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| ed’s letter |
from the editor issue no.
119
Edit o r -i n-Chi e f Lesley Ellwood
Edi tor Richard Brown
a s s is tant Edi tor Bethan REES
Edit o rial a ssi stant
SE P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7
david taylor
ART E DITOR Winter 1972. Four years after publishing Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick hasn’t written a single thing for two-and-a-half years. It will still be a decade before his post-apocalyptic thriller, in which nuclear fallout has forced humans to colonise Mars, will become the base text for Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. “I decided that I should take all the ideas in my head worth anything and put them in a speech,” Dick later tells Vortex magazine in 1974. “Computers are becoming more and more like sensitive cogitative creatures, but at the same time human beings are becoming dehumanised. As I wrote the speech, I sensed the need for humans to reinforce other people’s humanness. And because of this it would be necessary to rebel against an inhuman or android society.” What do you believe defines a human being? Asks the interviewer. “The capacity to say no when what one was told to do was wrong. Someone saying, ‘No, I won’t kill. I won’t bomb.’” Dick titled his speech The Human and the Android. He would later say it was the most important thing he’d ever written. Summer 2017. Relations between the United States and North Korea have nosedived. The American President has promised Pyongyang “fire and fury like the world has never seen”. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk (an advocate of colonising Mars, coincidentally) has just joined 116 other robotics and artificial intelligence pioneers in signing an open letter to the United Nations. It urges the organisation to block the development of killer robots. Prophesying a third age of warfare, the letter warns that ‘lethal autonomous weapons will permit armed conflict to be fought at a scale greater than ever, and at timescales faster than humans can comprehend’. It all sounds very Dick, doesn’t it? Right on cue, Blade Runner 2049 arrives in cinemas in October. With Musk’s vision having come to pass, Ryan Gosling must save humanity from a series of rogue androids. Gosling discusses resurrecting a cult classic and working with Harrison Ford on page 36. Dick died of a stroke in 1982 just as Dubai was beginning its metamorphosis into the most modernised city on Earth (p.100). Nowhere is racing towards the future faster than it. With Robocops on the streets, autonomous taxis in the skies, and supersonic tube travel now a reality, the city is already the stuff of science fiction. Imagination into reality. Dreams into fact. Welcome to Dick’s world.
The T-800 from the Terminator film franchise. Photograph: Melinda Sue Gordon/Allstar/Paramount
Chantal Lascelles
G e n eral Mana ge r Fiona Smith
Pro d u cti on Hugo Wheatley Alice Ford Jamie Steele
Pro pe rt y Di r ec tor Samantha Ratcliffe
Ex ec u t iv e D i r ec tor Sophie Roberts
M a n a g in g Di r ec tor Eren Ellwood
Published by
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Richard brown, editor
Publishers Association
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Other titles within the RWMG portfolio
responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.
Cover Image
(p.12): Mercedes-AMG GT R, from £143,260, image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz, mercedes-benz.co.uk
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THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
issue no.
119
Contributors
contents
SE P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7
Rob Crossan Rob works regularly for the BBC, and across publications including GQ, The Sunday Times and the Daily Telegraph. On page 82, Rob documents the iron rule of Swaziland’s King Mswati III.
62
Gain A/W17 style inspiration from The City Magazine’s journey to the Atlas Mountains
on the cover 36
city social
Ryan Gosling Hollywood’s leading man on his most significant role to date 44 Made in England The British watch brands beating Switzerland at its own game 51 Style Special Instagram, influencers, outlets and AW17 inspiration in the Atlas Mountains 82 The Last King of Africa The tyrannical rule of Swaziland’s King Mswati III 86 Billionaire Boys’ Clubs Is it still possible to win the Premier League without a super-rich overlord? 90 Supercar Wars The world’s best sub-150k sports cars 100 Dubai: The Future is Now Robocops and Hyperloop in the Arabian Desert
28 news Francesco Mazzei’s new trattoria, the 2017 Whisky Show and an American classic 34 Bon Viveur A first look at Ten Trinity Square’s new club
city life
out of office
12 Edit Volcanoes, orangutans, and the luxury brands celebrating a very Tropezian birthday 20 Tech Sublime sound meets haute couture in the Sennheiser and Dior collaboration 25 Living Bold and beautiful interior choices
8
Chris Hall Chris is Digital Editor at SalonQP.com, and has covered technology and moroting for the likes of Wired and Esquire. This month, Chris trials the Jaguar F-Type SVR in our Supercar Wars (p.90).
city collection
43
48
Only Watch 2017 Watchmakers come together in the fight against muscular dystrophy Jewellery News A new collection of ethically sourced emeralds
city style 56
Get Carter The King of Cufflinks is looking east 73 New Scentsation Acqua di Parma’s latest fragrance launch
96 Choose your Weapon Mexican artist Denise de la Rue pays homage to Francisco de Goya 108 Desert Island Discs Cheval Blanc Randheli raises the stakes for luxury retreats in the Maldives 110 Sugar and Spice Sweet dreams at Sugar Beach, St Lucia
Jack Watkins Jack’s writing on history and politics has featured in titles such as the Guardian, the Daily Telegraph and The Independent. Turn to page 86 for Jack’s take on the billionaires making football their personal plaything.
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
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21/08/2017 13:35
CITY LIFE Zaha Hadid Architects has released a series of photographs showing the construction of the atrium inside a 207-metre skyscraper in Beijing, designed by Zaha Hadid before her death last year. The Leeza Soho building is scheduled to reach its full height in September, with completion due in late 2018 – the atrium is said to be the world’s highest at 190 metres, beating the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. Image courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects, zaha-hadid.com
city edit (p.12)
Mercedes-AMG launches the GT R & Rolls-Royce reveals the Dawn B50
city tech (p.20)
audio expert sennheiser links up with fashion giant dior homme
city fitness (p.23)
up your energy levels with all-natural supplements
[ city life ]
City edit
Mercedes-AMG GT R “Never before has Mercedes-AMG packed so much motorsport technology into a production vehicle,” reads the opening gambit of a Mercedes-AMG press release announcing the launch of the GT R. A tweaked 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 produces 577 bhp, propelling the car to 62mph in just 3.6 seconds. Top speed is 198 mph. The redesigned suspension, ramped-up traction and more rigid frame all make the GT R a phenomenal performer. Mercedes obviously thinks so, too, judging by the new colour its created for the car. ‘AMG Green Hell Magno’ links the GT R to the Nürburgring’s infamous ‘Green Hell’ North Loop, where this road-legal racer was extensively developed. From £143,260, mercedesbenz.co.uk
the car
12
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| the edit |
The commodities and consumables raising our interest rates this month
Goggle Track jacket (£325)
the jacket
The self-styled brand laboratory C.P Company has produced more than 40,000 different garments over its 42-year history, under the banner ‘Function and Use’. This technical full-zip jacket combines a puffer body with C.P’s specialist shell – a lycra exterior over a membrane bonded to an internal polar fleece – to create a super-soft fabric able to withstand anything the elements can throw at it. cpcompany.co.uk. Lightweight and soft shell fabric
Zip pockets and ribbed cuffs Puffer body adds warmth; lycra outerface adds weather resistance
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
13
the photography
14
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| xxxx |
National geographic Travel photographer of the year This shot by Reynold Dewantara of Mount Bromo won the Indonesian an honourable mention in National Geographic’s 2017 Travel Photographer of the Year contest. Mount Bromo is a small but active volcano in East Java, Indonesia. When Dewantara visited last year, he took this photo from the patio of a local hotel. He managed to capture the rare eruption during a period of excellent natural light. The competition’s category winners can be viewed online now, although it were up to The City Magazine, Dewantara would have pipped it. nationalgeographic.com
Photo by Reynold Riksa Dewantara / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
15
In the canopies
This dramatic shot comes from American wildlife photographer Tim Laman, who won the National History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2016. The image, entitled Entwined Lives, frames a critically endangered Bornean orangutan above the Indonesian rainforest. Laman spent three days rope-climbing the 30-metre tree to set several GoPro cameras that he could trigger remotely. An exhibition showcasing all competition entries runs at the National History Museum until 10 September, so don’t miss out. Adult tickets from £12. Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7, 020 7942 5000, nhm.ac.uk
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THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| xxxx | © Tim Laman
the exhibition
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
17
the collaboration
A V12 engine prodcues 570bhp
Byblos Exclusive S
0-62mph in 5 seconds, top speed 155mph
Custom built at Goodwood
18
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| the edit |
e Series
Hotel Byblos, the A-List’s Tropezian home away from home, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with a series of luxury collaborations. Partners include Audemars Piguet, Goyard, Sisley and Missoni, but the two to catch our eye are Dom Pérignon and Rolls-Royce. The Champagne brand has designed a series of Methuselah bottles celebrating Byblos’s mythical nightclub, Les Caves du Roy, available to buy from the Caves themselves for €50,000 (approx. £46,000). Elsewhere, RollsRoyce has created the unique Dawn B50, resplendent in the colours of Byblos and yours for €492,000 (approx. £453,000). Read about The City Magazine’s trip to St. Tropez’s most famous hotel on p.107. byblos.com
One of five different designs
Dom Pérignon’s much-lauded 2003 vintage
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
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| xxxx |
| city life |
[ city life ]
city TECH
Essential apparatus for keeping ahead of the curve Words: david taylor
couture cans Dior Homme x Sennheiser
If you’re going to invest in a top quality audio system, you might as well splurge on one that looks the part, too. Premium sound specialist Sennheiser understands this, which is why it’s collaborated with the home of couture, Dior, to create the Dior Homme x Sennheiser editions. The Home solution package features Sennheiser’s HD 800 S headphones and HDVD 800 amplifier, designed in Dior’s black, anthracite and brushed metal with red detailing. Store the system in calfskin-lined drawers provided by Dior. Three other editions are available: Pocket, which features the Sennheiser IE800 earphones; and Daily and Travel, which come with a fine leather clutch and backpack, respectively, and the PXC 550 headphones (see below). Home solution €7,600 (approx. £7,000), sennheiser.com
HDVD 800 amplifier
Luxury storage unit courtesy of Dior
NoiseGard noise cancellation
Sennheiser PXC 550
Coming as part of the Daily and Travel editions of the Sennheiser x Dior collaboration, the PXC 550 headphones are considered one of the best noisecancelling wireless sets on the market due to Sennheiser’s NoiseGard system. It’s also foldable, and has up to 30 hours of battery life, making it a pretty powerful travelling companion. Daily solution £880; Travel solution £1,750
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THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
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| FITNESS |
[ city life ]
city Health
What SUP? A host of new fitness brands are getting ethical and focusing on the source Words: David Taylor
Innermost
In an attempt to de-clutter the supplement market, premium brand Innermost has created four strands of supplements – The Strong One, The Fit One, The Health One and The Lean One – to help give consumers an easier time when choosing what to take. The packs are carefully put together, with protein, functional superfoods, sirtfoods and other natural goodness to give you an efficient supplement. With a focus on real health, rather than quick-fix body image, the products contain no GMOs, artificial colours, flavours or fillers, and no mystery ingredients. By chucking out the jargon, Innermost has tried to simplify supplements, as well as the way we take them. liveinnermost.com
optimum nutrition Pulsin
Pulsin’s range is comprehensive, with the organic whey protein at the top of the pile. It’s natural, unflavoured, and soya free. The website gives handy recipes for making supplements tastier, but also offers a range of protein-rich snacks such as its raw choc brownies and a selection of children’s products. pulsin.co.uk
£39bn 27% global worth of supplement market
rise in sports nutrition products in the UK from 2013 to 2015
46%
of Britons were daily vitamin or supplement users in 2016
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
Form Nutrition
Form Nutrition takes pride in the fact that all its supplements come from plant-based sources such as curcumin and AlgaVia, meaning it’s all vegan, gluten free and dairy free. It’s not just feeding you, either: with every order you place, Form will provide a meal to someone who needs it most, through the Family Feeding Fund at Bansang Hospital in The Gambia. formnutrition.com
23
E
Uniform wallwashing Wall offset/luminaire spacing of up to 1:1.3
Maximum longevity Lumen maintenance L90/B10
Minimalist ceiling design Linear downlights
Efficient visual comfort Glare-free working environment UGR <19
Individual dimming Continuously from 1% to 100%
Effective zoning Oval flood 35° x 90°
High efficiency Low connected load
Zonal lighting for office workstations Compar – a high performer for linear looks ERCO has perfected the potential of superior architectural lighting for high-quality office designs. The slim luminaires offer a subtle decorative detail in the ceiling whilst with five different light distributions also providing extremely efficient lighting tools with high standards of visual comfort, making them ideal for offices, conference rooms and foyers. www.erco.com/compar
Light is the fourth dimension of architecture
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| INTERIORS|
[ city life ]
CITY LIVING
Standout homeware, because it’s what’s inside that counts Words: BETHAN REES
Foosball crazy, foosball mad
Alain Gilles X DEBUCHY by toulet FOOSBALL TABLE
No more does your foosball, sorry, football table have to be hidden away in the basement. The Pure table, designed by Brussels-based designer Alain Gilles for Debuchy by Toulet (owned by Arsenal’s Mathieu Debuchy), can double up as a piece of modern art in your living room. The Pure, from £6,950, Debuchy by Toulet, debuchybytoulet.com
FErn but fair
An easy way of adding greenery to your home, this metal box can also be used as storage for books, magazines and other bric-a-brac. Plant box, £165, Ferm Living, fermliving.com
Oksen chair I ’ ve bee n e x pec t i ng you, mr b o n d The ultimate of f i c e a c c e ss or y : a Republic of Fritz Hansen Oksen lounge chair. Masculine, bold and powerful , the chair has just been relaunched and updated from its 1966 design . Oksen chair, from £7,750, Republic of Fritz Hansen, fritzhansen.com
Mo n taag’ s an z a E spre s s o mac h i n e San Francisco-based design company Montaag has put its brutalist-style AnZa espresso machine into production. AnZa will be available via crowdfunding platform Kickstarter beginning in August, with machines available at the beginning of 2018. £TBC, anzacoffee.com
the daily grind
tom dixon’s pestle & mortar
This weighty block of Morwad marble and brass pummel is the perfect tool to grind herbs and spices. Tom Dixon’s classic minimalist design makes this not your average kitchen accessory. Stone pestle and mortar, £155, Tom Dixon, tomdixon.net
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
A british icon Where else are you going to put your loose change, than in a sterling silver crafted Bulldog money bank? It features a coin slot at the head and a screw-in lid at the bottom – just in case. Bulldog money bank, £10,000, Asprey, asprey.com
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020 7987 4320
CITY SOCIAL Tonight Josephine, opened in Waterloo in June 2017, is inspired by Josephine de Beauharnais, 19th century party girl and wife of Napoleon. The bar is a celebration of hedonism and femininity, with neon signs stating things like ‘Well behaved women don’t make history’. Make sure to try the Lemongrass Collins (with added chilli). 111 Waterloo Road, SE1, tonightjosephine.co.uk
Radici Trattoria (p.28)
Francisco Mazzei’s new venue oozes Southern Italian charm
Liquid Gold (p.30)
A handy guide to getting the best out of London’s wine auctions
Ten Trinity Square (p.34)
A look behind the scenes at the Square Mile’s latest Members’ Club
[ city life ]
City social REVIEW
Radici, N1 A radical tangent: Francesco Mazzei’s Islington trattoria is classic Calabrian cuisine for unbeatable value
When the founder of the City’s L’Anima (the man responsible for bringing the now-ubiquitous N’duja spicy sausage to these shores) opens a new restaurant, two things spring to mind. The first is, you have to go. The second, is a slight trepidation over the effect on your wallet. The food at Radici rivals L’Anima, but here, over in Islington, it’s served at a fraction of the price. Italian for root, Radici is a fitting name for a restaurant whose head chef is returning to Calabrian basics. It’s not just the food (more on that later); the space has a Mediterranean, communal atmosphere, with an open-plan bar, lots of tables and a woodfire oven creating the feeling of a family kitchen. The huge front windows double up as doors and there’s a distinct influence of Italian happy hour over the tables outside. The menu is a celebration of southern Italy, full of rustic and refined haphazardness. Start in opulence with the roast octopus and cannellini, or plump, as I did, for the Italian salumi and cheese platter, enough for two. The menu continues along the same vein, with homely portions of taglierini nei fagioli or tortelli burrata. The white pizza I was persuaded to order as a third course was light and moist, the base perfectly charred by the wood fire oven, though I only managed half before admitting defeat. A doggie bag was duly requested. As is always the way, there was somehow, miraculously, room for dessert. The tiramisu was family-sized, as layered as Inception and had me on Expedia looking for flights to Calabria. The compulsory limoncello digestivo – it had a challenging job to sort through the last three hours – put an end to a feast that anyone, be they mamma or Michelin, would be proud of. radici.uk highbury & islington
essex road
Radici, N1
New opening
The Lampery, EC3
Opening at the start of September, The Lampery is a new all-day hearty dining spot a short walk from the Tower of London and London Bridge. Based in Apex City of London Hotel on Seething Lane, it takes its name from the street’s most famous resident, Samuel Pepys: his diary shows that one of his favourite dishes was the Lampery ‘pye’. Try it for yourself in EC3. thelampery.com
28
GNH Bar, N1
GNH Bar at The Great Northern Hotel has recently launched a new cocktail list created by head bartender Harry Nikolaou. As the bar’s first major menu overhaul since the hotel’s £40 million refurbishment, the list hopes to cement the bar’s reputation. It includes left-field offerings like Deep in the Sea (smoked salmon and dill infused vodka, dry vermouth and celery bitters) and Ahau Chamahez (guacamole and coriander with tequila, chilli, lime juice and olive bitters). gnhbar.com
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| NEWS |
Keeping the epicure nourished with the Square Mile’s latest launches and culinary crazes
New & noteworthy
R4 Damascus
Three-piece paring, santoku and chef ’s knife set, approx. £927 ($1199). For more options, go to uniquejapan.com
Words: DAVID TAYLOR
The Whisky Show 2017, ec3
The Whisky Show, the brainchild of The Whisky Exchange, is back to showcase more than 600 whiskies from around the world at Old Billingsgate. For the first time, the show will celebrate the ‘Art of Whisky’ – encouraging visitors to see whisky as an artform, and interact with the process of whisky making, from blending to bottling, and whisky tasting. 30 Sep - 01 Oct, £99 for a day ticket, £175 for the weekend, Old Billingsgate, whiskyshow.com
The hawksmoor Big Matt
Originally on the menu at Hawksmoor for Independence Day, the Big Matt burger has proven so popular that the restaurant chain has decided to keep it on the menu. The Big Matt Meal consists of two charcoal-grilled beef patties, Hawksmoor special sauce, Red Leicester cheese, lettuce, onions and pickles. The burger is accompanied by dripping fries and Shakey Pete’s Ginger Brew (gin, ginger, lemon and London Pride). It’s a big deal. £20, hawksmoor.com
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
29
[ city life ]
City SOCIAL
Liquid gold F
irms like Berry Bros. & Rudd and Hedonism Wines are queuing up to sell you luxury labels – so why bother going to an auction? The answer is choice: you’ll find scores of older, rarer wines at auction that most retailers probably won’t stock, and auction prices are generally lower than retail prices. “We have bought a small number of parcels from auction for The Vineyard Hotel, but only ever from the reputable auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s,” says James Hocking, owner of The Vineyard Cellars. “It can sometimes be the only way for us to access mature wine not otherwise available on the market, so in that sense they are an extremely valuable source of special wines.” Moreover, with fine wine still proving a good longterm and dependable equity investment, there’s still the opportunity to make a decent profit. However, the maxim ‘caveat emptor’ has a particular relevance in the wine trade – buying at auction is fraught with potential pitfalls, and expensive disappointments are by no means unknown. For a start, buyers need to remember that the hammer price isn’t the final price they will be paying; there will be a commission price of approximately 20 per cent on top of that, and if the wines are being sold ‘in bond’, there will also be duty and VAT to be paid. Remember to read the catalogue very carefully to check whether wines are in bond or duty paid, otherwise a lot you have purchased could easily double in price. Leading sommelier Clement Robert MS also advises buyers to “pay attention to the provenance of stock before bidding.” If a wine has been stored on the other
ABOVE James Hocking, Director of Wine at The Vineyard Cellars
30
side of the world, for example, there is a chance that bottles have suffered from transportation, especially if you are purchasing mature wines. “Storage can be a big issue with auction wines. The catalogue should say where the wine is stored – hopefully at a reputable, professional cellar, such as Octavian,” adds Hocking. Hocking also notes that any reputable catalogue will show pictures of the cellar if the wine is from a private collection, and offer a detailed description. “This is critical,” he says. “If the wine has moved around a bit, that is also a warning sign. There is always an element of risk once the wines are out of the hands of the winery and the merchant.” Hocking also underlines the point that buyers should, if possible, examine the bottles at the pre-sale viewing – dust on top of the bottle means they have been stored upright and will be in less good condition then their horizontally stored counterparts. Levels of wine should be checked too. If they are low, just don’t touch it. Ultimately, though, the key thing for you to consider during the auction process, is whether you are buying
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| news |
Why buy fine wine at auction when London is bursting with reputable merchants? Well, for the best in variety, price and investment Words : James Lawrence
for pleasure or an investment. Purchasing wines destined for the dinner table gives you more options and freedom; you don’t have to limit yourself to the most famous names – Cheval Blanc, Lafite, Mouton Rothschild, etc – and you can explore equally memorable, but cheaper Bordeaux wines. In addition, professional wine dealers and restaurateurs typically ignore bottles with torn or stained labels, as they are difficult to re-sell. But for the buyer who simply wants to enjoy their purchases, some real bargains can be obtained as the bidding will often be lackluster. Also, investors often want to buy bottles of the same wine from one vintage – mixed lots containing different vintages or wines are always less attractive to investors and therefore better value. However, if your sole motivation is to make a return on your investment, you’ll need to limit yourself to a narrow spectrum of fine wines – Bordeaux and Burgundy being the usual suspects. When bidding for older vintages, it is advisable to try and stick to single cellar collections that have been properly stored and cared for. These will always command a premium from future buyers, and it’s a good idea to research a wine collection’s provenance. Lastly, always crossreference the wine’s retail value prior to bidding, several online wine search engines will calculate a wine’s value for you. But most importantly, always exercise caution when buying older wines. Faking of old vintages, especially of Bordeaux wines, is becoming
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
Pricy Wine The most expensive bottle of wine ever sold at auction was an Imperial (six-litre bottle) of Screaming Eagle Cabernet 1992, which sold at a charity auction for $500,000 (approx. £390,000).
LEFT Château Cheval Blanc 2005, £825, clos19.com BELOW Collection of Château Mouton Rothschild vintages
increasingly common and at auction you are buying ‘as-is’ so read the fine print in the catalogue regarding warranties and your rights. Alarm bells should start ringing if it looks like all aspects of the bottle – cork, capsule, label and glass – were not aged together. After, say, 25 years, there should be some oxidation of the label and capsule and the cork will not look youthful after spending over two decades in a dusty cellar. Also, give particular attention to the ullage levels – the air space between the cork and the liquid – as older bottles should have a bigger space between the cork and wine. Finally, as with any auction, always keep a cool head, set a ceiling for your maximum bid and stick to it. It’s easy to fall foul of auction fever and end up spending far more than you anticipated. Few wines qualify as one of a kind and, moreover, the wines you are after will undoubtedly re-appear at future auctions. Or, as James Hocking so eloquently describes it: “Whilst it can be extremely worthwhile buying wine at auction, there is always an element of risk. It comes down to a balance of price, quality of storage and rarity. You may well pick up a bargain but do remember if your DRC is corked, there is no come back.”
31
The luxury Fixers
As Founder and Managing Director of Sigillus, the global concierge company, Paola Diana makes the impossible possible. Here, she discusses living a life without limits
Why did you launch Sigillus? PD: I started Sigillus because the clients of the first company that I founded, Nanny & Butler, as well as myself, couldn’t find a refined and high calibre concierge service that matched our expectations. There were many around but their approach wasn’t very bespoke. Myself and the team at Nanny & Butler, the leading childcare and domestic staff consultancy, had an extensive understanding of our clients’ needs and were regularly being asked to provide solutions for luxury travel, children’s concierge, private jet charters and event planning, etc. It was the obvious next step for me to expand my business and offer full lifestyle management. Through Sigillus we deliver a 360 service for our clients, giving them the opportunity and freedom to enjoy the very best of life. Time is one of the greatest commodities. What makes Sigillus special? PD: We provide a highly bespoke and discreet service and make it a priority to know our members’ lifestyles, pre-empting their needs. Most importantly, members can expect a highly-personalised service from dedicated lifestyle managers rather than a call centre. We are also the absolute specialists on the Italian market. Through our network and offices in Milan and Rome, we create highly-tailored and truly magical experiences – memories that last a lifetime. Italy is my country and I love to share its beauty with our members. Why have concierge services risen in popularity? PD: As the wealth and luxury sector expands, demand continues for the freedom that luxury services offer. There are only 24 hours in a day and people want to maximise them. Our services enable members to lead the lifestyles they desire. There are no limits.
The Fountains of Bellagio, Las Vegas
Is there a typical Sigillus member? PD: Our members range from executives and entrepreneurs to corporate clients such as private banks and family offices. All are looking for the dedicated, discreet and seamless support our lifestyle managers offer and rely on our established worldwide network to deliver exceptional experiences. Just how far can clients go with requests? PD: We find solutions to life’s problems and make dreams come true. Whether skiing with a world champion, dining with a Hollywood actor, driving the latest supercar, or tracking tigers in India, we make the impossible possible. Where do you see the future of Sigillus? PD: Sigillus is fast becoming renowned as the best name in lifestyle management. Due to demand, we have offices planned for Dubai and New York. However, we won’t ever franchise the business in order to grow – reputation is everything in the luxury sector. Our members can rely on a highlypersonalised and expert service, wherever they are in the world.
Whether skiing with a world champion, driving the latest supercar, or tracking tigers in India, we make the impossible possible
Is networking important for some of your clients? PD: Absolutely. Networking is key, whether for business or pleasure. It’s all about who you know and lifestyle is the common denominator, whether it’s going to a fashion show or dining at a private members’ club. Networking is particularly vital for our corporate members, focused on global connections to enhance brand performance and boost their executive profiles.
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[ city life ]
bon viveur
Man-about-town, Innerplace’s Nick Savage, gives you the insider lowdown on London’s most hedonistic haunts
The Club at four seasons Ten Trinity Square
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y server, dressed in a grey tweed suit, is proffering a large format bottle of Les Forts de Latour 2003 to accompany the cheese. I’m not usually a Bordeaux fanatic (possibly because of the expense incurred by wines of this calibre) but this really is a force of nature – with an inky depth, bewildering complexity and stubborn length on the palate. It happens to be the coup de grâce that has me sold on The Club at Ten Trinity Square, the recently opened private members’ hangout at the Square Mile’s Four Seasons, launched in partnership with the hotel, Château Latour and the Reignwood Group. Tucked away in the western wing of the hotel, overlooking Seething Lane Garden just opposite of the Tower of London, the club occupies its own private annex of the Grade II* listed building. It was originally home to the Port of London Authority, designed by renowned architect Sir Edwin Cooper and opened by Prime Minister David Lloyd George in 1922. Inside, the dark walnut and oak panelling and high, strikingly moulded ceilings are mostly original. However, new design features were introduced by Bruno
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enlisted the talents of Anne-Sophie Pic, who runs La Dame de Pic, only the fourth female chef to earn three Michelin stars at her restaurant Maison Pic in Valence, southern France. She’s also the third generation of gastronomic heavyweights in her family, having learned the ropes from her father Jacques Pic and grandfather André Pic. Pic also looks after the private fine dining restaurant of The Club, too. She draws inspiration from her ancestral cookbooks, modernising the rich butter and cream-led dishes for contemporary palates and creating beautiful foils for the wine. Teaming up with wine director Jan Konetzki ( former head sommelier Innerplace is at Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital London’s personal lifestyle Road) they’ve created some truly concierge. Membership provides ambrosial pairings. complimentary access to the finest nightclubs, the best restaurants and The food at The Club is top private members’ clubs. Innerplace superb. I’m particularly smitten also offers priority bookings, updates on by an old school mosaïque de the latest openings and hosts its own foie gras and mullet served with regular parties. Membership from £50 a month, a bouillabaisse jelly, which finds a innerplace.co.uk beautiful mate in the best glass of viognier I’ve ever experienced. It’s a Côte du Rhône de Moinard, who has carried Château Grillet 2014, the torch from his 2014 which has unusually refurbishment of been given its own Château Latour, in appellation. I’m Pauillac, to maintain similarly taken consistency. by a lemony After entering risotto, made through a with acquerello colonnaded foyer, a rice and spiked long corridor wends with verbena and its way through light acid tomatoes the club, its carpet that is paired with a patterned with a winelively Sauvignon Blanc red depiction of the River from the Eisele Vineyard Gironde in Bordeaux. Following in Napa. it to its end, you’ll pass through a variety But it’s really the last wine I of boardrooms that served as offices in imbibe that has me wistfully reminiscing the original building, now repurposed as about it for days to come – the mindmeeting rooms, cigar lounges, an art gallery, bending Les Forts de Latour – which two restaurants and a billiards room. is a testament to both the greatness Additionally, there’s the stunning Château of one of France’s most famous wine Latour Discovery Room that caters for the estates and why the Ten Trinity Square oenophiles – guests have the opportunity Club is likely to become an international to explore various wines by the glass, flight destination for those who prefer the best or bottle. It’s an impressive collection, of the best. The Club is now accepting membership including a couple of £10,000 vintages applications. For more information, visit dating back to 1939. club.tentrinitysquare.com For the food offering, Ten Trinity Square
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Centre Stage 36
He may be Hollywood’s man of the moment, but Ryan Gosling isn’t one for melodrama – even though his latest project could be the most significant of his career so far Words: JAKE TAYLOR
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| feature |
Ryan Gosling in Bladerunner 2049, © Warner Bros. Pictures © Columbia Pictures
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
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t
he aura that surrounds Ryan Gosling suggests it’s quite difficult to ruffle the Canadian’s feathers. After all, this is a man who watched on – arms crossed, amused smile teasing the corners of his mouth – as the coveted Academy Award for Best Picture was farcically removed from his film’s corner before an audience of millions. It was a bungle that allegedly began when a backstage producer became distracted by Gosling’s glamorous La La Land co-star Emma Stone and ended with images of Gosling’s rueful incredulity beamed around the globe. His attitude towards one of the biggest cock-ups in Oscars history only added to his affability. Gosling’s latest project, Blade Runner 2049 – the flaming-hotlyanticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 seminal sci-fi masterpiece – sees the 36-year-old share the screen with one of Hollywood’s true heavyweights, Mr Harrison Ford. Director Denis Villeneuve, who achieved critical acclaim with intense drug-trade thriller Sicario and last year’s Arrival, made sure to remind Gosling of his new on-screen associate’s infamously spiky reputation. “Denis would say to me, ‘Now every scene you do, imagine Harrison in the corner, watching you and shaking his head in disappointment,’” laughs Gosling. “That was certainly effective.”
would work with him. He is why we all do what we do. He’s inspiring; his work is iconic; he’s the best. Working with him every day on set, I felt reborn as an actor. And he’s a lot funnier than I expected. Way funnier. He’s a one-liner machine!” Having swapped the fancy footwork of La La Land for a far grittier world, Gosling at one point found himself on the receiving end of a genuine Harrison Ford haymaker – and insists that he wouldn’t have had it any other way. “Will I say it was my fault because my face leaned in a little too close to his fist?” Gosling muses. “It happens. It’s not something I’m ashamed of. If it’s going to happen, let it be delivered by Harrison Ford. It was a privilege.” Gosling’s recent career has been littered with cinematic successes, from Drive to The Nice Guys and the record-breaking La La Land. Yet nothing he has worked on so far can match the weight of expectation associated with Blade Runner. Does the weight of responsibility with this project overshadow all those that have come before? “I’m always nervous for anything I do; I think it’s healthy to have a quota of anxiety. But this is Blade Runner. There’s a lot of pressure,” he acknowledges. “There’s a lot of expectation; you can’t ignore that completely. Much of that is alleviated by Denis taking this on. He wasn’t fazed by that. And Harrison – you couldn’t do this without him and so with them, I’m not so nervous. It could have been worse. “The original film had a lasting effect on me to this day. It was probably one of the first films that made me ponder its meaning, its implication. Nothing was stand-out clear. The hero wasn’t obvious, the villain wasn’t obvious… there was an ambiguity, a magical ambiguity that I never came across before; I didn’t
There are few actors in Hollywood at the moment who can claim to be Gosling’s equal The original Blade Runner helped make Harrison Ford a household name. The opportunity to work with Ford 35 years later, as he revives his character Deckard, was enough to ruffle the usually unflappable Gosling. “It’s Harrison Ford,” Gosling smiles, “he’s an icon! It’s bizarre being in his presence. I never thought I
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know that could happen in film. There were more questions than answers.” With a father employed as a travelling salesman for a paper mill, Gosling’s childhood was spent moving across Canada. The would-be actor got his first taste of show business at 12, when he joined the Mickey Mouse Club, alongside other future stars such as Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. In spite of the head start, it wasn’t until 2004 that Gosling’s profile began to rise on the silver screen with The Notebook, and it was another seven years before his defining year came: first with Crazy, Stupid, Love alongside soon-to-be serial collaborator Emma Stone, and then as the lead in Nicolas Winding Refn’s graphically violent but super-stylish neo-noir crime caper Drive. “All the men in my family worked pretty hard,” Gosling shrugs. “My father and uncle worked at a paper mill and I wanted to do everything possible not to have to do that for a living. But I like working hard. I think you sleep more peacefully at night after a good day’s work, and when you’re working a lot you don’t have too much time to worry about things.” There are few actors in Hollywood at the moment who can claim to be Gosling’s equal. Though
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Drive would ultimately hint at a darker side to the actor that would resurface in his future dealings with Winding Refn, his youthful status as a Disney ‘mouseketeer’, not to mention those intermittent romantic roles, mean he’s an attractive mix for any director. Having caught the eye of the majority of cinema’s current crop of top filmmakers – Denis Villeneuve and Terrence Malick among them – he’s already looking forward to a future collaboration with La La Land helm Damien Chazelle that will see Gosling play the part of Neil Armstrong in First Man, a biopic of the American astronaut. “I’m excited for that,” says Gosling. “It’s funny because that’s why there was an initial dialogue between Damien and myself – that’s what we were focusing on first and then La La Land distracted us, very nicely. It’s a great way to begin the working relationship, with a film like that with so much charisma and pure joy, and then this – his unique vision of Neil’s story.” Having started dating in 2011, Gosling married his The Place Beyond the Pines co-star Eva Mendes in 2016 in a secret ceremony. The couple have two daughters, born in 2014 and 2016. “It’s like being in paradise; I’m so lucky,” he nods. “The birth of Esmeralda and Amanda Lee has radically changed my life which every day becomes more beautiful than I ever imagined. Every day, getting to spend time with them is so exciting. I
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
Driven Ambition The car Gosling’s character uses in 2011’s Drive was built by the actor himself
top La La Land, 2016, Lionsgate OPPOSITE PAGE Drive, 2011, Icon Film Distribution & Bold Films
never really thought that being a father would be such a wonderful thing.” As for Gosling’s status as one of movie land’s leading heartthrobs? The actor says such titles mean very little to him. He’s refreshingly disinterested in the trappings of celebrity, too. “I’m not that guy,” he says. “I don’t know; it’s not something I contemplate ever. You just have to be okay with [the fact] you’re going to be constantly disappointing people when they meet you because you’re human and the same as everyone else. It’s weird though, isn’t it? Imagine someone came up to you, a total stranger, and started asking you about details of your personal life. Who likes that? Who appreciates that? It’s not part of the job for me.” Back to Blade Runner 2049, and Gosling hopes that he’s been able to do justice to Ridley Scott’s ambitious original vision of the Philip K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – a film that has stayed with him since he watched it as a wideeyed pre-teen. “I think for me, I’ve always wanted to know what happened to that world,” he muses. “I’ve always wondered where they went on to, what happened to Deckard, and to be a part of that answer is very significant to me.” Bladerunner 2049 opens in cinemas 6 October
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available from 15th of september
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16/08/2017 17:01
CITY collection Vacheron Constantin has updated its Traditionnelle collection with six new timepieces, each sporting an alluring slate-grey dial and rich 18K pink gold case. Clockwise from top right: Traditionnelle day-date and power reserve, £40,000; Traditionnelle 14-day tourbillion, £241,500; Traditionnelle 87172/000R-B403, £23,200; Traditionnelle 82172/000RB402, £18,200; Traditionnelle calibre 2755, £664,400; Traditionnelle 43075/000R-B404, £28,300 vacheron-constantin.com
only watch 2017 (p.43)
the one-off timepieces raising millions for muscular dystrophy
made in england (p.44)
the british watch brands beating switzerland at its own game
Dior’s New Diamonds (p.48)
dior finds inspiration in Versailles’s ornamental gardens
| collection |
Only Watch 2017
The biggest names in watchmaking unite to raise millions for muscular dystrophy Words: RICHARD BROWN
Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Only Watch, Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet’s entrant to Only Watch 2017 is the brand’s first black ceramic perpetual calendar to feature a ceramic caseback, as well as a black oscillating weight visible through a sapphire display back. A striking ‘skylight’ blue dial contrasts with an attention-grabbing orange-tinted moon.
e
Estimate: £65,000-£98,000
Reference 5208T-010, Patek Philippe
Launched in 2011, Patek Philippe’s Reference 5208 brings together three of the most intricate complications in watchmaking: a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar and a monopusher chronograph. The 5208T-010, created specially for the auction, is the first titanium version.
Estimate: £735,000-£890,000
very two years a collection of leading watch marques create one-off timepieces destined for Only Watch, a charitable initiative supported by Prince Albert II of Monaco to raise money for research into muscular dystrophy. Since its first edition in 2005, the auction has raised more than £23 million, thanks, in no small part, to Patek Philippe’s Ref. 5016, which became the (then) most expensive wristwatch ever sold when it achieved £5.7 million at Only Watch 2015. After an around-the-world tour, the 49 one-off models will be auctioned at Christie’s, Geneva, on 11 November. Expect the following lots to whip the gathered horophiles into a frenzy. . onlywatch.com
Laureato 2017 Special Edition, Girard-Perregaux
Launched in the 1970s, cult sports watch the Laureato was revived in 2016 in a limited run before becoming a permanent collection in 2017. For Only Watch, GirardPerregaux has issued a bronzecased version. Estimate: £12,000-£15,000
Big Bang Unico Sapphire Usain Bolt, Hublot BR-X1 R.S.17, Bell & Ross
Bell & Ross and Renault Sport Formula One present the BR-X1 R.S.17, a skeletonised chronograph with ceramic pushers. The winning bidder will be invited to the final Formula One race in Abu Dhabi, where they will meet the Renault drivers and take home the racing gloves worn by team driver Nico Hülkenberg.
Estimate: £18,000-£25,000
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
Hublot’s Big Bang Unico Sapphire Usain Bolt is a transparent timepiece created with sapphire, one of the most difficult materials to machine. A counter at 9 o’clock bears the silhouette of Bolt performing his trademark victory sign. The 45mm piece will be auctioned alongside a second yellow-gold strap, as well as the chance to meet the fastest man on Earth. Estimate: £40,000-£65,000
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Made in England…[sort of] The British watch brands offering mechanical timepieces at a snip of their Swiss-based counterparts Words: richard brown
Schofield, 2011, East Sussex
Spoiler alert:
Story: Operating out of a bucolic village in West Sussex, Schofield is the brainchild of dynamic product designer Giles Ellis, whose watches take their name from UK lighthouses. Giving meaning to the phrase the devil is in the detail, Schofield timepieces are feats of engineering, with every design element meticulously considered before going into production – either in England or Germany.
Your Swiss-made timepiece wasn’t assembled in a snowstrewn tool shed by a white-haired watchmaker armed with only a loupe and a lathe. As romantic as that notion remains, your wristwatch was assembled by robots on a production line under the all-seeing eye of a closedcircuit computer system. It may have been engraved and polished by hand, but your watch is the work of machines. Machines that cost millions of pounds.
T
he investment required to launch a new movement – the mechanism inside a watch that makes it tick – is estimated to cost a company around £13.5 million. Hence the reason only the largest brands can lay claim to producing calibres ‘in-house’, and only then with varying degrees of credibility. It is far more efficient to outsource movements to thirdparty suppliers. Swiss watchmakers have been doing so for decades. It’s now a business model that’s taken root in Britain. Still reliant on Switzerland, China and Japan for their internal components, a raft of independent watch companies are cutting out the middle man and selling straight to consumers. Without the enormous marketing overheads of Switzerland’s watch giants, these companies are able to offer well-made mechanical timepieces at astonishingly affordable prices. Welcome to the Brit Pack.
Standout timepiece:
The Daymark (44mm) Movement: Automatic ETA 2824 (Swiss) Power reserve: 38 hours Price: £3,600 schofieldwatchcompany.com
Christopher Ward, 2004, Maidenhead
Story: Launched as ‘the most
affordable luxury watches in the world’, Christopher Ward was the forerunner in importing Swissmade movements and housing them behind British-designed dials. Where Christopher Ward led, the rest of the UK mechanical watch industry followed.
Standout timepiece: C60 Trident Titanium Pro 600 #2 (43mm) Movement: automatic Sellita SW200-1 (Swiss) Power reserve: 38 hours Price: £850 christopherward.co.uk
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Marloe Watch Company, 2017, Oxfordshire
Story: While an increasing number of Swiss watchmakers are grappling with their answer to the smartwatch question, Marloe Watch Company is focused on repopularising the most traditional of timepieces – the manually-wound wristwatch. Standout timepiece: Derwent, Nautical (38mm) Movement: hound-wound Miyota 6T33 ( Japanese) Power reserve: 40 hours Price: £329
marloewatchcompany.com
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| collection |
Pinion, 2013, Reading
Story: Founded by Piers Berry, a designer more used to pixels and coding, Pinion’s automatic watches reference instruments from World War II. The company’s debut DLC-coated Axis Black sold out almost immediately. The new entrylevel Atom is a solid, stainless steel piece that’s available from September 2017.
Farer, 2015, Berkshire
Story: Previously a purveyor of battery-powered fashion watches, last year Farer announced its first collection of automatics. This year, the company launches a range of GMT watches, with an additional hand independently adjustable to any 24-hour time zone.
Standout timepiece: Atom
(42mm)
Movement: Automatic Miyota
Standout timepiece: Lander GMT Automatic (39.5mm) Movement: automatic ETA 2893-2 (Swiss) Power reserve: 42 hours Price: £1,175 farer.com
9015 (Japanese)
Power reserve: 42 hours Price: £790
pinionwatches.com
Elliot Brown, 2013, Poole
Story: Ian Elliot co-founded Animal back in 1988, while Alex Brown turned down a job at Cartier to establish Animal’s watch department. The duo lent their names to their own watch brand 17 years later, and are now dedicated to producing robust and affordable dive watches. All Elliot Brown timepieces are water resistant to a minimum of 200 metres. Standout timepiece: Tyneham 305-001-R06 (41mm) Movement: automatic Miyota 9130 (Japanese) Power reserve: 40 hours Price: £795 elliotbrownwatches.com
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
Mr Jones Watches, 2008, London
Story: Working with artists, Mr Jones
Watches makes timepieces that are both visually arresting and technically playful. The Last Laugh Tattoo watch, for instance, displays time on the teeth of a skull.
Standout timepiece: Last Laugh Tattoo (37mm) Movement: automatic Sea Gull ST1721 (Chinese) Price: £195 Power reserve: 42 hours mrjoneswatches.com
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| collection |
Bremont, 2007, Henley-onThames
Story: With a Silverstone-based facility dedicated to the production of calibre components, Bremont, Britain’s most visible watch brand, is the closest to beating Switzerland at its own game by manufacturing its own movement. It’s also the first to establish standalone stores, in Britain, New York and Hong Kong.
Henry London, 2015, London
Story: Henry London is the brainchild of two British designers who discovered a vintage wristwatch engraved ‘Henry, August 1965’ in Portobello Market. Following a series of semi-precious stone watches, this autumn will see the launch of brand’s first, extraordinarily affordable automatics.
Standout timepiece:
Supermarine S300 (40mm) Movement: automatic BE-92AE (modified from the ETA 2892 – Swiss) Power reserve: 38 hours Price: £2,995 bremont.com
Standout timepiece:
Automatic 42mm Classic Movement: automatic Miyota 82S0 (Japanese) Power reserve: 42 hours Price: £210 henry-london.com
Meridian, 2012, Norwich
Story: In just five years, Meridian has already created five of its own calibres by modifying a base movement from Switzerland. Each Meridian watch is made to order, allowing you to pick from a range of dials, cases, case-backs and straps. Standout timepiece: MP-01 (45mm) Movement: automatic Meridian Prime
- ETA 6497 base (Swiss) Power reserve: 40 hours Price: from £4,600 meridianwatches.com
Harold Pinchbeck, 2014, Lincoln
Story: Not only are Harold Pinchbeck’s wristwatches assembled by hand in England, but the further up the brand’s price range you go, the more you’ll find watch parts made by British engineering firms and individual craftsmen. Choose ‘off the peg’ from the Premier Range, or something tailored from HP’s Bespoke & Limited collection. Standout timepiece:
The George (36mm) Movement: automatic ETA 2824-2 (Swiss) Power reserve: 36 hours Price: £1,399 haroldpinchbeck.co.uk
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THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
L O N D O N 2 0 G R A F T O N S T R E E T U K . H O L LY H U N T. C O M
DESIGN BY TRISTAN AUER, MAISON&OBJET DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Touch wood
Annoushka Ducas’ new collection is inspired by the centuries-old tradition of knocking on wood for luck. Wooden church spires, recalled from her childhood in Moscow, are reimagined as lucky charms in ebony and 18-carat gold. Each talismanic treasure twinkles with good fortune. From £595, annoushka.com
flower power
For its latest campaign, Middle Eastern fine jeweller W. Salamoon & Sons has enlisted the help of Natacha Tannous, the former executive director of Goldman Sachs. Tannous showcases the brand’s new collection of glittering floral pieces, handcrafted in rose gold. POA, wsalamoon.com
jewellery Words: olivia sharpe
At one with nature
Botanical-inspired shapes are cast in polished gold for Shaun Leane’s Entwined Petal collection of unconventional bridal jewellery. Sculptural weddings bands are complemented by ear cuffs, stacking bangles and cocktail rings with avant-garde appeal. From £900, shaunleane.com
Dior’s New Diamonds
This month, wander down the garden path with Dior, whose new high jewellery collection takes its cue from the Palace of Versailles’s ornamental gardens. Encrusted with multi-coloured stones and sprinkled with diamonds, the pieces call to mind lush flower beds. POA, dior.com
Ethical emeralds William & Son has collaborated with Gemfields on MYA, its first haute joaillerie collection. Short for ‘Million Years Ago’, it honours the age and rarity of certain gemstones, and was created with responsiblysourced, vivid Zambian emeralds for a head-turning finish. POA, williamandson.
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CITY style Model Fernanda Ly stars in the A/W17 campaign for Kate Spade New York. Deborah Lloyd, the brand’s president and CCO, explains the shoot’s rather unique concept. “This season, Ly helps turn an everyday occarance into a extraordinary moment of joy.” Complete with cats, it seems. katespade.co.uk
under the influence (p.52) what reach do the stars of social media really offer?
get carter (p.56)
Simon Carter on the death of the suit and making an impact in India
kathryn sargent (p.74)
the master tailor on being the first woman on savile row
#UnderThe
In the Instagram age, it’s all about influencers – but does the reach of these highly-polished self-promoters really justify the huge sums of money they’re being paid? Words: bethan rees
S
ince Instagram was launched in 2010, more than 40 billion photos have been posted on the micro-blogging site. On average, 95 million images are currently being uploaded each day. The app, founded by American programmer Kevin Systrom and Brazilian software engineer Mike Krieger, has become far more than a platform on which people share what they’ve had for breakfast. Instagram has now given rise to the ‘influencer’; a new, digitally savvy type of marketer judged on the amount of people that ‘follow’ them. The theory is simple. Influencers provide brands with access to prospective consumers through the pictures they post. In posting an image, an influencer is endorsing a product or brand by issuing a trust-based recommendation. Thanks to the reach they offer over millennials – important, as 59 per cent of Instagram users are aged between 18 and 29 – reality TV stars-turnedhigh-fashion models Kylie and Kendall Jenner (with 179.8 million Instagram followers between them) and Gigi and Bella Hadid (50 million) reign supreme as the most in-demand influencers. Yet there is a new breed of influencer with whom brands are increasingly seeking to work. Instagrammer Chiara Ferragni, aka The Blonde Salad, has 10.1million followers. She began as a fashion blogger in 2009, before increasing her following tenfold between 2013 and 2017. She’s been on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list twice, the subject
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The City Magazine @TheCityMag We discuss all things sartorial in the City with @Thomas_Pink_ CEO Jonathan Heilbron - http://bit.ly/2kj6Inl #fashion #style
Thomas Pink adn The City Magazine
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Influence of a Harvard Business School study and has been on the cover of 55 magazines. She’s starred as the campaign model for fashion brand Guess and through her Instagram has collaborated with the likes of Louis Vuitton, Dior and Benetton – an indication that brands are turning their backs on traditional fashion models. Another big-name influencer is Adam Gallagher, aka I Am Galla. His 2.1million fanbase has empowered him to sit front row at fashion weeks around the world, while working with the likes of Hugo Boss, Timex and Longines – brands that typically would have chosen film stars or sport celebrities. Why? In an interview with Forbes, Gallagher made it clear what the difference is. “You’re not hiring models. You’re a brand requesting to work with another brand and their services,” he explains. “Influencers have proven that they are one of the most efficient forms of digital marketing. Not only do we create original, relatable content for our readers but also additional assets for the brand to use. And, to be frank, we’re much cheaper than video advertising or publications – which have hard to measure ROI.”
Big Business
A recent report by Fashion and Beauty Monitor highlights how 66 per cent of luxury brands are expecting their influencer marketing budget to increase over the next year. More than half of those brands expect to commit more resources to managing influencer relationships. In fact, according to research from Bloglovin’, a company that connects influencers with brands and relevant audiences, nearly onethird of marketers consider influencer campaigns an essential part of their marketing strategy. The report also highlights how 41 per cent of these brands have registered more success with an influencer-marketing campaign. So, how much money are these Instagram celebrities being paid? A lot, it would seem. Rachel Brathen, an Instagram yogi star, commands upwards of £19,000 per Instagram post, while fellow fitness influencer Lyzabeth Lopez charges between £2,000 and £4,000. Forbes claims an Instagram user with 100,000 followers can command around £4,000 for a post made in partnership with a company or brand. Seems a nice way to make an easy living, doesn’t it? However, it’s not the highest-paying social media. At the moment, that’s YouTube, where accounts with more than seven million subscribers are able to command $300,000 for a video partnership, says Forbes. More followers, however, doesn’t necessarily translate into a higher ROI. Ad Week reported that micro-influencers (30,000 followers or less) can be more effective than more popular accounts. Kyla Brennan, founder and CEO of HelloSociety, an agency that connects brands with influencers for specific campaigns, explains: “When it comes to celebrity accounts, who have maybe millions of
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
TOP THREE
Instagrammers (by number of followers)
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million @selenagomez
112
million @arianagrande
109
million @cristiano (Ronaldo)
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followers, nobody actually believes that a celebrity is a real fan of a product they’re trying to sell.” Essentially, it all comes down to authenticity. “Engagement goes down once you reach a certain threshold of followers,” said Brennan, “which is almost counterintuitive.” Someone with millions of followers doesn’t mean the specific campaign will be more effective. “You might get eyeballs, but they won’t be eyeballs that care,” she said.
Social Woes
The Fashion and Beauty Monitor report highlights how 59 per cent of luxury brands said controlling the narrative of influencer-led campaigns can be ‘very challenging’. Lacking control of a sponsored post can be a big risk, making it even more important for a brand to partner with an influencer they can trust. Camille Charrière was approached by Tommy Hilfiger to promote Gigi Hadid’s capsule collection for a five-figure fee. She wasn’t particularly impressed by the brief given and negotiated complete autonomy to do things her way, sourcing a new photographer and directing a fashion shoot in Paris, guided by her own taste. Talking to Vogue Charrière said: “There has to be return on investment for them, there will be people in that office looking at those statistics as they roll in; they will be gauging the results of click-throughs that come via me.” She continued: “My engagement on that project was through the roof. I got 9,000 likes on an Instagram post of a pair of jeans.” But what if an influencer isn’t actually a real person? Marketing agency Mediakix experimented with the idea that as long as an Instagram account looks the part, has a shed load of followers and a ton load of likes, then it’s just as good as the real thing. The agency created two accounts; one pretending to be a lifestyle and fashion model, the other a travel and adventure photographer. The company purchased followers and comments. The two accounts were signed up to marketing platforms and scored four sponsorship deals. The campaigns offered monetary compensation and free products.
The future
With 700 million monthly active users and counting, Instagram’s influence is only going to get bigger. Unquestionably, the social media platform helps build brand identity and awareness, but how do you calculate the monetary value of linking up with an influencer? In some cases, a brand will set a clear goal, such as ‘increase Instagram followers by 20 per cent’. Then there are more specific tactics like using tracking software to see how many people are visiting a site via an influencer. Coupon codes are perhaps the most fool-proof way of evaluating the weight of an influencer’s reach. Social media stars might not be changing the reasons we buy products, but they are reshaping the way we’re sold them.
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Go East London’s first permanent premium fashion outlet sees Anya Hindmarch, Aquascutum and Gieves & Hawkes arrive in the most unlikely of locations
Words: Richard Brown
| Style |
workshops to DJs and fashion shows, to complement our customer shopping experience. We believe in the importance of ‘in season’ shopping and try to curate our sales accordingly. Why focus on luxury brands? nb: Part of The BOX’s ethos is to make luxury brands more accessible to a younger audience who could later become a full-price customer. Luxury brands should continue to protect their brand equity through their own stores and utilise off-site spaces for sales. Which brands would you most like to host? nb: The more variety, the better. We try to make our calendar as interesting as possible by curating sales across all types of retail categories. We love to support British designers and independent labels – they’re often some of the most exciting and diverse sales we host.
i
t may seem an unlikely setting for a premium fashion outlet at first, but, as home to both the prodigal hipster and London’s traditional rag trade, Hackney Natalie Basrawy, actually makes a lot founder of The BOX at Hackney Walk of sense. Hackney Council and Network Rail obviously thought so, giving entrepreneur Jack Basrawy licence to create Hackney Walk shortly after the 2011 riots. Five years and £200 million later, a collection of brick buildings and twelve formerly unused railways arches, all now painted black, are home to the likes of Matches Fashion, Joseph, Zadig & Voltaire, Folli Follie and Nicole Farhi – all offer stock, some of it less than six months old, at heavily discounted prices. Within Hackney Walk is The BOX, a designated space for pop-up and flash sales with discounts of up to 80 per cent. Having already worked with Casely Hayford, Kent & Curwen and Hardy Amies, founder Natalie Basrawy has big plans for the new space.
FIND hackney walk
Morning Lane, E9, 020 8533 4539 theboxlondon.com hackneywalk.com
Was Hackney a gamble? nb: Hackney is an area that hasn’t yet reached its full potential retail-wise. There aren’t that many high profile fashion brands or shops, especially considering there are now more people living in east than west London. I have faith in Hackney. It’s steeped in the history of the rag trade: the Burberry outlet store is on the site of its original factory and the area is home to fashion designers including Henry Holland, Ashley Williams, Roksanda and JW Anderson. How often do sample sales take place? nb: We host at least two sample sales a month and we want to get to a stage where we are completely booked up. Saying that, our autumn/ winter season is now practically fully booked and we hope to grow that with a bumper calendar of events in 2018. Can anyone turn up? nb: Our samples sales are open to everyone. However, if you want access to exclusive previews, workshops and events, we release our sales to our mailing list first, which you can sign up to on our website. We also share news about upcoming sales on our social media channels.
Describe the thinking behind The BOX. nb: My aim was to create an exciting and unique approach to stock and sample sales, where customers can browse discounted items in a premium shopping environment, avoiding the flash sale frenzies associated with other sample sales. We encourage experiential events, from brand talks and
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China: a fool’s errand? SC: I don’t know anybody in my sector who’s making money in China. There are a couple, but that’s because they basically sold their businesses. It will happen, but I think it’s a long time away. The Chinese have a large number of middle class, but it’s a tight definition. It doesn’t mean that they’re going to Waitrose, having organic fruit and veg delivered, and have just bought an Audi. It means they’re earning $10,000 a year. By the time one of my shirts gets to India or China, with duties and import costs, you’re talking £180-200. A very small amount of people anywhere can afford it, let alone in a newly emerging market. I’m working with a partner in India to manufacture there, to offer something that isn’t super expensive. You have to be practical, otherwise it’ll really restrict you. Most people would expect me to be going after China, because that’s all you read about, but it’s India for me.
GET Carter
Reluctant immunologist and king of cufflinks, Simon Carter, on the death of the suit and making an impact in India
i
Words: David taylor t’s been a good few months for Simon Carter. His A/W17 collection has been launched. Sales are strong, with plans for international expansion. And, in a slightly unusual turn of events, he’s the lead costume designer for Channel 4’s remake of The Crystal Maze, starring Richard Ayoade. “I know Richard through work – he wears my shirts a lot,” explains Simon in his Mayfair store, bedecked in comic book wallpaper and his famous bright shirts. “He dropped me an email about six months ago and said, ‘I’m about to start on a big project, would you be my costume designer?’ I said I’d be absolutely delighted to, not knowing what it was. It then kind of unravelled, and it’s just been loads of fun.” It was a project with a quick turnaround, with no time for special fabrics, but Simon and Richard were clear on the brief: “The look that Richard has is this sort of slightly bewildered Geography teacher, and he’s always loved cord, so we worked with a really great British mill called Brisbane Moss. “We both decided that a really fine needle cord was a good look. It was a little different, but I didn’t want him
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The show
The Crystal Maze After a successful celebrity mini-series, Richard Ayoade returns in The Crystal Maze Friday August 25th at 8pm on Channel 4 thecrystalmaze.com
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| STYLE |
to look like we designed something and he reluctantly agreed to wear – we wanted this to be an extension of his personality. He’s asked to keep all the suits.” For the contestants, Simon, along with British brand Lille Racewear, went back to his love of classic cars, and the heady days of 1950s Silverstone and Goodwood, where the gentleman driver reigned supreme. “Sprinting towards their cars with these jumpsuits on, often, ridiculously, with a tie. I love that,” he enthuses. This sense of fun runs deep in both Carter and his brand. The design guru and reluctant immunologist – he has a degree in immunology from the University of London – started his career on the King’s Road, part-time in a vintage clothes shop. It was the time of the New Romantics, and Simon was in on the game. Someone brought in a vintage motorcyclist’s brooch,” he reflects. “Brooches on men was a big New Romantic thing, so I wore it and everybody said it looked great. I thought OK, I’ll give it a try, and found somebody to make me 100 of them. “I finished my painful degree and got a job as a buyer in Fenwick. I built this hobby up and up in my spare time, and then took the decision to quit the day job and give it a go. And here we are.” Simon recently dressed Tom Daley for London Fashion Week Men’s, and counts figures from Paul Merton to Gary Oldman among his loyal customers in Britain. Looking abroad, plans are afoot for an international expansion. It’s not where you might expect; whereas many businesses seem intent on ‘breaking’ China and the United States, Simon is opening six stores in India. The brand has been selling into the country for a decade, but is partnering with the Aditya Birla Group to launch a standalone store. “If you want to talk to me about opportunities in China, I’ll give you ten minutes. United States, half
Get the Goods 1. Wave tieslide MOP/ gunmetal, £40 2. Pink flamingo BMOP cufflink, £75 3. Trapeze shirt, £135 4. Thinwovenleather bracelet, £55 5. ArtDecolionhead cufflink, £60 6. Circus elephant shirt, £135 simoncarter.net
an hour,” Simon states decisively. “If you want to talk about India or West Africa, I’ve got all the time you want. I think for most British men’s brands of my size, China is a fool’s errand. “India is such a colourful country; I use a lot of paisley – and of course it’s so prevalent in India – but they love rich colour, rich design, and have a very sophisticated use of colour palettes. They’re also very interested in all things British.” Plans are underway to open all six stores (Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai and two in Delhi) by November. Ambitious, perhaps, but for the man who started as a biologist and brooch seller on the King’s Road, it doesn’t seem particularly far-fetched.
2
1
4 3
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The future of City style SC: I think the City will inevitably continue to dress down. I can’t see in five, maybe ten years’ time, why the suit would be a requirement for work. Everything has its time and its day. If you go back a couple of generations, City workers had to wear a morning coat and top hat. Things gradually become redundant and things change. We’ve seen a shift, where people are wearing a suit by choice. For them, wearing a sharp suit is a statement. I think it’s going to eventually become a garment of choice, except for very formal occasions like weddings and funerals. I don’t think, long term, that they’ll survive as a requirement. I suspect that people will choose to go to work in a suit, as they have a wardrobe full of them and it makes them feel smart. But I’ll be very surprised if in a decade’s time they’re a requirement. Mark Zuckerberg is hardly a pin-
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
6
up for style and fashion. He likes a grey t-shirt; he really is Mr GAP. Even if you see thousands of men wearing suits, actually nowadays not many of them are wearing ties, and in truth a fair proportion are probably no longer wearing cufflinks. The next move will be tough for most people, because most men can’t do smart-casual; it’ll be a period of terrible doubt and self-examination. I might be being controversial, but suits only account now for something like nine per cent of the total menswear market. It’s had its fun. I’ve gone out on a limb really and predicted the death of the suit in the financial sector – we’re not there yet. I think if in doubt, play it safe. If you’ve got someone who works in a formal part of the City and still wears a suit, often they think that the best way to express their personality is through novelty socks, or a novelty tie. In a civilised society, the socks and ties would all be rounded up and burnt. So resist the urge.
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Words: David Taylor
If an Indian Summer never materialises these sunnies will look just as good on the slopes
Sunny disposition
1 2
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1. Lunettes, £200, Moncler, moncler.com 2. Explorer line 8690 6255 sunglasses, £196, Silhouette, silhouette.com 3. Gregory Peck for Alain Mikli sunglasses, £241, Oliver Peoples, oliverpeoples.com 4. Steve McQueen foldable sunglasses, £235, Persol, davidclulow.com 5. George Arthur sunglasses, £140, Taylor Morris, taylormorriseyewear.com
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Words: David Taylor
Back at it
1
Kickstart your wanderlust with a rucksack that will take you from country to town
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3 4 1. Black waxed canvas backpack, £125, The Camden Watch Company, camdenwatchcompany.com 2. London opgrade mist backpack, £75, Eastpak, eastpak.com 3. Leather rucksack, £1,625, Troubadour, troubadourgoods.com 4. Sand backpack, £395, Bennett Winch, bennettwinch.com 5. Hampstead rucksack, £675, Dunhill, dunhill.com 6. Ranger leather-trimmed backpack, £210, Filson, mrporter.com
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6 THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk 59
Words: david taylor
Pens are most dangerous tools, more sharp by odds than swords, Words: davidkeen taylorthan whips and rods and cut more
on the ball
1 2 3
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1. Y ear of the Rooster special edition ballpoint pen, £255, Cross, cross.com 2. RNX.316 multifunction pen, £325, Carand’Ache, carandache.com 3. Perforated leather and palladium finish ballpoint pen, £235, S.T. Dupont, st-dupont.com 4. Avorities rollerball pen, £295, Dunhill, dunhill.com 5. Meisterstück UNICEF Solitaire ballpoint pen, £860, Mont Blanc, montblanc.com
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
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1
Words: David Taylor
A family affair for seven generations, Deakin & Francis manufactures much more than a way of keeping your cuffs together. Its team of dyesinkers, mould-makers, jewellers, enamellers and engravers create what just might be the noblest cufflinks around. The company’s new collection of 18ct gold cufflinks are a case in point. Boasting an array of classic and contemporary designs, the range combines centuries-old craft technqiues with playful and artistic splashes of colour. Each set features either a domed spring link fitting or a traditional chain link fitting, complete with Deakin & Francis hallmarks. These 18ct yellow gold cufflinks are adorned with strips of natural mother of pearl and deep black onyx.
Cuff and Ready
DEAKIN & FRANCIS THE ROLLS-ROYCE OF CUFFLINKS
Clothes maketh the man; accessories stand him out in a crowd
| xxxx |
2 1. 18ct yellow gold precious gemstone striped cufflinks, £3,240, Deakin & Francis, deakinandfrancis.co.uk 2. Pink gold and black onyx cufflinks, £2,060, Bulgari, selfridges.com 3. Alvar cufflinks, £140, Alice Made This, alicemadethis.com 4. Men’s gold button cufflinks, £95, Paul Smith, paulsmith.com 5. Meisterstück cuff links, £290, Montblanc, montblanc.com
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of
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Trialmaster 1969 jacket, £795, Belstaff, belstaff.co.uk; Grandad collar shirt, £175, Kent & Curwen, kentandcurwen.com; Cream trousers, £590, Helbers, matchesfashion.com; Leather boots in mink brown, £625, Jimmy Choo, jimmychoo.com; Jacquard cotton throw, £62, Pendleton, Amara.com; Green Nappa gloves, £115, Rugger by GANT, gant.co.uk; Lightweight acetate sunglasses, £395 ready to wear, £595 bespoke, Tom Davies, tdtomdavies.com; Boston holdall in tan pebble, £595, Aspinal of London, aspinaloflondon.com
the
rock Ain’t no mountain high enough... A/W17 style inspiration from the Atlas Mountains Photography: Alexander beer Stylist: Graham Cruz MODEL: alEX lIBBY @ SELECT MODEL MANAGEMENT
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THIS PAGE Black and white cashmere cardigan, £1,215, Missoni, missoni.com; V-neck knit, £720, Caruso, mrporter.com; Army green gillet, £255, Zadig & Voltaire, zadig-et-voltaire.com; Olive brown trousers, £210, Richard James, richardjames.co.uk; Wellington boot socks, £20, Scott-Nichol, scott-nichol.com; Leather boots, £625, Jimmy Choo, as before; Lanyard in emerald nubuck, £100, Max V. Koenig, maxvkoenig.com; Swiss army knife, £110, Victorinox, victorinox.com; Tan leather square backpack, £230, Miansai, miansai.com; Leather bag, £1,495, Jimmy Choo,as before; Seabrook beach boot leather gloves, £50, Timberland, timberland.co.uk opposite page Roll neck sweater, £145, Chester Barrie, chesterbarrie.co.uk; Long-sleeved racing jumpsuit, £495, Grenfell, grenfell.com; Grey tweed cummerbund, £305, Pal Zileri, palzileri.com; Capsule jacket (on waist) £499, Colmar, colmar.it; Leather trimmed sunglasses, £420, Belstaff, as before; Wellington boot socks, £20, Scott-Nichol , as before; Leather boots, £625, Jimmy Choo, as before; Boston holdall, £595, Aspinal of London, as before; Long necklace (worn throughout), £36,850, Shamballa Jewels, shamballajewels.com; Ellipse eye ring (worn throughout), £260, The Great Frog, thegreatfrog.com; Hook on rope bracelet, £50, Miansai, miansai.com
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| STYLE |
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Wool and cotton check pyjama trousers, £980, Missoni, as before; Brushed cotton shirt, £220, Paige, selfridges.com; Cashmere crew neck, £435, Richard James, as before; Khaki cotton drill jacket, £445, Theory, theory.com; Gilet, £141, Colmar, as before; Silk scarf, £235, Pal Zileri, as before; Swiss army knife, £110, Victorinox, as before; Distressed leather, £75, R.M. Williams, rmwilliams.com; Cotton socks, £6.50, HJ, hj.co.uk; Chelsea boots, £370, Crockett & Jones, crockettandjones.com; 2 Squared Chrono Silver Shadow watch, £4,750, Visconti, ebauche.co.uk Bags, Left to Right Shadow briefcase, £525, Aspinal of London, as before; Aquila beach tote bag, £1,520, Max V. Koenig, as before; Hand painted calf leather bag, £1,300, Gladstone, gladstonelondon.com; Canvas and leather backpack, £150, Timberland, as before; Boston holdall, £595, Aspinal of London, as before
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This page White shirt, £99, BOSS, hugoboss.com; Black wool jacket, £3,305, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, ralphlauren.co.uk; Khaki coat, £995, Issey Miyake, isseymiyake.com; Trousers, £250, Kent & Curwen, as before; Wellington boot socks, £20, Scott-Nichol, as before; Suede boots, £895, Christian Louboutin, christianlouboutin.com; Overnight bag, £435, R.M. Williams, as before opposite page Waistcoat, £455, Caruso, as before; Light blue shirt, £165, Richard James, as before; Double-breasted blazer, £990, Helbers, as before; Green trousers, £120, Tommy Hilfiger, tommy.com; Green watch, £529, Victorinox, as before; Chelsea boots, £370, Crockett & Jones, as before; Messenger bag, £590, Simpson London, simpson-london.com; Shadow briefcase, £525, Aspinal of London, as before
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| STYLE |
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Shearling Jacket, £1,795, Kent & Curwen, as before; Zigzag print shirt, £215, Richard James, as before; Trousers, £110, G Star, g-star.com; Knee high socks, £16, FALKE, falke.com; Suede boots, £895, Christian Louboutin, as before; IQ+ Move smart watch, £149.99, Timex, timex.co.uk; Printed silk scarf, £235, Pal Zileri, as before; Hand painted calf leather bag, £1,300, Gladstone, as before
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THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| STYLE |
Check shirt, £115, Brooks Brothers, brooksbrothers.com; Safari jacket, £1,655, Caruso, as before; Ascot tie, £POR, Kent & Curwen, as before; Grey trousers, £169, BOSS, as before; Beach tote bag, £1,520, Max V. Koenig, as before; Belt, £70, Andersons, anderson.it; Accutron 97A110 watch, £349, Bulova, intl.bulova.com
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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never too late...
LUXURY BODY BUTTER IN WHITE CASHMERE FROM THE BATH & BODY COLLECTION
www.lilouetloic.com
Words: Charlotte Phillips
New Scentsation
Acqua di Parma CEO Laura Burdese discusses capturing Italy in a bottle
| BEAUTY |
t
hink Acqua di Parma, think la dolce vita; think Aperol spritz on the Amalfi coast. The famous fragrance house has been bottling Italian scents since 1916. Smells evoke memories, and the house has hit some enduring notes over the past century. Much of Acqua di Parma’s recent success is thanks to the formidable business savvy of the brand’s CEO, Laura Burdese. A native Italian, Burdese worked at L’Oréal and Calvin Klein Watches & Jewelry before joining Acqua di Parma in October 2016. “There have been dramatic changes in luxury fragrance,” says Burdese, “with digital, e-commerce and distribution changes, but the most important shift is customer behaviour. It’s positive for us because it’s the niche brands that are booming, not the mass market – the brands with a story to tell.” The new Acqua di Parma campaign depicts a real family, starring British model Will Chalker. The campaign uses “emotional storytelling”, says Burdese, because “that’s what the brand was missing”. The campaign launches the latest men’s fragrance, Colonia Pura, which
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
is full of mineral notes to represent fresh mountain water, presented in a minimalist bottle. It stays true to the brand’s origins – it smells of citrus and summer – but is more youthful than other fragrances. “It’s a light fragrance. People today don’t want to mask; it’s about helping you shine.” The brand’s core demographic is represented in the nifty acronym, HENRY. “High-earning, not rich yet,” explains Burdese. She says the term was also used to refer to Obama voters during his first presidential campaign. “Acqua di Parma is exclusive. We don’t follow trends; we are refined and understated, and the people who buy us have a cultured understanding of fragrance.” Sixty per cent of the brand’s customers are male, and Mr Acqua di Parma sounds like quite the catch: between 35 to 45, high-earning and with a penchant for beautiful things. He doesn’t buy brands, but “meaningful things that resonate,” Burdese explains. “Acqua di Parma has always had this sense of being unmarketed – people have to know about it.” Burdese continues: “Scent expresses your personality and
unlocks a window into a favourite time or memory. It’s the final touch to your outfit – it makes you feel complete and lets your essence shine through.” Burdese’s fragrance of choice depends on the season, but in the summer she gravitates towards the more masculine Blu Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi. All Acqua di Parma products are handmade in Italy, something that Burdese is particularly proud of. Each fragrance takes around two years to perfect, and everything down to the trademark bright yellow packaging – “the colour of sunshine” – is carefully selected. As a result of being made by hand, the logo on each bottle is always slightly different. After Italy, the UK is Acqua di Parma’s second biggest market. Next, the
Each fragrance takes around two years to perfect, and everything down to the trademark bright yellow packaging is carefully selected brand plans to spread its scent to China, hoping to double turnover by 2020 – an aim that Burdese says is entirely possible. Back in London, the sky is grey and dreary. Luckily, a spritz of Colonia Pura is all that’s needed to transport me straight to the Italian Riviera. Colonia Pura Eau de Cologne, £66 for 50ml, Acqua di Parma, acquadiparma.com
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The seam queen In 2016, Kathryn Sargent made history when she became the first female master tailor on Savile Row. One year on, The City Magazine catches up with Sargent and considers the other women wearing – and making – the trousers on the famous sartorial street
A
Words: Bethan Rees
merican author and biographer Finis Farr once declared: “No woman really knows anything about men’s clothes. How could she? After all, she’s conditioned to obsolescence, to the principle that things go out of fashion. Well-dressed men know that nothing worthwhile is ever outmoded, that a superb tailor’s work is ageless.” One person who might disagree is Yorkshirewoman Kathryn Sargent, who, in April last year, made history by becoming the first female master tailor on Savile Row. Nestled between Davies & Son and Jeff Banks, Sargent’s eponymous shop took the place of the old Nick Tentis store. She now works around the corner on Brook Street – the Savile Row store being only seasonal. “I always wanted to have my own shop on Savile Row, and to have achieved this was a dream come true. The store was only meant to be there for six months and we ended up
staying there for one year. I would love to return to Savile Row at some point in the future, but for now I love working from my atelier at 6 Brook Street,” says Sargent. To date, Sargent has created pieces for David Beckham and British royalty, but also successful businessmen and women. “I don’t have a usual type of client,” she adds. Sargent earned her stripes working at internationally acclaimed Gieves & Hawkes for 15 years, where she became the head cutter, before opening her Brook Street shop in 2012. When she first started, it was unusual for women to be in
“To be successful in this career you need to work hard, regardless of whether you are a man or a woman.” the tailoring game, but, says Sargent, this is slowly changing. “Over the years more and more women have become involved – there are now more female tailors, cutters and clients coming to Savile Row.” she says. Does Sargent feel like she had to work harder because of her gender. “I was always aware that being a woman, or indeed a man, working on Savile Row, you had to earn people’s respect through hard work and being passionate about the training and the art of tailoring,” she says. “To be successful in this career you need to work hard, regardless of whether you are a man or a woman.” At the time of press, both the BBC and Google were facing a backlash over supposedly sexist pay
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| style |
Here come the Girls The leading ladies making waves in a sea of suits
Gormley & Gamble The first women’s-only tailor on Savile Row, started by Phoebe Gormley. Gormley used her final year’s tuition money to get it off the ground, dropping out of university in the process – hence why ‘Gamble’ was added to the company name. Fast forward to today and it’s a gamble that’s paid off. gormleyandgamble.com
Kathryn sargent 6 Brook Street, W1S, 020 7493 2450, kathrynsargent.com
Susannah Hall
gaps. How are things in tailoring? “I am now in the fortunate position of running my own business; however, I do know that there have been instances of a gender pay gap in the industry. I think that the more we encourage and support talented women to become involved in tailoring, the less likely this is to happen.” Sargent has noticed that since she opened her store on Savile Row, she’s had an increase in female clients, “which is wonderful”. Does Sargent have any last words of advice for aspiring females in the industry? “You need to put in the hours and seize the opportunity. There is such a wonderful history of tailoring, particularly British tailoring on Savile Row, so a desire to read up and research the craftsmanship that has gone before is essential. It is challenging work, but being part of such a fantastic industry full of talented people makes it all worthwhile.” Scissors and pins at the ready, ladies.
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
Based in Clerkenwell, Susannah Hall creates bespoke pieces for both men and women, offering a Citybased alternative to Savile Row. Now with more than 26 years of experience, Hall started out by heading to the trading floors to measure up clients back in the ’90s – the days of chalk stripes, braces and brazen Mickey Mouse socks. susannahhall.com
Imtaz Khaliq MBE
From being awarded an MBE for services to the fashion industry in 2010, to being made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in the same year, Khaliq has certainly made her mark in the tailoring world. She’s also been included in the The Times newspaper’s Top 20 Muslim Women Power List. imtaz.com
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sh op T H E L AT E S T TR E N D S AT T H E
CANARY WHARF FASHION EVENT
This month’s fashion event is all about Autumn; discover this season’s trends at the free-to-visit fashion shows and use the exclusive discounts of up to 30 per cent off throughout the Canary Wharf malls from Friday 29 September to Sunday 1 October
Lavina dress, £349, Hobbs, Canada Place
accessorize a/W17
Red Jumpsuit, £125, COS, Jubilee Place
Timeless rose gold and mother of pearl watch, £250, Links of London, Jubilee Pace
Chelsea bag red croc, £495, Aspinal of London, Cabot Place
paint the town red The colour red was splashed all over the Autumn/Winter catwalks this year. Wear it bold and all over, or add elements of vibrant red to your outfit. Verity bow gloves, £49, Hobbs London, Canada Place
Red jumper with bow, £35, River Island, Cabot Place
SOMETHING FOR him
Aleis frames, £98, Ollie Quinn, Jubilee Place
Autumn is all about sleek styles and shades of classic navy, black and grey for men.
Oliver tailored shirt, £145, Orlebar Brown, Jubilee Place
Mr Classic Duffle bag, £150, Hackett, Cabot Place
Selena Mini Skinny card holder, £50, Coach, Cabot Place
canarywharf.com
Reenie boot heels, £125, Dune London, Cabot Place
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Pizazz shoe, £100, Dune London, Cabot Place
Star chain necklace, £19.99, Mango, Canada Place
Floral embroidered top, £25.99, Zara, Cabot Place
autumn sparkle Dazzle all through autumn in sequins, beads and glitter. Invest in an embellished jacket, sparkling shoes and a statement clutch bag. Diamond Essentials 18kt Bracelet, £195, Links of London, Jubilee Place
Hero hoop earrings, £59, Swarovski, Cabot Place
Box clutch, £25, Oasis, Jubilee Place Embellished boot, £250, Karen Millen, Jubilee Place
Sequinned tweed jacket, £79.99, Zara, Cabot Place
Scarlet Sequin skirt, £99, Monsoon, Canada Place
Forest Green shirt, £155, L.K. Bennett, Jubilee Place
fashion shows
Leather laser-cut belt £70, Karen Millen, Jubilee Place
F R I D AY 2 9 S E P T E M B E R Black leather shoes, £135, COS, Jubilee Place
Canada Place
Felt Fedora buckle trim hat, £29, Monsoon, Canada Place
12 noon / 2pm / 5pm / 7pm
sophisticated styling
Jubilee Place
Embrace rich, deep colours this season. Make an impression in shades of plum and khaki, greens and browns and keep chic in black.
1pm / 4pm / 6pm
Green silk velvet trousers, £79.95, Massimo Dutti, Cabot Place
Rayban sunglasses, £143, David Clulow, Cabot Place and Jubilee Place
S AT U R D AY 3 0 S E P T E M B E R Ella Flower shoes, £209, Pretty Ballerinas, Jubilee Place
Canada Place 12 noon / 2pm / 4pm / 6pm Jubilee Place 1pm / 3pm / 5pm
Leather trim Jacket, £1,055, Sandro Paris, Jubilee Place
Ashlyn knitted Lurex Dress, £170, Reiss, Cabot Place and Jubilee Place
S U N D AY 1 O C T O B E R Canada Place 12 noon / 2pm / 4pm
Leather Belt, £35, COS, Jubilee Place
Jubilee Place 1pm / 3pm / 5pm Statement earrings, £12, Accessorize, Canada Place
Effie East West Leather shopper bag, £69, Monsoon, Canada Place
1 3
1. Ruby Mars necklace, £1,100, Astley Clarke, astleyclarke.com 2. Lace mini dress, £212, Self-Portrait, matchesfashion.com 3. Sunglasses, £395, Marni, marni.com 4. Wallace shoes, £595, Charlotte Olympia, charlotteolympia.com 5. Paeonia jacket, £1,040, Moncler, moncler.com 6. Bag, £1,349, Philipp Plein, philipp-plein.com 7. Vigor boots, £485, Stuart Weitzman, stuartweitzman. com
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Words: BETHAN REES
lady in red
Tipped as one of the hottest colour palettes for A/W17, release your sultryWords: sidedavid in ataylor shade of scarlet
| xxxx |
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4 5 THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
Words: BETHAN REeS
The City Magazine’s resident beauty guinea pig heads to the extension Words: david capital, taylor Vixen & Blush queen of the
Keep your hair on
| beauty |
review
Vixen & Blush, Shoreditch
S
crolling through my Instagram ‘Explore’ page one solemn Sunday evening, I came across a before and after shot of someone’s hair pre- and post- extensions. The transformation was incredible – the hair was perfectly waved, colour-matched and, at the same time, looked entirely natural. It was a post from hair extension specialist Vixen & Blush. I knew from this moment, my dry, lacklustre and damaged hair needed a trip to the salon in Shoreditch. Before discovering Vixen & Blush, just 10 minutes from Liverpool Street station, I (ashamedly) assumed extensions were the reserve of Love Island wannabes, with wefts of fake hair that were so obviously bogus. How wrong I was. At V&B, the ethos is that the hair extensions need to look totally natural, which is harder than it sounds. At the salon, I’m greeted by its
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
hair is really fine, so I’d like some extra founder and director Sarah McKenna, volume and an inch or so extra length. who’s journey into hair extensions “No problem.” wasn’t the usual one. She graduated As my hair is thin, she recommends from University College Dublin micro bonding, which is much better for with a degree in biochemistry finer hair. Micro rings, she tells me, are and went to work in the world of more popular as you can reuse them. pharmaceuticals. In 2008, she wanted V&B uses 100 per cent Russian to get hair extensions herself, but virgin hair – meaning it’s completely was disappointed with the offerings unprocessed and appears as though your and wanted to find a way of creating own. Nor does it tangle or dry out. The amazing quality hair extensions way the salon ensures a totally natural that looked natural. She trained as a look is by colour matching hairdresser and then travelled around on a microscopic level, with each client the globe to find the most superior receiving a bespoke match by taking class of hair and opened her first salon loose hair and having it matched up in 2012 in Clapham, before moving to by hand – no pre-made packets in the Shoreditch site in April 2014. She sight, here. also opened on Great Titchfield Street McKenna applies a half head of near Oxford Circus in May 2015. extensions, which takes McKenna greets me warmly approximately between as I take a seat in front of the egyptian two and two and a half mirror hanging on the vibrant hours (a full head of vintage postcard-print extensions extensions takes up to wallpaper. She asks me It’s thought that the ancient four). A half head suits what I’m after. I tell her my Egyptians invented the fine art of extensions. Researchers finer hair better, and have found mummies with are much less visible hair weaves made higher up. McKenna from human hair and sheep wool does this with total precision and ease, and doesn’t bore me with the usual hairdresser exchange. Finishing up by trimming the extensions to make sure they’re completely blended in, McKenna leaves me feeling like I’ve stepped straight out of a Herbal Essences advert. My new, shiny hair has a bounce all of its own. For those who don’t want to commit to extensions, V&B also offer seamless clip-in hair extensions, made from the same virgin hair. From £335 for a quarter head of extensions; from £445 for half a head, Vixen & Blush, 194-196 Hoxton Street, N1, 020 7729 6263, vixenandblush.com
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out of office The 180-metre-tall atrium of the Burj Al Arab. The hotel became a symbol for the new Dubai when it opened in 1999. Discover how the city has moved on since then on page 100. jumeirah.com
the last king of africa (p.82) king mswati III AND HIS IRON rule over swaziland
billionaire boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; clubs (p.86)
the rise and rise of the ultra-rich football club owner
face off (p.90)
THE Mercedesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; AMG GT takes on the Jaguar F-Type SVR
THE LAST KING OF
AFRICA
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King Mswati III is the last absolute monarch in Africa. But his extraordinary iron rule of miniscule Swaziland is as abusive and bizarre as ever, with the Dorset-educated king regularly closing down the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schools should his fields need weeding Words: Rob Crossan
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
Swaziland
‘‘I
Population 1,119,000 Capital Mbabane Area 6,704 sq m (Wales is 8,023 sq m) Independence (from the UK) 6 September 1968 Official language Swazi / English
Swaziland
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
| feature |
n our culture, once you marry there’s no turning back.” So the 48-year-old King Mswati III told the Times of Swaziland newspaper in an interview earlier this year. How this ruling would affect the King, who has 15 wives himself, is unclear. But the citizens of this tiny African nation, wedged in a tight corner between South Africa and Mozambique, have had long experience of not regarding these kind of quotes as mere fripperies. For King Mswati, educated at Sherborne in Dorset, is one of the very last leaders on the planet who is able to rule by decree. In the eyes of the international community, and a sizable portion of the domestic population, it is a privilege that hasn’t always been used responsibly. Luckily for the King, the oft-angry responses to some of his more bizarre rulings in recent years aren’t something he has to endure first hand. Having used state funds to buy his own private plane, he and his wives and retinue are regularly spotted in the global playboy hotspots of Las Vegas and Dubai. Back in Swaziland, however, schools are randomly closed and children deployed as indentured agricultural workers if the royal fields need weeding. Members of Parliament continue to earn over two and a half thousand US dollars a month while the majority of the close to two million strong population subsist on barely two dollars a day. There’s also the matter of Swaziland having the world’s highest rate of HIV, an astonishing 25 per cent of the population, along with a concomitant life expectancy of just 54. “The prime minister and his cabinet have clearly failed to deliver services and make the economy work,” said Velaphi Mamba of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa in a 2012 interview. “The Swazi people clearly have the right to turn them out of office if they wish. But they cannot because the only one who has that power is the king.” Yet there is little pressure for the monarchy to be abolished altogether. Perhaps sensing this, King Mswati has recently begun a new, more sophisticated, campaign to retain power. His ideology, trumpeted as he became chairperson of the Southern African Development Community and his nation hosted the annual summit last year, is a system of rule which he calls “monarchical democracy”. The new approach seems to be working. Many critics have crossed the floor to become supporters of the ‘new’ regime although doubts remain as to how a country whose economic situation is so precarious that the finance minister claimed last year that “prayers” were needed to save the nation from collapse, is able to fund so many ambitions infrastructure projects. The King Mswati III International Airport opened in 2014, was designed to connect long-haul flights from Europe and Asia to shorter routes in the region. Yet no airlines have taken up his offer to use the airport. How much of the King’s own reputed US$100 million personal fortune is at stake from these kind of white elephant projects remains a secret. Despite these supposed reforms, the King’s approach to marriage is still unchanged from the
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days when the country was a British seems to have ridden out the colony (independence came in 1968) worst of the storm. The regular Following the death of his father, King Sobhuza and his father, an avowed polygamist public sector strikes have all II, Swaziland’s Great Council of State selected amassed a total of 70 wives. but vanished in the last two 14-year-old prince Prince Makhosetive to be The procedure for choosing a new years and the King’s approach the next king. For the next four years, two of wife remains unchanged. Each year a to modernity, which doesn’t Sobhuza’s wives, served as regent, while the selection of the nation’s most beautiful involve the lifting of the ban on Prince continued his education in the United young women dance, bare-breasted oppositional political parties (in Kingdom, at Sherborne International School and bedecked in red feathers, in front place since 1973) , appears to in Dorset. Prince Makhosetive was crowned of the King who, brandishing a large be succeeding as he enters his Mswati III, King of Swaziland, on 25 April 1986. dock leaf, will put the leaf down at the fourth decade in power. At 18 years old, he became the youngest ruling feet of the girl he wishes to marry. “This is the kind of monarch at the time in the world. Yet this process hasn’t been as government where everyone is In an attempt to mitigate Swaziland’s AIDS simple for the current King as it has free to do anything without fear epidemic, Mswati invoked a chastity rite in 2001, been for his ancestors. of punishment,” said Sibongile encouraging all Swazi maidens to abstain from In 2002, Chief Justice Stanley Sapire Mazibuko, former president of sexual relations for five years. The rite banned angered King Mswati by ignoring a the teachers’ union who retired sexual relations for Swazis under 18 years of age royal decree to drop a case brought last year. between 9 September 2001 and 19 August 2005. by Lindiwe Dlamini, who was “There is no remorse” she Two months after imposing the ban, Mswati challenging the alleged abduction insisted. “There is no shame. himself violated this decree when he chose his of her 18-year-old daughter, Zena There is no embarrassment.” 13th wife. As per custom, he was fined a cow by Mahlangu, chosen to become the Yet a visitor to Swaziland members of her regiment, which he duly paid. young King’s tenth wife. during the time of the August According to tradition, the King of Swaziland Sapire was fired from the judiciary Umhlanga ceremony (or Reed can only marry his fiancées after they have while chief prosecutor Lincoln Dance) where teenage beauties proven they can bear heirs. Maswati currently Ng’arua alleged that senior dance for the King in the hope has 15 wives and 25 children. government officials broke into of being his next wife, would his office, changed the locks and struggle to find too much performed “devilish activities”. Republican sentiment. Ng’arua brought in a priest to The pro-government press “cleanse” his office of witchcraft and claimed he had video helps out on this front, with one privately owned daily being footage to support his claim. Refusing to allow anyone to watch closed down and its editor banished from the country after it, however, he told the BBC that it was “too immoral to be revealing that one of the Kings wives was a high school shown in public”. dropout back in the 1990s. Supernatural powers are something Mswati takes very The climax of the festival comes when the monarch, along seriously. In common with many Swazis he is said to be a believer with a retinue of bare-chested men, all dressed in patterned in ‘muti’, an animist farrago of charms and potions that can skirts, beaded sashes, and leopard-skin loincloths, jog through be used to destroy any would-be threats to power. Some royal the crowd before returning to a red carpet where the King sources claim that to the King, having the power of muti is more poses with a gold sceptre and diamond studded watch. important to national security than the army. When the wannabee wives shout “this land is for the king”, This may be why it is believed that Mswati employs legions of they’re being literal. Under Swaziland’s near-feudal system, medicine men and witch doctors from Mozambique to visit the roughly 70 per cent of its 1.2 million citizens live on plots that palace and cast spells which keep the muti on his side. Should the are held in trust by the king, who rules through local chiefs spells fail, the King is said to believe that bad muti will kill him. with the proviso that he has the power to evict anyone he Despite this chicanery and the rampant poverty gap, Mswati chooses from their land at any time.
King Mswati III
There’s also the matter of Swaziland having the world’s highest rate of HIV, an astonishing 25 per cent of the population, along with a concomitant life expectancy of just 54 “He is really filthy rich,” says Wandile Dludlu, coordinator of the United Democratic Front, a coalition of pro-democracy organisations. “We always laugh when the South Africans complain that Jacob Zuma has built himself a $23 million palace,” he adds, referring to an ongoing controversy over publicly funded renovations to the home of the South African president. “Our king has 13! They must come to Swaziland to see what it really means for a leader to live a lavish lifestyle.” Africa’s last absolute monarch may be widening his vocabulary to include buzzwords like democracy, but for the school kids weeding the royal fields while the King looks down from his private jet, the reality is anything but progressive.
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BILLIONAIRE 86
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| feature |
BOYSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CLUBs How the beautiful game became just another cog in the global empires of the ego-driven super-rich Words: Jack Watkins
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
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W
hen Leicester City won the Premier League title at the end of the 2015-16 season, it was a throwback moment to the 1970s, when modestly financed clubs like Derby County, Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest still won top trophies. The fatherly, delightfully eccentric Italian Claudio Ranieri, with a team of carthorses, late developers, the odd decent youngster, and not a single superstar, had shown what few of us had dared to believe any more, that, yes, it was still possible to win the biggest prize in domestic football without a bottomless pit of cash. Unfortunately, this miraculous candle of hope, lighting up the lives of football sentimentalists, was snuffed out again the following campaign. Horribly, Leicester, for reasons we’ll never fully understand, failed to carry their sensational form into the new season. By February 2017, Ranieri, who most believed was untouchable after what he’d done, was heartbreakingly dismissed, sacked in the most brutal way. “My dream died,” he told reporters, glumly. The club owner who took the decision, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, features in James Montague’s compelling new page-turner The Billionaires Club: The Unstoppable Rise of Football’s SuperRich Owners, and the startling thing about it is that Srivaddhanaprabha is a relative sweetheart compared to other football club owners. At the end of 2016, foreign owners bought or held
are never more than a few bad results from the sack. The best known of the new billionaire owner breed is, of course, Roman Abramovich. When he bought Chelsea in 2003 and started spraying the zillions around, he effectively ensured a club which had always lacked sustained achievement now had a near permanent place in the top four. In doing so, he instantly turned the Blues into the side most neutrals loved to hate. Montague, in describing the Russian political and industrial world from which the oligarch emerged, offers some intriguing images, with Russian defectors in sharp suits standing outside luxury flats in Whitehall, mysterious deaths, and night-time raids on apartments of anti-Putin figures by the secret police. What a curious person Abramovich is. Many football fans moan about the facelessness of ownership. Abramovich isn’t faceless, he’s just expressionless. He’s always at Stamford Bridge, but he watches games as impassively as a cow looking at you over a hedge. Presumably, he does actually like football. At one point, he took to sitting with the players in the dressing room, in silence. “I don’t know if he could understand [what was being said],” said Chelsea player Jesper Grønkjær, “but he would just sit there like one of the boys.” Abramovich’s links with Putin have long been the subject of speculation, with allegations of corruption. No-one has yet laid a glove on him though, and neither does Montague. Abramovich’s purchase of Chelsea changed the way money was invested in the
Abramovich’s purchase of Chelsea changed the way money was invested into the game forever
out now
The Billionaires Club: The Unstoppable Rise of Football’s Super-Rich Owners, £16.99, James Montague, Bloomsbury, amazon.com
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significant shares in 15 of the Premier League’s 20 clubs, according to Montague, while “dozens more” had bought up sides in the lower divisions. How and where these fortunes were accrued is often unknown, with the football governing bodies’ ‘Fit and Proper Persons Criteria’ – the means by which the FA supposedly weeds out fraudulent or bankrupt individuals – proving hopelessly unfit for purpose. Being foreign is, of course, no bar from owning a successful football club. Former Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed proved an excellent owner of Fulham, one of the game’s most traditional and friendly clubs, from the 1990s into the Millennium. And neither is vast wealth a signifier that an owner will only be in it for the short term. Clubs have often been bankrolled by a single wealthy individual. At Turf Moor, the home of Burnley, another deeply traditional club, one of the grandstands is named after former chairman Bob Lord, the rather terrifying owner of a local butchery business, who effectively financed the club for a quarter of a century between 1955 and 1981. The millions of self-made local boy Jack Walker, who transformed his backyard family scrap metal business into a major steel concern, enabled Blackburn Rovers to win the Premier League in 1995. Jack Hayward, at Wolverhampton Wanderers, was another millionaire whose largesse enabled a once great club another shot. But the new breed of owner that Montague writes about is off the scale in terms of wealth. Alongside the colossal sums Sky and BT have paid for broadcasting rights, foreign owners have turned the game upside down. Players change clubs for absurd fees, and the hire and fire antics of owners has meant that managers
game forever. Other clubs began seeking overseas sugar daddies, though they came not from Russia, but from America, Asia and the Middle East. One of the most depressing purchases was that of Manchester City by the Abu Dhabi United Group. The figure behind them is Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the world’s second richest royal family, thanks to access to one of the largest oil reserves on the planet. The soulless reason for the purchase of the club was nothing more than the belief that it was a sound business investment. The idea that a football club, the subject of so much love and emotional commitment from fans over the decades, should be viewed as merely that should be enough to draw tears. But it transformed the club, long overshadowed by neighbour Manchester United, into a major footballing force, satisfying even the most vociferous of originally disgruntled fans. Yet the old Manchester City is no more. Its values
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| feature |
money men
Clockwise from top: John W. Henry, Liverpool; Shahid Khan, Fulham; Roman Abramovich, Chelsea; Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, Leicester City; Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Manchester City
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
have been completely skewered. This summer (at the time of print) the club shelled out over £200 million, contributing further to the now seemingly uncontrollable inflation of transfer fees. The ownership’s approach to its managers has been no more patient than that of Abramovich at Chelsea. The likeable, softvoiced Manuel Pellegrini was sacked after three years in charge, despite overseeing victory in the Premier League and League Cup. His predecessor, Roberto Mancini, suffered a similar fate. Both men had failed to deliver the required progress on the biggest money-spinning stage of all, the European Champions League. Yet if modern Manchester City under sheikh ownership is difficult to love, at least the club cannot be said to have gone backwards. The quality of football is terrific, the revenue and profits at record levels. Which is more than can be said of Blackburn Rovers under Venky’s, a vast Indian poultry business and domestic supplier of KFC and McDonald’s. Venky’s purchase of the club in 2010 was, says Montague, “possibly the most surprising” of all superrich owner purchases. Though, for sending a club down the pan, they have plenty of competition from the likes of Vincent Tan, a Malaysian billionaire, at Cardiff, Tony Fernandes, another Malaysian businessman, at Queens Park Rangers, and Italian Francesco Becchetti at Leyton Orient. The logic behind the Venky’s purchase seems connected to the fact that the Lancashire town has a large second and third generation Asian population, fuelling the company’s ambition to build a global brand name on the back of returning Blackburn to the top of the Premier League. The trouble, Montague argues, is that they have proceeded to make decisions more appropriate to the running of a poultry business than of a football club. By the spring of 2016, Blackburn had debts of £104.2 million, and the fans were begging Venky’s to sell up and go. It hasn’t happened, and rather than leaping back to the top, at the end of last season, Blackburn were relegated to the third tier of the English league system, and were on their eighth manger since Venky’s takeover. Could things get worse for English club football? Quite possibly. At least badly run clubs are usually upended by results in the long term. But what if the owners of the top sides feel so powerful, they decide to pull out of the entire current league structure, instead setting up something similar to American football’s National Football League, which Montague describes as “a cartel of 32 teams untroubled by failure unless it is a failure to make money”. No promotion, no relegation, nor any sense of geographical identity. No more checking the football results to see how your local team has done. Just an endless round of what we consider in this country to be meaningless exhibition matches. It’s too nasty to contemplate. But, for the moment, good things still happen. Huddersfield Town, once managed by the great Herbert Chapman, who won the League three times and the FA Cup once in the 1920s, have just got promoted back into the top division for the first time since 1972. Mauricio Pochettino, the Spurs boss, seems to have gone through the entire close season without spending a bean, but his side is still likely to be a contender for top honours this year. And what of Mr Claudio Ranieri? This summer it was announced that he had taken up a new managerial post at the French club Nantes, in the country’s top division. Clearly, he’s got his dream back. He still believes and so, soppy, incurable romantics that we are, do we.
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FACE 90
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| MOTORING |
OFF luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
Less than £1,200 and seven mph separates the Mercedes AMG GT S and Jaguar’s F-Type SVR. So, which comes out on top?
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THE VITALS
Weight:
1,720kg Engine:
5.0-litre twin vortex supercharger V8 Horsepower:
575hp Acceleration:
0-60 in 3.5 seconds Top Speed:
200mph From:
£110,880
Jaguar F-Type SVR The juiced-up F-Type is Jaguar flexing its muscles Words: Chris Hall
I
wasn’t necessarily expecting to love the F-Type SVR. I fell head over heels for the F-Type R two years ago; it nipped in while Aston Martin and Maserati’s backs were turned and stole the title of ‘most beautiful sports car’, and it turned out to drive, and sound, as good as it looked. It wasn’t, with 550PS coming from a supercharged V8, something I stepped away from thinking “this could do with a bit of juicing up”. Some have called it a handful – I daresay it’s got a wild side, but who could love a car that didn’t? So when it came to the SVR, I took it for a gilded lily – the next weapon in a neverending automotive arms race. The impression wasn’t dispelled when it arrived on my driveway. The performance upgrades – power up to 575PS; less weight; better aero – necessitate a butch rear wing and big air vents behind the front wheels, plus a carbon fibre front splitter for scraping speed bumps. To my eye, wistful for the clean lines of the original, it was all a bit much. The thing is, you need to step back and see the context.
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Jaguar has big ambitions for the F-Type as an entire family of cars (it has just launched an entry-level four-cylinder version) and in that light, it makes sense to have something full-blooded at the top of the range. And full-blooded this is. That supercharged V8 is throaty at all times, and at full chat sounds like a firing range. It’s such a visceral, guttural pleasure. The gearbox is crisp without being snatchy – and there are all the theatrics you expect from the exhaust as you overrun or shift down. It’s not a light car – you’ll be pushing two tonnes with a full tank and a passenger – so I was expecting a fair bit of body roll through the corners. The four-wheel drive takes good care of that, though, lending you confidence you have no right to expect. And yet it’s not a notably stiff ride either – in fact, it’s a lot better than the F-Type R. I took the SVR out through Kent, Surrey and the New Forest and it felt planted on B-roads and motorways alike. It can act like a grand tourer when it wants – there’s a really healthy amount of luggage space (and cabin storage) – although you’ll
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| motoring |
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT S A jaw-dropping high-performance sports coupe that’s pure drama Words: Jeremy Taylor
B have to be frugal with the fuel. Seventy litres sounds like a lot, but it disappears awfully quickly – although I probably pushed a little harder than the men who come up with the mpg figures. When you aren’t charging about, enjoying that little shove in the small of the back it can give you within an instant, the SVR happens to also be a very nice place to spend some time. The Meridian Audio surround sound is an absolute must on the options list; among strong competition I have to say it is the best car stereo I’ve heard in years. The infotainment all works as you want it to; the sat nav is good, and there’s plenty of room for those over six feet tall. Trim-wise, Jaguar is liberal with the suede-like Alcantara, and although I’m sure there are tasteless ways to upholster a model, the default F-Type cabin is quite restrained. Personally I’m happy for the decorative efforts to be focussed on the outside of the car. Which brings us back to all those adornments. After a couple of days with the SVR I had to admit, they were growing on me. This car moves like a guided rocket – it may as well look the part. And if I was benefitting even slightly from the aerodynamic benefits (outside of a racetrack, you really can’t tap into the full performance) then they’ve earned a place on this car. Canvassing opinion from friends, the consensus was that if you’re going to have a car that wakes up the neighbours, tears up country roads and puts such a smile on your face, this is how it’s meant to look. And from Jaguar’s perspective it makes sense – the SVR is a hell of a lot more evocative than pretty much anything else in its class. You have to drop another £30,000 on a Mercedes AMG GT-R to find anything else with so much muscular presence, or so much guilty pleasure from the exhausts. Which means, and I feel that this is a thoroughly scientific conclusion, that if the SVR is more exciting and cheaper than its rivals, if it’s packed with goodies on the inside, and attractive if not particularly elegant on the outside, it must be a bargain. Right?
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efore electricity brought lighthouses out of the dark ages, mariners were warned off the treacherous coast of Ireland by open fires. The beacons were mounted on cliff top platforms called braziers which relied solely on wood to fuel the flames. Coal, gas and, finally, electricity came later as safety standards improved. Now, Ireland’s lighthouses are about to have something unlikely in common with the new MercedesAMG GT S – they will be fitted with modern LED bulbs. The high-performance bulbs last longer and save hundreds of thousands of pounds in lighthouse maintenance costs. And while Mercedes headlights are understandably nowhere near as powerful, they are some of the most illuminating units you will find on the road. The GT’s Intelligent Light System is equipped with two modes – country and motorway. Country illuminates the verge on the vehicle side more brightly than halogen bulbs. At speeds above 56mph, motorway mode increases the forward range of the lamps still further. A cornering light function swings the headlights into bends by up to 15 degrees, while the rear lamps feature LED bulbs that brighten or fade, depending on the ambient light. It’s a simple but ingenious way of not dazzling a following driver. And you don’t need to be a bright spark to enjoy the benefits of the Mercedes system. Take a night drive across country in the GT S and it soon becomes blindingly clear why the more natural light of LED will guide us into the future. I’ve brought an AMG to Ireland to try it along a section of the Wild Atlantic Way (WAW). The 1,500-mile trail up the west coast is jammed with breathtaking landscapes and some of the best roads in the British Isles. It also has a number of lighthouses – dramatically perched on cliff-tops and available to stay in for a memorable night by the sea. WAW will offer the perfect roads to put the Mercedes through its paces.
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he GT is a high-performance sports coupe to rival the Porsche 911 and Audi R8. It comes in three versions, GT, GT S and GT R. All use the same the two-door, two-seat layouts and 4.0-litre V8 engine. A convertible model has also been launched. The standard GT offers 470bhp, the R a massive 577bhp. My £112,000 S model pumps out 522bhp, more than enough for most drivers. While the suspension isn’t too firm, the seats are for a grand tourer. So much so that a long journey might have you cursing. I’m also disappointed with the infotainment screen that dominates the dashboard. It does everything bar make a cup of tea (although the GT does warn the driver when it’s time to take a break) but looks like a carbuncle sat on the centre console. While can’t it fold away and disappear like many lesser cars? This being a low-slung Mercedes, it’s not too keen on ramps either. Boarding at Pembroke with Irish Ferries requires gentle manoeuvring but there are staff on hand to help. Then I have four hours to put my feet up and plan the best route to my first stop in west Cork. Knowing how rough the roads in west Ireland can be, the trek from Rosslare to Cork is a pleasant surprise. With its rock star looks, the GT S causes
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THE VITALS
Weight:
1,645kg Engine:
4-litre twin turbo V8 Horsepower:
522hp Acceleration:
0-60 in 3.8 seconds Top Speed:
193mph From:
£112,060
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| motoring |
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Within the sub-£150K supercar category, the SVR and GT S have some stiff competition...
Words: Jeremy Taylor
Porsche 911 Turbo S (£146,000) *****
ripples of admiration at every set of traffic lights. I’m averaging 24mpg, with a steady grumble from the quad exhaust pipes. It’s only after Cork that the roads start to disintegrate, highlighting those crazy hard seats. By the time I reach Galley Head lightkeepers’ cottage, near Clonakilty, I’m ready for a soft mattress. The property is run by the Irish Landmark Trust – a charity that restores and maintains historic buildings. It’s a calm night and the moon reflects off George’s Channel 130ft below. The weather can be notoriously rough here, with Fastnet lighthouse a few miles out to sea. The lighthouse was converted to electricity in 1969 and the last lightkeeper left ten years later. From here, staff would have witnessed the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 – as well as many other disasters and dramatic rescues. At least the cottage is a cosy place of refuge, with a peat fire and plenty of reading material. Loop Head lighthouse is a three-hour drive north of here, even in the sporty GT S. The lightkeeper’s cottage clings to a remote tip of County Clare but the views are incredible, with dramatic cliffs and the chance to see whales at play. The Mercedes has been frustrated behind plenty of farm vehicles but slowly, ever so slowly, driving in Ireland encourages you to see things at a more leisurely pace and enjoy the premium Burmester sound system. My final stop along the Wild Atlantic Way is Ashford Castle – named the world’s best hotel by Condé Nast The nautical theme continues in the newly restored Hideaway Cottage. An old boathouse on the shore of Lough Corrib, it’s a one-bedroom love nest fit for a king. At £2,500 a night, it’s also very suitable for one of the world’s top golfers. Rory McIlroy uses the same room for his honeymoon suite a few weeks later at a lavish, star-studded reception. Checking out of the ancestral home of the Guinness family is always difficult but at least my bill wasn’t as big as McIlroy’s. Plus I get to drive a brilliant car back home to London – even if a soft cushion would make a great addition to the options list… Irish Ferries fares start at £79 one-way for a car and driver, irishferries.com; Irish Landmark Trust offer two nights self-catering in a lighthouse cottage from around £400; irishlandmark.com; Hideaway Cottage at Ashford Castle, from £2,500 per night, ashfordcastle.com.
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The 911 is still the benchmark coupe, with incredible handling and staggering performance to match. The Turbo S will blast to 60mph in 2.9 seconds and boasts a top speed in excess of 200mph. It lacks the visual drama of the Mercedes, yet the Porsche is still achingly pretty. A fixed rear spoiler, body skirts, carbon ceramic brakes, 20-inch tyres and air intakes on the rear wheel arches suggest this is a coupe with serious bite. Also available with LED headlights (a £336 option), the Turbo S has devastating amounts of traction and four driver modes. I’ve owned several Porsches but the Turbo S is the most incredibly complete car.
Audi R8 quattro Plus (£113,000) ****
Audi’s range-topping R8 already utilises LED headlights but is now available with a laser high beam too. It’s road legal and won’t blind oncoming drivers, although how the system works requires a PhD in physics. The R8 has supercar looks and sounds fantastic. The 5.2-litre V10 is 602bhp of automotive perfection, with 0-60mph dispatched in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 205mph. It’s almost £50,000 less than the Porsche but just as thrilling. With many supercar manufacturers now looking to build smaller, turbocharged engines, the R8 remains refreshingly old school. It’s also very easy to live with on a daily basis, despite the cramped luggage space.
McLaren 540C (£126,000) *****
The ‘entry level’ McLaren still manages 199mph and 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds, thanks to a 3.8 twin turbo producing 562bhp. It’s not the fastest car here but this is a supercar that offers all the cache of a Hermès man bag. Designed and built with a carbon fibre chassis in Britain, the 540C is one of the latest additions to the exclusive McLaren range. With swing-up doors and ravishing lines, it’s more than a match for the Mercedes in a beauty contest. The cabin lacks some of the everyday usability of the Mercedes and R8 but don’t let that stop you buying one. I drove the 540C for over 400 miles and could have carried on for 1,000 more. 95
Choose Your Weapon Mexican artist Denise De La Rue pays homage to the tempestuous works of Francisco de Goya, using well-known Spanish female actors to open a dialogue about women using the commanding tool of beauty Words: Mark & Hannah Hayes-Westall
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OPPOSITE PAGE Installation view of ‘Angelas’ at the Chapel San Antonio de la Florida, Madrid. ©Museo Nacional de Prado / ©Denise De La Rue ABOVE Denise de La Rue with Adriana Ugarte: Vuelo de brujas (Museo Nacional de Prado). ©Denise De La Rue
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new and frightening leader is in charge of the world’s largest economic power, popular uprisings have shaken the status quo and caused floods of refugees. Finances are being stretched by a series of ill-advised military adventures undertaken at the behest of larger allies, confidence in government is low, and the horror of government witch-hunts, seen in the previous century, seems once again a possibility. Yes, it’s Spain in the 1790s, and for artists, it’s fast becoming a dangerous time to express yourself. (You thought I was going to say something else, didn’t you?) Against this background a newly married young aristocrat, the Duchess of Osuna, commissions Francisco de Goya to create what seems on the surface to be an unusual collection of paintings for her new home. The paintings were a series showing cronelike witches engaged in their traditional, evil debauchery.
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he concepts behind the works, and peculiar timing of their commissioning, have intrigued art historians for centuries, and in her latest work Mexican artist Denise De La Rue has explored these ideas further. Feminist writer Nancy Friday once said in a talk: “Beauty is a player, stalking the streets bare-breasted, stiletto-heeled, fly unzipped. Its power is luminous and monumental.’’ This vision of beauty as a weapon is brought to life by De La Rue in the series Witches & Angels; Goya Metamorphoses, a two-part exhibition where the Witches section is currently on display at Madrid’s Museo Lázaro Galdiano. The artist has photographed Spanish actors in front of Goya’s works, as if they are part of the original painting. This captures what De La Rue says is the essence of her work, which is “the capability of women to transform and empower themselves, historically threatening to the conservative preconception of patriarchal societies”. Dressed in contemporary clothing, the women react to the paintings, creating a dialogue between old and new and offering both a new interpretation of the original works and a comment on current times.
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Goya painted witches many times, but rarely for public consumption. Art historians believe that his focus on witchcraft was a very quiet protest at those who he saw as upholding the values of the Spanish Inquisition. These people were heavily involved in witch hunts in the previous century, and there are at least 7,000 ‘cases’ in which children as young as seven were tortured until they ‘confessed’. Goya is known to have disliked the way that the church was leading its congregations back towards medieval superstitions in order to exploit their fears for political gain. The Duchess of Osuna had rapidly become a tastemaker within the court through her patronage of the arts, literature and garden design. In commissioning such works it could be said that in a time when the options open to a woman seeking to affect change were extremely limited, she was leveraging her influence, along with the power of her family name, and of course her money, to assert a more liberal political outlook. The women of De La Rue’s images have many more options open to them. Yet, dressed in classically feminine attire, juxtaposed against the haggard crones of Goya’s imaginings, the power of their beauty dominates the image. While Goya’s witches mock the concept of witchcraft, De La Rue’s interventions reclaim the power of women to affect change, but draw our attention to the tools used by necessity by women without agency throughout history; artifice and the impact of their looks. These are women embracing the ability of their beauty, and their actor-like skills,
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| art |
to transform the world around them, an overt contrast with the imagined skills and brutish looks of the women painted by Goya with whom they interact. The Goya Metamorphoses series is not the first time that De La Rue has created work by responding to the work of another artist. In 2014, she presented A Day For Peace, a film piece in which a matador performs the traditional ‘dance’ of the bullfight against the backdrop of Picasso’s iconic painting Guernica. The film was screened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, capturing worldwide attention. De La Rue has staged a number of fine art interventions and continues to find inspiration in the dialogue that can be established between works created in the past and those of today. Throughout, her focus has remained on human transformation, reinterpretation and reinvention. She describes these as the exotic and mystical part of human existence, portraying the dichotomy of human actuality, encapsulating the struggle between life and death, the sublime and the earthly, light and darkness. The elemental power struggles, unchanged throughout history, that define humankind’s sense of itself and its place make fertile ground for the artist’s ongoing discourse, and De La Rue has attracted institutions and collectors from around the world. Deploying the very skills she highlights as powerful tools within her works, De La Rue shines a light on the remarkable effects achieved by seemingly powerless people working within the constraints of their times, and in doing so, opens minds to what can be achieved today.
FIND the work
Denise De La Rue: Witches Lázaro Galdiano Museum 22 June – 31 October 2017, Madrid, Spain
Clockwise from right Verónica Echegui: La cocina de los brujos (unknown). ©Denise De La Rue. Denise De La Rue, photograph by Vincent Urbani; Maribel Verdú: Aquelarre (Museum Lázaro Galdiano). ©Denise De La Rue. Inma Cuesta Las Brujas (Museum Lázaro Galdiano). ©Denise De La Rue.
‘‘Beauty is a player, stalking the streets bare-breasted, stilettoheeled, fly unzipped. Its power is luminous and monumental” luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
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The Future is Now Dubai’s rulers have promised to astonish the world at Expo 2020, but with robocops already on the streets, autonomous taxis set for the skies and supersonic tube travel now a reality, this city in the sand is already the stuff of science fiction Words: Richard Brown
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azza led the celebrations. Straddling the spire of the world’s tallest building, the baseball-capped Crown Prince leant outover the 828 metres between him and death, waved the flag of the UAE with one hand, and, with the other, snapped the most stomach-churning selfie ever taken. Footage of the stunt, captured by helicopter, will make your palms sweat. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – Fazza to his Emirati fans – is not your average next-in-line-tothe-throne. Now 34, the world champion endurance jockey is also an accomplished poet and semiprofessional skydiver. The video of his flag-waving feat emerged in 2013, shortly after officials in Paris had announced that Dubai would be hosting the 2020 World Expo. No city wanted to stage the greatest show on Earth more than it.
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This page from top The Palm Jumeirah; the Tower at Dubai Creek © Santiago Calatrava; control station for Hyperloop One; how Expo 2020 will look; Volocopter; Robocop reports for duty © Dubai Media office
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s news of the successful bid broke – across huge screens erected in Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping complex – fireworks burst off the sides of the Burj Khalifa. A carnival began on Jumeirah Beach. The following day was declared a school national holiday. Since then a lot has happened in the world’s most modernised city. No place is racing towards the future with the velocity of Dubai. Driven by a desire to be the ‘smartest’ municipality on Earth, Fazza’s father, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s ruler and both Vice President and Prime Minister of the wider UAE, has green-lighted a series of projects that are turning this emirate into the vision of a sci-fi writer. Technology has caught up with imagination. Nothing is impossible. If you dream it, Dubai will make it happen. In May, the city’s first robot policeman reported for duty. Robocop – the bot’s Spanish inventors seemingly unable to better the name of the 1987 Hollywood cyborg – stands 5ft6in tall and weighs more than 15 stone. Artificial intelligence technology from Google and IBM mean the humanoid can recognise faces of known criminals and detect a person’s emotions. A touchscreen on the robot’s chest allows the public to report crime and pay parking fines. By 2030, says the Dubai police, robots could account for 25 per cent of its force. “Technological advancements are enabling robots to talk, see, feel and react to objects and humans,” says Brigadier Khalid Nasser Al Razooqi, general
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director of Dubai Police’s Smart Services Department. “The age of the robots is no longer coming – it has arrived.” While Robocops patrol the streets, overhead the world’s first unmanned aerial taxis are about to take to the skies. German firm Volocopter, which launched the first electric helicopter in 2011, has developing a fleet of air taxis capable of ferrying passengers between Dubai’s 900-and-something high-rise buildings at 60 mph. Dubai’s ruler is leading the project personally. Tests start in Q4 2017. Then there’s Hyperloop One. While various sites in the States, Australia, Russia and central Europe are locked in a race to realise Elon Musk’s fifth mode of transport – after boats, trains, cars and planes, the Tesla and SpaceX supremo has written a white paper on supersonic vacuum tubes capable of transporting pods at 760mph – it is Dubai that looks closest to making the prospective people carriers a reality. While no single company owns the technology behind Hyperloop – after his 2013 paper, Musk encouraged “all members of the community to contribute to the Hyperloop design process” – the billionaire’s own Hyperloop One firm became the first to successfully use the science to transport a pod earlier this year. The company has announced that Dubai will be the site for the first Hyperloop proper. “This is the beginning of a future that will completely transform our mental map,” says the project’s chosen architect, BIG founder Bjarke Ingels. “Not just our city but also our region and eventually the entire world, as our habitual understandings of proximity and distance, of time and space, are warped by this virgin form of travel.” If the hypothesis proves
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
THIS PAGE; CLOCKWISE FROm top Velicopter; Hyperloop One in testing in the North Las Vegas Desert; Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum atop the Burj Khalifa; the Tower at Dubai Creek © Santiago Calatrava; how the Dubai Hyperloop One terminal might look
correct, the transportation system – which propels pods suspended by magnetic levitation through giant pipes – promises to cover the 99 miles between Dubai and Abu Dhabi in just 12 minutes. The drive currently takes 90. Developers say Hyperloop One could progress to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and then on to Singapore, Istanbul, Cairo, Madrid and London. “From a technological point of view, we could have a Hyperloop One system built in the United Arab Emirates in the next five years,” says Hyperloop One chief executive Rob Lloyd. In October 2016, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum laid the foundation stone for the Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour. Designed by SpanishSwiss architect Santiago Calatrava Valls, famed for his futuristic City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia, as well as for New York’s new World Trade Centre transportation hub, the Tower is set to surpass the Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest manmade structure. “The tower sets another challenge in the history of human architecture,” tweeted Sheikh Mohammed, “a race the UAE deserves to lead.” The building will be completed before the World Expo, says the Dubai ruler. In the two decades since the sail-shaped, supposedly-seven-star Burj Al Arab changed the way the world thinks of Dubai, the city has tamed the desert and reclaimed huge masses of land from the sea. It’s advanced architecture, promoted robotics, redefined our very relationship with space and time. Fantasy has become a reality; the future given form. What next for this city of dreams?
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hotel review #1
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah The hotel that kick-started it all
Words: : Kate Harrison
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s much a symbol as a hotel, the distinctive, sail-shaped Burj Al Arab sits on reclaimed land almost 300m out from Jumeirah Beach. Its silhouette is now an icon for new Dubai. Before this hotel, Dubai was an underdeveloped emirate, known for its reserves of oil and not a lot else. The world’s perceptions were shattered by the high-tech construction of the Burj Al Arab in December 1999. Now owned by the Jumeirah Group, the hotel remains the pinnacle of luxury. The rooms and lobby are traditionally Arabic in design, with almost everything relying on a colour palette of gold, dark blue and purple. Check-in takes place in your duplex suite next to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Arabian Gulf. Bathroomsare all marble, with gold taps and towel rails, and toiletries by Hermès. The Jacuzzi baths are enormous, and rivalled only by the walk-in shower and dressing area between bathroom and bedroom. The bedroom has a huge bed (you can see a pattern emerging), with blue velvet and gold etched cushions and pillows, a chaise longue and mirrored ceiling. The recently completed 10,000 sqm pool terrace boasts two pools, sand that’s been treated so it doesn’t stick to your feet, and Scape Restaurant & Bar, serving Mediterranean, Asian and Latin American fusion food. For a day of real indulgence, book one of the Royal Canabas, luxurious retreats around the edge of the terrace that offer a dedicated butler, food and spa services, a stocked mini-bar, private bathroom and shower, and private veranda looking out to sea. At the base of the hotel you’ll find Nathan Outlaw’s Al Mahara, the chef ’s first restaurant outside of the UK. Outlaw, whose Cornish venue was recently crowned the UK’s best restaurant by the Good Food Guide, has been given carte blanche with Al Mahara. Designed as an underwater palace, the
did you know? The Burj Al Arab was constructed to resemble the sail of a Dhow, a lateen-rigged ship with one or two masts, used chiefly in the Arabian Gulf
restaurant has a giant clam for a reception desk, an octopus-shaped chandelier above the bar, and a shell-decorated tunnel that leads you to your table – itself surrounded by a floor-to-ceiling aquarium full of stingrays, sharks and a menagerie of exotic fish. The signature lobster risotto is particularly mind-blowing. Burj Al Arab is sometimes erroneously said to be the world’s only seven-star hotel. That rating doesn’t exist. If it did, few hotels would have such a strong claim to that title. Double rooms from AED 4,490 (£1,007) in low season and AED 12,000 (£2,688) in high season, subject to service charge and municipality fees, jumeirah.com
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hotel review #2
Armani Hotel Dubai
A landmark hotel in the tallest landmark of them all
Words: : Kate Harrison
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he hotel occupying 1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard has, perhaps, the world’s most exclusive address. The building that sits on that plot of land happens to be Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure on Earth. Fittingly, for such an inimitable address, the hotel was the first to be designed by Mr Giorgio Armani. Armani Hotel Dubai occupies 11 floors of the tower and has its own private entrance. Impeccably dressed men greet you at reception, where every piece of furniture, painting and ornament has been deliberately placed for optimum style and design. The Armani ethos is obvious; simplicity and elegance pervade the hotel. Bedrooms contain king-sized beds, the white sheets contrasting subtly with the rich brown tones of the heavy set curtains and dark wooden floor. Rooms are designed to keep the mind clear. The bathroom is similarly understated; the dressing area and toilet screened off from the bath and shower. The spa takes this clarity of design to another level, where massage therapists ensure that treatments are tailored to your specific needs. Walk from the spa to the pool area just outside to finish your rejuvenation and fully appreciate the scale of the Burj Khalifa. Armani Dubai has seven restaurants. If you visit just one, make sure it’s Amal. As you walk in, you’re welcomed by traditional Indian musicians and taken to a table with amazing views of Dubai’s dancing fountain, which works to the beat of live music every 20 minutes. The menu is a modern take on timehonoured Indian cooking, with a collection of regional dishes and
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top tier As well occupying the concourse level through to level 8, Armani Hotel Dubai also incorporates levels 38 and 39 of the Burj Khalifa
tasting menus prepared tableside. Another perk of the hotel is private access to Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping centre. Every luxury fashion house is here, along with a 22-screen cinema, a souk, more than 120 restaurants and cafés, an aquarium and an underwater zoo. The entire experience is an assault on the senses, but the peace and elegance of Armani Dubai will soon have you serene again. Classic Rooms from AED 1,600 (£334) in low season and AED 5,200 (£1,098) in high season, subject to service charge and municipality fees, armanihoteldubai.com
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Jack Nicholson and Cher at Les | xxxx Caves| du Roy
HOTEL OF THE MONTH:
Hotel Byblos
Saint-Tropez The swinging sixties are alive and well as celebrity hotspot Hotel Byblos celebrates its 50th birthday Words: david taylor
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espite my best efforts, I wasn’t able to wangle the suite in which newlyweds Mick and Bianca Jagger had spent their first night as a married couple 46 years earlier. For the celebrity wedding of that year, Hotel Byblos hosted numerous after parties, with stars flown in to toast the occasion in Byblos’s now mythical nightclub, Les Caves du Roy. Keith Richards was, for the most part, resplendently horizontal, conked out in Mick Jagger overlooking the Byblos pool, 1971
the courtyard in his combat-jacket-blacktights Best Man ensemble. The golden age of the rock star celebrity might have passed, but try telling that to Byblos, which, for its 50th birthday, has recently undergone a refurbishment worthy of one of France’s most famous hotels. Built by Lebanese billionaire Jean-Prosper Gay-Para in 1967 for Brigitte Bardot, with whom he was infatuated, Byblos’s opening was marked by three days of frivolity with
onsite venue, is typical French Riviera dining. Seafood and rich meat dishes are complemented by garden-fresh vegetables and refined pastas. For a real taste of Byblos, opt for the John Dory fillet or the beef prime rib with daube-style jus. As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, Byblos is also collaborating with a roster of luxury brands: Missoni, Rolls-Royce, Audemars Piguet, Goyard, Dom Pérignon and Sisley have all released products instilling the Byblos spirit. After half a century of serving A-list guests, Byblos radiates self-assuredness. There aren’t many hotels that capture so fully the concept of joie de vivre. Byblos lives and breathes it. Double rooms from €440 (£400), byblos.com
Byblos has undergone a glamorous refurbishment worthy of one of France’s most famous hotels the 700 invited guests spanning politics, literature and the arts. Just four months later, with the Arab-Israeli conflict causing diplomatic ruptures, Gay-Para returned to Lebanon and sold his dream to French aviation tycoon Sylvain Floirat – it’s remained with the Floirat family ever since. Byblos feels like a village in itself, brightly coloured terraces facing inwards onto a lavish pool area and bar. The rooms are huge, and feel more like apartments than part of a hotel. Sisley’s spa, its first in the world, is an oasis of calm in an already serene setting – good luck staying awake if you’ve just spent an hour with the expert masseuses. Rivea at Byblos, Alain Ducasse’s second
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Desert Island Discs
Sun-seekers are spoilt for choice when it comes to Maldivian retreats, but Cheval Blanc Randheli raises the stakes
Words:: Sophie Halse
residence, LVMH expanded the brand by opening Cheval Blanc Randheli in the Maldives in 2014, and then a third destination resort in St Barts in the same year. Recently, I was lucky enough to stay at the company’s Maldives outpost, the vision of architect Jean-Michel Gathy, whose design repertoire includes hotels for One&Only and Mandarin Oriental. “I create large and dramatic spaces,” Gathy once said in an interview. Cheval Blanc Randheli is certainly that. Perched on ivory white sand, the resort comprises a series of 42 villas, which cocoon the
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magine you are the CEO of the world’s largest luxury goods company. On what do you spend your hard-earned cash? Bernard Anault, CEO of LVMH, owner of Louis Vuitton, TAG Heuer, Hennessy, Fendi, Chaumet, among others, dreamt of a private chalet in Courchevel, France’s most exclusive ski resort. Unfortunately for Anault, his bid to turn a former tavern into a private residence was knocked back by French authorities. And so, instead, the building was transformed into LVMH’s first hotel. Cheval Blanc Courchevel, a bijou 34-room resort which opened in 2006, is now touted as one of the most exclusive chalets in the French Alps. Emboldened by the success of its debut commercial
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| travel |
island, accessible by arterial piers that branch out into translucent water. Thanks to Gathy, the hotel fits seamlessly into its surroundings. The private sea plane on which we arrive, from Malé to Randheli, touches down at the tip of a wooden port. I’m staying in one of the Island Villas, a minimalist, one-bed, open-plan space with a linear design, lofty ceilings and yellow and lime green soft furnishings. There are three rooms – a living area, bedroom and, the epitome of luxury, a walk-in dressing room and semi-outdoor bathroom. The villa is vast. Laughably, this is the smallest suite onsite. For heightened luxury, the Water Villa, suspended on stilts above the ocean, takes comfort to another level. A 12-metre infinity pool stretches out to sea, but you’d be hard pushed to resist a dip in the
Did you know? The Maldives is the lowest and flattest country in the world – its ground level is averaged at 1.5m above sea level. That’s in comparison to the highest country, which is Bhutan at an average of 3,280m.
and gaze into the world below. It’s spectacular, there’s more to see than my eyes can keep up with. Fortunately, our guide is well-versed on Maldivian marine wildlife, and joins us in the water. Postswim, we alight at a small, uninhabited archipelago for a picnic like no other. (In addition to desert island dinners, the hotel boasts a series of culinary experiences, from beach barbeques to cooking lessons with the hotel’s master chefs). Cheval Blanc has eight restaurants and bars. The Diptyque is a South Asian restaurant with open kitchens for optimum gawking opportunities. If the cooks feel the pressure, they hide it well, crafting complex and delicious seafood with the kind of relaxed flair usually reserved for a boiled egg. As I learned, no request is too diva-esque at Cheval Blanc. Service is what sets Randheli apart. Basking in the Maldivian sun, I should imagine the hotel has only two challenges. One, maintaining its standards. Two, getting its guests to leave. From $1,750 (approx. £1,346) per night based on double occupancy, including breakfast and all taxes and charges, randheli.chevalblanc.com
For those fearful of getting bored, worry not. The hotel offers a number of activities, from sailing sessions to lessons in oenology turquoise Indian Ocean, accessible from a number of the villa’s verandas. Even more impressive is the Garden Water Villa, which, as its name suggests, offers a pleasant ratio of sand, sea and greenery, with a private garden (complete with hammock) and a lagoon-facing terrace again with a private infinity pool. The resort prides itself on privacy and if it’s solitude you want, check in to the Owner’s Villa, a four-bedroom house located on its own private island. The property benefits from a 25-metre long infinity pool, a private beach, its very own spa – Guerlain, no less – and a private chef. Should you be entertaining, the neighbouring guest villa, home to a private cinema, is the place to go. For those fearful of getting bored, worry not. The hotel offers a number of activities, from sailing sessions to lessons in oenology. We put our sea legs to the test and onboard one of the hotel’s many boats, bound for a nearby private island. En route, we make a pit-stop above an ocean reef, don snorkels
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
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Sugar & spice When Belinda Carlisle sang ‘Ooh heaven is a place on earth’, there’s a good chance she was singing about Sugar Beach St Lucia Words: BETHAN REES
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| TRAVEL |
As the name suggests, the Luxury Beachfront Bungalow gives guests their own private slice of the beach. Entering the room, I’m blown away by the brightness of the space. The all-white bungalow, from the Egyptian cotton linens and Victorian-style bath, the outside Jacuzzi and the soft towels, acts as a beautiful contrast to the colour of the ocean that you can see from the four-poster bed. It’s like waking up in a paradisiacal Windows desktop background. Each bungalow also comes with butler service; ours welcomes us on arrival, unpacks our luggage, prepares our dinner reservations and offers to organise other activities for the duration of our stay, such as snuba (a hybrid of snorkelling and scuba). There are three restaurants to choose from. The Terrace Restaurant is where you can take breakfast with views of the lily pond and the twinkling Caribbean Sea. A traditional Creole breakfast comes with local cocoa tea, stewed saltfish, smoked herring, Johnny cakes (cornmeal flatbreads), and is served with
W
hen the former accountant of The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Black Sabbath moved to St Lucia in 2005, he claimed he wanted to “drink rum and do nothing”. Roger Myers, who is also the founder and chairman of the Pelican Group, a hugely successful chain of restaurants in the UK, which includes Café Rouge, didn’t stick to his word. He went on to create the five-star hotel Sugar Beach, now a Viceroy Resort, on the south west coast of the island. The 180-acre plot he chose for his hotel is nestled between the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Pitons, the volcanic peaks that rise from the sea. To say the topography is dramatic is an understatement. Sugar Beach was formerly known as Jalousie – a Creole word translating as ‘jealousy’ in English – and when the opportunity arose to purchase the lacklustre development, Myers jumped at the chance. He reportedly spent more than $100million rebuilding it before it officially opened in 2012. The landscape at Sugar Beach is hard to rival. With a white sand beach, water so clear you can see the precise shade of nail varnish on your toes, and gentle waves, it’s an idyllic spot to unwind. It’s also a safe haven for children. The only thing comparable to its natural beauty, is the attractiveness of the colonial-style resort itself. There are three types of accommodation: Luxury Beachfront Bungalows; Luxury Villas; and Luxury Sugar Mill Rooms. The first is the most opulent.
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
Did you know? Saint Lucia is the world’s only country named after a woman – Saint Lucy.
pickle, avocado and fried plantain. It’s fresh, salty, light, and sets you up for a day of lying in the sun. More conventional breakfasts are also available. Elsewhere, the Bayside Restaurant serves up simple yet finely executed seafood, such as octopus tostada with chipotle mayo – which I could easily eat every single day. The Great Room is the more formal dining option, with ever-changing seasonal menus. The velvet-like diver sea scallop carpaccio with oyster sorbet is the star of the show. The Cane Bar is, unsurprisingly, rum-focused and even has its own ‘rummelier’ to talk and advise you on what to drink, be it a fruit punch, or straight-up rum over ice. It’s quite possible that you might never want to leave Sugar Beach. In which case, why not invest in a slice of paradise? Sugar Beach is currently offering the chance to buy a home from its Beachfront Collection. Five private villas are up for sale, each designed by London-based Michaelis Boyd Associates. They range in size, from an 8,000 sq ft, seven-bedroom residence for $15million to a (only slightly) smaller four-bedroom home for $8.75million. With clean lines, Scandinavian furnishings, floor-to-ceiling glass, an infinity pool, as well as the use of all hotel facilities (including the treehouse spa), heaven is a place on Earth – and it’s now possible to buy a piece. Rooms start from £335 per night. For more information, visit viceroyhotelsandresorts.com
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A world famous view only a few will call home Discover London’s new riverfront address The Dumont is the centre-piece of Albert Embankment Plaza, London’s most prestigious new riverfront quarter. Soaring 30 storeys it affords unparalleled views over the most famous stretch of the River Thames and a lifestyle without equal. Facilities include ten-pin bowling, games room, cinema, 12th floor lounge, dining room and roof gardens. Along with a state-of-the-art gym, infinity pool, spa and 24-hour concierge service. A collection of suites, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments with a selection of elegant interiors are available.
Prices from £655,000 Show Apartment now launched – to register your interest please call +44 (0)20 3740 2695 or email dumont.london@stjames.co.uk To discover more visit www.thedumont.co.uk or the Marketing Suite at 21 Albert Embankment. Sales & Marketing Suite open daily 10am to 6pm. Prices and details correct at time of going to press. Computer generated image is indicative only.
www.thedumont.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies
LONDON HOMES &
PROPERTY Covering: THE CITY, WAPPING, SHAD THAMES, SHOREDITCH & ISLINGTON
entering autumn
september brings a healthy sales and lettings market, with some excellent investment opportunities
FiftySevenEast, Taylor Wimpey Central London. Find out more on page 130.
Five minutes with…
Each month, an expert agent gives us the lowdown on the market and a local view of a specific neighbourhood
Aviary
Charlotte Malone director at JLL Canary Wharf
C
harlotte Malone has worked within the residential estate agency industry for more than 10 years, gaining a thorough understanding of both the sales and lettings markets and has a hands-on approach to business. Her main responsibility is leading the Canary Wharf lettings team, which doesn’t isolate itself to the E14 area – it also covers surrounding markets such as Bow, Surrey Quays and Limehouse.
What advice would you give to a renter in the current market? CM: Be decisive! When searching for a property in a busy market, it’s important to act quickly to avoid missing out on the perfect property. While prospective tenants may feel like they have a lot of choice when out viewing multiple properties, the market moves very quickly. Make sure you have your requirements clear in your head before viewing so you are in a position to act when you see something that ticks all the boxes. It is also important to research your search area in advance, you’ll then feel more comfortable proceeding with a property without needing to take the extra time once you’ve viewed. Just
A Jo Malone store
as important as the property itself, is the company you chose to rent through. Look for a letting agent that is ARLA Propertymark protected to ensure you are in safe and reliable hands. Moving into autumn, are you expecting to get busier? CM: The late summer and autumn months are always a peak period in the lettings market, and activity to date suggests that this year will be no different. We have seen a dramatic increase in new tenant registrations in Q3, and we expect the buoyant market to continue through until October, underpinned by the student and graduate markets. What advice about presenting a property would you give to a landlord? CM: When choosing décor or furnishings, always opt for something neutral. Everyone’s personal taste varies significantly, and although a grey or beige colour scheme may seem bland, it is always best to keep things neutral to appeal to the widest tenant pool possible. It is much easier to add a splash of colour
JLL Canary Wharf, 11 Westferry Circus, E14, 020 7715 9700, jll.co.uk/residential 114
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
| property |
with cushions and prints if needed, than to try and tone down a vibrant wall colour or piece of furniture. It is also important not to underestimate the importance of first impressions; a fresh and fragrant smelling property can make all the difference.
JLL’s Canary Wharf office
What are the area boundaries for the Canary Wharf office? CM: We are very lucky that our office covers a broad and varied area of the east and south east London lettings market. Our core patch is prime Canary Wharf and the surrounding Docklands, but we push north as far as Bow, and south to Rotherhithe, Canada Water and Surrey Quays. We’re also active in Limehouse and Wapping, as well as extending east to Canning Town and Royal Docks. Covering such a wide market keeps our property stock diverse – from luxury new build developments to quirky warehouse conversions. How do JLL offices work together? CM: Our east and south east offices do form a natural network, and we often have applicants that are registered with our Canary Wharf, Greenwich, Stratford and City offices. Effective and open communication across the offices is key to best serve our clients, so we are always in regular contact. What’s your favourite thing about the Canary Wharf area? CM: It’s constantly changing. I’ve worked in Canary Wharf for more than 10 years and the area has become unrecognisable in that time. I live locally in Limehouse so I spend a lot of my evenings and weekends in Canary Wharf, and it’s hard to keep up with the latest restaurant and shop opening. A favourite of mine is Iberica, their outdoor bar and restaurant La Terraza is perfect for summer evenings. Where’s your favourite place in the world? CM: I spent a couple of days on my honeymoon in Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands of South Africa. It’s a beautiful village renowned for amazing restaurants, wine and cheese tasting and stunning valley views. What’s not to love?
The late summer and autumn months are always a peak period in the lettings market, and activity to date suggests that this year will be no different What’s the best aspect of your job? CM: Every day is different. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in the industry and how well you know your market, there will always be something new to learn. What are your top three luxury items? CM: My Kindle, anything Jo Malone and my bed. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? CM: When my nephew was three, he told me I should pretend to be my favourite super hero so I could get my grown up jobs done quicker and have more time for playing. If only.
A vineyard in Franschhoek, South Africa
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
You’re hosting a dinner party with three guests, who are they? CM: The Queen, Ant and Dec (I’m counting them as one, doesn’t everyone?), and Michael McIntyre.
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with cushions and prints if needed, than to try and tone down a vibrant wall colour or piece of furniture. It is also important not to underestimate the importance of first impressions; a fresh and fragrant smelling property can make all the difference.
JLL’s Canary Wharf office
What are the area boundaries for the Canary Wharf office? CM: We are very lucky that our office covers a broad and varied area of the east and south east London lettings market. Our core patch is prime Canary Wharf and the surrounding Docklands, but we push north as far as Bow, and south to Rotherhithe, Canada Water and Surrey Quays. We’re also active in Limehouse and Wapping, as well as extending east to Canning Town and Royal Docks. Covering such a wide market keeps our property stock diverse – from luxury new build developments to quirky warehouse conversions. How do JLL offices work together? CM: Our east and south east offices do form a natural network, and we often have applicants that are registered with our Canary Wharf, Greenwich, Stratford and City offices. Effective and open communication across the offices is key to best serve our clients, so we are always in regular contact. What’s your favourite thing about the Canary Wharf area? CM: It’s constantly changing. I’ve worked in Canary Wharf for more than 10 years and the area has become unrecognisable in that time. I live locally in Limehouse so I spend a lot of my evenings and weekends in Canary Wharf, and it’s hard to keep up with the latest restaurant and shop openings. A favourite of mine is Iberica, their outdoor bar and restaurant La Terraza is perfect for summer evenings. Where’s your favourite place in the world? CM: I spent a couple of days on my honeymoon in Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands of South Africa. It’s a beautiful village renowned for amazing restaurants, wine and cheese tasting and stunning valley views. What’s not to love?
The late summer and autumn months are always a peak period in the lettings market, and activity to date suggests that this year will be no different What’s the best aspect of your job? CM: Every day is different. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in the industry and how well you know your market, there will always be something new to learn. What are your top three luxury items? CM: My Kindle, anything Jo Malone and my bed. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? CM: When my nephew was three, he told me I should pretend to be my favourite super hero so I could get my grown up jobs done quicker and have more time for playing. If only.
A vineyard in Franschhoek, South Africa
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
You’re hosting a dinner party with three guests, who are they? CM: The Queen, Ant and Dec (I’m counting them as one, doesn’t everyone?), and Michael McIntyre.
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Turner Street, Whitechapel E1 A Georgian House built around 1812, wonderfully restored ten years ago
KnightFrank.co.uk/aldgate aldgate@knightfrank.com 020 3544 0712
A three bedroom two bathroom Georgian townhouse arranged over four floors, with a fourth room which can be used as a study or further bedroom. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, kitchen, office/study, utility room, garden, garden terrace, coal hole, terrace. Â EPC: C Approximately 168.15 sq m (1,1810 sq ft). Freehold
Guide price: ÂŁ1,650,000
@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk
KnightFrank.co.uk/POD170515
City Magazine August 2017 1 page (35 Turner Street)
14/08/2017 17:30:52
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MOVE Faster. Sell with Knight Frank
Our understanding of the everchanging market enables us to price your property accurately, so you can rely on Knight Frank to get you moving. Call us today on 020 8166 5375 to arrange your free market appraisal. KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com
Guide price: £549,950
New Crane Wharf, Wapping E1W Set on the top floor of this popular listed development in the heart of Wapping is this good sized apartment which offers high ceilings and excellent natural light in a modern setting. Bedroom, bathroom, reception room with open plan kitchen. Approximately 59 sq m (635 sq ft). Leasehold. Office: 020 8166 5375
@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk
Guide price: £1,550,000
New Crane Wharf, Wapping E1W A dual aspect listed penthouse apartment located on the banks of the River Thames featuring high ceilings, warehouse features and beautiful views across the river to Canary Wharf. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, kitchen. Approximately 184 sq m (1,987 sq ft). Share of Freehold. Office: 020 8166 5375
City Mag September 2017
22/08/2017 12:56:59
WHAT'S YOUR NEXT MOVE? We pride ourselves on exceptional service and unrivalled market knowledge, with a global network of 418 offices across 60 countries that can showcase your property to the widest possible audience. If you are considering letting a property this year, please contact us on 020 8166 5366 or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings
Guide price: £365 per week
Sovereign Court, Wapping E1W
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This vibrant development offers a large selection of brand new fully refurbished and high quality apartments, set around a beautiful communal courtyard garden square. Double bedroom, bathroom, reception room, fully fitted kitchen. EPC: D. Approximately 28 sq m (300 sq ft). wappinglettings@knightfrank.com Office: 020 7480 6848
All potential tenants should be advised that as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 and referencing fees of £48 per person will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/tenantcharges
@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk
Guide price: £550 per week
Shearwater Court, Wapping E1W This beautiful apartment offers stunning views of St Katharine Docks and The Shard. Double bedroom, bathroom, contemporary kitchen and reception/dining area opening on to a private terrace overlooking the dock. EPC: B. Approximately 60 sq m (644 sq ft). wappinglettings@knightfrank.com Office: 020 7480 6848
City Magazine, may 17, lettings
22/08/2017 14:41:35
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FOUND YOUR PERFECT TENANT. LET WITH KNIGHT RANK
To find out how we can help you please contact us KnightFrank.co.uk/aldgate/lettings aldgatelettings@knightfrank.com 020 3823 9930
Guide price: £475 per week
Mariana Court, Whitechapel E1
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A new bright and spacious apartment with private balcony that has been fully furnished via Knight Frank Interiors to a very high standard. 2 bedrooms (1 en suite), open plan reception room/kitchen, with brand new white goods. EPC: B Approximately 60.57 sq m (652 sq ft). aldgatelettings@knightfrank.com Office: 020 3823 9930
All potential tenants should be advised that as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 and referencing fees of £48 per person will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/tenantcharges
@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk
Guide price: £550 per week
Gunthorpe Street, Aldgate E1 A lovey one bedroom apartment that has access to a spectacular private roof terrace and is offered to rent fully furnished. Bedroom with plenty of storage, modern bathroom, spacious reception room, fully fitted kitchen. EPC: D. Approximately 62.63 sq m (674 sq ft). aldgatelettings@knightfrank.com Office: 020 3823 9930
City Mag Sept 2017
23/08/2017 13:20:39
| property |
EXPERT VIEWS
The Knight Frank Wapping and Tower Bridge offices collaborate to give us the lowdown on the current market and the months ahead
Lee O’Neill
Jon Reynolds
Associate and head of sales at Knight Frank Wapping
Partner and head of lettings at Knight Frank Tower Bridge
T
he election result and the wrangling that followed was met with a sigh, as a number of people focussed on either selling or buying felt that a period of uncertainty and scepticism about the London market would continue. Therefore, it was with a surprise that in early July we started to see a number of new enquires and sensed some pent up demand from willing buyers. These buyers had gotten to a point where Brexit negotiations and recent political party manoeuvring played out in the press had become enough, and that in truth the financial markets were stable and it remained a very good time to take advantage of some attractive mortgage rates. Subsequently, activity levels picked up, offers were placed and sales were getting regularly agreed. We finished the month of July with our highest number of sales agreed in a single month since 2015. We’ve played our part too. We’ve had many faceto-face meetings with clients, mostly about price, but we have been able to show evidence that a property placed on the market at the correct price has a very good chance of selling. We’ve agreed several sales by focussing on what clients are looking to do with their onward move. For most of our clients, it’s a sensible time to upgrade, and with the correct advice and market knowledge we are able to agree sales and get people moving again. I’m not sure our experiences are shared within our local market, I still walk past several rival offices and see some gloomy faces who are blaming ‘the summer market’. For us, every day we are keeping in touch with clients, giving honest feedback and market commentary, we’re bringing on great new stock at the right prices, doing viewings and talking about sensible offers.
B
y the time you read this, we will already know the results of the World Athletics Championships at the London Stadium, and Usain Bolt will have run his last ever competitive race. But for now, sat in my office in the shadow of Tower Bridge, I am watching groups of athletes from across the globe run past the window, cramming in a last-minute training run ahead of their big day. For most of these elite athletes, the World Athletics Championships represents the culmination of months of hard training, as well as the opportunity to earn a large sum of money in just a few hours, minutes or even seconds. It might seem incongruous to compare these athletes to the lettings agents of London, but we too have spent the last few months training for our big event of the year: the September lettings market. September is always a busy time for lettings agents. Everyone seems to have a reason to move: families arrive back from their summer holidays and scramble to secure somewhere before the children go back to school; graduates look to move in before the autumn intake of the large corporate firms; and students look to tie somewhere up before the autumn term starts. Anyone looking to move for other reasons – to upsize or move sideways – will most likely be in a contract that ends in September. Therefore, my advice to any landlord thinking of letting their property in the next few months is to get it ready to go right away, and get agents round to value it as soon as possible. Similarly, my advice to tenants is to start your search as early as possible and be prepared to make a quick decision; in this market, the good properties hang around about as long as Usain Bolt after the starting gun is fired.
Knight Frank Wapping, 020 7480 6848, Knight Frank Tower Bridge, 020 8022 4382, knightfrank.co.uk 120
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
T H E O U T D O O R S
BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR
N E W A PA RT M E N T S
L I V I N G S PAC E S ,
R E C E N T LY R E L E A S E D
M O M E N T S F RO M C A NA RY W H A R F
P R I C E S F R O M £6 0 0,0 0 0
COMPUTER GENERATED IMAGES. PRICES CORRECT AS AT TIME OF PRINT.
G R E A T E S T
VISIT THE SHOW SUITE
020 3627 9561 WA R D I A N .C O M
Wardian_Canary wharf_FP_032017.indd 1
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GLADSTONE HOUSE, STRAND WC2R ● ● ● ●
2 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms High specification 5th floor
● ● ● ●
On site leisure facilities 0.2 miles from Temple station Approx. 1087 sq ft (101 sq m) EPC: B
£1,295.00 per week Furnished For more information, call Neil Short 0207 337 4005 or email Neil.Short@eu.jll.com
Potential tenants are advised that administration fees may be payable when renting a property. Please ask for details of our charges.
16-17 Royal Exchange London EC3V 3LL
jll.co.uk/residential
CASHMERE HOUSE, CITY OF LONDON E1 ● ● ● ●
3 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms Balcony High specification
● ● ● ●
Siemens appliances 0.1 mile from Aldgate East station Approx. 1,731 Sq Ft (160.8 sq m) EPC: B
Guide price £2,200,000 Leasehold For more information, call Bernard Cully 0207 337 4009 or email Bernard.Cully@eu.jll.com
16-17 Royal Exchange London EC3V 3LL
jll.co.uk/residential
Mayfair Showroom 66 Grosvenor Street, London, W1K 3JL 28 offices in Central London and over 60 across London
Thornhill Square, N1 ÂŁ2,750,000
A three bedroom, Georgian terraced home with views across one of the most sought after squares in Islington. The house has period features throughout and has a double reception room, separate kitchen, four bathrooms and a south east facing garden, energy rating d. Dexters Islington 020 7483 6373
Tottenham Road, N1 ÂŁ1,350,000
This refurbished four bedroom terraced house is set over three floors with a large reception room, an open plan kitchen/breakfast room, two bathrooms and a Juliet balcony. The property also benefits from a private walled garden, energy rating d. Dexters Islington 020 7483 6373
dexters.co.uk
Northchurch Road, N1 £1,450 per week
A stucco fronted semi detached villa perfectly located in De Beauvoir. This property has three reception rooms with an open plan kitchen, four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Further benefits include a conservatory and a south facing garden, energy rating e. Dexters Islington 020 7483 6374
Hill Street, W1J £3,250 per week
A magnificent six bedroom Mayfair townhouse of approximately 6,000 sq.ft. Arranged over six floors the property has two large reception rooms, a separate kitchen/breakfast room and four bathrooms. Further benefits include a private terrace and a patio garden, energy rating e. Dexters Mayfair 020 7590 9595
dexters.co.uk
Tenants fees apply: £180 per tenancy towards administration, £60 reference fee per tenant and £144 towards the end of tenancy check out report (all inc VAT).
We’ve landed.
To celebrate opening in Islington, we’ll sell your home for FREE. Think of it as a ‘welcome to the neighbourhood’ gift, from us, to you.
T 020 7123 4960 marshandparsons.co.uk/zero-percent *See website for details, terms and conditions.
Beckenham 020 8663 4433 Bromley 020 8315 5544
Chislehurst 020 8295 4900 Locksbottom 01689 882 988
Orpington 01689 661 400 West Wickham 020 8432 7373
Beckenham BR3 Exceptional five bedroom Arts and Crafts home occupying a plot of approx. 0.8 acres.
£3,250,000 F/H Five bedrooms
Five bathrooms
Four receptions
EER C
Contact Beckenham 020 8663 4433
Chislehurst BR7
West Wickham BR4
An exceptional three bedroom link detached house, nestled away on a sought after private road.
Impressive 1930’s five double bedroom detached house offering 1,900 sqft of accommodation.
£1,050,000 F/H
£850,000 F/H
Three bedrooms
Two bathrooms
Five bedrooms
Two bathrooms
Two receptions
EER E
Two receptions
EER E
Contact Chislehurst 020 8295 4900
The Acorn Group, incorporating:
Contact West Wickham 020 8432 7373
langfordrussell.co.uk
Stamp duty paid, for first time buyers until the end of September Move into your new home by the end of the year. Book an appointment now to view our show apartment. 51-57 Kingsland High Street, E8 2JS FiftySevenEast is a unique collection of contemporary one, two and three bedroom contemporary apartments.
· · ·
15 storey tower with London skyline views* Zone 2 location on Kingsland High Street · Residents’ lobby and concierge Adjacent to Dalston Kingsland Station · Communal courtyard
Prices from £565,000* Email: FiftySevenEast@taylorwimpey.com Call: 020 3818 8819
Selling Agents
CGI is indicative only. Information is correct at time of going to print. *Plot specific.
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INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO creative living in dalston: fiftyseveneast, e8
F
iftySevenEast is a collection of 83 contemporary apartments situated in the stylish and cosmopolitan heart of Dalston, which commands an enviable location at the centre of Dalston’s creative community, renowned for its innovative tech startups, independent coffee shops and boutique retailers. Kingsland High Street, the gateway to the City, attracts a discerning crowd, drawn in by an eclectic mix of attractions, such as the Art Deco Rio Cinema and community-minded Arcola Theatre. The 15-storey development enjoys a prime position on the high street, situated opposite Ridley Road Market, with almost 200 outlets ranging from fashion to food, offering wares from all over the world. FiftySevenEast boasts innovative architecture, welldesigned interiors and outstanding views of the London skyline. Located less than a five-minute walk from two of the area’s main travel hubs, Dalston Kingsland and Dalston Junction Overground stations, FiftySevenEast is ideally located for those
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in east London’s burgeoning tech and creative industries, or in the City, and represents a high-specification new build option in one of the capital’s most vibrant and diverse districts. As an homage to the culture of Dalston, FiftySevenEast features a bespoke graffiti mural in the concierge lobby. The artwork is an enduring symbol of the creativity and energy associated with the Dalston area. More commonplace in New York, an impactful piece of street art in the entrance of a residential building sets the tone for life at FiftySevenEast. Residents will also benefit from a concierge service, landscaped outdoor courtyard on the first floor and secure bicycle storage. For first-time buyers that purchase a home at FiftySevenEast before the end of September, Taylor Wimpey Central London is running a stamp duty paid incentive. Prices for a one-bedroom apartment start from £565,000. For more information, contact Taylor Wimpey Central London on 020 3675 1367, or visit fiftyseveneast.co.uk
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| property |
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
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INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO
Images © Paul Eccleston Arthouse Ltd
Greenwich millennium village, se10
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reenwich Millennium Village, a joint venture between Countryside and Taylor Wimpey supported by the Mayor of London, is an active, welcoming community situated just a few minutes from central London, perfect for commuters. One of the most exciting and innovative residential neighbourhoods in Europe, GMV offers everything a community needs to grow: thoughtfully designed modern homes, excellent transport links and a range of facilities and amenities. The exclusive three-bedroom Überhaus collection brings together a fusion of house and apartment, showcasing clever and practical architectural design. Set over two floors, each Überhaus within the Millennium Terrace and Iverna Quay buildings comprise flexible living spaces and unrivalled city views. Buyers can also choose from a range of different layouts. A stylish three-bedroom show home showcases the Überhaus to its full potential and offers prospective buyers the opportunity to explore this stylish, contemporary accommodation. The vast living areas boast higher-than-average ceilings and full-height glazing, flooding rooms with natural light. The open-plan living spaces flow into large terraces or balconies, boasting elevated views over the city, perfect for quiet postwork relaxation or elegant group entertaining. Kitchens feature contemporary stone-grey gloss units with white stone worktops, ceramic floor tiles and a full range of integrated appliances, creating a new style of urban living. The clean, contemporary feel continues in the bathrooms, featuring sleek white sanitary ware, luxury engineered oak flooring in the
living spaces and sumptuous carpets in the bedrooms. Each property also benefits from plenty of built-in storage. All residents at GMV benefit from an on-site concierge, along with an array of community facilities focused around a village square with shops, hairdressers, Ayurveda spa, nursery, and the ‘outstanding’ Ofsted-rated Millennium Primary School. A four-acre ecology park, the world famous O2 arena and all its leisure and entertainment attractions, and Greenwich North tube station are just a short walk away. For commuters, GMV is just one stop away from Canary Wharf and nine minutes from Westfield Shopping Centre via the Jubilee Line. Thames Clippers provide frequent services from North Greenwich Pier, while the Emirates Air Line cable car connects with the Royal Docks. Three-bedroom Überhaus homes from £659,995. The Marketing Suite and show apartments are open daily from 10am – 5pm
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Galliard_OW_CityMag_FPC_30.8.17 15/08/2017 09:15 Page 1
DON’T BUY IN E14 UNTIL YOU’VE SPOKEN TO GALLIARD!
Orchard Wharf EAST LONDON RIVERSIDE E14 East India DLR 5 mins walk
Canning Town & Jubilee Line 2 mins
HIGHLY SPECIFIED LUXURY APARTMENTS FROM £470,000
020 3770 2104 galliardhomes.com/city
IN JOINT DEVELOPMENT WITH
LOW DEPOSIT SCHE ME
WITH 4 YEAR COMPLETIONS
Canary Wharf & Crossrail 2018 7 mins
DEVELOPMENT SHOWCASE
Morphing the Wharf
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alliard Homes has launched one of its largest and most impressive schemes yet at Orchard Wharf, a new development located within walking distance from Canary Wharf. Located just seven minutes by bus or car from One Canada Square and 20 minutes by foot from Canary Wharf ’s Crossrail Plaza, Orchard Wharf is located near the centre of London’s business district. Canary Wharf is abuzz with activity, and is currently home to the 16 largest banks in the UK, which employ around 44,500 staff in the area. E14, the postcode in which both Canary Wharf and Orchard Wharf sit, offers the highest average salary in London at more than £100,000 a year. The development takes the form of a selection of distinct buildings, the centrepiece being a 23-storey red brick residential tower, linked by a two-storey podium at ground level to the beautiful curving stepped blocks that stretch to eight, 11, 14, 17 and 20 storeys, respectively. Designed by regeneration specialist BUJ Architects, Orchard Wharf draws on the existing dockside architectural milieu and re-packages it with expansive glass and multiple landscaped green spaces. With apartments starting from £456,000, Orchard Wharf is far cheaper than the average
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| property |
Living in the financial district has just got that much easier, with Galliard Homes’ launch of Orchard Wharf
£510,872 apartments in Canary Wharf. The development at Orchard Wharf benefits from a private residents’ lounge and daytime concierge service. The majority of the apartments are dual-aspect and all have either private balconies, terraces or landscaped gardens. Some of the larger apartments benefit from two or three balconies or terraces, while the majority of apartments will have spectacular views over the River Thames. The apartments have been designed immaculately and benefit from an exceptional specification, with chic light grey walls, walnut veneered floors and recessed low-energy LED down lighting. Floor-to-ceiling windows with industrialinspired dark metal frames fill the open-plan interior with natural light. Kitchens are contemporary, matte-finished in grey and white, with integrated Smeg appliances. Orchard Wharf is located on the doorstep of one of London’s most exciting regeneration and growth zones: the Royal Docks. A short distance along the water from the development is the ABP (Asian Business Port), which has attracted major investment totalling £1.7 billion and will provide over 4.7 million sq ft of office, retail and leisure space. London City Airport is also within a short distance of Orchard Wharf and is presently to undergo a £344 million development programme, helping to enable over 29,000 flights a year to a rapidly expanding destination base. This makes the development particularly convenient for frequent flyers. Canary Wharf itself has been reinvented with a breath of fresh air in recent years to become a lifestyle destination as well as a leading business hub. The area now has one of the largest collections of public art in the UK and the recently opened Crossrail Place, providing ample leisure and retail space, including a 300-metre semi-enclosed roof garden. From £456,000, 020 7620 1500, galliardhomes.com
luxurylondon.co.uk | THE CITY Magazine
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CANADA WATER SE16
SATURDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER SALES SUITE AND SHOW APARTMENT LAUNCHING
This prestigious collection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments is less than 10 minutes’ walk from Canada Water station, giving you direct connections to Canary Wharf and central London. At its heart is a central landscaped courtyard, and every apartment has a balcony or terrace to take advantage of the spectacular views. With a concierge service too, London Square Canada Water is the ideal choice for connected London living.
TO ORGANISE YOUR VIEWING APPOINTMENT CALL 0333 666 0106
Prices from £520,000 The Sales Suite and Show Apartment, 24 - 28 Quebec Way, London SE16 7LF.
0333 666 0106
www.londonsquare.co.uk
Photography depicts the showhome at London Square Canada Water and is indicative only. Computer generated image depicts London Square Canada Water and is indicative only. Travel times sourced from Google Maps. Details and prices are correct at time of going to press. August 2017.
Boutique Parkside Living
Wake up to Parkside Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cross. A collection of new apartments designed with flair, set amongst manicured parks and gardens. Just a few minutes walk to the most well connected train stations in London. Prices from ÂŁ1,425,000*.
*Price correct at the time of going to press
Marketing suite now open 14-15 Stable Street N1C 4AB Register to learn more: 020 7205 4246 fenmanhouse.co.uk
Insider Knowledge
Sales and lettings market update for Canary Wharf
diana alam, head of residential development sales, jll
T
he Canary Wharf sales and lettings market has experienced an encouraging yet stable H1 2017 as the capital continues to acclimatise to the new conditions following the EU vote, the outcome of the General Election, two sets of stamp duty changes and landlord tax relief changes. In the residential sales market we can report that stock levels are around 45 per cent higher compared with last year, offering a good level of choice to applicants who are keen to move. The market has experienced marginal price slowdowns, together with some price reductions. The majority of properties to successfully achieve a sale benefit from location, a desirable price point and a good configuration, although purchasers are taking longer to commit to a decision and seeing more properties during their search. The increased level of stock has led to an increased number of new registrations in Q2, up around 46 per cent when compared with Q2 2016. We can report that sales volumes are marginally up for the half year as the average sale price continues to fall, with more
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activity in the lower price brackets as the shift towards owner-occupier and first-time buyer continues. The lettings market in Canary Wharf has had a positive first half of the year and we can report that overall deal volumes have increased year-on-year. Applicant registrations are up, as to be expected, but viewing levels are a little down at this stage in the cycle due to a wide choice of property available to tenants. We are seeing pockets of very high interest levels in particular types of properties, though, such as prime Canary Wharf new development one-beds priced at ÂŁ375-400 per week. These select areas of the market are attracting offers from multiple tenants at any one time, giving landlords bargaining power. That said, landlords are still having to price their stock competitively to secure a tenancy. Stock levels are generally high, but the demand imbalance is evening itself out, and we are confident that a busy summer period should tilt the market in the landlordsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; favour. 020 7337 4004; jll.co.uk
THE CITY Magazine | luxurylondon.co.uk
The final collection launching Saturday 16th September • Private residents’ gym and concierge • Landscaped formal gardens • Move in this year
Apartment prices from £618,000. Townhouse prices from £1,957,000. Call to book your appointment 020 3797 4008 Sales & Marketing Suite, Burlington Lane, W4 2TJ
Computer generated image and photography are indicative only and subject to change. Prices correct at time of going to print.
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