The City Magazine May 2014 by Runwild Media Group

ÂŠ Didier Gourdon

Circus Collection +44 (0)20 7235 0111 boodles.com

CONTENTS

MAY 2014

BUSINESS & WEALTH 24 | MASTER INVESTOR

Investor Jim Mellon tells The City Magazine that the biotechnology industry is the new investment opportunity

26 | LEX VAN DAM ON EQUITIES

Ensure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not a one-trick pony and can survive the investment world long-term

28 | NICK HUNGERFORD ON INVESTMENT

Act now to invest your ISA or forever wish that you had

30 | KATHLEEN BROOKS ON FX

The Greek debt; a genius investment or a worrying risk?

31 | RICHARD JEFFREY ON MACROECONOMICS

Is it true that we are now entering a new phase of the recovery?

6 | CONTENTS

EMPRESS COLLECTION

REGENT STREET | OLD BOND STREET | FENCHURCH STREET

M&W_Empress_Blue_London Stores.indd 1

28/03/2014 16:50

CONTENTS

MAY 2014

LIFESTYLE 44 | WEAR: FINISHING TOUCHES

Complete your look from top-to-toe with our May must-have accessories

72 | HOME: LET THERE BE LIGHT

SIAN GARDINER talks lighting innovation with Arik Levy ahead of his Clerkenwell Design Week appearance

80 | DriVE: A TALE OF TWO JEEPS

MATTHEW CARTER test drives two Cherokees, discovering that they share nothing but the name

85 | WINE: HEAD FOR THE HILLS

JOSIE STEAD heads Down Under and discovers the unique wine on offer in the stunning Adelaide Hills

91 | EXPLORE: PARTY NATION JOSEPHINE Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;DONOGHUE offers the essential guide to the 20th World Cup football tournament in Brazil

8 | CONTENTS

CONTENTS

MAY 2014

FEATURES 100 | SIGN OF THE DON

In his final season as Donald Draper, Jon Hamm talks Mad Men, his sex symbol status and what the future holds

105 | GUNS FOR HIRE

As Pulp Fiction turns 20, CHRIS ALLSOP looks back on Tarantinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest masterpieces

110 | THE GREAT ESCAPE

GAVIN HAINES speaks to ex-brokers about life after the City

REGULARS 14 | 36 | 54 | 57 | 72 |

10 | CONTENTS

the city briefing his style her style collection Home

74 | 76 | 79 | 88 | 121 |

fitness play drive escape property

Developing a distinctive approach to sustainability, rooted in strength and expertise. The RBC Waterscape Garden relies on experience and expertise in urban water management. As one of the world’s largest banks, Royal Bank of Canada applies this same approach when developing solutions that meet our clients’ objectives.

Royal Bank of Canada

Capital Markets | Investor & Treasury Services | Wealth Management | rbc.com The value of investments may fall as well as rise. You may not get back the full amount that you originally invested. RBC Capital Markets, RBC Investor & Treasury Services and RBC Wealth Management are global brand names for the capital markets, investor & treasury services, and wealth management businesses of Royal Bank of Canada and its affiliates, including RBC Capital Markets, LLC (member FINRA, NYSE, SIPC), RBC Dominion Securities Inc. (member IIROC and CIPF), RBC Europe Limited (authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority) and RBC Investor Services Trust, operating through a UK branch authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. All are licensed users of the RBC trademark (a registered trademark of Royal Bank of Canada). ® Registered trademark of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.

EDITOR'S LETTER

From the

EDITOR

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood Managing Editor Emma Johnson

On 17 May 2014, several hundred guys and girls will take to the London streets, to cycle around our fair city's major sites, dressed head-to-toe in tweed, mounted on vintage bicycles and penny farthings of varying sizes. As English pomp and circumstance goes, it's a pretty fantastic spectacle, as tweed-clad cyclists make their way up Regent's Street, along the Mall and around Trafalgar Square, stopping regularly for tea and cakes, as well as a picnic lunch – eventually ending in Clerkenwell for an early-evening 'knees-up'. But why tweed? And what is it about this chequered, hard-wearing material that has endured through the ages? Richard Brown – a tweed-runner himself – has the answer on p. 40, when he takes a look back at the history of this hallowed fabric, and considers the essential rules for all tweed enthusiasts. For anyone wanting a slightly more modern take on style, our fashion shoot this month showcases the sharpest and smartest accessories to complement any outfit (p. 44), while our interview with the heartbreakingly cool John Hamm provides classic inspiration of the suited-and-booted kind (p. 100). Elsewhere, ahead of the World Cup in Brazil in June, we've sniffed out the best places to stay, eat, drink and party throughout the country (p. 91); travelled through a world of wine in Argentina (p. 98); and, as Pulp Fiction celebrates an impressive 20 years since its release (yes, really, I know...), we look back over Tarantino's work to date and ask whether he's ever managed to match the enduring charm and draw of this now seminal work (p. 105).

Deputy Editor Richard Brown Motoring Editor Matthew Carter Collection Editor Annabel Harrison Editorial Assistant Tiffany Eastland Staff Writer Sian Gardiner Senior Designer Daniel Poole General Manager Fiona Fenwick Production Alex Powell Hugo Wheatley Oscar Viney Property Director Samantha Ratcliffe Communications Loren Penney Lucy Jones Head of Finance Elton Hopkins Managing Director Eren Ellwood

PUBLISHED BY

Emma Johnson, managing editor

7 Heron Quay, Canary Wharf London, E14 4JB T: 020 7987 4320 F: 020 7005 0045 W: rwmg.co.uk

Members of the Professional Publishers Association Runwild Media Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Runwild Media Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

On the cover Sign of the Don

Interview with John Hamm, p. 100

12 | FROM THE EDITOR

Subscriptions: A free online subscription service is available for The City Magazine. Visit the subscriptions page on our website: rwmg.co.uk/subscribe

A garden focused on protecting the world’s greatest asset. A company focused on protecting yours. The RBC Waterscape Garden highlights the importance of developing sustainable urban water solutions. This is the latest ripple in the RBC Blue Water Project,® our 10-year, C$50 million commitment to protecting fresh water. Another example of our dedication to supporting communities around the world.

Royal Bank of Canada



THE CITY BRIEFING 

The facts, stats, movers, mergers & market news affecting the Square Mile this month WORDS: RICHARD BROWN

FINANCE from AFAR US agrees record insider trading settlement

SAC Capital Advisors LP has agreed a landmark $1.8 billion settlement with the US Government. The hedge fund was accused of making millions from brazen insider dealing. “The defendants’ crimes were striking in their magnitude and lack of respect for the law,” said Manhattan’s US District Judge Laura Taylor Swain. Since its founding in 1992, the company has achieved average annual returns of 30 per cent, one of the best records in the industry’s history. Company founder Steven Cohen escaped prosecution. USA

Corruption claims levied at Libyan Investment partner

A year after the LIA declared it would be preparing litigation against Goldman Sachs for the loss of $1 billion, one of the bank’s bedfellows, Palladyne International Asset Management, is being investigated under claims it acted as a money-laundering operation for the former Gaddafi regime. In 2011, Goldman allegedly pocketed $350 million in profit from the $1 billion loss – money it supposedly tried to partially repay through Palladyne. AFRICA

Japan to revisit nuclear power

With soaring energy bills thought ASIA to be one reason why Japan’s trade deficit rose to a record £67.9 billion last year, it’s perhaps no surprise the country is planning to restart its 48 nuclear reactors. The reactors have been off-line since safety checks were enforced following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl. There has been a widespread public outcry. Before 2011, Japan’s nuclear industry supplied 30 per cent of its electricity output.

14 | THE CITY BRIEFING

Best Banks in the World 2014

lobal Finance magazine has announced its annual World’s Best Banks awards. Now in its 21st year, the report covers banks in North America, Western Europe, the Nordic Region, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, AsiaPacific, the Middle East and Africa. Criteria include growth in assets, profitability, strategic relationships, customer service, competitive pricing, new business development and innovative products. Subjective criteria include the opinions of equity analysts, credit rating analysts,

banking consultants and others involved in the industry. For the first time, a poll of Global Finance’s corporate readership was conducted to increase the accuracy and reliability of the results. “The banks that Global Finance is honouring set themselves apart by anticipating and responding to the specific needs of their customers, which vary greatly from country to country and region to region,” said Global Finance’s publisher and editorial director Joseph D. Giarraputo. The full report can be seen in the May issue of Global Finance.

 WORLD’S BEST BANKS 2014  REGION

BANK

North America

Bank of America

Western Europe

ING

Nordic Region

Nordea

Central & Eastern Europe Latin America

Raiffeisen Bank International

Asia-Pacific

DBS Bank

Middle East Africa

Banco Santander

Arab Bank

Standard Bank

 Best Developed Markets  Banks 2014: Western Europe REGIONAL WINNER France

ING

BNP Paribas

Germany

Commerzbank

Italy

Intesa Sanpaolo

Netherlands

ING

Portugal

Banco Santander Totta

Spain

Santander

Switzerland

UBS

Lloyds Banking Group

 GLOBAL  WINNERS Best Investment Bank Bank of America Merrill Lynch Best in Emerging Markets Morgan Stanley Best in Frontier Markets Standard Bank Best Equity Bank Goldman Sachs Best Debt Bank Deutsche Bank Best M&A Bank Goldman Sachs Best Up-and-Comer Vetiva Capital Management Most Creative Rabee Securities

NEWS

Campaign launched to save London’s skyline In response to the recent revelation that at least 236 skyscrapers are either being planned or already under construction in London, The Architects’ Journal has launched a campaign to save the city’s skyline. Signatures have been quick to build up, with influential figures including designer Paul Smith, author Alan Bennett and architect Hugh Broughton being

just some of those who've opposed plans that would see an influx of buildings of at least 20 stories or more. Campaigners say they fear the consequences for London’s famous skyline, with former City of London planning officer Peter Rees commenting, “Those of us who feel passionate about the form and future of our amazing city are sad to see it being trashed.”

 THE WORD ON THE STREET 

Right now, it feels to me as if we are in the midst of a new wave of female leadership – particularly in finance – and we must seize the opportunity to work together to push this wave the whole way up the beach.” – City Lord Mayor Fiona Woolf writing in The Huffington Post on the issue of gender equality

Flying for Heroes

Training will begin this month for the team of wounded ex-servicemen taking part in the first Flying for Heroes expedition. The project, run in partnership with Help for Heroes, and supported by Hiscox and the Business Leadership Academy, will see eight former soldiers fly para-trikes over the Great Rift Valley in Kenya in a fourweek expedition this September. After their training, the newly-qualified pilots will be televised attempting to traverse desert, lakes, savannah, jungle and rivers before they take on the 100km flight. Flying for Heroes is aiming to create a bursary to continue offering flying scholarships to our wounded heroes after this year’s initial expedition. To donate, visit flyingforheroes.org

A cool million, not so cool any more Its seems the big-money salaries of Rooney and friends, coupled with the billion-dollar fortunes of technology’s Zuckerberg and co, has skewed our perception of what it is to be wealthy. Whereas once upon a time, most would have perceived a millionaire as someone relatively well-off, the majority now believe you need £10 million in the bank to be deemed truly rich.

According to a survey by wealth consultancy company Oracle Capital Group, 55 per cent of people say you need at least that figure to be thought of as wealthy, while 20 per cent believe that term only applies to those with £100 million or more. Two-thirds of respondents believed that the high visibility of wealthy celebrities had changed our perceptions of wealth.

£ source: orcap.co.uk

THE CITY BRIEFING | 15

Former Mayor appointed President of Bank Workers’ Charity

Former Lord Mayor of London Sir Roger Gifford has been appointed President of the London-based Bank Workers’ Charity. Sir Roger Gifford is a London banker who became Lord Mayor of London in November 2012. He has been head of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken in the United Kingdom since 2000 and was knighted in 2013. The Bank Workers’ Charity is dedicated to helping employees of the financial services industries who may be experiencing physical, mental or financial difficulties.

City Workers to Row Hard for Neuro-disability

The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability (RHN) is recruiting City workers to take part in an indoor rowing challenge at City Hall on Thursday 11 June. Celebrating its fifth year, Row Hard will pit 36 teams from an array of banks, law firms and other companies against each other over a 2km relay race. Five minutes and 31 seconds is last year’s winning time to beat. Place are still available. Visit rhncharity. org.uk to register.

City to have a 20 mph speed limit

The Planning & Transportation Committee and the Court of Common Council have voted to implement a 20 mph limit on the City of London’s roads from July. The limit follows a public consultation which ran from January to February 2014, to which the City received only 41 responses – 29 in support and 12 against. It is predicted that the new speed limit will reduce casualties by around seven per cent. The A100 at Tower Hill continuing along the A3211 Upper Thames Street will remain a 30 mph limit.

16 | THE CITY BRIEFING

 Reader’s Corner   Fact: How to Make Money in ISAs and SIPPs Tax-Efficient Investing Made Easy £9.95, Matador, Stephen Sutherland

Now is a prime time to invest, says Stephen Sutherland, lead investor at ISA specialist ISACO. The first of its kind to focus on how to secure a richer retirement by using the UK’s two top tax shelters – ISAs and SIPPs – his latest book How to Make Money in ISAs and SIPPs is a DIY guide for investors either approaching retirement or already retired. Inside you’ll find tips on how to create a ‘tax-free’ lifetime income stream, insider secrets for saving thousands in fees and how to protect your wealth when down-trends are triggered. Sutherland is also author of the bestselling Liquid Millionaire.

 Fiction: Zero Alternative

£7.99, Three Hares, Luca Pesaro Joining the growing ranks of City traders who have turned novelist, Luca Pesaro’s debut effort Zero Alternative is an action-packed conspiracy thriller from a man who has served time at Lehman Brothers, JP Morgan and RBS. It’s a tale of survival and vengeance, of billionaires, hitmen and hackers, or, put another way, a standard week in the City.

Appy Days: City Visitor Trail Audio Guide

To discover the City before it was all glass skyscrapers and exclusive bars, download the City Visitor Trail audio app. The app tracks your location to play the right content at the right time. Among other things, hear from the managing director of the Barbican, the curator of Guildhall Art Gallery, a guide at both Tower Bridge and the Monument, the director of programmes at the Museum of London, the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, a chorister at St Stephen Walbrook and the Chief Yeoman Warder of the Tower of London. As well as a main trail, users can opt to follow one of five specially-themed routes: law and literature, London stories / London people, culture vultures, skyscrapers and sculpture, and market mile. Search app stores now.

NEWS

 Employment in financial and related  professional services in EU member states

Source: TheCityUK April 2014

11,509,900 employed in financial and related professional services, 2013 5.3 per cent of total employment in EU Legend for map • Member State • Employment in financial and related professional services • % of total employment • Shading indicates % share of total employment UK 2,122,700 7.0%

Less than 3.5% 3.5% to 4.4% 4.5% to 5.4%

More than 6.5%

Ireland 124,900 6.5%

France 1,373,100 5.3% Portugal 168,400 3.7%

Slovakia 86,800 3.7%

Lithuania 33,400 2.6%

Germany 2,216,600 5.4%

Belgium 271,400 6.0%

Latvia 28,000 3.1%

Sweden 279,600 5.9%

Denmark 126,900 4.7% Netherlands 580,300 6.9%

5.5% to 6.4%

Estonia 13,400 2.2%

Finland 101,400 4.2%

Poland 566,100 3.6% Czech Republic 213,500 4.3% Austria 244,600 5.8%

Hungary 178,000 4.4%

Italy 1,243,500 5.5%

Spain 822,900 4.9%

Romania 226,700 2.5% Bulgaria 87,400 3.0%

Cyprus 37,000 9.8%

Slovenia 44,300 4.9%

Malta 10,400 5.8%

Greece 208,200 5.8%

Croatia 55,800 3.9%

City sees increase in Chinese speakers

The number of Chinese speakers in the City has reached an unprecedented number in the past year, according to research conducted by recruiter Astbury Marsden. The increase comes as a result of investment banks’ attempts to cope with a recent surge in work for Asian markets, along with increased investment in the capital from China. According to the study, Cantonese has entered the top ten and is now the sixth most commonly cited foreign language on CV applications, while Mandarin has gone from the eighth to fourth most commonly quoted language among City workers.

THE CITY BRIEFING | 17



WINE & DINE 

insider info, top tips, hidden gems, new openings & exclusive clubs WORDS: EMMA JOHNSON

ZEITGEIST This month everyone is… Eating… the rich, sticky and fallingoff-the-bone ten-hour beef shortrib from the celebrated Hawksmoor’s Clerkenwell sibling, Foxlow. Forget the mountains of steak and red wine; this joint is about belly-busting extravagances you wouldn’t find in their other restaurants. D 69-73 St John Street, EC1M, foxlow.co.uk

Drinking…

the Ronin – Japanese whisky, falernum, green tea, lychee and sake – at the newest addition to the 5CC family, 5CC City of London. The cocktail bar can be found snuggled below the Harrild & Sons ex-print house turned pub, and has an extensive library of spirits including a list of ‘whisky porn’, if you’re so inclined.

D 26 Farringdon Street, EC4A, 5cc-london.com

Booking… at Simon Rogan’s latest project, Fera at Claridge’s, which has been hotly-anticipated since the announcement last year that he would be taking over from Gordon Ramsay as the hotel’s chef. The restaurant, opening 6 May, will be applauding seasonal ingredients and utilising nature to make food as tasty as possible.

 HIDDEN GEM  The Bleeding Heart Restaurant, Farringdon Hidden away in a basement off this old-London cobbled street lies a fine-dining, yet relaxed French restaurant, which is arguably the City’s most romantic eatery – its a challenge not to fall in love with the warming, historic décor, let alone your dining partner. However, the wood-panelled restaurant is also a popular haunt for business lunches (which slowly lead to wine and cheese-fuelled dinners), and this duality is somewhat hard to come by. Upstairs, sits a buzzing tavern with close-packed tables and often plays hosts to after-work drinks, but the downstairs demure dining destination feels worlds apart. The Bleeding Heart boasts an award-winning, ‘encyclopaedic’ wine list, and proudly serves cuvees from its own vineyard in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. Expect to see classic French favourites on the menu, such as confit duck, seared foie gras and côte de boeuf. D Bleeding Heart Yard, Greville Street, EC1N, bleedingheart.co.uk

D 41 Brook Street, W1K, feraatclaridges.co.uk

POWER BREAKFAST Start the day as you mean to go on… Where: The Modern Pantry Why: This fusion restaurant owned by Anna Hansen MBE sits tucked away from the hustle

and bustle of the City in St John’s Square. It caters for all appetites, from spiced red wine poached tamarillo with Greek yoghurt and ever-increasingly popular manuka honey, to the tea-smoked salmon with wilted spinach, poached eggs, a toasted English muffin, topped with yuzu hollandaise sauce. Using all corners of the earth as her muse, from Denmark to New Zealand, this extends to the décor, which draws inspiration from Scandinavian minimalism. Its huge ranging seasonal menu will certainly set you up for the day. D 47-48 St John's Square, Clerkenwell, EC1V

18 | THE CITY BRIEFING

Wine & Dine

WORKING LUNCH This Month: Mickael Weiss, head chef at Coq d’Argent

setting the pace, everything you do dictates the day ahead.

Favourite hidden City gem...

...New Street Wine Shop. They offer great value wine by the glass, and some lovely cheese and nibbles. Also, not so much hidden but, Leadenhall Market is a great place to spend some time food shopping, relaxing and eating.

The best table in the house...

If you want to impress...

...and not break the bank, I would order Morey-Saint-Denis, a red Burgundy, and St Aubin 1er Cru, a white Burgundy – I’m a huge fan of Burgundy.

Best for breakfast...

...our kitchen, having the morning coffee with the boys. I love the buzz and anticipation of another busy day. I might even sneak in a homemade donut from time to time.

THE BEST time of day in the City IS...

...the morning. I feel the buzz of everyone

Our pick of the capital’s best tasting menus THIS MONTH: HKK

...a pre-dinner drink at the Old Bengal Warehouse, they’ve got some fantastic cocktails and great service. For dinner, you've got La Chapelle or l’Anima, but really my favourite is here [Coq d’Argent]. After dinner, South Place Hotel; great music, and a late bar.

With tasting menus spanning from four courses to 15, HKK gratifies a whole range of cravings. The 15-course menu is a greatest testament to chef Tong’s genius and 11 years’ experience. The latest concept from the Hakkasan Group, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2013, labels itself as ‘Chinese fine-dining’. The lengthy, indulgent menu features savoury dishes such as jumbo crab, wok fried lobster and seared Wagyu beef in V.S.O.P, and sweet treats including chocolate velvet with five spice croutons, petit fours and lemon cream with a citrus sable. However, the star of the meal has to be their signature cherry wood roasted Peking duck, which is carved by the head chef in the middle of the dining room with a cleaver, and served three ways – the crispy skin, the breast, and with a pancake. If you’re not in the mood to sip one of their crafted cocktails, perhaps you can slurp on the paired juice tasting menu instead.

D Coq D’Argent, No.1 Poultry, EC2R

D Fifteen courses, £98 88 Worship Street, EC2A

If you need to send something back…

...in the winter, table 303, but in the summer, anywhere in the central terrace.

DEGUSTATION

...honesty. People want to find a fault when actually the dish isn’t to their liking, just be honest so that the manager can deal with it appropriately. It happens and most of the time it’s a communication issue, what one considers medium might not apply to everyone.

If the restaurant is fully booked…

...that’s a tough one. Best if you know the chef! In the summer, just come early – before 12 or 6.30pm – for one of our terrace tables.

A perfect night out...

Duck and Waffle

Old Bengal Bar

The Cocktail Lounge at this boutique hotel features creations from the legendary Tony Congliaro, and its Bloody Mary cuts out the middle man and uses horseradish vodka to bring the heat.

It’s hard to beat the view at Duck & Waffle, but their take on the classic cocktail is a close competitor. ‘Essence of Mary’ uses a bloody mary consommé, Noilly Prat and Grey Goose vodka.

This converted warehouse in Liverpool Street has six variations of the antifogmatic, including the ‘Boston Bourbon Mary’ with green chillis and the ‘Bengal Spice’ with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.

D 49-50 St John's Square, EC1V

D 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N

D 16 New St, EC2M

WHERE TO TRY... Bloody Marys in the CITY

The Zetter Townhouse

THE CITY BRIEFING | 19

wine & dine



BON VIVEUR 

Our man-about-town, Nick Savage, presents his must-visit favourites Midden heaps provide evidence that Britons have been eating oysters since Roman garrisons were stationed in Essex, which has given us longer than two millennia to perfect the art. The following are London’s Old Masters; its best bars for bivalves.

J Sheekey

The Royal Exchange

Best for: Scene

J Sheekey has been one of the foremost names in seafood for over a century. The oyster bar is a relatively new addition to the 118-year old restaurant, a great U-shaped altar to the mollusc, with tessellated flooring, orange sconces, art deco desk lamps and monochromatic portraits of theatrical luminaries adorning its walls. More importantly, they have some of the best seasonal seafood in the game and a very talented head chef by the name of James Cornwall. This man really knows how to treat an oyster. Case in point, his signature sauce – an astringent blend of mirin, rice vinegar, jalapeno, shallot, coriander and lime. For a bit of theatre and class, J Sheekey leads the field. D 28-35 St Martins Court, WC2N

Bibendum

Best For: Fruits de Mer

Set on the first floor of South Kensington’s Grade II listed Michelin House, the Bibendum oyster bar is as charming as its setting, replete with Michelin Man motifs, stained glass windows, mosaic flooring and tangling plants. It additionally boasts one of the most ample plateau de fruits de mer in the big smoke. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that head chef Matthew Harris has been helming the kitchens for two decades, but he certainly doesn’t skimp on ingredients or quality. The silver platter came to the table groaning; freighted with Colchester rock oysters, Gillardeau specials, natives from Loch Ryan and Mersea, prawns, langoustines, brown shrimps, gigantic whelks, minute winkles, and an enormous Scottish crab presiding over it all like a crustacean conductor. Truth be told, it’s hard to continue eating afterwards, and at £30 per person, that’s good value. D 81 Fulham Road, SW3

20 | THE CITY BRIEFING

Best For: Setting

Bentley’s

Best For: Bromance

Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill is another iconic oyster vendor that requires no introduction, having clung like a limpet to London’s upper stratum for almost a century. Richard Corrigan purchased the premises in 2005 and has given it his trademark seasonal approach, ensuring that only the freshest sea creatures and vegetables make it in front of his diners. It’s also one of the most masculine atmospheres I’ve come across, you could easily picture young whelps receiving lectures from lecherous uncles across the generations. D 11 Swallow Street, W1B

Wiltons

Best for: History

Wiltons has many claims to fame. Not only is it home to Sam Tansanguan, a world champion oyster opener, but it can also trace its origins back to 1742, when it was an itinerant stall operated by one James William Wilton. These days it’s a far cry from anything as rudimentary as that. While there’s a starched formality evident in the room, staff members seem to be on first name bases with regular customers (often MPs and industrial tycoons), and the oysters are a bit larger and richer than what you might be accustomed to, cut out more for shellfish veterans than neophytes, as is Wiltons as a whole. D 55 Jermyn Street, SW1Y

The Royal Exchange is one of the London’s most magnificent meeting points, a Grade I covered courtyard with origins in the Elizabethan era. Mosaic tile flooring and stratospheric ceilings set it aside as one of the most striking settings in the City for a post office libation. The pièce de résistance of the room is a gleaming oval bar with a centrepiece of backlit crystal and an enormous bouquet of white wisteria, underneath which staff members with scarred knuckles will shuck you an elegant array of huîtres. D The Royal Exchange, EC3V

Wright Brothers Spitalfields

Best for: Freshness and knowledge

It’s difficult to enumerate all of the qualities that make Wright Brothers so alluring, but let’s start with the tanks. WBS utilises stateof-the-art holding tanks that replicate the optimal seawater conditions for the 10,000 shellfish that occupy them. This means that it has unequivocally the freshest seafood in the capital. It also has staff members that live and breathe molluscs. After asking AGM Simon Lamont a couple of cut-and-dry questions, I was regaled with a 30-minute ode to the oyster, covering everything from the Latin names of the species to the coral to the biodiversity employed in the tanks. Wright Brothers is also a sharp looking operation, with nautical artefacts and design tropes in abundance. One could easily mislay an afternoon, or a day, at this beautiful bar. D 8/9 Lamb Street, E1

Nick Savage is editor of Innerplace, an exclusive London lifestyle concierge, innerplace.co.uk

style

The City Style Edit Look the part, play the part, from breakfast to boardroom to bar

ARRIVE IN STYLE

POUR ME

WRITE AWAY

Swap the underground for the overground and hop on the new Vespa Primavera from this iconic Italian brand.

This dinner party accessory will certainly break the ice... the decanter doubles up as a musical instrument.

The pen is mightier than the sword, and this limited-edition writing instrument will make note scribbling something to savour.

D Primavera Scooter, from £3,371, Vespa, uk.vespa.com

D Horn Decanter, £675, Riedel, riedel.co.uk

D Fountain Pen, £2,500, Caran d’Ache, carandache.ch

CITRUS SPRITZ

TRAVEL LIGHT

TOP DOG

No outfit is complete without a spritz of aftershave and Acqua di Parma gets it spoton with this citrus scent.

For those short-haul trips, keep it on-trend with this contrasting blue and orange matte leather case.

Fly your flag for Britain with these iconic Bulldog cufflinks, a welcome addition to any suit.

D Eau de Toilette Blue Meditarraneo, £78 for 150ml, Acqua di Parma, acquadiparma.com

D Travel Case, £1,250, William & Son, williamandson.com

D Bulldog Motif Cufflinks, £250, Dunhill, dunhill.co.uk

CLOSE SHAVE

Forget the beard, keep yourself office-smart with a helping hand from D R Harris’ exclusive box-set. D Windsor Kit, £130, D R Harris, mrporter.com

WALK ON BY

HANDS DOWN

You’ll look every inch the gentleman in John Lobb’s handmade leather shoes.

You can tell a lot about a man from his hands. Keep yours soft, supple and clean.

D William Leather Monk-Strap Shoes, £735, John Lobb, johnlobbltd.co.uk

D Resurrection Duet Hand Wash and Balm, £85, Aesop, aesop.com

THE CITY BRIEFING | 21

THE SPECTRUM BALL, LONDON BRIDGE Date: 28 MARCH / Venue: GLOBE THEATRE

crowd of best-dressed guests recently filled the Globe Theatre, in support of the National Autistic Society’s Spectrum Ball. Exceptional food, delicious wine and an entertaining line-up of musicians kept the evening’s supporters well and truly entertained. In fact, Geordie Naylor-Leyland made a stage debut, while Jack Whitehall, Simon Amstell and Nicky Haslam also assisted in providing the entertainment for the evening. Finally, an auction caused a fury of excitement, especially when a rather amusing lot was revealed – a date with Spencer Matthews. From the top: Philip Womack, Jane Asher and Gerald Scarfe; Francis Boulle and Mark Lever; Francis Boulle and Daisy Lewis; Michelle Collins, Nicky Haslam and Jane Asher; Jack Whitehall; Henry Conway and Daisy Lewis; Binky Felstead; Ollie Proudlock and Grace McGovern; Jane Asher and Gerald Scarfe; members of the Indie band Swim Deep. Photos courtesy of Chris O'Donovan

22 | THE CITY BRIEFING

CALENDAR

THE FASHION WORLD OF JEAN PAUL GAULTIER: FROM THE SIDEWALK TO THE CATWALK, PRIVATE VIEW AND RECEPTION, THE CITY Date: 7 APRIL / Venue: BARBICAN ART GALLERY

riends and long-term collaborators of the fashion industry’s original enfant terrible Jean Paul Gaultier recently gathered at the Barbican Centre to mark the opening of the Frenchman’s retrospective exhibition, The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk. In a manner truly befitting the flamboyant designs found within, Gaultier arrived wearing a maxi skirt with a side split to rival that of Angelina Jolie’s, arm in arm with a lookalike of HM The Queen. The Gallic designer was joined by an eclectic mixture of the fashion elite, which included editor of British Vogue Alexandra Shulman, as well as model Erin O’Connor and her growing baby bump.

From the top: Rufus Wainwright; Nik Thakkar, Jean Paul Gaultier and Ella Catliff; Bip Ling; Jean Paul Gaultier and HM The Queen look-alike; Stephen Jones; Jade Parfitt and Jack Dyson; Alexandra Shulman; Erin O’Connor and Stephen Gibson; Thierry-Maxime Loriot; Sai Bennet and Craig Roberts; Thoai Niradeth and Odile Gilbert. Photos courtesy of Dave Bennett, Getty Images

THE CITY BRIEFING | 23

INTERVIEW

MASTER

INVESTOR He’s been described as Britain’s answer to Warren Buffett, having made millions in emerging markets during the 1990s. Now, investor Jim Mellon tells The City Magazine, it’s time to put your trust – and your money – in the biotechnology industry WORDS: Sabuhi Gard

24 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

PEOPLE

to investing in mining: “Biotech is a bit like Investors can also receive up to 50 per cent ntrepreneur, investor, multimining: it has a long lead time, it has a high tax relief in the tax year that the investment is millionaire and biotechnology failure rate, it is capital intensive and there made, regardless of their marginal rate. enthusiast Jim Mellon is pessimistic is government intervention, but if you can So, if a private investor had a spare £1 about the UK property market, especially the narrow down the failure rate with superior million or £2 million, what assets should he or capital: “It is well-known that this is a tale of knowledge and application, you can make a she invest in? “US dollars for half, and sit it out two halves; London is monstrously overpriced superior return.” until a market shakedown (i.e. market down and will soon be overbuilt, and I think there Mellon invests in different areas of 15 per cent),” he says. “A good biotech fund is a serious downside of several developers biotechnology, like new compounds and small for a quarter of it, such as the Charlemagne who have financial problems. The rest of the biological drugs, but he “stays away” from Magna Bio Fund, and I would look to buy country is OK. But I do not think we are back medical devices and tricky subjects like stem high-quality blue-chip shares on dips in to a sustained property bull market.” cell research and the human genome [project]. the UK for the remainder. Good examples: This hasn’t stopped Mellon from investing He believes biomedicine is the place where Diageo, Reckitt, Unilever, Rolls-Royce.” in property himself, although not in London we will find our next “money fountain”. He As a regular speaker at leading UK – he believes London property prices are due adds: “At the moment in the US, they spend investment show Master Investor, Mellon for a correction of about 20 per cent. A couple nearly one fifth of their national income on hopes to advise, inspire and educate private of years ago, he bought the “highest flat in healthcare, so what I’m looking at is medicines investors again. At last year’s show he shared San Francisco” for $1.3 million for personal that prolong people's lives, keep them out of the spotlight with UKIP leader Nigel Farage; use; he has a buy-to-let investment portfolio hospitals and put disease into remission.” this year, there are less “controversial figures”, in Germany – 300 commercial buildings and He does point out that there are difficulties including co-founder of Innocent drinks 3,000 flats, largely in Berlin – and owns the with biotechnology investments – namely, Richard Reed, Terry Smith, the chief executive Sleepwell Hotels chain. that there are no quick returns. “Developing and founder of Fundsmith, and UK technical Mellon is hesitant about the global drugs takes roughly eight years, from patent analyst Zak Mir. Mellon says: “I expect to economic recovery: “[It is] a very mixed to commercialisation, and it is very expensive. make my usual list of recommendations [at picture; China seems weaker than first thought, It takes, for example, $1 billion to develop just Master Investor 2014], and I will discuss in and this will impact everywhere. Euroland is one drug, including the failures, so you need particular the themes of my new book on still in dire straits and while the UK and US to have a long-term horizon. It is are doing OK, we are not in a not an area you should speculate period of robust global growth – He believes biomedicine is the place where in over the short term.” expect corporate earnings to be we will find our next “money fountain” In his book, he states: relatively poor overall as a result.” “We are absolutely convinced The son of a diplomat, that a selection of the best investments in ‘disruptive technology’, from an investment Mellon studied philosophy, politics and bioscience will trounce all other types of point of view.” economics (PPE) at Oxford before working investment over the next ten years... We ‘Disruptive technology’ is a term coined by as a global fund manager. He became a also think that anyone looking at this sector Harvard Business School professor Clayton M millionaire at the age of 28, and is currently needs to have two balancing features in a Christensen to describe a new technology that ranked 110th in the Sunday Times Rich List prospective portfolio (i) diversification in unexpectedly displaces an established one. In with an £800 million fortune. But he can still terms of the numbers of investments and; his 1997 best-selling book The Innovator's name some of his less successful investments: (ii) a broad spread in terms of the sizes and Dilemma, Christensen separates new Amarin (a fish oil manufacturer in the US), business areas of companies chosen.” technology into two categories: sustaining Speymill (a UK construction and property “An investor should have the majority of and disruptive. Sustaining technology relies investment company) and investment/media their portfolio in the bigger companies, as on incremental improvements to an already firm Rivington Street Holdings. On the they have the reach into emerging markets, established technology. Disruptive technology flipside, Mellon is proud of his investments in and that is where the growth is going to be in lacks refinement, often has performance Uramin “Which went from $100,000 to $2.5 the next 20-30 years. I would invest in Pfizer problems because it is new, appeals to a billion in two years”. and Roche Holdings, I would put 20 per cent limited audience and may not yet have a As a businessman who continually invests into medium-sized companies and ten per proven practical application. and analyses new business, Mellon has two cent into small-sized companies.” Writing about disruptive technology is issues very close to his heart – entrepreneurs Other favourite stocks include Novartis, very Jim Mellon. In 2012, Mellon co-wrote and tax. He says: “I think one of the few good GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Sanofi-Aventis and a book with Al Chalabi called Cracking the things this [UK] government has done is Allergan. He goes on to say: “Our view is based Code: Understand and Profit from the Biotech launch the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme on evaluating their product pipelines, patent Revolution [That Will Transform Our Lives and (SEIS), and I think Capital Gains Taxes (CGT) profiles and exposure to consumer products, as Generate Fortunes]. Bioscience is a topic he should be significantly tapered as well.” well as an assessment of management culture.” finds very exciting. He was inspired by a book SEIS was introduced by Chancellor If there was one bit of technology that will called The Singularity Is Near by Ray Kurzweil George Osborne in his 2011 budget to boost revolutionise our lives in the future, what will to pursue investing in biotechnology, “Which economic growth in the UK by promoting it be? “Service robots,” Mellon says, which can posits the idea that artificial intelligence will new enterprise and entrepreneurship. In a do the jobs that humans don’t want to do. Now surpass human intelligence”. Mellon also single tax year, SEIS investors can spread there’s something we can look forward to. likens the idea of investing in biotechnology £100,000 over a number of companies.

BUSINESS & WEALTH | 25

26 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

opinion

Lex Van Dam EQUITIES “When you are considering investing yourself, as opposed to letting it be done by others, you have to realise that it is not the same as listening to the latest tips on financial TV or in some newspaper”

n my most recent columns, I made a case for why it might make more sense for some people to invest their money themselves rather than give it to a professional money manager. One of the reasons is the level of fees which, over time, add up to a large sum. Another is the fact that it’s very hard to select a manager who consistently outperforms the index. So when you are considering investing yourself, as opposed to letting it be done by others, you have to realise that it is not the same as listening to the latest tips on financial TV or in some newspaper. In that case, you might as well bet on a horse on the racetrack or play roulette at a casino – games of chance with the most likely outcome being a losing set of trades followed by an empty account. Investing money yourself requires a lot of discipline at every stage. In fact, it is critical when going down this route to have what is called a proper investment process. This would mean going through a set of defined steps before you actually trade, ticking a number of boxes before putting any hard-earned money at risk. These steps should not only look at why and when to enter a trade, but also at when to take a profit or a loss and exit the position. It is, of course, not easy for a novice investor to come up with a well-thought out and robust investment process. It also turns out that there are very few good products on the market that help investors in this area. That is why I decided to write and then film a trading course that both novices and more experienced investors could use to make investing more systematic and logical – Million Dollar Traders aired on the BBC back in 2009. My process consists of five steps, which together are called 5-StepTrading. The steps themselves are not rocket science and everybody

Contact:  lex@lexvandam.com

should be able to understand them – but in combination they are your most powerful weapon when you decide to invest yourself. The first step ensures you do not trade on tips or rumours – they are the fastest way to wipe you out. Instead, you will realise that there are certain areas of the stock market where you can use your own background as a consumer, or as a professional, to come up with some original trading ideas. The second step ensures that what you consider is a potentially good idea will stack up from a fundamental perspective. For example, a company might make a great product, but it might not be a good investment if the company is not being run prudently from a financial perspective. The third step is focused on understanding what the stock has done recently. Has it already gone up a lot and all good news is now priced in, or is it just about to take off? That is why you will learn how to read stock charts in this step. Trading can be exhausting and often a fight against one’s self. Fear and greed rule this area and that is why you have to learn to understand and control yourself to protect yourself from what happens to more traders than you think: self-destruction. Good traders run their profits and cut their losses. That is why the fourth step is all about psychology and doing a mental check every time before you trade. The last step helps you build a portfolio with a lot of different ideas and themes that work well together; a portfolio that is correctly documented and where everything is sized properly and where the balance between risk and reward is right, with targets and stop-losses in place. This will ensure that you are not a one-trick pony and able to survive long term. Next month, we will look at generating original investment ideas. D Lex van Dam is a hedge fund manager and financial educator, specialising in trading in equities, currencies and financial derivatives

BUSINESS & WEALTH | 27

opinion

Nick Hungerford INVESTMENTS

Contact  info@nutmeg.com  020 7806 6158

Who says investing is boring?

on’t get me wrong. I’m not naïve enough to expect the subject of investment management to dominate dinner-party soireés and Friday night pub gatherings up and down the land. It’ll never beat football or primetime TV talent shows. It would struggle to compete with politics. And some people would no doubt rather dissect the pros and cons of different washing powder brands than voice passionately on their own financial planning criteria. But perhaps when you say to someone, ‘Hey! Did you know you could earn £8,000 if you don’t wait until the last minute to invest in your ISA?’ you suddenly see their eyes widen and their interest pique.

Investing early for better returns

We’ve calculated that if you’d invested £10,000 in a medium-risk portfolio for the last ten years – on day one instead of leaving it to the last minute – you could be six per cent better off. Assuming market returns on a portfolio of 60 per cent UK equities and 40 per cent UK government bonds, investing on day one of each tax year would have given you an investment pot of £140,705 by now. Compare that to investing on the last day of each tax year, and you’d end up with an investment pot of £132,129 – that’s lagging behind by more than £8,000. The importance of investing early How a balanced portfolio could have performed over the last ten years, investing £10,000 at the start of each tax year, at the end, or investing 1/12 of it (£833) at the start of each month*.

£132,129

£140,705

ISAvived

This is exactly the scenario I’ve been living out in recent weeks. We’ve just gone through the most intense period of the financial year – tax year end. For an investment management service like Nutmeg, that means the expected, last-minute tidal wave of investors all desperately keen to open their ISAs before the tax window shuts and they lose their annual savings allowance for good. ‘ISA season’ has become an industry phenomenon. It’s a time when we experience fantastic growth in customer numbers. For that, of course, I am delighted. But it always amazes me how many people have been missing out on solid investment returns all year because they’ve turned a blind eye to their finances and left it too late to carry out what is, in essence, a relatively quick and easy task.

Leaving it to the last minute

We saw more customers sign up to Nutmeg in the first three days of April than in the whole of January. The site was incredibly busy right down to the wire and we had several people furiously trying to complete their online ISA payments at the stroke of midnight. A lot of those clearly had a significant amount of money, as they were paying in the full ISA allowance of £11,520 from their current accounts. We can only assume that, for some at least, they had kept their hard-earned money in current accounts or savings accounts all year, letting the value of their cash dwindle away on paltry interest rates (1.18 per cent on average in March, according to Bank of England figures) that have been unable to match inflation. Had they tucked that money away at the start of the year, or even drip-fed smaller amounts regularly into an ISA, they could have felt the benefit.

£137,877  Invest lump sum on the first day of the new tax year  Invest one twelfth (£833) every month  Invest lump sum on the last day of the tax year

If you can’t afford to put away the maximum ISA allowance at the start of each year, saving a smaller amount at the start of each month instead is your next best option. Choosing to do that over the past ten years would have given you an investment pot of £137,877. Quite simply, the sooner you open your ISA, the sooner you could be earning interest on your money.

Give yourself a break

As we all know, tax is one of life’s unrelenting body blows. You pay tax as you earn money, you pay it as you spend it and you pay it as you inherit it. To get a tax break is a wonderful, rare thing. So don’t look the ISA gift-horse in the mouth. The new tax year has begun and you have a new ISA allowance of £11,880, increasing to £15,000 on 1 July when the New ISA – or ‘NISA’ – comes into effect. I’m not suggesting for a moment that this information will make you the dazzling star and central force of dinner-party conversation, but it sure could make you a little better off financially. D Nick Hungerford is CEO of Nutmeg, the online investment management company that builds and manages portfolios tailored to each customer for a single low fee.

*Source: Nutmeg calculations based on each contribution invested in 60 per cent UK equities and 40 per cent UK government bonds. Returns are market returns less fees of 1 per cent pa. Market indices used are FTSE All Share total return index and BofA ML Gilts total return index, data source Macrobond AB. Monthly calculations based on an investment on the first day of the new tax year and at the start of the next month thereafter. Data from 5/4/2004 to 5/4/2014. No assumption made for tax on dividends, income or capital gains. With investment comes risk. The price and value of investments mentioned and income arising from them may fluctuate and you may get back less than you invest. A stocks and shares ISA may not be right for everyone and tax rules may change in the future. If you are unsure if an ISA is the right choice for you, please seek independent financial advice.

28 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

opinion

Kathleen Brooks FX What the Greek debt auction tells us about the markets also seem able to ignore the political risks. Ahead of last month’s bond sale, a car bomb went off outside the Greek Central Bank in Athens, and the European elections this month could see big gains for the far left SYRZIA party, which has pledged to scrap the bailout if it came to power, potentially threatening the Greek position in the currency bloc. It’s easy to lay out the case for why you should avoid Greek bonds, but the markets can’t be that stupid, surely? Whether or not the markets are stupid is not for me to decide, but there are a couple of things that this debt sale can tell us about market sentiment:

he news that investors were piling in to buy Greek debt was greeted with incredulity by many in the markets, the media and in Greece itself. The fact that the first Greek debt action in four years was eight times over-subscribed and managed to attract bids to the tune of €3 billion was astonishing, but even more so was the yield on this five-year debt, a mere 4.95 per cent. To put this in some context, Russia – which has not needed a bailout – has a much larger economy than Greece and is rich in natural resource, has to pay closer to ten per cent at debt auctions. Even taking into consideration that Russia has many problems of its own right now, including the on-going Crimean crisis, it still looks like one hell of a gamble to bet that Greece will have a better outcome than Russia in five years. If that is not enough to shock you, maybe this will: the return of Greece to the debt markets had more demand than the Facebook IPO. The details of the bond sale pointed out that 90 per cent of participation in the debt sale came from foreign investors. Read: not Greek banks. The markets have been concerned in the past that the ECB and co have tried to manufacture false demand for peripheral bonds by offering domestic banks cheap money to load up on sovereign debt. However, this auction is the real deal. Those people who bought Greek debt are buying into an economy where the unemployment rate is 27.5 per cent, retail sales growth has not been positive since 2010 and the latest manufacturing data for March showed a return to contraction territory. The only positive note I can find to buy this debt is that Greece is currently mired in deflation – prices are falling at more than one per cent annually. This should protect the value of Greece’s creditors’ investment. But while deflation is not necessarily bad news for debtors, it is a pyrrhic victory as deflation can decimate an economy. Investors seem not only to be immune to economic fragility, they

30 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

 The markets have faith in the ‘Merkel guarantee’: Two years ago, German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged that she would not allow a Grexit, cue the markets' confidence returning to the Eurozone periphery, which has culminated in this debt sale. However, the concept of the ‘bail-in’ does not seem to be worrying investors.  The bond is issued under English law, which favours creditors over debtors, offering some guarantee for purchasers of this debt.  The QE, low-rates era is still with us and does not seem like it is going anywhere fast. Central banks around the world have turned investors into desperate yield-seeking junkies, so 4.95 per cent seems worth it, even taking account of the risks inherent in Greek debt. These arguments for buying the debt seem logical enough. It appears that Germany is now willing to keep Greece in the Eurozone, and the fact that the bond has been issued under English law rather than Greek law at least keeps creditors high up the pecking order if Greece does default one day. But what if there is a more worrying reason why investors are willing to finance Athens at comparatively cheap rates? What if that reason is irrational exuberance? The International Monetary Fund (IMF) argued that there is still too much debt in the global economy (Greece has just added another €3 billion to this load) and banks remain fragile (Greece also has an under-financed banking system that the Troika sounded concerned about just last month). The Fund also said that it was concerned about the rise of risky investments and that emerging markets, Greece included, could be at risk from rapid capital out-flows if major central banks start to tighten monetary policy. With the ECB failing to embark on QE or other loose monetary policy measures, Greece remains right in the firing line. Overall, there are two ways to look at the strong demand for Greek debt. Either it is a genius investment that will reap handsome rewards, because the markets were right about the ‘Merkel guarantee’ and optimism on the prospects for a Greek recovery. But if the strong demand for Greek debt is the result of some greedy individuals who are hell-bent on finding yield, no matter the consequences, this could be the first sign that the global economy is going down the wrong path and things might start to look like 2005 once again. D Kathleen Brooks is a research director at FOREX.com and is the author of Kathleen Brooks on Forex

opinion

Richard Jeffrey MACROECONOMICS Recent trends suggest that we are now entering a new phase of the recovery

n the basis of the most recent national accounts data, the UK economy shrank by 7.2 per cent between the peak level of activity recorded in the first quarter of 2008 and the nadir of the recession in the second quarter of 2009. With the simultaneous nearimplosion of the Western financial system, it was a frightening experience, as much for the speed of the contraction as for the eventual extent. By the fourth quarter of last year, the economy had grown by 6.2 per cent since the trough. This suggests that it will not be until the second quarter of this year that we strike into new ground (by way of comparison, the US economy had exceeded its pre-recession peak by the second quarter of 2011). It has been a stuttering recovery, with considerably less momentum than during comparable periods following previous recessions. Despite the squeeze on real income growth, household spending was the biggest contributor to the recovery up to the end of last year, accounting for 3.5 per cent of the 6.2 per cent GDP gain. After this, the biggest contributions were from inventories and the government. At the other end of the scale, net trade (exports minus imports) accounted for a mere 0.7 per cent of the total increase in GDP and total capital spending at just 0.3 per cent. The failure of the investment cycle to gain any traction has been persistent cause for concern. Business investment in 2013 was still some 12.5 per cent below the peak set in 2008, and only 3.2 per cent above the low in 2009. And a casual glance at last year’s total does not give rise to much hope: business investment in 2013 was actually one per cent lower than the previous year. It is not, perhaps, surprising that companies have proven so reluctant to embark on a more substantial programme of investment. If the shock of the recession was not enough

Contact  info@cazenovecapital.com

to persuade companies to build up cash reserves rather than invest for the future, then the continuing uncertainty caused by developments in the Eurozone and elsewhere in the world have prompted companies to curtail their investment plans. The result has been that productivity has virtually flat-lined and profit margins have failed to expand as they might have been expected to. Employment, on the other hand, has been stronger; in the absence of any appreciable productivity improvement, the increase in output seen to date has been supported by rising numbers of people in work, and hours worked in the economy are at record levels. However, and this is a very big ‘however’, although business investment last year was lower than in the previous year, this was the result of a sharp fall in spending between the first and second halves of 2012. More importantly, the quarterly data for 2013 showed decent increases in investment in each consecutive period. As a result, by the final quarter of the year, investment was some 8.7 per cent higher than in the same three months of 2012. Taken in conjunction with strengthening investment intentions surveys, the recent trend suggests that we are now entering a new phase of the recovery. This will be characterised by a return to more normal (possibly above normal) increases in investment and productivity. In turn, this will boost profitability and, I believe, lead to stronger growth in employee earnings (although the rate of increase in employment may diminish). This will then have the possibility of becoming a virtuous circle, with household spending growth becoming more sustainable and capital investment showing further growth. The recovery can, at this stage, be judged to be more self-supporting and less reliant on policy help from the authorities. Finally, as cyclical developments become more normal, we can also expect monetary policy to normalise. And this will be another important test of the resilience of the economy. D Richard Jeffrey is chief investment officer at Cazenove Capital

BUSINESS & WEALTH | 31

alternative investments

The Art of Risk and Return The art world is now big business. Here’s what to consider before you invest… WORDS: ANNA M. DEMPSTER

he art market has enjoyed unprecedented growth over the past three decades, growing more than 575 per cent from its lowest point in 1991 to its highest in 2007. In spite of a slowdown following the global economic crisis of 2008, it recovered remarkably quickly and has nearly reached its pre-crisis peak with total sales in international art and antiques estimated at almost $68 billion in 2013. Growth can be seen across most art sectors – antiquities, old masters, modern and contemporary – with aggregated auction sales for Sotheby’s and Christie's alone at $7.67 billion in 2013, up 16 per cent from 2012. Art market confidence indicators, developed by analytics company ArtTactic, indicate that the positive trends will continue in 2014 with no signs of a slowdown. In addition, much of the data is based on auction results that capture as little as 50 per cent of the traded market, indicating that there is further untapped potential in the overall market for art, antiques and collectibles. There is an estimated $2 trillion worth of artwork in private hands. Annual trading volumes in this private market are estimated at around $61 billion dollars, or around seven per cent of total affluent spending. The recent history of the art market is a remarkable story of change. Globalisation has meant the historic duopoly of London and New York has been challenged by the emergence of regional centres in Moscow, Sao Paolo, Delhi and Dubai. The biggest growth story in recent years has been the emergence of China, which in 2011 captured an estimated 30 per cent of global sales and supplanted the UK and US to become the world’s principal market for art and antiques that year. Even adjusting for widespread misreporting of the sales results on which these estimates are based, it is still the most remarkable growth story in recent years. There are numerous examples of success by individual artists like Ai Weiwei and Zhang Xiaogang who fetched record prices at auction and emerged as international cultural icons, as well as new institutions like Poly International (founded in 2005), which is now the world’s third biggest auction house by revenue after Sotheby’s (founded in 1744) and Christie’s (founded in 1766). However, growth attracts competition, which now means opportunities in China are hard won. On the flip side, staggering returns come with a raft of risks, old and new. Transaction costs are high and volatility in the marketplace is significant, and performance trends for particular styles and genres, let alone individual artists or artworks, are very difficult to predict. When market and liquidity risk is coupled with the fickleness of fads and fashions, the art world becomes a truly risky business. Further challenges in determining authenticity and ensuring provenance, which guarantees works are what they claim to be and are owned legitimately by those selling them, means the art world is not for the faint-hearted. In spite of the risks in their trade, as cultural goods, art and fine

32 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

objects represent a viable store of value as well as providing enjoyment and personal pleasure. Of course, art has not escaped the attention of the investment community and has been increasingly described as an ‘asset class’ alongside other alternative investments. But care should be taken, because art is not like gold or like any other conventional or alternative asset. It is far more varied with each object at the top-end being entirely unique. The variety in the market means there is a critical need for experts, who can effectively navigate this diverse and peculiar landscape, avoiding pitfalls while surfing its waves. Experts help to assess, authenticate and legitimise the value of individual objects and artists. But in what is often described as the last unregulated market in the world, verifiable and good-quality expertise is hard to come by and, at the top-end, is high in demand. Experts play a critical role because in a highly-uncertain environment, quality is the trump card – and your best chance at mitigating fads to acquire something that will last the test of time. Two simple pieces of advice often heard in art world circles are ‘get the best you can afford’ and ‘buy what you like’ – which at least gives you a chance of ending up with something you can enjoy yourself. So, who makes money in the art world? Just like in the financial services, sell-side intermediaries, including dealers and auction houses, make money by taking commission, often from both sides of the transaction. On the supply side, contemporary celebrity artists have become household names; while on the buying side, many individual and institutional collectors have seen the value of their objects and collections grow. A slew of professional and advisory services, including art law, insurance, packaging and shipping, have mushroomed in recent years to meet client needs. But in every case a deep understanding of the underlying ‘asset’, respect towards the art world environment and a love of the objects themselves differentiates the losers from the winners. D Anna M. Dempster is the author of Risk and Uncertainty in the Art World, Bloomsbury (2014), £30

FINANCIAL EDUCATION FOR ALL IN-DEPTH, UNBIASED & AFFORDABLE

EXCLUSIVE READER READER OFFERS OFFERS EXCLUSIVE UP UP TO TO 75% 75% OFF OFF ALL ALL ONLINE ONLINE COURSES COURSES

Trading & Investing Made Simple Lex Lex van van Dam Dam is is the the creator creator of of the the BBC’s BBC’s TV TV Program Program “Million “Million Dollar Dollar Traders” and and the the founder founder of of Lex Lex van van Dam Dam Financial Financial Education. Education. Lex Lex brings brings Traders” his institutional institutional experience experience and and wisdom wisdom in in trading trading and and investing investing to to ordinary ordinary his people ® methodology methodology explains explains people and and professionals professionals alike. alike. His His 5-Step-Trading 5-Step-Trading® the complex financial world in a simple and well structured the complex financial world in a simple and well structured way. way.

Why Why you you should should learn learn with with us: us: At At the the end end of of the the course, course, you you will will have have an an in-depth in-depth understanding about the financial world understanding about the financial world and and what what it takes takes to to be be good good at at trading trading & & investing. investing. If If you you it like like to to improve improve your your financial financial skills skills at at a a time time convenient for you then get online and convenient for you then get online and register register today. today.

Easy-to-use, Easy-to-use, online online customer customer support support and and no no up-selling or or third third party party up-selling advertising. Our Our course course advertising. material material is is available available 24 24 hours hours a a day day on on any any device, device, which means you can which means you can learn learn new skills skills whenever whenever and and new wherever you you want: want: from from wherever the the comfort comfort of of your your couch, couch, at at your your desk, desk, or or when when you’re traveling. traveling. you’re

Online Courses: 5-Step-Trading® STOCKS STOCKS II 5-Step-Trading®

£119 £119

£499 £499

5-Step-Trading® 5-Step-Trading® STOCKS STOCKS II: II:

£119 £119

£499 £499

5-Step-Trading® 5-Step-Trading® FX FX

£199 £199

£499 £499

Lex’s Lex’s Favourite Favourite Technical Technical Trading Trading Strategies Strategies for for FX FX

£249 £249

£320 £320

ALL COURSES COURSES ALL

£499 £1800 £1800 £499

Avoid Avoid Common Common Trading Trading Mistakes Mistakes ++ Trading Tips Tips ++ Lex’s Lex’s Screen Screen Trading

Applicable to to Commodities Commodities & & Indexes Indexes Applicable

Visit Visit www.lexvandam.com/en/city www.lexvandam.com/en/city or or call call us: us: 020 020 3286 3286 3408 3408 T&C apply. apply. T&C

London City Airport to Florence – 12 flights a week. Hassle free - assigned seating plus complimentary drinks and snacks, includes 23kg hold luggage (1pc). Florence city centre only minutes from the airport. It’s all rather civilised, so you can relax and spend time with Florence, David and whoever else you choose…

SPOTLIGHT

ART

design destination Clerkenwell is set to undergo a transformation later this month, when international designers leave their mark on the area during Design Week

ARCHITECTS and designers will travel far and wide to attend Clerkenwell Design Week, which returns for its fifth year from 20-22 May. In 2013, the event achieved record success, and 2014 promises to be no different.The area itself is home to more creative businesses and architects per square mile than anywhere in the world, making it a truly significant design hub. Boasting an impressive line-up of leading international brands, the three-day festival will showcase a talented array of both emerging and established designers, including Ron Arad, Arik Levy, the Campana Brothers and Sir Peter Cook who have all agreed to take part in a series of seminars. D clerkenwelldesignweek.com

LIFESTYLE | 35

TAKE

your

PICK

A few of our favourites from J.M. Weston and Charlie Casely-Hayford

STITCHED UP #180 Loafer, £490

DINNER, DESIGN and DERBYS When we heard that J.M. Weston and Charlie Casely-Hayford were working together, we knew something special had to be brewing

I CHECKPOINT #588 Double sole Derby, £590

GO THE LIMIT Limited Edition #590 Triple Sole Derby, £730

D Available at jmweston.com

t was during a dinner on the theme of creation that Michael Perry started chatting to Charlie Casely-Hayford about his approach to design. The creative director of J.M. Weston discovered it was not too dissimilar to his own, certainly in terms of aiming to embrace a change in style while respecting traditional know-how. He also realised that they were both working towards a common goal, which is to establish a brand characterised by distinguished, timeless and masculine elegance, and it was at this moment that a new partnership was born. As the son of Joe Casely-Hayford OBE, a celebrated British fashion designer and Savile Row tailor, Charlie inherited his father’s passion for working with textiles, achieving precise cuts and giving his utmost attention to detail. Charlie spent his early years in his father’s studio, learning design, menswear history and technical skill before launching a career in

fashion, at the age of 21. Now a contributing stylist and columnist, Charlie regularly appears among the UK’s best-dressed men. Influenced by the same references, the pair decided to collaborate on a new collection which would reinterpret some of the most iconic J.M. Weston styles from the 1930s that were particularly popular at that time among the Parisian elite. Today, the two designers reinvent these old styles by playing with exaggerated lines in a collaboration that combines witty, controlled French elegance with the spice of English humour and eccentricity. Through this collection, Charlie puts his own spin on the famous Prince of Wales check and rethinks the loafer incorporating silky calfskin worked by quilting and detailed top stitching. The collection will launch in J.M. Weston stores in London, Paris and Tokyo from May. D jmweston.com

 JUST IN: PAUL SMITH EXTREME SPORT  Paul Smith’s latest fragrance launch, Extreme Sport, honours three words that sum up the values at the heart of modern-day sport; passion, endeavour and excellence. The new fragrance takes notes from Extreme For Men, Paul Smith’s most successful men’s fragrance, while adding a fresh, invigorating and sporty twist. At the top is an energising burst of grapefruit and bergamot, followed by spices and floral notes at the heart, before cooling down to a base built on incense, cedarwood and tonka bean which work together to give the fragrance its longevity and stamina. D Extreme Sport 100ml EDT, £38.50, Paul Smith, paulsmith.co.uk

36 | LIFESTYLE

HIs style

 Editor’s Pick 

D Panama Collection Large Holdall, £1,595, Smythson, smythson.com

ROCK THE BOAT

Last month, during Salone del Mobile in Milan, Italian leather house, Tod’s unveiled its new Envelope Boat Shoe, a collaboration with Japanese design studio Nendo. Under the direction of celebrated designer and architect Oki Sato, the multi-award winning studio has reinterpreted the brand’s iconic deck shoe for the Spring / Summer 2014 season. The striking new design has been created using a mix of suede and soft leather materials, wrapping the wearer’s foot as though it’s an envelope enclosing a letter. The Envelope Boat Shoe is available now from select boutiques around the world, including London. D tods.com

MAYHOOLA’S NEW PAL

Qatar-based investment company Mayhoola has acquired a majority stake in Gruppo Forall, the licensee for high-end Italian menswear brand Pal Zileri. It’s anticipated that the brand will receive an international boost thanks to the new backing and we can’t wait to hear what this means in terms of its UK offering. Mayhoola is widely regarded for cementing Qatar’s position as the world’s fastest-growing luxury market, and its rumoured to have its sights set on another Italian fashion favourite, Missoni. D palzileri.com

THE AVIATOR

Dark Turtle Aviators, £330, Cutler and Gross, cutlerandgross.com

SUNGLASSES

THE ROCK ER

Rock Sunglasses, £207, Tom Ford, sunglasses-shop.co.uk

3OF THE BEST:

THE WAYFARER

Black Wayfarer, £102, Ray-Ban, shadestation.co.uk

LIFESTYLE | 37

STYLE HIM



RESORT TO RIVIERA 

This season we’re giving our wardrobes the soft touch, with a pastel palette Here at The City Magazine, we couldn’t be more pleased that summer is finally upon us (well almost). We’re ready to kick-back, relax and find a more reliable source of sunshine, and, in doing so, we need to sort out our travel wardrobe. This season we’re opting for a pastel palette across a few key Riviera-inspired pieces. One of our particular favourites is

the Aquascutum powder-blue Heywood Jacket, which can be decidedly casual when paired with jeans and chinos, or suitably smart with a pair of tailored trousers. We’re also taking this relaxed approach right down to our toes, swapping our business brogues for a pair of slip-on John Lobb boat shoes in coral green.

IN THE PINK

GREY GO TO

S/S14 Collection, Diverso, diversoonline.com

Sebastian Mid-Grey Melange Classic Polo, £155, Orlebar Brown, orlebarbrown.co.uk

LEMON LINEN

Pale Yellow Slim Fit Tumbled Cotton Shirt, £295, Burberry, uk.burberry.com

SUN SMART

Black Sunglasses, £225, Gucci, sunglasses-shop.co.uk

GLOBE TROTTER

Livonia Slip-on Shoes, £695, John Lobb, johnlobb.com

38 | LIFESTYLE

BLAZER OF GLORY

Heywood Jacket, £400, Aquascutum, aquascutum.co.uk

TRAVEL TROUSER

Slim Fit Blue Stripe Trousers, £195, Kent & Curwen, kentandcurwen.co.uk

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

Book your session now visitleevalley.org.uk/velopark

LeeValley_SquareMileAdvert_City.indd 1

17/04/2014 16:44

40 | LIFESTYLE

STYLE

Dream

weave

believer For decades, it was a fabric favoured by university lecturers and the English establishment. Following an image overhaul, Harris Tweed has become the last word in sartorial cool. As 500 devotees prepare to pay homage through the streets of London, richard brown considers how the Scottish cloth became modern tailoringâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most unlikely success story

LIFESTYLE | 41

rom small guerrilla acorns do mighty oak trees grow. In 2009, the inaugural Tweed Run was organised via an online forum and attended by 300 cyclists. Five years later, and the event has captured the imagination of fashion-conscious subcultures across the globe, with international devotees having set-up sister events in Tokyo, Tuscany and New York. Wilson. In 2007, with a group of co-investors, Dunoon-born Wilson This month’s London edition on 17 May – limited by ballot, such formed Harris Tweed Hebrides and re-opened the once-prosperous is the extent of demand – will see 500 flat-cap-sporting participants Shawbost mill on the west coast of Lewis. From there, he and his don their well-pressed best to complete a route, which, in keeping with executives devised a strategic plan to reinvigorate the industry: they pastiche, is punctuated by a picnic stop and afternoon tea. Like Morris would modernise the image of tweed. dancing, cheese-rolling and bog-snorkelling, it is an event that could Realising that their most important asset was the Harris Tweed only have originated in Britain. trademark – the cloth is the only material in the world to be governed It may have spread, both east and west, but one rule remains the by its own Act of Parliament – Wilson knew he was in possession of a same; while bow ties, plus-fours and Fair Isle jumpers complement the brand with the type of history and provenance other companies pay look, on whatever start-line you find yourself, only one type of twill will millions to feign. As heritage styles began to inspire both street-style cut the mustard among your moustache-sporting brethren: the humble and high-fashion trends, he embarked on a mission to reintroduce Harris Tweed. tweed to the international stage. If you spend your day looking at balance sheets rather than style “We made our luck, completely remodelling the image of Harris blogs, it may have escaped your notice that the thick, prickly fabric has Tweed,” Wilson told the BBC last year. “We went to the States. We got made the transition from lecture-hall podium to high-fashion catwalk. clients like Rag & Bone, Theory and Thanks, largely, to the emergence of J.Crew. Once you get these people an international subculture with a “Tweed is a universal language. It onboard, you get a cascade down penchant for everything vintage, retro speaks volumes about the wearer, from to bigger volume. And the same in and re-imagined – find the London Cary Grant through to Matt Smith” Britain and Europe. You'd never contingent fleeing Shoreditch for keep this going on orders from the Dalston and Peckham – you’re now as top design houses, but it gives a fantastic cachet if they're using it.” likely to encounter the Scottish material hanging from the clothes rails of Harris Tweed was no longer an old man’s jacket fabric. It was young, Rag & Bone as you are on a grouse hunt. versatile and cool. Production reached a million metres in 2012, the Indeed, in the last few years, the material has been the toast of highest figure in 17 years, and more than double the output recorded everyone, from Marc Jacobs to Karl Lagerfeld. On the continent, it’s three years earlier. Demand soon spread to the Far East, and by the found favour amongst Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton and Stone Island; across end of last year, Japan had overtaken Germany and the US to become the pond, it’s been used by Brooks Brothers, J.Crew and Nordstrom; the industry’s biggest export market. For Wilson, and the industry he while back in Britain, City specialists Thomas Pink, Charles Tyrwhitt and represents, it was a case of veni, vidi, vici. T. M. Lewin have all adopted it, as has heritage brand Hackett and homeBack in Britain, Harris Tweed began appearing on everything, from grown talents Paul Smith, Nigel Cabourn and Henry Holland. Urbanears headphones to Dr. Martens boots. Testament to the fabric’s Yet, Harris Tweed is not a business for which changing trends have across-the-board appeal, 2012 saw the high street’s hippest trend-setter, always meant unmitigated boon. Rewind half a decade and the industry Topman, launch four Harris Tweed blazers with matching waistcoats. was close to collapse, the upshot of years of underinvestment, poor The collection was so successful it returned for a second instalment production levels and a reputation for being stuffy and old-fashioned. last winter. The halcyon days of the 60s were a long time ago. “The industry has succeeded in adapting to modern markets,” says For Harris Tweed, salvation came in an unlikely shape: former David Saxby, who has been selling Harris Tweed from his eponymous Labour Energy Minister, and one-time Minister of State, Mr Brian

42 | LIFESTYLE

STYLE From Left: Participants take part in the London Tweed Run 2013 (images courtesy of Selim Korycki); Blue tweed jacket and tweed suit, both from Cordings of Piccadilly

 The Style Edit  From backpacks to boots, our pick of the best Harris Tweed

Blue Harris Tweed Gloves, £100, Simon Carter, simoncarter.net

Harris Tweed Jacket, £395, Hackett, Hackett.com

Harris Tweed Plattan Headphones, £80, Urbanears, urbanears.com

Harris Tweed Slash Back Pack, £195, MasterPiece, endclothing.co.uk

Beckett Boot in Harris Tweed, £235, Dr Marten drmartens.com

store on Fulham High Street for more than 30 years. Saxby, who says you can describe the typical tweed-wearer in one word, “civilised”, has watched the industry skirt death on several occasions before it evolved into what it is today. While he laments the loss of the old stuff – “It’s now quite different from the indestructible cloth that it was 50 years ago” – he acknowledges the need to adjust to 21st-century demands. “I welcome the new weaves and mixes. By producing a lighter weave, they’ve made something that's more easily sold to the fashion industry. They are lovely people on the island and they have to move with the times to survive.” Fortunately, in fashion, as in other industries – see the recordbreaking sales of vintage cars, watches and furniture smashing estimates at auction – recent trends have been guided by an affinity for the antique. Whether an attempt to reconnect to the artisan as our lives become increasingly governed by the digital, or simply our inner hippie trying to resist the mainstream, it seems we can’t get enough of the traditional and the handcrafted. It’s a trend Hillary Becque of Cordings, a country-clothes outfitters in Piccadilly, believes Harris Tweed can thank for its renaissance. “There’s been a move away from a throwaway culture towards an appreciation of well-made clothing with provenance,” she says. “Tweed is a universal language. It speaks volumes about the wearer, from Cary Grant through to Matt Smith; it is linked with a certain type of individualism, which is synonymous with British style.” Having sold the famous fabric for 175 years, and counting amongst its customers such varied names as Damien Hirst, Denis Thatcher and the Duke of Wellington, Cordings, too, has witnessed the rise, fall and revival of Harris Tweed. “Tweed represents authenticity, heritage and durability; things that feel very relevant today,” Becque continues. “It’s lovely to see the renewed enthusiasm throughout the market. For younger generations, I think it’s an act of rebellion against logos and branding.” This year, the Harris Tweed industry is expected to swell to somewhere between three and five million metres, thanks, in no small part, to a venture that the Carloway Mill – the smallest of Harris’s three tweed operations – has signed with Chinese textile giant Shandong Ruyi. With a domestic market of 1.3 billion people, and points of sale in more than 51 countries, Shandong Ruyi certainly has the reach. Now it falls on the shoulders of Harris’ 250-or-so weavers and mill-workers to meet the demand. For Ted Young-Ing, founder of the Tweed Run, it’s always been as much about the present as it has the past. Rather than an excuse to dress up for a jolly and pretend it’s 1920 again, the Tweed Run embodies a set of values long associated with the Scottish fabric itself, namely, politeness, manners and a debonair attitude. “Values,” says Ted, “that still feel modern to me.” Having organised the first run as a way of rocking a recentlyacquired pair of plus fours, Ted sits at the helm of an event whose appeal has proved international and astonishing. While he could easily fill 3,000 spots at the London Tweed Run, he says it’s not about creating a commercial event. It is, he enthuses, about far more than that. “In the modern world we've lost the concept of romance. Our lives no longer have charming narratives. Instead, they are an unending series of tightly-scheduled appointments; there's no longer room for a sense of enchantment. Hopefully, the Tweed Run provides that; an opportunity to step out of our daily lives and experience something, rather than just living through it.”

LIFESTYLE | 43

Finishing Touches Don't short-change your look - the wise man knows the power of super-sharp accessories FASHION Lucie Dodds

PHOTOGRAPHY Neil Marriott

Top left clockwise: Grey Sunglasses, £237, Kris Van Assche by Linda Farrow Gallery, lindafarrow.com; D-Frame Sunglasses, £237, Kris Van Assche by Linda Farrow Gallery, as before; Orsett Aviators, £216, Paul Smith, paulsmith.co.uk; Patent Sunglasses, £449, Lind Farrow, as before; Classic Grey Sunglasses, £295, Dunhill, dunhill.com; Carnaby Natural Sunglasses, £120, Finlay & Co, finlayandco.com; Santos Dumont Sunglasses, £692, Cartier, cartier.com

THIS PAGE Top left to right: Clifton Watch, £2,150, Baume & Mercier, baume-et-mercier.com; Chronomat 44 GMT Steel Watch, £7,360, Brietling, brietling.com; Ballon Bleu XL Watch, £7,650, Cartier, as before; Arceau Grande Lune Steel and Alligator Watch, £5,150, Hermès, hermes.com; Datejust Watch, £4,800, Rolex, thewatchgallery.com OPPOSITE PAGE Left to right: Sidecar Black Resin Rollerball, £200, Dunhill, as before; Signature for Good LeGrand Fountain Pen, £5,540, Montblanc, montblanc.com; Chevrons Pen, £445, Cartier, as before; X Lalique Crystal White Fountain Pen, £2,800, Caran d’Ache at Harrods Fine Writing Room, harrods.com; Sentryman Black Resign Fountain Pen, £245, Dunhill, as before

Top left to right: Platers Fiori Flat Calf/Patent, £825, Christian Louboutin, christianlouboutin.com; Tan 180 Loafers, £435, JMWeston, jmweston.com; Leather Sole Moccasin in Black Leather with Horsebit Detail, £490, Gucci, as before; Pegg Leather Brogues, £350, Paul Smith, as before; Suede Brogue, £510, Dunhill, as before

THIS PAGE Top left to right: Dark Brown Silk and Cashmere Tie, £125, Gucci, as before; Light Grey Cashmere Tie, £120, Anderson & Sheppard, andersonsheppard.co.uk; Graphite and Black Silk and Cashmere Tie, £125, Gucci, as before; Middle left to right: Silk Tie, £65, Budd Shirtmakers, buddshirts.co.uk; Silk Tie Gold Knitted Tie, £55, Budd Shirtmakers, as before; Dark Grey Silk Tie, £40, Anderson & Sheppard, as before; Bottom left to right: Silver and Navy Spotted Silk Knitted Tie, £65, Budd Shirtmakers, as before; Dark Grey Silk Tie, £85, Paul Smith, as before; Grey Silk Tie, £69, Thomas Pink, thomaspink.com

OPPOSITE PAGE Top left clockwise: Double Zip Travel Wallet, £450, Smythson, smythson.com; Slim Travel Wallet, £390, Smythson, as before; Tobacco Calf Wallet, £285, Cartier, as before; Grey Whip Snake Wallet, £179, Paul Smith, as before; Pouch Wallet, £395, Smythson, as before; Meisterstuck Selection Flannel Wallet, £225, Montblanc, as before; Zip Pouch Wallet, £450, Smythson, as before; Bourdon Organiser, £425, Dunhill, as before

GROOMING

Going Grey-cefully Marc Trinder, art director at Charles Worthington Salons gives us the go-to guide for grey hair

oing grey has never been more socially accepted – in fact, it’s rather encouraged thanks to the growing skulk of silver foxes. Now associated with wisdom and success, more and more men are opting to give way to the colour grey. From George Clooney, to our own George Lamb, it appears that gents around the world, young and old, are ditching the dye to tone 50 shades of grey. We spoke to Marc Trinder at leading City salon Charles Worthington about going grey gracefully.

manage. Having said this, hairlines and edges still need to look sharp and neat, so we offer a tidy-up hairline service which only takes 15 minutes; a good option between haircuts. Use a good hair gel and apply with your fingertips to keep your hair under control and in place.

Q. How should one style salt-andpepper hair?

Layered, choppy, short haircuts work really well with this colour as it gives definition, light and shade to the haircut. A polished finishing wax should be used to add shine. If your hair is whiter than it is dark, use a silver shampoo to neutralise any yellowness and prevent it looking discoloured due to pollution.

Q. How can greying City gents maintain a groomed appearance?

When those first grey hairs appear, the City gent will want to have them blended with a natural tone-on-tone colour. This can be applied to just the grey areas or all over using a sponge or comb and only takes five minutes at the back wash in our City salon. This is not a harsh or ‘fake’-looking colour, but a rather close-to-natural shade that will effectively take the edge off those first white hairs.

Q. Does grey hair need to be treated differently in terms of product?

Grey hair can have a stronger, wirier texture so use waxes or gels on strong hair, and for fine hair use the new pomades, which are great as they feel softer on the hair than gel and give added shine.

Q. Are there any hair styles which should be avoided when going grey?

D Charles Worthington, 1 Exchange Place, EC2M, 020 7638 0802, charlesworthington.com

Really short, grey hair can be wiry and strong, so if left a little longer it will be much easier to

[3D]MENSION Grey Shampoo, £10.08, Schwarzkopf Professional, schwarzkopf-professional.com

52 | LIFESTYLE

Classic Grey Shampoo, £10.95, American Crew, americancrew.com

Grey Shampoo, £10.49, L’Oréal Professionnel Homme Haircare, lorealprofessionnel.co.uk

Silver Charge, £9.99, Redken For Men, redken.co.uk

SP Silver Bond Shampoo, £15.50, Wella, wella.com

George Clooney photograph © Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com

WORDS: tiffany eastland

A genuine Starck.

Design by Philippe Starck

The bathroom by Philippe Starck.

More nuances. More elegance. More versatility: The Starck bathroom series with coordinating furniture. Just one example from the comprehensive Duravit range â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sanitary ceramics, bathroom furniture, accessories, bathtubs, wellness products and saunas. To find out more: Phone 0845 500 7787, info@uk.duravit.com, www.duravit.co.uk

UK_TheCityMag_S2_006_297x210mm.indd 1

19.02.14 15:52



TAKE

your

PICK 

Aussie designs available to Londoners…

The lucky charm jacket

£430, Sass & Bide, london-boutiques.com

designers down under

Fashion Week Australia proves Sydney can compete with the best of them WORDS: SIAN GARDINER

Daisy chain lace dress £318, Collette by Collette Dinnigan, matchesfashion.com

Silk chiffon and scuba jersey top

£555, Dion Lee, net-a-porter.com

here Fashion Weeks are concerned, London, Paris, New York and Milan have long been the dominant cities, consistently seen as providing the seasonal highlights – especially as far as the fashion elite are concerned. But as the recent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia showed, the designers Down Under are not to be underestimated. Over recent years, certain Aussie designers have seen their brands go up in the world, quite literally, with shows from Nicola Finetti who's now a regular fixture in New York, designs from Sydney native Alex Perry sported by the likes of Sandra Bullock and Rosie Huntington-Whitely, and Sass & Bide’s creations given the Duchess of Cambridge’s royal seal of approval. But, set against the sparkling backdrop of Sydney Harbour, this year’s Fashion Week Australia showcased the work of plenty of fresh new talent.

Below: Geometric Leather Flats, £305, Chloé, london-boutiques.com

Above: Aimee Bowed Flats, £220, Tory Burch, london-boutiques.com

54 | LIFESTYLE

As the country’s only international fashion platform, the runways in Sydney are an important opportunity for Australian designers to connect with a global audience, and they certainly didn’t waste it. Models on the We Are Handsome catwalk, the brainchild of design duo Katinka and Jeremy Somers, strutted their stuff with live, yellow pythons making a surprise appearance as accessories, while sisters Alexandra and Genevieve Smart, the pair behind rising brand Ginger and Smart, continued the reptilian theme with a collection that featured seductive snake-print dresses. Veteran designer Carla Zampatti, on the other hand, had opted for a predominantly black-and-white colour palette, with an enviable collection of eveningwear and some sleek trousers and jumpsuits on display. There’s plenty more to choose from, however – it is the ‘land of plenty’, after all.

 THE FLAT IS BACK  Where once we coveted the type of skyscraper Manolos sported by Carrie Bradshaw and co, these days, our sights are set somewhat lower. Heel-wise, that is. This season, flats have made a huge comeback – models took to the Chanel runway in trainers, while those at Marni were seen in sensible loafers. But while practical they may be, boring they most certainly aren’t – this spring, opt for anything from spring-friendly espadrilles to these pretty little pumps.

HER style



Pretty Primping 

 Beauty Bag BASICS 

Achieve a radiant glow with the latest products from our favourite brands

 BASE:

Light Glow - Misty Blush No. 8, £29, Burberry, uk.burberry.com

Bobbi Brown

For the all-important flawless complexion, you’ll need two tones of foundation. The first needs to match your complexion, as this will achieve the coverage you’re looking for without the caked-on appearance. For the second, you’ll need a paler shade, which can be used to illuminate the high planes of the face, so you’re positively glowing when the light hits your face.

Météorites Compact, £36, Guerlain, guerlain.com

Terracotta Joli Teint, £34.50, Guerlain, guerlain.com

 CHEEKS:

Effortless Kohl in Poppy Black, £18, Burberry, uk.burberry.com

Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of leaving the house without blush. No one is meant to be one colour, so for a healthy complexion blush is an absolute must. Unfortunately, our old friend has received a bad rap ever since the ’80s (understandably so), but I think we’ve all learnt our lesson and it’s time to restore some faith. To achieve this look, you’ll want to apply a light dusting of nude blush with a touch of gold. Start on the apples of your cheek, and move up the cheekbones in a circular motion. If you’re really out of your comfort zone, opt for a baked blush where the colour builds up ever so gradually.

bone. Use a nude or white pencil on the water line as this will open up the eyes and intensify the black mascara. You’ll also want to rim the top and bottom lash lines with black kohl, wiping away much of the lower lash pigment with a cotton tip to achieve only very slight definition. From here, layer the top lash line with a liquid formula for an intensified winged shape, then finally, apply black mascara to the top lashes and a natural brown to highlight those lower lashes.

 EYES:

While the eyes make the statement in this instance, they do so in the most subtle and refined manner (we don’t want panda eyes). Start by using a cream eye colour over the lid, a cocoa shade in the sockets, and a pearly white to the centre and brow

Lèvres Scintallantes Glossimer in Petit Peche (148), £21, Chanel, chanel.com

Lip Colour in Nude Vanille, £36, Tom Ford, tomford.com

 LIPS:

For the finishing touches, apply a classic cream lipstick and a dab of clear or natural gloss to the centre of the lips, which will give them that illusion of fullness.

212 Surf For Her, £36, Carolina Herrera, carolinaherrera.com

Citrus Cocktail

Fruity Floral Cocktail

Exotic Wood Contrast

Royal Extract Limited Edition EDP, £280, Guerlain, harrods.com

Rose, Jasmine & Tuberose

Heady Peach

Vanilla, Iris & Balsamic

Top Notes

Heart Notes

Base Notes

NEW FRAGRANCES

Black Lilacs, Pure White Indian White Peonies, Lilies & Pink Roses & Sandalwood Fresh Violet Karo & Patchouli Karounde Leaves Blossoms

Extreme Party & No Smudge Dual Ended Mascara, £21, Bobbi Brown, bobbibrown.co.uk

3OF THE BEST:

Pleasures Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml, £68, Estée Lauder, esteelauder.co.uk

Eye Light Pencil White, £16.50, Shue Uemura, shuuemura.co.uk

LIFESTYLE | 55

Discover true detail.

Take a closer look at the only future ready* UHD 4K TV. With 4 times the detail of an HDTV and advanced picture quality technology, images come to life with deeper blacks, purer whites and brighter colours. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a whole new world of viewing. *Evolution Kit required, which is sold separately. It will enhance your smart features to the levels of the corresponding year of launch of your Evolution Kit. Only the software and processing hardware will be upgraded; other hardware will not be upgraded. Evolution Kit may not support certain apps and functions previously installed or available on your TV. Please check www.samsung.com for more details before installing the Evolution Kit. Based on currently determinable UHD connectivity, broadcasting and Blu-Ray standardisation initiatives. TV panel cannot be upgraded and may differ from future standards.

COLLECTION

JEWELLERY

ROYAL BLUSH

Since it was discovered in 1979 by a group of geologists exploring northwest Australia, the Argyle pink diamond has captured the imagination of collectors and investors across the globe and among these is luxury jeweller Calleija

Founder John Calleija, a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Australia, developed a passion for this rare and exquisite coloured diamond and is today recognised as one of its leading suppliers, creating the finest pieces as worn by royalty, actresses and loyal clients. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Calleija will be presenting its latest Argyle pink diamond creations, including Antoinette, Aurora and Ava Rose. “These incredible diamonds are one of nature’s rarest creations and one of the world’s sublime wonders”, comments John Calleija. D calleija.com

LIFESTYLE | 57

Swiss movement, English heart

Bespoke Unitas 6497 hand-wound movement (Calibre JJ02) from master watchmaker, Johannes Jahnke / Each piece, of only 250, personally assembled by Johannes in our Swiss atelier / Supremely engineered, 43mm, 316L stainless steel case with full diameter transparent case-back / Unique serial number engraved on case and movement Premium Louisiana alligator deployment strap / 5 year movement guarantee

203_ChristopherWard_TheCity.indd 1

11/04/2014 11:51

COLLECTION



JEWELLERY BOX 

Jewels, gems, pearls and diamonds; the essential components of any lady’s jewellery collection BY OLIVIA SHARPE

No Smoke without Flowers

“There always has to be a story behind it,” explains Tessa Packard. Indeed, no one could doubt the conceptual element behind the jewellery designer’s latest collection, No Smoke without Flowers, which was inspired by the 19th century opium dens of the Chinese Qing dynasty. It follows on from Packard’s debut 2013 collection, Mexicana, which draws upon her love of architecture and the Latin-American country’s ancient temples. The new selection of floral pieces pays tribute to the female courtesans, or ‘flowers’, who worked in the opium dens while being courted by the male clientele. The collection also features strong, geometric pieces with brightly coloured gemstones and one of our personal favourites is the Madam Pistil ring set with square-cut amethysts, garnets and black sapphires. D No Smoke without Flowers, from £200 to £20,000; tessapackard.com

 CUTTING EDGE  Lydia Courteille’s whimsical and surreal creations never fail to charm and amuse us, as shown by the Parisian jeweller’s latest high jewellery collection, Animal Farm:

Taking inspiration from British novelist George Orwell’s classic novel, Courteille’s Animal Farm similarly plays on the political allegory of animals dreaming for equality and features a farmyard full of familiar faces set in rings, including a crown-wearing cow, a golden goat and a diamond-encrusted pig. The collection is made up of 12 rings, with matching earrings in the pipeline for later this spring. D lydiacourteille.com

Coming Up Roses

To celebrate the newly expanded Piaget boutique, this month sees Harrods’ Fine Jewellery Room play host to an exclusive preview of six never-before-seen white gold and diamond pieces from the jewellery house’s Rose Passion collection, launched in January. Pieces include the Rose Elegance high jewellery necklace and bracelet set, and two necklace and earring sets from the Rose Garden. The in-store boutique has now doubled in size and brings with it a comprehensive assortment of Piaget’s fine jewellery and watch collections. Bespoke orders and personalisation services are also available. D Piaget Rose Passion collection, presented exclusively from May in the Harrods Fine Jewellery Room harrods.com

The Strongest Link

Those of you who’ve sauntered down the King’s Road of late will not have failed to notice that Links of London has relocated from its Sloane Square location and reopened on the King’s Road. The new concept boutique pays tribute to the jewellery and watch brand’s British heritage, incorporating bespoke furniture and decorative details from established British designers, and offers a more relaxed and informal setting where customers can browse the latest collections, including the new skinny friendship bracelets, precious charms and the Hope collection, all of which are now available in store. D 9 King’s Road, SW3 linksoflondon.com

LIFESTYLE | 59

Best of

baselworld

2014

Each spring, Basel hosts the world’s largest watch and jewellery extravaganza, an event that sees 1,500 exhibitors showcase their wares to more than 150,000 international visitors. Here are the pieces which most caught our eye during the eight day bonanza WORDS: OLIVIA SHARPE & RICHARD BROWN

60 | LIFESTYLE

collection

Rainbow Wave

From left: 100.88-carat fancy intense yellow cushion-cut diamond centre and 164.60-carats of emerald and pear shape white diamonds set in platinum pendanr, POA, Jacob & Co; Emerald earrings from the Red Carpet Collection 2014, POA, Chopard; 100.86-carat ruby earrings with 8.6-carat diamonds, POA, Jacob & Co; Magnipheasant Feathers collar, POA Stephen Webster

Basel stands were awash with colour this year as jewellery houses showed off their stunning collections of coloured diamonds and gemstones, proving how size is no longer the only thing that matters when it comes to stones. Graff demonstrated why it is famous for being the supplier of the largest and rarest Natural Yellow diamonds with a magnificent yellow and white diamond Fringe necklace. When it came to gemstones, brands experimented with various colour combinations. Like purple, Pantone’s ‘colour of the year 2014’, green pervaded the Halls of Baselworld. Chopard presented two new pairs of earrings as part of its Green Carpet Collection, the first composed of diamond briolettes and emeralds, and the second of amethysts and diamonds. At Sutra Jewels, the Texan company mesmerised visitors with its vivid display of Paraiba tourmalines. Finally, never one to do things by half measures, Stephen Webster presented his magnificent Magnipheasant collection featuring a rainbow of coloured gemstones, including citrines, amethysts, red garnets, blue topaz and peridots.

Sweet Sundae

While the brightly coloured diamonds and gemstones on display certainly packed a punch, the politely pretty pastel pieces which made their debut at Basel were by no means outdone. Pascale Bruni’s reimagined signature Bon Ton collection in rose and milky quartz was well-received, as were Wendy Yue’s feminine and romantic candy coloured designs. This Madame Butterfly necklace is inspired by the 1898 short story turned opera and is a medley of purple sapphires, rhodolite garnets, pink sapphires, opals, tsavorites and brown diamonds.

Show-Stopper

Clockwise from far left: Bon Ton rings in pink gold, milky quartz, smoky quartz, pink quartz and white diamonds, from £2,000, Pascale Bruni; Madame Butterfly necklace, POA, Wendy Yue; 18-karat rose gold earrings with pink opal and diamonds, $20,000, Sutra Jewels; Delicati rose-cut cushion amethyst and diamond pendant, £705, Marco Bicego;

It was Graff ’s first year at Baselworld and the international jeweller certainly made it count. Arguably the most talked-about timepiece of the entire fair, the unveiling of the Hallucination watch not only caused an immediate Twitter sensation but broke the record of the most valuable watch ever created, priced at $55million. The masterpiece features a phantasmagoria of more than 100 carats of rare fancy coloured diamonds and for Chairman Laurence Graff, it has made his “diamond dream a reality”. For many of us without £33million as pocket change, however, owning it shall remain a fantasy.

LIFESTYLE | 61

The Rites of Spring

A Stitch in Time

Taking a leaf out of the fashion industry’s book, florals were once again a key trend at this year’s fair. Due mention must firstly be given to Chanel, which presented its latest line of Mademoiselle Privé timepieces. Inspired by Mademoiselle Chanel’s favourite flower, the Gold Camellia motif is engraved and polished by hand and features a matte black dial set with five brilliant-cut diamonds and five navette-cut yellow sapphires, while the new ‘Maki-e dial’ is the result of a partnership with Japan-based artists and employs the ancient skill of lacquering dating back to 794 AD. Continuing to look east, Wendy Yue’s muchanticipated new collection did not disappoint. The Tears of the Forbidden Fruit necklace presents a melancholy depiction of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. Italian jeweller Roberto Coin similarly paid homage to nature with his Garden collection rings.

Spanish jeweller Carrera y Carrera’s latest collection, Seda Imperial, is based on an Eastern legend said to have occurred 46 centuries ago and tells the story of a Chinese princess named Liu-Tsu who was forced to marry a barbaric Khan. In revenge, she hid in her shawl the secret of Imperial Silk embroidery and threw it into the ocean. This compelling tale has been reimagined in a series of fine jewellery pieces. Emperatriz is inspired by the shawl’s floral patterns and features a variety of flowers, from the English rose to cherry blossom (reminiscent of China), to illustrate the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures. In Sierpes (named after one of Seville’s most iconic streets), delicate lattices imitate the shawl’s silk fringing, while the translucency of the chalcedony (sourced from Brazil) and moonstones creates a crystal ball effect. Garzas, meaning heron, was another typical decorative element and one of the pieces presents two of the birds linked together in an embrace. Finally, Orquideas or ‘orchid’ – a symbol of status in the 19th century – is represented in ruby, yellow gold and diamond pieces.

Above: Tears of the Forbidden Fruit necklace, POA, Wendy Yue; Emperatriz Cascada medium necklace in white gold and diamonds, POA, Carrera y Carrera; Mademoiselle Privé Gold Camellia watch, POA, Chanel

Above: Sierpes maxi earrings in white gold, onyx and diamonds; Sierpes maxi ring in white gold, chalcedony and diamonds; Garzas maxi ring in white gold and diamonds, all POA, Carrera y Carrera

Time to Shine

2014 marked an impressive year for women’s jewellery watches. There was a collective intake of breath at the Boucheron stand when it unveiled its pièce de résistance; the Cristal de Lune watch. Setting our aspirational sights to new heights, the threedimensional timepiece has been classified as ‘a masterpiece in 3D watch-making’. Chanel may be a relative stripling in comparison to some of Basel’s centuries-old watchmakers but it is by no means inferior; this year saw the release of its first high jewellery J12 Flying Tourbillon. The movement is the result of an exclusive collaboration between Chanel and Renaud & Papi and has been adapted from the Premiere Flying Tourbillon for a round J12 dial. Springtime was reflected in the dials of Dior’s new Plissé Soleil models (part of the Dior VIII Grand Bal collection), while Harry Winston and Bulgari dazzled viewers with their diamond-encrusted timepieces.

62 | LIFESTYLE

collection

Pearls of Wisdom

Pearls in all shapes, sizes and lustres reigned supreme. After setting the bar extremely high last year with its 120th anniversary collection, all eyes were on Mikimoto to see whether the ruler of the pearl industry could live up to its high standards and it certainly did. The ethereal Sun & Clouds necklace got visitors talking with its seamless three-colour graduation (the yellow diamonds placed around each pearl reflect the glowing sun, while the white and grey pearls represent the darkening clouds as they move further away) but for us, the heavenly Angelic creation was the star. The chain of pearls and diamonds designed to adorn the body include a countless number of flawlessly round and lustrously large Akoya cultured pearls. Over in Hall 2, Rocks god Stephen Webster created a considerable amount of noise with his David Bowie-inspired Lady Stardust collection which celebrates the famous lightning bolt motif. The designer’s Lady Stardust ring brought a modern twist to the traditional mineral with the large South Sea pearl embedded within a geometric, v-shaped pattern set in white diamond pavé.

From left: ‘Lady Stardust’ South Sea pearl ring set in 18-carat white gold with white diamonds, £13,550, Stephen Webster; Sun & Clouds necklace and Brio necklace, POA, Mikimoto

Heritage Pieces

Right: Fringe 18-carat white gold and white diamond tiara by Garrard, POA Tiara can be adjusted by hand to form a Fringe Necklace (as depicted). Earrings part of the Timeless tiara piece

Carrera y Carrera wasn’t the only brand to delve into its the past for inspiration. For Garrard’s latest collection, Albemarle (named after the London flagship store’s location) the royal jeweller based it on the tiara of ‘the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland’, commissioned in 1893 at Garrard by the ladies-in-waiting of Princes Victoria Mary of Teck. The tiara has since become one of the most familiar of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s, also appearing on English and Commonwealth banknotes and coinage. Its intricate ‘diamond and dot’ design can be noted throughout the collection, which has been split into two: Albemarle London (fine jewellery) and Albemarle Heritage (high jewellery). Garrard has also released new, one-of-kind high jewellery tiaras. The beautiful Fringe white diamond and white gold tiara can be adjusted by hand to form a necklace, while the Timeless tiara can be taken apart to form a pair of earrings.

From left: 18-carat white gold rock crystal and diamond ‘Cristal de Lune’ watch with diamond tassel, POA, Boucheron; Dentelle de Monogram watch, POA, Louis Vuitton; Dior VIII Grand Bal Plisse Soleil, £11,100, Dior; Avenue Classic diamond drops in 18-karat white gold, POA, Harry Winston; J12 flying tourbillon watch with black Mississippiensis alligator strap, POA, Chanel; Diva watch with 302 baguette-cut diamonds, 16 round-cut diamonds and 394 brilliant-cut diamonds POA, Bulgari

LIFESTYLE | 63

Best of Baselworld

2014

Symphonic Seduction

From top: Hublot’s Cathedral Tourbillon Minute Repeater; Ulysee Nardin’s Imperial Blue

In complication terms, it’s the holy grail of watchmaking; the pièce de résistance in any watchmaker’s arsenal; proof that a brand has mastered the most complex of horological pursuits. All hail the revered minute repeater. Originally designed as a way of telling the time in the dark – examples chime the hours, quarter-hours and minutes of the day – minute repeaters are the most complicated of all watch complications, requiring between 200 and 300 hours, and decades of experience, to put a single one together (and that’s according to Patek Phillipe). As such, they’re impossible to mass produce and constitute the halo pieces in a brand’s portfolio. Which is why it’s worth shining a light on two beauties debuted at Basel. It may have launched watches with every sports star under the sun, but Hublot’s Cathedral Tourbillon Minute Repeater (£191,700 in titanium / £216,700 in ‘King gold’) is only the second watch from the brand to physically sound the minutes of the day. Housed in a 45mm case, the watch’s hand-winding calibre incorporates a tourbillon escapement and comprises 319 components. Equally hypnotic was Ulysee Nardin’s Imperial Blue. While you might not be the biggest fan of the brand’s brasher creations, it’s impossible not to be impressed by the intricacy and elegance of this minute repeater. With a flying tourbillon ‘floating’ on a transparent mainplate, the watch is a thing of jaw-dropping good looks, even before its silver hammers dance into action to produce an enchanting symphony. It costs £510,000. Revisit the first paragraph for as to why.

best in show

A Pilot of Epic Proportions

In 2012, Zenith went big; the newly launched Montre D’Aéronef Type 20 came with a preposterous 57.5mm case. Two years later, the company has gone even bigger. Flying in the face of the pragmatic, the Pilot Type 20 Grand Feu measures a monstrous 60mm. Too big for mortal wrists? Then again, this is a watch dedicated to the fantastic rather than the practical. The timepiece’s white-gold crown, bezel and lugs are adorned with an ornate, hand-engraved, garland pattern, while its beautiful white dial is made from Grand Feu enamel. Arabic numerals, blued-hands, a power-reserve indicator and subsidiary seconds register complete proceedings. Ten of the giant pieces will be made. Expect each to cost £108,400. D zenith-watches.com

64 | LIFESTYLE

collection

Defying Gravity

Invented by Breguet, who patented it in 1801, the tourbillon aims to improve a watch’s reliability by countering the effects of gravity. It does so by placing a watch’s escapement and balance wheel (it’s most important timekeeping elements) inside a rotating cage, therefore negating the effects of gravity when a timepiece is left in a fixed position, such as on your bedside table. It is one of the most prized, and difficult to master, components in mechanical watchmaking – commanding a suitably-high price point to boot. So which tourbillons stole the show at Basel? Harry Winston’s Histoire de Tourbillon 5 (POA) was one example. Having been brought into the fold of the Swatch Group less than a year ago, you’d forgive the brand for taking the time to settle themselves under the new boss. Not so. HW has spent the last 10 months perfecting the latest creation in its Historie de Tourbillon line, which, this year, for the first time, laid bare the exceptional mechanism behind its movement. Presenting different levels of components inside an 18-karat red gold case, the piece was a threedimensional tribute to its namesake. Elsewhere, Bulgari gave the world the thinnest tourbillon it had ever seen, a feat it achieved, in part, by using ball

bearings, rather than jewels, for many of the Octo Finissimo’s (£18,000) moving parts. With a mindblowing movement that’s just 1.95 mm thick, the watch’s case measures a mere 5mm. The prize for Baselworld’s best looking tourbillon, however, surely had to go to the platinum version of Breguet’s Classique Tourbillon ExtraThin Automatic (£108,000). Classic in name; not in nature. Inside, you’ll find a silicon balance spring and an escapement made of anti-magnetic steel. The movement itself is only 3mm in height, making this the world’s thinnest automatic tourbillon.

From top: Breguet’s Classique Tourbillon Extra-Thin Automatic; Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo

A Welcome Return

Omega went old school this year with the De Ville Trésor, a sleek and silky reinvention of a 1949 classic. Boasting a silvery opaline dial with a ‘clous de Paris’ pattern – that’s honeycomb to you and I – the Trésor revisits a line that was distinguished by its thin and classic gold cases. In homage, the 2014 models are smooth, slender pieces that sit 40mm in size. They are available in rose or white gold for £8,730 and £9,490 respectively. Most notable of all, however, is the fact that the pieces are powered by Omega’s newest manual-winding movement, the red-gold-balance-bridge-sporting Master CoAxial calibre 8511. Who said beauty’s only skin deep? D omegawatches.com

LIFESTYLE | 65

Stopwatch Show-Stoppers

While they’re seldom used to time race cars, horses or space shuttles anymore (examples were sent up with Apollo 13), chronographs still provide a sense of interaction and fun between wearer and watch – whether you’re using one to boil an egg or simply passing the time in a queue. Notable examples launched this year included Breilting’s new Chronomat Airbornes (£6,760) and Patek Philippe’s Annual Calendar Chronograph 5960/1A (£36,920). The four varieties of the vintageinspired Breitlings mark the 30th anniversary of the masculine aviation collection and come with either a 41mm or 44mm diameter. The stainless steel 5960/1A Patek – complete with red accents on its dial – was a seductive exception to the brand’s usual rule of only producing men’s watches in platinum or gold. Expect them to become collectors items almost immediately. For all-out handsomeness, Glashütte Original’s Senator Chronograph Panorama Date has to be one of the prettiest watches of the last few years. The timepiece is powered by the company’s new Calibre 37-01, the first to be conceived and built specifically as a chronograph movement. Among the exquisite mechanical features on view, thanks to a sapphire crystal case back, are the rotor and chronograph bridges mounted on Glashütte’s three-quarter plate; Glashütte’s stripe finish on the automatic bridge; blued-screws and a central skeletonised 21-karat gold rotor complete with double-G logo. Exquisite. From top left: Glashütte Original’s Senator Chronograph Panorama Date; Breitling’s Chronomat Airborne; Patek Philippe’s Annual Calendar Chronograph 5960/1A

best in show

Rolex Refined

While this year heralded the return of the famous blue and red ‘Pepsi’ bezel on the GMT-Master II, it also marked the launch of three new Cellini models – gorgeous dress watches that prove Rolex is as adept at producing pieces for the boardroom as it is for the deep blue sea. All three models feature a self-winding movement, a 39mm case and are available only with a shiny black or brown alligator leather strap. The Cellini Date (£11,900) boasts a date function via a hand on a small sub dial, while the Cellini Dual Time (£12,900) features an elegant sun and moon day/night indicator and will show the time in two time zones. Most handsome of all, was the collection’s most understated member, the Cellini Time (£10,150); a pared-back lesson in good taste. D rolex.com

66 | LIFESTYLE

COLLECTION

sports watches

Best

Watches

Under

£2,600

Wonders from the Women’s World

Depicting the daily dance between the sun and the moon, Breguet’s Reine de Naples Jour/ Nuit 8999 Haute Joaillerie (below left) shone, sparkled and stunned. As did Patek’s finelooking, diamond-sporting Calatrava Haute Joaillerie Ref. 4895R. However, with each priced not in the tens but hundreds of thousands of pounds, neither fell within the realm of what you’d call ‘reality’ watches. Zenith and Hermès provided the most exciting women’s watches from a price point you might actually be able to afford. At £5,600, Zenith’s Star Open Steel caters for ladies who appreciate mechanical watchmaking – the piece is powered by the brand’s industry-leading El Primero movement – but for whom ‘ladies’ and ‘watches’ doesn’t automatically marry up to mean sparkling dials and bejewelled bezels – the model is the first Open Star to feature no diamonds at all, and all the better for it. Hermès’ updated Cape Cod collection (from £2,300) now comes with a redesigned dial and interchangeable straps. While they may possess a quartz movement, the cases of the new Tonneau and Nantucket models incorporate a special silver alloy that preserves the way the metal glows. They are available non-set or gem-set with 52 diamonds and come with a choice of 14 colours of strap – for its name alone, you’d have to choose the ‘raspberry mysore goat’, surely?

Clockwise from top left: Alpnach, £1,350, Victorinox; Formula 1 Calibre 16 Chronograph, £2,395, TAG Heuer; Startimer Pilot Black Star Automatic, £2,050, Alpina; Maestro Automatic Date, £1,600, Raymond Weil; Slimline Moonphase Manufacture FC-705, £2,530, Frederique Constant; The Britain Automatic with stainless steel case, £995, Burberry

dress watches

Good Things Come in Threes

Jauqet Droz impressed both in terms of technical novelty – its mesmerising Signing Machine is a mechanical, manually-wound cam-device that will duplicate its owner’s signature – and for sheer artistic beauty; it debuted three products dedicated to the art of paillonné enamelling – the process by which azure and gold are married under flame. The dials of each of the three pieces – the 39mm Petite Heure Minute, a 50mm pocket watch and the recently added 43mm Grande Seconde – is decorated with minuscule, floral-inspired gold foil (or paillons) baked onto its enamel. Add white sub-dials, blued-steel hands and red gold casing and behold watch craftsmanship at its most artistic. D jaquet-droz.com

LIFESTYLE | 67

collection



TIMEPIECES 

For treasured timepieces, horological heirlooms and modern masterpieces, watch this space... BY RICHARD BROWN

Harrods’ History Lesson

Tudor’s UK Launch

Tudor lovers rejoice! No longer will you have to catch a plane to procure one of the company’s timepieces. Having been unavailable in the UK since its relaunch in 2009, the Rolexowned marque will be available in Blighty from September. Set up by Rolex-founder Hans Wilsdorf in 1946, the premise of the brand was to offer Rolex quality at more modest prices. To that end, Tudor watches still retain the signature looks of their more celebrated siblings, if not the same movements inside (most are powered by calibres produced by ETA – the firm that makes movements for the Swatch Group). Get the Rolex-look for half the price with the Midnight Blue Heritage Black Bay (£2,120).

Latching on to the trend for all things vintage, Harrods has launched the Vintage Watch Collection. Comprising rare and limited-edition Rolex and Omega timepieces, the collection includes GMT Masters from the 40s and 50s, Submariner’s from the 60s and Seamasters straight from the set of Mad Men. A highlight from the ladies offering is an elegant, yellow-gold Bueche-Girod. Pay a visit for a trip to yesteryear. D harrods.com

D tudorwatch.com

 CUTTING EDGE  Each month we select our timepiece of the moment from the watch world’s most exciting creations

The famous blue and red ‘Pepsi’ bezel is back. 59 years after the colours appeared on the original GMT-Master, the popular hues return on the new GMT-Master II – a watch that highlights Rolex as the master of bi-colour ceramic Left: GMT-Master II £25,600, Rolex, rolex.com

68 | LIFESTYLE

A Shot of Jack

Penned by one of the last living legends of Swiss watchmaking, Jack Heuer’s recently published autobiography is a fascinating account of the rise, fall and return of the mechanical watch industry and the company that bears his name. Funny, thorough and fascinating, The Times of My Life is a tale of iconic timepieces and the icons who have worn them. While the hardback version isn’t for general sale, the book can be downloaded for free via the TAG Heuer website. It will enlighten even the most expert of horologists. D tagheuer.com D Tank MC, £4,590, Cartier, cartier.com

Happy with your ISA returns? Nutmeg outperformed its competitorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; average returns for investment portfolios last year*. This year, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just buy a fund. Own a fully-managed portfolio. Upgrade your investment ISA at

With investment comes risk. As the value of investments may go down as well as up, you may not get back the full amount invested. An ISA may not be right for you and tax rules may change in the future. *Results published by Asset Risk Consultants for average investment manager performance. Returns are simulated using Nutmeg trading data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Nutmeg is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. More information at nutmeg.com/how-we-invest

L U X U RY S H O P P I N G & D I N I N G

TIMELESS LUXURY This month, The Royal Exchange will be celebrating 90 years of Montblanc’s iconic Meisterstück fountain pen by inviting visitors to enjoy an exclusive preview of the Meisterstück Heritage watch collection, open from Monday 19-21 May. Ever since the first Meisterstück was put to paper in 1924, this classic writing instrument has represented the very best in luxury craftsmanship, and visitors to the collection will be given the chance to discover a brand-new range of writing instruments, leather and men’s accessories which demonstrate that Montblanc

maintains the same high-quality standards of production to this day. Almost a century may have passed since the Meisterstück’s first appearance in Hamburg, but Montblanc’s consistent commitment to excellence has ensured the pen’s continued status as one of the world’s most instantly recognisable luxury items – a compact statement of style and timeless elegance. Throughout the course of this period, the Meisterstück pen has played a historic role in the lives of icons past and present, from Presidents Obama and John F. Kennedy to

SHOWTIME

Prince Charles and Princess Diana, all of whom marked a precious moment in their lives with their very own Meisterstück writing instrument. It’s this rich heritage of timeless luxury that manifests itself in the new Meisterstück watch collection. A stylish aesthetic combined with the traditional features of fine Swiss watchmaking results in the sort of classic timepiece you'll keep for life. Launching in September, the Meisterstück Heritage watch collection will be available for a limited preview only. itellstories.montblanc.com

Philippe’s luxury Basel collection. Now in its 175th year, this is a brand which is no stranger to horological excellence. But with four new timepieces to display, Patek Phillipe remains an innovative and much-coveted brand. See them for yourself at the Royal Exchange showroom between 5-9 May.

As the home of fine watchmaking, it follows that the Baselworld Watch and Jewellery Show – an annual event showcasing the work of the world’s most prestigious watch houses – should be held in Switzerland. But this year, Boodles at the Royal Exchange will be saving you a trip, as it offers visitors a preview of prestigious watchmaker Patek

patek.com

T H E R O YA L E X C H A N G E . C O . U K

SIX OF THE BEST

Bag The Bold 

Pretty In Pink 

In Full Bloom 

This season, make a statement with the Gobstopper clutch from British designer, Lulu Guinness. Known for her outlandish designs, Lulu’s S/S14 collection is certainly no exception. Bringing to life the traditional sweet shop, the collection evokes feelings of nostalgia, while offering a modern twist.

Theo Fennell has unveiled the most exceptional pair of drop earrings. Crafted from 18-carat white gold, the beautiful drops showcase two gorgeous pear-cut, soft pink Morganites. At the base of each stone is a pave diamond spike, perfectly exemplifying the jeweller’s love of the unexpected and unusual.

This month, Jo Malone London invites us to discover a stunning new limited-edition scent, Silk Blossom. The house will host launch events at The Royal Exchange on 6 and 7 May where guests will be able to enjoy pampering, while indulging in Champagne and treats inspired by the new cologne.

Lulu Guinness, Neon Perspex Orb Clutch, £245,

Theo Fennell, Morganite & Pave Diamond Drop

Jo Malone London, Limited Edition Silk Blossom

luluguinness.com

Earrings, £27,000, theofennell.com

100ml Cologne, £82, jomalone.co.uk

Tech Time 

Lucky Links 

Turners' Tenacity 

Smythson recently expanded its collection of iPad accessories following the launch of the new iPad Air. At the forefront of contemporary leather goods, Smythson continues to cater to the growing speed of technological advancements. Crafted from its iconic goatskin leather, the range is available in various bold and neutral colours.

Polished and sophisticated, these timeless Sodalite cufflinks from Links of London are a stylish must-have and the perfect accessory to any season ensemble. Crafted from sterling silver, the T-bar cufflinks showcase a full sodalite cabochon, which is known as the stone of athletes for its endurance qualities.

This May, the famous Turner Twins will cross Greenland's polar ice caps, and Ross Turner will do so in a pair of Crockett & Jones boots. His footwear was developed based on the iconic Snowdon, following rumours that the brand manufactured the boots worn by Sir Ernest Shackleton on his Endurance Expedition.

Links of London, Sodalite Cufflinks, £150,

Crockett & Jones, Snowdon, £475,

Smythson, iPad Air Sleeve, £225, smythson.com

linksoflondon.com

crockettandjones.com

AGENT PROVOCATEUR • ARTISAN FINE ART GALLERY • BOODLES • Bremont • BVLGARI • CHURCH’S • CROCKETT & JONES • GRAND CAFÉ • GUCCI • HARRYS OF LONDON HERMÈS • IMPERIAL CITY • JO MALONE LONDON • JONES LANG LASALLE• KIEHL’S SINCE 1851 • KOJIS • LINKS OF LONDON • LORO PIANA • L’OCCITANE • LULU GUINNESS MEZZANINE LOUNGE • MOLTON BROWN • MONTBLANC • OMEGA • PAUL A. YOUNG FINE CHOCOLATES • PAUL SMITH • PENHALIGON’S • PRETTY BALLERINAS ROYAL EXCHANGE JEWELLERS • SAGE BROWN FINE LEATHER • SAUTERELLE RESTAURANT • SEARLE & CO JEWELLERS • SMOKER’S PARADISE SMYTHSON • TATEOSSIAN • THEO FENNELL • TIFFANY & CO. • WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND • WATCHFINDER & CO.

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE, BANK, CITY OF LONDON, EC3V 3LR. STORE TRADING HOURS 10AM - 6PM. RESTAURANTS & BARS 8AM - 11PM

The Designer:

Arik Lev y

Ahead of Clerkenwell Design Week, we speak to the multi-talented designer who is presenting an innovative new lighting installation WORDS: Sian Gardiner

his month, the City will play host to Clerkenwell Design Week, a festival celebrating the work of leading architectural brands and companies from both home and abroad. There to showcase his own collection will be Arik Levy, the Israelborn designer behind an innovative, new lighting fixture dubbed ‘WIREFLOW’. To bill him only as a designer would be somewhat reductive, however; Levy is also a multi-talented artist, technician, photographer and film maker. Ahead of Design Week, we caught up with the man himself to find out a little more about what we can expect from his new collection. With the festival set to showcase styles of all varieties; from the minimalist and modern to the more classic and colourful, we asked Levy what in particular distinguishes him from other designers: “I would describe myself as a ‘feeling’ artist, producing customisable designs that can be adapted for multi-use. Style is something seen by the outside viewer, but what interests me is the idea, the process and the different interpretation one can have.” Levy’s new collection, WIREFLOW, is made up of black pendantlight fixtures and LED lights, the finished effect being something of a contemporary twist on classical chandeliers. This creative direction is no doubt influenced by the designer’s long-term residency in Paris, a city that seems to have achieved a similarly effortless blend of the old and the new.

72 | LIFESTYLE

Also drawing inspiration from his previous experiments with light sculptures based on wires, Levy explains that: “The overall idea behind WIREFLOW is the use of electrical wires to create geometrical shapes in two or three dimensions that, in spite of their large size, allow a seethrough effect which provides the light fixture with a captivating essence.” The way this collection differs from his previous work, however, is in its adaptability. In fact, according to Levy, the collection’s open design allows for endless possibilities. Indeed, “It is completely customisable according to the creative and aesthetic needs of each project. Architects and interior designers can experiment with endless configurations.” The designer has also proved himself to be quite the design chameleon; along with producing acclaimed furniture and light collections across a number of continents, Levy has also contributed his artistry to set designs for contemporary dance and opera, as well as hi-tech clothing lines and accessories for companies in the Far East. During the festival, not only will WIREFLOW, presented by VIBIA, the Barcelona-based lighting manufacturer, be available for viewings, but Levy himself will also be taking part in the first of a series of ‘Conversations at Clerkenwell’ offering his thoughts on lighting in the intriguingly-named ‘Emotional Ergonomics’ in a techno-poetic world talk. D vibia.com

home



THE WIRE 

It simply takes a little wire to blend the classic with the contemporary

D 1. Flynn Lantern, £3,642 for light, £134 for shade, portaromana.co.uk D 2. Resident Hex Pendant Light, £1,294, Resident Studio, nest.co.uk D 3. Ray S Suspension Light, £548, Flos, amara.com D 4. Bronze cross braced ceiling light, £1,028 for light, £298 for shade, portaromana.co.uk D 5. Daddy Long Leg Floor Lamp, £765, Henrik Pederson, heals.co.uk D 6. Perf floor lamp, £559, Diesel with Foscarini, forza.co.uk D 7. Scissor Desk Lamp, from £2,400, Charles Edwards, charlesedwards.com D 8. Modern Buffet Lamp in bronze, £1,700, Ralph Lauren Home, ralphlaurenhome.com

LIFESTYLE | 73

fighting fit

Edge of Tomorrow stunt man Marlow Warrington-Mattei shares his essential training advice with The City Magazine

WORKOUT WARDROBE

Where gym wear is concerned, the most important consideration should surely be ease of movement. This is exactly where Reebok’s S/S14 collection, ‘Fitness in Motion’ steps in, although it's paid the usual attention to making sure you’ll look the part too. Accompanying the release comes a series of videos shot by acclaimed sports and fashion photographer Carlos Serrao, with an array of famous sporting faces bringing the collection to life and showing just how well the clothing complements your movements. D reebok.com

ulti-award winning SAG stunt man Marlow Warrington-Mattei has worked on some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters, filming fight sequences with the likes of Jason Statham, Chris Hemsworth and Kristen Stewart. So in terms of strength and fitness, Marlow is a man in the know. The City Magazine asked the stunt star to reveal the biggest workout myths, mistakes and must-tries.

Q. In the lead-up to and during an

assignment, what does your training schedule involve?

Every job can be so different. I tend to work a lot on fight-related cardio, with boxing and Thai boxing, as I know that it will help me bring the energy and endurance I need to a fight sequence. I then have to consider whether I need to alter my body shape in any way to match the actor’s. For instance, working on Edge of Tomorrow as part of Tom Cruise’s squad required a lot of training with weight vests and squats. Much of the assignment involved running around sand dunes in a robot suit weighing close to 40kg.

Q. Do you follow a specific nutritional plan?

FITNESS at HOME

Yes, nutrition has become a massive part of my life and an absolute necessity for getting through a film. I am on a high-protein, highfat diet (not the McDonald’s kind of fat but good oils, nuts etc.) and I eat different kinds of carbohydrates at different times. This is all dependent on if I’m training and need to regulate my blood sugar levels, allowing

74 | LIFESTYLE

Training Punch bag £149.99, Precision Training, precisiontraining.co.uk

Handsome Dan Medicine Ball £164, Paul Cunningham, bespokeglobal.com

me to stay under ten per cent body fat while feeling energised and alert.

Q. What is the most crucial element to any diet?

Without a doubt, it is consistency. Like many others, I have been guilty of over-complicating things, finding the most ridiculous diets (trust me I have tried many) and within a week it’s over and onto the next. There are too many different options out there, so pick what is achievable and stick with it.

Q. How can time-poor City gents make the most of their time in a gym?

If you are struggling with time to train, then

Rubber Dumbbells T600 SBX, £1,275, escapefitness.com

fitness

diet becomes 90 per cent of the battle. Try and stick to a healthy routine from Monday to Friday so you can look forward to not being as strict at the weekend. Go to the gym three times a week, and don’t use the “my mate told me” diet and training routine, as it tends to be incorrect. Book yourself in with a personal trainer at least once, so they can talk you through a workout plan and diet, which will speed up your results drastically.

Q. What is the biggest 'get fit quick' myth?

It’s hard to say, there seems to be a neverending list. Unfortunately, if it looks too good to be true, it is. There are no secret, easy ways to get fit, the only way is to train properly and maintain a healthy diet.

Q. If someone is looking to improve their strength and fitness, what do you suggest?

My best advice is to start by setting yourself a goal – what are you trying to achieve? Once you have made your mind up, spend the best money you will ever spend on having an actual training and nutritional plan, tailored to your needs. Let a professional show you how to train, as correct technique is vital for safety, not to mention results. Whether you’re trying to bulk up, tone up, burn body fat or increase fitness, all you really need is three, 45-minute sessions a week.

Q. How soon after commencing a training regime can you expect to notice an improvement in your overall

fitness levels?

This will vary hugely on how committed and consistent you are. Realistically, if you are eating right and training right you will see major results in anywhere between three to six weeks. Take a picture each week to keep a tab on your progress; there is nothing more satisfying than seeing the transformation.

Q. What are the common mistakes people make when starting a new fitness regime?

People having no plan at the gym, going from one machine to another and then eating all the wrong foods. It’s such a shame as there is clearly motivation and the desire to get fit, but due to a combination of poor training and eating there will be no results and therefore a very good chance they will just give up. I really can’t stress enough how important diet is, it’s a real game-changer.

Q. What other benefits can our readers enjoy from leading a fit and healthy lifestyle?

Personally I find the word “diet” pretty offputting, as most associate it with bland, tasteless food, an obsession with caloriecounting and a depressing amount of low-fat labelled products. I like to see eating well, training and living a healthy lifestyle as a vital norm. There is so much to nutrition; it can really become quite addictive – you can overturn diabetes, eczema and joint problems, accelerate injury recovery time, become more alert and feel more energised, the list is endless. So don’t put diesel in your Ferrari.

FAST TRACK TO FITNESS

Coming to the City this month is Project Fit, a revolutionary new workout situated just a short walk from Bank station. Combining intense cardio intervals on treadmills with body transformation exercises, the experienced team at this purpose-built fitness studio promise to deliver an innovative training method, tailor-made to shake up the regular and, let’s face it, quite often dull, gym experience. With the team’s original ‘Walker – Jogger – Runner’ system, people of all abilities are invited to come along and burn up to 1,000 calories in just one hour. D project-fit.co.uk

BIKE TO THE FUTURE

Turn your commute into a genuine power trip with the new Copenhagen Wheel, a futuristic offering courtesy of the venture-backed company Superpedestrian. Cyclists using the Copenhagen and its corresponding smartphone app can turn their pedal pushing into electricity, as the wheel cleverly stores the energy in its in-built engine before releasing it to give you an uphill boost of up to ten times your usual pedal power. So, not only is it a greener way of commuting, it also spells the end of arriving at the office in a sweat. D Copenhagen Wheel, £485, Superpedestrian, superpedestrian.com

CoolBoard balance board from £97.99, CoolBoard, coolboard.co.uk

Classic Rowing Machine £1,149, WaterRower, johnlewis.co.uk

LIFESTYLE | 75

Eco-tech innovation Apple came out on top in the recent Clicking Clean report by Greenpeace, which ranks leading internet companies in terms of their energy-efficiency efforts. But how can you improve yours? Take your pick from these greener gadgets.

SAFETY NET

Major internet companies strive to restore faith following revelations that our data was anything but secure Wireless Solar Keyboard

£39.99, Logitech, logitech.com

Learning Thermostat from £179, Nest, amazon.co.uk

AX802 TV

For the

BUSINESS TR AVELLER

from £2,000, Panasonic, panasonic.co.uk

76 | LIFESTYLE

APPLE CARPLAY

Words: Sian Gardiner

t’s now been a year since former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden sensationally revealed the widespread scale of US electronic espionage, and in that time it’s safe to say we’ve seen a marked increase in concerns over internet users’ privacy. Tapping into these worries, a wave of new apps and gadgets that are designed to protect our data has appeared, many of which target the business sector in particular. Speaking via video link at the recent SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, a techthemed gathering that showcases emerging technologies, whistle-blower Snowden contributed to a debate on online privacy, declaring: “Mass surveillance is setting fire to the future of the internet. “There’s a political response that needs to occur, but there’s also a tech response that needs to occur,” he added. Revelations that major internet companies, including Google, Microsoft and Yahoo, were secretly handing over customer data to intelligence agencies

Developed in collaboration with Ferrari, the latest venture from tech giant Apple, dubbed CarPlay, aims to provide drivers with access to their iPhones while on the move. Once plugged in via a USB, the new system integrates the iPhone’s apps with the car’s digital systems. Using a mixture of the iPhone’s Siri service, touchscreen controls and the car’s existing buttons, drivers will be able to receive calls, dictate texts and provide commands – from which music to play, to which directions are required, all without taking their eyes off the road. D apple.com/ios/carplay

have certainly shaken consumer confidence, and these big-name companies are keen to distance themselves from such controversies. In fact, a recent announcement from Yahoo saw the company unveil a number of new security services. According to Alex Stamos, chief security information officer at Yahoo, traffic moving between Yahoo data centres is now fully encrypted. Further reported privacy measures from the company include encryption of mail between its servers and the implementation of the latest security best-practices across Yahoo’s sites. In a clear attempt to restore internet users’ broken faith in their online security, the company also claimed it would: “Continue to work hard to deploy the best possible technology to combat attacks and surveillance that violate our users’ privacy.” While these new developments may go some way to providing web browsers with better peace of mind, the question of privacy will, no doubt, remain a major concern.

play

BBM FOR BUSINESS

While competitors Apple and Android continue to successfully surf the smartphone wave, BlackBerry has at times looked worryingly close to going under. In a bid to change its dwindling sales figures, the company is offering businesses an encrypted BBM service. Starting this summer, the new initiative, dubbed ‘BBM Protected’, comes as part of the smartphone manufacturer’s renewed focus on its original core audience, that of industries and enterprise, and will entail a subscription version of the company’s popular messenger app that will offer a highly-encrypted service for business users who require secure messaging.

DATALOCKER DL3

D uk.blackberry.com

Enjoy peace of mind in the event of equipment loss or theft thanks to the DataLocker DL3, an encrypted, portable storage device. This ready-to-use data protection solution sets the bar high for other hard drive devices in its category. No software is ever needed to manage, encrypt or deploy the device, it’s simply a matter of connecting and authenticating with your personal passcode and then you’re ready to store or access data.

PRODUCTS – for –

PRIVACY Avoid the risks of data disaster with four products to protect your privacy

D DataLocker DL3 320GB, £202, DataLocker, originestore.com

Porsche and LaCie USB key A self-destructing smartphone might sound like something straight out of the Bond franchise – but according to Boeing, it’s now every inch a reality. Designed for handling top-secret communications, the phone, named Black, will automatically delete any data and render itself inoperable when tampered with. While the smartphone is, at present, so secure that the company is only selling it to approved users, the device joins a growing range of high-security smartphones currently entering the market.

Given the blend of style and technology found in their designs, the pairing between Porsche and computer company LaCie seems a natural one. The two have joined forces to produce a product range with a particular emphasis on security, including the likes of this super-sleek USB key. The Porsche-designed LaCie key uses ultra-secure encryption technology to ensure data is kept safe, and users also have the option to create a password-protected area for complete confidentiality. With 32GB of space available, there’s plenty of room for files, while the scratch-resistant steel casing makes it a stylish-looking accessory for your keychain.

D boeing.com

D £44.99, lacie.com

BOEING BLACK PHONE

Luxury

MOBILE OFFICE

The Luxury Mobile Office Company is about to prove the old adage that you shouldn’t mix business with pleasure, wholly wrong. Once a standard black Mercedes Viano, this brandnew private hire vehicle is now more private jet than London taxi. Four plush leather chairs face each other over a retractable table, making it ideal for conducting business

meetings on the go, while television screens, sound-proofing and the white-out window option provide all the comfort and privacy you could wish for when travelling. And the pièce de résistance? Sitting alongside the driver will also be a purser, on hand to provide refreshments and operate the electronics. D £895 per half day or £1,495 for a full day, covering travel to any desired destination, theluxurymobileofficecompany.com

LIFESTYLE | 77

YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE

No matter where you want to begin your motorsport journey, Ginetta will be with you every step of the way. Offering genuine progression from your very first time on track alongside one of our experienced instructors, right the way through to the highest level of GT3 racing, the Ginetta Racing Drivers Club is where your journey begins.

CALL 0113 385 4171 | EMAIL sales@ginetta.com | WEB ginetta.com ginettacars

ginettacars

In association with

Photography by Chris Wallbank

drive

BENTLEY CLEANS UP The luxury car maker adopts hybrid technology to make its cars less polluting, more frugal… and faster, too WORDS: Matthew Carter

f you can afford to buy a hand-built £225,000 Bentley Mulsanne, you probably won’t be too worried if its 6.75-litre V8 engine returns only 16 mpg. But it’s something that has been bothering Bentley. Its forthcoming SUV, due in 2017, will have a plug-in hybrid version featuring an electric motor alongside its regular V8 petrol engine. Bentley is the first luxury car maker to produce a plug-in hybrid, and to showcase the development the company has created the Bentley Hybrid Concept. Based on the Mulsanne, it has a battery-powered electric motor that can be recharged by being plugged into the mains. This provides enough juice to drive the car as a pure electric vehicle for 50 km – in the city, for example – before the system needs recharging. Copper accents, which highlight the car’s ‘electrical veins’ apparently, are used inside and out to differentiate the hybrid from a conventional Mulsanne. Copper details can be found on the headlamps, radiator shell, brake calipers and badges, as well as on fascia veneers, switches and instruments. In addition to a 70 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions, the hybrid system will offer a power increase in the region of 25 per cent allied to a boost to the car’s economy. Fittingly, the Hybrid Concept was given its world debut at April’s Beijing Motor Show, held in one of the world’s most polluted cities. By the end of the decade, says Bentley, at least 90 per cent of its production will be available as a plug-in hybrid. And then we will all be able to drive a Bentley with a clear conscience. Phew.

LIFESTYLE | 79

A TALE OF TWO JEEPS They are both called Cherokee, but are as different as chalk and cheese. So try not to get confused WORDS: Matthew Carter

Jeep one

ow this is impressive. According to the warning sign we’ve just passed, the slope ahead rises up at 70 degrees… but from where I’m sitting it feels damn near vertical. Gravity is pushing me back into my seat and all I can see ahead is sky. I wouldn’t be able to walk up this hill without the aid of a rope and climbing boots, and even a mountain goat would find it tricky. But, with low ratio four-wheel drive selected, the new Jeep Cherokee is taking it all in its stride. In fact, it’s doing much more than that. The combination of a nine-speed automatic, a lusty 3.2-litre V6 petrol engine and electronics so damn clever they could win Mastermind and University Challenge mean that the car is doing this virtually by itself. Speed has been limited to 3 kph and with neither fuss nor drama, wheel spin nor straining engine, it’s crawling up this rock face all by itself. All I’m doing is keeping it pointing in the right direction by hanging onto the steering wheel. Literally. I’m at Balocco, Fiat’s test centre near Milan (Fiat owns Jeep, remember) and we’re on a highly technical off-course that provides plenty of opportunity for this new Cherokee to show its mettle. As well as some seriously steep climbs, there are frightening inclines that you drive around in a wall of death

80 | LIFESTYLE

fashion, just waiting for the car to fall over. It never does. Then there are huge concrete ruts on which you can make the car dance, one front and the diagonally-opposite rear wheel pawing the air as it balances precariously on the other two. I get behind the wheel shortly after a press conference in which words like ‘freedom’, ‘adventure’ and ‘passion’ are bandied about. Jeeps are all about getting off the beaten path and exploring both the wilderness and your inner self. And this new Cherokee Trailhawk seems to tick all the right boxes. It looks good and certainly has all the credentials demanded of a serious off-roader: good ground clearance, a strong engine with ample pulling power and a sophisticated four-wheel drive system. After a series of lacklustre, poorly-made and frankly dull machines wearing the Cherokee badge, this one is a breath of fresh air. But the chances of seeing one on (or off) UK roads are remote in the extreme. Jeep reckons it might sell 25 examples a year here if it’s lucky. The reason? It’s thanks partly to its gas-guzzling engine but mainly to the fact that we Brits don’t have the sort of Great Outdoors that our American cousins enjoy and, as a result, we don’t explore off-road nearly as much.

drive

VEHICLE SPEC CAR: Jeep Cherokee 2.0 Limited 4WD auto PRICE: Circa £35,000 ENGINE: Front-mounted, 1,956 cc, four-cylinder turbodiesel POWER: 170 hp PERFORMANCE: 119 mph max, 0-62 mph in 10.3 secs DRIVE: Four-wheel drive, nine-speed automatic

Jeep TWO

nd that’s why the focus of this report should really be on another Jeep Cherokee, a road-oriented one called Limited that is going to sell in much larger numbers. At first glance it looks almost identical to the Trailhawk, but it rides closer to the tarmac and wears road, rather than off-road, tyres. There’s chrome where Trailhawk has matt black ‘brightwork’, and a different nose to cope with the rough and tumble of the jungle; Trailhawk is a chinless wonder (there's less to get damaged when attacking the scenery), while the Limited has a more manly jaw. There’s a difference under the bonnet, too. In place of that thirsty V6, lies a comparatively humble Fiat-originated 2.0-litre diesel. It’s available in two levels of tune, though to be honest, not even the performance from the top 170 hp version will set the world alight, especially when matched to its nine-speed (yes nine, count ’em) automatic box. But perhaps the biggest shock is that just because it’s a Jeep that doesn’t mean to say it will be guaranteed to have four-wheel drive. Yes, there’s a front-wheel drive version of the new Cherokee, which really underlines that this is more crossover than serious off-roader. And that means it has many, many rivals. Jeep would like to think the Cherokee is up against the premium Audi Q5 and BMW X3, but it will also need to look over its shoulder at hugely-competent and much cheaper machines like the Nissan Qashqai. It certainly looks more soft-roader than butch 4x4, but while the design is far more fluid than the previous boxy generation it has become a little more anonymous… only the distinctive seven vertical slot grille helps it stand out. It’s also better made than the previous generation, with an emphasis on quality inside and out. The leather looks good and the seats are

comfortable and matched by the supple ride. At motorway speeds this is a quiet and pleasant place to be. It’s pretty good around town, too, with only a little low speed coarseness from the engine spoiling the refinement… but this is more than countered by the superb automatic transmission. And it’s clearly well-screwed together with nothing in the way of the squeaks and rattles that were so prominent in the last generation Cherokee. Nor does it want for anything in the way of equipment. Despite the name, which might suggest the goodie count will be ‘Limited’, this is actually top-of-the-range with heated and ventilated power seats, a rear-parking camera, a wireless-charging pad for compatible mobile phones (no need to plug anything in) and (very American, this) 18inch polished-alloy wheels all as standard. The Active Drive four-wheel drive system, too, is impressive. Boasting an automatic disconnection/reconnection of drive to the rear wheels, as required in the name of economy and reduced emissions, it also has clever pre-programmed settings for snow, mud/sand and sport as well as the set-and-forget auto setting. So what we have here is a far better Cherokee than we’ve had for some years, but one that seems a little confused about its role in life. Perhaps the most honest version would be the entry-level, twowheel drive Longitude model which still has strong equipment levels, powered by the ‘lesser’ 140 hp diesel: a roomy and practical crossover that will spend all its time on the highway. But maybe the best version is the one that doesn’t exist. That would be a rough ‘n’ tough Trailhawk with the 170 hp diesel in place of the thirsty V6 petrol. Jeep is apparently thinking about making it… don’t think too long, guys.

LIFESTYLE | 81

A noble undertaking Once the fastest man alive, then the man who organised the first supersonic land speed record – now, Richard Noble wants to go to 1,000 mph, and he’s bringing the kids with him WORDS: Neil Briscoe

tense crew stands, waiting, on the floor of a seemingly immense desert. They exchange terse, blackly humorous words with one another. The waiting is agony. If it doesn’t work now, then time, money and patience will have well and truly run out. Suddenly, it happens. There is an immense rush of noise and, fast behind it, the unmistakable siamesed twin bangs of a sonic boom – for the first time ever, a car has broken the sound barrier to set a new land speed record and these men can now set about their jobs of recovering the car, Thrust SSC, and its pilot, RAF Wing Commander Andy Green. It is a joyous moment, a moment of completion, a moment of success. Fittingly, it is also 50 years, almost to the day, since Chuck Yeager became the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound. Now, a car has caught up. It is though, inevitably, a moment of melancholy for Richard Noble. It was Noble who had run the team, scrounged up the finance, found a driver capable of driving a twin-jet car faster than the speed of sound and Noble, too, who had just seen his own 17-year-old land speed record of 627 mph finally eclipsed. Somehow, though, you just knew this man wouldn’t stay quiet for long. Noble and Green are now back, and this time they are planning to push a car to 1,000 mph on land for the first time ever. The car (dubbed Bloodhound SSC in honour of the pioneering work done on the missile in the 1960s by its designer Ron Ayers) is currently being built and is scheduled to begin test runs next year on the vast, flat Hakskeen Pan in South Africa’s Northern Cape. I recently caught up with Noble and asked why after all the years of hard work, was he back at the land speed record coalface again? “It’s frankly the most exciting thing you can do on God’s Earth – there’s no doubt about it. If you love the technology, the subject and the teamwork, it’s obsessive, absolutely obsessive. We also felt that if the Americans were going to come back, which they failed to do in the end, and essentially buy themselves a supersonic record, we thought we ought to give them a good run for their money.” If all that sounds like so much Bentley Boy bravado, it shouldn’t. While Noble can come across almost exactly like a modern-day descendant of those devil-may-care ’30s barnstormers, the thinking behind the Bloodhound project is rather more clever than that. While Noble said that his original 1982 record was “for Britain and for the hell of it,” and while Thrust SSC’s 1997 record was also very much a “because it’s there” ambition, the idea behind Bloodhound is to pull a future generation of engineers, mathematicians and scientists along in its 1,000 mph wake. Noble wants this project to be equal parts inspiration and derring-do, which will act like a modern-day Apollo programme to plant the ideals of engineering and science in the minds of today’s school children. “We’ve set out to do this programme and to deliver on every count, and one of those counts is to create a large number of engineers. And it’s really working. The fundamental difficulty is that with education, as long as you’re just giving it to the kids – and remember we’re in the game world at the moment – if you’re giving them just a conventional classroom-type education without anything to really excite them, it’s a

82 | LIFESTYLE

pretty hard grind. You’re asking them to more or less learn by rote. If you’ve got something, though, which is inspiring and interesting, then you can change all that. The interesting thing is that not every family has a lunar module or a fighter jet on the driveway. But pretty much every family has got a car, and because they’ve got a car they know what it is – and this is just an extension of that. It really works.” The numbers behind Bloodhound are little short of staggering. The car itself will be 7.7 tonnes at fully-fuelled weight. It is powered by a massive Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet engine – essentially the same power unit you would find in a current Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet. That would sound as if it were powerful enough to do the job on its own, but it’s not. The jet is really just to get the car up to around 600 mph. At that point, Green will press his throttle pedal through a detente and fire up the Falcon hybrid rocket engine. That will deliver an astounding kick in the pants to Bloodhound and should, if all goes to plan, accelerate it to 1,000 mph in just 55 secs. There is a third engine on-board. It’s a racing engine, designed and built by Formula One experts Cosworth. It has the same power as a Formula 1 car (about 800 hp, compared to, say, 105 hp for a VW Golf 1.6 diesel) and it’s there purely to act as a fuel

drive

Far left: Richard Noble and Andy Green – (Images courtesy of Stefan Marjoram) Below: BloodhoundSSC

Thrust SSC, which was a £2.4 million programme. pump, sending 800 litres of High-Test Peroxide (HTP) rocket “The thing about it is that it’s all pioneering. We, for fuel into the Falcon’s combustion chamber in just 20 secs. instance, pioneered rear wheel steering on Thrust SSC, and I With numbers like that, the variables are equally massive. can tell you we won’t be going back there again. We had no Noble’s team is working flat out to make sure they understand idea what was going to happen at the back end, when it went how every molecule of air will interact with the 14-metre-long supersonic. We thought it was going to be safe and it just Bloodhound car as it passes across the desert floor, but the wasn’t. What happened was you had a unknowns are little short of terrifying. slot between the two rear wheels, and Noble’s confidence is palpable, though. "You’re pushing the we got a supersonic airflow between “The fundamental thing about boundaries everywhere, them. That dragged the tail to the left this is that everything’s got to come but this is the only way and the car to the right, which changed together for us to succeed. The we believe it can be done" the angle of the wheels and the angle of education angle has to come together, the airflow. Andy’s response was that it because it’s the education that gives the was a pretty uncomfortable car to drive at subsonic speeds, but sponsors their corporate social responsibility benefits. The once you went supersonic, it was an absolute pussycat.” desert’s got to be OK, the rocket motor’s got to be OK, the Pussycat or otherwise, put Noble, Green and a jet-propelled rest of the car’s got to be OK. You’re pushing the boundaries car on a desert floor and there’s little doubt that excitement and everywhere, but this is the only way we believe it can be done. drama will soon follow. This time, the world’s school kids are We need the big budgets to fund all the engineering etc. It’s along for the ride too… a £40 million programme, which is a hell of a difference to

LIFESTYLE | 83

eat



RESTAURANT REVIEW 

Merchant’s Tavern The City Magazine finally gets a table at the much-heralded Merchant’s Tavern, and finds it to be absolutely worth the (considerable) hype WORDS: EMMA JOHNSON

horeditch might be a stone’s throw from the City, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still predominantly frequented by long-haired, bespectacled types from ‘media-darling’ industries, who favour the exposed brick and metalwork office and the neon t-shirt, topsiders and skinny jeans over a nice piece of cloth from Savile Row. Thank god, then, for those restaurants (HKK, Andina, l’Anima – I'm talking about you) that haven’t bended to hipster pressure, there’s not enough places just outside the City limits where a suit is still not the done thing. Praise be, then, for the excellent Merchant’s Tavern, situated firmly in Shoreditch territory, just off Great Eastern Street, but whose vibe is effortlessly inclusive and intriguingly relaxed. Owing much of its aforementioned hype to having names like Anglea Harnett and Neil Borthwick over the door, there’s a definite sense of the zeitgeist here, but at the same time, a ruthless approach to great food, seasonality and warm, friendly service. You could argue that’s not much to aspire to in these days of Michelin-chasing innovation, but in many ways it’s exactly this confident approach to getting the basics right that sets Merchant’s Tavern apart. The menu, which changes daily, as you would expect, is small and well-thought out. Every dish on it promises something a little bit special, but is blissfully devoid of gimmick or fuss. Scallop ceviche and sea urchin vinaigrette are at once classic and inspired; white asparagus and fried duck egg is a clear boast about the sourcing of ingredients; while pig trotters on toast – well, how could you refuse? But refuse we do. Roast quail with hazelnut pesto and foie gras takes our fancy instead – and reveals itself to be a warm, rich success of a dish with earthy flavours and beautifully succulent meat; the chilled pea and lettuce soup with confit salmon that forms our other starter is heart-stoppingly green, pungent and tasty, the confit salmon cutting through the shoots and leaves with a welcome sweetness.

Main courses are even harder to choose between – eventually a crispy pork belly with an amazingly well-pitched burnt bread and mustard sauce turns out to be a star dish of epic proportions (the date and I are still talking about it a week later); while the flat iron with buckwheat cake is another lesson in simplicity and style. Desserts seem to be mandatory here, and why not? Passion fruit posset (so I’m told) is creamy and sharp and sweet, and polished off without sharing; while the sticky ginger pudding is tart and powerfully rich. There hasn’t been a bum note here yet, and, as we’re leaving, a small striped bag of fresh madeleines pressed into our hands, “just for breakfast tomorrow or something”, seems to top off the sort of evening we know we’ll try hard to replicate many times over. I haven’t even talked about the service (friendly, informative, warm, generous and helpful); or the décor (smart, impressive and reassuringly comfortable), because, while both were great, this place is all about the food, and that in itself, is its wining charm. D 36 Charlotte Road, EC2, merchantstavern.co.uk

THREE of a KIND... Top Taverns: pub food with panache

Simpsons Tavern

Berners Tavern

Newman Street Tavern

A City stalwart, as old and beloved as the Bank itself, this wooden-boothed marvel still packs in a lunchtime City crowd where nearly everyone is known by their first name and food, service and décor unapologetically takes its inspiration from the 80s. If it ain’t broke…

This place boasts such a cool crowd you could be forgiven for thinking it was all style and no substance. No way. Food here is sublime, innovative and some of the best in London at the moment – if you can ever get a reservation to actually eat it.

Popular for its raw bar, its snacks and light bites could end up forming the major part of your lunch if you order everything on offer, which wouldn’t be crazy. Highlights include the seafood platter, brown crab on toast, homecured wild trout and the breaded perch.

D 38 1/2, Ball Court Alley, Cornhill, EC3V

D The London Edition Hotel, 10 Berners St, W1T

D 48 Newman St, W1T

84 | LIFESTYLE

wine

Head for the Hills Renowned for their meaty reds and big whites, Australian wine is a distinct and permanent force on the New World wine scene. But nowhere produces a more interesting – and unique – tipple than the stunning Adelaide Hills in Southern Australia WORDS: Josie Stead

hat do you think of when you consider Australian wines? Shiraz, cabernet, chardonnay, New World style, bold reds, big whites, inyour-face wines, meaty wines, barbecue wines, concentrated wines? There is no doubting that these are all associations that Australian wines have built their worldwide reputation on. With a very broad church of consumers, from the supermarket to the high-end restaurant, Australian wines have captured the imagination of many around the globe. Australia is home to a huge array of grape varieties, and none more so than Southern Australia, particularly the Adelaide Hills. The cooler temperatures, higher rainfall and differing topography and geology support a healthy environment for varietals such as nebbiolo, merlot and sangiovese alongside pinot noir, cabernet franc, Grenache and gamay. Whites thrive too. Naturally there is sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, Riesling and Semillon, along with chenin blanc, pinot gris and obscurities like prosecco. Being only nine miles from the coast, the cooling sea breezes bring a more Mediterranean climate, allowing the wines to display great finesse and varietal intensity. This wonderfully diverse, cool climate region has inspired a young, fresh generation of wine-makers such as Anton van Klopper, James and Denise Erskine, Taras and Amber Ochota and Tom Shobbrook to produce styles of wines that reinterpret the region’s wine-making history. They have spent considerable time doing vintages all over Europe in areas like Piedmont, Sicily, Burgundy, the Loire, Germany and Austria. Most have worked in vineyards where there is a more holistic approach to the vines. This understanding of working the vineyards to produce better quality fruit, without the use of chemicals and pesticides, is also reflected in the wine-making process. Applying minimal intervention in the winery produces wines of purity and focus, with a real sense of place. From these experiences they have



 Adelaide Hills 



Favourites

 Tom Shobbrook: Shobbrook Wines  

2011 Riesling imported by The Winemakers Club Even though Tom makes his wine in the Barossa he managed to acquire a plot of land on a north-facing slope in the Adelaide Hills. A bone-dry Riesling with great acidity.

 Taras and Amber Ochota: Ochota Barrels

 2013 Slint Vineyard Chardonnay imported by Indigo Wines  High altitude north-facing vineyard results in a more mineral and fresh Chardonnay.

 James and Denise Erskine: Jauma

2011 Ascension Blewitt Springs imported by Les Caves de Pyrenne  Grenache grown on east-facing slopes produce a wine with less spicy character and a more floral dimension. 

 Anton van Klopper: Lucy Margaux

 2011 Wildman Pinot Noir imported by Les Caves de Pyrenne  Being 500m above sea level this is cool climate Pinot Noir at its best from one of Australia’s most dynamic producers.



individually brought to their wines an identity; a sense of locale. Most of these wine-makers also began with little or no financial support. They started out small, searching for the grape varieties and the growers who were most sympathetic to their vineyards. Production was small and financial restraints meant certain aspects of the wine-making process had to be reconsidered. Oak barrels, for example are expensive. This meant wines didn’t get the opportunity to age, which in a way shaped the style of wine they began to produce: young, fresh, vibrant drinking wines, or “smashable booze” in their lingo. Having established themselves, they still make similar styles of wines for everyday drinking, but are now working with different mediums such as amphora, cement and old oak to age their wines. These wine-makers have a shared commitment to sustainable viticulture and wine-making and are crafting wines with incredible vitality and drinkability. Their wines reflect the place, soul and passion. They are slowly turning perceptions of Australian wine – and for that matter, New World wine – upside down. D Josie Stead is co-owner of The Quality Chop House and The Quality Chop House Food Shop & Butchers, 92-94 Farringdon Rd, EC1R

LIFESTYLE | 85

turning japanese

Scotland keeps an anxious eye on Japan as its premium whiskies delight the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most refined palates WORDS: TIFFANY EASTLAND

86 | LIFESTYLE

DRINK

Far left: Yamazaki cask sampling Below: Mr Fukuyo, Suntory chief blender; Hakushu Distillery; Hakushu Distiller's Reserve

here was once a time when it was safe to assume a trip to Scotland would give you access to the finest whiskies in the world. As a matter of fact, it took almost a century for some of the most refined palates to recognise the talent outside of Scotland, namely Japan. And some say it wasn’t until the 2003 release of Sofia Coppola’s, Lost in Translation that this, not-so-new-kid was put on the international stage –certainly in terms of premium whisky production. And at the very forefront today, remains the founding family of Japanese whisky, the House of Suntory. As the first whisky house in Japan, Suntory has faced a number of challenges and obstacles throughout its 90-year commitment to the craft. Unlike its competition in Scotland and Ireland, Suntory has never had that luxury of sharing malt whiskies among neighboring villages. In fact, the Japanese beverage giant has had to develop its own, resulting in a multitude of ageing casks and endless blending possibilities. The outcome? A great deal of success and, at last, global recognition. Suntory first made its way into the spotlight when it was awarded “Distiller of the Year”, the highest distinction at the Global Whisky Awards, and a title, Suntory has proudly worn for not one, but three years. Throughout 2013, the houses also scooped up the title of World’s Best Blended Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards for its popular, Hibiki 21 year old blend. However, all of the house's offerings earned recognition over the course of 2013, all receiving the coveted Gold Medals from the International Spirits Challenge. On top of the multitude of accolades earned by Suntory, the house also celebrated a stand-out year in terms of sales in the United Kingdom. Suntory has reported that its sales were up by a massive 51 per cent, while rumour has it, that the beverage giant is exporting well over 10,000 cases to the United States, and apparently the UK and France aren’t very far behind. Last year the house also commemorated its most recognisable

brand, Yamazaki, which celebrated its 90th birthday, again putting the spotlight on what has been a very rich history. So should Scotland be worried? Ahead of two new releases from the whisky whisperers, I’d say that Scotland’s concerns aren’t entirely irrational. Thus far, both new releases have not failed to impress critics. The Whisky Club at The Times and The Sunday Times, commended the Hakushu Distiller's Reserve: “Brilliant value for such a complex, delicious single malt.” While they equally praised the Yamazaki Distiller's Reserve, saying it was a 'wonderful expression' of Japanese whisky. Suntory has taken a rather varied approach for the two new releases, deciding to refrain from giving an age. Keita Minati, senior brand manager for Suntory Europe, explained that this was in an attempt to acknowledge that: “age should not be the sole parameter in measuring quality.” So, what can we expect from each of the new blends? Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve is a delicious concoction that presents strawberry, cherry and oak on the nose, followed by raspberry, white peach and coconut on the palate. The Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve on the other hand hails from Suntory’s forest distillery and has been described as offering a taste of yuzu, grapefruit and lemon thyme. Chief blender Shinji Fukuyo advises that this one lends itself to mixing in highballs. A surprisingly fresh Japanese single malt, Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve has clearly benefitted from the purest mountain water in all of Japan, boasting deliciously herbal and very subtle smoky flavours. As the second biggest producer of single malt whisky in the world, Japan’s increasingly popular offering extends much further than the very active House of Suntory. In fact, popular Nikka Whisky, can also boast a fair share of medals from the International Spirits Challenge. Therefore, Scotland should be prepared to fight for their top spot, afterall, in the wise words of Mr Miyagi: “Man who catch fly with chopstick accomplish anything.”

LIFESTYLE | 87



ESCAPE 

From city breaks to weekend escapes, welcome to some of the world’s most exclusive hideaways

A TASTE for TRAVEL

un, sea and sand: they might be all that most people look for in a holiday, but if you’re anything like us here at The City Magazine, you’ll know that the all-important missing ingredient is, of course, the food. When taking a break, there’s no better time to sample international cuisine, and we’ve tracked down some of the best locations for indulging your taste buds...

SANI RESORT, Greece

JADE MOUNTAIN, Saint Lucia

CHIESA DEL CARMINE, Italy

D sani-resort.com

D jademountain.com

D chiesadelcarmine.com

HOLIDAY Snaps

From 9-18 May, the beautiful Sani Resort in the Halkidiki peninsula, dubbed Greece’s very own mini-Monaco, will play host to its annual Gourmet Festival, a gastronomic celebration that unites Michelin-starred guest chefs from across the globe. This year, visitors will be served up specialties from along the trail of the Silk Road and have the opportunity to take part in culinary workshops. Nearby Mount Athos, home to one of the region’s most notable vineyards, has the ideal soil for growing tasty grape varieties including Grenache and Assyrtiko, while the resident monastic community is famed for its wine-making tradition.

88 | LIFESTYLE

DI SP-100EE black, £349.99, Olympus, olympus.co.uk

At the idyllic Caribbean retreat of Jade Mountain, locally-sourced organic ingredients including fresh turmeric, tamarind, mangos, avocados, oranges, and papayas will appeal to the most varied of palates. The resort’s resident chef also hosts a range of culinary events throughout the year, from tasting tours of the nearby Emerald Gardens, to a chocolate festival celebrating the island’s long tradition of cocoa production. The terrace bar at this luxury hillside resort also provides truly breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea and the striking Piton Mountains, making it the ideal location for enjoying the enviable local St Lucian rum.

RX1R Professional Compact Camera, £2,599, Sony, sony.co.uk

Thanks to its location in the heart of the lush Umbrian countryside, guests at Chiesa del Carmine, a converted 11th-century church and its adjoining plush 18th-century farmhouse, can sample fresh produce direct from the estate’s thriving farm, which includes olive groves, four grape varieties and a truffle wood. Those who book and stay before 23 May will receive a complimentary dining experience created by the estate’s in-house chef, and while Umbria might not have the volume production to match neighbouring Tuscany, the ‘green-heart of Italy’ offers an array of grape varieties and wine styles.

Lumix GM1 + 15mm Leica Summilux lens, £949, Panasonic, ukdigital.co.uk

escape

WHAT to PACK

LAND, AIR

SEA

His

 A PARISIAN PALACE The Peninsula Paris

THE TRUNKS

This summer, the Peninsula Hotels group will make its much-anticipated entrance into Europe, unveiling its stunning new Paris property. Boasting a spectacular setting, The Peninsula Paris reinvents a century-old building – the former Majestic Hotel – which for many years was one of the city’s most iconic “grand hotels”. Located just steps from the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysée, The Peninsula Paris offers spacious public areas, an expansive rooftop and street-level terraces, not to mention some of the largest guest rooms in Paris.

Hatch Print Trunks, £95, Kent & Curwen, kentandcurwen.co.uk

THE TRAVEL KIT

Manley Wallet Zip Up Toiletry Bag, £360, Bally, bally.com

D paris.peninsula.com

 SLEEP ON IT Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways has teamed up with the American Center of Psychiatry and Neurology (ACPN) in Abu Dhabi, to ensure all passengers get 40-winks on board their next Etihad long-haul flight. The panel of sleep experts researched various ways to enhance sleep inflight, taking into consideration touch, sight, sound, aroma and taste. All classes will benefit from noise-cancelling headphones, highquality pillows, comforters and blankets, while those travelling in the Diamond First Class Cabin will enjoy a multi-layered sleep system mattress designed by COCO-MAT.

THE BOAT SHOE Lace Loafer, £125, Swims, swims.com

Hers THE SHADES

Sunglasses, £99, Ralph Lauren, sunglasses-shop.co.uk

D etihad.com

 MOORE THE MERRIER Sunborn Gibraltar

The concept of a waterfront property is certainly not new. However, Finnish hotel and real-estate group Sunborn has given an entirely new meaning to the term, launching a growing fleet of luxury yacht hotels. In March, the brand unveiled its Sunborn Gibraltar, a gorgeous five-star floating hotel moored at the Ocean Village Marina in Gibraltar. Offering guests a spectacular view of the Mediterranean, this stunning new vessel has been designed and manufactured to the highest quality. Consisting of 189 guest rooms, the yacht measures 144 metres and spans 18,500 square metres of floor space.

THE SUNDRESS

Dsifa patterned dress, £820, Escada, uk.escada.com

THE SUMMER SANDAL

Crystal-embellished raffia sandals, £525, Dolce & Gabbana, net-a-porter.com

D sunborngibraltar.com

LIFESTYLE | 89

THE LARGEST POLO TOURNAMENT IN EUROPE HOSPITALITY PACKAGES AND GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW Hospitality Enquires: 0207 936 5284

General Admission Tickets: 0844 248 5069

www.polointheparklondon.com

PITP Run Wild A4 Advert 2014 AW PRINT.indd 1

06/02/2014 10:10

EXPLORE

Party

nation

... AND THE WHOLE WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S INVITED

As Brazil readies itself to welcome the world for the FIFA World Cup, we take a look at what the 20th World Cup tournament will mean for fans, what the nation offers the luxury traveller, plus the best-kept secrets and insider tips to make summer 2014 in Latin America an unforgettable experience words: josephine o'donoghue

LIFESTYLE | 91

Football has a fundamental importance in the construction of modern Brazil...”

“Here, the game, the music and the dance come together seamlessly to produce a unique style. Off the field, football permeates almost all interpersonal relationships. Its expressions are part of our vocabulary, our music and our happiness,” explains Calçade. Brazil is certainly one of the most football-crazy nations in the world, but luckily for travellers making their sporting pilgrimage there this summer, the diverse country is also about much more. As Calçade says, Brazil is football, and football is Brazil – so get ready to open your eyes and experience the beauty, rhythm and passion of the Brazilian game, lifestyle and happiness. As the fifth largest country on the planet, a ‘luxury trip to Brazil’ could mean almost anything – depending on the type of holiday you enjoy (and indeed, which football matches you’ve managed to score tickets for). Think Brazil, think sensual Latin dancing, incredible cuisine, perfect white beaches, rainforests, wildlife, history, a rich arts culture – and, of course, football – there’s plenty to choose from. With more than 4,500 miles of beaches and coastline, three time zones and a climate of extremes it’s just not possible to cover everything, so we’re taking a quick look at the hottest cities, the most popular pitstops and a few hidden treats along the way.

Rio de Janeiro

Perhaps the most recognisable city in Brazil, Rio is truly iconic – travellers journey from around the globe to stand in the presence of Christ the Redeemer statue; strut their stuff on Copacabana and Ipanema beaches; and revel in the carnival, music, colour, youth and celebration. If you want to hit all the best-known Rio institutions, check-in to the Copacabana Palace Hotel (copacabanapalace.com), which has ruled the Copacabana beachfront for more than 90 years. Complete with a classic,

92 | LIFESTYLE

Paulo Calçade, ESPN football commentator

EXPLORE

Below, clockwise: Sunset at Ipanema Beach, Rio de Janeiro; Octávio Frias de Oliveira Bridge, São Paulo; Copacabana bar; Copacabana Palace

MATCHES not to MISS Brazil v Croatia 12 June, São Paulo

As the first match of the World Cup, this game will be preceded by the opening ceremony before setting the hosts Brazil against Croatia – how will the Brazilians fare under the pressure of the opening match and a home game? Don’t expect anything in Brazil to be open today – every single person will be in front of the TV at home or in a bar, cheering on O Seleção.

Spain v Netherlands 13 June, Salvador

This match (between the finalists of the 2010 World Cup) will be packed with excitement and tension, as the teams’ 2010 result was based on an exhilarating battle in extra time.

Ivory Coast v Japan 14 June, Recife

Manchester United’s Shinji Kagawa is a familiar face in the Japanese line-up, hoping to win against the determined African team – impossible to predict.

England v Italy 15 June, Manaus

England’s first match will be an unmissable one. The England team hasn’t managed to beat the Italians in five attempts, so this match is sure to be a nail-biter.

Uruguay v England 19 June, São Paulo stucco-fronted façade the luxurious styling harks back to its 1920s golden era as a haven for the most elegant travellers. It is widely considered to be the best hotel in Rio. Soak up the sun in the magnificent 24hour, 25-metre pool, or join Rio’s movers and shakers down at the infamous Piano Bar. And don’t miss out on dining in the Cipriani Restaurant and Ken Hom’s new MEE dining room, both within the hotel. If you fancy dining out, Rafael Costa e Silva (former head chef at Michelin-starred Mugaritz) has opened his first restaurant in a Belle-Époque mansion in Botafogo’s beachfront neighbourhood and is wellworth a visit (if you can get a table). The restaurant is so new that there’s no official website yet, but ask your hotel concierge to

call. The daily-changing menu boasts fresh ingredients from the 1,200 sq m of lush kitchen gardens. After ticking off a visit to Christ the Redeemer, along with the famous Escadaria Selarón steps, the buzzing bars of Lapa, Sugarloaf Mountain and Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, try visiting new website maiasas.com, which offers visitors unusual, tailored experiences that even the locals would love to try. Make your trip one to remember, from individual tours around Urca or a private lunch cooked by chef Maria Antonia Bocayuva, to a guided walk in the favelas or stand-up paddle boarding in Carioca.

SÃo Paulo

It’s generally considered that São Paulo

England’s second match will be against Uruguay – and all eyes will be on Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. This is tipped to be one of the most exciting games for England fans.

Switzerland v France 20 June, Salvador

Switzerland and France have been lucky to fall into one of the ‘easier’ groups, but this game will still count for everything. Look out for France’s stars: Ribery, Benzema and Nasri.

USA v Germany 26 June, Recife

German-born Jürgen Klinsmann, the USA manager, will be torn during this match as his professional charges square up against his home country.

LIFESTYLE | 93

(the third largest city on the planet) is the birthplace of Brazilian football, as it was the home of Charles Miller, of British descent, who introduced the game to the city in 1894. In fact, three of Brazil’s most powerful and successful football clubs are from São Paulo: Corinthians, Palmeiras and São Paulo, who are old rivals. As one of the nation’s most important footballing cities, it seems only fitting that the new Arena de São Paulo has been chosen to host the opening match of the tournament and will also present five additional battles, including one semi-final match. On match days, remember that the stadium is 20km away from the city by train, so most pre- and post-match partying and celebrations

 TOP FACT 

Brazil stretches over almost half of the continent of South America, and of all the continent’s countries, only Chile and Ecuador do not border Brazil will be done back in the city. Rua Aspicuelta in the Vila Madalena area is a buzzing social hub that's crammed with friendly bars and is a great place to start and end the event. And on non-match days, guests in the city will soon come to appreciate that it is as equally big on style as sport – choose from a plethora of chic hotels, dance spots and packed rooftop bars, and stock up on clothes, accessories and art in the designer boutiques and galleries. Foodies will love the dynamic fusion of international and Brazilian food – check out Restaurante Figueira Rubaiyat (rubaiyat. com.br) which is built around a giant fig tree, with its huge branches enclosed in glass. An amazing location, coupled with excellent fish, seafood and steak, many diners return for another night of fine dining. For after-dinner drinks, the Sky Bar at Unique Hotel (hotelunique.com.br) (shaped like a giant boat) boasts a beautiful roof terrace with loungers, a pool, stunning views of the

94 | LIFESTYLE

EXPLORE Left, top to bottom: Ponta dos Ganchos peninsula; Banana leaf papillote and seabass with Champagne cream sauce and caviar, both at Skye Bar; Ponta dos Ganchos sunloungers; Copacobana beachfront; São Paulo Cathedral

Stadium Lowdown from Paul Calçade Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro “Newly renovated, it’s a landmark of Brazilian football. It’s impossible to go to Rio and not visit it. Our best players have passed through here.”

HIDDEN GEM:

If football fever gets a little too much or you’ve seen your favourite team play and want some time to explore Brazil’s natural beauty, you’d be hard-pushed to find a more beautiful and luxurious spot than Ponta dos Ganchos (pontadosganchos.com). Located on a private peninsula surrounded by a fishing

 TOP FACT 

The official language is Portuguese, but many Brazilians speak other languages, according to their origins. German and Italian are fairly prevalent village on Brazil’s Emerald Coast, it is a haven for beach lovers. The award-winning Relais & Châteaux resort features 25 private, luxury, rustic-chic bungalows, each with a large wooden deck and sea views. Its unique location guarantees total privacy, and lucky guests can enjoy a private white-sand beach, hilltop cabana, secluded spa, nature trails and some of the best scuba diving, whale watching and rafting in Brazil. And if money really is no object, guests may even book a private, deserted island for romantic dinners and sunset beach walks. Ponta dos Ganchos is accessible by short and direct flights from five of the World Cup host cities: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Porto Alegre, Brasilia and Curitiba. During the World Cup, the hotel will be showing all the matches in their own cinema, making it a perfect place to fly to during breaks between matches, or to watch the games after the chaos of a city break.

Estádio Urbano Caldeira (Vira Belmiro), Santos

“The Vira Belmiro stadium in Santos is old, but it’s still the home of Pele’s Santos.”

Museu do Futebol, São Paulo

“Located at the Pacaembu stadium in São Paulo. A spectacular, very modern museum that gives fans an unforgettable experience, plus it’s inside a stadium that hosted the 1950 World Cup. And it’s still where Corinthians plays its matches, besides being a very charming place.”

Local pitches

“It’s worth paying a visit to one of the country’s local pitches. There are thousands in Brazil, especially in São Paulo. Today, due to rampant real-estate growth, they have been pushed farther out to the periphery of cities, but it is in these places where you will understand what football means in Brazil.”

O Peladão de Manaus

“There is a unique local tournament in the Amazon called O Peladão. It draws tons of people to the stadiums. Each team elects a queen. If the team is eliminated but their queen is beautiful, the team can come back for one more try! Brazilian football craziness!”



 TIME ON 



YOUR HANDS

Campos do Jordão is a two-hour journey from São Paulo, and according to scientists, it boasts some of the world’s purest air. Botanique (botanique.com.br) is the resort of choice for the luxury traveller, with 17 villas and suites featuring glass walls, exposed stone, slate, steel and 120-year-old wooden beams; the perfect rural and rustic retreat in which to sample all the benefits of unspoilt nature after the football mania.



LIFESTYLE | 95

 Source: lonelyplanet.com

city and the best caipirinhas cocktails in town. For the more adventurous, DOM (domrestaurante.com.br) and Mani (manimanioca.com.br) have given up European cuisine and are experimenting with ingredients from the Amazon rainforest, such as jambu, a fruit that delivers an electrical crackle when chewed.

PROMOTION

LEAVE LONDON BEHIND There’s nothing quite like the buzz of the City. But a change of scene can be equally energising. So why not let Celebrity Cruises take you far, far away from the ordinary – on a seven-night ‘Italian Renaissance’ cruise to seven refreshingly different destinations?

he multi-award-winning cruise line can transport you to a choice of over 270 destinations, across seven continents. Their unique blend of award-winning cuisine, first-class accommodation and impeccable, intuitive service is something they like to call Modern Luxurysm. And this short seven-night escape will introduce you to it beautifully. Your journey begins in Barcelona. Why not take in Gaudi’s bizarre, iconic architecture and an art gallery or two before you set sail for the glamour of Cannes? Here you’ve plenty of time to see the sights, or simply soak up the sun. Genoa, with its charming pastel-coloured buildings nestled in the dramatic cliff sides is your next stop. Back on board, you’ve plenty of time to rejuvenate mind, body and soul at the world-famous Canyon Ranch SpaClub®. When it’s time to retire for the night – after an evening of fine-dining followed by the cheeky, sultry entertainment genius of Sin Citytm Comedy, – there’s nowhere more blissful to unwind than your suite, where a personal butler will indulge your every whim. You’ll awaken in ancient Rome. There’s an enriching shore excursion at every destination you visit on this seven-night trip – in Rome, you’ll experience a delectable Italian feast at a local farmhouse. Your voyage continues to Kotor in Montenegro on the sixth day, Zadar on the seventh and finally Venice on day eight – before you return to London, fabulously refreshed and revitalised. D Seven-night Italian Renaissance cruise, Sky Suite from £3,439pp – find out more at celebritycruises.co.uk/thecity, call 0844 493 6023 or contact your travel agent.

LIFESTYLE | 97

THE GOOD LIFE

Even if you’ve already heard about the quality steak and premium wine Argentina has to offer, words cannot describe the joy of sampling the real thing in the sun-drenched region of Mendoza WORDS: Christopher Davies

he unique region and city of Mendoza could be described as a geographical and climatic oddity. Situated in western Argentina close to the Andes mountain range, it is essentially a desert that only receives around five days of rain per year. On top of that, rural areas often experience the Zonda wind, a dramatic change of pressure that can tear down trees and cause fires. Even so, Mendoza’s location and weather patterns work in its favour. In the summer, temperatures can reach 40°C (104°F), but a lack of humidity means the heat is much more enjoyable than other parts of the country. Mendoza’s outstanding natural landscape, which includes Aconcagua – the highest mountain in the Western hemisphere, is perfect for hiking, whitewater rafting, skiing and just about any other adventure sport you can think of. But perhaps the most significant consequence of Mendoza’s distinctive environment and microclimate is wine. So when you couple this with Argentina’s legendary steak, it is no surprise that this captivating town and region has

become one of South America’s most appealing destinations. Responsible for around two-thirds of national production, Mendoza is Argentina’s shining light when it comes to wine. Back in the 19th century, European oenologists came to Argentina bearing premium grape vines and a wealth of wine-making knowledge. The industry has not looked back since and today, Mendoza’s three main wine regions - Luján de Cuyo, Valle de Uco and Maipú – boast more than 1,500 different wineries. Notable varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Torrontés, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. However, the region’s bestseller is Malbec, which despite having French roots is now synonymous with Mendoza. Producing a deep, full-bodied red wine, this variety of grape thrives in Mendoza due to the clean air, intense sunlight, warm daytime temperatures and cool nights brought about by high-altitude vineyards. In terms of cuisine, Mendoza is much like the rest of the country, but benefits from fantastic wine pairings due to the wide range of varieties available. The distinctive and aromatic Torrontés is great with seafood or spicy dishes, while Malbec should always be served with meat, especially a typical Argentinian barbecue known as ‘asado’.

Visiting Mendoza

Mendoza itself is a quaint and pleasant town featuring tree-lined streets, expansive greenery and some delightful squares. Both residents and tourists can take advantage of Parque General San Martín, a picturesque public space containing multiple sculptures, rose gardens and a regatta lake. Downtown, the fountains of Plaza Independencia are perhaps the biggest draw, but smaller public squares, like the pretty Plaza España, featuring intricate and detailed tiles, are well worth a visit. “Mendoza is the sort of destination people visit for just a couple of days and end up never leaving,” notes Amanda Barnes, editor of English language publication Wine Republic. “As well as the wonderful weather, the main point to visiting Mendoza is enjoying the

98 | FEATURES

great wine and seeing its beautiful landscapes while taking things slowly.” Along with many other traits, it is this laid-back way of life coupled with the social and outgoing nature of wine tourism that makes Mendoza so appealing. Therefore, if you’re looking for an enchanting holiday destination, where premium wine, sumptuous cuisine and world-class accommodation are in abundance, it is difficult to look beyond Mendoza.

Mendoza Essentials

 Winery – Achaval Ferrer

Established initially as a hobby by five friends, Achaval Ferrer has blossomed into a charming estate that produces some sublime wines. In fact, its 2008 Finca Bella achieved 98 Robert Parker points, a quite remarkable feat in the wine industry. The tasting experience here is intimate and enjoyable, as well-informed guides let guests sample a delectable range of red wines. But before leaving, be sure to sample some of the outstanding olive oil too.

 Tour – Trout & Wine

Founded by Irish expat Charlie O’Malley, Trout & Wine’s Premium Wine Tour ensures tourists see and experience the best of what Mendoza has to offer. After being picked up from your hotel, an English-speaking guide will give a brief overview of the region and answer any questions. Before you know it, a couple of tasting sessions at Mendel and Renacer have taken place and it is soon time for lunch at the super-luxurious Club Tapiz. Following a final afternoon session at Luigi Bosca, you’ll inevitably make your way back to Mendoza with several bottles, or even cases, of Mendoza’s finest wines in tow.

 Visit – Park Hyatt Hotel

Sitting opposite Plaza Independencia, the Park Hyatt Hotel hosts numerous prestigious events throughout the year for both wine and food aficionados. Its wine and tapas evening, which combines an ever-changing menu with local blends and varieties, should not be missed.

TRAVEL

Far left: Vineyard at Mendel; Casa Antucura library and ceiling Below: Aconcagua and vineyard

 FOOD – Terrazas de los Andes

Even though some buildings date back more than 100 years, Terrazas de los Andes has been transformed into a thoroughly modern winery that oozes style and grace. First impressions from the immaculate interior and charming garden are awesome, but somehow the winery’s superb food manages to surpass these initial perceptions. Fresh, local ingredients are used to create gourmet cuisine, which is wonderfully complemented by its Reserve and Single Vineyard wines.

 stay – Casa Antucura

The winner of the Art & Culture category at the 2014 Best of Wine Tourism Awards, this boutique hotel and winery sits in stunning surroundings besides the Andes Mountains. In addition to this breathtaking landscape, Casa Antucura boasts an array of beautiful architecture and art, including the grand library’s truly magnificent ceiling artwork. Come for its cabernet sauvignon and stay in one of the Master Suites.

LIFESTYLE | 99

INTERVIEW

signof the don Having immortalised Mad Men’s Donald Draper for years, Jon Hamm is no stranger to being a cult symbol of effortless style and charm. But, as far as being a sex symbol goes, it’s a label he’s quite ready to leave behind WORDS: Stephen Milton

100 | FEATURES

people

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know anyone who approaches that title or status with anything but a bemused kind of curiosity...

FEATURES | 101

the astoundingly handsome Jon Hamm clarifies his sex symbol status. “It’s something that only other people can bestow on you and something that I don’t relate to really at all. I find it so confusing. “The idea is so silly to me, because if you could see me right now in my sweat pants and my dog staring at me and wondering when she’s going to be fed and walked, it’s so silly,” he chuckles, chatting from his Manhattan townhouse. Close confidante Tina Fey once joked that his beauty burns so bright she had to “poke a hole in a paper plate and look at him like an eclipse,” while long-time friend Sarah Silverman has frequently gushed about the St. Louis native's, “Mid-western farm yumminess”. And while he goofily pleads a yawning expanse from his matinee idol, Mad Men persona, the enduring culprit for all this sexual kerfuffle, the 43-yearold has to accept some physical responsibility. Was he mildly aware from the first costume fitting as Don Draper, all structured lines and Brylcremed locks, of the universal appeal of the Madison Avenue advertising exec with a Grace Kelly wife, a punch card of mistresses and a mysterious past? “I totally understood it, as the character, as Matthew Weiner’s creation, but I’m surprised I wasn’t laughed off the soundstage when I first showed up dressed like that. “Let me tell you, I’d worked on a number of television series at that stage, many of which had failed from the first shot, so I was highly pragmatic. I didn’t think I was believable as the character, I was simply waiting to be fired. “Sorry Jon, we’ve made a huge mistake, but thanks for the effort. Now be on your way’.” Cultivating a new breed of the debonair, urbane gent, Draper is an icon for contemporary pop culture with a fashionable, social ideal orbiting round his luminous masculinity. This worries Hamm. After seven seasons of portraying the archetype of self-invented swagger, his ability to succeed beyond the pristine, tailored shadow is currently in doubt. “I don’t necessarily have anything lined-up,” he chuckles nervously, clearing his throat repeatedly. “And I’m certainly very aware that I’m going to be gainfully unemployed very soon. I don’t know what the future holds, honestly. It’s a brave new world out there. People may not accept me in other roles. They might only want to see me as Don – brooding and drinking and whoring around. I hope they like other versions of me too.” Only time will tell. The final series of Mad Men is currently airing on both sides of the Atlantic, but fans have another year to anticipate the loss of Sterling Cooper’s finest as AMC show runners split the last run, with the second half on screens next spring. The end will come considerably sooner for Hamm and co-stars John Slattery, Elisabeth Moss, Christina Hendricks and January Jones who will shoot their last scenes this autumn. The genial actor predicts some emotional outbursts.“I think that I’m going to be a mess, honestly,” he sluggishly admits. “There will be tears, there will probably be fistfights and hair-pulling and every expression of emotion that you can imagine. It will be biblical in its emotion. “This show has taken up essentially a decade for me and it’s been a great decade. I’ve met a lot of people who I think will be friends for the rest of my life. I’ve had a lot of amazing experiences and I’ve gotten to go to award shows and just experience these things that when you start down the road of being an actor, you think that’s never going to happen and yet it did to me. So it’s been an emotional roller coaster ride for me. When it’s

102 | FEATURES

people All images: Jon Hamm in Mad Men

time to get off the ride, I’m going to be like, ‘I don’t want to get off man!’” Hamm, who’s delivered credible supporting fare in movies Bridesmaids, Sucker Punch and The Town – and surprisingly portrayed an older version of Daniel Radcliffe in Sky’s A Young Doctor’s Notebook – plans to employ the same method used by Tina Fey and co-stars when they shot the last episode of quirky comedy 30 Rock. “Tina told me no one wanted it to end, so it turned into this long overtime epic day because everyone was kind of dragging their feet thinking, ‘Well, if we just like go really slowly then maybe it won’t end’.” I attempt to quiz Jon about the details of the show finale before he politely interjects to say goodbye to his girlfriend [actress partner of 17 years, Jennifer Westfeldt] before she goes to work. Some muffled words of departure, including an inclusion of ‘honey’ and an audible kiss is heard before he returns to the phone. “Sorry about that, what we were speaking about again?” Naturally the plotlines are under festooned lock and key, but what glimpses, glimmers of light if you will, can he shed on the concluding outcome? Can devotees – ‘Maddists’ to the uninformed – expect a satisfying climax or a disappointing denouement? “Hand on heart, and you can’t see me now but I assure you, my hand is on my heart at this very moment, I don’t know how it’s going to end. I hope it’s satisfying for you all, as much as it is for me. Don has been part of my life for such a long time, it would certainly disappoint me if it all ended on a bleak, uncertain note, but I have full faith in Matthew [Weiner], and I like to think I trust his judgment and vision.” Despite having previously lamented his imminent place in the dole queue, there’s already a number of impending releases and projects for Hamm to choose from. Later this summer he’ll assume his first lead in Disney biopic Million Dollar Arm, playing sports agent JB Bernstein who discovered and introduced India’s first players to major league baseball, before starring in coming-of-age period drama The Sound and The Fury alongside James Franco and domestic comedy Keeping Up With The Joneses. After shooting another season of Sky’s A Young Doctor’s Notebook in London with Radcliffe last year, however, he gushingly confesses a desire for another excuse to film back in the capital. “If to explore the different areas alone. Last time, I was staying near London Bridge, so managed to take in some of the scenery and life along by the river and explore the markets and little side streets. “London for me is freeing. It’s so cavernous and labyrinthine, with little secret escapes and abodes that no one knows about unless they want to know.” Which can ultimately prove useful for an international sex symbol looking to glide just under the radar. “I think anyone can go unnoticed in London. It’s the kind of place that if you want to disappear, you can. And I mean that in a perfectly positive sense. “But I really don’t get it [the sex symbol label] much. Herein lies the big, gaping, vast difference between Don Draper and me – he’s the sharp-suited, hard-drinking playboy and I’m all scruffy hair and prickly facial hair with big dark circles under my eyes. Frankly, I think it’s difficult for people to trace the connection.” *The new season of Mad Men continues on Sky Atlantic

FEATURES | 103

film

gunsfor hire

Shockingly violent, an instant cult classic and an enduring force from the 90s, the unforgettable Pulp Fiction turns 20 this month. But, as we look back on Tarantinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work since, is Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enfant terrible in danger of becoming a pale imitation of his former self? WORDS: Chris Allsop

FEATURES | 105

film Previous page: Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction Right and Middle: John Travolta with Samuel L. Jackson; Uma Thurman and Travolta in Pulp Fiction; Left and Bottom: Uma Thurman in Kill Bill I

overlapping storylines, aestheticised violence, and baroque trash-talk. Audiences were introduced to Vincent and Jules, Marcellus Wallace, and the prospect of getting medieval on someone’s ass. The film launched Samuel L. Jackson into the stratosphere, and relaunched Bruce Willis and, for better or worse, John Travolta. Pulp Fiction duly won the 1994 Palme D’Or at Cannes where it premiered, and Tarantino later beat Woody Allen (Bullets over Broadway), Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral) and Peter Jackson (Heavenly Creatures) to that year’s Best Original Screenplay Oscar. “I don't want my films to be disposable,” declared Tarantino at the time. “I hope they last for hundreds of years.” Since film itself has only been around for about a century, it’s hard to say whether Tarantino is being a little Ozymandias in his hopes. One thing’s for certain: if his films endure, then so will the accusation of style over substance that detractors frequently level his year, Pulp Fiction is 20 and Quentin Tarantino is 51. For Hollywood at his output. But this, again, is a latter-day problem from the directors, this isn’t so old: David Fincher is the same age, while James perspective of his directorial career; the first three feature films he Cameron is 59, and Steven Spielberg, 67. Tarantino, however, has directed – Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and, three years later, Jackie created for himself an artificial career ceiling, often claiming that he’ll Brown – blended postmodern style and dramatic substance in equal retire at 60 with a filmography of ten. measure, and had many rightly asserting Tarantino as the most Explaining himself in a 2009 Hollywood Reporter round-table, the creative director of his generation. director said that he wouldn’t want to make films in a world of digital Returning from a six-year hiatus, the Kill Bill films signalled a projection. In a 2012 interview with Playboy, he added a new slant genre switch for Tarantino and also hinted at an internal struggle when he said: “Directors don’t get better as they get older. Usually the between the fanboy and directorial worst films in their filmography sides of his personality. The two are those last four at the end. I “Directors don’t get better as they get Kill Bill films (originally intended am all about my filmography, and as one three-hour-plus saga before one bad film f**cks up three good older. Usually the worst films in their Miramax convinced the director ones… I want this artistic journey filmography are those last four at the to split the feature) were primarily to have a climax. I want to work end. I am all about my filmography, and martial arts revenge features towards something.” one bad film f**cks up three good ones” bearing the motifs of Asian cinema This sounds like the noble and spaghetti westerns; part and motivation of the earnest artiste, parcel of that genre mash-up was a shift from his more rounded but it might also suggest an underlying anxiety that the climax may crime-period characterisation towards the melodramatic good have already been and gone. While the genre-defying irreverence of versus evil that fires the savage mythology of the Kill Bill volumes Pulp Fiction manifests almost instantly in the mind with a glimpse of (and the 1973 film- Lady Snowblood, to which Kill Bill owes a large the iconic poster or mention of the film’s title, 20 years on, have any debt). While cartoonish heroes and villains are an essential element of his other films lingered so long in the memory? What was the last in this genre’s fun and games, the inescapable fact is that it’s more Tarantino film you walked out of quoting? lightweight in dramatic terms than his crime films, perhaps sharing His breakout year was 1994, Tarantino’s annus mirabilis, in which as much in common with a telenovela (or, indeed, an anime movie) he followed up the promise of Reservoir Dogs (1992) (Empire’s Greatest than his earlier, critically-acclaimed movies. Independent Film of All Time) with Pulp Fiction, his masterpiece of

106 | FEATURES

film Facing page, clockwise from left: Brad Pitt in Inglourious Basterds; Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained; Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction; Below: Quentin Tarantino Right: Quentin Tarantino with John Travolta

After kung fu came Robert Rodriguez. Rodriguez, director of hits such as Sin City (2005) and the Mexico Trilogy, first met Tarantino at the Toronto Film Festival when the pair were both debuting their first features. It’s been an enduring friendship, with each collaborating on the other’s projects in various ways: From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), for Screenplay). New York Times critic A.O. Scott summarised the appeal example, saw Rodriguez direct a Tarantino script with Tarantino cast of both movies when he wrote that: “Like Inglourious Basterds, Django in the somewhat hard to swallow support role of George Clooney’s Unchained is crazily entertaining, brazenly irresponsible and ethically brother. The closeness of their relationship was confirmed when serious in a way that is entirely consistent with its playfulness.” Tarantino credited Rodriguez, who provided some music for the Kill Whether his latest films are better than the crime trilogy of the ’90s is Bill Vol II, as “My Brother”. a matter for debate; certainly the revenge structure of these latter works With Rodriguez in support, Tarantino’s inner fanboy/director carries with it some of the simplicity of drama and characterisation struggle swung hard in favour of the former with the production of that we encountered in Kill Bill. And is Grindhouse (2007), a double feature the complexity inherent in themes of – Planet Terror from Rodriguez and Serious returns to form, slavery and war transferring a borrowed Death Proof from Tarantino –intended weight essentially unearned by the films as a homage to schlocky B-movie Inglourious Basterds (2009) and horror from the ’70s. You can imagine Django Unchained (2012) became, themselves? But it’s undeniable that his writing the pair of them, motormouth film in turn, Tarantino’s highesthas regained some of its earlier nuance, enthusiasts, whipping each other grossing films to date especially in secondary characters such into a frenzy at the prospect of the as those played by Waltz, or Samuel L. homage. And the finished product is Jackson’s house slave Stephen, described by critic Geoffrey O’Brien exquisitely done, including the technical flourishes such as scratches as, “A figure not of weakness or compromise but of ferocious, twisted and blemishes on the prints as would occur at a careless “grindhouse” strength, his complexity of suffering and cruelty inextricably fused into cinema. Unfortunately, the whole endeavour is a little like lovingly the face of a hungry ghost”. rebuilding a Lada Riva: a fine job, but ultimately you’re now the Whether you feel that Tarantino will never top his early work, owner of a crap car. Slasher horror Death Proof was critically judged or that his latest career movement – tackling controversial themes the better specimen, but the response from the public was so weak with trademark irreverence – is his best yet, at least all can agree that the double feature was slashed into two by Miramax by the time that his desired career climax seems back on track. Will his films last it reached the UK. hundreds of years? Pulp Fiction wears its 20 lightly, but there may Perhaps this humiliation chastened fanboy Tarantino and helped be another way that his filmography endures: a 2013 survey found kick-start the latest and present chapter of his career: that of his that, in essays and coursework over the last five years, film students historical revenge fantasies – Inglourious Basterds in 2009 and Django reference Tarantino more than any other director. Perhaps his legacy Unchained three years later. will be this: one of references and homages by passionate fans and With serious returns to form, each of these films became, in turn, filmmakers. Seems fitting. Tarantino’s highest-grossing to date ($425,368,238 so far for Django). His talent for casting also returned to the fore – Christoph Waltz benefiting most with a Best Supporting Oscar apiece for each film D The Cineworld Exclusive Special Presentation of Miramax’s Pulp (Django also brought Tarantino his second Oscar, again for Original Fiction screens nationwide for one day only on 20 May

FEATURES | 109

The Great

ESCAPE From joining MI6 to teaching yoga, ex-brokers are taking up the unlikeliest of second careers. Food for thought if you’re thinking of quitting the City Words: Gavin Haines

hether you’re a reluctant banker or a trader with more get-up-and-go than Gordon Gekko, the chances are, at some point, you have fantasised about quitting the City. No more early mornings, no more hammering the phones and no more computer screens; don’t say you haven’t thought about it. For most traders, those fleeting thoughts will remain just that – ultimately, the hefty salaries and buzz of the City will prove impossible to leave behind. However, some do manage to free themselves from the shackles of the City; typically, they segue into other corporate institutions or set up their own businesses, but a small minority buck the trend and crop up in the unlikeliest of places. After the crash of 2008, MI6 reported a surge in traders applying to become spies. Apparently, going from broker to Bond isn’t the most implausible career change; the Secret Intelligence Service has claimed that traders make good spies because of their expertise in developing relationships. However, quitting your job as the MD of an asset management company to set up a social network for

110 | FEATURES

bereaved pet owners is not exactly a natural career change. But that’s exactly what Martin Bowen did, bidding farewell to a six-figure salary in the process. His unlikely journey is a touching one, which started with the death of his beloved black Labrador Ben, who was poisoned after drinking from a polluted stream. “I was working in a hard-nosed job and prior to that I had been a police officer – so I had seen a hell of a lot of things and regarded myself as being resilient,” he says. “But when I lost Ben I had never felt grief like it.” To help get over his loss, Martin looked online to see if there was a place where he could post pictures of Ben and write a memorial. Therapy, of sorts. However, aside from a few cheesy American sites, there was nothing of the kind. So Martin set up a forum for people like him and, within weeks, his website a4animals.com was attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world. “It just went ballistic. We were getting people coming to us from Russia, Brazil, India, the United States – all over really,” says Martin, who once did a £100 million deal in a Mayfair pub.

CAREER

Below: Roti Chai restaurant; Gerry Lopez; Martin Bowen

“We’ve got the raven keeper at the Tower of London following us and the guy who takes his hawks to Wimbledon to scare off the pigeons.” The site has evolved into an online animal magazine, and Martin has now quit the city to work fulltime on it from his home in Wales. But does he miss trading? “It’s a hell of a buzz and I do miss the cut and thrust of City life,” he admits. “I have been offered god knows how many jobs in London since, but I have such a good quality of life now with my family – we have a lovely house with lots of land and I get to walk my dogs in the mountains. “And I get so much pleasure from people contacting us through the site and leaving tributes to their animals – it’s amazing.”

A new position

My quest to find ex-brokers in unlikely jobs continued, taking me from the Welsh mountains to a sweaty gymnasium in Clapham Junction, where Gerry Lopez, a former hedge fund trader, teaches Bikram yoga. For those unfamiliar with the ways of Bikram, it is, essentially, a demanding type of yoga performed in a hot room. I know this because Gerry made me take one of his classes before agreeing to be interviewed. My experiences in that class – the highs, the lows, the times I thought I was going to pass out – are another story, but suffice to say I have seldom put my body so far out of its comfort zone. After 90 minutes of extreme stretching and marinating in my own sweat, Gerry kept his end of the bargain and explains why he quit the City for his hot new career. “I enjoyed trading and the pace of the market was exciting,” explains Gerry, who was trading up to $200 million a day. “But I did wonder how meaningful it was to the world – how much contact was I having with real people and with the world I lived in.” Gerry suppressed these thoughts and carried on, accepting a job in Monaco with a boutique brokerage company. However, when this venture failed to take off, he decided to follow his dreams and open a Bikram yoga school. “I started doing Bikram when I was training for the New York Marathon in 2004,” says Gerry, who was born in Mexico. “I had been doing it for many years, so I was already hooked.” In order to qualify as a teacher, he had to complete a gruelling training programme in LA with Bikram Choudhury himself. “I was in LA for nine weeks and completed about 600 hours of training,” says Gerry. “It was intense and I have to say that during the first two weeks, I didn't know if my body was going to cope with the physical demands.” But Gerry, 39, stuck with it and his labours paid off last year when he opened Bikram Yoga Clapham Junction. He’s never looked back.

“I get so much out of it when I see how much the yoga positively impacts people,” he says. “When people come to me and say that they don’t have to take their anxiety pills any more or that they can sleep better, it gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

History repeated

Other successful City quitters include Rohit Chugh, who turned his back on a high-flying Goldman Sachs career to open an Indian restaurant, Roti Chai, in the West End. “People in the City often think about quitting,” says Rohit. “But for me it was more a case of moving towards what I’d finally realised I really wanted to do, rather than 'escaping' what I was doing.” The French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin had a similar ethos and left his stockbroker job in Paris to paint some of his most celebrated works in the Caribbean. Unfortunately his 19th-century paintings were not given the recognition they deserved while he was alive and he died a penniless alcoholic with a chronic case of syphilis – you win some, you lose some. Happily, the Caribbean is treating City quitter Ian Usher much more favourably. In 2008, the Englishman not only left his high-flying career but sold everything he owned on eBay, buying an island in Panama with the proceeds. Today he lives an off-the-grid, self-sufficient life with his girlfriend Vanessa, their pet pooch and a flock of chickens. They spend most days growing food, snorkelling and kayaking. Predictably, he harbours no regrets. “I wouldn’t change anything,” he said, in a rare interview on New Lives in the Wild. “Life is supposed to be an adventure.”

FEATURES | 111

SHOPPING

Orlebar Brown

Summer’s fast-approaching and where better to kit yourself out for days lounging by the poolside than Jubilee Place’s resident swimwear specialist, Orlebar Brown. We talk to founder, Adam Brown, about beach style, bedroom business and Bond

ack in March 2007, in a bedroom in East London, one Adam Brown, inspired by a recent holiday and the less-thaninspiring male swimwear on view, launched a revolutionary line of trunks designed not as “a swim short, but more the short you swim in”. Seven years on, Orlebar Brown remains at the top of its game, adding a string of female and nonswim collections to its range. So what’s the secret? For Brown, it’s down to the company’s fundamental raison d’être: “many others have historically included swim as part of their collection, but we were the first to really focus a lifestyle collection ‘around’ a swim/poolside story. “We are not just another baggy shapeless pair of shorts. Our swim shorts are based on a 17 piece pattern of a man’s pair of trousers, they have side fasteners to adjust, a zip fly, front and back pockets and a tailored fit. This enables our product to be truly versatile and take you from sun lounger to sun-downer. Considered, tailored, colourful; these are our brand values and define everything we do.” Orlebar Brown’s unique design, is clearly vital to its success but it would seem that Brown’s early career as a photographer has also quite visibly infiltrated into the brand, from its products to its campaigns. While Brown remains modest

canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

about his photographic abilities, he admits that he has “always had clear ideas on composition, colour, scale and message. I suppose the part of the OB journey I have really enjoyed is creating a narrative around a product. How a great product can be brought to life. We have definitely used photography on both product and marketing.” Since 2009, OB has been famed for its range of distinctive collaborations, named OB Editions, and has this year teamed up with tattoo artist to the stars, Saira Hunjan, and late Japanese designer, Yuko Hagiwara. Brown admits “we spend a lot of time researching artists and potential partners for our OB Editions as I think this is such an integral way to bring the brand to life. Give the product a story and the customer an understanding of who we are and what we like outside of great colours.” Going on to reveal that OB is bang on-trend this summer with its jungle-inspired range, Brown explains how “flora, fauna, exotic animals and birds of paradise in vibrant colours all take centre stage. Moving from photography to illustration just slightly this season sees the launch of designs with the fabulously eccentric Greek artist Konstantin Kakanis.” Orlebar Brown, Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf

Top 5 from oRlebar brown

1 2 3 4 5

Springer Chicane Swim Short, £125

Bulldog MidLength Swim Short, £225

Tommy T T-shirt, £95

Ellis Mazanine Harrington Jacket, £295

Dudley Mid Grey Melange Crew Neck Sweatshirt, £135

SHOPPING

Sandro

Seduction

Having just opened a store in Jubilee Place, Sandro is bringing some French flair to Canary Wharf’s already flourishing fashion offering

legant, simple, chic: think of French style and these are just a few of the words that spring to mind. Think of your typical French fashion designer, however, and a Moroccan-born law graduate may not be the image that immediately springs to mind; yet Evelyne Chétrite, founder of internationally-acclaimed fashion line Sandro, isn’t your ordinary designer. Having launched the brand in 1984 – shortly after marrying her husband, Didier Chétrite, at the age of 19 – Chétrite was determined to meet the demand for a clothing line that filled the gap between high-street and

high-end French fashion. Over the past two decades, Sandro has done exactly that, becoming a front runner in the industry and laying claim to a wealth of admirers, from Pippa Middleton to Alexa Chung. Now a global representative and revolutionary of French fashion, Chétrite certainly has come a long way; no surprise, perhaps, when you consider her creative eye and effortless flair are somewhat au naturel. Sandro was established on family foundations and fashion, it seems, runs in her blood. During the company’s early years, Chétrite was joined by her younger sister, Judith, who later went on to launch the Parisian fashion line Maje. These days, Chétrite’s eldest son, Ilan, works alongside her in the company and was responsible for creating the brand’s menswear range in 2008. Yet, despite its growth, Sandro’s ethos has remained the same, appealing to astute and pragmatic buyers who are looking for quality above all else. For Chétrite: “Sandro is all about making women feel confident and beautiful. Our brand brings a modern twist to feminine outfits with a high sense of detail.” Last month, Sandro became the newest arrival to Canary Wharf’s shopping scene, promising its “collections will bring a new Parisian touch to the British working girl’s wardrobe” and “a new way to express their femininity with all the refinement they need.” Jubilee Place’s latest opening marks Sandro’s fourteenth London outlet. Joining the likes of Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Harrods, it bolsters the brand’s already 406-store-strong empire. With a commitment to feminine French tailoring and simple yet flattering lines, Sandro makes a welcome arrival to Canary Wharf and provides the perfect enticement to revamp your summer wardrobe. D Sandro, Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf

canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

art WINDOW GALLERIES

jubilee walk

The Art & Design window galleries in Canada Place Mall at Canary Wharf are open daily and showcase up-and-coming artists, designers and craftspeople. In May, the exhibitions are:

VISUAL ARTS Scale Appropriate: Sculpture by Michael Lyons Until 23 May Lobby, One Canada Square and Jubilee Park, Canary Wharf

Clarice Price Thomas Clarice is an award-winning jewellery designer who, since 2011, has been making elegant and mathematically precise jewellery inspired by machines, architecture and time. The daughter of a clock and watch maker, Clarice uses traditional milling machines and lathes to craft her contemporary pieces. Clarice’s pieces are items of true beauty, made to the finest quality and built to last, becoming timeless modern heirlooms.

A sculptor who works predominantly in metals, Michael Lyons reveals an essential sense of place in his sculpture which comes through his travels and his visual and emotional response to his surroundings. His subject matter also includes mythological themes, the influence of works of art from ancient cultures, landscape and the forces of nature. The sculptures are largely abstract renditions of these themes, developed through drawing, which he considers essential in advancing concepts in his work. Some pieces are painted or patinated whilst

others show steel or bronze in its natural form. Interestingly Lyons also writes poetry that may be seen as a creative entity but which, like photography, also contributes to developing his sculpture. D michaellyonssculptor.com

canada walk

D claricepricethomas.com

COMMUNITY WINDOW GALLERY: Delivering the Legacy

Walking on Water 14 May – 9 July PAUL ADAMS

Paul Adams is a digital artist, or rather, a conventional artist with a passion for computers and software. His main influences are geometric forms and the interaction of light. He uses a combination of open source software and the Adobe Creative Suite, combining and blending layers for best results and believes the artist’s eye is still requisite, even when using a computer as the preferred tool. D pixelpainter.co.uk

Walking on Water is an ongoing visual chronicle of East London post-Olympics: its 6.5 miles of connecting waterways, its neighborhoods, schools and centres of technology. At the heart of the exhibition, displayed at Excel earlier this month, was a 200 piece display by Water City artist Frank Creber. Walking on Water was integrated with the Channel 4 Grand Designs Live exhibition. In the same way that Grand Designs focuses on the imaginative regeneration of buildings, the regeneration of East London can be thought of as a Grand Design writ large. D water-city.com

events Canary Wharf Charity Abseil

save the date

Join more than 150 other thrill seekers by taking on this fundraising challenge and revel in a once in a lifetime experience! Fearlessly descend down 230ft down 50 Bank Street while raising essential funds for English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS). No previous experience is required as training is provided by fully qualified instructors, but you must be over 18. D edfs.org.uk

Canary Wharf Motorexpo

Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 May 8am – 5pm 50 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, E14 TICKETS: Registration required. £30 registration fee. £150 minimum target. Email Becky Lee at events@efds.co.uk or call 0161 228 2868.

Canary Wharf Jog

Wednesday 21 May 6pm – 8.30pm Throughout Canary Wharf, starting from Canada Square Park, E14 FREE but advance registration required £2 for timing chip (optional) To register for the British Heart Foundation’s Canary Wharf Jog or for more information please visit bhf.org.uk/canarywharfjog or call free-phone 0845 130 8663

The Pearl Izumi Tour Series Action-packed cycling returns to Canary Wharf this June with The Pearl Izumi Tour Series on Thursday 5 June. Returning for its fifth year, Britain’s top domestic cyclists race again in what is the fastest event on the Tour Series calendar, around Canary Wharf’s iconic 1.1 kilometre circuit. Olympic Champion Ed Clancy will be amongst those competing, as he seeks to avenge his narrow defeat by Chris Opie

Want to run or jog the Canary Wharf Jog on Wednesday 21? If you want to do something for charity, but need to find a less thrill-seeking activity, then look no further. The Canary Wharf Jog is the perfect opportunity to get fit, have fun with friends and even make new ones as you jog, run or hop round the circuit. Last year more than 1,500 people took part and raised over £56,000 for the British Heart Foundation – the nation’s leading heart charity. D bhf.org.uk/canarywharfjog

Thursday 5 June 6pm – 8.30pm Throughout Canary Wharf, E14 FREE to visit

Canary Wharf transforms into an urban stage showcasing the latest vehicle creations from the world’s leading motor manufacturers. In a motor show like no other, the Motorexpo gives you the opportunity to get up close with unrivalled access to the latest vehicles that the automotive market has to offer, for free. This year’s event offers further chances to get behind the wheel of your dream car with display highlights from Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Lexus, Maserati, Volvo and Tesla. Don’t miss the opportunity to book your test drive during the show! For details visit motorexpo.com or pick up a free copy of this year’s official guide, The Motorexpo Directory 2014 on arrival at the Motorexpo. Monday 9 – Sunday 15 June Monday – Saturday 10am – 6pm Sunday 11am – 5pm Throughout Canary Wharf, E14 FREE to visit

in last year’s Canary Wharf competition. But crucially it is team performance that matters, with five world level UCI squads competing,. Ahead of the professional race there will also be the fun of the ProAm Canary Wharf Corporate Grand Prix, as teams from some of Canary Wharf’s tenants battle it out on the same circuit as the professionals. All of the action will be screened on ITV4 on Friday 6 June in a one-hour highlights show.

canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf



DIRECTORY 

Wining and dining, shopping and splurging, the City is home to a wealth of amenities

COLLECTION BREMONT 12 The Courtyard Royal Exchange 0207 220 7134 bremont.com BOODLES 2 & 3 The Courtyard Royal Exchange 020 7283 7284 boodles.com BULGARI 15 The Courtyard Royal Exchange 020 7283 4580 bulgari.com ERNEST JONES Unit 3, Plantation Place 020 7929 4491 ernestjones.co.uk GUCCI 9 Royal Exchange 020 7623 3626 gucci.com HERMÈS 12-13 Royal Exchange 020 7626 7794 hermes.com LINKS OF LONDON 27 Broadgate Circle 020 7628 9668 linksoflondon.com MONTBLANC 10-11 Royal Exchange 020 7929 4200 montblanc.com Tiffany & Co. 9-11 The Courtyard Royal Exchange 0800 160 1114 tiffany.co.uk

118 | LISTINGS

HEALTH & GROOMING AJALA SPA 10 Godliman Street 020 7074 1010 www.ajalaspa.com BARBER EXPRESS LTD 14 Devonshire Row 020 7377 5485 barberexpress.co.uk CHEQUERS BEAUTY SALON 53-54 Leadenhall Market 020 7283 3047 chequersbeauty.co.uk CITY HEALTH & FITNESS CLUB LONDON Grange City Hotel, 8-10 Cooper’s Row cityhealthclub.co.uk ELYSIUM SPA 21 Old Broad Street 020 7256 8624 elysiumfortytwo.co.uk ESSENTIAL THERAPY 39 Whitefriars Street 020 7353 1895 essential-therapie.co.uk FETTER BARBERS LTD 144 Fetter Lane 020 7702 3553 fetterbarbers.com

NICHOLSON & GRIFFIN 74 Cannon Street, 020 7489 8551 nicholsonandgriffin.com OPTIX 175 Bishopsgate 020 7628 0330 optixuk.com SMILEPOD BANK STUDIO Leadenhall Market off Fenchurch Street 18-20 Cullum Street 020 7836 6866 smilepod.co.uk TED’S GROOMING ROOM 120 Cheapside 020 7367 9932 tedsgroomingroom.com THE HARLEY MEDICAL GROUP Marc House Great Street 0800 022 3385 harleymedical.co.uk THE PRIVATE CLINIC 107 Cheapside 0800 599 9911 theprivateclinic.co.uk

F FLITTNER 86 Moorgate 020 7606 4750 fflittner.com

TOWER BRIDGE HEALTH & FITNESS CLUB 47 Prescot Street 020 7959 5050 grangehealthclubs.com

LONDON CITY RUNNER 10 Ludgate Broadway 020 7329 1955 londoncityrunner.com

VIRGIN ACTIVE 5 Old Broad Street, 0845 270 4080 virginactive.co.uk

HOME & BEAUTY ARTISAN FINE ART 35 Royal Exchange 020 7929 5656 artisangalleries.com DERMALOGICA One New Change 013 7222 5537 dermalogica.com JO MALONE 24 Royal Exchange 08701 925131 jomalone.co.uk KIEHLS Unit 14/15, Royal Exchange 020 7283 6661 kiehls.co.uk LIGNE ROSET 7-39 Commercial Road 020 7426 9670 ligne-roset-city.co.uk MOLTON BROWN 27 Royal Exchange 020 7621 0021 moltonbrown.com OLIVER BONAS One New Change 020 7248 3152 oliverbonas.com PAUL A YOUNG FINE CHOCOLATES 20 Royal Exchange 020 7929 7007 paulayoung.co.uk PENHALIGON’S 4 Royal Exchange 020 7623 3131 penhaligons.com