Vantage magazine March 2015 by Runwild Media Group

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contents

Off to a good start

Style

10 THE NEXT DIMENSION

41 WISHLIST

The rise of 3D printing and its impact on fashion forgeries

14 SOLE SURVIVOR

Jimmy Choo's creative director Sandra Choi talks bespoke design and inspirational women

Collection 22 That time again

The world's watchmakers descend upon the 25th SIHH trade fair

26 OFF THE CLOCK

Cindy Crawford marks 20 years as the face of Omega

32 material girl

Designers experiment with perspex and Plexiglass accessories

Scene

Alexa Chung shares her style acumen with denim brand AG Jeans

Remembering satirical cartoonist Mark Boxer's work

MAC's Terry Barber on working with Grace Jones and the anti-Kardashian effect

Interiors

42 STYLE UPDATE

73 wishlist

Cressida Bonas for Mulberry and a behind-the-scenes Dior documentary hits our screens

44 SS15 REPORT

A guide to this season's trends

A coffee table tome celebrates China's fashion economy

74 INTERIORS INSPIRATION

Damien Hirst collaborates with Lalique

46 THE JAEGER MEISTER

76 THE MIDAS TOUCH

Meet Sheila McKain-Waid, the creative director spearheading Jaeger's sartorial revival

50 walk the line

Embrace military chic, bold blooms and vivid silhouettes with wearable wardrobe staples

58 FIT FOR A KING

38 A sketchy business

66 RETURN OF THE MAC

As the V&A's retrospective Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty arrives in town, its curator reveals all

At home with vintage jewellery collector Susan Caplan

Health & Family 81 Wishlist Baby Dior's latest collection

82 NURSERY NEWS

J Crew enlists the help of a four year-old fashion blogger

85 health & fitness

Polka dot trainers from Fendi

Food & Drink

100

89 wishlist

Hotel Café Royal's Givenchy-inspired cocktails

90 foodie favourites

Marylebone's new Peruvian and The Ivy Market Grill

92 beyond the kale The food fads that have been all the rage with the fashion elite

Travel 95 WISHLIST The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park collaborates with Chloé

100 A ROAD WELL TRAVELLED

A journey of a lifetime from Ravello to Venice, taking in Rome and Florence en route

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configuration as offered by Wren. No substitutions or alterations can be made. One per customer. uIf you find a kitchen or fitted bedroom that is of the same style, quality and construction cheaper elsewhere, bring us your valid quotation and Wren will beat it. ¼Based on TrustPilot & Review Centre reviews last checked 13/01/2015 - visit wrenkitchens.com/reviews for full details. p Priced kitchens are for units only and do not include the price of any handles, worktops, appliances, sink, tap, props, accessories or small worktop appliances. Must be purchased in the exact configuration as offered by Wren. No substitutions or alterations can be made. One per customer. uIf you find a kitchen or fitted bedroom that is of the same style, quality and construction cheaper elsewhere, bring us your valid quotation and Wren will beat it. ¼Based on TrustPilot & Review Centre reviews last checked 13/01/2015 - visit wrenkitchens.com/reviews for full details.

From the editor

“I

am very comfortable being myself in front of the camera but not trying to be someone else,” said supermodel and Omega ambassador Cindy Crawford when I interviewed her at the watch brand’s new Oxford Street store launch (p. 26). While many will think this a far more attainable state of mind for a woman who has graced more glossy magazine covers than she’s had hot dinners, as a concept, striving towards being truly comfortable in your own skin is an investment that will transcend every trend, every season, regardless of what the catwalk’s showing. But sometimes we all need an extra pick-me-up, and there’s no feeling quite like the start of a new shopping season to haul you over those last, grey winter moments. Because yes, those limited edition Charlotte Olympia kitty flats (p. 43) could make all the difference. One woman who knows more than most about the power of the humble shoe is Jimmy Choo’s creative director Sandra Choi, who is bringing back the tradition of made-to-order. She's taking the brand onwards and upwards, one bespoke stiletto at a time (p. 14). Elsewhere, Mike Peake examines how the rise of 3D printing in the luxury fashion industry could encourage increasingly convincing forgeries (p. 10); and Lauren Romano meets Jaeger’s new creative meisters who are bringing the brand back to the blue-chip fore (p. 46), before raiding the treasure chest-like home of Hampstead-resident Susan Caplan (p. 76). Get inspired by our pick of the best runway trends (p. 44) and how to make them work for you (p. 50), while MAC’s director of make-up artistry Terry Barber tells Ellen Millard how to avoid “the Kardashian effect” (p. 66). If the Armageddon of fashion crazies descending on the capital has you running for the hills, then may I suggest the beautiful, rolling peaks of Italy? Join me on the journey of a lifetime from Ravello to Venice, taking in the wonders of Rome, Florence and Grosseto en route, as I discover the true Kari Colmans secret to la dolce vita (p. 100). Editor Follow us on Twitter @VantageNW

Walk the Line, p. 50 Photography by Phillip Waterman Styling by Jess Stebbings Runwild Media Group Publishers of: Canary Wharf, The City Magazine The Kensington & Chelsea Magazine The Mayfair Magazine

MARCH 2015 issue 56

Editor Kari Colmans

Editorial Director Kate Harrison

Assistant Editor Lauren Romano Collection Editor Annabel Harrison

Production Alex Powell Hugo Wheatley Oscar Viney Alice Ford

Contributing Editors Richard Brown, Olivia Sharpe

General Manager Fiona Fenwick

Sub Editor Jasmine Phillips

Executive Director Sophie Roberts

Feature Writers Amy Green, Ellen Millard

Client Relationship Director Friday Dalrymple

Senior Designer Daniel Poole

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

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t x n e o n i s e n h t e t tha t c pa ies m i r he forge t d an hion g in as int on f r p D ave 3 h f e o ould s i r c he que t i s ne chn i e m xa ary t e e n ak lutio e P o ke s rev i M thi

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3D print dress by Francis Bitonti Studio, photography ÂŠ CHRISTRINI francisbitonti.com; christrini.com

f e at u r e

This page from top: Pringle 3D swatches; Dita Von Teese wears dress by Francis Bitonti Studio, francisbitonti.com Opposite page: jewellery by WonderLuk, wonderluk.com

hen 200-year-old Scottish knitwear brand Pringle found new Hong Kong-based owners at the turn of the millennium, much was made of a change in direction that would hopefully help the company shake off its slightly fusty image and re-emerge as an innovative, luxury fashion force to be reckoned with. Even so, if someone had told you back then that in just over a decade the company would be sending garments made on a 3D printer down the catwalk, you’d have thought them loopy. Today, with help from a London architect, Pringle of Scotland is doing exactly that, having fused the worlds of technology and fashion more fervently than any other big brand. The SS15 collection was the second to feature garments made with a brand new range of 3D printed fabrics, created by Richard Beckett, a tutor at the UCL’s Bartlett School of Architecture, and the partnership shows no sign of running out of steam. Indeed, the goal for Pringle’s AW15 range is for Richard’s fabrics to feature even more heavily. While the science behind it does all sound pretty technical, in layman’s terms what Richard does is create nylon fabrics on a 3D printer that are then incorporated into garments using more traditional techniques. Pringle of Scotland claims it was the first to include 3D-printed fabrics in a readyto-wear range, but are they leading the revolution? 3D printing in fashion has been quietly gathering column inches for several years now: Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen is oft credited with being the first to infuse her designs with 3D printed materials, the results of her work being a diaphanous and futuristic collection which certainly turns heads. Beckett is mindful of 3D printing’s benefits in the world of haute couture when it comes to cutting down waste: “Compared to architecture, it’s cheaper and quicker to test this technology with fashion,” he says. There’s no doubt that across the artistic spectrum, 3D printing is steadily becoming a force to be reckoned with thanks to its versatility and the way in which it enables designers to try out brand new designs and techniques with relative ease. Jewellery is a perfect example. “For our designers, the fascination is that they are able to create stunning shapes and geometries never seen before,” says Andre Schober, co-founder of WonderLuk, an online fashion marketplace that sells 3D

printed fashion accessories and jewellery. “They can also see their products come alive within days, rather than months.” For consumers, he says, it kicks down the door to a whole new world of customisation. “Now people can order their very own accessories, made at their request, at a fraction of the cost of traditional bespoke services. It changes everything because the power shifts from the brand to the consumer, and being able to co-create with the designers is a dream come true.” For £700 and upwards, a new technique called ‘direct metal laser sintering’ even brings precious metals into the equation, using powdered 18-carat gold rather than plastic. Another niche brand bringing avant-garde futuristic fashion to the fore is Francis Bitonti, whose “disruptive luxury brand” studio directly sells data files of 3D printables. Last year, in partnership with MakerBot, the global leader in desktop 3D printing, and the world’s largest collaborative 3D printer network, 3D Hubs, the studio launched the Cloud Collection, which

f e at u r e

distributes 3D-printed products on demand. Each item is customisable, and consumers have the option to use a sliding scale to adjust the look of the piece. Files can be purchased from the site and can be either directly printed on a home 3D printer, or routed to one of 75 production hubs. “Our aim is to embed the properties of digital media into physical realities,“ explains founder Bitonti. “We’ve created products that are hackable, shareable, and downloadable, which enables us to bring the consumer customisable, locally produced products on demand and without excess waste, resulting in a low carbon footprint.” Based in New York, you can buy 3D handbags directly from the website, while it will be launching its first ever collection of made-to-order luxury accessories and jewellery this spring. “I see the value of the studio not in the objects that we make but in our approach to design. Our most valuable asset is our methodology,” he says. But putting the manufacturing process so easily within the reach of the consumer has led to concern that a massive new wave of fake fashion items is lurking somewhere on the horizon, which will make us nostalgic for the quaintness of ‘looky looky men’ past. While no one is yet able to print out a pair of Nike sneakers or, more dramatically, a £1,000 Louis Vuitton handbag, that kind of technology might only be several years away. As journalist Rebecca Hiscott, writing on mashable. com, points out: “Hack the code for a Chanel bangle, get your hands on a 3D printer and you’ve engaged in a brand new version of fashion piracy.” More alarming, perhaps, are reports that 3D printers have been engaged in the questionable pursuit of recreating some of art’s greatest masterpieces. Working with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Fujifilm recently used a type of 3D printing known as reliefography to create an astonishingly accurate facsimile of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers – including all of the intricate brushstrokes and even the frame. The results might not fox an expert, but they still raise the question of just what kind of power 3D printing brings to the forger’s toolkit. “I’m not yet aware of 3D fakes appearing on the marketplace,” says Tom Campbell, a US-based expert on 3D printing technology. “But the concern of counterfeiting via 3D printing is real.” One limiting

issue at the moment, he says, is that multi-material 3D printers have not yet developed to the point that a combination of metals and plastics, for example, can be used. It’s also currently a pretty slow method of making anything, he points out, let alone trying to mass produce something to sell cheaply. “As these issues become resolved, though,” he says, “we might anticipate that counterfeiters see an economic advantage to 3D printing for their nefarious purposes.” Richard Beckett at the Bartlett School of Architecture also thinks that the industry is in too much of an infancy for us to panic – but can certainly see the potential of 3D printers in the wrong hands. “It becomes a real a problem when we get to the stage where a whole garment can be printed,” he says. Once that happens – which it surely will – the ability to ‘rip-off’ other people’s work is likely to become more appealing to the forgers and will become a far more serious threat. Schober at WonderLuk, however, is unconcerned. “Almost everything can be copied these days,” he says, “and those who want to will find ways to do so – but why would you want a counterfeit rather than something from the original creators?” Campbell adds: “The most important thing that a designer can do to avoid becoming a victim is to be aware of the progress of the 3D printing community. That way, not only can they identify future counterfeiting trends, but they can also harness 3D printing for good by using it in their own designs.” Interestingly, as the forgers get more adept, it’s likely that the tools to fight them will get better, too. 3D printer manufacturers themselves could yet have a trick or two up their sleeves: much in the way that some scanners are able to detect when cash is being scanned and refuse to copy it, 3D printers could soon stop the fakers from making copies of registered products. They would ‘know’ that you’re trying to print off some Manolo heels… and stop you. Right now, though, the luxury goods market’s saving grace is that the technology just isn’t there to make 3D copies a serious threat. “The materials we tend to be using on 3D printers at the moment don’t quite fit the luxury end of the market,” says Beckett, “where you think of very smooth plastic or stones like marble.” In other words, if someone today were to offer you a pair of 3D-printed Gucci sunglasses… you probably wouldn’t want them anyway. n

“We might anticipate that counterfeiters see an economic advantage to 3D printing for their nefarious purposes”

Sole

survivor Kari Colmans talks to Jimmy Choo’s creative director Sandra Choi about returning to bespoke design and being inspired by strong women

s a woman who could fully relate to Carrie Bradshaw when she said “I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes!” Sandra Choi’s job is one of those you dream about on a grey January afternoon when you’re slumped at your desk and staring down at a pair of two-week old Nikes that have already lost their box-fresh appeal. And so it was with a twisted arm and many “do I have tos” that I found myself at the newly refurbished Jimmy Choo Bond Street Townhouse, there to fill Choi’s shoes for an hour and design my very own bespoke pair of heels. The tradition of custom-made shoes can be traced back to the brand’s roots in the mid-nineties, whereby Jimmy Choo (the man) would cobble together all manner of slinky stilettos from his Hackney-based atelier on the whim of Vogue’s accessories editor Tamara Mellon, who later became his partner in crime, helping to facilitate the expansion of what was once a humble cobbler’s studio to one of the biggest and most successful fashion brands the world over. What happened next has become embedded in fashion folklore, but to sum it up; Choo fell out with Mellon (2001), and then Mellon fell out with everybody else (2011), pocketing (allegedly) £85m in the process. You’ll have to lower your brow and purchase a copy of In My Shoes for all the mud-slinging details (she claims Choo never designed a single pair), but now Choi is running the show – and it appears, amid the emotional wreckage, that it was always her who kept the plates spinning anyway. Born in the UK on the Isle of Wight, and educated in Hong Kong, Choi relocated to London as a teenager to finish her education. During this time, Choi went to work with her uncle, Jimmy Choo. At his side, perfecting the art of creating couture footwear, she eventually abandoned her studies at Central St Martins School to devote herself to the enterprise full time. Indeed, Sandra Choi has actually been serving as the company’s creative director since the brand’s inception and the first store on Motcomb Street in 1996.

i n t e rv i e w

Choi selected her favourite red-carpet ready silhouettes for inclusion in the made-to-order service: the iconic Anouk, Lance (pictured below), Xenia and Tite models, all of which can be crafted in myriad colours, textures and finishes. For an extra touch, you can also personalise the soles of the shoes, ideal for blushing brides, or anyone who quite likes the idea of monogramming for the sheer novelty factor, but only in a place where nobody else can see it. “I believe it’s important for a luxury brand to provide luxury,” says Choi. “It’s as simple and straightforward as that. We’ve always aimed to maintain attention to detail and this service brings customer involvement [to the fore]. Whenever we can make the process more personal it allows us to faithfully preserve our heritage. Personalisation reinforces the luxury experience. “The luxury market has grown significantly in the last few years with more customers than ever having access to such items,” Choi continues. “As luxury brands have had to cater more to commercial needs, I think returning to personal pieces, to really make the customer feel special, was inevitable.” Of all the swatches I search through in the bespoke ‘cupboard’ (right), Choi says her favourite material from the service is python in lime green. “Every now and then I include lime in the main collection, but failing that I know I can find it in bespoke. That is the beauty of this offering as you don’t need to bow down to trends. It’s like having your own personal design studio.” I’m tempted to believe that Choi wouldn’t need a style to feature in any official collection to be able to get her hands on it, but I hope she’s impressed by my own sartorial judgements: no other shoe has logged more distance on the red carpet than Lance, so this is the model that I settle on in an unusual mint green in soft leather with a KC in gold on the sole. I hope I’ve done Choi proud as the specifications are communicated to Italy, due to be delivered around eight weeks later. She says she visits the factories often, and Skypes them daily – “part of the Jimmy Choo magic happens there, so it is impossible to stay away too long” – as the design of each model is a “very involved” process. “I come up with the inspiration and then from that a sketch is created,” she says. “The functionality of the shoe has to be communicated to the pattern cutter which is why we fit a prototype several times. Even the plainest pump can take the same amount of time as the most intricate, laser cut design. Millimeters definitely matter.”

The team will travel on an “inspiration trip” twice a year. “We have ventured as far afield as Japan and Rio and as close to home as Shoreditch and Notting Hill. We also keep a close eye on what is happening on the runway. The clothes will often influence the collection. In short, inspiration comes from everywhere.” When asked what one pair of shoes she’d choose to wear for the rest of her life, she replies that it’s “too hard to choose”, but that if I were to “hold a gun to her head”, then she would say boots: “High or low, you cannot go wrong!” And when she’s not wearing her own brand, she loves Mary Katrantzou, Erdem, J Brand, Solange Azagury and Toga, as well as “any vintage finds”. Talk turns to the tribal artisan and modernist graphic lines of the SS15 collection, which references both Swedish and African elements. The signature Choo zebra print has been contrasted with tactile raffia, flashes of lemon yellow and deconstructed geometric colour blocking, but you’ll also find muted pastels and varying shades of denim. She is also moving beyond the stiletto by continuing to shout about block heels, sculpted wedges, and smart, super chic flats. “Inspiration was taken from tribal prints with influences from abstract artist Hilma Af Klint. My muse was a modern day Josephine Baker; I admire her spirit and strength. Her bohemian style and eclectic ethnicity meant she was an icon of her time and wasn’t afraid to break the rules. I found myself imagining what she would be like if she were alive at this time. Baker embodies the wild, sexy, eccentric elements in this collection.” On the subject of admirable women, when it comes to achieving the work-life Holy Grail, she says she does it “with a lot of support” as well as being extremely organised. “I respect my work time; when I leave home I am only focused on Jimmy Choo and on the flipside when I come home, I am only focused on my family and being at home. I think anybody can have it all if they really want it and are willing to work hard.” With more and more women taking to the helm of the world’s biggest brands, does she think this will have a positive impact on the luxury fashion industry? “I’m not sure it really matters,” she muses. “Women have proven that they can do anything.” n

“I think anybody can have it all if they really want it and are willing to work hard”

Experience made-to-order at the newly refurbished Jimmy Choo Townhouse

27 New Bond Street, W1S jimmychoo.com

i n t e rv i e w

M ESUR E ET D ÉMESUR E *

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TAG’S NEW IT GIRL With 9.5 million Instagram followers, and more than two million more on Twitter, it’s a shrewd move for TAG Heuer to bag fashion’s current It girl, Cara Delevingne, as its newest female ambassador. Queen of the media jungle, the 22-year-old model speaks to the online generation that the Swiss watchmaker has set within its sights. The catwalk princess was officially unveiled as part of the TAG family at a party in Paris, where she was presented with a prop in the form of a lion cub – the combo proved as cutesy as you’d expect and not at all, as we discovered, a random choice. The model just so happens to be born under the zodiac sign of Leo, making this the perfect pairing. Commenting on the partnership, CEO Jean-Claude Biver said: “TAG Heuer has set its sights on ‘it-ness’, and Cara is just the person to help us get there.”

tagheuer.co.uk

collection

watch news Bremont’s starring role Bremont has launched the eponymous Kingsman collection, developed in collaboration with director Matthew Vaughn for his film Kingsman: The Secret Service. The collection comprises three new models that eagle-eyed movie-goers will spot throughout the critically-acclaimed comedy, strapped to the wrists of stars including Colin Firth, Michael Caine and Mark Strong. The Bremont Kingsman Special Edition is available in rose gold (£14,250), stainless steel (£4,295) and DLC (£4,395).

bremont.com / mrporter.com

A watch to set your calendar by Blancpain’s new self-winding 5939A mechanism comprises 379 parts in a calibre that’s just 7.25 mm thick and 32 mm in diameter. That’s even more impressive when you consider that the calibre will keep track of the varying month lengths and leap years in the complex Gregorian calendar without any need for adjustment until 2100. You’ll find the 5939A inside the Villeret Perpetual Calendar, a watch with an 8-day power reserve and presentation box that doubles as a humidor.

Villeret Perpetual Calendar, £40,900, Blancpain, blancpain.com

Period Piece one to watch Allun Michaels, store manager at Fraser Hart in Brent Cross, selects his watch of the month:

“One of our favourite IWCs has been updated for 2015 to coincide with the Portugieser’s 75th anniversary, with the movement being reworked and improved. What this means is a more accurate, more stable and more robust watch.” Portugieser Automatic 7 Day, from £9,450 (available from May), IWC Fraser Hart, Brent Cross, 020 8732 8459 BrentCross@fraserhart.co.uk @FHBrentCross

As previous clients go, they don’t come much more prestigious than Queen Marie-Antoinette of France, for whom Breguet counts as its first female customer. In designing its leading ladies pieces, Breguet looks to the bows, ribbons, lace and frills of costume dresses, which it mimics through the use of mechanisms and gemstones. The company’s Volants de la Reine evokes the beauty of a dress in motion, while the rustling of frills can be imagined in the gem-set bow that clings to the bezel.

Volants de la Reine, £91,500, Breguet, breguet.com

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that time

again The world’s finest watchmakers descended upon Geneva once more this January, for the 25th edition of the SIHH – the world’s most luxurious trade fair Words: Alex Doak

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hink ‘trade fair’, think provincial aircraft hangar full of lean-to cubicles offering free biros, right? Well, not quite in the case of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie – or “Ess Ee Ash Ash” as its sophisticated Francophone exhibitors have it. Here, inside Geneva Airport’s sprawling Palexpo complex, 15,000 visitors come every January to revel in the latest top-end timepieces from Switzerland’s finest, embraced in a cocoon of tasteful eggshell tones, with sushi on tap. Not a biro in sight. SIHH’s studied calm is exactly why Baume & Mercier, Cartier, Piaget, Gérald Genta, and Daniel Roth all broke away from the exuberant jamboree that is the spring Baselworld fair in 1990, setting up their own at Palexpo. That was exactly 25 years ago, and we’re now up to 16 brands, thanks to Richemont Group’s booming portfolio, which now includes Montblanc, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Panerai, plus a select few, horologically qualified friends, including Audemars Piguet and Parmigiani Fleurier. The champagne flows and the conversation sparkles – undoubtedly laying waste to hundreds of well-intended Dry Januaries. But we’re here for the watches, primarily. For not only is SIHH the only opportunity you’ll have to handle the rarer creations before they’re snapped up and squirrelled away in collections, but it’s a bellwether for the year ahead and a feel for things to come at Basel. By all rights, the pervading mood should have been cautious this January, given the Russian slowdown, China’s ever-stricter gifting restrictions and of course the Swiss National Bank’s abrupt uncapping of the franc just days before SIHH opened for business. But while there were undoubtedly fewer horological fireworks going on, a keener focus could be felt on every brand pavilion; a sense of doing what’s right for the brand, and getting it “just right”. Nonetheless, some fun was still to be had, spotting trends and making lists. So here are the five best things we learned from this year’s SIHH…

1. You can be girly AND grown-up Men the world over are breathing a sigh of relief, as they are waking up to find their own watches still present and correct on the dresser. The era of the adopted ‘boyfriend’ watch is coming to an end, as women who want a watch with soul – especially a dress, or cocktail watch – are being directly served at last. “So determined was I to prove that I wasn’t a silly girl,” admits Laura McCreddie, editor of women’s watch website Eve’s Watch, “I used to match stiletto heels and delicate frocks with that most appropriate of companions: a Bremont Solo; a watch more suited to a cockpit than cocktail hour. But I soon realised that I was ignoring a lot of brands making delicate dials under which beat a mechanical heart.” The trend for brains as well as beauty continues this year, with Richard Mille’s frankly jaw-dropping 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur, whose magnolia petals open up every five minutes to reveal its merry-go-round tourbillon carrousel, which floats out of the dial by a millimetre. If you don’t have $1.1m to splash about however, look no further than ladies’ one-stop-shop for all things classic and cocktail: Cartier. The grande dame of Paris is famed for its innovative case shapes, and the dainty, ovoid Clé is no exception – so named for its snap-fit crown, shaped like an old winding key; a joy to idly twiddle. (Pink gold with diamonds pictured, £24,400.) For something a little more muted and versatile, Germany’s venerable A. Lange & Söhne has made an interesting move: its gent’s Saxonia is being shrunk from 37mm to 35mm, in response to ladies’ request for a traditional, clean men’s style that actually fits their wrist. In an industry where everything seems to be getting bigger, this spells an intriguing trend.

Clockwise from opposite page: Annual Calendar, £16,900, IWC; 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur, Richard Mille, £782,000; Saxonia, £10,900, A. Lange & Söhne; Van Cleef & Arpels’ stand at SIHH 2015; Clé, £24,000, Cartier

Luminor Submersible 1950 Carbotech, £12,700, Panerai

2. Big is still, er, big Men need not worry, however: those original exponents of the oversized wrist gadget are still doing what they do best. Panerai for example, each of whose 47mmwide Luminor Submersible 1950 Carbotechs (£12,700) is unique, thanks to a fascinating new composite case material: thin sheets of carbon fibre compressed with a high-end polymer, PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone) to make it even beefier. The randomly striped, matt-black case is something worthy of Batman’s utility belt. More suited to Bruce Wayne, perhaps, is IWC, who arguably invented the oversized watch in the first place 75 years ago, in response to a request from two Portuguese businessmen who wanted to wear pocketwatch precision on their wrists. The anniversary is marked this year with a complete refresh of the modern collection, renamed “Portugieser” featuring the GermanSwiss brand’s very first annual calendar movement (£16,900), which need only be adjusted every leap year.

3. The handwound chronograph is well and truly back Before the 70s, every watch with a stopwatch – or ‘chronograph’ – function was manually wound. Which meant that each movement sported a gorgeous Y-shaped bridge, from which the timing mechanism’s gear train was suspended. When winding rotors were successfully added in 1969 by Heuer and Zenith, then Valjoux in 1974, there was no room for such fanciful architecture, and things started to look a lot plainer. Thank goodness for Patek Philippe, then, which finally created its own manual movement a few years ago, the atelier’s hand-polishers and decorators revelling in the sweeping curves of its bridges, which gleamed through the sapphire caseback. This year, compounding the manual chrono’s comeback, those other two haut-de-gamme Genevoise maisons, Vacheron Constanin and Piaget have caught up. In fact, Vacheron stole the entire SIHH show with its new Harmony collection, three of the five launch models boasting its exquisitely architectural new chronograph calibre – traditionally finished, but packed with patented tweaks fit for the 21st century (rose-gold monopusher model pictured, £53,450). Piaget, on the other hand, in keeping with its reputation for black-tie refinement, has notched up another ‘world’s most thin’ record, with its Altiplano Chronograph (£21,100), just 8.24mm high in total. A return to more gentlemanly technicity, in other words. Above: Harmony Chronograph Caliber, £53,450, Vacheron Constanin Below: Altiplano Chronograph, £21,100, Piaget

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4. Watchmakers are still stargazing It’s no surprise watch designers revel in the dance of the night sky – aside from the sheer romanticism of moon phases, rotating celestial charts or sunset indicators, astronomy has direct relevance to the development of mechanical timepieces. After all, we only switched to atomic clockregulated Universal Time Co-Ordinated as recently as 1961 – before that, the boffins in Greenwich were still correcting GMT by celestial observation. But for something that’s literally heaven-sent, why not try a watch with a dial made from meteorite? There were two to be found at SIHH this year: a royal-blue Tonda 1950 at Parmigiani Fleurier (£14,900) and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Master Calendar (circa £9,100) whose steely, geometric face comes from a shooting star discovered in Sweden, in turn originating from an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. How cool is that? Above: Master Calendar, circa £9,100, Jaeger-LeCoultre Left: Tonda 1950, £14,900, Parmigiani Fleurier

5. Bicolour’s a thing… again If Audemars Piguet says bicolour is back, then bicolour is most certainly back – especially when it’s unleashed via that most 70s of icons, the Royal Oak (£18,700). Simply pair its cool pink gold and steel with a chunky, clinking tumbler of Scotch and extrawide lapels. Alternatively, there’s the most ‘accessible’ in our list, Baume & Mercier’s Classima Men Automatic TwoTone – a bargain at £2,750, with crisp new lines and pinstripe dial, all the better for straddling the boardroom and bar. Make it a double, you dapper tycoon, you. n L-R: Altiplano Chronograph, £21,100, Piaget; Classima Men Automatic TwoTone, £2,750, Baume & Mercier

OFF THE

CLOCK As Cindy Crawford marks 20 years as the face of luxury watch brand Omega, Kari Colmans stands in the shadow of one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first supermodels

All images courtesy of Omega

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his is awkward,” Cindy Crawford smiles, as she leans in to sign a life-sized campaign shot of herself on the wall of the newly launched Omega flagship store on Oxford Street. “I look like I’m wearing the same jacket now as I am in the picture, but I promise I’m not!” The camera bulbs spark as she flashes that world-famous smile, one that has graced every high-fashion glossy in the world, and with it launched the era-defining age of the supermodel. She’s dressed impeccably in a smart navy blue snakeskin blazer, white T-shirt and navy trousers with pewter court shoes, as if she needs the height: I feel like a munchkin, I laugh, as she apologises for towering above me as we have our photograph taken – I’m sure I’m not the first to have pointed it out. “I get that all the time. And this lighting is just not flattering!”

“I always say that I’ve been with Omega longer than I’ve been with my husband. They are like family now” By her side is brand president Stephen Urquhart, ensuring that one of Omega’s most valuable assets is sparkling at all times, which of course isn’t hard. I’m told my limited questions can only be watch-based – presumably to avoid any conversations about her 13-year-old daughter Kaia’s Teen Vogue modelling debut, the ever ubiquitous fit-not-thin debate, or other tales from her cover girl heyday spent posing alongside the likes of Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. Cindy insists she’s enjoying doing the rounds in London, and talk inevitably turns, over a very English cup of tea, to the weather. Used to the year-round Malibu sunshine, where she lives with her family (her husband, the nightlife entrepreneur Rande Gerber, and their two children) the muggy grey day outside doesn’t offer the warmest of receptions. “Originally I’m from a small town in Illinois,” she shrugs, where she was born to parents Dan, an electrician, and Jennifer, a hospital worker. “And I have certainly lived in cities like New York for 15 years and loved it, but when it comes to choosing a place to raise my family I like a smaller town feel on the beach. And I like the warm weather, despite being from such a cold place originally.” But since moving to New York in 1986, landing her first Vogue cover that summer, she’s gotten used to jet-setting around the globe, especially with a second home in Los Cabos, Mexico, where her good friends the Clooneys also have a place. In her warm yet professional

manner, she neatly steers the conversation back on-brand. She recalls a trip to Peru in September which saw Omega partner with Orbis, a sight-saving and international blindness prevention charity that happens to operate the world’s only flying eye hospital on a plane fitted out like a surgery. “I was able to take my daughter and it was just an incredible experience,” she says. “It’s amazing to be able to share these experiences with my own family now.” An ambassador since 1995, Cindy has worked with Omega longer than any of the company’s other star endorsers, and will be celebrating two decades with the company this year. “I always say that I’ve been with Omega longer than I’ve been with my husband,” she smiles. “They are like family now.” Cindy says the

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alliance was made through a shared value of “tradition, quality and timelessness”, something that is still true today. “I think my relationships are also a kind of investment in people. When you get married you invest in each other… and we are happily married,” she jokes. “We’ve never even had a fight! I’ve been with the company so long now – I think people just look at me and think ‘Omega’. We both know there is a long term commitment there.” Aside from the PR-machine in motion, she seems at ease; approachable with a hint of that otherworldly supermodel air, which to be honest, I’m relieved about. You don’t get to marry (and divorce) Richard Gere by being just your average girl next door. One of the first watch labels to employ an ambassador (and a female one at that), Omega went from selling only 20 per cent of its watches to women, to what is now more of a 50/50 share – although, it must be said, this hike isn’t exclusive to Omega. According to market intelligence agency Euromonitor International, sales of women’s luxury timepieces increased 49.8 per cent worldwide from 2009-14, with £6,181 billion worth of women’s luxury timepieces sold. With top-tier horologists clearly thinking outside the ‘shrink it, pink it’ box when it comes to ladies’ watches, I ask if she feels women are taking more of an interest generally in an area that has typically been marketed to the male consumer. “First of all, more and more women are working today and they are successful in their own right in terms of business. They can afford to buy these pieces for themselves as opposed to waiting to receive them as a gift from somebody else. Also, I think now more than

ever women are appreciating the quality of the movement and the design as a whole. “On the other hand, we are also thinking of watches in terms of making a fashion statement: really, you don’t need to wear a watch to tell the time anymore, because we all have our phones with us. If I travel I don’t always remember to reset the time straight away, because I think of my watch as part of my overall look. A watch used to be essential. I used to sleep in a watch because I like knowing what time it is. I’m a very punctual person. You don’t really have the necessity of a watch anymore, so there’s been a real shift in people’s mindsets – you have to just want it, which is a harder sell in a way. It has to be more romanced.” Today, Cindy’s modelling the De Ville Prestige Butterfly with a white gold and diamond bezel (£15,860); she laughs as she checks its face and realises that it’s set wrong, most probably on Californian time. I ask if she’d usually be sporting such a blingy look on a weekday morning. “I think women want to develop their watch wardrobes the same way they do [with jewellery]. For me, a first watch has to be something that you can wear all the time, especially in LA as it’s so casual. I usually wear this,” she says, picking up a piece from the table in front of us. “I usually wear a gold-on-gold Aqua Terra during the day. I tend to plan my jewellery around my watch unless it’s a black-tie event, and then I would say the other way round, because you pick the dress and the jewels first. I really like the Ladymatic for special events, but I don’t own one,” she quips, with a nudge in Urquhart’s direction. “I think for women, [it is important] to start with that great everyday watch, followed by something for the evening. Those are the two essentials.” While she looks impeccable for her 48 years – the Bourneville-like hair, the legs that go on forever, that defiant, signature trademark perched just above her lip – I’m pleased to find the evidence of years spent smiling at the camera haven’t been blasted from her complexion. Aside from being the ultimate poster woman, would she consider a Bond girl cameo, considering Omega’s longstanding partnership with the franchise? “Oh I think those days are over!” she laughs. “No, actually I do not like acting. I did a commercial this past weekend with Sofía Vergara who is so funny. I was supposed to be acting with her and I kept saying to the director ‘just please remember I’m not an actress.’ She was doing all these crazy things with her face! I am very comfortable being myself in front of the camera but not trying to be someone else.” And when you’re Cindy Crawford, why would you want to be? n

373 Oxford Street, W1C omegawatches.com; euromonitor.com

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jewellerynews Animal Farm Julie Parker has carved out a niche for herself as one of the world’s foremost authorities on pearls and pearl jewellery. While modest and unassuming in person, the revered British jewellery designer has previously worked for the likes of Asprey, Hamilton & Inches and Theo Fennell, not to mention private commissions for members of the Royal Family. Her latest partnership is with pearl purveyor Assael, who called upon her to create a collection of bejewelled pieces focusing on the world’s endangered species in order to raise money for the Wildlife Conservation Society and Tusk, a wildlife conservation group established 20 years ago in response to the poaching crisis in Africa. Each piece, representing a different endangered animal, comprises more than 1,000 diamonds and a rare giant baroque South Sea pearl, and may either be worn as a pendant or admired as an objet d’art.

Endangered Species collection by Julie Parker, available from 30 March assael.com

Come into Fashion Despite having been around since 1860, Italian maison Faraone has remained relatively under the radar but this year sees the jeweller step into the limelight with the unveiling of a new collection; Via Montenapoleone. The line of pret-a-porter jewellery, designed to complement the more traditional haute joaillerie collection, One of a Kind, takes its name from the famous Milanese shopping street where Faraone first set up shop and continues to boast a showroom at number nine. Comprising three new ranges – Sfere di Faraone, Campanelle and F di Faraone – each one features easy-to-wear pieces, which cater for a younger clientele.

faraonegioielli.com

Going on 30 Cutting Edge At this year’s Paris Couture Week, Chanel presented its new high jewellery collection, Les Intemporels de Chanel:

Chanel’s latest high jewellery collection is inspired by the symbols that make up its founder Coco Chanel’s universe. These include: comet, star, ribbon, camellia and lion.

From top: Camelia Ganse earrings, Ruban ring & Lion Talisman necklace, POA, Chanel Fine Jewellery, chanel.com

As she celebrates her 30th anniversary this year, British jeweller Cassandra Goad has chosen to mark the occasion by launching a floor dedicated to customisation at her flagship Sloane Street store. Since starting her business in 1985 (when the age of bespoke had not yet dawned), she has been committed to offering her clients pieces that are individual to them and the new area showcases this, housing cabinets displaying sketches and tools that lead to the creation of a new jewel, along with a film that plays out Goad’s travels around the world that have inspired new designs and collections.

Cassandra Goad, 147 Sloane Street, SW1 cassandragoad.com

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1 4

Chanel S/S15

15 8

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Designers experimented with unusual materials, from perspex to Plexiglas, for their SS15 accessories

1 Silk-faille and gold-plated necklace, £175, Etro, net-a-porter.com 2 Coral feather earrings, £60, Etro, etro.com 3 Resin and wooden bracelet, £200, Marni, 26 Sloane Street, SW1X 4 Floral resin, gold-plated and cotton rope necklace, £530, Marni, as before 5 Resin floral earrings, £290, Marni, as before 6 Gold-coloured brass choker, £730, Balmain, balmain.com 7 Kompoloi gold-plated, jade and cotton bracelet, £135, Iam by Ileana Makri, net-a-porter.com 8 Colour-block ring, £190, Fendi, matchesfashion.com 9 Surf earrings with feather, £238, Etro, as before 10 Gold-plated leather necklace, £85, Isabel Marant, net-a-porter.com 11 Plexiglas stone cuff, £180, Stella McCartney, matchesfashion.com 12 Golden metal chain bracelet interlaced with leather, POA, Chanel, chanel.com 13 Uniparo necklace, £78, Weekend Max Mara, matchesfashion.com 14 Magenta square column necklace in 18-carat gold-plated brass cap and hand-dyed perspex, £270, Lily Kamper, lilykamper.com 15 Plexiglas cuff, £345, Valentino, net-a-porter.com

ELIZABETH STREET ELIZABETH STREET SW1 SW1 Bespoke fine jewellery We invite you to visit our website www.devroomen.co.uk 59 Elizabeth Street, London, SW1W 9PP +44 (0)207 730 1901

BESPOKE HANDMADE FURNITURE www.oficinainglesa.com London Showroom

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

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On the Agender Selfridges will launch a ‘gender-neutral’ space in its Oxford Street store this month. Designed by Faye Toogood, Agender will span three floors, and will house five exclusive unisex collections, including Body Map and Nicopanda (pictured). Alongside this, Selfridges has chosen 40 additional brands with items to be worn by men or women that will feature in the space. All mannequins will be removed from the area, which was created as a reaction to the increasing popularity of ‘genderless fashion’. Unisex shopping will also be available online.

400 Oxford Street, W1A selfridges.com

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IN HER SHOES Based on the life of the late English poet and novelist Florence Margaret Smith (also known as Stevie Smith), Hugh Whitemore’s awardwinning play Stevie arrives at the Hampstead Theatre this month. Zoë Wanamaker will play the role of the eponymous loveable heroine who works in the West End as a secretary at a publishing company and spends her evenings at home gossiping with her aunt and writing the poetry that will one day make her famous.

6 March – 18 April, Eton Avenue NW3

Stevie © shaunwebb

BARING ALL

PUZZLING PAINTINGS

Whether it’s a giant paper aeroplane in the centre of a desert landscape; houses emerging from the dusty patterns of a Persian rug or an old aircraft that has landed in water near a Venetian village, Russian artist Sergey Sologub brings a twist of mystery and fantasy to his work. For the duration of March, his meticulously crafted landscapes and still-life paintings will find a home at Hay Hill Gallery.

2-28 March, 35 Baker Street, W1U

Concentrating mainly on London-based artist Nicolas Granger-Taylor, Differently British will explore how far the tradition of painting has developed in Britain from the 1940s onward. One side of Nicolas Pink Rose by Granger Taylor the gallery space will be devoted to nude figure studies and still life paintings by Granger-Taylor, while opposite creations by three artists from earlier generations will provide a contrasting perspective. GrangerTaylor is renowned for his use of fine lines and intimate detail, whereas the exhibition’s other artists (John Bratby, Stan Smith and David Rolt) favour more aggressive styles with bolder lines and brighter colours.

18-22 March, Burgh House & Hampstead Museum, New End Square, NW3

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picture perfect There is still (just) time to take a trip to Fashion Space Gallery to see Don’t Stop Now: Fashion Photography Next – part one, which ends on 28 February. Failing that, part two will be exhibited at the gallery shortly. Headed by Magdalene Keaney, this group exhibition will investigate two opposing approaches to contemporary fashion photography: artifice and authenticity. It will feature those who have pushed the boundaries of fashion photography and offer insight into the ideas and themes that surround modern day image-making.

6 March – 18 April, 20 John Princes Street, W1G

PAST AND PRESENT

Flore Nové-Josserand, 3 dimensional anamorphic polygonal composition, 2010

Hampstead & Belsize Then & Now, the latest book by Marianne Colloms and Dick Weindling illustrates the transformation of the two neighbouring north-west London postcodes. While some corners of these areas have dramatically changed, other patches have preserved a proportion of their original period architecture and so remain much the same. With 45 pictures of Hampstead Heath and Belsize Park dating from the 19th century right up to the present day, readers will be able to marvel at the transformation of locations such as Hampstead High Street and Belsize House over the years.

£14.99, thehistorypress.co.uk

ON THE MARKET From this month, Rosewood London’s inner courtyard will become a buzzing haven for foodies and style enthusiasts alike, with a shared mission to promote sustainable, local, organic and wholesome products. The Slow Food and Living Market will celebrate high-quality and fair produce from local growers and artisans spanning honey, cheese, fish and meats as well as ceramics, books, flowers and homeware and fashion accessories. Sundays from 1 March 252 High Holborn, WC1V

THE ART OF ABSTRACT Founded in 1994, the Zabludowicz Collection supports the efforts of emerging UK artists. With exhibitions internationally in the United States and Finland, as well as here in London, its growing collection spans four decades of art from the 1970s onwards. Its latest offering – abstract installations by artist Flore Nové-Josserand – involve fine art, design, architecture and photography, with inspiration drawn from renowned creatives, such as painter Henri Matisse and photographer Sven Turk.

19 March – 20 April, 176 Prince of Wales Road, NW5

Below: Clothes © The Estate of Mark Boxer

a sketchy

business Rebecca Wallersteiner remembers satirical cartoonist Mark Boxer, as some of his best work is displayed at The Cartoon Museum

aspirational young people and the media world. azzling, debonair and hedonistic, Mark It is less well known that for much of his career, Boxer was one of the brightest stars of Boxer was involved in fashion, firstly as an art the 1960s and 1970s London magazine director of Queen and then as editor-in-chief world. If he hadn’t died of cancer in of Vogue where he worked with top designers 1988 at the age of 57, he could well including the Queen’s dressmaker Hardy Amies. be celebrating his 84th birthday this year. More Tall, dark and brooding, Boxer was classically than 100 of his witty caricatures and strip cartoons, handsome with curly hair and brown eyes. “He didn’t (published under the pen name Marc) are featured in need to pursue girls because they ran after an exhibition at The Cartoon Museum in him,” said author Lucretia Stewart Little Russell Street. “Our pleasure in an Evening Standard interview in in cartoons is recognising the 2010. Few women could resist him. truth they uncover,” Boxer He was married twice, first to the once said, and it’s something then 22-year-old Lady Arabella Stuart that his sketches still do. He who described him as “handsome and is best known for his witty, vain” and later to the glamorous BBC mischievous political cartoons newscaster Anna Ford. Their happy and caricatures satirising union produced two daughters and the movers and shakers of his lasted until his death. day: Lady Antonia Fraser, Born in 1931, Boxer Harold Pinter, Rod Stewart, gained his first experience at Germaine Greer, Barry Cambridge, working as an Humphries and Richard editor and cartoonist on Ingrams to name a few. Granta magazine. Even as He also liked lampooning Marc © The Estate of Mark Boxer

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a student his star quality was apparent. In 1953 he was sent down for publishing a blasphemous poem, the first student since the poet Shelley to receive such a sentence. His friends organised a mock funeral for him and his departure from Cambridge in a hearse followed by a thousand ‘mourners’ was reported in The Times. He reappeared at the stroke of midnight after the King’s College May Ball. Although he left university without a degree, Boxer soon rose from the ashes of his student career. A glittering networker, his charm, wit and talent quickly landed him interesting work. After a brief spell at a fashion magazine called Ambassador, he drew for Tatler. Then in 1957 a Cambridge friend, Jocelyn Stevens asked him to become art director of his fashion magazine Queen. Here he attracted the best photographers of the day. “He drew his friends at parties, capturing the details of their clothes,” his friend Richard Compton Miller told me. Queen followed the lives and changing fashions of the fashionable Chelsea set – the younger side of the British Establishment of whom Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon were leading members. During the 1960s this edgy magazine published pictures of mini-skirted aristocrats zooming around London on Harley-Davidsons or partying with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Twiggy. Always something of a dandy, Boxer had a lifelong interest in clothes. “I first fell in love with clothes

Family. While at Cambridge, he had been a contemporary of society photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, who later married Hardy Amies Princess Margaret. © The Estate of Mark Boxer “A talented writer and brilliant editor, Boxer was a self-taught cartoonist. Some of the time Mark’s cartoons could be brilliant,” says his friend Richard Ingrams, founder of the satirical magazine Private Eye. In the 1970s, Boxer illustrated Private Eye’s legendary Pseuds corner. “Boxer modelled himself on Osbert Lancaster, who pioneered the pocket-cartoon, mocking the British upper classes, in the Daily Express, in 1939. Lancaster was always dapper, in a suit and bow tie and just caricatured people within his social circle – rather like Mark,” adds Ingrams. In order to observe his subjects closely and off their guard, Boxer would appear at people’s offices, follow them around

“He was always at the epicenter of society and delighted in parodying celebrities and political figures that he had often been partying with the night before” as an undergraduate at Cambridge,” he wrote in Vogue in 1987. “A professional hedonist, Boxer cut a dashing figure in hand-tailored suits and his hair was always immaculate. He was the most elegant fellow around and his matinee idol-looks always attracted the ladies,” comments Compton Miller. As attractive as the models he chose for shoots, Boxer loved fashion and became fascinated with the way clothes signalled status and identity. He liked to quip, “Your bow tie says, ‘I am a designer or architect’; with a Windsor knot you say, ‘I am a pushy young executive’: or your running shoes say, ‘I am under 35.’” A lifelong Labour voter who mixed in high society and “a professional posing as a dilettante”, Boxer remained an “elegantly packaged mass of irreconcilable contradictions and uncomfortable antagonisms,” according to Jonathan Meades. He was always at the epicentre of society and delighted in parodying celebrities and political figures that he had often been partying with the night before. “His kind character lacked the viciousness of contemporaries, such as Sunday Times cartoonist Gerald Scarfe,” says Compton Miller. Boxer’s mischievous cartoons frequently poked fun at Prince Charles, Princess Diana, The Queen and other members of the Royal

town and sketch them in restaurants or at parties. One of Boxer’s most popular achievements was the invention of a cartoon called Life and Times in NW1, with Peter Preston mocking a trendy 1960s Hampstead media couple, Simon and Joanna StringAlong. In 1962 he founded The Sunday Times colour magazine and used innovative layouts and hired talented photographers and artists including Eve Arnold, Tony Armstrong-Jones, David Hockney and Peter Blake to create something new and exciting. His cartoons appeared in nearly all the papers including The Times, The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian. At the time of his death from cancer in 1988, Boxer was editor-in-chief of Tatler and editorial director of Condé Nast, but his work can still be enjoyed today at The Cartoon Museum. At a time when political cartoons have never been more topical, it makes for an interesting reminder of the power of the pen, as much, or even more so, than that of the keyboard. n

Until 22 March The Caricatures and Cartoons of Mark Boxer The Cartoon Museum, 35 Little Russell Street, WC1A 020 7580 8155; cartoonmuseum.org

www.my-perfect-t.com

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JEAN GENIE Having topped the best dressed lists with unrivalled consistency, Alexa Chung has shared her style acumen with denim brand AG Jeans to create a collection that mirrors her personal style. Inspired by a late sixties to early seventies aesthetic, the designs cover a range of timeless basics including a miniskirt, dungarees and high-waisted shorts. The collection is available at Net-a-Porter, where denim is a hot topic. This March the luxury e-tailer will unveil an exclusive three-piece collection of Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 501 CT jeans (customised and tapered). The designs will keep the casual style of Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original 501s but will be custom-made in a 72-hour process to produce a more contemporary fit.

net-a-porter.com

STYLE Update 7 FOR ALL MANKIND X GIAMBATTISTA VALLI Premium denim brand 7 For All Mankind has paired up with Italian designer Giambattista Valli to create a capsule collection for SS15. The collaboration will come in two waves: the first will arrive this month in the form of animal prints and bold colours. Offered in a variety of styles, including a mini dress and shorts, the collection is available in seven different shades. The second wave, which will be released in May, will include 70s-inspired high-waisted jeans, flared trousers and playsuits.

7forallmankind.com

BOHEMIAN CHIC Marilyn MOMENT Expanding her range of Marilyn Monroe inspired designs, Hampstead resident Jenny Packham has created a collection of evening bags that ooze the glamour their namesake was famous for. Available in six designs, the bags complement Packham's SS15 ready-to-wear collection. Featuring pastel organza silks and jeweltoned designs, they are held using a gold clasp.

From £1,170, jennypackham.com

Born in Jerusalem in 1927, Thea Porter worked as an interior designer before establishing herself as a pioneer of bohemian and Middle-Eastern fashion in 1970s London. Cultivating a star-studded clientele that included the likes of Pink Floyd and The Beatles, Porter’s designs were hotly pursued by the rich, famous and royal alike, despite her lack of interest in marketing. Remembering her mother’s life, Venetia Porter and fashion historian Laura McLaws Helms have produced a book devoted to her designs. The release coincides with the exhibition Thea Porter: 70s Bohemian Chic, which is being held at the Fashion and Textile Museum until 3 May.

Thea Porter by Venetia Porter and Laura McLaws Helms, £25, V&A Publishing vandapublishing.com

Left to right: Floral cotton voile Gipsy dress, 1969, photograph by Willie Christie; Thea photographed in black evening dress, Lebanon, early 1950s; Chiffon dress shown in 1969, London. All courtesy of the Venetia Porter collection / Image © V&A Photographic Studio

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Access all areas CLOSET CONFIDENTIAL A wardrobe with a difference, Vault Couture is a bespoke service that will store, organise, wash, deliver, alter and repair your clothing. Launched three years ago, the company has thrived ever since, and now caters for around 100 customers, including celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow. Items are photographed and catalogued on the ‘virtual vault’, an online portfolio for clients that allows them to keep track of their collection. As well as wardrobe management Vault Couture offers a worldwide delivery service, so your clothes can follow you on your travels – baggage weight limit? As if.

vaultcouture.com

Tensions run high in Frédéric Tcheng’s 2012 fly-onthe-wall documentary Dior and I, which hits cinemas this month. Heading behind the scenes at the fashion house, the feature-length film shadows the then newlyappointed artistic director Raf Simons during the eightweek countdown to his debut haute couture collection. From the nerve centre of the operation at the ateliers, where a handful of talented seamstresses hand-stitch his creations, the flick follows Simons as he attempts to fill the shoes of his predecessor John Galliano and uphold the legacy established by the house’s founder, the inimitable Christian Dior himself.

Dior and I is in cinemas from 27 March diorandimovie.com

CRESSIDA FOR MULBERRY She may have ditched Harry but Cressida Bonas isn’t about to shy away from fashion royalty. This month Mulberry unveils the actress as the new face of its latest campaign. After seeing Bonas’s dance tape from her final year at the University of Leeds, Mulberry cast her in its SS15 video. Featuring a mix of improvised moves and rehearsed steps, Cressida shows off her impressive dance skills alongside actor Freddie Fox.

mulberry.com

Step up 2 Following the success of Silver Linings – a capsule collection of designer shoes created to mark the opening of Shoe Heaven – Harrods has once again put its best foot forward and launched a limited edition collection of the ultimate fantasy shoes. Iconic styles, such as Charlotte Olympia’s kitty flats and Tod’s classic Gommino loafers, have been given a decadent makeover by the participating brands, whether covered with Swarovski crystals, adorned with pearls or coated in crocodile skin. Undoubtedly the most lavish pair come courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana, which will be offering a made-to-order service on an exquisite new design featuring a brooch embellished with violet amethysts, green tourmalines and yellow berylliums. With magic slippers like these, we can all go to the ball.

Step out of the Ordinary, available from March Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor at Harrods, harrods.com

Valentino

Roberto Cavalli

Fendi

SS15 trend report If your LFW ticket got lost in the post, don’t worry – we’re here to help guide you through this season’s trends. Credit cards at the ready...

Matthew Williamson

Max Mara

DVF

Burberry Prorsum

MELLOW YELLOW

Erdem

Say goodbye to the moody greys of winter and prepare to stand out in this season’s signature shade: yellow. For the bravest among you, opt for bright canary or classic mustard, or to make a subtler statement, go down the pastel route with soft lemon.

Giorgio Armani Burberry Prorsum Hugo Boss

Sonia Rykiel

natural INSTINCT Nothing says spring like a smattering of nature-inspired designs, but this year’s trends are far from the dainty florals of seasons past. More savage garden than botanical beauty, models donned the catwalk in feathered dresses at Fendi, Dalmatian spotted suits at Giorgio Armani and tropical prints at Matthew Williamson.

Phillip Lim Hermès

Burberry Prorsum Hermès

Fendi

Valentino Antonio Berardi

Dior Osman

Phillip Lim

SHAPE UP Where once shoulder pads signalled the silhouette of a woman who means business, this season it’s all about box-fit jackets, striking origami folds and angular cut-outs. Hugo Boss, Osman and Antonio Berardi were amongst the designers showcasing the structural trend. Get on board.

Tibi Stella McCartney

style Valentino

Louis Vuitton

Tommy Hilfiger Roberto Cavalli

THAT SEVENTIES SHOW Good news: Seventies throwback outfits are no longer reserved for fancy dress parties. Designers embraced the era across the catwalk this spring, showcasing fringed leather, knee high boots and dungarees. For a look that will stand the test of time, opt for suede skirts, denim jackets and elongating flares.

Matthew Williamson

Sonia Rykiel

Gucci

Chanel

Saint Laurent

DVF Dolce & Gabbana Hermès

Gucci

Valentino Temperley

Gucci

Roberto Cavalli Louis Vuitton

Giorgio Armani

Stella McCartney

Temperley London

SNOW WHITE Erdem

The beauty is in the detail when it comes to pulling off the all-white look, which took centre stage in the form of lazer-cut designs, lace ensembles and crochet dresses. Wear head to toe or mix with bold accessories for a statement look.

Valentino

EARN YOUR STRIPES Louis Vuitton

Deckchair-esque stripes and Breton prints fit for a sailor make up this season’s most wearable trend. Chanel kept it classic with navy blue and white, while Louis Vuitton went for bright orange stripes in both a horizontal and vertical design. From block stripes in pastels, to zig-zags in bold, contrasting hues, as long as it’s a stripe anything goes…

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the

jaeger meister With Jaeger’s fashion credentials firmly reinstated, Lauren Romano speaks to the woman spearheading the brand’s sartorial revival, creative director Sheila McKain-Waid

hings are looking up at Jaeger. The 130 year-old brand has had its fair share of ups and downs. In the past decade alone it has gone from fashion behemoth to (almost) bust and back again. It was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy in 2012 when private equity firm Better Capital swooped in and paid fashion industry mogul Harold Tillman £19.5m for a majority stake in the company. At that time the label’s financial forecast was anything but optimistic: profits had fallen by two thirds in the financial year to February 2012 and trading continued to be hit by the economic downturn. When chief executive Colin Henry was appointed the following year he had a challenge on his hands and set about reversing the loss-making trajectory with an ambitious five-year turnaround strategy.

further proof that Jaeger is back in the game. Coming to the rescue at the drawing board is creative director Sheila McKain-Waid. The Kansas-born designer might not sound like the obvious choice to navigate Jaeger’s return to its premium British heritage, but the American is enamoured by the history of the brand. “It has a past that many of even the most established American fashion houses are missing,” she claims. And certainly she has wasted no time in orchestrating a style shake-up that respects the label’s roots. Re-acquainting the core UK market with Jaeger is top of Colin Henry’s tick list, and consequently the pair has been working together on a streamlined approach. Sub-brands Jaeger Boutique and Jaeger London have been ousted and synthetic fabrics have also been shown the door. When Sheila took up the

“A solid Christmas trading period meant that in the last quarter total sales were up by an encouraging 8.3 per cent” Nearly 18 months in and the gears have shifted as a wave of successful clothing collections and sharptalking boardroom decisions have helped Jaeger on its way to regaining blue-chip British fashion brand status. For the 12 months to March 2014 losses after tax shrunk to £9.9m. A solid Christmas trading period meant that in the last quarter total sales were up by an encouraging 8.3 per cent, with online sales rising by an impressive 78 per cent. The breakdown makes eye-opening reading too: womenswear sales leapt six per cent; outerwear soared by 18 per cent and cashmere clocked an unprecedented 91 per cent increase. Figures and financial reports aside, on the fashion front a peruse of the latest spring/summer collection is

post as creative director in November 2013, a slim 15 per cent of the collection was made from natural fibres; today that figure stands at 80 per cent. She has a sourcing team at her disposal to increase the proportion of garments made in the UK too. Five per cent of the current collection was manufactured here, which is still some way off the 15 per cent target. But the strategy makes sense; Jaeger was one of the original champions of natural materials and the brand’s reinvigoration places great emphasis on returning to these traditional fibres and processes. “We stripped the design procedure back to really focus on the quality, so we’ve changed some of the factories we work with to ensure that everything is being as sustainably made

as possible,” Sheila explains. “We have invested time and resources deliberating and carefully considering each of the components involved in the construction of a garment, from the lining fabric right down to a single button – it’s been an enormous undertaking,” she sighs. One reason for her fatigue might be the fact that the past year has meant a mammoth trying-on session; Sheila personally checks every design to ensure that no finish or fastening is left unturned – one of her most successful feats was to banish the notorious ‘mocket’ in favour of proper pockets.

brand today. One of the things I really wanted to do was to bring that chicness back into the equation.” The spring/summer 2015 collection certainly radiates this sentiment. Slouchy shapes and petal-like sleeves, soft cashmere sweaters, floaty textured silk dresses: there’s a fluidity and effortlessness to the look. Traditional tailoring has been reworked to create a more relaxed silhouette. “Women aren’t buying tailored clothing like they used too. It’s not as clear cut as simply shopping for a matching suit. People now favour a less structured look, so we’ve made

“With a brand that’s 130 years-old the legacy doesn’t come lightly” “The first step for me when I started was to look into the archive,” she reveals. “With a brand that’s 130 years-old the legacy doesn’t come lightly. When I started to tell people that I had a job at Jaeger, everybody seemed to have some sort of story up their sleeve,” she laughs. “It was lovely hearing about the affinity the brand has with shoppers in England. People would tell me, ‘Oh, my auntie saved up for three months to buy her first coat from Jaeger.’ As an American this sense of loyalty and connection was strange to get my head around at first.” Her so-called mission to discover the “DNA of Jaeger” brought her to designs from the late fifties and early seventies. “There was this moment when there was a real chicness to the design – a kind of understated elegance in the drawings, the illustrations and the advertising, which I loved and felt was missing from the

pieces that are a lot easier to wear. It’s a nod to casual without actually being casual,” she explains. It was a walk down Oxford Street, of all places, that provided Sheila with the inspiration for the SS15 collection. “I had an early morning meeting and the area was strangely deserted. I was contemplating the day ahead when a statue by the sculptor Barbara Hepworth drew my attention to the London College of Fashion building,” she recalls. “I’d never noticed it before, but without all the usual chaos, I was struck by it. It triggered a stream of ideas; I started thinking about form and construction and working with a more fluid approach. I went to visit Barbara’s house in Cornwall and the colour palette of muted seaside pastels came from there. It was all quite seamless.” Growing up in the states, Sheila was taught to sew by her mother and studied for a degree in textiles

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before moving to New York. She found an apartment above a boutique where she got a job hand dying fabrics. Bitten by the fashion bug, she went on to study at the Fashion Institute and later worked for Donna Karan, Morgane Le Fay and Halston, followed by seven years at Oscar de la Renta. She reminisces fondly about the atelier, where a handful of skilled seamstresses – some of whom had been working there for several decades – really appreciated and understood the intricacies of the different fabrics. Fast forward to today and Sheila continues to be passionate about the materials she works with. She raves about everything from the thistle-brushed Scottish cashmere to the Gostwyck merino (Jaeger holds the UK exclusive) – a type of super-fine wool sheared from just one herd of sheep, grazing happily in New South Wales, Australia. “The archive is great for dipping into, but you don’t want to get too caught up in it; nobody wants to relive the past,” she says when I probe her about the future direction of the brand. “My job is to take the best elements and update them to make a collection feel relevant for today.” This update extends to Jaeger’s presence on the high street. Refurbishing key stores takes high priority in Colin Henry’s master plan. The King’s Road branch was the first to get an overhaul last autumn. More than just a paint job, the digitally-led transformation includes technological touches, such as in-store iPads and clever window mannequins that enable customers to receive details about the clothes on display via Bluetooth to their smartphones. There’s also a service desk where you

can pick up online orders and book alterations or personal shopping services. The refit has been an undisputed success: the 3,000 sq ft store enjoyed a 24 per cent rise in sales and the concept will now be rolled out to other locations. “We are pleased with the progress we have made,” comments Henry. “While we are still in the early stages of our five-year turnaround, the improved performance from Jaeger Online and at our new concept stores shows our strategy is paying off.” Those hitting the high street, or the website, might have already spied nineties supermodel Kirsty Hume as the face of this season. After ten years out of the spotlight, the LA-based Scot chose this campaign for her comeback, insisting that the brand resonates with her roots and sustainable lifestyle (Johnstons of Elgin produces part of the knitwear collection near Hume’s childhood home in Ayr). “I saw a photo of Kirsty and there was something so fresh and modern about her look, something lasting. I was captivated,” Sheila muses as we flick through the campaign shots. Is busy working mum Hume the typical customer, I wonder? “I get asked about who the Jaeger woman is a lot,” Sheila begins, pensively. “If I had to pinpoint one particular attribute I would say that she is intelligent; she knows what she wants and she recognises quality,” she adds. “Ultimately I’m striving to create classics with a twist that will also last in your wardrobe. I’m not chasing trends that have been around for five minutes; Jaeger is more timeless than that.” n

200-206 Regent Street, W1B jaeger.co.uk

WALK

THE LINE Embrace military chic, bold blooms and vivid silhouettes with wearable wardrobe staples Photography / Phillip Waterman stylist / Jess Stebbings

GRAPHIC CONTENT Top, £395, shirt, £355, and ‘DKNY X I Still Love You NYC’ choker, £88, all DKNY, 27 Old Bond Street, W1S

MILITARY PRECISION LEFT page Jacket, £219, and skirt, £75, both Isabel Garcia Gold Label, shop.isabelgarcia.it

this page Silk evening dress, £3,850, and calf-skin belt, £310, both Ralph Lauren Collection, 1 New Bond Street, W1S; Plume earring, £190, Eddie Borgo, harveynichols.com

BODACIOUS BLOOMS left page Carsani Gown, £3,640, Erdem, net-a-porter.com

this page Jacket, £439, Orla Kiely, 31 Monmouth Street, WC2H; Sunglasses, POA, Coach, 41-42 New Bond Street, W1S

FLOAT AWAY left page Silk Dress, ÂŁ2,295, Burberry Prorsum, 21-23 New Bond Street, W1S

this page Lillie Dress, ÂŁ668, DVF, 25 Bruton Street, W1J

HAIR & make-up: Lou Box using Chanel SS15, Chanel Body Excellence and Redken Hair Melissa Bell @ Select Models Shot on location at Hotel Hospes Palacio de los Patos, Granada, hospes.com British Airways currently flies from London City to Granada twice a week, with three flights a week in the summer, and is the only airline operating to the Spanish city from the UK, ba.com/londoncity

Portrait of Alexander McQueen, 1997, Photographed by Marc Hom © Marc Hom / Trunk Archive

fit for a

king As London awaits the arrival of the V&A’s phenomenal retrospective, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, Olivia Sharpe speaks to the exhibit’s curator Claire Wilcox and jewellery designer Shaun Leane about working with one of the greatest fashion designers of our generation

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he fashion industry is all in a flutter this month as it gets ready to pay tribute to one of its all-time greats: Alexander McQueen. The undisputed king of British fashion passed away on 11 February 2010 and his legacy will be holding court throughout this year with a series of events marking the fifth anniversary of his death – the most anticipated of all being the V&A’s retrospective, commencing this month. To this day, I vividly remember hearing of McQueen’s untimely death. Tributes poured in from the industry’s most influential figures, including Anna Wintour – who touchingly spoke at his memorial of the “complex and gifted young man, born not far from here, who as a child used to sit on the roof of his tower block and watch the birds circling overhead”. And judging by the star-studded crowd at the service at St Paul’s Cathedral, it was clear that they were not simply honouring a legend, but their good friend, Lee. Therefore, when I sat down to write this article, I initially found myself at a loss to know what to say; after all, having never been privileged enough to meet him, I cannot share any of own memories or anecdotes, but merely relay what is already evident: that he was a truly visionary artist. Claire Wilcox, however, the curator behind the V&A’s exhibition, had a more personal relationship with Alexander McQueen. As well as having studied his career in depth, she’s also had first-hand experience working with him, the pair having met back in 1999 when Claire was devising the museum’s first Fashion in Motion event. While it is now one of the V&A’s most popular series, she explains how, at the time, showing a live fashion show off the catwalk was a “radical step” so it was little wonder that the avant-garde designer, famously dubbed ‘enfant terrible’ or the ‘bad boy of British fashion’, was more than willing to jump on board. “He was unlike anybody I’d ever met before,” she reminisces, fondly. “His way of communicating was quite different from the way I would have communicated but somehow we managed to understand each other.” As well as comprehending her vision, Claire was pleasantly surprised at how “phenomenally scrupulous” McQueen was at

representing his own unique vision, remembering how he would meticulously ensure that every aspect of the show, from the garments down to the hair and makeup, resembled that of his catwalk presentation: “There was no compromise. But we were very appreciative of this because our intention was to show visitors fashion as it manifested itself on the performance stage of the catwalk, which is very different from ready-to-wear.” Indeed, if there was anyone who understood about performance, it was McQueen. Many of his catwalk presentations have gone down in fashion history; for example, the memorable moment when Shalom Harlow’s white muslin dress was spray-painted by robots at the end of the SS99 show or the finale of the Widows of Culloden AW06/7 show when his close friend Kate Moss appeared as a holographic 3D image (this was particularly controversial as it followed soon after the model’s drug scandal). It has been noted how McQueen’s theatrical performances seemed at odds with the shy and reserved man responsible for them, who would invariably disappear at the end of his shows. Then again, the designer was clearly not afraid of being outspoken and his often sharp tongue has been well-documented, for instance the time when he called former head designer at Givenchy, John Galliano, “irrelevant” or when he reportedly said: “what the f*** does she know about fashion?” in reference to Victoria Beckham. Claire hints Right: Vogue on Alexander McQueen. Black dress with acres of tulle underskirt. Patrick Demarchelier/Vogue, © Condé Nast Publications Ltd. Below: Butterfly headdress of hand-painted turkey feathers, Philip Treacy for Alexander McQueen, La Dame Bleu, S/S 2008, © Anthea Simms

Spray-painted dress, Alexander McQueen, No 13, S/S 1999

Vogue on Alexander McQueen, © Mario Testino

Above: Tulle and lace dress with veil and antlers, Alexander McQueen, Widows of Culloden A/W 2006–07, Raquel Zimmerman, VIVA London. Image: firstVIEW

that she, too, had been on the receiving end of what she politely refers to as his “forthright and direct nature” but, on the other hand, is quick to draw attention to his “raucous laugh” and “sensitive” disposition. Like his shows, he appeared to be a master of contradictions. Claire insists that the V&A’s retrospective, like the original 2011 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, will not focus on his personal life but rather on his creative output. However, the curator does acknolwedge how, seeing as the exhibit will chronologically chart the breadth of his womenswear collections in ten sections, from his MA graduate collection in 1992 to his final, unfinished AW10 collection, we will be able to learn something about the man himself, who was once quoted as saying that there was something very much “biographical” about what he does. “His collections were often a reflection of what he was interested in at the time or how he was feeling, so inevitably there was a personal investment,” she remarks. McQueen was born in Lewisham, South London and grew up in East London, the youngest of six children. His father was a taxi driver while his mother, whom he remained very close to throughout his life, was a teacher. Although he didn’t flourish at school, leaving the education system with only one O-level to his name and dismissed by his teachers as an ‘East London oik’, this was not the reaction he got from the fashion industry. Immediately spotting his innate talent, he was given a tailor’s apprenticeship at Anderson & Sheppard in Savile Row before moving to Gieves & Hawkes. “He always knew he wanted to be in the fashion industry but he also knew that his route would not be via the education system but via the ancient traditions of Savile Row,” confirms Claire. McQueen did break away from the confines of tailoring, however, when he began cutting clothes for major London shows at Bermans & Nathans, before leaving for Milan to work as a pattern-cutter. By the time the 21 year-old returned to London where he completed a Master’s Degree in Fashion Design at Central Saint Martins, Claire notes how he had “transformed from being a highly skilled tailor and technician to a fashion designer”. Like watching a great musician play an instrument, watching McQueen with a pair of scissors was, according to the curator, like watching a true artist at work: “He had

such a facility with his hands,” she muses. “Seeing his hands working so fast and yet always so accurately, truly amazed me.” His ten-piece graduate collection (bought in its entirety by Isabella Blow, who played a substantial role in the designer’s life and career) focused on his strengths, showcasing his masterful tailoring skills and revealing, for the first time, his interest in 19th-century London. Named Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims, it featured locks of hair stitched and bonded under linings. McQueen’s ‘Londonness’, which reappeared just four years later in his AW96 show, Stages Dante (taking place in a Spitalfields church, it made reference to his maternal ancestors, the Huguenots who had moved here centuries before), will be elaborated upon in a section of Savage Beauty: “It is a particular combination of historicism and modernity, which is similar to the work of John Galliano and Vivienne Westwood; while rule-breaking, it also acknowledges traditional skills. Up close you can admire the conceptual qualities but then you can also take a step back and see it on the catwalk where the narrative evolves.” Narrative, indeed, plays a substantial role in all of McQueen’s collections. Highland Rape (AW95/6), for instance, focuses strongly on the designer’s Scottish heritage. While initially it sparked fury for its controversial use of rhetoric, it was in fact supposed to be a patriotic metaphor for the country’s violent past. While he wasn’t a good student, McQueen was clearly fascinated by history. According to Claire, he’d spend hours in the V&A’s galleries poring over the archives. Along with historicism, nature was also a defining feature of McQueen’s work. A large section of the exhibition, named Romantic Primitivism, will explore his fascination with the animal world and will present garments crafted from horn, skin and hair, along with standout pieces from within the Cabinet of Curiosities. Inspired by the 18th-century practice of collecting unusual objects from around the world to make remarkable cabinet displays, this section will form the heart of the show and will showcase many of McQueen’s most provocative and subversive designs, including the

Left: Vogue on Alexander McQueen, Cate Blanchett, Regan Cameron/ Vogue © Condé Nast Publications Ltd

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bird’s nest hat, created in collaboration with milliner Philip Treacy, jeweller Shaun Leane and crystal house Swarovski. Sadly, not all of the pieces on display will be the originals but some have been recreated by Leane and Treacy especially for the exhibit. Alexander McQueen often fed off the inspiration of other artists who, in turn, were as equally inspired by the designer. Speaking to Shaun Leane, who will be creating a capsule jewellery collection in homage to his creative relationship with the designer, which spanned over 17 years, he attributes much of his creativity to McQueen who gave him “the perfect platform to challenge the traditional notions of jewellery.” The pair first met at Central Saint Martins, where Shaun was completing a goldsmith apprenticeship, and, both full of youthful ambition and talent, they quickly struck up a friendship. When visiting Shaun in Hatton Garden, where he was working in a Victorian workshop, McQueen would marvel at his friend’s skill at restoring antique jewels and subsequently commissioned him to create pieces for his catwalk show. “I was a conditioned goldsmith so to meet the scale of the pieces for catwalk I needed to experiment in less expensive materials,” Shaun explains. “I felt rather daunted at first but it was Lee who challenged me by saying, ‘Shaun, you are a great craftsman; just apply those skills to different materials and you can create anything’.” Clearly able to spot genius in others, McQueen drew Shaun out of his comfort zone and the results were astonishing. Among the show-stopping pieces he created during their partnership was a cast-aluminium corset in the shape of a ribcage and a collection of silver tribal jewellery for McQueen’s Eshu AW00/01 collection, inspired by the West African Yoruba people. Coinciding with the V&A’s exhibition is Tate Britain’s Nick Waplington/Alexander McQueen: Working Process, a behind-the-scenes look at the 2009 Horn of Plenty collection as documented by photographer Nick Waplington, and Proud Chelsea’s McQueen: Backstage – The Early Shows, which will showcase British photographer Gary Wallis’ neverbefore-seen archive of McQueen’s early forays onto the global fashion stage. Four books on the designer will also be released over the course of the year, including the V&A’s coffee-table tome (available 2 March). If you can’t wait for this, Vogue On: Alexander McQueen contains a remarkable collection of photographs relating to the designer extracted from Vogue’s archive. With this and so much more to come, there is always the fear that people won’t be able to absorb all the information on offer. But for Claire Wilcox, it doesn’t matter if people don’t take in everything, so long as they take away one crucial message: “By bringing all of his pieces together, it is truly breathtaking to see what he achieved in just under 20 years. We want visitors to draw inspiration from Alexander McQueen’s creative life and how he pushed the possibilities of fashion to its absolute limits.” n

 NEED TO KNOW  Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, 14 March – 2 August, In partnership with Swarovski and supported by American Express, with thanks to MAC Cosmetics, technology partner Samsung and made possible with the co-operation of Alexander McQueen. vam.ac.uk/savagebeauty

Vogue on Alexander McQueen by Chloe Fox, £15, Quadrille

Alexander McQueen (1969-2010), edited by Claire Wilcox, available from 2 March, £45 hardback, 310 x 240mm, 350 colour illustrations, vandapublishing.com Nick Waplington / Alexander McQueen: Working Process, 10 March – 17 May, Tate Britain, tate.org.uk McQueen: Backstage – The Early Shows by Gary Wallis, 4 March – 5 April, Proud Chelsea, proud.co.uk

Bird’s Nest headdress with Swarovski gemstones Philip Treacy and Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen, Widows of Culloden A/W 2006–07. Image courtesy of Swarovski Archive

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best of

BEauty

March 1. We’re all for making life easier so it’s good news for us that Lancôme’s Miracle Cushion was designed with just that in mind. Available now, this innovative compact gives the illusion of a powder, but with every press of the spongey cushion water-light fluid is released. Designed to produce just the right amount for application, the sponge keeps the liquid light and even. Once applied the formula will set like a BB cream.

£29.50, Lancôme, lancome.co.uk

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2. ‘Fluid’ isn’t normally a word you would associate with eye shadow, but it’s difficult to describe Giorgio Armani’s Eye Tint as anything else. The latest collection of eye shadows go on like a liquid but quickly set to leave a smooth finish without stickiness. There are 12 colours to choose from including Shadow (purple) and Jade (pictured). Once applied the eye tint will stay in place for an impressive 16 hours – goodbye lunchtime retouches.

£26.50, Giorgio Armani, armanibeauty.co.uk 3. Following the success of Clarins’ Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster for Face, it would seem only natural that the brand would create a version for the body, too. And that’s just what they’ve done – launching this month the Clarins self-tanning body double is a concentrate that’s easy to use alongside your daily skincare routine. Blend a few drops of the formula with your moisturiser to create an even tan.

£26, Clarins, clarins.com 4. Manicurist to the stars and the fashion elite, Deborah Lippmann is one busy bee. So it’s no wonder that her latest nail polish collection is all about keeping calm. The Whisper range comes in four new muted shades including pale grey (Misty Morning) and champagne (A Fine Romance).

£16, Deborah Lippmann, selfridges.com 5. Italian fashion house Marni has created a new perfume to add to the trio of fragrances produced by the designer. Simply named ‘Marni Spice’ the scent is a blend of cinnamon, black pepper and cardamom infused with jasmine and Bulgarian rose. The perfume is presented in the original dotted Marni fragrance bottle, and is available exclusively at Harrods.

£65, Marni, harrods.com

THE WORLD’S FIRST IN-STORE DNA TEST FOR PERSONALISED SKINCARE GENEU use their award winning in-store DNA test to analyse your skin’s DNA and discover precisely what it needs. Experience GENEU and leave the flagship store with bespoke anti-ageing skincare, uniquely recommended to ensure your skin receives the suitable active ingredients and concentrations in order to promote healthy looking skin. Learn more on our YouTube channel: ‘GENEU Beauty’ 65 NEW BOND STREET, LONDON

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beauty Update

from paris with love Cast your mind back to 2010 when French model and actress Clémence Poésy was one of three spokeswomen for Chloé’s eponymous fragrance. Five years later Poésy has reprised the role, this time as the only face of the brand’s latest scent, Love Story. The fragrance itself is fresh and floral with notes of jasmine, orange blossom and cedar wood. Inspired by the locks on the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, the bottle is in the shape of a padlock and features Chloé’s signature pleat design. £65 for 50ml, harrods.com

LIPSTICK ENVY Good news for anyone who suffers from chapped winter lips: Estée Lauder’s latest lipstick is a nourishing treat for delicate skin. Available from this month, the Pure Colour Envy Shine Sculpting collection has the texture of a lip balm combined with the pigment of a lipstick and six-hours staying power for the ultimate smudge-proof pout. The iconic siren red lip (as modelled in the brand’s campaign by Carolyn Murphy) is admittedly not one for the fainthearted, but those feeling brave should try a slick of the Surreal Sun (pictured) to add a hint of warmth and a pop of colour to their day-to-day look. For those who prefer a subtler effect, the lipstick is available in myriad different shades, from creamy nudes to soft, dusky pinks. Pucker up.

£24, esteelauder.co.uk

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CANDLE IN THE WIND Renowned for its candles and sweet Parisian scents, Diptyque has released a new collection for spring. The Rosafolia candle is a blend of geranium, Turkish rose and galbanum, producing a fresh aroma. Never one to hold back on presentation, Diptyque has packaged its latest offering in a limitededition colourful interpretation of the brand’s rose and ivy design. Also in the collection is Diptyque’s new fragrance Eau Plurielle, and a limited edition Rosafolia scented oval.

£44, 68 Marylebone Road, W1U

ON THE MOVE If you’ve ever wanted to combine the style of a luxury spa and the cosy fun of a girl’s night in, seek out Blossom & Jasmine, a mobile beauty service founded by beautician and nail artist Gintare Lisauskiene. Renowned for its highend approach, the Vantage team enjoyed a Bliss Therapy package – a pamper party that enables each guest to experience a combination of either facials, massages and mani/ pedicures. The therapist (ours was the lovely Karina Brown) arrives with all of the products and a comfortable massage pod too, meaning no mess and no fuss.

blossomandjasmine.co.uk

SCENT-SATIONAL Nose and perfumer Jo Malone’s Jo Loves store opened last year on Elizabeth Street, where she began her career working as a florist at the age of 16. Still a fan of the floral aromas that underpinned her original self-named brand, the latest perfume to launch this March is titled White Rose & Lemon Leaves. Blending citrus with cedar wood to create a fresh scent perfect for spring, Jo told us last year “Each scent is a character to me; some are dominant, others are subtle. It feels personal. I create this world around a fragrance. If they were characters, how would they be?”

£95 for 100ml, joloves.com

Image taken from Hair: Fashion and Fantasy by Laurent Philippon, £24.95, thamesandhudson.com

TINTED LOVE If you’re looking to shake off winter’s split ends and with them, those lacklustre sun-starved locks, then head straight to Fitzrovia’s latest addressbook addition, Hare & Bone. Ask for Sam Burnett, hairdresser to the catwalk stars, for a full cut (we went for a sleek long bob) and a winning smile at this very much ‘all inclusive’ salon. Those with places to go and people to meet should check out the breakfast club; 30 minute blowdrys between 8-10am that can be bought in batches.

69 Great Titchfield Street, W1W

ANDREW GALLIMORE JOINS NARS NARS has welcomed Andrew Gallimore as its new make-up artist ambassador for the UK. Gallimore has more than a decade of experience in the beauty industry, working with the likes of David Bailey and Rankin for Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar to name a few. The make-up artist will use NARS in his editorial work, and will showcase the brand in interviews and at events. Gallimore said he was “excited to contribute” to the brand, and that he has been a “long admirer” of François Nars. Haven’t we all.

nars.com

return o MAC’s director of make-up artistry Terry Barber talks to Ellen Millard about this season’s trends, working with Grace Jones and the “anti-Kardashian effect”

hether your beauty knowledge is vast or verging on non-existent, chances are you’ll have heard of that illustrious make-up rule: emphasise your lips or your eyes, but never both. An advocate of minimalism, MAC’s director of make-up artistry Terry Barber has been championing that very statement since the early 1990s. Starting out as a sales assistant at the launch of MAC’s first ever European shop in Harvey Nichols, Barber quickly moved up the ranks, and has now been with MAC for 20 years. During this time he worked on creating a trademark understated look to counter the heavy-duty make-up of the 1980s. The result was a clear, fresh complexion. For Terry, less is always more. “People can wear as much make-up as they want, but my advice would be to say ‘you don’t need it’. Simple as that.” With a CV that includes working with the likes of Grace Jones, Sienna Miller and the late Alexander McQueen, it comes as no surprise that Terry’s stripped-back approach to beauty is at the forefront of this season’s key looks. Talking freckles, pastel colours and ‘no make-up’ make-up, Terry lends us his expertise on the SS15 trends.

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“There’s this ‘outdoorsiness’ to make-up at the moment, it’s quite healthy and rugged” On the most popular looks for SS15… “Interestingly at MAC we did a trend called ‘no make-up’. The idea was to replace statement or heavy coverage make-up with something that gives the face a mood. For example, we reworked the sun-kissed look by making it a lot cooler and more sophisticated, with freckled faces and golden glowing skin. I think we’ve moved away from wanting to look like you’ve just done a crash-tan in Marbella. There’s this ‘outdoorsiness’ to make-up at the moment, it’s quite healthy and rugged. I think in terms of eye make-up it’s about doing one thing at a time. You could do either an eye shadow, which might be a bit stretched out and quite 70s, or you could go for eyeliner, but very rarely both. I think that’s the modern take on eyes now. It’s quite feminine again – we’ve had seasons and seasons of that slightly masculine boyish eyebrow, but now it’s all moved back to the eye, the lash-line and the liner.”

f the mac On grown-up glasto…

“This summer is going to be all about the real girl and how she uses colour”

“For a few seasons now I’ve done shows for Marques’Almeida and we made the girls look like they were returning from Glastonbury. We used chalky pastel colours and finger smudged them under the eyes. This summer is going to be all about the real girl and how she uses colour. I think the popularity of the festival circuit is having a huge influence on everything; think field style rather than street style.”

“Avoid an all-over solid tan and go for a golden bronzer just on the cheeks”

On taming the tan… “I tend to dislike trends that dictate that women should look flawless; I find that quite boring. The modern woman is much more aware of being effortless and not too perfected, so avoid super-done foundation and heavy contouring. I think smokey eyes are taking a bit of a back seat in favour of warmer, bronze tones for summer. I’d also opt for a fresh pink or peach lip rather than the beige concealer look. Avoid an allover solid tan and go for a golden bronzer just on the cheeks. I always recommend having points of your face highlighted, so your complexion resembles that first day of summer when you’ve caught a little bit of sun.”

On not keeping up with the kardashians… “I think most of the trends are more accessible at the moment. If you start with a natural looking base as the canvas, you can then add a red lip or a volumising mascara. MAC’s Ruby Woo lipstick is perfect for everyday, because you can wear it with almost no other make-up and it will still make an impact, with minimal effort. There is sometimes a misconception that doing your make-up properly is going to involve hours in front of the mirror, but that’s not the case. It’s much cooler for your make-up to look spontaneous and a bit haphazard. If it’s too perfect it can look slightly dated. I think it’s the anti-Kardashian effect; contouring has had its day – it’s been abused by too many YouTube videos. It’s almost impossible for women to contour anyway; they’re not going to define their faces with 14 shades of concealer. A natural, sunkissed glow is much more effortless; you don’t have to have a mask on.”

“If it’s too perfect it can look slightly dated” Ruby Woo lipstick, £15.50

On his favourite shows this season… “I love working with Marques’Almeida because they have a great background story. The founders were grunge kids in the 1990s and everything they design evokes their nostalgia for grunge. I also enjoy the shows that I work on in Italy. There’s a new designer called Marco de Vincenzo whom I adore. I sent his models down the catwalk with radiantly dewy eggshell skin. Another of my favourites is Jean-Pierre Braganza – I opted for bold, biker girl eyeliner for that show, which is a look that always makes women feel sexy.”

“ I like to tell stories with beauty”

On the biggest make-up faux pas… “A woman should never think she has to put make-up on every single millimetre of her face. It looks more modern when you take things away. It’s good to think in terms of balance; if you do a red lip, keep it simple with subtle eye make-up, but if you opt for a dark pencilled eye, wear almost nothing on your lips. I have always followed Coco Chanel’s advice on accessorising – take off the last thing you put on.”

On working for MAC… “I started at MAC in 1994, and it’s just like working with a family. I’ve never felt that because I’m working for a brand that I’m not a make-up artist. MAC has given me a very rounded career. I like to tell stories with beauty as well as just doing make-up.”

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“We make less makeup look extremely beautiful”

On the best beauty advice he’s received… “Val Garland once said to me: ‘sometimes it is your decision as a make-up artist to do nothing’. The eye of the make-up artist has changed – we make less makeup look extremely beautiful. When I worked on a MAC counter in Harvey Nichols in the 90s, people would want to buy so many products, and I spent half the time telling them ‘you don’t need it’.”

“My biggest influences come from great fashion photographers”

On the products we should be buying this season… “MAC’s Prep and Prime Natural Radiance is amazing. I would say a super-volumising mascara like MAC’s In Extreme Dimension mascara is another musthave – coat the top and bottom lashes to achieve a 1970s effect. Every woman should own a foundation that’s as sheer as she can possibly get away with. I love MAC’s Studio Face and Body foundation because it never fails to make skin look great. A good red lipstick has endless possibilities – you could either layer it on for full-on glamour, or use it as a stain and rub it in with your finger, but wear it on a naturally made-up face. Women should own a brow gel as well, not necessarily to add colour, but to brush your brows up. In Extreme Dimension Grooming your brows makes Mascara, £19 such a difference to your face.”

“I would say a supervolumising mascara like MAC’s In Extreme Dimension mascara is another must-have ”

Face and Body Foundation, £21.50

Prep + Prime Natural Radiance, £29.50

On his creative influences… “My biggest influences come from great fashion photographers. I find the history of the genre and the figures behind the camera fascinating. Photographers like Helmut Newton, Peter Lindbergh and Corinne Day have made a real impact on aesthetics, sometimes more than the actual designers themselves – apart from Yves Saint Laurent, who’s a bit of a hero of mine.”

On working with his idols… “I’ve had the privilege of working with some legendary women that I’ve loved ever since my youth, in particular, Grace Jones. I remember ending up in a studio shooting a V Magazine cover with her and Jean-Paul Goude and I was literally pinching myself thinking ‘how on earth did I get here’? Posters of their work adorned my bedroom wall as a kid.”

On AW15 trend predictions… “I think we’ll be keeping the natural skin look. There might be a few new luxury elements, and probably a lot of red lips. Eye make-up will be strong, and we’ll see metallic glosses and more texture. I’m envisaging something quite feminine but with a cool, nonchalant edge. I’m sure they’ll be some unexpected and striking new directions too, but we’ll have to wait and see.” n

maccosmetics.co.uk

style

That’s a wrap Amy Green treats her post-skiing skin at the newly-refurbished Baglioni Spa

n a bitterly cold and gloomy Friday afternoon, I was more than happy to find myself escaping through the doors of the Baglioni Hotel London opposite Hyde Park. While the hotel reception has that opulent private members’ club feel to it, its spa (which is also found on the ground floor) is understated and elegant, and has just reopened after an extensive renovation at the hands of Milan-based designers Rebosio + Spagnulo. In partnership with luxury skincare brand Natura Bissé the spa has a range of exclusive skin therapy options up its sleeve. After much deliberation, I chose the Marine Essence – a 60-minute skin exfoliation, purifying body mask and detoxifying massage. Although I’m often sceptical about one-off pick-meups promising instantly hydrated skin, I ignored my pessimistic side because, after a week of skiing at the, my dry, cold weather-ravaged skin was yet to recover. I must admit that where my diligent twicea-day moisturising regime failed, the Marine Essence treatment triumphed – and in just an hour. Before setting to work, my therapist recommended that I spend 15 minutes in the steam room to help loosen my muscles and left me to unwind. By the time I reached the treatment room a quarter of an hour later, thoroughly de-tensed, I was on the verge of dosing off, helped on my way by a soundtrack

of gentle music and three large gulps of a calming aroma that smelled like tea tree oil wafted under my nose. The treatment started with a deep body exfoliation. Applied in circular motions, the exfoliator was worked into my skin and then removed with a towel. Once rubbed and scrubbed smooth, I was coated in a warm layer of moisturiser before being wrapped up in cling film. The head massage that followed was the highlight of the hour; my therapist gently but firmly worked on my pressure points until I felt a weight lifted from my head, neck and shoulders. After showering off the residue from the body wrap, and bidding goodbye to my chapped problem skin, a cooling moisturiser was left to sink in and I began to return, gradually, to the real world. I departed the Baglioni spa in a blissful daze, wishing I had booked a room and spent the night. n

Marine Essence, £110, 60 minutes Baglioni Spa by Natura Bissé, 60 Hyde Park Gate, SW7 baglionihotels.com

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MADE IN CHINA “Transitioning from a closed climate with little choice or individualism, the field of fashion in China today has now opened up as a ground for experimentation and possibility,” writes the influential Chinese media figure Hung Huang in the foreword of this new fashion tome. “It is so exciting to see talented and aspiring designers increasingly feel the confidence to launch themselves on the fashion circuit, as more and more Chinese brands are established.” While most of us will be sick of reading about the Chinese’s supposed love for all things Louis Vuitton, this book takes a look at those up-and-coming and talented players who are taking the design world by storm a little closer to home, as well as recognising influential Chinese designers who work internationally. This is a fast-paced and insightful peek into a quickly flourishing new fashion economy, without all the usual clichés.

Fashion China, £24.95, Thames & Hudson, available from 16 March Photograph courtesy of Christine Lau ‘Chictopia looks’ from SS14

Interiors inspiration APPLE OF OUR EYE Brazilian designer and ceramicist Lisa Pappon is fascinated by the symbolic representation of the apple and the connotations it has evoked over the centuries. From temptation and power to love and happiness, she perceives the fruit as a universal icon. Taking inspiration from her five a day, she began to create oversized ceramic apples followed by pears and a new collection of cherries. Made to decorate indoor and outdoor spaces, each hand-blown cherry is made from glass, bronze or ceramic. Pappon's latest designs for Bull & Stein are available as part of an exclusive collection at Urban Living Interiors.

From £98 per apple 85 Great Portland Street, W1W

a piece of italy Conran Italia is taking its customers on a 100 year journey of Italian design and culture with its new edit of home accessories and furniture. The pieces will reflect several aspects of continental life from the 20th century to the present day – from the aromas of its cooking to the sound of Vespas zipping by. Highlights include a collection of Magnus Long furniture, hand-blown Murano glass and Paola Navone monochrome serveware.

Flauti Murano Glass Pendants from £1,350, available from March 55 Marylebone High Street, W1U

Photographed by Prudence Cuming Associates © Damien Hirst and Lalique, 2015

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A ROOM WITH A VIEW Founded in Venice in 1889, the Rubelli Group has been producing traditional textiles for five generations. One of its four cornerstone brands, Rubelli Venezia, has added a second series of wall coverings to the Substance and Extravagance range. Using fabrics that can be traced back more than 100 years, Rubelli designs honour Italian heritage and craftsmanship. The Grancanal Wall (pictured) is based on an etching from the early 18th century by Luca Carlevarijs. The impressive dimensions of the large-scale digital print, which is three metres in height, create an almost immersive scene, so you can enjoy Venetian vistas from the comfort of your sofa.

Grancanal Wall £770 per metre, rubelli.com

outside the box

HAVE IT YOUR WAY John Sankey has recently received the Manufacturing Guild Mark, awarded for excellence in British furniture manufacture. Its two new lines – Renishaw and Partridge – pair timehonoured design with modern touches to suit both traditional and contemporary living spaces. The striking Partridge chair (pictured) combines a 19th century-inspired scroll-arm silhouette with a statement striped pattern. If you can’t find anything to suit your taste, however, John Sankey also offers a personal furniture service so you can choose your favourite colour, material and finish.

From £1,630, johnsankey.co.uk

When it comes to finishing touches, the Paris-based designers Ronan and Erwan of Studio Bouroullec have it covered. An ongoing collaboration with Finnish glass factory Iittala has resulted in Ruutu – a collection of 10 mouth-blown glass vases. Available in five different sizes and seven watercolour-like shades, each deceptively simplelooking vessel takes seven craftsmen 24 hours to produce. Group a small collection together to create an eye-catching installation.

Available at Skandium from 15 March, 86 Marylebone High Street, W1U

ALL A-FLUTTER A little known fact about Damien Hirst: he spent his formative years smashing rocks to find hidden crystals to collect. It seems fitting, then, that working with the artist was high on Lalique’s wish list. The collaboration, named Eternal, is based on the butterfly – a subject close to the heart of the glassware company’s late founder René Lalique, and Hirst, who has made the insect his most recognised motif. Presented in three forms – Hope, Love and Beauty – this limited edition collection is available in 12 colours.

lalique.com

THE MIDAS

TOUCH Photography / Jon Attenborough

Vintage jewellery collector and curator Susan Caplan invites Lauren Romano into her Hampstead home to talk about her most treasured trinkets

ot many women can count decorating Cara Delevingne’s earlobes and Claudia Schiffer’s décolletage as a day’s work. But for vintage jewellery expert Susan Caplan, that’s just an average 24 hours. From the red carpet to the catwalk, she can list Rihanna, Chloë Moretz and Jennifer Lopez among her fan base; she’s curated collections for a roll call of fashion brands and is on speed dial for renowned jewellery suppliers worldwide. But despite hobnobbing within the upper echelons of the sartorial stratosphere, Susan is incredibly down to earth. Answering the door to her Hampstead apartment in bare feet, dressed in leather leggings and a soft marl-grey sweater, with a pair of five-inch Alexis Kirk teardrop earrings brushing her shoulders, Susan’s face lights up with an infectious smile. Taking that as our cue, we pile into the bijoux open-plan kitchen and lounge, dragging equipment for the morning’s photo shoot in our wake and manage to inadvertently transform the minimalist and meticulously ordered room into 1970s vintage Givenchy Bold Heart a spaghetti junction of wires necklace, £395 in five minutes flat. Hooking up a laptop to the eighties playlist of electro tunes that make-up artist Mia has compiled for the occasion, Susan signals her approval by nodding her head along to The Human League and goes to put the kettle on. On hand to offer some outfit pointers,

Susan’s daughter, fashion and celebrity stylist Gemma Rose Breger, is busy buttering cinnamon bagels fresh from the oven, apologising that she can only offer us almond milk for our tea. “I‘ve been looking forward to having an excuse to get out all my favourite pieces,” Susan beams, a conspiratorial glint in her eye, as she piles a stash of vintage jewellery onto the kitchen counter while we tuck into elevenses. From a clunky, yellow gold Monet bracelet strung together with oversized triple gold-plated links, to buttonsized Givenchy earrings that hark back to an era of hairspray and shoulder pads and a delicate crystalencrusted Trifari necklace, this small sample of Susan’s extensive collection reflects the varied clientele that she accessorises around the globe. My eye is drawn to a selection of tastefully garish Dior and Chanel pieces, emblazoned with logos and radiating a cheerful buttercup glow, before settling on the piece de résistance – a golden Chanel bum bag complete with trademark chain straps that can be slung low around the waist. “I’m attracted to the history of a piece,” Susan explains. “Coco Chanel is a bit of an idol of mine actually. She made costume jewellery popular; in her eyes it was OK to wear fake pearls. I once read that she was quoted as saying: ‘Nothing looks more like artificial jewellery than a very beautiful gem. Why allow yourself to become obsessed with the beautiful stone? You might as well wear a cheque around your neck’. “I got the collecting bug from my family. Some of my relatives had stalls at the Camden Passage and the London Silver Vaults,” she tells me as we sit down to chat on her retro-looking Robin Day sofa. “I picked this up from Habitat in the nineties,” she digresses, clocking my approval of the faintly lined ultra-soft black leather.

i n t e rv i e w

“The design dates back to 1964. In fact, my parents had an original model of this sofa when I was growing up,” she pauses, rifling through a photo album to find a snap of her reclining on it as a teenager. Her childhood home in Stanmore was designed by the renowned Swiss architect Walter Segal and boasted a Terence Conran kitchen, no less. “My mother loved Charles Eames and Eileen Gray furniture – I inherited my passion for timeless design from her,” she confides. “That’s what is so special about vintage jewellery. You can take a piece of Givenchy from the 1980s and it will still look current today.” Susan has been travelling the world for more than 30 years, sourcing objets d’art and other antiques for her collection, many of which have found their way into her apartment. “It all started when I was working as a beauty therapist on the Queen Elizabeth II cruise liner,” she tells me. “Every dock we landed at I would make it my mission to find the nearest market and buy something to take back with me. In those days it wasn’t necessarily just jewellery that I was looking for – I’d bring back anything that caught my eye.” Among her favourite finds from reconnaissance missions over the years, a Danish sideboard from the 1960s runs the length of one wall, displaying a collection of mottled Royal Copenhagen vases designed by Nils Thorsson and photographs of Susan’s three daughters.

interiors Clockwise from top: 1950s vintage Trifari Green Crystal Floral necklace, £295; 1990s vintage Chanel Clover pendant, £1,875; 1980s vintage Chanel statement drop earrings, £895

In the corner, a marble figurine of Venus presides like a loving sentinel over a grand piano that somehow manages to slot snugly into a small alcove, and on a side table a lavish Victorian fruit bowl sits atop an intricate glass plinth, piled high with citrus fruit. The blast from the past continues in Susan’s bedroom, where a late seventies Bang & Olufsen television set completes the aesthetic. ‘It worked up until a few weeks ago and then the signal vanished,’ she laments as we put our heads together to think of how to resurrect the box now that the analogue wave has bitten the dust. After a quick outfit change into a vibrant orange shift dress festooned with a weighty Monet pendant, Susan recalls how her collection of trinkets started to take over her home while she lived in Scotland, so the next natural step was to set up an antiques stall. It soon became apparent, however, that her customers were drawn to the jewellery more than anything else. With this in mind, she approached John Lewis to ask about introducing a collection of vintage accessories into its Glasgow store. “I wanted to establish vintage jewellery as a nontransient trend,” she explains. “John Lewis already had a second hand collection, but much of it resembled things your grandmother would have worn. I wanted to pave the way for eye-catching and contemporary costume pieces that had a history. I started off at the Glasgow store and then progressed to ten more.” Soon after, Susan relocated back to London where things “just took off” and she rebranded to Susan Caplan Vintage Collection in 2008. These days, Susan’s jewellery dazzles behind glass cabinets everywhere from Harvey Nichols and Selfridges to Fortnum & Mason and Fenwick and her pieces are scattered as far afield as Dubai, Hong Kong, China and Qatar. The Susan Caplan benchmark for quality and condition is undisputable. “I look for costume pieces and accessories that have hardly any wear,” she says. “I’m very meticulous about the condition. I’ve trained my eye now, so I can visit an antiques fair and spot an authentic vintage piece at 20 paces!” This trademark approach has opened doors to some exciting collaborations. In 2011 Susan sourced a vintage body harness for an exclusive Versace pop-up collection at Selfridges. (“One of the Versace cuffs that sat within

the collection was actually featured in the 1992 campaign for the bondage catwalk collection,” she enthuses). Curating a collection of Elizabeth Taylor-inspired jewellery for Issa London’s SS13 fashion show was another highlight, and last year Susan was kept on her toes launching a vintage bridal collection in collaboration with the V&A to coincide with the Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 exhibition, which runs until later this month. There’s also talk of an exciting project with Fortnum & Mason on the cards, she hints. Given her magpie tendencies, you’d be forgiven for presuming that Susan’s own personal jewellery box is bursting at the seams. But apart from the aforementioned Alexis Kirk danglers, her other favourite go-to piece is an unsigned 1960s Aztec-style silver necklace. She describes her day-to-day look as understated and comfortable to suit her schedule; a typical working week can involve numerous appointments with suppliers and reporting back to her small team at the Camden showroom and studio. For important meetings, Susan plucks her trusty Diane von Furstenberg ensembles from the back of her wardrobe. There is less travel in the pipeline these days, Susan confesses, with a tinge of regret; long gone is the time when you could unearth inconspicuous gems from the bargain bucket at a car boot sale (the glut of antiques programmes and David Dickinson wannabees have put paid to that), but the prospect of tracking down new finds still leaves her giddy. “I’m off to Miami next week and I’m hoping to buy there,” she tells me, animatedly. As the shutter clicks for our last shot and the photographer declares that it’s a wrap, Susan lingers a little over the jewels that are now sprawled higgledypiggledy across her dressing table, picking up each one in turn and telling me what makes it special. Does she find it difficult to part with pieces that she has invested so much time and energy into? “I only source things that I adore so I do have a tendency to get quite passionate about them,” she admits. “But then something else always turns up to distract me and the process begins again. I love being able to pass on a piece of history for someone else to treasure.” n

“I’m very meticulous about the condition. I’ve trained my eye now, so I can visit an antiques fair and spot an authentic vintage piece at 20 paces!”

susancaplan.co.uk

The Emilia

Classic, Elegant & Sophisticated

www.icandyworld.com

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Off the Deep End It’s rare that you’ll find a childrenswear collection that will incite uncontrollable jealousy among adults. But when it comes to Baby Dior’s new SS15 range, we can’t help but wish we were just a little bit smaller. Taking inspiration from post-war New York fashion, key pieces for spring include darling sunray-pleat dresses and ‘Corolle’ skirts, while the classic Dior ‘New Look’ silhouette has been updated with punchy blocks of colour. The boys’ collection is equally as dapper, comprising crisp white and cobalt blue shirts, tailored shorts and snazzy trainers.

dior.com

nurserynews THE SHOW MUST GO ON After years of working in theatre production, Lucy Gaiger and ConchitaMaria Scott launched children’s nightwear brand Atticus & Gilda. Its range of nightwear is mostly fashioned from vintage fabrics and all trimmings used were collected during the duo's time spent working on stage productions like Mamma Mia! and The Phantom of the Opera. The latest collection features nightdresses and two-piece pyjama sets in soft pastel powder blues and creams.

atticusandgilda.co.uk

FROM DAY ONE Fashion model Nadya Abela and children’s writer and illustrator Aytan Sofia Eldarova have collaborated to produce babywear brand Roly Pony. Made from natural fabrics like cotton, wool and cashmere, its first range includes sleepsuits, hats, leggings, babygrows and a feather-light blanket, so you can dress your newborn from head to toe.

rolypony.co.uk

THE GREAT ESCAPE Hours of fun are to be had in the Christopher Treehouse cabin bed, brought to you by bed specialist Noa & Nani. Designed with both children and adults in mind, the handy area underneath the bunk can be used for storing away toys. Featuring a pitched roof, cut-out windows, skylight and a ladder, its white finish makes it easily styled to suit the décor of either a little boy's or girl’s bedroom.

Treehouse Cabin Bed, £399.99, noaandnani.co.uk

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Water Babies Since the successful launch of Stella McCartney Kids back in 2008, it was almost inevitable that the luxury fashion brand would, in due course, embark upon a new venture. Cue the swimwear collection for spring/ summer 2015 which, true to form, is effortlessly chic. Playful designs include underwater 3D prints and black cartoon-like sandcastle kingdoms. Particularly cool are the nostalgic, fifties-inspired illustrations of dusty pink Cadillac’s, larger-thanlife drive-in signs, pineapples and palm trees. If you’re not yet sold, the built-in +50 UV protection, along with the brand’s continued commitment to sustainability, should do the trick.

stellamccartney.com

hop on over Written by Dorothy Kunhardt for her three-year-old daughter, Pat the Bunny has continued to be a bestseller in the United States since its publication in 1940. The interactive touch and feel book for young children and babies has recently been reimagined by Julia Restoin Roitfeld. In celebration, Charlotte Olympia, Bonpoint and Aden + Anais have teamed up to produce a collection for style savvy children worthy of a Vogue editor's daughter.

From £135, available from 1 March harrods.com

ROLL UP, ROLL UP! Take a trip to the circus with Berlin-based brand Noé & Zoë, which is now stocked at the childrenwear department at Selfridges. Full of imaginative patterns and quirky colours, founder and designer Nici Zinell draws inspiration from the 15 years she spent working for costume and film departments. Highlights of its SS15 collection include a dancing dress for girls and a starry django waistcoat (pictured) for the boys.

400 Oxford Street, W1A

THE LYONS DEN If you didn’t already know that there is a four year-old (yes, a four year-old), fashion blogger who has been enlisted by Crewcuts to help create a whimsical capsule collection, you do now. The teeny bopper first caught our eye when she used paper to recreate red carpet looks for her blog, Fashion By Mayhem. And now, it’s clear that J Crew’s creative director, Jenna Lyons was equally as impressed, as the two have partnered together on a nine-piece collection of children’s clothing (available this spring). As the name Little Mayhem suggests, the range is creative, free-spirited and nonchalant. In other news, be sure to head down to the newly opened J Crew womenswear store at 18-19 Marylebone High Street this month.

jcrew.com

health&fitness

health & fitness LUCAS WHO? If last year’s Prism Prints are feeling a bit old-hat, then get on board with the Leadlight design, our favourite new SS15 print from Lucas Hugh. Inspired by South Beach Miami, the refracted spectrum pop-art palette is sure to give you that extra push. As LH’s creative director Anjhe Mules says: “Colour creates and animates; it brings energy and heightens it.”

lucashugh.com

on the run When it comes to buying the school-run shoes, we admit that Fendi doesn’t always spring to mind. But spring about you will in its new Flynn Polka Dot Flower Leather Sneakers. Featuring a grain leather body with contrasting polka dot or floral prints, they are supported on a studded rubber sole for added traction and comfortable day-long wear.

£505, harrods.com

OIL IN GOOD TIME If a facial oil isn’t already a fixture in your daily regime, may we suggest you nip down to Space NK for a bottle of Fleuressence, a new native botanical cell facial oil from Goldfaden MD. The non-greasy elixir combines a host of powerful anti-aging ingredients including a blend of pure active botanicals, fruit extracts and unique natural oils, which penetrate deep into the skin to boost moisture levels and skin cell revitalization, in turn reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improving your overall radiance. Apply two drops to your face morning and night or blend it with your moisturiser or foundation for a hydrated luminescent glow.

and so to bed If you’re looking for a way to spoil your mum this month, The Berkeley has relaunched its Girls’ Night In package, allowing you to swap your sling-backs for slippers and a night of truly indulgent pampering. Press play on The Devil Wears Prada while grazing from a pink hat box filled with Hattie Sweets and Propercorn while trying out looks from the Benefit make-up and beauty treatment goodie bag. Then slip on your silk, monogrammed eye mask in-house, with your Sleep-In Rollers intact, so you’re fresh for your morning at the roof-top health spa.

The Girl’s Night In at the Berkeley is available weekdays and weekends from £630 including English breakfast for two people, the-berkeley.co.uk

£105, 62 Hampstead High Street, NW3

Every

Woman

In conjunction with Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, Consultant Gynaecologist Mr Angus McIndoe discusses symptoms, diagnosis and treatment Ovarian cancer is relatively uncommon but still accounts for more than 7,000 new cases of cancer in the UK each year. Most cases of ovarian cancer are sporadic, occurring in women with no family history. However, around five per cent of cases are the result of BRCA1 or 2 genetic mutations, which are associated with increased incidences of breast and ovarian cancer in families.

or premenstrual syndrome. In addition to this, early stage ovarian tumours are often small and produce very mild symptoms. It is only once the cancer spreads and when fluid collects within the abdomen (ascites), that the disease becomes much more obvious. In symptomatic women, the best test to exclude ovarian cancer is through a pelvic ultrasound scan. This will be performed by a specialist gynaecology scanner, and often supported with a CA 125 blood test. Women with stage one or two of the disease have a higher cure rate than those in the later stages, emphasising the importance of early diagnosis. Attempts have been made to screen for the disease using either the CA 125 or ultrasound, but currently neither test has shown to be fully effective.

Prevention Recent evidence suggests that most ovarian cancers start in the fallopian tubes rather than the ovaries. Women at high risk because of genetics often have their ovaries removed, before disease develops. In these cases, a small number would be expected to have very early undetected cancers or even preMr Angus McIndoe (PhD, FRCS, MRCOG) is cancers. However, rather than one of the foremost UK consultants working in the finding these lesions within the field of Gynaecology and Gynaecological Oncology. His ovaries, abnormalities within considerable surgical experience has earned him a strong the fallopian tubes have been reputation for complex pelvic surgery. He also performs found. By the time cancers are more straightforward procedures with excellent outcomes. diagnosed, the ovaries and He was Chief of Service for Gynaecology at the tubes can often be involved in Hammersmith and St Mary’s Hospitals for a number of a large tumour mass, making years, but now works full time in the private sector. With identifying where the cancer over 20 years’ experience in the NHS and private begun difficult.

meet the specialist

sectors to call on, he is readily available for most gynaecological problems.

By identifying the fallopian tubes as the likely origin of ovarian cancer, the possibility of removing the tubes as prevention rises. By doing this rather than removing the ovaries, the potential trigger of early menopause is prevented. However, this theoretical possibility has yet to be tested in large trials. Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer These include: • increased abdominal size or persistent bloating • pelvic or abdominal pain • nausea • difficulty eating or feeling full However, these symptoms are vague and overlap with other conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Treatment Treatment for ovarian cancer usually includes an operation to remove as much of the cancer as possible. This is usually followed by four months of chemotherapy every three weeks for a total of six cycles. To date, there is still some debate over whether it is better to perform surgery at the beginning of treatment, or after the first three cycles of chemotherapy.

Whether surgery is the best option depends very much on the women and the outcome of diagnostic testing. We know that if all visible cancer is removed that it makes a big difference to the long-term outcome. Even if the cancer comes back after treatment, surgery may offer an improved chance of survival, in some cases. The chances of being cured from ovarian cancer are only slowly improving, but the length of time that women can hope to maintain a good quality of life after diagnosis is rapidly increasing. Many researchers are working hard to improve the survival of women and the disease, with the results of large screening studies due to be published in the near future.

For further information or if you would like to arrange an appointment at The Wellington Hospital, please contact the Enquiry Helpline on 020 7483 5000 or visit thewellingtonhospital.com

health promotion

2014/15 CoolBrands.uk.com

1936 Bière Brewed by the Locher family at the foot of the Swiss Alps using only the purest water, 1936 Bière has a unique, fresh and ultra clean taste.

The water used to brew 1936 Bière filters through the Swiss Alps, taking up to 25 years to reach the source. This unique water is combined with raw ingredients – Swiss hops and golden barley grown at high altitude on the mountains – to create a beer totally free from artificial preservatives or additives. Long famous for its innovative prowess in the development of new beers, the 1936 Bière brewery also leads in the field of climate protection.

B REWED

S WIT Z ERLA ND

1936biere.com #1936biere icerinkcanarywharf.co.uk 1936biere.com

Advert.indd 7

28/10/2014 14:02

food&drink

wish list

KINDRED SPIRITS Hotel Café Royal is raising a toast to L’Atelier de Givenchy’s fine fragrances with an exclusive collection of seven cocktails to reflect the fashion house’s exquisite blends. To be served exclusively in the iconic Parisian-inspired Green Bar, the cocktails have been developed by The Club at Café Royal’s mixologist Tiziano Tasso in the spirit of all things Fashion Week. May we recommend the Oud Flamboyant (pictured); a bold and magnetic smoky, woody fragrance, mirrored using an unusual combination of Japanese whisky and mandarin juice to add balance and depth, or the Bois Martial for those with a sweeter tooth (and nose), an ultra-structured mélange of Jamaican rum, pineapple and sage leaves.

Until 31 March 68 Regent Street, W1B hotelcaferoyal.com

Foodie favourites Adria Wu

A RAW DEAL You may feel that the Peruvian foodie movement was, like, so last year, but that doesn’t mean it stopped tasting good. Or that everyone will stop opening Peruvian restaurants, it seems. Marylebone’s Pachamama is the latest to join the raw fish ranks, offering up a delectable menu of small plates using rustic cooking techniques and seasonal British produce. As well as fresh seafood, you’ll also find vibrant salads and meat dishes from a robata grill –

categorised by snacks, sea, soil, land and sweets – plus a range of seasonally-changing house cocktails with a focus on Pisco. Order cod tamale with quinoa and sesame; octopus anticuchos with black garlic and aji; fried aubergine with smoked yoghurt and pecan; and melt-in-the-mouth aji truffle for a perfect bittersweet finale.

18 Thayer Street, W1U pachamamalondon.com

MILOS A MINUTE If you’ve ever had the pleasure of dining at modern Greek seafood restaurant Milos when holidaying in the US, then you’ll be joining us on the corner of Regent Street, handkerchief in hand, when the London outpost docks this spring. Offering the freshest fish and seafood from a behemoth of a raw bar, and with it a huge A-list following, the only catch may be the eye-watering bill once all is weighed.

For those who like their meals lean and green, Fitzrovia’s new cold-pressed juice bar Maple & Fitz is one step ahead of the kale coloured curve thanks to its Canadian-born founder Adria Wu, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu and attended the British College of Nutrition and Health. Choose the Samurai Slaw of soba noodles with shredded cabbage, carrots, mint, coriander, sesame, spring onion and a miso sesame soy dressing and push the boat out by adding free-range chicken, salmon, tofu, tempeh, avocado or a hard-boiled egg. If you’re feeling very naughty, finish with a Raw Power Ball of Medjool dates, almonds, raw cocoa powder and chia seeds, teamed with a Bitter Queen juice to aid digestion.

36a Berners Street, W1 mapleandfitz.com

Opening this spring 1 Regent Street, SW1Y, milos.ca

port of call A long time in the planning, what was once the site of an old retail showroom now houses Portland, an interesting new gastronomic gem to be found, of all places, on Great Portland Street. But what the team lacked in imagination when it came to the name they certainly made up for with the menu; a weird and wonderful hodgepodge of delicacies including pig’s head croquettes with kimchi mayonnaise for starters; game pithivier with black

HARD PRESSED

truffle and game sauce for mains (right); and baby gem with breakfast radish and sour cream for sides. The numerous wine options change every month and can be ordered from the reserve list; a selection of diverse, rare and famous vintages that the team has picked up from private cellars around the world.

113 Great Portland Street, W1W portlandrestaurant.co.uk

food&drink

Restaurant Review

Ivy League Kari Colmans indulges in a piece of the Caprice Holdings pie at The Ivy Market Grill

irst, a confession: I have never been to The Ivy. I’ve always grouped it with the likes of the chintzy but charming Oslo Court and its famous dessert trolley (and dolly) – a cornerstone of its culinary heyday but now a bit faded in the face of tiradito tacos and wagyu buns, the kind that almost make you cross the river to eat. The thought of salt beef and roast chicken just never really gets the juices flowing when it comes to eating out-out, and if it does, nobody can cook it better than my grandma. The Ivy (proper) is currently closed for refurbishment, set to open again in May, but no matter, because The Ivy Market Grill has the coals burning ready to fill the Richard Caring-shaped void. It’s an attractive if not slightly cavernous space, complete with mosaic floors, leather bar stools and schooluniform green banquettes – a bit Holborn Dining Room, a bit Balthazar – but perfectly welcoming and buzzing with people on an early Wednesday evening in January. It was to be my second visit – the first was for breakfast where I shared an avocado Benedict and toasted crumpets served with a marmite, mustard and parsley butter, so good I was tempted to eat my napkin just for something else to shmear it on. So I had high expectations for dinner, having already checked out the menu last time. We started with Bloody Marys and a couple of snacks from the ‘For the Table’ section, otherwise known in my family as floaters; dishes nobody wants to commit to entirely but nevertheless don’t want to miss out on, a curse inflicted by the shared dishes craze which is now, unfortunately, irreversible. But crispy courgette fries with lemon, chilli and mint yoghurt and fried truffle and pecorino arancini balls did not disappoint: naughty, piping hot salty mouthfuls of fried heaven. To quote Barefoot Contessa, how can that be bad? My dining partner, who was on a not very helpful wedding diet, left me to polish off most of the fried goods before our starters arrived: a generous, meaty, and subtly fragrant poached half lobster cocktail with Marie Rose sauce for me, with Severn and Wye smoked Scottish

The Ivy Market Grill Bar © Paul Winch-Furness

Dark treacle tart © Sim Canetty-Clarke

salmon and crab – served with chive cream and seeded sourdough toast – for her. Both were light, tasty and faultless. Main course options took longer to decide; of course, we had to try the shepherd’s pie considering its forefather’s fame. She had tasted the original, so I would have to go by her judgement for comparison, but alas, she had a very important dress to fit into, so vowed to only have a forkful. We settled on a halfhalf deal, throwing in a slightly healthier whole grilled lemon sole for balance. But how quickly the tables turned once the pie arrived, leaving me with just the taster, my one forkful piled high to get both the layer of crispy, vaguely cheddary potato and

the deep, smouldering layer of unctuous slow-braised lamb shoulder in one bite. The grilled fish was good too, served with green beans and broccoli on the side, but it was a pie in the sky consolation. Now that the diet was clearly a writeoff, we went for a dessert double-whammy: the dark treacle tart served with three types of cream (clotted cream, ice cream and Jersey pouring cream) just about gave my grandmother-in-law’s a run for her money. A melting chocolate bombe with milk foam, vanilla ice cream and a honeycomb centre, smothered with hot salted caramel sauce, was a bit like my childhood memory of a TGI Friday’s mud pie, minus the jelly worms. But it would go down a treat with the kids, or those with a sweeter tooth. The prices were reasonable, the service was great, and the food delivered on every note: while I may not want to spend my Saturday night here (Sunday to Thursday would be ideal, for a reason I can’t quite put my finger on), I may be persuaded to venture out-out for sausages once the mothership reopens. n

1 Henrietta Street, WC2E theivymarketgrill.com

BEYOND

THE KALE

Lauren Romano rounds up the super foods and fads that have been all the rage among the fashion elite

ood trends, like fashion ones, don’t always hang around for long. Take last year for instance: everyone jumped on the chia seed bandwagon, scattering the black crunchy specks on bircher muesli with (costly) abandon; a bazillion avocados were smashed and smeared on sourdough as brunch without the sideorder became unthinkable; we finally worked out how to pronounce KEEN-WAH and the unassuming kale conquered as the leafy legume we all wanted in our green juices, on our dinner plates and even (thanks to Alexa Chung and Nails inc.) painted on our talons. But, if the food forecasters are to be believed, soon we’ll be ditching the above faster than you can say Paleo Diet. This season will usher in a new melange of strange sounding, but oh-so en vogue ingredients, from kelp and charcoal to bone broth and bulletproof coffee (a caffeine hit with a dollop of coconut oil – it’s going to catch on, apparently). And, at the vanguard of any trend, the sartorial brigade is never far behind...

Kelp, I need somebody Fact: 262 new-borns were named Kale in the USA in 2013, which was around the time the vegetable started to creep into kitchens on this side of the Atlantic. Giving the leaf a leg-up was mostly down to one woman: Oberon Sinclair, the British ex-pat at the helm of New York’s boutique creative agency, My Young Auntie. Besides working with the likes of Vivienne Westwood and Hermès, arguably one of Sinclair’s most fruitful collaborations was with the American Kale Association (yes, such a thing does exist). With her network of fashion and music connections, it was soon being served in the hippest New York restaurants and pop-ups; models like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley chose to hail kale by having a green juice within arms’ reach at all times; Beyoncé was such a fan that she had a fetching T-shirt emblazoned with the name of the vegetable. Another contender could be set to topple the legume this year, however. Kelp is being touted as the next super green; whether it proves to be such a popular first name remains to be seen.

Taste buds on tour Models are jetsetters. Criss-crossing the globe to front campaigns on one continent and then hotfooting it to walk the catwalk on another, naturally expanding their culinary horizons along the way. Carole White, co-founder of Premier Model Management, and booker for the nineties supermodel sorority comments on the food habits of Schiffer, Campbell and co in her soon-tobe-released tell-all book: Have I Said Too Much?. “The main thing to remember is that, whatever continent you happen to be on at the time, she will want a food indigenous to the continent that is furthest away […] The model is boarding a private jet and asked what food she’d like. She’s in Milan, land of pasta, delicious antipasti and pizza. What would she like to eat? Llama curry.”

No solid crew Not everyone can be the next Jamie Oliver, granted, but one can only assume that Saint Laurent Paris’ creative director Hedi Slimane’s performance in the kitchen must leave a lot to be desired. Rather than spending hours at the stove (he has a couture collection to mastermind, after all) Hedi is partial to baby food. “The less I chew the better,” he says. His name’s not Slimane for nothing.

Liberté, égalité, fromagerie Former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris Carine Roitfeld has a nonchalant attitude to nutrition, and is a devotee of The French Woman diet. Steak? Tick. Tuna tartar? Tick. Cheese and red wine? Tick tick. The trick is apparently all in the portion control. And unless something got lost in translation exercise is also a big no-no.

Smooth operator Want a body and complexion like Miranda Kerr? The model mum swears by her quick and easy smoothie fix and even shared her recipe for her favourite morning tipple in a series of lifestyle videos for Net-a-Porter entitled The Body Beautiful. All you need for this alkalising, nutrient-packed pick-me-up is water from a

food&drink Immune Boosting Porridge from Honestly Healthy Cleanse by Natasha Corrett, published by Hodder & Stoughton (2015) £15. Image by Lisa Linder

Coke addiction With bottles designed by the likes of Moschino, Roberto Cavalli and Matthew Williamson, and Jean Paul Gaultier among its most recent ambassadors, Diet Coke is the fizz of choice for many a fashionista, although nobody’s devotion could be quite as total as Karl Lagerfeld’s: “I drink Diet Coke from the minute I get up to the minute I go to bed… I don’t drink coffee, I don’t drink tea, I drink nothing else”. fresh coconut, acai powder, goji berries, spirulina, raw cacao powder, macca powder, chia seeds, vegan rice powder… all the larder essentials.

Black is the new black It’s long been touted that you should drink eight glasses of water a day, but Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima obviously didn’t get that memo. According to The Telegraph, she guzzles a gallon of H2O a day when preparing for a show. We wonder if she’ll consider mixing things up a bit with this year’s most talked about beverage: liquid charcoal. The internal detoxer absorbs a multitude of toxins and, surprisingly, does wonders for whitening your teeth.

Cereal killer Kellogg’s got its moment in the limelight last year when Anya Hindmarch gave her Ebury handbag a Tony the Tiger makeover. Continuing the cereal chic line, she went on to design two limited edition Frosties cereal boxes for Waitrose, which was no doubt a hit with model Coco Rocha, who reportedly has a three-bowl a day habit. She thinks they’re Grr-eat!

Acid attack Victoria Beckham is a devotee of her Honestly Healthy cookbook by organic chef Natasha Corrett and nutritional therapist Vicki Edgson, which is based on the alkaline diet. Promising to improve energy levels and cure all manner of ailments by balancing your body’s pH levels, fresh fruit, vegetables and legumes are in while pasta, wheat, dairy, coffee, tea, fizzy drinks, meat and shellfish are out. We wonder if David approves?

Cigarettes and alcohol (and pizza, and KFC) “It’s such a nineties thing – not eating,” says Jemima Jones, one half of the duo behind Tart London, the catering company that feeds the fashion elite on sea bass carpaccio, Vietnamese crab rolls, seared Asian tuna and (Gisele’s favourite) rhubarb and banana cake. “Now it’s so fashionable to eat well. Superfoods are top of the list, whereas before it was just drinking and smoking,” she says. But even models are allowed a day off; Jourdan Dunn is partial to KFC and Agyness Deyn likes a pizza. Kate Moss might have fanned a media storm with her infamous: “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” comment, but her BFF Naomi Campbell isn’t convinced: “I never diet. I smoke. I drink now and then. I never work out.” n

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SLEEP BY CHLOE As the fashion crazies descend on the capital for a week filled with catwalks and skinny cappuccinos, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park has partnered with luxury French fashion house Chloé on an exclusive new package. Make the most of a one-night stay for two in the sumptuous, rose-tinted Knightsbridge Turret Suite with its sweeping city views. Enjoy breakfast overlooking Hyde Park, followed by a trip to the nearby Chloé boutique where you can pick up the hotly-anticipated Drew bag from the SS15 collection and a complimentary bottle of the brand’s new fragrance, Love Story. Finish off with a Chloéinspired afternoon tea in the enchanting tea room at The Rosebery because, yes, French women do eat cake.

Chloé Debut Package from £1,568 Until 9 March mandarinoriental.com

TRAVEL in style HOT SPOT in March

BARCELONA, SPAIN The Catalonian capital’s annual Candy Festival is a sweet springtime surprise For a sugar rush this month, hot foot it to the Gracia district of Barcelona, which welcomes its annual festival in honour of Sant Medir on 3 March. Also known as la festa més dolça, 60 tonnes of sweets are handed out to the public during a procession of horses and parade groups. For those without a sweet tooth, Barcelona still has plenty more to offer in the city centre. The milder weather at this time of year is ideal for visiting the capital’s most famous street, La Rambla, for a unique shopping experience and a glimpse of Barcelona’s renowned gothic architecture. For a culture hit, head over to the Picasso Museum to catch the Picasso/Dalí, Dalí/Picasso exhibition, which starts on 20 March. The newly opened Serras Hotel is steeped in history – Picasso’s first studio, where he painted Science and Charity, was once in this building. Just 15 minutes’ drive from the festival buzz of Gracia, the five-star hotel is a short walk from the city centre on Barcelona’s bustling waterfront and offers 30 rooms with picturesque views of the Gothic old town and Marina Port Vell. Michelin-starred chef Marc Gascons is in charge of the restaurant, so guests should make sure they leave some room for dinner after indulging in all those sweets. Photography by Keith Isaacs keithisaacs.com

From £187 per night, hoteltheserrasbarcelona.com

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Paradise Found Following a four-year renovation, former Hotel Guanahani & Spa in St Barts has reopened as Le Guanahani. Located between Marigot Bay and Grand Cul-de-Sac on 18 acres of private land, the hotel has access to two white sand beaches. Le Guanahani also offers two restaurants, two pools, a spa by Clarins, and a range of fitness activities including tennis courts. Choose from 67 multicoloured cottages decorated in traditional Caribbean style, each with its own veranda, or splash out on the Admiral Suite for your own private beach and butler service.

From £735 per night, leguanahani.com

wild thing Shambala Game Reserve has launched two new TheraNaka treatment options at its on-site spa, Zulu Camp. Located in the Waterberg mountains of the Limpopo Province, South Africa, Shambala is surrounded by 12,000 hectares of landscape. The new spa treatments use natural ingredients sourced from the local area, and include a TheraNaka Apricot Kernal Body Cream Scrub and a Signature TheraNaka African Wood Massage. Shambala has eight en-suite chalets to choose from, and offers a variety of activities from an elephant volunteer programme to guided bush walks and the chance to see the animal kingdom’s Big Five.

From £725 per night, zulucamp.co.za

Carry on Glamping Luxury cycling and glamping company TerraVelo Tours is introducing two new routes around America this year, as well as new family tour dates. Cycle through the national parks of Teton and Yellowstone in Wyoming, or opt for a trail across the redwood forests, winelands and coastal paths of California. The seven-day tours incorporate cycling with nature walks, archery and white-water rafting, as well as more relaxing activities such as sunrise yoga, astronomy classes and massage treatments.

winter Design winners Delight 

SHORT HAUL

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Parisian chic Formally the Grand Hotel Terminus, the Hilton Paris Opéra opened in January after a major renovation. A landmark building in the heart of the Opéra Quarter, the hotel is a walkable distance from the Champs-Élysées and the Palais Garnier. The redesign has been sensitive to the building’s historic architecture and incorporates a mix of vintage and contemporary décor. Expect crystal chandeliers, marble columns and art by Charles Joseph Lameire.

hilton.com

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LONG HAUL

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Rise and shine Designed by architect Zhang Hai Ao, the Sunrise Kempinski Hotel in Beijing was created in the image of a rising sun, to symbolise China’s developing economy. As well as unique architecture, the hotel offers a private marina 37 miles away from Beijing’s city centre, as well as a spa and fitness facilities. The building is covered by more than 10,000 panes of glass and sits alongside the Yanqi Lake, with impressive views of Yan Mountains and the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China.

kempinski.com

£4,000 per adult for six nights, terravelotours.com

Vogue, maillot, Été 1924, velours de soie, broderies de tubes, miroirs ronds et strass, collection Palais Galliera © Katerina Jebb, 2014

Lesbos, robe du soir, 1925 soie et satin vert absinthe, bandes lamées et perlées, Patrimoine Lanvin © Katerina Jebb, 2014

Some Like it Haute Explore 125 years of extraordinary fashion heritage with one of the greatest figures in haute couture, Jeanne Lanvin, at the Palais Galliera in Paris

Manteau, 1937 taffetas, manche kimono et décolleté dos bénitier, broderies de paillettes, Patrimoine Lanvin © Katerina Jebb, 2014

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he Lanvin brand we know and love today, under the creative directorship of bowtie-wearing Alber Elbaz, may look worlds apart from the early designs of Jeanne Lanvin. Elbaz is known for his mise-enscène runway presentations, quirky campaigns and dresses on the red carpet; Lanvin herself for lavish dresses with dropped waists, wide skirts and crystal embellishments. But they both design with a certain effortless complexity and elegance, which you just can’t help but fall in love with. In the first retrospective dedicated to the extraordinary mind behind the name, Elbaz and

Palais Galliera are collaborating to showcase Lanvin’s own designs through a collection of more than 100 pieces, coming from the museum itself and the fashion house’s archive, Lanvin Heritage. Having celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2014, the brand is the oldest French fashion house still in business. Paying homage to the spirit, skill and creativity of the great artist and the fashion legacy which she has left behind, it’s well worth the trip across the Channel. n

Jeanne Lanvin runs from 8 March – 23 August at Palais Galliera, Paris palaisgalliera.paris.fr

A Road Well

Travelled Kari Colmans embarks on the journey of a lifetime from Ravello to Venice, taking in the beauty of Rome, Florence and Grosseto en route

here’s always a lot of pressure when it comes to planning a honeymoon. It’s the only holiday people will ever ask you about years down the line, and the answer has to live up to everyone else’s expectations, regardless of what may suit you: “oh you went to Norfolk… how, erm, charming”, said with a slight tilt of the head, just won’t do. Having been on many holidays together over the last nine years – from Mexico to the Philippines, Shanghai to New York, the Cotswolds to the Lake District – alone, with friends, and with both of our families, there’s one thing my husband and I knew for sure: the perfect holiday was not a vision shared. After rejecting countries, cities (and on his part, continents – “I’m just not that big on Asia”), we whittled it down by a few top criteria: good food, great wine and the possibility of a little adventure.

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Palazzo Avino, Ravello

Clockwise from left: Amalfi coast view; Palazzo Avino Clubhouse by the Sea; view from the King Sea View Suite, Palazzo Avino; Palazzo Avino hotel exterior

We landed in Naples on a muggy morning in early September, determined not to snap at one another as we navigated the not-quite-picturesque streets to pick up the rental car: my one stipulation for a road trip around Italy was that it had to be in a convertible (Hermès head scarf compulsary). Luckily, we’d been warned that the city famous for its cyclical reconstruction under Italy’s roll-call of megalomaniacs was not for hanging about it in, but it’s the nearest option when heading onward bound to the beautiful Amalfi coast. Once the anxiety-inducing bends of the city centre were behind us, followed by a stretch of nondescript motorway, we found ourselves driving through the narrow-pathed towns and rustic villages from which Dolmio adverts are made. And as we started the ascent up the steep southern shore of the Sorrentine Peninsula, turning a pivotal corner and narrowly missing a herd of goats, we slowed down to drink in every drop of the misty, tie-die horizon. Arriving in Ravello after a near to 90-minute drive, the winding cobbled roads eventually led us to Palazzo Avino, one of the many Neapolitan ice cream-coloured buildings melting into the cliff face under the burning Mediterranean sun. Originally a 12th-century villa built for an esteemed Italian noble family, the property, perilously perched over an expanse of sea below, has retained its baroque features while embracing a tasteful version of ‘Sopranos chic’ when it comes to the soft furnishings: you can just imagine Carmela laying down the plastic sofa covers. But the old-fashioned charm extends from the décor to the service; the best I’ve experienced anywhere in Europe, where whitejacketed waiters were on-hand with a smile to pour a crisp glass of wine, fetch a plate of fresh watermelon (served at 3:30pm every day), or to utter something totally incomprehensible that nonetheless sounded like a wonderful idea. It’s a peaceful place in September; the buildings and its people seem to be basking in a drowsy Limoncello glow – but I’m told it’s heaving in high summer, especially during the Ravello Festival in July. Couples and families congregated in the small square and its winding, lemon-grove filled offshoots, filled with beautiful churches, cafés, jewellery shops and authentic pizzerias. The hotel pool is set in the lush green hills of the

hotel grounds, framed by a carpet of pink flowers and clover, while boats congregate like ants around spilt sugar in the gently breaking waves below. Books are laid out in baskets for you to take as you please and on Sundays you can hear music and wedding bells from the square while you eat your lobster fettuccine and club sandwiches at the casual Terrazza Belvedere. We followed this with a two-minute stroll to the Palazzo’s shaded secret garden viewpoint, a spot I’d venture to name as one of the most romantic in the world. The rooms are as traditionally beautiful as the rest of the hotel – all white, gold and turquoise, to match the organic colours outside – but, as with everything else in Ravello, it all comes down to the view. While we went for the Deluxe Room for the must-have sea vista (suites are snapped up early), the Suite Belvedere is the one to ask for with its private terrace and hot tub in the middle of the living room. For simple food like mama used to make, Cumpa Cosimo on Via Roma is a fun and casual trattoria: we visited three times for a taste of the ‘mixed pasta’, served by the charismatic owner who liked to immerse himself in each of his female diner’s culinary experiences by holding their forks to their mouths and looking deep into their eyes as they chewed. This got a bit old on the last visit, and the signore’s mother obviously felt the same way: she’d smile sympathetically, dressed, inexplicably in full Medieval-garb. For a more fine-dining experience, the hotel’s two Michelin-starred Rosselinis serves the best of Italian haute cuisine in a truly breathtaking setting. The executive chef, Pino Lavarra, hails from the likes of Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, and serves up an extraordinary medley of tastes and textures, including ‘egg and shrimp’ poached in crispy bread with black truffles; squid ‘ragù’ in potato rings; and quail six ways. A stay at Palazzo Avino must include a visit to the new Clubhouse by the Sea; just 15 minutes away via a complimentary private shuttle service (vertigo also on the house). Reluctant to face another daunting journey down the cliff-face, we saved it for a stop en route to our next destination: Rome.

Suites from €630 per night, palazzoavino.com

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JK PLACE Roma, Rome Once we’d established that I’d under-calculated the route time by an hour-and-a-half, the journey to Rome was pretty smooth, although we soon grew tired of our Ed Sheeran holiday soundtrack and could only pick up a Disney compilation album at the mid-way service station. We found the stunning JK Place Roma after only six loops round the one-way system, as Beauty and The Beast’s Be Our Guest came to a crescendo. But there it was, tucked away on the backstreet of Via di Monte d'Oro, just a few yards from the Tiber river. The slick boutique hotel had me snapping away for inspiration from the minute we arrived. Interior designer Michele Bonan, who had a hand in the homes of both the Tod’s and Ferragamo families, didn’t overlook a single crevice when he doused the bedroom walls in a sophisticated, spearmint green; encased the library in rich mahogany shelves lined with glossy design tomes; and created a bathroom so chic that even the toilet enticed me to perch for a little longer than usual, contemplating if Farrow & Ball could pull together this shade of grey. Bonan also called upon a number of local artists, including work by photographer Massimo Listri. Little details lift JK Place Roma above being just another property in another European metropolis; monogrammed pillow cases, iPads by the beds, and speedy WiFi. The service was truly impeccable, as was the food – the best we sampled was all consumed within the hotel’s four walls. Breakfast became my favourite meal (although the other half couldn’t fathom the lack of beans and bagels), beginning every day with a surprise muffin fresh from the oven. I alternated between pistachio and lemon bursting with homemade Nutella before visiting the pastry bar. And while on arrival we were a bit pooh-pooh about the Asian-ish resident JK Café, six days in and five quattro formaggis down we were happy for a bit of international flavouring: tuna tartare served on a sushi-rice rosti and calamari in an almost churros-like batter had us folding into the green velvet booths with relief after hours spent pounding the pavement (and the pizzerias). We spent two days trawling the sites which have been plagued by too many tourists for as long as they’ve been standing and documented far too often for any of my own observations to add anything enlightening to the landscape. We took an ‘if we can’t beat em’ join ‘em’ attitude to selfies, and our last 12 hours were consumed by eating gelato on the Spanish steps, guzzling three, truffle-sprinkled courses at Tartufi and Friends, and popping in to Max & Co (and co.. and co...) where I found an irresistible coat which he had to shlep around for the rest of the holiday. And of course, we had to make one last lap of the independent boutiques between the Piazza di Spagna and Piazza Trinità dei Monti. While my husband has always claimed to be “a city break man”, even he was clamouring for some time out, suggesting we leave straight after muffins to get to our next stop for lunch.

From €390 per room, jkroma.com

Above: Deluxe Room at JK Place Roma Left: Bathroom at JK Place Roma

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L’Andana, Grosseto We followed the roads that weaved like pale veins through a golden patchwork of vineyards and olive groves, past signs for Siena, Chianti and nearby Grosseto. After a few dead ends, our GPS signal blocked by tumbling hills in every direction, we spotted L’Andana bobbing between the cypresses. The 500-hectare La Badiola Estate is co-owned by the Moretti family and Alain Ducasse, and was once a Medici villa where Grand Duke Leopold II and his court resided during the summer season. And the grandeur has only intensified over time. Sitting down for lunch at La Villa, looking out over the neverending landscape, lunch was an informal affair with a buffet of seasonal salads and various cold cuts, with the choice to order “some pasta” if you fancied it. The service here took a more DIY approach – more shrugging than “yes signore-ing” – cue a nod towards the public kitchen. The sprawling suites and De Luxe rooms are intensely rustic (aside from the modern Etro toiletries) with a regal, palatial air; rich with warm terracotta stone, grand pillars, imposing mezzanines, and cast-iron features. Those who are used to the creature comforts of slick city high-rises may find the slow WiFi tiresome, (especially when one member of the party is unable

Below: Terrace pool at L’Andana Right: Cooking at L’Andana

to detach themselves from the football, cricket and golf scores) but for those who don’t mind the internet teetotalism, the break is utter bliss. Designed by Ettore Mocchetti, editor of AD Italia, the ESPA spa includes two thermal spas with slate flooring, as well as a vitality pool, while the treatments are inspired by the resort’s sensory-provoking surrounds. The main swimming pool is just a few steps from the spa; so quiet you could hear an olive drop, it’s ideal for whiling away a wine-fogged afternoon, dozing under the Tuscan sun. If you’re looking for something more active, however, the delightful former golf pro Renato De Rosa offers lessons at the resort’s private range, where the views over the Maremma are so breathtaking that even I was persuaded to spend an hour working on my swing: as our rabbi said as he married us in July, “marriage is all about compromise”. Food-wise, a stay at the resort cannot be complete without at least one visit to Alain Ducasse’s Michelin-star Trattoria Toscana, located in an old barn and horse stable, for some of the best fine food and wine in the region, with a little French flair thrown in for good measure. The vast windows have you overlooking the Mediterranean macchia while the kitchen equipment and wood oven on display herald a laid-back atmosphere, somewhere inbetween traditional trattoria and Michelin-star fanciness. Dishes such as a light and subtle lobster salad; gnocchi with red prawns; and a succulent veal chop were each served with a suggested wine, which had us almost rolling back to our room. Even the cellar at L’Andana is open to view, displaying about 150 labels, including wines made in the cellars belonging to the Moretti family – Petra and Tenuta La Badiola – where the well-established tradition of wine and oil production has been going on for centuries. The Western vineyard, located where the soil is the richest in clay, harvests the Acquadoro and Acquagiusta Bianco, while the Eastern vineyard produces Acquagiusta Rosato. The olive oil is also home pressed. For something more laid back, the ancient nearby seaside port of Castiglione della Pescaia in Grosseto is just a 10-minute drive away; taxis are easy to come by, but a car makes things easier – while a helicopter is even better, should you wish, because the resort can accommodate. Castiglione boasts a host of fine authentic restaurants; all of which we stumbled upon at random, none of which left us anything but glowing with fruity red wine and full-bodied satisfaction. Choose Skipper for an octopus and potato salad with your feet in the sand; Dal Bucaniere for a frito misto glistening from the fryer, followed by a rich wild boar ragù; and Pierbacco for a round of Tuscan canapés such as hot liver spread on crusty bread. There are also a handful of beautiful boutiques to be explored, stocking the finest furs and cashmeres from obscure but eye-wateringly expensive Italian brands as well as the usual international designer suspects. It was after shop 15, our afternoon of golf already a hazy footnote, that I needed to remind the other half – a Tod’s slipper on one foot, a Prada platform on the other – the secret to la dolce vita.

Superior rooms from €440, andana.it

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Portrait Firenze, Florence We’d without doubt found our culinary calling card in Tuscany and were excited to carry on the adventure through Florence, armed with a list of must-visit eateries from a friend who knows the city’s kitchens like the back of her hand: La Trattoria dei 13 Gobbi for hearty rigatoni swimming in molten mozzarella; La Giostra with its fairy light-lined walls and veal Milaneses as big as elephant’s ears; the tiny Buca dell’Orafo, where ordering is a gamble as nobody speaks English, but every dish (especially the tagliata) will make you mourn for a time when you could taste Italian food in any other country and enjoy it. The following journey’s dreamscape rose to the occasion of our Hollywood-filtered expecations, but we said goodbye to the car at this point; you can walk everywhere in Florence, and it was more hassle than it was worth to find somewhere to park it. The newly opened Portrait Firenze was to be our home for the next three days, an impeccably chic townhouse-style hotel, owned by the Ferragamo family and just a few steps from the brand’s headquarters, which comprises a grand boutique and a dedicated exhibition about the late Florentine designer, Salvatore. Choose the sixth floor Ponte Vecchio Suite, with its full-facade riverfront terrace over the Arno, and enjoy the hubbub from the holidaymakers pausing for coffee and pastries in the shade of the Ponte Vecchio; online, the hotel is officially rated as being four star, but this is wholly misleading, as it ticks every five-star box (much more so, in fact, than the other big-name luxury chains nearby). We recognised in an instant the touch of Florentine interior designer Michele Bonan again, who has here drawn his inspiration from 1950s Florence and the birth of Italian haute couture to create a hotel that really does feel like an impossibly stylish friend’s city pied-à-terre. Bonan, if you’re reading this, I’ll sell my soul in return for a twobedroom job in Hampstead: although I suppose we could make do without the Bluetooth operated sound system and iPad-fitted lifts. You also won’t find a better location: situated right next to Piazza della Signoria, you can cross the Ponte Vecchio to Boboli Gardens, or you’re just a hop skip and a jump from the Uffizi Gallery (home to Michelangelo sculptures, including David, plus Renaissance paintings) and the artisan districts of Santa Croce and Oltrarno. But the best way to see the city is just to walk, walk and walk some more, preferably with a chocolate gelato as black as tar dripping down your hand. Hans Christian Andersen compared Florence to a beautiful picture book during his trip to Italy in 1833, and it’s true that the Duomo (officially called The Basilica di Santa Maria del

Fiore) looks like something from the centrefold of a popup greetings card. In between church gazing and shopping (the balance was certainly tipping in my retail-therapyto-sports-playing favour, especially upon discovering a bespoke pump pop-up shop, viajiyu.com), all we did was eat some more: Trattoria Gargani, of which there are two, so-named by two brothers who co-owned one and fell out, with the loser forced to open a competing eatery of the same name on the other side of the city; the pretty Il Quattro Leoni for pear- and taleggio-stuffed tortellini; and Il Santo Bevitore for more London-style dining. Stumbling upon a Chinese restaurant, I conceded to one more non-Italian meal for a man who can’t go a week without five-spice ribs, and was pleasantly surprised to not have to spit anything out. We didn’t note down the name, but there was only one, where amazingly, we were not the only punters (although admittedly, the only non-Chinese ones). Our hotel also offered a more British breakfast option that we (he) had struggled to find elsewhere: who doesn’t come to Italy for a full English and chow mein? The only downside for those travelling in the summer heat is the lack of swimming pool should your legs grow too tired, and your belly too full, to spend the late afternoon on your feet. However, there are a very small handful of hotels nearby that do offer a pay-for-the-day service, but it’s worth venturing further out to the Four Seasons for this (it’s a taxi drive away, just outside the city) which offers the very best setting for those wanting to laze around in the sun, and order a chicken Caesar salad poolside.

From €450 per night, lungarnocollection.com

Above: Portrait Firenze private terrace overlooking the Ponte Vecchio Below: Suite at Portrait Firenze

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Bauer Palladio Hotel & Spa, Venice

Above: Grand Canal Below: Bauer Palladio Hotel & Spa dock Right: Bauer Palladio Hotel & Spa gardens

The final stop came around too soon but it was the one we’d been waiting for all along: a city that, for the past nine years, we’d vowed to visit but had never quite made it, and one that no matter how many wonders we’ve seen around the world, was still capable of leaving us speechless. We arrived in Venice by train at the Venezia Santa Lucia railway station, after a smooth journey through the heart of Bologna, stepping straight out onto the banks of the Grand Canal. We grabbed a water taxi to our hotel, Bauer Palladio Hotel & Spa, a converted monastery located on Giudecca island (along with the famous Hotel Cipriani). Set apart from the droves of tourists on the main island, it is accessible for guests by private shuttle boat, which is available every day from 10am until midnight from the dock of the hotel’s sister property, The Bauer near St Mark’s square. The lobby in Palladio’s main building, an original 16th-century convent, is cavernous with a slightly creepy ‘did someone die in here’ feel; something to do with the tapestries and biblical art. But our junior suite, with its garden view, was set in a more recently refurbished wing which was, perhaps, a little more to our taste. Here the décor is quite colonial in style; light woods and fresh, neutral hues, a look that extends to the spa’s stunning couple’s massage room, which is more reminiscent of Lady Bamford’s Cotswolds Daylesford Spa than it is a centuries-old monastery. The real appeal for staying at this resort is to be found by way of the four enchanting Venetian gardens, swamped in cream roses and wild hydrangeas and dotted with pairs of white wrought iron loungers. In the spring, I’m told, thousands of wild, colourful blooms enrich a part of these lawns, creating an Oriental rug effect. Woven willow fencing

closely guards tomatoes and artichokes. But a trip to Venice can’t be spent totally cooped up. As well as the big brands, the city is scattered with one-off boutiques specialising in obscure items: Hibiscus, just a few minutes’ walk from the Rialto bridge, will have you feeling like a child raiding your grandmother’s jewellery box for the very first time, but you’ll find the Bond Street equivalents in Calle Vallaresso, where I was able to pick up a Fendi belt that I’d been chasing all the way from Rome. Wander into Gianni Basso halfway down a narrow alley that leads to the Fondamente Nuove, where inside this scruffy, dimly lit shop, surrounded by printing presses, you will find the most exquisite stationery. Marie Brandolini sells brilliantly colourful Murano glass jugs, vases and plates from a small show room in her stunning palazzo on the Grand Canal, while Articoli per Cani, sat at the very beginning of the Strada Nuova, stocks the most ludicrous dog costumes you’ve ever seen, from full carnival get-up to a Sherlock Holmes ensemble. We couldn’t miss a visit to the Venetian Ghetto, where we were guided by a charming man, whose anecdotes had us raptured, while the heavens opened above us and the rising water levels claimed our unsuitably clad feet. While the Jewish population is extremely small, our guide said he’d never consider living anywhere else. Fine-dining wasn’t hard to come by in Venice, and we thought we may as well go out with a bang. Our first lazy afternoon was spent wandering St Mark’s in a bit of a love-struck stupor, having run into Harry’s Dolci five minutes before closing time, convincing them to let us perch over a carafe or two, providing we could order in under a minute: pappardelle arrabiata and scampi and zucchini risotto with curry sauce were hasty but wonderful choices. To finish the cliché, we couldn’t resist a gondola ride, which was every bit as special as we’d imagined, while no doubt it’s as ridiculous to the Venetian resident as an open top bus ride through Leicester Square. Our memorable last two evenings were to be found at Cip’s Club, following a rainbow of red, yellow and green Bloody Marys at Hotel Cipriani; and out on the terrace of the St Mark Palladio’s gourmet restaurant, De Pisis, with a nightcap on the balcony of the famous Gritti Palace. Overlooking the Grand Canal, with a view of the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Salute and thousands of bobbing gondolas resting in the distance, we decided compromise wasn’t so bad after all. n

The Leading Hotels of the World offers rooms from £237, LHW.com/palladio

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Property Listings See below for estate agents in your area

Arlington Residential 8 Wellington Road NW8 9SP 020 7722 3322 arlingtonresidential.co.uk

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

Laurence Leigh 020 7483 0101 laurenceleigh.com

49 Welbeck Street W1G 9XN 020 8128 0675 hanover-residential.com Marsh & Parsons 35 Maida Vale W9 1TP 020 7368 4458 marshandparsons.co.uk

Aston Chase 69 / 71 Park Road NW1 6XU 020 7724 4724 astonchase.com

Savills 7 Perrin’s Court NW3 1QS 020 7472 5000 15 St John’s Wood High Street NW8 7NG 020 3043 3600 savills.co.uk

savills.co.uk ian green residential 28 De Walden House Allitsen Road, NW8 020 7586 1000 iangreenresidential.com Parkheath 208 Haverstock Hill NW3 2AG 020 7431 1234

Globe Apartments 45 Chiltern Street London W1U 6LU 020 7034 3430 globeapt.com

Knight Frank 5-7 Wellington Place NW8 7PB 020 7586 2777 79-81 Heath Street NW3 6UG 020 7431 8686

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

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

TK International 16-20 Heath Street NW3 6TE 020 7794 8700 t-k.co.uk

8a Canfield Gardens NW6 3BS 020 7625 4567 192 West End Lane NW6 1SG 020 7794 7111 148 Kentish Town Road NW1 9QB 020 7485 0400 parkheath.com

21 Heath Street NW3 6TR 020 7717 5301 hamptons.co.uk

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If you would like to appear within the property pages of VANTAGE, contact Friday Dalrymple, property manager, on 020 7987 4320 or f.dalrymple@runwildgroup.co.uk

Vantage P R O P E RT Y

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finest HOMES & PROPERTY from the best estate agents

Elegant & exclusive The latest prime properties

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KnightFrank.co.uk

Hamilton Terrace, St John's Wood NW8 Beautiful family home with an extensive garden

The house is situated on one of the most sought after roads in St. John's Wood. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, drawing room, double reception room, dining room, kitchen, family room, music room, balcony, courtyard, summer house. Approximately 253 sq m ﴾2,723 sq ft﴿

KnightFrank.co.uk/st‐johns‐wood stjohnswood@knightfrank.com 020 7586 2777

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11 Hamilton Terrace Vantage March 2015 -v2

11/02/2015 11:30:32

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Beautiful lateral penthouse apartment offering 3,741 sq ft of lateral living space, situated in an elegant Nash designed terrace with far reaching views over Regentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Park.

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JOINT SOLE AGENTS

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12/02/2015 11:13

Photography by Sarel Jansen

property

one of a kind

Boasting a prime St John’s Wood location and unique interior design, Vantage takes a tour of a townhouse that is full of surprises

ot many dining rooms can claim to play host to a set of velvet-backed chairs that once (allegedly) belonged to Mussolini’s mistress; or a pair of digitised portraits specially created by The Beano artist Steve Bright for that matter – but Anna and Mark Denton have gone to impressive lengths to put their stamp on their four bedroom townhouse in Marlborough Hill. Arranged across four floors, the creative couple have paid great attention to detail in transforming the space into a functional and fun family home over the last 12 years. From the retro bar on the lower ground floor to the contemporary open fire in the spacious kitchen, the living accommodation is full of eye-catching quirks and touches. “I have always been of the opinion that your home should be an expression of your personality,” Anna smiles, as she settles down on a powder-blue sofa. “I will never understand why people opt for beige when there’s a whole rainbow of colours to choose from,” she laughs, waving a hand around her bright first-floor reception room to prove her point. The striking space has been decorated in a palette of sky blues and raspberry pink. Despite preparing to move house, playwright Anna is a charming hostess, shifting boxes and files of paper as our photographer snaps away. “I’m in the middle of writing,” she explains. Her debut play Sex Cells was staged at the Riverside Studios in 2013 and she’s keen to get cracking on her next. “I’d been coming up with script ideas for 20 years, but then one day I just thought I’d go for it!” A former hair and make-up artist who has worked with the likes of Drew Barrymore and David Beckham in the past, she is currently working on her first farce. “I’m expecting great things!” says trusted estate agent Howard Kayman. “I went to see Sex Cells twice”. Anna and Aston Chase have been in contact ever since Howard sold the sixties townhouse to the Denton’s 12 years ago. “We’ve formed a great relationship with Howard and there was never any question about which agent we would choose when the time came to move on,” Anna reveals. With Anna embarking on her next theatrical foray and her advertising guru husband Mark (a director at Coy Communications) engrossed in an array of creative projects, the pair are looking to spread their wings and find a new home that includes a studio space to meet their needs. Downstairs, Mark is occupied rehearsing for a speech he is giving that evening. “It’s called ‘How

to Survive 33¾ years in Advertising’,” he announces in a deadpan tone. Having re-launched Britain’s oldest advertising awards – the Creative Circle – alongside countless other accolade-winning campaigns, he certainly knows a thing or two about the industry. The couple took it in turns to design each room in the property, adding their own novel finishes as they went along. The end result makes the house stand out from the crowd. In the downstairs washroom rows of hanging beads cover the walls in a tactile veil, while upstairs in the shower room a mirrored ceiling heightens the impression of space. “What they have done with the house is very impressive,” says Howard. “I’ve enjoyed seeing the transformation from when I first sold it to them.” The quality of the finish is exceptional. In the bar and family snug area a beautiful Rose Egeo marble has been sourced to create striking crazy paving. “Other rare types of marble and stone have been used throughout the house to decorate everything from the dining room floor to the kitchen worktops,” Howard explains, adding that the intricate white flock wallpaper in the reception room was a bespoke creation too. As well as an eye for design, state-of-the-art technology has been incorporated into the fabric of the house to make it an ideal space for entertaining: “the downstairs bar area is ideal for when we have friends and family over,” says Anna. Each room is kitted out with a Berker Radio Bus wireless lighting control system, which means that all manner of devices, including the lighting, the speakers and even the curtains can be easily operated at the touch of a remote control. All three of the property’s generously sized reception rooms boast huge windows that bathe the separate living areas in an abundance of natural light. Meanwhile the townhouse layout means that enviable vantage points are offered on all sides, including out onto the well-maintained west-facing garden. “The location and family-friendly setting are second to none,” Howard enthuses. “St John’s Wood High Street, the underground station, the American School in London and Regent’s Park are all very close by.” “I will find it hard to say goodbye to the house as we’ve put so much of ourselves into it,” Anna admits. “But I hope it will provide the perfect backdrop for another family to enjoy it as much as we have.” n

£3,495,000 freehold 020 7724 4724; astonchase.com

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INSTINCTIVE, PERCEPTIVE, EXTREMELY AGILE

Supremely agile and alert, our feline friend is incredibly aware of its surroundings, and often appears to have an uncanny sixth sense. At Aston Chase, we always look at things from every angle, and our 360Â° approach has helped us to achieve some truly ground-breaking prices for our clients over the last few years. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to sell and would like to achieve the best possible price in these less than certain times, call us on 020 7724 4724 to see what we can do for you.

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Greenaway Gardens Hampstead NW3 A magnificent detached residence (751.3sq m/8,087sq ft) located on one of Hampsteadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most sought-after streets, perfectly conceptualised for modern living. The house features exceptional entertaining space on the ground floor with multiple French doors leading directly onto the rear terrace and beyond to the outstanding 135ft west facing landscaped garden designed by Chelsea Gold Medal winning designer Bunny Guinness.

JOINT SOLE AGENTS ACCOMMODATION & AMENITIES Bespoke Smallbone Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Dining Room, Orangery, Family/Media Room, Principal Bedroom with His & Her En-Suite Dressing Rooms, 4 Further Bedroom Suites, Games Room/Gymnasium, Playroom, Staff Suite with En-Suite Bathroom and Separate Kitchen/Utility Room, Wine Cellar, Provision of Cat 5e Infrastructure and Outlets to all Rooms, Systemline Audio Control System with Controls in all Reception Rooms, Principal Bathroom and Outside Rear Terrace, 135ft Landscaped Rear Garden with Pond, Double Garage, Carriage Drive. EPC/D.

FREEHOLD £15,950,000

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

020 3043 3600 savills.co.uk

core

values

Marc Schneiderman explains why people and not property form the backbone of Arlington Residential

t’s on a crisp bright morning that we meet Marc Schneiderman, director of Arlington Residential, at what can only be described as a spectacular penthouse – currently on the market for £3.5m – on the corner of Arlington Road. The sunshine is flooding in through the vast panoramic windows in the aptly named Glass House Building in the bustling hub of Camden – so much so that we are forced to close the floor-to-ceiling blackout blinds (at the touch of an iPad) in order to fully appreciate the full effect of the high-tech mod cons, from the vast cinema screen to the alternating colours of the unique staircase. When pushed about who would be the purchaser of such a high-spec penthouse, Marc is open minded: “You just never know who is going to walk in through the door,” he smiles. “There’s been a lot of development in Camden lately,” he continues. “Hundreds of millions of pounds have been poured into the area. It’s a great place to live and this flat presents an opportunity to buy a striking property with lateral space, a roof garden and secure parking.” And with more than 30 years’ experience under his belt, Marc knows a thing or two when it comes to investing in north-west London. With a team of eight employees, some of whom have been with his company for many years, Marc says his business has been built on word-of-mouth recommendations and sustainable client relationships founded on mutual trust. “Ultimately,” says Marc, “this business is actually about people, not property. Our clients are entrusting us with their properties, the majority of which are worth several millions of pounds – and very often tens of millions of pounds – but they know they are in safe hands. It’s important to note that it doesn’t just come down to me; it’s a team effort, and everyone at Arlington Residential, whether past or present, has contributed to where the company is today.” Marc is reluctant to offer insider comment on the market as he is bored by the repetitive news on Eastern European buyers, interest rates and mansion tax. When pushed, he advises that anyone with the funds available to buy a property as a rental investment should do so. “If they want to know

where to buy it, then they should call me,” he says. If there’s one thing Marc has learned over the last three decades, it’s not to predict what his clients may or may not do. “I love being surprised. You can never be sure about a buyer’s profile – whether they look how you’d assume they should look or not. You should never make a judgment on someone until you get to know them, and even then they can completely surprise you on what they will or won’t buy, and what they can or can’t afford. This is a mistake a lot of agents make. We value discretion every step of the way. As I like to say, money talks – but wealth whispers.” n

Arlington Residential, 8 Wellington Road, NW8 020 7722 3322; arlingtonresidential.com

property

Photography ÂŠ Rob Cadman

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Holly Walk NW3 ÂŁ1,600,000

In a historic Hampstead Village location a magnificent split level apartment set within a Grade II listed residence.

1,260 sq ft/117 sq m 2 double bedrooms Ornate period features Ground and lower ground floors Allocated off street parking Contact Belsize Park Office 020 7431 1234

South Hampstead 020 7625 4567 nw6@parkheath.com

Belsize Park 020 7431 1234 nw3@parkheath.com

West Hampstead 020 7794 7111 192@parkheath.com

Kentish Town 020 7485 0400 kt@parkheath.com

Property Management 020 7722 6777 pm@parkheath.com

Head Office 020 7794 7111 headoffice@parkheath.com

www.parkheath.com

Howitt Road NW3 ÂŁ1,995,000

In a sought-after location in the heart of Belsize Park a spacious raised and lower ground maisonette with private garden.

1,877 sq ft/174 sq m 3 double bedrooms, 3 bathrooms 2 grand reception areas Modern 18â&#x20AC;&#x2122; kitchen Private decked garden Contact Belsize Park Office 020 7431 1234

South Hampstead 020 7625 4567 nw6@parkheath.com

Belsize Park 020 7431 1234 nw3@parkheath.com

West Hampstead 020 7794 7111 192@parkheath.com

Kentish Town 020 7485 0400 kt@parkheath.com

Property Management 020 7722 6777 pm@parkheath.com

Head Office 020 7794 7111 headoffice@parkheath.com

www.parkheath.com

THE ACCOMMODATION INCLUDES AN ELEGANT FIRST FLOOR DOUBLE DRAWING ROOM OVERLOOKING THE PARK, A GROUND FLOOR DINING ROOM ACCESSED FROM A FABULOUS KITCHEN/ BREAKFAST ROOM, A MASTER BEDROOM SUITE OCCUPYING THE ENTIRE SECOND FLOOR WITH A L ARGE BEDROOM, DRESSING ROOM AND STUNNING BATHROOM, FIVE ADDITIONAL BEDROOMS, THREE SHOWER ROOMS, ONE BATHROOM, A STUDY, UTILITY ROOM AND GUEST CLOAKROOM. THE HOUSE ALSO HAS THE RARE BENEFIT OF A PRIVATE ROOF TERRACE ACCESSED VIA AN ELECTRONIC GL ASS ROOF, A PASSENGER LIFT TO ALL FLOORS AND USE OF THE COMMUNAL GARDENS.

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REGENT’S PARK LONDON NW1 WITH DIRECT VIEWS OVER REGENT’S PARK, A BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED HOUSE IN ONE OF LONDON’S MOST SOUGHT AFTER LOCATIONS. AVAILABLE TO RENT. PRICE UPON REQUEST.

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Templar Court, St John’s Wood, NW8

Walsingham, St John’s Wood, NW8

A very well presented two bedroom, two bathroom apartment (897 sq ft / 83 sq m) situated on the fourth floor of this popular modern purpose built block on St John’s Wood Road. An allocated underground parking space is included.

An exceptional three bedroom, two bathroom apartment (1,363 sq ft / 127 sq m) located on the second floor of this modern portered block, featuring a truly impressive double reception room with balcony, a well-appointed fully fitted eat-in kitchen and single garage.

£1,299,950 Share of Freehold

£1,950,000 Leasehold

Middle Field, St John’s Wood, NW8

Marlborough Hill, St John’s Wood, NW8

A four bedroom modern townhouse located in this private road offering spacious accommodation over three floors, a private rear garden and single garage. The house is presented in good decorative condition throughout and is available chain-free.

An impressive four bedroom house (2,268 sq ft / 210 sq m) on a popular residential street in St John’s Wood, comprising of three reception rooms and two bathrooms, guest WC and west facing garden. Included in the sale is a single lock up garage which is held on a separate lease.

£2,425,000 Freehold

£2,950,000 Freehold

South Lodge, St John’s Wood, NW8

Abbey Lodge, St John’s Wood, NW8

Situated in a desirable portered block in St Johns Wood, a substantial newly constructed garden level apartment (1,837 sq ft / 170 sq m) comprising three double bedrooms, impressive 47ft double reception room, beautifully appointed kitchen,utility room and guest cloakroom.

An impressive fourth floor apartment offering great entertaining space, excellent storage, and overlooking Regents Park. Accommodation comprises two beautiful reception rooms, kitchen/ breakfast room, guest cloakroom and three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms (2,400 sq ft/ 222.9 sq m).

£3,250,000 Share of Freehold

£4,750,000 Leasehold

Pavilion Apartments, St John’s Wood, NW8

White Lodge Close, Kenwood, N2

An exceptional, seventh floor, three bedroom, three bathroom lateral apartment comprising (2,505 sq ft / 232 sq m), with stunning direct views into Lords Cricket Ground. The apartment also provides spacious and contemporary accommodation with an impressive 33 ft double reception room.

A handsome detached house set behind a carriage driveway, discreetly located off one of London’s most prestigious Avenues. Willowbrook offers spacious living over two floors, spanning some 6,840 sq ft (635 sq m), including large family reception room, dining room, study and kitchen breakfast room.

£5,750,000 Share of Freehold

£8,950,000 Freehold

West End Office

St Johns Wood Office

49 Welbeck Street, London, W1G 9XN

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

enquiries@hanover-residential.com hanover-residential.com

info@hanover-residential.com hanover-residential.com

020 7486 9665

020 7722 2223

Golders Park Close Golders Hill Park, NW11 ÂŁ3,750,000 Freehold | Sole Agent | EPC Rating D Forming part of a recently built development an outstanding five bedroom semi detached contemporary house offering well balanced family accommodation that is presented in excellent decorative condition throughout. The house is further enhanced by a patio leading to a delightful lawned garden and secure parking for two cars behind remote controlled gates.

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Hampstead Way Hampstead Garden Suburb, NW11 ÂŁ4,450,000 Freehold | Sole Agent | EPC Rating C Available for the first time in over 50 years, an attractive detached family house of 3,520 sq ft located in this enviable position directly opposite the Heath Extension. The house is further enhanced by superb Heath views to the front of the house, lawned gardens to three sides, double garage and additional off street parking for two cars. The extensive facilities of both Hampstead and Golders Green (Northern Line) are conveniently located within half a mile radius.

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Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Fitzjohns Avenue, NW3 Occupying a prominent position at the heart of the Village, this striking house is surrounded by walled gardens and offers over 5,200 sq ft of elegant space. Planning permissions exist to further excavate the basement and separately to convert the house into two self contained units. A driveway serves an integral garage. EPC: D

Guide Price £7,500,000 Freehold • • • • • •

Hamptons Hampstead Office Sales. 02077175449 | Lettings. 02077175333

Six bedrooms Four bathrooms Three reception rooms Kitchen/breakfast room Gardens to three sides Garage & off street parking

East Heath Road, NW3 Proudly enjoying a setting directly opposite Hampstead Heath, this stunning and impeccably presented four bedroom Grade II Listed villa offers the chance to own a Blue Plaque decorated residence of true quality and charm, complete with landscaped gardens and gated off street parking.

Asking Price £3,600,000 Freehold • • • • • •

Four bedrooms Two bathrooms Drawing room, study Family/dining room, playroom Kitchen breakfast room Loft room

www.laurenceleigh.com / 020 7483 0101

Hamilton Gardens, St Johns Wood, NW8 An immaculately presented Victorian house (2019 sq ft/ 187 sq m) having undergone a complete programme of redevelopment and now offering a striking contemporary interior for modern day living. The house boasts a wonderful open planed living kitchen space on the ground floor with Dinesen oak flooring and concertina doors opening to a south facing patio garden. Hamilton Gardens is discreetly located approximately half a mile from The American School London, St Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wood High Street, and St Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wood Underground Station (Jubilee Line).

Freehold Price on Application

Sole Agent

LITTLE

VENICE

A STUCCO FRONTED PERIOD HOUSE LOCATED DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE REGENT’S CANAL. The house, which has been the subject of a major refurbishment program is maintained to an exceptional standard and has been interior designed throughout creating a wonderful family home. The property offers excellent sized living accommodation including a superb master bedroom suite with en suite dressing room and bathroom. ACCOMMODATION Entrance Hall • Drawing Room • Library • Kitchen Breakfast Room • Dining Room • Utility Room Master Bedroom Suite with En Suite Dressing Room and Bathroom • A Further Three Bedrooms A Further Family Bathroom • Guest WC

AMENITIES Air Conditioning • Alarm System • Wine Cellar • Private Rear Garden

PRICE ON APPLICATION FREEHOLD

JOINT SOLE AGENT

Bermuda’s Luxury Real Estate Specialist Whether you are seeking a beach, boating or golf estate, historic home, private island or quality condominium, Sinclair Realty offers the finest cache of properties in Tucker’s Town and island-wide. As Bermuda’s exclusive affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, we look forward to providing you with the depth of expertise and excellence that is characteristic of everything Christie’s does.

Tel +1 441 296 0278 | estates@logic.bm | www.sinclairrealty.com

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WHY BUY BERMUDA? Geographic Convenience • London – less than 7 hours • New York – 2 hours • Toronto – 2.5 hours

Quality of Life • Britain’s oldest self-governing overseas territory • International financial centre • One of the world’s highest standards of living • Subtropical climate • Pink sand beaches & turquoise waters • Miles of world-class golf • No personal or corporate income tax or capital gains tax

Tel +1 441 296 0278 | estates@logic.bm | www.sinclairrealty.com

Fr / 2/6/15 11:18

GIVE YOUR FLAT A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR 2015 If you have owned your flat for 2 years or more you have the right to a 90 year lease extension, and the longer you leave it before you extend, the more it will cost you.

myleasehold have been helping residential leaseholders to extend their leases since 2004.

For more information and for a free consultation, call us on 020 7034 3435, e-mail vantage@myleasehold.co.uk or visit our website myleasehold.co.uk and use our FREE lease extension calculator.

45 Chiltern Street London W1U 6LU

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property

LEASE of LIFE Mark Wilson BSc MRICS, a chartered valuation surveyor and managing director of myleasehold, answers your questions on residential lease extensions and freehold purchases

ith property values at an all-time high, owners of leasehold flats and leasehold houses have a great deal invested and the length of the lease can have a significant effect on that value. This affects owners, investors, buyers and sellers alike. As winners of the Valuers of the Year title in the 2013 Enfranchisement and Rights to Manage Awards, and Highly Commended the following year, the team at myleasehold advises both tenants and landlords, and offers valuation and negotiation services. Providing advice to leaseholders and landlords is what Mark spends most of his day doing, so we fired him a few general questions on lease extensions. Why extend my lease? A lease, by definition, is a wasting asset and, if left, it will eventually expire. Therefore, extending the lease preserves the value of the property. What are my rights? Owners of leasehold flats have the statutory right to a 90 year lease extension (in addition to the current unexpired term), whilst owners of leasehold houses can, as a general rule, purchase the freehold. Both these rights can be exercised without the consent of the freeholder and are subject to two years of registered ownership. When should I extend my lease? The most cost-effective time to extend a lease is before it falls under 80 years, and, generally speaking, it will always cost less

to extend your lease today compared with how much it will cost tomorrow. So, there is no time like the present. Do I qualify? In most cases, the rules could not be simpler â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if the lease was originally granted for a term of 21 years or more and you have been the registered owner for more than two years, you should qualify. What is my position if I am buying a property and the lease needs extending? If you are buying a property, you can ask that the seller passes the benefit of a lease extension or freehold purchase to you before you complete the transaction, as long as the seller qualifies in the first place. Whilst the principle is straightforward, legal advice is always required. Who do I need to help me? You will need a specialist valuer to advise on the premium and represent you in the negotiations, plus a specialist solicitor to deal with the legalities. What happens if agreement on the premium cannot be reached? If necessary, the matter can be determined by a tribunal. However, property owners should not be deterred as this only affects a tiny percentage of claims.

How long does the process take and whose fees do I have to pay? From start to finish the process takes, on average, six to nine months. In addition to your own legal and valuation fees, you will also be responsible for those of your landlord. How much is my lease extension likely to cost? This is our most frequently asked question and one to which there is no easy answer until our valuation is complete. However, we have a free online calculator which will give a guide to the likely premium (myleasehold. co.uk/lease-extension-calculator). What do I do now? If you are a leaseholder, the starting point would be to check your lease term, either with the Land Registry, the lease itself or call us and we can check it for you. If you have an idea of the value of your flat, our calculator is a useful tool and will help you assess your personal situation. From there, expert advice on the valuation and legal issues will make what seems to be a complicated procedure simple. n

myleasehold ltd, 45 Chiltern Street, W1U 6LU myleasehold.co.uk 020 7034 3435

Please note that this does not constitute legal advice and is for guidance only

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Double fronted property of magnificent proportions Matching people and property in London for 150 years.

Oldbury Place W1 ÂŁ4,250,000 A stunning four-bedroom freehold house, located in one of Maryleboneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prime mews, offering spacious accommodation and a roof terrace. Freehold. EPC=D

Marylebone: 020 7935 1775 sales.mar@marshandparsons.co.uk

St Marys Mansions W2 ÂŁ1,550,000 This spacious three-bedroom lateral apartment, beautifully refurbished to an exceptionally high standard, is located in the heart of Little Venice. Leasehold. EPC=D

Little Venice: 020 7993 3050 sales.lve@marshandparsons.co.uk

Gloucester Avenue ÂŁ1,200,000 A stunning two-bedroom duplex apartment, located in the desirable Primrose Hill area, boasting a large dual aspect reception room leading out to a beautiful terrace. Share of Freehold. EPC=E

Camden: 020 7244 2200 sales.cam@marshandparsons.co.uk