21 minute read
Discoveries
CURATED HOME SPACES FOR BESPOKE COLLECTIONS
Creating space for your collectibles—exquisite art, luxe fashion, vintage wine, and fine autos—requires an expert in the house-hunting process and design. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network members understand the needs of the luxury connoisseur. For those who enjoy life’s finest pursuits, here’s what to consider when searching for your dream home.
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As with many other collectibles, sunlight is the enemy of art pieces. Avoid direct UV exposure; to illuminate your works, use LED lighting with adjustable fixtures that can change the direction of the beam if pieces are moved. Today’s collectors are moving away from assigning a dedicated room to display their art collection; instead, architects are ensuring that most walls in the house are capable of displaying pieces, giving homeowners the ultimate freedom in deciding where best to place their prized possessions. Impressive vintage and high-end clothing and accessories deserve to be showcased accordingly. Ensure your closet works for you and your clothes by optimizing the space and positioning your apparel where you can view them. To mitigate the risk of damaging seasonal wardrobe items such as skiwear, jackets, or boots, avoid storing in attics or basements; instead, opt for dry and airy spaces, free of sunlight. When storing watches, ensure they are padded appropriately, stored face up, and with space between each item.
3 WINE
With temperature being the most important factor in maintaining the quality of a wine collection, aficionados should consider storing their bottles in a temperaturecontrolled setting. Modern systems connect to your smartphone and detect/correct fluctuations that can be potentially harmful to your vintage collection. It is also essential to protect your wares from sunlight and vibration; if possible, choose a room without windows and avoid keeping appliances like washing machines nearby.
4 AUTOS
To ensure your favorite autos stay pristine and fully operational, consider their storage environment. Avoid concrete or ceramic flooring; instead, choose PVC or metallic epoxy—these are more durable, easier to clean, and help prevent moisture build-ups. Install wall and overhead storage to free up floor space, and opt for LED over fluorescent lighting. If your garage size is holding you back from adding to your collection, a range of car lifts are available that can effectively double inventory space.
Learn more at www.bhhs.com/luxury-collection and stay updated on all things luxury at @bhhsluxury.
hree weeks before French president Emmanuel
TMacron ordered COVID-19 confinement in 2020, French jewelry designer Aurélie Bidermann moved into an 18th-century flat on the Left Bank with her young daughter. Having all those months at home gave Bidermann time to meditate on the 3,200-square-foot south-facing space—to understand the light, the flow, and the energy. Confinement, she said, “allowed me to do the apartment as I wanted.”
And what she wanted—most especially during such a trying time—was something full of delight, like her work. For more than 20 years, Bidermann has designed jewelry that is witty and whimsical; during a recent visit, she showed some favorite pieces, including pomegranate earrings decorated with tiny rubies and pale pink diamonds, clover earrings with soft pink sapphires, and scarab earrings with vibrant green tsavorite garnets. Her clients have included Gwyneth Paltrow, Sofia Coppola, and Beyoncé, and she has created runway commissions for the likes of New York fashion designer Jason Wu.
Now Bidermann is moving into tableware. For the French style platform Holiday Paris, she has decorated Paul Arnhold glassware with small splashes of pink, like cherry blossom petals. And for the French decor start-up Waww La Table, she has designed linens hand-embroidered with her signature insouciant motifs, such as apple-laden trees, golden wheat with buzzing bumblebees, and clovers with ladybugs.
Parisian by birth and a member of an eminent French fashion family—her grandfather and uncle manufactured menswear for, among others, Yves Saint Laurent, Courrèges,
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1. ATOP A VINTAGE MOROCCAN RUG, TWIN SOFAS FROM GALERIE MAY FLANK THE SALON’S FIREPLACE; SWING-ARM LAMP BY MATHIEU MATÉGOT AND COCKTAIL TABLE BY BIDERMANN WITH ALESSANDRO SCOTTO. 2. THE STAINLESSSTEEL KITCHEN.
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1. BIDERMANN’S DAUGHTER’S BEDROOM IS A RHAPSODY OF PRETTY HUES AND PATTERNS, WITH BRAQUENIÉ CURTAIN AND WALL FABRICS. 2. IN THE PRIMARY BEDROOM, WALL FABRIC FROM JULES & JIM. 3. THE DINING AREA.
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Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren—Bidermann grew up across the Seine, in the posh 16th arrondissement. The Bidermann seat was filled with Art Nouveau and Art Deco furniture and Symbolist paintings. Her parents were “great collectors,” she said, who spent hours scouring galleries, auctions, and the Paris flea markets. “On weekends, we’d be at the flea market by 8 a.m., when vendors were still unloading the trucks and station wagons, to see what they had,” she recalled. On Sunday afternoons, the Bidermanns opened their home to friends—“mostly gallerists and dealers,” she said. “I bathed in this milieu.”
Bidermann studied art history in London and Paris, and worked for Sotheby’s in New York and Paris. “I saw marvels come and go,” she said. She went back to school, to study gemology in Anvers and jewelry design at the prestigious Haute École de Joaillerie in Paris. In the early 2000s, she traveled to Jaipur, where, with the encouragement of fellow French jewelry designer Marie-Héléne de Taillac, Bidermann created her first collection, at the Gem Palace. She quickly made a name for herself, with two boutiques in Paris and, for a time, two in New York City. In 2015, she sold a minority stake to private investors; she has since stepped away from the brand after it was wholly acquired.
Her decor captures all of those eras and moods. Her mahogany four-poster bed is from her childhood. Next to her dining table is a jaunty floor lamp by midcentury designer Georges Jouve, with colorful ceramic cactus pots and tiki-barlike straw lampshades. “It’s very tropical and fun,” she said. In her vanilla salon, she has dusty-pink velvet sofas, a trio of glass urns by Gio Ponti, loads of cheerful paintings, and a mirrored cabinet by French modernist Jacques Adnet to reflect it all. Her office features a large coral-pink lacquer desk that she “found ages ago in New York,” topped with scarlet lamps by David Hicks. A hallway, meanwhile, is lined with candid black-and-white family portraits by Bidermann’s friend photographer Pamela Hanson. “The goal is to feel good, and comfortable,” she explained, taking it all in. “It is very happy, isn’t it?” aureliebidermann.com —DANA THOMAS
ARCHITECTURE
Ground-Up Change
In France, Louis Vuitton’s new Oratoire atelier signals sustainable ambitions for the storied luxury brand
ustainability in fashion doesn’t only mean
Ssourcing green materials or embracing circularity. Factories and workshops can—and should be—eco-friendly too. Which is why Louis Vuitton is reconceiving the design of its leather ateliers with environmental impact in mind. The first in this initiative is Oratoire, a 65,000-squarefoot single-story bioclimatic building in the Loir-et-Cher region of central France.
of eco-design: recycled metal for the structure; recycled
wood for the walls (to absorb machine noise); solar panels on the roof, which generate enough energy to power the
temperature-activated louvers that allow wind to circulate through the space without blowing papers off desks. The
and reservoirs that also nurture local biodiversity.
As in villas of ancient Rome, the subflooring has pipes that circulate water to heat the building in the winter and cool it in the summer. A bank of 20-foot-tall windows faces north, bathing the workshop with diffused natural light; the southern (and therefore warmer) façade has fewer and smaller windows, and is shaded by trees. The goal of the company’s in-house architecture team was
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1. ORATOIRE, LOUIS VUITTON’S LATEST ATELIER, MARKS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF SUSTAINABLE NEW WORKSHOPS. 2–3. CAPUCINES HANDBAG AND MAHJONG TRUNK BY LOUIS VUITTON.
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1-2. CHARLIE SNEAKER BOOT AND THE NEW LV TRAINER, BOTH MADE FROM 90 PERCENT RECYCLED AND BIO-SOURCED MATERIALS. 3. LEATHER GOODS MID-CONSTRUCTION. 4. OVERHANGS AND SLIM WINDOWS LIMIT THE SUN’S IMPACT ON THE BUILDING’S TEMPERATURE.
to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the building—not easy, since sewing machines generate heat—by using natural cooling methods rather than air-conditioning, which is environmentally problematic on a host of levels, including energy consumption and fluorocarbon emissions. As a result, Oratoire’s energy usage is half that of existing Louis Vuitton ateliers. “Modular and agile, the atelier Oratoire is the image of our new generation of workshops,” Louis Vuitton chairman and CEO Michael Burke said at the ribbon-cutting.
It is also a cornerstone for Our Committed Journey, Louis Vuitton’s program to improve its environmental performance and reduce its carbon footprint by embracing circular creativity on every front. In the 168 years since it was founded, Louis Vuitton has produced quality leather goods that last for generations. Now the company is applying that same ethos to everything from fashion shows to boutique design. At the Met Gala in New York City in May, Louis Vuitton dressed several guests in vintage archival pieces, thereby encouraging re-wear (an easy circular practice) on the red carpet. For years, the company has incorporated certified eco-practices, such as renewable energy and LED lighting, in its store designs. By 2025, Louis Vuitton has pledged to reuse or recycle all
Boca’s New Golden Era
South Florida hosts an excess of glamorous resorts, but few are as storied as The Boca Raton. Af ter a recent $200 million facelift, this fabled architectural gem has been dramatically polished to shine brighter than ever in its new Golden Era.
The Boca Raton is set on 200 waterfront acres between an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary and a private half-mile stretch of beach—an ideal setting to bask in the natural wonders of the Sunshine State. Resting at the heart of the resort is the Cloister, a magnifi cent Mediterranean Revival building designed in 1926 by famed Florida architect Addison Mizner. While the property opened its doors as the Ritz Carlton Cloister Inn, the following decades would see new restaurants, rooms, and hotels added to the prestigious compound, leading it to be renamed the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Thanks to an extensive renovation spearheaded by celebrated architect David Rockwell, the resort’s recent metamorphosis into The Boca Raton might be its glitziest iteration yet. Included in The Boca Raton’s revamp was a top-to-bottom restoration of the Cloister—its most iconic building—to its original splendor. Even the façade was repainted to the original coastal white from its former fl amingo pink hue. Despite the attention to preserving the buildings’ historical integrity, contemporary Rockwell-infl ected touches can be spotted throughout, like limestone fl oors, cast-iron light fi xtures, and dark gray lacquer. It could be said that the resort actually comprises fi ve upscale hotels, each with its own distinct vibe and character. But with a slew of new draws, from a lavish destination spa to a growing collection of restaurant concepts, a singular experience at The Boca Raton has been born. Here’s how to enjoy the best of it.
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1 The resort’s grounds seamlessly strike a balance between posh and inviting. 2 The new Harborside Pool Club boasts three pools, a lazy river, water slides, and more. 3 MB Supper Club aims to recreate the ambiance of the golden age of supper clubs.
G E T I N TH E GA M E
Lounging on the private beach sure is tempting, but you’ll want to take advantage of all the opportunities for outdoor recreation on the water and on the green. From the 18-hole golf course to the Racquet Club’s 16 tennis courts and four pickleball courts—plus numerous watersport off erings—raising your pulse is the name of the game.
E NTE R D E S TI N ATI O N W E LLN E S S
Indulge in a nourishing ritual at the Spa Palmera, the resort’s extravagant wellness center. Modeled af ter Spain’s grandiose Alhambra Palace, the 50,000-square-foot spa was styled by celebrity designer Colin Cowie with impeccable attention to detail. Arrive early to relax in the Great Hall or new Himalayan salt room, then emerge from your therapy into the garden to soak in the pleasant aromas of jasmine and wisteria poolside.
R E A DY, S E T, E AT
With over a dozen dining outlets, including a quartet of signature restaurants from the acclaimed Major Food Group, The Boca Raton is already a smash hit with gourmands. Guests can stay for a week and never have the same meal. Enjoy a brunch bacchanalia at Sadelle’s, an Italian feast at Principessa Ristorante, or go for a retro chophouse dinner at The Flamingo Grill. The Boca Raton has it all.
With the Venture X card from Capital One, you earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on fl ights when you book through Capital One Travel. What’s in your wallet?
REATH DESIGN’S FRANCES MERRILL (LEFT) WITH JOHANNES PAUWEN (CENTER) AND MICHAELE SIMMERING (RIGHT) OF KALON STUDIOS AND THEIR REINTERPRETED RUGOSA COLLECTION.
DEBUT
Strange Bedfellows
In the complexity-and-contradiction department, Frances Merrill of Reath Design has joined forces with Michaele Simmering and Johannes Pauwen of Kalon Studios on a capsule collection that marries the AD100 designer’s signature aesthetic of giddy color and pattern with Kalon’s exquisitely distilled furniture forms. Finding harmony in tension, Merrill has reimagined three pieces from Kalon’s planar Rugosa line with collaged upholstery treatments utilizing, among other fabrics, a 1960s Alexander Girard stripe, a 1930s Rose Cumming chintz, and a late-19th-century floral print from Claremont’s Warner Textile Archive collection. “The original inspiration for Rugosa was my family’s summer house in Rhode Island, a place that evolved organically over years, with lots of seemingly discordant styles, colors, and ideas,” explains Simmering. “Frances’s fabric treatments dovetail neatly with that story and underscore our belief that our work can flex into different kinds of spaces and appeal to different tastes.” Adds Merrill: “We wanted to evoke the feeling of generational accumulation, the way a great family home accumulates over time. Just because you have modern furniture doesn’t mean you can’t throw chintz into the mix. Why choose when you can have both?” kalonstudios.com —MAYER RUS
FINISHING TOUCHES FUN HANG
Nathalie du Pasquier, the French-born, Milan-based painter (you know her as a founder of the irreverent ����s design movement the Memphis Group), has now taken her superb sense of color and composition to a surprising staple: coat hooks! In a new collaboration with the Danish brand Raawii, she tapped European artisans to realize wooden wall-mounted racks in three sizes and color combos. Jackets everywhere rejoice. raawii.eu —HANNAH MARTIN
Discover Detroit’s Architectural Heritage
Housing some of America’s most notable 20th-Century skyscrapers, it’s a place every design lover needs to see
A city long steeped in the history and culture that helped build the nation, Detroit is among this country’s most important metropolises. Situated in the southeastern region of Michigan along the banks of the Detroit River, it was founded at the turn of the 18th century by a French trader who dubbed it “Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit” (détroit is the French word for “straight”). Perhaps best known as the birthplace of both the modern automobile and Motown Records, the sights and sounds of the past shape modern-day life here at every turn. What may be lesser known about this vibrant hub—but no less impressive—is its deep architectural roots. Getting to know the city’s tallest treasures means turning to those in the know for a guided tour. Detroit natives Bo Shepherd and Kyle Dubay, co-founders of Woodward Throwbacks—an interior design and furniture studio that focuses on reclaimed materials— are just the insiders to ask to reveal the city’s best-kept gems: the buildings that should be on every visitor’s (and resident’s) must-see list.
“People don’t know that Detroit has such a great architectural history,” Dubay says. “Detroit has the best collection of 20thcentury skyscrapers in the country. As people come here, they realize how beautiful it is.”
The partners (in both business and life) have a short list, naturally. First up: The Fisher Building. “It’s also known as Detroit’s largest art object,” Shepherd says. Every pillar is a different stone, she
Bo Shepherd & Kyle Duba Woodward Throwbacks Ladder 4 Wine Bar & Store
notes, showcasing 52 different types of marble from all over the world. Another of their go-to icons is The Guardian Building, a landmark skyscraper that features “one of the boldest examples of Art Deco,” claims Dubay. For a bit of inspiration found both inside and out, the pair frequent Eldorado General Store, a curated collection of locally-made curio, vintage clothing, and accessories—all housed in an 1870s flat-iron building. While Shepherd and Dubay have a profound appreciation for Detroit’s long architectural legacy, they’re also working toward building a part of its future while preserving its past. Using salvaged pieces is a key part of their approach. The pair added their signature touch to Ladder 4, a wine bar housed in a former firehouse, by repurposing marble from an elementary school bathroom for a 40-foot-long bar and café tables. In another example of adaptive reuse, the two saved marble from the recently renovated Book Tower, a historic Italian Renaissance building completed in 1926, to use for their new furniture line. “Our furniture has soul. It has a story, and the story and history of this rich city are really important to share,” Shepherd says.
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1–2. VILLA FARNESE, A 16TH-CENTURY ESTATE OUTSIDE ROME. 3. THE PROPERTY’S GARDEN, AN INSPIRATION FOR BULGARI HIGH JEWELRY CREATIVE DIRECTOR LUCIA SILVESTRI. 4–5. EMERALD ARCHWAY EARRINGS AND NECKLACE FROM THE NEW BULGARI EDEN: THE GARDEN OF WONDERS COLLECTION.
INSPIRATION
Blooming Genius
Bulgari looks to an iconic Italian estate for its latest high jewelry triumphs
talian Renaissance gardens swagger: bold architectonic
Ihedges, cypress trees that tower like exclamation points, sparkling stone fountains that jet, spray, and splash. The jewelry fashioned by Bulgari possesses similarly dynamic qualities, which explains why the luxury brand’s colorful baubles have become badges of honor among women with an attitude, such as superstars Elizabeth
Taylor, Gina Lollobrigida, and Sharon Stone. So it only makes sense that the legendary Rome-based firm, launched in 1884 by Greek-born master silversmith Sotirio Bulgari, would step outdoors for inspiration. Cultivated by Lucia Silvestri, the company’s award-winning creative director for high jewelry, Bulgari Eden: The Garden of Wonders is a dolce vita collection that fuses those aesthetic codes into a lapidary salute to Madre Natura, with artful evocations of everything from fruits to foliage to serpents. One of the prizes of the 140-piece trove is the Emerald Archway necklace, a tour de force ornament that expertly channels the grandeur of the gardens of Villa Farnese—an iconic estate near Rome that was created in the early 16th century for the future Pope Paul III—into a river of glittering gems. “The Farnese Gardens are an extraordinary demonstration of humankind’s ability to beautify nature through creativity and mastery,” says Silvestri. “We wanted to re-create the harmonious bond between the gardens and architecture.” The necklace’s centerpiece is an 11.01-carat cushion-cut Colombian emerald nestled between cascades of L-shape elements, all studded with myriad diamonds that echo the expertly scissored greenery in the villa’s geometric parterre garden. Drape it in place, close the clasp, and—presto!— you’re a modern-day Eve. bulgari.com —MITCHELL OWENS
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1. THE FRONT FAÇADE OF PALAZZO RALPH LAUREN IN MILAN, A 1941 EDIFICE BY ARCHITECT MINO FIOCCHI. 2. RALPH LAUREN HOME’S MOORE CENTER HALL TABLE, FROM THE FALL 2022 PALAZZO COLLECTION. 3. THE BRAND’S MILBANK CHEST OF DRAWERS FEATURES HAND-CARVED DETAILS AND A MAHOGANY VENEER.
with expert know-how at the core of each design. “I have long been inspired by the romance and timeless beauty of Milan—its winding cobblestone streets, the patina of its ancient façades, and its rich heritage of artisanal craftsmanship,” says the fashion legend. “When we discovered our palazzo in the late ’90s, I knew I had found our home in Milan.”
References for the Palazzo collection expanded to run the international gamut. Whereas the Montaigne console pays homage to French Rococo (think cabriole legs, hand-gilded foliate relief ), the Elsworth bar cabinet is a classic ode to Italy, incorporating walnut, maple, ebony, and mahogany inlay as marquetry. Fabrics tell their own story, ranging from classic tartans to bold zebra prints. Other highlights include the Falaise chandelier—a grand branching beauty rendered in natural brass—and the Bradburn chesterfield, a slender riff on the English sofa that breaks from the marshmallow heft and rolled arms of its traditional predecessor.
They’re the sort of pieces one might easily mistake for generations-olds heirlooms, which is precisely the spirit of the collection overall. Quality and authenticity—both to history and to the brand—form through lines. It’s a commitment Ralph Lauren will continue in Milan, where the company opened a European flagship, complete with The Bar at Ralph Lauren, on Via della Spiga last November. And plans are already under way for the city’s design week next year. In other words: The Italian job, part two. ralphlauren.com —SAM COCHRAN
DETAIL ORIENTED
Gravitational Force
Van Cleef & Arpels reimagines the solar system for its dazzling galaxy of bespoke objects
Tenriching our appreciation of the universe. And today, Van Cleef & Arpels is continuing in that starry-eyed tradition. On the heels of its astronomy-themed 2021 high jewelry collection, the luxury house has unveiled the Planétarium automaton: a one-of-a-kind kinetic treasure depicting the planets, sun, and moon.
Let ’s call it out of this world. Thanks to the brand’s innovative watchmaking technology, each celestial body moves at its actual speed of rotation. Rendered in chrysocolla, emeralds, tourmalines, and tsavorite garnets, an exquisite Earth, for instance, takes 365 days to round a gem-encrusted sun, all the while being circled (over 29.5 days) by an opal moon. Across this microcosm galaxy, a moonstone Mercury, an agate Venus, a carnelian Mars, a chalcedony Jupiter, and a jasper Saturn likewise travel along their orbits in a feat of mechanical choreography, accompanied 3 by a custom melody. Setting it all in 4 motion is a shooting star that appears from a hidden door whenever the mechanism is engaged.
The Planétarium automaton is one of three new additions to Van Cleef ’s pantheon of bespoke objects, which have quietly complemented its legendary jewelry and timepieces since the brand was founded in 1906. Noted commissions have included an enameled-gold replica of one socialite’s yacht that doubled as a butler’s bell, and a vivarium of gold, lapis lazuli, and coral that served as a home wfor a maharaja’s frog. Heavens, Van Cleef has seen it all.
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1. THE VAN CLEEF & ARPELS PLANÉTARIUM AUTOMATON. 2. RINGS OF GOLD, SAPPHIRES, AND DIAMONDS ON THE JASPER SATURN. 3. THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE PERPETUAL-CALENDAR TECHNOLOGY. 4. THE SUN’S CORE. 5. FROM VAN CLEEF’S ARCHIVE, A CIRCA 1906 REPLICA OF THE VARUNA YACHT COMMISSIONED BY SOCIETY FIGURE EUGENE HIGGINS.
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1. TABLES SET WITH GEE’S BEND QUILTS AT DETROIT’S DABLS MBAD AFRICAN BEAD MUSEUM. 2. ONE OF SEVEN QUILTS BY LORETTA PETTWAY BENNETT. 3. HAND-PAINTED CINDER BLOCKS AND ANTIQUE SILVER.
BOOKS
Life of the Party
Loretta Pettway Bennett belongs to a legendary group of makers in Boykin (a.k.a. Gee’s Bend), Alabama, where locals have assembled fabric scraps into improvisational quilts for generations. But on a not too distant evening, her work laid the foundation for community some 800 miles north. At Detroit’s Dabls Mbad African Bead Museum, a space dedicated to African culture, seven of her quilts were draped across outdoor tables, their geometric patterns perfect complements to the mosaic façades of the campus’s N’kisi House. Cinder blocks hand-painted by museum founder Olayami Dabls doubled as vases, mixing with 18th-century silver platters from Bolivia and Peru as well as everyday lawn chairs and drinks coolers. That banquet is one of 18 superlative scenes created for At the Artisan’s Table (Vendome Press), a visually transporting forthcoming tome by Jane Schulak, the founder of Culture Lab Detroit, and party maestro David Stark that explores the intersection of art, craft, and entertaining. Featured artisans range from Roberto Lugo—he made plate portraits specifically for the book—to Max Lamb, whose basalt crockery can also be found at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. “What we make defines who we are,” says Schulak. “Material culture is a celebration of civilization at that time. Each chapter tells those stories.” —SAM COCHRAN
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1 4253 FINISHING TOUCHES GLASS MENAGERIE
When it comes to high-concept tables, the tumbler makes the meal
1. IKAT-PRINTED TUMBLER BY LES OTTOMANS; $145 FOR FOUR. MATCHESFASHION.COM. 2. CASCA GLASS; $29. FERM LIVING.COM. 3. TWIST TUMBLER; $65. LANDOFBELLE.COM. 4. ORANGE GLASS; $42. MARIN MONTAGUT.COM. 5. CANNE TUMBLER; $137. LAGUNAB.COM.
