THE LUXURY REPORTER MAGAZINE ISSUE 32

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Publisher’s Note 10.

Leading Lights 12.

A line of beauty

Editorial Publisher/Managing Editor Funke Osae-Brown Staff Writers Lara Oladunni Beatrice Isola Awero Johnson Adedoyin Amole

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Branch furniture

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Nature’s Glow

Creative Director Brian Uche Web Design Dele Odufuye, Tsaboin Advisory Board Mrs. Abimbola Wright Mr. Femi Adefowope Mrs. Mercy Omoyeni Mr. Ogbeni-Tope Awe Mr. Julian Osula Mrs. Bola Balogun Mrs. Nkiru Olumide-Ojo Dr. Phil Osagie Mrs. Florence Olumodimu

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Ol Donyo

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Pezula Conrad 25.

The Miami 26.

Jumeirah

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A Superyacht for charter 29.

5 yachts that ruled the 2018 Miami Yacht Show

Cover Credit Cover design & Photography: B7K Makeup: Belladamamakeovers Location: Trish O Couture Image Credit Huffpost.com Pinrest.com insiderlouisville.com artforce.org travelstart.com.ng buccellati.com Alberto Cocchi and Bluei Productions Dornier Seastar Ben Enwonwu Foundation B7K Photography bulk-stone.com Chef Jess Bola|3 holysmithereens.com Robbreport.com

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William Mcintyre talks Radisson Blue

32 The Return of Mercedes Benz

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Content 36

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BMW X3 Jewel on the Road 36.

BMW’s 30th Anniversary limited edition M4 convertible 38.

The Car Marques Turning Themselves into Luxury Lifestyle Brands 41.

Satta Maturi

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Costume Change 46.

Gen-encrusted cuff watches for high-octane glamour 48.

Cover Story 51.

Gbenga Art Smith 53.

Earthy Jewellery

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Iconic Jeweller 57.

Piaget Jewellery 60.

Stealing the Show 62.

Stones make A Bold Return

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Chic Furniture

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Made to Measure 67.

Hues in Store 69.

Interview: Ade Adefeko 71.

Interview: Mrs Ini Abimbola

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Content

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Chef Jess 76.

Banking On Arts 80.

Ben Enwonwu 83.

Interview: Mrs Kavita Chellaram 86.

Ibidunni Ighodalo

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Eclectibles 91.

A rekindled love affair with brick

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Pools of Distinction 97.

Hospitality as Installation Art

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Publisher’s Note

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Still Celebrating African Craftsmanship

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ew things are happening in the luxury industry on the African continent especially in the jewellery sector. And so, we went across the continent in this edition to interview a man and two women who have taken jewellery making to a new level in Africa.

Leading this edition on our cover is Bola Allison, founder, Bola|3. She has been making bespoke hand forged jewellery for more than fifteen years using precious stones and metals.

Allison has been behind the scene. Her brand is well-known, yet few people can put a face to her name. In this exclusive interview, she opens up on her journey as a jeweller and her designs.

Likewise, Satta Matturi is making a difference

in the fine jewellery sector in far away Botswana with her new collection Artful Indulgence; just as Gbenga Artsmith is taking his costume jewellery to a new level in Lagos, Nigeria.

In addition, there are interesting stories on foreign luxury brands who are doing great things with costume jewellery using precious stones.

Something interesting is happening in architecture. The recent rekindled love affair with the brick by architects is giving it a new attention as they are beginning to rediscover its warmth and palpable delight.

Just as modern swimming pool designs are jaw-dropping. Turn over the pages to read more.

There are more interesting stories on travel, resort, hotels, automobile, yachts and more for your reading pleasure. Just read on!

Enjoy.

- FOB Follow me on: Instagram: funke_osae-brown Twitter: @funkeadetutu

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Leading Light In this era, lamp designers are pushing boundaries with their newest pieces. Recent designs are avant-garde and edgy; they are often inspiring and thrilling, making them sought-after pieces, reports LARA OLADUNNI.

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omiwa Phillips has just acquired an unusual bedside lamp. A week ago, he had been in search of a rare bedside lamp to accentuate the minimalist design of his bedroom. He got a Luku Home Wave Ikat lampshade. The lamp, designed by Copper and Silk, is a bold lampshade handmade with satin-finished cotton fabric with a pattern by textile artist and designer, Ptolemy Mann.

In this era, lamp designers are pushing boundaries with their newest pieces. Lamp designs are avantgarde and edgy, they are often inspiring and thrilling to behold. Most of them are a fusion of modern and classical designs that have become collectors' items.

Biodun Adepegba, an interior decorator, says lamp manufacturers have come to understand the shift in

taste of consumers for rare extravagance piece, hence they are producing lamps tailored to meet these demands.

According to her, most new designs are influenced by 19th and 20th Centuries English, French and American lights.

“Some of the pieces we stock are made by Charles Edwards,” she says. “He is famous for lanterns. His pieces have graced halls of presidential villas, houses of rich men the world over. His designs are for people who crave for lamps or lanterns with classical air made finely for people of class.”

Truly, like Charles Edwards's pieces, newest designs are right for people who desire elegant lighting in their homes. They add that unique experience to the entire beauty of hotels, palaces, houses, as they come in every shape, size, mood and with many a different cultural reference like Moorish, Gothic, Parisian, Mid-century Modern, and even plain, old-fashioned English. There are designs to hang in halls, outside on gateposts or

THE LUXURY REPORTER In addition, latest designs of bedside lamps are equally sought-after. There are also interesting designs of hanging lights and chandeliers, desk and standard lamps. Manufacturers are customising designs in their collections specifically to suit a client's taste. Deigns can either be scaled up or down, re-colour or rework in other ways from the original design. For instance, Sé Trophy lamp by Nika Zupanc, in gloss ceramic, is a collector's item any day.

“If there is a design a client loves and wants to replicate, we can get our partners abroad to do that,” says Obioma Chibuzor, a lamp dealer, and “if you have in mind something that does not yet exist, we can help you bring it to life or achieve it.”

Furthermore, there are lamps designed as an above-the-dining-table light that enables home owners walk around the table without knocking down the light. It also allows them move furniture in the home around without fear of damaging it. With various exquisite designs, today the lamp has become synonymous with good taste and a stylish, modern interior. For the first time since its creation, the classic design has been twisted. The latest update involves incorporating an LED light fixture hidden behind a diffuser, as well as a dimmer, reducing power consumption to 18 watts.

Italian brand, Flos, has a reputation for having an iconic lamp for every occasion. The designs have leveraged its 1960s and 1970s creative heritage to fuel its amazing forward momentum. The Arco lamp usually comes with powerful illumination.

The marble-based “pendant” floor lamp with the arched metal arm designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1962 for Flos, is perhaps the most recognisable lamp in the world. Flos is known globally for its series of timeless designs from the 1960s and 1970s. Today, Flos is in pursuance of new technological challenges with a fervour one can easily describe as wild.

In addition, 1960s designs are now meeting modern technology. Other interesting designs are built around impressive technological innovations.

For instance, Italian Antonio Citterio's new Kelvin LED floor lamp has a button, which when held for an extra second, the sensors kick in to allow the LED to read and compensate for the level of atmospheric light around it. And Starck's brand-new Light Photon, a glossy OLED (organic LED) limited-edition table lamp of 500 is the largest OLED lamp in the world and completely unfeasible to create in significant numbers. They are expensive to make, as lamp

Home making is moving from electricity to electronics.

Therefore, lamp designs are more about doing the unusual, crazy things. “The world over, especially in Italy, lamp designers, like shoes or bags designers, do very crazy pieces that end up being regarded as beautiful products. It is about being a crazy and being a visionary,” says Adepegba.

Adepegba further explains that many Italian design companies are now talking of green innovations when it comes to lamp designs.

“Designers are now replacing plastic components in their oeuvre, since the beginning of the year, with eco alternative mater ials. For instance, this Flos' all-time bestseller, an all polycarbonate table lamp by Philippe Starck called Miss Sissi – a new ecoplastic polymer created from the by-products of the sugar-beet and cane industry - will replace the current oil-based plastic.

Italian designers do not compromise either on quality or conceptually.”

The new bioplastic, known as a PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), is made from a sweetsmelling mass that can be manipulated into a material just like polycarbonate. Being a byproduct, it has reportedly zero impact upon the food cycle, re q u i re s n o o rg a n i c s o l v e n t s a n d i s f u l l y biodegradable in water after a number of hours.

There is still work to be done on refining the material, plus the setting up of factories and production in Italy to allow for a serious amount of consumer production. They have also yet to establish exactly how to add colour with the longevity needed for a lamp that is design-ed to last many years , but the entire project is revolution-ary, and potentially revolution-starting.

Be that as it may, so long as consu-mers of luxury pieces are always incapable of stopping them-selves from falling in love with statement pieces lamps inclusive, designers will never stop redefining their crafts.

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A line of beaut Shelves are no longer the support act. They are now sculptural works of art in their own right writes AWERO JOHNSON

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rancis Edwards is in search of a rare shelf for his new apartment. He has just moved into a new estate in Lekki. His choice is a shelf that is poised between conceptual art and domestic fixture. He wants a functional sculpture in the form of shelf that will capture the imagination of anyone who walks into his home.

He later settles for a highly polished aluminium piece

by French artist, Vincent Dubourg. The shelf is decorated with his acquisitions from porcelain boxes, small sculptures, volumes on design icons, to bookends in the shape of a rhino.

Edwards says he was first introduced to the works of Dubourg's in London by a friend. “I like Dubourg because he creates sculptural furniture with contemporary allusions to traditional methods of making cabinet. He evokes a nostalgic sense of the familiar while at the same time twisting these

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antiquated forms with his fresh approach to materials and technique.”

According to Edwards, Dubourg poetically fuses the crafts of glass blowing, wood-bending and metal-casting to deconstruct people's perceptions of simple forms and breathe new life into the past.

Like Edwards, lovers of contemporary shelves are going for rare designs made of timber ribbons, shiny aluminium splinters and polyconcrete cornices. These are interesting platforms glued to the wall like art pieces on which home owners display books, photo frames and other treasures.

Latest designs of shelves are often personalised representing an enduring partnership between artists and collectors.

Some of statement designs available include Piano shelves by New York based Sebastian Errazuriz. This shelf design is perfect for lovers of musical instrument who would like to decorate their house in an artistic manner and at the same time get a great storage space.

The Piano shelf is a great storage facility which imitates the structure of the keys of a piano and is adjustable for any type of object. When it is not in use, it can be folded so it doesn't occupy space that can be freed up or put into use in other ways.

What makes the shelf unique is that it is perfect for small rooms.

In addition, pieces by Italian designer, Andrea Branzi, are great works to have in the home. He uses birch trees to depict a continuation of his thinking on architecture. He creates a minimalist space of shelves, veritable pieces of microarchitecture made from aluminium that spread out in neo-plastic bursts like a Mondrian. However, through the splits in the frame, Branzi introduces trunks and twigs gathered in the wild. His strange designs question the duality of the nature-culture relationship.

Through the use of trees, Branzi adds a dimension, an extra slice of soul, as nature

THE LUXURY REPORTER becomes art, a contemporary icon, an emotional window linked to the knowledge of the vital importance of this precious, common heritage.

For artists like Branzi, who have always been fascinated by nature, they continue to give off a grand expressive force through their works. They combine nature with modern, perfect and industrial materials. These are pieces that are diverse, unique, unrepeatable and with somewhat sacred presences.

Dare Alabi, a collector, who once encountered Branzi's works in Europe says he was fascinated by his level of intelligence and creativity to combine tree with aluminium. “I find his interaction with emotion very brilliant. I love the combination of the wood and metal, the imagery of the growing tree and of the constrained shelves,” he says.

Just as artists are creating unique sculptural shelves with dual nature as artworks and showcases, collectors consider them as perfect items to have. In addition, artists are captivated by the form because it represents an intimate collaboration with those who purchase their works.

For instance, a 2010 series named 'Painting on the Wall' by Philip Michael is a dynamic platform, in zebrawood and red lacquer with gilded edges, that requires the additions of its owner to bring it to life.

Wolfson has been working for more than two decades. His piece, 'RipTear', a painted aluminium work with the elegance of a Stealth Bomber, and his piece, 'WallCurve' (2009), a shelf cum side table from the Line series, inspired by the movement of a handdrawn line, are statements works to have.

The design-art shelf has a long yet rich history.

Modern designs have been inspired by templates of Dear David, a 1996, Danny Lane's epic commission for David Pears' former home in Hampstead.

The artist is best known for big, bold glass sculptures created on behalf of corporate clients

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such as Canary Wharf Group, Microsoft and British Land, as well as furniture made from glass and forged steel, but he also relishes the comparative domesticity of shelf-like installations.

Art critics believe it is the symbolism of the form that draws his artists to revisit the bookshelf. “For the artist, bookshelves are storage facility for ideas,” explains Adebola Oke, an art enthusiast. They love the metaphor of the bookshelf. If an artist pays attention to a particular thing, you can be sure collectors will pay attention, too.” According to him, artists are often intrigued to discover what their works look like once they are in use.

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Branch Furniture In recent times, furniture designers are reuniting with nature's willful verve by turning to trees for inspiration, while collectors are enticed by the prospect of bringing the forest indoors, reports ADEDOYIN AMOLE.

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s an architect, Tunde Afonja was in London last Spring to witness the latest developments in the field of architecture. He was amazed by what he saw. He was led into rare construction of largescale installations in distinctive idiom. He realised that architecture was no longer in the conventional form, as he had drawn designs that were wholly immersing.

One of the unique designs that amazed him was that of Chinese architect, Li Xiaodong, who constructed a maze-like series of spaces with walls made of thin branches. This was similar to an installation the Chinese architect once created, which was clad entirely in firewood. It was inspired by the woodpiles outside each home, including gestures to the surrounding forest.

At the Royal Academy of London, Afonja said he was simply enveloped by nature with its soothing effect.

Trees have been the basis of architecture and furniture design from the earliest times. It is not a surprise t h e r e fo r e t h a t m o d e r n a n d c o n t e m p o r a r y architectural designs are seeking to re-engage wood.

The new direction for furniture makers is the raw use of trees, including a sophisticated use of timber.

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Contemporary designs include the use of tree branches (including the bark) to create furniture with knobbly irregularity, offering a poetic contrast to their geometric context. These are statement pieces that offer comforting enclosure.

They are not claustrophobic as the spaces between the branches give a glimpse of freedom.

Some of the latest designs have involved the use of living plant instead of their machined derivatives. While some others include the use of branches straight from the tree, others the casting and modelling trees and roots, or even taking highly processed wood and using different means to give it a new life inspired by trees.

This new trend is making consumers become aware of the soothing nature of trees, which offers comfort away from a world where they are increasingly hemmed in by steel and concrete in their homes. They now long for that exclusive world where nature interplays with the wayward vigour of root and branch.

“Anyone who is familiar with latest trends in architecture,” says Afonja, “will agree with me that so many things are changing hands. I mean there are interesting designs that are amorous, making the consumer find new reasons to fall in love with wood again. Furniture is no longer about steel.

There are very interesting installation pieces made of tree branches.”

Some of these new designs, Afonja observes, evoke memory of romanticism. According to him, some of the foreign furniture makers who share this new ideology is the Dutch company, Studio

THE LUXURY REPORTER romanticism but in a different way. They call their nature range, Tolkienish aesthetic. Their brand promise is to enable furniture and nature to cooperate together in ultimate harmony.”

In addition, Afonja says British designer, Max Lamb, is one of the international brands making interesting pieces. “He works with many diverse materials,” he says. “His designs are influenced by his childhood days growing up in the countryside in Cornwall and Yorkshire. Some of his designs explore both house and gardens for inspiration. One of his designs is inspired by a yew tree that had been felled to make way for excavations of an underground chimney and was allowed to take away eight logs.”

Locally, however, Bolaji Dada, a furniture maker, says Nigerian furniture makers have always fancied working with wood, but not in an engaging way that their foreign counterparts do. “We work with wood,” he explains, “but not with tree branches. Tree branches are common with carpenters who work in the villages, but it is not a design that has really engaged the attention of the consu mers in the cities.”

Afonja says the idea of modelling from nature is hard. To him, there is a plethora of examples. “Mattia Bonetti, a glamorous Swiss-born designer, produced a new, nature-themed collection that includes a sculptural side table he named 'Roots' and a standing lamp.

Nature has always been a source of his works than a direct copy of nature; his designs are inspired by t h e formal tension between an irregular, organic inner shape and a smooth outer skin.”

For many of these designs, o b s e r v e s To u n A d e n i y i , a consumer, the source may be primitive but the treatment is very sophisticated.

Home “Some of the foreign designs evoke pure emotion,” explains Adeniyi. “You cannot help but feel that pure emotion when confronted with the latest creation by internationally renowned designers. I just collected a piece made by Irish designer, Joseph Walsh, the last time I was in London. He was commissioned for an exhibition at the New Art Centre, Salisbury.” Adeniyi says she finds his piece, 'Walsh's Magnus Celestii' with its flying shelf very interesting. For her, the piece is a genius demonstration of the sculptural potential of Walsh's technique.

In addition, she says Walsh pieces are dramatic, sophisticated in that they retain nature's original energy. “There is this extraordinary desk that stands on one foot, I saw at the exhibition,” says Adeniyi, “with its left side spiralling

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THE LUXURY REPORTER

upwards into the ceiling, is created from one tree, with the beautiful markings of the wood displayed to powerful effect.”

According to her, the dynamism of that single plant is still present, even though the wood has been precisely engineered. The piece almost carries the tree to its own natural apotheosis, evoking not only its insistent reaching upwards in life, but also the circles of smoke that would arise from a fire created from it, once dead.

And so, contemporary home furniture makers are producing work that digs deeply and imaginatively, into its mysterious origins.

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THE LUXURY REPORTER

Hotel

William Mcintyre Talks Radisson Blue Ikeja In this interview, WILLIAM MCINTYRE, regional director, Southern Africa Carlson Rezidor Hotels, shares his view on the newly acquired Radisson Blu Ikeja with ADEDOYIN JOHNSON. Radisson Blu's Presence in Nigeria I think it is important to understand Nigeria in the concept of hospitality in Africa. We have opened 85 hotels in Africa at the moment, all that happened within the last 11 or 12 years. It is expanding rapidly and Raddison Blu is the fastest growing brand on the continent. You can't expand on the continent without giving special attention to the market in Nigeria. It has become the leading economy on the continent and you can't ignore it if you are going to be a serious player. We have nine hotels in Nigeria.

Our long-term aim is to have forty in Nigeria. It is an oil and gas, tourism economy. If we are going to be serious about Africa, we have to take Nigeria seriously. We have already opened four hotels and we have another six under development. Our business development arm is here in Nigeria every month. We are very persistent and focused on Nigeria. My first impression is that there is a commitment from the diverse group of people in the tourism sector who understand the idea of doing business. That is exactly who we are at Radisson Blu. We are very entrepreneurial. We have expanded the brand. We are willing to make deals in terms of

owner's possession. There is the willingness to do business we have heard a lot of that today at the opening.

The Brand Radisson Blu is one of the world's leading hotel brands with 300 hotels in operation in 69 countries and territories. Radisson Blu's vibrant, contemporary and engaging hospitality is characterized by a unique Yes I Can!SM, service philosophy, and all of its first class hotels offer a range of signature features that are empathetic to the challenges of modern travel, including the 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.

Distinguished the world over as the brand with Hotels Designed to Say YES!SM, Radisson Blu offers a vivid visual celebration of leading-edge style where the delight is in the detail. Radisson Blu hotels are located in prime locations in major cities, airport gateways and leisure destinations across the world.

Radisson Blu is a part of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, which also includes Quorvus Collection, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites by CarlsonSM.

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Hotel The Rezidor Hotel Group The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the most dynamic hotel companies in the world and a member of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. The group features a portfolio of 479 hotels with over 106,000 rooms in operation or under development in 79 countries.

Rezidor operates the core brands Radisson Blu® and Park Inn® by Radisson in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), along with the Club CarlsonSM loyalty program for frequent hotel guests. In early 2014 and together with Carlson, Rezidor launched the new brands Radisson RED (lifestyle select) and Quorvus Collection (luxury). In 2016, Rezidor acquired 49 percent of prizeotel. Rezidor has an industry-leading Responsible Business Program and was named one the World's Most Ethical Companies by the US think-tank Ethisphere.

Expansion Plans in Nigeria We have signed deals in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Abia. Abia court is already opened. In Lagos, we have Anchorage and Ikeja. We are also looking at Apapa. The nature of our business development is about location.

We look for business and pleasure hubs that have the capacity to support the developers and the owners in other to have profitable hotels. We have got oil and gas, tourism, pleasure, commercial and business such as Radisson Blu Ikeja. So, it is a classic business cycle. We are very comfortable to go anywhere in Africa.

Unique Selling Point At Radisson Blu, we speak of the hotel being sophisticated, iconic and stylish. The Ikeja hotel came to us on a platform of the change of operator. The design and construction have all of those aspects that our brand is known for. It is a perfect fit for those three standards from Radisson Blu. Park Inn, is a younger brand that is more fun and more relaxed. We have another Radisson targeted at millennials, it is a much more flexible brand. We have different brands for a different location and different market. But through all of them, our tagline is Yes I Can, it extends beyond the simple expectation of a guest to get what they ask for to get it done quickly in clean and perfect order. That is the essence of our tagline. We anticipate the needs, we engage with guests on a personal level. It is very much an engaging type of service. If you really do experience it, the staff are free to be themselves. For hoteliers, we sell an experience. If you go anywhere for a coffee, a drink or a meeting, you have to be pleased that you have met with people who are willing to see you.

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The two Radisson Radisson Blu Ikeja is in a business area, Radisson Blu Anchorage is overlooking the lagoon so it is more relaxed. The location tends to dictate the type of the hotel we put up there. If you went to Radisson Blu Anchorage, you will expect an experience in a relaxed atmosphere while at Ikeja it is more business-like.

Security We operate in 40 different countries in Africa, from the Maghreb to South Africa, Bamako. We have very strong safety and security system. We realise that security is a very important aspect of the hospitality business. Each of those countries where we have had challenging times, we have been able to handle. We are very aware and we have learned from the Bamako experience.

Competition There is the industry standard. Everybody will tell you they are the best hotel operator. All the top brands that we share things with we compete very strongly with each other. We offer a facility that outshines any of our competition. We are a very entrepreneurial company. We are expanding, and to do business, you need relationships. If you have used our hotels repeatedly, you will discover we build on the relationship. We have a very high-end spa and great convention centre at the Ikeja hotel.

We have a personal relationship with our clients through our staff. If an individual comes here he will receive the luxury and care his lifestyle demands.

Nature’s Glow Rwandan Bisate resort is truly a place where nature radiates in its full strength says ADEDOYIN JOHNSON

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walk into the famous Bisate Lodge exposes one to the world of finest African luxury hospitalit y. Situated in the natural amphitheatre of an eroded volcanic cone, the lodge offers a breathtaking view of Rwanda. The word 'bisate' which means pieces in Kinyarwanda, one of the native languages, describes how the cone was once whole but worn away by natural erosion.

The area around Bisate lodge has dramatic views of the peaks of the volcanoes Bisoke, Karisimbi and Mikeno rearing up through the Afro-alpine forests of nearby Volcanoes National Park. It is a lodge where nature radiates in its full strength.

Bisate is within a driving distance of Park Headquarters, from where gorilla treks depart daily.

The trek enables guests to have a holistic view of mountain gorillas who are commonplace in the park.

Aside from the area's iconic mountain gorillas, other mammals that call Volcanoes National Park home include the golden monkey, side-striped jackal, black-fronted duiker, buffalo, elephant, tree hyrax and bushbuck. A variety of squirrel and genet species are also to be found here. Of the 178-bird species in the area, at least 13 are endemic to the Virunga area such as Archer's robin chat, mountain black boubou, strange weaver, Rwenzori batis, mountain masked apalis and Rwenzori (collared) apalis.

Bisate offers exclusive accommodation and services that tell of the only sustainable luxury offerings in the area. With six sumptuous en-suite rooms that offers maximum comfort, warmth and views, Bisate gives bespoke service tailor-made to meet the needs of individual guest.

There are so many things to do at Bisate Lodge. You can go on Gorilla Trek which takes place from Volcanoes National Park headquarters, where guests are allocated one of the twelve habituated gorilla groups to visit for an hour. After a briefing by park rangers, the time of the trek varies depending which gorilla group is being visited, from 45 minutes to a few hours. Trekking is at a high altitude, but is well worth it; the time spent with gorillas could be truly life changing as the other side of Gorillas are seen in their natural habitat.

The golden monkey trek is a must-have experience.

It begins at Volcanoes National Park headquarters.

The beautifully-coloured monkeys are endemic to the area and lives in groups of up to 30 individuals in the bamboo forest, its preferred source of food.

You can also go on a guided hike in Volcanoes National Park. At 3 711 metres Mount Bisoke volcano is located on the border of the DRC and Rwanda. The guided hike to the summit is strenuous and requires a full day to complete. However, once at the top it is extremely beautiful and really worth the effort as you are rewarded with sweeping views of the rainforest and the amazing crater lake.

A visit to Dian Fossey's grave and Research Centre gives an interesting perspective to the life and times of Rwanda's most celebrated researcher. Late Dian Fossey established the Karisoke Research Centre in 1967 in the saddle of Bisoke and Karisimbi volcanoes at an elevation of some 3 000 metres. The trail leading to her remote rainforest camp and grave, which is set alongside the graves of her beloved gorillas, and the remains of the research centre is a spectacular yet challenging hike up steep slopes where orchids,

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Resort

birdlife and even occasional black-fronted duiker and bushbuck can be seen.

A guided community walk will expose you to the culture of the community surrounding Bisate, a reflection cultural heritage of rural Rwanda. It will enable you to interact with indigenes whether in the fields, at their homes or in the local markets. You will also experience the cultural Intore dance.

Guests can walk to the vegetable garden where members of the local cooperative cultivate and sell vegetables to the lodge. Your guide will continue with you along the path to the Bisate community where you will meet Beatrice who will tell you a bit about her way of life and introduce you to her family.

Nature and birding walks are interesting activities to

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engage in as it allows guests to explore Bisate's nature and birds in the forest to learn more about the bird and wildlife in the area. You may also enjoy a guided walk to the local pyrethrum fields and end the day at sunset with spectacular views of Karisimbi, Bisoke and Mikeno volcanoes from the viewing deck at Bisate Lodge. There is a self-guided trail on the property for those who wish to explore on their own.

You can end the day with Rwandan coffee, tea or wine tastings. Rwanda is well known for its coffee and tea; at Bisate you can learn a little more the special Rwandan coffee and tea through the resident barista.

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Resort

Magical Ol Donyo Africa offers some of the best spots for Safaris in the world, and Ol Donyo is a best kept secret for deeper Safari connection reports AWERO JOHNSON.

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magine yourself in a lodge where you can go star gazing and star-bed sleep out under the magnificent Kenyan Milky Way while waking up to a magnificent view of Mt. Kilimanjaro hearing a herd of elephants breathing heavily at the waterhole below.

At Ol Donyo Lodge, you can spend an evening stargazing through a telescope before retiring to comfortable beds elegantly laid out on your open-air “star bed” – the magic of East Africa is always in the air and the African starlit sky is your last view as you drift into slumber.

Near Kenya's south eastern border, and hidden between two popular national parks, Tsavo East and Amboseli, lies the private 275,000 acres Mbirikani Group Ranch, within which Ol Donyo Lodge is delicately built amidst the foothills of the Chyulu Hills.

Africa offers some of the best spots for Safaris in the world and modern-day travellers are taking advantage of it. Centuries ago, an African safari was simply characterised as a journey for those with a pioneering spirit, and with a focus on exploration and adventure.

Today's modern travellers are looking for experiences which involve a deeper connection, one where they can get fully tuned in to nature and the environment, immerse themselves into a setting which stimulates their curiosity.

The lodge's seclusion offers guests a truly intimate experience with nature, and a rare opportunity to be immersed in the essence of the Kenyan wilderness, whilst the extensive array of unique activity offerings provides an essential platform for those looking for a far deeper connection.

At Ol Donyo, you can go on a Lava Tube exploration which is overlooking the plains from ol Donyo Lodge.

It is a volcanic area where streams of molten lava once flowed, and have left behind in its wake, what is thought to be the second longest lava tube.

The lava tube exploration is a 45-minute drive to the lodge and is the quintessential activity for those

Resort who enjoy adrenalin and active adventures. As you scramble down into the darkness of the tube, your most primal senses are awakened with the realisation that these tubes form a haven for a myriad of species including the more reclusive leopard, bats, owls and a variety of other species.

Mountain Biking Expeditions at Ol Donyo is an exhilarating way to explore and get a good share of the adventure, and breathtaking surroundings. Using mainly hard tail Cannondale mountain bikes, you can have the ride of a life time enjoying the hilly plains. The ride is generally done on the open flood plains where visibility is good, and the riding is easier.

Also, the landscape at the lodge offers a great inspiration for art. You can go on a Safari Art Appreciation journey. Get in touch with your creative side whether out on the open plains, discreetly nestled in the log hide or directly from your room.

Ol Donyo Lodge has easels, canvas and water colours available for adults and children alike. Explore your own technique, while the guides at the lodge walk you through the scene's ahead of you, explaining the different aspects of the ecosystem and touching on critical species. Nature will surely inspire you as you create your own masterpiece in this incredible outdoor studio.

Likewise, the Horse-Riding safaris are a popular and exciting way of viewing Africa's incredible scenery and wildlife up close and personal on horse-back. There really is nothing more thrilling than cantering alongside elegant giraffe or amongst galloping wildebeest. There is a large selection of horses at Ol Donyo, all of which are well-schooled and chosen for their ability to be the perfect ride on safari. With Mount Kilimanjaro as an unbeatable backdrop, the guides will often take you through the wide-open plains, game rich swamps, beautiful acacia woodlands and scenic hills. Horse-riding activities usually take place as morning or afternoon activities and there is an arena at the stables for younger riders who can partake in gymkhana style riding.

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If you plan to travel with your spouse and you will like to renew your marital vow, you can have a mini wedding with Maasai Blessings or renewal of vows.

Throughout Kenya, the marriage rituals of the communities involve warrior strength competitions, song and dance, feasting and prayers. The occasion generally takes place in a sacred place, officiated by an elder, with dancers to entertain the gathering. The scene is set as you are adorned in red or white garments over which the beaded marriage necklace sits, listening to the joyful singing of the Maasai, whilst your fiancé, in traditional Maasai regalia, participates in a jumping competition with other warriors. There is no better way to deepen your connection with each other and with the Maasai communities.

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FUNKE OSAE-BROWN

A

scenic location, luxurious rooms, on-site activities, locally sourced dining and versatile meeting spaces are only a few of the reasons why you should stay at The Conrad Pezula Resort and Spa, George, South Africa, for your getaway. Its many activities like golfing, spa & gym, kids club, bird watching make it a great place to stay.

Situated on the eastern head of Knysna on South Africa's Garden Route, Conrad Pezula sits within ancient indigenous forests, mountains, lakes, and beaches. Wholesome dishes are made with locally sourced produce.

The Conrad Hotels was established in 1982 more than 60 years after Conrad Hilton, founded the first ever Hilton Hotel in Texas. His son launched Conrad Hotels with the goal of operating an elite network of luxury hotels and resorts in the world's major destinations.

Born in traditional luxury hotels and from a need for a brand with connectivity and gracious cultural delivery, Conrad Hotels & Resorts premiered its first property in 1985. It has since grown its collection and now has 23 award-winning hotels and resorts located in global gateway cities and exclusive leisure destinations throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.

My experience at the hotel truly shows the Conrad Pezula is a luxury hotel of choice for discerning

Resort

travellers. There are many rooms you can choose from. There are the Junior Superior Suite, Junior Deluxe Suite, and the King Junior Superior Suite.

Most of the suites come with more space, ocean, lagoon or golf course views, patio or balcony, fireplace, dining table.

You can enjoy the style and luxury of spacious 68 sq. m/732 sq. ft. Junior Superior Suite which features a private patio or balcony with spectacular views. You may choose to relax in the contemporary seating area that comes with a wood-burning fireplace, leather easy chair with ottoman, work desk, daybed and small dining table and chairs. Also, the spacious en-suite bathroom has a large oval shaped bath, large walk-in shower, double vanity, separate toilet with bidet, plush bathrobes and slippers.

There is also the convenience of a large walk-in wardrobe to enjoy throughout the duration of your stay. The king-sized beds are truly heavenly. The right kind to soothe a tired body with its softness. If you are travelling with your family, the bed conveniently

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Resort

sleeps two adults and two children under the age of 12.

There are Interconnecting Junior Superior Suites which are ideal for families.

The one-bedroom grand suite offers great ocean views while standing on the balcony or patio or lying on the bed. It comes with a living and dining rooms including a kitchen.

Indulge in this lavish suite that also comes with breathtaking views of the Pezula Championship Course and the Indian Ocean in the distance. It an Ideal suite for entertaining as it features a separate living room with a real log fireplace, dining room with sixperson table, work desk, and fully equipped kitchen.

You can relax in the large private bedroom with one king-sized bed and a walk-in wardrobe. The ground floor Grand Suites offer private patios off the bedroom and lounge, while upstairs suites offer two private balconies.

Staying at the Conrad Pezula will not make you miss your daily tness routine.

The spacious en-suite bathroom is designed for pampering with a large oval shaped bath, generous walk-in shower, double vanity, underfloor heating, and a separate toilet with bidet. Special touches include plush bathrobes, slippers, and deluxe toiletries. It conveniently sleeps, two adults and two children.

In your free time, you can indulge yourself in the inspired treatments in an atmosphere where the only thing that matters is you at the Spa and Fitness studio.

The spa offers an array of mind, body and soul therapies including yoga, Pilates, personal training and lifestyle consultations designed to support your pursuit of a more balanced and harmonious self.

The Spa is inspired by the natural beauty and character of its surroundings. The spas crafts signature treatments and activities to rejuvenate and relax your body, mind, and soul. A treatment at the spa is a good way to reward yourself with refuge that blends essential ingredients with innovative and traditional treatments to calm the mind and replenish the body.

Staying at the Conrad Pezula will not make you miss your daily fitness routine. The spacious and impeccably designed fitness studio is home to the latest cardiovascular and strength training equipment. You

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can participate in the mind, body and soul therapies, including professional Yoga and Pilates instruction.

The hotel offers tennis courts, infinity pools, and indoor badminton courts.

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Resort

Ultra-VIP Resort On Miami Beach Y

ou can't go wrong if you desire to have that perfect holiday in the tranquil 1 Hotel South Beach located on Miami beach, in the United States.

The much talked-about hotels since opening in 2015 offers some of the world best eco-conscious design. It comes with organic cotton sheets on custom hempblend-filled mattresses and reclaimed-wood furniture topped with verdant terrariums.

With its zenned-out Bamford Haybarn Spa, the resort has quickly become a top pick for travellers in search of luxury and a relaxing pardon from their busy work life.

In January 2017, the hotel launched its new Retreat Collection, a range of 22 two- to five-bedroom suites, making the 1 Hotel take the R&R experience to luxurious new levels.

Ranging from 950 to 3,500 square feet, the suites is priced from N951, 000.00 ($3,000) to 6, 340, 000.00 ($20,000) per night. It features expansive balconies, all with striking views of the Atlantic Ocean or the Miami skyline. Inside, there are full kitchens and spa-like amenities such as soaking tubs and yoga mats. The one-bedroom Beach House is the collection's largest accommodation, featuring a full kitchen, a king size bed, a media room, a pool table, and a dining area that seats up to eight.

Each suite in the Retreat Collection comes with the assistance of a “personal guru” who can handle everything from fresh-pressed juice delivery and cabana reservations to private sessions with personal trainers and fashion consultants. Guests also enjoy a slew of special VIP perks like priority seating at Tom Collichio's Beachcraft restaurant and table service at the exclusive nightclubs LIV and Ora. Bespoke requests are available too.

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Deluxe Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel LARA OLADUNNI

J

umeirah Zabeelm Saray Hotel in the United Arab Emirates means a walk into an untold world of luxury. The main inspiration behind the façade and design of the hotel exterior is the city of Istanbul itself. The designs inspiration came from the Doma Baha palace (pronounced Dolma Bakhsha) in Istanbul.

The exterior was designed by a team of 45 Turkish interior designers who completed the masterpiece within six months. For hotel management, the vision was to celebrate a return to the golden age of the Ottoman Empire.

At the grand entrance is the Tughra, a symbol of Ottoman power used by the Sultan as an imperial signature for government documents while the world's largest Bohemian crystal chandelier hangs in the central hall. It is a gift from Queen Victoria with 750 lamps and weighs 4.5 tonnes.

Also, at the entrance that leads to the lobby is a water fountain designed in the shape of an Islamic star and is a popular photography point for tourists and visitors to the resort. The floor design within the lobby means stepping into a world of luxury as the design consists of white and black marble from Turkey with 13 turquoise Ottoman stars, a dominant feature in Ottoman art.

The opulent ottoman surroundings of the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray include silk chandeliers, Swarovski Crystal chandeliers as well as Islamic stars and pointed arches in the design with with many features inspired by the Dolmabahce Saray and Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.

Jumeirah Zabeel Saray is the most luxurious resort on Palm Jumeirah offering an extensive list of five exclusive amenities and facilities including the Talise Ottoman Spa; one of the largest and most luxurious spas in the Middle East spanning 8,000m² with fortytwo treatment rooms and three traditional hammam's and home to thirty-eight private luxurious Royal Residences. The Royal Residences capture the spirit of

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the Ottoman Empire, elegantly combining high levels of service, opulence and privacy, these are home to many VIP's and favourite among celebrity guests.

The designs of the 405 rooms are a combination of European and Arabic style, with an Ottoman representation. The bed covers are made of a traditional Ottoman fabric called Kemha and all the resort rooms come with spectacular sea views or views of the iconic Palm Jumeirah.

In addition, all guest bathrooms feature unique deep sunken marble bathtubs with hand-painted domes on the ceiling. The size of the bathtubs are 106 x 198 x 49.5 cm. Within the resorts grand imperial suite lies the golden imperial bath tub which measures: 2.68m², can fit approximately 20 people inside and hold 2000 litres of water.

Jumeirah Zabeel Saray is home to a private cinema the seats up to 30 people. Throughout the day, movies are played for in-house guests and the venue can be hired for unique events.

The newest addition to the resorts restaurant portfolio is The Rib Room, which exclusively features mouthwatering selection of finest steaks and different meat cuts in Dubai, including John Stone dry- aged grass fed Irish beef, Australian 1824 grain fed beef and Master Kobe Wagyu pure breed cuts. The menu represents the Best of British Isles and sources a selection of their meat from the Lord New borough estate in Wales, UK, producing many organic and sustainable raised meats.

The hotel also offers a unique and exciting culinary and nightlife destination with bespoke nightlife venues on the Palm Jumeirah (Voda Bar and MusicHall) with eight award winning dining destinations offering a range of cuisines from Indian, Turkish and Japanese, to Lebanese, Italian, British and International.

A family friendly destination, the resort offers several activities which enhance the family holiday experience without compromise to its luxuriousness. This includes a new 1,885 square meter development, Sinbads Kids Club which compliments the existing 'Secrets of the Saray' interactive tours, indoor cinema, water sports, bicycle rides, giant chess court and Pétanque court, shuttle bus services to main land attractions including new Jetty and Shuttle boat to Dubai Marina, water sports and cooking classes from the resorts signature restaurants.

So what's more? Why not plan a family holiday in summer to the luxurious Jumeirah Zabeel Saray?

A Superyacht For Charter Vertige, the new superyacht rocking the charter world is smartly designed and named after the owner's favourite French wine, offers a top-notch charter experience writes AWERO JOHNSON.

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magine when the owner of a superyacht decides to name his toy after his favourite wine, and then places the wine cellar next to his stateroom? That is exactly what Tankoa has done with its latest yacht, Vertige.

Vertige, the 164-foot Tankoa superyacht, which derives its name from a Condrieu appellation in the Rhône Valley known for its rare perfumes, light acidity, subtle fruit taste, and hint of violet, has become an instant hit in the charter world. Vertige sure has the wine's eclectic qualities.

Designed by Francesco Paszkowski, the Florencebased luxur y yacht architect, Vertige has a revolutionary exterior, with larger and smarter social zones than any yacht of its size and an interior with unusual features like a VIP stateroom next to the master suite, two foldout balconies in the master, and a stern beach club converted into a full gym, so guests can exercise a few feet from the ocean.

Vertige also has crew that is unique in the charter world. For instance, while on a charter in the Grenadines in November 2017 Thanksgiving, the captain, Filippo Belli, organised a treasure hunt, à la Pirates of the Caribbean, for the young guests onboard. He buried a real wooden chest in a remote cove, created a series of maps for the children to follow, filled up a rum bottle with iced tea, and then had the crew dress up as pirates, with a mermaid mixed to add an extra dimension to the Disney-like adventure.

This was followed by a traditional Thanksgiving dinner by chef Ernesto Palij, whose menus range from filet mignon with a reduced red-wine sauce to local seafood and ceviche. A recent lunch for an onboard party in Antigua included Italian specialties like bottarga and truffle butter flown in from Sicily, along with jumbo shrimp and other seafood delicacies. The Argentine-trained chef experiments with local dishes from his international travels, but also has a stable of tried-and-true favourites.

In summer, the yacht has been chartered for the Monaco Grand Prix, along with trips to Croatia, Greece, and Turkey. Charter guests are allowed to choose their own itineraries.

What stand Vertige out for most guests is its elaborate social zones across its exterior. One of guests' favourites is the square-shaped enclave on the foredeck, with space for a about 12 or more people. Not typical of most chartered vessel, the large space on Vertige has tables, lounges, and up to 12 sunbeds. Canopies turn the area into an oasis cooled by ocean breezes. Most guests settle for this area, especially when the yacht is stern-to in a port like Antibes or Saint-Tropez, because it offers privacy from the docks.

There is another interesting space on the sundeck above, with five sunbeds forming a semicircle around a Jacuzzi. Characteristically, this area has an upper helm station under a hard top, but Paszkowski turned this prime real estate into the ultimate room

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with a view, placing the hard top and lounges farther back, with an open space at the rear for another exceptional water view over the stern. The owner wanted to always feel close to the ocean aboard Vertige, so Paszkowski accommodated with seethrough glass bulwarks at the rear of the decks, unusually large terraces, and foldout terraces along the main deck that open outward to place guests directly above the water.

For wine lovers, there is a 300-bottle wine spot in the hallway between the main saloon and the master suite.

This cellar consists of many of the owner's favourite French and Italian vintages. He decided to place the cellar, a climate-controlled room with glass walls, near the master suite so he can grab a bottle at night

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without disturbing the crew. Charter guests can enjoy wine onboard, of course, just not from the owner's private stock.

Furthermore, the master suite has private terraces on either side of the bedroom. When opened, it spreads the full-beam suite to about 36 feet wide. They can be used as a breakfast nook or a platform for watching the stars overhead. The master is as elegant as one would expect, with its own walk-in closet and onyx-clad head. There is also a nice touch with the VIP stateroom adjoining it. “The owner often uses Vertige for business purposes,” Tankoa's Michel Karsenti told Robb Report. “He wants his clients to enjoy the suite and not feel like they've been relegated to a secondclass stateroom on the deck below.” This unusual layout benefits Vertige's charter guests, who can keep children nearby in the VIP stateroom.

In addition to chef Palij's broad culinary range, Vertige's inner dining room on the main deck and the upper-deck external dining table for 14 were designed to make memories. The formal dining is elegant but not stuffy, surrounded by teak floors and 1950s-inspired rosewood furniture that give the saloon a calming but formal presence. By contrast, the alfresco table is more for informal feasts or big get-togethers, where big platters of creative salads and fresh seafood are served family-style around the table. At the rear of this deck is a couch that can fit up to 20 people who want to enjoy the view after a fine meal.

Vertige which will be available for charter in the Caribbean for winter and the Mediterranean next summer, was delivered in 2017. It is 164 feet long with six cabins that can take 12 guests at once. The rates start from $250,000 per week.

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Yachts That Ruled The 2018 Miami Yacht Show

The Miami Yacht Show celebrated its 30th edition in February, with a boatload of North American debuts from yacht builders around the world. There was a boat for everyone. Here are highlights on yachts that made statements at the show.

Azimut's 35 Metri

Azimut's 27 Metri is a bold departure for the Italian builder. Designer Stefano Righini created a forward-looking masterpiece with the 88-footer's exterior, combining features like a snub-nose bow and square stern with arguably the most glass in its class, including a huge picture window in the master suite.

Azimut also took the unusual step of hiring one of the world's most sought-after residential architects, Achille Salvagni, to create a gentle, flowing interior that stands in counterpoint to Righini's muscular exterior.

Using natural light, soft curves, and custom furniture, Salvagni created such a wonderful sanctuary that the orders were much higher than anticipated. Of course, Azimut also contributed to this breakthrough yacht with an all-carbon-fiber superstructure that let it expand the size of the flybridge without slowing the yacht down. The Azimut Grande 27 Metri will reach 27 knots. The yacht at Miami show has a four-stateroom layout, though there is the option of a fifth; and quarters for two or three crew.

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Custom Line Navetta 33 The interior of the Custom Line Navetta 33 was designed by the company's in-house design team, along with direction from Antonella Ferrari, granddaughter of Enzo Ferrari of the Italian car dynasty. The Navetta 33 was a special launch this fall for the Italian yacht maker and its Ferretti Group parent, basically because it symbolized a new era for its long-revered Navetta series. Instead of a traditional naveta, think the Italian version of a downeast trawler but more stylish, Custom Line wanted to inject cosmopolitan and residential elements into the interior, while also being mindful that many people like to spend weeks aboard.

At the very heart of the project was the desire to combine the yacht's big interior volumes with liveability and sleek, contemporary lines. That approach is more typical of yachts with quite different features and performance levels. In other words, think custom superyacht rather than a series build like the 108-foot Navetta 33.

The contemporary design, however, blurs the line between the two. The interior design goals were to remove as many structural obstacles as possible between the interior and exterior. That involved using large windows with no interior partitions, fewer bulkheads, and clearer lines of sight from one end of the interior to the other. The ceiling and black-walnut bulkheads follow an orderly pattern of geometric lines that works well with the modern decor. With Antonella Ferrari's guiding interior design, Custom Line used custom furniture by Poltrona Frau, Paola Lenti, Zimmer + Rohde, Poliform, Casamance, Elka Design, Dedon, and Mariaflora to help establish the high-end residential feel. The very straight edges and clean look of the bulkheads and parquet floors look more waterfront home than traditional yacht. The designers also made sure to place contemporary paintings in the main lounge and master stateroom, with their own dedicated lighting systems, in positions where they can be viewed from all

Riva 56 Rivale Riva's new 56 Rivale is the ultimate ocean cruiser, with a high, protected bow and planning hull that can reach 38 knots with twin 1,200 hp MAN engines. The intricate, open cockpit is exceptionally well-designed. The double-size white sun bed at the stern, surrounded by teak stairs on either side, carries the Rivale's simple, elegant look, while, further forward, two white lounges sit along the port side of the hull. A wet bar and exterior galley are along the other side. Like all Rivas, details distinguish the brand. The Rivale's helm station has an all-glass, touchscreen cockpit, stainless steering wheel with a white leather cover, throttles placed discreetly along the side, and airconditioning vents for hot weather. The slender, black roll bar with a black radome on top is equal parts artistic and functional. Teak defines the cockpit and walkways to the bow, leading to another double sun bed. Even the 56's bow is fine art, with a sculpted steel horn and teak panel on the foredeck with a beautiful angular pattern. The Rivale 56 also has technical details that are complex to engineer but do not impede the simple look. The swim platform submerges beneath the water to allow the tender to be unloaded. When the platform is down, steps designed into the port-side hull allow people to climb up from the water. This simple but ingenious solution allowed Riva to do away with the ladder that typically clutters the stern.

In the same way, an electrohydraulic bimini top slides in and out from the sides for instant shade, disappearing when not needed. The Rivale's interior is defined by dark mahogany, lacquered hardwoods, dark leather coverings, and white fabrics that convey a sense of richness without being flashy. The two staterooms employ similar colour schemes and include white-leather-covered headboards and dark leather bedside tables. The crew quarters can be replaced by a third guest stateroom by owners who operate their own Rivali.

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Boating

Arcadia Sherpa Unlike the shadow vessels of old that were repurposed commercial supply ships, the 55foot Arcadia Yachts Sherpa was conceived from the ground up and designed to be flexible.

Depending on its layout and furnishings, the Sherpa can serve as a superyacht's shadow boat for toting tenders and toys, a support vessel for an oceanfront villa, a fishing boat, a party boat with all that deck space, or a familystyle cruiser with plenty of space for sunning.

Named for the Nepalese people who are often hired to guide and support mountain climbers in the Himalayas, the Sherpa is available in two superstructure configurations: an open deck, which is suited to carrying gear and other utilitarian purposes, and a saloon deck, which features a glass-enclosed living space on the main deck. The below-deck area can be configured with one, two, or three cabins, and the glass-enclosed upper deck includes the bridge, galley, and dining area.

The Sherpa is constructed with lightweight materials to enhance fuel efficiency, and the solar panels that are built into the superstructure power most of the onboard systems. The boat has a top speed of 25 knots and cruises at 20 knots, and the Volvo IPS propulsion allows you or your captain to easily manoeuvre up to and away from the

Frauscher 1017 Lido Frauscher has stood for tradition and quality since 1927. For three generations now, it has been building yachts that inspire boating professionals and enthusiasts all over the world.

The virtuosic design, impressive performance and excellent quality are a joy to all adventurous spirits. A lot has happened since Engelbert Frauscher set to realise his lifelong dream in 1927. With innovative ideas, excellent craftsmanship and a passion for boatbuilding, he created a legacy that would endure.

Frauscher's aim from the outset was to launch two different models in the 1017 project. The 1017 Lido is the “open-hearted sister” of the powerful Frauscher 1017 GT. She is a joy to handle and offers maximum comfort with its functional fittings. The versatile on-deck equipment has the simple stylishness of typical Frauscher design, giving the Frauscher 1017 Lido a uniquely elegant lounge style. She has charms of her own, offering a superb mix of comfort and performance for both crew and passengers.

Climbing into the water and back on board is easy with this premium bathing ladder with three retractable teak steps. The ladder can even be extended from the water. It is one of the standard fittings on all Frauscher boats. The is fitted good sound system. Frauscher also offers customised entertainment solutions to meet the needs of all boating audiophiles.

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The Return of Mercedes Benz Mercedes Benz is making a bold reappearance on Nigerian roads. In this report, LARA OLADUNNI captures this.

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uth Nwandu is a procurement manager for an oil and gas haulage company. Recently, she took delivery of over 10 units of Mercedes Benz SUVs and S Class for her company's top executives.

“Why Mercedes Benz,” I asked as she offers me a seat across her large office desk.

"Other brands like Toyota are now too expensive," she responded curtly, her eyebrows raised. "We are cutting cost; the economy isn't smiling anymore. We now have to go for less expensive yet prestigious cars."

Times have indeed changed. The poor state of the economy in the last three years is forcing most companies to cut down drastically on cost.

Procurement managers now bear the burden of such decisions, saving money for their companies. Most organisations are looking into car procurement as one of the ways to downsize their cost.

Before now, monstrous Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) like To y o t a Pr a d o a n d

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Land Cruisers were top of the range choice automobile for top executives. That may be changing very fast as other brands like Mercedes Benz are reclaiming their space.

In the mid-1980s and late 1990s, Mercedes Benz ruled on Nigerian roads as the exotic premium car, most especially the S-Class. Gradually, there was a shift in taste by consumers who found alternatives in SUVs like Prado and Land Cruisers.

However, Mercedes Benz is coming back strong on Nigeria roads. Nearly in every nook and cranny of the city of Lagos, there is a Benz car. This renewed interest in the brand is corroborated by Daimler AG, a German multinational automotive corporation which reported January sales of over 190,000 units in the Mercedes-Benz Passenger cars segment, making it the most successful start to a year in the company's history.

With this new record of 8.4 percent growth, Mercedes-Benz started 2018 as successfully as it concluded the year 2017, and has defended its position as the bestselling premium brand with the newest registrations.

According to Daimler, demand for SUVs from Mercedes-Benz was high just as it was at the beginning of the year. With an increase of 9.9 percent, a new record was set of 71,409 units sold.

The GLC, GLC Coupé, and G-Class all set new records for unit sales.

Earlier in the year, the new G-Class was launched at the Nor th American International Auto Show in Detroit.

So far, the brand has delivered a total of five million SUVs to its customers, including t wo million of the GLE and its predecessor, the M-Class.

For instance, the new S-Class Saloon had a 25.3 percent sales increase to 8,130 units in

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January. The S-Class Saloon was particularly popular in its big markets like China and the USA. The new SClass Coupe and Cabriolet models were launched in Europe in January.

Last month, Mercedes-Benz delivered 33,063 of the E-Class Saloon and Estate models to its customers.

This represents a 10.4 percent increase in unit sales and is a new record for a January. Mercedes-Benz has already sold more than 500,000 units of the new generation of the E-Class Saloon and Estate since April 2016.

Mirko Plath, managing director, Weststar Associates Limited, authorised distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Nigeria, says Mercedes-Benz is a bestselling premium brand, and with these new deliveries, Mercedes-Benz made its best start in 2018.

“We are proud to represent the Mercedes-Benz brand in Nigeria and have planned for the year 2018, some exciting products as already being announced within past few weeks,” he says.

What has been the attraction for most consumers is the new level of interaction of the brands with its customers with its intelligent, virtual assistant, “Ask Mercedes”. This app answers questions on the car's displays, functions and operation. It uses artificial intelligence and combines a chatbot with augmented-reality functions. Questions can be typed into a smartphone display or asked using speech recognition.

For instance, in the new E-, S- and the new A-Class, the operating controls and displays can be scanned with a smar tphone camera. After a visual recognition of an object, an explanation of the relevant function is given in multimedia form via video, text, pictures or link. Ask Mercedes was first

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launched as a pilot version in English in South Africa, India, and Malaysia. The app is already in use in the Eand S-Class, it will be available in the new A-Class and other models.

In addition, the app for the Mercedes me Adapter is also very popular. Mercedes-Benz is the first automobile manufacturer to offer customers the possibility to retrofit connectivity features in their cars using this adapter.

Dotun Adeyemi says he recently bought an S-class after a friend who has a similar car told him about the new features.

"I have always been a big fan back in the day when my dad had a 1990 model of S-Class. It has become a vintage collection now. Mercedes Benz is a brand I love, and I have dreamt of owning someday. Now the day is here. It is a pleasurable ride to have. It is easy to maintain, and it is understated opulence known only to those who truly appreciate it," he says.

For Toun Adedigba, Mercedes Benz is a classic brand.

She bought an E-Class two years ago, a car she said she fell in love it before she acquired it.

“I was shopping for a lovely car and the dealer told me about the E-Class,” she explained. “When I got into it I knew it was the car for me. The interior is exquisite, and I couldn't have asked for a better car.”

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A Jewel On The Road The all new BMW X3 is a dynamic car and a pretty jewel to own says FUNKE OSAE-BROWN

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ur plane touched down at the O.R Tambo International airport for what could by called an experience of a life time. It was half past four in the morning, the movement of our feet disrupts the quietness of the airport. The immigration officers were at alert, their voices stronger and louder than the sound of our tired feet ruffling the tiled floor.

After getting my passport stamped, I met Stella of BMW SA who was on the same flight with me returning home to South Africa after days of meeting with their Nigerian partner, Coscharis Motors. Stella and I walked through the O.R Tambo airport to join the elevator which took us to the upper floor where our hotel is located. We spent four hours at the hotel before we boarded a 11.15am flight to George.

An hour and a half later, we arrived in George, a city in the Western Cape province situated halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth on the Garden route. More than four BMW X5 cars were waiting to receive us. We hopped into one of them and our journey to the Redberry Farm began. I took in the beautiful landscape as we drove on.

The Redberry farm was all shades of beauty. It is a commercial strawberry grower and popular family entertainment venue for residents of the city and visitors like us. By the entrance of the café is a sign post “You cannot make everyone happy, You're not a tub of ice cream.” Stella and I laughed at this. Some other journalists from Cote D'Ivoire, Cameroon and Ghana were in our group. We moved into the large hall, registered and waited for the test drive of the X3 to commence.

Outside the little hall, was Edward Makwana, group product communication manager, BMW, South Africa. He was deep in a chat with another journalist. I had some servings of the famous redberry smoothie with pizza and cake. Just as I was gulping the last drop of the smoothie, Edward, walked in to welcome us and intimate us with the driving route from Redberry farm, George to Conrad Pezula hotel, Kysna where the unveiling would be done later that evening.

Benjamin, a journalist from The Guardian newspaper Nigeria was my drive partner. I chose to make the first go at the car. The map for our route has been programmed into each car. There was a voice

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THE LUXURY REPORTER prompter that told us which turn to take along the way.

It was a three-hour drive from George to Kysna. It afforded me the opportunity to experience the car and enjoy the scenic beauty of the country side. We drove through farms, private properties, mountains, hills viewing the mountainous landscape juxtaposed against the blue skyline.

The BMW X3 is indeed a great car to drive and a cute sporty jewel on the road. It is agile on the road.

Earlier we were told by Edward that the BMW X3 was the car that launched the mid-size SAV (Sports Activity Vehicle) segment in 2003. Since then, BMW has recorded more than 1.5 million new registrations of the X3 across the two model generations so far.

With the 2018 model of the BMW X3, the brand is surely set to write the next chapter in its success story with an even more striking, dynamic design language, powerful yet also efficient drive systems and luxurious appointments. The X3 comes in different variants of BMW X3 M40i, BMW X3 xDrive30i, BMW X3 xDrive20i, BMW X3 sDrive20i, BMW X3 xDrive30d, and BMW X3 xDrive20d.

The new BMW X3 uplifts the already cheek dynamic design of its predecessor to new, even more eye-catching terrain. The third generation of the pioneering premium mid-size Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV ) treads a familiar BMW X family path in combining rugged off-road looks with sporting presence.

The car's exterior looks largely unchanged.

However, its five-centimetre-longer wheelbase, long bonnet and extremely short front overhang now comes with more finely balanced proportions. There now an emphasis on the perfect 50:50 distribution of the weight between the front and rear axle giving it an edge over its predecessor.

What I also found interesting about the car is the front end. The chunky three-dimensional kidney grille treatment and foglamps features a hexagonal design for the first time on a BMW X model. The light clusters at the rear have three-dimensional look in optional full-LED guise that give them that substantial visual impact.

The xLine model which I drove has a remarkable visual character. The radiator grille and other exterior details in Aluminium satinated, light-alloy wheels, emphasise the robustness of the Sports Activity Vehicle. The BMW X3 is now also available in Luxury Line trim, whose chrome radiator grille bars, twotone underbody protection and classically designed light-alloy wheels shine an even brighter spotlight on the elegance of the exterior design.

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Driving through rough terrains at Klipdrif, I put to test some of the dynamic handling qualities of the new BMW X3.

The chassis and the xDrive intelligent all-wheeldrive system, which made its debut in 2003 when the first generation of the BMW X3 was launched, comes in handy to for me to have a good grip on slippery gravel filled road. Likewise, the standard Driving Experience Control switch enabled me choose between the various configurations – Eco Pro, Comfor t, Spor t And Spor t+ modes. These configurations make the vehicle more dynamic, more comfortable or more efficient to drive.

Truly, the new car has nice off-road skills. The high ground clearance of 204 millimetres helps to ensure unhindered progress, not only when travelling along rutted gravel or sand tracks, over churned-up ground or on city roads with high speed bumps. The BMW X3 will be a darling of Nigerian roads.

BMW Personal CoPilot makes the car an interesting toy to have. It is a comprehensive line-up of driver assistance systems. The driver assistance and (semi)automated driving, comes with the latest generation of Active Cruise Control (ACC), which makes braking the car to a halt in stop-and-go traffic and automatically pulling away again possible.

An interface with the smartphone is possible. You can have access to the contents on your phone by using the BMW Connected. With the help of the Open Mobility Cloud platform, the digital services connect to the BMW X3 via devices such as smartphones or smartwatches, resulting in seamless connectivity.

The interior of the new BMW X3 is truly comfortable and princely. The cockpit layout is superb making the interior really inviting. The hexagonal forms and precise, bevelled edges also play a central role in the interior. The interior displays exceptional material quality and fit and finish, and impresses functionalitywise.

The X3 is now available at Coscharis Motors, Lagos, Nigeria.

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BMW's 30th Anniversary Limited Edition M4 Convertible LARA OLADUNNI

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MW celebrates its 30 years anniversary with 30 units limited edition of M4 convertible, an open-top high-performance vehicle. The BMW M4 Convertible, is the latest interpretation of the BMW M3 Convertible, first released in the summer of 1988, which offered motorsport fans the possibility to enjoy the fascination of an open topped sports car designed for everyday use, but with racetrack-proven engine and suspension technology.

Limited to 30 vehicles in the UK, this limited-edition model builds on the M Competition Package available for the BMW M4 Convertible. The open-top four-seater has a maximum output of 450hp, an M exhaust system, adaptive M suspension with specific SPORT mode and a sports configuration of the stability control system DSC and the Active M differential.

With a choice of two body colours for the BMW M4 Convertible Edition 30 Jahre - the Macao Blue metallic pays tribute to the open-top high-performance car's

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debut over three decades ago and the Frozen Dark Grey Metallic boasts a rich sporting heritage and is available exclusively in the UK. Standard features for the edition model include BMW Individual High Gloss Shadow Line trims for the BMW kidney grille surround, the M side gills, the model lettering and the forged M light alloys boasting a star-spoke design. The 20-inch wheels come in the colour Orbit Grey matt offered exclusively for the edition model.

The Merino full leather trim, the colour scheme of which matches the desired vehicle body paintwork, characterises the interior of the BMW M4 Convertible Edition 30 Jahre.

In conjunction with the exterior colours Macao Blue or Frozen Dark Grey Metallic, there is a choice of the two-tone colour combinations Black/Fjord Blue and Black/Silverstone.

Other interior features include contrast stitching

on the headrests as well as M floor mats with piping in the respective contrasting colour. The interior trim is finished in carbon fibre which comes as standard for both edition model variants.

The logo “30 Jahre Edition” is imprinted both on the doorsills and the headrests. Additionally, the wording “30 Jahre Edition 1/300” on the passenger side dashboard to give an indication of the exclusiveness of the model.

Tr a d i t i o n - s t e e p e d c o m b i n a t i o n o f h i g h performance and open-air driving pleasure.

The BMW M4 Convertible Edition 30 Jahre reflects the combination of sportiness and open-air driving that has now seen across the past five model generations. A racetrack-proven vehicle concept and technology derived directly from motorsport had already formed the basis for open-top driving pleasure in the first BMW M3 Convertible.

The original model used a 2.3-litre, four-cylinder engine with four-valve technology, catalytic converter offering 195hp. Unique suspension technology and an aerodynamically optimised body including prominent wheel arches were derived from the two-door Saloon, which had been developed explicitly for use in touring car racing.

Roberto Ravaglia, Wilfried Vogt and Eric van de Poele had won the World, European and German Touring Car Championships with their BMW M3 as early as during the 1987 season.

When the first BMW M3 Convertibles launched in the summer of 1988, more than 10,000 Saloon models had already been sold instead of the 5,000 originally planned for homologation purposes. With 786 units built, the BMW M3 Convertible of the first generation was the most exclusive variant of the successful model. It was produced until 1991, ultimately with an engine output that had been increased to 215hp, rendering the open-top fourseater one of the fastest vehicles of its kind.

The second generation of the BMW M3 Convertible followed in 1994 and an advanced safety system. A 286hp straight six-cylinder power unit provided for a refreshing open-air driving experience. Two years later, the further developed version of the straight six-cylinder engine delivered an output that had been increased to an impressive 321hp.

This generation of BMW M3 Convertible featured an innovative rollover protection system. Two protection bars, which were located at the rear

behind the headrests, extended automatically if the sensors had detected the danger of a possible rollover and, together with the extremely stiff windshield, offered optimized passenger protection.

The BMW M3 Convertible entered the 21st century with the third model generation and a new straight sixcylinder engine. The high-performance convertible launched in 2001 appeared noticeably wider and was accelerated by a 343hp power unit. In addition to the high-revving engine concept, the variable M differential lock, compound brakes and sports seats with integrated seatbelts provided for an authentic open-air racing feeling.

For the power unit of the fourth BMW M3 Convertible launched in 2008, BMW M GmbH engineers had transferred the high-revving concept to a V8 engine. Despite a maximum output of 420hp, the sustained power delivery of the new engine proved most impressive. This was complemented by the unmistakable sound of the eight-cylinder power unit, which was clearly perceivable particularly when driving with the top down.

The BMW M3 Convertible of the fourth generation featured an electro-hydraulically retractable hardtop.

The new roof construction made it possible to further enhance not only the racetrack suitability of the opentop high-performance sports car, but also its suitability for everyday use all year round.

The launch of the fifth generation in 2014 was also associated with a change of the model designation to BMW M4 Convertible. Power of the current model generation is delivered by a straight six-cylinder engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology and highrevving characteristics. Its spontaneous thrust, which is available right up into the high engine speed range, and its reduced weight compared to the predecessor model, is perfectly complemented by the optional seven-speed M dual clutch transmission with Drivelogic and the Active M differential. Hence, the BMW M4 Convertible offers the ideal prerequisites for maximum performance on the racetrack and everyday usability.

The new BMW M4 Convertible Edition 30 Jahre represents the latest incarnation of a model with a rich heritage. It goes on sales in February 2018 with prices starting from £76,675 OTR.

You can pre-order at Coscharis Motors, Lagos, Nigeria.

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The Car Marques Turning Themselves Into Luxury Lifestyle Brands Luxury car brands are now contending at the highest levels of fine living, from smooth urban real estate to bespoke tailoring writes LARA OLADUNNI.

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uxury automakers are stepping up their game by breaking boundaries and offering a total luxury lifestyle solutions to their clients. The new buzz word in the auto industry is centred around fine living in its entirety.

It all began in 1972 when Porsche spearheaded the new viewpoint on motoring luxury, that it could spread its engineering talents beyond cars when 911

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designer Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – son of Ferry – founded the Porsche Design studio in Stuttgart. Ever since, the studio has designed everything from sunglasses and cufflinks to kitchen gadgets and tobacco pipes, all produced to traditional Porsche standards but designed and made independently of the car manufacturing business.

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In addition, Porsche has a luxury tower in Miami, United States which is by far its biggest project to date. To get the desired result, Porsche Design teamed up with US property developers Michael and Gil Dezer, whose firm owns 27 acres of Sunny Isles Beach, which it claims to have steadily transformed over the past 30 years. The first Porsche Design Tower was a huge success such that plans have now been announced for a second project in Frankfurt. Due to be built in collaboration with property developer P+B Planen und Bauen, it will feature about 150 residential units, including boutique apartments fully furnished and decorated in the Porsche Design style, a group of two-storey townhouses and a range of studios and penthouses.

In the same vein, Aston Martin is also targeting superrich buyers who are drawn to the Miami vibe with its Aston Martin Residences development at Biscayne Boulevard Way, which will take the form of a 66-floor tower containing around 390 condominiums with views over Biscayne Bay. The sail-shaped tower is being scheduled for

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completion in 2021. Its apartments will range in price from $2m for a one-bedroom unit to $50m for a oneoff duplex penthouse. Interiors will be designed by Aston Martin's chief creative officer Marek Reichman, whose touch will be seen in everything from the concierge desk to the bespoke door handles and infinity pool.

Beyond investing in property, Aston Martin has delved into luxury yacht making when it unveiled the prototype of the 11.3m AM37 powerboat at the Monaco Yacht Show. The boat will be offered in two versions – the AM37 and the sportier AM37S. The £1m-plus vessels will feature car bon-fibre dashboards, car-type steering wheels and an innovative sliding deck that enables the cockpit to be completely covered by an electrically operated threepart panel that folds beneath the aft deck when the boat is in use.

Aston Martin has also extended its lifestyle offering with its Art of Living portfolio, which promises owners trips of a lifetime and access to the ultimate in luxury through events such as extended tours of California,

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New York state, Cuba and Japan and VIP runs to race circuits such as Le Mans and Monaco.

Also, car marque Bugatti has invested in extravagant property with its decision to build eight Ettore 971 villas on Dubai's Akoya Oxygen development.

Although the plan was made public in 2015, the initial show villa is due for completion in 2018. Various configurations can be specified, but all the properties will have floor-to-ceiling windows, up to seven bedrooms (including private quarters for maid and chauffeur), a double car port and a glass-walled parking space allowing Bugatti owners to cherish their car, even when they are not driving it.

Lovers of Bugatti may desire to furnish their homes with handcrafted items from the Bugatti Home Collection, which was launched at Milan's Salone del Mobile last year. Created in collaboration with highend furniture designer Luxury Living Group, the collection includes a reinterpretation of the celebrated Cobra chair designed by marque founder Ettore Bugatti's father Carlo in 1902.

Indeed, there's little that isn't available to owners of one of the most expensive production cars on the market if they are really determined to embrace the Bugatti lifestyle to the full. They can buy pens made in partnership with Montegrappa, watches made by Parmigiani Fleurier, and luggage, leather goods and casual clothing run up by Giorgio Armani. The new €2.4m Chiron has also inspired its own clothing range, topped by a €3,600 leather jacket, the back of which resembles the plumply padded upholstery of a classic car's seat. The car maker even offers a bespoke tailoring service for certain customers who, the website unabashedly admits, will be absolutely spoilt rotten.

Rolls-Royce and Bentley are also among the most celebrated luxury marques in the world. They are stopping at nothing to ensure their customers don't stop feeling special the moment they switch off their cars' engine. For the time being at least, Rolls-Royce continues to confine its famous bespoke service mainly to objects associated directly with its cars, while offering occasional – and exclusive – art tours in which customers motor off to meet leading artists at their homes or studios. Bentley, however, is branching out to a greater degree to stay ahead of the curve in what appears to be a dramatically changing luxury car market.

So, whichever side you want to sway with your favourite brand, fine living is all yours to have and cherish.

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Planes

Satta Yei Matturi's Africa Inspired Jewellery LARA OLADUNNI

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atta Matturi created her brand Satta Matturi Fine Jewellery (SMFJ) in a bid to cater to the Ultra High Net-worth Individuals (UHNWI) and High Networth Individuals (HNWI). Her brand and designs are inspired by objects from different parts of Africa.

A British and Sierra Leone national, Matturi spent most of her life at De Beers before venturing to create her own brand. She has always had a passion for diamonds and jewellery in general. Her mother had an exquisite collection of gold jewellery while she was growing up. Her mother would tell her and her sisters that: “you may be in rags but your jewellery will always set you apart.” Working with De Beers and the mid-stream diamond industry also confirmed that Matturi had wanted to follow her passion.

“Working at De Beers or 16 years was fantastic where I learned as much as there is to know about rough and polished diamonds and travelled to many of the cutting centres and consumer markets meeting manufacturers and jewellery designers working as a

Key Account Manager. I spend part of my time now as a rough diamond evaluator and still have a love for rough diamonds,” she says.

Being a jeweller for Matturi is a passion and she enjoys being creative. “I am not professionally trained as a jeweller, she explains, but I do have a vast amount of knowledge about the industry and have learned the ropes along the way. I had a fantastic one-of-a-kind opportunity to work with some of the world's great business people and diamantaires.”

Matturi describes herself as "a jewellery and diamond obsessed girl. As we like to put it at SMFJ. The woman that wears SMFJ is strong, independent, chic and refined. She loves to throw herself into the big world and roll around in it until she is utterly saturated with beauty, colour, magic, language, fine cuisine, love and pretty frocks and shoes."

Matturi shuttles between the UK and Botswana. Her experience from both countries has influenced her designs as the SMFJ brand has an African ethos to it which she is very proud of.

“Diamonds as a commodity are predominantly from the African continent, she says, and there wasn't any brand that really showcased that; I thought why not use my creativity and build a brand that celebrated not only the beauty and mystic of diamonds and

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Jewellery precious stones but also relayed the wonderful messages and traditions and heritage of African continent.”

In addition, her designs take forms of her life both personal and career. Being British and West African helps her fuse both cultures in her designs. She always tries to relate her collections to various African cultures or traditions.

Matturi only sees beauty and luminance in precious stones which bring hope, opportunity, and life. “I think a lot of people today may see the negative only but let's not forget that these things also bring hope and prosperity to a country and its people and I'm lucky enough to be living in Botswana these past three years and seen the hope that diamonds bring to its people.”

Furthermore, she creates her designs through a great team worldwide that help the designs and concepts come to life. However, the inspirational work and creative direction are all led by her including sourcing for the stones.

She started with her Hero debut collection which was exciting and included a wide range of styles; cocktail rings, bracelets, earrings. She has now streamlined and focused on show-stopper earrings which were her best sellers. “We can now say we know a thing or two about making women look stunning in diamond earrings, she says jokingly. We are very much diamond focused as it's our choice of stone.”

Recently, she unveiled a new collection called "Artful Indulgence”. The collection was inspired by African masks or masquerades. “I have always seen beauty in them whilst many see strong, unrefined, and out of place. It is very prevalent in West African, known as the Nomoli in Sierra Leone, Ogoni in Nigeria and seen along the entire west coast of Africa. No one had ever interpreted this in fine jewellery; I thought why not. We also had influences of Flora and Fauna, batik and lace fabric which is also widely worn in West Africa.”

For her, African pieces of jewellery are boldness as they speak for themselves like her classics pieces The Kola and Boubou. Despite the progress in the jewellery industry, Matturi believes jewellery making in Africa has not come of age when it comes to fine jewellery as that art form and skill is still outside the continent. “There is still some major ground to be covered to be able to compete with other countries, but it can be done.”

All her stones are ethically and responsibly sourced as she has over a decade experience and relationships within the mid-stream which enables

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her vet who she buys from. “I do tend to take pricing into consideration but with the nature of the product I cannot let that hinder the design or the piece; I think we have found the perfect balance for our offerings. We break even by running a robust business like any other entrepreneur in any other industry.”

With a target market that is predominantly women, Matturi says most of them self-purchase mainly and are at an age to make a call without having to rely on the husband or man. This category includes strong financially independent millennials. “Women across the globe who surprisingly are white and are drawn to the brand and its differentiated offerings. I have had a few people who are in the media front but mainly are normal people who are not well known but have the purchasing power to buy themselves something nice and worthy; they tend to look for unknown brands of quality. I don't buy into the who celebrity wearing thing; most borrow the items in any case; I design for people who actually wear it with heart, soul, and mind.”

Her custom-made pieces are affordable. “We are more affordable than people think; I would like to educate women to invest more in jewellery than handbags and shoes you get a better return on jewellery (as my mother taught me and my sisters) so start small and build your collection to pass on to your daughter in the future we still wear our mothers jewellery that she has had for over 50 years and are now heirlooms that are pass on to generations or can be sold if required. We need to change the mindset with buying jewellery; invest, even if small.”

Her pieces are available at exclusive private events or showings in London. She is also speaking with potential stockists across the globe.

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Costume Change

between catwalk jewels made only for shows and mass-produced costume jewellery.

But some designers are seeing this genre of fashion as largely unexplored with a great potential to change the way jewellery is perceived.

Yemi Omoniyi, a jeweller, says recent designs of fashion-jewellery have been a mix of elegance and eccentricity. She explains that collectors love to go for costume jewellery they call little pieces of magic.

According to her, jewellery for her clients are so personal and expressive.

“Clients want costume jewellery that has cohesive hinyere Okpala was in search of exquisite identity,” she explains. “They want pieces that will collection of jewellery, something simple yet stand them out at occasions. They don't want run of sophisticated. Her taste for statement the mill pieces or the kind they can see everywhere. jewellery has led her into collecting costume They want pieces that will make people admire jewelleries with unique designs dazzled by them and get curious. They want jewellery that the genre's new stature. gives them a sense of discovery.”

Recently, fashion jewellery has gained new standing Omoniyi says this view underlies her collection yearand superiority, new respect and recognition as a in, year-out. According to her, the essence of her vital, vibrant and creative medium. Since the early collections will remain unchanged as she tries to century, fashion, otherwise known as costume maximise the fantasy offered by fashion jewellery. jewellery, has evolved in recurring climax of And so, Omoniyi never seeks to compromise on reputation and originality. It has been alternating quality as she captures the spirit of couture, to stay in between the imitative and the the realm of exciting design, related modern. to contemporary or vintage culture.

However, recent designs tap into “I love to create fresh concepts, recent designs of its earliest traditions of couture, fashion-jewellery have been designs that are art-based, that are focusing on cleverness, exceedgy, but always with the a mix of elegance and ptionality and craftsmanship. authenticity of fashion,” she states. eccentricity The latest designs are a colSome of Omoniyi's collections are lection of audacious jewels that themed in such a way that they have graced many runways and sold in small, bring disparate influences together in unexpected limited, exclusive series. ways. For instance, they are combinations of African, For lovers of costume jewellery, it is a type that deco, punk, and a little bit of glitter. They are not too represents mature luxury, with a studio spirit and vintage, not too defined by any one period or style. rarity value that has been largely neglected; falling For makers of costume jewellery, the emphasis is on

There is an explosion of vibrant costume jewellery that is recapturing the golden era of couture, with limited editions of highly inventive and intricately crafted designs writes AWERO JOHNSON.

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craftsmanship, giving the jewels a handmade feel.

There are some designs made by African craftsmen which consist of hand-carved ebony masks, mixed with antiqued brass and crystal, feathers and porcupine quills. There are some other designs that feature perfect pinks with soft silver leaf and layers of different textures, fabrics and hand-enamelled stones.

There are designs that infuse fashion with the emotion of jewels. Some of these designs are made with rare precision and mechanics. It is about taste and not preciousness. These are statement pieces made in such a way that jewels are linked with fabrics, ribbons, bows and tulle wrapped beads which make them become part of the dresses they are worn with.

Furthermore, some designs are inspired by baroque synonymous with super-high French classicism and the 1930s radical machine-age aesthetic. Some others are inspired by Versailles or mechanical things like cars, trains, machines.

Designers are skilfully marrying these opposing influences, interweaving hard and soft, using light and sparkle in an

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industrial style; using sumptuous crystal gems, animal prints and rigorous silhouettes, all blended with Parisian panache.

For these craftsmen and women, there is always a strong structure, even animals or butterflies are put together with screws, using new materials such as Plexiglas with cr ystal. For them,

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craftsmanship and construction are key.

Bola Adeoye, a designer, says most designers now realise that consumers are reaching for quality and a certain allure. According to her, today's women want to be seen and noticed. They want to make sophisticated statements with their jewellery.

“These days, there is a big separation between precious and fashion jewellery. Fashion jewellery is of ten seen as fak e.

However, some clients buy both precious and fashion j e we l l e r y. Th e y j u s t w a n t something really beautiful,” she explains.

Adeoye says this is creating a huge competition amongst designers who are seeking to outdo one another in the kind of unique designs they create.

Adeoye says she regards couture-inspired jewellery

as a way of enhancing or changing a silhouette.

For her, it is an opportunity to explore the freedom to use material and scale as she deems fit. She says she has been inspired by the jewellery of foreign designers like Christian Dior.

According to her, Dior's pieces are like pieces of architecture fashioned by a great sculptor. “I try to balance my silhouette and volume when I am designing,” she explains. “I love to make pieces that are classics using drapery or pearls mixed with Lurex thread. At times, I use crystals like Swarovski. I just love to push boundaries with my designs.”

Furthermore, Adeoye says she offers jewellery that is unique, beautifully made and expressive.

According to her, while clothes are chosen by intellect jewellery is all about emotion.

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Gem-encrusted Cuff Watches With

High-octane Glamour

The dress watch has reached a new height, get ready to be amazed, writes LARA OLADUNNI

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n 1960, something dramatic happened to the traditional Swiss watchmaking industry. Piaget took a huge risk with the release of its zany collection of high-fashion, avant-garde jewellery watches, including a wide cage-like textured-gold cuff watch. It was a collection that would be a game changer in the luxury watch industry. The manchette (French word for cuff ) has been a Piaget signature ever since.

Jean-Bernard Forot, Piaget's jewellery and watch marketing director, agrees that Piaget took a huge risk at the time, yet the move made the company have a natural grasp of societal shifts. “The manchette, with its strong couture inspiration and Wonder Woman associations, shows that the jewellery watch is no longer a trophy gift from husband to wife, but a watch a woman buys for herself and, importantly, one that's wearable from day to night.”

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Equally interesting is Piaget's Sunlight Journey collection of watches and high jewellery, a fusion of the two innovative interchange of forms, techniques and materials. The collection is an affirmation of man's earliest measurement of time by the movement of the sun across the sky. Piaget's cuff watches are among the most strikingly contemporary creations.

The collection's thematic preoccupation is the glamour of life on Italian Amalfi Coast. It depicts the moods and colours of sea and sky at different times of day. One of the pieces in the collection, the Sand

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Waves secret cuff watch evokes a misty morning walk along the seashore, as textured gold, edged in diamonds, depicts sand ripples, in which is buried a white opal covering the dial. The dramatic Verde Bisazza watch, another piece in the collection, captures the sun glinting on the sea, as an intense blue-green mosaic of emeralds and black opals emulates rippling waves that foam with diamonds as they recede. And the deep colours of nightfall are celebrated in Viva l'Arte, a rich yellow-gold cuff glowing with sunset-pink sapphires and red spinels radiating out of a central purplish-pink spinel, under which hides the dial.

This move by Piaget shows how the art of jewellery making has been raised in discreet beauty. The most desirable designs move the balance further towards the art of the jewel, exploring the feminine powerplay between ethnic adornment and the urbane refinement of the gem-encrusted evening watch.

“Some new designs are spiced with a touch of unconventional beauty,” says Omolewa Akanni, a jewellery designer. The newest designs of cuff watches are great statement display and wonderful pieces to collect this period. These days you can wear your watch as a bracelet. You don't need to wear watch on one wrist and a bracelet on the other.”

More than ever before, a mix of bracelet and timepiece is growing in creativity and popularity. The cuff is taking a more dramatic form with its yawning canvas inviting opulence and ornamentation.

One could not help but notice Audemars Piguet's spectacular Diamond Outrage. In the collection, Audemars Piguet shows the new creativity of the haute joaillerie watch in full flight and the power of the cuff.

Diamond Outrage is the third and final piece in the brand's trilogy of rare, unconventional cuff watches,

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after D i a m o n d Pu n k , 2015, and Diamond Fury, 2016, the Outrage is designed to show the icy landscape of the Vallée de Joux, home of Swiss watchmaking. Innovative, architectural and sculptural, the cuff is designed with sharp-tipped spikes of varying heights, in addition to the technique of random pavé setting pioneered by the watch industry, with either diamonds or blue sapphires, with details in invisibly set baguette diamonds.

Another interesting design is Buccellati's cuff bangle.

Buccellati is a Milanese heritage goldsmith and jeweller. Buccellati is loved for its unique house signature, its well-rounded contours and handengraving, especially the rigato technique that gives the gold the lustre and texture of glistening satin.

Since it started its global expansion after its acquisition of an 85 per cent stake by the Chinese Gangtai Group last year, the focus has been the growth of its small repertoire of exquisite women's watches.

Andrea Buccellati, president and creative director, Buccellati says the brand's new designs include inserting a diamond-rimmed watch dial into the brand's iconic cuff bangle, the silken gold is embroidered with small flowers. According to him, there has been a demand from clients for a watch to complement the jewels. Hence Buccellati has interpreted its gold Tulle cuff into an equally spectacular watch.

Likewise, Chanel has introduced the cuff in a very personal way through its Mademoiselle's famous pair of Maltese Cross bangles. The cuff watch fits seamlessly into the mix. Its Flying Cloud collection takes its maritime theme from the Duke of Westminster's yacht. The Azurean Braid watch comes in knotted ropes of white gold and diamonds that centre on a small but dazzling diamond-set square dial. Coco would surely have approved of its effortless, practical elegance.

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THE LUXURY REPORTER

BOLA ALLISON THE BESPOKE JEWELLER

On her journey into jewellery making

BOLA|3 is well known than the face behind the brand. Here Bola Allison, the founder, tells FUNKE OSAE-BROWN, about her chance meeting with a jeweller that puts her on a new career path.

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B

ola Allison looked smart in her sleeveless print dress as she walked into the lobby at The Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, venue of our interview. I have known Allison for more than a decade. I was enamoured by the uniqueness of her hand-forged jewelleries the first time I stepped into her store at the Palms shopping Mall, Lekki in 2006. The store has since closed but her exclusive designs haven't. Her brand still appeals to those who love and appreciate its beauty and quality.

Her journey into jewellery making started in 2003 in Washington DC by chance. She once sat with a jeweller at his bench and she was mesmerized by his artistry. Immediately, she knew she wanted to try her hands at creating jewellery. She later told the jeweller, who also owned the jewellery store, that she was sure she could make jewellery.

Amused, he encouraged her to give it a try. He agreed to give her an honest critique.

“About three months later, I went back to the store with the four pieces I had made, she recalled. I waited nervously to see the owner. When he came out of his office, he and some other jewellers examined the pieces I had made. He looked up and asked how much I wanted for all the pieces. As you can imagine, I was flabbergasted. That's how it all began, and the rest is history.”

She never set out early to be a jeweller she worked as an Information Technology consultant for many years until she had an encounter with the jeweller at Washington DC. She tells me life as a jeweller has been an interesting one as she enjoys the creative process.

As an artist, every experience influenced her mind and in turn her art. She moved from England to the US and now Nigeria, her experience crossing these

continents have influenced her designs. She is also influenced by the people she came across in her travels, naming each piece after them.

What comes to Allison's mind when she sees precious stones, gold, silver? “Excitement. Wonder.

Intrigue. I immediately start to listen to the stone because each stone has a way it wants to be handled,” she says.

For Allison, each gemstone confers how it was to be handled. Each gemstone has its own unique characteristic; the cut, the colour, the clarity. All these determine the designs that come to mind.

“I don't rush the process,” she explains. “I enjoy the process. I place all my gemstones on my bench and let them speak to me. This takes a while. As all BOLA|3 pieces are handmade and one-of-a-kind, I take my time and explore all the design possibilities that come to me. Once I decided on the gemstones I want to work with, I then decide on the metal and its design.

All my metal components are handmade by me. All BOLA|3 jewelleries are designed and handmade from conception to finish by me.”

In addition, the creative process is very therapeutic for Allison. It relaxes her although she is working.

“Rarely do I listen to music when working. I tend to work in silence. I work overnight mostly, so as not to have my concentration disturbed.”

She has not kept a tab on the number of pieces she has created as most of her pieces sell before she has

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THE LUXURY REPORTER

the chance to catalogue them. “I have been designing and making jewellery for 15 years now and I have never made two of any design. If I were to take a guess I would say about 500 - 600 creations.”

Because of the uniqueness of her creations, it has been easy for people most especially her clients to identify her creations. “I have had many people tell me that they can identify a BOLA|3 piece. I don't have a signature design per se, but I do have a signature aesthetic.

BOLA|3 pieces are all unique, AAA quality gemstones, exquisite craftsmanship, elegant, beautiful.”

With a decade and a half of the existence of the BOLA|3 brand, Allison has travelled extensively worldwide sourcing for gemstones. She has developed trusted relationships with suppliers she uses.

Recently, Allison unveiled her new collection inspired by her garden. Her love for plants informed the designs in the collection. “I have a love for plants and I marvel at the glory of God in them. The colours and patterns in plants. My latest collection, called True Blood, the colour palette is very soft, incorporating cultured pearls, spinel, Italian coral, mandarin garnets, tourmaline, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, tanzanite and many more exquisite gemstones.”

BOLA|3 offers bespoke services for its discerning clientele. From unique pieces for weddings, to

diamond studded corals for chieftaincies, to that unique creation for that special someone, BOLA|3 works with its client to create exquisite pieces of jewellery that will be cherished for years to come.

Her clients are discerning people with exquisite taste whose privacy is highly valued.

With her experience and encounter with other jewellers across the world, Allison says jewellery making in Nigeria and Africa generally has come of age, yet it has a long way to go due to technological advancement in the industry.

A simple person with a mighty God, Allison travels a lot yet, Nigeria is home to her. She is mulling over opening another store soon since the last one closed in 2010. She can currently be reached By Appointment Only on 0908 290 9075 or via email at info@bola3.com.

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Jewellery

Gbenga Artsmith Avant-garde Jeweller LARA OLADUNNI

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is office located on Opebi Road, Allen Avenue, Lagos was enveloped in quietness on a sunny Monday Afternoon. The quietness was occasionally interrupted by the clasping sound of the beads a few his work women were busy with. One of the attendants was attending to a client in a corner.

Some of his pieces adorned the walls.

Gbenga Ayo-Dada may have found himself in an unusual profession making jewellery for women. In the few years, he has entered the jeweller scene, he has indeed made a name for himself through his brand Gbenga Artsmith. His pieces have adorned the neck of notable women like Sola Sobowale, Nike Okundaye-Davies, Adesua Etomi, Opral Benson, Waje, Omawumi, Kehinde Bankole, Vimbai, among others.

His journey as a jeweller began in 2005. He has always been the dexterous type who loves to create with his hands. When the opportunity to learn beaded jewellery making in 2005 came, he embraced it with open arms. However, he did not upgrade his interest in jewellery design and making to a full-time engagement until 2008 when he went for a more formal training in the art under the tutelage of Yemi Oyejobi. He launched his business almost immediately, while still learning and growing under his tutor.

He never set out early in life to be a jeweller.

Growing up, like everyone, he thought he was going to be a journalist, recording artiste or actor.

He had a strong passion for journalism, music, and theatre at different times early in life; he still does.

However, jewellery is what has become his mainstay.

“Life as a jeweller is a bitter-sweet mix, he says. It is sweet when you create masterpieces that enjoy great admiration and good commercial success, but it is bitter when its peculiar challenges rear their ugly heads. Client or staff palaver, low turnover, and

other general challenges common to Nigerian businesses. Business in Nigeria has been good but can be better. With favourable policies, superb opportunities, efficient systems, a business can sure be better.”

When Ayo-Dada sees precious stones, gold, silver he tells me what comes to his mind is a visual wonder, a work of art he can make out of them.

Creating designs, says Ayo-Dada, varies depending on his mood. Sometimes, the idea comes in a whim.

“I am a very spontaneous artist,” he says. “I could be flipping through the pages of a magazine and a particular colour scheme could jump at me and I am inspired to create thereafter. I am also inspired by my adventures, travels, cultures, avant-garde elements, my immediate environment, other jewellers' creations, etc. All these form motifs for my signature designs.”

When creating, Ayo-Dada says he is excited about what the finished product will look like. “And this nudges me on until I am through with it. I see beauty in my mind and I stop at nothing to bring that beauty to reality.”

He honestly says he has lost counts with the

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Jewellery number of designs he has created. However, his signature design now is the Ewalayo necklace set. “It is one versatile, trendy piece that our clients cannot get enough of as you cannot go wrong with it either as a celebrant or guest. It is appropriate for any occasion.

The open-front collar design makes it even more delightful and chic,” he says.

In addition to being an expert in costume jewellery, Gbenga also works with precious stones. He does custom designs for bespoke clients. “And this kind of designs are never seen on any of Gbenga Artsmith's public platforms as they are made exclusively for the client and a lot of efforts, ingenuity and of course money, typically goes into it.”

He is currently working on his soon to be unveiled luxury collection. “The collection will be a visual interpretation of Afropolitan luxury, a rich blend of contemporary and traditional nuances which makes its appeal cut across various races, taste and age divide.

The collection boasts of dainty, cutting-edge pieces to statement showstoppers. There is something for everyone.”

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THE LUXURY REPORTER For Ayo-Dada, African jewelleries are enchanting, rich in colours, craftsmanship, and detail. African jewellery is rich. He sources for materials from the local craft market, from international suppliers, and sometimes he purchases online.

Jewellery making in Nigeria and Africa may not have come of age, but Ayo-Dada believes Nigeria is certainly on its way there. “It's only a matter of time and concerted efforts, he says.

“When you understand your market and its most prominent needs, you will be fine. The Nigerian market for jewellery is in two categories: the majority who want beautiful, latest pieces without breaking the bank and the minority who want bespoke, head-turning pieces with no care for what it will cost them. I choose not to discriminate and cater to the needs of these individual categories; everyone is satisfied and I get paid.”

Furthermore, he has been able to stay in business and break even through the multiple streams of income within my jewellery business.

“We have a training arm, bespoke line, diffusion line (both for the upper mass market and lower mass market), resellers plans, etc. We are affordable. Affordability is relative. However, we have something to suit almost any budget.”

As a jeweller, Ayo-Dada must deal with issues regarding getting competent people of noble character to work with, funding major projects, discrimination, intellectual property theft.

“Jewellery is mostly perceived as an aspect of fashion of little importance and so does not enjoy as much recognition/praise as clothes and their designers. It is usually easier for a fashion designer to soar to the arsenal of career success than a jeweller. There are no equal opportunities to thrive.

There is also the issue of plagiarism. No respect for intellectual property in Nigeria and beyond; once the design is trending and a bestseller, every Shade, Nneka, and Amina want to copy it.

There are so many challenges, but I am pushing through despite them. Too late to quit.

Ayo-Dada is driven by the urge to success, his passion, and vision. “The challenges I face.

Challenges are negative for many people, but I recycle them into positive energy to keep me going. I am gingered by the thought of not letting myself or people who look up to me down.”

THE LUXURY REPORTER

New designs of jewellery are organic celebrating nature in dynamic ways says LARA OLADUNNI

S

omething interesting is happening in the world of jewellery. Jewellers around the world are taking on a daring terrain with recent edgy jewellery designs. New designs are drawing strong inspiration from nature.

In the summer of 2016, Chanel unveiled its collection of jewellery, at the Place Vendôme in Paris, which revolved around the theme of wheat.

Inside Chaumet's luxurious salons, there was also wheat abundantly. There were plump ears of corn and sheaves tied with ribbons, bursting with diamonds, both wild and refined. It was one of four oblique plant themes which include lily, laurel and oak.

Bouche ron has jewellerie s inspired b y sunkissed diamond ears of wheat gathered

Planes

up in its poetic Blé d'Eté set. The open-fronted necklace sees them sweeping softly sidewards across the collarbone. Obviously, with these daring attempts, the master jewellers have all drawn on the classicism and rustic charm of the humble ear of wheat.

This new approach signals a new approach to representing nature in jewels, a turn towards something less sweet and sentimental and more organic and earthy. This new trend is driven by the beauty of nature's imperfections.

Tarra Rosenbaum, pine cones necklace reflects pretty-pretty blossoms synonymous with nature.

There are also pieces that reflect the beauty of nature like the innocuous butterflies have fluttered off into the sunset and been replaced by crunchy-carapaced beetles. Some of the most captivating designs are made by German goldsmith Otto Jakob, who designs his pieces directly from nature, using his own collection of beetles.

London-based Lebanese designer-jeweller Gaelle Khouri's designs are even edgier as she takes an aggressively theoretical approach in her Soft Deconstruction collection.

One of her pieces, Self-Portrait fish earrings is an i l l u s t r a t i o n o f “ b o n e s” i n r o s e g o l d , w i t h discontinuous fleshy heads and tails pavéd in cloudy, icy, heavily included white and brown diamonds. The Imbroglio ring is an oversized cellular sculpture in blackened silver, with a rolling rose-gold spine set with white and brown diamonds and bright-green

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Planes

tsavorite garnets.

Through her new collection, one could tell that Khouri is fascinated with human reactions to nature, including the forces of attraction and repulsion, hence her choice of caterpillars, centipedes, and cockroaches as the framework for earrings, a necklace and a ring and of vertebrae for a bony, knobbly, blackened-silver Spine cuff.

Khouri says she started mixing metals like bronze and gold in a bid to lower the cost. However, she found the mixture went well with the spirit of her designs. The combination and contrast of tone and texture, dark and light, matt and shiny, buttress the vigour of nature and make her jewelleries look alive.

Vigour is truly a key feature of the new organic mood.

Egyptian jeweller Azza Fahmy's 12-piece Wonders of Nature collection seems to grow over the wearer. It highlights the connection between the natural world and man, between Ottoman gardens and the Victorian naturalist. Fahmy's jewels are layered with silver and gold, an encrustation that generates a hazy 3D effect, seen in the massive flower between-the-finger rings and a wide silver collar, open at the front, over which spreads an overgrown garden inhabited by an exotic hoopoe.

"People today want to be surprised," says Cartier's director of image, style, and heritage Pierre Rainero.

“Looking at themes from nature, we found the cactus very inspiring; there are so many varieties, and the shapes are modern and architectural, with a generosity of form.” He is also attracted by the idea of projecting a different view of femininity from that traditionally associated with flowers. “The cactus is a strong plant with a delicate flower. It's daring, original, a survivor, and communicates strength.”

The Cactus de Cartier collection is joyful, juicylooking and free-spirited, with a strong cocktail vibe, a hint of the California desert, and delicate details that fit perfectly with Cartier's aesthetic vocabulary: the chrysoprase berries, clustered on the bracelet, are inset with emeralds, 1920s style, and scattered with tiny, rusttoned carnelian flowers, each centred with a diamond.

The emerald beads of the luscious earrings feature tiny

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diamonds, and the open-ended bangle, again in 1920s style, is ornamented with lapis flowers centred on a diamond. The jewels are light yet voluminous, particularly the massive rings in which spines are stylised into trails of round gold beads, bringing a primal beauty that is a defining feature of the new organic jewels.

Designer-jeweller Cora Sheibani was ahead of the trend in finding inspiration in cacti a few years ago for her ever-evolving bestselling series Cactaceae. She explains that it came about because she had recently taken up gardening and had also been making more frequent visits to her mother's house on the Aeolian Islands, where cacti and succulents thrive. "They are little survivors," she says. "I found their shapes fascinating and detailed, and I liked that they bloom at unexpected moments." Her designs are abstract, stylised and strong, with undulating or ribbed surfaces, in matte white or yellow gold, set with black-speckled dark-green nephrite from Russia perhaps, or a sprinkling of diamonds. She worked with her goldsmith in Paris to recreate the Victorian star setting but gave it longer, thinner radiating rays to provide the impression of spikes. "For me, this is a modern, graphic interpretation of the classic flower jewel."

Even portrayals of animals, among the bestloved of all jewellery themes, have become less predictable, with jewellers looking for deeper meanings and connections – between man and nature, or science and nature. Van Cleef & Arpels went biblical with its Noah's Ark (L'Arche de Noé) collection of twinned-animal brooches; at Bulgari, the iconic Serpenti has been stylised into a graphic pattern of scales; and Boucheron moved on to deer, wolves, and eagles for its popular animal rings that have previously featured pandas and koalas.

Boucheron creative director Claire Choisne describes how founder Frédéric Boucheron "depicted strong, wild, realistic nature. We've made the animals more detailed, to capture their positive force."

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Jewellery

Iconic Jeweller

In this interview, BONIKE ODEGBAMI, niece to famous Nigerian former footballer, Segun Odegbami, tells AWERO JOHNSON how she is creating a world class handcrafted jewellery.

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onike Odegbami may not be a popular name in Nigeria but she is a woman whose name rings a bell in faraway United States of America. She is currently serving as the Vi c e C h a n c e l l o r a t Way n e Co u n t y Community College District – Detroit Michigan with a special focus on International Programs and Global Partnerships. She has been in this role for six years but with the institution for 12 years starting as a campus dean. She has also served as an Assistant to the President, Vice President of the Campus, campus president, provost. She is a niece to the former Super Eagles footballer, Segun Odegbami.

An interesting aspect of her life is her sojourn into the world of handcrafted jewellery. Her brand, UNICAS, LLC was conceived in 2013 out of the emotional pain she was experiencing when her daughter was diagnosed of brain cancer. It was a way of escape from the pain she was going through. She occupied her time and mind by expressing herself through art. UNICAS is a Portuguese word that means unique. With this name, Odegbami pays homage to her late maternal grandmother who hailed from Brazil.

Most of her pieces have Portuguese names.

Odegbami works with her partner, Sade Adegboyo who sketches the designs. “Some of our designs are inspired by ideas I find on the web,” she says, “and some are inspired by what I am feeling. On some occasions, my clients will work with me to conceive a design. The pieces are made with a combination of beads, crystals, and fabric trim. I won't necessarily refer to them as costume jewellery. The fabric trim is not necessarily expensive, but the gems can be depending on what the client wants. Currently, UNICAS does not have any jeweller that creates

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our pieces. We have an intern in training now.”

UNICAS, LLC is a brand known for creating bespoke pieces specially for women who love to stand out in the crowd. “Our pieces are usually custom made to the client's specification unless we are creating pieces for a show. Each piece is handmade with attention to detail and very difficult to duplicate. It is also very light,” explains Odegbami.

Although created in America, UNICAS' pieces have been well received outside the shores of the United States. However, Odegbami says her pieces are yet to really gain ground in the Nigerian community in the U.S “as Nigerians still seem to gravitate towards the traditional beads. I do however have a few great Nigerian clients. We do not have a client base in Nigeria yet. To date,

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only two people in Nigeria have ordered from UNICAS. We push the brand in the U.S. via fashion shows and editorials. We are working with a few celebrities in Nigeria to assist in pushing the brand in Nigeria.”

Odegbami tells TLR that her business model is to create custom pieces so she generally tries not to have an inventory, however, she makes pieces specifically for shows like the Baltimore Fashion Week and Haute Accessories Week.

She has about 18 pieces in her inventory now.

One of iconic her pieces is Dream. It is a piece she created out of her personal desire to have a traditional wedding and after 25 years in a relationship, her dream did not materialise.

“Since that dream was not be realised so I created my “dream” necklace for my imaginary wedding day. We did a photoshoot of this piece in a wedding gown – absolutely beautiful,” she says Kaleidoscope was inspired by the numerous experiences she had with her daughter's ailment and her cousin who was also dealing with cancer. “At the time this was created,” she recalls, “my life was shifting in different directions. My daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer, my sister was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, my cousin was dealing with cancer, my niece was born premature, I lost two uncles within a week. The patterns of my life kept shifting so the experience inspired this piece.”

Her piece, Tai – Tai, is the short form of the Yoruba word, Taiwo meaning he who was first to taste the world. She created the piece after her first year experiencing life after cancer.

“This year, there were no drugs, no treatments and not illnesses. It represents a web of life.

Following the web-lines, I chose to focus on the positive and anything negative shall be trapped in the web.”

Piaget’s

Sunlight Journey Collection Pays Homage To Timeless Craftsmanship

ADEDOYIN JOHNSON

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t is not of all the time that a watch manufacturer with a talent for ultra-thin movements makes the leap into high jewellery with such interesting results. Piaget has been exceptional in this area since it began its creative journey in the 1960s, designing its high jewellery collections in tandem with its women's jewellery watches.

Piaget's new Sunlight Journey Collection is inspired by Italian Amalfi Coast and captures three different times of day – dawn, midday and sunset – in a dazzling array of high jewellery and watches.

Vibrant colour, exquisite craftsmanship and a strong 1970s vibe are the order of the day with Piaget's Sunlight Journey. The collection features high jewellery, jewellery watches and ring. A remarkable journey to the frontiers of influences and desires that nurture a vision of materials, motifs and lights.

This exploration creates the most lingering emotions, even if they were to last only one day.

Sunlight Journey is therefore an escapade punctuated by the path of the sun and the moods it creates, alternating between gentle meanderings, joyful effervescence and dazzling radiance.

Piaget's newest collection draws inspiration from the scenic beauty of the Amalfi Coast. A land of fire, volcanoes, and azure blue seas; a land bathed in light, a land where the natural elements unite with strength and passion. A land rich in culture and artistic expressions; a land of exchanges and sharing, where life itself is regarded as an intense and refined work of art, echoing the 'art of living' locations so greatly prized by the Piaget Society.

Each time of day produces its own light and its d i s t i n c t i ve v i b e, i n w h i c h j e we l l e r y a n d watchmaking creations bloom in dazzling colours thanks to the use of exceptional gems such as blue sapphires and yellow diamonds. A journey expressed through a unique path to the heart of many skills cultivated by the Maison Piaget.

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Fashion

The first set of pieces in the collection begins with the Secrets of Dawn. These pieces exhibit the traits of dawn, when sea and sky appear to merge in misty shades of grey, beige and pink, a lucky few strolls along the beach in search of new impressions and are

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highlighting how the sun's illuminating contrasts and thrilling visual effects. It is a celebration of pieces carved out of rough gems, tracing a random path along the cliffs, beyond which extend infinite stretches of sky and sea. It showcases the beauty of a symphony of sapphire and Each of the elements composing this natural setting, lapis lazuli blues and emerald lit up by the sun, delivers a series of tableaus featuring a amboyant aesthetic. greens.

Each of the elements treated to the first bursts of sunlight dappling the composing this natural setting, lit up by the sun, surface of water, creating a magical sparkle. These delivers a series of tableaus featuring a flamboyant pieces are clothed in pink gold and adorned with aesthetic. This pair of earrings echoes the white opals and Paraiba tourmalines. geography of distant islands, lost in a sea of black The fascinating watches feature dials adorned with opal. They are an open invitation to plunge into the variously shaded white opals form sceneries heart of summer. In this set is a marvellous creation composed of billowing clouds and foam that inspire necklace sparkling with an oval-cut Ceylon dreams and fantasy. Some of watches have captured sapphire mimicking the shimmer of the sun across these images in memory of a summer stroll, by using the surface of the water thanks to its shower of original materials such as eggshell mosaic for their dial diamonds. decoration.

Also, included in this set, is a watch made of gems The second set in this collection is Midday Festival that embraces the wrist with its asymmetrical

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Fashion

charm. There is also a necklace of sapphires, black opals and diamonds crowned by an emerald-cut blue sapphire shines with unique radiance like waves lapping against the shore.

The last set in the collection is Nightfall Celebration, the ďŹ nal lap in the journey through nature and time. For the watch in this set, lavish pink bougainvillea encircles the dial, meticulously crafted of micromosaic, taking on an intense and luminous fuchsia pink hue. The sky is clothed in orange, pink and gold and the sun glows in all its majesty one last time before dipping beneath the horizon, like this cu-watch

adorned with a purplish pink spinel. It radiates colourful beams of pink sapphires and red spinels. Luminously resistant to nightfall, a cushion-shape yellow diamond glows with spectacular radiance in the company of red spinels, yellow and white diamonds.

The ring in this set is skilfully crafted feather marquetry embellished with purple sapphires, red spinels and diamonds, representing yet another treasure amid a world of pure beauty in the midst of summer.

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Stealing The Show

Fashion designers are creating unique pieces of the African fabric with extravagant materials and intricate ornamentation like Swarovski reports ADEDOYIN JOHNSON

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amukuyo Olaoluwa loves to make her clients not only beautiful but stylish. As the CEO of Labima Keshet, she prides herself in her unique cut and creating pieces that sit well on her clients. She tells me she is taking this a step further with an intricate ornamentation of the Ankara fabric with Swarovski.

“I love to work with Swarovski because it makes the dress classy and elegant,” she says. “It doubles the value of the dresses I make.”

Fashion designers like Olaoluwa are taking the African fabric to a new level by accessorising the fabrics with Swarovski. Foluke Alatise, creative director, Marmick Designs, also loves to work with Swarovski. She loves to work with the stones because it turns her creations into statement pieces that make the wearer stands out of the crowd.

“It is a head turner. You can't a dress accessorized with Swarovski and not make a statement with it. It dazzles more than other stones. It glitters in the sun and it attracts a great deal of attention.”

Swarovski is luxury cut lead glass called crystals manufactured by the eponymous company based in Wattens, Austria. It is the premium brand for finest crystals. Since Swarovski adds value to pieces it has become the darling for most fashion designers.

“Swarovski beautifies the African fabric especially Ankara,” adds Alatise. “No matter how dull the fabric is, Swarovski brings out its beauty. It adds a lot of value to the fabric and the dress.”

Manufacturers like DV Fashion Limited, makers of Daviva Ankara fabric have also introduced Swarovski element into their line of product offerings. Aside the fact that Daviva prides itself in dressing its customers from head to toe; they are into fashion business to offer consumers alternatives.

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“We do just want to restrict you to just the fabrics alone,” Maryam Williams-Ogbebor, marketing executive, Swarovski division of DV Fashion Limited.

“We want to let our clients know about other things that we can offer for them. Swarovski is a luxury brand and a lot of people outside Nigeria are aware of it. We actually thought of how we can complement our fabrics with the brand.”

Williams-Ogbebor says Swarovski hot fix stones, which are commonly used, come in three sizes namely: 16, 10 and 6. The size six is the tiniest which is for those who are conservative and do not like their fabric to be too flashy. According to her, Swarovski is also used by companies to design their company logos on fabrics. “ There are some companies who love their brands to be seen as luxury brand. Hence when they want to design their company's logos they use sixteen and ten.

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These are the perfect sizes for them to use because they can actually use this two to trace out and do the transfer of their logos on T-shirts and other materials.”

She adds further that for those who want to stand out, size sixteen is makes what they wear more visible especially dresses for red carpet.700da “It blinks and then the effects and visibility are there so everyone can see it. It is also used for bridal dresses.

There are bridal dresses that are just there like the laces may not be embellished. We can help the bride add effect to it. So if you want to add effect to whatever you have, that has to do with garments or fabrics just bring it we would do it for you, we have a machine that does that here.”

And so, a touch of Swarovski on the Ankara fabric changes the value of the fabric both in pricing and beauty. For instance, a six yard Daviva Ankara fabric embellished with Swarovski crystals goes for an average price of N30, 000 while dressmakers could charge more.

“My customers pay premium when they asked me to add Swarovski to their dresses,” says Mamukuyo.

“The value that Swarovski stones or crystals give to the dress is different. The average price I charge for sewing is N30, 000 while the premium price doubles the average price.”

Williams-Ogbebor adds that Swarovski crystals are very durable and customers do not have to worry that the crystal will come off the fabric during laundry. “Once it is properly done it wouldn't come out,” she explains. Even with hand washing or washing machine it doesn't come off. The plastic stones sold in the market usually do but does not apply to Swarovski. For Swarovski a piece is actually a lot of money. We sell a piece for N31; if you buy bulk then we sell for N21. If you are buying just one piece for N21 naira, it is expensive we have a special machine for the fixing. We offer customers the free service of fixing when they purchase the crystals from us.”

Williams-Ogbebor further explains that Swarovski crystal is a luxury brand which is not affordable for everyone. “It is also quite expensive. A tiny pack is N1, 500. If you now want to buy a lot and let's say 20,000, or 10,000 pieces or more, they are available.”

Olajumoke who loves the African fabric says she like rare designs that are not all-comers affair. Hence, she likes to accessorise Aso-ebi with crystals that stand her out at social gatherings. “I love the effects Swarovski gives my dresses,” she says. “These ones I

Fashion

have on now are tiny, but they are staying well on the fabric. They are visible. No matter how small the size or quantity used on the fabric, it shows. They glitter under the light. I just love them.”

For Alatise, there are customers who request her services to embellish the chest area a dress or blouse.

There are other customers who want embellishment that can be worn around a blouse like jewellery. “We use crystals to embellish traditional materials like Aso oke for weddings too. Brides love them. We have worked with different colours,” she says.

Swarovski comes in different colours of red, yellow, sea green, army green amongst others. “Swarovski provides us with a colour chart,” adds WilliamsOgbebor. “These are all the colours that they have and then each year that they come up with something new they send you a sample that you can actually stick to your charts. So this one came after and this one came after, you can just stick it to it. So as you are looking at the colours and thinking this is new so you can just add it.”

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THE LUXURY REPORTER

Stones Make A Bold Return There is a growing desire for rare gemstones among consumers and investors. This has led to the craving for cool, calm, classic precious stones as a contemporary alternative to gold jewellery. In this report, ADEDOYIN AMOLE discovers that precious stones are safe store of wealth, a tangible asset with serious investment potential.

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ntil now, gold has been sought after due to its unique blend of near indestructibility, beauty, rarity and because of its importance as a means of exchange. Today, attention is gradually being shifted from gold to precious stones as a store of wealth and investment. Individuals are now using gemstones as a store of wealth and as insurance against the fluctuations and depreciation of paper money and to protect against other macro-economic and geopolitical risks.

Investors in this sector say that there has not been any other asset in the world which has a universal appeal like the gold yet precious stones are equally appealing to the investment sensibilities of people and this shift is increasing in recent times due to the very significant macroeconomic, geopolitical, monetary and systemic risk facing modern global financial system and economy.

“A thriving investment is all about the diversification and management of risk,” says Treasure Akinisoye, an

investment analyst. "In simple term, it means it is not advisable to have all your eggs in one basket.

History has shown that markets can and do crash and if an investment is not properly diversified the nest egg can be severely affected."

In addition, he explains that the motivation for buying precious stones is fundamental in deciding which form the investor should buy it. "He should ask himself the following questions: am I a speculator, investor or saver? Do I wish to take a short-term speculative position in precious stones? Am I investing for the short, medium or long term? Or am I diversifying, saving or using precious as a form of financial insurance?"

In a bid to tap into the growing market for precious stones local and foreign jewellers are creating unique jewellery masterpieces with an emphasis on showcasing some of the world's most important rare gemstones.

Raya Jewellery is one of the local jewellers who work with precious and semi-precious stones and has exquisite collections of coloured semiprecious stones. Most jewellers have an elite team of craftsmen and designers who work with them to showcase the natural beauty of these remarkable stones through a series of bespoke collections.

The yearning to acquire uncommon gemstones is growing among both consumers and investors who, aside from their captivating beauty, are driven by a loss of confidence in time-honoured assets as well as a renewed perception of the gemstone as a safe store of wealth, a tangible asset with strong investment potential. Because of this,

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jewellers like Bola3 has often trusted counsel to customers searching for a piece that provides a wise and strategic investment in the current market.

Today, more Nigerian jewellers are building up an extensive clientele of the most discerning purchasers of jewellery across the world. Kristos Jewellery managed by Freda Edewor and Louise Priddy is one of the latest entrants into the Nigerian gemstone market.What started as a hobby for the duo is gradually being turned into a business empire beyond the shores of the country with Wyclef Jean as the brand ambassador. "Louise and I started Kristos Jewellery as a hobby and we didn't think we would get this much response from people," explains Priddy. "Overnight, it has been so popular and there has been a popular demand.”

It is luxury brand which Priddy says she hopes will be a longstanding trusted private jeweller to international and local dignitaries, royalty, celebrities, and other discerning connoisseurs. For this new venture, she and her partner are creating exquisite pieces with gemstones from Greece. The kind of stones they used is verified and prepared for the atelier. This charts the journey of each gemstone used in their collections and is involved at every stage of the creative process.

Kristos is a Greek word meaning anointed. It also means good luck, love, and peace. That has been the core values of their jewellery line since it began last year December. The jewelleries are all made of precious stones and 18-carat gold while some are with diamonds some are not. The uniqueness of the precious stones and designs have endeared many people to the Kristos pieces. And so, the list of their clientele includes D-Banj, Don Jazzy, Wyclef Jean, Joseph Yobo, Omowunmi Akinnifesi, among others including corporate individuals.

“Mostly celebrities wear our jewellery line but it is for everyone who can afford it,” says Edewor. "Our jewelleries are all collectors' items. When you have gold, diamond and precious stones- that three combined-you should understand the quality of what you want to and the price." The price range varies from a $1, 000 to $10,000 apiece. Clients can pay in naira.

Freda Edewor who is also a collector herself says she has a long love affair with coloured diamonds and gemstones and it gives her such pleasure to see some of the world's most incredible, rare stones transformed into stunning jewels. “It is a privilege to work with such exceptional raw materials and I am

Jewellery

fortunate to have such a fantastic designer in my friend Priddy who works with me to ensure that the collections showcase their natural beauty and incomparable quality.”

In the world today, investing in natural fancy coloured diamonds is the fad. Naturally fancy coloured diamonds are the most valuable gemstones on the planet as determined on a price per carat basis although they have no fixed price yet their true value will be determined when they are sold at auction.

Investing in rare coloured diamonds is a longterm investment. The economic cycles of the past 15 years have seen coloured diamonds reach new heights in value as price records were broken.

Twenty years ago a one-carat Fancy Intense Internally Flawless Pink Diamond would have sold for approximately $70,000.00 a carat, today that same diamond would be worth $500,000.00. The highest price ever paid per carat for a coloured diamond was $1.3 million per carat.

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Retail

Chic Furniture Showroom ADEDOYIN JOHNSON

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tanding tall on Karimu Ikotun Street, Victoria Island is the Trish O furniture showroom. It is a place where you can truly experience exquisite home furnishing that will give your space life.

A combination of luxury furniture and bespoke female dresses, the new store is a complete lifestyle store for the total woman with a taste for classy and quality living space and fabric.

The ground floor is devoted to exclusive hand and machine-made statement pieces. You can move from one end of the store the other savouring the pieces on display without getting tired and admiring their sheer beauty. The designs are edgy, eclectic and tailor-made to suit the body needs of the individual client.

Trish O stocks elegant furniture that stand out. These are furniture that turns an ordinary house into a beautiful home. The store also stocks both contemporary and traditional styled fittings including well-styled pieces from Italy. The type of things that

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THE LUXURY REPORTER whoever comes to your space would commend the homeowner and give the person either a pat on the back or a good nod of approval.

After taking a tour of the upper floor, I could tell that Trish O loves to make a space worth living. The designs are carefully put together with matching throw pillows and other home accessories. There are interesting table lamps and chandeliers that will add beauty to any space.

Trish Onumonu, CEO, Trish O tells me she is taking her business to the next level with the new showroom. “I am excited about the new space,” she says. “It is a dream come true. We are moving to another phase of our business and we are super excited about that.”

Her bold move to combine fashion and furniture speaks to the new direction in interior furnishing and fashion, as retailers are taking the concept of lifestyle space to a new level.

“The idea behind the furniture showroom, explains Onumonu, is I have always loved a standout home space, so my love therefore extended to a business.

A beautiful home for me is complete with the right type of furniture and furnishings, so since I know where to get those very classy, standout furniture and more, I thought to avail the people (clients) the opportunity to shop such for their homes too here.”

Truly, Trish O has redefined the concept of the store with the new retail space. The upper floor boasts of posh interior furnishings made of classic colours from black, white, gold to purple. There are exquisite sofas with matching throw pillows, coffee tables, cabinets, dining tables and chairs,

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Retail

dressing tables and more.

Onumonu says fashion and lifestyle are part and parcel of life hence she decided to house her couture house and the furniture showroom in the same building.

“What you wear enhances you and we provide such clothes here, so we have thought to also establish another business that caters to the home at that same location that enhances your home too. A sort of one-stop shop for your fashion and lifestyle needs, Trish O' Couture and Lifestyle.”

With a good understanding of the market, Onumonu has been able to put together a showroom where her clients can get all their home furnishings under one roof. All the pieces are well sought and designed with each client in mind.

“One must have a good knowledge of whatever business one would engage in at any time. That knowledge is what gives us the advantage. We know where to go to get what we think and believe our types of clients/customers would want. We go very far across the world to stock. We go to fairs to see what's new in the market also. It's a stressful labour of love, but we do love it.”

With astonishing designs, Onumonu has kept clients captivated as each of the pieces were carefully sourced. "Each of the smallest pieces you see in the showroom was painstakingly picked, so there is love for everything. However, some pieces are more outstanding than the others and so they cost far more.

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Made-To-Measure ADEDOYIN AMOLE

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estled under the once famous Didi Museum is a boutique that houses Italian, Ermenegildo Zegna, located on Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. For the corporate, business individuals who are fashion conscious, the desire to look good and trendy has come to fruition at Ermenegildo Zegna, Italy's finest menswear luxury brand.

Located on the busy Akin Adesola Street Victoria Island, that is now being dubbed Lagos' London Bond Street, the store is an architectural masterpiece befitting of the brand it houses. It parades the best cuts tailored to perfection by Italian designers. In typical Zegna style, the store offers the full array of Zegna products and services: personalised couture, made-tomeasure wear, casual wear, sports apparel and the finest handcrafted shoes, belts, bags, silk ties and other accessories.

Each collection is distinctly and perfectly represented in designated corners of the store.

Deriving from the Zegna Global creative workbook, the store was designed by Studio Berreta and implemented by Tope Edu Designs. The design and layout of the store speak exquisite luxury and tells the heritage of this fine luxury brand, through still photos, rich embroidery, and pin-perfect displays.

Opened on December 1, 2013, the store is an absolute embodiment of the Zegna signature: masculine, under-

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stated, sophisticated, classy, classic and flawless. I t is a harmonious blend of natural colour palettes, sustainable woods, and cut-glass finishing.

Explaining the rationale behind the launch in West Africa through Lagos flagship store, Tope Edu, franchise director, O3X Limited, expressed her joy as the Lagos store is one of the 500 stores of the brand across the world.

Edu noted that the journey of the brand to Nigeria started more than five years ago. I t was envisaged to enable Nigerian men to have access to the trendiest of wears and fashion accessories, which the Ermenegildo Zegna brand has perfected across the globe for 100 years and running.

With the store, she said that the stress, time and huge sum people spend in travelling to Italy to get the products were things of the past. The store is on your doorstep and it parades same quality you get in I taly, as Ermenegildo Zegna products are same quality in its 500 stores across the globe.

A symbol of Italian elegance and craftsmanship, Ermenegildo Zegna, recorded €1.26 billion sales revenue in 2015. In 2013, it was the first among renowned luxury fashion houses to open a store in Nigeria in a bid to take advantage of the growing number of super-wealthy individuals in the country.

“This is a big, big sign of hope, Gildo Zegna, chief executive, said in an interview with the Financial Times of London, at a moment

whe n there is not much hope around. It's a bit like the China dream in the early '90s or the Russians in the late '90s or Mexico in the 2000s. We do hope that the first settler there will be blessed.”

Zegna believes an average African consumer spends 50 percent more than the typical shopper. " They are serious buyers," Zegna said. “We are in a very upper luxury (market).

African customers were less like the Chinese, who quick ly embraced the company's sportswear line, and more like the Russians. It's the men who are the big shoppers. They want the top quality and are very formal.

You have to sell to the world, so they need to look like the world traveler.”

In addition to the Lagos store, Zegna has a presence in Cairo, Casablanca, and Johannesburg.

The company regards Angola and Mozambique as potential markets.

Retail

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Hues In Store Bold, provocative designs and colours are some of the hallmarks of ZAZAII, a new total lifestyle store in upscale Victoria Island, says LARA OLADUNNI.

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he building that houses ZAZAII on Balarabe Musa Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria stands out of the pack. Seated on a couch in the sprawling store is Isoken Ogiemwonyi, the creative director, ZAZAII. She warmly welcomes me into her store as we sat down to chat for thirty minutes.

Isoken's tenacity endeared me to her a couple of years ago when I first encountered her pieces. I admire her courage to start her own fashion label, Obsidian, which has now metamorphosed into a retail store, ZAZAII. “ZAZAII,” she tells me, “is the global address for shopping established and emerging African fashion, lifestyle and beauty. It is the next step. We are creating a store where brands can build a following and have steady sales or in the case of more established brands, want more distribution points.”

It is a retail store where you can discover an ultra-modern line of more than fifty well-known and emerging fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands from House of Tara, to JLabel, Toju Foyeh, Obsidian, Eve And Tribe, Things Nigerians Love, Kamokini among others.

She says she is inspired to start ZAZAII when felt the need to

expand her line. “My line was called Le Space. The initial plan was to give fashion designers the time and the opportunity to be more commercial. As a designer in Nigeria I found that it seemed like a futile effort because you find out Nigerian fashion designers are doing lone stuff. You discover that you have one person here another there.

It is for this reason we started Le Space. We wanted to do something bigger, something with a more contemporary focus.”

Part of her move is also to discover and showcase new local fashion brands. “We drive discovery of new brands, and visibility for existing brands. We are showcasing the brands that we really, really believe in. We also made options for self-made designs. We made our options a lot more refined. If we love a brand we go for it because we really believe we can sell it. We

conceptualise it for the consumer and pick designers that we thing they will like.”

Isoken explains some of the dresses, sunglasses, bags and footwear she stocks are handmade and sourced for locally. “We have a variety of designers. Some of them are handmade some others are manufactured. They are all African brands. I have my own brands but I also those that are manufactured or handmade.”

According to her poor infrastructure and lack of adequate skills by artisans are impeding the growth and development of the fashion industry forcing designers to manufacture their designs in Turkey or China.

“The way infrastructure is here in Nigeria; the sort of knowledge artisans require is not there.

They don't have the skill to do some of the designs. They don't also have the capacity to do as much as two hundred or three hundred pieces of one style at once in different sizes. It can be difficult. Hence most people have to do that outside the country. People do large quantities in Turkey or China.

Turkey is closer. The zip makers, buttons manufacturers are also in China. Turkey also has a strong textile industry so

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Retail

THE LUXURY REPORTER

everybody is going there to get fabric.

“Almost all our fabrics are imported. I tried not to be bugged down by the exchange rate and inflation rate. At the end of the day, the thread,

that will affect cost. I sketch my designs. We are a retail store so we stock other labels.”

ZAZAIII flagship store at 36 Balarabe Musa houses over 40 brands and the ZAZAII Beauty Rooms boast retail beauty,

button, even the machines we used are imported. In some places some people use Koreans or Filipinos, Senegalese or Togolese artisans. Everything you are buying to make the dresses or whatever clothing you are making is imported. All the prices have gone up for those accessories. In addition to that is the issue of power. Most people generate power themselves. You still have to spend money on diesel or generator. It is a huge cost.”

Using local fabrics could be challenging for Isoken as it is the case with most Nigerian designers. She argues that most artisans do not have the capacity to produce Adire, a locally made fabric, for instance.

“Adire you can't go to a factory and say you want a bale of Adire or in a thousand yards. You can't get it because they don't do it that way or don't have the capacity to do that. Even for Adire all of the base materials are imported so it still comes to the same thing. There will always be an importation factor

skincare and haircare brands, as well as beauty services spanning blow dries, skin and body treatments and nail art.

In addition, there is a cocktail bar, run by the formidable Elle's Icebox. It promises to treat shoppers to mouth-watering bites and delicious cocktails.

“The Pop Up Party X ZAZAII is a low cost, high impact

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distribution and promotion platform, based on a four-day residency, for fledgling businesses to inform and engage their target consumer.

Our monthly event enables all brands, regardless of their size, to reach countless members of the public, and our strategic partnerships both online and offline enable us to pursue a collective promotional agenda.

This not only gives brands huge savings in marketing expenses but also frees them up to concentrate on other aspects of brand building.”

With over five years in the business of African fashion, Isoken says ZAZII delivers worldwide to over sixty countries.

You can experience the ZAZAII Homes; a section in-store where you can purchase bespoke home fittings. You can visit the online store: www.zazaii.com or any of its concessions nationwide (Ikeja, Lagos, Abuja and Calabar).

Ade Adefeko Consummate Commercial Diplomat

ADE ADEFEKO, Vice President, Corporate and Government Relations, Olam Nigeria, is an executive with a simple yet elegant sense of style. He is a commercial diplomat who is passionate about the continent and its people. In this interview, he tells FUNKE OSAEBROWN about his life.

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is dashing smile broadens as he walks down the hallway of the Eko Hotel and Suites. He looks radiant in his chocolate brown kaftan.

His height adding remarkable grace to his carriage. It has been a while I last saw him until our paths crossed again that sunny July Monday morning. Not much has changed about him, his smile and warmth were still there except for his grey hairs.

As an executive, Ade Adefeko, has traversed different aspects of corporate marketing and communications. A son of a retired diplomat who was exposed to travelling at an early age, he spent a greater part of his early childhood in different parts of the world. Towards the latter part of the early 1980s, his family returned to Nigeria. He returned to a Nigeria where relationships were largely devoid of ethnic or religious colouration and has since built fr iendships that cut across multilingual, multicultural and societal boundaries.

He recalls growing up in a post-independence Nigeria full of hope and belief in the country and its

potential. “Patriotic fervor was at its apex. We had an effective and efficient Public Service that was driven by merit, utilities worked, probity and accountability was the norm but unfortunately over the last three decades Nigeria has lost its moral compass. We are now imbued with bad governance and corruption at almost all levels and strata of society. How we got to this sorry state I cannot seem to comprehend.”

Adefeko from a young age has been artistically inclined; he has leaned towards writing, debating and was a vociferous reader. As he grew older, he knew he wanted to affect people's lives in different ways so he engages in mentoring through thought leadership, public commentary on issues of national discourse, sports punditry, opinion shaping and policy advocacy. He has worked across multiple industries from banking, pay television, FMCG and is now contributing his quota to the growth and development of the Agricultural sector.

“I can say I am a commercial diplomat,” he says

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Interview confidently. “I constantly strive to initiate, nurture and sustain relationships be it business or social.

Without being immodest it has been a positive and progressive journey and can only get better.”

Very early on in his childhood and later adult life he realised he had a knack for communications. He has been comfortable with engaging people, writing and devouring newspapers as well listening to radio and public speaking from a young age. In addition, he learnt to master many local and international languages and over time he has shown adeptness in them.

“I went to a' UNITY' school' Federal Government College Odogbolu and that helped to shape my perception and thinking and hence my PERSONA NIGERIANA,” he says.

As a busy executive, each day comes with its own challenges for Adefeko. Hence for him, no day is ever the same. “Typical day? There is no such thing because every day presents new challenges, new opportunities and I tend to travel a lot. In between flying and driving I get a lot of work done via phone calls, emails, SMS and the likes. If I'm not on the road or in the air this is how my day pans out: I usually wake up early – check on the kids and then I'll sit down and catch up on news and emails. Grab some breakfast and I am out of the house by 8am. I usually have a lot of meetings but mostly out of the office.”

Despite his busy schedules, Adefeko still finds time to relax. He relaxes by spending time with his family, listening to music and watching movies with his wife. He is a lover of different genres of music and movies. A football aficionado and Arsenal fan, whenever he is in town on Fridays, he goes on night outs with his wife. “I try to create time to relax as often I can,” he says.

Adefeko also loves to travel. His job has seen him travel to different countries in Africa and the world.

“My favourite travel spots are quite numerous,” he explains when I asked him about his favourite Cities.

“I like Nairobi for its vibrant ambience, Kigali for its orderliness and cleanliness and Johannesburg for its cosmopolitan appeal. In Europe, London because I have lots of friends and family. It's always fun to catch up with them and Paris for its art, culture and cuisine.”

Having travelled to thirty-four of the nation's thirty-six states, Chappal Waddi, the highest peak on Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State is his favourite tourist spot in Nigeria.

And of course, like every inhabitant of the pulsating city of Lagos, Ade loves Lagos. He says he loves the vibe and energy of the city. “There's

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something for everyone,” he says. “It has world-class art, culture, music and food. But it's the people that gives the city its life and buzz. That's my Las Gidi.”

Aside travelling, Adefeko loves to read. He enjoys reading a variety of books. For him, part of what makes a great leader is the ability to learn something new every day. His favourite books are on leadership and followership. Although he has read and enjoyed quite a few, two stand out. They are: “The End of Power” by Moises Naim and “From Third World to First: The Singapore Story, 1965 – 2000” by Lee Kuan Yew. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown is a popular adage, no doubt, there are several challenges that come with being an executive. Adefeko has this to say about them: “Executives face new and different challenges to keep their companies running effectively. From adapting to technological advances and political nuances to recruiting top talent who are skilled in an ever-changing job market.”

Therefore, what makes a good leader for him are three Cs – courage, credibility and competence and in addition have empathy. “Courage to lead, competence to execute, and credibility as it goes hand in hand with competence. Empathy shown to those being led.”

A stylish executive, he has grown to love the style and feel that Nigerian tradition outfits have to offer; hence he is usually seen looking suave and debonair in them. When Adefeko is not at work, he loves to go casual.

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Interview

Living A Life Of

She is an astute serial entrepreneur whose footprint is virtually in all sectors. Recently, she unveiled a new line of hand processed organic skincare oil, Sikan. In this interview, INI ABIMBOLA, CEO, ThistlePraxis, tells FUNKE OSAE-BROWN about the skincare range, her love for shoes and fast cars.

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er office located on Town Planning Way, Ilupeju, Lagos, Nigeria is enveloped in quietness on a warm Thursday morning in March. Seated behind her desk in the modestly furnished office, her eyes were moving from her MacBook to a news item showing on CNN. Her face lighted up as I walked into her office. She was excited to see me. Prior to our meeting that morning, we had been communicating via Facebook and Instagram.

'She is truly a lively woman', I thought to myself as I take my seat directly opposite hers. Her beauty is real and timeless. Her light skin glows under the bright white lights. She is petite.

As she returned to her desk, she held tightly unto the half-filled mug of coffee on the table. It was cold.

She stood up to call her personal assistant for a fresh mug of coffee. “I love my coffee very hot,” she tells me.

“I can't take warm or cold coffee. It has to be really hot.” She lays emphasis on the 're-a-lly' to make me understand how steaming she wants it.

Ini Abimbola is a woman with a die-hard attitude to success. She is a serial entrepreneur with her hands in many businesses situated in different parts of Lagos.

She has investments in oil and gas, real estate, logistics, media, and then consulting through her company, ThistlePraxis. Recently, she started a line of hand processed organic skincare range, Sikan, a name she derived from her 11-months-old baby's traditional Ibiobio name, Nsikan-abasi. She had her new baby exactly 20 years after she had her last daughter.

Nsikan had a what is known as umbilical hernia which cause babies to have a big, protruding navel.

Ini didn't like this and followed her mother's advice to apply a dash of black palm kernel oil every day on the ballooned navel. And to Ini's amazement, there was a remarkable difference in the size of the navel.

“My mum said I should use it on my baby apse body cream,” she recalls, “I started using it on all her body.

But I was bothered my baby would become dark, but I found out within three months, she wasn't getting dark and her complexion didn't change. Her skin became smoother. I asked my mum why people say the black palm kernel oil darkens and she explained to me that because it is difficult to get the pure unadulterated one, people take the small quantity they have and mix with the lighter part of the red palm oil which definitely will make you dark and you will lose the benefit of it.”

This propelled her to start the genuine line of pure Black Palm kernel oil, with the brand name 'Sikan', a strictly hand processed, hand packaged 100% organic product. “Even the tamperproof is not machine sealed, it is done by hand, and if I say this, I do everything by myself. I have two women working with me but I just make sure they fill the bottles. They fill the bottles, while I do the labelling and total packaging.

It took Ini about two months from ideation to completion to get the first set of Sikan market ready.

The process involves getting the palm kernel, sorting which involves removing palm kernels from the shell;

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sorting each bag takes about three days. The production also includes, frying the oil in large pots, extracting the oil, labelling and packaging.

“One of the major challenges of this product is, it's a long process,” she explains. “What we do is to get the palm kernel nuts which we buy from villages.

There is the machine processed one, which is lighter in colour but this one we fry. We had to get big pots for the old women, about five of them who do the frying on open fire. We don't use fire wood because we also want the women to be comfortable, so we get them to work for longer hours. I had to get these long-range gas cookers used for catering."

Of course, the cost of gas for the two weeks we had to get enough for commercial quantity. They fry and as they fry, the oil comes up; somebody is scooping, so it takes five days to get 25 litres which is a tough process.”

The tedious process and cost of importing bottles will sure force a price change soon. For her a premium product like Sikan sure comes with a premium price tag.

“The process is a long process and then for the bottles, we had to bring in the bottles as well. We have to monitor the process because we don't want them mixing it, we don't want adulteration in any form. Hence as the women scoop out the oil, we take it away. Most of the women were telling me 'Aunty, if you want to make money, this is not the way we are selling, you will have to mix it.' But I tell them I know, but first let me get the original one first. We don't want to mix ours. We are selling the original oil.”

Ini has a remarkable taste for premium brands hence her love for quality shoes and fast cars. She is an avid collector of exquisite and uniquely styled shoes. Among her collection are Salvatore Ferragamo, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin.

However, the economic recession has forced her to place a hold on collecting new ones.

“I have been training myself not to buy shoes too much recently. I love the Salvatore Ferragamo range.

I love classy shoes. His collections are beautiful, they are easy to wear. I have Ferragamo in colours that are interesting. Then I have four Manolos because of the design but then there are two shoemakers that gets me intrigued Christian Louboutin, his ability to consistently make all those designs, the colours and the snake skins and the mix and match of the colours are the things that catch my fancy. There is also Charlotte Olympia her designs are different and unusual. I really love Manolo but they have to be unusual. Most of my work shoes, I do Ferragamo and Jessica Simpsons.”

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Ini Abimbola loves Mercedes-Benz cars but one car she desires completely is the full options Land Cruiser VXR V8. She loves it because of the power of the engine. “It is one car I want to own,” she says animatedly, raising her hands to show how she would hold the steering; the excitement and desire visible in her voice and eyes. “For me that's my alltime favourite SUV. It is classic, it is functional, never goes out of style but it's the engine power that gets me. I drove it once and I refused to get down. The vehicle answers when I press the accelerator. Then the Merecedes-Benz 550 which is also about the power of the engine. I love cars, I love racing cars. I drive well and the response of a Land Cruiser VXR V8 engine is so orgasmic."

On her beauty regime, she says she has no strict regime or skincare products she uses. “It is quite interesting because anytime I am asked this question, it ranges from being embarrassed and to saying should I say it. No, I don't. For over 20 years, I was using Tetmosol and my daily cream of just organic products. I have the pure Shea butter, I have the coconut oil and a lady mixes it for me and that's what I have been using over the years. Recently, because of age and hormones, I started noticing I was having facial hair so I started going to the spa for facial treatment. The lovely lady at the spa did a skin examination and found my skin was dry from prolonged use of Testmosol, which was quite harsh.

So, she encouraged me to change my bathing soap.

I changed to the liquid black soap. I use my black palm kernel on my stomach mixing it with Shea butter to clear stretch marks. I use my organic body cream and black soap for my bath time.”

A

Chef Jess'

Haute Cuisine Jessica Oyeneyin is a Nigerian chef based in Paris, who has changed the game on how to plate Nigerian food says ADEDOYIN AMOLE

lmost everyone knows Chef Jess on Instagram. With more than 97,000 followers on Instagram, she has been taking people on a gastronomic journey with the pictures of her very creative dishes.

Jess' passion for food inspired her to become a chef. Growing up, she spent hours assisting her mother in the kitchen to do various cooking tasks, which she says she thoroughly enjoyed. Early on, her mother introduced her to the basics of cooking and various cooking methods, cheats, and tricks. It encouraged her to come up with her own unique cooking style. Cooking is an art form she is truly passionate about, which led to her becoming a chef. Today, she could be described as a chef well versed in haute cuisine.

She never knew she would become a chef while growing up. She tells me she wished she knew early as she wouldn't have wasted her early years studying philosophy at the university.

“At the outset, I knew my passion was just about anything food or cooking related,” she says, “but was never bold enough to listen to that quiet voice in me gently goading me on. So, my first foray into the food business was, back then in Lagos, when I owned a Food Catering Company, where I catered for large events and employed a permanent staff of fifteen. My role then was more centred around supervision, cost control, the delegation of duties etc. On relocating to Paris, I became a chef.”

Jess describes herself as “modest, quiet and reserve. I tend to keep to myself and love my own company. I am consistently growing myself, work and skills - maturing and becoming better at what I do. In my spare time I enjoy going to the gym, go food tasting at various restaurants, art shows,

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Waitrose

THE LUXURY REPORTER reading and relaxing to a very good movie. At some point in the future, I intend to return to Nigeria.”

All the ingredients she uses for her dishes are sourced from the African market in Paris. “I go to sometimes or I call and they deliver to me. They are expensive but I don't have a choice or do I? Yet my dishes are very affordable. I promise you it won't blow a hole in your pocket.”

Life as a chef could be truly demanding.

And Jess does not shy away from telling it as it is. She says being a chef is probably the most physically demanding job ever.

“You constantly spend hours laboriously toil away in the kitchen till exhaustion. A labour of "intense love" I dare say.”

After many frequent visits to France, she decided to settle down in the beautiful city of Paris, the centre of culinary delights.

She practices as a personal chef there with a specialty in Nigerian dishes.

“I was a frequent visitor before deciding to settle,” she explains, “as I have some of my family here. Paris being the culinary and fashion capital of the world with its magnifique architecture, and that uniquely Parisien cosmopolitan buzz, sights, and sound all made it too easy for me to call this place my new home.”

Since she settled down in Paris her clientele base has grown considerably because she is passionate about what she does. It is not a surprise therefore that whenever she sees food ingredients she gets a rush of endorphin triggering all manners of creative ideas to rustle up a tasteful delight. She has used her expertise in recreating some recipes for Nigerian dishes and she sometimes creates new ones that are unique to her.

Her signature recipes she says are: “'uniquely unique' Nigerian Jollof and my 'so special' bell pepper sauce.”

Jess has had her fair share of travelling around the world enjoying the cuisine of different cultures, therefore she says Nigerian food ranks in the top five.

“Nigerian food is delightfully tasty, fullbodied, deep and flavoursome. The uniqueness of our traditional ingredients gives it the feel of a complete soul food.” It

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THE LUXURY REPORTER

Waitrose

is, for this reason, she finds Nigerian food enchanting.

The creativity she brings to plating her food has endeared her to most of her followers on Instagram. The way she styles and curates them are detailed and gripping.

“Naturally, I am a very creative person. Strongly, I believe the eyes eat before the mouth. It's a motto I live by and the reason I am constantly innovating and thinking outside the box on how to best showcase my food with the most beautiful aesthetic appeal. I am very pedantic about food plating as it is at the core of my trade.”

And so, whenever she is plating a food her mind tells her “it must be uber irresistible, neat, and pretty.” Has she succeeded in achieving this? Yes, I believe. The number of likes that follows each post on Instagram says it all. For her, plating is without question an art form. The plate is her canvas in which her work is displayed.

Chef Jess' Five Quick Steps To Food Plating

1.

Choose the right plate. I prefer white as it gives a better contrast. Also, make sure your serving plates are big enough to let each food item stand out.

2.

Your tablecloth must be spread out properly and neatly.

3.

Colour and texture are key as they make your meal look special.

4.

Garnish appropriately; any garnishes on the plate must be edible and should enhance the flavour of the main dishes.

5.

Pay Attention to the Details when plating.

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Arts

THE LUXURY REPORTER

The Nigerian art industry is experiencing a new wave of young collectors who see art as a safe store of wealth. They are discreetly acquiring the works of new contemporary artists and making art collection a real deal writes FUNKE OSAE-BROWN.

H

is office is housed in a modest building off A d m i r a l t y w a y Le k k i , a n u p s c a l e neighbourhood in Lagos. I honked at the security man on duty. He walked up to me asking whom I want to see.

“Mr. Anthony,” I answered. He returned to the window of his small office. He picked the intercom

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as he furtively dialled a number. His forehead burrowed in sweat, glittered in the mid-day sun.

He dropped the receiver, dipped his hand in his pocket. The gate opened slowly as he pressed the little remote control in his hand. My car was safely parked.

The whizzing sound from the air condition welcomed me into the waiting area. A young woman in her early 20s told me the boss had been waiting for me. I took in the environment as she walked me into her boss' office. Large painting adorned the walls. Some names on them were familiar some others were largely unknown.

“Great to have you here,” Anthony said to me. He motioned me to a seat. His office is tastefully furnished in the modern minimalist style. A large colourful painting hanging on the white wall, the texture and tone borrowed mostly from Abiodun Olaku.

'Is that an Olaku,” I asked him. 'No, it isn't,” he responds laughing. 'Not sure I can afford an Olaku or an Oshinowo,” he added. 'They are too expensive for an aspiring collector like me.”

No matter how sizeable his art collection is, Anthony has joined the growing class of

THE LUXURY REPORTER collectors in Nigeria. At least he buys five works every year since he discovered the goldmine of the art collection in 2009. He has more than 50 works in his collection.

Anthony is one of the many new aspiring collectors who are discreetly acquiring the works of new contemporary artists that are not yet well known in the art industry but whose pieces are something to write home about. They are banking on art as an alternative means of investment which they hope will yield huge returns in another 10 to 20 years when their collection will have appreciated in value.

“I like the works of new contemporary artists who don't exaggerate their lines, colours or figures,” explains Anthony. “ They are bringing new perspectives to their forms. Their works stand out for me and I collect them now that they are yet to make a name. By the time they become big, my collection would have doubled in value.”

Young executives like Anthony now see art collection as a big deal in an era when investments in oil and other commodities are unsure. In a bid not to lose money, they acquire as many works as possible for safe keeping. They now see art as a safe store of wealth. Investing in the art for this generation of collectors is not just about using the extra money they don't need to acquire art but deliberately setting aside a part of their income to buy art.

The rank of young collectors is swelling. Ade Olaiya also recently bought a 2000 abstract painting by Okon Y, a former student of Yaba Tech. A work he describes as brilliant in texture and presentation. He also has in his collection pieces from Nduka Omoeife.

“I love Omoife's works because he paints real life images. He is brilliant with portraits. His use of watercolour is brilliant. I have about five of his paintings and I hope to acquire more. I was told by an expert that his painting I bought a few years ago would have appreciated by 30 percent of the price I bought it in 2014,” says Olaiya who have 20 works in his growing collection.

Do these new collectors have any significant impact on the art market? Kavita Chellarams, CEO, Arthouse Contemporary believes they do. Her discovery of this growing segment of the art market moved her to start the affordable art auction a couple of years ago.

It was a timely response to this growing segment of the art market. The first affordable auction made a record sale of N31 million in spite of the 2016 economic downturn, an appreciable fraction of Arthouse bi-annual auction. Each work of art in the Affordable Art Auction was priced below N500, 000,

Arts casting a wider net to showcase a broader scope of contemporary artists and to encourage young collectors' participation. “ There has been an explosion of interest in contemporary African art in recent years,” said Chellarams, in a statement before the auction began, “and there is a tremendous potential for investment.

With the African art market at an unprecedented rise, The Affordable Art Auction aims to engage emerging markets and the rise of a new collector base.

Arthouse Contemporary particularly aims to focus on the network of local collectors to create a more sustainable and self-sufficient market.”

With a total of 116 lots from leading modern and contemporary artists, 72% of the lots were sold at the auction. The top sales at the auction were: Rom Isichei's 2011 piece titled Rejuvenation, an oil on board that sold for NGN 1,322,500 ($6,613); this was followed by Ben Osawe's Mask (1985), a gouache on paper that sold for NGN 920,000 ($4,600); and Kolade Oshinowo's The Family (2009), an oil on board that sold for NGN 782,000 ($3,910).

New collectors are contributing in no little measure to the total art sales at auctions in the country. In its eight years of existence, Arthouse Contemporary through its bi-annual auction has made a total sale of N1.186 billion.

An industry analyst said this figure shows a steady growth that the Nigeria art market has been experiencing in the last ten years which was largely dominated by older collectors, who still love to collect works by master artists.

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Modupe Ogunlesi, CEO, Adam and Eve who recently launched The Content, a bi-annual exhibition, said those who mostly buy from her exhibition are not the regular collectors.

"Ninety percent of those who buy from us are not the usual collectors. I look at the young collectors, they don't usually have the money to pay because the older artists are expensive. They have other things to spend their money on. It is a question of disposable income," she explained.

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THE LUXURY REPORTER Ogunlesi fur ther explained that she often encouraged older artists to make works that are affordable to the younger generations of collectors.

"Five of the miniatures by Bruce Onobrakpeya were all gone by the first week of our maiden edition of The Content. The miniatures were more affordable. It is another way the young generation will remember the masters.”

In addition, part of what Ogunlesi thinks appeals to a new generation of collectors, is the subject matter of the art. If the artist does not focus on an interesting subject matter that will appeal to the young collectors, it could be a great turn-off.

“For one of our exhibitions, Juliet Ezenwa, one of the artists we featured brought many paintings with masks as the subject matter. I like her style of painting, though. I told her to bring works with more interesting subjects which I believed will appeal to new collectors. She agreed. And all her pieces were sold out.” She added that the basis for buying art is always along the line of what interest the collector.

At auctions, the story is slightly different as works of masters are always in demand hence they are always reoccurring every year.

"All the masters' works are all-star sales,” said Nana Sonoiki, manager Arthouse Contemporary. “I think we have progressed and more quality works are coming out, both from the artists and private collectors. We have a standard and we cannot go below that standard. The older artists are always in high demand, that's why they are reoccurring.”

According to her, auctions are always known as a market where the rare piece of works is sold. Works on display at auctions are not the kind one sees in galleries; therefore the pricing is always competitive.

"With an auction, people want a special feeling with what they buy. People want a work that is rare, one that they can't get anywhere or at any exhibition. It is time to begin to teach collectors to part with older works and get new ones. People don't want to part with their millions and get works they can get at any gallery," she explained further.

The market for Nigerian visual art is not only the toast of collectors locally but also internationally. Giles Peppiatt, the art specialist responsible for creating an international market for Contemporary African art, through Bonhams, an auction house based in London, who spoke at Alara Contemporary Design Store, Lagos, said Bonhams' decision to start specialist African art sales in Europe paid off almost immediately with the first sale totalling £1.5 million as the auctions were grossing £10 million.

THE LUXURY REPORTER “People regularly ask how we have done this,” he said.

“How is it that works by African artists which sold for figures around £10,000 ten years ago now go for hundreds of thousand pounds? We have set world records for all major artists in this field: Ben Enwonwu; Yusuf Grillo, El Anatsui, Kolade Oshinowo, Uche Okeke the list goes on and on.”

Peppiat said the works of Nigerian artistes have led the way in this revolution with artists and prices that have dominated the results coming out of Africa as collectors are appreciating the potentials of African art as a good investment.

“What we continue to see is a new 'Scramble for Africa'; no longer for land, gold or diamonds, but for art. The scramble I am talking about, is a rather different kind of tussle, one that is making art a viable occupation for artists across Africa, bringing hope to communities in many of its 54 nations. It is a new development taking the message of African ingenuity to the wider world – a rather different message the kind the world has grown used to hearing from Africa. It has been our very great privilege to play a small part in taking that message to the wider art market.”

Some of the record sales of Nigerian artistes in London include Ben Enwonwu's 'The Mirror sculptures' sold for £361,250 (N108.4 million) while El Anatsui's 'New World Map' sold for £541,250 (N162.4 million). Yusuf Grillo's 'African woman with Gele', Uche Okeke's 'Motherhood' and Kolade Oshinowo's 'Sisters' sold for £80,500 (N24.2 million), £51,650 (N15.5 million) £43,250 (N13 million) respectively.

Sonoiki said there are many factors responsible for the explosive growth of the Nigerian art market in the country. Some of these factors are: the quality of

Arts works coming out of the country, the creativity of the artists has improved greatly.

In addition to these factors is the shifting taste of clients has also been a driving force in the kind of works offered at auctions. Hence at the 2012 auctions

by Arthouse Contemporary, there was a mixture of contemporary and old works, giving collectors many options. This also shows how Nigerian art is changing, as more works are coming into the market for all to see.

However, Sonoiki observed that in another eight years, there should be more transparency in terms of pricing. “In another eight years, I see the market become more transparent in terms of pricing. I see more creative works being produced and I see more people collecting Nigerian works more than ever before,” she added.

Simi Ogunsanya, managing director, and founder, Mydrim Gallery, who is also one of the organisers of the annual Terra Kulture arts auction, explained that auctioned artworks are collected from different sources. "Typically, at auction, we are looking for rare old works," she explains. "These are usually in the hands of collectors. We have a mix of sources, so artists constitute one of the sources of works for auctions."

“Old collectors are looking for new things,” said Sonoiki. “Now is the most exciting of times for Nigerian art. There's a big buy coming for Nigerian works. There is so much attention for upcoming artists, hence we have seen a progress on the quality of their works, hence they are included in our auction.”

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79

How Nigeria Missed Creating Her Own

‘Mona Lisa' From Enwonwu's 'Tutu' Late master artist, Ben Enwonwu, created an iconic work, Tutu, that rivals Mona Lisa by Italian Renaissance artist, Leonardo da Vinci, but Nigeria missed the chance to return the painting home at the Bonhams auction writes FUNKE OSAE-BROWN.

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THE LUXURY REPORTER

G

uests started trickling into one of the meeting rooms at The Wheatbaker Ikoyi for what could be termed the auction of the century. The stage was set for bidders to join the live broadcast for the Bonhams African Art auction from London.

Gradually, the room began to fill as people exchanged pleasantries. It was a mixture of race, white, black faces brought together by the love of art; and perhaps by the late Ben Enwonwu whose iconic piece, 'Tutu' found in a London flat in February was listed among the Lots. It was a 1974 portrait of an IleIfe princess, Adetutu Ademiluyi.

Late Enwonwu who is regarded as the founding father of Nigerian modernism, painted three versions of 'Tutu' and the image became a symbol of national

Arts reunion. But all three were missing and became the subject of ample rumor.

The original painting of 'Tutu' was done in 1973 when he was a lecturer at the University of Ife, his son, Oliver Enwonwu told TLR in an exclusive interview.

“Tutu was a young girl at the time my father did the painting. In fact, he told me he had to take permission from her parents before he painted her. The painting was very dear to my father's heart."

When Enwonwu painted the three 'Tutus', he knew the work would be successful even posthumously.

He knew they would be all successful and even declared the first his masterpiece. Tonight, as everyone gathered at The Wheatbaker Lagos to witness history in the making as one of the 'Tutus' is auctioned, no one was sure how it would all end.

After some of Enwonwu's works and that of other African artists had gone under the hammer, it was the turn of the star Lot 47, 'Tutu'. A wave of uneasiness swept through the hall as everyone paid rapt attention to the bid. The bid started surpassing the £200,000 and £300,000 price placed on it by Bonhams. It moved on to £900,000 a price called by a Nigerian until someone who phoned in bided for £1, 208, 000, the final hammer price.

Before the auc tion, the thought on everyone's mind was 'Tutu' would return home to Nigeria, but the outcome proved all of us wrong. A collector who asked not to be named said: “Why can't the Ministry of Arts and Culture consider acquiring the work?

One would have thought the ministry would bid for the piece to be brought back home.” This was not to be as things turned out differently that evening.

Perhaps, if the work had returned home, it would have been a perfect avenue for Nigeria to create her own 'Mona Lisa', a half-length

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Arts portrait painting by the Italian Renaissance artist, Leonardo da Vinci, which has been described as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world". The 'Mona Lisa' is also one of the most valuable paintings in the world. According to teachkidsart.net, over 6 million people visit the 'Mona Lisa' at the Louvre museum in Paris, France each year.

If the 'Tutu' painting had been brought home and placed in a museum perhaps it would have drawn approximately 6 million people to Nigeria like 'Mona Lisa' is doing in Paris.

Culture activist, Jahman Anikulapo, thinks differently. He says it will be unbefitting for 'Tutu' to be placed in a moribund museum like the National Gallery collections at the National Arts Theatre.

"Imagine Tutu coming back," he says, "and being dumped in that depressive collections of the National Museum Lagos, or the National Gallery collections at the National Theatre? A horrifying contemplation.

And given that those two institutions that should hold national collections do not have homes in Abuja beyond offices. Where would they keep the works?

How would they preserve them? Those trained to do the job, are they been kept in the right condition of services? It won't be a surprise if the returned work eventually vanished or got swallowed by the Naija Snake or Monkey or, now Elephant as is the trending joke out there.”

He argues nothing has been done with “all the treasurable works acquired in the past from master artists, including Enwonwu himself, Akinola Lasekan, Uche Okeke, Erhabor, Gani Odutokun (all late), and even the living, Onobrakpeya, Grillo, Fasuyi, Demas Nwoko to relatively younger artists such as Oshinowo, Jegede, Obiora Udechukwu. Where are they now?

They are sitting in depression, in unlit, unkempt, smelly holding rooms of the National Gallery of Art at the National Theatre.

Some of them were already damaged when I saw them a few years back while preparing for the Nigeria @50 exhibition. I hope they have restored them though. They should NOT attempt/or acquire Tutu or any other work. They have no resources, facility or even enough qualitative enthusiasm to preserve such works. In particular, not this government that treats the culture sector as a pariah, or orphan (to use Wole Soyinka's expression)."

In contrast, Mufu Onifade, artist, would have loved 'Tutu' to be back to Nigeria. For him, the fact that the work did not "is a great injustice to the work and the

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THE LUXURY REPORTER artist. If the government has the kind of fun to acquire it, it would have been fantastic. What will happen is that the work will have been recalled back home. The government will say they don't have money and most of the parastatals in charge of arts are underfunded. If we have an individual or a consortium of private organizations that can put money together and acquire the work and donate it to the national collection or put it in a place where it can become a tourist attraction. That would have been a fantastic idea. Whether the Federal Government or an individual acquired it what it would have meant is the work returned to Nigeria."

Whatever the case may be, art critics agree that Nigeria has lost a golden opportunity to walk her talk on developing the arts and tourism sector as major contributors to the GDP in addition to oil. A 'Tutu' would have been a good tourist attraction to the country. But 'Tutu' may not return home anytime soon if a befitting place has not been prepared for her.

To end with a quote from Anikulapo: “Tutu is safer in the hand of the private collector. She will live a longer, more qualitative life out there, and Enwonwu will forever be grateful that his treasure is in good custody.”

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THE LUXURY REPORTER

Kavita Chellarams

On The Business Of Visual Art

Soft-spoken KAVITA CHELLARAMS has been a pacesetter in the Nigerian Auction market. In this interview she tells FUNKE OSAE-BROWN how she has been bringing the world's attention to African art.

D

ressed in a white top on a smart pair of jeans, Kavita Chellarams did not look her age. Her slim frame belies her true age as a m o t h e r a n d gr a n d m o t h e r. Th e arrangement of her Ikoyi office tells of her love for art. Stack of newly consigned works for the Arthouse Contemporary April auction that was underway adorned the ground floor of the office.

She ushered me to the top floor as she sunk into the soft sofa while I took the seat next to her.

As the CEO of Arthouse, Chellarams has brought the world's attention to the Nigerian art market as the organisation has sold more than N1 billion worth of artworks in the last eight years. It is not an easy task to achieve this figure in a country where more than half of its population live on less than two dollars a day.

Her journey into art collection began as a hobby in 1977 shortly before she got married. She went for an exhibition and she was awed by the sheer beauty of the pieces she saw. Thereafter, her taste for art collection grew till she had more than a handful of artworks from different artists.

“It has been a journey,” she tells me. “We had built this wall and we have had to fill it up with paintings and that is how the whole thing started. We first started by bringing it here. Then the values went up. We started collecting after that. In those days, we went to shows, artist studios, they had exhibitions and we brought works straight from the studios. At the time, there wasn't enough showcasing of arts in Nigeria. So, that was how it came about setting up an art house.”

Pricing for her is key in art. The issues she had with different prices of the works she wanted to

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acquire led her into starting a pioneer auction house in Nigeria.

“You go to one gallery, there is a different price from the other. They didn't really know what the value was.

What the auction did was to establish a value for each artist. The catalogues that we produce are like a journey which has the estimated price of the artist. The auction determines what the true value is depending on how many you want to build, what they feel the value is. So, there is a bench mark now. Now, you can confidently tell someone what your price is. It encourages the artist to work harder, to do better works and to achieve better prices.”

She says the vision behind the establishment of Arthouse Contemporary Art is to have a platform where African arts can be seen worldwide.

“We have the internet, the computer, where we can expose African art to the world, which has not been done before. So, it is really the first time that Nigerian art was put in an international platform and offered to an international audience. Also, there is a transparency pricing system, and getting artist aware that there is a medium that they can sell through. We originally started off with a very small secondary market but with the added interest of prices going up. The secondary market woke up and said I have got some value for my work and there was a platform where you can sell it. I

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have discovered over the years that when you have a work you have bought but once you do not like it anymore and you want to buy something else and dispose what you have. You need only to go to the gallery where you can buy modern art and there was no platform where you could sell it.

So, this is creating a platform, where there is value to a work and you could sell it. What you bought for N500 is now worth a million naira or more.”

And so, her interest is in modern and contemporary African art. Modern because the art scene has only been in in Nigeria for about a 100years, otherwise art was largely tribal especially sculptures.

“Paintings were done on wall dwelling of homes,” she explains. “This was the first time that they used canvass as a medium, which was broadened by the British. There is authenticity, in the sense that you always know somebody who knew the artist.

We located an old artist, his families, his immediate families; they can say what their father did and what he didn't do. We can get authentication from the family. You know that you don't have fake and have a lot of people that can assist you. It is more international for tribal art, I am not a professional but I love it and I am buying a lot of it now.”

Chellaram's private collection consist of more

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than four hundred works and she says there are many people who have thousands. Her collection cuts across artists from different parts of the country.

“Among the collection, my favourite are many. The modern artists have been doing good jobs. For modern, it is Chris Anyanwu, for contemporary, Professor Kolade Oshinowo. We once had a show a few years ago that included Uche Okeke, Kolade Oshinowo. I have had great times with them. We represent African artist in diaspora at Arthouse.”

In addition, she says sourcing for art consignments for the auction has not been easy as she would like to have a nice mix of modern and contemporary art. “We always look at the best work of every artist. A lot come through the selection process. We have a jury who sit down and choose for the next auction. If we don't have the right ones, we know we have to look for a better one or an old artist.

We get the few master pieces of 10, 15, 20 and get the rest of the works.

Now, artists want them resold by collectors. There are a lot of works that are coming to us to be resold.

Works of 1950s, 2960s, 1980s are recycled. For people to be interested in a work, it could be that the value of the work has gone up and so, people get tempted by the money. The artists also come with their best works to show. So, we are really getting a lot more.”

Chellarams was truthful enough to say that her organisation has been lucky with payments of works sold. “The challenges have been finding the right location, traffic, especially as you want to start on time and you find it difficult because of traffic.

Otherwise everyone has been very helpful. Everyone has been very active. They have been able to find us works, show us works. We are really lucky in this. I have had wonderful assistant right from the beginning. We work a lot as a team and we have team efforts. We are all dedicated to the work and it is exciting.”

Arts

She says expansion may not be in the picture for her auction house as the market has been in the bustling city of Lagos. “Lagos is a medium,” she explains. “A lot of people are here and more of the collectors are here a as well than in Port Harcourt or Abuja. We have been thinking of Abuja. Maybe next year, we can do it. We get across to people interested in the works online. We are on a lot of sites. We sent catalogues to our clients. So, it is open. We go to organizations that do advertisements for people.

You can do it through telephones. We are thinking of going online.

Next auction we will go online and it will give us a larger audience. So, that people can open the computer anywhere and see it. We have a lot of our clients abroad and we send.”

According to her, more people are stepping into the Nigerian art space which makes it better for more interesting exhibitions to hold. “It is just an idea that we have to showcase artist and there weren't many spaces but now, a lot of people have opened up. There were five shows that opened on a single Friday last year. I can't believe Lagos has such incredible, vibrant art spaces.

The more people are growing into it, the better. I think this is a way and a means of showcasing one artist. In the auction we have so many that we do.

This way we have various works and we are going to be representing them. Our first is George Oshodi, who is a very renowned photographer. Here we shew 5 or 6 of his works, so that people could get to see and understand the kind of works that he does.

“People are used to buying painting. There are so many African photographers. Ojeikere was one of the well-known old photographers who we featured, who died a few years ago. It is quite a recognized medium abroad and we are showcasing work of art and make people this is a medium that is common today and people are valuing it much as the others.”

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Philanthropy

Ibidunni Ighodalo's

Shades of Love Avantgarde event planner, Ibidunni Ighodalo, has been pushing boundaries with her charity, touching many lives writes FUNKE OSAE-BROWN

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fter a 15-minute drive, the rickety Marwa I boarded from Ikorodu bus stop arrived at the gate of the Bola Tinubu Millennium Estate, Ibeshie. I decided not to drive. It was the end of the year, vehicular movement in and outside Lagos City centre was at the peak. Traffic logjam was at a standstill from Ojota inward Mile 12. But that did not deter me from getting to the venue of the Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation (IIF) first Christmas 'Baby's Day Out'.

I never had to ask the security personnel manning the gates if I was in the right place. The number of women with their children in tow trooping into the large estate said it all. The tents erected on the field were filled with pregnant women, women with toddlers and babies. Despite the crowd, more women were still coming.

“More women are still coming,” said Nse, her publicist. “The security men were turning them back but Ibidunni told them not to send them back.” To our amazement the number kept growing as the day wore on.

I took my time moving from tent-to-tent talking to some of the pregnant women. There stories were as diverse as their looks. Most of them cannot afford to do decent shopping for their unborn children. However, IIF took them on a shopping spree with different gifts brought to the venue by the foundation.

I moved further into the main arena, looking for the brain behind the project, Ibidunni Ighodalo, CEO

of Elizabeth R, a top-notch events' planning company and wife of Ituah Ighodalo, accountant and Senior Pastor of Trinity House. After moving around for a few minutes, there she was submerged in the crowed of little children with their hands raised for the packs of food she was sharing.

Despite the tugging and puling at her dress, Ighodalo remained calm through it all. She never shouted at the children. I could see the untold joy on her face, the sense of satisfaction of touching many lives.

Ighodalo's life has been one of many paradoxes.

She has turned a critical part of her life into a lifesaving guard for many families. Through the many activities of IIF, she has brought hope, joy and laughter into many homes. More importantly, she is truly blessed. She has been a mother to many children who have found succour beneath the wings of her foundation. Like biblical Sarah, she has birthed many stars who are uncountable like the sand by the seashore.

In addition to the Baby Day Out programme, her foundation has funded IVF treatment for couples who are hoping to have their own babies. Casting her own care aside, Ighodalo has shouldered and keeps shouldering the needs of other families most especially women. ““My focus now is to help others, one at a time,” she

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Philanthropy

told This Day in a previous interview. “I want to make a family happy and with the help of God, their prayers would be answered. I know the pain and what it feels like. It will give me joy to see them jumping and rejoicing, saying that they are expecting their own children. I have seen it happen. I have seen the two sides during my course of treatment. I said God help me, let me do this. When you focus on helping others, you don't know the blessings that come back to you. It is difficult, but I said Lord you have put this in me, You have to provide. You know when God gives you a vision, He makes the provision. I have been amazed at the response. It is unbelievable.”

IIF was created to raise awareness on issues pertaining to infertility and to provide grants for couples that require fertility treatments such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Intrauterine Insemination.

The foundation partners with highly reputable fertility clinics in Nigeria and with other donors to provide couples with the financial and material support they require during the treatments. It also provides the necessary psychological and spiritual support they require to deal with the pressures they face along their journey to conception.

A graduate of Microbiology from the University of Lagos, Ighodalo has used the platform of IIF to award grants for fertility treatment such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Frozen Embryo Transfer and Intrauterine Insemination.

When the foundation was launched in two years ago, her plan was to help one or two couples who were in need but the number of applications she received would alter the course of the foundation positively. The plan was changed to accommodate 28 couples.

“There are some couples that have applied that have been married for between 20 and 25 years and when I read their history, they have come to a point where they are tired. I even found out that it was their family that applied for some of them. A lot of people have asked me why I don't face my life, why am I trying to be Mother Theresa. What is it? Is it that you have so much money you don't know what to do with it. I can't even explain it,” she explains.

Sharing her personal story on the IIF website. She recalled how as newly married couple, she and her husband, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, looked forward to starting their family and holding their children in their arms. To their dismay, after getting married 11 years ago, they watched the years roll by without a child of their own.

“After several doctors' appointments,” she wrote in the post, “we were told that we wouldn't have children

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unless we sought treatment through assisted reproduction. This was the doctor's report we received, but we choose to believe God's own report, unshaken in our faith as we firmly believe that that we will have our children. This period of delay also came with pressure and a lot of insensitivity from people to our situation. I also had to deal with the emotions, pain and the rollercoaster hormonal imbalance that comes with all sorts of treatments. Thankfully, I am married to an amazing man who has been there for me through all the procedures; unflinching in his support.”

She later made up her mind to stop worrying over childbearing and to just keep trusting God while helping other couples through their own fertility journey. “As I prayed and mulled over the idea, I felt peace and that was how the IIF was born.” Since then, she hasn't looked back.

Ighodalo is not new to charity. She has been a great supporter of Heritage Homes, a motherless babies' home. She is equally involved in Lydia Grace, a foundation for socially challenged women. Also, she offers support to her brother's charity, Biire Foundation, an NGO that caters to malnourished children, women and HIV patients.

With her involvement in charity, Ighodalo is sure pushing boundaries and making positive impacts on many lives.

Eclectibles

Gifts That Swirl Here are interesting gifts ideas that will make you spin for joy says AWERO JOHNSON

Lasar Cut Swirl Ring by Raya Jewellery Simple single stone ring with laser cut wrap around band. www.Rayajewellery.com Price: N12,000.00

Pere Lei Croc Leather Shoes These classic lace-up shoes

by Pere Lei is made from genuine Crocodile leather with Broguing detail. Price Available on request

Jimmy Choo Headband You will love Jimmy Choo's Calypso silk headband is embellished with crystals. It is also available in black at jimmychoo.com. Price: £255

Montblanc Duffel Bag This 1926 Montblanc Heritage bag is crafted from vegetabletanned leather. It has a red cotton lining fitted with three pockets (two small and one large), whose print is inspired

by Masai designs. www.montblanc.com Price: £1,285

Ejide Exquis bag by TPS Luxury This bag by TPS Luxury is handmade with leather and African print. It comes with wooden handles and available at thepotterssignature.com Price N80, 000 www.luxuryreporter.ng

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Eclectibles

Mühle Razor and Brush This matching Rocca razor and brush are made of birch bark and stainless steel, and the brush features silvertip badger hair. www.muehleshaving.co.uk Price: Rocca razor (£92) and brush (£101)

ORK2 Frills Slip-On Sneakers

by Tunde Owolabi This pair of sneakers is handmade with handwoven Aso Oke fabric inspired by Yoruba praise poetry called “Oriki”. www.ethnik.com.ng Price: N25,000.00

Chanel Première watch This stainless-steel watch features a mother-of-pearl dial and is water resistant down to 30m. www.bucherer.com Price: £3,525

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Domei Endo lamp The Arles table lamp in English green is crafted from painted steel and brass. It measures 37cm high and is also available in black and white. www.conranshop.co.uk Price: £110

Aquazzura Flats These Sunflower shoes in metal-embellished moiré are lined with leather. They are also available in black, aquamarine, jasmine, azalea and carnation colourways. www.aquazzura.com Price: £455

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Architecture

A Rekindled Love Affair With Brick Brick has an immeasurable potential for design, colour, and formation that is bringing a fascinating look to new contemporary homes, says LARA OLADUNNI

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ngineer David, as he is fondly called, has just finished working on a duplex. As the structural e n g i n e e r, h e h a d s u g g e s t e d t o t h e homeowner for bricks to be used in parts of the architectural design, the result is a brilliant piece of art.

In architecture, brick is finding a new audience as clients are being drawn to its distinctive qualities, especially in a contemporary context. Also, a new generation of designers is recognising the ways in which brick can give rich texture and warmth to the interiors of a building. They are eagerly adapting brick to a spectrum of modern forms and ideas.

As one of the oldest and most versatile man-made materials, Brick has been around for many years.

Many ancient Egyptian buildings were built with bricks. The 852 AD Malwiya Minaret in Samarra,

modelled after the biblical Tower of Babel says a lot about brick's sculptural potential.

Also, in the Victorian era in Europe, its enduring appeal made it all-time favourite lovers of arts. New modernists like Frank Lloyd Wright and Alvar Aalto saw it as one of the building blocks of a new approach to architecture. However, late-20thcentury designs that put concrete, steel, and glass at the centre -stage pushed the br ick in the background.

The recent rekindle love affair with the brick by architects is giving it's a new attention as they are beginning to rediscover its warmth and palpable delight. They are deploying it in unexpected and original ways within newly-built houses and redesigned apartment buildings.

“Brick is a brilliant material to work with,” says Alabi Bamitefa, an architect. "It adds a remarkable look to a building giving it that unique look among other structures in the area."

Bamitefa says there are many architectural pieces made of bricks in Ikoyi, Lekki and new areas like Ibeju Lekki towards the new Dangote Refinery.

He explains many of these designs come with beautifully detailed bricks with a series of fluid and intersecting volumes. “Contemporary building now features big portrait windows. Brick has been used as a powerful effect for the façade but also pushes, gently, into the property itself.

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In addition, brick is also used as a veneer, as it is used in both the load-bearing structure of the house and the finish.

"Brick is often used for buildings with two or more stories because it is believed to be lightweight," explains Engineer David. "It is also used in the finish to highlight the details of the building. In some cases, people use the clay bricks for outward finishing. There are many skilled craftsmen who are amazing with their designs when they work with the brick."

Often says Bamitefa, his clients picked

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handmade imported Danish Petersen brick, which comes in soft and variegated tones and is a little thinner than a standard stock brick. The portico was designed to ensure there are no cut bricks within a random brick bond repeated every six courses. The combination of a crisp, contemporary outline with precise design and craftsmanship lends the house a unique quality.

Additional texture is provided by “hit and miss” brickwork at certain points, forming privacy screens over windows and apertures while still allowing light to filter through.

“Our clients loved the softness of the brick and the proportions; as the building went up. It is unique and breathtaking in every sense because of the variation in the colour of the brickwork.”

For most people, the aesthetic of the craft is a key reference in the design of a distinctly contemporary new house. The frontage of the building is lent added texture and interest through a series of slim brick fins that project from the surface, while guttering and services are discreetly hidden.

In addition, Brick is also used extensively within the home, forming a key element in the staircase. Brick panels are used on parts of the house rather than everything being hand-laid. It is a material that still relies on a level of craft and has infinite possibilities for colour and texture, which ensures its contemporary relevance.

Brick is the darling of architects because it adds subtle pattern and expressive textural character to the

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streetscape when entire landscape is viewed from a distance giving the building a crisp silhouette. Brick is also used to accentuate the look and feel of balconies which adds another dimension to its designs.

A dramatic testament to the dynamic plasticity of brick comes in a new building at Mercyland Estate, Ibeju Lekki. The house comes with curved walls made of handmade clay bricks with the variations in the material preventing the surfaces from becoming too uniform.

“We want the brick to cope with the curves at the edge of the building which will embrace visitors on arrival and invite you around the house,” explains Engineer David. “Brick is excellent for cost and for zero maintenance. It ages well, and there is that critical element of craftsmanship in the laying.”

Contextual use of brick helps soften the impact of contemporary architectural forms and ideas by blending the familiar with the new. The linear, geometric precision of a building's outline is warmed by the use of a handmade brick giving the building an abstract, modern appeal in spite of using a traditional material.

“Brick often gives a house a crafted quality, which is both reassuring and helps answer a contemporary need for crafted buildings,” says Chika Nnamdi. The soft warm burgundy colour of brick plays against its architectural sharpness.”

Architecture

Biodun Adelegan has a masonry heritage from his grandfather. He says he loves the smell of bricks that often inspire and influence the designs he creates with them.

“Red brick is not a common traditional material in a city like Lagos. But recently some people love to use it as a design to accentuate their homes. It all depends on how well you interpreted the architectural design.

Using brick, you can create a bespoke design without adding excessive cost. It is all about laying the brick in a different way.”

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Architecture

Pools Of Distinction Swimming pools are moving away from conventional rectangular shaped design to jawdropping futuristic styles reports AWERO JOHNSON

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he sky seems to be the limit for the latest jawdropping swimming pool design in this contemporary era. More than ever before modern swimming pools bow daringly cling onto the side of hotel towers some others perch dizzily atop high-rise balconies or cantilevering vertiginously off rooftops. These new designs architects say cost a lot of money.

New designs of swimming pools in some hotels abroad and homes of individuals who can afford them have wow-factor features such as transparent sides and bottoms. They are a far cry from the familiar rectangular styled blue coloured pools situated at back of the suburban backyard.

These newly styled pools are creative and innovative, they are designs that the potential pool owner may not have thought of. Elements such as space, site, hardware and accessibility all impact on the final design. It is the aim of the modern architect to work together with those who can afford such luxury to create a first class quality swimming pool.

These new swimming pools are making their way to Mumbai in India. There is a proposed 30 storey Parinee ISM designed by Hong Kong-based James Law Cybertecture. The construction begins soon and it is expected to be completed in three years. In addition, there are images depicting a series of 64 fantastical,

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Architecture

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infinity edge pools, each 1.5m wide x 8m long x 1m deep, located on balconies that rise up a futuristic 140m tall residential tower.

These inspiration pools are the ripple effect generated by water droplets and they extend right to the balcony edge which makes it possible to imagine a swimmer floating right over. For these futuristic designs, the depth of water, thickness and height of the glass provides safety similar to a typical balcony.

“

Acrylic can be used for the edges of pool,

“

The glass edge appears to cantilever out from the deck and it would have to withstand the load of the water plus the live load of someone swimming and bumping up to it.

But many people will wonder if pools such as these are not only do-able in theory. “How practical can they be,” asks Seun Onalaja. Practically, it requires the input of a structural engineer and at an exorbitant cost.

Bisi Olumide, an architect says futurists designs are products of the imagination of the designer. She says that building on balconies like the Indian project will be tricky in Nigeria due to the kind of buildings obtainable in Nigeria.

Such designs are not practicable in Nigeria because you have to consider so many factors like monitoring, cleaning amongst others. In addition, the low rise buildings we have in Nigeria don't support that kind of designs. Countries where they are practicable have additional supports for such infrastructure.”

In addition, safety and lack of privacy could be issue. But, with enough money, anything is possible.

A structural engineer say a better alternative to glass at the edge of the pool is acrylic in a thickness of 80 mm to 100mm.

“Acrylic can be used for the edges of pool,” says Dada Akanmu, an architect to withstand impact of the water load whereas an engineer can only design glass panels to lower the breakage possibility, not eliminate it altogether. If glass fails, it fails instantly and catastrophically.”

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Akanmu says futuristic designed pools could be tricky to maintain especially the safety barrier between the inside living areas and the outside deck. But he explains that an a glazed doorway will have to perform the role of a pool fence, with self-closing doors and latches above 1500mm to prevent an unaccompanied child gaining access to the area. But for most futuristic architect, the weight of the pool is not so much an issue as there is a concrete to hold the enormous weight of water.

However the practicality of trying to contain the water from cascading down the building caused by high winds and people splashing perhaps makes such design silly. There can be problems with these observes Olumide unless a retaining barrier is extended up to a safe level above the water. “Better still, the water overflow can be controlled by having a lower trough to stop it cascading to the balcony below. Pool by the balcony is a wild architectural dream that must be made practicable by engineering practicalities.”

Be that as it may, countries like Singapore are already embracing the idea of futuristic pools. For instance a breath-taking infinity edge pool with a wide catchment is already in existence. It is situated on the top of the 55 storey Marina Bay Sands hotel in

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Singapore. The recently-completed, 150m pool is located on a platform that overhangs the building's northern tower by 67 metres. It overlooks the top of the city's skyscrapers. In Melbourne's Adelphi hotel is the first to adopt this kind of design with its 400mm thick, laminated glass-bottom lap pool jutting out nine storeys above Flinders Lane, but it's in Queensland where some of the most breathtaking pools can be found.

Another sky-high, look-at-me pool is located on the 24th floor of Holiday Inn's Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao. The deep end of this 30m pool projects out from the building and there's nothing but a toughened glass base between it and the pedestrians way down below. Away from the urban jungle and in an actual jungle, one real cliff hanger pool can be found at Bali's Ubud Hanging Gardens resort. Two-level, curvaceous and with infinity edges, it overlooks a deep ravine of green.

With designs such as this, swimming in the clouds is no longer a fairytale. It is like swimming with the birds in the clouds. And for those who know its worth, there is nothing compared with making a splash on home turf. But most home owners who consider such designs too daring, go for spectacular pools which appear like giant-size ice blocks giving the illusion that the water is without any visible means of containment. Some people even include a pool window that looks into the home's living room like an aquarium-style.

Olumide says she won't go into the Balcony styled pool yet even though she knows that futuristic designs are in vogue in a world where resorts are building underwater restaurant contained in a transparent tunnel. In such restaurants, clients don't swim, but the sh around them do.

Hospitality As Installation Art Around the globe, hoteliers are working with artists to create environments with a sense of style and authenticity reports FUNKE OSAE-BROWN

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s Banke Okunola walks into the lobby of Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel on Victoria Island, the crystal water cascading down the glass wall and the bright coloured painting hanging on the opposite hall catches her attention. The hues of colours resonate with her instantly and she could not help but move close to the painting to check for the artist's name before moving to the front desk to make a reservation.

Hotels have always had artwork on their walls but today the concept is being stretched to new limits.

Most boutique hotels are now replacing hospitalityas-theater as we know it with hospitality-asinstallation-art.

Around the globe and Nigeria is not an exception, hoteliers are working with artists to create environments with a sense of style and authenticity.

A move that designers describe as an explicit retort to the boutique hotel formula. The contemporary furniture, dimmed hallways and artworks are backlash against the democratisation of design.

Fashion and interior decor designer, Nikki Khiran says using artworks to fill up empty spaces in architectural design is one of the ways hoteliers are seeking new ways of standing out as they are springing up in their dozens. But the hoteliers say it is a way to show the tastes of a generation that has come of age in a flat world.

In addition to artworks, hotels are seeking to make the arts experience emcompassing. At night, and

there's nightly live music at the bar, which maintains a crowd of regulars from around the Victoria Island and Lekki neighbourhood at the Radisson Blu and Eko Hotel and Suite including Oriental Hotel.

Luxuriously styled by famed Swedish hospitality designer, Christian Lundwall, with the architecture design by Moyo Ogunseinde, executive director, business development, uraga real estate, the five-star hotel accommodation offers 170 rooms and suites decorated in two original styles, Urban and Ocean.

Standing out among hotels in Lagos, all of these spacious, modern rooms, which range from Standard to opulently furnished suites, feature spectacular views of the Lagos Lagoon or the city. All rooms have both bathtubs and walk-in showers.

For most hoteliers, it is not just about commissioning different artists to design each of the rooms, it is about encouraging individuality and creativity in the arts. “We just want to provide a creative, relaxing and

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Architecture functional space says, Ogunseinde, “we wanted a beautiful space with the rooms with functional needs for guests.”

For some architects, there is nothing new about the relationship between fine art and fine hotels as guest are experiencing museum quality art at in hotels. But this may be taking a new dimension globally. Hoteliers have generously granted talented artists the chance to present their pieces in lobbies and lounges which is the case in some hotels in Nigeria like the Nicon Hilton in Abuja. But over the past few years, more hotels are not only putting up artworks on the walls, they are embarking on ambitious arts programs that are literally transforming them into true cultural destinations. And so, hotels are proving that culture and hospitality can go hand in hand.

In the lobby at the ground floor of Hilton in Abuja, guests will find exhibited artworks by different artistes most of them unknown. Yet guests have a rare and new opportunity to experience museum-quality art in a friendly, relaxed and personal environment.

“This is a good idea,” says Ogunseinde. It allows beauty and encourages guests from all works of life of people to experience art in a way that was previously only available to a select few. Art in hotels is nothing less than taking pretence out of art viewing.”

Oba Otudeko, chairman, Honeywell Group, says the aesthetics of Radisson Blu creates a new milestone in the Nigerian hospitality business landscape. The sheer beauty of viewing the Lagoon and the general aesthetics of the lobby means a game change in the hospitality business.

“It is about beauty, quality service and excellence offered in the right kind of environment. We can assure you that guests who will come into our hotel has never seen the kind of hospitality in Nigeria before because we took great care in deciding on the design.”

In Africa, hoteliers are becoming aware of the importance of paintings on their walls. They are beginning to see art differently.

Andrew Asare-Boafo, director of sales, Movenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra, says a visit to a branch of GTBank in Accra changed his perception of visual art.

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He was impressed by the many artworks sourced from Nigeria, Ghana and Gambia that soften the banking environment from being too official.

From reception, lobbies, restaurants, bars, lounges and even in the lift, these artworks keep guests alive with African heritage.

Today, the hotel has over 1500 pieces of artworks sourced from local artists. The aesthetic appeal, the artistic concept they display and the beauty are what marvel the general manager. These features, according to Shola Adeyemo of Transcorp Hilton Abuja, also entice guests.

By that singular patronage, the hotel has

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Architecture

encouraged creativity and impacted on the economy of the host community, but most importantly, bring art closer to corporate world.

Sinmidele Ogunsanya, the proprietress/curator of Mydrim Gallery, thinks better eorts at marketing art in recent times, growing awareness of artwork auction and collaboration of corporate organisations with galleries, artists and interior decorators have all contributed in giving art a breathing space in the corporate world.

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