Candy AW12

THE MAGAZINE FROM CANDY & CANDY A/W 2012

The ART of DESIGN

American beauty

Cakewalk This spectacular 85.6 metre megayacht is now for sale A true masterpiece of design and technology, CAKEWALK boasts owing exterior lines, exceptional volume and an exquisite classically-styled interior.

CAKEWALK is also available for charter in the Caribbean this winter (2012/2013).

www.burgessyachts.com

tel: +44 20 7766 4300 London tel: +377 97 97 81 21 Monaco tel: +1 212 223 0410 New York tel: +1 305 672 0150 Miami Santa Monica tel: +1 310 392 7696 tel: +34 971 495 413 Palma tel: +30 6932 408 285 Athens tel: +91 2266 391900 Mumbai tel: +1 206 285 4561 Seattle tel: +7 495 220 2402 Moscow

enquiries@burgessyachts.com

Boodles Love Birds +44 (0)20 7235 0111 Shop online at boodles.com

Candyscape II was the ďŹ rst boat launched by the builder Viareggio SuperYachts.

At 62-metres this stunning showpiece of naval architecture was designed by Espen Oeino. World-renowned designers Candy & Candy have exclusively designed all interior and deck spaces with their signature awless attention to detail. The result - with a style spanning 1930s glamour to 21st century stateof-the-art, with dramatic contrasts of black and white, and contrasting textures of leather and steel against silk and cashmere - is a truly incredible yacht.

FOR SALE - PRICE ON APPLICATION www.candyscape2.com

Today the name Candy & Candy is synonymous with some of the world’s most luxurious interiors, from homes in some of the world’s most coveted locales to private jets, yachts and commercial spaces. Most people have forgotten the intricate attention to detail, the ďŹ ne crafsmanship and the meticulous process that takes place behind the scenes.

A Candy & Candy designer is consistently in pursuit of perfection, fearlessly striving to improve and challenge themselves. Design is always changing and developing so that the end result can strike the impeccable balance of form and functionality.

www.candyandcandy.com

eLCoME

to thE latEst Edition of CANDY magazine

In the wake of London’s fantastic summer, with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the city is on a high, a theme we explore in this issue of Candy & Candy’s magazine. We take a tour around the most covetable penthouse in town, at One Hyde Park: The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, London, and absorb the awesome view, on top of the world at the ultimate address. Complementing Candy & Candy’s trademark intricate attention to detail and fine crafsmanship, we audaciously showcase stunning haute couture on the streets of Knightsbridge, look into the dazzling depths of diamond investment with a collection of high-jewellery pieces and board the latest super yachts. As designers, we constantly strive to challenge ourselves in pursuit of perfection, a trait shared with the dynamic Donatella Versace, who talks to us about her struggle to design in her own style afer the untimely death of her brother Gianni. Now, at the height of her powers, she’s equally successful: a Versace piece is unmistakable, and that is her genius. Elevating design talent to brilliance is something we should all embrace. We welcome you to the stellar universe of Candy & Candy and hope you enjoy this issue.

NICHOLAS CANDY

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Eye Candy The performance watch brand of choice for sporting legends; a rare, award-winning wine with ampoule to match; a set of funky and

Colour reproduction by fmg (groupfmg.com).

Printed by Taylor Bloxham (taylorbloxham.co.uk).

All material © Show Media Ltd, except where stated. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

High Life Why the penthouse

Studio The Candy & Candy design team collects references from urban art and bold, Seventies shapes

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True Romance Every girl loves

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High Jet Worth In the market for

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Treasure Island From exotic Asian

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Royal Society Fashion takes

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Room at the Top Personalised design touches and unparalleled views make this One Hyde Park property the best penthouse, at the best address, in the best location in the world

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PUBLISHED FoR CAnDy & CAnDy

By SHoW MEDIA LTD 1-2 Ravey Street, London EC2A 4QP +44 20 3222 0101; showmedia.net

Cover photography dan smith

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Editor Joanne Glasbey Art Director Jon Morgan Managing Editor Arabella Dickie Contributing Art Director Ciara Walshe Chief Copy Editor Chris Madigan Picture Editor Juliette Hedoin Senior Copy Editor Sarah Evans Copy Editors Tanya Jackson, Cate Langmuir, Ming Liu Contributing Editor Maria Yacoob Creative Director Ian Pendleton Executive Editor Peter Howarth Advertising Julia Pasaron +44 20 8741 8967

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Queen of Style Peter Howarth

talks to Donatella Versace on how she has revived the fortunes of the iconic Italian fashion label

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Full Speed Ahead Cutting-

edge design, one-of-a-kind specifications and innovative materials are driving superyacht design to new levels of luxury

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Unusual Auctions From a complete

skeleton of a woolly mammoth to the biscuit crumbs of Ernest Shackleton, if it’s rare and desirable enough, it could find its way under the hammer and sold to the highest bidder

residence is the ultimate symbol of being at the top of your game

diamonds, but they can also bring in handsome monetary returns, as many investors are discovering

your own personal aircraf?

Robert Ryan pays a visit to the world’s first walk-in aeronautical showroom

hideaways to the celebritystudded Caribbean, these offshore retreats can be exclusively, if temporarily, yours

a bold step out into the majestic streets and squares of Knightsbridge

Directory Selected products and services, plus fashion and jewellery stockists details

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Personal Passions Top male model David Gandy on his passion for classic cars

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brett ryder; dan smith; richard Foster

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beautiful emerald earrings; high-end trunks as luxurious as they are fantastical

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cord retime the choice of top sportsmen, richard mille’s highperformance watches run fast (but not in a bad way) Richard Mille creates horological dreams, turning the conventions of prestige watchmaking upside down by creating revolutionary concepts. Mille has a love of mechanics, of the automobile and aviation in particular, and the passion for technical sophistication, which together with unique design, high-tech materials and innovative architecture, make sophisticated, practical, powerful pieces, such as this very rare tourbillon RM002. It’s one of the first watches designed with a titanium movement baseplate and a torque indicator, replete with 840 diamonds, totalling five carats. The brand made a speedy but significant appearance at London 2012: Yohan Blake wore a custom Richard Mille tourbillon in the Jamaican colours as he handed the baton to Usain Bolt to win the 4x100m in world-record time. And of course, Rafael Nadal wears his high-performance RM027 tourbillon on court – the world’s lightest mechanical watch at just 20 ounces, with the ability to withstand high shock-loads in high-energy tournaments. Advantage Nadal. www.richardmille.com

photography tif hunter Words Joanne glasbey

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AMPOULE reward

RaRe wine, glass aRt, the winemakeR as sommelieR: no wondeR penfolds’ ampoule is so valuable

There are many ways to tell if a bottle of wine is truly special. The chief winemaker being at your beck and call to open and pour it for you certainly counts as a clear indication. Penfolds’ top oenologist, Peter Gago, the Institute of Masters of Wine’s 2012 winemaker of the year, will do exactly that if you are one of only 12 people in the world to acquire an Ampoule – although it might be a shame to crack open this work of art to enjoy the 75cl of 2004 Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon inside. This is an award-winning and rare vintage made with grapes from the oldest pre-phylloxera Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the world, in the Barossa Valley. It is hermetically sealed in a vial (the Ampoule itself) blown in one piece by Ray Leake, who has 40 years’ experience in making customised laboratory glassware – Gago has a special device to cut the glass cleanly. Sculptor Nick Mount, created the outer case for the Ampoule – a grey glass cone in the shape of a plumb bob, hanging inside the bespoke cabinet, built with by Andrew Bartlett from eucalyptus wood. Finishing touches come in silver, gold and rhodium. The only Ampoule in the UK is at the new Hedonism Wines shop on Davies Street, Mayfair, and is expected to sell for £120,000. hedonism.co.uk; penfolds.com

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WoRds Chris madigan

BEINg GreEN with two beautiful teaRdRop gems, theo fennell has cReated these sensational emeRald eaRRings Emeralds have been held in high esteem since ancient times. Symbolically, the intense green of the stone represents the colour of life, of harmony, of springtime and regeneration. For centuries green has been the colour of beauty and constant love, and the colour green still has a particular significance in many cultures and religions. The emerald’s luminescence makes it unique, but truly excellent stones are very rare as inclusions – signs of its turbulent genesis – mar the evenness. However, fine inclusions do not always diminish its value: an emerald with a deep, lively colour can have a much higher value than an almost flawless emerald with a paler hue. Theo Fennell appreciates the beauty of unique stones and has created these beautifully handcrafed one-of-a-kind set of Emerald Rainforest earrings, showcasing two extremely rare 30.65 carat teardrop emeralds, accented by funky 18-carat gold tree frogs. theofennell.com

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PhotograPhytif hunter WorDS Joanne glasbey

Passion, Packed whetheR you pRefeR watching films oR tRimming bonsai, pinel & pinel has an exquisite tRunk to suit Truly unique in its field, Pinel & Pinel is a French luxury house that produces high-end leather goods and multi-function, ultra-contemporary trunks – a re-interpretation of the Thirties steamer trunks – that are the stuff of pure fantasy. Its range of fold-out designs, individually handmade in a Parisian workshop with premium materials such as crocodile and shagreen, are tricked out with tools for every passion: Pic Nic Trunk includes table and stools, a truffle shaver, and mother of pearl caviar spoons, while the Kibako Trunk boasts a horticultural light and bonsai shears. But we like the more practical Movie Trunk, decked out with a highly acclaimed Bang & Olufsen sound system, a 27.9in BeoVision TV screen, two BeoLab 3 speakers and three drawers to store 48 DVDs. Crafed in wood and entirely dressed in calfskin, the trunk is available in 51 colour-popping shades. pineletpinel.com

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WORDS arabella Dickie

DESIGNED BY

CANDY & CANDY FOR

ONE HYDE PARK SUPPLIED EXCLUSIVELY BY

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STUDIO The CANDY & CANDY design Team collecTs references from urban arT and sevenTies bold shapes

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Ø L ay e r i n g The interplay of materials, patterns and colours in close proximity is difficult to achieve, but will give great depth and luxury to the entire interior if compiled successfully. This close-up image of finely painted églomisé, hand-embroidered silk border, silk wall panels and ebonised timber shows how beautiful the effect can be. × struCture Displaying the inner workings or manufacturing technique is a very honest way of expressing both the concept and process behind a piece of design. The beautifully cast bespoke metal fixing plate and bolt on a timber wall panel or the complex cog system that turns and opens this wardrobe door shows detail at a level so minute is not always noticed at first glance.

Ú the unexpeCted It’s especially interesting when a design detail takes as its influence an unexpected but entirely relevant source. These air-conditioning grilles were inspired by the cooling vents of an Italian supercar.

detailing candy & candy cReative diRectoR mat carlisle explains why the devil is always in the detail What do we mean during the interior design process when we say attention to detail? This should not just mean fine decorations or accessories but rather a scrutiny of all aspects of a design at every scale. An intelligent use of objects and materials comes from the love of those materials and the knowledge of how to use them most effectively.

Ú Composition Composition is simply a matter of placing the right item in the right place, yet it can have the most dramatic effect on an interior. Grouped pieces should harmonise with each other but single pieces should have resonance. This beautifully positioned vase creates a stunning theatrical effect when lit well and placed in front of the perfect backdrop. surprise The success of an interior space should be judged as much by the detail you don’t see as the detail you do and the discovery of hidden detail is always exciting – like opening this cabinet door to find its magazine and document holder is lined in calf leather, suede and nickel.

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 i L L u m i n at i o n a n d r e f L e C t i o n Lighting is one of the most powerful ways to enhance a space and alter the perception of any aspect of design. It might be in the form of accent lights that illuminate the edge of a gold-leaf cornice, as here, or a bold, sculptural ceiling pendant such as a feather design in which the shadows cast by daylight or computer-controlled LED mean the room’s mood can change with each passing minute. Those feathers were repeated as motifs throughout the apartment, in line with another important design principle: commonality of detail.

TRAFALGAR TRIPLE TANTALUS From the 2012/13 Collection £4,500

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Ú B l e k l e R at A legendary figure in street art, Parisianborn Blek Le Rat is the founding father of the stencil-graffiti form, which he started in the early Eighties. Motivated equally by social consciousness and a simple desire to bring art to the people, his impact on the current generation of street artists can’t be underestimated. British graffiti supremo Banksy’s style was inspired by Blek, and his subject matter – soldiers, rebels and rats taking over the streets – is further evidence of the master’s influence.

Even Banksy himself admits this: ‘Every time I think I’ve painted something slightly original, I find out Blek Le Rat has done it as well – only 20 years earlier…’

Ø Ian FRancIs Bristolian Francis’s contemporary work draws its inspiration from anything from street culture to the internet and even pornography. His mixed-media style shifs seamlessly between architectural, figurative, graphic art, painting and sketching, and portrays scenes that are sometimes calming and intimate, but other times they can be hedonistic or apocalyptic.

Whatever the subject, his work has a depth I find really thought-provoking.

× c O n n O R H a R R I n G tO n Irish-born, London-based Harrington’s work marries explosive graffiti techniques with colourful, almost Renaissance-style fine art. Its mood is quite masculine, making explicit the male dominance of urban culture, but it always has a subtle sensitivity too, which I adore.

ÚGOldIe One of the most important figures on the UK’s urban music and art scene for more than 20 years, the West Midlands musician Goldie had a huge influence on my own creative path. His subject matter ranges from the monarchy to African tribesmen, studies of the female form and depictions of street violence. He has boundless energy and his hunger for new artistic forms ensures he’s always exciting to watch.

urban u ban art rt candy & candy cReative diRectoR mat carlisle on how stReet cultuRe has shaped his style Over the past three decades, street art has grown immeasurably in stature. From its beginnings as a sub-culture, its influence spread virally until it assumed its current status as one of the most important forms of modern art worldwide. Today, both at ground level and in the galleries, London is the epicentre of the exciting urban-art scene.

× Os GemeOs Os Gemeos or ‘ the twins’ are twin brothers from São Paulo. Their work is inspired by their dreams, their country’s social and political circumstances and traditional folklore. The cartoon nature of their images and the subtle but powerful messages they convey have helped define not only the Brazilian style but also a distinctive South American ‘school’ and done much to positively change the perception of street art across the world.

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Atlantic: a carbon emerald necklace reflecting all the loveliness of twilight. adler, joailliers depuis 1886 GENEVE . GSTAAD . LONDON 13, New Bond Street +4420 7409 2237 . HONGKONG . TOKYO

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c mfo t comfort zone zo e candy & candy’s debut aPPeaRance at masterpiece london FaIR evoked the modeRnIst desIgn cRedentIaLs and the boLd styLIng detaILs oF the seventIes Words Joanne gLasbey

Now in its third year, Masterpiece London confirmed its status as the capital’s leading art and antiques fair this summer, a prominent fixture in the arts calendar, curating the ultimate in elegance, quality, luxury and sophistication from around the world. Renowned for mixing the fine and decorative arts with contemporary collectors’ items and luxury goods – cars, wine, contemporary design, exquisite jewellery among other fabulous pieces – the fair champions the very best in creativity, fine crafsmanship and attention to detail.

So it was completely fitting that Candy & Candy got on board, and for its debut appearance designed Masterpiece’s largest VIP Salon. Celebrating the company’s ongoing work with the UK’s finest crafsmen, Candy & Candy showcased a unique collaboration of British artisans. True to the company’s trademark 360 degree design approach, the Salon was a beautiful space blending practicality effortlessly with timeless style.

The Salon was a striking reference to the bold elements of Modernist Seventies design. With a remarkably short amount of time to put together from scratch, the Candy & Candy design team got to work with 10 partners to create a functional space with beautiful bespoke flooring, silk wallcovering designed to resemble travertine, screen and two seating areas, one based on a rich amber and red palette, the other silver and gold. An overall design feature was to achieve lightness – a bright summer feel – with

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dark drama; this dichotomy of styles was embraced in the style of integrating vintage pieces with new, and creating strong shapes and bold colours. The moody interior was further enhanced with striking artworks by Mallett and notable period antiques, which included a ‘brutalist’ credenza by Paul Evans from the Seventies, and Modernist furniture by Talisman. Other partners involved in the Salon’s creation included the British specialists Fromental, which made the outstanding wallcoverings, EE Smith for specialist joinery, Spina Design for sof furnishings, Harlequin Tabletop for tableware and accessories, RJS Interiors for curtains and sheers, AJK Wood Flooring, PWC International for carpeting, and DKT Artworks, who designed the decorative screen.

Matthew Carlisle, Candy & Candy’s Creative Director, summed up the experience: ‘Candy & Candy was delighted to be part of the global celebration of art and design and to welcome visitors to the fair to experience Candy & Candy’s diverse and detailed design crafsmanship first-hand in the Salon by Candy & Candy.’ More Seventies than the era of flares and disco, it was a fabulous 21st-century luxury reinterpretation of the most interesting and influential design traits of a pivotal decade. The showcase of showcases, the Candy & Candy Salon proved to be a comfortable, congenial and aesthetically pleasing environment in which to relax, retreat or talk business during Masterpiece London.

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OOM aT The Top One- Of-a- kind views, peRsOnaLised inteRiORs and a fantastic inteRpLay Of Light aRe just a few Of the unique tOuches in One hyde paRk’s stunning penthOuse apaRtment

WORDS maria yacoob phOtOgRaphy julian abrams

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B ac k i n t h e m i d -1 9 t h c e n t u r y, the best of the best, residentially speaking, was showcased on ground and first floors. Ladies and gentlemen were not expected to exert themselves by climbing stairs, so top-floor quarters were strictly for servants.

But then, in 1852, the American industrialist Elisha Otis introduced an invention called the safety elevator, and it would turn the hierarchy of descending levels quite literally on its head.

The Roaring Twenties saw the construction of the first skyscrapers in New York City, with elevators to carry you straight to the top. Tycoons understood that, in crowded cities, the hottest real estate was up in the air. Roofop residences became the most sought-afer living spaces, and the penthouse was born.

Fast-forward another century, and the pinnacle of penthouse living has again been redefined, this time on the opposite side of the Atlantic. Atop each of the four pavilions at One Hyde Park sit apartments so radical in their architecture, so unique in their location and so breathtaking in their interior design that nothing like them has existed before – and may never again. Any visitor to one of the 21st century’s most talked-about residences will vouch for its ingenious deployment of light. Light that flows through walkways to create a seamless transition between the green idyll of Hyde Park and the terracotta edifices of Knightsbridge. Light that streams into each diamond-shaped apartment from every conceivable angle. Light from glittering sculptural chandeliers that illuminate every room.

Climb the floors to the very top of One Hyde Park and you enter a whole new relationship with the surrounding light. The rooms at either end of the penthouse offer 180° panoramas of London – on one side, you look out across Hyde Park’s treetop canopy, on the other, over the roofs of the world’s most exciting city. From this vantage point, light no longer shines down upon you; instead, you are in it, up in the stratosphere, surveying the scenes below as if you were flying above them. It is intoxicating and exciting.

On entering the penthouse, the first sight to greet visitors is a dramatic chandelier. Resembling a waterfall of light as it cascades down through the centre of the main stairwell, the sun’s rays reflect off its hundreds of crystals, bouncing back and forth between polished mirror surfaces and refracting into a myriad of tiny dancing

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previous page The formal reception, with balcony overlooking Hyde Park. this page, from top The master bedroom, which floats above the formal reception; detail of bespoke furniture in the dining room

rainbows. A lef turn leads you down the corridor to the main reception rooms, which look out across the park.

The perfectly coiffed topiary on the generous terrace allows the eye to glide smoothly between the indoor space and the vista of nature outside.

In the formal entertaining room of the penthouse, the soaring ceiling intensifies the feeling that you are perched in the sky. The seating area is quite something to behold: there is exquisite bespoke beading on the cushions, each element having been sewn on individually by a haute couture embroiderer; quirky objets d’art, including a large amethyst held in suspension by pulleys and weights; a skull-themed candle snuffer; and an antique rifle, all sourced to reflect the client’s individual taste and personality. Unique glassware and photo frames are subtly harmonised with one another through a choice of designs that features similar shapes. A painting is propped on a Perspex easel, allowing it to be viewed in ways that a wall hanging would not allow. And yet, even with so much to see, you cannot help but be drawn to the two most magisterial features in the room.

The first is the double-height fireplace wall, which rises behind the sofas, opposite the terrace. Finished in a three-dimensional layering of sprayed bronze, gold and nickel, the wall depicts a park scene, reflecting back the vista it looks out on. As the angle and quality of the natural light changes throughout the day, it

From this vantage point, light no longer shines down upon you; instead, you are in it, up in the stratosphere, rather as if you were flying

highlights the metals’ tonal differences and picks out delicate features, such as a flock of birds or a burst of sunrays, that had thus far been hidden within the picture. The second striking element is a modern chandelier, elegantly sculpted into the shape of a soundwave made visible. The hundreds of small, individually cut crystals are threaded on transparent wires, as if hanging in mid-air like a cloud. This cleverly ensures that the chandelier neither overwhelms the space nor obscures the views from the master bedroom, which sits above and behind the main reception room.

Set back from here is a more informal space in which to share food, drinks and conversation with guests.

An octagonal table with a backlit, polar-stone top is surrounded by chairs each with an inscription on its high back that declares ‘guard this house’ in one of the languages of the different countries to which the client ofen travels. The grand piano has a contemporary finish on its classic curved shape, and the coffee table is made of two triangular halves with a glass top that reveals hidden layers underneath.

The dining room is a futuristic, fantastical space.

Its glass walls are backlit and painted with coloured resins, while the four chairs around the oval table evoke the Mad Hatter’s tea party. The oval ceiling space for the chandelier is clad in folded fabric, like the inside of a marquee, and very fine chain mail is draped beneath

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clockwise from below Attention to detail is apparent throughout the penthouse; the his-and-hers bathrooms; the games room, with American-sized pool table and light installation

the light. The platinum-rubbed oak floor is expertly inlaid with metal marquetry.

Situated just off the dining room is a hidden wine room, complete with humidor. It has hints of A Space Odyssey and 007 espionage, and would make the ideal chamber in which to share a secret with a co-conspirator. This semi-circular pod is mirrored throughout, even on the ceiling, which heightens the impression of subterfuge.

Next door, the kitchen is unfussy, with an easy-going ambience and a touch of Japanese-garden tranquility.

The room is dominated by a black stone counter, which surrounds the central cooking area. Its smooth, highly polished surface contrasts with the rough finish underneath that shows off the stone in its natural state.

In the corner of the room hangs a neon sign, hinting at the afer-hours fun to be had just down the corridor…

The corridor itself contains two infinity tunnels – optical illusions to tease the brain and confuse the senses. At its end, you reach the games room, which houses further trickery. The room looks out over the grit and glamour of London’s roofops and has the feel of a decadent private nightclub. A bespoke crystal-encrusted drum kit, a butterfly-themed bar and a wash of purple light all add to the dusk-till-dawn feel. Its centrepiece is a bespoke, American-sized pool table, over which hangs a tantalising light installation comprising a series of retro-style incandescent bulbs encased in transparent plastic covered with various brightly coloured films. The bulbs, indeed, the entire installation, appears to change colour as you view it from different angles.

The lower floor of the penthouse also houses a sumptuous media room where films can be enjoyed in complete luxury on reclining leather seats, as well

The games room looks out over the grit and glamour of London’s rooftops and, with its wash of purple light, has the feel of a decadent private nightclub

as his-and-hers studies. In his study, the client ofen works on a number of different projects at once, and across several time zones, so the bespoke walnut desk accommodates two computer screens and a tuckedaway printer. In her study, the client’s love of music is shown in a quirky antique guitar-themed table, the base of which incorporates pieces of the instrument, displayed separately like elements of a cubist painting.

On the upper floor, the spaces are a far more private affair. The master bedroom looks out over the formal reception room and on into Hyde Park. At this height, one gets an even deeper view into the treetops. With all the surrounding light, and that from the skylight flooding the king-size bed, waking here is like waking in nature. There is a femininity in the calming colour palette and the Dalí-like curves of a surrealist sculpture.

Details such as the interlocking circles on the carpet link this room stylistically to those on the lower floor.

The his-and-hers bathrooms mirror each other like yin and yang. Hers is predominantly white marble, but with a black marble floor. A deep, wide, indulgent bath with intricately crafed glass taps stands in the centre of the room inviting relaxation. In his bathroom, though, it’s clear the client does not like to miss a beat, so his bath is a place to luxuriate yet also stay connected via a cleverly concealed flat-screen television.

The his-and-hers theme extends to the vast, bespoke walk-in wardrobes. The hanging spaces, suede-lined drawers and compartments were all tailor-made to perfectly house the clients’ extensive collections of clothes, shoes and accessories. The storage has been lef largely open to display the garments and allow the clients to mix and match their attire to best effect.

With a roofop view stretching as far as the Crystal Palace tower and taking in the chimneys of the Battersea Power Station, the resplendent dome of the Brompton Oratory and Harrods, the penthouse gym is quite extraordinary. The equipment is placed next to the floor-to-ceiling windows, so you can take in the cityscape as you work out. The manicure and massage rooms, meanwhile, are perfect spaces in which to unwind and be pampered afer your physical exertion.

Candy & Candy took just over one year to bring this particular One Hyde Park penthouse to completion – and it is safe to say that it is simply the best penthouse, at the best address, in the best city in the world. onehydepark.com

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QUeEN OF STYLe THE UNMISTAKABLE DONATELLA VERSACE HAS REVIVED THE FORTUNES OF THE ICONIC ITALIAN FASHION LABEL. PETER HOWARTH CATCHES UP WITH HER IN MILAN

giovanni troilo/courtesy of versace

W h e n I o p e n t h e invitation to meet Donatella Versace at the presentation of her spring/summer 2013 menswear collection, I see that she will be staging the show at home in the 15th-century Palazzo Versace in via Gesù in the heart of Milan, where her brother Gianni created the myth of the label and remains the heart of Versace. My mind, though, goes to the occasion five years ago when I spent time with the designer in a truly domestic setting – but when she was in a very different place. And not only because it was 9,000km away.

In the Beverly Hills Hotel, LA’s celebrated Pink Palace, Donatella was stretched out on a sofa. She had been coming here for some 18 years and clearly loved its old-Hollywood charm. Built in 1912, it has flamingos, 12 acres of tropical gardens and secluded bungalows, one of which was the scene of our meeting. ‘I feel at home here,’ she said. She remembered fondly how Allegra, her daughter, ‘was two and a half when she came here, and she learnt how to swim here, in the pool.’

Donatella had scattered some white silk cushions from the Versace Home

from Top Santo, Donatella and Gianni Versace; the interior of Donatella’s own house, where modern meets the ancient, reflecting the designer’s curator-like sensibility

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collection – featuring the distinctive Greek fret design of the house – on the yellow velvet sofa, to combat the chintziness of the place. But it says something about the Italian fashion designer that she preferred that environment, with its low-wattage atmosphere and faded grandeur, to the smart luxury of the super-slick Mondrian hotel or the air-cooled internationalism of the Four Seasons. ‘The golden era of Hollywood inspires me. I am obsessed now with black and white movies – the lighting, the make-up,’ she said.

She had just finished a photo session with Elle. I watched as she pulled practised angular poses, hands on hips. The photographer flirted: ‘Donatella, your body looks like a 20-year-old’s.’ Quick as a flash she'd fired back: ‘I am only 25.’

In fact, in 2007, Donatella was more than double that (and is now 57), but as the snapper said, she looked younger.

Trim. Hard-bodied. I found out later that this was down to a lot of dedicated work in the gym. But, at the time, she was on tour, so that regime had to give a bit.

Maybe that was why she was snuggled on the sofa that afernoon: ‘I am so tired I could go to sleep.’ Or maybe it was because her schedule in LA that week (she was there to collect the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style award on behalf of her late brother and herself) was clearly punishing.

She might have been tired but she seemed relaxed and utterly candid, even as I asked about how she felt taking over the reins at Versace afer the death of her brother a decade earlier. Her answer is unexpected. ‘I didn’t want any of it,’ she says; she had a great role, helping her brother; she wanted to continue doing that, and to look afer her two children. She is curled up on the sofa now, recalling just how quickly she was thrust into the spotlight.

‘It was July and in October there was a show.’ She was in shock and grieving, she said. ‘I was sobbing in private – I could not cry in front of people; people were looking at me asking, “What shall we do?”

I had to keep it hidden from everybody – even my own family. Because everything was falling apart.’

I was astonished by her candour, but then Donatella Versace, as we shall see, is a woman full of surprises.

‘In the beginning I was so tortured,’ she confessed. ‘People wanted to see Gianni, but if I tried to show Gianni it was not Gianni enough. But if I tried to be a little different they’d ask, “What is she doing?”’

It started to improve, she said, ‘when I got clear in my mind’. But early on, ‘everything was compared with Gianni – Gianni, Gianni, Gianni, Gianni, Gianni.’ She

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explains how she determined to break with the past. ‘I used to push him to change, change, change. So I decided, I’m going to change.’ The problem, she said, is that though you may want to change, ‘you can’t change everything.

I believe in radical change. I’m black or white, not grey.’

It is a very different Donatella Versace I meet today in Milan. The men’s fashion show now over, I have been invited into the private apartments of the palazzo for a meeting the following day. Immediately it is apparent that the intervening five years since our last interview have been good to the designer, who is finally reaping the rewards of the changes she has made to the famous fashion house she inherited. The self-analytical Donatella of five years ago has yielded to a new, more confident designer. Her main lines for women and men are now meeting with critical acclaim and she has relaunched both the fashion-forward Versus collection (in collaboration with British designer Christopher Kane), Young Versace for children, and the Atelier Versace couture collection.

This last staged its first public presentation in January this year, in Paris, afer an eight-year absence. Then in July, Donatella showed Atelier Versace on the catwalk at the Ritz’s Vendôme Salon pool room. The choice of venue for the event – attended by Christina Hendricks, Jessica Alba, Milla Jovovich, musician M.I.A. and Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, among others – speaks volumes about the designer’s current self-confidence. The Ritz hosted numerous Atelier Versace catwalk shows from 1990 until Gianni Versace presented his last collection there in July 1997. In revisiting the scene of her brother’s final show with a collection that is very much her own, it seems that Donatella has finally come to terms with her own talent, her own ‘voice’, as she describes it – yet also reconciling that with Gianni’s legacy in a style that appears comfortable at last.

‘I am a Versace, so of course what I do is steeped in the DNA of the house. Afer all, Gianni taught me everything about fashion. But the world has changed since he created Versace in the Eighties. The sense of beauty has evolved, the sense of glamour has evolved. Women still want to be beautiful, sensual and glamorous, and that is what Versace will always be about.

But I have found my way of expressing this.’

So how does Donatella’s Versace differ from her brother’s? ‘Less aggression,’ she says. ‘I like women who don’t look like they are trying too hard. The signature of the house is absolutely still there – the

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The self-analytical Donatella Versace of five years ago has yielded to a new, more confident designer use of embroidery and decoration, the Medusa head and Greek fret motifs, gold buttons and buckles. But the execution is perhaps more subtle. And the use of these elements – and strong colours and prints – a little more sophisticated.’

Looking at the autumn/winter 2012 collection for women you can see what she means. To paraphrase Star Trek: it’s Versace, Jim, but not as we know it. Echoes of Gianni’s style remain – the employment of corsetry, for example, and studs and leather. But the total effect, while undoubtedly impactful and striking, is a few steps removed from the in-your-face sexuality of the Versace of the old days.

That time has now acquired almost mythical status. The further we get from the Eighties, the more it seems like an era of epic proportions. Cindy Crawford once told me of Gianni: ‘He was about being sumptuous – your hair couldn’t be too big, you couldn’t wear too much makeup, your boobs couldn’t be pushed up too high. That was what that time was about.’

In 1991, for his spring/summer 1992 collection, Gianni decided to send the world’s most famous girls out together – Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz and Cindy. The supermodel was born. ‘My biggest supermodel moment,’ Cindy Crawford recalled, ‘was when George Michael was sitting in the audience in the front row and we’d just done the video and we were all walking down the runway to that song [‘Freedom’].

That for me was the moment that crystallised the idea of the supermodel.’

It is also a perfect example of how Versace changed the fashion game.

‘My brother was a visionary,’ says Donatella proudly. ‘He blurred the lines of popular culture – he combined fashion with rock music, ballet, opera and art. He showed to a Guns N’ Roses soundtrack; he designed costumes for La Scala; he put Warhol prints on dresses. He lit the runway like a theatre. Gianni’s work was exhibited at the V&A in London. He used the world’s most famous and artistic photographers to shoot our imagery and ad campaigns – Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton.’

All this, she says, sounds normal today.

But back then Gianni was a pioneer. ‘He also understood the connection between fashion and celebrity and the power of

from Top Catwalk looks from Versace’s autumn/winter 2012 collection; in the front row of the Atelier Versace fashion show in Paris in July: (from lef) Fan Bingbing, Pierce Brosnan, Milla Jovovich and Hugo Becker

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the cult of celebrity,’ she adds. Indeed he did. In the Eighties and early Nineties fame became the new currency. Not only did Gianni invent the supermodel, he also dressed pop stars and royalty. At his funeral, Elton John sat with Diana Princess of Wales.

Donatella Versace was born in Reggio di Calabria in southern Italy in 1955, she was the youngest of the three Versace children and was clearly something of a favourite of elder brothers Gianni and Santo. Ingrid Sischy, formerly editor of Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine and an old family friend, has described how Gianni would drive them all to the only disco in Calabria with Donatella, aged 14, wearing white go-go boots, bouncing up and down on the back seat with excitement.

The bond between the fashion-obsessed Gianni and his little sister was particularly strong – it was Gianni who, according to Rupert Everett, in his memoir, Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins, ‘turned her blonde late one night when she was just 11 years old.’ So, when Gianni moved north to Milan to pursue his career as a fashion designer, Donatella followed (afer finishing a degree in languages at the University of Florence), first to assist with photo shoots and then to design. Soon the press was casting her in the role of house muse.

Everett recalls first meeting Donatella with Gianni at the palazzo in via Gesù, over 25 years ago: ‘He was a shy poet dreamer. He didn’t speak much English.

He had a thick black beard, piercing blue eyes and an unruly mop of hair. She was

Top and above The Versace Home collection features classic items decorated in signature Versace prints and motifs, creating a collision of old and new

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a kamikaze blonde in black leather and stilettos, more like a character from Blade Runner than the stately doyenne of a Milanese fashion house.’

Today, Donatella has undoubtedly mellowed and matured, as befits a woman at the head of a global fashion company. It’s not that she hasn’t always worked hard – she tells of when she went to hospital to have her daughter: ‘I worked up to half an hour before the birth, and then, afer I’d had a Caesarean section, Gianni was on the phone saying, “Why aren’t you back? We’ve got a show to do!”’ – it is more that, now, she knows the buck stops with her.

Donatella is aware that Everett’s ‘kamikaze blonde’ is the popular image of her: ‘People think I am a diva, out at parties all the time, like the Maya Rudolph sketch.’ The reference is to a popular Saturday Night Live spot in the US in which Rudolph played Donatella as the ultimate foot-stamping diva, surrounded by a male harem of stripped-to-the-waist, muscle-men in black masks and leather trousers. ‘I am Donatella Versace, welcome to my show where I smoke and look good,’ Rudolph would say throatily by way of introduction.

Donatella loved this skit – ‘You should not take yourself too seriously,’ she says (her only criticism is that the comedian wore fake jewellery – ‘I have told her’).

‘Seriously, I wish my life was that fabulous,’ says Donatella, ‘but I am a working mother and I have several collections to design.

It doesn’t happen by magic, you know.’

It may not happen by magic, but there is something enchanted about the Versace world. Sitting in the Palazzo Versace in Milan, I can see Roman statues, elaborately upholstered furniture from the Versace Home collection, a painting by Italian artist Mimmo Paladino and a table under a chandelier set with ornate ‘Rosenthal meets Versace’ tableware mixed with antique silverware and crystal, all on a handmade lace tablecloth. My eyes finally come to rest on two Versace Vanitas chairs from the Home collection. They are in bright red lacquer, a synthetic, dazzling finish, which contrasts with the decorative, antique-style motifs on their upholstery – a perfect collision of old and new, of 21st century and Baroque.

That is the magic, I realise. Like her brother before her, Donatella is a curator, taking the things she likes from ancient and modern. Through mixing them with a heavy dose of sex and glamour, she manages to create a vision that is truly unique. Versace is unmistakable. Whether it’s a dress, a handbag or a chair, you can spot Versace at 50 paces. And ultimately that is its – and Donatella’s – genius.

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speed

ahead he d superyacht design is moving in an ever more extravagant direction, thanks to breakthrough technoLogies and even braver dreams WORDS charlotte bailey

clockwise from below John Staluppi’s Diamonds are Forever; Michael Leach designed the groundbreaking 44m sailing catamaran Hemisphere; Mogambo’s sun-deck lounge

superyacht design continues to be ever more ambitious, making use of the ultimate in high-tech technology and materials, and offering the last word in interior luxury. These homes-on-the-sea are, lest we should forget, some of the most expensive residences the world has ever seen, which makes their cuttingedge design and one-of-a-kind specifications just as fascinating as their sheer size.

Today’s owners are certainly requesting ever more room, but it’s not simply a case of trading in their 45m for a 65m. Anyone walking the docks at this year’s Monaco Yacht Show would have noticed that, on the majority of new builds, the distinction between the indoor and outdoor is far more fluid. While interiors remain inviting, there is a greater connection with the environment outside, with walls making way for floor-to-ceiling windows. Take the newly launched 96m Devonport, Vava II, Britain’s biggest build to date.

In the main salon are huge glass doors that curve 180° around the af space. At the touch of a button, these disappear to create a flowing indoor-outdoor space, so guests can drif from sofa to pool, from the outdoor bar to the cool, shaded seating area.

VSY-Viareggio Superyachts’s Stella Maris, seen inside at the Monaco Show for the first time since its July

In an open-plan design, owners can stand amidships and survey the glorious entirety of their boat and the beautiful surroundings it has brought them to launch, takes this approach to a whole new level.

Installed in an enclosed space spanning all the decks is a climate-controlled garden of climbing plants.

‘Normally, due to the salty marine climate, artificial plants and trees are used to add greenery to superyachts. We found the juxtaposition jarring, so we created a live garden akin to that of a home on land,’ explains a spokesperson for the company.

Designers are also finding other new and clever ways to add exterior spaces where they are not naturally found, such as through the provision of fold-down balconies. While many yards clamour to claim the concept as their own, it was pioneered by Sanlorenzo, and involves installing two wide platforms, large enough to breakfast on, on either side of the master cabin. When the yacht is at anchor, they can be let down and, if necessary, when the captain needs a

narrower berth or in inclement weather, for example, they fold into the superstructure in seconds.

On board Hampshire II, the 78m Feadship, not only does the owner’s suite benefit from curved balconies to port and starboard, but there is a vast beach club that can be expanded further with platforms that fold down either side. It also demonstrates the trend for multi-use spaces; the foredeck helipad converts into a court for basketball, tennis and badminton, as well as a pitch for football – fear not: a specially designed net keeps the action firmly onboard. For the adventurous, there is a 25m-high crow’s nest from which guests can zip-wire to the sea below, and even on rainy days the outside is never far away – the below-deck wine cellar has a viewing window for taking in marine life.

Indeed, being able to see the outside from as many points onboard as possible is central to modern designs, which include fewer formal main salons and lounging and dining areas in favour of all-encompassing social spaces. The traditional idea of interiors separated by walls has made way for one flowing walk-through. While a man’s superyacht is his castle and cocooned privacy is a huge attraction for high-profile owners, many want to stand amidships and survey the glorious entirety of the boat they’ve created and the surroundings it has brought them to. Michael Leach’s design for the groundbreaking 44m sailing catamaran Hemisphere, for example, which is available to charter through Burgess, features one large, open-plan interior on the main deck and numerous small seating areas. The owner’s brief was for a yacht with space, and lots of it, and the designer wanted to maximise the amount of light, so every guest gets to enjoy the view from the huge expanse of rounded wheelhouse windows usually seen only by the captain.

Flexibility is another noticeable trend, with both the interior and exterior being designed to be adaptable for different uses. This is key for making a yacht attractive to varied groups of charter guests, from families and couples to parties. On the 62m Candyscape II – built by VSY–Viareggio Superyachts in 2009 and currently for sale – the main salon dining area can be sealed off from the reception area by lacquered onyx fins for privacy, or lef open for flow. Even the dining table is multifunctional – it becomes a baize-covered casino and game table with its own professional, custom-made roulette wheel.

While designers are always seeking to give a new spin to a yacht’s appearance, they are just as concerned with the materials that go into achieving that. High fuel costs mean, for instance, that, while owners still want the focal point of a show-stopping dining table, they are willing to forego a solid-wood piece, which can significantly slow down cruising speeds, and will consider instead an

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bruce thomas photography Julian abrams

clockwise from left Candyscape II’s stunning dining room; luxurious touches on the Australian-built Smeralda; space and light were key to Hemisphere’s design

ingenious solution from a designer. That might be a sustainable, lighter wood topped with a hard veneer, or the deployment of an entirely new technology.

For the 96m Blohm + Voss Palladium, the designers at Silverlining were asked to produce a 6m-long dining table with a daring, cutting-edge shape, but were restricted to a weight limit of just 250kg. Rising admirably to the challenge, they constructed its base from carbon fibre developed in partnership with a company that makes chassis for Formula One cars.

On the 77m Smeralda, the largest Australian-built superyacht yet and the third in Hanseatic’s Silver series, the yacht is constructed from lightweight aluminium. The brief called for lots of windows in the exterior deck spaces and, to solve the weight issue, the designer developed a glass that would withstand impact but was also really light. It was worth the hard work and lateral thinking because the boat not only has excellent fuel efficiency but luxurious touches such as a dining space, enclosed by wrap-around rounded glass doors, that can be air-conditioned or heated so guests can dine alfresco or, if the weather makes that impractical, to at least feel like they are. The vessel is for sale through Burgess.

On Aquos Yachts’ Big Fish (and next year’s launch, Star Fish), the decks have been revolutionised entirely: instead of being fashioned from the traditional teak, they are constructed from stone topped with specially designed woven-vinyl flooring, so guests can walk the deck in high heels or pad about comfortably on bare

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Electronic technology, too, has changed the guest experience – iPads are the control panels for everything from calling the crew to closing the windows feet without issue. The material is sustainable and requires zero crew maintenance.

While many yachts are constructed predominately for charter, that has not stopped owners from making daring choices – on some of the best and most exciting new boats, they have confidently let their taste and personality show through, trusting that potential guests won’t be put off. Just look at the LED table legs, the glittering chandeliers and the patterns waterjet-etched into the stone floors on John Staluppi’s new Diamonds Are Forever. The 58m Trinity Carpe Diem, in contrast, has a bold Art Deco feel and features striking dark wood and white leather throughout, and the owner’s collection of vintage photographs of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra et al are displayed to great effect. The 39m SnowbirD, designed by David Ostrander, meanwhile, is a veritable museum of modern art – here, the eye is instantly drawn to what is on the walls, and the atmosphere on board that it creates from the start is vibrant, youthful and fun.

In a similar vein, more and more new yachts want to tell stories. Taking Africa as its theme, the interior

of Nobiskrug’s 73.5m Mogambo is finished with snakeskin-embossed leathers and masculine ebonised teak, has engraved patterned doors and is accessorised with shields. The media room of the aforementioned Candyscape II is sure to be a popular spot with any astronomy enthusiasts onboard – it features a sun orrery, with the cogs and mechanisms mirroring the position of planets in the solar system. The decor of guest cabins on the ISA Liberty was inspired by marine wildlife – the shark-themed cabin is clad in grey leather, while the turtle-themed cabin has walls of gold-woven granite that resembles a shell.

Electronic technology, too, has changed the guest experience. It was only a matter of time before Apple became an essential part of the yacht experience, and, on many boats, iPads are the control panel in one’s cabin – everything from calling the crew to closing the windows and choosing a DVD from a built-in library can be done on the device.

With peace and quiet being harder to come by, even on the ocean, where private owner’s decks are proving popular, soundproofing technology is becoming ever more sophisticated. The 60m CRN Darlings Danama is fitted with a new system that includes a protective ‘dome’ of anti-noise signal projected from speakers in the headboard of the master cabin bed, reducing noise by up to 50 per cent. And, of course, if it’s more noise you want rather than less, you, too, are catered for – on Pegaso, the helipad turns into an outdoor dancefloor.

So, what’s next when it comes to maritime design and technology trends? In the anything-is-possible world of superyachts, someone is always ready to go one better, and Lürssen’s gigantic Project Azzam, a staggering 180m, will be the yacht that makes headlines if she is completed by the end of 2013 as planned.

In terms of sheer daring, the latest concepts are always worth daydreaming about – Ultraluxum’s spaceship-style CXL promises to be the world’s biggest sailing trimaran: its beam is 23m, but its two outer hulls fold away in minutes, giving huge amounts of extra space when cruising but flexibility for easy berthing into port.

Oh, and every model comes with a McLaren MP4-12C as standard in its own onboard garage. This may seem such stuff as dreams are made on, but, considering the innovations designers have made and continue to make each year, it seems nothing in the world of superyachts is impossible.

Charlotte Bailey is features editor of SuperYacht World

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4 : LOT 6 A MAMMOTH SKELETON It’s not only famous paIntIngs that can create a buzz at auctIon these days. anythIng that Is especIally rare and desIrable can go under the hammer – whether that be bIscuIt crumbs or a prehIstorIc pachyderm WRITER simon de burton IllusTRaTIon harry campbell

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W h i l e e u r o p e a n e c o n o m i e s crumbled, China’s growth tailed off and America struggled to get back on its feet, the super-rich sought solace by spending like crazy in the salerooms in the first months of 2012.

Christie’s posted a staggering half-year total of £2.2bn, making it the best six months in its 246-year history, while Sotheby’s managed an almost-as-heroic £1.9bn.

The lion’s share of the take was accounted for by the high-stakes categories of post-war and contemporary art, and Impressionist paintings, with the occasional old master making a mint to boost the totals.

But the major auction houses are not just there to sell pictures – if an object is of sufficient quality, rarity and desirability it will surely find its way into one of the top salerooms where it is likely to achieve the best possible price thanks to the firms’ unrivalled expertise, global reach and powerful marketing machines.

That’s why, for example, a few biscuit crumbs from Ernest Shackleton’s famous Endurance expedition fetched more than £7,500 at Christie’s in 2001, and why, in 2008, the house achieved £541,250 for the original, hand-painted drum skin used on the montage cover of The Beatles’ legendary Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

However, objects that cross the auctioneer’s block come a whole lot more unusual than that. If you attended Sotheby’s recent Natural History sale in Paris – and had a spare quarter-of-a-million pounds on tap – you could have put your hand up for the complete skeleton of a woolly mammoth, which last roamed the earth 12,000 years ago. The largest land mammals of all time, mammoths measured up to 13 feet tall at the shoulder and weighed as much as nine tons.

The sale also included a woolly rhinoceros skeleton valued at £80,000 and an egg from an elephant bird, a breed that has been extinct for at least 400 years.

Bizarre in a different way, meanwhile, are the handcuffs used during the arrest of Donald Neilson, the so-called

60

‘Black Panther’ who carried out more than 400 house burglaries without detection before turning to armed post-office robberies. The cuffs were offered for sale with a £15,000 pre-sale estimate by Bonhams, together with the medals awarded to one of the police officers responsible for overpowering Neilson afer he held them at gunpoint in their patrol car.

Indeed, Bonhams has built itself a strong reputation for offering the rare and unusual in its sales, not to mention establishing whole new collecting categories.

As well as being one of the world’s leading auctioneers of single malts, it recently took to offering rare Cognacs.

One of the most remarkable to come to the market was a bottle of Black Pearl which spent years crisscrossing the oceans behind the bar of a luxury cruise liner before being spotted by an experienced sommelier from South Africa who recognised its extreme rarity.

The cognac, a Louis XIII de Remy Martin, is made using a special blend of 1200 eaux de vie between 40 and 100 years old and is aged in ancient oak barrels.

It is made from grapes grown in the Grande Champagne territory, at the innermost heart of the Cognac region.

While all Louis XIII Cognac is bottled in Baccarat crystal decanters, only 800 bottles of Black Pearl are released each year and very few come onto the open market – which is why this example fetched £10,350.

Another highlight of the sale was a decanter of Frapin Francois Rabelais 1er Grand Cru cognac in a gilt-cased decanter designed to look like a giant pocket watch – complete with fully operational timepiece.

A touch of celebrity never goes amiss in the salerooms, either. On 12 December, Bonhams’s Knightsbridge rooms in London will see the sale of a black leather jacket that was worn by George Harrison during The Beatles’ early performances in Hamburg and Liverpool’s The Cavern Club.

Harrison bought the jacket during the Beatles’ stay in Hamburg from 1960 – 1961 and it became a favoured garment that featured in many of the band’s early publicity material – which is why it’s tipped to fetch £90,000 – £120,000. The star passed it to his elder brother, Harry, who subsequently gave it to his own son, who wore it to school during the Seventies.

It has remained in the Harrison family ever since – giving it exactly the sort of immaculate provenance that top-end buyers demand. And that provenance rule applies to everything from the clothing of the stars to apparently more mundane items such as, in the case of a remarkable sale being held by Christie’s London on 23 October, ceiling lights and coat hooks.

These are not your average household fittings, however, because they come direct from an icon of building design, the Casa Cattaneo: the only private villa to be designed by the legendary architect and designer Carlo Mollino.

Built in 1952 on the foothills of the Italian Alps and looking out over Lake Maggiore, Casa Cattaneo was created as a retreat for industrialist Luigi Cattaneo and was renamed ‘Villa K2’ in homage to the mountain scaled by an Italian expedition in 1954.

The Christie’s sale of 20th Century Decorative Art and Design will include 10 pieces of furniture. They could realise considerably more than £1m with the highlight being an oak and chestnut dining suite, which

is estimated at more than £500,000. A single ceiling lamp is tipped to fetch £150,000 – £200,000 and two sets of ceramic coat hooks could realise up to £15,000.

Few interior furnishings can match the value of Marc Newson’s ‘Lockheed Lounge’, however. The best-known example of his flowing ‘biomorphic’ furniture, he created the Lockheed Lounge chaise longue in 1986 not long afer graduating from Sydney College of the Arts. The piece, which comprises a fibreglass and polyester resin core covered in aircraf-like riveted metal plates, has been hailed a design classic and was made in an edition of 10, plus four artist’s proofs.

In 2006, however, auction house Phillips de Pury (under chairman Simon de Pury) offered a unique prototype of Newson’s Lounge on behalf of a private collector that more than doubled expectations to sell for $2,098,500. Other examples from this edition have also appeared at auction, and generally fetch amounts around the $1m mark.

The buyers at a sale of classic motorcycles held by specialist auction house H&H at the beginning of October were, however, looking for something a bit more racy than a set of expensive chairs. Back in 2010, the firm claimed the record for the most expensive motorcycle ever sold at auction when it hammered-down a 1929 Brough Superior for £286,000.

But this most recent sale – which took place afer this issue of Candy went to press – was predicted to see that price eclipsed by the sale of another Brough that is widely believed to be one of the most important motorcycles in existence.

Known as ‘Old Bill’, it was the personal 1922 racing SS80 of company founder George Brough, on which he won 51 of 52 races in succession – only being denied victory in the last afer he fell off. The bike, of course, dutifully kept going and crossed the finish line in the fastest time of the day, but Brough ended up in hospital and Old Bill had to be sold to fund the staff wages.

In the same family ownership for more than half a century, it had all the makings of a classic auction record-breaker – and may now be famous for being the most expensive motorcycle in the world.

One of the most significant collections of watches and clocks ever to appear at auction will be sold on 6 November when timepieces from the estate of the late Dr George Daniels come under the hammer at Sotheby’s in London. Isle of Man-based Dr Daniels, who

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‘“Old Bill” was the 1922 bike of George Brough, on which he won 51 of 52 races. He was finally denied victory when he fell off ’ died last October aged 85, was considered by many to have been the greatest watch maker since AbrahamLouis Breguet, especially for his invention of the Co-Axial escapement (now used by Omega).

The sale, comprising more than 130 lots with an overall value in excess of £5m, will include some of the 23 pocket watches he made entirely by hand and which took him up to 2,500 hours to complete. Among the highlights will be his Grand Complication watch of 1987, which features a one-minute tourbillon, minute repeater, instantaneous perpetual calendar, equation of time, moon phases, thermometer and power reserve indicator in a heavy, yellow gold case. The watch is estimated to fetch up to £800,000.

His 1982 ‘Space Traveller’s Watch’, meanwhile, could fetch more than £600,000 and boasts a chronograph with Daniels independent double-wheel escapement, mean solar and sidereal time displays, ages and phases of the moon and equation of time indication.

Also on offer will be a remarkable replica of an early 19th century weight-drive, three wheel ‘skeleton’ clock that was made by Daniels to such a high standard that it was granted an official certificate of authenticity by Maison Breguet. It is modestly estimated to fetch £60,000 – £80,000, while the one and only marine chronometer he made is tipped to fetch £20,000 – £30,000. Although Daniels did not have a middle name, the piece is signed ‘G.W. Daniels’ as it was made during a phase when he thought it appropriate to have an extra initial.

The most valuable clock in the sale is likely to be a £900,000, silver-mounted, ebony-cased striking table clock made in 1677 by Joseph Knibb, possibly the finest of all the early English clock makers.

Selected items from the Sotheby’s sale will go on show around the world in a travelling exhibition. More details at sothebys.com; 020 7293 5000. All proceeds from the sale of clocks and watches will be donated to the George Daniels Educational Trust to make funds available for students of horology, medicine, engineering, building or construction.

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could there be a more perfect symbol of being at the top of your game than the possession of a penthouse? words James medd ILLUsTrATIoNs brett ryder

To h av e r e ac h e d the penthouse is to have reached the top. It’s the height of luxury, where there is nowhere else to go, where superlatives reach their limit along with the sky. It is the ultimate expression of modern living, its history also the history of modern architecture, of the birth of the world’s new centres.

When the emphasis moves from the lateral to the vertical, the most desirable space is naturally the highest: up where the views are the most spectacular, the chaos of the streets is at bay, and yet all is within reach – and anything is possible.

It was not always this way. For centuries, the roof was the last place anyone would choose to live. Before the 19th century, when power shifed definitively from country to town, the top of a house, the sloped and cramped space under the eaves, was reserved for servants’ quarters. The original penthouses – the name originated from pentis, the Latin-derived Middle English word for appendage – were shacks or lean-tos casually assembled on a flat area of roof where the space-starved might take a little air or find a little space. In a world of cramped streets, this was a welcome relief – though they might well have found themselves taking the master’s laundry up with them.

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In the cities of Europe, established for centuries, this remained the case for some time, even through the advances of the Industrial Revolution and the great projects of the Victorian age. In the United States, however, which, by the turn of the 20th century, rivalled and then overtook the Old World as the commercial hub, change could be more easily accommodated. Improved construction methods and the use of steel and concrete meant buildings in the new metropolises of New York and Chicago rose at a prodigious rate.

Penthouse became the name for the roofop building at the top of a flight of stairs; when this, in turn, became housing for a lif shaf, the top storeys became the domain not of the lowest orders but of the highest. An era of colossal and quickly found wealth saw the foundation of an entire class of billionaires who, aided by those lifs that could take them from the streets below to the summit of their world in seconds, overlooked their dominions from offices that became ever grander, with doubleheight ceilings, ornamental exteriors and vast windows.

As the cities filled up, a central location became more desirable than a home out of town. The private home in the sky became as much a status symbol as the top-floor office, and the penthouse as we know it was born. New laws, introduced in the light of the rush to build, dictated that any storeys more than two-anda-half times higher than the width of the street below had to be set back. But this served only to further glorify the upper levels as terraces were introduced and, with them, elaborate and ever more exotic arches, pillars, ziggurats and mansards. In New York, mansions were demolished and rebuilt on top of multi-storeyed blocks – châteaux in the sky where the aristocracy of a nation in the ascendant made play, recreating the salons of old Europe with Central Park as their new Versailles.

Condé Nast’s penthouse at 1040 Park Avenue, decorated in the style of Louis XV, gave 10 rooms over to entertaining, including a ballroom and solarium.

Down the road at 635, cosmetics tycoon Helena Rubinstein presided over 26 rooms, on three floors, one of which was entirely dedicated to Salvador Dalí’s Fantastic Landscape murals. Though less inclined to share, William Randolph Hearst – Citizen Kane himself – housed his collection of tapestries and paintings under 30f ceilings over five storeys in the Clarendon apartments overlooking the Hudson River.

By the middle of the Thirties, the penthouse already represented the ultimate in luxury and the height of ambition – at least in America. In Europe, it was dismissed as a rather vulgar creation of the upstart New World – here, garrets remained strictly for maids or starving artists. But it was no longer Europe’s view that mattered, as the rise of Hollywood made all too clear. There, the secret palace on top of the world became a potent symbol of the romance of the new, and seemingly every man a girl might want to kiss was in possession of a room at the top. Cinema’s exaggerated depictions of New York’s roofop world, recreated on the opposite side of the country, spurred reality to ever-greater heights in turn.

And Europe soon overcame its prejudices, starting with its grand hotels. In 1932, architect Oswald Milne created a seventh-floor apartment for the daughter of owner Richard D’Oyly Carte at Claridge’s – a suite around a marbled central salon with bay windows leading onto a garden terrace. Preserved as part of the hotel, it still induces the unique feeling of being both in the middle and apart from the city simultaneously. The same disorienting effect can be experienced at the Roof

At One Hyde Park the iconic architecture of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners is crowned by a penthouse that rivals any for scale, form and views Gardens in Kensington – an acre and a half of green space 100f above street level, formed on top of Derry & Toms department store between 1936 and 1938 by landscape architect Ralph Hancock. Even as the grandeur of Art Deco gave way to Modernism, the penthouse adapted to new styles and new demands.

Corporations harnessed its power – tobacco giant Philip Morris created an apartment for executive use on top of its 43-storey Madison Avenue building, while the Cloud Club at the summit of the Chrysler Building offered its members a series of lounges, including one with a Tudor theme. The penthouse was now a central aspiration of the modern man, as exemplified in the Playboy penthouse of 1956 – a purely imaginary design by architect Humen Tan for the magazine that captured the imagination of a generation of would-be James Bonds. This ultimate bachelor pad had all a man could want – swimming pool, garden terrace, salon, office, bedroom – and all of it mere moments from the centre of things.

It’s an aspiration that has not faded. Even the vogue for lof living, the adoption of commercial real estate for new urban lifestyles, eventually fell to its dominance, the grit giving way to glamour as any flat roof was eventually converted. The desire to be on top conquers all, it seems, and in the past 50 years, the penthouse has remained the ultimate form of city living around the world, from Singapore to Berlin, Hong Kong to Rio. Architects use it to showcase their aesthetics, as with Harry Seidler’s conversion of the top two floors of his Sydney Harbour offices into an apartment/reception space of elegant curves and vast picture windows, or Richard Rogers, then in partnership with John Young, at his Thamesside Deck House – a high-tech industrial creation of glass and steel topped by a circular bathroom tower.

The penthouse remains the summation of any city build, and London’s new landmark One Hyde Park is no exception – the iconic architecture of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners crowned by a penthouse that rivals any on earth for scale, form and the beauty of its views.

With its own spa, home cinema, games room and gym, placed around a double-height reception and a master bedroom with an unrivalled panorama of Hyde Park, it is a new high in the already elevated world of the penthouse, a world that encompasses the peace of the countryside with the thrill of the city. Who would dream of being anywhere else?

tr ue romance they may be a girL’s best friend, but can diamonds aLso be an investment? words sarah carpin PhotograPhy richard foster

I f yo u wa n t t o k n ow about the price of diamonds, the man to ask is a fast-talking, bearded and bow-tied American, Martin Rapaport. He is something of a maverick in the secretive world of diamond trading through his campaigning for more transparency.

Rapaport grew up in the enigmatic world of diamonds, starting as a cleaver and rough sorter in Antwerp. He went on to create several businesses that focus on diamond trading, including the Rapaport Diamond Price List and RapNet, which he claims is the largest electronic diamond trading network in the world.

According to Rapaport’s most recent Diamond Price Statistics Annual Report, every $1,000 spent on a 5-carat diamond 10 years ago would have returned around $1,645 today. In these terms, diamond investments have outpaced returns in the yen, euro, and Nasdaq or Dow Jones.

Big diamonds are regarded as the stones to invest in, especially those of 5 carats or above, along with rare natural-coloured diamonds. It is said that for every natural-coloured diamond, there are some 10,000 colourless stones.

At auction, rare diamonds attract high bids. In May this year, one of the world’s oldest and most famous diamonds, the 35-carat Beau Sancy, sold for £6m in Geneva – reaching twice its reserve – while Elizabeth Taylor’s diamond jewellery collection was sold for record prices last year. The 33.19-carat Asscher-cut D-colour ‘Elizabeth

Taylor Diamond’ ring that she wore nearly every day sold for around £5.5m, well above the £1.6-2.2m estimate.

Such prices are as much to do with the historic legacy of a stone as its value, of course, but auction prices are fuelling a growing amount of interest and expectation in the value of diamonds themselves.

Henri Barguirdjian, CEO of Graff Diamonds, USA, says interest in diamonds as an investment is a new phenomenon. ‘We are being approached by wealthy clients who are considering investing a small percentage of their portfolio in diamonds: something we’ve never seen in the past,’ he says. ‘These people never considered diamonds as an investment, but as something very beautiful that made their wife happy. And now they see what has happened with the price of diamonds and they realise it's not such a silly idea.’ As a result, he says, some Forbes-400 types are investing up to $100 million in the diamond market, mainly buying up large, polished stones.

Indeed Rapaport has plans to create diamond depository receipts, which will enable investors to buy and sell diamonds over the internet without having to take any delivery. But he warns potential investors to be cautious: normal investors have no access to the market, and that the bid/ask spread for items is ‘crazy’.

The complexity of diamond pricing is also one of the toughest obstacles to overcome. Understanding and evaluating a diamond’s four Cs — cut, clarity, colour and

carats — make standardised pricing very difficult. And grading of diamonds is ofen rather subjective. There are processes, laboratories and reports that can grade and price diamonds, most notably the Gemological Institute of America, but large diamonds can ofen be worth more than the sum of their parts. It will also depend on provenance, rarity, or whether it is a loose stone, or mounted in a piece of collectible jewellery.

Many argue that diamonds cannot be treated as a simple commodity. For those who work in the diamond industry, it is ofen about selling the stones’ emotional pull. Stephen Lussier, chief executive of the De Beers company Forevermark, says: ‘Every diamond is a unique miracle of nature. We prefer our customers to buy diamond jewellery to keep, not to trade.’

It can also sometimes take years to find matching diamonds of the same size, colour and quality to make a necklace or pair of earrings, followed by months of painstaking work turning rough stones into exquisite pieces of jewellery. And this is a powerful argument for the world’s most perfect diamonds and works of haute joiallerie to be worn and celebrated by glamorous women, not locked away in dark bank vaults.

‘I never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back,’ said Zsa Zsa Gabor. Now there was a woman ahead of her time.

Sarah Carpin is a jewellery editor and writer

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Weave key with diamonds and black onyx set in platinum, tiffany & Co. ‘Ashoka Riviere’ diamond necklace in platinum, BoodLes. Small English saddle-leather stud box in indigo; medium English saddle-leather stud box in red; saddle-hide folio in indigo (used as base), all asprey

‘Eclat’ necklace and ‘Dahlia’ ring, both Cartier. ‘Asia’ wood and stone key tray, armani Casa. Brown crocodile leather tray (upside down with orange base), LinLey. Black tray, stylist’s own

Unique white-gold ring set with diamonds, 6.7 carats, avakian. 18k white-gold and rose-cut diamond spiral bangle, david morriS. Marquis jewellery box (used as table top), LinLEy. Orange crystal mosaic tumbler (far right, placed upside down), baccarat at harrodS. 70ml orange tumbler, moSEr at harrodS. African jade letter opener with magnifying glass, L’obJEt at harrodS

Multi-shaped diamond necklace, Graff. ‘Portobello’ diary with slide, and purple ‘Mara’ manuscript book, both SmythSon at harrodS. Crocodile letter opener L’obJEt at harrodS Photographer’s assistant Nik Adam.

Stylist Ciara Walshe. Prop stylist Carrie Louise. Prop stylist’s assistant Clare Harrington

HiGH JeT WORTH if you’re in the market for your own aircraft, there is just one place to go: the world’s first walk-in aeronautical showroom WRITER robert ryan

F o r a n yo n e w h o loves aeroplanes, the London showroom of The Jet Business is like being in an aeronautical candy store. Sleek model aircraf adorn every desk and a giant video wall shows Bombardiers, Falcons and Gulfstreams streaking across the great blue yonder. Behind a smoked-glass screen is a ‘trading room’, where smart young operatives sit at desks fashioned to look like cockpits and, above them, monitors show schematics and cutaways of a variety of cool corporate planes. As they check what is happening in the market, they update the data about what’s for sale where on an electronic tickertape. The showroom has elements of the CIA HQ, a trading floor on Wall Street, the Bat Cave and Tom Cruise’s office in Minority Report.

It’s a one-of-a-kind candy store, too – the world’s only street-level showroom for private jets.

‘Although we don’t say “private”,’ chides owner Steve Varsano gently. ‘Better to say corporate or business jets.’

We are sitting in front of the video wall in his showroom at One Grosvenor Place, which opened in January 2012, aiming to sell high-end jets to high-net-worth individuals.

But, given the plunging global economy, was that really such a good time to be opening a luxury showroom to sell ultra-expensive planes? ‘Like the top end of the property market,’ he says, ‘the top end of the jet market has stayed buoyant. There are only about 19,000 business jets in the world. And I’d say we deal with the top 2,000 of those. It’s a niche and it’s pretty much ours.’ Things must be buoyant, because Varsano is already looking for another city in which to open a similar showroom.

Of course, unlike Jack Barclay and its Rolls-Royces and Bentleys nearby, Varsano cannot exactly put his

previous page Behind a concealed door in the showroom is a full-sized fuselage of an Airbus ACJ319 this page Steve Varsano, right; the Jet Business’s interactive video wall, below

take to the skies...

BomBaRdieR GLoBaL expRess xRs Range: 6,055 nautical miles PRice Rance: us$34-54m cabin volume: 1,955 cu Ft seats: 12-15

78

dassauLt FaLcon 900ex easy Range:4,500 nautical miles PRice Rance: us$22-34m cabin volume: 1,264 cu Ft seats: 12-14

The showroom has elements of the CIA HQ, a Wall Street trading floor, the Bat Cave and Tom Cruise’s office in Minority Report

GuLFstReam G550 Range: 6,490 nautical miles PRice Rance: us$30-54m cabin volume: 1,689 cu Ft seats: 12-18

wares in the window. Getting a Gulfstream through the doors of the block would be tricky, even for him. He has an elegant, high-tech solution to that, however. But first, I asked him to tell me how he ended up sitting in a futuristic showroom a few feet from Hyde Park Corner.

Varsano is in his mid-fifies – tall, tanned, with something of James Coburn in his grey-haired prime about him.

Despite playing host to oligarchs and heads of state, ex-presidents and prime ministers, princes and run-of-the-mill billionaires, he retains a refreshingly no-nonsense New York approach, with an accent to match, and speaks with the fervour of an aero-evangelist.

‘I started flying when I was 14 years old. Qualified when I was 17. Got a BSc in aeronautical science and became a lobbyist in Washington for the aviation industry when I was 21. It was intriguing and exciting.

The money, by the way, was less exciting. So I waited tables in the evenings. One of my regular customers sold corporate jets and was doing really well, so I asked him if he could get me in. And he did.

‘On my first day, I turned up to work in my best suit and I couldn’t believe these guys – they were dressed very low key, in shorts and T-shirts, and eating hamburgers, yet they were selling aircraf worth millions of dollars. I said, “Look, I don’t mean to be rude, but you guys look like bums. What do the clients think?”

“We don’t see the clients,” one of them replied. “It’s all done over the phone.” ’ Varsano mimes his shock, his eyes bulging and his jaw dropping. ‘I knew back then,’ he says, ‘that there was a better way of doing things. That you could change the game.’ He spreads his arms to take in his showroom. ‘And this is it.’

It took 15 years in merchant banking before, around five years ago, he really got serious about The Jet Business and creating the kind of ambience and service consistent with spending millions of pounds on a plane.

No shorts, beards or hamburgers. ‘Not for us,’ says Varsano. ‘But the customers can dress how they like.

And they do.’ But why London? Why Grosvenor Place?

‘There were maybe 10 cities I could’ve set up in: New York, Hong Kong, Beijing, Dubai, Singapore and so on. But this is a global business. In any city, there are four hours when the world is closed – when Asia, Europe and the US are all down. In London, it’s midnight to four in the morning and that’s a manageable time of day. Secondly, anyone who owns or is in the market for a business jet will sooner or later pass through London. And, finally, we are in this exact spot because of that roundabout out there.’

He points in the direction of the Hyde Park Corner one-way system. You let a roundabout decide your location? ‘If you are in London on business, you see a lot of that particular roundabout. My customers might be doing business in the City, but they are staying at Claridge’s, The Connaught or the Mandarin Oriental.

I have three or four clients who have bought in One Hyde Park. This area is a prime nexus of the business world in London, Europe and, therefore, the world.’

The world is very important to Varsano, because he deals in long-range and ultra-long-range aircraf.

His strategy is predicated on growing the business not in the USA, which has 60 per cent of all jets yet plenty of competition, but on Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, especially in those countries that have lots of natural resources. And, as he says, if you are in Laos or Angola,

you are a long way from anywhere, so you are going to need a jet that is long-range.

So, I ask Varsano, if I come along with, say, £20m to spend, how would he go about finding me a plane?

It’s show time. He pokes an iPad and The Jet Business sofware kicks in, turning the video wall of the showroom into a giant, searchable brochure. First of all, I must decide what I’m in the market for: a helicopter or a jet?

I opt for a jet, then choose my preferred currency and whether I want metric or imperial measurements.

‘The rest we can do in just four questions,’ says Varsano.

A series of graphics appears on the wall, enabling us to enter information. At the top is a counter with the number of jet models that exist and actively trade that the company has access to worldwide. It reads 124.

‘So, first question. How much do you want to spend? £20m? All aeroplanes are priced in US dollars [although the app can give this information in any currency], so that’s about $32m.’ He spins a dial to that figure. The totaliser tells us there are 104 planes available in my price bracket. ‘Next question. How old are you willing to go? Well, 2000 is a psychological cut-off point, so let’s say less than 12 years old. Now we have 77 planes.

How many people do you need to carry? Eight? Right, 54 planes available. And, lastly, the most important question. What range do you need?’

I tell him I’m based in Lagos and need to go to New York frequently. ‘That’s 4,581 nautical miles. Now, you’ve got six aircraf to choose from.’ In five minutes, I’ve gone from 124 to just half-a-dozen planes in my basket.

That’s not the end, though – you can interrogate the app about their size (including a 1:1 display of a crosssection of each aircraf’s fuselage, to see which type you can stand up in, and floorplan comparison overlays), performance and the annual operating costs (salaries, hangar, landing fees and especially fuel), which can easily total a million pounds a year.

You could, of course, buy a new jet direct from the manufacturers, but you might have to wait two years – although, if you go through Varsano, he will negotiate a good deal for you on price, warranty, delivery, payment schedule and so on. But going into the pre-owned market with The Jet Business, you are more likely to have your plane within two months.

If you’ve settled on an aircraf, say a lovely Gulfstream, Falcon or Boeing, don’t, whatever you do, let Varsano take you through the secret door. Hidden behind the video wall is a full-sized fuselage of an Airbus ACJ319 and it will make whatever you’ve just chosen look like a toy. Plush isn’t the word; ‘well appointed’ doesn’t do it justice. It’s full of white leather, mink throws, a retractable TV, a well-stocked drinks cabinet, seats you could live in, a boardroom and, behind closed sliding doors, even a bedroom. An Airbus like this would be around $80m to buy. I didn’t even ask about operating costs, because as the old adage goes…

If, for any reason, you don’t want to be seen buying yourself a jet, Varsano’s operation is very discreet.

There is an anonymous rear entrance and the window of the Airbus fuselage that looks out over Grosvenor Place can be made opaque in a second. Although why you would not want anyone to know you had one of these beauties is beyond me – if you’ve got it, fly it.

And Varsano is the man to help you do just that. thejetbusiness.com Robert Ryan is a novelist and a travel writer for, among other titles, The Sunday Times

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treasure s n

i la d for the ultimate in privacy, an offshore retreat that’s exclusively if temporarily yours is just the ticket

words robert ryan

N o m a N i s a N i s l a N d but, it seems, everyone wants to own one. Having your own private island is an important notch on the bedpost of success for many.

Johnny Depp has one in the Bahamas: Little Hall’s Pond Cay. Also in the Caribbean is Leonardo DiCaprio (Blackadore Cay, Belize) but Mel Gibson opted for Mago Island, Fiji, perhaps following in the footsteps of Marlon Brando – they both played Fletcher Christian, afer all – who owned Tetiaroa atoll in French Polynesia.

‘To own an island is very special,’ says Farhad Vladi, founder of leading island brokerage company Vladi Private Islands. ‘It is a world of its own, in which the owner can control everything he sees. For me, an island is a pharmacy for the soul – a ticket to a simpler life and an escape into solitude. The luxury is summed up in one word: freedom.’

There is no doubt islands have a powerful draw on our imagination – from Robinson Crusoe to Lost and even Desert Island Discs – and one is clearly a desirable addition to your portfolio. You can get a taste of what it’s like to be lord of your own speck in the ocean by staying on someone else’s private island. Many are for rent when the owner is off earning its upkeep. You won’t be rubbing two sticks together, but you will be living the castaway life, and always with an entourage of Man Fridays on hand to make your island sojourn comfortable.

Fa a F U & N o r t h m a l e ato l l s , m a l d i V e s This green and dazzling white dot in the blue, blue ocean that surrounds the Maldivian islands looks like the perfect castaway spot – except it comes with a luxury villa and a scattering of beach cottages that can accommodate up to 12. A stay on Faafu Atoll includes seaplane transfers, use of all manner of water-sports toys and a 26m yacht with on-deck Jacuzzi, unlimited spa treatments and diving instruction, the services of a team of butlers and chefs, and top-notch food and wine. Contact The Rania Experience (+960 334 3840; raniaexperience.com) or book via Kiwi Collection (020 3318 9541; kiwicollection.com).

If Rania’s a little too compact for you, One&Only’s all-villa Reethi Rah is situated on North Malé Atoll, one of the biggest islands in the Maldives – with plenty of space to get lost, you won’t feel crowded. Western & Oriental offers a seven-night package, including flights and transfers (020 7666 1210; wandotravel.com).

soNG saa, CamBodia Part of the Koh Rong Archipelago in the Gulf of Thailand, surrounded by 20 uninhabited isles just begging to be explored, Song Saa is the resort that put Cambodia on the luxury map. It’s actually two islands, joined by a bridge, on which sit 27 one- or two-bedroom, over-water, garden and jungle villas, all with their own pool, that sleep 44 guests on an exclusive basis. Activities here include kayaking up estuaries, hiking through virgin rainforest, snorkelling with marine biologists, Khmer cooking lessons and excursions to other islands and local fishing villages. Contact Song Saa (01242 255483; songsaa.com) or book through Audley Travel (01993 838100; audleytravel.com), which offers a tailor-made luxury Cambodia trip inclusive of business-class flights, four nights all-inclusive at Song Saa, three nights half-board at the Amansara in Siem Reap and private tours of the iconic Angkor Wat.

markus gotz Dress: elie saab. clutch: gianvito rossi

overleaf Guests arrive by seaplane at The Rania Experience, Faafu Atoll this page A private plunge pool, lef, and relaxation Faafu style, above. An over-water villa deck, middle, and alfresco dining, bottom, Song Saa

By private appointment only +44 (0)20 7590 2340 | info@onehydepark.com | www.onehydepark.com

clockwise from left Ariara’s deck and infinity pool; dinner with a view; the Calamian Islands

ARIARA, PHILIPPInES One of the Philippines’ little-known Calamian Islands, Ariara, a hump-backed verdant lump fringed with lovely beaches, accommodates just 18 guests (and 30 staff) in villas that combine Filipino tradition with modernity. British-owned and run, it has a luxurious yet informal atmosphere reminiscent of the best African game lodges. Much of the focus here is on water – jet skiing, waterskiing, wake-boarding, diving or snorkelling – but, equally, you can simply choose to relax at The Lodge, a comfortable lounge space at the end of a long pier. Visit ariaraisland.com or email bliss@ariaraisland.com with your telephone number and time zone to request a call back to make an exclusive reservation, or book through Black Tomato (0843 636 8089; blacktomato.com).

M U S H A C AY, B A H A M A S Islands are ofen described as ‘magical’, but Musha Cay really is the product of magic – it’s owned by illusionist David Copperfield. Part of the scattered archipelago of the Exumas in the Bahamas, its 40 Persil-white beaches border a sea right out of a Hockney palette. Thirty staff tend to guests in an enormous plantation-style manor house and two guest villas. There’s a thatched beach house, a pool, tennis court, gym, open-air cinema, business centre and water sports, including jet skis for hopping to other islands. A minimum four-night stay here includes all meals and drinks, plus the use of facilities, but excludes flights and transfers. Book direct on +1 208 3091106 or via mushacay.com.

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clockwise from above Sand bar, Musha Cay; Laucala’s poolside bar; the Pier House on Musha Cay

courtesy of musha cay and the islands of copperfield bay

L A U C A L A I S L A n D, F I J I Owned by Dietrich Mateschitz, the man behind the Red Bull energy-drinks brand and its Formula One team, this South Pacific destination is not a fully private retreat – locals also farm and fish on the island, providing for the freshest food. Its 25 residences are, however, situated on a private peninsula, complete with its own mini-isle which is the nucleus for snorkelling and swimming. It has a spa, five restaurants and bars, an 18-hole golf course cleverly concealed in an old coconut plantation and a staff of 500. Mateschitz asked for Gauguin’s Garden of Eden and he got it. Contact Laucala (+679 888 0077; laucala.com) or book through Elegant Resorts (01244 897000; elegantresorts.co.uk).

By private appointment only +44 (0)20 7590 2340 | info@onehydepark.com | www.onehydepark.com

N E C K E R I S L A N D, B R I T I S h VIRGIN ISLANDS, CARIBBEAN Richard Branson’s Necker is probably the most famous private island in the world, especially following a recent fire that made front-page news. Now rebuilt, with a brand-new beach house – the heart and soul of the place, where guests kick back and socialise – it remains one of the most plush and indulgent destinations in the Caribbean. Particularly decadent is the 007-like Necker Nymph – a three-person submersible capable of diving down to 30m. Necker can sleep up to 28 and is usually rented on a price-on-application basis, but it does have ‘celebration weeks’, when people can book a room or villa rather than the whole island – contact Virgin Holidays + Hip Hotels (0844 573 2460; vhiphotels.co.uk) for details.

FROM tOp Sunset Point and Bali Hi Beach, Necker; the terrace and pool, Tagamago; Wilson Island from the air; Petit St Vincent as evening draws in

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P E T I T S T V I N C E N T, ThE GRENADINES, CARIBBEAN Lush on the inside and blindingly white at the edges, thanks to its two miles of beach, little PSV, as its fans call it, has 22 recently renovated cottages, an open-air spa and a superb beach restaurant with its own lobster pot for that authentic sea-to-table experience. The ambience is laid-back, barefoot Caribbean. There’s a little local music at night, but, with no phones, TVs or internet in the cottages, guests enjoy a networking detox. Book direct (petitstvincent.com; +1 954 963 7401) for an exclusive five nights full-board or, if you don't mind sharing paradise, contact ITC Classics (01244 355527; itcclassics.co.uk), which offers seven nights, including flights and transfers.

W I L S O N I S L A N D, A U S T R A L I A Wilson Island, off the coast of Queensland, is smack bang in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef, so you can’t get much closer to the greatest snorkelling in the world. The little coral cay is 15km from its big sister Heron Island and its catchphrase is ‘shipwrecked in style’. Wilson prides itself on its minimum impact on the reef as well as seabirds and turtles, which means hot water is solar-powered, there’s no mobile-phone signal and you camp – in six luxury safari-style tents, sleeping 12, that look out over the ocean. Meals are enjoyed communally in a longhouse and there is a central ‘amenity’ block for showers. Contact Wilson Island direct (+1 613 9413 6288, wilsonisland.com) or book through Turquoise Holidays, which offers five nights on an exclusive basis, including all meals, drinks and boat transfers from Heron Island (01494 678400; turquoiseholidays.co.uk)

grenville turner, mike troy photography kühn & partner/ vladi-privateislands.de

TAG O M AG O, S PA I N Private islands are relatively rare in the Mediterranean and few can match this rugged beauty. Tagomago may be just a kilometre offshore from the party island of Ibiza, but it’s a world away from the madness. With just a single ultra-modern, staffed, five-bedroom villa fitted out with a Bang & Olufsen sound system, LED lights and air con, a terrace with Jacuzzi and a pool fringed by muslin-draped day beds, it’s the perfect bolt-hole.

It can accommodate 10 and rental prices depend on the season and your particular penchant – choose from a long menu of extras such as DJs, chefs, masseuses and yoga teachers. Book through OS Private Travel (01993 899430; osprivatetravel.com).

By private appointment only +44 (0)20 7590 2340 | info@onehydepark.com | www.onehydepark.com

ONE LUXURY RESIDENCE:

YOUR HOME FROM HOME Jumeirah Living introduces unique Luxury accommodation, offering private residences with bespoke 5-star hoteL services in the heart of London’s mayfair

p r i vac y w i t h p r e m i u m s e r v i c e Whether you are visiting London for a few days, or seeking long-term accommodation, ‘Grosvenor House Apartments’ offers all the amenities of a 5-star hotel, including 24-hour in-room dining, daily maid service, fitness room and spa treatments in the sanctuary of your own private residence. Relax and unwind with light lunches and evening drinks in the seven-storey, glass-roofed Atrium that is flooded with natural daylight. a p r e s t i g i o u s pa r k L a n e a d d r e s s ‘Grosvenor House Apartments’ offers 133 luxury residences and four penthouse suites in the heart of London – a stone’s throw from the vast, green expanse of Hyde Park and the boutiques, galleries and restaurants of Mayfair. The residences’ central location allows for convenient access to major airports and private airfields. p e r s o n a L i s e d a n d u n i q u e to yo u From pre-arrival to departure, the in-house ‘Residence Concierge Team’ anticipate your every need, including organising transfers and bespoke shopping as well as advice on the best of London’s art galleries and restaurants. The residences’ portfolio of ‘At Home with Jumeirah Living’ services ensures an effortless stay, tailored specifically to you. s o p h i s t i c at e d a n d e L e g a n t d e s i g n ‘Grosvenor House Apartments’ integrates cutting-edge design and high-end technology throughout, with home comforts that include dishwashers, gas hobs, Royal Doulton chinaware and Venice silverware. The bedrooms and reception rooms, some with gas fires, contain custom mahogany furniture, dark timber flooring, and tailored wall panelling. Elegant balconies overlook spectacular views of Hyde Park and Mayfair.

For more information or to make a reservation please call +44 (0)20 7518 4444, email GHAreservations@jumeirah.com or visit jumeirah.com

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 V i a R e g g i O s u P e R yac h t s

tufenkian

Since 2004, Viareggio Superyachts has been set apart as an elite, custom-built yacht manufacturer, thanks to continuous research and evolution along with timeless design and impeccable attention to detail. VSY’s concept of ‘A Deeper Luxury’ combines innovative design with its Eco Green initiative to minimise damage to marine ecosystems. VSY worked with Candy & Candy to create Candyscape II, the company’s first 62m yacht, and she went on to win various awards, including those from the 2010 World Superyacht Awards and the 2011 International Yacht and Aviation Awards. The company’s latest project, the 72m flagship Stella Maris (pictured) has been crowned as the most important yacht built in the Viareggio yard for the last 30 years. Conceived in line with the yard’s values and design principles, it fuses avant-garde technology with the excellence of genuine Italian crafsmanship. vsy.it

Tufenkian raises the bar on quality and responsibility as it advances towards its goal of creating artisan carpets of total integrity. Their Designers’ Collection combines the brand’s handmade artistry and the latest creative vision of today’s designers, producing fresh, exciting and beautiful objects of lasting value, crafed from all natural and renewable materials. Designs are executed in both wool and wool/silk combinations as well as a range of other natural fibres including hemp and aloo. Additionally, clients can also take advantage of the Tufenkian Custom Rug Programme, allowing for endless design flexibility including re-sizing, re-coloring or modifying almost any existing Tufenkian carpet, as well as the chance to create a completely original and customised design inspired by a child’s drawing, for example, or a work of art or favourite motif from the room that is being decorated. tufenkian.com

 V l a d i P R i Vat e i s l a n d s

ROlex

From Nova Scotia to The Bahamas, Greece to the Maldives, the Hamburg-based company Vladi Private Islands specialises in renting and selling unique and beautiful private islands. Whether you want to retreat into nature in Scotland, or simply relax on the beaches of the Solomon Islands, Vladi offers luxury accommodation and first-rate hospitality in a portfolio of the most exquisite and beautiful places on earth. A new book, foreworded and edited by the company’s owner, Farhad Vladi, and presenting a stunning world of Pacific atolls and Hebridean getaways, was recently published and is available from the company’s website. Aside from the 250 breathtaking images featured in The World of Private Islands, the book also unveils offshore retreats of all types, from the celebrity-studded (Johnny Depp and Richard Branson are island-owners), to those for nature and adventure seekers. vladi-private-islands.de

The first wristwatch to receive the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision was a Rolex, and since that achievement in 1910, the Swiss company founded by Hans Wildorf has been synonymous with precision, quality and style. The Watch Gallery has opened a Rolex-dedicated boutique within One Hyde Park in Knightsbridge. The boutique boasts Europe’s largest selection of Rolex watches, an on-site expert watchmaker for inquiries and repairs, and even two private rooms to accommodate VIP clients. All of Rolex’s latest designs are available in the shop, including the Skydweller, Submariner and Yachtmaster. Chairman of The Watch Gallery David Coleridge commented, ‘London and specifically Knightsbridge has been at the forefront of luxury shopping for years. Our ambition is to make this the most enjoyable place in the world to buy a Rolex.’ rolex.com

 O n e & O n ly R e s O R t, R e e t h i R a h One & Only offers a fantastic range of luxury resorts that embrace authentic styles and the personalities of their local culture. From the Indian Ocean to the Arabian Gulf, One & Only excels in creating unique resorts and unforgettable experiences in some of the most beautiful locations in the world. Reethi Rah is set on one of the largest islands of the North Malé Atoll in the Maldives, in the crystal waters of the Indian Ocean, offering unprecedented privacy, contemporary design and top cuisine. The resort has received numerous accolades in the last few years, including Condé Nast Traveller’s 2012 Gold List Award for Best Leisure Facilities and Quintessentially’s Best International Hotel award in 2010, and is hailed as the most spacious and exclusive resort in the Maldives. All 130 of its villas enjoy beautiful ocean views and direct access to the lagoon, as well as a dedicated villa host (available 24 hours a day) and complimentary water sports. The exclusive Grand Water Villas each have wraparound over-water hammocks, a personal golf buggy for use around the island, and a 33-metre pool. New restaurant The Chef’s Garden offers fine organic dining amid tranquil surroundings, while Tapasake prides itself on fresh sushi and sashimi. The Reethi Restaurant fuses Asian and Mediterranean flavours into contemporary cuisine, and the extensive wine room can be booked for private dining. This is the ultimate in luxury, service and cuisine for which the One & Only group has become famous. reethirah.oneandonlyresorts.com

Adler +44 20 7409 2237; adler.ch Alexander McQueen +44 20 7355 0088; alexandermcqueen.com Amrapali +91 141 5191100; amrapalijewels.com Armani Casa +44 20 7079 1930; armanicasa.com Asprey +44 20 7493 6767; asprey.com Avakian +44 20 7235 1323; avakian.com Azzaro +44 20 7499 4002; azzaroparis.com Baccarat +33 1 40 22 14 14; baccarat.com Boodles +44 20 7437 5050; boodles.com Bulthaup +44 0844 846 7810; bulthaup.com Candy & Candy +44 20 7590 1900; candyandcandy.com Carlos Miele carlosmiele.com.br Cartier +44 20 3147 4850; cartier.com Christian Dior +44 20 7172 0172; dior.com David Morris +44 20 7499 2200; davidmorris.com De Beers +44 20 7758 9700; debeers.com Dolce & Gabbana +44 20 7659 9000; dolceandgabbana.com Elie Saab eliesaab.com Emilio Pucci +44 20 7201 8171; emiliopucci.com Giorgio Armani +44 20 7235 6232; giorgioarmani.com Graff +44 20 7584 8571; graffdiamonds.com

Harrods +44 20 7730 1234; harrods.com Harry Winston +44 20 7907 8800; harrywinston.com Hockley +44 20 7493 6362; hockleylondon.com Jimmy Choo +44 0845 270 7100; jimmychoo.com Linley +44 20 7730 7300; davidlinley.com L’Objet l-objet.com Lucie Campbell +44 20 7629 4647; luciecampbell.com Mungo & Maud +44 20 7022 1207; mungoandmaud.com Nicholas Oakwell Couture +44 20 7833 1373; nicholasoakwellcouture.com Ralph Lauren +44 20 7535 460; ralphlauren.co.uk Rolex +44 20 7024 7300; rolex.com Shamballa Jewels +45 3336 5959; shamballajewels.com Smythson +44 20 7318 1515; smythson.com Tiffany & Co +44 20 7499 4577; tiffany.com Versace +44 20 7259 5700; versace.com Weldon +44 01636 894838 weldon.co.uk Zagliani +44 20 7235 4124; zagliani.it

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motor mode fashion model and jaguar ambassador david gandy names his favourite cars and reveals why he is not your usual petrol-head What is your earliest motoring memory?

My fondest early memories are of family road trips around Europe with my parents, my grandparents, my sister and myself, all in the family Jaguar or Rover.

What was your first car? Did you buy it yourself?

My first car was a 1988 Ford Fiesta 1.1 Ghia. It was passed through my dad’s companies, so God only knows how many people had driven her before me.

However I still cherished the Fiesta, even with its four forward gears, manual choke (I liked to call this the ‘turbo’) and afermarket electric windows that you had to bang the door mechanism as hard as you could to get it to work. It was my first car, my first chance of freedom on the open road, so I have fond memories.

What are you driving right now?

For six months I’ve been lucky enough to be driving a Mercedes SLS. I’ve been a Jaguar driver for the last four years and I’ll go back to driving a Jaguar when the F-Type is launched next year. However the chance to drive an SLS is a dream. One of my favourite cars is the Fifies/Sixties Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing. The SLS is the modern interpretation of this car and it’s very special.

I do feel like a little bit of a traitor, but this may be my only chance to ever own a car with gullwing doors.

Did you ever try to make it as a racing driver?

I’ve actually just got my racing licence. Jaguar kindly paid for me to take the test at Goodwood. So I am now legal to race. ‘God help us’, as my dad says.

As an international model, how ofen do you go for a drive?

Well, modelling is only part of what I do. I also review cars for GQ.com and if it wasn’t for them, I’d still drive a lot, anyway. Driving is my relaxation. If I’m travelling or on location afer location, if I’ve time, I’ll hire a car and drive off for a day or so. I did that recently in California on location and drove down the Highway 1.

What car best represents classic British style?

I think people interpret British style as old luxury. They see the ‘quintessential’ British style as leather seats and wood throughout and handmade – brands such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin all seemed to live up to this... But this is no longer the case. At last,

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most British car companies have made some huge investments and have shown what we can engineer.

Jaguar, though, stands out for me at the moment. They are taking on car giants Audi [Volkswagen Group] and Mercedes, and not just focusing on one segment but

‘I’ve actually just got my racing licence. Jaguar kindly paid for me to take the test at Goodwood.

So I am now legal to race. “God help us”, as my dad says’ producing mid-sized cars, luxury cars, GTs – and, in most cases, producing the best cars in those segments.

How did you come to work on the new Jaguar F-Type?

I have driven and worked with Jaguar for many years; I always have been and always will be a Jaguar man…

I’ve also always wanted to be part of the process of launching a car, and Jaguar asked me to be an F-Type Ambassador. I’m a huge advocate for Britain, especially its engineering. The F-Type [launching in late 2012/2013] is a return to Jaguar’s bread and butter; a true two-seater sports car, like the historic XKs and E-Types.

Jaguar has built some of the most beautiful sports cars over the last 75 years. The F-Type will show what Jaguar can do and has always done well, which is produce cars that are ultra-precise, powerful, sensual and unique.

Do you have a particular dream car that you suspect might always remain a fantasy?

I doubt I will ever own a Jaguar 1957 XKSS. The XKSS was the road-going version of the racing D-Type. Only 16 were produced and I’m not sure how many still exist.

I imagine their value now at auction must be £5 million and upwards. So a little out of my budget.

Who else in the fashion world is a secret petrol-head?

Yasmin Le Bon. We sat next to each other at a fashion show once and both of us had car magazines in our bags.

Now, whenever we see each other, we talk about motoring. So she became just that little bit more perfect.

You review cars for GQ. Is it hard to get into a car now without judging every aspect of it?

I’ve always judged cars and had strong opinions about not only the mechanical side, but also the brand and what the car represents. GQ is not a motoring magazine so the review can’t be too technical or motoring-based.

The article has to appeal to non-petrol-heads and that’s where I try to add humour and something extra.

You’re currently restoring a Mercedes 190SL. Does it make you feel unfaithful to British cars?

I will own classic British too, one day. I want to restore an original Mini next and you can’t get more British than that. I’ve always dreamt of owning a classic 300SL Gullwing, but these have increased in price so much that the 190SL, which was out the same year and on the same production line, was the best compromise. The right car came up at the right time and I took the opportunity.

Do you get under the bonnet and get your hands dirty? Millions of women are wishing you did...

I wish I had the time, but getting my hands dirty and learning about the mechanics of cars is something I have not had the chance to do. In many ways, unless you have a classic car, it’s impossible now. Car engines are controlled by electronics and ECUs now more than ever, but maybe that’s just my excuse.

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