The Mayfair Magazine June 2012 by Runwild Media Group

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from the

E DITOR Kate Harrison

ummer has arrived and with it a renewed sense of energy and outdoor spirit. This month, I spent some time in the beautiful region of Puglia, and completely fell in love with the combination of rich Italian luxury and the effortlessly relaxed pace of life (p.100). Elle Blakeman, meanwhile, ventured a little closer to home, to our cousins over the pond in Dublin in search of something a little livelier (p.106). For those looking to enjoy the sunshine at home however, it is of course once again time for Wimbledon. As the great tournament enters a new era after a momentous anniversary last year, we look back at arguably the greatest matches ever played on its hallowed grounds (p.126). And for those who do make the trip way out west, Neil Ridley explores the famed restaurant and café at Petersham Nurseries in Richmond, and finds gastronomic delight among the enchanting, floral backdrop (p.122). This month also sees The Queen officially commemorate her Diamond Jubilee. To encourage everyone to execute their patriotic duty to join in with the festivities, we have selected the top celebrations to attend (p.34). Meanwhile, Carol Cordrey, looks at the impressive and poignant Philip Jackson statue, a huge bronze creation in Green Park, designed to both mark the occasion and honour the Bomber Command heroes of WWII, which will be unveiled by Her Majesty herself this month (p.38). And while we are celebrating strong women, new fashion contributor Stephen Doig meets Mathilde Castello Branco, the new powerhouse behind uber-glam label Azzaro (p.28), and Elle Blakeman has a Claridge’s catch-up with Space NK’s CEO and founder Nicky Killaird (p.110); leading ladies indeed.

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T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

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C ONTENTS

14 Where the art is

21st-Century woman

Carol Cordrey reports of this year’s stunning summer exhibit at the Royal Academy

Stephen Doig meets Mathilde Castello Branco, the new creative director for red-carpet favourite Azzaro

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Hallowed ground

Space & time

We take a reverant look at the super-luxe, supercar factories across the world

Meet Nicky Kinnaird, the impeccably groomed and effortlessly stylish CEO and founder of Space NK

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Are you being served?

Middle East meets west

Mike Peake takes a look at the latest must-have for any Mayfair home: a butler

Neil Ridley meets Petersham Nurseries’ new chef Greg Malouf to discuss the idyllic spot’s latest direction

REGULARS 8

Editor’s letter

Motoring

My Mayfair

Exhibition focus

Collection

Fashion

Interiors

Travel

109

Health & Beauty

121

Food & Drink

132

Concierge

135

Property

C ONTRIBUTORS Boo Attwood Boo is a freelance stylist specialising in both men’s and women’s fashion, happily juggling a busy schedule of

JUNE 2012 s ISSUE 009

editorial, online, advertising, catwalk and TV

Carol Cordrey Carol is an art critic and editor with popular columns in many magazines. Each year she organises the international London Ice Sculpting Festival as well as sponsored art competitions which are judged by distinguished artists.

Stephen Doig Stephen studied at Central St Martins before winning the Vogue Talent Contest. He went on to work at Harper’s Bazaar and Mr Porter, and has written for Vogue, GQ, The Telegraph, How To Spend It and Shortlist. He has a weakness for Lanvin, Burberry’s ikat prints and the cocktail menu at Hawksmoor.

Tamsin Pickeral Tamsin is a much published author, art historian and critic. Her books include The Dog: 5,000 Years of the Dog in Art, voted within the top 50 Art Books of the Year by the Financial Times. Her most recent book is The Majesty of the Horse, 2011. She has a penchant for the unusual and a weakness for chocolate.

Editor Kate Harrison

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Deputy Editor Elle Blakeman

Collection Editor Annabel Harrison

Head of Design Hiren Chandarana

Production Hugo Wheatley

Designer Sophie Blain

Production Manager Fiona Fenwick

Editorial Contributor Alice Tozer

Client Relationship Director Kate Oxbrow

Editorial Assistants Natalie Cox; Nick Birss

Head of Finance Elton Hopkins

Art Editor Carol Cordrey

Associate Publisher Sophie Roberts

Food & Drink Editor Neil Ridley

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

Proudly published by

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Neil Ridley As well as being deputy editor for Men’s lifestyle magazine The Chap, Neil is also a regular contributor to Whisky Magazine and Imbibe, and has featured in The Evening Standard and Sunseeker. His irreverent whisky blog caskstrength.net was recently nominated for several online awards.

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Where the art is Since 1769 the Royal Academy has presented the finest of traditional and contemporary art from painters, sculptors, architects, photographers and printmakers. This year, the Academy will be transforming not just the interior and courtyard of Burlington House but its facade too. CAROL CORDREY reports

FEATURE

Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy (view of Gallery II from Gallery I)

THE WEATHER MAY have been unseasonal but, fortunately, the excitement and fun offered by London’s Social Season will be as reliable as clockwork. One of the first of its events will be the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition, held without interruption since 1769. Its place in Britain’s history and its prestigious London venue may suggest a totally highbrow event whereas, in fact, this is one of the best examples of ‘art for all’ in the country. Apart from offering the broadest of price ranges for pieces presented for sale – and most of the artworks are – the Exhibition becomes one huge, labyrinthine gallery displaying both traditional and highly contemporary

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art forms to suit every taste and spanning installations, paintings, videos, sculpture, photography, prints and architectural designs and models. All artists are eligible to submit work for this event and each year about 11,000 do so, including Royal Academicians, though a Hanging Committee selects those it wants to formally accept. Even arriving in the courtyard for this Summer Exhibition will provide a breathtaking experience as the façade will be treated to an installation by artist, El Anatsui, who is Professor of Sculpture at the University of Nigeria. He is internationally famous for making sculpture from

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recycled materials such as discarded wood, branded bottle tops, lids and wire, and connecting history and consumerism along the way. Having caused a sensation with his installations that transformed the faĂ§ades of art institutions in New York and at the Venice Biennale, his distinctive treatment of Burlington House is awaited with great anticipation. Royal Academician Tess Jaray will be lead coordinator for this Summer Exhibition which promises to be especially interesting as she is noted for her Rothko style of playing with perception and using colour and pattern to induce reactions from viewers. Jaray intends to dazzle us by filling the main galleries with numerous smaller sized works from this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s submissions which will have the effect of bringing even more variety than usual to Burlington House, and offering a pleasant contrast with the huge pictures that Hockney displayed there in his recent show. The architectural section always impresses because it gives the public a behind-the-scenes view of how architects create and present their innovative designs for clients. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s curators of that section, Chris Wilkinson RA and Eva Jiricna RA, will be making it even more exciting by their determination to use the exhibits to blur the line between architecture and fine art. Leading British video artist, Jayne Parker, will be attempting to hold our attention in a room dedicated to her work which over the past twenty or so years has focused on herself, musicians and simple domestic events aligned to violence. Some visitors, therefore, may find her new film challenging though it will be worth watching because, rather cleverly, what you see is rarely the only message that you get.

Above from top / Cheetah by David Mach; 06.01.11 by David Batchelor. Opposite from top / No. 292 by Rana Begum; David by David Mach

FEATURE

Sculpture and paintings will be in great supply as usual so look out for Kenny Hunter’s captivating Monument to a Mouse and the calmly thought provoking Stevie by Dexter Dalwood. There will be a plethora of work by highly popular Royal Academicians such as Ken Howard, Mali Morris, Anthony Green, Diana Armfield and the mighty David Mach. The collages and sculpture that Mach creates reveal his artistic genius, illustrated by his most imaginative use of wire coathangers and matches. The former were employed for Silver Streak, his chest-beating, roaring gorilla that caused a sensation at a recent Summer Exhibition and this year there will be his amazing coathanger cheetah, Spike and the unpainted safety match head, David inspired by Michelangelo’s masterpiece. The origins of the Summer Exhibition stem from the need for the RA to source money to train young artists in its Schools so that, regardless of their financial status, they can receive the best tuition. Turner is a perfect example of that having come from working-class parents and entering the RA Schools as a gifted 14 year old in 1789, he eventually became one of Britain’s most famous artists. The same need for helping the RA’s students exists today so in buying art at the Summer Exhibition to benefit our own lives, we will be helping to support young, talented artists too. Summer Exhibition 2012 Burlington House 4 June – 12 August (www.royalacademy.org.uk)

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ground

Hallowed

MOTORING

The factories behind the luxurious supercars are as reverent and educational as any museum. NAT BARNES explores the places that constitute a religious experience for any car connoisseur

‘Specialised car firms have kept craftsmanship alive as they produce cars that are more than the sum of their parts’

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NOT SO LONG AGO in automotive history, car factories were places to be feared. Rife with industrial action (witness the near-constant strikes in the British plants in the 1970s), they were hot, dangerous locations where the concept of health and safety was decades away and the only robots were in adverts for Smash. Today, of course, all that has changed. Car factories are now safer, highly mechanised and far more productive too. The result is that build quality and reliability in modern day cars has improved beyond measure. It would be easy to think then that today’s car factories have lost all of their character and individuality, but you’d be wrong. Maybe not for the mainstream manufacturers admittedly, but the more specialised car firms have kept that skill base and craftsmanship alive as they produce cars that are more than the sum of their parts. Nowhere is that more obvious than at Ferrari’s Maranello plant in Northern Italy. Last year 7,195 new cars left its factory gates, a figure that has doubled in the past twenty years. But Ferrari’s ethos still remains obvious at the factory. ‘The key thing to remember is that every Ferrari is handbuilt and made to a specific client’s order, so it’s a very personalised feel and process at the factory,’ said a Ferrari spokesman. ‘Only owners can visit the factory and our customers love to go there and talk to the people building their car which is part of the whole ownership experience. People don’t need to spend £200,000 on a car, but this is part of the reason why they do. All of our cars have some degree of personalisation and while we’re building more cars than ever before, the Ferrari ownership and buying experience hasn’t really changed.’ That handmade element at Ferrari’s factory is key. The V12 engines that go into its cars are built from start to finish by one person and that flexibility allows customers to be able to specify something as simple as an individual colour right up to building special one-off cars if their pockets are deep enough. Lamborghini, Ferrari’s fellow Italian supercar rivals, are sited just down the road at Sant’Agata and their latest figures show that demand for handcrafted bespoke

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Being part of the process and seeing the handmade production adds a huge amount to the experienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

MOTORING

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cars is still going strong. Sales in 2011 were up by 23 per cent, with turnover up to €322 million. Its new Aventador LP700-4 supercar boasts an 18-month waiting list. Unlike Ferrari however, outside of its main two models, Lamborghini specialises in limited-edition cars such as the Reventon (a precursor to the Aventador) of which only twenty were built when it went on sale in 2009 at a price of £840,000 each. Even more exclusive was the Aventador J drop-top shown at this spring’s Geneva Motor Show of which only one was made at a cool £2 million. That’s enough to make even a £285,200 RollsRoyce Phantom look affordable. Few car manufacturers at any level can do bespoke craftsmanship like Rolls-Royce in Goodwood and Bentley up in Crewe. Rolls-Royce has been producing its flagship Phantom at its state-of-the-art Goodwood plant since 2003 and many customers visit the factory before, during and after the build process of their car. If they have a specific requirement for their car, they can even spend time with a designer who can work through options and solutions with them. ‘The reality is that we have no average customer,’ says

‘Customers can embrace handcrafted tradition inside a highly technical environment’ Andrew Ball from Rolls-Royce. ‘The ability to commission a car to their personal requirements, being part of the process and seeing the handmade production adds a huge amount to the experience and many find it very enjoyable. ‘There’s obviously a high value placed on authenticity and the Rolls-Royce brand has an illustrious history. Here, customers can embrace that handcrafted tradition inside a highly technical environment and to see that first-hand is very unique. Generally customers are struck by the modernity of it all, the fact that the production line is spotlessly clean and people are working in near silence.’ But being a specialist manufacturer doesn’t necessarily equal traditional. McLaren’s stunning MP412C supercar is the Formula One team’s foray into series production (excluding the limited F1 of the 1990s) and is built at its Woking plant that opened in November last year. The MP4-12C is just the start of a new range of models that will see McLaren building around 4,000 cars per year by 2015. Unlike most car firms though, McLaren’s heritage lies in Formula One racing rather than the more traditional means of car building – something that’s reflected at its factory. ‘There’s no question that the McLaren Technology

MOTORING

Centre follows the philosophy of our brands,’ explains McLaren’s Dan Connell. ‘When customers visit us, they can see all of our previous racing cars and see the influence they’ve had on the MP4-12C. ‘Ours is unlike any other car factory that customers might have visited before, it’s more like a serene, efficient laboratory. There’s not a lot of machinery in there, but we’ve got a lot of flexibility as a result which is how we can offer our customers such a bespoke service. Some of our customers love it so much they even return with their cars just to have their picture taken inside the factory.’ By comparison, Aston Martin can offer the best of both worlds. Its Gaydon plant in Warwickshire was opened in 2003 and from July, all new Aston Martins will be built there. Underlining that quality and craftsmanship is the fact that it takes 220 man hours to produce a new DB9 from start to finish and fifty of those are spent in the paintshop alone. Alongside that modern facility though is Aston Martin’s Works Service based in Newport Pagnell, home of the original Aston factory. Here, as well as being able to purchase cars new, customers can bring older, classic Astons for repair or to undergo full restorations. Its parts division still holds parts for all its post-war models and anything that’s out of stock can be made by hand thanks to the skill of its craftsmen. ‘Some of our Newport Pagnell staff have been working for the firm for 30-40 years and their names are on cars that have returned to the factory for restoration,’ says Aston Martin’s Kevin Watters. ‘We have some very talented and skilled people working at Newport Pagnell and thanks to modern materials and skills, when a classic car undergoes a full restoration here, by the end it’s probably of a better quality than when it first left here brand new!’

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Are you being SERVED?

With the Downton effect in full-swing, MIKE PEAKE takes a look at the latest must-have for any Mayfair home: a butler

FEATURE

Downton Abbey Image courtesy of the BBC

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A RECENT job advertisement for a butler on a recruitment company website summed it up beautifully. ‘You will be able to work under pressure, show attention to detail and demonstrate an ability to maintain confidentiality and privacy at all times.’ In other words, you will be your employer’s right-hand man; discrete, dependable, resourceful and meticulous about everything you do. No wonder these starched and polished heroes are in such demand. Why choose a PA when a butler can do it with style? In certain circles throughout the 19th century, the traditional household butler was a must, but by the 1980s this exquisitely-mannered breed was teetering on the brink of extinction. Their popularity, however, is once again on the ascendancy – thanks, perhaps, to a seemingly endless stream of period dramas on TV. Butlers are back, and today there are thought to be upwards of 5,000 modern-day Jeeves employed in the UK. ‘The British butler remains the world standard in impeccable service,’ says Sebastian Hirsch, founder of household staff agency Butler For You (www.butlerforyou.com). ‘I think the Downton Abbey effect, especially in America, is significant. Butlers bring security, tranquillity and order on a 24/7 basis, and people like that.’ America can’t get enough, and even Hollywood is muscling in on the act with a star-studded movie next year about legendary White House butler Eugene Allen, who served eight US presidents. At Mayfair’s luxurious The Connaught, visitors from the States are especially taken by the hotel’s commitment to provide butlers for every room. ‘We have many American families staying, and they do enjoy the English butler service,’ says Simon Neggers of the Maybourne Hotel Group, owner of The Connaught and

neighbouring Claridge’s, which also offers butlers with its signature suites. ‘Butlers make things much easier because you have one go-to person for all your needs,’ Simon says. ‘They can really become a life saver and we’ve done anything from making 30,000 copies of a document for a lawyer to planning a private dinner on the London Eye for a family of six.’ Hotel jobs, as well as corporate assignments, have become a mainstay of the butler’s world, and in many ways represent the “public face” of the profession. It can be enjoyable and varied work too, and Steven Randolph, who runs a butler hire and recruitment service called Randolphs (www.randolphbutlers.com) frequently tears himself away from his desk for some of the more fun bookings. ‘I look after Her Majesty’s official guests at Royal Ascot every year,’ he says, ‘which includes serving tea to The Queen herself.’ Whether a butler is on a day-job for a business client, tending to a hotel guest, or employed as a family’s private butler, his modus operandi changes little. The duties might vary considerably, but the bottom line – as Hirsch puts it – is to be the ‘invisible man’. ‘Butlers need to be able to adapt to any situation,’ adds Neggers. ‘Guests ask us for absolutely everything, and it could be tracking down a pair of size 10 black shoes at 9pm for a guest who has forgotten his own, or arranging a round-the-world itinerary for someone who wants to eat at five different three-Michelin-starred restaurants. We have seen it all.’ A relatively new trend in the world of butlering – and one very much championed by Randolph – is the hiring of a butler by the day. Not just for corporate clients, either – anyone can do it, and the concept is ideally suited to individuals who like the idea of having someone on hand for a special event. This loosening-up of the butler ‘code’ has brought Jeeves into the living rooms of countless people who might never dream of employing a butler full time. ‘Butlers now go anywhere where a host wants someone really professional to serve drinks and dinner,’ says Randolph. We have requests for butlers for birthdays, anniversaries and any other occasion where the client doesn’t want to spend the day worrying about looking after their guests.’ The butler’s enduring image, however, remains that of a proper and all-knowing gentleman who lives-in at his employer’s home, knows silver service like no other and can arrange front-row tickets to La Bohème with a single, crafty phone call.

‘Clients want someone who knows how to do everything correctly and is flexible to their ever-changing needs’

Illustrations: Mai Osawa

FEATURE

And he does still exist. Very much so, even if he’s broadened his horizons a little. ‘Butlers these days practise a ‘multi-tasking’ service while maintaining old-world charm,’ says Hirsch. In many ways, they’ve reinvented themselves – and they’ve had to: even stately homes have broadband to sort out and a fancy central heating system to fathom. ‘A modern butler would be expected to have a superior knowledge of where to source whatever is required at a moment’s notice. Being completely tech savvy, for example, is a major plus,’ says Randolph. As are niche skills such as being able to track down a 1982 Bordeaux, or an earthy bag of the world’s rarest truffles. Not exactly known for commanding huge salaries – Buckingham Palace was advertising a trainee butler post at £15,000 per year in March – butlers aren’t only for billionaires. Many of us, in fact, might find a butler a surprisingly cost-effective way to keep on top of things – someone to do the school run, arrange the diary, man the house during the day and make sure that the cleaner doesn’t waltz off with the family jewels.

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‘The less formal, more international client is often looking for a butler to serve as a chic and stylish PA,’ says Randolph. ‘Other people are looking for a more formal arrangement, with a traditional live-in butler alongside several other staff. The common theme is that clients want someone who knows how to do everything correctly and is flexible to their ever-changing needs.’ Finding him, of course, is the tricky bit. Old or young? English or European? Will you choose male or female – and yes, the latter does exist. ‘Many people go for young and attractive “trophy butlers” the first time they employ one,’ says Sebastian Hirsch, who says that, ‘few to none of them’ achieve the standard the client is looking for. Invariably, he says, the client then seeks out more seasoned and experienced professionals. Which, if the clichés are true, means an upper lip that’s as stiff as his coat tales and a way with shoe polish that needs to be seen to be believed. And a whiz at preparing a first-class gin and tonic, you say? Sounds perfect. We’ll take two!

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Above / ‘Supermodel’ shot by Werner Bokelberg which appeared in Stern (31 October 1973)

FEATURE

CENTURY FOX Mathilde Castello Branco is leading the glamour of Paris fashion house Azzaro into a new era. By STEPHEN DOIG MARISA BERENSON, Rachel Welch, Tina Turner, Liza Minnelli, Sophia Loren; cast an eye over the timeless images of these formidable women in the 1970s, stepping off private jets, leaving Studio 54, ambling along the Croisette and chances are that in some of the shots, they’ll be wearing Azzaro. The house, founded by Loris Azzaro in 1968, went on to become the byword for Seventies’ glamour, the designer going on to dress the red carpet in his high octane, elegant evening wear; fluid jersey dresses, crystal embroidery, flowing sequined gowns that picked up the paparazzi flashbulbs just so, silk jumpsuits and just the right sliver of flesh. Today, over forty years since the brand began in a tiny Paris salon, it welcomes a new designer through its imposing doors; Mathilde Castello Branco. Branco is, perhaps, at odds with preconceptions of what Seventies’ style should be – bouffant hair, gold jewellery and platforms – but that’s what makes her so beguiling and befitting to move the house into the 21st century. She sits poised and gamine in a simple, pristine grey wool dress, a mixture of Audrey Tatou and Audrey Hepburn. Softly spoken with a lilting French accent, her enthusiasm for her new role, as custodian of this revered house, is almost endearingly child-like: ‘I was extremely honoured,’ she says of her appointment, taking over from previous designer Vanessa Seward. ‘It’s such a wonderful label and such a wonderful story’. Branco immersed herself into the rich history of the house, delving into the archives and spending one month pouring over images, gowns and articles. ‘I stepped into the house and it was like entering a new country’. What she discovered, she says, was that unlike so many male designers, Loris Azzaro had an affinity and sensitivity towards the female form. ‘The dresses I looked at, they were from the past but they had such a sense of modernity. They had such an interesting cut. He really made clothes as if he was inside the skin of a woman, and his clothes fit like a second skin. He knew just the right amount

of flesh to show, he knew how far to take it, he knew what women wanted’. Azzaro was ahead of the curve in looking not just to models to showcase his clothes, but actresses and singers too. ‘These are clothes for real women’. It was in looking to the icons who wore Azzaro in the 1970s that Branco stumbled upon the inspiration for her own debut collection. She looked to the Stanley Kubrick film Barry Lyndon and a particular scene in which Marisa Berenson plays a game of poker. Branco had a ‘light bulb’ moment, and swiftly adapted the motif of hearts and spades on the cards onto cocktail dresses, evolving the collection into a series of liquid-silk evening gowns in charcoal and dove grey, mini dresses dripping in cobwebs of crystal and plush fur and cashmere coats dabbled in crystals. ‘Bringing that trademark sense of glamour into the present day is a huge challenge, because it’s very important to the heritage of the house.’ The challenge, says Branco, was taking that glamour and adapting it to today’s climate. To that end, she focused on making the clothes versatile and adaptable. A sleek black jumpsuit comes with a net layering on the bust to ensure a sense of modesty; a black fur coat comes with detachable sleeves that, once removed, erupt into clouds of tulle, a way to make a piece of outerwear cocktailparty-ready in an instant. Bird motifs in the form of silver plated feather clusters dapple across evening gowns and shoes but can be removed, or as Branco poetically puts it: ‘the bird can fly away’. Branco is FrancoBrazilian, and grew up in Brazil before moving to Paris to study fashion. This cultural combination, she says,

Unlike many male designers, Azzaro had an affinity and sensitivity to the female form

‘LORI’ minaudière, £2,935 Azzaro by Mathilde Castello Branco (AW12/13)

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translates into her work, a fusion of high-octane Brazilian sexuality and Paris refinement, ‘sensuality and sophistication’. Her mother is an artist, which prompted her to begin experimenting with fashion at a young age, turning curtain samples into theatrical costumes. This is the designer’s foray as the head of a house, having worked at Lanvin for nine years under the esteemed Alber Elbaz. She looks wistful at the mention of her mentor: ‘If you wanted to know everything that I learned from him, we’d still be sitting at this table next week. But if I had to sum it up, I would say that he taught me how beautiful it is to work with emotion and discipline.’ She also cites the work of Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Madame Grès as inspiration (referentially prefixing their names with ‘Monsieur’ or ‘Madame’). It’s a fitting time for Branco to take the throne at one of Paris’s most prestigious houses – across fashion, women designers such as Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo at Celine and Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen are leading the way in 2012. ‘I’m very proud to be a woman today and I admire women designers today and from the past. Women like Coco Chanel, Madame Grès, Jeanne Lanvin, these women really had to shout to be heard.’ Branco doesn’t have a hit list of celebrities she wants to

‘I’m very proud to be a woman today and I admire women designers. Women like Coco Chanel, Madame Grès, Jeanne Lanvin, these women had to shout to be heard’ dress on the red carpet (Azzaro under Vanessa Seward was the designer of choice for Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman), instead she wants them to come to Azzaro themselves and discover the potent appeal of the clothes. ‘I don’t have one woman in mind when I design, Azzaro is for all women. I want my pieces to have strength and fragility, because that’s what women are today’.

Left / ‘Magie’ clutch, £2,935 Azzaro by Mathilde Castello Branco (AW12/13)

FEATURE

Above, clockwise from top / Fragrance shot by Michel Picard which appeared in L’Officiel de la Mode No. 638, (December 1977) © Les Editions Jalou. ASSOULINE Loris Azzaro Cover Image. Model Yvonne Sporre and her friend with ‘floating head’ which appeared in Vogue Paris (December 1978 – January 1979) © Succession Guy Bourdin. Marisa Berenson (1973) © Tony Kent, Vogue Paris

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P L E A S E E N J OY O U R C H A M PA G N E R E S P O N S I B LY DRINKAWARE .CO.UK

INTERVIEW

PAUL THOMAS Paul Thomas Flowers

MAY FA I R

IF MAYFAIR WERE to admit to its long-suspected multiple personality disorder, the last person to raise an eyebrow would be celebrated local florist Paul Thomas. Having spent all of his working life in this square kilometre, he has seen the inner workings of luxury hotels, the lavish parlours of the finest Mayfair homes, and the somewhat more down-to-earth nature of Shepherd Market, which has been the epicentre of his business for 23 years. To say Paul knows – and loves – Mayfair, would be an understatement. His shop at 4 Shepherd Street offers just a tiny glimpse of the bright and beautiful creations that occupy Thomas’s day, while the flat above is where he most likely dreams of flowers, too. When he stops for a moment to talk to The Mayfair Magazine, we find him brushing mud off his shoes, having just got back from picking wild flowers for a party. For The Queen. As you do… ‘I guess this shows that there’s no such thing as a typical day,’ he says. ‘It’s hands-on, I really enjoy the work and I suppose I wouldn’t have become a florist if I didn’t.’ Paul’s success story started in 1989 when an existing flower shop came up for sale in Shepherd Market and he snapped it up. The first thing to go was the colour, though Paul’s attempt at transforming the yellow paintwork into a rather more sophisticated burgundy didn’t quite go to plan. ‘Someone asked me if I was opening a fire station,’ he laughs, wincing slightly at the memory. ‘It had come out as a pure, brilliant red.’ As the years progressed, Paul developed an unswerving reputation as a genuine visionary in his field, and as his portfolio started to swell with photographs of his beautiful displays, the number of thank-you letters from delighted clients grew, too. He has worked with Lord and Lady Sainsbury, Vivienne Westwood, The Mittal and Getty families and in 2000 was invited to design key decorations for the Queen Mother’s 100th birthday at Windsor Castle.

As much of his work is done in and around W1, it has enabled Paul to get to know Mayfair as well as anyone. Utterly smitten, he even named his dog after Berkeley Square. ‘Mayfair’s so very dear to my heart and I feel very much part of it,’ he says. ‘It’s unlike anywhere else I know.’ One of the many things he likes, he says, is when he enters a Mayfair property and finds himself amazed by what lies behind its unassuming front door. ‘Once you enter, you really can’t comprehend how fantastic some of these places are,’ he says, ‘It’s all rather quiet and hidden and is part of Mayfair’s mystery.’ Though almost every day begins with a trip to the flower market at Nine Elms – sometimes as early as 4.30am – what happens next is less predictable. Paul could be talking to landed gentry about floral arrangements for their homes; he could be working on the flowers for a celebrity party. His favourite kind of customer, he says, is probably the type who walks into the shop to discuss an event and is utterly besotted by flowers. ‘I also enjoy turning around a difficult client,’ he says. ‘Maybe it’s a girl’s fiancé and he really isn’t interested, but when he sees what we can do he’s hooked.’ Paul’s favourite Mayfair haunts include Mount Street Gardens, lunch at Prezzo in Hertford Street and fine dining at either The Reading Room at Claridge’s or Wiltons in Jermyn Street. But he’s arguably never happier than when soaking up the ambiance on his own doorstep. ‘Shepherd Market is like a village within a village,’ he says, ‘where everyone knows your name and where the street sweeper came to our Christmas party.’ All of which is making it sound rather like an upmarket version of EastEnders. ‘WestEnders!’ Paul corrects, with a laugh. ‘You could make the most amazing TV programme here.’

(www.paulthomasflowers.co.uk)

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Mayfair & St James’s

NEWS

Extravagant lunches and Union Jack Battenberg cakes; there is much to celebrate this Jubilee month

Jubilee jubilation

I L EE

In honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this month, The Ritz presents a series of exclusive celebratory events. They join thousands of participants across the nation in hosting their very own ‘Big Jubilee Lunch’ on Sunday 3 June. Held in the spectacular surrounds of The Ritz Restaurant, this lunch vies for position as most extravagant on offer, with seafood ice sculptures, champagne and commemorative decorative keepsakes from the Highgrove collection (just in case delicious food wasn’t quite enough). Alternatively, a Diamond Jubilee Bunch will be held on Tuesday 5 June. At both foodie bonanzas, screens will stream live coverage of the events themselves.

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The Ritz London, 150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR The Big Jubilee Lunch and The Diamond Jubilee Brunch are priced from £175 per person; call 020 7300 2370 to make a reservation (www.theritzlondon.com)

Sunday screenings Discover the charms of The Charlotte Street Hotel’s Sunday Film Club this month. Held every week at 5pm, the hotel’s very own screening room puts on a film for guests and members of the public alike, with a meal or afternoon tea at its restaurant ‘Oscar’, thrown in for good measure. This hidden gem provides the perfect venue for a relaxed Sunday afternoon – away from the bustling crowds of more mainstream cinemas. Hosting a broad range of films, both classic and brand new, the schedule offers a little end-of-weekend treat for everyone.

Homeopathy Awareness Week In light of the London Olympics this year, Homeopathy Awareness week has tailored itself around the aid of your sporting injuries. If your workouts are proving to be a strain, and you’d like to try a remedy with a boost that isn’t heavy on the side effects, head over to Nelsons between 14-21 June and receive a free consultation. Providing homeopathic and natural healthcare advice, remedies and prescription services, the staff at Nelsons Homeopathic Pharmacy are trained to deal with bruising, sprains and swellings. Established in 1860, Nelsons is the UK’s leading manufacturer of natural concoctions such as Rescue Remedy, Bach and Original Flower Remedies, to name but a few. (87 Duke St, W1; homeopathyhelp@nelsons.net)

Tickets are priced at £35 per person and include a three course lunch, dinner or afternoon tea (020 7980 1007; www.firmdale.com)

Jubilee Big Lunch Street Party Piccadilly For the first time in its history, Piccadilly will be replacing buses with bunting as it closes to host a street party of majestic proportions on 3 June. Guests can walk BAFTA’s red carpet, enjoy a hog roast from The Cavendish, vintage cars from Brookland Museum, a champagne and tea bar from Fortnum & Masons and music from the Ritz’s band as these London institutions set up market stalls. Also to be enjoyed are traditional fairground rides, children’s games and face painting. The centrepiece of the event is a 500-seat Big Jubilee Lunch street party table, where time slots can be booked to enjoy your picnic hamper. Seats can be booked on a first come, first served basis in return for a £1 donation to The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust (www.piccadillybigjubileelunch.org)

Anya Hindmarch - how do you wear yours?

The queen of handbags Anya Hindmarch is giving her Bond Street store customers the royal treatment on 1 June. Visitors to her shop will have their photograph taken with her bespoke Maud clutch bag plus props including tiaras, earrings, gloves, an orb, pearls, sashes and cutout corgis. After all the posing, refreshments come in the form of Union Jack Battenberg cakes and gin and tonic jellies. To commemorate the occasion, you’ll leave with your framed photograph and biscuits a special takeaway box. Anya Hindmarch on Bond Street, 1 June (www.anyahindmarch.com)

Picture perfect Don’t miss your last chance to see the fantastic Terry O’Neill exhibition at the Alon Zakaim Fine Art in Mayfair’s Dover Street. ‘Infamous’ premiers some never-beforeseen pieces of, amongst others, Brigitte Bardot, Sean Connery, Ursula Andress and Kate Moss. These are placed alongside some of the legendary photographer’s most iconic images.

The Big British Bang – Selfridges Last summer they had a boating lake on the roof, this year it’s a crazy golf course. In celebration of the Jubilee and as part of The Big British Bang at Selfridges, Bompas and Parr’s latest installation involves planting 200 cypress trees to create that authentic golfing feel. An old-fashioned bandstand featuring daily performances from British artists and The Big British Tea Party, serving the highest high teas in Town, will also feature among the rooftop amusements. Bompas & Parr crazy golf at Selfridges, 31 May - 2 September, from 12 - 6pm daily (www.selfridges.com)

‘Infamous’ runs until 8 June at Alon Zakaim Fine Art, 5-7 Dover Street, London W1S 4LD Free entry Monday-Friday 9am - 6pm (www.alonzakaim.com)

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N E W S TO R E

SLOANE ST Sw1 C O N T E m p O R a Ry CaShmERE SiNCE 1936

Available from Burlington Arcade, Mayfair Tel: 020 7499 6485 and 149 Sloane Street Sw1 Tel: 020 7730 6891

www.npeal.com

The latest discoveries, exhibits and must-sees in the art world this month

Art unites the Beijing and London Olympics The last time world-famous Chinese conceptual artist, Ai Weiwei, collaborated with architects Herzog & de Meuron, the result was the iconic Bird’s Nest, officially known as the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Olympics. Now, their talents have united in London to produce a Serpentine Gallery Pavilion that promises to be an outstanding piece of architecture in our Olympic year. A radical new shape involving eleven columns (symbolising all previous Pavilions) supporting a floating platform roof 1.5 metres above ground level has been erected. The roof can also be used as a dance floor or a giant rainwater butt, and they have even created a waterhole but, in doing so, discovered the remains of earlier pavilions or what the team described as ‘a serendipitous gift’. Each pavilion is also used as a venue for Park Nights – a programme of public talks and events – and this year it will culminate with the Serpentine Gallery Memory Marathon. Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2012 1 June – 14 October (www.serpentinegallery.org)

The perfect time to buy a Christmas card The power of the pen is enormous and of global significance when you are a famous writer and all the more so if your name is James Joyce (1882-1941). After years of living in squalid conditions, this highly educated Irishman gradually achieved success with the publication of his first novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. His short stories, Dubliners, followed but his most highly acclaimed work, Ulysses, was published in 1922 (after being banned on the grounds of obscenity), by an American woman Joyce met in Paris, the city he and his family had made their home. Joyce’s last work, Finnegan’s Wake, became an overnight hit in 1939, two years before his death in Zurich. A Christmas card signed by Joyce and his wife, Nora, during their 1930s Paris period is for sale with an estimate of £300-£500. Considering the worldwide interest in Joyce, coupled with the fact that his passport sold recently for £50,000, it is likely to achieve much, much more. 14 June, Books & Manuscripts (www.bloomsburyauctions.com)

Q&A with 2003 Turner Prize winner, GRAYSON PERRY, about his new work Q: Can you elaborate on the enigmatic title of your exhibition, ‘The Vanity of Small Differences’? A: It’s from Freud and it’s about snobbery really. We’re all desperate to think that we’re individuals, whereas only small things make people different from each other. My tapestries show someone dealing with class mobility, like Hogarth did with A Rake’s Progress.

Q: Have these tapestries been inspired by those in the British Museum, home of your phenomenal 2011 exhibition, or the warp and weft of the human character? A: I enjoy the associations of tapestries with aspiration and behaviour; we’re all marinated in

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the culture of our childhood, family and friends. I’ve made others, like The Walthamstow Tapestry, and inspiration came from tapestries in great British houses and people I’ve met.

Q: You are most famous as the Turner Prizewinning potter, so will this exhibition include pots or are we seeing you change medium? A: There will be some pots relating to the themes in the tapestries and to my interest in the roots of our taste - why we choose what we do.

Q: Your idiosyncratic style of dress suggests a fascination with textiles; are tapestries an extension of it?

A: I’ve always been interested in traditional media because they convey history; whether I make a tapestry, a print or a pot, they bring associations with them; that’s part of each artwork.

The Upper Class at Bay, 2012 Image courtesy of the Artist & Victoria Miro Gallery, London © Grayson Perry

‘The Vanity of Small Differences’ 7 June – 11 August (www.victoria-miro.com)

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EXHIBITION FOCUS PHILIP JACKSON:

Bomber Command Memorial This month, in honour of her Diamond Jubilee, The Queen will unveil Philip Jackson’s magnificent Bomber Command memorial in Green Park, comemorating WWII. By CAROL CORDREY

BOMBER COMMAND’S prime role was to attack Nazi Germany’s military might, communications and industries and prevent their planned invasion of Britain. The extreme danger of their relentless missions, plus Bomber Command’s shockingly high fatality record (55,573 of its airmen were killed in WWII), demanded immense courage and maturity from crew, whose average age was only 22. Britain in general and London in particular have been indebted to their heroism ever since and that is finally being acknowledged with this memorial in the heart of the capital. The scale of our debt to Bomber Command is, to some extent, reflected in the monumental scale of the memorial, which consists of a bronze sculpture of a heavy bomber aircrew within a Portland stone arch. Distinguished architect, Liam O’Connor, designed the elegant arch which frames them, though it is open at the top so that, fittingly, they are connected to both the ground and to the sky. O’Connor gained acclaim for designing the magnificent Commonwealth Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill and in this monument he has incorporated reliefs of the aircraft used by Bomber Command which proved vital to the defence of the nation - the Mosquito, Wellington, Halifax, Bristol Blenheim and the Lancaster. In addition, there are badges of the squadrons who flew them and it is hoped that both sets of reliefs will give the memorial a subtle educational element so that visitors can appreciate the enormous sacrifices and the technical and design developments associated with WWII.

28 June: Official unveiling by H.M. The Queen Green Park (www.bombercommand.com)

The internationally renowned Philip Jackson was commissioned to create the figurative centerpiece of the memorial. Among his numerous public sculptures is the wonderfully realistic figure of the late Queen Mother which stands in the Mall. His brief for this new commission was that it should be neither jingoistic nor triumphalist but reflective, though Jackson personally felt, quite rightly, that it should be heroic too. ‘The crew are reflecting on having returned from a mission of eight or nine hours of hell yet aware that they will have to go through it all over again only hours later’, he says. Acutely aware that the memorial was to honour all those who died, Jackson’s intention was to produce a close-knit band of brothers rather than portraits of past, individual crewmen. ‘The sculpture represents men almost welded together in the heat of war and with the emotions of war on their faces’, explained Jackson. ‘So, five are looking towards the sky – looking for aircraft carrying fellow crewmen who may never return - whilst two are looking at the ground expressing pathos’. This is a profoundly realistic, dignified memorial to those who gave everything to the nation. It has great emotional force, silently uttering that poignant phrase, ‘Lest we forget’. The nation can be proud of Bomber Command on all levels, not least because it goes some way towards repaying that long outstanding debt.

Above / Philip Jackson with Bomber Command maquette Right / Pilot by Philip Jackson

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Art

abducted

With the recent recovery of a Cézanne painting valued at an estimated £70 million, TAMSIN PICKERAL delves into the world of stolen art painted on cardboard, showing water damage, and small tears in the canvas of the Madonna. Both pieces underwent extensive and painstaking restoration and are now back on display. Another version of The Scream was stolen in 1994 from the National Gallery in Oslo; the thieves left behind a note reading, ‘thanks for the poor security’. Despite their brazen attitude the painting was recovered during a sting operation later in the year. While great numbers of stolen art works are never seen again, others are found, and it is these success stories that instill a little hope – many are discovered years after the crime. Most recently is Paul Cézanne’s, The Boy in the Red Waistcoat, c.1888, roughly valued at £70 million and

‘The phenomenal values attached to art works has made them golden quarry for criminals’

ART THEFT has been glamorised through the mechanisms of Hollywood and sold to the public as one more genre for a nail-biting blockbuster with a twist of romance. The truth is far less palatable and the tragedy is not only the loss of artworks to the private individual or the public, but the damage some of these great masterpieces suffer in the process, while others have almost certainly been destroyed. In 2006, a version of Edvard Munch’s The Scream, c.1910, was recovered, along with his Madonna, 1894, both having been stolen in 2004 from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. While the success of finding them should not be diminished, both works had suffered with The Scream, which was

one of four stolen in 2008 from the E.G. Bührle Collection in Zurich; the others were by Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh and Edgar Degas. The paintings were stolen at gunpoint from the Zurich museum with the Van Gogh and the Monet recovered a week later in the getaway car abandoned in the car park of a psychiatric hospital. Trace evidence from the car led the police to a known felon in Serbia resulting in a collaboration between Swiss and Serbian authorities and investigators from six countries who launched Operation Waistcoat to recover the missing works. In 2009 the Degas was returned following a ransom payment, but its recovery was kept quiet while extensive undercover work continued in an effort to bring down the thieves. Eventually three suspects were arrested during the course of a proposed sale of the Cézanne to a wealthy Serbian for a reported £3.5 million. During the arrest more than a £1 million

Above / The Boy In The Red Waistcoat, Paul Cézanne, 1890-95 © Getty images Left / The Scream, Edvard Munch, 1895 © Sotheby’s

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in cash and a large collection of firearms were also recovered. The Degas had suffered some damage, but the Cézanne escaped largely unscathed. Art theft is not a new phenomenon but has become increasingly audacious since the early 1900s when the first of the modern art heists occurred. In August 1911 an Italian employee of the Louvre named Vincenzo Perugia stole Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, c.1503-06 from the famous Paris gallery with breathtaking boldness. Perugia’s simple plan involved hiding in a broom cupboard overnight in the museum before removing the painting from its frame, hiding it under his shirt and slipping away in the early morning. Astonishingly, although employees noticed the work was missing, it was presumed to have been removed for cleaning or photographing, and no one realised it had been stolen for twenty-four hours. Two years later, and still unable to find a buyer for the painting, Perugia wrote to a Signor Geri, a Florentine art dealer with the hope of making a cash sale; he signed his letter ‘Leonard’. Geri, along with the Director of the Uffizi, Florence, met with Perugia, the painting was authenticated and Perugia was swiftly arrested. He promptly defended his actions on the patriotic grounds of wanting to restore the Italian masterpiece to its rightful home, but neglected to mention that he had previously tried to sell the work to various sources including a gallery in London. Still, he was briefly hailed as a ‘hero’ by the Italian people for his patriotism. Prior to Perugia’s arrest, the French police had interviewed many suspects including the poet Guillaume Apollinaire and Pablo Picasso. Both were exonerated, but suspicion hung heavily over Picasso for some time.

It emerged he was in possession of two ancient Iberian statuettes he had acquired from a friend, which had also been stolen from the Louvre. Picasso used the heads of these as models for his groundbreaking painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, 1907, which marked a significant early step towards the development of Cubism. Picasso’s association with the Mona Lisa case is particularly ironic since more of his paintings have now been stolen than any other artist; over a thousand are missing. Most recently Woman’s Head, 1939, was stolen from the National Gallery in Athens on January 9, 2012. The as-yet-unrecovered work along with Piet Mondrian’s The Windmill, 1905 and a 17th-century drawing by Guglielmo Caccia were removed in an estimated seven minutes in the early hours of the morning – the thieve(s) having set the museum alarms off several times the evening before, prompting the guards to disable at least one of the alarms. Picasso’s Cubist work was given directly by the artist to the people of Greece in 1949 to honour their resistance to Nazi occupiers during WWII and has a dedication on the back reading ‘in homage to the Greek people’. This inscription, which is so identifiable, makes this work particularly difficult to sell to anyone other than a ‘knowing’ party. In 1990 the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston became the unwitting scene of the largest art theft of modern times. The stolen works included Vermeer’s The Concert, 1658-60, one of only around thirty-six surviving paintings by the 17th-century Dutch master, several Rembrandts including his only seascape, Storm on the Sea of Galilee, 1633, and Edouard Manet’s Chez Tortoni, 1878-80. The value of the haul has been estimated at as much as £350 million. The thieves posed

‘More of [Picasso’s] paintings have now been stolen than any other artist; over a thousand are missing’

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as Boston police officers to persuade a guard to let them into the museum in the early hours of the morning. Once inside they overpowered both guards on duty leaving them handcuffed in the basement. Data from motion detectors indicates they targeted specific works ripping them from their frames. The lack of care involved in handling the paintings suggests their inexperience and that the works may have suffered considerable damage. In addition they stole a Chinese vase and a finial from the top of a pole support for a Napoleonic silk flag – the latter is believed to have been a ‘trophy’ of the event. The two men have never been identified and over twenty years later all the works are, tragically, still unrecovered. The phenomenal values attached to art works has made them golden quarry for criminals, added to which paintings and works on paper are relatively easy to transport and to hide. They have become a ‘currency’ in the underbelly of the drug world with the Balkan region being one area of interest for stolen art recovery operations. Here, while the authorities have focused on tackling drug and people trafficking, there appears to have emerged a buoyant underground trade in works stolen from all over Europe. In addition, a primary market for such works are those ‘stolen to order’; works which are particularly difficult to recover since they rarely reappear on the open market. Some works are stolen and then offered back for ransom sums whilst others are circulated by unscrupulous dealers. Most devastating are those works that are destroyed. An appalling recent trend has arisen in the theft of sculptures believed to be taken for their scrap metal value - a fraction of their true worth. One such was Henry Moore’s internationally acclaimed Reclining Figure, a two tonne bronze stolen from the grounds of the Henry Moore Foundation in Hertfordshire in 2005; another was his contemporary Barbara Hepworth’s piece Two Forms (Divided Circle), 1969, stolen in December 2011 from Dulwich Park, London. Figures indicate that the theft of public sculptures has risen dramatically over the past decade. Despite the great number of unrecovered works, many are found and there are extensive operations in progress to infiltrate and bring down the circles involved in these crimes. In addition to law enforcement there are also a number of companies that work towards the recovery of stolen art works, with the Art Loss Register (ALR) holding the largest private database in the world for lost and stolen art, antiques and collectables. The ALR offers a number of services and encourages the registration of valuable pieces on their database, which allows for checking searches. This is an active deterrent to criminals when trying to sell on stolen works. They also operate a recovery service to return artworks to their owners.

From top / The Concert, Vermeer, 1658-60. Chez Tortoni, Manet, 1878-80. The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633. All images courtesy of Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston Left / Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci, c.1503-06. © Getty images

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PRIZE LOT: BONHAMS

IMPRESSIONIST MASTERPIECE A rare opportunity to acquire a Marc Chagall masterpiece influenced by the stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral

PARTICULARS: EXPECTED VALUE (ITEM): £200,000-£300,000 EXPECTED VALUE (AUCTION): £2 million+ ESTIMATED RANGE: £3,000-£500,000 NO. OF LOTS: 40+ PLACE: Bonhams, 101 New Bond Street, London W1S 1SR

La nuit de vence, Marc Chagall, signed ‘Marc/Chagall’ (lower left), oil on canvas, 1956 Image courtesy of Bonhams

DATE: 19 June 2012, 3pm

AS PART of the ‘Impressionist and Modern Art’ sale, taking place at Bonhams on 19 June, modern-art enthusiasts will be delighted with the opportunity to acquire Marc Chagall’s La nuit de Vence. La nuit de Vence is a significant painting because of its allegiance to Chagall’s own deeply felt emotional experiences, and to his technique and compositional style which stayed true to the deep-rooted sense of folklore and religious heritage that his family had nurtured for centuries. At the most basic level, the work shows the extent of the sumptuous palette that Chagall used in the mid-twentieth century, but it also reveals his nostalgia for times past, his enjoyment of the present and shows the impact that stained glass window art had on his pictorial technique from the 1950s onwards. Chagall had made his home in Vence in 1950 following his return to France after the Second World War and lived there until 1966 when he moved to nearby Saint-Paul-de-Vence. This work is sold with a replacement photo-certificate of authenticity from the Comité Chagall. (www.bonhams.com)

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PRIZE LOT: CHRISTIE’S

CELEBRATE THE BICENTENARY A rare opportunity to own Dickens’ own copy of his most cherished work

PARTICULARS: EXPECTED VALUE (ITEM): £30,000 - £50,000 EXPECTED VALUE (AUCTION): £2,000,000 – £3,000,000 ESTIMATED RANGE: £700 - £220,000 NO. OF LOTS: TBC PLACE: Christie’s King Street, London SW1Y 6QT

David Copperfield,

DATE: 13 June 2012

by Charles Dickens, first edition © Christie’s Images Limited 2011

IN CELEBRATION of the bicentenary of one of Britain’s greatest authors, Christie’s is proud to announce that they will offer Charles Dickens’ personal copy of David Copperfield in the sale of Valuable Printed Books and Manuscripts. Dickens (1812- 1870) penned the novel in 1850 and it is widely known to be his ‘favourite child’. This signed first edition of his eighth novel is inscribed to ‘Brookes of Sheffield’, as Dickens sent this personal copy to the knife and tool manufacturer in May 1851. Having received a gift of cutlery, Dickens presented them with his own copy of the book to counteract the superstition that if a knife is given as a gift, the relationship of the giver and recipient will be severed. ‘It is always exciting to be able to handle an author’s copy, knowing that the very book has been held in the author’s own hands’ says Margaret Ford, director and head of the books and manuscripts department. ‘It is therefore especially exciting to be able to offer in this important anniversary year a first edition copy of Dickens’ favourite book, David Copperfield, not only inscribed by Dickens, but from his personal library.’ An autographed letter also accompanies this copy of the book, presenting the copy to Messrs Brookes, in which Dickens also apologises for the delay in their receiving the gift. (www.christies.com)

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Bang & Olufsen of Chelsea - BeoLab 12 Advert - Place at 100% (297 x 210mm + 3mm Bleed)

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PRIZE LOT: SOTHEBY’S

MASTERPIECES FROM STRANDGADE 30 Five paintings by Vilhelm Hammershøi to headline Sotheby’s Scandinavian sale

PARTICULARS: EXPECTED VALUE (ITEM): £500,000 - £700,000 EXPECTED VALUE (FIVE HAMMERSHØI WORKS): £1.45 million EXPECTED VALUE(AUCTION): £6.8 million - £10 million ESTIMATED RANGE: £6,000 - £1,200,000 NO. OF LOTS: 145 PLACE: Sotheby’s London, 34-35 Bond Street

Ida Reading a Letter, Vilhelm Hammershøi, oil on canvas, 1899 © Sotheby’s

DATE: 11 June 2012

The major sale of European Paintings, held this month at Sotheby’s is to be led by five masterpieces from private collections, by the Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershøi. Painted between 1899 and 1907, the works showcase the artist at his most poetic, and were painted during the period when Hammershøi and his wife Ida were living at Strandgade 30 in Copenhagen. ‘2012 will be a special year for Hammershøi,’ says Nina Wedell-Wedellsborg, head of Sotheby’s Denmark. ‘What makes the three works from the three different Danish private collections so special, is that they have remained in the same family collections for more than fifty years, a clear indication of the esteem in which they have been held.’ Ida Reading a Letter (1899) was among the first works painted at Strandgade 30, an address that was to play a critical role in the development of the painter’s singular aesthetic. His arrangement and rearrangement of the sparsely furnished space, bare wooden floor, and painted white doors quickly became the central motif of his work, drawing comparisons with James McNeill Whistler (the American artist who deeply influenced Hammershøi), and Dutch 17th century master Johannes Vermeer, and his work Woman Reading a Letter in particular. (www.sothebys.com)

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COLLECTION

Art meets design

Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis Fish watch, from a selection, Vacheron Constantin (www.vacheron-constantin.com)

Vacheron Constantin’s Métiers d’Art collection is an exquisite tribute to both its long heritage and modern imagination

With a 250-year heritage, Vacheron Constantin’s latest additions to its Métiers d’Art collection is its most imaginative to date. The Métiers d’Art Les Masques are inspired by the work of Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis Escher and centre on the concept of tessellation – the process of creating a two-dimensional plane using the repetition of a geometric shape with no overlaps or gaps. At the heart of the new collection is a mechanical, self-winding Calibre 2460 movement. Developed entirely by Vacheron Constantin, the mechanism is encapsulated in an 18 carat, white-gold casing and is visible through the sapphire crystal back. The Métiers d’Art Les Masques collection incorporates modern-day techniques – enamelling, gem-setting, engraving and guilloché work to accentuate the depth effect of the dial. The collection illustrates the product of art meeting the mechanical intricacy of watchmaking. Each timepiece is limited to just twenty and are available at Vacheron boutiques only.

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COLLECTION

Watch

NEWS Classic timepieces to covet now and enjoy for a lifetime

ONE TO WATCH

Tennis Time Richard Mille and Rafael Nadal’s collaboration is going well. The tennis star has acquired what seems to be a lucky charm; since sporting the shock-resistant RM027, the lightest mechanical watch ever produced, Nadal has won eight consecutive ATP Masters titles.

Each month we select our timepiece of the moment from the watch world’s latest releases:

Urwerk’s UR-110 Torpedo has been embellished with a solid gold armour. Juxtaposed with the watch’s awardwinning avant-gardism, the classic material adds a sense of tradition to this ultramodern timepiece

(www.richardmille.com)

Unique Exhibition

Big Bang Ferrari

UR-110 RG T Torpedo POA, Urwerk Available at Marcus 170 New Bond Street

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

We were in Italy last November with Ferrari and Hublot when the pair announced the partnership that made the Swiss watchmaking brand the Italian manufacturer’s exclusive watch partner. Four months later, we joined the duo in Switzerland when they unveiled their first joint collaboration: the Big Bang Ferrari. With an indexed crown reminiscent of a wheel rim, elongated push buttons fixed along a rotating axis like the pedals in a car and the legendary prancing horse, Ferrari’s influence on the watch is unmistakable. Limited editions of the Big Bang Ferrari were formally unveiled in China at the opening of the Shanghai F1 Grand Prix this spring and we expect the pieces to become collectors’ items within years. (www.hublot.com)

For the Marcus luxury watch store, 2012 marks Marcus’ late father’s arrival in England 80 years ago, the opening of the Marcus store ten years ago and Marcus’ own 70th birthday. To celebrate, the store is hosting an exhibition of specially commissioned Unique Masterpieces and a collection of Haute Joaillerie by manufacturers including Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, Breguet, Greubel Forsey, Franck Muller and Piaget. Featuring watches that have been produced just for the exhibition, and a collection of 70 vintage timepieces by Audemars Piguet, the event will be unlike anything else held anywhere in the world. 3 July – 2 October 2012 Marcus, 170 New Bond Street (www.marcuswatches.co.uk)

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All images courtesy of Tag Heuer

COLLECTION

Mastering Time ON THE TRACK

One watch brand has become more synonymous with motorsport than any other. Stretching from Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna through Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard to Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, TAG Heuer’s roster of racing ambassadors reads like a Who’s Who of motor-racing fame. RICHARD BROWN speaks to Jack Heuer, TAG Heuer’s Honorary Chairman ‘This is something I have never really understood,’ Jack Heuer says of the Monaco, one of the two timepieces responsible for catapulting TAG Heuer to the top of the fine watch industry. ‘We had tried to make something totally different, unlike anything we had ever produced before.’ TAG’s Heuer’s Honorary Chairman – the great grandson of Edouard Heuer, the man who founded the company – is talking just weeks before his impending retirement at the age of 80, reflecting on a career that has spanned six decades and one that has helped to launch some of TAG Heuer’s most iconic watches, including the Monaco. ‘The case manufacturer had obtained a patent on a new way to make a square watchcase waterproof, so we were able to play with the design,’ Heuer explains. ‘However, what we came to produce proved to be too avantgarde; when it was first released [in 1969], the Monaco was bought only by architects and designers.’ So unpopular was the watch, in fact, that within seven years it had phased itself out of the market. Luckily for TAG, a movie-maker named Steve McQueen was about to do for the Monaco what no marketing manager ever could. Preparing for his upcoming cinematic homage to the world’s most famous endurance race, Le Mans, Hollywood’s King of Cool approached Grand Prix champion Jo Siffert for advice. For the sake of authenticity, Siffert told McQueen to wear his own racing suit and Heuer’s Autavia wristwatch. McQueen took the suit but rather than the Autavia, it was the Monaco that he strapped to his arm. From the cockpit of McQueen’s Porsche 917 Gulf, the status of the Monaco proliferated, quickly becoming the racing circuit’s most glamorous accessory. But while the watch’s popularity burgeoned under McQueen’s

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

endorsement, at the time, the film industry’s highest paid actor was never under contract with the company. ‘We were not keen to align his image with our brand,’ says Heuer. ‘He was a fantastic actor but from the late 60s he started to take drugs and drink too much. He was no longer a role model we could work with.’ Two decades later, however, and TAG Heuer had come to realise the marketing appeal of a man who had passed into movie history as one of its most celebrated stars. When the Monaco was relaunched in 1998, it was McQueen who stood as the campaign’s obvious poster boy. ‘They [TAG Heuer] made an agreement with the son of McQueen for the rights to his name,’ explains Jack. ‘Then they got hold of this fantastic picture of Steve wearing the Monaco in the film. By then the world remembered only the good side of Steve McQueen and when the 5,000 pieces were released, they sold out in a relatively short space of time. Today the Monaco remains a fundamental piece in our collection.’ Fundamental as it may be, it’s not Jack’s favourite. That comes in the form of TAG’s other most famous creation: the Carrera. Now accounting for a third of TAG Heuer’s overall sales, the original Carrera was launched back in 1963. Taking its name from the Carrera Pan Americana, a legendary five-day endurance race across Mexico, and designed with the needs of motor-racing enthusiasts in mind, the watch was a clean, uncluttered piece that featured a wide-open, easy-to-read dial and a shock-resistant, waterproof case. During the nine year contract TAG Heuer had with Ferrari in the 70s, Jack would present every Ferrari driver with an 18-carat gold edition of the watch. Engraved on the back with the driver’s name and blood group,

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the 50 that were produced now sit near the top of every serious watch collector’s wish list. For Jack, the watch has come to resonate on far more than an aesthetic level. ‘I have many experiences related to that watch,’ he tells me. ‘On one occasion, I met Villeneuve’s wife [Gilles Villeneuve had driven for Ferrari from 1978 until his death at Belgian Grand Prix in 1982], when their son [Jacques] was racing Formula One in Monaco. The son had chartered a big boat and was giving a reception there. Mrs Villeneuve greeted me on the top deck. She said “Oh, hello Mr Heuer. You know, I still have the watch you gave my husband. I wear it all the time.” I got very emotional and nearly cried. Some of the best years of my career were somehow related to these watches.’ Only fitting, then, that Mr Heuer should exit the company by designing a Carrera, ‘the way I really wanted to see it.’ The result is a slimmer, lighter version of the watch that remains his favourite. ‘We made it 100 metres waterproof, instead of 300 metres, which meant we could use crystal glass half a millimetre less thick. I asked for a flatter movement and a lot of internal details like that. Then I put my signature and our family crest on the back.’ The end product, Jack Heuer’s 80th Birthday Edition Carrera, will be limited to 3,000 pieces. Or, more accurately, 3,000 minus the four that Jack is keeping for himself and his three children. The other 2,996 watches, not unsurprisingly, have already been sold. Born in 1932, Heuer grew up in a family obsessed with motorsport; his grandfather, ‘a car nut’, owned only the fourth automobile in the state of Bern. Jack himself has distinct memories of watching the Swiss aristocracy testing their cars on the country’s alpine roads. When hill climbing became a popular Swiss motorsport, it was his great-grandfather’s company that provided the devices used to time the races. After the end of the Second World War, Heuer (as the company was then known) became involved with rally racing, before progressing into GT and from GT into Formula One – a sphere that would provide the company with associations to some of sport’s biggest names. Siffert, Regazzoni, Ickx, Lauda, Prost, Senna, Häkkinen, Villeneuve: over the last half century, TAG Heuer has assembled an incomparable roster of racing ambassadors to endorse their timepieces. ‘We are very choosy about our ambassadors; their characteristics must represent the values of our brand,’ says Heuer. ‘For us, that means honesty, integrity, a sporty attitude and a clean history. We sit down with all of them for talks and each must come to our factory to learn about the brand they are representing.’ Those who have taken the tour more recently include Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, ambassadors who have successfully carried the brand into the 21st century by adding their names to the F1 Champions’ hall of fame. If TAG Heuer’s continued commitment to motorsport is one thing that has remained a constant during the last 50 years, what in the watch world has changed? ‘In the 1960s, Switzerland produced about 25 per cent of the world’s watches,’ says Heuer. ‘By the 1990s we produced about 2.5 per cent. Partly this is due to the low priced quartz watches. Switzerland has been transformed from a mass-producing watch country to a country producing a smaller number of high-end watches for the luxury industry. The country is still in the process of adapting.’ There’s been another change that intrigues Mr Heuer; that a watch no longer exists to make sure you’re on time. ‘Now,’ he muses, ‘it’s more to show you who you are. For 25 years I would get complaints from clients all over the world if my watch was more than a minute a week off. Today, nobody ever questions how accurate the watch is. They are used to turning on the news and changing their watch to the time it says on the screen. It doesn’t seem to bother anybody anymore.’

COLLECTION

Except for TAG Heuer, that is. Precision timing is the basis on which the brand was built. The company still hold the record for accurately timing the closest finish in the whole of motor racing history – when Mattias Ekström beat Heikki Kovalainen in the 2006 Race of Champions by 2/10,000ths of a second – and it’s not an accolade the team plans to give up. Having astonished the world in January with the Mikrogirder, a chronograph capable of recording 5/10,000ths of a second, Jack Heuer assures us that the company founded by his great grandfather will ‘continue to challenge the classical way of making a watch,’ with or without him at the helm. For stockists, please call 0800 037 9658 or visit www.tagheuer.com

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CONTESSA To own a rare Argyle pink diamond is to own a truly magnificent heirloom. Contessa, beautifully handcrafted in Platinum and 18ct Rose Gold, features an exquisite combination of stunning craftsmanship and the rarest of Australian Argyle pink diamonds. Simply, they are the rarest diamonds in the world and are revered for their unique provenance and intrinsic beauty.

UNITED KINGDOM The Royal Arcade, Old Bond St, Mayfair London W1S 4SW AUSTRALIA Sydney Gold Coast calleija.com

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25/01/12 11:51 AM

Jewellery

N EWS Jewels, gems, pearls and diamonds; the essential components of any lady’s jewellery collection

TIME TO SHINE Now in its fifth year, London Jewellery Week is going from strength to strength, with exclusive launches, shows and events from some of the biggest names in the industry in June. The event’s launch will take place at one of the capital’s most iconic buildings, Somerset House, from 12 to 13 June, where a selection of 90 leading British and international designers, suppliers and brands will be housed under its impressive roof. Established names including Baccarat and Tatty Devine will sit alongside newcomers Chavin Jewellery and ethical brand Cornerstone. Treasure 2012, from 14 to 17 June, now firmly established as the best place to purchase contemporary jewellery and ideal for jewellery collectors, is the show’s flagship event. The Terrace Rooms at Somerset House will exhibit Wendy Ramshaw: Rooms of Dreams; as one of Britain’s leading contemporary designers, Ramshaw is renowned for her stunning jewellery pieces and large scale public art. The exhibition hopes to present jewellery as vehicles for storytelling and imagination, rather than as purely precious objects. 18-carat gold ring with hessonite and diamonds, Dinah Gough, POA (www.jewelleryweek.com)

CUTTING EDGE Rebecca Hawkins, Head of Design at Boodles, explains the creation of the latest collection entitled Wonderland, from which we have selected our favourite pieces:

‘Wonderland’s creation has been a fabulous opportunity to explore the exquisite patterns and colours from diverse cultures and combine the elements to create contemporary and unique collectable jewels’

Expert Interview PIPPA SMALL Jewellery designer

The latest collection is inspired by nature: by the joys and celebration of flowers, but also a reminder of their impermanence. My favourite piece is a lovely, delicate, articulated cluster of flowers cut from blushing shades of pink tourmaline, framed in gold, that hangs as a necklace. I believe stones have powers. We know instinctively if a gem makes us feel strong, more confident, comforted or safe. Memories are encased in jewels that have been passed down from those we have known and loved, making them more precious. Turquoise Mountain is a foundation that was set up by Rory Stewart to help preserve and restore traditional craft and architecture in Kabul. I have loved every moment I’ve spent there and have learnt so much about the people and their tragic complex situation. My plans for the future? To continue collaborating with different communities around the world, to open a shop in New York and shortly to become a mother.

Love Bird necklace, £100,000 Paisley yellow earrings, £56,000 Both Boodles (www.boodles.com)

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

Silver gold-plated and Kunzite stone bracelet, £300 (www.pippasmall.com)

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GARDEN

of Roses Jewellery designers are reminding us that summer is here to stay, with exquisitely coloured florals having taken over this season

7 6 1 Rococco diamond stud earrings, from £6,500, Boodles (www.boodles.com) 2 Multi-coloured necklace with sapphires, diamonds and set in white gold from the Red Carpet collection, POA, Chopard (www.chopard.com) 3 Camelia Brode 18-carat white gold and diamond earrings, £5,300, Chanel Fine Jewellery (www.chanel.com) 4 Bal De L’Opera necklace in white and pink gold with diamonds, red spinels, rubellites, rubies and pink spinels, POA, by Dior Joaillerie (www.dior.com) 5 Mandala earrings, £6,500, Pasquale Bruni (www.pasquale-bruni.com) 6 Wildflowers two-row bracelet, £20,000, De Beers (www.debeers.com) 7 Rose Limelight Garden Party necklace, POA, Piaget (www.piaget.com) 8 Wildflowers three-flower drop earrings, £9,000, De Beers, as before

COLLECTION XXXXXX

9 10

11 17

16 15 12

9 Vesta Ring, £26,400, Lalique (www.cristallalique.fr) 10

Rose Limelight Garden Party ring, POA, Piaget (www.piaget.com) 11 Flower necklace with diamonds, pink sapphires and rubies set in white gold, POA, Chopard, as before 12 Poison Ivy earrings set in 18-carat white gold with white diamonds, £4,600, Stephen Webster (www.stephenwebster.com) 13 All-platinum all-diamond rose brooch, £7,000, Lucie Campbell (www.luciecampbell.com) 14 Bagatelle ring in white gold with diamonds £29,000, by Dior Joaillerie (www.dior.com) 15 Bagatelle earrings in white gold with diamonds, £14,000, Dior Joaillerie, as before 16 Crystal embellished floral necklace POA, Oscar de la Renta Bridal collection (www.oscardelarenta.com) 17 Giant Magnolia ring, £230,264, Fabergé (www.faberge.com)

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COLLECTION

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Race INSPIRED

4 5

Witness what happens when the worlds of supercars and luxury accessories collide

8 7

1 Bentley GMT V8 Chronograph, £6,600, Breitling (www.breitling.com) 2 Triple Pipe Stand and Pipes, POA, Porsche Design (www.porsche-design.com) 3 Mille Miglia GT XL Chronograph, £5,300, Chopard, Chopard Boutique, 12 New Bond Street 4 Ferrari Style helmet, £299, NewMax (www.store.ferrari.com) 5 Formula 1 King Power Ceramic watch, £17,000, Hublot, available at Marcus, 170 New Bond Street 6 Carbon fibre cufflinks, £175, McLaren Sports by Links of London (www.mclarenshop.com) 7 Omas black rollerball pen, £295, Lamborghini (www.lamborghinistore.com) 8 Constellation Quest Ferarri smartphone, £8,400, Vertu, available at Harrods 9 Gunmetal and onyx cufflinks, £145, Lanvin (www.mrporter.com) 10 Chronofighter Oversize GMT Steel, £7,950, Graham available at Harrods

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T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

We prefer not to be measured by dimensions. Unless it’s a new dimension of accuracy.

No fewer than four exceptional mechanisms enhance the precision of the RICHARD LANGE TOURBILLON “Pour le Mérite”: the tiny fusée-and-chain transmission, the delicate tourbillon, the ultra-thin Lange balance spring, and – not least – the patented stop-seconds device for the tourbillon which makes it possible to

set the watch with one-second accuracy in the first place. Never before has an A. Lange & Söhne watch been endowed with so many complications that simultaneously enhance its rate accuracy, settability, and readability. And so, this remarkable timepiece truly deserves the honorary attribute “Pour le Mérite”.

Arije 165, Sloane Street London • George Pragnell 5 and 6, Wood Street, Stratford-upon-Avon Hamilton & Inches 87, George Street, Edinburgh • Harrods 87–135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London Watches of Switzerland 16, New Bond Street, London • Wempe 43-44, New Bond Street, London Lange Uhren GmbH • Tel. +34 91 454 89 82 • www.lange-soehne.com

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08.02.2012 15:52:48 Uhr

LOOK

SHARP Sharp suits and sharper attitudes are needed this season, as menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tailoring gets serious. Think beautifully crafted separates, elegant leather accessories and strong glasses for a seriously seductive look Photographer:

Peter Zownir Fashion Editor:

Lucie Dodds

This page: shirt, £89; silk bowtie, £59, both Thomas Pink. Silver cufflinks £280; watch, £3,720 Bulgari. Glasses, £196, Jil Sander Opposite: Jacket, £1,260; matching pencil trousers £460; shirt, £400, leather loafer, £450, all Gucci. Leather document case £330, leather iPad case, £250, both Smythson Previous: wool mohair suit £2,309. French cuff shirt £353. Silk-blend tie, £150. Silk pocket square £96, Glasses, £264; leather briefcase, from £2,500, all Tom Ford at Harrods

This page: suit, £1,070, leather briefcase £1,030, both Canali. Shirt, £89, tie £59, both Thomas Pink Opposite: jacket, £600, trousers £200, shirt £125, trenchcoat £650, all Aquascutum. Sunglasses, £409, Tom Ford

This page: suit, £1,250; silk tie, £85; watch £3,600, all Dunhill. Shirt, £89, Thomas Pink. Silver cufflinks £280, Bulgari. Sunglasses, £235, Tom Ford Opposite: shirt, £140, brocade silk trouser, £420, suede brogues, £350, all Canali. Black briefcase £895, Smythson. Silver cufflinks, £280, Bulgari

GROOMING: Amber Rose Peak at Models1 Creative using Clinique and Kiehls

578 KINGS ROAD LONDON SW6 2DY WWW.GUINEVERE.CO.UK

+44 (0)20 7736 2917

FASHION

Step to it Louis Vuitton is no stranger to bespoke – the brand has been making custom-made luggage since 1854. But its new venture brings that nous and know-how to men’s feet, with the debut of the Louis Vuitton Made To Order service. The label is set to offer the most discerning of gentleman the chance to choose the shape (‘Would that be a derby or an oxford, sir?’), the material (from butter-soft leather to exotic snakeskin) and every last trim, detail and stitch. The shoes are hand-crafted by artisans in Venetia, a region renowned for expert shoemaking since the 13th century. (www.louisvuitton.com)

By STEPHEN DOIG

Him Fit for McQueen The Alexander McQueen story returns home this summer, with the opening of a stand-alone Alexander McQueen menswear store on Savile Row. The designer famously began his career in fashion by working as an apprentice tailor at Anderson nderson and Shepherd, on the historic street. Along with the brand’s theatrical, bold pieces, statement t-shirts and patterned accessories, the store will offer a made-to-measure suiting service by teaming up with renowned tailor Huntsman. (www.alexandermcqueen.co.uk)

Recovery time Exhaust fumes as treacle-thick and late-night client dinners do not for a radiant glow make. Facts like these are why Skin Ceuticals have introduced the City Recovery Facial Treatment to tackle the effects of the daily grind and the damage it can do to the skin. Consisting of a gel peel, a mask, a moisturizer and eye cream, the package acts a one-stop shop to inject some much-needed pep and vim back into tired visages. From £115, The Refinery, 60 Brook Street, W1F (www.the-refinery.com)

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

CH Men Sport collection Synonymous with sleek Manhattan classicism, Carolina Herrera has created a sporting flagship capsule collection for men. Taking inspiration from the East Coast Ivy-League culture and the sea-scapes of Maine, the collection boasts a sporty, masculine aesthetic, with more than a nod to the nautical life. It’s enough to indulge every New Englander fantasy. CH Carolina Herrera, 120 Mount St, W1K 3NN (www.carolinaherrera.com)

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FASHION

Stella style Summer might have only just begun, but we’re already excited for Stella McCartney’s beautiful ready-to-wear collection for Autumn/Winter 12 - new to Harrods. Now celebrating her 10th anniversary of the line, rock royalty Stella is one of Britain’s most successful and talented designers, creating clothing that is simultaneously fashionable, ethical and chic. The standalone collection, which launches this month, combines sculptural elements, splashes of bold colour and attention-grabbing prints. Several of the styles are exclusive to Harrods.

Her

By KELLY GREEN

Available in International Designers First floor at Harrods (www.harrods.com)

Into the wild Just in time for the wedding and summer party season, the new Wildlife Odyssey collection from London-based luxury accessories house Ethan K has landed at Harrods. Perfect for summer nights out, the gorgeous new Ethan K Wildlife Odyssey minaudières are a great way to inject a bit of colour into your wardrobe. Each one of the exotic clutch bags is crafted from the finest Niloticus crocodile, and features a playful, animal-inspired clasp. Clasps are hand-crafted in the likeness of the mischievous hedgehog, lucky frog and sensual snake, eyes glittering with semi precious gemstones of red topaz, rainforest topaz, black spinel and amethyst. Available at Harrods. Priced from £1,890

Splash landing Already well known for their successful men’s luxury swimwear range, this month Vilebrequin will launch its first ever women’s line exclusively in the UK at he high-quality collection of mix-and-match Selfridges.The pieces will include feminine bikini sets with crocheted trims, patterned swimsuits, mini skirt cover-ups and girly shorts, all of which will reflect the brand’s St.Tropez ropez heritage, where the company was established in 1971. The same fabrication and styling as the men’s range feature throughout the collection, with flattering cuts and detailing so as to create a feminine twist. The Vilebrequin pop-up shop is on Selfridge’s third floor swimwear department. Prices from £50. (www.selfridges.com)

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Prints charming The eponymous Elie Tahari label has been injecting a downtown edge into womenswear for over thirty years, and continues to do so through its pre-fall collection, now available at Selfridges. Strongly inspired by bold prints and block colours, the latest collection from the Israeli-born designer has been created for women with confidence. This collection is all about not being afraid to mix and match brave prints and colours, with each piece beautifully cut to compliment the female form. (www.selfridges.com)

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

Swiss movement, English heart

C9 HARRISON AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH LIMITED EDITION ÂŁ850.00

Swiss made / 25 jewel customised automatic chronograph movement / 250-piece limited edition / Exhibition backplate / Premium-grade Louisiana alligator strap / Anti-reflective sapphire crystal / Diameter: 43mm / Calibre: ETA 7750. E XC LU S I V E LY AVA I L A B L E AT

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09/05/2012 11:43

Advertising FeAture Church’s Fulbeck shoe, £245

QUINTESSENTIAL

FOOTWEAR

ROMI TOPI

Best of British Luxury Shopping

Shoe shine at the Burlington Arcade

he Burlington Arcade has been a true luxury landmark in London since 1819. Housing more than 40 specialist shops and luxury footwear brands, including Jimmy Choo’s only UK menswear store, shoppers will find rare gemstones, vintage watches and the finest leather and cashmere accessories. Located discreetly between Bond Street and Piccadilly, the Arcade has long been favoured by royalty, celebrities and the cream of British society.

TREND

A selection from Crockett & Jones

Expert ROMI TOPI, whose celebrity clientele includes model David Gandy, offers his advice about how best to maintain and clean your leather shoes, in order to keep them in pristine condition.

Q: How often should shoes be properly cleaned? A: Once every two weeks. Ideally, men

should own five pairs of shoes so they have one for each day of the working week and two pairs of more casual “weekend” shoes. In the long term, it would be cheaper to buy more pairs as good, expensive shoes can last up to 40 years if looked after properly.

SPOTTE

Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Sir Winston Churchill were all fans… and it seems so are Brad Pitt, David Beckham and Tom Ford. The bespoke monogrammed gentlemen’s slipper has taken to the streets and is this season’s must-have. A great selection can be found in Church’s, Crockett & Jones and Jimmy Choo.

Q: What type of brush is best for the shoe? A: Always look for horsehair brushes

because they won’t scratch softer leathers and they are easy to clean with washing-up liquid.

Q: Any tips on applying polish? A: Avoid neutral wax as this tends to leave white lines in the shoe creases. When you apply polish, don’t overdo it; one thin layer is the right amount.

Romi offers a standard shoe shine which is a clean and polish for £4. He also offers a premium shoe shine, which costs £6; this includes a clean, conditioning of the leather and a polish.

Albert Prince of Wales slipper, £195

Albert Poppies slipper, £270

Church’s Farthington shoe, £308

Quintessentially British

Harry’s of London Jack Special Edition Jet Moc, £295

For more information visit www.burlington-arcade.co.uk

Twenties Twenties vision This season, be inspired by a bygone era as full-impact, floor-length gowns, beaded silks and stunning jewels conspire to a dazzling effect Photographer:

Carlos LumiĂ¨re

Fashion Editor:

Boo Attwood

This page: dress, £2,350, Victoria Beckham at Harrods; shoes, £675, Jimmy Choo; earrings, £7,000; bracelet, £9,500; ring £6,500, all Garrard

Opposite: dress, £6,195, Julien Macdonald; shoes, £820, Nicholas Kirkwood; crystal comb, £285, Jenny Packham; necklace, £150; bracelet, £950, both Links of London

Previous, Left: dress, £2,800, Jenny Packham; shoes, £495, Gina; earrings, £7,750, Garrard; ring, £175, Links of London; bracelet, £285, Jenny Packham. Right: jumpsuit, £5,995, Temperley London; shoes, £395, Gina; pendant, £4,800; earrings,£7,750; ring, £11,000, all Garrard

This page, left: dress, £2,300, Jenny Packham; shoes, £795, Jimmy Choo; earrings, £7,550; ring, £6,250, both Garrard; headband, £380, Jenny Packham. Right: dress, £4,950, Julien Macdonald; shoes, £1,000, Gina; earrings, £19,500; ring, £14,000, both Garrard; headdress, £270, Jenny Packham

Opposite: as before

Hair and make-up: Danielle Ogilvie & Diane Noorlander, using Chanel S/S 12, Tommy Guns, Japonesque and Nails Inc Models: Dev at D1 Models and Michaela K at Union Models LOCATION: Shot on location at The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner, using St George’s private dining room, the Buckingham Suite and The Library Bar. The Lanesborough is a luxurious and elegant British hotel in the heart of the capital. The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner, London SW1X 7TA (020 7259 5599)

New Zinc showroom now open 1 Chelsea Wharf, 15 Lots Road, London SW10 0QJ

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09/03/2012 16:51

Interiors

NEWS Update your home with the latest interiors products from fabulous wallpaper to decadent finishing touches

Wall to wall Drawing inspiration from their most iconic motifs, Ralph Lauren has designed this time-honoured paisley, which adorns a palette of artfully designed prints. Whether you want to add a splash of luxury to your home, or if you’d just like a change, then why not try this Crayford Paisley wallpaper in Stone. £61 per role (www.ralphlaurenhome.com)

CLASSIC Vs CONTEMPORARY - Chandeliers Classic As timeless symbols of grandeur, chandeliers are the perfect way to add a sense of presence and opulence to a space. This unique example, a mid-19th century gilt wood chandelier, is available exclusively at the Mayfair Gallery. The chandelier, at over six feet tall, would be perfectly at home in large communal areas. £22,000 (www.mayfairgallery.com)

Contemporary

Preserved in oil and made to last, Infinite Roses boasts exquisite arrangements, offering an innovative accent to your home or workspace. Heralding a new standard of creativity, these real roses are made to last 12 months or longer.

For modern interiors using cutting-edge materials including an interior element as classically inclined as a chandelier is ordinarily not an option. Italian chandelier retailers Top Domus have produced an example of the design classic suited to modern interiors. The piece uses renowned Italian Murano glass and is available in chrome or 24k gold finishes.

From £85 (020 7373 9595; www.only-roses.com)

Top Domus, £2,185 (www.topdomus.com)

Finishing touches

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

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INTERIORS

A cut above CAROLINE PHILLIPS meets Italian hairdressing legend Rossano Ferretti to talk about his latest hairspa in the heart of Mayfair, where classic antique design meets warm, modern minimalism

ROSSANO FERRETTI is that rare breed: a hairdresser-cum-architect with a good splash of the designer in him. In fact, he has designed twenty salons across the globe – from New York to New Delhi – and is a world-renowned crimper. He’s known for a way of cutting hair that’s not simply described as a ‘haircut’ but instead is dubbed ‘The Method’ – a unique and patented technique of cutting tresses that apparently has something to do with snipping the hair based on its ‘natural fall in motion.’ Even his salons are not just called the S word – to the cognoscenti, they are ‘hairspas.’ And as for his design work… We meet in his latest hairspa in Mayfair. Ferretti is Italian and dressed with the look of any stylish man that you might find in Rome’s Via Condotti. We sit down with espressos. ‘Hair is regarded as less important than music, architecture

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and painting,’ he says, looking bewildered. In his world vision, people’s locks probably rank somewhere up there with the Sistine Chapel and Beethoven’s Fifth. Ferretti has a hair and design pedigree that’s not to be sniffed at. He worked as a session hairdresser on shoots with the likes of Richard Avedon, of Vogue front cover fame. Ferretti also wielded what one A-list client of his dubs ‘his magic scissors’ and ‘alchemist’s hairdryer’ at the Milan fashion shows of Georgio Armani, Gianfranco Ferré and Versace. Indeed Ferretti is a numero uno hairdresser delle celebrita. Who are his other famous clients? ‘You mustn’t mention the names of any of our VIPs,’ says the PR fiercely. ‘We offer them absolute discretion.’ Never mind. We’re really here to talk about his interior design work. His salons are located mostly in beautiful, historical buildings in exclusive neighborhoods. (For the sake of privacy they’re generally not at street level.) The Mayfair one (in St George Street) is in a Georgian townhouse. ‘I like the history of our buildings to reflect my philosophy of beauty and lifestyle,’ he says. It was once the home of William Morris, the 19th century designer, and Ferretti believes the atmosphere is still infused with Morris’s presence. More recently the building housed the showroom of the upmarket bauble company, Fabergé. The wow! black glass chandelier in the hallway was bespoke and to their design. The salon is 5,500 square foot, over three floors (plus one for his training school for hairdressers.) ‘I never do much structurally,’ Ferretti explains. ‘I like to respect the original construction of the building.’ Is he a trained architect? ‘No, but I still design every single thing myself,’ he reveals with almost religious fervour. ‘I cannot ask an architect to interpret my soul.’ He seems pretty adept at this soul interpretation business. At any rate, his salons in Verona, Paris and Beverley Hills have garnered design accolades. His London salon style is simple. ‘I like the atmosphere to be calm.’ It doesn’t have that busy buzz and thudding music of other salons. It boasts just six styling and eight colour stations and three large private rooms. It’s so Zen, you could meditate there. Ferretti has used a palette of creams juxtaposed with black. It feels minimalist and tranquil. ‘It’s not cold and empty,’ he explains. ‘It’s what I call warm minimalism.’ It’s a bit like going into someone’s private house. The entrance hall has a black and white marble floor and that black chandelier. Throughout, there are black wooden floors – ‘they’re the original ones, we just painted them’

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– plus there are black balustrades and black carpets. Large black and white photographs of his grandparents – a barber and hairdresser – are hung around the salon. Even the hair products are displayed wittily in black Venetian frames. All this nero is set against ‘antique white’ walls. Ferretti has placed ‘key antique pieces’ in this pared-down setting – from his grandmother’s 1950s red leather armchair to a gilt Louis XIV-style chair. They provide splashes of colour. Some of the artefacts – such as the 1930s perm machine – are family heirlooms. (‘It was,’ he reveals, ‘the biggest investment my grandparents ever made.’) Other items were handpicked by him in flea markets. ‘I find my vintage furniture in the markets of places like Venice and Tuscany.’ He either selected or designed the contemporary pieces too. The mirrors in their unobtrusive frames were made to his specification. ‘I didn’t,’ he explains, ‘want anything Baroque, Venetian or busy.’ The ‘simple, comfortable’ chairs are by Philippe Starck and the salon furniture – known in crimperspeak as ‘styling positions’ and ‘colour tables’ – is Scandiano by Maletti, a chic Italian range. Ferretti is currently working on creating a roof garden – with champagne and manicure bar. We stand there overlooking the city. The roof-top ‘spa’ will be a first for the capital. It also has a bird’s-eye-view into the offices of Vogue magazine. Perhaps that’s symbolic. After all, on the three floors below us is a place that looks set to become London’s most fashionable salon.

INTERIORS

‘In his world vision, people’s locks probably rank somewhere up there with the Sistine Chapel and Beethoven’s Fifth’

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Classic style MEETS

MODERN DESIGN International interior designer Maurizio Pellizzoni can transform any room, home or commercial space into a masterpiece of timeless elegance, intricate detail and modern comfort. JO O’DONOGHUE finds out more about his unique designs and why everyone wants a piece of MPD LEAFING THROUGH the design portfolio of Maurizio Pellizzoni Design (MPD), I’m struck by both the diversity of projects, and the common thread of classic luxury woven through each design. Whether he’s working on a Milano Palazzo, Chelsea townhouse or Scottish retreat, the craftsmanship, quality, colour and attention to detail in Maurizio’s creations are quite exquisite, fusing classic style with a modern design vision. The result? A trademark, timeless quality grounded in the twenty-first century, and one which MPD has become renowned for. Established in 2007, MPD offers interior design to both residential and commercial clients; owned and managed by interior designer Maurizio Pellizzoni (BA with First Class Honours in Interior Design, 2005) the company’s five-year-old portfolio already encompasses prime residences

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in London, South East England, Scotland, Milan and Berlin. ‘I enjoy working as an international designer as each country expresses a different style,’ says Pellizzoni. ‘I draw on my personal experiences of interacting with different cultures, traditions and ways of living to develop my design ideas and weave these into my projects.’ ‘The main influences on my design come from my travels and from the clients themselves,’ says Pellizzoni. ‘I usually pick up exciting new ideas during my trips, for business or holidays, and think carefully about the possibilities for each of my clients.’ Working alongside a network of professionals, Pellizzoni has also become known for his close collaboration with architects in his mission to create stunning and unique design schemes. ‘I believe the way in which architects and interior designers look at projects is very different, yet these differences are fundamental when examining all the possibilities and opportunities within a space,’ he says. ‘Each has a different eye for the end product, but both are equally important for creating the most practical, yet beautiful space.’ Crucially, as MPD expands its portfolio, Pellizzoni is careful to value the relationship he builds with each client, emphasizing the importance of one-to-one service. ‘I love to spend a great deal of time getting to know the clients; their interests, experiences and their needs. I prefer to tailor my designs to the individual so that each project closely reflects the client’s personality.’ Recent additions to the luxury portfolio include a complete refurbishment of a two-bedroom loft apartment in a minimal modern style in Shoreditch, ‘which conveys a more contemporary aspect of my design’ – and an ongoing project in Godalming, working with an architect on developing the interior of a house, which is undergoing a 40% extension. This project incorporates existing furniture while developing the elaborate and luxurious style of the larger house. With such a range of exciting projects to fill his time, Pellizzoni is reluctant to commit to a favourite type of project or design style, simply stating: ‘I enjoy working on a variety of projects and thrive on new challenges. Luxury remains the main reference point to all my projects.’ (www.mpdlondon.co.uk)

INTERIORS

‘I enjoy working as an international designer as each country expresses a different style’

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BROCKET HALL, HERTFORDSHIRE, 14 JULY 2012 10am to 6pm

ONE DAY ONLY – the ultimate car enthusiasts event to

see, try and buy the most desirable cars on the road

Ticket Options

A MUST ATTEND EVENT... THE SUPERCAR SHOWCASE WILL BE THE REGIONS MOST IMPRESSIVE CAR SHOW FOR NEW AND PREMIUM USED CARS INCLUDING LUXURY CARS, CLASSIC CARS AND SUPERCARS. IN ADDITION, YOU CAN PRE-BOOK TEST DRIVES WITH THE PARTICIPATING CAR COMPANIES AND GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE CARS THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO TRY IN THE STUNNING SETTING OF BROCKET HALL.

EVENT ENTRY TICKET: £45 Exclusive VIP Experience Ticket – limited to a select group of only 54 guests • • • • •

VIP parking next to the hall Champagne and canapes during pre-dinner reception Fine dining with a three course black tie dinner Traditional butler service Overnight stay in one of the halls impressive bedroom suites where Kings, Queens, Presidents and Prime Ministers have stayed • Full English Breakfast for two

Single person ticket: £445 Couples price: £745 Cash bar after dinner

Ticket purchase & questions: email your name, contact details, number and type of tickets required to: susanne@exclusivelyevents.co.uk

www.supercar-showcase.co.uk

Exclusively Privilege Card Launch The Exclusively Privilege Card gives you access to an amazing range of luxury lifestyle companies each offering special privileges and discounts to cardholders.

Exclusively Events Ltd Bursteads Barn, Spellbrook Lane West, Spellbrook, Herts CM21 0NB www.exclusivelyevents.co.uk

BROCKET HALL, WELWYN, HERTFORDSHIRE

FEATURE

seas

MOUNT EVEREST OF THE

The Andrea Doria went from Ocean Queen to scuba divers dream. MIKE PEAKE discovers the thrill and challenge of diving the wreck

IT SHOULD HAVE been a peaceful night, the chance to catch up on some shut-eye before the next day’s arrival in New York City. There were nine days of fun and partying to sleep off, nine glorious days aboard Italy’s most luxurious liner as it crossed the Atlantic. No one saw the other ship coming. The Andrea Doria was the queen of the Italia Line, a 213m beauty who had set to sea in 1953 amidst a burst of national pride and claims that she was unsinkable. Emerging from a fog bank on July 25, 1956, however, the Andrea Doria was rammed amidships by a smaller passenger liner called the MS Stockholm, which was heading East. The impact crumpled the front of the Stockholm beyond all recognition, but the damage to the Italian ship was far worse: she went down 11 hours after the collision, taking 46 of the 1,700 people who had been on board with her. As we marked the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic last month, it was hard not to think of the Andrea Doria and the thousands of other ships that litter the floors of the world’s oceans. Their awful, churning deaths as they sank to the bottom is the stuff of nightmares, and yet to a certain group of people, a handful of these wrecks have become the stuff of dreams. Ocean liners don’t go down every day, and when they do, there’s a likelihood they’ll plummet to the kind of depths that few could hope to see. But the Andrea Doria is different. A tricky-but-reachable 100km from the nearest

landfall, she came to rest, on her side, barely 50m down. You could touch her on a dive that was almost at what divers call ‘recreational levels’ – though not quite. As a wreck, she is tantalisingly close, but as many have come to realise to their peril: she can be deadly. ‘People don’t think about how many adjustments you have to make before you dive the Doria,’ says diver Bill Campbell, who once went missing for several hours on a dive to the wreck. ‘You spend 13 hours getting there on a boat, you don’t sleep right, you’re not feeling yourself. It’s similar to an Olympic athlete who, before the big race, sleeps in his car.’ Fog banks, swirling currents, heavy shipping traffic and the cool Atlantic waters all add to the difficulties of divers who want to cross the Andrea Doria off their ‘to do’ list. It is little wonder that she has been christened The Mount Everest of Scuba Diving. ‘She got that name from a cameraman,’ says Dan Crowell, whose 200-plus dives on the Andrea Doria arguably make him the world’s leading authority on the wreck. ‘He was trying to film down there and there was so much particulate matter whizzing around that he said it was like shooting in a blizzard on top of Mount Everest.’ Dan is the former skipper of a boat called Seeker, a once-legendary craft that would regularly take parties of experienced divers to the wreck. Having seen the liner take shape through the gloom as many times as anyone, he fully understands the magnetic pull it holds over fellow divers.

‘She’s still out of reach of most divers,’ says Mark Murphy, MD of Oyster Diving, ‘and that only adds to the appeal’

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FEATURE

‘I was diving it before I was running expeditions,’ Dan tells The Mayfair Magazine. ‘To a non-diver, it’s kind of hard to describe, but the fascination for me was this huge shipwreck on the bottom of the sea, which, on days with good visibility, you could actually see sitting right there on the bottom. The bigger draw for most guys, though, was the artefacts.’ Not so much modern-day treasure hunters as souvenir seekers, the world’s wreck-diving community has been quietly picking the bones of the Andrea Doria clean for more than 50 years. There has been silver, ornate window panels, thousands of pieces of china and more – and Colin Sheaf, of Bonhams in Mayfair, understands the appeal. ‘I’ve been lucky enough to auction the porcelain cargoes of several lost merchant ships,’ he says. ‘And it’s an incredible privilege to be handling objects which have somehow survived a traumatic disaster at sea.’ Colin is very much a subscriber to the, ‘shipwrecks as important archaeological treasures’, school of thought; others, of course, see them as a place to grab some free stuff – whatever the risk. ‘We’ve seen this big, intact shipwreck slowly rot away,’ says Dan Crowell, who now runs his own TV production company (dancrowell.com). ‘The more it falls apart, the less there is to recognise, which makes it harder to navigate your way around. It’s like wandering through a junk yard in there.’ National Geographic Photographer Brian Skerry, who shot the wreck in the 1990s, recalls the time he had a near-miss with the Andrea Doria: ‘I was photographing inside, and it was very disorienting,’ he says. ‘I remember turning a corner and for just a second I didn’t know which way to go. I stopped for a moment and tried not to panic. I said: “OK, let me go this way”’. Others have been less fortunate. No less than 16 have died while diving the Andrea Doria, victims of everything from heart attacks and decompression sickness to plain bad luck. Fishing nets drape the hull and an invisible web of thin fishing lines add to the crumbling, groaning melee that make the Andrea Doria as unforgiving now as the night she died. And yet, just like Mount Everest, her charms continue to beguile. ‘I’ve dived many reefs and wrecks, but I’ve yet to dive the Doria,’ says Mark Murphy, MD of Oyster Diving in Soho, recently named the UK Dive Centre of The Year. ‘I would love the chance to dive her.’ Mark admits that it’s hard to put a finger on what makes the Doria so special, but says it has something to do with the fact that she’s so agonisingly close to the surface. ‘She’s still out of reach of most divers,’ he says. ‘And that only adds to the appeal. It’d be quite something to take a look and pay my respects to those who didn’t make it.’

A DIVE LESS DEADLY Two remarkable wrecks for the wild at heart THE SS THISTLEGORM, THE EGYPTIAN RED SEA Discovered by Jacques Cousteau in the Gulf of Suez just off the Egyptian coast, this armed freight ship was sunk by two German bombers in 1941 and took her cargo of trucks, steam engines and motorcycles to the bottom with her. Suitable for: ‘PADI Advanced Open Water Divers with 20-plus dives’, says Mark Murphy at Oyster Diving. Cost: From £1,450 for seven nights, including two dives on the Thistlegorm, and staying at the five-star, Four Seasons hotel in Sharm el Sheikh (www.oysterdiving.com) THE FUJIKAWA MARU, CHUUK LAGOON, MICRONESIA Chuuk Lagoon (also known as Truk Lagoon) is a major WWII shipwreck site where more than 50 hulks have been transformed into reefs teeming with marine life. The Fujikawa Maru, an aircraft transport ship, was hit and sunk in February 1944 and rests perfectly upright with parts of it barely 5m deep. Suitable for: ‘PADI Advanced Open Water Divers with some wreck experience,’ says Louisa Fisher at Original Diving. Cost: From £2,000 per person for seven nights onboard the luxurious The Odyssey, on a full-board basis. Price includes six days of diving. (www.originaldiving.com)

Above / Fujikawa Maru Photography: Charlie Munns

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Combining the excellence and experience of The Wellington Hospital, The Platinum Medical Centre provides only the best in private healthcare

Platinum Medical Centre, 15-17 Lodge Road, St Johns Wood, London, NW8 8NX Tel 020 7483 5148 5004 www.theplatinummedicalcentre.com

6598 Mayfair July_P.indd 1

21/05/2012 17:17

Travel

NEWS The places to see this month and the must-have pieces and insider advice to get you there

Don’t leave home without…

SHORT HAUL VS LONG HAUL

Mulberry’s travel adaptor is stored in a soft leather pouch, rendering it unforgettable to even the speediest packer. Complete with USB connector, it will ensure you are never without your electronic essentials (just don’t tell your boss that you have email access). Travel Adaptor in Oak Natural Leather, £125 (www.mulberry.com)

Short haul:

Long haul:

Purobeach: Porto Montenegro, Tivat, Montenegro If you like picturesque settings and tranquil views then you may want to head over to this mini peninsula in the middle of Porto Montenegro. Opening on June 6, and just in time for summer, this beach club is suspended above the Bay of Kotor. It has a wonderful 64-metre pool, and is bordered by a spectacular backdrop of the mountains and marina. With private cabanas, cushioned sunbeds and two rooftop terraces, this location provides absolute recreation and houses leisurely activities such as yoga and sea-side spa treatments. In addition to this, the private dining area makes for a perfect banquet that serves nothing other than their local produce. Purobeach’s sunset is unrivalled due to its spectacular location on Porto Montenegro marina – the village’s yacht homeport – and is currently being extended to accommodate double its capacity. Mixing those all-important pleasantries, this is a comfortable and relaxing location that doesn’t come complete with jetlag.

The One&Only: Palmilla, Los Cabos, Mexico If you’d like a holiday that boasts serenity and is worthy of a long-haul journey, then you may want to head over to The One&Only in Palmilla, Mexico. One&Only resorts are set in some of the most beautiful destinations all over the world, and this one is no different, being on the tip of the Baja Peninsula, where idyllic settings are met with mountainous deserts and the warm waves of the Pacific Ocean. Aspiring chefs and food enthusiasts alike can revel in the delights of Palmilla’s new Outdoor Kitchen and Herb Garden which houses Mexican Culinary Classes, light-hearted cook-offs, and private dining. The intimate venue will serve weekly cooking demonstrations and culinary competitions led by visiting Mexican chefs and resort experts, not to mention the addition of a pert Mexican wine or tequila. As well as culinary activities, the resort offers an expansive spa programme, a golf course governing breathtaking views of the Sea of Cortez, and the option of Yacht rides and water sport activities – to name but a few exciting amenities.

(www.purobeach.com; www.portomontenegro.com)

(www.oneandonlyresorts.com)

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Hear Planet Why not have a personal talking tour guide in your pocket? This ingenious app searches for attractions almost anywhere in the world, and gives you its most current facts. Simply tap the screen to begin your tour. (www.hearplanet.com)

The best advice we’ve ever heard… ‘Start an hour sooner than you think you ought to. I probably annoy my friends by getting everybody there too soon, but it’s much better for avoiding travel anxiety – less stress’ - Quentin Blake

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A FAMILY

Affair With a toddler in tow and another baby on the way, where in Italy can a young, growing family find something for all whilst ticking the luxury hotel box? KATE HARRISON explores

TRAVEL

orgo Egnazia came to this world in safe hands. The epic twenty-two hectare resort, found half-way between the cities of Bari and Brindisi, is independently owned by the Melpignano family, renowned hoteliers indeed with two more nearby resorts and an awardwinning London B&B. Borgo Egnazia is nestled in Italy’s southern heel secret, or more specifically the filmic region of Puglia. Borgo (‘village’ in Italian) Egnazia is a property that has been ten years in the making and it shows from the off: the entire estate is a dramatic white, grandiose courtyard entrance notwithstanding. The overall effect is one of instant, total calm; nothing can overstimulate the senses here, and what better cut-off from the pressures of modern city living for pregnant working-mother me, my entrepreneurially minded husband and our inquisitive two-year old boy? Connecting with a basic way of living off the land whilst maintaining a high-luxury quota might sound something of a contradiction but at Borgo Egnazia the two co-habit with natural ease. On the one hand, agricultural tools are mounted on walls, dried grasses hang from ceilings and pages from books are framed on walls. On the other, the typically boutique hotel rooms speak luxury and comfort; elegance and understated mod cons. This mélange of basic tradition and quality is a Puglian thing first and foremost and it is instilled in every aspect of the hotel, which becomes not just a nod to the theme but total indulgence in it. Aside from the hotel section of the resort where my husband and I resided, as far as accommodation goes, you’ve also got at your disposal the Borgo (mainly aimed at families) and stand-alone villas, each with their own pool. These are perfect for larger groups and offer particularly spacious kitchens; when in Puglia make food a truly family affair and serve with generous portions of entertainment, if you know what’s good for you. I’ve seen orecchiette (‘small ear’ in Italian) in the supermarket but never imagined it’d be top of my list of pasta varieties to make-from-home, were I ever to buy that culinary object of the decade, the pasta-maker. Small ears were the order of the day, however, in our cooking class and never tasted better than when made by myself, in Puglia, and donning meatballs and an authentic mama’s tomato sauce. Cooking classes are actually a real treat on holiday and not the chore you might imagine (for one who doesn’t exhaust herself cooking much at home, granted). Curiously, pasta in southern Italy is made without eggs. Italy has Puglia to thank for most of its fresh produce and for seventy per cent of the country’s olive oil. Borgo Egnazia is certainly in on the game, producing its own oil from olive groves on the estate and pumping out the herbs too. If golf’s your partner’s thing, benefit from letting him get lost by buggy and smashing a few balls, then find the spa. The San Domenico Golf Course being a championship one, you might in fact fancy tagging along on occasion. If so, make your destination the bar area since views here of the Apulian

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coast, just 400-metres away, are utterly stunning. (In fact you can see the ocean from most holes on the course.) Italy’s heel has the country’s longest coastline and it is here that two seas bleed into one anther: the Adriatic to the east and the Ionian to the south. Routinely locking yourself away for an hour in a London spa is a must for any working lady who can possibly budget for it. However, the blandness of the average treatment obtained within such four-walls will strike once you’ve been pampered at Borgo Egnazia’s Vair Spa. The offerings include a ‘Slowly, slowly’ facial inspired by the local area and during which fresh almonds, citrus fruits, lavender, rosemary and mint are wafted under your nose before being massaged into your skin. Unsurprisingly, feelings of selfindulgence are at their height. Just what the doctor ordered (or rather should) for a wind-down holiday for pregnant mothers. What to do with the child when you’ve let your man free on the range and you’ve eyed up a second spa treatment? Your answer lies in the children’s club, an impressive facility with indoor and outdoor play areas. Children are even offered their own series of books as a souvenir by highly capable staff. Opening out onto one of the several pool areas (one of them heated), it is perfect for parents who want to enjoy their children but also spend the day lounging by the pool and generally taking time out for themselves. Whilst you can while away many hours cycling around the resort, jumping in the car and going on a family exploration of the nearby territory is a must given you are spoilt for choice in this area. Just a twenty-minute ride away, you have two equally appealing options: Alberobello, with its famous trulli houses (traditional dry stone hut with conical roof); and Lecce, a baroque city and notably excellent for those all-important ceramic gifts. If you head to the coast, a real treat awaits you in Cisternino. Lined with beach caves upon which perch traditional houses making for a spectacular landscape, this Itria Valley town was, back in the day, the preferred spot for armies. Here, they would hide their boats whilst enjoying open sea views of the enemy. They must have felt almost as pleased with themselves as my family and me, having landed upon a secret hideaway in our Puglian Borgo. The only difference being we had no enemy to face other than the pulsating routine of the daily grind. We could certainly have done with an extra week or several to fend that one off. (www.borgoegnazia.com)

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Gold Suites, Santorini, Greece

Little luxuries ANNABEL HARRISON speaks to CEO of Small Luxury Hotels of the WorldTM (SLH), Paul Kerr, about the brand’s 21-year history; why, for him, travel is all about the luxury of choice; and why London is the best city in the world

THE GORING, London? A small, luxurious hotel. Coco Palm, the Maldives? Another small, luxurious hotel. Le Grand Hotel, Cannes? Yet another. You might not know it but scattered far and wide over the globe in capital cities and urban hotspots, on idyllic islands and within remote retreats, there are more than 520 boutique hotels deemed of a high enough calibre to be branded with the distinctive gold letters. Each offering is different – opt for private sanctuary, total relaxation, challenging adventure, culture immersion or gourmet discovery – but there are two factors that remain constant, whether you’re in India or Italy, China or Croatia, Bali or Barbados: every single SLH hotel is guaranteed to be (a) small and (b) luxurious and therefore, as CEO Paul Kerr rightly points out, the company offers ‘exactly what it says on the tin’. In fact, taking into account his conviction that luxury is choice, the phrase ‘spoilt for choice’ never rang truer. How could you possibly choose? An insight into this difficulty is apparent when I arrive

at the SLH offices. The walls are adorned with sequences of tantalising images: postcard-perfect sandy beaches; snow-capped mountain ranges mirrored in inky lakes; camels’ shadows silhouetted against sand dunes at sunset. I tell Paul that these dream holiday shots are part of the best ‘Don’t you wish you were here?’ collection I have seen. He smiles: ‘We’re a very photogenic company’. The fact that SLH has a wealth of stunning locations to shoot is aided by a strict selection process, as aesthetically minded as Next Top Model and as business-minded as Dragon’s Den. Applications numbering 1,200 a year are whittled down to just 50 or 60 suitably small and luxurious establishments and Paul confirms that ‘only those truly worthy of joining are accepted’. Europe, the ‘Disney of the world’, is a particularly strong continent (boasting almost 60 per cent of the portfolio) for SLH, followed by footholds in Asia and North America. The newest additions to the company portfolio are in Cambodia and Tunisia – its first hotel in each – as well as additional properties in increasingly well-represented destinations such as Japan. As Paul points out, ‘what this all amounts to is greater choice of destination for our guests, a greater number, style and type of hotel within those destinations and a greater variety of memorable experiences available in and around those hotels.’

TRAVEL

I find out that Paul has visited approximately 285 of these. Research, of course, but it is this kind of on-theground, globe-trotting research and persistent, far-flung attention to detail, that has propelled SLH to where it is today, setting the precedent for luxury hotels with its definitive ‘small is beautiful’ ethos. The industry has started to shun ‘bigger is better’ in favour of ‘less is more’ so now SLH’s competitors are not just leading hotels but also chains trying to get into the boutique space, because ‘that is naturally where the high-end customers want to go.’ Despite this shift, SLH is differentiated from others in the market because it has stuck to its buzz words of ‘luxury’ and ‘small’; Paul points out that the average number of rooms per hotel has only varied between 49 and 52. With decades of experience in this industry under his belt, Paul has worked through its biggest changes and the boutique trend was driven largely by the desires of the customer. Out: complicated, opulent luxury – thick carpets, intricate decoration and gourmet food (‘although this is great if that’s what you want’). In: a massive trend for spas and, increasingly, ‘more understated luxury’. He declares SLH the champion of independent hotels; ‘each one has its own distinct personality, determined by the owner, who is often on-hand to contribute to the authentic, personalised service and an insider appreciation of the local culture.’ Can Paul choose a favourite? ‘I couldn’t possibly!’ As we swerve through a round-up of his favourite hotels and experiences, many of these revolve around sailing, in and around Thailand, Greece and Turkey, although India is praised as a superb destination (‘I picked the coffee beans fresh from the plant itself and saw the beans go to be processed’) and Italy, as ‘an amazing, beautiful country with so many places to go and things to see’. However, there’s no place like home and ‘completely biased’ Englishman Paul waxes as lyrically about London as places abroad: ‘The city is absolutely superb and utterly cosmopolitan, with various ethnicities living alongside each other. There are fantastic restaurants and amazing buildings, such as the Houses of Parliament, and this summer we have exciting celebrations to look forward to: the Diamond Jubilee and, of course, the Olympics.’ Finally Paul considers the percentage of repeat customers. ‘That is an interesting question because it varies from hotel to hotel. Overall, it’s 8-12 per cent’. I’m sure this is set to rise. Once you’ve experienced the understated luxury of a perfectly sized hotel, you’ll be planning your next trip before you’ve even returned home. Visit www.slh.com/club to join the complimentary Club of SLH, and receive benefits including room upgrades on your next trip. (Terms and conditions apply.)

From top / Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, Maldives The Goring Hotel, London Canaves Oia Hotel, Santorini, Greece

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Kate Harrison enjoys a romantic weekend in Florence at a restored, aesthetic marvel of a hotel where it’s all part of the process to come, see and stay in bed

Lobby, The Chedi © Losevsky Pavel

IN DUBLIN’S fair city Historical, literary, traditional - and with a pub or two, ELLE BLAKEMAN explores the beautiful Irish city of Dublin ‘WHEN I DIE Dublin will be written in my heart,’ so said one of its greatest exports, James Joyce. The Dubliners author can join the queue in his love of the city, indeed there are so many literary odes, songs and renditions to the ould country’s capital that it can easily boast being one of the most cultured breeding grounds in the world. Joyce, Donleavy, Wilde and Yeats have all waxed lyrical about Dublin’s cobbled streets – albeit mostly via alcohol-fuelled backhanded compliments – and wandering around the lively city in early summer, past the regal Four Courts by the river Liffey, the leafy St Stephen’s Green and the impressive Trinity Collage, it’s easy to understand why. A walker’s paradise, almost everything in Dublin is within strolling distance, which serves as both a great opportunity to explore, while allowing you to walk off the ‘few pints’ and ‘proper food’ that you will inevitably be treated to during your time here. Head to the National Gallery where in true Irish ‘small but fine’ style, lays an exquisite but manageable collection of European arts, including paintings by Monet, Degas, Goya and Picasso (www.nationalgallery.ie). You will also see some beautiful pieces of the Irish landscape, displaying the Emerald Isle in one of the few ways that doesn’t demand a stoic disposition towards rain. Trinity College, Ireland’s oldest university which once held the learned minds of Jonathan Swift, Samuel Beckett and Bram Stoker, is open to all and another must-see. The dramatic architecture, dating back to 1592, makes for a very scholarly atmosphere, and you can see The Book of Kells, the illustrated version of the four Gospels of the New Testament created around 800 A.D. At night, Dublin can be whatever you want, be it fine dining or something a little more wild; the Irish know how to enjoy themselves. To really understand what all those writers were talking about, head straight to the nearest authentic bar, order a pint of the black stuff, and ignore the world for a while. Flight to Dublin, from £25.99 with Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com)

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WHERE TO STAY Grafton Street is the place to be in Dublin, placing you at the centre of any action you want, and the Westbury has the most prime location on the street. Set slightly back to avoid the noise, yet preposterously convenient with Grafton Street on your doorstep, rooms are luxurious, with beds the size of most Irish kitchens, and bathrooms generously stocked with Aromatherapy Associates products. The Westbury is the resting place for visiting international rugby teams during the Six Nations, many of whom who have been known to sneak next door to McDaids for a swift pint. EATING & DRINKING The Irish are known for their great hospitality, so don’t be afraid to set your sights high. Restaurant FortyOne at Private Member’s Club The Residence is an elegant a la carte experience (www.residence.ie) or for something a little more cosy, try The Cellar Bar, a refined cellar turned restaurant, with tables tucked away in intimate little nooks (www.merrionhotel.com). For those looking for the Craic, The Temple Bar is obviously an Irish institution, with traditional Irish music nightly (www.thetemplebarpub.com). Also worth visiting is Davy Byrne’s pub (www.davybyrnes.com), a lively spot made famous in Joyce’s Ulysses. If you fancy something a little headache-inducing, head to Bewley’s, a classic café with a tempting pastry selection and the best coffee in Ireland (www.bewleys.com). MAYFAIR RECOMMENDS Ireland truly is a beautiful country, so if you have time, hire a car and head out of the city. For golfers, the K Club, site of the 2006 Ryder Cup is a must. Just 30 miles out of Dublin and set among 560 unspoiled acres of County Kildare’s finest land, you can enjoy a game in the fresh open air and be back in Grafton Street for dinner (www.kclub.ie). When back in Dublin, head to Kilmainham Gaol – a prison-turned-museum, whose guided tours offer a fascinating insight into Irish history (+353 1 453 5984).

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

TRAVEL

Godezia silk-blend scarf, £105, MaxMara Studio (www.matches.com) The Art of Body Care travel collection £35, Diptyque (www.spacenk.com)

Liberty-print silk shift dress, £485, Vanessa Bruno (www.netaporter.com)

Leather ballet flats, £330, Lanvin (www.net-a-porter.com)

Trench coat, £795, Burberry London (www.net-a-porter.com)

Print umbrella, £135, Burberry, (www.net-a-porter.com)

ALS:

ENTI SE ESS

Pleated skirt, £580, Jil Sander (www.net-a-porter.com)

Eroded cuff, £405, Tom Binns (www.selfridges.com)

SUITC

short eal for er fect g is id p a b a d is n l ha and nd satche allowance, look a ut is ic h h T c : e s le t b g I a , ty . y s g r e g o b in s Travel ith a light lu sule wardro shion acces most w p a e f a s h c t y t a a d e w geta eeken akes it a gr ity – even in your w m rabil fit for ty not only s its du f weathers! in li a t a s ic le u t s ing o ild prac dictab her bu compromis unpre itage f o y its leat it un r he ssibil classic sleek, the po n’t let combine this ts and for a of o D : ic a ok, e ch apes in fl Daytim ruin your lo a and Lanv d the city sc ith this r ll w n e e weath ench, umbr al walk arou r the streets c e tr ti tt c y a r a fl r r , e p ows and Burb ther all kirt. rtable ash of comfo d if the wea eous green s nd a fl ning n a g a r – m o r g n a li h ve Dub Irish c cuff of an e ink of s n w s. s a in e r B h Tom r: Wit shift d lamou to wear this o-chic g h g o b in n g Eve nnin e sure this stu llure, b gold a omplement to c T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

‘Mollie’ satchel handbag, £450, Aspinal of London (www.aspinaloflondon.com)

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Left Sitting

Courtside?

Our specialist units provide expert management for all orthopaedic conditions, including:

Knee, Shoulder, Hand & Wrist, and Hip & Groin injuries

020 7483 5004 www.thewellingtonhospital.com

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Beauty

NEWS

Scarlet woman Channelling an old-school glamour at Temperley London this season, make-up pro Gucci Westman made it clear that vintage allure is all about one thing: lips. Classic crimson pouts were sent down the runway next to flawless skin and lightly accented eyes – no shadow and just a flash of black mascara. For glowing skin, use a great primer and foundation, and finish with Bobbi Brown’s new Brightening Finishing Powder, which will give that lit-from-within look. For eyes, try Estée Lauder’s innovative new double wear mascara, complete with a double-edged wand. This comprises a big brush in black for the upper lashes, and a smaller brush for catching lower lashes in a softer brown; altogether a great way to make lashes pop. Just add a bright silk headscarf for the ultimate in retro glam. Above and right / Temperley S/S12

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4 1 Rouge Volupte Perle Lipstick in 111 Mysterious Red, £24, YSL (available at Harrods) 2 Nail Apparel in V.I.P, Rococo (available at Space NK) 3 Glow Bronzing Powder in Desert, £38, Dolce & Gabbana (available at Harrods) 4 Hydra Beauty Crème, £50, Chanel (available at Selfridges) 5 Lipstick in Cherry Lush, £36, Tom Ford (available at Harrods) 6 Two Tone Eye-Opening Mascara in Bold Black/Rich Brown, £25, Estée Lauder (available at Selfridges) T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

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Space

& time

Space NK has become a mecca for women everywhere. ELLE BLAKEMAN talks to CEO and founder Nicky Kinnaird about beauty philosophies, stealing her mother’s lotions and how candles can change the world

‘I COULD EASILY be a bathroom designer,’ says Nicky Kinnaird, the impeccably groomed founder of Space NK at our breakfast meeting in the elegant library room at Claridge’s. I don’t doubt it, her spotless yet somehow invitingly warm chain of stores are a positive homage to the art of bathing, cleansing and general me-time. Via Space NK, Kinnaird has expertly ploughed through an industry of impossible promises and misleading packaging to bring a cheat sheet of hero products to a clearly awaiting public. ‘A lot of people don’t know where to start,’ she says. ‘There’s so much advertising and hype out there. There’s newness coming in all the time and what we do is filter through that and say “Okay, these are the things that really matter, these are the products we believe in that are going to make a difference.”’ After nineteen years, eighty-one stores – both here and in the States – and now stocking over eighty brands, it’s safe to say she has made a difference. Back in 1993, pre-internet and pre-Space NK, options for beauty shopping in the UK were limited to say the least: a quick dash to a chemist to pick out products like you would confectionary, a pushy door-to-door lady, swinging her suitcase of multi-hued powders and pastes, or the intimidating, heavily fragranced department store girls who would happily send you on your way with a dozen products from the same range and no concern for what you really needed. Times were tough. ‘It was the dissatisfaction with how beauty was being retailed in the UK that led to Space NK,’ says Kinnaird. ‘I grew up with a Spanish perfumeries and pharmacy culture. When we were kids in summer in Valencia, my friends would go to the pharmacist and ask them what they could do for their skin and rarely did it come from one brand. The lady in the white coat

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would know exactly what she had in store, what two or three products were going to come up with the ideal solution bearing in mind lifestyle and pocket,’ she says. ‘What I wanted to do was put together a collection of the best of the best products from all over the world but created by true innovators in their respective fields,’ she says. ‘And not just have the right products, but a team of make-up artists and experts who were completely trained across every single brand, so we got absolutely the best,’ but – and herein lays the genius of Space NK – they listen to your lifestyle, as well as your skin concerns. ‘Exactly,’ says Kinnaird. ‘I’d never just come up with one solution for someone because we’ll cover a myriad different price points and philosophies. There’s no point having an advanced skincare regime when the lady has got five minutes to do her skincare and make-up, and get the kids packed and on their way to school,’ she adds, highlighting the reason so many of us have an unopened facial mask, peel and cream set stuffed at the back of the cupboard. With Kinnaird you get the sense that she really is one of us. She’s busy; she travels; she doesn’t always eat five different types of green vegetable at dinner, and this allows her to take a wider view of the industry, looking at beauty in context of real life, rather than being constrained to the

fashion pages. ‘It’s very much about taking the holistic approach, so looking from the inside out as well as outside in. I’d much rather have someone say “Your skin looks amazing” than “I love your make-up”’. A quick look in any bathroom cupboard will reveal a smörgåsbord of brands, confirming that Kinnaird’s approach is certainly one that resonates with how women actually use their products. ‘I believe lots of companies have hero products but I think it’s very rare you find a brand that offers the best top-to-toe for any customer. If you look in your make-up bag it’s a mixture of different products, different prices, but absolutely geared to what’s best for you,’ she says. But if we feel overwhelmed by the beauty products that have actually made it to market, how does Kinnaird cope with the deluge of new innovations that are constantly trying to get a space on one of her coveted glass shelves? ‘We’ve got a great team of people who are constantly searching for innovation out there and constantly testing to verify that the products are as good as people are claiming,’ she says. ‘Innovation comes from all walks of life and it’s really working with people who truly are passionate about particular areas of the business and want to take it one step further,’ she says. ‘We’ve also increasingly seen skincare ranges that do look at inside-out: high levels of antioxidants, not just within preparations, but for example Dr Brandt’s Water Boosters which are loaded with polyphenols – there’s no way you could achieve through drinking green tea, that amount of protection against free radical damage’. Are supplements high on her agenda? ‘Absolutely, yes,’ she says. ‘I think when you’re running around, your nutrition is never going to be as good as it can so we need to look at extra supplementation. One thing that I’m always going to think makes a huge difference is Omega 3 fish oil – you really do see a difference in both the skin, and in how you feel,’ she says. In fashion, nineteen years is a lifetime. We’ve fallen for grunge, boho and even, in an ill-considered twist, double denim... but how has the beauty side of the industry changed since Space NK’s inception? ‘I think people are much more open to doing things themselves in the comfort of their own home. It’s a combination of advances in technology and making things easier to use as well as economic times,’ she says. ‘We are seeing a lot of increase in high-tech treatment whether it’s things like the Natura Bisse Glyco Peel product which allows you to do a facialist-worthy home peel in ten minutes flat,’ she says. ‘If you look at the role of the media and television

‘I’d much rather have someone say “Your skin looks amazing” than “I love your make-up”’

HEALTH & BEAUTY

and the increase of the internet, there is an awful lot of information out there and people want to take advantage of the products that offer them solutions.’ While it has educated and informed, the increasing impact of the media is also responsible for the ‘body beautiful’ ideal – once safely confined to billboards it is now a standard expected in every bedroom and boardroom in the land. ‘The attitude towards exercise and grooming has changed dramatically over the years,’ agrees Kinnaird. ‘I think everyone should be well groomed; it’s unacceptable to show up in the morning looking as though you just rolled out of bed. It’s all a kind of self-esteem, a sense of self-worth. But, there’s also a limit of course, we don’t want the obsessive behaviour which you can get in the States, but I think we’re still very much on the easier side of that,’ she says. The words sound tough, however Space NK doesn’t feel like it’s pressuring anyone to look better, but rather encouraging them to take some time out of the day for themselves. ‘There’s an acceptance that it’s actually okay to take some time out for me because if someone is stressed out to the hilt they don’t work their best. Our lives are much more pressurised and you realise that you just have to step back for an hour or so,’ says Kinnaird. And Kinnaird is certainly one for taking time to smell the roses. ‘I light candles everywhere!’ she declares with unapologetic glee. ‘That’s one of my little indulgences – I come home from work and whatever candle I’m currently burning is lit. And there are always memories associated with different fragrances. I’m burning the new Brighton fragrance that we’re

In Peace

This calming fragrance, with fresh floral notes combined with warm woods and soft sweet musks, was designed to raise money for Women for Women International. ‘When it comes to charitable initiatives I am very careful that our associations are heartfelt and genuine. I felt a natural affinity to the work of Women for Women International, women have a great ability to build connections that ultimately make great things happen,’ says Kinnaird. 10% of net profits from the sale of each bottle will go directly to Women for Women’s sponsorship programme which supports female survivors of war to enable them to rebuild their lives and promote peaceful communities, and it takes just four bottles to sponsor a woman for a month. In Peace, £60, Space NK

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launching in May, trying to invoke summer,’ she adds, hopefully. The candle does indeed evoke memories of salty, sandy English beaches, instantly transporting you to a windy seaside resort. ‘I live in an apartment, I don’t have the roaring fire to welcome me home but I light that for a little bit and it smells delicious,’ she says. So where does this dedication to me-time come from? ‘I was always using my mum’s products as a child,’ she says. ‘I used to get in so much trouble! I was obsessed with chilling in the bath tub, because I used to play a lot of sports. I’d come home, scoop whatever lotions and potions I could find on my mum’s dressing table straight into the bathroom and bath up to maximum level with no sense of proportion or quantity required. She realised very quickly to buy me my own. If I have a bad day, I’ve always been one to head for the shower or bath tub instantly and surround myself with fabulous smells and aromas and good music. You can change your world; it’s a much better place with a little R&R time.’

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Certain products defy advertising campaigns, elaborate packaging and passing trends to earn themselves a permanent place in our hearts and make-up bags. Here, NICKY KINNAIRD shares her true ‘must-haves’… 1. Cleanser, £40, Eve Lom A best-seller the world over, this cult-classic is on every beauty editor’s hit list. ‘It acts as an eye make-up remover, cleanser, toner and mild exfoliant in one,’ says Kinnaird, ‘and the muslin cloth is gentle enough to leave skin radiantly clean every day’. 2. Triple Action Eye Cream, £75, Zelens ‘This is the best eye cream I’ve ever come across and anyone who’s tried it gets absolutely addicted to it,’ says Kinnaird. One of Space NK’s best-sellers, this triple-action cream tightens skin, diminishes fine lines and puffiness and reduces dark circles around the eye area. It is packed with antioxidants, three different peptides and caffeine to boost circulation. 3. Baume de Rose, £35, By Terry ‘I love this,’ says Kinnaird. This rich balm is a clever multi-tasker: the creamy rose-scented balm delivers a shiny, yet non-sticky finish for lips, and the regenerative formula is a very effective treatment for culticles too – perfect for travelling!

4. Touche Veloutée, £35, By Terry ‘I panic if I forget to bring this with me on my travels,’ says Kinnaird. ‘There is nothing that quite matches up to it – the light reflection is like no other.’ This magical highlighting concealer illuminates the eye contour, hiding imperfections and dark circles, allowing you to look rested and radiant.

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I need a hero

5. The Curling Mascara, £20, Kevyn Aucoin ‘The Japanese formula in this mascara shrinkwraps the lashes, and comes off easily with water,’ says Kinnaird. ‘It’s the most fabulous mascara for anyone who does sport because it never flakes, and never smudges.’ The small wand is great for catching tiny lashes, leaving you with dramatic wide-awake eyes that last all day long.

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

NELSONS HOMEOPATHIC PHARMACY SINCE 1860

Since 1860, Nelsons has provided expert homeopathic advice and recommendations on our extensive range of complementary healthcare. Located on Duke Street in central London, the Pharmacy offers a warm and welcoming environment in which to shop, browse or discuss treatments and remedies with one of our registered homeopaths.

Oxford Street Bond Street

New Bond Street

Duke Street

Marble Arch Station

87D Duke Street I Grosvenor Square I London W1K 5PQ W W W. N E L S O N S H O M E O P AT H Y. C O M

SPA RETREAT

Home & Away

We experience two luxurious and distinctive facial treatments; a London special in perfect time for the Jubilee celebrations and a personalised treatment in Geneva to leave you feeling like a Princess

The Dorchester Spa With the Diamond Jubilee celebrations fast approaching, what better time to indulge in a truly regal beauty treatment? To mark and celebrate the Queen’s incredible 60-year reign, Carol Joy London has come up with the ultimate in luxury pampering with a ‘diamond-dust infused’ treatment available at The Dorchester Spa. Radiating polished 1930s Art Deco glamour, coupled with sleek contemporary design, this spa is the natural choice for a majestic pampering experience – inspired by the iconic British style of The Dorchester. You’ll certainly feel like you’re deserving of the finer things in life in such an opulent setting. Sit beneath a chandelier of south-pacific pearls and enjoy a refreshing spa cocktail from the Spatisserie before making your way into the treatment room. Lasting a lavish one hour and forty minutes, the diamond standard treatment combines the use of a personalised collagen mask (including exclusive boost and seal patches) with a relaxing yet highly intensive, soothing, lifting and sculpturing face and décolleté massage. Designed to subtly stimulate the skin’s natural collagen production, the mask is infused with a powerful IV Ever Serum, which is highly concentrated in diamond dust. The mask aids cell regeneration and gives the skin an intensive hydration resulting in a flawless youthful radiance – the perfect preparation for special occasions. As one might expect from a Dorchester brand, Carol Joy London uses only the world’s finest and most precious ingredients, and is packed with natural minerals to enhance radiance and luminosity. If you’re in no rush to get back to the real world, why not spend a little longer being treated like a queen and enjoy the spa’s manicure-pedicure suite, relaxation room, and aromatic steam rooms – bliss. The Carol Joy London Flawless Facial, £195 for 1 hour 40 minutes The Dorchester Spa (020 7319 7109; www.thedorchester.com/dorchester-spa)

HEALTH & BEAUTY

La Réserve Genève A far cry from the hustle and bustle of the streets of Mayfair, La Réserve Genève Hotel and Spa is widely considered to be one of Geneva’s most stylish and contemporary hotels, set in ten acres of private gardens on the shores of Lake Geneva. In fact, this five-star residence is so exclusive, many guests choose to arrive by boat (there are 18 private moorings) or helicopter – the perfect start to a diamond-standard getaway. The décor, somewhat surprisingly, encompasses a strong African vibe, with parrots nestled in lampshades, an elephant in the lobby and animal-print rugs. Described as ‘deliciously unexpected’, the hotel interiors certainly help fuel the atmosphere of escapism as star designer, Jacques Garcia, effectively evokes the feel of an African Lodge, while the permanently burning candles throughout the hotel promote a state of deep relaxation. In the spirit of escapism, the hotel spa offers the perfect haven for those taking some time out to relax, with an impressive range of treatment options and luxurious facilities, including a state-of-the-art fitness room, regallyinspired indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, sauna, hammam and hair salon before checking into one of the seventeen individual treatment rooms for a range of signature indulgences. As you might expect, only the finest products are used within the walls of the spa, and guests may choose from a variety of La Prairie products and treatments within the range of La Réserve’s own signature treatments that include aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, Ayurvedic massages, hot stone treatments, shiatsu, facials, body wraps, manicures and pedicures (we said the list was exhaustive). We love the Personalised La Prairie Facial, which, expertly tailored to the individual, instantly cleanses, energizes and conditions the skin. Renewing balance and restoring luminosity, La Prairie’s exclusive Cellular Complex and Cellular three-Minute Peel manages to bio-energise your skin and eliminate congestion in order to reveal younger, fresher-looking skin. Being a personalised treatment, you can rest assured that the therapist will be tailoring every step to maximize the results for your skin type and age, leaving you feeling like a whole new being. Finally, don’t miss a visit to the renowned Café Lauren – a spa restaurant, which includes a relaxation area – naturally – offering cuisine that is in complete harmony with all the benefits of the spa. Exquisite. Personalised La Prairie Facial, 185 Swiss Francs for 50 minutes La Réserve Genève, Geneva (+41 22 959 59 99; www.lareserve.ch)

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HEALTH PROMOTION

Relaxed summer days? Armed with anti-histamines, nasal spray and a pack of tissues, summertime doesn’t necessarily mean smiles for those who suffer with seasonal allergies like hay fever

easier to prevent hay fever. Around 95 per cent of hay fever sufferers are allergic to grass pollen, so avoid cut grass or grassy areas where possible and shower, wash your hair and change your clothes after being outside; wearing wrap-around sunglasses can also help pollen from entering your eyes. Interestingly, alcohol worsens the effects of hay fever as alcohol contains histamines, so limit your intake when pollen counts are particularly high. Seasonal allergies like hay fever cause temporary, albeit irritating symptoms; however for some people constant exposure to allergens can lead to long term chronic nasal and sinus conditions, which can cause loss or long-term damage to smell. Mr Kalpesh Patel and Dr Harsha Kariyawasam explain below how new and innovative treatments such as balloon sinuplasty are Mr Kalpesh Patel is a Consultant Ear, revolutionising the way Nose & Throat Surgeon based at The chronic nasal and sinus Wellington Hospital and the Imperial College conditions are Hospital NHS Trust. He has a particular interest being treated. in the following ENT conditions and operations: endoscopic sinus surgery, rhinoplasty (functional and cosmetic), nasal allergy, management of tumours involving the head and neck region, salivary and thyroid gland disease, hoarseness, swallowing disorders and childhood ENT infections Mr Kalpesh Patel, Consultant Rhinologist, and Dr Harsha Kariyawasam, Consultant

ne in three people are thought to suffer from an allergy at some point in their lives. An allergy develops when the body reacts to a particular substance it sees as harmful. When your body comes into contact with an allergen your immune system treats it as a threat and duly reacts by producing extra antibodies in order to fight and protect itself. These antibodies release chemicals into the body, which cause an allergic reaction. Common allergic disorders include asthma, eczema and hay fever, which are typically aggravated by allergens such as pollen, pets, dust mites and mould. Look out for tell-tale reactions such as sneezing, coughing, wheezing, and skin rashes. Hay fever in particular is a bug-bear for many at this time of year, when pollen given off from certain types of trees, grasses, weeds and flowers is rife. Grass pollen is at its worst from May to August, while birch pollen is prevalent between April and May. Weeds and spores peak from June through to November. Useful tools like the Met Office pollen forecaster (www.metoffice.gov.uk/health/public/pollen-forecast) allow you to view pollen counts from all over the country, up to five days in advance. Once you ascertain what your trigger(s) may be, it becomes much

MEET

the specialist

THE CINDERELLA OF THE SENSES

in Allergy and Medical Rhinology, explore new treatments to revive loss of smell Smell is often termed the ‘Cinderella of the Senses’, as it has typically received less attention than the other senses in health focus. Understanding of how the brain perceives odours is still limited. This is disappointing as the ability to smell is essential for several biological functions and a sense of wellbeing. The immediate concern with loss of smell (termed anosmia) is the inability to detect fire, gas leaks or stale food. Also, taste is very much dependent on odour perception, which is why food can seem tasteless during a head-cold. Furthermore, smell detection is now linked to mood and memory, whereby experiences have associated odours and emotion. Temporary loss of smell is as common as with a cold; however chronic nasal and sinus conditions can lead to anosmia. Chronic sinusitis is one example, and can often have an allergic

basis. Treatment of anosmia often requires a medical and surgical approach to make an exact diagnosis, only after which directed treatment can be instigated. A range of medical therapies, used alone or in combination with surgical intervention, may improve and help maintain smell. Balloon sinuplasty is a new surgical technique that allows the opening of the main sinus drainage pathways in the nose. The technique allows a surgeon to accomplish sinus surgery in a minimally invasive and speedy manner; and medical therapy can then be given to help maintain improvement long term. If you would like further information or to make an appointment to see Dr Kariyawasam or Mr Patel, please call our friendly Enquiry Helpline team who will be more than happy to help: 020 7483 5004.

For further information and updates, please visit The Wellington Hospital www.thewellingtonhospital.com or contact the Enquiry Helpline on 020 7483 5004

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Mayfair

the heart of

c o c kta i l b a r | lo u n g e | r e s ta u r a n t | c h e f â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s d i n i n g r o o m | a r t g a l l e r y | l a c a v e 1 0 l a n c a s h i r e c o u r t n e w b o n d s t r e e t lo n d o n w 1 s 1 e y + 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 0 7 5 1 8 9 3 8 8 w w w. m e w s o f m ay fa i r . c o m

Food &Drink

N EWS

New openings, sweet treats and culinary delights for the spring month ahead

1950s-style celebrations In honour of the 60th anniversary of The Queen’s reign and sixty years of French cuisine from renowned chef Albert Roux, Roux at the Landau have launched its Diamond Jubilee Menu. A popular selection of 1950s-inspired recipes, chosen by Head Chef Chris King, will unearth dishes from the depths of the era, and commemorate the time when Queen Elizabeth II took to the throne; the same time Roux began his career. The delectable menu will include Soft Cotswold Legbar hen’s egg à la Reine, Gewürztraminer poached Var salmon Royale and Hereford strawberry Queen of Pudding. Roux at the Landau, 1 Portland Pl, W1B 28 May – 9 June (020 7636 1000; www.london.langhamhotels.co.uk)

Bespoke cocktails 007 had his perfect drink, now you can have yours: discover one that is perfectly suited to you by heading over to one of the iconic London venues offering the Grey Goose’s Taste by Appointment sessions. Via an expert consultation, they will help you to identify your own personal taste through exciting and surprising flavour experiences, and whether it’s sweet, bitter or even umami, you will leave armed with the conviction that you will never be indecisive at a bar again. 16 - 17 June, The Savoy 1 July, Hakkasan (www.greygoosetaste.com)

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

Personalised power lunching Fitting in everything is always a stretch for busy Londoners, which has led boutique hotel Dukes to launch the Power Lunch menu at new restaurant Thirty Six; a muni which sees exquisite food coupled with personal concierge services. Optional extras include mini spa treatments, facials and waxing, dress and suit pressing and even food shopping. With senstivity to time, classic contemporary style and modern food, this is dining with a twist. Dukes, St James Place, SW1A (020 7491 4840)

Champagne collectables Enthusiasts of fine champagne and quality leather may want to get their hands on this limited-edition gift set. Rémy Martin XO Excellence, the French house’s champagne cognac, and Thomas Lyte, the English luxury brand well-known for its leather and silver goods, have come together to create this stunning collectable set. Presented in a bespoke plum leather box, containing a silver hipflask with a leather cover, the set comes complete with a 70cl decanter of Rémy Martin – making a perfect Father’s Day gift. The set is limited to 30 pieces and is available now. £295 (www.thomaslyte.com; www.remymartin.com)

An Irish thoroughbred With emphasis on provenance, Saddlers Grill is new to Mayfair and houses a menu of Irish meats, fresh seafood and organic produce, with fresh fish, shellfish and vegetables originating from the Atlantic waters off Co. Galway in Ireland. The restaurant was recently launched by Irish restaurant and hotel entrepreneur Rory Smyth, and director of food Maurice O’Callaghan. Although this restaurant is new to the Mayfair scene, it doesn’t fall shy of traditional charm, with its exclusive private dining room, and a fully equipped 1960s bar with an extensive cocktail and wine menu. Saddlers, 33 North Audley Street, W1 (www.saddlersmayfair.co.uk)

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Above / Photography: Adam Hinton Right / Photography: Catherine Frawley

FOOD & DRINK

Middle East MEETS WEST

The Petersham Nurseries in Richmond Hill, West London are highly regarded for their traditional take on catering for the English country gardener. But alongside the wheelbarrows and plant pots lies a restaurant and café, one that sits amongst some of London’s very best eateries with its quirky, seasonal cuisine. NEIL RIDLEY heads way out west for a taste of the good life

UNTIL 2004, the miraculous tale of the Petersham Nurseries looked like it might not be meant to be. The run-down business looked set to be sold to developers, with a keen eye on its beautiful West London surroundings. Fortunately however, Gael & Francesco Boglione, both keen gardeners and owners of the neighbouring Petersham House stepped in and reunited the two properties after thirty years of separation. The result of the Boglione’s hard restoration work is a truly

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

majestic sight; the Nurseries boast some of London’s most idyllic scenery and a reputation for a comprehensive range of beautiful plants, fruit trees and herbs. But it’s not my passion for all things green-fingered which brings me out west today. On a culinary level, the Petersham Nurseries café has, for the last eight years, been developing a fearsome reputation of its own for bringing the very best of fresh, seasonal produce together in a most flavoursome fashion. It was a winning formula that transformed the café from just ten covers back in 2004 to now seating over 120, winning plaudits from the likes of Mick Jagger and Stella McCartney and, under the previous chef, Skye Gyngell, a coveted Michelin star. After the recent departure of Gyngell, fellow Australian chef Greg Malouf has stepped into the role of ‘guest chef’ and is keen to expand the café’s bourgeoning reputation over the coming summer months. Malouf is no stranger to success, having written six best-selling books, each with an innovative take on Middle Eastern cuisine. I’m keen to find out from the chef where this distinctive culinary background developed and what it’s like to take over the reigns of an already well-established restaurant. ‘I’m Australian with Lebanese parents and I grew up with three generations of family who were very nurturing with food,’ he says. ‘There was always lots of Lebanese food on the table and my love of food really came through having a big appetite!’ ‘Over the past few years, I was asked to launch a couple of my cookbooks [Turquoise and Saraban,

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both written with his wife, Lucy] at the Nurseries and I put together a banquet and a series of cooking demonstrations as a result. The style of cuisine I’ve been working with, especially with the cookbooks is like a travel log, focusing on a particular country, researching the food culture. The Nurseries have a fierce reputation already and I’m here to hopefully enhance it in a few ways, with a sprinkling of Middle Eastern flavours, aromatics and techniques slowly making their way onto the menu.’ The Nurseries’ pride regarding their home-grown produce must appeal to such a chef, but is there anything he’s particularly pleased about being able to work with? ‘Mainly the herbs and flowers,’ he says. ‘When I arrived, they planted quite a few more for me to use – there wasn’t a lot of use with edible flowers particularly so the nurseries have started growing violas and nasturtiums now.’ He jokes: ‘And with all this “good weather” we’ve had, there’s really prolific growth - nasturtiums are great in a salad particularly.’ As with Malouf’s previous projects, a taste of the Middle East, gained especially from his travels abroad, have given him a broad understanding of using spice – something, which he feels will translate well into the ethos of the nurseries’ rustic but flavoursome charms. ‘I’ve had some wonderful trips across Syria, the Lebanon, Turkey, North Africa, which have really helped shape my cooking style,’ Malouf explains. ‘You meet some tremendous characters, and writing great recipes often comes from meeting people in their homes. That’s where you realise the true meaning of food culture in that region. It supports This page / Photography: Keiko Oikawa Opposite / Photography: David Loftus

FOOD & DRINK

family values, with sharing and small dishes.’ One dish on the Petersham Nurseries menu that Malouf is particularly passionate about is something called Duck Bisteeya – a kind of pie, which is usually made using pigeon, but which the chef has substituted for duck legs. ‘It’s a little complicated but wonderful,’ he laughs. ‘The duck legs are braised in lots of sweet spices and saffron and when they’re nice and tender, the meat is taken off the bone and the stock reduced down and made into a custard, with lots of egg yokes. This is folded over the meat, mixed with fried almonds, coriander and parsley and then a fine pastry is put over the top, which after cooking is dusted with cinnamon icing sugar. ‘So, you have this incredibly rich pie, with lots of tender spice and sweetness from the sugar, which balances the whole thing out,’ he says. There is of course a classic dynamic between savoury and sweet in some of the most distinctive dishes in Middle Eastern cuisine, for instance tagine, with its heavily spiced meat, prunes and dried fruits – a dish which Malouf is equally passionate about. ‘The fruits really help to concentrate the flavours and give balance to the dish, especially if you’re using chilli,’ he says. The spring and summer seasons will almost certainly see the Petersham Nurseries’ café being extremely busy; and Malouf has recently launched a series of banquet-style supper clubs, to highlight his mastery of the fresh produce grown at the Nurseries. So is he thinking further ahead, once his tenure as guest chef comes to an end, and would he relish the challenge of creating recipes for the autumn/winter season too? ‘I guess at this stage I’m really focusing on what is going to be a very busy summer period and after that I’ll look at where life will take me,’ he says. ‘But the summer menu is going to be particularly exciting, especially given the influence of flowers. Roses are going to be coming into season, so look out for rose petal ice cream. Also, I can’t wait until all this wonderful English fruit comes into season, strawberries and stone fruits – when they’re in high season it’s a great time for a chef to start to put together some really interesting dishes.’ (www.petershamnurseries.com; 020 8940 5230)

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F O H S A E CL H T

s n a t i T With the world’s best tennis tournament, LEE BROOKS picks out five of the greatest matches to have ever graced the manicured lawns of Wimbledon

HAVING CELEBRATED its 125th anniversary in 2011, Wimbledon enters a new era, and the tournament continues to evolve. Over the years, the courts have been transformed from lightning fast to a slower, base-line hitting pace, and the quintessentially traditional game has even embraced technology with the addition of a retractable roof. This year, there is a new CEO and a bumper increase in prize money, which benefits the firstround losers as much as the champions. However, among all of this, Wimbledon still retains its traditions – all players must play in white, umpires must wear suits, players will be referred to as Mr, Mrs or Miss and grotesque advertising hoardings are banned. At the crux of it, Wimbledon is more than a competition – it’s where legends are born. Bjorn Borg may have won six French Open titles, but more people are likely to remember Jana Novotna’s performances at Wimbledon – and she only won the tournament once. Victory at Wimbledon is what matters.

ROGER FEDERER

AND

RAFAEL NADAL

2008 men’s final ‘YOU are Roger Federer,’ Mirka Vavrinec flatly told her boyfriend during a rain delay in the 2008 Wimbledon final. The Swiss genius, who had reached his sixth successive final on a 65-match winning streak with five titles already tucked away, was under the cosh at two sets down. Sure, clay-court specialist Rafael Nadal had built a superior head-

to-head record over Federer, but the revered grass courts of Wimbledon were the Swiss’s domain. The Spaniard thought otherwise, launching a barrage of blistering groundstrokes at Federer who had no answer. Mercifully, the heavens opened and Federer was granted a reprieve. Those words from Mirka did the trick because Federer, back firmly pressed against the wall, turned the aggressor to steal the third set before saving a championship point with a magical backhand pass down the line – and then stealing the fourth on another tie-break. After four sets of inspirational tennis, it all came down to one set for the greatest prize of all. But at 2-2, the dark clouds assembled again and unloaded. When the players returned, both summoned every ounce of strength to fight on. But then it happened. At 7-7, Federer cracked. The Swiss dumped a forehand in the net to gift Nadal the break. As darkness fell, Federer valiantly saved three championship points, but a fourth proved too much. Nadal dropped to his knees in celebration, Federer hung his head in despair. After four hours and 48 minutes, we had a worthy champion. ‘This was the greatest match I’ve ever seen,’ said tennis legend John McEnroe. Few would disagree.

BJORN BORG

AND

JOHN MCENROE

1980 men’s final Chalk met cheese in the 1980 Wimbledon final. Bjorn Borg was the ice-cool Swedish world number one, searching for his fifth straight Wimbledon title. John McEnroe was a

FEATURE

young, cocky upstart looking for his first All England club success. McEnroe started the brighter, using his brand of serve-and-volley tennis to blitz the first set 6-1. The American then held serve with ease in the second set, but at 5-5, he lost concentration and Borg broke his serve, before serving out to win the set 7-5. The pendulum swung in Borg’s favour as he eased to the third set 6-3 and then had match point when serving at 5-4. But the seemingly invincible Swede suddenly cracked and McEnroe broke back to force a tie-break. The next 22 minutes were to go down in history as the greatest tennis the world has ever seen. The first eight points went with serve, before Borg secured the minibreak. Back came McEnroe, stretching out for a forehand volley which he transformed into a winner. The pair battled point for point until they reached 16-17, with Borg serving. The Swede could take the pressure no longer and netted a forehand to gift McEnroe the set. Was this the turning point? Well, no, as it turns out. McEnroe hung in there, but at 6-7 down, the American could scramble no more. The Swede hit a scorcher of a backhand down the line and that was that. Borg had done it again.

GORAN IVANISEVIC

AND

PAT RAFTER

2001 men’s final No man or woman given a wild-card entry to a grand slam had ever gone on to win the title. So when Croatian Goran Ivanisevic was handed one for Wimbledon 2001, on the back of a 6-1 6-1 drubbing in a warm up tournament, few battered an eyelid at his attendance. But the three-time Wimbledon finalist won his first match, and then the next, and suddenly found himself in the final against Australia’s Pat Rafter. The final was played on a Monday, for the first time since 1922, because rain washed out Sunday’s play. Rafter remained the favourite, having reached the final the previous year, but it was Ivanisevic – and his booming serve – who took the first set 6-3. Rafter hit back, picking his battles, to take the second 6-3. The Croat reined in the mistakes and battered his way to the third by the same score-line but when a second serve was called out in the fourth, Ivanisevic lost his cool and smashed his racket on the ground. Rafter capitalised on the Croat’s loss of concentration and blitzed the fourth set 6-2. Somehow, Ivanisevic got his emotions in check and found his first serve once more. Rafter had a sniff at 6-7 and 0-30 on Ivanisevic’s serve, but the Croat recovered – and then launched an attack of his own to break the Australian. Two double-faults on his first two championship points suggested it wasn’t to be. But after three hours, his trademark big serve came to his rescue and

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sealed the title on the fourth time of asking. The fairytale was complete.

VIRGINIA WADE

AND

BETTY STOVE

1977 women’s final Every British tennis player dreams of winning Wimbledon and Virginia Wade was no different. However after 15 attempts it just hadn’t happened. Wade could at least console herself with US Open and Australian Open victories, but it was the Venus Rosewater dish that she really craved. And in 1977 it all fell into place. It was the 100th anniversary of Wimbledon and The Queen was celebrating her silver jubilee. To mark the occasion, Her Majesty would give the champion the winner’s trophy. Buoyed by the home crowd, Wade strolled through the early rounds. She then dispatched favourite Chris Evert in the semi-finals and as a result, the nation did not so much hope as demand she won the final against Dutch woman Betty Stove. The Brit lost the first set but Wade fed off the crowd support to blast back in the second set, winning 6-3. The final set became a formality as Wade ripped through her opponent’s serve to win 6-1 and become Britain’s first Wimbledon champion in eight years – and our most recent champion. It was a dream come true.

STEFFI GRAF

AND

J ANA NOVOTNA

1993 women’s final Jana Novotna had the title no one ever wants – the best player never to win a grand slam, but Wimbledon represented her best chance of success as the lightening quick grass courts suited her style of attacking serveand-volley brand of tennis. In 1993, the Czech looked in inspired form as she flew through the opening rounds with ease and in the semi-finals, she beat the second seed and greatest Wimbledon of all time Martina Navratilova with a ruthless performance. Steffi Graf awaited in the final, and though the German had won 16 of their 19 encounters, Novotna looked on form. Neither player gave an inch in the first set as they staunchly defended their service games. Inevitably, it came down to a tie-break, which Graf won. Novotna refused to be downbeat and destroyed the Graf serve as she won the set 6-1. That elusive title seemed to be hers when she served for a 5-1 lead but she suddenly threw in a double-fault. Error after error followed and the Czech began to unravel. Graf pounced, rattling off five games in a row before breaking Novotna again to seal the match. It was heart-breaking for all who watched, with Novotna breaking down in tears on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent when she received her runners up trophy. Mercifully, Novotna would eventually win a final, at the third time of asking in 1998.

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CANARY WHARF MOTOREXPO SEE THE WORLD’S GREATEST CARS AND EXPERIENCE SOME FANTASTIC MOTORING ACTIVITIES, FREE TO VISIT AT THE ANNUAL MOTOREXPO, CANARY WHARF, FROM 11 TO 17 JUNE Motorexpo will return to Canary Wharf this year, hosting a display of the world’s greatest cars throughout Canary Wharf’s indoor and outdoor public spaces. Motorexpo organisers are anticipating that more than 425,000 visitors will flock to the 17th free annual event, making it the biggest in its history and the most highly attended motor show anywhere in the UK this year.

EXHIBITOR LINE-UP

Reading like an automotive Who’s Who, brands from across the motoring spectrum – including Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, KIA, , Lamborghini, Land Rover, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, MINI and Rolls Royce Jaguar – will be showcasing their very latest products. In total, more than 250 vehicles will be on display during Motorexpo week, all set within the business and shopping destination that is Canary Wharf.

SHOPPING

LAND ROVER DRIVING EXPERIENCE

Ideal for thrillseekers and motoring junkies alike, the Land Rover Driving Experience has received an entirely new makeover and can be found in Montgomery Square. Visitors have the chance to ride as passengers or to get behind the wheel, testing the 4x4s to the max over undulating ramps. and angles.

CANARY WHARF RACEROOM

The Canary Wharf RaceRoom returns to Jubilee Place this year; a stateof-the-art virtual simulator zone which puts you in the driving seat of an F1 car to race against nine other people and set the fastest lap. Whoever sets the quickest time across the week will win a once-in-a-lifetime experience; an all-expenses paid luxury trip to join up with the Lotus Renault F1 team at their base in Hungaroring, Budapest, to drive an F1 car round a current championship circuit. Start your engines!

MOTOREXPO DRIVEME

New this year, Motorexpo DriveME is all about getting you behind the wheel of your favourite car to experience what it would be like to own it. Visitors can test vehicles from Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Jaguar, KIA, Mercedes-Benz, and many more. To register your interest for a drive at Motorexpo visit motorexpo.com/ driveME. Full interactive test drives in a real-world public highway environment cannot be found at any other motor show.

SUPERCARS, SUPERCLASSICS AND THE ITALIAN ZONE

Set to be the jewel in the crown of this year’s Motorexpo; The Italian Zone in the West Wintergarden and Supercars & Superclassics in Canary Wharf’s East Wintergarden, are being delivered by H&H Classic Auctions. What better way to savour the Italian delicacies that Obikà Mozzarella Bar has to offer than gazing at the works of fine Italian masters Ferrari and Maserati? For those living life in the fast lane, a trip to the East Wintergarden is a must, where cars including Pagani Zonda’s, Koenigsegg’s and Bugatti Veyron’s will all be available to buy. The East Wintergarden will also hold the Lamborghini Reventon, one of only 20 ever made and available to purchase if you have a spare seven figure sum at your disposal. For more information on the 2012 Canary Wharf London Motorexpo visit motorexpo.com

In addition to over 70 cafes, bars and restaurants and a fantastic range of shops and boutiques, at weekends and on Bank Holidays you can enjoy 3 hours’ free parking in any of the public car parks when you spend £10 at any shop, café, bar or restaurant in Canary Wharf. canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

MINT THE HURLINGHAM CLUB & PARK, FULHAM, LONDON SW6

‘The Best Corporate Day Out’ - as voted by CITY AM Winner of ‘Best Sports Attraction’ - London Lifestyle Awards 2010 & 2011 This sensational three day event kicks off the weekend with a fabulous corporate day offering world class polo from six international teams, with fully inclusive hospitality plus the new ‘Veuve Clicquot at Hurlingham’ evening launch party. Enjoy a classic British summer day out; three polo matches, Veuve Clicquot Champagne, lunch at the iconic Hurlingham Club - the historic home of polo - a quintessential afternoon cream tea and to finish the day off, a rocking party with live music and guest DJ’s.

An exciting range of hospitality options to suit all budgets with prices from just £150 plus VAT per person. Book now for a remarkable experience. Telephone 0207 936 5284 or email rachel@cityevents.uk.com.

www.mintpolointhepark.com

INTERVIEW

Remembering MAY FA I R PAXTON & WHITFIELD YOU CAN’T WRITE about a cheese shop without some mention of the aroma wafting from its front door, and Paxton & Whitfield at 93 Jermyn Street has become such a firm fixture that this little corner of Mayfair wouldn’t be the same without it. Just as neighbouring Floris turns the heads of passers-by with its inimitable, luxurious scents, so does Paxton & Whitfield, whose earthy smells bring a little slice of the country to the heart of W1 – and have been doing so since the 1800s. The aroma died down during the war years, when necessity forced the store to become an ordinary grocers shop, but the cows, sheep and goats never gave up hope and old contacts with the traditional cheese-makers of rural Britain were eventually rekindled. The Paxton & Whitfield that Mayfair knew and loved was back. ‘The thing about Paxton & Whitfield is that it’s had its ups and downs right throughout history,’ says Ros Windsor, MD of the company. ‘Quality has always been of paramount importance, but there have certainly been difficult moments, like when British cheeses weren’t all that popular in the 1860s.’ The rollercoaster ride began in 1742 when a man called Stephen Cullum set up a cheese stall in Aldwych Market. Sniffing a better class of customer a little to the west, he and his son Sam moved to Jermyn Street and took on two new partners, Harry Paxton and Charles Whitfield. By 1850, the company was appointed cheesemonger to Queen Victoria – the first in a long line of royal

warrants which continues to this day. Sir Winston Churchill, who was a fan, once observed that ‘a gentleman only buys his cheese at Paxton & Whitfield,’ while current admirers include some of the country’s leading restaurants, such as Caprice Holdings, Gidleigh Park in Devon and The Goring in SW1. They are drawn, we suspect, by a heritage which goes back centuries. ‘We did a big refurbishment last summer,’ says Windsor, ‘and we stripped back three layers of shop fittings, getting right back to the shell of the building. It was fascinating. We could see where open fires would have been, we got back to old 1920’s wallpaper and even found external paving from when the front of the shop wasn’t connected to the back.’ Sadly, there were no ancient cheeses buried away, though Windsor does enjoy our suggestion that as each layer was peeled back, a more mature aroma was unveiled. She also knows exactly how to tempt us… ‘Our range is unparalleled,’ she says. ‘We have some finest-grade products that are specially selected for us; we have brie with truffles which we make on-site and is quite delicious; and we make our own Fourme D’Ambert in Monbazillac wine which is to die for.’ With mouths watering and in the market for everything from a creamy Camembert to a robust Roquefort, we’re off to Jermyn Street to follow our nose. It’s what London’s cheese-lovers have been doing for decades.

‘A gentleman only buys his cheese at Paxton & Whitfield’ said Churchill

Images courtesy of Paxton & Whitfield

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Where can I... ? Some of the interesting requests made to Mayfairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most experienced concierges

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The Circle, Queen Elizabeth Street SE1 2JE 0870 200 4949 contact@vipservices.co.uk www.vipservices.co.uk

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CHARTER A HELICOPTER

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SHOES RE-HEELED James Taylor and Son 4 Paddington Street, W1U 5QE 020 7935 4149 post@taylormadeshoes.co.uk

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0844 888 4111

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Belgravia Garage

0845 299 4127

LAST MINUTE BUSINESS

LOCAL COURIER City Sprint

CONCIERGE

Mail Boxes etc 020 7491 0022 info@mbemayfair.co.uk

PRESTIGE TAXI Crown Security Chauffeurs 0845 901 1471 info@crown-chauffeurs.co.uk

Executive Cars UK 0800 048 3359

London Prestige Chauffeur Service

MTS Mayfair Translation

DOCTOR

14 Soho Street, W1D 3DN 0795 740 5061 info@mayfairtranslation.co.uk

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11 Lees Place, W1N 6LN 020 7036 6060

4 Shepherd Street, W1J 7JD 020 7499 6889 shop@paulthomasflowers.co.uk

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0770 411 4323

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Signature Cars

TST Car Service 94 Mount Street, W1K 2SZ 020 7409 3033 admin@tstcars.co.uk

UK Chauffeurs Ltd 020 3326 0513 bookings@ukcl.net

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Doug Jarvis 38 Poland Street, W1F 7LY 020 7437 6383

Lund Osler Dental Health Care

28 Upper Grosvenor Street W1K 7EH 020 7499 9943

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Scott’s

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20 Mount Street, W1K 2HE 020 7495 7309

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DOG WALKERS

Wild Things of Mayfair 47 Davies Street, W1K 4LY 020 7495 3030 info@wildthingsflowers.co.uk

William Clark Flowers 26 Seymour Place, W1H 7NN 020 7402 3444 shop@williamclarkflowers.com

LAST MINUTE GIFTS Halcyon Days 14 Brook Street, W1S 1BD 0844 880 8210 enquiries@halcyondays.co.uk

Harrods 87–135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL 020 7730 1234

Central London Dog Walking Service

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18 Warwick Square, SW1V 2AB 0785 604 5975

13 South Molton Street, W1K 5QW 020 7409 0213

Chelsea Dogs

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7 Chelsea Square, SW3 6LF 0778 632 5053 info@chelseadogs.co.uk

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K9 to 5 Club

Penfriend London

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Galor Personal Chef

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Pawsh Dogs Dog Walking

020 7371 4076 contact@galor.co.uk

PERSONAL SHOPPER Gabrielle Teare 0798 531 9300 info@gabrielleteare.com

54 Harwood Road, SW6 4PY 0750 344 8489

High Heels

30 Bruton Place, W1J 6NL 020 7409 1728

The Mayfair Dental Practice

Pedigree Pups

Sophie Deedes 0759 504 3802

0780 433 7486 sam@pedigree-pups.com

Mark Lord London

TRANSLATOR

71 Park Street, W1K 7HN 020 7499 2168

Pets in the City

0786 658 1230 mark@marklordlondon.co.uk

Central Translations

Teeth @ W1

21 Woodstock Street, W1C 2AP 020 7493 5511

7 South Molton Street, W1K 5QG 020 7499 7015

The Guinea Grill

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

75 St Helens Gardens, W10 6LL 020 8962 0700 0795 730 3858 info@petsincity.com

Threads Styling Consultancy 020 7749 0784 info@threadsstyling.co.uk

133

PROPERTY

FEATURED: Estate Agents KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE 168 Brompton Road SW3 1HW 020 7717 5463 (LETTINGS)

MAYFAIR OFFICE 17C Curzon Street W1J 5HU 020 7664 6644 (SALES)

140 Years of Property

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www.sothebysrealty.com

www.johndwood.co.uk MAYFAIR OFFICE 120a Mount Street W1K 3NN 020 7499 1012 (SALES/LETTINGS)

08/02/2012 13:31

www.knightfrank.co.uk

Plaza Estates

MARBLE ARCH OFFICE 29-31 Edgware Road W2 2JE 020 7724 3100

Est. 1803

Horne & Harvey

Strutt & Parker

LONDON HEAD OFFICE 13 Hill Street W1J 5LQ 020 7629 7282

Home House Estates

Horne & Harvey

www.fineandcountry.com

Kensington&Chelsea mag Mar12.indd 8

www.homehouseestates.co.uk

MAYFAIR OFFICE 119 Park Lane W1K 7AG 020 7079 1523

nie

08/02/2012 13:34

Fine & Country

iri

OUR SERVICE WILL MOVE YOU

Residential Lettings across RBK&C in Chelsea, South Kensington, Earls Court and Notting Hill

0 per week Furnished/Unfurnished 020 7590 0333 obr.lets@faronsutaria.co.uk

amu

sh and contemporary style mews house in South Kensington, arranged over three floors with a private e and fully-fitted eat-in granite kitchen. Master bedroom suite, 2 further double bedrooms, bathroom.

26A Conduit Street W1S 2XY 020 7495 9580

from around the world

21 Woodstock Street W1C 2AP 020 7493 1911

E MEWS, SW5

London Sotheby’s International Realty

London & Country Estate Agents

SOUTH KENSINGTON OFFICE 115 Old Brompton Road SW7 3LG 020 7590 0300 www.faronsutaria.co.uk

MARYLEBONE OFFICE 120a Mount Street W1K 3NN Attracting buyers and tenants 020 7483 8349 (SALES)

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

0 per week Unfurnished 020 7243 1352 nhl.lets@faronsutaria.co.uk

helsea mag Mar12.indd 19

Ve HYDE PARK OFFICE 55 Baker Street W1U 8AN 020 7871 5060 (SALES)

Harrods Estates

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verted barn set over three floors, designed by a local architect and situated in a private mews, ing a sliding roof and original barn doors. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 receptions, balcony, garage.

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EARLS COURT & KENSINGTON OFFICE 239 Earls Court Road SW5 9AH 020 7835 1577

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www.savills.co.uk

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SLOANE STREET OFFICE 139 Sloane Street SW1X 9AY 020 7730 0822 (SALES/LETTINGS)

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BELGRAVIA OFFICE 48 Elizabeth Street SW1W 9PA 020 7824 7900 pe

PIMLICO AND WESTMINSTER OFFICE 50 Belgrave Road SW1V 1RQ 020 7834 4771 (SALES)

John D Wood

WESTMINSTER & PIMLICO OFFICE 10 Gillingham Street SW1V 1HJ 020 3040 8201 (SALES)

PADDINGTON AND BAYSWATER OFFICE 4C Praed Street W2 1JX 020 7717 5473 (SALES) 020 7717 5343 (LETTINGS)

MAYFAIR OFFICE 47 South Audley Street W1K 2QA 020 7629 4513 (SALES) 020 7288 8301 (LETTINGS)

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE 188 Brompton Road SW3 1HQ 020 7581 5234 (SALES) MAYFAIR OFFICE 36 North Audley Street W1K 6ZJ 020 7578 5100 (SALES/LETTINGS)

www.jackson-stops.co.uk

www.beauchamp.co.uk

Chesterton Humberts

Savills

Confi

24 Curzon Street W1J 7TF 020 7499 7722

Jackson Stops

MAYFAIR OFFICE 32 Grosvenor Square W1K 2HJ 020 7717 5465 (SALES) 020 7717 5467 (LETTINGS)

TRUSTE

Beauchamp Estates

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE 66 Sloane Street SW1X 9SH 020 7235 9959 www.struttandparker.com

www.plazaestates.co.uk

23A St James’s Street SW1A 1HA 020 7839 6006

Hamptons International

www.horneandharvey.co.uk

CHELSEA OFFICE 134 Fulham Road SW10 9PY 020 7717 5433 (LETTINGS)

W.A. Ellis

174 Brompton Road SW3 1HP 020 7306 1600 www.waellis.co.uk

Finding you a home in London’s best addresses... For Estate Agent ListingsLeading please contact Fiona Fenwick at: f.fenwick@runwildgroup.co.uk London Estate Agents and Chartered Surveyors Telephone +44 (0)20 7493 1911 www.HomeHouseEstates.co.uk

134

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

SHOWCASING THE

finest HOMES & PROPERTY FROM THE BEST ESTATE AGENTS

Beautiful

homes

Luxury properties and the most exclusive addresses to inspire Look by Maurizio Pellizzoni Design (www.mpdlondon.co.uk) See page 88

Knight Frank

Curzon Square, Mayfair W1 Mayfair sophistication

Located within a secure portered building with a pretty topiary garden, this beautifully finished property feels exceptionally light and spacious, whilst retaining a feeling of individuality and charm. Master bedroom suite with dressing room, further bedroom, further bathroom, reception room, dining room, kitchen and cloakroom. Approximately 171 sq m (1,841 sq ft) Leasehold: 118 years approximately Guide price: ÂŁ5,000,000 (WER120020)

KnightFrank.co.uk/Mayfair mayfair@knightfrank.com 020 8166 7482

Knight Frank

Park Street, Mayfair W1 Handsome period apartment

A rare opportunity to purchase a stunning period property, benefiting from a corner south-westerly aspect and high ceilings, which has been meticulously refurbished without compromise. 2 bedrooms, bathroom, reception room, kitchen designed by Oikos Cuisine (Italia), walnut hardwood floors, Lutron lighting, climate control and underfloor heating. Approximately 75 sq m (807 sq ft) Leasehold: 97 years approximately Guide price: ÂŁ1,995,000 (WER120110)

KnightFrank.co.uk/Mayfair mayfair@knightfrank.com 020 8166 7482

Knight Frank Lees Place, Mayfair W1K

Stylish split-level living An immaculately presented and exceptionally bright duplex apartment discretely situated in the heart of Mayfair. 3 double bedrooms, 2 en suite bathrooms with under-floor heating, dual aspect reception room, kitchen, guest WC and lift. Available furnished

Guide Price: ÂŁ1,950 per week

Mayfair Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings mayfairlettings@knightfrank.com 020 7499 1012

(162354)

Mount Street, Mayfair W1K

Impeccable pied a terre Featuring refined furnishings in a sought-after setting, accommodation comprises 2 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), reception room with feature fireplace and bay window, open-plan kitchen/dining room and guest WC. Available furnished

Guide price: ÂŁ2,000 per week

Mayfair Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings mayfairlettings@knightfrank.com 020 7499 1012

(141060)

Knight Frank

Davies Street, Mayfair W1K Prestigious portered apartment

A clean and contemporary lateral flat located on the fourth floor of one of Mayfairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most renowned buildings. The well-proportioned accommodation comprises 3 bedrooms, 3 en suite bathrooms, open-plan reception/dining room leading onto a balcony with a peaceful aspect, modern kitchen, utility room, guest WC, 24 hour porter and lift. Approx. 208 sqm (2,244 sqft). Available furnished Guide price: ÂŁ4,500 per week (105001)

Mayfair Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings mayfairlettings@knightfrank.com 020 7499 1012

Knight Frank

Weymouth Mews, Marylebone W1

An exceptional mews house with private garage The subject of a comprehensive refurbishment by internationally acclaimed designer Jonathan Reed, this two bedroom mews house exudes sophistication and style. Master bedroom suite, second bedroom suite, guest suite / study, open plan living / entertaining space with kitchen and dining area, guest cloakroom, integral garage. Approximately 204 sq m (2,196 sq ft) Leasehold 939 years approximately Guide price ÂŁ4,750,000

(MRY120041)

KnightFrank.co.uk/Marylebone marylebone@knightfrank.com 020 7483 8349

Knight Frank

Stanhope Place, Hyde Park W2 Charming period home

An elegant mid-terraced Grade II listed Georgian town house offering versatile accommodation located moments from Hyde Park and the many amenities of Connaught Village. 5 bedrooms, 1 en suite bathroom, family bathroom, shower room, 2 reception rooms, dining room, study, kitchen, utility room, roof terrace, external storage vault. Approximately 217 sq m (2,337 sq ft) Freehold Guide price: ÂŁ3,250,000 (HPE120044)

KnightFrank.co.uk/HydePark hydepark@knightfrank.com 020 3544 6140

savills.co.uk

1 PENTHOUSE REQUIRING SOME REFURBISHMENT bickenhall street, w1 Entrance hall ø reception room ø galleried reception room ø kitchen ø master bedroom with en suite bathroom ø 2 further bedrooms (1 with en suite shower room) ø further bathroom ø terrace ø 3 balconies ø lift ø 24hr porter ø 160 sq m (1,720 sq ft) Guide £2.35 million Leasehold, approximately 977 years remaining plus Share of Freehold

Savills Mayfair Charles Lloyd clloyd@savills.com

020 7578 5100

savills.co.uk

1 IMMACULATE HOUSE IN THIS QUIET BELGRAVIA MEWS grosvenor crescent mews, sw1 Drawing room ø sitting room ø dining area ø bar area ø kitchen ø master bedroom suite ø 2 further bedroom suites ø gym/study with en suite shower room ø cloakroom ø laundry ø 11.1m high atrium ø garage ø 295 sq m (3,177 sq ft) Guide £8.95 million Freehold

Savills Sloane Street

Savills Knightsbridge

Noel De Keyzer ndekeyzer@savills.com

Barbara Allen baallen@savills.com

020 7730 0822

020 7581 5234

savills.co.uk

1 BRIGHT APARTMENT ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF A WELL-MAINTAINED BUILDING park street, w1 2 bedrooms (1 with en suite bathroom) ø reception room ø kitchen ø further bathroom ø lift ø 92 sq m (923 sq ft)

Savills Mayfair Guy Bradshaw gbradshaw@savills.com

020 7578 5101 £1,050 per week Furnished

savills.co.uk

1 WONDERFUL PENTHOUSE APARTMENT ARRANGED OVER THREE FLOORS green street, w1 2 bedrooms (both with en suite bathrooms) ø 2 reception rooms ø kitchen ø 2 guest cloakrooms ø study ø 2 balconies ø roof terrace ø 148 sq m (1,594 sq ft)

£2,750 per week Unfurnished

Savills Mayfair Guy Bradshaw gbradshaw@savills.com

020 7578 5101

Hamptons Mayfair

020 7717 5465 mayfair@hamptons-int.com

Portman Mansions, W1 A beautifully presented apartment of over 1,409 sq ft in an attractive mansion block in Marylebone, benefiting from 24 hour security and a gym. Comprises of a spacious and very bright double reception room with high ceilings, a master bedroom with en-suite shower room, a second double bedroom, bathroom and an impressive eat-in kitchen. Hamptons Mayfair 020 7717 5465 mayfair@hamptons-int.com

In the year of medals, we are already on a winning streak.

Hamptons International Silver for Best for UK Large Estate Agency and Best for Marketing.

ÂŁ1,300,000 Leasehold Double reception room Kitchen Two bedrooms Two bathrooms (one en suite) Gym 24 hour security

Hamptons Paddington 020 7717 5473 paddington@hamptons-int.com

Gloucester Square, W2

ÂŁ3,100,000 Leasehold

A stunning interior designed four bedroom apartment located on the third floor (with lift) of a grand stucco fronted building. Overlooking a private residents garden square this lateral apartment comprises a wonderful reception room connecting with the dining room, four bedrooms (two en-suite), and a guest shower room. In addition a fully fitted bespoke kitchen, and study/bedroom four Paddington & Bayswater 020 7717 5473 paddington@hamptons-int.com

Stucco fronted building Interior designed apartment, Third floor (lift), Four bedrooms Fully fitted bespoke kitchen, Access to residents garden square

Here. There. Everywhere. We were the first UK estate agency to launch an app for iPad, and an app for iPhone, and our website has hundreds of thousands of visitors each month. Wether you want to buy, sell, let or rent, it couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be easier.

Hamptons Pimlico & Westminster 020 7715315

pimwest@hamptons-int.com

Westmoreland Place SW1V A charming house with elegant interior decoration located in the heart of Pimlico offering two reception rooms, a dining room, separate kitchen and outside space. One of the reception rooms could easily be a third bedroom offering flexible accommodation.

Pimlico & Westminister 020 7715315 pimwest@hamptons-int.com

In the year of medals, we are already on a winning streak.

Hamptons International Silver for Best for UK Large Estate Agency and Best for Marketing.

ÂŁ1,195,000 Freehold The property is offered chain free 3 reception rooms 2 bedrooms Close to station Terraced Balcony

Hamptons Mayfair

020 7717 5467 mayfairlettings@hamptons-int.com

St. Anselms Place, W1

ÂŁ2,700 per week Furnished

A lovely top floor apartment with three bedrooms, all en-suite. There is also a bright and spacious reception room, modern kitchen, terrace and off street parking. Several transport links are close by including Bond Street, Marble Arch and Oxford Circus Underground Stations (Jubilee, Central, Bakerloo and Victoria lines). Hamptons Mayfair Lettings 020 7717 5467 mayfairlettings@hamptons-int.com

Large reception room Eat in kitchen 3 double bedrooms 3 en-suite bathrooms Terrace Off street parking

Hamptons Paddington

020 7723 0592 paddingtonlettings@hamptons-int.com

Lancaster Gate A unique 3 double bedroom, split level modern apartment located near Hyde Park. The property is completely refurbished throughout and is available for short or long term tenancies.

Hamptons Paddington Lettings 020 7723 0592 paddingtonlettings@hamptons-int.com

Best for Property Management 2011

Hamptons International has been crowned Gold Winner in Best for Property with The Sunday Times and The Times, recognising Hamptonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; commitment to exceptional customer service. Call us to find out more about how our Property Management Services can help us meet your property requirements

ÂŁ1,950 per week 3 bedrooms 3 bathrooms Gas central heating Gas cooking Alarm

PROPERTY

A WAITING

game

Buying wisely in Mayfair requires more than money; London buying agent, SIMON BARNES explains why

SO YOU HAVE the money, time on your hands and you’ve finally narrowed the location down to Mayfair as the place you want to live. Mayfair - that rarified area away from the City, attractive to private banks, hedge fund managers and boasting some of the capital’s most exclusive shops, luxury hotels, restaurants and clubs. On paper it seems you are well prepared to find and buy the perfect Mayfair property, but this is not a game of Monopoly and it will take more than a roll of the dice and money in the bank to find and secure that dream home. Never have the words ‘location, location, location’ been more crucial than in Mayfair. History and WWII certainly changed the architecture and look of Mayfair; barely one week into the Blitz and the area running due west from Berkeley Square to Park Lane and south from Oxford Street to Piccadilly was badly bombed. The aftermath of the war meant that Mayfair’s larger properties were too expensive to maintain as private homes and became offices, given over to commercial use. Over the past twenty years, much of the district has become commercial, with many offices occupying converted houses, new buildings, major corporate headquarters, embassies and hotels. Consequently, the amount of prime residential property is seriously limited; only those with a trained eye together with years of buying property will know where to look. Unlike Belgravia with its identical rows of Georgian terraces and repeated stucco fronted houses, Mayfair with capacious grand style houses is truly unique. Previously these cavernous houses were only of interest to Arab or wealthy European buyers. However more recently there has been a shift in demand for huge houses of 10,000 sq.ft and so international buyers, including

wealthy Russians, come to Mayfair on a quest for big. The scarcity and individuality of residences along with their particular location within a given street makes it all the more difficult and time consuming when trying to buy the right house in the right place. Rarely is money or time a key motivator when looking to buy here, it really is a waiting game. Those in the know, including experienced buying agents, should understand the lie of this land and be canny when it comes to knowing where the hidden gems are. For example take Green Street; a mixture of traditional red brick houses, then changing to Portland stone. Behind the period façades only a handful of these houses enjoy a wonderful outlook over a private communal garden, while some look over a school or neighbouring property, but this is a secret that few share. The trend to sell off and convert mews houses over the years has not escaped Mayfair, so again knowing where to find these prized houses still in possession of their own mews is something of a skill. Take Charles Street with its seemingly narrow houses: insiders know there are just a sprinkling of houses including their original mews house. Securing the right flat probably necessitates honing in on one, possibly two, places; a specific block with the right concierge and of the right quality, and these will seldom come to the market. Spend your millions on the wrong property and tongues will wag for all the wrong reasons. Spend your money on retaining an expert with an eye and insider knowledge and along with its expensive price tag and the prestige, you’ll be joining the ranks of select smug Mayfair residents basking in their reflected glory. They know they live on the sunny right side of the street.

Simon Barnes Property Consultants www.simonbarnes.com

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

151

DPS1 LHP_274053_Sothebys_Mayfair Mag_June12.indd 1

01/05/2012 15:35

DPS

Portman Square, Marylebone W1 A rarely found lateral apartment in this wonderful building overlooking gardens. Entrance hall • Three reception rooms • Five bedrooms • Five bathrooms Bespoke refurbishment and immaculate interior design • Prestigious building Excellent 24 hour porterage and security • Two car parking spaces • Dual aspect fifth floor • Approximately 3,936 sq ft / 366 sq m

Svetlana Shcholokova

020 7495 9580

svetlana.shcholokova@sothebysrealty.co.uk

Guide Price: £12,950,000 Leasehold with approximately 92 years remaining

Over 600 Offices in 46 Countries

15:35

DPS1 RHP_274053_Sothebys_Mayfair Mag_June12.indd 2

sothebysrealty.co.uk

01/05/2012 15:37

Clarges Street, Mayfair W1 A fifth floor penthouse apartment with roof terrace and conservatory. Double reception/dining room • Kitchen • Cloakroom • Master bedroom with en-suite • Two guest bedrooms • Conservatory • Terrace • Lift • Porter Underground parking • Approximately 2,188 sq ft / 203 sq m

Svetlana Shcholokova

020 7495 9580

svetlana.shcholokova@sothebysrealty.co.uk

Guide Price: £5,250,000 Leasehold with approximately 95 years remaining

Over 600 Offices in 46 Countries

DPS2 LHP_274054_Sothebys_Mayfair Mag_June12.indd 1

sothebysrealty.co.uk

01/05/2012 15:39

DPS

St Mary Abbot’s Terrace, Kensington W14 A stunning penthouse with its own private swimming pool. Double height reception room • Dining room • Media room • Gym Master bedroom with two dressing rooms and en-suite bathroom • Two further bedroom suites • Two roof terraces • Private swimming pool • Parking for two cars • Lift • Porter • Approximately 6,168 sq ft / 572 sq m

Guide Price: £7,950,000 Share of Freehold

Over 600 Offices in 46 Countries

15:39

DPS2 RHP_274055_Sothebys_Mayfair Mag_June12.indd 1

Peter Bevan

020 7495 9580

peter.bevan@sothebysrealty.co.uk JSA Knight Frank

020 7938 4311

sothebysrealty.co.uk

01/05/2012 15:38

this month’s

Mayfair Home to buy

Chesterton Humberts is the proud property sponsor of MINT Polo in the Park hurlingham – 8th to 10th june 2012

CHESTERFIELD GARDENS w1j

£3,950,000 share of freehold

A newly refurbished apartment situated within a highly regarded purpose built block. Offering a spacious reception room, fitted kitchen, 2/3 bedrooms, 2 en-suites, guest cloakroom, lift & porter.

Mayfair Sales

020 7629 4513

•

sales.mayfair@chestertonhumberts.com

chestertonhumberts.com

CULROSS STREET w1k

PARK STREET w1k

£5,250,000 freehold

A Georgian town house situated within the highly sought-after secure zone of Culross Street, featuring 4 reception rooms, 3 en-suite bedrooms, conservatory & communal patio garden.

£4,750,000 leasehold

A substantial & stunning lateral apartment boasting a magnificent double reception/dining room, kitchen, master bedroom suite, 2nd double bedroom, bathroom, lift, porter & long lease.

Mayfair Sales

020 7629 4513

•

sales.mayfair@chestertonhumberts.com

UPPER BROOK STREET w1k

£3,995,000 leasehold

A rarely available south facing family apartment with views over Grosvenor Square comprising a double reception/dining room, kitchen, 2 double en-suite bedrooms, utility room & lift.

PARK STREET w1k

£3,450,000 leasehold

A well appointed Mayfair duplex apartment situated close to Hyde Park & offering a double reception/dining room, kitchen, 2 double en-suite bedrooms, cloakroom, utility room & long lease.

Mayfair Sales

020 7629 4513

•

sales.mayfair@chestertonhumberts.com

chestertonhumberts.com

this month’s

Mayfair Home to rent

Chesterton Humberts is the proud property sponsor of MINT Polo in the Park hurlingham – 8th to 10th june 2012

GREEN STREET w1k

£2,750 per week

A stylish penthouse apartment, over 3 floors & extending to approx. 1,700 sq ft. Offering a large reception room, bespoke kitchen, 2 large double bedrooms & 3 bathrooms.

Mayfair Lettings

020 7288 8301

•

lettings.mayfair@chestertonhumberts.com

chestertonhumberts.com

CURZON SQUARE w1j

PARK STREET w1k

£1,750 per week

A luxurious 2nd floor 2 bedroom apartment of approx. 1,300 sq ft. Finished to the highest standard & benefiting from a Bang & Olufsen sound system, Creston lighting system, lift & 24 hour porter.

£1,495 per week

A very well presented 2 bedroom apartment of approx. 1,100 sq ft. Located in a very sought-after portered block & finished to a high standard. Comprising a spacious reception room & separate dining room.

Mayfair Lettings

020 7288 8301

•

lettings.mayfair@chestertonhumberts.com

WIMPOLE STREET w1g

£1,250 per week

JERMYN STREET sw1

A 3 bedroom Georgian conversion in Marylebone occupying approx. 1,190 sq ft. Comprising a reception room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms. Further benefits include stylish interiors, a day porter & lift.

£695 per week

A beautifully finished 3rd floor apartment to an exceptional standard. Perfectly located in this portered building in St James’s close to Green Park, Piccadilly & Mayfair. Comprising a reception room, kitchen, bedroom, shower room, porter & lift.

Mayfair Lettings

020 7288 8301

•

lettings.mayfair@chestertonhumberts.com

chestertonhumberts.com

HEREFORD HOUSE NORTH ROW LONDON W1 £6,500,000 leasehold

Situated in this highly sought after portered building in the heart of Mayfair

This four bedroom, four bathroom apartment boasts spacious and well proportioned living space, bright interiors and a wonderful position just moments from Hyde Park.The property is conveniently close to the shops of Bond Street and Oxford Street, whilst Mount Street and Berkeley Square are but a short walk away. The apartment extends to 2,859 sq.ft

NEW HEREFORD HOUSE PARK STREET LONDON W1 £2,995,000 leasehold

A well proportioned two bedroom, two bathroom apartment on the second floor of this sought after portered building.

Comprising of 1333 sq ft this property is in good condition and boasts dual aspect and an abundance of natural light with vibrant views over Park Street & Oxford Street. Hyde Park is a stroll away, whilst the designer shops of Bond Street and Mount Street are within easy walking distance.

020 7079 1523

Fine & Country Mayfair 119 Park Lane, Mayfair, London W1K 7AG

www.fineandcountry.com mayfair@fineandcountry.com

THE QUADRANGLE CAMBRIDGE SQUARE LONDON W2 £1,199,995 leasehold

A well presented three bedroom apartment in this prestigious gated development on the Hyde Park Estate.

This property benefits from three large bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen and a large light and bright south facing reception room with balcony overlooking beautiful communal gardens. With porter and lifts, this property is within minutes of Hyde Park and Oxford Street. Secure parking is available by separate arrangement.

PALACE PLACE WESTMINSTER LONDON SW1 £2,750,000 - £3,950,000 leasehold

Palace Place is a stunning new development located in the heart of Westminster. This newly built Portland stone clad building has been finished to the highest standard and benefits from 24hr porterage, underground parking and excellent natural light.

These spacious lateral apartments have been interior designed by Nicky Haslam using only the finest materials and boast two/three double bedrooms, two/three bathrooms, large open–plan reception/kitchen area with modern integrated kitchen and a spacious terrace.

fineandcountry.com

WHITEHALL COURT A wonderful 2 bed 2 bath apartment on the 3rd floor of this magnificent Victorian mansion block. Modernised to a high standard with a fantastic entertaining space and high ceilings.

Leasehold

£2.2 million

WHITEHALL COURT A magnificent and spacious fourth floor apartment in this impressive Victorian mansion block. Situated alongside the river Thames this apartment boasts high ceilings, three interconnecting reception rooms and stone balconies the full length of the apartment with stunning panoramic views.

Leasehold

020 7839 6006

23a St James’s Street, London, SW1A 1HA

£5.3 million

Horne & Harvey Est. 1803

WHITEHALL COURT The Northern Tower of this spectacular Victorian building. Situated between the River and St James’s Park this unique and spacious penthouse apartment boasts an abundance of natural light and panoramic views across the river and over St James’s. Recently refurbished complete with air conditioning, approximately 4000 sq foot comprising of entrance reception room, ensuite master bedroom with walk in wardrobe, two guest bedrooms in adjoining towers, large dining room, gallery reception room (with 360 degree panoramic views), study and large terrace.

Furnished

£7,500 per week

DALMENY COURT

DE VERE GARDENS W8

A lovely open-plan fifth floor apartment located in this sought after Victorian building in the heart of St James’s. Dalmeny Court is located on Duke Street running down from Jermyn Street to St James’s therefore in the heart of St James’s close to Piccadilly and all the amenities of the West End.

A superb two bedroom, three bathroom apartment in this prestigious period block. Fully furnished and unoccupied since it was refurbished to an exceptionally high standard, the flat has air-conditioning, pale oak floors, under floor heating, high ceilings and lots of natural light.

Furnished

£475 per week

£795 per week

www.horneandharvey.co.uk

EMBASSY COURT, ST. JOHN’S WOOD, NW8 A superb recently completed three bedroom lateral apartment in this prestigious building in St Johns Wood. With high ceilings throughout, the apartment features marble flooring, beautiful bathrooms, high spec kitchen with Gaggenau appliances, large balcony and air conditioning. In addition, there is an underground parking space. Available, furnished. £3,500 pw 020 7409 9158 robin.boghhenrikssen@harrodsestates.com

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE: 82 BROMPTON ROAD LONDON SW3 1ER T: +44 020 7225 6506 MAYFAIR OFFICE: 61 PARK LANE LONDON W1K 1QF T: +44 020 7409 9001

HARRODSESTATES.COM

PARK LANE, MAYFAIR, W1 Situated opposite Hyde Park, this wonderful three bedroom property benefits from 24-hour security and concierge service, and lift access. Set on the fourth floor of this sought-after block, the apartment comprises double reception room, kitchen, master bedroom with en-suite, two further double bedrooms and family bathroom. ÂŁ3,200,000 020 7409 9205 Jennifer.marwick@harrodsestates.com

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE: 82 BROMPTON ROAD LONDON SW3 1ER T: +44 020 7225 6506 MAYFAIR OFFICE: 61 PARK LANE LONDON W1K 1QF T: +44 020 7409 9001

HARRODSESTATES.COM

Dunraven Street, Mayfair W1 A completely restored and modernised freehold residence set at the Eastern edge of Hyde Park behind Park Lane close to Marble Arch and Oxford Street. This substantial and well planned residence comprises some 7,400 sq.ft. which allows for entertaining on a grand scale. The comprehensive amenities and exacting technical specification are equally matched by a strong focus on security and comfort. Accommodation: Hallway, drawing room, family media room, formal dining room, study, kitchen, utility area, master bedroom suite with 2 en suite dressing rooms and en suite bathroom, guest bedroom suite, 4 further bedrooms, 4 further bathrooms (3 en suite), 2 guest cloakrooms, secret walk-in strongroom, swimming pool/games room, steam room, gym, staff studio flat, terrace and landscaped external courtyard.

Joint sole selling agents

PRICE ON APPLICATION TENURE: FREEHOLD

MICHAEL GEORGIOU michael.georgiou@centralestates.com

PENELOPE COURT penny@beauchamp.co.uk

MOUNT STREET, W1 Beautifully refurbished three bedroom apartment on the fourth floor of this excellent block a stone’s throw from Berkeley Square. 3 bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Cloakroom, Reception Room, Kitchen, Lift.

£2200 PER WEEK

MADDOX STREET, W1

UPPER bERKElEY STREET, W1

Luxurious top floor flat in a completely refurbished, white stucco property in the heart of Mayfair.

Wonderful four bedroom family house with lovely high ceilings and enormous windows centrally located minutes from Oxford Street.

2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 2 reception Rooms, Open Plan Kitchen, Lift.

4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Cloakroom, 5 Reception Rooms, Kitchen.

£1200 PER WEEK

£2500 PER WEEK

MARblE ARch: 29-31 EDgWARE ROAD lONDON W2 2JE 020 7724 3100

AYFAI

COM MEND

HOT PROPERTY:

41 Eaton Mews North, SW1

Mews living at its very best, in the heart of Belgravia

NEWLY REFURBISHED and situated in one of Belgraviaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most sought after addresses, close to Sloane Square, and half a mile from Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prestigious Hyde Park, this wider than average mews house provides lateral accommodation. The property benefits from a large ground floor kitchen and open-plan living area with high ceilings,

first floor drawing room, dining area spanning the entire width of the property and 3 bedrooms complete with shower rooms. An area of the ground floor has the right and capacity to be used as a private garage if and whenever required. Eaton Mews North is just north of Eaton Square with Sloane Square station within walking distance.

PROPERTY

41 Eaton Mews North, SW1 ÂŁ7,500,000

Beauchamp Estates 020 7499 7722 www.beauchamp.com

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

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CENTRAL LONDON REMAINS

a safe haven

MOHAMED NURMOHAMED, Director at Chesterton Humberts, looks at the impact of the recent Budget on the prime London property market

DESPITE the Budget announcement in March to increase stamp duty to 7% for properties over £2m acquired personally, or 15% for company purchases, central London’s prime property market remains un-stifled and continues to move forward. In spite of these stamp duty increases, we have exchanged on a considerable number of high value transactions (over £2m) in Mayfair, Kensington, Knightsbridge and Belgravia. Although international investors still dominate the market there has been some softening of demand and enquiries from UK purchasers have noticeably increased. The number of prime properties for sale has improved following the Budget revisions and this has alleviated the chronic shortages that buyers experienced in the first quarter of 2012. Furthermore, vendors who are looking to lock in recent gains are succeeding, provided they are not too adventurous in their pricing expectations.

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The continuing political unrest in the Middle East and ongoing volatility in the financial markets is without doubt driving buyers towards stability and security in terms of long-term, high value investing. Prime central London certainly benefits from this sentiment as property here is widely considered by wealth managers and lenders as an investment grade product with attractive defensive qualities and favourable medium-term profit potential. High prices are still being achieved for prime properties of distinction thus impacting the wider prime market in a positive way across most price points. Recent highlights include the sale of a 3,100 sq ft penthouse apartment with a sizeable roof terrace at the Walpole Mayfair development on Arlington Street in London, which achieved a record for the area of £4,542 per square foot. In addition, record and high prices have recently been achieved for developed properties in buildings throughout Mayfair, including Chesterfield Gardens, Hertford Street, Mount Street and North Row, to name but a few. Mohamed Nurmohamed MBA, Director, Chesterton Humberts 020 7629 4531 www.chestertonhumberts.com

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

the smart way to BUY or SELL your property

A service defined by discretion and dedication that will save you time and money. His extensive experience in property consultancy takes the pain and effort out of the buying and selling process, and any problems that you would usually encounter, become his problems and not yours. After all, achieving the best possible outcome in anything is all about finding someone who can do the job better than you.

work smarter, not harder. T: 020 7499 3434 M: 078 3146 5414 simon@simonbarnes.com www.simonbarnes.com

PROPERTY

International State of the Market NEIL PALMER, Chief Executive Officer of Christie’s International Real Estate, provides an introduction to the Company’s last report, followed by an overview of the market and a profile of the luxury buyer

These buyers typically require some financing. Lending remains challenging in many traditional markets with aversion to risk continuing to dominate the headlines. Consequently, this lengthens the amount of time it takes to sell these homes. There are, however, high-performing geographies in luxury housing. Prime markets in Asia, Brazil, Switzerland, Canada, France and central London continue to see robust demand with adequate funding availability. If there is a challenge in these markets, it is a lack of quality housing inventory. The 129 brokerages in the Christie’s International Real Estate network were asked to complete a survey on the State of the Luxury Market. Select respondents were then contacted by phone to expand on the survey findings. This report captures the collective wisdom, experiences, and insights of the leaders of our network, the Affiliate Principals and management of Christie’s International Real Estate. The luxury real estate specialists featured in this report are the most qualified leaders in their local high-end market as well as recognised authorities on the world stage.

Overview

THE LUXURY REAL ESTATE market continues to capture the imagination of the buying public and to intrigue journalists worldwide. As the recognised authority in the high-end housing market, we are frequently asked questions such as: how are the international markets performing, which markets are performing above expectations, and what are the primary drivers?

Markets in Asia, Brazil, Switzerland, Canada, France and central London continue to see robust demand for luxury housing An even more important question to ask is this: How is inventory selling at specific price levels? At the very top of the market – above $10 million in some markets and above $5 million in others – these are primarily cash transactions. A largely discretionary buy of a second, third or even tenth home, these purchases are driven by a unique dynamic. Location, lifestyle and sentiment are equally as important as value, and in some cases, even more so. Properties priced between $1 million and $5 million are largely purchased as a primary residence by those still in the workforce.

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This is a truism of real estate: there is no such thing as a good market or a bad market, only the market. Sellers worldwide are adapting to the new reality in luxury housing and slowly accepting that their residence is not going to command the same price that it might have in 2007. As a result, market activity is up and optimism is slowly increasing among buyers, though the recent volatility in global economies has tempered slightly the enthusiasm initially reported in the first half of the year. A majority of the network – 62.5 per cent – reports that sellers are still unrealistic about pricing, but considerably less so than in 2010. Cash is the most popular means of payment at the high end. In the small percentage of luxury deals that do not close, the primary reason cited was market volatility. This not only negatively impacts perception of personal net worth but also overall confidence in the market. Real estate portfolios of ultra-high-networth individuals include multiple residences, which is not surprising. Of late, however, they seem more inclined to downsize and simplify. ‘They can easily afford to still carry multiple properties,’ says Francisco Prospero dos Santos of IN’S Brazil Luxury Real Estate. ‘There is an emerging conservative attitude. Increasingly the very wealthy seem to be asking themselves, “Do I really need all this?” Confidentiality and discretion are more important now than in the past. The typical age of the international luxury buyer is between 55 and 60, but is skewing younger.’

SOUND BITE: FLORIDA

‘At least one home valued at $1 million or above has sold every 24 hours for the past 130 days’ - Ronald Shuffield, President Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell Realtors, Miami

T H E M AY FA I R M A G A Z I N E

PROPERTY

The Luxury Buyer The majority of brokerages (62 per cent) said their top clients own two to four residences worldwide, though the highest number posted in the survey was twelve. When purchasing luxury real estate, value is a driving motivator. ‘High-net-worth buyers are savvy spenders and, simply put, they see value in international real estate,’ says Cesar Herrera of Provaltur International in the Dominican Republic. ‘It would be almost impossible to re-build and replicate the top estates at the prices being paid to acquire them today.’ While most respondents would agree, Lori Fanning Smith of Pine Acres Realty in Chatham, Massachusetts, offers this example of a transaction where passion and sentiment carried the day; a $6.5 million sale closed last summer for asking price and after only two days on the market. ‘The buyer had been quietly watching and waiting for years for this particular residence to come on the market,’ Ms. Smith says. ‘And when it did, the buyer acted quickly and decisively.’ ‘My clients are looking for turnkey,’ says Barbara Cleary of Barbara Cleary’s Realty Guild in New Canaan, Connecticut. ‘They want houses in move-in condition. Renovating is not popular in my market.’

62 per cent of brokerages said their top clients own two to four residences worldwide, although the highest number posted in the survey was 12 Eighty-two per cent of the network reported that discretion and protecting their clients from the media is more important than ever. ‘You don’t flaunt your success by publicising high value purchases when so many are challenged,’ says Mr. Hyland, ‘and when some of those people are your friends.’ Of the remaining 18 per cent, respondents indicated that discretion has always been of paramount importance. ‘It’s long been a part of the culture in Northern California,’ says Mark McLaughlin of Pacific Union International in San Francisco, California. ‘The wealthy have always been quite humble.’ To protect privacy, respondents noted that purchasing through an LLC is increasingly popular, especially in the larger urban markets, and recent changes to tax legislation in the UK appears to be having little impact on high net worth purchasers. To read the rest of the report, please visit www.christiesrealestate.com/Content/Files/CIRE_StateOfTheMarketReport.pdf

SOUND BITE: CANADA

Canada is seeing buyers from Hong Kong, China, India and other parts of Asia. ‘The strength of the Canadian dollar, however, is causing Americans and Europeans to adapt more of a wait-and-see attitude,’ says Justine Deluce, Vice President of Operations, Chestnut Park Real Estate in Toronto

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Combining the services of a five-star hotel with the discretion, comfort and security of a private Mayfair residence, Grosvenor House Apartments by Jumeirah Living offer unparalleled luxury and a highly personalised service to make residents feel instantly at home.

Arranged over seven floors and available for long or short let, the apartments range in size from state of the art studios to four breathtaking penthouses over looking Hyde Park. Price on Application

The “Jumeirah Living” logo, trademark and trade name and the Beacon device (“Jumeirah Marks”) are owned by or licensed to Jumeirah International LLC or its affiliates (collectively referred to as “Jumeirah”). The use of the Jumeirah Marks by Grosvenor House Apartments Limited has been authorised by Jumeirah under licence, solely in relation to Jumeirah’s management and operation of the Grosvenor House Apartments by Jumeirah Living development.

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Chelsea Fulham & Parsons Green Kensington & Holland Park Knightsbridge, Belgravia & Mayfair Notting Hill & Bayswater West Chelsea & South Kensington

struttandparker.com

Sales 020 7225 3866 Sales 020 7731 7100 Sales 020 7938 3666 Sales 020 7235 9959 Sales 020 7221 1111 Sales 020 7373 1010

Lettings 020 7589 9966 Lettings 020 7731 7100 Lettings 020 7938 3866 Lettings 020 7235 9959 Lettings 020 7221 1111 Lettings 020 7373 1010

City Office Professional Valuations UK Commercial & Residential Residential Investment Property Management

020 7600 3456 020 7318 5039 020 7629 7282 020 7318 5196 020 7052 9417

Bourne Street | Belgravia | SW1 5,860 sq ft (544 sq m)

Knightsbridge 020 7235 9959

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IMPERIALE COLLECTION IMPERIALE COLLECTION

2011/1261 - The Times Luxx - 132BU - 270 x 350 mm - UK 2011/1261 - The Times Luxx - 132BU - 270 x 350 mm - UK