The Mayfair Magazine February 2018

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True romance Say it with love letters and personalised stationery

Under COVER

Island

Secrets and seduction: the bygone years of Burlington Arcade

hopping RUNWILD MEDIA GROUP

From Caribbean paradise to Ecuadorian archipelago

Charles I: King and Collector s Hublot’s leading men s BRITISH MODEL Oliver cHESHIRE

WINTER WINTERSALE SALE

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contents

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37

regulars 10. Editor’s letter 12. Five minutes with...

Hancocks jewellery designer Amy Burton on working for the family business

70

46 38. The power couple Richard Brown meets the heads of Hublot

fashion

high life 76. Food & drink news 77. Restaurant review: Indian Accent

45. Style her 46. Fashion shoot A whimsical spring frolic

78. Crunch time The Roastery and Bake Hall are unveiled at Harrods

55. Style him

81. Travel news

56. Meet Mr Cheshire In conversation with British model Oliver Cheshire

82. Suite dreams: Sunborn Gibraltar

14. Couture culture 16. Spotlight: Portraits of power Charles I: King and Collector at the Royal Academy of Arts

18. Profile: Charles Worthington Ellen Millard pays at visit to the expert hairstylist’s home

culture 24. Art news 25. Prize lots

84. City break: Langkawi 26. Different strokes The journey so far for The Mayfair Awards illustrator Claudine O’Sullivan

58. Beneath the arches Marianne Dick delves into Burlington Arcade’s archive

86. Paradise found The fantastical allure of Jade Mountain resort, Saint Lucia

63. Beauty news 28. The write note Rediscover the lost art of letter writing, enthuses Camilla Apcar

collection

38

67. Treatment review: Sound Sebastian

interiors 69. Interiors news

36. Jewellery news 37. Objects of desire Steel, silver and sombreros

70. Purple reign Pantone’s new Colour of the Year – ultraviolet

90. Where the wild things are Lizzie Pook adventures through the Galápagos Islands and Ecuador 97. Back in time Cigar merchant James J. Fox

property 99. Property news

editor

From the FEBRUARY 2018

Editor Hannah Lemon Associate Editor Camilla Apcar Assistant Editors Marianne Dick Ellen Millard Contributing Editor Lauren Romano Jewellery Editor Mhairi Graham Watch Editor Richard Brown Art Editor Laddawan Juhong Senior Designer Arijana Zeric 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

RUNWILD MEDIA GROUP

6th Floor, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AX 020 7987 4320 www.rwmg.co.uk

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.

“Practice makes progress” - Betty Soldi (p.28) Putting pen to paper is an emotive action, whether for celebrations, thank yous, invitations or even Post-It notes. The accidental tea stains, tear stains or impressive gilded edges of thick card all make receiving a letter much more personal than an email or text. So, too, does handwriting. For those who still haven’t advanced from childish scrawl, you need not be embarrassed, as calligrapher Betty Soldi outlines how scribbling – no matter how good you are – is about “taking time to look at your thoughts, and express feelings and emotions”. Put it to practical use with tips on the dos and don’ts of proper penmanship (p.28). For us, there’s always plenty to write about – Charles Worthington’s 30 years of haircare (p.18); King Charles I’s personal portrait collection (p.17); and island visits to Gibraltar (p.82), St Lucia (p.86) and the Galápagos (p.90), all, incidentally, visited by another important Charles – His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. To save your eyes though, we’ve taken the liberty of typing this issue.

Hannah Lemon Editor

On the

cover

the mayfair magazine: bracelet, £490, ring, £225 and EARRINGS, £280, ALL giovanniraspini.com (P.35); marylebone & fitzrovia magazine: image courtesy of Sé, 60 Fulham Road, SW3, se-collections.com (P.69)

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21/08/2017 13:35

regulars

My career plan B would be in fitness – I love the

I’m launching a new range this year as part of Amy Burton Fine Jewellery. The designs have been in my head for a long time, so I’m very excited to see it come to life.

gym, so working in one all day sounds very appealing.

I’ve never had a particularly unusual job,

I absolutely adore living in Notting Hill. It has a real

but my brother Guy, who also works at Hancocks, once sold vacuum cleaners.

sense of community and there are so many great restaurants around.

I’ve been around my parents’ business from a young age. I remember

I was recently treated to a meal at London Shell Co, a

walking through Portobello Market with Dad and going to retail fairs (although my brother and I spent most of our time there cleaning glass cabinets).

My parents have been married for 40 years. Watching them work side by side is an inspiring thing to see.

A family business is complex but wonderful.

There’s a lot of pressure being emotionally invested, but knowing each other so well means issues are resolved quickly.

barge on Regent’s Canal. It serves the most delicious seafood and journeys up the canal and back while you eat.

My favourite memory of London is running the marathon. The pain was

five minutes with...

Amy Burton The jewellery designer on the highs and lows of working for the family business, Hancocks as told to: Hannah Lemon

In an ideal world, I wish

hideous but worth every second. To see and feel the city united in such positivity is incredibly powerful.

I have plenty of regrets – but you just have to try to learn from them.

What am I most afraid of?

Losing people I love.

Eastenders is my guilty pleasure. I know – I’m hanging my head in shame right now.

my dog Humphrey, a puggle, was a bit calmer so he could come to the office.

I try to escape to Salcombe in Devon whenever I can. It’s

Mayfair, where we are based, is the beating

my New Year’s resolution to go once a month – being by the sea is good for my soul.

heart of luxury, which resonates perfectly with Hancocks.

Trusting your gut instinct is important. In buying jewellery, in selling jewellery and in life in general.

Your perception of romance changes as you get older. To me, most Clockwise from above: THE LONDON MARATHON, image CREDIT: Bikeworldtravel/shutterstock.com; hancocks in burlington arcade, hancocks-london.com; amy burton fine jewellery bangle, £45,000; Salcombe, Devon; amy burton fine jewellery earrings, £2,750, amyburtonfinejewellery.com; amy burton

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romantic things aren’t big gestures, they’re little things that someone does to make you feel treasured, valued and loved.

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All great things are alike.

They are built on their defining essence.

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regulars

1

POWER PLAY Jeremy Irons and Lesley Manville reprise their roles in the previously sold-out production of Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night, a poignant family drama set over one summer’s evening.

27 January – 7 April, delfontmackintosh.co.uk

2

Obvious OBSESSION

Marlene Dietrich’s fierce independence and subversive style is immortalised in this new cloth-bound book. £22.50, Obsession – Marlene Dietrich: The Pierre Passebon Collection, by Henry-Jean Servat, Flammarion, 2017

image ©William Walling Jr (supervised

by Josef von Sternberg), 1932

FINAL CUT Daniel Day-Lewis’s swansong from acting, Phantom Thread, sees him tranform into Reynolds Woodcock, a 1950s British couture designer, whose life unravels when he falls for a young waitress (Vicky Krieps).

In cinemas from 2 February

3

EPIC TALES

As part of its Explorer Series, Mr Fogg’s Residence will host the adventurer Levison Wood to regail stories of his epic adventures.

COUTURE CULTURE From left: Holloway medal presented to Emmeline Pankhurst, 1912; Postcard of suffragist Janie Terrero, both images ©Museum of London

DEEDS NOT WORDS February marks 100 years since women won the right to vote.

Experience the incredible suffragette movement at a new exhibition at the Museum of London.

Votes for Women, from 2 February, museumoflondon.org.uk

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6

VIBRANT FIESTA With passionate fandangos and exotic bulerías, Sadler’s Wells’ annual showcase of flamenco returns for two weeks.

Flamenco Festival London, 14-25 February, sadlerswells.com

box it up

7

6pm, 19 February, 15 Bruton Lane, W1J, mr-foggs.com image courtesy of sadler’s wells

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5

Panzer’s has thrown open its newly renovated grocery doors and invited residents to build their own hampers with food from more than 80 countries.

13-19 Circus Road, St John’s Wood, NW8, panzers.co.uk

Pioneer of the modern kitchen open to life – for 125 years Poggenpohl has 21 points of sale throughout the UK & Ireland ¡ uk@poggenpohl.com For your nearest Poggenpohl Studio please go to www.poggenpohl.com/en/find-a-studio 125years.poggenpohl.com

Portraits of power

A set of paintings with regal provenance returns to the country for the first time since the 17 th century, in the Royal Academy’s latest exhibition WORDS: Hannah Clugston

spotlight

U

nfortunately, Charles I is probably best known for having his head chopped off.

However, before his head rolled, it was well utilised in the collecting and commissioning of some of the most important art in the world. The Stuart king can take credit for directing Rubens to create the stunning ceiling paintings in Whitehall; appearing as the subject of Anthony van Dyck’s best royal portraits; and amassing work by the likes of Holbein, Titian, Mantegna and many more. By the time he died, his collection comprised about 1,500 paintings and 500 sculptures.

After his death, only a small percentage of the collection was salvaged. The rest was dispersed across the world, landing in the archives of The National Gallery, the Musée du Louvre and Madrid’s Museo Nacional del Prado, among others. For the first time, 150 pieces of this unique collection are reunited in the Royal Academy of Arts’ new exhibition Charles I: King and Collector, with many of them returning to the UK for the first time since the 17th century.

Assistant curator Lucy Chiswell explains why this year is the right time to revisit Charles I’s stash: “As the first exhibition of the Royal Academy’s 250th anniversary, it felt appropriate to celebrate one of history’s greatest art collectors. There is evidence that Charles I may also have considered the foundation of a Royal Academy of Art 150 years or so before.”

Establishing the Royal Academy in the 17th century would have been a good idea too, because – unless you had access to one of the King’s royal palaces – you would not otherwise get a glimpse of his rich collection. But if you were to receive an invite, the impressive works would have been part of the welcoming party. “Following

Charles’s visit to Madrid as Prince of Wales in 1623, he could see the impact that an art collection as impressive as the Habsburgs could have,” Chiswell explains.

“Charles’s best paintings by Titian were in his first privy lodging room at Whitehall Palace – the first of a suite of galleries that visitors would have encountered upon visiting.” And, as is happens, it was Charles’s favourites that were sold off just as he was executed. In the exhibition, Titian’s Supper at Emmaus (pictured below), Conjugal Allegory and Allocution of Alfonso d’Avalos to His Troops appear on British walls for the first time since the king enjoyed them in Whitehall.

Charles was as much muse as he was collector.

Among his impressive horde of Renaissance works are a number depicting himself. He was often the subject of Van Dyck’s creativity, resulting in portraits that, as Chiswell puts it, “did much to position Charles as a mighty and powerful ruler”. The intimacy developed by regular collaboration is clearly depicted in the Flemish artist’s Charles I in the Hunting Field (pictured left), where the king is shown in the informal engagement of hunting rather than all his finery. Van Dyck was also relied upon to produce unofficial portraits like Charles I in Three Positions (pictured far left), a study of the king intended to help Gian Lorenzo Bernini to create a bust.

For all the controversy, parliamentary conflict and civil war that his reign caused, Charles I can certainly be credited with dramatically upgrading England’s collecting culture. “Collecting on this scale had long been a tradition on the continent,” notes Chiswell, “but had not been seen in England before. Charles and other courtiers – notably George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, and Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel – led a major cultural phenomenon in England and amassed collections that, for the first time, would rival those in Europe.”

Charles I: King and Collector, 27 January – 15 April, Royal Academy of Arts, W1J, royalacademy.org.uk

clockwise from left: Anthony van Dyck, Charles I in Three Positions, 1635–36, image credit: Royal Collection Trust/©Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018; Anthony van Dyck, Charles I in the Hunting Field, c.1636, image credit: Musée du Louvre, Paris, Department of Paintings, ©RMN-Grand Palais (musée du Louvre)/Christian Jean; Titian, The Supper at Emmaus, c.1534, image credit: Musée du Louvre, Paris, Department of Paintings, ©RMN-Grand Palais (musée du Louvre)/Stéphane Maréchalle, Exhibition organised in partnership with Royal Collection Trust

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Charles worthington, Photography ŠSarel Jansen

profile

A

cut interview

above

Having celebrated 30 years in business in 2017, Charles Worthington opens the doors of his Chelsea home to talk hairdos and don’ts, fashioning bouffants for the BAFTAs and why he’s angling for the perm to make a comeback words: Ellen Millard

S

hould you ever find yourself sat across from Charles Worthington, beware the hairdresser’s gaze resting atop your head.

With more than 30 years’ experience giving tired tresses a new lease of life, the stylist has an eye for finding the right cut for the right person – and can spot the wrong one a mile off.

“When you’re a hairdresser, you never switch off,” he says, “so if I’m on a train or a plane, I do look at people and think ‘that could be so much better if...’”

He laughs as he says this, but even still I can’t help but pat down my own unruly split ends.

We’re in the dining room of his Chelsea home, located – almost literally – a stone’s throw from the King’s Road. White pillar candles line the mantelpiece, stacks of magazines sit in the corner (World of Interiors, House & Garden) and a floor-toceiling mirror opens up the room.

The entire house is a mix of Worthington’s varied tastes – artwork is Tracey Emin, candles

Byredo and music Robbie Williams’s Feel – but the one constant is the colour scheme: monochrome.

It harks back to the early days of Worthington’s career, when his first salon on Fitzrovia’s Charlotte Street spearheaded a new wave in beauty interiors.

“Salons used to be quite cluttered and busy,” the hairdresser recalls. “Ours was very minimalist, which in those days was quite radical.

We pared everything back and had a very simplistic environment.”

That was three decades ago. Now, the stylist has three salons (one on Percy Street, one in the City and one in Covent Garden), and remains at the vanguard of the hair industry, having flipped it on its head when he began his business in 1987. The design of the original salon was inspired by his years studying architecture, and the customer service aimed to give clients more than just a haircut. His product line – sold to PZ Cussons in 2004 – was equally innovative, paving the way for haircare that not only worked but was enjoyable to

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use, with a pleasant scent and a bottle that looked good on the shelf.

“From the packaging to the fragrance, I steered everything,” he says proudly. “The day we launched it, it just took off. Because I was physically on the salon floor, I knew what hair needed, so I could develop products that would actually deliver.”

Today, such products are commonplace on the market. Similarly with salons: your typical hairdresser favours a black-and-white interior, with tea, coffee and even champagne on tap.

“The industry has become much more professional,” Worthington agrees. “It’s much more service-orientated. Clients want to go into a salon for an experience, not just a haircut. When you’re spending your precious hard-earned money, you want to enjoy how you spend it.”

Hairstyles themselves have also changed, he says. “Hair has become looser and less highmaintenance. So many clients used to come two, even three times a week to have blow-dries; that doesn’t really happen any more. It’s more about the haircut doing the work for you.”

Cue the Vibe collection: a series of haircuts and colours that Worthington launched to mark his 30th anniversary in the business, with the aim to make life simpler for his clients. It’s about easy to maintain hair with a salon finish – the cuts are choppy and layered, styled to suit certain shades (a series of brunette cuts launched at the beginning of the year), and can be easily maintained at home.

While this carefree attitude is something he promotes at his salons, he’s gunning for the 80s perm to make a comeback. The tight twisting kinks are great for crafting angular shapes, he says, and are actually not so far off the low-maintenance looks favoured for 2018.

“Ten years on, you always think ‘how could we have liked that?’ But trends come and go. You can create some amazing shapes with those really

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP RIGHT: Charles worthington portrait, Photography ©Sarel Jansen; all other images courtesy of Charles Worthington

profile

“Divas are not people. Being a diva is a state of mind, and people aren’t usually divas with hairdressers” tight perms, and they’re very much wash and go. You don’t have to do too much to it.”

Finding a quick style fix is part of Worthington’s USP; crafting easy looks not just for his salon clients but also for the likes of Sharon Stone and Sarah Jessica Parker. He styled the latter’s locks for the BAFTAs in 2013. The turnaround time at such an event is quick and often sees him styling shoulder-to-shoulder with the make-up artist. Luckily, he says, his customers are very trusting.

“Divas are not people. Being a diva is a state of mind,” he laughs, “and people aren’t usually divas with hairdressers. You can be a diva to a clothes stylist, because you can simply take off what you’re wearing, but your hair is attached to your head.”

Yet his clients needn’t be wary. When it comes to hair disasters, Worthington proudly claims that he has never had any. It’s often when people try to be daring for the sake of being daring that the look doesn’t go as planned – the trick, he explains, is to be brave but still considerate.

“I think I’m a thoughtful hairdresser,” he says.

“It’s important, even if you are creating something extreme, to make sure there’s a good balance. That way, it will still look good 10 years down the line, even if it does seem a bit out there at the time.

“I’m a brave hairdresser, and I’m not scared of doing something radical – but I’ll make sure that radical still looks fabulous.”

Worthing ton’s top hair tips 1 “My go-to product is hair powder. It gives amazing volume and root life; it’s something that is always in the bag when we’re doing a photoshoot because it gives a great texture.”

2 “The biggest mistake people make with their hair is not seeking advice from someone who knows what they’re talking about. It’s very easy to stay with a look that you’re used to, but it’s not necessarily the best one for you. Go and have a consultation, and be open-minded to other possibilities.”

3 “Don’t be afraid to experiment with colour. It’s a bit boring going through life with the same old look, and hair colour doesn’t have to be permanent. There are so many temporary hair colours now that look fantastic and are very visually interesting. My advice is to experiment. Even if you’ve got a beautiful hair colour, it can still be enhanced.”

charlesworthingtonsalons.com

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15.08.17 14:15

Regulars

worlds of wonder Diverse and often daring, an art programme that supports emerging artists will run throughout the year at 45 Park Lane.

Joe Webb, Bubbles, 2017

Emerging Artists: An Edit, 45 Park Lane, W1K, dorchestercollection.com

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

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food & drink

Triple

header British artist Jason Brooks brings together three sources of inspiration for his latest solo show: hobbyist paintings collected from antique shops, 18th-century Romantic works and his own photography of fellow artists. A skilful take on making the familiar less so.

The Subject is Not the Subject, 9 February – 10 March, Marlborough Fine Art, 6 Albemarle Street, W1S, marlboroughfineart.com

fashion forward Philip Mould is about to catapult portrait miniatures into the 21st century with a collaboration between milliner Victoria Grant and portraitist Lorna May Wadsworth. The two friends have created headgear and paintings inspired by each other and women represented in miniature from the 18th century until the 1920s – a chic, contemporary move.

9-19 February, 18-19 Pall Mall, SW1Y, philipmould.com

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monochrome simplicity

Sometimes romantic, sometimes rousing and always razor-sharp: appreciate the world in black and white at Beetles + Huxley.

Elliott Erwitt, 24 January – 17 February, 3-5 Swallow Street, W1B, beetlesandhuxley.com

clockwise from top: Jason Brooks, To Napolean, 2017, image ©jason brooks, courtesy of Marlborough Fine Art, London; Elliott Erwitt, California, 1955, image credit: Magnum Photos; Phil Grabsky filming Monique at Mont Saint-Victoire, image credit: David Bickerstaff, ©EXHIBITION ON SCREEN; lorna may wadsworth, the milliner (detail), 2018; headwear by victoria grant; George Engleheart, portrait miniature of Harriet Paxton, c.1788, £14,500

e way for Cubis h t m d Paul Cézanne pave secret history Compared to his successors Picasso and Matisse, little is known of Post-Impressionist Paul Cézanne’s life and paintings. A new film is set to change that, with visits to his studio, home and a blockbuster exhibition.

Cézanne – Portraits of a Life, in cinemas now

culture Sold, from left: Banksy, Nola (Blue and Green Rain), 2008, screen print in colours, unpublished colour variant, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Pest Control Office, 755 x 550mm, Prints and Multiples sale, 18 December 2017, Bonhams New Bond Street, image ©Bonhams, bonhams. com; Eugène Delacroix, Le 28 juillet – la liberté guidant le peuple, 1830, oil on canvas, 64.5 x 81.3cm, 19th Century European & Orientalist Art, 14 December 2017, Christie’s, image courtesy of Christe’s Images Ltd 2018, christies.com

Sold £75,000 E stim at e : £40,000 - £60,000

Sold

Nola (Blue and Green Rain), Banksy, 2008 “The prices for Banksy editions have experienced a considerable increase in the past two years due to the high demand from collectors and the popularity of his exhibitions around the world. We foresee the market for these editions will continue to grow, as he is not currently producing any prints.” – Lucia Tro Santafe, UK head of Prints and Multiples at Bonhams

Upcoming, from left: Francesco Barzaghi, Phryné, 1868, white marble, on a faux marble, bronze and gilt bronze revolving base, figure: 169cm, base: 82cm, image courtesy of Sotheby’s, sothebys. com; Omar Ramsden, an Arts and Crafts silver centrepiece, 1934/1935, 44.5cm, image ©Bonhams, bonhams.com

Upcoming E stimat e: £400 ,000 - £600,000

Phryné, Francesco Barzaghi, 1868 This life-size white marble sculpture

by Francesco Barzaghi – a prominent sculptor during the Italian Scapigliatura movement – depicts the ancient Greek courtesan Phryne during her trial for impiety, at the moment when her body is revealed to a room of judges.

Erotic: Passion and Desire, 14 February, sothebys.com

£3,128,750 E sti m at e: £ 7 0 0 , 0 0 0 - £ 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0

Le 28 Juillet – La Liberté guidant le peuple, Eugène Delacroix, c.1830

Prize

lots

“It was a great pleasure to present the only known oil sketch of Delacroix’s masterpiece. The fluidity of the sketch and the use of sharp diagonal lines exemplifies his artistic mastery, and portrays the dynamism and movement for which the final composition is known.” – Arne Everwijn, head of sale of 19th-century European and Orientalist Art at Christie’s London

Upcoming E sti m at e: £ 8 , 0 0 0 - £ 1 2 , 0 0 0

An Arts and Crafts silver centrepiece, 1934/1935 Adorned noble insignia, two mermaids and a detachable flower grille, former Bank of England director and National Coal Board chairman Viscount John Scott Hyndley GBE commissioned Sheffield-born silversmith Omar Ramsden to make this centrepiece for his daughter’s 21st birthday. The lot includes a signed note from Ramsden to Hyndley.

The Gentleman’s Library sale, 14 February, bonhams.com

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Different strokes For Claudine O’Sullivan, every job is a new adventure.

The Irish illustrator has swapped pencil for pixel to create kaleidoscopic portraits of nature Words: Marianne Dick

C

laudine O’Sullivan’s path towards illustration was as winding as one of her psychedelic pencil strokes. She intended to pursue journalism in Dublin; then enrolled at the London College of Fashion, where she inadvertently reignited her passion for drawing. She ended up on a graphic design course at University of the Arts London.

It was during her last year that O’Sullivan developed her distinctive style. She used the same flowing technicolour lines to illustrate The Mayfair Awards 2017 certificates, a style evolved from sketches she made while travelling in India.

“I’ve been drawing with pencil from a very young age and it’s always been my go-to medium, but university encourages you to try a lot of new processes,” says O’Sullivan. “It was only towards the end that I began to simplify back towards my traditional drawing roots.”

When she was younger, O’Sullivan was inspired by the work of Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud; yet when she later began studying illustration she avoided looking at what others were doing in case she became influenced – even subconsciously.

She originally worked entirely in pencil, until she was approached by Apple to help launch the Apple Pencil – an electronic tool that allows illustrators to create digital images on an iPad Pro. The detail can be adjusted down to a single pixel and the Apple Pencil responds to increasing and decreasing pressure, just like a traditional art tool.

“It was slightly daunting at the time as I had never worked digitally, but I adapted to the medium surprisingly naturally,” she continues.

O’Sullivan went on to win the Advertising Professional Award at the World Illustration Awards 2017 for her campaign, which depicted a roaring bear and an owl in flight.

culture

“The great thing is that I travel a lot and the iPad allows me to draw on the go, in full colour, without carrying around a drawing pad and a huge case of colouring pencils.”

She used this method to create the illustrated certificates for The Mayfair Awards 2017. Each depicted the category winner’s façade – itself a celebration of the wonderful buildings that are unique to the area.

“The aim was to create a recognisable drawing, but in a delicate way using subtle colour palettes. I used a mix of digital brushes, starting with a pencil outline, then watercolour and ink washes and finally detailing in pencil and ink.”

Travelling not only allows O’Sullivan to work, but also inspires many of her subjects. The majority of her drawings are influenced by the natural world. “Most of my personal work and prints are observational. I’m obsessed with animals and nature, so I escape London as much as I can, working on quick sketches and taking lots of photos, which then become full colour pieces back at my desk.

“I also attend wildlife drawing classes every couple of weeks, which are an amazing way to observe, sketch and learn about different species.”

Last year was evidently a colourful one, but what’s on the horizon?

“I have a really fun campaign that I’ve worked on with two of my friends launching early this year, so we are really excited about that.

“For client work, I’ve been lucky to be constantly working on really exciting and varied briefs, which usually present at least one new challenge, be it medium, subject or scale – I find new challenges really inspiring.”

We can’t wait to see what her twisting, twirling strokes will decorate next. claudineosullivan.com

“The iPad allows me to draw on the go, in full colour”

Clockwise from top left: O’Sullivan with Roaring Bear print; Chloé digital illustration for the Mayfair Awards 2017; Roaring Lion and Owl pencil illustrations, both available in print

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 027

Rediscover the not-quite-lost art of letter writing: from setting the right tone to practising your hand and selecting stationery Words: Camilla Apcar c a l l i g r a p h y: B e t t y S o l d i

food &culture drink

any postfull title and t’s en pi t ci re e not sure wha “Use th CBE. If you’re as ch su – s, ” al hand nomin check before their title is, ’s tt re eb D e, Lucy Hum , ry to ec Associate Dir debretts.com rs if r to Mr and M the ntre, and refe or ce pe of lo ft le ve ly s on the en es “Write slight dr ad – s” rn ur tu mislaid yo couple. A re ho may have w addressing a e os uk th o. s .c lp on hans tter he coach, william corner of a le son, etiquette William Han uated. upon as antiq t rather looked lar at the moment bu h uc to ly pu love rs are very po “The seal is a kes, seal, but sticke a do” – Philip Sy e to us g ay in m th l ty ca si om m .c Royal hi tte w ue ce tiq ni ive – a hschoolofe as an alternat uette, thebritis tiq E of ol ho The British Sc

“An invitation to a formal eve nt is traditionally landscape, six inches wide by 4.5 inches high or slightly larger. It is traditionally eng raved on good quality card and prepared in the name of the host. It should includ e the venue, date, start and fini sh time, RSVP information and a dress code if approp riate.

“There are many occasions at which a traditional, formal invitation is not app ropriate. For a birthday party, hosts may prefer to des ign their own style of invitation incorporating pho tos or illustrations in keeping with a theme or dre ss code.

“An ‘at home’ invitation sign ifies a personal invitation, even if the event will not be held at the host’s home. These were traditional ly prepared in the name of the host only (although this varies nowadays), with guests’ names written in the top left hand corner. They are typically the same size as a formal invitation or slightly smaller. It should inc lude venue, timings, RSVP information, and may includ e the nature of the event, such as ‘lunch’ or ‘cocktails ’” – Hume “A reply to a formal invitat ion should always be handwritten in the third per son, with the date written at the bottom of the page” – Syk es

a to acknowledge rs are necessary ek we a in th wi “Thank you lette nt should be se ey Th y. lit ita sp t. of a presen present or ho event or receipt to 10 days of an le, it is good d by several peop ste ho is . If t en ev “If an person or couple a letter to each and nd le se up to co tte e th ue etiq ld address it to ou sh u yo . te ily no m within the hosted by a fa ildren by name ch y an n tio en then m itten. When ould be handwr sh rs tte le ctly e es th “Ideally, r to the item dire r a present, refe fo y ter af od If eb . al m so on rs thanking the tone is pe re su en to ils al ta and include de invitation: a form ur cue from the me’ an event, take yo u, while an ‘at ho yo k e a formal than s um ire H – qu ” re le n ab io pt at invit uld be acce wo te no t or sh a card suggests act of be sent after any k you letter can of – an nt th ie al cip on re rs e pe th “A en lucky to be be ve ha tle u lit a yo at be of tea may generosity th note after a cup en itt wr a gh ou alth kes over the top” – Sy esent ce paper for a pr of corresponden e ght ni sid er e ov on e an r rit fo “W es of paper ec pi o tw t bu l, anson or short mea on the back” – H stay. Don’t write

THIS PAGE, top left: White laid kings envelopes, £12 for 25, smythson.com.

OPPOSITE PAGE, STAMP: Andy Lidstone/Shutterstock.com

rts e p x e ette Etiqu wn the law t lay do to forma – w on ho pondence s corre th a all wi porary m conte sh flouri

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 029

Two clichés are particularly pertinent to letter writing: modern technology has driven us into a constant rush, delivering a blow to postal communications, but it’s still the thought that counts.

We may be out of practice with handwriting – yet all is not lost.

Etiquette experts William Hanson and Philip Sykes and contemporary calligrapher Betty Soldi are among the professionals encouraging a renaissance of handwritten correspondence.

“I think that in today’s techno-centric world, letters carry a lot more cache than digital communications,” says Hanson. “With thank yous, people feel validated and appreciated if someone has actually spent time to say so. Sadly, gratitude is a dying art – and there is a growing sense of entitlement, especially when it comes to the millennial generation.”

Writing is a more considered way of speaking, in Soldi’s view. But it is also “about you as the writer taking time to look at your thoughts, and express feelings and emotions”. Soldi has collaborated with Mount Street Printers for many years and recently published Inkspired, a book that – rather than a how-to calligraphy manual – is about rediscovering your own style of writing and the joy of putting pen to paper.

“Nowadays people are quite lost. There are so many different ways you can grow as a person (yoga, detoxing, retreats), but writing is about coming back to yourself and scribbling without judging whether it’s beautiful or correct. For many people it’s about finding the art of writing for your own satisfaction again.”

Inkspired begins with pencil exercises while keeping your eyes shut; then moves on to taking notice of other people’s handwriting and ‘collecting’ ways of writing words; practising how to shape certain letters in both their simplest and most embellished forms. It ends on writing with other instruments “like asparagus, which feels like a paintbrush, with lipstick on a mirror, or even directly onto fruit as place cards”.

Unlike the restrictions and “tightening up” learnt at school, “the whole process is about loosening up and letting go. For me, practice makes progress, rather than perfection – which is way overrated,” says Soldi. “I love celebrating mistakes along the way, which are unique to you and a computer can’t do.” Rather than starting a letter with “dear”, Soldi

culture

clockwise from top left, image credit: Ilaria Costanzo; Debi Treloar

suggests writing one large word on a correspondence card to prompt what you’re trying to say.

Handwriting is as much a portrayal of our identity as our clothes or the interior design of our homes.

“Yet as we grow up and change hairstyles or friends, handwriting is often something that we never review,” Soldi continues. The power of self-aware penmanship prevailed for Michelangelo, however, halfway through his life the artist changed his scholarly handwriting to a more fluid style. It caught the Medicis’ attention and paved the way for the aristocratic family to commission some of Michelangelo’s most famous creations.

Whether making a conscious decision to switch to cursive handwriting, or simply putting good manners into practice, quality stationery is essential, agree Hanson and Sykes: “it always leaves a lasting impression”. While Sykes prefers a gel ink pen in black or blue, Soldi favours well-worn ink pens for their softened nibs, and coloured inks (“but not blue, which feels rather scholastic”).

Sykes recommends engraved letterheads to really make a statement, with diamond flapped envelopes and matching writing paper. Yet Hanson has a word of warning. “On any personalised letterheads, print just the address of the house and perhaps a telephone number, but not your own name. This dates back to an era when stationery would have been passed to those inheriting a property, and those staying could use the paper as well.”

Letters should always be dated and handwritten on cream, white or ivory paper, with a minimum weight of 110gsm to avoid ink showing through on the other side, says Sykes. “One should not write on the reverse.”

For every good mannered formality, however, there is an equally sincere alternative for correspondence with a creative twist. “If you have a fountain pen in your hand, you’re already a bit more poised to write in a certain way,” says Soldi. Lipstick and asparagus at the ready, then.

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 031

Tools to inspire messages from the heart and leave a lasting impression

clockwise from top left Personalised wax seal stamp, £125, quilllondon.com; Vincent Van Gogh Chair Fountain Pen, £195, visconti.it; Tetbury floral correspondence cards, from £17.50 for 10, chelseafinestationery.com; Torun paper knife, £250, georgjensen.com; Montblanc Muses Edition Marilyn Monroe fountain pen, £755, montblanc.com; Liliput bronze clip, £5.65, Kaweco, cultpens.com; royal Yorkshire terrier long pad, $16, alexapulitzer.com; classic Anello Grenadilla fountain pen, £500, Graf von Faber-Castell, harrods.com; pretzel notecards, £12 for six, deartomestudio.com

culture

clockwise from top left Line D picasso roller ball, £1,400, st dupont, harrods.com; Antonio Canova fountain pen, 18ct yellow gold, €15,900, montegrappa.com; Flamingo Correspondence Cards in Park Avenue Pink, £26 for 10, smythson.com; Betty Soldi, Inkspired, published by Kyle Books, £16.99, amazon.co.uk; Bordered correspondence cards, £22 for 10, smythson.com; bow clips, £14 for 12, kate spade, selfridges.com; Tradition fountain pen, matt titanium with 18ct rose gold rings and clip, £3,300, breguet.com; custom order letterheads, from £162 for 100, mountstreetprinters.com

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 033

fine mechanical watchmaking, from japan.

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

Silver linings Giovanni Raspini’s spellbinding silver jewellery transforms interlacing branches, falling leaves and natural forms into intricate, wearable works of art. giovanniraspini.com

necklace, £450; bangle, £390; Ring, £180; all giovanni raspini butterfly collection

Chaumet has expanded its signature Jeux de Liens collection for Valentine’s Day with a one-off collection of lacquer love knots, inspired by traditional Chinese craftsmanship. Select from brightly coloured bracelets, pendants and single stud earrings, designed to be worn mismatched.

From £850, chaumet.com

one direction

Cupid’s arrow is refashioned

by Chelsea jeweller Robinson Pelham as a single stud earring, encrusted with vibrant gemstones and diamonds. Opt for hot pink and yellow sapphires, or vivid green tsavorite.

From £390, robinsonpelham.com

Cross

my heart Glit t

The golden key

g erin

Give the key to your heart this month with a pendant from Tiffany & Co. Choose from lustrous gold, platinum or diamond-encrusted designs, all twinkling with hope and good fortune.

From £190, tiffany.co.uk

new jewels to brighten

y up Februar

A cluster of colour

The covetable new Harry Winston range restyles the jeweller’s signature Cluster motif with vivid sapphires, rubies and emeralds. Gemstones and diamonds are set at varying angles for a three-dimensional finish, showcasing the brand’s exceptional flair for proportions and craftsmanship.

POA, harrywinston.com

Ring true

Jessica McCormack’s creations all make for timeless love tokens, but her new stacking rings have the playful edge.

Heart-shaped designs are embellished with diamonds, rubies and sapphires and can be worn individually, stacked up your fingers or strung on a chain as a necklace.

Heart rings from £1,900, jessicamccormack.com

collection

wrist attraction Royal Warrant holder Grant Macdonald’s latest cufflinks include openwork designs that allow coloured shirts to shine through. £195, grantmacdonald.com

A perfectly proportioned 20cm cube, lined in goatskin

Swirl and aerate wines while toasting the Year of the Dog

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Try this sterling silver-topped crystal decanter to bid a sardonic farewell to any dry Januarys. £1,495, theofennell.com

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brero to matc m o s h nd pain te d r an ge l a m p s h a d e , £ 5 8 , anth r opol o g i e . co m

any way you slice it Stephen Webster’s homeware range has launched with this set of chef’s knives. The hand-forged steel blades and sculpted bronze handles – bull, ram, boar... courgette – were put to the test by Mark Hix. Next up, barware.

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 037

The

POWER C O U P L E

For half a decade, Jean-Claude Biver and Ricardo Guadalupe, two of the most pioneering personalities in watch land, have ruled over Hublot, propelling the brand from the suburbs of Geneva to the vanguard of popular culture Words: Richard Brown

Is it right to talk about smartwatches and mechanical timepieces in the same conversation?

“Yes. If a smartwatch isn’t a watch, what is it? If it’s on your wrist and tells the time, it’s a watch. The smartwatch gives you additional information other than the time, so does the moonphase.”

Are you surprised Apple Watch sales now surpass Rolex sales?

“Two years ago we knew that Apple would become as big as Rolex. Apple announced that it would be producing 10 million units. Ten million units at $400 on average is $4bn, which is already close to Rolex’s turnover. We knew the potential was huge.”

Was does this mean for the Swiss watch industry?

Jean-Claude Biver Head of watchmaking, LVMH Perhaps the single most important person in mechanical watches, spearheading the brands belonging to LVMH, Jean-Claude Biver sets the course for the watch industry at large. Having served as an apprentice at Audemars Piguet, Biver rebuilt Blancpain, rescued Omega and transformed Hublot into one of the planet’s most lusted-after watchmakers.

“It’s the best promotion we could ask for. Switzerland is extremely active in watches over $1,000. The majority of the Swiss watch industry’s turnover relates to watches over $2,000. Will people buying a Patek Philippe suddenly say ‘no, I don’t want a Patek Philippe anymore, I want an Apple Watch’? No, they will buy both.”

What about watch brands selling for less than $1,000?

“Watches that are retailing for $300 or $400 and do nothing else except tell the time might have a problem. But the upper brands will just have to say ‘thank you’ to Apple, because Apple is doing a huge promotion. Isn’t it more difficult to sell a watch

collection

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 039

to kids that have never worn a watch, than to kids that have?”

What must this type of brand do to survive?

“They can look at what TAG Heuer did – look for agreements, look for partnerships. TAG Heuer has partnered with Intel and Google. TAG Heuer is not in the communication industry; it does not produce chips for phones, so it has no other choice but to enter partnerships.”

LVMH has authorised Bamford Watch Department to customise watches for TAG Heuer, Zenith and Bulgari. How much is that an attempt to target a younger demographic?

“It’s not just about targeting a younger audience; it’s our answer to a market trend. There is a new wealth class. The rich are becoming richer; their number is increasing every year. These people want individuality; something only they own. It’s a huge difference to have a Mercedes by Mercedes and a Mercedes by AMG. Bamford is allowing customers to individualise our watches in a way we cannot always handle. Doing one-offs costs a fortune. Bamford is the best solution.”

Zenith’s Defy Lab won the Innovation prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2017. How important is the watch to the brand, and to the industry at large?

“The Defy is the future of traditional Swiss watchmaking, which has had little technical evolution since 1675 [when Dutch horologist Christiaan Huygens invented the balance spring].

The whole mechanical watch industry has been based on the pendulum; ours is the first innovation that says there is another way to produce a mechanical watch. It has no friction; it doesn’t need oil; it’s not influenced by temperature; it’s not affected by magnetism; how can anyone resist a new system that brings such major improvements? This system will take over as time goes on.”

Will you make the movement available to other watch manufacturers?

“We must! It’s like what happens in Silicon Valley – this sort of technology cannot be just for you. It’s an open concept. It needs to be shared.”

To what extent do you see yourself as a custodian of Switzerland’s mechanical watch industry?

“I’ve spent 42 years in this industry; I have never worked in another field. It’s my passion, my life, my future. I’m not ready to retire now that I am 68. Of course I have a different view of the industry now than I did when I was young. When I was 30 I cared

about me, about my brand. When you are 68 you have a generosity; you have a different way of thinking.”

What is your most significant achievement?

“Sharing knowledge and technology – sharing is the ultimate luxury in life. When you share knowledge, when you share love, assets, experience, mistakes.

Sharing makes you rich.”

Who are your horological heroes?

“The first was Georges Golay, the former chairman of Audemars Piguet, the man who gave me my first job.

For one year he told me to do nothing but learn. Every day I had to sit down and say nothing; just listen.

The second was Fritz Ammann, who used to be the boss of Omega. In 1979, when I was 29 years old, he named me product director. It was written in the company rules that you had to be 30 before they named you a director – so they had to make an exception for me. This guy believed in me and helped me trust myself. Whoever has helped you trust yourself – they are a god.

Also hugely influential was Nicolas Hayek of Swatch. I worked alongside him for 12 years. When you sit next to a giant for 12 years, something rubs off, you grow yourself.”

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the first watch brand in that sport, too. The link with Las Vegas is good for us. Our Las Vegas boutique is one of the top five performing in the world. When we sponsor boxing events in the city, we see big sales over that weekend.”

Has football sponsorship provided similar quantifiable results?

Ricardo Guadalupe CEO, Hublot In 1994, while serving as product manager at Bulgari, Ricardo Guadalupe was persuaded by Jean-Claude Biver to join Blancpain, which had been acquired by the Swatch Group two years earlier. In eight years, the duo increased turnover to CHF100 million (£76 million). When JeanClaude Biver assumed control of Hublot in 2004, he again persuaded Guadalupe to join him. Their initial aim was to switch from producing 90 per cent quartz watches to producing 90 per cent mechanical timepieces.

You sponsored Floyd Mayweather during the Mayweather-McGregor fight. Given that the bout was dismissed as a charade, was there a risk of Hublot being stained by association?

“Of course there was a risk. All the professional boxers were saying that it was a fake fight. In the end, everyone was surprised by the quality of the fight. It went to the tenth round. I got to be ringside. When you watch a fight live, you live the fight with the fighter – even I was exhausted.”

Combat sports aren’t usually where you’d expect to find a luxury Swiss watchmaker.

Why does boxing make sense for Hublot?

ABOVE AND BELOW: The Big Bang Bavaria, the first Big Bang cut from bronze, strapped to a handembroidered, deer-leather bracelet, £23,400, hublot.com

“Hublot is a young brand. We try to be different and the first in everything we do. We took the risk of going into football more than 10 years ago; boxing was also a risk but we believed we could be

“This is more difficult to judge. It has allowed us to build the brand because with football you have enormous visibility. Take the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro – over one month we touched billions of people. Of course, not all these people can buy the watch but they now know, at the very least, that Hublot is a watch brand. The success we’ve experienced in the last 10 years suggests that we’ve followed the right strategy.”

How special was the 2014 Brazil World Cup? “It was unique. We decided to do incredible activations from day one until the end. We took over an entire hotel. I stayed there for four weeks and watched 15 games. We invited more than 1,000 people. It’s something we cannot repeat; Russia will be different. Russia is a huge country so we will focus on cities like Moscow and St Petersburg.”

Tell us about the new London boutique...

“It will open this month. London is a key world city for us, along with Paris, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore. We are putting this flagship on the same level as our stores on Place Vendôme in Paris and Fifth Avenue in New York.”

Apple is now the world’s most successful ‘watchmaker’. Is the mechanical watch industry doomed?

“It’s 50 years since the birth of the quartz watch.

At that time, we thought the Swiss watch industry would collapse but we found ways to maintain it.

There are always these cycles when a new technology comes along. This latest technology is very impressive but whenever a new smartwatch comes out, what do you do with the old one? You throw it away. We position our products as works of art, aesthetically and mechanically. That’s where value is derived. That’s the future of the Swiss mechanical watch industry.”

Will Hublot bring out a smartwatch of its own?

“We are open to the idea and are working closely with FIFA. But we will not do a smartwatch as a business product. It would be more a smartwatch for referees at the World Cup.”

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 041

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@luxurylondonofficial 

@luxurylondonofficial 

@theofficialll

look ahead Roberto Cavalli’s new creative director Paul Surridge has released 12 debut designs that come as part of a sporty capsule collection.

From ÂŁ355, robertocavalli.com

Signe d’exception.

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

fashion

She

walks in beauty

Erdem Moralioglu’s moody and ornate pre-spring designs take a cue from female Surrealists such as Leonora Carrington, Dorothea Tanning and Hannah Höch – whose collages influenced digitally printed velvet pieces (pictured left, from £3,080). Motifs including nuzzling cockatiels and bejewelled insects offer a gothic take on romance – a mood February tends to arouse. erdem.com

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Joining the ranks of Chatsworth House and Rome’s Angelica Library, Maison Assouline is the first London destination to be honoured as a Gucci Place. The project encourages admirers of the brand to visit enriching spaces; offering access to exclusive in-store products and in-app rewards when they do.

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Pyjama party

Image ©Laziz HAMANI

Réve éveillé is French for daydreaming. It is also the name of the new Parisian boudoirinspired collection of nightwear from & Other Stories, which is far too precious only to be worn indoors.

From £17, stories.com LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 045

F i e l d Photographer Helene Sandberg S t y l i s t I n d i g o G o ss A T E r a m a n a g e m e n t

o f

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THIS PAGE Shirt, £595 and trousers, £695, Temperley London, 27 Bruton Street, W1J Shoes, £795, Jimmy Choo, jimmychoo.com OPPOSITE PAGE Shirt, £295, Daks, DAKS.com Trousers, £305, Max Mara, MAXMARA.COM Bag, £295, Gabriela Hearst, gabrielahearst.com

THIS PAGE Top, £1,030 and skirt, £1,015, both Issey Miyake, 10 Brook Street, W1S OPPOSITE PAGE Jumper, JW Anderson, £580, brownsfashion.com Skirt, £680, Malene Oddershede Bach, maleneoddershedebach.com Scarf, £94, Wool and the Gang, woolandthegang.com Necklace, £3,400, BuccellatI, buccellati.com Shoes, £740, Gabriela Hearst, matchesfashion.com Hair and make-up Monika Grensteen AT Le management Model Sophie Kanny AT Elite models Photography Assistant Luke Johnson

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fashion

Russian fashion designer Gosha Rubchinskiy has joined forces with Burberry to launch a limited edition capsule collection for his S/S18 menswear line. Available at select Burberry stores, the range reimagines the brand’s signature check print with oversized jackets, short-sleeved shirts and caps designed by British milliner Stephen Jones.

From £175, 121 Regent Street, W1B, burberry.com

Bags of style

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Trail Blazers Banish the iron with Richard Anderson’s new Cheviot cloth blazer, which has been created using a special crease-resistant fabric. Available in tweed or cobalt blue, the jacket is single-breasted and made to measure.

From £2,016, 13 Savile Row, W1S, richardandersonltd.com

Easily suede J.M. Weston’s 180 Loafer and Golf Derby shoes are given a smart redesign this season with suede and box calf leather detailing, for both men and women in shades of black and midnight blue.

From £625, 60 Jermyn Street, SW1Y, jmweston.com

L e ath e r t o t e , £ 3 2 3 , m i an s a i . co m

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 055

interview

Meet

mr

Cheshire Model of the moment Oliver Cheshire on what it takes to make it in the industry P H O T O G R A P H Y: A L E X A N D E R B E E R S T Y L I S T: S T E V E N D O A N WORDS: RICHARD BROWN

D

espite the rise of the manscaping, selfie-taking uber-metrosexual, the fact remains: there are less than a handful of male ‘super’ models. Models, that is, who could walk into a boozer outside of metropolitan, appearance-obsessed London and cause red-blooded blokes to look up from their pints and whisper to their pals, ‘blow me, that’s… bla bla!’

When David Gandy, the blue-eyed boy from Billericay, fronted a Dolce & Gabbana campaign in nothing but a pair of budgiesmugglers, he hit blast off on a career trajectory towards mainstream stardom (thanks, in part, to a contract with Marks & Spencer). Yet despite social media creating an influencer out of every @tomdickandharry, for years Mr Gandy was in a league of his own.

Then came a chisel-jawed fellow from Hitchin, who was scouted at 15, whisked away to New York at 16 and cast by Calvin

waistcoat, POA, Berluti, berluti.com; suit, £950, Dsquared2, dsquared2.com; bow tie, £95, Dunhill, dunhill.com; shirt, £115, Brooks Brothers, brooksbrothers.com; Explore E-Rise 80 skis, £400, Elan, tignes-spirit-rentals.com; ski boots, £265, Head, tignes-spirit-rentals.com

fashion

country’s most famous and amazing brands. I remember from a young age always wanting to own a Jag – now my dream has come true!”

What makes British style special?

“Britain is the home of tailoring and we still have the number one destination for suiting: Savile Row. We’re also not shy about taking risks when it comes to fashion and that’s why many trends and generations of style and fashion were born here; the whole 60s movement. The mods. The rockers. Punk.”

Klein Jeans alongside a Russian supermodel named Natalia Vodianova. Hailed as “the new Leonardo DiCaprio” by Select Model Management co-founder Tandy Anderson, Oliver Cheshire went What’s the key to longevity in modelling? on to work with Vivienne Westwood, Missoni and “To be successful you need to get Paul Smith. His engagement to rebooked on jobs with the same pop star Pixie Lott followed in clients. You have to have the ability 2016 (he proposed on the steps to adapt with the times and changes of St Paul’s Cathedral). in the industry, pretty much like any Touted as the everyman of job. It’s very important to be modelling – in addition to high versatile with your look.” fashion brands, he’s helped boost sales for Gap and Superdry How has the male modelling CITY: NEW YORK – Cheshire is known for being industry changed over the course one of the most down-to-earth of your career so far?

RESTAURANT: ROKA faces in the industry. Following “Many things have changed since I in Gandy’s footsteps (his Select BAR: GROUCHO CLUB started. For a start, there’s now GPS agency stablemate), Cheshire on your phone, which makes castings has also become an ambassador HOLIDAY DESTINATION: a lot easier. It’s all about social media for Jaguar Land Rover. Last DOMES NORUZ numbers now. Clients always ask the summer, the soon-to-be-30-yearCHANIA, CRETE question: ‘how many followers?’ old added ‘all-action hero’ to his Advertising budgets have shrunk as curriculum vitae when, outside STYLE ICON: more is being spent on social media the Natural History Museum, he RYAN GOSLING campaigns. This has given models wrestled an out-of-control cab with a larger number of followers driver to the ground and helped more power in their own right.” suppress him until the local constabulary arrived. When did Gandy You travel a lot for work. How do you stay ever do that?

Mr Chesh i re’s favou rite...

Have you chosen what you’ll be wearing down the aisle?

“I haven’t fully decided yet, but it’s either going to be a beautifully tailored Marks & Spencer suit – in keeping with the British theme – or I’ll go Italian in a Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo. Both brands have been huge supporters of mine and become like friends and family.”

What sort of brands do you most enjoy working with?

in shape?

“Travelling and staying in shape are part of the job description, so it’s important to get loads of sleep, besides the cliché of drinking lots of water. And I always take healthy snacks on long-haul flights.”

Would you like to design a collection yourself?

“It’s always been a dream of mine to design my own fashion collection. I’m actually in the process, and it should be ready for summer.”

“I love working with those that have an energy and excitement about them, always pushing boundaries in menswear.”

How did it feel to become an ambassador for British powerhouses Marks & Spencer and Jaguar Land Rover?

“I’m extremely lucky to work with two of the

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 057

Beneath the

arches

For some, it is a pleasant thoroughfare; for others, a meeting place; and for many, a treasure trove of treats. For head beadle Mark Lord, the Burlington Arcade is a capsule of the city words: Marianne dick

fashion

I

n the early 1800s, Mayfair wasn’t quite the epitome of luxury and elegance that it is today. In fact, one reason why the Burlington Arcade was built was to deter the unruly frequenters of the raucous gentlemen’s clubs on Old Bond Street – particularly those who threw oyster shells into the garden of Lord George Cavendish’s residence, Burlington House, the building now more commonly known as the Royal Academy of Arts.

The arcade – designed by Samuel Ware and opened in March 1819 – boasts the oldest and smallest private police force in the world (called beadles), which was initially made up of men from Lord Cavendish’s regiment: the Tenth Hussars.

Head of this team of beadles today is Mark Lord, who has patrolled the arcade for 15 years.

Lord describes the Dickensian scene that would have played out before the arcade was built: there would have been cock fights, gambling and copious amounts of gin and beer drunk because people didn’t trust the water. Orphans formed pickpocketing street gangs just like in Oliver Twist; widows were sent to the workhouses or cast out on the streets; and crucially, there was no Metropolitan Police Force.

Naturally, the area wasn’t suitable for Lady Cavendish to shop with her friends when Lord Cavendish was away at war (the idea for the arcade was proposed after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815). Thus, the Burlington Arcade became the answer to a number of problems.

“In those days if a soldier fought well, he was normally given a small sum of money by his commanding officer as a pension. That’s why so many pubs are called the Earl of such-and-such,” says Lord.

“But no one thought of the widows. The Cavendish family changed that. Many of our original shopkeepers were widows of soldiers.

They’d have a shop on the ground floor, live on the first and second floors, and in the basement there would be a kitchen area where they wrapped up the shop parcels. Two different worlds existing in parallel.”

The arcade is well-known for its bizarre rules, which are now a source of bemusement even though some still remain in place. According to Ellen Lewis, vice president of Meyer Bergman (co-owners of the arcade with Thor Equities): “the continued implementation of many of the original rules, such as bans on whistling – only two people including Sir Paul McCartney are exempt – and running, help keep the history of the arcade alive; while certain historic artefacts such as the original brass shopfront of Harrys of London allow the original arcade to exist alongside its contemporary history.”

Shoppers weren’t allowed to carry their purchases along the arcade, either. “Underneath street level there were walkways where boys and girls would run up and down and tap on the windows and ask if there were any parcels to be delivered,” says Lord.

“They would either take them to the end of the arcade or to the customer’s London address. In some of the basements the original windows, frames and fireplaces remain.

There are even staircases that don’t go anywhere but we’re not allowed to touch them because they are listed.”

The arcade boasts the smallest private police force in the world

CLOCKWISE FROM left: IMAGE COURTESY OF THE BURLINGTON ARCADE; Inside the Arcade, image credit: fox photos/hulton archive; head beadle mark lord, image courtesy of the burlington arcade

There were once columns at each end of the arcade where beadles would sit and decide who could come in or not: unaccompanied ladies, children and anyone ‘displaying merriment’ would be turned away. These rules of entry have now been eradicated, along with the columns – a result of bomb and fire damage before eventual refurbishments to widen the openings.

Such regulations didn’t prevent illicit activities taking place in the arcade. Mary Anne Evans, more commonly known by her pen name George Eliot, used to meet her married lover George Henry Lewes in Jeff’s Bookshop at number 15 (now Michael Rose jewellers), where it’s said they would leave love letters to each other between the pages of books.

During particularly hard times, the rooms above the shops were rented out to courtesans,

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 059

“The arcade has always reflected the capital’s economy: when London’s flourishing, the arcade is flourishing” however even these activities were kept as classy as possible.

“The arcade has always reflected the capital’s economy: when London’s flourishing, the arcade is flourishing,” says Lord. “In the 1850s, 60s and 70s, London was a bit suppressed, but nothing as coarse as money changed hands. Ladies of the night would be gifted items such as a brooch, hat or gloves from the boutiques by their callers and then they would sell it back to the shop for cash.”

Lord recalls a tale about a Madame Parsons who ran such an establishment above numbers 27, 28 and 29. All the shopkeepers – regardless of gender – were called Madame in those days, however Parsons lived as a woman and it was only when she died that it was discovered she was in fact biologically male.

The Burlington Arcade has changed little; its boutiques have evolved with the changing times.

According to Lewis, these developments are very much organic: “transitions happen seamlessly and as a result there still remains a perfect blend of old and new, traditional and contemporary.”

In the past six months, the arcade has welcomed cutting-edge knitwear designer Zoe Jordan; young handbag brand Sophie Hulme; a new Mulberry boutique with a pop-up gin bar upstairs; and Atkinsons – a perfumery that was established before the arcade was built.

fashion

OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP: mulberry store, artwork by jessica may underwood; The salon at atkinsons; VHERNIER BOUTIQUE THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: Sophie hulme boutique; personalised sophie hulme bags

“It has been 67 years since the last Atkinsons store was in London, at 24 Old Bond Street, so the launch of this new flagship boutique had to be special,” says Dino Pace, the brand’s CEO. “We enlisted Christopher Jenner to design the store. We wanted him to think about the new house of Atkinsons as an experiential place where people could breathe the essence of our creations, benefit from the grooming services of an in-store barber shop and feel at home.”

Despite this sprinkling of exciting names between the well-worn pavements of veteran perfumers and jewellers such as the Vintage Watch Company, Hancocks or David Duggan – whose store is the only privately owned Rolex-approved watch shop in the UK – the arcade’s unique, unchanging ‘essence’ remains the same. This is preserved, perhaps, by its legendary rules, careful curation of shops and even the continuation of Lord Cavendish’s original intentions.

“It has a really family feel to it. As soon as we opened the door there was a queue of people wanting to speak to us and all the jewellers said if we needed anything fixing we could take it to them,” says Sophie Antropik, retail supervisor at the Sophie Hulme pop-up.

If you stroll through the arcade with Lord, you are sure to be interrupted numerous times by shopkeepers and passers-by who pull him aside for a quick word. Jewellers nip in and out of one another’s stores to ask advice about certain pieces; the cheerful shoeshiner is constantly polishing; tourists snap away at the gold leaf-lined Ladurée store that glints from Piccadilly; and, just as Lord predicts, people on the phone often slip into conversation exactly where they are. Even Manolo Blahnik himself – who is expanding his boutique this year – signed the soles of a pair of shoes that Lord bought for his daughter on her 18th birthday.

“There remains a perfect blend of old and new, traditional and contemporary”

“There are five beadles and three of them have done military service,” explains Lord. “One was in the Irish guards and two fought in Afghanistan. When Britain pulled out of Afghanistan, it left a lot of men very vulnerable, so we try to give them jobs if we can.

We try to have a balance between uniform and non-uniform, and represent London as the international city it has become.

“Burlington Arcade doesn’t just house beautiful objects, it’s a living part of London’s history.”

51 Piccadilly, W1J, burlingtonarcade.com

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 061

Luv. Nordic elegance.

The design of Cecilie Manz‘ bathroom series Luv combines Nordic purism and timeless, emotional elegance.

Soft shapes follow a stringent geometry. The result is a new unique design language with precise, clear and ďŹ ne edges.

For more information please visit www.duravit.co.uk or contact info@uk.duravit.com

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21.12.17 14:31

health & beauty

Get the

Glow To combat dull, uneven skin Charlotte Tilbury has launched an anti-ageing, colour-correcting treatment that reduces pigmentation and banishes dark circles.

Brightening Youth Glow evens imperfections and illuminates the skin in just four weeks. £38.50, charlottetilbury.com

Christian Louboutin’s new Loubitag nail varnish collection comes in a range of eye-popping hues that will help you stand out from the crowd.

In the shadow

Nars has released a limitededition eyeshadow palette available exclusively at its new Chelsea store. Narsissist Wanted features 12 tones of nude and pink in matte and metallic finishes. £55, 27 King’s Road, SW3, narscosmetics.co.uk

£47, christianlouboutin.com

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Coming up roses Diptyque’s signature Eau Rose collection has been repackaged for Valentine’s Day, with special prints by graphic designer Leslie David. Pick up the scent as either a liquid or solid perfume, as well as a new nourishing hair mist (pictured left). £36 for 30ml, diptyqueparis.co.uk

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LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 063

Who wants to live

forever

?

Once the realm of science fiction, our future can now be mapped out by geneticists – in the knowledge that being forewarned is forearmed

promotion

A

sk anyone what they would wish for most in the world and in all likelihood, they would say a long and healthy life.

A City worker who may work all hours for a big bonus would readily forego the latest Ferrari for 10 more years on the planet, and any parent would say their dream is to live long enough for a cuddle with their great-grandchildren.

And yet, until recently, all any of us could do was to try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and simply hope for the best.

Now, one London-based medical company is offering its clients the chance to take more control over their future health, thanks to sophisticated DNA decoding.

Many of us will have seen adverts for online or shop-bought DNA testing, promising to discover anything from food allergies to which part of the world our ancestors lived in.

But for a full and informed picture of your future health, Elite Medicine, based on London’s Harley Street, is leading the way.

The team, comprising founders professor Phil Beales, doctor Chiara Bacchelli and professor Nick Lench, boasts some of the world’s leading experts in genetic profiling.

“There is a huge difference between what we offer here at Elite Medicine and some of the other postal and online services for DNA testing,” Beales explains.

“The most well-known brands only test a tiny fraction – 0.02 per cent to be precise – of the genetic markers we look at. Instead, we study and analyse three billion bases of DNA stretching across all our 22,000 genes. This information can provide valuable insights into how one might respond to hundreds of medicines as well as an individual’s risk of certain diseases. Armed with this information, we work closely with the client to help keep their health in check.

“Our service gives the most comprehensive guide to our clients’ health and offers an ongoing health partnership working with health and lifestyle professionals.”

But of course with genetic testing comes the risk that the profiling can show up a likelihood of developing illnesses such as heart disease or certain types of cancer. The test can also analyse the genes for breast and ovarian cancer (BRCA1/BRCA2), which Angelina Jolie had and took preventative measures against.

Beales adds: “It is vital that any clients deciding to undergo the test are aware and informed. We take the consultations and counselling we offer very seriously – both before the test is done and when the results come back. I need to be sure that clients are aware and prepared to cope with their results. It is very rare that we have had to give clients bad news, but it is possible.

“Prior to the test we spend a great deal of time talking and taking detailed medical histories. When we receive the results we discuss them at length and provide a comprehensive report that patients can share with their doctor or healthcare provider,” says Beales.

How DN A te s t i ng at E l ite Med ici ne work s DNA contains all the information that makes us unique. From your DNA, Elite Medicine can reveal your risk of developing certain diseases and your response to certain medicines.

Following a blood sample or mouth swab, your personal genome report from your DNA will be comprehensively evaluated to compile a one-time catalogue of your genetic blueprint. The report will identify genetic markers linked to life-changing conditions.

Key health indicators will be used to guide the most appropriate health assessment for you, taking into account your medical and family history.

Using this genetically enhanced health data, Elite Medicine can recommend any further diagnostic tests that may be required.

Based on your health assessment and genome information, Elite Medicine will then tailor a personalised healthcare plan to your needs. Importantly, it will also offer clear evidence-based information in a face-to-face session with a doctor.

The report additionally provides a comprehensive guide to an individual’s responses to commonly prescribed drugs, ensuring doctors are aware of what will work best for their patient.

The personal report is for life. As part of your Elite membership, the company continues to partner with clients and offers reassessment and refreshment of healthcare plans when needed.

“Some diseases could be averted altogether by simple lifestyle changes” LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 065

promotion

“It’s possible that with earlier intervention, regular medical tests and the knowledge of how patients will respond to certain medicines, some diseases can be averted altogether. Making certain lifestyle changes is one of the most simple yet empowering routes a client can go down.

However, Beales explains that there are some diseases that could be carried by a parent and passed onto children that clients should be aware of, like cystic fibrosis. “At Elite Medicine, we often consult with couples who are looking to start a family and want to know if there are any risks posed by passing on, or combining, their genes.

Often they are reassured by the results,” he says.

Co-founder Bacchelli is equally optimistic about the benefits of DNA testing. “With the rapid pace of advancement in genetic therapies it is our mission to provide the most accurate and evidence-based information for our clients,” she says. “It truly can make a real difference and it’s a privilege to be able to work with individuals to help them lead longer, healthy lives.”

DNA FACTS Every human being shares 99 per cent of their DNA or genome with everyone else Genes are the functional unit of DNA and code for all our physical characteristics, growth and development Each human has roughly 22,000 genes in their genome We pass on 50 per cent of our genome to our children If you put all the DNA molecules in the body end to end, the DNA would reach from the earth to the sun and back more than 600 times Human DNA is 98 per cent identical to the DNA of chimpanzees and 50 per cent identical to the DNA of bananas

066 | LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK

The Elite Medicine team. From left: Phil Beales; Nick Lench; Chiara Bacchelli

A new cl ient ’s ex perience

by Charles Johnson “I’ll admit I almost cancelled my appointment with Elite Medicine when my results would be revealed.

Did I really want to know my medical future?

“But 90 minutes later I emerged from its doors onto Harley Street, armed with my personal report and a determination to lead a healthier life.

“I’d not received any drastically bad news but there were some elements I should be aware of as I get older and some markers that mean I should continue to have regular health checks.

“The whole testing process was remarkably easy – and I found the knowledge I gained both before the test and after it truly fascinating. The doctors take huge care to ensure they have a full picture of your medical history and discuss any elements of your health that you find worrisome.

“It is nerve-wracking going to get your results, but in my mind it is always so much better to be forewarned.

“Knowledge is, as they say, power.”

Elite Medicine, 9 Harley Street, W1G 9QY 020 3488 0535 info@elitemedicine.co.uk elitemedicine.co.uk

health & beauty

A

treatment review

sound bath? I know, right.

Is this the next healthy living fad – washing in minims and exfoliating in crotchets? Ever the sceptic, I almost turned my nose up the idea of ‘a sensory experience through the therapeutic tones of alchemy crystal foam headrests and blankets for singing bowls’ (no bathing actually extra warmth. involved). The idea that the sounds On arrival, I accepted the emitted from rubbing and tapping invitation to lie down, and placed vases could stimulate a meditative Wellness experts Toni Dicks and a linen pouch of lavender over state and reduce pain, stress and Jasmine Hemsley invite you to reset my eyes and breathed in the anxiety seemed unlikely. smell of the petals. Lying on my Toni Dicks, a yoga instructor who and recharge by absorbing sound waves back, palms facing the ceiling, leads the sessions with Jasmine WORDS: HANNAH LEMON legs stretched out, it already felt Hemsley of Hemsley and Hemsley, like a positive way to start the day. claims that the treatment even Dicks led the session with prompts to clear the changes the formation of blood particles moving mind through regulated breathing. Then, she and through our bodies. While I’m yet to see the Hemsley settled down to ‘play’ a selection of crystal clinical trials to prove it, after one session I receptacles, which emitted glorious hums and deep decided it was hard to imagine someone not being rumbles that bounced around the room, landing affected by the overwhelming symphony of on my limbs and seeping through my skin. This was reverberations that can be felt through the body. interspersed with chimes – one clinked right by my The sessions are held in the Basement at The head and released a warm tingling through one London Edition, a wood-clad events space side of my body, like melting wax down a candle. complete with bar and moody mauve lighting.

Occasionally hands would readjust my Lines of soft mats are laid out on the floor with shoulders, move my feet, or dab an essential oil on my face. This eased any tension and focused my thoughts back into the room rather than on the time of my next appointment.

Waking up was the hard part: my body, light and relaxed, refused to move but for the herbal tea, ginger cake and stewed apples at the bar, all chosen for their comforting sweetness. We were asked to react as if we had never tasted them before, and in that moment – despite not knowing how or why – I started smiling into my mug, happy with the simple pleasure of enjoying my first sip.

Sit back and listen

Sound Sebastian, £35, until 19 February, Basement at The London Edition, 10 Berners Street, W1T, soundsebastien.com

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 067

food & drink

more like it

Boost your surroundings – and your mood – with Jonathan Adler’s flamboyant and frivolous home accessories. jonathanadler.com

interiors

Two’s

Company European furniture brand Sé frequently collaborates with fellow craftsmen, creating collections that complement the voluptuous aesthetic of its designs. Its latest partnership is with the nearly century-old French rug brand La Manufacture Cogolin. Visit Sé’s Fulham Road showroom to see the range in all its glory.

60 Fulham Road, SW3, se-collections.com

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world of wool Anlaby boasts the oldest merino stud in south Australia, and was the first company in the area to sell a bale of wool in London. With a flock of just 500 sheep, its undyed blankets and throws are made in limited quantities – but their sinking soft texture will make it hard to look elsewhere again.

Throws from £579.97, anlaby.life

future classics

Source your dream vintage design pieces, artworks and collectibles from e-curator The Kairos Collective.

You can even search locally, or by themes such as Scandi, Hollywood and haute bohemian. thekairoscollective.com

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 069

a

Purple reign Misty greys and calming beiges make way for ultraviolet – the hue of the year.

Here’s how to make it pop W o r d s : J u l i a Z a lt z m a n

I

f you haven’t already heard, Pantone’s 2018 Colour of the Year is a striking blue-based purple: Pantone 18-3838 Ultra Violet, chosen because Pantone wanted to pick something that brings hope and an uplifting message.

“From exploring new technologies and the greater galaxy, to artistic expression 18-3838 and spiritual reflection, Ultra Violet intuitive ultraviolet lights the way to what is yet to come,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

Historically, there has been a mystical or spiritual quality attached to ultraviolet. The colour is often associated with mindfulness From left: black & key lake view bowl, £1,250, Adam Aaronson; Michael Paul practices (a huge trend itself in 2017), which Fabrics C&C Milano; Galatea Turquoise Violet Carpet, poa, Tufenkian, offer a higher ground to those seeking refuge all available at the design centre from today’s over-stimulated For 19 years, Pantone’s Colour of the Year has world. The use of influenced product development and purchasing purple-toned decisions in multiple industries, including lighting in fashion, home furnishings and industrial design. meditation spaces With the world looking to the company for and for other palette leadership, the selection process requires wellbeing thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. purposes is Experts at the Pantone Color Institute comb the believed to energise world looking for new influences, which can and inspire.

PANTONE

interiors

include films in production, travelling art collections, fashion, textures, social media platforms – and even upcoming international sporting events.

“The Pantone Colour of the Year has come to mean so much more than ‘what’s trending’ in the world of design,” says Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute. “As individuals around the world become more fascinated with colour and realise its ability to convey deep messages and meanings, designers and brands should feel empowered to use colour to inspire and influence.”

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 071

The good news for interior design enthusiasts is that ultraviolet was selected from the Pantone Fashion, Home and Interiors Colour System, the most widely used and recognised colour standards system for fashion, textile, home and interior design. Of course, when Pantone declares a colour trend, it’s not just focused on interiors but design around the world, so you can expect to see this shade being used everywhere from catwalks to make-up palettes.

However, the skill for individuals lies in how to implement the quintessential Pantone colour language in our homes.

Ultraviolet can transform a room into one of extraordinary selfexpression, adding spice and brightness with a tufted couch or accent wall. Conversely, its polish can tone down a room with subdued modern pairings.

In large rooms, try dressing a bay window area in a bold wallpaper print, teamed with floor-to-ceiling curtains for maximum impact. For any successful scheme, however, it’s important to use plenty of different tones, from dark to light to give interest and depth, and so as not to overdo the strong accent colour. Don’t be afraid to indulge

FROM TOP: LENTI LENTI VASE (SET OF TWO), POA, Rebecca Vallée Selosse, roche-bobois.com; Circulo CoasterS, £137 FOR Set of FOUR, Anna New York, AMARA.COM; DISCO TINA CANDLE, £115, BAOBAB COLLECTION, AMARA.COM; sheridan australia collection, sheridanaustralia.co.uk; Ghost Buster Commode, £213.35, kartell AMARA.COM

in every shade from the palest lilac with cushions and armchairs, all the way through to the deepest plum with lamps, accessories and artwork.

When it comes to pairing other colours with ultraviolet, the design consensus is to look to nature for inspiration. Green is a popular choice, but so too are shades of peach, copper and orange.

“This exciting choice for Colour of the Year works brilliantly in many different ways, for all different interior schemes,” says Brian Woulfe, founder and managing director of Designed by Woulfe. “For the brave, go hard on block colours and mix this vibrant hue with other visceral and stimulating colours in your home, in a Mondrian style. This will give your space a stylish edge – a heady cocktail of punkish rebellion and regal opulence.

“Alternatively, the intoxicating purple sits wonderfully with the popular grey, earthy tones of last year’s interior trends. Alongside these greys and ochres, the tones

interiors from top: Agave rug, £399, Ted Baker, AMARA.COM; A by Amara Haven collection; WATERPERRY FABRICS, POA, SANDERSON, available at the design centre, dcch.co.uk

“For splashes of ultraviolet, add silk or satin piping to cushions”

are softened and much more seamlessly introduced to pre-existing interiors.

“Another great way to introduce a softer version of ultraviolet is to opt for cashmere or soft wool furnishings. For splashes of ultraviolet, add a silk or satin piping to cushions, curtains or armchairs.”

Communicating originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking, ultraviolet is the most complex of all colours, because it takes two shades that are seemingly diametrically opposed – blue and red – and brings them together to create something new. The key for getting this trend to feel fresh and modern in your home is to make sure the colour really stands out. Find the most intense hue you can and let it take pride of place.

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 073

LOOK SHARP Enjoyed dry January? Continue the booze-free benefits with Ella Canta’s artistic aguas frescas, non-alcoholic Mexican palate cleansers, which make an evening out anything but sober.

InterContinental London Park Lane, W1J, ellacanta.com

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LOVE O

D

nothing is as good for the soul as fresh sea air, but if you can’t spare a moment away from the city, husband-and-wife team Mercedes and Simon Sieff have brought their Devon-based mindfulness retreat, Yeotown, to Marylebone in the form of a new café. Revitalise in a meditation pod with vegan desserts and juices.

40-42 Chiltern Street, W1U, yeotownkitchen.com

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If you’re looking for a meal with cosy familiarity, you’re sure to find it at The World’s End Market. Chefs cook favourite dishes, from sausage and egg baps to rib-eye steaks, in full view of the dining room, which is decked out with filament lamps, heavy velvet and reclaimed curiosities.

459 King’s Road, SW10, theworldsendmarket.com

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TABLE FOR TWO What better way to say ‘I love you’ than with an engagement ring from William & Son’s Lumiere collection, followed by a private five-course dinner at The Dorchester in a secret cocoon of 4,500 sparkling lights?

The Lumière Experience, POA, until 28 July, alainducasse-dorchester.com

food & drink restaurant review

Indian A c c e n t words: marianne dick

A

s my friend and I share a knowing look over the brims of our tiny matte black cups of warm pumpkin and coconut shorba, two things go through my mind.

Firstly, I could drink at least ten more of these soothing, creamy and delicately spiced soupçons.

And, secondly, if this isn’t even the starter, then what else is in store for us?

Indian Accent first opened in New Delhi in 2009, with executive chef Manish Mehrotra pioneering its innovative – if not unorthodox – menu, which reinvents Indian dishes using techniques from various cuisines. For the past three years, it has been the only restaurant in India to have made it onto The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. In 2016, a second outpost launched in New York and Albemarle Street is now home to the third.

As we sip the last of our soupy shots and polish off the miniature melt-in-the-mouth blue cheese naans, my guest and I decide we must share each course. A pair of intensely earthy Kashmiri morel mushrooms are presented to us like squidgy mountains with tangy parmesan crisps balanced on the summits.

A trio of small but mighty mathri cones (flaky North Indian biscuits) are filled with smoked aubergine bharta, powerful methi chicken and aromatic duck khurchan – meaning ‘leftovers’ or ‘scrapes’ in Hindi. The cones are wrapped in what appears to be a typical Indian newspaper, but look a little closer and you’ll see the executive chef beneath the headlines.

For the mid-course, we go for the reputable soy keema. We’re told to stir the quail egg into the fragrant Bolognese-like mixture before dunking the dinky Portuguese buns. It’s hard to believe the dish is meat-free and within minutes we are wiping the bowl clean.

The ghee roast lamb with roomali roti pancakes dominates the main course. Another wonderfully

“Sauces and chutneys are laid out like paint pots” interactive and shareable platter, it is clearly inspired by Peking duck pancakes. A thrilling spread of sauces and chutneys are laid out like paint pots – from syrupy garlic to sizzling green chilli. We also indulge in the black pudding and butter chicken kulchas: the warm flatbreads are slightly greasy and delightfully naughty.

The Sicilian-inspired mishit doi cannoli cuts through the richness of the meal perfectly. A satisfying crunch reveals a slightly tart, cool yoghurt filling that is – to our relief – incredibly light.

Mehrotra imaginatively combines global influences with Indian flavours to an exceptional standard throughout the menu, but I can’t deny that I would return just to taste the shorba and the naan once more – an arrrangement that I find myself comparing to a holy communion of sorts.

Safe to say, I’m devout.

16 Albemarle Street, W1S, indianaccent.com

clockwise from top: Manish Mehrotra, image credit: Rohit Chawla; soy keema with quail egg and lime leaf butter pao; ground floor interior; Mishti Doi Cannoli with Sweet Amaranth, all images: Steven Joyce

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 077

cru nch time A culinary coup is underway in the food halls of Harrods, where the first stage of its Taste Revolution – a four year overhaul of the gastronomic landmark – has been unveiled words: Ellen Millard

T

he story goes that a local resident with a penchant for poached fish and potatoes popped into Harrods one weekend and asked the store’s chefs to fashion a bigger, more dinnerparty-friendly version of her favourite dish, in order that she might pass it off as her own. The cooks, naturally, were only too happy to oblige.

This tale comes courtesy of Harrods’ head of food, April Preston, who admits she wasn’t surprised in the slightest when she heard of this old tale. After all, in the 60s Harrods also sold a lion cub to one adventurous shopper, and a baby elephant to another.

“It was one of the things I was blown away by when I joined Harrods, and it’s the first thing they

teach you: nothing is too much,” Preston says. “That really is the way we live and breathe.”

Founded in 1834 by Charles Harrod, the now-department store began life as a humble East End grocer and tea merchant before moving to Brompton Road to capitalise on the trade brought in by the Great Exhibition of 1851. Fast forward 167 years and you can’t walk down the Knightsbridge street without casting an eye on the gargantuan shop, now a destination for, well, everything – including a bespoke fish pie, should you require one.

It’s a big leap for what began as an ordinary fruit and veg stall, now more known for its clutch bags than its cucumbers – but this is all set to change as, for the first time in 30 years, the fabled food halls are being given a makeover, with a strong focus on the local customers who pop in daily for a pint of milk.

The first phase of the Taste Revolution, a four-year project, launched in November with a new-and-improved The Roastery and Bake Hall.

Much of the activity from the 150-strong team of chefs kneading, basting and frying to their hearts’ content can now be found on the shop floor.

“The food halls have always been about amazing displays with wonderful food, but they just sit there,” Preston admits. “We’ve been hiding our light under a bushel a bit, but with the Taste Revolution it’s much more live.”

The Bake Hall is home to an impressive scratch bakery, where a team of 14 bakers put their dough expertise to the test and produce 80 per cent of the store’s bread, with two fresh loaves coming out of the oven every half an hour. More than 30 new

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types of bread have been created especially for the occasion, including a signature sourdough loaf that was the well-honed project of Harrods’ master baker Lance Gardner.

“It’s been a real work of love,” says Gardner, who spent four months perfecting the recipe. “I wanted to keep it really special, because it’s an iconic loaf.

It has been based on my own experience working at different bakeries, seeing what’s trending in food and among Harrods customers as well – sourdough is huge, so I wanted to try and bring that to the forefront.”

It sounds like a lot of effort for a simple loaf, but the crux of the Taste Revolution is creating core staples that people will pick up on their way home from work. As such, the bread has been made in both a small everyday, size, and as a 2kg wheel that can be rolled out at get-togethers (only Harrods could make bread a fancy affair).

Other new treats include a delicious truffle, Parmesan and mushroom focaccia made from ingredients sold in the food halls, and flaky croissants produced using butter from Montaigu in France.

Next door to the bakery, The Roastery churns out more than 35 coffee blends (including a new signature, aptly named the Knightsbridge blend) in a 25 kilo roaster that produces all of the coffee that Harrods sells, both in the food halls and in its restaurants.

“We have been taking food trends into account and coffee is massive. When I was young, you could have black or white – now you can have everything in between,” Preston says. “But it’s more than just a trend-led thing; it’s about wanting to do the simple things really well. We wanted to roast our own beans because we know that is the best way to get the best quality.”

Bean buffs are on hand to offer advice on the best brew for you, as well as the chance to taste the blends available

before you buy, as a hot caffeine fix during the day or as an espresso martini at night. Along with beans, you can buy your favoured coffee in ground or pod format, so even those with a Nespresso machine can join in the fun (we’re looking at you, George Clooney).

In addition, there is the Roast & Bake café, where you can tuck into the best treats found at the new counters. If tea is your poison, a visit to the Tea Tailor should do the trick: spin the roulette wheel of flavours to pick your preferred tastes, and the store’s resident tea sommelier will whip you up the perfect cuppa.

Finally, in the centre of the space, the patisserie counter takes pride of place, with desserts hand-crafted by head pastry chef Alistair Birt and his team. Colourful treats that look more like works of art than works of chocolate will be the stars of the show – one is champagne and peach flavoured; another coffee and star anise.

“The range is more pared back in terms of finish, and much slicker,” Birt, who recently reached the finals of the prestigious Master of Culinary Arts award, explains. “We worked with tonal colours, so the strawberry and yuzu dessert is different colours of red, and we’ve got a matcha one that’s three different shades of green.”

It has been a labour of love for the team, who worked flat out to get the first stage finished in time for the big reveal in November. For Preston, who likens her career to that of a footballer (“I get paid to do what I love”), it has been the cherry on an already pretty good cake.

“I just love working with chefs; I love the way their brains work, I love the creativity, and the fact that they can produce this amazing food. I’ve been in the industry forever but I learn something new every day” she chimes. “To still be learning so much at this stage of my career is a fantastic thing, and is really what gets me out of bed in the morning.” That and, presumably, a strong cup of Harrods’ signature brew...

clockwise from TOP LEFT: Harrods’ chefs in 1929; the NEW coffee bar; Harrods’ master baker Lance Gardner; the new bakery

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New

roots

Game changer

As conservation projects go, few can match the scale of Amanyangyun, Shanghai. The 15-year project has seen an ancient camphor forest and a residential settlement dating from the Ming dynasty uprooted and resettled on a new 10-hectare resort found just outside the city limits.

Modernity and tradition collide in its sleek new villas.

From £690 per night, bed and breakfast, aman.com

Letting off steam

The Costa Brava has been given the Rubelli touch.

Fabrics and furniture from the Venetian textiles specialist are peppered throughout the Alàbriga Hotel and Home Suites: a new establishment with an emphasis on enotourism (plus collaborations with Chopard and Dom Pérignon, too).

From €316 per night, bed and breakfast, hotelalabriga.com

Travel in style on Golden Eagle’s Highlands to Penzance steam rail tour, with en-suite mahogany cabins and an onboard Bamford Haybarn Spa. Tornado 10th Anniversary of Great Britain departs 14 October, from £29,995 per person, two weeks allinclusive, goldeneagleluxurytrains.com

sides of a square Mandarin Oriental is set to make its mark with a new hotel and branded residences on Hanover Square. Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners is the architectural practice in charge of the project, which will include just 50 rooms but 80 residences. The wait is on, however, with an opening date of 2021. Bond Street Cross Rail station will open on the square later this year, just 30 minutes away from Heathrow airport. mandarinoriental.com

image credit: david robinson

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suite dreams

Sunborn Gibraltar A words: Nikki Mohan

t roughly 2.5 square miles Gibraltar is one of the very smallest countries in the world. This tiny British Overseas Territory is a actually a narrow peninsula lying on the southern coast of Spain, but its geographical position commanding the Strait between Europe and Africa and connecting the Atlantic with the Mediterranean Sea has guaranteed the country a significance to traders and warriors that is completely disproportionate to its size.

The Rock once stood in splendid isolation.

Today the land between it and Spain has been completely reclaimed, giving the old town of Gibraltar room to expand. Its airport runway crosses the main road on to the island, so traffic has to come to a halt each time a flight comes in.

This exciting system is due to come to an end by 2019 as an underground tunnel is being built to carry incoming visitors.

In the harbour sits the ship hotel Gibraltar Sunborn. It looks like one of the many cruisers that bring tourists here, but in fact its only voyage was the trip from its original home in

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Malaysia to Gibraltar, where it was refitted as a sleek and permanently anchored hotel three years ago.

It’s a triumphant use of space. Our penthouse suite at the front of the ship had not only a huge and comfortable bed, bathroom, large sitting room and an extra toilet, it had the most enormous sea-facing balcony. This was equipped with sun loungers, chairs and tables where you could enjoy your dawn coffee, sip sundowners or simply bask in the sunshine to the gentle sound of lapping water and wind in the rigging of nearby yachts.

All the hotel’s plush rooms and suites have private balconies; there’s also a ballroom, smartly equipped conference rooms and a popular casino. It has several bars – one by the pool – and two restaurants. And most important of all, friendly and helpful staff.

Gibraltar has lots to offer its visitors, not least its Mediterranean climate and safe beaches. There are marinas for the yacht crowd, water sports, nature reserves and the Botanic Gardens and of course there’s the Rock itself – whichever way you choose to scale it, there are excellent views across to Africa and Spain.

We took a boat safari in the Bay of Gibraltar that gave us a different view, with the added enchantment of dozens of dolphins frolicking and racing alongside us.

The Rock may be a byword for solidity, but in fact it is so riddled with man-made tunnels that it is more like a cheese. There are more miles of underground tunnels than there are roads on Gibraltar and they all interconnect. These were begun seriously in the 18th century with men hand-blasting their way through the rock to make gun emplacements; in the Second World War the complex was big enough for a fully equipped hospital.

Gibraltar also has many caves, of which the most spectacular is St Michael’s, first discovered by the Phoenicians who believed it to be the gateway to Hades. Today the cave is home to an extraordinary concert hall with a splendid acoustic. The only

clockwise from top left: sunborn gibraltar; the top deck; the penthouse balcony; bedroom; living area

The ship is a triumphant use of space in the old town harbour downside is that if it is raining, concert-goers get wet as water runs straight through the porous limestone.

Back on board Gibraltar Sunborn, the top deck hosts the newly opened Sky restaurant under head chef Marko Scarabello, who offers excellent food influenced by classic Italian and Lebanese cuisine. On Sundays, brunch is popular with tourists and locals alike, with a sumptuous spread of meats, fish and vegetarian delicacies and a chocolate fountain that is very popular with the children.

However the highlight of our stay was the Sunborn Wine Club evening, which offered a tasting menu with a different wine for each of the six courses. We ate beef carpaccio, sea bass ceviche, steamed Lebanese lamb, salmon, beef fillet and cheese. All the wines originated from the Ebro Valley in northern Spain and each one was introduced by an expert from the vineyard, making it both a fascinating and delicious experience. Incidentally the restaurant has a good wine list, and it is worth noting that the house wines are definitely worth a try – as is the experience of staying in a permanently anchored hotel.

Penthouse suite, from £850 per night, bed and breakfast, sunborngibraltar.com

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O

fficially labelled the ‘Jewel of Kedah’, Langkawi is perhaps one of south-east Asia’s lesser-known island gems, with a gleam regularly outshone by the likes of Bali and Thailand’s Koh Samui. Yet while those destinations offer the blissful beaches and laid-back lifestyle this area is famed for, the island of Langkawi has all of this, and much more.

Sitting on the west coast of Malaysia in the Andaman Sea, Langkawi is just an hour’s flight from the Malaysian capital yet sits in stark contrast to the bustling, thriving metropolis of Kuala Lumpur. This is a place where you feel instantly relaxed; a place for luxuriating under palm trees with a novel and cocktail in hand, lazily watching as a family of monkeys – the island is home to two species, the long-tailed macaque and the spectacled langur – squabble over their lunch.

Langkawi is in fact an archipelago of 99 to 104 islands (depending on the tide). Only four of these are inhabited, and the main island we know as Langkawi is the most populated, with 65,000 residents. While relatively small in size and only 18 miles from the Malaysian mainland, this island has crafted an identity of its own with its fusion of south-east Asian cultures. Thanks to the island’s proximity to Thailand, there is a strong Thai influence here, which is reflected in everything from the language to the cuisine.

Alongside its beautiful beaches with golden, powder-fine sand, the island is home to lush jungle-clad hills, waterfalls, paddy fields, ancient rainforests and mangrove forests, which date back an astonishing 550 million years. It is no surprise then that part of the island was granted UNESCO Global Geopark status back in 2007.

The island is also noteworthy for its wildlife, which thrives in the rainforests and the labyrinthine mangroves.

Meanwhile, the skies above Langkawi are dominated by magnificent birds of prey. One of its most awe-inspiring sights is the dazzling dance of Brahminy kites and white-bellied sea eagles as they swoop down to feast in the shallow pools surrounding the mangroves. Just one more thing that makes this island truly sparkle.

great escape

Langkawi Verdant hillsides and postcard-worthy beaches make this island the perfect winter retreat WORDS : K a t y P a r k e r - S h o r t h o u s e

clockwise from top: unesco geopark; four seasons Beach Villa with Pool; cave seen on safari; four seasons spa; beach villa; arrival view; Andaman Sea beach; macaque monkey; aerial view of four seasons; Brown-winged Kingfisher; Deluxe Beach Villa bathroom

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Where to stay…

One of the first luxury hotels to open on the island, the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi is undoubtedly the best. The hotel has recently been renovated, with the most exciting addition being 20 new ultra-luxe beach villas, complete with plunge pools, private treatment rooms, outdoor showers, huge sunken bathtubs and a secluded terrace. Interiors are vibrant yet exquisitely tasteful and with the beach on your doorstep, the temptation is never to leave.

Fortunately, the superb in-villa dining on offer means you really don’t have to. fourseasons.com

suitcase essentials

1 Sun gl a ss es , £ 1 9 5 , r e j i na p y o . co m

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Where to eat…

Taken from the Malay for ‘fish’, the Four Seasons’ own Ikan-Ikan is a superb showcase of authentic local cuisine, with a focus on home-style specialities including centuries-old rural village recipes. Built in the style of a traditional Malaysian home and with views overlooking the Andaman Sea, the restaurant has been revamped at the hands of designer Bill Bensley. Don’t miss the Ikan Jenahak Asam Katok; an indulgent plateful of crispy fried red snapper fillet drenched in a tamarind, honey and chilli sauce.

Don’t miss…

Embrace your inner Attenborough and take a boat trip to the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, a mesmerising maze of limestone cliffs and tangled mangroves. Not only does this grant the opportunity to see the coastline from the sea, it allows you to uncover one of the world’s most accessible mangrove forests, home to fish that walk (mudskippers) and scores of sleeping bats. The Four Seasons offers a mangroves and eagles safari led by naturalists with encyclopaedic knowledge of the area’s flora and fauna.

d r ess , £ 6 5 0 , b o r g o d e n o r , h ar r o d s . co m

3 n igh tw e a r, f r o m £ 8 5 , k e tu r ah b r own l i n g e r i e . co m

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5 s an d a l s, £ 2 4 5 , L . K .B e nne tt x je n n y pa c k h a m , l k b e nn e t t. co m

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Pa r a di s e

Found

Saint Lucia is less than half the size of London, yet is home to sulphur springs, volcanic mountains, silver beaches and beautiful five-star island hotels Words: Maud Simpson

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W

ith both silver and gold beaches (the former a result of the island’s volcanic terrain), mystical sulphur springs and magnificent twin emerald Pitons, Saint Lucia could almost be an epic kingdom in some fantasy series. In fact, one of its many natural wonders – the arch at Marigot Bay – featured in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Jade Mountain is one of the island’s most famous hotels, and its mystical name is apt considering its unusual design, conceived by owner and architect Nick Troubetzkoy. The structure nestles snugly into the mountainous terrain, right above Troubetzkoy’s other Saint Lucian haven, Anse Chastanet.

This spot on the island provides spectacular views over the impressive volcanic spires of the Pitons, which is why Troubetzkoy decided to make every one of his 29 suites – coined ‘sanctuaries’ and given names such as ‘galaxy’, ‘sun’, ‘moon’ or ‘star’ – overlook them with no outer wall to block

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“After a full moon, the sea turns yellow and pink after the sun sets”

All Images courtesy of jade mountain

the view. This may sound daunting to guests who value privacy, but Troubetzkoy has made it all but impossible for anyone, including paparazzi, to peek inside his open layout. Each individual pod is accessed via a private bridge and while WiFi is now available in each (a recent addition), there are no televisions or radios, forcing relaxation on the many of us who find it increasingly difficult to switch off.

Complimentary yoga sessions provide another way to unwind, while hikes across the 600-acre estate are available for more active guests.

However, a visit to the boutique Kai en Ciel spa is a must. There are body and beauty treatments abound but nothing quite beats the ‘Forget the Outside World’ package – a 105-minute anti-stress treatment with a facial, back and leg massage, and foot reflexology.

The resort has also recently won a Travelife Gold award based on its continuous effort to employ local people and protect and utilise the island’s assets. The kitchen uses produce grown on the organic estate and has a dedicated lionfish menu to help regulate the species (lionfish intimidate other sea life in the surrounding coral reefs). A disused reservoir that was built by the British and French for sugar cane farming – a nod to this lush island’s not-so-sunny past that one can find out about on a guided tour – now provides 1.5 million gallons of potable water each year.

Every August, around a week after the full moon, the sea turns yellow and pink after the sun sets. This is the natural phenomenon of coral spawning, which you can witness during one of the resort’s night dive expeditions. Twinkling fireflies can often be spotted below the sanctuaries in the evening, and there is also a chocolate lab where guests can make sweet treats using organic cocoa beans collected from the farm.

Sound too good to be true? Jade Mountain must be seen to be believed.

From £815, jademountain.com

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Where the

wi

travel

ld things are Adventure through the Galåpagos Islands and Ecuador in search of wild animals: from blue-footed boobies to elusive pumas – and find luxe living besides W O R D S : L i z z i e P oo k

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T

he Galápagos Islands are a puzzle to pin down. When coming in to land at Baltra airport, the surrounding craggy landscape looks a bit like a cactus-strewn Australian bush, but with a sparkling sliver of aquamarine sea you might expect to find in the Caribbean. The black volcanic mountains rising in the distance look decidedly Icelandic and as I disembark, the fierce equatorial sun beating down on my face feels distinctly like sub-Saharan Africa.

It’s all a bit disorientating, really. A dreamscape of sorts. Like no other place I’ve visited.

Of course, most people travel to the Galápagos – a province of Ecuador, off the west coast of South America – for the wildlife. Ninety-seven per cent of the land above water here is protected and the islands are home to a profusion of curiously tame species, from the giant land tortoise and marine iguana to rambunctious sea lions, whales and dolphins.

You can get a sense of the sheer volume of animals packed into this place as soon as you step into the tiny airport terminal: spiny land iguanas haul themselves lazily between satellite dishes and dozens of Darwin finches hop perkily between the check-in desks. The sky above, too, is awash with huge frigate birds, gliding effortlessly on the thermals like pterodactyls.

The Galápagos is primarily a cruise ship destination (although only 70 ships are allowed to putter around the waters of the 3,040 square mile national park at a time). But I’m here to discover how the archipelago can be explored on a land-based tour, on Metropolitan Touring’s first luxury island-hopping safari. A perfect match, given that I am very much averse to large tour groups, and even kayaking in Cornwall makes me woefully seasick.

Our first stop is the island of Isabela – with a population of 1,748 – that we must reach, in truly intrepid style, on a teeny tiny light aircraft about the size of a large black cab. On the 25-minute journey the clouds part to reveal an ocean awash with a dazzling palette of colours: deep inky blue, shocking neon green and swirls of icy aquamarine.

The islands below look like sleeping goddesses and I marvel at how much life there must be in these waters. I keep my eyes peeled for whales – I’m told humpbacks, orcas, blue and fin whales are often spotted from the sky – and brace myself as we descend through wool-thick, white-out cloud as we come in to land.

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and marvel at how the sporadic rumblings of magma flowing deep beneath us don’t disturb the magnificent glass-fronted lobby.

From here we head out to explore the island by foot, and soon pass flocks of flamingos feeding from one of many glassy lagoons; a trip to the beach brings us up close with a gaggle of scaly, sizeable, jet black marine iguanas – piled together in a crash of bodies to keep their internal temperatures up. Majestic blue-footed boobies dive for fish in the distance and the black lava rocks in front writhe with crabs. Every so often the iguanas by our feet sneeze, ejecting spurts of salty water from their nasal passages. It’s all wonderfully surreal to watch.

Finally, the volcanic land emerges below like thick, hardened mud pools. The landscape is a swathe of lava fields, scabbed with scratchy patches of bush, and I think to myself that this must be what it would be like to land on Mars. Our plane eventually comes to rest, and our pilot turns round in his seat with a grin. “Welcome to paradise.”

Huge frigate birds glide effortlessly on the thermals like pterodactyls

The long walk Scalesia Lodge blends effortlessly into its surroundings. Enveloped by rose apple, mandarin and avocado trees and tickled by dense fern forests, it is home to 16 beautiful tented rooms that almost disappear into the forest. Each morning we tuck into breakfast tigrillo – mashed plantain with cheese, bacon and a fried egg – while pretty Darwin finches hop about outside,

clockwise from opposite page: frigate bird flying over faraway rock; sea lion; Marine iguana; black lava rock; sea lions swimming in an inlet; Frigate bird previous page: scalesia lodge

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Hiking the Volcan Sierra Negra, the second largest shield volcano in the world, is for early risers. The dusty, steep, hot path is flecked with white lava morning glory flowers, mocking birds, warbler finches, bright yellow sulphur butterflies and huge candelabra cacti. After a sweaty couple of hours, we reach the Sierra Negra Caldera – a black lava field that is some 4,500 years old. The last eruption here took place in 2005, when 30 million cubic metres of lava – the equivalent of 150,000 Olympic swimming pools – flowed at a monstrous 15 metres per second.

Yet Galápagos creatures are most at home in the ocean – so the best way to see them is with a snorkel mask and a trusty pair of flippers.

Heading out of the harbour on a local fishing boat makes for a beautiful journey as the sun sets.

Jurassic-looking brown pelicans nest in mangroves; herons pick their way across glistening rocks; the silhouettes of whitetip reef sharks storm past in the water and every so often, curious coffee table-sized sea turtles pop their heads up to see what’s going on.

Eventually, we stop in a secluded bay and slip into the cold water. It’s a feast for the eyes. Angelic

eagle rays glide past like ghosts; strange sea cucumbers sit fat and heavy on the sea floor; and turtles pass by innocuously without giving us a second glance. Suddenly, there’s a frenzy of activity. I spin in the water, desperately trying to locate the source of excitement, becoming frustrated when all I see is rocks. But in a split second, a sea lion launches itself out of the water and jumps in a sort of slow motion arc over my head. I laugh and duck under the water for a better view, as it jumps and splashes around me,

A sea lion launches out of the water and jumps in a slow motion arc over my head

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clockwise from CENTRE: scalesia lodge; Galápagos tortoise; marine iguanas; finch bay

blowing bubbles in my face as the sunset sends amber and violet splashes across the evening sky.

The next day we fly to Santa Cruz Island – a land of vast misty sinkholes, dense forests and giant wetlands, filled with white cattle egrets and those famous giant tortoises. Finch Bay is a beautiful There is one more stop on our adventure. You seafront property here: decorated with storm can’t get in or out of the Galápagos without lanterns, bleached wood panelling, marinetravelling through Ecuador. In Quito, the buzzing themed textiles and wicker furniture. At night we capital, the place to stay is Casa Gangotena. The indulge in a feast of seafood: fresh ceviche and grand heritage hotel is sympathetic to its colonial tender red snapper; delicious spiny lobster with roots with Art Deco ceilings, huge smoked coconut sauce. All marble bathrooms and a lobby washed down with truly blooming with foliage. It’s here I have bucket-sized glasses of some of the best food of my trip, lemongrass mojitos. including a wildly decadent tasting We visit Rancho El menu involving red snapper ceviche, Manzanillo, where tortoises hornado pork with potato tortilla and roam free on boggy Exsus Travel offers an 11-night ice cream made table-side with liquid farmland. The animals are trip, from £5,238 per person nitrogen, like a posh cauldron. like dinosaurs left behind, based on two sharing, From the hotel we take a bumpy puffing out the air from including two nights at three-hour journey to Mashpi Lodge, a their lungs like Darth Vader, Scalesia Lodge, three nights at breathtaking glass-fronted eco hotel wallowing and emerging the Finch Bay Galápagos nestled deep in the moody Ecuadorean slowly from their muddy Hotel, two nights at Mashpi rainforest. There are a lot of animals pools like Marlon Brando in Lodge and three nights at here, too. Our local guide takes us Apocalypse Now. Casa Gangotena, exsus.com through some of the camera trap shots captured by researchers in the area: pumas, ocelots, jaguarundis, anteaters and howler monkeys all grace the screen. There are also plenty of snakes slithering around here, including the fearsome fer-de-lance (a highly venomous pit viper that can kill you in minutes).

By day we explore the rainforest canopy, riding the nerve-jangling Sky Bike (suspended high among the trees, allowing you to pedal peacefully along a vast zip-wire). Above the misty forest floor, we have only strangler figs, an orchestra of cicadas and burning thighs for company. We also take a spin in Mashpi’s new Dragonfly Gondola. We float above waterfalls and brush vast magnolias as swallows dart around, dazzling blue butterflies flit above and the cool breeze whips our hair.

By night we take to the forest floor, wellies on and flashlight in hand. In the light of our torches are rain frogs, spider scorpions the size of my face, secretive vine snakes and even a kinkajou (a raccoon-like creature that jumps from tree to tree, its eyes shining). It’s all wild, wonderful and undoubtedly good for the soul – and the perfect end to my adventure.

Magical mystery tour

make like Darwin

regulars

back in time

James J. Fox Words: HANNAH LEMON

A

s clichéd as it sounds, walking into James J. Fox is like stepping back in time. An era of bowler hats, petticoats, gentlemen’s clubs, and of course, smoking.

The business was established by Robert Lewis in 1787. In 1992, it was bought by family-owned Irish cigar merchant James J. Fox, which has been operating since 1881 and continues to run it today under its own name.

Remarkably, the company has maintained its clientele and even its locale despite the rules and regulations around smoking and, indeed, the health ramifications. Upon entry, the room proffers the sweet and familiar aromas of earth, dark chocolate and nuts that come from rolls of tobacco leaves. You can even take the scent home in the form of James J. Fox candles infused with tobacco, leather and cognac, a selection of which are proudly displayed in the shop window.

Rows and rows of pipes are housed in glass cases and mirrored by as many lighters. Rickety dark wood cabinets showcase gold tins of tobacco leaves, making it look more like an apothecary than a tobacconist. The antique walls look like they have been tea-stained as part of a school project, but the stains here are real and tell exciting stories.

After all, James J. Fox claims to be the oldest cigar shop in the world. Down a creaking staircase you can rifle through the ‘museum’: cabinets stuffed full of old ledgers, Edward VIII’s humidor, antique boxes, cigars from the Great Exhibition – reputed to be the oldest box of Havanas in existence – and seven royal warrants.

In the corner, looking a little forlorn, is an old leather chair favoured by Sir Winston Churchill on his numerous visits. Regaled as one of the shop’s finest clients, Churchill held an account with the company for 64 years. So devout was his smoking habit that he ordered 5,000 cigars at one point during the Second World War, despite

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shortages, and even had a cigar size named after him – the Churchill has a large ring gauge and high strength, packing a punch reserved for true cigar aficionados.

There’s a note dated October 1963 from Churchill’s private secretary, Doreen Pugh, which reveals the retired politician’s ambition to pass on his passion to his family. It requests ‘25 cigars of good quality, but not quite as good as the Romeo & Juliet, and of medium size, to his grandson for his birthday on October 10’.

Prime ministers and royalty aren’t the only customers of note. One summons details the outstanding debt of 43 pounds, seven shillings and three pence that Oscar Wilde held at the store.

Still today, clients can puff away on a Havana thanks to licensing laws that allow smoking of cigars for tasting purposes – but no cigarettes, mind. Once a favourite brand has been puffed and picked, it can be kept safe in the store’s vaults, which carefully control the temperature and humidity. There is also an established calendar of pairing evenings with Irish whiskies or Cuban rums, and an annual celebration on 29 November for Churchill’s birthday, which – surely to what would have been his delight – is always oversubscribed.

19 St James’s Street, SW1A, jjfox.co.uk

showcasing the finest homes & property from the best estate agents

Turning a leaf

Image courtesy of pastor real estate

Where to look for your next new home

097 | LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK

Market insight Properties with provenance Partner and head of Knight Frank Mayfair, Harvey Cyzer

W

hile uncertainty among buyers and vendors has been a factor in the housing market, it is only one of several fundamentals steering pricing and activity trends. Despite such factors, Knight Frank Mayfair witnessed increased activity towards the end of 2017 and a busy start to 2018, with two particularly historic sales taking place.

One was a magnificent six-bedroom apartment offering spectacular views over one of London’s most prestigious garden squares, which sold at a guide price of £18.5 million. With an abundance of lateral living space, 10 windows overlooking Grosvenor Square and a formal reception room of 650 sq ft alone, the property offered a unique opportunity to own a piece of Mayfair heritage.

Heading a little further south of Grosvenor Square, the second sale was one of the largest sets in Albany, which sold within 10 per cent of the guide price. The Grade I-listed mansion – Piccadilly’s most historic residential building – was originally designed as a single residence by William Chambers, architect of Somerset House, before being converted into separate sets in the early 1800s. The building has been home to esteemed residents including William Gladstone.

020 8166 7484, knightfrank.com/mayfair

Grosvenor Square

Fac t f i l e P r i me cent ra l L ondon

Sales volumes increased five per cent in the six months to November 2017

Average prices rose 1.9 per cent in the year to December 2017 for homes valued at between £5 million and £10 million

Some 40 per cent of sub-£2 million properties in prime central London underwent an asking price reduction in the year to November 2017

Compared with the same period in 2016, there was a 2.8 per cent rise in the number of new prospective buyers registering between January and October 2017, and viewing levels were up eight per cent

Albany

property

Ready for action Partner and head of Knight Frank Marylebone, Christian Lock-Necrews

H

aving finished 2017 in great shape, I’m hugely excited about the prospects and opportunities for the year ahead. It’s particularly interesting to read Knight Frank’s residential market forecast, which was released in December and predicts 0.5 per cent growth in prime central London over the course of this year.

Undoubtedly this will be pleasing news for many homeowners who experienced negative price movement in recent years. This is further supported

by Knight Frank’s Prime Central London Sales index, which showcases the number of areas within London recording rising prices is continuing to grow (pictured).

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing” – Theodore Roosevelt When I look at Marylebone and Fitzrovia’s market listings, I can confidently say we are able to introduce buyers to best-in-class properties right across the spectrum; the selection is as good as I have seen during the past two years. Furthermore, we are launching more than 10 new properties in these first weeks.

As things stand, I would describe the market as operating under normal trading conditions. Many of the speculators, who were looking to trade properties like the stock market, now transact less frequently.

However, as a result, I see fewer dramatic spikes in price movements. Activity remains linked to those moving for all the reasons people have done historically, such as business, family size or lifestyle.

Ultimately London is not only a global city, but ‘the’ global city. Transactions will continue to take place daily, but it remains clear that vendors trying to “beat the market” might find they experience little interest.

For our local office to achieve the best results, we continuously engage with our global network – 411 offices in 59 countries and more than 14,000 people. I believe this truly provides added value to our clients.

020 3641 7938, knightfrank.com/marylebone

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 099

MOVE.

This Spring, with Knight Frank Mayfair.

Our understanding of the everchanging market enables us to price your property accurately, so you can rely on Knight Frank to get you moving.

Call us today to arrange your free market appraisal.

KnightFrank.co.uk/mayfair mayfair@knightfrank.com 020 8166 7484 Guide price: £3,300,000

Dover Street, Mayfair W1K An elegant and exquisitely finished two bedroom apartment located on the third floor of period building in Mayfair. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, open plan reception/dining/kitchen area, hallway, cloakroom, lift, porter. EPC: C. Approximately 106 sq m (1,141 sq ft). mayfair@knightfrank.com Office: 020 8166 7484

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

Guide price: £6,850,000

Green Street, Mayfair W1K Located on one of Mayfair's premier streets, this stunning apartment offers direct access to the private Green Street gardens. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, kitchen/dining room, hallway, terrace, cloakroom, lift. Approximately 223 sq m (2,404 sq ft). mayfair@knightfrank.com Office: 020 8166 7484

Mayfair Mag Sales Feb page 1

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MOVE.

This Spring, with Knight Frank Mayfair.

Guide price: £4,600,000

Park Street, Mayfair W1K This spacious two bedroom apartment has been meticulously refurbished and features a handcrafted Italian Fendi kitchen, underfloor heating and original marble fireplaces.

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception/dining/kitchen area, terrace, cloakroom, 2 vaults, 2 patios. EPC: F. Approximately 106 sq m (1,660 sq ft). mayfair@knightfrank.com Office: 020 8166 7484

We pride ourselves on being your local agent with an international network.

To speak with a member of your local Knight Frank team please call us on 020 8166 7484 or drop by our office on Mount Street.

KnightFrank.co.uk/mayfair mayfair@knightfrank.com 020 8166 7484

@KnightFrank

KnightFrank.co.uk

Guide price: £10,500,000

Cork Street, Mayfair W1S A beautifully finished three bedroom apartment within one of the first newly constructed buildings in the area. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, reception/dining room, kitchen, cloakroom, 2 terraces, hallway, lift, parking, spa facilities. Approximately 187 sq m (2,014 sq ft). mayfair@knightfrank.com Office: 020 8166 7484

Mayfair Mag Sales Feb page 2

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A BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED GRADE II LISTED FIVE BEDROOM APARTMENT, LOCATED IN THE PRESTIGIOUS ADDRESS OF HYDE PARK GARDENS. THIS NEWLY MODERNISED APARTMENT BENEFITS FROM WONDERFUL GREEN VIEWS OVERLOOKING HYDE PARK AND ACCESS TO THE AWARD-WINNING COMMUNAL GARDENS

This impressively proportioned apartment opens into a hallway, leading to a magnificent reception room where an abundance of natural light enters through large sash windows.

A southerly aspect provides views over the communal gardens and Hyde Park.

Share Of Freehold Price On Application

A private terrace is accessed through the dining room via French doors.

A large well-appointed eat-in chef’s kitchen is adjacent to the dining room, providing the perfect flow for family living and entertaining.

The large master bedroom suite is bright and airy with wonderful views over Hyde Park, further benefiting from an en suite bathroom and an adjoining walk-in wardrobe.

There are four further double bedrooms, all with en suite bathrooms and excellent proportions.

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John White Knight Frank LLP 1 Craven Terrace, London W2 3QD

Martin Bikhit Kay & Co 24-25 Albion Street, London W2 2AX

T 020 3544 6140

T 020 3394 0027

john.white@knightfrank.com

m.bikhit@kayandco.com

KnightFrank.co.uk/hydepark

KayandCo.com

12/01/2018 11:44

Chagford Street, Marylebone NW1 Magnificent five bedroom freehold mews house A spacious house offering rooms of grand proportions. Master bedroom with dressing area and en suite shower room, 4 further bedrooms (2 en suite), bathroom, large open plan reception room/dining area leading into a modern kitchen, utility room, 2 guest cloakrooms, leisure suite featuring spa pool, sauna, shower room and media room. EPC: B. Approximately 325.9 sq m (3,507 sq ft).

Freehold

Guide Price: £4,000,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/MRY170145

mandf 3

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

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

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Montagu Mews North, Marylebone W1 A three bedroom three storey mews house An exceptional mews house situated in a quiet and secluded gated private courtyard. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 2 further bedrooms, 2 shower rooms, large reception room and spacious kitchen with dining area and garage. The property also benefits from access to the perfectly manicured communal garden, Bryanston Square. EPC: C. Approximately 138.8 sq m (1,494 sq ft).

Leasehold: approximately 184 years remaining

Guide price: £2,999,950

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

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/MRY170172

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Ivor Place, Marylebone NW1 An immaculate five bedroom freehold family house A Grade II listed period house with well-proportioned rooms. Master bedroom with dressing room and en suite shower room, second double bedroom suite, 2 further bedrooms, fifth double bedroom with shower room and terrace, family bathroom, large open plan kitchen/dining area/reception room and spacious roof terrace.

Approximately 166.9 sq m (1,796 sq ft).

Freehold

Guide price: £2,500,000

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

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/MRY150189

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Portland Place

Mayfair W1B

ÂŁ4,500,000 share of freehold

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 and is conveniently located near Regent Street and Oxford Circus.

Mayfair

EPC rating C

sales.mayfair@chestertons.com

chestertons.com

020 7629 4513

EATON SQUARE BELGRAVIA SW1 AN IMMACULATE PENTHOUSE APARTMENT IN THE HEART OF BELGRAVIA Located on the fourth floor, with lift access, this three bedroom penthouse apartment comprises some 2,444 sqft over two buildings. Benefiting from nine sash windows with direct views over the magnificent gardens of Eaton Square. The layout of the apartment has been designed to provide comfortable and flexible accommodation.

Accommodation: Entrance hall, double reception/dining room, reception room/study, kitchen, master bedroom with ensuite bathroom and dressing room, bedroom 2 with ensuite bathroom, bedroom 3, guest shower room, guest cloak room. Amenities: Passenger lift.

Marcus O’Brien

£11,000,000

marcus@beauchamp.com

Leasehold

+44 (0)20 7158 0915

Sole Agents

LONDON LONDON · · CCAANNES NNES · · FFLO LORREENNCCEE · · M MYKO YKONNOOSS · · NNEEW W YO YORRKK · · HHEERRZZLLI IYA YA

SOUTH EATON PLACE BELGRAVIA SW1 A BEAUTIFULLY REFURBISHED GRADE II LISTED TOWNHOUSE Located on this prime Belgravia street just off Eaton Square, South Eaton Place has undergone a complete refurbishment and design by Earlcrown and the quality of finish, the design and specification is outstanding. This unique property also offers garaging and a large terrace.

Accommodation: Reception room, living room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, family room, master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, dressing room, 4 further bedrooms with ensuite bathroom/shower room, cinema. Amenities: Gym, large terrace, balcony, garage parking for two cars.

£10,000/week No tenant fees

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

wwwww. w.bbea eauucchhaam mpp. .com com · · 224 4 Cu Curzon rzon St Street reet, , May Mayfair, fair, Lon London don W1 W1J J 7TF 7 TF

CHILTERN PLACE MARYLEBONE W1 A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE A BRAND NEW MARYLEBONE APARTMENT This brand new duplex apartment is situated within Chiltern Place, a landmark development, in the heart of Marylebone.

Featuring spacious living, including a double reception room and large kitchen/breakfast room, this bright apartment also benefits from a private garden measuring over 1,000 sqft. Chiltern Place is arguably one of the finest developments to have come to market in Marylebone.

Accommodation: Entrance hall, double reception room, kitchen/breakfast room, master bedroom with ensuite bathroom and dressing room, bedroom 2 with ensuite bathroom, guest cloakroom. Amenities: Patio, garden, ‘hotel style’ concierge, valet parking, 24-hour security, lift.

Alex Bourne

£5,250 000

alex@beauchamp.com

Leasehold

+44 (0)20 7593 8148

Joint Sole Agents

ww w ww. w.bbeau ea ucchham a mpp. .co com m · · 65 6 5 Wey Weymou moutthh St Street reet, , Mary Marylebon lebone, e, Lon London don, , W1G W1 G 88NU NU

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.

£850/week Furnished (Long Let)

Katy Bower katy@beauchamp.com +44 (0)20 7205 2598

LONDON LONDON · · CCAANNE NNES S · · FFLO LORREENNCCEE · · M MYKO YKONNOOSS · · NNEEW W YO YORRKK · · HHEERRZZLLI IYA YA

Hot property Beauchamp Estates shines a light on Marylebone and an architectural gem on New Cavendish Street, W1

T

he entire second floor of a Marylebone building of notable architectural worth has come up for sale.

The prospective owner of this three-bedroom apartment would be only one of a trio of occupiers within the neo-classical terrace designed by Robert Adam.

Its corner position means that the flat boasts triple aspect views over New Cavendish Street, Mansfield Street and Duchess Mews – in the heart of the characterful Marylebone Village.

Inside, the décor is sumptuous and modern: bespoke wood veneer joinery

features throughout and the sleek custom kitchen includes marble worktops and Miele appliances. The palette is mainly rich neutrals, with accents of plum and dark wood.

The property also has the advantage of a vault storage unit as well access to the private Park Crescent Gardens that leads to Regent’s Park. £7.75m, Beauchamp Estates, beauchamp.com

A threebedroom apartment with triple aspect views

property

Five-year growth outshines other prime central London areas

45.6%

27.4%

Marylebone

22.4%

Mayfair

24.7%

Notting Hill

Prime central London (all areas)

Source: dataloft/LonRes

Availability and asking prices

492 properties currently available to purchase in Marylebone

37% are two-bedroom properties 94% of all properties available for sale are flats

Average asking price for two-bedroom apartments currently available in Marylebone is ÂŁ1.8 million Source: dataloft/Zoopla, LonRes (average price), Beauchamp Estates Marylebone Market Report

LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK | 113

property

Property news

PrimeQResi JOURNAL OF LUXURY PROPERTY

New beginnings

Buckingham Gate block snapped up

by French investor

Image ©Google 2018

Capital London

Prime central lettings market becoming more attractive for investors The prime central London lettings market became noticeably more attractive as an asset class in 2017, according to Knight Frank.

The spread between the average gross yield in prime central London and the rate of a (riskfree) 10-year UK government bond was at a historically high level last month (3.2 per cent, versus 1.2 per cent), while pointers suggest a reversal is now underway in rental values.

Average rents ended 2017 down 2.2 per cent year-on-year, the most modest decline recorded in 21 months, as all that supply

114 | LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK

A rare development opportunity opposite Buckingham Palace has been sold to a French investor for “around £30 million”.

Formerly occupied by the Met Police, the Grade II-listed block at 4-5 Buckingham Gate hit the market in September offering “a number of development options”, including hotel, continued office use and residential.

Despite the significant residential scope – the 25,000 sq ft building has consent for an apartment scheme and sits in the middle of an emerging super-prime enclave that includes Northacre’s No.1 Palace Street and Tai Holding’s The Buckingham – media reports suggest the new owner is leaning towards the hotel option.

Planning was granted back in September 2015 for demolition behind the retained front and side facades to create 11 new apartments and a new sub-basement. Savills and Michael Elliott were instructed by a private client.

generated by the stamp duty tinkering of 2016 finally soaked in to the market.

November saw new instructions fall by 1.2 per cent, making it the first month in 2017 to see a year-to-date decline. At the same time, viewings rose by 19 per cent on 2016 levels, along with tenancies agreed (up 14 per cent) and new applicants (up 17 per cent). The extra tax burden still gives landlords “pause for thought”, but the firm expects these factors to boost total returns going forward.

Foxtons, meanwhile, suggests that the average gross yield for flats across London, at 8.3 per cent, has not changed much in the past year, but that a slowdown in the rate of capital growth has hit total returns hard. The average total return on a residential flat in the capital in Q3 2017 was almost half the level achieved two years ago.

The Ginger Pig, 8-10 Moxon Street, W1 / @gingerpigltd Beyond Bread, 2 Charlotte Place, W1 / @beyond_bread

Kay & Co, 20a Paddington Street, W1 / @kayandco1982

The Butcher The Baker The Property Dealmaker We know Marylebone; from the butcher on Moxon Street to the baker on Charlotte Place, and for 35 years we’ve helped its residents settle, move and grow their lives in this extraordinary area.

If you’re buying, selling or renting in Marylebone, Hyde Park, or Fitzrovia, talk to us. It’s what we do.

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

Wyndham Street –

MARYLEBONE W1

An Exceptional Period Townhouse £4,250,000

K AY & C O MARYLEBONE & FITZROVIA

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

–

FREEHOLD

An exceptional five bedroom period townhouse which has been interior designed to the highest standard. The property offers spacious accommodation as well as a large private patio garden with a hot tub, outside shower, a barbeque and seating area. Wyndham Street is conveniently situated for the amenities of Marylebone and the transport facilities offered at nearby Marylebone Station and Baker Street underground station. EPC rating: D

Harley Street –

MARYLEBONE W1

A Prime Period Conversion in Marylebone Village A spacious two bedroom apartment situated in this attractive Grade II listed period building on the corner of Harley Street and New Cavendish Street. The property benefits from an abundance of natural light in its lovely west-facing reception room with bay window.

There is an excellent size master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, second bedroom and additional shower room as well as a separate kitchen. There is also a storage cupboard located on the second floor landing.

£1,675,000 –

LEASEHOLD

Marylebone High Street –

MARYLEBONE W1

A Modern Marylebone Apartment with Private Parking A three bedroom first flat is situated within a small modern purpose built block located at the top end of Marylebone High Street with the benefit of an underground car parking space. Offered in good condition throughout, the apartment benefits from three good size bedrooms, two bathrooms and a south-facing reception room and kitchen. EPC rating: D.

£1,950,000 –

SHARE OF FREEHOLD

www.pastor-realestate.com

TO LET: BRUTON PLACE, MAYFAIR W1

ÂŁ850 per week Furnished

Double Bedroom I Fully Tiled Bathroom 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 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

FOR SALE: CHARLES STREET, MAYFAIR, W1J

£9,000,000

5 En Suite Bedrooms | Patio Courtyard | Roof Terrace | Separate Mews Accommodation | Freehold With Associated Leases A beautifully presented, Grade II listed, Georgian townhouse with separate mews accommodation entered via Hays Mews. Offering 3,798 ft² (353 m²) of flexible living and entertaining space, the main house and mews offer considerable scope for further alteration and adaptation (subject to planning permission).

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

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

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

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

Park Lane, W1K ÂŁ4,675,000

A two double bedroom duplex apartment in a stucco fronted building on Park Lane. The property has a west facing reception room with three large doors giving access to a private terrace and stairs down to the paved garden. There is a separate kitchen and two bathrooms, energy rating c.

Dexters Mayfair 020 7590 9590

Green Street, W1K ÂŁ6,950,000

A six bedroom penthouse apartment located within this attractive period house with south facing views over the private gardens of Green Street. With direct lift access, there is a spacious reception room with separate kitchen and dining room, four bathrooms and a roof terrace, energy rating c.

Dexters Mayfair 020 7590 9590

dexters.co.uk

Chesterfield Hill, W1J £3,850 per week

Located off Berkeley Square, this three bedroom penthouse apartment has been refurbished to a high standard throughout. The property has two reception rooms, two bathrooms and the master bedroom has a private roof terrace overlooking the Mayfair rooftops, energy rating b.

Dexters Mayfair 020 7590 9595

Hays Mews, W1J £2,350 per week

An impressive three bedroom mews apartment with a split-level open plan reception room with sash windows and a working gas fireplace. Further benefits include two bathrooms, ample built-in storage, air conditioning and wood flooring throughout, energy rating e.

Dexters Mayfair 020 7590 9595 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).

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

020 3284 1888 mayfair@humberts.com

Wilton Mount Row Street Belgravia Mayfair SW1X W1K Asking Price: ÂŁ5,500,000 leasehold Asking Price: ÂŁ2,400.00 per week

David Adams Director 48 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 5AX T: 020 3284 1888 E: david.adams@humberts.com

48 Berkeley Square, Mayfair London W1J 5AX

A spectacular apartment withbedroom a 2 storeylateral high drawing roomlocated with triple aspect, plan dining room, A fabulous, top floor, three apartment in the heartopen of Mayfair. kitchen, sitting room,open office, master bedroom white marble bathroom and a separate bedroom Comprising a large plan reception andwith dining room, three double bedrooms (two with ensuite. bathrooms) B and W sound systemguest and air conditioning.

Car parking space. EPC: E. suite a further bathroom and an eat-in kitchen.

property

Five-star living at London’s latest riverside destination Welcome to The Corniche, a new development of luxury apartments that overlook the city skyline

S

t James, part of the Berkeley Group, is leading the way in residential luxury living with the opening of its latest riverside development: The Corniche by world renowned architect Foster + Partners. The development is part of the wider regeneration of the Albert Embankment which comprises a trio of schemes including Merano Residences (Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners) and The Dumont (David Walker Architects), which together will form a striking new skyline for one of the most iconic stretches of the river Thames.

Foster + Partners and interior designers Goddard Littlefair took inspiration from the River Thames to design a fluid shape that offers arresting views of the river and the city throughout the development. The Corniche comprises 252 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, and two four-bedroom penthouses.

The development offers an array of entertaining and relaxing facilities. The Skyline Club Lounge and roof terrace on the 19th floor has breathtaking west-facing river views as well as an incredible backdrop of the city.

The Corniche’s state-of-the-art fitness centre provides experienced personal trainers and the latest equipment from Technogym, the luxury Italian gym equipment manufacturer.

There is also a spa, infinity swimming pool, sauna, steam room, treatment room and a generously-sized hydropool fitted with a hydrotherapy jet bed. Each area of the health and wellness suite has been tailored to offer a unique and relaxing experience.

The 24-hour concierge has an impressive glass and marble entrance with exaggerated ceiling heights and a glamorous feature fire wall. Residents can also access the entertainment offering located at the neighbouring development, The Dumont, which features a cinema, ten-pin bowling, games room and the 12th-floor residents’ lounge with roof terrace and private dining room.

Located opposite Tate Britain and close to Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery, the destination plays an important role in extending and continuing the South Bank’s thriving cultural scene. The area’s commercial hub offers high quality commercial, café and restaurant spaces introducing a new place where residents and visitors can come together to relax, work and play.

Prices at The Corniche start from £6,250,000 for a three-bedroom apartment and prices at The Dumont start from £681,000 for a studio apartment. Contact St James on 020 8003 0566 for The Corniche or 020 8108 7016 for The Dumont, stjames.co.uk

126 | LU X URY LONDON.CO.UK

LIVE CREATIVELY in N1C

OWN A PIECE of HISTORY Become neighbours with Central Saint Martins, Louis Vuitton, Google, Everyman Cinema and the re-imagined Thomas Heatherwick designed shopping street, Coal Drops Yard.

London’s best transport links with zone 1 tube, close proximity to 15 major universities and colleges; rail links across Great Britain plus Eurostar, the UK’s only direct rail connection to Europe.

Apartments ready to move into today. Prices from £810,000*

+44 (0)20 7205 2784 | enquiries@livinginkingscross.co.uk | livinginkingscross.co.uk *Price correct at time of print. For a studio in Gasholders London

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CULROSS HOUSE MAYFAIR W1

A BEAUTIFUL NEWLY CONSTRUCTED MAYFAIR MANSION OF OVER 8,000 SQUARE FOOT JUST OFF HYDE PARK.

Garden – Gym – Swimming Pool – Lift

FREEHOLD • £32,500,000

SOLE SELLING AGENT

102 Mount Street, London W1K 2TH T: 020 7493 6935 E: mail@wetherell.co.uk

wetherell.co.uk

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e Park Lan0 per week £3,50

Red Lion Yard

£3,000 per week

LOVELY LOVELY LETTINGS LETTINGS

et e r t S e Duk er week 0p

£3,65

Pall Mall

£775 per week

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.

bringing bringingresidential residentiallife lifeback backto tomayfair mayfair

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quare S r o n e v s o r G

r week £2,500 pe

St James’s Squar e £1,350 per wee k

Fall in Love with a new home this February.

Wetherell have the finest selection of Rental Properties across Mayfair, St James’s and Marylebone.

ane L k r a P eek 5 per w £59

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12/01/2018 09:45

ADV SANTI&SANTI - PHOTO P.BRAMATI

DESIGN: PENTELIC, HANDKNOTTED IN LOOP WOOL AND SILK RELIEF - 400X300CM

LU XU R Y CU S T O M M A D E R U G S D ES IG NED IN IT A L Y LONDON • 62-64 BROOK STREET, MAYFAIR • +44 (0) 20 3887 4589 MILANO • VIA A. MANZONI, 45 • +39 02 8690570 OFFICIAL LICENSEE FOR

MOSCOW | SHANGHAI | JEDDAH | RIYADH | LOS ANGELES | BAKU | TEHRAN | TOKYO | OSAKA S

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