THE LUXURY REPORTER MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 by The Luxury Reporter

BOATING TRAVEL ARCHITECTURE ART FASHION

LUXURY R E P O R T E R

WATCHES NOVELTIES AT THE BASELWORLD 2019 ISSUE-05

ANNIVERSARY EDITION

AUTO IN GOOD COMPANY AUTOMOBILE AND WATCHMAKING COMPANIES' ENDURING PARTNERSHIPS

YACHT

FIRST LOOK INTO RICHARD BRANSON'S NEW CRUISE LINER

SPECIAL WATCH AND JEWELLERY EDITION

FOLASHADE ADESHOYE’S PENCHANT FOR FINE JEWELLERY

N2000 £3.65 $5.20

Content 11

11. Retro-Styled Patek Philippe 5212A Calatrava Weekly Calendar

Editorial Publisher/Managing Editor Funke Osae-Brown Staff Writers Lara Oladunni Angel James Amole Johnson Awero Amole

13. Green With Envy

19. Breitling’s Novelties for 2019

Web Design Dele Odufuye, Tsaboin

Covershoot Cover Photography: KLALA Image Credit keymarketing.com benettiyachts.it asprey.com aquazzura.com bremont.com bonadea.com eu.clickandgrow.com dunhill.com cpaceramics.com blog.tooveys.com cactest.org mudac.ch robbreport.com img.archiexpo.com hospitalitymarketplace.co.za residenzamaritti.com thingstodointenerife.es justluxe.com

www.luxuryreporter.ng

15. Born Of Diamond 16. Rolex’s Big Four

Creative Director Brian Uche

Advisory Board Mrs. Abimbola Wright Mrs. Mercy Omoyeni Mr. Ogbeni-Tope Awe Mr. Julian Osula Mrs. Bola Balogun Mrs. Nkiru Olumide-Ojo Dr. Phil Osagie Mrs. Florence Olumodimu

9. Publisher’s Note

22. Exquisite Carl F. Bucherer Patravis Cuba Tec Blackmanta

23. New Manero Flyback Chronograph by Carl F. Bucherer

24. Karl-Friedrich Scheufele Talks Chopard’s Passion For Watchmaking 25. Caroline Scheufele On Chopard’s Impressive Innovations

26. Chopard Relives 1960s With New L’Heure du Diamant Collection 27. Hublot’s Art Of Fusion

Content 30

29. An Ultimate Achievement 30. Disruptive Defy Inventor 31. Illuminate Your Wrist 33. A Living Metal

35. Zannetti Arty Handmade Watches 38. A Smartwatch With A Difference 41. In Good Company 43. Funke Treasure Durodola On Her New Books 45. In Pursuit Of Perfection

46. Leo Pizzo 47. Innovative Designer, Lara Cookey, Talks Her Brand 49. Cover Story

53. How To Care For Your Virgin Hair 54. Works Of Art And Nature

55. Nature’s Beauty 57. Verafina Luxury In A Class Of Its Own 60. Arty Clocks

62. “Our Xpandable Line Has Been Fruitful” 63. Be Xpandable

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Content 64. Happy Birthday Mezzaluna!

65. Copper Affair 67. Home Desks 69. Rolls-Royce Cullinan Berths In Nigeria 71. Marte Egele

79. Here Are The 5 Models To Buy If You Are Starting A Rolex Collection

81. Caviar’s Limited Edition Of iPhone XS With In-Built Mechanical Watch 83. Versatile TAG Heuer’s New Autavia Range 85. High Time Jeweller

81 83

86. Da Viva’s New Collection Pays Homage To Nature 87. Pushing Boundaries 88. Gucci’s Grip

89. Dive Into Romance

90. When Heritage Meets Arabian Hospitality 93. Take A Gamble At Some Of Africa’s Magical Destinations 94. GTB Food And Drink Fair 2019 Hospitality 96. A First Look Into Richard Branson’s New Cruise Liner 97. Sophisticated Evolution

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Publisher’s Note

THE LUXURY REPORTER

We Are Five Years Old!

t is with great pleasure I present to you our special anniversary edition. We were five years old in May. It has been five years of remarkable progress full of challenges that we have used as stepping stones to greater things. It has not been an easy journey, but with God, on our side, we will not rest on our laurels. We will keep unravelling the precious stones embedded in the African luxury industry. The journey ahead looks interesting. We are eager to embark on it. As it has been our tradition, we have on our cover for this edition, another quiet player in the luxury retail sector. Mrs Folashade Adeshoye is the founder and CEO, Jewellery Affair, a boutique fine jewellery store located on Victoria Island. She shares her story on how

she turns her passion as a jewellery collector into a business. This edition also features a special report on all the major watch and jewellery luxury brands who attended the 2019 edition of the Baselworld in Switzerland. It is the ﬁrst time a Nigerian media will be attending the event that is more than 100-years-old. I was glad I made. Turn over the pages to read about the novelties unveiled at the Baselworld and some of the interviews I had with some CEOs. These and more are for your reading pleasure! - FOB Follow me on: Instagram: funke_osae-brown Twitter: @funkeadetutu Facebook/LinkedIn: Funke Osae-Brown

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

On Time The 2019 edition of Baselworld is about change and innovation in watchmaking and jewellery. FUNKE OSAE-BROWN who was at the Basel City reports on the novelties that make this edition stand out.

10 www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Retro-styled Patek Philippe 5212A Calatrava Weekly Calendar

atek Philippe Calatrava Weekly Calendar 5212A, a new complication, with vintage inspiration and stainless steel case carries the day for us at the Baselworld 2019. The Calatrava Weekly Calendar 5212A is a retrostyled and quite attractive new model. For Patek, the watch is a single display and a unique complication. The new reference 5212A is a vintage-inspired watch which introduces steel in the classic, elegant Calatrava collection. Besides the Nautilus and the Aquanaut, Patek is not so disposed to crafting watches in stainless steel. The 40mm steel case of the Calatrava Weekly Calendar 5212A does not come in classic shape for the collection. It takes some of the recent creations by the Patek, such as the 5320G or the chronograph 5975 done for the 175th anniversary. It features the same smooth, polished bezel and same stepped lugs as found on the latter nicely executed case with an elegant shape. Reinforcing the vintage look is a light brown, naturally-coloured calfskin strap on a steel prong buckle. There is more to the Calatrava's link with the 5975, as the concentric position of the complication, as well as the silvered-coloured dial, reminds one of this rare and limited watch. The dial features classic facetted applied markers for the hours and dauphine hands – both typical of the Calatrava collection but here blackened for better contrast. Patek Philippe carries the day for us as a renowned watch brand at the forefront of innovation. Its new complication in an automatic movement, calibre 26330 S C J SE makes its new watch Calatrava Weekly Calendar unique in watch engineering. Little wonder why any Patek Philippe piece is a collectors' item and sought after at auctions. Looking at the dial of the new Patek Philippe Calatrava Weekly Calendar 5212A, there is some news to be found. This watch, besides its indication of the hours, minutes, seconds and date at 3 o'clock

also features two extra central hands, with the dedicated tracks on the dial. The ﬁrst one is an unsurprising indication of the day of the week, found in the centre of the dial and pointed by shorthands. The dial is also notable for its exclusive letters and numerals which reproduce handwritten characters. The second indication on this Calatrava Weekly Calendar 5212A – and the real novelty – is the indication of both the week number and the month. Indeed nothing complex in terms of mechanics (simple calendar), it remains rather interesting in terms of display, the balance of the dial and practicality on daily business use.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Calatrava is a weekly calendar with a semi-integrated mechanism displaying the current week number, in addition to the day and the date. The silver opaline dial and black markings are contrasted by red-tipped hammer-style hands that indicate the day and week number with corresponding month. The dial font used for the day, date, month and week number is meant to reproduce the look of authentic handwriting, endowing the watch with a vintage look. Easy-to-set correctors for days and week numbers are placed at 8 o'clock, and 10 o'clock on the 40 mm polished stainless steel case, which has two-tier lugs. The 5212-A is the only steel Calatrava in Patek Philippe's current collection. It has hours, minutes, sweep seconds, day, date, week number functions with a power reserve of 35-45 hours. In a stainless-steel case that is 40 mm x 10.79 mm thick, it has a sapphire crystal front and back with a water resistant to 30 meters. Besides, the dial is silvery opaline; blackened gold applied hour markers, blackened white gold twoface Dauphine hands, vintage handwriting-style font while the bracelet is hand-stitched light brown calfskin with topstitching, prong buckle. Powering the Calatrava Weekly Calendar 5212A is the Calibre 26-330 S C J SE, which is an entirely new selfwinding movement with optimised performance. It is an automatic calibre with a central 22k rotor, 4Hz frequency and Gyromax balance and Spiromax balance spring. The Patek Philippe Seal certiďŹ es it.

12 www.luxuryreporter.ng

Fashion

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Green With Envy In fashion, green is colour of renewal, growth and hope and it continues strong in 2019 says AWERO AMOLE.

reen has been the trending colour on the fashion scene in the last few years. It is still very much in vogue in 2019. Once considered formal and outdated, the revamp of green feels fresh and organic. . Entirely in accord with the latest fashion trends presented on international catwalks, fresh green hues lend a decidedly exciting colour statement to new watches and jewellery. Here is a selection of the debutantes that will make you green with envy: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 Rolex is introducing the new generation of its Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36, available in 18 ct yellow, white or Everose gold with distinctive new dials and gem-set bezels on some versions. Of the new combinations, two feature a novel dial design with a concentric gradient: the first, in 18 ct yellow gold, is presented with a green ombré dial; the second, in 18 ct Everose gold, with a brown ombré dial. Both are embellished with diamond hour markers in 18 ct gold settings; the diamonds at 6 and 9 o'clock are baguette-cut, a configuration specific to the Day-Date range.

All the new versions are equipped with calibre 3255, at the forefront of watchmaking technology, included on the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 for the ﬁrst time. Like all Rolex watches, the new Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 versions carry the Superlative Chronometer certiﬁcation, which ensures excellent performance on the wrist.

Picchiotti Fit for a Queen necklace The name of this new jewellery set could not be more ﬁtting: the Italian jewellery brand Picchiotti chose “Fit for a Queen” as the name for this top-class ensemble from the brand's Classic Collection. Eighteen octagonal emeralds with a total weight of 45.91 carats were artistically processed to create this spectacular masterpiece. Each and every emerald is surrounded by a wreath of Picchiotti's signature gem: the baguette-cut diamond. The deep green central emerald alone weighs a formidable four carats. Matching earrings complete the precious ensemble.

Patek Philippe Aquanaut Ref. 5168 The very embodiment of modern sporty-chic, the men's white gold “Jumbo” Aquanaut (42.2 mm) reasserts its young, dynamic style in a new khaki

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Fashion green design (Ref. 5168G). This audacious choice of colour evokes a sense of adventure and far horizons. The legendary rounded octagonal case and bezel combines polished and satin ﬁnishes. This latest edition is powered by calibre 324 S C. The selfwinding movement can be admired through a sapphire crystal case back.

Roberto Coin Sauvage Prive earrings The Venetian jeweller Roberto Coin presented new jeweller y models from his modern and unconventional “Sauvage Privé” collection at this year's Baselworld. Roberto Coin's rigorously geometric design is courageous, and so too is this jeweller's use of extraordinary coloured gemstones. The malachite, with its naturally unique design and dynamic pattern, is the perfect advocate for the company's mission: to dedicate an exclusive piece of jewellery to every woman. Earrings in 18 karat rose gold with malachite and white diamonds.

Stenzhorn Persuasion earrings

14 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER The pieces of jewellery in Stenzhorn's “Persuasion” collection are every bit as tempting and as extravagant as the glorious feathers of an amorous bird-of-paradise courting his prospective bride. For example, the arrangement of precious tsavorites and diamonds in the eye-catching earrings was inspired by the fan-shaped dance movements of the male birds during their mating rituals. “Persuasion” is available in three sizes and also in a combination of sapphires and rubies with diamonds.

Sofragem Persepolis ring Persepolis, ceremonial capital of the Persian kings, lends its name to this magniﬁcent ring from the Bangkok-based jeweller y brand Sofragem. Particularly splendid here: bright green malachite with its typical stripes and graining in various shades of green is juxtaposed with grid-like arrangements of noble 18 karat rose gold, additionally adorned with diamonds. Incidentally: not only are the visible parts of the piece crafted with great attention to detail. The hidden inside of the ring's band is decorated with artistic ornamentation in cut-out technique too.

Born Of Diamond T

Graff shines a spotlight on five endangered species in new GyroGraff collection. he GyroGraff Endangered Species collection as it is called is a series of five unique watches, for premiered at Baselworld. All feature dials set with precious gemstones and gold, handfinished, using a technique pioneered by Graff and called “diamond-marquetry.” The five dials depict an elephant, a tiger, a panda, a rhino and a gorilla; all listed by the World Wildlife Fund as being under threat of extinction. The animals are created from a combination of polished metal parts and precious gemstones, each individually set into the dial by hand to create the likeness of each animal. The five métiers d'art timepieces share the same high-end hand-wound calibre. The GyroGraff's trio of complications is watchmaking first, carrying a dizzying double-axis tourbillon, a spherical moon phase and a power reserve indicator. The three-dimensional white-gold moon phase complication at 10 o'clock is an artistic tour-de-force in its own right. It is hand-engraved, creating a true-to-life map of the lunar surface's craters. The black cover representing the shadow of the earth advances twice a day and completes a full rotation over a period of 29.5 days. The watch has a 65-hour power reserve indicated at 1 o'clock alongside Graff's diamond-set icon at 12 o'clock. Each of the five Endangered Species models has a 48-mm white-gold case. The case is decorated with invisible mosaic-set baguette-cut diamonds, and each watch comes on a black alligator strap with a diamond-set deployment clasp buckle.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Rolex's Big FOUR As expected, Rolex had a big outing at the 2019 edition of Baselworld with the unveiling of what we call its Big Four. Rolex brought a whole host of updated watches to world watch and jewellery show, with the GMT Master II Black and Blue, Datejust 36, Yacht-Master and Sea-Dweller all receiving a signiﬁcant refresh.

Yacht-Master 42 Rolex adds fresh twists to the existing classics as it silently updates their engines and cases. However new icons are appearing, though they may not be entirely new, upsized Yacht-Master 42. With one new addition to its Rolex sailing watch collection, Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42, two new variants of its Oyster Perpetual Datejust collection and several upgrades, Rolex has added seven new watches to its repertoire. Launched back in 1992, Yacht-Master, every inch a Rolex with its Oyster case and Perpetual (that is self-winding) movement, has been delivered over the years in a number of case sizes and materials. For 2019, however, it hits maximum impact with the first example in white gold in a case coming in a 42mm case, the largest yet. Starting with the Yacht-Master 42, which brings a new size to the range. It's equipped with a new-generation calibre 3235, crafted from 18ct white gold, and fitted on an Oysterflex bracelet. Calibre 3235 stands apart due to its superior performance, and it incorporates the Chronergy escapement developed and patented by Rolex. Its case is fitted with a bidirectional rotatable bezel insert in matt black ceramic. The Oysterflex bracelet is provided with an Oysterlock safety clasp in 18-carat like the case material, with the addition of Rolex glidelock extension system. It guarantees a power reserve of approximately 70 hours. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42 will be available later this year for £21,400.

16 www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

The GMT-Master II There is the GMT-Master II which is arguably the highlight of Rolex's new watches. Last year we saw the red and blue 'Pepsi' GMT-Master updated, and this year we get blue and black 'Batman'. Just like the Pepsi, it's ﬁtted with a stunning Jubilee bracelet and newgeneration calibre 3285. This new version of the Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II is presented in Oystersteel, with 24-hour graduated a two-colour Cerachrom bezel insert in blue and black ceramic, a jubilee bracelet and an Oysterlock safety clasp featuring the Easylink comfort extension link. By combining an Oystersteel case and jubilee bracelet, this watch echoes the GMT-Master II introduced in 2018 with a two-colour Cerachrom insert in red and blue ceramic. It features 70 hours of power reserve, it is equipped with the very latest horological technology. But what sets this beauty apart is its simple excellence. It has been more than 100 years of assiduous innovation, tied into a lifestyle statement that Rolex is known for. The elegantly straightforward Rolex GMT Master II priced at £7,150 with a new generation movement and redesigned case to catch the light in a reﬁned fashion.

The Sea-Dweller The Sea-Dweller and Rolex Deepsea are ultraresistant divers' watches designed by Rolex for deepsea exploration. It is waterproof to a depth of 1,220 metres. Launched in 1967, and 3,900 metres for the Rolex Deepsea unveiled in 2008, they are the ultimate manifestation of Rolex as a gamechanger in divers' watches and the result of decades of collaboration with diving professionals. In 2014 Rolex released a special version of the model, the R olex D eepsea with a D -blue dial, to commemorate James Cameron's historic solo dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, some 11,000 metres deep. From twilight blue to bottomless black, its two-colour gradient dial celebrates one man's

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

journey to the deepest place on Earth. The latest edition of the Sea-Dweller, which is offered for the first time in a yellow Rolesor version, marks the arrival of 18carat yellow gold to the range. The light reflections on the sides of the case highlight the profile of its Oyster case in Oystersteel. There is an inscription of 'sea dweller' of the dial in yellow, this mirrors the 18carat yellow gold of the unidirectional rotatable bezel. The bezel is fitted with a 60-minute graduated Cerachrom insert in black ceramic. The Oyster Perpetual Sea Dweller is equipped with the new-generation calibre 3235 movement which incorporates the Chronergy escapement. It offers a power reserve of 70 hours.

Datejust 36 In 2019, Rolex is introducing two new variants of the timeless style of Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36, both in white Rolesor versions, combining Oystersteel and 18carat white gold. An archetype of the classic Rolex watch, Datejust comes with functions and aesthetics that never go out of fashion. Launched in 1945, it was the first selfwinding waterproof chronometer wristwatch to display the date in a window at 3 o'clock on the dial, and consolidated all the major innovations that Rolex had contributed to the modern wristwatch until then. The Datejust has crossed eras while retaining the enduring aesthetic codes that make it so instantly recognizable. The first version has a refined, black sunray-finish dial and fluted bezel, while the second combines a white mother-of-pearl dial with 10 diamond hour markers in 18carat white gold settings and a bezel set with 52 brilliant-cut diamonds. The light reflections on the case sides and lugs highlight the elegant profile of the 36 mm Oyster case.

18 www.luxuryreporter.ng

A paragon of robustness and elegance, the Oyster case of the Datejust 36 is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 meters. Its middle case is crafted from a solid block of, particularly corrosion-resistant Oystersteel. The new versions of the Datejust 36 come with Calibre 3235 movement, a new-generation movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex.

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Breitling's Novelties For 2019

Aviator Curtiss Warhawk Editions

reitling takes the art of watchmaking a notch higher with its new novelties for 2019 unveiled at the Baselworld.

Among the designs, Breitling introduced is the Aviator Curtiss Warhawk Editions and the Navitimer 1 Airline Editions, soon followed by the new Navitimer 41 and the Superocean collections. Another first for Breitling is the Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition – an exact re-issue of the early Navitimer and featuring the all-new Breitling Manufacture Caliber B09, a movement set to power future re-editions. Breitling CEO Georges Kern is confident that the new wristwatch receives a warm welcome: “We have noticed during the past year that Breitling's heritage has a great many enthusiastic followers and that there is strong interest among them not only in our new products but also in our history and our new timepieces. The Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition now makes it possible for new Breitling fans, as well as aficionados who have been following our brand for decades, to own their own exclusive piece of our legendary past.” The Premier Bentley Centenary Edition and Breitling Premier B01 42 Norton Edition both celebrate Breitling's long-standing partnerships with two iconic British brands. Breitling has also launched the Cockpit B50 Orbiter Limited Edition, commemorating Breitling Orbiter 3's epic roundthe-world balloon flight precisely two decades ago.

With its Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk one could tell that the collection is ready for action. Its matte ﬁnish military green dial, military green strap and contrasting silver subdials make it an excellent choice for aviators. It comes with a date window at the 4:30 position. Its beating heart is Breitling's in-house mechanical movement, the COSC-certiﬁed Manufacture Caliber 01, which delivers a whopping 70-hour power reserve. The striking transparent sapphire case back is enhanced with a Curtiss inscription and a vivid graphic of the P-40 Warhawk, instantly recognisable with a dramatic shark mouth logo on the nose of the aircraft. The Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 Curtiss Warhawk has a 43-millimetre stainless steel case and is water resistant up to 10 bar (100 meters). With luminous numerals and hour and minute hands, it is legible in all lighting conditions. Price: USD 7,710.00

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Resort

Navitimer 1 For more than 65 years, the Breitling Navitimer has been one of the world's most beloved mechanical chronographs. The Navitimer 1 family introduces a watchmaking legend to a whole new generation. Breitling presents an authentic new version of an early Navitimer chronograph Breitling Watch. With the most exceptional attention to detail, the Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition reflects the design of the Breitling Ref. 806, an early model that premiered in 1959. The Navitimer Automatic 41 came in steel and rose gold silver, and it gives a brand-new take on the Navitimer, effortlessly combining the historic appeal of a true icon with the refinement of a sophisticated, contemporary timepiece. The Breitling Navitimer 1 Automatic 41 gives a brandnew take on the Navitimer, effortlessly combining the historic appeal of a true icon with the refinement of a sophisticated, contemporary timepiece. The watch is fitted with Breitling's famous circular slide rule, a distinctive beaded bezel, and a clean three-hand silver dial with a date window at the 6 o'clock position. The aesthetic impact of combining 41-mm stainless steel and 18k red gold case with functional navigation tools is genuinely unique. It is powered by the Breitling Caliber 17, a COSC-certified chronometer. The hour markers, as well as the hour and minute hands, are coated with Super-LumiNova, a luminescent material that ensures excellent legibility in all lighting conditions. This Navitimer 1 Automatic 41 is available with a stainless steel Navitimer bracelet or a black alligator strap with either a pin or folding buckle. Compact, comfortable and cosmopolitan, it is an elegant reinvention of a timeless, legendary watch. Price: USD 6,400.00

22 www.luxuryreporter.ng 20

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Watches

Superocean Héritage Collection With its new Superocean collection, Breitling has further developed one of this brand's most popular and successful watch families and raised it to an unprecedented new level. This diver's watch has been setting standards below and above water for over 60 years. With a reinvigorated design, it blends timeless aesthetics with cutting-edge technology. Robust and timeless, this Superocean Héritage model is powered by the in-house Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01. The 44 mm-diameter dial is available in black or blue with silver counters, or in silver with black bezel and counters – a stylish contrast on the wrist. With black rubber or steel mesh bracelet, the sturdy, reliable Superocean Héritage II B01 Chronograph 44 is designed to endure the most challenging of voyages. Water-resistant to a depth of 300 metres, the Superocean 48 is unquestionably the highlight of the new collection. The impressively dimensioned titanium case is DLC-coated and has a diameter of 48 mm and a blue ceramic bezel. Its size and colour make it an immediate eye-catcher, but a second glance reveals that this watch has much more to offer. Its soft iron inner case protects it against magnetic fields, and its rotatable bezel can be locked into place with a safety lock positioned on the left-hand side of the case. This timepiece features a brand-new 'ventilated' rubber strap in blue. Ventilated bracelets are a special bonus for divers: by counteracting the potential effects of water pressure during deep dives, they ensure that the wristband always fits perfectly. Also, among the new line-up unveiled at Baselworld 2019 is the Superocean 36. Designed for women who want the quality and performance of great sports watch in a more compact size, it boasts a 36mm stainless-steel case with a ratcheted unidirectional bezel and a choice of either a light blue or white dial with a matching Diver Pro II rubber strap or an equally stylish stainless-steel bracelet. The Superocean 36 is water-resistant up to 200 meters. Price: USD 7,665.00

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Exquisite Carl F. Bucherer Patravis Cuba Tec Blackmanta

he latest special edition to join the Patravi ScubaTec family is Carl F. Bucherer's ode to a very special ocean dweller, the black manta ray. These gentle giants are a vision of grace as they effortlessly glide through the coastal waters they call home. The new Patravi ScubaTec Black Manta Special Edition is a COSC-certified chronometer that is in no way inferior to the sea creature that inspired it. No matter how its functionalities are used, the Patravi ScubaTec Black Manta Special Edition remains a symbol of conservation and values that endure over generations. Developed primarily for Carl F. Bucherer, its innovative textile strap is mostly composed of recycled PET bottles and features bronze-coloured contrast stitching. The DLC-coated case back shows a detailed engraving of the creature that inspired the timepiece: the black manta ray. It has an Automatic, CFB 1950.1 calibre, COSC-certified chronometer, diameter 26.2 mm, height 4.6 mm, 25 jewels, power reserve of 38 hours. It has a black dial with manta ray silhouette.å

22 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Watches

New Manero Flyback Chronograph by Carl F. Bucherer

arl F. Bucherer introduces a new version of the Manero Flyback Chronograph. The latest variant of the successful Manero Flyback Chronograph once again brings the timeless elegance of 1960s chronographs to aﬁcionado's wrists. This debutante boasts a 43-mm pink gold case with gentle curves and harmonious proportions that are unmistakably inspired by the distinct style of the Swinging Sixties. The timepiece captures the spirit of the 1960s and 1970s. The smooth curves of the 43 mm case in 18 k rose gold is inspired by the watches of the 1970s, as have the timepiece's other carefully considered design elements: convex sapphire crystal, striking mushroom push buttons, perforated rose goldcoloured lancet-shaped hands, and wedge-shaped applied indices.

Swiss understatement likewise graces this newcomer's black dial. Embellished with a beautiful sunburst pattern, the face shows the continually running seconds on a subdial at the “9” and the elapsed minutes at the “3”. Both the date at “three o'clock” and the tachymeter along the dial's ﬂange to measure average speeds are harmoniously integrated. The state of the horological art is embodied by chronograph calibre CFB 1970, which includes a ﬂyback function for timing the duration of several consecutive intervals. The movement oscillates at a pace of four hertz or 28,800 vibrations per hour and amasses a 42-hour power reserve. The high-quality decorations and embellishments are handsomely visible through the sapphire crystal on the back of the case.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Fashion

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Karl-Friedrich Scheufele Talks Chopard's Passion For Watchmaking In this interview at the Baselworld 2019, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard, discusses the path toward becoming a genuine manufacture brand. Your stand at Baselworld presented an excellent exhibition on tourbillons and the expertise of the Chopard Manufacture. What have you achieved since its founding 23 years ago? We are perceived diﬀerently nowadays, acknowledged as a genuine manufacture brand. And we have actively developed our technical expertise and capacities as well. Achieving manufacture status opened up entirely new possibilities for us. Our passion for watchmaking primarily motivated the initial decision. But when I look 25 years back, I can see that it was also the only correct path to take from a rational point of view to create the necessary independence so crucially important for us as a family business. Ten years ago, you also founded Fleurier Ebauches. What was your motivation? This decision was motivated by our desire to master

24 www.luxuryreporter.ng

not only the artisanal and manufacture aspects but also an industrialised and more efficient production for specific calibres. It was a huge step that we almost underestimated. If you had asked me that question a few years ago, I would have said I was happy that our manufacture could build a tourbillon. But today I can tell you that it is an even higher achievement for us to also be able to manufacture a beautiful high quality, robust automatic movement in larger quantities. What was the biggest challenge? We had to invest in an entirely new production facility because we needed different technologies and different machines. The physical separation into two separate buildings was the right decision because the processes are very different at Chopard Manufacture.

Feature THE LUXURY REPORTER

Faashion THE LUXURY REPORTER

Caroline Scheufele On Chopard's Impressive Innovations Chopard's Co-President and Artistic Director Caroline Scheufele, in this interview, talks about exciting jewellery innovations and other projects that are close to her heart. Would you be willing to reveal the special secret behind Chopard's new haute joaillerie collection? Our goldsmiths developed an innovative setting technique that makes diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds seem to defy gravity. The gemstones appear to ﬂoat as if by magic and kindle a fascinating play of lights. I have always dreamt of creating a jewellery collection in which you can no longer see the gold or the titanium. We primarily use the latter metal for earrings because titanium is lighter in weight than most other metals, for example, gold or platinum. What other highlights do you have at Baselworld 2019? On the one hand, we are presenting several new editions in our iconic Happy Diamonds collection; plus our popular Happy Hearts collection now includes new bangles that feature other colours and also, for the ﬁrst time, three small hearts.

Have you been able to keep the promise to use ethical gold exclusively? Absolutely. We already began processing fair-trade gold in 2013 with the pieces of jewellery that we made for the Cannes Film Festival. Our customers experience it as an added luxury to know how the jewellery that they have fallen in love with was made. We ﬁrmly believe that luxury should be transparent. Which is your personal favourite from Chopard? That's a diﬃcult question to answer. At the moment, I feel especially enthusiastic about the Magical Setting collection. Of course, the Happy Hearts bangles are especially close to my heart too – and not just because they are so wonderfully casual to wear but also because their sale enables us to support various aid organisations, such as the Naked Heart Foundation, founded by Natalia Vodianova.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Chopard Relives 1960s With New L'Heure du Diamant Collection

n 1969, at a time of social, cultural and artistic revolution, when jewellery was crying out for an entirely new expression, for new excitement and relevance to a younger and fashion-forward clientele, that Chopard launched a collection of strikingly contemporary jewellery watches. The dials composed of minerals, hardstones including lapis lazuli, malachite, jade or tiger's eye that were the deﬁning feature of the late 60s and 70s jewellery, framed in diamonds, and set on bracelets of heavily textured white gold, another signature of 1970s jewellery. In tune with a new and youth-fuelled mood of luxury, L'Heure du Diamant re-ignites the spirit of the 60s and highlights Chopard's unrivalled mastery of both reﬁned jewellery artistry and artisanal watchmaking skills. A homage to the Maison's indefatigable pursuit of timeless modernism. The hour has come, L'Heure du Diamant creates a new and exquisite moment in time with eight new jewellery watches featuring hardstone and gemstone dials reigniting 60s modernism and celebrating 50 years of its mastery of jewels and watches. The perfect fusion of art and craft, art and science, of tradition and modernity. Exactly 50 years later, Chopard presents L'Heure du Diamant at the 2019 edition of Baselworld. The eight

26 www.luxuryreporter.ng

new timepieces in the collection are inspired by t h e o r i gi n a l 1 9 6 9 m o d e l s, t h e i r d e s i gn contemporised, the craftsmanship refined, proportions, colours and textures harmonised, to create a sublime jewellery watch for our moment in time that still resonates with the unmistakable beat of 1960s modernism. A timepiece that effortlessly and elegantly balances fine jewellery and fine watchmaking, showcasing the dual expertise that is the essence of Chopard. Each watch features a dial specially carved from a mesmerising mineral: midnight blue, gold-flecked lapis lazuli; velvety, forest green malachite swirled with striations; vivacious, sunlit skyblue turquoise; darkly dramatic black opal, with its lightning flashes of intense green and red fire. The deep, vibrant, emotionally-stirring colours of the dials are encircled in diamonds, of generous size, - a modernising element - totalling more than 4carats and creating a striking contrast between sheen and shine, between the texture, opacity or glinting depths of the dials and the brilliance of the diamonds, their fire and life intensified by Chopard's 'crown' setting.

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Hublot's Art Of Fusion A

t the Baselworld 2018, Hublot expanded its catalogue of innovations by adding a new feat, the ﬁrst ceramic to be created in a vibrant colour. The creation was a product of the partnership between Hublot and Richard Orlinski, the world's bestselling contemporary artist. Since 2017, Orlinski has been adding his angular style to Hublot watches. Works of art for the wrist, these feature his signature facets, nuanced with angles and edges. Like his sculptures, the Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph Orlinski Red Magic boasts the sharp three-dimensional sculpted lines and polished ﬁnish which are the artist's trademark. Taking four years to develop from concept to industrialisation, and requiring innovations in materials and manufacturing processes (a fusion of pressure and heat which sinters the ceramic without burning its pigments), the ceramic created is harder than what was previously seen. This expertise was developed in tandem by Hublot's Research & Development depar tment and Metallurgy and Materials laboratory, a 100 percent in-house process, resulting in a secret formula protected by several patents.

At the 2019 Baselword, Hublot unveils two new timepieces that respect the Orlinski's colourful wild animal sculptures and his incredible geometric artistic style. With a tag line that reads 'The Art of Fusion', Hublot regularly looks to fuse watchmak ing with technological advances in its timepieces. It also looks to fuse its collections with intriguing outside influences. Such is the case with the brand's collaboration with artist and sculptor Richard Orlinski. He is known for his incredible Wild Kong gorillas and other bestiary sculptures found in different places around the world. With a penchant for colour and a definitive geometric faceted style, Orlinski regularly brings life, animals and objects to the forefront in new and different ways. The same is true of Hublot, which regularly turns out new and unusual materials and

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Arts timepieces. As such, it made perfect sense for Hublot to work with Orlinski on a variety of projects. Both love to focus on colour, technical aesthetics and the interplay of light and transparency. The two began working together two years ago, in 2017, and the results have thus far been stellar. At Baselworld, visitors witness the launch of two new timepieces that stem from the journey of these two brands. The all-new Classic Fusion Tourbillon Orlinski series blends the sculptural case design of Orlinski with an equally sculpted movement architecture by Hublot's master watchmakers. The new skeletonised watch is oďŹ&#x20AC;ered in clear polished sapphire, Hublot's proprietary high-polished King Gold and black microblasted ceramic that is referred to for this watch as Black Magic. Each of the three materials of the Classic Fusion Tourbillon 5 Days Power Reserve Orlinski watch is limited to 30 pieces. They feature the Hublot HUB6021 skeleton calibre with one-minute tourbillon and power reserve indicator (115 hours). The 183-part movement was totally redesigned to oďŹ&#x20AC;er openworked three - dimensional architecture that underscores the 45 mm, multi-faceted case designed

28 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER by Orlinski. Also, in honour of Orlinski, Hublot unveils the new Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph Orlinski Red Ceramic watch, created in a bold tone. To date, Hublot is the only brand that has been able to perfect and present such a vibrant red ceramic. The material is developed via a secret fusion of pressure and heat that sinters the ceramic without diluting the colour. The Aerofusion timepiece is powered by the selfwinding skeleton chronograph calibre HUB 1155 and in a limited edition of 200.

THE LUXURY REPORTER

An Ultimate Achievement

Auto

Julien Tornare, CEO of Zenith, shares details about the cutting-edge Defy Inventor and how Zenith celebrates its 50th anniversary. Can you tell us some of the novelties you are presenting at the Baselworld this year? In addition to an exclusive world tour called the 'Grenier Club', with 12 anniversary dinners, we are presenting a 50-piece limited-edition anniversary set with three chronographs complete with the El Primero's tricolour counters. What is next for Defy? Enter the Defy Inventor: the wholly urban industrial interpretation of the much-acclaimed 10- piece limited-edition Defy Lab, which is regulated by a revolutionar y oscillator developed by our manufacture and launched in 2017. The Defy Inventor, which will be produced in a run of several hundred pieces, is equipped with its own patented regulating organ. The fact that Zenith is capable of developing and producing an entire movement with a regulating organ represents the ultimate achievement for a manufacture. This achievement replaces the sprung balance used in watchmaking for over three centuries. A major innovation for the industry, it offers a number of benefits, including the elimination of contact, friction, wear and deformation, all while increasing reliability and stability, as it is made of mono-crystalline silicon and therefore insensitive to temperature variations and magnetic fields. In addition, its escape wheel has flexible blades, a first in the watch industry. These qualities are triplecertified.Zenith Defy Close-up What has been your biggest challenge since taking over the brand? Perhaps the need to modernise our image as a truly 21st century brand with a great tradition from which we can benefit but should not rely on. We have had to be ruthless in terms of streamlining

our oﬀer in line with our strategy to go for quality over quantity while focusing on product design, rationalising our distribution and ensuring we are in touch with our customers. The industry is undergoing rapid changes. How do you perceive them? Where do they have the strongest impact? The industry's challenges have been the subject of considerable discussion in the media. These began with the decline in exports and the strong Swiss franc, all of which has been compounded by a lack of conﬁdence in the industry's top three markets, namely the U.S., UK and China. Despite the fact that the watchmaking industry seems to have regained its impetus after the recent crisis, it is possible that there are still too many brands producing luxury watches in a limited market. My view of the future is that those who survive will be those that remain in touch with market needs while being able to successfully make the paradigm shift to managing a digital world and online marketing in particular. Additionally, in this regard, general preference has shifted in the past couple of years from mono-brand stores being the outlet of choice to online authorised retailers. How do you deal with these changes? How does Zenith address them and how is this re ected in your products and through your distribution channels? At Zenith, we are going for quality rather than quantity, with a focus on product design, rationalising distribution and knowing who our customers are while remaining in touch with what they want! China, Japan and the U.S. currently represent about 40% of our sales which we hope to increase to around 60%.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Hotel

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Disruptive Defy Inventor

enith decides to take on the future with the latest Defy Inventor, one of its novelties unveiled at the Baselworld 2019. With its new disruptive Zenith Oscillator control system, Zenith is revolutionising mechanical watchmaking. The O s c i l l a to r d e ve l o p e d a n d p a te n te d by t h e Manufacture replaces the traditional sprung balance used for more than three centuries. It features a single element, and this high-tech device equips the new Defy Inventor. In a case made of lightweight titanium and Aeronith teamed with architectural design, through the Defy Inventor, Zenith is reinventing the watchmaking of tomorrow, in an entirely independent manner. The journey into writing Zenith's new chapters in its history began in 2017 with the remarkable 100th of a second chronograph named Defy El Primero 21. The same year, Zenith unveiled Defy Lab, an archetype' regulated by a revolutionary oscillator developed by the Manufacture and issued in a 10-piece limited edition. Today, the specimen is moving beyond the laboratory stage and becoming the Defy Inventor, produced in a run of several hundred units and equipped with its patented regulating organ. Like its predecessor, Defy Inventor oﬀers excellent technical performance and a modern aesthetic composed of cutting-edge materials. With its chronometric precision, this avant-garde three-hand watch is now series-produced and styled to appeal to urban aesthetes. Aside is a stylistic appeal, Defy Inventor owes its exceptional properties to disruptive technology, the single-piece Zenith Oscillator developed and patented by the Maison. The new Oscillator is a result of the quest for performance; it has replaced the sprung balance used in mechanical watchmaking for three and a half

30 www.luxuryreporter.ng

centuries. This major innovation for the industry offers several benefits. First, it comes with increased reliability. The unique ultra-thin element (0.5 mm) replaces the thirty components of a standard regulating organ and thus eliminates contact, friction, wear and deformation. It also offers stability, since the Oscillator is made of monocrystalline silicon and therefore insensitive to temperature variations and magnetic fields. sIn addition, its escape-wheel is deis made of flexible blades, a first in the watch industry. An innovative engine comes with avant-garde exterior. Defy Inventor is as architectural as it is organic. Like an animated being in a state of perpetual motion, its heart of a new genre pulsates on the dial side, beneath a sophisticated open worked construction. Its robust stature is carved out from ultra-light materials like brushed titanium for the 44 mm diameter case, Aeronith for the textured bezel. This lightest aluminium composite in the world was developed using an expensive high-tech process. Three times more luminous than titanium, made of open-pore aluminium foam, stiffened with a polymer, Aeronith is quickly forgotten when worn, while asserting a unique modern style. The equally airy open worked dial forms a stylised propeller, of which the five 'blades or branches' evoke the Zenith star. Extended hours and minutes hands sweep over the mechanism, while a slender star-tipped central sweep-seconds hand, equipped with a stop-seconds system enabling ultra-accurate adjustment, marks off the seconds. In a final touch of futuristic sophistication, the iconic Defy Inventor is secured to the wrist by a black rubber strap with a midnight blue alligator coating.

Illuminate Your Wrist Traser T1000 in the day

raser presents the T1000 Collection at the Baselworld 2019 on Friday in commemoration of the 50thanniversary of its parent company mbmicrotec. The collection is reputed to be the brightest self-luminous watch in the world. Since it was founded in 1989, the Bernese watch brand has positioned set itself a br ight pioneer ing spirit with the idea to be the ďŹ rst selfilluminated watch in the world. Designed by an invention of the parent company mb-microtec, it uses trigalight - tiny glass tubes coated with zinc sulphide and ďŹ lled with tritium will shine with unchanged intensity for at least ten years without an external energy supply such as a battery or sunlight. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of mb-microtec, traser has once again created a glowing sensation in its quiver. It glows with an intensity of over 1000 microlumens and it is ďŹ tted with no fewer that 318 trigalight pipes. In addition, the watch maker also presents

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Traser T1000 at night P96 Outdoor Pioneer which could be called a perfect timepiece for risk-takers and outdoor enthusiasts. The watch belongs to traser's Tactical Adventure collection and fulfils every need that adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts can expect to face in any situation – be it a sandstorm during a desert rallye, subzero temperatures while ice fishing or a cloudburst on the way home through the urban jungle. The P96 OdP Evolution is rugged, and it can handle any challenge with ease. Inspired by the athletic and tactical activities of its wearers, they are available in camouflage colours: petrol, grey, black and green. It comes with a resistant glass-fibre polymer case that provides the main characteristics for this collection. Extremely light, tough and robust, the sporty P96 Outdoor Pioneer is the reliable companion for every adventure.

32 www.luxuryreporter.ng

Auto

THE LUXURY REPORTER

A Living Metal

udor first introduced the Heritage Black Bay Bronze at Baselworld 2016. It caused not a little stir. The Heritage Black Bay Bronze had a new case material in bronze, a larger case size in 43mm, and an in-house movement (calibre MT5601) to the brand's dive watch arsenal. Since then, there are a few variations on that theme, including a special edition in blue for Bucherer and a piece unique for the Only Watch. However, at Baselworld 2019, Tudor introduces yet another Black Bay Bronze. This time, the design comes with a beautiful slate grey dial and bezel. Technically, the watch is the same as the original introduced three years ago. However, this new colour scheme changes everything. It gives the watch a new layer of depth due to the sunburst gradient of the dial and the subtle contrast of the bezel. A duo of greytoned straps finishes it off, with a choice of nubuck leather or fabric. It is astonishing what a big difference a smart colour change can make. Another interesting detail is the snowflake, a signature of Tudor divers' watches. This distinctively shaped hand made its debut exactly 50 years ago. The central feature of the Black Bay Bronze model is its 43-millimetre bronze case, an aesthetic reference to the brass used in old ships and other diving equipment. This 'living' metal, a high-performance aluminium- copper alloy, will produce a subtle, unique patina on every watchcase, based on the wearer's habits.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches In addition to a highly functional appearance and in line with the world to which it pays tribute, the Black Bay Bronze presents entirely satin-brushed finishes that guarantee homogeneous development of the patina. The case encloses manufacture Calibre MT5601. The self-winding movement displays the hours, minutes and seconds. Its appearance and finishes are typical of Tudor manufacture calibres. The m ove m e n t , w h i c h i s c e r t i fi e d a s a C . O. S . C . chronometer, offers a 70-hour power reserve. The new Black Bay Bronze is worn with a rounded black Nubuck leather wristband or a slate-grey textile strap. In a beautiful tribute to the brand's naval heritage, Tudor has identified the historic uses of its watches and reinterpreted them in its latest models. For example, the French Navy had Tudor watches delivered without bracelets and then fitted them with their straps, handmade or otherwise. One of them, found on a period divers' watch kept in the brand's archives, is made of elastic recovered from French rescue parachutes. This ultra-functional relic, recognisable by its gold-coloured thread, is the reference behind the slate-grey woven jacquard strap available for the Black Bay Bronze. A second option is an aged black leather strap whose straight cut accentuates the rustic effect.

34 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Zannetti Arty Handmade Watches FUNKE OSAE-BROWN had a chat with the third generation owner of the famous Italian Zannetti watch brand, Riccardo Zannetti, at the Baselworld 2019, on the essence of the Maison.

eated at Stand B05 inside Hall 2 at the Baselworld 2019 was Riccardo Zannetti, the CEO of the eponymous watch brand, Zannetti. He inherited the business from his father.

Zannetti inherited an important commitment, based on a constructive, conceptual and uncompromising philosophy. These are reflected in the timepieces manufactured by the Italian Maison. The brand began from a great passion in the watchmaking field that was born at the turn of the previous century with Carmine Zannetti, a master goldsmith and a lover of excellent mechanics who gave life to the extraordinary adventure in technical perfection and design that is still the essence of Zannetti's creations today. Mario Zannetti, a design professor and an International Artist, succeeded his father, Carmine; his geometrical lines still influence the actual production, as his extraordinary passion for intricate mechanical workings. Now, Riccardo Zannetti has inherited an essential cultural commitment, in which he has skillfully

united the perfection of a great watchmaker with exceptional talent. His workshop is a modern design laboratory, and he is one of the few people still carrying on a tradition that began 500 years ago, with a vision to spread the Italian creativity all over the world. Strictly handmade in Italy, the technological excellence of Zannetti's timepieces, along with the precise hands of skilful watchmakers and craftsmen, c o n t r i b u te s to c re a t i n g u n i q u e a n d h i g h l y distinguishing Zannetti pieces. “The next best thing to an exclusive Zannetti wrist watch is another Zannetti timepiece, says Zannetti as we settled down for an interview at their B05 Stand. My grandfather started the brand. The strength and artistic work in watchmaking as was done in the past was handed down to my father who handed it down to me.” Zannetti says designing a watch is always tricky but fascinating and challenging. And so, when creating a watch, the ﬁrst thing Zannetti and his craftsmen take into account is its functionality telling the time. “This must not be diﬀerent in any way from the accepted manner,” says Zannetti. “It would have no

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Auto

purpose to produce a fantastic creation if on a practical level it does not fulfil its function. Our designs favour simplicity and efficacy, ensuring the maximum appreciation to the wearer.” Another critical thing to consider when designing a watch, for Zannetti, is the mechanics of the watch. According to him, these need specific technical requirements which define the windows positioning and new hands in particular places. “The design, therefore, must find a balance between all these specific constructional demands, integrating creativity and good taste in a way that blends passion and contentment in the person wearing the watch.” He says every watch created by Zannetti is always designed and drawn exclusively by hand. “First, the sketch is done by hand on a pad with pencil, pastels and carbon lead, right after an idea came in mind, preparing the eye to conceive a new and original form which will lead to the creation's final stages.” The origin of Zannetti dated back to 1982, when Riccardo Zannetti, founder and inventor of the brand, created the first original models. Later in 1986, the brand started a collaboration with

36 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

some of the biggest and famous contemporary watches brands, and he created exclusive models for the first significant private Italian customers. In 1989, the Zannetti unveiled its first collection named Impero. Also, creations for many of its clients in Europe continued as the Maison started a regular production and distribution of watches in Italy. By 1990, Zannetti opened its first boutique in Rome, Italy. By the year 1992, Zannetti took a new turn with its designs when it ventured into new watch designs when it began a new line of watches exclusively for women. The new collection was called The Daphne. It was a collection watch dedicated to women with personalised 'Jewel Watches' for select clients, the first Zannetti. Furthermore, Zannetti took another major leap with its 1995 collection, The Frog Collection, otherwise known as “The Frog Watch”. Years later, the models in the collection were redesigned into different versions, such as the exclusive Jewel Case Lock on the watch dial, decorated with precious diamonds, rubies and emeralds pave.

1996 could be called Technique Year. It was a year the new movement was introduced including the prestigious Repeater, with five minutes repetition. In the same vein, in 1999 The Montgolfier, a very prestigious GMT, characterised by an original embossed gold rotor and a relief dial was presented. The millennium, the year 2000, saw Zannetti unveil the Squelette collection. It was the first Zannetti Skeleton watch: among the distinctive characteristic you find, this is the first blue PVD treatment on a Skeleton movement worldwide. A year later, Time of Drivers collection was released with the first two prototypes, Ascari and Fangio. As the millennium wore on, Zannetti released more new collections. Some of them include the Regent Collection that comes with manually engraved dials and with different drawings was created; on the same year, the “Time of Drivers” and “Frog Watch Jewels” collections were born. The first squared watch, the “Palatino was unveiled in 2005, and it was presented in different versions with

three hands and chronograph. In the same year, a new version of the Repeater was born while producing new and more engineered dials for the Impero case and Zannetti received his first official honours in Japan, China and Korea. In 2015, the “Gladiator” collection launched a new chronograph model, produced in steel and gold and where the dials feature precious materials and details. Meanwhile, new unique-pieces called “Animalier Watches” are created and presented featuring diamonds and rubies. Zannetti also launched a new case for the “Regent” collection with further details and crown. The “Discobolo” collection was unveiled at Baselworld 2017. “The possibilities to customise the dials and the cases are endless, and the case is available in two sizes. On the same year, Hi-tech ceramics make its first appearance in Zannetti's production and the first model proposed is the new Piranha Mid-Size, also made in steel, black PVD steel and bronze,” explained Zannetti.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

A Smartwatch With A Difference

Benetti's Largest Yacht Ever

lad in a brown coloured sweater at Stand E11 at the Baselworld 2019 was CEO of Veldt, Jin Nonogami. He was bent double over his desk checking some of the watches he was about to place on display. His countenance brightened he sighted me. I told him I was interested in the watch on display. We struck a conversation immediately. He was happy to tell me more about the new collection Veldt, his watch Maison presented at the Baselworld 2019. His novelty at the Baselworld is the Luxture Vega Series, an elegant, casual series for women. “In the ancient time, time was measured by the sunlight,” he says of the concept behind Luxture. Over time machines took over the role of measuring time, which became one of the information tools in the internet era. Among so much information, we are continually trying to ﬁnd something important to us, lights, rather than words. Luxture is a new element that

38 www.luxuryreporter.ng

conveys meaningful messages with lights.” Founded in 2012, Veldt later released unique connected watches in the Winter of 2014, even before the very first Apple Watch was released. Ever since, Veldt has been focusing on wrist-wear, IoT devices and services on wrists. In 2019, Veldt is taking the next step in its evolution. “We are motivated to innovate the sense of 'Connected & Beautiful', Nonogami, tells me, “beauty in the Internet-driven generation. While our lives have gotten much more efficient due to smartphone technology, people today are faced with newer issues such as digital stress from over-flooding of information, internet addiction, smartphone induced accidents. To support you make the most of your beautiful time for your body and soul, we think our society needs to prioritize innovation in how we interact with technology over just innovation in the

THE LUXURY REPORTER

technology itself. For the remarkable future in the connected society.” Veldt first collection named Serendipity is an unexpected discovery. It is a valuable experience for people in the smartphone world who often fail to witness or experience the real world as their eyes are always on their mobile phones. To have them place their eyes away from the phone screens and spend quality time in the real world, Veldt released the very first product Serendipity. Serendipity is the first connected watch designed. It is a Japan-made smartwatch, with texts and Led lights hidden in the analogue dial intuitively conveying essential smartphone information. “We added Touchwear Series, designed for a new mobile payment function in the belt,” explains Nonogami. “Embedded into the analogue face of the watch, our unique Led Vivid Loop syncs with online information,

Watches

and lights up to intuitively inform you of incoming messages or information of priority.” The watch comes with a luxurious bracelet. The beautifully weaved mesh is made in Germany while the denim is handmade by a skilled Kyoto kimono dyeing craftsman. Also, the unique bracelet is made using a very thin natural stone. The leather is vivid and beautiful highquality leathers sourced from Europe. The rubber bracelet is made for luxury dive watches from Austria. Furthermore, the unique feature of Veldt Serendipity is the touch wear card system which makes mobile payment possible just by tapping. “Veldt touch wear contains our unique FeliCa chip (Veldt Touchwear Card) on the back of the belt, which

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

enables you to complete a mobile payment just by tapping. No need to charge the electronic money part. You can make a payment with Veldt Touchwear wherever Rakuten Edy is accepted such as at convenience stores, restaurants and cafés,” he explains. Serendipity comes with an intuitive and easy-to-use App. The App enables users' activity history to be shown on their calendar along with their schedule.

40 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

“Activity and sleep levels are displayed in the form of bubbles, and you can see your biorhythm of the month by entering how you feel every day. You can select your model in the device setting page and assign frequently used functions to shortcut buttons for quick access,” adds Nonogami.

Feature

In Good Company Auto companies and watchmakers are forming a strong partnership with the comfort of the HNIs in mind says ADEDOYIN JOHNSON.

arked in front Jacob & Co. stand at the Baselworld 2019 is the latest Bugatti Chiron. It caused a great stir as visitors to the Jacob & Co. booth, and passers-by took some pictures of the newest toy. The parked car is a symbol of the ongoing collaborations between car and watches manufacturers. It has been a fusion of the very best of watchmaking and automotive expertise. It is not a surprise that at Baselworld 2019, Jacob & Co. announced a long-term partnership with Bugatti to collaborate on a series of exclusive co-branded products. The collaboration began with a limited edition of the Jacob & Co. high-complication masterpiece, the Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Edition. The original Twin Turbo Furious electriﬁed at Baselworld 2018, with its breathtaking twin triple-axis tourbillons, column-wheel chronograph and decimal repeater. Designed with high-performance sports cars in mind, the Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Edition pays homage to Bugatti's 110th anniversary Chiron, positions the Bugatti logo prominently in the centre

of the dial and renames the power reserve indicator fuel. Also, the colours of the French flag are on the gauge. Only 39 timepieces are made, each individually numbered: 18 in carbon fibre, 18 in rose gold, and three with diamonds. "For this project, we found the right partner in Jacob & Co. because we are both dedicated to innovation with super b technology, absolute beaut y, craftsmanship and the highest quality of the materials", explained Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti, at the stand of Jacob & Co. at Baselworld. "When I look at a Bugatti Chiron, the perfectly refined engineering is so powerful that sometimes the car appears to be moving even when it is standing still," Jacob Arabo, founder of Jacob & Co., added. "That's the same feeling I get when I wear our high complication timepieces: a rush, a sense of energy, movement and power that can barely be contained." Tin addition to the highly complicated Twin Turbo masterpiece and the other watch unveiled by Jacob and Co. is a limited edition of the Epic X Chrono. The partnership began with a limited edition of the

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Auto Jacob & Co. high complication masterpiece. The Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti Edition with its breathtaking t w i n t r i p l e - a x i s to u r b i l l o n s, c o l u m n -w h e e l chronograph and decimal repeater is the first of the two new watches. It is not just Jacob and Co. that is among forwardlooking watchmakers who are collaborating with car manufacturers. Hublot too has created a strong partnership with Ferrari to create Classic Fusion Ferrari GT which means lovers of Ferrari can wear a mini Ferrari on their wrist. Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot says since 2011 on the automotive side, Hublot and Ferrari have been fusing the very best of watchmaking and automotive expertise by making uniquely designed timepieces characterised by innovation, excellence and performance. “Our collaboration has proven to be a real success. It's an extraordinary fusion of the fine watchmaking craftsmanship held by Hublot and the exceptional Italian industrial achievement held by Ferrari, and an eternal pursuit for excellent quality and innovation. Hublot's collections are intended to offer a watch that is deeply rooted in Ferrari's DNA—combining strength, performance and agility—while being produced and perfected by the Hublot manufacture. A perfect fusion of the automotive and watchmaking worlds." Also, Land Rover collaborated with Zenith watch from the DEFY Classic collection, which was specially codeveloped by design and technical engineering teams working in close harmony. The 200-piece limited edition is a combination of distinct elements drawn from its automotive inspiration, from the colour to the design itself. The Range Rover Evoque Zenith watch is available to buy now through Zenith's retail network or limited Land Rover dealerships from early 2019. Riccardo Zannetti founder Zannetti watch brand said the collaboration between watchmakers and auto companies underscores the synergy that characterises both as integral aspects of consumers' lifestyle. "An average consumer of luxury brand loves to ride a good car and wear a nice watch. It is smart for manufacturers to create watches resonates with the auto brand clients love. It means clients can wear their favourite auto brand on the wrist." Besides, CEO of Veldt, Jin Nonogami, said brands usually collaborate with brands with whom they have shared a vision and same brand philosophy. "It is about

42 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

coming together to team up with brands whose DNA are the same with the ultimate goal to create something new for their clients, both existing and prospective clients." He explains that brands have come to understand they can no longer exist in isolation, especially the big players in the luxury industry who are continually looking for ways to create new things for their clients. "It is all about consumer satisfaction. Brands are now working with brands that they know appeal to their clientele. They are collaborating to make sure they make their consumers happy in the end." However, some watch brands who chose not to collaborate with auto companies are taking a creative approach to their partnership with exceptional motorsports. For instance, in 2018, Chopard celebrated three decades of collaboration with the Mille Miglia race, la Corsa più Bella del mondo which raced over a 1,600 km loop running from Brescia to Rome and back. This unique alliance in the world of classic motorsport, which reﬂects Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele's passion for classic cars, continues this year with the Mille Miglia 2019 Race Edition. This distinctive, sturdy and accurate chronograph demonstrates a tradition of watches made for contemporary gentlemen and imbued with the perfect vintage spirit for speed-loving drivers who never skimp on style. To this end, collaboration is now the rave of the moment among luxury brands that are working together to create a unique experience for their clients. They are bringing some of their best innovations to the table to create limited edition watches or cars that only those who can aﬀord such luxury can truly own.

Feature

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Funke Treasure Durodola On Her New Books LARA OLADUNNI

unke Treasure Durodola is a master of her game. She exudes confidence, as she walked towards the podium to give her welcome address. It was the launch of her two books, 'Pronunciation Guide For Clergy' and 'Pronunciation Guide For The Spoken Word Industry'. One could see that she is walking the talk as she spoke taking care to pronounce each word that came out of her mouth correctly, as a speech coach she couldn't afford to make a mistake with her pronunciation. Durodola has a burning desire to ensure things go well in an industry she has worked in for more than nineteen years, broadcasting. The desire to ensure that clergies at churches feed their lambs with the correct pronunciation while sharing the bread of life, and for broadcasters on radio and TV to feed listeners with the right words on air, led her to write the books. “I moonlight as a speech coach after official hours. I realised early enough in the practice that there was a need for a text that would condense all that that they will need to know for accelerated growth. I

wanted to put into the hands of my clients a resource manual that would serve them post training. In the bid to do that, I started seeing a greater need for such a book for the larger good,” she says of her journey into writing the books. Durodola initially set out to write a book, but she ended up writing two books, which is not an easy feat. “The feedback received after releasing the sample book necessitated a second, which I was reluctant to do because of the enormous work involved. It is never easy writing a book; suﬃcient is the challenge of getting one right. I mean you want to start from the writing itself, without electricity, you power your generator to write. I do not like noise, and I had to get used to writing in a neighbourhood with a cacophony of generator induced noise. And then, the constant traﬃc that leaves one exhausted. Those were the most challenging part of getting the books out.” In her book 'Pronunciation Guide For The Spoken Word Industry,' Durodola you wrote extensively on some common pronunciation errors made by broadcasters on air. She says she became tired “of

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Feature a ubiquitous development, of correcting presenters about the mispronunciation of words. Some of them would even look at you as if you were impossibly fastidious. In my active days on the air, one feared the disappointing look from a superior when a word was mispronounced. Nowadays, some of these presenters go on a shaming campaign, to whoever cared to listen to how you were constantly picking on them out of hatred. How do you attempt to read the news without being familiar with the pronunciation of words, proper stress placement and word grouping, knowing that the likes of the late Veronica Osawere would be listening? How do you even claim to be a professional when you make so many mistakes on air? Who put you on air to start with?” “There are mispronunciations everywhere one turned, even from the gatekeepers in the Spoken Word industry. Secondly, there are blind arguments from people who haven' t bothered to check the pronouncing dictionary. When a listener calls in to tell a presenter that the correct word is 'preyor', not pressure, you know then that we have the challenge to deal with. All through the books, I progressively kept explaining and justifying, yet I wrote a chapter that has more than one hundred and twenty words we pronounce wrongly, yet I didn't exhaust them. For those in public speaking, this is critical, just because the word challenge is pronounced starting with 'Ch' for instance, does not make chaos become 'cha-hose'. It's quite ridiculous, and we need to deal with our vast ego that continually gets in the way, and learns to speak the English Language right. I am not saying go acquire an accent, and we are second language speakers, so you don't need to be under pressure, our educated English is excellent.” On the usage of slangs on air, she argues some programmes are light-hearted that allow presenters to use slangs. “I have heard expressions like, 'in the abroad' many times on air and multiple radio stations. At ﬁrst, I thought it was a joke between two presenters, and then I realised that it was not, it was an acceptable slang amongst millennials that found its way into the broadcast language. Sometime in the immediate past, such slangs would be frowned upon, but at the risk of being seen as rigid and inﬂexible, one may allow this, however, when it becomes a regular expression, then one needs to consider critically the role of the media to educate.” Having worked at FRCN for almost two decades,

44 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THETHE LUXURY LUXURY REPORTER REPORTER

Durodola says she has learnt so many things as a broadcaster some of which she shares in her books. “Now that would take a whole book to distil. We are talking of almost two decades, nineteen years of work in a government parastatal. I would do an autobiographical work to address that someday. Suﬃce to say that we need a civil service reform in this country, workers should not be left to the whims and caprices of leaders, there are scores of talented people in the Nigerian civil service whose talents are stiﬂed, and there should be an evaluation of leaders and their leadership styles.” Her staying power as a woman in the broadcast media is re-invention. “I constantly re-invent myself to adapt to the changing times, technology and resources needed to compete and stay ahead of the competition in all that I do. I try.”

Feature

THE LUXURY REPORTER

In Pursuit Of Perfection Elegance, wearability and extraordinary lightness are the signature of the Italian jewellery brand, Leo Pizzo. Flanked by his wife and two sons, Tancredi and Rocco Pizzo, the eponymous label founder, they talk about the family business and the Venezia collection launched at Baselworld. How long have you worked at the company? Tancredi Pizzo: Oﬃcially for seven years, and my brother for three. But we never noticed the transition, because at home the company has always been part of family life. To all intents and purposes, we were born into it. They have been bringing us to Basel since we were very young. Although it was a bit hard when we were in high school because we had to miss eight days of classes due to the show. But today, as graduates, we are grateful to our parents for having given us this dual education.

collections. The most important this year, and also the most precious, is Venezia, which our father has designed with the lightness and openwork that have been his hallmark in recent times and has attracted great appreciation. The openwork is inspired by the Gothic, quasi-Moorish forms of the vaults of the Palazzo Ducale, one of the most beautiful buildings in Venice. Apart from anything else, the tribute to the city of the lagoon is no coincidence: We opened our fourth Italian boutique, in Venice's Piazza San Marco, in July.

Is the show particularly relevant for your business? Rocco Pizzo: Yes. And I think Baselworld was right not to open its doors to exhibitors that don't really fit in with the context. Maintaining a high standard should be a win-win situation, even if the industry is not experiencing one of its best periods at present. What is needed is not loads of traffic made up of random visitors but an influx of qualified customers. And they are by no means lacking because also on show here are those brands of watches that are a beacon for the world of luxury.

Do you have a strong sense of belonging? Tancredi Pizzo: I believe that in our world Italian style and know-how are important qualities. What's more, we are from Valencia, and for a jeweller, this is synonymous with the highest quality and perfection. Let's never forget that our signature, the family name, is on the warranty, and this is one more reason why we are committed to providing an impeccable product. Producing everything at home as we do can be a very challenging choice, as we live in the age of outsourcing. However, that choice is another thing our father has been known for since he began to create his own jewellery, now almost 50 years ago.

Which new pieces have you been presenting this year? Rocco Pizzo: As always, we have presented some new

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Feature

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Leo Pizzo L

eo Pizzo showcases the finest Italian craftsmanship with the new collection, Venezia. The collection was showcased at the fashion show at the 2019 edition of Baselworld. The Venezia celebrates the ancient city of Venice, Italy where the Leo Pizzo brand originates. The collection features a set of jeweller y comprising a bracelet, earrings, a ring and a necklace. The earrings, bracelet, necklace and ring are in 18-carat white gold pendant earrings comes with three trefoiled patterns made of natural dropcut and brilliant-cut diamonds. Rocco Pizzo, a member of the board of directors of Leo Pizzo, says the building inspired the collection is located at the Central Square in Venice. It is an old house, which was of the king, and has a floral design. The jewellery's design takes inspiration from the floral design. Through this collection, Leo Pizzo celebrate the city of Venice. “As always, we are presenting some new collections. The most important this year, and also the most precious, is Venezia, which our father has designed with the lightness and openwork that have been his hallmark in recent times and has attracted great appreciation. The openwork is inspired by the Gothic, quasi-Moorish forms of the vaults of the Palazzo Ducale, one of the most beautiful buildings in Venice,” he explains. In addition, Pizzo says besides celebrating the city with the collection, they wanted to celebrate the opening of a new store in Samalkot. He says everything in Leo Pizzo is handmade, and all

46 www.luxuryreporter.ng

workers including the design manufacturer are Italian. “Apart from anything else, the tribute to the city of the lagoon is no coincidence: We opened our fourth Italian boutique, in Venice's Piazza San Marco, in July,” he adds. There is even a piece with 1,800 diamonds, so there is a lot of work involved in the selection of stones. All stones are natural and having high quality, colour and clarity. We have a certiﬁcation for high quality. Leo Pizzo is a family owned business, started by Rocco's father. The heritage was handed down to Rocco and his brothers one of whom is Tancredi Pizzo. “I believe that in our world Italian style and know-how are important qualities,” explains Tancredi Pizzo. “What's more, we are from Valencia, and for a jeweller, this is synonymous with the highest quality and perfection. Let's never forget that our signature, the family name, is on the warranty, and this is one more reason why we are committed to providing an impeccable product. Producing everything at home as we do can be a very challenging choice, as we live in the age of outsourcing. However, that choice is another thing our father has been known for since he began to create his own jewellery, now almost 50 years ago.” With precise attention to details and high-quality materials used, the Venezia is made of gold, diamonds and precious stones. It is a deep experience and taste that allows Leo Pizzo to create very exclusive jewels for a demanding and selective clientele.

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Jewellery Fashion

Innovative Designer, Lara Cookey, Talks Her Brand LARA OLADUNNI Starting Nojiart When I picked up my canvases, acrylics, charcoals and pens after a hiatus of over 20 years, I was painting for personal enjoyment. Through the process of painting, a transformation occurred as I reconnected with a long-lost form of expression. The response to my paintings was so positive; I got offers to buy them. The response to my paintings took me on a path to creating art that interfaced with everyday life. The reawakening of my artistic abilities opened up a desire to explore different modes of expression. I began looking at the intersection between graphics, digital and fine art. My digital drawing skills are entirely self-taught, and I found that it enabled me to create magic almost at the speed of spontaneous thought. This was followed by the inspiration to print one of my designs on a silk scarf so that the art could be enjoyed in a more versatile way, and Noji Art was born. The Brand Name The brand name is derived from my maiden name which is Onajide as you know the 'A' is pronounced like an 'O' in this Yoruba word, I decided to make it NOJI. My family have been artists and creative people for generations, and the name Onajide means “Renaissance of Art”.

The Story Behind The Designs My environment inspires me, and as a keen gardener, I have brought my appreciation of the beauty of the earth to my designs. I use these also to express bold femininity in the African woman, about a third of our current portfolio has elegant women wearing gele. We celebrate women everywhere and invite them to join us in enjoying the elegance that the gele bestows on the wearer. Working With Silk When I started, I realised that there were no players creating scarfs of this quality as an object of beauty in themselves. Certain vital features make up the anatomy of a luxury scarf like the purity of the silk, the finishing of the edges and the quality of the printing. For example, speaking of the finishing, ours always come with a hand-rolled hem, and scarf lovers who also patronise Chanel, Hermès and Louis Vuitton, have given us positive feedback about our product. Outlet Our first bricks and mortar outlet is at Fourteen36 Mall on Sanusi Fafunwa Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Fashion

Expansion Plans In addition to being stocked all over Nigeria, we would like to expand to other markets and be stocked in all the major fashion capitals of the world. Our production capabilities are well-honed now, and we are conﬁdent in our ability to scale. Luxury Retail In Nigeria The luxury market is growing. It is encouraging. What we are watching with interest is the aﬀordable luxury market: where quality and value proposition carry equal weight. Target Market Stylish, directional individuals who believe that accessories are a powerful mechanism to express who they are. Next Big Step We want to travel more with the brand and are open to exploring collaborations with other brands and outlets. Apart from our product lines, we have worked with international brands like Delta Airlines, Stanbic IBTC and The Wheatbaker on bespoke commissions whether t for corporate gifting or internal use. Business Environment The major challenge for us is that the economy has slowed down, and many businesses across board are competing for the same customer. We have been able to manage challenges by

48 www.luxuryreporter.ng

Jewellery THE LUXURY REPORTER

refining and communicating our value proposition and creating new product lines which address needs in a specific manner. For example, our product lines have been expanded to include garments like kaftans and T-shirts as well as men's accessories. Some of the motifs in the men's long ties, bow ties and pocket squares are the gangan (Talking Drum) and Danfo buses. We changed the packaging for the shawls and brought to market satin lined pouches made from the ancient craft of hand loomed Aso Oke fabric. About Lara Cookey She is an innovative designer, fine artist, blogger and award-winning entrepreneur. After a foundation in art and design, she graduated with a B.A. Honours in Interior Design from Middlesex University, the U.K. starting work as an interior architect. Subsequently, her diverse design capability is showcased in the range of products she has designed and brought to market. She used her skills honed in the designing and detailing of wooden elements in Interior architecture and created a unique range of playground equipment and learning materials. More recently, the lifestyle company Noji Art Design. Her passion to educate children with culturally relevant items for learning through play has produced a body of work which won her the 'Top Ten Recognition Award' at the Pan African Women Invent a n d I n n o v a t e ( PA W I I 2 0 0 5 ) , a n d t h e UNCTAD/Empretec 'Women In Business Award' in 2014. After surviving breast cancer, Lara returned to art, which she found therapeutic, and the Noji Art wearable art brand was born.

Folashade Adeshoye's Penchant For Fine Jewellery

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Cover

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Jewellery Affair CEO, Folashade Adeshoye may not be on everyone's face, but she is making a significant mark in the luxury retail sector. In this interview with FUNKE OSAE-BROWN, she talks about how she turned her love for fine jewellery into a business.

jewellery boutique is tucked away at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island. The place though has been catering to the needs High Networth Individuals (HNIs) who love fine bespoke jewellery. Jewellery Affair may not be in everyone's face, but the store is known only to the exclusive few who see the worth of fine jewellery made of diamonds and other precious stones. At the helm of affairs at this high-class jewellery boutique is Folashade Adeshoye. She lives a very private life like most of her clients. Her taste for fine jewellery launched her into the world of expensive jewellery more than two and a half decades ago. As a young woman, she would travel to Italy to buy from retail stores for her personal use. Whenever she returned, she would show them to her friends, who raved on how much they loved her pieces. They would offer to buy them from her. She sold to them with a little margin added to cover her travel costs. One day, while visiting her sister in London, she got information on a jewellery exhibition holding in Vicenza, Italy, which was attended by the best

50 www.luxuryreporter.ng

jewellery Maison globally. Before attending a show at Vicenza that year, she taught herself everything she could learn about jewellery design by reading every jewellery catalog and books. By the time she travelled to Italy for the exhibition, she was ready to order her designs which took home to Nigeria to begin her jewellery businesses. Friends visited her home to buy some of the pieces she brought in from Italy. Before long, they were sold out. That single step led to the birth of Jewellery Aﬀair. “I decided to go into Luxury retail because I saw a gap in the luxury jewellery market in Nigeria,” says Adeshoye. “I saw that most Nigerians love jewellery, especially women, however a lot of women, myself included, often had to go abroad to places like Milan to acquire our jewellery. Once I saw the joy it brought to my friends when they buy beautiful jewellery oﬀ of me here at home in Lagos, I immediately knew it was an important and smart business to do, especially as there were hardly any other luxury jewellery stores at the time.” Also, Adeshoye saw a gap in jewellery designs as most

THE LUXURY REPORTER

of the ones Nigerians loved were not available locally. “Nigerians have an extravagant culture, and we love to express ourselves boldly and proudly. But a lot of the diamond pieces for example, that one could find back in the were often very understated and minimalist. I knew that once I started selling my jewellery, they would be vivacious pieces that reflected their worth at first glance,” she explains. Her brand name, Jewellery Affair came to be when she decided to deal with everything fine jewellery, from an 18 Karat Gold and Diamond base to designing bespoke pieces that are unique to her clients. “We have pieces adorned with gemstones like Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Precious and semi-precious stones like onyx, aquamarine, amethyst, algate amongst others. We have readymade full sets (includes earrings, necklaces and rings) to stand alone unique pieces, to engagement rings, to customised watches. Anything you can think of in 18 Karat gold or diamonds, we can bring it to life for you.” Located on Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island, a very accessible and well-known street in the heart of the city, Jewellery Affair store is housed at the famous Civic Center, an upscale event center that epitomes a meeting point everything ultramodern which is what Jewellery Affair is all about. Jewellery Affair stocks some of the best world

Cover

renowned jewellery brands. It stocks brands from Italy like Roberto Coin, Fope, Chimento, Santa Augustino amongst others. Jewellery Affair has something for everyone who loves to live the good life and stand out of the crowd. “We have something for everyone and every age group. From trendy women and men and that has an eye for luxury to babies for whom we make customised pieces. We like to say that Jewelry affair is for the smart Nigerian because they know a good investment. Our jewellery is an ideal investment as the value of 18 Karat gold only appreciates with time. When I started this business, a gram of gold cost $8, while today the same gram sells for up to $70. The diamonds we sell can also always be detached from their jewellery pieces and re-sold at a significant rate, making their value indeed last forever.” The Civic Center store is the sole store Adeshoye owns at the moment. However, she plans to open another one soon. Recently, she made some exciting renovations to the Civic Center store -the space was expanded to give it a chic facelift. “Luxury retail in Nigeria has been an excellent experience. Nigerians are luxurious by nature, and we have many occasions that call for the adornment of fine jewellery, so naturally, the market has allowed our business to thrive. The luxury retail industry was at its

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Cover infancy when I started 25 years ago, but over time, various improvements have also allowed the business to be more easily managed, including better security services which the Civic Center undoubtedly provides.” Like every business, Adeshoye has had her fair share of the challenges faced by business owners in Nigeria. “The main challenge, I would have to say, has been the fluctuating foreign exchange rate of recent years and the recession. As our jewellery is sourced from Italy, the increasing exchange rate made it particularly difficult to make sales, as our prices increased overnight.” Another challenge she is facing is piracy and fakes. “I have faced the challenge of other non-luxury jewellery sellers copy my designs and produce fake silver versions which they sell at lower prices. However, silver fades after a few months, while our pieces last forever because gold will always be gold and diamond will always be diamond. Our clients know this, and so we've continued doing what we do best by providing them with ever new and stunning designs.” In the same vein, like any successful business, she has not relented. For her to stay afloat, she innovated and did what the times demanded of her. “We reduced our profit margins, and also came up with an affordable and ultramodern line that targets the younger generation called Meeya's Gold Link (MGL). Through active social media and other marketing efforts, the launch of MGL enabled daily sales even to skyrocket and kept the business very relevant even throughout the recession.” Part of her growth strategy is to attend jewellery shows around the world to keep abreast of some of the latest innovations, designs and brands in the industry. “I have attended loads of jewellery exhibitions around the world, from the Vicenza fair to JCK Las Vegas to Baselworld. Baselworld is a great experience because the companies and manufacturers you meet there are unique for dealing with top brands of watches adorned with diamonds, gold and other precious stones.” The next big step for Adeshoye is to start making a jewellery line of the most exclusive and unique diamond masterpieces whereby only two or three of each design would exist in the world.

52 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Beauty

THE LUXURY REPORTER

How To Care For Your Virgin Hair

LARA OLADUNNI Natural hair is beautiful, whether it is virgin, relaxed, or braided. The key to healthy, beautiful hair is moisture and gentle treatment. Without these, black hair can become dry and brittle. Caring for black hair takes a little bit of extra eďŹ&#x20AC;ort, but the soft, silky, and healthy results are worth it. Here are quick steps to caring for your virgin hair

Wash your hair once every 1 to 2 weeks. The more often you wash your hair, the more you strip it of its moisture. This results in dry, brittle hair. You should wash your hair every 7 to 10 days, but you can get away with washing it once every 14 days. This will help prevent dryness and product buildup. Wash your hair with Monoi Oil Natural Hair Strengthening Shampoo which detangles hair whilst leaving scalp and hair clean from buildups. Massage thoroughly to create rich lather. Rinse and towel dry wet hair.

Consider washing your hair with just conditioner every 3 to 5 days. This is also known as co-washing. It will help moisturize your hair, and keep it manageable. Co-washing is especially great for natural curls, as it keeps the hair less frizzy, more deďŹ ned, and better moisturized. You

can help further seal the moisture in with a natural oil of your choosing. An ideal conditioner to use is Monoi Oil Natural Hair Conditioning Therapy. It instantly repairs damage caused by lack of moisture. It moisturizes hair to reduce shedding and tangles. Work from roots to the tip of hair, massage gently to ensure even distribution. Leave on hair for 10-15 minutes using heating cap or steamer if desired. Rinse out thoroughly.

Don't use products that contain silicones and sulfates. Silicones are great for making hair nice and smooth, but they can only be removed with sulfates, a harsh cleaning agent that leads to dry hair. If you don't remove the silicones from your hair properly, your hair will get too much build-up, and end up looking dull, greasy, and lanky.

Use Monoi Oil Natural Hair Restore Serum hydrates. It locks in moisture leaving hair softer and healthier instantly. There is 98 percent less breakage after a single use. Comb through for even distribution. Do Not Rinse Out. Style hair as desired. Don't forget to repeat weekly. Monoil Oil Natural Hair Spray Lotion, for additional moisture and shine designed for the dull looking hair. For best result, spraying must be 15cm away from hair. Do Not Rinse Out. Style hair as desired

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Retail

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Works Of Art And Nature CEO of Graff, Francois Graff, speaks about the new métiers d'art GyroGraff.

or more than half a century, Graff has been operating at the very pinnacle of the high jewellery industry, manufacturing spectacular pieces that move the heart and stir the soul. Since 2008, Graff Luxury Watches has combined imaginative design and exceptional Swiss engineering to create captivating watch collections and bespoke timepieces. What is the most important Graff Luxury Watches model today and why? Our GyroGraff immediately became one of our most important timepieces. Combining rare métiers d'art with an extraordinary in-house movement involving three different complications, it is the pinnacle of watchmaking at Graff. We launched two new pieceunique GyroGraff models at Baselworld – the next chapter in the series of GyroGraff timepieces. They depict Asian landmarks, namely the Great Wall of China and the Temple of Heaven. The detail on them is quite incredible. W hat draws the global audience of watch a cionados to Graff Luxury Watches? Anyone who visits us here at Baselworld knows to

54 www.luxuryreporter.ng

expect the unexpected. We are unique in the watchmaking world in that each of our timepieces is a miniature work of art, and we strive to innovate in the use of our diamonds each year. This year, we debuted a new series of GyroGraff watches, our Endangered Species timepieces. Depicting five iconic animals, all of which are listed by the World Wildlife Fund as being under threat, the new collection pioneers a new métiers d'art technique developed exclusively in-house called diamondmarquetry. It encapsulates Graff's exceptional skill, talent and sensational diamonds. Where are you currently expanding the business? Most recently, we have opened new stores in Monaco and Hong Kong. Shortly after Baselworld, we will be opening a new flagship store in Paris, which will give a huge boost to our presence in the French capital. In an exclusive location on Rue Saint-Honoré and designed by the American architect Peter Marino, it promises a Graff experience like no other.

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Jewellery Retail

Nature's Beauty O

ften, artists draw inspiration from nature and other things around them. Trees, flowers, leaves, fruits have been sources of inspiration to them. It is not just in painting that nature has an influence; jewellery designers are also drinking from the muse of nature. And so, the Belle collection by Stenzhorn is inspired by the Bellflower folklore, the fairy-tale saviour of the

beauty in this world. Its story emphasizes the importance of protecting the beauty of nature, as blooming ﬂowers bring happiness and joy. Stenzhorn decided to become the bearer of this message, expressed throughout its new collection to accentuate how important it is for everyone to protect Mother Nature. Since nature is home to a large family of bellﬂowers,

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Stenzhorn chooses to capture the tropical beauty of Campanella Ipomoea Aquatica. Each piece in the collection is set with fine gold channels that hold round and baguette diamonds. It is a technique that faithfully recreates the tiny veins carrying water into flower petals. Each piece is detailed with a splash of yellow diamonds and pink sapphires that stem from its bud's centre. Furthermore, the protagonist in the Bellflower story is a winged fairy, whose characteristics uniquely details each item in the collection. In one of the pendants, she is hidden inside the flower and can only be unveiled by sliding a thin gold chain that dangles from the piece. The rings in the collection are inspired by the things created by fairies while living in Bellflowers. As legend has it, the fairies that lived in bellflower fields used buds to fashion hats and lanterns for their midsummer parties. Inspired by these stories, each ring is presented with a fairy sitting on the shank and resting in the flower's shadow. A closer look at the rings reveals that the ring shanks conjure the shape of a flower's stem, evolving in a precious swirl around the finger with a diamond set at the very tip. As support for the delicate diamond flowers, a yellow or rose gold gallery blossoms under each ring. The gallery's design flourishes in gold curls and culminates in the profiles of petit bellflowers or drops of diamonds. The gallery's curly shape is inspired by the oversized

56 www.luxuryreporter.ng

capital letters used in children's fairy tales to begin a new chapter. These intricate letters often feature elaborate swirls while incorporating ﬂowers and even characters from the story that they help to tell. To this end, like nature Stenzhorn's the new collection is a beauty to behold, a keepsake to have.

Retail

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Verafina Luxury In A Class Of Its Own FUNKE OSAE-BROWN

oft-spoken Yvonne Okocha was seated behind her desk when I visited her luxury boutique at the Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island. Her smile broadened as soon as I was ushered into a private office by her staff. The first time we met was at the Baselworld 2019 in Switzerland. We hit it off immediately sharing our experiences on the African luxury industry. From our conversations, I could tell Yvonne knows where she is headed in her entrepreneurial journey into luxury retail. Yvonne's expedition into luxury retail began when she ventured into high-end real estate after obtaining her bachelor's degree in estate management. Afterwards, she travelled to Monaco, where she dabbled into luxur y concierge ser vices. She worked with local concierge and event companies to car ter to Nigerian and African clients visiting Monaco for holiday or business. Whenever she returned home to Nigeria for Christmas holidays, Yvonne would buy hampers from Harrods, Galleries Lafayette, Selfridges to resell. She later started getting requests from her clients to assist in purchasing Hermes Birkin and Kelly bags and other exclusive luxury goods. After her Master's degree in Monaco, she worked a bit for Bottega Veneta (part of the Gucci group at the time). Her experience at Bottega Veneta

would mark a turning point in her decision to go into luxury retail. “I realised there was a common denominator in all the businesses I had been involved in and that was catering to High Networth Individuals,” Yvonne tells me. When she moved back to Nigeria, she continued her personal shopping services and also started selling Veraﬁna customised iPhone. These are gadgets customised in gold or rosegold

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Retail

THE LUXURY REPORTER Berluti “Un Jour” Leather Briefcase

Christian Louboutin Shoes

personalised with owners' initials, names or company logos with diamonds. “Eventually, I realised I had to increase my product offerings to meet the demands of my clients better and to also put some structure to the business by way of a physical retail boutique that sells everything from luxury Swiss watches, jewelry, writing instruments to leather goods (shoes, bags, luggage), accessories, bespoke gifts and hampers,” says Okocha. Coined from her mother's first name, Vera and Italian word 'fina' meaning pure or beautiful, Verafina, Luxury has a mission to provide her sophisticated clientele with exclusive curated pieces that reaffirm their status and express their personality and style through a selection of expertly curated luxury goods which epitomises her values of quality craftsmanship, exquisite designs and timeless elegance. Verafina Luxury's offerings but not limited to; Stefano Ricci, Berluti, Hermes, Bottega Veneta, Guiseppe Zanotti, Chanel for leather goods. While for watches, jewellery and writing instruments, we source pieces from Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Jacob & Co, Tiffany, Montegrappa and other brands. “For jewellery, we also offer a bespoke service and work with mostly diamonds to create a unique design

58 www.luxuryreporter.ng

and piece that fits the client's budget. We stock items for both men and women and have a personal shopping service for children and items we do not have in stock,” she says. With a limited supply of luxury retail spaces in Lagos, Okocha believes Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel is a great place to situate her cosy store. “When I was space shopping, my primary concern was finding a location that fit the Verafina brand DNA. I needed a place that already had filtered traffic and my target market, preferably in a luxury service cluster so we could leverage on the footfall from other businesses like hotels, restaurants, spa etc. It also needed to be discreet yet easily accessible and secure. Thankfully, the Radisson Blu Hotel in Victoria Island was a perfect fit,” she adds. From its flagship boutique on Victoria Island, Verafina Luxury offers next day delivery to clients in other states in Nigeria, making them accessible from any part of the country. As the brand grows, Okocha says she will be looking to open more boutiques to continue catering to the needs of her clients. Okocha tells me her experience with luxury retail in Nigeria has been a fascinating journey that comes with its challenges, but it has also been rewarding. “From my experience, my clients are sophisticated and above all want convenience. Yes, they travel abroad and have access to these luxury brands, but they are busy C-level executives who don't have the time to go shopping and even when they do, they might not know what to buy or what is trendy. Secondly, impulse buying and instant gratification; clients want to make purchases and receive their items immediately.” These are the gaps that Verafina Luxury seeks to fill. “As

Retail

THE LUXURY REPORTER a company that understands the concept of quality service, we focus on providing our clients with truly personalised service, she continues. “Also, Nigerians have a high appetite for luxury consumption, and as an emerging market, there are tremendous opportunities in the Nigerian luxury retail space. We have the numbers, and global brands are beginning to see the revenue potential of this market and are increasingly looking to partner with indigenous retailers like Verafina who have access to the right target audience, understand the local market, the global industry and can grow these brands locally.” Verafina Luxury caters to the needs of High Networth Individuals (HNIs) and high-income earners. With an understanding that luxury consumption can be aspirational, they stock entry level accessories for that market. Owning a business in Nigeria can be challenging; Okocha has not been spared at all. She has encountered challenges in varying degrees. However, she believes “there is a high barrier to entry in the luxury retail industry, and in Nigeria, access to finance and credit is a significant challenge and when credit is available the interest rates are ridiculous. Secondly, the current foreign currency exchange rate. A few years ago, it was N150 to $1, and now it is around N360 to $1, so do the math.

Montegrappa Nigeria Giftset

Thirdly, there's a bit of a negative perception of doing business in Nigeria, getting some of the global brands to understand the revenue potential of the Nigeria market is a considerable challenge but increasingly they are catching on to the fact that Nigerians have a high appetite for luxury goods.” In spite of the challenges, Okocha's academic, professional background and network have provided her with the necessary access to the right people for mentorship and strategic partnerships. “I have been persistent and consistent, and I am extremely bullish in attaining my goals and objectives at every milestone in my business journey.” The next big step for Okocha is to focus on growing the Veraﬁna brand and positioning it as the go-to luxury shopping destination in Nigeria for exclusively curated pieces from some of the world's most prestigious luxury brands.

Stefano Ricci Jeans

Vera na Luxury is a Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. Instagram: @vera naluxury Email: sales@vera na.biz

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Arts

Arty Clocks

It seems the taste of pendulum is swinging back towards appreciating clocks as objects of artistic and sculptural beauty write LARA OLADUNNI.

iola Oloto likes intriguing clocks to adorn the mantel of her home. As an interior designer, she ensures that artistic head turning clocks come with the designs in her spaces. She says creativity recently is at the heart of clocks. Some of these clocks come in captivating extremely whimsical longcases. They come after designs common in the late 17th century. “A recent design I used,” explains Oloto, “below it, the dial boasted a diorama depicting a ﬂeet of vessels rocking back and forth. It comes with some divine ﬁgure making an appearance from behind the clouds. It was a great statement piece that will take you back in time like those 17th century times in England. ”Some of these baroque clocks are visually appealing they are often regarded as unexpected visual treats. For instance, Melchio, a clock, sold at £30,000 is a

60 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER gleaming robot that looks like it has stepped out of the science-fiction films. It comes with two discs. The first displays hours, the other minutes. It rotates in the middle of his torso. But perhaps it is more accurate to describe Melchior as a decorative object, a sculpture that happens to tell the time. Melchior was made by MB&F (Max Büsser), a name that came from a family tradition of first names that alternated between Balthazar and Melchior for generations, but which fell into desuetude with his father. Max Büsser's clocks and watches are among the most far-out creations in the horological world today, and in 2011 he opened a gallery, the MB&F MAD Gallery, which he describes to FT's 'How To Spend It' as a “captivating u n i ve r s e o f k i n e t i c a r t w h e re horological machines and m e c h a n i c a l - a r t d e v i c e s re i g n supreme”. The first exhibition space, in Geneva's old town, was followed by one in Taipei in 2014, and another is set to open in Dubai. This crossroad of culture and clockwork is fascinating. Until a few years ago, the dominant interest was mechanical, but now the pendulum of taste has swung back towards viewing timepieces as objects of beauty as well. Enamelling, for example, once almost extinct, has returned to popularity. But for the enamel artist, the limited “canvas” offered by a watch dial only a couple of centimetres across must be a frustration. In part to maintain and develop these craft skills, Patek Philippe continued to make its celebrated dome clocks even when there was not the demand. “We don't count on the market, we count more on our craftspeople, and if we cannot sell the clocks, I keep them,” Patek Philippe president Thierry Stern told 'How To Spend It. “At one point we had over 80 dome clocks in stock” – no small number, given one might take an artist up to a year to complete. “Today, however, it's almost impossible to find one,” continues Stern, neatly illustrating the recent surge in popularity of this kind of work. Oloto says there is a renewed interested in artistic techniques and dome clocks are the most favoured. She says they show huge amounts of space on which to develop a theme and which, because of their

THE LUXURY REPORTER

curved and rounded form, present unique and inspiring challenges for the artisans. For Patek, enamelling on clocks are mixed with other techniques such as engraving and wood marquetry to heighten the visual effect. Of recent, famous world maker, Cartier has introduced such recondite disciplines as marquetry of flower petals, and has now used straw marquetry to dazzling effect in a limited series of 18 palladium and silver table clocks with iridescent blue dials of subtle colour gradations from cornflower to cobalt. Cartier has long had a reputation as a clockmaker. Its heritage during the art deco years is particularly rich with desk and table clocks, while its rare and famous mystery clocks, made in small numbers during the early 20th century, are among the most miraculous of its creations – but its renewed focus on creative clockmaking saw the launch of the Etourdissant

Arts

collection July 2016. The collection featured a mystery clock in white gold, amethyst, agate, turquoise, onyx, baguette-cut diamonds and brilliant-cut diamonds, with an eight-day movement – even if it did not tell the time, it would make a beautiful abstract sculpture. According to reports, Cartier has for the past three years had a new eye on hardstones because the poetry that comes from them and what makes each exceptional. Cartier has been able to mix hardstones and precious gemstones on clocks. Cartier is not the only maker of beautiful clocks during the art deco years. Verger Frères and Vacheron Constantin made some of the most attractive decorative clocks of the time. Internationally, decorative clocks are staging a comeback. Those who can aﬀord these statement pieces are doing so with relish.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

“Our Xpandable Line Has Been Fruitful” Giuseppe Picchiotti, the founder of Italian high jewellery brand Picchiotti, talks about successful collections. What are your most successful collections? Many people know us because of our 'Classics' collection, which remains the pillar of our company. But we have also very successfully developed our 'Xpandable' collection, which has brought us an incredible amount of business. The traditional use of emeralds, rubies and sapphires is a very important part of our business. They were actually the key feature of Picchiotti. Using those gemstones now in our Xpandable line has also been extremely fruitful for us.

62 www.luxuryreporter.ng

Your primary sales market is the USA. Do you have any shops of your own there or elsewhere? No, zero! We were not born to be retailers. We were born to be manufacturers. For us, it is important to design, to produce the models and the ﬁnishing, and to set the stones. This is our world. You out tted fashion models with your jewellery for the new fashion show. How did you like the event? I think the catwalk was quite an attraction. It was good to be there and to show our jewellery to a large audience. The fashion show has been one of the new steps for which we are very grateful.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Be Xpandable P

icchiotti made a grand debut at the Baselworld 2019 with its The Xpandable Collection, a revolutionary new line of diamond and gemstone jewellery that uses innovative - and invisible - technology to expand and contract, solving a myriad of comfort challenges for the discerning woman. The collection was unveiled to an exclusive audience at Booth D59. A first in the High Jewelry arena, the Xpandable Collection combines knockout designs with a perfect fit. Rings stretch easily over the knuckles and contract back in place. Bracelets stretch smoothly over the wrist with no need for cumbersome clasps. The Collection includes exquisite Xpandable eternity rings, fashion rings and bracelets in the most precious metals, diamonds, coloured gemstones, ceramics, mother-of-pearl, turquoise, coral and more. Picchiotti is known for its classically inspired pieces that feature superlative gemstones set with the flawless workmanship for. The designs will be worn for many generations to come.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Jewellery

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Happy Birthday, Mezzaluna!

l Coro's B61 located at Hall 1.2 was the perfect place for the brand to commemorate the 20 years anniversary of its bestseller collection Mezzaluna

Guests at the watch and jewellery show were able to take a look at the strictly limited Black Moon anniversary edition. “The year 2019 is very special for us. We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of our bestselling Mezzaluna collection and also looking back on many exciting and successful years,” says managing director Alexander Corolli. To make this anniversary even more festive, Al Coro is presenting the Limited Black Moon Edition in Basel.” The Black Moon edition celebrates Al Coro Mezzaluna Bangle, popular Mezzaluna design with a set of ﬂawless diamonds. This precious edition is available in a limited edition of 20 pieces. Mezzaluna is an Italian word that means 'crescent moon' hence, the jewellery in the classic collection is as romantic and beautiful as a starry night under a slender crescent moon. “It is no coincidence that Mezzaluna is Al Coro's icon: this line unites all of the typical features of the brand,” adds Corolli, with its Italian roots unmistakably evident in the playful designs.” The brand continues to rely on its success formula: “On the one hand, we oﬀer striking pieces of jewellery that spark enthusiasm with graphic or organic forms. Crafted from solid pink gold and set with individual diamonds or glittering pavé, our jewellery is once

64 www.luxuryreporter.ng

again impressing aficionados in 2019 with its striking designs. On the other hand, more playful and finer jewellery with coloured gems is also be in demand this year. We are especially fond of combining coral and moonstone or smoky quartz. This juxtaposition enlivens many of our newest pieces.” Looking at Al Coro's bestsellers, Alexander Corolli sees a polarisation between two segments: “Our filigree, elastic bracelets are just as popular as our modern, playful Palladio collection. Both lines start with pieces of jewellery in an entry-level price class under 1,000 euros. But we notice that our more opulent and thus more expensive items are very well received by our clientele, too. Customers are willing to pay more for special quality and designs. Our new additions to the Mezzaluna and Serenata lines particularly inspire our customers with their brilliant pavé and eye-catching gold loops.” The Cologne-based jewellery brand was founded by two brothers Daniel and Alexander Corolli in 1999, but its roots go back much further in time, as Giuliano Corolli, the father of the two managing directors, came from the jewellery town of Vicenza and worked as a jewellery designer for over forty years.

Home

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Copper Affair

The warm glow of copper is now being showcased in innovative ways and luring design aﬁcionados away from industrial-looking steel, says ADEDOYIN JOHNSON.

he constantly changing, ﬂexible nature of the copper is what attracted Jimi Osunkoya when he visited the Mondrian London Hotel located on the Southbank of the River Thames in the famed Sea Containers building. It was designed by British designer Tom Dixon who installed a magniﬁcent copper-clad structure inspired by a ship's hull. Piercing an outside canopy, it runs through the lobby down towards the restaurant, embracing the reception desk en route. Osunkoya says the design was fascinating and he could not help but marvel at the level of creativity that went into the creation of such an exquisite design. Copper is an excellent material that is now being

used by artists to create furniture pieces that are alive and continually changing. They are making a significant, impactful statement and draw people in with copper. Otherwise referred to as the red metal, copper has been used decoratively for many years, but new applications are emerging as contemporary designers explore its full potential. Described as being subtler than brass and more flexible than bronze, copper has a natural radiance and luminosity. When highly polished, it emits a warm glow. When tarnished, it develops a spectrum of hues, from orange, pink, red, and yellow to green, blue and purple. And its glaze continues to change when it is touched and used. However, beyond these visual distinctions, it is also efficient. Artists are falling in love with copper because it is recyclable and a good conductor of heat and electricity, while its antimicrobial properties support its use for handrails, doorknobs and kitchen worktops. Some designers are courageously using copper to create glamorous, bespoke staircase, bathtubs, kitchen wares among other household wares. From the stairs and worktops to detailing on lighting and fittings within the kitchen and bathroom, the copper has become visible as it brings out a variety of colours, from reds and pinks to blues, and combined this with sections of polished copper to show its full potential. For centuries, copper has conventionally been a kitchen favourite. The Alessi's La Cintura di Orione collection designed by Richard Sapper attests to the unique use that copper has been put to. Likewise, La Cornue's (the Rolls-Royce of kitchenrange makers) Château 150 model comes in a solidcopper finish and polished-copper trim, which makes it a collector's delight any day. Entirely handmade comes with a personalised hob design

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Home

and choice of gas supply. Fur thermore, for contemporary designers, the irresistible combination of aesthetics and functionality is also found in the glass and copper mosaic tiles made by Artistic Tile for Italian surface specialist, De Ferranti. Bolu Ogunranti, an interior décor, says De Ferranti's tile called Treble is attractive and great for panels in kitchens or bathrooms. She explains that copper's warm colour is increasingly attracting homeowners away from industrial-looking steel surfaces. According to her, its feel and outline play with depth and reflection of light. “A bathtub made with copper is truly luxurious. It is convenient. It comes with this unexplainable poetic quality that makes you want to stay longer in the bathtub.” Also, Femi Adeoye, a specialist in home designs, explains that with the recent models of furniture made with copper, homeowners have not always been so enthusiastic about the metal. “There is a greater understanding of copper now,” he explains, as “lovers of rare furniture pieces see an alternative to steel in it. They often consider steel to be too boring, but the colours of copper make it more interesting.” According to him, Italian furniture specialist Baxter's sleek Loren coffee tables shows copper's essential, jewel-like qualities. He says London-based Keir Townsend coffee tables clothed in copper are some of the latest pieces to have. Equally stylish is French designer Nicolas Le Moigne's limited-edition Copper High Table. The table is made from spun copper and black-lacquered steel. Also, the vertical and horizontal geometry of Christopher Jenner's brushed-copper and pearwood Devisor shelving is fascinating. The '3 Tier' shelf offers three horizontal planes for harmonious everyday living. Marrying Pearwood with brushed copper, Jenner created a piece which exudes a cultivated elegance, perfect for both urban and country spaces. This shelf is handcrafted in Northern Italy, by a small

66 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

family workshop with a rich tradition in carpentry using the ﬁnest materials and handcraft, setting a precedent for a piece of genuine quality. It fuses opposing elements, allowing the natural materials to perform best in a habitat of contrasts. The wooden parts are ﬁnished with a water-based lacquer presenting an innate environmental relationship, while the hand-turned, metal component is untreated, allowing for the development of an oxidised patina over a lifetime. For most collectors, the relationship with copper is as ancient as civilisation itself, and the elemental interplay between wood and metal creates an emotive layering of narrative and material. For this reason, collectors have found love for copper.

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Home

Home Desks Home desks are experiencing a rebirth as technology becomes more compact, allowing the designs to excel reports AWERO AMOLE.

hukwudinma was forced to move his office to his private residence a couple of months ago. He was forced to cut cost. He was in search of a small desk that will fit appropriately into the little space he created in his Ikoyi home. “I was considering the space, but what is more important is the functionality,” he tells me. One might think that people's desire in this digital age for smaller mobile devices would render the home desk to an item of old-fashioned irregularity in a private space. However, this is very untrue. Bolu Adelagun, an interior designer, says people's roving style of working in the digital age makes a desk essential at home because it helps them to focus. According to her, it is like an island that helps them connect their professional life within a family environment. “Our clients all the time ask for several kinds of desks around the home so that they can use laptops and tablets in different rooms. We have just recently installed eight in a six-bedroom in Ikoyi. We installed in separate 'his' and 'her' studies, four bedrooms and a family room.”

For many interior designers, the key to a successful design lies in the marriage of craftsmanship and technology. “A home desk should be equally attractive from an artistic perspective as from a practical one,” says Seun Aderogba, an interior designer. She says she once commissioned a bespoke desk with a solid-oak top and mirror-polished, stainlesssteel base, modelled on tree branches for her client. According to her, the idea behind the piece is to oﬀer the connectivity that the client needed while reﬂecting the relaxed environment of his country home in Ikenne Remo, Ogun State. Some of the newest designs of home desk include Lantau console made by OKA, a UK-based furniture designer. The console has a seal-grey faux-shagreen, and a wooden top and gold-leafed metal legs were seamlessly integrated within a crisply styled living room for another client. It comes with a reasonably small surface, but it's a beautiful piece of furniture. Far more spectacular is Stiletto desk created by British design studio, Splinter Works. This dramatic yet functional desk-table is hand-sculpted from French

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Home

walnut with one leg resembling a stiletto shoe's stacked heel. According to Splinter Work's co-founder Miles Hartwell, the desk was made initially for a shoe-mad client. He also says Aviation inspired the firm's piece Belgravia. The whining propeller blades are evoked by its timber X-shaped base, while its smooth, leather-wrapped top is attractively faced with French burr walnut. Indeed, furniture as functional art must have found its apotheosis in desk design. Echoes of constructivism and futurism are reflected in some contemporary designs. For instance, Oxfordshire-based artist Jonathan Baring takes inspiration from the minimalist pieces made by the late American artist and sculptor Donald Judd in the 1960s. Some contemporary desk designs take inspiration from minimalist philosophy. The simplicity of these pieces and the elegant way that they were put together makes them very alluring. An example of minimalist-inspired design is the clean and slender, Baring's Macassar-ebony piece, which is hand-made with stainless-steel leather-lined drawers and a hidden wiring track and pencil tray. This desk remains imposing any day. It is for people who still like to have a large desk to sit at comfortably. It feels empowering. A new desk you may also want to consider for your home is an original art-deco design prompted the angled writing table by Rose Uniacke while art nouveau's distinctive spirit pervades L'Orchidée, a oneoff item by designer and maker Marc Fish, which won a coveted Bespoke Guild Mark from The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers. This glamorous confection of ziricote, aluminium, oak and leather references Orchideés, a desk made by Louis Majorelle

68 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

between 1905 and 1909 and now displayed at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. In a report by FT's 'How To Spend It', Fish says his version which is beautifully handcrafted with a tambour roll-top symbolises the emotional and physical connection between a parent and child. “Its inspiration follows that passage of life – the cradling of a new generation, a new hope, the future,” says Sussex-based Fish. “It also reﬂects the journey of furniture-making from the art-nouveau movement into the art-deco period, culminating in the a c c e p t a n c e o f te c h n o l o gi e s i n m a te r i a l s, manufacture and techniques,” he tells 'How To Spend It'. Some other exciting desk to acquire is Ebony handcrafted in Macassar ebony and pearwood by Brian Newell. A Japanese sculptural aesthetic gently permeates the curvaceous piece. Be that as it may, for contemporary designers, a desk is a very reassuring object, as well as an eﬃcient workspace, and while people often prefer a design with minimal lines they still want it to look impressive.

Bar

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Rolls-Royce Cullinan Berths In Nigeria

t was an evening of fun, exquisite meal and networking when the first ever SUV by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the Cullinan was recently previewed in Lagos, Nigeria by an exclusive audience at the residence of the Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria in Lagos. The event afforded collectors of Rolls-Royce Cars and prospective clients to experience the all-new Cullinan in an exclusive luxury setting. There was a roll call of different variants of Rolls-Royce cars parked on the green lawn before guests were ushered into the expansive dining area for dinner. On the list of the Rolls-Royce's roll call of honours in addition to the Cullinan were the new Phantom and the Black Badge Ghost. As guests arrived, most of them interestingly drove in their classy Rolls-Royce cars. It was a roll call of exclusive owners of the brand in Nigeria. It was as if the ultimate visa to be a part of the dinner was owning a Rolls-Royce car! Well-dressed ushers led the carefully selected Ultra HNIs to the welcome cocktail in the waiting room in the house and later moved to the dining table well decorated with flowers and other bespok e accessories. Being a part of this Rolls-Royce exclusive evening right at the house of the Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria makes Coscharis Motors, the exclusive franchisee of Rolls-Royce in Nigeria deliver the British iconic luxury brand experience in Nigeria a perfect match.

The Deputy British High Commissioner in person of Laure Beaufils started the dinner part of the evening welcoming everyone to the 'country home' of RollsRoyce in Nigeria which is her official residence expressing her excitement in co - hosting the select VVIIPs to an exclusive dinner event to celebrate the British luxury brand. An obviously elated President of Coscharis Group, the exclusive franchisee of Rolls-Royce auto brand in Nigeria, Dr. Cosmas Maduka in his opening comments spoke about the objectives of the gathering. According to him, "This evening event is put together to simply say thank you to you our ever loyal customers for your patronage over the years and equally give you the exclusive privilege to privately view some of our latest collections of the globally respected iconic Rolls-Royce brand especially the new SUV Cullinan, the new Phantom and the new Black Badge Ghost all on display tonight to further excite you as our Rolls-Royce ambassadors in Nigeria''. Also commenting on the event is the Regional Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Middle – East and Africa in person of Cesar Habib who led a team from the regional office in Dubai to Nigeria for the event. Who in his words said "we are excited with this gathering of credible Rolls-Royce enthusiasts gathered here today to view our new variants to further delight them as Nigeria remains one of our growing market with great potentials".

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Auto

Earlier in 2018, Rolls-Royce Motor Car announced the debut of its first Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), Cullinan, an automobile that can be referred to as a show of absolute freedom. The SUV is the pinnacle of luxury that shows lovers of Rolls-Royce can live their desired luxury lifestyle in all-terrain, whether off-road or on the road. It is named after the Cullinan Diamond, the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered. The Cullinan sits above the Ghost and below the Phantom in Rolls-Royce's line-up. Series production of the Cullinan is expected to have begun in the second half of 2018 while first customer deliveries started taking place in the first quarter of 2019. The car is reported to have started its testing phase on 2nd January 2016 and has been tested on different terrain including on snow. Its innovative features enhance every journey and make your driving experience truly luxurious. The signature Rolls-Royce motifs on the SUV speak to a heritage of perfection, and the mastery of craft creates a new dimension in luxury adventure. In every way, Cullinan has come to change the game. The Cullinan of an incomparable luxury that RollsRoyce is known for wherever your adventure takes you with its elegant interior design. The Viewing Suite in the rear cabin which slides out of the compartment with a single button consists of two leather seats and a cocktail table. Its bespoke configuration gives you the best place in the house for the most beautiful views in the world. Also, guests had the unique privilege to preview the latest Phantom. Phantom is not only the ultimate status symbol, but it is also the holy grail of handcrafted luxury automobiles. Its decadent design is derived from an aluminum structure that rides atop an air suspension for euphoric comfort. It is an excellent way to show the world the finest of a luxury automobile. Phantom comes with an interior tailored for kings which can be adorned with a custom-artwork dash. Acres of wood, real metal accents and vast expanses of fine leather cover nearly every square inch of the cabin.

70 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Rolls-Royce offers both a standard- and longwheelbase version of the Phantom, with the latter being 8.6 inches longer, much of which is offered as additional rear-seat legroom. Rear-hinged coach doors open to allow easy ingress and egress to the rear seat where passengers can be treated to a myriad of luxuries such as deep-pile carpeted floor mats, power-adjustable seats with massage, a refrigerated console compartment, and remote controls for the car's infotainment system. Its dizzying array of optional tech includes night vision and a distinct laser-light system, but Rolls-Royce also offers more mundane driver-assistance features such as forward collision and lane-departure warning as standard. The 2019 Black Badge Ghost that was also previewed at the event. With the Black Badge, Rolls-Royce unleashed, its aura intensified. More power, more audacity, more spirit. The boldest expression of RollsRoyce is crafted for those who will never conform. It is Rolls-Royce's masterpiece of sculptural grace with its daring aesthetic. Black Badge Ghost is a tenacious incarnation of elegance and a beacon for those who defy convention. Black Badge adds a supernatural power to Ghost's elegant charisma. Enhanced performance makes this the fastest Ghost ever. Within the opulent interior of the Black Badge, the Piano Black veneer surrounds you with an echo of darkness. To this end, the event offered the exclusive owners of Rolls-Royce cars and those who are about to join this private club to mingle and know one another in an intimate setting. In attendance at the event were top management of Coscharis Motors, the Rolls-Royce Team from England and the deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms Laure Beaufils. You can order or request for drive test at Coscharis Motors Plc, Km, 32 Lekki - Epe Expressway, Awoyaya, Lagos, sales@rollsroycelagos.com; www.rolls-roycemotorcars-lagos.com or call 08088566297

Wine THE LUXURY REPORTER

THE LUXURY REPORTER Interview

The Nigerian luxury goods market is going to boom, says Marté Egele founder, who made leather bag carried by Beyoncé UCHE EGELE, founder of Nigerian luxury leather bags brand, Marté Egele, rose to global reckoning when American global music icon, Beyoncé Knowles, one third of the defunct music group, Destiny's Child, who is married to global music business mogul and hip hop musician, Jay Z, was spotted carrying a Marté Egele bag she designed and produced in Lagos, Nigeria, in far away Udaipur, India. The young Nigerian, who studied Fashion Design (Womenswear) at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), Los Angeles, CA, and Marketing and Sales at the University of Houston, Texas, in the United States, knows she is in a niche area of fashion where standards have been set by global brands like Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Gucci, Chanel, Rolex, Cartier, Burberry, Prada; and so has set her standards high. With an international endorsement by Beyoncé, she knows the sky is no longer her limits, but she looks at the environment under which she produces and tells PHILLIP ISAKPA when they met at Ice Cream Factory in Lekki, Lagos for Lunch with business a.m.that Nigeria's luxury goods market is set for a boom.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Interview

THE LUXURY REPORTER all the talks that are going on around concerning the kind of products I am producing, because I know how much I am putting into it. So, if they say “oh yea, it is too expensive,” that's fine, and if you say it is too cheap, it is also fine and that means you can buy it. So, I had to know how to adjust myself to different things and I am actually quite glad with where I am right now.

I am aware that the high-end of fashion, which you are into at the moment, is supposed to be exclusive, it is supposed to be more expensive. Given that you are in this area of fashion in Nigeria, what has the market and the reception been for you? Currently, people still view my pricing as being very expensive. But if you look at it, I am actually quite affordable because the highest price I have right now is not even up to $300 and when I first started, it was very hard to find out how to place myself in Nigeria because of the kind of work I do. It is handcrafted, it is made by local artisans, I have to also put my input into the bag as well, the design and the uniqueness and it is also real leather. Factoring all of these things, it is supposed to be a really expensive bag, but it is not because I am trying to make sure that people at home can afford it, people like me and you; so it can be reached by quite a number of people. But the only thing that will differentiate it is the style on it. It was hard for me when I came into the market because, number one, they did not necessarily know my background. Number two, I am coming into a leather industry which people do not pay attention to; and they were like: “What is this you are making, when others are making Ankara bags, which are trending at the moment, and where are you coming from that your prices are so high?” At that time, it wasn't even that high, right now I have even increased it just a little, so it wasn't that easy for me. But now I am actually owning it, because I have had to grow into my own and know who and what it is my target market is, and who I am trying to reach, not necessarily be swayed by

72 www.luxuryreporter.ng

In terms of availability of materials, what is the pool of sources like? That is now turning into a strategy, to put it that way, because of how limited the leather is. I do not have a huge source of leather pool so some people might just be carrying a particular type of bag that they are never going to have again, unless by luck I find the material again. But I literally go through searching for very unique and very amazing leathers that I will be able to use, even though there are some that I try to consistently use, because I want my bags to look like everyday bags, but no matter what, they are classics, so that is literally what I do, it is not easy finding a large amount of leather to consistently use, but I do search and that falls into it being a strategy and falls into playing with the price and stuff like that. But it is not easy finding a large amount unless you are going to be getting it from abroad, and that means, I am not getting it from Nigeria anymore and one of the key thing I want is for everything to be gotten from Nigeria. Nigeria is a large country, and leather is supposedly gotten from the north, so where do you source your leather from? I get it from here in Lagos and they also get their pool from different people, so I have people who I am able to reach and they are able to provide me with what I want. Because you are handcrafting your leather, it must be challenging meeting the set target for the year, what is your set target for the year like, what is your production target for the year? I produce a lot of bags, in a week, given that all the hardware is provided; because sometimes I am less hardware and more leather. But once everything is aligned, I can make up to 20/30 bags in a week, depending on leather and hardware availability, and this also takes into consideration the different styles, and not just one particular style.

THE LUXURY REPORTER

So you don't mass produce? Yes, I don't Okay, so in terms of style of handbags produced, if you are producing a particular style, what number could you produce to make it very exclusive? To make it very exclusive, you have to take into consideration the fact that the leathers will be different, but asides from the leathers being different, my bags will forever be exclusive; it is already limited. You see this bag I am carrying, nobody has it, I have not used plain black leather to make another bag, so nobody has this particular bag, so this is just one and everything is exclusive. There is another bag I made, there is a fish skin I kind of used, I was able to find a certain amount of leather and I was able to make two of it, and that is it. And then recently, I found some more of the leather and made more and that is it, I can't find it anywhere else, literally only five people have that bag. There is this bag that Beyoncé has, she is the only one that has that certain bag, the colour combination of blush pink and red. I was going to come to the Beyonce thing. So talk us through that. Suddenly Beyoncé was carrying a bag made here in Nigeria by you, how did that come about? They reached out to me and at first I didn't know, but when it was pointed out, I jumped at it. She was supposed to wear it at the 100 birthday of Madiba [Nelson Mandela centenary celebration] in South Africa but she didn't wear it, so I was just like, “Oh my goodness!” but at least she has it around her. And then my friend sent me a message about a month later, asking, “is this your bag?” She saw it on Instagram, and I was like “you've got to be kidding me” and that was how I found out, but it was literally by contact. The people that you meet are the ones that will take you further.

Interview

There is the creative side of what you do, but what is the business environment like for you, how challenging is the business environment? I am surrounded by good people, who have seen the effort I have put into it and really want me to succeed; so, my success is their success. That is literally my foundation, my family will do anything to push me, my friends will do anything to push me forward and so that is how I stay grounded. My dad is my business partner and so, when I am faced with a decision, I listen to his views. My brother is my head of finance, so he is the one who analyses my account because he studied finance and international business, and so he is actually skilled in that area. So, I have people around me, who make sure everything I do is in the right. I have project managers all around me; I have people that know what it is and where it is I can go. I have a very far vision of where I want to go and that drives me. If I just wanted to have a brand for the sake of it, I don't know where I would be, but I want to be competing with international brands and so I have set my mind to be amongst the “Khloe and co,” so my business ground is very sound and well placed. You focus on the creative end of the business, which produces the products, but you have to run a business to make pro t, and this business can be affected by the environment, like power supply, traffic. How are they impacting the business itself? It is really not easy, and that is why I spoke of my family and people around me; right now I only have four people on my team. I am there, my bag maker is one, I have someone who handles my social media, and I have a PR person or brand manager, and then my brother handles my finances, so it is really a tight-knit group and with that, it is like I am left to do all these things because these people are in separate parts of the country or the world, so I am left to handle almost everything myself. And because of how life is in Nigeria, the bag makers for example, I have to deal

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Interview with their inadequacies, stroke their egos; electricity can be a problem and sometimes may not be. My problems lie with wanting to get more bag maker to make bags for me, and making sure that I have the right set of people selling my stuffs for me, while I work on the products. If I can get more people doing the bags for me, it will be a lot easier, if I had more people weaving the bags for me, it will be easier. I do them all myself right now and I am not saying that I don't love it, I do love it but it is only me. I hear that a lot from people who are into dress making, you know fashion is broad; they don't have many artisans to help them. Why is that such a problem, is it that everyone wants to be an “oga” (a boss) or what? You see, everyone in Nigeria has that boss mentality; everyone wants to be at the top, and everyone wants to be a leader. That is why I feel there is so much traffic in Lagos because everyone wants to be in front of the other, but nobody wants to follow, nobody wants to listen, nobody wants to know the right things to do to be able to move forward. That is why, if you have a shop and have someone working for you for about two months, they already feel like they know everything, and before you know it, they want to start theirs. When you travel internationally and see how businesses are run, you will see people that have been inside the company for like 20 years and they are doing the same thing, just that they are now skilled at it. So, that is one thing that Africans and Nigerians do not necessarily have, and I am saying Africans very loosely because the people that work for me are Africans and they are doing good jobs on my bags, and that is because they are in their comfort zone, in the same place with other bag makers. But if I take him out of his comfort zone to try and train him, he is not going to do the best work that he is doing being around those people. Even if I want to instill perfection to his art, he might not necessarily get it because he is around certain people. So, it is very hard for people to grow in the industry when they always want to be on top. That must be a big challenge for the fashion industry, and for bag makers as well? Yes it is, because you have to train these people to your taste and to know what you want. I tested more than five to six people before I finally chose my current bag maker and even some of them still say,

74 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER “you have not come back to me?” and I will tell them I will be back but he didn't sew my bag well for me. Yes, I might still go back to him and give him some more tests, but does he know what I am testing him on, does he know what I want, even though I have shown him? So, until they perfect what I want to achieve, I don't think it will work. This problem of artisans starting and running away shortly afterwards, is it something about the business model, in terms of maybe remuneration, and recognition, because I know that Stella McCarthy was with Chloe for a number of years, before she setup her own. How can people be rewarded and be recognised, or is it a local problem? I wanted to leave my bag maker at one point; I was calling his bluff because they feel like they have so much to handle, and I felt like I was already paying him a lot for the bags and he was still calling for more. The good people I have around me spoke to me, I knew the issue would come up but it was really annoying because it was just me and a few people that are trying to put this thing together and this guy still wants more and I don't have a sales person. I am the sales person, I am this, I am that; and he was asking for more. But then they told me that since he is making the bags well for you and you are satisfied with the way he does it, and since I had not seen anybody better, I had to stick with him and paid him more. After so much negotiation, finally, we came to a price and I had to write it down, clearly stating that the price cannot go higher than this and we signed that agreement with a witness present. So now, if he says he wants to increase his price, I just tell him, this is the price we settled on then, this is the price it is going to be now, if anything changes, we can

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Interview things, they will want to know almost all these questions you are asking me, “How many bags do you produce?” “How much do you sell them for?” “What is this, what is that?” And if it is business you are trying to do. I have actually spoken to some and they are still deliberating. I can't force their hand to give me money, I just have to continue with where I am and continue doing my very best to grow.

renegotiate but nothing is changing and until then, this is the price we go for. Yes, payment can be a problem because I know that somebody else that actually had him, things didn't go down well and he chose to work on his own and that was where I came in. You could be regarded as an SME as it were, and one of the major problems of SMEs is nancing, talk us through how it has been for you sourcing nance. It is not easy. My dad has tried enormously to get me certain things; my mum has also done really well. She was the one that actually bought my industrial sewing machine for me to sew these bags, and my dad has been pumping money into this thing, even though now, Marté Egeleis now putting money back into itself. They were the ones that started it. Right now, I am actually looking for ﬁnance, investors but it is really not easy because when you are trying to grow your company, you do need help to be able to carry you there. If you don't have money, how are you going to put yourself in magazines and do the necessary adverts you need, travel and expand, you can't be able to do that and nothing is free. What is it like in terms of the sources out there for nancing, what are the challenges you face trying to source for funds? They want to know that your business is able to make proﬁt and know that it is worth their trouble, if I should put it that way, or if it is worth their time. And in fashion, especially when it comes to all these intricate kind of

Let's look at this broadly. You are into luxury fashion, because leather is not something you can nd everywhere, how do you see the Nigerian luxury goods environment? We are trying. It is not only me, there are all these amazing leather designers that are out there and so they also inspire and push me with their work; it just pushes me to want to do more and make sure that I stay on my feet. I don't want to lag, because these are competitors and if people don't buy from you, they will buy from them. It just depends on style or whatever, and these guys are doing their best and every now and then, Nigerians are beginning to realise the solidity of leather, that oil is not the only money maker, but leather has the potential. That is why Louis Vuitton and all these other brands come to Nigeria to get leather and go back, do more stuffs to the leather and sell it, but they get it from us in Nigeria. So, they are realising that leather is an amazing source of money. I remember when I first started, there were not many of us; those that came before me were the hits, they were either the first or second to start this in the country, but after I started, before I knew it another person came out, and another one. I was still trying to get my feet and I was like, “What is going on here? Oh, God I don't want to drown,” so I had to step up my game quickly and start something really fast so I don't lose the momentum, lose the opportunity I have; but now slow and steady wins the race. Nigeria has come to understand that leather is a luxury product and they can make a lot of money from it so they are doing their best to push their products out there. Looking at the industry, who are the typical consumers of these leather products, especially the handcrafted ones that are characterised by their luxury? When it comes to the handcrafted, there are only a few people who handcraft their bags, and so, I can only speak for myself when I say the people that normally

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Interview go towards my products are foreigners because of the authenticity; expatriates, and also returnees, they like my bags. Also, there are people that know what luxury is, people that understand what I am doing, so they can see the quality in the bag and appreciate it. So, those are the people I am targeting, people that are Nigerians and also know what it means. There are some of my customers that tell me the product is nicer than they envisioned and then I just hope that they don't find some mistakes on it; and if they do, I try to replace the bags because I am also trying to make sure that my customer service is on point. So, I try my best to make sure that the experience they are having is also on point. The luxury goods market in Nigeria, generally speaking, how do you see it in terms of its future outlook? I think it is going to boom, I think it is booming right now, generally speaking. The fashion industry in Nigeria is already taking off, and I see that the luxury market will boom in the next few years. The reason why I say this is, more people are gravitating towards African products, and not even just leather, African products in general. Take Marté Egelefor instance, Beyonce kind of endorsed the product and so people are saying “Wow, is that from Nigeria?” So, people now have it in their mind that they can get quality leather bags from Nigeria; it is really going to keep on starring. People are reaching out to me, different influencers from around the world want to do this, want to do that, so, let me just say that

76 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER Nigerians are trying and I see the luxury market booming. Do you see a Louis Vuitton emerging from Nigeria? Yes, you are doing your bit, but I am looking at the group, the LVMH and how it is focused on luxury, do you see that emerging from Nigeria, is there enough traction, because I know you need good money to go in? I tell you, that is where my mind is at. I don't just plan to be an accessories brand; my vision is bigger and wider. It is funny you are mentioning LVMH, I want to be a heritage brand, I want it to be that after I am gone, my bags still remain and asides from that, there is a company itself that has so many other luxury brands. That is the vision and it is not just going to be for accessories, it is literally going to be a wide range of luxury products, like cars and other things I am interested in. So I am hoping that that person will be me. So you are already doing handcrafted leather bags, and you studied women's wear; but there is commercialisation of fashion, there is commercialisation of what you are doing, and there is the craftsmanship, what do you think, in the broad sense of it, is the downside of the Nigerian market? The thing is, whatever the international market holds on to, Nigerians get excited about; which is amazing. But it would be even better if they had a strong sense of drawing out designers and products from within Nigeria and commercialising them; all done before the international inﬂuence, and showing how amazing we are. I feel when it comes to craftmanship, Nigerians are slowly giving credit to the designers and their techniques because it isn't easy to put that method down and well. The downside is more Nigerians need to understand the levels of craftsmanship that goes into diﬀerent pieces of work, from clothing to accessories so they can appreciate it more, because that elevates the industry. It's happened in Paris; you know the work that has been put into each item and so when you get it, you'll cherish it for decades and decades and speak of passing it down. Nigerian products should be the same with the level of craftsmanship that is coming out of here. Customers should know their brands and their products and feel for our products the same way they feel for other international brands.

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Interview

So how does Nigeria get that endorsement? For example, I will say Beyoncé, and it is not like I am just putting her name out there; I have not even publicised it, people have been doing the publicity for me. But the reason why I used her name, and I could have used anybody's name, is because she has kind of endorsed my bag, like I explained earlier. People will start flocking towards it. Nigerians are like that, when there is a certain type of international push on your product, when some certain people have endorsed it, they take notice of your craftsmanship, then you and your product begin to matter. Is there a possibility that this can be changed? Yes, I think so. When we start believing in our abilities and know that we are actually our problem and as well as the change; but once we realise that we are the people to actually do all the fixing, that we are the solution, then different things will be changing from here on out, I mean from Nigeria to the world. What size of the market do you hope to eventually capture or penetrate? I am definitely not mass market; I want to be that bridge where I am in-between the designer, which is the $1,000, $2,000 product type and mass market. So I want to be the bridge between both markets, where people are very comfortable buying my products. Do you see yourself getting to a point where, even though you say now that you want to be a bridge, you can say this is our high-end stuff and this is our low-end stuff, do you see yourself cutting across? I actually thought of that, but at the moment I can't speak for where my mind will go in maybe a year or two. What I can say is I just want to be that bridge. Yes, I do love luxury products, I also want to have some mass market products so that more people can get access to certain things that I am able to provide and not just certain target group, but right now I can say I want Marté Egeleto be that bridge. Marté Egelecan grow into something bigger and better, but for now it is taking its time to build its progression. How did you get into this? You studied fashion, you studied marketing and sales, but bag making is an aspect of fashion you settled into, but you could have gone on to say that you wanted to have a rst experience working in a company, but you started out straight away?

Not really. I have worked for Merill Lynch before, but I was more under a sales person. I was calling people trying to get them into retirement schemes, but I did that for a short time. I have actually done internships with fashion companies; I have worked at a magazine in Houston, and helped with some fashion shows in Houston as well. I always knew I will have something to do with fashion, so whatever I did, whether it was marketing or sales, I wanted it to be in that fashion line. I have always thought about who I wanted to be, and I actually started out studying accounting; after a while I just knew accounting wasn't for me, so I switched to marketing and sales. Even though I went to Merill Lynch, those were the days I was actually ﬁguring out myself. Going back to how that passion became part of me, my mum used to sew clothes when I was little and my dad called her “obioma” (the local tailor), and my dad even bought me and my sister sewing kits as toys, so that kind of like shaped me. Can you now talk me through the bag that Beyoncé carried, describe the creativity that went into the design? The design had been here. I designed the bag in 2016/2017; that was when I created that style and it was during the time I was trying to ﬁgure out the kind of bags Nigerians like. When I came back to Nigeria in 2014, I was working with a fashion brand named “Grey” in Lagos. I worked for them for about a year, and left to do my own thing. That year was very tough for me because even though I thought they had inserted me

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Interview

THE LUXURY REPORTER So your creativity is driven by your surrounding? My creativity is driven by things that I am inspired by, things from my past, because I also do scarfs and it is based on things I like. I like big scarfs and that is why my scarfs are like one yard big, and I love colours even though if you ask me for my favourite colours, I will tell you black, yellow, grey, white, all these muted colours, but I'd throw yellow in there because it is my childhood colour. But I like muted colours, all these nude colours, like all these brownie colours and so I am driven by travel, driven by other designers too, just

78 www.luxuryreporter.ng

“

When I was coming back here, initially I was planning on doing leather and African print, then I realised it wasn't unique and everybody was doing the same thing, so I decided to scrap the African print idea and said “you know what, leather has been here for a long time and it is still going to be here, it is real and authentic”, so that was what inspired my choice in leather

“

into the fashion industry, me now leaving to say I wanted to do hand bags, something that Nigerians had not necessarily seen me do, they don't know me, it was very hard for me to understand. I started testing the waters by pushing some products out there to see which products will make it, which ones do people like, which ones are people gravitating towards. I was also testing the pricing as well, and people kept telling me, because when I came to Nigeria, I came from Los Angeles, which is more relaxed, more down to earth, so my bags were also relaxed, not too many bold colours, and people kept on telling me “Uche, what is this? You are in Nigeria, people want bags that are structured”. But I kept on refusing and it looked like I was being strong-headed, that was how I came up with the structured shape, and also decided that there are certain things that I want my brand to look like, things that I am interested in. I love art, I love geometry, and so that was how I wanted the bag. And then, I also wanted an element where I am merging the cultures that I have grown to love and appreciate. That was how I came up with the weaving. I also needed something that was completely diﬀerent, and I don't like things that so many people are carrying and it is not so farfetched. But in all, I wanted it to make sense. So, that was how the bag came along, it is geometric, it has like an art deco style to it. I also studied art history as well, where they tell you about the history and diﬀerent eras of fashion, and I really liked the art deco period, so that is another reason why my bags are that way and my logo is that way. You will notice that in every piece I have, that there is a geometric side to it; and so that was how the bag came about. It is structured but still seems very relaxed, it is not heavy as well and you would be able to see that it is not necessarily African but has elements of culture to it, that was the bag she carried, which many people now carry.

seeing the fact that people are able to create all these kinds of things to inspire me. I am driven by love, friendships, how I feel because Marté Egeleis built on people being free, people being friends and people being genuine, that is another reason why I am stuck with leather because they are genuine. When I was coming back here, initially I was planning on doing leather and African print, then I realised it wasn't unique and everybody was doing the same thing, so I decided to scrap the African print idea and said “you know what, leather has been here for a long time and it is still going to be here, it is real and authentic”, so that was what inspired my choice in leather.

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Watches

Here Are The 5 Models To Buy If You Are Starting A Rolex Collection

ere are the ﬁve models to buy if you are starting a Rolex Collection. Getting your hands on the right crown as a starter might not be so easy. Below are some of the top picks we suggest you buy:

Submariner 116610 The Submariner 116610 is a good a way to start if you are just dipping your toes into the journey of Rolex watch collection. It is a classic in the Rolex roster and one that has been gaining popularity even in the midst of Daytona mania. The Submariner 116610 retails for a relatively reasonable $8,550, but like all covetable Rolex models you likely can't walk into your local retailer and buy one. The good news is it is possible to buy one under $10,000.

Pepsi GMT-Master II The Pepsi GMT-Master II was the hottest watch in 2018. For those who are just in on it,it is a hot watch to have. The watch currently sells in secondary markets for double its original $9,250 retail price. The Pepsi earned its nickname for its blue and red bezel. Developed in 1955 to help Pan Am pilots keep track of time during transatlantic ﬂights, the fourth hand can be set with the 24-hour bezel to set the second time zone.

Daytona Ref. 116500 The Rolex Daytona Ref. 116500, introduced in 2016, was the ﬁrst Daytona to feature a Cerachrom bezel—a patented Rolex ceramic material that is resistant to both scratches and ultraviolet rays. Prior to this Daytona release, the model had not received a major update since 2000, when Rolex began equipping it with its ﬁrst in-house movement, the caliber 4130. It had previously come with a Zenith-made El Primero movement, which the watchmaker had used since 1988. The model from the '70s sold for around $1,100 to $2,000 and now sells for between $85,000 and $110,000. The Ref. 116500 at retail is $12,400 (the same price for the white dial or the black dial), but is commanding prices as high as $25,000.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

Rolex Skydweller with Blue Dial The Skydweller Ref. 326934 is a watch that has picked up in demand over time and believe it or not, Altieri says it's harder to get than the Pepsi GMT-Master II. It's also selling for double its original $14,000 retail price, and there's fewer of them popping up in the secondary market because clients are holding onto them.

80 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER Vintage Daytona Gold 6263 Paul Newman In certain circles, this Rolex is considered a grail watch. The Ref. 6241 Daytona is known as the John Player Special because of its black-and-gold coloring that looks like the livery of a 1972 Formula One car sponsored by cigarette maker John Player & Sons. The 6241 was manufactured prior to the '70s between 1966 and 1969 and less than 300 examples of the model in 18-karat yellow gold were ever produced. If you are new to the hobby of watch collecting, just be prepared that, like most watch collectors, your interest may develop into full-blown obsession. On the eve of the 90th Monaco Grand Prix, Bob's Watches has partnered with Sotheby's to oďŹ&#x20AC;er 12 references dating from as early as 1937 to 2016 and ranging in price from $11,000 to $75,000 in a sale on now through May 30th.

Watches

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Caviar's Limited Edition Of iPhone XS With In-built Mechanical Watch

aviar creates Limited Edition Of iPhone XS with in-built Mechanical Watch in conjunction with Apple.

The legendary exhibition of watch art inspires the limited edition 99 iPhone XS models, and 99 iPhone XS Max models, the phones, and Baselworld was a muse for Caviar. The show in Basel inspired Caviar to create an exclusive version of iPhone XS Grand Complications Skeleton Basel Edition. The idea of Grand Complication opened for Caviar new unbelievable possibilities for inspiration, creation and experiments and the smartphones complemented with mechanic watches have already become a cult unit, a symbol of a meeting of the past and the future. The spectacular design of the phone is on the reference to the organisation of a watch mechanism inside. It is complemented with unbelievably luxurious details. There are 252 beautiful diamonds of various sizes on it. The precious shining panel spreading over the skeletonised clockwork mechanism ďŹ&#x201A;ares up and shudders with sparkling lights and turns the smartphone into a piece of unique jewelry. The transparent face of the watch allows the mechanism's work while the details of the clock are in gold. The watch is modiďŹ ed on the base of the Swiss ETA Unitas 6498-1, mechanics, with a manual winding, and the 17 stones, makes 18 000 half-vibrations per hour. It comes with a power reserve of up to 30 hours. Caviar masters aesthetically modify the mechanism, the platinum is decorated with manual guilloche with the Baroque curls pattern. The skeletonised format allows viewing the work of the entire device. The Grand Complications Skeleton comes in black and gold. The body of the phone is decorated with the black engraved titanium and engraved decorative gears. The decoration element framing the face is adorned with 252 diamonds of various sizes: from 1.2 to 2.25 mm. The class of Grand Complications

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

watches is the absolute elite of the watch world, the more complicated, the better. This design presents not only a modern smartphone that has nothing impossible in the technological area but also a p re c i s e s k e l e to n w a tc h t h a t g l a m o ro u s l y complements the grandiose panel of decorative gears covered with gold on the back side of the body. By creating iPhone XS 'complicated' with a watch with a skeletonized mechanism, Caviar continues the history of the most signiﬁcant devices integrated into the smartphone design, and introduces aﬄuent consumers to a smartphone whose body is complemented not only with a spectacular design, a watch mechanism, but a smartphone with a watch and a tourbillon.

82 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Translated from French, the tourbillon means vortex, a miniature, constantly rotating mechanism that compensates the gravity impact on the time reckoning. Thus, Caviar creates a perfectly precise watch. The design of the body, in which the tourbillon is included presents a spectacular panel of black PVD titanium decorated with the ﬁgures interpreting and telling stories about the planets' orbits, the force of gravity ﬁelds and the attraction of genuine beauty. The limited edition iPhones come in Grand Complications Tourbillon ($8 400), Black & Gold ($7 750), Black Edition ($7 720), Titanium ($6 910), Oscar ($7 750), and Rose Gold, ($7 070).

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Watches

Versatile TAG Heuer's New Autavia Range FUNKE OSAE-BROWN

AG Heuer's new Autavia Range is about versatility and ruggedness as the brand unveiled the ne w collec tion at the Baselworld in Switzerland.

The new collection draws inspiration from the original Autavia and uses innovative watchmaking technology to appeal to a new generation of adventurers. The original Autavia wristwatches and dashboard timers of the 1960s were used in racing cars and aircraft, the new Autavia collection brings together functional, versatile style and cutting-edge technology. Each Autavia watch is equipped with TAG Heuer's proprietar y carbon-composite

hairspring, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Isographâ&#x20AC;?. The name Autavia comes from the combination of automobile and aviation. A stand-alone collection, with a range of models, the Autavia is all about versatility, ruggedness and reliability, the qualities the original Autavia has been known for since the 1960s. The new collection features seven references that have been designed with an adventurous and daring spirit, joining the ranks of the Carrera, Monaco, Formula 1, Aquaracer and Link collections. What we love about the Autavia is its functionality, timeless style and numerous combinations which are evident in the seven new models unveiled at the Baselworld.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Arts Watches Every new TAG Heuer Autavia has a propeller and tire etched into the case back in commemoration of this. The bevelled lugs and the name echo those of the original, but the watch contains a state-of-theart movement, with an isograph carbon-composite hairspring, and a sturdy, scratch-resistant ceramic bezel. The brown leather strap is interchangeable, with a stainless-steel bracelet option available. The 42mm stainless-steel three-hand models feature the rounded first-generation Autavia case and bevelled lugs from the 1960s, while a bidirectional rotating bezel with a 60-minute scale in black ceramic, blue ceramic or stainless steel enhances the sporty look of the watch. The XL crown takes inspiration from pilot's watches, that used oversized crowns to make them easier to use while wearing gloves. The original Autavia was also known for being highly legible in any conditions, and this is also the case with the 2019 versions. The hour markers and hour, minute and seconds hands are coated in SuperLuminova, making it possible to read the time even when adventure leads you into the dark. In addition to the new stainless-steel Autavia models, TAG Heuer has also launched two versions in bronze, featuring a smoked green or brown dial with a bidirectional rotating bezel in black or brown ceramic, respectively. Powering the new Autavia timepieces is the chronometer-certified Calibre 5. The original Autavia was known for making use of the latest technology, and these models are no different, featuring the cutting-edge carbon-composite hairspring, which is lightweight and low-density, making it virtually unaffected by gravity and shock. It is also wholly antimagnetic. The combination of the calibre and the carboncomposite hairspring gives every model in this c o l l e c t i o n a n ' I s o gr a p h ' d i s t i n c t i o n . T h e trademarked name comes from the Greek word 'iso', which means “equal”, this reference TAG Heuer's stable and consistent movement of the component. It comes with a blue smoked dial, rhodium-plated indexes and hands filled with SuperLuminova in Brown calfskin leather strap with pin buckle.

84 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

High Time Jeweller Arts

In this interview, Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin talks watches

very year, Bulgari surprises and delights watch lovers with world-ﬁrst watches as well as complex and beautiful timepieces. Here, CEO Jean-Christophe Babin assures us that this year is no exception.

What is the main product direction for the brand this year in terms of watches? We are introducing a totally redesigned Serpenti collection, christened Seduttori. It complements the existing wide range of Serpenti creations epitomised by Tubogas and Scaglie. This new Seduttori is not just an evolution of the Serpenti as you know it, is a brand-new development celebrating gold and golden moments. It's born to be gold but also born to be worn and enjoyed on any occasion, be it casual or formal. The case and the bracelet, entirely redesigned, are perfectly integrated and flow smoothly on the wrist. This collection, also available in steel and gold, is highly sophisticated and consequently aimed at sophisticated women who will wear it on a daily basis. Are you launching any world's rsts this year? We are pursuing our quest of innovation and establishing the ultimate 21st century high-end watchmaking elegance with the Octo Finissimo. This year, with the fifth element, evolving Finissimo as an integrated automatic integrated Chronograph GMT, obviously establishing a fifth world record: A 3.30mm movement and 6.90-mm case, i.e. 40 percent thinner than any prior automatic chronograph movement ever in history and entirely developed by

our watch masters and engineers in our movement manufacture based in Le Sentier. Does that mean there is increasing attention on men's watches? Since we are a jeweller, it is natural for us to work ﬁrst of all on the ladies' (jewelled) watches: Serpenti, Lvcea and Diva. That said, men's watches have been growing fast for a few years thanks to Octo, which has become a 40-time award winner and an iconic watch within a very short time – only six years. So, we have increased our attention on Octo but keep in mind that we remain a jeweller. Are you also adding to the Grandes Complications? The new Octo Grande Sonnerie Perpetual Calendar, which is a chiming Grandes Complications watch, is being presented. It is made of more than 850 manually crafted and assembled microcomponents. Bulgari is probably the number-one brand in the Grandes Complications ﬁeld with that typology of products. Have you had any challenges this past year you have had to overcome? Challenges are simple for us: We are reaching our maximal capacity of production in our manufactures. So Bulgari watches will remain purposely exclusive. We don't pretend to craft and sell hundreds of thousands a year. We are primarily a high jeweller of time.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Fashion

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Da Viva's New Collection Pays Homage To Nature

ADEDOYIN JOHNSON

a Viva has unveiled its new collection that pays homage to nature through brilliant colourful motif.

The collection named Paradisio, an Italian word which means Paradise uses a new print concept with halftones showing oﬀ the light. Paradisio is rich in design and comes in vibrant colours that bring to mind impressionist paintings which shows more nature than exact details, photography of art, you can call it. Speaking at the media unveiling on Monday, Wendy Ata, product development manager, said the new collection showcases nature in a new yet relatable way.

86 www.luxuryreporter.ng

“Da Viva is an innovative brand, and with the new collection, Paradisio, we are making a statement with nature and other nature-related objects.” Babalola Olatunbosun, sales and operations manager, Da Viva, explained that the new collection is about delivering on the promise of innovation, fashionable fabrics. “We want our consumers to wear our products proudly for any occasion and be the star that will outshine others.” Paradisio is a limited-edition fabric that Da Viva does not wish to repeat except when there is a special order for it.

Philanthropy

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Pushing Boundaries Gucci president and CEO, Piero Braga, talks Gucci's design philosophy and the brand's plan for millennials. What is Gucci's niche in the watch world, in terms of price and design? Who are your customers? Gucci creates fashion watches that are different from anything else you will see in the industry. Our timepieces bring together a unique combination of Italian creativity, Swiss watchmaking and Gucci DNA. They are bold and distinctive, and designed to encourage self-expression. We offer a wide variety of styles and price points to appeal to different customers, especially millennials. Can you tell us about the new watches this year targeting that market? Are you reviving or maintaining signature Gucci design elements and icons? Our latest collection is designed to enable every individual to express their personality. Each watch features daring, unexpected details and is very much a fashion accessory as well as a timepiece. Signature house elements, such as the bee and other nature motifs, reappear in surprising and imaginative new ways. This makes each piece unmistakably Gucci and

forges a seamless link between the watches and other Gucci collections. What do you think is the most important design element about watches going forward? I believe that creativity and innovation are key to standing out. Today, many customers – and especially millennials – are looking for pieces that facilitate self-expression. So, it is very important for us to offer a variety of styles that reflect different tastes and are easy to mix and match. What is the future of the luxury watch market? The possibilities for luxury watches in the future are endless, as technology advances and consumer preferences change. Gucci will continue to focus on pushing boundaries to create unique watches that stand out and inspire new and existing customers. As the industry is constantly transforming, the way we present our offering to customers and journalists also needs to evolve rapidly, affecting as wide an audience as possible.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Watches

Gucci's Grip

talian fashion house Gucci introduced a new unisex watch line called Grip at the Baselworld. Like all their accessories, the new collection blends timeless appeal with contemporary style. It consists of four new quartz timepieces. Each one features a rounded square case with three windows, in which three white rotating disks indicate the hour, minute, and date respectively. One of the designs brings together a yellow gold PVD case and yellow gold PVD bracelet, both engraved with Gucci's signature Interlocking G logo. Another variant is worked purely in steel for a sleek look that combines easily with different outfits, while two further editions are offered with colored calf leather straps: green with a steel case, or Bordeaux with a yellow gold PVD case. Truly, the collection features a distinct and innovative design, which is a touch vintage and designed for both feminine and masculine wrists. The “Grip” watch line has a single-faceted dial. Square in shape, the case is styled with delicate contours that create a round effect, and the dial features windows offering a glimpse of rotating own white discs to tell, from top to bottom, the hour, minute and the date. This particular collection is made up of four models using a variety of materials: one has a PVD yellow gold case and bracelet, a second has a stainless-steel case and bracelet, a third has a steel case and a green calfskin bracelet, and the fourth features a PVD yellow gold case and a Bordeaux-coloured calfskin bracelet. All highlight the iconic double G, signature of the Gucci fashion house. The four timepieces use a quartz movement with hour, minute and date functions.

88 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Interview

Dive Into Romance

ADEDOYIN JOHNSON

magine having your wedding deep inside the ocean? It cannot only happen in your dream; it can become a reality.

You can dive into romance at Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas with its unique underwater wedding offerings. Anantara is a luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, connecting them to right places, people and stories through personal experiences, and providing heartfelt hospitality in the world's most exciting destinations. At Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, romance is anything but ordinary. A private island with only 80 villas dotting lush grounds, exclusivity is assured. A dedicated wedding planner from first thoughts to final details ensures your dream wedding comes to life in every way. You can easily make a statement with an underwater wedding where your altar is a coral bed, your rings presented in a white shell. Exchange vows with a divecertified minister your witness, each moment captured

by our underwater photographer. Adopt a coral to memorialise the occasion, returning on an anniversary to see how it blooms. Your journey together back on land begins with professional hair styling and make-up for the bride. Dine on barbecued lobster prepared by your chef for the evening, and served by the butler on a candlelit stretch of beach. After you retire into your villa, your Slumber Guru experience begins with a soak in essential oils in a candlelit bath. Unwind side by side with a lavender oil massage, then fall into the deepest of sleep. Waking up the next morning, you will be served champagne breakfast in bed. The perfect beginning of forever unfolds in paradise. At Anantara Kihavah, wedding stages are limited only by your imagination. For those who wish to keep their feet on dry land, exchange vows in Kihavah's signature underwater venue SEA as fish swim past floor-to-ceiling glass, wed on a palmfringed beach at the resort, on a deserted island at sunset, in front of family on a private yacht, or over water in a private residence. Wedding packages start from USD 4,400++ for 2 persons. Weddings at Kihavah can accommodate up to 200 guests. Please note that ceremonies in the Maldives as a Muslim country are not legally binding. For more information or to start planning your wedding, call +960 660 1020 or email kihavah.maldives@anantara.com

www.luxuryreporter.ng

87 89

Travels

THE LUXURY REPORTER

When Heritage Meets Arabian Hospitality AWERO AMOLE

he finest of Arabian hospitality beckons at the newly opened Al Najada Hotel by Tivoli in Qatar's fast-expanding capital, Doha. It is the perfect place to discover the charms of Qatari heritage.

As a new addition to the collection of hotels in Souq Waqif, Al Najada offers new heights of Arabian hospitality to hotel and apartment guests. Centrally located on a heritage site between Hamad Al Kabir street and the hustle and bustle of Souq Waqif and the Gold Souq, the new hotel is inspired by Qatari homes and hospitality, showcasing a mix of Arabic flair and European elegance. The hotel's design gracefully blends traditional architecture and faĂ§ades with modern Arabic design and a contemporary colour palette. This is complemented by crafted tile work in vibrant yellows and blues, creating a sophisticated yet lively ambience throughout the property. The open and expansive guest rooms and suites have been designed to feel elegant yet relaxed with plush interiors and classic hues. Private balconies open over the piazza with views of the city, with guests staying on the upper floors of the hotel able to enjoy vistas of the West Bay skyline. With 151 guest rooms and suites, Al Najada Hotel by Tivoli places an emphasis on privacy with a variety of accommodation including the luxurious Al Najada Suite, split-level Duplex Suites and exclusive rooms and suites that are perfect for large families. In addition, neighbouring Al Najada Hotel Apartments by Oaks, part of Souq Al Najada, offers a home away from home for long-stay business travellers and families. The restaurants at Al Najada Hotel by Tivoli are more than places to simply eat and drink, they are places to discover new flavours and revisit old favourites. Al Baraha is a light, bright restaurant lit by the Qatari sunshine streaming through the windows which overlook the spacious outdoor terrace and across the piazza to Souq Al Najada. With its high ceiling and vibrantly colourful furniture, Al Baraha, which means comfortable and cosy, is the perfect place for guests to start their culinary journey. Al Baraha Restaurant offers a sumptuous daily breakfast buffet, while for dinner guests choose from an array of international and

90 www.luxuryreporter.ng

Arabic specialities including Middle Eastern mezzah, freshly prepared salads and local desserts. Other distinctive features include live cooking stations, a barbeque for dinner and Friday Brunch. Missan, a dessert-only restaurant, is a unique gastronomic experience - an experimental journey created by the hotel's talented pastry team to stimulate the senses. Dishes are expertly prepared and served, balancing colours, aromas, textures and flavours. Missan is made for those searching for a oneof-a-kind dining experience in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. If you want to entertain friends and family, Canela CafĂŠ is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy a midmorning coffee, small bites and an array of sweet treats. In Canela, meaning cinnamon in Portuguese and giving a nod to Tivoli's heritage and roots, guests can also enjoy a calm ambience with lots of space to

THE LUXURY REPORTER

sit inside on the laid-back furniture or outside on the terrace overlooking the piazza and Souq Al Najada. Alongside the hotel's outdoor swimming pool, the Pool Bar offers seasonal menus with a wide selection of tropical mocktails, refreshing chilled juices and light snacks. Nestled on the first floor of the hotel, it is the ideal place to relax, unwind and bask in the sunshine while enjoying a refreshing drink â&#x20AC;&#x201C; truly a modern oasis in the middle of the bustling city. For guests feeling a little more energetic, a 24-hour fitness centre is also available. The hotel is also home to the impressive Al Najada Ballroom, opening onto a tranquil courtyard. Designed to stylishly host weddings, social occasions and corporate meetings for up to 400 guests, it is the venue of choice in downtown Doha. Al Najada Hotel by Tivoli is within easy walking distance of Doha Corniche and a plethora of the city's

Travels

iconic attractions, including the Museum of Islamic Art, the National Museum of Qatar (both located on the Corniche), Msheireb Museums, along with the renowned Souq Waqif, making it the ideal base to experience local culture. The hotel is also a convenient 15 minutes away from Hamad International Airport. Al Najada Hotel by Tivoli is operated by Tivoli Hotels & Resorts, part of Minor Hotels. 15 further Tivoli properties can be discovered in Qatar, Portugal and Brazil. For Reservation contact: Al Najada Hotel by Tivoli, Barahat Al Jufairi Street, Al Najada, P.O. Box 1275. Doha, Qatar T. +974 4470 4444 - F. +974 4470 4445 alnajada@tivolihotels.com - @Tivolialnajada

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Take A Gamble At Some of Africa's Magical Destinations LOLA COKER ONI

ut out the travel bottlenecks; from visas to scanty flight schedules; vacationing in Africa still offers some of the most natural, un-spoilt wonders you will ever experience. Here, our concierge services take you from the Mahmeya Island in Egypt to the exquisite Clifton beach in Cape Town and down to the bubbly city of life in Nigeria among other breath-taking destinations that have kept visitors spellbound to the continent. North Africa Tunisia- A beautiful tourism attraction, a crown of the North. Its values have brought about respect to its culture and historic monuments, music, dance. The lure to Tunisia is even stronger with her culinary creations that have gained global attention. Sunbathing at its open beaches and bird watching are great engagements on a trip to Tunis. The language spoken is Arabic. Mahmeya, Egypt- Breathtaking clear blue waters, fresh mouthwatering seafood are experiences you would not read about of Egypt outside its cherished pyramids. Mahmeya is family oriented Island and has more than enough activities to entertain everyone. It's definitely a place to add to your bucket list, after visiting that many graves and monuments that shaped the world's civilization. South Africa Clifton, Cape town- From sailing to sipping on fine wine by the beach; Cape town as the luxury capital (arguably) of the continent is home to this (Clifton) exquisite beach, that can redefine what holidaying means in just a single visit. This Island is highly

recommended to those seeking a new meaning to relaxation. Johannesburg, South Africa- It would deﬁnitely take more than a trip to experience Johannesburg. When you think of South Africa you think of history, animals and of course, we can't leave out food and fashion. It's a place to enjoy for both leisure and business. East Africa Malindi, Kenya lies on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. The language spoken is Swahili. Malindi had something for every one game resorts, beaches, historic sightseeing and more. Nairobi-So as a Lagosian we can get enough of the metropolitan lifestyle, restaurants, shopping and city life nightlife. Enjoy it all with their own culture and element. West Africa Cape Verde, Gambia-West of the Cape Verde Peninsula in West Africa, Language spoken Portuguese. If you love Islands you will love being in Cape Verde. This Island can be categorized to historic, romantic, tourist Islands. Lagos, Nigeria- No introduction needed. Lagos a city I love in the category of London and New York. You haven't experienced Nigeria until you come to 'Gidi' town. If it were a country, it'd be the ﬁfth richest on the continent and that accounts for her, luxury, panache of the upper class, the bustle of the daily life and most importantly it is the home to the evolving African pop culture. You just can't get enough of it. Lola Coker Oni is the chief concierge at Cosmopolitan Empire.

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Luxe Event

THE LUXURY REPORTER

GTB Food and Drink

94 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Fair 2019

Luxe Event

Lovers of tasty street food gathered at the 2019 edition of Guaranty Trust Bank's Food and Drink Fair, Victoria Island, Lagos, where they were treated to ďŹ nest cuisines prepared by worldclass chefs at the Master Classes. Below are some of the pictures from the event:

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Yacht

THE LUXURY REPORTER

A First Look Into Richard Branson's New Cruise Liner

ere is the first look into Virgin CEO, Richard Branson's new cruise liner. The first vessel that will sail the open waters will be Scarlet Lady which is named after one of the first Virgin Atlantic plane. It is billed to debut in Miami in 2020 with voyages to the Caribbean and select itineraries to include Cuba. In a bid to create a dynamic experience, the company recruited an array of designers to outfit public spaces, including Tom Dixon's Design Research Studio and Roman and Williams. The 2,770-passenger, adults-only ship will have more than 20 eateries, a handful of spa outlets and grooming salons, an eclectic mix of entertainment venues, and several fitness centres that will offer complimentary classes. “In my twenties, I was already thinking about starting a cruise line, despite never having been on a cruise. What I had seen and heard about cruises at the time sounded dull and formulaic, so I figured I'd start my own,” he told Robb Report. And to set Virgin Voyages apart from others, the magnate has chosen to create a ship that he says will “turn heads the moment [it] pulls into port with [its] distinct yacht-like design.” Also, Virgin has unveiled its 78 retro-futuristic suites designed by Dixon. Named the RockStar Suites, these accommodations include details like gold-plated record players, vinyls, and guitars that pay homage to Branson and Virgin Group's musical history. Suite

96 www.luxuryreporter.ng

guests will enjoy VIP perks like access to a personal coordinator, private transportation, a wardrobe team to aid with packing and unpacking, and exclusive entry into Richard's Rooftop, a members-only lounge on the ship's top deck. There will be eight different configurations to choose from, starting at 352 square feet. All will feature a balcony for guests to enjoy the sea breeze, while some will have the bonus of an outdoor shower, a rare amenity on a passenger cruise ship indeed. The Massive Suite is generously sized at 2,147 square feet, can fit up to six guests, and comes with a music room that doubles as an extra bedroom. It also has a spacious living room with a bar and an expansive terrace furnished with a dining table, hot tub, loungers, hammocks, and a catamaran net for stargazing.

Sophisticated Evolution FUNKE OSAE-BROWN

he cuteness of the Range Rover Evoque is the first trait that jumps at you seeing it for the first. The elegant SUV is the toast of most women because of its firm, gentle, feminine figure. The 2019 edition was launched in Johannesburg South Africa to a select media from across Africa in May. The Evoque comes with a sleek exterior. Its outstanding proportions deliver a dramatic silhouette and stance, enhancing Range Rover Evoque's distinctive appearance. The latest Evoque comes with a variety of all-terrain technologies such as Hill Descent Control, Gradient Release Control and All-Terrain Progress Control. There is a reversing camera as standard on all models, alongside a suite of advanced driver assistance systems and active safety features such as Lane Keep Assist and Driver Condition Monitor. ClearSight Ground View – the realisation of Land Rover's transparent bonnet concept previewed on the Discovery Vision concept – is a world first. Cameras in the front grille and on the door mirrors project a feed onto the central touchscreen to show what is ahead of and underneath the front of the

vehicle with a virtual 180-degree view. For entertainment, new Range Rover Evoque features Land Rover's Touch Pro Duo infotainment system, combining two sleek 10-inch high-deﬁnition glass touchscreens, a 12.3-inch driver display behind the steering wheel and full-colour head-up display. An InControl Remote smartphone application allows customers to stay in touch with their Evoque, no matter where in the world they are. Customers can use their phone to ﬁnd their vehicle or check the remaining fuel range, lock and unlock the car remotely, as well as pre-heat or cool the cabin to the desired temperature. Ranger Rover said that the Evoque is future-proofed, with wireless software updates to the infotainment and vehicle systems, which means the compact luxury SUV continuously improves over time,

www.luxuryreporter.ng

Auto without having to visit a retailer. Exacting attention to detail has always been fundamental to the interior of Evoque. Uncluttered surfaces and carefully curated premium materials come together to create a sophisticated and desirable cabin. The premium interior comes in twin-needle stitched leather, and a choice of aluminium and wood veneers are offered to help create your ideal space. On HSE Dynamic and Autobiography models, there is an optional 14-way electric front seats with memory and massage function are available. With its distinctive coupé-like silhouette, Range Rover Evoque is a compelling successor to the vehicle that captured hearts all over the world. Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Chief Design Officer, said: "When Range Rover Evoque made its debut back in 2010, it transformed the world of compact SUVs and the new model is set to continue that remarkable journey. This characterful vehicle combines refinement and fun to create that all-important emotional reaction that will turn heads and make people smile." Having pioneered the luxury compact SUV market, with global sales of over 772,096 and more than 217 international awards, the new Range Rover Evoque is a sophisticated evolution of the original. Combining unrivalled Range Rover heritage with cutting-edge technology – designed, engineered and manufactured in Britain – it meets the needs of today's customers. Tech firsts include 'see through bonnet' technology and a rear-view mirror that turns into an HD screen displaying a camera feed of what's behind the vehicle. Nick Rogers, Executive Director, Product Engineering, Jaguar Land Rover, said: "Underneath the skin is an engineering and technical revolution. The architecture is all-new to accommodate both plug-in and mild hybrid systems, with only the door hinges remaining unchanged on the body. The new chassis makes the most of the stiffer body, ensuring the characteristic ride comfort and refinement of a Range Rover. "Evoque is now smarter than ever. The software that sits behind our infotainment system has been refined to provide a more intuitive customer experience. On top of that, we've added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for seamless smartphone integration." Land Rover also collaborated with several fashion and technology brands to bring the design, innovation and sustainability characteristics of the New Range Rover Evoque to life. British activist and model Adwoa Aboah wore a specially commissioned dress designed by Ashley

98 www.luxuryreporter.ng

THE LUXURY REPORTER

Williams, crafted using the vehicle's suede cloth textile. This interior textile is made from recycled polyester microﬁbres, from items such as plastic bottles - in fact, the equivalent of 53 plastic bottles go into each vehicle speciﬁed with these seats. British luxury brand Mulberry has created a travel collection inspired by the new Range Rover Evoque SUV. The Weekender bag is quilted with the car's grille pattern using the same sustainably-sourced Eucalyptus material featured on the car's interior. Available in Large and Small, there are two colour options: Ebony fabric with Ebony leather trim, or Ebony fabric with Oxblood leather trim - both are accompanied by a matching key fob. The concept collection is not yet available to buy, but customers can register by clicking the link below.

ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE IN