Mayfair Magazine December 14

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10

Contents | The mayfair magazine

Contents December 2014

022

072 019

020 037

Features022 | A thousand words Two Mayfair galleries

unite to celebrate the power of photography through the ages

053 | The ultimate Christmas gift guide

We bring you eight exceptional pieces to give to your loved ones this Christmas

058 | Turn the page Nicky Dunne, chairman of

Mayfair’s Heywood Hill bookshop, shares his top-reads for the holidays

regulars 014 | Contributors

016 | Editor’s letter

019 | My life in Mayfair: Simon Berry, chairman of Berry Bros. & Rudd

020 | Couture culture

Our latest dispatch on the arts, film and theatre releases

102 | Remembering Mayfair: Christmas time, Bond Street

ColleCtion029 | In the spotlight

Piaget celebrates iconic design with the reinvention of its Limelight collection

030 | Jewellery news

032 | Flights of fancyColoured diamonds are having a moment, as we explore the enduring appeal of these rare stones

037 | Watch news

038 | Coming up roses Discover the soft side of

Richard Mille’s innovative timepieces

072 | Signed, sealed, delivered We discover the allure

behind the prestigious Royal Warrant and the brands that hold them

076 | Overdrive As the first £200,000

Range Rover comes to the market, Richard Yarrow sizes up the drive

Parmigiani_HQ • Visual: Tonda Metropolitaine Nacre • Magazine: Mayfair_Magazine_UK 19_Nov_2014_ • Language: English • Doc size: 210 x 297 mm • Calitho #: 10-14-102618 • AOS #: PF_01642 • EB 21/10/2014

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12

Contents | The mayfair magazine

December 2014Contents

InterIors 071 | Interiors news

Food & drInk098 | Food & drink news

099 | Mavens of Mayfair Our fine area becomes

a cultural playground, with events from Assouline and William & Son

100 | Dining out: The Dining Room at

The Punchbowl Beauty093 | Beauty news December is your time

to shine, with a helping hand from Guerlain and Charlotte Tilbury

096 | Spa review:Agua at Mondrian London

travel081 | Travel news 082 | Alpine retreat Bespoke tour operator

Carrier offers a series of stunning winter escapes

084 | Let it snow Leo Bear discovers why

snow aficionados are heading for the slopes that offer quiet sojourns

088 | City break: Munich Discover the culture-filled

city of Munich and its magical Christmas markets

090 | Suite dreams: Conrad St James,

St James’s Park

ProPerty116 | Property news The latest news in prime

central London property from Knight Frank and PrimeResi.com

135 | A British classic A stunning property at

43 Reeves Mews with an illustrious history arrives on the market

143 | High society Frogmore and Galliard

Homes offer elegant penthouse living spaces

144 | Guardians of the golden goose

Henry Hopwood-Phillips discusses mansion tax with four property titans from independent estate agents

100

071

064

096

art 061 | Art news

062 | Prize lots 064 | Exhibition focus: ‘Bold & Beautiful’ at Asprey

London

FashIon040 | Style spy

042 | Style update

044 | Age of elegance As the party season arrives,

we bring you couture and diamonds in this month’s fashion shoot

The Mayfair Awards 2014 We officially announce the winners of this year’s Mayfair Awards (After page 66)

Christmas in MayfairIn a special festive edition of the Mayfair Residents’ Journal, we bring you the top things to see and do in the area this Christmas (Page 67)

mayfairResident’s Journal

T H E U L T I M A T E A I R P O R T E X P E R I E N C E

Be our VIP guest

To book or register with Heathrow VIP,

visit www.heathrowvip.com or call

our VIP team on +44 (0) 20 8757 2227

and reference your unique code ‘Mayfair’

Heathrow VIP is a private and personal service like no other.

A luxury and exclusive transition through Heathrow, in elegant style.

Enjoy complete privacy surrounded by impeccable service for your arrival, departure or connection.

Feel relaxed, comfortable andnever rushed while our professional VIP team take care of everything.

And be treated like the distinguished guest you are.

Contributors | The mayfair magazine

14

OrmOnd GiGli, Girls in WindoWs, new YOrk, 1960. © the artist, cOurtesY Of Beetles+huxleY and OsBOrne samuel (see paGe 22)coverOn the

Also published by

Proudly published by

6th Floor, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AX

020 7987 4320www.rwmg.co.uk

acting editorKate Racovolis

contributing editorKari Colmans

art editorCarol Cordrey

food & drink editorNeil Ridley

collection editorAnnabel Harrison

editorial assistantBethan Rees

editorial internAimee McLaughlin

Brand consistencyLaddawan Juhong

senior designerLisa Wade

productionHugo Wheatley

Alex Powell Oscar Viney Amy Roberts

editorial directorKate Harrison

client relationship director

Kate Oxbrow

General managerFiona Fenwick

executive directorSophie Roberts

managing directorEren Ellwood

DECEMBER 2014 s i ssu E 039

runwild media ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions,

manuscripts and photographs. while every care is taken, prices and details are

subject to change and runwild media ltd. takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. we reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. all rights reserved.

DISTRIBUTION:the mayfair magazine is distributed

in mayfair, st James’s and Belgravia as well as selected parts of knightsbridge,

chelsea and marylebone.

contributorsThe

members of theprofessional publishers association

EuropE’s most ExclusivE slopE-sidE EscapEs

Super

Who’s Winning in thE battlE of thE cabs?

Uber

Chalet

vs

thE floating hotEl is back in fashion

Return of

A Power for Good The micro-financing plaTforms fighTing poverTy

CoPyCAt InvestInG social neTworking and The wisdom of The crowd

AheAd of the CurveconnecTing sTarT-ups wiTh early adopTerst

he

Crow

dfun

dInG

I

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ue

Carol Cordreycarol is an art critic and editor. she organises the annual london ice sculpting festival and is permanently on the art scene bringing us the latest happenings. this month, she speaks with martin clist from charles ede about a collaboration between four mayfair galleries.

Richard Yarrowformer associate editor of Auto Express, richard is an accomplished motoring journalist. this month, he introduces the world’s first £200,000 range rover. with made-to-measure features to play with, from its doors to the dashboard; it makes for a truly exclusive drive.

R U N W I L D M E D I A G R O U P

Nicky Dunnenicky is the chairman of one of mayfair’s most loved bookshops, heywood hill. this month, he brings us a Year in Books, featuring 12 must-reads for the holidays; from ian mcewan’s gripping novel to a glimpse into life on fleet street by journalist nick davies.

Alexander Beerself-taught director and photographer alexander Beer has been shooting since 2009 and has previously shot for savile row’s huntsman. this month, it’s all about couture and diamonds in our fashion shoot, photographed in the historic and grand location of ham house.

P L E AS E SAVO U R R E S P O N S I B LY

T H E M A C A L L A N . C O M

Macallan Amber MayfairMag Ad 297x210 191114.indd 1 19/11/2014 09:33

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editorEDITOR’S

PICKS The festive season is a magical time to be in Mayfair. While some may migrate to warmer, or even cooler climes, those who stay will be in for a treat. This month,

we take a slightly reflective tone to celebrate the year that was. We start by officially announcing the winners of the Mayfair

Awards for this year, which were unveiled in November at The Ritz London. As the great and good of Mayfair gathered for an evening of Champagne, I was incredibly humbled to see so many designers, owners of businesses and creative directors

from such a wide range of companies come together in one room to celebrate Mayfair. It’s your talent and pursuit of excellence that makes much of this area so wonderful (after page 66).

Chairman of the treasured bookshop Heywood Hill, Nicky Dunne also guest edits for us, imparting his literary knowledge on the must-read tomes for the holiday season and into the new year (page 58). Meanwhile, for your holiday dose of culture, Mayfair galleries Osborne Samuel and Beetles+Huxley have gathered some 150 of the world’s most iconic photographs from the 19th century to today, by the likes of Man Ray, Dorothea Lange and Henri Cartier-Bresson (page 22).

It has been a year of much change in Mayfair, with the landmark arrivals of new businesses and brands, and with it new faces, alongside those who are long established in the area. But this month, I invite you to pause with us for a moment to look at the area as a whole, how it has changed, and what is yet to come. I, for one, am eager to see what 2015 will bring, but for now, wish you a very merry Christmas indeed, and a happy New Year.

From the

Kate RacovolisActing Editor

Follow us on Twitter @MayfairMagazine

Editor’s Letter | The mayfair magazine

above: The MidnighT Sun, 1911 by Herbert Ponting, © tHe artists, courtesy of beetles+Huxley and osborne samuel

12

#1 Earrings, £9,500, theo fennell (theofennell.com)

#2 Miss Lanvin snow globe, £210, lanvin(net-a-porter.com)

3#3 Candle, £45, brown’s

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The Dylan loaferBlack Velvet with Signature Vibram® Windsurf Sole

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The mayfair magazine | Regulars

19

MAYFAIR‘T

he shop is so historic, it’s like something out of Harry Potter. J. K. Rowling came in here for the first time about a year or so ago and said, “Oh my God it’s like something out of Diagon Alley.” St James’s Street

used to be the most important high street probably in the world… It became a very masculine place and although that is still pretty clear in the shops that are around here, and the fact that the clubs are still here and the restaurants tend to be rather masculine, that is beginning to change a bit, and it is beginning to be a little bit fashionable and a lot less crusty.

Emma Willis is probably my favourite shirt shop; John Lobb is where I get my shoes from. Norton & Sons in Savile Row is where I get my suits. I’ve been having my hair cut for almost the last 35 years by the same person at Taylor [of Old Bond Street] in Jermyn Street. We are spoiled for choice here. In a rather old fashioned, masculine way, I’m a member of two different clubs in St James’s Street; Boodle’s and Pratt’s, which are both very different.

My favourite drink? That depends who’s paying! That’s very hard and what makes it so hard is that wine is all about variety. If somebody said to me, you’ve got to pick your favourite drink because that’s all you’re going to drink for the rest of your life, I’d give up drinking. I really don’t see the point of that. [My favourite cocktail] may have to be a dry martini, a really, really good one. And the best in the world are made at Duke’s with our No. 3 Gin, which was invented here and named after number three St James’s Street. It was invented in collaboration with us and Alessandro Palazzi, the head barman at Duke’s bar.

There are so many new gins now, and most of them are for people who actually like vodka, and don’t like the taste of juniper. But a really good, properly strong juniper-based gin like that is extraordinary.

We’ve always been spirit merchants here at Berry Bros. & Rudd, and not just wine merchants. The story behind The King’s Ginger liqueur is that in 1903 the King’s doctor was very worried about King Edward VII because he had just bought himself a horseless carriage and was driving around in very cold conditions. And so being a farsighted doctor he said could we give him something to drink as he drove… something to keep pneumonia at bay.’

simon berryChairman of Berry Bros. & rudd

My life in

‘My favourite drink? That’s very hard and what makes it so hard is that wine is all about variety’– Simon Berry

CloCkwise from top left: simon Berry; Berry Bros. & rudd no. 3 gin; the king’s ginger liqueur; Jermyn street ColleCtion Cologne, £24.95, and mr taylor’s shaving Cream, £8.95, taylor of old Bond street (tayloroldbondst.co.uk); shirt, £190, and tie, £95, emma willis (emmawillis.com). Bottom-left: Berry Bros. & rudd exterior, and aBove, interior, photos By Joakim BloCkstrom (bbr.com)

20

Celebrate the festive season by visiting the late Chris Bracey’s glowing installation at Scott’s, admire the twinkle of the Claridge’s tree and dress your table to impress

theatre

Shakespeare in Love

agenda

Screen-to-stage adaptations can often be disappointing, but Lee Hall’s version of Shakespeare in Love is the perfect

setting for a story that celebrates the magic of live performance.

The plot is a romantic comedy in which the young gallant Shakespeare, finds himself falling in love with the attractive, courageous Viola de Lesseps, who has such a desire to tread the boards that she decides to disguise herself as a

A colourful lifeNeon artist Chris Bracey has produced light installations

and sculptures for everyone who’s anyone; from Alexander McQueen to film director Stanley Kubrick.

Nicknamed ‘the master of glow’, Bracey died in November 2014, but not before agreeing to take pride

of festive place in Mayfair’s favourite Scott’s window. The neon sign, which reads ‘Fairytale at Christmas’, was

originally commissioned by Dylan Jones and will be installed again, coinciding with the switching on of the

Mount Street Christmas Lights on 27 November. Scott’s, 20 Mount Street, W1K (scotts-restaurant.com)

male actor in order to get a part in the Bard’s latest play Romeo and Juliet. The theatre industry is portrayed just like a modern Broadway; scripts are re-written at the last minute while cigar-chomping producers recklessly assert their power.

Nick Ormerod’s design transforms the stage into an Elizabethan playhouse, which makes the audience feel as if they have a backstage view of Shakespeare’s debut production of Romeo and Juliet.

In his depiction of Shakespeare, Tom Bateman is open-hearted and romantic, and protagonists are supported by a strong ensemble of actors; including Anna Carteret with her splendid performance as the down-to-earth, commonsensical Queen Elizabeth.

This seamless production is a true celebration of the power and timeless nature of theatre. Shakespeare in Love is on until April 2015

Couture culture

wordS: dANIELLA ISAACS

Sitting proudly at the top of

one of the world’s most

recognisable addresses,

Gieves & Hawkes of Savile

row has been dressing nobility

and the elite since the 18th

century; from Admiral Lord

Nelson to Prince william, duke

of Cambridge. In a new

compendium published by

Flammarion, readers are given

a glimpse of what goes on

behind the doors of the royal

Tailor, looking in to its vast

unpublished archives in an

attempt to trace the rich

history of the brand. with a

foreword by Harold Koda, the

eminent fashion scholar, and

text by various esteemed

writers such as Marcus Binney,

architectural correspondent

at The Times and Colin

Mcdowell oBE and fashion

writer for The Sunday Times,

it’s a truly varied and all-

encompassing read. A

handsome addition for any

coffee table, whether you’re

a tailoring aficionado, or can

just appreciate the appearance

of a good suit.

One Savile Row: The Invention

of the English Gentleman:

Gieves & Hawkes. Foreword by

Harold Koda, text by Marcus

Binney, Simon Compton, Colin

McDowell, Peter Tilley and

Alasdair MacLeod. Available

now, £60, Published by

Flammarion

literaryitinerary

PHoTo By JoHAN PErSSoN ©dISNEy

The mayfair magazine | Regulars

21

film

The Theory of Everything

Fine dining5 top picks

‘However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there’s life,

there is hope.’ This is just one of the many pearls of wisdom Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) gives the audience in his latest biopic, illustrating an often forgotten element of his turbulent life: love.

The chronological retelling of his life starts with the innocent courting of Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones), after meeting at a soirée in Cambridge, where they both attended university. She was studying medieval Spanish poetry, he was studying cosmology; their charming, twee relationship begins to blossom but is met with the earth-shattering diagnosis of Hawking’s motor neurone disease, aged

just 21. He was given two years to live. Wilde, who later becomes Mrs

Hawking, gives up her life to care for him and witnessing her silent struggle makes for a heart-breaking watch, exposing the honest tensions of their relationship as he beats the odds of his diagnosis and exceeds his life expectancy considerably, but while his condition worsens. His triumphs in the field of physics act only as the spine of the film, so if you’re looking for a true portrait of his career, look elsewhere; the real story here is the incredibly moving, bittersweet romance that will pull at your heartstrings. The Theory of Everything will be released on 1 January words: bethan rees

‘tis the season for indulgent feasting. Make sure your Christmas dining table is picture perfect, with a touch of crystal and glamorous crackers

#1 Candelabra, £6,460, baccarat (baccarat.com)

#2 Dessert Plate, £85, ralph Lauren home

(ralphlaurenhome.com)

#3 Mustard Pot, £2,100, asprey (asprey.com)

#4 Crackers, £495, burberry (burberry.com)

IMaGe © UnIVersaL PICtUres

#5 Lappas Caviar Set, £255, thomas Goode & Co. (thomasgoode.com)

It’s a fashionable festive season at Claridge’s this year as Dolce & Gabbana design the hotel’s famed tree

22

A thousAnd words

Paying homage to the power of photography through the ages, two Mayfair galleries, Osborne Samuel and Beetles+Huxley, come together to showcase some of the most iconic images from the 19th century to the present day

W O r d S : H a r r i e t B a k e r

The mayfair magazine | Feature

23

A thousAnd words


25

‘The magic of photography is that you can capture an instant of a second that couldn’t exist before and couldn’t exist after,’ said famed

modern master of the camera Mario Testino. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a new exhibition entitled The Photographers 2014 at Osborne Samuel and Beetles+Huxley speaks volumes of the world, and the people and places within it.

Within the vast world that is art, photographs have an undeniable power – sometimes even more so than other forms of art – as they capture a piece of reality, if only for a moment. There is also universality to photography, as images that can be enjoyed and understood by all upon first glance. ‘Photographs have a different effect on the viewer to paintings,’ says Giles Huxley-Parlour, director of art gallery Beetles+Huxley. ‘Paintings and photographs can be powerful in equal measure, and they

can both have extremely deep meaning and cultural resonance. Equally they can both be vapid and pointless; it depends on the strength of the artist and not the medium.’

The creators of the works on show at the two galleries read like a roll call of the most renowned names in photography: from Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother, which became one of the most iconic images associated with the Great Depression, to Horst P. Horst’s famous fashion photography, and breathtaking natural landscapes from Alex MacLean and Herbert Ponting.

Among these are also rare archival images from NASA’s early space-exploration days and contemporary photographs exploring the natural world, including those by Michael Wolf, Ruud van

Empel and Susan Derges. Previously unseen self-portraits by American street photographer Vivian Maier will be exhibited as well as works by Robert Mapplethorpe, Lord Snowdon, Brassaï, Bill Brandt, Man Ray and Margaret Bourke-White. While the selection does not declare itself a complete series of centuries past, it certainly shows many images from time periods that have helped to define this powerful medium.

‘The sole purpose of the exhibition is to celebrate the astounding quality of art that comes out of the medium in all its glory, with no rules – except that everything chosen must be of the highest quality,’ says Peter Osborne, director of Osborne Samuel. ‘This allows us free reign to indulge ourselves and include different groups of images from across photographic history.’

The fact that the exhibition is housed in both galleries has enabled the curators to put on a more expansive show than usual. Beetles+Huxley specialises in classic and contemporary photography and has already hosted the likes of internationally revered and esteemed photographers Irving Penn and Cecil Beaton, whose work will also be on show at the exhibition, and has become iconic in garnishing the

‘The sole purpose of the exhibition is to celebrate the astounding quality of art that comes out of the medium in all its glory’

opening spread, clockwise from

left: alex maclean, Delta; ViVian maier,

UntitleD, Self Portrait, Undated; edward

white, oVer hawaii, the firSt american

SPace Walk, Gemini 4 miSSion, 1965; michael

wolf, architectUre of DenSity 77.

this spread, clockwise from top left: horst p. horst, l. marcUson, new York, 1950; Bert hardY, maiDenS in WaitinG, 1951; ormond gigli, GirlS in WinDoWS, new York, 1960; herBert ponting, the midnight sUn, 1911

26

culture that Mayfair has to offer. And just a stone’s throw away, Osborne Samuel prides itself on modern British painting and sculpture, having built a strong reputation through established and young emerging painters, printmakers and sculptors. Sculptures by Henry Moore and Lynn Chadwick, paintings by Frank Auerbach, and international works by Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Andy Warhol are just a few pieces lending credibility to its name.

‘Both Peter Osborne and I share a belief that collaboration and trying new things are always worthwhile,’ says Huxley-Parlour. ‘We both hope that the unusual nature of the show captures the imaginations of our respective clients, and will help to make it even more of a success.’ Together, their recognition of the world’s photographic history offers a rare opportunity for visitors to take a moment to truly stop and admire and appreciate each image that is emblematic of an important moment in time. This exhibition also provides the chance to fully appreciate and understand the power of contemporary or

historic pictures and their many and varied meanings and interpretations.

But for Huxley-Parlour, regardless of the age of the picture, it still retains its allure: ‘I adore old photography, but I am just as capable of appreciating a cracking contemporary image,’ he says. And surprisingly, Huxley-Parlour and Osborne’s thoughts on digital technology are not as critical as one would expect from two accomplished curators. It’s obvious that advances in technology have dramatically aided the tools used for photography, but ‘digital [is] simply a newer and more efficient tool for doing things that have always been done. Retouching, manipulation and composite images are all

traditional things done with photographs,’ they say. The two directors do admit that the power of technology has unleashed a new wave of shutterbugs, which has made it easier for people to become ‘photographers’ as such, but I sense sarcasm – and quite rightfully so – when they say they ‘suppose [this] is a good thing’.

Nevertheless, when it comes to photography, ‘you generally don’t need a history of art degree to “get it”’ as you do for some things in the more esoteric branches of the art world,’ says Huxley-Parlour. So whether you’re a budding photographer or simply appreciate a beautiful picture, this exhibition is sure to leave a lasting impression because, after all, photography is a language everyone can speak. The Photographers 2014, 20 November – 23 December. Beetles+Huxley, 3-5 Swallow Street, W1B (020 7434 4319; beetlesandhuxley.com). Osborne Samuel, 23A Bruton Street, W1J (020 7493 7939; osbornesamuel.com) All images © the artists, courtesy of Beetles+Huxley and Osborne Samuel

‘It’s obvious advances in technology have dramatically aided the tools used for photography’above: bill brandt,

Salvador dali, 1957

right: Justine blau, The Cumanán CaTuS, 2010; below, from left: Charles Jones, darwin TulipS, 1905.; thurston hopkins, a Cold evening in iSlingTon, 1950. all images © the artists, Courtesy of beetles+huxley and osborne samuel


27


THE BEAUTY IS IN EVERY DETAIL

Every Friday and Saturday evening the beautiful Ritz Restaurant brings you ‘Live at The Ritz’; a unique combination of fine dining with live entertainment. Executive Chef, John

Williams MBE, creates a four course menu of the finest, freshest seasonal ingredients served with a selection of perfect wines to accompany your meal. Enjoy classic and contemporary tunes from our live band before putting on your dancing shoes and dancing the night away.

During the festive season ‘Live at The Ritz’ will take place every Wednesday to Saturday evening from Friday 28th November 2014 until 1st January 2015 excluding

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

The Ritz Restaurant, 150 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9BREmail: [email protected] www.theritzlondon.com

Mayfair Magazine Dec issue.indd 1 11/11/2014 10:46:24

A breath-taking affair, The Rivoli Bar transports guests back to the glory days of 1920’s Paris to relish in its glamour and timeless sophistication. Nestled within the Louis XVI surrounds of

The Ritz London hotel, the Parisian Art Deco bar showcases gilded ceiling domes, Lalique glass insets and magnificent windows stretch the full length of the bar allowing guests to enjoy the

ambience whilst observing the hustle and bustle of London’s vibrant Mayfair.

The Rivoli Bar offers an extensive choice of fine wines and Champagne along with a unique selection of signature martinis and contemporary cocktails including the Tallulah, which is served out of a

perfume bottle to be poured and sipped from a glass rendition of a Louis Vuitton slipper.

Opening Times: Monday to Saturday: 11:30am – Midnight and Sunday: 12:00pm - 10:00pm

The Rivoli Bar, 150 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9BR www.theritzlondon.com

THE BEAUTY IS IN EVERY DETAIL

Mayfair Magazine Nov issue.indd 1 13/10/2014 15:40:53

The mayfair magazine | Collection

29

Nothing says timeless elegance quite like a Piaget watch. The luxury brand has been creating the finest jewellery watches for the most

celebrated women – including Jackie Kennedy and Sophia Loren – since the 1960s and it is a legacy upheld to this day. This year the house is reinventing its iconic Limelight collection once again with a collection of jewellery timepieces inspired by the shape of diamond solitaires. The oval-shaped case of each piece imitates the outline of the classic solitaire diamond, set with one carat of fine diamonds, while the emerald version mirrors the traditional rectangular cut from the house’s fine jewellery collections. Adding the elegant and feminine black satin strap makes this the perfect evening accessory, whether dressed up or pared down. (piaget.com)

IN the SpotlIght

30

Once in a blue moonMarco Bicego has become well-known for his natural approach to designing jewellery, hand-making each of his pieces in 18-karat gold. The designer has chosen to return to his roots and pay homage to nature in a new collection called Lunaria, inspired by the beautiful Lunaria Annua flower. Comprising necklaces, rings, bracelets and cuffs, each piece features irregular, disc-shaped pods to represent the flower’s seedpods and have been hand-crafted using the signature Bullino technique: a special tool gives all of the brand’s pieces their unique fine brushed texture.Prices start from £1,000. The Lunaria collection is exclusive to Harvey Nichols (harveynichols.com)

Masters of Modern Jewellery 2014This year, the ground-breaking jewellery exhibition of 1961, which was curated by Graham Hughes, the art director of Goldsmiths Hall, and credited for kick-starting a wave of jewellery-making talent, has been revived by the Beetles+Huxley gallery in Mayfair. Taking up Hughes’ mantle, jewellery expert Joanna Hardy curated the show, which opened a month ago and presents jewellery from the Art Deco period to the present day. Alongside vintage pieces from the 1920s, 30s and 50s by the likes of René Boivin and Louis Boucheron will be contemporary designs by emerging jewellery designers, including Central Saint Martins’ graduate Noor Fares and Monique Daniels.Masters of Modern Jewellery 2014, curated by Joanna Hardy Until 13 December; Beetles+Huxley, 3-5 Swallow Street, W1B (beetlesandhuxley.com)

La Vie BohèmeProving that it’s moved on so much

from the days when it was known

chiefly as a luxury pen brand,

Montblanc has released its

latest jewellery collection, Bohème.

The understated and refined jewellery

collection remains very much in

keeping with the brand aesthetic and

features classic silver and gold pieces that

have been created for a sophisticated, discerning woman, including

a beautiful gold bangle in pink gold with diamond pavé and a pair

of simple silver hoop earrings with white sparkling lacquer.

Bohème, available in Montblanc boutiques (montblanc.com)

Best shotIn a move towards bringing a more

contemporary edge to the heritage brand,

William & Son has collaborated with award-

winning jewellery designer Sarah Ho on a

range of cocktail rings. Each of the four pieces

(£4,800) draws upon Ho’s signature style as well as

her own unique take on the William & Son’s shotgun

engraving, creating a perfect blend of the old and the new.

Commenting on the collaboration, head of jewellery at William & Son

Clémence Mérat said: ‘Our stories and history are so similar yet so

different; working together came very naturally.’ With their modern

design, they’re the perfect night-time accessory.

(williamandson.com)

Jewellery newsWhether you’re keen on contemporary shapes, vivid colours or classic designs, the jewellery world can deliver on all counts

W O R D S : O L I V I A S H A R P E

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CUTTING EDGEMuch-loved Burlington Arcade vintage jeweller Susannah Lovis has collaborated with renowned Savile Row tailor Ozwald Boateng on a collection of precious metal and jewelled cufflinks as well as an exquisite diamond set gold tie pin:

Like a charmIn time for Christmas, Harry Winston has launched three new diamond charms, each of which pays tribute to a signature motif of the jewellery house. The Fifth Avenue Vault charm takes inspiration from Harry Winston’s iconic flagship store by featuring a vault door which reveals a hidden surface; this can be engraved with a personal message. Similarly, the Diamond Gates Heart charm reinterprets the New York flagship with round brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds while the Diamond Cluster Heart charm captures the timeless beauty of this enduring design with rows of exquisite brilliant and pear-shaped diamonds.(harrywinston.com)

Q&A with… Vogue jewellery editor Carol Woolton

Carol Woolton’s new book, Floral Jewels, explores how the flower has been a source of inspiration for the world’s leading fine jewellery designers throughout the ages

Q: Which jewellery house do you think has captured the flower most accurately? A: Flowers are subject to trends like anything else and I believe there are certain designers who have captured their period. Tiffany’s enamel orchid, for instance, encapsulated the era of the Golden Age in New York and the wealthy industrialists who were vying to have the most exotic hot house. Dior has created a whole collection of flowers for a new generation; they’re bold, exotic, poisonous, lacquered and vibrant.

Q: You mention how environmental concerns have resulted in the current trend for wildflowers; could you elaborate on this?A: I think we’re all much more aware of the simplicity of nature and the need to protect it. Meadow flowers like buttercups and primroses, for example, will resonate with people as they realise how important it is that we maintain natural beauty. René Lalique was one of the first to create a fashion for looking at humbler flowers in a way that had never happened before.

Q: What was the biggest revelation you found when going through the jewellery archives? A: It’s extraordinary when you get to see how scraps of drawings transform into these beautiful three-dimensional objects. The Cartier archive is astonishing; I was privileged enough to see some of the original botanical books that its designers worked from in the 19th century.

Q: If you had to base a collection around a flower, which one would you choose?A: I love the hydrangea because it maintains its structure. Most flowers lose their petals and fall apart as they wilt, whereas the hydrangea, even when it’s dying, is still rather beautiful.

Q: You have said in the past that often people don’t realise the importance of jewellery; do you think this is changing? A: I think the jewellery industry has completely changed in the last 15 years. Fashion brands which now incorporate jewellery into collections have propelled people towards becoming more adventurous and, in turn, designers too. The industry is more daring, adventurous and fun.

Floral Jewels: From the World’s Leading Designers, by Carol Woolton Published by Prestel (prestel.com)

True chromanceThere’s no doubting Solange Azagury-Partridge’s passion for colour and her latest collection, Chromance, is a true testament to this love affair. The kaleidoscopic line includes the Chlorophyll necklace in an intense emerald green and the Spectrum earrings which can be transformed into a necklace for a miraculous day to evening metamorphosis. (solange.co.uk)


‘We greatly admire Ozwald Boateng’s immaculately tailored menswear and are delighted he feels, as we do, that contemporary and antique can complement and offset each other so elegantly’ – Susannah Lovis

susannahlovis.com

32

At this year’s Baselworld, Graff unveiled the Hallucination watch. An overnight sensation, its defining feature was not, as one would expect,

its complicated Swiss movement nor its astronomical $55 million price tag, but its phantasmagoria of more than 110 carats of exceptionally rare fancy coloured diamonds. The house’s chairman Laurence Graff OBE spent more than two years ‘scouring the world’ in order to procure the stones. For him, the piece represented ‘the miracle of coloured

diamonds’ while for us, it revealed that these

precious jewels are clearly having a moment.

Graff is not the only jeweller to be making headlines. Harry

Winston broke records this year for its acquisition of the

‘Winston Blue’. Purchased

at Christie’s Geneva auction for approximately $24 million, the 13.22-carat, flawless, Fancy Vivid blue diamond is considered to be the largest of its kind. This managed to trump Laurence Graff’s earlier purchase of a 100.09 carat Fancy Vivid yellow cushion modified brilliant diamond for $16.3 million, a world record for this jewel. And yet, the ‘king of diamonds’ still holds the title of having paid

the highest price of any gem or jewel when he bought the ‘Graff Pink’ at Sotheby’s Geneva auction for a phenomenal $46.2 million in 2010.

Sales figures show how the value of fancy coloured diamonds has risen dramatically over the past few decades and their demand is now unprecedented, as

highlighted by the increased offering of pink, yellow and blue diamonds and the swelling body of consumers willing to pay the hefty prices. Head of jewellery at Christie’s London Keith Penton comments: ‘Across the board we have seen an increased appetite in the first half of the

Flights of fancyOlivia Sharpe looks at the coloured diamonds that have caught our imagination this year and yesteryear, and highlights how demand has reached new heights

top: david morris ring; centre: pink

diamond ring, from a selection, tiffany

& co; below: move bangle with yellow

diamonds, £14,800, messika, exclusive to

harrods


33

year for fancy coloured diamonds of the most vivid hues’. This consequently triggered the launch of The Fancy Colour Diamond Foundation at the end of this year, a new research body that monitors the economic value and ethics of the fancy colour diamond industry for both consumers and traders. While coloured diamonds have always been sought after, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the market really began to open up, says Laurence Graff. ‘In the 1980s and in the past five to 10 years, the growth has accelerated as more people have become aware of their extreme rarity,’ he explains. ‘Increased demand has been coupled with a scarcity of exceptional examples coming onto the market.’

The influential businessman – who has bought and sold the most famous diamonds in the world and was awarded an OBE for his services to the jewellery industry in 2013 – has played an instrumental part in stimulating this growth. In 1970, Graff released its now iconic ‘Hair & Jewel’ campaign featuring a model wearing a million dollars’ worth of diamond jewels in her hair. The ostentatious image proved ground-breaking and in turn, illustrated how the jeweller was one step ahead of the

game when it came to predicting the current trend for coloured diamonds. In the 1980s, when the very first pink diamonds were discovered at the Argyle Mine in Western Australia, Graff purchased the entire tender and set them into a flower brooch which was then sold to the Sultan of Brunei just hours after it was made. The following

decade, the house secured a supply of

exquisite yellow diamonds – these have since become its signature stone.

So why now has the demand for coloured diamonds reached an all-time high? For Laurence Graff, the answer lies in rarity, an argument that is widely shared by the rest of the industry. ‘In my experience, quality and rarity are the two factors that

most influence collectors,’ says Keith Penton. ‘Compared to other categories, jewellery has the added advantage of being a highly portable asset. In the last few seasons records have continually been broken as competition reaches new heights for the most exceptional items.’ According to David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby’s international jewellery division in Europe and the Middle East, the last decade has witnessed large incremental gains in the coloured diamond market due to small supply and increasing demand, and the last three to four years have seen very strong growth for big diamonds of the highest quality, in particular. He notes that globalisation in the last ten years has transformed the market, with collectors from 70 countries bidding in Sotheby’s jewellery auctions worldwide in 2013 and a total of 30 countries represented in the Geneva May 2014 sale. Roughly a third of the auction house’s buyers come from North America, Europe and Asia, with ‘new buyers making up 24 per cent of the total in 2013, with strong new participation from Asia’.

While red diamonds are the rarest in the coloured diamond family, pink diamonds are also reputably scarce. The only significant known source is the Argyle Diamond Mine, which is owned by Rio Tinto and produces more than

‘Increased demand has been coupled with a scarcity of exceptional examples coming onto the market’

right: pendant with a fancy intense yellow

diamond, from the 2013 blue book

collection, from a selection, tiffany &

co; below, from left: ivy earrings, from a selection, boodles;

pink diamonds at graff

34

recreation of 1970 ‘hair & Jewel’ image featuring 22 Jewels worth half-a-billion dollars, graff


35

90 per cent of the world’s supply. Due to their rarity (they are the only coloured diamonds whereby the colour is not the result of an impurity but of extreme pressure beneath the earth’s surface), investors are urgently stocking up their supplies before resources are depleted. Calleija is the only Argyle pink diamond atelier in the UK and one of the jeweller’s latest treasures is an unusual but no doubt exquisite Argyle Tender 1.13-carat FIPP heart-shaped pink diamond. At this year’s Basel, experts noted how, despite traditional shapes including round brilliants and emerald cuts remaining popular, judging by some of the jewels on display at the trade show, there had clearly been a surge in demand for fancy shapes (Baselworld Daily News, 31 March 2014).

The fascination with coloured diamonds has trickled down into the rest of the industry, with jewellers constantly interpreting these stones in new and exciting ways. Along with Calleija, another brand to have fallen for the heart shape is Parisian jeweller Messika; for the first time this year, it introduced a heart-shaped 7-carat pink diamond, fashioned into an exquisite ring. British jeweller David Morris is similarly well-known for using pink diamonds to great effect and in tribute to this, Jeremy Morris created a curated collection of pink diamond haute couture jewellery for the 2014 Biennale des Antiquaires. Although pink diamonds have a wide market, Boodles director and head gemstone buyer Jody Wainwright notes that yellow diamonds remain the most popular when it comes to engagement rings. Celebrities have played their part in this trend, with the likes of Heidi Klum and Adele having famously sported yellow diamond engagement rings. Graff is famous for being the supplier of the largest and rarest Natural yellow diamonds and it demonstrated this at Baselworld 2014 when it unveiled a spectacular yellow and white diamond Fringe necklace. Having taken inspiration from childhood memories of her father Andre (a well-known figure in the

diamond trade) playing with precious gems, Valerie Messika has reimagined her Move bangle – originally designed in white diamonds – with three sliding yellow diamonds representing the ‘love of yesterday, today and tomorrow’. The limited edition set of 10 will be available exclusively at Harrods from December.

With the industry currently saturated with coloured diamonds, buyers are being drawn to

unconventional hues. Hall 3 at Basel was awash with different coloured jewels, from a 2.02 carat green oval at A.A. Rachminov Diamonds to an

array of fancy brown diamonds at Aditya Gems. Oranges, too, proved very

popular and Boodles’ Jody Wainwright confides that he was recently on the hunt for a 3-carat vivid orange but has only discovered two stones. However, the diamond expert advocates that fine pinks and blues still make for the best investments, not to mention reds which ‘are at the top of the tree.’ As part of its 2013 Blue Book collection, Tiffany & Co presented a rare brilliant Fancy Vivid green diamond ring.

While trends in terms of shape and colour will no doubt evolve, there is one thing which experts are certain will remain constant; the high demand for top quality fancy coloured diamonds. With Christie’s having achieved $154 million for its Geneva auction on 14 May – the highest total ever achieved for a jewellery sale – Keith Penton believes that there ‘seems to be no slowing down in demand for the best of the best as we commence the second half of the season’.

right: aurora necklace, from a

selection, boodles; centre: the ‘winston

blue’ fancy vivid blue diamond, harry

winston

below, from left: soleste earrings with yellow and white diamonds, from a selection, tiffany & co; laurence graff holds a selection of the world’s most valuable gemstones

C9 HARRISON JUMPING HOUR MK I I I

Bespoke ETA 2824-2 Jumping Hour automatic modification by Master Watchmaker Johannes Jahnke / Each piece personally assembled by Johannes and his team in Switzerland / 43mm, surgical grade stainless steel case with sapphire crystal and transparent case back / CITES certified, premium grade, Louisiana alligator strap with Bader deployment / 5 year movement guarantee

Swiss movement, English heart

520_ChristopherWard_Mayfair.indd 1 12/11/2014 08:47


37

treasured timepieces, horological heirlooms and modern masterpieces

w o r d s : r i c h a r d b r o w n

Watch newsgOing fOr gOldparmigiani fleurier has

unveiled a red gold

version of its bugatti

super sport. the watch

will feature the calibre

parmigiani 372, a

movement designed along

two planes, which has a

power reserve of 10 days.

manufacturing every component of

its watches itself, parmigiani only

employs external companies for rubies,

sapphire crystals and leather straps,

which it gets from hermès. only 30 of

the red gold bugatti super sports will

be made. prepare to part with £185,000

before tax if you want one.

(parmigiani.ch)

Bird song Being able to call on 276 years of watchmaking history, it’s perhaps no surprise that today Jaquet Droz makes some of the most beautiful timepieces in the world. Its Bird Repeater Open Work is a case in point. On its dial, the remarkable minute repeater features two blue tits feeding their fledglings. As the watch chimes the time, the birds spread their wings, a waterfall tumbles and an egg is hatched. More works of art than mere wristwatches, only eight of the 508-component-comprising creations will be made.Bird Repeater Open Work, from a selection, Jaquet Droz(jaquet-droz.com)

TaSTe fOr TiTanium richard mille timepieces may have

become status symbols for the super-rich

but behind the glamour is a brand

dedicated to producing some of the

planet’s most high-tech wrist watches. its

most recent invention, the athletic-

looking rm 33-01 automatic, sports

mille’s new skeletonised rmxp3 caliber,

which comprises an off-centre platinum

micro rotor. the tripartite case, with a

diameter of 45.70mm and a thickness of

9.20mm, is mounted on a rubber

strap secured with a

folding clasp in grade

5 titanium. water-

resistant to 30

meters, the watch

will be available from

next year in titanium, red

gold or white gold.

RM 33-01 Automatic, from a

selection, Richard Mille

(richardmille.com)

Cellini Dual Time, £12,900, Rolex (rolex.com)

This year heralded the launch of three new Cellini models – gorgeous dress watches that prove Rolex is as adept at producing pieces for the boardroom as it is for the deep blue sea. The Cellini Dual Time features an elegant sun and moon day/night indicator and will show the time in two separate time zones

ONE TO WATCHEach month we select our timepiece of the moment from the watch world’s most exciting creations

38

COMING UP ROSESDiscover the soft, elegant side of Richard Mille’s watches, from diamond-encrusted ladies’ timepieces, to the ultimate sport

accessories; and just in time for Christmas

p h o t o g R a p h y: D o M i n i C n i C h o l l s


39

Left: Clockwise from top: #1 RM 023 Automatic red gold black satin strap, £71,000 #2 RM 037 Ladies Automatic, white gold Aléatoire diamond,

Lapis Lazuli dial, £151,000 #3 RM 016 Automatic white gold, black sapphires, £73,000

This page: Clockwise from top: #1 RM 011 NTPT Lotus F1 Romain Grosjean, Flyback Chronograph, red gold centre band

and back and front case in NTPT, £130,000 #2 RM 033 Boutique Edition Automatic, Limited to 10 pieces, red gold and titanium lugs, £89,000

#3 RM 60-01 Navigation Regatta, Flyback Chronograph, titanium, £111,500

For a private appointment please contact Richard Mille Boutique, 90 Mount Street,

Mayfair, W1K (020 7123 4155; [email protected]; richardmille.com)

Flowers courtesy of Wildabout (020 7404 2541; wildabout.co.uk)

40

Fashion | The mayfair magazine

W O R D S : b e t h a n R e e S

Style spy


Head over heelsWhen two St James’s institutions work as a team, something beautiful and filled with heritage is bound to be born; this collaborative project from Turnbull & Asser and Lock & Co Hatters is no exception. The set of limited-edition headwear takes the classic trilby in Lock & Co’s Atlantic style, and features a Turnbull & Asser trim, blending old world and new world style seamlessly. Two heads are definitely better than one. Hat, £225, Turnbull & Asser x Lock & Co Hatters, 71-72 Jermyn Street, SW1Y (020 7808 3000; turnbullandasser.co.uk)

Well groomedThe modern man; he has a suit so sharp it could cut ice and his shoes are shined to perfection, but he needs the grooming regime to match. This is where British aromatherapy house Czech & Speake steps in, with the launch of the Oxford & Cambridge shaving set. Classic in concept, the brand brings a minimalist contemporary edge to the set with a sleek silver stand and the finest silver-tipped badger hair brush. The perfect tools for a close shave. Shaving set, £310, Czech & Speake (czechandspeake.com)

Around the globeThe destination is usually the exciting element of a trip away, but with Globe-Trotter’s bespoke service the pleasure starts with the packing. The heritage-steeped brand is inviting clients to its bespoke lounge in the Albemarle Street store to create a personalised piece, customising everything from the lining to the contrasting leather corners. For a truly unique item, add your initials to the suitcase; it was the custom in the Victorian era so owners could identify their baggage when it was sent ahead of them with the porters. Bespoke suitcase, from £510, Globe-Trotter, 35 Albemarle Street, W1S (020 7529 5950; globetrotter1897.com)

Live by the bookMr Porter’s third instalment of The Manual for a Stylish Life brings to mind the phrase, ‘to take a leaf out of someone’s book’; this volume is truly something for any gentleman to live by. With tips on style and etiquette, and interviews with an array of talents such as Heywood Hill chairman Nicky Dunne, Ray Winstone and Ralph Fiennes, the tome offers a comprehensive guide to living like a quintessential Mr Porter man: forever stylish, endlessly chivalrous.The Mr Porter Paperback: The Manual for a Stylish Life, Volume III, by John Brodie, Thames and Hudson, £20 (mrporter.com; thamesandhudson.com)PhOtO by JOhn DOminiS, time Life PictuReS, Getty imaGeS

42

Beauty | The mayfair magazine

W O R D S : A i m e e m c L A u g h L i n

Style update


Say no to stilettoThe self-professed queen of flats Penelope Chilvers’ decidedly purposeful footwear has proven that elegance and practicality are not two mutually exclusive feats in the world of fashion. It’s no wonder then that she’s acquired a grateful gaggle of celebrity supporters over the years. An offering of the newly opened Duke Street store’s in-house bespoke service, the designer’s smoking slippers are actually inspired by the original dandy Oscar Wilde. Adorned with Chilvers’ trademark touch of neon and an endless selection of motifs (we love the elephant design), the classic shape is transformed from sensible to stylish.Bespoke slippers, from £350, 69 Duke Street, W1K (penelopechilvers.com)

Silk roadSometimes the fashion world produces collaborations that you just can’t help but get excited about. St. Regis and its brand ambassador Jason Wu’s effort is certainly one of those. The designer has created a vibrant silk twill scarf collection to mark St. Regis’s exciting new venture in Istanbul. The geometric-patterned scarves, drenched in hues of vivid blue and Wu’s signature steely grey, conjure up images of the city’s famed use of ceramic tiles in architecture, as well as making the perfect travel companion.The Grand Tourista scarf, £120 (stregis.com/boutique)

Calling all believersAnya Hindmarch knows her words and how to use them very well. What began with the now iconic ‘I am not a plastic bag’ tote has spawned an accessories empire and a well-deserved MBE for the word-wielding fashionista. Exclusive to Net-a-Porter, this collection of sumptuous leather pouches, adorned with decorative tassels, is the perfect way to make a fun and colourful statement at a party. Conveniently, they are also the perfect size to fit the essential phone, lipstick and keys combination.Georgiana leather pouch with tassel, £615, Anya Hindmarch (net-a-porter.com)

Familial fashionNever underestimate the power of a father-daughter duo. DAKS has injected its AW14 style with a dose of rockstar chic in the form of the musical Modfather Paul Weller and his talented singer and model daughter Leah. The pair meander down Brighton Beach wearing a specially created hybrid of a Glen Check and Prince of Wales Check, in celebration of 120 years of fine British artisanship.10 Old Bond Street, W1S (daks.com)

www.my-perfect-t.com

44

eleganceBe inspired by the timeless glamour of embellished, floor-length couture gowns and exceptional jewellery as the party season arrives

P h o t o g r a P h e r : a l e x a n d e r B e e rs t y l i n g : o z z y s h a h

44

Age of


45

elegance

The mayfair magazine | Fashion

45

Dress, £5,880, Jenny Packham (jennypackham.com)


47

aboveDress, price on application, emilia Wickstead,

162a Sloane Street, SW1X. Cuff, £25,000, Ritz Fine Jewellery (ritzfinejewellery.com). Heels, £695, Christian

Louboutin (christianlouboutin.com)

oppoSiteDress, price on application, elie Saab Haute Couture,

1 Rond point Champs elysées, paris. bracelet£160,000, Ritz Fine Jewellery

(ritzfinejewellery.com)

48


48

Dress, price on application, Nicholas Oakwell Couture (nicholasoakwellcouture.com). Heels, price on application, Elie Saab haute couture, 1 Rond

Point Champs Elysées, Paris. Cuff, £160,000 and ring, £65,000, both Ritz Fine Jewellery

(ritzfinejewellery.com). Necklace and bangle, price on application, both Harry Winston (harrywinston.com)


49

50


ABOvETop, £4,480, Jenny Packham (jennypackham.com)Bracelet, price on application, Harry Winston

(harrywinston.com)

OPPOSITEDress, price on application, Nicholas Oakwell Couture

(nicholasoakwellcouture.com)

Photography assistant: Ben DuahModel: Neva C at Profile models

Styling assistant: Matilda LeeMake-up: Jonas Oliver using MAC Pro

Hair: Dany MikhaelRetouch: Pavel Zolin (ipaulus.com)

Shot on location at Ham House, and with special thanks to Ham House, National Trust


53

ultimateChristmas gift guide

the

If you go by the adage of giving the gift you’d like to receive, then look no further than our ultimate

Christmas guide to beautiful, often one-off pieces for him and for her

54

The ColleCTorThis first edition of Vanity Fair: A Novel Without a Hero by English author William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1848, has all the distinctions aficionados need to note, including the drop-head title in rustic lettering. Bound by Bayntun-Riviere in recent red crushed morocco, it also includes leaf sprays and flower tools, as well as a hand-painted miniature portrait of Thackeray mounted behind glass on the cover. Set in Regency England, this social tale, published in serial form, was so influential in its day that Charlotte Brontë even dedicated Jane Eyre to its author. A thrilling read in any era and the ultimate social status ‘shelfie’.

The sporT enThusiasTIf the Tour de France received a high-fashion makeover, this bike would be the utterly chic result. This is certainly not your average mode of transport, and you may want to trade your bike shorts for some more elegant attire to match this tres chic bicycle from Hermes. Made from carbon fiber and the butter-soft yet hard-wearing leather calfskin that the Parisian brand is known for, it mixes functionality with style perfectly. Pedalling away on this fabulous piece will make you the envy of all other commuters.

Bike,

£8,510, Hermès

(hermes.com)

Vanity Fair, £2,750,

available from

Peter Harrington

(peterharrington.co.uk)

‘You may want to trade your bike shorts for some more elegant attire’


55

The hunTerProviding you have a porter tailing the group, this oak-framed, leather-covered portable drinks cabinet is just the ticket after a day shooting. Handmade for James Purdey & Sons by a master craftsmen in the West Country, the attention to detail is exceptional, with recessed carry handles, Purdey-engraved English crystal decanters and glasses, compartments for two bottles of your favourite malt or brandy, removable trays, brass corners and leather straps for keeping the lid in place. The inside is decked out in Audley House red baize with a James Purdey & Sons case label. The perfect gift for the perfect gentleman.

The minimalisTInspired by Provence in the south-east of France, this new collection from Lalique references the area’s postcard-perfect landscapes, ancient landmarks and untouched wonders from Mother Nature. Note the influences of golden fields and stunning honeycombs in this beautiful vase, which comes in a range of sizes and with the choice of gold luster crystal. Also available is the Rayons bowl, in clear crystal or gold luster crystal, and the Rayons small hollow bowl.

Drinks cabinet, £15,000,

James Purdey & Sons

(purdey.com)

Small Rayons vase,

£1,280, Lalique

(lalique.com)

56

The eccenTricJust as designer and all-round fashion icon Stella McCartney has shown us, pyjamas have never been more important. If they’re not chic enough for brunch at The Wolseley, then you may as well not bother, dahling. Local stalwart Turnbull & Asser offers the perfect way to make this sartorial statement, with its made- to-measure service for your bedroom attire, where every stitch is carefully executed to match the personality of the wearer. Available for pyjamas and dressing gowns, you can choose from more than 200 classic Turnbull & Asser shirt fabrics and from 15 piping colours for bespoke loungewear with flair. Monogram for extra kudos.

The TradiTionalisTThe day you purchase your Breguet watch is certainly a momentous occasion. With this acquisition, you are joining a long list of luminaries from the centuries past, including Marie Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, Queen Victoria and Sir Winston Churchill, who have all worn the timepieces at some point during their life, since the establishment of the brand in 1775. This Classique Tourbillon, which was unveiled earlier this year at Baselworld, is an intricate and complicated, calendar perpetual model that comes encased in rose gold or platinum on an elegant, understated leather strap. Although the brand already makes several perpetual calendar models, they’ve moved the hours and minutes feature to the foreground, making it easier to look at the essential information on the timepiece with greater ease. It is wonderfully functional, but having said that, we’d invest in this piece for its aesthetics alone.

Classique Tourbillon

Quantième Perpétuel,

from a selection, Breguet

(breguet.com)

Made-to-measure

pyjamas, from £225,

Turnbull & Asser

(turnbullandasser.co.uk)


57

The TravellerHow, you may ask, can one travel with their most prized possessions without them becoming creased or crushed in transit? Goyard has a glamorous answer to this predicament, with its Malle Armoire, a suitcase that is just as dreamy as it sounds, with its many compartments to keep a neat selection of your wardrobe intact when you travel. There’s enough space to keep your shoes separate from your suits and shirts, which hang on one side, and on the other, there is a series of drawers for smaller items. With Goyard’s signature yellow on the inside, and the iconic hand-painted pattern on the outside, your travels will be organised in perfect order with this stunning piece.

The ThinkerIn the eccentric world of jewellery designer Theo Fennell, creating a chess set was never going to be just an ordinary mind game. In this coffee table-sized set, kings, queens, rooks, knights and bishops alike are made from sterling silver and oxidised silver, and each have Fennell’s signature skulls as heads, making for an edgy, statement table top decoration. Each beautifully made piece of weighty silver could just as easily sit on their own pedestals, or as ornaments on a coffee table. This set just gave a whole new meaning to check mate, as you move the iconic skulls from place to place.

Chess set, £85,000,

Theo Fennell

(theofennell.com)

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As Mayfair’s beloved bookshop Heywood Hill launches its Christmas offering, chairman Nicky Dunne shares his must-reads to see you through the holidays

TurnThe page‘T

here is no friend as loyal as a book,’ Ernest Hemingway once mused, so what better gift is there to buy for someone than a trusty, reliable

tome? Heywood Hill concurs with this sentiment and is offering a helping hand. The historic bookshop on Curzon Street, has been selling books since 1936 and its booksellers have almost 100 years of combined experience; so you’re in trustworthy hands. Its solution – A Year in Books – comes in the form of a beautifully packaged

parcel delivered to your chosen book lover’s door every month for a year. The offering brings together the world of bespoke gifts and literature; the expert team at Heywood Hill source a bundle of books chosen to reflect the taste of the reader, whether its fiction or non-fiction. This really is the gift that just keeps on giving. A Year in Books, from £200, Heywood Hill, 10 Curzon Street, W1J (020 7629 0647; heywoodhill.com)

The Mighty Dead: Why Homer Matters, by Adam Nicolson Who was Homer? What gives his poems such enduring power? Adam Nicolson’s unpicking of the man and the period is an epic and moving tale of exploration in its own right. A beautiful, glorious book. £25

The Most Dangerous Book: The Battle for James Joyce’s Ulysses, by Kevin Birmingham Ulysses was published in 1922 when the smoke of revolution still hung in the air. Kevin Birmingham brilliantly snaps one back to that seething time and reveals the birth pangs of this important book. £20

Please, Mister Postman,by Alan Johnson The Labour politician’s second volume of memoirs, following on from the acclaimed This Boy. Johnson recalls his childhood in Notting Hill to his career as a postman in the 1970s. As captivating as its predecessor, it is punctuated with moments of poignancy and hilarity. £16.99

Rendez-vous With Art, by Martin GayfordThe art critic and the long-time director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art take us on a tour through the world’s greatest centres of art, revealing personal insights into both famous pieces and undeservedly lesser known works. £19.95


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Hack Attack: How the Truth Caught Up with Rupert Murdoch, by Nick Davies What would Dickens have made of the hacking scandal? Or Trollope? Both would surely have marvelled at Nick Davies’ gripping account. His dogged pursuit of criminal activity on Fleet Street and at Scotland Yard is a devastating critique of the way we live. £20

Waterloo: The History of Four Days, Three Armies and Three Battles, by Bernard Cornwell A first foray into non-fiction from the author of the Sharpe novels. Cornwell is clearly comfortable with his choice of subject and writes with fluency and ease. An excellent read, smartly produced and attractively illustrated. £25

Thomas Cromwell, by Tracy Borman Discover the man behind Hilary Mantel’s Machiavellian schemer – a more complex, admirable and understandable character than history has portrayed him to be. This book truly makes the man come to life and jump right off the page. £25

The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair, by Joël Dicker Harry Quebert, a famous writer living almost in isolation from society, is accused of murdering a teenage girl more than 30 years ago. His protégé Marcus Goldman tries to find out what really happened. More than two million copies sold. £20

The Sermon on the Fall of Rome, by Jérôme Ferrari Matthieu Antonetti and his childhood friend Libero Pintus return to Corsica and take over the local bar. This is the tale of their attempt to create a Leibnizian best of all possible worlds and then its inevitable demise – just like that of Rome in Saint Augustine’s hauntingly lucid sermon. £12.99

The Bone Clocks, by David Mitchell Mitchell has proved once again that he is one of Britain’s best novelists and one of the most imaginative. Sublime. We follow the life of Holly Sykes with the usual twists and turns Mitchell is so brilliant at leading us into, all the time challenging our minds. £20

The Children Act, by Ian McEwan It is Judge Fiona Maye’s duty to decide whether to overrule on a life-saving medical intervention in the case of a teenage Jehovah’s Witness. Renowned author McEwan manages to surprise throughout this book, right to the last page. £16.99

The Mad Boy, Lord Berners, My Grandmother and Me, by Sofka Zinovieff Lord Berners, composer, writer, painter and a man of eccentricity, made his home in Oxfordshire an aesthete’s paradise. Zinovieff’s book is witty and full of insight – rather like opening a bottle of Champagne. £25

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The mayfair magazine | Art

61

Q&A with… Martin Clist from Charles Ede about an innovative collaboration between four Mayfair galleries

Q: What inspired you to organise this art event?A: This summer my gallery – Charles Ede – and Daniel Katz relocated from elsewhere in Mayfair to within a few minutes of each other. Also, Baron Lorne Thyssen opened his new gallery Kallos midway between the two of us, while Ariadne, the well-respected New York antiquity dealership, took a floor in Danny’s townhouse gallery. It struck me that we should celebrate this fortuitous conjunction, and establish in people’s minds that within this small area of Mayfair it is possible to acquire some of the most astonishing works of ancient art.

Q: Do the four galleries have a common denominator that made you choose them?A: We all deal with the highest possible quality of artwork and we are all involved in antiquities. By that I mean ancient art from Egypt, Italy, Greece and, to a lesser extent, the Near East, and all of us work to exacting standards of scholarship and research. Q: Will each of the galleries have independent exhibitions?A: Each of the galleries is free to display

whatever it likes; we want to welcome people and encourage them to enjoy the widest visual stimulation. We all hope it will

encourage interested people and, maybe, a new generation of collectors – a tradition that goes back thousands of years. 4 Galleries on 4 December. From 6-8pm. Ariadne Galleries, 6 Hill Street, W1J (ariadnegalleries.com).

Charles Ede, 1 Three Kings’ Yard, W1K (charlesede.com).

Kallos Gallery, 14-16 Davies Street, W1K (kallosgallery.com) Daniel Katz Gallery, 6 Hill Street, W1J (katz.co.uk)

Four Mayfair galleries unite in an evening of fine antiques, while Tony Bevan and Mary Fedden’s works goes on show

w o r d s : C A r o L C o r d r E Y

Art news

Knowledge is powerThe new paintings by Royal Academician Tony Bevan span diverse subjects of trees, portrait heads and collections of books that have emerged from his disparate experiences and travels. All bear the hallmarks of his unusual, graphic style, which helps to convey one clear, common theme – knowledge. This month his works go on show at Ben Brown Fine Art, including his expressive portraits and his architectural-style representations of repositories of books and the series of trees, which were inspired by an encounter with an ancient specimen in China. It all makes for a moving and poignant viewing experience.Tony Bevan: Trees and Archives, 26 November – 3 January (benbrownfinearts.com)

Still life Mary Fedden RA, OBE (1915-2012) painted with passion throughout her life, which began in Bristol, but continued in London with a scholarship to the Slade School of Art, followed by tutoring students, such as David Hockney, at the Royal College of Art. Her husband Julian Trevelyan, painter and printmaker, was a constant influence, and encouraged Fedden to change to a style of work that was less concerned with traditional representation and perspective, and more appropriate to the modern age. She then developed a contrary, highly individual mode of presenting simple landscapes and still lives in which the real and the surreal seemed to collide, but with controlled restraint. Recurring motifs included fruit, jugs, flowers and landscapes, many of which will appear in an exhibition this month at Portland Gallery. Her simple and honest signature style makes her work sought after by global collectors.Mary Fedden, 4-19 December (portlandgallery.com)

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Prize lots

#1 Chishusei Kanchikotsuritsu by Kazuo ShiragaThe master of the Japanese Gutai movement, Kazuo Shiraga first found fame by dangling from a piece of rope and using his feet instead of the slightly more conventional paintbrush. Sotheby’s sale of this avant-garde oil painting, which has never previously been available at auction, is set to follow Gekidou Suru Aka from earlier this year, which went for a record-breaking €3.9 million.Expected value €1 million – €1.5 million, Art Contemporain at Sotheby’s Paris, 3-4 December (sothebys.com)

#2 Table cabinet by Elias BoscherThis immaculately preserved table-top cabinet, made from ebony, silver and Italian pietre dure panels with beautifully inlaid bird and flower designs, tells the story of a time when the skill of Augsburg’s cabinetmakers was unrivalled. Known as ‘kunstkammer’ cabinets, they were originally used to house an encyclopaedic range of wonders or curiosities, as a demonstration of the wealth and social standing of the owner.Expected value £400,000 – £600,000, European Furniture, Sculpture and Works of Art at Bonhams, 5 December (bonhams.com)

#3 A large Moroccan Ammonite from the CretaceousThe intricate spiral form of this Moroccan ammonite has been around a lot longer than your average ornament. Originating from the Cretaceous period, these creatures date back to as early as 145 million years ago. As part of Christie’s Buy or Bid venture, the auction house’s new approach allows for the timely purchase of a gift for the person who has everything, without the need to wait until auction.Buy for £2,080 until 3 December, or bid on 9 December. Expected value £1,200 – £1,600. Christie’s South Kensington (christies.com)

13

21# SOTHEBY’S FRANCE / ART DIGITAL STUDIO; #2 IMAGE SUPPLIED BY BONHAMS; #3 CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2014; #4 BLOOMSBURY AUCTIONS; #5 CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD. 2014; #6 IMAGE SUPPLIED BY BONHAMS


63

#4 Le Déjeuner Sur L’Herbe by Pablo PicassoPablo Picasso’s famous words ‘Bad artists copy. Good artists steal,’ could not be more aptly suited to Le Déjeuner Sur L’herbe, which was inspired by his admiration for the original version by Édouard Manet. The painting draws parallels between the politics of the Paris Commune in 1871 and counter-cultural lament over the collapse of the Fourth Republic in the 1950s in typically controversial Picasso fashion.Estimated value £12,000-£15,000, Modern & Contemporary Prints at Bloomsbury London, 3 December (bloomsburyauctions.com)

#5 Snuffbox by Johann- Christian NeuberThe snuffbox was a very common sight in 17th and 18th-century England, with designs ranging from the banal to the opulent. This Saxon gold-mounted ‘stein-cabinet’ version is certainly at the more ornate end of the scale. It features 48 rectangular semi-translucent and opaque Saxon hard stones, that are individually collated in the accompanying specification booklet by Neuber.Estimated value £150,000-£200,000, Centuries of Style at Christie’s St James’s, 25 November (christies.com)

#6 New Coke by Andy WarholOne of Warhol’s later pieces of work, New Coke has escaped the usual hysteria attached to the Pop Art icon’s screenprints. Originally intended for the June 1985 cover of Time but not actually used, Bonhams is to auction the original proof form, which is the only copy in existence today. Having previously been in the ownership of the band U2, it is a rare gem that perfectly embodies Warhol’s belief in the catch-all element of consumerism.Estimated value £15,000-£20,000, Prints and Multiples at Bonhams, 9 December (bonhams.com)

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Exhibition Focus:

‘The number of wild tigers is at an all-time low; Corcoran’s work reflects her concern for the species’

The future of tigers is looking rather bleak, according to the World Wildlife Fund; as few as 3,200 exist in the wild today. One artist is taking her concern for the gracious, prowling felines further than a picket sign and petition to raise awareness

W O r d s : b e T h a n r e e s

Bold & Beautiful

‘The first time you see one… it’s an extraordinary feeling. You’re in a forest and all the animals start yelling… and then everything goes

very quiet, and this magnificent creature appears.’ The experience wildlife illustrator Rosie Corcoran recalls is of her first time seeing one of the most feared yet enchanting creatures on the planet: the tiger. ‘You feel like you’re seeing something out of a fairytale,’ she adds. Corcoran has devoted years to studying the majestic, striped wildcats in their natural habitats, and her infatuation is embodied in her exhibition at Asprey’s Bond Street store, which is also the first art exhibition to ever be held at the historic jeweller and luxury goods house. ‘It’s such an English institution and I think my work really suits it, being an English artisan,’ Corcoran says.

But why tigers? Aged 18, she travelled to India to teach Tibetan refugees English in the foothills of the Himalayas, and while she was there, she heard tales of tigers coming into the villages. ‘I think that started something,’ she says. Following this, she went to study history of art at Edinburgh University, fine art at City &

Guilds, and natural history illustration at the Royal College of Art. ‘When I went to art school, every time I was given a brief, I answered it with an animal, generally a lion or a tiger,’ she says, and her artistic interest in the beasts sparked her research into conservation. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the number of wild tigers is at an all-time low;

Corcoran’s work reflects her concern for the species, and her exhibition aims to raise awareness and help contribute to conservation and the fight against their extinction. The show will include 32 drawings, with an emphasis on tigers, but her pictures also include elephants and wild dogs, the latter of which she saw while in Africa searching for big cats. ‘They’re really beautiful. Some people find them spooky,’ she says of the wild dogs.

If you think several pictures of the same


65

‘They are all very different characters, your reaction to each one is very different’

subject might feel a little monotonous, think again. The dramatic black stripes, delicate whiskers and heavy paws of Corcoran’s tiger drawings bring every feline to life and, most noticeably of all, she draws out the different

expressions of the individual cats and their personalities. ‘I never get bored of drawing them,’ she says. ‘I think it’s because every tiger is totally different. They are all very different characters; your reaction to each one is very different,’ says Corcoran.

She works predominantly with charcoal; the black of the animals adds a real drama to her illustrations, giving depth and focus to details such as the tiger’s freckle-like spots near the whiskers or the delicate wrinkles around an elephant’s eye. ‘I like drawing in black and white because it gets you down to the essence of the animal,’ says Corcoran. Unlike some other traditional wildlife illustrators who portray a whole ‘scene’, she rarely depicts animals with a background. ‘My drawings are very much a reaction to the animal, so I think what I try and do is create the atmosphere which I’m

experiencing. That’s why so often there’s no background, there’s just the animal,’ she adds. Her process of drawing combines the use of memory, experience, videos and photos of the animals shot by her husband on their trips away. ‘I’ll have a photograph that I’ll base a drawing on and then it kind of takes on its own character in a way. I spent a lot of time at the Natural History Museum drawing tiger skeletons, so I really know how they work.’

It’s clear Corcoran is deeply passionate about the beautiful felines and her ardour even extends to her daughter’s name, Iris Tiger. The stunning charcoal drawings illustrate Corcoran’s devotion to endangered wildlife, and her exhibition is not only aesthetically pleasing but depicts the terrifying fragility of these majestic creatures. A thought-provoking and important show, for animal-lovers and art-aficionados alike. Bold & Beautiful runs from the 4-22 December at Asprey London, 167 New Bond Street, W1S (asprey.com)

ABovE, LEFT: caRacal, CHArCoAL on pApEr. BELow, LEFT To rigHT: rosiE CorCorAn AT work in HEr sTudio; sleeping Jae, Jae, CHArCoAL on pApEr; snaRling TigeR on black, CHArCoAL on pApEr; masai genTleman, CHArCoAL on pApEr. ALL BY rosiE CorCorAn And CourTEsY oF THE ArTisT

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A4 PL Corp Ad_Layout 1 19/11/2014 12:07 Page 1

This year we mark The Mayfair Awards with our first live event, as we celebrate the

businesses and brands in the area and their commitment to excellence

The mayfair magazine | Awards

Sponsored by:

Media Partner

Headline Sponsor

Reception Sponsor Associate SponsorAssociate Sponsor Champagne SponsorVenue Sponsor

2

When we first started The Mayfair Awards, we set out to celebrate the best that Mayfair has to offer. In that, we wanted to recognise each part

of its character, whether that was a public square or fine-dining experience. We revealed this year’s winners in November at The Ritz London, where the great and good of Mayfair gathered to celebrate this fine area, and it was with great pleasure that we announced those who had been voted by our readers as best in their field.

Mayfair holds a very special place in my heart: as an area where heritage and tradition meets innovation and new

ideas; as a global hub for fashion, art, food and culture; and as a place where a real sense of community can be felt by its residents, visitors and people who work here. It is bursting with a creative energy that attracts people from all over the world, and with each month – even week – there is something new to be experienced or seen.

I must give thanks to our judging panel for selecting our shortlist of nominees, as well as our headline sponsor Pastor Real Estate; our reception sponsor, Grosvenor; our venue sponsor The Ritz London; our Champagne sponsor Louis Roederer; and our associate sponsors The Wren Press and BMW Park Lane. And of course William Asprey, our keynote speaker on the night, who shared his life in Mayfair with the audience, and Jonathan Addis, the talented artist who created sketches of each of the winner’s shop fronts. So as we congratulate this year’s winners and celebrate the year that was in Mayfair, we also wish next year’s nominees luck, and thank them for joining us in paying homage to this wonderful part of London. – Kate Racovolis, The Mayfair Magazine

Andrew LoveChairman and Deputy Chairman at The Ritz Club and The Ritz London

Susan CohenHead of sales and lettings

Pastor Real Estate

Charles Saumarez Smith CBE Secretary and Chief Executive of the

Royal Academy of Arts

The Panel


3


Jenny PackhamDirector of Jenny Packham

William AspreyFounder of William & Son

Arjun WaneyRestauranter

Haydn CooperDirector, Mayfair Grosvenor

4

Frances Dore From caprice HolDings anD Kate racovolis From tHe mayFair magazine

lianne scott anD lisa BamFortH From grosvenor

marinel Fitzsimons From maisons marques et Domaines limiteD, KatHerine green anD JeFF vaugHan From gloBe-trotter

Harry owen From runwilD meDia group anD stepHen Boxall From tHe ritz lonDon

anDrew love From tHe ritz lonDon

Flowers By paul tHomas

natalie HawtHorne From tHe mount street Deli

JonatHan aDDis, artist

vicKy piasecKi (leFt), Harry owen From runwilD meDia group (centre) anD JureK piasecKi (rigHt)


5


ElizabEth WalkEr from JamEs PurdEy & sons and katE racovolis

richard broWn from thE city magazinE, EllE blakEman from canary Wharf magazinE and JamEs massEy from thE massEy PartnErshiP

tatiana fokina from hEdonism WinEs and katE racovolis

Jason basmaJian and mark hEndErson from giEvEs & haWkEs, haydn cooPEr from grosvEnor

lou mclEod from William & son, lucy asPrEy, nataliE haWthornE and JaynE WEldon from WEthErEll

ErEn EllWood from runWild mEdia grouP and marinEl fitzsimons from maisons marquEs Et domainEs limitEd

christina norton from maybournE hotEl grouP and katE racovolis

stuart Johnson from broWn’s hotEl

6

Jason BasmaJian and Kate RacovolisWilliam and lucy aspRey

denise Higgins (left) and emmanuella mensaH (RigHt) fRom cHRistian louBoutin. centRe, Kate Racovolis

Holly cleave, RaHim naJaK and isaBella gRaHam fRom KnigHt fRanK

RutH Jones fRom tHe Ritz london

and stuaRt JoHnson fRom BRoWn’s Hotel

allie stanislas and elizaBetH WalKeR fRom James puRdey & sons

daniel HoWe, nicola panton, sadie tayloR and david Best fRom BmW paRK lane coRpoRate

all pHotogRapHs By JaB pRomotions


7


Stephen Boxall and Kate RacovoliSdavid adamS fRom John tayloR

BecKy fatemi fRom RoKStone with GaRy heRSham fRom Beauchamp eStateS and olGa heRSham fRom Beauchamp eStateS pRivate officedominic JacoBS (left) and JameS chaSe (RiGht) fRom the RunninG hoRSe. Kate RacovoliS (centRe)

amelda de SeGundo fRom Ralph lauRen home and

chRiStina noRton

RichaRd Billett and maRinel fitzSimonS fRom maiSonS maRqueS et domaineS and haRRy owen fRom Runwild media GRoup

haRRy owen, and fRom paStoR Real eState, SpenceR taffuRelli , SuSan cohen and michael haRte

KatheRine GReen and Jeff vauGhan fRom GloBe-tRotteR and Kate RacovoliS

elizaBeth walKeR (left), allie StaniSlaS (RiGht) and maRK hendeRSon (centRe)

vicKy piaSecKi, william aSpRey and michaela chRiStine wolf

eRen ellwood fRom Runwild media GRoup, Kate RacovoliS and william aSpRey

8

THE MOUNT STREET DELI FAVOURITE COFFEEA true haven in the heart of Mayfair, The Mount Street Deli is the ideal place to catch your breath over a coffee and a slice of the utterly delicious chocolate cake from the illustrious Annabel’s or a pit stop for a boiled egg with soldiers to keep you fuelled for a busy day. The café offers a daily changing menu celebrating this season’s finest produce and a handy delivery service from its close Caprice Holdings cousins, which is a blessing when you’re craving The Ivy’s shepherd’s pie or 34’s braised salt beef. For the caffeine lovers, the coffee adds that extra cherry on top; the beans come from Peru by way of south-east London’s Volcano Coffee Works and take your taste buds on a tour of South America through one sip. 100 Mount Street, W1K (020 7499 6843; mountstreetdeli.co.uk)

THE NOMINEES: Everbean, Taylor St Baristas, The Mount Street Deli,Rose Bakery at Dover Street Market, H R Higgins

HIx MayfaIRbEST FOR bUSINESS bREAkFASTOver the past six years, you will more likely than not have seen the name HIX popping up all over London. Celebrated chef and food writer Mark Hix’s Mayfair haunt adopts an original take on British gastronomy, ensuring that on your average weekday, this place is guaranteed to be buzzing with the sound of business being done. Situated in the iconic Brown’s Hotel, the original mahogany panelling harks back to a time when Rudyard Kipling completed The Jungle Book while staying at the hotel, but is adorned with carefully selected pieces by modern Brit art and fashion icons such as Tracey Emin and Rankin. To start your day off right be sure to try the boldly flavoured full english breakfast (certainly not for the faint hearted) or, for a lighter bite, perfectly crushed avocado on toast.34 Albemarle Street, W1S (hixmayfair.co.uk)

THE NOMINEES: Cecconi’s, HIX Mayfair, The Arts Club, 34, Morton’s


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scott’srestaurant experience of the yearIn such a gastronomic hub as Mayfair, where innovative, epicurean experiences frequently arrive on the doorstep, sometimes it’s good to take a step back and revisit the original, classic restaurants of the area to remember why it became a gourmet destination in the first place. To do this, you must start with Scott’s. Since its inception in 1851, originally nearby on Haymarket, it’s forever been a refuge for seafood aficionados. The restaurant moved to Mount Street in 1968 and offers an elegant respite from the world outside, where you can feast at the oyster bar and sip the finest Champagne to your heart’s content. There’s a reason it’s been open since for more than 160 years, and will no doubt continue to be a Mayfair classic. 20 Mount Street, W1K, (020 7495 7309; scotts-restaurant.com)

the noMinees:Gymkhana, Le Gavroche, Scott’s, Roka, Pollen Street Social, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Langhan’s Brasserie, Novikov, Le Boudin Blanc

claridge’s best afternoon teaThe pure ceremony of afternoon tea at Claridge’s is enough to leave anyone clambering to join the hotel’s three-month waiting list in the hope of sampling renowned tea connoisseur Henrietta Lovell’s expertly sourced varieties from all corners of the globe. The waiters have been specially trained in the art of tea-making, and they serve it on Claridge’s own Bernardaud green and white striped porcelain against the backdrop of the magnificent, black and white-accented Art Deco foyer. Not forgetting the all-important accompanying food offerings – cucumber sandwiches with whipped crème fraîche and freshly picked baby rocket, baked scones with Marco Polo jelly and Cornish clotted cream, and a forever-changing selection of pastries – this afternoon tea is certainly a memorable one. 49 Brook Street, W1K (claridges.co.uk)

the noMinees:The Ritz London, Claridge’s, Four Seasons Park Lane, Brown’s Hotel, Sketch

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THE RUNNING HORSE FAVOURITE LOCAL PUBIn 1946, in an essay entitled The Moon Under Water, George Orwell wrote about finding his perfect drinking hole in London, stipulating ten key characteristics including a good fire burning, that it must be quiet enough to have a conversation and serve a good, hearty lunch. If Orwell was here today, he would surely be drinking at The Running Horse which ticks all of the above boxes. Established in 1738, it’s the oldest pub in Mayfair and has recently undergone a charming yet respectful revamp by Dominic Jacobs and James Chase. Jacobs, the former bar director at Sketch, and Chase, of the award-winning Chase Distillery, have breathed a new lease of life into this Mayfair watering hole. 50 Davies Street, W1K (020 7493 1275; therunninghorsemayfair.co.uk)

THE NOMINEES: The Running Horse, The Punchbowl, The Audley, The Guinea Grill, Ye Grapes

THE RITzBEST HOTELAt 150 Piccadilly sits this French chateau-style building with its Louis XVI furnishings and fascinating history. Set against its perfectly sculpted arches, the dazzling lights spell out its name: The Ritz. The hotel has been – in its own words – ‘home to the great and the good, the intelligentsia, the glitterati and thousands of discerning guests since 1906’, the likes of which include King Edward VIII, Charlie Chaplin, Churchill, Charles De Gaulle and Eisenhower during the Second World War. On a normal day you will see guests being whisked away in the hotel’s signature ‘Ritz blue’ Rolls-Royces, sipping on perfectly crafted cocktails in the Art Deco Rivoli Bar that has been likened to a ‘gorgeous little jewel box’, or taking afternoon tea in the stunning Palm Court amidst its eminent gilded statues and towering flower display.150 Piccadilly, W1J (020 7493 8181; theritzlondon.com)

THE NOMINEES:The Ritz London, Claridge’s, The Connaught, The Dorchester,The InterContinental Park Lane


11


GIEVES & HAWKES Best tAILORTaking pride of place at number one Savile Row, Gieves & Hawkes’ reputation goes much further than its postcode. Having held the prestigious title of Royal Tailors since 1809, the tailor has dressed nobility immaculately across the world; from Prince Charles and family to the royal houses of Greece, Ethiopia and Thailand. Its vast flagship store on the surface has the appearance of a leather couch-reclining, whisky-sipping and cigar-smoking members’ club, and its shelves and rails provide the clothes to match the occasion. Gieves & Hawkes in recent years has reimagined the ethos of the Row, taking a contemporary approach to its designs, while respecting its long history and heritage; they’ve created a new generation of modern classics. 1 Savile Row, W1S (020 7434 2001; gievesandhawkes.com)

tHe NOMINees: Richard James, Anderson & Sheppard, Hardy Amies,Gieves & Hawkes, Chester Barrie

mArlborouGH fInE ArtBest ARt gALLeRyMarlborough Fine Art has curated works by some of the true greats, from the Modern master of impressionism Claude Monet to contemporary talent such as Frank Auerbach and Paula Rego. A large part of its enduring success lies in its ability to remain loyal to the past yet also look to the future. The gallery maintained a relationship with Francis Bacon from 1958 right up until his death in 1992. It was also one of the world’s first galleries to feature contemporary art from China in the post-Cold War era and today the gallery is well-established in all corners of the globe, from Barcelona to New York. With its finger constantly on the pulse of the art world, we cannot wait to see what the future holds.6 Albemarle Street, W1S (020 7629 5161; marlboroughfineart.com)

tHe NOMINees: Marlborough Fine Art, Timothy Taylor Gallery, Gagosian Gallery, Richard Green, Hauser & Wirth

12

Collection | The mayfair magazine

ralph lauren homebest interiors boutiqueRalph Lauren never fails to take you on a journey with its interiors collection. The beautifully crafted pieces transport you from the opulent, gentleman’s club feel of the impressive seven-storey flagship on New Bond Street to the dizzying heights of a modern, glass-encased penthouse in New York; an intimate log cabin in the Alps; or a beach house with crisp white furnishings and stunning sea views. The designer’s love of craftsmanship very much embodies the centuries-long heritage of British design, so much so that it is often easy to forget that Ralph Lauren has only been designing interiors for just over 30 years. And yet there is always a strong element of timelessness in each piece, which could easily become antiques of the future. 1 New Bond Street, W1S (020 7535 4600; ralphlaurenhome.com)

tHe noMinees: Linley, Anna Casa, Ralph Lauren Home, Hermès,Colefax and Fowler

james purdey & sons best specialist store

James Purdey & Sons’ battle-hardened exterior is not immediately visible from the decadence of Audley House’s pillared shop front, although it has in fact survived a Second World War air raid, an IRA bomb attack and witnessed battle plans for the D-Day landings. Throughout, the gun and rifle maker has succeeded in maintaining its tried-and-tested formula – many of the guns made today still bear a strong resemblance to when they were first put into production. It is only too fitting that this year, in celebration of its milestone bicentenary, Purdey brought out a trio of guns to reflect its innovative history. There is little doubt that budding gunmen will still be flocking to Purdey 200 years from now, for the chance to experience a living piece of history and a part of the fabric of Mayfair.57 South Audley Street, W1K (020 7499 1801; purdey.com)

tHe noMinees:James Purdey & Sons, Holland & Holland, Globe-Trotter, William & Son, Thomas Goode & Co.


13


BERKELEY SQUARE FAVOURITE PUBLIC SPACEThe muse of Eric Maschwitz and Manning Sherwin’s 1930s melody, Berkeley Square sits proudly in the heart of this prestigious district. Lined with lofty trees, there is something really magical about the square at this time of year. As the cold winds blow and the leaves dance from the branches to crunch under foot, the rare central London green space transforms into a postcard of classic London in winter. It’s the ideal setting for a moment of peace, whether you’re admiring the fountain by pre-Raphaelite sculptor Alexander Munro, perusing the art at PAD London or beholding the London plane trees, it’s a constant source of tranquillity, and a fine way to spend an afternoon. Berkeley Square, W1J (westminster.gov.uk/berkeley-square-gardens)

THE NOMINEES:Grosvenor Square, Berkeley Square, Mount Street GardensBrown Hart Gardens, Mayfair Library

HEdoniSm WinES BEST SPECIALIST FOOd ANd BEVERAgE STORE The word ‘hedonism’ implies pleasure and fulfilment, which is what you’ll certainly experience at the wine merchant on Davies Street, opened by Yevgeny Chichvarkin in 2012. Hedonism Wines is not your average off-licence, and its 125 hand-blown Riedel glass chandelier is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. It’s the ultimate liquid playground, showcasing the very best of the market in one – albeit huge – space, and the attention to detail goes so much further than what’s on the beautifully designed shelves. Its optimum temperature, humidity and heat-free lights all ensure that the drinks are kept at their finest, and the kids’ area allows for worry-free glass browsing. They really have thought of everything. 3-7 Davies Street, W1K (020 7290 7870; hedonism.co.uk)

THE NOMINEES: Allens of Mayfair, Sautter Cigars, Ladurée, Hedonism Wines, The Whisky Shop

14

Collection | The mayfair magazine

globe-trotterbest new businessThe creation of a Globe-Trotter case is an intricate process, involving a total of 98 steps, which take more than ten days to complete. Its new flagship store, nestled among the rest of Albemarle Street’s array of shops and galleries, pays homage to the brand’s reputed attention to detail, as well as its timeless aesthetic. The Georgian townhouse, which opened in May this year, boasts the only location in the world where the entire suitcase and leather collections are available. In celebration of the store opening Globe-Trotter has also introduced the beautifully crafted Albemarle collection, which comes in navy accented with rich caramel corner pieces and red leather straps. Carried by the likes of Winston Churchill and Sir Edmund Hillary, as well as a host of celebrities, its cases are seen as the ultimate way to travel in style. If they were good enough for Her Majesty the Queen’s honeymoon in 1947, then it’s certainly good enough for our own travels.35 Albemarle Street, W1S (020 7529 5950; globetrotter1897.com)

CHrIStIAN loUboUtINMost inspiring shop Front On Mount Street, Christian Louboutin’s window display never fails to induce a smile upon first glance. Earlier this year, a metal spider was created for the window, wearing eight black heels – all showing the iconic red sole to create a truly stand-out display on the street. When the brand recently launched its first beauty collection, centred around a nail polish in the signature Louboutin red, the stunning bottles with a long, pointy black lids resembling stiletto heels were beautifully arranged in a tower-like structure. While the current window is a little more subdued, depicting a Parisian-style street scene, this brand certainly knows how to catch the attention of its fans.17 Mount Street, W1K (020 7491 0033; christianlouboutin.com)

the noMinees: Fenwick of Bond Street, Roksanda Ilincic, William & Son,Anya Hindmarch, Christian Louboutin


15


MARK HENDERSONoutstanding contribution to mayfairThis true Mayfairian has worked in the area for some 27 years, and is something of a Savile Row icon. But Mark Henderson is a man who holds many titles in this area, as chairman of Gieves & Hawkes, one of the founders of the Savile Row Bespoke Association, as well as chairman of the London Luxury Quarter for Mayfair and St James’s. Two years ago, he also co-founded The New Craftsmen, which champions British artisanship at its best, and recently found its permanent home on North Row. But as well as his official posts, he is a true connoisseur of all things beautifully made. ‘I just love Mayfair. The special thing about Mayfair is that it is a meeting place and whatever developments happen they should be around the thought that it’s a comfortable and beautiful place to meet,’ says Henderson. His passion for Mayfair and his work within it has contributed greatly to its character and future as a global destination for art, fashion and culture.

All illustrations by Jonathan Addis (jonathanaddis.com)

‘i have simply been doing something that i honestly love; working with some of the world’s finest craftsmen and designers, celebrating

their work – from the new craftsmen on north row to gieves & Hawkes on savile row and on the many streets between.

What i love about mayfair is the rendez-vous. it’s where people meet: cocktails at the beaumont, business over coffee at brown’s, dinner at the Keeper’s House of the royal academy of arts or a chance

encounter in one of its beautiful squares, a gallery or the many elegant offices. it’s been an utter privilege to work here and let’s

hope it continues for many more years to come!’– mark Henderson

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Collection | The mayfair magazineAwards | The mayfair magazine

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mayfairResident’s Journal

Dear Resident,

Winter has well and truly arrived in Mayfair, and with it comes the holiday season. For me, the Christmas feeling

arrives when I see South Molton Street’s Christmas lights, Claridge’s iconic tree – this year it will be styled by

Dolce & Gabbana for the second year in a row – and the many wonderful displays that adorn the windows.

To help you get into the spirit of the season, we’ve compiled our shortlist of some of the best events happening

in Mayfair. From The Shepherd Market Christmas party to carol concerts in St James’s Church and yuletide

art shows to seasonal produce for fabulous feasts – I challenge anyone not to feel festive by the end.

Finally, however you celebrate Christmas in Mayfair this year, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our

readers a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year; enjoy the festivities, make memories and celebrate in style.

Francesca Lee, Editor

Mayfair Residents’ Journal

The Residents’ Society of Mayfair & St James’s Committee Members

Chairmananthony Lorenz (Events, Traffic,

membership & Website)

SECrETaryrichard Cutt

(Crossrail & Finance)

PLanning aPPLiCaTionSronald Cottee

(Planning)

organiSErhoward Evans

TraFFiCLois Peltz

PoLiCEmary-Louise Burrows

LiCEnSingDerek Stratton

From the EditorRIGhT: MaGE CouRTESY oF oRphéE TEhRaNChIaN

Exquisite events for the festive season

Christmas in Mayfair

7 December

LOOKING INTO THE PAST

The Curzon Mayfair is hosting a special event

this month that will allow the audience to ask

the film-makers questions about the lives of

the City’s past residents and London’s history.

Entitled How We Used to Live, the film will

feature rare footage drawn from the BFI

National Archive and be followed by a Q&A

session with writers Bob Stanley, Travis

Elborough and Pete Wiggs. It will show the

many differences between how London used

to be and how it looks now. The event will last

for approximately 70 minutes and is sure to

take your mind off present-buying and

tree-decorating for a short while.

£14.50, 4pm, 38 Curzon Street, London, W1J,

0330 500 1331 (curzoncinemas.com)

9 December

DELI DELIGHTS

Every now and then, The Mount Street Deli

hosts a food and drink event that’s inspired by

quality seasonal produce. This month sees the

event’s theme take a celebratory turn, with

an evening entitled Champagne, I say,

Champagne. If you want to learn more about

your favourite type of champers or simply want

to taste a different variety, then make a note in

your diary for this evening which will be a

perfect educational addition to your Nöel. You

may also be inspired to toast the New Year

with a newly discovered bottle of Champagne

from this event and impress your guests with it.

£15, 6pm-7.30pm, The Mount Street Deli, 100

Mount Street, W1K, 020 7499 6843

(themountstreetdeli.co.uk)

4 December

A MAYFAIR TRADITION

The Shepherd Market Christmas party is a

favourite with locals and visitors alike, and it

returns this year in its usual festive form.

For the younger party-goers there will be a

treasure hunt and Santa’s grotto, while mulled

wine and spiced cider will keep the adults

warm. Deciding between Christmas shopping

or indulging in Champagne and fruits de mer

might be hard, but there’s plenty to while away

the hours. For those who feel lucky, there’s also

an opportunity to win a luxury gift hamper full

of Christmas treats that will make a wonderful

addition to anyone’s celebration.

Free admission, 6pm-10pm, switching-on of

lights 6.30pm, Shepherd Market, W1J

(shepherdmarket.co.uk)

A MAYFAIr TrADITIoN

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mayfair rESiDENTS’ JOUrNaL | Christmas in Mayfair

11 December

HARK! A LONDON CHOIR SINGS

St James’s Church is hosting a series of

concerts throughout December, and one

particularly noteworthy event is the evening

with composer Helen Jane Long and The

London Players orchestra. The repertoire

includes music from bands Porcelain, Embers

and Intervention, as well as popular Christmas

tunes like Have Yourself a Merry Little

Christmas and Winter Wonderland with guest

singer David Brody. With so many other

concerts taking place at St James’s throughout

the month, finding the perfect musical event to

attend shouldn’t be a tough task this year.

From £15, 7.30pm, St James’s Church, 197

Piccadilly, W1J, 020 7734 4511

(helenjanelong.com), (sjp.org.uk)

10-23 December

YULETIDE ART SHOW

The art world never stops, not even for

Christmas, and this is especially so in Mayfair,

the art capital of London. Browse & Darby is

putting on an exhibition up until Christmas

week, so for those devoted connoisseurs of

fine paintings there’s something to keep your

artistic appetite satisfied. The gallery’s

contemporary artists will be represented by

work from Andy Pankhurst and Anthony Fry, as

well as past artists like Gwen John. Aficiondos

will be able to indulge in their passion right up

until Christmas.

Free admission, 10am-5.30pm Monday-Friday,

11am-2pm Saturday during exhibitions, Browse

and Darby, 19 Cork Street, W1S, 020 7734 7984

(browseanddarby.co.uk)

Until 23 December

STORY-TELLING SANTA

On the fifth floor of Fortnum & Mason Father

Christmas will be enchanting children between

the ages of four and 11 with stories and tales

to get them into the festive spirit. If the

excitement and magic of fictional worlds whets

your appetite, then you can book your

post-story-telling table for ice cream, or the

Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon for an afternoon

tea. Take a moment to admire this year’s

decorated windows and don’t forget to pick up

some edible treats in the food hall.

£20 per child, must be accompanied by an

adult, Saturdays and Sundays, Monday 22 and

Tuesday 23 December at 12.30pm, 2pm and

3.30pm, Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly,

W1A, 020 7734 8040 (fortnumandmason.com)

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The mayfair magazine | Interiors

71

W O R D S : a i m e e m c l a u g h l i n

Interiors newsFINISHING

TOUCHThe timeless

craftsmanship of

bootmaker Berluti

and the waxwork

skill of the oldest

candlemaker in the

world, cire Trudon,

comes together this

month. in a decadent

collaboration, they

have created a

candle scented with

a woody aroma and

leathery undertones.

Candle, £150, Berluti

x Cire Trudon, 43

Conduit Street, W1S

(berluti.com)

The mayfair magazine | Interiors

American womanPrepare yourself for a dose of all-American chic in the form of Holly Hunt’s first European showroom, which has newly opened on Grafton Street. The Texan interiors tycoon has imported her brand of neutral colours, strong shapes and stand-out accent lighting from across the pond, along with collections from Jean-Michel Wilmotte, Alison Berger, and Tristan Auer. The minimally designed showroom uses refined materials and textures of bronze and hammered stone, allowing the carefully selected pieces to take centre stage.HOLLY HUNT, 20 Grafton Street, W1S, (hollyhunt.com)

Simply Scandi Innovative design and functionality are at the heart of the covetable design aesthetic of Origin Sweden’s furniture makers, inspired by founder Jessica Persson Conway’s childhood summers in Skane. This lounge chair combines the durability of diabase (formed from volcanic eruptions 1,500 million years ago) with sleek oak finishing to create a stunning, art-like piece.Lounge chair, £3,300, Origin Sweden (origin-sweden.com)

Timely fashionYou’d half expect to find Ralph Lauren’s Athena Deco Clock at one of Gatsby’s parties, amid the roaring hedonism of his jewel-adorned guests. Designed in collaboration with the Chelsea Clock Company, its nickel finish evokes the architecture of the Art Deco era in stunning fashion.Clock, £1,095, Ralph Lauren, 1 New Bond Street, W1S (ralphlaurenhome.com)

Wall to wallUpon founding his iconic department store Arthur Liberty ‘was determined not to follow existing fashion, but to create new ones’. To this day Liberty is still trendsetting, and we love the delicate purple hue of this wallpaper with its Art Nouveau-style, intricately detailed ianthe flower pattern.Wallpaper, from a selection, Liberty, Regent Street W1B (liberty.co.uk)

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72

As The Connaught hotel launches a series of walks taking in Mayfair’s Royal Warrant holders, Kari Colmans traces the

history of the licence and what it means for business

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED


73

Whether you’re a royalist or a republican, few will contest that Wills and Kate have done more for Brand Britain in the past

few years than any other member of the establishment. At home – and perhaps even more so abroad – consumers can’t get enough of the majestic association. All you need is a ‘Prince George wears dungarees!’ headline for Petit Bateau to sell out of the item in seconds.

But this allure is nothing new. With approximately 800 brands holding the esteemed Royal Warrant at any given time – granted on the recommendation of the Lord Chamberlain to suppliers of goods or services that have had a trading relationship with the households of Prince Charles, the Duke of Edinburgh or Her Majesty The Queen for at least five years – the authorisation dates back nearly a thousand years. Interestingly, only a small number of Warrants (between 20 and 40) are rescinded every year, a similar number to those new ones granted – thus keeping the number on a pretty even keel.

Ever since Britain has had a monarch and court, rivalry for regal favour has been intense. The first recorded acknowledgments took the form of Royal Charters granted to the trade guilds, later known as Livery Companies, and were bestowed by Henry II to the Weavers’ Company in 1155. According to the Royal Warrant Holders Association (almost all Warrant holders are members of the Association, which provides an important channel of communication with the Royal Household) Royal Tradesmen were recognised with a Royal Warrant of Appointment by the 15th century. One of the first recipients was William Caxton, England’s first printer, who was appointed the King’s printer in 1476.

However, it wasn’t until the reign of Queen Victoria that Royal Warrants gained the mass appeal and international renown that they still hold today; she granted more than 2,000 to companies that are still household names including Fortnum & Mason, Schweppes and Twinings. When the current Prince of Wales

awarded his first Royal Warrant in 1980, he chose Turnbull & Asser, on whose ability in shirt-making he had long relied. The brand even created a special sling for him after an accident playing polo in the summer of 1990.

Inevitably, noble life and tastes have changed over the years, with sword cutters, rat catchers and ‘operators for the teeth’ being replaced by the luxury brands and services that make up London, and especially Mayfair’s, key retail districts. At present, around 60 Warrant holders call Mayfair home, and The Connaught hotel has collaborated with guide experts Fox & Squirrel to launch a series of walks taking in many of the local associates, and with them, ‘discovering the origins of British luxury’. One walk will follow ‘the golden mile’ of bespoke tailoring with a wander down Savile Row (named after Lady Dorothy Savile, wife of the Earl of Burlington of the Burlington Estate) while another examines traditions of craftsmen and the handmade. As well as Burberry’s Mayfair outpost, another tour will include visits to Smythson and Gieves & Hawkes, going through the archives of those brands whose origins lay in travel, adventure and exploration. Accompanied by an historian, those who join will meet some of London’s most talented artisans and talk to Royal Appointment craftsmen who are behind the country’s most iconic designers, retailers and heritage brands. And while at first glance this may seem like a fun but frivolous trip down memory lane, it does in fact grant a key insight into the British and global economy: while indisputably a marker for prestige and quality, it is also a red rag to the international consumer bull.

First designed by dressmaker Thomas Burberry in 1856, the trench coat is a symbol of British style (and climate) and was an instant hit with world-renowned explorers such as Major F G Jackson and aviator Claude Grahame-White, long before the likes of Cara Delevingne were peddling them to the Bicester-flocking masses. The brand was given a Royal Warrant warning in January 2007 when it outsourced polo shirt

Top RoW l-R: STReeT Silk poCkeT SquARe, TuRnbull

& ASSeR. plATe, AlbeRT ARMouR. HAT, JAMeS puRdey

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Goode & Co. Gun, JAMeS puRdey & SonS.

SeCond RoW, l-R: bAG, JAMeS puRdey & SonS. Model CuT-ouT, GieveS & HAWkeS. HeRiTAGe poSTeR, buRbeRRy. dReSSinG GoWn, TuRnbull & ASSeR. HipflASkS, WilliAM & Son. Tuxedo, deGe & SkinneR. GRey doCuMenT CASe, JonATHAn SAundeRS foR SMyTHSon. SlippeR, GieveS & HAWkeS. CHeeSe plATe, pAxTon & WHiTfield. SHAvinG CReAM, TRuefiTT & Hill. bAyoleA SooTHinG bAlM, penHAliGon’S. nApkin RinG, THoMAS Goode & Co.

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production, causing one Labour MP to demand a review into the awarding of the association. Opening the Westminster Hall debate at the time, Labour MP Chris Bryant argued a very salient point: ‘A Royal Warrant is not just a Royal Warrant any more. It’s been so successful – because of the prestige with which our Royal Family is esteemed around the world – that I think it is also effectively a national seal of approval. It’s one of the determining factors around the world, in terms of trade, of what counts as Britishness.’

Piccadilly is one of the capital’s most luxurious shopping areas, and you can’t walk five minutes down its mobbed pavements without spotting a Royal Warrant. Men’s groomers Truefitt & Hill, wine merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd and The Ritz London are just some of the names that benefit from the majestic link. Fortnum & Mason is perhaps the most iconic of them all, with the Queen’s arms proudly exhibited above its threshold. With a glorious history spanning three centuries, the Queen’s grocer celebrated the biggest profit in its 306-year history last year after a Christmas boom that contrasted with the depressing figures amassed by much of the capital’s other department stores. Deliveries of hampers and festive treats such as mince pies, Turkish delight and truffles helped push turnover up 7.4 per cent at the Piccadilly store during the five weeks to 5 January. If online purchases are included, sales were up 13.4 per cent.

‘When the current Prince of Wales awarded his first Royal Warrant in 1980, he chose Turnbull & Asser’

The robust statistics, twinned with the opening of Fortnum’s first stand-alone store at St Pancras station in November, saw profits ‘significantly exceed expectations’. Speaking to the Evening Standard last year, chief executive Ewan Venters said: ‘Christmas [2013] at Fortnum’s was one of the best yet… The demand for more bespoke luxurious items, together with the Christmas staples, is at an all-time high, suggesting that consumers still want to treat themselves during the festive period.’ The holder of two Royal Warrants sold a record 200,000 of its trademark hampers in 2013, the article reports: a rise of 15 per cent. They included three top-of-the-range £5,000 Imperial Hampers that include caviar, foie gras truffles and cognac butter. By law Royal Warrant holders may not disclose details of the goods or services they provide (an unfortunate caveat for profits, no doubt) – except as described in the wording or legend beneath the Royal Arms ‘By Appointment… Outfitters to HM The Queen’.

So shoppers are free to let their imaginations, and credit cards, run wild, in the hope of chancing on The One.

The Brand Finance Journal, in a specialist issue released to coincide with the Queen’s Jubilee, noted that the appeal of the Royal Warrant, and the effect it has on business, is highly dependent on both the sector and size of the brand in question. ‘Originally the Royal Warrant was seen as a guarantee of acceptable quality as well as an indicator of prestige,’ it reads. ‘The former

function may no longer be quite as relevant since the shop or supermarket where a

product is sold may be a sufficient guarantor of quality for the

consumer. On the other hand, for

openinG pAGe, THiRd RoW, l-R: leTTeR, MounT

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openinG pAGe, boTToM RoW, l-R: bACkGAMMon SeT, WilliAM & Son. bAyoleA eAu de ToileTTe, penHAliGon’S. HAT, TuRnbull & ASSeR x loCk & Co HATTeRS. pHillip ii double buCkle SHoeS, JoHn lobb. CufflinkS, deGe & SkinneR. noTebookS, MounT STReeT pRinTeRS. SilveR TAnkARd, WilliAM & Son. HATS, AndeRSon & SHeppARd

Top lefT: SeleCTion of pRoduCTS, d R HARRiS; lefT RoyAl WARRAnT, fARloWS


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brands that trade on values or activities associated with the monarchy, the added value can be very significant. Brand Finance research indicates that some companies may earn up to five per cent of their revenue as a result of the Royal Warrant.’

One factor that can’t be ignored is the growing international demand for high-quality British goods that has contributed to a rush of interest in the Royal Warrant. As well as the ‘Wills and Kate factor’, affluent international consumers are said to be particularly impressed by the official hallmark, which has led to a resurgence of those British fashion brands who display their Warrants prominently. Alongside the aforementioned global style symbols of ‘Britishness’, James Purdey & Sons Ltd (1955, 56 and 81); Asprey (1982); Rigby & Peller (1959); and Bentley & Skinner (1984 and 89) are just a few brands who have inevitably benefitted from the stately seal of approval.

Nicholas Lobb, manager of John Lobb Bootmaker, which holds two Royal Warrants to His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales says: ‘We have been very fortunate to hold Royal Warrants since my great, great grandfather was granted our first Royal Warrant by the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII. The benefits are incalculable. It is a great privilege to be granted a Royal Warrant and it is one of the most respected seals of approval we could ask for. As such it gives our craftsmen and women a great sense of pride and encourages us all to continue to aspire to the highest standards in the work we do. Knowing we have the support of members of the Royal Family helps us in many ways.

‘We greatly appreciated being given the opportunity to show HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall around our shop and workshop, and to meet our craftsmen and women when they visited us in January 2009. It reflects very positively on John Lobb...

and so inevitably makes the brand attractive to many customers in the UK.’

In 2012, the Brand Finance Journal valued the monarchy at £44 billion, when taking into account both its ‘tangible and intangible’ asset value. ‘The fact is that great brands need highly paid stars,’ it reads, ‘the monarchy is a powerful endorsement for individual and company brands and for the nation brand.’ Regardless of whether your moral compass allows you to value the Royal family in terms of cold hard cash or not, when added to the billions generated by tourism every year, there’s no denying that the Royal Warrant leads to higher demand and higher prices, bolstering the economy along with the prosperity and overall reputation of the

individual Warrant holders. And as long as the monarchy’s reputation is held in high esteem, the products it endorses will continue to sell, especially to those who still associate Britain as the home of quality produce.

In fact, it was Prince Charles who made the surprisingly pithy point: ‘Something as curious as the monarchy

won’t survive unless you take account of people’s attitudes. After all, if people don’t

want it, they won’t have it.’ The Connaught hotel’s The Origins of British Luxury in collaboration with Fox & Squirrel walks are on 27 November (Adventure, Travel & Exploration); 29 January (Savile Row, The Golden Mile of Bespoke Tailoring); and 26 February (Craftsmen & Handmade). Each walk is priced at £125 per person and includes a special gift on arrival and a glass of Champagne and canapés at The Connaught at the end of each walk. (020 7314 3431; [email protected])

Above, lefT: eARRinGS, benTley & SkinneR; beloW: ARCHive iMAGeRy – HiSToRy of THe TRenCH, buRbeRRy

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An SUV aimed at the chauffeur-driven market with bespoke design options so focused on the individual that they include matching the car’s leather finish to that of the owner’s superyacht. Meet the world’s first £200,000 Range Rover

w o R d S : R I C H A R d YA R R o w

Overdrive

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The mayfair magazine | Motoring

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At the top end of the luxury and performance car markets, exclusivity is one of the key criteria behind a purchase decision. It’s a fact that

renowned British-based Land Rover specialist Overfinch has traded on for almost 40 years, and has this year led to a new high watermark in its product portfolio – the launch of its most expensive car to date, the world’s first £200,000 Range Rover.

The newcomer is based around the long wheelbase version of the premium sports utility vehicle (SUV), which is aimed predominantly at the booming chauffeur-driven market in Far Eastern markets such as China. However, because the car is available in both left and right-hand drive formats, it’s also proving popular closer to home.

London-based Land Rover dealers such as Stratstone, on Mayfair’s Berkeley Street, will happily sell you one, with prices ranging from £104,000 to £146,000 depending on engine and specification choice. But if money is no object, the Overfinch model will help you stand out from the crowd, and exclusivity is guaranteed. The company expects to sell no more than a dozen in the UK each year, with up to 100 finding homes globally, but even then your vehicle can be completely unique to you.

The Overfinch features a host of individual customisation features, including distinctive exterior body styling and a bespoke interior conversion. Its party trick is an automated sliding floor in the boot, which brings the owner’s luggage forward for collection once the tailgate is opened. The mechanism uses lightweight aluminium runners and is finished in Bridge of Weir leather, replacing the traditional factory-fit upholstery.

As with all Overfinch products, the interior trim of the car can be engineered to each customer’s specification. In this case, it is gloss black handcrafted wood veneers with striking mother-of-pearl inserts. Material selection is a painstaking process involving skilled craftsmen hand-matching each piece of shell, precision-cutting it to a


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fraction of a millimetre, then fitting and setting it. Such attention to detail is part of the reason why the car’s price tag is so high.

The rest of the cabin is finished in black Bridge of Weir leather trim, featuring micro-piping and contrast stitching. The car makes a similar statement of intent on the outside; it’s finished in Santorini Black paint with a styling package that includes hand-laid carbon fibre in both bumpers and the roof spoiler, plus an all-new signature Overfinch grille. A stainless steel performance exhaust system adds a more characterful note to the 5.0-litre supercharged V8, and the makeover is completed thanks to newly designed 22-inch forged alloy rims.

So who is going to pay £200,000 for a car like this? Overfinch spokesman Andrew McCarthy said the brand’s customers are generally high net worth individuals such as successful businessmen and women, celebrities and sports stars. ‘They are people who appreciate quality, and who are looking for something exclusive that they can’t get from the Land Rover factory. It’s that which drives them to us and they appreciate the whole retail experience we provide is different. They get a much more personal one-to-one service when specifying the car and during the ownership.’

Overfinch started in 1975 after some bright spark spotted an opportunity in the market. Land Rovers of the era were famously underpowered, so a company called Schuler Ltd – the UK arm of German-based automotive supplier Schuler Presses GmbH – proposed a series of modifications to match on-the-road

performance with the brand’s famed 4x4 ability. Success came quickly and rebranded as Overfinch from 1985, it made its name transplanting large American V8 engines under Land Rover bonnets.

Celebrating 30 or 40 years in 2015 – it depends when you start the clock – is a major milestone, but it’s not all been plain sailing. In 2010 the firm went into administration, though it is now under new management with a fresh business model. That involves greater emphasis on sourcing cars directly from the Land Rover

factory and taking them to its purpose-built production facility near Leeds. It’s a more professional approach than getting customers to drive along in their own car once it had left the showroom, and has resulted in an improved customer experience.

Today Overfinch’s public face is based in a dedicated showroom in St John’s Wood, London. To date, it’s the company’s only bespoke sales point, though it works with local distributors in Dubai and Beijing and also operates in Russia, Japan and mainland Europe. The plan is to open a second showroom on the west coast of America during 2015, and launch special commemorative vehicles to mark its anniversary.

‘A stainless-steel performance exhaust system adds a more characterful note’

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The business sells around 300 new cars a year with a similar level of used vehicles, and its expansion plans revolve around exploiting opportunities overseas. It has aftermarket enhancements for Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoque, though also creates a handful of niche Land Rover Defenders each year. Overfinch prices start at around £45,000, which includes the vehicle plus exterior styling upgrades and wheels. Costs of interior upgrades depend on specification. There is typically a 10-12-week lead time on all orders, and Land Rover’s standard warranty is supported by like-for-like cover on all modified parts.

‘We have what we call “designer’s choice” where we make recommendations to the customer about what they might do to the car,’ explains McCarthy. ‘But if a customer wants something truly individual, we can undertake that project. For example, a client with a Sunseeker yacht wanted the car’s trim and leather finish to be the same as on their boat.’

He said that with the latest model, the team had given careful consideration to what customers would want, and what would boost comfort levels. ‘The power-sliding load floor is a prime example of the extra touch of refinement that chauffeured individuals will enjoy.’


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The mayfair magazine | Travel

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‘There are no foreign lands. It is the traveller only who is foreign’

– Robert Louis Stevenson

Travel newsRussia welcomes its second Four Seasons to the historic streets of Moscow while Alila Hotels boasts the ultimate tropical haven in Bali

w o R d S : A I M e e M C L A U g H L I n

Short haulFour Seasons, MoscowFollowing the opening of a practically palatial hotel in St. Petersburg last year, the Four Seasons has set its sights on Moscow: the cosmopolitan playground where billionaires go to play. Situated on the historic, original site of Hotel Moskvka – which remains immortalised, pictured on the label of Stolichnaya Vodka – it also boasts a sprawling spa space with a feast of treatments on offer. With stunning views of St. Basil’s multicoloured domes and just a stone’s throw from landmarks such as the Kremlin, the hotel is a modern testament to Moscow’s rich history. (fourseasons.com/moscow)

Long haulAlila, SeminyakIf ever you were a keen connoisseur of tree houses, Alila Hotels’ latest venture on a secluded stretch of Bali’s southwest coast will to take you straight back to your childhood heyday. The hotel is formed of a labyrinthine network of blossoming plants and leafy shrub-filled garden corridors and hidden rooftop pools, giving a unique sense of seclusion and tranquillity away from Seminyak, with its myriad fine-dining and designer-shopping opportunities. You’ll have to wait until the middle of next year, however, to soak up the sun in these truly idyllic surroundings, as the hotel will be hosting its first guests from the summer onwards.(alilahotels.com/seminyak)


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There are many wonders of the world when it comes to winter escapes. When deciding which snow-clad landscape you choose to visit, allow

bespoke tour operator Carrier to offer a most luxurious solution, and arrange the ultimate winter getaway.

The destinations on offer will bring you close to some of the must-see winter sights such as Aurora Borealis, better known as the Northern Lights. It is one of nature’s most enchanting displays, as the skies start to dim and the sky is illuminated with bursts of neon green.

Yukon, Canada, is one of the best places for viewing the display, and is just one of the exceptional places that Carrier offers as part of its all-encompassing service. Here, you can enjoy the unspoiled wilderness and spend your time dog-sledding or snowshoeing. They’ll choose the perfect place for you to rest your head afterwards, such as in the Takhini River Lodge, which is ideal for a relaxing and cosy sojourn.

Or, opt for a trip to the city of Reykjavík in Iceland, which is packed with cultural

attractions, a vibrant culinary scene, cutting-edge art galleries and the glass opera house. Its milky-blue waters, black lava fields and glacial geysers make for a stunning backdrop to see the lights, too.

If you’re after something truly memorable, visit the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Finland, which is renowned for its glass igloos in which you can sleep and gaze up at the lights. Or venture to Sweden, where the world-renowned Icehotel is newly created every year by international artists. No two Icehotels are ever the same, making each experience truly unique.

Now all you have to do is say when and where; Carrier will take care of the rest. (carrier.co.uk)

Tailor-made tour operator Carrier can bring you the majestic sights of the Northern Lights from extraordinary places, as the Arctic region provides the ultimate opportunity to witness snowy landscapes in a totally different glow

ALpINe ReTReAT

Travel | The mayfair magazine

‘Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Finland is renowned for its glass igloos in which you can sleep and gaze up at the lights’

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LeT IT Snow


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Ski aficionados are slaloming away from the glitz and glamour of buzzy mountain resorts towards quieter, more refined styles of

Alpine lodging, observes leo Bear

Jetsetters flocking to the Alps for sunshine, Champagne air – so fresh it gives you a high – and après-ski shoulder-rubbing, are always seeking to upgrade on last

season’s slopeside digs. And it’s not hard. From elegant palace hotels to flashy high-altitude havens with ski-in piazzas and sunken spas, new establishments eclipse last season’s like designer runway looks. But this year, the snow is shifting, and Moncler-clad ski bunnies are turning down haute-couture hotels in favour of more authentic, rustic-luxe mountain retreats.

Traditional chalets designed with a quieter visitor in mind are taking more bookings than ever, according to Andy Stuart, owner of chalet company VIP SKI: ‘We’ve noticed a steep rise in demand for our more remote “off the radar” chalets that sit at altitude on the piste – Chalet Poudreuse at 1,850m in Avoriaz, for example – and we think that it’s because as skiers become older, more experienced and more discerning, they seek tranquillity as much as they seek guaranteed snow.’

Peacefulness is certainly what attracts in-the-know visitors to the hilltop hamlet of Commeire near Verbier. Here lies the Montagne Alternative, a collection of barns so lovingly restored, you’d never know they were part of a hotel. Haybarn exteriors blend with retro-styled interiors and floor-to-ceiling picture windows to heart-lifting effect, and in place of snow butlers and pseudo-Swiss design, the ethos behind the establishment is one of long-term sustainability. On top of stylish interiors featuring retro slingback chairs and Brazilian hand-knotted rugs, there’s yoga, Afghan walking and private dinners in the town’s original carnotzet (wine cellar) to enjoy. Eduardo Ramos, director of operations at the Montagne Alternative, explains: ‘What we offer goes way beyond shuttling guests to and from the slopes. People come here to connect with the essence of the

mountain, far away from noise, crowds and technology. We give our guests space, nature and silence.’

The trend for authentic rustic-luxe is also gaining pace in some of Europe’s hippest new ski hotels. Both The Chedi in Andermatt and the irrefutably cool Alpina Gstaad in Switzerland are tempering contemporary aesthetics with reclaimed wooden beams, log fires in guest rooms and side tables fashioned from antique walking sticks. However, for genuine Alpine authenticity, one has to look a little harder; dig a bit deeper into the avalanche of luxury hotel and chalet offerings. Enter, the perfectly petite ski resort of Les Gets in France.

Just 50 minutes from Geneva, Les Gets feels a world away from the Champagne-swilling seasonaires, and is one of the least damaged resorts in the Haute-Savoie. Unaffected by mass tourism, it sits at the base of the Alps like a child’s frosted snowglobe. Much of its charm

PHoTogRAPHS: PHILIP VILe And ToM

LAkeMAn

‘Peacefulness is certainly what attracts in-the-know visitors to the hilltop hamlet of Commeire’

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can be attributed to a tight-knit community consisting mainly of four families and the surrounding area’s thriving farming business. Add to this stringent eco-regulations protecting the pine valleys enclosing the village (off-piste ski-ing is frowned upon should you accidentally behead a rare form of flora), and the net result is extra-long ski runs, and air so clean you can almost feel yourself getting younger with each day you stay. Situated on the Swiss-French border with access to Morzine and Avoriaz, there’s powder by the truckload at Le Chamossière and wide-open pistes perfect for beginners at Ranfolly, all of which is crowned by ravishing views of Mont Blanc. Non-skiers needn’t miss out either. They can pull on their fur-lined boots and crunch along 5km trails, weaving patterns in the Mont Chéry and Chavannes slopes – walking for hours without encountering another soul – then meet friends for lunch before riding a gondola back to ground level.

In town, the bright lights of Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Chopard are absent. Streets are lined with traditional Savoyarde architecture and many of the homes are still heated the old-fashioned way: by wood burner. Back in the 1970s, a rally cry dictated that ‘the highest building in the village must be the church steeple’, and this motto still serves it well. Said church steeple is visible from most of Les Gets’ low-lying landmarks, including a number of charming family-run chalets. But from the yawning picture windows of Les Gets’ most luxurious chalet Ferme de Moudon, you won’t be able to see it. Nor will you be able to see the resort’s ski gondolas gently drifting up and down the mountain, or the usual higgledy-piggledy clutter of hardwood rooftops and jaunty fairy-lit bars. The view from Ferme de Moudon is one of pure, undiluted alpine privilege: a blanketed snowy valley steeply encased by forests of pine trees. From the chalet’s wraparound terrace, where sheepskin-covered wooden rockers beg to be reclined in, all you can hear is rushing water


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THE ESSENTIALSWinter rates at Ferme de Moudon in Les

Gets, France, start from £19,937 per week.

For more information call 020 7627 0469,

email [email protected] or

visit fermedemoudon.com

from the brook below – pure Narnia. Located at the end of a quiet lane, a

mile outside town, with little in the way of signposting, this 18th-century farmhouse is large enough to sleep ten in glorious isolation. Combining locally sourced timber, stone and glass with 21st-century good looks, renowned British interior designer Nicky Dobree hit the nail on the head when she built it ten years ago with the help of Norwegian architect Henriette Salvesen. From the outside, it’s a traditional piece of alpine vernacular, but inside, gleaming surfaces collide with chunky ancient beams for a decadent rough-luxe feel. Dobree’s ability to blend modern clean lines with deep solidarity is what sets Ferme de Moudon apart from other ski chalets, and the benefits of having an interiors expert at the helm are plain for all to see: warmth, texture and personality in spades.

Catering to guests’ every whim, there is a staff of five including a professional chef who is well-versed in the art of crisping the surface of a

crème brûlée, and a housekeeping team who provide a better turndown service than most five-star hotels. Everything has been thought of, from heated boot racks to the basket of Twix by the back door should you need a sugar fix on a static chairlift. Even suntan lotion is provided.

Alongside unparalleled local knowledge, the team here bring dry wit and impeccable manners to the table, and possess all the contacts necessary to whisk you to the best snow, whether it be by 4x4 or helicopter. And it’s for this reason that we crown Ferme de Moudon this season’s best chalet in the Alps. Actress Emma Thompson was certainly impressed – you should see the gushing scrawl she left in the guestbook.

‘This 18th-century farmhouse is large enough to sleep ten in glorious isolation’

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[city break]MUNicHMunich becomes a majestic winter wonderland in December with the arrival of its famed Christmas market, as Lauren Romano discovers

Munich is a place of contradiction. One minute you’ll bump into a throng of pantomime patriots frequenting the beer gardens. The next, just around

the corner on Maximilianstrasse, fashion-forward city slickers with fast cars prowl the designer boutiques lining one of the city’s four royal avenues. And among the grid of spotlessly clean streets and soaring architectural landmarks, cultural hotspots sit in wait at every turn.

If you want to head to a concert, play or opera, you’re in the right place. Munich’s cultural kudos is indebted to the Wittelsbach family, who once ruled over Bavaria and were responsible for laying the foundations of the 60 theatres and opera houses which pepper a city that both the Bavarian State Opera and the Bavarian State Ballet call home.

Clustered around the Kunstareal art district, Munich’s 40 museums and 70 galleries continue the impressive culture crawl. One of the oldest galleries in the world, Alte Pinakothek, houses an exemplary collection of Old Master paintings with Rubens, Bruegel, da Vinci and Titian all featured in the venerable line-up. Meanwhile, over at the Neue Pinakothek down the road, masterpieces by Constable, Turner, Manet, Monet, Renoir and Degas rub frames.

The Lenbachhaus Museum, is also a must see, as the former studio and home of artist Franz von Lenbach reopened last year after a four-year renovation. The striking Blue Rider collection of early 20th-century expressionist paintings, including work by Wassily Kandinsky, is worth the entrance fee alone.

While you’re there, visit the nearby neoclassical Haus der Kunst, which was opened under the Nazis in 1937 as the first monumental building of the Third Reich and has remained one of the city’s most important art spaces ever since. Regardless of whether you choose to spend your time gallery-hopping, experiencing the local brews at one of its famed beer gardens or enjoying the Christmas markets, Munich is sure to dazzle and delight.

Königsseest BartholoMew’s ChurCh


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MUNICH

SUITCASE E S S E N T I A L S

Where to stay The Bayerischer Hof’s historic address boasts 350 rooms, but manages to retain a sense of intimacy despite its size. Opened in 1841 at the behest of King Ludwig, the hotel has been owned by the Volkhardt family for more than a century and no expense has been spared in its recent refurbishment; it oozes understated elegance.Double rooms start from €360 plus €38 per person for breakfast.(bayerischerhof.de)

Eating & drinkingTucked away beneath the Bayerischer Hof, the vaults of Palais Keller restaurant are the place to head for the most authentic pretzels, sausages, dumplings and schnitzels. Calorie counters might want to give the crackling lard and its attendant pâtés a wide berth, but I would nonetheless advise ordering the Bavarian plate for a little taste of everything.

Mayfair recommends Spend an evening under the festive lights of the city’s oldest Christmas market, and one of Munich’s most famous winter attractions. This iconic and traditional fête is said to date back to the 14th century. Visitors can be immersed in the holiday spirit with beautifully crafted gifts on offer, enveloped in the comforting aroma of grilled sausages and roasted chestnuts. From November 27 to December 24

IMAGE © RAdu RAzvAn

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#2 Cell repair night oil, £45, Aurelia,

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#1 Tote, £2,770, Fendi, (matchesfashion.com)

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This side of St James’s park isn’t usually considered birthday weekend in town territory; it lacks Mount Street’s charm and Dover Street’s cool factor, and

there’s not a Miu Miu or Mulberry store in sight. It’s all a bit more serious, a bit more men in suits, with tourists more likely to be wielding selfie sticks and tripods as opposed to Monopoly-style wodges. Which is why it seemed an odd choice of location when Conrad London St James launched in September.

Taking over from the InterContinental, the Hiltons luxury brand tier hotel is placed in the heart of the capital’s political heartland within walking distance of Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. Its 256 rooms and suites are spread over six floors, and the décor is smart and understated, but still inherently masculine and, as a result, strikes a more corporate than plush city-break note. Staying in the King Grand Deluxe Room, the space is generous for central London

… at Conrad St James, St James’s Park w o R d S : k A R I C o L M A n S

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standards, and the sleek TV built into the wall is a bachelor-pad dream. The white leather headboard frames a super-soft bed that engulfs you like quicksand, and the housekeeping staff didn’t bat an eyelid at a one-in-the-morning call for the pillows to be changed from all-feather to synthetic (allergy not comfort-related). The spacious brown marble bathroom can be

kitted out with amenities from Aromatherapy Associates, Shanghai Tang or Tara Smith Vegan Haircare; guests are able to choose prior to their arrival via the Conrad Concierge mobile app.

Small satirical touches are to be found throughout including a ‘division bell’, signalling a call to the members in the Commons or the House of Lords, and the curated collection of politically themed art adds a tongue-in-cheek splash of fun. A Tom Clark sculpture welcomes guests into the slick lobby, while the quirky if not slightly nightmarish, animations and 3D caricatures line the booths of the street-level bar.

The quintessentially British food and beverage offering at the Blue Boar bar and restaurant is particularly good: order steak tartare or the lobster bisque with floating, stuffed ravioli, followed by lemon sole in a Meunière sauce or the succulent chateaubriand from the Josper grill, served with foie gras and chips as long and thick as your forearm. Full from polishing off everything on our plates, a sticky toffee pudding doused in honeycomb-heavy ice cream finished the wonderful meal off perfectly. As well as 24-hour room service, the restaurant also offers two elegant private dining rooms for up to ten guests each, or one combined space for 20, ideal for business lunches or dinners. Indeed, there are as many

as seven exclusive spaces available for hire, aptly named after political residences. Breakfast is a small buffet with the choice to order your standard grill-ups et al à la carte. Although there is no spa to speak of, the 24-hour fitness centre includes state-of-the-art machinery and workout equipment.

While the Conrad undoubtedly offers a five-star experience, from the rooms to the food and service, it lacks the creature comforts – a cashmere throw here, soft-lighting there – to define it as a luxurious home-from-home, instead setting it firmly at the top of the short-stay business trip hotel options. But much like the sartorial district it populates, a woman’s touch would go a long way. Deluxe Double rooms from £299 on a B&B basis based on two people sharing. 28 Broadway, SW1H (020 3301 8080; conradhotels.com)

‘The white leather headboard frames a super-soft bed that engulfs you like quicksand’

020 7483 5004Call our team today

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The mayfair magazine | Beauty

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beauty newsw o R d S : B e T H A n R e e S A n d A I M e e M C L A U g H L I n

Curtain callAn evening at the opera is the epitome of elegance. And for a night filled with nostalgic allure and beauty, you need to look the part. After slipping on your faithful little black dress, choose the radiant make-up to match from Guerlain’s Christmas 2014 Collection. The French beauty house has thought of everything to create the perfect evening glow, including the particularly exciting re-release of its vintage scent from 1937, Coque d’Or, in the form of a subtly fragranced shimmer powder for the body and hair. A standing ovation from us. Christmas 2014 Collection, from £18.50, Guerlain (guerlain.com)

Smoke and mirrors The smoky eye is one of the most iconic beauty looks of all time; it’s highly versatile for any complexion and is the perfect trick to transform an outfit from day to evening. Having recently debuted at the institutional Mayfair department store Fenwick, Charlotte Tilbury offers an easy solution to recreate the glamorous trend with the Fallen Angel Palette. It comes in four shades, and can be used either dry for a subtle finish or with a dampened brush for an intense and highly reflective gloss. Tilbury gives us the confidence to pull off this timeless look.Fallen Angel Luxury Palette, £45, Charlotte Tilbury (charlottetilbury.com)

All that glittersIt’s that time of year where bold, impactful make-up is always appropriate. Which is why the latest collection from MAC is perfectly timed, in collaboration with a fashion designer with serious sartorial credentials; Prabal Gurung. Glossy, intenseley pigmented red lipsticks are a must have, while the bronzer also stands out – perfectly golden – and comes in a stunning, weighty metallic gold case. Your beauty bag will be the envy of all. Lipglass in Carmine Rouge, £19, MAC Prabal Gurung collection, available at Harvey Nichols and MAC (harveynichols.com; maccosmetics.co.uk)

Black beautyLalique’s Noir Premier collection takes the fragrance wearer on a journey that marks the milestones of the brand’s illustrious love affair with perfume. Each bottle represents the form of a majestic black ‘I’ Roman numeral, inspired by René Lalique’s first ever black perfume bottle design dating from 1911. A special edition Sculpteur d’Épices perfume is a cool and pure fragrance accented with smouldering cinnamon tones. Housed in a beautifully crafted transparent crystal bottle, it makes a seriously sleek addition to any dressing table.Sculpteur d’Épices, £180, Lalique, available exclusively at Harrods

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Meet the consultant

Dr Lyndon Wagman is a GP with over 20 years experience working in north west London and can

be seen at The Wellington Hospital. His expertise is as a true generalist managing the complexities of patients with several conditions and working with patients over time to maintain their physical and psychological well

being. He believes in working proactively with his patients to prevent illness where possible, being

available to his patients and co-ordinating their care in the best traditions of

British general practice.

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Normally, flu symptoms settle within two weeks, and other than being frustrating and unpleasant, no long-term harm is caused. However, in some people the illness can trigger serious complications, like

bronchitis, pneumonia and meningitis. This is more common in high risk groups, including those over the age of 65, people with respiratory or heart disease, chronic neurological problems, kidney and liver illnesses, diabetics, pregnant women and those on medications that suppress the immune system. As a result, an annual vaccination is usually offered to those people at risk and their carers.

How do you catch influenza?Influenza is spread by droplets, fine spray or through direct contact with the nasal secretions of someone infected. Most cases occur in a short season of 8-10 weeks during the winter months, spreading rapidly in closed communities. This is the reason why children are now being given flu vaccinations via a nasal spray. The combination of school and limited personal hygiene is the perfect place to spread the virus and then to bring it home. This year, all 2 – 4 year olds are being offered a vaccination, which will later be extended to include children up to 16 years of age.

TreatmentIf you catch flu, the recommended treatment for most is rest, hot drinks and simple painkillers such as paracetamol. It is important

that you stay at home until your symptoms subside, to prevent spreading the virus. Antibiotics do not help, and a GP will only prescribe them if you develop secondary infections like an ear or chest infection. Only call your doctor if symptoms persist or worsen, such as developing an earache and increasing shortness of breath.

You may have heard of anti-viral drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza, said to help limit flu. Their role is very limited, with current guidance recommending their use only in cases of high risk for those who have not received the vaccine and have been in contact with probable flu.

VaccinationThis is given every year as the virus naturally changes, prompting a new annual vaccine to ensure that individuals are protected. Pandemics such as the recent swine flu, occur because of a major change in the properties of the virus, for which there is no natural immunity in the population. This leads to rapid spread of a new disease, with no immediately available vaccine.

Those at low risk can beat flu symptoms and aid recovery with bed rest and simple painkillers. If you fall within the high risk group, you must ensure you seek advice from your GP and attend your annual vaccination session. If symptoms persist or you are worried about your risk of contracting influenza, you should make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible.Source: NHS website

Influenza is an acute viral illness of the respiratory tract caused by three types of influenza virus: A, B and C. Symptoms include a sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, muscle ache and extreme fatigue, and sometimes including a dry

cough, sore throat and stuffy nose

Breathe easy

The mayfair magazine | Health Promotion

For further information, or if you would like to arrange an appointment at The Wellington Hospital, please contact the hospital Enquiry Helpline on

020 7483 5004, or visit thewellingtonhospital.com

96


Agua at Mondrian LondonW O R D S : k a t e R a c O v O l i S

Spa reviewA

gua at the new Mondrian hotel is no ordinary spa. Although based on the concept of a traditional Roman bathhouse, there is a

distinct eccentricity to this spa, which is befitting of the space designed by Design Research Studio, and helmed by creative legend Tom Dixon.

Upon entering the lower-ground spa, it’s easy to forget you are underground, as the bright, white walls, minimalist interiors and staff uniformed in perfectly pressed white outfits, all combine to give a fresh and almost clinical feel to the space. But the spa is warmed by its centrepiece: a copper sculpture hanging impressively from the lounge ceiling.

I tried a simple manicure in the Glamour Lounge, and although not the most intricate of treatments, it was perfectly done (and still immaculately intact a week later as I write). My nail technician, Irita, explained how each of the products have been carefully

selected for this spa. With cult brands such as Dr Jackson’s, Estelle & Thild and – for my manicure – Ciaté, the absence of widely available department store brands offered a welcome surprise. If this manicure was any indication of the precision and care with which the other treatments on offer are done, then you will not leave feeling anything less that completely pampered. The other treatments include a deeply cleansing facial or a ‘Mud Cure’ – one of Agua’s signature treatments – where you’ll be treated to an all-over exfoliation in the private steam and Mud Room.

Also a pleasant surprise was the raw food menu, designed by the in-house chef, as well as more indulgent treats such as organic chocolate fondues and ice-cream sundaes – you could almost come for the food alone. Agua at Mondrian London, 20 Upper Ground, SE1 (020 3747 1010; morganshotelgroup.com)

‘A Copper Hull Water Pool feature impressively hangs from the ceiling’

À L A R E C H E R C H E D E L ’ Œ U V R E

98


Food & drink newsThrow a dinner party like Valentino, sample an exotic take on a yule log from Ladurée and mark the season with an indulgent hamper from The Mount Street Deli

w o r D S : b e T h a n r e e S

Chez ValentinoRenowned for his beautiful designs, Valentino Garavani has opened the doors to his homes to show that his appetite for design goes much further than the runway. In a new tome published by Assouline, the designer leads us through his yacht and residences in London, Gstaad and France. In a book full of stunning visual and written accounts of his culinary creations, Valentino radiates a love for all things beautiful, including what’s on his plate. No one throws a soirée quite like this man.Valentino: At the Emperor’s Table By Valentino Garavani, text by Andre Leon Talley, £95, published by Assouline (assouline.com)

Christmas in the tropicsWhen we turn our minds to Christmas sweets, flavours of rich plums, spicy orange and tangy cranberries fill the senses. However, perfectionist Parisian confectioner Ladurée has turned this traditional gastronomic idea upside down with the release of its Pineapple Buche de Noel and Yule Log, also known as a yule log. The baba dough is soaked in an exotic syrup and rum, with kaffir lime, vanilla Chantilly, roasted pineapple and a gold lacquered chocolate shell. The perfect way to brighten up any dinner table, transporting guests from a frosty winter to the tropics. Pineapple Buche de Noel and Yule Log, £96, Ladurée, 71-72 Burlington Arcade, W1J (020 7491 9155; laduree.com)

Sparkle and sipWhat better way to mark the arrival of the party season than by adorning your kitchen with a tea caddy of matching shimmer. This lacquered tin in polished gold has been created by French gourmet tea company Mariage Frères, which is celebrating its 160th anniversary this year. It’s the perfect accessory to bring a little sparkle to the home. Silver lacquered tea caddy, £49, Mariage Frères (mariagefreres.com)

All wrapped upWhat do you buy the person who has everything for Christmas? The Mount Street Deli has come up with a rather delicious solution: a bespoke Christmas hamper, so your loved one can indulge in some of their favourite festive delights without having to leave the house. From The Ivy’s mince pies and Paxton & Whitfield’s finest stilton, to Scott’s spiced mixed nuts and the deli’s Castelvetrano Sicilian green olives, there is a vast, delicious smörgåsbord of products to put in the beautiful wicker baskets. With so much to choose from, this makes a suitably indulgent gift even for the fussiest of eaters. Bespoke Hamper, from a selection, The Mount Street Deli, 100 Mount Street, W1K (020 7499 6843; themountstreetdeli.co.uk)

The mayfair magazine | Food & Drink

99

Mavens of MayfairMayfair’s famous and fashionable gathered together for special events in the world of publishing and fashion, while William & Son played host to a worthy cause of its own

W O R D S : A i M e e M c l A u g h l i n

Helping with heritageWhile William & Son is more usually known for the agility of its rifles and beautiful yet durable tweeds, it has added a new string to its bow in the form of its charitable campaigning against rhino poaching in Waterberg, South Africa. Working with Ant Baber from the Save the Waterberg charity, William Asprey and the rest of the William & Son team, along with caterer Payne and Gunter and guests including Mark Knopfler from Dire Straits helped to create a very successful evening, with £40,000 raised overall for the protection of the rhinos.

That’s a wrapPhillips was transformed into a haven of fashionable fancies when it played host to the launch of an exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the ultimate wardrobe staple: Diane Von Furstenberg’s wrap dress. Guests included Bianca Jagger, Princess Olympia of Greece and Poppy Delevingne, who modelled a silk jersey jumpsuit from 1974, on display at Phillips for The DVF Times, produced in coordination with the exhibition.

Palatial publishingTwenty years after the Assouline brand was founded, the architecturally delightful 196A Piccadilly is a perfect location for its first international flagship, reflecting the brand’s commitment to luxury lifestyle. Sipping on specially created 99 per cent oxygen cocktails and Krug, guests including Anne Hathaway and Mario Testino also witnessed the launch of one of the publisher’s latest releases Valentino: At the Emporer’s Table, with copies signed by the designer himself.

FROM leFt: SAbine ghAneM, eugenie niARchOS, DiAne VOn FuRStenbeRg, billAl tARight, hikARi YOkOYAMA, PetRA PAluMbO, nOOR FAReS. PhOtOgRAPhY: DARRen geRRiSh; iMAge cOuRteSY OF DVF

FROM leFt: MARk knOPFleR, Ant bAbeR AnD WilliAM ASPReY. PhOtOgRAPhY: nick hARVeY

100

Food & Drink | The mayfair magazine

The Dining Room at The Punchbowl W O R D S : B E T H A N R E E S

DINING OUTO

n Mayfair’s quiet, residential Farm Street, there’s something rumbling behind the doors of number 41. It appears to be a reasonably run-of-the-

mill pub from the outside, but it’s clear upon entering The Punchbowl that it is more than just a watering hole for the after-work mob.

The heritage of the Georgian building radiates wherever you look, from the aged wooden panelling to the original, crooked staircase. The fresh redesign still manages to absorb and reflect all of the building’s history, with that added countryside charm.

The pub downstairs is very much the scene you would imagine in Mayfair on a Thursday evening: a buzzing crowd filling every nook and cranny, the ale and wine flowing freely. The Dining Room upstairs, however, feels miles away from the jolly scenes below.

Images of Kate Moss and Daphne Groeneveld adorn the walls, photographed by Matthew Rawlinson, who is also responsible for the interior design of the pub. They may not be your average dinner guests, but they’re certainly welcome here.

The semi-open kitchen allows a glimpse inside the workplace of Nathan Andrews, the head chef who started his culinary life at Gordon Ramsay’s Pétrus. Provenance and heritage is at the heart of his menu, and he utilises some of the best British suppliers such as Allens of Mayfair.

Of course, the menu doesn’t read like an ordinary gastropub bill of fare; its focus on seasonality and experimental flavour combinations screams gourmet. The roasted hand-dived scallops with slow-cooked bacon and tiny matchstick shreds of apple played with textures; the slight wobble and tenderness of the scallops paired with the light crunch of fruit made an exciting mouthful. Coupled with the dangerously delectable MadFish Australian Chardonnay, the starter certainly impressed.

The main dish of Tamworth pork cooked two ways, savoy cabbage and roasted pink lady apple, felt homely without losing the air of sophistication; the pork loin melted in the mouth, the flavour of the succulent meat taking the limelight, and the pork belly, with its golden, crisp texture stole the show.

You may associate the pub with its previous illustrious owner Guy Ritchie, and the rambunctious antics which naturally led to an array of disgruntled neighbours, but The Punchbowl’s comeback leaves me with nothing but high praises and a note in my diary for when I’ll be making my next appearance. The Dining Room at The Punchbowl, 41 Farm Street, W1J (020 7493 6841; punchbowllondon.com)

escapeA tranquil oasis amidst the hustle & bustle of Mayfair.

A unique dining experience begins as you walk down a tree-lined pathway to reach The Greenhouse. London fades away and calm descends.

Michelin-starred chef Arnaud Bignon’s acclaimed light touch with highly flavoured dishes brings a thrilling dimension to classic French cuisine.

Make your reservation today at

The Greenhouse, 27a Hay’s MewsMayfair, London, W1J 5NY

020 7499 3331www.greenhouserestaurant.co.uk

[email protected]

102

Regulars | The mayfair magazine

In what was once roaming countryside frequented solely by the odd highwayman, Bond Street has been the ultimate luxury shopping destination for almost 330 years.

Named after its founder, the shrewd-minded property speculator and royal courtier Sir Thomas Bond, the half-mile stretch of dazzling shop fronts became home to London’s notorious Bond Street Loungers in the late 18th century. The early fashionistas or ‘peacocks’ of their time – the most notable of which included Beau Brummel and ‘Poodle’ Byng – developed a cult-like infamy for their lavish clothing and ostentatious spending habits. They treated the pavements of Bond Street as their catwalks, to the point where they even created a specific way of promenading along leisurely, with toothpick in mouth, known as the ‘Bond Street Roll’.

This year Bond Street’s annual Christmas illuminations, which are just as reputed as the street’s shops and galleries in their own right, pay homage to this rich and colourful history.

The stunning festive display sees over a quarter of a million LED lamps beautifully formed into the shape of a glorious white peacock in honour of the street’s original inhabitants.

While the Bond Street Loungers may no longer be around to frequent the plethora of designer flagships, their presence still echoes in the footsteps of the new generation of fashionistas and jetsetters from all over the world. Bond Street continues to have its finger on the beating pulse of events in Mayfair, with the recent announcement that the area will undergo a £20 million reconstruction to coincide with the development of Crossrail.

It is this perpetual respect for what the area has stood for in the past, combined with a continuous view towards the future that will ensure the great and good will continue to congregate in this vibrant part of Mayfair for all of their style-conscious indulgences in the years to come. Words: Aimee McLaughlin

MAYFAIRCHRISTMAS T IME , BOND STREET

Remembering

‘ The half-mile stretch of dazzling shop fronts became home to London’s notorious Bond Street Loungers in the late 18th century’

ABOvE, fROm lEfT: ARThuR & CO., 36 NEw BOND STREET C. 1905.;

NEw BOND STREET NORThwARDS fROm

CONDuiT STREET, C. 1903. BOTh imAgES COuRTESy

Of Mayfair Through TiMe By BRiAN giRliNg.

AvAilABlE TO Buy AT AmBERlEyBOOkS.COm.

£14.99, AmBERlEy, 2012

showcasing the finest hoMes & PRoPeRtY fRoM the best estate agents

image: strutt and parkerstruttandparker.com

A British classican exquisite property with links to the

famed bentley boys arrives on the market

KF_Mayfair Mag_DPS_LHP.indd 1 12/11/2014 14:39

GUIDE PRICE £18,000,000 LEASEHOLD 986 YEARS JOINT SOLE AGENTS

SHAUN CROCKETT PROPERTY

+44 (0)7710 [email protected]

HILL STREET MAYFAIR W1

A MAGNIFICENT RESIDENCE OF GRAND PROPORTIONS, SITUATED ON A PRESTIGIOUS RESIDENTIAL STREET MOMENTS FROM BERKELEY SQUARE.

Within this exclusive apartment block of two adjoining period buildings dating from 1760-70, lies an exceptional home of 5,250 square feet, occupying the two premier fl oors and benefi ting from three terraces and private off-street parking.

ACCOMMODATION & AMENITIESMaster bedroom suite with dressing room, en suite bathroom and drawing room • Second bedroom with en suite bathroom • Third bedroom • Utility room • Shower room • Guest WC • 4 reception rooms Kitchen • 3 terraces • Private parking • 24 hour concierge • EPC rating C

KF_Mayfair Mag_DPS_RHP.indd 2 12/11/2014 14:40

Davies Street, Mayfair W1K A two bedroom apartment in an iconic development A contemporary lateral two bedroom apartment in an award‐winning Mayfair development. Open plan kitchen/reception room, master bedroom suite, second bedroom, shower room, 2 balconies, porter, underground parking, additional storage. EPC rating C. Approximately 128 sq m ﴾1,384 sq ft﴿

Leasehold: approximately 139 years remaining

Guide price: £5,950,000

﴾WER140020﴿

KnightFrank.co.uk/mayfair [email protected] 020 8166 7482

KnightFrank.co.uk

1, 21 Davies St MM December 07/11/2014 11:58:43

Knight Frank Mayfairare proud to sponsor

Carols by Candlelight

Grosvenor Chapel, 24 South Audley Street,

London, W1K 2PA

Wednesday 10th December 2014

Door open 6.30pm

Carols start 7.00pm

Carol Service ends 8.15pm

Tickets available from operationsmile.org.uk/carols

Adults - £30 Children under 15 - £5

All money raised from this special evening will help Operation Smile continue to provide children born with clefts in the developing

world with the free, safe surgeries they need.

319186_MayfairMag_KF.indd 1 11/11/2014 16:36

Green Street, Mayfair W1K A bright three bedroom duplex apartment with patio A beautifully presented duplex apartment of 2,275 sq ft, situated in a recently refurbished period building. 2 reception rooms, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom with en suite bathroom & dressing room, 2 further bedrooms with en suite shower rooms, utility room, patio. EPC rating B. Approximately 212 sq m ﴾2,275 sq ft﴿



﴾WER140177﴿


Savills.co.uk/mayfair [email protected] 020 7578 5100

KnightFrank.co.uk

1,52 Green - MM December 07/11/2014 15:41:42

Green Street, Mayfair W1K A spacious two bedroom lateral apartment A first floor, two bedroom lateral apartment of grand proportions, overlooking the Green Street gardens and boasting impressive ceiling heights, porterage and direct lift access. 2 bedrooms ﴾both with en suite bathrooms﴿, reception room, kitchen, guest WC, balcony, lift, porter. EPC rating C. Approximately 213 sq m ﴾2,299 sq ft﴿



﴾WER120194﴿


Savills.co.uk/mayfair [email protected] 020 7578 5100

KnightFrank.co.uk

3, 46 Green St MM DEC 07/11/2014 15:36:44

KnightFrank.co.uk/mayfair

120a Mount Street, MayfairLondon W1K 3NN+44 20 7499 1012

To keep up with the latest property news and events follow us @KF_Mayfair

To request a complimentary market appraisal please visit KnightFrank.co.uk/mayfair or call 020 7499 1012.

*market share for properties currently for sale in Mayfair & St James’s

MAYFAIR & ST JAMES’S*

2014

4153_Mayfair_No1_agent_advert_210x297mm_v03.indd 1 05/11/2014 12:09 Mayfair Magazine December Wimpole Street 11/11/2014 13:01:24

Cleveland Square, Bayswater W2 Magnificent family sized garden square maisonette An exceptionally spacious maisonette, located in a Grade II listed stucco building on one of London's garden squares. Master bedroom with en suite shower room, 4 further bedrooms, 3 en suite bathrooms, double reception room, kitchen/breakfast room, terrace, access to communal gardens. Approximately 235 sq m ﴾2,530 sq ft﴿

Share of Freehold


﴾HPE140215﴿

KnightFrank.co.uk/hydepark [email protected] 020 3544 6140

KnightFrank.co.uk

42 CLEVELAND SQ Mayfair MAg Dec 2014 07/11/2014 09:44:31

Sussex Square, Hyde Park W2 Immaculately refurbished freehold town house A bright and spacious town house with private parking and access to communal gardens. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing room, 3 further en suite bedrooms, reception room, Poggenpohl kitchen, breakfast room, study, utility room, cloakroom, balcony, patio garden, garage. Approximately 289 sq m ﴾3,117 sq ft﴿

Freehold


﴾HEP140107﴿

KnightFrank.co.uk/hydepark [email protected] 020 3544 6140

Savills Mayfair [email protected] 020 7578 5100

KnightFrank.co.uk

Sussex Square The Mayfair Mag December 2014 New 12/11/2014 10:50:29

Grosvenor Square, Mayfair W1K Fantastic two bedroom apartment Finished to the highest specification and situated on Mayfair's most prestigious garden square. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, dining area, kitchen, 24 hour porter. EPC rating D. Approximately 109 sq m ﴾1,178 sq ft﴿

Available furnished

Guide price: £2,250 per week

﴾MAQ208071﴿

KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings [email protected] 020 8166 7799

All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/tenantcharges

KnightFrank.co.uk

Dec 2014 Mayfair Mag PH 2 14/11/2014 11:43:54

Conway Street, Fitzrovia W1

Available to rent exclusively on a short term basis. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, roof terrace. Furnished to the highest standard and boasting natural light throughout. Approximately 219.9 sq m ﴾2,368 sq ft﴿ Available furnished

A wonderfully unique end terraced house



﴾MRY204779﴿

The Brassworks, Hyde Park W2

A spectacular ground floor lateral two bedroom apartment. Master bedroom suite, second bedroom suite, large reception/dining room, fully integrated kitchen, utility room, guest cloakroom and porter. EPC rating C. Approximately 175 sq m ﴾1,519 sq ft﴿ Available furnished

A contemporary lateral apartment



﴾HPQ205384﴿

All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/tenantcharges

KnightFrank.co.uk

Mayfair Mag HP/MB Lettings Nov 2014 12/11/2014 10:33:07

116

Prime central plateauA month with zero price growth was recorded in prime central London for the first time in four years in October, says Knight Frank, as uncertainty over May’s general election and various tax matters kick in to subdue the market. Annual growth has continued its three-year deceleration, from a high-point of +12.6 per cent in November 2011 to +6.5 per cent in October this year. Prime central London prices have risen by 40 per cent over the past four years – quite a bit more than gold (-9 per cent), the mainstream market (+15 per cent), and most other assets except some very nice cars (the HAGI classic car index has risen by 111 per cent over the past five years).

PrOPerty News PrimeResi and Knight Frank bring us the latest news in prime central London property

Green light for Canadian High Commission conversion on Grosvenor Squarewestminster Council has finally given Lodha Group its blessing to convert the Canadian High Commission in Mayfair into 41 top-end apartments. the Mumbai-based mega-developer landed the 150,000 square foot property at 1-3 Grosvenor square nearly a year ago – paying north of £300m – and appointed MsMr Architects to obtain consent for the landmark scheme. the team received a resounding thumbs up at November’s crucial planning meeting, so all systems are now go for the ambitious diplomatic-to-residential transformation. the proposal retains the distinctive 1938 façade, to allow reconstruction of the entire seven-storey building behind, and Lodha Group has provided a ‘donor’ site in Marylebone to fulfil its affordable housing obligations. the Canadian Government decided to dispose of the site in a bid to consolidate its London presence in Canada House on trafalgar square.

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The mayfair magazine | Property

117

primeresi.com knightfrank.co.uk

Mayfair has always attracted discerning visitors

and residents from all over the world, and as

Knight Frank has found, the presence of

international purchasers is increasing.

Knight Frank has seen £195m worth of

investment poured into the Mayfair property

market in the past 12 months. With overseas

buyers accounting for approximately 45 per cent

of all sales, we are seeing a significant shift

towards the ultra-high-end residential market.

On average, international purchasers are

spending £400,000 more per transaction than

domestic purchasers; with Russian, Indian and

Middle Eastern buyers leading the pack for the

area’s ‘best in class’ properties.

Mayfair is home to various ‘quintessentially

British’ institutions, which continue to appeal to

a broad range of international buyers. For a

number of years we have seen purchasers from

far and wide attracted to Mayfair’s luxury hotels,

designer shops, rich history and consequently

the social status this brings them. Moreover,

their ability to generally transact quicker than

most European and domestic purchasers and

a recent lack of purchasing power within the

EU, has brought around a significant shift in

buyer demographics.

Their expectation for the highest level of

design and finish has geared the market

towards the top end, and the number of

five-star developments in the Mayfair pipeline

has increased drastically in recent months.

This influx of buyers has begun to bring about

a ‘rejuvenation’ of Mayfair; with a number of

new designer boutiques and Michelin-starred

restaurants relocating to the area. It could

be said that this influx is in fact helping to

maintain Mayfair’s premium global position.

MARKET INSIGHTPartner and head of Knight Frank Mayfair, Harvey Cyzer, imparts his knowledge of the local property market

ForecastWatchThere’s a consensus among property pundits that the first half of next year will be very quiet, with very little happening before the general election in May. The consensus, however, does not run that deep: prime central London house price forecasts for 2015 range from a five per cent drop (by Savills, assuming a mansion tax is implemented) to a five per cent increase (by Chestertons, assuming the Conservatives win the election and a mansion tax does not come to pass). The most popular option, supported by both Knight Frank and Winkworth, is that there will be no change at all in prices from January to December next year. Taking an average from six of the top estate agencies and research units, PrimeResi anticipates a slight 0.6 per cent increase in property prices in prime central London next year. Nationally, and in Greater London, it’s likely

that prices will rise a touch more, by around 2.6 per cent.

New property portal to take on Rightmove and ZooplaChallenger property portal OnTheMarket.com is due to go live, going head-to-head with the incumbent Rightmove Zoopla duopoly, on 26th January 2015. The estate agency-owned portal – which was started by a panel of some of prime central London’s finest including Savills, Knight Frank, Strutt & Parker, Chestertons, Douglas &

Gordon and Glentree Estates – will launch with ‘a comprehensive and heavy-weight media campaign’ and promises to feature hundreds of thousands of properties

for sale from day one. It’s creating quite the stir in the industry, and is on track to have more than five thousand estate agency branches investing in the project by launch day, despite a clause that limits them to advertising properties on just one other portal – meaning that they will have to remove listings from either Rightmove or Zoopla – and a ban on online-only agents.

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Inside every great home is anexceptional Christmas waiting to happen.

savills.co.uk

Savills Mayfair36 North Audley StreetW1K 6ZJ020 7578 [email protected]

Charles LloydHead of Of� [email protected]

Georgina Bartlett MARLA

Head of [email protected]

SA79325 Mayfair Mag Xmas Sold DPS.indd 1 03/11/2014 13:32

Just a few of the properties we have recently sold and let, where we have made a big difference for our clients.

Bourdon Street, W1 guide £2.95 million

sold

mount Street, W1 guide £1,650 Per WeeK

let

Waverton Street, W1 guide £22 million

sold

green Street, W1 guide £1,095 Per WeeK

let

Curzon Street, W1 guide £1.55 million

sold

groSvenor Hill, W1 guide £2,700 Per WeeK

let

CulroSS Street, W1 guide £4.5 million

sold

ParK Street, W1 guide £825 Per WeeK

let

CHeSterfield gardenS, W1 aSKing £1.795 million

sold

green Street, W1 guide £5,000 Per WeeK

let

Hyde ParK gardenS, W2 guide £10 million

sold

Jermyn Street, SW1 guide £1,450 Per WeeK

let

to discuss your property requirements further, call our team on 020 7578 5100.

SA79325 Mayfair Mag Xmas Sold DPS.indd 2 03/11/2014 13:32

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE: 82 BROMPTON ROAD LONDON SW3 1ER T: +44 020 7225 6506MAYFAIR OFFICE: 61 PARK LANE LONDON W1K 1QF T: +44 020 7409 9001

CHELSEA OFFICE: 58 FULHAM ROAD LONDON SW3 6HH T: +44 (0) 20 7225 6700HARRODSESTATES.COM

A well presented two bedroom, two bathroom apartment in this portered block moments from Regents Park. Offering a large dining/reception room, fitted kitchen, two double bedrooms, two bathrooms and guest cloakroom. Further benefiting from a private patio garden and underground parking. EPC rating E

PARK ROAD, ST JOHN’S WOOD NW8

Leasehold: approximately 95 years remainingAsking Price £2,200,000

+44 (0) 20 7409 [email protected]



A magnificent apartment within this highly sought-after Hyde Park development. Accommodation comprises reception room with beautiful high ceilings, ornate cornices, dining area, lovely kitchen, two spacious bedrooms (both with en-suite bathrooms) and with comfort cooling and lutron lighting throughout. The building itself exudes luxury and sophistication, from the grand portico entrance, secure valet parking, swimming pool, and spa.

THE LANCASTERS,HYDE PARK, W2

Leasehold: approximately 995 years remainingAsking Price £3,500,000

+44 (0) 20 7409 [email protected]



This newly refurbished two bedroom apartment is set on the second floor of Princess Court. The accommodation comprises a living room, additional reception room, two double bedrooms with built-in storage, bathroom and a modern fitted kitchen. The building benefits from a lift and a porter whilst being within walking distance to Marble Arch. Available now for long term lets on a furnished basis. EPC rating D.

PRINCESS COURT, MARYLEBONE , W1H

Price Per Week: £750Property Fees: £180 Admin & £189 Checkout.

References: £42 per person

+44(0)20 7409 [email protected]



Park House is a new landmark building of extraordinary proportions and luxurious aesthetics, benefits from 24 gour concierge and an underground car park. This duplex penthouse apartment is set over the sixth and seventh floors overlooking Mayfair to the south and east. The accommodation of approx.. 2322 sq. ft. comprises open plan kitchen/reception room, large terrace, master bedroom, dressing area and en-suite bathroom, second double bedroom with dressing room and en-suite bathroom, third double bedroom, shower room and guest cloakroom. Available now on a furnished basis. EPC rating C.

PARK HOUSE, MAYFAIR, W1K

Price Per Week: £6,600Property Fees: £180 Admin & £189 Checkout.

References: £42 per person

+44(0)20 7409 [email protected]

Cadogan Place, Knightsbridge SW1X £ 14,750,000 Share of Freehold

A superb contemporary triplex penthouse arranged laterally across two buildings within an impressive white stucco terrace.

4,185 sq ft (388.8 sq m)Drawing room | Sitting room | Chef’s kitchen | Winter garden | Four bedroom suites| Family kitchen/breakfast and TV room | Staff bedroom with en suite shower room | Laundry | Basement storage | Lift

Knightsbridge 020 7235 9959 [email protected]

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struttandparker.com

Rutland Gate, Knightsbridge, SW7 £3,795,000 Share of Freehold

A well-presented, light and bright flat arranged over the top floor (with lift) of two white stucco fronted buildings in Rutland Gate.

1,333 sq ft (123.83) | EPC EEntrance hall | Reception / dining room | Kitchen | Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom | Two further bedrooms | Shower room | Lift | Porterage


£1,595,000 Share of Freehold MM58986

Bryanston Mansions, W1HA first floor apartment which benefits from a lift and caretaker, located in a redbrick mansion block. The property

comprises eat-in kitchen, large reception room, two double bedrooms and bathroom.

Further benefits include a Share of the Freehold.

PC Rating C

jackson-stops.co.uk

Mayfair 020 7664 6644 [email protected] & National reach through a network of London & Regional offices

People Property Places

£6,950,000 Freehold House with a Leasehold Garden MM58979

Ellerton Road, SW20Sophia House offers over 7,300 sq ft (678 sq m) of luxury accommodation, complete with leisure complex and

beautiful landscaped gardens, set in a private estate overlooking the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club.

6 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast/family room, 6 bathrooms/shower rooms, cinema room, wine room,

indoor swimming pool. Lift to all floors. EPC Rating B





jackson-stops.co.uk

Jackson-Stops & Staff London —Chelsea —Holland Park —Mayfair —Pimlico, Westminster & St James —Richmond —Teddington —Weybridge —Wimbledon

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@jsslondon

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A brand new interior designed one bedroom apartment in a converted Georgian property located between the Strand

and Victoria Embankment Gardens. Comprising entrance hall, kitchen/reception/dining room, master bedroom and

shower room. EPC Rating D

£700 per week (fees apply) MM58565

Buckingham Street, WC2N

Park Lane Place, W1KA high specification sixth floor apartment in a 24 hr portered building forming part of a luxury hotel. Comprising reception

room with views over Hyde Park, separate fully fitted kitchen, master bedroom with en suite bathroom, second bedroom

with en suite, further bedroom and guest WC. EPC Rating C

£2,650 per week (fees apply) MM51227

Jackson-Stops & Staff London —Chelsea —Holland Park —Mayfair —Pimlico, Westminster & St James —Richmond —Teddington —Weybridge —Wimbledon

jackson-stops.co.uk/london

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2014 MAYFAIR Highlights350 YEARS | 285 ACRES | 144 STREETS | 4,363 RESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES | 5,200 RESIDENTS 3,800 5* HOTEL ROOMS | 26 MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANTS | ONE MAYFAIR GURU

mount street£2,000,000

park street£1,950,000

davies street£450,000

davies street£18,000,000

charles street£50,000,000

curzon street£4,250,000

charles street£11,000,000

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

* Marketing Prices

Wetherell_DPS_LHP.indd 1 17/11/2014 14:10

2014 MAYFAIR Highlights350 YEARS | 285 ACRES | 144 STREETS | 4,363 RESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES | 5,200 RESIDENTS 3,800 5* HOTEL ROOMS | 26 MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANTS | ONE MAYFAIR GURU

park lane£7,500 per week

audley square£15,000 per week

grosvenor square£5,500,000

upper grosvenor street£5,000,000

claridge house£4,400,000

chesterfi eld hill£9,950,000

carlos place£3,750 per week

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

letlet

let

020 7493 6935

wetherell.co.uk

Wetherell_DPS_RHP.indd 2 17/11/2014 14:11

MEGEVE • MERIBEL • MILAN • MONACO • PARIS • ST-JEAN-CAP-FERRAT • ST-PAUL-DE-VENCE • ST-TROPEZ • VALBONNEABU DHABI • AIX-EN-PROVENCE • BARCELONA • CANNES • COURCHEVEL • COSTA BRAVA • GENEVA • GSTAAD • LONDON

Welbeck Street, Marylebone, W1GA fabulous period townhouse with a lift, a short distance from the Oxford street and 350m from the proposed cross rail link with a 29 minute service to Heathrow. Comprising an interconnecting reception room and dining room, a contemporary kitchen with spectacular domed ceiling, 2 further elegant reception rooms, master suite, 3 further bedroom suites, a study, gym/studio which benefits from a kitchenette area. A 5th bedroom suite for staff or guests works well on the lower ground floor. Long leasehold of approx. 898 years. EPC Rating D

www.john-taylor.com

£7,550,000 LeasehoLd

John taylor Uk48 Berkeley Square,

London W1J 5AXTel: 020 3284 1888

Email: [email protected]


135

Even in the serene place that is Berkeley Square today, it’s still easy to picture the famous Bentley Boys racing their most prized automotives around Mayfair, just

as they did during the 1920s and 1930s.But the area’s history as a destination to

purchase top sports cars – and, of course, the ultimate place in which to drive them – remains, not only in the form of the perfectly polished

Bentleys and Rolls-Royces displayed in their gleaming showrooms on the Square. This month, a reminder of Mayfair’s fascinating past comes in the form of a newly redeveloped property, with a rather illustrious history of its own; 43 Reeves Mews has arrived on the market for sale after two years of meticulous refurbishment by developer Fenton Whelan.

The seven-bedroom house, which was once

Kate Racovolis takes an exclusive look behind the discreet elegant doors of 43 Reeves Mews, to discover its Art Deco interiors, exceptional refurbishment

and its historic ties to Mayfair’s famed Bentley Boys

A British classic

136

two mews properties dates back to 1734-5 when it was first built. It has been home to a great many famed motoring aficionados in centuries past. As one of the first properties in the area to have a custom-built garage, between 1921-47 the original mews properties were owned by Thomas Denman, Third Baron of Denman and his wife Gertrude, who was also the daughter of well known polo and racing car enthusiasts, the First Viscount of Cowdray.

This particular property at Reeves Mews was host to some of the many cars owned by the Bentley Boys. To have such beautiful sports cars pass through the doors was considered a great honour at the time, and the refurbished property of today would certainly be no stranger to a beautiful Bentley or supercar.

From the historic, listed rear façade, and carefully restored front façade – created from original bricks that form the striking, grand exterior – to the interiors, it’s immediately obvious this project by Fenton Whelan is a special one. The conversion features a new lower-ground floor, as well as interiors reminiscent of the elegant era of the 1920s.

The breathtaking staircase beautifully anchors the property with a centrepiece, and above hangs a bespoke chandelier made from Bohemian crystal.

Harvey Cyzer, partner and head of Knight Frank Mayfair says: ‘Fenton Whelan is known for building and finishing properties to incredibly precise standards. There is currently no other property on the market that offers a better quality of finish and design, and this combined with its location and historical background has ensured that 43 Reeves Mews is a once in a lifetime purchase.’

This sense of glamour is immediately obvious from the very entrance of the property, with a 1920s-style marble floor with brass inlays – a place where Jay Gatsby and his beloved Daisy Buchanan from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby would look not at all out of place, sashaying across the floor, Champagne coupes in hand. The formal dining room, which is large enough to seat 12 guests, only adds to this decadent atmosphere, as do the antique bevelled mirrors that adorn its walls, and parquet floors. The main reception room, which takes up the entire length of the house’s rear façade, begs for parties and entertaining too, as it also has an adjoining mirrored bar and a wonderfully spacious feel, with an impressive 31ft ceiling. Fenton Whelan has also created a room on the top floor, which almost has the ambiance of a members’ club. The aptly named ‘club room’ has a large entertaining space, bar, study and bathroom. The private terrace is also spectacular and a rare find in this area, featuring an outdoor fireplace and teak decking spread over 230 sq ft.

‘This sense of glamour is immediately obvious from the very entrance of the property’

137

Becky Fatemi, managing director of Rokstone, says: ‘The house is a glamorous fusion of contemporary style, 1930s Art Deco and period detailing. The result is a beautiful residence, perfect either for a couple or family who want a London home in an ultra-prime location. The house provides an abundance of entertaining space and is finished to an exacting specification.’

Living at this property also means that during your precious downtime, you can retreat to the lower-ground floor, where there is a private cinema and a gym. There is also a glass-fronted wine store for safely and elegantly keeping your favourite vintages. The family kitchen and breakfast room is also located on this level, with custom-made cabinetry and Gaggenau appliances – Fenton Whelan has truly thought of it all. The master bedroom, and four additional VIP bedroom suites – also exuding the same Art Deco glamour as the rest of the property – features two dressing rooms (one for him, and one for her).

Peter Wetherell, chief executive of Wetherell, says: ‘The Bentley Boys are the stuff of Mayfair legend, giving the house at Reeves Mews an interesting and glamorous provenance. The house provides the owner with substantial privacy due to the benefit of the elegant yet understated discreet façade. Behind, is a home of unparalleled luxury and quality.’

With seamless, bespoke Italian and English joinery, exceptional materials sourced from all over the world as well as the house’s unique history, 43 Reeves Mews is one of just a handful of properties of this calibre in Mayfair. While its interiors will certainly exceed the expectations of its discerning future occupier today, there is no doubt it will remain a timeless jewel on Reeves Mews in the future. 43 Reeves Mews is for sale for £24,000,000 (freehold). For further sales information contact joint agents: Knight Frank, (020 7499 1012; knightfrank.co.uk); Wetherell, (020 7529 5566; wetherell.co.uk); Rokstone (020 7580 2030; rokstone.com)

‘This sense of glamour is immediately obvious from the very entrance of the property’


www.TheChilternsW1.com

PRICES ON APPLICATION

For more information about The Chilterns or to arrange a private appointment, please contact Oksana d’Offay on +44 (0)20 8418 1070 or email [email protected]

London’s Finest Residences

Six premier and penthouse residences providing an abundance of luxury living space,

private roofgardens, balconies and 5-star amenities including –

• Restaurant in-room dining • Wine cellars with tasting room

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• Private Art Gallery by David Bailey

M a r k e t i n g S u i t e A T 1 1 - 1 5 W i g m o r e S t r e e t, L o n d o n W 1

CGI of Private Lobby Gallery and Garden Terrace

74 - 76 Chiltern Street, Marylebone w1

PASTOR REAL ESTATE 48 CURZON STREET, LONDON, W1J 7UL • T +44 (0)20 3195 9595 F +44 (0)20 3195 9596

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PASTOR REAL ESTATE 48 CURZON STREET, LONDON, W1J 7UL • T +44 (0)20 3195 9595 F +44 (0)20 3195 9596

www.pastor-realestate.com

REFURBISHED APARTMENT IN QUIET LOCATION

FURTHER DETAILS:

Michael Harte

T +44 (0)20 3195 9595 E [email protected]

CLARGES MEWS, MAYFAIR, LONDON W1

Newly refurbished apartment in this small modern block quietly located in a Mayfair Mews moments from Berkeley Square and within easy walking distance of Green Park tube. The shops, restaurants and amenities of Shepherd Market are also close by, as are the boutiques and luxury brand shops of Bond Street.

The property extends to 610 sq ft (56.67 sq m) and benefits from excellent storage and wood flooring throughout. The spacious accommodation comprises entrance hall, reception room with balcony, fully fitted kitchen with all appliances, double bedroom, large fully tiled shower room, utility cupboard and entry phone system. Share of Freehold.

£1,500,000

FOR SALE

• Excellent natural light

• Roof Terrace

• CAT 5 cabling

• Boardroom

• Kitchenette

• Shower facilities

• Video phone entry system

• Air conditioning

REFURBISHED MAYFAIR OFFICES

FURTHER DETAILS:

Christopher Mitchell

T +44 (0)20 3195 9595 E [email protected]

CURZON STREET, MAYFAIR, LONDON W1

Charming 18th Century building, previously home to Edward Shepherd, recently refurbished throughout to provide 1,460 sq ft (136 sq m) of self-contained modern office accommodation, whilst retaining many of the characteristic period features of this Grade II listed building. Located in a prime pocket of Mayfair, the building benefits from close proximity to the popular bars and restaurants in Shepherd Market. Green Park station provides easy access throughout London via the Jubilee, Piccadilly and Victoria lines

Price on Application

TO LET

OFF

ICES

TO L

ET

Price: £4,650,000

A recently refurished, contemporary three bedroom lateral apartment on the sixth floor of a popular portered building on Curzon Street. A bright apartment of over 1,400 sq ft, this property comprises three double bedrooms ﴾all with en suite shower rooms﴾, and a spacious open plan reception/dining room with three large windows allowing for plenty of natural light. The property also features a stylish kitchen fullyintegrated with Miele and Gaggenau appliances, a guest WC, lift access, porterage and air conditioning throughout.

Located close to the open spaces of both Hyde Park and Green Park, Curzon Street benefits from close proximity to Mayfair’s exclusive restaurants, bars, hotels and boutique shops. Excellent transport links are afforded by road and rail with both Green Park and Hyde Park corner tube stations a short walk away.

5 Dorset street, LonDon W1U 6QJ

W W W. r o k s to n e . c o m

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CURZON STREETMayfair W1J


143

While André Balazs sealed Chiltern Street’s fate as one of the most stylish spots to be seen out and about in the capital, Frogmore

and Galliard Homes have made it an equally desirable spot to call home with the launch of their flagship luxury residential apartments. The Chilterns, situated at 74-76 Chiltern Street in Marylebone, is built on a site that was once the home of Viscount François-René de Chateaubriand, and offers some of the finest homes in the West End. Just off Marylebone High Street, overlooking the greenery of Paddington Street Gardens and fronting onto Chiltern Street, you’re just a stone’s throw from the high street and its vast choice of top boutiques, delis, bars and restaurants.

Totalling 44 luxury residences, the six premium and penthouse spaces provide an abundance of inside and outside lateral living space as well as five-star services. The first of the two penthouses is priced at £25m; a spectacular 7,566sq ft four-bedroom duplex located on the top two floors of the building, it provides 5,047sq ft of internal living space and 2,519sq ft

of private roof gardens, the largest in the West End. On the top floor of the duplex is a grand reception room over 1,000sq ft in size that spans the entire depth of the apartment building and has a raised 3.8m-high coffered ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows. Folding glass walls open onto three beautiful private rooftop terraces.

Priced at £12.575m, the second penthouse is a luxurious 3,962sq ft single-level three-bedroom residence providing 2,886sq ft of internal and 1,076 sq ft of external roof gardens. Sliding walls open to give access to a 12-seater dining room and there is also a spacious family kitchen and breakfast room with a separate utility room.

Set within the architecturally stunning seven-storey glass and stone façade, other details include a striking stepped roofline, floor-to-ceiling windows with sun-shielding feature louvres and glass-fronted balconies. Lifestyle facilities are planned to include a signature restaurant with in-room chef and dining; private gymnasium and sauna; private cinema; 21 basement wine cellars with a wine tasting room; underground parking with valet; a lobby featuring photographs of the local area by David Bailey and a 24-hour hotel-style concierge service. Indeed, The Chilterns has earned its local nickname as the ‘One Hyde Park’ of W1.

Stephen Conway, chief executive of Galliard Homes, said: ‘At The Chilterns we have combined luxury, technology, art and lifestyle amenities to achieve an outstanding level of quality. The Chilterns offering includes hospitality and leisure facilities, which when combined with exceptional homes creates the area’s very best address and a superb investment for the future.’ For further information visit the show apartment and marketing suite at 11-15 Wigmore Street, W1 (020 8418 1070; TheChilternsW1.com)

HIGH SOCIETYNicknamed the One Hyde Park of W1, The Chilterns’ penthouse suites

offer the very best of luxury living in London says Louise Rose

144

Henry Hopwood-Phillips talks to four property titans from independent estate agents in prime central London: Andrew Langton, chairman of Aylesford, Gary

Hersham, co-owner of Beauchamp Estates, Peter Wetherell, owner of Wetherell, and Trevor Abrahmsohn, owner of Glentree, about the wisdom of mansion tax proposals

Guardians of the

Golden Goose


145

Four men who have, between them, sold most of Mayfair many times over are sat in front of me. I’d like to imagine this is the property equivalent of what at

Westminster is called COBRA – the crisis response committee but the reality is more banal. ‘Ultimately the reason we are all here, instead of spokespeople, is not that there is some sort of panic but because we can voice the real issues at stake here and not worry about posturing,’ Peter Wetherell explains.

Andrew Langton kicks off the discussion, reflecting that VAT life started at two per cent but soon ballooned and that the mood of the market is being unduly affected by the fact the mansion tax policy keeps being buried and exhumed for political purposes. ‘This acts as a sword of Damocles,’ he notes. ‘And it’s not just the stereotypical millionaires who are forced into a state of anxiety; it’s the old lady who has inherited her “mansion” too – she’s cash poor and asset rich.’

The manner in which current mansion tax proposals are packaged, however, means this demographic would not have to panic about finding funds because tax charges would be postponed until the property changed hands. ‘But that’s unjust, isn’t it?’ Peter interrupts. An air of indignation slowly builds. ‘Saving up your whole life for a nest egg and all of a sudden that asset disappears. It also doesn’t take into account the fact many don’t own a £5million house. They own a £500,000 house they have lived in for 30 years.’ His point is a good one; the rich aren’t necessarily the rich here.

‘And some of those who are actually rich won’t be targeted by this tax,’ Andrew responds. ‘What of the man who has 30 properties worth £1.5million? He won’t pay anything yet if prices continue to fall some will find themselves in breach of their loan to value covenants.’ The idea of valuation in general seems to throw up problems, especially around the volatile borderlands of the £2million mark.

Politicians, however, are happy to announce that all the stress and bureaucracy of these

mansion tax proposals will only affect 0.5 per cent of the population, the subtext being that the tax is only aimed at those who can afford it. ‘But stats on prime central London form the foundation of confidence in the property market,’ Andrew protests. ‘Don’t forget some people will have borrowed money on their house.’

I can’t shift the feeling that these people are a minority within a minority, though. In London 50 per cent of properties worth over £2million are bought by overseas buyers. ‘Yes, but as a recent Westminster Council report notes, a buyer of a £15million house contributes, on average, £4million to the economy,’ Peter reminds me.

‘Don’t you see?’ Gary Hersham pipes up. ‘We are killing the golden goose! However safe London is and however nice it is to live in, if people don’t like the system, they simply won’t remain here.’ I counter that many voters would plead that they are plucking a few feathers from the goose, not murdering it. ‘Well, I don’t think one rule for the rich and another for the poor is fair,’ Gary replies.

Changing the angle, Peter prods at the fact we may all be engaged in statistics of mass delusion: ‘Is property going up in value or is inflation merely making us feel richer? What’s to stop people with £1.5million houses falling in the mansion tax bracket soon? That’s a much larger demographic.’ Perhaps in an attempt to pre-emptively parry such a line of attack, the Liberal Democrat party argues that the tax will rise and sink, like a buoy on the tide, with national average house prices.

Trevor Abrahmsohn, reticent until now, is not happy: ‘Let’s scrap the rhetoric. A “mansion” tax is a home tax too many. It hardly raises a penny

‘However safe London is and however nice it is to live in, if people don’t like the system, they simply won’t remain here’

left: Debating the issue: (from left to

right) Peter Wetherell, trevor abrahmsohn,

anDreW langton anD gary hersham

146

Property | The mayfair magazine

but it doesn’t have to, it’s being done to make a point – to penalise the aspirational.’ We engage in a brief debate on the merits of the laffer curve before trevor outlines a suitable alternative to the tax. ‘We need a property market growing at five per cent per annum because debt shrinks in relation to values. if people can’t get on the ladder then help to buy, help to rent, or whatever you can as a government. anything but a mansion tax that smells of little else but class war.’

‘We need a property market growing at five per cent per annum because debt shrinks in relation to values’

cLockWisE from ToP: AnDrEW LAnGTon;

GAry HErsHAm; PETEr WETHErELL; TrEvor

ABrAHmsoHn (ALL imAGEs © sArEL jAnsEn

carterjonas.co.ukOffices throughout the UK

Mayfair & St James’s020 7493 [email protected]

A rare opportunity to purchase a first floor apartment with high ceilings throughout and views over Mount Street.

Reception room • Principal bedroom with ensuite bathroom • Further double bedroom • Shower room • Kitchen Approximately 749 sq ft • EPC rating E

Guide price £2,450,000 Leasehold

Mount streetMayfair W1

Boucheron-UK-4RadiantWhite-Mayfair-nov2014-210x297mm.indd 1 03/10/2014 12:18

Mayfair Magazine December 14

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Transcript of Mayfair Magazine December 14