The otherworldly
We make diamonds using four natural ingredients, the sun, wind, rain and something we have too much of, atmospheric carbon. In doing so, our technology turns a negative into a positive.
Now that we can mine the sky, we never need to mine the earth again.
8 THE GLOSSARY EDIT
The season’s most joyous finds
11 ARTS & CULTURE
London’s don’t-miss art exhibitions
20 THE BIG PICTURE
Serpentine CEO Bettina Korek on the capital’s contemporary arts scene
Style
25 FASHION NOTES
Style updates and the latest feel-good buys
28 DRESS TO IMPRESS
Model, muse, musician… Daphne Guinness’s creative journey
36 BAG CHECK
Shop the autumn handbag trends for 2023
39 RED ALERT
The boldest, brightest pieces in the hue of the season
40 WATCH & JEWELLERY NOTES
The latest launches and most covetable pieces
42 HAUTE FANTASIA
Dazzling highlights from the high jewellery couture collections
51 THE LIFE AQUATIC
The mermaidcore jewellery making waves
52 TRUE COLOURS
Time for a dopamine hit with these joyous rainbow-bright watches
56 BEAUTY NOTES
The new cult products and trends to try
58 CHANGE YOUR SPOTS
Alessandra Steinherr on the best skincare ingredients for hyperpigmentation
62 SCENTS OF AUTUMN
Fragrances to spritz this season
The Fashion Issue cover star, muse-model-musician Daphne Guinness, is the indisputable queen of haute couture, as renowned for her unsurpassable private collection of clothes and fierce support of the most gifted of designers as she is for her platinum-and-black striped chignon and vertiginous platform shoes.
Daphne has teamed up with two fashion greats: visionary photographer Nick Knight and fashion writer and curator Alexander Fury on the music video for her latest single Hip Neck Spine, in which she wears a series of breathtaking looks from her extensive archive. With an art exhibition at SHOWstudio in Chelsea celebrating this alliance, we hear from Daphne about her love of couture and working collaboratively on her latest creative project.
With Fashion Week in September and a packed schedule of home-grown talent and brilliant designers on the horizon, London’s fashion-city status shines brighter than ever. Apt, then, that a series of blockbuster fashion exhibitions is opening across the capital’s leading galleries. There’s REBEL at the Design Museum, a celebration of the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN programme; The Missing Thread, Somerset House’s exploration into Black British culture’s role in fashion design history, and Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto at the V&A, a show dedicated to the legacy of the French couturière. We bring you the inside track on what to expect.
Style is woven through this issue. Jewellery editor Kim Parker shares her highlights from this year’s haute joaillerie presentations in Paris, where the couture gems and artistry were as dazzling as ever. Plus, we look at the bright new face of luxury watches and the contemporary bag brands that are turning innovation on its head, as well as the boldest beauty, lifestyle, design and - of course - fashion trends for the season ahead.
Enjoy the issue.
Charlotte Adsett, Editorial DirectorTHE GL OSSARY TEAM
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Charlotte Adsett charlotte@theglossarymagazine.com
EDITOR: Harriet Cooper harriet@theglossarymagazine.com
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Luciana Bellini luciana@theglossarymagazine.com
WATCH & JEWELLERY EDITOR: Kim Parker CONTRIBUTING FASHION EDITOR: Flora Macdonald Johnston
BEAUTY DIRECTOR: Alessandra Steinherr
RESTAURANT EDITOR: Hilary Armstrong INTERIORS EDITOR: Amy Moorea Wong SUB EDITOR: Susie Wong
ART DIRECTOR & MANAGING DIRECTOR: Ray Searle ray@theglossarymagazine.com
FINANCE MANAGER: Amanda Clayton accounts@theglossarymagazine.com
PRODUCTION MANAGER: George Willis production@theglossarymagazine.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS: subscriptions@theglossarymagazine.com
EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES: editorial@theglossarymagazine.com
Clio Peppiatt Heart Quartz Bag, £375 Fall in love with the LFW designer’s heart-shaped bag, hand-embellished with recycled acrylic beads. cliopeppiatt.co.uk
Della Vite Prosecco D.O.C. Rosé Millesimato 2021, £22
Della Vite’s Prosecco Rosé - with a nose of berries, rhubarb and cherry blossom - is sure to bring fi zz to this season’s chicest soirees. dellavite.com
Dioriviera Eau de Parfum, £245 Francis Kurkdjian’s first fragrance for the fashion house is a floral-fruity ode to the south of France. dior.com
Tudor Black Bay 54, £3,030
A new, chic spin on the brand’s first ever diving watch. tudorwatch.com
Gucci Link to Love Collection, from £790
The house’s love-inspired jewellery capsule gives new meaning to romancing the stone. gucci.com
If Only If Pandora Nightgown, £135
The frilly nightgown trend continues with British, slow fashion label If Only If’s dreamworthy floaty nighties. ifonlyif.co.uk
Chanel Couleur Collection, from £36 Go kaleidoscopic with these limited-edition makeup accessories available in nine covetable colours. chanel.com
La DoubleJ Murano Glasses, from £350 for a set of two Bring colour to cocktail hour with glassware in every shade of the rainbow. net-a-porter.com
Until 24 September
The term ‘Hottentot Venus’ was coined to sell tickets to see Sarah Baartman, a South African woman who was enslaved and paraded in public around Europe in the 19th century. Hence the name of this must-see exhibition, which explores the othering, objectification and complex narratives of Black women in visual culture over the years. Curator Aindrea Emelife juxtaposes centuries-old archival imagery with over 40 modern-day works to show how contemporary artists are challenging the stereotypical depictions of Black femininity, showcasing all that Black womanhood can be and always has been. somersethouse.org.uk
26 October - 28 April 2024
A deep-dive into the notions of beauty across time and cultures, exploring three themes: The Ideals of Beauty, The Industry of Beauty and Subverting Beauty. New commissions, contemporary artworks and archival material - from an ancient Egyptian mirror through to modern-day works by photographer Juno Calypso and a multisensory commission Beauty Sensorium - invite the visitor to consider beauty in a different light. wellcomecollection.org
Don’t Miss
V&A
Until 7 April 2024
The V&A’s major blockbuster is anything but understated. This is an exhibition that celebrates the courage, creativity and ambition of the diva from the 19th century to the present day. A glittering display of fashion, photography, music and design - including costumes worn by Maria Callas, Cher, Elton John and Marilyn Monroe - and theatrical staging brings to life the powerful and personal stories of some of the most iconic performers of their day. vam.ac.uk
Until 20 January 2024
An exploration of artificial intelligence and its impact on our lives, looking at who holds the power in technological advancement, as well as how humans might take more collective ownership. The exhibition also examines AI’s role in healthcare, algorithms and the imagination of a futurist utopia with robots. london.sciencegallery.com
Cher, Elton John and Diana Ross at Rock Awards Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1975; Photo: Mark Sullivan/Contour by Getty Images
TATE BRITAIN
28 September - 14 January 2024
One of the YBAs who emerged in the early 1990s, Sarah Lucas has always been celebrated for her bold, playfully provocative use of materials and imagery. This must-see survey brings together more than 75 works, starting with her early sculptures which often incorporated domestic furniture (her use of chairs and her depiction of seated figures has a central role in the exhibition) to brand new pieces seen here for the first time, as well as a series of large-scale photographs of the artist, including the well-known portrait Eating a Banana - all exploring the human body, mortality and the quintessentially British experiences of sex, class and gender. tate.org.uk
Until 24 September
Once described by New York Times art critic Hilton Kramer as “the most famous unknown photographer in America”, this is the first UK solo exhibition of Evelyn Hofer (1922-2009). The retrospective charts the German-American photographer’s 45 years of image-making, which took her from Wales to Washington, London to New York. Whether photographing a waitress at the Garrick Club, gravediggers in Dublin, or Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner, Hofer’s largeformat portraits were always carefully-considered and sympathetic in their depiction, showing attention to detail and an expressive use of colour. Her landscapes, cityscapes, still lifes and domestic interiors further add to this must-see display. thephotographersgallery.org.uk
16 September - 26 November
As part of its current season, which centres on the theme of labour, Queercircle is holding an exhibition by Polish sculptural ceramicist Rafal Zajko. The centrepiece is a monumental suspended sculpture of a swinging pendulum, created to explore the subject of industrialisation and its relation to working-class heritage and queer identities. Three additional free-standing sculptures will drip artificial sweat throughout the day, in reference to the poor working conditions of factory employees. queercircle.org
Queensboro Bridge, New York 1964, Evelyn Hofer © Estate of Evelyn Hofer, courtesy Galerie m, Bochum, Germany
Harlem Church, New York 1964, Evelyn Hofer © Estate of Evelyn Hofer, courtesy Galerie m, Bochum, Germany
Sarah Lucas, COOL CHICK BABY, 2020 Collection of Alexander V. Petalas. Courtesy the artist and Sadie Coles HQ, London © Sarah Lucas
Sarah Lucas Red Sky Dah 2018 . Kurimanzutto, Mexico City / New York. Courtesy the artist and Sadie Coles HQ, London
Until 28 January 2024
Francis Bacon, Peter Doig, Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Paulina Olowska, Lisa Brice, Hiroshi Sugimoto… just a few of the artists whose work has been curated for this must-see exhibition. Exploring the dynamic between contemporary painting and photography, it looks at how the brush and the lens have inspired and influenced each other over the years, and how they’ve converged. tate.org.uk
Until 29 October
More than 30 years ago, the late Paula Rego - who was the National Gallery’s first associate artist - was commissioned to create a painting for the Sainsbury Wing Dining Room. This exhibition explores the relationship between the workcalled Crivelli’s Garden - and the 15th-century altarpiece by Italian artist Carlo Crivelli which inspired it, with both artworks displayed together for the first time, inviting viewers to draw out comparisons. nationalgallery.org.uk
Crivelli’s Garden II, 1990-1991 © Ostrich Arts Ltd. Photo: The National Gallery, London
SAATCHI GALLERY
Until 17 September
Saatchi Gallery’s must-see show - which has toured in major museums across Korea, China, Australia, New Zealand, France and Italy - comprises 350 original prints by 150 contemporary photographers. All of them address themes around contemporary civilisation, with the artists exploring global societies today and humankind’s always-changing and forever complex life in the 21st century, covering every corner of the globe. saatchigallery.com
THE COURTAULD GALLERY
29 September14 January 2024
Figurative artist Claudette Johnson, who is known for her larger-than-life drawings of Black women and men and who is one of the founding members of the Black British Art Movement, is the subject of a major exhibition at the Courtauld. Indeed, it’s the first monographic show of Johnson’s work at a major public gallery in London, with works from across her career giving a fascinating overview and a deeper understanding of her practice. courtauld.ac.uk
THE ESTORICK COLLECTION
20 September17 December
The Estorick Collection houses one of the finest displays of modern Italian art. This Autumn, the gallery celebrates the work of the pioneering photographer Lisetta Carmi (1924-2022). An artist and humanist, she focused her lens on the more marginalised sectors of society, such as the working-class and trans communities of her native Genoa, and this exhibition brings these striking images together, exploring the often overlooked aspects of Italian life and culture. estorickcollection.com
TOP: Lisetta Carmi, I travestiti, 1965-971, courtesy Galleria Martini & Ronchetti. BOTTOM: Lisetta Carmi, I travestiti, 1965-1971, courtesy Galleria Martini & Ronchetti.
From the fi rst major Coco Chanel retrospective to a show dedicated to London’s radical streak, these are the must-see fashion exhibitions to add to your calendar this season
MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS
13 October – 14 April 2024
From East End tailors and factories to the couture boutiques of the West End, this exhibition charts the contribution Jewish designers and retailers have made in shaping London as a global fashion city. Spanning from the late 19th century through the Swinging Sixties to the modern day, the displays of garments and textiles, ephemera and archival photography reveal the stories of the creators of some of the eras’ most recognisable looks. museumoflondon.org.uk
16 September –
11 February 2024
London has always been revered for its avant-garde take on fashion, and this new show - held in collaboration with the British Fashion Council - spotlights the rebellious, radical work of over 300 young designers, aka the NEWGEN alumni. Expect multiple groundbreaking creations, from Marjan Pejoski’s infamous swan dress worn by Björk at the 2001 Oscars to Christopher Kane’s revolutionary neon debut collection and the experimental sheer womenswear of Nensi Dojaka. designmuseum.org
V&A
16 September – 25 February 2024
This is the first-ever UK exhibition dedicated solely to the work and legacy of the pioneering French couturière. Delving into Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel’s archives, over 180 looks will be seen together in London for the first time to showcase the evolution of her legendary style and the establishment of the House of Chanel, from the opening of her first millinery boutique in Paris in 1910 to her final collection in 1971. vam.ac.uk
21 September – 7 January 2024
An exploration into the shifting landscape of Black British culture and the contribution it has made to Britain’s rich fashion design history, from the 1970s to the present day. A generation of Black creativity is celebrated through works by renowned and unsung names across art, design and, of course, fashion. The show concludes by spotlighting the late Joe Casely-Hayford OBE, presenting the first-ever major staging of pieces from the designer’s archive. somersethouse.org.uk
Until 14 January 2024
This season is a visual feast for aesthetes in London, with gallery reopenings and retrospectives, installations and immersive shows. One not to miss is Tate Modern’s major exhibition
A World in Common: Contemporary African Photography which celebrates the medium across the continent today.
Osei Bonsu, Tate’s curator of international art, has brought together 36 artists from different generations and geographies, arranging their work thematically to reflect perspectives on everything from Africa’s cultural heritage and spirituality to urbanisation and climate change. The hang sets out to challenge the conventional snapshot of a nation that has been broadly defined by
Western images ever since photography was invented in the 19th century.
“While photography is widely understood as a democratic and accessible medium, it has also been used as a tool to perpetuate colonial images and stereotypes of Africa,” Bonsu tells The Glossary exclusively. “The exhibition confronts this narrative, looking at Africa’s multiple histories and cultures to illuminate the role photography can play in changing the way we see the world. It addresses themes such as climate change, spirituality, and urbanism from the perspective of artists who are exploring Africa’s past, present and future.”
Around 150 works are on display, by artists who “have made important and innovative bodies of work. Given the
vast number of countries on the African continent, the aim wasn’t necessarily to ‘represent’ each country, but rather to reveal multiple perspectives on different themes and issues.”
And so you have photographers such as George Osodi and Zohra Opoku exploring anticolonial resistance and political revolt; while works by Maïmouna Guerresi and Em’kal Eyongakpa capture the importance of religions and spiritual practices, and Leonce Raphael Agbodjélou and Edson Chagas address West African masquerade and its role in cultural memory and collective identity.
In what is Bonsu’s personal exhibition highlight, the Family Portrait section celebrates the history of family portraiture in Africa, reflecting a search for identity and self-representation. Not least during the 1950s and 60s - a period when independence was sweeping across Africa - with the upsurge of studio photography reflecting the dreams of new nations. This is beautifully depicted by photographers such as James Barnor and Lazhar Mansouri, who photographed families and groups, often for the first time
“Growing up as a child of diaspora with mixed Ghanaian and British heritage, I have found that portraiture can be a way of rooting oneself in a deeper sense of history and belonging,” explains Bonsu. “Looking at the works of exhibition artists Atong Atem, Ruth Ossai and Hassan Hajjaj, I hope people feel inspired to celebrate their cultural heritage and identity no matter how near or far their loved ones may be.”
Environmental change and urbanisation across the continent are also a focus, with the likes of François-Xavier Gbré, Andrew Esiebo and Kiluanji Kia Henda looking at the metamorphosis of urban cityscapes, while themes of migration and climate activism are explored too.
“We’d like visitors to feel inspired to reimagine the role photography can play in reshaping our understanding of such important global and local issues,” concludes Bonsu. “We hope the exhibition is an opportunity to learn more about the many cultural, social and historical narratives that shape African experiences.”
tate.org.uk
“ e exhibition is an opportunity to learn more about the many cultural, social and historical narratives that shape African experiences”
Osei Bonsu
Having moved from her native LA to become CEO of Serpentine, Bettina Korek is now a pillar in London’s contemporary art scene. Here she talks collaboration, connectivity and why culture in the capital is thriving
Words HOLLY BLACK
Bettina Korek is an art-world powerhouse. For almost two decades the cultural innovator was a key fixture on the LA scene, not least setting up Frieze Los Angeles in 2019, before embarking on a new adventure in London to take on the auspicious role of CEO of Serpentine. “It was so wild. I arrived in March 2020, just as the country went into lockdown,” she tells me via video chat. Though she looks composed in her fail-safe all-black wardrobe, she is full of the warmth and friendliness typical of a Californian native, opening with a gracious “thank you for having me”.
She recalls those first days in the new job at the galleries, when she was staying with friends while searching for a more permanent base, and her only respite from remote working was a wander around the empty city. “It was a challenging time, and people asked me if I was going to move back [to LA], but I said of course not,” she explains. “I have always loved Serpentine because it has been at the forefront of artistic innovation. It informed my own ethos of collaboration, and I believe in building on the incredible legacy and helping it adapt to a changing context.”
Serpentine is certainly a unique institution. Set amongst Kensington Gardens, the two main exhibition sites are housed within stunning heritage buildings. The original South gallery has been showcasing the best in contemporary art for 50 years, while the more
recent North gallery is augmented by a spectacular restaurant extension by Zaha Hadid and a public art mural by the late Ghanaian painter Atta Kwami.
“It is a wonderful campus,” says Korek, who now lives close to the Gardens and enjoys the flow of parkgoers and art lovers at Serpentine, especially with the annual Pavilion commission creating a dedicated outdoor space. Each iteration is produced by an innovative architect and is designed for visitors to take pause, or engage in the expansive series of talks, performances and workshops programmed every summer. “I know what it takes to produce those pavilions,” she says, “and each one is an absolute miracle.”
The 22nd edition, open until 29 October, was conceived by Lina Ghotmeh. The Lebanese-born, Parisbased architect has created a circular structure from predominantly biosourced and low-carbon materials to reflect the natural surroundings of the park. While the exterior comprises panels laser-cut with leaf-like patterns, inside a modular table has been built
around the perimeter. “The title À table is a French call to gather at the table for a meal and the pavilion was very much inspired by Lina’s Mediterranean heritage, inviting people to convene and celebrate,” explains Korek. “During the day, visitors come and work, share a meal or hang out. Lina’s intention of encouraging new relationships to evolve and form is becoming a reality.”
The purpose of the structure certainly came into play at this year’s Serpentine Summer Party. Co-hosted by Korek (along with artistic director Hans Ulrich Obrist and Michael R. Bloomberg), the evening saw luminaries from the worlds of art, fashion, music, film, sports and business - from Lord Norman Foster and Anna Wintour to Yinka Shonibare, Venus
Williams and Diane Kruger - gather at the Pavilion to mingle and admire Ghotmeh’s work. “It really lent itself to the party, it has this incredible energy,” smiles Korek.
Unsurprisingly, work never stops for Korek and when not at Serpentine, or travelling the world to attend fairs, conferences, biennales and blockbuster exhibitions, she visits galleries closer to home. She is, she says, excited about the Turner Prize exhibition at Towner Eastbourne. Not least because finalist Rory Pilgrim has been nominated for their three-year Serpentine Civic project RAFTS, “a film, performance and soundscape work that considers how the climate crisis relates to support structures in our everyday lives,” explains Korek.
One of her favourite shows this year is David Hockney’s exhibition at Lightroom in King’s Cross. The immersive show features immense projections of Hockney’s paintings and iPad drawings, all of which are set to a musical score. “It was incredible,” Korek says. “It’s so interesting to see how he seamlessly embraces new technologies.”
“I have always loved Serpentine because it has been at the forefront of artistic innovation … I believe in building on the incredible legacy and helping it adapt to a changing context”OPPOSITE PAGE: Bettina Korek. Photo: Andrew Quinn. THIS PAGE: Serpentine North.
She has long admired Hockney’s work, not least because his canyon paintings remind her of her childhood, particularly the many car rides “over the hill” from the San Fernando Valley to Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which she would frequent with her graphic designer mother. “The first time I saw those paintings I thought, that’s my life!” she laughs. Links to the technological possibilities of creativity have been a recurring obsession for Korek. She still has the drawing and measuring tools her mother used in her design work before the digital age took hold. “It was so much more tactile back then,” she says. “The world couldn’t be more different now.”
That much is certainly true. Part of Korek’s mission for Serpentine is developing the ways that galleries can reach audiences through new platforms. Serpentine’s current exhibitions reflect this. The first is Third World: The Bottom Dimension, a multi-part project by Gabriel Massan in collaboration with other artists,
which runs until 22 October. Massan has built a video game exploring the Black-Brazilian experience as it intersects with the ramifications of colonialism. While the game can be played across the globe, the exhibition brings it to life - as well as playing the game in the gallery you can also view works from the artists involved.
“We’re trying to continue to present physical exhibitions that have elements that can be experienced from anywhere in the world. Massan is an incredible example of this,” says Korek. Has she played the game? “I loved The Legend of Zelda at college, but I have to say I didn’t do very well,” she laughs. “Visitors are loving it, especially kids. Even if you’re not a gamer, it brings people into the present - we’re thrilled with the response to it.”
Along with recent ventures into the digital sphere, the importance of local outreach and accessibilityespecially connecting to nature - is also crucial to Korek’s long-term strategy. For her, the natural world and new technologies are inextricably linked. This summer, Web(s) of Life - a living, collaborative and multi-species exhibition by Argentine artist Tomás
“The more arts and culture organisations collaborate, the more impact we can have together ”
Saraceno and collaborators - filled Serpentine South Gallery, both inside and out. Running until 10 September, it utilises digital technologies and interactive sculptures to teach visitors about the area’s biodiversity. It’s a call to action about the climate emergency, too, with solar panels installed on the gallery roof to power the exhibition and the air conditioning turned off. “Tomás thinks about the exhibition as a living organism that is responsive to the weather, so when it’s too hot, parts of the exhibition are closed,” explains Korek.
Saraceno is fascinated by spiders and they feature prominently. “The galleries are pitch dark and all you can see is a series of spotlit shimmering, quivering webs,” says Korek. “It reflects Tomás’s preoccupation with spiders and their webs as a source of wonder and inspiration. His passion for turning
people from being afraid of spiders to loving them is incredible.”
It’s certainly a busy season for Serpentine, so what does time off look like for Korek? She is, she says, still adjusting to life in the capital. “Truthfully, I haven’t had the chance to explore enough to have a favourite neighbourhood!” That said, she does have a few preferred haunts, including the Hyde Park pub The Swan, plantbased eatery Farmacy, and The Wolseley. Getting out into nature is also important for Korek. “Hampstead Heath is the closest I can get to an LA hike vibe,” she laughs.
Though it would seem the cities are poles apart, Korek finds that both are home to richly diverse communities that thrive in distinct neighbourhoods. “There is definitely a connection between London and LA,” she says. “There is a creative
circuit across all kinds of culture and entertainment, and these two cities are key components.”
This artistic cross-section is something Korek loves to see, which is why she admires the work of Institute of Contemporary Arts director Bengi Ünsal, who took the helm last year. Ünsal’s goal is to refocus on all kinds of creativity, not just contemporary art, by introducing a robust schedule of concerts and late-night parties. “It is a truly interdisciplinary programme,” says Korek, “and you see the same thing with Dazed [the media company founded in 1991 by Jefferson Hack and Rankin Waddell], there’s a lot of energy there.”
For Korek, arts education is key to London’s thriving culture. “The educational system has a great impact on the entire creative industry, think University of the Arts, RCA, RA Schools, Central Saint Martins,” she says. “London is such a global capital, it’s a city where students and graduates can immediately put their ideas into action.” This optimistic outlook, coupled with an expansive idea of how art, music, film and night life can come together, is integral to Korek’s vision. As she puts it, “The more arts and culture organisations collaborate, the more impact we can have together.”
serpentinegalleries.org
Italian jewellery designer Bea Bongiasca has created a striking capsule collection with eyewear specialist Linda Farrow. Marrying Bea’s distinct pop-culture aesthetic with three classic Linda Farrow styles – cat-eye, rectangular and round-frames – it’s a match made in heaven. From £245; net-a-porter.com
Pucci’s new EP Collection looks to both the future and the past. While the capsule is made from innovative, environmentally-friendly materials, it takes inspiration from NASA’s Apollo 15, whose mission patch was designed by Emilio Pucci. Bold motifs and space-age silhouettes feature across dresses, ca ans and separates, transporting their wearer back to the 70s. pucci.com
Louis Vuitton’s Nicolas Ghesquière looks to the house’s history of luggage-making as inspiration behind the new GO-14 bag. Reimagined from one of his original designs from October 2014 (hence its name), the bag has a padded criss-crossing pattern - known as malletage - to echo the insides of LV trunks and is accented with the signature twist lock. louisvuitton.com
Trust Bottega Veneta to come up with this year’s cult shoe: the Rocket Mule. The sculptural backless design, with its exaggerated pointed toe and curved wedge heel, comes in black, gold and silver - the perfect statement-maker for stepping into the new season in style. £1,120; bottegaveneta.com
Compiled by CHARLOTTE ADSETT
Sustainable East London label E.L.V. Denim has collaborated with The Ned London to create The White Cotton Collection, made from the hotel’s otherwise discarded bed linen. Offering wardrobe staples from smock dresses and maxi skirts to blouses and tailored shirts, the capsule prioritises a slower, upcycled approach to fashion. True to founder and creative director Anna Foster’s sustainable ethos, the collection is sourced, designed and produced in London, keeping its carbon footprint minimal. elvdenim.com
For AW23, Alexander McQueen’s creative director Sarah Burton presented the Anatomy collection, which referenced her great friend and mentor Lee McQueen. Returning to the house’s Savile Row roots, where McQueen trained as an apprentice, the dramatic pieces celebrated the structure of garments and the construct of tailoring, before subverting it and turning it upside down. Think razor-sharp lines and strong cuts - switched up with daring slashes, slicing and twisting - crystal anatomical embroidery and exaggerated silhouettes, from oversized, angular shoulders to narrowed, corseted waistlines. alexandermcqueen.com
Power dressing just got a whole lot chicer thanks to the arrival of new Londonbased blazer brand Yomi, which takes nostalgic tailored silhouettes and gives them a thoroughly modern update. Amplified shoulder lines and exaggerated collars feature in cropped or oversize styles, with unexpected pops of colours like Barbie pink and powder blue. Made from carefully sourced cashmere, wool and velvet and topped with jewel-like buttons inspired by founder Fanny Van de Wijngaert’s grandmother, they’re set to be this season’s most covetable jackets. yomi-universe.com
She is the queen of haute couture. Here, fashion icon Daphne Guinness talks to photographer Nick Knight about her avant-garde collection and the art of collaboration
Words
LUCIANA BELLINI
“I
When Daphne Guinness walks into a room, you notice. It’s hard not to. The musemodel-musician demands attention, from the platinumstreaked chignon piled high atop her head right down to the vertiginous Noritaka Tatehana heel-less platform shoes on her feet. Little wonder her inimitable style is being celebrated in an exhibition at SHOWstudio, the award-winning fashion website founded and directed by visionary photographer Nick Knight, which brings her incredible private collection of haute couture together with the art of illustration.
The exhibition, at the SHOWstudio gallery space on Ebury Street in Belgravia, features works by 12 contemporary artists reimagining multiple versions of Guinness on the set of her music video, directed by Knight, for new single Hip Neck Spine from her forthcoming album Sleep. It’s an album which, Guinness says, she’s “so happy with. It’s been a very challenging album in lots of respects. In a way it’s classical, but also very futuristic. It covers pretty much every genre.” The video sees her wear key couture garments from her extensive archive, each look chosen by Guinness and the fashion critic and collector Alexander Fury. On the SHOWstudio website, a fascinating digital essay sees Fury unpick each of these key outfits.
“I have worked with both Daphne and Alexander for the last 15 years, which meant I knew what a huge fan and how knowledgeable Alexander is of Daphne’s fashion archive,” Knight tells The Glossary. “Only someone that has such an encyclopaedic knowledge of fashion would be able and also be trusted by Daphne to look through her entire collection.” Together, the SHOWstudio exhibition, Fury’s video essay and the music video are a tantalising glimpse into Daphne’s glorious couture-filled life.
This many-sided approach suits Guinness. A multi-hyphenate in the truest sense of the word, she’s turned her hand at everything from philanthropy and film - producing and appearing in Oscar-nominated art films such as Sean Ellis’s Cashback in 2004 - to putting out albums and curating exhibitions. She’s also made multiple forays into the world of design, bringing out her own line of jewellery, a makeup collaboration with Mac, and a fragrance – her heady unisex scent, Daphne, created in 2009 in collaboration with Comme des Garçons, is available on her website. But there’s one common thread that runs through all her endeavours: her love of fashion.
“I don’t approach fashion; fashion approaches me,” Guinness once said. A granddaughter of Diana Mitford, Guinness had an unconventional upbringing, flitting between homes in London and Ireland, as well as a monastery at the top of a hill in Cadaqués, Spain, where there was no electricity or running water and Guinness’s bed was behind the altar. Summers here were spent at Salvador Dali’s nearby villa, where he kept lobsters in a swimming pool; Man Ray was also a friend. “I was essentially a child of surrealism, because that’s what I grew up with,” explains Guinness.
In 1987, when she was 19, she married the Greek shipping heir Spyros Niarchos and the couple went on to have three children. It was after their divorce in 1999 that she really began to emerge onto the London fashion scene, getting swept up in the avantgarde movement of the moment. She quickly made a name for herself with her statement-making, rule-breaking looks, from wearing a full alien-esque ensemble from Alexander McQueen’s final Plato’s Atlantis show – complete with his infamous armadillo heels – to being swathed in a sequined dress from the latest Chanel couture collection, teamed with a face-obscuring veil and fantastical headpiece, usually by her great friend Philip Treacy.
Guinness describes fashion as a form of conversation with the past and the future. “Fashion isn’t always about trends. It’s representative of political history, too, and you can see defining, transformative moments over the years that were due either to revolutions or changes in politics.” She has confessed to having a deep fascination for everything to do with cloth, weave and pigment - and
Video image © SHOWStudio
she was the first person to ever ask to meet the seamstresses at the Chanel atelier. “They’re just incredible people and they work so hard; they have been learning their craft for centuries. It’s such a beautiful thing… Those are the people that I really respect.”
She formed strong friendships with the fashion elite, most notably Isabella Blow, Alexander McQueen and Karl Lagerfeld, working as a muse for the latter two. Fellow Lagerfeld muse Amanda Harlech said Karl was continually inspired by Daphne, while she met McQueen by chance when he spotted her on the street wearing a jacket he had designed and introduced himself. “That period of fashion, with Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow, was so interesting, and being in it, one thought it was going to go on forever. I really did – it was so much fun and so brilliant; I wish I had bought more.” She remains an avid collector of McQueen’s work; following Isabella Blow’s death in 2007 Guinness purchased her entire private collection, which featured many McQueen masterpieces. “I treat clothing or a piece of jewellery like it was a piece of art,” she once quipped.
Not content with merely watching from the fashion sidelines, Guinness has also worked with numerous top designers on creations of her own. Perhaps the most notable of those is the dazzling white-gold “Contra Mundum” glove she made with McQueen and jewellery designer Shaun Leane in 2011. The bespoke piece, which translated from Latin means “against the world”, took over four years, 21 fittings and 4,290 diamonds to create. McQueen was planning to design a dress for the glove, but died before being
able to bring his vision to life; after his death, the glove took on new meaning for Guinness. “I thought, everything is getting so dark, so let’s try to make something good out of this,” she has since explained. “The glove became about carrying on. It was built out of a lot of love.”
Guinness has also curated numerous fashion exhibitions, including a show featuring her own personal wardrobe at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York in 2011, where highlights included Chanel couture gowns, McQueen platforms and Azzedine Alaïa evening dresses, as well as pieces by the likes of Gareth Pugh, Nina Ricci and John Galliano. She was also instrumental in bringing to life the Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! exhibition at Somerset House in 2014,
Neon and Noir by Kelly Bailey
Daphne with Headpiece by Jessica Bird
“Fashion isn’t always about trends. It’s representative of political history, too, and you can see defining, transformative moments over the years that were due either to revolutions or changes in politics"
where she donated over 100 pieces from Blow’s archive to go on display. “We shared a love of creativity; neither of us was interested in the commercial aspect of the fashion industry,” Guinness has said of her relationship with Blow. “We shared a strong sense of our style; we both knew what we liked.”
Another passion is music. Guinness first started recording her own music after her brother Jasper died of cancer in 2011, and she has described the process as her “reaction to grief”. Her debut album, Optimist in Black, came out in 2016 and was made on the advice of her great friend, David Bowie, who was deeply involved in the process and brought his legendary producer Tony Visconti on board to make it. “Bowie was the godfather of the first album,” says Guinness. “I often think, ‘What would Bowie do?’ because he was always full of good advice. And he was so unbelievably supportive and generous with his time.”
Her new album Sleep, recorded in the world-famous Abbey Road Studios, is her most ambitious and autobiographical work to date. Hip Neck Spine, an art-pop track that fuses disco and 80s electronica references, features samples made by the sound of Guinness’s own hip, neck and spine recorded during a chiropractic session. When asked what the next 25 years have in store, Guinness’s answer is suitably enigmatic. “I’d like to write classical music,” she says. “And also film scores and films. A kind of Python-esque view of life in general, done episodically. I can see it but I have no idea how to make that happen. But I will definitely be in the arts somehow.”
‘Hip Neck Spine’ is out now via Agent Anonyme Recordings; daphneguinness.com
The Power of Daphne by Samuel Harrison
Divinely Draped by Samuel Harrison
Tulle & Jewels by Samuel Harrison
Seashell by Connie Lim
Fashion writer and curator Alexander Fury shares the key looks he curated for Daphne’s video for Hip Neck Spine - and the inspiration behind them - all of which have been recreated by contemporary illustrators for an exhibition at London’s SHOWstudio
When we started talking about this project, Daphne and I gravitated towards Marlene Dietrich, who I’ve been obsessed with since I was a teenager, and who is someone Daphne loves. I started to think of these Hollywood epics that Dietrich produced with the director Josef von Sternberg, which defined glamour very early on. Referencing Dietrich and von Sternberg, Nick [Knight] wanted the opening shot of the music video to come down from high to focus on Daphne, so we had to have a sense of height and scale. We looked to the 1930s and the Ziegfeld showgirls with their extravagant headpieces and I was also thinking of a famous fashion illustration by Erté, of a woman in a feather headdress leading a greyhound. The specially commissioned headpiece is by Stephen Jones - I love the peach tones of the ostrich feathers. She wears a Lycra Balenciaga dress with a six-foot train that we whipped around her, and a python bolero by Azzedine Alaïa that further gives a sense of elongation.
This black sequin dress with a hood lined in red sequins is an incredibly important Alexander McQueen piece, from the AW09 The Horn of Plenty collection; the headpiece is from McQueen’s AW03 collection Scanners. This look is about mixing different periods. While the sequins bring a disco 70s feeling, you also get this sense of the 1930s and 40s when shoulders were built up and silhouettes were shifting - it’s very much about the strong, powerful woman, something that you saw Yves Saint Laurent referencing when he did his 1940s collection in 1971, with the silhouette starting to emerge in the 80s. Saint Laurent had an enormous influence on McQueen. He always said he wanted his women to look strong and he often did that through silhouettes like this, with emphatic shoulders and very strong, sharp silhouettes.
This is Chanel haute couture, designed by Daphne, along with Karl Lagerfeld and the ateliers. The jacket traverses different terrains in terms of times and references. It looks like a doublet and hose from the court of Elizabeth I and a little bit like something Sarah Bernhardt would have worn in the late 19th century. It is also referencing the 1930s tradition of women dressing as men, something Dietrich famously did. The breeches are diamanté leggings by Alessandro Michele at Gucci. I like that it’s a gesture towards what Daphne wears everydaywhat she calls her man drag - when she goes to work in the studio. She’ll dress in a tailcoat by Huntsman and a top hat because she’s going into macho, masculine environments. It’s that interesting idea that people have clothes as armour. The bracelets Daphne wears are vintage Trigere and then the Philip Treacy headpiece projects the look into the future. Really, this outfit is about going backwards and forwards through time.
Daphne Guinness by Cecilia Carlstedt
Daphne Haute Couture Study #2 by Cliff Warner
BY MAHBOUBEH ABSALAN
A film we talked about a great deal when trying to do something retro-futuristic was Fritz Langs’ Metropolis (1927). It was a reference Laurent Philippon used for Daphne’s hair - it’s silver, it’s gold, it’s metalised, it’s varnished, which is actually something people did in the 1920s and 30s. It’s also something makeup artist Terry Barber was referencing in terms of the very heightened maquillage, which is reminiscent of 1930s cinema when for a lip to look red in a black and white film often it was blue or even black. This is a McQueen bodysuit from the AW07 collection In Memory of Elizabeth Howe, Salem 1692, which was a meeting of witches and ancient Egypt, inspired in part by the fact that McQueen had an ancestor who was involved in the Salem Witch Trials. So he produced this incredible bodysuit, which has ancient Egyptian connotations to it, but we took it out of context and placed it into this scenario.
BY NICASIO TORRES
The dress is Jean Paul Gaultier haute couture from SS04. Daphne actually talked about the fact she had wanted to dye it black because she doesn’t wear colour very often. But I think this looks really fantastic and represents a shift of mood in the video. We’ve moved away from the sharp silhouette into something that’s softer and freer. The feather cape that she’s wearing over her left shoulder is actually a vintage 1930s cape and we just put it there because as soon as you start to inject colour, you want to use more colour. The butterfly feather eyepiece is by Philip Treacy. Daphne is wearing a crystal bodysuit underneath and her own scarves, which we used as bracelets, to heighten expression. She wore her hair down, which she doesn’t normally do, but it brings a disco diva - almost Diana Ross - feeling. It’s this idea of exaggeration, movement, dynamism and locomotion.
BY PHILIP TREACY
ILLUSTRATION BY CRYSTAL W.M. CHAN
As we were going through Daphne’s wardrobe to curate pieces, there were certain looks which we knew would be wonderful. This cape, from the McQueen AW02 collection Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, was one of them - we just knew that this would be incredible in motion in the video. We used a wind machine with this cape and I love that Philip Treacy’s headpiece, which is moulded around the face and studded with tiny crystals, emulated the idea of flowing material. Beneath the outfit, Daphne is wearing a McQueen bodysuit from SS04. So, again, it’s this kind of amalgamation of different eras of McQueen, and you have this amazing sense of movement and drama. It’s interesting when you’re thinking about the video as being operatic because there is something incredibly operatic to the movement of this cape and to the whole set-up of this shot.
SHOWstudio, 22D Ebury Street, Belgravia, SW1. The exhibition runs until 7 September, showstudio.com
Set the World on Fire by Mahboubeh Absalan Madame Daphne Butterfly by Nicasio Torres
Un Ange Passe by Crystal W.M. Chan
Launer London has been crafting exquisite handbags for more than 80 years, hand-making each one in the heart of England. It’s no secret that Queen Elizabeth II was a huge fan, rarely seen without a Launer bag on her arm - indeed, it’s held a Royal Warrant since 1968. But, did you know, you can go bespoke and create your own bag with Customise at Launer? All the classic designs can be reimagined in different finishes and colourways, including handles, straps and even the lining, and you can also have your initials embossed. With only a four-week turnaround, and just one artisan working on your bag, this is a unique, personalised accessory that will always be in style.
From £1,050; launer.com
Matches has teamed up with Sellier, the specialists in pre-loved designer bags, on a curated edit of coveted, hard-tofind, past-season accessories. The capsule has been hand-picked by mother and daughter duo Dino Ibrahhimova and Hanushka Toni, who founded the Knightsbridge-based brand in 2019, and includes era-defining designs such as the Hermès Kelly, Goyard’s Saint Louis tote and highly-collectable Chanel vanity cases and flap bags.
From £6,700; matchesfashion.com
A re-edition of the Gucci Horsebit Chain Clutch - which debuted in 2004 during the fashion house’s Tom Ford era - is coming this Autumn. While the trapezoid silhouette and hardware is the same, new colourways and textures are sure to elevate this into the bag of the season… again.
From £2,820; gucci.com
Building on her responsible material innovations, that are both cruelty-free and environmentally-friendly, Stella McCartney has launched the firstever bag made from banana plants for AW23. The vegan tote is made using Bananatex, a durable, waterproof, cottonlike fabric that’s cultivated from Abacá banana plants which are grown naturally in the Philippines without any chemical treatments. Embroidered with a Fungi Forest toile de jouy print in burgundy or navy, the revolutionary bag is also fully circular - Bananatex can be processed back into pulp and then into paper, which can become yarn once again. £1,350; stellamccartney.com
The latest addition to Loewe’s Puzzle family, the Puzzle Fold Tote is inspired by the original origami design from the Spanish house’s archives. Made out of geometric panels, the versatile style means it can be folded flat - perfect if you’re travelling. From £1,100; loewe.com
Completedworks, the Londonbased jewellery and ceramics brand that creates sculptural pieces, has turned its attention to bags this season. Founder and artistic director Anna Jewsbury has applied the same creative principles of weaving, looping, twisting, enfolding and expanding to the new designs. The result is a sought-after collection of shoulder bags and totes solely made from recycled leather, deadstock and renewable material, each with its own subversive twist including loops of faux pearls and innovative metal detailing.
From £595; completedworks.com
Cherry-pick the boldest, brightest pieces in this season’s hottest colour
Compiled by KIM PARKER
Dreams do come true. For jewellers Dima and Tania Nawbar quite literally, it seems, as their new collection Psychedeliah was inspired by an abstract flower from a vision. Cra ed with hand-carved ornamental stones, Nawbar’s elegant bloom motifs can be added onto their earrings, necklaces or bracelets for a bespoke bouquet. lateliernawbar.com
The Y2K fashion trend has spread its wings to jewellery in the form of Stephen Webster’s crystal butterfly cocktail rings, which come in recycled 18k pink, white or yellow gold, precious stones and diamonds. stephenwebster.com From £5,500;
Marking 60 years since the debut of its Cosmograph Daytona watch, which was launched to meet the needs of professional racing drivers, Rolex has revisited and gently refreshed the entire range. e new-gen timepieces now boast gently refined details, redesigned cases with innovative ceramic bezels and a novel chronograph movement.
Rolex 40mm Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, £35,800 watches-of-switzerland.co.uk
Spotting a gap in the market for grown-up piercing jewellery, British designer Hannah Martin has spent five years creating her own, Hannah Martin Pierced, which launched this summer. Expect precious 18k gold, Tahitian pearls and diamonds, as well as pop-up piercing events with renowned body artists like Miss Roni.
Tahitian Pearl and Gold Barbell Stud, £820 hannahmartinpierced.com
Known for her organically textured designs, Copenhagenbased jeweller Orit Elhanati has collaborated with Argentinian artist Conie Vallese on a line of gothinflected jewels, launching in October. Handmade in sterling silver and embellished with diamonds and jet-black spinels, these sculptural-looking pieces take their cue from old paintings, Victorian artefacts and antique books, and have a timeless-yet-nostalgic charm that’s endlessly appealing. elhanati.com
Launched two years ago to commemorate the centenary of Chanel’s most iconic fragrance, the maison’s No5 fine jewellery collection is expanding. The range has seven elegant new additions in the form of rings, chandelier earrings, a necklace and a bracelet, in beige and white gold, all studded with twinkling diamonds - with every piece bearing the fabled numeral, which was Gabrielle Chanel’s lucky talisman.
Prices on request chanel.com
It’s double celebration time for Roxanne First, who is marking both the fifth anniversary of her colourful fine jewellery brand and the opening of her first boutique, located on Walton Street in Chelsea. As befits the maker of the world’s cheeriest jewellery, expect a warm welcome and plenty of rainbow hues, including the designer’s own vibrant version of Dorothy’s Yellow Brick Road and Crayolabright original artworks by David Matthew King 97 Walton Street, Chelsea, SW3 roxannefirst.com
This season’s exuberant high jewellery collections are a virtuoso display of magnificent gemstones, exceptional artistry and far-flung inspiration, each creation as scintillating as the next
Words KIM PARKER
It stands to reason that many of the couture jewels of 2023 have a glorious flight of fancy at their core. After all, it can take two or three years to complete a collection, meaning the latest haute joaillerie can trace its origins to the start of the global lockdown, when travel became totally impossible. With the world’s greatest jewellers unable to move themselves, it seems that their imaginations ran riot – cue astounding masterpieces crafted as precious tributes to long-lost spectacles, distant daydreams and exotic locales.
“I am eyeing beauty everywhere,” stated Lucia Silvestri, Bulgari’s creative director of jewellery, of the collection she crafted as an ode to the Mediterranean, which resides at the heart of the brand founded in 1884 by Sotirio Bulgari in Rome. “[The Mediterranean] is an inspiring melting pot, where many different cultures and societies have mingled and enriched each other over centuries.”
As each of the venerable Place Vendôme jewellers presented this season’s collections, we were treated to marvel after marvel.
Boucheron’s whimsical take on preciousness meant exquisite gemstones and metals transformed into hair ornaments or patchlike badges for jackets. Dior wowed onlookers by displaying its floral-inspired pieces alongside gowns from its recent couture show and Chaumet transformed its gilded grand salons into a veritable greenhouse, with impressive garden-themed jewels encased in vitrines like prized orchids. Resplendent with eye-popping gemstones and radiating with colour and movement, these are the jewels that prove you just can’t keep a good creative down.
Creative director Lucia Silvestri has spun a bejewelled Mediterranean universe for this collection, interpreting everything from the Byzantine splendour of Rome to the sun-drenched beauty of the Apulian coastline, via the exotic aromas of North African spice markets and the romantic finery of Venice into an extravagant array of complex jewels set with monumental gemstones. The Emerald Lotus necklace, for example, from the East Meets West chapter, features a central Colombian emerald cabochon weighing over 37 carats, its luscious hue echoed in 20 exquisite emerald beads. The piece required a total of 2,200 working hours of skilled craftsmanship to produce. bulgari.com
At Boucheron, creative director Claire Choisne presented an exceptional collection of jewels which elevated the everyday objects that surrounded her during the 2020 lockdown into sculptural works of art, proving she didn’t have to look very far for inspiration. Glittering gold and gemstone hoodie strings (removable, of course), a ”Rubik’s cube” collar of colourful sapphires and mother-of-pearl, a sculptural rock-crystal ring filled with yellow diamonds like a Magic 8 ball and a perfectly useable hair scrunchie adorned with tsavorites and black lacquer delighted onlookers with their playful spirit and capricious use of gems, enamel and unexpected metals (like magnesium). boucheron.com
The manicured gardens of Christian Dior’s homes in Granville and Montauroux provided the couturier with lifelong inspiration and, decades on from his death, still have a potent influence over his maison. This season, Dior’s 170 piecestrong high jewellery collection, Couture Gardens, is an entrancing ode to his sacred flowers. Overlapping layers of open-worked metal are wreathed together like delicate lace, punctuated with an assortment of bright gemstones like buds planted in asymmetric rows – imagine abundant sprays of ruby roses, chains of sapphire and diamond daisies and bouquets of pearls that all appear freshly picked and fringed with dewy lacquered leaves. dior.com
An epic, dream-like voyage to visit the shifting tectonic plates at the dawn of the earth’s formation was the concept at Louis Vuitton. Artistic director of watches and jewellery Francesca Amfitheatrof’s rendition of the theme, Deep Time, is a stunning feat of ingenuity, fusing geometric layers of gold with precious stones and diamonds – themselves prehistoric relics – for pieces that evoke all the drama and movement of these seismic events, but that also feel as supple to wear as a couture gown. Standouts include the Gondwana collar (pictured above) which interprets the supercontinent as symmetrical white gold bands with diamond baguettes and emeralds.
louisvuitton.com
“In Jean Schlumberger’s imagination… the sea represented an unknown, infinite world. He choreographed unparalleled manifestations of its majesty and mystery,” says Nathalie Verdeille, Tiffany & Co’s new chief artistic officer of jewelry and high jewelry, of the house’s trailblazing designer from the 1950s and 60s. “My first Blue Book collection for the House is a deep dive into aquatic life that both honours and reimagines Schlumberger’s vision.” Her spirited interpretation of Schlumberger’s beloved sea creatures – think bristling platinum starfish, spiky gold sea urchins and nebulous, moonstone-studded jellyfish –feels resolutely contemporary in its expression, whilst remaining true to his naturalistic design codes.
tiffany.co.uk
To mark 20 years as the creative director at Pomellato, Vincenzo Castaldo dedicated this year’s high jewellery to the city which has been the brand’s home since the late 1960s, when founder Pino Rabolini became inspired by the artists, musicians and creatives he met in the city’s famed Bar Jamaica and launched his own maison. Each glittering chapter pays homage to a different characteristic of the metropolis – the dazzling tourmaline and tanzanite Giardini Verticali earrings, for instance, and the graphic emerald cuts of the indicolites in its accompanying necklace recall the linear design and verdant hues of Gio Ponti’s mid-century architecture. pomellato.com
pomellato.com
Le Jardin de Chaumet is just that – a whimsical tour of a fantastical meadow, orchard, hothouse and woodland, where gem-studded botanicals bloom. Many of the pieces, such as the Blé suite, have their roots in iconic emblems of the Parisian house – the golden wheatsheaf, for example, has been a signature motif since the Empresses Joséphine and Marie-Louise commissioned wheat-ear tiaras from Chaumet over two centuries ago. Elsewhere, figurative pansies, sprigs of mistletoe, grapevines and ferns have been lovingly recreated with sapphires, pearls, emeralds, spinels and diamonds that would cause the goddess Demeter herself to turn green with envy. chaumet.com
With Nature Spectacle, Tasaki takes us on a voyage across the seas of the world, the source of its signature pearls. This bijou but perfectly formed collection comprises six suites dedicated to everything from the way sunlight flickers on the surface of a crystalline lagoon to the cascading torrents of a waterfall and the swirling eddies of the vast ocean. Highlights include the eye-catching Ocean Light necklace, which aims to capture the mystical forces at play during a tidal full moon, with luminous strands of Akoya pearls and a collar of tourmalines, zircons and inky South Sea pearls.
tasaki.co.uk
Skydiamond , the world’s only zero impact diamonds that are mined from the sky, has reached new heights with its latest collection of sustainable and ethical diamond rings
Love is in the air, literally. Skydiamond, the world’s only diamonds that are mined from the sky, has extended its Love collection featuring the first truly sustainable diamond rings. The expanded capsule includes five timeless engagement rings, matching wedding bands and two styles of eternity and commitment rings.
Whichever design you opt for, all of the rings sparkle with Skydiamond’s conflict-free, carbon-negative, zeroimpact diamonds. Rather than being mined from the earth, these gems are created from CO² extracted from the atmosphere in their Cotswolds-based “sky mining facility”, using 100% renewable energy from the wind, sun and recycled rainwater. Little wonder they’re the fashion world’s go-to gem; indeed, the brand has already collaborated with Gucci and Stephen Webster on previous collections.
The British company was created by entrepreneur and environmentalist Dale Vince OBE, who founded the global green energy movement in 1995 with the launch of Ecotricity and is the chairman of Forest Green Rovers, the world’s first vegan (and UN-certified carbon-neutral) football club. Alongside his team, and following five years of perfecting the revolutionary process, he found a way to use atmospheric carbon and turn it into real diamonds.
Glittering, precious, flawless, the resulting Skydiamonds are identical to earth-mined diamonds, both to the naked eye and in their chemical composition. They’re even graded in the same way using the standard 4Cs (carat weight, colour, cut and clarity). But what sets them apart is that they’re completely ethical. Removing carbon dioxide from our skies helps reduce damage caused by CO² emissions, plus, of course, sky-mining eliminates the need for earth-mining, which can have a devastating impact on the environment.
Choosing a Skydiamond ring is as much about showing a love for our planet as it is for your beloved, symbolising and enabling a more brilliant future for all. It’s little wonder that recent statistics show
that lab-grown diamonds are reaching new heights, with an increasing number of people consciously choosing eco-friendly man-made stones, over those mined from the ground, when buying jewellery.
Customers can also create a fully bespoke design in either 100% recycled white, yellow and rose gold or platinum, using 0.4ct to 2ct Skydiamonds, ranging from £2,000 to £20,000 in price. In addition to rings, Skydiamond has a collection of solitaire pendants and stud earrings, each one as unique as the solitaire diamond that glitters within it.
But whether you go bespoke or choose a design from the collection, a Skydiamond ring is the ultimate symbol of 21st-century love, as precious for the future of our earth as it is for a loved one. After all, with our planet more vulnerable than ever, the future lies in our hands.
skydiamond.com
“A Skydiamond ring is the ultimate symbol of 21st century love, as precious for the future of our earth as it is for a loved one ”
BOUCHERON Brooch in White Gold and Aluminium with Diamonds and Blue Lacquer, POA, boucheron.com
BULGARI Jewellery Watch with Diamonds, Emeralds, Sapphires, Paraiba Tourmalines, Tanzanite, Tsavorites, Topaz and Peridot, POA, bulgari.com
covetable new creations take their cue from the deep
Words KIM PARKER
TIFFANY
GUITA
& CO. Brooch in Platinum and 18k Gold with Sapphires, Tanzanites, Moonstones and Diamonds, POA, tiffany.co.uk
SILVIA FURMANOVICH Spiral Shell Bracelet with 18k Yellow Gold and Diamonds, POA, silviafurmanovich.com
MIKIMOTO Brooch in 18k Gold, Akoya Pearls, Beryl, Sapphire, Alexandrite and Diamonds, POA, mikimoto.co.uk
LYDIA COURTEILLE Brooch in 18k Gold with Diamonds and Fancy Sapphires, POA, lydiacourteille.com
STEPHEN WEBSTER Ring in 18k Gold, White Opalescent Crystal, Emeralds, Tsavorites and White Diamonds, £21,000, stephenwebster.com
M Earrings in 18k Gold, Tourmaline and Chalcedony, POA, guitam-jewelry.com
Following the phenomenal success of the five Crayola-coloured dial shades Rolex first introduced in 2020, its latest Oyster Perpetual Day Date comes equipped with a special ‘Celebration’ dial, made up of lacquered bubbles featuring each of those same candy hues: pink, turquoise blue, yellow, coral red and green. Blending playfulness with the house’s historical watchmaking prowess, these steel timepieces are sure to sell out fast. Available in three sizes: 31, 36, and 41mm
From £4,750 watches-of-switzerland.com
Words KIM PARKER
Carrera Date 36mm
First unveiled at the 2023 Watches & Wonders fair in Geneva and later modelled by Ryan Barbie premiere, the all-new version of Tag Heuer’s iconic Carrera Date is a timepiece with serious Kenergy.
streamlined proportions, a novel Calibre 7 automatic movement and four joyful dial shade options (hot pink is the standout), this contemporary evolution of a great sports watch is a classic in the making.
Philippe Delhotal, creative director of Hermès Horloger, first introduced the H08 in 2021 and it was an immediate hit – a chicer, sleeker iteration of the numerous steel sports watches available on the market. This season, the line-up expands with new pieces with braided and aluminised glass-fibre cases and four vivid ‘woven’ rubber straps in orange, blue, yellow or green to match the colourful hour markers on a concrete-grey dial. £6,090 hermes.com
GMT Worldtimer
43mm
There are few 75-yearolds that can boast looks as good as Omega’s iconic Seamaster. The former military timepiece turned gentleman’s all-rounder (and 007’s watch of choice) has just been given a summery upgrade with new blue hues across all its models. We especially love the Aqua Terra Worldtimer, with its lasered dial that shows a view of the Earth from above, day and night indications and circle of global destinations.
£9,200
omega.com
In the 1960s, Breitling launched its Slow Motion diving watch, a pared-down timepiece engineered for maximum legibility. The new Superocean builds on those minimalist design codes, adding current features such as a scratch-proof, ceramic-inlaid bezel and vibrant dials. Shock, sand and saltwater-resistant (to 300m), it also possesses broader hands and indexes treated with glow-in-the-dark Super-LumiNova, while its two strap options (metal or rubber) can be micro-adjusted to fit over wetsuits.
£4,050 breitling.com
4997/200R in
In the 1970s, Gucci was one of the first fashion houses to branch out into watchmaking but in recent years has been relaunching its timepieces and investing in its mechanisms for serious technological clout. The super-thin aluminium 25H was inspired by the soaring forms of urban architecture and features Gucci’s own GG727.25 self-winding calibre.
A 60-hour power reserve and interlocking GG initials elevate this minimalist, modern timepiece yet further.
£8,100 each
gucci.com
It’s rare for this storied, family-owned Genevan watch house to debut many new models in one year, but at this year’s Watches & Wonders fair that’s exactly what happened. Of the 17 novel timepieces launched (not counting its precious, one-o metiers d’art pocket watches), the ladies’ self-winding Calatrava wristwatch stood out with its gleaming 35mm rose-gold case (embellished with 76 white diamonds), satin-finish leather strap and purple dial – made all the more vivid by its wave pattern made up of over 50 layers of translucent lacquer for a mesmerising e ect.
POA patek.com
100% agree that skin is preserved
95% agree that skin is hydrated
81% agree that skin is plumped
*Clinical trial conducted by SGS, 10.2022
100% AGREE SKIN IS REPAIRED*
Famed for her subversive take on makeup, Isamaya Ffrench has launched Industrial 2.0, a follow-up to her acclaimed original BDSM-inspired collection. New products include gunmetal and rust-orange versions of her Liplacq Lip Serum, with an added hint of ginger oil to give an instant volumising effect, as well as an eyeshadow palette full of vibrant, iridescent hues. isamaya.co.uk
Ayurvedic skincare brand ilody has launched a new cleansing oil, grounded in traditional Indian rituals. Harnessing clean, non-toxic botanical ingredients to nurture and nourish the complexion, it combines antiinflammatory moringa with amla extract to soften and brighten. Meanwhile, adaptogenic herbs including turmeric and licorice soothe and protect the skin. £55; ilodyskincare.com
The Dr Dennis Gross Skincare Pro Facial Steamer, with its sleek compact design and micro-steam technology, promises glowing skin in the comfort of your own home. Suitable for all skin types, it works in as little as nine minutes, gently infusing moisture into the dermis, unclogging pores and priming the complexion for deeper skincare absorption. £269; cultbeauty.co.uk
New Collection
Selena Gomez's makeup line Rare Beauty might be a ‘celebrity beauty brand’ but this one really delivers. Launched in the UK last year, the well-received collection keeps selling out. No doubt the singer-actor’s latest drop of three new eye and brow products, including a glide-on waterproof gel eyeliner in black, brown and burgundy, will too. Available at Space NK, spacenk.com
Created by leading skin cancer surgeon Dr. Anthony Nakhla, cult US brand Eighth Day’s skincare is now available here. Famed for its healing properties, Dr. Nakhla’s signature peptide-rich plasma, a stem cell technology that mimics the molecules in human skin cells, is at the heart of the products, including the repairing serum and moisturiser. From £150; harrods.com
The Lanesborough Club & Spa has partnered with L’Atelier Green Paris to open the UK’s first ever plant-based and breathable nail bar. Founded by sisters Hamida and Yasmine, their natural nail polishes are made with a unique 25-free formula, enriched with 85% biosourced, organic active ingredients like pure avocado and sweet almond oils. Here, indulgent manis and pedis are carried out using their plant-based polish, while signature treatments include the application of 24-carat pure gold leaves, to help the process of skin cell renewal, and Led Lumijade light therapy to reduce inflammation.
2 Lanesborough Place, Knightsbridge, SW1
From £60; lanesboroughclubandspa.com
Paco Rabanne - the futuristic Spanish fashion house so beloved in the 60s - has had a rebrand. Now simply called Rabanne, the label marks its fresh identity with a new fashion-forward makeup line. While the full collection launches on 1 October, the Eyephoria line is available now. Expect opulent pigmented eyeshadows, boldly glittering mascaras and clean, vegan eye paints, all in glossy metallic packaging that adroitly encapsulates the brand’s experimental heritage and space age style.
pacorabanne.com
It’s been the most eagerly anticipated launch of the year, and Prada Beauty lives up to the hype. Designed by British makeup artist Lynsey Alexander, the Italian fashion house’s makeup and skincare line is as avant-garde as you’d expect, with innovative formulations, AI technology and bold colours sourced from the extensive Prada archives. Most of the products are refillable, so it’s sustainable too - after all, the chunky silver and gold packaging is far too chic to throw away. Set to be one of the collection’s best sellers is the insanely covetable Prada mint green lip balm.
From £29.50; selfridges.com
Dark spots can affect all skin types and all ages. Beauty Director
Alessandra Steinherr shares the best skincare ingredients, products and professional treatments to even out your skin tone
What is hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation is a skin condition that can affect all skin types and all ages. Also known as dark spots, sunspots, liver spots or age spots, it occurs when melanocyte cells produce too much melanin; this excess pigment then enters healthy skin cells, causing the natural pigment to darken.
The result is that skin becomes discoloured. For many, it shows up as dark brown marks and while some people get it over larger areas, it tends to appear as small, localised patches or spots, like large freckles, mainly on the face, neck, décolleté and hands.
The causes of hyperpigmentation
To know how to treat hyperpigmentation effectively, you need to figure out what’s causing it, ideally by seeking advice from a dermatologist. Overexposure to the sun and UV rays is a major factor, as are other free radicals such as blue light pollutants. Hyperpigmentation can also be brought on by medication side effects, inflammation of the skin from acne scars, using the wrong products or hormone fluctuations resulting in melasma.
Melasma is when broad brown or greyish patches of pigmentation appear on the cheeks or upper lips. It’s often due to increased oestrogen levels, which is why pregnant women or those on birth control are prone to it. Once you’ve ascertained the type and cause of hyperpigmentation, then you can figure out what to do - whether at home or seeking professional help.
As with most skincare concerns, prevention is key. Sun exposure is the number one cause of hyperpigmentation, as sunlight activates the production of melanin, so it’s vital to wear sunscreen every day. Choose a broad-spectrum UVA/ UVB - personally, I use SPF50 daily, but I’d suggest SPF30 or higher, even in overcast weather. It should always be the last step of your skincare before you apply your makeup. If you’re going to be exposed to the sun, you need to reapply at least every two hours.
Those prone to hyperpigmentation should avoid sun exposure entirely. And if you have a deeper skin tone, don’t be fooled into thinking you don’t need sun protection – you absolutely do. In fact, darker skins that contain more natural pigment are more prone to hyperpigmentation.
First, try to get to the root of the problem. If your dark spots are hormonal, you need to work on your hormones; if they’re caused by sun exposure, stay in the shade and always wear a hat. That said, there are certain skincare ingredients which will help fade pigmentation and prevent new dark spots.
Niacinamide - also known as vitamin B3 - is a great multitasker. It reduces the transfer of melanin to the skin cells, as well as helping with inflammation. Vitamin C is also a good all-rounder. As an antioxidant, it works to protect the skin from free radicals that can trigger hyperpigmentation and acts as a preventative by inhibiting excessive melanin production. Plus, it’s great for brightening the skin.
AHAs or exfoliating acids can also help to slough off hyperpigmented skin cells, allowing new cells to the surface. Look for acids such
as glycolic, lactic, mandelic or fruit enzymes like papaya, but make sure your skin can tolerate them by introducing them into your regime gradually. If you don’t like chemical exfoliants, try a physical one like microdermabrasion.
Tranexamic acid - though not an exfoliant - can also act as a brightening agent to reduce dark spots. Kojic acid is another powerhouse when it comes to hyperpigmentation as it inhibits the production of tyrosinase, which is responsible for the overproduction of melanin. It’s a little stronger than other ingredients, so you should talk to a dermatologist first.
Diligent sun protection and using the right skincare at home will help regulate pigment and reduce dark spots. Depending on your level of hyperpigmentation, you may also require professional help. When it comes to chemical peels, lasers and microneedling, I would always consult a dermatologist first to ascertain which is the right treatment for you. Is your pigmentation superficial or deep?
If it’s not that visible, then it’s usually harder to treat than surface hyperpigmentation and requires a different course of action.
Facial therapist Keren Bartov is the expert when it comes to using lasers for hyperpigmentation at her Notting Hill clinic ( from £250 for 90 minutes )
“You need to assess the pigmentation properly, because different machines work for different types,” she tells me. “Melasma, for example, can be worsened by the wrong machines.”
Finally, retinoids can be helpful as they stimulate production of collagen and skin cell turnover. Retinol is a powerful ingredient so if you’re new to it, introduce it slowly. Though some brands suggest you can use it in the day, I would only recommend it at night to avoid inflammation and irritation.
“The skin’s response to UV damage may only become visible as you age, so even if you think you’ve gotten away with it now, pigmentation can show up on your skin later in life,” says cosmetic doctor and anti-ageing expert Dr Sebagh, whose flagship clinic is in Marylebone. “Increasing cellular turnover by using the right products is a very effective way to prevent and repair UV damage.”
The other place I would recommend is the Ouronyx clinic on St James’s Street. It has hi-tech diagnostic tools which scan deep, giving you a proper assessment followed by a treatment plan, from microneedling to resurfacing ( consultations are free of charge ) . While these are professional treatments, if you’re looking for maintenance the Light Salon at Selfridges has an effective Skin Reset treatment ( £105 for 45 minutes ) which includes an exfoliating AHA peel, massage, mask and LED lights to fade pigmentation. Barbara Sturm also offers an Anti-Pigmentation Facial at its Mayfair Medi-Spa ( £295 for 60 minutes ) which reduces the appearance of hyperpigmentation, as well as calming the skin and minimising the appearance of pores.
“To know how to treat hyperpigmentation effectively, you need to figure out what’s caused it, ideally by seeking advice from a dermatologist. Overexposure to the sun and UV rays is a major cause, as are other free radicals such as blue light pollutants”
Beauty Director Alessandra Steinherr picks her favourite products to help diminish the appearance of dark spots and discoloration, leaving skin brighter and more radiant
Tata Harper Illuminating Eye Crème, £107
Sisley Phyto-Blanc Targeted Dark Spot Corrector, £126
This product offers a very precise way of targeting hard-to-budge dark spots, whether they’re due to ageing, the sun or are post-inflammatory imperfections. It is literally like a pen and has a precision tip so you can apply it to specific areas on the face, neck, décolleté or hands. The powerful brightening complex of natural-origin ingredients reduces the size and intensity of pigmentation after 15 days.
sisley-paris.com
around the eye area, you can
Sarah Chapman Digital Shield Day Cream, £55
of luminosity and brightness cultbeauty.co.uk
Although you don’t tend to get much pigmentation around the eye area, you can get discoloration. This crème is infused with diamond dust, giving an immediate glow, as well as plumping ingredients including hyaluronic acid, olive oil and shea butter to work on fine lines, wrinkles and puffiness of the upper and lower lids. Use for an immediate boost of luminosity and brightness around the eyes. cultbeauty.co.uk
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Pigment Correct
SPF50+, £31
Every sunscreen is designed to protect skin from the sun, and this offers daily broadspectrum UV protection. But here - in addition to the SPF - are ingredients that target hyperpigmentation, like Procerad, a proprietary ceramide which helps prevent the excessive production of melanin, and niacinamide, which works on diminishing dark spots. It comes in a tinted or untinted version, depending on your preference. laroche-posay.co.uk
This is a lightweight, tinted day cream that is packed with antioxidants to protect skin from the effects of everyday pollution blue light, airborne pollutants, electromagnetic radiation) which can lead to hyperpigmentation. As well as protection, the cream contains powerhouse ingredients such as PhytoSpherix to encourage cellular renewal and optical diffusers to neutralise dullness, bringing a real radiance to the skin throughout the day.
radiance to the skin throughout the day.
sarahchapman.com
Dr Sebagh Deep Exfoliating Mask, £62
I honestly think this is the best product Dr Sebagh does. The mask is a blend of exfoliating acidsincluding lactic and azelaic - which are a powerful way of breaking up pigmented cells and removing old skin, but in no way irritating. Use once or twice a week; leave it on for three to five minutes before rinsing off to reveal polished skin that is beautifully luminous and soft. The award-winning formula is available in a sensitive skin version too. drsebagh.com sensitive skin version too.
Caudalie Vinoperfect Dark Spot Correcting Glycolic Night Cream, £37
Elizabeth Arden Retinol+HPR Ceramide Rapid Skin-Renewing Water Cream, £75
to vitamin C that also controls
Suitable for every skin type, this cream works overnight to correct dark spots. The hero ingredient is glycolic acid, which brightens and resurfaces the skin. It also contains Viniferine, a powerful alternative to vitamin C that also controls tyrosinase - the enzyme responsible for the overproduction of melanin - and papaya enzyme, which gently exfoliates, leaving skin smoother and more evenly toned in the morning. caudalie.com
Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum, £90
This lightweight, smooth serum, a fusion of brightening and skinstrengthening ingredients, works for all skin types. Again, it has the niacinamide to fade the appearance and reduce the size of age spots, while tranexamic and arbutin brighten, and a blend of reishi and shiitake mushrooms leaves skin looking rejuvenated. Use morning or night after cleansing for really luminous results. cultbeauty.co.uk
looking rejuvenated. Use morning
MZ Skin Micro-Peeling Glow Essence, £100
A lovely multi-tasking leave-on essence which you apply after cleansing and before your serum and/or moisturiser. As well as delivering a hit of hydration to lift and illuminate the complexion, it’s specifically developed for pigmentation with azelaic acid, tranexamic acid and microalgae working together to lessen the appearance of dark spots. Mandelic acid, meanwhile, sloughs away dead skin and gluconolactone resurfaces skin texture. mzskin.com
and HPR Retinoate
is gentle enough for use during the
This new next-gen retinol is an effective alternative to prescription retinoids. A blend of 2 % retinol ( HydroxyPinacolone ) , it accelerates cell turnover to reduce the appearance of both fine lines and dark spots. It has a lightweight, fast-absorbing texture and, unlike other retinols, it is gentle enough for use during the day and night because the formula is stable and non-irritating, leaving skin radiantly revitalised.
elizabetharden.co.uk
Tatcha Violet-C Radiance Mask, £70
This is a beautiful brightening face mask. It contains two different types of vitamin C - which is a good all-round antioxidant that also helps inhibit excessive melanin production - as well as Japanese Beautyberry, which further helps reduce discoloration. Mild fruit AHAs gently exfoliate the skin, while Tatcha’s proprietary Hadasei-3 complex boosts cell turnover, restores radiance and hydrates. Use once a week for softer, smoother skin.
and hydrates. Use once a week for tatcha.co.uk
Royal Fern Phytoactive Illuminating Ampoules, £160
supercharged, highly concentrated treatment to brighten the skin, Royal Fern’s Illuminating Ampoules are fantastic. There are 15 ampoules in the course - use one a day before you apply your makeup. Each ampoule delivers a watery essence that contains a blend of ingredients to work on reducing excessive pigment, as well as stimulate collagen synthesis to leave skin more refined. The hyaluronic acid and niacinamide in each ampoule also boost overall firmness.
royalfern.com
Compiled by CHARLOTTE ADSETT
Eau de Parfum, 100ml, £220
Luxury-for-good maison Grace de Monaco, which donates all profits to the Princess Grace Foundation, unveils its latest perfume Ombre Sereine. Seventh-generation perfumer Xavier Blaizot has created a classic chypre fragrance, elevated by layers of lavender, mimosa, bergamot and orange blossom to evoke the mountains of Southern France - the Princess’s favourite holiday destination - with leather and musk for a subtly sultry finish. harrods.com
Eau de Parfum, 70ml, £175
Francis Kurkdjian adds to his cologne forte collection with Aqua Media which comes in a bottle that’s an iridescent green, designed to recall both water and light. The star of the show here is the master perfumer’s new verbena accord which captures the effervescent, citrusy facets of the verbena leaf. Calabrian bergamot, sweet fennel and a hedione-woody musk base complete this energising, lively scent. franciskurkdjian.com
Steamed Rainbow
Eau de Parfum, 50ml, £155
Inspired by composer Terry Riley’s A Rainbow in Curved Air, self-taught perfumer David Seth Moltz (aka D.S.) has added to the D.S. & Durga line-up with a fresh scent that celebrates glorious technicolour. Opening with red mandarin, orange and yellow elemi resin, a combination of green cedar, blue almond flower and indigo grass is at the scent’s heart, rounded off with violet and vetyver, so you can literally wear the rainbow. libertylondon.com
Sun Rae
Eau de Parfum, 50ml, £135
The latest fragrance from London wellbeing brand Vyrao, which fuses master perfumery with energetic healing, is boldly joyful - literally, sunshine in a bottle. While uplifting turmeric root and leaf, lemon, bergamot and ginger have been chosen to bring positivity and zest, they’re mellowed by amber, sandalwood and vetiver for calmness and tranquillity. As with all Vyrao scents, Sun Rae contains a supercharged diamond crystal for a further boost of vitality and vim. vyrao.com
Eau de Parfum, 100ml, £230
Known for its cult, handcrafted scents, Le Labo looks to lavender for its new fragrance. Launching on 1 October, Lavande 31 turns the traditional perception of the plant on its head, giving it a fresh, modern spin with the addition of bergamot and neroli. The perfume’s base - the brand’s signature combination of amber and musk, intertwined with tonka - brings a further olfactory surprise.
harrods.com
Eau de Toilette, 100ml, £125
In Greek, the word ilio evokes the sun, and this floral-fruity fragrance speaks of summertime in the Mediterranean, a place that the perfume house’s founders considered the ‘landscape of the soul’. At the heart of the composition is the prickly pear, bringing a juicy freshness to the scent, layered with lively bergamot and delicate jasmine and rounded out by the velvety softness of iris, instantly transporting its wearer to warmer climes.
diptyqueparis.com
Father Figure
Eau de Parfum, 50ml, £96
Created by Phlur perfumer Frank Voelkl, this cool, green scent is inspired by hidden gardens. Aquatic, juicy notes of water lily, fig and cassis are enhanced with orris root, iris and jasmine, bringing a lush, blooming quality to the fragrance, with vanilla Madagascar, creamy sandalwood and musk (renewably sourced as a by-product of the paper manufacturing industry) adding a contrasting layer of warmth and sensuality. selfridges.com
fennel and a hedione-woody
Eau de Parfum, 100ml, £165
Bentley Fragrances has added to its Beyond The Collection with an ambery-woody scent that invokes a sensory journey across South America. For the latest offering from the perfume brand - which draws its inspiration from the elegant luxury of the Bentley motorcar and the romance of travel - master perfumer Karine DubreuilSereni opens with a heady mix of bergamot, rosemary and cardamom, before revealing a heart of smoky vanilla and tonka bean. bentley-fragrances.com
Eau de Toilette, 100ml, £180
The perfume disruptor Geza Scheon, founder of Escentric Molecules and its nose, is at it again, this time with H01, a Harrods-exclusive genderless fragrance. The rich scent is intriguing and reassuringly unpredictable, at once blending the earthy scents of wood, leather and musk with the fruity-sweet softness of plum, peach, rose and jasmine, while orange flower, bergamot and pink pepper add a sparkling fi nish. harrods.com
of Francis
Eau de Parfum, 100ml, £185
The Parisian fragrance house, the brainchild of former model Jan Ahlgren, looks to Francis Bacon for its latest scent. Specifically, the triptychs he created between 1944 and 1986, which blur the boundaries of reality and surrealism. Tapping into the inspiration the artist sought from sun-kissed lands, notably the Mediterranean and Tangier, it draws on top notes of saffron and toasted pistachio, tempered by oud wood, ambergris and vetiver for gourmand-sweet results. libertylondon.com
Les
Eau de Parfum, 65ml, £102
Les is the latest iteration from Boy Smells’ Genderful Fine Fragrances collection, which mixes traditionally masculine and feminine scent notes to create defi nition-defying perfumes. The fruity-floral eau de parfum is a balance of “ripe” and “raw” - the former comes through in the sweet scent of pomelo and the budding peony blossom, the latter in a base of cedarwood, warm vanilla absolute and earthy moss. Top notes of cardamom and pink peppercorn add a fi nal flourish. cultbeauty.com
Extrait de Parfum, 50ml, £250
The Swedish fragrance brand adds to its Night Veils family with this oud-gourmand creation that pays homage to the nocturnal. At the top, saff ron, bergamot and cassis - alongside a twist of smooth, spiced leather - set the tone, while the syrupy plum and toasted praline add a sweet, irresistible note, with oud and patchouli bringing the fragrance to its alluring fi nale. byredo.com
Eau de Parfum, 100ml, £150
The London-based perfumery spotlights the African city of Accra for the 13th fragrance in its travel-inspired collection. Opening with passion berries, mango, papaya and hot peppers, the juiciness is met with a heart of coffee, cocoa and saff ron and grounded by a musky base of a leather skin accord, cedarwood and patchouli. Fruity, spicy, woody, this is the sensual heat of the tropics-meets-afro jazz energy-meets bygone glamour in a bottle. gallivant-perfumes.com
EaudeParfum,125ml,£135each
The Aqua Allegoria Forte collection celebrates the wonders of the world and the beauty of Mother Nature. With the new Woodies trio, the French beauty brand looks to the magic of the woods, firstly with Oud Yuzu Forte, which marries the smokiness of oud wood with the zestiness of yuzu. The amber-woody Bosca Vanilla Forte combines a driftwood accord with the warmth of vanilla, while solar notes, bergamot and eucalyptus bring the sunshine. Lastly, Rosa Palissandro Forte celebrates the spicy freshness of rosewood, tempered with the softness of rose and sensual patchouli. guerlain.com
Eau de Parfum, 50ml, £160 each
The Florentine heritage perfumery has launched three fragrances to join L’Iris in its I Giardini Medicei collection. The trio - blended by Gian Luca Perris - look to the grand gardens of the Medici family and the flowers and fruit that enchanted them. Bizzarria pays homage to the citrus tree of the same name, here blended with neroli, orange blossom, ginger and musk. Floral-spicy-woody Gelsomino has jasmine at its heart, with notes of bergamot, tangerine, pink pepper and musk. Magnolia is a heavenly bouquet of white rose, geranium and, of course, magnolia. smnovella.com
Eau de Parfum, 100ml, £195 each
Penhaligons’ new five-fragrance collection takes inspiration from William Penhaligon’s Forgotten Formulas, where each unique scent has a specific task. There’s Eau the Audacity, a bold blend of orange, saffron and Turkish rose to make you feel confident; Vra Vra Vroom, which combines osmanthus, apricot and magnolia for abundant enthusiasm and energy; Liquid Love, made up of rose, ginger and chilli to inspire amour; A Balm of Calm, a soothing mix of lavender, geranium and sandalwood, and A Kiss of Bliss, which draws on green clover, matcha and moss for a spritz of elation. penhaligons.com
The sunny South of France comes to St James’s with the arrival of Riviera. From the mood lighting that’s reminiscent of golden sunsets to the oceanic wall murals, the restaurant transports guests from Mayfair to the Mediterranean. And that’s before they sample the sharing-style menu which features French favourites such as chateaubriand, loup de mer en papillote and the most delicate pistache millefeuille - all served with the finest Champagne. For Côte d’Azur fare and flair, bienvenue.
23 St James’s Street, Mayfair, SW1 riviera-london.co.uk
Compiled by HILARY ARMSTRONG
Not to be outdone by Annabel’s, its glamorous sibling, Mayfair members’ club George has reopened a er an 18-month refurbishment double its previous size. Beat a path to Mount Street for hot dogs in the Hound Bar, cocktails on W1’s largest terrace and elegant Mediterranean cuisine by Marcus Eaves.
88-89 Mount Street, Mayfair, W1 georgeclub.com
At Story Cellar, his chic new Parisian-inspired spot on Seven Dials, chef Tom Sellers brings together two of our favourite things: rotisserie chicken and fine wine. Take a seat at the counter for a glass of Meursault and some simple but beautiful French bistro cooking. Sellers’ two-star Restaurant Story, currently being refurbished, reopens soon. 17 Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden, WC2 storycellar.co.uk
The restaurant at Claridge’s reopens this September, simply called Claridge’s Restaurant, with a new look fully in keeping with the grande dame’s iconic Art Deco interiors. The menu is classical but contemporary, a celebration of peerless produce from the British Isles in all its guises, from Dorset snails with garlic butter to native lobster with sauce Américaine and Sussex strawberries with crème fraîche and shiso. Arrive fashionably early and have an aperitif at the restaurant’s tortoiseshell bar first. Brook Street, Mayfair, W1 claridges.co.uk
Sushi master Shinji Kanesaka, holder of two Michelin stars in Tokyo, has opened his first European restaurant at 45 Park Lane. His omakase menu may cost £420 per person, but is finding no shortage of takers in London, a city newly obsessed with edomae-sushi of the highest order. It’s exclusive, with just nine seats at the counter and a private dining room for four. 45 Park Lane, Mayfair, W1 sushikanesakalondon.com
The Blue Bar at The Berkeley has been a fixture of London nightlife since 2000. With signature swagger, it reasserts its preeminence this summer with a menu of innovative new cocktails and wickedly delicious bar snacks. Drink Mirror Martinis in mirrored glasses and snack on Dorset crab tacos, churros with Manchego, and French fries which are served every evening off a silver platter at 11pm on the dot. Vinyl-only DJ sets play Thursday to Saturday. Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, SW1 the-berkeley.co.uk
Bossa is an excellent name for a Brazilian restaurant. In one word, it conveys the country’s energy, its vitality, its vibe. Not that there’s actually bossa nova playing at Bossa, the new London restaurant from Brazilian chef Alberto Landgraf of Oteque in Rio de Janeiro. Instead, we get an eclectic soundtrack compiled by Landgraf himself that might segue from The Human League to Madonna to ACDC, not what you might expect of the slick, sophisticated dining room. Now you may think that one of South
America’s hottest chefs, a GQ Man of the Year (twice) would delegate his Spotify playlists, but it’s testament to his commitment to this project that he cares. He’s not the only one. For the opening, his head chef Nilson Chaves and head sommelier Laís Aoki (recently voted Brazil’s best sommelier) both uprooted their lives to move to London. Nobody involved is faxing it in from a lounger on Copacabana Beach.
What Bossa is not is a carbon copy of two-Michelin-star Oteque, currently at no.12 on Latin America’s 50 Best. It’s less experimental, more familiar; and as befits its location beneath the Brazilian consulate on Vere Street, it serves contemporary Brazilian cuisine, as appealing to Brazilian transplants as it is to Brits and cachaça-curious international diners. Landgraf eschews the formality of tasting menus in favour of a mix of small and large plates. The first words out of your mouth should be a request for a caipirinha – easily London’s best –followed by an order of crab pasteís – big, bubbly, deep-fried parcels of crabmeat, known as pasteís de vento or ‘wind pastels’ after the pocket of air inside. They come with a tart purple ketchup, made of açai, the sharp Amazonian berry and one of the 200kg of speciality ingredients Bossa imports from Brazil each month. Next up comes Bossa’s signature scallops with leeks, toasted buckwheat and tucupi, the tangy, fermented juice of the manioc root, an elegant, beautifully balanced dish that tells you a little about Brazil and a lot about Landgraf’s fine-dining training under Tom Aikens and Gordon Ramsay
in the aughts. Aoki pairs it with a wellstructured Loire Sauvignon from a cellar as eclectic as the playlist.
Things start to get even more interesting with the arrival of a split-roasted marrow bone, for stu ing with fresh cashew cream into tapioca ‘tacos’ with a texture like mochi skin. I can’t think of where else on this planet you’d find such a creation. And matched with a classical Chablis too!
At Oteque, Landgraf throws open the definition of ‘Brazilian food’. He doesn’t go in for feijoada or moqueca there, two of Brazil’s best-known dishes, though does so at Bossa. As a predictable Brit I appreciate the gesture, as I really do want to try his take on Brazil’s national dishes. The moqueca fish stew is packed full of seafood, with traditional-ish accompaniments of banana farofa, blackeyed bean salad and rice. Even better is the feijoada of sorts, which distils the essence of the dish in a purée of the black bean and pork stew, served with some of the best crackling pork I can ever remember having. Desserts include a tonka bean flan with cupuaçu (a fruit related to cacao) and açai sorbet with sugar cane crumble and spiced chocolate. Whether such intense flavours would register similarly with a Brazilian diner I can’t say, but to me they’re extraordinary. I’m trying new flavours, next textures, which, as a food writer, is what I long for. I’m happy to find them at Bossa.
MEAL FOR TWO (with wine): £220
SIGNATURE DISHES: Scallops and tucupi, seafood moqueca
WHAT TO DRINK: Caipirinhas
The National Portrait Gallery – you may have heard?
– reopened in June to much fanfare after a three-year renovation costing £41.3m. To call it a success is an understatement. Visit today and you’ll find yourself doing battle with the hordes of tourists and culture vultures, clustering around Jamie Coreth’s portrait of the Prince of Wales and his Vampire’s Wife-clad princess.
If you need a cup of tea (or a sti drink) first, we recommend scooting up in the lift to the 4th floor for the comparative peace and quiet of Richard Corrigan’s new opening The Portrait. I’ve been twice already. Once for a press lunch attended by a Who’s Who of London’s food cognoscenti (a reminder of the high esteem in which the avuncular Irish chef is held), and once for dinner. On both occasions the weather was atrocious but, nevertheless, the panoramic views through the windows out over the
rooftops of London were simply stunning. You can check o the famous sights as you turn your head 180 degrees: St Martin-in-the-Fields, the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, Nelson’s Column…
The design by Brady Williams Studio is subtle and soft-toned, with lowkey luxury touches such as bespoke wall panels by de Gournay, ruched linen lampshades and brass-inlay honey-coloured floor tiles. It’s just the sort of comfortable, respectable place you might want to take parents, grandparents, maybe an auntie, a godmother, or an out-of-town guest who doesn’t give a fig about joining the queue at Cadet or squeezing into Straker’s or wherever the youngsters go. That’s not to damn it: there’s a lovely buzz in the packed dining room and it’s cheering to see old and young eating together. This is what a restaurant should look like! And the prices are sensible by central London
standards too: £35 for a threecourse lunch and pre-theatre menu; main courses not more than £35.
Richard Corrigan and co are cooking food to please that audience. As you’d expect of this proud champion of British Isles ingredients, his menu is all about exceptional ingredients such as traditional breed pork from Huntsham Farm, Cornish mackerel, Carlingford oysters, native lobster and seasonal ingredients including artichokes, sweetcorn and girolles. They’re used creatively in dishes that nod to tradition but also surprise. Thus, tomato salad with a Martini dressing, a whole globe artichoke with cock crab seasoned with kombu powder, and homemade pasta with snail bolognaise. It’s
good to see soup celebrated too (whatever happened to soup? People love soup). At The Portrait, you might find gazpacho with courgette cream and lobster, retro cauliflower ‘crème Dubarry’, or sweetcorn chowder with a swirl of salt cod cream and fresh jalapeño. A basket of Corrigan’s famous soda bread is a must. Halibut and brown crab hollandaise is as described; very simple, very comforting, and all the more so with a side of glossy olive oil mash. Pudding, a pot de crème with blackcurrants and shortbread, is a taste of the English summer.
About that cup of tea I mentioned. Even if you only nip into The Portrait for a drink, you’ll see the care taken. The tea is by top purveyors Jing, the pale ale is from social enterprise brewery Toast, and they’ll mix you a refreshingly lower alcohol aperitif such as a retro muscatel and tonic with a slice of orange. Wines start at £30 and roam across the globe from Croatia to Georgia, Lebanon to California. You could stay here all day. Perhaps you should see the art first after all…
MEAL FOR TWO (with wine): £120
SIGNATURE DISH: Carlingford oysters with ginger, lime and coriander
WHAT TO DRINK: Salt and vinegar Martini
The story of Manzi’s in Soho was meant to be a straightforward one. The resurrection of an historic London seafood institution by venerable restaurateur Jeremy King and his business partner Chris Corbin, founders of the Wolseley, Fischer’s, Brasserie Zédel and more. But that’s not how it played out. After a very public tussle last year, Corbin and King departed their business; and their restaurantsincluding Manzi’s, at the time still a work in progress - now all operate under The Wolseley Hospitality Group.
Manzi’s, then, is the first new opening from The Wolseley Hospitality Group. For avid restaurant watchers such as myself, it’s impossible not to wonder how close
it is to Jeremy King’s vision or indeed to the original Manzi’s, founded o Leicester Square in 1928 and shuttered in 2006. I play a guessing game, deciding which of the design details King signed o . The mosaic floors? Definitely. The curvy eating counter? Possibly. The alabaster statue of a bu Poseidon? Definitely not. The coastal grandmother driftwood lamps? Nope. The shell bras worn by the mermaids that adorn the bar? I’d like to think so.
In a year or so, all this will be ancient history. Manzi’s will simply be Manzi’s. The menu reads well and dare I say King himself (my last mention of him, I promise) might not even disapprove. It devotes itself to the classics, both the classic classics and the modern classics. In the former category, you’ll find a prawn and crayfish cocktail, moules marinière and lobster thermidor. In the latter, I’d put the sea bream ceviche, yellowfin tuna tartare and the shrimp burger, a nod perhaps to J. Sheekey. The pricing is friendly too, with a prix fixe at £32.50 for three courses, fish and chips at a fair enough £24.75, and a whole section of sandwiches, four out of five of which are under £20 (the exception being the lobster roll). These are the dishes you’d probably gravitate towards at lunch, particularly in the less formal dining room.
In the evening, I know I’d want to be in the spectacular, O.T.T first floor dining room where the shell-brassièred sirens dwell. That’s when you might level up your order with oysters, caviar and lobster. Fabled Studio has created
two distinctive spaces, and while I may raise an eyebrow at some of the campery it all looks gorgeous, from the candelabras to the shell grotto loos and the coral reef private dining nook. In London restaurant shorthand, the downstairs is more for J. Sheekey types; upstairs for the Sexy Fish crowd. I’m unconvinced by the outdoor terrace, however. Nothing could persuade me to dine al fresco in a Soho alleyway, though it seems popular enough. Each to their own.
We try some great dishes and some not-so-great dishes. The fish and chips are not yet as good as they need to be; and they need to be excellent. “Like pub fish and chips,” sni s my lunch date. The sou lé suissesse, reimagined for Manzi’s with the addition of smoked haddock, is excellent. If you like The Wolseley’s sou lé and you like The Wolseley’s omelette Arnold Bennett, then you’ll love this. It comes with a perfectly dressed green salad. I also enjoy the crab cocktail, though I find myself reaching for the salt and pepper, in silver crab cruets (“Pinched from Manzi’s” reads the underside). Puddings, pleasingly retro, include black forest gateau, fruit cocktail jelly and the best brandy snaps.
Manzi’s wants to make us smile. It’s fun, it’s frivolous, it’s feelgood. It feels like a restaurant with a future as well as a past.
MEAL FOR TWO (with wine): £160
SIGNATURE DISHES: Monkfish
Wellington, Arbroath sou le Suisse
WHAT TO DRINK: Manzi’s Sea Breeze
1–8 Bateman’s Buildings, Soho, W1 manzis.co.ukIfirst tasted Yannick Alléno’s food at Le Meurice in Paris in 2003 when he was the hotshot chef who’d just taken over the palace-hotel’s legendary gilded dining room. In my memory, it was my first three Michelin star meal; in actuality, it only had one star then (Alléno went on to win three by 2007), but to this Top Shop-clad ninny, it sure felt like a three-star. I could not have been more intimidated. What did we eat? Caviar? Oysters? Lobster? Foie gras? Nope. We shared a copper pot of braised lamb shoulder with pomme purée and a green salad. That simple. Twenty years later, I think about how good – and no longer quite so intimidated – it made me feel.
All of which is to say that I was delighted to hear the news that Yannick Alléno, now holder of 15 Michelin stars across 19 restaurants worldwide, was to open his first London restaurant and bar at the Four Seasons Hotel at Park Lane. Pavyllon London and Bar Antoine (named after Alléno’s son who tragically died last year) opened at the start of July. Alléno, alas, is not
always going to be in the house but we’re happy to find him at the restaurant’s ‘gastronomic counter’ on our visit, chatting to guests, twinkly and Gallic. There are conventional dining tables too, but the open kitchen action brings life to the otherwise sedate room. I’d recommend requesting a spot there. Alléno is known as a moderniser. A chef who looks back to move forward. He’s pioneered and patented his own extraction techniques for making sauces, and uses fermentation and cryoconcentration, whatever that is, to harness flavour. There are a few contemporary cheffy touches to the menu - a mussel ice cream, a pomegranate veil, powdered herb salad - as well as what sounds like ’70s throwbacks such as veal cordon bleu, beef stroganoff, crêpe soufflée, and smoked salmon frivolité. French cuisine has not exactly been the dernier cri in the UK in decades; for those of us who’d never given up on it (you wouldn’t have done if you’d been at Le Meurice with
me), it’s music to our ears. As Alléno himself says: every great classic is avant-garde. Just don’t come looking for la cuisine grand-mère Alléno’s food is highly technical, refined, and is eyewateringly expensive. First courses are upwards of £25 (£58 for the king crab); main courses can be well over £50, though there’s pasta from £28. Note, a £55.50 set lunch is available, and it includes my dish of the year so far: a steamed cheddar soufflé with watercress
coulis and bacon butter. I eat it up with a spoon like it’s sophisticated baby food. Given the chance, I’d eat it every day. The smoked salmon with blinis à la minute is pedestrian by comparison; the à la minute blinis minute. We squeeze in a midcourse of lasagne, just to see what Alléno does with it. It’s very ‘French’, the sauce rich and reduced, and comes with a parmesan crisp and fresh green salad. Delicious. I can also recommend the lamb chop “thick and juicy” with anchoïade. The menu doesn’t lie; it really is thick and juicy!
The surplus-torequirements lasagne leaves us no room for dessert. A spot of Stilton and a glass of port closes proceedings nicely. Alléno pours himself a drop and raises his glass. London should be good to him.
MEAL FOR TWO (with wine): £300
SIGNATURE DISH: Steamed cheddar soufflé with watercress coulis and bacon butter
WHAT TO DRINK: Pomerol
From intimate Michelin-star dining in Shoreditch to where to find the best sushi in Notting Hill, the former Petersham Nurseries chef and founder of Spring at Somerset House shares her go-to foodie spots
As told to LUCIANA BELLINI
I went to Cycene at the Blue Mountain School for the first time recently and it was an incredible experience - I can see why it’s recently been awarded a Michelin star. The space itself is beautiful – it feels almost like you’re in an art gallery or an exhibition space rather than a restaurant - and it’s tiny, with only 15 covers in the first-floor dining room. I’ve never been anywhere like it in England. I had the reduced tasting menu and it was well-paced, with gorgeous flavours. We had amazing oysters to start, which were served warm with cucumber butter, finishing off with a traditional tarte tatin. It was one of the best I’ve ever eaten, certainly outside of France. 9 Chance Street, Shoreditch, E2 bluemountain.school
I go back to The River Café time and time again. I had a very close relationship with Rose Gray; she and the restaurant’s co-founder Ruth Rogers influenced me enormously in terms of being women operating in a very male space. They also really shifted the boundaries around seasonality and focusing on produce-driven cooking. In the summer, I like to go on the weekend for lunch because it’s heaven to sit outside. The menu changes quite often and you never really know what you’re going to get until you’re there, but I usually have a pasta dish as they’re so good and the ice-creams are exquisite. For me, it’s an iconic London restaurant. Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, Hammersmith, W6 rivercafe.co.uk
The River Café s chargrilled squid with red chilli and rocket
One of my all-time favourites has to be Lyle’s. The chef James Lowe is someone who I really admire; his cooking is very thoughtful and intelligent. I particularly love the guest series that he runs because it’s such a great opportunity to discover chefs from places like Mexico, Korea or Argentina. I like the fact that James is very committed to cooking seasonally and working with small farms. The restaurant itself is housed in the old Tea Building on Shoreditch High Street, so it has these high ceilings and big windows. There’s a bit of a utilitarian feel to it, but it doesn’t feel cold at all.
56 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, E1 lyleslondon.com
I live in west London and there’s a great Japanese restaurant on Westbourne Grove called Sumi. It has a well-curated menu of Japanese dishes and the food is delicious. The flavours are all super clean and it’s very fresh. I usually try a mix of things - some sashimi and sushi, and it does a few warm dishes and salads, too. It makes this fig salad, which sounds a bit weird - I don’t think you’d see it anywhere in Japan - but it really works. The restaurant itself is aesthetically pleasing, too - all light wood and clean lines. It felt like a breath of fresh air when it opened.
157 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, W11 sushisumi.com
Quo Vadis is such a gorgeous place and Jeremy Lee is a legend. I’ve known him for 100 years and we’ve worked together on many different projects. He is the ultimate host and it feels almost theatrical when he’s there. Obviously, the food is lovely as well. He does this incredible salsify wrapped in very fine filo pastry with lots of cheese all over the top, and the eel sandwich there is really good. And then, of course, he’s famous for his mad desserts. They’re very unruly but completely delicious. Mine are totally different, they’re super neat, so it’s a treat to crack into Jeremy’s and make a mess. 26-29 Dean Street, Soho, W1 quovadissoho.co.uk
Sumi’s emaki
Memories create a journey you can always return to.
San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel, perches on a promontory on the east coast of Sicily, above the Ionian Sea. Such a dramatic setting calls for an eye-catching pop-up - and Dolce & Gabbana delivers. The Italian fashion house has taken over the hotel’s infinity pool area and gardens until November, decking out loungers to cabanas in its Blu Mediterraneo motif. Surely the most stylish way to soak up the sunshine. fourseasons.com
Photography by Peter Vitale
Ikos adds to its all-inclusive luxury beachfront portfolio with Ikos Odisia in Corfu. The 60-acre resort is wrapped around twinkling Dassia Bay, with uninterrupted views across the Ionian Sea. Rooms, suites, bungalows and villas are set amongst fragrant pines and citrus groves, providing the utmost privacy. Aesthetics aside, this is a place to do nothing but relax - where the à la carte restaurants serve seafood paella to Asian fusion and there’s an Anne Semonin spa and ten (yes, ten!) swimming pools. You’ll even receive 30 minutes of childcare on the private beach every day. And all without a bill to pay at the end… ikosresorts.com
It’s been eight years in the making but Izza opens this Autumn in the heart of Marrakech’s medina. Comprising seven interconnecting riads, the hotel’s decor is in part an homage to the interior designer Bill Willis, complemented with an incomparable art collection. With its 14 individually-inspired bedrooms, shady courtyards, a rooftop dipping pool, spa, hammam and restaurant, it’s as seductive as the red city itself.
izza.com
The Hoxton comes to Germany, opening its doors in west Berlin’s leafy Charlottenburg. The London hotel group weaves the neighbourhood’s Bauhaus-meets-Art Nouveau-meets-Brutalist heritage into the interiors - unrefined textures, such as the concrete-effect front desk, add edge, while exaggerated cornicing, pretty tiling and vintage furniture bring the glamour. The allday House of Tandoor serves Indianinspired pastries, fragrant curries and natural wines to a cool, creative crowd. thehoxton.com
Cap Karoso sits on the shores of a coral reef, surrounded by turquoise lagoons, on the Indonesian island of Sumba. This is a resort that prides itself not just on being lowkey luxe - the calming interiors, a beach club, chef’s table restaurant and open-air cinema are just some of the treats - but also its reverence of Sumbanese culture, with a programme of creative residencies and immersive experiences celebrating the island’s aged-old traditions. capkaroso.com
More than 20 years after setting eyes on a 16thcentury finca in Mallorca, Richard Branson’s passion project is finally complete, and Son Bunyola welcomed its first guests this summer. The reimagined 26-bedroom property - with its 92-foot swimming pool and next-level farm-to-fork cookingis at the heart of a 1,300acre estate of gnarled olive trees and vineyards, with three miles of gleaming coastline. virginlimitededition.com
From a nature-immersed wellness retreat in deepest Wales to a bucolic bolthole just minutes outside London, these new openings offer the ultimate escape to the countryside
Estelle Manor has all the tick boxes of the idyllic rural retreat. Grade II-listed neoJacobean mansion nestled deep in the Oxfordshire countryside. Check. 3,000 acres of sweeping parkland and landscaped gardens. Check. Meticulous service. First-class cuisine. Pretty-as-a-picture swimming pool. Absolutely.
But this is also a country haven for a new generation, where chintz
furnishings, genteel lawn games and speaking in hushed tones in the dining room are a thing of the past. At this hotel and private members’ club, which is the countryside companion to Maison Estelle in London’s Mayfair, the vibe is unstuffy and fun, a place that promises to bring people together who “have plenty to say and nothing to prove” - and who certainly don’t want to be worrying if they’ve got the right attire for dinner.
Words HARRIET COOPERThe decor reflects this fresh spin on luxury. Downstairs, the light-flooded rooms are a vision for the senses, with carefully-sourced antiques set against eclectic artworks and sumptuous, jewel-toned furnishings for multi-layered opulence. A further suite of spaces - behind a discreet screenare for members only. The 108 rooms - spread across the Manor House, Walled Garden and Stables - are equally easy-on-the-eye, with ornate
armoires and vintage mirrors amongst the velvet, silk and rattan furnishings (like what you see? The Muse shop offers a curated edit of the manor to take home). Beds are cloud-soft, bathrooms expansive. The soon-to-befinished woodland cottages and private houses are designed with families and groups in mind.
The restaurants are under the expert helm of chef Richard Bias. The all-day
are a Japanese restaurant for members, and the Glasshouse, serving wood-fired dishes amidst twinkling lights and scented blooms in the hotel’s garden.
As you’d expect, given its Mayfair members’ club connections, the dedicated Clubhouse is quite something. There’s a 250 sq metre gym with every manner of hi-tech equipment, as well as a class studio offering 37 classes a week from HIIT and Hatha yoga to Box Fit and Pilates. A George Northwood hair salon is opening soon. There’s also a café, a kids’ club (with free childcare on the cards), and, of course, plenty of workspace.
Brasserie channels a farmhouse-chic vibe, with a classic menu of Oxford cheddar soufflé, Alaskan king crab and perfectly executed steaks. For up-tempo glamour, The Billiards Room - with its gold walls, emerald-green carpet and malachite-topped tables - is all about traditional Chinese feasting (think the likes of dim sum, crispy pork and chocolate Sichuan tarts). In the pipeline
As they say, work hard, play hard - and the 3,000 sq metre Roman-inspired bathhouse and spaEynsham Baths - is designed for the latter. Slated to open soon, it will dazzle even the most seasoned spa-goer with a tepidarium bathing hall, five pools, ten treatment rooms and thermal cabins, plus a members-only open-air hideaway and bar. On sunny days, however, you’ll likely find the cool creatives on the South Terrace, sipping rosé by the Riviera-inspired 25-metre pool or battling it out on one of the outdoor Padel courts.
estellemanor.com
If you book into The Dreaming, you might well be doing sound healing or practising QiGong with Charlotte Church. For this new wellness retreat in Wales is the singer’s dream-turned-reality and she’s often on site leading the daily sessions. The story begins in 2020, when Charlotte spotted Rhydoldog House (the property once belonged to Laura Ashley’s family). It was love at first sight. Perched amidst wildlife-rich woods and craggy rock formations, in the deep cleave of the Nant Caethon Valley, the location is enchanting.
Realising the house was the perfect place to fulfil her vision of creating a space that invites its visitors to slow down and connect with nature, she set about converting it into the haven it is today. Or in Charlotte’s words, “A place for healing through experiencing beauty and wonder.”
The Dreaming hosts all-inclusive three-day retreats, during which time
you can do as little or as much as you want. If you wish to partake of one of the many “offerings” - so called because they are offered but not compulsory - options are extensive. Spiritual practitioners are on hand to lead yoga, foraging, mythic storytelling, stargazing, singing at dawn, painting, dance, dreamwork, herbalism, meditation, night time forest bathing…
Or you could equally spend your time recalibrating in the gardens, designed in collaboration with RHS Chelsea Flower Show gold medallist Juliet Sargeant, or the acres of ancient woodland. Or how about wild swimming in one of the natural plunge pools or watching the red kites circling overhead as you soak in the rooftop wooden hot tub? Meals are as wholesome as you’d expect, with guests feasting on organic vegetarian and vegan dishes served at long banqueting tables in The Refectory.
Much thought has gone into the cosy, cocooning communal areas. So too, the seven bedrooms which come in different configurations, designed to accommodate from one to three people (they’re sold on a sharing basis). With names such as The Dawn, The Womb, The Mushroom and The Mystic, they’re decorated accordingly, incorporating handmade natural materials and artisan furniture, inspired by travel and other cultures. All have super comfortable beds (with privacy screens) and bathrooms.
In keeping with Charlotte’s firm belief in inclusivity and affordability, the price works on a sliding scale, with pay-whatyou-can places, a pay-it-forward scheme, and accessible rooms. Meaning that everyone is welcome on this nourishing, nurturing and healing journey.
thedreaming.co.uk
It may be just 30 minutes from London, but Birch (Selsdon) in Croydon - the sister hotel to Birch (Cheshunt) in Hertfordshire - feels like a parallel universe. The hotel is set in 200 acres of rolling countryside, which is in the throes of being rewilded by environmentalist Sebastian Cox (also a designer, Cox is responsible for much of the hotel’s bespoke furniture). His vision is to revive the medieval farmstead that once occupied this site, gradually introducing oldbreed, free-roaming animals (pigs, ponies, long-horned cattle), as well as a dye and physic garden. The fairways of a former golf course are being transformed into wetlands.
Birch has been equally environmentally minded when converting the 19th-century, Gothicstyle mansion, at the heart of the
estate, into the 181-room hotel it is today. Interior design and architecture studio A-nrd took a “restorative approach”, adapting and repurposing the original infrastructure wherever possible. The lobby’s original masonry and floral bas-relief ceilings have been exquisitely reconditioned, a floor-toceiling stained glass window dominates the staircase, while the
wood panelled, indigoceilinged Snug is the perfect spot for an evening of cocktails - as are the terracotta-hued Meadow Bar and the sunny Orangery. Furniture throughout the hotel is either repurposed, upcycled, reupholstered or handmade by Cox, using wood from the estate.
There are two
restaurants, both led by Michelin-starred chef Lee Westcott. All-day brasserie Vervain serves seasonal classics, such as smoked salmon and prawn cocktail, shepherd’s pie and English trifle, perfectly executed in their simplicity; while Elodie (designed by London studio Sella Concept) errs more towards fine dining, with a multicourse farm-to-fork menu, much of it sourced from the estate.
Upstairs, the aesthetic continues. Bedrooms - which come in five sizesare pared back, featuring an earthy colour palette, carbon negative cork flooring, recycled linen curtains and bespoke artwork lining the walls. You could spend your stay admiring the interiors, but it would be a shame to miss the red-and-white Art Deco lido with its yoga deck, the tennis courts or the expansive Wellness Space. There’s also a dedicated work area, The Hive, plus an innovative, family-friendly events programme offering everything from Strong Side gym sessions and Seasonal Yin Yoga to pottery in the purpose-built studio, wildland walks and bee-keeping. With facilities and workshops open to Birch members as well as hotel guests, this is a rural retreat that positively buzzes. birchcommunity.com
Designed as a nature immersive wellbeing retreat with 68 private pool villas, the island’s wild forest remaining untouched, JOALI BEING offers personalised transformative programmes and unique transformational spaces, including hydrotherapy, movement, and sound healing experiences.
The leafy Medjoul wallcovering by Arte takes inspiration from the Middle Eastern date palm, its relief pattern inspired by ancient carvings. First sculpted by hand into clay, the design is then translated into detailed three-dimensional, plasterwork-style textile tiles to bring an exuberant feel to walls. £619/2 tiles; arte-international.com
Compiled by AMY MOOREA WONG
Speckled satin stoneware meets quirky detailing in the Orbital collection by Miyelle, the exaggerated shapes and proportions created to enhance the experience of everyday rituals. More akin to sculptures, every mug and vase is handmade in London, so no two are the same. From £40 selfridges.com, miyelle.com
East London lifestyle brand House of Hackney presents Market Garden, a digital bazaar inspired by Mother Nature. Browse furniture, objects and artworks crafted by a curated community of independent makers and decorated with beguiling natural forms, including this Nereid Vase by Freya Bramble-Carter £660
Bramble-Carter houseofhackney.com
Two illustrious names in British design, interiors brand Neptune and textile house Christopher Farr, have joined forces for a sun-soaked collection of made-to-order parasols and outdoor scatter cushions. Decorated with lively largescale leaves and so geometrics in a green-blue-peach palette, the pattern pairing creates a subtly retro feel. neptune.com
The Dit design by Normann Copenhagen is the ultimate in customisable tables. Threelegged steel bases come in six colours, from brights to neutrals, and can be combined with ten di erent stone tabletop options the likes of white Carrara marble or emerald onyx, with a total of 60 possible combinations.
From £340 normann-copenhagen.com
Gubi’s Tropique Collection by Mathieu Matégot encapsulates the timeless luxury of mid-20th-century life on the Côte d’Azur. Originally designed in the 50s, the outdoor furniture capsule comes in durable weatherproof materials with optional tasselled fringing to elevate al fresco evenings.
From €799 gubi.com
Hot design brand on the block Colours of Arley, founded by Louisa Tratalos in 2020, has opened a store in Shoreditch, where you can buy its bespoke recycled striped fabrics, all of which are made in the UK. Choose from 180 colours for 15,000 combinations of stripe, plus there’s also a selection of vintage pieces curated by Louisa. Following successful collaborations with Glassette, Rixo and House of Hackney, next up is a limited-edition collection of cushions with Casa by Paboy, launching in September.
61 Hackney Road, Shoreditch, E2 coloursofarley.com
FROM TOP LEFT TO RIGHT: COLOURS OF ARLEY X STUDIO SPARKS Frilled Cushion, £150 THE VINTAGE DROP Murano Stripe Lamp, £375 THE VINTAGE DROP Pipe Dreams Chair, £1,245 COLOURS OF ARLEY X GLASSETTE Frilled Cushion, £150
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Words CHARLOTTE ADSETT Photography JAMES EVERETT & BETH DAVISIt’s hard to believe that just three years ago The Country House Cumbria, a six-bedroom Georgian pile in the village of Castle Carrock in the foothills of the North Pennines, was a wreck, riddled with dry rot. Today, it’s quite a different story. The house, which is available as a luxury holiday rental, is a masterclass in contemporary style and comfort, while still retaining the original period features that define its 160-year heritage.
The renovation has been a labour of love for the house’s custodians, actor Ben Forster and his property developer partner Paul Longman, who meticulously restored it to its former glory in just over 24 months. Yet, this story begins much further back. “I’m from Sunderland and we’d come to Castle Carrock on holidays when I was a young boy,” says Ben, whose career spans two decades in musical theatre. “I used to ask my mum and dad to lift me up so I could see over the wall and I’d dream about living there.”
Many years later Ben and Paul bought a holiday cottage in Castle Carrock, attracted by the surrounding countryside, with its dramatic fells, waterfalls and rivers, and the village itself with its excellent local pub and welcoming community. Then, serendipitously, the big house, which had gradually been falling into decline, came on the market in 2017.
Built in 1862 by a merchant who made his fortune in the cloth trade in India, it has all the hallmarks of classic Georgian
Georgian manor house in Cumbria has been given a new lease of life thanks to its owners, who have meticulously restored its original features
architecture, with a symmetrical facade and a grand porticoed entrance. An orangery, added in 1914, adds to the footprint. The couple felt it would make an incredible holiday home. “We love the village and the surrounding area - the walks are just phenomenal,” says Paul. “Plus the house had this rich history and its energy was amazing.”
After four years of conveyancing, they finally got their hands on the keys in 2021. Although Ben and Paul started developing properties thirteen years ago and have a sizable portfolio between them, neither has any formal design training. Nor did they commission an architect for the considerable renovation they were about to undertake. “We just did it all on paper to start with. We pictured ourselves in each room and how we wanted it to work,” explains Paul.
Much to their surprise and delight, the house still had many of its original features. “When we first came to look around, we pulled back the carpet and could see these amazing floor tiles underneath,” continues Paul. “And we were blessed with the original stone stairs, shutters, bannisters and fireplaces - so many things in such incredible condition.” The Lincrusta wallpaper in the hallway was another feature they inherited; the deeply embossed wall covering made of putty, popular in the late 19th century for its intricate patterns, was painstakingly restored and is now painted a stone colour.
With design ideas swimming around their heads, Ben and Paul set about ripping everything, except the period features, out. Though they reckon they filled at least 50 skips, anything they could reuse or recycle they did. About three weeks into the work, however, they came upon every developer’s nightmare: dry rot, which would eat into their budget. It was around this time that they hit upon the idea of starting an Instagram account to chart their renovation journey for inquisitive friends who were saying “send us pictures, send us pictures”. And so @thecountryhousediaries was born, with followers increasing by their thousands in a matter of days. “It was quite exciting,” says Paul. “Plus with things going wrong with the house, such as an unexpected leak causing the drawing room ceiling, its plasterwork and ceiling rose newly renovated, to fall in, Instagram was a light relief. There were so many people being really supportive.”
They now have 96.5k followers and counting. Their grid isn’t contrived - it’s honest, relatable and, above all, useful. “We realised people love seeing videos of before and after content,” says Ben. As their Instagram account gained traction, it started catching the attention of design brands, many looking to collaborate with
Ben and Paul on the project. But not before careful consideration from the pair. “We always ask ourselves can we honestly look someone in the eye and genuinely say, ‘that's an amazing brand, it's really beautiful and the quality is brilliant.’ And if we don't feel comfortable doing that, then it’s a no.”
Amongst the brands they worked with on The Country House Cumbria are London-based paint manufacturer Mylands, whose richly pigmented, jeweltoned paints adorn the walls throughout the expansive house. “The paint was so important. Once we chose a colour for each room it really set the tone. It's so
much easier to style a room once you've decided on a colour,’ says Ben.
“In a lot of the rooms, we enveloped the space so all the flat surfaces from the skirting to the ceiling are in that colour. I think it gives it a more contemporary feel,” continues Paul. Their dark green and marble Shaker-style Olive & Barrdesigned kitchen, with its handcrafted
artisan cabinetry, Original BTC lighting and cuttingedge appliances, including a top-of-the-range cooker by Italian company Ilve, has won numerous awards. Other successful collaborations include with Castrad Radiators, whose custom-made cast-iron radiators heat the house; Burlington Bathrooms; Crucial Trading, for all the runners and rugs; Johnson’s Tiles; and Johnson’s of Elgin, who make fabrics for luxury fashion houses and who created all the bespoke curtains and throws for the beds. “We had an amazing trip to their factory in Scotland, to watch all the fabric and curtains being made, a process that blew our minds,” says Paul.
“We were lucky as much of the house was well preserved. We were blessed with the original stone stairs, shutters, bannisters and fireplaces - so many things in such incredible condition”
“I don’t think we would have been able to finish the project if it wasn't for Instagram and the collaborations that came with it,” says Ben. “Not to the high standard we wanted and it would have taken us a lot longer. We’ve had massive support from so many different companies. It’s been great working
with some of our favourite British heritage brands, known for their skilled craftsmanship and in-depth knowledge.”
The couple - who favour Art Deco and mid-20th century style - say that one of their strongest design references is the Soho House Group. “We love the way they blend all the different eras together.
Part of our thing is that we are obsessed with furniture, so we buy it along the way and then it might sit in storage for a couple of years. And then when you bring that piece into a room you love, you can build around it,” says Paul. Antique and vintage pieces - such as the walnut wood wardrobes and the second-hand lamps in the individuallydesigned bedrooms - they found on Facebook marketplace and Vinterior. “We love a bargain. Our motto used to be, ‘if it's not 70% off, we’re not buying it’,” smiles Ben. And they bought a lot at trade showrooms - “the Conran Shop used to be amazing. You could buy sofas that were originally five grand for like 400 quid” - and eBay for ex-display items, while the art on the walls is from Shoreditch Market. “We’ve also got some massive paintings that one of my fans sent me,” says Ben. “In the games room, there's a picture of me as Jesus Christ Superstar, and Melanie C as Mary, and Tim Minchin as Judas, which is a musical show I did back in 2012.”
Guests renting The Country House Cumbria won’t fail to have a memorable stay. The six ensuite bedrooms include a dormitory style room for children or adults alike, with three bunk beds, so you can book it for up to 16 people, making it an ideal place for big family and friend get-togethers. All the beds come with Hypnos mattresses and toppers, while bathrooms feature products by local brand,
The Sedbergh Soap Company. No detail has been overlooked downstairs either. The elegantlyproportioned living spaces are deliciously inviting, whether you’re curling up in front of a crackling fire in the snug, drinking cocktails at the bar in the orangery, shooting pool in the games room or sitting down for a meal in the vast kitchen. But what’s so lovely is the little touches, such as the freshly baked cakes and scones that the friendly housekeeper Agnes lays on. Outside, the three acres of gardens incorporate lawn and meadows, and there’s a jacuzzi, firepit and, best of all, hens, so you can go and collect your own eggs every morning. The charming village of Castle Carrock is a two-minute walk from the house and the fells beyond are a hiker’s paradise.
“I don’t think we would have been able to finish the project if it wasn’t for Instagram. Not to the high standard we wanted. It would have taken us a lot longer. We had massive support from so many different companies”
The Lake District and Hadrian’s Wall are a short drive, so too Scotland, just over the border.
Seeing as Ben and Paul have done such a wonderful job on The Country House Cumbria, can they share any decorating tips? Number one rule, they suggest, is don’t follow trends. “It’s obvious, but buy what you love,” says Paul. “If it’s your house, it doesn't have to appeal to everybody. If you walk into a shop and some tacky ornament makes you go ‘Oh my goodness, that's so cute. I love it’ then that's what you should be buying.” Layering textures is also key. “Mixing your fabrics like velvets, linens and wool. And we love a cushion. We have so many on every sofa, chair and bed.”
Now that The Country House Cumbria is finished, and the rental bookings are coming in thick and fast, what’s next for Paul and Ben? “”We are planning on doing one or two projects a year,” says Paul. “I can't imagine us not having somewhere to style and develop and think about and obsess over.” But it’s obvious this little slice of heaven in Cumbria will always have their heart - and the pride in their voices is palpable. “It looked quite dark and scary when we first bought it,” smiles Ben. “And then one day it just suddenly became this, like, golden house. And it just looked and felt so happy.”
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