Vantage Magazine April 2013 St John's Wood by Runwild Media Group

contents

Scene

45 There’s something

9 the lady wore white From the Victorian era to the present day and beyond; how has the wedding dress endured?

Lihi Zwillinger, daughter of the Israeli couturier Mira, on her self named design and working in close quarters with her mother

14 tinkering the ivories

48 The List

Roland Mouret launches The White Collection, an exclusive bridal line for Net-a-Porter

Jewel of the Night: some extra big-day sparkle

19 MODERN DAY FAIRYTALE

Chubby sticks for eyes and Crème de la Mer sun care

A closer look at the £10billion a year industry

23 april diary

This month’s top cultural hotspots

28 A-Z Your local ‘Little White Book’; the ultimate party planning directory

Style 33 WishList Temperley’s beautiful 2013 Florence collection

34 Style Update

51 best of beauty

54 upstairs downstairs Courtenay Chemists’ new wellbeing sanctuary

Interiors

Creations and Comitti of London produce a limited edition piece; the Greenwich Regulator

67 Watch News The latest trends and offerings from the watch world

71 MEN’S TREND Embrace the best British brands with patriotic panache

74 Jewellery Trend The English countryside inspires flowers, feathers and wildlife

Health & Family 79 WishList Children’s entertainers Sharky and George will keep your little rascals at bay

57 WishList Devon&Devon’s President tub will make you feel like the First Lady

80 Nursery News

58 Interiors Inspirations

83 Health & Fitness News

Get ready for a spring spruce-up, minus the florals

Squat and skip on the Heath

The latest little clothes

Food & Drink

Camden and St John’s Wood welcome Georgia May-Jagger for a new Hudson jeans campaign

60 bed of roses

36 the one

Collection

This Tiller Girls inspired wedding cake will have you high-kicking at the altar

65 WishList

90 STRICTLY BALLROOM

Royal Warrant holders Zone

Catering company Urban Caprice can bring a J Sheekey’s fish pie straight to your top table

Jenny Packham, Vivienne Westwood, Caroline Castigliano and Matthew Williamson

about mira

Top florist Hayford & Rhodes have pockets full of posies

87 WishList

Travel 95 WishList East meets West at the Bulgari Villa, Bali

96 travel in style From chic igloos to golden sands

98 Lovers’ Lane Prague’s breathtaking architecture and historic cobbled streets

100 this is africa The ‘smiling coast’ is ideal for bird spotting and ‘jungle juicing’

oyster perpe tual date just l ady 31

Unit C5, Brent Cross Shopping Centre, London NW4 3FH www.fraserhart.co.uk

watch featured subject to stock availability

From the editor

eddings are big business. Currently planning my own to-do, it’s incredible just how much there is to consider. In an industry that generates around £10million a year for the UK economy, even the very top-end of the market is saturated, making it hard to know where to start. So with spring – albeit briefly – in the air, we thought we’d dedicate our April issue to all things white and beautiful. From the top bridal couturiers to Michelin star catering you’ll find everything your heart could desire (minus the groom) if and when you plan your own, your daughter’s or your best friend’s big day. First and foremost, former bridal magazine editor Marina Licht sheds light on the question: has the lady always worn white? We get a history lesson on page nine. If there’s one man who knows how to flatter a woman’s body, it’s Roland Mouret. His favourite colour may be blue, but that hasn’t stopped him launching The White Collection, an exclusive bridal line for Net-a-Porter. He purrs to Gabrielle Lane, “I design for the lady of the day. Bridesmaids? They are not my cup of tea” (p. 14). Israeli mother and daughter duo, Lihi and Mira Zwillinger are making a name for themselves in the world of wedding dresses. I talk to Lihi about her self-named design and working with her mum night and day. The ones to watch in the world of bridal – you heard it here first (p. 45). If you’re looking for Jenny Packham, Vivienne Westwood, Caroline Castigliano or Matthew Williamson, turn to our beautiful fashion shoot (p. 36-43). You can also pick up some floral flair with Hayford & Rhodes (p. 60), get clued-up on catering with Urban Caprice (p. 90) and peruse our A-Z of local gems (p. 28). And if weddings don’t interest you, you’ll still find all the usual local news, restaurant openings and lavish getaways. Failing that, you can just look at the pictures.

Kari Rosenberg Editor

A P R I L 2 0 1 3 issu e 3 3

Editor Kari Rosenberg

Editorial Director Kate Harrison

Assistant Editor Gabrielle Lane

Brand Consistency Hiren Chandarana Laddawan Juhong

Collection Editor Annabel Harrison

General Manager Fiona Fenwick

Contributing Editor Richard Brown

Client Relationship Director Felicity Morgan-Harvey

Feature Writers Gemma Knight Olivia Sharpe

Head of Finance Elton Hopkins

Senior Designer Grace Linn

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

Proudly published by

RUNWILD M

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www.rwmg.co.uk

Runwild Media Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Runwild Media Ltd. takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved. DISTRIBUTION: Vantage Magazine is distributed throughout Hampstead, Highgate, Primrose Hill, St John’s Wood, Maida Vale, Marylebone and surrounding areas. For complete maps please visit our website.

c athe n a rcity y magazine wharf

MARCH 2013

canary wharf

drive of your life

The new Porsche 911; Corvette reveals its latest incarnation; and a Bugatti Veyron sound system to shout about

The Lady Wore White, p. 9 Princess Grace at Her Wedding © Bettmann/CORBIS

Stepping spring/summer looks for the new season; zac efron grows up; & it’s sunshine season in barbados 92

the city magazine

march 2013

the city m a g a z i n e

Dear Resident

IN RESIDENCE:

All things royal seem to have unwittingly come to the fore in this month’s Journal. We begin with our take on The Goring’s Royal Warrant on page 4, continue with an exhibition review at The Queen’s Gallery (page 18) and seal matters on page 21 with two regally related book reviews, one historical and the other architectural. Turn next to this month’s literary extracts which concern 1911 resident of Ebury Street, novelist George Moore. I'm confident you’ll find a lot of colour in his musings on the dining habits of the Belgravian bachelor (That was then, pages 24-5). We also pay heavy homage in this issue to Felix Mendelssohn, whose blue plaque has recently arrived on Hobart Place (see pages 5 and 23); plenty of artisty this month, to get lost in when you're not outside enjoying the spring air, which is now undeniably present.

BELGRAVIA Alice

‘Ironically, given the Gallery sits firmly on the royal doorstep, some of these portraits frame people ordered to be executed by Henry VIII himself’

Resident’s Journal

~ Jim Hanlon at The Queen’s Gallery, page 18

Briana Handte Lesesne Local resident Briana spent ten years at Condé Nast New York. She now contributes to our Beauty & Grooming pages and writes a column on the quotidian (p.20).

fulham Resident s Journal ’

trust fund

restoring public faith in investment banking

new build

Sara Oliver

Local resident Sara heads up the Belgravia Residents’ Association’s communications team when she's not penning away for our Residents’ Culture spread.

the staggering pace of development in the city

Runwild Media Group Publishers of: Canary Wharf, The City magazine, The Kensington & Chelsea Magazine, The Mayfair Magazine

Mai Osawa

Mai creates luscious watercolours which add a sense of decorum to our main story (p.6-7) and That was then feature.

man about town 65

the extraordinary life and times of octogenarian michael caine

Above / Interior of an Eaton Square property recently marketed by Harrods Estates. See pages 44-45 for more of their properties

March 2013

Managing Editor Katie Randall

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

Publishing Director Giles Ellwood

Editor Alice Tozer

Senior Designer Sophie Blain

Associate Publisher Sophie Roberts

Editorial Assistant Lauren Romano

General Manager Fiona Fenwick

Client Relationship Director Felicity Morgan-Harvey

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Production Hugo Wheatley, Alex Powell

Advertising Manager Hywel Kennedy

Russ Tudor Russ spruces up The Notebook and The Belgravian pages with his punchy illustrations. The Sunday Times, The Wall Street Journal and Pig Farmers’ Gazette pinch him from us on occasion.

Written for the residents of sW6 MARCH 2013 • Issue 8

Out

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

s c xe n x xe

the

lady wore

White Jasper Conran, Autumn/Winter 2007 Courtesy of Jasper Conran

From the Victorian era to the present day and beyond Marina Licht discovers how the wedding dress has both changed and endured in tradition and style

irst, to dispel a myth. Although Queen Victoria is believed to have started the trend for brides wearing white when she married Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840, women had been recorded sporting the hue years before this date. Weddings were often (and for many, still are) about demonstrating wealth, so the more elaborate the weave of the fabric was, the better. Before the colour white could be achieved through bleaching techniques and other methods, it was difficult to attain, so it was considered a valued shade for brides to wear. White was therefore more than appropriate for Queen Victoria. The Industrial Revolution had had a disastrous effect on the textile industries, so she also chose to incorporate lace into her gown to show her support. As one would expect, her dress was widely admired, increasing the number of wives-tobe wearing Honiton lace, which she chose for her ensemble. However, in spite of general praise for Queen Victoria’s outfit choice, the majority of women did not choose to emulate it, simply because they couldn’t afford to do so: more often than not, those few who did opt for white wedding dresses would then dye the garment a darker colour in order to hide stains and wear it again. When economic circumstances started to change in the 19th century, the middle classes sought to emulate royalty: if brides had the money to wear white, they would too. Queen Victoria’s daughter, Victoria, the Princess Royal, and her daughter-inlaw, Alexandra of Denmark, helped make the white wedding dress more of an accepted convention when they both married. It was not until the 1920s that wedding dresses started to take on more of a definitive style. When Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the late Queen Mother, wed the Duke of York, later to be King George VI in 1923, she wore a dress crafted by Madame Handley Seymour. It was traditional in length and had a court train behind and she followed the fashion at the time to opt for a dropped waist, with a headdress worn low over the brow. Also in this decade, Coco Chanel, who has undoubtedly had an enduring impact on women’s fashion in general, was responsible for introducing the short wedding dress; knee-length with a long train and full veil. Women had been given the opportunity to vote for the first time in 1918, which gave them more independence and confidence to take control of decisions and in turn influenced what they wore, particularly on their wedding day. Due to the Great Depression and World War, it was not surprising that wedding dresses in the 1930s became less ornate and more like business suits. Women did not want to be seen as extravagant when the world was in turmoil. When Wallis Simpson married King Edward the VIII in 1937, she wore a simple suit jacket and long skirt that demonstrated the less-is-more trend. It was not until the war ended in 1945 that wedding dresses started to become more opulent again. Ladies chose to wear ball gowns, as they wanted to feel like princesses after the tough austere war years.

Clockwise from left : Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon on their wedding day, Buckingham Palace, 6 May 1960. Thebride’s white organza wedding dress was created by Norman Hartnell. Her veil, made by the Parisian milliner Claude St Cyr to Hartnell’s design, was held in place by the Poltimore tiara. Selina Blow 18 June 1998. Drawing by David Downton. Private collection. © David Downton

Sketch of a wedding dress by the House of Paquin, pencil, ink and body colour, London, 1939–40. The design captures the theatricality of the 1930s. V&A: E.22922–1957. Given by the House of Worth All images courtesy of The Wedding Dress: 300 Years of Bridal Fashions by Edwina Ehrman, £30, V&A Publishing www.vandabooks.com

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Dresses in the 1930s became less ornate and more like business suits When Queen Elizabeth II wed the Duke of Edinburgh on 20 November 1947, it had a huge impact on bridal fashion as it was the first royal wedding recorded on film. Designed by leading London couturier Sir Norman Hartnell, the dress was said to have been inspired by Botticelli’s painting of Primavera due to its elaborate flower motif. The gown was adorned with hundreds of crystals and 10,000 seed pearls. Although the trend for more decorative dresses started after the end of the war there were still austerity measures in place and the Queen (Princess Elizabeth at the time) was given clothing coupons to help her buy the material. The original 1950s film Father of the Bride had a huge influence on the look of wedding dresses in the years to follow. The gown worn by the film’s star Elizabeth Taylor was what many women dreamed of, with its Peter Pan collar, lace detail and nippedin waist. Towards the end of the decade, hemlines dropped, and dresses became more structured. “The ball gown is a shape that came to our attention predominantly in the 1950s,” explains leading bridal designer Stewart Parvin. “My ‘In Your Eyes’ gown is a classic ball gown shape, and my new ‘Wild Horses’ piece is a twist on this, a waisted gown with a full skirt, but made without any underskirts for a more sophisticated take on this bridal classic.” Helen Rose, who was responsible for Elizabeth Taylor’s gown in Father of the Bride, also created Hollywood actress Grace Kelly’s wedding dress when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco on 19 of April 1956. The gown, which was high-necked and long sleeved, had a fitted torso and full skirt. The dress consisted of silk taffeta, one hundred yards of silk net, peau de soie, tulle and 125-year-old Brussels rose point lace. The gown has had an enduring appeal as more than 50 years on, the wedding dress of Kate Middleton in 2011 was said to have been inspired by it. “The 1950s was a very exciting time for fashion as the war had recently ended,” explains Astral Sundholm-Hayes, owner of Circa Brides.“This decade has possibly had the biggest influence on bridal fashion today.” Another dress of the decade which is often cited as iconic is that worn by former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. She married John F. Kennedy on 12 September 1953. Designed by Ann Lowe, it was made of ivory silk taffeta and had a vast round skirt. Thanks to Mary Quant in the 1960s, the mini skirt became a popular choice for brides. When Cilla Black married her manager Bobby Willis in 1969, she wore a mini dress, complete with ostrich feathers around the neck and white boots. Yoko Ono also wore a short dress complete with a white hat when she tied the knot with John Lennon in the same year.

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Another iconic wedding outfit of the decade was that of Mia Farrow when she wed Frank Sinatra in 1966. Her two-piece wedding suit was very modern and the antithesis to the 1950s ball gown style. Sleeves were a big feature of the 1970s. Princess Anne wore a Tudor-style gown with a high collar and medieval sleeves when she wed Captain Mark Phillips on 14 November 1973. When Bianca Jagger married Mick in St Tropez in 1971, she wore a daringly lowcut Yves Saint Laurent smoking jacket and long skirt, complete with a veiled, wide-brimmed hat. Princess Diana’s bridal gown was undoubtedly representative of 1980s wedding style; the fairytale fantasy. The dress, designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, had large puffed sleeves and a billowing skirt. When Diana walked down the aisle to marry Prince Charles on 29 July 1981, her dress had a 25-foot train, adorned with antique lace and mother-ofpearl sequins. In the 1990s, many brides rejected the fairytale gowns for more fluid designs. When Carolyn Bessette wed John F. Kennedy Jr on 21 September, 1996, she wore a stunningly simple silk crepe dress with spaghetti straps, which was designed by Narcisco Rodriguez. The start of the new millennium saw the trend for wearing strapless gowns emerge. Madonna wore a Stella McCartney model when she wed Guy Ritchie in December 2000. When Victoria Adams became a Beckham on 4 July 1999, she also wore a strapless number, designed by Vera Wang, who has become the undisputed queen of wedding dress designers today. And so we come full circle; when Kate Middleton married Prince William on 29 April 2011, her gown reignited the trend for lace and modesty. Her dress, designed by Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen, won acclaim worldwide. Kate wanted to combine tradition and modernity when it came to her dress, which she undoubtedly achieved. “Lace isn’t going anywhere yet, and we’ll be using it in our new collection,” says Stewart Parvin, who also made Zara Phillips’s wedding gown.

“I hope that our interpretation of the classic lace gown will be a twist on what has gone before.” Top bridal couturier Phillipa Lepley also believes the popularity of the strapless dress will start to wane in the coming years. “In the wake of the Duchess of Cambridge’s choice, I am finding that brides want a lot more coverage from sleeves and straps. Of course strapless gowns will still be around, but not as much as they have been in previous decades.” As for the future of wedding gowns, it would seem that almost anything goes, and white is no longer the only accepted colour. Last year both Giambattista Valli and Valentino created soft pink dresses which captured worldwide attention when they debuted at the weddings of two of Hollywood’s leading ladies, Jessica Biel and Anne Hathaway. Moreover, Oscar de la Renta took up the mantle at his Spring/Summer 13 bridal show, modernising the ‘something blue’ tradition by adding layers of blue net to one of his wedding gowns. There’s no doubt wedding dresses will always inform us about the societies and cultures that created and preserved them. The Wedding Dress: 300 Years of Bridal Fashions, published by the V&A is a fantastic archive for further exploration, drawing on surviving garments, photographs, memoirs, newspaper accounts and genealogical research within the V&A’s collection to explore the history of the wedding dress and the traditions that have developed around it, from 1700 to the present day. Its author, Edwina Ehrman, curator of textiles and fashion at the V&A, is a specialist in 19th-century fashion. Charlie Brear, who owns vintage wedding dress company, VWDC by Charlie Brear, believes that the forthcoming movie The Great Gatsby will have a big influence on bridal wear in years to come. “I think it has already influenced the industry and will continue to do so when it is released this summer,” she says. “The dresses from our collection embody the spirit of the 1920s with dropped waists, low backs and delicately beaded fabrics. This style was revolutionary back then and remains a showstopper today.” And so we revert to generations gone by. As F. Scott Fitzgerald said: “Can’t repeat the past?... Why of course you can!” n

Kate wanted to combine tradition and modernity when it came to her gown

Bride c.1926. The new silhouette for women was flat-chested, slim-hipped and athletic. Photograph by Peter North.

Tinkering

the ivories With the launch of the White Collection, fiancĂŠes-in-waiting have the chance to become a Roland Mouret bride. Gabrielle Lane speaks to one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most celebrated dress-makers

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From Left: Compeyson open-back stretch-crepe gown, ÂŁ1,745 and Breton matelasse gown, ÂŁ3,800

From Left: One-shoulder wool blend dress, £1,600 and Jansen stretch-crepe gown, £2,100

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our days after showing his Autumn/ Winter 13 ready-to-wear collection in Paris, Roland Mouret has touched down in the UK for a fleeting visit to his London HQ and is already back in a taxi en route to the continent, at the time of our prearranged interview. Maybe it’s the smooth French accent, but if he’s tired or finding his schedule a little frenetic – we’ve moved the time of our interview three times in one day – then he doesn’t show it. He’s pure, infectious joie de vivre. Laughing again when I accidently send his call straight to voicemail (cue calls from his equally charming assistant Thom), “Let’s go!” he purrs. “Can you hear me, Gabri-elle?!” In November, Roland injected his sleek, formflattering aesthetic into the bridal sphere. What the designer does best is contour silhouettes like no other, in a way that is sexy but simultaneously demure: while you might find a gown with a low back on a Roland Mouret rail, those that come to mind are more likely to have long sleeves or a dramatic fishtail skirt, than a plunging neckline. The fashion industry is most definitely heralding the puritanical next season, but in current times it’s still refreshing to see such restraint. “The sleek attitude is directed by my customer,” Mouret explains. “It is erm.. something that you don’t find so easily; it’s a question of delivering for a woman what she is looking for.” He tells me his designs are for “the lady of the day. Bridesmaids are not my cup of tea”. With an engagement ring on your finger, you have the choice of one of five understated gowns. “They [the brides] really wanted to have my kind of dress in white for a wedding. That’s why I call it the ‘White Collection’, because it’s [from] the same development of my main collection but treated in a white fabric for those that want an alternative to the typical wedding dress design.” The Compeyson is Mouret, true to art – longsleeved, with a slightly open back, a centre front ruffle and ruching to the hips, while the Jansen is his cap-sleeved, fishtail masterpiece in stretch crepe. Things get more daring when you consider the Hexam – a halterneck, lace-bodice style, with a split to the skirt – but it’s the remaining two designs that contrast traditional flurries of tulle the most. The Breton heads for couture with ambition. It’s a matelassé gown with a light embroidered texture that is cut and folded about the body – the neckline is jagged, the back is essentially triangles nipped together and there’s an oversized waist bow. It was born on the runway. And finally, there’s a short, one-shouldered cocktail dress with pleats to the top, crafted from a wool-silk blend. It’s the instant solution for those getting married at a ‘non-wedding type of wedding’, which is a sentiment you’ll understand if you’ve tried to hunt for a suitable bigday gown before. Even though Mouret intentionally stayed true to his lauded formula, the process took a year

I design for the lady of the day. Bridesmaids? They are not my cup of tea to complete. Net-a-Porter.com is the exclusive beneficiary of the capsule range. “It’s an amazing service!” he explains. “Net-a-Porter is a leader in its field. It gives the woman another way. The internet is amazing. With the bows and the bags [all Net-aPorter purchases arrive artfully gift-wrapped], it’s so much about sending a present, but you are the one buying it!” While the dress search may be streamlined, this is not a collection devoid of romance. Mouret loves a winter wedding. The idea of making the celebrations cosy as well as a grand spectacle is a thought that fascinates him and as we talk, he turns, in his dreamiest French accent, to the concept of marriage. “I think you have to get married for yourself of course. But it is very nice to bring people into your story. Every amazing wedding is about following the bride and groom on their journey.” He spends his own free time with his partner in the Surrey countryside. Once he’s stopped laughing heartily at the suggestion of any time away from work, quipping “there’s your answer,” he paints a picture of “walks, dinners at the pub and lots of antique shops.” His sketch pad is rooted firmly in the studio, but he cites his inspirations as London and the world around him. “That’s what I like, I like watching people. It’s like a little movie.” He does not have a muse, preferring to draw on the personalities and styles of different women he has met, but he does have a favourite colour. “Blue as it is just so flattering!” he exclaims. “I’m a blue guy; I love all shades of blue. Look at Jessica Chastain,” he sighs, remembering the dress the actress wore at this year’s BAFTAs, which came from his stable. “I was very happy for her and very happy for me. She looked beautiful.” Whatever the colour, Mouret’s name is synonymous with dresses. And that’s not going to change, if the bridal range is anything to go by – even if he did send a few jackets and pairs of trousers down his Paris runway. “Of course we all want to be known for more than we are,” he agrees. “But I have been so lucky to be recognised as a dress-maker and for a unique way of making dresses. I chose it, it’s my life and I wouldn’t change it.” n

The White Collection is available at www.net-a-porter.com www.rolandmouret.com

THE COLOUR AND THE GLORY 0844 411 5080 royalascothospitality.co.uk

TUESDAY 18TH JUNE TO SATURDAY 22ND JUNE 2013

scene

Modern Day

Fairytale

Dewsall Court, Deidre Lynn Wedding Photography

As old as the hills it may be, but from catwalk to aisle couture gowns, proposed tax breaks to idiosyncratic festivities, marriage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the weddings that kick-start it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are back in vogue says Sophie McCorry Day, author of new wedding planning book The Secret Quintessentially Weddings Guide

scene

In times of relative uncertainty, we have fallen back in love with the certainty of marriage

here’s a new trend in town. Its renaissance chimes with not only a flurry of some of fashion’s luminaries debuting bridal lines in London (Roland Mouret, Sophia Kokosolaki), with the likes of Oscar de la Renta opening in Mayfair, Net-a-Porter reinventing its dedicated wedding boutique and an industry worth some £10billion a year to the British economy, but also a palpable shift in the zeitgeist. The stuff of countless fantasies incubated since many girls are kneehigh (despite what many a feminist may say), today’s brides bring with them their generation Y postmillennium education in all things internet, Facebook, blogosphere, Sex And The City – and an entitled sense of self which permeates the notion of individuality in everything, not just the way they dress. Ergo, their nuptials were always going to be the antithesis to the nonsense of the frills, meringue and identikit wedding culture. Add to this the tangible influence of seductive wedding blogs and the ease of posting your moodboards to Pinterest and it’s easy to see how this has become a peer-led marketplace of one-upmanship (however subconscious it may – or may not – be, every bride wants her wedding to be the best). The wedding is now

as much about making a political, personal and style statement as it is a celebration of good old fashioned love and romance. Cue unapologetically glamorous, edgier, stylised affairs held at exotic destinations, or in quirky country boltholes that often last not mere hours, but days, emulating the great court events of old; which perhaps goes some way towards explaining the wedding phenomenon. It’s the one chance for a woman to play princess and nod to the romanticism of a time gone by. The renaissance of weddings has arguably been bubbling under for a few years now; the most recently available statistics show a four per cent increase in marriages in 2010. Between then and now, at Quintessentially Weddings we have also seen a noteworthy impact on the industry post-royal wedding, and the rise of the socalled ‘super-wedding’. It could be that in times of relative uncertainty, we have fallen back in love with the certainty of marriage. Or perhaps the certainty never waned and it just wasn’t in fashion. Perhaps we have grown tired of cooking Yotam Ottolenghi meals just for one, and find the new spate of docu-comedies such as Girls not reassuringly relevant, but a touch unnerving. Trends of any nature, after all, are socially reflective. Illustrations by Sophie McCorry Day The ascendancy of weddings in their new age-

xxx

appropriate shape demonstrates that we have become serious again about getting wed. The myriad licensed venues, destination locations, dress designers, cake makers, stationers, florists, caterers, classic car drivers, photographers and temptations that now constitute the essential components of any big day is testament to the industry built on dreams having widened and matured to allow today’s brides and grooms to truly express their choices, tastes and aesthetic inclinations in a way not seen before. Not for them the hurried wedding at the registry office in a floating bell-sleeved bohemian gown, or the trifle-and-disco reception of their parents. The industry has effectively become a creative one, and has had to up its game as the competition has exploded. There has also been a change in psyche when it comes to men. To go straight for the jugular, good food and alcohol options have been happy victims of the personalisation of weddings, and have a powerful hold on the male interest, right up there with the opportunity to demand a muscle car to make an entrance. Bespoke cocktails, whisky and cigar bars, menus that feature signature dishes from Nobu (who now cunningly offer a special events catering service), or artisan cheeses mingled with caviar on baked Jersey Royals are now commonplace. “Increasingly we have seen the role of the parents in terms of selecting or influencing the food choices diminishing. Couples are more gastronomically aware, better travelled, and there has been a steady adoption of more adventurous food in the UK. They no longer need to be ‘bullied’ by resident caterers into following a formulaic menu that has been served to countless others. “Nor should they have to,” says Bertie de Rougemont, founder and managing director of Cellar Society. For those lucky enough to secure Cellar Society as their wedding caterer, (they usually feed the likes of Stella McCartney, Prada, the entire LVMH stable…) they can expect a menu far from the traditional five courses and petits fours, but reinterpretations of cherished family recipes, and sharing dishes crafted with ingredients plucked from the surrounding fields of the father of the bride’s country estate (to name just two recent examples). Defined by a singularly bespoke approach, “there’s nothing we like more than a totally blank canvas”, the Cellar Society team are excited by the prospect of creating a feast that intuitively delights their brides and grooms alike. Grooms can also now indulge in much the same way as brides have long done, picking from an array of investment pieces for their attire thanks to bespoke suits newly offered at Alexander McQueen’s Savile Row store, the elegant edit at Mr Porter and men’s shoes from Jimmy Choo. But this is not to demean the emotional seriousness of what is afoot. It is a commonly known fact that married men live longer, report higher levels of life satisfaction and no doubt get pleasure from seeing their sweetheart delighted on her wedding day. n

www.quintessentiallyweddings.com/theguide

HURLINGHAM 8TH/9TH/10TH JUNE 2012

A WONDERFUL FAMILY DAY OUT AND GREAT VALUE HURLINGHAM 7th, 8th & 9th June 2013 tickets on sale through ticketmaster速 now www.mintpolointhepark.com

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HURLINGHAM 8TH/9TH/10TH JUNE 2012

08/03/2013 12:42:38

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LOCAL Update Covering the whole of North West London

A Stirring Arrival Circus is a tricky medium – often more tawdry than tasteful – but not so with the latest offering from award-winning theatre company Tamasha. In new production The Arrival, choreography, multi-lingual narrative, music and symbolic imagery are fused to interpret Shaun Tan’s graphic novel in which a man leaves all that he knows and embarks on a journey into the utterly unfamiliar. Responsible for such successes as A Yearning (which was subsequently adapted for BBC Radio 4) and the original stage production of East is East, the name of the company means ‘creating a stir’ in Hindi – and with this unusual production, it looks likely they’ll do just that.

9 – 13 April, Jackson Lane Theatre, 269a Archway Road, N6

feeling Rosy Bulgarian-born, Japan and London-educated artist Eszter Rajna is bringing her newest selection of bright, lively oil paintings to Hampstead. Inspired by the colourists, specifically Matisse and Van Gogh, Rajna attempts to “convey simplicity and beauty with sensitivity yet strength of colour”, and focuses primarily on her trademark vivid portraits as well as the namesake of her forthcoming show, Flower Power.

20 – 24 March, Burgh House & Hampstead Museum, NW3

Fabulous Femininity Deepen your understanding of the human condition this month at the A&D gallery, where innovative and established artist Beth Blik will be unveiling her new exhibition A Celebration of Woman. With her unusual talent for combining glass and bronze to create strikingly emotive figurative forms, Blik’s work is both uplifting and filled with gravitas, challenging her viewers to reconsider their notions of self, while they drink in its undeniable aesthetic appeal.

22 – 27 April, A&D Gallery, Chiltern Street, W1U

scene

Peculiar Forms Jane Spiers, originally from Bristol but now a long-time resident of our fair city, claims that her artwork is almost always a “response to patterns, shapes and the juxtaposition of forms in nature and the man-made world”. The most recent results of this preoccupation, which will be exhibited at her forthcoming show, Paintings and Prints, are a series of dramatic images which focus on everyday objects seen from curious new perspectives – particularly useful if your powers of perception could do with a bit of a shake-up.

27 March – 7 April, Burgh House & Hampstead Museum, New End Square, NW3

‘Souzou: Outsider Art from Japan’, created by artists who are deemed to be on the margins of society, is coming to the Wellcome Trust as a major exhibition for the first time, showcasing more than 300 pieces by patients who reside at social welfare institutions on the Japanese island of Honshu. The 46 artists, who have all been diagnosed with developmental disorders, have worked in various mediums to explore notions of culture, memory and creativity, expressing their unique visions of the world. ‘Souzou’ has no direct English translation but can mean creation or imagination.

28 March – 30 June, 183 Euston Road, NW1

Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey is to begin lecturing students at Regent’s College, the historic university situated in the heart of Regent’s Park, as well as investing at least £2.3m in the institution through his charity, the Kevin Spacey Foundation. This investment will allow the college to offer six new scholarships on its wellrespected Acting Global Theatre BA course come September, and may even lead to an extension of the scholarship programme to other undergraduate courses. Spacey has been artistic director at The Old Vic since 2003 and is said to be “delighted” and hopeful that the scholarships will be “life-changing”.

ck.com

Through Their Eyes

Woven Wonders

Watch This Spacey Featureflash / Shu ttersto

Shota KATSUBE, Untitled; Collection of the artist Photograph © Satoshi TAKAISHI

The London Antique Rug and Textile Art Fair, an annual staple for the international community’s most avid textile and tapestry collectors, is returning to the capital for a third year running, bringing with it a selection of woven objects sourced from all over the world. The fair aims to bring the world’s leading dealers together, and this year will coincide with the Islamic Art Auctions season, seeing the city transform into something of a haven for interior designers and fans of Asia’s wonders alike.

18 – 21 April, Showroom, Penfold Street, NW8

Guest list LK Bennett by Caroline Issa Collection Launch, Marylebone 18 February 2013

Amber Atherton with Caroline Issa

Style icon du jour, Tank magazine fashion director and Marylebone resident Caroline Issa drew quite the flurry of well-wishers during London Fashion Week when she launched a limited edition range of accessories for LK Bennett, at its new store. Guests enjoyed Champagne, cocktails and mini dishes of Thai street food in keeping with the Eastern inspired collection of shoes and clutch bags. The embroidered flats (complete with pom-poms) were our favourite.

94 Marylebone High Street, W1U

Caroline Issa with Corinne Bailey-Rae

Guests received a gift

LK Bennett’s new Marylebone store

Jo Wood’s Autobiography Launch Party, West End 28 February 2013 The glamorous Jo Wood, who now calls Primrose Hill home, shared secrets and celebrations with guests including Sadie Frost, Gizzi Erskine and Yasmine Mills whilst signing copies of her autobiography Hey Jo: A Rock and Roll Fairytale, at Liberty in late February. Jo’s daughter Leah was on hand to DJ, lending a fun yet laid-back vibe to proceedings.

Regent Street, W1B The autobiography

Guests peruse the book

Gizzi Erskine and guest

Jo Wood, family and friends

Champagne was served

scene

Samuel L Jackson with Kari Rosenberg, Vantage editor

Milena Ivanova, Signia Wealth

Robert Whitton, Affinity Chairman

Mark Tomlinson, Affinity CEO Sofia Davis, Founder of Shooting Stars Benefit and Claire Lewis

Affinity Real Estate Shooting Stars Benefit Announcement, Victoria 11 February 2013 Samuel L Jackson announced that his annual charity golfing event at The Grove hotel will raise money for dementia and Alzheimer’s through the Samuel L Jackson Foundation. The reception was held at Moet and Chandon’s head office, where Jackson spoke about the passing of his mother after battling with the disease. The Affinity Real Estate Shooting Stars Benefit will take place at The Grove from 14-15 June. Jackson said: “We don’t just invite the best golfers, we invite good people (who are a little bit famous!) that people want to hang out and have fun with.”

www.shootingstarsbenefit.com

Marie Carrere and Alexandra King Moet Hennessy UK Limited, Samuel L Jackson Sofia Davis, Founder of Shooting Stars Benefit

Conor Maynard

Sangeeta Kaur, Oakland Estates with Samuel L Jackson and friend

Stephen Bunting and Chris Rogers, Big Group

Robert Whitton, Vina Whitton and Samuel L Jackson

Laura Jackson

Calvin Klein Jeans Store Launch, West End 18 February 2013 Having Rita Ora as a celebrity ambassador is a coup for a brand when it comes to showing off a glitzy new store design. Calvin Klein Jeans invited the singer to perform at its Regent Street flagship for invitees including Connor Maynard, Laura Whitmore and Sacha Bailey, before Pixie Geldof took to the decks to DJ. The event celebrated an overhaul which saw the introduction of all kinds of fixtures and fittings to show CK denim off to its very best.

170 Regent Street, W1B Sacha Bailey

Rita Ora

Rosie Fortescue

Absolute Flowers & Home Does what it says on the tin – absolutely everything necessary to create a timeless backdrop to your wedding, from flowers to menus and beyond.

12-14 Clifton Road, W9

Bread & Honey

The

You may have sampled the restaurant’s lentil salad or chargrilled vegetables but the catering wing prides itself on serving food that’s equally delicious and creative. And with a bespoke wedding package that includes an expert planner, they certainly tick all of our nuptial-worthy boxes.

Cellar Society

This catering team likes a challenge, and with a client list that includes Kate Moss, Prada, Versace and Karl Lagerfeld, it’s just as well – think lavish, tailor-made and very, very exclusive, darling.

Unit 4, Falcon Park, Neasden Lane, NW10

13-15 Sunbeam Road, NW10

Whether you’re hunting for an inspirational florist or top-class caterer, Gemma Knight and Alice Todman know North West London’s best-kept secrets. They share Vantage’s Little White Book

Debra Mai Events Highly-regarded to say the least, the team has planned every intricate detail of many a function, each a grand theatrical production. 78 York Street, W1H

scene

Engagement Rings Tucked away in Marylebone Village, Cox & Power offer brides and grooms-to-be the very special opportunity to design their own wedding jewellery under the expert supervision of their experienced craftsmen.

35C Marylebone High Street, W1U

Gainsborough Flowers

Fabulous Feet

Bring magazine cuttings, colour swatches and favourite fabrics to your free wedding consultation and these quirky, dedicated florists will tailor your wedding blooms to your floral fantasies.

Every bride should look magnificent from head-to-toe, so what better excuse to indulge in a bespoke wedding beauty package available at Margaret Dabbs Foot Clinic & Nail Spa?

7 New Cavendish Street, W1G

Hire: Greathire

Greathire Ltd is the perfect destination for anyone seeking elegant wedding furniture. The company has provided furniture for events ranging from the Baftas to the Masters, and are sure to lend sophistication to the best day of your life.

Unit 4, Bago House, 11-15 Chase Road, Park Royal, NW10

Jewel in the Crown Like an intimate little jewellery box inside, Kabiriâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original Marylebone store is the perfect place to pick out your nuptial trinkets from the impressive range of designer collections.

37 Marylebone High St, W1U

43 Marylebone High Street, W1U

Incredible Dresses: Elizabeth Emanuel

Emanuel designed Princess Dianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wedding dress, so she is the go-to designer for a frock fit for royalty. She has also created gowns for many films and awards ceremonies, making her studio the place to go for ultimate glamour.

Garden Studio, 51 Maida Vale, W9

Le Tour

Whether arriving in style entails a limo, Rolls-Royce or Bentley, the Le Tour wedding car company promises to get you to the church on time or, should you wish, just a little bit fashionably late.

131-179 Belsize Road, NW6

Keith Appleby When it comes to wedding pictures, it’s best to defer to the professionals, and luckily a small selection of this elite brood can be found right in the heart of Hampstead Heath. Phew.

M O Heathdene, Vale of Heath, NW3

MACS Salon

Put yourself in the capable hands of MACS London, where you can not only get your hair and make-up done, but also arrange, select and custom-plan absolutely every single element of your wedding. As complete packages go, this is a good’un.

Nuptial Venue: Burgh House Burgh House is a beautiful venue built in the early 18th century. Rudyard Kipling’s daughter Elise and her husband were the most recent residents, making this a fantastic location for a wedding in a historical setting.

Burgh House, New End Square, Hampstead, NW3

61 Kilburn High Road, Maida Vale, NW6

Oscar’s Den

Once famous as London’s premier fancy dress shop, Oscar’s Den has branched out and now provides its own wedding party service, including a gorgeous selection of bespoke wedding cakes as well as balloons, confetti, fireworks and even the occasional Chinese lantern. What a bright idea.

127-129 Abbey Road, NW6

Quintessentially Travel

They refer to themselves as ‘the masters of travel couture’ and we’d have to agree. Whether it’s an exotic hideaway, a winter wonderland or an actionpacked adventure, Quintessentially creates dream honeymoons direct to order.

10 Carlisle Street, W1D

Power People: By Appointment Only Design

By Appointment Only Design plans exclusive weddings down to every detail. The company’s thorough approach and emphasis on aesthetics will guarantee that your big day is full of little delights.

38 Chiltern Street, W1U

Regent’s College Conference Centre

Wedding parties of up to 500 guests can gather in the beautiful surroundings of Regent’s Park. Eleven acres of private gardens will be at your disposal, so that you can enjoy the tranquil green space without having to leave the excitement of the city behind.

Regent’s College, Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, NW1

Soie Meme

Offering simple and stunning alternatives to the traditional wedding dress, brides can mix-andmatch skirts and tops.

76 Belsize Park Gardens, NW3

Understated

48 Chalcot Road, NW1

Winning Wicket Romance might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of the famous cricket ground, but for a quintessentially British wedding, it’s hard to think of a better venue.

Lord’s Cricket Ground, St John’s Wood, NW8

X Marks the Spot

Designed and built by Robert Adam in the 18th century, 29 Portland Place is a grade II listed Georgian building with not one but two ballrooms to die for, sweeping staircases and antique chandeliers.

Yes to theDress

29 Portland Place, W1B

203A Belsize Road, NW6

Timeless Elegance: One Marylebone A number one destination for nuptial celebrations, One Marylebone offers an individual concierge service to create that really personal touch.

1 Marylebone Road, NW1

Photography by Polly Alexandre

VVRouleaux A truly special little shop providing creative brides with a one-stop-shop for, quite literally, all the trimmings. We love the French wireedged taffetas and gorgeous collections of satin ribbon.

V z

The buzz word at Ruth Kaye Designs is quality, and since the beautiful bespoke invitations give your guests that first impression you can’t make twice, it’s just as well this shines through in every detail of the handiwork.

scene

With more than 20 years’ experience, Sesay Bridal Wear take a comfortingly old-school approach to dressmaking, diligently creating vintage-inspired, bespoke bridal gowns to flatter every size and shape.

102 Marylebone Lane, W1U

London Zoo

London Zoo provides an original location for a memorable wedding which may involve some real-life party pets as a live animal encounter can be arranged as part of the day.

Outer Circle, Regent’s Park, NW1

www.bachet.fr

style

wish list

FORGET-ME-NOT Film noir lays at the heart of the Temperley Bridal vision for its 2013 Florence collection. Sleek silhouettes and columns of chiffon and Chantilly lace take inspiration from screen sirens gone by, with designer Alice Temperley MBE insisting each gown must blend functionality and form in a beautiful, ethereal fashion. Her mantra? “A bride should never feel overwhelmed by her dress.” The beauty is in the detail, and Temperley’s gloriously personal touch is the embroidery of a delicate forget-me-not flower on the inside of the gown, serving as the bride’s ‘something blue’.

Long Jean Dress, POA, Temperley Bridal www.temperleylondon.com

STYLE Update

the runway bride Award season saw fashion go bridal, yielding an abundance of trains, oyster hues and lightly embroidered fabrics on the red carpet. Fitting then, that bridal is to go ‘fashion’ thanks to Net-a-Porter, who have partnered with six designers and given them a glittering brief – to produce show-stopping, modern gowns fit for a movie star. Those to take up the challenge include Antonio Berardi (crepe and lace), Giambattista Valli (tiered organza and macramé) and Rochas (taffeta twill). All designs are exclusive to the website with prices ranging from £1,295 to £9,039.

www.net-a-porter.com

style

PICTURE PERFECT

GENERATION i Camden and St John’s Wood have been hand-picked as backdrops for a new Hudson jeans campaign featuring Georgia May Jagger. The model is seen enjoying the edgy musical heart of the area, embracing the brand’s mantra #letyourselfgo. Instagram users will be encouraged to capture their own vibrant and fun expressions of the idea, for various prizes and the opportunity to feature in the next round of marketing material for the high-end denim label.

www.hudsonjeans.com

FLAT RATE

Mario Testino has become as much a celebrity as the stars of his photographs thanks to his captivating portrait work. Discovered while working as a waiter in London during the 1970s, Testino made friends with current fashion director of Vogue Lucinda Chambers. This spring, TASCHEN will unveil its pick of his most striking studio shots, collated in a limited edition tome entitled Mario Testino: Private View. A total of 1,500 signed copies of the book will be produced with Gwyneth Paltrow, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Kate Moss amongst its subjects. For a man whose self-reported aim is to make images that look like they were captured without effort, the result is masterfully, picture perfect. Moss, arguably one of the most photographed women of recent times, is clear on why she enjoys working with Testino. “He makes me sexier than other people.”

As flat pumps go, we’ve experimented with patent, leopard print and sparkle but we cannot wait to get our hands on the new design from Charlotte Olympia. Birthday Shoes is a capsule collection of butter-soft suede pairs, each adorned with a crystal-studded zodiac symbol crafted from enamel. The muted colour palette ensures the effect is stylish and personal rather than kooky. We can’t wait until our birthdays, so we’re snapping these up on their April launch date.

£495, Charlotte Olympia, www.charlotteolympia.com

£450, www.taschen.com

One The

Photographer : Jon Attenborough Stylist: Siouxsie

Laila silk Zibeline boat neck gown, £3,799, Caroline Castigliano www.carolinecastigliano.co.uk. Long black opera gloves, stylist’s own Multi-pearl gold metal and glass pearl cuff, £2,100, from a selection S/S13 Chanel Jewellery, www.chanel.com

Hyacinth silk chiffon tiered bridal dress with floral appliqued satin belt (100 per cent silk chiffon) ÂŁ3,030 Jenny Packham, www.jennypackham.com

Vintage lacquer lace embroidered gown, ÂŁ6,900 Matthew Williamson, 28 Bruton Street, W1

Astrantia silk crêpe and satin panelled bridal dress with beaded embellished sleeves and back, £6,660, with Camellia belt, £365, Rondelle headdress, £260, and Rondelle bracelet, from £255, all Jenny Packham, www.jennypackham.com

L’Avventura dress, POA, Reem Acra at Browns Bride, 12 Hinde Street, W1U; Stellina headdress, £344, Jenny Packham, as before Patroclo silver shoes, £625, Manolo Blahnik, 020 7352 8622

Mermaid dress and Bird of Paradise apron, POA (made-to-measure) Vivienne Westwood, 6 Davies Street, W1J, 020 7629 3757 Gold metal cuff with glass pearl, £2,185, from a selection S/S13, Chanel Jewellery, as before

HAIR & MAKE-UP: Charlotte Gaskell at lharepresents.com | STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: Ashley Gianna Hallett | MODEL: Alex Marshall at FM Agency, London | LOCATION: 29 Portland Place, W1, www.29portlandplace.com FLOWERS: Q Flowers, www.quintessentiallyflowers.com

Celebration dress, POA, Peter Langner at Browns Bride 12 Hinde Street, W1U Gold metal and glass pearl necklace, ÂŁ2,480, from a selection S/S13, Chanel Jewellery, as before Nude frill gloves, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

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

0679_Zinc Kensington & Chelsea Ad_Apr12_AW.indd 1

09/03/2012 16:51

style

There’s

Something About

Mira

As Mira Zwillinger launches its Spring/Summer 13 Ethereal collection, Kari Rosenberg talks to lead designer and brand manager Lihi Zwillinger, daughter of the celebrated Israeli couturier

here’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Mira Zwillinger. Neither had I until stumbling upon the breathtaking ‘Lihi’ dress while perusing Browns Bride’s rails, picking out pieces for our fashion shoot this month. Lihi is in fact Mira’s daughter – and it’s her with whom I end up chatting at what should be my allotted interview time with her mother. “We do everything the same. It’s the same,” says Lihi, her cavalier “what’s the big deal” attitude all the more pronounced by her thick Israeli

accent. The phone crackles as she mutters something in Hebrew to someone in the background at the Tel Aviv headquarters. “It’s not the same,” I say, maintaining composure, “my interview is with Mira.” “Don’t worry about it,” Lihi says, “It’s the same.” I could see the conversation wasn’t going to end in my favour so I accepted that while it’s not “the same” I’d carry on anyway, before she could pull the “relax” card on me (us Brits are so uptight). Lihi is, after all, quickly stepping into her mother’s shoes, now heading up the couturier as

When I got married, my dress was such a huge success so I thought Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d try my hand at designing bridal gowns. And then I fell in love with it

s txyxl xe

lead designer and brand manager after the success of her self-named dress, created for her own big day. Her background is mainly street-wear, a stark contrast to the ultra-feminine evening gowns and cocktail dresses for which the brand has achieved its status in the last few years. A route straight into the fashion world was always assumed – “Of course, I got into the industry because of my mother”– and she’d been tagging along on textile scouring trips around Europe from a young age. “Since I was very small, my mother used to take me to all the fabric stores in the markets in Italy. It started from there when I was five years old and after I graduated from high school I decided I wanted to study fashion in Israel. So I went to the top fashion school in Tel Aviv. I’ve always known that I’d join my mother’s brand, adding my own line perhaps.” Lihi joined the family business about a year and a half ago after her own big day and the success of her debut bridal gown which she modelled down the aisle. “I was against doing bridal before my wedding,” she says. “I like colourful things that are a bit crazy. I thought that bridal was boring because it is just the same palette of colours over and over. When I got married and my dress was such a huge success, I thought I’d try my hand at bridal gowns. And then I fell in love with it. The options are smaller but I found it more challenging to play with the same tones but discover new fabrics. I found it fascinating. “When designing my [Lihi] dress I knew that I wanted the upper part to be more crowded with detail which would then spread out around the neckline. I saw the fabric in my head as well as the fit. The shape is very flattering and basic, just a tank top and pleated skirt really. Very simple. But the fabrics are so beautiful.” Tying the knot at home in Tel Aviv, the party went on from two in the afternoon until two in the morning with around 300 guests in tow. Lihi warms up a bit as we talk weddings and I tell her about plans for my own nuptials next summer. “Mine was a crazy party. It was all white with a lot of flowers and candles. In Israel the parties are bigger than they traditionally are in London. People in England can have weddings with 40 or 50 people but we could never have that in Israel. The minimum would be 150 to 200 but most weddings have around 400 guests, even up to 1,000. Everyone is dancing. Many of our friends from Europe came and they said they had never been to a wedding that was so free. We danced the whole evening.” We get onto my own wedding and plans to party abroad, and her genuine excitement is endearing. “People from England get together in much cooler places than us – Spain and Italy are much more romantic.” She’s keen to give her own tips both as a designer and newlywed on choosing ‘the dress’, whether it’s one of her and her mother’s creations or not. “Until you see the dress on, you won’t know if it’s right. Seeing a dress on a hanger and on the body are two different things. You should see it the same as you would when choosing an evening dress, to suit the character of the bride. Brides don’t want to look like they are in costume, wearing something that doesn’t suit their personality.” The brand has been going strong for more than two decades, but it’s only in the last few years that things

have really started to take off internationally. Named Designer of the Year in Israel in 2006, demand is surging all over the world. “For years my mum didn’t want any press,” says Lihi. “Hers was a private couture studio, only known by word of mouth. She didn’t want any publicity. But then about five years ago the pressure for interviews started from journalists. She was dressing a lot of celebrities including the wife of the former Israeli prime minister. She was creating bespoke pieces for almost all of Israel’s high society and that’s when word really started to spread. And now it’s becoming a household name across London and New York.” While the eveningwear continued to attract attention, brides soon started to approach Mira. From there the requests exploded. “Brides wanted that quality and detail. So then my mother decided to do bridalwear – she went to London to show the collection and met Caroline Burstein, creative director at Browns and head of Browns Bride in Marylebone, who absolutely loved the pieces. We chose Browns to be our exclusive UK stockist because we wanted to go for the best. Every gown sold there is of the best quality. And that fits with our ethos. We give our soul to each and every dress. Everything must be as elegant as possible; chic and dreamy. “The Mira Zwillinger bride is a girl who knows what she wants: a girl who wants to look different to other brides. A girl who is not so traditional.” Lihi would love to dress Sarah Jessica Parker, who has “a beautiful body”. Her favourite designers are Valentino, Chanel and Elie Saab. “Everything,” inspires her. “Usually it’s clothes, including men’s clothes,” she says. “I can see a guy walking in the street with a T-shirt of a certain cut. The inspiration can then help create a bridal dress. It can be a wall in a restaurant, a painting, a car. I don’t control it. “When we were in London recently it was snowing and the textures of the trees were inspiring. The snow was very gathered on some of the branches and then more spread out on others. It was so elegant.” She notes a trend at the moment for veering from classic white. “Light nudes feature a lot in our new collection. The beading may be white but the underneath layer isn’t, which gives it a more sophisticated look. The industry is definitely moving away from just white and ivory. And more colours mean more fun.” The mother and daughter duo are in London a few times a year, staying at either Claridges or Number 11. Spending so much time together, do they ever argue? A throaty laugh tells me all. “Well, we do spend all day together! But she’s in New York a lot so sometimes I am by myself. It’s great, we are having fun – she takes care of me. She’s like ‘eat eat, are you drinking enough?’ She has many years’ experience on me so it’s nice to share our thoughts and our vision. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don’t.” And when you don’t? “Sometimes I win, but when I think she’s right, she wins. But usually I win.” Then again, surely “It’s the same”. n

Mira Zwillinger is stocked exclusively at Browns Bride, 12 Hinde Street, W1U www.mirazwillinger.com

4 2

1 Antonia bridal gown, £4,620, Sarah Janks at Les Trois Soeurs Bridal, www.lestroissoeurs.co.uk 2 Pearl and crystal hair band, £170, Emmy Shoes, www.emmyshoes.co.uk 3 Laurel hair pins, £86 each, Louis Mariette at Les Trois Soeurs Bridal, www.lestroissoeurs.co.uk 4 Court shoe, £650, Gina Couture, www.gina.com

style

6 9

The Jewel of the

night Photographer : Rachel Pearce Stylist: Gabrielle Lane

5 Camellia bracelet in platinum colour way, £250, Jenny Packham, www.jennypackham.com 6 Silver Fancy necklace, £775, Carat at Harrods, www.harrods.com 7 Météorites Perles Illuminating Powder, £35.50, Guerlain, www.harrods.com 8 L’Amour Lalique, Eau de Parfum, £94, Lalique, www.selfridges.com 9 Crystal bow comb, £195, Emmy Shoes, www.emmyshoes.co.uk

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info@courtenaydayspa.com 020 7722 6700 3 St John’s Wood High Street, London, NW8 7NG

best of

BEauty

1. Up until now the beauty eco-drive has failed to permeate the nail varnish market. Thank goodness then for Kure Bazaar, a lusciouslycoloured range of non-toxic polishes from France which glide on like a dream. Blue/grey tone Hipster is our new neutral.

£14.95, Being Content, 14 Bulstrode Street, W1U 2. As we head into spring, 60s flicks are the make-up trend du jour. While one might assume a good eye-liner is a musthave, so too is Dior’s Flash Corrector, a precise eraser pen for any smudges, which also works on lipstick.

£22, Dior, available at Selfridges 3. ‘Sexy’, ‘summery’ and ‘in a meadow’ were the words of our tester, who tried the Sunshine Edition of Oh Lola! by Marc Jacobs. Layers of raspberries, peony and vanilla give this fragrance a sweet and feminine heart, perfect for summer.

£47, Marc Jacobs, www.harrods.com 4. New for April, La Prairie’s new Cellular Power Serum comes highly recommended. It’s a daily anti-ageing treatment packed full of science and nature’s finest (peptides, snow algae and heart leaf) which boosts the skin’s defensive properties. The emphasis here is on preventing further damage.

£322, La Prairie, www.laprairie.com 5. We see a lot of beauty products in the office, and the Chubby Stick from Clinique is one of our favourites, owing to its texture (lip balm) and pigment (lipstick). Exciting then, that the brand has developed a version for eyes: a long-lasting, easily applied wash of colour in a pen. Safely, nothing like the shiny, crumbling eye-pen formulas of the 90s.

£16, Clinique, www.clinique.co.uk

style

3 4 5

6. If you’ve not yet treated yourself to Crème de la Mer, it’s a worthy investment that really does transform your skin tone. Soleil de la Mer – its foray into suncare – includes a gradual tanning product, promising luminosity and hydration. We can’t wait to try it this month.

£65, Crème de la Mer, www.cremedelamer.co.uk

beauty Update EYES

You ma yn extensio ot think the str ength of n treatm an eyela en she or h sh asn’t she t lies in the que stion “h ?” But w effect do as h en done esn’t scr eam ‘the well, the county’, atre’ or es ‘south-e The team pecially if you’r astern e past y a our specialis t iBrows etc in Portman twenties. e in enh ancemen Village pretty b t tha yc the natu arefully tailorin t looks naturall g the sty y ral eye s le to ha differen t tones a pe – different le ngths, nd diffe method rent a s ar called N e available to s pplication uit ou means a veau Lashes. In across a range voiding practice att th the end of the n aching fibres dir is a ectly to tu fine, and ral lash if your o tinting y wn are o fair to a chieve a ur real lashes if they’re fuller flu four we tter for eks. up to

16 Seym our Pla ce, W1H 0207 72 5 5791 www.ib rowsetc .com

The

EXPERTS’

ADVICE FOR

BRIDES 52

HAIR niel le director at the Da Frankie Pullen is sty Galvin hair salon ke or ur hairstyle can ma “Remember that yo your list sty ur yo th ss wi break a look. Discu hair. ur yo d condition of colour, the length an u yo for e mm gra a pro Ask them to develop the right is ir ha ur yo t tha which will mean y and condition on the da length and in peak so that nts me int po ap r lou time your cut and co that le sty a oid althy. Av it looks good and he your if nt; fro the in ir involves too much ha wispy sweeping fringe or face is covered by a phs.” gra oto ph ur yo in red curls it will be obscu

t, W1U 58-60 George Stree 61 96 86 020 74

SKIN Sarantis Tsimilimis is UK and Ireland skincare ambassador and education manager for Crème de la Mer “The skin effectively works as your canvas for your make-up application. Your wedding day make-up and complexion should appear fresh and radiant, with a gentle luminosity for a flattering finish. To encourage a brighter-looking eye-area, use Eye Balm Intense. Using the accompanying silvertipped applicator, puffiness is smoothed.”

www.cremedelamer.co.uk

style

CATWALK TO COUNTER When it comes to a designer’s schedule, all runways lead to fashion week and every detail of a presentation must be perfect, down to the fragrance of the auditorium in which the critics gather. The mood must be right and the scene must be set. It’s all about the fantasy, after all. Appropriate then, that A/W13 shows (staged in February) in London and New York were scented by Diptyque candles.

68 Marylebone High Street, W1U 020 7224 4948

fresh Both Victoria Beckham and Henry Holland chose a classic – the Figuier Verte, or Fig Tree, which is woody and fresh.

£55

fruity The complex patterns and textures of Christopher Kane’s latest collection were complemented by 34 Boulevard Saint Germain and its layers of blackcurrant, sun-dried leaves and spice.

£34

sensual The master of sultry, sculpted shapes, Antonio Berardi personally selected the Opopanax fragrance for his show, a balsamic, Persian inspired blend.

From £20

CHANEL FOREVER Last summer Chanel appeased its devotees and gained many more when it launched a pop-up beauty boutique in Covent Garden – a treasure trove of cult nail lacquers, wonder formulations and advice that works. Such was its success that the brand has made the store permanent and unveiled a new treatment menu. Of course there’s a fashion-forward manicure available, as well as a full makeover derived from the beauty trends of the Paris catwalk. Clients can learn how to groom themselves to perfection (in true French fashion), throw a party with friends, or simply get their make-up applied before an event, just like Kiera et al.

www.chanelatcoventgarden.com, 020 7240 2001

style

UPSTAIRS

DOWNSTAIRS

Laura Jones heads to St John’s Wood High Street’s new wellbeing sanctuary ince its opening in November 2012, Courtenay Chemists in St John’s Wood High Street has gone beyond the offering of a traditional chemist and lined its shelves with exclusive French perfumes and cosmetics products, as well as renowned skincare solutions from Avène. However, up until now, its well-heeled regulars have kept a secret – the addition of three downstairs treatment rooms and a spa menu which promises relaxation and results. Tucked away at the foot of a staircase, the treatment area is discreet and quiet but just as well thought out as its larger rivals. The décor is smart and there are shower facilities on site, while staff are both friendly and knowledgeable. The spa goes beyond regular grooming services such as manicures, eyelash tinting and waxing and provides a range of indulgent rituals and pampering. Clients can opt for body treatments aimed at cleansing and toning, stress-busting massages and facial combinations or exotic coconut milk wraps complemented by reflexology to promote radiance. Reiki and Indian head massages are also available here for those interested in holistic practices, while stone therapy using warm pebbles and oil to loosen tense muscles is another popular choice. Facials, deep tissue massages and cleansing back treatments are recommended for men, while parents may be interested in booking a consultation with a baby massage specialist who is trained to aid the healthy digestion and immune system functioning of infants.

Treatment Focus: Ultimate Spa & Fitness Package This being the Vantage wedding special, we were intrigued to hear that spa specialist Suki and fitness trainer Abi are well-versed in creating tailored health and wellbeing programmes for those who want to tone up and improve their energy levels. The Ultimate Spa & Fitness Package typically unfolds over four or eight weeks and incorporates exercise, posture and stability work, equipment training and home recommendations, as well as massages and body treatments to aid post workout relaxation. There’s a suite dedicated to the package and regular consultations, as well as spa time which makes this more approachable than other personal training schemes. Sessions can be booked ad-hoc which is typical of its friendly, inclusive approach. n

3 St John’s Wood High Street, NW8 020 7722 3814

A WOLF IS JUST AN OVEN, LIKE A DIAMOND IS JUST A STONE Iconic design. Enduring quality. Superior performance

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Book your Creative Living course now. Call 0845 365 6610 or visit www.miele.co.uk/steamrevolution

interiors

wish list

FIRST LADY Nothing quite beats a bubble bath at the end of a demanding day. Whether you like to soak alone, or you’re feeling a little romantic, this President tub from Devon&Devon will leave you feeling like the First Lady in no time. Its understated sculptural elegance is characterised by geometric textures and neo-classical details and can be finished in subtle cream or classic white. Best suited to a modern, minimalist space, we’d take a leaf out of Devon&Devon’s book and tile our wet room in chequerboard black and white, with some Jo Malone scented candles thrown in for good measure. Five minutes peace? We’re thinking five hours.

www.devon-devon.com

Interiors inspiration

STREET PARTIES ARE THE NEW SOIREE This time last year we were gearing up to celebrate the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. While 2013 may have fewer public holidays in the calendar, The White Company has recently launched everything you need for your own springtime festivities including cotton bunting (in white), pitchers (in white), placemats, lanterns and napkins (shock, in white). Gone are the days of paper accessories – these are smart enough to work for an outdoor wedding reception.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS When does shopping become an art form? When members of the Royal Institute of British Architects exercise their creative prowess in transforming some of Regent Street’s most studied window displays. The aim of the project, which runs from 15 April to 6 May, is to re-affirm the area’s status as a leading fashion destination; think what the Burberry flagship owes to contemporary design and a computerised downpour. Participating brands include Karen Millen, which will collaborate with Mamou-Mani architects and Topshop, which has opted for the creative vision of design company NEON.

Regent Street, W1, www.regentstreetonline.com 12 Marylebone High Street, W1U

interiors

MODERNITY FOR THE MINDFUL There could be no further departure from spring’s typically floral interior looks than the Left Bank collection from Ralph Lauren Home. Essentially, it gives rise to the living space of the intellectual through blackened wood furniture, industrial-style metalwork and shelving and a good dose of dishevelled comfort, exuded with black-and-cream striped upholstery. All you need is a sizeable book collection.

Camargue Bed, £9,450 and Left Bank Bedding, from £110 to £435 www.ralphlaurenhome.com

THE NEW STATUS SYMBOL In Brazil, the fringing on this Enamorada hammock is considered a marker of eminent social class. In London, it makes us dream of holidays. The materials used are responsibly sourced and, while we can’t guarantee sun, we’d like this strung up in a suitably bohemian fashion.

£225, The Conran Shop, 55-57 Marylebone Hight Street, W1U

HOME COMFORTS It’s no surprise that Fired Earth began its days as a terracotta supplier operating from an Oxfordshire barn. The interiors company specialises in authentic materials and homeware with a love-worn meets luxury aesthetic. Its Marrakesh tile range has a certain lazy-travels charm about it, ideal for injecting a summer holiday vibe into the home without looking too outlandish next to the Aga.

41 Heath Street, Hampstead, NW3

Bed of

Roses Charlotte Howard, wedding manager at top florist Hayford & Rhodes, talks to Kari Rosenberg about dream weddings at One Marylebone and planning her own big day around peony season

interiors

What is the florist’s role at a wedding? My role as the wedding manager at Hayford & Rhodes is to work closely with brides every step of the way to bring their vision for their wedding flowers to life. Every wedding is unique so the process starts with a consultation in our beautiful wedding showroom to discuss all the details and go through our portfolios. Following this I create a bespoke quotation with lots of images and mood boards to illustrate the concepts. I spend a lot of time sourcing the flowers for each client from the flower stock markets in Holland, rather than just choosing what’s available in the local flower market. I then work with the rest of the team to make up the designs and set everything up on the day.

What are the key things you get asked when organising a wedding? Brides often come in with mood boards so I’m always being asked if certain flowers are in season. There are a lot of flowers which are available all year round (e.g. roses) but other flowers have a very short season (e.g. peony season is usually May to June) so it’s worth thinking about when to hold your wedding if you have a specific flower in mind. I’m getting married myself this year and have deliberately chosen to get married in May so that I can have peonies. For my bouquet, I’m probably going to go for a lily of the valley posy because I just love the fragrance and the delicacy of the flower. It’s a lovely idea to choose flowers which mean something to you for your bouquet. For me, lily-ofthe-valley reminds me of my grandmother’s garden.

What is the biggest challenge the florist faces? Sometimes a person’s vision is not achievable due to seasons, which can sometimes present a challenge. But I love working closely with brides to come up with a creative solution. For example, an alternative to a lily-of-the-valley bridal bouquet would be to use freesia. They create a similar look and have an equally beautiful fragrance.

Have you had any near disasters? No, thank goodness! I rather obsessively plan every little detail. I treat each wedding as if it was my own and work hard to make sure everything is perfect. What are the biggest floristry trends at the moment? One of the biggest trends at the moment is for 1920s Great Gatsby-inspired weddings. To achieve

interiors

summer which involved decorating every windowsill and ledge in the church with masses of towering blue delphiniums, which looked just divine. The flowers literally towered over all the guests and created an Alice in Wonderland feel. It’s always really fun to do ceiling installations. We recently created a lavish floral chandelier dripping with orchids. What props do you use to help create bespoke pieces? We have a huge range of props at our creative studio. Obviously the key prop is usually the vase and we have lots of beautiful ones to choose from. The vase chosen is very important as this really helps create ‘the look’ for the wedding. For example, silverware bowls and goblets create a very vintage, traditional look whereas white vases create a more contemporary feel. There are also many options to use props to customise a design. One wedding I worked on recently had a woodland theme, so we tied pieces of bark around vases with twine and lined other vases with moss. We have many props such as plinths, candelabras, trees, lanterns and tealights.

Think daffodils, blossom, tulips and anemones this look, we use soft feminine-coloured flowers in beautiful pearlescent tones. Glamorous, blowsy flowers like roses and peonies work really well. To complement the flowers, beautiful vintage cut-glass vases and embellishments such as beading on the bouquet handle add exquisite detail. What are the most popular colours and arrangements for spring and summer weddings? Most colour palettes are possible at any time of the year but a classic spring colour palette would be beautiful bright colours like yellow, blue, pink, green or purple. Think daffodils, blossom, ranunculas, tulips and anemones. A popular summer colour scheme is pretty pastels such as soft shades of pink, peach and cream using roses, peonies, stocks and hydrangeas. What are some of the most outlandish projects you have done? Where do I start? We did a beautiful wedding last

Where are some of your favourite venues? We absolutely love One Marylebone and we’re privileged to get the opportunity to work there frequently. It’s an amazing venue and would have been my personal choice if I’d been getting married in London. There are so many beautiful venues in North West London to choose from. Kenwood House or Clissold House are other favourites. n

www.hayfordandrhodes.co.uk

Top Tips Choose flowers which are in season to give you the best quality and best priced blooms Go to your florist with a budget in mind so that they can suggest ways to spend it most effectively Think about ways to make the most of the flowers on the day. For example, if you have two large designs at the front of the ceremony area, it’s often possible to have these moved to the reception space so as to make maximum use of them

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wish list

Fit for a Queen Oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a design company recognised for its groundbreaking production techniques; the otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a specialist clock maker famed for manufacturing time instruments for more than 150 years. Now, Royal Warrant holders Zone Creations and Comitti of London are uniting to produce a limited edition piece; the Greenwich Regulator. It is a stunning replica of the architectural floor clock co-created in 2012 for Buckingham Palace in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee. At 198 centimetres tall, and limited to just 120 pieces, it has a Corian base and Palladian top that echo the elegant architecture of the palace for which it was created. Sales of the piece will benefit the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association that supports excellence in British craftsmanship and conservation of it.

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watch news 3 Eyes to the Skies

“Graham? When celebrating the best of British watches?”, we hear you ask. True, it may be a company named after a British clockmaker, rather than a British brand per se, but Graham does devote its creations to the English inventor of the lever escapement mechanism. And for us, that’s reason enough to include the company here. Progressing from the pedantic, we thought we’d bring you the news that Graham has recently launched the Geo.Graham The Moon, a watch that combines a flying tourbillon with a high-precision moon-phase perpetual function, the cycle of which is calculated on the Moon’s exact synodic period for a duration of 122 years. We think this is rather cool, whether it’s British or not.

of the Best

British Watches since 2011

The Robin, £5,850 Robert Loomes, 2011 www.robertloomes.com

www.graham1695.com

One to Watch Each month we select our timepiece of the moment from the watch world’s most exciting pieces:

Serpent Calendar Steel 42mm, POA Speake-Marin, 2012 www.speake-marin.com

It will tell you the day, date, month, leap year and phase of the moon; the 18-karat gold, Art Deco-inspired 5940J is a modern-day classic that unites Patek’s present with its illustrious past Right/ 5940J, £61,530, Patek Philippe www.patek.com

Signalman DLC GMT PR, £4,050 Schofield, 2011 www.schofieldwatchcompany.com

Back to the

Future It’s been sleeping for centuries but now, awoken by international interest and home-grown talent, the UK’s horology industry is in full-scale revival. Richard Brown meets the men putting Britain back on the watchmaking map

t present, you can count the number of British watch companies on the digits of two hands; the companies that actually produce parts in the UK can be counted on one. Had you predicted this would have been the case ten years ago, however, few in the industry would have given you the time of day. Over the last ten years, British watchmaking has developed from a cottage industry into a serious business and, ahead of the inaugural London Watch Show in July, the only trade show dedicated to the UK watch sector, we speak to the founders of the companies fuelling the furnaces of growth.

Bremont Founded: 2002 Henley-on-Thames We talk to: Bremont co-founder Nick English Describe the state of the British watchmaking industry? Without sounding over confident, I think it is in a better shape than it has been for many, many years. Companies like us are taking on local apprentice watchmakers which I don’t think has happened to the same extent for quite some time. What’s your USP? The obvious difference, compared to the

multitude of Swiss brands found somewhere like Baselworld, is that we are British. There is an incredible history of British watchmaking and we are very honoured to be playing a small part in its revival. We are also different in that we are motivated by engineering rather than fashion; hopefully that comes across clearly in our design ethos. How British is your brand? We are 100 per cent British-owned and all of our design and technical input comes from the UK and our workshop in Henley. Many of the watch parts, including movement parts and cases and even some straps and packaging, are now made in the UK. Every Bremont watch is assembled and tested in the UK at our Henley facility. What’s your favourite watch? For me, it is the stainless steel U2. I love the ruggedness and simplicity of its design. It is the perfect watch for me. If you could pick any British person to wear your watches, who would it be? This is a tough one. I think one of the Princes would be quite special wouldn’t it?

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Christopher Ward Launched: 2005, London We talk to: Christopher Ward co-founder Mike France Describe the state of the British watchmaking industry? Exciting, interesting and on the up. What’s fuelling its growth? British curiosity, ingenuity and taste are beginning to have a marked impact on the rather self-satisfied Swiss industry. We have a heritage in watchmaking of which even the Swiss are secretly envious. However, other than the handful of watches made by the late George Daniels and now by his one-time apprentice, Roger W. Smith, there hasn’t been a truly Britishmade watch worthy of the description for decades. What’s your USP? Our online business model has removed all the middlemen to create unrivalled value while our transparent and accessible style puts customers directly in touch with the watchmaker. The unique dialogue this engenders means we have a far deeper relationship with our customers. How British is your brand? We design everything in our Maidenhead studio and I think you can see a very English sensibility in our watches: an unfussy, understated, classic approach. As there is no watchmaking to speak of in this country at present, to achieve the exacting standards we demand, we manufacture in Switzerland. Master watchmaker, Johannes Jahnke, who works with us, is an East German anglophile with a love for Norton motorbikes and vintage Jaguar cars – so there’s even a corner of a Swiss atelier that is forever England, I suppose. What’s your favourite timepiece? At the moment I am absolutely smitten with our new Worldtimer design which won’t be on sale until November. Apart from being a beautiful looking watch, we have developed a world first in terms of a GMT complication – and it’s not every day you can say that. If you could pick any British person to wear your watches, who would it be? Bradley Wiggins. No doubt about it. He is a true one-off; a great champion, stylish and witty but very self-effacing.

Meridian Watch Company Launched: 2011, Norwich We talk to: Meridian co-founder Richard Baldwin Describe the state of the British watchmaking industry? It’s still very small, tiny in fact, but it is experiencing something of a renaissance. It’s split into two main categories; you have your British watch companies and then your British watchmakers. Not every British watch company will manufacture their watches in Britain using British parts. Both avenues will continue to grow at a rapid rate. I believe there is still a gap in the market for Britishmade watches with a price tag of between five and 20k. What’s your USP? We offer a very bespoke service. Everything is made, finished and polished by hand according to our customers’ individual preferences. How British is your brand? Everything about our watches, apart from the base parts within the movement, is made in the UK. Even the movement, which requires some Swiss-made pieces, is assembled and finished in Britain. We manufacture everything else, from the straps and cases to the dials and hands. What’s your favourite timepiece? Our MP-05 as that was the watch that started it all for us. The rest of our models are based around that watch. Away from Meridian, I like Speake-Marin, Richard Mille and Omega, particularly the Speedmaster. Then of course you have Roger Smith. Well, to put it another way, you have Roger Smith, and then everybody else. Up close and personal, his watches are truly sensational. If you could pick any British person to wear your watches, who would it be? We don’t really do brand ambassadors. We don’t like to align our company with one specific individual; we’re for the everyday person, the person who has taken the time to get to know us and our brand.

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Robert Loomes Launched: 1991, Stamford We talk to: Company-founder Robert Loomes Describe the state of the British watchmaking industry? It’s going through a period of rapid and accelerating growth. I am probably aware of more watchmaking firms who have yet to release their products than I am of firms who currently have something to sell. If the 20th century was about globalisation then, so far, the 21st century has largely been about localisation. Customers are ever keener to understand exactly how their watch was made. Blanket statements like “made in Britain” are under close scrutiny from ever more buyers. What’s your USP? We want to be known not just for the entirely British-made aspect, but also as a firm of experienced watchmakers who manufacture simple, understated and elegant wristwatches. Our Robin and Robina watches tell no more than they should: the right time.

Schofield Launched: 2011, Sussex

How British is your brand? What is important to us is not that we make everything under one roof – much of what we do is outsourced to specialist firms – but that each of those individual firms is based in Britain. Whilst the look may be elegant and classic, in fact many of the manufacturing procedures we have used are world-leading techniques developed in university engineering departments. We pay little or no attention to current Swiss manufacturing. What’s your favourite timepiece? There is a pocket watch made about 1660 by my antecedent, Thomas Loomes. Obviously the name appeals to me but more importantly, this is a complicated watch. It has both astrolabic and mean time displays, shows the phase of the moon and includes a perpetual calendar. Modern watchmakers like to show off with complications, but it was being done here in England 350 years ago. If you could pick any British person to wear your watches, who would it be? We have never needed to give celebrities a watch to wear but someone did once say it’s the sort of thing Bertie Wooster might wear on his wrist. He meant it as a joke. I took it as the perfect compliment.

We talk to: Company-founder Giles Ellis Describe the state of the British watchmaking industry? It is starting from the ground up. There is no infrastructure, workforce, machinery and barely an existing knowledge base. So it is incredibly exciting being attached to an industry that isn’t fettered by those constraints. What’s your USP? Schofield prides itself on its attention to detail and thoroughness. On buying a watch individuals become privileged members of the Schofield club. Members receive exclusive products, invitations to private events and opportunities to hear about our new products before they are launched. We don’t advertise or use brand ambassadors. The only retail Schofield uses is from the Schofield website because demand is so high we do not need to distribute. How British is your brand? Based in rural Sussex, Schofield designs all of its watches, dry goods and accessories. Where possible, Schofield sources, manufactures and fabricates items in England. From paper and envelopes, to presentation boxes and straps made from beautiful English wools, tweeds and canvases. The Signalman GMT PR was designed here in England and our new watch the Signalman Black Lamp (to be launched at the end of the year) will have ‘England’ proudly written on the dial. What’s your favourite timepiece? The Signalman because it is the only watch in the world that was created specifically for me. Without compromise, it fulfils all the requirements that I desire in a wrist watch. Beyond Schofield, I would wear a classic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, a Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox, a Romain Jerome Space Invaders watch or a Zenith El Primero Chronograph. If you could pick any British person to wear your watches, who would it be? My late stepfather, a quintessential English gentleman, a doctor and double professor of engineering who gave his insight and time to Schofield. In spite of my endeavour, no amount of cajoling could persuade him to give up his trusty Sekonda.

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11 4

Treasure Island

Embrace the best British brands with patriotic panache

9 7

1 Two-tone square-frame optical glasses, £295, Cutler and Gross, www.mrporter.com 2 Union Jack silk pocket square, £25, Gresham Blake, www.greshamblake.com 3 Skull print silk scarf, £165, Alexander McQueen, www.mrporter.com 4 Chassis embossed-leather watch roll, £200, Alfred Dunhill, Harrods, www.harrods.com 5 Black chrome stone set spider cufflinks, £75, Paul Smith Accessories, www.my-wardrobe.com 6 U-2 DLC, £3,295, Bremont, 29 South Audley Street 7 Cats eye round cufflinks £95, Tateossian, 27 Conduit Street 8 Rotary watch case £1,995, Smythson, 40 New Bond Street 9 Classic braces, £35, Gresham Blake, as before 10 Silver-plated bulldog handle umbrella, £185, Archer Adams www.archeradams.com 11 MP-04 watch, £4,695, Meridian, 2012, www.meridianwatches.com 71

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From the Honeycomb Eternelle Ring Collection

33 Albemarle Street - Mayfair, London WIS 4BP - Tel. 020 7629 5616 MILANO, VENEZIA, FIRENZE, CALA DI VOLPE, CAPRI, PARIS, MONTE CARLO, LONDON, MOSCOW, NEW YORK, CHICAGO,ASPEN, BEVERLY HILLS, TOKYO, OSAKA, HONG KONG, SIDNEY WWW.BUCCELLATI.COM

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jewellerynews Rule Britannia Having lauded the British fashion designers who did us proud at the recent A/W13 London Fashion Week, we can now celebrate the creativity of our jewellery designers. Fortnum & Mason is currently showcasing a selection of the British Fashion Council’s Rock Vault jewellery designers, alongside established British designers, as part of a four week display in the store’s new jewellery department. Established during LFW last year, the BFC Rock Vault was set up to expose and nurture the creative talent of London-based jewellers. This year, the designers participating include Fernando Jorge, Jo Hayes Ward, Melanie Georgacopoulos and Tomasz Donocik, and curator of the event is none other than British jewellery designer Stephen Webster who was recently honoured with an MBE for his services to the industry.

www.fortnumandmason.com

Struck Gold Clogau Gold creates unique jewellery that contains a touch of rare Welsh gold. With long-standing ties to Welsh history, collections are inspired by the Clogau St David’s gold mine’s associations with the Royal Family and the natural beauty and mythology of Wales. The British Royal Family has been using pure Welsh gold to create its wedding rings since 1923, a tradition founded by The Queen Mother, then Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, on her marriage to the Duke of York on 26 April 1923. It is a touch of this very same rare Welsh gold that is contained within each piece of Clogau Gold jewellery.

www.clogau.co.uk

Cutting Edge Diamond jeweller John France followed an unlikely career path, graduating from Oxford University and working for a successful law firm before deciding to develop his own jewellery line. This February marked the launch of his fine diamond collection, to be followed by a series of further launches throughout 2013.

JF Diamonds specialises in the creation of unique pieces of artistry, handcrafted in Valenza and featuring the world’s most sought-after fine diamonds. The service is solely by appointment and orders are tailormade for clients, ensuring each jewel is exclusively available to its owner

Rings, from a selection JF Diamonds, www.jfdiamonds.com

Cut to the Chase Alex Monroe is celebrating his 25th anniversary as a jewellery designer in a way only he knows best. In time for spring, he has created 25 pieces for every year he has been designing and each one tells an intimate story from his life over the years. Witty and light–hearted, The Chase presents snippets from Alex’s childhood, including the moment when he first learnt to ride a bike. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Monroe collection without a few woodland creatures from the English countryside where he grew up.

www.alexmonroe.com

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2 3

Birds

of a feather Whether flowers, feathers or wildlife, leading British jewellery designers cannot help but draw inspiration from the natural beauty of the English countryside

7 1 Forget Me Knot blue enamel cocktail ring, POA, Stephen Webster, www.stephenwebster.com 2 Carved tanzanite swallow pendant, £26,000, Theo Fennell, theofennell.com 3 Bluebell earrings in 18-karat blackened white gold and diamonds, POA, Solange Azagury-Partridge, www.solange.co.uk 4-6 Silver and diamond small branch pendant, £530, Cherry Blossom Collection; White diamond serpent bracelet, £16,350; Black leather and diamond sabre cuff, £6,625, Sabre Collection; all Shaun Leane, www.shaunleane.com

7-8 Rose Damasca black ruthenium stud earrings, £120; Crow feather ring, £210; both Alex Monroe, www.alexmonroe.com 9 Diamond fringe ring in 18-karat blackened white gold and diamonds, £18,500, Solange Azagury-Partridge, as before 10 Baby Astley ring, from £2,500, Astley Clarke Couture, www.astleyclarke.com 74

Swiss movement, English heart

Made in Switzerland / Sellita SW200-1 self-winding movement / 38 hour power reserve / 42mm marine-grade 316L stainless steel case and deployment bracelet / Water resistant to 300 metres / 4mm anti-reflective sapphire crystal / Deep-etched back-plate engraving

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04/03/2013 16:37

Canary Wharf

bars & restaurants • fashion & style • arts & events canarywharf.com @yourcanarywharf

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Canary WHARFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S Les Trois Soeurs has become one of the leading names in bridal brands, with expert staff that travel the world to hand select items for its unique collection Amanda Wakeley

oasting a wide variety of cultural and linguistic experience, members of the Les Trois Soeurs (The Three Sisters) team are superbly qualified to assist brides from across the globe in choosing the best look for their wedding day. Everyone who comes to Les Trois Soeurs has the opportunity to work one-on-one with trained consultants, who use their specialist training to provide brides with personality specific choices appropriate to the style and location of their wedding. Les Trois Soeurs has won the esteem of such designers as Temperley, Amanda Wakeley, Caroline Castigliano, Sassi Holford and Steward Parvin. These designers and many more make up the collection in the Canary Wharf shop. Les Trois Soeurs also makes a point to support new designers and has recently garnered work by Sarah Janks, and American designers Badgley Mischka, Lazaro and Alvina Valenta. In addition to sensational gowns, Les Trois Soeurs offers brilliantly unique accessories by Jenny Packham, Vivien Sheriff, Polly Edwards, and others. Many of these pieces put the finishing touch on a ravishing gown. Nicki Macfarlane, the designer for the bridesmaids of HRH the Duchess of Cambridge, has crafted lovely flower girl and page boy outfits with outstanding class. Collaborating with acclaimed interior designers, Les Trois Soeurs has spared no expense in spoiling its customers by creating a luxurious and indulgent environment in its prestigious Canary Wharf store. Everything from the boutiqueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s architecture, design and loyalty to its surroundings is done with the client in mind, to ensure that every bride who visits Les Trois Soeurs knows she is in the capable hands of talented, committed fashion experts. Les Trois Soeurs, Canary Wharf, 020 7719 0868

Temperley

Les Trois Soeurs, Canada Place

www.canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

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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fa m i ly

wish list

LITTLE RASCALS Crime-busters of the sea, they are not; but mischief-busters of your big day, well, that’s another matter entirely. While everyone loves an angelic page boy or a serene little flower girl, come three rounds of speeches and a slow dance later, the adorability factor can wear off pretty quickly. That’s where Sharky and George come into play. Quite literally. The experienced team of children’s entertainers come armed with props, toys and boundless energy to keep the kids occupied while you bust-out those rusty moves. From treasure hunts to tug-of-war to chocolate trufflemaking and neon face painting, the fully CRB checked team cater for children of all ages. Whether you want to keep the parties separate, or integrate (who needs a band when you can watch your own dancing munchkins?) they’ll be so worn out by the time it’s all over that you’ll feel like celebrating all over again.

www.sharkyandgeorge.com

nurserynews JUST FOR TEENS It can often be tricky to find just the right attire for teenage bridesmaids – avoiding the ‘overgrown-flower-girl’ look, but steering clear of anything too mature. Luckily for brides-to-be facing such a dilemma, the renowned mother and daughter duo at Nicki Macfarlane have come through with their new Swan Collection. We adore the modest cap sleeves, silk sashes, covered buttons and satin bows, all in a range of colours pretty enough to have names like ‘blossom’, ‘wisteria’ and ‘pink Champagne’.

www.nickimacfarlane.com

BEAR WITH US A white patinated-bronze sculpture of a polar bear, which stands an impressive three metres tall, has ended its three-week stint opposite Peter Jones in Sloane Square in favour of a new home at London Zoo. The sculpture was created by Adam Binder (whose work often relates to the natural world, specifically the plight of endangered species), and won him the Annual International Wildlife Artist of the Year award in 2010. The bear arrived at the zoo under the careful supervision of Mayor Boris Johnson and his father, Stanley Johnson, and will be on show outside the penguin enclosure until May.

SWEET SURRENDER Candy Cakes, now a national brand but once upon a time a humble Covent Garden cake shop, has specialised since the mid-90s in creating gourmet cakes to order. But while they can whip up anything from designer wedding cakes to gorgeous pastries, their forte really lies in cupcakes – colourful, quirky little works of art (you might even feel a pang of guilt taking that first bite of frosted goodness, but don’t worry, the feeling won’t last), giving wedding and party planners alike the option of a classic, sophisticated cake for the grown-ups, complemented by a mouth-wateringly vivid selection of treats for the harder-to-please young’uns in attendance. Let them eat cake.

www.candycakes.com

fa m i ly

rner

OUR 1ST STOP

co Pet’s

IT’S A DOG’S LIFE

Counting Sir Elton John, Dannii Minogue and Samantha Cameron as fans, My1stYears.com was founded by North West London chaps Daniel Price and Jonny Sitton who saw a gap in the market for personalised baby gear. If you’re stuck for new-born present ideas, we recommend these adorable sets, including anything between three and nine gifts. Follow Sam Cam’s lead and opt for the personalised furry booties.

www.my1styears.com

...miny mo Tucked away in Tufnell Park, the Eenymeeny boutique, aimed at undertens, is a breath of fresh air. Clothes, toys and artwork are designed to be as quirky, creative and unique as the kids who own them, and are exclusively supplied by ethically-minded companies and small local producers. If you’re looking for a more sustainable alternative to the big names in little clothes, this wholesome gem could be just what you’re after.

8 Campdale Road, N7

JOIN OUR CREW They won’t tell us when. But we know it’s happening sometime soon. For lovers of the super-preppy US brand J.Crew (i.e, us), cross-Atlantic gallivanting and ordering online may soon be a thing of the past. Word on the grapevine is that the store will be up and running on Regent Street by the time summer’s out, but it’s all very hush-hush, don’t you know. As well as gorgeous blouses, cute floral smock tops and bejewelled shirts for women, the kids’ range is just as lust-worthy. We can’t get enough of the collectible tees for stylish little ladies adorned with necklace motifs, sparkling stars and bold hearts as well as the miniature tailored suits, waistcoats and chinos for boys about town.

www.jcrew.com (for now)

Back by popular demand, the Cabbages & Frocks Market in Marylebone will be putting on another Dog Day Afternoon on 27 April from 11am5pm. Bring along your four-legged friends to marvel at demonstrations by the Good Boy Dog School, enter various competitions (including categories for prettiest lady and most handsome male), then relax with a bit of doggy mingling and a good old nose around the stalls, selling everything from dog biscuits, coats and jewellery to fashion and food for their human companions.

Saint Marylebone Parish Church Grounds Marylebone High Street, W1U

ART OF PAW Offering unusual treatments such as the signature blueberry and vanilla facial, ‘pawdicures’ and full body massages, Harrods’ Pet Spa has certainly made its mark. However, should you yearn to recreate their special breed of pet-pampering within the comfort of your own home, never fear – the Pet Spa has recently launched its ‘Learn to Groom Your Pet Experience’. During a day spent in the state-ofthe-art grooming salon, guests can learn how to maintain their pet’s coat under the expert tuition of Harrods’ qualified and award-winning groomers and trainers, meaning your pampered pooch or treasured tabby need never endure a bad hair day again.

Fourth Floor, Harrods, SW3

Access to over

400

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

beds

Continual investment

t treatments and technologies

And offer

the finest treatment

for all major medical specialties

No.1 Private Hospital Group

020 7483 5148 ellingtonhospital.com Platinum Medical Centre, 15-17 Lodge Road, St Johns Wood, London, NW8 7JA Tel 020 7483 5000 www.theplatinummedicalcentre.com

health&fitness

health & fitness

baby face

working it We can think of worse ways to spend our Saturday mornings than squatting and skipping with Jéan LK from Timed-Fitness London on Hampstead Heath. Creating tailor-made fitness regimes for each of his clients, Jéan guarantees visible results; fast. Ideal for the gym-phobic, he’ll meet you wherever your heart desires, be it the local park or your own back garden for an intense hour of training. Starting out with short bursts of jogging and running, we quickly moved onto crunches and steps, while the lovely Jéan reassured us that things could only get better. With devoted customers from New York to Dubai, we’ll be signing up for the ‘48 hours’ sessions before he jets off for good. Even if cardio isn’t for you, it’s worth it to see Jéan’s moves.

“Your skin is your biggest organ,” says Donna, the owner and chief therapist at Face It. And going by her youthful glow, her skin is the best advertisement for her no-frills facials using Dermaviduals and Environ products. Specialising in “the physiology of the skin and the science of cosmetic chemistry” hers aren’t ‘sit back and relax’ treatments; this is all about your skin, not you. Dermaviduals “replicate the skin barrier, promoting active ingredient absorption” she says. Free from preservatives and emulsifiers, we’re assured it will revolutionise our skin, keeping it moisturised and line-free, while Environ helps prevent ageing and gives protection from UVA rays and pollutants. Starting off with a consultation, Donna asked us a multitude of questions about our current regime and lifestyle and then tailored the treatment just for us, including a gentle cleanse followed by a cool mask, plugged into an electrical current to really help it absorb. Sent home with cleansing milk, moisturiser and eye cream, mixed and created by Donna once she’d “got to know our skin” we couldn’t be happier with the silky-smooth results two weeks later. It’s not hard to see why the clinic has won Environ Salon of The Year nine times.

From £95, 17 Highgate High Street, N6 POA, www.timed-fitness.com

KNEE to know Mr Howard Ware is director of the private Knee Unit at The Wellington Hospital. As an orthopaedic consultant, he specialises in all forms of knee surgery, including joint replacement and ligament surgery How much day-to-day contact do you have with your patients? If you had a problem, you’d come and see me in a clinic and I’d carry out whatever investigations were appropriate, such as scans or blood tests. You may only need physiotherapy or tablets for the pain, or to make some lifestyle changes. If you did need surgery, I’d counsel you on what that would include and what you may expect from the results. But then again, you might not want surgery, so we’d try other options. If it didn’t get better, you’d come back and we’d have to re-evaluate. What knee injuries are the most common and how can they be avoided? I think the most common injuries are simple sprains around the knee but we don’t often see those here. The most common problem I see when I operate is torn cartilage. It’s called the meniscus and it tears. It can happen when playing sport or skiing. As we age, it could be just a simple turn or twist that can tear the cartilage and can happen even in our forties. Then there are ligament ruptures; the anterior cruciate ligament is injured while skiing, and there’s not a lot you can do about that either. You can do pre-season training for football and skiing and build up your muscle groups, but if you’re involved in an injury, you’re involved in an injury. There’s the younger group of patients with the sports injuries, and then there’s the older group with the arthritic problems, so we cover both, and often one can lead to the other. What would you say are the most important skills for a surgeon? I think you have to be able to communicate. I think whatever you do in medicine you have to be able to ensure an understanding. Most problems and complaints are the result, I think, of poor communication. That person hasn’t understood why you’re doing what you’re doing,

and you haven’t explained the process to them. Surgery involves a very personal relationship with a patient; if you operate on them, they’re allowing you to make contact with them in a way no one else can, and there has to be a lot of trust there. Also I think volume is very important; doing the same thing again and again refines the skill. How do you keep up to date with surgical developments? Several ways. I still work in the NHS and I have trainees, so they keep me on my toes by asking lots of questions. Secondly, by reading. I read specific journals that I have to keep up to date with. Thirdly, I lecture nationally and internationally. I do courses; I’m going to Dubai in two weeks and Berlin in a month, and I lecture on knee courses to other surgeons. By doing that, I have to be ahead of the game. I have to know my subject well enough so that when students ask me a question, I know the answer. I really think the best way of keeping up to date is to teach. What is the most challenging part of your work? Administration. If only I could just get on and do my clinical work, because that’s not difficult! I’ve been doing this job for nearly 20 years and most things you just have to deal with. Planning is very important. Any final words? The most important thing for me is that you leave understanding what your problem is, what we’re going to do about it and why, and what the risks associated with surgery are as well as the benefits. I’d then see you when you come into hospital, as well as after the surgery while you’re recovering and then afterwards when you went home.

health promotion

A former patient of Mr Ware, Claire Starling had a bilateral knee replacement four years ago and couldn’t be happier with the results When did your problems with your knees start and what were the first signs? In June 2000, after breaking my back, I had a triple fusion in my lower spine which meant lots of pins and metal plates holding together three vertebrae, and a revision (drilling bigger holes for the nerves) in 2004. From 2004 onwards my knees started to swell and I experienced severe pain in my joints. Although walking was becoming increasingly difficult, it wasn’t until February 2008 that I was referred to an orthopaedic consultant and told I had severe arthritis. When did you realise you needed a bilateral knee replacement? On my very first appointment (February 2008) to see an orthopaedic consultant I was told that I needed both knees replaced as a matter of urgency! What were your biggest concerns about the operation? Having had major surgery before, I was not unduly concerned by the procedure. It had to be done. I had no quality of life with the existing knees. I couldn’t walk my dog or drive to visit my children. I had no life and it was affecting those I loved. My life was on hold and slipping away from me. There was no alternative and I knew that without surgery it would only get worse. My biggest concern was to avoid the hideous scars I had seen on my mother’s knees...shallow but true. How did you prepare for the operation? I went to physio three times a week for a month before surgery. This was to strengthen the muscles on the inside of the knees and was quite painful. How long were you in recovery ? Five months on from my surgery I walked the first two miles of The London Marathon with Major Phil Packer (MBE). Over the course of two weeks I progressed from walking with crutches to walking without. I walked down The Mall unaided on the final day. By the first anniversary of my surgery I was more mobile than I had been for years and everybody reaped the results. What did the recovery process involve? I hired a CPM machine (a machine that bends your knee), had physiotherapy every day and deep tissue massage twice a week for five months postsurgery. I was determined to walk and walk well. One month post-surgery I could walk up and down stairs more easily than before surgery and after two

months I walked around the park with my dog most days. It was hard work, painful and emotional, but I had a goal and I was not going to give up. Four years later, are you happy with the result? I cannot begin to describe the difference to my life. Four years later I can do everything I had dreamed of again. Walking, holidays, enjoying my family...everything is normal. I can’t ask for more than that. I’m pain-free and I have full mobility. Scars? Two thin silver lines that hardly show under 10-denier tights (thank you, Howard) and I’m very proud of them. I had simultaneous bilateral TKRs and the only way you can tell is those two tiny lines. Will you need more surgery in the future? My knees should last the rest of my life but if I required further surgery I would not hesitate. If so would you return to Mr Howard Ware? When I was told that I needed bi-lateral total knee replacements I was in shock. The NHS would not even consider doing them simultaneously and as my spine was already fused they had to be done at the same time so that I remained balanced. I ‘interviewed’ three surgeons over the next nine months. Simultaneous bi-lateral total knee replacement is not a common surgery and I needed to know that whoever I chose had my full and utter confidence. When I met Howard I immediately felt comfortable. I had no qualms about placing myself in his hands. For me, it was important that I had a good relationship with my surgeon and that I had total trust in him. I trusted Howard on sight and he didn’t fail me. All things considered how would you describe your experience at The Wellington? The Wellington outdid my expectations. Everyone treated me as if I was the only patient there. They couldn’t do enough for me. The nurses in ICU, the staff on my ward, my waiter (who encouraged me to eat and drink using humour and charm), physiotherapists, the anaesthetist and Howard were, without exception, professional, supportive and kind. No hospital stay is ever pleasant but The Wellington was wonderful. My family were welcomed, supported and cared for when they visited. I won’t say I loved every minute of my stay but I couldn’t have had better care. The Wellington gave me back my life and I am forever grateful.

For further information or if you’d like to arrange an appointment at The Wellington Knee Unit please contact the hospital Enquiry Helpline on 020 7483 5008 or visit www.thewellingtonkneeunit.com

food&drink

wish list

LAYER CAKE With Great Gatsby anticipation influencing everything from the catwalks to our taste-buds, we just couldn’t resist this fabulously nostalgic four-tiered beauty. You’ll be high-kicking all the way to the altar with this Tiller Girls inspired cake, which takes reference from the most popular – and glamorous – dance troupe of the mid-20th Century. Boasting none other than Diana Vreeland as a former ‘tap and kick’ professional, you know you’ve made a stylish (and historically accurate) choice. Just like the company’s glittering costumes of sequins, pearls and ostrich plumes, delicate white feathers are painted onto a pearl-lustred steelblue base, which are then further defined with white pearls. Precision baking at its best.

Little Venice Cake Company, £1,150 as seen 15 Manchester Mews, W1U

Foodie favourites

STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH The defining sporting event of the summer, anyone who’s been to Royal Ascot – and indulged in a drop or three of Champagne – will know that it’s about a lot more than just races (and hats). Top chef Tom Kerridge, who owns the Michelin-starred Hand & Flowers pub in Marlow, will be on-hand creating delicious dishes using locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. Working closely with Ascot’s executive chef Steve Golding, Kerridge has devised dishes for the Panoramic Restaurant that are sophisticated yet familiar, reflecting his passion for taking traditional English favourites and giving them a ‘Kerridge twist’. The Parade Ring Restaurant is where you’ll find TV presenter and wine expert Olly Smith choosing wines to match the innovative menu. Expect mouthwatering scallop carpaccio, wild trout tartare, lamb confit and coconut meringues. And we’re off…

From Tuesday 18 June to Saturday 22 June Fine dining packages range from £375 (inclusive of VAT) per person and are now on sale. To find out more information or to make a booking please visit www.royalascothospitality.co.uk, call the Hospitality Team on 084 4346 0346 or email: hospitality@ascot.co.uk.

BACK WITH A BANG Forlorn dim sum lovers, perk up. Hampstead High Street’s favourite Chinese eatery is back. It shut up shop only a few weeks ago with relocation plans to Shoreditch, but (we can only assume, by popular demand) Goldfish has reopened again just over the road. Thank black-bean duck for that.

MARTINI MONDAY Ignore the name: Mondays here are certainly not for reforming drinking habits. Every week, Reform Social & Grill’s talented mixologist Gregory Firming teaches cocktail lovers the history and secrets of the gin and vodka martini. We’ll be propping up the bar from 6pm, sipping our way through fruity, classic, French and Vespa concoctions. Shaken, not stirred.

Every Monday throughout April from 6pm, Mandeville Place, W1U

NO RAIN IN SPAIN Who could tire of hand carved Iberico ham, creamy croquettes and spicy padron peppers? If the taste of tapas sparks summer-holiday day-dreams despite the April showers, head to Donostia. After making your way through the pintxos and picoteos, be sure to leave room for the main event. The brill with black truffle potatoes is muy bien.

10 Seymour Place, W1H

food&drink

Restaurant Review

MAMA MIA Kari Rosenberg indulges in a little wine tasting with a side of ragu, at Negozio Classica

rimrose Hill dwellers may have walked right past Negozio Classica thinking it was a wine shop and nothing more. Perhaps they’ve wondered what the bar was all about, but hadn’t bothered to find out. It’s been open for a year or so, but has remained under the radar – there’s no website to speak of (“It’s coming” sighs Eline, the charming manager and daughter of Virginie Saverys, the proud owner of Negozio) which stunted any proper pre-visit research and obligatory menu scour (what did we do before Google?) So I wasn’t exactly sure as to what lay beyond the shop-front racks either. Already known across Italy and the US for its exceptional wine exports, the mother of two bought the Tuscan Avignonesi winery in 2009 and has been pioneering the virtues of organic farming ever since, producing fine yields from the Montepulciano region. I was lucky enough to try around five of these varieties throughout the meal as we were talked into a little wine tasting with our antipasti. The silver lining to needing new brake pads fitted was that I was wheels-free, while my dining companion was with car, allowing him only a sip or two. But all the more for me. Ordering a simple cold cuts selection served on a wooden board to start, the salami and other hams were delicious, as was the creamy goat’s cheese, the salty Parmesan chunks and the fresh olives. The courgette carpaccio salad was fresh and light, drizzled with truffle oil and lots more parmesan shavings, layered over a rocket mound. Wine-wise, we started with a zingy, citrussy pure Sauvignon Blanc aged in stainless steel which was a polite, delicate introduction to the meal but my least favourite of the bunch. The Il Marzocco oak-aged Chardonnay followed and was far more elegant in taste and texture; a lovely bright golden colour that added to the starters. But the standout wine of the night was the Desiderio Merlot Cortona, a deep, full-bodied ruby red delight, ideal for our meaty mains. And luckily, we had already reached drinkdriving limits, so I got a double taste. Food-wise I went for the traditional ragu, an earthy, almost metallic liver-like sauce which coated the fat tubes of rigatoni; the top few were sprinkled with a parmesan crust, adding a great bite and salty tang, although it was slight parmesan overload by that point. While it’s not the most taxing dish to make, a perfect ragu is not that easy to come by (unless you live with my mama, of course) and this really did hit the spot. As always, the other half went for a steak, which took only a few minutes to polish off, all head nods and primate grunts. The décor, like the food, is simple; frills just aren’t necessary as the food and wine speak for themselves. You can buy your wine at the shop and bring it to the back to drink, or you can take it home and attempt to cook something which may taste half as good as the food here. But Eline won’t be on hand to give you the family history, her mother’s plans for expansion and her and her brother’s foodie ambitions. Then again, you probably wouldn’t be sober enough to remember all that anyway.

154 Regent’s Park Road, NW1

food&drink

Strictly

Ballroom Matt Peat swapped his dancing shoes for the director’s chair at top catering company Urban Caprice. Kari Rosenberg gets a taste

erhaps you nibbled on shrimp brioche burgers as One Mayfair transformed into a veritable ski chalet. You could have perched on an oversized mushroom at Annabel’s’ eccentric Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Or maybe the tuna carpaccio has been on your mind since last year’s Frieze Art Fair where Urban Caprice designed, produced and catered The Deutsche Bank VIP Lounge for the ninth year running. If all this managed to pass you by, then there’s still a good chance that you’ve tasted something that this renowned catering company has cooked up, be it at a friend’s wedding, cousin’s barmitzvah, or any other function where the food was just that much better than you thought it could be. The company was acquired by Richard Caring around seven years ago and now sits under the Caprice Holdings’ colossal umbrella. Headed up by director Matt Peat – whose background is more ‘tutu’ than ‘tartare’– he can bring a Sheekey’s fish pie or Ivy hamburger right to your top table. Peat grew up in New Zealand and the event planning seed was planted at an early age. “When I was younger my mother was queen of the North Shore set in Auckland,” he says. “She organised amazing parties, dinners and soirées. Not on a professional level, but certainly to a professional standard. As a child I would help out where and whenever possible. I was often in the kitchen dressing a space to create an ambient environment.” Then came a long stint in the performing arts, training with the Royal New Zealand Ballet. “Quite a strange step for a rugby-playing guy from an all-boys school,” he says. “I think they were looking for men who could lift the girls.” Dancing, modelling and acting his way from capital to capital, the industry gave Peat a chance to see the world, attending and performing at opening nights, premieres and lavish parties. “That’s where I fell in love with both sides of what I was doing – behind the scenes and front of house. I loved the theatre of it all.” A few more diverse roles followed (he directed, choreographed and performed in his own shows and

worked on Hercules and Xena and Warrior Princes) until in 1999, a chance meeting at an event in New York inspired Peat to settle in London, where he joined the steadily blooming catering business (then Urban Productions) as senior project manager, which after 14 years has led him back to the director’s chair. Peat spends around half his time in the Maida Vale tasting studio but is very “hands on” when it comes to planning a function from start to finish. “That creativity is a constant challenge in which I’m always involved. Clients often want to meet me personally as I’m the director, so I do spend a lot of time chatting and tasting wine – which is a terrible perk.” But the charming Peat is always quick to extend the praise to his team; Lucy Verner is head of culinary, and managing a team of four or five, “controlling the creative flair from the kitchen as well as the operations side.” Executive chef Charle Visser earned his stripes at The Athenaeum and The Dorchester and working alongside top chefs such as Jocelyn Herland (Alain Ducasse) and Mark Hix. But nevertheless, the client’s voice is always heard. “Our clients, especially those in North West London, are very savvy,” says Peat. “They are exposed to a lot of restaurants and go to so many functions that they know what to expect when it comes to catering standards and that for us is a great challenge. We work collaboratively to create whatever they need. The good thing about being part of Caprice Holdings is that we have access to the best suppliers and rates. We are also really into local sourcing and being carbon neutral – we always try to find sustainable solutions. But then again, if a client has a special request, then because of who we are – which sounds incredibly egotistical – we do have the contacts. We can take the menu from The Ivy, Scott’s, J Sheekey or any of the other restaurants within the group, to our client, wherever the party may be. Some popular choices are the beetroot and feta salad, followed by Dover sole, and finished off with Scandinavian berries covered in hot white chocolate. People love the concept of 34 as well, but it’s not just meat on offer there. There are vegetarian options.”

xxx

food&drink

But as Peat says, “Nobody wants the menu they saw last week or the food at the function they were at a few days ago”. And despite the big-name chefs, you won’t be met with rolling eyes when specifying dietary requirements. “The ‘non-offensive’ food bracket is something that we’re asked to deal with a lot, and it’s something that excites us very much. Working within the confines of a kosher principle (serving fish as opposed to non-kosher meat and avoiding shellfish, pork and mixing milk and meat in the same meal) is something we do very successfully and have had great feedback. We don’t like to make anyone with dietary requirements, no matter what they are, feel any less enthused than those who can eat everything.” While Peat isn’t sweating over the chicken alla milanese himself, he is partial to a bit of cooking, but only when he’s home alone. “I love to cook at home when nobody’s around. I’m not very good at following recipes because I have an instinct which I think is a very important part of creating. I taste and smell and look. I like to cook things that are on top of the stove. I don’t like to put things inside the oven because I like to be in control. I’m a control freak. So I want to be able to stir, dip and mix. I hate closing the door and waiting an hour. I like to be involved in every part of the process. And I think that extends to everything, including my role at Urban Caprice. As well as being the director, I am involved in every part of what we do.” So whether it’s an impromptu oyster and Champagne bar or a table to fit 250 guests in the middle of a rapeseed field in the South of France (a recent 40th birthday celebration) no dream is too big or outlandish. Is he ever tempted to throw in the corporate dish-cloth and reach for his points once again? “I often end up dancing with the client at the end of the party because they’re so happy with what we’ve produced. But I’m not sure I can throw my legs quite as high as I used to.” n

www.urbancaprice.co.uk

BREWING COMPANY

Hitting the

slopes

can hurt

Regardless of skill level, muscles can become tired and fatigued whilst skiing, with the third day of a ski holiday being the most common time for an injury to occur. If you return home and continue to suffer pain, speak to your GP who can refer you to see a specialist to manage the condition. Led by eminent consultants, The Wellington Hospital offers a range of orthopaedic services to help you regain your health and return to the slopes.

Call us today

and get that injury seen to 020 7483 5000

www.thewellingtonhospital.com

Wellington PMC SKI- Mar2013_SJW_5000.indd 1

14/03/2013 16:39

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wish list

east meets west Cultural fusions are always a recipe for discovery, particularly when it comes to the Bulgari Resort’s totally lavish centrepiece; the Bulgari Villa. Once the favoured retreat of the Balinese royals, it blends oriental exoticism with contemporary Italian style. Bulgari’s byword is ‘quality’, and we’re not surprised. The villa has two bedrooms, its own bar, dining room, private cinema and spa treatment room, not to mention the 20-metre pool and – our favourite little detail – the meditation pergola. Suffice it is to say, we never ran out of ways to indulge at this exotic hideaway, and whether holidaying or honeymooning, neither will you.

www.firefly-collection.com

TRAVEL in style HOT SPOT in April

The Datai Langkawi, Malaysia Not content to share your patch of pearl-white sand? Choose these luxury Malaysian villas, complete with their very own bit of beach

why

The original byword for luxury on the Malaysian island of Langkawi, the Datai Resort nests in the tranquil northwest tip of the island, teetering on the edge of the Andaman Sea. April is one of the best times to visit; a transitional period between monsoons, winds are light and showers localised.

stay

The resort, which already boasts a range of rooms, villas and suites to suit even the very hardest to please, has just unveiled 14 lavish new villas – not only are they up to the Datai’s usual impeccable standards, but they’re dotted along the exotic white sands of the resort’s own private bay. Hidden away in your own little rainforest paradise, you’re free to make full use of the Datai’s world-class facilities (including the spa, golf course and eateries) but we’re willing to bet the bespoke room service, private pool and sumptuous master suites will make shunning the rest of the world the most appealing option by far. www.dataihotels.com

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HONEYMOON HAVENS short haul: Igloo Village, Finland The stunning Northern Lights will be visible from the Arctic Circle until the end of April – and wouldn’t it be delightful to marvel at the flickering phenomena with your beloved from the cosy comfort of your very own glass-roofed igloo? Hotel Kakslauttanen offers guests the chance to do just that, filling their days with a host of winter activities before curling up in one of its first-class cabins, luxurious Finnish log houses or iconic glass igloos.

MIDDLE EASTERN FLAIR Voted the Middle East’s Leading Wedding Venue at the 2012 World Travel Awards, the prestigious Jumeirah chain has recently opened one of its super-luxe hotels in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Towers – and oh, what a wedding venue it is. The hotel prides itself on its fusion of modernity and elegance, with large events taking place in a selection of grand, sumptuous ballrooms and indoor terraces. The hotel even provides its own dedicated event management team to make sure everything goes without a hitch, leaving guests to enjoy the hotel’s dazzling array of leisure activities without a care in the world. www.jumeirah.com

www.kakslauttanen.fi/en

LONG haul: Santa Barbara, CA

In our increasingly complex modern world, the idea of footloose and fancy-free newlyweds no longer always applies – luckily, with family-based honeymoons on the rise, there’s no shortage of provisions for those with children in tow. The Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas in the Virgin Islands is renowned for its kids’ club which reopened at the end of February, offering a new and improved range of physical and creative activities designed to keep the little ones entertained while the happy couple enjoy some good oldfashioned Caribbean pampering.

What could be more romantic than sipping locallyproduced wine in the heavenly surrounds of Santa Barbara County, overlooked by the Mission Santa Inés and the Californian sun? Between 1922 April, the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Festival takes place in the small village of Solvang, a tiny enclave in the heart of southern California wine country, boasting the wines of more than one hundred vineyards, plus gourmet snacks and live music. A recipe for success if ever we’ve heard one.

www.ritzcarlton.com

www.sbcountywines.com/events/festival.html

FAMILY ties

AFRICAN ADVENTURE Of course there’s nothing wrong with opting for the typical tropical honeymoon, but if you’re looking for something a little more adventurous, the recently renovated private wildlife reserve at Tswalu Kalahari might be just the ticket. Situated amongst an almost untouched region of plains and dunes in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, guests stay in one of eight spacious suites at the foot of the Korannaberg mountains – all styled with what the owners refer to as “elegant, barefoot luxury”. Spend your days picnicking in the bush, watching wildlife and having cocktails on the dunes. Safari chic at its best. www.tswalu.com

lovers’ Lane

Not only is Prague a city steeped in history, but its breathtaking architecture and historic cobbled streets make for a romantic escape into the past, says Emma Johnson

ituated on the Vltava river, with pedestrian-only bridges, winding streets, warming food and jazz bands playing in the open air, Prague’s beauty and charm is undeniable. Effortlessly quaint, yet reassuringly quirky, this striking city might boast enough dramatic architecture to keep sightseers busy for days, but its small centre, cosmopolitan outlook and continental culture also makes it the perfect place to wander about, happily losing time with a loved one. One way to get your bearings in Prague is to take a river tour, which provides wonderful views of the Old Town and helps you work out the intricate geography of this beautiful place. Prague-Venice Cruises runs a lovely two hour trip which includes Czech beer tasting and entertainment from the comfort of a replica century-old boat (www.prague-boats.cz). In the evening, for something special, head to Villa Richter, three restaurants and a vineyard nestled in the hillside next to Prague Castle. Offering everything from a fine-dining extravaganza to an intimate drink on an open-air terrace with gorgeous views across the city, Villa Richter is Prague’s ultimate hidden gem. A perfect complement to such an enticing city is the Mandarin Oriental; built on the site of a former 14thcentury monastery, it perfectly completes any visit to Prague. The first thing guests will notice about this luxurious hotel is its location. Situated in the winding streets of Malá Strana, a stone’s throw from the enchanting Charles Bridge and on the opposite side from the Old Town, it provides a more refined retreat away from the main tourist drag, but is still excellently located for sightseeing. The rooms at the Mandarin offer every modern amenity you would expect, while still providing a sense of old world charm. Beds are lavishly covered in the finest cottons and spreads, making sleep an easy feat, while the bathrooms are designed as private spas, leaving you in jeopardy of never leaving your bathtub. And with a similar commitment to relaxation, the hotel spa, housed in a former chapel, offers a comprehensive list of treatments in a suitably tranquil environment.

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Even if you’re not a guest at the Mandarin, a trip to the restaurant, Essensia, is highly recommended. Executive chef Jiří Štift has created an enticing menu, split between Asian classics and local dishes, it promises to offer a new taste experience to even the most experienced of diners. The chic interior is minimalist but welcoming. Divided into separate dining areas by elegant arches, it provides a cosy and romantic feel under beautiful vaulted ceilings. Service at the Mandarin is impeccable, and the staff at Essensia certainly maintain the hotel’s high standards. Subtle yet attentive, and with a knowledge of the menu so extensive you would think they had created it themselves, they will ensure your dinner is a memorable one. The sommelier will happily recommend wines to accompany your meal and provide you with an in-depth history of both local and international offerings. If your evening comes to a close sooner than you wished, step next door to the stylish Barego bar and let the staff mix you up a cocktail or two. n

www.mandarinoriental.com/Prague

This Is

Africa Gavin Haines heads to The Gambia, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;smiling coastâ&#x20AC;? of Africa, where he develops a penchant for ornithology, is warned about the dangers of jungle juice and discovers a new meaning for GMT

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ou don’t forget a visit to Serrekunda. A cacophony of colour and commerce, the dusty streets of The Gambia’s largest town pulsate with shoppers, playful kids and quick-witted hawkers, who ply their trades in anything from exotic fruit and vegetables to spare parts for 90s’ Peugeots. Some specialise in soaps and souvenirs, others sell exquisite fabrics, which are made into suits and dresses by the local tailors. Spilling down Serrekunda’s rabbit warren of streets and alleyways, the market is a place where vendors from across the country come to trade their goods. It’s also a haggler’s delight and a great place to learn the art of bartering – the friendly sellers go surprisingly easy on you compared to other markets on this continent. That said my first purchase in Serrekunda is made under pressure. Yielding to the doughy-eyed school kids that had been shadowing me since I jumped out of the taxi, I agree to their request and buy them a football. The little darlings thank me profusely before running off through the crowds for a kick about with their pals – forget Stamford Bridge or Old Trafford, nowhere is the game more beautiful than on the dusty pitches of Africa. And this is Africa, remember. The Gambia’s palm-lined beaches might be home to sumptuous five-star resorts and picture postcard scenes, but this is a raw, developing nation and remains poor. But where natural beauty is concerned it is rich beyond belief – and not just along its sandy coastline. In fact, as much as I enjoy the beaches, which are massaged by the rolling surf of the Atlantic Ocean, if you want to unearth the true splendour of this nation, you have to visit its friendly towns, cruise through its verdant mangroves and get lost in its jungles. Which is exactly what I do on my first day, leaving behind the sun-baked sands of the coast (there is plenty of time for that later) in favour of a trip to Makasutu, where I spot the BBC ornithologist Chris Packham, who is bird-watching in The Gambia. Even if you don’t share Packham’s enthusiasm for our feathered friends, it’s hard not to pick up the binoculars here – The Gambia is one of the best countries in the world to “twitch” and I soon find myself gazing in awe at kingfishers, herons and pelicans. Then my guide, Omar, takes me further into the jungle where we stumble upon a family of baboons. Unfazed by their visitors they continue play fighting, grooming and breast-feeding their young before another family scares them away – it’s amazing watching the mothers carrying their little ones on their backs. After the excitement of the baboons, Omar takes me to see some of his mates in the forest who are preparing a Jekyll and Hyde drink known as ‘jungle juice’. Made from the sap of palm nuts, locals collect the juice every morning and it makes for a tasty beverage if consumed fresh. But it ferments quickly and after a few days it transforms into a nature’s own White Lightning. “We call that ‘kill me quick juice’,” laughs Omar. After a morning sweltering in the rainforest I return to my hotel, the palatial Coco Ocean Resort, which has the dubious claim to fame of having hosted the late despot Colonel Gaddafi. Renowned for sleeping in a tent on state visits abroad, he was unable to resist the temptation of Coco Ocean’s sumptuous rooms – apparently he took one of the superior suites which have their own private dipping pools and sea views. I expect the despot market is drying up now, but no doubt these suites remain popular with honeymooners.

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If you are planning a honeymoon in The Gambia then it doesn’t get much more romantic than at these hotels Ngala Lodge Awarded the Travellers’ Choice Award in TripAdvisor’s Romance Category, this amorous little resort in Bakau is the former British Ambassador’s office and has a child-free policy. www.ngalalodge.nl Coco Ocean The superior suites at this five-star resort in Bilijo are the ultimate honeymoon accommodation, with sea views and a private dipping pool. www.cocoocean.com Mandina River Lodge What could be more romantic than floating in a house boat on a creek in the middle of the rainforest? A sanctuary for lovers, guests can fall asleep in sumptuous surroundings listening to the sounds of the jungle. www.makasutu.com

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The food at Coco Ocean is first rate, particularly in the Thai restaurant, which is headed by a Bangkok chef who cooks using ingredients that are either grown in the hotel’s kitchen garden or sourced locally. He’s a master of his art. However, keen to taste some true Gambian cuisine I resist the temptation to go Thai again and walk 15 minutes along Bilijo Beach to the Senegambia Strip, where I discover lively restaurants serving local specialities such as yassa (meat cooked in an onion and carrot sauce) and my personal favourite, domoda (meat cooked in a peanut sauce). Once the diners have cleared off, the Senegambia Strip gets its groove on; the music is cranked up, restaurants become nightclubs and revellers dance the night away. It’s a great place to meet the locals, although some tourists go beyond the call as far as international relations are concerned. Although some see pound signs in tourists, most Gambians offer nothing but genuine warmth. “Welcome to the smiling coast of Africa” is how I’m often greeted. They’re extremely laidback too. “Here in Gambia, we are also on GMT – that’s Gambia Maybe Time,” jokes one of my tour guides. Adjusting to the local pace of life I take a “lazy river cruise” down Oyster Creek, which is a tributary of The Gambia River. Legend has it that as Europe carved up Africa, the British sent a ship up this vast waterway, firing cannons off either side and setting the borders of the country according to where the balls fell. The accuracy of this account is disputed, but it could explain Gambia’s curious shape. The lazy river cruise does what it says on the tin and as we amble up the creek in a fabulous wooden boat, I sunbathe on the roof, spot birds in the mangroves and cast a fishing line over the side – I catch nothing. Along the way we pass beautifully dressed women, who are having more success catching crabs and oysters. Although crocodiles and hippos abound up stream, our guide says it’s safe to take a dip in these salty waters, so I take his word for it and plunge into the creek to escape the heat. It’s blissful. I drag myself out of the water for lunch and a few glasses of wine, which we quaff as the boat drifts lazily up the creek. Nobody seems to know where we are going or when we’ll get there. And nobody seems to care; after all, we’re on Gambian time now. n

NEED TO KNOW: The Gambia Experience offers seven nights at the Coco Ocean Resort & Spa from £1,058 per person (based on two sharing a junior suite), which includes breakfast, return flights from London Gatwick and transfers. Call The Gambia Experience on 0845 330 2060 or visit www.gambia.co.uk/cocoocean

listing See below for estate agents in YOUR area

Arlington Residential 8 Wellington Road NW8 9SP 020 7722 3322

Hanover Residential 102 St. John’s Wood Terrace, NW8 6PL 020 7722 2223

Marsh & Parsons 35 Maida Vale, W9 1TP 020 7368 4458

www.hanover-residential.com

www.marshandparsons.co.uk

www.arlingtonresidential.co.uk

Jones Lang LaSalle 30 Warwick Street, W1B 5NH 020 7087 5557 www.joneslanglasalle.co.uk

Aston Chase 69 / 71 Park Road NW1 6XU 020 7724 4724 800 Finchley Road NW11 7TJ 020 8455 3538

Parkheath 208 Haverstock Hill, NW3 2AG 020 7431 1234 8a Canfield Gardens, NW6 3BS 020 7625 4567 192 West End Lane, NW6 1SG 020 7794 7111 www.parkheath.com

www.astonchase.com

Kay & Co Hyde Park & Bayswater office 24-25 Albion Street, W2 2AX 020 7262 2030 Marylebone & Regents Park office 20a Paddington Street, W1U 5QP 020 7486 6338

Bargets 16 Park Road NW1 4SH 020 7402 9494

Property Divas Limited 34a Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead, NW3 1NH 020 7431 8000 www.propertydivas.com

www.kayandco.com

www.bargets.co.uk

Knight Frank 5-7 Wellington Place, NW8 7PB 020 7586 2777

Fox Gregory 102-104 Allitsen Road St John’s Wood NW8 7AY 020 7586 1500

www.rescorp.co.uk

79-81 Heath Street, NW3 6UG 020 7431 8686

www.foxgregory.co.uk

120a Mount Street, W1K 3NN 020 7483 8349 www.knightfrank.co.uk

Hamptons International 99 St John’s Wood Terrace, NW8 6PL 020 7717 5319

Savills 7 Perrin’s Court NW3 1QS 020 7472 5000

21 Heath street, NW3 6TR 020 7717 5301

Laurence Leigh 020 7483 0101

15 St John’s Wood High Street NW8 7NG 020 3043 3600

www.hamptons.co.uk

www.laurenceleigh.com

www.savills.co.uk

RUNWILD M

Rescorp Residential 58 Acacia Road, St John’s Wood, NW8 6AG 020 3348 8000

If you would like to appear within the property pages of VANTAGE, contact Felicity Morgan-Harvey, property manager, on 020 7987 4320 or f.morgan-harvey@runwildgroup.co.uk

Vantage P R O P E RT Y

showcasing the

finest HOMES & PROPERTY from the best estate agents

Golden

dream properties rarely seen on the market

opportunity

Image: Loudon Road, NW8 Courtesy of Knight Frank, p. 107

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KnightFrank.co.uk

Embassy Court, St John’s Wood NW8

Luxury four bedroom apartment in a portered block A magnificent first floor apartment within this prestigious modern block, perfectly situated in the heart of St John’s Wood. 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, poggenpohl kitchen, communal garden, 24 hour concierge, private parking. EPC rating B. Approximately 290.0 sq m (3,121 sq ft) Leasehold 993 Years 8 Months Guide Price: £6,350,000

(SJW090169)

KnightFrank.co.uk/St-Johns-Wood stjohnswood@knightfrank.com 020 7586 2777

KnightFrank.co.uk

Loudon Road, St Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wood NW8

Rarely available low built lateral house with parking This bright and spacious detached family house has been recently refurbished and is situated on a large, westerly facing plot with access to the beautiful wrap around garden. 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, eat in kitchen, cinema room, gym, patio/ terrace. EPC rating D. Approximately 420.3 sq m (4,524 sq ft) Freehold Guide Price: ÂŁ7,950,000

(SJW130008)

KnightFrank.co.uk/St-Johns-Wood stjohnswood@knightfrank.com 020 7586 2777

KnightFrank.co.uk

The Bishops Avenue, Hampstead N2 Newly refurbished detached house

A state of the art refurbished property on this world renowned road. Landscaped garden, gated carriage drive. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing room, 5 further bedrooms, 5 further bathrooms (4 en suite), kitchen, dining room, 3 reception rooms, drawing room, study, swimming pool, spa pool, guest WC. EPC rating tbc. Approximately 560 sq m (6,028 sq ft) Freehold Guide Price: ÂŁ7,499,000 (HAM120223)

KnightFrank.co.uk/Hampstead hampstead@knightfrank.com 020 7431 8686

KnightFrank.co.uk

Hampstead Way, Hampstead Garden Suburb NW11 Stunning family home overlooking Hampstead Heath

This family home has been tastefully modernised retaining many original features and offers plenty of living space as well as five bedrooms. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing room, 4 further bedrooms (1 with en suite), 2 family bathrooms, reception room, kitchen/breakfast room, dining room, study, double garage/family room, off street parking for 2 cars. EPC rating C. Approximately 338 sq m (3635 sq ft) Freehold Guide Price: ÂŁ4,750,000 (HAM120084)

KnightFrank.co.uk/Hampstead hampstead@knightfrank.com 020 7431 8686

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UNIQUE

PROVIDING

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1,895

ACCOMMODATION FLOORS DOUBLE

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ARRANGED

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LANDSCAPED GARDEN SURROUNDING THREE SIDES OF THE HOUSE. The house is discreetly located on Carlton Hill just minutes from a vibrant

mix of thriving cafés, restaurants, boutiques and independent shops of

both St John’s Wood and Maida Vale. Whilst only a short walk to

Paddington Recreation Ground with London’s premier shopping districts – Oxford Street, Bond Street and Mayfair within minutes via either Maida Vale or St John’s Wood Underground Stations (Bakerloo & Jubilee Lines).

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SOLE AGENT

£3.5M

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ELSWORTHY ROAD PRIMROSE HILL NW3

AN EXCEPTIONAL FIVE BEDROOM SEMI-DETACHED RESIDENCE WITH A MAGNIFICENT 95FT LANDSCAPED REAR GARDEN AND OFF STREET PARKING FOR ONE CAR. Providing 3,561 sq ft (330.8 sq m) of spacious and versatile family

accommodation the house, which is presented in immaculate condition throughout, features high ceilings and retains many of its original period features.

Located in this enviable Primrose Hill location, the house is situated only a

short stroll from Primrose Hill Village with its wide selection of bespoke

shops, boutiques, restaurants and street cafĂŠs whilst within easy reach of transport links to the City and West End.

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SOLE AGENT

£8.5M

Oppidans Road NW3 ÂŁ1,800,000

Moments from Primrose Hill, a family house set over four floors with garage and off street parking. Externally there is a roof terrace on the first floor, and there are rear communal gardens.

2235 sq ft including garage Off street parking for 2 cars 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms 2 receptions Communal gardens Contact Belsize Park Office 020 7431 1234

South Hampstead Sales 020 7625 4567 Lettings 020 7644 0800 nw6@parkheath.com

Belsize Park Sales 020 7431 1234 Lettings 020 7431 3104 nw3@parkheath.com

West Hampstead Sales 020 7794 7111 Lettings 020 7794 7111 192@parkheath.com

Property Management Tel 020 7722 6777 pm@parkheath.com

www.parkheath.com

The Chapel House NW3 ÂŁ2,495,000

A rare opportunity to purchase The Chapel House, with unique focal points including vaulted beams and floor to ceiling arched window. Located close to Primrose Hill, the property offers a large rear garden and front courtyard plus a 23 ft roof terrace.

2187 sq ft 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms 25 ft galleried reception 22 ft mezzanine Excellent external areas Contact Belsize Park Office 020 7431 1234

South Hampstead Sales 020 7625 4567 Lettings 020 7644 0800 nw6@parkheath.com

Belsize Park Sales 020 7431 1234 Lettings 020 7431 3104 nw3@parkheath.com

West Hampstead Sales 020 7794 7111 Lettings 020 7794 7111 192@parkheath.com

Property Management Tel 020 7722 6777 pm@parkheath.com

www.parkheath.com

Gondar Gardens NW6 ÂŁ1,495 per week

Arranged over four floors, an exceptional family home on a quiet West Hampstead road. Entertaining areas include a double reception, kitchen/diner and a day room. There is a rear garden with sun deck and play area.

3000 sq ft 5 double bedrooms 29â&#x20AC;&#x2122;6 reception, 28 ft kitchen Wine cellar, loft storage 80 ft rear garden Contact West Hampstead Office 020 7794 7111

South Hampstead Sales 020 7625 4567 Lettings 020 7644 0800 nw6@parkheath.com

Belsize Park Sales 020 7431 1234 Lettings 020 7431 3104 nw3@parkheath.com

West Hampstead Sales 020 7794 7111 Lettings 020 7794 7111 192@parkheath.com

Property Management Tel 020 7722 6777 pm@parkheath.com

www.parkheath.com

The Coach House NW6 ÂŁ1,200,000

Formerly the coach house to a grand summer house on Hemstal Road, this property offers grand period features and views to the garden from every room.

1626 sq ft 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms 18 ft reception with large bay windows Spacious kitchen/breakfast room Private enclosed garden

Peacefully located yet close to the shops and cafes of central West Hampstead.

Contact West Hampstead Office 020 7794 7111

South Hampstead Sales 020 7625 4567 Lettings 020 7644 0800 nw6@parkheath.com

Belsize Park Sales 020 7431 1234 Lettings 020 7431 3104 nw3@parkheath.com

West Hampstead Sales 020 7794 7111 Lettings 020 7794 7111 192@parkheath.com

Property Management Tel 020 7722 6777 pm@parkheath.com

www.parkheath.com

st J o h n ' s Wo o d L O n d O n

n W 8

A LOW BUILT meWs hOUse WhIch hAs Been fULLy renOvATed And refUrBIshed TO An excepTIOnALLy hIgh sTAndArd ThrOUghOUT prOvIdIng A sTrIkIng InTerIOr. The prOperTy feATUres An ImpressIve Open pLAn grOUnd fLOOr recepTIOn spAce WITh LArge WIndOWs And A vAULTed fIrsT fLOOr recepTIOn rOOm. The hOUse Is LOcATed In A qUIeT cUL de sAc meWs Of OnLy 5 hOUses And Is WIThIn A feW mOmenTs WALk Of sT JOhn’s WOOd hIgh sTreeT And UndergrOUnd sTATIOn. 3 BedrOOms, 2 shOWer rOOms 1 BAThrOOm, LArge Open pLAn sITTIng rOOm/dInIng AreA/kITchen, recepTIOn rOOm 2, UTILITy rOOm, LArge exTernAL sTOre rOOm, decked pATIO, epc rATIng d freehOLd prIce £3,250,000

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A THree floor period House presenTed in excellenT decorATive condiTion. THis sTylisH Home HAs been renovATed To A HigH conTemporAry sTAndArd And feATures A beAuTiful lAndscAped souTH eAsT fAcing reAr gArden. THe House is convenienTly locATed 100 yArds from sT. JoHn's Wood HigH sTreeT And only A feW momenTs WAlk from sT. JoHn's Wood underground sTATion. THe reAr secTion of THe gArden, As picTured, TogeTHer WiTH A gArAge Are renTed on A licence And mAy be AvAilAble by sepArATe negoTiATion. 3 bedrooms, 1 bATHroom, 1 sHoWer room, recepTion room, dining room, Tv room/bedroom 4, kiTcHen, guesT cloAkroom, 2 roof TerrAces, lAndscAped gArden/double gArAge on sepArATe licence, epc rATing d sole AgenT freeHold for sAle £2,950,000 Also AvAilAble for renTAl £2,250 per Week

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102 St John’s Wood Terrace, St John’s Wood, London NW8 6PL

t: 020 7722 2223 e: info@hanover-residential.com w: hanover-residential.com

Pavillion Apartments, St John’s Wood, NW8

£2,595,000

An absolutely stunning and contemporary two bedrooms, two bathroom apartment (1,325 sq ft / 123 sq m) situated on the eighth floor of this highly prestigious modern block on St John’s Wood Road. The apartment features air conditioning and a large balcony with direct views into Lord’s Cricket Ground. It has been recently refurbished to a very high standard. There is secure underground parking for one car, 24 hour concierge and a well maintained communal garden.

Sole Agent

Leasehold

Hamilton Gardens, St John’s Wood, NW8

£2,695,000

A well presented Victorian family house (2,477 sq.ft / 230 sq.m) located on this quiet residential street in St John’s Wood. The house offers spacious accommodation over five floors and benefits include a 31” reception room occupying the entire first floor, a kitchen breakfast room and a south facing patio garden. Hamilton Gardens is situated within a short distance from The American School and St Johns Wood High Street.

Sole Agent

Freehold

102 St John’s Wood Terrace, St John’s Wood, London NW8 6PL

t: 020 7722 2223 e: info@hanover-residential.com w: hanover-residential.com

Eyre Court, St John’s Wood, NW8

£2,250,000

A very bright and well-presented three bedroom, three bathroom apartment (1,665 sq ft / 155 sq m) set on the fourth floor of this prestigious mansion block with 24 hour porterage. Features of this property include a large double reception room and eat-in kitchen/breakfast room with delightful westerly views. Eyre Court is a highly regarded luxury block set behind a large carriage driveway offering parking on a first come first served basis. The block is located moments from St Johns Wood High Street and is directly opposite the underground station (Jubilee Line).

Sole Agent

Share of Freehold

Grove Court, St John’s Wood, NW8

£2,850,000

A stunningly refurbished four bedroom, three bathroom duplex apartment (2,044 sq ft / 190 sq m) situated on the 5th/6th (top) floors in this period block. The apartment offers a fantastic 31ft reception room with bright westerly views, a striking Poggenpohl eat-in kitchen, iPad controlled lighting and home entertainment system and Austrian grey oak flooring. Grove Court benefits from porterage, passenger lift, limited off street parking and is located at the junction of Grove End Road and Circus Road; conveniently located for the fashionable shops and restaurants on St John’s Wood High Street and underground station (jubilee line). Regents Park is also close by.

Principal Agent

Leasehold

102 St John’s Wood Terrace, St John’s Wood, London NW8 6PL

t: 020 7722 2223 e: info@hanover-residential.com w: hanover-residential.com

North Gate, St John’s Wood, NW8

Belsize Road, South Hampstead, NW6

With full permission to reconfigure into a three bedroom, two bathroom apartment, is this fabulous and very spacious apartment (1,450 sq ft approx) set on the raised ground floor of this highly prestigious mansion block on the corner of St John’s Wood High Street and Prince Albert Road. The property features two large interconnecting reception rooms with wonderful high ceilings.

A mid-terrace three storey town house (1,569 sq ft / 145 sq m) offered in good decorative condition throughout. The house offers three bedrooms, reception room, dining room, TV room and first floor drawing room, rear garden and street parking. The house has easy access to the Metropolitan and Jubilee Lines at both Finchley Road and Swiss Cottage underground stations.

Leasehold

£1,999,950

Leasehold

£1,695,000

Fairfax Road, South Hampstead, NW6

Hall Road, St John’s Wood, NW8

A beautiful four bedroom house located in a cobbled mews. The property is offered in excellent decorative condition and features a stunning fully fitted eat-in kitchen, a double aspect reception room and modern lighting. Fairfax Place is located with easy access to the shops, amenities and transport links of Swiss Cottage and Finchley Road (Jubilee & Metropolitan line).

A newly refurbished three bedroom, two bathroom apartment (1,032 sq ft / 96 sq m) occupying the third (top) floor of this imposing semi-detached house. This stunning home offers an impressive reception room with pleasant views, fireplace, under floor heating in the bathrooms and wired for surround sound.

Freehold

£1,295,000

Leasehold

£1,200,000

Collection Place, St John’s Wood, NW8

Queen Victoria Suite, Marylebone, NW1

Collection Place is a landmark development created by award-winning architects. This stunning four bedroom, three bathroom contemporary house (229.8 sq m / 2,474 sq ft excluding integral garage) is offered in immaculate condition and secure underground parking for two cars. Luxury features include comfort cooling, Crestron Automation, underfloor heating, limestone and timber floors, decked roof terrace, 24-hour concierge and CCTV.

Set in London’s historic St Pancras Renaissance this luxurious property comprises double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, large reception and kitchen area. Weekly rent will include three weekly services of the apartment, twice weekly professional cleaning and access to the Spa and Gym. The suite also includes 24hr security, CCTV, air conditioning, complimentary WI-FI, satellite television and is offered inclusive of all bills.

£2,500 per week

£2,450 per week

St John’s Wood Court, St John’s Wood, NW8

Sunny Mews, Primrose Hill, NW3

A newly-redecorated four bedroom, three bathroom apartment (1,934 sq ft / 179 sq m) on the fourth floor of a prestigious block with inclusive heating and hot water. This bright apartment features three impressive reception rooms ideal for entertaining with balcony. Additional benefits include passenger lift and uniformed porterage. St Johns Wood Court is located opposite London’s famous Lords Cricket Ground.

Located behind an electric gated entrance, a recently built development of six contemporary mews houses. This house offers a fully fitted kitchen, a double aspect reception room leading to a bridged terrace, three double bedrooms one with an en-suite bathroom and an additional family bathroom. The house also benefits from one allocated parking space.

£1,750 per week

£1,000 per week

savills.co.uk

1 ARGUABLY ONE OF THE FINEST DUPLEX APARTMENTS IN LONDON west heath road, nw3 Reception room ø dining room ø kitchen/breakfast room ø 3 bedrooms (all en suite) ø bedroom 4/TV room ø balcony ø terrace ø underground parking for 2 cars ø 333 sq m (3,583 sq ft) ø EPC=B Guide £5.75 million Leasehold

Savills Hampstead

TK International

Peter Brookes pbrookes@savills.com

Jeremy Karpel jlk@t-k.co.uk

020 7472 5000

020 7794 8700

savills.co.uk

1 BEAUTIFUL DETACHED 'ARTS & CRAFTS' HOUSE meadway, nw11 4 reception rooms ø Poggenpohl kitchen ø master bedroom suite ø 6 further bedrooms ø 4 further bathrooms ø south-facing rear garden ø 371 sq m (3,993 sq ft) ø EPC=D Guide £3.95 million Freehold

Savills Hampstead

Glentree

Frank Townsend ftownsend@savills.com

Robert Kramer robert@glentree.com

020 7472 5000

020 8458 7311

MAGNIFICENT FAMILY HOME IN THE HEART OF ST JOHNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WOOD Rare opportunity to acquire a substantial family house, set in private spacious south facing grounds on the corner of Norfolk Road and Woronzow Road: one of the best addresses in St Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wood.

CGI: FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY

Built circa 1860 as an elegant Italianate villa the house benefits from reconstruction and complete internal refurbishment undertaken in 1999 to designs by renowned Paris architect India Mahdavi Hudson. Planning has been secured to provide a substantially enlarged residence over lower ground, ground and first floor levels, complete with driveway, garage and off-street parking for 3-4 cars.

 House can be arranged to provide six bedrooms  Galleried entrance hall with 30’ high ceiling designed by Eric Schmidt  Dual aspect reception room and study with 10’ high ceiling overlooking rear garden  16-18 seater dining room overlooking Parisian style cobbled courtyard  Family room with bay window  Spacious kitchen/breakfast room with separate utility room  Master bedroom suite, with twin walk-in dressing rooms & en suite bathroom  Three bathrooms  Maid’s bedroom & bathroom with separate entrance  Consented basement extension scheme provides for a magnificent swimming pool, home cinema, lounge/bar, spa area with gymnasium, sauna, Hamam, changing room, shower and cloakroom  Electronic security shutters to all principal windows

Freehold: Price Upon Application

Savills St John’s Wood 15 St John’s Wood High Street London NW8 7NG

020 3043 3600 savills.co.uk

S T E P H E N L I N D S AY

G A RY H E R S H A M

E slindsay@savills.com T +44 (0) 20 3043 3605 M + 44 (0) 7870 999 579 15 St John’s Wood High Street, London, NW8 7NG

E gary@beauchamp.co.uk T +44 (0) 20 7499 7722 M +44 (0) 7785 725 036 24 Curzon Street, London, W1J 7TF

Hamptons St. John’s Wood Office Lettings. 020 7717 5487 stjohnswoodlettings@hamptons-int.com

Springfield Road, NW8 £2,500 per week An impressive detached house comprising a spacious reception room and dining room, well equipped kitchen, generous master bedroom with balcony, en-suite bathroom and dressing room, three further bedrooms, two shower rooms, guest cloakroom, mature garden, and off-street parking. EPC rating E

Elnathan Mews, W9 £750 per week This newly refurbished mews house is located in a private cobbled street close to Warwick Avenue Tube Station (Bakerloo Line) and the local shops of Little Venice and Maida Vale. The property has two double bedrooms, two reception rooms, and two bathrooms (one en-suite). EPC rating C

Hamptons St. John’s Wood Office Lettings. 020 7717 5487 stjohnswoodlettings@hamptons-int.com

Fitzroy Road, NW1 £3,000 per week

Arranged over the upper four floors of this terrace house this property incorporates a master suite with dressing room and bathroom, three further bedrooms and two bathrooms, open-plan kitchen, conservatory, and shared garden. Available up to six months on a short let from April 2013. EPC rating D

Circus Lodge, NW8 £750 per week

A bright and spacious three bedroom, portered apartment ideally located in the heart of St. John’s Wood close to the amenities of the High Street and St. John’s Wood underground station (Jubilee Line). Also close to the green open spaces of Regents Park. EPC rating D

foxgregory.co.uk

Woronzow Road NW8 Price on Application Furnished / Unfurnished

Sales I Lettings I Investments

A superb period family house of approximately 2,200 sq ft located on the East side of St Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wood. The property has undergone a major refurbishment and benefits from a fabulous kitchen family room which opens onto a delightful courtyard garden. There is is magnificent double aspect reception room with high ceilings and wooden floors, four double bedrooms all equipped with quality built in wardrobes and closets, three luxury bathrooms (one en suite) and two further half baths. The property is ideally located for the ASL.

Hampstead Borders NW3 Price on Application Freehold

An immaculately presented semi detached family home extending to approximately 2,892 sq ft / 268.67 sq m. The house has been refurbished in recent years and features two intercommunicating reception rooms as well as a large eat in kitchen, all of which have direct access to a beautifully landscaped West facing garden. There is a splendid master suite with dressing area and limestone tiled bathroom, four further double bedrooms and two bathrooms. The property also benefits from off street parking. Fox Gregory, 102 Allitsen Road, London NW8 7AY 020 7586 1500 enquiries@foxgregory.co.uk

property

BEING

DIFFERENT Laurence Leigh, director of Laurence Leigh Residential, considers what sets his company apart How does being a boutique agency give you an edge over your competitors? I feel that being a boutique agency allows us to offer a more personal service than a lot of our competitors. Unlike most of the high street agents, we do not work on high volumes and therefore we are always able to give our clients (both sellers and buyers) the time and attention that they deserve. Are you noticing a rise in international buyers in the market? We havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t noticed a rise per se, there has however been a continuous steady stream of foreign buyers over the past three years and that trend is continuing. Although there is still a strong domestic demand, the market has definitely been underpinned by foreign buyers. It would appear that coming from all corners of the world and for numerous reasons, investors see central London property as a relatively safe haven for their money. Do you invest in property? Over the years I have invested in property both in central London and around the South East of England. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a large portfolio, but all the investments that I have made have proved to be very worthwhile. What would your advice be to anyone looking to invest in property now? I have always believed in looking at the long term when looking for an investment. If you can find a property with an angle to add value that is a huge benefit. It is also very important to make sure that the property meets the necessary criteria to rent well. Being located close to good public transport links to the City and West End is also crucial, as is being situated close to shops and all other amenities. In addition, if there is another draw, like a good school close by, that would be a massive advantage and would ensure that your investment would have very few void periods where you are not receiving any income. What differentiates your approach? Our business has been built on the cornerstones of professionalism, integrity and reliability. We offer clients a dynamic, proactive and creative service, tailored to individual requirements. We enjoy an extensive knowledge of both the historic and current status of the local property market and are therefore able to offer experiencebased, accurate advice on every aspect of sales, acquisitions or rentals in the areas we cover. The standard of our service is best reflected in the ongoing relationships we maintain with many of our clients, whose property transactions we continue to handle over a period of years. In addition to keeping our clients informed as their transaction progresses, our intention is to ensure the buying, selling or letting process runs as smoothly as possible, is as stress free as we can make it and takes place within the required timeframes.

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What challenges and opportunities does 2013 hold? 2013 has started very well, and we have concluded a number of important transactions. I have been pleasantly surprised with the number of new enquiries there have been since the beginning of the year. However, as is normally the case in the St Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wood area, the biggest challenge is to try to get property on to the market, to ensure demand is met. As always, I am hopeful that vendors will see 2013 as the year to put their property on the market and I hope they will choose Laurence Leigh Residential as their agent. n

Laurence Leigh Residential 020 7483 0101, www.laurenceleigh.com

Apartments: theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re anything but flat.

Both sale and rental values in W1 are at record levels and as you can see from the small selection of our recent successes listed overleaf, there is no shortage of willing buyers and tenants. So whether you are actively looking to sell or let, or would simply like to take the temperature of the market, we are always delighted to share our 30 years of market local knowledge with you. To arrange a confidential appointment without obligation please telephone a member of our team today.

Marylebone & Regents Park

020 7486 6338 marylebone@kayandco.com

kayandco.com

Our recent successes in W1

Luxborough Street SOLD

Cumberland Place SOLD

St Andrews Mansions SOLD

Montagu Mews West SOLD

Devonshire Mews South SOLD

Duchess Mews SOLD

Devonshire Place SOLD

Montagu Square SOLD

Chiltern Street SOLD

Montagu Square SOLD

Bryanston Square SOLD

Seymour Place SOLD

Marylebone & Regents Park 020 7486 6338 marylebone@kayandco.com

kayandco.com

Beaumont Street LET

Bickenhall Street LET

Great Cumberland Place LET

Devonshire Mews North LET

Queen Anne Street LET

York Street LET

Paddington Street LET

York Place Mansions LET

Marylebone High Street LET

Moxton Street LET

Montagu Mansions LET

Nottingham Place LET

Cunningham Place, St John’s Wood, NW8 A well presented Grade II listed house situated on the west side of this popular tree lined road in St Johns Wood. The house comprises approximately 2632 sq ft/ 246 sq m of accommodation and benefits from a 47ft south west facing rear garden. Cunningham Place is located just off St Johns Wood Road very close to its junction with Hamilton Terrace and within half a mile of the boutiques and cafés on Clifton Road. EPC - D

Freehold Asking Price: £2,695,000

www.laurenceleigh.com / 020 7483 0101

Sole Agent

Loudoun Road, St Johns Wood, NW8 An opportunity to acquire a deceptively spacious contemporary family house (297sq m/3,195 sq ft) situated within this development of five townhouses. The house has been finished to a high standard, featuring spacious living accommodation air-conditioning and under floor heating. The property is situated at the northern end of Loudoun Road, within three quarters of a mile of St Johns Wood High Street. Further benefits include a roof terrace and garage. EPC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; B

Freehold Asking Price: ÂŁ2,595,000

Sole Agent

020 7483 0101 / www.laurenceleigh.com

Orwell Studios, W1W - ÂŁ2,350 per week - Long Let This fantastic penthouse apartment boasts over 2,400 square foot of luxury living space. A wrap around balcony provides stunning views over neighbouring Oxford Circus and the London sky line. The open plan reception room offers fantastic entertaining space. Two double bedroom suites. Fully air conditioned. Photos as previously furnished, available furnished/unfurnished.

30 Warwick Street, London, W1B 5NH

020 7087 5557 joneslanglasalle.co.uk

Stockleigh Hall, NW8 - £1,100 per week - Long Let A spacious and bright three double bedroom apartment in this popular and highly regarded building. Opposite Regents Park and close to St John’s Wood High Street and the Underground Station. Unfurnished.

Marconi House, WC2R - £550 - £2,200 per week - Long Let A selection of stunning, newly completed, one, two and three bedroom apartments. All apartments benefit from smart home technology. Located close to Covent Garden and great transport links to the City. 24 hour concierge. Furnished and unfurnished.

Westend.let@eu.jll.com

JONATHAN ARRON RESIDENTIAL

ErskinE Hill HampstEad GardEn suburb, nW11 Set back behind a beautifully landscaped garden, a rarely available five bedroom, three bathroom Grade II listed family house (2159 sq ft/200 sq m) designed by celebrated architect G.L. Sutcliffe, offering light and spacious accommodation over three floors. priCE: Offers in excess of £2,000,000 Freehold Joint sole agent EpC: F The property benefits from a 23 ft kitchen/breakfast room, a 33 ft reception/dining room leading directly onto a lovely 59 ft rear garden and is ideally located on the south side of Hampstead Garden Suburb, within close proximity to the shopping and transport facilities of Temple Fortune.

18 BLENHEIM TERRACE, ST JOHN’S WOOD, NW8 0EB

NEW NEW.indd 1

T 020 7604 4611

W JONATHANARRON.COM

15/03/2013 13:19

property

A Unique Position The central London market is robust and strong, says Neil Stone from Bargets, with international interest and a vibrant lettings market making for a solid investment International buyers are drawn to central London for all the advantages that it has to offer. Many of these are cash buyers that see the areas we cover as a very safe haven for their money. The first quarter of 2013 has been very good for us and I remain optimistic that the central London market will continue to do well; and as and when the economy improves it will just get better and better. None of the old adages have changed as far as the top end of the property market is concerned, central London still has a shortage of properties, and of course we’ll always have foreign investors who want to come here and either rent or buy. I’m also hopeful that at some stage we will begin to see some of the pent-up demand from domestic buyers coming forward. I think people will finally decide that it’s time to move, that they’ve held out long enough; and I think this will happen because the market has got a lot more realistic and prices have become much more sensible. To keep this upward momentum, the government now needs to give tax breaks to people who buy large portfolios of properties to rent out, this will help keep rental prices down, and, as more people in London are renting properties rather than buying, it’s essential that prices are kept stable and attainable for most people. I also believe property developers and City institutions should now be seriously viewing investment in large property portfolios as a proper asset class, which is not something the City has done before. Unfortunately, it seems that the government is determined to penalise business success and growth, and the threat of an iniquitous Mansion Tax on top of the continued high level of Stamp Duty proves my point. That said, I do not believe that the Mansion Tax will ever get through Parliament. What most people in the UK don’t understand is that living in a property that is worth £2million does not necessarily mean you are rich; and the Mansion Tax is not a sound economic policy that will get us back on our feet. At Bargets, though, we continue to prosper. We have always concentrated on the top end of the market and have some exciting new properties for sale, including a new development of five stunning houses in Regents Park, a magnificent refurbished Nash Terrace and a grand Ambassadorial residence in St John’s Wood’s. We set up our rentals department 12 years ago and now have a very large lettings department dealing with all the major corporate companies, banks and other international clientele. During this recession, especially when there was a severe downturn in property sales, our lettings side of the business has been very strong and continues to grow. We also have an excellent portfolio of rental stock with prices ranging from £2k to £10k a week and we have some other exciting new properties to on the market including an outstanding house in Clifton Hill which is on the market for £6.95 million. n

Bargets 020 7402 9494, www.bargets.co.uk

144

ÂŁ650 Per Week Unfurnished Sole Agent

Antrim Road, Belsize Park, NW3

Bright, three bedroom second floor apartment set in a popular mansion block and located moments from Belsize Park underground station. The property comprises of a large and stylish eat in kitchen, separate, bright reception with high ceilings, original features, modern bathroom and access to small private balcony and communal gardens to the rear. The property is available from around the 20th April on an unfurnished basis. EPC - Band D

Property Divas Limited, 34a Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead, NW3 1NH 020 7431 8000 info@propertydivas.com www.propertydivas.com

property

Spotlight On:

Maida Vale Natasha Mace, associate director and sales manager of Marsh & Parsons in Little Venice extols the virtues of this highly desirable area In the three years that I have been running our Little Venice office, I have seen the property market change significantly. In particular, the demand for mansion style property has grown exponentially, and quite simply, there is not enough property coming onto the market to satisfy the sheer number of enthusiastic buyers, both locally and across the globe. In 2009, prices for mansion apartments started at a modest £620-£640 per square foot, but since their popularity has escalated, and London property prices have risen, we have seen this increase considerably. Some of the most sought-after apartments are those overlooking the Paddington Recreation ground, which are superbly located just a few minutes’ walk from Maida Vale underground station, as well as being on a very quiet, tree lined street. Indeed, in the last few weeks, we have sold a property on Grantully Road (where most apartments offer views over the Paddington Recreation Ground) for £960 per square foot - an increase of 64 per cent in three years, and as demand fails to dwindle, this upwards trend seems likely to continue. Of course, London as a whole has experienced substantial price increases, but there are other forces at work in the Maida Vale area, contributing to its ever increasing popularity. Firstly, foreign investment, which has traditionally been saved for the more central and well known areas of London, has penetrated areas like Maida Vale, where investors experience reassuringly good returns and a capital appreciation to rival even the most glamorous London addresses. Foreign investors also love the period charm of the traditional mansion blocks, which boast original Victorian features and beautifully high ceilings, as well as perfect lateral living. Incidentally, of the four most recent mansion apartments we have sold, two of the buyers were French, one was Italian and the other was Nigerian. Another reason for this surge of interested buyers is the sports grant awarded in 2012 to the Paddington

146

Recreation Ground, which has transformed the track. Sports enthusiasts are now enticed to the area for its fantastic sports facilities. Furthermore, Paddington Station, which is just a short walk away, not only offers the Heathrow Express, it will also boast a new link to the City, which is due to open in 2018. This service will provide access to Liverpool Street in 10 minutes and Canary Wharf in 17 minutes, as well as 24 trains an hour at peak times in each direction – perfect for the city commuter. We have just sold an apartment in Leith Mansions overlooking the Recreation Ground, where all three separate buyers wanted access to Paddington Station, but a home in a more leafy part of London. Undoubtedly, these developments will provide homeowners, seeking a medium-to-long term investment, excellent returns in the future, whilst offering a lot more for their money in the short term, compared to more traditional, neighbouring areas such as Holland Park, Kensington and Notting Hill. n

Marsh & Parsons 020 7993 3050, www.marshandparsons.co.uk Leith Mansions

We believe that every building is one-of-akind. Every design is created to a unique, specific and personal vision. And every project requires individual understanding, research and planning. Blending architectural flair with building surveying professionalism. Collaborating with clients, suppliers, engineers and builders. Together we create original and beautiful bespoke houses. We are experienced and pragmatic, fresh thinking and innovative; we are Pennington Phillips.

Pennington Phillips 16 Spectrum House 32â&#x20AC;&#x201C;34 Gordon House Road London NW5 1LP t: 020 7267 1414 f: 020 7267 7878 design@penningtonphillips.co.uk

The spirit of St John’s Wood Rescorp Residential are pleased to offer for sale two beautifully refurbished apartments located on London’s Avenue Road in St Johns Wood. Also on offer for let are two spacious and bright apartments located only minutes from both Regents Park and Primrose Hill.

Avenue Lodge £1,250,000

Avenue Road £1,345,000

This raised ground floor recently refurbished apartment features a large reception room with a fully fitted modern open plan kitchen. The large master bedroom has an en-suite bathroom and there is a further bedroom with an en-suite shower room and a guest toilet. The apartment also benefits from 24hr porterage service.

This newly refurbished apartment features a large reception room with a fully fitted modern open plan kitchen. The large master bedroom benefits from an en-suite bathroom and two further bedrooms, a shower room and a guest toilet. The property also benefits from 24hr porterage service.

LE T

Blazer Court £800 per week

Melrose Apartments £950 per week

This interior designed property comprises of a large reception room, a fully fitted kitchen, two large bedrooms, one with an ensuite bathroom. Situated on the sixth floor of this purpose built block, Blazer Court benefits from a 24hr porterage service and boasts stunning views from it’s balcony.

This high quality apartment boasts a fully fitted contemporary kitchen, large reception room with floor to ceiling windows and wooden floors, two double bedrooms (one with en-suite) third bedroom, and family bathroom. Further benefits include secure underground parking for one car and Porterage.

Please call us for viewing arrangements.

Vic Chhabria Director

SALES

LETTINGS

MANAGEMENT

58 Acacia Road, St Johns Wood, London NW8 6AG - T: 0203 348 8000 www.rescorp.co.uk

CLD27343 Breakspear House 210x297 AD 12/03/2013 16:19 Page 1

Breakspear housE

www.breakspearhouse.com

HAREFIELD â&#x20AC;˘ MIDDLESEX

BEAUTIFULLY UNIQUE Breakspear House, a dramatic fusion of historic elegance and contemporary specification, culminating in a unique collection of apartments set within nine acres of private, landscaped grounds with excellent transport links to central London. A conversion of a Grade I listed 17th century manor house into nine superb 2 & 3 bedroom apartments Set in more than 9 acres of ancient woodland and private parkland Only 15 miles from central London* Just 8 miles from Heathrow* and with good access to the A40, M25 and M40 motorways Underground access at West Ruislip (Central Line), Hillingdon (Metropolitan / Piccadilly Lines) and Rickmansworth (Metropolitan Line)

V I E W I N G H I G H LY R E C O M M E N D E D

Well proportioned rooms, many with original features

SHOW APARTMENT OPEN

Stunning and far reaching views

Thursday / Friday 2pm - 7pm and Saturday / Sunday 11am - 4pm, or by private appointment

Flexible viewing times available with local station pick up/drop off service if required Prices from ÂŁ1.1 million A development by HERITAGE BREAKSPEAR LTD *Straight line distances

Call 01895 824471 or email sales@breakspear-heritage.com

One to Watch

Breakspear House

rriving at Breakspear House brings with it a sense of occasion. The magnificent building is approached via a sweeping private drive, passing two lodge houses and a listed Tudor red-brick dovecote. It is surrounded by extensive grounds with winding pathways that lead to a woodland garden with historic oak and cypress trees, rhododendrons and wildflowers. There is also a pinetum, a rose garden and a walled garden containing numerous varieties of fruit trees, including damson, fig and apple. Finely balancing contemporary flair with the timeless elegance of a 17th century manor house, the Grade I listed property offers residents beauty and tranquillity, while situated just 15 miles from central London. The nine acre parkland setting in Harefield, Middlesex is home to just nine, two and three bedroom apartments, each with their own sense of individuality and appeal. Residents of Breakspear House today enjoy the opulence of spacious living combined with a premium modern specification to ensure every comfort and convenience. Apartments include bespoke kitchens with integrated Miele appliances, high quality bathroom suites with Hans Grohe taps and accessories and underfloor heating. Each has undercover parking for two cars and a lock-up storage area. Once inside Breakspear House the main entrance hallway showcases many of the fine period features which exist throughout. There is an intricate mosaic floor, a feature fireplace, wood panelling and moulded plasterwork, as well as a glazed lantern above the main staircase and original stained glass windows with heraldic panels. The house also boasts traditional chimney pieces in the entrance hall and dining room (sometimes referred to as the Oak Room) which have been expertly restored. At the end of the 17th century, the property was extended and, in parts, altered, though its grand bay windows survive from this period. Surrounded by beautiful rolling countryside and paddocks with grazing horses, the overwhelming impression is one of rural escapism, yet with easy access to transport networks including Heathrow Airport, Breakspear House is firmly connected to the wider world beyond. To this end the property provides an excellent base for those who work in London but desire a home with decadent entertaining spaces and character. n

FROM ÂŁ1.1M share of freehold Breakspear Heritage www.breakspearhouse.com

01895 824471 150

property

FACT BOX •

• • •

reakspear House takes its name from William B Breakspear who acquired the land at the end of the 14th century. It was sold in 1447 to George Ashby, Clerk of the Signet to Margaret of Anjou (wife of Henry VI of England). The original stained glass window gracing the entrance hall includes the Ashby family’s coat of arms. Harefield, in the London Borough of Hillingdon, offers a good range of shops and amenities. London Underground connections include the Metropolitan line at Rickmansworth, the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines at Hillingdon and the Central line at West Ruislip.

Your reward for all the late nights in the office.

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SALES

See all of our properties online: marshandparsons.co.uk

Blomfield Road W9 ÂŁ1,950,000 This beautiful, interior-designed apartment is situated on the upper floors of an imposing period house in the heart of Little Venice. The bright accommodation boasts an excellent triple aspect reception room with a modern, well equipped kitchen, a spacious master bedroom with a beautiful en suite bathroom, two further double bedrooms and a stunning family bathroom. Leasehold. EPC=D. Sole Agents LITTLE VENICE: 020 7993 3050 sales.lve@marshandparsons.co.uk

Elgin Avenue W9 ÂŁ685,000 A beautiful and stylish newly refurbished period apartment boasting fantastic attention to detail and an abundance of natural light. This exceptional property comprises a spacious reception room with hard wood flooring, an open-plan kitchen, a spacious master bedroom with built-in storage, a second good size double bedroom with further storage, a stunning family bathroom and a separate elegant en-suite shower room. Share of Freehold. EPC=C. Sole Agents. LITTLE VENICE: 020 7993 3050 sales.lve@marshandparsons.co.uk

Our 164 negotiators have perfected the right balance in their approach, so you enjoy the experience and get the results you want.

On average we achieve

A HAPPY BUYER IN LITTLE VENICE

OF THE ASKING PRICE

Local know-how. Better results.

Thanks so much for all your extraordinarily hard work on our behalf. You have transformed our lives, and been delightful in the process!

TO BREAK THE RULES, YOU MUST FIRST MASTER THEM.

THE GRANDE COMPLICATION IS THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF THE WATCHMAKER’S ART. NOW AUDEMARS PIGUET PLACES THIS SUPREME HOROLOGICAL COMPLICATION IN THE SCULPTURAL ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE. ONE WATCHMAKER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EACH WATCH IN ITS ENTIRETY - THE 648 INDIVIDUAL PARTS, THE DETAILED ASSEMBLY, THE FINE DECORATION. TO ACHIEVE THIS, THEY HAVE MASTERED THE UNIVERSE OF THEIR CRAFT. FINALLY, THEY MUST TUNE THE CONCENTRIC CHIMES OF THE MINUTE REPEATER TO AN INTERVAL OF A PERFECT MINOR THIRD. TECHNICAL MASTERY AND THE EAR OF SOLO SO LOIST. THE VIR TUOSO HERITAGE H E RITAGE OF F A CONCER T SOLOIST. S. LE BRASSUS.

ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE OFFSH OF FSHORE ORE MPLICA MPL ICATIO T N GRANDE COMPLICATION IN TITANIUM AND D CERAMIC. C CERA MIC.

RO_26571IO_210x297_m.indd 1

Audemars Piguet UK Ltd Tel: + 44 207 659 7300 www.audemarspiguet.com

06.03.13 14:47