www.urbanlife-magazine.com
December 2009
Best of British Savile Row - The Best Dressed Address in the World
Travel A mini-break in Helsinki
High-Jewellery Cartier – Urban Life Special Feature
Luxury Phones Guide Phones you won’t want to keep in your pocket
Film & Entertainment Gemma Arterton, Zoe Saldana, Marion Cotillard and, yes, Monica Bellucci!
Competition Win a luxury weekend break for two!
FASH I O N
H E A LT H & BE A U T Y
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MOTOR IN G
TEC H N OLOGY
N IGH TLIF E
ART & CULT URE
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The time is now. The place is Malaysia
Helping orphaned baby orang-utans to learn survival skills in special sanctuaries... Limitless undiscovered beaches, dive-sites and marine parks on two oceans... Endlessly delicious food influenced long-ago by traders from neighbouring countries... Tribal dances of grace and passion, backed by gongs and bamboo flutes that profoundly echo Malaysia...
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For booking contact your local Travel Agent For more information please visit: www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my or call 020 7930 7932 Tourism Malaysia. 57 Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DU e-mail: info@toursim-malaysia.co.uk
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INDEPENDENCE IS A STATE OF MIND
For your nearest RAYMOND WEIL stockist please telephone 01428 656822 or e-mail raymond-weil@swico.co.uk
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Noemia Mother-of-pearl dial with diamonds Stainless steel case with diamonds Crown with midnight blue dome Sapphire crystal www.raymond-weil.com
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EDITOR’S LETTER
GREETINGS!
AND WELCOME TO THE DECEMBER EDITION OF URBAN LIFE. As we say good bye to 2009, we look forward to starting the new decade with a great deal of optimism. Things have been tough over the past year but there are already signs that 2010 will catapult us all back onto the road of stability and well being. In this edition of the magazine we have some exciting features lined up, including a feature on Savile Row, the home of British Tailoring and a four-page special on Cartier in the Jewellery section. We also have a weekend break for two up for grabs, courtesy of Von Essen Hotels, so make sure you enter for your chance to win! As for the next edition; we will be back towards the end of Feb with lots of exciting features, including interviews, profiles, reader offers and competitions. Until then, from myself, and on behalf of my team, may I take this opportunity to thank you all; our readers, subscribers, advertisers and partners, for your continued support over the past year. I look forward to welcoming in the New Year with you all and I wish everyone the best of wishes and prosperity..
Until the next edition‌ YOURS
28 Ataur Rahman Editor-in-Chief editor@urbanlife-magazine.com
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PA I N T I N G S A N D S C U L P T U R E S
PA I N T I N G S A N D S C U L P T U R E S
The Dance, 2008, Limited Edition of 5, 4.03 x 3.4 x 2.2 m, South Bank, London
CO U N T Y H A L L G A L L ERY R I V ER SI D E B U I L D I N G , LO N D O N SE1 7PB Tel +44 (0) 207 633 9360 info@azam.com www.azam.com
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The Dance, 2008, Limited Edition of 5, 4.03 x 3.4 x 2.2 m, South Bank, London
Azam
COCounty U N T Hall Y HGallery A L L G A L L ERY Riverside Building R I V ER SI D E B U I L D I N G , LO N D O N SE1 7PB South Bank Tel +44 (0) 207 9360 info@azam.com London633 SE1 7PB www.azam.com Galery : +44 (0) 207 633 9360 Mobile : +44 (0) 7912 071 350
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URBAN LIFE DECEMBER 09
CONTENTS 12 16 18 26 30
16
34 36
FRAGRANCES Some of the top winter releases for him and her
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42
FILM &ENTERTAINMENT Sisters doing it for themselves on the big screen – Bold, Talented and very sexy!
46 48
TRAVEL A mini-break in one of Europe’s coolest cities, Helsinki
51
COMPETITION Win a weekend break for two at the luxurious Bishopstrow House in Wiltshire!
52 56
ART & CULTURE A round-up of some of the best art exhibitions
58
LUXURY PHONES You’ll be glad when it rings so you can take these beautiful phones out of your pocket
60 62 64
RESTAURANT REVIEWS Aqua Kyoto and Jak’s
HEALTH & BEAUTY Men’s and women’s health and beauty trends FASHION TRENDS The Winter Wonderlands. Hot fashion trends for Winter LUXURY GIFTS GUIDE His and Hers gift ideas that show a little more thought JEWELLERY Urban Life Special Feature on the master jewellers, Cartier THE BEST OF BRITISH – SAVILE ROW A look at the ‘golden mile’ of English tailoring and sartorial elegance
LUXURY WATCHES High fashion brings colour and design to the luxury watch market
MOTORING We road-test the Nissan 2010 GTR, Porsche Cayenne Techart and the Mazda 3 MPS
TECHNOLOGY A selection of recently launched gadgets for personal and home use
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URBAN SCENE More on London’s nightlife, according to Funky Nora URBAN LIFE If it’s a funky, fashionable and high profile event, you’ll see it here!
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Cover picture photographed by: Keith Clouston Model: Katie Carne
Black Silk Ribbon Coat, £3,000, Jacob Kimmie. Vintage Black Leather Gloves, Chanel, Stylist’s own. Babooshka Tights, £70, Bebaroque, available at Liberty and Harrods. Cover Post-production: Simon Blake. Simon@sodesigns.co.uk
uRbAN liFe Published by: Westside Communications Ltd. 10 Greycoat Place, London, SW1P 1SB Tel: +44 (0) 871 989 8206 Fax: +44 (0) 871 989 8207 Email: info@urbanlife-magazine.com URL: www.urbanlife-magazine.com Publisher and editor-in-Chief
Ataur Rahman
Creative director
Lee Thomas
deputy editor
Andre Gayle
sub editor
Will Dugdale
Motoring editor
Patrick Anderson
Fashion editor
Delphine Hervieu
Consultant Jewellery editor
Leyla Abdollahi
head of business development
James Tan
Features
Sarah Walsh
www.urbanlife-magazine.com
Jodie May Ivan Petersen Thomas Newton social Correspondent
Funky Nora
editorial Assistants
Andy Simpson, Clara Thomas
Advertising
Becky Chatsworth
subscriptions Manager
James Mason
All enquiries relating to features, advertising and sponsorship should be directed to the sales team in the first instance: sales@urbanlife-magazine.com To subscribe please fill out the subscriptions form available in this issue, otherwise download it from the website: www.urbanlife-magazine.com. Alternatively contact the office on the number above or email: subs@urbanlife-magazine.com © Westside Communications Ltd 2006-2009. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part as well as storage of same in any retrieval system or transmission in any form including content and advertisement designs without the express prior written permission of the publisher will result in legal action. The content and views contained within this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. All details correct at time of going to press but are subject to change. All errors and omissions excluded. All special offers and competitions are subject to terms and conditions (please see individual offers for details). Westside Comunications Ltd (t/a Urban Life Magazine) cannot be held responsible for any unsolicited material.
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SUBSCRPTION
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
THE BEAUTY OF IT Feature by Sarah Walsh and Andy Simpson
Top tips for looking and feeling great this winter.
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< Arbonne – NutriMenC RE This range of facial grooming products contains a 4-step ritual for men who like to look after themselves. The range includes the Reveal Exfoliating Wash (£18.60), Resurface Shave Gel (with almond and cucumber - £14.70), Restoring Toner (with chamomile, cucumber and vitamins A, C and E - £16.60) and Reality Moisturiser (with SPF 8 - £29.40). Start the New Year with a grooming regime that will help keep those years at bay! Check online for nearest stockists www.arbonneinternational.co.uk
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
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Veaudry Sublime Limited Edition - RRP £140 We were amongst the first in the UK to look at the new Veaudry Sublime professional hair straightening iron. A great product which has a heating time of, thankfully, less than 10 seconds. And the variable temperature control means you can adjust the iron’s heat to suit the condition of the hair it’s being used on. The Tourmaline (a semi-precious stone which produces the highest levels of infrared and ionic properties when heated) will also leave the hair feeling softer, silkier and less dry than standard straighteners. Not only will this product produce great styling results but it also looks amazing and the limited edition version comes with a travel size iron and a carry case. For more information: info@the-collection.net
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The Diamond Treatment Facial with Foot Reflexology – £130 The ‘Diamond Treatment’ facial is one of those exciting treatments you hear about and think it sounds so good you just have to try it for yourself. Well, it didn’t disappoint and in fact is a bit of luxury that should be experienced by all at least once. The way it works is by using the polishing action of laser-cut diamonds with a vacuum suction. This unclogs pores and removes dead skin cells from the topmost epidermal layer of the skin. Not only does this help to stimulate collagen and elastin production, but also revitalises the skin by encouraging circulation, lymph flow and cell regeneration. The result is visibly more radiant and tighter skin which leaves you feeling refreshed and energised. The package also included foot reflexology, which gives some balance to the facial treatment. And it all starts with a simple consultation! Neville, 5 Pont Street, SW1X 9EJ – T: 0207 235 3654 www.nevillehairandbeauty.net
< Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System – RRP £150
We all know of the benefits of removing make-up before gong to bed, but how many of us can say we do it regularly or, more importantly, correctly? Well help is a hand with the Clarisonic Skin Cleanser. It’s been designed by the same people who came up with the sonic toothbrush and works on the same principle. Like the toothbrush the cleanser clears the skin of makeup residue up to six times more effectively than manual cleansing. To use, it requires a little facial cleanser applied to the brush head and with a couple of minutes of gentle oscillating massage action it should clear the skin of any makeup, dirt and other impurities for cleaner and healthier skin. This should also help with using skin care products, since cleaner skin will absorb moisturisers and creams more effectively. Judging by the testimony it certainly seems to work. Early days yet, but we think this will be an essential part of many beauty regimes in the near future. Available exclusively at Space NK www.spacenk.co.uk / www. clarisonic.com/uk
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
< Oral-B Triumph 5000 – RRP £160
A healthy complexion on its own won’t mean much if we don’t also look after our oral hygiene! And with a growing emphasis being placed having that ‘Hollywood smile’ it’s now more important than ever to ensure we take care of our teeth. A ‘clean’ smile can make all the difference to our confidence as well as how we perceive others. There are so many options available to us these days - from teeth whitening at a dentist’s clinic to the DIY kits you can buy over-the-counter at your local chemists. However, we still need to brush our teeth, whether it be with a normal toothbrush, and some good old fashioned elbow grease, or a modern electric one. There are a wide range of toothbrushes you can spend your money on, but one of the better ones comes from Oral-B, who have just launched the Triumph 5000. This is their most advanced ‘3D cleaning and whitening toothbrush’ to date. It’s a powerful little brush that comes fully loaded with microchips (oh yes!) embedded in the brush head and handle. This then works in tandem with the ‘SmartGuide’ Wireless display unit that ‘guides’ you through a proper brushing regime! Short of having a dentist in your bathroom, this has got to be best thing you can do for your (soon to be) pearly whites… www.oralb.com/uk
<
Baroque Lipgloss – RRP £16 Decadent, luxurious and tastefully vintage. Need we say more? Available in three colours as part of a limited edition collection. www.harrods.com
Bobbi Brown Feed – RRP £42 Ladies, time to get your purses out for a very worthy cause! Bobbi Brown and Lauren Bush have teamed up to produce an organic makeup bag filled with three of their best-selling lip glosses. Every bag purchased will support The United Nations World Food Programme which provides meals and employment training to disadvantaged women in developing countries. Time to look good and feel better! Available exclusively in Harrods and online www.bobbibrown.co.uk
<
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Neville Hair and Beauty salon is set in the glitz and glamour of Knightsbridge, London. Run by husband and wife team Neville and Elena, Neville has a wealth of experience in the hairdressing world and is very conscious of the importance of nurturing new talents. The Neville team pride themselves on their first-class service for everyone who walks through their doors, and their colour department is exceptional in achieving the perfect hue for each person. At Neville people can have so much more than a haircut. Seen as a ‘lifestyle salon’ Neville houses experts in reflexology, facials, waxing, manicures and so much more, including an all-male grooming service! Whichever treatment you choose to have at Neville you can be sure you will get an individual tailored service customised to your needs, characteristics and wants! So if you’d like to be in the company of Yasmin Le Bon, Lisa Snowdon, George Michael and Naomi Harris, Neville promise to give you the ultimate salon experience to make you feel how everybody should – pampered! 5 Pont Street, Belgravia, London, SW1x 9EJ 0207 235 3654. www.nevillehairandbeauty.net
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FASHION - TRENDS
FASHION TRENDS
THE WINTER WONDERLANDS Feature by Delphine Hervieu It is official, winter is at our doors and the party season has already started. While we need a daily wardrobe fix to cope with the cold, we are also after that dress that will instantly transform us into the Belle of the Ball. What is the perfect evening outfit? This is the question that is on everybody’s lips nowadays. From winter basics to party must-haves, your “to get” list should now be written. Like me, you are now welcoming the cold days of the winter season, because we were almost born ready for them!
House of Alistair
Phi
Phillip Lim
GLAMOUR: This year, I want to be the star of the show. I have to admit I am a bit obsessed by the Thirties, the decade of emerging icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Josephine Baker and Jean Harlow. Luckily enough, almost all of today’s red carpet successes are vintage reproductions from this era of glamour. Let’s get nostalgic for the golden years of Hollywood A dramatic yet über-feminine look enhanced by a starburst of colours. Let it glitter! Bring some light with a cuttingedge Phillip Lim metallic vest, zip it and you have a dress. The Metallic Look is definitely to be adopted but you can dress it down by keeping the rest plain and simple. No need for accessories, as the outfit is a statement in itself, and wear with loose hair and natural make-up. Remember, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” - Leonardo de Vinci. Hit the party season fabulousness for one night only with a Marilyn Monroe inspired bespoke chiffon dress from the House of Alistair Ladies Couture Collection by Stowers Bespoke or dress like no other to celebrate the best parties of the old and the new year and go for an Ashish matching outfit In short: wear if you dare! For an ‘all day’ affair adorn midnight black and add layers to warm up (Phi), or mix leather, fur and knits for that everyday look and then team it with statement gold earrings and a fine clutch from Lara Bohinc for the evening.
Lara Bohinc
Ashish
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FASHION - TRENDS
Zadig & Voltaire
Zadig & Voltaire
Lucien Pellat-Finet
WINTER ESSENTIALS: With the advent of the cold weather be ready to embark on a winter love affair in a cosy chalet in Aspen or Megeve. For this adventure I wouldn’t be able to resist packing my goodies in a Jasmine Di Milo Velvet Tour bag in a range of lustrous fabrics that will transform your journey from fine to divine. Are you and your man on a ski tour with an urgent need for essentials? 2 words: Zadig & Voltaire or how about a softer day look with cashmeres from the king of cashmere, Lucien Pellat-Finet. Maybe you are like me, dreaming of slipping in a soft cashmere jumper in front of the fire when the temperature starts to drop down? Is your pashmina your best friend all year long? Then you are only a click away from heaven: ME&EM, previously known as Pyjama Room, launched online this autumn (www.meandem.com). Founders Emma Howarth and Clare Hornby have now expanded on their vision of luxury comfortable clothing. No longer limited to home wear, we can now wear the same sumptuous fabrics all day long. No wonder fans of the brand include Jemina Khan, Jacquetta Wheeler and Emilia Fox.
ME&EM
Bella Freud
Zadig & Voltaire
Last but not least, do not miss out on Bella Freud’s Existentialist Jumper Collection. They are just to be worn and worn again. From the one that shouts “Fashion” to the one that claims that “Ginsberg is God” you will surely be the focal of many conversations! Visit www. bellafreud.co.uk and you will find a selection that you just have to have… From winter basics to party must-haves, your “to get” list should now already be written because, like me, you are always ready for the cold days of the winter season. We were born ready!
Givenchy Jasmine Di Milo
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LUXURY GIFTS GUIDE
LUXURY GIFTS GUIDE Feature by Sarah Walsh and Ivan Petersen
Gifts for that special someone in your life who doesn’t quite have everything...
<
<
Johnnie Walker Blue Label King George V Edition Bespoke Backgammon set by William & Son Johnnie Walker Blue Label and luxury emporium William & Son collaborate to produce an exclusive limited edition set of 50 individually numbered, exquisite gaming sets. Aimed at the whisky and gaming connoisseur, the union of these two luxury brands brings us a superior quality product that has been put together by skilled artisans of both houses and celebrates their respective heritages. The outer blue leather case carries a 70cl decanter and two hand-cut crystal tumblers designed by William Yeoward. £3500 - available exclusively at William & Son and Selfridges www.wiliamandson.com
Bond No.9 Harrods For Her & For Him New York perfumery brand No.9 is famed for creating 36 beautiful scents based on its famous neighbourhoods. Here they have created a bespoke fragrance for Harrods, in which Bond No.9 has been a bestseller for the past four years. As a result, Harrods have invited Laurice Rahmé, the founder of the brand to create a series of fragrances that best represent the essence of Harrods. The results capture the rich heritage and futureoriented spirit of Harrods in the 21st century. The bottles are designed in the Harrods signature colours, with an abstract pattern of ‘H’ and the Bond no.9 logo. Ideal gifts for fans of both brands. 50ml, £100 and 100ml, £178. www.harrods.com
Johnnie Walker Blue Label by Bill Amberg Studio The second collaboration from Johnnie Walker Blue Label is with leather goods designer Bill Amberg. Here we have a travel accessories range designed for the discerning gentleman, which includes a selection of overnight bags, with the ‘Weekender’ taking centre stage. Using the finest quality calf and saddle grade leather, the bags have been hand designed and produced as a limited edition range. A total of 350 Weekender bags are available worldwide and each comes with a removable carrier designed to hold a bottle of Blue Label. £1200 - for the Weekender bag Available exclusively at Harrods and Bill Amberg stores www.billamberg.com
<
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LUXURY GIFTS GUIDE
< Angel Champagne Stefano Zagni is a man on a mission. So fed up was he with not being able to cater his exclusive events with an ultrapremium champagne brand refined enough for his expensive tastes, he proceeded to create one of his own! It’s taken him 12 years to bring it to fruition, and with the launch in America proving there is a market for it (Mariah Carey is the brand ambassador), he is now bringing it to the UK.
The Richard Ward Ultimate Bespoke Gift Voucher And last but not least, the ultimate luxury gift for the special woman in your life!
<
This is clearly aimed at the elite who demand (and are able to afford) a superpremium product, since the starting price for a 75ml bottle of Rose is £875 and a Rose Magnum, £1535. You can also customise your own bottles, which are hand finished with a unique solid silver neck ring, identification label and the stylised ‘Angel Mark’ detailed with gems unique to each individual bottle. A case of 24 bottles will set you back around a cool quarter of a million pounds! Time to play the lottery we think… £875 - £10000+ for a bottle www.angelchampagne.com
We’ve had to think long and hard for this one, since coming up with an imaginative gift for a special someone is pretty hard. Add then the pressure of a sophisticated urban woman of taste and the obvious ideas go out of the window. So along with them we ditched the diamond necklace (so predictable), put the balloon ride over the Atlas Mountains on hold (so easy) and cancelled lunch in Monte Carlo by private jet (so clichéd)!
< Boodles Diamond Purse by Ettinger Luxury brands Ettinger and Boodles are collaborating for the first time to create a line of exceptional accessories, with the first of these being this elegant ladies purse. Inspired by Boodles Cherry Blossom Collection, this bespoke leather purse features a ‘Cherry Blossom pattern of 26 diamonds which can be ordered in a choice of colours and different leathers. More detailed information available on the website. £1300 – www.ettinger.co.uk www.boodles.com
Instead we picked up on what Helen (Richard Ward’s wife) came up – with for a guilt-free trip to the salon on a
monthly basis! We thought the idea was inspired, but decided to put our own signature to it! Urban Life readers don’t do things by half, so to really show the woman in your life how much she means to you, give her the ultimate in pampering. It’s guaranteed to make her smile and win you major brownie points for the whole year, whilst probably saving you a fortune at the same time! The Ultimate Gift Voucher includes the following: 52 weekly blow-dries and Metrospa hand and facials, 12 monthly pedicures and Keraskin Esthetics Ritual Facials and 8 six-weekly technical colour treatments. £6000 - For more information call the salon: 0207 730 1222 www.richardward.co.uk
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tint
The best way to make your outfit stand out. Just add colour
Photographer: Keith Clouston Fashion Stylist: Francesca Marotta Art: Erika Stasiuleviciute â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Fashion Crowd Make-Up: Vaida Mugenyte Using MAC Hair: Rosario Serio Models: Viktpriya Popova @ Oxygen and Katie Carne Post production: Dez. dez@dezmighty.com 00 URBAN LIFE
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Black Butterfly Dress, £529, Catherine Malandrino, available at Harrods. Turquoise Necklace, £2,690, MCL, available at Liberty and Harrods. Turquoise Feather evening clutch, £899, Claudine London.
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Black Silk Organza Dress, £719, Valentino Red, available at Harrods. Black Leather Belt, Renush, POA. Vintage Black Leather Gloves, Chanel, Stylist’s own. Gala Clutch Bag, £342, Swarovski. Black Eyemask worn as Headpiece, £56, Janet Reger. Red ‘Emma’ Shoes, £450, Terry de Havilland. Tights by Falke.
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Black Trousers, £385, Jil Sander and Silk Blouse, £565, Roland Mouret, both available at Harvey Nichols. Necklace, Erickson Beamon, POA. ‘Toya’ Shoes, £420, Gina. Leather belt, Renush, POA.
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Black Belted Puff Dress , £1,660, Moschino, available at Harvey Nichols. Vintage Satin Gloves, Givenchy, stylist’s own. Selection of Bangles, £1,065 to £2,480, MCL, available at Liberty and Harrods. Python ‘Elvira’ Boots , £650, Terry de Havilland. Tights by Woolford.
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Grey Silk Dress, £569, Moschino, available at Harrods. Soft Box Purple Velvet Bag, Liberty, POA. Purple Gloves, Stylist’s own. Tights by Falke.
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JEWELLERY – BRAND PROFILE
CARTIER – AN URBAN LIFE SPECIAL FEATURE Feature by Leyla Abdollahi – assisted by Sarah Walsh
When it comes to fine jewellery, The House of Cartier has always been the jeweller of choice for the great and the good among the world’s high society.
T
here is much to be said of the House of Cartier, and I dare to say it, but even four pages will not do it justice. With its prodigious stature, it stands towering amongst the most desired luxury jewellery brands in the world, for which we can dedicate an entire section of the magazine and still not touch on the countless accolades and milestones the House has enjoyed over its illustrious 150 year history.
Secrets et Merveilles Necklace, platinum, 1 cushion-cut orange sapphire, fine pearls, 1 rose-cut diamond, brilliant-cut diamonds. Vincent Wulveryck © Cartier 2009
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Black and White, a jeweller duo by Monica Bellucci. LOVE cuff: white gold, white ceramic, diamonds. Sylvie Lancrenon. Š Cartier 2009
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JEWELLERY – BRAND PROFILE
And what a journey it has been. When Louis-Francois Cartier opened his first jewellery store in a little workshop in Paris in 1847, little did he know that a century and half later his name would become synonymous with not just fine jewellery but also watches, accessories, leather goods, fragrances and even the arts. Whether it’s a Maharajah looking to commission a ceremonial necklace, a movie star wishing to stand out on a red carpet or simply a connoisseur adding to a private collection, countless generations of luxury aficionados have entrusted Cartier to bring to life their priceless creations. Today Cartier enjoys its status as an innovator, whilst remaining true to its heritage and tradition. Innovation and creativity go hand in hand with tradition, which can be seen in their creations. They all resonate history of the company whilst remaining contemporary to the days trends. A good example of this is the new Panthére collection. Originally launched back in the Thirties, it is one of Cartier’s more spectacular collections and, though it is not new, it’s relevance displays the timeless nature that is a common thread throughout all Cartier designs. Cartier maintains a strong link to its past by preserving its historical documents for every one of its creations. All items are meticulously recorded in the Cartier archives thus enabling it to maintain its style and culture. The Cartier Collection, which actively seeks out jewellery, watches and objet d’art pieces from private collections and public auctions around the world, is the home for historically important creations which Cartier acquires whenever the opportunity arises. These items are a window into the changing styles and tastes of the time, as well as the changes in society at large. The collection is often showcased in various museums around the world as part of retrospective exhibitions, which allows for the wider public to see and appreciate first hand the art and beauty of Cartier.
Cartier celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the Cartier International Polo. Arnaud Bamberger and HM The Queen (1999). © Cartier 2009
Cartier: Landmark Dates: 1847 Louis-Francois Cartier opens his first outlet on Rue Montorgueil in Paris 1856 Princess Mathilde (niece of Napoleon I), makes her first purchase from Cartier 1902 Pierre Cartier opens the first Cartier shop in London at no. 4, New Burlington Street 1904 Cartier receives its first royal warrant from Edward VII 1909 Cartier opens new boutique at 175-176 New Bond Street, where it still remains today 1911 launch of the Santos de Cartier wristwatch 1933 Jeanne Toussaint, known as the ‘Panther’, becomes Head of Cartier Fine Jewellery 1947 Cartier celebrates its centenary 1973 Creation of Les Must de Cartier 1974 Launch of the first leather collection in Burgundy 1984 Cartier becomes a partner to the International Polo Tournament in Windsor 1987 Launch of the third Panthére Jewellery collection 1997 Cartier celebrates 150th anniversary and holds the ‘Cartier 1900-1939’ retrospective at the British Museum 2004 ‘The Art of Cartier’ retrospective exhibition held at the Shanghai Museum 2005 Co-Founded the Council for Responsible Jewellery Practice 2007 Inde Mystérieuse Fine Jewellery collection
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JEWELLERY – BRAND PROFILE
Panthère De Cartier Collection All images : Katel Riou © Cartier 2009 except Panthere de cartier cuff bracelet
Panthère de Cartier necklace, white gold, brilliant-cut diamonds, one 8.16 carat bluechalcedony droplet, one 22.75 carat bluechalcedony cabochon, onyx spots and nose, emerald eyes.
< Panthère de Cartier ring, yellow gold, onyx nose, tsavorite-garnet eyes.
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Panthère de Cartier drop earrings, white gold, brilliant-cut diamonds, onyx nose and studs, emerald eyes.
Panthère de Cartier ring, white gold, brilliant-cut diamonds, onyx nose and collar studs, tsavorite-garnet eyes.
Panthère de Cartier bracelet, yellow gold, brilliant-cut diamonds, onyx studs, tsavorite-garnet eyes, powdered fabric.
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< Panthère de Cartier cuff bracelet, platinum, brilliant-cut diamonds, sapphire beads, sapphire spots, onyx nose, emerald eyes. Vincent Wulveryck © Cartier 2009
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BEST OF BRITISH – SAVILE ROW
THE DRESSED ADDRESS Location, location, location. In London there are certain locations that have, or in some cases used to have, a deep and abiding meaning for the inhabitants of London and for many more far beyond. Fleet Street, Downing Street, Abbey Road, Baker Street – all some of the world’s most famous addresses. But can any claim to be quite so iconic as Savile Row? We doubt it. Feature by Andre Gayle
Andrew Ramroop, owner, Maurice Sedwell
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avile Row is known for one thing and one thing only: The Suit. There are a mind boggling number of moving parts that go into making ‘The Suit’ but the end result is the reason why people travel from all over the world to get one. Or two. Or three. A bespoke Savile Row suit is perfect. To call it such is not even hyperbole, it is literally the perfect suit – for you. Tailored to your exact measurements, dimensions and comfort, a bespoke suit is perfect because it is nigh-on impossible to look bad wearing it. Unless, of course, it is not your suit. As a location Savile Row is an enclave of tailoring excellence like no other in the world. It has been built on centuries of fine English tradition and it has never wavered from those strong core principles. This despite fierce opposition from formidable adversaries over the years that have included two world wars, one depression, two recessions and, perhaps its toughest challenger to date, the complete deconstruction of the men’s suit in the late 80’s and
early 90’s led by Italian designer Giorgio Armani. Armani’s inclusion alongside world wars and recessions may seem a little harsh but, again, this is not meant as hyperbole. As Andrew Ramroop, owner and MD of Savile Row’s Maurice Sedwell puts it, “Armani made the loose, ill fitting suit fashionable”. On the back of TV shows like Miami Vice the ‘Armani suit’ became a worldwide phenomenon. If the shoulders of your suit were big enough to withstand a head on charge from a Chicago Bears Linebacker and the sleeves were loose enough to roll up to the elbow then it was a must have item! This, in turn, then led to the Grunge and Heroin Chic eras of fashion where any semblance of tailoring completely vanished in the name of ‘trend’. Imagine owning a small business and discovering the product you make is suddenly seen as highly unfashionable around the world? It would only take a few months of thin orders for everything to, forgive the pun, start coming apart at the seams. The deconstruction period lasted several years. They say ‘style is forever’ though and, in the case of Savile Row, never has a truer word been spoken. Despite all the obstacles it remained the absolute world leader in its field and when fashion turned its sights onto something else, as is its nature, the bespoke suit maker was still standing tall serving their grateful clientele.
Freddy Windsor in Hardy Amies
HARDY AMIES
Now there are new challenges to Savile Row, one of them being ‘Savile Row’ itself. To be more accurate, it comes from those who use the name ‘Savile Row’ on garments that are neither made on, nor have the quality of, the address that bears its name. It’s a name that Mark Henderson believes is worth protecting
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and that’s why, as well as being the chief executive of renowned tailors, Gieves and Hawkes, he is also the chairman of the Savile Row Bespoke Association (SRBA), a 6 year old organisation dedicated to protecting the reputation of tailoring’s ‘Golden Mile’ and harnessing its future through its training and apprenticeship schemes. Competing commercial pressures are also putting the squeeze on Savile Row. As property rents rise smaller businesses are being pushed out to make way for the international fashion labels with money but none of the tradition that would allow them to rightfully bask in the connotations of the name ‘Savile Row’. While Gieves and Hawkes holds the most prestigious address on the row, Number One, one of its more recent immediate neighbours is the oh so trendy Japanese jeans manufacturer, Evisu. They actually make garments on the premises and therefore are ‘entitled’ to have the Savile Row name on their creations. Japanese? Denim? Savile Row? Three things you would normally find really hard to string together in a coherent sentence. Then again, rap mogul Jay-Z has been pictured wearing both Bespoke Savile Row suits and Evisu jeans. Hmmmmmm.
Mark Henderson, chief executive, Gieves and Hawkes & chairman of the SRBA
GIEVES AND HAWKES
Another newcomer to the row is American casual wear giant, Abercrombie & Fitch, directly opposite Mark Henderson’s concerned eyes at Number One. Then there are those who just simply appropriate the name and use it as their own ‘stamp of good quality’ where the prefix “just as good as...” seems almost implied. Stories circulate of even such things as golf clubs carrying the name ‘Savile Row’. As a way of fighting back, the title ‘Savile Row Bespoke’ is now a registered trademark and, in an effort to increase their business share, many of the bespoke tailors now also offer a ready to wear collection, which follows the established fashion industry cycle, and a made to measure service where off the rack garments can be altered to better suit the wearer. Herein, though, lies the counter argument to the ethos of the SRBA. Ray Stowers was the former Head of Bespoke at none other than Gieves and Hawkes before he left three years ago to set up his own business, Stowers Bespoke, on the Row. Ask him about the SRBA and he will tell you candidly, “many of the tailors that are
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STOWERS BESPOKE
members have their garments made outside the country, let alone outside Savile Row”. It goes without saying that Stowers Bespoke is not a member of the SRBA, perhaps as a matter of principle, and that every suit that is sold at their boutique at Number Thirteen is made at their boutique at Number Thirteen. “If a bespoke tailor also produces a ready to wear collection”, responds Henderson, “the chances are that collection will not be produced in the UK. The reality of cost and capacity means the likelihood is it will be produced elsewhere”. Some may see that as just semantics, others might see it as a perfectly reasonable position given everything else the SRBA does for the protection of the Row. “Hermes use ‘Rue Faubourg Saint Honore’ on their labels”, Henderson continues, “but there are no Hermes factories on Rue Faubourg Saint Honore – it’s just the address of the business”. It is also true that a tailors premises on Savile Row is usually the epicentre for all the business they generate, no matter where that business might take them. All aspects of ready to wear design, bespoke tailoring, sales and fitting always takes place under the one roof. Indeed, at Number Fourteen, famed tailoring house (and SRBA member) Hardy Amies has recently even opened up its archive on the top floor of its premises. The gravity of looking through the history of the brand hits you when you realise just how important this single street has been to English culture
out of the vision of the man himself, in much the same way Coco Chanel or Yves Saint Laurent were the sole driving forces behind their own fashion houses. He was also a true couturier, creating glamorous bespoke fashions for some of the most famous men and women in the world. To illustrate the role high fashion plays in the business the archive floor at Hardy Amies is also home to an entire library of valuable bound volumes of Vogue magazines dating back to the early thirties. for, literally, centuries. It seems there is nobody, in any field, anywhere in the world, who has any sort of stature, that has not been dressed by Savile Row at one point or another through the ages. In the case of Hardy Amies, Royalty, both actual and Hollywood, has been what has defined their stature on the Row. In terms of the timeline of modern era tailoring on the Row, Hardy Amies is probably the definitive link between the old guard like Henry Poole, Huntsman and, of course, Gieves and Hawkes, and the new guard like Nutters, Richard James and Ozwald Boateng. A spokesman for Hardy Amies puts it simply: “We are the nearest you will get in this country to a Parisienne fashion house. We were the first and remain, essentially, the only”. Most of the businesses on the Row were borne out of the need for military tailoring during the days of the British empire – in fact many of the initial residents of Savile Row were military officers and their families. The Hardy Amies brand, however, grew
It’s perhaps not so surprising then that Amies’s famous 1964 book, The ABC of Men’s Fashion, was recently reissued by popular demand. But even so, Hardy Amies, the brand, was not immune to the troubles the rest of the Row faced. After the founder’s death in 2003 some bad business decisions led the company into receivership and it was ultimately rescued by Hong Kong private equity firm, Fung Capital. Yet herein lies another quandary. With the company now bankrolled by Hong Kong money does that make the most English of English tailoring businesses not English anymore? Well, it would be a question you would also have to ask of Gieves and Hawkes who now have the financial might of Chinese investment group Li & Fung behind them. If you were to ever visit them on Savile Row though the answer would be obvious. They are as English as The Beano. It is just a quirk of the DNA of Savile Row that it will always and forever remain England’s best dressed address, no matter where the money comes from.
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FRAGRANCE
SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS
Perfumes and fragrances that lets everybody know you’ve arrived!
FOR MEN
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CK - Free For the independent man who has it all! It’s a warm masculine fragrance, with cascades of star anise, jackfruit and juniper berry, making it light enough to be worn at work with a little top up it will take you into the evening and the night!
EDT Spray 100ml RRP £48.00 www.paulsmith.co.uk
EDP Spray 100ml RRP £46.00 www.calvinkleinfragrances.com/uk/
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Paul Smith - Man A classically British fragrance from the man himself. A playful top note of yuzu, bergamot and star anise make it a woody/ spicy scent, which can be worn throughout the day or evening. Confident, sensual and characteristically British.
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FRAGRANCE
FOR WOMEN <
Issey Miyaki - A Scent Simplicity is what this fragrance is all about. Its minimalistic design is contemporary, simple and uncluttered, with the focus being on the scent alone. With the key notes being verbana, jasmine and hyacinth, it has a floral heart with a woody trail coming from the galbanum. An elegant fragrance suited to the woman who enjoys understated luxury. EDP 50ml RRP £44.00 www.isseymiyakeparfums.com
< Givenchy - Ange ou Demon le Secret Aimed at a slightly younger market, this new fragrance will appeal to those after a more refreshing scent. With top notes of cranberry and winter lemon, it’s a little on the fruity side. It’s light, refreshing and feminine, and versatile for everyday use. Perfect for the sophisticated girl-about-town. EDP Spray 50ml RRP £48.45 www.givenchy.com
< DKNY - Be Delicious Pop Art Limited Edition The contents within the bottle remain the same but the funkier new pop art packaging is based on the designs of artist Roy Lichenstein. This is a fresh and fruity fragrance with crisp American apples and cucumbers as top notes. It’s aimed at an arty crowd who like to show off their creative sides in the products they buy. EDT Spray 100ml £41.11 www.dknyfragrances.com
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WATCHES
FASHIONABLY GREAT Feature by Andre Gayle
Sometimes it really is about what’s on the outside too. Dedicated luxury watch makers may spend up to a year assembling the intricate pieces of a single watch and while the cost for such craftsmanship can sometimes be astronomical (but not necessarily unwarranted) the results can be a little underwhelming to the eye not trained in what to look for. With the global watch market worth such a huge amount in terms of consumer spending it was always inevitable that the biggest names in fashion, who were already expanding their empires to include furnishings, fragrances, eyewear and stationary, would make their move into the lucrative luxury watch market in a big
way. They brought the trendsetters eye to the market with timepieces that have an emphasis on colour and fashion as well as form and function! When consumers don’t have to fork out the equivalent of a supercar, or even a house, on a luxury watch there is much more cash to compete for and so the fashion houses and major labels have realized that they can, indeed must, make their watch designs innovative, eye catching and instantly recognisable in an already crowded and growing sector. The traditional palettes are still a staple – black, stainless steel, gold – but here the standout colours are what makes all of these watches fashionably great.
Gucci. I-Gucci XL Here comes the first digital watch ever made by Gucci and it’s being billed as the ‘true incarnation of sporty elegance’ by the legendary Italian fashion house. Two different time zones can be viewed simultaneously as well as a function to shift between numerical or clock display. Being digital the watch has numerous functions that can be accessed via the moulded buttons on the case. Black PVD case with black rubber strap with the double G design and the trademark green/red/green emblem. RRP: £685. www.gucci.com for stockists
< < Christian Dior Ladies Christal Purple Rubber Chronograph. Bold colour and bold design make this a watch you will want to wear when you feel like standing out from the crowd. The stainless steel case houses a purple and white lacquered dial surrounded by a uni-directional bezel adorned with diamonds and purple sapphire crystals. The strap is purple rubber inset with yet more purple sapphire crystals. With a Swiss made quartz chronograph movement this is a truly a piece designed to catch the eye. RRP: £4500 www.dior.com for stockists.
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WATCHES
< Louis Vuitton Ladies Tambour Small Quartz The small Swiss made quartz watch features a clean and classic dial design on a brown face surrounded by a polished stainless steel case. The watch itself sits on a white monogrammed ‘multicolore’ wide canvas strap. Cleverly, there are a wide range of different Louis Vuitton straps available for this watch so it can be dressed to match your mood or your outfit whenever you feel like a change. RRP: £1480. www.louisvuitton.com for more information.
< Hermes Arceau Ebony The Arceau watch has its origins in the equestrian heritage of the company so this is a watch made to complement the Hermes line of riding gear perfectly. The black face of the chronograph dial is decorated in the trademark Hermes orange with the sweeping Arabic numerals continuing the theme. The face is housed in an elegant polished stainless steel case and the two tone strap is Berenia stitched calfskin leather and attached to the case via an unusual lug design. Swiss automatic movement. RRP: £2715 Hermes 0207 499 8856 for stockists
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WATCHES
< Burberry Men’s Round Dual Time Reflecting classic Burberry styling the Round Dual Time has a stainless steel case with a black dial punctuated with white numerals and a cherry red seconds hand. As the name suggests, the watch has dual functionality with a date display at the unusual 12 o’clock position. The strap is leather with the distinctive Burberry nastro webbing design. RRP: £325 www.burberry.com for more information.
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D&G Time Ladies Eden Roc From the fashion giants comes this gorgeous resin bangle design timepiece in either Black or White. The watch itself has a Mother of Pearl Dial housed in a polished stainless steel case. Set in the wide bangle are eight coloured jewels that nicely frame the quartz movement watch. Comes in a dedicated presentation box. Eden Roc Black RRP: £200. Eden Roc White RRP: £235. D&G Time 01628 770988 for information.
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For your nearest HUGO BOSS Watch stockist please telephone 01428 664700 or buy online at www.bosswatches.co.uk
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WATCHES
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Hugo Boss: Boss Black Ladies Chronograph The Silver Sunray dial makes the face of this piece sparkle as it glints in the light. It’s circled by a turquoise ‘jewel’ bezel that is matched by the function buttons on the side of the polished stainless steel case. The stitched white leather strap has an embossed crocodile print and the watch is water resistant to 3ATM.
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RRP: £225.00 www.bosswatches.co.uk or Tel: 01428 664700 for more information
CK Calvin Klein Post Minimal Rose Gold Limited Edition Launched in November 2009 the fantastic colour of the dial and the clasp of these watches sets a stark contrast to the black leather strap and is complemented perfectly by the clean classic design on the watch face. A real statement on the wrist. Each watch is Swiss made with a quartz movement. The case is polished stainless steel Rose Gold PVD and the dial Rose Gold PVD. Chronograph: RRP: £400. Standard: RRP: £330. CK Calvin Klein Watches & Jewelry, South Molton St, W1. 0207 629 3405.
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To buy online visit www.twsteeluk.com For your nearest TW Steel stockist please telephone 01428 656822 or visit www.twsteeluk.com
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FILM & ENTERTAINMENT
HERE COME THE GIRLS Feature by Andre Gayle
Some are girls, some are women but all are most definitely on fire. Some of the sexiest and most alluring women on film due to make a big splash in 2010 and beyond who you might not necessarily have heard of. Yet...
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Quid, and the second being our very own Girl Next Door. Hers was a smallish role but it was the first that placed her in a movie that wasn’t draped in the covers of ‘small independent British film’ and she played on all her coquettish charm to make the part work for her. And how it worked! Bond girls, as they’re known, have to be one thing and one thing only. Sexy enough to make audiences believe that one of the all time great screen lotharios might want to sleep with her above all others. Another movie and/or another time and such conceits might seem horribly disrespectful. But this is James Bond and in Quantum of Solace, Agent Strawberry Fields, played by Arterton, was just such a girl.
GEMMA ARTERTON As girls next door go, if that girl was Gemma Arterton you would probably find the value of your property going through the roof. It would be quite a thrill to think that this is who you might run into every time you leave the house to buy a paper. A thrill most would invest good money for. For those that know her she is not necessarily renowned as one of the world’s great beauties. But Arterton heads that list that’s titled ‘There’s Something About Her’. She has an almost indefinable quality that raises her above the ranks of just another pretty girl. Perhaps it’s the thought (hope?) that a normal guy with the right personality and decent conversational skills would have a shot with this soon to be internationally famous movie star. She also has the body of a real woman, not waif like nor pneumatically
enhanced but curved in all the right places. Or possibly it’s the fact that she is, thankfully, so very, very English. To hear her being interviewed it’s obvious that she’s managed to remain blissfully unaffected by the superficialities of the industry she is a part of but, better than all this, her real endearing quality is that she genuinely doesn’t seem to understand why she is being elevated into the sex symbol she is becoming. Guy Ritchie’s moderately successful movie RocknRolla has since become significant more for other factors associated with it rather than its modest box office performance. It was the movie that returned Ritchie back to the realm of ‘relevant’ after two hatefully received projects (Swept Away and Revolver) and it was the movie that, in essence, launched the careers of two English actors destined to do big things. The first being Toby Kebbell, who played chic but drug riddled mod rocker Johnny
Now that she seems to have found her place in the world she’s about to take it to the bank. There are not one, or two but three reasons why the world is soon going to love Gemma Arterton as much as the rest of us – playing Catherine Earnshaw in an adaptation of the classic, Wuthering Heights might have been enough in itself but then she’s going to back that up with a one-two of big budget Hollywood blockbusters, first a remake of the classic Clash of the Titans and then another fantasy adventure, Prince of Persia. We’re just glad we were there when it all started......
“SHE ALSO HAS THE BODY OF A REAL WOMAN, NOT WAIF LIKE NOR PNEUMATICALLY ENHANCED BUT CURVED IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES”
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FILM & ENTERTAINMENT
ZOE SALDANA
She has rather lazily been dubbed ‘the new Thandie Newton’ in some quarters and, while there is a striking resemblance, Saldana just seems to have a touch more sizzle to her aura that succeeds in eliciting even deeper primal instincts among her admirers. There is also a grace about her that comes from the seven years of ballet training before she made her name in movies. As gorgeous as she is though she hasn’t exactly been setting the world alight with her movies to date. One of her earliest films saw her playing one of the three ‘gal pals’ in the unbelievably bad Britney
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In 1998 Will Smith released a hip hop track called ‘Miami’ back when he was still a Rap star as well as a movie star. In it he confessed he loved the Miami beaches because, among other reasons, he had ‘never seen so many Dominican women with Cinnamon tans’. Ladies and gentleman – Zoe Saldana. By way of a Dominican father, Puerto Rican mother and an upbringing that took in the Dominican Republic and then Queens, New York, Saldana is about as sexy and sassy as you can get.
Spears road movie, Crossroads. The only good thing to say about the entire project was that Saldana had enough about her to survive it when most others would have drowned (as Spears eventually did). Then came modest roles in other people’s movies like Pirates of the Caribbean (Johnny Depp), The Terminal (Tom Hanks) and Vantage Point (Dennis Quaid). Couple that with an obvious disdain for the excesses of PR and publicity – she has dated the little known TV actor Keith Britton for years and neither are fans of the party scene – and it’s little wonder her name rings no bells for most people. Yet, the fact remains; she is spectacular. More so than most. Delicate features, unbelievable skin and a hot body tells you it wouldn’t exactly be a chore to see more of her. Luckily things seem to be changing in that regard. An extraordinary photoshoot for the September ‘09 issue of Vanity Fair that invoked prohibition era Harlem caused a major stir in the world of fashion. This followed the big budget return of Star Trek earlier in the year that brought us Saldana as the new Uhura, the iconic and ground breaking sex symbol in a mini skirt and knee high boots from the original series. The hype
“SALDANA IS ABOUT AS SEXY AND AS SASSY AS YOU CAN GET” surrounding her casting in this role was second to none simply because it’s such a sexy role to play and the hype was reinforced by her playful admission that ‘she likes being surrounded by men’.
Star Trek seems destined to be the film that helped Saldana finally become a household name. It’s unclear just how many of the new Star Trek movies there can be but the follow up is already in the works for release in 2011. In the meantime we can contend with her new role in probably one of the biggest, most anticipated and (easily) the most expensive movie of all time, Avatar directed by James ‘Titanic’ Cameron, released December 2009. There’s no doubt that Saldana is making the move to A-list now and from all of us who have been waiting for the rest for the rest of the world to catch up we say: about time too.
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MARION COTILLARD It seems odd that someone who won the best actress Oscar as recently as 2008 should remain largely unknown to the general public, especially when her fellow alumni include names like Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry and Julia Roberts. La Vie En Rose however was no mainstream movie. It was a biographical French language film about Edith Piaf, a largely unknown French singer who was best known for her mournful ode to ‘regretting nothing’. It says something for Cotillard’s talent and skill that she managed to lift a small little European arthouse film to the heights of an Oscar winning ‘movie’ that made almost $100mil in worldwide box office takings. It didn’t exactly make her a household name though. What it did was to at least put this French native actress on the map. Her full English speaking debut actually came in Tim Burton’s Big Fish back in
“A THROWBACK TO THE ULTRA GLAMOROUS HOLLYWOOD SEX SYMBOLS OF THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES”
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Getty Images
FILM & ENTERTAINMENT
2003 but only people who were paying really close attention will remember her from that film. Other films came and went but it was only when she had infiltrated the peripheries of our consciousness and then was able to peel off the dowdy and dour Piaf persona that it suddenly became very obvious just how classically beautiful this woman was. In fact, it was a revelation. She looked like a throwback to the ultra glamorous Hollywood sex symbols of the forties and fifties but with just enough of that ‘edge’ to make her relevant and wanted by the iPod generation of today. After such a splash she probably couldn’t have avoided the magazine covers and fashion shoots that came her way even if she had tried. International fashion house Christian Dior spotted the potential early and immediately signed her up to front their TV and print campaigns for the their Lady Dior range of luxury handbags, a campaign that was so successful it was recently renewed.
Now it seems ‘Project Cotillard’ is in full blitz as her management strive to position her opposite some of Hollywood’s tier one leading men. First she shared an obsessive romance with the mighty Johnny Depp in Micheal Mann’s 1930’s gangster thriller, Public Enemies, earlier in 2009. Summer 2010 then sees her opposite the perma-youthful Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception, directed by Christopher ‘The Dark Knight’ Nolan. Two of the biggest male movie stars the world has ever produced and yet you can’t help feeling they are the lucky ones, going to work every day ‘pretending’ to enjoy being intimate on screen with someone as patently sexy and seductive as Marion Cotillard. Sometimes the best way to keep a secret is to hide it out in the open but it’s always only a matter of time before somebody cottons on. When Inception opens in July 2010 there will be a lot of people ‘cottoning on’...
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also includes women like Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore and Sandra Bullock. Namely, all women who grew more attractive with age. Some may have had a little more help than others but the fact remains all of them look far more attractive now than they did when they were 25. Belluci though is the only one that can truly be elevated to the rarefied level of ‘Sophia Loren Class’, the true European screen siren. When you consider the combination of that body, that face, that accent and the sensual smoulder learned from years on the catwalk and in front of the photographer’s lens, it’s hard to imagine what else you could possibly want from a woman.
MONICA BELLUCI “Don’t get it twisted”. That’s what they say, don’t they? Or: “Just keeping it real”. When you need to emphasize the gravity of a statement it’s usually prefixed or suffixed with one of those two eloquent qualifiers. Well, we’re just keeping it real right here. Don’t get it twisted: Monica Belluci is unbelievable. Full stop. It’s one of those statements that is, quite literally, a ‘truism’. Like ‘night follows day’ or ‘the sun rises in the East’. Some may disagree but it’s worth remembering some also thought the sun revolved around the Earth at one point in history. It’s always best to stay on the right side of history. While probably the most well known of all the actresses here, owing in large part to her near iconic showstopping turn as gangster’s moll Persephone in The Matrix sequels, Bellucci didn’t have the personality of someone who was going to chase after the glittery
bright lights as most would have done after such a star making role and it’s a trait that we mere mortals find adds to her overall desirability. With so many opportunities to be a superstar she instead chooses to remain an artist. Her career before and since The Matrix is peppered with a number of independent, French and Italian films that are a world away from the archetypal Hollywood Blockbuster she’s best known for. So much so that most Matrix Trilogy fans would easily remember ‘the sexy wife of The Merovingian’ but not really remember who Monica Bellucci was. Remind them of Shoot ‘Em Up, starring Clive Owen in 2007 and it might jog some memories but films like Heartango (also 2007) or Sanguepazzo (2008) are certain to induce the haze once again.
Since she made her American movie debut in Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula in 1992 there has never been a ‘world’s sexiest women’ list in which she has not featured. The fact that she has never been at number one on those lists can surely only be down to the fact that she has, at most, only three or four recognisable Hollywood movies on a CV that stretches back over twenty one years, numerous countries and many languages. That may change somewhat with the upcoming releases of political drama, The Whistleblower, closely followed by the huge Hollywood summer blockbuster, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, in 2010. The resultant rise in her notoriety may be slightly bittersweet for those of us who already know and admire her. Because while her rankings in the various ‘world’s sexiest’ lists may rise proportionally, it’s actually been very nice to have (probably) the world’s sexiest woman all to ourselves....
“THE TRUE EUROPEAN SCREEN SIREN”.
Continuing the convention busting, at 45 years old Monica Bellucci is also the oldest actress featured here. Yet she belongs to a very rare club that
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TRAVEL
HELSINKI: THE COOL CITY Not just because of its climate relative to its geography but also in terms of its culture and architecture. Ataur Rahman discovers Helsinki as a destination for a mini getaway. For a short break, you can’t go wrong with Helsinki. Situated on its southern most tip, Finland’s capital city is a cultural treasure trove waiting to be explored. It’s a small city compared to many other destinations and has a population of just over half a million. It is however a vibrant city, with a concentration of attractions all within easy walking distance of the centre. Whether you like architecture, art, shopping, sampling a bit of the nightlife or just plain pampering, it’s all available here. The names take a bit of getting used to, but once you have your bearings, most of it is fairly easy to navigate. Taxis are reasonably priced although there is also a good network of public transport systems, should you choose to use it. And with easy connections from both Heathrow and Gatwick, it’s a doddle to get there. For further information and a host of tips and guides on the best of Helsinki, visit the Helsinki Tourism office’s website: www.visithelsinki.fi
HOTELS: The Hilton Helsinki Strand is located half a mile from the centre of town. It’s got a great waterfront location, and a wonderful range of amenities. Be sure to try out the rooftop sauna for a spot of relaxation and for views out across the sea, Bridges restaurant and the Atrium Lounge & Bar are worth a visit. Hilton Helsinki Strand John Stenbergin ranta 4, 00530 Helsinki Tel: +358 9 39351 www.hilton.co.uk
Hotel Kämp is more centrally located and is one of the grandest hotels in Northern Europe. The Kämp has an illustrious history and is a bit of a celebrity-magnet in Helsinki. The hotel is over a century old and was out of action for three decades before being restored to its former grandeur back in the late nineties. Facilities include the Palace Kämp Day Spa on the 8th floor offering a full range of treatments and the highly rated Yume restaurant, serving up modern Japanese cuisine. The hotel also has a nightclub on its premises and is quite the up-market destination for the slightly more mature crowd. Dress code is mandatory and ‘face-control’ is in operation. If you fancy a slightly less hectic night out then this should be among the top destinations on your list. Hotel Kämp Pohjoisesplanadi 29, FI 00100 Helsinki Tel. +358 9 576 111 www.luxurycollection.com/kamp
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RESTAURANTS: Chez Dominique is one of the most talked about restaurants in Helsinki. Formerly a holder of two Michelin stars, the kitchen is run by owner and Chef Hans Välimäki, who offers an innovative and modern interpretation of a French and Nordic menus. Advance booking is recommended. Chez Dominique Rikhardinkatu 4, 00130 Helsinki +358 9 612 7393 www.chezdominique.fi Grotesk is another top spot for trying out a modern Nordic menu in the centre of the city. Both the restaurant and the adjoining bar are always pretty busy, with the bar becoming the focal point once the restaurant stops serving. Expect a trendy, young crowd in this venue. The terrace is recommended, providing you are wrapped up warm, of course! Grotesk Ludviginkatu 10, 00130 Helsinki +358 104 702 100 www.grotesk.fi
NIGHTLIFE:
PAMPERING:
Unless you fancy being surrounded by student-types and lads on a night out, there’s not a great deal of choice when it comes to partying in Helsinki. The only place barely worth a mention is Teatri in Ravintola, but it’s a massive restaurant/bar/club combo sprawled out over three or four floors. It does have a ‘VIP’ section, but hardly worth the hassle as it’s way past its sell-by date. Tiger on the other hand is where it all seems to be happening these days. Boasting a huge capacity club over two floors, it has an enviable view of the Helsinki skyline, with outside terraces stretching the full length of the club floors. There are two main rooms and two VIP sections, all with their own terraces, so plenty of choices to hang out in. Music is current chart and House, with International DJs on rotation frequently.
The Helsinki Day Spa delivers a wide range of treatments and packages; from Pilates to pedicures and facials to firming vitamin treatments. If you want to get away from it all for a few hours or more, just book your self in for a head-to-toe pampering session and leave feeling like a new person.
Tiger Urho Kekkosen katu 1 A, 00100 Helsinki +358 207 759 350 www.thetiger.fi/en
Helsinki Day Spa Erottaja 4, 00120 Helsinki +358 9 685 0630 www.dayspa.fi Beauty Salon Fabulous is a boutique salon with a range of services; including facial treatments, a nail-bar offering manicures and pedicures and a solarium, which operates on a 24 hour basis. They are also regarded as offering the ‘best lash extensions in Helsinki’. The place is always booked up in advance (Miss Finland and other top models are regulars), so forward planning is advised! Fabulous Fabianinkatu 13, 00130 Helsinki +358 451 315 582 www.fabulous.fi
SITES AND POINTS OF INTEREST: Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress (http:// www.suomenlinna.fi/index.php?lang=eng), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an 18th century military fortress and it’s one of the most popular sites on the heritage trail. Ylläs-Halli (www.yllas-halli.fi) is a new yearround winter sports centre in the Kivikko district of Helsinki. Ylläs-Halli houses over a kilometre of indoor cross-country skiing tracks and features a skating rink, a curling track and an ice climbing wall. Kämp Galleria (www.kampgalleria.fi is the designer shopping centre with big brand names and is located by the Kämp Hotel. Design District (http://designdistrict.fi/ design_district) is where you will find a concentration of galleries, antiques, jewellery and interior design shops. Spend an afternoon amongst the studios and cafes and grab a bargain with some original works.
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MOTORING
CAR SEXY
Patrick Anderson test drives three cars made to make the roads look great in 2010.
Nissan 2010 GTR
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was really very keen to drive this Japanese supercar I had heard so much about and for some reason I expected the sleek black model to be delivered to me. So when it arrived in silver the streamlined body rather took me by surprise. Perhaps it was because the details and nuances are easier to see in silver. The aerodynamics of this powerful machine are really designed to make heads turn and, boy, does it work. Down to the flat door handles, the sports pedals and its 6 speed automatic gearbox this car is a true sports machine. The sports steering wheel has all levers positioned at your fingertips and if you want an even sportier drive you can go to manual mode and change gears with the paddle shifts behind the wheel. Find yourself a stretch of clear, winding road and the split second paddle shift option will really make you smile. Sitting in the leather sports bucket seats was, surprisingly, much more comfortable than I was expecting, even
on long runs, and I have to say that this car was one of the best drives I have had in a long time. Priced at £56000 the car has everything the petrol heads salivate over but it also boasts the comforts and conveniences required by the less fevered among us - such as the aforementioned seats, the customisable electronic displays with 11 screen variants to choose from (all of which look like NASA control panels), and the Bose Hi-fi sound system which delivers unbelievable acoustics even if you have terrible tastes in music. Sadly, I only had the machine for one weekend of driving rain and gale force winds. Even the legal speed limit was rarely achieved, but the 3799cc V8 engine purred along sweetly with lots of spare torque when I accelerated, which happened more than it need to, but then, driving a car like this, it just had to be done. My only concern was the small numbering on the main speedometer which was difficult to read. I soon found
myself relying on the larger display in the electronic panel set in the centre of the dash to judge my speed. Fine if you are on a racetrack but on the main road I had to keep flicking between the display and the road. Perhaps it was the petrol head in me that constantly wanted to revel in the car’s capabilities but, honestly, this is a high performance car for the real enthusiast. Another little niggle on this luxury car? Although it has four seats the back seats are really two+two seats for small people (or kids, if they should be so lucky). If there’s four of you over 5’10” it’s a guarantee two of you aren’t going to be very happy. That said it has one of the most voluminous boots I have seen on any car let alone a sports GT and Nissan have just announced some minor modifications for the European market for this model in 2010 including an updating of their well designed navigation system. Altogether this means if you have the money and the inclination the GTR is going to be an indulgence very hard to say no to.
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MOTORING
Porsche Cayenne Techart
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f you are offered the chance to try out the new, highly tuned Porsche Cayenne Techart the only reason to turn it down would be because you can’t drive. Who wouldn’t want to look good in one of these customized luxurious sports utility vehicles from the German supercar manufacturers? With this in mind it was easy for me to accept the satisfyingly bright white model I was loaned which had been specially prepared by the motorsport experts at Tech9. These are the guys who supply a range of upgrades for the Cayenne Diesel covering everything from sports-orientated engine tuning and chassis conversions to luxury interiors and aerodynamic styling. The thinking man’s ‘pimp my ride’ if you will. Phil Hindley, managing director of Tech9 Motorsport says that “the diesels, with their low CO2 output, translate to low benefit-in-kind taxation, excellent fuel economy and high residual values making it a car to get very very excited about.” And he’s spectacularly right.
that safety and durability remain at the very high levels originally specified by Porsche. So, for those who want the pinnacle in customisation packages for their Porsches, these are the guys to seek out. It’s the kind of cosmetic surgery that will turn this fairly pretty girl into a supermodel. They have already customised several Cayenne’s for premier league footballers, recording artists and celebrities and you could be next on the waiting list.
The Techart upgrade range from Tech9 has been developed to provide enhancements to power, handling and styling, complemented by a range of interior trim options that can take the vehicle from comfortable all the way to downright opulent. For example, the leather used on the cover for the seatsdoors, dashboards, roof pillars and headliners comes from none other than Swiss premium-quality leather upholstery specialists De Sede.
In the end I was actually rather sad to have to give my Techart back after my two day run. Its figure hugging curves attracted admiring glances wherever I went. So much so that even the Metropolitan Police felt compelled to stop me to see if I was lost one day. Apparently cars of such stunning beauty rarely made it to the area I was driving through. I’ll have to leave to your imagination as to which area I was in but the Porsche Cayenne Techart is such an extraordinary piece of machinery that dropping something off to a colleague in a less salubrious part of London immediately brought out the boys in blue for protection. All in all that should tell any interested observer all they need to know about the car....
Each upgrade component from Tech9 is designed and manufactured to the same high standards as the original Porsche equipment parts and integration with the vehicle is carefully engineered to ensure
It must be said that the tuning package of my loaned model made the diesel automatic hum along like any high powered petrol engine. The mundane responses and underwhelming handling had been replaced by a sprightliness and a surge in power that happily more befits the Porsche brand. Not exactly turbo boost but it’ll keep your eyes focussed when you put your foot down, dropping its 0-62mph split by 1.7 seconds to a more involving 6.6 seconds.
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MOTORING
Mazda 3 MPS
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t first glance this sporty hatchback looks almost like a normal family saloon. Once you run your eyes over the trim and the muscular body kit you suddenly realise that this might be something a little different. It’s only when you drive it do you realise just how different. The MZR 2.3L DISI Turbo petrol engine packs a hefty punch producing 260PS (191 kW) at 5,500 rpm, and high torque of 380 Nm at 3,000 rpm. The top speed is quoted as 155mph but though the engine was dying to be opened up along the narrow lanes of Sussex, they offered up too many vantage points for the boys in blue in unmarked cars so I didn’t venture to try those speeds on this short test run. Fitted with special sport semi-bucket half leather front seats, a striking black and red interior throughout and an aggressive air intake on its nose, the MPS is a fiery little beast inside and outside, as well as under the bonnet. It’s loaded with all the equipment you expect inside the cabin, like the ubiquitous Bose Stereo system and full climate control, but the features are somewhat let down by a bafflingly minuscule Sat Nav. At £21,500 though this hot hatch is a rewarding and entertaining experience that also isn’t a mortgage on wheels. That makes the Mazda 3 MPS an appealing entry in its class and a strong and worthy challenger to the reigning champ, the Ford Focus RS.
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URBAN LIFE COMPETITION
WIN A WEEKEND BREAK FOR TWO AT THE MAGNIFICENT BISHOPSTROW HOUSE IN WILTSHIRE! One lucky reader is being given the chance to win a two-night weekend stay for two in a Deluxe Room at Bishopstrow House, with breakfast and dinner on both nights, including use of the Spa facilities.
Situated in 27 acres of beautiful Wiltshire countryside, Bishopstrow House is the ideal destination to relax, unwind and recharge. It is without doubt one of the finest luxury hotels in this part of the UK and with its recent refurbishments, additions and awards it looks set to once again become ‘The’ country house hotel of choice. The Halcyon Spa is a major feature of the hotel and offers two swimming pools and four treatment rooms where tranquillity and an air of calm are guaranteed. The prize is for a two nights stay for two people sharing and includes dinner (excluding alcohol) and breakfast along with full use of Spa facilities. www.bishopstrow.co.uk Bishopstrow House is part of Von Essen hotels; a collection of luxury hotels and historic castles across the UK & France. For further information on Von Essen’s other properties, please visit their main website: www.vonessenhotels.com
For your chance to win this fabulous weekend break, please fill in the entry form below and send it to: Competitions desk, Urban Life Magazine, 10 Greycoat Place, London, SW1P 1SB URBAN LIFE COMPETITION ENTRY FORM Name Profession/Job Title: Address:
Town/City: Postcode: Contact telephone number: Email: Note: the closing date for the competition is February 26th, 2010, with the draw taking place on March 1st, 2010. The winner will be chosen at random. Editor’s decision final, no correspondence will be entered into (full terms and conditions are available upon written request). The prize of the two night stay must be taken before August 31st, 2010, excluding Bank Holiday weekends, and is subject to availability. It includes accommodation, breakfast and dinner both days. A spa treatment for each individual is included. Travel, drinks, additional meals and extras are excluded. There is no cash alternative. By entering this competition you are agreeing to letting Urban Life use your details in future marketing campaigns.
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ART & CULTURE
ART EXHIBITIONS
Maharaja – The Splendour of IndIa’S royal CourTS Until 17th January 2010 The V&A Museum Cromwell Road London SW7 2RL www.vam.ac.uk The exhibition at the V&A opens with the collapse of the Mughal empire in the early 18th century and closes at the end of British rule in 1947, when Indian princes acceded their territories into the modern states of India and Pakistan. Between this chaotic and adventurous period the exhibition brings to you a life size model of an elephant, draped in the opulence and jewellery that befits one of history’s wealthiest empires, through to the Maharaja of Patiala’s necklace, the largest commission ever undertaken by famed jewellers, Cartier, which features at its centre a staggering 234 carat De Beers diamond. Also featured is a breath taking,one of a kind 1927 Rolls Royce Silver Phantom convertible that seems to have ushered in the modern era. Covering three gallery rooms and spanning paintings, photography, textiles and dress, jewellery, jewelled objects, metalwork and furniture, the exhibition is huge and will require the better part of a day to take in and fully appreciate properly.
norMan parkInSon – a Very BrITISh GlaMour Until 31st January 2010 Somerset House The Strand London WC2R 1LA www.somersethouse.org.uk An exhibition to celebrate the publication of Norman Parkinson: A Very British Glamour One of the great pioneers of fashion photography and a decisive influence on subsequent generations of fashion photographers, Norman Parkinson is famous for redefining glamour in fashion as something far more spontaneous and modern than it had ever been before him.
A lavish portrait of his long career from the 1930s to the 1980s, Louise Baring’s Norman Parkinson: A Very British Glamour was published by Rizzoli in late 2009 and to celebrate the publication of the book, a selection of portraits from the Norman Parkinson archive are on display at Somerset House. A treat for those who like their glamour with that extra little bit of class and eccentricity to makes it special.
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ART & CULTURE
Turner and The MasTers Until 31 January 2010 Tate Britain Millbank London SW1P 4RG www.tate.org.uk The scope of this exhibition is breathtaking, showcasing beautiful masterpieces by legendary artists like Canaletto, Rubens, Rembrandt and Titian next to some of JMW Turner’s most dramatic paintings. It tells the story of Turner’s near obsession with emulating, perhaps even exceeding, the regard in which the old masters, and some of his own contemporaries, were held by taking his creative and artistic cues directly from them and stamping his own identity on it. Depending on your point of view he was either a magpie who could call nothing his own or a virtuoso at interpreting another’s work in such a way that the result was always completely new. This is the exhibition that explores both those theories to its end.
expose his bitter and obvious failure to recreate the essence of a Watteau or a Rembrandt. But it is this context that makes his successes, and in turn this exhibition, stark and exciting. The contrast is so polarizing that it makes the highs really high. The fascination of seeing an artist’s thought process develop and change painting by painting, and being able to track those changes through the exhibited work of others, is an opportunity not to be missed.
Here you will also see Turner exposed as a flawed artist as some of the canvases
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ART & CULTURE
IdentIty: eIght rooms, nIne lIves Until 6th April 2010 Wellcome Collection 183 Euston Road London NW1 2BE www.wellcomecollection.org What influences or determines our sense of who we are? What makes one person distinct from another? How does science inform human identity? This major new exhibition explores the relationship between our own self image and how the world see us. Uniquely broken down into chapters it attempts to dissect its subject by introducing nine individual stories to make up its whole. One room begins with the story of scientist Alec Jeffreys’ invention of DNA fingerprinting 25 years ago, the diaries of Samuel Pepys introduce another, while self-portraiture is explored through the work of the Jewish artist Claude Cahun, who despite being sentenced to death for acts of resistance, survived the Nazi occupation of Jersey. Other subjects tackled include twins (hence the ‘nine lives’ but only eight rooms), phrenology and brain imaging, gender and sexuality, race and prejudice, and acting and improvisation. This is an exhibition that has been hailed as ‘a barnstorming exploration of ‘self’ that reaffirms the Wellcome’s identity as one of the best museums in London’. Highly recommended.
the half 25 January – 11 April 2010 The V&A Museum Cromwell Road London SW7 2RL www.vam.ac.uk This display will showcase the work of Simon Annand, photographer of leading actors in the West End for the last 20 years. It provides a rare glimpse into the dressing rooms of actors in the precious, private few moments before the show: The Half. This half an hour before curtain up is used for focus and concentration and is strictly private. All members of the public are required to leave. Whatever has gone on during the day, the actor must use this time to make a transition into the fictional character of the play. There is no escape. These photographs pay tribute to the dedication of stage actors and reveal not only technical skills but also aspects of a very personal nightly ritual.
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1.
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1.ÊHomet ownÊ3Êb yÊHeÊ HongÊ Wei,Ê oilÊ onÊ canvas,Ê £5000.Ê 2.Ê CityÊ ofÊ MyÊ DreamsÊ byÊ KetiÊ Shalamberidze,Ê mixedÊmed iaÊon Êp aper,Ê£750. Ê 3.Ê NudeÊ byÊ NguyenÊ Than,Ê watercolourÊ onÊ paper,Ê £1000.Ê 4.Ê AsianÊ GirlÊ byÊ TataniaÊ Boulia,ÊoilÊon Êcan vas,Ê £750.Ê 5.Ê GirlÊ inÊ RedÊ byÊ NguyenÊ ThanhÊ Binh,Ê oilÊ onÊ canvas,Ê £1250
Inspire Your Collection Exquisite contemporary fine art from Vietnam, China and Georgia
Oc-Eo Gallery, 85 Canonbury Road, London N1 2DG, 07775 795 867, info@oc-eo.com, www.oc-eo.com
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TECHNOLOGY
HIGH TECH The best in high end consumer technology innovations
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Jabra Stone It’s almost a given that Jabra make some of the best Bluetooth headsets available; and the new Stone is no exception. The latest model to their range is by far the most stylish and coolest headset we’ve tested to date. It’s got a flexible frame for a more comfortable fit and sits very snugly around the ear. It’s so light and comfortable in fact, that after a few minutes, you’ll forget it’s even there! The Stone comes with what’s called ‘Noise Blackout Extreme Technology’, a new generation of noise cancelling technology that reduces ambient noise without compromising on voice quality. The innovative design means that there is no boom arm, the touch-controlled volume pad is almost invisible and the portable charger, which can fit into the palm of your hand, will charge the earpiece on the move. A great product for those that spend a lot of time on the phone! < Available exclusively at Carphone Warehouse: £99.00 www.carphonewarehouse.co.uk www.jabra.com
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Draganflyer X6 Aerial photographers, gadget lovers and James Bond wannabes will all delight at this very cool, not to mention very expensive, gadget! The X6 is a state-of-the-art 6-rotor helicopter, which looks set to be on every chaps Christmas/birthday wish list. Aside from having a lot of fun, you can also put its aerial photography system through its paces. Various camera attachments allow for thermal, infrared and highdefinition photos and videos to be taken at up to 1080p, which can be viewed live via the laptop link-up. Detailed technical specifications and more information are available on the website. £20,000 www.air2air.com
APowermat The new Powermat charges devices by induction, a similar technology used by induction cookers to heat things without getting hot. You literally just place a device on the mat until charged and it can charge up to three at a time with the powermat dedicated, device specific receivers attached to your devices. The claim to save wires is an accurate one but it also means buying the individual receivers at around £30 each. An expensive option just to replace some wires. This is also on top of the cost for the Home & Office Mat at £69.99, the Portable Mat at £79.99 and the Powercube Universal USB adaptor at £29.99. Available at the Carphone Warehouse, John Lewis and Amazon. www.powermat.com
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TECHNOLOGY
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Loewe – Reference Home Entertainment System Loewe’s flagship product, Reference, is all you need if you are after a decent all-encompassing home entertainment system. The unit comprises of the Reference 52” LCD screen, a separate Mediacentre for DVD/CD/iPod playback, built-in 500GB hard drive, two speakers and a sub-woofer. Not only does this combo-unit look the business but will blow you away with it’s superior sound quality too. Available from Selfridges, Harrods and the Loewe shop in Kensington from £20,000+ www.loewe-uk.com
< Panasonic VIERA NeoPDP Full-HD 54” Plasma Television Panasonic have launched their next generation of plasma televisions, with built-in Freesat, WirelessHD, and VIERA CAST technology (which allows you to access online content with the built-in web interface) as standard. 600Hz technology and THX certification will ensure watching fastaction sports and high octane movie action scenes will not be the same again. Bring the cinema to your living room. Approx: £5000 for the TX-P54Z1B www.panasonic.co.uk
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Lightsleeper This came in at the last minute, so we haven’t really had a good chance to test it properly. However, if the manufacturer’s claims are anything to go by, we’re liking the sound of this product. If there is an alternative to taking medications for the sleep-deprived, then this can only be a good thing.
Album Deluxe Portable Digital Photo Viewer The market for digital photo albums continues to grow a-pace and the newest contender to enter this arena is the Deluxe from Album. It’s stylishly portable and the chic lightweight frame also comes with a generous 4GB internal memory. Screen resolution is 800 x 480 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Available in three colour choices; black, tan leather with silver metal or black leather with fuchsia metal. Available at Micro Anvika in Harrods: £179 www.harrods.com
The Lightsleeper works by projecting a softly lit spot on to the ceiling which rotates for half an hour, by which time it should have done its job and put you to sleep. If it lives up to its claims (we have plenty of insomniacs in the team to put it to the test!), we will post an update on the website further down the line. Stay tuned… £125 www.lightsleeper.co.uk URBAN LIFE 57 00 39
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PHONES
LUXURY PHONES If you have to be on hold – do it in style!
Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 The Xperia X2 is one of the newest additions to Sony Ericsson’s line of high-end business smart phones and runs on the latest edition of Windows Mobile software (6.5). Available in ‘elegant black’ and ‘modern silver’ and boasting a large 3.2” resistive touchscreen the Xperia X2 features a series of 14 specially designed menu screens including the eye-catching Tilwave panel interface. Shortcuts and icons are mounted on a grid of floating Tetris-esque shapes - clicking on any one of them will take you to another field of floating squares whilst the dormant squares recede and fall into the background. The Xperia X2 also includes the unique SlideView key, which provides quick access to frequently used phone activities, allowing you to quickly catch up on missed calls and recent messages. Price: £489 www.vodafone.co.uk / www.se-store.co.uk
Feature by Thomas Newton
LG Chocolate BL40 Whereas many mobile manufacturers seem to have followed in the footsteps of the watchmakers, LG looks to have been inspired by Swiss confectioners instead. The LG Chocolate BL40 with its wide 4-inch touchscreen display and sweeping black and red curves has drawn comparisons to a “chic, Art Deco cigarette case” (Vogue) and a piece of “mysterious modernist sculpture” (Wallpaper). The attention to design extends beyond the surface; the phone incorporates LG’s S-Class interface which has been specifically adapted for the Chocolate BL40’s widescreen design. The extra wide display has been included so that LG can offer a truly cinematic mobile experience - the Chocolate BL40 features the world’s first 21:9 full cinematic screen seen on a mobile phone. Price: £400 from Carphone Warehouse. www.carphonewarehouse.com / www.lge.co.uk
Ulysse Nardin Chairman The Chairman from Swiss watchmakers Ulysse Nardin not only resembles a timepiece, it’s also made to the same exacting standards. The main menu screen of the Chairman is a digital facsimile of a typical Ulysee Nardin design and even the keypad appears to mimic the shape of the links on a watch strap. Similar to its analogue watches, Ulysse Nardin has built a rotor into the back of the Chairman, allowing you to charge the battery with natural kinetic energy. Only 1846 models have been made - to commemorate the year in which Ulysse Nardin was founded – and it’s available in a number of colour combinations such as Rose Gold, Rose Gold & Blue and Steel & Blue Rose, with additional combinations coming soon. Prices depend on the metals used and your location. Use the Dealer Enquiry Form or contact Ulysse Nardin’s London or US offices for more information. Price: 41,250 Euros for the Rose Gold & Blue http://www.uncells.com
Vertu Constellation Ayxta Not only does the Constellation Ayxta boast a sharp and fetching design, it also has the distinction of being the first clamshell-style mobile phone from luxury phone makers Vertu. The Ayxta’s stainless steel body features high grade aluminium and leather embellishments. Open the Ayxta up and you are greeted with a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal screen. The keypad is available in either stainless steel or black ceramic pieces. The Constellation Ayxta also features the Vertu Concierge service - the mainstay of the Vertu Signature series. One press of a button puts you in touch with a team of dedicated assistants twenty four hours a day, ready to book hotels, flights and furnish you with advice and information. The all-stainless steel version of the Vertu Constellation Ayxta costs £4,700 and comes with either a dark brown or black leather exterior. The ceramic keypad edition of the Ayxta is only available with black leather padding and costs £5,600. www.vertu.com
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PHONES
TAG Heuer Meridiist Automobili Lamborghini The Automobili Lamborghini is a limited edition version of the original TAG Heuer Meridiist. The chassis of the TAG Heuer Meridiist Automobil Lamborghini is built from ultra-resilient titanium carbide-coated 316L stainless steel, and the display is made from 60.5 carats of sapphire crystal. The rear battery cover even comes with the same signature mark which appears on the V12 engine block of the Lamborghini MurciĂŠlago LP 640. Similar to the Ulysse Nardin Chairman, the Automobili Lamborghini is only available in a limited number, 1963 to be exact, in honour of the year Automobili Lamborghini was founded. TAG Heuer Meridiist Automobil Lamborghini boasts a 2-megapixel camera, 2GB of internal memory and a unique upward-facing OLED digital watch which is mounted on the very top of the handset. This secondary screen features a reversible clock, stopwatch accurate to 1/100th of and incoming call identification. Price: ÂŁ5750 www. meridiist.tagheuer.com
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URBAN TASTE
EAT ING OUT 2010 AQUA KYOTO It was at a recent event that somebody mentioned Aqua restaurant to me. The discussion revolved around the “quite spacious roof terraces” and it immediately piqued my interest. A new opening, with a roof terrace, in the heart of the West End? I had to find out more. Well, my first impression was that I was quite impressed. In fact, it kind of reminded me of when Hakkasan opened to much fanfare years ago. The only difference is that it’s not hidden away in an alley, actually quite the opposite. It’s situated on bustling Argyll Street (the entrance is directly opposite the Palladium theatre). However, Aqua already has that ‘aura’ and looks destined to attain the very elusive cool factor, especially given that it has not only one, but three rooftop terraces! Summer of 2010 will be a much anticipated affair I can tell you. Aqua (part of the Hong Kong based Aqua Restaurant Group) is located on the top floor of the former Dickins & Jones building and is split in to three parts; Nueva, serving a traditional Catalonian menu, and Kyoto, serving contemporary Japanese. The third is Aqua Spirit, which is their pre and post dining bar, and it already seems to be the meeting place of choice for those heading towards Movida and Maddox nightclubs.
As you enter Aqua Kyoto and head into the restaurant, the feeling of space cannot be ignored. Taking centre stage is the ‘sunken’ sushi bar, beyond which is the 112-seater restaurant, which they could have filled with an extra 20-30 covers easily. But I’m not complaining. It’s hard to find a table anywhere these days without rubbing elbows with fellow diners, so space is most welcome. As for dinner, I had the pleasure of the company of two of our lovely editors, in charge of fashion and jewellery respectively. The food was left in the hands of Edison, the Restaurant Assistant Manager, who was a charming and knowledgeable host. The drinks arrived, with Delphine opting for a glass of Albarino (£5.90), an elegant white grape from Northern Spain, which she stuck with all night. Leyla tried the Aqua (signature) cocktail (Tanqueray Gin with Sake and Sherry), whilst I opted for the Cucumis Sativus (a delicious nonalcoholic spicy cocktail - £4.50). Amongst the first of the dishes to land on the table were Seared Beef Tataki with chilli ponzu (£11.50), Halibut marinated in dashi with leek and chilli (£10.50) and Spinach Rolls with toasted sesame sauce (£6.50). All three dishes were delicious, with the beef and halibut
exceptionally well done. The added kick of chilli was just spicy enough to tingle and fire up the taste buds. These were followed by a selection of sushi and sashimi (including Salmon and Tobico (flying fish egg) topped with grilled fat tuna - £18.00 and Tataki Sushi Platter (sushi wrapped in cucumber) - £32.00. Of the main dishes, we had Grilled Sea Bass Shitake with Truffle garlic soy sauce (£21.00), Aqua Kyoto Black Cod with miso (from the Sumib Yaki - charcoal grill £26.00) , Grilled Tenderloin with creamy mustard sauce (£22.00) and a Shrimp Tempura with tempura sauce, daikon and ginger (£8.00). The Sea Bass and Black Cod were exceptionally good and worth a special mention as they are amongst the better options available in London. There were quite a few dishes I missed out due to space issues (Sashimi Mori Awase Platter and Shitake Mushroom with salted shuto, for example). However, suffice to say we thoroughly enjoyed Aqua’s service, food and ambience and shall be on the terraces sometime soon. See you there! Ataur Rahman Aqua Kyoto Fifth Floor, 240 Regent Street , London, W1B 3BR (Entrance on Argyll St.) 0207 478 0540 www.aqua.com.hk
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campaigns. This couldn’t have been better illustrated than when an actress friend of mine who I hadn’t seen for years since she moved to LA came over to say hello, dressed down for once. “When I’m in London I always come in here”, she said.
The first thing you notice when you walk into Jak’s is that it looks like your lovable old grandmother’s country kitchen – big wooden tables, shelves stacked with condiments and spices and, best of all, a nice welcoming atmosphere. It’s obvious that, despite its swanky location right next to the high fashion boutiques of Draycott Avenue and only a stone’s throw from Harrods, this isn’t a place for pretension and dinner jackets, this is a place to socialize with friends over good food. And so it was that my girlfriend and I stepped into the premises and instantly felt at ease. Two and a half to three hours later we were still there enjoying the cheesecake, the atmosphere and each other’s company. Jak’s is just one of those restaurants conducive to relaxing and unwinding. It’s obviously a regular place for many, judging by the laughter and warm banter between some of the customers and the staff, and you can tell that the business has been built on word of mouth and individual discovery rather than PR and advertising
This also isn’t the place to expect exotic culinary creations presented as works of art. All the food is fresh, ‘home cooked’ and organic so expect choices on the menu like Meatballs, Chicken Pie and Lasagne. Jak’s works on a buffet type system, which also lends itself to the clever take-away service available there. All the choices are on display at the front of the restaurant along with an array of salad and vegetable options, you select what you want and the friendly and accommodating staff bring it to your table. We had the Poached Salmon with Asparagus and roasted vegetables (£13.50) and the Chicken Scalopinni with stuffed baked Aubergine (£11.50). Accompanying that was a central salad dish, with a delicious hummus island for dipping (£7.50), and two glasses of Mas Petit Cabernet Sauvignon (£8.00) - had I not been driving it would have been a bottle! The food was great, the vegetables especially were prepared to perfection, and the wine was delicious. One thing you will notice about your meal is the size of the portions. If you can see your plate when your meal arrives then consider yourself unlucky. The other thing you will notice are the very reasonable prices. And as long as you are not expecting achingly
fancy dishes or have bizarre and exotic tastes, and as long as you are with good company, you are in for a treat. Desert might have seemed a chore after such a big meal had it not been for the fact that Jak’s is renowned for its Strawberry cheesecake. My girlfriend and I shared an unsurprisingly generous slice (£4.00) and, it has to be said, there was a moment when we both forgot the other was there as we attacked it from opposite ends. It was gorgeous. There are a multitude of sweets and desserts prepared freshly on the premises every day – apparently the chocolate brownies are also very highly regarded – but I think we are going to happily pledge our allegiance to the cheesecake for the foreseeable future. Long after the cheesecake though we were still there enjoying the surroundings and the people. As we were leaving we said goodbye to the manager, Alex, who looked at my girlfriend’s outstretched hand and declared, ‘I don’t shake hands with beautiful women’ and gave her a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. It sums up the place perfectly – warm, welcoming and relaxed. Definitely a place to be visited again and again. Andre Gayle Jak’s 77 Walton Street London, UK SW3 2HT Tel: 020 7584 3441 www.jakswaltonstreet.com eat@jakswaltonstreet.com
These days, luxury is a much-devalued word. Some people, however, refuse to compromise on standards.
Mehek
Mehek Indian Restaurant
45 London Wall, Moorgate London EC2M 5TE Telephone: 020 7588 5043/7588 5044 Facsimile: 020 7588 5045 Email: info@mehek.co.uk Website: www.mehek.co.uk
If you are one of them, then you'll find Mehek has been created especially for you, where fine dining is truly exquisite, and where sumptuous cuisine and some of the world's finest wines are served in exclusive surroundings. After all, your parties and events are too precious to be left to chance, and too important to expose to indifferent service or inferior food standards. So isn't it time you came on board?
Now you can experience luxury without compromise
Some of the acclaims for Mehek: Multiple times winner of the AA Rosette Awards, winner of the British Curry Awards, BCA no.1 in the City, Best In Britain Awards, Safety Thirst, City of London Safer Pub & Club Awards, TopTable Gold Award, and numerous recommendations by restaurant guides, newspapers and magazines.
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IN AND AROUND TOWN WITH FUNKY NORA And so here we are at that time of the year again; where we say goodbye to the Autumnal party season and prepare ourselves for a mass exodus to sunnier climes, or as some of us prefer, to even colder ones with copious amounts of sun and snow. Just as the winter sets in and the Christmas bookings full of suits and skirts start to hit our usual haunts, there is a feeling of desperation in the air, and you can almost hear the collective voice screaming out in unison – “I am a socialite, get me out of here!” But before I pack my bags and head off to Aspen (I’ve got nothing against office parties, I just like it there!), I’d like to bring you up to speed on what’s been the word on the street lately. Feature by Funky Nora
ChinAwhite As most of us now know, the wait is finally over. The legend that was Chinawhite is, well, no longer in the past tense. The phoenix has risen. The venue of choice for most of our generation is now back in action. Following ten years of era-defying clubbing the old Air street venue closed down for exactly 10 months (coincidence or hype?), and has now re-opened at a new location on Winsley Street, just north of Oxford Street. The venue must be seen to fully appreciate the transformation. It’s almost as if the ‘old’ China’s has had a makeover from Gok Wan, and shed a few pounds (and years) in the process! It’s a lot sleeker, cooler and more ambient in its design. It’s contemporary, minimalistic and youthful. And whilst staying true to its original south-East Asian heritage, offers a modern interpretation of its
former self. Aside from these elements, the only major difference is that the new venue has a restaurant upstairs and whilst the Temple Bar (formerly Wu Wu Room) is a lot more spacious, the VIP is a fraction smaller. However, the only constant that makes Chinawhite what it is, remains the same: Jeremy Hartley and John Stephen are there on hand to take care of business, as always.
However, there is one very obvious element missing, which you will not spot unless you have spent more time than you should have at the old venue. I wonder how many of you can tell me what that is? Answers on a post card please… Chinawhite 4 Winsley Street, London, W1W 8HF 0207 290 0580 www.chinawhite.com
AurA Have you noticed how much ‘bigger’ Aura has become following its recent refurbishment? Not only does it look and feel more spacious, but it’s a lot more welcoming than before. I mean there’s not really much you can do by way of the actual physical space, but it just goes to show what a bit of creative thinking can do when you are restricted by size. The seating is a lot more comfortable and with the raised ‘VIP’ area, to the left of the club as you walk in, you get more of a ‘bird’s eye view’ of the entire club. Service time has increased by leaps and bounds, since the waitresses can run around more freely, and so too has the flow of people hitting the bar. A job well done for this Mayfair hideaway. It still gets very busy on the weekends, so preplanning is advisable.
Aura. 48-49 St. James’s Street, London, SW1A 1JT. 0207 499 9999. www.auramayfair.com
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Kanaloa
The décor is in keeping with the theme
in true tropical island fashion, with plenty of over-sized plants, palm trees and tropical leaf patterned walls all around. There’s a bamboo-clad bar, which acts as the focal point of the venue, with lots of rustic touches spread throughout. If you are into your rum, then you will be in paradise; they probably have the largest variety of rum available in any venue across London. As
Quintessentially soho at the house of st. BarnaBas
(www.quintessentiallyfoundation.org) as well as other good causes both in the UK and overseas.
Slightly away from the hustle of the West End, we have a new opening in the heart of the Square Mile. Brought to you by the dynamic duo (Nick House and Piers Adam), this is the City’s version of Mahiki, their first Polynesian themed bar on Dover Street.
And last but not least, we say goodbye to Quintessentially Soho, which closes on the 23rd of December. Following in the footsteps of a number of other highprofile ‘pop-up’ bars of recent times (The Double Club with Mourad Mazouz and Fondazione Prada, Plateau Ice Bar with Smirnoff Black and The Dusk Bar with Bombay Sapphire), Quintessentially Soho has proved to be another hit amongst the cognoscenti. Launched as a not-for-profit members’ lounge and open for a period of just over three months, the venue has been used to host private dinners, parties and corporate events, all with the aim of raising as much money as possible for The House of St. Barnabas (www.hosb.org.uk) and the Quintessentially Foundation
with Mahiki, expect a lot of fanfare and theatrics when heading down for a cocktail. These boys don’t do things by half! Kanaloa 18 Lime Office Court, Hill House, Shoe Lane, London, EC4A 3BQ 0207 842 0620 www.kanaloaclub.com
The House of St. Barnabas is a Grade 1 listed building located in the heart of Soho, and has provided shelter for homeless people since 1846. One of the finest examples of a Georgian Townhouse in the capital, the building has been extensively restored to its former glory by Interior Designer Russell Sage. Not only has this venue provided us with an escape from the dreary monotony of the beaten track, but like some of its predecessors, given us an excuse to have fun whilst doing something worthwhile. Let’s hope we see more of these operations next year! Quintessentially Soho 1 Greek Street, London, W1D 4NQ 0207 183 3900 www.quintessentiallysoho.com
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Our guide to the most exclusive and hippest parties and events from around the worldâ&#x20AC;Ś AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS 2009
Jim Smeal/BEI/Rex Features
The Black Eyed Peas
Kristen Bell
Snoop Dogg and Shante Taylor
Val Kilmer and 50 Cent
Toni Braxton and son Diezal
Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman
Alicia Keys
Jermaine Jackson
Sofia Vergara
Rihanna
Carrie Underwood
Mads Mikkelsen and his wife Hanne Jacobsen
Shakira
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MTV EUROPE MUSIC AWARDS 2009
Getty Images
David Guetta
Joss Stone Asia Argento
BeyoncĂŠ
Katy Perry (host)
Juliette Lewis
Lil Kim
Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy
Green Day Leona Lewis
Jay Z
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Shakira
Spandau Ballet
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URBAN LIFE TIMES BFI 53RD LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 2009
THIS IS IT PREMEIRE (London) 2009
Ben Kingsley and Daniela Lavender
Bill Murray
Gareth Cattermole, Samir Hussein, Ian Gavan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Getty Images
(L-R) LeToya Luckett, Keri Hilson and Adrienne Bailon
Duncan James & Harry Connick Jr
Mel B
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Cindy Crawford
Colin Firth
George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis
Lemar
Abigail Clancy
Keisha Buchanan
THIS IS IT PREMEIRE (LA) 2009
Kenny Ortega & The Jacksons
Clive Owen
Eva Green
David Walliams and Kate Moss
Kristin Scott Thomas
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Viggo Mortensen
Gemma Arterton
David Fisher/ Silpa Press/BDG/Matt Baron/BEI/Rex Features. Sony Publicity
<
Paris Hilton
Matt Goss
Stars Arrive at the LA Premiere
Will Smith
Macy Gray
Pam Hogg
Jennifer Lopez
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The time is now. The place is Malaysia For booking contact your local Travel Agent For more information please visit: www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my or call 020 7930 7932 Tourism Malaysia. 57 Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DU e-mail: info@toursim-malaysia.co.uk
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