YUPPIE
02 Summer 2011
Berlin Special
Š Sweaty Betty : womens performance activewear | London | Bath | Bluewater | Brighton | Bristol | Cambridge | Guildford | | Kingston | Manchester | Nottingham | Wilmslow | Walton |
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Letter from YUPPIE
From bin Laden to Berlin A lot has happened in the world since YUPPIE’s last issue. The Arab Spring, the death of Osama bin Laden, and further economic euro-zone problems - to name a few. Each of these situations reminds us not only of the frailty of human life, but also the importance of the human spirit. When inspired there is very little that the human spirit cannot accomplish. There are few other cities in the world that exemplify this better than the city of Berlin. In the midst of an urban rejuvenation, after being reestablished as the capital of Germany in 1999, the city serves as a trophy to the human spirit. War, political conflict, the Berlin Wall, and high unemployment have all plagued the city in the past but the spirit of its inhabitants always prevails. Now, the destination of choice for the creative and media classes of Europe, Berlin has caught the eyes of YUPPIE. For that reason we are dedicating this issue to the streets of Europe’s unruly capital, bringing to you stories that will engage and inspire. We have a piece on Murdoch’s phonehacking scandal and what it means for the British media industry once the dust settles. Daniel Korski discusses Germany’s role as a leader in the EU and the angst felt by many of its constituents. In the Leisure section Phillip Buckland and Stefanie Seibold encourage us to drink our angst away with a piece on the joys of champagne, and Yulia Rudenko details the best way to spend 48 hours in Berlin. Welcome to Issue Two! YMG
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YUPPIE
{CONTENTS} {Feature}
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/ Berlin: Beyond The Wall
Alles (not) in Ordnung: Germany’s Summer of Angst. Daniel Korski discusses Berlin’s change in political attitudes.
/ Washed Out The artist behind Washed Out, Ernest Greene, is gaining critical acclaim for his new album Within and Without.
{Arts & Culture}
{Current Affairs} 10 .... Cheat Sheet
With the latest buzz from our staff contributors you will be up to speed on what you need to know.
12 .... Media, Money & Politics: Murdoch’s Monopoly
Billy Taylor discusses how Murdoch has damaged the public’s trust in Britain’s political, business and media establishements.
28 .... Goodbye to Berlin
A captivating excerpt from The Berlin Novels, published by Vintage Books.
33 .... REVIEW
YUPPIE’s summer entertainment picks: Icona Pop and Dirty Sexy Things.
34 .... Beauty & the Geek
Paula Merlo shares some of her summer skin secrets.
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YUPPIE
{CONTENTS}
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/ The Drama King
Gabriel Weil investigates the genius behind Mugler: Nicola Formichetti.
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/ 48 Hours in Berlin
Got 48 hours to spare? Pack your bags and let YUPPIE be your weekend guide.
{Fashion} 35 .... Style Rookie
Flaminia Saccucci is a name to know now and watch out for.
40 .... Zilouf ’s Story
An enchanting photo feature from photographer Raymond Tan.
54 .... Dario
Raymond Tan continues to delight us, channelling British summer fever to get us in the holiday mood.
{Leisure} 60 .... Uncorked: Everything You Should Know About Champagne
Phillip Buckland and Stefanie Seibold give us a lesson on the joys of Champagne.
71 .... YUPPIE Street Style
From the streets of Berlin.
VISIT
YUPPIE
ONLINE AT WWW.YUPPIEMAG.COM
Contributors Daniel Korski Gabriel Weil Keith Martin Petr Zolotarev Phillip Buckland Raymond Tan Stefanie Seibold Yulia Rudenko Printed By London College of Communication Elephant & Castle London SE1 6SB Tel: +44 (0)2075146569 Special Thanks Desmond O’Rourke, David Penfold, Simon Das, Keith Martin, Tony Yard, Scott House, Jim McBride, John Himbury, David Morris, Frode Nordbø Copyright © 2011 All rights reserved. No part of this publiction may be reproduced in whole or part without permission from the publisher. The views expressed in the magazine are those of the contributors and are not necessarily shared by the magazine.
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YUPPIE
{MASTHEAD}
Billy Taylor Editor-in-Chief billy@yuppiemag.com
Carolyn Jones Creative Director carolyn@yuppiemag.com
Paula Merlo Features Editor paula@yuppiemag.com
Yvette Chiu Art Director yvette@yuppiemag.com
Antonia Anastasiadi Contributing Editor antonia@yuppiemag.com
Kingsley Man Web Developer kingsley@yuppiemag.com
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{Current Affairs}
CHEAT 1
FAIR
California Governor Jerry Brown (D) signed a bill that will require public schools in the state to teach students about the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. The bill, known as FAIR (Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, Respectful), is believed to be the first of its kind in the US, and will also require teachers to provide instruction on the role of people with disabilities.
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Computer
NECK
Do you check your e-mails on the bus, read your Kindle/iPad on the tube, or work in front of a computer screen making head and neck pains a constant? If the answer is yes, you might have ‘Computer Neck’ - a new disease affecting gadget users who spend hours looking down. The curve at the top of your spine can be reversed with simple exercises such as stretching your arms and turning your head to look at the ceiling. The tube ride to work just got a little more interesting!
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3 Made in ITALY
To celebrate 150 years of Italian unification, Somerset House is organising a photographic exhibition on what Italians do best: fashion! The exhibition, Masters of Style: Celebrating Stories Behind Italian Fashion, gathers iconic images and campaigns of six main brands: Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, Gucci, Missoni and Prada. Kick off your heels and hurry down to see it; you only have until the 14th of August. Da non perdere! www.somersethouse.org.uk
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{Current Affairs}
SHEET 4 Baby Gaga
Is Angelina Jolie a role model for Lady Gaga? The pop singer is ready to be a mum. Actually, she still has five years before she starts changing diapers. Gaga recently announced that she would like to have children before she turns 30 and that she plans to adopt from either Nepal, India or Bangladesh.
5 COMBATING AIDS Researchers have released yet more evidence that early treatment of HIV in an infected heterosexual can protect his or her partner from becoming infected. The studies found that when an infected partner receives medicines soon after diagnosis, spread to uninfected partners fell by 96%.
7 New Name
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polaroid
International Design Contest Calling all design professionals, students or any creative with a great idea for new sunglasses. Polaroid Eyewear needs you now! The best designs will be part of the 2013 Signature Collection and will be signed with the designers’ names. To prove that Polaroid isn’t cheap, the winners will receive royalties for every piece sold. Deadline for entries is September 30, 2011. www.polaroidsunglasses1937.com
Introducing the newest name in contemporary art: “Charming” Baker. He funds his own shows and promotes himself on YouTube. His works have gained respect from Damien Hirst, and collectors of Frank Cohen. He paints on linen, canvas and is influenced by cheap books, suburbia and summer holidays. It doesn’t hurt he just made £1.75 million on the first night of his opening show this July in London.
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Media, Money & Politics:
MURDOCH’S MONOPOLY The News of the World scandal led to the paper’s closure but not before damaging the public’s trust in Britain’s political, business and media establishments. How did we get here? How do we get out? Billy Taylor discusses why media conglomerates the size of News International are bad for democracy.
Image courtesy of Peter Macdiarmid
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{Current Affairs}
The media, at its best, is a weapon against egregious abuses of power within democratic structures around the world. All too often, we observe democratically elected governments -whether it be legislative, executive or judicial- operating less perfectly than they should. Minority rights are ignored, policies that damage a sector of society are imposed, and the interest of business is placed above that of the populace. By highlighting and denouncing such transgressions, the press –directly and indirectly- safeguard those democratic principles that our society has established. They can effectively push back against the wave of injustice from those with power that inevitably encroach on sections of the population without power. In a representative democracy, such as the UK, elected individuals are held accountable for their actions through an electoral system. It’s the creation of accountability that empowers the public. We can vote to keep them in office, or replace them, depending on our opinion of their performance. This requires, of course, an informed electorate. And for that reason, we count on the media to provide a level of unbiased news from an independent source in order to cast informed votes. It’s a collaborative relationship between elected officials, the media and the public - established to ensure the health of our political system. This relationship carries a legacy and reputation dating back hundreds of years. A relationship built on creditability and trust. During a parliamentary debate in 1787, Edmund Burke was credited as referring to the press corps, working to report the activities of the House of Commons, as the “Fourth Estate”. It was a nod to the importance of the press, and the consideration of its role in society as important as the government itself. Thanks to the work of many responsible journalists, the “Fourth Estate” has provided a fundamental and democratic means for people to criticize, reject and reverse bad policy. It has, in effect, been a check to the other great institutions of democracy. Unfortunately, Rupert Murdoch’s News International is in danger of forever jeopardizing this established practice. The vitality of the entire “Fourth Estate” is corroding as seemingly each new day delivers accusations and stories of corruption and scandal more shocking than the day before. The perception of and enthusiasm for the press feels to be in a downward spiral, with its credibility as a pillar of polity almost completely lost. This does not bode well for our democracy. We depend on an open and free press to monitor and report on what’s happening on Downing Street so that we, as citizens, can act accordingly. I think Thomas Jefferson, a colonial forefather and U.S. President, articulated it best when he said: “If I had to choose between government without newspapers, and newspapers without government, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose the latter.” Like Jefferson, I hold that a well-informed public is at the core of our democracy.
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End of the World It was on the 7th of July when James Murdoch (son of Rupert Murdoch) announced that in the wake of the News of the World’s escalating phone-hacking scandal the 168-year-old paper would cease publication. The scandal’s cover-up could no longer be contained. What the opened floodgates revealed was a dishonest and corrupt alliance between the power elite and Murdoch’s News International. A story much bigger than the practice of phonehacking, it is the –almost unbelievable- account of how a single media group, by exerting political influence, was able to intimidate other media groups, politicians, and even the police. Which begs the question: how could we have let this happen? It’s a question that is more frequently being asked of Prime Minster David Cameron. As the investigation and arrests continue, Cameron will find it challenging to avoid being personally tainted by the scandal. Cameron’s reputation was first criticized when his former press secretary, Andy Coulson, previously an editor of News of the World, resigned over allegations that hacking occurred under his reign. A claim Coulson continues to adamantly deny. Regardless, despite a substantial amount of pressure at the time, Cameron initially refused to agree to a public investigation into the matter. Leaving us now to question if it were his relationships with, and fear of, News International that lead to his decisions. In fact, the more information that comes to light, the more it becomes apparent of just how deep the pernicious trio of Murdoch, Coulson and Brooks were connected with Cameron personally, and politically. Reflecting on their relationship, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Early in the tragedy, three witches visit (then) General Macbeth to foretell his rise as king. It’s their prophecies that first introduce Macbeth to ideas of greatness. His reaction is one of fear and hope. Frightened because he realizes legally and rightfully he can never become the King of Scotland, yet hopeful at the idea of one day acquiring such power. Taunting him, the witches chant: “Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear/Things that do sound so fair?” We all know the story. Macbeth falls for temptation, presuming foul means to be the only route to procurement, and kills the King. What’s my point? The witches enticed Macbeth with implications of greatness, but never suggested killing anyone. They were much too subtle for that. The bloodshed was a result of Macbeth’s own actions. But it was the influence of the dark and contradictory nature of those around him that revealed the path to his own destruction. Let’s say, death by association. Take note Mr Prime Minister. Not unlike the three witches of Macbeth - Murdoch, Coulson and Brooks, either past or present, have positioned themselves as agent and witness, but seek chaos, conflict and control. They herald treason and impending doom, and confuse morality by depicting evil as good and good as evil; they
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A story much bigger than the practice of phone-hacking, it is the – almost unbelievable – account of how a single media group, by exerting political influence, was able to intimidate other media groups, politicians, and even the police.
Image courtesy of David Shankbone
{Current Affairs}
chant gibberish and seek misfortune for all those around them. It would be to your own good, and the good of the UK, to learn from Macbeth’s mistakes and distance yourself from such influences. Unfortunately, the relationship between the Conservative party and News International is neither a secret, nor a surprise to anyone. It is a relationship that has allowed, critics say, News International to gain too much power. They argue it is the political elite, hungry for Murdoch’s newspaper endorsements, which supply News International with the kind of political clout that can cause the police, the Press Complaints Commission (PCC), and some politicians to automatically back off allegations against the media empire. These are not new claims for Murdoch. The Wapping Dispute In 1979 Margaret Thatcher came to power and Murdoch was positioning the Sun as a strident Tory supporter. It’s impossible to know the impact Murdoch’s influence had on PM Thatcher’s political decisions but it is known they shared a close alliance. It was Thatcher that pushed through a series of employment laws favourable to an unpleasant, and publicly ignominious situation Murdoch was facing between News International and British print unions. It was referred to as the Wapping dispute. Thatcher’s employment laws restricted picketers, outlawed “secondary” solidarity actions, empowered employers to obtain injunctions against unions and sue them for losses caused by the strikes, and gave the courts the power to seize union assets. Conveniently, these measures handed Murdoch the cheapest and easiest solution possible for his problem. By 1986 News International was perfectly positioned to legally dismiss roughly 5,500 pesky union-supporting employees as a result of the new laws. Murdoch was handed a legal loophole that allowed News International to surreptitiously established new corporate offices in Wapping while provoking existing staff into a strike. He was then able to dismiss the current staff as soon as the strike began, only to immediately fill the positions with a strikebreaking workforce. It marked the beginning of the age of corporate media. Market vs. State It’s neither my intention to over simplify PM Thatcher’s political decisions nor the struggle of the British trade union movement, but merely to revisit the long-standing collusion between the Murdoch empire and the British political class, regardless of political affiliation. And that’s the problem. It’s bigger than Cameron and his overly cosy friendships with the Murdoch clan. It is the corporate culture that has been displayed by News International - a culture that is eroding the press’ function as a counter power. An unforeseen consequence of globalization – it
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is a clash between the market and the state. Leaving unimaginable power and influence in the hands of a few men like Rupert Murdoch. Today’s media giants, namely News International, have bought their way into a wide variety of media sectors all across the world. In doing so, they have acquired such economic and ideological importance that they’re now players in the very clash that is weakening the reputation of the institution they represent: the “Fourth Estate”. I can’t imagine Murdoch’s that concerned. If anything, he’s worried about the future growth of News Corps. Media conglomerates are always worried about growth. It’s what drives them to foster relationships with other “Estates” of polity. Unfortunately, in building such relationships, they devalue their claim as a mediator between the public and the power elite. Forgetting to safeguard democratic principles in order to focus their attention on controlling the system. It blurs the lines beyond reason, and creates death by association. Only now, everybody’s watching. Moving Forward There are still questions that need answers, especially between the media baron’s empire and the police and certain politicians. It has emerged just this week that Cameron personally had 26 meetings in 15 months with key figures of Murdoch’s News Corp. We should assume this is not unusual. As the clean up continues, and we begin to discuss a replacement for the hopelessly ineffective Press Complaints Commission (PCC), we should not forget the chilling effect that a single media company, the size of News International, can have on public life and British institutions. Cameron has made public commitments for public inquiries into the “ethics and culture of the press”, as well as comments regarding an audit of the PCC. These are both good and necessary steps in restoring the reputation of the “Fourth Estate”. There might even be hope yet for Cameron to break Murdoch’s monopoly on British affairs if he can resist the familiar voices with a contradictory nature that chant: “Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear/ Things that do sound so fair?”
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{Feature}
BERLIN:
Beyond The Wall
More than twenty years have passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of East and West Germany. YUPPIE looks at how the country, and it’s beloved capital, are shaping up today. Daniel Korski, Senior Policy Fellow at the pan-European think-tank European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) discusses the country’s current political climate, while photographer Keith Martin captures the changing façade of one of history’s most iconic walls.
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Germany’s Summer of Angst Alles (not) in Ordnung Words by Daniel Korski
Berlin seems cool, hip and carefree. A stroll past the city’s glasswrapped buildings and along the tree-lined cobblestone streets gives visitors a sense of calm that is difficult to find in other capitals. And while cranes speckle the urban landscape, constantly changing Berlin’s façade, they do not give off the migraine-inducing sounds of construction heard in cities like Beijing. Germany’s capital – much like the rest of the country – seems busy, but calm and possibly even contented. Elsewhere in Europe, people have taken to the streets in protest against the global downturn. In Britain, public sector unions are promising to organise the largest protests since the 1980s in response to the government’s pension reform. In debt-laden Greece, there is now even talk of a revolution. “We got the solution. Revolution,” declares one poster outside of the Greek parliament. In Germany, there seems to be no such mood. People move about their business in a mood of dignified calm. And with the summer sun warming the capital, every self-respecting Berliner deserts their state-of-the-art Kutchenhaus kitchens and head to the park to grill meat. Economic success may explain why Germany looks contented. Of all the large developed countries, none have come out of the global recession looking stronger than Germany has. German companies have boosted output and hiring, pushing the jobless rate to the lowest in two decades. Companies like Volkswagen, Europe’s largest carmaker, are poised, in the words of CEO Martin Winterkorn, for another “very successful” year. His colleagues agree. Sentiment among German businesses improved as summer began, rising for the first time since winter. Factories are working day and night to deliver orders of German products to Europe, the United States and China. Home sales are up. In terms of growth, profits and productivity, the economic boom of 2011 seems to have surpassed even the Wirtschaftswunder – the economic miracle – of the mid20th century. And to top it off, in June the Bundesbank raised its economic growth forecast for 2011, calling the upturn “broad based” – the holy grail of recoveries. As Ulrike Guerot from the think tank the European Council on Foreign Relations puts it: “The mood in Germany is already post-crisis.” And German politicians,
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economists and business leaders are not afraid of telling everyone. The economy minister, Rainer Brüderle, boasts of an “XL upswing” and does not shy away from comparing Germany’s economic performance – based on manufacturing, high savings and exports – favourably with other European economies and even the United States. Sitting in her panoramic office in the middle of Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel should be happy. Many European leaders would do almost anything to be in her position. Following the economic recovery speculations about the collapse of the Christian Democrat Union (CDU)-Free Democrat Party (FDP) government have come to an end. The setback for the CDU-FDP coalition in the North-Rhine-Westphalia regional elections on 9 May 2010, and the problems getting a successor to President Horst Köhler elected, created doubts over the government’s ability to even survive. Personal criticism of the Chancellor herself also increased, reinforced earlier this year as with CDU’s electoral defeat in its historical base of support in the Baden-Wuerttemberg region. That, however, seems to have ended. Today, Mrs Merkel dominates her centre-right Christian Democratic party. She has no effective rivals in government. Her party is eight points ahead of the Social Democrats (SPD) in national polls and though her popularity has slipped to one point behind Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the SDP parliamentary leader whom she beat in a 2009 election, after a U-turn on nuclear policy, Mrs Merkel is still a favourite to win a third term in two years’ time. So all should be well. But it’s not. For in today’s Germany it is hard to find anyone who is happy about how things are going. The sense of calm and contentment that permeates Berlin is probably more a force of habit than a genuine sentiment: Germans, after all, are meant to prise Ordnung, order, above anything else. The problem stems from the fact that unlike the growth that drove Germany in earlier decades, today’s economic upturn is turning Germans against their politicians, against Europe, and against everyone who is not German. According to one survey, 80 per cent of Germans believe that the future will be worse than the present, that “everything is getting worse.” This is a self-questioning and angst-ridden time in Germany. A British colleague once told me that a German is never as undignified as when he is trying to find himself. And the angst and introspection is manifesting itself in a number of disquieting ways – in debates, policies and even the arts. One of the most popular books in recent times is by former Bundesbank member Thilo Sarrazin called Deutschland schafft sich ab, which argues that the right sort of German women are having too few babies and that the wrong sort – mainly Muslims – are having too many, with the consequence that Germany’s population is shrinking and also “getting dumber”. Though the left and the right denounced Mr Sarrazin’s inflammatory arguments, for a lot of ordinary Germans he had a point. In one survey conducted after the book was published last year, 95% of respondents did not think the book went too far.
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{ Matters are likely to get worse in September, when the UN General Assembly is expected to vote on Palestinian statehood
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The disconnect between favourable economic indicators and yet a simmering discontent is also at the core of the conflict between Germany and some of its Eurozone allies over how to handle the continuing European financial crisis. Voters are angry at having to pay for Greece’s rolling bailouts. A recent opinion poll showed 60 per cent of Germans oppose new aid for Greece. And in a telling stunt, the tabloid Bild newspaper sent a reporter to Athens to hand out now defunct drachma notes, telling the Greeks “Have your own currency back, and stop messing with ours.” The jingoism has been giving intellectual respectability to the oft-heard notion that the EU is becoming a Transferunion, a transfer union where fiscally responsible EU member-states transfer money to fiscally irresponsible ones. Rather than confront these sentiments, appealing to the European solidarity that has helped Germany since Worlds War II and explaining how Germany’s export-led growth has been partly to blame for Europe’s internal trade imbalances, Mrs Merkel chose to play to the economic nationalism of the electorate, who see the Greeks (but also the Spaniards, Portuguese and Italians) as lazy southerners exploiting northern industriousness and frugality. Ignored were stories that Siemens’ Greek branch allegedly had an annual slush fund of 15 million euros to pay for “commissions” for work. Or that Ferrostaal AG, one of the German companies helping to build Greek submarines, was involved in bribery, allegedly authorizing payments worth millions of euros to Greek politicians in order to win deals. The Chancellor wavered in her commitment to the weaker European economies and Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble demanded that banks should take their share of the Greek pain. He also suggested that the Greeks should export their sunshine to Germany in exchange for money. “Greece has many more hours of sunshine every year than us in Germany and could export [solar] electricity to us,” he told the weekly Die Zeit. The proposals to force private lender to participate in a new Greek bailout put the German government at loggerheads with Europe’s other top policymakers and raised fears around the world that Greece would effectively default on its euro 340 billion debt burden. When Mrs Merkel finally had to accept a new bailout and row back on earlier demands, the result was even greater popular resistance to bailouts for Greece. This despite the costs to European integration and to Germany’s own recovery if Greece were to default and be forced out of the Euro. As Germany expert Hans Kundnani notes, with the growth of economic imbalances within the Eurozone “Germany has increasingly tried to impose its own preferences on its European partners.” But it is not only economic policy that is affected. An angst-driven inward attitude was also in evidence over Germany’s decision to abstain from voting on a no-fly zone over Libya at the UN Security Council (alongside China and Russia); refusal to participate in the ensuing NATO operation - was driven, it appeared, entirely by the lack of public desire to get involved and the hope of Chancellor Merkel and her foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, of gaining
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support for the CDU and FDP before important local elections. According to a survey conducted after the elections, 61% percent of Germans agreed with the decision not to intervene in Libya. Moreover, those polled did not consider military intervention to be a viable answer to the problem. However, it did not avert CDU electoral defeat in the Baden-Wuerttemberg region and damaged Germany’s standing inside NATO, for example setting back Germany’s ambitions for a permanent UN Security Council seat. It also surprised many of Germany’s allies who had become accustomed to Germany’s growing assertiveness. Mrs Merkel’s initiatives since the UN vote, aimed at repairing relations between Germany and its allies – for example by recognising the rebels in Bengazi – have seemed desperate, not strategic. Matters are likely to get worse in September, when the UN General Assembly is expected to vote on Palestinian statehood. Germany has made clear that it is against a UN resolution recognising an independent Palestinian state; France and Britain are likely to be supportive of the motion, alongside some other European states. This will not be the first time that Europe splits on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. When the General Assembly voted to adopt the Goldstone Commission report into the Gaza conflict in 2009, some of the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia voted for Israel against the report; some abstained; and some – Cyprus, Ireland, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia – voted against Israel. But after the Libya
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{ If current growth rates continue, by the end of next year China will be a larger trading partner for Germany than France
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debacle a German “no” vote will be the second time that Germany splits with Britain and France. The combination of a well-to-do but angst-ridden population fretful about the future and a political class practising “followership” not leadership on the international stage has given rise to questions from Germany’s friends and allies about the country’s role in the world, in a way not seen since unification 20 years ago. As The Economist noted, Germany’s “sharp-elbowed behaviour during the near-collapse of the euro and about Greece’s economic situation has heightened concerns.” Others have put it even more starkly. The German philosopher Jürgen Habermas says his country is pursuing an “inward-looking national policy”. What is certainly clear is that many analysts see a country, which helped sustain European integration, becoming more selfish, more inward-looking and, though still rhetorically committed to European integration, practically detached. Strong as they may be, the admonitions seem to be falling on deaf ears. Part of the reason is the change among the country’s political elite. The post-war generation has left the scene and the new leaders - on the Left and Right - have little time for Helmut Kohl’s cheque-book diplomacy, which ingratiated Germany with its European neighbours. They are not aspiring Konrad Adenaurs or Willy Brandts. Today’s German politicians are led by the media, or the constitutional court in Karlsruhe, which is putting increasingly political limits on German foreign policy: its decision two years ago to put clear limits on European integration had the government quaking while a spokesperson for Mrs Merkel recently let it slip that the chancellor fears a bailout would provoke the constitutional court to take action, possibly blocking the efforts to assist Greece. The German media, too, has become a lot more parochial and euro-skeptic in recent years - criticism of the euro, once unheard of in Germany, is now a constant feature in the press. After the recent Greek bailout was agreed by European leaders the Bild newspaper ran a picture of a Greek banner calling German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy “Nazis’’, with the yellow stars of the EU flag rearranged into a swastika. “We pay still we are abused!’’ the newspaper said. Few politicians can ignore such pressure and Mr Schäuble admitted recently that the “danger of an anti-euro party needs to be taken seriously.” But Dirk Schumacher from Goldman Sachs has pinpointed another factor motivating Germany’s politicians - a change in the nation’s economic outlook. If current growth rates continue, by the end of next year China will be a larger trading partner for Germany than France. If this comes to pass, a major shift will happen in Europe. The EU was built on a Franco-German axis and the logic of economic cooperation between the two countries. But can France and Germany agree on a common policy on China or even Russia if their underlying economic relationship between these two BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) is so different? Sure in time China will move up the value chain and become less reliant on German exports. But that will take a while; for now, German
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exports to China are much more value-adding than exports to Italy and Spain. Or to put it differently: the BRICS are more important than PIIGs (Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Greece). That may explain why Germany is trying to replace its foreign policy - including its European policy – with a trade policy that helps fuel the country’s recovery. But the consequences for Germany’s reputation in Europe could be considerable. Focusing on exports as much as the German government does also brings its own economic dangers. Foreign demand can weaken unexpectedly, as happened in 2008, thereby slowing economic growth. An export-focused economy also leaves the country vulnerable to foreign competition. “German manufacturers have a good record of maintaining their price competitiveness, but it is not as if everyone else is standing still”, says economist Simon Tilford from the think tank the Centre for European Reform in a new report. China, India and Brazil now represent tough competition for Germany. In addition, there are risks of a domestic backlash. German exports have grown in part because the country’s workers agreed years ago to reduced wages and reduced hours to make Germany more competitive. But low salaries — and higher prices — are a core complaint of German workers who are increasingly demanding wage increases after a decade in which their real earnings dropped by 4.5 percent when adjusted for inflation. Driving 260mph from the Bavarian mountain retreat of Garmisch to Munich, the car
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capital of Europe, Jurgen Muller complains bitterly: “I work 7 days a week, have not had a holiday for 15 years and still cannot afford a new house.” His anger is shared by many. Finally there is a self-fulfilling danger to Germany’s economic policies. As Tildord notes: “Running on-going trade surpluses within the Eurozone carries different risks for Germany. The deficit countries can no longer devalue their currencies but they can default on their debts. Instead of being exposed to exchange rate risk, German savings are exposed to credit risk.” This means that the “XL upswing”, much lauded by the German government, can quickly turn into XXL defaults – which will hurt Germany as much as other European states. Perhaps it is knowing how weak the underpinnings of Germany’s economic success really are, and how the benefits of the upturn have not been spread out, which is playing on people’s minds. Only four years ago, the country was seen as the “sick man” of Europe and people can hardly have forgotten this so quickly. Among the pieces being performed at this year’s 20th anniversary year of the Classic Open Air Festival in Berlin will be Carl Orf ’s Carmina Burana. Perhaps appropriately, given Germany’s mood, one of the poems in the Carmina Burana collection – upon which the opera is based – is a lament about the ebb and flow of human fate. Today’s Germans are similarly lamenting their fate – thankful for the economic growth that has kept them rich, but frustrated it has not given the more purchase power, fearful about the future and resentful of outsiders, even close European allies. The calm and contentment that seems to dominate Berlin’s cityscape is not so much fake as a façade, behind which lies a country that once frightened its neighbours because of a seemingly unstoppable expansionist urge, but which should now worry them because of its indifferent, introverted and increasingly self-serving ways.
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Goodbye to Berlin By Christopher Isherwood A Berlin Diary Autumn 1930
{Arts & Culture}
From my window, the deep solemn massive street. Cellar-shops where the lamps burn all day, under the shadow of top-heavy balconied façades, dirty plaster frontages embossed with scrollwork and heraldic devices. The whole district is like this: street leading into street of houses like shabby monumental safes crammed with the tarnished valuables and second-hand furniture of a bankrupt middle class. I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking. Recording the man shaving at the window opposite and the woman in the kimono washing her hair. Some day, all this will have to be developed, carefully printed, fixed. At eight o’clock in the evening the house-doors will be locked. The children are having supper. The shops are shut. The electric sign is switched on over the night-bell of the little hotel on the corner, where you can hire a room by the hour. And soon the whistling will begin. Young men are calling their girls. Standing down there in the cold, they whistle up at the lighted windows of warm rooms where the beds are already turned down for the night. They want to be let in. Their signals echo down the deep hollow street, lascivious and private and sad. Because of the whistling, I do not care to stay here in the evenings. It reminds me that I am in a foreign city, alone, far from home. Sometimes I determine not to listen to it, pick up a book, try to read. But soon a call is sure to sound, so piercing, so insistent, so despairingly human, that at last I have to get up and peep through the slats of the Venetian blind to make quite sure that it is not – as I know very well it could not possibly be – for me. The extraordinary smell in this room when the stove is lighted and the window shut; not altogether unpleasant, a mixture of incense and stale buns. The tall tiled stove, gorgeously coloured, like an altar. The washstand like a Gothic shrine. The cupboard also Gothic, with carved cathedral windows: Bismarck faces the King of Prussia in stained glass. My best chair would do for a bishop’s throne. In the corner, three sham medieval halberds (from a theatrical touring company?) are fastened together to form a hatstand. Frl. Schroeder unscrews the heads of the halberds and polishes them from time to time. They are heavy and sharp enough to kill. Everything in the room is like that: unnecessarily solid, abnormally heavy and dangerously sharp. Here, at the writing-table, I am confronted by a phalanx of metal objects – a pair of candlesticks shaped like entwined serpents, an ashtray from which emerges the head of a crocodile, a paperknife copied from a Florentine dagger, a brass dolphin holding on the end of its tail a small broken clock. What becomes of such things? How could they ever be destroyed? They will probably remain intact for thousands of years: people will treasure them in museums. Or perhaps they will merely be melted down for munitions in a war. Every morning, Frl. Schroeder arranges them very carefully in certain unvarying positions: there they stand, like an uncompromising statement of her views on Capital and Society, Religion and Sex. All day long she goes padding about the large dingy flat. Shapeless but alert, she waddles from room to room, in carpet slippers and a flowered dressing-gown pinned ingeniously together, so that not an inch of petticoat or bodice is to be seen, flicking with her duster, peeping, spying, poking her short pointed nose into the cupboards and luggage of her lodgers. She has dark, bright, inquisitive eyes and pretty waved brown hair of which she is proud. She must be about fifty-five years old. Long ago, before the War and the Inflation, she used to be comparatively well off. She went to the Baltic for her summer holidays and kept a maid to do the housework. For the last thirty years she has lived here and taken in lodgers. She started doing it because she like to have
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company. ‘”Lina,” my friends used to say to me, “however can you? How can you bear to have strange people living in your rooms and spoiling your furniture, especially when you’ve got the money to be independent?” And I’d always give them the same answer. “My lodgers aren’t lodgers,” I used to say. “They’re my guests.” ‘You see, Herr Issyvoo, in those days I could afford to be very particular about the sort of people who came to live here. I could pick and choose. I only took them really well connected and well educated – proper gentlefolk (like yourself, Herr Issyvoo). I had a Freiherr once, and a Rittmeister and a Professor. They often gave me presents – a bottle of cognac or a box of chocolates or some flowers. And when one of them went away for his holidays he’d always send me a card – from London, it might be, or Paris, or Baden-Baden. Ever such pretty cards I used to get…’ And now Frl. Schroeder has not ever got a room of her own. She has to sleep in the living-room, behind a screen, on a small sofa with broken springs. As in so many of the older Berlin flats, our living-room connects the front part of the house with the back. The lodgers who live on the front have to pass through the living-room on their way to the bathroom, so that Frl. Schroeder is often disturbed during the night. ‘But I drop off again at once. It doesn’t worry me. I’m much too tired.’ She has to do all the housework herself and it takes up most of her day. ‘Twenty years ago, if anybody had told me to scrub my own floors, I’d have slapped his face for him. But you get used to it. You can get used to anything. Why, I remember the time when I’d sooner cut off my right hand than empty this chamber… And now,’ says Frl. Schroeder, suiting the action to the word, ‘my goodness! It’s no more to me than pouring out a cup of tea!’ She is fond of pointing out to me the various marks and stains left by lodgers who have inhabited this room: ‘Yes, Herr Issyvoo, I’ve got something to remember each of them by… Look here, on the rug – I’ve sent it to the cleaners I don’t know how often but nothing will get it out – that’s where Herr Noeske was sick after his birthday party. What in the world can he have been eating, to make a mess like that? He’d come to Berlin to study, you know. His parents lived in Brandenburg – a first-class family; oh, I assure you! They had pots of money! His Herr Papa was a surgeon, and of course he wanted his boy to follow in his footsteps… What a charming young man! “Herr Noeske,” I used to say to him, “excuse me, but you must really work harder – you with all your brains! Think of you Herr Papa and your Frau Mama; it isn’t fair to them to waste their good money like that. Why, if you were to drop it in the Spree it would be better. At least it would make a splash!” I was like a mother to him. And always, when he’d got himself into some scrape – he was terribly thoughtless – he’d come straight to me: “Schroederschen,” he used to say, “please don’t be angry with me… We were playing cards last night and I lost the whole of this month’s allowance. I daren’t tell Father…” And then he’d look at me with those great big eyes of his. I knew exactly what he was after, the scamp! But I hadn’t the heart to refuse. So I’d sit down and write a letter to his Frau Mama and beg her to forgive him just that once and send some more money. And she always would… Of course, as a woman, I knew how to appeal to a mother’s feelings, although I’ve never had any children of my own… What are you smiling at Herr Issyvoo? Well, well! Mistakes will happen, you know! ‘And that’s where the Herr Rittmeister always upset his coffee over the wall-paper. He used to sit there on the couch with his fiancée. “Herr Rittmeister,” I used to say to him, “do please drink your coffee at the table. If you’ll excuse my saying so, there’s plenty of time for the
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{Arts & Culture}
other thing afterwards…” But no, he always would sit on the couch. And then, sure enough, when he began to get a bit excited in his feelings, over went the coffee-cups… Such a handsome gentleman! His Frau Mama and his sister came to visit us sometimes. They liked coming up to Berlin. “Fräulein Schroeder,” they used to tell me, “you don’t know how lucky you are to be living here, right in the middle of things. We’re only country cousins – we envy you! And now tell us all the latest Court scandals!” Of course, they were only joking. They had the seetest little house, not far from Halberstadt, in the Harz. They used to show me pictures of it. A perfect dream! ‘You see those ink-stains on the carpet? That’s where Herr Professor Koch used to shake his fountain-pen. I told him of it a hundred times. In the end, I even laid sheets of blotting-paper on the floor around his chair. He was so absent-minded… Such a dear old gentleman! And so simple. I was very fond of him. If I mended a shirt for him or darned his socks, he’d thank me with the tears in his eyes. He like a bit of fun, too. Sometimes, when he heard me coming, he’d turn out the light and hide behind the door; and then he’d roar like a lion to frighten me. Just like a child…’ Frl. Schroeder can go on like this, without repeating herself, by the hour. When I have been listening to her for some time, I find myself relapsing into a curious trance-like state of depression. I begin to feel profoundly unhappy. Where are all those lodgers now? Where, in another ten years, shall I be, myself ? Certainly not here. How many seas and frontiers shall I have to cross to reach that distant day; how far shall I have to travel, on foot, on horseback, by car, push-bike, aeroplane, steamer, train, lift, moving-staircase, and tram? How much money shall I need for that enormous journey? How much food must I gradually, wearily consume on my way? How many pairs of shoes shall I wear out? How many cups of tea shall I drink and how many glasses of beer? What an awful tasteless prospect! And yet – to have to die… A sudden vague pang of apprehension grips my bowel and I have to excuse myself in order to go to the lavatory. The Berlin Novels, published by Vintage Books, is a book consisting of two short stories by Christopher Isherwood: Mr. Norris Changes Trains and Goodbye to Berlin. First published in 1945. Mr. Isherwood was born in Cheshire in 1904. He began to write at university and later moved to Berlin, where he gave English lessons to support himself. He witnessed Hitler’s rise to power and drew on these experiences for the book.
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Washed Out. Words by Antonia Anastasiadi
MUSIC PICK
Let’s pretend. The windows are down, we’re driving along the coast, and the sun is gradually losing lustre; both skin and leather car seats hot after a day at the beach. Everything, including us, is moving like a hazy dream in slow motion. The stereo is on and cranking out the kind of bedroom synth pop that can flawlessly provide a sensual echo to the mid-afternoon daydream. It’s the perfect moment fueled by the perfect soundtrack.
The man responsible for conjuring such dreamy soundscapes is Ernest Greene, aka Washed Out. The US based musician has been producing songs from his studio in the rural town of Perry, Georgia, and is now set to release his first full length album: Within and Without. As the upcoming track Far Away suggests, the nine-part collection of chilled vibes and mellow ambient tunes are bound to make your mind wistfully drift far, far away. Greene forms part of a new group of musicians, including artists like Chazwick Bundick (Toro Y Moi) and Alan Palomo (Neon Indian), that are popularising (the debatable genre) ‘chillwave’. Not familiar? Think 70s, 80s and 90s influenced electronica, a millefeuille of nostalgic New Wave samples, slow ambient synths and layers of reverb-heavy vocals. Topped off with some light, mood-setting beats – for good measure. It was in the summer of 2009, after struggling to find a job, that Greene concocted and aptly named his debut EP Life of Leisure while living in a bedroom in his parents’ house. It wasn’t long before he attracted the attention of numerous influential music bloggers giving him the acclamation and prominence needed to move forward. However, gone are the days of solitary, homespun marvels. This time around Greene has partnered with producer Ben Allen (who amongnst many other things, co-produced Gnarls Barkley’s St. Elsewhere) to create his first commercial venture. Within and Without conveys the same signature energy that initially gained Washed Out reverence, and although the album hints at pop and electronic dance, Greene’s drowsy vocals add a layer of texture that pleasantly remove any suggestion of the mainstream. Like a passing memory captured on a fading Polaroid, Washed Out and his distorted nostalgic rhythms are perfect for anyone’s end-of-summer playlist. Greene’s ability to musically design dreamscapes make him an undeniably skilled composer and worthy of a place in our dreams. Within and Without is available from 12 July, via Sub Pop Records. Washed Out is scheduled to perform in the UK on 8 August at The Deaf Institute in Manchester, and 9 August at Scala in London.
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Review
Icona Pop
Who are they? Icona Pop is Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo, a female pop duo from Sweden. Similar to Robyn or Lykke Li? No, more like a female version of Miike Snow. The girls’ sound boasts synths and beats reminiscent of the unobtrusive experimental flourishes found in dubstep, with accompanying vocals that maintain a light, coolly upbeat style that is both catchy and unique. It’s melodic electronic-based pop at it’s best. Sounds interesting. Yeah, the girls like to describe it as “the Sugababes goes Tarantino.”
Dirty Sexy Things Summer’s Must-See TV
Dirty Sexy Things comes to E4 this summer featuring eight beautiful models ready and willing to bare it all for a project led by renowned fashion photographer, Perou. His goal, as the photographer, is to create an exhibition consisting of stunning photographs that will not only challenge him professionally but also push the models to the edge. The models, concurrently working to establish or improve their modeling careers, provide the storytelling. The result is an explosion of hot bodies, emotional breakdowns and most importantly: stunning photographs. The 8 x 60min concept-documentary follows the cast’s activities in front, and behind, the camera lens in order to expose what life is like as a working model. By revealing the emotional and physical costs to being a living beauty commodity the show exposes the disappointment, glamour, and soul-crushing competition faced by the models in an industry built around fashion. Just another reality-show based modeling competition? Maybe. One that is sure to deliver the drama? Definitely. Dirty Sexy Things starts on E4 this 4th of July.
I have to hear this. Neon Gold has released their new single – Top Rated – as a double A side with the Patrick Berger-produced Manners on the other side. Check it out. Patrick Berger. How do I know that name? He’s the writer behind Robyn’s hit song Dancing On My Own. Oh, right. Anyway, Berger and Elof Loely are producing Icona Pop’s debut album, which is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated pop albums of the year.
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beauty& the geek Words by Paula Merlo
Are you in a rush but want the perfect complexion? We understand. The Bliss Pore-Fector Gadget is the ideal multi-tasker for your busy schedule. It uses sonic vibrations to power wash your face, eliminating oil, dirt and impurities while also moisturising the cutis. In other words: bye-bye black heads and enlarged pores. www.blissworld.co.uk
The secret is No!No! I fell in love with this new product a couple months before my trip to the crystalline beaches of Sorrento, Italy for some much needed sun. Since no self-respecting lady – or metrosexual – deserves to spend their holidays embarrassed by hairy bikini lines I’m always on the lookout for the perfect solution. At the suggestion of a friend, I started using No!No! two months before my trip. The device has thermicon technology that uses heat to exterminate hair and is proven to reduce 94% of it. It’s pain free and you can even use it on facial hair. Better yet, No!No! is compact, sleek and cordless, so you can take it in your cosmetic bag with you at all times. However, as a small warning for the ladies, who like me, can’t live without a Brazilian: it isn’t safe to use your No!No! past the bikini line. www.my-no-no.com
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{Fashion}
Style The winner of 2011 Central Saint Martin’s fashion show, Italian Flaminia Saccucci is a name to know now and watch out for.
Rookie The pains of being a Central Saint Martin’s student: the pressure is on before the course has even commenced. Every year, thousands of aspiring designers apply to the prestigious university from which Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Stella McCartney all graduated. But of those thousands who spend summer waiting patiently for the postman, only 120 are lucky enough to receive the coveted acceptance letter. Twenty-five-yearold Italian-born Flaminia Saccucci was one of the talented 120, and after three years of blood, sweat and tears she is also the winner of the 2011 Graduate Fashion Show. The celebratory show was attended by important names in the fashion industry including Suzy Menkes, Hilary Alexander and CSM alumni Sarah Burton, as well as both fashion buyers and head hunters. Inspired by Italian artist Paolo Canevari’s tyre installations, Flaminia’s collection featured looks made of floral prints, rubber and latex. “The rough texture of the tyre, the smoothness of the latex and the romantic flower patterns make up a perfect and improbable combination”. When YUPPIE talked to her after the show, she shared with us the difficulties of printing on latex – the ink would stretch and the colour faded into different tones – and explained that her main challenge was getting the models into the skin tight rubber pants. Thank God for Vaseline!
Flaminia’s know-how and expertise were established with the invaluable guidance of CSM teachers (“Here we are free to develop our ideas and personality”) and refined through her internships at Alberta Ferretti, Balmain and Viktor & Rolf. “The best thing about winning this show was immediately getting approached by brands that want to sell my creations, like London’s Brown Focus”. So, will we hear of Flaminia Saccucci again? YUPPIE has no doubts about it. Words by Paula Merlo
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The Drama King Words by Gabriel Weil
Meet Nicola Formichetti. You might already know him as the man leading Mugler to new heights, the genius behind many of Lady Gaga’s creations, or the new golden boy of the Paris fashion scene.
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It was Paris, March 2011 – the last week of the Fall/Winter 2011 fashion season – and John Galliano’s recent step down from Maison Dior had the industry dreading the drama free catwalks. Well, as these things go (drama is never too far from the catwalks of Paris), it was still delivered,
but this time by Mugler’s newest Creative Director, Nicola Formichetti. Thanks to his leadership and vision, fashionistas worldwide were positively buzzing about how “just the right amount of drama” can provide the catalyst for the perfect debut. With an impressive CV that includes work as the Contributing
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Fashion Editor for V magazine, Creative Director for Dazed & Confused and Fashion Director for Vogue Hommes Japan, Formichetti is better known as the name behind Lady Gaga’s exotic wardrobe. Meat dress, bubble dress, and the Judas music video? Yes, yes, and yes - all him. As the new head designer for menswear and womenswear collections at Mugler, Formichetti is expected to bring back some of the house’s sparkle originally created in the 80s. His first move was to abolish the name “Thierry” for the sake of branding. Oh, in case you haven’t heard: Thierry Mugler is now just Mugler. And everyone’s talking about it. The show in March was packed with references to the brand’s original style, such as signature bodystreamlining pieces, while including Formichetti’s distinct flair represented in body shaping corsetry, skin tight
vinyl trousers and skirts, and curvy, cinched tailoring that revealed the models’ bodies. Shoulders were peaked, padded or articulated while transparencies revealed real or trompe l’oeil armour-shaped lingerie. As stunning, if not powerful, as the pieces of fashion might have been, they were still not the main attraction. Formichetti’s close friend, Lady Gaga, dramatically walked the show’s gothic cathedral-esque runway wearing a revealing transparent Mugler top securing his show as the most talked about event at Paris Fashion Week.
Gaga’s presence on the show was seen over 115 million times in
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just a week and became the number one Twitter trend worldwide during the show’s live-stream on Mugler’s Facebook page. Not bad for a rookie! Predating Formichetti, Thierry Mugler established the French fashion house in 1973. His first collection was marked by a return to classic French tailored elegance as opposed to the unstructured and folk-inspired fashions of the time.
The label’s style is almost always identifiable by a distinct forwardthinking, innovative cut that includes cinched waists, broad shoulders and an anatomic contour designed for the female body. Now if only they could be worn. Still, one can’t dismiss a designer that uses innovative materials such as metal or vinyl – especially when they’re referencing robots and insects.
“The greatest tribute I can offer to women is to sculpt the shapes of their bodies,” Thierry Mugler
Zilouf ’s Story
Photographer Raymond Tan Stylist Charlie Nicole Kelly Makeup Pace Chen Fashion Consultant Gabriel Weil Assistant Kenji Hirasawa & Wilson Lin Model Lola
Dario. Photographer Raymond Tan Stylist Gabriel Weil
Assistant Ana Cristina Simon Rosa
Model Dario Mazzoli
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Uncorked: Everything You Need To Know About Champagne www.yuppiemag.com
Throughout history Champagne has been celebrated as the epitome of luxury. A product synonymous with celebration, indulgence and success. Rap superstars have displayed it conspicuously in their music videos (making headlines when they declare their allegiance to a new brand), models have been rumoured to bath in it, and even the stemware in which it’s served has been the subject of legend. Phillip Buckland and Stefanie Seibold investigate the story behind the world’s most renowned sparkling wine.
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Fact vs Fiction
The story of Champagne is shrouded in legend and lore. It’s often said that Dom Perignon, a Benedictine monk, invented the sparkling wine by accidentally creating the bubbles. Although it is true that Perignon was a Benedictine monk, sparkling wine was created over one hundred years before his time. While not the inventor, historians can agree that Perignon did make massive improvements to the process of Champagne production, particularly in the fermentation process. The most common myth, and one that is frequently, yet inaccurately, shared at parties, is the origins of the Champagne saucer-style stemware. The glassware is said to have been modelled on Marie Antoinette’s left breast so people could toast to her health. Again, these rumours cannot be true because Champagne, and the glass, were invented over one hundred years before she was born. Without question, Champagne is the most admired and celebrated drink in the world. It’s suitable for almost every special occasion in a person’s life. Even Napoleon Bonaparte is attributed as saying: “Champagne! In victory, one deserves it; in defeat, one needs it.” But why reserve such a pleasure for victory or defeat? Modern Champagne producers are eager to change such attitudes by marketing their signature sparkling wine as
Négociant-Manipulant means the majority of grapes were sourced from vineyards rather than grown. NM
CoopérativeManipulant identifies a co-operative of growers who blend their wines to sell under one brand. CM
the perfect amount of luxury for an ordinary day. The late Lily Bollinger, matriarch of the eponymously named Champagne house, once made the case for making the sparkling wine a quotidian pleasure by describing her personal consumption. Saying, “I drink it when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it, unless I’m thirsty.”
Inside the Bottle
Consumer beware: Just because it bubbles, doesn’t mean it’s Champagne. Read the bottle, because only those specifically
Récoltant-Coopérateur the grapes are grown by a single grower, but the wine is produced by a cooperating wine maker. RC
Société de Récoltants similar to CM, this is a collective of growers, but the growers generally have a greater involvement in the wine making processs. SR
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labelled ‘Champagne’ have originated from France. Everything else is simply sparkling wine. Due to protection from international intellectual property legislation, each bottle of ‘Champagne’ consists of grapes entirely grown from the Northern ChampagneArdeen region of France. And like most things in life, producing good Champagne is all about being at the right place at the right time. Located at the most northern climatic limit where it is possible to reliably ripen grapes, resulting in a base wine that is incredibly acidic and often low in natural sugar, the region is ideal for wine’s production. Distinct from ordinary wine, the majority of Champagne sold is ‘non-vintage’ (NV), having received a minimum 15-month aging and fermentation process. It’s during this time that sugar is usually added to balance out natural acidity. Due to the relatively low production of grapes in the Champagne region, subject to vast differences in quality and quantity in any given year, the liquid that goes into a typical bottle is a blend of wines from different years. A majority of brands use anywhere between 10% - 50% of wines from previous vintages to ensure consistency. For dated ‘vintage’ Champagnes, only the best wine from that year goes into the blend and is aged for a minimum of three years. A tell tale sign of a good qual-
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ity vintage Champagne is the size of the bubbles in the glass. Bubbles generally appear smaller the longer a Champagne has aged. These enchanting bubbles are also the reason that Champagne is now more likely to be served in a flute than a coupe (saucer). A coupe’s wide bowl provides a large surface area allowing bubbles to escape too quickly. The narrow body and long stem of the flute limits the surface area exposed, and prevents a warm hand from heating the contents. The exact blend of wines in the bottle varies between Champagne houses. Each one blending the wines at different levels to create their distinctive flavour palettes; such flavours are further developed by the fermentation and aging process that are selected. For example, some Champagne is fermented in stainless steel barrels for a minimum of 15 months, while others, especially premium brands such as the LVMH owned Krug insist that its wines be fermented in oak for a minimum of six years. This procedure has resulted in the distinctly oaky flavour, with autolytic notes, that Krug is celebrated for. The additional time and complexity of this aging process also helps explain why the brand is at a higher price point than some of its competitors.
The Business of Bubbly
Although many brands still retain the founder’s family name on the label – make no mistake – Champagne is big business, operated by even bigger multinational corporations. The industry leader, which you might be surprised to learn, is luxury goods conglomerate, LVMH. Dominating the industry with an impressive portfolio of brands that include: Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, Veuve Clicquot, Krug,
Mercier and Ruinart. In 2010, annual sales of Champagne exceeded 285.5 million bottles, making the wine from the relatively small region of Champagne some of the most valuable in the world. More intriguing yet is the fact that while large corporations are responsible for 70% of the Champagne production, they only own 11% of the vineyards. Over 15,000 independent growers, ensuring access to a sufficient quantity of the high quality grapes needed to fuel the demands of the global brands, own the remainder. Champagne is steeped in history, prestige and – at times – outright snobbery, but there’s really only one reason that Champagne is the drink of choice for millions around the world – because it’s enjoyable! So don’t be afraid to stray away from the big name brands and utilise your sommelier to guide you on a pleasurable journey to find your favourite sparkling wine. The UK is second only to France in terms of volume consumed (and is considered to be more particular in regard to the quality of Champagne consumed, shying away from some generic and local brands so loved by the French). With this in mind, we found three of the best places to cultivate your love and knowledge of Champagne in central London.
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Lounge Lover 1 Whitby Street, E1 6JU www.loungelover.uk.com
Vertigo 42 25 Old Broad Street, EC2N 1HQ www.vertigo42.co.uk Vertigo 42 is located on the 42nd floor of the Tower 42 building. While the location offers a spectacular view over London, it leaves the bar feeling a little, well, corporate. The lack of atmosphere is only compounded by airport-like security required for all guests entering the building. After the elevator doors open, the first thing you notice is the view; the second, is the lack of an actual bar. Drinks are ordered via a waiter who surreptitiously returns with the bottle in hand. However, the view is spectacular! And it’s for this reason, above all others, that Vertigo 42 should be on your radar. There is an impressive list of Champagnes, although priced slightly too high, but no matter because there’s only so much you can drink in the 45 minutes they limit for all guests. Time restrictions may seem obnoxious, but the size of the venue is small and all guests are offered a window seat. The staff were friendly and competent, but again, the view (especially at sunset !) is the main attraction.
Best for: Out of Town Guests, Romance
Kettner ‘s Champagne Bar 29 Romilly Street, W1D 5HP www.kettners.com
Lounge Lover counts interior designer Hassan Abdullah as a co-owner and his eclectic style is displayed to the fullest with the interior featuring themed areas including: the baroque, the cage, and the gold room. It has been described as the mad hatter’s tea party, with alcohol. Taxidermy is taken to new heights under a huge hippopotamus head; and the overall fabulousness of the décor has earned the venue numerous awards and accolades, including Time Out’s Best Bar Design. Lounge Lover continues to feel as fresh today as it did when it launched in 2004, and has since become an established favourite for local creatives. The menu features cocktails and a good selection of Champagne by the glass, including their own Lounge Lover Brut. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere will transport you to a Alice-like Wonderland.
Best For: Parties
It may be cliché, but Kettner’s really is a Soho institution. Dating back to 1867 it is rumoured to have been a favourite of Edward VII, Lillie Langtry and Oscar Wilde. It also happens to be YUPPIE’s favourite Champagne bar in London. Offering an unbelievably extensive Champagne list, Kettner’s also offers information on the history of the Champagne you select, including the break down of the grape varieties used. The staff are extremely knowledgeable and appear to enjoy offering advice should you request it. The atmosphere is welcoming enough that you’ll feel equally as comfortable in jeans or a suit. Prices are reasonable and there’s a restaurant attached, should you enjoy your Champagne so much that you miss your dinner reservation.
Best for: Champagne lovers
Unit C004, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ | Tel: 0844 557 3590 | www.plumo.com
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48hours
in Berlin Words by Yulia Rudenko
Image courtesy of Walls of fame
The city of Berlin is in the midst of an urban rejuvenation. After being reestablished as the capital of Germany in 1999, the city began to attract artists and agency executives looking to transform abandoned warehouses and power stations into galleries and studios. Yes, unemployment is high and industry is low, but thanks to its growing reputation as the destination of choice for the creative and media classes, Berlin is more vibrant than ever.
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11:00 Breakfast at Bravo café in Kunst-Werke gallery (Auguststrasse 69). Thanks to collaborations with art-monsters such as MoMA, the former margerine factory became one of the most happening cultural spots in the city. The best place to enjoy your morning coffee is here, in this glass cubed cafe. Image courtesy of Lukas Vermeer
12:30 Pergamon Altar, Miletus Market’s Gates and other breathtaking antiquities in the Pergamon museum; Donatello’s sculptures and Byzantium’s wallpaintings in Bode-museum; Nefertiti bust and papyrus collection in the Neues museum; Carl Blechen, Monet and Manet, Max Libermann in Alte Nationalgalerie; Roman, Greek and Etrurian arts in Altes museum – all these treasures can be found on the Museum Island. You might choose to explore all these wonders in one go, or thoroughly investigate one.
15:00
Strandbar beach is a perfect place to relax with a cocktail in hand and reflect on what has just been seen in the museums. It was one of the first beaches to populate the Spree shore ten years ago and remains surprisingly popular with the locals.
“My favourite place in Berlin is Grunewald forest. It’s a really special place only 15 minutes from my house on the subway. It’s a forest where you can sleigh down the hills in the winter and swim in the lake in the summer. There’s also a nearby graveyard where Nico is buried, and Teuffelsberg, the old abandoned spy station.”
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Simon Guzylack, CocoRusie producer
16:00
Late lunch at the popular Vietnamese restaurant Monsieur Vuong. The menu of this well-established locale has only five permanent dishes, including pho and summer rolls.
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Image courtesy of Olle Björkmann
Image courtesy of Lunas Strandgarten
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17:00 Wardrobe renewal. Natural denim, casual shirts, knitted sweaters and cardigans can be found at 14oz (Neue Schoenhauser Strasse, 13). The Apartment (Memhardstrasse, 8), The Corner (Franzoezische Strasse, 40) and Andreas Murkudis (Muenzstrasse, 21), offering a more intricate selection with pieces by Jil Sander, Dries Van Noten, Comme des Garcons, Rick Owens and Bernard Wilhelm. Don’t miss Acne (Muenzstrasse, 23), A.P.C. (Mulackstrasse, 35) and Wood Wood (Rochstrasse, 4). 21:00 Dinner at Grill Royal (Friedrichstrasse, 105B). A carnivore’s delight, with a simple, elegant design and views over the Spree river, attracting hip and fashionable Berliners. Book a table in advance to secure an unmissable opportunity to taste excellent steaks and outstanding tartars.
Images courtesy of -sel & SOCIALisBETTER
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01:30 Finish the night dancing at the glamorous Tausend (Schiffbauerdamm, 11). Chrome and mirrored surfaces flaunt the beauty of the surroundings in multiple dimensions.
23:00 Digestive at Spinder & Klatt (Schlesisches Tor). A cocktail or two on this spectacular terrace will prepare you for a long Berlin night ahead. Afterwards, head to Rodeo (Auguststrasse, 5a), located in the former Royal Mail building. The dome crowns the dance floor of the club and the atmosphere here is rather decadent in comparison to the indie vibe that dominates much of the city.
“Hamburger Banhoff is a wonderful museum. It feels enormous and for some reason always reminds me of a great Indian palace. It has a permanent collection as well as really interesting temporary exhibitions.” Micki Meltzer, director of photography
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12:00 Brunch at 7000 Kreuzberg (Skalitzer Strasse, 54). Due to the abundant nightlife, the brunch ritual holds a very important place in the meal hierarchy of the average Berliner. Famous for its generous portions of hangover food, visit California Slam Breakfast at 7000 Kreuzberg or the nearby Café Morgenland (Skalitzer Strasse, 35) which offers a hearty brunch my favourite places is a for 9 euros.
Image courtesy of Manuela Hoffmann
“One of bridge called “Schwedter steg”. It only gives access to pedestrians and bicycles. Even though it did not exist as an old connection between the East and West – it was only constructed in the nineties – it’s now considered a main intersection for the neighbourhood. Regardless of the time, day or night, you can find a good mix of city and nature, trains and airplanes, even corporate offices and animal farms.” Ines Klaag, BLESS (designer)
Get acquainted 15:00 with the collection of contemporary art at the Hamburger Bahnhof (Invalidenstrasse, 50-51). The museum houses works of art that date from the scond half of the 20th century. The collection includes masterpieces by Andy Warhol, Cy Twombly and Robert Rauschenberg.
Day
17:30
Pre-book your visit to the astonishing Sammlung Boros bunker (www.sammlung-boros. de, Reinhardstrasse, 20). The bunker was built during the Second World War and was designed to accommodate up to 2500 people in case of emergency. Soviets turned it into a prison, which was then converted into fruit storage and later into an outrageously famous nightclub. In 2008 the bunker was renovated by the private collector and advertiser Christian Boros. Now it is home to installations and objects by Olafur Eliasson, Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Chris Martin and Jim Lamb.
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13:30 Take some quiet time at the Berlin Zoo. Even if you are indifferent to the flora and fauna, you’ll find panda Bao Bao delightful.
Image courtesy of indri, Philipp Bosch
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19:00 Hire a boat (www. rent-a-boat-berlin.com) and experience dreamy views of the city from the water.
Dinner at Cookies and Cream 21:00 (Behrenstrasse, 55). With a vegetarian focus, the cooking here exceeds all expectations with a menu that varies depending on the season. The restaurant is a popular meeting point for Berlin beauties and fashionable out-of-towners, drawn in by the adjoining club open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which also plays host to magnificent parties taking place on Saturdays.
Image courtesy of Burkhard Schmidt
Image courtesy of Bruna Benvegnù
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Image courtesy of crza
“King Size Bar is always a great place to start, end or spend the entire night. It’s situated on Friedrichstrasse in central Mitte and they always have amazing DJs. The vibe is superhot. It is definitely favoured by locals over the tourist-filled clubs. It has a raw feeling to it – rather than being overly decorated, it has really simple interiors and focuses on the music.” Maayan Keinan, fashion journalist
Listen to excellent 23:00 music and make friends at the Pony Bar (Alte Schoenhauser Strasse, 44), then admire the roofs of Berlin from Haus des Reisens at Alexander Platz, moving on to Weekend (Alexanderplatz, 5) for some more pre-party drinks. Finish the night at 02:00 the Tape (Heidestrasse, 14), where Horse Meat Disco, Whitest Boy Alive and Caribou are known to spin their vinyls. Image courtesy of Jule Berlin
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Hotel recommendations Michelberger Hotel
Warschauer Strasse 39/40, 10243 Berlin
Schlosshotel Im Grunewald
Brahmsstrasse 10, 14193 Berlin
Torstrasse 1, 10119 Berlin
Grand Hyatt Berlin
Marlene Dietrich Platz 2, 10785 Berlin
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Images courtesy of Marcus Trimble, Brigitte Kottulinsky, simplethrill & Mathias Richel
Soho House Berlin
YUPPIE
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/street style
Location
Eberswalder StraĂ&#x;e, Berlin Photography Antonia Anastasiadi
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