Kensington & Chelsea August 2017 by Runwild Media Group

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contents

travel 72. Globetrotter

regulars 10. Contributors

74. Pet-Friendly Retreats The top staycations for both human and hound 78. Ireland Exploring Ireland’s Atlantic coast by car

12. Editor’s Letter

83. Port Lympne Reserve Discover a wilder side to Kent at its resident safari park

15. Five Minutes With... Chloë Sevigny collaborates with Vestiaire Collective

86. Bodrum Relaxation, history and ancient Aegean views

high life

16. Diary Notes 18. Spotlight British Polo Day embarks on another world tour

culture 24. Art&Antiques

26. The Proms Discover the top musical acts performing this season

57. Style File

collection

interiors

32. Jewellery Box

64. Design Notes

33. World of Watches

66. Statement Walls The designers giving the humble wall a new lease of life

34. Yoko London The pearl specialist opens its flagship store in Knightsbridge

fashion 40. Style Notes 42. Fashion Shoot 50. Accessories The sunglasses putting other frames in the shade

59. Beauty Notes

90. Food&Drink 92. Restaurant Review Dinings’ Chelsea branch doesn’t disappoint 94. About Town

property 99. Luxury Homes in the Royal Borough

1 5 5 R E GE N T S T R E ET

4 7 BROMPT ON ROA D

WATCHES-OF-SWITZERLAND.CO.UK

43 9 OXF ORD S TREET

contributors

Richard Brown

Rebecca Wallersteiner

Watch enthusiast and editor of The City Magazine, Richard Brown reports on what is making the horology world tick this month and looks back at some of Harry Winston’s finest wristwatches.

Rebecca Wallersteiner is an arts journalist who has lived in Kensington and collected art and antiques for more than 20 years. She has written for The Telegraph, The Times and The Lady. Read her pick of this month’s cultural highlights on pages 24-25.

augu s t 2 01 7 Acting Editor Lauren Romano Contributing Editor Olivia Sharpe Assistant Editor Ellen Millard Editorial Assistants Lauren Stevens Alicia Osborne-Crone Senior Designer Daniel Poole

CAMILLA APCAR

Alex ander Beer

Luxury lifestyle journalist and deputy editor of The Mayfair Magazine, Camilla Apcar shares her experience driving along Ireland’s Atlantic coast (p.78-81), and picks the statement sunglasses to covet this summer (p.50-55).

London-born fashion, sports and advertising photographer Alexander Beer shoots for a wide range of publications and brands, including GQ and Richard James. For this month’s fashion shoot, he captures leopards and the latest trends on safari in Namibia.

Brand Consistency Laddawan Juhong Production Hugo Wheatley Alice Ford Jamie Steele Executive Director Sophie Roberts General Manager Fiona Smith

on the

COVER

Left: British Polo Day, photography: Sam Churchill Right: Francis A/W17 clutch bag, courtesy of: Nathalie Trad

On the cover of The Kensington & Chelsea Magazine, Nathalie Trad’s ornate clutch bag takes centre stage. Discover the collection on page 40. On the cover of The Notting Hill & Holland Park Magazine, British Polo Day returns with a round-the-world tour. Find out more on page 18.

Managing Director Eren Ellwood Proudly published & printed in the UK by

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editor’s letter Jacket, £2,100, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, preenbythorntonbregazzi.com; Gilet, £530, Paul Smith, paulsmith.co.uk; Bikini top, £150, Prism, prismlondon.com; Skirt, POA, Roksanda, roksanda.com; Sandals, £900, Giuseppe Zanotti, giuseppezanottidesign.com; Bracelet, £9,513; Braided bracelet, £18,516, both Shamballa Jewels, frostoflondon.co.uk; Talisman, £399, Pyrrha, pyrrha.com

august “The whole experience of ‘promming’ is unlike any other concert experience” – David Pickard, director of The Proms The soundtrack of the summer for many, The Proms returns to the Royal Albert Hall this month. And you don’t have to know your Brahms from your Berlioz to enjoy the assortment of concerts on offer. This year, the classical hymns, chorales and operas will be peppered with performances from competing swing bands, jazz tributes to mark Ella Fitzgerald’s 100th birthday, and some 15 world premieres – meaning they’ll be something to strike a chord whatever your tastes (p.26). If the thwack of a mallet against a ball is music to your ears, turn to page 18 where we speak to the world number one polo player Adolfo Cambiaso as he takes to the saddle at British Polo Day. The global event is also one of the sport’s most exciting networking opportunities – perfect if you like to count down the chukkas with a little champagne. Arguably, however, all of the above pales in comparison to nature’s orchestra: the roar of a lion or the thundering charge of a black rhino. For this month’s fashion shoot we get up close with the wildlife in Namibia (above, and p.42) – while closer to home, we discover a wilder side to Kent on safari at Port Lympne Reserve (p.83).

From top: Christopher Kane, £355, christopherkane.com; Boucheron, £585, boucheron.com

Lauren Romano, Acting editor

regulars

When I was growing up, most of my clothes were second-hand. My mother would always take me thrifting. At a very early age, I became addicted to the thrill of the hunt. I remember finding my first Saint Laurent blouse in junior high school and seeing that it was made in France. That’s also why I love vintage. Access to the kind of things you would find in a thrift store opened a whole new world for me. As a teenager I was obsessed with the 1970s. The fashion of Saint Laurent and the styles of Debbie Harry and the Ramones were everything to me. If I could choose any era to live in, I would go back to that decade: the political upheaval, punk, the birth of conceptual art and the wave of American filmmaking. If you looked into my wardrobe today, you’d see a lot of black miniskirts, little cardigans, floral dresses – anything Gaultier, anything Margiela. I’m always buying denim and trying to find the perfect pair of jeans. I have so many jackets and blazers, too. There’s a 1940s blazer that I’m really into right now, which I wear with cropped jeans and white leather boots. As I’ve got older, I guess my style has kind of cooled down a bit. I feel like I dress simpler now. I’m more comfortable in jeans and a turtleneck, whereas before there were a lot more bells and whistles. I’m actually pretty frugal. I rarely break the £350 mark, which I think is quite

as w I As a teenager

th the 1970s i w sed s e s ob

five minutes with

Chloë Sevigny The actress on reliving the 1970s and finding the ultimate second-hand gems on Vestiaire Collective as told to Kari Colmans

Products, clockwise from top left: YSL brooch, £150; Gucci scarf, £150; YSL bag, £160; Gucci belt, £80; all images courtesy of: Vestiaire Collective

conservative for an actress. I do have my eye on a vintage Chanel suit, which is just under £1,000, so that’s a pretty big purchase for me. It needs reworking but I feel it could have good re-sale potential. Funnily enough, I’d never heard of Vestiaire Collective before I started working with them. But when they got in touch and proposed doing something together, I went onto their site and I was like, ‘Wow, this is like a really well curated eBay’. The photo shoot we did with fashion photographer Vanina Sorrenti was pretty fun. I’ve always adored her so it was great to work together on the project. I love buying vintage because there’s more individuality to it. When I come to London, I like Rellik and One of a Kind, and I always go to Marks & Spencer to stock up on the full-cotton eighties-style underwear. Chloë Sevigny is the face of luxury re-sale site Vestiaire Collective’s vintage category, vestiairecollective.com

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Competition

Photographer’s Eye

Calling all shutterbugs: Togge is on the lookout for photography to display in the 208 King’s Road gallery this August. The judging panel will consider quality and creativity equally, and any aspiring photographer or art lover can enter up to three images that they feel best represent their personal style. Happy snapping! Open until 24 July, togge.co.uk

Boy with Balloons, Michael McMenemy

diary notes words by Alicia Osborne-Crone

Event

Horsing Around

Event

Party People

Witness Britain’s top show-jumping heroes in action at the 12th leg of the prestigious 15-event Global Champions League, taking place at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The event, nicknamed the Formula 1 of equestrian sport, will be held over three thrilling days of sporting action, with refreshment stalls, a shopping village, a dedicated kids’ area and a traditional carousel ride for all the family. 4-6 August, globalchampionstour.com

Photography: LGCT / Stefano Grasso

Notting Hill Carnival is back, kicking off on Saturday evening with Panorama, the national steel pan competition. Stick around for the grand finale on Monday, which will see more than 60 bands perform. 26-28 August, thelondonnottinghillcarnival.com

Event

Image courtesy of: The Luna Cinema

Movie Night

The Luna Cinema returns to Kensington Palace this August for a series of open-air screenings under the stars. Grab a drink as the sun sets over the al fresco cinema, which will be screening films such as The Goonies and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. From £17.50, 8-11 August, Kensington Gardens, W8, thelunacinema.com

Photography: David BrownlieMarshall

regulars book worm Last Lighthouse Keeper’s Star Chart, Taurus, Nick Moore

Discover the outdoor pursuit for you with our top picks of the best sports books

F TH

OU T

U G H•

Chasing the Rainbow

Charity

A Worthy Cause

BOR

After the recent Grenfell Tower tragedy, The Stash Gallery will be hosting a rolling auction to support the survivors of the devastating fire. Until 21 July, art enthusiasts can bid on works by the likes of Sir Peter Blake, as well as purchase a ticket for the tombola, for which prizes include a Solange Azagury-Partridge ring.

Fishing’s Strangest Tales T om Qu inn The most bizarre stories from the fishing world, including one about a mussel that housed no less than 40 pearls. £7.99, published by Portico pavilionbooks.com

The Stash Gallery, 30 Prescot Street, E1, vout-o-reenees.com

Golf Resorts of the World Footnotes

Images courtesy of: Karine Laval

Exhibition

Time to Reflect

Photographer Karine Laval has delved into her archive from the past 15 years to present Reflections at the Crane Kalman Gallery. The exhibition charts the evolution of her photography, from the sun-bleached lido scenes of The Pool to the blurred shapes and distorted colours of Poolscapes. Her most recent series, Heterotopia, will also be on display. 20 July – 19 August, Crane Kalman Gallery, 178 Brompton Road, SW1, cranekalman.com

G iles Belbin The routes, climbs and historical victories behind the race to win cycling’s biggest badge of honour: the world champion’s rainbow jersey. £16.99, amazon.co.uk

V y barr C regan -R eid Vybarr Cregan-Reid discovers why running is so much more than just a means to exercise. £9.99, waterstones.com

Leap In A le x andra H eminsle y One woman’s quest to conquer her fear of water, and in doing so learn one of life’s most underrated skills: how to swim. £12.99, foyles.co.uk

Daniel Fall on Which golf course has the best view, or the ideal grass length for optimum performance? Discover the answers in this round-up of the top golfing resorts across the globe. £19.99, waterstones.com

A New History of Yachting M ike Bender From King Charles II’s fleet through to the golden age of yachting before the First World War, this book considers the rise and fall of luxury boats. £30, boydellandbrewer.com

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 017

spotlight

a rou n d the wor l d in

80 chukk as A civilised afteroon of sporting pleasure, mixed with a little meet and greet: why the only way to do business is by the side of a polo field... words by Nick Hammond

regulars

ark sods of earth fly skywards in a rolling thunder of hooves. Great chunks of grass are violently ripped from the immaculate green field. It’s harsh out there – but all part of a fast and furious game, exciting enough to induce a flutter in the stoniest of hearts. And you get to watch it with a glass of champagne in your hand. British Polo Day, sponsored by RJI Capital, has become a popular date on the polo calendar. A celebration of the craft and heritage of the sport throughout the world, British Polo Day has held more than 50 events in 15 countries since 2009. Today, its global series encapsulates ten annual fixtures that combine sporting prowess on the pitch, with networking opportunities on the sidelines. It’s a masterclass in high-end relationship building: multi-national CEOs, luxury brands, aristocrats and entrepreneurs mingle freely in a convivial atmosphere. This year’s ‘home fixture’ in Henley-onThames took place last month and was blessed with the Cristiano

Ronaldo of polo: the darkly mysterious Adolfo Cambiaso. The Argentinian has flown in his family (as well as a few of his favourite horses) for a run in the Oxfordshire sunshine. He cuts quite a dash. “All I ever wanted to do is play polo,” the Argentinian shrugs laconically when we meet. He is perhaps the finest professional player ever to pick up a stick, was awarded a ten-goal handicap at 19 (one of only two dozen in the world to do so), earns millions of pounds a year as world number one, and is devilishly handsome to boot. “My children learned to ride as soon as they could walk. It was never going to be any different. I love to ride with them.” What does their mother think about this equine obsession? “She has no choice!” he laughs. So Adolfo, son Poroto and daughter Mia are here today, nonchalantly thundering across the ground in terrifying fashion. Dad looks on proudly – and occasionally demonstrates why he’s regarded as a living legend. Watching him charge past at great

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 019

speed, horse loosely reined in one hand, while playing keepy-uppy with the ball and polo stick in the other, is surely one of the most exhilarating sights in world sport. Despite his country’s dominance of the game, there’s still something eccentric and somehow very British about polo. True, we didn’t invent it, but we have the social side of the sport down to a fine art. We dine at Henley under billowing canopies, with British Polo Day managing director and partner Ben Vestey, our amiable host. He runs the impressive franchise alongside chairman Tom Hudson. The pair’s military background is evident in the fact that the entire day breezes past in delightful fashion without a hitch. There are many women among the spectators, and it’s refreshing to witness a sport displaying equality when it comes to on-field matters, too. “I’ve witnessed things get better and better for women as my career has progressed,” says Nina Clarkin, the British number one female player who’s at Henley to hit the ball alongside Cambiaso in a charity game. “Now, there is a defined path to a professional career, whereas in my day I had to find my own way a bit.” Finding your way in polo isn’t without its hurdles, but as Clarkin readily admits, it does help to have a supportive husband (New Zealand professional John Paul Clarkin) who’s equally passionate about the sport and who can also lend you

rules of play The aim of the game (originally a training exercise for the King’s Guard) is to get a ball into the opposing team’s goal using the side of the longhandled mallet. A polo match is either four-, six- or eight-chukkas depending on the match. A chukka is seven minutes, and there is a three-minute interval between each. There are four players in a team, with one or two umpires. Riders may make contact and push each other off the line of the ball, as long as elbows are not involved. Any time the ball crosses the line between the goalposts, this is considered a goal regardless of who knocks it through, including the pony.

Top of page: British Polo Day in Jaipur; This image: Nina Clarkin and Adolfo Cambiaso; opposite: the British Army Captain and horse in Jodhpur; all photography: Sam Churchill

regulars

a horse when emergencies arise. They now have a young child to consider, but this is another family hooked on the adrenaline rush that polo provides. “I’m not sure how I’d feel if my children wanted to do it,” she says. “It can be very dangerous if you’re not fully switched on, but if you start to worry about what could go wrong, you couldn’t possibly play the game properly.” Cambiaso agrees. To him, there is only the horse and the ball. “No, you cannot think like this. If you worry too much in life, you would never do anything worth doing.” While Clarkin and Cambiaso both assure me that these exhibition games are only half as fast as a professional fixture, it all seems hazardous in the extreme to me: jostling of sticks, great swings of the arms, sudden changes of direction, and thunderous cavalcades up and down the length of the pitch. Horses are changed several times during the exhausting eight chukkas but the riders sweat on, utterly absorbed in the ferocious contest. Nothing illustrates polo’s popularity better than British Polo Day. Once the last reveller from tonight’s afterparty is finally persuaded to leave and the stands, marquees, caterers, horse boxes and players have left the field, this travelling roadshow begins work on the next event – its 62nd – in China in September. Sponsors, patrons, business partners and invited guests will be back in harness in places as evocative as India, China, and Thailand to name but a few. A British afternoon at the polo – in far-flung, exotic locations. It sounds like the ideal way to do business to me. Once my champagne glass is topped up, of course. britishpoloday.com

F I X TURE LIST China

September 2017

Sumba Island, Indonesia October 2017

Jaipur, India December 2017

Jodhpur, India December 2017

Abu Dhabi March 2018

Dubai

March 2018

Great Britain June 2018

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 021

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Raise the Bar Celebrated graphic designer and illustrator Noma Bar presents his favourite works in a five-volume slipcase book, which offers an insight into his creative methods and inspirations. Bittersweet: Noma Bar, out now, ÂŁ200, thamesandhudson.com

USA, cover for Wallpaper*, 2012, ÂŠNoma Bar 2017, courtesy of: Thames & Hudson

art&antiques words by Rebecca Wallersteiner

Caught on Camera Don’t miss Morton Hill Gallery’s latest display of black and white snaps by acclaimed photographers Burt Glinn, Peter Angelo Simon, Bill Bernstein and Billy Name. Highlights include Glinn’s powerful images of the Cuban Revolution and Name’s famous ’60s snaps of Andy Warhol’s studio, The Factory, featuring Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground. Reel Art Press Pops Up, until 28 July, Morton Hill Gallery, 345 Ladbroke Grove, W10, serenamorton.com

Clockwise from left: The Velvet Underground, 1967; Andy Warhol with giant Baby Ruth bars, 1966, both ©Billy Name/ Dagon James; Revolutionaries in Car, 1959, ©Burt Glinn/ Magnum Photos. All courtesy of: Reel Art Press/Morton Hill

Black Power

Above: Arthur Jafa, Installation view, A Series of Utterly Improbable, Yet Extraordinary Renditions, photography: ©Mike Din; Right: Lady and Child (From the August Wilson Series), Ming Smith, c. 1993, courtesy of: the artist and Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

The Serpentine Sackler Gallery presents new work by acclaimed US filmmaker and artist Arthur Jafa that tackles common assumptions about race and identity. Renowned for his experimental cinematography, often heavily influenced by the films of his hero, Stanley Kubrick, Jafa’s dramatic, dreamlike film installations will be shown alongside archival photographs of black communities. A Series of Utterly Improbable, Yet Extraordinary Renditions, until 10 September, Serpentine Sackler Gallery, Kensington Gardens, W2, serpentinegalleries.org

Wild Thing

The Natural History Museum’s annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year award received some 50,000 entries from shutterbugs hailing from 95 countries. See the best 100, including this year’s overall winner, Tim Laman, who journeyed to the forests of Borneo to capture endangered orangutans, before the exhibition closes in September. Until 10 September, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7, nhm.ac.uk

Photography: ©Tim Laman, Wildlife Photographer of the Year grand title winner

culture Royal Oak

Artist of the

Month

Few other tree species can match the stature of the mighty oak. The venerated timber is the subject of Rob and Nick Carter’s installation of nine bronze tree stumps at Kensington Gardens. Inspired by Jacob de Gheyn II’s sketches from around 1600, the piece is part of the duo’s ongoing Transformation Series which reinterprets works by the Old Masters using 3D printing and centrifugal bronze casting. Bronze Oak Grove, until 30 September, North Flower Walk, Kensington Gardens, W2

Georgie Mason Bronze Oak Grove, 2017, Rob and Nick Carter, courtesy of: Ben Brown Fine Arts

fair time For her latest collection of paintings, landscape artist Georgie Mason has layered her canvases with everything from polyfilla to mud to create tactile depictions of the South American landscape. Her new works, on show this month at the Palm Tree Gallery, were inspired by her travels across the continent and encompass fiery sunsets, seascapes and a lone flamingo combing the salt flats in Argentina, all in a kaleidoscopic array of colours. Memoryscapes, until 10 August, The Palm Tree Gallery, 291 Portobello Road, W10, palmtreegallery.com

The Parallax Art Fair returns to Chelsea Old Town Hall for its 19th edition. As Europe’s largest independent art and design event, it brings together 200 artists and designers from around the globe, working in a variety of media – from painting, drawing and sculpture, to glass, jewellery and ceramics. Designed for the novice and the serious collector alike, the fair gives visitors the chance to buy work directly from the artists and enjoy a number of creative demonstrations throughout the weekend.

Clockwise from top: Eve, Danit Rot; Beyond the Fallacy, Chase Valentin; Untitled, Inna Rizhskaya, all courtesy of: Parallax Art Fair

Parallax Art Fair, 22-23 July, 11am-5pm, Chelsea Old Town Hall, King’s Road, SW3, parallaxaf.co

From top: Meander, Impending, Georgie Mason, both £2,700 LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 025

musica l feature

London is full of wonderful music but the Promenade concerts held every year at the Royal Albert Hall in the heart of Kensington are the most keenly anticipated of all the musical events in our city

int

the American South, classical music from India and Pakistan, competing big swing bands playing material from the 1930s and ’40s and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! feature alongside more traditional fare from Brahms, Berlioz and Mahler. This year marks the 100th and 500th anniversaries, respectively, of the Russian Revolution words by Nikki Mohan and the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, so Pickard is also exploring the inspirational effect that alling all music lovers: the 123rd these events had on the development of classical music. Revolution Proms season is now underway. informed the work of 20th-century composers such as Stravinsky, Running from mid-July through to Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich and Prokofiev who all feature September, the range of concerts – this year, while political power is explored in the three operas on some 90 in all – is extraordinary. Principally the programme – Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito, Mussorgsky’s a celebration of classical music, featuring the Khovanshchina and Beethoven’s Fidelio. greatest and most familiar composers from the past 400 years, the Proms also provide a springboard for new music, new musicians and new musical ideas. The series attracts the most famous orchestras, conductors and soloists from all over the world, and the audiences flocking into the hall or tuning in at home (every concert is broadcast by the BBC) are completely international, too. But what makes this festival so very special?

Evolution … and Revolution

David Pickard, in his second season as director of the Proms, says he hopes to maintain founder Sir Henry Wood’s ambition to bring classical music to the widest possible audience, but he’s also gradually broadening the festival’s scope to include new venues and new directions. The film scores of John Williams, soul music from

The Royal Albert Hall, courtesy of: The BBC

culture

er lu de The Reformation is celebrated in several concerts devoted to the new form of religious music that followed the translation of the Bible and church services from Latin into the vernacular so that everyone could participate in worship. Luther himself wrote and inspired huge numbers of hymns and chorales, which led to choral retellings of the Passion. These culminated in the work of J. S. Bach – listen out for his St John Passion on 20 August, and for The Bohemian Reformation concert on 26 August.

Centuries, Birthdays and Firsts

Special birthday celebrations for singer Ella Fitzgerald and bigband trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, who would both have turned 100 this year, should prove a magnet for jazz fans. Singer Dianne Reeves and trumpeter James Morrison pay tribute to their heroes in a special late night concert on 4 August. Fans of minimalist classical music, meanwhile, will warm to birthday concerts in honour of Philip Glass (80) and John Adams (70). The very first complete live performance of Passages, a piece by Glass and Indian classical musician Ravi Shankar, will feature in a late-night prom on 15 August, played by the Britten Sinfonia under conductor Karen Kamensek. They are joined by Shankar’s daughter Anoushka on sitar. Britain’s first ever BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) orchestra Chineke! is thrilled to be making its Proms debut. Spokeswoman Chi-chi Nwanoku says: “To play at the Proms is every orchestra’s dream – and we will be the youngest orchestra ever to debut at the Proms: we will be just under two years old when we perform in August.” The orchestra’s exciting programme features BBC Young Musician of the Year for 2016, schoolboy cellist Sheku KannehMason, performing David Popper’s Hungarian Rhapsody. The set will also feature a world premiere of a piece by British composer Hannah Kendall and a Proms premiere of Lyric for Strings by 95-year-old AfricanAmerican composer George Walker. Nwanoku says:

“It’s been George’s lifelong dream to have his music played at the Proms and we think it’s about time he got his wish.”

Audience, take a bow

“Everyone who performs at the Proms talks about the extraordinary silence in the hall when they are playing. Prom audiences listen with a particular intensity, which in turn inspires the players to give something special. It’s wonderful when orchestras visit the Proms for the first time and are completely overwhelmed by the experience,” says Pickard. “Audiences find something unique in the Royal Albert Hall – a huge space that manages to be intimate as well. The whole experience of ‘promming’ is unlike any other concert experience. You can be standing with 900 others in the arena, right up close to the performers, or lying down at the back of the gallery hearing the sound waft up from below.” Being part of that audience himself is a must for Pickard. He saw every single concert last year and is hoping to do the same this time. “It’s a privilege,” he smiles. “Proms in the Park presents a bit of a challenge, but I will certainly go to the start before taking my place in the Royal Albert Hall. And as long as the trains run on time, I reckon I should be able to catch some of Handel’s Water Music in Hull before getting back for Beethoven’s Eroica.”

“To play at the Proms is every orchestra’s dream” LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 027

culture

“There is a sense of summer holiday in that we, audience and performers alike... Proms regular opera singer Roderick Williams, who starred in the Last Night celebrations in 2014, believes performers find the Proms so special because of “the sense of fun and openness that the audience displays. They are not uneducated – they know what they are listening to – but somehow there is a sense of summer holiday in that we, audience and performers alike, are all there to enjoy the live concert experience to the utmost. There’s nothing stuffy or po-faced about this festival. The Proms audience knows they are hearing the very best that live music has to offer and it is happening in London, in our own backyard.”

Cadogan Hall

In contrast to the grandeur of the 6,000-seater Royal Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall in Chelsea is an intimate space with capacity for 900 guests. Each year, its contribution to the Proms is a 13-week lunchtime chamber music series that features some of the finest vocal and instrumental ensembles and soloists. This year kicks off with the amazing vocal ensemble I Fagiolini, who specialise in early music. The concert is

Need to K now

“...are all there to enjoy the live concert experience to the utmost” a 450th-anniversary tribute to Monteverdi, featuring eight of his madrigals; the cherry on top here, however, is a piece commissioned by the BBC from baritone and composer Roderick Williams entitled Là ci darem la mano. This will be its world premiere and, for once, Williams (who joined I Fagiolini when he was at Oxford) will be part of the audience rather than performing. All in all, there’ll be 15 world premieres at the Proms; add to these the vast array of well-loved music on offer and you’ll be absolutely certain to find something that’s music to your ears...

The Royal Albert Hall, photography: Mark Allen; Chineke!, photography: Eric Richmond; Roderick Williams, photography: Benjamin Ealovega; Cadogan Hall, photography: Alex MacNaughton

For all information, including details about the Proms history tours at the Royal Albert Hall and free educational events before the concerts, visit bbc.co.uk/proms. Don’t forget to check out the Out and About venues at Cadogan Hall, Chelsea; Bold Tendencies MultiStorey Car Park, Peckham; Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge; Stage@ TheDock, Hull; The Tanks at Tate Modern, Bankside; Wilton’s Music Hall, Whitechapel; and open-air Last Night of the Proms festivities at Hyde Park.

HIDE AND REVEAL

+MODO We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just look at kitchens, we live and feel them. The kitchen is now a platform for a journey of constant creation and discovery.

Poggenpohl has 21 points of sale throughout the UK & Ireland For your nearest Poggenpohl Studio please go to www.poggenpohl.com/en/find-a-studio info@uk.poggenpohl.com www.poggenpohl.com

star quality Dior has updated its Rose des Vents collection, inspired by the lucky star charm that Christian Dior carried with him around the world. Mix and match dainty medallions, and travel wherever the wind may take you. From ÂŁ980, dior.com

Photography: Betina Du Toit for Dior

Jessica Chastain in the Piaget Sunlight Journey collection

Diamond necklace, POA

A Diamond Den

Samer Halimeh NY is renowned for its unrivalled diamond jewellery, favoured by sultans and A-listers. For a closer look at the collection, head to its multi-storey diamond mecca in Knightsbridge – a bedazzling, bomb-proof boutique, complete with James Bond-style diamond vaults below the ground. From £5,000, 161 Knightsbridge SW1X

jewellery box words by Mhairi Graham

Catch the sun

Unveiled at Paris Haute Couture Week, Piaget’s scintillating new Sunlight Journey high jewellery collection brings together fine marquetry and rare, sun-kissed gemstones that capture the spirit of summer, modelled by brand ambassador Jessica Chastain. POA, piaget.com

Piaget diamond Viva l’Arte ring in 18K pink gold, set with red spinels, purple sapphires and diamonds

Time to be charmed

Bracelet, £3,200; Earrings, £17,000

A Festival of Colour

Lily Gabriella’s vibrant new Holi collection is inspired by the Hindu festival of colour and love. Handcrafted, intricate designs are resplendent with diamonds and vivid gemstones, including gloriously green peridots – the birthstone of August. Each piece can be customised with the gemstone and gold tone of your choice. From £1,800, lilygabriella.com

Mary Ching’s talismanic Treasured Amulet collection is now available at Frost of London in Mayfair, offering bespoke fine jewellery for watches. Customise your watch cuff with precious gems and curious charms, from ornate angel wings and playful creatures to the all-seeing Eye of Protection.

From £750, 108 New Bond Street, W1S

Charms from left: £6,500; £7,600; £11,600

collection

world of watches

news in brief

Magnu m Opus How the King of Diamonds became one of the leading names in haute horology

Panerai has announced the opening of its first UK standalone store. The boutique will be the brand's secondlargest in Europe after its flagship in Florence. It will open at 30 New Bond Street in November 2017.

New name for British watch industry

words by Richard Brown

s perhaps the 20th-century’s primary purveyor of exceptional gemstones, it was always going to be a challenge for Harry Winston to unshackle itself from an image that revolved solely around spectacular sparklers. When the brand entered the watch world in 1989, it was, therefore, a shrewd move to set course for the most serious end of watchmaking. Two series of watches came to embody the ambition, as well as the sincerity, with which Harry Winston diversified into haute horology. The first, project Opus, launched in 2001, under the stewardship of thenmanaging director of rare timepieces Max Büsser (now of MB&F fame). Each year, said Harry Winston, an independent rock-star watchmaker would be given carte blanche to collaborate on a supercomplicated, ultra-contemporary game changer of a timepiece. Each spring, for 13 consecutive years – during which time Harry Winston established a state-of-the-art workshop in Geneva – journalists and watchmakers awaited the unveiling of Harry Winston’s latest piece of wizardry. Aesthetically, the results were varied and polarising. Mechanically, they were always astounding. On the dial of Opus 11, for example, four rotating jigsaw pieces would spring to life every hour, meeting at the centre of the dial to reveal the time. Elsewhere, Opus 8 displayed hours and minutes through a complex system of 59 pivoting hands and 11 rotating triangles. In 2013, Harry Winston was acquired by Swatch Group, and mission Opus was suspended until 2015, when the jukebox-inspired Opus 14 was revealed by new CEO Nayla Hayek. Hayek has

Panerai to open London boutique

Z11, £17,200

subsequently said that the Opus family will continue to be updated, but not to any particular schedule. Project Z, Harry Winston’s second series of world-first wristwatches, launched in 2004. The collection took its name from Zalium, a zirconium-based alloy developed by Ronald Winston, the son of Harry Winston and a talented chemical engineer more used to working with rocket propellers. Ronald realised that Zalium’s properties – it is extremely hard, strong, and corrosion resistant – made it perfect for watchmaking. He presented Zalium to the brand his father had founded, which chose to use the material exclusively in a line of space-age sports watches known as Project Z, the latest of which is this year’s Z11 (above). A skeletonised, matte-finish, twin-barrelled automatic, the openwork dial of the Z11 is intended to mirror the steel beams and superstructures of Harry Winston’s hometown, New York City. From Manhattan, Harry Winston grew an empire that saw him become the ‘King of Diamonds’. From its watchmaking base in Geneva, the brand has become a leading light in the world of fine horology. harrywinston.com

It is now possible to purchase a home-grown mechanical timepiece for less than £250. New British brand the Marloe Watch Company has unveiled the Cherwell – a handwound three-hander with a 50-hour power reserve and exhibition caseback. Yours for £249.

A bumper year for UK watch sales

LVMH, parent group of TAG Heuer, Hublot, Zenith and Bulgari, has announced that UK watch and jewellery sales were up 30 per cent in 2016, with the turnover rising from £71.6m in 2015 to £93m last year. Patek Philippe reported a 14.5 per cent rise in 2016 to £142.3m.

TAG Heuer sees its future online

“We need to be where our customers are, which means we need to be online,” said TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver at the launch of the Kingsman Special Edition smartwatch. From one month from 6 July, the timepiece will be available exclusively through mrporter.com.

Swiss watch sales make a recovery

After almost two and a half years of contraction, the Swiss watch industry posted positive results in May. The country exported watches worth 1.7 billion francs – 9.0 per cent more than in May 2016.

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jewellery

Yoko London’s new flagship boutique in Knightsbridge is a rare gem in the world of fine jewellery. CEO Michael Hakimian discusses the jeweller’s history and why pearls are so universally loved words by Olivia Sharpe

l s

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or centuries, people have been fascinated by pearls. It might seem surprising that something which is formed when a piece of grit works its way inside a mollusc could have such allure, but the beauty and history of this rare gem continue to captivate. One man who has no difficulty in explaining why pearls are so special is Michael Hakimian, CEO of leading pearl jeweller Yoko London. To him, pearls “have no rivals as they represent the beauty of nature at its best”. This year marked an important moment for Yoko as it opened its new London flagship boutique in Knightsbridge. Although a leader in its field, with four decades of experience and many millions of pounds worth of pearls passed through its hands, Yoko has remained relatively under the radar over the years. The turning point came in 2013, when the V&A commissioned the jeweller to create four masterpiece necklaces showcasing the finest South Sea pearls for its Pearls exhibition. The CEO acknowledges that this was “a very important milestone in the brand’s development”, marking the first time Yoko had been put under the international spotlight. Opening the boutique on Knightsbridge Green has proved to be another crucial moment. “We were always looking for a key location that would bring us closer to the luxury world,” Hakimian explains. Inside, the store is spread across three levels. The ground floor displays one-of-a-kind pieces from the masterpiece collections, alongside contemporary

Model wears the Feronia necklace, earrings and ring from the Yoko London Masterpiece Collection

collection

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collection

collections, such as Novus and Pendulum, while downstairs is reserved for bespoke appointments. Here, clients can work closely with a member of the Yoko team on a custom piece or a pre-existing piece that they would like to have redesigned, choosing from the brand’s inventory of loose pearls and strands. Yoko London was established by Hakimian’s father 44 years ago and pearls are very much in the CEO’s blood. His father was originally involved in both gemstones and pearls, but Hakimian convinced him to expand the pearl side. Yoko London began as a wholesale business, buying bulk pearl orders and dividing the stock into categories depending on the gem’s quality. Only the best would be stored in the company’s vaults. “I wanted to create a jewellery company that only used the finest pearls, and to do that you have to build your stock and be patient,” he says. Unlike other gemstones, pearls originate entirely from nature. They cannot be cut or shaped like diamonds to remove impurities. Farmers must open hundreds of oysters before they find one containing a pearl and, even then, it might be a dud. Hakimian explains that, in order for Yoko London to make one of its long necklaces, the team needs to have at least 5,000 pearls at hand to find 100 matching ones, and to acquire an AA or AAA pearl, you need between 20,000 to 50,000 pearls at your disposal and, even then, only one of them would be suitable. While patience is a virtue in the pearlfarming world, time is of the essence in

“I wanted to create a jewellery company that only used the finest pearls ”

Jewellery clockwise from top left: Earrings from the Aurelia collection; Aphrodite necklace from the Masterpiece collection; Earrings from the Pendulum collection; Ring from the Belgravia collection; Ring from the Calypso collection; Cuff from the Mayfair collection; Necklace from the Novus collection Left: Yoko London’s Knightsbridge store

the luxury industry. One of Yoko’s recent commissions was for a two-metre necklace made up of AA- and AAA-quality South Sea pearls. “While not difficult in itself, the challenge was that the client needed it in 24 hours because he wanted to present it to his wife,” Hakimian smiles. By setting pearls into modern pieces such as two-finger rings and ear cuffs, Yoko has cast the net wide for this versatile gem, highlighting its continued relevance. “We’re constantly breaking the rules by mixing origins, sizes and natural colours and the more we do that, the more success we get.” As a result, the brand counts the likes of Katy Perry, Beyoncé and Michelle Obama – who famously wore a pair of Yoko earrings when she was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in 2016 – as its supporters. “The word ‘cool’ is something I wouldn’t have used 20 years ago to describe luxury jewellery, but now even at the highest end, it has to be.” Of course, like the unpredictability of nature, Hakimian understands the fleetingness of trends, which is why Yoko will always continue to create pieces that withstand the test of time. Pearl jewellery may have waxed and waned in popularity over the years, but its timelessness is undeniable. 8 Knightsbridge Green, SW1X, 020 3887 7237, yokolondon.com

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Resident’s Journal

Elsewhere we enjoy some pampering with a Tulasara facial at Gina Conway’s Fulham salon on page 23, and take afternoon tea at The Chelsea Harbour Hotel (p.13). We also discover a unique social app causing a buzz among local residents; find out more on page 24.

With summer upon us, our July/August edition focuses on outdoor activities and fun for everyone. We spotlight local events (p.6), talk to jazz singer Emma Smith about her upcoming performance at Fulham Palace (p.7), and take a look at some of the best places for al fresco eating and drinking (p.16). Sport is also on the menu: William Monroe interviews a local tennis coach (p.8) and finds out about Fulham’s first cricket club in more than 100 years (p.9).

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Holmead Road, SW6

Weather the storm

Keep it stylish – come rain or shine – with Burberry’s new DK88 bag, which has been made with the brand’s innovative weatherproof trench leather. From £1,195, burberry.com

Images courtesy of: Jimmy Choo

Shoe time

Sandra Choi’s pre-fall collection for Jimmy Choo aims to complement the many facets of a woman’s character. Elegant suede is toughened up with star-shaped studs; chunky embellishments adorn graceful stilettos; and trainers are given a glittery makeover in this delightfully diverse capsule. From £350, 32 Sloane Street, SW1X, jimmychoo.com

style notes words by Lauren Stevens

Treasure Chest

Nathalie Trad presents a new line of elegant accessories for A/W17. Available in mother of pearl and metallic finishes, the boxy bags are as precious as they look: each clutch takes two weeks to make and is hand-inlayed with the finest shells from the Far East.

editor’s pick

£995, mulberry.com

From £670, nathalietrad.com

Leonard I with chain, £1,275

Column Inches

Salvatore Ferragamo’s design director, Paul Andrew, takes the brand back to its roots with his debut footwear collection. By focusing on the label’s signature black and gold colour palette, Andrew has put a contemporary spin on the founding designer’s original column heel, first seen in the 1930s. From £400, 207 Sloane Street, SW1X, ferragamo.com

Vinci X 5, £695

Strong Suit

The latest collection from Ermanno Scervino explores the blurred lines between male and female dress codes. The androgynous result is embodied by model Mariacarla Boscono, who makes a convincing case for the power suit. Trousers from £740, available at Harrods Photography: Peter Lindbergh

040 | LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK

bor n to be w ild

Set out on safari in understated khaki camouflage, paired with leather accessories and animal print scarves photogr aphy Alexander Beer

stylist Graham Cruz

This page Shirt, £420, Etro, etro.com; Vest, £295, James Purdey & Sons, purdey.com; Trousers, £149, Marc Cain, marc-cain.com; Scarf, £240, Begg & Co, beggandcompany.com; Shoes, £900, Giuseppe Zanotti, giuseppezanotti.com; Harness, stylist’s own

this page Shirt, £235, Vince, vince.com; Vest, £190, Theory, theory.com; Trousers, £630, Marni, marni.com; Boots, £970, Giuseppe Zanotti, as before; Bracelet, £50,470, Shamballa Jewels, frostoflondon.co.uk; Large metal cuff, POA, DAKS, daks.com; Sunglasses, £300, Belstaff, belstaff.co.uk; Necklace, £39, Adore Jewelry, adorejewelry.com opposite Top, £540, David Koma, davidkoma.co.uk; Cotton chinos, POA, Dsquared2, dsquared2.com; Shoes, £530, Aquazzura, aquazzura.com; Jacket (on waist), £699, Tiger of Sweden, tigerofsweden.com; Belt, £275, Etro, as before; Shoulder bag, £315, Ettinger, ettinger.co.uk; Saddle bag, £450, Aspinal of London, aspinaloflondon.com; Leopard print scarf, £285, Begg & Co, as before; Zebra print scarf, £30, Lola Rose, lolarose.co.uk; Cheetah print scarf (on head), £99, Marc Cain, as before; Leg harness, stylist’s own

this page Jacket, £325, Theory, as before; Shirt, £220, Monographie, harrods.com; Skirt, £1,705, Andrew GN, matchesfashion.com; Hat, £195, Mimi Holliday, mimiholliday.com; Belt, £595, Agnona, harrods.com; Shoes, £295, DAKS, as before; Scarf (on hat), £250, James Purdey & Sons, as before; Cuffs, POA, DAKS, as before; Earrings, £44, Adore Jewelry, as before opposite Jacket, £1,695; Boots, £495, both Bally, bally.com; Shirt, £115, Brooks Brothers, brooksbrothers.com; Trousers, £232, Pinko, pinko.com; Belt, £295, Etro, as before; Swan talisman, £1,347, Pyrrha, Pyrrha.com; Gloves (in pocket), £49, Dents, dents.co.uk; Socks, £22, Falke, falke.com

this page Shirt, £395, Etro, as before; Top, £400, Boss, hugoboss.com; Skirt, £220, Self Portrait, self-portrait-studio.com; Belt, £620, Etro, as before; Sandals, £845, Aquazzura, as before; Hat, £265, Lock & Co, lockhatters.co.uk; Necklace (on wrist), £115, Lola Rose, as before; Earrings, £47, Adore Jewelry, as before opposite Dress, £2,045, Ralph Lauren Collection, ralphlauren.co.uk; Vest, £100, Theory, as before; Shirt (on waist), £259, DAKS, as before; Hat, £265, Lock & Co, as before; Sandals, £650, Jimmy Choo, jimmychoo.com; Glasses, £125, Stella McCartney, matchesfashion. com; Bracelet, £19,600, Shamballa Jewels, as before; Bangle, £149.70, Pyrrha, as before; Pave Bangle, £57, Adore Jewelry, as before

Hair and make-up Amori Birch model Lise Bjorgen Olsen at IMG Fashion Assistant Sophie Whitemore location Shot on location in Namibia. With thanks to luxury safari expedition company Barclay Stenner, barclaystenner.com, and Okonjima Villa, okonjima.com

summertime spectacular accessories

fashion

With both bold shapes and interesting lenses, pick up a pair of the statement sunglasses throwing other frames into the shade words by Camilla Apcar / photography by Ian Dingle / styling & set design by Nu Valado

lip on a pair of oversized sunglasses with reflective lime lenses and exotic fruit glittering high above the brows, and heads will turn. Just one of these three elements would do the trick. Dolce & Gabbana pulled out all the stops with this particular summertime creation (pictured left). The combination of shape and colour – a bold frame as well as an interesting lens – serves a double statement hit, and is a look that independent designers, fashion houses and manufacturing titans are adopting alike. “People like to say they hide behind sunglasses, but I don’t think so,” says eyewear designer Tom Davies. “Sunglasses bring symmetrical lines to the face – and beauty is symmetry. That’s why people tend to like wearing sunglasses in general, and they’ve become much more of an adventurous fashion item.” Simon Jablon, CEO and creative director of Linda Farrow, agrees: “Bold has become the new classic.” One catalyst for this year’s profusion of increasingly exciting sunglasses has been fashion houses taking ownership of their eyewear lines – previously licensed to groups such as Safilo or Luxottica – and promoting them on the catwalks, says Davies. One of the biggest players is now luxury goods holding company Kering, which introduced its eyewear division in 2014. It owns Gucci, which showed its first in-house collection last October (although production will remain with its former licenser, Safilo, until 2020).

each temple. Alexander McQueen, meanwhile, has fashioned a cutaway lens edge that, in lilac and with a Swarovski-studded diagonal black bar, mixes retro nostalgia and rock ’n’ roll. At Safilo’s Marc Jacobs, horizontal heart-shaped frames are encircled by a string twist of metal; on other styles a thread runs across a centimetre from the top, skimming the sightline. “Sunglasses aren’t perceived as just a tool anymore, but as a proper fashion item,” says Seamus Healy, head of product and planning at David Clulow. “There is a new appetite for eye-catching styles that have the power to completely change an outfit. In the current

The most arresting styles start with

unusual shapes. Another brand within Kering’s stable is Boucheron, which will launch a striking yellow and red gold-plated owl frame this autumn (pictured next page, bottom right). The avian eye shape will be a limited edition of 300, with double-shaded, antireflective and oleophobic lenses, meaning they are less prone to smudges. Christopher Kane, also under Kering and taking inspiration from nature, has a butterfly with gold, rose or blue nylon lenses (pictured next page, top right) – lightweight and durable, with a scratch-resistant coating – set in a metal surround, and a large jewel on

Above: Ray-Ban, £270, rayban.com Opposite page: Dolce & Gabbana, £684, harrods.com

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 051

mood where ‘more is more’, it’s easy to see why lots of sunglasses feature both bold frames and bold lenses.”

Cutler and Gross is independently

Clockwise from top left: Dolce & Gabbana, £383, harrods.com; Prada, £253, davidclulow.com; Linda Farrow, £515, lindafarrow.com Opposite page, from top: Christopher Kane, £355, christopherkane.com; Boucheron, £585, boucheron.com

owned and has its own factory in the Dolomites. Here, 41 craftsmen are in control of their own tasks for producing each model, from barrelling to hinges and polishing. Each frame takes four to six weeks to make by hand. The factory also experiments with new materials and techniques – including a frame cut from a single sheet of metal for a pair of new round, bridged sunglasses with red lenses and acetate rims. “We treat our metal frames as we treat our acetate, cutting the metal from plates rather than using soldering techniques,” says the brand’s design director, Marie Wilkinson. “You get unusual sculptural effects and interesting surfaces instead, playing with form.” The temples are made by hand and cylindrical; trickier to create than most, which are flat. “These have a really strong impact when you wear them. They’re reassuringly bold,” says Wilkinson. “People want to express themselves,” she continues. “It’s more about the whole look, and accessories being as important – if not more important – than clothing.

A pair of sunglasses is much more easily spotted than a new handbag or shoes. When you first meet someone you don’t look at their feet... you look at their eyes.”

Aesthetic appeal aside, fun lenses

boast different qualities depending on their colour. “Tints can impact the performance of athletes, spectators and outdoor lovers,” says Tessa Forde, optometrist at David Clulow on Wigmore Street. Grey solid tints give a natural colour perception and are well-suited for driving, golf, running, cycling and most outdoor activities. Brown or amber tints filter blue light and are best for brightening vision on cloudy days. “They are especially good for use against grass and sky, so best for fishing, golf, hunting, cycling and water sports,” adds Forde. This season, soft, faded lenses rule the roost in pastel colours – the kind that complete a look beneath a wide-brimmed hat. There’s more than a touch of the Italian Riviera in Linda Farrow’s next collection, featuring delicate twisted ribbon frames in rose, yellow and white gold metal, as well as lighter lens colours. One pair in particular, with a scalloped ravioli-style rim (pictured below, bottom left), is made using

fashion

“There’s appetite for eye-catching styles with the power to completely change an outfit” LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 053

fashion

Trends are moving fast and have been lens-led for the past few years titanium moulding and nylon lenses. They can also come with the company’s signature precious plated lenses – titanium covered in 18- to 22-carat gold, rose gold or platinum, then sealed into a mirror coating.

Trends are moving fast, says Davies, and

have been lens-led for the past few years. He leans towards darker colours and only uses Zeiss lenses (these reduce glare, increase contrast and protect eyes while driving, with clear vision up to the very edge of the lens). Davies expects graduated tints to be the next trend, but in stronger colours. “The reason is that tinted lenses look great but aren’t much use as a sunglass,” he explains, when considering everyday use. “They can cut out UV but aren’t very comfortable on the eyes.” A lens that is dark at the top and clear at the bottom will block out more rays – as well as being fashionable. Graduated tints fade to a lighter shade at the bottom of the lens, as seen in another new pair from Dolce & Gabbana. Surrounded by a ring of Swarovski crystals and tiny embossed beads, its lenses come in grey, pink or blue gradients (pictured previous page, top left). “Graduated tints are ideal for reading in the garden or on the beach,” says Forde, “especially if you are off to somewhere sunny for your holidays.”

Reflective From top: Dior, £410, dior.com; Pomellato, £370, pomellato.com Photography assistant: Mimi Connolly Ian Dingle is represented by DH&Co Nu Valado is represented by Icon

mirrored

lenses

continue to enjoy a day in the sun – and offer extra protection against it – this season at three Luxotticalicensed brands. Prada’s latest rim-less Cinéma model is angular with semi-flat mirrored lenses and pastel acetate temple tips (pictured previous page, centre). “These come from a collection that stands out for its blend of sophisticated elegance and avant-garde design,” says Healy. “It’s a melting pot of vintage inspirations and conceptual structures, modern and futuristic.”

At Ray-Ban, mirrored lenses come with a maple, walnut or cherry frame (pictured second page), and elsewhere with multi-coloured gradients that are more psychedelic than 21st-century cool. “Colourful acetates are also quintessential Alain Mikli,” adds Healy. “Every year it develops several new colours and patterns inspired by a cultural exchange with the art and fashion worlds.” This year, the French-Armenian designer draws on the Memphis Movement with a 1980s round pale pink or blue reflective lens, and double acetate eyebrows decorated in stripes and zigzags.

Exuberant prints take sunglasses

another step further. Saint Laurent brings molten lava to life with mirror oil rainbow lenses; Fendi emblazons its logo on coral disks; Dior has added a trio of irregular stripes to its equally irregular frame by way of a multilayer coating (pictured top left). This allows up to 12 different layers on the same lens, finished by intense polishing to make the designs shine through. In autumn, Pomellato will introduce a doublebridged pair with a graphic floral pattern in gold or electric pink and black (pictured bottom left). Far from the original intent of dark aviators, they are bright and funky, with anti-reflective lenses and a layered mirror-coating. Lenses can be decorated using screen printing with a fabric mesh in a similar way to T-shirts. A thick lightreactive substance is applied that makes holes in the original coating, then a layer of paint pressed into the ‘holes’. Other techniques include hand tinting – dipping normal lenses into tints, turning them into a sunglass – or washing away designs from a grey or brown lens that has been mirrored, revealing its original colour. These styles may be less hard wearing than plain or reflective lenses, but all that is left is to strike a pose.

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ORIGINAL, LIMITED-EDITION ART DECO POSTERS

Limited to editions of 280, our newly-commissioned Art Deco posters feature glamorous holiday destinations around the world, ski resorts in the Austrian, French and Swiss Alps, and the world’s greatest historic automobiles. Over 100 designs to choose from, all printed on 100% cotton fine art paper, measuring 97 x 65 cms.

Priced at £395 each.

Private commissions are also welcome.

Pullman Editions Ltd 94 Pimlico Road Chelsea London SW1W 8PL www.pullmaneditions.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 0547 Email: georgina@pullmaneditions.com

Our central London gallery

View and buy online at w w w.pullmaneditions.com Pullman Ed-M-F.indd 1

06/04/2017 21:04

fashion Bags of Style

Luca Faloni has long been an advocate of Italian craftsmanship that stands the test of time. His latest collection includes cashmere, cotton and linen basics, along with a leather holdall that, unlike the rest of us, promises to only get better with age. Holdall, £675, lucafaloni.com

style file words by Ellen Millard

house of cards

Camouflage card holder, £110, Alexander McQueen, mrporter.com

Oh, boy

Having noticed a lack of charities raising awareness for malespecific cancers, Sofia Davis set up One For The Boys to encourage men to seek medical advice and speak openly about their health. Now, Turnbull & Asser has teamed up with the charity to produce a range of accessories, with ten per cent of profits going to the initiative. Help out by adding this tie to your collection. Tie, £125, turnbullandasser.co.uk

Printed card holder, £255, Lanvin, harveynichols.com

Thar card holder, £125, Bally, bally.co.uk

Hot Toddy

Fans of Tod’s Gommino driving shoes will be pleased to hear of the brand’s debut collaboration with Mr Porter, for which new styles of the signature shoe have been designed. Pick up the classic shape in red, tan and blue shades, or mix it up with an embellished or backless style. From £260, mrporter.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

beauty Summer Lovin’

Dolce & Gabbana’s Summer Dance collection perfectly captures the summer season. Intensify lips, cheeks and nails with creamy pink shades, or add a sunkissed glow with the eyeshadow quad and bronzer (pictured).

Pretty in Pink

NARS presents Floral Redux, a limited-edition series of lip and cheek kits. The collection consists of two Velvet Matte Lip Pencil sets, a face palette and an exclusive quartet of NARS’s iconic Multiple sticks, all packaged in watercolour florals. From £25, available at Selfridges

Flower Press

From £21, harrods.com

beauty notes words by Alicia Osborne-Crone

In keeping with traditional chypre (citrus-based) scents, Floris has blended notes of bergamot with warm hints of jasmine, vanilla and musk to form its new eau de toilette, Chypress. The refined floral fragrance is a captivating scent for both day and night. From £60 for 50ml, florislondon.com

In the Nude

Opting for a brighter take on the metallic trend, Christian Louboutin has introduced its Metalinudes nail and lip collection. Enriched with a chrome-like pigment, each nude nail colour provides high-coverage and intense reflection. From £38, christianlouboutin.com

wih the ultinte conceale Nev er w orry about late nights again r Bright Eyes

Eliminate dark circles with Bobbi Brown’s Instant Full Cover Concealer. An infusion of rare Indian tree extract and palm kernel extract instantly plumps and smoothes skin, delivering full coverage with a lightweight finish that develops throughout the day. £23, bobbibrown.co.uk

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kids’ kingdom

words by Lauren Stevens

This is England For A/W17, La Coqueta swaps its Spanish roots for traditional English countryside style

odelled by founder of La Coqueta Celia Monuz’s children and their friends, the latest collection from the brand features classic floral, tartan and gingham prints as well as Peter Pan collars and jewel coloured velvet, inspired by traditional Victorian style. From £24, lacoquetakids.com

editor’s pick

£95, tdtomdavies.com

Pure and Simple

Keep things cool and casual with the latest kids’ collection from COS. Clean lines, subtle colours and modern silhouettes form the cornerstone of a selection of cotton, denim and knitwear pieces, available for both girls and boys. From a selection, 124-126 High Street Kensington, W8, cosstores.com

fashion Swinging Sixties

Under the Sea New to Westbourne Grove, Love Brand & Co. offers a selection of stylish, animal print swimwear for boys, with five per cent of all sales going towards conservation projects.

Photography: Emma Tunbridge

Nod to the ’60s and ’70s with the latest collection by Kingdom of Origin. Founder Vanessa Wright has channelled her style icons Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy, as well as her favourite films Breakfast at Tiffany’s and A Clockwork Orange, to create an edit of tulip dresses, plaid skirts and corduroy pinafores. From £40, kingdomoforigin.co.uk

£70 each, 170 Westbourne Grove, W11, lovebrand.com

Mini Me

Play dress-up with the latest girls’ collection by Chloé. A cute edit of the women’s A/W17 readyto-wear range, it offers a selection of smart and casual pieces for the style-conscious – including bohemian dresses and smocks in pastel shades. From £41, available at Harrods

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City Magazine_CH2.indd 1

26/04/17 11:45

Go green

The greenery trend is still going strong this season, but if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re yet to join the club, the latest fabric collection by Neptune may just tempt you... From ÂŁ48 per metre, 93 Wandsworth Bridge Road, SW6, neptune.com

fine dining

COTTON ON

There’s good news for those who like nothing better than lounging about in their pants: Calvin Klein has branched out from boxers to bedding. Inspired by the popular underwear range, the new Modern Cotton collection of sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers in soft modal jersey is the stuff lie-ins are made of. From £29, available at Peter Jones

Sugarblush plate, £16, A by Amara, amara.com

Jungle King plate, £99, Christian Lacroix, christian-lacroix.com

design notes words by Lauren Stevens

Blue Palm Tree plate, £57, Irving & Morrison, irvingandmorrison.com

Knit Wits

The Agnona fabric mill has been spinning the finest merino wool, alpaca and cashmere since 1953. Its latest range of elegant cashmere blankets and pillows for A/W17 comes in natural tones of grey, beige and white, and incorporates fluffy shearling and refined natté for extra softness. Perfect for taking the chill out of evenings when autumn rolls around. From £350, agnona.com

Tie-Set plate, £54, Hermès, uk.hermes.com

Colour Block

Add a pop of colour to your home with a statement cushion cover from The Conran Shop, available in a variety of shades and styles, from blush pink to tomato red. Ebru Light plate, Nina Campbell, £75, ninacampbell.com

£75, Frame Cushion Cover in Nude/Sienna, 81 Fulham Road, SW3, conranshop.co.uk

interiors

In the Detail

Lighting is sometimes referred to as jewellery for the home, and Ferruccio Laviani’s Kabuki lamp is the perfect accessory. The designer has created three new versions to join the popular floor lamp for Kartell’s 2017 collection, including this suspension light designed with the same woven lace-inspired detail, available in a selection of colours. From £356, kartell.com Alpaca check avorio grey throw, £757

Call of Nature

Maison Lelièvre’s latest fabric collection offers a selection of dynamic nature-inspired textures and designs. Embrace the great outdoors, even if the weather isn’t playing ball, with palm prints in bright, jungle hues or tiger stripes and geometric patterns in more calming, rustic shades of cream, beige and brown. From £75 per metre, lelievre.eu

Photography: John Day

Design Intervention

Stuck for bedroom inspiration? Look to the world’s top interior designers, who will be creating bedroom displays at the Vis-à-Vis bedding shop on Motcomb Street. In collaboration with luxury e-tailer The Invisible Collection (theinvisiblecollection.com), every two months the store will showcase a bespoke bedroom comprising products available from the website, kicking off with a display by former Yves Saint Laurent art director Jérôme Faillant-Dumas. 6-7 Motcomb Street, SW1X, lblondon.com

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feature

fairest of them all Left & right: Bang & Olufsen BeoSound Shape

The ultimate blank canvas in interior design, the humble wall has found a new lease of life at Salone del Mobile and beyond â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from wireless speaker systems to leather panelling and intricate mosaics words by Camilla Apcar

interiors

alls – even if just four – are a fundamental of any dwelling. Our prehistoric forebears kicked off the idea of decorating the interior sides with paintings of hands, bison and horses; it was only a matter of a few millennia before walls acquired additional roles, from shelving to hanging hooks. And so the evolution has continued. At Milan’s Salone del Mobile in April, a flurry of new designs honed in on the humble wall, adding secondary and even tertiary functions such as sound systems or sculptural lighting – as well as a contemporary edge. The trend reflects an enthusiasm for ever-greater creative freedom in the home, says Marie Kristine Schmidt, head of brand and design at Danish electronics firm Bang & Olufsen. “There are not as many rules and restrictions anymore. People want the things they surround themselves with to reflect who they are, whether it’s how you look, what you carry or what you put on your walls.” Bang & Olufsen’s latest wireless speaker offers just that. The BeoSound Shape is a wall-mounted system that plays through hexagonal tiles: speakers,

Above: WireRing by Formafantasma for Flos; below: Gaku by Nendo for Flos

amplifiers and acoustic dampers, from six to however many you wish to configure in your own pattern (from around €4,000 for a standard set-up). “The idea behind it came from a frustration around the fact that good sound requires great acoustics, but in many rooms these are very poor,” says Schmidt. Rather than having just one fixed sweet spot for sound, the damper tiles aim to improve the acoustics of an entire room by absorbing sound waves – even when the speakers are switched off. Flos, the lighting specialist, raised the functionality stakes once again in Milan. Gaku, a wall-mounted open box – a shelf in itself – houses a lamp in three different configurations: hung from the top; detachable, with its own charging dock; or as a magnetised spotlight that can swivel in any direction. Next, stripping lighting down to the most linear form imaginable, WireRing is simply made from a belt of pink, grey or white electric cable that straps an LED circle to the wall, turning it into a sleek sculptural spectacle. Philippe Starck, however, put forward a more traditional, Snow White-inspired creation for

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This image and right: Sicis Palme Panel, £5,800 per sq m

Flos. La Plus Belle is an oval mirror surrounded by chrome, gold or copper – plus an LED trim. Although minimalist, this trio of utilitarian designs capitalise on the idea of making a home appear more welcoming by ridding it of bare expanses of wall (especially bright white ones). They create a focal point without involving elaborate upholstery or distracting chandeliers: an antidote to overwrought interior schemes. Meanwhile, bed expert Flou launched a wall unit that transforms from a two-seat sofa into a double bed. “I’ve designed multifunctional furniture for more than 20 years. The aim is not only to let the pieces transform themselves, but also transform the space that they are in,” says designer Giulio Manzoni, “because space is the real treasure.” This obvious capacity for bare walls – or lack thereof – to alter the amount of space in a given room was echoed by a new sliding version of Sherazade, a door designed by Piero Lissoni for Glas Italia. Its six millimetres of tempered, almost gauzy glass is sealed within a dark aluminium frame. “The trend is now to leave more spaces open and interconnected,” says export area manager Flavio Parlato. “Sliding doors filter and transform the space, influencing the light and noise, like theatre wings on the stage of our living environment.”

Appetite for artistic expression has found new ways to flourish

La Plus Belle by Philippe Starck for Flos

n the realms of interior design, walls offer the largest blank canvas. While the vogue for wallpaper throughout the home has long since diminished (trompe l’œil aside), appetite for artistic expression has found new ways to flourish. In May, carpet specialist Sahrai opened its doors on Brook Street, bringing nearly 200 years of expertise from Tehran, Istanbul and Milan to Mayfair. Strolling past, you will spy mannequins artfully draped in Swarovski-studded carpets, and stepping inside the new showroom reveals a number of designs that can be hung vertically in their own right. “As has been the case for hundreds of years with tapestries, today rugs can be hung on walls as a secret weapon in the mission to create full and astonishing rooms,” says owner Ramine Sahrai. “They are not unlike artistic masterpieces, and can make a wonderful centrepiece that adds personality and colour to a room.” The family-run company deals in both rare, centuriesold carpets as well as new wool and silk patterns designed in-house (from £4,800). There are few more striking ways to welcome guests than with a three-by-two-metre leopard in silk and wool relief (£12,000). Another creative alternative to framed artworks is decorative tiling, in all manner of materials.

Studioart vector bi-colour

interiors

“I think a feature wall still has its importance,” says Nadia Dalle Mese, founder of Studioart, the Italian leather interiors firm. This year Studioart has celebrated its tenth anniversary by reinterpreting its bestseller, Leatherwall: a tiled covering that uses geometric combinations of squares, triangles, trapeziums, rhombuses and rectangles to create plush contemporary patterns (from €530 per sq m). “Its versatility allows you to apply it in bedrooms, living rooms, hallways – we even have some collections that are waterproof,” says Dalle Mese. “You can use a feature wall with special patterns, shapes or colour combinations to add to an ordinary room, or if a full wall would be too much, you could use Leatherwall as an artwork.” The pieces are designed and sewn to fit by a team of ten, and the leather is supplied by Studioart’s own tannery in Vicenza, the Italian leather-making capital. The anniversary collection includes three new styles to suit minimalist, modern and romantic tastes alike, with padded three-dimensionality and stitching for additional texture. Elsewhere on the tiling front, there is little rest for the Campana brothers. They have followed their candy-cane lighting for Lasvit and hairy house in São Paulo – one of the duo’s first architectural projects, covered in palm fibre inspired by traditional Brazilian

Sahrai Leopard carpet

Studioart Losange

housing – with something a little more approachable for glass mosaic firm Bisazza. “Our range of Cementiles encompasses ancient techniques with a modern twist,” says Donna Podger, Bisazza’s London showroom manager. The tiles are made from a mixture of fine cement, marble dust and natural pigments, then left outside to dry for a week after being removed from their mould. “A monochrome splash in a bathroom, a floralinspired design for the kitchen, a geometric design to bring a hallway to life... the scope of use is vast,” Podger continues. “The designers we work with like to push boundaries on making the best impression with walls.” Indeed, Paola Navone, Jaime Hayon and Tom Dixon have all lent a little of their own signature style to the Cementiles range in the past. This year, the Campana brothers’ take was inspired by the spirals found in a slice of agate rock. In shades of a single colour – green, yellow, red or blue – repeated rings come together en masse to form a full-blown 1970s retro vision (from £154 per sq m). On a more intricate scale, Sicis on Dover Street takes tiling to new heights with Italian-made mosaics. These minute squares are one of the oldest forms of interior decoration, particularly popular with the ancient Romans, Greeks and Byzantines. Sicis refashions Giuseppe Arcimboldo and Gustav Klimt’s work in materials as varied as marble or 24-carat gold, semi-precious stones and mother of pearl; conjures cityscapes and lifesize images of Marilyn Monroe; and, best of all, creates mesmerising abstract designs that sweep through entire rooms. When it comes to walls, the next few thousand years look set to be as full of creativity as the last.

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WELLNESS

as an Art

Oasis gives you a moment to stop and take a breath. Feel the freedom and relaxation in your body and mind. Let your senses be inspired in a private paradise. It is all waiting for you. The art of wellbeing.

The Oasis by Don Carlos Resort · Boutique Hotel Experience · Marbella T (+34) 933 271 455 · dcreservas@expogrupo.com · www.doncarlosresort.expohotels.com/en/the-oasis · www.expohotels.com

Cabin Fever Popping up in the Llŷn Peninsula in north-west Wales this summer, Epic Retreats’ eight luxury cabins put the glam back into glamping. Expect an itinerary of Welsh music and theatre performances as well as dinner cooked by a private chef. Until 11 September, from £425 for two nights, epicretreats.wales

Little Dragon cabin, courtesy of: Epic Retreats

Images courtesy of: Gleneagles

Dive In

Visitors to Maldivian resort Gili Lankanfushi can now get up close and personal with the hotel’s local wildlife, thanks to the launch of its new marine biology centre. As well as conducting research into conservation issues, Gili Veshi offers a series of guest experiences, from monthly reef cleaning expeditions to coral watch dives and underwater treasure hunts. From £1,116 per night, gili-lankanfushi.com

globetrotter words by Ellen Millard

Scot-Free

Gleneagles has reopened after an extensive refurbishment. Located in the glorious Scottish countryside, the estate offers more than 20 outdoor pursuits, from falconry and horse riding to fly fishing. From £265 per night, gleneagles.com

Food for Thought

What came first, the hotel or the Michelin-starred restaurant? Traditionally, the former precedes the latter – but not in the case of Akelarre, the first five-star hotel in San Sebastián, which adjoins the tenyear-old, three-star eatery of the same name. The hilltop hotel also boasts a wellness centre where you can sleep off the inevitable post-meal food coma. From £379 per night, akelarre.net

editor’s pick

£495, fendi.com

Water Works

Parisian hotel Le Pavillon de la Reine is offering the chance to see the city from a different angle. A cruise down Canal Saint-Martin gives guests a history lesson on waterside neighbourhoods, as well as the chance to spot some of Paris’s top landmarks. When the temperature peaks, passengers can cool off in the canal itself. From approx. £322 per night, pavillon-de-la-reine.com

travel

moose – just in case the manicured Berkshire landscape outside the bedroom window isn’t reminder enough that you’re no longer in the capital. Residing above a pub has its benefits, and the food is one. The seasonally changing menu makes the best of the abundant local produce, while last month saw the launch of the Summer of Gin cocktail menu – the refreshing Portobello Road, which features juniper and citrus notes, is a must-try. For the more active guest, there are a number of sporting pursuits to be enjoyed in the surrounding countryside, while having Highclere Castle on your doorstep will be an obvious draw for many. The setting of the award-winning period drama Downton Abbey is even grander in real life than on screen, and the perfect place Check into the Carnarvon Arms near to wile away a few hours before Newbury in Berkshire for a quintessentially returning to the Big Smoke.

review

Carnarvon Arms,

Berkshire

British weekend away this summer words by Olivia Sharpe

From £125 per night, thecarnarvonarmshotel.com

erkshire did not need its profile raised with the recent wedding of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews, having long been the holiday spot of choice for those looking for a hassle-free weekend away within easy distance of London. Indeed, the Carnarvon Arms near Newbury is a one-hour car journey from the capital and is where I chose to spend a few restful days last summer. Once a slightly run-down pub, the Grade II-listed building was renovated two years ago and is now a stylish bed and breakfast. Traces of the 18th-century country inn’s history can still be found in the décor, with its original period features including alcove windows and vaulted ceilings. Plush leather chairs, patterned red carpets and polished dining tables make the atmosphere cosy and comfortable without being overly fussy. We may be only a few doors down from Lord and Lady Carnarvon’s abode, Highclere Castle, but there is no standing on ceremony here and guests are made to feel truly at home. The boutique en-suite rooms balance traditional features with modern luxuries. Our inviting bed is decorated with tartan throws and pillows, and above our on-trend duck egg blue headboard is a painting of a

Residing above a pub has its benefits, and the food is one

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closer to home

w ho l et the

dogs

ou t ?

From city breaks to spa retreats, discover the best luxury hotels catering to both human and hound words by Ellen Millard

travel Berkshire

Images courtesy of: PetsPyjamas

Top Dog

Cliveden House in Berkshire presents a Downton Abbey-esque haven for both human and hound – but it’s the latter who truly receive the royal treatment. Visiting pets (and their owners) will be given a personalised Cliveden lead, a dog-walking map of the estate – which boasts 378 acres of National Trust parkland – along with waste bags, towels, treats and torches for late-night exploring. Back at the hotel, a bed, bowl and feeding mat await, along with a gourmet meal from the chef’s special canine menu. It certainly has the bow-wow factor. From £495 per night, petspyjamas.com

n a sunny Thursday in June, Herbie admires the view across Victoria Park as his personal stylist preps his hair for the impending photo shoot. It’s not your average salon appointment, but then Herbie isn’t your average customer. A French bulldog on a walk with his owner, Herbie has found himself being primed and prepped for his turn in the Pet Paws-Port Photo Booth. The event, part of a two-day pop-up by insurance company More Than, aimed to educate dog owners about pet passports, a requirement introduced in 2000 for those travelling abroad with a four-legged friend in tow. As well as capturing London’s hounds from their best angles, the event highlighted the rising demand for pet-friendly retreats. Satistics obtained by the insurance company revealed that 62 per cent of those surveyed were more likely to go on holiday if they could bring their dog along, while 18 per cent were willing to spend more to take their dog away with them. Luxury pet concierge service PetsPyjamas has seen a similar increase in dogcentric holidays, having helped more than 12,000 owners and 15,500 dogs find their ideal break in the past three years alone. Now, a new wave of luxury retreats is catering to both human and hound with specially designed packages to leave you and your pooch feeling pampered. Never fall foul of your pet’s puppy dog eyes again with a staycation that excels in creature comforts....

62 per cent of those surveyed were more likely to go on holiday if they could bring their dog along

Oxfordshire

Dog’s Dinner

Raymond Blanc OBE is such a fan of dogs that he has dedicated three suites at his hotel, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, to guests visiting with their trusty sidekicks. One for the foodies, the Oxfordshire retreat boasts a two-Michelin-star restaurant and a resident cookery school, while tail-waggers can tuck into treats of their own back at the room or in a comfy kennel. Bone appétit! From £595 per night, belmond.com

Images courtesy of: Belmond

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Images courtesy of: PetsPyjamas

West Sussex

The hotel can arrange for your hound to indulge in some TLC too, courtesy of the local master groomer

West Sussex

Sun, Sea and Saint Bernards

Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa in West Sussex is well equipped for adventurous pups looking to improve their doggy paddle. A short walk from Climping Beach, the hotel prides itself on its Sandy Paws package, which offers two owners and their pet a night’s stay with a three-course meal and cocktail (for the humans), as well as a welcome kit comprising a bowl, biscuits, a tennis ball and a list of the best dog-walking spots in the area. Post-walk, a Ruff and Tumble drying coat will be offered to clean up mucky pups. From £415 per night for two adults and one dog, petspyjamas.com

Paws and Reflect

The Spread Eagle is the go-to for seriously pampered pooches. Along with an extensive menu of treatments for owners at the spa – a trip to which is made all the easier with the help of the dog-sitting service – the hotel can arrange for your hound to indulge in some TLC too, courtesy of the local master groomer, Lesley Sills. Book Milo in for a wash, blow-dry or full groom, before exploring the nearby South Downs National Park. From £252 per night, hshotels.co.uk

Images courtesy of: The Spread Eagle

travel London NW1

puppy love

Pets in the City

Four-legged friends new to city life can learn the ropes at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, where the Pampered Pooch package includes a training session. As well as receiving a dog bed, treat box and food bowl, pets can take part in a one-to-one class with the capital’s top dog trainers, who can educate on canine tube etiquette, walking without a lead and even working an iPad. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? From £740 per night, stpancraslondon.com

Images courtesy of: St Pancras Renaissance Hotel

Stamp Bone Dog Tag, £29.50, Mungo & Maud, mungoandmaud.com

Geo Blue Dog Collar, from £30, Hiro & Wolf, hiro-and-wolf.com

in the

boroug h Grooming Gift Bag, £20, Pure Light Botanics, purelightbotanics.com

Images courtesy of: Pet Pavilion

London SW3

Hair of the Dog

If you prefer your holiday sans dog, make it up to your pooch with a pint at Chelsea’s recently opened Pawsecco Bar at Pet Pavilion. Pawsecco, a non-alcoholic concoction comprising elderflower, nettle, ginseng and lime flower, has been produced with the help of veterinary experts and boasts high levels of iron, iodine and antioxidants. The drink is served alongside Bottom Sniffer beer for dogs and treats from canine superfood specialist The Rockster, who specialises in doggy gelato and gourmet canapés – the ultimate cure for hounds who are feeling a little ruff. Until September, Chelsea Farmers’ Market, 125 Sydney Street, SW3, petpavilion.co.uk

Nile Dog Lead, from £79.50, Mungo & Maud, mungoandmaud.com

First Aid Healing Ointment for Dogs, from £15, Houndworthy, houndworthy.com

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road trip

Isl e of won de r s A drive of dreams: Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coastal Route and the Republic’s Wild Atlantic Way words by Camilla Apcar

he best way to discover Ireland is, without doubt, by car. Immersed in countryside or exposed to the coast, four-wheeled independence means experiencing every shade of land, sky and sea up close, from viridian to turquoise and teal. Most clichés are remarkably true about the Irish landscape and weather: the former, stunning; the latter, unpredictable. But the island’s true appeal – a realisation only to be fully made upon arriving – is that, with just 1,700 miles of coastline, a surprising amount feels as though it is still untouched. Taking a week or two to zigzag, wend and wind south-west along the coast between Belfast and

County Kerry, you will often be alone on the road – but never lonely. The mountains, waters and fields all seem to have a life of their own, whether travelling in the morning, at noon or dusk. Exploring Ireland’s narrow roads is a motorist’s dream (every other car will be a nippy Nissan Micra, which is no bad choice of rental vehicle for tight passes and hilly climbs, albeit the antithesis of luxe). Stepping out of the car is almost unnecessary except to refuel and inhale fresh air by the lungful. Getting soaked by drizzle would not inspire such a poetic mood perhaps anywhere else in the world.

travel Belfast

Capital Starters

Northern Ireland’s capital has emerged from the cloud of decades past, determined to forge a different future. Last year, the country celebrated a Year of Food and Drink and Belfast is brimming with options – from local oysters at Mourne Seafood to delicious hot chocolates at hidden treasure Co Couture. At Ox Belfast, experimental menus might combine lamb, cauliflower and miso or strawberries and verbena. The restaurant opened in 2013, and is just within reach of starry Michelin heights. The largest opening of recent years, however, is Titanic Belfast: a fascinating interactive museum built on the site of the shipyard where the passenger liner was built.

Pit stop: In the cobbled Cathedral Quarter, the Merchant Hotel confidently combines Victorian and Art Deco. During breakfast below the intricate plasterwork and grand chandelier in its Great Room restaurant, fuel up on porridge with whiskey cream. From £200 per night, themerchanthotel.com Causeway Coastal Route

Life on the Edge

North and south, Ireland is packed with picturesque views. You will have seen many on postcards and Instagram before, yet for each of those, there are hundreds lesser-known and equally stunning vistas to be discovered. Case in point is the Causeway Coastal Route, snaking from Belfast to Derry. While the Giant’s Causeway – thousands of basalt columns locked together at the water’s edge – and Game of Thrones filming locations are its main draws, quiet temples and abandoned castles abound. Most fun on a clear day is Carrick-a-Rede’s bracing rope bridge, suspended 100ft above the sea between two spits of land.

Turn onto roads just to see where they lead

Pit stop: The turreted Ballygally Castle is also a

humble hotel, sat on the Antrim coast and overlooking some of Ireland’s gentlest stretches of sandy beach. From £200 per night, hastingshotels.com

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Enniskillen

Bubbles on the Border

Finn Lough, just before the border with the Republic of Ireland, is more than a pit stop. Rising with the dawn takes on new meaning when there are no curtains to shield you from it, and such is the novelty of sleeping in a bubble dome hidden in a pictureperfect forest. Supremely well insulated from the elements on Lough Erne’s shore, these inflatable suites are pared back yet utterly modern (with just a radio for company). An adjoining bathroom is concealed from view, but in a double bubble, a tub is just the place to become at one with nature. From £195 per night, finnlough.com Mayo & Galway

The Wild West

By the time you reach the Ring of Kerry, turning onto unidentified roads just to see where they lead inland will become second nature – but up here, hugging the coast reveals the greatest marvels. The Republic’s Wild Atlantic Way runs north of Derry right round to Kinsale in Cork, and its westernmost section takes in the Clifden Sky Road: 11km of delightfully winding, rising and falling narrow track. To reach it means crossing Connemara. Amid rolling hills and lakes magically materialising from the grasslands, you may find yourself blissfully alone on the open road. Unlike the northern and southern reaches of the island, where there are cities and towns well equipped to host big groups, tourists along this central stretch are of the more independent variety.

Pit stop: Inland again, on the Mayo and

Galway county border, the Lodge at Ashford Castle is Irish through and through, from the staff to the toiletries. During dinners overlooking Lough Corrib, copper pots of local potatoes steal the show. From £198 per night, thelodgeac.com

Hugging the coast reveals the greatest marvels

travel

County Clare

Of Land and Sea

The forces of nature have made themselves apparent on the western coast, especially at the dramatic Cliffs of Moher – ideally viewed from sea – and The Burren, a sprawling marvel of limestone pavement peppered with ancient stone tombs. The winds change frequently here, scuppering even the best-laid plans. This is all part of Ireland’s atmospheric magnetism, but the Burren Smokehouse offers tasty relief from inevitable rains – to find out how salmon is smoked, and eat some too.

Pit stop: Adare Manor. A scenic 45-minute diversion back east towards Limerick is nothing for keen drivers. Opening in autumn after an 18-month renovation, this storied 840-acre estate and calendar house is set to be worth a trip of its own. From £280 per night, adaremanor.com

County Kerry

The Other Kerry

For many, a trip to County Kerry revolves around driving its ring road and attempting to get 13km out to sea to scale the Skellig Islands (a completely isolated set of rocks with a former monastery, where choppy waters often make it impossible to moor). To avoid both crowds and disappointment, try getting lost on the pass roads instead, which reveal equally stunning combinations of blue and green at every unexpected turn. Most fun is the Ballaghbeama Pass – and its sheep love company. There’s little in the way of fine dining here, but open landscapes and short showers means a rainbow and its gold are never very far away.

Pit stop: Park Hotel Kenmare, part of the Relais & Châteaux group, is full of antiques and quilted bedspreads. Spending a night here is like stepping into another century entirely. From £198 per night, parkkenmare.com

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Zebras on the African Experience at Port Lympne Reserve, photography: ©Megan Lee

closer to home

Kent might not seem like an obvious spot for spying big cats or roaming Serengeti-esque plains, but there’s more than meets the eye to this sleepy county’s Port Lympne Reserve words by Kate Harrison

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Rhino on the African Experience at Port Lympne Reserve

naking along the southern Kent coast – close to the Ashford International Eurostar terminal – are 600 acres of stunning wild countryside, peppered with long grass, dusty tracks, watering holes and… giraffe? Not a common sight in rural England, to be sure, but once you set foot within the boundaries of the Port Lympne Reserve – home to the UK’s largest collections of black rhinos, big cats, small cats, western lowland gorillas and other primates, to name a few – it’s easier than you might think to imagine yourself transported to the African plains. Part of the Aspinall Foundation, a worldleading conservation organisation dedicated to the management of endangered species, and responsible for various breeding programmes which introduce animals back into their natural habitat, Port Lympne is a wildlife park with a difference. At basecamp, guests board open-air jeeps to drive around the park, hopping on and off at various locations as they go. First stop is the Primate Trail, where you can spot an array of monkeys before catching the gorillas at feeding time, as a ranger talks you through the many successful projects that

No drive is the same and each offers a magical experience, just like an authentic safari

Giraffe encounter at Port Lympne Reserve

release these creatures back into their natural habitat in central Africa. You’ll also get up close and personal with a walk through the lemur enclosure, before heading down to Carnivore Territory to visit the Barbary lions, tigers and cheetahs. Next is the Dinosaur Forest – a slight detour from the traditional safari route, though one that’s likely to be a hit with any kids in the group. Here, more than 40 species of life-size dinosaur models (including diplodocus and pterodactyl) are hiding among the

Bear Lodge at Port Lympne Reserve

travel This image and below: Black rhinos and giraffe on the African Experience at Port Lympne Reserve, photography: ©Shelley Kettle

Dinosaur Forest at Port Lympne Reserve

A Spinosaurus stomps into the Dinosaur Forest at Port Lympne Reserve

trees, each one anatomically correct, while dinosaur rangers are on hand to give further insight. But the real safari experience is yet to come. After heading back to basecamp we board another truck, then sit back and enjoy the sights and smells as the African Experience takes us through 100 acres of the Kent plains, spotting wildlife in their natural environment as we go. The rangers who accompany each tour are incredibly knowledgeable about each species and happy to answer questions or talk through the Foundation’s various projects. On our first drive, we are lucky enough to have a pregnant giraffe come to investigate our jeep and we can clearly see the unborn baby kick its mother’s belly. On another drive, we see an antelope give birth and a moody rhino playing havoc with some ostriches. Each drive is different and completely magical, just like an authentic safari. When you’ve worked up an appetite, there’s a range of cafés dotted around the park for lunch and snacks but, if you’re looking for something a little more refined, Port Lympne Restaurant offers the most wonderful afternoon tea – the perfect way to relax after a day of exploring. Once you’ve taken in every inch of Port Lympne, it’s time to decamp to its sister park, Howletts, less than half an hour away by car and a breeding sanctuary for some of the most rare and endangered species in the world, including the largest herd of African elephants in the UK.

Of course, with two parks to explore and so much to see, it makes sense to stay for a few days – and, luckily, Port Lympne has you well and truly covered. In true safari style, the reserve offers a range of accommodation, from luxury glamping sites, right through to the height of extravagance at the newly launched Tiger Lodge, which boasts panoramic views of the tiger enclosure. We stay at Bear Lodge, which is perfect for families. The luxury tent sleeps up to six and offers comforts such as a log burner and a private en-suite shower. The site offers stunning views overlooking the Kent coast and beyond and a range of dining options, including Boma (a pizza takeaway) and the Clubhouse restaurant. The focal point is the Mongolian grill, where guests can choose and grill their own food with the help of the resident chef, while children can enjoy a play area in the centre of the camp as well as a view over the bear and cheetah enclosures. Best of all is the family of meerkats, who live on site and need to be fed maggots every morning. As the reserve has conservation at its heart, all money raised funds vital work with endangered species and helps enable the park to return animals to protected areas of the wild. With this in mind, there are plenty of other activities that can be booked at an additional cost, including talks by expert animal teams, keeper experiences, animal encounters and photography days. When we go along to watch the tigers feed, we find that the the rangers have set up the most realistic feeding scenario possible, with raw meat placed on ziplines to replicate the catching of prey in the wild. This is all with eventual release in mind, and is fantastic to watch while listening to the rangers talk about traits specific to that particular species. A real family adventure, Port Lympne and Howletts offer a true safari experience – without airports or mosquitos. What’s not to love? Bear Lodge from £250 a night, aspinallfoundation.org

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Mandarin Oriental Bodrum

city break

lowly but surely, tourists are making their way back to Turkey. In April, the number of foreign visitors rose by 18 per cent compared to 2016. Yet for those making a long overdue return, there’s still a certain degree of ‘been there, done that’. The solution? Swap the classic Bosphorus experience for the Aegean. New discoveries can be made in Bodrum: a peninsula paradise steeped in antiquity – Persian, Dorian, Hellenic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman alike. Known in ancient times as Halicarnassus, this is where the ‘father of history’ Herodotus was born in around 484 BC. By 351 BC, the Bodrum Mausoleum had been built – one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Sadly, by the 15th century AD, a series of earthquakes had destroyed everything except its foundations. Some of the mausoleum’s original sculptures can still be seen in the British Museum, while blocks of marble and polished stone were built into Bodrum castle, which is still open to visitors. Historical credentials aside, this is a destination that begs serious relaxation. Throughout the summer months and well into autumn, the sea air remains warm. With two private beaches on the north side of the peninsula, the ever-chic and sleek Mandarin Oriental beckons (see Check In). Bodrum is a small city on a relatively small peninsula, but still just 40 minutes from the local airport. Hiring a car – or chauffeur – is advisable, as some of the best sights are to be seen by winding through the surrounding tiny towns. However you choose to explore it, Bodrum’s millennia of history and coastal marvels are waiting, not a million miles away.

Bodrum

Relaxation, historical engagement and ancient Aegean views on a Turkish sojourn

Kurochan at Mandarin Oriental

words by Lily Devan Mandarin Oriental villa

Bodrum Castle

this is a destination that

Bodrum Castle sculptures Mandarin Oriental Spa

travel Check In

There are 26 suites, seven villas, 37 apartments and 59 guest rooms at Mandarin Oriental Bodrum – and in classic style, each exudes an air of elegant simplicity and calm. Whether a stay is long or short, a visit to its 2,700 sq m spa ought to be on the cards (including for the modern man, for whom the hotel has put together three special face and body treatments). Outside, the resort’s plot boasts one million native plants, as well as an olive grove and huge blooms of vibrant bougainvillea. And even when you’re not lounging on its 2.5km stretch of sandy beach, almost everything overlooks the sea – from restaurants to bathtubs. From approx. £962 per night, mandarinoriental.com

suitcase essentials

Notebook cover, £190, ettinger.co.uk

Dining Out

Mandarin Oriental spa tea lounge

Stray too far, and you risk missing out on the Mandarin Oriental’s own gastronomic delights. There are no less than eight restaurants and bars (as well as a cake shop), which serve everything from Italian to Japanese cuisine. Try the tea-smoked robata lamb with a spicy miso sauce at Kurochan, followed by a sharp yet sweet yuzu meringue tart or Earl Grey brûlée with banana, rum and coffee crumble. For authentic local fare, the marketstyle Bodrum Balıkçısı serves meze, casseroles and grilled fish, using fresh ingredients that are on display and weighed before your eyes.

Shirt, £50, royalrobbins.co.uk

Don’t Miss...

If in doubt, take to the sea. Mandarin Oriental has a traditional gulet – a wooden double-masted ship that is made by hand – that guests can take to explore the peninsula’s pretty coves. Slightly further afield around Gümüşluk, divers can peek at the very last remains of Myndus, a Dorian city now largely underwater.

begs serious relaxation

Jacket, £3,600, stefanoricci.com

Cologne, £69, thomasclipper.com

Mandarin Oriental Bodrum

Bodrum amphitheatre

Sandals, £310, zegna.co.uk

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Game Changer Celebrating the return of the Glorious Twelfth this month (and the start of the shooting season for red grouse), Tom Kitchin gives a lesson in the art of cooking game in his new book Tom Kitchin’s Meat and Game. Available from 10 August, £22.99, absolutepress.co.uk

Courtesy of: Tom Kitchin’s Meat and Game, published by Absolute Press, £22.99, hardback, photography: ©Marc Millar

food&drink words by Ellen Millard

Star Quality

There’s certainly no shortage of restaurants within the Royal Borough, but if you fancy venturing a little further afield, head to Fulham, where Michelin-starred chef Gonzalo Luzarraga has opened his new restaurant, Rigo’. Having trained under Alain Ducasse, Luzarraga specialises in French and Italian cuisine, resulting in dishes such as sea urchins with bagna càuda (a fonduestyle dish, pictured) and beef carpaccio with beetroot and wasabi. 277 New King’s Road, SW6, rigolondon.com

Tequila Mockingbird

California Dreaming

If you can’t get to California this summer, bring the sunshine to you with a visit to Malibu-themed restaurant Pomona’s, where a 50-cover courtyard has opened. The perfect spot for lunch al fresco, the space has been designed by Sundae Design Studio and features the restaurant’s favoured Hockney-esque colour palette, guaranteed to brighten up even the dreariest of days. 47 Hereford Road, W2, pomonas.co.uk

Notting Hill’s Peyotito has teamed up with George Clooney-founded Casamigos Tequila to bring you a special masterclass and tasting experience, hosted by brand ambassador Jack Brooksbank. Guests will pair mezcal and mixto tequila with dishes such as tuna tostada, tacos and guacamole. 25 July, £45, 31 Kensington Park Road, W11, peyotitorestaurant.com

food&drink

Mazí Mas, Photography: Luca Marziale and Jon Harris

Park Life

Until the end of August, Rivea London will be offering takeaway lunch boxes for a picnic with a twist. Choose from a selection of tasty salads and tigella bread sandwiches followed by lemon shortbread or chocolate tart. £19, until 31 August, Bulgari Hotel, 171 Knightsbridge, SW7, rivealondon.com

Made to Share

This summer, the Serpentine Pavilion is hosting Radical Kitchen: Recipes for Building Community and Creating Change, a series of talks held at lunchtime on various Wednesdays throughout July and August. Food by Mazí Mas, a restaurant run by migrant women, will be served while representatives from London’s top community initiatives share their experiences. Until 23 August, Serpentine Pavilion, Kensington Gardens, W2, serpentinegalleries.org

Get Up and Gogo Photography: James Byrne

Raise a glass to summer at Zuma, where a new Champagne Gogo (Japanese for ‘afternoon’) menu has launched. Served on the restaurant’s terrace, a selection of champagne cocktails devised by bar manger Pawel Rolka, including a rose petal martini, will be paired with classic ice cream mochis (a traditional Japanese rice cake) for the ultimate sweet treat. 5 Raphael Street, SW7, zumarestaurant.com

Game

Cones

Ice cream gets a cool makeover this summer

Italian Job

Sorry, Mr Whippy – there’s a new ice cream in town: Notting Hill’s Unico is bringing fresh gelato to the Royal Borough in a selection of tempting flavours. Made on site and available in a cone, tub, shake or cake, the Italian delicacy is available in traditional flavours of pistachio, due torri (mascarpone with chocolate and hazelnut sauce), cremino (white chocolate and hazelnut) and a new option aptly named Notting Hill – an unusual mix of cream cheese and balsamic vinegar. 37 Pembridge Road, W11, unicodelicacies.co.uk

Ice, Ice, Baby

Melba at The Savoy has given its éclairs a summer makeover with an ice cream centre to cool you down on a hot day. Dubbed icéclairs, the frozen treats come with a range of fillings, toppings and glazes from which to choose – expect flavours such as dark chocolate and popping candy. £4.95 each, Melba at The Savoy, Strand, WC2R, fairmont.com

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food&drink

review

Dinings

SW3

Ten years after its flagship restaurant opened in Marylebone, the team behind Dinings is bringing its casual Japanese cuisine to Knightsbridge, where the izakaya-style dishes are proving to be a hit words by Lauren Stevens

zakaya, for those not in the know, is a type of Japanese tapas – think sushi and sashimi sharing plates that mix traditional and Modern European influences. Dinings put its own spin on the formula at its first restaurant in Marylebone and has had a decade to perfect it, so it goes without saying that my expectations are high when I visit the recently opened Knightsbridge branch. On arrival at Dinings SW3 (as it is aptly named), my guest and I are quickly ushered to the bar. Here, the chirpy bartender talks us through the list of Asian-inspired cocktails, and it’s not long before we’re sipping on a raspberry nigori colada and a vanilla and yuzu-infused martini: so far, so good – but it’s the food that I’m most curious to try. Downstairs, the main restaurant space has a relaxed atmosphere, despite the busy open kitchen (for the best seats in the house, book a spot at the ten-seater sushi bar). It’s relatively quiet to begin with, but things soon warm up. As a sushi novice, I find myself a little overwhelmed by the extensive menu, so I’m thankful when our waitress suggests that we dine omakase (chef’s choice). We start with the salmon and lobster tar-tar chips (mini tacos) followed by a fruits de mer platter that is almost too intricately presented to eat. It arrives piled high with seafood, some of which has been grilled in the restaurant’s new Josper oven and served alongside a tangy wasabi salsa.

092 | LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK

Clockwise from left: Assorted nigiri; restaurant; sushi bar; fruits de mer platter, photography: Yuki Sugiura

After cleansing our palate with a light umami sake, blended in-house, we pick at turbot and a succulent blow-torched lamb rack with sun-dried tomato miso – and finish with a deliciously fresh selection of sushi and sashimi. Although comfortably full after such a quick succession of small dishes, my guest and I agree there’s always room for dessert, and the delicious crème brûlée selection doesn’t disappoint. It might not be the most traditional end to a decidedly Asian menu, but somehow it works – that’s the beauty of tapas after all. Walton House, Lennox Garden Mews, Walton Street, SW3, dinings.co.uk

@ B E R N A R D I S LO N D O N w w w. B E R N A R D I S .CO.U K ARTWORK: AndrÃ© Bergamin

r e m m Su D A Y S S U N

Photography: Getty Images

Leigh Lawson

Laura Jackson Princess Beatrice

Twiggy

Henry Holland

Claudia Winkleman

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Hot Stuff

Madeleine Gurdon

David Downton

Ian Hislop

Erin O’Conner

WHAT: V&A Summer Party WHEN: 21 June WHERE: Victoria and Albert Museum, SW7 WHO: Princess Beatrice, Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Downton and Henry Holland. WHY: The worlds of fashion, art, design, film and music united at this year’s V&A Summer Party, hosted in partnership with Harrods. The soirée was held in the museum’s John Madejski garden, where glasses of Harrods Premier Cru Champagne, English Garden Martinis and Lumiere Collins were served.

about town Photography: Dave Benett

words by Alicia-Osborne Crone

Erin O’Connor

Peggy Siegal

Elton John

Lucia Silvestri

Kevin Spacey

John Kerry

OU T

Starry Eyed

WHAT: Woodside Gallery Dinner WHEN: 22 June WHERE: Old Windsor, Woodside Gallery WHO: Kevin Spacey, Elizabeth Hurley, David Walliams Dynamo and Lady Kitty Spencer WHY: Sir Elton John and David Furnish hosted their annual fundraiser at their private gallery in support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), in partnership with Bulgari. 140 guests were treated to a duet between Joan Baez and Sir Elton John, as well as a magic performance from Dynamo. E

BOR

Elizabeth Hurley

F TH

David Walliams

U G H•

David Furnish

Lady Kitty Spencer

Dynamo

high life Photography: Getty Images

Ozwald Boateng

Edie Campbell

Bunter Worcester

Michael Kors

Cherie Jones

Jourdan Dunn

Emilia Boateng

Fletcher Cowan

Georgia Powell Aziya AldridgeMoore

Young Talent Renee Stewart

Photography: Darren Gerrish

Lady Kitty Spencer

Antonia Clarke

WHAT: Tatler and Michael Kors’s exhibition launch WHEN: 29 June WHERE: Saatchi Gallery, SW3 WHO: Michael Kors, Jourdan Dunn, Edie Campbell, Kate Reardon and Ozwald Boateng WHY: To mark the launch of English Roses – a collaborative show between Michael Kors and Tatler – the exhibition halls of the Saatchi Gallery were transformed into the perfect party venue, complete with pink balloons, live music by DJ Henri, The Postmen, Josh McLellan Ludlow and 2ManyDJs – and, of course, an endless supply of champagne.

Hum Fleming

Lady Sabrina Percy

Grayson Perry

Adwoa Aboah

Claudia Schiffer

Rita Ora

Brooklyn Beckham

Arty Party

Laura Bailey

Guy Ritchie

Molly Goddard

Jacqui Ainsley Suzy Menkes

Arizona Muse

Philippa Kerry

Francis Kéré

WHAT: Serpentine Summer Party WHEN: 28 June WHERE: Serpentine Pavilion, W2 WHO: Claudia Schiffer, Adwoa Aboah, Guy Ritchie and Laura Bailey WHY: The Serpentine Galleries teamed up with Chanel to invite leading creative figures to celebrate and raise funds for its critically acclaimed exhibitions, education schemes and live programmes. Guests experienced a truly interactive party, with Google Arts contributing a photo booth that combined poetry with design, along with live performances by Rita Ora and Jamie xx.

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SW7 3LE

020 7985 0903

020 7589 7635

purplebone.com

framesetandmatch.com

Suite 86, 235 Earls Court Road SW5 9FE 020 3643 5410 selenacourier.co.uk

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03.03.17 14:40

showcasing the finest homes & property from the best estate agents

Fine LIVING Expert market commentary and the most elegant and exclusive homes

Featured Estate Agents KENSINGTON 8 Hornton Street century21uk.com

W8 4NW

henryandjames.co.uk

jll.co.uk

020 7937 9371

BELGRAVIA

CHELSEA

1 Motcomb Street

2 Cale Street

1stasset.co.uk

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CHELSEA

10 Clarendon Road

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kfh.co.uk

WESTMINSTER

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EARLS COURT

24 Curzon Street

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50 Belgrave Road

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8 Addison Avenue

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020 7225 6700

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29 Harrington Road

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01483 339740

property

Notting Hill

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knightfrank.co.uk

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020 7313 2890

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020 7373 1010

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South Kensington

196-200 Fulham Road

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020 7881 7722

1 Montpelier Street

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103 Kensington Church Street

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CHELSEA

020 7938 3666

352a King’s Road

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020 7349 4300

Church Street

66 Sloane Street

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malverns.co.uk FULHAM

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miltonstone.com

203 New King’s Road

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303 Westbourne Grove

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90 Old Brompton Road

marshandparsons.co.uk

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winkworth.co.uk

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Kensington

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118 Kensington Church Street

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Earls Court

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246 Old Brompton Road

pegasi.co.uk

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020 7591 8600

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sothebysrealty.co.uk

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Holland Park

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& Chelsea

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SOUTH KENSINGTON

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russellsimpson.co.uk

Notting Hill

157 Gloucester Road

9 Kensington Church Street

Chelsea

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5 Anderson Street

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struttandparker.com

020 7225 0277

CHELSEA

W8 4BH 020 7727 1500

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North Kensington

43 Cadogan Street

South Kensington

136 Lancaster Road

SW3 2PR

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020 7225 3866

SW7 4TE

020 7313 8350

020 7373 5052

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 101

Home Sweet Home After six years working out of the Chelsea office on the King’s Road, Knight Frank’s South Kensington sales department has finally found a home of its own. Office head Michael McHale explains why the time was right to make the move

From left to right: Maria Fowler, office manager, South Kensington sales; Isobel Pickering, partner, South Kensington lettings; Alice Turner, sales negotiator; Celia Mallet, graduate surveyor; Laura Watts, senior lettings negotiator; Michael McHale, partner, South Kensington sales; Olivia Leigh, sales negotiator; Lucinda Christopherson, lettings administrator; Lucy Haynes, lettings associate; Stefano Palmiero, senior lettings negotiator; Sarah Nowak, senior sales negotiator

t’s been a long time coming, but the South Kensington arm of Knight Frank, which was formed back in 2011, finally has a place to call home. Until June this year, the sales team was working the SW7 and SW5 patches from Chelsea, but that has all changed with the opening of a new office on Old Brompton Road. The smell of fresh paint might still be lingering in the air, but office head Michael McHale is wasting no time in getting his team involved in the area. “South Kensington offers a genuine opportunity

for community engagement,” he says. “The area is built around garden squares, the design of which brings residents together.” It’s this sense of community that McHale is keen to tap into – an attribute that he believes makes South Kensington stand out from its more affluent neighbours, such as Knightsbridge, where he worked after joining Knight Frank in 2015 as core market manager, putting his Arabic-speaking skills to good use. It’s not just a question of having a great butchers and bakers

property

to move in time for the start of the new school term. McHale’s advice to buyers is to put their offer forward, even if it is rejected at first, as vendors are more likely to come back to them if they later decide the figure is acceptable, before they reduce the price. “The market is moving and sales are being agreed, so if buyers want to move over the summer, they need to get on with it,” he says. “In September, when there is renewed confidence in the air, it’s not unusual for new properties to come on the market at up to ten per cent higher.” McHale is encouraging anyone in need of advice to stop by the office, whatever their query (it’s open from 8am-7.30pm on weekdays, and 10am-5pm on Saturdays). Alternatively, locals will most likely be able to catch the team at a number of events planned over the forthcoming months. There’s talk of a garden party, thrown in collaboration with local businesses, and a series of talks to be held at the 50-seater theatre above The Drayton Arms – “Knight Talks,” McHale smiles. These will touch on a range of topics, from the history of South Kensington to gardening and the heritage of the area’s many garden squares. It won’t be long before the team is fully versed on each and every one. “I’ve set them a series of challenges, so that they know the garden squares inside out,” he continues. “The squares were one of the main reasons we opened an office here.” In general properties at one of these desirable addresses will fetch 20 per cent more than those on surrounding streets, and while the appeal appears to be universal, each square has its own distinct identity – some are prized for their formal, well-manicured rose gardens, while others might host summer barbecues for all the family. But whichever square, street or crescent takes your fancy, McHale and the team will do their best to welcome you to the local area. “We want to ensure that we are introducing people properly to the neighbourhood,” he says. “That way, when we hand over the keys to their new home, we can also introduce them to the local gym, dry cleaners or wine merchant.” Cheers to that.

“The market is moving and sales are being agreed, so if buyers want to move over the summer, they need to get on with it”

on the doorstep of your stucco-fronted apartment that ensures South Kensington’s appeal: the area is also popular because it still offers relative value for money when compared to the surrounding postcodes. “Properties in Knightsbridge can sell for around £3,000-£4,000 per sq ft, whereas prices can be more than 25 per cent lower in South Kensington,” explains McHale. The South Kensington sales market is faring well and showing signs of upward momentum, with families in particular looking

160 Old Brompton Road, SW5, 020 3641 6122, knightfrank.co.uk

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 103

115 Elgin Crescent K&C August 2017

10/07/2017 10:35:32

K&C August St Stephens Gdns 3,43 2017

11/07/2017 12:54:16

Stanhope Gardens, South Kensington Stanhope Gardens, SouthSouth Kensington SW7 SW7 Stanhope Gardens, Kensington SW7 Stanhope Gardens, South Kensington SW7

Architect designed modern freehold house with roof terrace Architect designed modern freehold house with roof terrace Architect designed modern freehold house with roof terrace Architect designed modern freehold house with roof terrace This stunning Georgian end of terrace five storey building been completely refurbished and designed This stunning style Georgian style end of terrace five storeyhas building has been completely refurbished and by designed by

KnightFrank.co.uk/southkensington KnightFrank.co.uk/southkensington KnightFrank.co.uk/southkensington KnightFrank.co.uk/southkensington southkensington@knightfrank.com southkensington@knightfrank.com southkensington@knightfrank.com 0 23641 0 3 66122 4 10 2601 23southkensington@knightfrank.com 26 4 1 6 1 2 2 020 020 3641 6122

This stunning Georgian style end of terrace five storey building has been completely refurbished and designed

This stunning Georgian style end of terrace five storey building has completely refurbished designed by award winning Carl Turner. Master bedroom suite with dressing room, 3 been further bedrooms, 2further guest bedrooms, award winning architect Carl Turner. Master bedroom suite with dressing room, 3 further 2and guest byarchitect award winning architect Carl Turner. Master bedroom suite with dressing room, bedrooms, 3 2 guest award winning architect Carl kitchen/reception Turner. Master bedroom suite with room, 3 devoted further bedrooms, 2a guest bathrooms, generous open plan kitchen/reception room and a the and third being devoted entirely to entirely a large bathrooms, generous open plan room afloor the third floor being devoted to a to large bathrooms, generous open plan kitchen/reception room and a dressing third floor being entirely large living bathrooms, generous open plan kitchen/reception and sq asqthe living space with dedicated bar space. EPC: D. 215 sqD. m215 (2,317 sq ft). living space with dedicated bar space. EPC: D. 215 sqroom m (2,317 (2,317 ft).third floor being devoted entirely to a large space with dedicated bar space. EPC: sq m ft). living space with dedicated bar space. EPC: D. 215 sq m (2,317 sq ft). Freehold Freehold Freehold Freehold

Guide price: £3,950,000 Guide price: £3,950,000 Guide price: £3,950,000

Guide price: £3,950,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/STK160138 KnightFrank.co.uk/STK160138 KnightFrank.co.uk/STK160138 KnightFrank.co.uk/STK160138

@KnightFrank @KnightFrank @KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk KnightFrank.co.uk KnightFrank.co.uk

Pont Street, Knightsbridge SW1 An elegant three bedroom apartment with porter and lift

KnightFrank.co.uk/knightsbridge knightsbridge@knightfrank.com 020 3641 5913

An exceptional third floor apartment in the heart of Knightsbridge, which has been newly refurbished to exacting standards throughout. 49 Pont Street is a popular building which provides a lift and porter, in close proximity to Sloane Street and Harrods. 2 bedroom suites with dressing rooms and en suite bathrooms, bedroom 3, bathroom, reception room, kitchen, lift, porter. EPC: D. Approximately 126 sq m (1,360 sq ft).

Leasehold: approximately 147 years remaining

Guide price: £4,750,000

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/SLA170152

5:19

Kensington and Chelsea August Pont Street

07/07/2017 09:57:51

CT2181 - South Ken mag AD_V3.indd 1

30/05/2017 10:41

property

Property News

PrimeQResi JOURNAL OF LUXURY PROPERTY

PRIME RESI provides us with a comprehensive monthly round-up of key news about the local luxury property market

The rise of the ‘super-let’ in Prime Central London

Images courtesy of: Lord Roger Hickman

Knightsbridge apartment entered into £5 raffle

The chance to buy a Knightsbridge apartment for just £5 has arisen. Listed on winaknightsbridgeflat.com, the property on Ennismore Gardens has been entered into a raffle by its owner Lord Roger Hickman, who chose the unconventional sales technique after speaking with “many” estate agents and concluding that “it is in our best interests to take the sale of the property into our own hands”. Tickets for the fully furnished, one-bed apartment – estimated to be worth around £1m – cost just £5 each, with five per cent of all proceeds going to homeless charities Emmaus, Shelter and Crisis. The aim is to sell 300,000 tickets by December, which will cover the costs of PayPal, charity donations, administration, stamp duty and legal fees. “My children and I will be sad to see it go. Being so close to all the amenities and tourist attractions and yet so peaceful in this beautiful square, it really is perfect,” Hickman said. “Like in any prize draw, the more tickets purchased by an individual, the higher the person’s chances of claiming the prize. I am hoping the lucky winner can emerge as the proud owner of an apartment in London just in time for Christmas 2017.” Ticket buyers will be asked to answer a question about the location of the flat. The competition, which is being handled by a “leading” accountancy firm, will close on 15 December 2017 and the draw will be overseen by someone nominated by the Charity Commission.

Leading estate agencies are reporting a notable trend for more super-prime rentals in London’s ‘golden postcodes’. “Taking a pragmatic approach has seen savvy developers and sensible vendors take a decision to offer their properties to the rental market for a two- to three- year rental, rather than reduce the asking price and lay themselves open to accepting an even lower offer,” says independent buying advisor Simon Barnes. Savills’s super prime lettings team, which deals with properties asking upwards of £4,000 per week in PCL and north London, saw transactions triple in the first three months of 2017 compared with the same period a year earlier. Increasing numbers of luxury rental properties have been brought to the market over the past 12 months, said the firm, mainly by developers and those looking to avoid selling in a testing sales market. This extra supply has been met with heightened demand from high-net-worth tenants.

Upper Grosvenor Street (let for £27,500 per week)

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 109

CHALFONT HOUSE BELGRAVIA SW1 AN ELEGANT AND SPACIOUS TWO BEDROOM LATERAL APARTMENT This spacious two bedroom lateral apartment, 1457 sqft, situated on the second floor of this quiet portered block offers open plan living areas perfect for entertaining. Chalfont House is ideally located on the borders of Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Sloane Square and is particularly convenient for the shops and boutiques of Knightsbridge. Accommodation: Entrance hall, reception/dining room, kitchen, master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, bedroom 2, guest shower room, guest WC. Amenities: 24-hour concierge, lift.

£4,250,000

Marcus O’Brien

Leasehold plus

marcus@beauchamp.com

share of freehold

Joint Sole Agents

www.beauchamp.com

24 Curzon Street, London W1J 7TF

+44 (0)20 7205 2297

AVENFIELD HOUSE MAYFAIR SW1 A SPECTACULAR THREE BEDROOM LATERAL APARTMENT OVERLOOKING HYDE PARK Finished to an exceptionally high standard and located in one of Mayfairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest residences, Avenfield House offers grand lateral space and breathtaking views of Hyde Park. Recently refurbished, this stunning penthouse is perfect for entertaining. Accommodation: Entrance hall, double reception room, kitchen, dining room, 2 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, bedroom 3 with ensuite shower room, guest cloakroom, study. Amenities: Utility room, 24-hour concierge, underground parking.

£6,950 / Week

Karolina@beauchamp.com

No tenant fees

+44 (0)20 7205 2864

www.beauchamp.com

24 Curzon Street, London W1J 7TF

+44 (0)20 7205 2864

A top-floor apartment with sun-drenched roof terrace.

Matching people and property in London for over 160 years.

www.marshandparsons.co.uk

Collingham Road, SW5 £3,950,000 A spacious four double bedroom apartment within a Victorian building, with high ceilings throughout and a private garden, situated in a sought-after location in Earl’s Court. Freehold. EPC=C

• Four double bedrooms • Private garden • South-facing • Prime location Earl’s Court Sales : 020 8033 9047 sales.ect@marshandparsons.co.uk

www.marshandparsons.co.uk

Holland Park, W11 £3,595,000 A beautifully designed three-bedroom lateral apartment situated within a spectacular stucco-fronted villa, in one of Holland Park’s most prestigious locations. EPC=F

• Three bedrooms • South-facing roof terrace • Residents’ parking • Moments from Holland Park Holland Park Sales : 020 8033 9024 sales.hpk@marshandparsons.co.uk

www.marshandparsons.co.uk

Established 1897

A most impressive Artist’s Studio in Sydney Close Avenue Studios, Sydney Close, Chelsea SW3 • Over 1,300sq ft • Uncommon volume and light • Potential to add value

GUIDE price

£2,250,000 TENURE

Leasehold Approximately 82 years

• Unique and unusual opportunity • Discreetly and privately located • One-bedroom

EPC rating

Contact

CHELSEA OFFICE +44 (0)20 7225 5752 francis.burca@harrodsestates.com

H A R R O D S E S TAT E S . C O M

Established 1897

Five-bedroom duplex in a premier Notting Hill address Prince Edward Mansions, Notting Hill W2 • Master suite • Bespoke kitchen and dining room • Historic building

GUIDE price

£6,550,000 TENURE

Share of Freehold

• Resident 24-hour porter • 2,739sq ft / 254.5sq m • Newly renovated by Northacre

EPC rating

Contact

CHELSEA OFFICE +44 (0)20 3650 4600 nicholas.shaw@harrodsestates.com

H A R R O D S E S TAT E S . C O M

DUCHESS OF BEDFORD HOUSE KENSINGTON W8

Â£3,450,000 leasehold

www.century21uk.com/nottinghill

nottinghill@century21uk.com

QUEEN’S GATE GARDENS SOUTH KENSINGTON SW7

£6,250,000 share of freehold

10 Clarendon Road London W11 3AA

020 7229 1414

Chelsea Manor Street SW3 Guide Price ÂŁ1,495,000

Fully renovated 2 bedroom duplex with a long lease in a secure building close to the Kings Road Chelsea. Fabulous Carrara marble kitchen and bathroom. 24 hour porterage. Sloane Square is the nearest underground. Approx. 802 sqft. EPC: C

020 3284 1888 mayfair@humberts.com

48 Berkeley Square, Mayfair London W1J 5AX

Jubilee Place Chelsea SW3 Guide Price ÂŁ6,500,000 Freehold

A period freehold Chelsea Townhouse with great street appeal. Fully modernised, with a front garden and garage. The property mixes a traditional style, with up to date conveniences. Quiet location yet close to the Kings Road. Approx. 3140 sqft. EPC: C

Stay in touch with us

Property News Forward Thinking Elena Dimova, managing director of CENTURY 21 Sophia Elena, predicts a positive change in London’s property market At a time when most of the press on the London property market has been pretty negative, we are experiencing signs of a turnaround in sentiment. The media typically lags behind what is happening in the property world – not to mention that there is often a political agenda behind the opinions expressed. In many cases, their analysis may be based on data that is not being correctly understood or interpreted. Even surveyors take their historical comparables when preparing a report and then call an agent to get to the pulse of the market. It is not surprising that, as agents, we are closest to what buyers and sellers are thinking, how their perceptions are changing, and the resulting actions. Whisper it gently, but there are signs of people returning to the market with improved confidence, which has had several setbacks due to the changes in the Stamp Duty Land Tax regime, the EU referendum and the snap general election. The cumulative effect of these events has so far only served to slow down the level of activity in the market; it has not dampened buyers’ long-term aspirations. Some purchasers who have been biding their time are now beginning to put their money where their mouth is. Overseas buyers are realising that the current combination of low sterling and low interest rates may be limited. Locals, too, have to act sooner or later. There is pent-up demand, and buyers need to act as life events for which they require extra room – such as getting married or having another child – take place. There is a decent amount of stock out there, which means there are opportunities for those looking. Transaction levels should eventually catch up to satisfy buyers and sellers.

CENTURY 21 Sophia Elena 10 Clarendon Road, W11 3AA 020 7229 1414, century21uk.com

Image courtesy of: Berkeley Group

Agency reports flurry of activity in Knightsbridge as buyers go bargain hunting

Milton Stone has reported a surge in buying activity in Knightsbridge, caused by the number of deals available in the area. The report comes after the South Kensington-based firm secured five sales in three of the area’s best addresses – Lennox Gardens, Pont Street and Egerton Gardens – in recent weeks. Milton Stone’s director, Sacha Moussaieff, said that the agency had seen a noticeable increase in offers and sales since Easter, particularly in Knightsbridge, where the company believes vendors are being more realistic with their pricing and, as a result, buyers are keen to snap up good value for money deals. “In early 2014, the average price per square foot in Knightsbridge for one- or two-bedroom apartments in reasonable condition was £2,000; today it is closer to £1,700,” commented Moussaieff. “For newly modernised ‘turnkey’ apartments, we are still achieving in excess of £2,000 per square foot.” Pont Street, photography: Spudgun67

property

PrimeQResi JOURNAL OF LUXURY PROPERTY

68 homes in Kensington Row offered to Grenfell Tower victims

The victims and families of the Grenfell Tower fire are to be given permanent homes in Kensington Row, where 68 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments will be made available. The St Edward Development, a joint venture between Prudential and the Berkeley Group, is nearing completion, and the apartments will be available to move in to from July and August. “We’ve got to start by finding each of [the victims] a home,” said Tony Pidgley CBE, chairman of the Berkeley Group. “Somewhere safe and supportive, close to their friends and the places they know, so they can start to rebuild their lives. We will work night and day to get these homes ready.” The move comes after the government pledged to house those affected by the fire as close to their original homes as possible. The new apartments, which are reported to have been bought by the City of London Corporation for £10m, are 1.5 miles away from the tower. Alex Jeffrey, chief executive of M&G Real Estate, which manages the property interests of Prudential, adds: “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the Grenfell Tower fire and are obviously relieved that we can help in some small way by providing homes of high quality within the Borough to some of the families who have been affected.”

Chelsea mansion goes on sale for £57.5m

A Chelsea mansion has become the biggest open-market instruction of the year so far after being listed for £57.5m. The Grade II-listed Victorian villa in The Boltons is spread across nearly 10,000 sq ft and backs onto a 94 ft westfacing garden. The property benefits from a grand entrance hall, spacious reception rooms and an opulent master suite 22 The Boltons that takes up the entire first floor. There are another six double bedrooms, along with a games room, cinema and gym, with immaculate interiors throughout. One of London’s best addresses, The Boltons is divided into two crescents, with communal gardens at the centre. With only 30 houses on the street, a spot on The Boltons is much sought after. Recent sales have included a £51m new-build in 2015 and a townhouse that went for nearly £55m in 2012.

World Class Mary Charsley, head of corporate services at Strutt & Parker, explains why the PCL rental market is a hotspot for global companies In November last year, Strutt & Parker launched a dedicated corporate and relocation services department in order for us to keep pace with demand from blue-chip companies looking to secure accommodation for their overseas assignees in London. Throughout the year, we work very closely with global relocation agents acting on behalf of these firms, and August is typically one of our busiest periods, particularly as families want to have their accommodation secured in time for the start of the new school year in September. Prime Central London remains the most coveted destination for many, including young singles who want to be in the heart of the action with next to no commute, and families relocating from abroad due to the city’s excellent selection of international schools. Budgets can range anywhere from £500 per week for single employees to up to £5,000 per week for more senior members of staff, who tend to require a larger home for their whole family. This year we have even seen some budgets going over the £5,000 per week mark. Enquiries are coming from all sectors, including the finance industry, which shows no signs of slowing despite all the chatter around Brexit. Corporate tenants have very high expectations for their properties. They tend to be long-term renters who have been stationed in various cities across the world and are therefore accustomed to living in immaculate homes in the best areas. Overseas assignments usually last between two to three years and tenants tend to look for somewhere to stay for the duration. Having said this, employers will often insist on having the flexibility to serve notice after six months, to enable them to relocate staff at short notice.

Strutt & Parker 13 Hill Street, London, W1J 5LQ, 020 7629 7282, struttandparker.com

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 125

LEW1145 MAL K&C AUG17_OL.indd 1

26/06/2017 17:17

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that we can provide you with the best

regulated by the FCA as an Authorised

solutions, with the sole purpose of

tailored solution to meet your specific

Payment Institution (FRN: 593854)

protecting you from losing money

requirements, for any currency scenario.

and by HMRC as a Money Transmitter

unnecessarily due to excessive charges

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at the heart of every decision.

+44(0) 20 3137 6885

18 Savile Row, London, W1S 3PW

info@rvbcurrency.com

20 Montpelier Street Knightsbridge London SW7 1HD

An excellently proportioned and bright two rooms with sweeping cityscape views double bedroom apartment, theto the East. An end-of-terrace freehold mewswithin house The apartment occupies approximately heart of South Kensington. Positioned on1,806 situated in arguably one of Belgravia’s most sqft on the second floor (with lift) of this the second floor (with lift) of this attractive desirable locations. This low built house popular Knightsbridge block; benefiting newly period building, the flat benefitsfrom from was disassembled; comprehensively rebuilt refurbished communal areas presently wooden floors in this stunning semi open and fully modernised benefitting from the underway, secure livingroom andadvances excellent 24-hour porterage. plan technology living with fully-fitted kitchen. latest including airThe beautifully proportioned accommodation The apartment further comprises a master conditioning, Lutron lighting, motorised blinds, comprises an entrance hall, three double with modern en suite bathroom, abedroom built in entertainment system, underfloor bedrooms, two modern bathrooms, a large second bedroom and additional shower heating and a fully fitted kitchen with Miele reception, utility room, plus separate kitchen room. The property is flooded with natural and Gaggenau appliances. The property also with ample space for dining. This stunning flat light, offering an east-west exposure and enjoys private use of an integral garage as also enjoys stylish paleEvelyn woodGardens flooring,inalongside an dualasviews over well additional off-street parking theabundance mews of natural light, elegant cornicing and high ceiling Chelsea’s roof tops. and access to the prestigious Belgrave Square heights displayed throughout. gardens, subject to separate negotiations.

£4,500,000, STC £1,550,000,STC STC £6,750,000

Leasehold, with years 235 years remaining Leasehold (121 remaining) Freehold

PARK LODGE, SW1X CLAREVILLE GROVE EATON PLACE, SW1X MEWS, 2 Bedrooms Shower |Rooms I Entrance HallSW7 |I 22Bedrooms 2

Reception/Dining I Kitchen| I Bathrooms (1 en|Suite) | Kitchen/Dining/ Two Bedrooms En Room Suite Bathroom 750 sqftRoom I Balcony Lift Reception Room 855I sq ft I|Porter Basement Shower ||Guest Cloakroom |I EPC E Storage Room | Shared | Access Reception/Dining RoomTerrace | Kitchen | A truly splendid andGardens arguably rarely-seen to Belgrave Square Utility Room | 915 sq ft | EPC E two bedroom apartment to let within this ever An elegantportered flat with plentiful occupying popular block charm, on Knightsbridge A charming mews house idyllically approximately 855 sq ft of lateral spaceaspects on the Road; offering spectacular green positioned in this quiet cobbled cul-de-sac, third floor of this well-located handsome period over London’s iconic Hyde Park and within the heart of South Kensington. building. Arranged over the full width the private towards the Serpentine, from its ofown The property is presented in immaculate building, the principal reception room flooded balcony. This well-appointed flat,is occupying condition and has been carefully designed with natural light from south-facing approximately 750its sqft on the aspects second floor throughout with Italian solid wood floors over the street. In addition to the expansive (with lift); comprises two double bedrooms, and contemporary furnishings. This attractive sittingwith area,modern the roomen boasts bespoke and a one suitea facilities house additionally benefits from south integrated kitchenroom. and space dining; perfect further shower The for property also westerly aspects and plentiful natural light. for open-plan entertaining. The kitchen, apartmentgenerously provides a contemporary Clareville Grove Mews is a secure gated awards admission to a superb shared proportioned reception room withterrace, space for lane, located at the north end of Clareville positioned to the peaceful of the firstbalcony floor, dining; plus access to rear a full-width Street, moments from the bountiful amenities overlooking Belgrave Mews. Occupiers’ through floor-to-ceiling glass doors, can flooding and restaurants, the area is famous for. alsoflat enjoy exclusive access the with natural light.to Belgrave Square gardens, subject to the usual consents.

£1,250 £1,250 Per PerWeek, Week £1,900,000 STC STC Furnished Furnished (174 years remaining) Leasehold

T: +44 +44 (0)20 (0)20 3770 3770 3474 3474 T:

info@nicolasvanpatrick.com info@nicolasvanpatrick.com

property

Making a Move The plethora of quality service options that Abels provides makes it a stand-out option in the removal world

bels is one of the leading removals and storage companies in the UK, specialising in moving both private and corporate clients within the UK, Europe and internationally. Having held the Queen’s Royal Warrant for Removals and Storage Services since 1989, the company has become renowned for its comprehensive range of services, which are designed to make the process of moving home anywhere in the world as easy and stress-free as possible.

Moving Expertise

Our staff are comprehensively trained in all aspects of moving. Operational staff hone their practical skills, including packing and handling of possessions, at our in-house training school. Our customer services team are experts in their chosen area of global relocation. As a recognised ‘Investor in People’, our staff development and training programmes are a key element of our success and ensure we maintain expertise now and in the future.

Quality Assured

Abels is accredited to the highest standards within the removals and relocation industry, holding British Standards Institution and International Standards accreditations for Quality, Environmental, Health and Safety systems and Investors in People. For our international services we hold the FIDI-FAIM-Plus International accreditation. All these standards are independently audited on a regular basis.

Criminal Records Bureau Checks

All our employees are checked via the CRB process, which is reviewed on a regular basis, adding further protection and peace of mind for you and your family when moving home.

services include: Pre-move Consultation

A skilled, experienced and knowledgeable consultant will visit your home to discuss your specific requirements. Every move is tailored to meet your exact needs and a clear move plan together with detailed costs is produced for your approval.

Comprehensive Range of Packing Services

We offer a range of packing options from a ‘Complete Service’, where you leave everything to Abels’ skilled team, to a ‘Selective Packing’ service where you may feel that you have the time to pack the majority of your possessions, but there are a few pieces you wish to leave to the professionals. In other words, Abels will provide as much or as little support in packing as you feel you require.

130 | LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK

Fine Art, Antiques, Clocks, Pianos, Chandeliers and Objet d’art

These products require the very highest levels of skill gained from years of experience, specialist packing and attention to detail; all of which Abels delivers on a consistent basis. Where specialist crates are required to protect a piece while in transit, these are manufactured in our own facilities.

European Services

Weekly services from the UK to destinations throughout Europe are designed to cater for everything from a full house move to a small consignment.

International Relocations

As a shareholder in Harmony Relocations, Abels can take care of your needs no matter where you relocate to and we will ensure you receive the very highest quality services both to and from the UK and third country movements. Other services include but are not limited to: Storage service Maid service Project management Personal assistant Car concierge service Trades such as electricians, plumbers and carpenters Pet relocations For further information on the range of services Abels can provide, please visit our website abels.co.uk, call 020 3773 5796, or contact John Watson, managing director: johnwatson@abels.co.uk

THE ART OF MOVING UK RESIDENTIAL, EUROPEAN & INTERNATIONAL REMOVALS

Abels a thoroughbred amongst movers.

• UK Residential Removals • Worldwide Relocations • Weekly European Removals • Storage Services • Car Transportation & Storage • Office & Commercial Moving • Antiques, Fine Art Packing, Storing & Moving Telephone: 020 3773 5796 E-Mail: enquiries@abels.co.uk www.abels.co.uk

Memb No: A001

Abels Rocking Horse ad 297x210mm.indd 1

FS 23942

198656

30/03/2017 17:53

Stroke of Genius Kate Eales, national head of lettings at Strutt & Parker, on the art of presentation and why landlords need to brush up on the latest legislation

Photography: ÂŠSarel Jansen

property

picture is worth a thousand words, but even so, the current set-up at Leighton House Museum might leave you tongue-tied. The museum, which was once the home and studio of renowned Victorian painter Frederic Leighton, is awash with marble, gilding and vividly coloured mosaics, and this summer provides a fittingly opulent backdrop for an exhibition of work by Dutch painter Lawrence Alma-Tadema – the first to be shown in London since 1913. Alma-Tadema: At Home in Antiquity (which runs until 29 October) has been part sponsored by Strutt & Parker. The estate agency has long championed the relationship between property and art, in part with its long-standing association with Christie’s auction house. In the art world, as in the property one, first impressions count, and Kate Eales, national head of lettings at Strutt & Parker, knows how important it is to create the right canvas to attract tenants in the current climate. “Presentation matters,” she begins. “We recently let a flat in Scarsdale Villas which was refurbished to a very high specification, and as a result we achieved a 62.5 per cent rental increase.” Over in Kensington, where Leighton House Museum is located, the lettings market remains strong, particularly at the super prime end of the spectrum. Eales admits that there was a softening of prices following the Brexit referendum, as a lot of properties moved from the sales to the lettings market, but that is now changing as the level of stock tightens and demand remains high. While more and more tenants have chosen to search for properties online in recent years before arranging viewings, Strutt & Parker’s South Kensington office, which opened a year ago, has seen huge numbers of walk-ins – a testament to the high level of service on offer. Eales started at the company 12 months ago, around the same time that the office opened, and she has devoted her first year to growing the lettings side of the business on a national level. She has already introduced several technology initiatives, such as lettings transaction platform Goodlord, and launched a corporate and relocation services department to work with

global businesses looking to relocate staff and streamline the process through the company’s network of offices in London, Surrey, Kent, Essex, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Hertfordshire. A new prime portfolio management service has also been implemented to provide a tailored management service for tenants letting super prime properties. In addition to the above, Eales is spearheading the expansion of lettings offices beyond Prime Central London (where Strutt & Parker has seven offices). “Tenants are now more open to living elsewhere,” she says. “Whereas ten years ago American tenants, for example, would only have looked in Kensington, they will now consider Islington, Richmond, Wimbledon Village and even further afield outside of the capital.” As a result, plans are afoot to open lettings offices in Guildford, St Albans, Oxford and Sevenoaks. Aside from investing in new bricks and mortar, Eales is investing in staff, too, by making sure that all Strutt & Parker agents are ARLA qualified. Having recently been elected to the board of ARLA herself, she is well versed in the new wave of rules, regulations and requirements being enforced with which landlords must be up to date. For example, energy performance certificates are changing next year, meaning that properties that fall into the E band cannot be rented before the landlord has made all the necessary changes. These are interesting times for the lettings market. PwC predicts that by 2025, 60 per cent of Londoners will be renting – this is a reversal of the situation in 2000, when 60 per cent owned a property. “There’s currently a massive focus on building to rent and institutional investment from zone 3 and outwards, where the rental yields are more favourable, but I wonder how that will change,” Eales says. But there’s only so much time for speculation – back in the here and now, Eales and the Strutt & Parker lettings team are more concerned with bringing tenants and landlords up to speed on the current state of play. But if it’s advice on aesthetics you’re after, they can point you in the direction of Leighton House Museum…

“We recently let a flat that was refurbished to a very high specification, and as a result achieved a 62.5 per cent rent increase”

13 Hill Street, W1J, 020 7629 7282, struttandparker.com

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St Michaelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mews, Belgravia SW1

ÂŁ3,500 per week* Unfurnished

An immaculately presented four bedroom low-built contemporary townhouse superbly located within this prestigious Belgravia Place development. Entrance hall | Drawing room | Dining room | Kitchen | Master bedroom suite Guest bedroom with ensuite bathroom | Two further bedrooms | Family bathroom | Double garage Garden | Roof terrace | Utility room EPC rating C 2,700 sq ft (250 sq m) Knightsbridge 020 3813 5116 knightsbridge@struttandparker.com

60 Offices across England and Scotland, including prime Central London.

Carlyle Square, Chelsea SW3

ÂŁ3,950 per week* Unfurnished

Chelsea 020 3813 9547 chelsea@struttandparker.com

/struttandparker

@struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Cadogan Gardens, Knightsbridge SW3

ÂŁ2,500,000 Leasehold

A superb newly modernised two bedroom top floor flat.

Knightsbridge 020 3813 9270 knightsbridge@struttandparker.com

60 Offices across England and Scotland, including prime Central London.

JSA with Savills 020 7581 5234

Royal Court House, Chelsea SW1

ÂŁ4,500,000 Leasehold

Knightsbridge 020 3813 9270 knightsbridge@struttandparker.com

/struttandparker

@struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Pelham Crescent, Chelsea SW3

ÂŁ10,950,000 Freehold

CMY

An elegant Grade II listed, stucco fronted house in one of Knightsbridgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest addresses, positioned on the favoured west crescent with a spectacular west facing garden. Master sedroom with ensuite | Five further bedrooms (Two ensuite bathrooms) | Family Bathroom Double Drawing Room | Dining Room | Kitchen | Two Studies | Kitchenette Laundry Room | Guest Cloakroom | Vaults | Wine Cellar Separate Entrance at Lower Ground Level | Access to Communal Garden 3,500 sq ft (325 sq m) Chelsea 020 3813 9448 chelsea@struttandparker.com

60 Offices across England and Scotland, including prime Central London.

JSA Knight Frank 020 7591 8600

Leighton House Museum

ALMA-TADEMA

AT HOME IN ANTIQUITY LEIGHTON HOUSE MUSEUM | 7 JULY - 29 OCTOBER

/struttandparker

Exhibition organiser

@struttandparker

Exhibition sponsor

struttandparker.com

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