The Kensington & Chelsea Magazine June 16 by Runwild Media Group

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CONTENTS 14

Full Steam Ahead

Run of the Milliner

Ellen Millard is given of taste of what’s in store this summer on the Belmond British Pullman as celebrity chefs step aboard

From Philip Treacy to Jane Taylor, Deborah Cicurel learns from British milliners about how to make headlines at Royal Ascot

Life of the Party

Happy Days

Discover the art of creating an unforgettable soiree with the help of Notting Hill-based events specialist Lillingston

Former Mulberry creative director Emma Hill chats handbags, jazz hands and what it’s like running her own business

The Next Generation

Take a Gamble

Olivia Sharpe hears from five female chefs who are turning up the heat in some of London’s toughest kitchens

Only a six-hour flight away, Nick Smith encourages us to all to take a long weekend break to Gambia

This magazine is distributed throughout the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, including Chelsea, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Notting Hill and Holland Park, and parts of Belgravia, Fulham and Hyde Park

DAW N A striking, seductive encounter A touch is all it takes to transform Dawnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seductive shape, as the sleek hood folds away in silence. A true four-seater, crafted in anticipation of unexpected last-minute escapes. Enjoy the luxury of choice with a bespoke funding solution from Rolls-Royce Financial Services.

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On the Cover... Jane Taylor, whose flagship store in Chelsea opened at the end of last year, counts the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex among her royal clients, and has designed for the likes of Amal Clooney, Beyoncé and Kate Moss. The Duchess was so taken by Taylor’s designs that she wore the brand for both Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s christenings. But despite being kept busy by the most exclusive of patrons throughout the year, given the pull of Ascot, the British milliner estimates that a third of her business comes in during the frantically busy eight weeks leading up to the event.

Cover image: Jane Taylor London, Gothic shoot, photography: Louise Jones; janetaylorlondon.com

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56 Fashion Shoot

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J U N E 2 0 1 6 s i s s ue 0 5 2 Acting Editor Olivia Sharpe Deputy Editor Camilla Apcar Contributing Editor Richard Brown Editorial Assistant Ellen Millard Senior Designer Daniel Poole Brand Consistency Laddawan Juhong Production Hugo Wheatley Danny Lesar Alice Ford Jamie Steele Client Relationship Director Friday Dalrymple Executive Director Sophie Roberts General Manager Fiona Fenwick Managing Director Eren Ellwood Proudly published & printed in the UK by

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Editor’s Letter

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luxurylondon.co.uk A website. A mindset. A lifestyle.

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From the EDITOR Food and travel. The two pursuits have always gone hand in hand for the simple reason that they make the perfect couple. Good food is a global thing, as Jamie Oliver rightly put it, and therefore wherever we go in the world, an appreciation of food is what universally unites us. Having dedicated our June issue to these two wondrous activities, we first embark full steam ahead on the Belmond British Pullman, which has enlisted the help of celebrity chefs for a series of pop-up dinners this summer. Ellen Millard speaks to Tom Kerridge, Richard Corrigan and James Martin to find out more on page 14. Continuing down this track, our next stop considers the rise of female chefs in the UK. From Emily Roux to Judy Joo, I hear from the next generation of women who are changing the face of what has long been deemed a male-dominated industry (p.22). Meanwhile, revered chef Michel Roux Jr takes timeout from the kitchen to chat about his thirst for engines and being the ambassador of Lexus (p.90). June heralds the start of the social season and its pinnacle horse racing event: Royal Ascot. As Harrods relaunches its millinery department, designed by Philip Treacy, in preparation for this prestigious sartorial occasion, Deborah Cicurel learns from him and other top British milliners about how to make headlines with this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s showstopping hats (p.26). Meanwhile, Camilla Apcar gets a lesson from Notting Hill-based events specialist Lillingston on how to throw the perfect party (p.18). Finally, Nick Smith takes an unusual weekend jaunt to Gambia to discover its natural delights on page 78, while Anna Selby sets sail on a European river cruise (p.82). So with that, we invite you all to fill your soul and satisfy your senses this summer.

Acting Editor

Olivia Sharpe Follow us on Twitter @KandCMagazine or email KCeditor@runwildgroup.co.uk with any comments

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Full

Steam Ahead All aboard the Belmond British Pullman, where chefs Tom Kerridge, Richard Corrigan and James Martin will be serving their signature dishes in a series of pop-up events. Ellen Millard finds out what’s on the menu

inner on a train is rarely a glamorous affair. When once a ride on the railway was an excuse for fine dining, the 21st century commuter has to make do with stodgy sandwiches, stale crisps and a drop-down table (if you’re lucky). Even travelling first class doesn’t quite cut the culinary mustard these days, which makes the Belmond British Pullman somewhat of an anomaly in the transport trade. Offering passengers the chance to step back in time and experience luxury travel as it should be, the fully-restored 1920s steam engine boasts art deco furnishings, Champagne and seasonal cuisine. This summer it will combine luxury travel and fine dining with a series of pop-up celebrity chef dinners, starring Tom Kerridge, Richard Corrigan and James Martin. The trio of cooks will take turns to serve tastes from their ubiquitous restaurants on three five-hour journeys through the English countryside. Here they discuss their culinary backgrounds, their signature dishes and the food they’ll be serving on the night. Elasticated waistbands at the ready…

interview

Cooking for the House of Lords was fantastic. It’s one of those things that you don’t forget. It’s a memory that will stay with me for a long time. I think HM The Queen is quite conservative. If I were to make her a 90th birthday meal, I would cook some wild salmon as a starter course, a beautiful bit of venison as a main and then something light, like a steamed date pudding with a fruit compote as a dessert.

Richard Corrigan There aren’t many chefs who have served both the House of Lords and Her Majesty The Queen, but cooking for royal and political stars alike is just an average day for Richard Corrigan. On 11 June, he will be trading Buckingham Palace for the Belmond British Pullman, where he’ll be getting creative in the bijou kitchen Growing up in a farmhouse environment with gardens and orchards meant that I was around cooking from a very young age. My eldest brother inherited the farm, so I went into another sort of food production. It just came with the territory.

I love Chinese cooking; it’s such a sophisticated kind of cuisine. I think we’re going to see a lot more from Chinese food and its regional variations in the next 25 years. It encompasses so many incredible things that are woven together so beautifully; you have to stand back and go ‘wow’. I’ve always been a fan of the kind of leisurely dining that Rowley Leigh has inspired. I just like the vibe and I think he’s a fabulous person. He’s a great inspiration for other cooks and a lovely writer as well. My last supper would be half a dozen oysters to start. Then a roasted suckling pig with a little bit of celeriac and apple, a nice salad from my garden at Gooseberry Farm and a really nice bottle of wine. When I first came to London, if it wasn’t French, it wasn’t good. Now we’re really proud about everything that’s from our native shores and the islands surrounding us. We have a newfound confidence in ourselves, in our food, in our producers and in our artisans.

My signature dish at the moment is a toasted oyster sandwich, which I think is an absolutely cracking dish. I gave it to Pierre Koffman last September and he absolutely adored it, so it hasn’t come off the specials board in Bentley’s since. It’s a posh croque monsieur without the ham. The kitchens on the Belmond British Pullman are tiny so we’re limited by what we can do. I’m thinking of making an Asian-inspired aubergine salad with prawns and smoked salmon, a lovely Dover sole cooked very slowly with a bit of lobster, and then a wonderful salt marsh lamb with sea kale from my garden. We’re also going to make a really sexy trifle. I love steam trains. The Belmond British Pullman is absolutely beautiful. It’s remembering a bygone era when luxury food and luxury travel were the things of everyday living.

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birthdays, so it’s nice to be a small part of their special day. I’m very proud to be British and our pubs are something that can’t be replicated anywhere else. A British pub is something that is quintessentially us; it’s big, it’s bold, it’s strong, and it’s very historic and traditional.

Tom Kerridge In 2005, Tom Kerridge became the first pub landlord to win a Michelin star for his Buckinghamshire-based gastropub The Hand and Flowers (it now holds two). This year he’s been busy presenting Bake Off Crème de la Crème, but in between takes he will be working on a quintessentially British menu for his turn on the train on 13 August I didn’t always want to be a chef; it found me by mistake. I found myself in a kitchen when I was 18-yearsold, like a lot of people do. I was so lucky to find a career that I wanted to be in forever. I love every minute of it. This will be my third time cooking on the Belmond British Pullman, but it will be a completely different menu. Like everything, the more you do it, the better you get at doing it. It will be something fantastically British, seasonal and incredibly tasty. The Belmond is a beautiful, historic train. It’s a wonderful thing to be a part of. It’s brilliant for the passengers as well because it’s such a special occasion. People are usually celebrating wedding anniversaries or

There’s a pub in Islington called Smokehouse. It’s chef, Neil Rankin, is fantastic. He’s got these wonderful, stunning flavours cooked very rustically over coals on a smoker out the back. It’s very basic caveman cooking but done with extreme skill and technique that takes it to another level. George Clooney is the most famous person I’ve had at one of my pubs. That was pretty cool and pretty illustrious, I suppose. He had fish and chips. I’m a huge fan of Heston Blumenthal, Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White as British chefs who’ve gone on to achieve three Michelin stars. The chef who’s cooking some of the best food in the country, if not Europe, is Claude Bosi from Hibiscus in London. I wouldn’t mind taking a trip up to the Gleneagles Hotel on the Belmond British Pullman. I had a fantastic stay there recently; it’s one of the most beautiful hotels with brilliant food and wonderful hospitality.

INTERVIEW Photography: Peter Cassidy, More Home Comforts, by James Martin (£20, Quadrille)

Risotto is one of my signature dishes. It’s very hard to produce and serve in the train’s small galley kitchens, but we might give it a go. My last event with Belmond was in York. I was happy because my granddad used to work in the ticket office at the train station there, so it was even more special as it holds a lot of memories.

James Martin Multitasking comes naturally to James Martin, who juggled cooking and presenting for ten years on the muchloved weekend cookery show, Saturday Kitchen. Watch him work the room – and the stove – on 29 September, when he’ll be embracing his roots with a Yorkshire-inspired menu on the Belmond British Pullman I remember cooking for the first time with my mother and grandparents on our farm. We’d make proper, classic food like roast dinners. I knew from the age of eight that working in kitchens was what I wanted to do. To be honest, I wasn’t much good at anything else.

Cooking on television can be a challenge, but after 20 odd years I’ve learnt to take each show as it comes. Each one has its own challenges. The late, great Jackie Collins was my favourite ever guest. She was a true superstar and a gracious woman. I wanted to leave Saturday Kitchen and start a new chapter in my career. It was the right thing to do at the right time, as different work to what I would usually do was coming in. Chefs like simple food. My favourite at home is steak and chips with béarnaise sauce, but I like going to Pierre Koffmann’s when I’m in London. My guilty pleasure is Cadbury Dairy Milk. Food has seen a massive change in the last 20 years. People are more knowledgeable and the whole business of food, and the food and drink service, is miles better than it was.

I learnt how to cook in restaurants and hotels in the north of France and in London. It was a privilege to work with some amazing chefs back then. I’m bringing a team from my restaurant in Manchester to help me while on board the Belmond British Pullman. Each time we’ve taken part in the event, we’ve learnt a lot about serving and cooking in a small environment.

Image courtesy of: Belmond

need to know The Celebrity Chef Dinners on the Belmond British Pullman will be hosted by Richard Corrigan on 11 June, Tom Kerridge on 13 August and James Martin on 29 September, and will begin with a Champagne reception at the private lounge in London Victoria Station. From £510 per passenger, belmond.com

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Celebrate in

Splendour Forget white marquees and glorified trestle tables. Events specialist Lillingstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique brand of creativity makes each of its projects breathtakingly personal. Camilla Apcar discovers the true art of partying

feature

ow to throw the perfect surprise party for your wife who, although allergic to flowers, adores them nonetheless? To Lillingston, the supremely well connected Notting Hill-based events specialist, the answer was obvious: ask florist Shane Connolly, who holds a warrant from HRH the Prince of Wales, to create thousands of silk flowers and intertwine them with centrepieces inspired by David LaChapelle’s series of photographic still lifes, around silver antlers and surrealist fibreglass hands reaching out through the undergrowth and add oversized metallic insects climbing up candelabras (pictured, bottom right). Lillingston has brought such lavish, adventurous and imaginatively personalised visions to life since 1993, with no detail too small – or overlooked. For the same floral carnival at London’s Two Temple Place, Parisian artist Frédérique Morrel was commissioned to create a tapestry-covered sculpture based on an emblem in

Lillingston brings lavish visions to life, and no detail is too small the client’s house in the south of France. For a recent wedding a huge crown was found, borrowed and restored from behind a Tuscan Renaissance church (pictured, top right), and hung high above diners who feasted al fresco in lush Italian countryside. Lillingston’s 10-strong team work from its Portobello Road office, with an extensive network of suppliers and artisans chosen for each project. The company has operated by word of mouth for more than 20 years. “People have seen our work but are still entrusting us with something incredibly personal,” says head of creative Sophie Stuart. Lillingston creates about 30 parties a year, split between the UK and abroad, from around £50,000 for an intimate dinner. Sourcing spectacular locations that other events companies might never even venture to consider is Lillingston’s modus operandi. Although some clients might want a party on their own property, Sophie Lillingston founded her business with privileged access to historical properties and private locations including houses, villas and islands the world over. The company works closely with the Historic Royal Palaces, particularly Kensington – where it has hosted

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: dinner tables that were reached by walking through the candlelit gardens of an Italian palazzo; a four-day adventure in Hong Kong and Saigon included a dinner on the banks of the Mekong river in a specially-built bamboo hut; a table with each guest’s place carved into the wood and lit-up water pools running down the middle; a working barn that had tractors in it a few days before, transformed with thousands of candles, fresh moss garlands and a table made of autumnal leaves. Overleaf: a wedding celebration to which guests were invited with an orange tree in a wooden crate. Photography: courtesy of Lillingston

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A rARE OLD TIME

weddings and even a live horse auction – as well as the Tower of London. It has worked its magic on nearly every continent, and will next conquer a host of South American locations. Lillingston prides itself on attention to detail, be it embroidered napkins, local vessels or the freshest flowers for table settings. “We don’t want our parties to look like an average event, or corporate,” says Stuart. “Some details might look handmade, as if a piece of art has been specially created. That’s how our parties should be – works of art.” After meeting with a client, Stuart creates moodboards based on a theme or concept: “a collection of images that conjure up the atmosphere and how I envisage the style of the party to be.” As the event evolves over the coming weeks or months, Stuart selects graphics, fabrics and paint samples, works with clients on food and drink tastings, and mocks up table settings for smaller dinners. Stuart relishes creating each party’s invitation most of all, “because it’s the first thing someone will see”. The company’s clients were invited to Lights of Soho by an origami fortune teller (pictured, previous page); a travel wallet asked guests to Pebble Beach and onwards to Las Vegas by private jet (pictured, above). For an Asian motorcycle adventure, 120 guests were sent personalised helmets engraved with their name and a red ink pad in a Chinese porcelain pot to stamp their RSVP. Among the presents they received in Hong Kong, Saigon and Vietnam were iPod nanos loaded with the bands they enjoyed live. Although many Lillingston parties are hosted outdoors, there’s never a plastic-walled white marquee in sight. Everything is custom built depending on the event. Lillingston’s only limitation is not imagination, but time. “I think my brain should slow down a little bit,” says Stuart. “But you can never have too many ideas.” lillingston.co.uk

Indian Summer This joint 50th and 60th birthday party was held in the grounds of Hampton Court. The palace gardens were filled with day beds and vivid pavilions adorned with oversized lanterns and flowers by Shane Connolly. Guests were greeted by uniformed Dhol Foundation drummers and sat down to a banquet of Indian dishes served by candlelight. Nina Conti sang throughout the evening. “Very dear to the host’s heart,” says Lillingston, “guests were amazed when they entered the undercroft and found themselves in a themed recreation of a Chelsea afterparty, complete with muddy boots and a football changing room where numbered shirts hung.”

feature

From London’s royal palaces to state-hopping across the USA, this trio of parties are among Lillingston’s finest

United States of Joy An oversize letter A – the host’s initial – formed of two wild west-style boots, and a handmade belt buckled with the same motif invited guests to this dual location adventure. Staying in Las Vegas apartments and partying between restaurants and shows, “one night this glamorous international set found themselves dressed as Elvis,” describes founder Sophie Lillingston, “but the real magic began as they were flown on a private plane to a remote ranch in Montana.” By day they rode horses and rafted down rivers; by night they partied and dined (never in the same place twice) under the stars, in scenic fields and old barns that were cleared and exquisitely decorated.

“people are entrusting us with something incredibly personal”

Canada Rocks This birthday party for a Canadian client required a relaxed “hoedown” vibe within reach of his home near London. “After an extensive search we found a 6,000-acre private estate in Surrey that had a lake and a vast expanse of trees,” says Lillingston. “A party had never been held there before, so it was unknown even by the locals.” Decking was built over the water and tipis set around a huge sunken firepit. Invited by way of

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posters and beers mats, guests dined from rustic tables adorned with maple tree arrangements. A classic rock band performed later on, and by the early hours guests were strumming guitars around the roaring fire.

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The Next

Generation The disproportionate ratio between the number of male and female head chefs is indisputable, but the tables are beginning to turn. Olivia Sharpe hears from five women who have earned their place in some of Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top kitchens and are on the rise to becoming gastronomic stars

Interview

Made in

Italy

Sabrina Gidda, head chef at Bernardi’s

There is no major twist with my cooking. I love to take the best Italian produce of the season, mix it with the best of British and then cook with Italian heart. The Roux Scholarship was incredible. It is the only competition I’ve ever entered and it taught me that you can do absolutely anything you put your mind to. It also made me realise that sometimes you have to put yourself out there because if you don’t challenge yourself, you can’t keep learning and growing as a chef. It was only when I first stepped into a professional kitchen that I had this sudden epiphany. I had never considered it as a career before. The toughest part of working in a kitchen is managing 13 people whose personalities are so different. Much of being a head chef is about the pastoral care you give to your team. The hours can be lengthy, but nothing will ever beat the buzz

of a busy service with your brigade firing on all cylinders – it is priceless. I love writing recipes and I am hoping to explore this more in the coming months. My grandfather was the first Asian man to own a pub in this country so, alongside the excitement of the London restaurant scene, I would love to have my own pub in the countryside one day. I know that he would be very proud of me.

Photography: Paul Winch-Furness

Out of the

Woods

Kim Woodward, head chef at the Savoy Grill Becoming the first ever female head chef at the iconic Savoy Grill has been the highlight of my career so far. More women are being encouraged to come forward and since we weren’t as recognised in the industry before, it’s a real breakthrough. Once I’d finished my studies in hotel and restaurant management, I did an internship at a restaurant in Missouri called Top of The Rock. Upon returning to the UK, I joined the Gordon Ramsay Group as junior sous chef of Boxwood Café and then worked here for the launch of the Savoy Grill following its refurb. From there I became head chef at the York & Albany, reached the semi-finals of Masterchef: The Professionals, before returning to run the kitchen here. Gordon has been a huge influence on me and I believe his praise has got me to where I am today. He has such incredible enthusiasm and really motivates you to becoming the best that you can be. He taught me that being a great chef is mainly about attention to detail. It’s also about having the right attitude and looking after your team. The industry is becoming even more creative and chefs are doing even more different and exciting things – I believe this is only going to continue.

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Images courtesy of: Gordon Ramsay Group

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Photography: Jean Cazals

Heart

& SEOUL Judy Joo, chef patron of Jinjuu In my new recipe book, I’ve essentially taken what I think are the best, most popular and easiest dishes to make. There’s a lot of fusion mixed in with modern and traditional dishes. In Britain, Korean food is starting to become more popular, but there’s still very low awareness. People often think Korea is a country in Southeast Asia and so they readily compare the cuisine to Thai food, which is really frustrating because the flavours are so different. In Southeast Asia, there’s lemongrass and coconut because it’s tropical all year round, whereas in Korea it’s freezing cold. You can’t compare a Korean fried chicken to a Thai fried chicken, for instance. It’s like trying to compare a Polish pierogi to an English pasty. Korea sits in between Japan and China, both physically and in terms of cuisine. A traditional Korean table is a myriad of small dishes. My presentation is a bit more polished than normal Korean restaurants, but we make every single sauce from scratch because it’s very important to me to keep the flavours real. Korean food is the language of love. If 16 years ago people had told me I would be living in London, have TV shows, restaurants and a book I would have never believed it. Straight out of university, I went to work on Wall Street for Morgan Stanley as a fixed income trader. Trying to get ahead working on a trading floor as a minority female is ridiculous. You have to have balls; I hate that expression, but when you’re in a conference room with 40 men and they’re all twice your age, you have to learn quickly to deal with the big boys.

It’s just as brutal working as a chef, if not harder. You work longer hours and are dealing with so much in terms of operation, especially when it comes to your own business. Every single detail, down to the type of paper used for the menu, is very much your responsibility. Every chef who wants to progress is inevitably going to become a restaurateur eventually. Going back into the kitchen would be a luxury. But I am undoubtedly very blessed. Korean Food Made Simple: Easy and Delicious Korean Recipes to Prepare at Home by Judy Joo, £22, published by Jacqui Small

interview Images courtesy of: Emily Roux

Day

Roux the

Emily Roux, chef consultant at Chez Roux Ltd. Every month on a Monday my father – Michel Roux Jr – and I now host pop-up dinners at Le Gavroche. I loved the idea of taking over the place and doing my own recipes for an evening and Dad thought it was a great idea too. The most recent one we did was to celebrate women in the kitchen so we had Le Gavroche’s Rachel Humphrey, Murano’s Angela Hartnett and myself. You sometimes have to scream a little louder to make yourself heard as a woman. I think the shortage of female chefs is mainly because it’s very difficult to bring up a family working such anti-social hours. My mother wasn’t keen for me at all to pursue it so one day she asked me, “Are you sure you really want to do this?” I said “yep” and that was that. My father’s very fair. If there’s something not right with a dish he’ll say so and he’s right most of the time. It can sometimes be more difficult when skipping a generation and working with my grandfather. He still loves cream and butter, so when I don’t put any in my recipes he gets a bit defensive. I am classically trained, but I prefer modern cuisine. The most recent place I worked at was called Akrame in Paris. I went there when I was 18 because at that age I didn’t want to have my family’s name on top of my shoulders. I’d love to open a restaurant with my other half who’s Italian and a chef at Le Gavroche.

Like it Or

Lumb It Marianne Lumb, head chef at Marianne I have always loved cooking. My father was a butcher so we used to do a lot together at home, but then I was encouraged by my parents to go to university. I was there for a year, but it didn’t work out so I decided to train as a chef. This was quite a bold move at the time for a woman because there weren’t many others around, apart from Delia Smith, Nigella Lawson and other culinary TV goddesses. The industry has changed unrecognisably and unpredictably since I first started. In my kitchen, there’s only five chefs, but it’s 80 per cent female. It’s still a tough route to go down and very competitive. There are still very male-dominated kitchens, although Le Gavroche has been run by two women for the past decade. When we first opened the restaurant (see full

Photography: Robert Billington

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review on page 87), it was a very difficult time because I had come from a private chef background and so didn’t have a team. I remember speaking to Michel Roux Jr and saying, “Help! This isn’t working.” And he just said, “Look, you’re doing really well, just don’t give up.” I think that was the best piece of advice he’s ever given me. Masterchef: The Professionals was an amazing opportunity. It gives you a lot of confidence as a chef. When I opened the restaurant I had exactly the same butterflies-in-mystomach feeling as I had while on the show. The trickiest thing was keeping control of my nerves. Most competitors would be shaking because we all wanted to do well. The lights are bright, you’ve got about 20 members of the film crew watching you and then on top of that, you’ve got time constraints. I remember the night before the final I woke up at 3am in sheer terror. I would like to be considered a pioneering woman in the industry and I’d really like to help others starting out. I want to keep opening more restaurants because it’s incredibly fulfilling. And maybe fit in some babies at some point.

Image courtesy of: Marianne Restaurant

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Run Milliner of the

Despite popular belief, there is a hat to suit everyone – it’s just a matter of finding the right one for you. As we herald the start of the summer social season, deborah Cicurel speaks to British milliners, some of whom are being showcased at Harrods’ relaunched millinery department, about how to pull off the perfect headpiece

Image courtesy of: Jane Taylor London, photography: Louise Jones

FEATURE

rom the late Gertrude Shilling in her extravagant creations to My Fair Lady’s Eliza Doolittle in showstopping monochrome; from the subtle creations worn by HM The Queen to the gargantuan designs sported by thousands of race goers, Royal Ascot hits the headlines each year not just for the races, but for its assortment of spectacular hats. Elegant, ridiculous, sublime, extreme or over the top: the exhibition of towering headpieces at Ladies Day attracts everyone, from royalty to celebrities alike – but what do the varied creations say about their wearers and the exclusive milliners who bring them to life? Jane Taylor, whose flagship store in Chelsea opened at the end of last year, counts the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex among her royal clients, and has designed pieces for Amal Clooney, Beyoncé and Kate Moss. The Duchess was so taken by Taylor’s designs that she sported the brand for both Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s christenings. However, despite being kept busy by the most exclusive of patrons throughout the year, given the pull of Ascot, Taylor estimates that a third of her business comes in during the frantically busy eight weeks leading up to the event. Her atelier is an aspirational and welcoming space, with a fashionable display of contemporary neon fascinators, straw bowler hats, dazzling floral headpieces, feathered hairbands, intricate bridal veils and elegant fedoras enough to turn anyone into a millinery enthusiast. Indeed, more and more people are turning to the glamour of a headpiece to perfect their summer outfits, looking to fashion icons like the Duchess for inspiration. Taylor attributes the popularity of the future Queen to a growing fascination for all things millinery. “I think because of the Duchess, more young people are wearing hats, and wearing them better,” she comments. Perhaps it is in part due to the Duchess’s enduring fashion influence that Harrods is launching a brand new millinery department. Created by renowned hat designer Philip Treacy, it has been designed to entice everyone, from seasoned fascinator-wearers to fedoraphobes, to delve into the mysterious and magical world of hats just in time for the colourful displays at Ascot. “When designing the new hat department, the most important consideration was to create impact and drama,” Treacy says. “There is a theatrical element when dressing

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Image courtesy of: Philip Treacy London, photography: Kurtiss Lloyd; Model: Felicity Gilbert at Established; Make-up artist: Susana Mota; Set designer: Sara Polonghini

in a hat and I wanted to create an environment fitting for this. My hope is that by showcasing the best hatmakers in the world, we can inspire new customers to dare to wear.” Although there are countless events in the social season for which hats are the crucial pièce de résistance, from the Henley Royal Regatta to HM The Queen’s garden parties, it’s clear that for milliners, Royal Ascot comes first and far above all others in the fashion race for

Images courtesy of: Rachel Trevor-Morgan at Harrods Millinery Department

being, as designer Lady Laura Cathcart describes it, “the Paris Fashion Week of the millinery season”. “Royal Ascot is always the highlight of my year,” agrees milliner Gina Foster. “There’s always a bit of a last minute frenzy before that is so exciting, and I love looking at what everyone is wearing. The Ascot customer is also generally more adventurous and keen to make a statement so I can really go all out on the designs.” But is going “all out” always a wise choice? There’s no denying that although a great hat, handpicked for the occasion, can make an outfit stand out, picking the wrong one can lead to all sorts of whispers. After all, who could forget the unkind comments about the bold hats sported by Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice at the Royal Wedding? Then again, who can deny the power of a statement hat splashed across the newspapers the day after Ladies Day? As Londonbased milliner Harvy Santos points out, “the right hat brings everything together, but a bad hat could easily ruin an entire ensemble – so choose carefully.” Lady Cathcart is unequivocal about the importance of a finely-chosen headpiece. “A hat always finishes any chic outfit. Without the right hat, the outfit is like a study drawing rather than than a finished portrait. A chic hat allows you to be a different woman every time you step out of your door.” Foster agrees that the fine art of hat-wearing during the social season has to be perfected. “There are definitely hats that work better for some occasions than others. For example, at Ascot people tend to wear bigger and more flamboyant pieces, while at Henley they are more relaxed. At a London wedding they can be quite edgy, while at a country wedding they tend to be more

FEATURE

“It’s important to be a little adventurous, but remember to amplify the personality underneath” – Philip Treacy traditional. And of course, no one wants to upstage the bride. “Plus, there are so many factors to consider,” she adds. “Whether to choose the outfit or hat first, the style of the dress, the style and personality of the client, the occasion, and the colour. It’s usually a combination of all of these factors that help to nail the right hat and not because of a set formula.” Rachel Trevor-Morgan, who has designed headpieces for HM The Queen, agrees that choosing the perfect hat should be a considered process. “It’s all too easy to let your whole outfit down with the wrong choice. A well-made hat reflects on you and your style. Opt for a simple dress and stunning hat – it’s the hat that people will remember.” The perfect hat is also a matter of confidence, according to Mayfair-based milliner Laura Apsit Livens. “You can be as expressive or as demure as you wish,” she argues. “But when you wear a hat it’s like you are a bird putting on a display. Your hat is the final thought of your outfit and the first detail viewers will notice. You can be eccentric, or ooze glamour. The options are endless, but it’s important to be confident in your look.” As well as following the necessary hat etiquette, there are practical considerations too. “It’s all about what personality you want to present on the day,” Lady Cathcart warns. “Hats with wide brims don’t work at Ascot as you would have to take the hat off to be kissed by all your friends – and a lady never takes off her hat at Ascot.” So how can you make sure you end up on the right side of the Ascot style pages, brimming with confidence, while still being available for those all-important air kisses?

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After all, as London-based milliner Edwina Ibbotson points out, a hat can “make or break an outfit and improve an outfit a hundred times over”. So it’s not surprising choosing the right one can be a real challenge. According to Treacy, the hat you choose should make you “look and feel a million dollars” – but naturally, that’s not all there is to it. He advises taking care not to match your headpiece exactly with your outfit and accessories, as this can “look old”. “Wear the hat a little lower to create a bit of a mystery,” he adds. “It’s important to be a little adventurous, but remember to amplify the personality underneath. It’s also important to bear in mind that nothing is perfect, but the hat must enhance one’s features.” For Taylor, the most frustrating hat faux pas of all is when they are tilted the wrong way (small hats should sit just above the right eyebrow), even admitting that when she’s at Ascot, Cheltenham or Aintree, she has to prevent herself from correcting people’s hats. “Sometimes I’ll see people wearing them at the wrong angle and I do have to stop myself running over and moving them.” However, even if you don’t know where to start on your millinery adventure, and are worried about wearing the wrong hat or tilting it the wrong way, Taylor points out that Ascot and indeed hat-wearing are “all about dressing up and keeping British traditions alive”. So although picking the perfect hat can seem like a minefield, in the spirit of all great British sports, isn’t it really the taking part that counts? Harrods millinery department, designed by Philip Treacy under the direction of Harrods fashion director Helen David, is now open on the First Floor

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collection

Out of the Blue To illustrate the exotic allure of Capri, there is no one more suited to the task that the sultry Salma Hayek. The actress has returned as the face of Pomellatoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s S/S16 campaign, shot by renowned photography duo Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott (of Mert & Marcus) in London. First launched in 2011, the bold pieces continue to live up to their namesake. Each one perfectly captures the Italian islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colourful environment; precious earrings, necklaces and rings in turquoise and coral have been interspersed with ceramic beading and precious stones, including blue sapphires, rubies, amethysts, and tsavorites. This marks the first time Pomellato has incorporated ceramic into the Capri range and the innovative material has helped to reinvent this popular collection. Capri Ceramics collection, POA, pomellato.com

Salma Hayek for Pomellato, photography: Mert & Marcus

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box

JEWELLERY BY OLIVIA SHARPE

Bird Song Mexican jeweller Daniela Villegas delved into Salvatore Ferragamo’s vast archive and unearthed the Italian fashion house’s vintage silk scarves featuring colourful wildlife, along with the Ars shoe designed by the founder in the 1950s, as inspiration for her new capsule jewellery collection. The menagerie-themed line sees parrots, parakeets and other birds of paradise brought to life in necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets crafted in sterling silver and showcasing green topaz and purple amethyst. The birdcage has become a Ferragamo hallmark and is therefore a recurring motif in Villegas’ collection, available now. From £165, ferragamo.com

Flying the Flag In celebration of its new boutique in Mayfair, French maison Dior flies the flag for the UK with a selection of limited edition jewellery and watch pieces that draws on the colours of the Union Jack. Among the jewellery pieces, the Milieu du Siècle bracelet, ring and earrings set, along with the Archi Dior Bar en Corolle ring, have been decorated in either sapphires or rubies with an abundance of diamonds. POA, available at 160-162 New Bond Street, W1S, dior.com

Schwartz Sparkle

Right as Rain Come rain or shine, Tessa Packard always manages to bring a smile to our faces with her playful fine jewellery collections. The latest flash of inspiration came from the jeweller wanting to celebrate rather than bemoan the typically unpredictable British summer weather and comprises a range of meteorological symbols set with a variety of gemstones. From a pair of simple thunderbolt earrings in sterling silver and inlaid with mother-of-pearl, to the dramatic April Shower chandelier earrings with suspended sapphire and diamond drops, the sky is truly the limit. Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining collection, from a selection, tessapackard.com

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Clockwise, l-r: Thunderbolt earrings in silver, £250; April Shower earrings, £6,900; Thundercloud cufflinks in gold, £260

Type Lorraine Schwartz’s name into Google and a host of famous female faces will appear in its wake, from Beyoncé and Blake Lively to Kim Kardashian. As of this June, the New York-based jeweller to the stars will be available in Harrods, having become the first retail destination outside of the US to carry her coveted designs. Schwartz’s full jewellery collection, encompassing the red carpet, bridal and bespoke ranges, will be given pride of place this month in the department store’s newly-renovated Fine Jewellery Room, designed by David Collins Studio. All pieces available exclusively in the Harrods Fine Jewellery Room from 1 June harrods.com

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M ANUFACTUR E DE H AU TE H OR LOGER IE

TONDA METROGR APHE

Steel case Chronograph automatic movement Date in an aperture Integrated titanium / steel bracelet Made in Switzerland www.parmigiani.ch

ATELIER PARMIGIANI 97 MOUNT STREET, MAYFAIR, LONDON W1K 2TD, TEL. 020 7495 5172 LONDON SELFRIDGES, THE WONDER ROOM | ARIJE WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND | FROST OF LONDON | BEAU GEMS BIRMINGHAM RUDELLS | HARROGATE & YORK ODGEN | LEICESTER LUMBERS SCOTLAND AND NEWCASTLE ROX DIAMONDS AND THRILLS | TUNBRIDGE WELLS G COLLINS AND SON

WORLD

of WATCHES BY RICHARD BROWN

Racing Spirit Forty years after James Hunt became world champion, his son Freddie and TAG Heuer pay homage to Formula 1’s most famous firebrand Sports watch sponsorship may have spread to everything from skiing to show jumping but it was TAG Heuer that arguably kick-started it all. Before the company’s partnership with McLaren became the longest-standing watch-motorsport collaboration in history (1985-present), Heuer had acted as official timekeeper for Ferrari. From 1971, during the decade widely considered to have constituted Formula 1’s heyday, every Ferrari driver would wear a Heuer chronograph engraved with his name and blood group on the caseback. You can’t have watched 2013’s Rush without clocking Heuer’s colours and crest on Niki Lauda’s and teammate Clay Regazzoni’s overalls. In the film, Lauda, played by Daniel Bruhl, wears an original Heuer Silverstone timepiece, while Hunt, played by current TAG ambassador, Chris Hemsworth, sports a gold 1963 Heuer Carrera. Both watches were lent to the actors by the TAG Heuer Museum in Switzerland.

Having fended off Lauda in the most controversy-ridden season in F1 history, Hunt became world champion with McLaren in 1976 – a feat TAG Heuer is honouring by releasing two 40th anniversary Formula 1 watches. Modelled above by James’s son, Freddie – who, incidentally, now races alongside Niki Lauda’s son Mathias in EuroNASCAR – the polished-steel chronograph features Hunt’s red, blue and yellow racing colours and is available with either a fabric NATO strap or full steel bracelet. The watch will be launched at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 24 June – one month before Freddie and his brother Tom complete a lap of honour at this year’s Silverstone Formula 1 British Grand Prix in memory of their father’s achievement. Formula 1 James Hunt Limited Edition, £1,150 on NATO strap, £1,300 on steel bracelet, TAG Heuer, tagheuer.co.uk

Steel a Looker Typically a bastion of conservative watchmaking, Vacheron Constantin won plaudits for the contemporary nature of its Quai de I’Ile when the collection launched in 2008. Eight years later, the cushion-cased timepiece, which features an exposed date indicator ring within its hour markers, is now available in stainless steel. The new material brings the entry level price of the Quai de I’Ile down from £45,000 to a less dizzying £10,500. Good news for anyone who’d been put off by the previously lofty price tag. Choose between a silver-toned or black dial. Quai de I’Ile in steel, Vacheron Constantin, vacheron-constantin.com

Relaunch of a Sports Star

The polished-steel chronograph features Hunt’s red, blue and yellow racing colours

Girard-Perregaux celebrates its 225th anniversary with the relaunch of a sporty classic. Debuting in 1975, the original Laureato arrived in the decade of the steel sports watch, landing three years after Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak and one year before Patek Philippe’s Nautilus. The latest Laureato comprises a 41mm case and is 1cm thick. While the original housed an industry-leading quartz movement, the 2016 version is equipped with an in-house mechanical calibre, visible through a sapphire crystal caseback. Only 225 pieces of two variants will be made – one with a blue dial, the other with a silver. Interestingly, the watch takes its name from the Italian translation of The Graduate, Dustin Hoffman’s 1967 pivotal movie. Laureato, from £8,750, Girard Perregaux, girard-perregaux.net

A First for Chopard Baselworld saw the launch of Chopard’s first in-house, perpetual calendar chronograph. The brand’s L.U.C. range of timepieces is where it houses its most high-end complications – the Perpetual Chrono, for instance, features a moonphase display that will deviate by only one day every 122 years. As both a COSC-certified chronometer and a perpetual calendar, the L.U.C. Perpetual Chrono is a rare timepiece indeed. So rare, that you’ll have to part with £61,710 if you want one. Only 20 will be made. L.U.C. Perpetual Chrono, Chopard, chopard.com

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Carrera Heuer Calibre 02 Tourbillon, £12,000, TAG Heuer

Time is

Money

With the Swiss watch industry under pressure, watch brands big and small are striving to offer the best value possible. Chris Hall reports on the most compelling launches of Baselworld 2016

oo often as a watch writer, you find yourself hearing – or repeating – the mantra of the uncurious: ‘a watch is worth whatever somebody will pay for it’. It’s a callous maxim that is as insulting to wealthy buyers as it is to craftsmen. As a statement, it is pure horological snobbery, usually deployed to snipe at watches whose price tags seem to be hovering several thousand feet above reality, as well as the buyers happy to uncritically part with large amounts of cash. Yet it conceals an awkward truth – there is very little discussion about value in the modern watch market. It’s an immensely thorny issue – many will simply say watches are a ‘passion product’, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that you can’t put a price on happiness. Maybe that’s true; I’m not so sure. One thing is for certain: at Baselworld 2016, we saw a lot of watches whose most arresting attribute was their price. It’s undeniable that brands are having to chase sales harder than in recent years, and that’s being reflected across the board. Some have cottoned on quicker than others, which makes for interesting times. I’m not just talking about ‘cheap’ watches – whatever that may mean. This is about value, and no matter how hard that is to define, it exists at every level of the market. Take, for example, Jaquet Droz; one of the highest-

Above/ Stainless steel Grande Seconde, from £9,400, Jaquet Droz Left/ 44mm 1966, from £5,000, Girard Peregaux

regarded producers of Métiers d’Art watches, mechanical automata and elegant dress watches. This year, it released stainless steel versions of its Grande Seconde range for the first time, with prices starting at £9,400, and rising to £17,900 for a very handsome dual time reference. It wasn’t the only high-end brand leaving precious metals to one side; Girard-Perregaux has taken the bold step of releasing the entire 1966 collection (its most mainstream range) in steel. This has brought the brand – which still sells six-figure tourbillons and minute repeaters – into the £5,000-10,000 range for the first time, and it’s a seriously tantalising prospect for watch lovers. We’re talking stylish dual time or triple calendar watches with inhouse movements for around £6,000-7,000, and a shade over £5,000 for the standard automatic. Overall, prices have been reduced by approximately 17 per cent across the entire range. Elsewhere, Moritz Grossmann, Chopard L.U.C and Blancpain were all making similar moves. It’s not just about swapping steel for gold. Watchmakers are exercising all their cunning to bring out advanced, complicated watches at hitherto unseen prices. A couple of years ago, the watch world was stunned when Montblanc released a perpetual calendar – the Heritage Spirit Perpetual – for less than £10,000 (in steel, it costs £8,500). This year in Basel, Frederique Constant showed us its Manufacture Perpetual Calendar – with a price tag of £7,480 in steel or rose gold plate. That is frankly astonishing

COLLECTION

Above/ Frederique Constant Left/ Angelus

when you consider that it’s produced entirely inhouse (Montblanc uses a bought-in movement with another, separately sourced, perpetual calendar module on top). It’s also better looking than the Montblanc. It goes on. From meeting to meeting, we were confronted with watches that, in some cases, made us think a zero had been missed off the end of the figure. First prize in this category must go to recently revived alternative brand Angelus. Last year, it announced its return to watchmaking after a 40-year absence with the slightly odd U10 Tourbillon. This year, it wowed us with three new, highly-advanced pieces. All are seriously avant-garde watches cooked up by some incredibly talented chaps, but the U30 stands out in particular. It’s a flyback, split-seconds chronograph with a tourbillon, with a finely skeletonised movement and carbon-fibre case – yours for around £18,750. This is Ferrari watchmaking at Ford prices (even if you could buy an actual Ford for the same amount). Scarcely a handful of watchmakers can pull this off, and very few at Baselworld were taking the risk to invest in new movements, let alone ones as complex as this.

“Only one man could cause a stir two years running with exactly the same watch” Back with the powerhouse brands, only one man could cause a stir two years running with exactly the same watch. TAG Heuer’s CEO Jean-Claude Biver managed it by finally ‘releasing’ the Carrera Heuer Calibre 02 Tourbillon, which we first saw in 2015. Tourbillons – love them or loathe them – are pretty much the definition of prestige watchmaking. You don’t need one on your watch, but they are so hard to make (properly, anyway – Chinese factories bang them out for pennies) that they always command a high fee. Not any more. TAG Heuer’s Swiss-made tourbillon comes in at £12,000 – hardly small change, but a figure so unprecedented that Patek Philippe president Thierry Stern recently accused Biver of devaluing the very concept of

Swiss watchmaking. How did he do it? In a move that may yet reverberate around the industry, Biver candidly admitted that he slashed the usual profit margin on such a watch. So what does this all mean for the high street watch shopper? Pleasingly, there is good news here as well. It can be the hardest area in which to define true value because most mainstream customers know – or care – less about the innards of their watches than us watch-obsessed geeks. But when a brand such as Tudor introduces its first in-house movement and barely changes the watches’ prices (as it did last year), you know you’re on to a good thing. It was more of the same this year, with the Heritage Black Bay Black, as well as a 36mm Black Bay, now incorporating an in-house movement. Design is also coming to the forefront in the value battleground – genuinely good-looking watches for less than £2,000 are usually scarce, but this year the likes of Oris, Junghans and revived-dive-brand Zodiac all released cool watches that, while they owe a distinct debt to Tudor’s Heritage Black Bay, stand in their own right as great entry-level options. We went to Baselworld knowing that it was likely to be a tricky year. The focus on realistic prices is a cautionary sign of the times, but could prove a boon to buyers – free-market economists would say that things are heading towards some sort of ‘equilibrium’. It is also telling that in the weeks after Baselworld, news started to circulate of a company called Goldgena (yes, terrible name), promising to “blow wide open” the “truth” behind Swiss watchmaking’s dirty tricks, exposing the fat profit margins and – not so altruistic, this bit – start marketing a range of Goldgena watches that claims to offer true value to the customer. At the time of writing, this amounted to little more than some naff ‘viral’ marketing videos and a good deal of hot air, but the key point being made here is one the industry might do well to heed; there is a perceived demand for openness. A watch is worth whatever somebody will pay for it – until, of course, they won’t.

Perpetual Calendar, £7,480, Frederique Constant

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LOOKING TO REDESIGN? Luxury interior design www.platinuminteriorslondon.com

spotlight

small wonders Seattle-based photographer Christopher Boffoli’s charming scenes of humanity-in-miniature have gained an international following since he started out in 2003 – and it’s easy to see why. Now, his work will be exclusively distributed in the UK by Chelsea’s Box Galleries. The Big Appetites series is both whimsical and profound: there are divers ready to plunge into a cup of black tea; elsewhere, a man is barricaded from a burger by policemen and chips. “The deeper effect is to compel the viewer to look more closely at the world around them,” the artist describes, “and to consider deeper truths about our relationship to the food that sustains us but we also crave for comfort.” 402 King’s Road, SW10, boxgalleries.com

Christopher Boffoli, Clamshell Lovers, 2011

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Illustration: Mai Osawa

To the Pointe

LOCAL LIFE

Just shy of the production’s 20th anniversary next year, in June the English National Ballet’s Swan Lake in-theround returns to the Royal Albert Hall, where more than 120 dancers will perform to Tchaikovsky’s world-renowned score. Chorographer Derek Deane is behind the production, which features jugglers, acrobats and 60 swans as well as the biggest troupe of dancers the production has seen since it premiered in 1997. Lead principal dancer Isaac Hernández makes his debut in the role of lead principal, alongside English National Ballet veteran Tamara Rojo. From £22, 1-12 June, Royal Albert Hall, SW7, royalalberthall.com

From top: Tamara Rojo as Odette; dancers of English National Ballet, photography: ASH

Hats Off Any excuse to eat cake and wear an elaborate hat is a good one – look no further than the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park’s new limited edition Royal Enclosure afternoon tea. In honour of Royal Ascot, executive chef pâtissière Heather Kaniuk has created a selection of tea cakes. Guests will have the opportunity to undertake a private consultation with millinery Emily-London, which has created a range of exclusive headpieces for the occasion, before tucking into raspberry, rose and lychee gâteau, gooseberry, mascarpone and lime tart or a nectarine and raspberry frangipane cake inspired by the royal guards. £53, 24 May-27 July, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1X, mandarinoriental.com

spotlight on the royal borough of Kensington & Chelsea: news, events, reviews & local interest stories

Photography: George Powell

Park Life

Swinging Sixties

Ascot might have its race course and Chelsea its flower show, but Fulham is the proud host of the largest polo tournament held in Europe. Just a stone’s throw from the Royal Borough, Chestertons Polo in the Park returns for three days of games, fine dining and shopping. Three matches will be played each day, in between which guests will be able to enjoy drinks at the Champagne Lanson garden and browse shops in the luxury shopping village. From £30, 3-5 June, Hurlingham Park, SW6, polointheparklondon.com

Contemporary paparazzi might be able to boast snaps of One Direction, Taylor Swift and Adele, but photographer Stanley Bielecki’s archive includes shots of now-revered 1960s pop stars as they were just starting out. This June, a rare exhibition reveals Bielecki’s back-catalogue of musical memoirs, some of which have never been published. Limited edition snaps of Bob Dylan, the Supremes and the Zombies will be on sale in Bielecki’s Holland Park studio. All proceeds will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Society, a disease that the photographer suffers from. For The Record: 60s Pop Through The Lens, 3-5 June, 5 Addison Avenue, W11, stanleybielecki.com From top: Francoise Hardy; The Zombies, both courtesy of Stanley Bielecki/ASP

Charity Begins at Home Following the success of last year’s summer party, which raised over £12,000, in June South Kensington’s Courtfield Gardens will host its annual event in partnership with Knight Frank. The party will support Chelsea Children’s Hospital Charity and include live music from Ellie Rose, Rival Karma and DJ Lachambre, plus food stalls, champagne and a live auction from Lots Road auctioneer Nick Carter. £15, 7-11pm, 10 June, Courtfield Gardens (West), South Kensington, SW5, chelchilcharity.org.uk Photography: Valerie Sieyers

covering kensington, chelsea, knightsbridge, holland park & notting hill

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The Katz Pyjamas The Serpentine Gallery will open an exhibition in June dedicated to American painter Alex Katz, whose body of abstract work spans five and a half decades. Taking inspiration from films, billboard advertisements, music and poetry, Katz aims to capture the present moment through his paintings. The artist’s new work will be presented alongside that of painter, poet and filmmaker Etel Adnan, whose bold block colour landscapes will be on show at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery, designed by the late Zaha Hadid. 2 June-11 September, Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, W2, serpentinegalleries.org

Summer Loving This June, St Mary The Boltons will once again open its gardens to the public for a summer fair supported by Knight Frank. In aid of Arts4Dementia, Toilet Twinning, Sound Seekers and St Cuthbert’s Day Centre, the church will host an afternoon of children’s activities, competitions and musical performances. Award-winning magician Richard Pinner will be on hand to entertain; adults can enjoy wine tastings led by independent merchant Lea & Sandeman, cream tea and a Pimms tent – as well as a silent auction and bric-a-brac stalls. 12:30-4:30pm, 18 June, St Mary The Boltons, Brompton, SW10, stmarytheboltons.org.uk

Changing Rooms Those seeking inspiration for an interior makeover should pop down to The House Fair. Browse curated rooms and displays while professionals and interior decorators offer expert advice, talks and demonstrations. What’s more, tickets give access to the Spirit of Summer Fair, where independent boutiques from the realms of interior and garden accessories, fashion, and jewellery – such as Kate of Kensington and Pepa & Co. – will present the best of their collections. From £16, 22-25 June, Olympia London, Hammersmith Road, W14, thehousefair.com

From left: 4pm, 2014, The Collection of Marguerite Steed Hoffman; Sunset 5, 2008, both courtesy of Gavin Brown’s enterprise; ©Alex Katz, DACS, London/VAGA, New York, 2016

Gather the Troops The annual Trooping the Colour ceremony for Her Majesty The Queen’s official birthday is always a momentous occasion, but this year it’s all the more important. Arrive early to get a good view of The Mall, where more than 1,400 officers and 200 horses will march from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade in honour of Her Majesty’s milestone birthday – all before a special RAF fly-by. 11 June, Buckingham Palace, SW1A

Time after Time Ahead of the Art and Antiques Fair at Olympia (see p.46), clock aficionado Howard Walwyn will preview his exhibition of Lantern and Tavern timepieces. At his Notting Hill gallery Walwyn will showcase 35 clocks spanning three centuries, including a rare piece from Gabril Holland of Coventry, one of the first of its kind to be made outside London. Horology enthusiasts will be able to enjoy a series of lunchtime lectures at the gallery throughout June, including a talk from The Tavern Clock author Martin Gatto. 14-23 June, 123 Kensington Church Street, W8, walwynantiqueclocks.com Image: Lantern clock, c.1640, courtesy of Thomas Grimwade

spotlight on the royal borough of Kensington & Chelsea: news, events, reviews & local interest stories

Luck of the Draw In honour of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Botticelli Reimagined exhibition, The Kensington is offering budding artists the chance to try their hand at sketching. The “Venus Reborn” experience offers a two and a half hour life drawing session – complete with cocktails and wine – under the expert eyes of artist and teacher Daniel Shadbolt. After a trip to see the exhibition, participants will return to the hotel to learn about the best use of light and materials to create their own allegorical works of art. £120, until 3 July, 109113 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, SW7, doylecollection.com

Different Strokes From the bar to the easel, former shipping lawyer-cum-painter Lincoln Seligman gave up his day job for a more creative path in 1980 and has never looked back. His latest exhibition at Osborne Studio Gallery reveals his love for India, which stems from a childhood growing up next door to The Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling. His colourful canvases start out as simple sketches drawn from his travels and are later reinterpreted into the sweeping landscapes and salient portraits that are on show at the gallery this month. 18 May-13 June, 2 Motcomb Street, SW1X, osg.uk.com From top: Camel Corps, National Day, Delhi; Connoisseur at the Frieze; Road Trip in the Rolls, all 2015-2016

Photography: Diana Jarvis for Open Garden Squares

Be There or Be Square From Kensington Gardens to St James’s Park, Londoners are truly spoilt when it comes to the great outdoors, but among its public spaces are private pockets of greenery that we’re itching to explore. For one weekend only, exclusive squares, gardens and green spaces in Chelsea, Kensington and Notting Hill will be opened up to the public, including Hanover, Arundel and Elgin gardens. Cycle rides, tours and walks through private squares, rooftop gardens and pop-up orchards will be on offer along with art, poetry and live music from a capella group The Treblemakers. From £12, 18-19 June, Open Garden Squares Weekend, opensquares.org

Art Attack If you’re racing from city life to Goodwood’s Festival of Speed this June, be sure to swing by Bonhams. A one-of-a-kind Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible will be auctioned in aid of Care2Save Charitable Trust, which will put the proceeds towards global palliative and hospice care. Sir Peter Blake has emblazoned his signature style on its heart-print bonnet, fuchsia radiator shell and colourful steering wheel. 24 June, Goodwood Motor Circuit, Chichester, PO18 0PH

outside the

b or oug h

covering kensington, chelsea, knightsbridge, holland park & notting hill

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ART ANTIQUES BY Rebecca Wallersteiner

Under One Roof

Clockwise from top: Damien Hirst, Psalm: Judica, Domino, silkscreen print, 2015, courtesy of Other Criteria ©Damien Hirst & Science; RETNA, Times of blue, acrylic ink on watercolour paper, 2014, courtesy of Coburn Projects ©RETNA; Polly Morgan, Mouthing the Words, taxidermy rainbow boa, courtesy of Other Criteria ©Polly Morgan; Damien Hirst Psalm: Beatus qui intelligit, silkscreen print, 2015, courtesy of Other Criteria ©Damien Hirst & Science

Bringing together more than 100 international art dealers, the Art16 fair, reflects the diversity of today’s vibrant art scene with prints, drawings, watercolours, sculpture and photographs for sale. Now in its fourth edition, the fair’s rich spectrum of work covers politics and aesthetics, the decorative and the collectable. At Other Criteria’s booth, Damien Hirst will present beautiful new silkscreens and Polly Morgan will unveil her enigmatic taxidermied rainbow boa; elsewhere the fair welcomes newcomers including Dennis Loesch and Yang Yongliang. After enjoying curator talks (British jewellery designer Stephen Webster and London gallerist Elisabetta Cipriani will be among the panels) as well as workshops and guided tours by Christie’s experts, a pop-up restaurant run by The Colony Grill and The Wolseley offers an excellent place to swap notes over a glass of fizz. Art16, 20-22 May, Kensington Olympia, artfairslondon.com

Forsell and Fauna

Photography: William Henry Fox Talbot, Melrose Abbey, 1844 ©National Media Museum, Bradford/Science & Society Picture Library

Talbot’s Scientific Lens Groundbreaking images of 19th-century London life, including Nelson’s column being built, form a fascinating exhibition of Henry Fox Talbot’s work at the Science Museum. As exciting as the internet in our own time, photography was a new medium that changed the way Victorians saw themselves and the world. It was Talbot’s breakthrough discovery of the positive-negative process that pioneered photography as we know it. The show includes wonderfully delicate portraits of Talbot’s friends and original prints from his book The Pencil of Nature. Fox Talbot: Dawn of the Photograph, £8, until 11 September, Exhibition Road, SW7, sciencemuseum.org.uk

Photography: Anders Gwarnstrom

Over her 35-year career, Swedish artist Ulla Forsell has become famed for innovative glasswork designs, and some of her beautiful creations inspired by 18th-century botanical etchings will be on display at Flow Gallery this summer. Forsell’s new translucent panels and intricate vessels are created using traditional glass-making techniques and possess a jewel-like quality. “Glass has a capacity for storing light and reflecting it back to us. No other material has this magical dimension of invisibility,” she describes. “The cylindrical vessels, shown here in a wide variety of colours, capture something of the sensuous element of glass with their shimmering surfaces.” Forsell’s coloured sheets of glass are made from blown cylinders that are cut open and flattened while hot, with screen printed designs and mirror coating added to each panel. Ulla Forsell Solo Show, 10 June-3 September, Flow Gallery, 1-5 Needham Road, W11, flowgallery.co.uk

Artist of the

month

Pandora Mond

Pandora Mond grew up surrounded by her mother’s extraordinary art collection that hung in their London home, including works by Francis Bacon, Graham Sutherland and Elisabeth Frink, and her philanthropic forebears donated the Mond Collection of Old Master paintings to the National Gallery. With such a rich artistic heritage it comes as little surprise to learn that Mond studied fine art at Oxford’s Ruskin School of Art before becoming a practicing artist. She paints big expressive canvases, many of which will be on show in a June exhibition at the Lacey Contemporary Gallery near Holland Park. “Painting is an entirely selfish act unless you enrich the lives of others; for me a world without art would be a desert,” she describes. Her stunning new series of Exoplanet paintings were created during a residency at Exeter University, where she collaborated with the astrophysics department. These pictures pay homage to the visionary atmosphere of van Gogh’s powerful masterpiece The Starry Night, which depicts the view from his asylum window at Saint-Rémy de Provence just before sunrise. Places Among the Stars, Pandora Mond/ Almuth Tebbenhoff, 8-25 June, Lacey Contemporary Gallery, 8 Clarendon Cross, W11, laceycontemporarygallery.co.uk

From top: a pair of six-fold screens depicting foreign ships and traders, ink on paper, Edo period (estimate £40,00050,000); two rare kakiemon models, Hotei Edo period (estimate: £80,000-120,000), both ©Christie’s Images Ltd 2016

The Edo and the E-auction Collectors of Japanese antiques won’t be able to resist these charmingly exuberant and rare Edo-period ceramic figures in Christie’s upcoming online-only sale dedicated to Japanese art commissioned for Europe. As Mark Hinton, the auction house’s international director of Japanese art notes, “these amusing figures of Hotei, the God of good fortune and happiness would have commanded great presence on gilt wall brackets in a grand European house, with their early coloured enamels enriching 17th-century interiors.” The Dutch East India company brought many Japanese ceramics into Europe by the end of the 17th century, and this summer’s sale will look at how trade developed between Japan and the western continent. Japanese Art at the European Court, 23 June-7 July, christies.com

Rising High The Brutalist silhouette of the Trellick Tower, completed in 1972, looms large over the modern west London skyline. Designed by Ernö Goldfinger, an architect of utopian realism, this Grade II-listed building has since inspired many artists, including J.G. Ballard in his 1975 dystopian novel High-Rise, Martin Amis in the comedy London Fields, and now British artist Charlie Warde, whose new work will be unveiled at Muse Gallery in June. Drawing on Florentine techniques, his 3D “plastic paintings” use acrylics and dry pigments to mimic damaged sections of the Trellick’s “golden aggregate” concrete walls. Warde’s 12-second stop motion film Prometheus, which he made about the tower in 2012, was acquired by the V&A and will also be shown at Muse. Concrete Legacies, 2-19 June, Muse Gallery, 269 Portobello Road, themuseat269.com From top: A world of seas, oil on canvas, 2015; Mond in her studio, both courtesy of Pandora Mond

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Photography from top: Charlie Warde; Andy Aderinto

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& ANTIQUES

ART

Two international fairs come to Olympia and Kensington Gardens

Art Antiques London Now in its seventh year, in a specially-designed pavilion next to the Albert Memorial, Art Antiques London will bring together 70 of the highest calibre international art and antiques dealers – from furniture, paintings and drawings, to sculpture, ceramics and Asian art. On 23 June the spectacular opening Party in the Park will raise funds for the Sea Cadets and JDRF, the type 1 diabetes charity, with a champagne reception and dinner hosted by Lady Juliet Mountevans. Among the exhibitors returning to Kensington Gardens are Licht & Morrison – which will show an exquisite art deco Cartier gold parrot

Art and Antiques Fair Olympia

pin from 1925, set in platinum with diamonds, rubies and an emerald for the parrot’s eye, in its original green leather Cartier box – and the Brian Haughton Gallery with a rare Meissen Polish cavalry officer on horseback. Laura Bordignon will offer a magnificent Japanese bronze rooster by Ishida Yoshiaki, originally exhibited at the 1900 Paris Exposition; and Sylvia Powell has a quirky ceramic bird head by Picasso, signed and dated “juillet 50”. Vanessa Clewes Salmon will show a particularly striking skull encrusted with shells, jewellery, butterflies and fabric by sculptor Shani Joel, who won the Saatchi prize six years ago at the age of 17. The fair’s closing dinner on 29 June marks 30 years of the charity Meningitis Now and will be hosted by James and Petra Stunt. Art Antiques London, from £15, 24-30 June, Albert Memorial West Lawn, Kensington Gardens, SW7, artantiqueslondon.com

From top: Japanese bronze hawk with silvered body perched on a tree stump, signed in a reserve Masatsune chū, Meiji period, courtesy of Laura Bordignon; Cartier, signed art deco jabot pin, 1925, courtesy of Licht & Morrison; Keith Vaughan, Standing Figure, pastel and charcoal on board, 1961, courtesy of Vanessa Clewes Salmon; Shani Joel, Buddha, mixed media, 2014, courtesy of Vanessa Clewes Salmon and Amy Chapman; Pablo Picasso, Tête d’Oiseau, incised ceramic, dated Juillet 50, courtesy of Sylvia Powell

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The week-long Art and Antiques Fair Olympia also takes place at the peak of London’s summer season. The fair will see 160 dealers from around the world stage a dazzling display of art, antiques and design. Many exhibits are of museum quality, running the gamut from fine silver to tribal art. “Every year, thousands of visitors are bowled over by the wealth of pieces and scale of the ideas in the historic Olympia hall,” says Mary Claire Boyd, the fair’s director. “Dealers collect their best pieces throughout the year especially for this event.” A panel of expert judges ensure that each item is vetted to exceptionally high standards. Dealer Constantine Lindsay will present an evocative painting by Eugène Narbonne, Fishing boats in the harbour at Brusc, which was exhibited at the salon of French artists in the early 20th century; Anthea AG Antiques will show a ravishing 1960s bracelet by Kutchinsky, set with turquoise and diamonds; Anthony James & Son’s stand will display a very rare George II walnut side-table on cabriole legs with carved knees. A series of talks will see Dulwich Picture Gallery’s assistant curator Helen Hillyard lecture on its Dutch and Flemish collection, Royal Academicians David Bach and Cathie Pilkington speak about curating sculpture, and Tate Britain curator Carol Jacobi on the relationship between British photography and painting. The Art and Antiques Fair Olympia, from £15, 27 June-3 July, Olympia, W14, olympia-art-antiques.com

Above: Kutchinski bracelet, 1960s, courtesy of Anthea AG; George II walnut lowboy, courtesy of Anthony James & Son

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Serpentine

atSixteen

Prepare to be dazzled by the stunning new Serpentine pavilion – and four inaugural summer houses that pay homage to Queen Caroline’s Temple, says Rebecca Wallersteiner

A futuristic fibREglass, cave-like pavilion with a zipper will land in Kensington Gardens on 10 June, when the Serpentine summer pavilion, designed by architect of the moment Bjarke Ingels will be revealed. Created from hollow see-through fibreglass blocks that lean together to form a beautiful sort of giant ski slope, it will be the 16th Serpentine pavilion. Much anticipated every summer, each of these temporary structures has been designed by an internationally-renowned architect – previous incarnations have come from the late Zaha Hadid and Ai Weiwei. For the first time, this year the pavilion will be surrounded by four smaller “pop-up” summer houses designed by emerging stars Barkow Leibinger and Kunlé Adeyemi, plus 93-year old Hungarian-French architect Yona Friedman and 36-year old Londoner Asif Khan, who designed the Coca-Cola Beatbox pavilion in Stratford’s Olympic Park for the 2012 London games. All have drawn inspiration from the nearby Queen Caroline’s Temple, a classically-styled summer house built in 1734 that is a stone’s throw from the contemporary gallery’s grounds. “Bjarke Ingels has responded to the brief for creating a multi-purpose pavilion with a supremely

elegant structure that has both a curvaceous wall and a soaring spire that will surely serve as a beacon drawing visitors across Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens,” says Julia Peyton-Jones, who leaves the Serpentine at the end of this summer after more than 25 years as co-director. Ingels specialises in designing daring, innovative buildings in harmony with their natural surroundings. “We have attempted to design a structure that embodies multiple aspects that are often perceived as opposites: a structure that is free-form yet rigorous, modular yet sculptural, both transparent and opaque, both solid box and blob,” the 41-year old Danish architect describes. Highly extrovert, Ingels looks like a Hollywood film-star and drives a 1970s Porsche – when he isn’t whizzing around the streets of Copenhagen on his selfdesigned bike. His unzipped wall of hollow fibreglass is experimental and exciting from every angle experienced. Transforming from straight line to three-dimensional space, he has created a dramatic structure that houses a café by day and transforms into a performance space by night. Viewed from one side, the walls will be opaque; from the other, one can see the shadows of people

ART

Sixteen minutes with... Summer House designer asif Khan

Image: Serpentine Pavilion 2016 designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), design render ©Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). Right, from top: portrait by Dylan Thomas; Serpentine Summer House 2016 designed by Asif Khan, architectural model ©Asif Khan

walking around its outside. A path will lead through the cave to the gallery, and visitors will be protected from the elements while feeling part of the surrounding landscape. Bjarke Ingels Group has offices in Copenhagen as well as New York and the practice is internationally acclaimed for mind-boggling projects such as a power station that doubles as a ski slope and an apartment block where one can cycle up a ramp from street to penthouse. Ingels is designing Two World Trade Center in Manhattan, as well as Google’s headquarters in California together with Thomas Heatherwick. “As in previous years visitors will be encouraged to interact with the pavilion and summer houses in different ways,” says Peyton-Jones. A varied programme of events including free family activities, talks and exhibitions are set to entertain until the pavilion is taken down in October. On select evenings from June to September it will once again become the stage for Serpentine Park Nights performances, offering art, poetry, music and film, and a talk on 8 June with all five architects. 10 June-9 October, Kensington Gardens, W2, serpentinegallery.org

s l u x u ry l o n d o n . c o. u k s

“As an architecture student the annual Serpentine summer pavilion greatly impressed me. I spent most weekends as a child visiting my grandfather in Kensington, and alongside running my own office I teach architecture at the Royal College of Art, which overlooks the park.” Asif Khan, the British architect and Design Museum board member, is one of the Serpentine’s four inaugural summer house designers. His architectural practice was recently shortlisted to work on the new Museum of London at West Smithfield, and was responsible for Coca-Cola’s landmark pavilion in the Olympic Park during London’s 2012 Olympic Games. For Kensington Gardens – a space that offers up a rare opportunity for a London designer – Khan has created a near-circular form of timber staves that interact with the familiar surrounding landscape as well as paying homage to its historical context. “I discovered that the Georgian architect William Kent positioned Queen Caroline’s Temple to catch the rays of the rising sun on 3 March, her birthday. We are trying to re-capture that magical moment, to provide an intimate experience for visitors,” he explains. “Kent used the Serpentine lake itself as a landscape-sized mirror to reflect the sun, but the bridge constructed in the 19th century now obscures the view.” In response, Khan’s pavilion seeks to recreate Kent’s intent by using polished metal and an undulating line of tall timber staves. These create an enclosure with direct views out of the space, blending the summer house with the landscape. “The atmosphere of my summer house will subtly change throughout the day as the light alters. A gravel surface with stepping stones will measure the visitor’s approach as they enter. As the structure meets the gravel it gently blends the horizontal and vertical, to appear as if the summer house might have grown out of the ground,” he explains.

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fashion

Crowning Glory Cartier is illustrating its historic relationship with British Vogue as it celebrates its centenary this year with a photographic exhibition at its Old Bond Street boutique. The images have been taken from jewellery editor Carol Woolton’s new book, Vogue The Jewellery, which highlights how jewellery has played a pivotal role in “the story of the Vogue woman”. Since the magazine’s inception, it has told “the narrative of dress every bit as much as fashion”, says Woolton. Captivating images on display at the boutique (which opened 13 years prior to the magazine’s first issue in 1903) include one photographed by Mario Testino of a model wearing a 1902 tiara by the French jeweller for the December 2001 issue. Another shows Elizabeth Taylor wearing the 69.42-carat Cartier Taylor-Burton diamond. Until 31 May, 40-41 Old Bond Street, W1S, cartier.co.uk

Photography: Mario Testino, Vogue Dec 2001 p.261

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Photography: Art Edition No. 1-100 Harper’s Bazaar US, 2009, by Jean-Paul Goude

The Art of Beauty British supermodel Naomi Campbell is one of the most influential female figures of our generation, being the first black woman to appear on the covers of Vogue and Time magazine. Taschen’s new signed, limited, two-volume Collector’s Edition is not simply a picture book charting her 30-year rise to stardom (although inside you will find some incredible images from Campbell’s portfolio), but an intimate, bare-all reveal of her life to date. In Volume Two, Campbell’s autobiographical text candidly recalls her childhood, the start of her modelling career and working with some of the greatest fashion designers of the age, including Gianni Versace, Karl Lagerfeld and John Galliano. Naomi Campbell Collector’s Edition of 1,000 copies, £1,750, available at Taschen, 12 Duke of York Square, SW3, taschen.com

Photography: ©Mark Seelen; Cover photography by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott

HER STYLE By olivia sharpe

Shaken, Not Stirred Rumours continue to fly as to who will be the fortunate person to succeed Daniel Craig as James Bond and there was even some playful speculation about the possibility of a female 007. In line with this train of thought, Eres’s new Bondinspired swimwear capsule collection has therefore done away with the characteristically skimpy bikinis worn by Bond girls and instead created an action-packed four-piece line encompassing streamlined and sporty one-pieces (and only one bikini). Each piece has been inspired by the iconic style of Ursula Andress, the first ever Bond girl. Named after 84-year-old singer and actress Petula Clark, pieces come in fuchsia, green, cobalt and grey. £125-385, 24 Motcomb Street, SW1X, eres.fr/en

If the Shoe Fits Having designed his wife’s shoes for their wedding day, Rupert Sanderson knows what a bride is looking for when it comes to her choice of footwear. His latest bridal range encompasses elegant and classic styles (including high heel sandals, courts, peep-toe platforms, and mid-heels) in a neutral colour palette. What’s more, Sanderson has teamed up with Alice Temperley and Bruce Oldfield so that brides can try on select Kirkwood styles at the bridal stores at the same time as their dress to ensure the perfect match. From £425, rupertsanderson.com

Wu the Day

Rogue Style

In spite of his recent nuptuals, it is still business as usual for designer Jason Wu, who has just announced the launch of his first diffusion line, available from June. Named after his favourite colour, the GREY Jason Wu sister collection will include understated and relaxed pieces for women who are looking to create “a beautiful, seasonless wardrobe”. Wu worked with artist Hunt Slonem and translated his famous bunny drawings onto printed chiffon, multicoloured jacquard and knitwear in a rich colour palette. From £249, greyjasonwu.com

Coach creative director Stuart Vevers has created the brand’s first ever pre-fall collection. Continuing Vevers’ S/S16 vision of Americana, the range will include Varsity jackets and patchwork shearling vests, along with silk and sleeveless leather dresses and hiker boots. However, it wouldn’t be Coach if there wasn’t a handbag to mark the season: the hero Rogue satchel comes in multiple colourways and styles. The Rogue handbag, £425-1,400, available from 1 June, uk.coach.com

Flare Necessities If you have grown tired of skinny jeans, then look no further than Trilogy. The store’s new and exclusive Navy collection by J Brand (which since launching two years ago has had unprecedented success) sees the season’s most versatile denim styles – including the cropped flare, cropped cigarette leg, high-rise skinny and utility jeans – arrive in navy and the boutique’s revolutionary fabric, Photoready (designed to give you the most flattering, photo-edited effect). Finally, J Brand has brought out the popular Selena cropped flare in black. J Brand exclusive Navy collection, from £190, 31 Duke of York Square, SW3, trilogystores.co.uk

Set Aside Trying to find quality at a reasonable price has become virtually impossible, which is why the K&C team feels strongly that our readers should know about SET. The contemporary, urban fashion label – founded by mother of four Maya Junger in 2009 – has just landed in Harrods and its greatest selling point is that it offers luxury suede and leather pieces produced in Europe at affordable price points. Its buttery soft collection of lamb-leather jackets come in a host of colours for S/S16 (we love khaki and silver birch), while the casual suede jackets with fringe detailing are perfect for having over your chair at work for when the air-con gets too powerful. Tyler leather jacket, £369, available at Harrods, set-fashion.com

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Rebecca Minkoff arrives in Selfridges Highlighting her eponymous brand’s increasingly global appeal, American fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff’s accessories collection will be available in Selfridges as of this month. The new line comprises a selection of handbags, footwear, small leather goods and jewellery. It will be available on the department store’s lower ground floor. £55-295, available at Selfridges from 1 June

053

Happy Days

Founder of Hill and Friends Emma Hill talks handbags, her time at Mulberry and life in Holland Park with Olivia Sharpe “Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” (Albert Camus) It might be clichéd to say, but friendship is one of the most prized possessions out there and this is a sentiment undoubtedly shared by Emma Hill. After her self-proclaimed “very public divorce” from Mulberry as creative director in 2013, she has clearly not let this affect future relationships because just a year later she was launching her own handbag label with close friend and fellow ex-Mulberry employee, Georgia Fendley. And so far, it has proven to be a match made in heaven. Just two years old, Hill and Friends is very much on the up, currently stocked at Selfridges, Net-a-Porter and most recently, Harrods. The daughter of a ceramicist and a mathematician, Emma’s passion has always been in fashion and along with her five-year stint at Mulberry (where she was responsible for the creation of breakthrough styles such as the Alexa and Del Rey handbags before her departure

in 2013), she also has Burberry, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Gap and Chloé on her impressive portfolio. Emma therefore knows better than anyone what it is to create handbags that women want to wear. Along with being classic, practical and accessible, the Hill and Friends bags possess a certain pizzazz or “jazz hands” (as she has previously referred to them), which you will struggle to find elsewhere in the often pretentious luxury fashion market. From crazy leopard-print to daring pops of hot pink, the witty styles cannot fail to put a smile on your face. Here, she discusses what makes the perfect handbag and her favourite accessories of the season. I have relied on my accumulated experience to launch Hill and Friends. Mulberry was my most recent creative director role and the understanding of the British consumer I refined while I was there has been really useful. It was the consumer who drove our

fashion

“I spend too much time watching women on the street, at work or out at night and observing how important a bag is, both practically and emotionally” success there; hugely loyal when you got it right, but independent and intelligent when you didn’t. I’m hugely proud of my time at Mulberry. It’s an honour to be associated with the success of a great British brand. Georgia and I met there and ours was a business relationship first and foremost, so setting up together seemed natural. Fashion is my first love. I can’t remember a time before I wanted to design and I love creating ready-towear as much as I do accessories. The luxury brands I admire are Cartier and Chanel. I have a serious Net-aPorter habit too. The perfect handbag must be practical. It must be beautifully crafted and, if it’s going to be a significant investment, it needs to last. But most importantly of all it needs to make you happy when you’re carrying it. I’ve never been keen on conceptual bags that don’t really work on a practical level. I love touchable bags that age well. I’m not about hard edges. I love to mix things up when it comes to my personal style. Something very polished and refined with something easy. I really like that high-low mix. We don’t really think about age. We think more about attitude. Beautifully made products with wit and warmth, and that appeal to all ages. A great bag makes you feel put together. Even if you haven’t had time to think about what you’re wearing, a bag can transform your look and how you feel about the day. That’s pretty powerful. I think women really know what they want. I spend too much time watching women on the street, at work or out at night and observing how important a bag is, both practically and emotionally. I think we are more

s l u x u ry l o n d o n . c o. u k s

demanding and consumers understand quality better than they used to. I am definitely a night owl. I really shift up a gear at work later on in the day. I’m a coffee drinker, skinny cappuccino every time. My days are spent in back-to-back meetings with my team and our partners. I like to get home in time to hang out with my son Hudson. If I’m not going out, I spend my evenings sketching and thinking about the next season’s collection. The kitchen is where I find myself most creatively inspired. I love to bake and often cook for friends to relax and when I’m working I love to spread out on the kitchen table. My kitchen spans an entire floor of my house so there’s plenty of room for samples and sketches. I have no idea how many bags I own. However, I have a handbag showroom in my house so that might give some indication of the seriousness of my habit. This summer I will be wearing our brand new Zippy handbag in oxblood, along with our Happy Clutch in leopard print hair calf. I tend to carry a lot of stuff around with me so I love having a smaller bag inside a bigger one to keep all my essentials in. These include my phone, a photo of my son, Dr. Paw Paw lip balm, an Oyster card and my perfume. I like to hang out with my son as well as my friends when I’m not working. I adore Holland Park where I live. Hudson loves to eat at Giraffe and I’m still mourning the loss of Julie’s restaurant. We love watching movies at the Gate Cinema and visiting the Michanicou Bros greengrocers on Clarendon Road on the weekend. £495-1,895, available at Harrods, hillandfriends.com

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Tilt the

Balance From fedoras and trilbies to vintage titfers, stray away from hat convention and dress up any outfit whatever the occasion with this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ultimate accessory Photographer: Sean Alexander Geraghty

Stylist: Vanissa Antonious

Sleeveless jacket, £1,000, trousers, £590, both Stella McCartney, stellamccartney.com; Shirt dress, £695, McQ, 14 Dover Street, W1S; Hat, £65, Laird London, lairdlondon.co.uk

Above / Tunic, POA, Miu Miu, miumiu.com; Hat, £400, Bow, stylist’s own Right / Jumpsuit, £905, Escada, uk.escada.com; Body, £295, Agent Provocateur, agentprovocateur.com; Shoes, £475, Jimmy Choo, jimmychoo.com; Hat, £175, Bates, bates-hats.com

Above / Jacket, £1,075, Trousers, £535, both Altuzarra, net-a-porter.com; Tuxedo lace blouse, £785, Zimmermann, us.zimmermannwear.com; Bow tie, £60, Lanvin, mrporter.com; Hat, £195, Lock & Co. Hatters, lockhatters.co.uk Left / Shirt, £225, Paul & Joe, 28 Bruton Street, W1J; Trousers, £495, Temperley London, 27 Bruton Street, W1J; Hat, £175, Bates, as before

Above / Jacket, £1,295, and trousers, £475, both Bally, bally.co.uk; Blouse, £755, Maison Margiela, net-a-porter.com Right / Jacket, POA, skirt, POA, both Dolce & Gabbana, 175 Sloane Street, SW1X; Hat, £265, Lock & Co. Hatters, as before

Model: Eva Day @ SUPA Model Management Make-up: Daniel Delgado Hair: Jason Lawrence Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assistant: Rachel Bell Shot on location at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London

Specs Appeal Suave gentlemen’s outfitter dunhill has added to its eyewear collection for S/S16. In association with De Rigo Vision, the new range comprises optics and sunglasses in timeless designs. Four categories – Longtail, ICON, Heritage and Fact – make up the line of classic frames, all of which have anti-glare lenses and a universal fit. Take your pick from tortoiseshell print specs, aviator sunglasses and all-black frames. From £250, dunhill.com

l-r: Longtail sunglasses with tortoise frames and blue lenses; Facet sunglasses with brown acetate and titanium arms

HIS STYLE By Ellen Millard

En Brogue Sometimes somebody comes up with a new idea and you can’t help but think, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ Harrys of London is one of those cases. The luxury shoe designer resolved the age-old problem of slippery soles with one simple solution: rubber. Without compromising on style, the label produces dapper brogues, loafers and trainers in quality leather with the added bonus of a rubber sole for optimum comfort and performance. New to the range is Gerrard, a staple brogue available in black, dark brown, tan and suede. From £450, harrysoflondon.com

Off the Cuff Deakin & Francis boasts a high-profile clientele of celebrity and royal fans, but it’s remaining tight-lipped as to who’s who – which is probably how it has survived as England’s oldest family jeweller, celebrating its 230th anniversary this year. Its latest line of cufflinks comprises mechanical-inspired pieces, animal motifs and boys toys-themed buttons. Snap up the white ruthenium, black rhodium and rose gold accessories in the shape of ships wheels, helicopter propellers, horses and vintage cars. From £85, deakinandfrancis.co.uk

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Sands of Time Acqua di Parma has given its signature Colonia cologne a refresh for the new season, combining the citrusy scent of the original fragrance with notes of sandalwood to create Colonia Sandalo. With opening notes of bergamot, lemon, orange and petitgrain, and heart notes of cardamom and lavender, the new scent mimics the fresh aroma of the original cologne, but with a warm, creamy base of sandalwood, amber and tonka bean. £176, available exclusively at Harrods

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BESPOKE HANDMADE FURNITURE www.oficinainglesa.com London Showroom

info@oficinainglesa.com +44 (0) 207 2264 569

lifestyle

MINI BAKE OFF Mary Berry would undoubtedly agree with us that it’s best to start them off young in the kitchen. And there’s no reason why they shouldn’t hone their culinary skills while looking stylish in Mango’s new childrenswear collection. A quick glance at the range and we are already bursting for the start of summer thanks to its tropical prints and fruity colours. The adventure-themed boys line features palm tree, hibiscus and floral-printed shirts, along with denim shorts and chinos in a marine-inspired palette. For the girls, a safari theme runs throughout. Tribal prints, lace detailing and embroidery take centre stage in a range comprising lightweight blouses, sundresses and jersey basics. From £9.99, shop.mango.com Image courtesy of: Mango Kids S/S16

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Kids KINGDOM BY Ellen Millard

Images courtesy of: Balmain

Project Runway Parents prepare yourselves: Balmania is about to hit a whole new demographic. When one of the world’s most famous toddlers, North West, sits in the front row at your fashion show, it’s only a matter of time before you branch out into childrenswear – which is just what creative director Olivier Rousteing has done. The 55-piece collection sits on the more luxurious end of the kidswear spectrum, with white tuxedo blazers, embroidered dresses and leather jackets available for ages six to 14. From £150, balmain.com

The Tale of Beatrix Potter Ice, Ice Baby With the arrival of summer comes the struggle of sourcing holiday activities. Luckily, Notting Hill’s Biscuiteers has got it covered. The bakery’s DIY Icing Café is offering a two-for-one deal for children, which means that two kids can take part in an icing session for the price of one. Each child will be given three biscuits to decorate, all the materials needed for icing and a decorative box to carry their masterpieces home in – if they don’t eat them first… £15, 194 Kensington Park Road, W11, biscuiteers.com

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Beatrix Potter, the Kensington-born children’s author whose whimsical stories of Tom Kitten, Peter Rabbit and Jemima PuddleDuck have been enjoyed by countless generations. To mark the occasion, five fashion designers have lent their creative skills to Potter’s best-loved books, which have been redesigned with limited edition covers. Henry Holland, Orla Kiely, Preen, The Rodnik Band and Cats Brothers are involved in the project, which is part of a year-long celebration. £6.99, waterstones.com

Home Sweet Home The Wheel Deal Equestrian style isn’t often associated with prams, but the latest edition to Silver Cross’s range is unusually inspired by the heritage sport. The Special Edition Henley, a carrycot and pushchair, has been made using tailored fabrics typically worn in the equestrian industry during the early 20th century. The pushchair comes in dark blue and features a leather handle, a quilted lining and a special edition badge. From £796, silvercrossbaby.com

Mini architects in the making will be put to the test this June with a weekend dedicated to den construction. Playhouse brand Win Green is celebrating its 15th anniversary by hosting a Den Day in support of Save the Children, which sees school kids across the country attempt to build their own den using duvets, sheets and furniture for the charity. Get involved by sponsoring your child or invest in a Win Green playhouse this month, when the label will be donating £2 to Save the Children for every one sold. 17-18 June, denday.savethechildren.org.uk

Street Wise Artist Keith Haring often uses the walls of galleries, museums and the American subway as his canvases, but this June he’s trying his hand at fashion design through a collaborative collection with Petit Bateau. The capsule range of bodysuits, T-shirts and briefs features Haring’s simple yet playful artworks that are created with children in mind. Look out for characters like Radioman, Cat Hat and a dog dreaming of a hot dog. From £8.50, 106-108 King’s Road, SW3, petit-bateau.co.uk

Make a Splash

Pied à Terre If you haven’t already snapped up French Sole’s children’s collection from Harrods, Selfridges or Kurt Geiger, don’t worry – the debut range is now available at the King’s Road store too. Miniature versions of the shoe label’s Henrietta, Love Heart and Knightsbridge pumps are on offer in sizes 27 to 34, along with three styles from the brand’s recent collaboration with Alice Naylor-Leyland. Take your pick from quirky watermelon designs, Union Jack prints and classic monochrome styles. From £75, 323 King’s Road, SW3, frenchsole.com

This June sees the reopening of the Children’s Swim department at Harrods, which has undergone a refurbishment to tie in with the recently relaunched Mini Superbrands floor. New to the store is Missoni Swim’s vibrant collection of kaftans, bikinis, skirts and swimsuits in the label’s signature chevron motif. The entire range is in the fashion house’s typical colourful style, with pastel, turquoise and tangerine shades. From £135, available at Harrods

Photography: ©AKATRE

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& GARDEN

HOME

BY ELLEN MILLARD

Photography: Andrew Woffinden

A Bug’s Life Taking cues from Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Henry Holland has designed his first interiors collection for homeware retailer Habitat. Featuring prints from House of Holland’s S/S16 ready-to-wear collection, the range of sofas, cushions and throws is not for the faint-hearted. Make a statement with clashing palm leaf prints, hallucinatory pufferfish motifs and insect patterns in vibrant blue, pink and orange shades. From £35, 208 King’s Road, SW3, habitat.co.uk

Shape Shifter This year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan saw interior designer Christopher Guy create a 21st century impression of Coco Chanel’s apartment. Spread across four makeshift rooms, the space was decorated with Guy’s unique designs inspired by his travels. New to the collection is Summer Harvest, an oval mirror carved in natural wood, and Ensemble, a marble coffee table with a geometric design. Snap up the new pieces at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, where highlights from the event are on show. From a selection, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour dcch.co.uk

The Toast of the Town While Brits are never happier than when drinking a cup of PG Tips’ finest, the eastern world treats the art of tea-making as a slightly more lavish affair. Discover a different side to a strong brew with TOAST’s collaborative collection with Japanese designer Akiko Hirari, who is bringing her home country’s tea ceremonies to London with a new collection of cups. The range of yunomi and chawan is based on vessels used in the traditional sencha ceremony and features stone-coloured cups and teapots made using kohiki, a technique originating from Japan. £96-600, available exclusively at TOAST, 191 Westbourne Grove, W11, toa.st/uk

Simons Says

Play It Cool

If you’ve been wondering what Raf Simons has been doing since he left Dior, then you’ll be pleased to hear about his latest upholstery collection with Danish furniture brand Kvadrat. The third collaboration between the pair is inspired by Italian architect and designer Franco Albini’s suspended Poltrona Seggiovia chair from the 1940s, which has been redesigned by Simons with permission from the Franco Albini Foundation. The originally blue-and-white striped design has been reproduced in orange and red, and yellow and beige prints. The rest of the collection comprises cushions and throws in a mismatch of textures, graphic prints and block colours. From £111, available at Skandium, 245-249 Brompton Road, SW3, kvadratrafsimons.com

Refrigerators and Dolce & Gabbana don’t exactly go hand in hand. And yet, the fashion house’s collaborative collection with Smeg is a match made in design heaven. Inspired by Sicilian artists like Salvatore Sapienza and mother-and-daughter duo Adriana Zambonelli and Tiziana Nicosia, the 100-strong collection sees Smeg’s signature fridge redesigned in vibrant medieval prints, floral motifs and battle scenes. Each design has been hand-painted in a process that took a whopping 240 hours. POA, smeguk.com

Images courtesy of: Bottega Veneta

Fashion Forward Bottega Veneta has added another string to its design bow with a new home collection. First presented during Salone del Mobile in Milan, the range features a series of chairs entitled Rudi in collaboration with Poltrona Frau, a set of bronze tables in partnership with Osanna Visconti di Modrone, and a leather chest of drawers that features the Italian label’s signature intrecciato weave print. Home accessories come in the form of stainless steel flatware, sterling silver boxes and blankets made from alpaca and wool. POA, bottegaveneta.com

Images courtesy of: Smeg and Dolce & Gabbana

Rolling Stone The onset of summer means it is definitely time to dust off the garden furniture and head outside. If you’re in the market for a new set of table and chairs that will withstand the temperamental British summer weather, then OKA’s new Petra range ought to do the trick. The collection of powdered stone furniture includes tables and stools in either geometric, square or curvaceous designs, all of which can endure both sunny climes and sudden downpours. From £125, 155-167 Fulham Road, SW3

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HEALTH BEAUTY BY Olivia sharpe

Photography: ©YSL Beauté

Savage Beauty If you ever find yourself stranded in the middle of the desert with a broken down car, chances are you won’t be looking quite as glamorous as Cara Delevingne does in YSL’s new summer make-up collection, but here’s hoping. Capture the intense and vivid hues of the desert with the brand’s couture palette collector, featuring two shades of brown and blue, and a shimmery pink that acts as a base shade across the eyelids. We love the pale blue as a highlighter, while the deeper blue is ideal for added drama. £42.50, available from 1 June, yslbeauty.co.uk

Raise the Glacé

Go For Bronze

Along with her talent for creating award-winning beauty products, Terry de Gunzburg has also proven herself to be a dab hand in the garden. The Touche Éclat founder has combined these two talents in her new summer fragrance: Thé Glacé Aqua Parfum. At the heart of the fragrance is a bouquet of white flowers, enriched with Bois Cheri black tea from Mauritius, notes of grapefruit and fresh almond. Bursting with freshness and vitality, the light perfume is at the same time sophisticated, featuring lavender and rich base notes of moss and musk. The scent is housed in a graphic bottle inspired by artist Sonia Delauney. £107 for 100ml, available at Selfridges

Guerlain understands summer better than any other luxury beauty brand. The famous Terracotta bronzing powder has been a repeated bestseller since it first launched in 1984. Now with its own complete range, this year sees the arrival of the new Terracotta L’Eau Hâlée. Unlike a powder which can be quite heavy on one’s skin, this cooling bronzing water instead drenches the face with a light mist, offering a dewy, made-to-measure glow. What’s more, the non-transfer formula leaves no stains or marks and has been infused with the sweet-smelling scent of tiaré flower. £36, available from Selfridges, guerlain.com

First Blush There are some beauty products you can swear by and NARS’ Orgasm Blush is one of them. Following its release back in 1999, it created a public frenzy as women everywhere were desperate to get their hands on the now iconic peachy-pink blush. As of this month, the original product is being made available in a limited edition oversized custom compact. Available nationwide from 15 June narscosmetics.co.uk

health&beauty

The

Jasmina Effect Skincare expert Jasmina Vico receives a glowing report from Olivia Sharpe

If your personal trainer has the body of an Adonis, it reassures you that he knows something about fitness. And the same applies to skincare. With her enviably flawless, foundation-free skin, Jasmina Vico is a walking advertisement for her skincare practise that aims to replicate the same results for clients, simply referred to in the industry as ‘the Jasmina Effect’. Discreetly based above Hari’s salon in Chelsea, the majority of her clients come via word-of-mouth, which just goes to show how her reputation has travelled across London. Jasmina is a true skin connoisseur. Unlike many of her peers, she understands skin and knows how best to treat it. For Jasmina, what people often fail to realise is that the skin is the body’s largest organ and the only visible indication we have of what is going on internally. “People often forget to look at their skin properly because it’s attached to vanity, but really, it is our biggest telling sign,” she comments. I have suffered from troublesome skin since childhood, but have always put this down to genetics. Jasmina argues that the main cause for unhealthy skin is usually as simple as bad nutrition and lifestyle. “People always say to me ‘your skin is amazing’ and that it’s down to genetics, when it’s not. If I was sunbathing intensely, going out all the time, and not eating well, then my skin would look like a handbag. So this is how I compare genetics: it’s like a handbag.” Jasmina takes a more medical approach when it comes to treating clients, offering a prescriptive program tailored to the individual. However, she believes that many of us need to eat healthier in order to achieve the best results. As the old saying goes: “You are what you eat.” She therefore advises clients to give up dairy, eat foods rich in Omega-3, and of course, drink plenty of water. She also advocates plenty of sleep, consuming less alcohol, keeping stress levels down and staying away from the sun and sunbeds. While all of this might sound like pointing out the obvious, Jasmina is often amazed at how many of her clients have failed to see the link between what they consume, how they go about their daily lives, and their skin. And yet, this

is slowly changing as society becomes more health-conscious. “People are gradually beginning to change what they eat and it’s going to change even more over the next few years. The key is to eat less, but more healthily.” In an industry that is over-saturated with skincare products, Jasmina’s no-nonsense attitude is very refreshing. “There’s so much on the market,” she says. “You walk into a department store and these women are on you like hawks because they want to sell you the next miracle cream, which isn’t going to do anything for you if your skin has not been nurtured from the inside. There’s no quick fix.” Instead of

“If I was sunbathing, going out all the time, not eating well, then my skin would like a handbag” endorsing multiple beauty brands, Jasmina only recommends those that have scientific backing, such as Skinceuticals. It produces high-potency, anti-inflammatory formulas designed to improve skin’s appearance, such as Vitamin C serums and products containing SPF protection. For those with more deep-rooted problems, Jasmina also specialises in non-surgical cosmetic procedures, such as facial peels, laser, IPL and medical microdermabrasion. Since having taken Roaccutane as a teenager, my skin has been relatively clear, but I still suffer from skin pigmentation and superficial scarring, as well as visible thread veins. Therefore, along with sessions involving hands-on cleansing, extraction and LED light therapy, Jasmina also prescribed laser treatment to target my veins, and microdermabrasion. After just five sessions, my skin has already transformed, looking visibly clearer, plumper and more radiant. While I may not be at Jasmina’s level quite yet, I have every confidence that I will get there with her help. Jasmina at Hari’s Salon, 305 Brompton Road, SW3, harissalon.com/beauty

Jasmina’s Skincare must-haves From left / Phyto Corrective Gel, £50; Blemish + Age Cleansing Gel, £35; Mineral Radiance UV Defense SPF 50, £39; CE Ferulic, £129; all Skinceuticals, skinceuticals.co.uk

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high life

A HOME FROM HOME This picturesque gazebo on Mida Creek in south-west Kenya can only be reached in a suitably picturesque way: a 30 metre walk through verdant mangroves. It is part of Jahazi house, a five-bedroom Swahili-style property owned by Richard and Deborah Bradley, a filmmaker and doctor based in Oxford. Their home from home is one of the just-launched Mantis Owners Collection, a group of more than 30 private properties â&#x20AC;&#x201C; houses, villas and boats â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that have been made available to stay in for the first time. From the Nelson Mandela Centre of Reconciliation in South Africa, home to the late president, to a residence in the Seychelles that is owned by and will support the work of conservationist-photographer Karl Ammann, each is serviced with a private chef and butler. mantisownerscollection.com

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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

Travel

THE WORLD By Camilla Apcar

Closer to Home Wind in its Sails Alila Purnama, the three-deck 46m Phinisi ship that sleeps up to ten guests, will set sail on two new Indonesian routes in September and October. Hop for ten days from Flores Island to Ambon, one in a chain of volcanic isles on the northern side of the Banda Islands, and dive into the straits of Alor where grey reef sharks, pilot whales and manta rays can be found; or cruise the waves for a week from Ambon to the UNSECO-protected islands of Raja Ampat in West Papua, with birds of paradise, dolphins and hundreds of aquatic species for company along the way. Maumere-Ambon, from £8,452; Ambon-Raja Ampat, from £5,915, alilahotels.com

11 Cadogan Gardens

Image: alilahotels.com

A Barrel of Monkeys

Down to a Fine Art Diego Velázquez captured the 17th-century Spanish royal court in stunning detail during his near 40 years of service to King Philip IV. More than 350 years since the artist’s death, the Gran Meliá Palacio de los Duques will open this June in Madrid and pay homage to the portraitist. Once home to the city’s mid-19th century cognoscenti, it will be filled with Molteni furniture, and many of the 180 rooms will overlook the Teatro Real and the royal palace. Reproductions of Velázquez’s work will be hung throughout the hotel, including a section of the 1656 illusory masterpiece Las Meninas, and a portrait of Infanta Margarita (pictured, above). From €270, melia.com

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During July in the Tibetan year of the monkey – once every 12 years – the Hemis Festival in Ladakh sees a colourful celebration of music, dance and sacred rituals believed to bring strength and good health. Nearby, Shakti Ladakh has just launched its first fourbed riverhouse on the banks of the Indus with views of endless mountain peaks and remote monasteries perched at an altitude of more than 3,500m. Guests can explore villages, temples and markets accompanied by guides, camp or hike through the mountains, raft down rivers and meditate in perfect isolation. From $5,250, May-September, seven nights full-board including all activities, shaktihimalaya.com

Following an 18-month makeover, 11 Cadogan Gardens has relaunched its four red brick Victorian mansion houses set just off of Sloane Square. While dark woods and sober portraits impose a certain level of old-world constraint on its public spaces, each of the 56 individually decorated bedrooms (including 25 suites, some with bespoke Murano glass chandeliers) offer a rather more contemporary spirit. Bedrooms fall into one of two categories: modern (drape-less four posters, marble bathrooms) or classic (sumptuously draped four posters, plush finishings), which will appeal to those who prefer traditionally opulent surrounds. 11 Cadogan Gardens skillfully mirrors the local area – smart modern living, respectfully set within a Victorian box. From £270, 11cadogangardens.com

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PARADISE of BIRDS With the Gambia’s natural wonders and equatorial wildlife a mere six hours from London, it’s time to think again about a weekend break in Africa, says Nick Smith

eep in the Makasutu Forest on the banks of a tributary to the great River Gambia, I’m preparing to board a small canoe. In the couple of hours that follow, apart from being gently propelled through unspoiled mangroves, I am going to see one of the unofficial wonders of the world. I’m heading for Bird Island, the ultimate “bucket list” experience for aficionados of the avian world. As the sun slowly dips over the Atlantic horizon, thousands upon thousands of egrets swoop through the salmon-coloured sky to congregate in a few small trees that bend beneath their sheer weight. Welcome to the Gambia – for the weekend.

travel

At some point in our lives we’ll all feel the call of Africa: the sweeping savannah of Kenya, the endless deserts of Namibia or the green forests of Tanzania. It all seems so far away, and certainly too much of an expedition to contemplate as a short break. Yet the Gambia is only a six-hour flight from Gatwick, with almost no time difference, a sleep-friendly flight schedule and none of the usual hassle of getting to the continent. While you won’t see any of the “big five” mega fauna here, the smallest country in Africa is full of birds in such startling profusion that BBC presenter and ecologist Chris Packham calls the place nirvana. This lesser known destination has a certain air of exclusivity about it, and is still only just being discovered. It’s next year’s Botswana, if you like. While

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the best travelled of dinner party friends may well have “done” Namibia and Zambia, one might well gain fresh bragging rights with a trip where you are certain to experience the very deepest realms of seclusion in an untouched river wilderness where there is hardly another human being in sight. Tucked away in the Makasutu Forest at the end of a long sandy road that is around an hour from the airport, Mandina Lodge is about as far removed from the hustle and bustle of life in the metropolis as is possible to imagine. An eclectic mix of slightly surreal Gaudí-esque architecture and traditional west African style, this haven of tranquility simultaneously blends with the landscape and stands out from it. There are floating, jungle or stilted lodges scattered around a semi-formal tropical garden

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that’s easy to get lost in. I stay in one of the jungle lodges, where a truly massive bedroom takes up the entire ground floor, with a spiral staircase that leads to a rooftop viewing platform. The shower is out in the open and everything is about as close to nature as you could want it to be. Mandina is the brainchild of Lawrence Williams and his late friend James English. They started out decades ago with a vague and comparatively modest dream of creating an African eco-lodge where backpackers could hang out and the environment could be protected. The pair planted 15,000 trees and sunk more than 70 wells, and by the turn of the millennium were building Mandina, a five-star lodge quite like no other in the Gambia. With their engineering and architectural backgrounds, they put together a place that is incredibly special and has an extraordinary atmosphere created by the fact that nothing is conventional – from its architecture to its sheer proximity to the natural world. A keen environmentalist and an even more passionate traveller, Williams is now reaching the crescendo of his mission to visit every country and territory on earth. We exchange travellers’ tales over a dinner of the local fishermen’s catch of the day, served with rice and local vegetables harvested from some of the many kitchen gardens in the forest. There’s no set menu, because the chef prepares whatever is fresh – and it is bountiful, rustic and good. The banks of the river are so fertile that everything grows here. After sampling the local peanuts, you will never want to open a packet from the supermarket again. Since the Gambia is close to the equator, the sun rises early. I join a small group of photographers and hikers to take a forest walk in search of local baboons. Put off by experiences in more touristic regions, even experienced African adventurers sometimes regard these primates as aggressive scavengers, thieves and nuisances to be avoided, hardly wildlife in their own right. But in this forest lives one of the most extraordinary sights. Basking in the golden shafts of early morning light, there is a colony of some 300 burnt orange and bronze guinea baboons. Completely uninhibited by human presence, the adults go about their business organising the harem, while the juveniles take it easy or wrestle half-heartedly. I have never seen anything like it

travel

from this species of Old World monkey and, according to my guide, neither will I again unless returning to this tributary bank of the river Gambia. As with the penguins of Antarctica or the iguanas of the Galápagos, it isn’t that the troop is deliberately ignoring us. They are simply oblivious: they are not afraid of humans and they cannot be bothered with them, so you can walk among them photographing to your heart’s content. The trek ends up with a visit to a cultural centre where you can buy wood carvings to bring home (don’t worry, they are not African hardwoods). But the wonderful morning is just the warm-up act for the main attraction – the Gambia’s birdlife. The country is a ribbon-like riverbank that snakes eastward towards Africa’s heartland, and because of its equatorial proximity it is one of the best natural environments on Earth for birds. Experts reckon there are upwards of 600 species and even during a short stay you can confidently expect to see at least 200, ranging from kingfishers and bee-eaters to vultures and eagles. If you’re lucky, Chris Packham will take you out for a safari on foot or by canoe. The Springwatch presenter has visited the Gambia every season for the past two decades and can often be found at Mandina Lodge. His unofficial second-in-command is local guide Malick Suso, whose knowledge is breathtaking. Malick takes me to the best spots along the bank (some slightly less than glamorous)

and I spend hours clicking away with my camera. Pied kingfishers hang above the river at dusk; egrets swoop in by the thousand to roost on a single tiny tree in the mangrove; beeeaters flit by, so small and delicate that they are quite hard to spot in the landscape full of yellows and browns; vultures lurch around like broken umbrellas – pests, really, but very exciting to see nonetheless. After a day in the field I start to think birdwatching is easier than I thought it ever could be. A word of caution, however: it is incredibly addictive and as you watch the kingfishers hovering over the Kotu stream preparing to dive for their next victim, you’ll be reluctant to pack away the binoculars. For those requiring something a bit more relaxed, Ngala Lodge on the Atlantic coast provides the best in western amenities along with secluded golden sands and crashing waves. Yet there’s simply too much to do to get bogged down in the conventions of a Mediterranean resort holiday. In this quirky upscale African hotel next to the British embassy, you’re likely to find actors rubbing shoulders with ambassadors. And down the road from Ngala – everything in the Gambia is close to hand – there is the wonderful Tanji beach, home to the country’s artisan fishing industry. Vast swathes of shoreline are given over to multi-coloured boats, fish smokeries and the frenzy of an old-fashioned and extremely busy fishing village. Freshlycaught shad, catfish and barracuda are cured over stretches of firewood, ready to be exported to neighbouring nations. Before long, my weekend break is coming to an end. But there is just time to reflect on that simple idea, which remains, for now, something of a well-kept secret – one you might want to share only with your closest friends for now. To have such an authentic experience means that it’s only a matter of time before it becomes the height of fashion, and time for the discerning traveller to move on. Until then this beautiful tiny country, little more than a winding river bank on the Atlantic coast, promises the real spirit of Africa. Nick Smith visited the Gambia courtesy of The Gambia Experience, gambia.co.uk. The Gambia Experience offers flights from London Gatwick, two nights half-board in a jungle Mandina Lodge and two nights bed and breakfast in a standard Ngala Lodge suite, £1,146 per person. mandinalodges.com, ngalalodge.com

the Gambia has a certain air of exclusivity, and is only just being discovered

From top: one of Mandina’s floating lodges; a bee-eater; a troop of 300 guinea baboons live in the forest close to Mandina Lodges; flowing scarves in traditional east African patterns can be bought at the cultural centre, photography: Nick Smith; the beach at Ngala Lodge, courtesy of The Gambia Experience. Previous page: the stilted lodge at Mandina Lodges, courtesy of The Gambia Experience; inset: one of thousands of egrets in the waterways around Mandina Lodge, photography: Nick Smith

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Rolling on theRiver

A new wave of voyages is lending fresh appeal to European river cruising. ANNA SELBY wends her way through the heart of the Alps from Bern to Amsterdam on Tauckâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MS Inspire, discovering moated castles and buzzing capital cities along the way

travel Left: Switzerland’s capital, Bern, is characterised by its soaring cathedral spire and the snow-topped mountains beyond; inset: Tauck’s MS Inspire sails down the Rhine, photography: courtesy of Tauck

US travel company, Tauck is in its 91st year, but has only just become a force to be reckoned within the UK after launching here at the end of 2014. Before setting sail, Tauck sends a recommended reading list (everything from Patrick Leigh Fermor to John le Carré). Its ships, which are currently focused on river cruises, have larger state rooms than the competition (there are certainly no cabins to be found here), a higher crew to passenger ratio, gloriously soft cotton bedding and floor-toceiling windows with mezzanine sitting rooms. There are flowers in every room, Molton Brown toiletries and a turndown service in the evening. Tauck’s other cruises take in the Danube, the Rhône, French waterways through Provence and the Seine. But this time I am destined for Amsterdam, and my trip starts not on board but with a suitably glamorous preamble in the five-star Bellevue Palace in Bern. The hotel was built in 1865 and has since hosted the Queen, the Emperor of Japan and Fidel Castro. Known for late-night horse trading in its bar filled with politicians and bankers, it features in

Tauck has become a force to be reckoned with after launching in the UK last year

ime was when cruising was the last word in elegance. Only the privileged few found their way on to the grand old liners named after monarchs. Then the ships got bigger. And bigger. Now 4,000 passengers might pile on board to fight for a sun lounger by day or watch pale imitations of Las Vegas-style shows by night. It doesn’t have to be like this. Small ship cruising is a very different experience and there’s a new cruise line stepping in with a luxurious take on the idea. As a

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le Carre’s Smiley novels and is the kind of place where the manager greets you when you check in. These two nights in Bern include a grand dinner and cocktail party where the passengers and cruise directors (there are three on Tauck ships, rather than the usual one) meet for the first time. Our first stop is on the rooftop of Europe. The majority of the 100 passengers have opted for an extraordinary train journey past steep drops, alpine villages, glaciers and the north face of the Eiger mountain. We are going up to the Jungfrau observation point – a mere 3,466m elevation – through tunnel after tunnel on an electric cog railway in the very heart of the Eiger’s peaks. But starting a cruise up a mountain? This is the only one I have heard of where you’re likely to suffer from altitude sickness. Over the next week we cover war, art, wine and cars. As we cruise in the evenings local bands (think Dutch sea shanty singers or a German country-cum-cabaret act) entertain in the lounge, and on the deck there are sun loungers, a plunge pool and a small putting green. After a day in Lucerne beside its beautiful lake, we finally board our ship in Basel and set off down the Rhine to Colmar in the French wine-making region of Alsace. Colmar looks like it has sprung from the pages of a medieval folk tale, all half-timbered houses and cobble stone lanes. So it’s a surprise to find at its heart the Unterlinden Museum – a collection of 13th-century

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convent buildings and former municipal baths converted by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron (responsible for the Tate Modern and the Beijing Olympics Bird’s Nest stadium). It’s a sleek and beautiful reconstruction and the chapel is now devoted to Matthias Grünewald’s unique Isenheim altarpiece from the early 16th century, with its series of wooden wings that open and close like a magic box, all with very different paintings, a wealth of symbolism and enough gruesome monsters and torture to give Hieronymus Bosch a run for his money. The next day in Stuttgart it’s a different kind of run. At the Porsche Museum, petrol heads can luxuriate in the collection of dozens of classic and racing cars, visit the workshop where those sensitive engines are so finely tuned or even take their favourite model for a spin (Boxster, Cayman, Cayenne, whatever). Moving further north, it’s more about balm for the soul in the heart of European romanticism. The Middle Rhine Valley’s castles are surrounded by steep vineyards, deep forest and lonely crags. As we glide along, a kind of castle ping-pong takes over as medieval ruin follows restored schloss, each with a tale to tell: love (mostly unrequited or doomed), rivalry, greed, robber barons and betrayal. In the evening, we have a schloss all to ourselves. The otherwise private 14th-century baroque Ehreshoven Castle plays host to beautiful events in its ancestral and mirrored halls, and is home to a Rhenish non-profit foundation. When we reach Cologne, Max, a rather brilliant young local historian reveals not just the city’s Roman

travel

roots but its dark Nazi past. At EL-DE Haus, the former Gestapo headquarters, tiny basement cells are covered in graffiti scratched on the walls by prisoners who were later hung in a small hidden courtyard behind the building. The wide open skies of the windswept Kinderdijk in the Netherlands are a stark contrast. Its windmills actually lie some seven metres below sea level, but thanks to the ingenuity of Dutch engineering this UNESCO World Heritage site is surrounded by canals of various sizes that drain into the sea via a series of 19 windmills. It’s a little surreal to be surrounded by canoeists and cyclists rather than the fish that naturally belong here. My last day is in Amsterdam, spent admiring the Rembrandts, van Goghs and Vermeers in the Rijksmuseum in the company of a local art historian, and floating on a barge down a spider’s web of canals past flea and flower markets, grand merchants’ houses on the Gouden Bocht (Golden Bend) and hippy houseboats. Four countries make this cruise something of a grand tour that effortlessly covers a lot of ground – or rather 470 miles of water – often when asleep. It looks like luxury has returned to European cruising, after all. From £3,287 for 10 days, including all private shore excursions, tauck.co.uk

Clockwise from left: the medieval town of Colmar, photography: Shutterstock/Sergey Dzyuba; the Swiss city of Lucerne, photography: Shutterstock/canadastock; the Jungfraujoch, courtesy of Tauck; windmills at Kinderdijk, courtesy of Tauck; Cologne’s city skyline dominated by its cathedral, photography: Shutterstock/Sean Pavone

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Kentisbury Grange, Kentisbury, Barnstaple, North Devon EX31 4NL weddings@kentisburygrange.co.uk | 01271 882 295 www.kentisburygrange.co.uk

& DINING

DRINKING

BY CAMILLA APCAR

Photography: Jean Cazals; Robert Billington

Not Just Desserts There’s something particularly decadent about a crème brulée martini. Vanilla-infused Havana Club Especial, caramel syrup and double cream make each sip smooth and sweet – and served with a fine layer of sugar crisp carefully balanced on the rim, epicurean too. This creation is one of five new dessert cocktails at The Kensington’s K Bar, where bar manager Ben Manchester has presided since February, when the chic polished brass bar opened with an almost 1920s New York vibe. It’s a close call between the Chocolate Elit (vodka, chocolate liqueur and bitters) and the playfully-named Jerry’s Chocolate Orange (spiced rum, orange juice and double cream), although purists might opt for the Rum Harvard (pictured, below). 109-113 Queen’s Gate, SW7, townhousekensington.com

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Marianne Venturing out for a threecourse lunch between midday and 2pm seems, to me, a choice that requires serious contemplation – and a tough nut for restaurants to serve. If the meal is too heavy, the afternoon is a write-off (fine for a Sunday, less so on other days of the week). Too light, and come early evening a certain feeling of resentment will wash in: time and further consideration must be spent on another meal, detracting from the afternoon’s own delights. Set between Westbourne Grove and Park, Marianne has taken the plunge with a new threecourse lunch menu (£35). Head chef Marianne Lumb opened the 14-cover restaurant in 2013, and its specialty has until now been seasonallyled five or six-course tasting menus (a lunchtime tasting remains – five courses, £65 – taking diners through roasted asparagus, white Piedmont truffle linguine and poached Hebridean scallops to John Dory or guinea fowl). Governed by the availability of the freshest ingredients, dishes are subject to change. On my visit the new three courses started in full force with line-caught mackerel in chermoula and Guernsey yoghurt, or an intensely creamy Jerusalem artichoke velouté with a sharp thyme crumb that was at once light as air and moderately filling.

Next, a choice of potato gnocchi with a parmesan foam or slow-roasted shepherd’s pie. The latter, although in miniature, is packed with Wootton estate hogget under a layer of deliciously dense potato – and so it seemed my secondary social plans were much in danger. A former private chef and Leiths School of Food and Wine teacher, Lumb was a finalist in the second series of MasterChef: The Professionals. The limited seating at her smart (but not stuffy) restaurant turns meals into intimate affairs with a direct view into the kitchen from every table. But this fresh reason to visit can be judged chiefly by the strength of its desserts. If lucky the menu will offer the chance to try Lumb’s pièce de résistance: her soufflés, the flavour of which tends to change from week to week. The carrot cake incarnation is served with BrillatSavarin soft cheese ice cream, spiced pecans and butterscotch. It was this, I am not sorry to say, that wrote off my entire afternoon in one sweet heavenly puff, and makes lunch at Marianne a no-brainer. 104a Chepstow Road, W2, mariannerestaurant.com

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& DINING

DRINKING

Perfect Prescription

review

Theo’s Simple Italian When Theo Randall reopened his kitchen at Mayfair’s refurbished InterContinental in February, the news that followed of his new “casual dining” Italian restaurant and deli in Earls Court was, in comparison, overlooked. Set within another of the InterContinental Hotels Group premises, Hotel Indigo, Theo’s Simple Italian falls short of true simplicity thanks only to its great use of many fine Italian ingredients. With an altogether younger crowd and paredback interior design, there’s something of a chain feel to the restaurant – but at the menu’s core is a selection of deceptively deep dishes such as pappardelle with oxtail ragout or taglierini with guanciale, rucola and datterini tomatoes (pictured, right). All are “authentic” in their Italianate titlings and deliver a full-flavoured taste of the Mediterranean. An unusual sambuca semifreddo is one of just three dessert options; far greater is the choice of cicchetti, from focaccia to polenta with white cod mousse. Randall earned a Michelin star while serving as head chef at The River Café. His Simple Italian aims to please a far more relaxed clientele, and without pretenses offers a reasonably-priced break from overworked haute cuisine. 34-44 Barkston Gardens, SW5, theossimpleitalian.co.uk

Farmacy opened on Westbourne Grove at the end of April for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But whenever you dine, expect nutritious fare from the restaurant’s plant-based menu. Founded by Camilla Al-Fayed (daughter of Mohamed), its focus on healthy eating takes a raw and often vegan turn. There’s raw bruschetta with probiotic cashew cream on a flax and sunflower seed crust, spelt sourdough pizzas and “earth bowls” that mix lentils, buckwheat or quinoa with steamed, activated or sprouted extras. Don’t miss the parfait jars: probiotic spirulina “yoghurt” with chia seed porridge, fresh fruit and bee pollen, or probiotic cashew “yoghurt” with sprouted buckwheat granola. All are Instagram-worthy and, thankfully, for those who don’t share a burning passion for the utterly wholesome, still delicious. 74-76 Westbourne Grove, W2, farmacylondon.com

The Legend of Godiva Another 90th is to be celebrated this year: that of Godiva, the Belgian chocolatier. A new pastry, the 1926, will be served until the end of the year in its cafés around the world including at Harrods – a rose-petal parfait and rich raspberry confit layered over feuilletine. Or to celebrate at home, there’s a new box of chocolates selected from decades past such as the Coeur Blanc that marked the opening of Godiva’s first shop in Brussels in 1945 or the Ecusson from 1968 that references its appointment to the Belgian royal court, plus a new rose and raspberry ganache anniversary creation. godivachocolates.co.uk, harrods.com

For Heaven’s Sake Unlikely it may sound, but a new Franco-Japanese sake has been released – marrying the ancient act of brewing rice with contemporary viniculture. Heavensake is blended by Régis Camus, cellar master at French champagne house PiperHeidsieck, in partnership with Dassai, the Japanese brewery that (unusually, for a sake producer) operates all year round in the Yamaguchi Prefecture mountains on Honshu Island.This particular rice wine is a Junmai Daiginjo, meaning that at least half of the rice is ground away in order to preserve its purity. Distributed by a few select retailers and online, deliveries can arrive on your doorstep in as little as four hours. heavensake.com

A Midsummer Night’s Dining London is practically swarming with supper clubs, from Battersea’s long-standing monthly life-drawing Supper in a Pear Tree to the unusual Basement Galley’s dinners held underground inside a 1969 Tube carriage in Walthamstow. For a dose of rather more down-toearth yet top-class dining that is just a stone’s throw away, Paradise by Way of Kensal Green has added an air of exclusivity with a series of one-off supper clubs that will be co-hosted by head chef Cat Ashton (formerly of the Michelin-starred Petersham Nurseries) and an exciting group of young chefs. In April, Ashton launched the gastropub’s new venture with stinging nettle and cave-aged cheddar soufflé followed by lamb shoulder and truffled pecorino, and vanilla cheesecake with the first strawberries of the season. Next to come on 16 June is Nicholas Balfe, the chef patron at British seasonal restaurant Salon Brixton, and Anna Jones, the food writer and vegetarian chef who trained with Jamie Oliver, in October. 19 Kilburn Lane, Kensal Green, W10, theparadise.co.uk

The Wedding Dress Forget conventional afternoon teas: this summer British bridal designer Phillipa Lepley will bring a complimentary wedding experience for brides-to-be staying at the Berkeley. Over a one-to-one tea (bridal biscuits will be added to a selection of peach possets, mousses, meringues and red velvet cake), Lepley will discuss fabrics, cuts and shape, followed by a chauffeur-driven visit to her Chelsea atelier for a private viewing. One of Lepley’s first brides stayed at the hotel for her London fittings, and in honour she has created a new dress inspired by fabrics used in its newly-redesigned suites, from silk tulle to French lace. The Berkeley, Wilton Place, London SW1X, the-berkeley.co.uk

Photography: Annabel Moeller, taken at The Berkeley

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drive of

HIS LIFE Le Gavroche may be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, but Michel Roux Jr still finds time to play with his prized toys: his cars. Olivia Sharpe speaks to the French chef and recently-appointed Lexus ambassador

We all know the life of a chef to be uncommonly stressful, fast-paced and certainly not for the fainthearted. It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that many look beyond their kitchens and to the world of motorsports to fuel their thirst for adrenaline. For Michel Roux Jr, who has been the ambassador of Lexus since last May, his love of fast cars, like his passion for cooking, was nurtured from a young age. However, back then he contented himself with a clapped-out Renault 5, which was the first car he ever owned. “At least it was still French”, he says, smiling. Today, the successful chef’s need for speed is well-fortified. He is the proud owner of two Lexus cars (the 450h F Sport and NX F Sport), along with his many restaurant ventures including Le Gavroche, which celebrates its silver anniversary this year. Indeed, Michel’s pastime is so well-known that he was even tipped to take over from Jeremy Clarkson on BBC’s Top Gear following the presenter’s very public dismissal, although this rumour was quickly dismissed by the chef, who has been quoted as saying: “I love fast cars… but I would never consider myself in Jeremy Clarkson’s league.” Michel is not a lone car enthusiast in the culinary world. When he’s not looking after his vast restaurant empire, Gordon Ramsay is often spotted out in one of his beloved Ferraris (it is reported that he has owned more than 15 since his celebrity fame). Petrolhead James Martin has often spoken about the correlation between the worlds of food and motoring: “I think there’s a direct link between them because a lot of drivers like food, and a lot of foodies

like fast cars. They say it’s about being able to multitask.” While the mutual attraction for food and fast cars is obvious, I was initially surprised to learn that Michel favoured Lexus above all other marques. I felt sure the classically-trained chef would prefer something timeless rather than the comparatively modern Lexus (which first hit the road in 1989). However, after speaking to him about it at length, it makes perfect sense. “I think as someone on the food scene, there are many ties because

lifestyle Image courtesy of: Lexus

Lexus has embraced modern technology, but you’ve still got that feel of a classic car,” he explains. “They’re elegant, they’re powerful and yet extremely comfortable, with all the modern bits included.” Michel is all for innovation when it comes to his choice of car, which is why his partnership with Lexus fits like a glove. The Japanese automaker is constantly bringing out new hybrid models which, according to Michel, “are even better because both the fuel consumption and carbon

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emissions are very low”. And although you might not think it, this desire to embrace new technology very much relates to the chef’s own kitchen. Le Gavroche is held up as a shining beacon of traditional French haute cuisine (such establishments are fast fading on the London restaurant scene), but this doesn’t mean it has remained stuck in the past. Since taking up his father Albert’s mantle as chef patron in 1991, Michel has subtly made it his mission to revolutionise

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lifestyle

Photography: Issy Croker

its cuisine. “I do think that we are contemporary in our food,” he argues. “It is lighter than when my father cooked. There’s no longer flour in the sauces, no thickening agents, and a lot less butter and cream. Everything is just a little bit lighter, but still recognisably French.” The chef admits to having always hating the term fine dining, believing it to be meaningless. “It just sounds wrong. You can have fine dining with a really good pulled pork sandwich or a burger.” Saying that, he is certain that there will always be “room for crisp linen and top quality service”. In Michel’s opinion, Le Gavroche’s success has been down to the fact that it has never deviated away from its fundamental roots, despite constantly evolving. Michel has a lot of time for modern cooking techniques, but only when they are used to enhance the flavour of a dish. “There has certainly been a lot of ‘deskilling’ in the industry, so I do strongly believe that you have to learn the classics of French cooking first because if it’s done properly, nine times out of ten this way wins. But if technology actually improves the end product, then we should never shy away from it.”

The chef has a reputation for championing young talent through the prestigious Roux Scholarship and shows like Masterchef. As a result of this, his name has been linked to many contemporary culinary prodigies, including his own daughter, Emily, with whom he has just launched a series of monthly Monday night popup dinners at Le Gavroche, whereby she is given the opportunity to test out her own recipes. For Michel, both cars and kitchens should run like well-oiled machines (forgive the pun) and it is perhaps prudent that the self-proclaimed perfectionist is linked to a car manufacturer whose logo was once ‘the relentless pursuit of perfection’ – with a reputation for producing cars that are smoothly-powered and ergonomically sound. Michel is by no means joking when he states how “a kitchen has to be run like a military operation” (this is perhaps a by-product from his days in military service at the Élysée Palace). The chef’s calm and collected persona, along with his fair criticism of young chefs, are admirable qualities. Quizzing him as to how he manages to keep his cool in a hectic kitchen environment, Michel admits to having occasionally “lost his rag”, but generally he believes that when you lose your temper, it means you have lost control. And when this happens, the quality of the food will inevitably pay the price. Indeed, it is obvious that his reticence is no act. The only time he appears to get a bit hot under the collar is when he begins discussing London traffic and “Boris’s superhighways, or whatever they’re called”. But even then, he quickly composes himself and refuses “to get into the politics of it all”. Despite being a loyal Lexus supporter, I ask Michel if there is any other car he would love to own: “I belong to a car club, P1 International, and they have numerous high-end sports cars. They have Ferraris on their books, Maseratis and Lamborghinis so when I feel like going a little bit silly, I call them up and get given a wonderful supercar. So I think I’m pretty content.” And so what does the future hold for Le Gavroche? “I don’t know as yet what’s coming up,” he says, candidly. “I look back over the last 25 years and often think, ‘wow, where did that go?’ We’ve had some wonderful times. There have been a lot of world issues that have meant business at times has been difficult, but Le Gavroche has been around for a long time, and who knows? Hopefully it will be around for many more years to come.” le-gavroche.co.uk; lexus.co.uk

“There has certainly been a lot of ‘deskilling’, so I do strongly believe that you have to learn the classics first”

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Play Time

Chigozie Osigwe, Michael-Henry Elghanian-Krayem & Abutchi Osigwe

Theo Osborne & Catherine Lawrence

Stephanie Dangoor & Isabella Wolfson Townsley

Lauren Dangoor, Scarlett Vickers-Lesley, Michael-Henry Elghanian, Isabella WolfsonTownsley & Stephanie Dangoor Simo Lagnawi band

Shahryar Reza, Noor Al-Rahim & Michael-Henry Elghanian-Krayem

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Shazia Rangoonwala & Daisy Schaffer

outside the

b or oug h

Photography: Dave Bennett at Getty

What: Playground Travel launch When: 23 April Where: Sketch, 9 Conduit Street, W1S Who: Phoebe Saatchi, Michael-Henry Elghanian-Krayem and Charaf Mansouri What: To celebrate the launch of a bespoke travel planning enterprise targeted at the wanderlust generation, founders Michael-Henry Elghanian-Krayem and Charaf Masouri held a cocktail evening at Sketch in Mayfair. Guests compared air miles while listening to live Moroccan Gnawa music, feasted on mezze platters, and sipped on drinks named after different travel classes, from premium economy to first.

What Lies Beneath What: Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear exhibition private view When: 14 April Where: Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 Who: Brian May, Savannah Miller, Alice Naylor-Leyland, Lara Bohinc, Lady Alice Manners and Rosanna Falconer What: The museum celebrated the opening night of its new exhibition, an exploration of lingerie design from 18th-century corsets to Agent Provocateur’s contemporary creations, which runs until next March. In attendance were Savannah Miller and Rosanna Falconer, who opted for lingerie-inspired outfits, and Brian May, who has written a 3D book, Crinoline, to coincide with the exhibition.

Mini Me What: Brunch for the opening of Harrods’ Mini Superbrands floor When: 17 April Where: Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X Who: Jade Parfitt, Leah Wood, Jasmine Guinness and Jemma Wellesley, Marchioness of Douro What: A sugary brunch was hosted at Harrods to celebrate the launch of its new Mini Superbrands childrenswear department. Popcorn, toasted waffles with whipped cream and caramelised bananas were served with vanilla milkshakes, as well as green juices and breakfast canapés. Light entertainment came in the form of balloon caricaturists, a magic mirror photo booth and ballet peg dolls by childrenswear designer Mischka Aoki.

Jade Parfitt & daughter Tabitha

Making Waves Jemma Wellesley, Marchioness of Douro, with son Alfie, Jasmine Guinness & Jade Parfitt with daughter Tabitha

Leah Wood

Julie Brangstrup

Jasmine Guinness

Jemma Wellesley, Marchioness of Douro

What: Heidi Klein’s summer collection launch When: 29 April Where: The South Kensington Club, 38-42 Harrington Road, SW7 Who: Alice Naylor-Leyland, Lady Kitty Spencer, Lily Travers and Marissa Montgomery What: Heidi Klein co-founder Penny Klein and Tatler fashion director Sophie Goodwin celebrated the swimwear label’s latest launch with a breakfast at the South Kensington Club. A feast of scrambled eggs with salmon and avocado, croissants and fruit salad was served while guests browsed Heidi Klein’s new collection of swimwear and beach cover-ups, this time in stripes, abstract florals and bold colour blocks.

LONDON LIVING Photography: Nick Harvey & Rex Features

Georgie Macintyre & Rosanna Falconer

Brian May

Lady Violet Manners

Lara Bohinc

Kyla La Grange

Frances Ruffelle

Evangeline Ling

Lady Alice Manners

Sarah Ann Macklin

Tom Naylor-Leyland & Alice Naylor-Leyland

Savannah Miller

Sienna Guillory

Photography: Darren Gerrish

Lady Kitty Spencer

Nura Khan, Penny Klein & Violet Henderson

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Lady Kitty Spencer & Sophie Goodwin

Lily Travers & Oscar

Lucy Delacherois-Day & Violet Henderson

Marissa Montgomery, Candice Lake & Sophie Goodwin

Penny Klein & Katie Readman

Lady Kitty Spencer, Candice Lake, Lily Travers & Alice Naylor-Leyland

Penny Klein & Sophie Goodwin

Penny Klein & Lily Travers

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The Concierge What is it you require, sir? How may I help, madam? The Concierge is here to help with every need, whim or wish, however great or small Apparel

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Sloane Tailors & Dry Cleaners 69-71 Lower Sloane Street SW1W 8DA 020 7824 8644

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42 The Dental Practice The Chelsea Day Spa 69a King’s Road, SW3 4NX 020 7351 0911 thechelseadayspa.co.uk

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Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park 66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA 020 7201 3899 barboulud.com

Bar Boulud 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL 020 7893 8333 urbanretreat.co.uk Medical & Dental Services

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118 Kensington Park Road W11 2PW 020 7243 6900 hillsidedryclean.co.uk

Infusion Haberdashery and Dry Cleaners 3 Chepstow Road W2 5BL 020 7243 8735 infusion-haberdashery.co.uk

95 Notting Hill Gate W11 3JZ 020 7985 0903 purplebone.com

Little Luxuries Flowers

Nikki Tibbles Wild at Heart

Ottolenghi Delicatessen

Couriers

63 Ledbury Road, W11 2AD 020 7727 1121 ottolenghi.co.uk

Selena Courier Service

lifestyle services london lifestyle service

Melt Chocolates

White Circle Collection

59 Ledbury Road, W11 2AA 020 7727 5030 meltchocolates.com

71 Walton Street, SW3 2HT 020 7989 9890 whitecirclecollection.com

222 Westbourne Grove W11 2RH 020 7727 3095 wildatheart.com

specialist services BUILDERS AND DECORATORS

Lethbridge London Ltd Building & Decorating Specialist 020 3609 1918 lethbridgelondon.co.uk

William Gaze Ltd

s l u x u ry l ondon . co. u k s

psychotherapist

07770 378791 suzannethomas@suzannethomas.co.uk suzannethomas.co.uk

Richard Darsa

Chocolatiers

Frame Set & Match 111 Old Brompton RoadSW7 3LE 020 7589 7635 framesetandmatch.com

Purple Bone

78 Cadogan Place, SW1X 9RP 07768 200 551 richard@darsa.net

2-5 Duke of York Square, SW3 4LY 020 7730 7102 partridges.co.uk

PICTURE FRAMER

Suzanne Thomas

La Bottega

Partridges

Abels Moving Services UK Residential, European and International Removals & Storage 01842 816600 info@abels.co.uk, abels.co.uk

Pets

65 Lower Sloane Street, SW1W 8DH 020 7730 8844 labottega.co.uk

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

moving services

Basement, Loft & Extension Specialist 020 7078 8874 williamgazeltd.com

security services

Westminster Security Ltd 34 Buckingham Palace Road SW1W 0RH 020 7123 4544 / 0755 4000 300 westminstersecurity.co.uk SHORT-LET RENTAL MANAGEMENT

Easy Rental Services aurelie@easy-rental-services.com 020 3567 0604 easy-rental-services.com EMOTIONAL WELLBEING THROUGH WRITINg

Ease your emotional baggage through writing. Sit with a writer and, using a specially developed format, write out your traumatic event or problem to release it. To book 60 or 90 minute appointments email info@lilybass.com or call 07733 112333, lilybass.com

097

HOMES showcasing the

finest HOMES & PROPERTY from the best estate agents

Invest in the Best

Why you shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cut corners when it comes to choosing your estate agent

Image courtesy of

Featured Estate Agents NOTTING HILL 301 Westbourne Grove W11 2QA 020 7717 5311

chestertons.com douglasandgordon.com

1stasset.co.uk CHELSEA 7–9 Tryon Street SW3 3LG 020 7014 3800

bodensresidential.com

CHELSEA 60 Sloane Avenue SW3 3DD 020 7594 4740 KENSINGTON 116 Kensington High Street W8 7RW 020 7937 7244 NOTTING HILL 30 Ledbury Mews North W11 2AB 020 3040 8585

CHELSEA 102 Draycott Avenue SW3 3AD 020 7589 2000

crayson.com

carterjonas.co.uk

NOTTING HILL 10 Lambton Place W11 2SH 020 7221 1117

HOLLAND PARK & NOTTING HILL 8 Addison Avenue W11 4QR 020 7371 1111 KNIGHTSBRIDGE & CHELSEA 47 Beauchamp Place SW3 1NX 020 7584 7020

CHELSEA 45 Sloane Avenue SW3 3DH 020 7225 1225 KENSINGTON 172 Kensington Church Street W8 4BN 020 7792 1881 KENSINGTON GATE 22 Gloucester Road SW7 4RB 020 7581 1152 NOTTING HILL 299 Westbourne Grove W11 2QA 020 7727 7777 SOUTH KENSINGTON 25-27 Harrington Road SW7 3EU 020 7581 8888

dominiclondon.com KENSINGTON 38 Gloucester Road SW7 4QT 020 7581 0154

century21uk.com NOTTING HILL 10 Clarendon Road W11 3AA 020 7229 1414

BAYSWATER 78 Westbourne Grove W2 5RT 020 7221 7817 NOTTING HILL 17 Kensington Park Road W11 2EU 020 7727 1717 PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 37 Alexander Street W2 5NU 020 7908 9338

PIMLICO & WESTMINSTER 50 Belgrave Road SW1V 1RQ 020 7717 5315 SLOANE SQUARE 7 Lower Sloane Street SW1W 8AH 020 7717 5317

CHELSEA 5 Hester Road SW11 4AN 020 7350 5640

john-taylor.com MAYFAIR 48 Berkeley Square W1J 5AX 020 3284 1888

harrodsestates.com CHELSEA 58 Fulham Road SW3 6HH 020 7225 6700

johnwilcox.co.uk

KNIGHTSBRIDGE 82 Brompton Road SW3 1ER 020 7225 6506

HOLLAND PARK 13 Addison Avenue W11 4QS 020 7602 2352

hamptons.co.uk CHELSEA 134 Fulham Road SW10 9PY 020 7717 5291 HAMPTONS COUNTRY HOUSE

domusnova.com

hutchison-whampoa.com PADDINGTON 4c Praed Street, W2 1JX 020 7717 5313

8 Chertsey Street, Surrey GU1 4HD 01483 339740

henryandjames.co.uk BELGRAVIA 1 Motcomb Street SW1X 8JX 020 7235 8861 CHELSEA 2 Cale Street SW3 3QU 020 7581 5011

KENSINGTON 8 Hornton Street W8 4NW 020 7937 9371 KNIGHTSBRIDGE 168 Brompton Road SW3 1HW 020 7584 2044

hlrlets.com CHELSEA 117 Sydney Street SW3 6NR 020 7351 7822

joneslanglasalle.co.uk KENSINGTON 375 Kensington High St W14 8QH 020 7087 5696 WEST END 30 Warwick Street W1B 5NH 020 7201 6699

kfh.co.uk

NOTTING HILL 298 Westbourne Grove W11 2PS 020 7229 0229

Kensington 9 Kensington Church Street W8 4LF 020 7368 4450

BAYSWATER 23 Leinster Terrace W2 3ET 020 3280 3504

SOUTH KENSINGTON 157 Gloucester Road SW7 4TH 020 7871 4111

North Kensington 136 Lancaster Road W11 1QU 020 7313 8350

FULHAM 29 Effie Road SW6 1EN 020 3280 3528 HOLLAND PARK 128 Holland Park Avenue W11 4UE 020 3282 1550

sothebysrealty.co.uk CHELSEA 62-64 Fulham Road SW3 6HH 020 7808 8540

Notting Hill 2-6 Kensington Park Road W11 3BU 020 7313 2890 South Kensington 29 Harrington Road SW7 3HD 020 7590 0800

MAYFAIR 26a Conduit Street W1S 2XY 020 7495 9580

CHELSEA 352a King’s Road SW3 5UU 020 7349 4300

malverns.co.uk

miltonstone.com

KENSINGTON Malvern Court Onslow Square SW7 3HU 020 7589 8122

KENSINGTON 18 Astwood Mews SW7 4DE 020 7835 2888

FULHAM 203 New King’s Road SW6 4SR 020 7751 2400 Hyde Park 1 Craven Terrace W2 3QD 020 7871 5060 KENSINGTON 54-56 Kensington Church Street W8 4DB 020 7938 4311 KNIGHTSBRIDGE 60 Sloane Avenue SW3 3DD 020 7591 8600

savills.co.uk CHELSEA 196-200 Fulham Road SW10 9PN 020 7578 9000 KENSINGTON 145 Kensington Church Street W8 7LP 020 7535 3300 KNIGHTSBRIDGE 188 Brompton Road SW3 1HQ 020 7581 5234 Notting Hill 168 Westbourne Grove W11 2RW 020 7727 5750

knightfrank.co.uk BELGRAVIA 82-83 Chester Square SW1W 9JH 020 7881 7722

KNIGHTSBRIDGE 66 Sloane Street SW1X 9SH 020 7235 9959

SLOANE STREET 139 Sloane Street SW1X 9AY 020 7730 0822

Chelsea Rawlings House 2a Milner Street, SW3 2PU 020 7591 5570 Earls Court 246 Old Brompton Road SW5 ODE 020 7835 0620 Holland Park 57 Norland Square W11 4QJ 020 7605 6890

KNIGHTSBRIDGE 20 Montpelier Mews SW7 1HD 020 3770 3474

russellsimpson.co.uk Chelsea 5 Anderson Street SW3 3LU 020 7225 0277

waellis.co.uk KNIGHTSBRIDGE 174 Brompton Road SW3 1HP 020 7306 1610

winkworth.co.uk Kensington 118 Kensington Church Street, W8 4BH 020 7727 1500 Knightsbridge & Chelsea 289 Brompton Road SW3 2DY 020 7589 6616

struttandparker.com

Notting Hill 178 Westbourne Grove W11 2RH 020 7727 3227

CHELSEA 43 Cadogan Street SW3 2PR 020 7225 3866

South Kensington 123a Gloucester Road SW7 4TE 020 7373 5052

nicolasvanpatrick.com

marshandparsons.co.uk

NOTTING HILL 303 Westbourne Grove W11 2QA 020 7221 1111

WEST CHELSEA 140 Fulham Road SW10 9PY 020 7373 1010 KENSINGTON 103 Kensington Church Street W8 7LN 020 7938 3666

101

Launceston Place, Kensington W8 A low built stucco fronted family house A Grade II listed semi-detached period villa in the most prestigious cherry tree-lined street. This 6 bedroom house is arranged over only four floors and benefits from front and rear gardens and a terrace. 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, dressing room, drawing room, library, dining room/sitting room, conservatory, kitchen/breakfast room, cloakroom, staff kitchenette/utility room, front and rear gardens, roof terrace. Approximately 300 sq m (3,237 sq ft). Freehold

Guide price: £7,500,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/kensington kens@knightfrank.com 020 3551 5156

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/KEN080245

K&C - Launceston Place last attempt

05/05/2016 15:03:15

Carlyle Square, Chelsea SW3 A spectacular house situated on the exclusive nothern terrace This phenomenal house has been rebuilt, extended and refurbished to a level and specification rarely found in Chelsea and has fabulous views from both front and back over the gardens. 6 double bedroom suites, reception room, kitchen/dining/sitting room, cinema, gym/playroom, private garden, access to garden square. EPC: C. Approximately 473 sq m (5,100 sq ft). Freehold

Guide price: £18,750,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/chelsea chelsea@knightfrank.com 020 3641 5903 KnightFrank.co.uk/knightsbridge knightsbridge@knightfrank.com 020 3641 5913

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/CHL150165

K&C June Carlyle

05/05/2016 16:35:03

Leamington Road Villas, Notting Hill W11 Exceptional five bedroom house A fantastic opportunity to purchase a beautifully presented five bedroom family house with off street parking in Notting Hill. Master bedroom with dressing area and en suite bathroom and shower room, 3 further bedrooms, bathroom, 3 reception rooms, family room, kitchen, utility room, 3 guest cloakrooms, garden, off street parking. EPC: F. Approximately 279.3 sq m (3,006 sq ft). Freehold

Guide price: £5,000,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/nottinghill nottinghill@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5449

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/NGH150145

Leamington Road Villas - K&C June 2016

05/05/2016 16:44:41

Pembridge Square, Notting Hill W2 Stunning detached villa An exceptional Grade II listed detached house which commands a glorious corner position overlooking a wonderful garden square. 8 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 6 shower rooms, 4 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, 2 studies, utility room, 4 guest cloakrooms, gym, spa, steam and sauna room, wine store, terrace, balconies, garden, 2 passenger lifts, garage with car lift. Approximately 1,235 sq m (13,285 sq ft). Freehold

KnightFrank.co.uk/nottinghill nottinghill@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5449

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/NGH160040

27 Pembridge Square- K&C June 2016

06/05/2016 09:41:15

St Stephens Gardens, Bayswater W2 Bright two bedroom flat overlooking communal gardens A fantastic first floor flat which benefits from a stunning reception room which opens out on to a balcony with views overlooking the communal gardens. Double bedroom, 2nd double bedroom/study, bathroom, reception room, kitchen, balcony, access to communal gardens. EPC: C. Approximately 76 sq m (817 sq ft). Available furnished

KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings nottinghilllettings@knightfrank.com 020 3551 9610

Guide price: £675 per week KnightFrank.co.uk/NHQ85124 All potential tenants should be advised that as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 and referencing fees of £48 per person will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/tenantcharges

K&C June St Stephens Gdns 3,43

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

29/04/2016 17:11:20

St Albans Mansions, Kensington W8 A beautifully presented four bedroom lateral apartment This wonderful property combines stunning period features with modern living and hard wood flooring throughout. The property has a large master bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing room, 2 further double bedrooms, 2 en suite bathrooms, spacious reception room, stylish kitchen with breakfast area, additional reception room/fourth bedrom, study or playroom. EPC: D. Approximately 188.1 sq m (2,025 sq ft). Available furnished or unfurnished

KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings kensingtonlettings@knightfrank.com 020 3641 7308

Guide price: £2,250 per week KnightFrank.co.uk/KEQ215593 All potential tenants should be advised that as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 and referencing fees of £48 per person will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/tenantcharges

K&C MAY- Kensington Lettings!!!

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

05/05/2016 15:15:18

Open new doors Move with Savills

CHELSEA CADOGAN PLACE SW1 3 1 3

CHELSEA IFIELD ROAD SW10 3 1 3

6566|01 K&C First Sales DPS One ART.indd 1

Guide £1.45 million

1,109 sq ft EPC=D

SOUTH KENSINGTON ONSLOW GARDENS SW7 2 1 3

Guide £2.85 million

1,450 sq ft EPC=D

Guide £2.3 million

1,557 sq ft EPC=D

29/04/2016 15:30

6566

Call us 7 days a week on 020 7877 4640 savills.co.uk

EARL’S COURT NEVERN SQUARE SW5 3 1 3

Guide £2.15 million

1,463 sq ft EPC=C

NOTTING HILL CHEPSTOW PLACE W2 2 1 2

Guide £1.55 million

1,029 sq ft EPC=C

Guide £0.00 million

CHELSEA FRANKLINS ROW SW3 3 1 3

15:30

6566|01 K&C First Sales DPS One ART.indd 2

Guide £2.495 million

1,672 sq ft EPC=E

EARL’S COURT TAMWORTH STREET SW6 2 1 1

Guide £875,000

900 sq ft EPC=C

29/04/2016 15:31

GRADE II LISTED HOUSE OFFERING ACCESS TO THE CRESCENT COMMUNAL GARDEN

ROYAL CRESCENT W11 7 4 4

3,884 sq ft EPC=D

Guide ÂŁ5.75 million

6565|02 KEN Prime Sales DPS Advert 1 ART.indd 1

03/05/2016 13:03

6565

BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED WHITE STUCCO PERIOD FAMILY HOUSE

BRUNSWICK GARDENS W8 6 4 3

3,606 sq ft EPC=D

Guide ÂŁ7.8 million

13:03

6565|02 KEN Prime Sales DPS Advert 1 ART.indd 2

03/05/2016 13:05

A STRIKING PENTHOUSE OFFERING LATERAL LIVING ACCOMMODATION

THORNWOOD LODGE W8 3 2 3

3,408 sq ft EPC=C

Price on Application

6565|03 KEN Prime Sales DPS Advert 2 ART.indd 1

03/05/2016 13:08

6565

FIRST FLOOR APARTMENT WITH VIEWS OVER THE LANDSCAPED GROUNDS

HOLLAND GREEN W8 2 1 2

1,264 sq ft EPC=B

Guide ÂŁ3.9 million

13:08

6565|03 KEN Prime Sales DPS Advert 2 ART.indd 2

03/05/2016 13:09

A WONDERFUL HOUSE WITH GREAT POTENTIAL

ST PETERSBURGH PLACE W2 5 3 2

6566|04 Prime Notting Hill DPS 1 ART.indd 1

2,564 sq ft EPC=E

05/05/2016 10:54

6566

AMAZING NEWLY REFURBISHED MAISONETTE WITH PRIVATE ENTRANCE AND TWO ROOF TERRACES

WESTBOURNE GROVE W11 3 1 4

10:54

6566|04 Prime Notting Hill DPS 1 ART.indd 2

2,807 sq ft EPC=B

Guide £7.5 million

05/05/2016 10:56

A BEAUTIFUL MAISONETTE ON A SOUGHT-AFTER GARDEN SQUARE

QUEENS GARDENS W2 3 2 2

6566|05 Prime Notting Hill DPS 2 ART.indd 1

1,394 sq ft EPC=D

Guide ÂŁ2 million

High ceilings | double reception room | kitchen 3 bedrooms (1 en suite) | family bathroom | garden square

05/05/2016 11:00

6566

A FANTASTIC PENTHOUSE WITH TWO ROOF TERRACES AND UNDERGROUND PARKING

BARLBY ROAD W10 2 1 2

11:00

6566|05 Prime Notting Hill DPS 2 ART.indd 2

1,145 sq ft EPC=B

Guide £1.35 million

Open plan reception room/kitchen/dining room | 2 bedrooms 2 bathrooms | 2 terraces | porter | parking

05/05/2016 11:03

Call us 7 days a week on 020 7877 4640 savills.co.uk

KENSINGTON NAPIER PLACE W14 3 2 2

CHELSEA HOLLYWOOD MEWS SW10 2 1 2

6566|06 K&C Mews Sales DPS ART.indd 1

Guide £2 million

1,036 sq ft EPC=E

Guide £1.695 million

1,213 sq ft EPC=B

NOTTING HILL WILBY MEWS W11 2 2 2

HOLLAND PARK ADDISON PLACE W11 2 1 1

Guide £1.85 million

1,083 sq ft EPC=D

OIEO £1.8 million

934 sq ft EPC=G

29/04/2016 15:36

6566

BEAUTIFULLY FINISHED AND STYLISH MEWS HOUSE IN DESIRABLE LOCATION

REECE MEWS SW7 3 2 2

1,955 sq ft EPC=C

NEWLY BUILT LUXURIOUS HOUSE OFF LEDBURY ROAD

WELLINGTON CLOSE W11 2 1 1

15:36

6566|06 K&C Mews Sales DPS ART.indd 2

2,289 sq ft EPC=C

Guide £3.65 million

Guide £3.95 million

Reception room | 2 bedrooms | 2 bathrooms patio | roof terrace | garage

29/04/2016 15:37

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Herbert Crescent, SW1X

Immaculately presented and newly refurbished second floor apartment in this red brick period building superbly located between Harrods and Sloane Street. Centrally located in Knightsbridge which is an exquisite part of London which contains many of London’s finest restaurants, shops, art galleries and hotels. EPC: C

£950 per week, Furnished • • • • •

*Tenant Charges Tenants should note that as well as rent, an administration charge of £216 (Inc. VAT) per property and a referencing charge of £54 (Inc. VAT) per person will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit www.hamptons.co.uk/rent/tenant-charges

Hamptons Knightsbridge Office Sales. 020 7717 5461 | Lettings. 020 7584 2014

• •

(charges apply)*

1 bedroom Shower room Reception room Open plan to the kitchen Newly refurbished Immaculately presented Seasonal central heating and water included

Roland Gardens, SW7 An immaculately presented, light and bright three bedroom apartment situated on the fourth and fifth (top floors) of this purpose built Apartment Building in SW7 with the benefit of an allocated parking space and a day porter. Ideal for a family looking for a home in Chelsea. EPC: D *Tenant Charges Tenants should note that as well as rent, an administration charge of £216 (Inc. VAT) per property and a referencing charge of £54 (Inc. VAT) per person will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit www.hamptons.co.uk/rent/tenant-charges

Hamptons Chelsea Office Sales. 020 7717 5431 | Lettings. 0207 3700 774

£1,650 per week (charges apply)* • • • • • •

28’3 reception room 4th Floor Allocated parking Day porter Wooden Floors Modern home in Chelsea/South Kensington

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Pembroke Place, W8 £1,350 per week (charges apply)* A beautifully presented three bedroom three bathroom house on this quiet square in Kensington. Set over four floors the house offers excellent entertainment space, study and two terraces. Offered unfurnished. (1,396 sq ft / 129.7 sq m). EPC: D

St Mary Abbots Place, W8 £895 per week (charges apply)* A newly refurbished two bedroom two bathroom house set over three floors, located just off Kensington High Street. Benefiting from a pretty balcony and good light. Offered newly furnished. (1,238 sq ft / 115 sq m). EPC: F

Hamptons Kensington Office Sales. 020 7717 5461 | Lettings. 020 7717 5459

property

LifeCare Residences’ Battersea Place A five-star retirement living experience Five-star living standards pioneered by the hotel industry have inspired the design, specification and services at some of London’s most luxurious residential developments. Now, for the first time, the five-star residential living experience has been created in a retirement community development. LifeCare Residences’ Battersea Place on Albert Bridge Road, looking out over Battersea Park, is London’s inaugural luxury retirement community. Bridging the gap between independent and assisted living, LifeCare Residences has combined some of the finest homes in the capital with five-star hotel service and facilities. A discrete on-site state-of-the-art care capability offers tailored packages for domestic, personal and health care in the privacy of a resident’s apartment. A 30-bedroom nursing home, known as the Albert Suites, is also available. Aimed at ensuring residents can make the most of their latter years, each elegant apartment is carefully crafted to offer comfort, style and care, with an attention to detail most commonly found in a first-class hotel. Extensive support services are available, including a 24-hour emergency call system that helps residents maintain their independence. Housekeeping, laundry and room services are run to five-star hotel standards, complemented by an on-site concierge, who can book theatre tickets, restaurants and taxis as well as coordinate the dedicated private chauffeur and residents’ car pool services. Fine dining has become synonymous with hotel living, and LifeCare Residences has appointed an executive chef

with Michelin-starred experience to oversee the on-site restaurant. Delivering first-class dining on a daily basis, the chef will arrange food and wine tastings throughout the year and can be hired for events and dinner parties in the private dining room. An elegant café caters for breakfast, while fresh barista coffee is available throughout the day. The amenities guests would expect in the world’s finest accommodation are available to residents here, including a private ground-floor pool illuminated by skylights as well as floor to ceiling windows. The spa-style wellness facilities include a well-stocked gym, offering the opportunity for regular exercise, with fitness classes for those who want guidance while keeping fit. The on-site hair salon and beauty treatment rooms are staffed by experts, providing pampering treatments for both male and female residents. Fresh air and exercise can be enjoyed all year round in the courtyard garden or in the greenery of Battersea Park across the road. The well-appointed communal lounge and cinema room provide plenty of opportunity for socialising and entertainment, while a library affords space for quiet time and reflection. A full events calendar, overseen by the entertainments director, encourages social interaction, mental stimulation and physical activity. For further information, please contact the Battersea Place sales team on 020 7205 4643, or visit lifecareresidences.com/uk/batterseaplace-london. Prices at Battersea Place start from £535,000 for a one-bedroom apartment

123

Breaking New Ground As Strutt & Parker open a new office on Old Brompton Road, head of London Residential Charlie Willis and James Boulton-Lea, the associate partner who will manage the South Kensington site, look to the future Photography: Sarel Jansen

IN JUNE, STRUTT & Parker will open a new office in South Kensington, almost directly opposite Christie’s auction house and buzzing salesroom on Old Brompton Road. In the sleek surrounds of the private members’ South Kensington Club just days before the estate agent’s latest doors open for business, Charlie Willis, partner and head of London Residential, and James Boulton-Lea, the associate partner who will head the new office, are brimming with excitement.

Strutt & Parker has covered the South Kensington area since 1988 from its existing Chelsea and Chelsea SW10 offices, but “given that our industry is now so localised, it’s important to have a more central presence,” says Boulton-Lea. Another reason for the move is the exclusive UK affiliation that Strutt & Parker has had with Christie’s International Real Estate for four years. “We have become closer and closer to the auction house,” says Willis, “and know a lot of people in the Old Brompton Road salesroom, bringing property and art together.”

PROPERTY

At Cheyne Walk in Chelsea, a historic house sold by Strutt & Parker sold for £16m to an American buyer in Chelsea last year, the seller was a long standing client of Christie’s auction house. After the sale, Strutt & Parker and Christie’s hosted a private preview at the property, to showcase its magnificent art and artefacts in situ to a group of high net worth clients before they went to auction – just one example of the close collaboration between the two businesses. “Having the right strategy around each individual sale is really important, and we have a bespoke agenda around every property,” says Willis. “That’s a very similar approach to how Christie’s work: dealing with top end clients, making sure their properties are being treated appropriately, discreetly, and with a team that is effective and experienced.” The new opening is a carefully considered move that is the first part of Strutt & Parker’s planned expansion across the capital. Its six existing offices are all located in prime central London – and the Old Brompton Road site will focus on the area between Hyde Park, Brompton Cross, Fulham Road and Earls Court. The team will be headed by James Boulton-Lea, former head of mid-market sales at Strutt & Parker’s Chelsea SW10 office. Boulton-Lea has been with Strutt & Parker for nearly two years; formerly in sales at local agents in his 12 years in the industry. The rest of the specialised team will comprise two experienced members from nearby Strutt & Parker offices, who have each had four or more years focussed on sales in the area and whose “black book of contacts in the patch” is already brimming. Lettings will be lead by Hugo James, formerly from the Knightsbridge office at Strutt & Parker. “In 2014 we achieved the highest number of sales transactions within our sub-£2m price range,” says Boulton-Lea. In the last 12 to 18 months the market has changed: while transaction levels are generally down, most activity seems to be in the £1-5m range. “UK domestic buyers are still active – parents buying as a pied-à-terre in London, as an investment, or for their children,” he continues. There have been plenty of European buyers in recent years as well, especially in South Kensington, including Italian, French, Spanish, German and Swedish who are predominately cash buyers looking for a flat rather than a house. “Trends that were apparent say two years ago have no doubt shifted down a gear. Savvy purchasers are still making decisions based on their medium to long-term investments. If they’re not likely to sell for three to five years, they’re likely to realise a worthwhile return on their investment when they come to sell,” says Boulton-Lea. “I think there’s more of an opportunity here for lettings,” adds Willis. “There are a number of people who may have thought about selling, but are holding on or letting the property out until prices come back up.” With the UK’s EU referendum vote yet to come, “the safe haven aspect of London and the UK is still very attractive, globally,” says Willis. Either way, he believes sophisticated buyers will see opportunity. “They’ll also realise this is just one moment in the history of London, a small ripple in the grand scheme of things.” South Kensington has lots to offer: world famous architecture, internationally-acclaimed universities and museums, all conveniently served by good transport links in and out of London. “When you come out in the

MASIUS Publication:

Strutt & Parker, London’s premier estate agents. Now just 109 cubits from Christie’s. Our new South Kensington office is up and running at 90 Old Brompton Road. So whether you’re buying, selling, renting or letting, why not drop in for a tête-à-Tut?

90 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3LQ 020 7581 7000 | struttandparker.com

6074_03_S&P_SouthKen_Mummy_297x210.indd 1

STUDIO CREATIVE SERV ART DIR/DESIGNER evening, the restaurants and bars areARTWORKER humming,” says Willis. “It might not be COPYWRITER CREATIVE DIR ACC MAN as ‘trendy’ as Shoreditch, but you’ve got a really cool mix of people here from all over the world.” The new office space places its own emphasis on contemporary convenience, flexibility and fun. “We’re trying to differentiate ourselves from other agencies that typically own a drab and boring premises,” says BoultonLea. There will be no conventional drawers or computers – think laptops, and different work and meeting areas. “We’ve embraced a new working environment in our industry and it’s exciting,” he smiles. “We saw one east London office with a beer tap – that idea was vetoed pretty quickly,” says Boulton-Lea. “Which was a shame,” jokes Willis. A new advertising campaign (pictured, above) will also play on the office’s proximity to the museums. “We’re trying to be slightly quirky, and adding a bit of humour and fun always helps,” says Willis. “We’re not just boring old estate agents.” 90 Old Brompton Road, SW7, 020 7581 7000, struttandparker.com

Date: 28/04/16

s l u x u ry l o n d o n . c o. u k s

28/04/2016 11:38

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ESTATE AGENTS

T S OF CHANGE We’re not estate agents. We’re agents of change – at a time when things need to change: For example, estate agents giving clients off-target, unrealistic prices – just to get their instruction. Our way is to be accurate on pricing – right from the start. This way, clients get the best possible price without being subjected to the time-wasting and soul-destroying process of having their expectations lowered. With the preventable disappointment when a more realistic price is realised in the end. For a smarter, more considered approach to buying and selling, give us a call. It’ll be a real change.

020 7221 1117 www.crayson.com

10 Lambton Place London W11 2SH

St Charles Square North Kensington W10 Wildly chic, excellent location, newly decorated â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a family house for someone with excellent tasteâ&#x20AC;Ś That spread in Architectural Digest is yours for taking with this cool and quirky Victorian house.

020 7221 1117 www.crayson.com

10 Lambton Place London W11 2SH

Master bedroom floor with his and hers bathrooms Four further bedrooms One further bathroom Double reception room Kitchen / Dining area Conservatory Utility room Terrace Garden Self-c0ntained studio apartment with its own entrance 3,412 sq ft / 317 sq m Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea EPC rating band E Sole Agent Freehold Guide Price ÂŁ4.6 million

Ladbroke Gardens Notting Hill W11 Uber-fashionable London at the front, peace and beauty at the back â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is what Notting Hill is all aboutâ&#x20AC;Ś Loving this classic Notting Hill flat with its incredible proportions, and access to communal gardens.

020 7221 1117 www.crayson.com

10 Lambton Place London W11 2SH

Kitchen / Dining / Reception room Master bedroom suite Two further double bedrooms Further bathroom Private patio Direct access to communal gardens 1,430 sq ft/ 132.85 sq m Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea EPC rating band D Sole Agent Leasehold Guide Price ÂŁ2.75 million

Completely at home in West London.

Our services Sales and Lettings Land and New Homes Block and Estate Management Property Solicitors Chartered Surveyors Financial Services Visit kfh.co.uk

With over 35 years’ experience and more than 55 branches across the Capital, our local knowledge and London network will ensure we achieve the right result for you. Local branches include • Fulham • Fulham and Chelsea • Holland Park • South Kensington

06 June 16 Brand adverts.indd 1

25/04/2016 13:56

06.1

Holland Park, Holland Park, W11 £3,100,000 Holland Park 020 3542 2111 hollandpark.sales@kfh.co.uk

13:56

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A beautiful lateral apartment featuring three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large decked roof terrace with fabulous west facing views. Holland Park is one of the most desirable streets in Kensington and Chelsea. The beautiful green acres of Holland Park itself are a short walk away.

• • • • • • •

Three bedrooms Two bathrooms Modern kitchen Separate garage 26 ft roof terrace Share of freehold EPC rating D

06/05/2016 14:24

Redcliffe Square, Chelsea, SW10 £1,999,000 South Kensington 020 3040 6370 southkensington.sales@kfh.co.uk

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This spacious garden flat occupies the entire lower ground floor of this imposing period building. Boasting two double bedrooms and two bathrooms, this charming property has generous living space, with over 1,400 sq ft of accommodation. This property further benefits from a private patio.

• • • • • • •

Two double bedrooms Two bathrooms Prestigious garden square Private garden Near Earls Court underground station Share of freehold EPC rating C

Located in a quiet corner of Redcliffe Square, the amenities of Old Brompton Road and Fulham Road are just a short walk away.

06/05/2016 14:25

06.1

14:25

Pottery Lane, Holland Park, W11 £1,795 pw / £7,779 pcm

This mews style house comprises a wonderfully large reception room, four double bedrooms, three bathrooms, eat in kitchen and a 38 ft roof terrace. The property is flooded with natural light and benefits from great entertaining space and wooden floors throughout.

Holland Park 020 3542 2120 hollandpark.lettings@kfh.co.uk

The property is within close proximity to Holland Park, Kensington Gardens, Portobello Road, and Westfield Shopping Centre. The nearest underground station is Holland Park, which is serviced by the Central Line.

06.16 Runwild Kensington and Chelsea.indd 4

• • • • • • •

Four bedrooms Three bathrooms Three floors plus roof terrace Wood floors Close to local amenities Furnished or unfurnished EPC rating E

£210 tenancy agreement fee per property. Other fees apply, visit kfh.co.uk/lettingsfees

06/05/2016 14:25

ST. PETERSBURGH PLACE, BAYSWATER, W2

Share Of Freehold - £985,000

A charming two bedroom apartment in Bayswater with private garden and communal gardens. This property represents an ideal investment or pied a terre. A superb location within easy reach of all the first class shopping and transport facilities readily to hand at Notting Hill Gate and Queensway – Central, Circle and District Lines. Comprising reception room, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, bathroom and garden.

ROWALLAN ROAD, FULHAM, SW6

Freehold For Sale - £1,350,000

A generous four bedroom Victorian terraced house in Muster Village, with planning approved for a basement and conversion into two apartments, if required. At present the property comprises 1,632 sq.ft. with a small patio garden. Within easy reach of both Parsons Green and Fulham Broadway Stations and the exit routes from London – A4. Munster Village has an array of bars, shops and restaurants.

HAYDENS PLACE - PORTOBELLO ROAD, LONDON, W11

One of a development of five houses set behind a gated entrance off the world famous Portobello Road. An unexpected oasis of tranquillity. West facing, architect designed and totally refurbished. Arranged over two floors of excellent lateral living space with the benefit of a private patio leading to communal gardens. Circa 2,157 sq.ft. 3 reception rooms, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, two terraces and parking.

Freehold For Sale - ÂŁ4,500,000

HOLLAND PARK AVENUE, W11

ADDISON PLACE, W11

SO LD

Asking Price £890,000

ADDISON PLACE, W11 SO SOLD LD

Asking Price £1,950,000

HOLLAND PARK AVENUE, W11 SO LD

Asking Price £1,350,000

WHITEHALL COURT, SW1A

Asking Price £1,750,000

ABBOTSBURY ROAD, W14 SO SOLD LD

Asking Price £3,500,000

WHITEHALL COURT, SW1A SO LD

Asking Price £2,700,000

SO LD

Asking Price £8,950,000

HOLLAND PARK AVENUE, W11 SO SOLD LD

Asking Price £1,995,000

ADDISON PLACE, W11 SO LD

Asking Price £1,950,000

PRINCEDALE ROAD, W11

To Let £375 per week

Newly refurbished second floor flat in popular residential road within easy reach of the first class shopping and transport facilities readily to hand at Holland Park Avenue. Open plan living space with modern fitted kitchen, bedroom contemporary wet room and private roof terrace.

HOLLAND PARK AVENUE, W11

MELBURY ROAD, W14

Larger than average one bedroom flat in this attractive building just off Kensington High Street. The property is situated just moments from the gates of Holland Park. 900 sq.ft. with reception room, dining area, large bedroom, bathroom, galley kitchen and utility room.

To Let £550 ABINGDON ROAD, W8 per week

A spacious two double bedroom apartment which extends to 743 sq.ft. and offers generous accommodation. The first class shopping and transport facilities are readily to hand – the Underground Station, giving direct access to the City and West End.

To Let £650 per week

To Let £725 per week

A second floor apartment just off Kensington High Street. Recently decorated throughout with newly fitted carpets. Two double bedrooms, very large reception room, modern fitted kitchen with new appliances, bathroom. Utility bills included.

A perfect example of a late 70s build with original features throughout Matching people and property in London for 160 years.

Melbury Court W8 £4,750,000 An elegant and generously proportioned five-bedroom penthouse apartment, set in a prestigious gated development next to Holland Park. EPC=E

• Five bedrooms • Approx 2,700 sqft of living space • 5th floor with a lift & porter • Prime location Kensington Sales: 020 7368 4450 sales.kns@marshandparsons.co.uk

Ladbroke Road W11 £2,495,000 Configured over three floors, this is a wonderful opportunity to acquire a rarely available three-bedroom house on a prime Notting Hill road. Freehold. EPC=D

• Three bedrooms • Three reception rooms • Approx 1,258 sqft • Period house Notting Hill Sales: 020 7313 2890 sales.not@marshandparsons.co.uk

Marloes Road W8 £1,950,000 A spacious and well-maintained lateral flat with a large private garden, situated in the heart of Kensington and close to Earls Court underground station. Freehold. EPC=D

• Three bedrooms • Approx 1,600 sqft • Spacious garden • Open-plan Kensington Sales: 020 7368 4450 sales.kns@marshandparsons.co.uk

Proud sponsors of

3rd | 4th | 5th June

Royal Avenue

ÂŁ5,850,000

Chelsea SW3

freehold

A handsome, part stucco fronted grade II listed, 5 bedroom family house that has retained many of the original features & is located on the highly esteemed Royal Avenue in the heart of Chelsea. EPC rating E

Chelsea

020 7594 4740

sales.chelsea@chestertons.com

chestertons.com

Coleherne Court

Chelsea SW5

A tastefully designed, first floor 3 bedroom lateral apartment situated on the preferred Little Boltons side of this sought after mansion block, which has 24 hour porters & arguably one of the finest communal gardens in Kensington & Chelsea. EPC rating C

Chelsea

020 7594 4740

sales.chelsea@chestertons.com

ÂŁ3,100,000 share of freehold

Proud sponsors of

3rd | 4th | 5th June

Campden Hill Gardens

ÂŁ10,500,000

Kensington W8

freehold

A beautifully presented double fronted Victorian home which has been renovated to the highest of standards. Extending to over 4,300 sq ft, over 5 floors, the accommodation comprises a grand double reception room, a bespoke kitchen, 2 family rooms, 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 3 cloakrooms & a stunning decked terrace with wonderful rooftop views across London. EPC Rating D

Kensington

020 7937 7244

sales.kensington@chestertons.com

chestertons.com

Napier Place

Holland Park W14

A newly built 3 double bedroom house quietly tucked away in this pretty cobbled mews. Spread over 1,800 sq. ft the accommodation comprises a dual aspect reception room, a fully fitted eat-in kitchen & living room, 3 en-suite bathrooms, a laundry room & a cloakroom. Other features include in-built Sonos & under floor heating throughout the living space. EPC rating B

Kensington

020 7937 7244

sales.kensington@chestertons.com

ÂŁ2,795,000 freehold

Established 1897

QUEENSBERRY PLACE, South Kensington SW7 This fabulous seven bedroom stucco fronted period townhouse (approximately 6732sq ft / 625.4sq m) has been totally refurbished and interior designed in a contemporary style. Benefitting from extensive entertaining space, the property boasts an enormous first-floor drawing room (approximately 42ft / 12.74m long) and seven bedrooms. There is also substantial storage facilities in the basement. Queensberry Place is located in the heart of South Kensington, moments from the world class cultural facilities of the area with The Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum on it’s doorstep. Ideally located also for Chelsea and Knightsbridge and within walking distance of Hyde Park, this would make a perfect family residence. EPC rating D Guide price: £12,500,000 Freehold 020 7225 5911 mark.greenway@harrodsestates.com

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE: 82 BROMPTON ROAD LONDON SW3 1ER T: +44 (0)20 7225 6506 MAYFAIR OFFICE: 61 PARK LANE LONDON W1K 1QF T: +44 (0)20 7409 9001 CHELSEA OFFICE: 58 FULHAM ROAD LONDON SW3 6HH T: +44 (0)20 7225 6700 KENSINGTON OFFICE: 48-50 KENSINGTON CHURCH STREET W8 4DG T: +44 (0)20 3650 4600

HARRODSESTATES.COM @HarrodsEstates

Established 1897

HOLLAND PARK, Kensington W11 A spacious, two bedroom apartment (983sq ft/ 91sq m) located on the lower ground floor of an attractive, period building. The apartment benefits from a large reception room, open plan kitchen, master bedroom and second bedroom, both with ensuite, a study area, as well as a private patio. Holland Park is one of London’s premier addresses, situated close to Holland Park itself and is near to the shops, cafés, restaurants and excellent transport links that Holland Park Avenue and the surrounding area have to offer. EPC rating E Guide price: £1,195,000 Leasehold: Approximately 96 years remaining 020 3650 4600 nicholas.shaw@harrodsestates.com

HARRODSESTATES.COM @HarrodsEstates

ELYSTAN PLACE, CHELSEA SW3

£2,200,000

LEASEHOLD

• THREE BEDROOMS • THREE BATHROOMS • RECEPTION ROOM • • CHELSEA GREEN LOCATION • PORTER • LIFT • UNGERGROUND PARKING • EPC F •

CHELSEA OFFICE 2 Cale Street, London SW3 3QU +44 (0)20 7581 5011 chelseaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk

henryandjames.co.uk

RALSTON STREET, CHELSEA SW3

£695 PER WEEK • ONE DOUBLE BEDROOM • ONE BATHROOM • LARGE RECEPTION ROOM • • HIGH CEILINGS • BAY WINDOWS • COMMUNAL GARDENS • RECENTLY REFURBISHED • EPC E • Plus £240 Tenancy Fee and £60 Referencing Fee (per person)

CHELSEA OFFICE 2 Cale Street, London SW3 3QU +44 (0)20 7581 5011 chelseaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk

henryandjames.co.uk

RUTLAND COURT, KNIGHTSBRIDGE, SW7 A refurbished 5th floor lateral apartment of approx. 1739 sq.ft, with panoramic views of Hyde Park. The property offers a grand reception room/dining room with park views, fitted kitchen, 3 en suite bedrooms all with under floor heating and air conditioning. This classic period building is one of the most prestigious places to live in Knightsbridge, with excellent porters, video entry phone and lift. There is also a gym and a spa with an instructor who attends each week. The proximity to Hyde Park makes for an excellent lifestyle. EPC Rating C.

PRICE: £6,200,000 SHARE OF FREEHOLD

AIX-EN-PROVENCE • BERLIN • BROOKLYN • CANNES • COURCHEVEL • DOHA • GENEVA • GSTAAD • LAKE COMO • LONDON • MADRID • MALTA • MANHATTAN • MAURITIUS • MEGEVE

www.john-taylor.com

JUBILEE PLACE, CHELSEA, SW3 A period Chelsea townhouse with great street appeal, fully modernised and with a front garden and garage. The property mixes a traditional style, with up to date conveniences such as a centralised audio visual system with wireless control, Lutron QS intelligent building lighting, underfloor heating and comfort cooling. There is a cinema/TV room with complete hi-tech discreet surround sound system, a separate gym and a top of the range Bofi kitchen, open plan with a dining area. The three bedrooms and the staff room all have en suite bath/shower rooms. All furniture is available by separate negotiation. EPC Rating C.

PRICE: £6,950,000 FREEHOLD

John Taylor UK 48 Berkeley Square, London W1J 5AX Tel: 020 3284 1888 Email: london@john-taylor.com

MERIBEL • MIAMI • MILAN • MONACO • MOSCOW • PALM BEACH • PARIS • ST JEAN-CAP-FERRAT • ST PAUL DEVENCE • ST TROPEZ • THE HAMPTONS • VALBONNE

www.john-taylor.com

CLARENDON ROAD HOLLAND PARK W11

ÂŁ600,000 leasehold

www.century21uk.com/nottinghill

nottinghill@century21uk.com

PALACE GATE KENSINGTON W8

ÂŁ1,400 per week

10 Clarendon Road London W11 3AA

020 7229 1414

LOWER ADDISON GARDENS HOLLAND PARK W14

Located within Holland Park Conservation Area of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Lower Addison Gardens is an attractive cherry tree lined street off the northern end of Holland Villas Road. This house was built in 1858 and is exceptionally generously proportioned. Close to the centre of the southern terrace in arguably the best position in the street, it has a mature south-facing walled garden and a remarkably verdant outlook to the south over its own and adjacent well-stocked gardens. Comprehensively refurbished to a high standard about 10 years ago, the accommodation provides: principal bedroom suite with dressing room and sheltered terrace second suite (currently used as study) with dressing room • 3 further bedrooms with shower room drawing room with terrace • library/study • kitchen/breakfast/sitting room utility room • 2 guest cloakrooms • 50ft south-facing walled garden FREEHOLD

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LHP_336848 K&C Pereds June16.indd 1

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RHP

LANSDOWNE WALK NOTTING HILL W11

A rare unlisted double-fronted (about 40ft wide) mid-19th century low-built semi-detached house with an integral garage, linked self-contained flat and a large south-facing walled garden. The outlook to the front is over Hanover communal gardens, with entitlement to access, and the delightfully maintained garden at the rear adjoins other extensive gardens. The property has been in its present family occupation for nearly 30 years and is ripe for upgrading – and extending both above and below ground, if required, subject to the usual consents. The accommodation, with a floor area of 5,097 sq ft including loft and vault, is currently arranged to provide: 5 bedrooms • 2 bathrooms • shower room • drawing room • dining room • kitchen/breakfast/family room generous entrance hall • 2 studies • guest cloakroom • small conservatory • utility room garaging with workshop above • independent self-contained apartment with kitchen & bathroom 70ft south-facing garden • off-street parking FREEHOLD

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11:49

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BODENS bodensresidential.com

YEOMANS ROW, SW3 ÂŁ2,650 PER WEEK UNFURNISHED SUBJECT TO CONTRACT + ADMIN FEES APPLY

BRAND NEWLY REFURBISHED TOWNHOUSE Double Reception | Fully Fitted Kitchen/Dining Room | Master Bedroom | Dressing Area | En-suite Bathroom With

lettings@bodensresidential.com

020 7225 0433

102 Draycott Avenue Chelsea SW3 4AD

KENSINGTON GATE, W8 ÂŁ8,150,000 SUBJECT TO CONTRACT

BODENS bodensresidential.com

sales@bodensresidential.com

020 7589 2000

Lexham Gardens, Kensington W8

£3,950,000

A stunning two bedroom apartment situated on the first floor of an imposing Victorian white stucco fronted building presented in excellent condition. The property has fantastic volume with unexpectedly generous ceiling heights, providing superb living accommodation and entertaining space throughout. Approximately 1,732 sq ft (161 sq m). Master bedroom with dressing room and en suite bathroom | further bedroom with en suite shower room | Double reception room | Kitchen |Study | Sauna | Large south facing terrace | Caretaker | Lift

Share of Freehold

© 2016 UK Sotheby’s International Realty. All rights reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty is a registered trademark licensed to UK Sotheby’s International Realty in the UK. Each offïce is independently owned and operated. All information non - contractual, approximate and subject to error, change and withdrawal without notice. Rent excludes administration fees. Please contact our offïces who can provide this information.

sothebysrealty.co.uk

Brompton Road, Knightsbridge SW3 ÂŁ1,575,000 Situated in the heart of Knightsbridge, this well presented apartment is located on the seventh floor and offers 703 sq ft of living accommodation with a separate kitchen and living room. The property has two well-proportioned bedrooms and two bathrooms (one en suite) and also benefits from 24 hour concierge and a lift. Approximately 703 sq ft (65 sq m). Master bedroom with en suite bathroom | Second bedroom with en suite shower room | Reception room | Kitchen | Lift | 24 hour concierge

Leasehold approximately 171 years

Southwell Gardens, Kensington SW7 ÂŁ2,350 per week

A beautifully refurbished two double bedroom apartment on the first floor of a period building, moments from Gloucester Road station. With grand ceiling height and beautiful proportions this apartment is available fully furnished and boasts many hi-tech appliances. Approximately 1,077 sq ft (100 sq m). Two double bedrooms with en suite shower rooms | Kitchen | Living room/ dining room | Balcony

Available furnished for a long let

t | +44 (0)20 7495 9580 e | london@sothebysrealty.co.uk

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PROPERTY

Vilamoura Dreaming Find contemporary architecture, sweeping landscapes and modern living in a new townhouse, villa or apartment at L’Orangerie, a stunning seven-hectare residential development at the heart of the Algarve

PLENTY OF PORTUGUESE influence has come to London in the past few years, chief among them Michelin-starred chef Nuno Mendes and FarFetch. com founder Jose Neves, who acquired Browns of South Molton Street last year. Portugal’s own call is just as strong, and is about to become even more so thanks to developer Vilamoura World. At the heart of the Algarve lies Vilamoura, a modern resort town where there are already some 10,000 residents. It prides itself on a 825-berth marina (which is undergoing a €50m upgrade with a new yacht club and all-year ice rink to come), golden beaches and five golf courses. Twenty minutes from Faro airport, tennis, watersport and equestrian enthusiasts will find no shortage of fun, with a burgeoning live music scene for evening entertainment. L’Orangerie, Vilamoura’s seven-hectare €10m residential development, is in its second phase: 32 new units are soon to be added to the existing 61, home to 30 families and 12 nationalities of buyers. The phase two launch took place at CBRE London, the agent on the project, in May and it will be ready next summer. The non-habitual residents’ tax scheme was introduced to Portugal in 2009 and its benefits are valid for 10 years. Providing that foreign source income is taxed at source, only the resident’s wages earned in Portugal will be taxed; there is no inheritance tax or gift tax between parents and children or spouses. Anyone can benefit from the regime, regardless of passport – those that do not hold an EU passport may acquire a permit. L’Orangerie’s new offering includes 18 two-bedroom townhouses (from £336,000) with private gardens and enclosed patios; six three-bedroom villas (from £718,000) with private swimming pools; and eight one to three-bedroom apartments (from £245,000) where contemporary architecture is complimented by sleek interior design. All have sweeping views of the luscious landscape – and if any further excuse is possibly required, all enjoy more than 300 days of sun a year. lorangerie.pt

From top: villa with private garden and swimming pool; aerial view of phases one and two; L’Orangerie gardens; a duplex lounge

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Whether you seek a beach, boating or golf estate, historic home, private island or quality condominium, Sinclair Realty LLC represents Bermuda’s most beautiful homes. We look forward to providing you with the private listing access, depth of expertise and ‘above and beyond’ service that is the Sinclair hallmark.

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sinclairrealty.com

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E estates@logic.bm

Available seven days a week

10/05/2016 11:28 AM

facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Porto Rotondo, Italy

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Waterfront Villa in Sardiniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Price on Application

With its own beautiful beach, private mooring, fabulous views over the bay and one hectare of impressive grounds, this spacious villa is the ultimate Sardinian retreat. The villa has been designed to encompass its surroundings with open planned reception rooms that lead on to patios with views across the sea, and it has its own private pool which directly adjoins the beach. This stunning home is located near the renowned area of Porto Rotondo, the Marina, while the equally well known Porto Cervo is a short drive away.

Lulu Egerton 020 7225 3866 lulu.egerton@struttandparker.com

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

In the Pipeline London’s prime residential property pipeline is growing rapidly, with more than 35,000 new units – worth a grand total of £77bn – expected to come into play in the next ten years. That’s a 40% increase on 2014’s pipeline, says construction consultancy giant Arcadis, but development costs are escalating and a slowing global economy is driving buyer demand downwards. As a result, many investors are looking to move to more profitable pastures. Surprisingly, Chelsea and Fulham have more new homes planned that any other region of prime London: 10,914 units are in the pipeline here worth around £20bn, compared to 8,863 on the Southbank and 5,898 in the City & Fringe area. Increasing land values coupled with a lack of capacity in the construction sector have driven the cost of building prime property up significantly, notes Arcadis, while “interest from would-be buyers appears to have peaked due to successive stamp duty reforms and global economic slowdown stemming interest from some overseas markets”.

Cashing In New figures have shown that 40% of the properties purchased in prime London over the last three months were bought in cash, as investors charged on the capital. The Q1 data from Marsh & Parsons confirms what we already knew – that investors piled in to beat the SDLT surcharge deadline on 1 April – but it also provides some great take-home stats. The firm says that 36% of all sales from January to March were made to buyto-let investors, representing a significant spike from the 26% recorded in Q4 2015, and a sudden reversal of the recent trend of weakening investor influence. Investors’ share of the market had been in slow decline last year since peaking in Q4 2014 at 37%. Those buying an additional residence became the second most prominent type of buyer, seeing an even bigger jump in market share quarter-on-quarter. Second-home owners accounted for nearly a quarter (23%) of all Q1 property purchases, says the firm, up from just 14% in Q4 2015. Together, buy-to-let investors and secondhome owners were behind three-fifths (59%) of all purchases in prime London during Q1. In PCL, the figure breached three-quarters (76%). With investors effectively running the show, the proportion of cash purchases rose as a result. Two-fifths (40%) of all property purchases in prime London were made by cash buyers in Q1, an increase from 34% in Q4 2015, and 36% a year ago. In prime central London, this rose to almost half (46%).

Invest in the Best Managing Director of CENTURY 21 Sophia Elena, Elena Dimova discusses the importance of investing in the very best when it comes to your estate agent

What is important when choosing an estate agent to represent you? Some would suggest that you invite a few agents to inspect your property and then pick the agent who has offered the highest market valuation and lowest fees. Think of your local bakery taking hot croissants out of the oven in the morning and the queue of people wanting to get their hands on one. Is the demand the same late in the afternoon or the next day, even if you reduce the price? Unlikely. The next day buyers want fresh croissants. When a property is initially launched onto the market, it is distributed to the widest pool of people, from your agent’s applicants and contacts to every current buyer registered through the main portals, as buyers receive alerts for new properties. If you reduce the property price later, you are appealing to a small group of new people and trying to sell a reduced and now potentially stale product. It is crucial that the marketing price is right from day one. I strongly advise against choosing an agent who tells you what you want to hear. Instead, consider the agent’s comparable evidence and analysis to help you decide on the marketing price. Select the one who impresses you with their market knowledge, negotiating skills, and that you feel you can trust. The presentation of your property should not be underestimated. It will determine the success of engagement with buyers. Will your agent hire the best photographers? Will they strategically check the weather forecast and plan for the time of day when the light will flatter your property the most? Will they help stage the property and attend the photoshoot to ensure all the best angles are taken? This applies to viewings just as much. Will your agent agree to reduce their fees? That is the worst false economy. If an agent agrees within five minutes of meeting you to reduce their fees, how hard do you think they will fight to get the best price for your property? After all, you are hiring an agent for their negotiating skills. If you are in business and a client asks you to provide the same knowledge, experience and product for 25% less, can you deliver? If you had to deal with a serious legal problem, would you hire the cheapest lawyer? So, how will you approach hiring the professional who will help you sell perhaps the single biggest real asset you own? CENTURY 21 Sophia Elena, 10 Clarendon Road, W11 3AA 020 7229 1414; century21uk.com

PROPERTY

PrimeQResi Journal of Prime Property

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Home Sweet Home nick crayson, founder of Crayson, advises people to get comfortable in their London homes because, due to the rise in stamp duty, they won’t be able to leave them for many years to come

Image courtesy of: PrimeLocation

Ten a Penny One of the biggest open-market instructions of the year has launched on Kensington’s ultra-prime Upper Phillimore Gardens. This ultra-luxury 12,260 sq ft pile at the north western end of the street has hit the market for £36m, which works out at just shy of £3k per sq ft. Highlights include a glorious drawing room with a bay leading out to the garden, a huge south-facing kitchen/breakfast room, and a leisure complex in the basement. We counted a total of ten bedrooms and ten bathrooms. John D Wood & Co has bagged the trophy instruction.

Top of the Charts Going by the number of notices served, Kensington & Chelsea has the busiest planning enforcement team in the country, according to new figures released by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The team served up 27 Temporary Stop Notices to unruly residents and developers last year, which was more than any other local authority in the UK and 11% of the total number recorded nationwide. The figures are being put down to a “zero tolerance” stance on breaches of Construction Traffic Management Plans, which have to be put in place for any basement development that requires planning permission. RBKC has been cracking down on any infringements and serving up Temporary Stop Notices and Breach of Condition Notices at once. Further works are then deemed a criminal offence and subject to a chunky fine. “Our approach is tough but fair,” said Councillor Timothy Coleridge, cabinet member for Planning Policy, “which leaves all parties under no illusion of the importance of complying with CTMPs. “We have been serving more Temporary Stop Notices than the rest of the country since June last year,” he continued. “They are the quickest and most powerful tool to prevent construction traffic from unreasonably impacting on our residents, which is why we do not use them sparingly. In the future we expect to be serving fewer of these notices.”

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HOW DO YOU see your home? To many it is just a debt trap that has sucked up too much cash as equity. Property does not behave like any stock or financial instrument – its unpredictability can create distrust and even fear. Any local oligarchs buying their £5m mansion will have to cough up £513,000 of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), plus around £20,000 of extra costs. And if one is having to leverage with a loanto-value of 75/25, that is almost £1.8m of hard-earned wedge that could potentially go up the Swanee. There are no financial instruments or stocks anywhere in the world with such an onerous buying cost as our new highest band of stamp duty. There is the buying/selling ‘spread’, however, and maybe we need to take this into consideration. A yield can be earned through rental, but with capital values where they are in relation to rents, yields are topping out currently at 3% max. Unlike other financial investments, you can live within a bricks-and-mortar investment, and this is what sets property apart from anything else.

The Chancellor’s SDLT policy makes the possibility of staying in the same home for longer much more likely Owners want to predict the behaviour of the market, but the model is now so macro that it is impossible to say. Property ‘experts’ can share their vision of the future, but more often than not they are completely wrong. It is almost impossible to give an exact picture of where the property market is at any one stage. Local markets invariably differ from the national picture. The investor market reacts differently to the usual residential market and the various property price bandings all have their own and completely unique behavioural patterns. Even estate agents giving market appraisals to potential sellers illustrate the lack of clarity, with an often vast and varied spread in pricing. The Chancellor’s SDLT policy makes the possibility of staying in the same home for longer much more likely. So my advice would be to get comfortable. Crayson, 10 Lambton Place, W11 2SH, 020 7221 1117, crayson.com

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The Three Musketeers John Fentener van Vlissingen knows a good investment when he sees one. Olivia Sharpe speaks to the Dutch billionaire, who two years ago invested in new London boutique estate agency, Nicolas Van Patrick

There is no denying that the UK’s property market is topsy-turvy at the moment. With buy-to-let jitters, the weakening pound and the looming threat of Brexit, all UK estate agencies can do is sit and wait until the EU referendum on 23 June. And yet, you wouldn’t know of this uncertain climate at Nicolas Van Patrick. Two years on from setting up their independent estate agency on Knightsbridge’s Montpelier Street and the property duo is thriving, continuing to sell, let and acquire properties in Kensington, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Belgravia and parts of Mayfair for clients in spite of these turbulent times. One person they have to thank for this is Dutch businessman (and incidentally one of the wealthiest men in the Netherlands), John Fentener van Vlissingen – who you may have surmised, puts the ‘Van’ in Nicolas Van Patrick. Dressed in a sharp tailored suit, the shrewd septuagenarian shows no signs of slowing down, despite the fact that rumours of his retirement have been circulating. While he’s softly spoken and jovial, there is a forthrightness in his manner that makes one instantly pay attention for when it comes to real estate, this is by no means new territory to him. John is the founder and owner of BCD Travel (formerly BCD Holdings), which today is the third largest business travel company in the world, but when it initially started out in 1975 it was a real estate company. It wasn’t until 1987 that it purchased WorldTravel Advisors. This then merged with BTI Americas in 1999 to form WorldTravel BTI, before eventually being renamed

BCD Travel in 2006. John has therefore been investing in global real estate for more than four decades. However, he admits that backing Nicolas Van Patrick was his first significant London property investment for many years. “Although in the old days I was a big investor here, I was involved more in office buildings, which we later sold on,” he comments. The son of an English mother, John has many ties to the UK. He arrived in England straight after the war at the age of seven and attended boarding school. He then studied in London and reminisces how he used to live on Chelsea’s smart and fashionable Tite Street. “It sounds glamorous, but in reality we were five men sharing one bathroom,” he says, smiling. “I remember there was no central heating, just a gas stove which you would have to put shillings in at night otherwise it would be freezing.” Although he still lives close by to his old student digs, you can be sure that it’s a much grander affair. John inherited his business acumen from his forefathers. His grandfather ran SHV Holdings, the Netherlands-based energy company, which John’s father successfully diversified following the collapse of the coal market. However, John did not immediately follow in his family’s footsteps and instead went to work in Wall Street before founding his own business empire. The investor understands better than most the blood, sweat and tears of setting up one’s own business and this is no doubt what attracted

John has been investing in global real estate for more than four decades

property

Portrait photography: Sarel Jansen

him to Nicolas Van Patrick. Indeed, his introduction to the founders proved serendipitous. Meeting the pair by chance in one of their competitor’s offices, John was immediately struck by Nicolas Pejacsevich’s unusual surname, it being the same as a former client of his when he worked in banking. The three got to talking and it didn’t take much before they convinced John to get on board with their concept of a boutique London estate agency, having 40 years combined experience in the property industry (not to mention fluency in six languages). As an entrepreneur, John is clearly not risk adverse, but did he still have to muster up some Dutch courage to invest in London’s unstable property market? “No, not to all,” he answers, simply. “I agree that the market is pretty dull at the moment, but I am a long-term investor. London is very much an international city with international people coming in.” But what if the vote goes in favour of Brexit this June? “I really don’t find that so important,” he responds. “The market could go further down depending on the votes, but this won’t have a long-term impact. All of London’s attractions won’t just walk away.” John also argues that the UK’s political stability and the fact that English is the people’s first language makes it a universally appealing place for international investors. This opinion is very much shared by the property duo. “There’s still an enormous amount of liquidity in the system and people look to a place like London for its stability, flexibility and anonymity,” says Patrick Alvarado. Nicolas and Patrick have found that some good can come out of such uncertain times. After the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2009, for instance, overseas clients in the US and Europe took advantage of the weaker pound, and they have found this to be the case again. The pair has had to weather the storm

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somewhat, but for John, he believes this to be a good thing because only in times of adversity can businesses truly prove their strength. Although there is an old myth that one’s emotions should never play a hand in business, John does not go by this philosophy. “In my life I have been a really good buyer and a really bad seller,” he says. “Because I love my business and I want to see it get bigger. I know it’s about numbers, but that’s not the only thing. You need to have some emotional attachment to it.” This is no doubt why he gets on so well with Nicolas and Patrick. “We love coming to work,” says Nicolas. “It has been a tough time in this area, but it has meant that we’ve got to learn about other sides of our business, such as lettings, which is now flourishing and expanding.” Patrick believes that the way the market is currently going, mid-level agencies will struggle as they are bought out by larger companies and so what will be left is the big agencies and smaller boutiques. They are therefore adamant that no matter how much money was hypothetically thrown at them, they would never accept going back to work for a bigger company because for them it is about offering a personal, tailor-made service. For John, this was the other major factor that attracted him to the idea of a boutique agency: “There is more service and it’s more direct. You see the same in the banking world where you’re treated as number three instead of a client. Here you can get the service that you need and I like that.” This personal approach directly relates to the Royal Borough in which Nicolas Van Patrick primarily operates. With its community feel and anonymity, it surpasses all other areas in London for John. “I always like a view and I know that’s a luxury, but if you look at Chelsea you have such wonderful greenness. Take the King’s Road with all of its small, independent shops. It’s still got a personalised feel and it’s a nice neighbourhood to walk around in.” This idyllic picture of the capital is certainly an apt description and one that John insists will never change. As he simply puts it, “London will stay London.” Amen to that. Nicolas Van Patrick, 20 Montpelier Street, SW7, nicolasvanpatrick.com

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20 Montpelier Street Knightsbridge London SW7 1HD

RAWLINGS STREET, SW3 4 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms (2 en suites) | WC | Double Reception Room | Kitchen/ Dining Room | Study | Utility | 1,901 sq ft | 2 Juliet Balconies | Patio Garden | EPC E An extremely attractive five storey west-facing house, positioned in the heart of Chelsea. Its ideal location at the preferred southern end of the street, is close to the excellent shopping and transport facilities of both Sloane Square (District & Circle lines) and the much celebrated Kings Road. This soughtafter property is presently let until June 2017 and would make a superb rental investment for the incoming purchaser, after which vacant possession could be easily attained, if desired.

ÂŁ3,700,000, STC Freehold

UPPER CHEYNE ROW, SW3 2 Bedrooms | Bathroom | Kitchen/Reception Room | 760 sq ft | Roof Terrace | EPC D A charming mews house tucked away down this appealing walkway, lined with flora, in Old Chelsea. The cottage possesses quintessential character whilst providing desirable contemporary living. The expansive reception room with a large sash window, fireplace and ceiling spotlights throughout; provides great proportions and opens onto a modern integrated kitchen to the rear, with light well above, perfect for entertaining. The feature glass staircase leads to the upper accommodation comprising two double bedrooms, a fully fitted bathroom and superb roof terrace with decking.

ÂŁ750 Per Week Unfurnished

T: +44 (0)20 3770 3474

info@nicolasvanpatrick.com

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Queen’s Gate Terrace, SW7 1,511 SQ.FT/140 SQ.M

A bright and very well-proportioned 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom family apartment with direct lift access. Occupying the fourth & fifth floors, the spacious reception room has access to a private terrace which has superb roof top views.

Price £2,450,000

SHARE OF FREEHOLD

020 7590 9339

Queen’s Gate Terrace, SW7 1012 SQ.FT / 94 SQ.M

A spectacular two bedroom raised ground floor maisonette which has been refurbished and interior designed to an impeccable standard. High ceilings, herringbone parquet floors and a private south facing patio.

Price £1.895,000

SHARE OF FREEHOLD

020 7590 9339

38 GLOUCESTER ROAD, SW7

WWW.DOMINICLONDON.COM

SALES@DOMINICLONDON.COM

Your Central London Paradise

With private landscaped gardens an apartment at Chelsea Island offers a serene paradise in London. Spacious rooms located only minutes away from the iconic River Thames while the city bustles away on its doorstep. With 1 to 4 bedroom apartments starting from ÂŁ1,045,000* come and discover just how tranquil it is for yourself. chelseaisland.com | 0800 540 4377 *Prices correct at time of print.

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings

Drawing of St Dunstan-in-the-West by SPAB Scholar Ptolomy Dean

Founded by William Morris, the SPAB protects the historic environment from decay, damage and demolition. It responds to threats to old buildings, trains building professionals, craftspeople, homeowners and volunteers and gives advice about maintenance and repairs. Since 1877 countless buildings have been saved for future generations.

Information about maintaining your home is available through events, courses, lectures, publications and telephone advice. To support our work why not join the SPAB? Members receive a quarterly magazine, our list of historic properties for sale and access to our regional activities.

www.spab.org.uk 020 7377 1644 A charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales. Company no: 5743962 Charity no: 1113753 37 Spital Square, London E1 6DY

PROPERTY

PrimeQResi

Property News

Journal of Prime Property

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

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Sold price compared with initial asking price

Price paid compared with initial asking price (by price band)

Percentage of prime central London properties where asking price was reduced before sale/let

Properties sold with a reduction of 10% or more off initial asking price (by area)

Charts by LonRes

Clean Cut A third of properties listed for sale in RBKC have had their asking price trimmed, with roughly 40% of homes on the market in Earl’s Court having been subject to a price cut, and 35% of those in Chelsea and Knightsbridge. But that’s not to say actual sale prices are falling, notes property analysis firm Propcision. At least, not yet. The average price reduction across the Royal Borough is, according to these workings, around 8% of the original asking price, and the Royal Borough is just the most extreme of a wider trend across London. Any reductions in price on existing stock appear, however, to be bringing asking prices back to the same level as last year – rather than indicating falling real house prices across the market. Looking at an array of metrics that might forewarn of an upward or downward “directional market” – time on the market, sales volumes, stock levels, underlying price per square foot – Propcision has come to the conclusion that “some areas [of London] are experiencing resistance to higher prices” and therefore suggests a correction or stagnation. Generally speaking, even though the public may see prices being reduced in these areas, pricing levels are basically on the same level as last year. New-builds, however, appear to be on more shaky ground: a heavy reliance on overseas money, a remarkable stretch of price growth over the last few years, and the Treasury’s recent spate of tax amendments mean that the capital’s prime new-build market “may start to show demonstrable evidence of a downward trend” soon. Real-time property information resource LonRes has discovered that almost half (49%) of prime central London (PCL) properties sold during the first three months of the year had their asking price reduced before a sale was agreed. That’s up from 40% in Q1 2015 and just 27% in Q1 2014. A combination of shifting sentiment, higher transaction costs and a fall in the number of overseas buyers are all impacting the prime central London market, says the LonRes research team. By comparing initial asking prices with achieved prices, the results shed light on the impact of both an increase in the proportion of properties having to reduce their asking price and more “aggressive” offers from potential buyers. Agreed sale prices for PCL properties sold in Q1 2016 were, on average, 9.1% below the initial asking price (defined as the price the property was first listed at). The £5m+ range saw the biggest average discount though, with such properties

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achieving 11.1% less than the initial asking price. The number of big (10% plus) discounts has also been increasing over the last two years, says the firm. In Q1 2014, 20% of properties in PCL sold for less than 90% of their initial asking price and this figure shot up to 45% of properties in Q1 2016 (Q1 2015: 33%). Drilling down into neighbourhood level, all areas of prime London have seen falls in achieved prices compared with the initial asking price, but the most expensive areas (in £psf terms) have generally seen the chunkiest discounts. Over half of all properties sold in Q1 2016 across Knightsbridge and Belgravia (59%) and Mayfair and Marylebone (56%) went for 10% or more off the initial asking price.

Making Noises A new noise regime has come into force as part of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea’s new Code of Construction Practice. Noisy works are now outlawed borough-wide at weekends, following the abolition of permitted hours on Saturdays, and residents are being urged to report any breach of the rules. The new code also introduces a further set of restricted hours for high impact activities, like demolition and concrete breaking. Permitted hours of noisy work (audible at boundary) include: • 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday • At no time Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays Restricted hours for high impact activities (e.g. all demolition and concrete-breaking works): • 9am to 12-noon and 2pm to 5:30pm Monday to Friday • At no time Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays The rule was prompted by many years of complaints from local residents, says RBKC Councillor Tim Ahern. The new code – which is being phased in and enforced through the use of Control of Pollution Act 1974 powers – sets out best practice and standards expected in the borough, and aims to improve communication between developers, contractors, and neighbours.

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13-14 VICARAGE GATE KENSINGTON W8

Eight exceptional apartments spanning two period townhouses, refurbished to the highest standards. Immaculately finished modern interiors complemented by period features.

Features include: Elegant marble hallway. Oak flooring, ceiling cornices and marble fireplaces.

Quiet residential street conveniently situated off Kensington Church Street.

Lutron lighting.

Kensington Gardens, boutique shops, restaurants, and transport links of Kensington High Street a short stroll away.

Underfloor heating, comfort cooling and soundproofing throughout.

A beautiful example of quintessential English living in London.

Lift access and additional storage space.

All apartments are ready for immediate occupation from summer 2016 Tenure: Share of Freehold. Ground Rent: Peppercorn Service Charge: Approx. £5 psf Parking: RBKC Residents Permit Guide Price: Studios from £850,000, 3 bedrooms from £4,350,000

020 7318 4677 newhomes@struttandparker.com www.struttandparker.com

Northacre and 13-14 Vicarage Gate Ltd

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Rosary Gardens, South Kensington SW7

A bright and large one bedroom apartment with a balcony on the first floor of a period building in South Kensington.

Portland Road, Notting Hill W11

An immaculate four bedroom family house that benefits from excellent entertaining space and a lovely eastfacing garden.

£495 per week* Furnished

South Kensington 020 7581 7000 southken@struttandparker.com

£2,500 per week* Unfurnished

* The following Tenant charges may apply prior to tenancy commencement: Tenancy Agreement £222 (inv VAT) Credit Reference per application £54 (inc VAT). All advertised prices are excluded and other associated services.

Notting Hill 020 7221 1111

nottinghill.lettings@struttandparker.com

Lennox Gardens Mews, Knightsbridge SW1X

This superb mews house offers flexible and spacious accommodation with parking for up to three cars.

£2,950 per week* Furnished/Unfurnished

Stafford Terrace, Kensington W8

This attractive, Victorian house has been completely refurbished to an extremely high standard by the current owner.

Knightsbridge 020 3813 5116

knightsbridge.lettings@struttandparker.com

£6,250 per week* Unfurnished

Kensington 020 3813 9411

kensington.lettings@struttandparker.com

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Neville Street, South Kensington SW7

An immaculate three double bedroom first, second and third floor maisonette with its own front door in an impressive stucco building in the heart of South Kensington.

ÂŁ2,750,000 Leasehold

Chelsea 020 3813 9448 chelsea@struttandparker.com

Pont Street, Knightsbridge SW1

A meticulously refurbished first floor apartment finished to an exceptional standard with elegant proportions and a wealth of natural light throughout.

ÂŁ3,495,000 Leasehold

Knightsbridge 020 3813 9270 knightsbridge@struttandparker.com JSA: Savills 020 7581 5234

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struttandparker.com

Rosary Gardens, South Kensington SW7

Having been completely refurbished and interior designed by the current owners, this luminous three bedroom maisonette displays vast attention to detail.

£3,500,000 Leasehold

Chelsea SW10 - 020 3813 9587 chelseaSW10@struttandparker.com

South Kensington 020 7581 7000 southken@struttandparker.com

Strutt & Parker, London’s premier estate agents. Now near the museums. Youllbegladyousaurus. Whether you’re buying, selling, renting or letting, head for our new South Kensington office at 90 Old Brompton Road. You’ll be there in two shakes of a T.Rex’s tail.

90 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3LQ 020 7581 7000 | struttandparker.com

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