Marylebone & Fitzrovia Magazine January 2018

MARYLEBONE

& FITZROVIA JANUARY 2018 s issue 020 s £5

Flights of FANCY Get carried away dreaming of opulent interiors and Michelin-starred cuisine

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this A guide to the must-see art exhibitions of 2018

s AN EDITION OF THE MAYFAIR MAGAZINE s

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contents

18 68

regulars 10. Editor’s letter

76

42 fashion

high life

40. Style her

74. Food & drink news

14. Couture culture

42. Fashion shoot Ski season chic

75. Restaurant review: The Square

16. Spotlight: Don’t sweat it Discover St James’s new gyms disguised as luxury private members’ clubs

50. Figure of speech Marianne Dick finds local influence in Darkest Hour, the new Churchill biopic

76. Star power Russell Higham takes a taste of London’s six new Michelin stars

18. Profile: Claire Foy The Crown actress takes to the silver screen – not a moment too soon, says Karen Anne Overton

55. Style him

81. Travel news

25. Prize lots

56. Beauty news

82. Suite dreams: The Savoy

57. Spa review: La Prairie’s Caviar Volumising Facial

84. City break: Singapore

culture

26. Great exhibitions Where to go and what to see on the cultural circuit

24. Art news

collection 32. Jewellery news

60. Health tech essentials Innovative creations for an active new year, as chosen by Rob Crossan

33. Objects of desire

interiors

12. Five minutes with...

Revd Lucy Winkett of St James’s Church, Piccadilly

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34. Trend setting Mhairi Graham profiles modern pearls, swinging pendants and punk-infused precious jewels 36. Watch news

86. Warmer glories Lizzie Pook looks to Cambodia’s bright future 90. Off the road Hugh Francis Anderson tests out the new Maserati Levante S

66. Interiors news 68. House style Interior designer Ed Ng gives Ellen Millard the inside track on international design

95. Remembering Mayfair D.R. Harris & Co.

property 96. Property news

editor

From the JANUARY 2018

Editor Hannah Lemon Deputy Editor Camilla Apcar Assistant Editors Marianne Dick Ellen Millard Contributing Editor Lauren Romano Jewellery Editor Mhairi Graham Watch Editor Richard Brown Senior Designer Daniel Poole Senior Designer & Brand Consistency Laddawan Juhong Production Alice Ford Jamie Steele Hugo Wheatley General Manager Fiona Smith Executive Director Sophie Roberts Commercial Director Andrew Turner Managing Director Eren Ellwood

Proudly published by

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

“My tastes are simple: I am easily satisfied with the best” - Winston Churchill Famed for his penchant for champagne, rich food and bespoke tailoring, Winston Churchill liked to indulge in the finer things in life. While this might be a tad lavish for the start of the new year, we can’t help but be swayed by his tastes with the release of Darkest Hour, an homage to the prime minister’s strength and determination in the build up to the Second World War. The award-winning costume designer for the film, Jacqueline Durran, reveals the sartorial masterminds behind his on-screen outfits: the esteemed boutiques of Mayfair and St James’s (p.50). As for decadent meals, we pick the best Michelin-starred restaurants to visit in London (p.76), and 2018’s top art exhibitions (p.26). We think the late politician would also approve of what Claire Foy has to say about Her Majesty The Queen in the latest season of The Crown (p.18), although perhaps less so of our round-up of new luxury gyms (p.16). But it is January after all.

Hannah Lemon Editor

On the

cover

the mayfair magazine: winston churchill, image ©Yousuf Karsh/ Camera Press (p.50); marylebone & fitzrovia magazine: hand-painted de Gournay Namba, image credit: Jérôme Galland (p.66)

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regulars

I live right next to St James’s Church. I love the fact that I can walk to The Red Lion pub or the theatre.

I know the people who sleep on the streets by name – we often have a conversation and I always say hello.

Our church was dedicated in 1684. Each

I was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and grew up in

week we have up to six concerts and run a lively market, too.

Chalfont St Peter in Buckinghamshire.

If I hadn’t been ordained, I would have tried to be a professional singer. I trained

There’s a great congregation on Sundays.

I love being alongside them as they live their lives – through good times and bad.

as a soprano at the Royal College of Music.

Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, is a great inspiration. He speaks about

In the summer, we hosted an iftar and 300 Muslims and Christians all met together for a discussion on homelessness and then broke the fast together.

The National Youth Theatre is coming to perform their new play, Host, in January. It’s great to see young people expressing themselves and acting out their own material.

I was the first female canon [priest] at St Paul’s Cathedral in its 1,400-year history, from 1998-2010. It was exhilarating and incredibly challenging.

5 mi nu t e s wi t h...

Revd Lucy Winkett The pastor of St James’s Church in Piccadilly on how to be brave and where to buy the best pint as told to: Hannah Lemon Clockwise from top: lucy winkett, image ©Ander mcintyre ; bruno tonioli and craig horwood, image ©Twocoms/ shutterstock; st james’s church; Chalfont St Peter in the snow, PAUL UPWOOD/ shutterstock; Royal College of Music, exflow/ shutterstock

God like no one else I have ever met, and I always learn something from him. He makes me want to be kinder.

Peter Bottomley, the Conservative politician, once advised me that I should have “thick skin and a soft heart” when facing criticism. It’s helped me a lot.

My advice is to be stubborn in remaining loving and open throughout your life, even when circumstances make it hard. Try praying and see what happens.

My guilty pleasure is Strictly Come Dancing.

I’m obsessed…

On my day off, which is usually Friday, I go for a long walk with my dog and see old friends for dinner.

Most people spend too much time either worrying about the past or stressing about the future. Living fully in the present is hard, but it gives us freedom and makes us braver.

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soul sister

Celebrating 30 years, London Art Fair is holding its annual exhibition at the Business Design Centre, with additional curated spaces to showcase the next generation of contemporary artists.

Reserve a table at Quaglino’s for An Evening of Diana Ross.

Straight from her performance in Motown the Musical as The Supremes’ lead singer, Sharon Rose will bring the diva’s classics to life.

11 January, quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk

COUTURE CULTURE

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the royal albert hall image credit: Paul Sanders

SEA HEAR

TREASURE TROVE

Six actors, six singers and a 20-strong sinfonia deliver an epic orchestral production of Amadeus at the National Theatre after a sell-out run last year. Don’t miss it.

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The Mayfair Antiques & Fine Art Fair is back at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square with even more trinkets. A haven for collectors, expect everything from furniture to fine jewellery, such as this bug clip and snake bracelet from Anthea AG Antiques. £10, 4-7 January, mayfairfair.com

Fleur de Bray as Katherina Cavalieri image credit: Marc Brenner

From £15, 11 January – 24 April, nationaltheatre.org.uk

17-21 January, londonartfair.co.uk

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MAKING WAVES If you’re in the market for a superyacht, there’s only one place to be in January: the London Boat Show at ExCeL London. More than 300 exhibitors will be on hand to answer your nautical queries.

From £15, 10-14 January, londonboatshow.com

play on

UP & AWAY

Rob Ryan, Sunset Picture 4, 2016. image Courtesy of TAG Fine Arts

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regulars

let there be light Wrap up warm for Lumiere London and discover the city in a new light, when 40 artists will be invited to illuminate the capital’s public spaces over four nights.

18-21 January, lumiere-festival.com

Hooked on David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II ? Book tickets now to see the series with a live soundtrack from the BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers at the Royal Albert Hall.

From £20, 13 May, royalalberthall.com

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The Light of the Spirit by Patrice Warrener at Westminster Abbey image credit: Matthew Andrews

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this image and left: e by equinox

Forget lugging home sweaty clothes from the gym, and say goodbye to key cards and queues for the shower. Welcome the latest healthy living venture: gyms disguised as private members’ clubs words: Hannah Lemon

spotlight

T

hree years ago it was all yuppy spiralizers and green juices. Not long after, we saw middle-aged men cycling in Lycra en masse. This year? The arrival of gyms as private members’ clubs. One in every seven people in the UK is a gym member, and it’s essential to sign up to the right one. Gone are the days of a quick, sweaty hour on the treadmill. Now it’s all about hanging around with personal trainers, having work meetings in your jogging gear and winding down at the gym’s bar.

In time for the mad post-Christmas rush to get rid of the leftover turkey that has morphed into love handles, St James’s is leading the way with two new private gym launches.

At E by Equinox (the sister site to Equinox in Kensington), it feels like you’re stepping in for a fancy meal rather than an afternoon of squats and lunges. Set across three floors, marble pillars, bronze glass, Italian porcelain, brushed copper and white oak details engulf the sporting elite, courtesy of Joyce Wang interiors and architecture firm Woods Bagot. Staff are on hand to hang up your work clothes, offer a complimentary laundry service or hand you a soft eucalyptus-infused towel (none of this ‘bring your own’ rubbish).

And this is before you’ve even tested the equipment, which consists of a running zone of customised Woodway treadmills with oxygenboosting O2 vaporisers, bikes, rowers, stepmills, a studio for yoga classes, plus a steam room and sauna. But it’s the personal trainers that you’ll be investing in. You can request private pilates training, nutritional coaching and science-based ‘regeneration’ techniques – professionals hook you up to various apparatus to analyse your body and how best to get you into shape. It looks scary but is perfectly harmless.

Afterwards, there’s the spa for sports massages, cryo-facials and compression therapy. And no need to head back to work: stop by the members’ lounge and café for pre- and post-workout snacks or just enjoy the fresh fruit and teas available all day.

Now it’s all about hanging out with personal trainers and meetings in jogging gear Five minutes down the road is 3 St James’s Square, another new private gym. Although the decor may be less impressive, you’ll be greeted at the door by the concierge team to hang up your above: 3 st james’s square coat – there is no reception desk, which creates an exclusive and relaxing ambience. A walk past the library and champagne bar (thankfully, these places are not all courgetti and chia seed brownies anymore), and you meet the butler team outside the changing rooms, ready to sort spa bookings, training sessions and anything else you might require.

Once again, this isn’t a place for plugging in your headphones while you lift some weights.

Experienced trainers are on hand to help with yoga, pilates, boxing, HIIT training, as well as simulated golf. Here it’s all about technology.

Members are encouraged to do a 3dYu body scan, which tracks changes to your body while you train.

Additionally, mouth swabs are taken to guide nutritional advice. While it sounds marginally invasive, details are kept secure so only the member in question can access them. It delivers a narcissistic thrill to see the results, and helps encourage motivation.

If the stress of it all gets too much, while away some hours in the spa or 3 St James’s Square, SW1Y spend a few minutes in the £6,000 per year, Somadome, a relaxation pod that joining fee £2,000, uses ‘scientifically tested binaural 3sjs.club beat technology’ and ‘proprietary energy-healing microcrystalline E by Equinox, 12 St tiles’. Confused? Head back to the James’s Street, SW1A bar for a glass of champagne – after £350 per month, all, you’ll still be able to say you’ve joining fee £500, been at the gym all day… equinox.com

sign me up

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CLAIRE FOY IN THE CROWN, IMAGE CREDIT: Robert Viglasky / Netflix

profile

interview

CLAIR E

FOY Having made a name for herself globally with an impeccable portrayal of The Queen in the Netflix hit The Crown, Claire Foy prepares to shake off her royal mantle with a host of new film roles W O R D S : k aren anne overton

T

wo years ago, Claire Foy was a jobbing actor whose greatest claim to fame was a six-episode arc as Anne Boleyn in the BBC’s Wolf Hall. It would take another royal portrayal to change it all.

Landing the coveted role of the young Her Majesty the Queen in Netflix’s The Crown, the 33-year-old Mancunian has become the toast of Hollywood thanks to her riveting performance. It has led her to land a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Drama, and set a precedent for future projects that will surely see her star shine ever brighter.

But first, The Crown. Despite the show’s enormous success, and her contribution to that accomplishment, Foy and co-star Matt Smith – who plays the young Duke of Edinburgh – will relinquish their roles as the third series leaps ahead to another era of The Queen’s reign. For Foy, the departure is bittersweet, as she reflects not just on the end of a chapter in her own life, but the feeling of leaving behind a figure she has come to hold in great esteem.

“You feel enormous respect for how [The Queen] handles the responsibility that comes with her job,” Foy begins. “There’s constant planning and ceremonies, and shaking of thousands of

hands. I’ve come to love and admire her so much and I could never have imagined myself in that kind of position. She’s raised four children and also held a very difficult position with all the pressure that comes with that. And that’s wonderful – but for all the admiration in the world, there is always a time to move on and perhaps this is mine.”

Arguably, The Crown has done for Foy exactly what it needed to: it has launched her career at great velocity into a whole new stratosphere without the burden of being typecast (such is the danger for others who take longer to capture the public’s imagination). Fans of Foy will soon appreciate the true range of the Stockport-born actor, for she has already secured a number of high-profile roles stretching into 2018 and beyond. The most exciting? Playing the infamous anti-hero Lisbeth Salander in The Girl in the Spider’s Web, the sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It was a role she reportedly nabbed from under the noses of Alicia Vikander and Rogue One star Felicity Jones.

Before that, she’ll star alongside Ryan Gosling in the Neil Armstrong biopic First Man – nice work if you can get it. “I can think of worse colleagues to have on a job,” she chuckles nervously.

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It is her most recent role, however, which has arguably had the biggest impact on her life and perception of love: playing Diana Cavendish, the devoted wife and partner of disability pioneer Robin Cavendish (Andrew Garfield) in Breathe, an easy awards contender. The directorial debut of actor Andy Serkis, the film is produced by Robin and Diana’s son Jonathan. It is a touching and inspirational tribute to a family who overcame the odds following Robin’s diagnosis with polio in 1958, which left him paralysed from the neck down.

“It’s a love story between two particular people, but also a story that everyone can relate to,” Foy says. “Their solid, protected love for each other meant they could care for others outside of their immediate sphere, and in the course of the film we see how generous and selfless they become.

“Love isn’t just about romance and flowers and such, but also the love for those around you.”

Currently living in London with her husband and fellow actor Stephen Campbell Moore, and their two-year-old daughter, it is understandable that Foy would be so moved by the plight of another mother. Typically, two of her biggest life milestones came at once as she found herself tending to her infant daughter on the set of The Crown.

“I had to have her there during the first season because I was breastfeeding,” she smiles. “That was the most difficult thing for me, but very few working mothers have even that luxury.” She pauses, laughs, then adds: “I don’t think I would want to do that again though. It wasn’t the smartest thing to do to be playing The Queen and breastfeeding at the same time!”

Foy studied at the Oxford School of Drama and made her television debut in the pilot episode of BBC Three’s Being Human in 2008 (the series that launched another historical heart throb, Aidan Turner). She has certainly bided her time in the course of becoming a household name. But don’t expect the actor to start making outlandish demands, or throwing diva-like tantrums, for she is as grounded as they come. When asked how she is spending her well-earned break before next year’s flood of projects, she muses dreamily: “I’ve been trying to enjoy every moment of my time back at home, doing all my favourite little things like shopping and going to the theatre and, of course, being a regular mum.

“I was missing simple but very special moments like being able to sit by the fire and have a glass of wine, or meeting up with friends. You feel like you have to do a lot of catching up with your life.”

In interviews, Foy offers a persona founded on humility and a desire to always keep something held

this page: foy and matt smith in The Crown, image credit: Robert Viglasky / Netflix OPPOSITE PAGE, from top: FOY AS DIANA CAVENDISH IN BREATHE with andrew garfield; foy on set with breathe director andy serkis, both COURTESY OF STX ENTERTAINMENT

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back, yet there is one subject that fills her with visible glee: the rumour that The Queen herself has not only watched The Crown, but also approves of it. “Just the idea that The Queen has a Netflix account, with a username and password, fills me with giddy excitement!” laughs Foy. “I like to ponder that scenario from time to time. I don’t think we’ll ever know and honestly, I don’t think I want to know. The response is too terrifying.

I can’t go down that road!

“In any case, I hope she’s happy; I hope she likes what she sees. I hope she understands what we were trying to achieve.”

Foy pauses, before adding with a smile: “Even thinking about her watching it opens up a whole can of worms... so I’ll stick with my belief that she simply doesn’t have the time to catch up on it.”

Season two of The Crown is now on Netflix

“Just the idea that The Queen has a Netflix account fills me with giddy excitement” LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 021

Signe d’exception.

Available exclusively in fine wine shops and in the best restaurants. champagne-billecart.com

Regulars

controlled catharsis The method behind Minjung Kim’s artworks is just as impressive as the final result: she silently holds her breath as she makes each stroke on textured mulberry tree paper.

Minjung Kim, 26 January – 10 March, 25-26 Mason’s Yard, SW1Y, whitecube.com

Minjung Kim, Pieno di Vuoto (detail), 2008, ©the artist, photo ©White Cube (George Darrell)

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Glimmers

of hope

Last chance

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Contemporary Korean artist Lee Bul was catapulted to fame in 1997 with her glittering and decaying installation of a dead fish at the Museum of Modern Art. Now she offers a set of futuristic sculptures, staggeringly constructed from mirrors, chains and crystal.

After Bruno Taut, until 10 February, 37 Dover Street, W1S, ropac.net

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Past and present

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clockwise from top left: Emma Haworth, Sunset Over Frozen Pond, 2017; Marie Harnett, U.N.C.L.E, 2017, Courtesy of Marie Harnett and Alan Cristea Gallery, London, image ©Marie Harnett, 2017; Samantha Cary, Ava, 2017, image ©Samantha Cary, Courtesy of Flowers Gallery; Mohamed YOUNES IDRISS, GIANTS, 2016, image ©Comité international Olympique, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2016; Lee Bul, State of Reflection, 2016, Courtesy of Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, image ©Lee Bul, image credit: Jeon Byung-Cheol

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S m al l i s B e autif ul u nti l 6 Ja n ua ry, 21 Cork Street, W1S, flowersgallery.com

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When FESTIVE THOUGHTS turn to frost in January, all can seem rather bleak. Not so in the eyes of British artist Emma Haworth, whose wintery and highly detailed paintings bring a sparkling touch to urban scenes. Her visions of hardened lakes, nesting birds and specks of humans walking among the landscapes are all oversized – and are often set in the twilight hours when the world takes on a dreamy pearlescent haze.

Emma Haworth: Shiver, 31 January – 24 February, 2a Conway Street, W1T, rebeccahossack.com

culture

Sold £1,307,600

Graff 43.59-carat fancy intense yellow diamond ring

E s ti mat e : £900,000 - £1,400,000

“This ring is the most important item to have sold at Fellows.

Graff is known for its exquisitely cut and polished coloured diamonds. To see such a large, good quality, natural yellow diamond is unusual and will have been a big contributing factor to the price realised on the day.”

– Alexandra Whittaker, spokesperson for Fellows

“This ring is the most expensive item to sell at Fellows in our 141-year history” Graff 43.59-carat fancy intense yellow diamond ring, Antique & Modern Jewellery sale, 7 December, Fellows Birmingham, image courtesy of Fellows, Fellows.co.uk

Prize

lots

Upcoming E sti m at e : £ 1 0 , 0 0 0 - £ 1 5 , 0 0 0

Yes, Louise Bourgeois, 2004 from LEFT: Image courtesy of Christie’s, Christies.com; Louise bourgeois, Yes, 2004, Signed on the front and numbered ‘Study 10/15’ in pencil on the reverse, published

by Osiris, New York, framed, 64.6 x 74cm, Image courtesy of Phillips, Phillips.com

French-American artist Louise Bourgeois is more commonly known for her large steel spider sculptures that are said to represent her mother. A later etching in the Yes series, of which this piece is a part, is inscribed with the phrase ‘Yes was the voice of my mother’ – a recurring theme throughout the artist’s long career.

Evening & Day Editions, 25 January, phillips.com

Upcoming E s timat e: £1,000 - £1,500

A group of travelling suitcases and bags The Christie’s January Interiors sale returns with another intriguing assortment of homewares, including this selection of vintage trunks and holdalls from legendary luggage brands such as Globe-Trotter and Goyard. Some pieces are mysteriously monogrammed ‘D.W.C.T’ – if only they could relay the travels they must have taken.

Interiors, 31 January, christies.com

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Great exhibitions

If you thought 2017 spoilt us with the likes of David Hockney, Henri Matisse and Jean-Michel Basquiat, then buckle up. The artists and themes we’ll be fascinated by in the year ahead range from Monet to video games Words: Marianne Dick

Ocean Liners: Speed & Style

In their heyday, ocean liners were feats of engineering and architecture that attracted the glamorous and the wealthy. This exhibition will show artefacts including a Cartier tiara saved from the sinking Lusitania, Art Deco interiors salvaged from the Normandie and fragments from the most famous yet ill-fated of floating palaces: the Titanic.

3 February – 10 June, Room 39 and the North Court, Cromwell Road, SW7, vam.ac.uk

culture

Fashioned from Nature

Clockwise from left: Titanic in dry dock, c.1911, image ©Getty images; silk train detail, England c.1890, image ©Victoria and Albert Museum, London; No Man’s Sky game still, 2016, image ©Hello Games; ARTEMISA PHOTO ART/ Shutterstock.com

Fashion was once influenced by the beauty of nature; now, it contributes to the destruction of our planet. Fashioned from Nature studies the tentative relationship between these two worlds over the past four centuries, featuring eco-conscious designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Christopher Raeburn and Stella McCartney.

21 April – 27 January 2019, Room 40

Victoria & Albert Museum Videogames

Explore the creativity and political influences of gaming with a visit to this hands-on interactive exhibition – considered the first to seriously study video games as a field of design.

8 September – 24 February 2019, Room 39 and the North Court

Frida Kahlo’s Wardrobe

After Frida Kahlo’s death in 1954, her husband Diego Rivera locked up her belongings in their Blue House in Mexico City. Fifty years later the doors were opened to reveal the artist’s kaleidoscopic possessions.

This will be the first time the precious archive will have been shown outside Mexico.

16 June – 4 November, Rooms 38 and 38a

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Monet & Architecture The National Gallery’s summer spectacle will focus solely on Claude Monet’s portrayal of architecture. Seventy works including those from the French Impressionist’s Rouen Cathedral and Venice series will be on display.

9 April – 29 July, Sainsbury Wing, Trafalgar Square, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk

National Gallery

National Portrait Gallery Clockwise from ABOVE: CLAUDE MONET, Le Portail et la tour d’Albane à l’aube, 1893-4, image ©Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Tompkins Collection – Arthur Gordon Tompkins Fund; CLAUDE MONET, Dolceacqua, la vieux pont sur la Nervia, 1884, image ©Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA, image credit: Michael Agee; Andy Warhol, Michael Jackson, 1984, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D. C.

Michael Jackson: On the Wall

One of the most recognisable pop stars in the world, Michael Jackson would have turned 60 this August. His appearance captivated many contemporary artists and photographers, such as Andy Warhol and David LaChapelle. A selection of portraits will be accompanied by a publication of essays by writers including Zadie Smith.

28 June – 21 October, St. Martin’s Place, WC2H, npg.org.uk

culture All Too Human: Bacon, Freud and a Century of Painting Life “I want the paint to work as flesh does,” described Lucian Freud of his craft. Tate Britain’s curation of 20th-century figurative art features many of the great portrait artist’s works, as well as a painting of him by his friend and rival Francis Bacon that hasn’t been seen in public since the mid-60s.

28 February – 27 August, Millbank, SW1P, tate.org.uk Left: Francis Bacon, Study for Portrait of Lucian Freud, 1964, ©The Estate of Francis Bacon, All rights reserved, DACS, London, Image credit: Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd.

Tate Britain & Tate Modern Picasso 1932 – Love, Fame, Tragedy The first solo exhibition of Pablo Picasso’s work at the Tate Modern will take a month-by-month look at a pivotal year in the artist’s life – 1932, his ‘year of wonders’. The show will comprise more than 100 paintings, sculptures and works on paper, including The Dream: a seminal portrait of Picasso’s mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter.

8 March – 9 September, Bankside, SE1, tate.org.uk

Clockwise from above: Pablo Picasso, the crucifixion (la crucifixion), 1932; Nude Woman in a Red Armchair (Femme nue dans un Fauteuil rouge), 1932; Nude in a black armchair (nu au Fauteuil noir), 1932; The Dream (Le Rêve), 1932, all images ©Succession Picasso/DACS London, 2017

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Majestic Gemstones A vibrant new collection by House of Garrard pays tribute to the extraordinary jewellery owned by the Duchess of Edinburgh, Maria Alexandrovna. The striking diamond and precious stone designs are certain to make you feel like royalty.

Jewelled Vault collection, POA, garrard.com

Official jeweller to Her Majesty The Queen, Mappin & Webb is renowned for timeless fine jewellery and silverware. The new MW collection features its brightest diamond yet, cut with 75 facets. The prestigious gem has been set in 17 tailor-made pieces, including engagement rings, earrings and pendants, all of which twinkle with tradition and regal elegance.

POA, mappinandwebb.com

A royally good

diamond

Graceful garnets

Cocktail ring, POA, buccellati.com; Serpent ring, £1,245, net-a-porter.com; M’ama non M’ama necklace, £1,610, pomellato.com

a glimmer of hope

The new collection from emerging fine jeweller Patcharavipa takes its cue from the Japanese ginkgo leaf, symbolic of vitality, hope and peace. Available at Dover Street Market, select from bold, geometrical shapes handcrafted in 18-carat gold, spanning earrings, bracelets and necklaces.

From £1,300, patcharavipa.com

g erin

Glit t

The birthstone of January, the fiery garnet is beguiling and synonymous with deep affection and devotion. The powerful gem comes in myriad designs this season, whether strung on a rose gold chain by Pomellato or dramatically fashioned on a glittering cocktail ring by Buccellati.

Fine Feathers

Banish January blues with resplendent curiosities by Of Rare Origin. The American jeweller launched in 2016 and caused an instant stir stateside for its ornamental Aviary collection, featuring dainty, handcrafted birds perched in 18-carat yellow gold vermeil cages.

The colourful collection is now available on Net-a-Porter and selling out quicker than you can say fly.

From £1,055, net-a-porter.com

new jewels to brighten

y up Januar

Purr-fect rings

Whether worn individually or stacked up your fingers, Ara Vartanian’s vivacious new cat rings are both fun and sophisticated. Multicoloured designs combine an 18-carat yellow gold band with rubies, sapphires and diamonds.

From £2,500, aravartanian.com

collection

tableware tails Royal Delft’s latest tableware collection, Peacock Symphony, takes a little licence with nature’s colour palette – to delicate effect. Blue plumes decorate formal dinner plates, drinkware and dishes.

From €22.50, royaldelft.com

Objects of

Desire

set in motion

Hold the whole world’s treasures in your hands with this tiny spinning globe charm – in 18-carat white and rose gold, studded with brown diamonds £1,600, annoushka.com

A figurative frame of handmade concrete atop a marble base Ra ri ty fem ale t o rs o scul pt ure, $2,995, k e llywea rst ler.c o m

R e v ival Un o, £ 1 5 9 . 9 9 , r ob e r tsr adi o. co m

well addressed This hand-painted Montaigne jewellery box is a miniature version of the townhouse where Christian Dior presented his first collection in 1946, as it then stood. £7,400, dior.com

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ShoulderSkimming Earrings When speaking to designers and industry insiders, one opinion was unanimous: 2018 is going to be an ear party. Take lobe dressing up a notch with shoulder-skimming, dramatic drop designs by Chanel, David Morris and Diane Kordas. While this trend undoubtedly completes a cocktail dress, we like it best when elevating low-key, daytime looks.

Clockwise from right: Star Chain Earrings, £3,215, dianekordasjewellery.com; Signature de Saphir, POA, chanel.com; Three Row Illusion Earrings, POA, davidmorris.com; My Chain earrings, £20,750, chanel.com

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Modern pearls, swinging pendants and punk-infused

GOING Green It is all about going green for 2018, symbolically and literally, as the secondary colour undergoes a luxurious transformation. ‘Avocado green’ has been cited as the next ‘millennial pink’, while electric lime shades populate the spring collections. Embrace verdant fine jewellery including bright olive peridots from Delfina Delettrez, rich emeralds at James Ganh and Pomellato’s juicy tourmalines. cLOCKWISE from right: Pastorale Anglaise ring, POA, chaumet.com; Les Bles Earrings, chanel.com; emerald ring, poa, jamesganh.com; M’ama non M’ama ring, £1,110, pomellato.com; Emerald earrings, £30,650, Amrapali, net-a-porter.com; Seal bracelet, £2,090 and earrings, £3,045, DELFINA DELETTREZ, doverstreetmarket.com

words: Mhairi Graham

collection Extra long Necklaces As the roaring twenties continues a style revival, embrace elegant, navel-grazing pendants in 2018.

Reach for spectacular swingers from Cartier and Chopard, while Van Cleef & Arpels, the original purveyor of pendants, continues to spearhead the trend with gleaming clusters strung on lustrous chains. “The glamorous long drop pendant is popular again,” comments Burlington Arcade jeweller Susannah Lovis. “We love the versatility of a piece that can be worn over a jumper during the day but can dangle seductively between the seams of a low cut dress in the evening.”

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Forget dowdy pearl twin sets and button earrings – the world’s oldest treasure continues its contemporary transformation. We like sophisticated, cool iterations by Yoko London and Mizuki, both of which seamlessly fashion the freshwater fancy with diamonds and gold. Another pearly queen is Polish designer Magda Butrym, who crafts pearl drop earrings, bracelets and chokers, finished with a chic silk ribbon tie.

FROM LEFT: Amulette de Cartier necklace, £58,000, cartier.com; Bouton d’Or Pendant, £30,300 and Magic Alhambra Pendant, £5,350, vancleefarpels.com

Setti ng precious jewels. The trends to take up in 2018

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Pick’n’Mix Earrings Join the singles club by dressing your ears with an abundance of characterful designs. This offbeat trend is nothing new, but with a slew of designers specialising in mismatched earrings, the humble lobe is transforming into a diamond-studded work of art.

Loquet London’s Talisman collection, launching in February, is made up of 14-carat diminutive gold hoop earrings with detachable charms, bespoke to the wearer and designed to be worn mismatched.

Modern Pearls

Clockwise FROM top RIGHT: pearl choker, £509, magdabutrym.com; Bracelet, £2,500, yokolondon.com; earrings, £827, magdabutrym.com; Ring, £1,250, MIZUKI, doverstreetmarket.com

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Punk Accents

Rock’n’roll diamonds might sound like a juxtaposition, but nothing exudes insouciant elegance like styling denim with contemporary precious stones. Case in point, Pia Hallstrom’s twinkling spiked Pyramid bracelets, worn individually or stacked up the arm. Messika’s modern collections are equal parts rock and romanticism, restyling safety pins and biker chains in glittering diamonds and 18-carat gold. Look out for a second collaboration between the French jeweller and Gigi Hadid in 2018.

CLOCKWISE from top left: Sleeping Beauty ring set, £3,410, stoneparis.com; Move 10th Anniversary Earrings, £19,600, messika.com; pyramid bracelet, £4,900, piahallstrom.com

Clockwise from top left: moon and shooting star charm, both £260, loquetlondon.com; Diorama Précieuse earrings, £12,600, dior.com; croissant amelia, £2,320, Sophie Bille Brahe, doverstreetmarket.com; Button Back Hoops, £2,600, jessicamccormack.com

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collection In 1972, the Royal Oak announced itself as the world’s first luxury sports watch. Conceived for Audemars Piguet by watch designer Gerald Genta, the model laid down the design codes for a whole new genre of timepiece. Two decades later, in 1993, a chronograph function was introduced to the Royal Oak to give us the Royal Oak Offshore. Now, to mark the model’s 25th year, Audemars Piguet presents three new versions: a re-edition of the original Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph, as well as an Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph in either stainless steel or 18-carat pink gold. audemarspiguet.com

offshore investment An Instant Classic

Few are the Swiss watch brands that remain independently owned. Fewer still are those that continue to be controlled by their founding families.

Carl F. Bucherer is one example.

Perhaps that’s why the Swiss national football team chose the company as its Official Timekeeper in 2016.

Relatively unknown in the UK, Carl F. Bucherer raised its profile last year when parent company Bucherer acquired The Watch Gallery – the company behind the Wonder Room in Selfridges. The brand’s star looks set to continue to rise thanks to such fine-looking timepieces as the 43mm Manero Flyback. Originally launched in 2016, the vintageinspired chronograph houses an automatic column-wheel movement and is now available in 18-carat red gold or stainless steel. carl-f-bucherer.com

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It’s Super Complicated Tracing an unbroken lineage all the way back to 1755, Vacheron Constantin claims to be the world’s oldest continually-operating watch company. Flaunting the sort of horologic handiness that’s accrued over two-and-a-half centuries, in 2015 the Swiss brand announced the Reference 57260.

Comprising 57 complications, it became the most complex wristwatch ever created.

Vacheron then presented Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600. Featuring 23 (mainly astronomical) complications, the model tells three types of time: civil time (GMT); solar time (based on the position of the sun); and sidereal time (according to earth’s relation to specific constellations). For this, the watch was awarded the Mechanical Exception Prize at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. vacheron-constantin.com

fine mechanical watchmaking, from japan.

Trimatic symbolizes three Seiko inventions that ensure the highest levels of reliability and durability in its mechanical watches.

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January blues When it came to showcasing her S/S18 collection, Jenny Packham shunned the traditional catwalk format in favour of an intimate fashion shoot, throwing light on her new line of dazzling jumpsuits and ethereal cocktail dresses.

Image credit: Emma Summerton

jennypackham.com

Massimo Dutti’s City Sights edit will replenish tired staples and take your wardrobe into spring. The palette is predominantly monochrome, tan and dusky pink shades – with a healthy dose of houndstooth. Key pieces include a collarless leather jacket (£249) and a knitted dress (£69.95), which both lend an air of Italian elegance. massimodutti.com

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The ninth collaboration in a series of 12 – coined ‘editions’ – from e-retailer LuisaViaRoma presents a pair of biker boots by René Caovilla. Encrusted with golden shadow Swarovski gems, they’ll put a sparkle in your step on the dullest of days. £2,067, luisaviaroma.com

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The newly introduced womenswear section in 60s-inspired travel bag boutique Love or Nothing Baby on South Audley Street includes the Runaway handbag (from £880): a nifty foldover clutch with compartments for all your essentials. Let the adventures begin. lonb.com

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à la mod

on the whistle

A new activewear collection

by Whistles launches in January, perfectly timed for getting back to the gym or trying something new. The 13-piece range can be worn casually too – or when the latest fitness fad fizzles out.

Jumpsuit, £89, and top, £69, whistles.com

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design on. Stivaleria Cavallin’s team of designers and craftsmen then turns their dream pair of boots into a reality.

All footwear is made entirely in-house, in Stivaleria Cavallin’s Venice workshop, by artisans who have learned and perfected their skills over decades, and are delivered within four weeks of placing an order. For those who might be more pressed for time, the shop has an ample signature collection ready to buy and wear immediately.

It is this unparalleled service, quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail – madeto-measure boots are cut exactly around the leg to fit the shape – that makes Stivaleria Cavallin’s clients return again and again.

The boutique is the only tivaleria Cavallin is one of the place in the world where capital’s best-kept secrets. The you can purchase Stivaleria The craftsmanship that goes into renowned bootmaker’s heritage Cavallin creations. In an each pair of Stivaleria Cavallin spans more than 50 years, and attempt to ensure its Elizabeth Street shop resembles a exclusivity and absolute boots is second to none carefully curated wardrobe of boots. discretion at all times, there White walls, glass shelves and picture is no online shop or rail frames showcase each style – the set-up additional stockists – you resembles a gallery, with an exhibition of Italian can barely find the brand craftsmanship, design and elegance. on social media.

An array of coloured premium leathers hang Its mission is that “each from the walls, displaying a vast and sumptuous pair of shoes has to be selection of materials that are offered in the beyond perfection, and made-to-order service. A typical example of this is each customer has to be a sheet with 16 samples of suede in subtly delighted beyond different shades of dark blue, which was created expectations”. And in that, for a customer to choose from. it has certainly succeeded.

It’s the ultimate shopping experience for shoe 47 Elizabeth Street, SW1W, connoisseurs, who can start with a consultation 020 3198 3269, where they discuss their ideas, or can pick one stivaleriacavallin.com of the items from the archives to base their own

Leather

S

masterpieces

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ain’t no mountain high enough Make a statement on the slopes this ski season Photographer alexander beer S t y l i sT Steven DoaN @ terri manduca london

Hat, £45, Hunter, hunterboots.com Goggles, £85, Adidas, RXSPORT.CO.UK Top, £345, Pinko, pinko.com Jumper, £132 AND TROUSERS, £353, BOTH GOLDBERGH, GOLDBERGH.COM Boots, POA, Moncler Gamme Rouge, moncler.com

THIS PAGE Sunglasses, £510, Dita, dita.com Jacket, £3,518, Philipp Plien, plien.com Top, £990, Roberto Cavalli, robertocavalli.com Leggings, £420, Ellesd, ellesd.com Helmet, POA, Tommy Hilfiger x Rossignol, tommy.com Boots, £2,355, Moncler x Moon Boot, mONCLER.COM OPPOSITE PAGE Goggles, £80, Adidas, as before Jacket, £5,265, Mary Katrantzou, marykatrantzou.com Pullover, £123, GoldbergH, AS BEFORE Trousers, £395, Perfect Moment, PERFECTMOMENT.COM Backpack, £4,850, MCM, 16 conduit street, w1s and mcmworldwide.com

“Mountains are the beginning and the end of all natural scenery” – John Ruskin

Sunglasses, £690, Dita, as before Puffer jacket, £99, Topshop, topshop.com Leather jacket, £950, Sandro, sandro-paris.com Leggings, £199.95, Adidas Originals by Alexander Wang, alexanderwang.com and adidas.com Bumbag, POA, Alexander Wang, as before Boots, £193, Head Next Edge 75 W, tignes-spirit-rentals.com

THIS PAGE Sunglasses, £675, Dita, as before Onsie, £165, Topshop, as before Bodysuit, £355, Perfect Moment, as before Belt bag, £415, Neil Barrett, neilbarrett.com Gloves, £125, Aspinal, aspinaloflondon.com OPPOSITE PAGE Earmuffs, £1,950, MCM, as before Top, £25, Dsquared2, dsquared2.com Trousers, £75, Topshop, as before Boots, £1,250, Jimmy Choo, jimmychoo.com MODEL Mariangela Bonanni @ The Hive HAIR and make-up Ian Mcintosh @ carol hayes Special thanks to luxury ski chalets, GC-kollection.com

gary oldman as winston churchill, image ©2017 FOCUS FEATURES LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Figure of speech

As the Second World War blockbuster Darkest Hour hits the silver screen and tensions mount for the coming awards season, Marianne Dick talks to Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran about London’s starring role

fashion

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ne of Sir Winston Churchill’s most famous quotes is ‘my tastes are simple: I am easily satisfied with the best’. Yet, less than half an hour into director Joe Wright’s new film Darkest Hour, which focuses on Churchill’s (played by Gary Oldman) first five weeks as prime minister in 1940, it is quite apparent that his tastes were, in fact, very specific and unconventional.

His unusual routine – such as his penchant for alcohol with every meal (including breakfast), and a nap at 4pm every day – plus his occasional brutish nature, made Churchill unpopular.

Meanwhile, opposition from within his own cabinet about his decision not to negotiate with Nazi Germany made his job as prime minister at such a crucial time in British history even more of a struggle.

Darkest Hour dramatises Churchill’s personal battle within the wider context of the war, and explores sides that are often forgotten – such as his problems with depression. Writer Anthony McCarten (The Theory of Everything) once again brings humanity to a renowned figure, for whom myth often precedes truth.

Another reason why Churchill remains so recognisable is his distinct sense of style – although it may not have been simple, he certainly chose the best. He shopped for his attire mostly in St. James’s and Mayfair, where he conducted

clockwise from top left: costume sketches for oldman; kristin scott thomas as clementine churchill; lily james as elizabeth layton; Stephen dillane as viscount halifax, all ©Jacqueline durran; scott thomas as clementine churchill, image ©Universal Pictures International; oldman as churchill, image ©Universal Pictures International; oldman’s transformation, image ©2017 FOCUS FEATURES LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

secret meetings in his makeshift war bunker in the disused Down Street underground station. The area became the starting point for sourcing Oldman’s wardrobe for the film, which was put together by costume designer Jacqueline Durran whose previous work with Wright includes Atonement and Anna Karenina, for which she won an Academy Award in 2013.

“I think it was about trying to make the most authentic picture of Churchill. We wanted, if we could, to tap into the skills that were there when he bought clothes from those suppliers,” she describes. “We decided right from the beginning that we didn’t want to stylise it... we wanted to keep quite close to the reality. A lot of the references were photographs of the actual people; it’s rare to work on a film where everyone is so photographed.”

While Churchill had more than one tailor, for Darkest Hour Oldman was measured up by Henry Poole & Co. The Savile Row tailor still offers the chalk stripe fabric that was made especially for

One reason why Churchill remains so recognisable is his distinct sense of style

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the prime minister – it is even woven in the same Fox Brothers mill. Henry Poole also made Ben Mendelsohn’s costumes for the character of King George VI: the naval suit and the classic blue.

One of Churchill’s most famous garments was the siren suit he designed himself – he coined them his ‘rompers’. They were effectively boiler suits, but Churchill had them made in an array of fabrics and colours for every occasion, most notably in green velvet by Turnbull & Asser.

Unfortunately, the siren suit doesn’t appear in the film, however Turnbull & Asser was called on to make shirts and that familiar spotty bow tie.

Just around the corner from Turnbull & Asser is Lock & Co Hatters of 6 St. James’s Street, which made Churchill’s vast selection of headwear.

In Darkest Hour, a throng of hats is displayed beautifully on the wall in a scene where he is selecting which style to wear. Oldman’s Churchill ponders aloud which version of himself he should be that day.

Elsewhere, Breguet recreated the No. 765 pocket watch for the film, which was affectionately called ‘the turnip’ by Churchill and his family. In Breguet: Art & Innovation in Watchmaking, it is noted: “In 1946, according to the Breguet records, Breguet offered the British leader the complete refurbishment of his watch ‘in homage to the role he played during the war’.

In return, Churchill gave Breguet a copy of his book Into Battle, with an inscription to Breguet by the author.”

There are few scenes in the film where Oldman isn’t smoking, or at least holding, a cigar; in fact, it is how we are first introduced to his character. He lights one up in bed and the flame illuminates his face. In preparation for the role, Oldman visited the James J. Fox cigar shop where Churchill was a regular customer, and spoke to store manager and master of Habanos, Dirk Seyfried.

“One of the customary cigar sizes for Cuban cigars is called ‘Churchill’ and the size is always a

fashion

A throng of hats is displayed beautifully on the wall in a scene in which Churchill is selecting which style to wear. He ponders aloud which version of himself he should be that day seven-inch 47 ring gauge, which is pretty big, certainly in length,” says Seyfried. “It was all about finding the perfect aesthetic of cigar size to hand, as well as the shade. The Romeo y Julieta Churchill is synonymous with the man himself, but Mr Oldman tried a few cigars with a slight variation in size. His attention to detail for the role was impressive.”

One aspect of Churchill’s costume where Durran had room to exercise some creative license was his nightwear. “In the pictures he wears a dressing gown that has a bold Chinese dragon pattern on it,” says Durran.

“We decided not to try and reproduce that exact pattern but to do something in the spirit of it, in a colour that would be more in keeping with the film. We actually don’t know what colour that dressing gown was because there are only black and white pictures.”

In the film, Churchill’s nightwear is a pale, satiny pink. When it came to introducing colour to scenes where many of the photographic references were in black and white, and in a world that was very ‘make do and mend’, Durran took inspiration from the photographer Gisèle Freund. “She had a very muted palette in a lot of her pictures, but there were some quite definite colours within that,” the designer explains.

In its entirety, Oldman’s transformation in the film is quite extraordinary. The actor approached special effects artist Kazuhiro Tsuji personally and told him he would only take on the role if Tsuji was on board. Oldman, Wright, Tsuji and Durran then spent six months experimenting and developing the various components that made up the character, before they even began filming.

“I went to America twice to see Gary before he arrived in London to start work on the film,” says Durran. “I think once we started to see the

silhouette of Churchill come together – with the prosthetic, costume, stance, cane and all the other things – that was the highlight for me.”

Darkest Hour is a celebration of British eccentricity and a rousing example of how individuality and conviction can triumph, even in the gloomiest of times. In a world full of dark suits, Churchill shone magnificently.

Darkest Hour is in cinemas from 12 January

opposite page from top: oldman; james, both images ©Universal Pictures International; Ben Mendelsohn as king george VI, image ©2017 FOCUS FEATURES LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED This page from top: oldman, image ©2017 FOCUS FEATURES LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVEd; winston Churchill and British general Bernard Montgomery during the second world war; Scott thomas, image ©Universal Pictures International

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fashion

Lucky

seven With seven years of fashionable know-how under its belt – and a clientele of more than 600,000 shoppers to date – the team behind Mr Porter has crafted its own in-house label. Mr P. boasts an essentials range of wardrobe staples, as well as five limited edition capsule lines, which will be released throughout the year. The first wave is modelled on Lucian Freud’s 1950s style. mrporter.com

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Game changer A woody scent with floral undertones, Givenchy Gentleman offers a new direction for male fragrance.

The light aroma – a combination of pear, cardamom, spiced lavender, leather-patchouli and vanilla – aims to carve out a different category in the fragrance world, offering a more delicate bouquet in an industry awash with heady scents. £48 for 50ml, givenchy.com

Top gear

Celebrating the best in British design, the latest offering from Private White V.C. champions a meeting of minds.

Designed in partnership with Jaguar, the suave Harrington jacket merges classic and contemporary styles, giving the signature coat a modern upgrade. £595, 73 Duke Street, W1K, privatewhitevc.com

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dye hard

Life in

Forget unsightly roots and bleached frizz, Hari’s hair salon will ensure that your sun-kissed locks last well into the new year, thanks to its new range of colour-correcting treatments.

Foils at the ready.

POA, 233 King’s Road, SW3, harissalon.com

Those harbouring fond memories of their childhood Crayola box should look to Marc Jacobs Beauty for crayons with a grown-up twist. Modelled in the campaign by Londoner Adwoa Aboah, the new line of lipsticks – dubbed Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayon – boasts long-lasting colour and precise application. £25 each, harrods.com

SOMETHING BLUE The new scent by Tiffany & Co. is a bouquet of iris and patchouli, housed in a flacon inspired by the jeweller’s most famous diamond cuts. If you can’t get enough of its fragrant florals, bathe in the matching shower gel first.

Eau de parfum, from £52; shower gel, £32 tiffany.co.uk

Ch d a n e l p i re is i n s

colour

Left-right: Les 9 Ombres eyeshadow collection in Affresco, £67; Joues Contraste powder blush in Foschia Rosa, £35, both chanel.com

by th

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Naples f o y t l ci

Pop art For its S/S18 collection, YSL Beauty has reimagined its signature products in bright shades of pink, coral and blue. Channel the latter with a cobalt take on its Full Metal Shadow and La Laque Couture Nail Polish.

From £19.50, yslbeauty.co.uk

health & beauty

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Harmony of the seas

aviar may still be one of the most luxurious snacks for discerning epicureans (if you’re interested, 45 Jermyn St. has crow’s feet to be pumped up the most wonderful caviar like a bicycle tyre. Fenwick’s La trolley to sample), but it’s not Dive into an oasis of calm Prairie treatment room is eating it that interests me when and treat your face to an elixir of hidden on the second floor, and I visit Fenwick on a hectic proves to be a quiet moisturising December afternoon. youth made from caviar oasis away from the tills and Stampedes of Christmas flapping plastic cards on the shoppers rush past me, WORDS: Hannah Lemon surrounding levels. hurriedly looking for the latest The session is a series of red-heeled Louboutin on the applications of creams – no extractions, lasers or ground floor, or a colourful party dress from harsh exfoliants, just comforting massages. To Diane von Furstenberg on the first, while I adopt start, the therapist applies a calming cleansing a more relaxed pace to seek out La Prairie. water to my face, gently removing my make-up The beauty company originates from and preparing the skin. Then come layer after Switzerland’s Lake Geneva, a place dedicated to layer of different serums (some that tingle), rejuvenation. It was here that Clinique La Prairie which are massaged into the skin and softly saw new research on cellular therapy by Dr Paul wiped away with a hot towel, depending on the Niehans. Taking inspiration from this, the skincare thickness, with the aim of rehydrating, gently brand La Prairie was founded in 1978 with a focus exfoliating and cleansing. on what it calls ‘cellular complex’ – formulas for The thicker creams feel like layers of clay; in the rejuvenation of skin cells. To do so, the particular, the Skin Caviar Luxe Cream. It is company sources rare ingredients, such as caviar, applied in a thick coat across my forehead, cheeks platinum and gold, as the basis for its products. and chin and left to sink into the epidermis. The It is the former that has me lying on a bed for extract of caviar, which is sourced from farmed 45 minutes waiting for my laughter lines and Siberian sturgeon, helps firm the skin with its ‘plumping proteins’.

Sure enough, when I look into the mirror, despite the removal of my protective make-up shield of concealer and eyeliner, I’m pleased. There is a healthy glow and a buoyancy to the skin that shines back at me – even in this winter weather.

La Prairie Caviar Volumising Facial, £50 booking fee redeemable on the purchase of two products, Fenwick, 63 New Bond Street, W1S, fenwick.co.uk

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All she wants for Christmas...

LUXURY BATH & BODY AND HOME FRAGRANCE COLLECTIONS

www.lilouetloic.com

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Talking it over For all the promise of fresh starts and new beginnings, January can be a time of bewilderment and anxiety, too

F

ew people are totally immune to the January blues. Depleted post-Christmas bank balances, dark and dreary weather and gym adverts plastered to every billboard – it’s little wonder we feel deflated at this time of year.

But for many of us, emotional struggles and stresses are not solely a seasonal dilemma.

“Emotional flu can strike at any time, but it’s really normal,” reassures Dr Emma Loveridge, director and founder of Rafan House, an organisation that engages with individuals, families and organisations who need help dealing with everyday life.

“If you catch it early most people get over it with a bit of help. But if it’s allowed to fester, particularly in young people, then it’s much harder to deal with. You wouldn’t leave a condition to run its course for two or three years if it was manifesting itself as physical symptoms, without expecting it to get progressively worse,” she continues, as she settles into an armchair in one of Rafan House’s quiet, tucked away consulting rooms.

Mental health issues garnered much press attention last year, with many household names opening up about their own personal struggles. But Loveridge thinks there is still some way to go before we completely eradicate the stigma attached to emotional wellbeing. It was one of the reasons why she set up the practice on Harley Street.

“I used to get calls from fellow parents saying they didn’t know me but they’d heard I was a good

listener and could they come around to have a cup of tea.”

In most cases Loveridge’s suggestion that they see a therapist to help them through family issues was met with reluctance. “I really wanted to recommend somewhere that offered an all-encompassing approach, rather than a singletrack pathway that involved cognitive behavioural therapy, or seeing a psychiatrist,” she says.

When Loveridge couldn’t find a suitable location, she founded Rafan House, recruiting a highly specialised, integrated team to deal with any difficulties an individual or family might face, all housed under one roof. Rafan House offers compassionate, professional and discreet conversations about work, love and loss, covering everything from stressful work situations to high-conflict divorce and post-natal problems.

The team also supports people who need to make important personal and professional decisions.

To achieve this, the practice favours a tailored approach, which champions prevention. As well as welcoming individuals and families through its doors, Loveridge and the team work closely with schools, engaging with teachers and parents to help them understand and manage children in their care. They also run sessions with corporate companies designed to explore the dynamics of a team through organisational, reflective thinking. “It’s like exercise.

If you do a little bit of emotional thinking, then it’s very preventative,” says Loveridge.

“London is so pressurised; as a result people can get in a muddle, and it’s not their fault,” she continues. “It can be a lonely city, too, which is why we aim to provide a professional extended family, somewhere people can come to talk through their issues and even become a member if they wish.”

The best part is that it’s on their own terms. “Ultimately, people worry about becoming trapped in something they can’t get out of. We encourage our clients to work out what is sustainable for them,” she says. “We want to make it easy for people to walk through our door.”

“London is so pressurised; as a result people can get in a muddle, and it’s not their fault”

Rafan House, 72 Harley Street, W1G, 020 3542 9935, rafanhouse.com

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Health

tech essentials 2018

These innovative creations are your best bet for an active year ahead – and there’s something for every fitness tribe words: Rob Crossan

The urban runner

How much technology can you really put into a pair of trainers? A staggering amount if you’re prepared to splash out on a pair of Adidas Ultra Boost Laceless. The clue is in the name. Yes, these beauties are sans laces, but the really high-tech element comes in the form of breathable Primeknit yarn. It is designed using motiontracking technology to fit snugly to the feet where needed, and provide room for movement in other areas.

If you’re prone to blisters, then the seam-free upper can specifically minimise irritation. So what are you waiting for? The least you can do is run to the shops and back... £149.95, adidas.com

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health & beauty

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The clean eating gourmet

The data-cruncher

With a blood oxygen monitor, song storage, in-built personal coaching and GPS, the first smartwatch from Fitbit leaves nothing to chance when it comes to second-by-second analysis of just how lazy or productive you’ve been. Named Ionic, the aerospacegrade aluminium construction gives off a cool simplicity that belies the devilishly complex work going on underneath. Not only that, but it’s a comfy companion thanks to nanomolding technology that fuses plastic and metal together for a lighter design. £299.99, fitbit.co.uk

Steaming your veggies may still bring back bad memories of soggy broccoli in school dinners. Trust the original mad scientist of the British kitchen, Heston Blumenthal, to have come up with a solution. The sleek, sexy and thoroughly modern Steam Zone incorporates new technology whereby the steaming process automatically stops when the water levels get too low. There are natty ‘keep warm’ and ‘sync’ functions too, meaning you can prepare fish, chicken and vegetables to perfection. £199.95, sageappliances.co.uk

“The Fitbit Ionic leaves nothing to chance when it comes to second-by-second analysis of just how lazy you’ve been”

health & beauty

The take-no-prisoners gym bunny

Stimulating, serious and slightly short on oxygen, Virgin Active’s new altitude chamber spin class at Cannon Street is a mean and magnificent workout. While not quite giving that top-of-the-Andes breathlessness, it will certainly make you feel you’ve climbed a little further than to the top of the Shard. The room is designed to simulate being at an altitude of 3,000m by removing oxygen from the air, making your workout a notch harder. Probably not the right class to go to if you have a hangover, but perfect if you have a head, heart and hardcore attitude for heights.

Membership from £129 per month, virginactive.co.uk

The maverick kit junkie

Comparisons with a rogue tent pole are tempting – but wrong – when it comes to this piece of American fitness creativity. The aim of the ActivMotion Bar according to inventor Derek Mikulski, is to “put resistance that’s active or alive into someone’s hands”.

Replacing medicine balls and hand weights (and enhancing sets of crunches, lunges and squats), the deceptively simple tech behind the pole is the ball bearings inside, which shift when it is held, forcing users to focus on keeping it stable. In this way, more muscles are activated in any exercise.

And you don’t have to go for broke straight away: the pole comes in different weights, starting at 1.4kg. You might get some odd looks if you take this piece of equipment along to the gym, but for a personal training session at home, the bar – and the digital regime that comes with it – makes for a very different and strangely satisfying workout.

From $119.99 (approx. £90), activmotionbar.com

The two-wheeled globetrotter With speed and cadence sensors, a micro SD smartcard and the ability to record every cycling metric you could possibly conceive of, there is a serious new gear change in the humble biking app from leading tech company Garmin. Its new Edge 1030 cycling computer has a gargantuan array of functions including detailed maps, proper turn-by-turn instructions and warnings for sharp bends ahead, while its Strava Live element offers second-by-second, real-time comparisons with personal bests as you’re riding segments. In terms of hard stats and stamina (this beast has a 20 hour battery life), this is probably the most solid bet for any pedal pioneer. £499.99, garmin.com

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SPECIAL EDITION 2017 HÄSTENS TRIBUTE Available for a limited time only

Hästens Tribute is a celebration of our 165 years of bed making expertise, a beautiful exercise in handcraft, quality and aesthetics.

Clad in a fresh, modern Taupe Check, Tribute brings a timeless elegance into any bedroom.

Its look can be enhanced effortlessly by styling with brights or more neutral tones.

£5,680 (£6,580)

Hästens Tribute with BJ top mattress 160x200cm CHELSEA | 115 FULHAM ROAD, SW3 6RL FITZROVIA | 66–68 MARGARET STREET, W1W 8SR HARRODS | 87-135 BROMPTON ROAD, SW1X 7XL HASTENSLONDON@HASTENSSTORES.COM FULFILLING DREAMS SINCE 1852 HAS T E N S . COM

on reflection French designer Mathieu Lehanneur creates practical pieces that can be displayed like works of art.

Image ©Felipe Ribon

Le Passage mirror, €8,700, mathieulehanneur.fr

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Tea time

William Edwards has supplied hotels such as Claridge’s and The Connaught with crockery for more than two decades. Finally, we can now enjoy his creations at home too.

What better way to breathe new life into a room than to refresh the walls? With famous fans such as Kate Moss, de Gournay’s wallpapers are a good place to start. The hand painted Namban design (pictured), is a collaborative effort between de Gournay and Portuguese design duo Oitoemponto. It is inspired by decorative oriental paintwork – in Asia, cranes are symbols of happiness and eternal youth.

A positive note to begin the new year on.

From £1,175, degournay.com

Mich Turner collection, from £12.50, williamedwardshome.co.uk

Lighter nights Lee Bro o m c ry stal bulb c hrome p endant light, £230, leebroom.c om

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L ouis p ou l se n A m b e r Gl ass P e ndant, £ 1 , 1 7 5 , sk andi u m . c om

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Dream

weavers The Hästens craftsmen turning sleep into an art form

L

ondon is the city that never sleeps. Well, almost. Judging by the tired eyes on the Northern line, we could all do with pressing the snooze button once in a while. In fact, the whole country is struggling to catch 40 winks – according to The Great British Bedtime Report, the average Brit gets just six of the recommended eight hours a night.

It may be news to us, but Swedish bed and mattress brand Hästens has been perfecting the art of slumber since 1852, and fifth-generation owner Jan Ryde is on a mission to spread the word about the importance of a good night’s sleep.

Originally a saddle manufacturer, Hästens as it’s known today came about as a response to the declining horse trade. David Janson, the founder’s grandson, made the switch – taking the horsetail hair used to craft the brand’s carriage seats, and sandwiching it between cotton, wool and flax to create an allergen-free mattress that has comfort by the barrel load.

Today, Hästens signature blue and white check, first created in 1978, is said to be more

From top right: Hästens craftsmanship; Hästens Auroria in royal Navy Check; Hästens Vividus in blue check; Hästens Luxuria in solid pearl check

recognisable in Sweden than the country’s own flag, and globally the brand is renowned for its craft. Even the Swedish royals are fans – in 1952 Hästens was appointed Purveyor to the Royal Court of Sweden (the Swedish equivalent to our Royal Warrant).

Of the beds themselves, there are 11 from which to choose, ranging from the Marquis (£3,970); to the ultra-luxe Vividus (£109,000), priced so for the detailed craftsmanship behind it.

The bed takes 320 hours to make by hand by Hästens’ master craftsmen.

So which to pick?

While it makes sense to assume that the top tiered divan boasts the best sleep, Ryde says that the secret to a good night lies with the individual. Not everyone will find the Vividus to be the most comfortable. The trick is to test them out; the Hästens team recommends customers visit the store to try each model for themselves before making a decision.

Each bed boasts a 25-year guarantee, so it’s an investment worth taking time over – especially as there’s evidence that it could last a lifetime. The team recently tracked down an 80-year-old model that was still going strong, and even offered to buy it.

To their surprise, the owner declined. So besotted was he with his favoured frame that he wouldn’t give it up, not even for the offer of a new one.

It is accolades such as this that have earned the brand its reputation as one of Sweden’s – and the world’s – top bed brands. For the secret to a good night’s sleep, look no further.

115 Fulham Road, SW3, hastens.com

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 067

from above left: Founders of AB Concept Terence Ngan and Ed Ng; CÉ LA VI, Hong Kong, image credit: Edmon Leong

W O R D S : E l l e n M i l l a rd

Interior designer Ed Ng’s hotel and restaurant designs – from Beijing to Ten Trinity Square – bring new meaning to ‘taking a global view’

House style

interiors

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S Clockwise from top left: W Beijing; CÉ LA VI, Hong Kong; image credit: Edmon Leong; Mei Ume at the Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square; Shangri-La Qufu

hould you have been wandering around Belgravia’s Pimlico Road on a Monday afternoon in November, you may have passed an inconspicuous gentleman browsing the shelves of the area’s myriad design shops. On closer inspection, you may have noticed a small “EN” embroidered on the cuff of his shirt sleeve. The monogram – stitched by a tailor at Tom Ford – stands for Ed Ng, co-founder of Hong Kong-based interior design firm AB Concept and the brains behind some of the world’s most beautiful hotels and restaurants: the W Beijing, the Shangri-La Qufu in China and Mei Ume at the Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square, to name a few.

It’s at the latter that we meet the following day, the towering Corinthian columns of the former Port of London Authority headquarters a stark contrast to the Shard and the Walkie Talkie that you can see from the square. The hotel’s restaurant, designed by Ng and his business partner Terence Ngan, opened at the beginning of 2017. It was the firm’s first project in the UK and, Ng admits, one of their more challenging.

“It’s a Grade II-listed building, so we weren’t allowed to touch most of the things in here,” he begins as he shows me around.

“It’s all beautiful Corinthian columns that are 100 per cent, unmistakably, Western, and I had to design an Asian restaurant that looks like it belongs here. It’s like working on a spectrum, and you’re trying to push two polar ideas – East and West – together.”

The result is an Asian fusion eatery, which he says is 30 per cent Japanese, 70 per cent Chinese.

Even the name, Mei Ume, is a blend of Mandarin and Japanese (both words mean ‘plum blossom’ in their respective languages). The link to London comes in the floor-to-ceiling artworks of traditional Japanese and Chinese fishing ports, a nod to nearby Tower Bridge and its trading heritage.

Such a project is the stuff that Ng’s dreams were made of as a budding interior designer. He met his business partner, an architect, through mutual friends. A shared interest in being their own bosses sparked the idea for AB Concept. It was founded in 1999 and began with small-scale residential projects.

“My ambition has always been international hospitality, but you have to have a very strong track record. You can’t start on day one and expect the Four Seasons to come to you,” Ng laughs.

Since then, the pair have worked on projects across the globe, fashioning hotels in Malaysia, Thailand and India, restaurants in Hong Kong

interiors

and Taiwan and wellness retreats in Singapore.

His travels fuel his inspiration, and he admits he has a particular soft spot for London.

“I think London is very embracing when it comes to design. Unlike a lot of the neighbouring European cities, you’re very receptive to different ideas and different cultures,” he says. “I like things that are more of a discovery, things that don’t have to be sparkly or flashy.

I enjoy London,” he says. “The problem is shipping it back, because I still have to go to New York and Tokyo before I go home.”

Ng’s upcoming projects include a W Hotel in the Algarve – the brand’s first in Europe – and a restaurant, Paper Moon Jardino, in Milan. But the one he’s most excited about is happening back in China: The Beijing Hotel, a 100-year-old establishment on the edge of

“London is very embracing when it comes to design” “You want to take your time and find some hidden jewels, and Pimlico is definitely the area where I’ve found this quality in London. There’s a very old antiques store called Gallery 25 on Pimlico Road, where there are so many things just piled up.

“Another shop I like is the British fabric company de Le Cuona. It specialises in linens, velvet, cotton, all these natural materials.

Everything is so inviting.”

Ng makes a habit of timing his trips to the UK with the Adams Antiques Fair that takes place every month in Victoria. On this occasion, he snapped up a glassware set from the Napoleonic period. “It’s nothing expensive, but it’s the reason

the Forbidden City, has tasked AB Concept with redesigning its restaurants, with a view to opening more across the globe.

“They want to make it into a flagship, because it’s very important that China starts to develop its own brand of hospitality. America has an abundance of Hiltons and Marriotts, but so many Chinese people are travelling now that they want their own brands,” he explains, before sheepishly adding: “I feel like I have 1.3 billion people looking over my shoulder, waiting to see what I will do with this hotel.”

No pressure then... abconcept.net

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food & drink

Tea by candlelight Take a whiff of Hotel Café Royal’s Diptyque-inspired afternoon tea.

From sandwiches to scones, every mouthful is a sensory experience.

Until 16 January, from £55, hotelcaferoyal.com

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Who will you be?

1st - 31st January 2018

The Thomas Cubitt

The Orange

The Grazing Goat

The Alfred Tennyson

The Coach Makers Arms

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BLIND tasting

january’s watering holes

67 pall mall The fine wine members’ club has opened up another floor and expanded the already extensive offering of wines by the glass to 800.

67pallmall.co.uk Suspend your disbelief with a new project launched by The Berkeley.

‘Out of the Blue’ is a bar experience like no other. Confined to a room that seats just four people, guests are asked to guess the ingredients of four bespoke cocktails while an interactive experiment of smells, videos and sounds is inflicted on the senses. £200 per group, the-berkeley.co.uk

CIRCUSXO

HUNGRY IN A HURRY

Voted Best Restaurant at The Mayfair Awards 2017, StreetXO has launched a food-inspired bar. Drink Peking duck or yellow curry in cocktail form. streetxolondon.com

When your lunch break amounts to a quick dash out the office, head to Park Chinois for its new two- or threecourse express lunch menu of hand-crafted dim sum packed with succulent meats, seafood and tofu.

From £26, parkchinois.com

C London

lean and green

Healthy fast food? Yes, it’s a thing, thanks to Cojean’s arrival in Mayfair.

Worry not as you tuck into dishes that cater to every type of dietary requirement and intolerance.

13 Berkeley Street, W1J, cojean.co.uk

Welcome personal trainer Matt Roberts’ first café, stocked full with Daily Dose cold-press juices, handmade from fruit and vegetables that are sourced from New Covent Garden Market.

16 Berkeley Street, W1J, mattroberts.co.uk

Put sake to the test with a menu that pairs Italian dishes with Heavensake’s fine rice wines. Be quick – it’s only on for three months.

From 1 January, crestaurant.co.uk

MNKY LNGE A talented rostra of live performers have set up camp at Mnky Hse’s new lounge bar and events space. mnky-hse.com

food & drink

r e s ta u r a n t RE VI E W

The Square WORDS: HANNAH LEMON

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o keep pace with London’s flourishing restaurant scene, The Square on Bruton Street, owned by the Marlon Abela Restaurant Group, underwent a renovation during the summer.

London-based interior design company Virgile + Partners, which also worked on the group’s sister venues Morton’s and The Greenhouse, removed the somewhat dated shades of beige and brown that used to cover the chairs and walls and replaced them with a modern palette of cold grey.

Inspired by neighbouring art galleries, the stark, blank walls display abstract paintings, and a ghostly sculpture of three figures acts as the centrepiece in the restaurant. While the new design doesn’t create the most comforting of atmospheres for an evening meal, it is the food I am here for, not the decor, and I am quite blown away by it.

My reaction is unsurprising, really, considering that the modern French cusine is Michelin-starred. My guest and I start proceedings with champagne served in paper-thin flutes, followed by four courses à la carte (a tasting menu is also available). I start with hand-picked Devon crab accompanied by minuscule beetroot cubes and dark crab meat ice cream, while my companion opts for artichoke and quail egg with a powerful parmesan ice cream.

While we both sit in silence, savouring every last morsel of the small, fragile arrangements, we sneak a peek at the other diners. There’s one particularly glamorous couple who take a few bites of some dishes and send them back. “How could they possibly send them back?” I think in disbelief.

Each forkful is an explosion of flavours, going off like a perfectly balanced firework on the tongue.

The new chef here, Clément Leroy, helped earn the Parisian restaurant Guy Savoy its third Michelin star, and his light flavours and complex textures are sure to do the same here. The next serving of Orkney scallop dissolves in my mouth, while the veal sweetbread has an understated but powerful taste. Medium-rare slices of roe deer and the lamb saddle with razor clams are just as impressive, and yet the couple across the room still take only a few mouthfuls. When dessert arrives, the gentleman has actually waltzed into the kitchen to have a look for himself.

By this point I am too distracted to care. Leroy’s wife, chef Aya Tamura, creates the puddings, and they are equally complex creations. The sweet white potato confit has a malleable, grainy texture that is balanced with sharp notes of grapefruit.

But it is the ‘Trinket Box’ that has us both intrigued. A shell of charcoal meringue appears on a pristine white plate; crack it open and underneath is a dessert made of quince and beer.

We finish with coffee and petits fours from a trolley that is rolled past the tables. As I pick a pistachio chocolate, the gentleman has reappeared from the kitchen and exits the restaurant waving to guests. Does this man think he owns the place? “Well, actually,” replies a waiter to my huffy enquiry, “he does. That was Mr Marlon Abela.”

6-10 Bruton Street, W1J, squarerestaurant.com

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Star power London has gained six new Michelin stars, set apart purely by the food on the plate and chosen by an elite group of incognito inspectors Words: Russell Higham

Clockwise from top left: Roast cod with cauliflower purée; Marinated ceps and king oyster mushrooms; Roasted figs with goat’s milk ice cream and lemon and thyme fritters; Rump of lamb with pesto roasted aubergine, all Elystan Street; Duck breast with rowans and parsnip; Arctic Bird’s nest, both aquavit

food & drink Moving on up The new Michelin-starred hotspots in Mayfair, St James’s and Chelsea

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o any restaurateur, the award of a star from the Michelin Guide must surely rank as one of the proudest moments of their career. The 2018 Great Britain & Ireland edition features 17 new one-star winners, including six from London: Jamavar in Mayfair, Elystan Street in Chelsea, Aquavit in St James’s, La Dame de Pic in the City and A. Wong in Victoria.

Additionally, Claude Bosi at Bibendum in Chelsea won two stars, while back in Mayfair The Square regained its one, and ultra exclusive The Araki amassed three. These awards are often considered a barometer of what is hot in the capital’s dining scene – arguably the most competitive and diverse in the world.

Ever since the tyre company started producing its guide to stopping places for French motorists in 1900, the Michelin star has been awarded solely on the merits of the food itself, with the restaurant’s ambience, décor or facilities not factoring into the decision making process at all.

Just a few simple but stringent criteria are used by the inspectors – who dine incognito and pay their own bills – when assessing an establishment.

As Rebecca Burr, editor of both the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland and Michelin Guide London, explains: “The most important thing is the quality and consistency of the food on the plate. Value also comes into it, and offering poor service certainly wouldn’t help. But the inspectors are really looking for quality ingredients used extremely well.”

In the search for new winners, and to ensure that existing holders are worthy of retaining their stars, the average Michelin inspector will each year travel around 30,000km, sleeping in 160 hotels and eating 250 meals.

Phil Howard is one chef who knows very well what makes these professional gourmets tick. He held two stars at The Square in Mayfair before opening what he describes as his “London swansong”: Elystan Street in Chelsea. He agrees that consistency of quality is key.

“There is no point cooking to impress a Michelin inspector,” he says. “I wouldn’t recognise them anyway; they do a pretty effective job of trying to stay anonymous. So I have to

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make sure that my food reaches the same high level every time, whoever is eating it… I feel that, rather than having purposefully set out to get a Michelin star – however great and desirable that is – I’ve got it as the by-product of doing a good job.”

Anyone eating at Elystan Street will appreciate just how well Howard does that job. Known for his no-nonsense approach, his cooking is refreshingly free of affectation or gimmicks. His desserts are especially famous. To understand why, just try his roasted figs with goat’s milk ice cream and citrus beignets.

He explains: “I’m entirely unmotivated by the need to be different or to innovate. I’m purely in the business of delivering pleasure through harmony of flavours.” Although Howard doesn’t feel the need to follow culinary trends, he notes

that “thankfully, there seems to be a swing back to a more honest style of cooking”.

Burr agrees. “Cooking in London is starting to shift back to a more classic style. Sauces are making a resurgence and all those gels and foams may be on the wane.” That’s good news to anybody who was left cold by such innovations as molecular gastronomy. It’s also welcomed by another chef who has just been awarded his first Michelin star, Henrik Ritzen of Aquavit in the newly regenerated quarter of St James’s Market.

Ritzen, who has worked at two other Michelinstarred restaurants (The Square, with Howard; and at Lutyens in the City), thinks that “food shouldn’t be fashionable”. Aquavit serves traditional Nordic cuisine with a modern twist in a brasserie-style setting that, CEO Philip Hamilton admits, “isn’t the normal Michelin-star environment. We have a relaxed dining concept that’s accessible to everyone”.

This ethos of affordability is reflected in the morning-tomidnight menu clockwise from top left: veal sweetbread; marinated Scottish langoustine, both the square; Clément Leroy, executive chef of the square; Scottish Scallop; cornish crab, both dame de pic; a. wong Gong bao chicken; andrew wong

food & drink

“London is still the beating heart of this country’s culinary scene”

image ©Steven Joyce

B i ben d um , 8 1 F u lh am R oa d , S W 3 , b i b e ndu m . c o. u k

that includes an express lunch option of a main dish like Swedish meatballs or gravlax plus a glass of wine or beer for £15. Hamilton has an enviable track record as an international restaurateur: Aquavit’s upscale Manhattan branch opened in 1987 and has been honoured with two Michelin stars in the New York Guide. “This business is about making sure people have a great meal and a great time,” he says. “Henrik does exactly that – he creates food that makes you want to lick the plate.”

Whatever the political or economic outlook, London will continue to be a magnet for the best in international dining, based not least on its ability to attract the best chefs. “London is still the beating heart of this country’s culinary scene, and it has developed into a truly global hub for the industry,” Burr describes.

“It’s such an exciting and cosmopolitan city, and that’s reflected in the ingredients available and the huge variety of restaurant styles and cuisines. It’s also reflected in the number of chefs who want to come here from other parts of the country, and in fact from across the world. This year’s Michelin stars have reflected that variety and vibrancy.”

Seeing the success of this year’s new Michelin star winners, particularly the well-deserved achievements of Aquavit and Elystan Street, it’s not difficult to feel upbeat about the future of the British dining scene.

As Howard puts it, plainly and succinctly: “food is in a good place right now.”

clockwise from top: Citrus and Pineapple parfait; chocolate souffle, both bibendum, images ©jason Bailey; Brixham Dover Sole; Scottish Langoustine, both LA dame de pic

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The blend game Eden Mill, Scotland’s first single-site brewery and distillery, is inviting a new generation of gin lovers through its doors

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cotland’s reputation as home of golf and great distilleries is international – but although dynamic and full of flavour, gin might not be the first spirit that springs to mind.

Not so at Eden Mill, Scotland’s first single-site brewery and distillery of both whisky and gin. On the bank of the River Eden in St Andrews, its botanical gins are made in copper pot stills: Love Gin with rose petals, marshmallow root, goji berries and hibiscus; sweet vanilla Oak Gin; Hop Gin that borrows from the company’s brewing expertise; and an Original Gin that adds a tart berry flavour to an otherwise classic London Dry. Now Eden Mill’s master distillers are welcoming gin enthusiasts to the fold. It has launched a blending experience at the Macdonald Rusacks Hotel where visitors can create their own spirit in an emporium overlooking the 18th hole of the Old Course. During the three-hour session, visitors will learn about the science and history of

gin before a nosing and tasting to help select botanicals for their blend.

Fuelled by three cocktails to sip throughout (two made using their own blend), visitors will then see their new spirit bottled and labelled.

“Blendworks offers a personal and multisensory experience while paying homage to local traditions and produce,” says Eden Mill cofounder Paul Miller, “from the distilling techniques used to the botanicals that we painstakingly source.”

Eden Mill plans to add whisky blending to the experience later in the year. Last year on St Andrew’s Day, Eden Mill launched the Art of the Blend: three whiskies that had been finished in various barrel types and sizes for a year. The range began as an experiment by its distillers, but ended up as a flavoursome example of small-batch distillations. This year will also see another spirited adventure – the launch of its first single malt.

The Blendworks Experience, £95, edenmill.com

travel

secret history

New jewels in the crown BULGARI’S HOTEL expansion continues on Jumeira Bay. The top spot is a villa with its own garden, but guests of the other 101 rooms can enjoy Bulgari’s private beach.

Next year comes an outpost in Shanghai, then Moscow in 2020.

From AED2,000, room only, bulgarihotels.com

Image credit: Åke Eson Lindman

total Relaxation

Take hibernation seriously with Off Grid Hideaways, a collection of remote rental properties across land, mountain and sea.

This fisherman’s cottage in a UNESCOprotected area near the Arctic, for instance.

From £95 per night, offgridhideaways.com

On the other hand, Rancho La Puerta is a Baja California spa with programmes that encourage fitness: expect hiking in foothills, trail running and aquatic exercise.

From £2,750 for a week, full board, rancholapuerta.com

Delve into Berlin’s past of warfare, politics and espionage on a five-day tour with military intelligence officers and historians.

Red Savannah Eyewitness Programme, from £3,948, full board, redsavannah.com

life’s a beach

The multi-million renovation of boutique beach hotel Hemingways Watamu is complete. Stay in one of 13 ocean view rooms, luxuriate in the new spa and take a sunset dhow cruise along the Kenyan coast.

From £186, bed and breakfast, hemingways-collection.com LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 081

D s u ite d r e a m s

The

Savoy words: Camilla Apcar

ouble doors are undeniably decadent.

Such is the entrance that sets the tone of the Royal Suite at The Savoy – accessed through not one pair, but two. First, a set made from lustrous dark wood, opening onto two gold alcoves flanked by huge urns and greyhound statues; second, a pair of sliding white doors that reveal the full glories within.

The Royal Suite is nothing short of exhausting.

Its size, ‘equipment’ and potential for entertaining and entertainment all beg at least a long weekend to fully appreciate. Living, dining, bathing, dressing and sleeping are each afforded their own expansive territories, stacked one after another along a corridor in the same polished wood as the first double doors. This linear layout is equally overwhelming, but is accompanied by seating between each of the spaces (should the five-metre walk to the next feel all too much), and a remarkable view that runs the full length.

On the fifth of the hotel’s seven floors, it overlooks the South Bank, with everything from the City to Westminster and well beyond in sight. It is dominated by the London Eye, almost opposite, and becomes all the more spectacular at night.

Size may not be everything in life, but in this case, it certainly does help. This is not the most

travel

technologically advanced suite, but that fact proves hardly relevant in the face of other statistics: four sofas and two oversized chandeliers in the living room; 48 cushions; eight shower jets; six wardrobes, each of which I was able to stand in and comfortably raise my arms in any direction; and a £40,000 mattress, London’s most expensive, courtesy of Savoir beds.

There is a golden, celebratory grandeur to this space. While the suite can be configured for a second adjoining bedroom, its primary set-up is for just two – and entertaining. Far from the realms of minibars, in the living room is a beautiful Art Deco bar where a bartender can come to mix drinks in private, with a sink and champagne bucket set into the surface itself. There are also cabinets fully stocked with wines and champagnes, spirits, six of every type of glassware, plus decanters and shakers to match. The only thing ‘mini’ about this arrangement is a fridge dedicated to a set of chilled martini glasses.

Behind the scenes are two areas that back onto the main corridor for the discreet service: a chef’s kitchen, with a mirrored door that opens to serve the eight-seat dining table surrounded by more mirrors and trellising; and another for ironing.

When entertaining, playing a game of sardines is essential here. But once your guests have been found and gone home, there’s a Versailles-worthy palace to run around in. There are more slim, mirrored double doors between each room along the corridor, and I can confirm there is nothing more fun than running down and throwing them open in quick succession.

Except, perhaps, revelling in the need to shout and gesticulate wildly with aircraft signals to communicate down the aisle from the living room to the speck of a person standing in the bedroom at the other end.

This is a dilemma that the 24-hour butler assigned to the suite also faces – “we ring but the suite is so big that

Playing a game of sardines is essential when entertaining here people often don’t hear the telephone”. Welcoming touches from ours, Richard, included flowers, fruit and sweet treats personalised with our past magazine covers.

A word of warning: when polished to the highest standard and coupled with supreme excitement, the floors create something of a trip hazard. Fortunately, any convalescence could barely be more comfortable with all those cushions of various sizes and textures.

Those seeking a brief change of scene might visit one of the hotel’s two bars. The American Bar serves informal tipples accompanied by live piano (Royal Suite guests have exclusive use of its private Royal Circle). The Beaufort Bar offers high glamour and experimental cocktails: The Impressionist lives up to its name, served with dry ice fog in a nod to the misty cityscapes Monet once painted while staying at The Savoy. The best seats in the house are four bar stools set on a stage with a view of all the action and in the good company of its bartenders.

But with a bar of your own upstairs, the only question is where to choose next for sardines. I recommend a rather secret ledge behind the farthest curtain in the bedroom, which otherwise just conceals a small urn.

Only giggling with glee could possibly give you away.

The Royal Suite, from £14,500 per night, room only, fairmont.com

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 083

I

n the 52 years since Singapore became an independent state, the former British colony has transformed itself into one of the world’s wealthiest countries, welcoming more than 16 million visitors each year. And it’s no wonder why. A hotch-potch of architectural styles – grand heritage buildings and chaotic hawker food courts, cutting-edge skyscrapers and shiny shopping malls – form its unique cityscape, with an abundance of greenery in evidence everywhere from a living wall in Changi airport, to the lines of trees on the side of the roads.

Often labelled a ‘city in a garden’, the island has more than 300 parks and four nature reserves: the most notable of which is the 158-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Botanic Gardens near the Orchard Road shopping district, which boasts 60,000 plants and an impressive orchid collection. There is also the 250-acre Gardens by the Bay park that sits next to the marina: best known for its 50m high, plant-covered ‘Supertrees’. Two are connected by a skywalk and all are illuminated each night for a spectacular light and sound show. Other highlights include the Cloud Forest conservatory, which has the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.

Singapore’s bar scene, particularly in the neighbouring districts of Downtown and Outram, is also buzzing. Tippling Club, with its olive green banquette seating and sea green tiles behind the bar, is the perfect place for an early evening negroni with the post-work crowd.

Elsewhere, D.Bespoke is a tucked-away Japanese bar specialising in whiskies and cognacs – and feels like a gentlemen’s club, with wood-panelled walls, a jazz soundtrack and a row of tan leather armchairs along the bar. From here, you can watch the waistcoated barmen whip up cocktails based on your preferences (there’s no menu).

Singapore has more to offer than initially meets the eye. Whether you choose to discover the quaint streets of the now-hipster Tiong Bahru area or pop into the Looksee Looksee design reading room and tea salon (the idea is that you browse the books over a cold blended brew), this city of contrasts is an exciting, forward-thinking powerhouse.

ci t y bre a k

Singapore Find stunning ecosystems and chic eateries on the buzzing island city WORDS: EMMA LOVE

RESTAURANT GAIG

National Gallery SingaporE

Restaurant Gaig Spanish Chili Crab WAREHOUSE HOTEL

National Gallery SingaporE

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Where to stay The Warehouse is a 19th-century riverside building that was once used to store spices and re-opened earlier last spring as a boutique hotel. Its vast lobby bar has an industrial-chic interior with an original exposed brick façade, brass floor lamps and a pulley system hanging from the timber beams.

There are 37 rooms all in a calming neutral palette; a small infinity pool; and the Po restaurant which is already renowned for its popiah dish (a modern take on the Singaporean spring roll). thewarehousehotel.com

Where to eat GARDENS BY THE BAY

BLACKWATTLE

FROM TOP: BLACKWATTLE artichokes AND miso; SEASONAL PICKLES

WAREHOUSE HOTEL

Opened last summer by Australian chef Clayton Wells, Blackwattle is the smartest new restaurant on downtown’s bustling Amoy LOOKSEE LOOKSEE Street. The menu is simple and ingredients are focused: think black angus shortrib with carrot and kelp puree. The setting is equally stylish, with racing green leather seats, an open kitchen at the back and an upstairs bar.

Also new – and just round the corner – is Restaurant Gaig, an outpost of the long-established Michelin-starred Barcelona restaurant of the same name. Go for tapas, paella and mains such as wild snapper with truffle and leek. blackwattle.com.sg, restaurantgaig.com

Don’t miss...

The National Gallery of Singapore houses the largest public display of modern art in Singapore and Southeast Asia, in two restored national monuments: City Hall and the former Supreme Court. Don’t miss Siapa Nama Kamu? – an exhibition that traces Singapore’s art history through 400 works dating from the 19th century.

After, head to Gallery & Co, a design shop and cafe in the City Hall wing. nationalgallery.sg

suitcase essentials

1 Sun gl a ss es , £ 3 0 0 , b e l sta f f. co . uk

2 Sh irt, £ 1 5 0 , fr e sc ob ol ca r i o ca . co m

3 Sh ort s , £ 1 0 9 , Po l o R a l p h Lauren, ha r r o d s . co m

4 R uck s a c k , £ 1 , 1 2 5 , tr ou b adou r g o o d s . co m

5 Es pad r i l l e s , £ 3 2 5 , j i m m yc h o o . co m

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 085

Emirate WARMERof GLORIES

With a slew of luxury hotel openings, Cambodia is back in the spotlight. But the country’s past, tangled forests and haunting temples are just as fascinating as its bright future W O R D S : L i z z i e P oo k

travel

clockwise from top left: angkor wat; Raffles Hotel Le Royal Phnom Penh; elephant bar; Royal Palace Phnom Penh

E

verything is pitch black in the big top. A group of men crouch close to the ground, the masks on the back of their heads wrought with grotesquely distended faces and eerie grins.

Flashes of lightening illuminate the room as they slowly begin to rise, twisting their bodies into esoteric shapes, circling around us with grace and menace.

I am absolutely transfixed. I had travelled to Cambodia to explore its crumbling temples, bustling markets and the mighty Mekong River. But I’ve happened upon a hidden gem: Phare, a small Siem Reap-based circus troupe that is exploring the lasting effects of the Khmer Rouge regime (when an estimated three million educated Cambodians were slaughtered by dictator Pol Pot). There’s juggling, dance and unfeasible acts of balance. It’s just about the most emotionally powerful thing I’ve ever seen.

Cambodia is one of the past year’s most buzzedabout destinations. Not only are a parade of luxury hotels opening outposts in the country – including Rosewood in Phnom Penh, Six Senses on beachy Krabey Island and the Alila Villas Koh Russey on the south coast’s Koh Rong archipelago – but a new Emirates route into Phnom Penh launched in the

summer too. Add to that Angelina Jolie’s Netflix film First They Killed My Father, which shone a light on the country’s dark years under the Khmer Rouge, and you have the makings of a must-visit destination.

My base in the capital city of Phnom Penh is the impressive Raffles Hotel Le Royal – a beautifully preserved heritage property (and the oldest hotel in the city). Built in the 1920s, it has had many incarnations, including as a makeshift Red Cross hospital during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Although not afraid to acknowledge its brush with dark history, Hotel Le Royal also welcomes all the trappings of luxury, too. The jasmine-filled, marblefloored lobby is strewn with dark mahogany furniture, swollen-bellied Buddha statues and intricate elephant sculptures (indeed the hotel’s beautifully ornate Elephant Bar is one of the best places in Cambodia for speciality gins). It soon becomes clear, however, that my very favourite thing to do here is swim in the tranquil pool at nightfall, under the watchful eyes of the many resident bats, who skim the water around me, picking off insects for their supper.

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 087

food & drink

City living Phnom Penh is a bustling hive of a city. While here, a trip to The Royal Palace is a must.

Replete with ornate hedges, jade green lawns and gleaming gold tiles, it’s also home to the Emerald Buddha Temple – seek out the impressive green Buddha inside, made with 2,086 pieces of diamond and pure gold – and the dazzling silver pagoda (so-called because its floor is covered with six tonnes of the sparkling stuff).

The heart of the city, however, lies in its memorials to those felled by the Khmer Rouge.

Choeung Ek, some 11 miles outside of Phnom Penh is one of almost 400 ‘killing fields’ made by the Khmer Rouge during their rule. Here almost 9,000 men, women and children were executed and thrown into mass graves.

It’s a tough visit, but a hugely important one. Today, Choeung Ek is actually a leafy and tranquil place, filled with vibrant yellow butterflies and chattering birdsong. But the ghostly 17-tier stupa that rises above its fields – housing more than 5,000 skulls, bones and items of clothing of some of those killed here – is a stark, vital reminder of the country’s harrowing past.

Carvings of thousands of celestial dancers cover Angkor Wat

from top: elephant bar; Choeung Ek

To temple Siem Reap, a 50-minute flight from Phnom Penh, is hot. Very hot. When I arrive, temperatures are pushing 40 (it’s thought to be so warm here because the stone from the many scattered temple complexes holds in the heat). But instead of cussing these vast radiators, I decide to explore them.

On approach, the gates of Angkor Thom (a huge-scale temple ruin dating back to the 12th century) look like something from King Kong; strangler figs sprawl across the rocky barriers and bullet holes riddle the huge soldier sculptures that flank the entrance (a reminder of civil war here). I spend the morning pottering around the stunning Bayon Temple, which houses carvings of more than 200 gigantic faces within its walls, and the

travel clockwise from right: jungle temple; aqua mekong; bayon temple

wonderfully unrestored Jungle Temple (Ta Prohm), best known for its role in Jolie’s Tomb Raider. Covered in atmospheric tarantula cobwebs and parasitic trees, the entrance itself is a windows, rainforest showers tangle of termite mounds, dark and huge king beds. There’s Western & Oriental offers a butterflies and creeping vines that even a plunge pool, outdoor 10-night Essential Cambodia look like pythons slithering across cinema and the Mekong’s only trip plus a four-night cruise green-tinged sandstone. football table on board. I’m on the Aqua Mekong, from The big action comes in the form of taking a three-day cruise that £5,534 per person, Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s most winds up the river from westernoriental.com; photographed and recognisable Phnom Penh and back, and I Raffles Phnom Penh, from landmark. Built between 1113 and delight in waking up each approx. £135 per night, 1132, the world’s largest religious morning among reed beds room only, raffles.com; temple is encircled by a vast man-made and floating villages. three-night cruise, from moat which sparkles in the midday Each day we disembark the $3,855 (£2,860), full board, sun. Decorated with the carvings of ship for a bicycle excursion, aquaexpeditions.com thousands of celestial dancers, the cycling through local villages three-level temple is often lit with a and happening upon sunset glow that turns the stones and weddings, funerals, card surrounding trees a vibrant gold. Strolling around games and family meals. We see marooned its walls you’ll discover expansive bas relief carvings, wooden ships, emerald rice fields, trees laden with some 100 metres long, depicting Hindu mythology mangos and skittish chickens with cartoonishly and historical wars: the bloody fights between long legs. One day, we park up and kayak through demons and gods, and a teeming mass of tangles of water hyacinth past rows of houses on elephants, chariots, horses and warriors. stilts, televisions blaring inside the semi-aquatic houses. Each night we return to the boat for serpent head fish curries, red snapper, aromatic stir fries and moreish sticky rice.

There’s still one thing left for me to explore in On my last night on the Mekong, as the skiff Cambodia: the wide murky forks of the Mekong motors into the setting sun, we become surrounded River, which also runs through Thailand, China, by gulls, dancing about us with silvery fish hanging Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. The Aqua from their beaks. Fishermen’s boats flank us and Expeditions cruise vessel is a modern ship of glass farmers potter about on the banks. Life goes on as and mahogany. Suites have epic floor-to-ceiling normal in Cambodia, and it’s beautiful.

a taste of temple

Life on the river

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 089

of f t h e roa d The Maserati Levante S brings a high-octane thrill to the SUV scene, as a test drive in the Arabian desert proves words: Hugh Francis Anderson

motoring

I

all-new Levante S, my steed for the day. It is with delight that I depress the brake pedal, press the ignition button and hear the Ferrari-produced 430bph V6 engine erupt. It burbles gently as I begin to drive, and a wide smile is firmly installed on my face.

The acceleration and response is sublime, and I drive along lonesome desert roads with nothing but sand dunes and camels for company. I’m off to Jebel Maleihah, commonly called Fossil Rock, to test the Levante’s off-road capabilities. It may be a Maserati, and it may be a luxury SUV, but don’t let its façade fool you. This is one capable machine.

I take traction control off, toggle into manual, select Deep Sand/Snow Detection (DSD) mode and move slowly forwards onto the dunes. The Levante grips the soft sand beneath and propels

Images courtesy of Maserati

t’s a cold and rainy autumn day when I leave London. As I board the plane, I know that in little under seven hours I will be arriving in Dubai and heading deep into the desert for a Maseratifuelled escape. Needless to say, I’m excited.

With the recent explosion of luxury SUVs on the automotive scene, it was only natural that a highly revered brand like Maserati would find a way to inject its Italian heritage into this everevolving group. First launched in 2016, the Levante is quickly becoming one of its best-selling vehicles. So, to further this evolution, Maserati introduced the Levante S – and where more unusual to test it than the desert.

As I leave the airport, I’m hit by a wall of heat.

It’s 36°C and my skin pimples with pleasure.

Soon I am an hour out of the city with the

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 091

As a vehicle made primarily for city streets, to discover the Levante can perform in serious off-road conditions is staggering

motoring

need for speed me forward. It’s fantastic. As the dunes begin to gain elevation, the E ng i n e incline gets steeper and steeper, Petrol 600V6, twin-turbo, and with a firm yet controlled foot gasoline direct injection on the throttle, the 2.2-ton SUV glides up the climbs. g e a r b ox I’m surprised. As a vehicle made Eight-speed automatic primarily for city streets (and likely never to leave them in daily t op s pe e d life), to know that the Levante can 264kph perform in serious off-road 0 - 62 m ph conditions is staggering. Its styling 5.2 seconds is distinctive too, with an air of the Porsche Cayenne about it. Offered f u e l e c onom y in two finishes – GranLusso, 10.9 litres per 100km focused on comfort and luxury; or GranSport, focused on driver c o 2 e m i s s ion s engagement – there’s scope for a 253 variety of drivers.

Fossil Rock juts out of the desert like a jagged blade, and before long I’m nearing the summit. Here, the sand becomes looser and altogether more fun. As I slide to and fro, careering up dunes and sliding sideways down them, I’m more relaxed than I’ve been in months.

The Levante S drives along a fine line: it’s a beautiful luxury SUV and performs flawlessly on the road, but also has enough technology and grunt to take you into the wilderness.

The desert offers some of the hardest conditions for a vehicle to handle. Traction is nigh on impossible and the power-to-weight ratio must be precise to avoid burying yourself

in the dunes. Maserati made a statement by choosing such a harsh environment to showcase the Levante’s abilities, and demonstrated its investment in ergonomic technology. Famed for its sports cars and grand tourers, the marque has gallantly entered the SUV realm.

Maserati Levante S GranSport, from £76,995, maserati.com

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 093

Rafan House helps people who are struggling with ordinary, but nonetheless traumatic, difficulties that arise both professionally and personally.

We are a psychotherapeutic clinic working with individuals and families.

uggling with fficulties that y.

king with

For more information please contact: Dr Emma Loveridge Director Rafan House

020 3542 9935 reception@rafanhouse.com www.rafanhouse.com

9935 rafanhouse.com se.com Rafan House is a Harley Street clinic with national reach with the aim of helping people who are struggling with the demands of 21st century life.

We offer psychological services for professionals, individuals and families, including couples and children.

Please do ring with any concerns, as we may be able to help.

For more information please contact us on:

020 3542 9935

reception@rafanhouse.com

www.rafanhouse.com

regulars

Remembe r i n g M AY FA I R

D.R. Harris & Co. Words: Hannah Lemon

D

uring the 19th century, when the gentlemen of St James’s had spent the evening working on cigars and tots of whisky at the local private members’ clubs, the fear of returning to the office the next day with a splitting headache and an overwhelming sense of nausea might have been too much had it not been for D.R. Harris. News that the apothecary on St James’s Street had a sure-fire remedy for hangovers in the form of a little bottle of ‘PickMe-Up’ soon spread among the elite. The alcoholic concoction was described as a ‘splendid reviver’, which doubled as ‘an excellent aperitif’.

While D.R. Harris has since stopped selling this unorthodox pain relief, the store remains a sought-after destination for medicines and grooming products.

The shop opened its doors in 1790 at number 11 as an apothecary. The masterminds behind its launch were surgeon Henry Harris and his cousin Daniel Rotel, a pharmaceutical chemist and the ‘D.R.’ behind the name. The place grew popular with the fashion set for its lavender water, colognes and floral perfumes, as well as a variety of other more unusual bottles: Blood Mixture – ‘a great spring, summer and autumn medicine’, Tincture of Myrrh and Borax – ‘eau de cologne for the teeth and gums’, or Crystaline Cream for the hair – ‘it is clean to use and does not soil the hat’.

In 1938, the firm was awarded a Royal Warrant, courtesy of The Queen Mother, when she reigned alongside her husband King George VI. Upon her

death in 2002, another was bestowed on the business by the Prince of Wales, and once again in 2012 by Her Majesty The Queen.

Step over the threshold and you will see that some things haven’t changed – for one, the same family still owns the business. Although the shop, now at number 29, underwent a refurbishment from 2013 to 2015, the Victorian furniture was faithfully re-installed along one wall. The original apothecary drawers in a beautiful shade of orange mahogany still hold their hand-painted and gold foiled labels listing the – mostly unrecognisable – scientific names of ingredients.

Much has changed, though. Gone are the days of being able to concoct tinctures on the spot for any malady or ailment. Following modern licensing measures, D.R. Harris works just like any other pharmacy providing NHS or private prescriptions. It still has its selection of more than 400 products, with an emphasis on British manufacturing where possible. Free from cellophane packaging and animal testing, creams and lotions are presented in glass bottles and wooden bowls so they can be refilled. A firm favourite is the white almond oil soap, which is triple milled in the UK and turns skin as soft as silk. Essentials for the gent who prefers a traditional shave line the shelves: brushes, moustache combs and aftershave milks to soothe skin. For the new year, a range of hair styling products will be launched, which are sure to be a great improvement on the old Crystaline Cream.

29 St James’s Street, SW1A, drharris.co.uk

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 095

Mayfair estate agents Beauchamp Estates 24 Curzon Street, W1J 7TF 020 7499 7722

Marylebone 65 Weymouth Street, W1G 8NU 020 7486 9665

Crayson 10 Lambton Place W11 2SH 020 7221 1117 crayson.com

Knight Frank

Mayfair

Savills

120a Mount Street W1K 3NN 020 7499 1012 (sales and lettings)

Mayfair and St James’s 36 North Audley Street W1K 6ZJ 020 7578 5100 (sales and lettings)

Hyde Park

Beauchamp Estates Private Office 29 Curzon Street, W1J 7TL 020 7408 0007 beauchamp.com

carter jonas

London, Mayfair and St James’s

Dexters 66 Grosvenor Street W1K 3JL 020 7590 9590 (sales) 020 7590 9595 (lettings) dexters.co.uk

1 Craven Terrace W2 3QD 020 7871 5060 (sales) 020 7871 5070 (lettings)

Marylebone and Fitzrovia

Marylebone

Sloane Street

55 Baker Street W1U 8EW 020 3435 6440 (sales) knightfrank.co.uk

139 Sloane Street SW1X 9AY 020 7730 0822 savills.co.uk

22 Devonshire Street W1G 6PF 020 3527 0400

127 Mount Street, W1K 3NT 020 7493 0676

London, Hyde Park and Bayswater 44 Connaught Street, W2 2AA 020 7402 1552 (sales) 020 7371 3377 (lettings)

London, Marylebone and Regent’s Park 37 New Cavendish Street W1G 9TL 020 7486 8866 carterjonas.co.uk

Harrods Estates

Knightsbridge 82 Brompton Road SW3 1ER 020 7225 6506

Strutt & Parker Pastor Real Estate Ltd 11 Curzon Street W1J 5HJ 020 3879 8989 (sales)

Mayfair

Mayfair 13 Hill Street, W1J 5LQ 020 7123 4222

Knightsbridge

61 Park Lane W1K 1QF 020 7409 9001 harrodsestates.com

48 Curzon Street W1J 7UL 020 3195 9595 (lettings) pastor-realestate.com

66 Sloane Street, SW1X 9SH 020 7235 9959 struttandparker.com

HUMBERTS 48 Berkeley Square W1J 5AX 020 3284 1888 humberts.com

Rokstone 5 Dorset Street W1U 6QJ 020 7580 2030 rokstone.com

Wetherell 102 Mount Street W1K 2TH 020 7493 6935 wetherell.co.uk

ChestertonS

Mayfair

47 South Audley Street W1K 2QA 020 7629 4513 (sales) 020 7288 8301 (lettings)

Westminster and Pimlico 10 Gillingham Street, SW1V 1HJ 020 3411 8386 (sales) chestertons.com

For estate agent listings please contact Sophie Roberts at s.roberts@runwildgroup.co.uk

showcasing the finest homes & property from the best estate agents

What lies

in store

Image courtesy of Pastor Real Estate

Local agents gaze into their crystal balls for the year ahead

LEADING THE WAY

ACROSS MAYFAIR

We are proud to have sold over 50% of all properties in Mayfair and St James’s this year* If you are looking to buy or sell, let or rent we’d love to hear from you.

020 8166 7484 KnightFrank.co.uk/mayfair mayfair@knightfrank.com @CentralLondonKF KnightFrank.co.uk *Source: Lonres – all properties sold in SW1A, SW1Y, W1J, W1K, W1S from 1st January - December 2017

353448 KFrank Mayfair Jan18.indd 1

12/12/2017 09:58

18

Hyde Park Place, Hyde Park W2 An exceptional three bedroom luxury penthouse apartment in Hyde Park Set within a striking residential building with 24 hour manned reception, this spectacular property offers outstanding unobstructed views across the London skyline. 3 bedrooms, 3 en suite bathrooms, 2 dressing rooms, 2 reception rooms, dining room, kitchen, utility room, guest cloakroom, terrace. EPC: D. Approximately 288 sq m (3,099 sq ft).

KnightFrank.co.uk/hydepark hydepark@knightfrank.com 020 3641 7941 Kayandco.com sales.hydepark@kayandco.com 020 3394 0018

Leasehold: approximately 173 years remaining

Guide price: £10,950,000

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/NGH060074

09:58

18 Hampshire House - Mayfair Mag Jan 18

08/12/2017 15:52:40

Welbeck House, Marylebone W1 A four bedroom lateral apartment in a magnificent mansion block

KnightFrank.co.uk/marylebone marylebone@knightfrank.com 020 3641 7938

This period property offers 3,143 sq ft of living space with rooms of grand proportions. Master bedroom suite with dressing area, 3 further bedrooms, bathroom, reception room, dining room, kitchen, utility room and 2 guest cloakrooms. Further benefits include lift access, a 24 hour porter, large hallway and balcony EPC: D. Approximately 292 sq m (3,143 sq ft).

Leasehold: approximately 146 years remaining

Guide price: £5,295,000

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/MRY170096

mandf 1

08/12/2017 16:57:42

M&

42

FOUND. YOUR PERFECT TENANT Let Knight Frank rent your property, as with our global network of 418 offices across 60 countries we can find you the perfect tenant.

If you are thinking of letting we'd love to help you.

Call us today on 020 3641 9968 to arrange your free market appraisal.

KnightFrank.co.uk/marylebone marylebonelettings@knightfrank.com 020 3641 9968 Guide price: £1,845 per week

Heron Place, Marylebone W1 A spacious 2 bedroom lateral apartment with concierge, lift access and wooden floors. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, kitchen, study area and balcony. EPC: C. Available furnished. marylebonelettings@knightfrank.com Office: 020 3641 9968

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

Guide price: £895 per week

Portland Place, Marylebone W1 A bright and stunning 2 bedroom apartment situated on the second floor of a prestigious mansion block. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room and fully fitted kitchen. EPC: C. Available furnished marylebonelettings@knightfrank.com Office: 020 3641 9968

M&F Lettings

12/12/2017 16:30:27

Market insight Local yet global appeal Partner and head of Knight Frank Mayfair, Harvey Cyzer

U

ndoubtedly, the uncertainty surrounding the implications of Brexit coupled with the burden of extra stamp duty charges have been the main challenges the property market has faced this year. Despite transaction levels being slower towards the beginning of 2017, in the past six months Knight Frank Mayfair has witnessed a resurgence of interest from buyers resulting in more traditional levels similar to those experienced in previous years.

There have been a number of record breaking sales over the course of the year and Knight Frank Mayfair has maintained the highest market share throughout, for properties sold across Mayfair and St James’s. We are continuously reminded that buyers are still paying good prices for best-in-class property; and turnkey apartments are performing strongly. There remain positives in the marketplace, Mayfair is still a world-renowned destination and other factors such as currency fluctuations still entice a wide range of buyers to the area.

020 8166 7484, knightfrank.com/mayfair

Fac t s a n d f ig u r e s The market remains highly localised, with affordability being a key concern. Housing has leapt up the political agenda in recent months and is likely to continue to feature heavily.

Average values in prime central London edged up by 0.1 per cent in October, taking the annual change in prices to -3.6 per cent. In a sign that price falls have bottomed out, this was the most modest rate of decline seen in a year.

Knight Frank data also indicates an uplift in activity, with both transaction levels and viewings rising year-on-year.

Hot property Bennet House is a redevelopment of a period corner building into four lateral apartments and one duplex penthouse with a spectacular wraparound roof terrace, offering incredible views along Jermyn Street and St James’s Street. Interior designer Kelly Hoppen has designed both of the show apartments. Basking in the heritage of the surrounding area, they are a sleek showcase of her expertise.

Penthouse, £7.25m

property

Bucking the trend, from the top Partner and head of Knight Frank Marylebone, Christian Lock-Necrews

T

he market is edging toward recovery mode. This follows price scrutiny on the part of buyers over the past 18 months, meaning vendors have had to set asking prices based on true value rather than historical hope in order to trade.

It would be fair to say that no other London neighbourhood represents this recovery better than Marylebone, Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury – contrary to general market conditions, the local market bucked the trend showing a 2.2 per cent price growth in the year to July 2017.

The huge success of new residential developments was seen in 2017: the 15-storey high

Chiltern Place; the John Nash façade of The Park Crescent; W1 London’s enviable position right on the Marylebone High Street; and One Seymour Street offering hugely in demand one- to threebedroom apartments. In each case these developments hit record sales with numerous new entrants to Marylebone choosing these as the very best the area has to offer.

However, since I started working as a Marylebone agent in 2005, never have I seen a greater interest in the period house market. Fortunately the local architecture offers a huge variety of Georgian listed buildings – it’s fair to say ‘they don’t make them like that anymore’. With four significant house sales either side of £10m on Wimpole Street in the past 12 months, it has very much been the location of choice for a family home with incredible proportions and classic heritage features.

At the other end of the scale, we’ve sold a number of short lease one- and two-bedroom apartments, which saw huge demand from buyers, concluding in multiple bids and sales agreed in under 10 days from launch to market (between £200,000 and £300,000).

While we have seen buyers move to Marylebone, Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury from all over the world, it is still notable to see how popular the area remains with the domestic market – in particular buyers moving from the nearby neighbourhoods of Mayfair, Notting Hill & St John’s Wood. Credit must go, as always, to the Portman Estate and Howard de Walden Estate for continuing to invest in the public realm, ensuring that Marylebone remains top of the residential neighbourhoods in prime central London.

020 3641 7938, knightfrank.com/marylebone

The market conditions in 2017 were much improved on 2016 as a result of four key factors 1. Buyers have come to terms with recent years’ political, economic, and tax changes, which are now accepted as the new norm 2. The world-class new residential developments on offer 3. Marylebone continues to be in the most in vogue and trendy super prime location 4. Prices remain appealing when compared to other prime London locations

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 103

www.pastor-realestate.com

FOR SALE: THE PENTHOUSE, KENSINGTON GARDENS SQUARE, BAYSWATER, W2

£7,195,000

Triple Aspect Penthouse | Panoramic Views | Direct Lift Access | 2 Designated Underground Parking Spaces A unique opportunity to acquire an exclusive, 3 bedroom penthouse apartment within an outstanding development consisting of 31 units. 50 Kensington Gardens Square is one of London’s most up and coming locations sitting within the heart of Bayswater W2, just moments away from Hyde Park. Additional 2 & 3 bedrooms apartments with parking facilities are also available ranging from £1,990,000 to £3,640,000.

FURTHER DETAILS FOR ALL SALES CONTACT: +44 (0)20 3879 8989 sales@pastor-realestate.com 11 Curzon Street, London, W1J 5HJ

FOR SALE: CLEVELAND SQUARE, HYDE PARK, W2

£5,950,000

4 Bedrooms I Period Building I High Ceilings I Own Entrance I Swimming Pool I Communal Gardens This beautifully refurbished apartment benefits from its own front door and is conveniently located within close proximity to Hyde Park.

Spanning 3,852 square feet, the property offers an exceptionally versatile entertaining space with four bedrooms, swimming pool and access to one of London’s most coveted garden squares. Share of Freehold.

FURTHER DETAILS FOR ALL SALES CONTACT: +44 (0)20 3879 8989 sales@pastor-realestate.com 11 Curzon Street, London, W1J 5HJ

www.pastor-realestate.com

TO LET: BRUTON PLACE, MAYFAIR W1

£1,250 per week - Furnished

2 Double Bedrooms I 1 En-Suite Bath & 1 Shower I Bespoke Furnishings I Excellent Storage I Solid Wood Flooring I Exclusive Location Beautifully presented and newly refurbished apartment in this discreet building, quietly located just off Berkeley Square in Mayfair.

The property has been interior designed and finished to a high spec offering stylish living within moments of the finest shops, restaurants, hotels and private dining clubs and that this sought after destination offers.

FURTHER DETAILS FOR ALL LETTINGS CONTACT: +44 (0)20 3195 9595 lettings@pastor-realestate.com 48 Curzon Street, London, W1J 7UL

TO LET: MARYLEBONE LANE, MARYLEBONE W1

£1,100 per week - Furnished

2 Double Bedrooms I 2 Bathrooms I Excellent Storage I Wood Flooring I Comfort Cooling I Modern Block I Balconies Exceptional newly furnished 5th floor apartment with superb dual aspect reception room boasting floor to ceiling windows, 2 double bedrooms, 2 baths and fully fitted kitchen, located close to Bond Street tube and the amenities of Marylebone High Street. Benefits include wood flooring, comfort cooling and balcony access from each room.

FURTHER DETAILS FOR ALL LETTINGS CONTACT: +44 (0)20 3195 9595 lettings@pastor-realestate.com 48 Curzon Street, London, W1J 7UL

FROM MONACO TO LONDON

SALES - LETTINGS - PROPERTY MANAGEMENT - INVESTEMENT - COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT - ARCHITECTURE - PROJECT MANAGEMENT

8 Elystan Street Chelsea London SW3 3NS T. +44 (0)20 3953 1000 E. contact@pastor–realestate.com

48 Curzon Street Mayfair London W1J 7UL T. +44 (0)20 3195 9595 E. contact@pastor–realestate.com

11 Curzon Street Mayfair London W1J 5HJ T. +44 (0)20 3879 8989 E. contact@pastor–realestate.com

FOR ALL YOUR PROPERTY NEEDS www.pastor-realestate.com

19th Floor Skyline Club lounge balcony at The Corniche

19th Floor Skyline Club lounge at The Corniche

Swimming pool at The Corniche

Spa at The Corniche

Live on the finest curve of the river The Corniche is an exclusive riverside address with panoramic views over the River Thames and the City. Highly specified three bedroom apartments, occupying a whole floor, within the exclusive Skyline Collection. Enjoy a lifestyle that is ahead of the curve.

Prices from £3.6 million. Move in next year.

New Show Apartment launching Saturday 10th February.

For more information visit the Marketing Suite at 21 Albert Embankment | Open daily from 10am – 6pm www.cornichelondon.co.uk | 020 3733 3520

www.cornichelondon.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

The year ahead Local agents look into their crystal balls to predict what’s in store for the property market

a level field John White

associate and office head, Knight Frank Hyde Park “I expect the market in 2018 will perform in a similar fashion to last year. The uncertainty surrounding Brexit, the strength of our government and also interest rate rises will still weigh heavily on people’s minds when looking to buy or sell. I suspect the local market will continue to evolve as people’s lives carry on regardless of the political uncertainty.

“The property market will more than likely continue to level out this year in terms of price growth. It would be good to see the level of exchanges continuing to increase given that this number across prime central London was some five per cent higher in 2017 than 2016. There are also indications that activity could increase, with an eight per cent rise in the number of new applicants registering over the course of the past year.” knightfrank.com

supply and demand Ali Mathews

sales negotiator, Knight Frank Marylebone “There has been a steady recovery in transaction volumes in prime central London in 2017 as asking price reductions stimulate demand. Marylebone is increasingly a destination in the £10m-plus price bracket and some record prices per square foot were achieved in 2017. The larger Georgian houses are incredible value for money compared to lateral apartments.

“Accompanied by landmark new developments such as Chiltern Place, Marylebone is forecast to continue to excel as a super prime location in London. Once the Brexit deal is completed, we forecast rising momentum across the market, with price growth reflecting this. The variations currently observed in the prime housing markets in London are set to continue.” knightfrank.com

INTERNATIONAL interest David Adams

director, Humberts Mayfair “We will continue to see strong demand from overseas buyers taking advantage of currency weaknesses, mainly driven by the Middle East because of its US-backed currency. Interestingly, we are seeing some European buyers purchasing homes who are looking to get ahead of Brexit on the basis that anyone who owns or has residency here will be in a better position to stay.

“We also expect interest to continue to grow in prime and super-prime lettings across the capital, bringing a new set of international renters to the market.” humberts.com

property

BUILDING THE FUTURE

all in the numbers

Harvey Cyzer

partner, regional and departmental head, Knight Frank Mayfair and St James’s “One of the key trends we will witness in 2018 will focus upon the prime and super prime new build schemes in Mayfair, which will deliver a new level of luxury never seen before in the area. As the market has become more productled, developers have focused increasingly on the quality of their building and the services and facilities on offer.

“Strong amenities can help to differentiate schemes, add to the

desirability of a development and increasingly attract international purchasers to it.

“Of the luxury schemes under construction that Knight Frank Mayfair are involved with, including 20 Grosvenor Square, Clarges and 1 Grosvenor Square, each building will succeed in delivering an unrivalled level of quality and service.” knightfrank.com

QUALITY AND QUANTITY David Lee

head of sales, Pastor Real Estate

“It seems likely that the UK will continue to face political and economic headwinds that will ultimately impact buyers’ decision-making abilities when investing in prime central London. My view is that many would-be purchasers will remain cautious. However, in Mayfair, simple supply and demand factors will dictate that pricing is likely to remain stable throughout 2018.

“Luxury, turn-key one-, two- and three-bedroom

apartments, as well as fully refurbished lateral period apartments with concierge, porters and good views will continue to generate very strong interest because of their rarity and relative affordability in comparison to larger freehold houses.

“However, there will also be a number of house sales, particularly under £10m. Trophy houses north of £15-20m will more than likely suffer as additional

stamp duty continues to dampen demand.

“No doubt Mayfair will remain highly pricesensitive for both sales and lettings, but few will be forced sellers, due to low holding costs and mortgage rates set to stay at unprecedentedly low levels, regardless of a slight increase in interest rates. Rather than reducing prices further, vendors are likely to revert to lettings, as we saw throughout 2017.” pastor-realestate.com

Martin Bikhit

managing director, Kay & Co 1. “The marginal rise in interest rates may have put a slight dampener on the market, but the increase in monthly mortgage payments will probably be too small to dent confidence.”

2. “Even in a challenging year, the UK property market has remained resilient. House prices are up 1.6 per cent on a year ago, according to Rightmove.”

3. “Many agents are far more bullish than a year ago, when confidence was low.”

4. “The prime central London market, where prices fell by 3.2 per cent in the first nine months of 2017, could be about to come out of the doldrums.

In a LonRes survey last autumn, 46 per cent of respondents were pessimistic, expecting prices in central London to fall by more than five per cent.

Only 14 per cent feel the same way this autumn, says LonRes.” kayandco.com

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 111

WILTON MEWS BELGRAVIA SW1 A STUNNING FAMILY RESIDENCE LOCATED IN THE HEART OF BELGRAVIA Wilton Mews has been interior designed, and project managed by renowned prime central London firm, Finchatton. This stunning new build home offers impressive lateral space, ideal for entertaining, 6 bedrooms all benefitting from ensuite bathroom/shower room, a full size swimming pool a passenger lift serving all floors.

Accommodation: Entrance hall, dining room, kitchen, 2 large drawing rooms, master bedroom with ensuite bathroom & dressing room, 4 further bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, study, cinema room, staff bedroom with ensuite shower room.

Amenities: Lift, roof terrace, swimming pool, gym, wine cellar, plant room, garage, parking. 9,803 sqft.

LONDON

·

C A NNES

·

Paul Finch

£28,000 000

paul@beauchamp.com

Freehold

+44 (0)20 7158 0915

Joint Sole Agents

F LO R E N C E

·

M YKO N O S

·

N E W YO R K

·

H E R Z L I YA

BUCKINGHAM GATE ST JAMES’S SW1 A SPECTACULAR GROUND AND 1ST FLOOR DUPLEX APARTMENT A stunning three bedroom apartment, 4,663 sqft, set over two original townhouses and across the two principal floors, with its own private entrance off Buckingham Gate. There is also access to the apartment via the concierge entrance, with a discreet third access and service route via the car park. The designer, Rose Uniacke, has applied an accomplished and thoughtful contemporary interior style to enhance the quintessentially classical architecture.

Accommodation: Large drawing room, dining room, living room, kitchen/breakfast room, master bedroom suite with ensuite shower & bathroom & dressing room, 2 further bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, guest cloakroom, utility room. Amenities: Storage/wine cellar, 2 balconies, 2 terraces.

£10,000/week No tenant fees

Laura Hutton laura@beauchamp.com +44 (0)20 7205 2481

w w w. b eau c h am p . com

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2 4 Cu rzon St reet , Lon don W1 J 7TF

PORTMAN SQUARE MARYLEBONE W1 AN IMMACULATELY PRESENTED FIVE BEDROOM APARTMENT This recently refurbished lateral apartment offers c. 2,603 sqft of living accommodation. Benefitting from exceptional entertaining space with a spacious double reception room/dining room and fully fitted Poggenpohl kitchen/breakfast room. Located on the eastern side of Portman Square, Orchard Court is a 1930’s purpose built block with twenty-four hour uniformed porterage, a grand reception foyer and an arched approach.

Accommodation: Entrance hall, double reception room, kitchen/breakfast room, master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, 4 further bedrooms, 3 ensuite shower rooms, guest shower room, guest cloakroom. Amenities: Lutron lighting, air conditioning throughout, lift, 24-hour porterage.

w w w. b eau ea u c h am a m p . co com m

·

Richard Douglas

£7,500 000

richard@beauchamp.com

Leasehold

+44 (0)20 7593 8148

Joint Sole Agents

6 5 Wey mou t h St reet , Mary lebon e, Lon don , W1 G 8NU

UPPER BERKELEY STREET MARYLEBONE W1 A BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT A beautifully presented two bedroom apartment situated on the first floor of this handsome red brick building, ideally located close to Portman Square, Marylebone. The apartment has recently been refurbished and boasts a classically proportioned reception room offering volume and light. This bright property benefits from being in a recently refurbished building with a day concierge and a lift.

Accommodation: Entrance hall, reception/dining room, kitchen, master bedroom with ensuite bathrooms, bedroom 2, guest bathroom. Amenities: Lift, day porterage.

Katy Bower

£825/week

katy@beauchamp.com

Furnished (Long Let)

LONDON

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C A NNES NNE S

+44 (0)20 7205 2598

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F LO R E N C E

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M YKO N O S

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N E W YO R K

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H E R Z L I YA

Junction Mews –

LONDON W2

A Charming Three Bedroom Mews House Near Hyde Park £1,595,000 – F R E E H O L D K AY & C O

A three bedroom freehold mews house presented in good order and located on

H Y D E PA R K

a quaint cobbled close within close proximity of Hyde Park, W2. The property

& B AY S WAT E R

offers flexible accommodation over three floors including a self-contained studio

02 0 3 394 0 018

apartment on the ground floor and a spacious open-plan living room with patio

K AYA N D C O. C O M

doors leading out onto the secluded mews.- EPC Rating: D

Devonshire Street –

MARYLEBONE W1

A bright one bedroom flat on the first floor of this beautiful period conversion. The property benefits from an open plan kitchen to reception, excellent storage, bathroom, double bedroom and a communal terrace. It is ideally located moments from the fashionable Marylebone High Street and the open spaces of Regents Park- EPC rating: D

£595 –

PER WEEK

New Cavendish Street –

MARYLEBONE W1

A newly refurbished two/three bedroom flat on the ground floor of this beautiful period conversion. The property benefits from a large open plan kitchen to reception room with wood flooring, a further reception room which could be used as another bedroom, master bedroom with en-suite shower room, further double bedroom and a family bathroom.

It is ideally located moments from the fashionable Marylebone High Street and Bond Street Underground Station- EPC rating: B

£1,450 –

PER WEEK

K AY & C O MARYLEBONE & FITZROVIA Tenancy Agreement £300 (inc VAT) | Credit References £50 (inc VAT) for each person named on the Tenancy All advertised prices are exclusive of utility and other associated services unless otherwise stated.

020 3394 0027 K AYA N D C O. C O M

Mayfair Showroom 66 Grosvenor Street, London, W1K 3JL 28 offices in central London and over 60 across the capital

Park Street, W1K £4,950,000

A spectacular two bedroom apartment located within this beautiful Georgian House. The property has been refurbished to a high standard throughout and has a double reception room with an open plan kitchen, a terrace and two bathrooms, energy rating f.

Dexters Mayfair 020 7590 9590

Bourdon Street, W1K £3,995,000

A two double bedroom apartment ideal for entertaining. The property has a large reception room, modern open plan kitchen, a private bar and two bathrooms. Further benefits include two large west facing windows, a lift and access to a roof garden, energy rating d.

Dexters Mayfair 020 7590 9590

dexters.co.uk

St Anselms Place, W1K £3,500 per week

A conveniently positioned five bedroom family house in the heart of Mayfair. The property has a large reception room, separate kitchen/dining room and five bathrooms. Further benefits include a large patio garden and two garages, energy rating f.

Dexters Mayfair 020 7590 9595

Bruton Place, W1J £2,350 per week

A recently refurbished first floor apartment with three bedrooms, a double reception room with open plan kitchen, three bathrooms and a study area. The property has built in wardrobes, a terrace and is located by Berkeley Square, energy rating c.

Dexters Mayfair 020 7590 9595

dexters.co.uk

Tenants fees apply: £180 per tenancy towards administration, £60 reference fee per tenant and £144 towards the end of tenancy check out report (all inc VAT).

Property news

New horizons

Sales success for Native Land in Mayfair

N

ative Land has put the finishing touches to its new art-themed mixed-use quarter in east Mayfair, reporting that all 36 available residences have now been spoken for.

Designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, the £225m Burlington Gate project has delivered 25,000 sq ft of art gallery space, 42 apartments and penthouses, as well as the first new public arcade to be built in Mayfair since the 1930s.

The firm behind some of London’s best-regarded new schemes – including Holland Park Villas, Montrose Place and Cheyne Terrace – bought the extraordinarily well-located site in 2012.

The full release of super-prime units sold prior to completion, while Savills and Strutt & Parker have been on marketing duties and prices have been kept quiet. However, a four-bed duplex penthouse was recently asking approximately £16m. The remaining

six should be brought to market in early 2018.

Bruton of Sloane Street has been called up to provide the on-site concierge service, and residents will be furnished with 24-hour security, a business lounge, a gym and spa managed by Bodyism, and private underground parking with 50 electric car charging points.

Partnerships with various heritage brands including Miller Harris, Berry Bros & Rudd and Fortnum & Mason have been forged to add an extra dose of luxury.

The council has been looking to address this part of east Mayfair for years, by bringing Cork Street back as a bona fide art destination and developing a new gallery-lined pedestrian route linking Old Burlington Street and Cork Street.

The development also contributed £6m towards affordable housing.

Five new gallery spaces have been created across the scheme, spread across ground and lower ground floors, and with four-metre ceilings throughout. A dedicated exhibition window in the arcade will display work by young students from the neighbouring Royal Academy of Arts.

property

PrimeQResi JOURNAL OF LUXURY PROPERTY

image courtesy of derwent london

Sherlock’s new neighbours Planning nod for 51-apartment Baker Street project

Westminster’s planning team has given the green light to Derwent London and The Portman Estate’s significant mixed-use development spreading across Baker Street, George Street and Blandford Street.

Hopkins Architects designed the project, which involves the demolition of existing buildings at 19-35 Baker Street, 88-110 George Street and 69-71 Blandford Street. This will be followed by the construction of a mixed-use scheme providing offices, retail and up to 51 residential units, in buildings rising up to ten storeys. Residential elements will come in at just over 50,000 sq ft.

The new plans were submitted in August, and have now been given a thumbs-up subject to a realm of planning obligations; including a £5m contribution to the City Council’s affordable housing fund, the provision of unallocated parking space, and a £1.47m Crossrail payment.

Once in a generation Oxford Street set to be pedestrianised

Transport for London has revealed some images of what Oxford Street could become, following “one of the most significant investments in central London for many years”.

The CGIs are the result of a consultation held between April and June, which outlined some grand ambitions “to transform Oxford Street into the world’s best outdoor shopping experience and an unrivalled place to live, work and visit.” Around 12,000 responses later, a detailed set of proposals has emerged to dramatically improve Oxford Street and the surrounding neighbourhood. It promises to make the whole area safer, prettier and more usable for shoppers, residents and businesses.

The number of buses would have to be reduced and all traffic eventually removed from the thoroughfare. It has been suggested that this be done in three stages, starting in the middle – from Selfridges to Oxford Circus – in December 2018, before moving to the section between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road the following year, and finally removing traffic up to Marble Arch in 2020.

images courtesy of transport for london

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 119

Grosvenor Square, Mayfair The Grosvenor Square Apartments are located in desirable Mayfair, between the wonderful, green, open spaces of Hyde Park and the vibrant, cosmopolitan bustle of the West End. Luxury retailers are a five minute walk away as are many of London’s finest dining experiences.

Pegasi Management Company Limited 207 Sloane Street London SW1X 9QX E: enquiries@pegasi.co.uk | T: +44 (0)207 245 4500 pegasi.co.uk

POA

mansion house, Westminster SW1 This spectacular 20th century building originally designed by Horace Field, has been fully restored and refurbished by Saigol DDC. Mansion House is immersed in prestige and designed with the finest Italian bookmatched marbles, magnificent gilding and craft from artisans who have worked at Windsor Castle and The Palace of Westminster. Mansion House is at the very heart of the British Establishment and is considered to be on one of the best preserved Georgian streets in London with charming views of Big Ben, the House of Lords and Westminster Abbey.

020 7580 2030 WWW.ROKSTONE.COM 5 Dorset Street, London, W1U 6QJ enquiries@rokstone.com

»»Freehold Mansion »»Seven Bedrooms »»Seven Reception Rooms »»Health and Spa Facilities »»Ten Metre Swimming Pool »»Walk-in Wine Room »»Italian Garden, Patio and Roof Terrace »»Approximately 11,075 SQ FT

NO ONE NEEDS PERSUADING AS TO WHY THEY SERVICE THEIR CAR, YACHT OR PLANE. BUT THERE HASN’T BEEN AN EQUIVALENT FOR THEIR HOME UNTIL BOLD & REEVES

CONVENIENCE. PEACE OF MIND. VALUE. INFO@BOLDANDREEVES.CO.UK | 020 7408 7590 | BOLDANDREEVES.CO.UK

Portland Place

£4,500,000

Mayfair W1B

leasehold

An exceptional three bedroom apartment with a substantial terrace. The property comprises a master bedroom suite, two further bedroom suites, open plan living and entertaining space with fully integrated kitchen. The apartment also includes two west facing terraces, guest cloakroom, lift and day concierge. This beautiful Portland stone building is on one of London’s most prestigious roads next to the Langham Hotel and is conveniently located near Regent Street and Oxford Circus.

EPC rating C

chestertons.com

Mayfair

020 7629 4513

sales.mayfair@chestertons.com

ABELS WORLDWIDE REMOVALS UK RESIDENTIAL, EUROPEAN & INTERNATIONAL MOVING

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29/11/2017 09:11

1 5 0 Y E A R S I N T H E M A K I NG APARTMENTS UNVEILING THIS JANUARY

B e come ne ig hb ours with Ce n tral S ain t Mar tin s, Lou is Vu itton , Eve ry ma n C ine ma an d th e n ew Th omas H e ath e r wick d e sig n e d s hop p ing d e stinati on , Coal Drop s Yard . B e p ar t of Lon d on ’s b e st con n e cte d n e ig h b ou r h ood .

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Meet with a member of the team at 14-15 Stable Street, London, N1C 4AB

*Prices correct at time of going to press.

Work in progress Peter Wetherell casts an eye over the developments changing the face of Mayfair

W

hen I do a presentation, I ask a rhetorical question: ‘how did Knightsbridge become the most expensive area in prime central London?’ People think about it. It had the right developments, like One Hyde Park and Knightsbridge House, at the right time. It didn’t have much else going for it, but it did achieve the record prices.

But Mayfair is about to reclaim the crown as London’s number one area – taking it back from Knightsbridge.

Wherever you walk here at the moment, you’ll pass vacant sites or cranes – all residential developments.

We’re going to be bringing back more than 500 individual units, which represents nearly 10 per cent of residential property here. That will lead to an increase of 25 per cent in the residential population. This is an amazing step change in the area.

We’re building the right property. Most people would retort that it’s at the wrong time, but I’d say that it’s the right time.

When there is gentrification, residential developments come in first; then a pub becomes a gastropub; the greasy spoon becomes a Starbucks. Yet Mayfair practically invented the term – it’s where all the gents started.

Mayfair lost the crown just after the First World War and became very commercial, but we’re reclaiming it at a time when everything else is number one. The retail experience is one of the best in the world.

Bond Street is going through massive public realm improvements at the moment, and Mount Street has gone from antiques to boutiques in a decade.

The Royal Academy of Arts is celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2018.

Every month a new restaurant opens up.

Annabel’s is no longer a basement, but a temple. We have 80,000 highly paid, highly motivated and highly intellectual workers coming into Mayfair every day, into some of the most expensive offices in the world (it’s about £125 per sq ft).

image ©sarel jansen

property

Everything about Mayfair at the moment is number one in the world – and the last bit of the jigsaw is the residential content. Before there was never the supply, but developments are now being created with all the expected prerequisites: spas, gyms, pools and security.

We’re living in the revival.

Buyers are interested in family life, security or just being able to walk in and live somewhere immediately. The demographic trends I have seen are that the Brits are back. The domestic market is our strongest.

American buyers are also back, attracted by the cheaper sterling. Occasional Russian buyers are back too, although the Indians aren’t as strong as they used to be. We’ve had 13 major tax changes recently. When you hear complaints of ‘lights out London’, the argument is to raise the minimum numbers of days for non tax-paying residents to be here from 90 to 180.

The developers are also from all over, and Grosvenor has become like a gatekeeper. The former American Embassy, owned by Qatari Diar, is going to be a seven-star hotel run by Rosewood. On Grosvenor Square there is 20 Grosvenor Square, a Finchatton development that the Four Seasons will be running, with Middle Eastern money.

One Grosvenor Square, the old Canadian High Commission with its own little Oval Room replica, is Lodha – an Indian developer that is building the tallest residential tower in the world, in Mumbai.

By the Dorchester and 45 Park Lane there is Hyde Park Residence by Clivedale – an arm of Indiabulls, which is the second largest mortgage company in India.

In Audley Square there is the Phones4U co-founder John Caudwell, who knocked Lord Alan Sugar off the perch for being the highest tax payer in the country, building a quarter of a billion sq ft. All these buccaneers have a vision for excellence. wetherell.co.uk

77 MAYFAIR Seven residences from Luxlo, and the most recent development to be completed in Mayfair. The penthouse achieved nearly £7,000 per sq ft.

CLARGES MAYFAIR Developed by British Land, 34 residences with views over Green Park and Buckingham Palace with 70 per cent already sold.

GREYBROOK HOUSE An Art Deco restoration of three laterals and one duplex penthouse with its own private roof garden.

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 127

Elegant Three Bedroom Lateral Mount Street - £11,500,000

JSA: Knight Frank

NEW NEW HOME HOME FOR FOR

A Selection of Brand New Apartments

Pied-à-Terre Pied-à-Terre Steps Steps from from Berkeley Berkeley Square Square

Old Burlington - from £2,495,000

Hay Hay HillHill - £1,300,000 - £1,300,000

bringing bringingresidential residentiallife lifeback backto tomayfair mayfair

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Freehold Mayfair Village Townhouse Rex Place - £6,750,000

JSA: Knight Frank

A NEW YEAR! Wetherell have the finest selection of Mayfair Properties for a fresh start to 2018.

High Floor One Bedroom with Share of Freehold Chesterfield Gardens - £1,600,000

102 Mount Street, London W1K 2TH T: 020 7529 5566 E: sales@wetherell.co.uk

wetherell.co.uk

no-one knows mayfair better than wetherell

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property

The butterfly effect An apartment in the bright and bustling Mount Street area that has a fun and flamboyant interior scheme to match

T

he latest Mount Street property to hit the market will have social butterflies all aflutter. Not only is this three-bedroom lateral apartment located above Scott’s, but it also has a charming colour palette designed by Amelia Carter Interiors that will suit those interested in the area’s fruitful fashion and art scenes.

The sleek, bespoke kitchen is a pale duck egg blue. Gaggenau appliances are fitted throughout and it features an Italian statuario venato marble worktop and splashback.

The powder blue scheme continues in the drawing room, which is finished with antique brass joinery, brushed gold accessories and soft neutral furnishings. A contemporary handpainted feature wall by Fromental catches the sunlight – and the eye.

At the heart of the pistachio-hued dining room is a custom-built mother

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of pearl and brushed brass table. A large bay window allows diners to look out over Mount Street below.

The master bedroom is decorated with woodland motifs of trees and hanging branches in natural burgundy and ochre tones. A decorative wall hides a freestanding bath that is positioned in front of a traditional fireplace. In the adjoining dressing room, there is a custom-made octagonal vanity unit.

Bold and unusual shapes are noticeable throughout this 2,388 sq ft apartment, particularly in the light fittings – by Michael Anastassiades and Gabriel Scott – and a selection of bespoke furniture.

In addition to the exquisitely adorned property, buyers will be offered privileges including the use of a nearby parking space on Adam’s Row and Birley club membership. All the art within the space is from Maddox Gallery and is available via a separate negotiation.

This apartment is certainly not suited to the many, but for one prospective owner it will be the home they have always dreamed of – allowing them to truly spread their wings in this colourful and thriving area. £11.5m, Wetherell, 102 Mount Street, WIK, wetherell.co.uk and Knight Frank 120a Mount Street, knightfrank.co.uk

Designer Pied-à-Terre with Concierge

Elegant Three Bedroom Lateral

Park Lane - £695 p/w

Park Street - £5,500 p/w

Brand New Four Bedroom House in Gated Mews

Stylish Penthouse with Private Terrace

Mayfair Row - £4,950 p/w

Duke Street - £3,650 p/w

NEW HOME FOR A NEW YEAR! Wetherell have the finest selection of Mayfair Properties for a fresh start to 2018.

Unique Glass Triplex with Private Terrace Park Lane - £3,500 p/w 102 Mount Street, London W1K 2TH Tenant Fees Apply - £240.00 inclusive of VAT is payable by the Tenant for Wetherell conducting tenant checks, credit checks and drawing up a tenancy agreement. Cost is payable per unit dwelling.

T: 020 7529 5588 E: rentals@wetherell.co.uk

wetherell.co.uk

no-one knows mayfair better than wetherell

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