaii is up there.” Player one’s club selection one was spot on. “Hualalai.” They walked down the fairway, continuing to outclub each other.
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ABOVE Evian Resort Golf Club, Switzerland BELOW both Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland
BELOW Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia
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| FEATURE |
ABOVE Marbella Golf & Country Club, Spain BELOW St Andrews Links, Scotland
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“Got a lot of time for the Caribbean,” said player two. “Bought this hybrid there. At Turks and Caicos.” His ball sailed onto the green. Satisfied, he re-bagged it. “Got the bag at Sandy Lane.” His partner shaped one into the heart of the green and reeled off memorable rounds at Royal Westmoreland in Barbados, Tobago’s Mount Irvine Bay, Puerto Rico’s Hyatt Regency Cerromar Beach, and Cotton Bay in the Bahamas. As they walked onto the green and lined up their putts, he reminisced about the above and right Guaveberry Country Club in the Dominican Republic Sandy Lane, Barbados as well as Curacao’s Blue Bay and Aruba’s Tierra del Sol. It was all pure match-play. “Love Jamaica’s Cinnamon Hill.” “White Witch for me.” They walked off with a half, agreeing Tunisia and Morocco were awful. And that Pebble Beach wasn’t worth the money. Neither had played it. Player one won the second with the Golf Club of Beirut. Player two pulled it back on the sixth with Glyfada, beside Athens airport, and went one up when he revealed that he had played through the night in the Arctic Open in Akureyri, Iceland. But Greenland’s Arctic Wastes Golf Club in Kangerlussuaq levelled things up. “Like all golfers I am a nostalgic masochist,” laughed Player one. “I enjoy dwelling on painful experiences of the past. I collect scorecards. Have 300 now. From every continent. Even one from Koganei Golf Club in Japan, the most expensive golf club in the world. The green fee bag tag’s a status symbol over there.” “I can give you ones from Addis Ababa and Banff Springs,” offered Player two as they walked off the 13th, still all square. He won the next with a beautifully timed ‘Moscow Golf & Country Club’ ball marker. Player one pulled him back on the next with a monogrammed ball from Egypt’s Cascades at Soma Bay. And won the next with Dan Caesarea in Israel. Player two got it back on the 17th with ‘Winged Foot’ off the tea, followed by a well-judged ‘Palheiro Madeira’ approach, finishing off with a brilliant parting shot of ‘Mukil Beach, Nicaragua’. They stood on the final tee. The match was all square. “The Pharoahs may well have invented the game; wooden golf-like sticks and balls made from straw and clay have been found in the pyramids; and archaeologists excavating another ancient site, the tomb of Kheti, unearthed wall paintings depicting figures apparently in the process of teeing off.” “I know,” said his opponent, matching his straight drive. “Ancient hieroglyphics tell us that one of the Pharaohs, King Tuthmosis III (14901436BC ), was fond of his golf.” They strode up the final fairway. Their balls lay side by side. “Gezira Sporting Club in Cairo is Egypt’s oldest golf club,” said player one, getting on the green in two. “Founded in 1888 I believe. Istanbul is another old one,” came back player two, doing the same. Both were soon eyeing up their putts. “Trickiest greens I’ve ever played were certainly at Augusta,” said player one. But he had conceded, left it short. Player two had a ten footer to win the competition. “I went to St Andrews University,” he rallied. “Learnt to putt there.” He holed it.
THE CITY MAGAZINE | February 2017
They walked off with a half, agreeing Tunisia and Morocco were awful
above Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia BELOW Palheiro Golf, Portugal
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his seemingly silly, impossible dream, made a lot of sense,” says professional freeride skier Sam Smoothy. “We came up with a plan and managed to convince The North Face to make it a reality.” That plan was for Smoothy, along with fellow The North Face ambassadors, brothers Victor and Xavier de le Rue, to ski Mount Yasur, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, located on Vanuatu, a small island in the South Pacific. “I was sitting on the back of a pickup truck and we came out of the jungle and there it was, this huge, black pile of doom, sitting in the middle of this ink-black plain of ash, just spewing ash clouds and rock into the sky.”
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| FEATURE |
riding volcanoes
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Showcased in the film Sliding Fire, to be released on YouTube on 10 February 2017, the trio shredded their way down the ash face, negotiating flying molten rock and dirt storms en route to the base of the mountain. “On my first ride, I was pretty nervous,” says Smoothy. “Xav and Victor’s gear had been lost by the airline, so I went up alone. There was this howling wind which made walking really tiresome and the volcano was exploding – like it always does we later found out. I was super nervous of being clipped by some flying molten rocks – which would have really messed up my day!”
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“It was such a primeval place to stand alone on the lip of the crater, looking down on such beautiful violence, then turn, click into my skis and ski away” - Sam Smoothy, The North Face skier and Vanuatu trip leader s luxurylo nd o n.c o.uk s
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“Hearing the volcano explode into life while you stand near the summit, the ground shaking as you stare up into the storm of ash and rock that starts raining down on you… It’s pretty biblical” - Sam Smoothy, The North Face ambassador and Vanuatu trip leader thenorthface.co.uk
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Images courtesy of Collab Creative/ The North Face
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I rtue i Donald Trump and Mike Pence © katz / 34 Shutterstock, Inc. THE CITY MAGAZINE
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| FEATURE |
Evangelical Republican and creationist Mike Pence could be about to surpass Dick Cheney as the most powerful vice president in American history. Chris Allsop profiles the former alter boy-turned-radio talk show host and one-time Tea Party politician words: Chris Allsop
D
uring last year’s presidential election, an insightful report surfaced in The New York Times. It related to how candidate Donald Trump approached Governor John Kasich to be his running mate (despite Kasich’s evident enmity towards the real estate mogul during the Republican primary which both men contended). According to the NYT, a senior adviser for Kasich received a call from Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., asking the adviser whether his boss might have any interest in becoming, as he put it, “the most powerful vice president in history”? Intrigued, the adviser reportedly asked for details on what exactly would be the VP’s responsibilities in a Trump White House. Trump Jr. responded that the VP would take charge of domestic and foreign policy.
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So what, asked the adviser, would President Trump be doing? Trump Jr. replied, “Making America great again.” Tempting as this offer was, Kasich (clearly a man of steelier principles than, say, former governor of Massachusetts and Trump dinner date Mitt Romney) declined the opportunity. And he wasn’t he only one. The shortlist of 16 potential VPs, drawn up at a time when it seemed unimaginable that Trump could actually win, dwindled quickly as negotiations floundered and calls went unreturned. But Mike Pence, governor of Indiana and apparently always one of Trump’s favourite picks for the job, saw opportunity where others saw disaster. He dropped out of his gubernatorial reelection campaign, put his name on the ticket, and the rest will soon be history.
Mike Pence at the 500 Festival Parade in 2015; Photo by Sarah Stierch
Emerging from the shadows
Technically, the vice president is constitutionally assigned to preside over the Senate, and is required to cast a deciding vote in the instance of a tie. Other than that, the only formal responsibility a VP has is to step into the breach if the president should die or become incapacitated. But in recent times, the role has begun to evolve. While the vice-presidency began its evolution under President Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s, it was George W. Bush’s right hand man, Dick Cheney, who enlarged the position typically viewed by many as a political cul-de-sac. Cheney, previously Secretary of Defense under Bush Senior, set himself up as the power behind the throne of a leader who disdained detail, in the process managing to reshape national security law, preside over the budget, orchestrate secret domestic surveillance, and, reportedly, influence Dubya to declare war against Iraq. Former vice president, Dan Quayle, described Cheney’s role in the junior Bush’s administration as “chief operating officer”. While nowhere near as overreaching as Cheney, Joe Biden’s vice presidency has continued in this more consequential pattern. The elder, more experienced Biden rapidly became a close adviser to Barack Obama, especially on the area of foreign policy; he reached across the aisle to win Republican support for the administration’s early legislative efforts and negotiated budget compromises with Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell, while also overseeing the withdrawal from Iraq and the implementation of the recovery act of 2009. Where Cheney’s power declined during Bush’s second term, Biden remained in favour, becoming, as author of The White House Presidency: the Path to Significance, Mondale to Biden
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Barack Obama with governor Peter Shumlin and Mike Pence in the State Dining Room of the White House in February 2013; Photo by Pete Souza
Donald Trump, Mike Pence and families on stage at Hilton Hotel Midtown Manhattan in July 2016 © lev radin / Shutterstock, Inc.
Joel K. Goldstein describes it, “the most productive two-term vice-president in American history”.
The Softener
“One of my great decisions in life was choosing Mike Pence to be my running mate,” Trump told Time magazine in an interview. “He is truly a high quality human being, first-class in every respect.” During his own interviews, Michael Richard Pence – former radio host and governor of Indiana – likes to describe himself as a “Christian, conservative, and a Republican, in that order”. During the presidential campaign, Pence achieved what he’d been brought on to do – employing his down-to-earth, homespun style to soften the edges of Trump’s erratic
Mike Pence; Photo by Gage Skidmore
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happy to align his advocacy with the needs of his station’s advertisers. His time on the airwaves attuned not only his political spiel, but also his awareness of the anti-Washington feeling that would coalesce into the Tea Party. In 2000, he returned to politics, winning a seat in the US House of Representatives. With a bible apparently always within reach on his office desk (in 2002 he espoused that Creationism should be taught alongside Darwin in biology class), Pence became a determined, scriptures-quoting member of the Tea Party caucus. If only he’d read The Art of the Deal – during his 12 years in Congress, he brought 90 bills and resolutions before the House, with none becoming law. He was, however, climbing the Republican leadership ladder, and by 2012 squeaked into the governorship of Indiana. It was during this period that Pence’s rising profile went national with
“Loyalty, a quality for which Pence is known, is, for the new president, the most essential of assets... Pence is sure to lead, and keep, the ear of Trump” bombast. When Trump went after the American-Muslim parents of a dead US soldier, Pence issued a statement saying that the family should be “cherished by every American”. One of six siblings born into an Irish Catholic Democrat family (and, in his youth, an altar boy six days a week), Pence first pursued a career in law. Despite citing John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. as the inspirations behind his initial pursuit of a political career, it was Ronald Reagan’s “common-sense conservatism” that would ultimately nudge Pence to the right (along with the Democratic Party’s support of abortion rights). If Trump had come across Pence in 1990, after the latter’s second unsuccessful run for Congress, “first-class” might not have been the words to cross his lips. But Pence wasn’t done. A few years later, he started up his own radio talk-show The Mike Pence Show, that reached into the small towns scattered across his home state. At odd hours, Pence, in button-down shirts and with his slow, deliberate delivery, began to learn, caller by caller, how to “communicate his political ideas in pithy terms”, as Politico’s Darren Samuelsohn puts it. With his small-town listeners, Pence discussed the global warming “myth”; quoted the Ten Commandments as he moralised about the stories of the day; and, when necessary, was apparently
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the outrage over his signing-in of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2015. With no legal protections for same sex couples in Indiana, critics feared the law would sanction discrimination against the state’s LGBT community. He followed this up with one of the most restrictive anti-abortion bills in the nation in March of last year. While these moves played well with Indiana’s social conservatives, the rest of the state was less enthused, as demonstrated when he was roundly booed throwing the first pitch at an Indianapolis Indians baseball game. With his popularity on the wane, he found himself with the would-be President Elect on the back nine of the Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey. Pence made the right noises, and his description later of how Donald “beat me like a drum” on the golf course obviously played well with the preening billionaire. Pence was on the ticket. The prudency of Trump’s pick was crystallised in Pence’s debate with Democratic opponent, Tim Kaine. After Trump’s erratic debate performances against the experienced Hillary Clinton, the pressure was on Pence to deliver. Measured and unflappable, the snowy-haired 57-year old, who somehow seems the elder of his 70-yearold president, debated as if he was back, alone and in control, in the recording studio of The Mike Pence Show.
First among equals
At this stage, the initial all-encompassing offer made by Trump Jr. to Kasich is beginning to look like rote Trumpian hyperbole. Soon after the election, the president-elect suggested in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that Pence would handle policy areas such as health care, and act as a liaison to Congress. Since then, he’s led the transition team and staffed the new administration. While Trump is busy “making America great again”, it’s likely that one of Pence’s key behind-the-scenes roles will be to moderate any antagonism between Republican establishment figures and Trump’s Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus, and the controversial senior adviser, Steve Bannon. The latter, former executive chairman of alt-right conspiracy generator Breitbart News, has a history of criticising the Republican Party – including Pence himself – and his outsider status is a key symbol of Trump’s pledge to “drain the swamp” in Washington. The political triangle between these three will be extremely tangled. Pence is sure to find his much lauded – at least in Republican circles – convictions tested, especially his loyalty to the Republican establishment – he’s a friend of lead Republican Paul Ryan – as well as his own relatively extreme views on issues such as reproductive rights, religious freedoms and immigration (on the latter he leans more towards Bannon’s positions than the more moderate Priebus). To complicate matters further, there’s also Trump’s relatives to consider, especially his ambitious son-in-law Jared Kushner. Loyalty, a quality for which Pence is known, is, for the new president, the most essential of assets. As the leading political veteran in Trump’s White House, Pence is sure, in the early days, to lead, and keep the ear of Trump. But will his power wane, as Cheney’s did, as the new president and his advisers find their feet? And will blood ultimately trump loyalty?
Donald Trump and Mike Pence appear on stage during a press conference in July 2016 in New York © JStone / Shutterstock, Inc.
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TV presenter and historian Dan Cruickshank is to buildings what Attenborough is to animals. His latest book, Spitalfields, charts the social, economic and political history of the nation through a handful of East End streets. While the area has seen all manner of horrors – from acute poverty to the Kray twins and Jack the Ripper – Cruickshank finds the shiny high-rises of the future the most disturbing
peaking to Dan Cruickshank, I feel like I’m back at school. It’s a Monday morning. Double history. I didn’t read the weekend’s compulsory chapter on Peel’s attitude to the Corn Laws and Mrs Weaver is going to catch me out. Except I have read Cruickshank’s Spitalfields: The History of a Nation in a Handful of Streets (or as much of the 800-page doorstop as one is physically capable of doing in 24 hours, with a toddler), but such is his reputation as an expert in his field that I can’t help but feel out of my depth. An Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, a member of the Executive Committee of the Georgian Group, and on the Architectural Panel of the National Trust, Cruickshank’s most recent work has been decades in the making. The writer first got to know Spitalfields well in the 1970s, when he began to explore the area’s “desolate and abandoned streets”. He photographed the crumbling historic buildings that looked unlikely to stand for much longer, and helped form the still thriving Spitalfields Historic Buildings Trust in 1976. He still lives in the early 18 century Spitalfields house that he bought nearly 40 years ago. Indeed, as he writes in the preface (which yes, I did get past): “My desire – indeed obsession – to explore in detail the history on my own doorstep has been stimulated by years of writing about architecture around the world. It’s easy to be entranced by remote and distant places, but it gradually dawned on me that the architectural, social and cultural history of Spitalfields is as rich and extraordinary as that found in more apparently exotic locations.” The weighty, fascinating tome (which I have since finished) is split into four parts. The first explores more ancient history, from the Romans to the Great Fire of London, while the second studies the late Stuart and Georgian period, through the streets and buildings which house the protagonists of the past, and the subjects of their crusades. But I find the third and fourth sections most appealing, especially the chapters Soup Kitchens and Body-snatchers, The Children of the Ghetto: The Jewish East End and Decay and Recovery. “When you evoke the spirits so close to home, it’s hard to escape,” Cruickshank says wistfully. “Wherever I look I see the ghosts of Spitalfields.” As Cruickshank surmises in the opening of A Dismal Squalid District: “Few parts of London have been as closely scrutinised in the 19th century as Spitalfields, Bethnal Green and Shoreditch. For journalists, the area offered a rich source of sensational stories. For novelists, such as Charles Dickens, it provided information about outcast life and – more importantly – inspiration.” But while the focus, on the surface, may be a few chosen streets and buildings, these merely set the stage for the stories Cruickshank seeks to reveal. One particular
Words: Kari Colmans OPPOSITE PAGE Eddy Galeotti / Shutterstock, Inc.
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| interview | this image Conversation at entrance of Rothschild Building BELOW right Fournier Street view to Christ Church BELOW LEFT Rocque 1746 with annotations
anecdote sticks in mind: the origins of the quintessentially British fish and chips. While walking in the vicinity of The Lane, social reformer and journalist Henry Mayhew, at the time compiling research for a paper London Labour and the London Poor, heard the cry, “Fish, fried fish! Ha’penny; fish, fried fish!” a cry Cruickshank notes as “exotic enough” to warrant Mayhew to record it. Battered fish, a Jewish culinary tradition, was in fact introduced to London during the second half of the 17th century by Spanish and Portugese immigrants, but Cruickshank also reports that it was recorded as being first served with chips (the “French way”) in East London in the early 1860s by a Jewish immigrant named Joseph Malin. Another anecdote, also revolving around chips, comes from the chapter on the notorious twins Reggie and Ronnie Kray and their pub The Carpenter’s Arms on the corner of Cheshire Street and St Matthews Row, just a few minutes walk away from their home on Vallance Road. They bought the pub for their mother in 1967, and she would preside over the bar at weekends over a “bevy of bejwelled, buxom, peroxide blondes of a certain age” where the favoured tipple would be a double Courvoisier and lemonade. The gangsters’ drinking paradise inevitably set the scene for a number of disappearances (including that of spiv Jack ‘the Hat’ McVitie, whose allegedly “frenzied”
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station, and reprinted in the book, which arrived addressed “from hell” in a small box along with half a human kidney. While there are already a number of books written on the buildings of East London, Cruickshank’s succeeds in bringing the area’s long social history alive within the context of the nation’s upheavals, waves of immigration, and industrial development, while also making observations, and somewhat bleak predictions, on its future. “The history of Spitalfields is a direct and dramatic echo of the history of London, even of England,” he writes. “Spitalfields has witnessed such tumultuous events as the Reformation of the 1530s, the Civil War of the 1640s and the waves of immigration from the late seventeenth century onwards that transformed London’s character and its patterns of life, trade and manufacturing. Virtually everything of significance that happened in London in the centuries after 1530 has had a profound influence upon life and architecture in Spitalfields – in some cases, indeed, these epoch-making events
Battered fish, a Jewish culinary tradition, was in fact introduced to London during the second half of the 17th century by Spanish and Portugese immigrants murder led to the twins’ eventual downfall), but it was the shooting of local villain Ginger’Marks, who was loitering outside the pub eating chips, that gave the police a clue when a morsel of potato embedded in a bullet hole was found in a nearby wall. We can’t help but touch on Jack the Ripper (something I feel Cruickshank felt obliged to include, despite himself). “The Jack the Ripper murders reveal the darkest shades of late 19th century Spitalfields,” he writes. The presence of a large police station, dating from the 1870s on the corner of Commercial Street, which served as HQ for the murder hunt, proved little by way of deterrent. The locations at which the bodies were placed can be connected on a map to form a religious symbol (the details of which will take a whole page to relate), which suggests that they were blood sacrifices as part of a satanic ritual. The incentive behind the killings is hinted in a letter sent to the local police
had their origin in the area.” When I ask about his feelings on the shiny Spitalfields of today, his outlook is bleak, as he describes its rapid development as “careless and ruthless”. While as an area, its fascination stems from its ability to withstand, if not thrive with change, Cruickshank relents that in the past, such change has always been supported by some sense of continuity. “Today, Spitalfields is not just a rich repository of memory and an epitome of London history, it is also a crucible within which a vision of the city of the future is being forged. As I write this book the fate of the area hangs in the balance.” Spitalfields: The History of a Nation in a Handful of Streets, by Dan Cruickshank, £25 in hardback, published by Random House Books. Dan Cruickshank is presenting Spitalfields at Jewish Book Week on 1 March at 7.00 pm at Kings Place, York Way, N1 9AG, jewishbookweek.com
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| COLLECTION |
WATCHES & JEWELLERY Celebrating the delightful and the divine from the world of fine jewellery and haute horology
FROM PARIS WITH LOVE Chaumet is a jewellery brand steeped in romance. It was founded in Paris in 1780 by Marie-Étienne Nitot, one of the official jewellers to Napoléan I, who would commission spectacular jewels for his wife, Joséphine. Fast forward to today and the house is still putting the happiness of couples first; last year saw it open its first boutique dedicated solely to marriage at 12 Place Vendôme in Paris. Following in this tradition, Chaumet has now launched a special Paris city guide app, which invites couples to rediscover the romantic French capital with recommendations on its best boutique hotels, shops, restaurants and bars, and cultural walking tours. You, Me, Paris, available to download from the App Store in English, French and Mandarin Chinese, itunes.apple.com
L’Amour à Paris campaign, image courtesy of: Chaumet
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Words: RIC
LEFT HAND DRIVE Astute market positioning makes Tudor the masters of the mid-market tool watch. No other brand offers such high specs at such consumer-friendly prices, which explains the prevalence of Tudor timepieces on the wrists of so many watch editors. A case in point, and you’ll applaud the pun here, is the brand’s latest creation, the Pelagos LHD, or Left Hand Drive,
a watch that positions it’s winding crown at 9 o’clock rather than 3 o’clock. Intended for the right-hand wrists of lefties, the dive watch houses a COSCcertified in-house movement inside a titanium and steel case that’s equipped with a helium escape valve. The watch is waterproof to 500 metres, though it’s been tested 625 metres, and boasts an impressive 70-hour power reserve. A unidirectional rotating bezel provides the sort of satisfying ‘click’ that sounds out the words ‘well made’. You’d expect nothing less from the Rolex sister brand. All of this for £3,020. Bravo. tudorwatch.com
News in Brief Apple closes Selfridge’s watch concession – Despite launching its second series smart watch only last autumn, Apple is closing its ground-floor watch concession in Selfridges. While Apple leads the smartwatch sector considerably, the announcement follows lower than forecasted sales figures. Shock departure of Zenith CEO – At the start of January, Zenith abruptly announced it had parted ways with former CEO Aldo Magada. Jean-Claude Biver, watch president at Zenith parent company LVMH, takes over short-term management. Bremont backs out of Basel – Bremont chooses not to exhibit at the world’s largest watch fair, Baselworld, choosing instead to showcase its 2017 collection on home turf. The Bremont
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Townhouse takes up residence at 33 Fitzroy Square for a week from 27 February. Switzerland buys back £1 billion worth of watches in 2016 – During a year in which sales slumped across Asia and Europe, Swiss watchmakers were forced to buy back an unprecedented level of units from stockists faced with unsold inventories. “Almost CHF 1.3 billion (£1bn) francs worth of timepieces were sent back to the country in the first 10 months,” says Bloomberg. TAG’s smartwatch success story – TAG Heuer sold 50,000 of its Connected watches last year, helping the company record 10 per cent growth in 2016. TAG Heuer’s chief executive, Jean-Claude Biver, told Reuters he expects sales to increase to 150,000 in 2017.
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Celebrating 100 years of
D E AR BO EI N G , HAPPY 1 0 0 T H AN N IVER SARY. DO E SN ’ T TIM E FLY. The Boeing 100 mechanical watch, limited to only 300 timepieces, recognises Boeing’s leading position as a defense and commercial aircraft manufacturer. The watch is manufactured from Boeing aviation-grade Ti 6-4 titanium, a special metal that is significantly stronger than commercial titanium. It also features carbon fibre composite from the historically significant and technologically advanced Boeing Dreamliner flying testbed aircraft, ZA004, which can be found integrated into the crown of each timepiece.
Mayfair Boutique · 29 South Audley St, London, W1K 2PE · Tel: +44 (0)207 493 5150 City Of London Boutique · 12 The Courtyard, Royal Exchange, London EC3V 3LQ · Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 7134
Bremont Boeing100_City Mag 210x297.indd 1
14/10/2016 11:23
Ladies first Male-centric brands are starting to experiment with women’s watches, producing a surprisingly wide range of results, writes Laura McCreddie-Doak
Hublot brand ambassador Bar Refaeli
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Bing Bang Broderie Sugar Skull, £22,900, Hublot, hublot.com
W
hen your tagline used to be “engineered for men”, chances are women aren’t really a priority. So when IWC announced that the latest of its collections to get a revamp was going to be the Da Vinci, and that it was going to be aimed at women, the news raised a few eyebrows. IWC has been flirting with the female market for a few years now. Last year, its Pilot range included a couple of models for the fairer sex and, although it didn’t say so explicitly, so as not to scare off the Asian male customer, the Portofino 37 was definitely a foray into more female-centric timepieces. “With the new Da Vinci collection, we are consciously trying to anchor the brand in the minds of women, who account for a significant proportion of watch lovers,” explains Franziska Gsell, chief marketing officer at IWC Schaffhausen. “Here in Schaffhausen, the company has been manufacturing watches for women since the very beginning. In that sense, we are remaining true to our heritage.” Of the complete Da Vinci range, the Automatic 36 and the Automatic Moonphase 36 are explicitly for women, while the Automatic is unisex at 40mm. “With the Da Vinci Automatic 36 and the Da Vinci Automatic Moon Phase 36, we are re-establishing an old tradition of creating selected models from the Da Vinci line especially for women and adding diamonds or fashionable straps and bracelets as features,” explains Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. IWC isn’t the only brand that has started to take the women’s market, and its potential spending power, seriously. According to global professional services firm EY ( formerly Ernst & Young), by next year, the global incomes of women is predicted to reach
Portofino 37mm, £4,950, IWC, iwc.com
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Solo 32, £2,795, Bremont, bremont.com
Women will control close to 75% of discretionary spending worldwide and they own around a third of all global businesses
Galactic 36 Automatic, rose-gold, £29,620, Breitling, breitling.com
Portofino 37mm, £4,950, IWC, iwc.com
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Big Bang One Click King Gold, £20,500, Hublot, hublot.com
Solo 32, £2,795, Bremont, bremont.com
Solo 32, £2,695, Bremont, bremont.com
“There is an obvious pride when a female wearer removes her watch and shows the mechanics behind the timepiece”
Galactic 36 Automatic, gem-set, £8,770, Breitling, breitling.com
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Portofino 37mm, £8,250, IWC, iwc.com
$18 trillion. Women will control close to 75 per cent of discretionary spending worldwide and they own around a third of all global businesses. By 2018, it has been predicted that spending by women will balloon to $28 trillion. So it’s no wonder that megabrands such as Nike are targeting this demographic with initiatives like its female-oriented ‘Better For It’ campaign, eschewing the traditional advertising tropes that sport is purely the preserve of men. While watch brands aren’t exactly ripping up the rulebook and booking Amy Schumer to star in their latest adverts, more and more brands are expanding their gendered outlook. One such brand is Bremont. With its aviation associations, explorer ambassadors and having been founded by two brothers, Nick and Giles English, you’d think that everything about Bremont would be geared towards men. And it was, until last year, when the brand launched its first-ever collection for women. Based on its Solo design, it is the ideal watch for those women who like their watches functional and not overtly feminine. “It was very important to us that we kept the key Bremont DNA running through the range. We wanted something, perhaps a little more feminine size-wise, and arrived, after much debate, at the 32mm case,” explains Nick. “The integrity of the Solo 32 range is on a par with any of the larger case models. They have beautifully finished chronometer-rated mechanical movements and their three-piece case design is derived very much from the classic Bremont ‘Trip Tick’ or threepiece case. The dials then were never going to be focused around being a piece of jewellery or following a particular trend or fashion, but something we felt would be very beautiful and obviously fairly timeless.” It wasn’t reading Marketing Week that inspired Bremont to create the collection, but feedback from existing customers. “We have had many conversations over the past few years from male Bremont owners saying that their wives would love to wear a Bremont but
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Bing Bang Broderie Sugar Skull, £10,200, Hublot, hublot.com
Big Bang One Click King, £11,000, Hublot, hublot.com
that the large case size would be an issue,” says English. “We have also had the same feedback from a number of ladies themselves. The delay from doing this earlier for us was always the movement. We wouldn’t build one unless we could ensure it was mechanical, reliable and beautifully finished. The time has come, and we have achieved this with the Solo 32. It really is a beautiful little watch.” As more women have become interested in mechanical watches, so the definition of what constitutes a “beautiful little watch” has shifted. What used to be available was something in a pastel shade, covered in diamonds and usually quartz, but demand for things a little less pretty and a little more punchy has allowed traditional masculine names to enter this market with interesting results. Brands such as Hublot and Breitling have had to work out how to femininise some of their iconic designs such as the Big Bang and the Galactic in a way that appeals to women, without losing design codes that made them appeal in the first place. Jean-Claude Biver, board member and majority shareholder at Hublot, has realised that a watch is also a piece of fashion and jewellery and has tricked out the brand’s Big Bangs in acid shades or given them a casual make-under and done them in denim. Last year, Biver made the watches customisable by introducing the One Click with interchangeable straps. “Today, what women want is to have a customisable product, that’s why we created the Big Bang One Click with a large selection of straps,” explains Biver. “Ladies are now also more interested in a mechanical movement so Hublot has integrated automatic movements into women’s watches, even on its 33mm diameter watches, which are mostly dedicated to women because of their dimensions. Finally, women want to have less classical watches, but instead are interested in watches with a unique design. That is what we did with the Big Bang Broderie, for instance. They are really different from what we were used to seeing on women’s
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Portofino 37mm, £14,500, IWC, iwc.com
wrists and this collection worked very well.” Biver has shown that his timepieces can be worn on the red carpet by signing model and actress Bar Refaeli as an ambassador. Breitling has gone down the more well-trodden route of shrinking a man’s watch, slimming it down and making it more wearable for a woman’s wrist. It’s not as imaginative as the lead taken by other brands, but it does bring a techy, pilot-style option into a woman’s watch wardrobe that wasn’t there before. “Ladies are genuinely becoming interested in mechanical watches,” says Bremont’s English. “I think it’s safe to say that looks won over build-integrity in the past, but now there is an obvious pride when a female wearer removes her watch and shows the mechanics behind the timepiece.” With exports of Swiss watches in freefall, brand strategists will be scratching their heads for a way of stemming the tide. Investing greater attention to the women’s market could be one way of doing so. Just don’t assume we want diamonds as standard.
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BASELWORLD.COM
The one unmissable trendsetting show for the entire watch and jewellery industry, where all key players unite to unveil their latest creations and innovations. Be a part of this premier event and experience passion, precision and perfection in action.
MARCH 23 – 30, 2017
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TO NEW EXTREMES Launched in early 2016 as an openended collection, Extremely Piaget has expanded this year to include eight new pieces that exemplify the maison’s masterful jewellery techniques. The latest Palm Tree jewels have been based on an emblem of Piaget and have been brought to life using an innovative goldsmithing technique unique to the house: the Palace Decor. The engraving process endows gold with a mesh-like texture, akin to raw silk, and gives the leaves their shimmering, natural quality. Extremely Piaget, POA, piaget.com
Y R E L L E JEW
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Words: OLIV
Green with Envy At the end of last year, Pantone announced ‘Greenery’ – described as “a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring” – as the 2017 Colour of the Year. Taking this as their cue, jewellery designers’ 2017 collections are positively bursting with this refreshing shade. British jeweller Theo Fennell’s latest collection, for instance, includes a number of green-hued gemstones, such as the new Bee Different pendant featuring a green tourmaline offset with 18-karat yellow and white gold, and the mesmerising tourmaline and diamond Halo Wave ring with 18-karat white gold. Visit the store to discover more. Green tourmaline Bee Different pendant on 18-inch chain and Halo Wave ring, both POA, Theo Fennell, 169 Fulham Road, SW3, theofennell.com
Merveilles to Behold
Image courtesy of: ©Cartier
A Labour of Love
Like the Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra pendant or the Bulgari B.zero1 ring, Cartier’s Love bracelet is an iconic piece of jewellery. Designed by Aldo Cipullo in 1969, this unique cuff was inspired by ancient cultures and the concept of a chastity belt, and is fitted onto the wearer using a small screwdriver to symbolise eternal love and devotion. The timeless piece has been reinterpreted this year into a more delicate version, with rings now also available, but otherwise it remains true to the original design, with its classic oval shape punctuated with screws. Love bangle, from £3,250, 143-144 Sloane Street, SW1X, cartier.co.uk
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The new Les Merveilles collection by family jewellers Boghossian introduces a groundbreaking new diamond-setting technique to the world of jewellery design, which captures the purest light reflection in diamonds. By setting stones using the smallest amount of metal possible, this permits an uninterrupted flow of light, thereby enhancing the overall brilliance of the diamonds. It has taken Boghossian craftsmen four years of experimentation to achieve and has been highlighted in a pair of diamond hoop earrings, which shine vividly, and a reversible necklace that can be worn two ways: one side set with rubies, the other with diamonds. From a selection, boghossianjewels.com
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t h e p e r f e c t d at e show your loved one just how much you c a r e w i t h a n u n f o r g e t ta b l e v a l e n t i n e ’ s d ay i n c a n a r y w h a r f ; t r y t h e v a r i e t y o f r e s ta u r a n t s , e x p l o r e t h e b a r s c e n e , s k at e hand-in-hand and snuggle up to a film
dancing on ice Canada Square Park’s LUMINOCITY is the first of its kind, with over 8km of LED lights dancing beneath the ice, lit up with over 16 million different colours.
explore canary wharf With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, there is no better time to explore what Canary Wharf has to offer. Take a trip to Canada Square Park’s incredible ice rink in the heart of Canary Wharf and skate the night away under the lights with the stunning skyscrapers surrounding you. Or cosy up to a romcom screening at Everyman Cinema in Crossrail Place. The plush double sofas and delicious food and drink options make for an especially intimate setting.
face the music Boisdale of Canary Wharf, in Cabot Place, and Big Easy, in Crossrail Place, are both renowned for entertaining live music, perfect for those looking for a lively night. If you wanted something a little more low key however, try The Breakfast Club; its tasty menu and casual setting is an ideal place for a date. If you do happen to change your mind, you can turn it up a notch by heading through to Dr Kluger’s.
dine out Spice things up with authentic Indian food at Crossrail Place’s Chai Ki or opt for some Spanish cuisine at Iberica in Cabot Square. Both include appetising sharing plates on the menu, fitting for a romantic night out. Alternatively, for an extra special evening, head to The Park Pavilion’s Roka for its unbeatable Japanese robata grill or taste the first-rate fish at Sticks’n’Sushi in Crossrail Place.
a night in
If you’d prefer a night in for two, spoil your partner rotten with the finest chocolates, stunning flowers, a candle to set the mood and some bubbles to celebrate.
Peacock Boite Rouge, £60, Charbonnel et Walker, Cabot Place
Louis Roederer Cristal Vintage Champagne, £160, Waitrose Food, Fashion & Home, Canada Place
Rose Candle, £26, The White Company, Jubilee Place
canarywharf.com
@yourcanarywharf
Valentine’s Bouquet, starting from £85, Brown’s London, Canada Place
@canarywharflondon
US MASTERS 2015
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A Cut
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LOndOn’s best barbers UnCOVered
The Man behind The Mask
Vinnie Jones on his antics on and off the pitch
Frank sinaTra
celebrating the centenary of one of style’s greatest icons
seize The day Trip
how to get the most out of the continent this summer
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STYLE FEBRUARY 2017
London Fashion Week Men’s The renamed and re-energised event dedicated to Men’s fashion reaches its tenth edition ‘London Collections: Men’ is so last season – welcome to ‘London Fashion Week Men’s’. More than just the name has changed: the revamped former-LCM showcased the best in AW17 men’s fashion over four days of catwalks, presentations and parties in January. The show’s hub at The Store Studios, the Strand, was packed with the great and good from the world of men’s style, alongside up-and-coming designers hoping to catch the eye of industry experts in the Designer Showrooms. The City Magazine elbowed its way to (near) the front row and presents its pick of the weekend’s standout pieces (including many you might actually wear) on page 70. DT londonfashionweekmens.com Image credit: Oliver Spencer AW17 catwalk presentation, catwalking.com
New kids on the block As the eyes of the international style set fall upon women’s London Fashion Week (17-21 February), meet the fresh blood taking centre stage as part of the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN scheme WORDS: BETHAN REES
B
ritain has always exerted considerable influence on the global fashion scene. Founder of House of Worth in the 19th century, Charles Frederick Worth is considered by many fashion historians to be the father of haute couture. Mary Quant can be credited as creating the miniskirt in the swinging sixties; Vivienne Westwood became the queen of punk fashion during the ’70s; and Alexander McQueen will forever be regarded as one of the most instrumental fashion forces of the early 21st century. The British Fashion Council (BFC) was formed in 1983 to explore ways of co-ordinating the London fashion exhibition scene in order to showcase British designers. Now, London Fashion Week competes against New York, Milan and Paris as one of the ‘Big Four’ in the sartorial stakes. In 1993, the BFC created the New Generation (NEWGEN) scheme which gives a stage for upcoming British talent, having been sponsored by Topshop since 2001. NEWGEN gives catwalk designers financial support and opportunities to use the BFC catwalk show space. It’s one of the most coveted support systems in place in the fashion world, counting designers McQueen, Christopher Kane and Simone Rocha as part of its legacy. Showcasing within this month’s A/W17 NEWGEN programme are the following six designers:
CLOCKWISE from right Faustine Steinmetz; Ashley Williams; Ryan Lo; Molly Goddard; Sadie Williams; Marta Jakubowski; Marta Jakubowski
Ashley Williams
Ashley Williams graduated from the University of Westminster with a degree in fashion design in 2012. Her first collection arrived the following year. Williams’ collections hark back to the fashion of American high schools in the 1990s, using kitsch slogans and graphics, playing with pastels and classic subculture pieces such as varsity jackets, boyfriend jeans and plush animal-shaped bags. ashleywilliamslondon.com
Faustine Steinmetz
Parisian-born Faustine Steinmetz began her studies at Atelier Chardon Savard in Paris before moving to London to complete
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her masters at Central Saint Martins under the guidance of Professor OBE Louise Wilson. Steinmetz explores the use of denim, working and reworking the material, using artisan techniques such as micro-pleating. She previously worked for Jeremy Scott and Henrik Vibskov, and set up her own label in 2013 after acquiring her first handloom weaving machine. faustinesteinmetz.com
Marta Jakubowski
After graduating with a masters from the Royal College of Art in 2014, Marta Jakubowski cut her teeth with Hussein Chalayan, Alexander Wang, Jonathan Saunders and Bruno Pieter before setting up her own label. Using clean lines, a certain uniformity with a nod to classic tailoring and a clever use of well-placed slits, Jakubowski’s collections make for an exciting show. martajakubowski.com
Molly Goddard
Molly Goddard’s creations take you back to the sort of freedom you enjoyed as a four-year-old girl, spinning around in a tulle dress at a birthday party and enjoying the shapes you create. West London native Goddard won the British Emerging Talent award at the 2016 Fashion Awards and celebrities such as Rihanna and Agyness Deyn have been seen in her creations (Deyn got married in one of the dresses). mollygoddard.com
Ryan Lo
There’s an air of fantasy in Ryan Lo’s creations; the latest S/S17 range saw pirate-style hats, genie lamp prints and oversized, clown-like trousers. All executed with sophistication, of course. Born in Hong Kong, Lo taught himself how to knit via YouTube videos and went on to be awarded the highly acclaimed Fashion East sponsorship for his very first runway show for S/S13. ryanlo.co.uk
Sadie Williams
Often mixing odd combinations and juxtaposing influences to create modern and playful work, Sadie is a fashion and textile designer, born and based in London. She developed and refined her design aesthetic on the Central Saint Martins MA Fashion course. Williams isn’t afraid to play with colour or texture, and her last collection for S/S17 included elements of layering, patchworks and embellishments. sadiewilliams.co.uk
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Tickled pink symbolic of love and compassion, pink is set to be one of the biggest trends of S/S17 Pink embroidered sweatshirt, £175, Kenzo, harveynichols.com
Satin platforms, £615, Miu Miu, miumiu.com
Underwired bodysuit, £356, La Perla, laperla.com
Necklace, £1,075, Prada, prada.com
Zac Posen S/S17
The ‘pink for girls, blue for boys’ mantra might be outdated, but S/S17 catwalks around the world saw flashes of fuchsia, Bettina cover up, £395, whispers of candyfloss and slithers of salmon Agent Provocateur, carefully positioned on clothes and accessories. agentprovocateur.com Marc Jacobs incorporated pastel pink shades into models’ dreadlocks, Molly Goddard played with a rainbow of pinks in delicate tulle dresses and Paul Smith’s models donned powder pink co-ords. Pink, we know, can be a difficult colour to pull off, it being too ‘cutesy’, too garish or too Pink Panther. It can also be chic, feminine and playful. Here’s how to wear the colour and avoid looking like a bottle Bubble gum c’est ahh of Pepto Bismol. sunglasses, £180, Linda Farrow x Yazbukey, avenue32.com
Rachel bag, £978, Paula Cademartori, paulacademartori.com
Artie bag in jazzberry, £1,050, Jimmy Choo, jimmychoo.com
Mayner 130 shoes, £595, Jimmy Choo, jimmychoo.com
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YDE resort 2017
Denim and patent leather lady Bag, £1,890, Miu Miu, miumiu.com
Natasha Zinko S/S17 Silk dress, £395, Athena Procopiou, matchesfashion.com
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Milano: Galleria V. Emanuele
ITALIAN TRAVEL BAGS SINCE 1952
Available at Harrods, Selfridges, John Lewis and caseluggage.com
It’s never too late...
LUXURY BODY BUTTER IN WHITE CASHMERE FROM THE BATH & BODY COLLECTION
www.lilouetloic.com
| beauty |
one of your five a day fruits and vegetables aren’t just for eating – they’re a great way of enriching your skin with nutrients and can also make the base of beautiful scents
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5
1. PEPPERMINT AND LIME DEODORANT
There are concerns that the aluminium ingredient in chemically produced antiperspirants, which temporarily plug the sweat ducts, can be easily absorbed into the skin. Some may be sceptical about the effectiveness of natural deodorants, but this peppermint and lime roll on by Neal’s Yard Remedies naturally protects against odours and dampness. Peppermint and lime deodorant, £8 for 50ml, Neal’s Yard Remedies, nealsyardremedies.com
get your groceries Of course, ever yone knows that consuming fruit and vegetables is good for you ; what you eat can be illustrated on the outside through glowing skin. But what about p u tt i n g a c t u a l f r u i t a n d v e g e t a b l e s o n y o u r s k i n ? W h e t h e r i t ’s t h e r i c h a n t i oxidants that can bring the skin b a c k a n d a i d p r o b l e m s n a t u r a l l y, or simply giving a fresh natural aroma , these ingredients can be incorporated into your daily beauty regime.
2. superfood facial oil
This lightweight, non-greasy, easily absorbed facial oil is made up of a blend of plant-based ingredients. It includes anti-oxidant and omegarich components such as broccoli and daikon radish to give the skin a healthy and radiant glow. To use, massage three to four drops over the face and neck in the morning – use on its own or before your daily moisturiser. Superfood facial oil, £45 for 15ml, Elemis, elemis.com
3. Superskin Overnight mask
Established over two decades ago, Liz Earle is known for its natural skincare range. This overnight mask includes pomegranate fruit extract which helps protect skin from environmental aggressors (such as pollution and the sun). Superskin overnight mask, £42 for 100ml, Liz Earle, lizearle.com
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3
4. bitter orange toner
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After cleansing the skin, it’s important to use toner as it really aids getting rid of sweat and grime from the skin’s pores. This citrus-based formula from Aesop is suitable for most skin types, especially the oily and blemish-prone. To use, douse toner onto a cotton pad, or directly onto hands after cleansing and pat onto your face and neck. Bitter orange astringent toner, £23 for 100ml, Aesop, aesop.com
5. pomegranate noir cologne
Intensely fruity and spicy, this cologne from Jo Malone is a compelling scent. Warm yet fresh, the perfume house never fails to create deep and exciting fragrances. Of course, there are notes of pomegranate, but also pink pepper, raspberry and clove, too. Pomegranate Noir cologne, £86 for 100ml, Jo Malone, jomalone.co.uk
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Jacket in tan calf leather, £4,090, Ermenegildo Zegna, zegna.com; Wool mix suit trousers, £195, DAKS, daks.com; Denim patchwork shirt, £180, Casely-Hayford, casely-hayford.com; Brown leather loafers, £360, Tod’s, tods.com; Silver framed glasses, £450, Thom Browne, thombrowne.com
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L’AFRIQUE, C’EST CHIC “Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien, author and poet PHOTOGRAPHER: ALEXANDER BEER STYLIST: GRAHAM CRUZ
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THIS PAGE Linen and cotton jacquard ‘Mattress’ turandot jacket, £POA, Caruso, carusomenswear.com; Pleated cotton trousers with geometric embroidery, £460, Emporio Armani, armani.com; Black and gold framed glasses, £550, Thom Browne, as before; Green suede derby shoes, £940, John Lobb, johnlobb.com RIGHT Dusty pink linen trousers, £245, Paul Smith, paulsmith.co.uk; Cotton polo shirt, £85, DAKS, as before; Short sleeve cotton and viscose v-neck with jacquard print, £320, Emporio Armani, as before; Sand suede shoes, £795, Christian Louboutin, christianlouboutin.com; Zero tortoise and metal sunglasses, £210, Taylor Morris, taylormorriseyewear.com
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LEFT Cotton printed shirt, £275, Cerruti 1881, cerruti.com; Oversized paper wool gabardine trousers, with asymmetrical fastening and braces, £460, Emporio Armani, as before; Carbon fibre and natural horn framed glasses, £1,300, TD Tom Davies, tdtomdavies.com; Brown loafer with light brown band, £580, Ermenegildo Zegna, as before THIS PAGE Plum cotton trousers (sold as a suit), £500, BOSS, hugoboss.com; White cotton shirt with embroidered pink flowers, £320, Paul Smith, as before; Single-breasted polyester jacket with shawl lapels and geometric print, £630, Emporio Armani, as before; Black and gold framed glasses, £550, Thom Browne, as before
White linen shirt, £95, Hackett, hackett.com; Mustard trousers, £180, J.Lindeberg, available at John Lewis; Single-breasted jacket, £1,190, Dunhill, dunhill.com; Teal suede shoes, £565, Christian Louboutin, as before; Brown suede belt, £275, Tod’s, as before; Tortoise shell glasses, £195, Prism, prismlondon.com
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Green leaf print cotton shirt, £530, Tod’s, as before; Soft pink hopsack trousers, £275, Richard James, richardjames.co.uk; Dark brown calf suede monk shoes, £395, Crockett & Jones, crockettandjones.com; Hypoallergenic natural horn framed glasses, £1,000, TD Tom Davies, as before; Green cotton slopan knit, £119, BOSS, as before Model: Duncan Macrae @ Models 1 HAIR AND Make-up: Marian Filali for Dior With thanks to Palais Rhoul, palais-rhoul.com
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From left Oliver Spencer catwalk show © Catwalking; E. Tautz; Mihara Yasuhiro Kent & Curwen
Back in 70
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The rebranding of ‘London Collections: Men’ to ‘London Fashion Week Men’s’ was more than just a name change. With the return of Vivienne Westwood, the remodelled show affirmed its place on the international stage WORDS: DAVID TAYLOR
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enswear has never been as fashionable. Now in its tenth season, the event dedicated to men’s style has a new name and a new impetus. London Fashion Week Men’s (LFWM) – renamed so as to show equal footing with the original London Fashion Week ( for women) – had journalists and the fashion-conscious eagerly anticipating Autumn/Winter 2017, when a huge range of styles and trends will become available. The City Magazine donned its finest get-up to mingle among the most exciting names in menswear. Here’s what impressed us the most...
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Private White V.C.
Victoria and son Brooklyn to showcase a smart and wearable collection. A vintage aesthetic, made popular once again thanks in no small part to brands such as Kent & Curwen and hit-show Peaky Blinders, was on full display. We predict a successful year for this born-again brand.
For British heritage, it’s hard to look past Private White V.C. Still based in its original Manchester factory, the brand blends quality craftsmanship with modern cuts and fashion sensibilities. For AW17, Private White is looking forward, with a range designed to be worn by both men and women. The clean, minimalistic style serves androgyny well, the clothing looking sharp no matter who wears it. Warm, calming colours dominate, with plenty of orange and camel on show.
Kent & Curwen Founded in the 1920s, and creator of the cricket jumper, Kent & Curwen has had a lifestyle update courtesy of new creative director Daniel Kearns and brand partner David Beckham. At the A/W17 presentation, held in a warehouse joining the OXO Tower, Messrs Kearns and Becks were joined by
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Oliver Spencer
Clockwise from bottom left: Daniel Kearns and David Beckham at the Kent & Curwen presentation; Private White V.C. mannequins; Oliver Spencer catwalk show ©Catwalking; Kent & Curwen; Richard James; Casely-Hayford catwalk show ©Catwalking; Kent & Curwen presentation space
One of the highlights of the week, Oliver Spencer’s catwalk presentation challenged the idea of what constitutes British fashion. Models of various shapes, heights and sizes showcased the versatility of Mr Spencer’s designs. It was one of the most popular presentations at LFWM, and earned a standing ovation for the designer. The show was a symbol of London’s – and Britain’s – rising reputation as an exciting challenger for the title of fashion capital of the world.
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Playful maturity The rules of men’s fashion are ever evolving, and this edition of LFWM introduced more than ever the idea of mixing the casual with the formal. Both established houses and fashion upstarts played on this theme. Richard James stuck to its sartorial guns, but has added less formal offerings, including chunky knitwear. Casely-Hayford’s catwalk showed quality tailoring alongside playful elements, illustrating that a man can look stylish wherever occasion takes him.
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Tradition & the young guns In the basement of Smith & Wollenksy steak restaurant, Savile Row’s Chester Barrie (right) served up a style soirée celebrating its new range of modern smoking jackets and tuxedos, using rich chocolate, navy and black velvets with Mogador shawl collars. Newer brands Christopher Raeburn and Mihara Yasuhiro (below right) approached LFWM from different angles. Christopher Ræburn put on a playful catwalk, with bomb disposal jackets and fluorescent jumpers, while Mihara Yasuhiro stripped it back, using subtle lines and block colours to create a super sophisticated collection.
Vivienne Westwood The long-awaited return of Dame Vivienne Westwood to British shores didn’t disappoint. Dame Westwood has brought her men’s and women’s labels under one roof, and showed them at a final-day catwalk at the Seymour Leisure Centre, where models wore crowns adorned with ‘Ecotricity’ – a company that uses windmill farms to provide the UK with energy. As much a political show as a fashion event, the clothes were typical of Vivienne Westwood, a punk disregard for conformity shown in all its glory.
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Clockwise from left: Vivienne Westwood with Hu Bing; Chester Barrie; Mihara Yasuhiro catwalk show ©Catwalking; Christopher Ræburn catwalk show ©Catwalking
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Shows of note Among a stellar line-up of designers, there were a few other names that stood out. Nigel Cabourn hosted a party to present his new collection, which took influences from coastal and racing culture, with chunky knits and leather jackets alongside a more heritage collection. Barbour International improved on what it does best, and also included a word art installation by Robert Montgomery. Daniel Fletcher brought youth to proceedings, and continued with the trend of warm, autumnal colours. J.W. Anderson’s catwalk hinted that loose fit is the way to go this year.
The long-awaited return of Dame Vivienne Westwood to British shores didn’t disappoint Shoe-in
Clockwise from bottom left: Daniel Fletcher; Nigel Cabourn; John Lobb; Hu Bing at J.W. Anderson show; Barbour International; Harry’s of London
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Footwear is an important part of LFWM, and two brands in particular created impressive presentations. Harry’s of London took guests back in time to the 1980s, with pinball machines, upbeat pop music and neon walls. Its collection has certainly gone less formal over the past couple of seasons, and A/W17 is no different. John Lobb created an atmospheric presentation room, with a minimalistic space and dark woods. The collection followed suit: smart and simple footwear oozing quality craftmanship.
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New Age
| style |
So powerful a marketing tool is the concept of ‘heritage’, that newly-launched brands are aligning themselves with an older sense of British history in the hope of imbuing notions of quality and tradition. Emma Johnson explores the idea of the ‘new heritage’ brand
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this image Private White V.C. circles, l-r Private White V.C. x Lock & Co; Private White V.C., Julie Michaelsen Photography; Private White V.C. x Lock & Co; Bremont
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bove the door of its St James’ store, the swinging sign on Lock & Co’s awning proudly states: ‘Founded 1676’. The oldest hat shop in the world, and still a family-owned business, Lock & Co epitomises the very essence of a classic British heritage brand, with established roots, a clear sense of Britishness (it virtually invented the bowler hat) and plenty of great Britons as past customers (thank you, Messrs Churchill and Nelson). And, while recent years have seen the company collaborate with the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Jimmy Choo and Mr Porter, it is clear that the experience gained from over three centuries of trading gives it a certain edge amongst its competitors. Being known as a British heritage brand is a powerful marketing strategy, both at home and abroad – ‘Britishness’ has real currency in countries like Japan, China and in the Middle East. If you can back this up with products that are considered classically British, manufactured in Britain using British materials, usually, you’re on to a winner. So it might seem odd that a range of ‘heritage’ brands, from Barbour to Bentley,
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are outsourcing more and more of their production overseas. Both Mulberry and Burberry – brands who trade heavily on their British roots – have, in recent years, scaled back production in their UK factories in favour of Chinese locations. ‘Heritage’, it seems, is moving away from its literal meaning, and now means something far less tangible. “Uber, Airbnb, Oscar, Tesla. All highflying brands. All less than a decade old. Who’s looking for heritage now? We live in a world where what once took 200 years to earn now takes less than 20,” says Nick Clark, executive creative director at branding maestros The Partners, writing in Advertising Age magazine. New brands are reinventing the very meaning of heritage.
The New Heritage
“Heritage signifies a transition of skills and knowledge,” says Michelle Emmerson, CEO of Walpole, whose programme Brands of Tomorrow seeks to nurture and support the next generation of British luxury brands. “The new heritage is essentially about taking the best from the British luxury tradition and combining it with a sense of newness, whether it is adding a layer of cutting-edge technology or reinventing classic designs for increasingly discerning consumers, who are more likely to be influenced by bloggers and social media, than traditional advertising.” Participants in the Walpole Brands of
Tomorrow programme have This is also seen at to be less than 10 years old, Private White V.C., a and have the common menswear label created goal of creating future by James Eden in heritage. The alumni 1997, whose great includes Bremont, grandfather Jack Charlotte Olympia, White was a soldier Emilia Wickstead, awarded the Victoria Miller Harris, Cross in 1918. The Rococo Chocolates, brand’s collection Nyetimber and describes itself as Twin Track 2.0 olive wax jewellery brand being inspired by jacket, £595, Private White Astley Clarke, White’s everyday V.C. privatewhitevc.com whose CEO Scott wardrobe, Thomson says: and items are “British style is in vogue – based on classic discerning customers are looking for both wartime pieces, updated with added the build quality and style pedigree that functionality and detail. strong British brands can provide.” At respected British watch brand Bremont, which manufactures many of its products in Henley-on-Thames and In some cases, a certain person or event Silverstone, the past is very much a part from the past forms the basis of a company of the present. Brothers Nick and Giles that has all its roots in the present. Scott English started the business in 2002, in Thomson feels that new brands need to part as a tribute to their father, who died have a backstory that people can relate to. years earlier in a plane crash. Both Nick For Thomson, heritage comes in the form and Giles were introduced to watchmaking of people. “When a new brand is starting, it through their father and speak often of their is important to have a story – Astley Clarke love of vintage watches. When launching derives its heritage aspect more from the the brand, the brothers explained that success of founder Bec Astley Clarke’s they were inspired by modern design – grandfather (Sir Cyril was knighted for seen in collaborations with brands like his genetics work) and her father (Charles Jaguar and Boeing – but that they also felt Clarke was the medic on the first British closely connected to England’s history accent of Mount Everest) than it does to of watchmaking. “We were conscious our back catalogue of jewellery.” that when we started we did not want to relaunch an old brand, which we could have easily done,” says Giles. “We are always very proud of the history of British watchmaking; a major part of what we are about is bringing watchmaking back to the UK.” Tom Broughton, founder of spectacle brand Cubitts, also explains how his approach is about nurturing the enduring qualities of British design, and harnessing that history as part of his brand identity. He explains how the first pair of spectacles was created in Soho in 1730, and that, for two centuries, London was a hallmark of small-scale craft. “For us, it’s about a set of principles – offering services and products
Referencing the Past
Private White V.C.
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Bremont founders, Giles and Nick English
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this image Bremont; right Private White V.C. x Lock & Co below Richard Brendon plate; Alfie Douglas bag below right Michelle Emmerson Walpole Ceo
that were once a by-word for Britishness. We look to celebrate our oft-forgotten British industry.”
Made in Britain
The ‘Handcrafted in the UK’ or ‘Made in England’ moniker provides a brand certain kudos. “Although not strictly a heritage brand, we have adopted traditional principles in our approach to the design and manufacture of our products,” says Simon Hadden, director at leather bag manufacturer Alfie Douglas. “Before mass production, products were made in small workshops by a handful of people, materials were sourced locally and the supply chain was minimal. We adopt the same principles by designing, sourcing and making all of our products ourselves. We even produce our own design work, photography and marketing.” Interiors brand Josephine Home – another Walpole member – puts a big emphasis on provenance, too. “It would be wrong to ignore all that Britain has to offer in the world of bespoke craftsmanship,” says founder and creative director Stephanie. “Although we are relatively young [10 years] we are leveraging centuries of transmitted knowledge and expertise. In a world where there is such an affluence of largely similar products, ‘Made in Britain’ carries a lot of weight – it’s becoming rarer and rarer.”
in its products in order to create goods that appear at once contemporary yet classic. “For me,” says founder and director Katy Simpson, “designs from the past look so robust, brave and timeless. Although Noble Isle is a young brand, it has the look and feel of being well established. We often talk about ‘The New Tradition’ - in fact, it’s printed on all of our packaging and is an integral part of our logo.” Even the brand’s name speaks to something of a long forgotten Britannia – a noble and ancient isle. For all this talk of heritage, many new brands are proud of their recent beginnings. “Heritage is very important to me and my brand,” says Richard Brendon. “We work with heritage craft industries and I am inspired by the products they have made and the skills they have mastered over the centuries. Having said this, I would not consider Richard Brendon to be a heritage brand, we are a new brand that embraces heritage.” Scott Thomson of Astley Clarke agrees: “We are actually rather proud to be a young brand. We embrace a modern approach, but do like to point to a good British spine.”
Quintessential Branding
Founder of his eponymous ceramics company, Richard Brendon says that British heritage deeply informed his company logo, from colour to typeface. “Our logo takes inspiration from a British typeface called Johnson, which was designed by Edward Johnson in 1913 for the London Underground. Our monogram draws inspiration from Victorian branding on British pottery and our signature colour is a dark blue that references the most prevalent colour used in British ceramics, cobalt blue.” Beauty and fragrance brand, Noble Isle, references historical ideas
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| style |
Boots made for walking Dressed-up or dressed-down, a pair of statement boots are a proclamation of taste 1. Tweed C wingcap brogu e countr y boot, £345, Cheaney, cheaney.co.uk 2. Guy boots, £525, Harr y ’s of London , harr ysof london .com 3. 1460 antiqu e Temp erley, £120, D r. Mart ens, drmart ens.com 4. Malton ML sp ecial edition brogu e boot, £390, Tricker’s/ Motolegends, motolegends.com 5. Fred boots, £255, Grenson , grenson .com
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wake up and Smell the roses Get the right scent for the right date on Valentine’s Day
first date:
P our Un H omme d e C aro n Make an impression , c e r t a i n l y, b u t l e t it be elegant. This fragrance, created in 1934 with minty l a v e n d e r, c i t r u s a n d herbs, gives just enough manliness without ever going overboard – think Car y Grant driving to Nice in an opent o p s p o r t s c a r. £68/125ml , C aron , roullier whit e.com
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third date:
Ge r an ium p our Mo n si eur Things are getting serious. Take it up a notch with a fragrance that ’s equal parts fresh , uplifting, and carnal . Th e geranium leaf in thi s fragrance starts citrus fresh and fini sh es with a ver y earthy not e. A grown up, t empting fragrance. £160/100ml , Frederic Malle, selfridges.com
For when you’ve lost count:
Ape rt ure You’ve impressed enough for th em to stick around for a w hile, so spice things up with a strong shock. Ap erture i s chock full of p epp er, tobacco and civet, tantamount to sex in a bottle. St. Valentin e w ould blush . £135/100ml , Ulrich Lange, libertyof london .com
For the newly single:
Fo rbe s o f Fo rbe s Those looking for love should h av e a f ra g ra n c e f u l l o f e n e rg y a n d a dv e n tu re . This one, made a t C a st l e Fo rb e s , A b e rd e e n s h i re , m i xe s o ra n g e c i t r u s w i t h o a k , m o ss a n d patchouli . Plus, t h e re’s a st a g o n the front. £60/100ml , C astle Forbes, fortnumandmason .com
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giving the green light make for iceland to see the majestic aurora borealis in all its glory Alongside hot springs, volcanic activity and puffins, Iceland is known as one of the best vantage points from which to glimpse the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. A landscape of volcanoes, waterfalls and dramatic coastline makes for an idyllic backdrop to the natural phenomenon, which is enhanced as a result of low pollution levels. The best time to view the cosmic display is between April and September. While you may have to stake out in the cold for a few hours, the nocturnal rainbow is well worth the wait. BR Page 100: Sophie Halse embarks on an adrenaline-fuelled tour of Iceland’s south coast.
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| motoring | style |
modern
rockers
With the a rrival moto of a rcycle manu fleet of ne new l w Bo factu ife int nnev rer Tr o its r illes, iump ange h v o ery sm British f icon Words: G ic ret artly eorge Ch ro cla inject apman ssics s
Left Thruxton 1200 R, £12,000 Right Thruxton 1200, £10,700
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Triumph Bonneville T100 Black, £8,300
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he trend of retro-inspired motorcycles has taken the twowheel world by storm in recent times, and few have been as eagerly anticipated as the new Triumph Bonneville range – hardly surprising really, as the Hinckley-based brand essentially invented the genre. In addition to the lucrative but ageing touring segment, European manufacturers in particular have answered the needs of a new breed of biker. Style conscious and often under 30, the new/old school breed is less obsessed with the need for speed, but drawn instead to the more emotive and undeniably attractive life on two wheels as projected by heroes of yesteryear. Think ‘King of Cool’ Steve McQueen. With the arrival of stiff competition from BMW’s slick R Nine T and Ducati’s seemingly evergreen Scrambler, it was high time that Triumph’s charming but outdated air-cooled 68bhp 865cc Bonneville entered retirement. In early 2016, Triumph launched a range of all-new replacements, complete with two new engines and available in five different
derivatives, from entry level Street Twin to range-topping Thruxton R. All bikes feature a ride-by-wire throttle, ABS, slip-assist clutch for an easier lever pull, traction control that can be switched off, an immobiliser with a chipped ignition key and a USB charging socket. The Street Twin features a liquidcooled 900cc parallel twin that produces 54bhp and, more importantly, 59lb ft of torque – an increase of 20 per cent over its predecessor. Combined with a new drive-by-wire throttle, it’s also leagues ahead in terms of everyday performance and refinement which makes it ideal for new riders – smart move Triumph. On the congested streets of London, it makes for an agile and handsome commuter with a healthy turn of acceleration to boot. Fitted with purposeful cast wheels and neat, high quality detailing, the Street Twin comes in red, silver and three shades of black, and is offered with a range of exhausts and accessory options. It all adds up to a brilliant value package that just begs to be ridden. For riders looking for perhaps a little greater road presence and a little more comfort, the T120, with its more relaxed geometry, makes a fine case for itself, too. Powered by a beefed-up, 1200cc version of the new liquid-cooled twin, power climbs to 79bhp whilst torque is an impressive 77.5lb ft. Refined, comfortable and with a healthy surge of get-up-and-go in all gears, the T120 is the bike the original Bonneville
should always have been – especially in handsome ‘Black’ spec with traditional spoked wheels. Despite its muscular, macho feel it rarely feels cumbersome in traffic but is at its most charming on balmy evening cruises to your favourite viewpoint or watering hole. Just don’t forget to attach your pillion for your favourite passenger. For those after a taste of Triumph’s colourful competition history, the new Thruxton and highly spec’d Thruxton R should more than fit the bill. Originally named after a small run of 1960s homologated racers for the road, power is provided by a tuned version of the T120’s 1200cc twin, developing 96bhp and 83lb ft of torque – good for around 135mph flat out. On open, twisty A-roads, where the Thruxton R positively excels, you’ll also enjoy the brilliant Brembo brakes, Showa big piston forks and Ohlins twin rear shocks, all of which combine to ensure this retro cafe racer has the performance and handling to back up the stunning looks. Although far less comfortable than its more relaxed siblings due to the dropped bars and raised seat height, the Thruxton carries many of the cheaper bike’s practicalities. The same handy USB port is located under the seat in order to charge your phone and the digital display continues to deliver useful information such as gear indicator and fuel range. There’s also an optional ‘Sport’ mode for faster throttle response when the mood takes you. Once again then, Triumph’s designers and engineers have demonstrated some very
Left Thruxton 1200 R, £12,000 Right Thruxton 1200, £10,700
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| motoring | style | Triumph Street Cup, £8,600
Left Triumph Bonneville T120, £9,800 Right T120 Black, £9,800
Triumph Street Cup Café Racer modern thinking in the new Bonnies, and in turn, proved they know modern retro buyers better than most. In order to tempt new buyers, Triumph has activated an impressive PR and marketing drive that has widely embraced the burgeoning custom motorcycle scene; after all, it is no accident that the entire range of Bonnevilles can be fully accessorised and personalised to your heart’s content. The firm also continues to support London’s Bike Shed Motorcycle Club and its annual London exhibition, while the backing
of the global phenomenon that is the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride – a hugely popular charity event now in its fifth year that invites ‘dapper’ riders of retroinspired machines to ride in convoy – is a motorcycle marketeer’s dream. Keen to sample the fantastic atmosphere and do our bit, The City Magazine took part in the London ride aboard a Street Twin in 2016 along with nearly 1,500 other riders. Raising awareness in over 500 cities around the world, the organisation raised more than $3.5 million for men’s health causes last year alone.
Unveiled at the Intermot bike fair in Cologne in October 2016, Triumph added three new bikes to the existing Bonneville line-up. Leading the pack of 900cc twin-cylinder machines, the Street Cup (above left) is a lighter, more accessible café racer based on the Street Twin. Taking inspiration from the rangetopping Thruxton R, styling includes a removable bullet seat cowl, fly-screen, drop bars and bar end mirrors. The Cup also receives unique twin upswept silencers. Two other Street Twin-based roadsters will also be available in 2017, the T100 and the T100 Black, which are both inspired by their T120 siblings.
Triumph Street Twin, £7,500
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Signpost ERCO has reconsidered outdoor lighting. The Kona projector with LED is the robust precision tool for illuminating faรงades and monuments. High luminous flux and maximum visual comfort for lighting tasks in the outdoor area. www.erco.com/kona
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| motoring |
Battle of the supercar engines
for Velocity
Unravelling the mysteries of the V8, V10 and V12 engine – why do certain brands favour one type of powerhouse over another? Words: Jennifer Mason
E
ver wondered why the world’s best supercars (not to mention F1 motors) no longer use inline engines? Gone are the heydays of the flat- or straight-six; there’s a reason almost all of the most powerful cars in the world now use the V-type engine. The configuration reduces length, height and weight compared to the equivalent inline design, meaning you can access a heck of a lot more power in the same space – pretty
essential if you’re building a luxury car where the price tag in pounds matches (or exceeds) its bhp. The first V-type engine was produced by Daimler in 1889. The two-cylinder V-twin, designed by Wilhelm Maybach (yes, that Maybach), was frequently used in motorcycles, but by the early 1900s, V-type engines with more cylinders were being produced – first for marine racing, and then for motorcars.
Modern V-type engines are found in almost all high-performance sports cars and luxury saloons – but which brands favour which engines for which models and why?
V8
Cylinders: 8 First use: Rolls-Royce V-8, 1905 Pros: A supercharged V8 engine offers a boost of power to rival the other V engines but it’s shorter in length for saving space Cons: Thanks to higher numbers of moving parts, the V8 can be more costly and time-consuming to produce Sound: Low growl at ignition, highpitched, throaty roar at high revs Examples: Ferrari 458, Mercedes SLS AMG (above), Bentley GT C
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V10
Cylinders: 10 First use: Dodge Ram, 1994 Pros: The V10 revs higher than the V8 but offers a more rapid engine response than the V12 Cons: The V10 layout is inherently unbalanced, with a small rocking motion which must be compensated by balance shifts Sound: Raw, crackling snarl Examples: Audi R8 V10 (above), Lamborghini Huracán, Porsche Carrera GT
V12
Cylinders: 12 First use: Sunbeam ‘Toodles V’, 1913 Pros: The powerful V12 is used almost exclusively in expensive sports and luxury cars thanks to its more refined, smoother operation Cons: The V12’s size makes it expensive to use in powerful cars as its weight must be offset with pricey materials such as carbon fibre Sound: A deep, rumbling purr Examples: McLaren F1, Pagani Zonda, Aston Martin DBS (above)
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| motoring |
o Coast For the very first time, a car has driven across Scotland without using a public road – Jeremy Taylor dons his Wellington boots and joins a fleet of G-Class for a Highland adventure
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ou take the high road and I’ll take the off-road – and you will probably make it across Scotland long before me. I can, however, guarantee that you won’t have as nearly as much fun as me driving the 65 miles coast to coast over some of Britain’s roughest terrain. The ultimate Highland fling took 18 months of meticulous planning and the agreement of 11 landowners. Many thought the 4x4 adventure was impossible but they hadn’t banked on the off-road capabilities of the Mercedes GLS and legendary G-Class,
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Organisers have asked me to keep the exact route a secret, so others don’t damage the environment by making a similar attempt otherwise known as the G Wagen. Organisers have asked me to keep the exact route a secret, so others don’t damage the environment by making a similar attempt. But I can tell you the drive starts on a beach north of Inverness and
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finishes near the remote west coast town of Ullapool. I’d been warned I would encounter countless locked gates, demolished bridges and a peat bog that will sink both hearts and tyres. The weather will likely flip from brilliant sunshine to freezing snow and we will need every piece of equipment in the off-road arsenal to make it on time. There are 12 Mercedes off-roaders lined up on the beach for our two-day expedition. Most are G-Glass models but I’ve picked a GLS – more likely to be
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spotted around Chelsea than mud-plugging through the wilds of Scotland. The seven-seat SUV is Mercedes’ answer to the Range Rover and has a cabin decked out in pure luxury. But a Harmon Kardon sound system and quilted leather seats won’t come in very handy on the trip I’m making. Instead, I’m planning on Dynamic Select drive modes and air suspension to iron out the bumps. And, unlike any Mercedes you buy from a showroom, my GLS features a set of enormous off-road tyres that will tighten up the grip when the going gets really tough – which is pretty much from the start. It’s far more road-orientated than the G-Class, which is visually little changed since it launched in 1979. Despite having the aerodynamics of a brick, the goanywhere vehicle is now the longestrunning model series in Mercedes history. The G stands for ‘Gelandewagen’, meaning cross-country vehicle. The G Wagen won the Paris-Dakar Rally outright and has been the transport of choice for two Popes. Each one takes 40 hours to build by hand at a factory in Austria – just 14 roll off the production line every day. The Novar Estate spans 20,000 acres and borders the coast near Inverness. As we are sent on our way by a lone piper, the task of the job soon becomes apparent. The tracks across Novar are driven by forestry lorries and service vehicles for Scotland’s first ever wind farm.
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Their enormous wheels have left deep ruts that now gush with a slippery combination of rainwater and pine needles. Rocks jut out from every angle but the GLS’s air suspension allows me to increase ride height without even stopping. The first stop is Fyrish Monument – a replica of the gates of Negapatam in south India. General Sir Hector Munro is an ancestor of the current owners of the estate and the stone edifice celebrates one of his victories in the Anglo-Mysore War of 1781. More importantly, the monument is providing handy shelter from a biting easterly wind. The same icy blast powers Novar’s spectacular wind farm, with 50 turbines pumping out power into the National Grid. With no off-road satellite navigation for remote areas like this, I’m relying on maps to provide names for some of the scenery. The first big descent drops down past
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Loch Morie, the water source for Dalmore whisky. Nearby are the remains of Creag na Cille chapel. A lunch stop has been arranged on the Kildermorie estate, bought by Charles Perrins in 1912 – one half of the Lea and
It’s unlikely many GLS owners will ever venture further off-road than the pavements around Sloane Street Perrins sauce empire. From here, the route follows the River Carron, famous for salmon fishing. Some of this area is said to be more sparsely populated than the Sahara Desert. It’s unlikely many GLS owners will ever venture further off-road than the pavements around Sloane Street. Which is a shame, because the car’s off-road capabilities are truly impressive. Provided I find the right drive mode, it’s seemingly impossible to
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| motoring |
Mercedes 4x4 Technology unsettle the SUV on any surface. The start of the second day is different, as the route crosses some Highland flats caused by an ancient glacier. The meandering Rhidorroch River has created a perfect bog which requires artificial tracks to be laid so every vehicle can cross at a snail’s pace. It takes two hours to get every vehicle safely across before a gentle descent towards Rhidorroch Loch. The GLS sports some muddy battle scars but has no difficulty keeping pace with the G Glass. Sat on heated seats and listening to Classic FM, I imagine there’s an air of refinement in my vehicle that’s missing in the rest. Rhidorroch is a good place to spot some Highland wildlife, too. Golden Eagles are far more common than 10 years ago, while Silka deer, red squirrel and Capercaillie have all made a home in this remote landscape. The last few miles to Ullapool are some of the easiest. For once, I’m travelling at speeds in excess of 10mph. Sea buzzards swirl overhead, while sheep and cattle graze the lower fields. It seems the locals have heard about the Mercedes adventure and turn out to watch us cover the final ascent to the east shore of Loch Broom.
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4ETS – Electronic traction system which selectively brakes spinning wheels to increase the drive on the wheels with more traction. Just like a conventional differential lock. 4MATIC – All-wheel drive system that is permanently activated and can react instantly to difficult terrain. Brake Assist PLUS – Radar technology recognises the driver’s braking intentions and optimises brake force to minimise a skid. Hill Start Assist – Makes uphill starts easier by stopping the car rolling backwards on an incline. Downhill Speed Regulation – Assists the driver by keeping the vehicle speed constant using engine and transmission control, as well as automatic braking. The town was founded as a herring port but these days you’re more likely to see yachts and pleasure boats in the harbour. We’ve beaten a severe weather warning that threatened to disrupt our trip with a blanket of snow. It’s unlikely anybody will make this journey again for many years. Travelling coast to coast across Britain’s mainland without using any public road is a one-off adventure – in this case, made possible by the superb off-road abilities of two Mercedes icons. GLS from £69,860, GLE from £50,570, G-Class from £89,895, mercedes-benz.co.uk
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let’s get physical
Mark and Hannah Hayes-Westall have been working in, and writing about, contemporary art for almost 20 years. Each month, they introduce an artist that should appear on your agenda
This month: MARIA LASSNIG
Balken (Beams), 1950, oil on canvas, 825cm x 74cm
Grosse Flächenteilung / Spiegel (Large field-division / mirror), 1989, oil on canvas, 200cm x 205cm (Photo: Roland Krauss)
W
hat’s so interesting? With Steve Jobs himself no puritan regarding the benefits of psychedelics on the mental state of science-minded individuals, news that the burgeoning mindfulness movement, which is sweeping Silicon Valley’s boardrooms, is apparently expanding to include LSD microdosing, might come as little surprise. Microdosing, where users take tiny amounts of LSD on a regular basis, is claimed by proponents to achieve a state of ‘optimum flow’ by connecting the rational, cognitive brain with the unexplored emotional psyche, and might seem like a very modern, very Californian thing to do; but as a new survey of the Austrian artist Maria Lassnig’s work shows, artists have been combining the visceral world of our interior emotions with
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energetic attempt to create work that was a closer synthesis between sensation and expression. Friends like the Vienna Group language theorist Oswald Wiener and the ‘concrete’ poet Friedrich Achleitner were as interested in cognitive science and perception as they were in the pure expressionism then coming into vogue in the US. It was natural that Lassnig, when in Paris on a scholarship, would meet and become close to surrealists like André Breton. Throughout Lassnig’s oeuvre, the physical sensations of awkwardness, cutting edge science to connect discomfort, shame and fear are rational thinking with the visceral, repeating themes, instinctual for more than half about which she once a century. said “truth resides in As an artist who began the emotions produced Maria Lassnig A Painting Survey, her artistic training in the within the physical 1950 – 2007. 1 March – 29 April war-scarred Vienna of shell”. This belief 2017. Hauser & Wirth London the mid 1940s, Lassnig’s resulted in a style of 23 Savile Row, W1S, early work rapidly painting she referred to hauserwirth.info moved from the academic as ‘body awareness’, where realism painting that the she would focus on the Nazi government insisted on, feeling of a body part and the through to the dynamic abstraction sensations within it, rather than that burst from Vienna’s war-delayed, its visual representation. avant-garde movement in the late 1940s The formalist figurative skills of her and ’50s. As one of the influential Arts classical training at the Academy of Fine Club group of artists, poets and thinkers Arts in Vienna, brings precision to what determined to move on from staid figurative might otherwise be an abstract concept, representation, Lassnig was part of an with the hunch of a shoulder, a shocked
FIND the work
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| ART & INTERIORS |
Flächenteilung Schwarz-Weiss-Grau 2 (Fielddivision black-white-grey 2), 1953, oil on cardboard, 62cm x 30cm
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While Lassnig remained unknown to a wider public until the latter part of her life, her career had brought her into contact with a huge range of thinkers and artists, from New York’s nascent feminist art
documenta VII (1982) and documenta X (1997) exhibitions at Kassel in Germany. Lassnig was subsequently the subject of solo exhibitions at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, from the
“The rhythm of painting should be like gasps of breath when life chokes us” scene in the late 1960s and ’70s, (she was a founder of Women / Artist / Filmmakers Inc. in 1970) to the generation of artists with whom she came into contact in her role as professor, with a focus on painting, at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. Artists such as Martin Kippenberger and Paul McCarthy cite her as an important influence, and art world recognition came in 1980 when Lassnig represented Austria in the 39th Venice Biennale and then went on to participate in the highly influential
Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, and most recently at Tate Liverpool in 2016. A new survey of Maria Lassnig’s work opens at London’s Hauser & Wirth gallery in March and, with selfie culture apparently still to reach its peak, it feels timely that an artist who considers the discord caused by the separation of our true inner selves and the façade presented to the world, is not only celebrated by the art world but gaining a wider audience.
ALL IMAGES © Maria Lassnig Foundation. Courtesy the Foundation and Hauser & Wirth
mouth, a clenched hand, all set down with accomplished draughtsmanship, creating what one critic has called “a queasy emotional cocktail [of] vulnerability, powerlessness, fear”. “The rhythm of painting should be like gasps of breath when life chokes us,” said Lassnig, and this sense of gasping for air seems to emanate through many of her works. Often the subject is Lassnig herself, captured as if in a moment of excruciating embarrassment, her colour palette a bruise of bilious greens, puces, ochres. In Selbstporträt als Tier (Self-portrait as animal) (1963), Lassnig’s animal, a regal dog, arches away from the viewer’s gaze, maintaining a dignity the humanoid figure appears to have mislaid, with frantic bulging eyes and flailing hands setting up a natural play between the wild and the serene. Later in life, Lassnig’s colouration calmed, becoming cool, vivid, perhaps more forgiving, as the work explored questions of knowledge, language and generational conflict, a period marked by fragmented, ambiguous images - a figure kissing a teddy bear, a self-portrait blowing a bubble. The tension between the inner and outer life is almost explicitly captured in Schicksalslinien / Be-Ziehungen VIII (Lines of Fate / Re-lations VIII) (1994) where gesticulations between the outer, perceived shape and the foetal, intuited, skeletal inner, are connected with rods of colour.
Selbstporträt als Tier (Self-portrait as animal), 1963, oil on canvas, 100cm x 73cm (Photo: Roland Krauss)
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d rum l i gh t sh ad e Ma d e from 1 0 0 p er c ent si l k , thi s p en d ant li g ht sh a d e i s a subtl e h om a ge to th e Panton e C o lour of th e Year. Zuton e a sy f it 5 0 cm dr um sh a d e in sh amro ck g re en , £ P O A , D ä r Li gh ti n g , d a rli gh ti n g . c o . u k
f a e l w e n a r e v o n r u t to how ere’s H ’. y r e ‘green e r hom year is u e o h y t f o t o r in olou hade ne’s c esty s panto rate this z po incor
han rees
words: bet
Aspen armchair This retro-style armchair in lime green would certainly liven up a living room. If you’re brave enough, pair the intense green with a bright cushion. Aspen armchair, from £995, Content by Terence Conran, contentbyterenceconran.com
Grunewald screen Sectioning off a room with a screen is one way of making it feel like there’s more space than there actually is. This beautifully hand-painted, five-panelled screen depicts a forest scene, working to enhance a living space. Grunewald Screen, £2,465, OKA, oka.com
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| art & interiors |
FINISHING TOUCHES
Mo ro c c an t e a set Brit i sh p e opl e lo v e t ea – s o do Moro c can s . W hy n o t sw ap y our f in e st chin a f or s om ethin g sli g htly di f ferent , in th e f or m of thi s lim e g re en t ea set w ith a tray, t ea p o t an d Moro c can t ea g l a sse s . A s a e sth et i cal ly pl ea sin g a s it i s u seful , it w oul d lo o k w on d er ful p erch ed on top of a d ark w o o d en t abl e . Moro ccan raf fia t ea set, £95, R aj Tent Club, rajt entclub.com
Enamel plant pot An Orla Kiely print is identifiable from afar. The British designer’s prints take nostalgic vintagestyle prints and give them a contemporary feel. This enamel plant pot is a collaboration between Kiely and British design company Wild & Wolf and can be used inside or outside. Big spot flower stem small olive plant pot, £16.95, Wild & Wolf for Orla Kiely, wildandwolf.com
Cactus cushion Baines&Fricker are a husband and wife design team that make modern furniture and accessories. Using British materials wherever possible, and creating the products in Brighton, it’s a real homegrown project. This cushion has been screen-printed on cotton panama and stuffed with duck feathers. Cactus cushion, £45, Baines&Fricker, in-spaces.com
watercolour This watercolour on paper (76cm x 55.8cm) by Heidi Capitaine is a calming influence on a room. The combination of greens, blues and yellows play well against each other. The German-born artist likes to play around with colours and rhythms. Trees Reflecting On The Water by Heidi Capitaine, £1,007, Fine Art Seen, fineartseen.com
Flat weave rug Handmade in Peru by expert weavers using wool sourced from llamas in the Andes, this rug in a vibrant green will add an intriguing element of colour to any room. Greek key Peruvian llama flat weave rug, from £795, Jonathan Adler, jonathanadler.com
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A Land of Ice and Fire With crystal glaciers, lofty mountains and cascading waterfalls, Iceland is becoming an ever more popular winter escape. Sophie Halse embarks on an adrenaline-fuelled tour of the country’s south coast
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| TRAVEL |
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G
eorge R. R. Martin has a lot to answer for. The author of the bestselling A Song of Ice and Fire series (the precursor to the epic HBO adaptation Game of Thrones) has not only fashioned an army of fantasy fiction fanatics, but has unwittingly encouraged a number of lifestyle trends, too. Firstly,
in the world of hipster beer, mead has become the latest tipple du jour, likely to have been influenced by the books’ king of cool, Tyrion Lannister. Elsewhere, parents with a penchant for medieval literature are naming their offspring after lead characters Arya, Sansa, Theon and, in the case of an unfortunate few, Khaleesi.
As the filming location for the series snowy desolate region is Winterfell, Iceland, the real land of fire and ice has seen a boom in tourism ever since the programme launched in 2011. In its latest annual statistics report, the Icelandic Tourist Board revealed that the number of foreign visitors has more than doubled in the past six years. They are being drawn to the country’s dramatic angular glaciers, aquamarine hot springs, jagged volcanoes and sweeping hills in every shade of green and white on the Farrow & Ball paint chart. Iceland is also tipped as one of the best places to see the aurora borealis, better known as the Northern Lights, which illuminates the sky in a rainbow of cosmic colours. Hotel Rangá, my home for the duration of my visit, boasts one of the best views of this natural wonder. The region’s lack of light pollution makes for optimum viewing potential and the hotel plays on this by switching off its external lights to provide a clearer view of the striking illumination. Wake-up calls are on offer for those who would prefer not to face the cold all night long, while those prepared to brace the breeze can perch on one of the hotel’s specially-designed benches, where blankets
I quickly come to discover that Iceland’s favourable stargazing outposts are just a few of its many charms 102
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| TRAVEL |
and warm clothes are provided. It’s certainly a sight to behold, but I quickly come to discover that Iceland’s favourable stargazing outposts are just a few of its many charms. Located one hour south from the capital Reykjavik, Hotel Rangá offers a pleasant balance between cultural and outdoor activities for guests who want to see the country from its many angles. For the more adventurous traveller, there’s a medley of adrenaline rushinducing pursuits. Aboard a snowmobile, guests can explore the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, an ice cap that covers the active
volcano Katla and which boasts an unparalleled view from its peak. Keen cyclists can climb volcanoes, traverse the south coast’s black sand beaches and cross lava meadows on a fat bike, a mode of transport that’s taking the nation by storm. Those who prefer to explore on foot may be tempted to hike Vatnajökull, the biggest icecap in Iceland and the third largest in the world. As an animal lover, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to journey across snowy terrain at speed with a pack of wild huskies, which find joy in racing in the icy conditions. Equine enthusiasts, meanwhile, will revel in the marginally slower yet equally fascinating trek across rugged terrain on Icelandic steeds, a gentle breed ingenious to the island that provide a calming tour of the nation’s cinematic vistas. Off land, boat trips to the Westman Islands present plentiful opportunities to spot a passing mink whale or porpoise, while fishing trips include sea angling, for which the catch is typically cod, haddock or halibut, and surf fishing on the southern coast, where mudshark and spiny dog fish are abundant. Back at the hotel, you needn’t be a
wildlife expert to spot the beast guarding the guests: Hrammur, a 10-foot tall model polar bear, watches over the lobby, a welcoming hub with rustic furniture and oak surfaces. Seven suites individually themed around a different continent offer a unique but somewhat bizarre experience, allowing you to transport from Africa to Iceland and back again with the flick of a curtain. If you’d prefer to have the true Icelandic experience, there are 44 alternate rooms to choose from, decorated with a more traditional winter’s lodge décor. The hotel is homely and difficult to leave, especially when the opportunity to immerse yourself in one of the three outdoor hot tubs presents itself, but Iceland’s arresting landscape is simply too beautiful to go unexplored. Needless to say, it doesn’t take long for me to see why so many have frequented the country in recent years and, Game of Thrones fan or not, I implore you to do the same. From €261 for a standard single room, hotelranga.is
Keen cyclists can climb volcanoes, traverse the south coast’s black sand beaches and cross lava meadows on a fat bike
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YO U M AY N E V E R M A K E I T BA C K HOME T H E SA M E .
Book your Bermuda holiday with Classic Collection Holidays on 0800 294 9329 or 01903 836643.
| TRAVEL |
hotel of the month:
W Hotel, Amsterdam
Behind the closed doors of the W Hotel in central Amsterdam, mischief and magic is bubbling, as the premises launches the Bank building words: bethan Rees
I
’m currently sitting in the Xtreme Wow suite in the Exchange – one of two buildings that make up the W Amsterdam hotel. Overlooking the Royal Palace, the 112 sq metre room’s central feature is its large round bed. But before I can even begin to relax, I am being escorted to the AWAY spa by two bellboys clad in forest-green leather uniforms. I haven’t been badly behaved – this is the start of the W Amsterdam immersive tour, and it sets the tone for the hotel’s eccentricity levels. Feeling like I’ve entered the set of the latest whimsy creation by Wes Anderson, we enter the barely-lit spa in the Bank building (which opened in October 2016) through vault-style doors. Themed in black and gold (the latter reflecting the buildings former high value use), there are seven treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room and a plunge pool, all, at this time, scattered with models debuting ensembles from the hotel’s X BANK shop – a concept store presenting the best in Dutch fashion, art and design. One strong characteristic of W Amsterdam is its ability to incorporate its surroundings and pay homage to its context. The Exchange building, for example, was the first part of the hotel to open on the site of a 1920s telephone exchange building. Throughout the building,
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I am being escorted to the AWAY spa by two bellboys clad in forestgreen leather uniforms if you look upward, you’ll notice that five kilometres of copper pipes pay tribute to the telephone wires and electricity lines that exchanged information on a daily basis. The Bank building’s reception has a back drop of original safety deposit boxes and the minibar doors are reminiscent of a vault. This design detail extends to the W Lounge, which acts as a bar and an unconventional reception for the hotel – unusual as it’s on the top floor of the hotel, with 360-degree views over the city. There’s also a heated rooftop pool here
so you can go for a dip in the depths of winter, if you so wish. The interior of the five-star hotel is a collaborative effort by Amsterdambased practice Baranowitz + Kronenberg Architecture and a platoon of local designers. Both sides of the hotel are draped in mellow grey tones with bursts of colour bringing the spaces to life. One of the grander rooms in the hotel is given over to The Duchess restaurant, which is inspired by the light and refined flavours from southern France and Italy (also known as Nouveau-Niçoise Cuisine), in the main hall of the former bank. Here, you feast on dishes like hand-crafted pasta with braised short ribs, baked scallop with mushroom, and a ‘chocolate explosion’, all while surrounded by marble, gold and echoing high ceilings. On the top floor of the Exchange building, adjacent to the W Lounge, is the modern day steakhouse Mr Porter; I recommend starting with the yellow tail spicy ceviche followed by the ribeye on the bone served with corn polenta and crunchy onion loaf. W Amsterdam is a hotel of two halves; one of heritage and one of eccentricity, which mirrors the city itself quite aptly. Starting rates for a double room, low season are £270 per night in the Exchange building and £295 per night in Bank building, both on a room-only basis, wamsterdam.com
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Queen of the Castle
| travel |
The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle, a residential private members’ club, is much more than a destination golf course and somewhere to sip the finest whisky. It’s a feast for the five senses and a place you wish you could call home WORDS: BETHAN REES
L
et me start by saying, there’s something rather annoying about The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle. When reflecting on my stay there, I experienced a maddening frustration. I was struggling to put the magic of the castle in Dornoch, Scotland, into words – which, for a journalist, is not ideal. So, dear reader, what follows is my best attempt at
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portraying the eccentricity, exclusivity and effortlessness of Skibo Castle – a place that if you’re ever lucky enough to visit, you’ll never want to leave. The words ‘private members’ club’ can often conjure notions of arrogance. The shining attribute of the Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle is its humility. In order to get a taste of the sweet Skibo life, you are
allowed to arrange one visit as a nonmember. From the moment I was collected from Inverness airport by the club’s chauffeur, I was made to feel right at home. Entering the grand, wooden panelled entrance hall, where walls are adorned with mounted deer heads, I’m greeted by eternally ebullient managing director Peter Crome. Crome is an esteemed name in the
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world of luxury hotels, having worked at the Hyde Park Hotel (now Mandarin Oriental London), The Savoy, the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews and Chewton Glen. He’s very much a visible persona and can be found chinwagging with guests in the lounge or walking his dogs in the grounds. While I’m being shown up to my room, via the wide sweeping staircase, which plays host to two throne-like chairs at its zenith, I catch a glimpse of members taking afternoon tea in front of a crackling fire, avidly engaged across the sofas. It feels more Edwardian house party than stuffy members’ club. Skibo is a Grade A-listed castle, sitting in 8,000 acres of land. In 1898, the baronial estate was taken over by Andrew Carnegie, one of the wealthiest industrialists of the Victorian era and erstwhile the wealthiest man in the world. The first mention of the castle is from a 1211 charter, but by the time Carnegie arrived, it was essentially a rundown country estate. He transformed it into a millionaire’s playground, creating lochs stocked with brown trout for fishing, a golf course and a swimming pavilion – the castle also tripled in size to incorporate a mansion. Carnegie dubbed it his “heaven on earth”. The experience available at Skibo can perhaps be best described through the five senses, starting with smell. Taking a deep inhale outside the castle, my nose is filled with fresh, clean, light air that carries hints of freshly cut grass. Upon entering, the roaring fireplace lets off aromas of musky, comforting smoke that warm you before the heat does. Elsewhere on the estate, you might smell the scent of fresh gunpowder, shot from a round of clay pigeon shooting. You can take it from me, that softly-spoken tutor Colin, will instil complete confidence in any novice. Skibo is not just a feast for the stomach (we’ll get to that later) but for the eyes also. Of course, in all its grandeur it’s undeniably beautiful– but
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there’s more to the castle than striking architecture and roll-top baths. When I visit, in November, it’s the Arts, Wine and Music Weekend, which showcases an impressive creative programme. Headed up by Peter Stanyer and John Ross, founding directors at The Artworks, a pioneering independent art school and gallery in Halifax, drawing classes intend to demonstrate that anyone can draw, or at least have a crack. ( John Ross also happens to be the artists in residence at Skibo Castle.) Many of the club’s charm lies outside of the castle in the undulating, almost endless, grounds. Many people would recommend taking a leisurely stroll around them – I suggest taking a drive in one of the golf buggies. Just watch out for the dithering pheasants. Another sense to explore at Skibo is touch, whether it’s by flicking through one of the 2,500 original books in Mr Carnegie’s library, the sensation of slipping into the soft monogrammed ‘Skibo’ dressing gowns or the feel of the slowly fizzing Penhaligon’s bubble bath against your skin. It’s all very comforting. Feasting at the club is actively encouraged. By the end of my stay, my taste-buds needed an additional holiday both from all of the food and libations. Champagne is offered at almost every instance – fine by me. During my visit, there was an informal wine tasting with the owner of Château Mont-Redon, Jérôme Abeille, who talked guests through several vintages.
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| travel |
After the shooting in the frosty outdoors, I retired to my room, and helped myself to a dram of whisky from the decanter there. I also helped myself to a complimentary jar of Highland fudge, although the far bigger feast was yet to come. On Saturday evenings, managing director Crome hosts a dinner in Mr Carnegie’s dining room. A lavish affair, where I was presented with a menu of local langoustine and beef, perfectly matched with Château Mont-Redon wines. It was bacchanalian banquet but as comfortable as a friend’s dinner party. Elsewhere, there are more informal dining options. The golf course’s Clubhouse (on which, I’m told, there are no tee times, so that you can even putt in the middle of the night) offers easy but well executed food, like burgers. The Clubhouse (which has an equally well-stocked bar) often hosts barbecue dinners serving brisket and haggis sausage. Lastly, and for me the most notable sensory experience of Skibo Castle, came the sounds to be found there. From the 1904 organ that sings sweet morning music while you eat breakfast, to the gathering around the original Bechstein piano in the drawing room before dinner, noises fill the silence of this part of the Highlands. Music is a big part of the club, and during my stay, I’m treated to a concert in the swimming pavilion by the Highland Chamber Orchestra, joined by Stephanie Childress, a hugely accomplished violinist at the tender age of 17, who was a finalist in the 2016 BBC Young Musician of the Year. I couldn’t write this article without mentioning the traditional Scottish knees-up that is the ceilidh, which occurs after dinner on Saturday. Nor without
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CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT The Great Hall; an aerial view of The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle; a lake on the estate; a dish of lobster; swimming pool with restored bath house; the golf course at The Carnegie Club; Graham Grant, the castle’s bagpiper
thanking the endearingly spirited dancing coach Mary, who will have you hopping to Strip the Willow in next to no time. “It’s nice to be important,” said 20thcentury American philanthropist and businessman, John Templeton. “But it’s more important to be nice.” It’s a mantra alive in everyone you meet at Skibo. The Carnegie Club is currently accepting membership applications. Membership costs £8,000 per year plus a one-off joining fee of £25,000. Room rates cost from £1,240 per night for a large double room, allinclusive. Prospective members are invited to stay for a trial weekend (starting from £2,100 per night) before applying, and applications are approved by the club’s membership committee, carnegieclub.co.uk
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PROPERTY NEWS
Keep tabs on the market, whether you are living or investing in the capital
SALES NICK MOORE, associate at Knight Frank Islington, comments on the trends in the residential sales market Now that the new year has started, it gives us the opportunity to look back at 2016. The second half of the year was marked by a steady improvement in sales volumes as vendors adjusted their expectations and asking prices in light of the changing market. Looking at the year as a whole, there was a notable spike in activity in March ahead of the stamp duty hike followed by a drop off in sales volumes in the subsequent months, as uncertainty surrounding the EU referendum intensified. Only time will tell whether strengthening sales volume at the end of 2016 is an indicator as to how the first half of 2017 will pan out. The political uncertainty that came to the fore last year is unlikely to subside in the short term. This is due to the government’s announcement that it plans to trigger Article 50 in the spring, as well as Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President and elections in a number of key European countries later in the year. As sales data shows, buyers start to act when they perceive value and this played out last year as average prices across central London fell by 6.3 per cent. However, as we expected, Islington and the City fringe markets weathered the storm reasonably well, with zero to -0.7 per cent growth in the year to December. On the ground in Islington, the market has certainly got off to a flying start. In December, the Bank of England’s rate setting committee voted to keep the base rate unchanged at 0.25 per cent. While it’s far too early to tell how the market is going to perform this year, with mortgage rates lower than many people have ever experienced, there’s no doubt that we are feeling optimistic about 2017. Knight Frank Islington 020 3582 3530 knightfrank.co.uk
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Having a superfast broadband connection or good mobile coverage is equal to a good view when it comes to what buyers look for in a property, according to the results of Knight Frank’s Buyer Survey - Oliver Knight, associate at Knight Frank’s Residential Research
SHINE ON First produced in the 1920s, the factory pendant by light manufacturer Davey is still one of its best selling designs. Traditionally made with spun aluminium, copper or brass, the utilitarian piece has been reimagined by Davey and created with hand-blown glass. The York pendant glass comes in a range of shades and the clear or anthracite glass allows the light bulb to be exposed, which gives an industrial feel. York size 1 pendant (pictured), £239, Davey Lighting, davey-lighting.co.uk
Rob erts has b een making radios for more than 80 years, but it ’s far from stuck in th e past. Th e n ew Blutun e 200 in ch err y w ood i s versatile and allow s li st en ers to tun e into DAB radio, Blu etooth conn ectivity and th e ability to play through a USB or SD card . Blutun e 200 in ch err y wood , £399.95, R oberts, johnlewis,com
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| PROPERTY |
fake it until you make it
LETTINGS DANIEL FOX, lettings manager at Knight Frank Islington, comments on the trends in the residential lettings market
Do you want to have marble floors throughout your home, but without the extortionate price tag? Well, if the answer is yes, we have a solution. These tiles made from porcelain do a great job of tricking the eye into thinking you’re walking on solid marble. Marble is a beautiful material to work with but it can often be expensive and requires ongoing treatment and maintenance, so these tiles could be an alternative worth looking in to. Marble effect tiles, from £9.95 per sq metre, Walls and Floors, wallsandfloors.co.uk
rub-a-dub-tub A bathroom should be a relaxing, comforting space; a sanctuary in your home to escape hectic London life. This creation by Swiss bathroom brand Laufen, founded in 1892, is an exceptional piece of craftsmanship. Laufen’s Palomba collection was designed by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba, Milan-based architects, and is inspired by the sea which you can see through its gentle curves and flowing lines. The stylishly contoured freestanding bathtub makes a fabulous focal point for a room, and you can also add on extras such as air massage and LED lights. Palomba freestanding solid surface bath, £4,960 +VAT, Palomba, laufen.co.uk
on the rails
After stepping out of the shower or bath, especially in the winter months, wrapping up in a warm towel or robe is the perfect way to start or end your day. Rather than a drab radiator, this contemporary towel warmer by Aestus is a great way to make the most of space in the bathroom. Manufactured from mild steel and finished in chrome, it’s also aesthetically pleasing. It comes in two heights, 80cm and 1.16m, so you can work it into your existing design. Cluster towel warmer, from £203, Aestus, aestus.co.uk
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As the dust settles on the 2016 lettings market, landlords may feel apprehensive of what lies ahead. Nobody can deny that 2016 was an unpredictable year; from Brexit to the US election result. However, I believe that landlords should be optimistic for the
start of 2017. Brexit has certainly had an impact on the lettings market and it is unlikely that this is a period where we are likely to experience rent increases in the short term. Stock levels across the market have increased and applicants simply have more choice. In order to attract tenants, landlords will need to remain competitive on price and flexible on terms. Traditionally, January is an excellent month for corporate relocations and this year was no different. To take full advantage of the influx of the corporate relocations, we recommend anyone looking to let their property in the early part of the year should do this by marketing their property immediately. Furthermore, January is the start of the secondary academic cycle so applicant registration is likely to be boosted further. Economic uncertainty over Brexit means that buyers are likely to remain cautious in the short term, which is a positive outcome for landlords. In addition to this, the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) commented that the majority of letting agents in the industry remain confident that the market is performing well and that 64 per cent said that they are not expecting a drop in the number of applicants who are looking to rent in the coming months. January thus far has been very promising and we are finding that demand for high-quality property in central London locations is at an all-time high and consequently rental income will continue to cover landlords’ investments. Knight Frank Islington 020 3582 3530 knightfrank.co.uk
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Exchange Building, Shoreditch E1 A three bedroom two bathroom apartment in the Exchange Building. A duplex apartment including a balcony with extraordinary views of urban London. Built between 1900 and 1910 as a telephone exchange, the building was converted to flats in 2000. EPC: C Approximately 180 sq m (1,935 sq ft). Leasehold: approximately 979 years
Guide price: £2,900,000
KnightFrank.co.uk/aldgate aldgate@knightfrank.com 020 3544 0712
@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk
KnightFrank.co.uk/ALD160102
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FOUND Your perfect tenant. Let with Knight Frank. Our local expertise and global network mean that we can find a reliable tenant for your property; and with an average tenancy of nearly two years, Knight Frank not only helps you find them – but keep them as well. Call us today on 020 8166 5366 to arrange your free market valuation. Guide price: £650 per week
Trafalgar Court, Wapping E1W
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A spacious duplex flat overlooking the basin. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, large open plan reception/dining room with balcony overlooking the river, wooden floors and parking. EPC: F. Approximately 106 sq m (1,138 sq ft). Available furnished or unfurnished. wappinglettings@knightfrank.com Office: 020 8166 5366
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 KnightFrank.co.uk
Guide price: £575 per week
Capital Wharf, Wapping E1W A lovely bright apartment with impressive views of the river and Tower Bridge. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, reception room, kitchen, terrace, guest WC, underground parking and 24 hour porters. EPC: C. Approximately 78 sq m (836 sq ft). Available furnished or unfurnished. wappinglettings@knightfrank.com Office: 020 8166 5366
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FOUND Your perfect tenant. Let with Knight Frank. Our local expertise and global network mean that we can find a reliable tenant for your property; and with an average tenancy of nearly two years, Knight Frank not only helps you find them – but keep them as well. Call us today on 020 8166 5366 to arrange your free market valuation. Guide price: £465 per week
Merchant Court, Wapping E1W
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Beautifully presented apartment set in this portered warehouse conversion. 1 bedroom with en suite bathroom, spacious reception room, fully fitted kitchen, wooden floors, guest WC and a private balcony with views of the river and Canary Wharf skyline. Approximately 76 sq m (812 sq ft). Available furnished. wappinglettings@knightfrank.com Office: 020 8166 5366
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 KnightFrank.co.uk
Guide price: £650 per week
Tower Bridge Wharf, Wapping E1W Contemporary flat to rent on the river with fantastic views of Tower Bridge. 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), large reception/dining room, separate fitted kitchen, fitted storage, parking and concierge. EPC: B. Approximately 76 sq m (817 sq ft). Available furnished. wappinglettings@knightfrank.com Office: 020 8166 5366
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FOUND Your perfect tenant. Let with Knight Frank. Our local expertise and global network mean that we can find a reliable tenant for your property; and with an average tenancy of nearly two years, Knight Frank not only helps you find them - but keep them as well. KnightFrank.co.uk/aldgate aldgatelettings@knightfrank.com 020 3823 9930 Guide price: £550 per week
Sugar House, Aldgate E1
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Stylish and contemporary two bedroom flat to rent in a popular purpose built development in Aldgate. Furnished to exacting standards, accommodation comprises two double bedrooms, two bathrooms and a spacious open plan kitchen and reception room. The development benefits from a concierge service and residents benefit from a parking space included in the rent. EPC: C
Guide price: £1,195 per week
Catalina House, Aldgate E1 This brand new apartment comes with access to the onsite gymnasium, swimming pool and spa, plus 24 hour concierge and private cinema room. The flat is brand new with engineered wooden flooring throughout the halls and lounge, three bedrooms, two balconies, a high spec kitchen and a private terrace. EPC: B
All potential tenants should be advised that as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 and referencing fees of £48 per person 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 KnightFrank.co.uk
City Mag Feb '17 Issue Sales
20/01/2017 17:19:20
A LB E RT E M B A N K M E N T
Enjoy a lifestyle that’s ahead of the curve Show Apartment launching Saturday 25th February - 10am - 6pm The Corniche, is an exclusive riverside address with panoramic views over the most iconic stretch of the River Thames. With a 19th floor Skyline Club lounge and terrace above a beautifully landscaped piazza, The Corniche, with completions from Spring 2018, features a wealth of luxury amenities including an infinity pool, spa, gym and a 24-hour concierge. Highly specified three bedroom apartments, within the exclusive Skyline Collection, are now available on the 16th floor and above.
Prices from ÂŁ3,350,000 To register for the launch please call +44 (0) 20 3733 3520 or email corniche.london@stjames.co.uk To discover more visit www.cornichelondon.co.uk or visit the marketing suite on Albert Embankment Sales & Marketing Suite open daily 10am to 6pm. Prices and details correct at time of going to press. Computer generated image is indicative only.
www.cornichelondon.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies
ST DUNSTAN'S COURT, EC4A ● ● ● ●
1 Bedroom
1 Bathroom
● ●
High specification
24 Hour concierge Central location
Comfort cooling
A selection of 1 beds, prices from £595 per week For more information, call Neil Short 020 3183 5949 or email neil.short@eu.jll.com
Potential tenants are advised that administration fees may be payable when renting a property. Please ask for details of our charges.
16-17 Royal Exchange London EC3V 3LL
jll.co.uk/residential
THE HERON, EC2Y ● ● ● ●
1 Bedroom 1 Bathroom Approx. 564 sq ft High specification
● ●
24 Hour concierge On-site gym
£1,000,000 Leasehod For more information, call Barry Monaghan 020 3183 5949 or email barry.monaghan@eu.jll.com
16-17 Royal Exchange London EC3V 3LL
jll.co.uk/residential
Mayfair Showroom 66 Grosvenor Street, London, W1K 3JL 28 offices in Central London and over 60 across London
Bolsover Street, W1W ÂŁ3,600,000
A fantastic apartment on the top floor of this iconic period building. The property comprises three double bedrooms and three bathrooms, all of which are en suite. Bolsover Street is located just by Great Portland Street station and less than half a mile from the open spaces of Regents Park, energy rating c. Dexters Fitzrovia 020 7067 2401
St Pauls Place, N1 ÂŁ3,750,000
A beautiful double fronted, five bedroom period house located on St Pauls Place. This intriguing property was extended with the addition of a Victorian tile factory creating this extremely large family home. There are three reception rooms, four bathrooms and a secluded decked garden, energy rating e. Dexters Islington 020 7483 6373
dexters.co.uk
Leman Street, E1
Empire Square East, SE1
This two bedroom, two bathroom apartment with private balcony is situated in a restored Edwardian building that has a 24 hour concierge service and on site gym, energy rating c.
Situated on the second floor, is this three bedroom, two bathroom property benefitting from wood flooring, large windows and a private balcony, energy rating c.
Dexters City 020 7392 9111
Dexters London Bridge 020 7483 6390
Chequer Street, EC1Y
City Road, EC1V
A smart warehouse conversion in Clerkenwell with three double bedrooms, an open plan kitchen/reception room, integral garage and private gym, energy rating c.
A brand new, two double bedroom apartment located on the 16th floor of the highly sought after Canaletto Tower. The development offers 24 hour concierge, gym, sauna and swimming pool, energy rating c.
Dexters Clerkenwell 020 7483 6370
Dexters Clerkenwell 020 7483 6370
£975 per week
£1,925 per week
£775 per week
£950 per week
Tenants fees apply: £180 per tenancy towards administration, £60 reference fee per tenant and £144 towards the end of tenancy check out report (all inc VAT).
We have London covered!
HEATHROW AIRPORT
WEST LONDON North Acton W3 020 8896 9990
BIG BEN
WESTMINSTER Monck Street SW1P 020 7222 2005
LONDON EYE
COUNTY HALL Southbank SE1 020 7620 1600
TATE MODERN
WHITEHOUSE Waterloo SE1 020 7928 7007
BATTERSEA POWER STATION
NINE ELMS – RIVERSIDE
Vauxhall SW8 020 7582 7989
LETTINGS | MANAGEMENT | SALES | SERVICED APARTMENTS CityMagazine_February2017.indd 1
WEMBLEY STADIUM
NORTH LONDON Drayton Park N5 020 7359 4488
ON
TOWER BRIDGE
TOWER BRIDGE – CITY
Shad Thames SE1 020 7234 0666
ONE CANADA SQUARE
CANARY WHARF Millharbour E14 020 3668 1030
BALTIMORE TOWER
CROSSHARBOUR Baltimore Tower E14 020 3846 3330
EMIRATES AIRLINE
EAST LONDON ExCeL London E16 020 7476 0125
THE O2 ARENA
GREENWICH New Capital Quay SE10 020 7476 0125
DEPTFORD ANCHOR
DEPTFORD Deals Gateway SE10 020 8692 2244
liferesidential.co.uk 17/01/2017 15:09:38
LETTINGS
1
£600 pw | £2,600 pcm
1
Chadwick House, Westminster Quarter, 4 Elizabeth Court, SW1P • Approx. 592 sq ft
• Private balcony
• 4th floor with lift access
• 24 hour concierge service
• Walking distance to St James’s Park
LETTINGS | SALES | MANAGEMENT | SERVICED APARTMENTS
CityMagazine_February2017.indd 2
For more information call our Westminster branch on: 020 7222 2005
SALES
2
£1,900,000
2
Searle House, St. Edmunds Terrace, St Johns Wood, NW8 • 360 sq ft terrace
• Secure underground parking
• Comfort cooling throughout
• 0.7m to St Johns Wood underground station
• Primrose Hill and Regents Park within a minutes’ walk
For more information call our Westminster branch on: 020 7222 2005
liferesidential.co.uk
17/01/2017 15:09:51
INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO best of both worlds
Living near to the heart of London doesn’t mean compromising on a garden or outdoor space. Here are our pick of properties which offer everything you could ever desire
© F10 Studios LTD 2016
London Square Spitalfields, E1 By day, Spitalfields is abuzz with City workers and by night (and weekends) it transforms into a sophisticated destination with Spitalfields Market, Shoreditch High Street and Brick Lane on its doorstep. London Square Spitalfields on Commercial Street is a collection of 49 contemporary one-, two- and three- bedroom apartments designed by the award-winning Platform 5 Architects. The development has been sensitive to the area’s history: the three blocks of private apartments are set around the Grade-II listed Toynbee Hall and the newly landscaped Mallon Gardens, which provides a peaceful green space. With stylish brick façades, the Gherkin and the sleek glass towers
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of the City providing a dramatic backdrop, each property has an openplan living layout, private terrace, balcony or winter garden, timber flooring, and kitchens with SieMatic units and contemporary features, such as a wine cooler. There is also a daily concierge service available for residents. Not only is this area ideal for those with a love of gastronomy – The Culpeper and SushiSamba are a stone’s throw away – it’s also great for commuters. The City is easily accessible by foot, while you can reach the West End via tube in less than 20 minutes, and London City Airport in 27 minutes for international travel. Prices start at £695,000 for a one-bedroom apartment 0333 666 0110, londonsquare.co.uk
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Bolingbroke Park, en4
© Tibor Silva
For a limited time only, L&Q is offering ‘Stamp Duty Paid’ on selected three- and four-bedroom houses at Bolingbroke Park in Cockfosters, helping buyers to get on the property ladder or upsize. Arranged in attractive crescents, the red-brick family homes offer good value space for families wanting to remain in London. The terraced houses are spread over three floors and include private gardens with a terrace. Bolingbroke Park is set within 12 acres of green landscape, including ponds. There is a woodland ‘Trim Trail’ – a running and exercise course – and an outdoor gym, while 413-acre Trent Country Park is nearby. Just five minutes’ walk from Cockfosters station on the Piccadilly Line, commuters can reach central London in 30 minutes from Bolingbroke Park. Prices start at £650,000 for a three-bedroom house 0333 0033 637, bolingbrokepark.co.uk
© Tibor Silva
The Academy, se18 With Crossrail set to provide even greater access to the City, Stratford and London’s West End, Woolwich has become the place for prospective buyers who want to get away from city life without getting away from it all. The Academy in Woolwich, once the home of soldiers and statesmen, has been lovingly restored by Durkan into inimitably luxurious apartments. Offering excellent rental yields, the two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom apartments and houses benefit from expansive courtyards and playing fields, alongside Woolwich Common. The history and grandeur of the building provides a rare, stately environment for London’s residents, but with the O2 Arena less than a 20-minute drive away and Canary Wharf on the horizon, the urban allure of London is never too far away. From £485,000. Current purchase opportunities are a mixture of completed and off-plan, 020 3689 7818, theacademywoolwich.co.uk
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A PA RT M EN T LI V I NG ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL Überhaus is a collection of fabulous homes where space and light flow freely to give a sense of relaxed contemporary living. We have seven glorious Überhaus sitting on top of the ninth and tenth floors of Millennium Terrace, at London’s favourite village.
Split level accommodation // 3 bedrooms // High quality internal specification // Superb fitted kitchen with integrated appliances // Each Überhaus has at least three balconies // Acres of open space to enjoy, including the famous Ecology Park // Great transport connections – 1 stop from Canary Wharf // New Jubilee line night service now operating
PRICES FROM £774,995 TO £994,995 Accommodation from 1,181 to 1,708 sq ft
020 8305 2712 WWW.GMV.LONDON The Village Square, West Parkside, London SE10 0BD Marketing Suite & Show Apartments open daily 10am-5pm
*London Help to Buy subject to terms and conditions, please ask a Sales Consultant for more details. Prices and information corrrect at time of going to print.
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STAMP DUTY PAID* ON SELECTED HOMES FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY
1, 2 AND 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS AVAILABLE FROM £560,000 SUPERIOR SETTING, SURPRISINGLY CENTRAL Brand new larger than average homes surrounded by landscaped grounds, only a short walk away from Canada Water station in Zone 2 – now connected 24-hours a day. Start your 2017 by taking advantage of our stamp duty paid* offer at the newest residential district on the edge of the Canada Water masterplan.
24 hour Jubilee Line
VISIT OUR MARKETING SUITE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO VIEW OUR SHOW HOME
0333 0033 663 WWW.QUEBECQUARTER.COM
An L&Q Development
CGI of Quebec Quarter is indicative only, interiors represent the show home. *Please visit www.quebecquarter.com for terms and conditions.
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Beckenham 020 8663 4433 Bromley 020 8315 5544
Chislehurst 020 8295 4900 Locksbottom 01689 882 988
Orpington 01689 661 400 West Wickham 020 8432 7373
Chelsfield Park BR6 Newly built five bedroom house, offering approximately 5,500 sq ft of versatile living space.
£1,895,000 F/H Five bedrooms
Five bathrooms
Three receptions
EER B
Contact Locksbottom 01689 882 988
Bromley BR2
Shirley CR0
A stunning period home, offering approximately 2,900 sq ft of accommodation.
Four double bedroom detached family home, ideally located for excellent schools and transport.
£1,300,000 F/H
£1,200,000 F/H
Six bedrooms
Three bathrooms
Four bedrooms
Three bathrooms
Four receptions
EER C
Two receptions
EER D
Contact Bromley 020 8315 5544
The Acorn Group, incorporating:
Contact West Wickham 020 8432 7373
*Price correct at time of going to press.
All apartments benefit from the use of the residents’ private dining room overlooking the Dan Pearson designed courtyard garden
STAY HOME FOR THE BEST OF CITY LIFE
When it comes to an address, King’s Cross has it all – right at the heart of London. Unbeatable connections, the historic Regent’s Canal, beautiful parks, gardens and squares, education, shopping, eating, culture, its very own Everyman Cinema and Paris in just over two hours. Two and three bedroom apartments from £1,410,000*, available for immediate occupation.
Visit the show apartment and marketing suite Monday to Saturday, contact us on 020 7205 4246 14-15 Stable Street, London N1C 4AB plimsollkingscross.co.uk
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11/01/2017 16:18
goodman's fields Neroli House, Goodman's Fields, Exterior
Neroli House, Goodman’s Fields, exterior
For city living with green spaces, luxury amenities and within easy reach of London’s financial hubs, look no further than Neroli House at Goodman’s Fields
S
ituated in the heart of Aldgate with over two acres of landscaping and public art, Goodman’s Fields is the perfect location to embrace city life. Everything you could possibly need is on your doorstep. Six magnificent bronze horse sculptures created by award-winning sculptor Hamish Mackie dominate the entrance of the bustling piazza. The development offers exceptional retail facilities including an Urban Fitness gym, Sainsbury’s, Curzon cinema, Pilpel Falafel Bar, Pastry Parlour, Geronimo Inns gastropub – the Leman Street Tavern – and a Pizza Union, as well as a 250-bed, four-star hotel. For residents, five-star hotel-quality facilities include an opulent health club with a heated indoor swimming pool and spa, a state-of the-art gym, a dedicated spin studio, a private screening room, a business lounge and 24-hour concierge. The private facilities are complemented by over two acres of public space designed by acclaimed landscape architects Murdoch Wickham. The rooftop wildlife gardens create a natural habitat for a variety of species, while the Four Seasons Garden and one-acre Chaucer Gardens, animated with water features and an abundance of greenery, emanate calm and serenity and are perfect for escapism, away from the fast pace of the capital. Transport links and proximity to the City are excellent. The world’s leading financial district, the Square Mile, home to over 450,000 City professionals and over 240 international banks, is within walking distance, offering a simple commute to London’s most revered employment hubs. Aldgate East and Aldgate
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| PROPERTY | Neroli House, Goodman’s Fields, Winter Garden
stations are under two and five minutes’ walk away, while St Pancras International can be reached in 14 minutes and Liverpool Street Station in less than five. The Docklands Light Railway at nearby Tower Gateway provides easy access to Canary Wharf in 15 minutes and City Airport in 24 minutes, and residents will soon have access to the eagerly anticipated Crossrail at Whitechapel and Liverpool Street, set to complete in 2018. Journey times to Canary Wharf will be reduced to six minutes, Bond Street to seven minutes and Heathrow airport to 35 minutes. Neroli House, the penultimate phase of homes at Goodman’s Fields is now available. Occupying a
22-storey tower, Neroli House is situated at the south-east corner of the scheme providing panoramic, unparalleled views across London’s iconic cityscape and on towards Canary Wharf. Characterised by intelligent floorplans, floorto-ceiling windows and either a balcony, winter garden or terrace, each of the 123 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses offers stylish, contemporary urban living. Interiors by Scott Brownrigg include engineered oak flooring and underfloor heating. High specification kitchens are fitted with HD back-lighting behind the cabinets, integrated Siemens appliances and wine coolers, while bedrooms have spacious dressing areas, wall-to-wall carpeting and floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors. Thanks to its amenities, transport links and beautifully-designed apartments, Neroli House sets a new benchmark in luxury living for London. Prices at Neroli House at Goodman’s Fields start at £700,000 for a studio apartment. First completions are scheduled for Q1 2020, 020 3217 1000, goodmansfields.co.uk
Five-star hotel-quality facilities include an opulent health club with a heated indoor swimming pool
© Simon Winson
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Neroli House NOW LAUNCHED Situated in the City’s award winning urban quarter, Goodmans Fields, Neroli House is a perfect location to embrace city living and culture. Set in a bustling piazza to be filled with retail, cafÊs and a cinema, the 21-storey tower boast exceptional views alongside a luxurious pool, spa & gym.
www.goodmansfields.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies
Discover the City’s most elevated lifestyle
SALES & MARKETING SUITE Open 7 days a week 10AM – 6PM (Open until 8PM on Thursday and 4PM on Sundays) 39 Leman Street, London, E1 8EY STUDIOS, 1, 2 & 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS PRICES FROM £650,000 REGISTER YOUR INTEREST NOW CALL: 020 3773 5736 EMAIL: GOODMANS@BERKELEYGROUP.CO.UK
CGIs are indicative only. Prices correct at time of going to press.
| PROPERTY |
Insider Knowledge
spotlight on stratford diana alam, head of residential development sales, jll
L
ondon may be witnessing a slowdown in the property market, but there are pockets of activity, and at JLL, we have seen increased applicant registrations across our City, Canary Wharf and Stratford offices. Our Stratford office has now been open for a year, and we’ve seen that the continually changing landscape is attracting an array of buyers. Since the 2012 Olympic Games, Stratford has become one of the key regeneration zones in
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BELOW Stratford Central, image courtesy of JLL
London, offering desirable, affordable homes with direct transport links into London and abroad via Stratford International. Once seen as the ugly duckling of London, the area has now blossomed – the picturesque Queen Elizabeth Park, the buzz of Westfield’s shopping centre and the creation of The International Quarter, which will bring with it 25,000 new jobs by 2025, are all adding to its appeal. Set to become London’s fourth major business district, the area is attracting commercial and residential users alike, with impressive public realm facilities, architecture and transport links. We have seen a rise in activity, with a range of people looking to purchase in Stratford. The majority have been owner-occupiers working in the City or Canary Wharf who are drawn to the area for its fantastic transport links, relative affordability, and ongoing redevelopment. The transport links are set to improve further with the delivery of the Elizabeth Line, which is due to open in 2018. Since 2008, over 2,500 new homes have been built in Stratford, bringing more than 5,000 new people into the area. There is a diverse mix of residents, from 20-something singletons to families, giving it a vibrant and energetic atmosphere. As such, there is a good mix of stock, from studio to three-bedroom apartments plus penthouses with phenomenal views across the Olympic Park and the City. We have a number of one-, two- and threebedroom apartments and penthouses available for sale across a range of schemes. These include Stratford Central, a striking 31-storey tower that offers 24-hour concierge, private residents’ gym, as well as a private outside space to most apartments; Glasshouse Gardens, which consists of two contemporary residential buildings set in new landscaped gardens, and Stratosphere, a spectacular 36-storey tower offering residents a private gym, Wi-Fi lounge and rooftop terrace with far-reaching views. We’re also marketing some fantastic townhouses in East Thames’ Prospect East development, the first phase of a major scheme in Leyton Road, E15. These schemes offer residents luxurious new homes with an array of facilities, and the quality of homes being delivered here will only continue as developers compete to meet buyers’ growing demands. With continued interest in the Stratford market, and a number of announcements expected about new residential developments and commercial tenants, there is cause to be optimistic about its property market. Indeed, our research shows that Stratford is outperforming its east-end neighbours, with forecasts predicting cumulative growth of 30 per cent between 2016-2020, and equally impressive growth levels forecasted in the lettings market.
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WATERFRONT III CENTRAL LONDON CHIC ON THE RIVERSIDE ROYAL ARSENAL WOOLWICH
CANARY WHARF 8 MINUTES*
LIVERPOOL STREET 14 MINUTES*
BOND STREET 22 MINUTES*
HEATHROW 50 MINUTES*
Royal Arsenal Riverside is an outstanding riverside location, with an ever expanding range of residents’ amenities. It is ideally situated for the forthcoming on-site Crossrail station and London City Airport, which is just 7 minutes away.
Call 020 3504 4095 to register your interest
|
Manhattan, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments Prices from £420,000
www.royalarsenalriverside.co.uk
Computer generated image is indicative only. Photography depicts Dial Arch Square at Royal Arsenal Riverside. Prices and information correct at time of going to press. *Approximate travel times for Crossrail taken from Royal Arsenal Woolwich. Source: www.crossrail.co.uk
Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies
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