Claudia trimde written articles

CLAUDIA TRIMDE Written Articles

LETTER

Dear Diary,

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Photo by Stephane Chiche // DRESS BY EMA SAVAHL

omeone once said “it´s the good girls who keep diaries because the bad girls never have the time”. For me, I just want to live a life I’m gonna remember, with words and pictures that come alive because they lived through me- telling the stories of CITIES and their distinguished people- all being connected.

Bringing this Magazine to the USA has certainly always been my dream. After all it was Miami that gave me the inspiration to start a lifestyle luxury publication in the first place. Dazzled by the glam and 90´s Model era, I started out in Barcelona with my first magazine “BARCELONA deluxe” in 2007.

After over fifty published issues all over the world I mark this edition, as my milestone of a full circle- and succeeding bringing it all under a CITY luxury umbrella. I have met the curators of the world’s most famous brands, and all combine their love and passion sourcing from energy they take from the heartbeat of every CITY. I am deeply grateful for the wonderful people I met on this journey, and most of all this 1 YEAR USA anniversary wouldn’t be so sweet without our wonderful team - who encourage me keeping that “good girl” alive through all my stories I bring to you. Thanks for the blank canvas you allow me to draw on every day

CLAUDIA TRIMDE

Ceo & Founder Le CITY deluxe claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com Follow me on Twitter @claudiatrimde

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COVER

Charlize Theron Goddess of Grace “It's impossible to forget how incredibly blessed my life has turned out and how that is not the case for many people in my country.�

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earing a sheer black Chloe dress and high heels, Charlize Theron, 38, epitomises glamour. Tanned and fit, she's in Los Angeles to promote her latest movie, A Million Ways to Die in the West. The Oscar-winning actress and model is mother to Jackson, 2, whose adoption was announced in March 2012.

Born on a farm in Benoni, near Johannesburg, (her first language is Afrikaans) she endured a tumultuous childhood. Her father, an alcoholic, physically attacked her mother and threatened both her mother and her while drunk. Theron's mother then shot and killed him in self-defense and her mother faced no charges. Currently in a relationship with Sean Penn since February 2014, she was formerly linked to Stuart Townsend with whom she starred in Trapped and Head in the Clouds. She was also romantically linked to Third Eye Blind front man Stephan Jenkins, and actor Craig Bierko.

Did you train for this role? Lots of guns?

I've had to do stuff like that in movies all the time so there's a sense of learning that one carries onto the next one. And I did a lot of that on Fury Road actually, where for a month I focused on that. I just had to learn the spinning thing and stuff like that.

So no practicing on the shooting range?

Seth (McFarlane) and I went and practiced together. I think one day we shot something and then it was freezing and we looked at each other and we were like, 'This isn't fun.' It got so cold. (laughs) Yeah, and then that was it.

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How has motherhood changed you? Have you sensed a difference in your needs as far as work goes?

I try to get more sleep. (laughter) I have to organise things better, but overall, I have heard people say that once they have children they don't want to work on dark material, but that hasn't happened for me. If anything, having a child has just made me want to be more creative and ask bigger questions and have more interests in things that might be uncomfortable. I think we all have different responses, but for me that's definitely been like that. I didn't look at my slate and go, 'No, I can't do that movie now that I have a kid.'

He just gives me energy to want to do more and explore more.

he was just like 'Who are you?' (laughter) And it was the holidays and I just remember waking up every day and sitting on this beautiful beach and thinking, 'God, I really messed that up.' So I thought to myself that I should call him and tell him that I want to meet with him again. So when this stuff comes around I fight for it.

Did you feel like you didn't get the chance to show your funny bone often enough or did you wish for more comedic roles?

I always say this, I am in no position to complain. I work a lot and I work on things that I really want to work on. I am a very, very blessed human being in general. So, for me to complain about anything is silly. I don't do a lot of comedy but I don't necessarily complain about that because it has to be a very specific thing. I get a lot of stuff offered to me, but it's not just necessarily stuff that I feel is funny.

So when this came to me, I saw the potential, and I really fucked up the first meeting with Seth, and so I fought for it, and in the sense that I knew that I had a bad meeting with him and I had 104 fever and I had come back from Namibia, and from shooting in the desert and I was a wreck and literally got off the plane and I met him. I was in a winter coat shivering and I had no hair and

So what are your feelings? When you see yourself now, what do you think about the journey that you've taken?

That's why I can probably sit here and say that I am incredibly blessed in my life.

How do you take care of your skin?

There is no mystery to it. Sunblock, water, moisturizer.

You're from South Africa and it was a hard road to get here. Do you feel that your dreams were pointing to where you are now?

No not at all.

But did you imagine that you would win the Oscar and be the movie star that you are?

No, I don't think anybody can dream that big.

I don't think anybody who has gone through that experience will tell you that. It would be very grandiose to sit around and kind of expect those things to come to you. I have never not heard of an actor who just wanted to be able to pay the bills and not have to a waitress on the side or a waiter.

What did Nelson Mandela mean to you?

He was a huge inspiration. He was our great liberator, he's the reason why South Africa is united as it is today and I was very honoured to know

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him and call him my friend. I think very rarely do people as great as that come into your life and have a huge influence on you. So I feel incredibly lucky that I got to experience that.

After seeing your Dior commercial, Kelly Clarkson said you were a goddess.

That's sweet!

Do you sometimes feel like you're a goddess? (laughter) I have this incredible team that travels with me and does this stuff. So there are moments when you do something like that, where you are just in it and you see the aftermath. I just did a new campaign with Jean-Baptiste who did the first campaign that everybody loved so much. He's actually coming into town and we are doing the print campaign on Sunday and he's bringing the commercial and everybody is in love with it, so I will see it. He sent me some clips where you look at that and just go, 'I am so lucky to have that hair person and that makeup person,' you know you what I mean? You know that's not in your hands.

There are moments where I go, 'This is so fantastic.' (laughter) It's sixteen hour days and you are tired, and you have got too much eyeliner in your eye, but all of those things are princess problems.

I just have to watch out for the croissant basket, (laughs) that's my biggest thing because that's when I feel like a goddess, I am like, 'All of these croissants are for me?'

In a world of privilege where there are so many people unprivileged, how important is it to find a balance there for you, especially when you see yourself as so blessed?

Well I have always worked in the field of HIV and anti-rape and that's been the last twenty years of my life. And coming from a country like South Africa, it's impossible to forget how incredibly blessed my life has turned out and how that is not the case for many people in my country. So in starting my organisation in 2007, Charlize Theron Outreach Africa project, we focus now primarily on prevention care when it comes to HIV and AIDS and giving children, the youth of South Africa, some kind of future to look up to. Not only taking ownership of their health and making choices to actually save their own lives, but to actually give them something to live for and that has become a huge part of my life. That's the only reason that I go back to South Africa, that's my family and that's what I go back for. And my work with the UN couldn't be more neutralising and sobering to really, really witness the fortunate aspect of all of our lives. When I travel with the DRC or do any work with them in Africa, it's nothing short of miraculous that I am where I am.

Is your mum the most important person in your life?

I think people are there for different reasons.

I mean I think I have a closeness to my mum, we are friends, but she's my mother first and foremost and that's how I was raised. That's why I think we

are so close, because she never tried to just be my friend, she's my mum. And so I think that's why we have had the relationship that we have always had because it's a healthy one. She's not just my girlfriend, she just happened to be a person that I actually really like,and who I think is actually funny and all of that stuff. But she's the first person to put me in line, the way a parent does.

Does she do that still?

Yeah of course. I mean, in a way where she treats me like I am an adult. She doesn't treat me like I am twelve anymore, but we have a very healthy relationship in that sense.

When she gives you advice, how do you take it?

Do you feel it's like she's criticising you?

I mean, look, I think every child wants their parent to be proud of them and I think anybody who won't admit that is secretly hiding something.

I think there's definitely a sense when it comes to a child and their parent and I think we are all human beings and it can sometimes be harder to take criticism from a parent, and I have had moments with mum where she's like, 'That movie is a piece of shit!' (laughter) But I would rather her be incredibly honest because then when she says that movie is really good I really believe it. But yeah that's normal.

Can relate to what Lupita Nyong'o said when she won the Oscar, that every little girl's dream is valid?

And a very lovely moment because a lot of people don't acknowledge that I am African, and I ran into her parents backstage, and they said, 'Our African sister!' I completely relate to everything she's saying

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Do you have a lot of Dior?

I do, I get spoiled. And so does my mum and my friends, and they are incredibly generous, yeah.

Is there something special from there that you keep for yourself?

All their products are great.

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Interview by Claudia Trimde

Tailor Made

The Italian Couturier Paolo Barone

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aolo Barone’s sense of style and his passion for couture runs in his blood.

Born and raised in Italy, young Barone remembers the days spent with his father at the local tailor shop, watching couturier work his magic. The sound of the sewing machine mesmerized him. That fascination stuck with Paolo Barone well into his adulthood. Arriving in Miami 15 years ago, Barone saw a growing trend for custom-made suiting and saw the opportunity to get involved in the niche. Le CITY deluxe spoke to the suit master to get insight on what makes his garments stand out.

An Italian in Miami – your custom-made suits certainly fill a niche in this tropical city.

Is this an opportunity or are you working against the Odds?

Certainly an opportunity! Miami is a place where people want to look good and they will spend the money. They want clothes that fit the body. There are a lot of professionals who have to wear suits because of what they do, and there are a lot of men who don’t need to wear a suit but still want to look sharp. That’s where a well-made tailored sport jacket comes into play.

Sport jackets are great for going out to dinner or out with friends or out on the town because they work well with jeans and casual pants. You can get really creative with the patterns and colors. Anything is possible.

The choice of material is also very important.

In a place like Miami, you want to have suits and sports jackets made with fine, light fabrics that are specifically woven for tropical weather.

What makes your garments special?

Old World construction and amazing details you won’t find on the rack or with my competitors. Fine materials. I source my fabrics from the best mills in the world, like Zegna, Lora Piana and Ariston to name a few. Moreover, it’s the exceptional customer service. We go to our client’s home or office, whichever is most convenient for them, and advise them on cuts, pattern, colors and the details. We always make sure the client has a unique tailoring experience unlike anything he’s experienced.

“Being from Italy, a sense of style is instilled in us at an early age” And of course, they get the Italian touch!

Being from Italy, a sense of style is instilled in us at an early age. That to me is a positive because it allows me to dress my clients with care and confidence, making sure they always make a bella figura, as we say in Italy.That means ‘always giving a good impression.’That remains a tradition in the Italian way of living and a standard I have for myself and for my clients.

Do you see the trend shift towards more athletic or classic outfits?

No matter sport or classic, the trend is absolutely toward customization. In America we are seeing Italian-influenced elements steadily gaining traction with the American man. They are interested in wearing suits, but more importantly, custom suits, where their money goes a long way than buying boxy, off-the-rack suits.

Who are your clients?

My clientele extends from South Beach to Palm Beach. They are professionals, athletes, CEOs, lawyers, accountants, financial professionals, bankers and stylish men in general who want to make a statement with what they wear.

Tailor made is a novelty that is seeing rebirth.

Why did you choose to focus on the niche rather than becoming the next Armani?

I love “sculpting” suits for my clients. Every suit is unique and specifically made to complement the client’s unique body type. Armani – or any other designer – creates for thousands of people and the suits are then parked in a store where you go and try on to see which one fits best. I create for the individual.

What are your plans for the near future?

Staying focused as I expand my brand. My goal is to become the #1 source for South Florida men to go to have their suits designed and created Paolo Barone 305.495.6574 www.baronecustomsuiting.com

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Meet Miami’s Most Dapper Counsellor

Jesse Blake Soffer, ESQ

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he fashion forward attorney Jesse B. Soffer,is a Washington D.C.native who graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law. After three years of practicing with a leading Miami personal injury law firm, Mr. Soffer formed The Soffer Firm, PLLC, where he continues to litigate and successfully settle claims brought on behalf of his injured clients. He prides himself on maintaining a sound attorney/ client relationship based upon honesty, respect, dedication and providing the best results for his clients.

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J EWELRY

Ode to Joy

Fawaz Gruosi

CEO of de Grisogono Interview by Claudia Trimde // Photography by Stephane Chiche

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n 2013, Fawaz Gruosi celebrated the 20th Anniversary of de Grisogono. Since the brand’s creation, he has raised it to the rank of one of the most famous international luxury brands of its generation with passion, creativity and innovation. de Grisogono has been loyal to its unique elegant, graceful style continuing to do so by introducing new innovative models at Baselworld 2014.This year de Grisogono focused all of its new products on the feminine segment with the arrival of the Allegra timepiece, a collection complementing the already existing jewelry line. Fawaz Gruosi, founder and president of the brand, tells Le CITY deluxe what to watch out for this season.

Tell us what de Grisogono is going to dazzle its clients with this year?

As usual, we released 5 new collections, along with 2 existing ones with some new added models. This year we didn’t release any watches for men so attention is all on the ladies. We have made two models of exquisite women’s timepieces. The first watch is a part of the Allegra collection. It’s an incredible watch which we believe is going to be very successful, and then we have another timepiece which is quite expensive. It is surrounded with a lot of diamonds, emeralds and sapphires. Moreover, as expected of the brand, we have something totally insane.There is a watch which is quite big and in shape of a skull. It’s going to be covered in white diamonds and black diamonds.

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Why does your focus lie solely on the ladies?

Why not appease both genders this season?

I love women. But the main reason why we

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have shifted our attention is because our men’s collection is already quite extensive and so I thought this year we’d do things differently.

I think the new models are going to be quite trendy and unexpected, because people usually expect the same from me. This line was not very obvious. Next year we will release something for men.

“This year is focused much more on the creative execution”

You are notorious for utilizing black diamonds in your pieces. Are we going to see a lot of that this year?

There are no specific stones, as I am working with materials that are available in the market.

What you will see this year is focused much more on the creative execution rather than just a specific material. It’s not easy to find material that have not been used, but by the end of this year we will come up with something using a material that has not been widely put to use.

Baselworld is a great event to meet your customers from all over the world. In which market do you think you will be more in demand? de Grisogono has been very fortunate to have customers from all over the world, so when we

are present at Baselworld, we have noticed that people from different countries come to view our collections. Be it United States, Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan. All of those clients are at Basel where they make an order for the next 12 months. Moreover, each country is different and has different demands. It’s hard to compare these markets because their requirements are very unique. For example, you cannot compare Moscow to Rome, since transactions taking place are not the same. Russians tend to purchase more expensive lines, while the Italians and French acquire lines with a more modest price tag.

Since you have recently opened a boutique in Miami, share your thoughts on the Florida market. What has your experience been like?

It is hard to evaluate the market with the newly opened boutique. The first three months have been challenging, however in September of last year the sales have exploded and our South Florida store has outdone many others.

Who purchases more in South Florida: Locals or tourists?

Locals do purchase but there are also a lot of foreigners from South America, Arab Emirates, Russia. The whole world comes to Miami. de Grisogono’s prices are the same throughout the world, what’s different are the taxes in each country, so some people would prefer to do a purchase elsewhere just for that reason

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FENDI Crazy Carats In its Italian workshops, Fendi takes fur towards peaks that have not been explored for almost a century. Bearing testimony to this longstanding tradition, the new Crazy Carats watch is fitted with a precious strap in two-tone mink, while the watch itself features a number of White diamonds Â

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Savoy Single Time 35mm Icon Light The Swiss watch brand presents watches with diamonds stainless steel 35mm strap with stainless steel inserts and pearly white leather. It is a modern woman’s watch with a great design details. As a material they are using stainless steel and impact resistant glass and sapphire scratch

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BVLGARI Catene It is as much a jewel as a timepiece, a showcase of watchmaking magnificently sculpted in gold. This most famous of wristwatches bears the hallmarks of the celebrated Italian jeweller whose heritage has shaped each of its new models, including Catene with its chain links. Assembled into the legendary bracelet that coils twice around the wrist, a favourite signature of the brand, they interweave with deceptive simplicity

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The Art of Home Automation Smart Home Designers Guide to Technology

APR-MAY 2014

www.smarthd.com

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Interview by Marius Koller // Text by Claudia Trimde // Photography by Milena Tyree-Mikic

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APR-MAY 2014

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D Ryan Galvin

CEO of Smart Home Designers

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he streetlights glimmer in the distance as the swarm of cars ascend to South Beach via MacArthur causeway. Two towering edifices with a curved glass design greet the oncoming traffic on West Avenue.

On top of the high-rise, the bright blue glow is emanating like an intergalactic spaceship that is looming over the night sky. Perched above however, is not a UFO from a galaxy far, far away, but a swanky penthouse wreathed in LED lights.

Responsible for this piece of futuristic display, are the home automation gurus Smart Home Designers Inc. The driving force behind this company is Miami native Ryan Galvin who conceived Smart Home Designers Inc. a decade ago. Fueled by his exuberant passion for technology, Ryan mastered his craft while running a customer-centric technology integration business with over 25 years of expertise in working with high-tech electronics and luxury clientele.

Le CITY deluxe was taken aboard for a tour of the extraordinary dwelling that was transformed by the virtuosos of the home automation industry.

A gigantic display of flashing LEDs adorned the walls by the elevator of the two story penthouse loft at the Bentley Bay condominium towers that were built by the internationally renowned architecture firm Arquitectonica. However, the impressive panel of bright blinking lights is only a minuscule marvel of the home design. “Technology should only enhance one’s lifestyle and never complicate it,” says the technophile and the CEO of Smart Home Designer Ryan Galvin. Indeed, his company does just that. The Bentley Bay penthouse is not just beautifully decorated but also fully

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automated for total comfort. With a touch of a button, be it on the iPad, iPhone or Lutron panel mounted to the wall, one could easily control the lighting, video surveillance, temperature, and even the window shutters of the entire property both from the inside or from any remote location. The total cost of the renovation amounted to $1million dollars– a small cost to pay for a tremendous gain.

Home automation is integral in every day life.

“A lot of our clients invest into luxury real estate.

After the renovations, they resell the properties.

Most request a full-automation package. It’s really adding value to the end product. It’s turn key and ready to go for high-end buyers,” says the CEO of Smart Home Designer.

“Home automation is integral in every day life.

It has become autility like electricity, the Internet, or a home phone,”says Galvin who in 2002 started out as a programmer in this newly budding tech.

As technology became more sophisticated, the demand for home automation soared. With the team of talented ten, the award winning Smart Home Designer Inc., caters to a wide variety of affluent clientele ranging from doctors, to lawyers and hedge funds, to professional athletes, and to some of Miami’s trendiest nightclubs and hotels.

Although extremely prolific and successful in

their line of work, Smart Home Designer Inc., takes on only a handful of ventures at a time. “We work on about four to five projects a year. This way we produce top quality work,” says Galvin. In addition to high caliber work, Smart Home Designer made a name for itself for their one of a kind customer support by offering their clients around the clock call service and routine maintenance.

“We always make sure that the software is upto-date and that everything is running smoothly.

Moreover, we make sure that our customers get the newest technology out there,”remarks Galvin.

Currently, Smart Home Designer Inc., is working on installing a fully automated system on a 150’ Yacht with an LED lighting design that would liken the marine vessel to a space ship. “It is one of the greatest feelings to find a client who’s open minded and willing to get creative and have fun,” exclaims Ryan Galvin. “This is the second most interesting installation. The first one was a 3D theater and multi-zone system on a private Boeing 727 aircraft,” he adds.

Moreover, Smart Home Designer Inc. has a very glowing outlook on the future of the home automation business. “The next step for us is to perhaps work on full buildings, communities or even neighborhoods,” says Galvin. “All the new technological advances are quite exciting. There’s going to be more voice command automation and you see companies such as SONY developing patents of brain waves reading technology.But this is far stretching into the future.” Even though it sounds like science fiction in the present, this one day will become a reality

BANK

The C1 bank is the newest addition to Wynwood, the only bank in this art flush neighborhood of Miami. Walking through the doors of this swanky bank, feels like you’ve just stepped into New York City’s Guggenheim museum. Located in the former warehouse, Wynwood’s recent financial institution has been transformed into an awe-inspiring work of art where big vaults are cleverly hidden behind a moving bookcase and works by Andy Warhol and Keith Harring adorn the walls.

Spearheading the operation of this banque d’ art is Trevor Burgess who received Florida E&Y Entrepreneur of The Year award in 2013 for his financial services. Le CITY deluxe sat down for an interview with Mr. Burgess to speak about his banking business.

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The Art of Banking

Interview with CEO of C1 Bank Trevor Burgess

Interview by &ODXGLD 7ULPGH

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buildings in Miami- one in Doral, one in Coral Gables and one in Miami Beach, which will be the next three branches for C1. On the West coast of Florida I already have 26 locations and I’m working on one in Sarasota. Our idea is not to be the biggest bank but to be the best bank for entrepreneurs.

“We are a bank by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs”

Would the architecture and the design of each bank identify with each area it’s in?

What I try to do is have a hub and bespoke system, so in each market I have one showpiece. The bank is Sarasota is very in tune with the historical background of the city. All the other branches are sort of an interpretation, like a Target version of Issey Miyaki designs.

We have the high-brow and the crisp and the modern. Here in Wynwood, we had a gallerist form Aventura lend us the art. We exhibit Keith Harring, Andy Warhol with the theme of money and vibrancy.

Where do you see the difference between your bank and big commercial banks?

I think too many of the behemoth banks will return your phone call tomorrow only if you want $25 million. Other small community banks are good at dealing with loans less than a million dollars. It’s very hard to find a bank that has the sophistication and the ability to

land between 2-25 million dollars. So we’re serving a sweet spot. It’s the entrepreneur who wants to buy his own building with the need to borrow anything between 1-20 million dollars. My favorite type of loans is for business owners. I’m not a traditional banker. Last year, when we didn't have a branch yet, we had a loan production office. A temporary office space and we did $155 million in loans.

But, I’m not into just selling a loan; I am about building a relationship.

Is it just the loan you give or is there a dayto-day relationship an entrepreneur can have with your bank?

We are full service banking. We’re open until 5pm and even on Saturdays. But it’s also all about technology. I’ve developed technology that I call C1 Bank labs where we developed a patent for our own banking technology focused on how can we be more productive while serving a client better. Our software allows you to open an account on your ipad for instance. It’s about changing how banking works. People come to this branch because it’s interesting, but they might as well do all their business with their computer.

Do you have competitive rates compared to bigger branches?

We are competitive since all loans are kept in house, however we are never going to be the cheapest - you get what you pay for.

What does the future of C1 bank hold?

I am excited about Florida as a whole. Last year the population increased by 250,000 people this years it’s 300,000 people so when you have this sort of positive demographic trend, you feel very good about growth in general

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hy set up a bank in Wynwood?

There are 300 businesses here that have no access to financial services. Hence, we converted a warehouse into a bank branch with the challenge to reflect the existing flamboyant art community.

Being a bank by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs we focused our attention on art and entertainment. The space was designed to be multipurpose- a bank during the day inspired by an art setting and an entertainment place at night where we can stage our own events with a full functioning kitchen, imagine watching movie here or witnessing a runway show. Fun elements include this bookshelf to reveal our safety deposit boxes and the vault. All this makes it more fun than a typical bank.

Please explain the name. What does C1 stand for?

The first bank I owned was called the Community Bank of Manatee. We shortened it to community bank keeping the C and the B in our logo. We put our clients first and our community first so I always wrote it with a number 1. It’s just a simple identification of our ideals.

This is the first time I’m speaking to a banker that cares so much about the community.

I often tell our team we’re succeeding because we care more and we try harder. I like this idea of being more than it seems: interesting, different and exciting emulating the community around us.

Where are you based?

Our headquarters are in St. Petersburg, FL and I’m based there. I come to Miami once a week. We already purchased three additional

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R E A L ESTAT E

Biography

APR-MAY 2014

Jay Philip Parker is the founding partner at Beloff Parker Jacobs and a real estate entrepreneur. He earned a Juris Doctorate from University of Miami School of Law.Â

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While Cash Remains King Lending Environment Continues to Support our Market.

TEX Jay PArker &/$8',$ 75,0'( / Photo Courtesy of Douglas Elliman

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with a financial contingency. In August, 69% of all home sales in South Florida were cash, with a statewide rate of 66% according to data from Realty Trac. Five years ago, near the height of the boom, cash deals were rare, representing just under 20% of all sales, according to the Miami Association of Realtors. Some seller’s agents tell potential buyers taking out mortgages not to even bother placing offers on the homes.

"The surge in cash sales seems counterintuitive, given that mortgage rates are below 5 percent, making financing an attractive option" The surge in cash sales seems counterintuitive, given that mortgage rates are below 5 percent, making financing an attractive option. Appropriately, lenders tend to give the best rates only to people with steady jobs and pristine credit, in

many cases leaving first time homebuyers at a disadvantage. However, the lending environment continues to adapt and further propel the strength of the market.

Much of the cash buying in South Florida is from foreigners who view condominiums as safe investments. In the past year, large funds have entered the region, buying single-family homes and renting them out for a year or longer.

While it is still cheaper to buy a home than to rent in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, despite the double whammy of sharply rising home prices and mortgage rates, the math advantage of buying is shrinking according to a new housing affordability study by RealtyTrac. However, as lenders continue to loosen to accommodate new homebuyers and as inventory rises, it is expected that sellers will seek to maximize value and not be the victims of holding out for too long and allow for financed deals at higher prices to win out the bids.

If you are a buyer in need of financing, it is important that you engage your lender before starting your search so that once you have a property you want to pursue; you are able to do so with a comprehensive pre-approval. Many lenders will issue a pre-approval based upon limited criteria.

The responsible Buyer will seek to have their lender conduct a complete review of their creditworthiness so that the time frame for securing a commitment for financing is shortened

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ollowing the collapse of the United States real estate market and the easylending era precedent to the 2007-09 recession, cash rich investors swept in to capitalize on low prices and a complicated lending environment that enhanced the “Cash is King” concept. The depressed South Florida real estate market coupled with the handicapped lending environment created a tremendous opportunity for investors.

Early investments in the distressed markets have realized double digit returns as the residential real estate market rebounded. On the flip side, the lending environment has redefined itself resulting in a more calculated and sophisticated underwriting process and historically low interest rates. The result of the more restrictive lending criteria coupled with low inventory, has kept the spotlight on Cash Buyers, eliminating the risks associated with a mortgage contingency.

With one of the nation's highest foreclosure rates, South Florida had a large supply of bankowned properties. Lenders were not interested in waiting for traditional buyers to qualify for mortgages, preferring instead to sell to investors paying cash. This realization has virtually shut out entry-level homebuyers.

Moreover, traditional sales also deterred the buyers who required financing. The cash buyers were able to secure better pricing, due to the fact that sellers were more inclined to accept an all cash offer versus a contract at a higher purchase price

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44 W Rivo Alto Drive $16,495,000 Unique waterfront estate located on the Venetian Islands, walking distance to Sunset Harbor and Lincoln Road. The property is gated, providing complete privacy. Built in 2010 this sophisticated home is fully furnished with European furniture made to measure. Featuring a formal living room, formal dining room, breakfast area, home theater, outdoor grill and dining area and a spectacular kitchen with Gaggenau appliances. Very large master suite located on the second floor leading to a large sun deck balcony.

For further information please contact realestate@le-citydeluxe.com

300 S Pointe Drive $14,600,000 This modern three story penthouse at Portofino Towers, boasts a 4,300 square foot interior and 2,200 square foot outdoor living space.This luxurious penthouse in South Beach’s most sought after location, has 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, along with an office. The rooftop has a covered summer kitchen, lounging areas and jacuzzi.

Two story floor to ceiling windows showcase breathtaking views of the ocean, bay, and Miami skyline. The master suite has his/hers steam shower, floating tub and custom closets.

APR-MAY 2014

For further information please contact realestate@le-citydeluxe.com

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Green is In

Eco-friendly 1 Hotel is Set to Open In 2014

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To help with the revitalization of this desiccated edifice, The Starwood Capital Group honcho Barry Sternlicht and Richard LeFrak, brought on board Debora Aguilar. Celebrated Brazilian interior designer and architect, Debora Aguiar, is in charge of designing the residences. The conceived plan for 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach uses the colors and textures of nature to bring a fresh aesthetic to its interior spaces. Reclaimed materials and natural elements adorn almost every facet of the property. Gardens and sand-floor cabanas on the pool deck blur the distinction between the built and natural environments, thus blending both urban and rural features of Miami Beach.

“I am enticed by this place and an opportunity to turn this pumpkin into a carriage”.

Richard LeFrak Design elements in each unit were created to emphasize the exceptional qualities of living in one of Miami Beach’s best locations.

Extraordinary views of the sky and sparkling Atlantic Ocean or Miami’s dramatic skyline are fused with the composition as oversized windows and sliding glass doors allow for an abundance of natural light, as well as expansive private balconies to enjoy the rising and setting sun. “Our vision for the rooms is a natural look

mixed with modern concept. In some rooms we will have art covering the walls and in others we’ll have art adorning the ceilings. There will be direct light to create cozy atmosphere,” says Deborah Aguilar who is well known for her beautiful and sophisticated approach to design.

The kitchen is perhaps the most direct example of 1 Hotels & Residence’s bond with nature.

Their unwavering focus on details brought them to connect with partners of the same perspective, such as the world renowned chef Tom Colicchio. Chef Colicchio has built his career by understanding how each piece is important to the whole.

“What drew me to this project was a lot of the design elements, and the idea that it is environmentally friendly, which is very important to me. In my restaurants all of my meats are antibiotic free and mostly organic. So this idea that you’re doing something friendly for the environment works for me and feels natural. It is something that I was always excited about, so it was very easy to grasp the concept and understand what they’re trying to do here,’” says the American celebrity chef who owns and operates a slew of successful restaurants in New York City and Los Angeles. The Top Chef judge is yet to name his Miami Beach restaurant but he assures that it will be a farmto-table concept, with a specific concentration on seafood dishes with Mediterranean flavors, and will feature locally sourced produce. 1 Hotel & Residences is set to swing open the gates to their tropical oasis in the fall of 2014. For more information, visit: www.1hotels.com 4

reen is in this season in Miami.

Notorious hotel-condominium multiplex formerly known as Gansevoort South and later as the Perry South Beach, is being reborn. This time however, as 1 Hotel & Residences South Beach. The eco-friendly project bloomed as a result of a joint venture between the LeFrak Organization, Starwood Capital Group, and Invesco. The spectacular property will include 161 residences plus 406 hotel rooms with four swimming pools and 600 linear feet of pristine beach.

The focal point of this beachfront luxuryhotel living, is nature and sustainability. 1 Hotel & Residences South Beach, the brainchild of Barry Sternlicht, chairman of Starwood Capital Group and the creative force behind the W brand, presents a unique environment for homeowners to enjoy a nature-inspired aesthetic and atmosphere.

Sternlicht is combining his vast experience and talents with Richard LeFrak’s real estate development expertise to bring to Miami a truly extraordinary property. “This project, however challenging, is very special to me. The property has an amazing location in the center of South Beach. I am enticed by this place and an opportunity to turn this pumpkin into a carriage,” Richard LeFrak tells Le CITY deluxe in a recent interview. Albeit, the run down structure will remain untouched. “This is an old building and we could’ve demolished it, but leaving the facade was very important. Nevertheless, we’ve redone all of the mechanical systems and made it more energy efficient. On top of that, we’ve made a conscious effort to use materials that are sustainable and are able to regenerate themselves,” says LeFrak.

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Miami Flair Meets European Innovation Fortune International Unveils Jade Signature

APR-MAY 2014

TEXT by CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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tailored to the surrounding environment, and with Fortune’s reputation for knowing what buyers of this caliber desire, I think we have perfected the elements for an extraordinary oceanfront building.”

“The property’s reveal came as South Florida’s architectural status rose to new levels” To achieve that seamless flow through design on the ground floor, the parking has been designed to go underground.“This is something done across the rest of the world to allow for a full connection to the land and environment of a property, and we wanted to make a commitment to bring that quality experience to the residents at Jade Signature,” says Edgardo Defortuna. “Working with Herzog & de Meuron, we were able to achieve this idyllic design and allow for unobstructed views of lush landscape and direct access to the beach.”

These contemporary houses in the sky feature stunning oceanfront views with expansive

terraces, making up an impressive 30 percent of living space. Windows, designed to frame the horizon, reinforce the connection between interior and exterior.

Interior design firm PYR, led by PierreYves Rochon, has refined the lobby, common areas and unit interiors. The company gained international prestige for elegant interiors in top luxury residences, spas and hotels, including Four Seasons George V in Paris, The Savoy Hotel in London, Hotel Sacher in Vienna and The Peninsula in Shanghai. “Pierre-Yvves Rochon knows how to bring that resort lifestyle component that we were looking for,” says Ana Cristina Defortuna.

Working alongside PYR is the renowned designer Raymond Jungles was commissioned for lush tropical landscaping, shaping Jade Signature as a modern sanctuary from the inside and out.

The 57-story building features 192 spacious homes, ranging from 1,400 to 10,500 square feet, with pricing ranging from $2 million to over $26 million. Jade Signature’s six Sky Villas are two stories with double height in the living areas and the two Signature penthouses each boast 360-degree views, 12 foot ceilings and a large terrace pool.

Jade Signatures is expected to be complete by 2016

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ortune International unveiled the newest addition to its prestigious collection of Jade appointed buildings with the highly coveted “Jade Signature” on Sunny Isles Beach. Founder and President of Fortune International Edgardo Defortuna assembled a world-class team for his latest creation, combining Pritzker Prizewinning Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, Parisian interior design firm PYR led

by Pierre-Yves Rochon, and renowned Miamibased landscape architecture firm Raymond Jungles.

“We were lucky to get this unbelievable piece of property and we made sure to bring the dream team of professionals to Miami to help us create this architectural masterpiece. Jade Signature, like the city it’s built in, has a lot of glamour to it,” Ana Cristina Defortuna, Executive Vice President of Fortune International told Le CITY deluxe in a recent interview.

The property’s reveal came as South Florida’s architectural status rose to new levels. With Herzog & de Meuron, Fortune International brought an outstanding project to Sunny Isles.

“We’ve been waiting for the perfect time, location and talent to launch Jade Signature,” says Edgaro Defortuna. “It was our mission to deliver something that the market has never experienced before in Miami, and I think this development reflects exactly that. Herzog & de Meuron never cease to create beautiful designs

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ART Markowicz Fine Art

APR-MAY 2014

111 NE 40th Street Miami, FL 33137 Phone: 305-308-6398 www.markowiczfineart.com

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Interview by Claudia Trimde//Marius Koller

Connie McSilver When Fantasy Seeps Into Reality

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pleasure of speaking to Connie McSilver and delving deep into her artistic process.

“I draw my inspiration from people around me” When did you realize that you want to be an artist?

Let me tell you how I started this. This will go all the way to my grandmother. My grandmother had Alzheimer’s. I was about 8 years old and my job was to take my grandma out for a walk. We would go for a walk and she would hold my hand and she would see things. “Connie, there are men in the trees! Be careful,”she’d exclaim. I’d tell her that I don’t see anything and she would point at the branch and outline the figure of a man for me.

Do all of your sculptures start from your initial painting?

Yes, indeed. All of my sculptures start from a painting. If I’m going to do a 3D sculpture, I sculpt out all sides, but I always start with

a flat and go from there. I have loads of fun doing it all.

Both your drawings and sculptures are very colorful. Have you considered doing black and white pieces?

I do have some black and white pieces, but they all have at least a touch of color.

Where do you take all of your inspiration from?

I draw my inspiration from people around me-from people in general. You use little pieces of everybody. I don’t do much thinking; I just sit down and start working on the piece. I’m in my mid 70s. At that age, you know a lot of fascinating people, and so my pool of inspiration is never dry.

You are 74 years old and you are so youthful and active. What is your secret?

The secret is to keep busy; every second of every day. I just had an amazing thing happen to me that doesn’t usually happen to women. I have been made a Vice Chairman of the board The New York University. I am also hoping to sell my art work in quantity as I want to be able to donate meaningful profits to help with student aid at the school as well

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onnie McSilver is an artist with an unconventional background. In addition to being an extraordinary sculptor and painter, Connie McSilver also is a noted psychoanalyst, acclaimed social worker, and a philanthropist. Combined with her indelible sense of humor, her work reflects her fascination with people, her belief in the sole spirit and soul whether interpreted through happiness and joviality or sadness and sorrow. Her art dictates this partiality for people through inherent humor and colorful extravagance. Her drawings and two and threedimensional works depict a camouflaged and masked human figure that transcends into a fantasy world.

Connie McSilver, whose bold and colorful sculptures and paintings were exhibited in the Next Generation Green Room from the Florida Grand Opera, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. She was also selected as the Featured Artist by Bernard Markowicz, owner of Markowicz Fine Art where McSilver’s emotionally charged pieces are now on display.

McSilver, takes a que sera, sera approach to her artwork by sketching out her first draft with her head turned away from canvas. Thereby, allowing her subconscious to guide the direction of her work. Le CITY deluxe had the

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GOURMET

Biography

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Since drawing the national spotlight in the mid 1990’s, Chef Michelle Bernstein has remained one of the region’s most well-respected and successful chefs/restaurateurs. A Miami native of Jewish and Latin descent, this passionate culinaire has dazzled diners and critics alike with her sublime cuisine and a personality as bright and vibrant as the Florida sun.

These days, Bernstein is busier than ever. Beyond successful restaurants, Michy’s and Crumb on Parchment, Bernstein dedicates time to Common Threads, an after-school program for underprivileged kids, and regularly appears on an array of national TV shows, from Top Chef to Good Morning America. Le CITY deluxe has caught up with Miami’s top chef to see what she has cooking in her bustling life.

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Miami's Top Chef

Michelle Bernstein Dishing on Life Interview by Marius Koller & Claudia Trimde

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with all while coming up with menus for a champagne company.

Seeing that you’re a great chef and a wonderful mother, you seem like a great person in general.

Oh, I’m ridiculous. I don’t think I know how to say no at this point in my life so this is something I’m working on.

My dream is for my son to like me when he is 12 With such a hectic schedule, how do you stay in communication with your family?

We work together; so normally my husband and I are always together.

Having so many achievements in life, if there’s anything else you’d like to achieve, what would it be?

My dream is for my son to like me when he is 12. I want to be a good mom to my son.

What is your dream on a professional level?

I want a nicer kitchen for myself. In a restau-

rant, the kitchen is the last thing to be worked on. Also I started a foundation here that teaches underserved kids to cook and I would like that to grow into all of the public schools. I don’t know why schools stopped teaching kids how to cook. We've already gotten 50 schools to start the cooking program. One of the best classes that I had in middle school was my cooking class and it gave me instant gratification and it taught me that I could be proud of myself.

It gave me a little bit of a skill and I want to bring that back.

Do you have enough profit to take that program further?

Yes we do. It’s called Common Threads. It was started in Chicago and I fell in love with the program and decided to start it in Florida.

So I’ve done a lot of fundraisers, just at my own restaurants and we got it going. We hope the program reaches another 50 schools in the next couple of years. This program is for little kids but now we also got it into high schools so we want to it grow and be all over Florida. I not only want the kids but I also want their parents to cook with them at home. Americans usually don’t cook at home very often and to us, we’re Latin, so that’s what we do and I find that it’s so important to teach these young kids about healthy food and nutrition 4

ichelle, it’s such a pleasure to meet you in person. Now being a rockstar in the local Florida community, running your own restaurant, writing a book and having your own TV show, you are a busy woman: Yeah. I have eight jobs in total.

You have eight jobs? Kids and a husband as well? So those are the other four jobs?

No, I actually have eight regular jobs. My other jobs don’t pay me so I don’t call them jobs. I have a two and a half year old and he is a challenge more than a job. His name is Zachary, but I call him Zachalicious.

How do you find the time for work and family?

Where lies the balance?

There’s always enough hours in the day. As long as I sleep well, I can do anything. So for example, our day today started at 7:30am.

I made breakfast for the family, I prepared lunch for my son, by 9:00am I was actually at one of our restaurants preparing dishes for an airline, as well as coming up with dishes for tonight’s tennis open and then we came up for dishes for the restaurant I was in and then by 2:30 pm I was at my other restaurant preparing specials and cooking more. Then I went to see my son when he woke up from his nap, fed him lunch and after working on the computer hatching up new recipes for another company that I work

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Très Chic

Traymore Restaurant at Metropolitan Hotel by COMO

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APR-MAY 2014

he newest Art Deco jewel and most highly anticipated hotel has opened its doors as an enticing dualdestination getaway. South Florida’s latest gem is located in the historic Art Deco district of Miami Beach. Among hotels on Collins Avenue, Metropolitan by COMO, Miami Beach, has one of the best locations: an enviable position for shopping, dining and entertainment, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Guests benefit from easy access to Miami’s city highlights, including the Lincoln Road shopping and entertainment districts, as well as the Miami City Ballet and Bass Museum of Art. The Metropolitan by COMO features two restaurants, a bar, and a rooftop juice bar.

Traymore is one of the most fashionable new restaurants in Miami Beach.

Located in the Art Deco hotel’s bright white lobby, Traymore is outfitted with refurbished columns, modern light fixtures, polished terrazzo floors and white wicker seating. In the evening the atmosphere is vibrant as the tables spill out from the lobby onto the terrace. For lunch and dinner, this same venue is a bright and breezy destination for some of Florida’s best seasonal seafood, including stone crabs, Key West pink shrimp and yellow tail snapper.

Light starters include fluke crudo with celery, lemon and capers; sweet corn soup

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with chanterelle mushrooms; and grilled jumbo octopus with potatoes, olives and salsa verde.

Larger plates feature fragrant seafood stew with tomatoes, fennel and feta cheese; roasted striped bass with clams, sweet peas and mint; and homemade garganelli with peekytoe crab, zucchini, mint and chili. Dessert features sesame canola with passion fruit cream and mango salad, piña colada layer cake and macaroons with berries.

Traymore is one of the most fashionable new restaurants in Miami Beach Traymore also features the company’s signature COMO Shambhala Cuisine. Developed by COMO’s Executive Chef, Amanda Gale, the menu promotes better health through nutritional eating, focusing on the use of raw foods. The Traymore Bar offers a premium gin array from 40 distillers around the

world. Among bars in Miami Beach, Traymore Bar is a bright and contemporary space, shot through with classic Miami spirit. Located in the buzzing hotel lobby, shades of pastel pink and pistachio contrast with the streamlined, geometric silhouettes of the Art Deco building.

Traymore Bar’s dedicated Gin Club serves Miami’s best premium and super-premium gin drinks, featuring over 30 artisanal gins.

Signature cocktails, Champagne, wine and a selection of spirits and beers, served by expert staff against a laidback soundtrack, will help make this one of Miami Beach’s most eagerly anticipated nights out

The Traymore

2445 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33140 www.comohotels.com

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1826

Restaurant & Lounge

Contemporary Style and Elegant Dishes

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was commissioned to design the 8,200 square ft. interior of the multi-level structure. His highly acclaimed portfolio includes the VIP

"The exclusive ambiance of the handsome hideout targets the more privacy-conscious clientele" Room in St Tropez, Baoli in Cannes and L’Arc Restaurant-Bar & Club in Paris. The timeless industrial design aesthetic of 1826 Restaurant

& Lounge features surroundings of brushed concrete and warm woods with bronze accents creating a warm, welcoming environment.

Following dinner, the venue transitions into an ultra-lounge on the third and fourth levels. The exclusive ambiance of the handsome hideout targets the more privacy-conscious clientele offering a modishly refined alternative to the South Beach nightlife scene. Order from the menu of late night indulgences by Chef Danny Grant to pair with a perfectly mixed cocktail.

1826 Restaurant & Lounge is located at Eighteen Hundred Twenty Six Collins Ave, Miami Beach, Florida 33139

www.1826Collins.com

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ituated at the bustling center of South Beach on Collins Avenue, the much anticipated 1826 Restaurant & Lounge has opened its doors. The highly refined yet approachable restaurant offers Contemporary American cuisine with a focus on elegant dishes in a stylishly modern setting.

The seasonally driven menu, created by two Michelin-starred and 2012 Food & Wine Best New Chef Danny Grant and his team, features a forward-thinking approach to Grant’s contemporary classical techniques. Emphasizing the use of local, regional and luxury ingredients, dishes build flavor through every detail to deliver a thoughtful experience that will leave diners wanting more.

The all-glass exterior complements the sleek contours of the interior décor. Worldrenowned Samy Chams of Prospect Design

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WELLN ESS Interview by Claudia Trimde

Biography

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Originally from Chicago, Jelaca has been based in South Beach for two decades, most notably at the famed Stella Salon where he served as Styling Director for 13 years. Among the boldfaced beauties he’s worked with: Jennifer Lopez, Naomi Campbell, Cameron Diaz, Milla Jovovich, Catherine Deneuve, Denise Richards, Padma Lakshmi, Elsa Benitez, Kelly Preston, Dayanara Torres, Elizabeth Berkley and Talisa Soto.

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Master Stylist

Celebrity Hairstylist Danny Jelaca

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ocated in the Shops at Portofino Tower in South Beach’s prestigious South Pointe neighborhood, Danny Jelaca is a pristine and stylish sanctuary offering the finest in luxury hair care services. Danny Jelaca, one of South Florida’s most acclaimed hairstylists, opened his namesake salon in September of 2012. Jelaca, is a renowned expert when it comes to the art of creating beautiful hair. Le CITY deluxe had the pleasure to speak with the master stylist.

Indulge us on what it’s like to run your own salon?

Prior to opening up my business I worked at Stella Salon where my sole focus was on doing the hair. Now, not only do I work on hair and styling, but I also run the day-to-day operations. It’s very exciting. My job has evolved to something more. I have employees, I teach and mentor. I am also currently working on starting a hair jewelry line and hair accessories. A lot more opportunities have opened up for me.

Will there be more locations opening in the future?

This has all been a dream come true for me.

I always aspired to have a boutique in South Pointe and I am very happy here. I would like to make my presence known in other places, but I am not sure that the timing is right for me to expand just yet. I would love to open up a salon in Aspen and perhaps in Los Angeles, but these are just long-term goals.

Do your celebrity clients come to your boutique or do you provide mobile services?

There are few that come and see me at the salon, but there are also those who request my

presence elsewhere. My clientele is so diverse.

I see politicians, athletes, models, actors, musicians and each have different requirements.

Many local celebrities like Adrianna DeMoura from the Real Housewives of Miami, are on my client list.

"Styling is one of the most enjoyable aspects of my profession" Which part of your work do you enjoy the most?

Styling is one of the most enjoyable aspects of my profession. I love working with models and doing fashion shows. I am heavily involved in the fashion world, especially here in Miami, and work with Mercedes Benz Fashion Show.

Miami has a unique variety of hair textures from European to Hispanic. Is there a particular hair type that you like to work with?

I love the diversity of hair textures. Two problems that we tend to are the humidity and the sun damaged hair. I like to use different techniques on different hair and I have great ways of combating different elements. For fine hair I use certain products like Luminescence, which is great for conditioning and volume. To manage hair in this humidity, we use irons with vapor along with Argan Oil that does wonders.

Tell us about your famous hair loss treatment?

We offer great hair loss treatment by Leonor Greyl that has a lot of vitamins and minerals that help stimulate hair growth. We also have a special suction tool that stimulates hair follicles and it’s fantastic. The hair loss treatment takes about 12 weeks and has amazing results.

The best thing about it is that it is all natural.

Moreover, we have micro cameras that track the progress of hair growth from the day you start to the end of the treatment. The difference from day 1 to week 12 is astounding.

How vital is good diet for healthy hair?

The diet is key to healthy hair. The beautiful thing about Miami is that it is a very health conscious city. We have juice bars popping up all over the place, and more restaurants now acknowledge the importance of proper nutrition. Daily intake of vitamins is not only important for overall health, but also for great skin and hair.

What do you like the most about South Beach?

I love the vibe here in South Beach. It has it’s own style. You can see a woman from Paris or a woman from New York, and it would be hard to pinpoint where exactly she’s from. But when you see a woman from Miami, you know that she’s from here. South Beach is a sexy melting pot of Europe and South America.

South Beach is a mecca for beautiful people, gorgeous beaches, unique fashion, and a great nightlife scene

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NIGHTLIFE

Adoré

APR-MAY 2014

2000 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33139.

Phone: 305.203.0303 info@clubadore.com www.clubadore.com

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J’adoré Adoré Sensuality & Intrigue

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the industry leader of premier nightclub audio systems. With over 100,000 watts of hi-fidelity power, clients and artists can expect an enhanced nightclub experience unparalleled by other venues.

“Adoré nightclub lures the VIPs and Miami elites with its lush design, smoky style, and relaxed atmosphere”

Setting new standards in nightclub technology, SJ Lighting has created a lighting and video design that raises the bar for world-class clubbing.

Partygoers vibe to the DJ’s tempo late into

the morning hours under a custom threedimensional LED sphere, propelling the disco ball concept into the 21st century. While facing the DJ booth, guests discover a floor to ceiling LED display showcasing video imagery and effects that are fully integrated into the control systems. Expect the imagery, color and effects to flow together seamlessly with the music and atmosphere of the night. Adoré’s control system is considered the industry standard throughout the professional lighting community, having been implemented at esteemed events including EDM festivals, the Olympics and the Super Bowl.

With two full-service bars, Adoré’s superb team of expert bartenders, refreshes their guests with their extensive collection of premium beverages; from beer, wine and champagne to specialty cocktails. Moreover, they can even custom design cocktails especially for the occasion. Adoré has hand selected their caterers to create a delicious selection of food to delight guests’ taste buds and compliment any event.

Relish the Adoré Experience

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dorned in gold, Adoré is an experience of sensuality and intrigue.

The newest upscale nightclub is located beside the boutique Boulan Hotel on Miami Beach’s iconic Collins Avenue.

Spearheaded and owned by Vegas nightlife mogul Cy Waits, Adoré nightclub lures the VIPs and Miami elites with its lush design, smoky style, and relaxed atmosphere. Adoré is Miami Beach’s first venue to open doors in nearly a decade. Inspired by a forgotten cathedral’s fall from grace, Adoré features a decadent candle bar with engraved antique mirrors downstairs with a darker hanging chain bar to refresh mezzanine level guests.

The deep reds and glowing ambers create an atmosphere that is both sweet and sinful.

Guests can explore the intimately hidden corners of the venue. Luxurious booths circle the dance floor, while a glowing cathedral ceiling floats above the stage and DJ. In addition to the nightclub’s plush decor, the 12,000-square-foot space is also equipped with the finest sound and lighting systems in the city.

Adoré features the most elite sound system in Miami using the latest line by Funktion-One,

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OMAN

OMAN

APR-MAY 2014

Gulf Grandeur

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Text CLAUDIA TRIMDE // Photography Khalid Al Khar

The Sultanate of Oman offers the inquisitive traveller an authentic ‘Arabian Nights’ experience, together with world-class luxury

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t’s not long after you arrive in this part of the Gulf that you experience the distinctive aroma of incense. The sweet, woody scent of frankincense is pretty much everywhere in Oman, a legacy of the Sultanate´s ancient 5,000 year old trade in the fragrant resin that was once more valuable than gold.

Exploring the fascinating ‘Frankincense Route’ is a great way to immediately immerse yourself into the rich history and culture of this Arabian kingdom. A day or two experiencing the magic of this ancient trading route dating back to the Middle Ages is the opportunity to see the remaining wild groves of ‘Boswellia sacra’ trees from which is harvested the perfumed sap for frankincense. Along the route are remarkable palaces, castles, forts and archaeological sites. Even before UNESCO designated many of these breath-taking historical locations as World Heritage Sites, Oman had preserved its cultural heritage, and here you really feel that this is the storybook Arabia, untouched by brash commercialism.

The Sultanate of Oman, one of the oldest Gulf Kingdoms has been slower to develop its international tourism sector, allowing it to ‘watch and learn’; seeing the highs and lows of mass tourism visited upon its neighbours.

Oman, home to those twisted, aged frankincense trees; seductive fragrances and world heritage architecture is a destination for the more discerning traveller. It is fair to say that here is where one finds genuine Arabian hospitality, charm, and adventure – all without the ‘bling’.

With some 3000 kilometres of coast, the grandeur of its rugged and mountainous interior, as well as verdant valleys and quintessential Arabian oases, this small nation offers more than its fair share of mystique and beauty. Nature lovers, photographers and adventure activity addicts were amongst the first to discover this emerging destination; yet now with the opening of new luxury resorts and upscale hotels, it is also attracting vacationers that want to relax and be pampered in an unspoilt environment.

Alila Hotels’ new ‘Jabal Akhdar’ mountain resort, (meaning “The Green Mountain”) is one of the world’s most anticipated new hotel openings of the year. Welcoming guests later this month; this contemporary styled hotel is within the dramatic Al Hajar mountain range, overlooking a stunning gorge. It is a luxurious, privileged base from which to explore the nation’s natural heritage including the highest peak on the Arabian Peninsula, ‘Jabal Shams’, (the ‘Mountain of the Sun’), and one of the world’s great canyons, the ‘Wadi Nakhar’ravine.

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Resorts such as these are putting Oman very much on the luxury travel map.

With a coast that faces the Arabian Sea, and also out towards the Indian Ocean, Oman has one of the most spectacular shorelines in the region. Discover pristine beaches, deserted bays and sparkling lagoons with abundant wildlife, or lose yourself with a sundowner, watching an Indian Ocean sunset; these are certainly panoramas unexpected in a desert nation. For those with a passion for eco-travel, Oman is developing more accessible ways to enjoy the environment including luxury camping in the desert, or the unique opportunity to stay close to coastal habitat where marine turtles nest; both are unforgettable experiences.

"A short distance from The Chedi is Muscat, the country´s capital, a modern port city that unlike many of the fast growing capitals" One of the pioneers in Omani luxury hospitality, The Chedi Muscat, takes the classic beach resort to a new level, with not only exceptional sea views but also a background of dramatic mountains. This elegant, oasis-styled resort of guest suites and villas includes one of the country´s finest restaurants. This is the favourite for a Champagne brunch.

A short distance from The Chedi is Muscat, the country´s capital, a modern port city that unlike many of the fast growing capitals of its oil-rich neighbours has still retained its old world charm. With the wealth created by a centuries old maritime Empire, the contemporary city skyline is still punctuated by forts and ornate, golden minarets, and opulent palaces, giving the city a seductive ‘Arabian Nights style.

This mix of romantic tradition and flawless modernity is strangely compelling. The impressive Royal Opera House arts complex is a visible icon of the nation’s vibrant creative scene, whilst the historic souks, traditional markets, continue to do a roaring trade. It’s a fun way to pass a morning enjoying a good humoured barter over a local handicraft, some frankincense resin or something a little more substantial, like some

intricate jewellery.

In the evening head down to the lively Corniche, the city´s immaculate beach, and relax in one of the contemporary cafes; this is the face of the modern Oman, with a vibrant, energetic ambiance, yet scented with sweet perfume of frankincense.

Oman is embracing the future with refined luxury, but thankfully not letting go of its enticing past

Oman

Travel Facts

Flights Available from US and international carriers via Europe.

Oman Air is expanding its network this year, coinciding with the opening of the new Muscat International Airport. www.omanair.com

Visas

Tourist Visas for North Americans and Europeans can be obtained at the airport upon arrival. www.rop.gov.om

Hotels

Alila Jabal Akhdar Opening this month is the Alila Jabal Akhdar, offering 78 Suites, 6 Loft Suites and 2 Jabal Villas. www.alilahotels.com

The Chedi Muscat

The classic choice in Oman luxury and hospitality, The Chedi Muscat, has just added a new thirteen-suite Balinese spa. www.ghmhotels.com

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APR-MAY 2014

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Star of the Sea Interview by Claudia Trimde

Ferretti Shines at Miami Boat Show

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with celebrities and so we also try to develop something along the lines of the open boat concept. The base of the platform that we’re using is Riva 86 Domino, which has been a very successful product for us. We’ve built twenty of them to date and 4 or 5 of them are here in Miami. The boat that we’re working on now is going to be based on that model.

It will be incredibly fast with 14 knots and an open hot tub. It is Ferretti patented and has never been done before. For us it really follows the innovation of the brand.

“We’re known for the brand and for innovation of the product” What was the main focus for the boat show aficionados this year?

What we were trying to do for them in Florida is to maintain the inventory of all the popular models that we carry, very specific to the American market. We have increased our investment in the Americas in the last couple of years, which includes a flagship showroom

in Ft. Lauderdale of 45,000 square feet. We have all of our brands on display in Palm Beach, which we opened at the end of 2012.

Also there is a new store in Miami Beach.

So what we’ve got is a full inventory for the American market and the boat show is a great opportunity for us to showcase that with 25 models on display at a retail value of $130 million. We really try to represent one popular model of each brand. So when people come in, we can show them a big range. This is the chance to display the scale of our infrastructure in the American market, something for everyone. Every boat show we mix in some new models along with the number of our inventory models. Moreover, the American market is an interesting market. It can be quite diverse. A number of our buyers are incredibly successful individuals and some of them are also quite impulsive so they come into boat shows and it’s not uncommon to for them to buy 80 or 90-foot boats in one day.

It’s extraordinary.

Are these returning customers or the new ones?

It’s a bit of a mix actually. In the last couple of years we had a 30% growth in the market so we’ve been very successful, but we also have a retention ratio of an estimated 40% which means that we have an awful lot of repeat clients and also the people who buy the product for the first time and then come

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t’s time to set sail at Miami’s annual International Boat Show. The star of the sea this year is the Ferretti Groupthe world’s leading brand in the design, construction and sale of some of the most luxurious motor yachts. With their unique portfolio of yachts such as Riva, Bertram, CRN, and more, Ferretti Group is one of the most exclusive and prestigious brands worldwide. Le CITY deluxe had the pleasure of speaking to James Henderson, its President for Americas, and discuss the latest boat show trends of the year.

James you presented a new model at the boat show, what was the feedback?

The response has been fantastic. We presented three new boats, the new Ferretti 650, Ferretti 750, including a sneak preview of Ferretti 6. We are known for innovation, so every year we try to bring out new model that is groundbreaking and reflecting the DNA of our brand.

What are the new boat trends?

The Open boats are the new tendency, in line with that falls Riva. – This extraordinary brand is 172 years old this year and we’ve always been known for open boats at Riva, and if you go back to the icon of the 1960s boating, Riva’s boats were it. Riva has always been synonymous with Miami, synonymous with the French Riviera, with Monaco and

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My goal in this is not just to sell one boat to somebody. My goal is to build a relationship with the client. Given that we have such a range of products and a portfolio, we can take people all the way up in the brands. So we start them with a 20 foot Riva and then go all the way up to our CRN brand which is now the largest that we build up to 240 feet.

It’s interesting what you’ve said. People no longer go the traditional way of taking it step by step but purchase a big boat right away.

The world economy developed so quickly that you have a lot of people that have reached a point in their lives and their careers where after such hard work they want to spend more time with their family and their friends, and having a yacht is an amazing way to do that.

A number of our clients have grown with us through different boat sizes, others come in and go straight into an 80-foot plus. We

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also own a factory-direct organization. We’re one of the first to sell factory brands. So in America we’re the manufacturer and also the wholesaler and retailer and we deliver the boats to be serviced. So the nice thing for a client is when he comes on board, they’re buying it from the factory but after that we’re also responsible for managing and even helping them with the after sales process.

Do you do trade-ins?

Absolutely. We prefer to do trade-ins of our own brands. We also have a brokerage business which also does chartering. On the brokerage side, it’s an old brokerage firm that has been around since 1945. What we decided to do this year is to supplement the brokerage business with the charter business. If a client wants to charter a boat instead of owning one or if they’d like to get some experience with yachting, we make it possible. Also, a number

of our clients who own a boat, who might have their boat in the U.S or the Caribbean, and they want to have a boat in the Mediterranean for the summer, so we can help them find a boat just for the summer. Chartering is great; it generates additional income and keeps the crew fresh.

On a personal note, if you had to pick one boat, which boat would that be?

One of the nice things about my job is that I get to try a little bit of everything. I enjoy the different boats for what they do. I love going out on Riva 44 and 45 in Miami- it’s fantastic. I enjoy the performance and the handling of them. However the boat I tend to introduce everybody to is the 800 Ferretti because it is one of the best representations of what we do

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JeanFrederic Dufour Zenith CEO

Timeless Trends and Innovation Passion is what helped us build a new brand identity around the new image that we have at Zenith.

Biography Jean-Frederic Dufour has been the Chief Executive Officer and President of Zenith Manufacture of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton since June 2009.He graduated from the University of Geneva where he studied Commercial and Industrial Sciences.

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Text Claudia Trimde & Mady Gerard PHOTO David Matthiessen

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had been up in the air. The watch gave them the distance calculations they needed and also the autonomy. The pilots needed to know precisely when to fly back, so the watch was very instrumental to their line of work. It obviously needed to be very accurate. The pilot collection that we have this year is completely inspired by the very first wristwatches from the very beginning of the 20th century. This collection doesn't look like any others, it's very unique and it has a strong sex appeal. The product is not only alluring to people who are rapt by manufactured watches, but also to those whore are interested in the aesthetics and the size of the product.

What is your favorite Zenith piece?

I love all of them. I am heavily involved in the creative aspect of all the Zenith models. It is very difficult to select which one I like best because I never release a watch that I personally don't like. However, the El Primero is a watch that means a lot to me. It’s an iconic piece from 1969. It has such strong legends surrounding it that it makes it quite unique. So, from the new collection I really like the El Primero.

Was the ladies line a challenge to create?

The ladies line is a challenge, but its worth it because we are seeing that there are more ladies than ever looking for manufactured watches.

We are not trying to compete against brands that are producing jewelry watches, but we also truly believe that modern women are looking for a different type of product. Now they don’t just want a quartz watch with diamonds on top, so we offer in our collection the same value that only men are able to find in some other brands. The new collection contains really nice watches that will last forever. Women today are looking for something that will last for a long

time, that is of strong quality and that is really state of the art.

How receptive are the watch aficionados of America to the Zenith brand?

In America, people have a very strong emotional bond to their purchases. For most of them it’s all about the experience. The key to success in the United States is to find the right partner, because it’s all about the retailers. Zenith has only recently come back into the market in the United States. We used to sell our brand there until the Second World War but we started back up again in 2000. The interest and the brand are both growing slowly, but the size of the brand is not quite what we would expect for an established international brand such as ours. I know that if you do it well in the United States you usually get it right and for now we are really doing well, we are going by the book to make it happen. I think that in two or three more years we will really start to see growth in America.

How involved is Zenith in the Florida region?

Florida is great, not in only Miami, but in a lot of locations. There is a strong sense of retail not only with locals, but also with the South American community that is always traveling to Florida. We offer them a chance to check out our collection. We are also currently working on developing a project which would include a boutique in Florida, but it’s too early to talk about it. Florida is definitely a place where we can see ourselves. People from all over the world, and all corners of America travel to Florida. It is the ultimate holiday destination.

It’s an interesting state and the it place for a luxury brand

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enith, the brand lead by JeanFrederic Dufour prides itself on the creation of the world’s most precise chronograph, El Primero.

Each watch in Zenith’s collection is uniquely exquisite, but El Primero is both stunning and incredibly intricate. It is a marvelous example of a fine watch. “Follow your own star,” is Zenith’s adage, and this luxury brand has certainly followed its star which lead them to the successful creation of magnificent timepieces.

Mr. Dufour, what was the key element that helped you bring Zenith back to its roots?

It was an amalgam of many things, but most importantly it was the passion that gave me the energy to travel 120 days out of the year and the strength to visit all the countries around the world in order to gain a better understanding of what was expected of the Zenith brand.

Passion is what drove the development of a new collection that stemmed from more than 120 different references, which ranged from very classical to very complicated.Passion led to work on the distribution of the brand, to the closing of around 200 shops, but then opening 100 new ones and the building of 13 boutiques.

Passion is what helped us build a new brand identity around the new image that we have at Zenith. But in the end, it’s also very important to be surrounded by the right people because alone you cannot do everything.

Since Zenith owns the patent on pilot watches, please explain how the company conceived the concept of a pilot watch?

The very first pilot watches that we created were similar to pocket watches which pilots wore on top of their shoes.The watches were the only technical tools that they had at their disposal during flight to know how long they

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R ESTA U R A N T

Biography

SEP

Alexander has always been captivated with the hospitality industry. As a youngster, he helped his aunt to plan and host sensational events, and parties at her hotel in Vienna. He became enamored with the industry and decided that this was his life’s calling.

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The District Miami Interview with Managing Partner Alexander Ringleb

“The District will be more than just a new restaurant in the ever-changing Miami culinary scene.”

R Interview Claudia Trimde Photography Julio Martinez

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Here at The District, I wanted to achieve the industrial chic semblance.The Executive Chef Horacio and myself worked on this project closely. We carefully and craftily pieced each element together to bring The District Miami to life; from selecting the team to join the family, to the décor and ceiling- hand painted by renowned local artist Juan Rozas- and from selecting the custom-made Westchester Style couches, to curating the selection of beers and wines. The District will be more than just a new restaurant in the ever-changing Miami culinary scene.

Tell us more about Chef Horacio and the dishes that he will be preparing?

Chef Horacio is a very gifted chef from Argentina who brought the essential flavors of Latin America to South Florida over ten years ago. We want The District to deliver food of excellent quality and great value. We’ll combine the best Pan-American flavors with fresh, local ingredients, to embody the true essence of a blend of cultures. That’s what Miami is all about. A blend of flavors, a blend of cultures

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ne of the most anticipated new restaurants is opening this fall in the Magic City. The District The District Miami fuses the best Pan-American flavors. The District Miami’s concept was envisioned and brought to life by Managing Partner Alexander Ringleb, whose experience and trajectory includes renowned restaurants such as Casa Tua and DeVito’s in Miami, Balthazar & Pastis in New York and Wolfgang’s Steakhouse in Beverly Hills, California.

Why did you choose Buena Vista as the location for The District? Why not South Beach or Brickell?

There are a lot of restaurants opening up in South Beach and Brickell on regular basis.

With The District, we took a divergent approach. Buena Vista, which borders Midtown, is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Miami and has a very balmy ambiance. It is a great location for Miamians who live in South Beach and Brickell to spend time in.

What’s the story behind this carefully thought out interior decor of The District?

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ART GREAT BRITAIN

JEREMY HOUGHTON

FLAMINGO ROAD The Cotswolds-bred artist is a talent to watch. He’s already painted Queen Elizabeth II, the Summer Olympics, London Fashion Week, and Prince Charles’ Highgrove estate.

TEXT BY CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTOGRAPHED BY HARI NAIR

APR — MAY 2013

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here’s something exuberant and convivial about this British artist, who had a successful showing a few months ago at New Delhi’s India Habitat Centre, and is touted as one of UK’s most commercially viable young artists. Jeremy Houghton was excited to be in the country: “India’s been on my radar because it’s getting press in London. Europe is flat, depressed, and I don’t like that. I like to go where it’s happening and uplifting. Delhi is at the top of the list.”

He’s only been painting professionally for six years, and already, his works hang alongside luminaries like Damien Hirst and Bansky, in private collections in the UK, including royal estates like Buckingham Palace and Highgrove, with showings at prestigious art galleries such as The Saatchi Gallery in London. Last year, he had 36 exhibitions in all, including showings for the watercolours he was commissioned to paint for the London Olympics.

The 36-year-old, Eton-educated, South Africa-inspired artist admits, “Painting was my thing. My father disagreed, so he sent me off to do law, but I got my way in the end.” Houghton admits that it isn’t easy for an artist to make a living out of painting, especially when you’re starting out. So he decided to do commercial work, which would fund his art, but allow him to do his own painting. Today, his paintings fetch up to £22,000 (for his India exhibition, the top price for his oils was `10.8 lakh).

After studying for two years at the Slade School of Art in London, and a stint at the Université d’Aix-en-Provence in France, Houghton went into teaching art at an international school in Cape Town, South Africa, and that was his stepping stone into taking it up full time. That is also where he discovered flamingos that inspired his exhibit, ‘The Flamingo and the Phoenix’, in India. “You never see a single flamingo, but thousands. You can’t

Jeremy Houghton leans casually against one of his works from 'The Flamingo and the Phoenix' exhibit.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY (THIS PAGE) JEREMY HOUGHTON

Houghton’s love for history and timeless portraits led him to paint the Queen of England in 2009. “She was wonderful, and everything you’d expect of her – there were no surprises.

It was flattering – a great honour. I normally don’t like to be told what to do, but if you are commissioned to paint the Queen, you’re not going to say no. It now hangs in St James’s Palace, in their private collection. They have three of mine, but I would be happier if one of my flamingos was in there,” says Houghton.

Currently, he is artist-in-residence at Prince Charles’ Highgrove Estate, which lies close to where Houghton lives and works. “The Prince is very environmentally conscious. All of his farming methods and techniques are organic, one of the reasons I took on the project. I’m doing a portrait of the estate, which is a series of 13 paintings, in watercolour.”

Houghton has also been the official artist for London Fashion Week in 2007. “It was a week of being with tall, skinny women, cigarettes, and Red Bull, and again colour, shape, and cool fabrics. I was a visual journalist,” he says. But he admits that this series sits in his studio, waiting to be bought. “If they don’t sell, my daughter will enjoy them,” he laughs. His daughter Honey, is a bright two and a half, who enjoys copying her father painting at his desk.

Right now, Houghton is a student again, who’s gone back to university to get his MA. “It’s important to keep learning, to keep asking questions.” Although he’s now a famous artist, Houghton says his teachers are one up on him, because they are academics, and give him essays to write, “which (he) hates”, and often fails!

For someone who’s been compared to Damien Hirst and Bansky, he’s modest. “I

am flattered,” he laughs. “What we have in common, is we’re good at self-promotion. I enjoy people seeing my work, I enjoy exhibiting.

I am ambitious, that’s why I went to India, and then to China. Art crosses all barriers.” In India, he would love to explore the Rann of Kutch, for his favourite subject – flamingos that migrate here from Africa.

What’s next for the artist? He is ready for his design debut. “I am getting my paintings digitally printed onto fabrics, for scarves, then big, flowing dresses.” For this teacher-turnedartist, who’s been through the artist’s struggle, there’s been no looking back once he put his business mind to it. “I painted pictures for the right audience, and they inevitably sold.”

Where would you find a Jeremy Houghton?

Buckingham Palace, London St James Palace, London Highgrove, Gloucestershire JP Morgan Bank, London Lloyds Bank, London The Hoare Bank, London The residence of the Duke of Devonshire, Chatsworth The residence of the Duke of Abercorn, Baronscourt The residence of Jeremy Clarkson (Top Gear), Oxfordshire

Clockwise from top left: A watercolour of Zara Phillips carrying the Olympic torch at the 2012 London Olympics, an artwork from the artist’s London Fashion Week series; Houghton’s Cotswolds farm; a painting of the Queen, part of his Buckingham Palace series.

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discern the bird’s form, but see abstract shapes.

Each movement makes a different composition,” says Houghton. That’s why he says his works are expressionistic, because if “you came from outer space and saw these, you wouldn’t know these are flamingos”, he says. He embraces dribbles, mistakes, even the ridiculous.

Houghton paints on the ground floor of his large studio, part of his parents’ Victorian farm in picturesque Broadway, Cotswolds (also the house he grew up in), surrounded by Shire horses. Houghton is prolific, and works on 6-7 pieces at the same time. “I do some paintings in a day; some take a year.” He’s been called both a conservation artist and an eco-artist, but insists that he paints “for the simple pleasure of seeing things”. So he likes to get out there, watercolours, sketch pads, and cameras in hand.

While painting his Olympics series in watercolour, Houghton says he was most inspired by British paralympic equestrian dressage rider, Lee Pearson. Born with a disability, he couldn’t walk as a toddler. So his parents bought him a donkey, with a basket saddle, which taught Lee how to ride horses, and buid an affinity with them. “Lee can’t move his arms or legs, so his riding depends on balance,” says Houghton.

“To paint the Olympic sailors, I had to go in their boats, get wet, ” says Houghton. The common link between his Olympics series and the flamingos – the negative space – is apparent.

“I love old negatives and transparencies. When I paint positive forms, I always paint the negative space. For example, I haven’t painted one of these flamingos, I’ve always painted the water around the edges.”

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PA S S P O R T M A C A U

Eastern Promise

APR — MAY 2013

This is no chimera. Gleaming casinos, soaring skyscrapers, and an appetite for the good life, have transformed this port city, a former Portuguese colony, into the world’s top gaming destination. And there’s more: with its world heritage sites, unique fusion food, live entertainment, and scenic vistas, Macau is one spirited cocktail, finds Govind Dhar

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The Grand Lisboa hotel gleams golden in the heart of Macau.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY GOVIND DHAR

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awaiian hula dancers gyrate and sashay through the halls of the Conrad Macao, Cotai Central (+853 2882 9000) and the soonto-be-opened Sheraton Cotai Sands – the world’s largest with 4,000 rooms to spare ‒ chanting and whooping as guests and tourists reach for their cameras to snap some photos for their holiday albums. Flutes of Perrier Jouet, lavish canapés, and neon-pink cocktails skirt the tops of people’s heads as scurrying waiters rush to sate the gathered crowd’s appetite for the trappings of their present destination’s much-celebrated good life.

In a bid to show us what their entertainment credentials are made of, our hosts conspire to have us serenaded by opera singers at a

three-course gourmet Italian supper before we are led by scantily-clad carnival dancers through marble and wood-panelled corridors, past designer stores and boutique jewellers, to a venue that drips from ceiling-to-floor with pop-coloured confections and eye candy. And of course, en route, a modest expanse of baccarat tables, slot machines, electronic croupiers and roulette tables that are de rigueur in this part of the world. Only across the road from the famed Venetian hotel (the largest casino in the world), it has now become something of a tradition to have such themed attractions, entertainment, pomp, and ceremony surrounding a mere hotel opening as a taste of what’s in store for visitors to the world’s most lucrative casino destination.

Most would be forgiven for mistaking this

special administrative region of China for Las Vegas. They’d be right for the most part, but in being compared to the U.S. gambling strip, the former Portuguese colony of Macau is already miles ahead of its world-famous cousin in Nevada – by some tens of billions of dollars In 2012, Macau made more in gaming revenue from its casinos than those in the entire United States of America at $38 billion – six times that of the Las Vegas strip. That figure is set to hit $44 billion this year. Considering that gaming had only really begun to get going in Macau around 2002, that’s a staggering achievement, but not surprising considering the rising number of dollar millionaires and billionaires making their way from Asia to the glitz and glamour of the skyscraper-clad port

Clockwise from top left: The gilded entrance to the Macau Venetian hotel; Wavy cobblestones run through the historic centre of Macau; The lit-up Venetian Macau hotel on the Cotai strip; The Santa Casa de Misericordia or Holy House of Mercy in Senado Square.

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region. Closer than Vegas and with casinofavourites such as the Wynn Macau (+853 2888 9966), the MGM (+853 8802 8888), the Grand Lisboa (+853 2828 3838), and the Venetian (+853 2882 8888) offering just some of the over 35 gaming sites on the peninsula, Macau has become the destination of choice for people looking to spend, and to whom money is of little or no object.

An hour’s ferry ride east of Hong Kong lies the region whose name translates to ‘gateway of the bay’ or ‘A-Ma Gau’ (bay of the sea goddess A-Ma). Visitors are greeted by a mix of old-world and new-tower blocks and streets navigable by signposts in Portuguese, English, and Cantonese. Tired urban quarters, highways, and bridges are punctuated by gleaming casinos, glass-and-steel hotels, pawn shops, hole-in-thewall restaurants, and money exchanges. Here you will find the MGM Macau with its Alice in Wonderland-inspired main chamber, boasting an orb (which guests can walk into) that is partart installation and part-MTV video set, filled with butterflies and buzzing TV screens. The Wynn hotel is here too, with its bright-orange interiors and no mean showstoppers either – a son et lumière show called the Tree of Prosperity reveals a gilded ceiling which slides open like

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a giant camera shutter to stun passers-by with three-dimensional laser forms above a tree bearing 98,000 leaves of 24-carat gold that emerges from the ground. It is in the Wynn casino that I walk past tinkling slot machines as stone-faced Chinese men feed the hungry

one-arm bandits, and a sudden hubub ensues around one machine. An ordinary-looking visitor whose luck just turned, almost falls off his chair while a small crowd gathers as his slot machine displays four rows of dragon eggs.

The counter flashing above it jumps from HK$ 1,000 to somewhere in the HK$ 35,000 region.

As I leave a few minutes later, the counter does not seem to slow down.

Macau is set to draw tourists in with the promise of quick returns such as the one above, but by the same token gives them enough opportunity to spend as well. Helicopters are frequently heard roaring overhead, chartering people to and from the peninsula, and limousines can be seen idling outside the city’s many nightclubs – each one seemingly in competition with the other for offering the more bombastic live entertainment. A particularly electric haunt for the hoi polloi is the Club Cubic at the Hard Rock Hotel (+853 8868 3338) that pulls in punters with its five-balconied-VIP rooms and live DJ sets. Try the expertly mixed rum cocktails at the Gothic-style bar, and the Long Island iced teas, if you’re feeling particularly brave.

Of course, while gaming is one of the big draws in Macau, there is a lot more to do, such as eat, shop, see, and play. Steeped in Portuguese and Chinese history, Macau makes for a colourful blend of varied pursuits to enjoy, with a number of festivals, live shows, museums, and sporting attractions. For starters, the historic city centre or Largo do Senado houses several

Clockwise from left: Entrance to the A-Ma Temple, dedicated to the goddess of the sea from which Macau gets its name; The temple houses pavilions inspired by Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism; Incense sticks of up to seven feet can be lit to offer prayers.

A short taxi ride away from Macau over its bridges and past the 338 metre-high Macau tower is the reclaimed island of Taipa where visitors can sail down the canals of the Venetian hotel on the Cotai strip and explore the island’s mountains, hiking trails, and the Macau Golf and Country Club (+853 2887 1188) on the up-and-coming Coloane strip. (Another, the Caesars Golf course (+853 2875 3126) lies in Cotai itself.) The much-vaunted House of Dancing Water at the City of Dreams (www. thehouseofdancingwater.com) is one of Macau’s most advertised attractions, that seems to be a live-action combination of Cirque du Soleil with Olympic-sized swimming pools (five of them), a water stage, and gargantuan lightdisplay shows and death-defying acrobatics.

Whenever you decide to visit Macau (surely it’s a matter of when, not if ), a shortage of things to do on your stay will be the least of your concerns. During the day, its cultural and historic charms are quaint and pleasant enough to keep young couples and families busy. It’s at night that Macau becomes irresistible. As the sun sets and the city slips into its pulsing neon guise, beaming out its promises of possibility, you’ll need more than a strong will to keep you from getting lost in its charms.

DHAR’S MUST-VISITS The ruins of St Paul’s Cathedral: Considered as one of the most important monuments to Christianity in Asia, only the dramatic façade of this famous 16th-century landmark remains, with its unique Oriental carvings by Japanese Christians in exile in 1602.

The Macau Grand Prix: Over November 14-17, the Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix, the FIA Formula 3 Intercontinental Cup, and the season finale of the FIA World Touring Car Championship will take place at the event’s diamond jubilee.

Guia Fort: The highest point on the peninsula, this 17th-century fort gives you picture-postcard views of the city, houses the oldest lighthouse in China, and offers a glimpse of some of the most valuable murals in Asia at the Lady of Guia chapel.

Mercearia Portuguesa shop: Tucked in a corner of a beautiful 1920s-style ivy-clad home in St Lazarus district, this shop stocks the perfect Portuguese curios from vintage soaps to dried figs, wine, herbs, and handmade artefacts.

Clockwise from left: Mercearia Portuguesa houses quaint Portuguese curios; Many hotels conceal boutique shopping within their outré architecture; One of the blackjack tables at the newly opened Sheraton Macau.

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UNESCO world heritage sites, and is famous for its street food and shopping, amidst its neoclassical, pastel-coloured buildings and wavy cobbled streets. Wend your way through the busy maritime museum for a history lesson of the former colony, and duck in for some quick blessings at the stone-structured 16th-century temple of A-Ma. The highly recommended bistro-style eatery A Lorcha (+853 2831 3195) sits not far from here, just opposite the port authority, and offers the kind of fare that actually extols the virtues of colonization.

‘Macanese’ is a word born of these parts and is the result of conjoining Macau and Portuguese to describe everything from the people, the food, and the culture in Macau. At A Lorcha, Macanese food consistently scores high on critics’ score cards. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the Salada de Orelha de Porco which is pig’s ear cartilage in onions, garlic, and coriander.

Bacalhau (dried cod) is a specialty in these parts, and particularly delicious when prepared in a stir-fry style with egg, coriander, onions, and peppers. Another highly recommended beach-side restaurant is Fernando’s (www. fernando-restaurant.com) where the saltwatersoaked roast chicken is lip-smacking down to the last bite.

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Royal Regalia A

s you sip a flute of Louis Roederer Cristal, whilst admiring Chennai’s picturesque skyline from the Presidential Suite of The ITC Grand Chola, the clichéd phrase ‘fit for a king’ comes to mind. And you wouldn’t be that far from the truth, given that this hotel commemorates the grandeur of the imperial Chola dynasty in the cultural capital of south India.

While the bigger metropolitan cities in India are still irresistible bait for luxury properties (the Peninsula group has been scouting the Capital, and Mumbai is expected to host deluxe establishments by Jumeirah, The W, and The Aayu by GHM within the next 3-4 years), Chennai, which was in comparison largely left to its own devices, has been experiencing a flurry of activity with the recent openings of The Leela Palace and The ITC Grand Chola (the latter in September) last year. It is, however, the smooth combination of supreme luxe, topnotch technology, flawless attention to detail, and fantastic architecture that puts this hotel a notch above several others across the world.

Spread over 1.5 million sq ft, the `1,200 crore property has been built on the site of an old movie studio, Narasu, and lies a mere eight kilometres from the airport, in close proximity to Marina (Asia’s longest beach), the Guindy

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Chennai’s ITC Grand Chola, the world’s largest ‘green’ hotel, rises like a phoenix from the eponymous Chola dynasty, to offer guests a grander-than-life hospitable experience.

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National Park, and distinguished monuments such as the Kapaleeshwarar Temple and the Santhome Basilica. Already reputed as a hotel of several firsts, it is the country’s largest hotel, boasting a luxury retail space of over 27,000 sq ft, and the country’s hugest pillarless ballroom area. It has also been awarded the title of the world’s largest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Green Hotel: “Hundred per cent of our electrical-energy requirements are met through renewable energy resources,” says executive director Nakul Anand.

“With this, we are echoing ITC’s ‘Responsible Luxury’ ethos through energy efficiency, water efficiency, and waste management, to lend strength to the green-building movement.”

The hotel’s name justifies the connection to the city and the graceful Chola monuments that punctuate it. The Chola emperors bestowed a lasting legacy with their magnificent Dravidian temples, such as the Thanjai Periyakovil, the architecture of which is echoed in the intricate fretwork and delicately carved ceilings of the property. “ITC’s architecture has incorporated these 10th - to 12th-century designs into a 21stcentury building – a task of great merit for our architects Smallwood Reynolds and Steward & Steward LLC,” says Anand. The work of traditional sculptors from Mahabalipuram

drapes the hotel’s walls, while stucco columns (432 in all) in the form of carved elephants and four-petalled flower motifs stand tall.

The hotel has four gateways facing the cardinal directions (Vallavan facing the north is the drop-off point for personalized check-ins to the Presidential Suites). But the west entrance, that leads to the Grand Staircase (Sangam), is a voyeuristic delight few guests can afford to miss. Musical strains of traditional instruments accompany the refreshing nannari sherbet that is served as part of the traditional welcome, complete with a simple aarti, after which guests are presented with a golden silk ponnadi scarf.

Besides its arresting architecture, The ITC Grand Chola also impresses with its advanced in-house technology: “We are the first hotel in the world to have introduced the Welcom@ Butler – E-butler services on the iPad to enhance guest comfort,” says Anand. “It’s luxury through technology: guests can avail several services on the iPad, right from seeing through the door via a camera and opening/shutting the door, to room service and reviewing bills.”

Chola’s iPad-controlled services are available in all 522 rooms and 78 serviced residences of the hotel. The hotel also features a dedicated wing with an all-female staff for single women, known as Eva Rooms.

Over 63 different types of marble were imported from Italy to build this `1,200 crore property, inspired from the Chola dynasty.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY ITC HOTELS LTD.

Of the two Presidential Suites, the `3.5 lakh Raja Raja Suite or the Grand Presidential Suite boasts of its own private pool, gymnasium, bullet-proof windows, and a dedicated elevator that allows guests ultimate privacy while entering the hotel. It is spread over 4,380 sq ft with plush settings that include a kitchen, dining area, and a five-fixture bathroom with a luxurious deep-soak bathtub (it also has a pantry with a personal chef and butler). Every attention to detail has been taken care of, be it the ice cubes that are perfectly sized to clink into a tumbler, or the 500 thread-count linen made from Fair Trade Cotton.

If the feeling of being immersed in these royal environs is not enough, then a steaming dish of Paneer Khaasa at the Royal Vega, their premium vegetarian restaurant inspired by cuisines from royal kitchens all over India, should fuel your imagination. “The recipes are culled from dishes served to royalty, as well as ancient Ayurvedic scriptures,” says Manjit Gill, ITC’s corporate chef. “The food, as in the past, follows the six-seasons concept and delivers fresh produce rather than preserved ingredients of any sort.” The Chola has nine other signature food and beverage offerings, from the award-winning Peshawri, to Ottimo, an Italian restaurant (try their Bufala

Mozzarella Fantasia), to Pan Asian that offers fresh catch from the Indian Ocean. “We have the most expensive popes salt from Cervia, the finest extra-virgin presssed olive oil from Frantoio, Leccino Pendolino, and Moriaolo, and a champagne lounge showcasing the most premium champagne in Pan Asian,” says Chef Gill. “Plus, our bakery Nutmeg has sourced the finest Belgian couverture for its desserts.”

Afterwards, enjoy a cigar with a 40-year old Bruichladdich or a vintage Château Latour from the well-stocked bar in the malt and cigar lounge known as Cheroot, or for the more spirited, liven up your evening at Iplace, the nightclub (opening soon). For art enthusiasts, “we feature a dedicated art gallery – the WelcomArt Gallery – that holds a private collection of works by renowned artists such as MF Husain,” says Anand. The ITC Grand Chola has also built an auditorium (Kalai theatre) that can accommodate 45 guests at a time for private film screenings.

As a fitting end to your sojourn, visit the 23,000 sq ft Kaya Kalp spa – try the 90-minute Imperial Chola Ceremonies (`4,800) that include an Indian spice-bath ritual and indigenous massages inspired by Asian techniques – to complete the surreal experience of age-old royalty and modern-day comforts.

ROYALTY GOES GREEN: • Solar concentrators heat the water.

• Extra treated waste water irrigates the Madras Golf Course instead of going into the sewers.

• 100 per cent electrical requirements met by a 12.6MW windmill using Hartman Loop technology.

• Fair Trade Cotton used for linen.

• Welcome@Butler iPad services allow customized room climate control to prevent energy wastage.

• Computerized lights used to control mood lighting, saving energy.

• An organic waste converter makes manure out of waste.

• Reflective paints on the roof lower temperature at night.

• 17 per cent of the cement has been replaced by fly-ash.

Clockwise from left: A stunning view of the Grand Staircase or Sangam; The ITC Grand Chola’s premium vegetarian restaurant, Royal Vega; An executive suite that includes Chola’s exclusive Welcom@Butler services.

47

PA S S P O R T C U B A

Rolled

to Perfection Cigar heiress Ameeta Seth spends a week in colourful Cuba to attend the world-famous XVth Habanos Festival, and finds the true care and passion that lie in making each piece the finest handrolled cigar on the planet.

L

ights, camera, action! The stage is set and the curtain rises on The XVth Habanos Festival! This annual festival takes place at the end of February, and provides the perfect setting for hundreds of cigar enthusiasts and aficionados from around the globe to converge and enjoy an exceptional week, indulging their passion and celebrating the world’s finest cigar: the Habano.

As I step off the tarmac at the José Martí International airport in Havana, the excitement is palpable: smiling attendants welcome us warmly, and the bold signage everywhere proclaims the start of this famous festival. I am quickly whisked through the crowds thanks to a prior arrangement with the organizers, and as I wait in the lounge for my bags, I chat with a weary Raoul, our resident travel operator who informs me that he has been on duty for the last two days. “Everyone is here,” he says. ”The Chinese, the British, the Germans…” Sounds like a veritable United Nations!

I am soon on my way to the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, and I wait eagerly for my first glimpse

of this majestic hotel, which is located on a hill thewhich Malecon, a stripon of thisoverlooking majestic hotel, is located land by the ocean.

This classic hotel aofhill overlooking the Malecon, a strip still possesses all the old-world of land by the ocean.

This classiccharm hotel still possesses all the old-world charm of a bygone era, and has played host to Winston Churchill, Sinatra, and many celebrities overFrank the years, such as Ava Gardner, to Churchill, name a few.Frank I check in, happily Winston Sinatra, and Ava Gardner, to name a few. I check in, happily responding to greetings of “Hola, Ameeta!” from the staff. Later, I hurry down to the terrace for my first authentic mojito. This terrace bar serves as a meeting point for everyone during the festival, whether you are staying at the Nacional or not, and is located in the garden overlooking the Malecon. It offers an unparalleled view of Havana, not to mention the best mojitos in town. As I meet all our fellow distributors and friends, and listen to a local musical trio sing one of Cuba’s favourite ditties, Guantanamera, I find myself getting excited for the start of this week.

Day One: The Unhurried Pace of indulgence

The day begins bright and sunny, and my colleague Meera and I take off to the Palacio de Convenciones or the Convention Center, to register for the coming events and to attend the press conference that marks the opening of the trade show. This trade show brings together more than 50 exhibitors from around the world, each showcasing various tobacco-related products,

such as beautifully handcrafted humidors, figurines, and cutters as well as a selection of beverages that can be paired with cigars.

We make our rounds, greeting our Habanos colleagues, and after a quick lunch at the El Bucan restaurant, we head back to the hotel to get ready for the welcome event in the evening.

The ceremony is being held at the historic Castillo de Los Tres Reyes del Morro or Castle of the Three Kings of Morro, a symbolic fortress right at the entrance of the Bay of Havana. A colourful, Cuban-inspired show ensues, complete with flying trapeze artists scaling the walls of this historic fortress, fire cannonballs shot from ancient cannons around the fortress, and three sets of musicians. This evening is dedicated to the famous Montecristo brand, so named after Alexander Dumas’s novel The Count of Monte Cristo, and marks the launch of two new additions to the Montecristo brand: Montecristo Petit No. 2 and Montecristo Double Edmundo.

The introduction of these totally handmade new vitolas or sizes provides the Montecristo brand with an even more versatile range. The Montecristo Petit No. 2 with its easy grip and moderate length, is ideal to puff on during those busy days. The Montecristo Double Edmundo delivers this blend’s classic scent and taste for almost an hour-long smoke, so that the connoisseur can revel in his or her Habano in an unhurried fashion.

48 The verdant region of Pinar del Rio is one of the island’s most important tobacco-growing areas with the perfect climatic conditions.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY AMEETA SETH

The evening continues to take on a carnivallike atmosphere, but it’s getting late and we have a long day at the plantations tomorrow, so it’s one last mojito (for the day!) on the verandah, and then off to bed.

Day Two: Magic Leaves

It’s off to an early (6am!) start for us, which after last night, is a bit difficult to wake up for, but somehow, we manage and are piled into buses to make the journey to one of the most important tobacco-growing regions in Cuba: Vuelto Abajo in the region of Pinar del Rio. It is approximately a two-hour journey to this area; a quick nap in the bus, and we are soon there. We are taken around the various plantations by specialized guides who explain to us the painstaking methods of growing, sorting, and curing the different leaves that are then lovingly handcrafted into a Habano.

Our guides inform us that Cuba has some of the best conditions in the world for tobaccogrowing: a perfect combination of the right soil, climate, and humidity that allow for the growth of a unique natural product, cherished by its aroma, colour, texture, and flavour. Habanos cigars are manufactured only with tobacco leaves from certain special regions that are selected for the exceptional quality of their soil and microclimate. Among those that stand out are the tobacco districts of San Juan y Martinez

and San Luis, both located in Vuelto Baajo.

This is considered the best land in the world for growing tobacco, and the only one that produces three kinds of leaves: wrapper, binder, and filler.

In the south of Havana lies the region of Partido which specializes in the growing of wrapper leaves used for Habanos.

We get an opportunity to meet with some of the vegueros, who are the tobacco farmers, and it was inspiring to see the passion and dedication they have for their work. They explain to us that there are two methods used to cultivate the tobacco, both sun-grown and shade-grown, depending on the function that each individual leaf will have in the making of a Habano. The plants reach their full growth after 45-50 days, and are ready for harvesting another 50 days later. The leaves are then picked up by hand, one by one, slowly and delicately, and are then taken to the curing barns where they are cured by natural means in the open air. The effort that goes into growing and cultivating this tobacco is astounding, and they haven’t even gotten to the factories yet for the actual process of making the cigar!

After this crash course in tobacco-farming, we head to lunch, which takes place at a charming restaurant nestled within the hills in the Vinales valley. While the menu did not appeal to us (pig’s feet!), we admired the lovely setting before heading back to Havana.

After a long, tiring day, we opt to have a quiet dinner with a few friends at El Template, a Spanish seafood restaurant which overlooks the harbour entrance just behind the Santa Isabel Hotel, reknown for its garlic shrimp and steak, and then head home for the night.

Day Three: At Home with Tobacco-Growers

We get off to a fairly late start, but decide to have a relaxed day. One of my close friends Nitasha is visiting, and I want to take her to one of my favourite restaurants in Havana…La Guarida.

This is one of Havana’s most famous paladars (private restaurants located in Cuban homes), and was the setting for the famous Cuban blockbuster and Oscar-nominated film, Fresa y Chocolate. It is located on the third floor of a dilapidated old villa, but as you enter this small restaurant with its charming atmosphere and see all the old movie posters and ’60s-inspired art on the walls, you know the climb was worth it! The food is varied, but some of my old favourites are the ceviche and the fish of the day.

After lunch, we head to Club Habana, a new beach and country club in the tony area of Miramar. We meet our friends Alen Kosanovic and his wife Renata, who are distributors from Croatia, and spend a lazy afternoon by the beach.

It is then time to head back to the Nacional, change, and get ready to go to a special vegueros

Clockwise from top left: Delegates checking out the varieties of tobacco leaf at the Convention Center; The Romeo Y Juliet brand stall at the Convention Center; Ameeta Seth and Nitasha Thapar at La Guarida, one her favourite eateries in Havana; A worker at a vegueros (tobacco-grower) farm.

49

PA S S P O R T C U B A evening, which as its name implies, is dedicated to tobacco farmers.

This evening is held at the protocol lounge of the El Laquito factory, and is the setting for the relaunch of the Vegueros cigars. In the Pinar Del Rio region, it is traditional for the vegueros to make their own cigars, and eventually, visitors to this area developed a desire to taste these cigars.

Hence the Vegueros brand was introduced in the Habanos portfolio in 1996, and after more than 15 years, Habanos is completely transforming this brand, whose name is so closely tied to that of the tobacco’s roots.

The dish tonight used a sauce that actually contained tobacco from the Pinar Del Rio region. It was actually quite interesting, and not as overpowering as I thought it would be.

As the evening concluded quite early, we decided to head over to Casa La Musica in Miramar, which has wonderful live music, and where most of Cuba’s top talents play. As usual, we were not disappointed and a little jealous that we weren’t able to salsa the way the natives do!

We then head to El Gato Tuerto or ‘One-Eyed Cat’, which is a tiny jazz bar just down the road from the Nacional. Again, it had great live music and a fun laid-back vibe which was the perfect end to the day.

Day Four: Rolling with it

There was a twist to the cuisine as well, which was prepared under the supervision of the three Croat chefs who had flown in especially for the festival. Grgur Baksic, Zoran Simunic, and Pantelija Pekic are all members of Gastronomadi, who give a cooking demonstration ‘Tobacco and Gastronomy’ during the trade show.

50

We are off this morning to where all the magic happens – the cigar factories – in particular the Partagas and H Upmann factories. The historical Partagas factory, located behind Havana’s Capitol building, is probably the most visited and best known of all the Habanos factories. Moreover, the H Upmann factory is located close by as well.

We are then taken through the various steps involved in making these Habanos cigars, which continue to be made totalmente a mano – totally handmade for more than 200 years. We are first taken into the reception area where the leaves are received from the plantations, conditioned, and sorted into categories. The delicate wrapper leaves are then moved to the department known as maja – moistening, where bunches of leaves are moistened with a fine spray of water in order to restore the silky, uniform aspect of the leaves and their elasticity. They are then

passed to the despalilladoras ‒ strippers who carefully withdraw the central vein or stem of the leaf, thus dividing it into two halves ready for grading. The escogedor (grader) then classifies these leaves into different sections according to their colour, vitola, and texture. The ligador (master blender) is now the key person who is in charge of putting the different variety of leaves together, and ensuring the consistency of each blend according to each vitola and brand.

We then move to the galera or rolling room, which is the heart of the factory where the torcedores (cigar rollers) are responsible for making the different vitolas. In the olden days, there was a person at the head of the room who used to read to the torcedores from different newspapers or novels such as The Count of Monte Cristo, which subsequently became so popular that a brand was named after it! Today a radio has replaced the live readings, but one can well imagine what it must have been like. The rolling process is too complicated to explain, but suffice it to say that I developed a new respect for the love and care that goes into producing each handmade cigar.

After they’re made and placed in boxes, the Habanos are put into cedar-lined cabinets in the escaparate (conditioning room), where they are left to get rid of any excess moisture, before being moved to quality control, where each cigar is meticulously checked before being sent out in the market.

After going through the rigours of cigarmaking, we were hungry and decided to head to Castropol for lunch. This restaurant is located on the Malecon and provides an excellent view

Left to right; A cooking show demonstrates the pairing of gastronomy with cigars; The Partagas factory behind Havana’s Capitol building; A professional sommelier demonstrates the pairing of alcoholic drinks with cigars at the Habanosommelier contest.

right from the Hotel Nacional to the Morro Castle. The food is Spanish-inspired, and we decided to have the mixed grill of lobster, fish, and steak.

We then head back to the convention centre to attend the cooking show Tobacco and Gastronomy, where we got to taste tobaccoinfused butter and sauces before heading back to the hotel to get ready for the evening.

Tonight we are invited to a party hosted by our friends at The Pacific Cigar Company in Hong Kong, which is the largest distributor of Habanos cigars in South-East Asia, headed

by David Tang and run by Dag Holmbe. The evening is held at a venue in Chinatown (yes there is a Chinatown in Havana!), and as we enter, we find colourful Chinese lanterns and flaming torches at the entrance. An abundance of cigars, lip-smacking Chinese food, live music by music star Eliades Ochoa, live performances, and great company (including Boris Becker and his lovely wife Sharlely), make for a wonderful night.

Day Five: An evening to remember

I can’t believe it is already our last day in this island nation! Time has just flown by. We head back to the Convention Center to hear a master lecture by Simon Chase, who is undoubtedly the world’s premier authority on cigars (we have had the pleasure of hosting him in Delhi). We then head to La Finca, a restaurant that I had always wanted to try, that is quite close by in Miramar.

We were not disappointed. Great service, and the food was very good. We were joined by our friends Stefan and Leopoldo, and after a leisurely lunch, we decide to take advantage of our last day and head to Old Havana to stroll around. With its narrow cobblestone streets, funky wall graffiti, and musicians at every corner, Old Havana is a quaint and picturesque area that feels like it’s been frozen in time.

Now, it’s time to get ready for the gala dinner.

We enter the venue, and are greeted by beautiful Cuban women handing out red roses for the ladies as well as packets of precious cigars. After having our requisite glass of champagne, we head to our table, which is in the middle of all the action. The evening starts off with performances from various famous Cuban artistes, including Omara Portuondo, as well as some cabaret acts.

This particular evening is dedicated to the Partagas brand, and undoubtedly the Partagas factory in Havana is the most famous of all. This evening, the culmination of the week’s festivities heralds the launch of the Partagas Gran Reserva Cosecha 2007. A Gran Reserva is a cigar whose leaves have been aged for at least five years before being rolled. This historic vitola (a standard of measurement for cigars) is the first Gran Reserva to be launched in the International market in more than 160 years of the Partagas brand.

As the evening begins, we are treated to a sumptuous meal, with each course accompanied by an especially chosen Partagas cigar. Partagas

Serie D No. 5, Partagas Serie D No. 4, Partagas Serie E No. 2 and finally the grand master, the Gran Reserva. As awards are given out in the different categories, we wander around to mingle with friends and colleagues all dressed up in their best at this black-tie gala. Awards are also handed out to Hollywood actor Danny Glover and tennis legend Boris Becker who are present this evening. It is soon time for the auction, where money raised is donated to the Cuban Ministry of Public Health. There are six lots of humidors to be auctioned, each of which pays tribute to the best-known Habanos brands.

These humidors are works of art: inside, they house an exquisite collection of the best-known brands and vitolas, while they are beautifully handcrafted on the outside. Our master of ceremonies is Simon Chase, who has been doing this for all the years I can remember, and as usual, does a brilliant job. I am astounded by how rapidly the prices for the humidors are rising…there’s no hint of any kind of global recession in this room – the end result is a collection of over one million Euros!

As the evening comes to an end, we all head back to the Nacional to meet for one last time on the verandah and discuss the events of the week.

Fond goodbyes to old friends, and promises to keep in touch with new ones, one last mojito for the trip, and I am on my way to the airport.

It’s been a wonderful week as always, and until next time at the festival!

Clockwise from top left: Cuban musical acts perform at the gala evening, dedicated to the Partagas brand; Cabaret dancers and singers join in the festivities; Tennis great Boris Becker is a special guest at the event; Cuban ladies offer guests cigars and red roses; The old-world dinner setting at the gala.

51

GOURMET

High on Thai Culinary mistress Chef Veena Arora talks to Le CITY deluxe INDIA about her relationship with Thailand and its eclectic cuisine, and her near two-decade long stint at New Delhi’s famed restaurant, The Spice Route.

TEXT BY &/$8',$ 75,0'( / PHOTOGRAPHED BY VINOD AGGARWAL

T

he first things that strike you about Chef Veena Arora, are her humility, warmth, and sincerity in keeping commitments (the 54-year-old chef arrives right on time for the shoot and interview in spite of being under the weather).

In fact, if you were meeting this mistress of spices for the first time, bereft of her chef ’s garb, outside her Thai restaurant, The Spice Route at The Imperial, New Delhi, it might be difficult to place her as one of the best chefs in the country.

“Eating and cooking are in my blood: all Thais

52

are fond of eating. They eat every two hours,” says Chef Arora, who was born and brought up in Patthalung, a small town located in the south of Thailand. Having never trained at culinary school, it was here that she picked up traditional Thai cooking from her mother and the elder town folk. “As kids, instead of coming straight home from school, we would go to the maid’s house (her husband would pick us up in his rickshaw), and eat fish curry and rice cooked in an earthen pot on a traditional angithi. We never used gas in our own home; food was always

cooked on coal. Even a soup made for lunch would be brewed from 9am, everyday. These methods barely exist today.”

After finishing school and obtaining a degree in home science, she landed her first job at her brother’s restaurant in Bangkok, where her natural talent was honed by hands-on experience.

Ask her about her current workplace, where she has been at the helm of things for the past 18 years, and you can sense the affection right away. “I have seen this place since it was under paint and brush. Before this, I worked at the

Chef Arora enjoys a glass of wine, while her freshly prepared dishes jostle for space on the table of the Khan-tok area (the traditional seating arrangement outside), at The Spice Route.

Intercontinental (now The Lalit). I came here because a friend required my help to set up the place. What was supposed to be a two-month stint, has extended to 18 wonderful years. At the time, my father had just passed away, and the beautiful pillars that greeted me on entering The Spice Route were reminiscent of the Buddhist temples that I visited to commemorate him.

So the attachment was instant,” she explains, referring to the award-winning décor of the restaurant that immediately transports guests to a mystical Oriental world since it opened its doors in 1996.

She chooses to gloss over her successes (last year, she was bestowed with the National Tourism Award for the Best Lady Chef, by the Indian Ministry of Tourism), and focus on her work. “Passion and sincerity are essential, and I am very sincere in what I do. If I don’t have a particular ingredient, I make it a point to tell the customer that I’ve made the dish without it, but I won’t replace it with anything else just to make do. Also, if you work in a place considering it as your own, that place will definitely run,” she says.

And The Spice Route has definitely had a great run. From playing host to the Queen of Netherlands, the Princess of Thailand, late former President KR Narayanan and his wife, to an array of film stars, Arora remembers many a candid episode at the restaurant. “The Dutch queen was staying at the hotel for a couple of days, and was supposed to dine at the other

Ingredients

restaurants as well, but ended up eating here on all three days. One of the biggest compliments I also received was from the Thai princess who told me that this was the best Thai food she had eaten outside Thailand!” says Arora. She goes on to tell me that the dapper Shashi Tharoor is a regular, and actors Ranbir Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan eat here often when in town. Her jovial attitude is evident when she remembers how Ness Wadia used to order room service from The Spice Route for his then-girlfriend, actor Preity Zinta. “He’s a very nice guy. I thought they made a good couple,” she muses.

Chef Arora moved to India after her marriage in 1980, but keeps her relationship with Thai food intact, by visiting Thailand, (especially Bangkok), at least once a year to brush up on her skills and explore new culinary innovations. “I like to go to the roadside stalls in Thailand. They are very hygienic, unlike here, and the food is healthy and authentic.

We even used to get food packed from there to eat at home. If I find something I like, I ask the street vendors for tips.” Here in India, she and her circle of Thai friends get together every two months, usually at her home, where everyone prepares a Thai specialty, another way of learning new recipes and techniques.

Chef Arora likes to innovate, as is evident with her monthly special menus (last summer she created a menu where each dish had mangoes in it). In the restaurant menu you can find a

variety of dishes under the chef ’s special tab.

“I like to put the dishes I can’t keep names for in this section.” And then there are her other creations, which she has attributed names to such as Kai Phrik Thai Dum (stir-fried chicken) and Pineapple Delight (this has been on the menu since day one), that are hot-sellers.

The most expensive dish at her restaurant is the Kung Nang Phad King (a lobster dish), priced at `2,750 (plus taxes), while a meal for two without alcohol is priced at `6,000 (plus taxes).

Towards the end of the interview, Chef Arora suddenly breaks into flawless Thai to address a colleague. Her smooth command over the language, combined with the freshly prepared aromatic concoctions, make me realize that she might be born an Indian but is a true Thai at heart. A perfect fit for The Spice Route, it almost feels like one would have been incomplete without the other.

Yum Woon Sen Kai Sup (Chicken salad)

2/3cup Thai glass noodles ¼cup

minced chicken

½cup

cherry tomatoes

1tbsp

chopped onion

¼cup

celery leaves and stems

4-5

green chillies

1tsp

chilli oil

To taste light soya sauce 1tsp

sugar

2/3tbsp lemon juice 5

iceberg lettuce leaves

1tsp

sri racha (Thai chilli sauce)

Method Soak the glass noodles in hot water till transparent; strain in a sieve. Slice onions, cherry tomatoes, celery,

and chillies. Sauté minced chicken in a wok (without oil) until cooked. Mix all the ingredients together; adjust the seasoning by adding sugar,

lemon juice, light soya sauce, chilli oil, and sri racha. It should be tangy and spicy.

Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Garnish with mint leaves.

53

GOURMET Ingredients

1cup

chicken breast, boneless

1tbsp

tempura flour (gogi)

1tsp

black peppercorn

1tsp

oyster sauce

1tsp

chopped garlic

1½tsp

oil

1½tsp

black soya

¼

capsicum (green)

¼

capsicum (red)

¼

capsicum (yellow)

Kai Phrik Thai Dum (Crispy stir-fried chicken)* Method Roast the black peppercorn and grind it. Slice the chicken into thin strips. Blanch the baby corn and cut into four, lengthwise. Dice the onions. Cut all the capsicums into thin strips,

3 pieces baby corn 1tbsp

diced onions

½tsp

salt

after removing the seeds. Pound the garlic. Dust chicken with tempura flour, add salt to it and deep fry, till it becomes crispy (don’t over do it, otherwise it will become hard). Pour oil into wok, add garlic, stir for a second.

Tom Cang Kho (Stir-fried jumbo prawns)

Method Peel prawns; keep tails intact.

Fry until light brown; keep aside. Cut spring onions and

coriander into two-inch pieces.

Roast the black peppercorn and grind it coarsely. Mince the garlic. Pour oil into the

wok, add garlic, prawns, then oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, coriander, spring onions, and roasted black pepper.

Khanom Saparos (Pineapple delight)

whole pineapple

APR — MAY 2013

1½tbsp palm sugar

54

½tsp

cinnamon powder

1tsp

rum

* To be served as an appetizer, or even as a main course with steamed rice.

Ingredients

Ingredients

½kg

Add chicken and all the vegetables, then sauces and black pepper. Adjust the seasoning.

Method Slice pineapple into two, and carve out the pulp from the shell, leaving it intact. Cut the fruit into small cubes. Add palm sugar, cinnamon powder, and rum. Put the pineapple cubes back into the fruit shell, wrap this in silver foil and charcoal grill for 10-15 minutes (till you get the aroma of the cooked pineapple). Serve hot with fresh cream and icecream.

This full-course Thai meal serves two people.

1tsp

chopped garlic

1tsp

chopped red chillies

2tsp

oil

1tsp

black peppercorn

1tsp

sugar

1tsp

fish sauce

1tsp

oyster sauce

4pieces jumbo prawns 1½tbsp coriander 1

spring onion

The man with the Midas touch, Virat Kohli has transformed his own game, and Team India’s. On the cusp of cricketing superstardom, he’s still a Delhi boy at heart, rooted in his values, holding dear his family and those who’ve supported him. Here, he talks about taming his aggression, embracing fame, and his idea of a perfect date.

Photographed by AJ Raina Styled by Ashish N Soni

Art Direction: Nikki Duggal Hair and Makeup: Vidya Tikari Assistant Photography: Irina Usova lly

APR — MAY 2013

Three-piece suit: Ashish N Soni Watch: Franck Muller Master Banker ‘White Gold’ Belt: Porsche Design

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COVER STORY VIRAT KOHLI

INTERVIEW BY &/$8',$ 75,0'( TEXT BY PRIYA KUMARI RANA

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ricket’s golden boy is just touching base in home town New Delhi for a football match for his brandnew charity for underprivileged children, the Virat Kohli Foundation. Team All Hearts (comprising of cricket players like MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, and Virat) is pitted against the All Stars (with actors such as Abhishek Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, and Aditya Roy Kapur) in a sold-out match slated for later in the evening at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium. (As it turns out, Virat’s team defeated Abhishek’s boys 4:3.) With his edgy side-buzz and tattooed forearms, the 24-yearold batting wonder’s style is more street than sleek, more Beckham than Bradman. Yet his eye rests firmly on the proverbial (crimson) ball, as he grabs a spot in the just-out top 10 ICC T20 rankings. On this cool spring day, the newly lean Virat pads about in his funky white Brazilian sneakers, as we catch up with him between shots.

You’re here to play a charity football match, for the Virat Kohli Foundation. Can you tell us a bit about this?

The Foundation aims to help underprivileged kids achieve what they want in life, in terms of education and sport. I know all about the importance of getting the right infrastructure and facilities, to become something in life.

It’s just a medium to help out those who can’t afford it. Tonight, we’re excited about the match: a lot of our guys love playing soccer, whenever they get the chance during warm-ups, and they play really well.

On your Twitter handle, you mentioned that you are a soccer fan. Whom do you root for?

My favourite team is Real Madrid. I’m also a fan of Manchester United, but a bigger fan of Real Madrid.

You’ve recently been ranked among the top 10 players in the world, at number eight, in the ICC T20 rankings. What’s your take on IPL Season 6?

IPL is a time that players enjoy, and it’s a format people love watching. It’s a famous league in India, and all over the world. All the

“People say I look serious and angry on the field. This agression comes to me naturally. As a child, I was never satisfied being second best; I always wanted to be the top scorer.” teams are strong, but of course I hope that our team, the Royal Challengers Bangalore, is the one to watch out for.

Your RCB coach Ray Jennings mentioned that your leading the RCB is a stepping stone to captaincy of team India… Is this true?

I don’t think about what I can’t control. I just work hard on my game and try to do well in every match; that’s my only aim.

You’re the youngest player to score the maximum 100s at 23. What is Virat’s secret?

People always say I look serious and angry on the field. This aggression comes to me naturally.

As a child, I was never satisfied being second best; I always wanted to score the maximum number of runs or be the top performer for my team. It’s the kind of motivation I’ve carried since I was little. It helps me set standards for myself, once I step on to the field. But it will be tougher and tougher to meet these challenges, going ahead.

When you start playing, you have a dream run, but then people start watching you and analyzing you. You catch their eye, and they focus on you, make things difficult, and try to get you out. So you need to keep improving every day, and tackle all the tactics that the other teams come out with. That is the challenge of international cricket.

What is your relationship with MS Dhoni like?

What kind of advice does he give you?

He was the Indian captain when I came in, so it felt awkward for me to go up to him and actually talk to him. When I played a few games, it eased out, and now I’m quite chilled out with him, and we get along pretty well.

He’s a calm and down-to-earth guy, very simple. It’s easy to connect with him; it’s a big quality that he has. He keeps giving me tips on the cricket field on how to remain calm.

There’s one thing I want to learn from him – there’s a line that you go along, and you can’t fluctuate too much. I’m getting close to that line of not fluctuating, and keeping out aggression and moods from the field.

What’s it like to play with cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar?

I’ve looked at that aspect (playing with Tendulkar) as living my dream, since I started playing cricket when I was eight. He was the guy who motivated me to put on that India jersey, and win games for India. Now I am getting to play with him, so I can’t ask for more. I just try to learn as much as I can from him, talk to him as often as I can, cherish every moment we get to spend together, both on and off the field.

Sachin does appear reserved, and he has to be, given the pressure he’s under and the achievements he’s notched up. He doesn’t say much, but he’s like a kid even now. He gets so excited when you discuss cricket with him on the field. He is passionate, yet he is so approachable.

In Team India who are your closest buddies, and who are your biggest rivals amongst the international players?

I am close to pretty much everyone, but these few are the ones I sit with, hang out with, and talk to: Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, MS Dhoni. Our biggest rivals in the past have been Pakistan and Australia. When you play against them, things get very competitive.

Who’s bowling is the most to be feared?

You can’t really tag someone as a dangerous bowler; if someone is doing well on a particular day, then it may be difficult to face that particular person. But I don’t fear any bowler.

When did you know you were going to be a cricket player?

I got my first chance to play for my state after five years of practice. I was picked for Delhi Under-15s when I was 13, and it’s a pretty difficult phase for parents who have to stay patient. Plus, you’re confused about where your career is going, if you are going to make it or not. When I was selected in 2006 to go to England for the India Under-19, that’s when I really thought I could make it big.

Were your parents supportive?

They were. My father was an advocate, so it was difficult for me not to concentrate on studies.

But when I began with the Under-19s, I played abroad six months out of 10. I was lucky they were supportive; it was obviously a difficult

58 A shot at glory: The mid-order batsman has a fondness for soccer; he loves playing during warm-ups, and is fan of Real Madrid.

APR — MAY 2013

Jeans and T-shirt: Ashish N Soni Sneakers: Virat’s own Watch: Panerai Special Edition Luminor Submersible Chrono 1,000m Slytech

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APR — MAY 2013

COVER STORY VIRAT KOHLI

Shirt and suit: Ashish N Soni

60Watch: Breguet La Tradition

situation for them as well. They didn’t know where their kid was going, whether he was going to make it to the Indian team or not.

Sadly my father wasn’t around when I was selected for the Indian team. He passed away when I was 17, and I was picked when I was 19.

So I was with my mom at home on the day the team was to be selected, and I was just flipping news channels. I didn’t expect to be in the team, because I hadn’t done well that IPL season, although I had performed well in Australia.

But then I saw the news, and got a call from the BCCI: I didn’t know how to react. It was a dream come true. We were in shock! We started getting calls from everywhere, and it took two days for it to sink in.

You’re a Delhi boy – what do you love about the city? Where would one find Virat on a Saturday night?

Delhi has given me everything. I have grown up here, so it’s very close to my heart. I can’t see myself living anywhere else, in India or abroad.

Delhi is the place for me.

I spend ample time at home, so I do go out on weekends with friends, but rarely. In Delhi, places keep changing every six months, as you know, so I don’t have a particular favourite. I like Megu at The Leela in Chanakyapuri, and I like TKs at The Hyatt. I love Japanese food.

You have a lot of tattoos. Are you thinking of getting inked in New Zealand?

Yeah, I am planning to. I have four tattoos as of now. I got two of them when I was not in my complete senses (laughs). I didn’t plan it; it was very spontaneous. I regret having them! But there’s one more I want to get in New Zealand: there, they do tattoos on your life – you tell them your life story, and they draw it out. We’re going to New Zealand early next year, so I’ll get it done then. It will be an extension of the existing tattoo on my arm, as a full sleeve.

What is your fitness routine?

If I’m home for a week, I’ll be in the gym for five days, two hours a day. I mix up my regime with weights, cardio, and core sessions. I make sure I give myself two days of proper rest, and follow a strict diet.

What is a good diet to follow?

You need to keep a check on how many calories you’ve burnt in a day, and how many you’ve eaten, if you want to get thinner. If you burn 800 and end up eating 2,000, there is no point! Whenever I want to lose weight, I eat 100 calories less than what I burn, so the results show quicker. Eat a healthy diet, stuff that gives you energy. If you want tasty food, then you can forget about losing weight! You really need to make lots of sacrifices.

A player and a gentleman: Kohli enjoys wearing fitted suits to evening dos, “just like every other guy”.

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APR — MAY 2013

COVER STORY VIRAT KOHLI

62Suit: Ashish N Soni

Do you get enough time to spend with your family, and what do you miss most while you are on tour?

I don’t get to spend enough time with them; it’s how my life has turned out. I won’t complain, I am quite happy the way things are going. Sometimes when things are not going well on tour, you don’t want to talk about the game, and you just want to be with people who love you. That’s something I really miss. And when I get back, it’s such a great feeling. I have a playful dog, a Beagle, and my nephew’s growing up (he’s almost four), so I love being home.

We read somewhere that you like to help your mom in the kitchen…

I would love to learn how to cook, because I’ve been on my own quite a while. I know what I want to eat, so it’s best if I can cook it myself.

Then you know how you want it to taste, and how it shouldn’t be too oily.

Has it been easy to embrace all this fame and success, or has it had an effect on you?

I don’t choose to think about anything apart from cricket and my family. I don’t choose to look at things written or said about me. I don’t want to fly in the air (laughs); I know where I come from, my roots, and that I have to stay grounded. I have come this far because of how hard I’ve worked. So I know my values, and I never drift away from that. Obviously, life changes. A few things have changed in the last one year, and it’s because of what I’ve done on the field. So I respect that, and choose to stay in my zone, work hard on cricket, stay with my family, and enjoy being with my friends. I am

What did you buy from your very first cricket earnings?

I gave my first cricket earnings – `3,500 – to my mom, when I was playing for the Delhi Under-15 team. Later, I collected enough money to buy myself a Tata Safari. It feels nice to earn something; when you do that, you realize the value of it.

What kind of cars do you like? Sports cars or SUVs? Do you like motorcycles?

I like both. I am fond of SUVs as well as sports cars. But I am definitely a car person, because I don’t think bikes are safe for me.

Who’s been your biggest role model, the one who’s encouraged you?

My brother’s stuck around since I started playing at 13 for Delhi. He travelled everywhere to watch my games. He was always keen to see how I was doing, to make sure I’m feeling good before the game. He’d keep talking to me, motivating me. If I told him not to talk about the game, he would tell everyone in the family, “Don’t call and talk about cricket to him; don’t tell him what happened, and what went wrong.” My coach Raj Kumar Sharma has also been a big support. I am still with him, 16 years later. He’s been a pillar of strength to me, and been with me through thick and thin.

not into being seen at the ‘happening’ parties and places in town. Life does change, but one needs to be grounded throughout.

Who are your friends, any school friends?

No, I have a lot of cricket friends, because I spent a lot of time with them. I have a few friends who played with me when I was playing Under-15 for Delhi. I still hang out with them.

Your idea of a perfect woman and a perfect date?

For me, it’s all about someone who is understanding, because of the kind of lifestyle I have. It’s difficult to be with someone who’s on the go the whole time, it takes a lot of sacrifice.

Someone who is patient and calm would be ideal for someone who has a life like me.

I keep changing my mind as to where my dream date would be. Right now, a dream location for a dream date would be on an island with a candle-lit dinner by the beach, and with no one else around. Because I am usually surrounded people all the time, I would really want to be in a quiet place.

Your idea of the perfect holiday destination?

I would love to go to Barcelona and Paris. And South Africa is the best place in the world – just being there and playing cricket is amazing.

Which sportsman or woman do you hold in high esteem?

I was really inspired by the late Ayrton Senna, the Formula One champion. I saw his documentary and I just connected to his mindset. An interviewer once asked him, “Your style of driving is very rough, what do you have to say about it?” He replied, “I don’t go out there to play politics; I go there to win a race. And a race is won when you cross everyone else at the finish line. So I don’t care about people talking about my driving style – I just go out there to win every race.”

What is your personal style? What do you like to wear for a casual day, and to a formal event?

Like most guys, I love wearing fitted suits at night. On a casual day, I can be in a pair of pyjamas, chappals, and a T-shirt. I don’t care about brands. I am like that – I buy everything, and end up wearing simple clothes. I love shoes as well. These Brazilian trainers I’m wearing are very comfortable – I just bought them from Dubai. I have loads of sneakers at home, and I love mine in white. I end up buying 3-4 pairs everywhere I go.

Can you name three wardrobe essentials you can’t live without?

My sneakers, chinos, and V-neck T-shirts.

Any advice to young budding cricketers?

Be passionate about what you are doing, and work as hard as possible. There is no substitute for hard work. If you work towards it, you will get the results.

Are you dating anyone right now?

I am pretty much single. (Grins.)

Two to tango: Cricket’s youngest star imagines a candle-lit dinner on a secluded beach as his most romantic moment.

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FA SHION PROFILE

MISTER MINAUDIÈRE GABRIELECORTOMOLTEDO INTERVIEW BY &/$8',$ 75,0'( / PHOTOGRAPHED BY HARI NAIR

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cion of the family that founded Bottega Veneta, this young designer is already making waves in Europe with his eponymous line of embellished, luxe bags and clutches. In India for a private preview of his best-loved pieces, he talks about his specially designed totes, the stories behind them, and what inspires his creativity.

So we would have to travel to Milan or Paris to get these. (Laughs.) Do you see India as a big market for your bags? They are, of course exclusive, and aren’t yet available here.

This is my second time here. I was here a couple of years ago, did two small events to test the market – one in Mumbai and one in Delhi – and they went extremely well. My return is partly due to that success. A lot of Indians are coming to Italy to shop, so I figured this is the right time to be back and offer my designs. As we saw last night, they were very well received, so there is definitely a market.

Do you always do trunk shows?

I only do trunk shows; I call them private previews. It offers me a way of meeting my client in person, and letting her know exactly what my collection is, in an open discussion.

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Your designs have been very well received in Paris, where you opened your first boutique at the Palais Royal. Bold, elegant, with technical expertise, and lots of sex appeal – is that how you see your brand?

Yes, exactly that way. As a brand, I see it differently every season, but this past and coming summer collections are more a study of form and function, with simple, clean lines.

It’s all about structure and design, from the inside out. A lot of research goes into the materials used and the way the bags are put together; I am currently using exotic skins –

Born into a design family and educated in New York, Gabrielecorto Moltedo has wowed the world with his chic totes and clutches for women. He tells Le CITY deluxe about his métier, discovering India, and his real-life hero.

snake skin, python skin, with lambskin. Most of it is illegal in India.

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The designer poses next to his Susan C Star in snake silver/ Nappa black.

It’s the start of a friendship that gives them something over and above what other brands are giving – a living being.

Who is the perfect Corto Moltedo woman?

Someone that has experience, is sharp, very wellinformed, and searching for something that is not mainstream. Someone who appreciates and understands how much time and effort we have put into creating one design. Mine is a very small brand, just under the radar, without the heavyweight marketing of some of the bigger brands, so if someone can come in and say I want a Corto Moltedo, it’s a leap of faith.

How many bags do you launch per season?

Last fall, I introduced 30 new clutches and at least 10 day bags, which is quite a lot. But my clients know that they are produced in very small numbers, so they know they have a unique piece. But it won’t remain like this forever.

Can you tell us a bit about your ‘Cassette’ bag?

Where did the inspiration for this come from?

I used to enjoy spending endless hours and days standing in front of cassette displays, at HMV or Tower Records in New York, trying to find the right cassette I wanted to take home that day.

One day, I thought of making a special clutch for housing them.

It’s a beautiful clutch. Doesn’t it also feature in the Corto Moltedo pool-party video clip?

We come out with short films every year. We are about to shoot our next one, where we’ve assembled a crew of characters. Each film follows my vision and my director’s. It was funny the way he shot it: he would say ‘roll’ after he had finished filming, so it would be ‘roll’ and then ‘cut’.

Which has been your best collaboration so far?

Collaborations are always a bit difficult; they are fun to do, but you need someone like-minded who actually visualizes the finished product. Tom Binns was the first one we did something with. Here we had a jeweller, and an artisan – a bagmaker – come together, and we meshed our ideas together. He lives in L.A. so I travelled there to meet him; we used his hardware and my software, and mixed the two to create drama and irony. That’s how the ‘Susan Sunday Best’ box clutch came about. We also did sunglasses called Illesteva. This was nice because we weren’t just working on my bags but somebody else’s products. Now, launching this summer, I’m doing a new bag with Tom Binns.

“I like a woman who is sharp, wellinformed, and appreciates how much effort we’ve put into one design.”

But would you ever remake a clutch like the rosary-draped ‘Susan Sunday Best’?

We already did, with tweaks in colour and material, so that the people who bought the original had their limited edition. I have just made a smaller limited edition for spring summer, called ‘Time Machine’, at €35,000 a piece. For this, I got together with George Bamford from the Bamford Watch Department.

George founded this company 10 years ago, and has this technique of blackening metal

with a special PVD coating, so he buys watches from brands like Rolex, Omega, and Patek Philippe, and customizes them. I don’t know if you’ve seen his black Rolexes. Initially I wanted to work on his Rolexes, but we took it to the next level and ended up making something more elegant.

We found five pre-war WW2 pocketwatches, that we meshed with the bag. This became the ‘Time Machine’. We used black python and crocodile, lined with red silk and solid brass.

We completely re-did the watch inside; George blackened it, and we took the mechanical pieces of the watches and displayed it on the bag, with a bit of sparkle. We made five such ‘Time Machines’. It’s a fantasy ride, so whoever purchases a piece can have their name engraved on it, along with the time and place they want to travel to. So here is a vintage men’s watch placed on an amazing clutch. Who could ask for more?

Is there a team that keeps abreast of what’s going on worldwide, technology-wise, for any future collaborations?

Yes, it’s a big team, like one thousand soldiers, and you’re looking at it. (Laughs.) It takes a while to chase people, but once the final product is ready, it’s usually worth it. I am very lucky.

Your early years? How did you get into design?

My parents moved to America in the late ’60s, and I was born in New York. At the time, there was a big blackout in the City. Have you seen the movie Summer of Sam? It was all about that. And because my parents travelled in the country for work, I would go with them. I studied art history at NYU, and then marketing

Top left: The iconic Time Machine Susan clutch designed with authentic Rolex pieces, is priced at €35,000.

Right, top and bottom: Two clutches from Moltedo’s Susan C Star collection. Right, middle: The Susan Shock clutch in yellow neon patent.

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and communications at Miami. I took a few sketching classes, but I have had no formal training in design. I was two when I designed my first bag, since my mum had so many bags around the house. And at 10, I stapled together my first bag, with leftover pieces. My parents asked me: “Are you sure you want to do this?”, when I was starting out, and now I can’t stop…

What was the reaction to your first launch?

I launched my brand’s first collection in Paris, in 2004. In our first collection we showed shoes, clothes, and bags. We showed to the press and buyers, and they wanted to buy exclusively.

When the orders started coming in, I realized that my assistant and I were not enough to alone produce all the stuff… When you sample products, you see if they work, and if factories stock them. The actual hard work was not meeting the deliveries; with a delivery is also your word to be on time. So I had to pick what I wanted to do; I had to cut out clothing and shoes and only concentrate on bags. I would eventually like to add those categories back.

business and pleasure… I had come for the wedding of one of my best friends from New York, an Indian guy. I didn’t even end up going to that wedding; we went to other weddings in Mumbai, Delhi, and Jaipur!

You mentioned that you’re a lucky man. You get to wake up in Florence. Tell us about your typical day.

The first thing I hear when I awake are the church bells. They’re incessant, and very close by.

I live right by the Ferragamo building. But my day is spent outside the city because my atelier is 10-15 minutes outside town. So I leave every morning and return around 7-8pm, just in time for sunset. Florence is magical, which is why I stay there. I have a beautiful kitchen. It’s the first thing I designed in my house, and it’s become the focal point.

Do you like Indian food; any favourite dishes?

All of them! Biryani, butter chicken. I personally enjoy tandoori chicken.

Does your inspiration come from Florence or other travels?

I have designed things in a way that I can afford to travel. I love to have breakfast every day in a different place. In Florence you get the craftsmanship, because the people are very hard workers. It’s ingrained into their DNA...

There is so much to be inspired by from every culture we see. Last night we got inspired by the butt-shaped loo at stylist Pernia Qureshi’s house. So you might see some of that in my next collection.

Seriously, do you have any modern-day inspirations?

There is one guy who is doing every possible thing – from photography to books, fashion shows, perfume – he’s German, and his name is Karl Lagerfeld.

What is it that you love about coming to India?

This is my second time, and it’s very exotic.

The first time I came with the excuse of a little

Do you try to take any time off ?

I try to. As much as possible. Most business is usually sans the pleasure. However, I have designed things in such a way that I can afford to travel. When I want to relax, I like to do yoga, pilates, and play tennis.

Any modern-day heroes that you look up to?

Batman, perhaps?

Is that what you envision yourself to be?

No, but I am jealous. I am jealous of the organization that Lagerfeld has put in place.

Every time you pick up a magazine, he’s everywhere, doing something new. He’s a hero in the business sense.

If you weren’t designing, what would you do?

I would shut down and…I can’t even tell you.

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Do you have any particular person or design in your mind when you create a bag?

Usually I base it on my friends and their needs and persona. Whether it is my best friend Trisha, or stylist friends, I have gone about them that way. For example the little ‘Susan’ bags are named after my friend Susan. So I started keeping in mind their needs, right down to the little details, like the lining inside, the mirrors, the zip pockets. These need to be updated. For our last summer collection we started putting

a longer, larger, inside super pocket, as well as the zipper. Even a small change is huge, for a company like us, because of stock levels, possible problems in mounting, and other silly things that come up.

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From left to right: Gabrielecorto Mortedo; The Priscilla New in goat cherokee; A model flaunts Moltedo's Cassette Big Clutch.

FA SHION SPEAK

Rajesh Pratap Singh

This self-effacing, Rajasthan-born couturier talks to Le CITY deluxe about his ‘clean’ aesthetics, his many inspirations, and the need to modernize traditional Indian weaves.

Marquis of Minimalism

INTERVIEW BY &/$8',$ 75,0'( / PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID MATTHIESSEN

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it’s best to keep quiet, and I’ve never worked with the media to promote my brand. People should know the product. We give ourselves far too much importance when we put ourselves before the product. I’m not a very ‘out there’ person.

There are a few colleagues I work with, and I have my family friends, so I’m happy to stick to them.

You are known for being reclusive. Is that your nature, or do you like to stay away from media?

What rubbish! You know this is not true…

When you don’t have something serious to say,

Congratulations on your association with Woolmark, on being named their brand ambassador. You showed an ingenious wool collection at the recent Wills India Lifestyle Fashion Week in New Delhi. Can you tell us about that?

I did a wool-centric, Woolmark-associated show for both men and women. We are trying

resh from a spectacular showing at the recent Wills India Lifestyle Fashion Week in New Delhi, where he displayed clever pattern permutations in his Fall Winter 2013 collection, Rajesh Pratap Singh never fails to hit the bull’s eye. We caught up with the designer to find out how he has transcended the role of designer to step into a larger role as an unofficial patron of textiles and now wool, helping bridge the gap between traditional craft and commercial interest.

to mix merino wool with Indian crafts, so the collection revolved around that. This was a technique-driven show; we didn’t work with any handspun wool, but high-tech wool blended with traditional tie-dye and ikat. So it’s a texture-driven, knit-inspired collection, about the different uses of wool, and how we’ve adapted wool and taken Indian traditions a step further. World War II jackets are still being worn in Rajasthan, with that beautiful rural styling. People in Himachal and Kumaon wear a Western jacket with traditionalwear – I find these things inspiring, and a very pure style. Or how when you drive in Delhi on a cold winter day, people on the streets who don’t even have their basics, wear wool. I find that so stylish.

84 The designer at his Faridabad factory, next to the board on which he pins his inspirations Ω swatches, photos, and drawings.

The Woolmark association started a couple of months back, and since I work with several wool and textile mills in India, this was something that was on the anvil. This is the first time they’re having a wool ambassador for India – for some strange reason they thought I was the right person to work with.

You’ve been inspired by rock and roll, going by your showing a few seasons ago at the Van Heusen Men’s Week, and the dark, gothic theme.

What makes you decide on a theme for your collection?

It just happens. Rock and roll is like nursery rhymes for us – our generation grew up with rock and roll. We may not understand Britney Spears, but we know our Led Zeppelin and Guns N’ Roses.

Music has always been an important part of our lives.

I work with musicians from all over the world. For that particular show, I wanted to give a twist to Indian techniques, and have some references to rock and roll, especially The Rolling Stones.

You were born in Rajasthan. How many years did you spend there?

I was born in a place called Sri Ganganagar, which is in Rajasthan, but lies on the border of Punjab, Pakistan, and Haryana. It’s a strange place, a melting pot of the Indian Wild West. I was educated in Jaipur, and after school, I came to Delhi. (I consider myself half Rajput and half Punjabi now!) I went to Sriram College of Commerce, then NIFT. While in school, I was inspired to create clothes by a cousin doing the costumes for the BBC serial The Far Pavilions. But being a designer was never on my agenda. Then I worked with people like Martand Singh and Rakesh Thakore, on textile-oriented innovations.

I completed a stint in Italy too. At fashion school, you learn to get your basics right. We had a good batch and great teachers. There were 30 of us, and only 23 of us made it to the end. Ours was an interesting batch… Suneet Varma taught us. Everyone was super talented: Manish Arora, Namrata Joshipura, Himanshu Dogra, Payal Jain. Tejinder Singh was the brightest; unfortunately he passed away.

reason for what you do. Just slapping things on surfaces is not a good idea. I fail in this respect most of the times.

You are one of the pioneers of the pin-tuck shirt. A lot of designers like to do this shirt.

What led to its success?

I can’t say I invented pin-tucking – it was being done before me – but I fooled around with it a bit more than others, experimenting with it and doing variations with stripes. What I did do was introduce gradations in pin-tucking, a 3-D technique. My pieces were menswear-oriented.

What’s the famous Pratap cut all about? What design rules do you follow?

It’s all about simple, minimal lines. Every seam should have a reason. Ornamentation for the sake of ornamentation is not ideal. Purity and cleanliness are important. There has to be a

Can you tell us about your journey through textiles?

I was born in a place where cotton is grown. As mentioned before, I was lucky enough to work with Singh and Thakore, and I saw the techniques and crafts used in making Indian textiles. Then I saw high-tech production, and things like yarn-making and weaving, in India and abroad. I found it hypnotizing and therapeutic. When you look at Indian textiles, there are thousands of people who know more than I do, but I do see the power of design and what it can do to turn lives in India, as far as handlooms are concerned. It just takes you 15 minutes to sketch an idea – and this can transform the livelihood of a million people, but I don’t claim to be running an NGO. What people have evolved as a craft has to be respected, and needs to be adapted and modernized, and contributed to. That is how I am involved.

For denim and indigo, I have worked closely with Arvind Mills, who love to experiment.

For wool, I’ve been working with Raymond’s and Uniworth. I also work with mills like Oswal, and some other mills in Ludhiana. I’ve been working with a natural indigo dye, and I’ve done a denim line, which has been totally handmade and handstitched, with minimal machine intervention. We also have a line of pure khadi, again created with no modern machinery. It’s all handwoven and handspun.

Production is very limited, and we make it for 2-3 stores in the world, like Colette. It’s for a very select clientele that understands

Top: A Pratap dress-coat hangs on a mannequin at his Faridabad factory; Bottom: The designer is known for his penchant for leather chappals. Right: The factory is replete with rows of handlooms operated by locally employed weavers.

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FA SHION SPEAK

Do you rework the fabric itself ?

I don’t know if I can reinvent anything…

Rather than playing with fabric out of a mill, I like to get involved at the fibre stage – where this comes from, how we can affect it, as far as spinning the yarn is concerned. Can we give it a different finish or weave it in a certain way?

Because we work from scratch, our variables are limited.

What is the future of our crafts in the long run?

How does one modernize this ancient art?

I’m not trying to be a revivalist. Textiles need a clean, commercial aesthetic. I am not trying to put them in the museum; I am not good enough for that.

Ultimately the textile ministry can contribute, but private entrepreneurship is the only way out.

You can’t have people living solely on subsidies.

Unfortunately, we’re losing a lot of skilled artisans: most of the handloom work in Benaras is disappearing. We’ve lost a lot of skills already. I am not going to sit and cry over it. Rather, we’ll see what is the virtue of a handloom – how does it score over a powerloom? Does it have any advantages? How can a weaver sustain his skill?

How can a particular piece have mass appeal?

We need to use it in a way that it can exist, rather than sit within the walls of a museum. If there are no answers, that piece of textile can go.

Which are the places in India where you’ve worked with local yarnmakers?

I’ve worked everywhere. Ladakh, from where I get my supply of raw fibre, tops my list.

With its history of pashmina and cashmere, it’s magical. At that height, there’s so much hardship and labour involved in creating the yarn, and so much blood that goes into the fibre. The plant in Leh is not of great quality; it’s more a consortium of shepherds who come and sell wool. We ensure they get a fair price for the fibre, and we’re also trying to get collaborations for them outside India. There are no designers involved – this is something the World Bank and textile ministry were spearheading. I came in much later, when I was asked by the International Wool Secretariat (Woolmark’s old name). Pravin Patel (who headed the company) is no more, but I am still involved at a personal level. I’m also involved in places like Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and West Bengal. Apart from Orissa, none of my collaborations are with the government.

The one in Orissa was headed by Rita Kapoor Chisti, who’s authored a book on the sari. I am still in touch with the weavers there, and my association is there for good.

What is the one textile you are enamoured of ?

I can go from low-tech to high-tech. I love ikat.

Ikat, even in pure muslin gets me going.

You’ve showcased in Paris. Do they appreciate Indian textiles in the West?

Honestly, they don’t give a damn. They are all commercial people. Fashion is not interested in a lot of things we’re interested in (like textile revival). Besides liking a colour or a silhouette, in the West they are interested in prices. People here understand textiles, and we have respect for them.

I have now stopped doing shows in Paris. We sell there, and have a showroom.

That is where our wholesale business takes place. We show during Paris Fashion Week, the Men’s Week in Florence, with some carried over to Milan. In Italy, it’s just menswear. In Paris, we show menswear and womenswear.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

How do ideas come to you?

Evolving what’s important to you – your personal style – for me, it’s really basic, at the ground level, clean, grounded, very ‘there’. That is the core.

Everything comes around it. Nature is important.

Mountains and deserts do it for me. I love to trek and climb; I used to be seriously into it.

The most basic thing is the sari. Do you see a return of the sari? And is it bling or handloom?

Did the sari ever go away? Indira Gandhi wore a lot of handloom and printed saris. Unlike other countries’ traditional garb, our women won’t get rid of their saris. The sari is very elegant, and has so many reasons to exist. It’s not going away so easily. Even urban young women are discovering its beauty and virtue. Traditional designs can be stunning, but a lot can go. An evolution needs to take place, in terms of better-quality yarn, fibre, and durability. I have been trying to get muslin right for a while, since I was with Rahul Jain, who’s a genius with textiles. I’ve seen Indian muslin in London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, that is 200 years old. When I saw that, it was a big slap on my face. Maybe we need to see how they did it, rather than do something new. Was it patience, was it the time that went into making it? I believe that time is the biggest luxury.

Can you summarize your design philosophy?

I don’t think about design philosophy; I like to solve problems. Most of the time, I fail.

Everything has to have a reason.

I am trying to have a point of view and contribute. Weavers must stand on their own feet. We can give people employment, whether they work directly or indirectly for us. Thousands like me need to get involved.

Your wife Payal showcases her own collections since last season. Do you encourage her?

I encouraged her as much as she encouraged me! She’s got her own refined style.

What is next for brand Rajesh Pratap Singh?

I can’t plan things. My job is to keep working on what I do, keep refining it. Next up, is a home line we’re working on.

86 Top and bottom: From Rajesh Pratap Singh’s Fall/Winter 2013 collection shown at the Wills India Lifestyle Fashion Week in New Delhi.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY FASHION DESIGN COUNCIL OF INDIA

fabric. These things get me going; this is what can generate employment. We can make an amazing product, something that is beyond fashion.

FA SHION NEWS

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY CORNELIANI

Measure of a Man As the 70-year-old Italian luxe line of bespoke menswear continues to address the sartorial demands of Indian men, Le CITY deluxe chats with its heir Cristiano Corneliani about the fine art of tailoring.

TEXT BY Claudia Trimde

APR — MAY 2013

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s partakers of the six-pack culture that has swept our nation, with easy access to international brands, Indian men are learning to savour their suits as much as their single malts.

“Indian customers are already big travellers, great spenders who enjoy the refined things in life…but they are also changing their buying attitudes more and more towards Italian elegance, at least when they travel abroad,” says Cristiano Corneliani in a conversation from Mantua, in the Lombardy province of Italy.

The global sales director and direct descendant of the Italian brand’s founders,

sees a growing demand for luxury menswear in the Capital. It comes as no surprise then, that the Italian label switched partners from Blues Clothing Company to the OSL group to continue their association with Indian aficionados. “Our previous partners entered into financial difficulties in the last two years. We tried to support them, but in the end, the only right decision for our brand’s reputation was finding a new, solid, reliable partner,” he says.

The luxury label’s dreams are not satiated with their four made-to-measure stores in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, but continue to establish a more holistic connection with India

by weaving classic Indian styles into Italian fabrics for their SS 2014 collection. “Those fantastically coloured Indian silk fabrics are certainly something I would like to experiment with in the future,” says Corneliani, who has visited the country several times, and claims to love everything about it (apart from the custom duties): “I love the amazing energy of India, and believe it shares the common value with Italy of a very ancient culture, a great historical heritage.”

As innovations continue to spin under the Corneliani marque, the label has also adopted nanotechnology to produce beautiful suits,

The heir to and global sales director of Italian fashion house Corneliani, Cristiano Corneliani makes a stylish statment.

which might prove to be an advantage in our tropical climate. “This is a next-gen finishing process of the yarn that renders the production of fabric completely water- and stain-repellent,” says Corneliani. “It does not affect the hand of the fabric or its look, but creates 15 per cent of natural elasticity without using artificial fibres, thus ensuring exceptionally comfortable garments that are surprisingly light, yet create perfect volume. I remember the days when we thought comfort could only be derived from ample volumes at the expense of form,” he says, while the emphasis today is on light, deconstructed suits. “But the use of these fabrics today guarantees garments with an exclusive fit…and can justifiably call themselves thoroughly impeccable.”

Even as the craft of su misura clothing is subject to changes and developments in technology and style, for Corneliani, it does not waver from its mission of delivering a suit that fits like a ‘second skin’. “You have to look at a man and understand the image he is looking for, instead of just thinking about a model suit,” says Corneliani. “Sometimes, we arrive at more than 60 alterations to please our customer.”

The initiation into the process begins with exacting measurements, where volumes and proportions are calculated, and the client’s specific wishes are taken into consideration, and then sent to Corneliani’s headquarters in Mantua. “Today’s man is extremely imageconscious, and spends much more time and energy getting it right,” says Cristiano.

“Consequently the cut of the suits has also changed, and has become more figurehugging and slender, to emphasize a man’s silhouette and sex appeal.” He points out that such aspects were exclusively feminine in the past, but as new style models are introduced each year and re-interpreted by different brands, the only constant for a luxury brand that remains from the past to future trends is to deliver sartorial quality: “Fashion is many things, but there is only one elegance,” he states simply.

A Corneliani jacket has to undergo 164 stages before it is finished, and a perfect made-tomeasure suit takes three weeks, on an average, to produce. “The ironing alone is repeated 40 times, while the production process includes 27 handcrafted stages as well as 548 hand stitches.”

Five intermediate test stages punctuate this process, as do several quality-control checks.

For every (hand-finished) garment, there is a plethora of materials for clients to select from: “There are approximately 100 precious exclusive fabrics from 210s to cashmere and silk-cashmere mixes, from vicuna to very fine linens, in almost 500 different colours!” says Corneliani.

Having dressed distinguished personalities such as Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, as well as other celebrities (from Nobel prize-winners to Hollywood stars and leading sportsmen over the years), couture is, according to Corneliani, in his DNA. “Fashion is the oxygen I have always been breathing since I was a child.”

Known as a sharply dressed man himself, Corneliani’s personal sense of style is conservative in terms of classic Italian tailoring, with a modern touch – he is always looking for the most fashionable fit and silhouette. He also enjoys simple luxuries such as driving his Aston Martin around the Italian countryside or connecting with nature by spending an entire day diving in the Maldives, or riding his Harley Davidson through the Sahara desert. But he believes that true style should be natural, immaculate, and discreetly luxurious: “Most people think of luxury as a lifestyle or something behavioural to buy and consume. For me personally, luxury is more akin

to a concept of wellbeing, one that has as much to do with the physical aspect as the mental…my final goal is never to possess something expensive but to make a dream come true.”

Corneliani’s dream of establishing the art of bespoke tailoring amidst Indian aficionados cuts across today’s fast-changing style and weight-loss trends, which puzzle even the most steadfast connoisseur’s palate for couture. His simple principle on which this dream is based – “elegance is a permanent attitude, not a trend or a rule that can or should be easily broken” – is certainly something to mull over with a scotchon-the-rocks for company.

Cristiano Corneliani’s style tips: I pay attention to an elegant and conservative matching between my suits, shirts, belts, and shoes.

I only let my fantasy run amok where my tie and pocket square are concerned.

The shirt sleeve can only be one centimetre longer than my jacket sleeve.

The jacket must always have real button holes.

Above: The production process of a Corneliani jacket includes 548 hand stitches; Below: The Corneliani family.

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Goddess of light

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o speak of Shakira, is to speak of music, rhythm and sensuality. At 34, she has risen to become one of the most internationally renowned performers, following an extensive professional career that has produced a string of hits, which are danced to the world over. Few people know her by her full name; Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, knowing her simply as “Shakira”, the diminutive diva from Columbia who has stormed the music charts for over 15 years.

Aged just 14, she recorded her first album “Magia”, which didn’t achieve its hoped-for chart success but nonetheless revealed the young star to be a truly great singer. Her next album “Peligro”, released 2 years later suffered the same fate. It was “Pies Descalzos” released in 1996 that finally brought her international acclaim, launching the craze for her exotic hip-shaking dance moves.

Shakira moved on from being the young hopeful appearing in TV talent contests and international music festivals, and finally found herself on her way to achieving the star status she had always craved. The young Columbian singer had her years of hard work recognised when she received a series of Billboard Latin Music Awards including Best New Artist. Her next album “Donde están los ladrones” went platinum, followed by “Laundry Service” which shot to #1 in the charts. The “Oral Fixation volumes 1 & 2” albums and “She Wolf ” album, whose music video captures her in all her

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sensuous glory dancing sinuously inside a gold cage, truly established her as a star possessed not only with a strikingly unique voice, but as a sizzling performer; Alejandro Sanz and Rafael Nadal were able to observe at first hand when they collaborated in a couple of her music videos.

In addition to achieving recognition for her musical talent, Shakira is also renowned for her humanitarian work. Making use of her fame and maximising on the impact of her name, she has lent her support to several charitable organisations and causes. It was under her instigation in 2006 that the ALAS foundation (Latin America in Solidarity Action) was set up, which counts with the support of other major Latino artists. It is also thanks to her “Barefoot Foundation” that around 5.500 of Columbia’s poorest children will receive a proper education. These are just some examples of the artist’s own philanthropic initiatives and her involvement with countless others.

When it comes to her personal life, Shakira has always been the height of discretion and has rarely posed before the cameras or sold exclusive interviews. Fiercely protective of her privacy, she nonetheless found it impossible to avoid being in the spotlight throughout her 11-year relationship with Antonio de la Rúa, son of former Argentine President, Fernando de la Rúa. In January 2011 they confirmed their separation via a press release, triggering rumours and speculation about her

possible relationship with Barcelona Football Club player, Gerard Piqué. This was followed by the singer’s move to Barcelona, which saw her hounded by the press and paparazzi, hungry for news of this possible romance. Finally the muchawaited photograph was published, which saw the couple openly strolling hand in hand through the city for everyone to see, thus confirming their relationship. As proof of the happiness she has found in Barcelona she greeted the crowds at the start of her last concert in the Palau Sant Jordi stadium saying how happy she was to be in Barcelona, adding in Catalan “I too am from Catalonia”, in reference to her mother’s Catalan roots. She has also mentioned her desire to learn the Catalan language on more than one occasion, which leads us to believe that the Columbian singer truly feels at home in Barcelona.

Thanks to “Waka-Waka” the official theme song of the football World Cup in South Africa, if there were still people out there who did not know of the artist, it has been this song, released both in Spanish and English, that half the world danced to in support of their team. It’s now the turn of “The Sun Comes Out” her latest work, which she will be performing at a concert in Barcelona on the 29th May. Shakira is now a worldwide phenomenon. Hers is undoubtedly a prophetic name: Shakira means “full of grace” and “goddess of light”

RÖPORTAJ

KORAY MALHAN

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“A designer has to have his or her own stand, a world view and a story to tell.”

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e have talked with Koray Malhan of Koleksiyon Mobilya’s second generation management and design team about the future of design and creativity.

First, we would like to find out more about the history of Koleksiyon Mobilya (Collection Furniture) and your participation in this venture with an active role.

The humble story of Koleksiyon goes back to early 70’s to a small metal workshop in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Today, we witness a tremendous growth pattern as a design-focused brand with around 700 employees, its headquarters at Tarabya, Istanbul, widespread sales outlets, representatives overseas and a recently opened showroom in London.

However, it is little difficult to define the start of my relationship with Koleksiyon. I was born in a house where design, art and architecture were the main topics of our daily conversation. As I grew up, I was always in an environment filled with creative stories and disciplines. Naturally, this has been instrumental in shaping up my life.

I studied industrial design in the university and I have a long story which starts from Koleksiyon’s workshop to top management. This has enabled me to see the work from different perspectives and feel the values in its plain format.

Have you faced any challenges in establishing your career being the son of Faruk Malhan – one of the most important personalities in design and architecture in Turkey?

I can say that this has even brought luck to me – not a difficulty. Faruk Malhan is known to be one of the names who has ended design being an instrument to the industry but brought the industry to the good use of design. That is why I can also reveal that moving forward with him in this journey, completing tasks that are in line with the spirit of design and embracing a trait through which you focus on fine details are all very much valuable to me.

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RK ü l t ü r & s anat

Koleksiyon Mobilya’s workforce includes many designers from different countries and cultures. Is this something on purpose?

What is important for us is that the designer should have his/her own stand, view of life and a story to tell. Of course, as Koleksiyon we also have our own stand and line. We work with all sorts of people who share our way of thinking.

With respect to geography, design knows no boundaries. As our world becomes more globalized, we think that being ‘nourished’ by different geographies is equally important and we move accordingly. One of the clear examples is our Co-creation Philosophy. For over four years, our design team headed by Faruk Malhan and myself come together with leading design teams from countries such as Germany, Finland, USA and Italy and cooperate with them to form creative offices and work environments.

Do you think a designer’s first objective should be aesthetics or should it be functionality?

I believe it is not fair to make a sharp distinction. Today, a useful design which may not be visually satisfying may find its place in the market and on the other hand an aesthetic product that is not so useful can be chosen just because it adds meaning to the venue or addresses our memories. To differentiate them as black and white is also against the free thinking need of design. For me, design is political before it is considered aesthetic or useful. It should have a stand representing a thought system.

As we know, Anatolia has hosted many cultures and is blessed with treasures of several civilizations. In your opinion and in terms of creativity, what would be the most important contribution of the people to the world nourished by different sources in such a geography?

Design should be able to identify real problems and offer solutions, have a memory and most importantly be alive. The geography we live in today has been the cradle of many civilizations and is like the point of equilibrum between

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the East and the West. We are lucky to live in this land because we benefit from the ‘winds’ of these cultures and at the same time create our own culture. A designer who know his/her roots well, positions and feels them correctly will definitely attain a specific position for himself in a global world.

In a world where the culture of consumption becomes widespread, is it possible for a designer to remain authentic?

The ‘similarization’ that has been brought forward by the globalization is more obvious in our time. Naturally, a designer – just like the other people - will be affected by the era he is living in. However, he is in position to name and if necessary, position that process different from other people. He is also capable of observing it from outside and through these, he will be creating the required space of freedom for himself.

On the observation from outside, I don’t mean being alienated from daily life but a designer

should first have the creative power to design his own life.

What do you think about the perception of personalized designs in the world of luxurious consumption?

Initially, we need to admit that personalized design is related to the widespread phenomenon of similarization, which we have talked about a while ago. Following the industrial revolution, serial production has brought along similarities in products and since people have become more aware, they have been looking for what is ‘different’. I don’t think that this search is any different among various income groups but probably for anyone in a high income bracket, this search for what is ‘personalized’ may seem more powerful due to their higher capability to acquire what they desire.

Your brand makes use of a variety of industrial objects froom wood and glass to textile and metal. In which of these items do you think your creativity takes shape or become more obvious?

I do not limit myself in this subject. Anything that will ignite creativity can be an object in my design. What is more important than the raw material of the outcome is the story of that object. This story can be shaped in any type of material.

Finally, what is your thought on the future of ‘Koleksiyon Mobilya’?

Since day one, Koleksiyon, which defines its brand with design has been keeping design and creative process at the center of all its decisions. The company has moved forward not by focusing on the market or opportunities but on the human aspect. This forward movement still continues today. Keeping up to date with our times comprises a major part of Koleksiyon’s philosophy. That is why in the coming years we will continue our work while we analyze human beings’ behaviours, habits and needs in daily life and work environments.

AUTUMN 2012

K üT lEtLü r & s anat O

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O

Born to change the face of the city forever

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AUTUMN 2012

he InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam is quite literally a pinnacle of Dutch elegance and prominence.

Opened in 1867, the hotel is considered one of the most prestigious and luxurious hotels not just in Netherlands and Europe but also in the world.

The hotel regularly hosts political leaders, Royalty and internationally high profile celebrities.

Located on the banks of the Amstel river, the hotel is perfectly located for the visitor to Amsterdam to be able to shop, sight see and is within walking distance of the Financial district, perfect for executive travelers and travel enthusiasts alike.

Inspired by the French Renaissance period of the 16th and 17th Centuries, the hotel was an innovationists dream come true using materials that have never been capitalized upon before.

The hotel is the brainchild of Doctor Samuel Sarphati a prominent urban project developer and city planner, while the rest of the Europe had grand hotels, Amsterdam was yet to produce lodgings of a luxury standard; from this the InterContinental Amstel was born, changing the face of the city forever.

The hotel received international recognition with breathtaking interior design with marble floors and crystal chandeliers. It has since been restored many times to keep in sync with modern day expectations, including a large-scale refurbishment work in 1990. The hotel has however still kept the same elegance and style that it processed back in 1867.

The hotel has 79 rooms, ranging from Junior rooms to executive and Royal suites each decorated with antiques and Lodewijk XV- en XVIstyle furniture, 140 employees provide the guest with the highest quality of unparalleled service.

At the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam a small fleet of boats are at the guest´s disposition to cruise the canals of Amsterdam to see the city from a different perspective. The hotel also has a chauffeur limousine service for airport transfers.

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SONBAHAR 2012

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AUTUMN 2012

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The Catamaran Lifestyle

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hen planning an escape to the sea, you would be well advised to know about the latest large luxury sailing catamarans that are on offer for charter. Sunreef Yachts recently launched Ipharra, a 31.1m slooprigged catamaran that comfortably sleeps 10 and has a permanent crew of 4, including Captain, chef and stewardess. She’s one of the largest sailing catamarans in the world, and yet extolls the values of simplicity, elegance and connection to the sea.

On her wide-open aft sundeck is a large communal table for dining and relaxing outside.

There’s also an enormous sunbed, which provides a tranquil spot for a lazy afternoon looking out

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to sea, or, in the evenings, the perfect recliner from which to watch movies on the yacht’s large retractable film screen. Inside, the cabins are afforded plenty of natural light from the hulls’ beautifully designed bank of port lights, and are arranged to suit to a large family or a pair of families holidaying together. The large owners’ stateroom is located on the main deck and has spectacular views over the sea.

This is a double-hulled, stable sailing boat, so life aboard is comfortable, with spacious interiors, and plenty of areas both on deck and below to relax and enjoy the experience of being at sea with relatives and friends. Along with the fun of sailing, the yacht carries kneeboards, water skis (which are towed by either of the yacht’s tenders) a laser sailboat, a kayak and two seabobs.

On her recent stop in Göcek, in light airs, she motored swiftly along the coast to a secluded bay, where the guests spent the morning in the water

or in the shade with a book. A delicious lunch of fresh local produce was on offer, prepared by a chef who knows how to pair casual dining with a luxurious flair.

Length: 31.10 m / 102 ft Beam: 12.80 m / 42 ft Mast Height: 41 m / 135 ft Displacement: 120 T Maximum Passengers: 12 Crew: 4/5 Built: 2010 Cruising Speed: >10kts Audio Visual: Interior and exterior Bose sound system, DVD readers in cabins, HD TV in the saloon, Home Cinema in the cockpit.

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Your exotic treasure

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evi Kroell’s story began with the opening of a discrete store in East Hampton, New York, in the Spring of 2005, offering a new alternative to women seeking ultra luxurious handbags and shoes.

Devoid of any hardware or logo, Devi Kroell quickly gained a following among the city’s ‘in the know’ jet set, to be the first brand in New York not afraid to offer the finest quality exotic materials on a large scale-understood only by those with a keen eye, and an appetite for all things fine and unattainable.

Today, New York City’s first ultra luxury accessories brand continues pushing the boundaries by scouring the globe to offer its discerning clientele unsuspecting, innovative materials, paired with flawless Italian craftsmanship and unique designs, securing a style that is decidedly modern

and distinctly New York.

The wooden clutch is one of the brand’s most iconic styles. Finished in new embellishments each season, the Devi Kroell wooden clutches are more than just delicate evening accessories; they are collectable pieces to treasure forever.

Produced in Florence, Italy, every clutch takes 2-3 days to create and passes through the hands of 3 different artisans. Firstly, a master carpenter carves the shape of the clutch from a perfectly matured wood, aged for 10-15 years. He then applies the aniline pigment color onto the wood by hand to give it the transparent effect. Each clutch is carved from a single block of wood to ensure consistent coloration and identical reaction to heat, humidity and various production processes. Since wood is an organic and live material, it needs to rest between each different

stage of the development for best results.

Secondly, the clutch moves to the factory to be assembled by an artisan specializing in jewelry technique who attaches the metal hinge, the signature Devi Kroell roll clasp and custom-cut seasonal embellishments or semi-precious stones sourced from exotic locations around the globe.

The last step engages an age-old craftsman who carefully inserts the softest grade of Nappa leather lining into the clutch. In case of the mini wooden clutch, a fourth artisan specializing in leather braiding attaches the hand-braided strap.

Finally, a flawless wooden clutch is born.

Devi Kroell designs can be found at Beymen and Harvey Nichols stores in Istanbul and the brand has plans to expand its presence in Turkey in the near future.

COVER

TEXTCLAUDIA TRIMDE

Naomi Campbell

Black Panther in Sin City

C · NAOMI CAMPBELL

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hat do you do next if by the time you hit forty, you have achieved pretty much everything most people only dream about? As you have probably guessed by now, we are talking about Naomi Campbell.

Famous all over the world, she earns millions and counts most influential people among her closest friends. So where can she go, where can she find new horizons to conquer and untrodden paths to explore? In Moscow, of course, where the model promptly moved, abandoning graying London and New York landscapes for much more dangerous and exciting Moscow ones.

Obviously we are not implying that there is nothing left to do in London, but taking into account Ms Campbell’s curious and explosive character, it’s actually surprising that she hasn’t come here sooner. Evidently even the almighty Panther had to be patient and wait for her prince, who then wasted no time in delivering her to us in his winged Bugatti.

In case you’ve spent the last five years in a cave in Bali, Campbell met the “Russian Donald Trump”, billionaire Vladislav Doronin, in 2008. Since then the couple has constantly been in and out of society gossip pages, dancing at another charity ball one minute and cruising with Abramovich and Dasha Zhukova next.

Imagine- girls discussing remote wedding plans whilst boys compare length of their yachts.

Joking aside, in celebrity couple terms staying together for a few years is the equivalent of about twenty for a mere mortal, so we can only admire the strength of their relationship. They

have also weathered the financial crisis together, during which Doronin reportedly lost a third of his fortune, silencing those who were skeptical about the relationship.

As for Moscow, here the supermodel continues her very active social and professional life. She has been taking part in various charity projects for many years, helping young people, victims of natural disasters and animals all over the world. In Russia her fame reached new heights in 2010, after she, along with Leonardo DiCaprio, fronted the tiger preservation forum.

It was at the said forum where Campbell met Putin, which led to one of the most notorious interviews of the last decade, where the Russian Prime Minister revealed a penchant for female bare-knuckle fighting, and Naomi admired his toned physique. Where else other than Russia, can you picture this happening- for example, Campbell casually inquiring where Angela Merkel gets her hair done. A propos, something similar happened in Venesuela, when the supermodel conducted a peculiar interview with Hugo Chavez, chatting to him about the Spice Girls.

Of course, it’s very easy to ridicule any celebrity, but you can’t argue against hard facts.

Firstly, even at the age of forty something, Campbell remains the owner of an incredible figure unsuccessfully copied by plastic surgeons everywhere. Secondly, she is still one of the most recognisable and profitable faces on the planet. And lastly, everything she achieved, she achieved herself.

Campbell was born in 1970 in South London, where she was brought up by a single mother.

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C · NAOMI CAMPBELL

The model never knew her father, and hardly saw her mother, who worked for a dance company and travelled a lot. Little Naomi had her first job at the tender age of seven, when she was cast in a Bob Marley video, and since then worked pretty much without a holiday, but unlike many of those who tasted fame early, she never broke down. Finally, one can never forget the inspirational example she is setting for Afro-Caribbean girls all over the world.

The model is, of course, also famous for her explosive personality, and as regularly as other people get Christmas cards, Campbell goes to court for attacking yet another member of staff.

But to us even this inexorable wrath is quite understandable; everyone knows that Moscow is a city of passion and that Russian soul is full of extremes- it’s precisely why life here is so exciting. As for Campbell’s stints in rehab, who are we to judge. After all, a supermodel without any kind of addictions is like Louboutins without the red soles- not real.

All things considered, Naomi is as at home in Moscow as Moscow is at home with Naomi.

Dazzling, independent and unpredictable, we can’t wait to see what they do next

SUPERCARS WWW.BUGATTI.COM

Alien from «space» TEXT CLAUDIA TRIIMDE

Bugatti Veyron

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ow there is no need to go through grueling training at Baikonour if you wish to experience the sensation of space; no need to say goodbye to planet Earth with the world’s most expensive modern car at 1.2 million euros, the new super speedy Bugatti Veyron.

We are close to accessibility directly on the grounds of weightlessness and space velocity.

In 1908 in Germany, artist and engineer Ettore Bugatti built his first car Bugatti Type 10, but no one could have imagined such a brilliant future for the brand.

After decades of Bugatti’s glorious history, Bugatti continued the creation of a unique concept, the Bugatti EB 16 / 4 Veyron car,

named after the legendary French rider Pierre Veyron. In 1939, Pierre won the 24 hour race at Le Mans driving Bugatti 57C. Bugatti gained a new name having innovated almost everything, from the engine, consisting of two V-shaped “figure eights,”to the bewildering sporting body.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, models were put into batch production. To avoid misunderstanding, Bugatti Automobiles S. A.S. announced the engine power was 1001 horsepower. The company uses the leather from cows grazing in alpine meadows at 2000 meters above sea level for the dressing salon.

Today, the corporation continues to astound the world. The company’s story includes many concepts that simple automobilists cannot even

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imagine: unimaginable speed, water movement capabilities and the favor of the Queen. To stop means to lose, which the global brand cannot afford.

Once again, the community of auto-gourmets, with bated breath, waits for the appearance of a new module that will replace the Bugatti Veyron. The representatives of the French auto company are positive the fastest car in the world will be launched in 2013. The public has already been informed that the motor force of 1200 will allow the car to go from zero to one hundred kilometers per hour and to be dispersed only in 2.2 seconds. Extremists and the fans of speed

can afford to enjoy a 425 km / h.

Recently, the car appeared on the network pictures, unofficial, the public can only imagine how “handsome” this would be in reality. Yet everything is known only to supercar´s designer Hartmut Warkus who is developing a model in cooperation with Lamborghini.

All should be in a hurry to see! Despite the extremely expensive value of the earlier model, immediately after the world premiere, the car won the hearts and lighted wallets of five lucky people

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rom his early childhood, he loved diamonds. He dreamed that some day he would open people’s eyes, and show them what he sees in diamonds and the reason for his passion. In his eyes, diamonds hold the key to inner beauty, grace, and the glow of precious stones.

Lawrence Graff, the legendary “King of Diamonds”, has kept his word. At age fourteen, he began to study the faceting gems. Two years later, Lawrence, having mastered all subtle jewelry, created a beautiful diamond ring. In 1960, he opened his very own company, Graff Diamonds Limited. Talent, ambition and diligence led to great success, and after 6 years, the company was known worldwide. Lawrence received several prestigious Queen’s Awards for “important contribution to the industry and the country’s exports,” and most importantly - his company became the world’s first jewelry company that assigns each diamond a unique identification number that can only be seen with special magnifying equipment.

Graff Diamonds Limited is now one of the leading world companies in diamond processing. Every year, hundreds of masters working in workshops around the world turn thousands of stones into masterpieces. They work by hand, creating unique products that combine elegance and exclusivity with unmatched quality and ends with perfection. The supply of diamonds in the workshops is endless because of their supply from fields around the world, including Russia.

Masters and professional designers put in hours of painstaking work to present the world with completely new jewelry. Rings, bracelets, tiaras and earrings produced by Graff combine natural beauty, elegance and sophistication.

Perhaps for these reasons, the world’s stars give their preference to these jewels. Women such as Oprah Winfrey, Paris Hilton, Naomi Campbell and Elizabeth Hurley truly know a sense of beauty, and they all choose Graff

E TA LO N

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Hermès the main weapon of the brand is time TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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ose your eyes. Imagine a successful, stylish person who appreciates the elegant style and quality in details.

A men whose understated luxury and impeccable taste are isolated and lift him like a diamond among crystals Swarovski. It does not matter who is that person, a man or a woman, but it is impossible to complete him without the legendary image of the things of the French Fashion house Hermès. Clothing, watches, perfume, jewelry, exquisite shawls or quads as they are called in the fashion house Hermès, and the bags which had gained worldwide fame. Sure, any of these things should be in the locker room of a true connoisseur of fashion.

The history of Fashion house Hermès has almost two centuries, and for such a long time, the company managed to gain worldwide fame and reputation. The founder of the company with a century of history was Thierry Hermès, who opened in 1837 a workshop on making bridles and saddles. Its products are durable and elegant.The manufacture harnesses worked only the best craftsmen using raw materials of the highest quality that is guaranteed to ensure the success of the product and the company’s growth.

Five generations have invested all power in the development of family-owned business and were constantly expanding the range of products Hermès.

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In 1878, after the death of Thierry Hermès company inherited by his son Charles-Emile and grandchildren Adolph and Emil Maurice. It was Emil Maurice who has raised the company to such a level that all the lovers of luxury and impeccable quality want to posse it´s products. In 1928 Hermès released its first Hermès silk scarf - “quads” as they call it in the French Fashion house.The new product quickly gained popularity and won success, both among the dignitaries, as well as among middle-class people. But the main product to win worldwide fame, without which it is impossible to imagine Hermès, became Birkin Bag, released in 1984.

Clear lines, perfect proportions, elegant metal furniture, incredible functionality and simplici-

ty - are the distinguishing features of this cult thing.The urgency and desire to have this bag for fashionistas around the world continues unabated, and only intensified with time. Because, as Jean-Louis Dumas, the heir of the house in the fifth generation says: “The main weapon of the brand is time”. And it should be noted that these weapons Hermès manages with great skill, combining the creativity emerging trends and established “family” classical tradition, which allows it to be a trendsetter of fashion and undeniable style.

Things from Hermès became a sign of solvency and respectability of posessing them person. Impeccable reputation, passionate, true to the tradition, individual style and refined

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taste - that’s the secret to success that allowed a small family business to be transformed into an empire-style under the loud brand Hermès.

To date, the French Fashion House owns 283 boutiques worldwide, including Russia.The first store was opened in Moscow in December 2000. Big popularity and attention to the brand in Russia provoked the opening of a second store. In 2007, at the first line of GUM, at one of the historic places of the Russian capital, was located a brand boutique with a long history.The territory of the store occupies 250 square meters, and its windows look out onto Red Square and

mausoleum. In the collection of the shop are all lines, or as they are called, “16 crafts” of Parisian house Hermès: Men’s and women’s clothing, shoes, scarves, jewelry, perfumes, tableware, watches. Range of Russian boutique delight the most discerning visitor with a good sense of taste. It is also not possible without a range of shop equipment and accessories for riding, which, as a tribute to the past, continue to be a hallmark of the house Hermès

FASH IO N

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Rebirth of Fashion House Thierry Mugler TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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he reincarnation of Fashion House occurred during Paris Fashion Week 2011. The public was presented with the first collection, with the participation of a new creative director Nicolas Formichetti. By the way, the presentation of the “renewed” collection of Fashion House has become the most talked about and when conversing about the changes, it is necessary to focus the attention on the brand name that has become more concise - Mugler.

“We were looking for someone young and

talented, who would bring energy into our brand. Thierry Mugler has a rich history, but we must be constantly updated, to create bold and unique things. Nicolas - an expert, well versed in fashion, visual culture, technology, the entertainment industry. He and our talented designers will provide a new direction of modern French fashion, “- Joel Palix, president of Clarins Fragrance Group and CEO Thierry Mugler S.A.S. Nicola Formichetti is the stylist of Lady Gaga and the editor of Japanese Vogue Hommes.

F · THIERRY MUGLER

He is also the executive editor of several other fashion magazines such as Another, VMan and Dazed&Confused. It is worth mentioning the fact that Nicolas himself never engaged in designing clothes, but his vision of the contemporary fashion industry inspires and gives great hope for the commercial success of the brand.To create a women’s line in the fashion house was invited Sebastien Peigne, and over the images of the male line will work Romain Kremer.

With the advent of a new leader in the Fashion house, its basic concept has not been changed, it still remains largely a style that would have stirred the imagination, shocked, and certainly aroused interest. It is necessary to mention that course on High fashion chosen from 1992, remains the same ... The rising of Lady Gaga and Rick Genest’s cooperation within the brand once again confirms and proves the talent of the new creative director of Fashion House Thierry Mugler.

As in older times, the magnetism of the collections by Thierry Mugler attracts public attention, and the balance between tradition and modernity remains unshaken. Paying tribute to the already established tradition, each new director brings his vision of fashion and some elements of the era in which these changes occur. However, no matter what happens, strict silhouettes, chiseled figures and hypertrophied shoulders are always at theirs place

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Bestsellers by Amouage TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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here are several “brothers” in a dictionary of synonyms for the word “masterpiece “ such as work, creation, achievement, a model, best and imperishable. However, the last of them sounds colloquial, but perhaps more accurately suited as a synonym to the name Amouage. For more than a quarter-century, history of the perfume brand thumbs the most demanding guests of the royal family, and the most stellar from the world of cinema, fashion, sports and music. Drawn by the fine, bright sensuality, they probably do not suspect that the secret of the brand is in its history.

Amouage is a treasure, an eastern tale. Its creator - the Prince of Oman, decided one day to revive the ancient traditions of Arabian perfumery art. Thus, the luxury of scents was born which allowed each of their respective owners to be unique.

By the way, “a masterpiece “ - a French word, «chef-d oeuvre» means an exemplary product prepared in many medieval artisan shops, that seeks to become a true master of its craft.

Symbolically, the first fragrance creator was the famous French perfumer, Guy Robert, and his number one creation was «Amouage Gold».

Eastern European chic and the riot of colors have truly created a tradition for the golden words in perfumery. And to say the least, it takes long and painstaking work. What is so thoroughly mixed with the best “noses” of France and “minds” of Britain? Today, the creative director, Mark Christopher Chong (his home on the shores of Albion) is seeking

hidden treasures to be the ingredients for his new products such as myrrh, frankincense, silver and rock rose. These are very difficult to obtain. Rare roses are gathered on the mountain slopes in particular locations. Therefore, the quality of Amouage is absolute elitism.

OPUS IV is one of the latest creations; a collection of flavors with the same name. The fragrance opens invigorating notes of lemon, mandarin and grapefruit. They are gently covered with a warm, spicy coriander mantle.

As the first three “volumes” (Opus I, II, III), concluding a poem that stirs up the desire and passion, while maintaining elegance.

OPUS IV was not only one more aroma, but also a page of rare editions. These spirits mark new mission: to unite the world in the fight against HIV / AIDS. According to Christopher Chong: the defeat of this evil may be by universal education, prevention, help for the sick, and most importantly, everyone’s attention to the global problem. Half the profits from the sale of the new fragrance will go to a good cause.

The epilogue to the story of Amouage’s masterpiece is the undeniable evidence of professional skill. Plus, the second meaning of the word: exemplary work and achievement of higher art. In the case of Amouage, comparison with a masterpiece is not hyperbole. Moreover, after a personal acquaintance with the oriental tale, comes the understanding that there are timeless classics: secular art of perfumery “haute couture “

IT G I R L ICO N

Natalie Paley

Russian beauty TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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he phrase “Russian beauty” has long been part of people’s consciousness all over the world.

Russian history has seen many a beauty, but this time let’s not delve too far into the past, but take a closer look at the last century. In 1905, Natalie Paley was born into one of Russia’s most aristocratic families- she was a first cousin of Tsar Nicholas II. This girl was destined to become a famous Parisian model, style icon and the ultimate high society hostess. From early age Natalie was immersed in beauty: her mother was a client of the best fashion houses in Paris, and Natalie was surrounded by exquisite and sophisticated luxury, imaginable only during the period of Belle Epoque.

Such charmed childhood could not last forever. The Bolsheviks murdered Natalie’s father and brother, and in 1921, aged 16, once again she found herself in Paris - this time as a destitute immigrant. At first it seemed that there was no way out. Absolute lack of money meant that the girls could not continue their education, nor learn a profession. However, Natalie’s mother- princess Olga, found her feet again relatively quickly by turning to her old Parisian friends and acquaintances in fashion houses.

She organised many charity evenings to help the Russian immigrants, with names like Charles Worth, Lucien Lelong and Cartier taking part, so Natalie soon found herself in the fashion and cultural epicentre once again (Interestingly, her half brother, prince Dmitry,

was Coco Chanel’s close friend).

Natalie had amazing taste, decisive and lively character as well as blonde hair, high cheekbones and beautiful eyes. During that time in Paris Russian women were very well respected and valued as models, and Natalie began to work. We must remember that back then the modeling profession was completely different to what it is today. Firstly, there were very few models, but most importantly, they were icons of sophistication and good taste.

They not only had beauty, but education, charisma, an air of mystery and perfect manners.

They often came from very aristocratic families, and the clothes were made for them, and not the other way round as it happens today.

One third of the models in Paris were Russian, and Natalie worked successfully with all fashion houses. Coco Chanel, impressed with Natalie’s beauty and intelligence, introduced her to Lucien Lelong himself- the eponymous owner of the Lelong fashion house.

He not only hired Natalie as a model, but fell in love and married her. The few relatives of Natalie’s who were still alive were against the wedding. Lelong’s father was a salesman, whilst Natalie was the Tsar’s close relative, but in the end the wedding went ahead.

Paley became the face of the Lelong house, and she represented both the aristocratism and the progressiveness of the jazz era. Her photographs graced the pages of every fashion magazine, including Vogue. Her dresses were made of the most delicate silk and chiffon, and symbolised Lelong’s love for his wife and muse.

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He also dedicated scent to her: the perfume Indiscret can still be bought today.

As often happens with strong, bright characters, especially when we are talking about those who outlived two world wars and a revolution, Natalie couldn’t spend her whole life in the same place with one man. Erich Maria Remarque, Jean Cocteau and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry were among her famous lovers. Natalie also tried her hand at films: she moved to America and married a bisexual producer John Chapman Wilson, but never

achieved fame as an actress. Again, like many of her contemporaries, such as Chanel and Greta Garbo, Paley spent her last years alone in isolation.

Natalie Paley was among the pioneers who turned Russian style and beauty into an integral part of European and world fashion.

Among others, the Russians’ ‘invasion’ also included Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, when ballet, art and other forms of Russian art were conquering the world

WELLN ESS

La Mer

TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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a symbol of luxury and quality

egendary American cosmetic brand La Mer is not only a symbol of luxury and quality but also a unique phenomenon in the field of professional cosmetics. La Mer was created by American physicist Max Huber, whose face was disfigured by burns caused by an accident. After undergoing 6000 experiments over the course of 12 years, he was one of the first to apply the process of creating biofermentation cosmetics. Max Huber used a special type of seaweed as the main component of his invention. Due to his discovery, the brand created its main product, Cream de La Mer. Cream de La Mer brought healing to its creator and became a sensational product. After thorough clinical trials, the product was released to the public.

The uniqueness of the Cream de La Mer not only enhances beauty, but also contains healing properties such as healing scars,

w w w. c r e m e d e l a m e r. c o m smoothing wrinkles and making skin tones radiant. The pronounced effect of the cream depends on thorough and special technological preparation, which is done manually.

Producing one batch of cosmetic product takes approximately 4 months. The natural antibacterial properties of seaweed help to minimize the amount of preservatives in the production of the cream. The formula of cream de La Mer has not been changed since 1964.

All products of the brand La Mer differ by complex, saturated exclusive composition, and therefore can slow, halt and even reverse age-related changes in the skin. As expected, those who become acquainted with the products of La Mer remain faithful. All products of La Mer gratify feminine beauty, as well as masculine beauty; therefore, clients vary by gender. Many international stars prefer the La Mer brand, including Jennifer Lopez, Madonna and Sharon Stone

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DELUXE SHOPING

SENSAI PREMIER: THE EMULSION Kanebo’s most advanced line is Sensai Premier: The Emulsion. Specially formulated to boost ageing skin, it combines the latest technological advances with the most exclusive ingredients. Easily absorbed, it has a revitalising effect, leaving your skin looking visible firmer in just 4 weeks

SHISEIDO FUTURE SOLUTION Esta lujosa crema regeneradora de ojos y labios disminuye visiblemente la apariencia de arrugas, líneas finas y flacidez alrededor de estas dos zonas del rostro. Miradas más firmes, hidratación y brillo en toda la piel gracias a la innovadora Lasting Support Hydro-Veil

GADGETS TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE

CRYSTAL CLARITY in modern phone nothing superfluous

Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness is the world’s first mobile phone with a totally transparent screen. With this major advantage over competitor phones, creators are intentionally trying not to implement many newfangled mobile “widgets” such as Internet access or a built-in gyro. This idea is clearly expressed in the phones slogan: “Talk. Text. Time.”

The exclusive device is designed for those who need only the most essential functions: calling, sending SMS and checking the time.

The transparent screen Xperia is a unique development campaigned by Sony Ericsson.

The LSD monochrome display is covered with special glass, a face-protecting gadget from cracks and scratches. Xperia Pureness is not just a phone, but also a fashion accessory that emphasizes the fine taste of its owner.

The remarkably simple black casing is made of plastic, making the phone almost weightless.

The only metal part in the body of Xperia is a fine elegant plate which is engraved with a serial number

VINYL MEMORY for retro fans

In honor of retro-style fans, Pyle has launched an original player called Pyle Home Classical Turntable. Do you think that retrostyle and progress are incompatible? This vintage player proves just the opposite. The apparent antiquity of the wooden radiogram consists of all that a music lover needs: Vinyl “turntable”, radio, CD player, USB-input jack for MP3 player and even a docking station for an iPod.Thoughtful founders even embedded the cassette for particularly sophisticated listeners. Now to a trendy musical center is attached a remote control that lets you enjoy a vintage gadget without getting up from a vintage couch

GADGETS

PCS EGO When Technique Becomes Fashion

The Dutch company Ego Lifestyle is not simple but rather unique in the world as a producer of oval laptops. With its elegant lines and elite design this mobile computer can easily be confused with an expensive woman’s reticule. Laptop EGO is a fancy gadget that perfectly accentuates the status of its holder. The decor on this wonder laptop uses the most luxury materials: leather shark and ostrich, precious furs, Swarovski crystal, diamonds, as well as a gold and platinum frame. Each computer is collected by hand in the original studio of Ego Lifestyle and the design guides your mind towards the best specialists in the world. Therefore, the cost of such “expensive entertainment” ranges from $5 000 to $350 000

A ¡ A N T I Q U ES : B A R C E LO N A

Profitable investments in antiques of Spain

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he market for art and antiques in Spain has suffered greatly the effects of the financial and economic crisis. During the years of 2004-2009 major capital investments into the field of antiques and art in general took place from the profits generated by the boom in the construction and home development sectors. During these years of euphoria record prices were reached at auctions, and purchases between individuals in the fields of antique furniture, works of contemporary art, numismatics, ancient weapons, ancient art and etc..

In recent years the situation has been reversed, due to the lack of liquidity of many former investors. Now you can find interesting investment opportunities in Spain in pieces of art and antiques. In the field of contemporary art, we can find art pieces of leading Spanish artists at reasonable prices. It is also interesting to invest in the modernist furniture (art deco) market, since recently the consecration of the Holy Family cathedral in Barcelona has given a lot of publicity to the particular style of the Catalan modernism art.

It is for these facts that our company is happy to offer mediation service to you in order to find pieces of art and antiques of interest for you in Spain.

Please contact us if you are interested to acquire or consider purchasing Spanish Art: antique.espana@gmail.com

Jaume Vilalta, antiques expert

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K His unmistakable elegance, presence, and conquering gaze, shape the exclusive style that has allowed Clooney to not only be a successful actor but also to star in advertising campaigns of the world’s most prestigious brands ± Emidio Tucci, Fiat,Toyota, and especially the very famous Nespresso ads that have placed the label in the highest posts of luxury.

It’s just that the story of he who is considered as one of the most handsome and distinguished men in the world, and one of the most popular and prestigious faces of Hollywood, stands out by itself. Clooney, brought up by a family completely related to the world of show business, had his first contact with the cameras when he accompanied his father, the journalist and anchorman Nick Clooney, to the filming sets. But the real opportunity was handed to him by his uncle, the renowned actor Mel Ferrer, who got him his first role in And they’re off ± a story which, even though it never got to be filmed, left the young Clooney fascinated for acting.

The intense studies in acting in Los Angeles and his participation in diverse secondary roles both found a point of inflection when he became part of the famous series ER, interpreting Dr. Doug Ross. Emergency Room consolidated his talent and allowed him to begin a career surrounded by stars and important projects, which would take him to work with the most important directors and actors of the show business.

Throughout his career as one of the most coveted actors in Hollywood, some of the titles that stand out are the romantic comedy One fine day (1996), co-starred with Michelle Pfeiffer and directed by Michael Hoffman; Out of Sight (1998), an intelligent thriller by Steven

Soderbergh, which, according to Clooney’s own statements to diverse media, was the movie that he most enjoyed starring; or the war drama Three Kings (1999), for which he gained excellent praise.

Clooney also participated in films such as O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), from the prestigious brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, and which role awarded him a Golden Globe, Ocean’s Eleven (2001), and its two consecutive films Ocean’s Twelve (2004) and Ocean’s Thirteen (2007) from Steven Soderbergh, where he also shared casting with some of the best actors and actresses of the time; Welcome to Collinwood (2002) from Anthony and Joe Russo; Syriana (2005) from Stephen Gaghan, which took the Middle East as main setting; and many other films that have helped him position among the top box office rates of every season.

As for his participation in recent years, we highlight Up in the air (2009) from Jason Reitman; The American (2010); and The men who stare at goats (2010) from Grant Heslov.

Today, he not only stands out as an actor, but also as a producer, since he partnered with Steven Soderbergh in films such as Welcome to Collinwood. He has also debuted as director with Confessions of a dangerous mind (2002), and Good night and good luck (2005) for which he was nominated as Best Director in this year’s Oscar Award and Leatherheads (2008).

Clooney just presented in Cancun his latest work as director in the film The ides of March, a political thriller that happens around a senator, impersonated by Clooney himself, who aspires to the presidency of the United States. The ides of March will be the opening film for this year’s Venice Festival 2011. Clooney doesn’t skip a beat

and is already participating in the recordings of Gravity, a new sci-fi thriller written by the Mexican Alfonso Cuarón, costarred by Sandra Bullock and Clooney himself.

Clooney has also demonstrated his commitment to social causes by standing against war in Iraq in 2003, by offering help after the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, in the conflicts in Darfur, Sudan, and in the research for autism.

In spite of having a family involved in politics through his mother Nina Warren, he has repeatedly stated that politics ‘isn’t his thing’, so, for now, he will only be seen on screen for his interpretation of film roles. Nevertheless, the actor still poured his support to the candidacy of the now president Barack Obama, and has supported with his signature the effort lead by the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to release the Burmese Aung San Suu Kyi. Clooney has turned his artistic, directive and ‘modeling’ attributes into one of the most perfect incarnations of luxury. Mature, classical, cheerful and modern, the actor creates his own style in spite of love-life ruptures and downturns; Clooney is a conqueror wherever he goes, looking towards new horizons and focusing on new projects. After all, for him it’s always been as the Nespresso ad quotes… what else?

Brilliant, fascinating, perfect

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ntense, balanced, unique, mysterious, delicate, with a strong character ± these are the descriptions that two women speak out at one of the Nespresso shops and for which George Clooney raises his gaze, as if listening to his own attributes. And it’s just that Clooney, awarded to this date with several cinematographic prizes: Oscar, Golden Globes, BAFTA and SAG Awards, is not only characterized by his capacities as an actor, producer and director, but also because he is the personification of luxury in all its particularities and exclusivities. Seeking the cover person for the ISTANBUL deluxe magazine’s first edition, the chosen personality is this extraordinary man, born 50 years ago in Lexington, Kentucky.

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Aung San Suu Kyi’nin serbest bırakılması için gösterdiği çabaları imza vererek desteklediği biliniyor.

Clooney aktörlük, yönetmenlik ve modellik yeteneklerini lüksün en mükemmel tezahürlerinden biri haline dönüştürmeyi başardı. Olgun, klasik, güler yüzlü ve modern görünümlü sanatçı, aşk hayatındaki dalgalanmalara rağmen kendine özgü bir tarz yarattı. Adım attığı her alanda hakimiyet kuran Clooney, daima yeni ufuklara açılmaya ve yeni projelere odaklanmaya hazır. Ne de olsa, Nespresso reklamında sayılan her özellik, onun için geçerli. Daha ne olsun?

SUMMER 2011

2003 yılında Irak Savaşı’na karşı protestolara katılması, 2010 yılındaki depremde büyük zarar gören Haiti’ye yardım kampanyasında başı çekmesi, Sudan, Darfur’daki çatışmalara karşı çıkması yanında otizm araştırmalarına destek olan farklı çalışmalarıyla da tanınan Clooney, toplumsal olaylarla yakından ilgileniyor. Annesi Nina Warren dolayısıyla politikayla yakından ilişkili bir aileden gelmesine karşılık Clooney, siyasetin “ona göre olmadığını” defalarca dile getirdi ve şimdilik sadece aldığı roller gereği kamera karşısına geçeceğini ifade etti. Buna rağmen başkan Barack Obama’nın adaylığını tüm olanaklarıyla destekleyen aktörün İngiltere Başbakanı Gordon Brown’ın Burmalı aktivist

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K His unmistakable elegance, presence, and conquering gaze, shape the exclusive style that has allowed Clooney to not only be a successful actor but also to star in advertising campaigns of the world’s most prestigious brands ± Emidio Tucci, Fiat,Toyota, and especially the very famous Nespresso ads that have placed the label in the highest posts of luxury.

It’s just that the story of he who is considered as one of the most handsome and distinguished men in the world, and one of the most popular and prestigious faces of Hollywood, stands out by itself. Clooney, brought up by a family completely related to the world of show business, had his first contact with the cameras when he accompanied his father, the journalist and anchorman Nick Clooney, to the filming sets. But the real opportunity was handed to him by his uncle, the renowned actor Mel Ferrer, who got him his first role in And they’re off ± a story which, even though it never got to be filmed, left the young Clooney fascinated for acting.

The intense studies in acting in Los Angeles and his participation in diverse secondary roles both found a point of inflection when he became part of the famous series ER, interpreting Dr. Doug Ross. Emergency Room consolidated his talent and allowed him to begin a career surrounded by stars and important projects, which would take him to work with the most important directors and actors of the show business.

Throughout his career as one of the most coveted actors in Hollywood, some of the titles that stand out are the romantic comedy One fine day (1996), co-starred with Michelle Pfeiffer and directed by Michael Hoffman; Out of Sight (1998), an intelligent thriller by Steven

Soderbergh, which, according to Clooney’s own statements to diverse media, was the movie that he most enjoyed starring; or the war drama Three Kings (1999), for which he gained excellent praise.

Clooney also participated in films such as O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), from the prestigious brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, and which role awarded him a Golden Globe, Ocean’s Eleven (2001), and its two consecutive films Ocean’s Twelve (2004) and Ocean’s Thirteen (2007) from Steven Soderbergh, where he also shared casting with some of the best actors and actresses of the time; Welcome to Collinwood (2002) from Anthony and Joe Russo; Syriana (2005) from Stephen Gaghan, which took the Middle East as main setting; and many other films that have helped him position among the top box office rates of every season.

As for his participation in recent years, we highlight Up in the air (2009) from Jason Reitman; The American (2010); and The men who stare at goats (2010) from Grant Heslov.

Today, he not only stands out as an actor, but also as a producer, since he partnered with Steven Soderbergh in films such as Welcome to Collinwood. He has also debuted as director with Confessions of a dangerous mind (2002), and Good night and good luck (2005) for which he was nominated as Best Director in this year’s Oscar Award and Leatherheads (2008).

Clooney just presented in Cancun his latest work as director in the film The ides of March, a political thriller that happens around a senator, impersonated by Clooney himself, who aspires to the presidency of the United States. The ides of March will be the opening film for this year’s Venice Festival 2011. Clooney doesn’t skip a beat

and is already participating in the recordings of Gravity, a new sci-fi thriller written by the Mexican Alfonso Cuarón, costarred by Sandra Bullock and Clooney himself.

Clooney has also demonstrated his commitment to social causes by standing against war in Iraq in 2003, by offering help after the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, in the conflicts in Darfur, Sudan, and in the research for autism.

In spite of having a family involved in politics through his mother Nina Warren, he has repeatedly stated that politics ‘isn’t his thing’, so, for now, he will only be seen on screen for his interpretation of film roles. Nevertheless, the actor still poured his support to the candidacy of the now president Barack Obama, and has supported with his signature the effort lead by the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to release the Burmese Aung San Suu Kyi. Clooney has turned his artistic, directive and ‘modeling’ attributes into one of the most perfect incarnations of luxury. Mature, classical, cheerful and modern, the actor creates his own style in spite of love-life ruptures and downturns; Clooney is a conqueror wherever he goes, looking towards new horizons and focusing on new projects. After all, for him it’s always been as the Nespresso ad quotes… what else?

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2003 yılında Irak Savaşı’na karşı protestolara katılması, 2010 yılındaki depremde büyük zarar gören Haiti’ye yardım kampanyasında başı çekmesi, Sudan, Darfur’daki çatışmalara karşı çıkması yanında otizm araştırmalarına destek olan farklı çalışmalarıyla da tanınan Clooney, toplumsal olaylarla yakından ilgileniyor. Annesi Nina Warren dolayısıyla politikayla yakından ilişkili bir aileden gelmesine karşılık Clooney, siyasetin “ona göre olmadığını” defalarca dile getirdi ve şimdilik sadece aldığı roller gereği kamera karşısına geçeceğini ifade etti. Buna rağmen başkan Barack Obama’nın adaylığını tüm olanaklarıyla destekleyen aktörün İngiltere Başbakanı Gordon Brown’ın Burmalı aktivist

Aung San Suu Kyi’nin serbest bırakılması için gösterdiği çabaları imza vererek desteklediği biliniyor.

Clooney aktörlük, yönetmenlik ve modellik yeteneklerini lüksün en mükemmel tezahürlerinden biri haline dönüştürmeyi başardı. Olgun, klasik, güler yüzlü ve modern görünümlü sanatçı, aşk hayatındaki dalgalanmalara rağmen kendine özgü bir tarz yarattı. Adım attığı her alanda hakimiyet kuran Clooney, daima yeni ufuklara açılmaya ve yeni projelere odaklanmaya hazır. Ne de olsa, Nespresso reklamında sayılan her özellik, onun için geçerli. Daha ne olsun?

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ntense, balanced, unique, mysterious, delicate, with a strong character ± these are the descriptions that two women speak out at one of the Nespresso shops and for which George Clooney raises his gaze, as if listening to his own attributes. And it’s just that Clooney, awarded to this date with several cinematographic prizes: Oscar, Golden Globes, BAFTA and SAG Awards, is not only characterized by his capacities as an actor, producer and director, but also because he is the personification of luxury in all its particularities and exclusivities. Seeking the cover person for the ISTANBUL deluxe magazine’s first edition, the chosen personality is this extraordinary man, born 50 years ago in Lexington, Kentucky.

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SUMMER 2011

Brilliant, fascinating, perfect

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For the 54th time Venice is pursuing a whole different world.

features 84 national pavillions including Haiti and Iraq for the first time. A familiar name from Turkey, Vasıf Kortun, curates the Saudi Arabian pavillion.

TURKEY’S PLAN B The curator of this year’s Turkish pavillion is Fulya Erdemci, assisted by Danae Mossman, while the artist representing Turkey is Ayşe Erkmen. Attracting a lot of attention since the first day of the biennale, her installation entitled “Plan B” directly relates to Venice. Inspired by the city’s inevitable and complicated relationship with water, Erkmen purifies the polluted water coming from the canals through a giant water treatment unit and pours it back again. She is well known with her installations uniquely designed for the space that the viewers actually walk in and considering the location of Turkish pavillion,

her work finds a deeper meaning. The Turkish Pavillion is placed right by the canal at the tip of the Artigliere building, in Arsenale, the main location of the exhibition. It has a giant window facing the canal. Obviously, it used to be a weapons production facility. Meticulously delving into the history of the place, Erkmen created a little noisy and very colorful production facility behind the agelong walls. What she produces or transforms is water; clean, drinkable water.

The viewers are met with the humming of the engines as soon as they step into the hall. The dirty water coming through a window runs in purple, green and pink pipes to be refined and poured back to the canal. It is possible to easily walk among, pass under or jump over these pipes with a variety of references: Blood running in the veins, cross-border capital, overseas flow of goods, state and mechanisms of authority transgressing democracy…

Turkey’s Plan B in Venice

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the world of art but I have a more personal and modest aim” says the curator as she explains her reasons of focusing on luminous effects and the warmth radiating from light at the exhibition, “Each one of us have a unique perception and interaction with a work of art. Every individual experiences enlightenment in a unique way.”

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THOUGHT OVER SIGHT Among 83 artists from around the world who are mostly women and young, the biennale also features 3 pieces from Tintoretto (1518-1594), the “master of light”. A brief look at Tintoretto’s paintings is enough to understand why he has to be a part of an exhibition with a theme of “light”.

Denying the superiority of form in favor of color, the Venetian School artist was doted on color and movement, two aspects of which light is essential.

Wheras the curator is doted on ± at least for the Biennale - thought rather than sight. She wants the binnale to be perceived as a forum for thinking, therefore she refrained from visually provoking pieces as much as she can. So far as art allows her, ofcourse…

The exhibition once again focuses on installations. There are relatively fewer videos wheras an increasing interest in photography. One thing that never changes is the stretching queues in front of some national pavillons. This year’s queue champion is the British Pavillion. The biennale

SUMMER 2011

t’s a city where horses are poised in the air while pigeons prefer to walk. A city that has water instead of earth beneath and grows art rather than plants… For the 54th time Venice is pursuing a whole different world.

The 54th International Art Exhibition of Venice started on the 4th of June and it will continue to meet art lovers literally purling from around the world until November 27. With the title of ILLUMInations, the biennale is curated by Bice Curiger, who has been directing the famous Kusthaus of Zuerich for the past 20 years.

All the works of art laid out around the city, notably at Arsenale and Giardini have one common phrase: Light. “Light is a classical theme for

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Patricia’nın Öteki Dünyası Patricia Piccinini, korkutan işleriyle Beyoğlu İstiklal Caddesi’nde YAZI KEMAL CAN FOTOĞRAF FETHİ İZAN

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eyoğlu’ndaki Arter Sanat Galerisi’nde 21 Ağustos’a kadar devam edecek “Beni Bağrına Bas” isimli düşündürücü bir sergi var. İtalyan asıllı Avustralyalı sanatçı Patricia Piccinini, insanı ilk gördüğünde tedirgin eden, uzaktan durup düşünmeye çağıran, yakındansa korkutan işleriyle Beyoğlu İstiklal Caddesi’nde.

Arter’in ev sahipliği yaptığı bu serginin amacı üzerine pek çok söz söylenebilir. Sergiyi ziyaret edenleri korkutma, baştan çıkarma veya sarsma gibi amaçları olduğu iddia edilebilir, ama sanatçının amacı bunlardan oldukça farklı. Piccinini, insanın kendi elleriyle yarattığı modern çevre içerisinde nerede durduğunu sorguluyor. Bu sorgulamayı soruları direkt yönelterek değil, yanıtlar kadar soruların da öznelleşmesini sağlayarak yapıyor. Çocukların kucağında uyuyan, bir erkeğin ellerinde şaşkın bakışlarına mazhar olan veya birbirine dolanarak aşk yaşayan tuhaf yaratıkların hepsi bizim doğayla olan imtihanımızın ne denli zorlu bir noktasında olduğumuzu vurguluyor. Silikon, hayvan kılları ve insan saçları gibi malzemeler kullanılarak yapılmış eserler gerçekçilik hissini oldukça yüksek seviyede yaşatma yanında, şefkat hissi uyandırmak üzere

kurgulanmış. Bu tuhaf yaratıklar o kadar sevimli veya güzel ki ilk karşılaşma anında duyumsanan o korku hissi bir süre sonra kayboluyor.

Bu noktada sanatçının asıl amacının bizleri korkutmak mı yoksa gülümsetmek ve insancıl olan tarafımızı uyandırmak mı olduğunu anlayamıyoruz. Evet, belki bu yaratıklara karşı duyulabilecek şefkatin dozu tartışılır, ancak Patricia Piccinini’nin yaratmaya çalıştığı his zaten serginin adında saklı: “Beni Bağrına Bas” “Aşıklar” isimli kendilerini geyik zanneden iki motorsiklet veya “plastik” ve “ekoloji” kelimelerinden türemiş “Plastikoloji” isimli bahçe; teknolojinin ve onun ürünlerinin bizleri doğadan ne kadar uzaklaştırdığına gönderme yapıyor.

Goethe’nin “Güzellik her yerde davetli misafirdir.” sözünden ilham alan “Davetli Misafir” isimli esere özellikle dikkat edin. Çirkinlikten ziyade “öteki”nin durumunu anlamak için Piccinini’ye muhakkak zaman ayırın.

SUMMER 2011

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Arter Art Gallery in Beyoğlu presents a thought provoking exhibition entitled “Hold Me Close To Your Heart” until August 21.

An Australian artist with an Italian origin Patricia Piccini comes to Arter art gallery at Beyoğlu, İstiklal Street. Her works are somewhat teasing at first sight, thought provoking from a distance and a little scary at a close range… It is possible to widely speculate on the objectives of this exhibition, claiming that it aims to intimidate, debauch or shock the audience but in fact none of these would be true. Piccini questions the position of mankind within the modern environment that he created with his own hands. Her questioning is not direct as she subjectifies her questions as well as her answers.

All those weird creatures she portraits as sleeping in the arms of a child, sitting in the hands of a puzzled man or snuggling each other to make love, in fact, underlines our critical stance in our relationship with nature. Made of diverse materials such as silicone, animal fur or human hair these highly realistic figures are conceptual-

ized to provoke feelings of love and compassion.

Although they might seem freakish at first glance, they confuse the viewer with their infant-like attributes and friendly, peaceful and adorable poses. At this point it is not easy to figure out if the artist wants to scare the audience or if she reaches out to our most humane feelings. How affectionate one can get with these creatures is a matter of discussion but Patricia Piccini gives a clue in the title of the exhibition: “Hold Me Close To Your Heart”.

“The Lovers” featuring two deer-like vespas or the “Plasticology” garden combining the words “plastic” and “ecology” are all references to the distance set by technology and its products between nature and humans. Inspired by Goethe’s quotation “Beauty is a welcome guest everywhere”, the art work entitled “The Welcome Guest” deserves special attention.

“Hold me Close To Your Heart” is a must see exhibition on the meaning of “the other” rather than “the ugly”.

SUMMER 2011

SUMMER 2011

Patricia Piccinini, with scary works at Beyoğlu İstiklal Street

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SUMMER 2011

Patricia Piccinini, with scary works at Beyoğlu İstiklal Street

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Arter Art Gallery in Beyoğlu presents a thought provoking exhibition entitled “Hold Me Close To Your Heart” until August 21.

An Australian artist with an Italian origin Patricia Piccini comes to Arter art gallery at Beyoğlu, İstiklal Street. Her works are somewhat teasing at first sight, thought provoking from a distance and a little scary at a close range… It is possible to widely speculate on the objectives of this exhibition, claiming that it aims to intimidate, debauch or shock the audience but in fact none of these would be true. Piccini questions the position of mankind within the modern environment that he created with his own hands. Her questioning is not direct as she subjectifies her questions as well as her answers.

All those weird creatures she portraits as sleeping in the arms of a child, sitting in the hands of a puzzled man or snuggling each other to make love, in fact, underlines our critical stance in our relationship with nature. Made of diverse materials such as silicone, animal fur or human hair these highly realistic figures are conceptual-

ized to provoke feelings of love and compassion.

Although they might seem freakish at first glance, they confuse the viewer with their infant-like attributes and friendly, peaceful and adorable poses. At this point it is not easy to figure out if the artist wants to scare the audience or if she reaches out to our most humane feelings. How affectionate one can get with these creatures is a matter of discussion but Patricia Piccini gives a clue in the title of the exhibition: “Hold Me Close To Your Heart”.

“The Lovers” featuring two deer-like vespas or the “Plasticology” garden combining the words “plastic” and “ecology” are all references to the distance set by technology and its products between nature and humans. Inspired by Goethe’s quotation “Beauty is a welcome guest everywhere”, the art work entitled “The Welcome Guest” deserves special attention.

“Hold me Close To Your Heart” is a must see exhibition on the meaning of “the other” rather than “the ugly”.

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Mysterious and Romantic Cartagena

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artagena or “Cartagena de Indias” in full, is the capital city of Colombia’s Bolivar state. Founded in 1533 by Pedro de Heredia, Cartagena is the 5th largest city of the country, after Bogota, Medellin, Cali and Barranquilla and hosts a population of 900 thousand.

With a history dating back to 16th century Cartagena is one of the busiest harbors of South America, owing its cultural and historical heritage largely to the Spanish colonial era. The city’s liberation from Spanish rule on November 11, 1811 is celebrated as a national holiday every year throughout the country. Integrating its urban development into its historical heritage, Cartagena is one of the few touristic cities in the whole South American continent. The city is also known as “La Heroica” meaning “heroic “after its heroic defense against British pirates. Unharmed by the touch of modernity, this heroic city looks forward welcoming its guests.

Those who are familiar with this picturesque city on the turquoise shores of the Caribbean know exactly why it is worth the distance. One visit to this incredibly beautiful city which is listed as one of UNESO’s World Heritages, is enough to understand that you will try to figure out all kinds of excuses to come back again for the rest of your life. Among the faithful lovers of the city there are prominent figures and celebrities such as Bill Gates, Pope Jean Paul II, kings of Spain, Mel Gibson, Bill Clinton and Christopher Lambert.

Located to the north of Columbia, Cartagena will surprise you with its friendly and polite people, age long history, museums, beaches and heaven-like islands, fine restaurants and a vibrant night life. The streets are full of architectural masterpieces reflecting various design schools including military buildings, colonial era and the republican period. It took 200 years to complete the still robust ramparts surrounding the city which were built by the order of Spanish king Felipe II in 16th century to fortify the defense of Caribbean shores. Today these ramparts are also listed as UNESCO’s World Heritage.

Since there is so much that Cartagena has to offer, tourist guides divide the city in color zones to help the visitors.That’s why Cartagena is brown, blue, green, purple, orange, white, yellow and red!

Take a walk to see the house of 1982 Nobel Literature Award winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez and follow his footsteps in the well preserved historical streets to the city center where you can see the best examples of Mudejar (Andalusian architecture) houses with bay windows, somehow resembling our own Safranbolu.

Enjoy your tour at historical neighborhoods of Santo Domingo, San Pedro, San Diego, Proclamacion and Aduana, making short stopovers to taste the most delicious coffees in the whole wide world or Columbia’s exotic tropical fruit juices.

Breathe in the age long past at Santo Domingo Cathedral, San Pedro Claver or La Catedral churches and listen to the stories you have never heard before.

Blue: THE SEA Make sure to spare one whole day and night to savor the beauties of Rosario islands; after admiring the breath taking Caribbean night from your hotel window, it will be an unforgettable experience to wake up to a dazzling day in an idyllic paradise island.

Swimming and sunbathing under the refreshingly fragrant tropical breeze of Baru Island will wipe all your worries away leaving you in a state of sheer relaxation.

If you are in the mood of getting to know the enchanting miracles of nature, make sure to visit the natural aquarium Oceanario to enjoy the breathtaking show of colorful underwater life.

If you are looking for an adrenaline rush however, the beach offers all kinds of activities such as water ski, scuba diving, wind surfing or jet ski rides.

Calm and serene boat tours from Bahia de las Animas, where once pirates ruled the seas will take you to beautiful coves while you taste the delicious tropical fruit salad served by beautiful dark-skinned ladies wearing white gowns made of a delicate material resembling our famous Şile gauze. Enjoy the scenery and celebrate the miracle of life, sipping your ice cold coconut milk, to refresh your body as the sun warms your soul.

Pink: FESTIVALS International Cartagena Music Festival is a celebration of classical Latin music where you can feed your soul with beautiful and unforgettable melodies.

Just like many other ex Spanish colonies, Cartagena also has a bull fighting arena where you can watch the thrilling and dangerous show of Latin toreadors.

With a history of 50 years, Cartagena Film Festival is one of the oldest in Latin America, featuring best examples of Spanish and Latin American film industry.

Offering a hint of Africa with drums, dances and various colorful street performances, Cartagena’s Independence Day celebrations will fascinate you. Join the fun and feel the happiness of the crowd as you sing and dance along with them. As for the world renowned beauty of Latin American women, you can admire the charms of the most attractive women of Columbia at the street fashion shows during the celebrations.

The people of the region never forget the fact that their ancestors were once slaves and as a tribute to them they carry on a jazz tradition, playing the piano or the saxophone. If you are a jazz lover, make sure to experience Cartagena Jazz festival, one of the most prominent in the world, at least once in your life.

Purple: SHOPPING Check out the rare handicrafts unique to the shores of the Caribbean at Bovedas where history meets trade. The old city center surrounded

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Green: ECO TOURISM Keep in mind that you are in a country famous with the impeccable diversity of bird varieties

while you are touring the fishing village of Manglares at Boquilla, the home of 5 different varieties of mangrove orchards and migrating birds. Just 30 minutes of drive from Cartagena, the skirts of Totumo volcano is a great place to sunbathe.

Take a kayaking tour at Luna-Forest Ecopark and rappel your way down to the shore. It will be difficult to decide whether take a nap or have a walk on the beach where sparkling white sands meet turquoise waves. If you are tired of admiring the sculpture like palm trees, Guillermo Piñeres botanical garden at Turbaco, just 15 minutes from Cartagena, offers more that 12 thousand varieties of exotic plants and flowers unique to Caribbean region.

And as for your kids, we guarantee that they will have the fun of their lifetime, watching the wild animals and natural beauties at the 130 hectares wide Mi Gran-Animal park.

Before leaving Cartagena make sure to witness the Caribbean night sky, ornate with thousands of shiny stars over the moonlit beach. Thanks to its geographical position Columbia is one of the best places in the world where you can see the stars very clearly with your naked eyes.

SUMMER 2011

Brown: HISTORY Brown symbolizes the historical attractions and world famous ramparts of the city. Taking a walk alone or with your significant other on these tough old walls is an absolute must. When you get tired of walking you can always take a carriage

ride along the streets, to feel and admire the traces of the city’s mysterious past. Don’t forget to hunt for hidden details while visiting intriguing museums like the Inquisition Palace or Rafael Núñez’s house. Make sure to save time for the impressive San Felipe de Bajas Castle, which is one of the most important structures reflecting the grandeur of the Spanish Empire in South America. To see and understand the power of Catholicism in this country, visit the famous Stern Monastery.

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Mysterious and Romantic Cartagena

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SUMMER 2011

artagena or “Cartagena de Indias” in full, is the capital city of Colombia’s Bolivar state. Founded in 1533 by Pedro de Heredia, Cartagena is the 5th largest city of the country, after Bogota, Medellin, Cali and Barranquilla and hosts a population of 900 thousand.

With a history dating back to 16th century Cartagena is one of the busiest harbors of South America, owing its cultural and historical heritage largely to the Spanish colonial era. The city’s liberation from Spanish rule on November 11, 1811 is celebrated as a national holiday every year throughout the country. Integrating its urban development into its historical heritage, Cartagena is one of the few touristic cities in the whole South American continent. The city is also known as “La Heroica” meaning “heroic “after its heroic defense against British pirates. Unharmed by the touch of modernity, this heroic city looks forward welcoming its guests.

Those who are familiar with this picturesque city on the turquoise shores of the Caribbean know exactly why it is worth the distance. One visit to this incredibly beautiful city which is listed as one of UNESO’s World Heritages, is enough to understand that you will try to figure out all kinds of excuses to come back again for the rest of your life. Among the faithful lovers of the city there are prominent figures and celebrities such as Bill Gates, Pope Jean Paul II, kings of Spain, Mel Gibson, Bill Clinton and Christopher Lambert.

Located to the north of Columbia, Cartagena will surprise you with its friendly and polite people, age long history, museums, beaches and heaven-like islands, fine restaurants and a vibrant night life. The streets are full of architectural masterpieces reflecting various design schools including military buildings, colonial era and the republican period. It took 200 years to complete the still robust ramparts surrounding the city which were built by the order of Spanish king Felipe II in 16th century to fortify the defense of Caribbean shores. Today these ramparts are also listed as UNESCO’s World Heritage.

Since there is so much that Cartagena has to offer, tourist guides divide the city in color zones to help the visitors.That’s why Cartagena is brown, blue, green, purple, orange, white, yellow and red!

Brown: HISTORY Brown symbolizes the historical attractions and world famous ramparts of the city. Taking a walk alone or with your significant other on these tough old walls is an absolute must. When you get tired of walking you can always take a carriage

ride along the streets, to feel and admire the traces of the city’s mysterious past. Don’t forget to hunt for hidden details while visiting intriguing museums like the Inquisition Palace or Rafael Núñez’s house. Make sure to save time for the impressive San Felipe de Bajas Castle, which is one of the most important structures reflecting the grandeur of the Spanish Empire in South America. To see and understand the power of Catholicism in this country, visit the famous Stern Monastery.

Take a walk to see the house of 1982 Nobel Literature Award winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez and follow his footsteps in the well preserved historical streets to the city center where you can see the best examples of Mudejar (Andalusian architecture) houses with bay windows, somehow resembling our own Safranbolu.

Enjoy your tour at historical neighborhoods of Santo Domingo, San Pedro, San Diego, Proclamacion and Aduana, making short stopovers to taste the most delicious coffees in the whole wide world or Columbia’s exotic tropical fruit juices.

Breathe in the age long past at Santo Domingo Cathedral, San Pedro Claver or La Catedral churches and listen to the stories you have never heard before.

Blue: THE SEA Make sure to spare one whole day and night to savor the beauties of Rosario islands; after admiring the breath taking Caribbean night from your hotel window, it will be an unforgettable experience to wake up to a dazzling day in an idyllic paradise island.

Swimming and sunbathing under the refreshingly fragrant tropical breeze of Baru Island will wipe all your worries away leaving you in a state of sheer relaxation.

If you are in the mood of getting to know the enchanting miracles of nature, make sure to visit the natural aquarium Oceanario to enjoy the breathtaking show of colorful underwater life.

If you are looking for an adrenaline rush however, the beach offers all kinds of activities such as water ski, scuba diving, wind surfing or jet ski rides.

Calm and serene boat tours from Bahia de las Animas, where once pirates ruled the seas will take you to beautiful coves while you taste the delicious tropical fruit salad served by beautiful dark-skinned ladies wearing white gowns made of a delicate material resembling our famous Şile gauze. Enjoy the scenery and celebrate the miracle of life, sipping your ice cold coconut milk, to refresh your body as the sun warms your soul.

Green: ECO TOURISM Keep in mind that you are in a country famous with the impeccable diversity of bird varieties

while you are touring the fishing village of Manglares at Boquilla, the home of 5 different varieties of mangrove orchards and migrating birds. Just 30 minutes of drive from Cartagena, the skirts of Totumo volcano is a great place to sunbathe.

Take a kayaking tour at Luna-Forest Ecopark and rappel your way down to the shore. It will be difficult to decide whether take a nap or have a walk on the beach where sparkling white sands meet turquoise waves. If you are tired of admiring the sculpture like palm trees, Guillermo Piñeres botanical garden at Turbaco, just 15 minutes from Cartagena, offers more that 12 thousand varieties of exotic plants and flowers unique to Caribbean region.

And as for your kids, we guarantee that they will have the fun of their lifetime, watching the wild animals and natural beauties at the 130 hectares wide Mi Gran-Animal park.

Before leaving Cartagena make sure to witness the Caribbean night sky, ornate with thousands of shiny stars over the moonlit beach. Thanks to its geographical position Columbia is one of the best places in the world where you can see the stars very clearly with your naked eyes.

Pink: FESTIVALS International Cartagena Music Festival is a celebration of classical Latin music where you can feed your soul with beautiful and unforgettable melodies.

Just like many other ex Spanish colonies, Cartagena also has a bull fighting arena where you can watch the thrilling and dangerous show of Latin toreadors.

With a history of 50 years, Cartagena Film Festival is one of the oldest in Latin America, featuring best examples of Spanish and Latin American film industry.

Offering a hint of Africa with drums, dances and various colorful street performances, Cartagena’s Independence Day celebrations will fascinate you. Join the fun and feel the happiness of the crowd as you sing and dance along with them. As for the world renowned beauty of Latin American women, you can admire the charms of the most attractive women of Columbia at the street fashion shows during the celebrations.

The people of the region never forget the fact that their ancestors were once slaves and as a tribute to them they carry on a jazz tradition, playing the piano or the saxophone. If you are a jazz lover, make sure to experience Cartagena Jazz festival, one of the most prominent in the world, at least once in your life.

Purple: SHOPPING Check out the rare handicrafts unique to the shores of the Caribbean at Bovedas where history meets trade. The old city center surrounded

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S by ramparts offer a wide variety of antique shops that will take you to a nostalgic journey to the olden times. Bocagrande Shopping Center is famous with best quality leather products and jewelry made of dazzling Columbian emeralds, the most precious in the whole world. They will make perfect gifts for your loved ones. And last but not least, Cartagena’s national and international designer boutiques will prove that high end fashion is not something to be found only in London, Paris or Milan…

Orange: FOOD As a sea town, Cartagena is famous with delicious fish and seafood. The essential characteristic of Cartagena cuisine is the unique combination of seafood with tropical fruits. Forget your diet as you will not get enough of the delicious fresh fish and seafood cooked with mango, coconut or platano (a kind of banana). You can find the region’s traditional fruit candies at Portal de los Dulce. Streets also offer some yummy options such as crispy egg arpeas (corn pancakes) on coal fire, carimañola (stuffed yuka) with cheese or meat filling or bean pasties and refreshing cold beverages like cola roman (vanilla flavored soda).

Along with traditional dishes, as an international city, Cartagena also rich in terms of fine restaurants serving Chinese, Italian, Arabic and French cuisines.

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Yellow: CONFERENCE TOURISM As much as fun, Cartagena is also a city of culture and education. The city’s largest university with 8 thousand students is well recognized with its faculty of medicine. Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala Congress center has a capacity over 4500 guests while all important hotels in the city have their private conference and congress facilities where various international trade fairs are organized every year to promote and support Columbian economy. Museums and different squares around

Red: ROMANCE When it comes to romance, the first two cities that come in mind are Venice and Paris. However in Latin America, Cartagena is the city for lovers.

With its vibrant beauty and romantic atmosphere, Cartagena is one of the ideal honeymoon destinations in the world. Professional agencies dedicated to honeymoon organizations are capable of making all your dreams come true, making you feel as if you are living in a fairy-tale. Watch the idyllic sunset with your loved one walking hand in hand on the beach and take a romantic carriage ride to a beautiful restaurant for a candle light dinner.

Cartagena beaches and islands: • San Fernando Archipelago • Tierra Bomba Island • Baru islands • Rosario islands • Bocachica islands • Bocagrande, Laguito, Castillogrande, Marbela, Boquella, White Sand and Pportanaito beaches Landmarks of Cartagena: • Old city center and historical ramparts • Santo Domingo Church • Gold Museum • City Hall • Museum of Modern Arts • San Felipe de Barajas Castle • Rafael Nuñez Mansion

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SUMMER 2011

White: NIGHT LIFE A night of music and dance at Chiva will show a whole new face of Cartagena. You can dance from dusk till dawn to the tropical rhythms of Columbia, Cuba, salsa, electronic music and vallenato at Arsenal Street, down at the city center or at the night clubs over the ramparts. If you are after some open air fun, look for invitations for the famous cocktail parties around the city; one of the characteristics of Cartagena is the seven day, open air society weddings where everybody comes wearing white. Who knows; if you make friends with someone from high society, you may have an invitation to attend one of them.

Not as famous as Las Vegas but Cartagena also offers some high quality casinos for those who enjoy gaming thrills.

the city are also ideal for various activities and meetings.

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Rüzgârı Sürebilirsiniz!

The name comes from the mythological stories of South American Aymara people who live at the Andes: Huayra, the god of winds.

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K ÜT LOT M O Ü RO B&İ LS A N A T

Rüzgârı Sürebilirsiniz!

YAZI KEMAL CAN

İsmini Güney Amerikalı Aymara yerli kavminin And Dağları üzerine anlattıkları mitolojik hikâyelerde yer alan rüzgâr tanrısından alıyor: Huayra.

SUMMER 2011

The name comes from the mythological stories of South American Aymara people who live at the Andes: Huayra, the god of winds.

SUMMER 2011

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You can drive the wind!

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aving worked for the two best Italian sports automobile companies Ferrari and Lamborghini in the past, Horacio Pagani established his own company Pagani in early 1990s and soon became well known with his powerful and extraordinary automobiles with eye catching designs. The company has a very limited production capacity and naturally not many customers; thinking about the million Euro price tags of the automobiles, otherwise would be impossible… Pagani’s new boy-toy Huayra is a true monster of speed producing up to 700 hp.

Inspired a great deal by the company’s legendary Zonda R model, Huayra was perfected in five years on 1:1 scale clay models. Still in the testing process Pagani Huyara is expected to be hit the US market very soon, bringing the son of wind from Italy back to his native soil.

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Daha önce Lamborghini ve Ferrari gibi dünyanın en iyi iki İtalyan spor otomobil firmasında çalışan Horacio Pagani’nin 1990’ların başında kendi ismiyle kurduğu firması Pagani, enteresan tasarımlı, güçlü ve sıra dışı spor otomobillerle tanınıyor. Çok fazla bir üretim kapasitesi olmadığından müşterileri ve tabii ki otomobilleri sınırlı sayıda; milyon euroluk fiyatları göz önüne alındığında başka türlüsü de düşünülemezdi. Pagani’nin yeni oyuncağı Huayra, 700 beygir gücüne erişebilen gerçek bir hız canavarı! Firmanın daha önce ürettiği Zonda R isimli modelin Huayra’nın bugünkü hâline gelmesinde büyük ilham verdiğini söylemek gerek. Üretim aşamasında 1:1 ölçekli ve kilden modellerle geçirilen beş yıl onu daha da mükemmel hale getirmiş. Pagani Huayra hâlâ testlere devam ediyor. Çok yakında ABD pazarına girecek ve o zaman rüzgârın oğlu doğduğu İtalya’dan ait olduğu Yeni Dünya’ya geçmiş olacak.

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aving worked for the two best Italian sports automobile companies Ferrari and Lamborghini in the past, Horacio Pagani established his own company Pagani in early 1990s and soon became well known with his powerful and extraordinary automobiles with eye catching designs. The company has a very limited production capacity and naturally not many customers; thinking about the million Euro price tags of the automobiles, otherwise would be impossible… Pagani’s new boy-toy Huayra is a true monster of speed producing up to 700 hp.

Inspired a great deal by the company’s legendary Zonda R model, Huayra was perfected in five years on 1:1 scale clay models. Still in the testing process Pagani Huyara is expected to be hit the US market very soon, bringing the son of wind from Italy back to his native soil.

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SUMMER 2011

You can drive the wind!

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OTEL

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Beautiful jewel of the Bosphorus...

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SPRING/SUMMER 2013

distinguished boutique Hotel, A’jia is a traditional Ottoman mansion that jewels the Asian shores of the Bosphorus. With well appointed contemporary interior design, and its centuries old architecture the venue oozes trend and excitement. When you add the extraordinary attention to detail, individualized service and HIP aspect in the mix, hotel experiences is simply redefined.

With its 16 rooms that feature breathtaking scenes from the Bosphorus, A’jia truly offers a private hideaway with easy access to historical and cultural attractions of the city.

Contributing to overall experience of its valued guests, each room is a delight to discover as they are uniquely designed, furnished and equipped with all the latest gimmicks and amenties belending in perfectly with the timeless elegance of the 1800’s.

The A’jia restaurant is an exlusive venue with a gusto that is happy duel any ‘gourmet’ to perfection. And private events are a treat, with unique approach in offering exqusitive menus and creative ideas.

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SPONSORED BY

Como

BY CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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omo is the largest town of the area giving its name to the lake. Although you will probably hear a lot about the place before you come, words are not enough to describe Como; one should experience it. It’s a city which excites you even before you come, the thought of leaving will sadden your heart and you will definitely long for coming again. As you walk among the gardens and down the old cobblestone alleys to the lake, you will regret that you haven’t discovered the city earlier in your life. It is a city worth living in where history feels ageless, spontaneity becomes a part of the daily life and people are happy... Como is the shadow of heaven on earth; it’s a city that you want to talk about all the time, go back to and dream of living there one day…

The city lies in a green dell at the southern end of the west branch of the lake, surrounded by hills of glacial formation. Impressive are the geometrical outlines of the historical centre developed inside the ancient Roman encampment.

The city itself centers on the modern Piazza Cavour which opens to the lake and divides the lakeside promenade into eastern and western sections. A railway junction and tourist centre, Como is noted for its long established silk industry. With large workshops, laboratories and vocational-training facilities, it is the home of the National Institute of Silk.

As a tourist destination, Lake Como is popular for its picturesque landscape, wildlife, and spas. It is a venue for sailing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing.

In 1818 Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote to Thomas Love Peacock: “This lake exceeds anything I have ever seen in beauty, with the exception of the arbutus islands of Killarney. It is long and narrow, and has the appearance of a mighty river winding among mountains and forests.”

Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular touristic destination with many artistic and cultural gems. It has many world renowned villas and palaces such as Villa Olmo, Villa Serbelloni, and Villa Carlotta.

Villa del Balbianello, famous for its elaborate terrace gardens, lies on a promontory at the western shore of the lake, near Isola Comacina.

Built in 1787 on the site of a Franciscan monastery, it was the final home of the explorer Guido Monzino and today houses a museum devoted to his work.

Villa Melzi d’Eril in Bellagio was built in neoclassical style by architect Giocondo Albertolli in 1808–10 as the summer residence of Duke Francesco Melzi d’Eril, who was vice-president of the Napoleonic Italian Republic. The park includes an orangery, a private chapel, fine statues, and a Japanese garden, and is planted, as often on lake Como, with huge rhododendrons. 19thcentury guests at the Villa included Stendhal and Franz Liszt.

Many famous people have or have had homes on the shores of Lake Como, such as Matthew Bellamy, Madonna, George Clooney, Gianni Versace, Ronaldinho, Sylvester Stallone, Richard Branson, Ben Spies, and Pierina Legnani. Lake Como is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy.

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Villa Serbelloni Oteli Como Gölü kıyısındaki tarihi güzellik

SPONSORED BY

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The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni

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or the past 100 years or more, the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni has been one of the most well-known and prestigious hotels in the world. Set in the splendid surroundings of Lake Como, where the blue waters meet the green mountains which soar above the lake, the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni enjoys a breathtaking position on the promontory which juts halfway out into the lake, separating the two branches. The luxurious vegetation of its Italianstyle gardens, abounding in Mediterranean and subtropical plants, flourishes in the pleasant

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microclimate around the lake: sunshine almost all year round, accompanied by mild temperatures in every season. Owing to its delightful setting, Bellagio, an oasis of peace on the shores of the lake, has been a holiday destination for centuries and it was here that, in around 1850, construction work started on a luxurious holiday villa on the banks of the lake for an aristocratic family from Milan.

The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni is one of the oldest and most elegant hotels in the Lake Como area and the only 5 star de-luxe hotel in Bellagio.

Lovers of peace and quiet can alternate

the pleasure of a poolside drink with beauty treatments and programmes at Villa Serbelloni SPA, the hotel’s own beauty farm. Or they can set off from the private dock for a motorboat trip to the historic gardens along the lake which, in springtime, attract tourists from all over the world: especially for the wonderful flowering of the azaleas. Also lovers of sport can take advantage of the hotel gym and tennis courts, enjoy delightful walks or take a mountain bike out on the Bellagio promontory, before freshening up in the swimming pool overlooking the lake.

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A visionary who is in love with his work and hotel.

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he owner and personal manager of the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni Hotel is Gianfranco Bucher, the heir of a family who for five generations has made high class hotel hospitality his life’s ideal.

An ideal which is expressed by combining the splendid surroundings with accurate service and the perfection of highly refined gastronomy; by the choice of wines which encompass the best of Italian and international wines; by offering each guest an ideal stay, also with an emphasis on leisure activities.

We had a pleasant conversation with Mr. Bucher; Please tell us about the history of the hotel.

The hotel itself was a private Villa. It was built 1850 by a Swiss family, who were living in Bergamo. He built this house as a present for his wife for the wedding anniversary. That time Bellagio was reachable only by boat there were no roads coming to Bellagio, so you could walk or come by boat and so that’s why the entrance of the villa is front of the lake. In 1872 the villa, which is in pure neo-classical style, was sold and since then it has formed the central nucleus of the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni which was opened in 1873. Its interior reflects the good taste loved by the wealthy nobility of the time: its walls and ceilings are adorned with frescoes and paintings

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of mythological scenes, gilded frames, festoons, temples, putti, flamingos, and Pompeian reds.

The coffer ceilings are often frescoed with floral patterns in grey and pink tones. The guests are fascinated by the period wall coverings in French style, the antique Persian carpets, the crystal chandeliers from Murano, the Imperial furniture, and the neo-classical and Art Nouveau style; not to mention the marble staircases, the stucco work columns, and the splendid trompe l’oeil.

Who are the famous visitors here?

The Sovereigns of Spain, Romania, Albania, Egypt; above all the Russian and English aristocracy; Winston Churchill, Roosevelt, the Rothschilds, J.F. Kennedy; Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Maria Schell, Clark Gable, Robert Mitchum, Al Pacino.... these are just some of the famous guests who have strolled through the rooms and lakeside gardens of the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, enjoying its beauty and outstanding hospitality.

In Bellagio, there is so many hotels, these type of hotels in the world a lot, but what differentiate you as Serbelloni?

I would say maybe that we are still privately owned, still belonging to a family, my family and…

Not a big group so we are working in the hotel.

The hotel reflects our taste and our characters, I think it differentiate itself because it’s not standard. I think a lot of problem now especially with the large hotel they belong to chain they look all similar, they look all the same and if you enter an hotel, you don’t know if you are in Istanbul or in Rome or in Paris or I don’t know whether…

I think here in Italy you should feel the Italian character of the land you are in, and this is with the furniture, with the taste of the colors, it must reflect my taste because it’s my hotel, it’s my house but also the country you are in. So, I think that’s quiet important and it’s more and more difficult to find and it’s a pity because if you travel, you travel also because you want to see something new and something different otherwise stay at home.

What about your free times, what you do?

We have a lot of interest in nature, so I like very much diving and I like very much climbing the mountain. So we go normally on the islands diving on the red sea or in Maldives diving on the boats, or we go to the Himalayan country. Now at the end of May now we will got to Tibet, we will do the Mount Kailash. We did also the Everest camp near 7000 meters.

What’s luxury for you?

I think luxury is very subjective; I’ve been born in a luxury hotel, I live in a luxury hotel and so for me luxury is easy life that I don’t have to worry about. I don’t care about golden things… It must be comfortable, clean, easy and friendly.

You have been in Istanbul also several times, so how would you describe someone who never been in Istanbul?

I would describe a modern city with a lot of history, and with a lot of energy, with a lot of willing of living. You’ll see a lot of young people.

I think Istanbul became really an international city.

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n urban jewel, The Istanbul EDITION is an exclusive hotel in the heart one of the world’s most vibrant cities at the nexus of Europe and Asia. A fifteen-story tower with 78 guest rooms and a magnificent, full-floor penthouse, The Istanbul EDITION serves as a sophisticated hub providing multiple venues for relaxing and entertaining including a three-story spa by ESPA, Cipriani restaurant, Gold Bar, Drawing Room and Screening Room, Meeting Studios, Business Center, Event Space and Nightclub.

We had a open hearted and warm conversation with General Manager Marcus Loevenforst on living in Istanbul.

Loevenforst came to Edition from The RitzCarlton Hotel Company, where he recently served as hotel manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow, overseeing daily operations of the 334-room hotel.

During his five years with The Ritz-Carlton, Loevenforst also served as executive assistant manager, food and beverage of The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain and director of food & beverage of The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin. A native of Germany, Loevenforst began in the hotel industry in 1991 at the Garden Hotel Krefeld and later joined InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, where he spend 10 years, holding operations positions in Stuttgart, Germany; San Francisco; Miami; and Toronto.

How you would describe Istanbul to someone who have never visited Istanbul and never been here?

I would just say, get on the plane and come here because you really need to see this! There are a lot of words that you can use to describe

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İstanbul. But I really think that people should come see themselves. Istanbul is a very modern, sophisticated and busy metropolitan city. As for accessibility, when you look at the map İstanbul is located to the east of every major city and you can fly here from any of them in just 2 or 3 hours, which, I think, is a great advantage. In addition, I would probably mention the cuisine and the people and of course you have to mention the historical sites.

Is there any place you often visit in İstanbul ?

The only place I visit every often is this hotel of course… There is no single place but when I have a day or a day and a half for myself, I rather jump on my bicycle or car and go to a place near water. To get some fresh air… This is something you cannot have in Moscow or New York or any other big city. Also Bebek, Ortaköy, you know, strolling around, watching…

I didn’t say Reina on purpose because I know everyone knows Reina. And I love it, it was my first restaurant, that I went to when I came to the city.

What about Turkish food?

You know I’m a German national so and although I haven’t spent the last 15 years in Germany really, I know that I can buy more döner in Germany on every corner then you can ever buy pizza or ice cream. But all the meats, the grills and the vegetables, all these tastes, they are just my type of food. I like traditional Turkish food such as kebabs.

What do you think about Turkish people ?

Turkish people, especially the people in Istanbul as I haven’t really been anywhere other than Istanbul; they are very welcoming and they are very hospitable. Very friendly, open people.

The city is highly sophisticated, people are highly sophisticated. If you look at the young people and the fantastic education they get; great universities, traveling abroad... I mean, this city has everything that you would expect from a metropolitan city

anywhere in the world. And I think that makes it one of the biggest advantages because it’s very convenient and easy to be in this city and this country with all these people around you.

What is luxury for you?

You know what? Having time is luxury. And I mean it, I’m not even joking. I think luxury today is defined by every individual himself. For me, luxury is having an hour in which I don’t need to do anything; in other words, I can really decide what I do. This is luxury. Luxury is also knowing that you are able to purchase anything you like. And I’m not talking about brands, be it expensive or not. I don’t think it’s important any more today. I think if you can make your own decision, then you have the luxury to be able to go out and shop and do what you like. That is luxury. So that’s how I describe it. There’s luxury of course in brands and of course there are luxury brands and there are great fantastic items on sale, but that is a given by the product.

What about your hobbies? What do you do in your spare time?

I play golf. I haven’t played ever since I’ve been in Istanbul, but I’m sure I will. So there’s golfing, there’s skiing, I play a little bit tennis too. Fitness.

In my age you don’t try to buff and build up a lot of muscle. Otherwise you’d have to change your entire wardrobe and that is also too expensive. But if you go to the fitness centre once, three or four times a week, just to keep yourself fit, in shape, athletic, I think that’s really good for yourself; for your body and also to keep your mind fresh.

How will you describe yourself in three words?

I don’t think I can describe myself in three words. But I think I am a very focused person; stubborn sometimes, too often. And I like to have good people around me because you need that when you want to be successful. There is no one man show any more today. So that was six, seven words may be, but that’s it.

DIALOGUE

H.E. Gustavo de Arístegui

Spanish Armada The elegant and affable Spanish ambassador to India, a fourthgeneration diplomat and politician, opens the doors of his New Delhi residence on Prithviraj Road, and talks to us about the importance of luxury in today’s world, his career as an envoy, his country’s many specialties, and his jaw-dropping collections.

TEXT BY CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTOGRAPHED BY HARI NAIR

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s he stands by an oil portrait of his decorated, uniformed grandfather, who in his 50-year-long diplomatic career served in several countries, H.E. the Spanish Ambassador to India, Gustavo de Arístegui’s impeccable lineage becomes apparent. His father too, served as ambassador to several Latin American countries, until he was killed in action in 1989 in the Middle East, the same year de Arístegui joined the diplomatic service, after studying law. “It was tough for us, but that only gave me more drive and will to serve my country and my countrymen.

Moreover, I wanted to be more than just a civil servant, so I went into politics,” says de Arístegui, who’s been posted to Libya and Jordan, and calls himself a “hybrid” professional.

In 1996, he was called to become chief of staff of the Ministry of the Interior, and was personally asked by the then Spanish prime minister to run for parliament in 2000 – a 12-year stint.

Of Basque heritage, de Arístegui is proud to “work for the good name of Spain around the world”. He recounts how his minister of foreign affairs wanted to send a strong political message to India by sending him – a high-profile politician in his country – and that Spain wanted to boost diplomatic relations with India “in all aspects”. Given the resilience of the Spanish people, the ambassador has no doubt that Spain would come out of its present minor hiccups. And Spain has lots to offer: from vibrant fashion brands like Mango, Zara, Adolfo Dominguez, and even Spanish-origin multinational brands like Loewe, high-quality foods and wines, excellent hotels and resorts, world-class sports (they just won the Handball

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World Cup, Spanish players in the NBA, Rafael Nadal in tennis, champions of the football European Championship in 2012), to being one of the most culturally diverse countries in Europe, with unique languages and dialects.

“Spanish gastronomy is much more than just paella. Paella is a wonderful universal dish, as is gazpacho, which comes from Andalucia. But we have two of the finest cuisines in the world – Catalan and Basque, where I come from,” says de Arístegui. The ambassador tells us that Basque country, especially his province of

Gipuzkoa (capital Donostia-San Sebastián), has the highest concentration of Michelin stars in the smallest territory in the world. He points to an astonishing fact: a barely 2,000 sq km area with less than 600,000 inhabitants, has four three-star Michelin restaurants and countless one- and two-star Michelin restaurants.

De Arístegui reveals that in terms of hospitality, “India has the best hotel hospitality culture in the world, which is unique to the country. This strikes you when you walk through the lobby of an Indian hotel: the way you are received and treated is different from any other hotel in the world”. He would love to work towards merging the two cultures in the sector

of luxury, to bring people together. He welcomes readers of Le CITY deluxe INDIA, and adds that although it’s a competitive world out there, this invariably makes products and people better. The ambassador says that Spain naturally appeals to Indian society, since it inspires sympathy. “The film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was extremely important for our image in India. Over 70 million Indians saw it in cinemas, with countless more on DVD. Even the King of Spain has seen the movie!” he says. “A long line of ministersand VIPS are coming to India this year and the next. There are 200 Spanish companies present in India, with the biggest single European investor in India coming from there. Spain is also fascinating in terms of art and antiques.”

Which brings us to his impeccably decorated living room, that bears testimony to Gustavo de Arístegui’s passion for art and artefacts. He has been collecting for years, with some pieces passed on to him by his grandfather, but his is a curated selection. “I don’t have it all here,” he says, “You come to a furnished residence, so you only have so many cubic metres to make a selection.” De Arístegui is a fourth-generation carpet collector (some of his 200-year-old antique pieces lie back home in Madrid), with some carpets purchased by his grandfather over a century ago. In terms of going out there and scouring for pieces, he admits he likes to go “where you don’t normally think you are going to find anything special”, and tries to look beyond what meets the eye. “One of my best carpets is in my bedroom here. It was crumpled up and full of dirt in a very humble shop in Amman, Jordan. The vendor thought it was a Qashqai. So I paid him 700 dinars for

Opposite page: H.E. Gustavo de Arístegui cuts an intellectual figure as he sits in front of a Spanish painting, in his Prithviraj Road residence in New Delhi.

DIALOGUE

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the carpet, and after washing and repairing it, I discovered that it was a valuable Baku, the only one of its kind that I have ever seen in real life, besides in books,” he says.

A stunning array of Coptic crosses is displayed on one wall, some ensconced in glass cases. “I started collecting these 20 years ago.

They’re all antique, from Ethiopia, and one from Egypt. Another glass case houses gigantic rings in silver, turquoise, and coral, made by the Pashtun tribes of Afghanistan. “I bought some locally in Peshawar, and others are from antique dealers.” Three religious icons on the wall next to the crosses come from Jerusalem, with the oldest dating back to the early 18th century.

In a display by his grandfather’s oil portrait, sits a box of colourful medallions. “Those are my decorations, honours that some countries, and my own, have bestowed on me. A particularly special one is one from Socialist prime minister Rodriguez Zapetero, whose ideology was different to my own,” says de ArÍstegui. He has also recieved the Great Cross of Civil Merit, recently awarded to Indian minister Farooq Abdullah by the Spanish government. “My father used to say that decorations were the cheapest and best inventions of mankind. You can keep someone happy at no real cost to the taxpayer,” he says.

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The large ante-room is lined with books, another passion of the ambassador’s (he owns 7,500 tomes and 3,500 CDs). De Arístegui has written books on Islam and terrorism, in Spanish, and has been a columnist and professor in his native country. A large glass table displays wispy iron statuettes from Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, and Burkina Faso. “Back home I have a museum-grade, prehistoric ceramic collection from the Middle East and one from Latin America. I’ve told my children that once I pass away, I will leave these two collections to two Spanish museums on the condition that they be shown to the public – the Spanish museum of archaeology and the Museum of The Americas in Madrid,” he says.

He is also a patron of Spanish art (and Indian artists more recently), with paintings from the city of Alicante and two from his grandfather’s collection (saved while the latter was on a posting to Norway, as his home in Ilion was ransacked during the Spanish Civil War).

A striking landscape is by a contemporary of Van Gogh, painted in 1897, and an early 19th -century Flemish painting by Tindemans shows the baptism of Emperor Charles V, who was the King of Spain and Emperor of the German empire. “I had this restored almost to a perfect original state, and am very proud of it,” he says.

He’s also an avid collector of watches and pens, and owns 19 timepieces. “Whatever my modest means allow me,” he laughs. “I have a quartz watch that was given to me as a gift

by King Abdullah II of Jordan, a dear friend.”

The ambassador also loves fountain pens, and has 30 pieces. “I change my pen every day.

The one I am using today is a Montegrappa, a limited edition, 24th of 500. I also have the Bird of Paradise which is one of the best pens ever made. Then I have the American Constitution made by Visconti, with the constitution written on the pen itself.”

The tall, sartorially savvy diplomat confesses that when it comes to suits, it’s custom-made all the way. “An extraordinary tailor in Madrid, Carlos Herrero, stitches my suits,” says de Arístegui. His shirts are also custom-made in Madrid. Most of his ties are Spanish-made, and his shoes are by Crockett & Jones and Edward Green, along with Spanish brand Carmina, “as good as any top British make”. Today he’s wearing cufflinks gifted to him by his motherin-law, and made by a jeweller in Casablanca.

He likes to mix it up, from fun links in the shape of a screw or a car, to custom-made pieces. “My wife (who hails from Morocco) is even fussier!

She is very elegant, and fashion-savvy,” he says.

“She looks like an angel, really.”

Clockwise from left: The ambassador stands by a portrait of his grandfather, himself a Spanish envoy; A Pashtun tribal ring collection; De Arístegui's precious medallion collection.

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ANKUR BHATIA

The Wunderkind

This unassuming computer geek-turned-luxury hotelier believes in Sai Baba and relies on his spouse Smriti for guidance. He’s also a man with a vision, who wants to transform the luxury hotel biz in India.

INTERVIEW BY CAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTOGRAPHED BY HARI NAIR

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he award-winning entrepreneur who’s brought to the country international brands like Porsche Design and Bally, as well as India’s first ice-skating rink and two-wheeled transporter Segway, is poised at the brink of hospitality success with the advent of luxury hotel chain Dusit, that’s launching its first properties, the Dusit Devarana and the Dusit D2 in Delhi. We caught up with him at the Dusit Devarana in New Delhi.

You’ve received several awards, and recently bagged the Superbrands 2011-2012 award.

What does it take to be a great entrepreneur?

Ankur Bhatia: Hard work, faith, and patience are key to achieve anything in life. It’s encouraging to get accolades, and when you are working and competing in an environment like India’s, these are important from a PR standpoint. Most of our business is B2B. So it helped to win this B2B award last year.

Did you have a mentor along the way?

AB: All business leaders are your mentors. Even if you don’t interact with them or know them personally, you can learn from their journeys.

Do you also read biographies?

AB: I don't have the time or the patience.

(Laughs). The only book that I read is Sri Sai Satcharita, since I am a believer in Sai Baba, and this motivates me.

Any substantial lessons learnt along the way?

AB: Everyday is a learning process. If learning stops, you cease to grow. You can even learn from your children, but you need to learn from

your surroundings and how you can apply this to your work life.

How did the entrepreneurial bug bite you?

AB: When I was in the 10th grade. My first project was to conduct a computer training workshop for Air France (my aunt knew the general manager there) – since PCs had just come into being. Born and brought up in an aviation family, I started working in a company that was being set up, in 1992, when I was barely 19. I have never worked outside the family business, which has now become more professional; it’s expanded, and we all do our own thing. My brother has his own business. I was clear that he does his thing and I do mine, otherwise there could be conflict.

“For me, luxury is not bling and gold.

It has different meanings for different people. For seasoned travellers, it’s more experiential.”

Where did you go to university?

AB: I went to King’s College, London, and studied software engineering. Software was my passion, combined with aviation. Management was also part of my course. I would love to fly, but don’t know how to, besides on the simulator.

Smriti Bhatia: That’s definitely part of his wish list...

How much of what you learnt at university, technology-wise, is a part of your business?

AB: My learning was not done at university, it was done doing things. For example, my 12thgrade project was to set up a travel reservation system, and I eventually set up Amadeus India in 1994 as a travel technology company.

I got the idea for this when I worked with the Washington Mayfair Hotel in London, doing their design and PR; they used the Amadeus system. It’s a global company and they didn’t want to come to India, but I persuaded them.

I started with a group of 10 people, in April 1992. Today Amadeus India processes 26-27 million bookings.

So is your focus on the retail side, now that you’ve brought in these big brands?

AB: Not at all. The retail business just happened: one of the hotels we are constructing features real estate for which I wanted to get in some anchor brands. It won’t be a long-term push.

Hospitality and entertainment, yes; we will continue to expand into hotels, and multiple ice rinks. We are looking at one in the Great Mall of India in Noida, and one in Delhi as well; then, in Mumbai and other cities.

How did iSKATE come about?

AB: My son loved to skate in London. One day he asked me why we couldn’t skate in India. So I said, why not? We did our research on energy costs and so on, and iSKATE was born. It’s our own concept and brand, not a joint venture.

How has been the response so far?

AB: iSKATE completed a year on 18 December 2012, and since then has had 230,000-240,000

Opposite page: Entrepreneur Ankur Bhatia stands at the threshold of establishing a benchmark in the luxury hospitality business.

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DIALOGUE

AB: My wife helps me in every building project...she essentially built the Dusit Devarana...

SB: I had my own construction company...but I am only concentrating on consultancy with this project for now. visitors. Initially, I thought my son would be the only one skating. But in Delhi, with 23 million people, if 2-3 million people can afford a movie, then it becomes a 12-month sport for them.

Your wife Smriti is an accomplished architect.

Has she helped you in your projects?

AB: She helps me in every building project, in terms of guiding me and telling me not to oversplurge. She draws the line in terms of design as well. She essentially built the Dusit Devarana.

Even the structural work of the ice rink was done by her.

SB: I had my own construction company, but because of the kids, I am only concentrating on consultancy, and on this particular project for now.

What does luxury mean to you?

AB: To me, luxury is not bling and gold. It has different meanings for different people; for seasoned travellers, it’s more experiential.

When you talk about an experience at a luxury hotel, every corner and level of service has to be perfect. Everything is in the details.

What is your luxury mandate for India?

AB: For us, it’s hospitality. The Dusit was an

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international brand, with whom we wanted an exclusive partnership. You have the Dusit Thani, which is almost the same as the Oberoi in terms of luxury; but we wanted to aim higher, so we created a sub-brand called the Devrana. The one in New Delhi is the first Dusit Devarana anywhere in the world, and it will create brand standards that other hotels will follow. So I would not call this a mandate, but more of a positioning. When we thought of getting into hospitality, we thought of creating a brand. Creating a Bird brand is impossible; Other brands have been around for 50 years, so if you ask me, building brands is not an easy task. Our aim is to set up five hotels here – two in Delhi, one in Goa, one in Rishikesh, and one in Jaipur.

Tell us more about this property. What sets the Dusit Devarana apart?

AB: The property used to be a farmhouse. We wanted something completely different, so we shortlisted three or four architects. The architect we chose, Lek Bunnag, had done the Trident in Gurgaon – an inspiring, beautiful property.

We gave him specific instructions not to harm any of the decades-old trees there, but instead

to build around them. There are 50 rooms, but we are planning to build up to 70. Nobody in New Delhi has made 50 rooms on eight acres of land. And our location is very good – just between Delhi and Gurgaon, well connected to the airport. We also have two restaurants, a spa, a bar, a banquet hall, and a conference room. The restaurant is unique in terms of its service, and will have three cuisines – Indian, Asian, and European. We have tied up with a Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant called Kai from London, and will hopefully be opening really soon now.

Tell us about Jaipur and the other properties…

AB: The Jaipur property is set on 25 acres, with 130 rooms, and 15 villas, It will be coming up next year. The Dusit D2 is in New Delhi near the Aerocity, and will be ready by July. The 220 keys and mock rooms are already running.

There are about 12 new hotels coming up in the area, but our hotel will be different, since it’s a young design hotel. We have a cinema hall and a couple of nice restaurants, with retail an integral part of the Dusit D2. By the end of next year, we will have three operating hotels, including one in London.

Top: The power couple, Smriti and Ankur Bhatia, is perfectly matched: her architectural smarts to his software genius.

How involved do you both get with a property?

AB: We are involved with everything. It comes from a passion of creating something. We don’t have any bling element in our hotels; yet they have been expensive to build. Our room rates start from $450 a night, and go up to $600.

Where do you both like to travel?

AB: Our last trip was to the Maldives. The Dusit is opening a new property there; the hospitality is exceptional, well worth a visit.

My son and I went scuba-diving there.

SB: Maldives is a whole different experience; you feel like you are living in water.

AB: With business in London, Dubai, Thailand, I travel 10 times a year. Last year we went to Istanbul, and Greece the year before last.

Which is your favourite restaurant in Delhi?

AB: The other day we wanted to go out for food, and we could not think of a single restaurant. We went to China Kitchen, and it seems standards have fallen down. In London, one of our favourites is Kai. We are both vegetarian by choice, though Smriti has fish.

The kids eat everything, even steak. I quit meat purely for health reasons. There is more fat in

meat than vegetables unless you eat aloo puri every night. (Laughs.) I like to run marathons; my goal is to do the full marathon in London.

You have a growing collection of vintage cars.

Can you tell us more?

AB: My nanaji had an old, 1937 Austin Martin, which he would never let us touch. When he passed away, we got the car restored, and this triggered a passion to acquire antique cars, and now we have eight or nine, including an Austin, a Chevrolet Impala, a Ford Jeep, a MercedesBenz Ponton, and a Volkswagen Beetle under restoration. I also have the Singer LeMans, which is the only car of its kind in India; it’s a race car. I only take my cars out during rallies.

And what is your current mode of transport?

AB: It starts from a Santro, which I love very much, and goes up to a BMW 7 Series. To me, a car takes me from one place to another.

SB: Our most recent acquisition is a Ferrari, which our daughter is scared of.

Can you describe a typical work day?

AB: If my trainer comes in, the day starts with a workout session at 7am. I see off the kids

at school, and leave home by 9am, go to the temple, then the office at Vatika Triangle. From there I get to my hotel sites. I have an office in Connaught Place too, so I go there if needed, and I’m back home by 8pm. Breakfast is alone, but dinner is with the family.

We hear you are a huge film buff ?

AB: I can recite the dialogue from any movie, from Sholay to Chupke Chupke. The last movie I saw, Jab Tak Hain Jaan, was one of my all-time favourites. Yash Chopra’s films are timeless.

I also like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, and Chasme Badoor, which I can watch over and over, just like Angoor. I liked the new Bond film as well.

I have a server at home with 15,000 movies, with access to every room.

Do you envision a future in film production?

AB: I would love to, but I don’t have the time.

Making a hotel or creating a film is similar.

The only thing is that here, I am not shooting a frame that is controlled. It’s difficult to achieve that level of perfection, which I don’t think even the Oberoi has done, in terms of design.

This hotel that we are opening right now, will probably take one more year to perfect.

Top: A rendering of a bedroom at the Dusit Devarana property in New Delhi.

Bottom: An overview of the Dusit Thani Hua Hin property, Thailand (left); A rendering of a bar at the Dusit Devarana.

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ART

The Queen’s Room, Zanana, Udaipur City Palace, 2010. © Karen Knorr, courtesy Tasveer.

KAREN KNORR The American Karen Knorr was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and raised in San Juan Puerto Rico in the 1960s. She was educated in Paris and London. Knorr has taught and lectured internationally at institutions such as The University of Westminster, Goldsmiths College, Harvard and The Art Institute of Chicago. She is a professor of photography at the University for the Creative Arts at Farnham, Surrey, UK.

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The Queen’s Room, Zanana, Udaipur City Palace, 2010. © Karen Knorr, courtesy Tasveer.

NORMAN PARKINSON Celebrated British photographer Sir Norman Parkinson was born in London, and educated at Westminster school. He began his career in 1931 as an apprentice to the court photographers Spaight and Sons Ltd. In 1934, he opened his own studio, along with Norman Kibblewhite. From 1935-40 he worked for Harper’s Bazaar and The Bystander magazines. During the Second World War he served as a reconnaissance photographer.

From 1945-60 he was employed as a portrait and fashion photographer for Vogue. In 1963 he moved to Tobago, and from 1964 until his death in 1990 he worked as a freelance photographer.

The pale cool of Kashmir, India, Vogue, 1956. © Norman Parkinson Ltd./Tasveer.

DERRY MOORE Derry Moore, the 12th Earl of Drogheda, is a Briton known for interior and portrait images of European aristocracy, including Queen Elizabeth II and the late Queen Mother. After schooling at Eton, he studied fine art at Oskar Kokoschka’s School of Seeing in Salzburg, Austria, and later took up photography under the tutelage of British photographer Bill Brandt.

Moore has published over a dozen books, including Evening Ragas, from where these photographs taken in India were originally seen. His work has been featured in collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the National Portrait Gallery, UK, among others.

Dining Room, Gujurat, 1982. © Derry Moore, courtesy Tasveer/Damiani.

Opulent Oases The unrestrained beauty of the Thar desert beckons the international jet-set and city-slickers looking to bask in the quiet luxury of its best hotels. Travel entrepreneur Arjun Sharma gives his pick of Rajasthan’s top five über-luxe resorts.

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TEXT BY CLAUDIA TRIMDE \ PHOTO COURTESY: THE SERAI. JAISALMER

PA S S P O R T

The Serai, Jaisalmer

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or those who want to savour a taste of the stark wilderness of the Thar desert, The Serai, Jaisalmer’s luxury camps are the perfect elixir, without compromising on a luxurious experience: 21 large canvas tents cover 30 acres of a 100-acre estate. You can book tailor-made excursions

on camel safaris, and later dine al fresco in the stunning environs surrounded by nothing but still wilderness, while enjoying a cigar and a choice selection from their well-stocked bar.

The Serai’s Royal Suite, priced at `57,500 comes with its own outdoor pool, lounge tents, and a private spa. The camp also boasts a pool as well as a spa created by Raison d’Être that uses local herbs and spices. Perhaps what

emphasizes the luxury factor is the intense focus on isolation: the nearest airport lies 290 kilometres away in the city of Jodhpur, while private chartered flights are closer, landing 60km away at the Jaisalmer airport. A true-blue desert experience if there ever was one, it is not for the noise-loving city-goer. www.sujanluxury.com; (011) 4617 2700

Top: The Serai's Royal Suite that come with its own pool; Bottom: A guest surveys a camel safari (left); The interiors of a luxury tent (right).

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PA S S P O R T The Leela Palace, Udaipur

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PHOTO COURTESY: THE LEELA PALACE, UDAIPUR

here are few things more therapeutic than enjoying a view of the sun set over the iridescent waters of Lake Pichola as they lap against the Aravalli mountains. This is even more enjoyable when seen from the terrace of The Leela Palace, Udaipur, over a steaming dish of laal maas. A beautiful amalgamation of the modern and the traditional, this hotel has hosted distinguished guests such as the King and Queen of Bhutan, in addition to winning a host of awards and accolades. It has 72 rooms and eight lavish suites (of which the 3,585 sq ft Maharaja suite is priced at `2.5 lakh) that reflect contemporary elegance, and lies 28 kilometres away from the airport. Designed by architect Bill Hensley, The Leela Palace, Udaipur offers guests a chance to experience luxurious treatments at their magnificent, tented spa in collaboration with ESPA. Of their vast cuisine, the Squid Ink Fetuccini is a must-have dish, if you’re in the mood to experiment with your palate.

PHOTO COURTESY: MIHIR GARH, JODHPUR

www.theleela.com; (0294) 670 1234

Mihir Garh, Jodhpur

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t is fairly common for guests to blink in disbelief after laying eyes on Mihir Garh for the first time. The desert winds appear to whip up a mirage from the golden sands in the shape of a simple, albeit beautiful yellow fort that appears to be made completely out of sand in the middle of absolutely nowhere. In actuality, the splendid nine-suite boutique hotel, located a few kilometres away from its flagship hotel Rohet Garh and 55 kilometres south-west of Jodhpur city, is made

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out of cement, and covered with mud. Each suite (spread over 1,700 sq feet) houses its own private Jacuzzi and plunge pools, along with private terraces and courtyards. They also feature soft furnishings sourced from Jodhpur, and fireplaces that are handmade by local women from Khandi and Haji villages. The intimate setting of the location and private quarters have attracted a host of celebrity guests, such as British Prime Minister David Cameron and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame. The

owner, a keen rider, has opened a stable of Marwari horses, for people to ride under the Equestrian Programme. The delectable cuisine is best enjoyed during the Royal Picnics or by the lake. After a vigorous day, the luxurious spa therapies at the Tulsi Spa are a welcome treat.

Unruffled, wild, deserted, and undoubtably beautiful, Mihir Garh is certainly not your regular city hotel. www.mihirgarh.com; (0291) 243 1161

Top: A grand view of the swimming pool of The Leela Palace, Udaipur; Bottom clockwise: The entrance to the fortress of Mihir Garh; An aerial view of the property; A private seating area in a suite.

PHOTO COURTESY: SHAHPURA HOUSE, JAIPUR

Shahpura House, Jaipur

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ucked away in a quiet, posh colony of Jaipur city, Shahpura House is certainly a distinguished member of the family of boutique hotels in Rajasthan, but flaunts a more traditional character than most of its counterparts.

Rich Shekhawati frescoes adorn the walls

of this elegant property, with its scalloped arches and windows. The Shahpura Suite, the hotel’s most exclusive suite, which is replete with elegant marble bathrooms and private verandahs, has several portraits of the present owner’s royal ancestors displayed on the walls.

Shahpura House also celebrates festivals like Holi, Diwali, and Teej (a Rajasthani spring fest), with the pomp and splendour of a royal

household. In this modern-day haveli, it’s easy to lose yourself in another era and imagine the epoch of the Shri Rao Saheb and Rani Saheb of Shahpura come alive as you sip a refreshing pomegranate cocktail on the Rooftop Restaurant. www.shahpurahouse.com; (0141) 408 9100 / 220 3069

Suryagarh, Jaisalmer

PHOTO COURTESY: SURYAGARH, JAISALMER

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n the outskirts of the city of Jaisalmer, approximately 18 kilometres from the airport, lies Suryagarh, amidst unembellished sands. A picture of tranquility, the small castle boasts an outstanding structure, intricate stonework, and earthy cuisine (try the dal vati chorma), a sumptuous, lip-smacking affair. After a hearty meal, one can lounge in ‘Tash’ – the cards and billiards room. For the more adventurous, there is a plethora of activities to choose from: participate in mock medieval duels; explore the ruins of nearby Kuldhara fort; tour undulating dunes or attend tie-dying classes. A memorable experience is sitting on soft gaddas watching the sky shudder with stars, to the strains of rural music. A stay in the exclusive Jaisalmer Suite (priced at `75,000),completes the surreal experience.

Perhaps the best way to sum up the Suryagarh experience is by relishing the fact that the best things come in small packages. www.suryagarh.com; (0299) 226 9269

Top: The front façade of Shahpura House, Jaipur (left); A peak inside the Royal Suite (right); Bottom: An elegant courtyard, which is surrounded by the walls of the Suryagarh castle

PA S S P O R T

VivaCUBA

Probably one of the last surviving bastions of Communism today, the Caribbean island nation is an anachronism. Steeped in its pre-revolutionary ’60s culture, it embraces today's world with a vibrant palette of vistas, art, architecture, music, and food, nectar to the world-weary traveller.

Stefan Kamboj samples its many delights

PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEFAN KAMBOJ

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ndeniably the most vibrant island in the Caribbean – culturally, historically, and politically – Cuba assaults your senses the minute you step onto the hot tarmac at José Martí International Airport (located at an amazing 145 kilometres south of the Florida Keys in the United States), and completely consumes you until it’s time to leave. In the capital city of Havana’s Cadillac-teeming streets, revolutionary propaganda is giving way to art galleries, and impeccably restored colonial mansions are fast morphing into boutique hotels. From the unspoilt beaches of Varadero in the north to the gleaming Caribbean sea in the south, Cuba is one of the last few as-yetundiscovered, not-yet-globalized spots left in the world. But it won’t be for long.

Long live the Revolution?

Unabashedly stuck in a post-revolutionary, pre-liberalization time warp, Cuba, to the first-time visitor feels like a trip back in time, like stepping into a well-styled Wes Anderson film set. Indian travellers will notice several idiosyncratic similarities to pre-1990 India,

a nostalgic reminder of those simpler times.

Cuba is still very much Castro country. Having held on to power for over five decades, Fidel finally relinquished the presidency to his more pragmatic brother Raúl a few years ago. Slowly but surely, the banana-leaf curtain is being lifted up.

Tourism is perhaps the first industry to benefit from the regime’s new openness.

Habana Vieja or the old city (a UNESCO World Heritage site now being magnificently restored) is full of beautiful hotels run by Spanish hotel operators, harking back to a bygone era. In the neighbourhood of Vedado, grand old mansions are now doubling up as paladars, restaurants licenced to operate in private homes. Havana is surprisingly full of American tourists, visiting by the planeload on ‘goodwill’ tours – thanks to the Obama administration’s quiet policy of détente towards the island.

The embargo is still very much in place, but Cuba is moving on in its own revolutionary pace – somewhat open for business. Europeans, South Americans, and the Chinese are thriving, and the number of tourists is steadily on the

rise. Less than 160 kilometres south of Miami, Havana was once the playground of the rich, and it’s only a matter of time until it will be so again. For now though, it remains the antithesis of Miami, and this is the best time to plan a visit.

A grand old dame called Habana On my second visit to Cuba, I was suffused with enough energy to spend a few weeks in Havana and travel around the island. Getting there via Europe has never been easier, with daily flights through Paris, Amsterdam, and Madrid. Buy your visa on departure and your passport won’t be stamped. I would recommend booking a seat on Virgin’s Upper Class service from London (priced at `2 lakh approximately) – if only to sip a mean mojito at the onboard bar and get into the spirit of things to come just before touchdown.

Once there, after negotiating a reasonable fare with the rather talkative driver of a shiny 1950s Buick beauty, we rolled into the city to some throbbing reggaeton busting out of the car’s new speakers. I had rented a rooftop apartment in the gritty Centro Habana –

Opposite page: The Capitalio in Havana, the old seat of parliament modelled after the U.S. Capitol, now a museum; Top: The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, the National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana.

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PA S S P O R T

Lov e

AT FIRST SMOKE

Sir Winston Churchill once said that “smoking cigars is like falling in love. First, you are attracted by its shape; you stay for its flavour, and remember never, never to let the flame go out!” And nothing is going to douse that flame in Cuba, so be ready to indulge.

Pick up cigars from any of the licenced stores around Havana or in any luxury hotel, and light up. Cigars are luxury goods, even in Cuba, so don’t ever buy them off the street from peddlers. A visit to a cigar factory in Havana will enlighten you on the process of producing a fine cigarro, each one handmade.

I’d enjoy a freshly rolled Romeo y Julieta or Hoyo de Monterrey at one of the rooftop bars in Havana Vieja, watching the city in action below; or gazing at the Malecon and the sea from the gardens of the Nacional Hotel, thinking about all the historic events that transpired just feet away. I even managed to sneak a special one in the garden of Hemingway’s villa – a fitting tribute to the great ‘Papa’.

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known as a ‘casa particular’, one of the few ways entrepreneurial Habaneros can easily earn tourist money. There are many private rooms, sea-front apartments and even mansions available to rent by the night. The ultimate in luxury are villas like the Casa Cristi ($300 a night; +53 7 203 1634) in the tony district of Miramar, with their numerous bedrooms, vast living and dining spaces, a private pool, and lush grounds.

If you’d prefer the simple luxury of hotel service, choose between the architecturally gorgeous Saratoga (www.hotel-saratoga. com) with its rooftop pool overlooking the Capitolio, the beautiful and very colonial Sevilla (www.hotelsevilla-cuba.com), or other boutique options amongst the hotchpotch splendour of Habana Vieja. For the literature buff in you, there’s the Ambos Mundos, where Hemingway famously penned For Whom The Bell Tolls during his seven-year stay on the island in the 1930s – his room is still preserved for guests to view. Or you can experience the magnificence of the grand old dame of Havana – the Nacional in Vedado – which housed Fidel Castro and rebel leader Che Guevara’s defence headquarters during the Cuban missile crisis, and where famed musician and trova guitarist Compay Segundo and his band, the Buena Vista Social Club once used to perform.

I like to enjoy my sunset cocktail with a fat cigar while listening to the bolero band at the Nacional’s La Terraza bar that overlooks vast, peacock-strewn grounds, and beyond, the Malecón, the city’s sea wall.

Until recently, Cuba was not exactly known for its cuisine, but rather for its lack

thereof. New players are now transforming the once drab gastronomical scene in Havana, with new restaurants opening or old ones being refurbished with every passing month.

As a measure of how far things have come, Havana’s first Indian restaurant opened in 2011 – understandably named Bollywood, for Cubans’ love for Indian cinema (Bollywood films have always been and remain regular features on Cuban television). My favourites: Doña Eutimia in Habana Vieja (+53 7 861 1332), is an impeccable, cosy restaurant that serves up delicious traditional Creole food, the national cuisine that’s a blend of Spanish and African influences. Don’t miss their excellent frozen mojitos, and their staple of rice and black beans is so reminiscent of rajma chawal.

San Cristóbal in Centro Habana, housed in a charming old townhouse overflowing with colonial-era antiques and religious artefacts, is the place to spend a surreally beautiful evening.

Le Chansonnier (+53 7 832 1576), a gorgeous paladar located in a Vedado mansion, is a chic hangout that reopened in 2011. Its hip cocktail bar, has handwritten menus and serves haute cuisine. There are candlelit tables on the terrace for those wanting a romantic night out.

We love to party Come nightfall, and Cubans don’t need many reasons to party – just a few strains of music and there’ll be no standing around, only dancing.

And it’s very infectious. Dance the night away to some of the world’s hottest salsa or more modern reggaeton, a Caribbean blend of hip hop, reggae and house styles. There’s excellent live music everywhere, and the many dance schools around

Top: Habana Vieja, the old city, plays host to a plethora of luxury hotels; Left: Hand-rolled cigars at a local cigar factory, are a national specialty.

town will help slap you into shape if you really want to get into the swing of things.

Check out the notorious but pulsating Casa de la Música Miramar (+53 7 204 0447) , as well as the grand 1830 for salsa; Casa del Tango (+53 7 863 0097) for some die-hard dancing; and the Palacio de la Rumba for the traditional sounds of rumba, timba and guanguancó. A wave of new bars and clubs around town pump out reggaeton through the night, and there’s nightly live music in the many bars around Calle Obispo in Habana Vieja.

No visit to Havana would be complete without a night out at one of its ‘over-the-top’

cabaret shows – choosing between the bestknown Tropicana or Parisien. If it’s classical dance you’re after, don’t miss a performance of the world-famous Cuban National Ballet at the beautiful Gran Teatro de la Habana either.

When you’re done nursing those ruminduced hangovers, head over to the many well-kept museums around town, including the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes to view Cuba’s national art collection; the Museo de Artes Decorativas for a glimpse into luxurious aristocratic lifestyles; the Museo de la Revolución for a bit of historic propaganda (housed rather ironically in Batista’s old palace

which was originally decorated by Tiffany’s); and the Museo Hemingway to visit the writer’s well-preserved villa where he wrote many of his other novels.

Besides museums, don’t miss the Plaza de la Revolución for a photo-‐ op, where, until a few years ago, Castro used to belt out his long, anti-‐ capitalist speeches; the Partagás cigar factory to see how those very special smokes are made; the nightly canon-firing ceremony at the citadel across the bay for excellent views of the city, and a peek into Che’s post-revolution offices from where he planned other Latin-American struggles. Rent an old Caddy or Buick and be

Clockwise from top left: Courtyard in a restored mansion, Habana Vieja; Street art from JR's Wrinkles of the City project; An image of José Martí; Revolutionary propoganda, Havana; A graphic art exhibition in Haban Veija; An outdoor restaurant, with the old cathedral in the background.

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Stefan's Cuba MUST-HAVES:

Clothes: Wear light linen for warm days, and carry a pashmina shawl to wrap over something sexy for cooler nights.

Accessories: Sunscreen (SPF 50), sunglasses (Persols), and a hat (Stetson). Don’t forget your Jungle Formula mosquito repellant.

Gadgets: A great camera, iPod, and Kindle. iPhone App: ‘Havana Good Time’ by American writer and long-time Cuba resident Connor Gory is regularly updated with info on new restaurants and bars, exhibitions, and concerts.

Bag/carryall: A Tumi holdall.

Best lounge bar: The Terraza at the Nacional Hotel.

Preferred wine: Anything Chilean, easily available and from the neighbourhood!

Secret gourmet bistro: Doña Eutimia, Habana Vieja, open from 12noon to 1am.

Most scenic spot: La Cabaña fort, across the bay from Habana Vieja.

Sexiest dance: You have to try salsa.

Most melodious song: Guantanamera (‘Woman from Guantánamo’) – it’s almost the national anthem!

Prettiest souvenir: Artworks by local artists.

Favourite local phrase: Soy Indio (‘I am Indian’) – you'll unleash a flurry of questions!

Or say Que bola?, which means, ‘What’s up?’

Nearest medical facility: Havana Hospital (www.havanahospital.com), that caters exclusively to foreigners.

driven 20 minutes east of Havana to the Playas del Este, the city’s own stretch of white, sandy beaches for a day spent relaxing in the sun, and people-watching.

The city’s architecture is a marvel in itself.

Walk around its neighbourhoods with a camera, and it’s hard to stop clicking pictures. The art scene, again one of the few ways for locals to legitimately earn big money, is varied – a mix of revolutionary, philosophical, avant-garde influences but rooted in Afro-Spanish culture.

From artists peddling their works along streets such as Paseo del Prado, to swanky new art galleries, there’s plenty of avant-garde works to choose from. Many European galleries are buying up inexpensive local art to sell at considerable margins back home. Most of the better galleries are around the Habana Vieja; their exploration and discovery is half the pleasure. My newfound love for silkscreen prints of stunning graphic Cuban cinema posters led me on a chase around town, searching through galleries and old bookstores to build up a sizeable collection.

There’s plenty of fascinating urban street art around the city as well. In Castro’s penchant for plastering every available inch of wall space with revolutionary slogans and propaganda lies Havana’s original urban art. One of the country’s more eccentric artists, Salvador Gonzáles

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Escalona, has converted an entire city block in Centro Habana into a trippy Afro-Cuban inspired series of works. The street is known as the Callejón de Hamel and there’s a very Caribbean street party vibe with music and dancing there on Sundays, with other vetted artists selling their works as well. The French photographer and artist, JR of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas fame, along with José Parlá, has created a project entitled Wrinkles of the City in Havana; installing giant prints of the city’s older and more disenfranchized citizens on entire buildings. The poignant faces make for striking and thoughtprovoking viewing at these times of change.

Trinidad, off the beaten track If you have the time and inclination to venture out of Havana, a two-hour drive eastwards gets you to the famous beaches of Varadero, probably the most obvious place to go. Too full of package tourists for my taste, I instead preferred to head further out to the charming little colonial town of Trinidad in the Sancti Spiritus province, and its Caribbean beaches, the Playa Ancon. Planning to stay for just two days, I ended up spending an entire week there.

Spend your day lazing along miles of endless unspoilt beaches, diving amongst wrecks from the 1898 Spanish-American War, or hiking to nearby waterfalls and horse riding to old

sugar plantations. Finish with a picture-perfect Caribbean sunset and head back into town for some incredible live salsa on the steps of the Casa de la Música, a place buzzing with locals and tourists dancing under the stars. Later, head to the town’s only nightclub located inside a series of enormous caves – making for a completely unexpected and surreal experience.

A word to the wise It’s worth noting that Cuba is a poor country, and you will be hassled by people hustling places to stay, restaurants, black-market cigars, even sex, amongst countless other offerings. Their strange two- currency system, where tourists and now locals too, pay for most things with CUC or convertible pesos (almost equivalent to the U.S. dollar), and the almost worthless peso Cubano in which the majority of Cubans are paid their measly salaries – highlights the differences between the haves and the havenots. Most Cubans still rely on dwindling state ration handouts for their daily needs. However, despite the poverty and sometimes intrusive hustling, you’re likely to be charmed by Cuba.

It’s one of the few remaining places in the world that continues to be true to itself, rather than cater to the whims of tourists (especially its neighbours to the north), sharing its vibrant, raw energy with everyone in equal measure.

Top: The pristine white, quiet beaches of the Playa Ancon overlooking the Carribean sea, outside Trinidad.

PA S S P O R T

This vintage-style train, with her impeccable carriages, reflects a bygone, romantic golden era of travel; yet features the very latest in luxury accommodation, dining, and service.

Tracking Luxury FEB — MAR 2013

El TransCantĂĄbrico

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The luxury train that has shared the La Robla Railway with old coal trains circa 1983, quietly completes 30 years of leaving travellers with an indelible imprint of the Spanish countryside.

O

ur adventure begins at the place where for centuries many journeys have ended: one of the great cities of religious pilgrimage, Santiago de Compostela has captured the imagination of generations, and is still a magnet for those looking to escape the demands of modern life.

So instead of embarking on an arduous walking trail, we are travelling in the opposite direction to San Sebastián, aboard the sumptuous navy and cream El TransCantábrico Gran Lujo.

The perfect meeting point for a luxurious journey of discovery is the breathtaking 15thcentury building, El Hotel dos Reis Católicos.

Considered one of the oldest luxury hotels in the world, Santiago’s five-star parador in Spain’s north-western province of Galicia overlooks the iconic Plaza de Obradoiro and is close to the city’s famous cathedral.

We leave Santiago and meet our new home for the next eight days; the stunning, incomparable El TransCantábrico. This vintagestyle train, with her impeccable carriages, reflects a bygone, romantic golden era of travel; yet features the very latest in luxury accommodation, dining, and service.

Shortly after we’ve settled into the opulent cabins, the train gently shakes into action and gradually accelerates, leaving the station with an old-world finesse and style long since lost in modern travel. From now on, the passenger is

treated like royalty, rediscovering the glory days of rail travel.

In 2011, the El TransCantábrico Clásico’s cabins underwent a grand renovation, and transformed into the Gran Lujo. Where once there were two cabins, there is now one expanded Gran Lujo suite. Each of these 14 deluxe wood-panelled, air-conditioned suites has twin- or king-size beds with luxury linen, a private PC with internet access, flat-screen TVs, and a decadent bathroom with sauna and hydro-massage shower. A single suite costs €8,500 when booked in under four months.

From the West, the train follows the ‘Camino de Santiago’ backwards, towards the east, taking in charming sights such as fishing villages of Galicia and the dramatic mountain ranges of the Picos de Europa in Asturias.

Guests are treated to a privileged cultural experience that extends from the oldest cave paintings in Europe, the Palaeolithic art of Cantabria’s Altamira cave to the vibrancy and modernity of Bilbao, that is second to none.

The regional capitals of Oviedo and Santander offer a cornucopia of architectural and cultural sights that are enhanced by luxury private coach excursions to ancient, hidden mountains, and valley towns that stir the heart.

This train journey is more than an insight into Spain’s art, architecure, and history, as gastronomy is one of the defining elements of

this experience. In addition to the exquisite train dining cars that serve daily breakfasts and on-board meals, guests are invited to indulge in the region’s finest cuisine during off-train excursions: Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque country represent some of the culinary highlights of Spain. Typical menus feature fresh seafood and fish, including lobster, crab, mussels, and clams, when paired with delicious regional white wines, create memories to cherish.

In line with the expectations of discerning travellers – only 28 passengers can travel at a time – the train offers a number of onboard services such as daily laundry service; multilingual guides, and an inconspicuous security service, as well as an attentive onboard crew well trained to discreetly cater to and anticipate your every whim.

As we sit back and relax in the elegant lounge cars (one of which hosts a bar and a dance floor) the lush scenery and striking architecture of Spain passes by the windows, whetting our appetite for the days to come. With each city stop providing an unparalled experience, we realize the value of relishing the journey as much as the destination. In which case, those eight special days on board the El TransCantábrico could very well be the journey of a lifetime. www.eltranscantabricogranlujo.com

Opposite page: El TransCantábrico passes by a deep valley; This page: Passengers get set to board the train (top); The delicacies and luxe interiors of the train (bottom).

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PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL SWAMY

Saucy

CHEF VIKAS KHANNA

In an exclusive chat with Le CITY deluxe, the yummy chef dishes out his favourite, easy-tomake menu du jour, which will leave women drooling and men running for their aprons.

GOURMET holding hands and watching the sun go down. That's a perfect date.

The most special thing you have done for a woman and vice versa?

I love pomegranate, and once a girl got some for me one summer in New York at my gym. I loved it. Another time, I flew a lady to Paris in 2009 to meet HH the Dalai Lama. It was the top-most thing in her bucket list and came to her as a complete surprise.

Marriage-wise, would you pick an Indian partner?

Does it make a difference? Love is much deeper than skin colour.

Any celebrity crushes you've had?

Madhubala and Sridevi.

T

his Punjabi lad sure packs a culinary punch: with his recent book My Great India CookBook in stores, he has charmed his way into hearts worldwide, not just through his immense cooking talent, but also with his matinée idol looks and unquenchable thirst to put Indian food on the map.

Define Vikas Khanna in three words.

Chef, Amritsari, Junoon.

What is your favourite dish and cuisine?

Everything Indian, I love. Besides that, ema dashi, a Bhutanese dish.

The most challenging dish you’ve ever cooked?

Cooking rabbit and foie gras terrine at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris.

From humble beginnings in Amritsar, to a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York, how difficult was your journey?

I call it a cosmic schedule, when you keep working with your head down, the universe plans your future.

3

Besides cooking for a woman, what would be your idea of a perfect date?

Once I met a couple in California who had witnessed the sunset together for 53 years.

I remember watching them on their patio,

50

Do you prefer home parties or going out to a club?

I love entertaining at home. It’s amazing to have a dinner at home full of warmth and superb food.

Your childhood ambition?

To become a farmer.

After publishing six books on food, you’ve just had a book on India, released in Mumbai.

You also have another book, in the offing, on Amritsar. What made you turn author?

I have to tell the story of our own life and people.

Literature makes it happen.

What is your recipe to being a great cook?

It should reflect a continuous thread of thought by the chef.

What rules should a man follow in the kitchen while cooking for his date?

Respect your partner’s beliefs and food preferences. Make something simple from the heart.

What is one dish that you would not like to make?

I have always hated cooking endangered species.

Many people call it exotic, but for me it’s just not right.

MasterChef India Season 3 – are there any changes you’re making to the format, and how can the show be improved?

We are going to go with a totally Indian tadka.

You will be amazed to see all the new kinds of foods that India has to offer.

You’ve been in the Sexiest Man Alive list, voted Hottest Chef in New York, been on the cover of top men’s magazines – do you consider yourself a style icon?

I am a simple bawarchi, who lives a very healthy lifestyle. I eat right; I don’t smoke, or drink alcohol, or do drugs. If that makes me stylish, then I am!

How do keep your six-pack abs in shape?

I am disciplined: I work out, eat on time and never eat late.

What’s next in your Holy Kitchen film series?

How have your films been received so far?

My next film is called Wheel of Dharma, which showcases Buddhism and spirituality through food. I am blessed to have the opening of the film graced by HH the Dalai Lama. The films have been received very well and have been screened at international film festivals, as well as Oxford, Harvard and other universities.

You believe in giving back to society – with your foundation SAKIV, and numerous charitable events you have organized. Why do you think giving back is so important?

My whole life has been driven by hunger. The physical hunger could be addressed by a little contribution from everyone. SAKIV brings those hands together; it’s the reason why I decided to live my life in the kitchen.

Your top travel destinations outside of India?

Bhutan, Switzerland, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Tibet, and the list will forever go on.

We know you meditate. But after a long, tiring day at work what is your perfect way to unwind?

We generally have meditation sessions at Junoon before dinner service. I write to unwind every day, sometimes about an experience, stories, food rituals. It helps me relax, especially when I re-read my entry after weeks.

Any guilty pleasures?

Dark, bitter chocolate.

Are you a gadget person? What is the one device you just cannot do without?

I was never a gadget person until I met gadget guru, Rajiv Makhni of NDTV fame. He introduced me to Nokia Lumia. I am totally in love with discovering new apps and features.

What is your life’s philosophy?

Every light or moment is transient. It is most important to know the meaning of light and glory, and make it useful.

What does luxury mean to you?

Comfort means more to me than luxury.

A LIGHT SPRING SUPPER WITH MICHELIN-STARRED INDIAN CHEF VIKAS KHANNA

Panch phoran-encrusted hilsa with tamarind mustard sauce For the Sauce ½ tsp turmeric paste ½ tsp chilli paste 2 tbsp mustard paste 4 tbsp mustard oil 1 tsp mustard seeds 2 tbsp tamarind pulp 4 pieces green chillies (slit lengthwise) 1 tsp sugar Salt to taste For the Fish 1 onion (finely chopped) 1 tomato (finely chopped)

Khubani ka meetha (with pomegranate sorbet)

1 tsp lemon juice ½ tbsp mustard paste 2 hilsa fish fillets Salt to taste Black pepper powder to taste 1 tbsp onion seeds (lightly roasted) 1 tbsp fennel seeds (lightly roasted) 1 tbsp mustard seeds (lightly roasted) 1 tbsp cumin seeds (lightly roasted) ½ tsp carom seeds (lightly roasted) 2 tbsp butter

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the turmeric paste, chilli paste and mustard paste with 1½ cups water.

2. Heat mustard oil; add mustard seeds, and when they crackle, add prepared thin paste. Cook for two minutes, then add tamarind pulp, green chillies, and sugar, and cook till sauce thickens. Mix in salt.

3. In a grinder, combine the onion with the tomato, lemon juice and mustard paste, and grind to a fine paste.

4. Coat the hilsa fillets with the ground paste, salt and pepper, and keep aside to marinate for 20 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 1500C.

5. Meanwhile, combine the onion seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and carom seeds in a mortar pestle and grind coarsely.

For the Sorbet 2 cups fresh pomegranate juice 3 cups sugar ¼ cup lemon juice ½ tsp lemon zest

1. For the sorbet, in a mixing bowl, combine the pomegranate juice with sugar, and whisk till sugar dissolves. Stir in the lemon juice and zest.

2. Pour the mixture in a metal bowl and freeze till hard. Remove, break into pieces and pass through a food processor till the ice gets crushed. Return to the freezer and refreeze.

3. For the khubani ka meetha, deseed the apricots, crack open the seeds, and reserve the almonds.

4. Purée the apricots in a blender.

Baingan kaachri 1 cup wholewheat flour 1½ tsp red chilli powder 1½ tsp cumin powder ¾ tsp turmeric powder Salt to taste ½ tsp carom seeds

(rubbed between your palms) 5 tbsp oil 3 pieces long, thin aubergines (cut into ½-inch thick slices)

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the wheat flour, chilli powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt, and carom seeds. Mix well and add one tablespoon of oil.

6. Place the marinated fish in the ground powder and encrust properly on one side.

2. Place an aubergine slice in the flour mixture and coat each side with the spiced flour. Using a fork, ‘prick’ each side so that the flour sticks to the aubergine. Repeat with the remaining slices.

8. To serve, place fillets on a serving plate, drizzle over with prepared sauce, and serve hot.

4. Place the slices on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil, and serve hot.

7. Heat butter on a griddle over a low flame, and sear the encrusted fish on the side which is not encrusted. Place on a greased baking tray, seared side down and bake in the oven for 7-8 minutes till fish is done, and crust is crispy.

For the Khubani 24 pieces apricots (soaked overnight) ½ cup sugar 1/3 cup heavy cream (whipped well)

3. Heat the remaining oil in a kadhai (wok) over a low flame; coat the sides of the wok and arrange the aubergine slices inside. Place the kadhai on a medium flame, cover, and cook till aubergines are just done. Make sure they are cooked on both sides.

5. In a saucepan, combine the puréed apricots with sugar, and cook over a low flame, stirring constantly till sugar dissolves and mixture thickens to a thick syrup. Remove from flame and cool to room temperature.

6. Crush the sorbet in the food processor again.

7. Spoon the khubani ka meetha on a side of a dessert bowl. Place one scoop of pomegranate sorbet next to it. Drizzle over with cream and sprinkle with reserved almonds. Serve immediately.

“I have always hated cooking endangered species. Many people call it exotic, but for me it's just not right.”

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e m o S MAKEUP BY MEHAK OBEROI STYLED BY KANIKA SALUJA CHOUDHRY ASSISTANT STYLIST JAUHAR PRATAP CLOTHES AND ACCESSORIES BY ANNAIKKA – KANIKA SALUJA CHOUDHRY

t o H t i e Lik Chitrangda Singh

The actor’s on a break. No hectic schedules, no rush, just quality time spent en famille. Flush from the success of Inkaar, she’s just resting her hat before wowing audiences once again with her sultry screen presence.

Photographed by Amit Sharma

FEB — MAR 2013

COVER STORY

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INTERVIEW BY CLAUDIA TRIMDE

T

he Australian Open 2013 is on, and as we walk into the den of their new home in Gurgaon (they’ve been there for around six months) we find Chitrangda and her husband Jyoti Randhawa glued to the television set. It’s a thriller of a match between Chitrangda’s favourite player Roger Federer and Andy Murray, and Fedex is losing. She doesn’t seem to be too happy about this. Little Zorawar, the couple’s son, is playing a video game while he mimics his parents with their ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’.

As we settle down with our cups of tea and biscuits, it’s evident that Federer is going to lose. We get our cue to start the interview. What comes to mind by looking at Chitrangda is just how beautiful, petite, and full of energy she is. The actor tells us how sitting here in the couple’s den, watching telly with the family, is something she’s done for the first time since they moved into their new house. She’s been rather busy and on the move.

Just back from Canada, she has a few days in New Delhi before she flies off to Mumbai.

Her recently released Inkaar has gotten her rave reviews, and we look forward to her new movie with John Abraham this March.

So you’ve been watching the Australian Open... are you a tennis fan?

A huge fan. I’ve admired Marat Safin, for a long time. Until he screwed up everything by getting angry (laughs)... But I really think he’s a really talented player who just couldn’t handle the pressure. And there’s Roger Federer, of course.

What about the women players?

It has to be Serena Williams. I love her. I know men don’t (laughs), but I love her game, her strength, and the way she fights to win.

I can’t stand Maria Sharapova (laughs), but Serena is absolutely fabulous.

She just lost though...

And to teen Sloane Stephens! In straight sets!

I’m glad I wasn’t watching the match (laughs).

Speaking of sports, tell us about your love affair with golf. And what it has entailed being married to a professional golfer, your husband Jyoti Randhawa?

I’ve just been figuring out what it entailed being married to Jyoti, that’s all! Before I got married – Jyoti was already playing at the time – I wanted to know what golf was all about, so I played seriously for about two months.

Morning and evening, I would cycle down to the golf course and I think I ended up playing a decent game. I just wanted to understand the sport, what makes it so tough, you know?

Over the years, I’ve travelled with Jyoti; I’ve walked with him through every single practice match, I even caddied for him in countries like Korea and Taiwan... I remember the first time I caddied for him was in Taiwan. It was a terrible golf course – long and wide – at the Tanmui Course and Resort. I was running up and down, caddying for Jyoti, trying to prove, “I’m all there for you!” (laughs). If the slopes weren’t tiring enough, there were actual storms – you know, there they have wet, windy typhoons – and you have to hold an umbrella against all this.

I had to keep myself dry, the clubs dry, the player dry... When Jyoti finally started putting, I had to walk away because you can’t hold the umbrella over the player while he’s putting – but as soon as he’d finished, he would look over at me, as if to say, “Why aren’t you here?

Come here!” (Laughs). So it was tough. Then there was this other time in Carnoustie, Scotland. It was November and freezing! But I enjoy watching the game on TV; I can follow it easily.

Are there any players you’ve met?

Vijay Singh. I’ve met Tiger Woods too; we’ve exchanged hellos. He’s very interesting to watch, as is English player Lee Westwood.

Do you still play the odd round?

Sometimes. But I’m not regular, and you have to be, as with any sport. I don’t really play any sport, but I started kickboxing as a fitness routine three months ago and I love it. I’m lucky to have a really good trainer in Mumbai – in my fourth class with him, he revealed he was an Asian Games gold medallist in kickboxing from Thailand (his father is Thai and a professional fighter). His workouts are nothing short of tough.

Are you an adventure sports junkie?

Jyoti is, and my brother too. I’ve only done a bit of skydiving.

What was that experience like? Were you scared?

Jyoti was saying just yesterday...skydiving... that leap you take is a leap of faith. And at that

moment, it’s just you. It’s an amazing thing, to let go of everything and just drop down; there’s just the fluttering sound of the canopy around you, and it’s such a liberating feeling. You land, and there’s just such a smile on your face.

So, with all that’s going on with you, your work, travelling...how do the men in your life manage?

They’re okay, at least they look alright! Jyoti has been fantastic. He understands ambition,

what it takes to make it, the pressure. He’s been there; he’s gone pretty far ahead in his career while I feel I’m just getting started. But we’ve managed, we’ve stretched ourselves thin at times, and there are good days and bad days.

So do you live now between two cities –Mumbai and Delhi?

More or less. It’s hectic right now, as I have another film releasing on March 1st. But I don’t take on too much work, it’s not like I’m constantly shooting.

What’s your apartment in Mumbai like?

Oh, it’s much smaller (than here). Jyoti doesn’t like Mumbai though, what with all the chaos and space constraints. (Laughs.) But my place in Andheri West is cozy – two and a half bedrooms. There’s a pool downstairs so the kids can play when they’re here.

What about Mumbai – the people of the city?

The vibe is creative, and it is certainly a lot more professional than Delhi. It’s all about work in Mumbai, it’s about what you do. In Delhi it tends to be about whom you know. The mindset is different – I mean, the other day, I was meeting with an agency head who was running late due to traffic. He just hopped out of his car and got into a rickshaw to save time and not keep me waiting, you know? So the attitude is professional, down to earth. Even in the

Opposite page: The actor's upcoming movie with John Abraham I, Me, aur Main, has her playing one of John's two love interests.

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COVER STORY

film industry, the efficiency of the technicians, the light boys and spot boys, for instance, is amazing. But there are all kinds of people to be found everywhere, you know? I have lovely friends in both cities.

Tell us about your film Khwahishien. Is it true you’re playing late actor Smita Patil?

No, I’m not playing her. I was asked some time ago in an interview if I wanted to do a biopic and I said sure, it would be a challenge to play a person who’s actually lived, a real person.

And I also said if anyone, then I’d love to play Smitaji, as I’ve been compared to her and I really admire her. That’s all I said, and boom!

Suddenly this whole rumour came about.

Have you been formally trained to act?

No, I never even thought about acting. During my school days, I was more interested in dancing, and I took part in several competitions.

I also did a bit of training in Kathak. But acting simply never occurred to me. I had never even been to Mumbai before my first audition.

I’d started modelling during my college years to make some extra money, but basically, I was quite undecided about the future. At one point, I even thought of becoming an air hostess, but they rejected me during the third round of the selection process (laughs). My good luck!

Still, one thing led to another. I’d auditioned for a Pond’s ad. I didn’t make it, but Gulzar sahab saw my audition, and cast me in a music video that he was directing at the time. And then somebody saw the video and suggested my name to Sudhir Mishra and his team for Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi...at the time, Sudhir’s team was only auditioning actors from the National School of Drama (NSD). So for the first few days, I had no way in. But then on the last day...they hadn’t yet found the right actor for the character of Geeta. And then the film’s production guy, Neeraj, thought of me and said, let’s call her in...she’s a model, but she did a good job in that music video. So they called me on the last day of auditions. At the time, I was in Korea with Jyoti but I flew back and auditioned. And that’s how Hazaaron...became my first movie.

It was a terrific debut. How did Jyoti, your family, and friends react?

I think they didn’t think anything, really. It wasn’t a big deal. [ Jyoti: It’s like, she made a movie. That’s it. It just happened.]

I’ve been lucky... I’ve not acted in too many movies, but I’ve received a lot of acknowledgement and praise from the industry, which feels good.

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Tell us about your recent release, Inkaar. You’ve said that every working woman should see it.

Yeah, yeah. Arjun Rampal has said in almost every interview – and I agree with him – that women are inherently emotional. And in the workspace, they can get over-emotional, and dramatize things, which they shouldn’t. That’s something that happens in the film with my character Maya. Another thing I feel, is that when a woman gets power and makes decisions, she’s looked upon in a certain way. People feel she’s cold and selfish and ruthless, but a man in the same situation is seen as focused, confident, and clear-headed. There’s a real difference in perception there.

In any case, I don’t feel a woman has to act like a man to be successful. Feminism is not about emulating a man. Our film touches upon

Irani. He’s got such a great energy on the set and such warmth. I call him Dad (he played my father in Kal) – he’s wonderful.

Tell us about performing a sultry item number in the film Joker.

We had a great time shooting. Farah Khan was fabulous. But I literally reached the sets the night before the shoot. Geeta the choreographer showed me the steps, and I was like...Really?

You expect me to just do that? (Laughs). But she said, “You have rhythm, you’ll manage just fine.” We started rehearsing the next morning at 10am, and shooting the same night.

In most of your films, you play a modern woman, a working woman, a woman who falls in love...

That’s why I did the Kafirana song in Joker. I play a rustic character. Farah actually advised me to take on a role I hadn’t before, to be seen like I’d never been before.

You decided not to celebrate Republic Day this year, in light of the horrific gang rape incident in Delhi last month. Can you tell us about that?

I’ve tweeted about this... I mean, what is there to celebrate? It’s a good occasion rather, to think about how we’ve failed as a society. Not just our politicians, each of us is responsible. I feel strongly about this as a woman.

all these issues. And Maya is what a lot of women are – at least, in their own minds.

I guess we have to learn to be smart, to ‘play the game’.

Can you tell us what your next release, I, Me Aur Main, is all about?

It stars myself, John Abraham, and Prachi Desai. It’s about relationships – a failed relationship, rather – and this guy who learns to be accountable to his relationships. He learns to stop taking it for granted and becomes a better man for it. It’s a light romantic comedy.

What’s it like working with Arjun and John?

Great. They’re professional, very real, with no pretentions. But one co-star I adore is Boman

Tell us about your interests.

I’m not much of a gadget person. I love music...all that ’80s and ’90s stuff. I like James Blunt, John Mayer, Nickelback, that’s what I have on my iPod right now. Reading? I buy a lot of books! I like the idea of having all these books on my shelf (laughs). I’ve read a lot of Dan Brown, actually. And I tried Fifty Shades of Grey and abandoned it halfway...thought it was utter crap.

Your five wardrobe essentials?

A great pair of shoes. Then I love jackets: a jacket over trousers is a great look. What else?

White shirt, blue jeans, and a LBD. A dress, if it hugs you in the right places – that really works for me!

What does fashion mean to you?

Being comfortable and being true to my own style. There was this interviewer from the Hollywood Reporter who asked me about being a fashion icon and all that, and we (my makeup artist and manager), just laughed and laughed. I wear what I like, I don’t really hanker for brands or follow fashion trends. But I do like Dolce

Opposite page: Chitrangda likes to get her basics right clothes-wise: a white shirt, blue jeans, a jacket, and a great pair of shoes.

COVER STORY

and Gabbana though, and Roberto Cavalli is fantastic. I like good cuts.

Amongst the Indian designers, I love Anand Kabra. Then, Sabyasachi and Tarun Tahiliani.

Shehla Khan in Mumbai, an up-and-coming designer, is really good. And besides Amrapali, I favour Eina Ahluwalia who does amazing jewellery. For personal, day to day wear, I like off-the-rack clothing. I love jeans from Top Shop and Seven.

Are you a foodie?

Not really. Although a must-have is cold coffee, which I can drink all day. I like Bengali sweets, like mishti doi. And I love authentic Thai food.

I don’t cook, although I can prepare laal maas which a friend of Jyoti’s taught me to make.

Would you say you’re a romantic?

Totally. Heart over head. I’m a true Virgo... a crazy, foolish, romantic.

Tell us a bit about your hair and skin regimen?

I do the occasional hair spa, but favour home remedies. Parachute oil is great! For my skin, I swear by besan as a face pack. I don’t use soap or facewash – just regular applications of besan.

I consciously drink lots of water and eat healthy.

How do you keep so fit?

I’ve been doing a combination of things for a while. Cardio at first, then strength training.

But what works best for me is kickboxing. It’s exciting – much more than the usual boring treadmill routine. I’ve been after Jyoti to start.

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So I’m not really a foodie. Even at restaurants, I prefer the ambience to the food. In Delhi, I like Tonino – and Nooba in Gurgaon for Chinese food; they do this amazing steamed fish with chopped garlic. In Mumbai, I frequent Indigo and the Pali Hill Café. Also the BBC at The Marriott. They have the best sandwiches.

What’s the one thing you’d like to change about yourself ?

(Smiles.) More head over heart.

And yeah, I’m great at dips. If you can call that cooking, that is!

Top: Chitrangda in her many moods.

You’ve just returned from Canada. What’s next for you?

That was a press conference in Vancouver for the awards show I’m hosting in April with Karan Johar. And I have a new project starting sometime then as well.

Q&A

with Jyoti Randhawa

Five things you love about your wife? * She’s beautiful. I’m lucky to have a wife this gorgeous. * She’s driven. She constantly pushes herself... and me. * She’s family-oriented. * She’s caring and emotional. * She’s ultra-feminine. The opposite of macho me.!

The one thing you’d change about her?

Nothing really. Maybe her hyperactivity. She’s always moving, cleaning, jumping up, and doing something or the other...there’s peace only when she’s asleep!

Top: Posters from the actor's various film releases, over the years.

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FA SHION

toThrill

After being selected as Queen Elizabeth II’s honeymoon luggage and seeing Sir Edmund Hillary through to his first base camp, British luxury luggage brand GlobeTrotter plays a heavyweight role in an iconic film that marks its 50th anniversary.

TEXT BY CLAUDIA TRIMDE

I

mmortality contradicts the concept of a tangible existence. However, two British men, one a renowned author (Sir Ian Fleming), the second a luxe entrepreneur (David Nelken who founded Globe-Trotter in 1897), both men of formidable reputations, have established a tangible bond beyond the grave that not only celebrates their collective achievements, but also pays homage to their British roots. In a unique collaboration with the latest James Bond film, Skyfall, luxury brand Globe-Trotter has entered the biggest partnership in its 115 year-old history to produce an extraordinary Stabilist Aluminium Rifle case to honour the 50th anniversary of secret agent James Bond.

“The Stabilist Aluminium Rifle case is one of the most exclusive products we’ve made, as it is limited to just 100 editions globally,” says Katherine Green, brand manager for GlobeTrotter. “Once those 100 suitcases have been sold, no more will be produced.” According to Green, this rare edition makes it an ideal collectible for Bond fans, as it is also the first time that the company has produced an aluminium suitcase.

“Each one of the 100 Stabilist Aluminium Rifle cases has been made from start to finish by

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Joe, a senior craftsman, who has been making Globe-Trotter suitcases for over 35 years,” says Green. “Once all the individual components are ready, it takes him approximately a day to complete each Stabilist case.”

Staying true to 007’s love of gadgetry, and packed with crafty mechanisms, the suitcase appears to be completely ordinary at first glance. However, Globe-Trotter’s designer Charlotte McDonnel has played her role as ‘Q’, after working closely with Skyfall’s armourer: in the movie, the frame of the bespoke case made specifically for assassin Patrice (played by Ola Rapace) detaches to turn into a rifle once it is opened with the suitcase handle that also acts as the rifle’s telescopic sight. “The Aluminium Stabilist case that we sell does not turn into a rifle, but features a replica of the sight handle developed especially for Skyfall,” says Green.

After viewing Globe-Trotter’s feather-light suitcases, one cannot help but feel a slight sense of pity for Jules Verne’s Phileas Fogg as he traipsed around the world, blissfully unaware of the sub-standard luggage that probably played its heavy part in hindering his journey.

The sleek 26-inch case is another example of the company’s marvellous craftsmanship: it has been constructed with vulcanized fibreboard

(invented in Britain in 1850), a signature material under the Globe-Trotter moniker that is made out of 14 layers of bonded paper.

“It is as light as aluminium, and as strong as leather. We have suitcases in the archives that date back to over a century and are still in excellent condition, proving the durability of the product,” says Green. The case also displays a plaque in the lid, which shows each suitcases’s sequential numbering from 1/100 to 100/100.

Diamond-quilted Alcantara lining completes the spectacular finish.

Globe-Trotter has also launched The James Bond Centenary Special Edition. The collection features luggage cases that range from slim attaché cases (16 inches) to suitcases (33 inches), and a capsule collection of Bond leather products. Made in Hertfordshire (Globe-Trotter’s factory location) on Victorian machinery, these handcrafted products range from wallets to luggage tags, and are lined with a neat jacquard weave with the iconic 007 serial number plaque and the Bond gun barrel design.

Prices for the collection begin at `75,000, and the entire line, in addition to the James Bond Stabilist Rifle Case, is available at GlobeTrotter’s recently launched boutique in Maurya ITC, in New Delhi.

Top: The James Bond Stabilist Rifle Suitcase is limited to 100 editions, and features a replica of the telescopic sight handle developed for Skyfall.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY: GLOBE-TROTTER

Designed

FA SHION

A Yen for

Yarn

The dapper Italian-born textile designer Peter D’Ascoli left his urbane life in the Big Apple 20 years ago to set up shop in a burgeoning city half a world away.

TEXT BY CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAVID MATTHIESSEN

E

scapism is what this success story begins with – at least that’s what Peter D’Ascoli, the maverick who weaves magic with textiles, would have you believe. Having cast his spell across continents – America, Europe, and Asia – the Italian designer has now settled for the life of an ‘expat’ in New Delhi. Sitting several oceans away from his home in Long Island, New York, D’Ascoli still retains vivid memories of the days spent drawing as a child. “I would escape into my art, locked up in my room. For me, it was an escape from the very real world I was growing up in. And this gave me a sense of adventure,” says D’Ascoli.

His spirit of adventure was not confined to just the sketchbook. It soon led to the birth of a traveller. Explorer D’Ascoli’s first major expedition was to India, 21 years ago.

“It was the idea of time travel that enticed me to visit India. I was a student of design in Manhattan at the time, and I was excited at the prospect of going into such a different world,” says D’Ascoli. But it was not just aimless ‘escapism’ that brought him to New Delhi for two months. “I had a summer job, designing fabric for a menswear designer. The latter was an American backed by an Indian exporter from New Delhi, and it was the exporter who brought us here,” he adds.

Thus began a love affair with the Indian capital and much credit goes to the humble Sikh family that hosted D’Ascoli in their Rajouri Garden home. It was with ‘Papaji’, the family patriarch, that the young Italian went to Amritsar and stayed at the Golden Temple. Sharing community meals with

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pilgrims still remains one of D’Ascoli’s most humbling experiences.

Now a resident of New Delhi, he seems to long to live in the city as he had seen it two decades ago. “Back then, Chandni Chowk was peppered with wood-carved façades; there were camels and tongas on the roads...that was the Delhi I first met,” says the designer. There were other reasons too for cherishing that first trip, “During those two months I met a few people from the Ministry of Textiles. They invited me to tour India along with two Indian designers after my graduation.”

D’Ascoli believes that the winds of reform tipped the scales in favour of opening shop in the country. “When I came back to tour India, I met a whole bunch of designers fresh out of school and I loved it. Everything I am doing today would have been a distant dream without these people. We’ve remained good friends over the years. As a foreigner, I pay a lot to keep my small business, which is self-financed, running in India, but my friends help me in whatever ways they can,” he says.

D’Ascoli’s business venture in Delhi, D’Ascoli & Company, is more than six years old. He says it wasn’t easy to choose between home turf (read New York) and a newly acquired love (read New Delhi). “The two cities were different worlds... In Delhi, there were only telex machines at that time. No mobiles, no computers. I did go back to New York, as studio director for Diane Von Fürstenberg (DVF), for a while. And then, one fine day I returned,” says D’Ascoli.

It is nearly impossible to tag D’Ascoli an ‘expat’, something he admits to and seems proud of. “For the first three years after I set up business here, my wife and children were living in Paris. All my friends were Indian,” he says. It was only after his family moved in with him, that he took membership of a club and connected with the capital’s expat community.

“I have mixed feelings about being connected to this community,” he says. “We’re often invited to dinners, and I feel like I am in Paris, not India. Many expats don’t even experience real life in India. They live in a bubble... I don’t consider myself an expat.”

D’Ascoli’s fondness for India doesn’t take away from his share of difficulties in setting up business. “I’ve found it very difficult to work here. I came here with the idea of setting up a design studio, just like the ones I had been directing in Manhattan. My first task here was to hire and train design staff, which happened smoothly and quickly. I signed a licencing agreement with a US company. The problems started when I had to source fabric locally and work with small suppliers. That’s been nightmarish. It’s taken me a long time to establish a good supply chain,” says D’Ascoli.

Hiccups notwithstanding, the designerentrepreneur succeeded in roping in players from afar. His cotton comes from a mill in Tamil Nadu; the silk satin from a Bengaluru

Top: A beaming D’Ascoli surrounded by reams of fabric in vibrant hues.

supplier who doesn’t sell domestically. “I’ve known him since my New York days and that helped,” says D’Ascoli. The linen for his creations still comes from South Korea, though D’Ascoli is hopeful about a mill he’s found in Kolkata. In the pipeline is a printing factory in Faridabad for two types of techniques – digital and hand printing. “It’s going to be an atelier,” says D’Ascoli. “Talianna Studio has talented designers, and I treat everyone as an equal. The organization has no hierarchy – the structure is flat, and the staff loves that,” he says of his studio.

Elaborating on the range and price his wares, D’Ascoli says, “The prices for cotton start at `2,000 per yard and the silks, `5,250 per yard (the cost goes up with customization). These are stocked ready-to-go items. We also make unique prints in unique colours; we can mix embroidery with that... If you came to me, and asked that you wanted, say fabric for the walls of your dining room based on Matisse's painting, I'd say we can do that for you,” he says with a laugh. “After all, real luxury at the highest point is all about customization, something that is a huge part of Indian history and craftsmanship.

There’s no denying that his stint as studio director for DVF was a remarkable education for the young Italian lad from Long Island. “I reported to Diane, and that meant working with her round the clock. When you work with Diane, you become her friend because her work is her

life. This exposed me to a world that I was not used to, coming from a middle-class background.

The work was hardcore commercial and, at the same time, we were in this glamorous studio on Fifth Avenue overlooking Central Park!” recounts D’Ascoli. Adding more glamour to the whole glossy picture was the chic neighbour the DVF team had in Rolling Stone magazine.

“Their office was in the same building as ours, and Diane was a good friend of Jann Wenner, the co-founder and publisher. Very often, rock stars and other celebritites visiting the Rolling Stone office would pop in to say hello to Diane – Paul Simon, David Bowie, Barry Diller (who is now her husband), and so on,” says D’Ascoli.

From Manhattan to the avenues of New Delhi, D’Ascoli has made several adjustments

and conquests. One of his biggest lessons has been on dealing with the scorching summer. “I have a Zen approach to India’s summer... What I mean by that is some foreigners come to India, and they judge it based on what they’ve grown up around. Life is not only about material or physical comfort or pleasure. It's just not. If I wanted a life without challenges, I probably would have stayed in New York or Paris. I know the summer can be hard, but again, it is an adventure. That’s the way I approach life in general,” he says.

A registered Republican – “much to the horror of (his) French wife” – but socially liberal, D’Ascoli’s favourite read is The Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal, because of his “love of fantasy, and the exploration of wealth and sexuality and social dynamics of 18th century Europe”. His favourite aspects of New Delhi , as he puts it, are “the violent smell of money, the very verbal population, and the local love of pleasure”, and he would love to do away with all forms of transportation that require an internal form of combustion, preferring instead to walk or travel by tonkas, camels, and elephants. His weekends are spent mostly at the American Embassy Club, with his family. But when he needs some quiet time, Qutub Minar is where he heads to with a cigar for company. The story ends with ‘nahin’, the only Hindi word D’Ascoli has picked up in India so far.

Top left to right: D’Ascoli’s Lado Sarai studio in New Delhi; Swatches of sourced fabric.

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Never say never to a silk pocket square that adds a dash of sophistication to an immaculate tuxedo.

Tuxedo jacket: Ashish N Soni Bow tie: Hugo Boss@Elitify.com Pocket square, dress shirt: SBJ House of Luxury Watch: Tag Heuer

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Tomorrow never dies when you steer towards ultimate comfort in a wool-blended suit.

Suit: SBJ House of Luxury Shirt: Yves Saint Laurent@Elitify.com Tie: Dior@Elitify.com Pocket square: Hugo Boss@Elitify.com Shoes: Canali Car: Aston Martin Mirage courtesy Aston Martin

Location courtesy: The Claridges Surajkund

Surprise the living daylights out of Dr. No with a valise by Globe-Trotter that goes from Ăźber-luxe case to weapon of mass destruction.

Jacket: Porsche Design Sweater: Banana Republic@Elitify.com Shirt: SBJ House of Luxury Jeans, shoes: Canali Sunglasses: Pierre Cardin Case: Globe-Trotter Stabilist Rifle case Cufflinks: Montblanc

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A patterned cravat for an actionpacked soirĂŠe leaves the competition shaken and the lady visibly stirred.

ON HIM Tuxedo: Scabal @ SBJ House of Luxury Shirt: Knight and Bond@Elitify.com Pocket square (used as cravat): Hugo Boss@Elitify.com ON HER Gown: Gaurav & Ritika Necklace and earrings: Ganjam

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Catch the action at the tables in a slick tuxedo with peak lapels to live a Casino Royale moment.

Opposite Page (TOP) ON HER Dress: Gaurav & Ritika Glasses: Model's own (BOTTOM LEFT) Suit: SBJ House Of Luxury Shirt: SBJ House Of Luxury Bow tie: Burberry@Elitify.com (BOTTOM RIGHT) Sari and blouse: Vandy Mehra@Elitify.com Earrings and necklace: The Gem Palace Watch: Dior This page Tuxedo jacket: Ashish N Soni Shirt: SBJ House of Luxury Bow tie: Hugo Boss@Elitify.com Watch: Tag Heuer

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Junior stylist: Kevin Marak; Models: Francesco Lipa, Friederike Goepel, Viktoria, Sarika, Kata, Julian (latter four courtesy Models Management

by Purple Thoughts).

Location Courtesy: The Park Hot el

Produced by Claudia Trimde

A bandgala jacket: the Indian Bond’s answer to a Western tuxedo readily wins Octopussy over.

ON HIM Bandgala: Ashish N Soni Shirt: Knight and Bond@Elitify.com ON HER Gown: Deepankshi & Reena Necklace and earrings: The Gem Palace

FA SHION

Manish Arora XxxxxxXxxxx Scion of the family that founded Bottega Venetta, this young designer is already making waves in Europe with his eponymous line of embellished, luxe, chic bags and clutches. In India for a Venetta, this young designer is already making waves in Europe with

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THE

MANISH ARORA SHOW In a candid chat, the irrepressible and internationally acclaimed designer gives the lowdown on his Paris move, working on collections the French way, how he’ll always be a ‘ladies’ tailor’, and his life’s most burning passions.

TEXT BY CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANUSHKA MENON

T

he wonder years

My parents are from Amritsar, but I was born an only child in Mumbai, in the suburbs of Malad. I was never a brat, which is strange for my generation. I studied at Narsee Monji, which is still the second best college for commerce in the city, but before graduation, I left. I was bored with commerce, and I had just heard about NIFT, which was new. So I applied, and gave the exam. I only took a pencil and eraser with me, whereas everybody there had fancy art materials. I am not bad at drawing, but I am no artist. Our batch at NIFT is very popular, the fourth or fifth to graduate. There was me, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Himanshu Dogra from Play Clan, Namrata Joshipura, Puja Nayyar. Today, NIFT is very commercial. We had 12-15 teachers, with one teacher for 30 students chosen from all over the country. I just wanted to leave my house and live alone. There was the sense of freedom of being on your own, being responsible for yourself. So it has been 23 years living here in New Delhi. My parents are still in Mumbai. I am the first one in my family to leave the house. I’ve loved New Delhi much more than Bombay; it’s so much more liveable.

The way we were

For me being gay has never been a problem. I always knew I was gay, and it never struck me as something different or special, which is strange, considering my conservative background. I never thought twice about being gay, or that it was disturbing in any way. Many people go through with trauma and don’t accept it. For me, it was just smooth sailing. I have had an Italian boyfriend for the last eight years. If I could, I would choose to be gay in my next seven lives. It’s so much easier! There’s no responsibility, and no need to have children. I love children from a distance, and they love me. Being gay is supposed to help your creativity,

right? I would not have been able to do what I am doing right now: one day in Paris and one day here, up and down. It’s not just about the talent. What makes for a great designer is 50 per cent talent, 25 per cent hard work, and 25 per cent timing. For some people, it’s all about publicity, but not for me.

To Paris, with love

I love Paris. I just moved to a new house, not far from the Place de la République. I don’t want to learn French, but I understand enough to manage on my own. I can read all the menus in any restaurant. I know the metros and how they work. Besides, I have an iPhone, so there’s no problem. (Laughs.) There’s even an app for pronunciation. A lot of people there speak English. Maybe it’s not fair, but I’m kind of done with India. The situation here is not improving.

I want to spend more time in France. I would rather pay taxes there than here. I don’t have citizenship yet, but I have been offered it by the French embassy, and I’m seriously contemplating it. It was offered to me when I got the Paco Rabanne job, 3-4 years ago, and at that time, I declined. Initially, I would tell my friends, “Are you mad? Why would you want to live elsewhere?” Today, I want to leave this country. People say India is booming, blah, blah, but that will happen 40 years from now, and I won’t be alive. So why shouldn’t I enjoy myself ?

The first time I went to Paris in 2000, I slept under a friend’s dining table because that was the only space available. That’s a memory I will never forget. It’s a good feeling to realize that I first went to Paris in 2000, and 12 years later, I have my own apartment there; I have finished 12 shows there.

It’s amazing how the French can read your mind, and how they recognize honesty in your work.

Sometimes I have not given my 100 per cent, and they can see it. People in India appreciate you more when

Opposite page: Design czar Manish Arora basking in the afterglow of his success on a throne by Gunjan Gupta.

FA SHION

you get a stamp of approval from the West. It’s like that, not just for me, for everything. Indians love the authorization or the approval of the West. We have this thing, a fixation, at the back of our minds, like, “wow, they like you”.

A match made in heaven

When Paco Rabanne first asked me to join them, I didn’t feel ready, because I felt I should concentrate on my own brand. But they insisted, and took me to their office and showed me their archives. As soon as I saw them, I knew I couldn’t refuse an assignment like this. When I did my own brand, I was the only designer who would do two shows in one week. Of course there was John Galliano, who showed both Dior and John Galliano. I was the only one with two shows in four days, mine and then Paco Rabanne. It was like living in two different worlds. The best thing I learnt there was how to survive in Paris and manage on my own.

Paco Rabanne is actually owned by a perfume company, so they are not into fashion, and hadn’t presented a collection in eight years. It wasn’t like my own brand, plus I had five bosses above me, so it was complicated. But it was a learning experience. I got a different brief every season.

On my first day at work, I stood by my window, and I looked out at the offices of Dior in front of me, and Nina Ricci on my right. I said to myself,

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“Is this me?” It took a few days for reality to sink in. And it was not about an Indian being at the helm or anything, it was just about me doing it.

It was a big deal.

My partnership with Paco Rabanne ended last year on a mutual note, once I realized I was giving too much time for somebody else, though

I was very well paid, and my life literally changed in a day. After all, I was the creative director. So it was up to me to do what I wanted. Even now, my ex-assistant had the opportunity to do their last show. From my very first show, Lady Gaga wore five outfits, which she has never done for anybody. And there were other collaborations such as Monoprix, which is the Marks & Spencer of France. So in my neighbourhood, almost every second day, I saw women carrying my umbrellas or bags. Even now, when I take the metro, people recognize me and come up to me.

It’s not just because of my own brand, but also because of Paco Rabanne. It helped me become a big name abroad. After I left Paco Rabanne, I started to concentrate on my Indian by Manish Arora brand, and the results are now showing, where we recently launched the flagship in a big way. To be honest, I would rather do Indian by Manish Arora and Manish Arora, rather than Paco Rabanne and Manish Arora.

My work with Nespresso was the biggest blast. There were no budget issues. It’s fun having millions of dollars at your disposal to explore in every area. As for my next, I am working on the interiors of a car company.

My dream is to design my very own building and apartment, with the bathroom, fittings, furniture, carpets, done entirely by me. I want to do everything. I want to do it for myself, and live in this thing which is all done by me.

Fashioning a collection

Paris is my platform to showcase my work to the world. My biggest markets are China, the Middle East, and Europe as the third market. Then comes Japan. India is different; for this we have the Indian collection. Making a collection is complicated. You have to think of what your market is, who is your customer.

For example, the Japanese and Chinese have very different tastes, as do Middle-Eastern and

This page: The designer and his friend Sapna Kumar who flaunts outfits from his past collections; Opposite page: A rose amidst floral prints (left); Kumar sports a maxi dress from the latest line, Indian by Manish Arora (right).

European customers. In the Middle East, they like full-length clothes, with their arms covered.

The Japanese are more adventurous. Europe is quite conservative when it comes to fashion.

The Chinese are enthusiastic; they love bright colours, like my rani pink, whereas the French don’t. So to keep in mind these various markets, that’s what is called a complete collection.

Going to Paris has changed the way I think about clothes. If you look at my first show in London or Paris, and if you look at my shows now, there is a huge difference in the product.

Earlier, I was just going crazy, but now there is planning behind everything. Today, I have a collection direction, a commercial director; I have a knitware director. I have a patent-maker who travels from Paris to India; I have a stylist who comes from Paris to India twice a year for shows. As for my manufacturing, 90 per cent is from abroad, with 10 per cent in Italy. And the fabrics are from all over the place.

A method in the madness

There is no method to my madness. Designing just comes naturally to me. I guess I am just tripping and living in a fantasy world all the time. (Laughs.) I never went out intentionally with the notion that I was the most colourful designer. I didn’t even know that colour was my strong suit, until I started showing outside India, in places like London, where people

would point it out. Pink and gold are my favourite colours. I can’t live without them.

Pink is my life, and gold is my religion. I still wear these, though I’m 40 now, and growing up.

When I create, I can’t stop, and don’t experience mental blocks. For me, it’s execution that’s difficult. I also dream a lot. It’s incredible how vivid my dreams are, and it’s a bit disturbing when I wake up. I make complete movies in my dreams, with characters and everything. In fact, I would love to make movies one day; it would literally be a dream come true! It’s just that I have had no professionally training. In my profession, you are stuck: you have to prove yourself every six months unlike artists who can paint at their leisure. Making a movie is a long process. If I weren’t a designer, I’d be a filmmaker.

At work, I am very freaky. I am timeconscious, and probably the only Indian designer that I know of who wakes up at 7am. I love the mornings; when I’m in India, I reach work before my assistants. I hate people who are tardy.

I am very old-fashioned in that way, and rather particular. Evenings are meant to get fucked up and be enjoyed. (Laughs.) I don’t like to work in the dark; I am more of a light person. Even if I’m on holiday in Goa, I sleep at 12am or latest by 2am. But I will wake up at 6:30am and go to the first rave that’s happening there.

I don’t think I ever work. I love what I am doing. I am always thinking of work, but not

thinking of working. It is very rare for people to be doing something they really love, and I really love what I do.

Big in Japan

Actually, my favourite city in the world is Tokyo, not Paris. I feel so at home there, since I am so particular about being punctual. When you are in Tokyo, everything will happen, and nothing will go wrong. If somebody says they will see you at 5 o’clock, they will see you at 5, not even 5:05.

It’s the only place in the world that is different from the rest of the world. Japanese people are emotional and sensitive, and I am totally on their level. Over there, people work hard; fashion is a job. I don’t see any Yohji Yamamotos coming out of India in the same way it happened in Japan in the ’80s. Here, everyone is a star. Can Indian designers run around carrying boxes or struggle, or take criticism? I don’t think so.

The ladies’ tailor

Bollywood’s influence on Indian fashion is more funny than annoying. It’s in bad taste, and I love bad taste, so I love it. (Laughs.) But seriously, I don’t want to take part in it – I love it from afar. Plus, everything looks the same. I cannot differentiate one designer’s work from another in Bollywood. If you put five Kareena Kapoor pictures in various outfits in front of me, they all look the same to me. I did try to

FA SHION

design for a big Bollywood movie. Halfway, I was getting calls and being told, “There’s a new character in a movie, and we’re shooting in Dehradun, so please can you send an assistant with the clothes?” I said, “Are you mad? I don’t want the money, I want to get out of the project.” The director understood where I was coming from. I left the project mid-way, and I have been offered films many times, but I don’t want to do it again.

I’ve designed for some good weddings, but only with people who understand what I do and let me do what I want. When asked about my tattoo (ladies’ tailor on my arm), I told a journalist that we are all ladies’ tailors, including me. We do what people want. The woman tells you. Most of the designers will invariably cater to their clients demands. They’re not telling them what to wear next season. It’s easy to make money here in fashion, and most Indian designers are richer than I am.

Look, people are jealous everywhere. You are what you are in the West because of your own individual style, which brings me back to why I am in Paris, because there is only one of me there. Everyone is different. YSL, Givenchy, they are all so individual. There is no jealousy.

Life’s greatest passions

I like different kinds of music, especially trance.

Even though a lot of pop stars wear my stuff, I’m not a fan of pop music. Right now, I am obsessed with Nicolas Jaar. Most of my friends in New Delhi, besides being in fashion, are DJs like the Midival Punditz, or Jayant and Ashwin.

I connect well with music and musicians. In Goa, I won’t listen to anything besides raves for 12-24 hours, three days at a stretch. I don’t

What you don’t know won’t hurt you

And... It’s showtime!

I am at my calmest right before a show. By then, what has to be done has been done. I am so un-calm when I am making the collection at my office, that by the time the show arrives, I have reached saturation point. If I am calm, others are influenced by this. When I had two shows in four days, I was strangely at ease and quite comfortable backstage.

I don’t even know which celebs see my show: Katy Perry came and sat for one when I didn’t even know who she was. She wore one of my dresses afterwards. Kanye West was sitting for one my shows and, again, I didn’t even know who he was.

get out of Hilltop (a large trance party venue) on those days, for three days in a row. I take my backpack, toilet paper, a change of underwear and T-shirt, and don’t leave for three days. I can live like that. I’ve been to the Glastonbury music festival and Burning Man alone.

Burning Man is quite an experience. It’s eight days with 70,000 people on the Nevada, U.S. desert with no mobile or internet access, and no money. You take everything with you for eight days, like water for showering and drinking, and your camper. You enter, and suddenly you are no longer selfish. Because you’re giving and sharing

I always wake up in the morning and say life is beautiful. Maybe people don’t know this: I am a very happy person. I enjoy everything; you can put me anywhere, and I am fine. It’s when you’re not happy, that’s when you look for solace elsewhere. I am neither religious nor spiritual. I don’t do poojas in my office, not even for Diwali. I just don’t believe in it.

The only festival I enjoy is Holi, but that’s just for the fun aspect of it. I don’t think one should do something on a particular day just because everybody else is doing it. I don’t go to temples; I don’t visit churches or anything like that. I’ve not even gone to Notre Dame de Paris. If I do go to a new place as a tourist, then I may see a place of worship, but not because of any belief.

I am logical, so I can be quite anal. Maybe this is because I am a Virgo! I don’t like to leave things to chance. I’m quite planned and organized in my mind. But if you look at my house, it’s a mess. I can’t fold anything, and my cupboard is useless; it’s all over the place.

But in my mind, I have great logic. And I can deal with tough situations very, very well. I have some rules too: for example, I don’t brush my teeth on Sundays. And my one indulgence is alcohol!

1994

2000

2002

2005

2007

Graduates from NIFT, New Delhi

Debuts at first-ever Indian Fashion Week

Opens flagship Manish Arora Fish Fry in New Delhi

Exhibits work at the V&A, London.

Another Exhibition at the V&A, London, showing a retrospective of his London Fashion Week collections

1997

Makes an entry at Hong Kong Fashion Week

Launches his own label 'Manish Arora' and starts retailing in India

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whatever you can. It was the most amazing experience I’ve had, the most overwhelming. It’s euphoria. You will make 70,000 friends without knowing each other. I wish life was like that, but good things don’t last forever.

I usually take one holiday per year, which has so far been in Goa. And from now on, it will be Burning Man and Goa. Apart from that, I travel a lot. And when I do, I make sure I take one or two days off. I like to explore a place, instead of hopping from place to place. When I went to Turkey, I ended up staying only in Istanbul for eight days.

2001 Launches second label 'Fish Fry'

Debuts at India Fashion Week, Mumbai

Debuts at London Fashion Week

2004 Partners with Reebok to launch Fish Fry for Reebok

Debuts at Paris Fashion Week

I’ve been told I have a strange voice. It’s my father’s voice. It could be genetic, I don’t know. Other people think it’s because I smoke too much. But I smoke just as much as anybody else I know...

I am a very detached person. My friends say I’m quite emotional, but I can be alone anywhere. I am highly independent, and often relish being alone. My favourite time is usually spent in the aircraft. I love taking flights in spite of taking one every weekend for a whole year.

Even after flying so much, I still get excited when I am at an airport.

As I enter the plane, even now, I’ll be like, “Wow, I’m inside. I can finally be alone, and watch my favourite movies.”

Dressing up, and the ideal woman

My customer doesn’t belong to any particular age group. She is a confident woman, and loves to stand out in public.

I never wanted to dress anyone famous intentionally, and it’s always happened. If I said Lady Gaga is one of my clients, it’s not about one person. My dream is to see random people on the street wearing my clothes. It gives me pleasure to observe a woman crossing the street wearing my clothes. That’s a bigger high than seeing a celebrity wearing my clothes. I take pictures of people on streets wearing my clothes. Unfortunately, people in India don’t walk on streets. In fact, one of the things I love about Paris is that you don’t have to dress up for a reason. People here say, “Oh I have to go home after office to change my clothes before a party.” I tell them, “You should have dressed up before. Why do you have to go home to change your clothes?” I fully dress up to go to my office. You don’t need an occasion. You dress up because you want to.

Designers to love

I liked Balenciaga with Nicolas Ghesquière, but now he’s left. One of my all-time favourite designers, whom I also know personally, is Christopher Kane. We started out at the same time in London. What he has done for himself is really beautiful – he is so young and doing very well. He also thinks I am a good designer. (Laughs.) But we are totally different.

I am not a fan of America. It’s a different culture, totally. Their fashion is a phase. I have been asked to do New York Fashion Week, but I am very happy where I am. I just want to progress with that. Everything comes and

goes, but but French brands live forever.

The next leap

I have no intention of leading a posh life...I am happy taking my bicycle for a spin. I like to take every year step by step, but I also know I don’t want to work all my life. I want to enjoy life.

I have no intention of becoming a multimillionaire. I just want to reach a certain level, and do things as they come. I have no intention of running around when I am 50, for example. I don’t want to work too hard, after all.

2009 Swatch collection launched internationally

2008 Adventures of a Ladies’ Tailor aired on TV Partners with M.A.C

Nivea Soft limited edition body cream launched Pommery Champagne launched Designs campaign for ABSOLUT Vodka Elected member of Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-â-Porter des Couturiers

2010 Creates Manish Arora for Nespresso campaign Features in an ad campaign for Swaroski Elements

2011

2012

Debuts at Paco Rabanne as creative director

Happy Socks for Happy Kids project

Creates limited-edition pastry for Café de la Paix Collaborates with Monoprix to launch capsule collection

Collaborates with Amrapali to launch jewellery line Collaborates with Biba to launch Indian

by Manish Arora

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CITY TALK

Silver Spoons This aficionado of antiques, glassware, and silverware is a present-day pasha who’s taken his passion for collecting to new levels.

TEXT BY CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTOGRAPHS BY YATINDER KUMAR

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rewer and restaurateur Sanjiv Bali’s Chhattarpur, New Delhi home is a labour of love. A love of fine, artistic pieces, and a passion that began with a childhood obsession for collecting ornate pieces of art, furniture, and chandeliers, some of them gifted by his parents, and some picked up on travels abroad, during old market runs, and palace visits. He is especially fond of silverware, fine glass and porcelain pieces, and paintings, many of which are collectors’ items.

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When he moved into his house four years ago, the two-storey, four-bedroom building was still under construction. Even though it was a place he’d taken on rent (while he waits for his own farmhouse to be built in the same area), he was keen to convert what was an essentially modern farmhouse, with its linear, airy spaces, into a traditional Indian home reminiscent of an ornate Rajasthani haveli, replete with nooks and crannies that accommodated his various objets d’art and silver knick-knacks.

The 50-year-old entrepreneur and MD of Mount Shivalik Breweries grew up in New Delhi but remembers his earliest visits to Rajasthan as a child, since his family owned a beer distillery there. After establishing his fine-dining restaurants in rapid succession at Amber Fort in Jaipur and Hanuman Mahal in Jodhpur, as well as a polo club in Jaipur, the trips became more frequent. Today, he spends almost 15 days a month there (staying at his farmhouse in Jaipur), and adds to his décor

Top: The expansive, embellished living room features custom-made and antique silver furniture from Rajasthan and New Delhi.

HARVESTING PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY: THE FARM AT SAN BENITO

Health

This organic spa resort in the Philippines ensures optimum health and a sound mind through a myriad ways – from home-grown raw foods to providing bespoke health packages.

TEXT BY TREESHA DATTA

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ucked away amidst rolling hills, in a valley between Mount Malarayat and Mount Makulot in the Philippines, is a one-of-a-kind spa resort. Located in Lipa City, often referred to as ‘the Rome of Philippines’, The Farm at San Benito – also known as The Farm – has been healing weary bodies (and minds) for over a decade, and is a far cry from your stereotypical spa. Even with around a hundred spas in this archipelago nation of approximately 7,000 islands, this is the only resort destination in the country that offers natural and holistic programmes that address lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and even cancer care.

Launched by New Delhi-based hotelier and entrepreneur Naresh Khattar in 2002, The Farm prides itself on being a place of healing.

It has won 25 prestigious international awards, including ‘Best Medical Wellness Resort in

the World’ from SENSES, Germany, the Asia Spa award for ‘Holistic Treatment of the Year’, and the Spa Finder Reader’s Choice award last year. The Farm has had its share of celebrities too; Hollywood star Woody Harrelson and members of rock band Coldplay have visited the resort. The Farm calls itself a unique ‘healing holiday destination’ that offers guests complete rejuvenation via holistic therapies, fitness programmes, and most importantly, superior nutrition through fresh, organic, and enzyme-rich food, grown at the resort’s very own organic farm.

The farm has only 32 suites and villas, and sits on 50 hectares of land surrounded by a dense jungle of tall trees wrapped in furry cloaks of green moss. The resort also adopts several eco-friendly practices in tandem with its organic culture and ecologically designed architecture by architects Walter Wagner and Noel Saratan: “We are slowly shifting to the use

of LED lights, and encourage guests and staff alike to practice conservation measures. Every day should be Earth Day,” says Jennifer Hazen, the spa’s resident manager. The staff even uses natural mosquito repellants such as citronella and neem, and bio-degradable bath products made from The Farm’s virgin coconut oil, which is also available to buy. Plastic, glass, metal, wood, and paper waste is separated and sent to a recycling facility while plant waste, derived as a by-product of landscape maintenance, is converted into nutrient-rich compost.

The biggest attraction of The Farm, however, is its one-hectare organic garden. Seasonal fruit and vegetables, coffee, avocados, pineapples, and bananas are harvested at the resort, while 4,000 coconut trees yield their quota of coconuts. Almost 75 per cent of the organic vegetable produce is beautifully served as part of the resort’s healthy ‘living’ cuisine at their in-house vegan restaurant ALIVE!. According

Top: Experience serendipity at the poolside of the Healing Sanctuary at The Farm at San Benito.

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WELLNESS

Top: The farm has over 4,000 coconut trees from which pure virgin oil is extracted, and is available for purchase. It is used to make bio-degradable bath products; Left: The waterfall pool.

to The Farm’s general manager Michael Di Lonardo: “You are what you eat, so the saying goes. This is where we come in. Over the past 10 years, our own chefs as well as those visiting from abroad have experimented, formulated, and revised a number of recipes that are creative, super-nutritional, and satisfying all at once.

All dishes eschew meat, fish, fowl, and other animal products. Not only are healthy cooking techniques such as low-temperature steaming used, but most importantly, several innovative raw-food preparation techniques such as dehydrating, blending, fermenting, sprouting, and marinating, have been perfected,” he says.

The Farm goes by the premise that raw foods are not only full of pure flavours and textures, but also high in fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as well as enzymes – crucial catalysts for bodily functions. Usually, these valuable enzymes are destroyed when foods are heated above 45°C. Thus the food served here is only 15 per cent cooked.

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The benefits of the healthy diet are, of course doubled, when teamed with excellent spa therapies at the Healing Sanctuary, the in-house spa, which offers an extensive menu of signature treatments, indigenous Filipino healing rituals, and European as well as Asian massages. Signature treatments include the Stimulating Treatment and Detoxifying Treatment, and the Yin Yang Body Polish (priced to start at `10,534). The former eliminates naturally trapped toxins, fat, and unwanted waste in the lymph system and skin layers to improve circulation and battle cellulite.

This is done by a skin kayud or scraping, followed by an application of a Barako coffee pack to the entire body for a natural detox. The latter treatment uses curcumin – an integral part of medicinal healing for the locals of the Negro Islands, Philippines – that is packed with antioxidants to repair skin damage.

Other popular treatments include traditional Filipino therapies like Hilot Haplos (an aromatic

cocoa body scrub followed by a warm coconut cream bath, and a massage). After the bath, a luxurious Hilot massage soothes the last of a weary city-goer’s worries away.

The resort also offers integrated medical services that treats lifestyle-related diseases such as digestive disorders, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dermatitis, and other chronic ailments. Each programme is bespoke and designed specifically to suit the client. “You can even go in just for the Preventive Programme: This involves a colon hydrotherapy and targeted organic cleansing for a full-body detox, followed by a medically guided fast that uses pure vegetable juices and superfood supplements. A minimum stay for this programme is four nights/five days,” says Hazen. These powerful transformative sessions for beauty or medical treatments are supervised by a highly qualified team of experts including doctors, licenced therapists, chefs, and fitness consultants. “The most popular health retreat

“The Farm has 32 suites and villas, and sits on 50 hectares of land surrounded by a dense jungle of tall trees wrapped in furry cloaks of green moss.

The resort also combines eco-friendly practices with organic produce and green architecture.” is the Organic Weight Loss programme, specially created to include The Farm’s awardwinning ALIVE! detox meals,” says Hazen.

Even sans treatments, there are simpler pleasures to be enjoyed at The Farm, to unwind and relax. Play a leisurely game of golf or participate in the exotic workout routines: a particularly fun routine is the ‘Trampoline Dance’) at the Jungle Gym. Or lounge around in the natural waterfall pool – a perfect blend of the natural and the modern as time stops still. A 90-minute drive, or a 25-minute private helicopter charter from the Ninoy Aquino International airport in Manila, The Farm is at its most inviting from December through March. However, according to Hazen, the rainy ‘green’ season, from June to September is ideal for detox and cleansing. “That is when Mother Nature heals, nourishes, and recharges herself, and so should you,” she says. www.thefarm.com.ph; +63 (2) 884 8074

From top to bottom: A bedroom in Narra Villa; A night view of the terrace of the ALIVE! restaurant; The organic farm plantation; A yoga class in progress at the Amphitheatre.

SPORTS

COUNTY SLIGO GOLF CLUB For sheer views of north-west Ireland’s famed coastlines and beaches, and to experience the joy of an authentic championship layout, head to the County Sligo Golf Club, one of the finest in the country. The course sits on a fantastic location – framed by the Atlantic on one side, and the Benbulben Mountain on the Rosses Point peninsula on the other, and boasts of an unique pedigree – it is over a century old, and the 18-hole championship layout got its present shape from renowned British golf course architect Harry Colt in the 1920s.

In 1999, another nine-hole course called the ‘Bomore’, was added to it.

Some holes are nothing short of spectacular, with the short par four 2nd hole being one of the finest. With a distance of just over 278 metres, the hole bares its teeth with a severely uphill play and distracts the golfer with panoramic views of the green. On the back nine (the last nine holes of the course), incoming gusts of sea breeze can be a constant factor.

Championship tees - 6817 yards, Par 71 +353 (71) 917 7186 info@countysligogolfclub.ie www.countysligogolfclub.ie

DONEGAL GOLF CLUB On the road linking counties Sligo and Donegal, about 11 kilometres from the latter, Donegal Golf Course is sprawled lazily across the Murvagh peninsula. The relatively new course (est. 1959) is one of the longest in the country, which is precisely why – unless you’re scratch – it’s pointless trying to challenge this layout from the championship tees. Let the round be more about the outstanding views of the beach and ocean across the fifth and sixth fairways; and the undulations of classic links golf with nary a tree in sight. Practice the bump-and-run, and get a feel of the brutal gorse or thick shrubbery found on coastal courses. Irish golf course architect Eddie Hackett designed Donegal Golf Course as a “true test of golf ”, and it can be quite the dragon to slay. Don’t bother trying to power your way around this course, lest you end up fouling your evening.

Championship tees - 7440 yards, Par 73 +353 (74) 973 4054 info@donegalgolfclub.ie www.donegalgolfclub.ie

ROSAPENNA HOTEL & GOLF RESORT Twenty miles north of Letterkenny, and situated amidst a smattering of holiday homes of the wealthy from Ireland and Europe, is a resort with not one but two magnificent courses. Out of the two layouts at the Rosapenna, the Sandy Hills links are the more monstrous of the two – with fairways snaking through giant dunes and a surfeit of trouble.

At the pro shop, Frank the manager shakes his head when asked for local advice and proffers, “Keep it in the middle, same as anywhere.”

Easier said than done at Sandy Hills, although the adjoining Old Tom Morris course (est.

1891) is much more forgiving and easier to manoeuvre through. The rooms at the on-site hotel on the OTM layout are the ideal place to lay your hat, and spend a couple of days soaking it all in.

Championship tees - 7155 yards, Par 71 +353 (74) 915 5000 golf@rosapenna.ie www.rosapenna.ie

Summer is the best time to be here, but even if you land up during the off-season, it’s entirely possible to have a bright sunny spell before the clouds act as spoilsports.

And the showers, while frequent, are short.

The back nine at the quaint Narin & Portnoo provides as pretty a backdrop to the undulating links as you're likely to find anywhere in Ireland.

NARIN & PORTNOO GOLF CLUB You’re likely to question the prudence of driving the winding route to Portnoo to play a course which, in all likelihood, you’ve not heard much about. Those doubts will start fading once you confront your approach wedge as you look onto the eighth green, surrounded by the Gweebarra bay on both sides. And these will disappear completely as you look over the sweeping arc of the 11th and 15th fairways hemmed by what seem like unending beaches and long swathes of the open ocean.

This is an old-fashioned course – natural and tremendously scenic – meandering over dunes with a range of teeing-off areas, some overlooking peninsula greens with gorse -blowing tee to green, some with generous fairways but against the Atlantic breeze. A real find, this one.

Championship tees - 6855 yards, Par 73 +353 (74) 954 5107 info@narinportnoogolfclub.ie www.narinportnoogolfclub.ie

CASTLE DARGAN Amidst all legendary courses, sits a parkland layout which holds its own against the best in Europe. Castle Dargan is home to the Premier Parkland Golf Course in the north-west of Ireland, and opened for play just over five years ago. Designed by 2011 British Open Champion and Irish veteran Darren Clarke, the 170-acre course has met with widespread praise, and reflects Clarke’s passion for traditional design.

The course meanders through a romantic landscape of brooks and rolling terrains, embracing old stone walls and ancient ruins.

On the whole, Castle Dargan has a tough layout. The greens are multi-tiered and befuddling. Irrespective of the direction the course slopes towards, the ball almost always breaks away from the high points. It makes sense to factor in at least two putts on every hole. A four-star hotel and club facilities include a practice academy, a golf shop, a spa, and a club bar.

Make sure you save Castle Dargan for the very last. After a few rounds on windswept links courses and merciless gorse, you may just yearn for a modern tree-lined fairway.

HANG YOUR HAT HERE Choose between Bayview suites, Junior suites, and a range of rooms at the four-star Rosapenna Hotel in the town of Downings in County Donegal. The rooms are expansive, with views of the bay and the adjoining Old Tom Morris course. Residents can enjoy a slew of activities besides golf, including angling, walks, surfing, and sailing. If possible, hire a car and take the ‘Atlantic drive’. +353 (74) 915 5301 reservations@rosapenna.ie

Championship tees - 6800 yards, Par 72 +353 (71) 911 8080 golf@castledargan.com www.castledargan.com

INDULGE IN AN IRISH TIPPLE Believe it or not, Heineken is the biggest-selling beer in all of Ireland. Younger people drink a lot of Carlsberg, Smithwick, and Budweiser; older folk drink a lot of Guinness, but you won’t be looked askance for drinking Guinness if you’re a young person.The Irish claim to be first to distill whiskey. Irish whiskey is also the only one in the world which is ‘triple distilled’, and suitably more complex than Scotch sans the smokey flavour. The very popular Bushmills, Cooley, and Middleton are the only three Irish whiskey brands on the market today, and Bushmills is the most sophisticated of the lot.

AUTO

POWER-PACKED PERFORMER Audi introduces the new R8 in two engine variants and a convertible as the sports-car successor to the legendary model.

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fter delivering over 9,000 cars in the Indian markets in 2012, and with a growth rate of 136 per cent, one could only assume that Audi’s new luxury SUV, the Q5, that hit the roads in the first month of 2013, didn’t quite satiate the German manufacturer. Or perhaps the Q5 was simply paving the way for a much more potent product, the sporty new Audi R8 which was launched soon after the Q5 on 21 January

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by Michael Perschke, head of Audi India. “I am confident that with the new Audi R8, we will further consolidate our leadership position in the super sports car segment in India,” he says. “Audi R8 is the top-of-the line product of quattro GmbH and embodies the cuttingedge technology of a performance car. Many of its features can also be found in the Audi RS5, the Audi S4, the Audi TT and the soonto-be-launched Audi S6,” he says.

The R8 is powered by a choice of two capable engines, “that make it an R8 for every requirement,” says Perschke: a 4.2litre V-8 that develops 430hp, and a 5.2litre V-10 that develops 525hp between 4,500 and 6,000rpm.

The R8 also comes as a convertible – the R8 V-10 Spyder. While the V-8 and V-10 Coupés can achieve a top track speed of 300kmph and 314kmph respectively, the Spyder sprints in 3.8 seconds with a top speed of 311kmph. Both

Top: The R8 is powered by two variants, the V-8 and V-10, and also comes as a convertible – the R8 V-10 Spyder.

LETTER

CLAUDIA TRIMDE

Ceo & Founder Le CITY deluxe claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com

PHOTO EDIN CHAVEZ // Hair & Make up Merixy / operA tower

Follow me on Twitter @claudiatrimde

Even After The Darkest Night the Sun Will Rise

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s I await the sunrise over the shores of Miami, the town wakes up to yet another day of tropical metropolitan buzz, getting ready to receive yet another bucket of paint, another coating of cement, another polish of a newly installed sign on the wall.

While many other parts of America are slowly awakening to a brighter economy, Florida is glowing and preparing for a season that promises to be even better than the year before. While “big name brands” are nothing new in town, others that did not dare to take the step are now feeling confident to lay their foundation, hoping to leave a mark.

Being a recent “come back” to the city, I dwell on my days at the UM, and MTV Latino in town, a downtown without restaurants and a Miami Beach engulfed in malodor. It was a city

that lacked capital qualities but with tropical, Mediterranean charm. Much has changed since then. Miami has grown up but stayed true to the different colors of its sunrise. As a world traveler, I feel arrived and ready for another day of a quiet morning café on the beach, shopping with friends in Bal Harbour, exploring new inspirations in Midtown, cocktails and dinner in skyscraperbrimmed Brickell and Downtown – luxury inspired and made possible by its inhabitants that bet on a CITY through its darkest nights awaiting its morning glow– the NOW. Thanks for having me back…

Claudia Trimde

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Ernst Benz Master Craftsman

SEPT-OCT 2013

Interview with Leonid Khankin, Managing and Creative Director

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Interview Claudia Trimde PHOTO David Matthiessen

We build the idea of the sprit of travel and the art of watchmaking, the ideal version in a modern way of the classic watch.

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want to be in power. I am an artist who wants to leave tomorrow better than it is today.

Is that the key to your success?

I don't hold it to success; I hold it to an ongoing privilege to be able to work in this field. If I am allowed to do watches tomorrow than that was the success of today. I am not successful I am just getting started.

Is there a sense of power in the watch industry in general?

I think today there is definitely a sense of powerfulness in the watch industry because of the scope that we have. You travel the world from Paris to Moscow, from New York to Mexico City, the watch industry is everywhere.

There are powerful men who run the companies of watchmakers, but watchmakers are the craftsmen who give a service to the men of power. Artists have always been in service to people of power. We work for the people who decide that we are talented enough that they are entertained by the things that we do.

Where’s Ernst Benz headed in the future?

The future of Ernst Benz is very interesting.

In the first eight years we produced watches on a smaller scale. Then cut to this collection, and we’re distributing to the greatest stores in the world. We have an audience to which we get to teach the art of watchmaking. So now the future: new calibers, new production, new stories, new designs. It’s a very exciting time for us. After eight years in the business, it feels like

day one. I feel like I am just getting started.

Is it more about the limited edition watches or more about the lower line to just get it out there?

It has never been about mass production.

We produce exclusively mechanical collections that are 100% built in Switzerland. The company makes 4000- 5000 watches in a year so everything is limited. The core collection is quite limited in itself, but limited edition for us is not better than our regular watches.

Limited edition is just an opportunity to tell a special story, while full production tells our company’s story. Limited edition is the watch with Mario Batali, the famous chef from New York. From this limited collection we donated 500,000 Euros to the Food Bank of New York.

For us, limited edition serves different purposes: additional creativity, collaboration, and sometimes interesting charity projects where you have a watchmaker who gets to leave the world a better place than he found it.

What is your connection to Miami, Florida?

I actually discovered Miami by chance while celebrating the new Millennium with friends.

For the brand, Miami serves as a hub between North America and South America. After I took charge of Ernst Benz we started to distribute a lot in the Caribbean and Latin America, I found myself frequenting Miami with our agents. It’s a very interesting place. Miami is where the whole world somehow connects

SEPT-OCT 2013

n 2005, Leonid Khakin took the driving reins from the namesake founder of the watch company Ernst Benz. Just as his predecessor, Khakin has been a total success at spearheading the timepiece enterprise.

Mr.Khakin, give me a bit of the the background? How did you end up managing and creating products for Ernst Benz?

Ernst Benz was established 50 years ago by the namesake founder. For 20 years the company produced aircraft instrumentation, which inspired Benz to create the pilot’s watch, a vintage style chronograph from WWII. I grew up doing restoration on such pieces. My forte is chronographs and restoration, so I was chosen by the company to develop the most complicated watch for Ernst Benz. By 2001, I started developing products for the company.

Later, I became Managing & Creative Director of Ernst Benz, producing a few hundred watches a year. Fast forward eight years, we’re now producing nearly 5,000 pieces annually with a collection over 300 basic models. For us, the dream was never to run the watch company it was the dream of the watchmaker to build the watch. What we build now is this idea of the sprit of travel and the art of watchmaking, the ideal version in a modern way of the classic watch.

So do you consider yourself as one of those power managers?

No. I consider myself a watchmaker. I don’t consider myself to be in power, businessmen

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BIO Jean-Marc Pontroué He was the director of Givenchy in Paris Sales and an Executive Vice President of Product Strategy and Development of Montblanc in Hamburg. He is currently the CEO of Roger Dubuis.

Jean-Marc Pontroué CEO Roger Dubuis

Codes of Excellence SEPT-OCT 2013

INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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If Ferrari can’t be Ferrari without its engines, then Roger Dubuis doesn’t exist without proper movement. All of our deve- lopment capacity and innovation are going to influence the SIHH13 gala, a new caliber, which will be the first on the watch market.

www.rogerdubuis.com

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he main challenge of Roger Dubuis has been international development. At a rapid rate it became one of the top five High Class Watch brands in the world. And this has a lot to do with Jean-Marc Pontroué, the CEO of the Geneva-based manufacturer. A company that has become famous for their ability to arrange product strategies and capturing the needs of individual countries.

The motion. If Ferrari can’t be Ferrari without its engines, then Roger Dubuis doesn’t exist without proper movement. All of our development capacity and innovation are going to influence the SIHH13 gala, a new caliber, which will be the first on the watch market.

What are your most important product concerns at the moment?

What is the main market for Roger Dubuis?

Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, and the United

Valencia is considered a unique market in Spain. How did it come to be such a successful location?

In Valencia we are partnered with the jewelry firm Rabat. I’m not sure if it would work without our partners at the local level. Whether it’s Rabat in Spain or Swiss Union in Barcelona and Madrid, we become able to attract a clientele likely to understand our product.

What is the current status of Roger Dubuis on the market?

Although we cannot give exact specifics, the brand has prospered in all countries. In the market of Spain in particular, Roger Dubuis had an increase in sales by 48% last year SEPT-OCT 2013

What would you like to highlight most about Roger Dubuis?

Most importantly, the watches have been manufactured with the codes of excellence in mind.

A pioneering brand that targets connoisseurs of Haute Horlogerie with all the manufacturing involved in the very heart of Geneva.

Roger Dubuis contains four product lines.

What are their main features?

We relate our four products to the universe.

We are able to cater our four product lines based on four types of potential customers categorized in hypothetical archetypes: the player, the warrior, the adventurer and the diva.

So far, apart from having product lines where there is no competition, no brand has gone so far as to have a fantasy world model for their product lines.

States; in addition to all emerging countries.

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PORTRAIT

Biography

SEPT-OCT 2013

For almost 18years, the CEO of Alembert Interiors and Gardens, has worked on turning the homes of Miami’s most prominent residents into works of neo-classical art.

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P www.aleksanderalembert.com

“Different areas can give a store a little more exclusivity.

Design District already has Louis Vuitton, Dior and Cartier.”

Aleksander Alembert A Man Out of Time Interview Claudia Trimde

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nterior designer Aleksander Alembert is a man out of time, a passionate artist who draws his inspiration from centuries past and thinks modern design is merely a passing fad. Recently, Alembert collaborated with trendy furniture boutique Fendi Casa. Fendi Casa, is the home design collection for the international luxury brand Fendi and is located in hip and happening Miami’s Design District. Luxury Living’s Fendi Casa, approached Alembert to design their showroom in his aesthetic. The concept behind this exciting idea is to show both consumers and the interior design community how with originality and creativity, Fendi Casa products can be highly personalized to suit individual styles. Alembert transformed the room into a tribute to his favorite school of design, Rococo –the 18th Century arts movement known for elaborate ornamentation.

So tell us about your Fendi Casa collaboration?

Fendi Casa approached me in April, to help them do something out of the box. It was a nice opportunity for me to work with them. For ten years I’ve been on a board of trustees of Villa Vizcaya & Museum, so I thought merging Vizcaya and Fendi Casa would be a good idea. Both are Italian; Fendi Casa produces contemporary furniture while Vizcaya has all the Rococo of neo-classical times. I specialize in 18th and19th century styles so I’ll be recreating Vizcaya’s look of Rococo’s Italian walls and crystal chandeliers.

So how’d you become an interior designer?

I had a big antique store in Boca Raton and we used to redecorate that store all day long, but I was never called an interior designer. All these interior designers would come into my store to buy furniture from me and I’d drive the UHaul to deliver these pieces to these guys and make sure they were placed correctly. And if the designer was not there, I’d have to redo the room to place the piece. That’s when I decided to go into interior design. I got hired by the ASID (American Association of Interior Design) to do marketing, and then they started using me as an assistant. I did everything for them for two years. When I got a chance, I broke off from there and was hired by some rich Canadian guys who gave me this penthouse to decorate.

It was my first job by myself. I took it on and from there, I started doing interior design.

What do you think of Midtown as the location for furniture stores and designers?

I think it’s fine because if you’re in the neighborhood, and you’re looking to get your apartment or house furnished, you go into one area. The downside is that everyone’s homes start to look alike, because now you only shop at the local stores.

Some furniture stores are actually relocating to Brickell. Boconcept for example just opened up a flagship store in the Brickell area.

What do you think of that?

Close enough. It doesn’t all have to be in the same spot. Besides, different areas can give a store a little more exclusivity. Design District already has Louis Vuitton, Dior and Cartier.

Do you think Midtown is unique? It’s not a conventional place where you’d think you’d find luxury brands.

In Midtown, you have the opportunity to buy furnishings and clothing at the same time. So if you’re going to shop for a handbag, next door you’ll find marble and mosaic tiles. From there, we’d create your closet, living room space, and you can see your whole entire life created the way you want without having to look further.

Design District really has the greatest stores for interior design in Miami

SEPT-OCT 2013

Would you say that your style is quite opposite of modern styles?

Right. I was brought up in palaces, and museums, and followed the royal families. We had opulent drapes, beautiful tapestries, rugs, chandeliers, crystal-ware and porcelain. In modern furniture, there isn’t any of that. So I always felt like modern furniture is just a fad. When I was a kid, I’ve seen my mother’s house redesigned several times while my godfather’s house which was done in antiques, never changed. When he died, I inherited most of his furnishings.

They were amazing pieces worth a great deal of fortune. I decided to stick to dealing with antiques or high quality reproductions. Antiques give you a sense of greatness and a sense of pride. You have to be gentle with an antique.

It teaches you value and self-worth.

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S History of TAG Heuer 1860 · Edouard Heuer, the great-grandfather of Jack William Edouard Heuer, founds TAG Heuer 1958 · Jack Heuer joins the family business and gives the watches a modern twist 1969 · The Company creates the world’s first automatic chronograph 1977 · TAG-Heuer produces the Chronosplit Manhattan, an electronic wrist chronograph with analogue reading of the time and digital reading of the stopwatch function 1982 · Jack Heuer launches IDT (Integrated Display Technology, Ltd.) in Hong Kong, which today employs over 9,000 people

THOMAS HOULON

JACK HEUER

2012 · Jack Heuer celebrates his 80th birthday

TAG Heuer Continues to Impress Irrespective of Product www.tagheuer.com

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JAN · FEB 2013

o matter if it is a wristwatch, mobile phone or eyewear, when the product in question is used regularly, it is important the users are happy. If a company invests time and effort into the product, irrespective of what it is, and focuses on customer satisfaction, the product will please. At TAG Heuer, regardless of what they are developing, they strive to give their customers the utmost benefit in terms of both style and practicality.

Le CITY deluxe sat down with Thomas Houlon, Innovation Director for TAG Heuer, and honorary Chairman Jack Heuer himself.

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Is it true you haven’t always worked in the watch industry?

TH: I actually spent the first 12 years of my career in eyewear. Designing glasses consisted of just not sticking a logo on the frame, but giving the glasses themselves real value. After ten years, it had become absolutely massive, even though our models were quite pricy. We managed to give customers the utmost benefit in terms of style, which, while pure and simple, was extremely

practical. I then started working in watches, as the innovation manager for all watches, and I’ve been working on innovation ever since.

“IT ALL COMES DOWN TO CRAFTSMANSHIP AND FOCUSING ON THE BASICS” (THOMAS HOULON) Are there any other new products in the works for TAG Heuer?

TH: I also helped launch our first mobile phones three years ago. Today we are presenting a new mobile phone called Racer. We are trained to transpose new product categories, and today, Tag Heuer’s DNA is so strong, it is becoming even more popular.

What is so special about this phone?

TH: It all comes down to craftsmanship and focusing on the basics. In our opinion, today’s technology sometimes goes too far and is too complicated. And while we want to revert to something simple, it is also technologically fantastic and, first and foremost, beautiful.

How will you celebrate your 80th birthday this year, Mr. Heuer?

JH: I’m a product man, and I’ve designed a watch to commemorate my 80th birthday. I’ve signed the back and stamped it with the family’s 15th century coat of arms, which I find quite interesting. It is a limited edition of only 3,000 models, and numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 are reserved for my 3 children and me

S HistorIA of TAG Heuer 1860 · Edouard Heuer, el bisabuelo de Jack William Heuer Edouard, funda TAG Heuer 1958 · Jack Heuer se une a la empresa familiar y renueva los relojes con un toque moderno 1969 · La compañía crea el primer cronógrafo automático del mundo 1977 · TAG Heuer produce el Chronosplit Manhattan, un cronógrafo de pulsera electrónica con función de lectura analógica de la hora y lectura digital del cronógrafo 1982 · Jack Heuer lanza IDT (Integrated Display Technology, Ltd.) en Hong Kong, el cual actualmente da empleo a más de 9.000 personas 2012 · Jack Heuer celebra su 80 cumpleaños.

Sigue impresionando independientemente de su producto

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o importa si se trata de un reloj de pulsera, de un teléfono móvil de unas gafas, cuando este producto se usa con regularidad; es importante que los usuarios estén contentos. Además del producto en sí mismo, si una empresa invierte tiempo y esfuerzo en un producto, y se centra en satisfacer al cliente, el producto gustará. En TAG Heuer, más allá de aquello que estén desarrollando, se esfuerzan por dar a sus clientes el máximo beneficio en términos de estilo y funcionalidad.

Le CITY deluxe tuvo la oportunidad de dialogar con Houlon Thomas, Director de Innovación para TAG Heuer, y con el mismísimo Jack Heuer, presidente honorario de la firma. ¿Es cierto que no siempre han trabajado en la industria del reloj?

TH: En realidad, los primeros 12 años de mi carrera me dediqué al mundo de las gafas. El diseño de gafas no consistía solo en pegar un logo en el marco; las gafas tienen un valor real en sí mismas. Después de diez años, nuestros modelos se habían convertido en algo realmente masivo, a pesar de que eran bastante caros. Nos las arreglamos para dar a los clientes el máximo beneficio en términos de estilo, que, aunque puro y simple, era muy práctico. Entonces comencé a trabajar en el mundo de la relojería, como el director de innovación para todos los relojes, y he estado trabajando en la innovación desde entonces.

“Todo se reduce a la artesanía y concentrarse en lo básico” (THOMAS HOULON) ¿Qué tiene de especial este teléfono?

TH: Todo se reduce al trabajo artesanal y a centrarse en las cosas básica. En nuestra opinión, la tecnología de hoy en día va, a veces, demasiado lejos y es demasiado complicada. Nosotros queremos volver a lo simple. El teléfono es hermoso y tecnológicamente, fantástico. ¿Cómo va a celebrar su 80 cumpleaños, Sr. Heuer?

JH: Yo soy un hombre productivo, y he diseñado un reloj para conmemorar el día de mi 80 cumpleaños. He firmado y he estampado en su reverso un escudo de la familia del siglo XV que me parece muy interesante. Se trata de una edición limitada de sólo 3.000 unidades, y los 4 primeros ejemplares están reservados para mis hijos y para mí

INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE

JAN · FEB 2013

¿Está trabajando TAG Heuer en nuevos productos?

TH: También ayudé a lanzar nuestros primeros teléfonos móviles hace tres años. Ahora mismo

estamos presentando un nuevo teléfono móvil llamado Racer. Estamos capacitados para incorporar nuevas categorías de productos, y hoy en día, el ADN Tag Heuer es tan fuerte, que se está haciendo cada vez más popular.

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FASH IO N

“It’s gotta feel good on me.”

With this idea in mind, Stuart Weitzman has won over celebrities and the rich & famous who find elegance, exclusiveness, personality and comfort in his designs.

Biography · BIOGRAFÍA

JAN · FEB 2013

www.stuartweitzman.com

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He began his career as an apprentice of his father, shoe designer, under the name of Mr. Seymour. His first design was a heeled shoe. Then followed by party shoes, sports shoes, golf shoes and a bridal shoe collection and other shoes and waterproofed boots.1995 he opened his first store on Madison Street in New York. It is one of the largest manufacturers in the U.S. women’s footwear and the shoes are sold in 45 countries around the world. Presence in Europe and the Middle East Comienza su carrera como aprendiz de su padre, diseñador de zapatos, bajo el nombre de Mr. Seymour. Su primer diseño fue un zapato de tacón. Después siguieron los de fiesta, deportivos, de golf y una colección de novias y otra de zapatos y botas resistentes al agua.

En 1995 abrió su primera tienda en la Calle Madison de Nueva York. Es uno de los mayores fabricantes de calzado femenino en EEUU y sus zapatos son vendidos en 45 países alrededor del mundo. Presencia en Europa y Oriente Próximo

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STUART WEITZMAN FOOTWEAR DESIGNER

Comfort & Elegance INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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nvolved in all stages of footwear design from an early age and ever sensitive to “what women want”, Stuart Weitzman has managed to translate his admiration for the fairer gender into a distinctive product that has become a veritable global hit.

You have forged an interesting relationship with flats...

As fashion creators, we have invested a great deal of effort into making flats tasteful, so that they’re as beautiful as high-heels. We’re well aware that women are after comfort, but it’s not just about a simple flip-flop, ballet slipper or sandal that “works”. Sandals and flats produce the same sound and smile on a woman’s face as 5 inch heels. What’s more, flats sell better than high-heels and have turned into remarkable creations, with snake skin, jewels...

“MANUFACTURING FOOTWEAR IS NOT JUST A ‘MANUFACTURING PROCESS’; IT’S AN ART, A HANDICRAFT” You have been manufacturing your shoes in Spain for a long time. Why is that?

In practical terms, it has to do with the fact we built our own factory here and our organisation, outside the US, is here. In functional terms, the main reason is that Alicante is a community that, with cities like Elda and Elche, has been manufacturing footwear for 200 years, helping to develop a tradition of producing quality footwear. Manufacturing footwear is not just a “manufacturing process”; it’s an art, a handicraft. This region of Spain still sustains

that particular virtue, and I’ve always found it to work brilliantly. That’s why I’m here!

Tell me a few details about the production process...

The components which form the footwear (before becoming a shoe) are handled by women who work from home or in small offices near their houses. While the process ultimately ends in the factory, this means of intervention is due to the fact that these women, even though they have grandparents looking after their children, want to stay at home and be with their families. So it’s up to us to find a way for them to work while, in many instances, looking after the family or raising the children.

Where do you buy your shoes?

I don’t have a preferred brand. I often go “touring”, as they say in Italy. If I see something I like while I’m walking down the street or in a store, I buy it. It might not be what I need at the time, but I know I’ll need it later on. Although, in my opinion, there’s one essential factor when it comes to buying shoes: It’s gotta feel good on me. It’s always been the most important thing.

Women’s shoes shouldn’t have to damage their feet. The way you buy shoes influences how the designer makes them, in terms of comfort and function, as well as design

JAN · FEB 2013

What are this season’s major trends?

This season will be about bright-coloured, fluorescent shoes, if you want to send an audacious and powerful message. Pale colours, if you’re looking to embody tranquillity; and even combining the same shoe with what we call colour block. That’s perhaps the top trend.

Flats represent the other trend. This season, we have unveiled some gorgeous ideas, new additions and interesting features. And lastly, for the girl who wants to be extra sexy, no shoe

sets the mood better than high cocktail shoes, high sandals or sandals with a platform. While this is nothing new in terms of “fashion”, it gets rejuvenated every season, and that’s the very epitome of a trend. The kind of evening shoe we designed for Angelina Jolie, with a hidden, interior platform, isn’t going to disappear this season.

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JAN · FEB 2013

“El zapato tiene que sentarte bien”. Con este concepto Stuart Weitzman ha conquistado a celebridades y famosas que encuentran en sus diseños elegancia, exclusividad y personalidad al mismo tiempo que comodidad.

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Diseñador de Zapatos. Comfort & Elegancia

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nvolucrado desde temprana edad en todas las etapas del diseño de un calzado y siempre sensible a “qué desea la mujer”, Stuart Weitzman ha sabido traducir su admiración por el género femenino a un producto con sello propio que triunfa en todo el mundo.

La relación que ha logrado con el zapato plano es muy interesante…

Nosotros como creadores de moda, hemos hecho el máximo esfuerzos por darle un muy buen gusto al zapato plano y que éstos se vean tan hermosos como los de tacón. Somos conscientes de que la mujer desea comodidad por lo que no se trata sólo de la simple flip-flop, de la bailarina o de una sandalia que “funcione”. Las sandalias y los zapatos planos producen el mismo sonido y la misma sonrisa a una mujer que el que produce un zapato con tacón de 120 milímetros. Los zapatos planos se venden más que los de tacones y se han convertido en creaciones preciosas con pieles de serpiente, con joyas…

“FABRICAR CALZADO NO ES SÓLO UN ‘PROCESO DE FABRICACIÓN’, ES UN ARTE, UN TRABAJO HECHO A MANO.” Desde hace tiempo, usted realizar la producción en España. ¿Cuál es la razón de esto?

En términos prácticos, se debe a que nosotros construimos nuestra propia fábrica aquí y nuestra organización, fuera de Estados Unidos, está aquí.

En términos funcionales, la principal razón es que Alicante es una comunidad que, con ciudades como Elda o Elche, posee 200 años de historia en fabricación de calzado lo cual ha permitido desarrollar una tradición acerca de cómo hacer un calzado de calidad. Fabricar calzado no es sólo un “proceso de fabricación”, es un arte, un

trabajo hecho a mano. Esta región de España conserva esta particularidad y a mí siempre me ha funcionado. ¡Por ello estoy aquí!

Cuénteme algunos detalles del proceso de producción…

Las piezas que conforman un calzado (antes de convertirse en un zapato) son manipuladas por mujeres que trabajan desde su hogar o en pequeñas oficinas cercanas a sus casas. Si bien el proceso termina en la fábrica, este mecanismo se debe a que las mujeres, aún contando con abuelos que cuidan de sus hijos, buscan quedarse en casa y estar con sus familias. Entonces debemos establecer mecanismo para que puedan hacer su trabajo mientras, en muchos casos, se ocupan también del cuidado de la familia o la crianza de los hijos. ¿Dónde compra sus zapatos?

No tengo una marca particular. Estoy muy a menudo de “giro”, como dicen en Italia. Cuando camino por las calles o voy a las tiendas y veo algo que me gusta, me lo compro. Tal vez no lo necesito en el momento, pero sé que lo necesitaré más adelante. Pero, para mí existe un factor primordial en el momento de comprar un zapato: It’s gotta feel good on me (tiene que sentarme bien). Siempre he sentido que eso es lo importante para mí… los zapatos de las mujeres no tienen que dañarle sus pies. La forma en que compras un zapato influye en la manera en que el diseñador los hace, en el confort y la función, así como en el diseño

JAN · FEB 2013

¿Cuáles son las tendencias más importantes para esta temporada?

Para esta temporada serán zapatos de colores fuertes, fluorescente, si quieres dar un mensaje audaz e impactante. Colores pálidos, si quiere representar la calma; e incluso, combinando el mismo zapato con lo que nosotros llamamos “color block”, es decir, bloques de colores. Eso es quizás el trend número uno. La otra tendencia son los zapatos planos. Para este temporada presentamos ideas muy bonitas, novedades y detalles

interesantes. Y por último, para esa chica que desea ser especialmente sexy, no existe ningún otro tipo de zapato que mejor cree esta atmósfera que el zapato de cóctel alto, la sandalia alta o con plataforma. Si bien esto no es nuevo en cuanto a “moda” se renueva cada temporada y esto es tendencia. El tipo de zapato que hemos diseñado para Angelina Jolie para la noche, cuya plataforma está escondida en su interior, no va a desaparecer esta temporada.

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JAN · FEB 2013

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S INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE

Marc Coutte

HEAD OF CHOPARD’S HIGH JEWELLERY CREATION DEPARTMENT

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ow does a piece of high jewellery come into being? Who takes part in this magical process? How is a piece of jewellery valued? Le CITY deluxe travelled to Chopard’s workshop in Switzerland to see how some of the company’s most prized pieces are born and fashioned. We spoke with Marc Coutte, Head of Chopard’s High Jewellery Creation Department, our guide on this marvellous tour.

Jewellery in hand, Marc Coutte begins by explaining some of the details concerning this enthralling world. In this instance, he is holding a bracelet-watch shaped like a tiger. “A very realistic piece, as the tiger’s claws are clutching the watch case. It’s an exceptional piece”, he remarks. And he goes on to mention that the piece belongs to the Animal World collection created to mark Chopard’s 150th anniversary.

“A customer bought the necklace with this tiger and later requested we make this exclusive watch with the same animal”.

Are Chopard pieces initially designed in 3D? No, only in 2D, but it’s something that gives the company enhanced value, as, this way, the sculptor has more creative margin to draw inspiration from the drawings of the animal in motion. That way they see their shape, their muscles... The entire Animal World Collection –comprised of 150 pieces– adheres to this same creative process in which duties are divided among all team members.

From the moment the idea arises to the final piece, how much time passes?

It all depends on the complexity of the piece, but it could be anywhere from 50 to 2000 hours.

Where do the stones come from?

The stones come from all over the world.

We have formed a network with the world’s finest sellers. Madame Karin Scheufele and Madame Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele are the people charged with selecting and buying the stones. This network affords us an exclusive opportunity to find unique stones, distinct colours and non-habitual shapes.

What is the secret to combining 150 years of history and tradition with setting trends?

Great question! You need a lot of passion and humility, and, first and foremost, creativity and energy. Have an excellent work team and high quality stones. You also need talent and astuteness. Truth is, you need all of these qualities to achieve your objective; everything counts. The times change awfully quickly, and you have to know how to adapt.

From a creative point of view, what are Chopard’s values?

I’d say diversity and fantasy. Diversity because we fashion a wide variety of themed collections.

We’re constantly looking to experiment and connect with the world of fantasies; that’s our objective.

What has been the most difficult piece you have created?

It was a piece composed of a group of 150 pieces. It was a truly colossal undertaking and

took ages to complete. However, the most difficult pieces are those still to come. We’ve always managed to resolve complexity thanks to a fantastic team and finding a technical level of excellence to uncover a solution. Generally speaking, each new piece is a fresh challenge.

What kind of requests do you receive on a daily basis? Are they namely the same or are the challenges also daily?

They’re different every day. We sometimes get the impression we work at the same hectic pace as the kitchen in a typical Paris restaurant. We have to work quickly, because we have a sizeable demand from private customers who commission last-minute birthday or wedding presents, and it’s down to us to figure out where to get the time, the stones, the design, etc. to arrive just in time to pay tribute to the person they love.

If you could choose a future project, what concept would you transform into Chopard jewellery?

I’d probably make pieces for children. Based on games, on symbolic gestures, little totems that are important in everyone’s life and on those moments, those things we want to “crystallise”.

I’d create a small totem that sums up little moments of happiness.

Chopard first designed watches and later incorporated jewellery. What is the next step?

I don’t completely agree that Chopard started by designing watches. Since the beginning, it has worked, in a similar manner, to discover the future of jewellery, striving to turn watches into jewellery. It has always developed jewellery, in the sense that the overall brand has developed.

We have always looked beyond watch-making, wanting to turn watches into jewellery and, of course, always at the highest level

JAN · FEB 2013

How do you value a job like this?

The main thing is the time the jeweller needs

to create the piece. Afterwards, the price of the stone you’re using is important and then the added value generated by the Chopard brand name, which makes the piece exclusive.The final price almost always depends on the stones with which the piece was created. The stones make a piece unique.

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Marc Coutte. Director del departamento de alta joyeria

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JAN · FEB 2013

Cómo nace una pieza de alta joyería? ¿Quién interviene en este mágico proceso? ¿Cómo se valora una joya? BARCELONA deluxe ha viajado hasta el taller de Chopard, en Suiza, para ver cómo nacen y crean algunas de sus piezas más preciadas. Hablamos con Marc Coutte, Responsable del Departamento de Creación de Alta Joyería de Chopard, quien nos guía en este fantástico recorrido.

Con una joya en la mano, Marc Coutte, comienza a explicarnos algunos detalles de este apasionante mundo. En este caso, se trata de un brazalete-reloj en forma de tigre. “Una pieza de gran realismo puesto que las garras del tigre sujetan la caja del reloj. Es una pieza excepcional”, comenta. Y añade que esta pieza pertenece a la colección Animal World realizada con motivo del 150 aniversario de Chopard. “Una clienta compró el collar con este tigre y después pidió que se elabore este reloj exclusivo con el mismo animal”.

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¿El diseño inicial de las piezas Chopard es en 3D? No, sólo en 2D, pero es algo que da valor a la marca puesto que así el escultor tiene más margen de creación al inspirare en los dibujos del animal en movimiento. Así puede ver su forma, sus músculos… Toda la colección Animal World -compuesta por 150 piezas- ha seguido este proceso de creatividad en que se reparten las funciones con todos los miembros de equipo.

¿Desde que surge la idea hasta a la pieza final cuánto tiempo puede transcurrir?

Todo depende de las complejidad de la pieza pero podemos hablar desde 50 a 2000 horas. ¿Cómo se valora un trabajo así?

Lo principal es el tiempo que necesita el joyero para crear esa pieza. Después es importante el precio de la piedra que estás utilizando y finalmente el valor añadido que genera la marca Chopard la cual hace que sea una pieza exclusiva. Casi siempre, el precio final depende de las piedras con las que esté creada esa pieza. Una pieza es única por sus piedras. ¿De dónde vienen las piedras?

Las piedras vienen de todas partes del mundo.

Hemos creado una red con los mejores vendedores de piedras de todo el mundo. Madame Karin Scheufele y Madame Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele son las personas que se encargan de seleccionar y comprar las piedras. Esta red nos genera la exclusividad de conseguir piedras únicas, de colores y formas no habituales. ¿Cuál es el secreto de mantener 150 años de historia y tradición al mismo tiempo que crear tendencias? ¡Que interesante pregunta! Es necesario mucha pasión y humildad y, sobre todo, creatividad y

energía. Tener un muy buen equipo de trabajo y una muy buena calidad de piedras. Además se necesita talento y observación. Realmente son necesarias todas estas variantes para poder lograr el objetivo, todo cuenta. Los tiempos cambian muy rápido y hay que saber adaptarse.

Desde el punto de vista creativo, ¿cuáles son los valores de Chopard?

Diría que la diversidad y la fantasía. La diversidad porque nosotros trabajamos una gran variedad de colecciones temáticas. Estamos en una constante búsqueda de la experimentación para llegar al mundo de la fantasía, esa es nuestra finalidad. ¿Cuál fue la pieza más difícil que han creado?

Fue una pieza compuesta por un grupo 150 piezas. Fue un trabajo realmente colosal, llevó mucho tiempo realizarla. Pero, las piezas más difíciles son las que vendrán. Siempre hemos logrado resolver la complejidad de un trabajo gracias a un gran equipo y a encontrar un nivel técnico de excelencia para llegar a la solución.

Generalmente, cada pieza es un nuevo desafío. ¿Qué tipo de pedidos reciben a diario? ¿Son siempre los mismos o los desafíos también son diarios?

Es diferente cada día. A veces tenemos la impresión de trabajar con la rapidez en que lo hace la cocina de un típico restaurante parisino. Debemos

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ir muy rápido porque tenemos una demanda importante de nuestros clientes particulares que nos encargan un regalo de cumpleaños o de boda a último momento y es a nosotros a quienes conceden el milagro de encontrar el tiempo, las piedras, el diseño, etc. para poder llegar justo a tiempo a homenajear a la persona que quieren.

Si pudiera elegir un proyecto futuro, ¿cuál sería el concepto que transformaría en una joya Chopard?

Seguramente yo haría piezas para los niños. A partir de juegos, de gestos simbólicos, de pequeños tótems que cuentan en la vida de cada uno y de esos momentos, de aquellas cosas que queremos “cristalizar”. Crearía un pequeño tótem que resuma esos momentos de felicidad.

JAN · FEB 2013

Chopard nació diseñando relojes, después incorporó la joyería, ¿Cuál es el siguiente paso?

No estoy del todo de acuerdo sobre el hecho de que Chopard haya comenzado diseñando relojes.

Desde un comienzo se ha trabajado paralelamente para encontrar el futuro en la joyería, se trabajó para que los relojes sean una joya. Siempre hubo un desarrollo de la joya en sí, en el sentido de un desarrollo de la marca en general. Siempre vimos más allá del reloj, que el reloj sea una joya y, por supuesto, siempre en el mejor nivel

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LETTER

Welcome to international ultra luxury living

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uxury today challenges the traditional concepts of craftsmanship, exclusivity and provenance and exemplifies status by passion and joie de vivre. It is fuelled by the desire to push the comfort experience to its very limits but doing this with flair and finesse. As a result, today's brands have to find and offer new relevance, value and soul. Luxury today is about creating a mutually beneficial relationship that opens up to new audiences and injects fresh exemplary talent.

We now live in a world where there is a delineation between the rich and the super rich, the super rich and the Wealthy. It is our aim to be the oracle for those who 'have it' and need to best know how to utilize it. Moreover, we strive to enable those who are nouveau-riche to acquire the discerning taste and habits that come with the blessing of affluence.

So this is me, your new neighbour, inviting you to come and play in your city. A city with fantastical delights beyond your wildest dreams. We will enjoy with elegance and wonder, after all this is Le CITY deluxe…

MARY MARR

Ceo/Publisher Le CITY deluxe USA marymarr@le-citydeluxe.com

Bienvenidos a la lujosa vida internacional

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ctualmente el lujo compite con los valores de artesanía, exclusividad y procedencia y encuentra su sentido en la pasión y en la alegría de vivir. Se impulsa por el deseo de llevar la experiencia de la comodidad hasta el límite pero lo hace con estilo y delicadeza. Como resultado de ello, hoy las marcas tienen que encontrar y ofrecer un nuevo significado, un nuevo valor y alma. El concepto de lujo encuentra su armonía en la posibilidad de crear una relación de beneficio mutuo, capaz de abrirse a nuevos públicos y de permitir introducir nuevos talentos y aire fresco.

Vivimos en un mundo donde existe una delimitación entre los ricos y los súper ricos; entre los súper ricos y los acomodados. Nuestro objetivo es ser el oráculo para aquellos que "lo tienen" y necesitan saber cuál es la mejor manera de utilizarlo. Por otra parte, nos esforzamos para que los “nuevos ricos” puedan adquirir el gusto exigente y los hábitos que envuelven la bendición de la riqueza.

Así que esta soy yo, vuestra nueva vecina, que os invita a venir y a disfrutar de su ciudad, la cual posee placeres fantásticos más allá de sus sueños salvajes. Vamos a disfrutar de la elegancia y la sorpresa, después de todo esto es Le CITY deluxe...

CLAUDIA TRIMDE

Founder Le CITY deluxe & Editor in Chief claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com

JAN · FEB 2013

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elcome to our very first edition of Le CITY deluxe USA/Florida, your magazine with PANACHE, and a colorful depiction of Florida´s flamboyant lifestyle. The literal translation of our motto, “an ornamental plume with reference to the extravagant kings of France,” points directly towards our contemporary love of luxury: the DASH of SWAGGER as portrayed by our COVER hero LEBRON JAMES or the refined palate of Michelin Star chef Michael Mina. I invite you to share in Florida´s “Best of the Best” mixed with an international SAVOIR FAIRE that impacts today’s stylistic choices. Welcome to “Le CITY deluxe” and become part of our refined circle of “panache lifestyle” friends.

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ienvenidos a nuestra primera edición de Le CITY deluxe EE.UU. / Florida, su revista con estilo, una colorida representación de la forma de vida extravagante de Florida.

La traducción literal de nuestro lema,”un estilo ornamental “ en referencia a los extravagantes reyes de Francia “, apunta directamente a nuestro amor por el lujo contemporáneo: Una pizca de contoneo retratado por nuestro héroe de portada LeBron James o el paladar refinado del chef estrella Michelin, Michael Mina. Los invito a participar de “Best of the Best” de Florida mezclado con un internacional “Savoir Faire” que muestra opciones de los estilos de vida de hoy.

S P ECI A L C H O PA R D

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JAN · FEB 2013

CHOPARD Creators of fantasy

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Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele Creative director and vice-president of Chopard INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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partan in words and with a spirit that distinguishes such a prestigious company, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, creative director and vice-president of Chopard, invites us on a tour through 150 years of history, tradition and constant innovation in which beauty, audacity and quality have helped forge exceptionally charming pieces.

Chopard is a company with a world class format. Everyone knows that and associates the prestigious company with high quality, design, international stars and high-class events… 150 years of history imply hefty responsibilities…

To run a brand with this history implies a great deal of responsibility, of course. But working in accordance with our 5 essential qualities, know-how, tradition, creativity backed by innovation and our commitment to philanthropic and responsible patronage activities, guarantees our success in the present as well as in the future.

Karl-Friedrich, your brother, a goldsmith and clockmaker, is in charge of distributing Men’s Chopard Manufacturing in Fleurier with related developments and is responsible for the technological and commercial side of the company…You, passionate about gemstones and a gemologist by trade, manage the creativity, high jewellery, organisation and management, along with the boutiques, perfume and accessories department... Were the activities divided among the family by nature or was it voluntary?

It was natural for both my brother and I to join the company. It’s true we started working in different fields to pursue our interests and strengths, but as we share an office we both know everything that goes on in the company.

To transmit your savoir-faire and spur innovation, you opened an internal training centre in 1944. Here, 25 apprentices take a 4-year training programme supervised by a teacher who encourages their continuous learning. The Best Training Company Award 2009, given by the State of Geneva in the Applied Arts Field, recognised Chopard’s commitment to education. This is invaluable in the company’s history...

Yes, it is very important to us to invest in educating apprentices, as they are the future of the watch-making industry and guarantee the preservation of its know-how and traditions.

As head of the organisation and management of Chopard boutiques, can you tell us how the company was affected by the so-called “economic crisis” (if it was affected)?

Like any other company, we were hit by the economic crisis. In the harder times, we concentrated on our aforementioned core values and continued to develop the brand by focusing on emerging markets like Asia and India.

In 2007, Chopard launched a new boutique concept created by architect Thierry Despont, opening a flagship boutique at 709 Madison Avenue in New York, followed by the opening of a boutique in Singapore with this same new decorative concept. Explain the main differences between the previous design and the one which started in 2007...

All Chopard boutiques worldwide present the same corporate identity: a very warm, traditional and cosy feeling with wood fittings and an inviting fireplace. The new concept is true to the brand’s DNA and history but

remains innovative and up-to-date with the times. It represents an evolution in the brand image, combining tradition with innovation.

Wall panels and store fixtures were made from White Oak, fine leather was used for wall panels and furniture fronts and velvet was used for the curtains and chair upholstery. The Madrid boutique will reopen in November with more space and this new concept.

The Chopard look feeds on the roots of the house, i.e. Art Nouveau and Art Deco ... Today, what defines the Chopard Look?

A Chopard creation stands for beauty, audacity and quality. We create unexpected pieces that express creative freedom as well as attention to the choice of gemstones and the talent of our finest craftsmen.

In 2010, Chopard consolidated its presence in 124 countries, with 1,700 employees, 120 boutiques and 1,600 stores, and had an annual production of 75,000 watches and 75,000 pieces of jewellery... Impressive figures...

What expectations do you have for the next few years?

We want to continue consolidating what we’ve built with the same passion for our work.

We now have over 130 boutiques worldwide.

Passionate about diamonds, like your father, you use these precious stones to decorate Chopard’s most delicate models. Albeit renovating Happy Diamonds designs, launching new collections or developing others, such as Red Carpet High Jewellery... In your opinion, what is the most important collection?

Maybe the high jewellery collection we created to celebrate the brand’s 150th Anniversary, the Animal World Collection. This collection was the perfect example of Chopard’s craftsmanship: beauty, quality and audacity consistent with the high jewellery tradition.

150 pieces which are also a tribute to my love for animals. The largest and most diverse high jewellery collection devoted to a single theme until now JAN · FEB 2013

In Meyrin, Chopard even makes its own gold ingots. Pforzheim essentially focuses on jewellery, while the Haute Horlogerie L.U. Chopard watches are produced in Fleurier. What’s more, Chopard has an internal decoration department that creates booths for trade shows and displays for boutiques.

After-sales service is also integrated, as well as communication and marketing... This is

an unusual structure in a global business landscape where the tendency is to outsource services...

Being independent is one of our strengths and we have been, and still are, working hard to vertically integrate our production. For example, in 2009 we opened Fleurier Ebauches, a company that forms part of the Chopard Group and supplies us with movement ébauche. For us, managing a piece from production to sale is a guarantee of its quality.

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Chopard, creadores de fantasía

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hopard es toda una institución a nivel mundial, todo el mundo conoce la firma y asociamos de inmediato la imagen de la casa con el prestigio, con estrellas de fama mundial y con acontecimientos especiales… más de 150 años de historia son toda una responsabilidad…

Llevar una marca con esta historia implica una gran responsabilidad, por supuesto. Pero trabajar de acuerdo con nuestras 5 cualidades esenciales: saber hacer, tradición, creatividad respaldada por la innovación y nuestro compromiso con las actividades filantrópicas y de patrocinio responsable, garantiza nuestro éxito en el presente, así como en el futuro.

JAN · FEB 2013

Karl-Friedrich su hermano, orfebre y relojero diplomado, dirige la división de relojes para hombres en la Manufactura Chopard de Fleurier junto a los desarrollos afines, siendo también responsable de los aspectos tecnológicos y comerciales de la empresa. Usted, Caroline, apasionada de las piedras preciosas y gemóloga de profesión, dirige la creatividad, la Alta Joyería, la organización y la gestión de las boutiques así como los perfumes y los accesorios... ¿Este reparto familiar de las actividades de la empresa ha sido natural o voluntario?

Era natural que tanto mi hermano como yo nos uniésemos a la compañía. Es verdad que empezamos a trabajar en campos diferentes para perseguir nuestros intereses y puntos fuertes, pero al compartir una oficina, ambos sabemos todo lo que pasa en la empresa.

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En Meyrin, Chopard realiza incluso sus propias aleaciones de oro;Pforzheim trabaja esencialmente las joyas; mientras que en Fleurier se producen los relojes de Alta Relojería L.U.C. Además, Chopard dispone de un departamento interno de decoración, destinado a la creación de stands para los salones profesionales y exhibidores para las boutiques. El servicio postventa también está integrado, así como los equipos de comunicación y marketing... Esta es una organización inusual en el panorama empresarial mundial en el cual la tendencia es externalizar los servicios…¡ustedes funcionan como una gran familia! ... ¿es parte del legado de su padre?

Ser independientes es uno de nuestros puntos fuertes y hemos trabajado duro, y aún lo hacemos,

para integrar verticalmente nuestra producción. Por ejemplo, en 2009 abrimos Fleurier Ebauches, una empresa que forma parte de Chopard Group y nos suministra la maquinaria ébauche. Para nosotros, gestionar una pieza desde la producción hasta la venta es una garantía de su calidad.

Para transmitir su savoir-faire y desarrollar la innovación, Chopard dispone desde 1944 de un centro de formación interno. Cada año, 25 aprendices de relojeros y joyeros reciben formación durante 4 años supervisados por un maestro de aprendizaje que los asiste continuamente en las tres plantas de producción. El “Premio a la Mejor Empresa Formadora de 2008”, otorgado por el Estado de Ginebra en la categoría “Artes Aplicadas”, reconoció el compromiso de Chopard con la educación.

Este hecho es de un valor incalculable en la historia de una firma...

Sí, es muy importante para nosotros invertir en la formación de aprendices, ya que son el futuro de la industria relojera y garantizan la preservación de sus conocimientos técnicos y tradiciones.

En su función como responsables de la organización y gestión de las boutiques, ¿en qué medida considera que la nombrada “crisis económica” a nivel mundial ha podido afectar a la firma, (si es que ha afectado)?

Al igual que cualquier otra empresa, la crisis económica nos ha afectado. En los momentos más duros, nos concentramos en nuestros valores principales antes mencionados y seguimos desarrollando la marca, centrándonos en mercados emergentes como Asia y la India.

En 2007, Chopard lanzó un nuevo concepto de boutiques creado por el arquitecto Thierry Despont, inaugurando una Boutique insignia en el número 709 de Madison Avenue en Nueva York, seguido por la apertura de una boutique en Singapur con el mismo nuevo concepto decorativo.

Explíquenos las principales diferencias entre el diseño anterior y el que comenzó en 2007...

Todas las boutiques Chopard en el mundo presentan la misma identidad corporativa: una sensación muy cálida, tradicional y confortable, con muebles de madera y una chimenea acogedora. El nuevo

concepto es fiel al ADN e historia de la marca, pero también es innovador y acorde con los tiempos. Esto representa una evolución en la imagen de marca, combinando tradición con innovación. Los paneles de pared e instalaciones fijas de la tienda se hicieron en roble blanco, se utilizó cuero fino para los paneles de pared y frontales de los muebles y terciopelo para las cortinas y la tapicería de las sillas.

El look Chopard se alimenta de las raíces de la casa, es decir, del Art Nouveau y del Art Déco... ¿Qué define hoy el Look Chopard?

Una creación Chopard es sinónimo de belleza, audacia y calidad. Creamos piezas inesperadas que expresan libertad creativa, así como atención en la elección de las piedras preciosas y el talento de nuestros mejores artesanos.

En 2010, Chopard consolidó su presencia en 124 países con 1.700 empleados, llegó a las 120 boutiques y 1.600 puntos de venta, tuvo una producción anual de 75.000 relojes y 75.000 joyas…impresionantes cifras…¿Qué previsiones dispone para los próximos años?

Queremos continuar con la consolidación de lo que hemos construido con la misma pasión por nuestro trabajo. Ahora tenemos más de 130 boutiques en todo el mundo.

Apasionada por los diamantes, como su padre, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele ornamenta sus más delicados modelos con estas piedras preciosas. Ya sea renovando los diseños Happy Diamonds, desarrollando otros nuevos o lanzando colecciones como Red Carpet de Alta Joyería... Si tuviera que decidirse por una colección, ¿cuál sería la más importante para usted?

Tal vez la colección de alta joyería que creamos para celebrar el 150 aniversario de la marca, la Animal World Collection. Esta colección fue el ejemplo perfecto de la artesanía de Chopard: belleza, calidad y audacia en consonancia con la tradición de alta joyería. 150 piezas que son también un homenaje a mi amor por los animales. La colección más grande y diversa de alta joyería dedicada a un solo tema hasta ahora

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Andy Sogoyan

CEO of IceLink

A passion for diamond watches and continuous innovation

JAN · FEB 2013

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ndy Sogoyan began his incursion into the jewellery world at a tender age, working in his uncle’s jewellery shop, until years later, in the 1980s, he founded his first company, CA Links, Inc. Drenched in Hollywood swagger, sophistication and lustre, as well as a fervent longing to share his passion for diamonds, he managed to find a market comfortable with his creations and an enthusiastic clientele for his exclusive products.

Necklaces, crucifixes, chains... jewels inspired in the A Team, Mr. T and ‘80s hip-hop. His business success helped CA Links, Inc become one of the world’s primary wholesalers of urban jewellery.

Andy’s untiring passion for perfection and quality, as well as his pursuit of innovation and trends, coincided with a spiking public interest in high-end watches, giving birth to his next company: IceLink, which opened up to the world of Swiss watchmaking in 2007. That same year he attended Baselworld for the first time. Confronted with a traditionally elitist watch market, Andy Sogoyan showed why his models are the watch of choice for a large number of celebrities.

Since then, he has worked unabashedly. As he once remarked, “Somewhere, somehow, there

will always be someone looking for extraordinary things only my company can provide”.

Could you explain a bit about the new models you have recently released?

It is a very unique watch. Actually it is the first watch with a mechanical moment for 5 time zones, which work together simultaneously.

It took me two and a half years to develop this movement, which is an IceLink Swiss-made movement.

You mainly create watches for men, but do you do so for women as well?

Of course we also have watches for women.

Last year we produced 50 percent for men and 50 percent for women. As you can see, we now have a lot of diamond watches, so our watches are now 70% for women and 30% for men.

What is your main market? Is Los Angeles or the US the market where you sell the most?

No, as a brand, we are also in the Middle East, Russia, Ukraine and now Asia is quickly becoming a strong market for us

From a family of jewellers, Andy Sogoyan represents this exclusive brand, a passion for diamond watches and the continuous innovation that makes it a favourite among successful artists, singers, djs and athletes the world over.

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Pasión por los relojes de diamantes y continua innovación

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¿Podría hablarnos brevemente acerca de los nuevos modelos lanzados recientemente?

Se trata de un reloj único. En realidad, es el primer reloj con maquinaria mecánica para 5 zonas horarias, que funcionan juntas de forma simultánea. Me llevó dos años y medio desarrollar esta maquinaria, una maquinaria IceLink de fabricación suiza.

Usted principalmente crea relojes para hombres, ¿los hace también para mujeres?

Por supuesto, también tenemos relojes para mujeres. El año pasado producimos un 50 por ciento para hombres y un 50 por ciento para mujeres.

Como puede ver, ahora tenemos muchos relojes de diamantes, por lo que nuestros relojes son ahora un 70% para mujeres y un 30% para hombres. ¿Cuál es su mercado principal? Es Los Ángeles o los EE.UU. el mercado donde venden más?

No, como marca estamos también en Oriente Medio, Rusia, Ucrania, y Asia ahora se está convirtiendo en un mercado fuerte para nosotros

Procedente de una familia de joyeros, Andy Sogoyan no sólo es el representante de esta marca exclusiva sino también es un fiel representante de lo que significa la pasión por los relojes de diamantes y la innovación continua, características hacen destacar a esta empresa como la favorita entre artistas de éxito, cantantes, djs y atletas de todo el mundo.

www.icelinkwatch.com JAN · FEB 2013

mpapado de arrogancia, sofisticación y brillo en Hollywood, así como un deseo ferviente de compartir su pasión por los diamantes, Andy Sogoyan se las arregló para encontrar un mercado a gusto con sus creaciones y una clientela entusiasta para sus productos exclusivos. Collares, crucifijos, cadenas... joyas inspiradas en el Equipo A, Mr. T y el hip-hop de los 80. Su éxito comercial ayudó a CA Links, Inc. a convertirse en uno de los principales mayoristas del mundo en joyería urbana.

La pasión incansable de Andy por la perfección y la calidad, así como su búsqueda de la innovación y las tendencias, coincidió con un creciente interés del público en los relojes de alta gama, dando lugar a su siguiente empresa, IceLink, que se abrió al mundo de la relojería suiza en 2007. Ese mismo año asistió a Baselworld por primera vez. Frente a un mercado de relojería tradicionalmente elitista, Andy Sogoyan demostró por qué sus modelos de relojes son los elegidos por un gran número de celebridades. Desde entonces, ha trabajado incansablemente. Como comentó una vez, “En algún lugar, de alguna manera, siempre habrá alguien buscando cosas extraordinarias que sólo mi compañía puede ofrecer”.

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Vertu

Simple Luxury In a Shape of a Phone

"This new evolution of the luxury brand is like nothing you have ever seen before"

DEC- JAN 2013/14

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othing will ever feel the same,” is the new tagline for the Vertu Ti phone supported by Android.

Certainly this new evolution of the luxury brand is like nothing you have ever seen before. Each phone from the Swiss company is hand crafted in England with precision and the finest materials. The Vertu Ti phone is the most anticipated launch since the company’s establishment in the late 1990s.

Swiss owners purchased Vertu in 2012, which previously belonged to Nokia, and have propelled the brand into using the most progressive technologies. Vertu will not be introducing any new products this year, however the anticipation is high for the Vertu Ti set to be release in 2015. The Vertu Ti smart phone is the pinnacle of all collections and all the phones that Vertu has produced throughout the years. This is the first smart phone that will be launched on Android Ice Cream Sandwich operational system from Vertu. The phone is equipped with the most up-to-date technology including a dual core with a 1.7GHz processor, 1 GB RAM and 64 GB of internal memory.

Each limited collection that is released by Vertu has limited numbers of phones released with it making this brand not only luxury, but also very exclusive. Vertu prides itself in their collaborations with other luxury brands including world-renowned luxury car company Ferrari. Every year in the Ferrari collection there are many elements in the phone incorporated from the beautiful sports cars. Vertu produces a phone modeled after the Ferrari Cavallino, and is furnished with genuine Ferrari leather and the same color scheme as the car.

In addition to the amazing appearance of each phone the Vertu experience is what truly has made this brand gain its elite luxury status.

Concierge services accompany each product with 24 hour, seven days a week personal assistance. The concierge service always strives to grant the requests of each Vertu phone holder in order to let the customers live their lifestyles to the fullest. Vertu not only goes to great lengths for customer service, but also strives to bring luxury technology and beauty together in each of its hand constructed phones

Text Claudia Trimde / Mady Gerard

GOURMET

The Ultimate Reflection of Winemaking

DEC- JAN 2013/14

Interview Claudia Trimde // Text Yazeed Bakri

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Biography

Peter Gago is a BritishAustralian winemaker and author, and the current custodian of Penfolds Grange, possibly the best known Australian wine.

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Chief Winemaker of Penfolds

Do you know your clients and release their names?

We are very discreet when it comes to our clients.

“Wine and food sometimes could be a perfect marriage but there’s always risk”

Have you tried the Ampoule yourself ?

Yes. It’s is a very incredible wine.

What do you think is so unique about it?

We have created a time capsule. This wine is a continuum in a glass.

Is this wine aged or still aging?

It will age in a bottle. All wine ages slowly.

The 1953 Grange wine aged is still aging in the bottle. It is now 60 years old and it drinks beautifully. Imagine that it’s drinking so beautifully now what a wine released in 2012 and 2013 will taste like futuristically, done perfectly with 2012 bottling technology.

Now that you’ve tried the wine, how would you describe the taste of it?

This wine has no rough edges. It just flows

across the palette. There’s persistence of flavor in your mouth that you could still taste five minutes later. There wine is only 13.5% alcohol yet it has such an intensity of flavor.

Did you blend the grapes?

No. The wine is purely off that single little branch of grapes which comes from Penfold’s vineyard. Every vine in that vineyard was planted there in the 1880s. Same vines producing grapes that make this unbelievable wine.

What would compliment this particular wine really well?

Nothing. It is great on its own. Wine and food sometimes could be a perfect marriage but there’s always risk. If I was drinking my own Ampoule, I would drink it on its own.

Untouched and pure.

What is the perfect glass for this wine?

The perfect glass would be a Sommelier or Bordeaux wine glass. Open, breathable glasses.

Where does luxury come in when it comes to wine?

Luxury is not a light switch that you can flip on and off. Live it, breath it and it’s gonna be real and that is the true aspiration of luxury.

But I think with wine, it’s not purely dependent on money. Fine wine is something a lot of people can appreciate. Using Penfolds as an example, we produce both luxury wines and commercial

DEC- JAN 2013/14

enfolds has been producing an impressive array of wines since 1844 and indisputably led the development of Australian fine wine into the modern era. The introduction of Penfolds Grange in 1951 forever changed the landscape of Australian fine wine. Since then a series of standout wines, both white and red, have been released under the Penfolds masthead. To celebrate the provenance of a truly extraordinary wine, the 2004 Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon and in the spirit of Penfolds reputation of innovation and experimentation, the winemakers are breaking new ground by releasing a limited edition glass ampoule, containing a rare wine in a truly distinctive format. Essentially a hand-blown glass ampoule that provides an ideal wine environment and a bespoke glass plumb-bob that suspends the ampoule within a wooden Jarrah cabinet. Le City Deluxe sat down for an interview with the chief winemaker Peter Gago to learn more about Penfold’s exquisite Ampoule collection.

How many Penfold Ampoules are available?

There are only twelve released, and only one is left for sale.

Will you make more?

No. There were only twelve in existence.

It’s a rarity and we’d like to keep it that way.

In the future we may evolve it into something else. Penfold wines is the oldest continuously producing cabernet vineyard on the planet.

Peter Gago

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Biography

DEC- JAN 2013/14

Jay Philip Parker is the founding partner at Beloff Parker Jacobs and a real estate entrepreneur. He earned a Juris Doctorate from University of Miami School of Law.Â

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Jay Philip Parker

The Power of Boutique Real Estate Interview Claudia Trimde PHOTO Stephane Chiche

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is bringing sophistication, talent, technology, and full-service to the real estate market in South Florida.

Very interesting. You are in charge of so many different operations: law firm, the title company, now real estate. What’s next? A Bank?

It’s funny you say that. We just finalized a partnership with a bank and will be opening a DE Capital in Florida January 1st. The benefit of having your own bank is that it gives you accountability, so the agents have instant access unlike in other banks where when the office closes at 5pm, you can’t get anybody on the phone.

“I don’t believe in get rich quick schemes, I believe in making commitment to the project and overseeing that the long-term goals are met.”

What are some other plans you have for Douglas Elliman?Is it going to go public like Remax?

Right now our focus is to really grow and follow our clients. We intend to move to Beverly Hills next year, then Aspen Colorado, and specifically our objective is to provide our expertise and capitalize on our trusting relationship with our clients in every market that they want to be in. Obviously, the best market for our clients right now is the luxury market throughout the country: Manhattan, Connecticut, Brooklyn, Miami, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Aspen and Beverly Hills. We believe in capitalizing our brand and staying focused

on our market, which isn’t always luxury. If you look at our transactions in New York, we’re closing deals that are about $1-2 million which in Florida equates to about $400-500 thousand.

We’re agents to everybody.

Who are your biggest clients?

There’s no such a thing as the biggest client.

We’re dealing with 40,50,60 million dollar transactions on daily basis. And currently in South Florida we’re selling Alan Faena, an Argentinean developer and hotelier who’s got a massive project developed in Miami Beach right now. We’re also selling Ian Schrager who is one of the most reputable developers in the country right now and he’ll be launching new projects. The Residences at Miami Beach Edition is a new condo project by Ian Schrager and Marriot currently under construction at 2901 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach. The project is scheduled for completion in 2014. Sales for available condos/apartments range in price from $3,950,000 to $34,000,000. The project has a total of 26 units.

I hear your kids in the background, I assume your family is huge aspect of your life. How do you juggle it all?

You’re lucky you’re asking me this question while my wife isn’t around, because she’d say I don’t juggle it well at all. I believe in family being a priority. I usually reserve my weekends to spend the time with my kids and wife. I have twin boys Kaden and Shilo who are three years old. Children give you this great sense of legacy. You start to think about what you want for them, teach them value and understanding that nothing comes easy and that you have got to work harder.

What are your future plans?

My goal is to continue to grow with Douglas Elliman and help launch our offices and I anticipate to have a more involved role in our company

DEC- JAN 2013/14

outh Florida attorney and the founder of Clear Title, Jay Phillip Parker was named the CEO of Douglas Elliman’s Florida operations. Le City Deluxe had the pleasure of conducting an exclusive interview with the new head of the brokerage to find out what the new position entails.

Tell us how you became the CEO of Douglas Elliman?

Ever since I moved to Florida, I have been involved in real estate, working with numerous real estate developers. When I graduated from law school, I was fortunate enough to get a job in one of the most prestigious law firms in South Florida Gunster Yoakley where I got to work on high level real estate transactions involving publicly traded companies. I was exposed to a wide variety of real estate initiatives which lead me to work in New York as a general council for a company called LandTel.They were primarily a technology company, so when the tech bubble burst, I moved back to South Florida to open up my own law firm and my title company.

That was in 2001. I built my law firm and my title company on the premise that the realtors and their clients ultimately aligned in terms of what they want. The realtors wants to find his client a property or sell their property and as a real estate lawyer representing the client or the seller, I make sure their interests align, working as a liaison between the two. I don’t believe in get rich quick schemes, I believe in making commitment to the project and overseeing that the long-term goals are met. Doing that for over 10 years I became known as the big real estate advocate, so in the last couple of years Douglas Elliman were trying to get me to head their South Florida operations and I decided to do that primarily because New Yorkers are moving into South Florida real estate business.

I am looking forward to doing something that was directly aligned with what I’ve always been doing. It’s been the most exciting 4 months of my career. We’ve already had extraordinary traction with the company. Douglas Elliman

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Perfection Though History

DEC- JAN 2013/14

Interview Claudia Trimde // Photo David Matthiessen

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Biography

Pierre Jacques

Jacques holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations and in 2000 he co-founded GMT magazine. Since January 2010, he had been serving as Branch Manager of Les Ambassadeurs Genève, and he also headed the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix as director of the organizing company.

CEO of De Bethune

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No. I became the CEO of De Bethune in March 2011. David Zanetta, President of the Board of Directors and the co-founder, Denis Flageollet, Director of Productions, appointed me as the Chief Executive officer.

"The essence and value of the brand is to create the best watches possible with quality finishing."

What is the typical De Bethune clientele?

The typical client of De Bethune is someone who knows his or her watches. Someone who knows what the craft of watchmaking is about.

A collector, or someone who appreciates good quality timepieces.

Where in South Florida can De Bethune timepieces be purchased?

In South Florida, De Bethune watches could be purchased in Boca Raton, in a retail boutique called Les Bijoux

DEC- JAN 2013/14

t is through drawing inspiration from centuries of history as well as artistic and horological culture that De Bethune uses state-of-the-art technologies to create timepieces in which aesthetic and technical aspects merge into a unique whole, and form meets function. All in pursuit of a subtle balance between simplicity, readability and chronometer-worthy precision. Le City Deluxe had the pleasure of interviewing the Chief Executive Officer of De Bethune, Pierre Jacques:

What is the essence of you company?

The essence and value of the brand is to create the best watches possible with quality finishing.

What does De Bethune mean?

The reason that the company is named as such is because De Bethune was a famous watchmaker of the 18th century. Chevalier de Bethune was a nobleman who is credited with inventing several mechanisms in watchmaking.

He was rich enough not to work for a living and lived solely to create watches. This is how we want to run our company. We want to make watches not for the sake of earning money.That is why we do not mass produce.

Have you been with the brand since the beginning?

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LETTER

CLAUDIA TRIMDE

Ceo & Founder Le CITY deluxe claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com

PHOTO EDIN CHAVEZ // Hair & Make up Merixy SALON / operA tower

Follow me on Twitter @claudiatrimde

D g o ' y c y o

DEC- JAN 2013/14

The Season of Abundance

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y dear friends, many of us never really use this word in our day to day vocabulary- though are we surrounded by so much “overflow” in our daily lives-and especially now- the Exuberance of the holiday season – seems so overwhelming that we don’t really know where to focus and draw our attention to.

Our mind is constantly “directing the spotlight” with the urge to highlight the best of the best for our soul to experience. My dear readers this is why we have balanced this holiday edition with a different kind of abundance- away from the pure

consumption to the divine spiritual meaning for this special time of the year.

Meet the people who make a difference, dedicating their time and efforts to a better cause.

Dear Readers, I invite you this season to enjoy all the worldly pleasures, but share and give back to those who need it the most.

For more information visit www.le-citydeluxe.com/charities Yours truly, Claudia Trimde

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DEC- JAN 2013/14

J EWELRY

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Interview Claudia Trimde

Fawaz Gruosi

Interview with the CEO of de Grisogono

Daring, Dynamic, Dramatic

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Are all of your jewelry pieces handcrafted?

Yes. In atelier in Paris and Geneva. 19 years ago I started with a small atelier in Paris. Four to five people maximum to work with us exclusively. Our staff in Geneva often frequents those shops to do quality control. The atelier in Geneva is responsible for the most complicated pieces in the collection.

“If you impose rules and constrictions on me I won’t be able to create.”

Do you consider yourself an artist?

People say that but I don’t consider myself an artist at all.That’s what apparently I am. I never felt like an artist, but if you impose rules and constrictions on me I won’t be able to create.

People in the industry call you aggressive.

Aggressive in your strategies and the way you’ve turned this brand into something phenomenal, leaving a big mark in the jewelry industry.

You have to be. I’ve started with no money and now 20 years later I have 20 shops around

the world. de Grisogono wasn’t like any other company. We had no means and investments.

We just had to keep on going and going.

Breaking the norms. Sometimes people ask me how I did it. Frankly, I don’t know. I followed my instincts and did what was right for the company. I had to go in the opposite direction of the industry, with the glamour and design.

Otherwise de Grisogono wouldn’t be here.

Market-wise, where lies your focus? You just opened here in Miami but where else?

The focus lies in in China, India, and South America. Mainly Brazil. India is a very strange market. They sell gold by weight there not by an individual piece. Watches are much easier to sell in India.

Which is the most successful boutique you have?

The strongest market we have is in Europe.

We started in Europe and it has remained strong ever since.

What do you think of e-commerce for jewelry? Opposed to set-up boutiques?

For our company, I don’t think it’s the right way to go. With jewelry, you have got to be able to see it, touch it, wear it. Moreover, we don’t produce enough pieces. Internet commerce would work best for brands that mass produce

DEC- JAN 2013/14

ver since Fawaz Gruosi founded his small, exclusive jewelry house in 1993, he has pushed boundaries, broken rules, taken risks, driving design and making scintillating waves in the rarefied world of precious jewelry. Today, his Geneva based jewelry house de Grisogono, has a devoted international clientele that embraces nobility and celebrity. 17 boutiques around the globe, and a reputation as one of the most dynamic, trailblazing creative forces in contemporary jewelry.

It takes courage and determination to fulfill your dream. Do you think that at this point in your life you are where you want to be?

Most people would be content with where they are now. But you cannot stop there. You have got to really think about progress and where you want to be, what else you could do. After black diamonds, I came up with icy diamonds. The term “icy diamond” never existed before me. It’s a white diamond, not transparent.

How do you make gold look black?

There are several procedures to achieve that.

You can see it especially with watches. In 2000 I started to do watches. I wanted to do black watches and at the time, there was no such thing. There was no black jewelry at all. And now you see all the major brands have black jewelry pieces. It’s an innovation in material design. We never do quantity; we do quality.

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WATC H ES Interview Claudia Trimde // Photo David Matthiessen

Guillaume Tetu 21st Century Creative Watchmaking

DEC- JAN 2013/14

// CEO Hautlence

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"We are with people who have the knowledge and the respect from this industry"

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Which is the most precious piece that you have in your collection right now?

The HL2. The HL2 is the piece that we have here, and it is a concept watch that we launched in 2011. It is a masterpiece. We have three patents on this and we have 550 pieces at the moment. We have been working on the development of this watch for more than four years. It’s really exciting to work on the HL2.

We are planning to do more editions of this watch with diamonds and will continue to make it really unique. It is quite exciting.

The former CEO of Audemars Piguet recently joined Hautlence. How important is his involvement in the company?

When you have a partner like Georges-Henri Meylan who’s the former CEO of Audemars Piguet, a family owned company, it's pretty important. Now we are with people who have the knowledge and the respect from this industry.

We are all committed to the vision and we thank him for the doors he has opened up all over the

world. Now there is trust in the brand, people were excited about Hautlence before, but that excitement had limits. Now we have made a real connection with these people.

Is your brand currently present in the US? Currently we have one point of sale in Florida, and only have two points of sale in the USA. One is the on the West Coast and the other is in Naples, Florida. People in the US and Florida like the brand. We know that we have a lot of interest on the coast of Florida, so we are in the position now to open one or two more points of sale.

What do you have in store for the future?

The years 2012-2013 were monumental for the brand. We have been clarifying the strategy; we have been creating new architecture, creating a new picture and a new universe. Now everything is clear in my mind and everything is clear with my partners so we can go ahead to continue to develop the brand. As of now we are a brand that serves 250 people a year. Our goal is to reach 800 to 1000 people a year. I think this is very attainable with the new collection, the new partnership movements and the continuation to develop amazing masterpieces. In parallel we also need to be consistently working on the design and development of the network to expand our institution

DEC- JAN 2013/14

autlence watches are some of the most beautiful and intricate watches in the world. The company which is based in Neufchatel, Switzerland, was formed by Guillaume Tetu and has recently been acquired by MELB Holding SA, which is propelling the brand to further success. With limited numbers and limited collections the brand is not only luxury, but also exclusive. The breathtaking designs speak for themselves and are climbing to similar status of luxury watch brands that have been around for hundreds of years.

Guillaume Tetu, it’s a great pleasure to meet you. Could you tell our readers what is the essence of your brand?

HAUTLENCE is a brand made of architecture and design. We created the brand in 2005 around this frame of mind, and we wanted to create something of inspiration that was new on the watchmaking market.

Are Hautlence timepieces mainly marketed to men?

Historically Hautlence watches are very mechanical and the design is strong. We have developed a lot of our products for men, but on the other hand we have many women who are now looking to purchase from our brand.

I would say about five percent of our customers are women, it seems small but that is still good percentage of women. We have done designs that are dedicated to women, they are beautiful designs with diamonds and they are really elegant.

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Iran Issa Khan Art Basel in Miami

DEC- JAN 2013/14

“Galleries from all over the world came to showcase in Miami. That’s when Miami really got on the map.”

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Interview Claudia Trimde // Photography World Red Eye

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Biography Born in Tehran and raised in Europe and the United States, Iran, Issa-Khan began her photography career in the late 1970s.

Issa-Khan photographed Paulina Porizkova, Christy Turlington, Iman, Andie Mac Dowell, Debbie Dickinson Talisa Soto, and other supermodels.

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for something like that. New York was already known for its art scene. Miami has become such an art place since Art Basel. First few years of it were unbelievable .The art was unreal. Galleries from all over the world came to showcase in Miami. That’s when Miami really got on the map. Now, art collectors buy art here and they fall in love with this place. Not only do they buy the art, they bought the whole city. Art Basel is like a dream that lasts 4 days. Now we have all these galleries opening up all over the Beach, Wynwood, Design District. Everywhere. And now we have people coming to Miami that would’ve never lived here otherwise.

Did Art Basel change since its beginning here in Miami?

Yes. Because now you have more gallery showings, more young artists being shown, you have more international people coming from all over the world and it’s much more commercial. Although commercial, it’s still magical. A beautiful city as it is, becomes more beautiful.

Each gallery, each event, takes you into different parts of the world. So for four to five days, we become one with the world.

Where would you like to see Art Basel go from here?

I wouldn’t change anything except for one thing: I want Art Basel to be longer. I want it to be a full week instead of four days, so you have time to see everything.That’s what I would love to see.

Do you think we owe a lot to Art Basel for what Miami has become today?

Absolutely. We have to give credit to Art Basel because it turned this city into an art place. Prior to this, it was more personal. Small galleries. Now it’s world wide. Look what has happened to Wynwood, to Design District, and to Miami Beach. It’s amazing. It’s amazing how the whole city has been transformed in such short period of time. We have more architects moving here, more big companies setting up their businesses here. Miami has also become a great pace for young up-and-coming artists.

For them, it’s a great stepping stone with a touch of glamour.

Tell us about your most significant piece of work?

As an artist, you are never satisfied with your work. You think you can always do better and it is never enough. You need to push and push and push. As an artist, when you think that you are the best, it is time for you to stop. You should always think that tomorrow something new and better is going to happen. Right now I’m doing nature shots, but tomorrow, I don’t know what I’m gonna work on. That’s the most exciting thing about being an artist.

What would be one advice that you would give to a young artist?

Never believe the press. Believe in yourself and never be satisfied with what you have done.

Always strive to be better. Never take yourself seriously because that’s when you are finished

DEC- JAN 2013/14

ran Issa Khan has an eye for everything beautiful. Though the lens of her camera, she caught a glimpse of true splendor –Miami. Falling head over heels for the tropical paradise, Iran Issa Khan aspired to share it with the rest of the world. The opportunity struck 11 years ago when Art Basel was scouting for the notable locale to host the world’s most legendary art fair. Iran, along with some of Miami’s most influential power players of South Florida, joined forces to bring Art Basel to Miami.

Tell us about the history of Art Basel in Miami? Were you involved in it since the beginning?

Yes. A friend of mine Sam Keller was the one who started Art Basel in Miami. All of the people who are involved in Miami’s art scene played a role. Sam Keller felt that Miami was so close to South America and that’s the market that Art Basel was looking for. Another key figure who helped bring Art Basel to Miami, was Craig Robins. Robins was instrumental. I was involved in the Art Basel because I am an artist and I am very involved socially in here. I know everybody, so I became one of the people who was making it happen. We all worked together to bring Art Basel to Miami.

Is Art Basel just a concept similar to the Art Basel in Basel, Switzerland?

No. It is a franchise that goes in different parts of the world. Art Basel Miami is a part of it and was an instant success. Miami was hungry

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WELLN ESS

www.iloveskininc.es

Laura Girón

Pioneros en la belleza de la piel INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE PHOTO Mansoor Tanwer

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WINTER 2012

kin Inc es el primer Supplement Bar del mundo y ya dispone de un nuevo centro en Barcelona. El concepto revolucionario de esta firma es la de ofrecer serums totalmente personalizados para cada cliente bajo la supervisión de la más avanzada tecnología japonesa.

Los resultados son inmediatos y los productos 100% puros y activos.

Desde Le CITY deluxe nos sentamos con Laura Girón, Directora General de Skin Inc, para conocer más de cerca todo lo que necesitamos saber sobre sus productos y tratamientos.

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¿Cuál es la esencia de Skin Inc y qué os hace diferentes?

Somos una firma de cosmética japonesa y nos caracterizamos, sobre todo, porque no creemos que la piel de la gente se clasifique en grasa, mixta o seca. Apoyamos la idea de que cada piel es diferente, cada uno tenemos la nuestra. Por lo tanto, nuestra misión es preparar productos personalizados para cada cliente según su tipo de piel. Hacemos “cócteles” con los principios activos que cada persona necesita y los resultados se ven tan solo en unos días.

¿Por qué habéis decidido traer los productos desde Japón?

“La encapsulación que nosotros hemos traído no la tiene nadie en Europa” Japón es pionero en todo, lo que se está haciendo ahora allí llegará a España dentro de 5 años. La encapsulación que nosotros hemos traído no la tiene nadie en Europa y confiamos plenamente en sus técnicas ya que utilizan la nanotecnología, una práctica que se usa en medicina, pero que da buenísimos resultados en el mundo de la cosmética. Cuanto más pequeño sea el principio activo mejor llega a las capas de la piel. ¿Cuántos centros hay en España?

Tenemos 5 centros en diferentes partes de la

península: Madrid, Barcelona, Marbella, Pamplona y en Valencia. También estamos a punto de abrir 50 puntos de venta en China y otro en Stuttgart, Alemania. En 2013 tenemos un proyecto de apertura en Inglaterra. ¿Qué podemos encontrar en los centros de Skin Inc? No sólo puedes comprar nuestros productos y cócteles personalizados, sino que también puedes acceder a todo tipo de tratamientos faciales, corporales, manicura, pedicura, depilación y aparatología, todo ello de forma no invasiva. ¿Cuántos años nos podemos quitar de encima con vuestros productos?

Eso depende de cada persona y de cada piel.

No es que quitemos años de encima, sino que cambiamos la piel por completo. Es un concepto muy revolucionario. Nuestra misión es que la piel acabe por estar mucho mejor de lo que estaba, es decir, que luzca mucho más bonita

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Pioneers of skin beauty

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kin Inc., the first Supplement Bar in the world, is finally available in Barcelona.

The revolutionary aim of this brand is to offer completely exclusive serums for every customer, always being catered to using the most state-of-the-art technology from Japan.

Relying on 100% pure and active products, the results are immediate.

Le City Deluxe sat down with Laura Girón, General Manager of Skin Inc., who was happy to acquaint us with all we need to know about the brand, its products, and its treatments.

Laura, what is the essence of Skin Inc. and what makes this brand different from the rest?

First of all, we are talking about a Japanese cosmetic brand, and our hallmark is that we do not support the idea that the skin is classified in only oily or dry skin. We certainly believe that all skins are different. Therefore, our goal is to create a unique product for each customer according to their skin type. We prepare “cocktails” with the active ingredients that every person needs, which will show results in just a couple of days.

“The encapsulation that we have brought is not found anywhere else in Europe” What can we expect from Skin Inc. centers?

Not only can you buy our individualized products and “cocktails” but also access a wide range of facial and body treatments, manicure, pedicure, waxing and aparatology; always in a non-invasive way.

Will Skin Inc. products bring our youth back?

It depends on the person and their skin. Simply put, what we do is change the skin completely. It is a truly innovative concept. Our aim is to improve both the external appearance of the skin as well as its internal structure. All in all, our holy grail is to make your skin look stunning

WINTER 2012

Why have you decided to bring this, a Japanese brand, to our country?

Japan is, more than anything, a pioneering country. Japanese tech often takes five years to arrive in Spain. The encapsulation that we have brought is not found anywhere else in Europe and we believe in its techniques because they make use of nanotechnology; a practice used in medical research, which is unique within the cosmetic industry. The smaller the active ingredient is, the better absorbed it is into the skin.

How many Skin Inc. centers are there in Spain?

There are five centers at your disposal located in different cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Marbella, Pamplona and Valencia. In the near future, there will be 50 new outlets in China and another one in Stuttgart, Germany. Moreover, in 2013 Skin Inc. will open its doors in England.

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LETTER

DIRECTORA · CEO

Estimados lectores,

Dear readers,

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a imaginación es el arte de “Ver lo que no hay”. El lujo no es siempre el producto o servicio que luce la etiqueta con el precio más alto, pero lleva atributos de belleza y de artesanía. Disfrute de nuestra segunda edición de Le CITY deluxe SPAIN un viaje que no sólo te trae lo mejor de lo amejor de la vida de alto lujo en España y en todo el mundo, sino que alienta a usar su imaginación dandole vida a las páginas.

PHOTO JAVIER LORITE

Me gustaría invitarle a suscribirse a nuestra revista, disfrutando no sólo del exclusivo contenido editorial, sino también las ventajas que vienen con él, como entradas VIP para eventos distintos de todo el mundo. Forma parte de nuestra familia Le CITY deluxe que consta con las publicaciones en India, EE.UU., España, Turquía y más por venir ...

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magination is the art of “seeing whats not there”. Luxury is not always the item or service that sports the highest price tag, but carries attributes of undefined beauty and craftsmanship. Indulge in our second edition of Le CITY deluxe SPAIN a journey that not only brings you the best of the best of Ultra High Luxury Living in Spain and Worldwide- but encourages you to use your imagination bringing the pages alive.

I would like to invite you to subscribe to our magazine, enjoying not only great editorial content but also the perks that come with it like VIP tickets to distinct events around the GLOBE. Become part of our Le CITY deluxe family with now publications in India, USA, Spain, Turkey and more to come…

Wishing you a magical season, Claudia Trimde

Le deseamos una temporada mágica, Claudia Trimde

ClaUDia TrimDe

Ceo & Founder Le CITY deluxe claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com Follow me onTwitter @claudiatrimde

We are family!

WINTER 2012

L

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TONI DELGADO

Editor Jefe Le CITY deluxe toni.delgado@le-citydeluxe.com

a família “Le CITY deluxe” continúa creciendo a nivel internacional, y como marca habitual de la casa produciendo contenidos de alta calidad y visibilidad mundial. Las noticias se suceden dentro y fuera de nuestras fronteras y nuestras dintintas ediciones de Le CITY deluxe magazine se han convertido en la guia clave, posicionándose ya en primera linea de las publicaciones del sector.

Le CITY deluxe Spain vuelve como de costumbre, con una cuidada selección de contenidos y colaboradores “deluxe”, a todos ellos nuestro agradecimiento más sincero y bienvenidos a la familia!: Elena Benarroch, Juan Mari Arzak, Davidelfin, Octavi Pujades, Jean-Marc Pontroué, Fernando Suárez de Góngora, Palau Moxó, Fundació Mies Van Der Rohe, Museo Thyssen Bornemisza, Pablo Lecrosey, Jesús M Peman, Fernando Gómez, Antonio Cordero, Mansoor Tanweer, Javier Lorite, Victor Blanco, Chiqui Peña, Kattia Zanetta, Lisandro Alberto Medina, el equipo de Acción y Comunicación y por supuesto un abrazo especial a nuestra querida Aida Folch, gracias por iluminar nuestra portada

We are family!

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he “Le CITY deluxe” family continues growing international, and also continues producing high quality content and global visibility. The news are happening inside and outside our borders and our different editions of the Le CITY deluxe magazines have become unique, the key element in positioning Le CITY deluxe under the top publications of this sector.

Le CITY deluxe SPAIN as usual will return with a careful selection of content and “deluxe” contributors, to all of them our sincere thanks and welcome to the family!: Elena Benarroch, Juan Mari Arzak, Davidelfin, Octavi Pujades, Jean-Marc Pontroué, Fernando Suárez de Góngora, Palau Moxó, Fundació Mies Van Der Rohe,Thyssen Bornemisza Museum, Pablo Lecrosey, Jesús M Peman, Fernando Gómez, Antonio Cordero, Mansoor Tanweer, Javier Lorite, Victor Blanco, Chiqui Peña, Kattia Zanetta, Lisandro Alberto Medina, the team of Acción y Comunicación and of course special thanks to our dear friend Aida Folch , thank you a lot for iluminate our cover

BUSI N ESS “Nuestra oferta en España está muy consolidada y en línea con el objetivo de ser referentes para el tráfico aéreo a Oriente Medio y Asia”.

Fernando Suárez de Góngora

WINTER 2012

Director de Emirates en España y Portugal

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Entrevista Claudia Trimde PHOTO Mansoor Tanweer LOCATION Hotel Mandarín Oriental, Barcelona

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Connections you shouldn´t miss…

“Our offer in Spain is very conrete and in line with our objective to serve as a reference for air traffic going towards the Middle East and Asia”.

Conexiones que no debés perder… www.emirates.com

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ada vez es más fácil viajar a Asia y al Oriente Medio. Compañías aéreas como Emirates lo hacen posible, con servicios deluxe y business para los clientes más exigentes. Su presencia en España es notable, con vuelos a Dubai desde Madrid, y hace unos meses, con la ruta directa desde Barcelona. n un entorno mágico, como es el jardín Mimosa del Hotel Mandarín Oriental de Barcelona, conversamos con Fernando Suárez de Góngora, director de Emirates en España y Portugal.

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Primero Madrid, ahora Barcelona... el mercado español está empezando a ser muy importante para Emirates.

Es la constatación de nuestras estimaciones iniciales y nuestra convicción de que el mercado español tenía un potencial fantástico para nuestra oferta. No hace dos años desde que la operación de Madrid se inauguró, hemos abierto la ruta de Barcelona, y la oferta en España ahora ya es muy sustancial, muy consolidada y en línea con nuestras ambiciones de convertirnos en un referente importante para todo el tráfico a Oriente Medio y Asia.

¿Cuál es la diferencia a bordo en Business Class?

Un factor que resaltaría es la atención al detalle. Hay mucho cariño, intención, e inversión de energías puestas en tratar de cuidar los detalles bien, y en ser una compañía muy multinacional y muy diversa a nivel cultural. Los elementos más tradicionales de servicio a bordo, nuestra oferta audiovisual, nuestro sistema de entretenimiento está reconocido como un sistema sin rival, ha ganado prácticamente todos los ránkings y todas las encuestas y estudios que se han hecho al respecto. ¿Y en First Class?

En First Class esos detalles se llevan al máximo exponente del lujo y la originalidad.

Tenemos una propuesta muy exclusiva. La diferenciación que llevamos a cabo consiste en espacios personales muy bien definidos, el concepto de “suite” en primera clase es un concepto bastante exclusivo

First Madrid and now Barcelona…the Spanish market is becoming very important for Emirates.

It´s the verification and confirmation of our intial predictions that the Spanish market had fantastic potential. Less than two years since the operation in Madrid was established, we´ve been able to open the route from Barcelona. The offer in Spain is now more substantial, concrete, and in line with our objective to convert the airline into an important reference for air traffic going to the Middle East and Asia.

Do Spanish passengers on Emirates traveling to Dubai prefer to use it as a connecting point to get to another destination in Asia, or does the final destination tend to be Dubai?

The truth is that these are the two essential parts of our strategy and they work well together.

The main motive behind the birth of Emirates 25 years ago was to establish better travel options to Dubai but not exclusively. An essential part of our strategy is for Dubai to fulfill the function of serving as a connection point so that the offer we make in the European markets, such as Spain, proposes a very attractive option in regard to travel with purposes of connecting to Asian markets, or to the Middle East and Australia.

What is the difference on board when traveling Business Class?

One aspect that stands out is attention to detail.

There is a lot energy and effort invested in emphasizing attention to detail and also into successfully serving as a multinational and diverse company on a cultural level. The more traditional elements of service on board and our entertainment systems are recognized as elements that are difficult to compete against. They have won over practically all the rankings, studies, and surveys completed in regard to this aspect.

What about First Class?

In First Class, attention to detail is carried out to the maximum level in luxury and originality.

We have a very exclusive service, which include a very well-defined personal space, and the concept of “suites” in First Class is very unique to us

WINTER 2012

¿El pasajero español utiliza ahora Emirates a través de Dubai como puente para llegar a otros lugares de Asia o el destino final es Dubai?

La verdad es que son las dos partes esenciales de nuestra estrategia y absolutamente com-

plementarias. El motivo principal por el que Emirates se creó, hace ya 25 años, es Dubai pero no en exclusiva. Una parte esencial de nuestra estrategia es que Dubai cumpla esa función de centro de conexiones para que la oferta que hagamos en los mercados europeos, como España, suponga una opción muy atractiva en cuanto a la experiencia de viaje para conexiones al mercado asiático, a los destinos del Lejano Oriente, del Medio Oriente y de Australia.

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s time has passed, it’s become easier to travel to Asia and the Middle East.

Airline companies such as Emirates make it possible with their deluxe and business services for the most demanding clients.

Its presence in Spain is noteworthy; the airline provides direct flights from Madrid to Dubai, and as of a few months ago, from Barcelona.

We spoke with Fernando Suárez de Góngora, director of Emirates in Spain and Portugal, in the magical Mimosa Garden in Barcelona´s Hotel Mandarin Oriental.

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G BIO Jean-Marc Pontroué Fue director de Ventas de Givenchy en París. Fue vicepresidente Ejecutivo de Estrategia de Producto y Desarrollo de Montblanc en Hamburgo. Actualmente es CEO de Roger Dubuis.

Los códigos de la excelencia

He was director of Givenchy in Paris Sales. Was Executive Vice President of Product Strategy and Development of Montblanc in Hamburg.

He is currently CEO of Roger Dubuis.

Jean-Marc Pontroué CEO Roger Dubuis INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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l reto de Roger Dubuis ha sido su desarrollo internacional. De manera muy rápida se ha convertido en una de las cinco primeras marcas de referencia de Alta Relojería. Y en esto tiene mucho que ver Jean-Marc Pontroué, el CEO de la manufactura ginebrina destaca por su capacidad de idear estrategias de producto y captar las necesidades de los distintos países líderes en venta así como adaptarse hábilmente a ellos.

WINTER 2012

¿Qué destacaría del mundo Roger Dubuis?

Una marca pionera que se dirige a conocedores de la Alta Relojería con todos los condicionantes que supone la fabricación en el mismo seno de Ginebra. Ante todo, relojes que se han fabricado dentro de los códigos de la excelencia.

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¿Cuáles son los elementos más novedosos en la actualidad?

El movimiento. De igual modo en que Ferrari no puede ser Ferrari sin sus motores, Roger

Dubuis no existe sin sus movimientos. Toda nuestra capacidad de desarrollo y la innovación de la que vamos a hacer gala en el SIHH13, un nuevo calibre que es una primicia mundial sobre el mercado de relojería.

Roger Dubuis se compone de cuatro líneas de productos, ¿Cuáles son sus principales características?

Los universos están relacionados con nuestros cuatro productos. Con su fuerza nos han permitido segmentar nuestras cuatro líneas de producto en función de cuatro tipologías de los clientes potenciales, asociados a mundos imaginarios: el jugador, el guerrero, el aventurero y la diva. Hasta ahora, aparte de tener líneas en las que no hay competencia, ninguna marca ha ido tan lejos en esta asociación del mundo imaginario a líneas de producto. ¿Cuál es el principal mercado para Roger Dubuis?

Hong Kong y Macao y, luego, Japón y Estados

Unidos. Además de contar con todos los países emergentes.

Valencia se considera un punto de venta exclusivo en España. ¿Cómo se ha convertido en un emplazamiento de éxito?

En Valencia tenemos un partner, Rabat. No estoy seguro de que funcionase sin el socio local y Roger Dubuis es una marca que se supera cuando lo tiene. Ya sea Rabat en Valencia o Unión Suiza en Barcelona y Madrid, que son capaces de atraer a una clientela susceptible de entender nuestro producto. ¿Cuál es la situación actual de Roger Dubuis en el mercado?

Aunque no podemos dar datos exactos, la marca se ha desarrollado en todos los países, en concreto, en España Roger Dubuis en España se han incrementado las ventas un 48% en el último año

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www.rogerdubuis.com

Codes of Excellence

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he main challenge of Roger Dubuis has been international development.

At a rapid rate it became one of the top five High Class Watch brands in the world. And this has a lot to do with Jean-Marc Pontroué, the CEO of the Geneva-based manufacturer. A company that has become famous for their ability to arrange product strategies and capturing the needs of individual countries.

What would you like to highlight most about Roger Dubuis?

Most importantly, the watches have been manufactured with the codes of excellence in mind.

A pioneering brand that targets connoisseurs of Haute Horlogerie with all the manufacturing involved in the very heart of Geneva.

What are your most important product concerns at the moment?

The motion. If Ferrari can’t be Ferrari without its engines, then Roger Dubuis doesn’t exist without proper movement. All of our development capacity and innovation are going to influence the SIHH13 gala, a new caliber, which will be the first on the watch market.

We relate our four products to the universe. We are able to cater our four product lines based on four types of potential customers categorized in hypothetical archetypes: the player, the warrior, the adventurer and the diva. So far, apart from having product lines where there is no competition, no brand has gone so far as to have a fantasy world model for their product lines.

What is the main market for Roger Dubuis?

Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, and the United States; in addition to all emerging countries.

Valencia is considered a unique market in Spain.

How did it come to be such a successful location?

In Valencia we are partnered with the jewelry firm Rabat. I’m not sure if it would work without our partners at the local level. Whether it’s Rabat in Spain or Swiss Union in Barcelona and Madrid, we become able to attract a clientele likely to understand our product.

What is the current status of Roger Dubuis on the market?

Although we cannot give exact specifics, the brand has prospered in all countries. In the market of Spain in particular, Roger Dubuis had an increase in sales by 48% last year

-Roger Dubuis es la única manufactura que posee el Punzón de Ginebra.

-Roger Dubuis ha recibido el Premio al Reloj del Año por el modelo Velvet.

-La firma hará gala en el SIHH13 mostrando un nuevo material que es una primicia mundial sobre el mercado de relojería.

Did you know? ...

-Roger Dubuis is the only manufacturer that has the Hallmark of Geneva.

-Roger Dubuis has received the Watch

of the Year Award by the model Velvet.

-The company will demonstrate on the SIHH13 showing a new material that

is a world first on the market to watch.

WINTER 2012

Roger Dubuis contains four product lines.

What are their main features?

¿Sabías que?…

35

· Winter 2010/11

shop

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Inaugurates Spain’s Flagship store w w w. n a t i o n a l g e o g r a p h i c . c o m

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C.T.: Where did this idea for the store come from?

P.M.: “The three of us created the idea during a brainstorming session to find a unique and special project. We wanted to generate something that would be a global collaboration founded on the protection of nature and conservation of the environment, while educating children and featuring scientific investigation.”

C.T.: What stage of this project are you currently at? What are your future plans for Spain?

A.D.: “The first step was the opening of stores in London and Singapore in December 2008.

This involved a lot of hard work because we had invented a completely new retail concept. The next step was the supervision and analysis of sales and customer feedback, which again was difficult because the stores are in two completely different places, one in Asia and one in Europe. We have won several prizes and awards for our stores and Madrid represents the next step in our growth.”

G.Z.B.: “Madrid is an ideal location because the city is fantastic. It is a great place to market these products, which help us remember history and form a melting pot of global cultures.”

C.T.: What is a typical National Geographic product?

G.Z.B.: “It’s something that expresses local and world culture. Our stores explain the history behind every product and where it comes from,

we don’t just put a price sticker on it and place it on the shelf. The most important thing is that we support traditional artisans from around world.”

C.T.: How do National Geographic stores differ from other shops?

P.M.: “National Geographic is a multi-media and multi-sensorial space where people can learn while being entertained. Our stores aim to provide a pleasant sensory experience, as in shining a light on the world and teaching people how to protect it. When you visit our stores you will see that many of our products are made from recycled materials and created through sustainable processes.”

C.T.: What are your future retail plans?

P. M.: “After the opening of our Madrid store, we plan on opening a new store in Bombay, India, before the end of the year, and a store in Holland at the beginning of 2011. We have big plans for Spain and would like to open stores in 10 Spanish cities. We are also contemplating opening stores in El Corte Inglés and corner spaces in agencies and hotels belonging to Group Barceló.”

C.T.: Do you agree National Geographic is a brand you can actually feel?

A.D.: “Yes, absolutely, and we must always remember that. It is not a feeling or emotion you get from a luxury label, it is an emotion that is generated by an authentic symbol.”

Winter 2010/11 ·

ith the opening of the smart new National Geographic store at Gran Vía de Madrid 74, the Spanish capital has become the latest major city to be graced by the prestige and tradition of the 122-yearold company.

Since being founded in 1888 by Alexander Graham Bell and a group of friends, National Geographic has stayed true to their vision of spreading knowledge and investigating the world around us.

The National Geographic store perfectly captures the change in retail concepts and with branches London and Singapore, the inauguration of the new flagship store in Madrid is seen as the launch-pad for the National Geographic brand in Spain.

Responsibility for the store’s development was led by three senior executives who could be referred to as the “Three Musketeers” – Pere Matamalas, CEO of National Geographic Stores, Alex Dotti, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales, and Gianni Zotta Baylo, Senior Vice President of Art. The trio outlined their vision for this flagship store during a chat with Claudia Trimde, Director of Le CITY deluxe group, who also asked them about their overall plans for the future.

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National Geographic inaugura su tienda principal en españa

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· Winter 2010/11

a apertura de un National Geographic Store en el número 74 de la Gran Vía de Madrid supone en sí un hecho significativo. El prestigio y la tradición de National Geographic se ha extendido a lo largo de más de un siglo. Desde la sociedad fundada en 1888 por Alexander Graham Bell y un grupo de amigos con el propósito de difundir el conocimiento y la investigación del mundo en el que se habita, se ha llegado hasta hoy a una marca cuya trascendencia se ha multiplicado.

Los National Geographic Store simbolizan el cambio de concepto “tiendas” en el mundo. Con locales en, Londres y Singapur, la inauguración del Flagshipstore en Madrid es el primer paso para el gran despegue del NG Store en Espanya.

A cargo de este proyecto se encuentra un equipo con tres cabezas visibles. “Tres Mosqueteros”, como ellos mismos se definen.

Pere Matamalas- Consejero Delegado de National Geographic Store, Alex Dotti- Senior vice president y responsable de Marketing y Ventas y Gianni Zotta Baylo- Senior vice president Art director de la compañía conforman un trío con ganas de desarrollar el prestigio de la marca sin fronteras. Junto a ellos estuvo Claudia Trimde, Directora de Le CITY deluxe grup, para compartir las impresiones del equipo que impulsa el proyecto.

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C.T.: ¿De dónde ha surgido esta idea?

P.M.: La idea ha surgido hace varios años por parte de Gianni Baylo, Alex Dotti y yo. Hicimos un brainstorming, buscando un proyecto que

fuera algo único y especial. Algo que al mismo tiempo sirviera para colaborar con un proyecto mundial de una fundación que destina todos sus recursos a la protección de la naturaleza, el medio ambiente, la educación de los niños y la investigación científica.

C.T.: ¿En qué punto se encuentra en el proyecto ahora mismo? ¿Cuáles son los planes para España?

A.D.: El primer paso fue abrir en Londres y Singapur en diciembre de 2008. Ese era el trabajo mucho más difícil porque no había nada preparado y hemos inventado una nueva forma, un nuevo concepto de tienda. El segundo paso fue la introducción de este concepto y supervisar las ventas y la retroalimentación del cliente, en dos lugares tan diferentes del mundo: uno en Asia, en Singapur, y otro en Europa, en Londres. Hemos sido galardonados en varias ocasiones como una de las mejores tiendas del mundo. Por esta razón, ahora estamos en este país. Para nosotros, Madrid significa hablar de la expansión geográfica de la compañía.

G.Z.B.: Madrid era una buena ubicación porque el lugar es fantástico. Es un buen lugar para comercializar estos productos. Y para recordar la historia y para mezclar la cultura global con estos artículos.

C.T.: ¿Qué es un producto National Geographic?

G.Z.B.: Es algo que expresa la cultura mundial

y local. En cada producto se explica la historia y de dónde viene, no se vende sólo producto y el precio. Lo más importante es que hemos querido ayudar a apoyar a los artesanos tradicionales de todo el mundo.

C.T.: ¿Cuál es la visión que tienen para los locales de National Geographic? ¿Por qué son diferentes al resto de las tiendas?

P.M.: National Geographic es un espacio multimedia, multisensorial y didáctico. Pretendemos que la gente viva una experiencia sensorial agradable. Es decir, queremos dar a conocer el mundo y enseñar cómo protegerlo. Por eso verás que en nuestras tiendas hay muchos productos construidos con materiales reciclados, a través de los llamados “procesos sostenibles”.

C.T.:¿Cuáles son los próximos pasos?

P.M.: Después de esta apertura en España, tenemos previsto abrir antes de fin de año en Bombay, en India, y en Holanda a principios de 2011. Aquí hay un plan muy importante, ya que se trata de la apertura de locales en 10 grandes ciudades españolas. Contempla aperturas también en tiendas de El Corte Inglés y corners de productos en las agencias y los hoteles del Grupo Barceló.

C.T.: ¿National Geographic es una marca muy emocional?

A.D.: Es verdad, tenemos que tener en cuenta que se trata de un tipo de emoción. No es una emoción que viene de una marca de lujo, es una emoción que proviene de un verdadero símbolo.

letter

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ime passes by so fast, yet another year has gone by, a year we can attribute to many things, for us most of all it has brought along the tech revolution. With the launch of our new "App" we finally have the chance to reach our readers in the most remote parts of the world.

All with an enriched experience- images are coming to life- all of a sudden we don't just engage with where the print run takes usdoes this mean the magazine hardcover will disappear? We will keep it alive for you- touch it; feel the glossy paper- inhale luxury at its most vivid form- yet I invite you to experience our magazine also another way-Download it- and make 2011 an interactive Le CITY deluxe experience!

PHOTO: ANAI IBARRA

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Claudia Trimde

· Winter 2010/11

claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com Directora de MADRID deluxe

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l tiempo pasa tan rápido- ha pasado un año más- y en este tiempo hemos podido contribuir en muchas cosas. Entre ella, la más importante fue la que ha traído consigo la tecnología. Con el lanzamiento de nuestra nueva "App" tenemos por fin la oportunidad de llegar a los lectores que se encuentran en las partes más remotas del mundo.

Todo ello junto con una enriquecida experiencia, hace que las imágenes cobren vida y que no nos limitemos a colaborar sólo donde la tirada nos lleve. ¿Significa que la revista impresa desaparecerá?...Vamos a mantenerla viva para vosotros- para que podais tocarla, sentir el papel satinado y respirar el lujo en su forma más viva.

Le invitamos a experimentar nuestra revista de otra manera… Descárgala y ház del 2011 una experiencia interactiva en Le CITY deluxe.

business

Mariano Roca Senior Associate Specialised in Private Client

“Spain is a good jurisdiction to take into account”

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hether by chance or not, but weeks after we published an article by Mariano Roca on the need to reform the Inheritance and Donations Tax, the Generalitat opted for a reform, effectively lowering said tax. We pick up this interesting issue with Mariano Roca, Senior Associate and Private Client Specialist for Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira.

Who is this reform going to affect?

It will have little effect on people with medium and large fortunes, but the reform spells substantial benefits for a high percentage of Catalans.

· BARCELONA deluxe· Winter 2009/10

And what recommendations would you give to those people with large fortunes?

One of Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira’s chief concerns is, via our Private Client division, optimising the tax burden derived not only from maintaining large fortunes, but as a consequence of generational transmissions, which, based on the current tax administration, could reach 34% or even double, while attending to the relationship between all parties and the aforementioned fortune.

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TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE PHOTO MERCEDES IÑIGUEZ

How is this done?

Each client is unique, and this is our specialism’s main asset. However, if I had to choose a modus operandi, I would start by analysing the client’s typology and the fortune’s composition, being that, whether it is a business or simply financial fortune, the models that allow us to structure these fortunes are substantially different. After this, understanding the client’s intentions with respect to the fortune is a highly relevant matter, thereby verifying that the options originally established faithfully reflect the client’s future desires.

Which countries do not collect Inheritance and Donations Tax? Most of our surrounding countries employ an Inheritance and Donations Tax, although there are substantial differences in the final tax burden.

Will the European Union regulate this fiscal situation?

I doubt it, being that it is a question of national sovereignty. In the event the European Union were to intervene in some way, to my understanding, it would follow a path similar to that of the Family Businesses. In other words, the European Commission, after detecting a harmful deal that affected this kind of business’s competitiveness, released a series of recommendations that Member States adopted to varying degrees.

While a serious and profound reform of the Tax isn’t adopted by our Central Executive, the situation in Spain, where almost all Autonomous Communities legislate how they please, is, frankly, unsustainable. That’s why, especially in those places which exemplify a truly unfair disadvantage, planning becomes essential. In this respect, for example in Catalonia, the best current planning lies in anticipating the transmission of large fortunes through, for example, donations, whose tax rates prove substantially lower that those applied to inheritance.

“ESPAÑA UNA BUENA JURISDICCIÓN A TENER EN CUENTA”

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a sea por azar o no, pocas semanas después de publicar nuestro artículo con Mariano Roca en relación a la necesaria reforma del Impuesto sobre Sucesiones y Donaciones, la Generalitat plantea hacer una reforma para lograr una efectiva minoración de la tributación por el mismo. Retomamos el interesante tema con Mariano Roca, Senior Associate, Specialised in Private Client de Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira. ¿A quién va afectar esta posible reforma?

A los patrimonios medios y altos les va a afectar muy poco, pero la reforma va a beneficiar a un porcentaje muy elevado de la población catalana. ¿Y qué recomendación les daría a aquellos que poseen un gran patrimonio?

Una de las principales finalidades de Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira a través de nuestra división de Private Client, es la de optimizar la carga tributaria derivada no tan solo del mantenimiento de las grandes fortunas, sino también como consecuencia de su transmisión generacional, que en función de la Administración tributaria competente, puede alcanzar hasta el 34% o incluso doblarse, atendida la relación entre las partes y su fortuna previa a dicho suceso. ¿Cómo se consigue esto?

Cada cliente es singular y ese es el principal activo de nuestra especialidad. Sin embargo, si tuviera que escoger un modelo de actuación, éste empezaría por analizar la tipología de cliente y la composición de su patrimonio, puesto que, según si es un patrimonio empresarial o meramente financiero, los modelos que permiten estructurar estos patrimonios son sustancialmente distintos.

Tras ello, es muy relevante comprender cuál es su intención respecto a ese patrimonio para verificar que las opciones inicialmente previstas sirvan realmente a la voluntad futura del cliente. ¿En qué países no se tributa nada por el Impuesto sobre Sucesiones y Donaciones?

El Impuesto sobre Sucesiones y Donaciones existe en la mayoría de países de nuestro entorno, aunque con sustanciales diferencias en cuanto a la carga tributaria final.

¿La Unión Europea regulará esta situación fiscal?

Lo dudo, puesto que es una cuestión de soberanía nacional. En el supuesto que desde la Unión Europea se decidiese algún tipo de intervención, entiendo que ésta seguiría un camino parecido a la de las Empresas Familiares, es decir, que la Comisión Europea, tras detectar un trato perjudicial que afectaba a la competitividad de esa tipología de empresas, emitió una serie de recomendaciones que los Estados Miembros han ido adoptando en mayor o menor medida.

En tanto una reforma seria y profunda del Impuesto no sea adoptada por nuestro Ejecutivo Central, la situación en España, donde la práctica totalidad de Comunidades Autónomas lo legislan casi a su antojo, es francamente insostenible. Por ello, y en aquellas localizaciones en las que exista un verdadero agravio comparativo, la planificación resulta esencial. En este aspecto, por ejemplo en Cataluña, la mejor planificación actual reside en anticipar la transmisión de esa gran fortuna a través por ejemplo de donaciones, cuyos tipos impositivos resultan sustancialmente inferiores a los aplicables en caso de sucesión. ¿Qué hace la división de Private Client por sus clientes?

Como departamento atendemos todas las necesidades jurídicas que pueda tener una gran fortuna, desde cuestiones previas e iniciales relativas a inmigración, al asesoramiento en adquisición, mantenimiento y transmisión de elementos patrimoniales de lujo (embarcaciones, aeronaves, obras de arte, inmuebles…), optimización jurídica del mantenimiento de dichos patrimonios o la estructuración de patrimonios empresariales internacionales, llegando incluso a la estructuración del relevo generacional en la propiedad o la gestión de dicha fortuna.

Desde un punto de vista internacional, nuestra creciente participación e intervención en los foros de Private Client de máximo nivel tiene por objetivo dar a conocer a otras jurisdicciones que España no es un mal país, fiscalmente hablando..

Y es que a pesar de existir una especie de mito según el cual España desde el punto de vista fiscal es un país en vías de desarrollo, con los años se ha desarrollado un buen sistema fiscal que permite a nuestros clientes internacionales considerar que ésta es una buena jurisdicción.

BARCELONA deluxe· Winter 2009/10·

What does the Private Client division do for its clients?

As a department, we attend to any legal need large fortunes may have, from preliminary and initial questions regarding immigration, to consulting in the purchase, maintenance and transmission of luxury heritage items (boats, aircraft, works of art, property...), legal optimisation in the maintenance of said fortunes or structuring international business fortunes, and even structuring generational takeovers or managing said fortunes.

From an international point of view, the goal behind our increased participation and intervention in the highest level of Private Client forums is to spread the word, to other jurisdictions, that Spain isn’t a bad country, fiscally speaking... That even though there exists a kind of myth by which Spain, from a fiscal point of view, remains a developing country, over the years it has developed a good fiscal system that allows our international clients to recognise that it is indeed a good jurisdiction.

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letter Good vibrations

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Photo: clauDio valDés / MaKE-uP & haiR: PEluQuERia tito

he holiday season is on the horizon: an exciting time for family get-togethers, for discovering and reunions. This includes reuniting idols like Eros Ramazzotti with his Catalan fans. The opportunity for our young ones to rediscover the sensations and experiences of days past; all the while still valid, current and exciting. It is the perfect time to pass the torch, and carry on our personal traditions.

The city is getting dressed up, putting on its holiday clothes. Time may fly by, but all this ceases to matter when you embrace the people you love, those whose aren’t always around.

These are also days to be patient and duly weigh the hustle and bustle or everyday life.

And, as the Prince of Saline would say in the wonderful book The Leopard, “everything must change so that everything can stay the same”.

Happy reunions! .................................................................

BUENAS VIBRACIONES

L Claudia Trimde

· BARCELONA deluxe· Winter 2009/10

claudia.trimde@barcelona-deluxe.com Directora de Barcelona deluxe

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legan los días festivos, un período de ilusión, de reuniones familiares, de descubrimiento y de reencuentros. Reencuentros también con viejos ídolos como el de Eros Ramazzotti con su público catalán. Una oportunidad de hacer redescubrir a nuestros jóvenes las sensaciones y las experiencias de tiempo atrás, pero que todavía son válidas, actuales y emocionantes.

Un período excepcional para pasar el testigo y mantener nuestras propias tradiciones.

La ciudad se engalana, se viste de fiesta. El tiempo que pasa pero que se aniquila en el momento que se abraza a los que se quiere, a los que han estado ausentes. Unos días también para ejercitar la paciencia y dar el justo peso a las prisas y encontronazos del día a día.

Y como diría el Príncipe de Salina en el maravilloso libro El Gatopardo, “todo cambia para que todo siga igual”. ¡Felices reencuentros!

Claudia Trimde

bcn inf luential people

Joan Gratacós

“In Gratacós, things happen”

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ince 1940, Gratacós has had a firm grasp on trends in women’s fashion, a period which spans from the postwar to present day. The family’s third generation have made weaving the indelible focus of these Catalan merchants’ know-how.

We had a word with Joan Gratacós, the label’s Purchasing Director, about the present and future of this business, whose Passeig de Gràcia establishment is the best cover letter imaginable, and a reference throughout the world.

· BARCELONA deluxe· Winter 2009/10

Who would have said that fabrics could be so fashionable!

People are tired of finding the same thing in Madrid and Barcelona. Selling fabric is a planned sale, and we want to display such beautifully rich fabrics, that the person who didn’t think they wanted to buy sees this spectacular display in the shop window and thinks, ‘let’s get it’.

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How often do you change the shop window?

All the time. The shop window is in continuous motion, although it takes time to put together. Because we’re not using pre-made dresses, but fabric. It’s a very laborious process. We use the rotunda window as, firstly, a

www.gratacos.com trampoline for us, the business. But we also see it as a way for young, eager designers to exhibit their wares. It’s a show window that grasps a great deal of gazes, but also a lot of trouble. It’s a form of promotion, but also a way to convey messages. And the inherent idea is that things happen at Gratacós. We hold different activities each season.

Do you buy fabric?

No, we create fabric, we’re transformers.

We have our own machines and employees who work to meet our orders. Our process is a vertical one. We take care of everything from the weaver to the end product, and that’s where we gain the competitive edge.

On an international scale, who are your references?

Among the foreign companies we work with you’ll find names like Chanel, Armani, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, but there are also a lot of unknown people with outrageous potential. Evidently, the large names give us quite a bit of prestige.

How does purchasing work? Armani is preparing a new collection...

Generally speaking, we make samples and bring them to the client to see “face to face”,

and from their ideas, what they want to create and what you have to offer, what they want is borne. They may want a world exclusive and adapt what we have to their colour spectrum.

And on occasion, with Chanel, for example, you offer exactly what they’re looking for: in the right place at the right time.

You have a showroom in New York.

In New York and Madrid, and we also have a network of representatives that spans the globe. New York is special, because 90% of our clients are condensed into a four-block radius. So if you have an office, they’ll come and see you. But generally speaking and because our clients are spaced far apart, we work through agents.

Is the future of fabric digital?

With computers you can do anything, and the prints are unbelievable when you compare them to what we had before, there’s no doubt about that.

TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE PHOTO MERCEDES IÑIGUEZ

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“EN GRATACÓS PASAN COSAS”

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esde 1940, Gratacós ha sabido interpretar las tendencias de la moda femenina desde los tiempos de la postguerra hasta nuestros días. La tercera generación de esta familia ha hecho del tejido el protagonista indiscutible del saber hacer de estos comerciantes catalanes. Hablamos con Joan Gratacós, Director de Compras, sobre el presente y el futuro de este negocio que tiene en su tienda de Paseo de Gracia su mejor carta de presentación y que se ha convertido en una referencia mundial. ¡Quién diría que las telas pueden ser tan fashion!

La gente está harta de encontrar una tienda igual en Madrid que en Barcelona. La venta del tejido es una venta planificada y nosotros queremos mostrar el tejido tan bonito, tan rico que haga que la persona que no pensaba comprar, lo vea tan espectacular en el escaparate que diga ¡vamos a comprarlo!

¿No compráis tejido?

No, creamos el tejido, somos transformistas.

Tenemos máquinas propias y nuestro propio per-

A nivel internacional, ¿quién es vuestra referencia?

De los que trabajamos en el extranjero están nombres como Chanel, Armani, Valentino, Dolce&Gabbana y también mucha gente no tan conocida pero con un potencial bestial. Pero evidentemente, los grandes nombres nos dan mucho prestigio ¿Cómo funciona el proceso de compra?

Armani prepara una nueva colección…

Generalmente, hacemos pruebas y vamos con estas muestras a “enfrentarte” al cliente y funciona que entre sus ideas, lo que él quiere realizar y lo que tú le estas ofreciendo, nace lo que ellos quieren. Y ellos querrán también la exclusiva mundial. A veces pasa, por ejemplo con Chanel, que tú ofreces lo que ellos están buscando exactamente, así que llegas en el momento justo a la hora justa, en el sitio adecuado.

Tienen un showroom en Nueva York En Nueva York y Madrid y además tenemos una red de representantes por todo el mundo.

NY es especial porque el 90% de nuestros clientes están distribuidos en cuatro manzanas, entonces te pueden ir a ver si tienes un despacho, pero por lo general funcionamos con agentes porque los clientes están todos distanciados. ¿El futuro de las telas es digital?

A nivel informático puedes hacer de todo y los estampados son impresionantes comparados con los que había antes, de eso no hay duda.

BARCELONA deluxe· Winter 2009/10·

¿Cada cuanto cambiáis el escaparate?

Constantemente. El escaparate está siempre en continuo movimiento, aunque lleva su tiempo elaborarlos, porque no son vestidos hechos, es tejido y es muy laborioso. El de la glorieta, es el escaparate donde miramos que sea, primero un trampolín para nosotros, la empresa, pero también para jóvenes diseñadores con ganas de enseñar su producto. Es un escaparate que acapara muchas miradas, pero también bastante follones.

Sirve como promoción, pero también lanzamos mensajes. Y la idea es que en Gratacós pasan cosas.

Cada temporada se hacen actividades.

sonal que trabajan según nuestras directivas. El nuestro es un proceso vertical, nos ocupamos del 100%, desde el tejedor hasta el producto final, y esta es la ventaja competitiva.

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B A R C E LO N A CURRICULUM VITAE Julio 2009 hasta ahora CEO Loewe Junio 2003 hasta Mayo 2009 Chief Operating Officer, Mulberry Group plc Noviembre 2000 hasta Mayo 2003 Mulberry Director, Como Holdings (UK) Ltd. Abril 1995 hasta Octubre 2000 Managing Director, Cerruti 1881 Femme Ltd. Abril 1992 hasta Abril 1995 International Sales Manager, Cerruti 1881 GmbH, Germany Julio 1989 hasta Diciembre 1991 Vice President Sales, Cerruti 1881 Femme Inc, USA

Lisa Montague CEO de Loewe

SPRING & SUMMER 2012

“ Donde estamos, somos muy fuertes”

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www.loewe.com

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ujo, diseño y modernidad son las claves de una de las marcas de moda más destacadas del mundo. Y es que Loewe se transforma al paso de los años y apuesta por la renovación de sus tiendas. A la reinaguración de su local de Barcelona, diseñado por el arquitecto Peter Marino, le siguió la Galería Loewe en la misma ciudad. Le CITY deluxe conversó con su CEO, Lisa Montague, quien va más allá y explica a la revista las estrategias y los nuevos proyectos de la firma. ¿En qué proyectos se ha centrado la marca recientemente?

El primer trabajo ha sido centrarse en aumentar la calidad, trabajando en nuestros productos de cuero. También en renovar toda la red de tiendas, ya que tenemos 162. A día de hoy, llevamos 31 tiendas renovadas con el concepto de Peter Marino (incluyendo la de Paseo de Gracia) y vamos a renovar en lo que queda de año, 30 tiendas más.Tenemos mucho que hacer en los próximos tres años a lo largo de toda la red, pero no podemos detenernos. Nos centraremos en la expansión de nuevos mercados. ¿Qué hay de la India?

Creo que la India va a ser un mercado muy interesante. Actualmente, nos dedicamos a Londres, París, Nueva York y Roma para tener estos mercados cubiertos. ¿Para usted, qué distingue a Loewe de otras marcas de bolsos?

La esencia de la marca tiene mucho que ver con el tacto. En nuestra tienda se comunica a través del tacto de los materiales y los colores: la calidad de la piel, la forma en que está trabajada, su forma de expresar la personalidad de la marca... No exponemos un producto de lujo detrás de un cristal, está destinado a que el cliente lo toque, y ello se ve cuando la gente coge los bolsos, porque son ligeros, suaves, táctiles... y el color da identidad a la marca. También tiene que ver con la luz en España y con la habilidad de los artesanos locales que conserva este país y que es poco común.

“LA ESENCIA DE LA MARCA TIENE MUCHO QUE VER CON EL TACTO” Como CEO de Loewe, ¿cuál ha sido su mayor reto?

Lo rápido que podemos renovar nuestras tiendas para dar un mensaje coherente a la marca mientras se actualiza. No estamos relanzando la marca, sólo la hacemos más actual.

Nos centramos en llegar a su corazón, profundizando en la marca para descubrir por qué la gente conecta con tanta fuerza con ella. Qué pretende comunicar y cuáles son esos valores.

Expresarlos de forma coherente a través de mercados muy diferentes del mundo, al mismo

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tiempo, y la inversión que supone, es el desafío más grande... ¡vamos lo suficientemente rápido! ¿Qué representa la Galería Loewe?

La tienda de Barcelona es nuestro mayor buque insignia en el mundo, y en la actualidad la única suficientemente grande para albergar todas las colecciones. Por lo tanto, estamos muy arraigados en Barcelona. Somos una marca española, y claro, mucha gente piensa en nosotros como el número uno entre las marcas españolas de lujo. Buscábamos espacio y los dos proyectos se unieron en una de esas hermosas coincidencias para juntar conceptos de galería, museo y espacio de experiencia interactiva.

Simultáneamente, nos encontramos con este espacio como lugar temporal para la tienda, y nos gustó tanto trabajar aquí que queríamos encontrar una manera de conservarlo. Nos llamó la atención lo bien que se prestaba para el proyecto, así que conseguimos unificar ambos aspectos con bastante rapidez. ¿Cuáles son los próximos pasos para Loewe?

Lo bueno de Loewe es que es una oportunidad de negocio. Es una marca con 166 años de edad, muy estimada en sus propios mercados, fuerte en Japón, actualmente con un importante volumen y el más alto crecimiento en Asia.

Hay toda una zona del globo donde no estamos presentes como marca, pero donde estamos, somos muy fuertes INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE

SPRING & SUMMER 2012

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“Wherever we are, we’re strong”

Lisa Montague, CEO of Loewe

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uxury, design and modernity are the cornerstones of one of the world’s most prominent fashion companies. You see, Loewe evolves with the passage of time and is committed to revamping its stores.

The reopening of its Barcelona location, designed by architect Peter Marino, was followed by the Loewe Gallery in the same city. Le CITY deluxe had a conversation with CEO Lisa Montague, who went a step further and explained the firm’s strategies and new projects to our magazine.

What projects has the brand focused on recently?

The first thing was to deal with enhancing quality, working on our leather products. As well as refurbishing the entire store network, as, of the 162. Today, we renovated 31 stores Peter Marino concept (including the Paseo de Gracia) and we will renew for the remainder of the year, 30 more stores. We have a lot to do in the next three years across the entire network, but there’s no stopping now: we’re looking to expand into new markets.

What about India?

I think India is going to be an extremely interesting market. For the meantime, we’re concerned with making sure the London, Paris, New York and Rome markets are covered.

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In your opinion, what sets Loewe apart from other bag brands?

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The brand’s essence has a lot to do with feel. At our stores, this essence is expressed through the feel of the materials and the colours, the quality of the leather, the way in which it is worked, how it expresses the brand’s personality. We don’t showcase luxury products behind plate glass; they’re meant to be touched by the customers, something which is patent when you pick up the bags, because they’re light, smooth, tactile... and the colour lends the brand an identity. It also has to do with the light in Spain and the remarkable skill of the country’s local artisans.

“THE BRAND’S ESSENCE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH TOUCH” As CEO of Loewe, what has been your biggest challenge?

Refurbishing our stores as quickly as possible to send a coherent message about the brand while it’s being revamped. We’re not re-launching the brand, just updating it. We’re focused on getting to the crux of the matter, delving into the brand to find out why people connect so strongly with it. What it intends to express, and its values.

Expressing them coherently in highly distinct markets around the world, at the same time, and

the investment this requires; that’s the biggest challenge. Getting it done quickly!

What does the Loewe Gallery represent?

The Barcelona store is our most important flagship location and currently the only one large enough to hold all of our collections. Therefore we’re firmly rooted in Barcelona. We are a Spanish brand, and naturally a lot of people regard us as the number one luxury Spanish company. While we were looking for a location, the two projects merged in one of those remarkable strokes of fate to form a gallery, museum and interactive experience. We happened upon this place as a temporary location for our store, but we enjoyed working here so much that we sought to find some way of keeping it. We were astounded by how well it suited the project, so we quickly brought the two concepts together.

What are the next steps for Loewe?

The great thing about Loewe is that it’s a business opportunity. It’s a brand-name that has 166 years of history, is highly esteemed in its own markets, strong in Japan, with a substantial current volume and immense growth in Asia. While we don’t have locations in a considerable part of the world, wherever we are, we’re strong

LETTER

PHOTO REBECA SARAY

Directora · CEO

CLAUDIA TRIMDE

Ceo & Founder Le CITY deluxe claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com

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a actriz y empresaria del sector lujo Chloë Sevigny dijo una vez: “¡Sé quién soy ahora, soy mi propia marca!” ...

Queridos lectores, La búsqueda de la identidad nos lleva por un camino de valores, creencias y ecos que generan una retroalimentación constante de que es “lo que parece o lo que aparenta ser”.

Después de cuatro años de éxito editorial con BARCELONA deluxe y MADRID deluxe, era hora de reflexionar y evaluar qué era realmente lo mejor para crear una publicación fuerte, relevante y actualizada para nuestros anunciantes y lectores.

El paso hacia la internacionalización de ISTANBUL deluxe y otros países, como Rusia y EE.UU., nos hizo dar cuenta de que había llegado el momento de desmembrar las marcas hasta su núcleo.

El lector debe identificarse con nosotros más allá de los límites de cada ciudad. De ahí la relevancia del país o región en donde la marca global crea un sentido fuerte de identidad. Un mayor alcance con una mayor distribución y un formato más grande, son parte de esta mejora. Sí que era hora de dar un paso adelante y proclamar lo que realmente somos...

Le CITY deluxe, tu guía mundial de lujo. ¡Somos nuestra propia marca, donde quiera que estés!

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ctress and luxury entrepreneur Chloë Sevigny once said “ I know who I am by now – I am my own brand!”…

Dear readers, Searching for the ultimate identity is a stroll across values, believes and perceived echoes from the ones that –give you a never ending feedback about “who you seem or appear to be”.

After now 4 years of successful publishing BARCELONA deluxe and MADRID deluxeit was time to reflect and evaluate who we really are-thriving for a strong, relevant, and current publication for both our advertisers and readers.

The step into internationalization with ISTANBUL deluxe and other regions like Russia and USA- made us realize that it was now time to strip many brands down to the core. Our reader should identify with us beyond CITY boundaries- hence regional relevance under one brand creates a stronger sense of identity.

Wider reach with increased distribution and a bigger format are all part of this improvement.

Yes it was time to take a step forward and proclaim” who we really are” …

Le CITY deluxe – your world wide luxury guide- We are our OWN BRAND-Wherever you are!

Editor Jefe

Con los nervios del estreno…

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TONI DELGADO

Editor Jefe Le CITY deluxe

toni.delgado@le-citydeluxe.com

e CITY deluxe Spain nace con fuerza, aires frescos, optimistas y renovados, con más ciudades, más contenidos y por supuesto con más invitados auténticamente deluxe, gracias a todos!

Ignacio Ga de Vinuesa y Cari Goyanes conversan sobre la vida social en Madrid, nos adentramos en el Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza de la mano de Guillermo Solana, Borja García-Nieto nos abre las puertas del Circulo Ecuestre, los secretos del buen gusto en zapato con Stuart Weitzman, Lisa Montague CEO de Loewe nos recibe en Barcelona, asistimos en exclusiva al desfile privado de la colección “Animal World”de Chopard. Angel Schlesser, Miguel Palacio, Fiona Ferrer Leoni, Loles León, Francisco Rivera, Cristina Castaño, Laura Moure, Jorge Calvo, Raul Fernadez de Pablo, y por supuesto nuestro cariño a Rafael Amargo por su total entrega para nuestra primera portada nacional

With the nerves of the premiere…

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e CITY deluxe SPAIN is born with power, with fresh air, wide, and renewed optimism, with more cities, more content and of course, with more truly deluxe guests.

Ignacio Ga de Vinuesa and Cari Goyanes talk about life in Madrid, we enter the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in the hands of Guillermo Solana, Borja García-Nieto opens the doors of Equestrian Circle, the secrets of good taste in shoes with Stuart Weitzman, Lisa Montague Loewe CEO receives us in Barcelona, attended ​​ the parade exclusive private collection “Animal World” by Chopard. Angel Schlesser, Miguel Palacio, Fiona Ferrer Leoni, Loles Leon, Francisco Rivera, Cristina Castaño, Laura Moure, Jorge Calvo, Raul Fernadez de Pablo, and of course our dear Rafael Amargo for his total dedication to our first national cover

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Guillermo Solana

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Director artĂ­stico del Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

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“Tenemos un gran desafío, y es atraer a los jóvenes”

INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE PHOTO REBECA SARAY & MUSEO THYSSEN

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lto, elegante y apasionado, Guillermo Solana (Madrid, 1960) es el director artístico del Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza desde hace casi siete años. Se multiplica dando conferencias, impartiendo cursos o pergeñando el organigrama de las próximas exposiciones de la institución. Todo con un fin: que el público se acerque al Museo que dirige.

Este año el Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza cumple 20 años, ¿de qué forma lo van a celebrar?

Hemos preparado tres exposiciones muy especiales: ya tenemos en marcha la del artista ruso Marc Chagall; en verano expondremos la obra del pintor realista norteamericano Edward Hopper; mientras que en otoño tendremos la muestra dedicada a Paul Gauguin y una exposición histórica de joyas de Cartier. Pero en este aniversario también realizaremos otro tipo de acciones: conferencias, un concurso de ilustración para jóvenes, una cena de gala en otoño con la presencia de la baronesa y Francesca de Habsburgo (hija del barón Thyssen)…

“LOS MUSEOS CORREN EL RIESGO DE DEJAR QUE SU PÚBLICO ENVEJEZCA” distinto, con un público ávido de cosas nuevas, con una colección mucho más amplia… ¿Y cómo es el público que entra en este Museo?

Su núcleo son mujeres de mediana edad de formación media-alta, muy ávidas de cultura, de arte en particular. Pero a esos visitantes hay que añadirles otros… los museos hoy corren el riesgo –como les pasa a los teatros, a los periódicos–, de dejar que su público envejezca porque son

instituciones ya antiguas y que están asociadas a una imagen anticuada de la cultura. Tenemos un gran desafío, y es atraer a los jóvenes. Por eso este 20º aniversario estamos concentrados en actividades que puedan interesarles. ¿Cómo es trabajar al frente de uno de los referentes culturales de España?

Yo llegué cuando el museo ya tenía una política de exposiciones consolidada y lo que me propuse fue que no bajara el nivel de rigor y de calidad… pero pensando aún más en el público, para alcanzar mejores cifras de visitantes. Y eso lo hemos conseguido, en estos últimos años la cifra ha crecido constantemente.

En su puesto, qué tiene más peso: ¿la mente empresarial o el arte?

En el Thyssen hay una dirección bicéfala. Yo soy el director artístico y mi responsabilidad es decidir sobre las actividades del museo, mientras que el director gerente se ocupa de las finanzas. Esto no es óbice para que yo tenga como uno de los objetivos principales el buen resultado del Museo, porque sin buenos resultados no podríamos seguir haciendo actividades SRPING & SUMMER 2012

¿Habrá un antes y un después de todas estas actividades?

Yo creo que continuaremos trabajando como siempre, pero todo este esfuerzo será una ma-

nera de recordar a nuestro público que –aunque somos jóvenes– estamos consolidados en España. Es una ocasión para mirar atrás y evaluar la importancia que tuvo para Madrid el que la colección de los barones viniera. El Museo Thyssen tiene una historia anterior, existió antes en Lugano (Suiza), pero allí era otra cosa, era mucho más pequeño: una joyita que sólo podían visitar unos pocos. Al venir a España, el Museo se transforma y se convierte en algo totalmente

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Guillermo Solana, Artistic Director of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

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all, elegant and enthusiastic, Guillermo Solana (Madrid, 1960) has been the artistic director at the ThyssenBornemisza Museum for almost seven years. He keeps busy leading conferences, teaching classes and outlining the organisational chart for the institution’s upcoming exhibitions. All for one purpose: to encourage people to visit the museum he directs.

SRPING & SUMMER 2012

This year the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum turns 20. How are you planning to celebrate?

We’ve prepared three very special exhibitions: we’ve already inaugurated the exhibit on Russian artist Marc Chagall, this summer we’re going to display works by American realist painter Edward Hopper and, in the autumn, we’ll have an exhibition on Paul Gauguin and a historic exhibit of Cartier jewellery. Although, for this anniversary, we’re also organising several other events: conferences, an illustration competition for young artists, a gala dinner in the autumn, with the Baroness and Francesca von Habsburg (the daughter of Baron Thyssen)...

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Will these activities mark a before and after?

I feel that, while we’ll keep on working like before, all this effort will help remind our public that, although we’re young, we’re well established here in Spain. It’s a time to look back and evaluate

how important the arrival of the Barons’ collection was for Madrid. The Thyssen Museum has a prior history. It was formerly based in Lugano (Switzerland), but was something else, much smaller: a gem only a select few could visit. The Museum transformed when it moved to Spain and became something completely different, with a public thirsting for new things, a much broader collection...

“MUSEUMS RUN THE RISK OF ATTRACTING AN EXCLUSIVELY OLDER CROWD” How would you describe the Museum’s visitors?

They’re primarily middle-aged women with a medium to high level of education, highly enthusiastic about culture, and art in particular. Yet we need to add other kinds of visitors... museums today run the risk, like theatres and newspapers, of attracting an exclusively older crowd, because they are, in and of themselves, ancient institutions and linked to an antiquated notion of culture. We

“We face an immense challenge: luring young people” face an immense challenge: luring young people.

Which is why our 20th anniversary celebrations largely consist of activities that could be of interest to them.

What is it like working at the helm of one of Spain’s cultural references?

The Museum already had a consolidated exhibition policy when I arrived, wherefore my aim was to ensure that the standards and quality didn’t drop... catering more to the public, to attract a larger number of visitors. And we’ve managed to do so. The turnout has steadily increased in recent years.

What has more relevance in your job: a business mindset or the art?

At the Thyssen, we have a double-headed management. I’m the artistic director, and I’m responsible for making decisions on the Museum’s activities, while the managing director takes care of the finances. This doesn’t mean I don’t consider profitability to be one of our main targets, because, without profits, we wouldn’t be able to keep organising activities

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EDWARD HOPPER CHAGALL

www.museothyssen.org

EXPOSICIONES / Exhibitions CARTIER 24 Octubre / October 2012 17 Febrero / February 2013

GAUGUIN 09 Octubre/October 2012 -13 Enero / January 2013

PAINTING OUTDOORS 05 Febrero / February - 12 Mayo / May 2013

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HOPPER 12 Junio/June - 16 Septiembre / September 2012

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www.circuloecuestre.es

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Borja García-Nieto

PRESIDENTE CÍRCULO ECUESTRE

“El Círculo Ecuestre es un dinamizador de ideas”

INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTO JAVIER LORITE

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acido como punto de encuentro de aristócratas y burgueses catalanes interesados en la hípica El Círculo Ecuestre es hoy uno de los Clubs más prestigiosos de Europa. Con más de 150 años de historia, en sus salas privadas se reflexiona y debate temas de gran importancia para la ciudad. Entrevistamos a Borja García-Nieto, presidente de la institución desde 2008 quien nos detalla este proyecto que siempre mira hacia el futuro.

El Círculo Ecuestre es un club de generaciones…

Es un club de generaciones en el que también se incorpora gente joven y donde existe la sensación de casa importante. Pero este no es el elemento diferenciador…

“ECUESTRE ES UN PROYECTO DE LA SOCIEDAD DE BARCELONA QUE AYUDA A MANTENER LA CIUDAD ACTIVA, ACTUALIZADA Y LA HACE ATRACTIVA” muy satisfechos de nuestras raíces así también como de todo lo nuevo que incorporamos. No lo queremos ver como algo que pertenece a la historia, sino como algo que mira hacia el futuro. ¿Cuál ha sido el desafío más importante que ha tenido desde que asumió la presidencia?

He tenido y tengo bastantes desafíos. Pero el primero de todos ha sido tomar la presidencia en medio de la crisis económica. Ese ha sido un buen reto. Siempre lo digo en mis editoriales;

“contra la crisis, más trabajo, esfuerzo, impulso, dinamismo e inversión”. ¿Qué importancia tiene en este momento la relación con otros clubs internacionales?

Somos un club con gran proyección internacional. Tenemos cerca de 220 clubs corresponsales de todo el mundo. Desde América del Sur, del Norte, Asia, África, Europa, Oceanía y específicamente en España, por ejemplo, tenemos relación con 25 clubs. ¿Qué ventajas destacaría de este Club?

Las correspondencias son una de las ventajas más apreciadas por nuestros socios. Sin duda, cuando te trasladas a la ciudad por motivos de negocio, el vivir la experiencia de alojarte, de pasar unos días en un club, no es comparable con estar en un hotel. ¿Qué porcentaje de socios que viven en Barcelona son extranjeros?

Esta es una buena pregunta pero no te sabría contestar aunque probablemente no todos los que yo quisiera. Sin embargo, tenemos un muy buen grupo de socios que hacen actividades.

Por ejemplo, los socios que tenemos por parte del grupo alemán KDF que muchas veces organizan actividades en el club. De hecho, para una de sus últimas actividades, estuvo aquí el presidente de Alemania Christian Wulff

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¿Entonces cuál es el elemento diferenciador?… ¿Qué significa ser socio del Círculo Ecuestre?

Yo creo que ser socio del Círculo Ecuestre es sentirse parte de un proyecto que es un foro de reflexión, dinamizador de ideas. Aquí intentamos reflexionar sobre temas que ocurren en la ciudad, en Catalunya, en España, temas que nos preocupan… sobretodo de economía y sociedad. También es un lugar de encuentro para las familias de los socios, de ocio, propios de la persona, de relación humana. Ecuestre es

un proyecto de la sociedad de Barcelona que ayuda a mantener la ciudad activa, actualizada y la hace atractiva; lucha para que Barcelona sea considerada siempre una ciudad contemporánea. No es algo que pertenece al pasado porque tu padre o tu abuelo fuesen socios. Nos sentimos

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De izquierda a derecha sentados: Luis Conde, Borja García-Nieto, Soledad Desvalls y Pilar Líbano. De izquierda a derecha de pie: Carlón Galofré, Antonio Gámiz, Antonio Delgado, Juli de Miquel, Lluís Sans, Alfons Tost, Sergi Ferrer-Salat y Josep Creuheras

BORJA GARCÍA-NIETO Chairman Círculo Ecuestre “The Círculo Ecuestre is a driving force behind ideas”

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thought of a contemporary city. It’s not something rooted in the past, just because your father and grandfather were members. We’re very satisfied with our roots, as we are our new additions. We don’t want to view it as part of history, but as something with an eye on the future.

The Círculo Ecuestre is a generational club...

It’s a generational club that also admits modern people and has an air of importance. But that’s not what sets it apart...

“ECUESTRE IS A PROJECT WHICH REVOLVES AROUND BARCELONA’S SOCIETY, HELPING TO KEEP THE CITY ACTIVE, UP TO DATE AND APPEALING”

SPRING & SUMMER 2012

ormed as a meeting point for Catalan bourgeois with an interest in horse riding, the Círculo Ecuestre is today one of Europe’s most prestigious clubs.

With over 150 of history, its private rooms resound with discussions and debates on matters of great importance for the city. We interviewed Borja García-Nieto, the institution’s Chairman since 2008, who described this project which always has an eye on the future.

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What does set it apart? What does it mean to be a Círculo Ecuestre member?

Being an Círculo Ecuestre member implies feeling that you belong to a project that’s a forum for discussion, a driving force behind ideas. Here we try to discuss issues with a bearing on the city, Catalonia, Spain, matters we’re concerned about... primarily the economy and society. It’s also a meeting point for family issues, entertainment, personal matters, human interaction. Ecuestre is a project that revolves around Barcelona’s society, helping to keep the city active, up to date and appealing; it strives to ensure Barcelona is always

What has been your biggest challenge as Chairman?

I’ve had and have a number of challenges, although the first was taking on the role of chairman amidst the current economic crisis. That’s been a hefty challenge. As I always say in my articles, “to reverse the crisis, more work, effort, motivation, energy and investment.”

In times like these, how important are relationships with other international clubs?

We’re the club with the greatest international presence. We have roughly 220 associate clubs around the world. South and North America, Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania and more specifically, in Spain, for example, we maintain a relationship with 25 clubs.

What are the Club’s main benefits?

Our contacts are one of the benefits our members most appreciate. It goes without saying that, when you come to the city on business, there’s no comparing the experience of spending a few days at the Club rather than a hotel.

What percentage of members living in Barcelona are foreigners?

That’s a good question, and I couldn’t say for sure, but probably less than I would like. That being said, we do have a great group of members who organise activities. For example, our members from the German group KDF often organise activities at the Club. The President of Germany, Christian Wulff, actually came for one of their most recent events

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MADRID

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En 2011 recibió el Premio Loréal a la mejor colección de la Pasarela Cibeles y el Prix de moda de la revista Marie Claire al “Mejor Diseñador Nacional”

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ÁNGEL SCHLESSER EL DISEÑADOR DE LAS PRENDAS SIMPLES www.angelschlesser.com

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n el concurrido barrio de Malasaña de Madrid, se encuentra el showroom de uno de los diseñadores de moda más prestigiosos del panorama español. Hablar de Ángel Schlesser es hablar de estilo y de mujeres que pisan fuerte. Nos encontramos con el diseñador cántabro, en su hábitat natural: entre sus prendas. Ángel, si tuviera que definir sus diseños en tres palabras, ¿cuáles escogerías?

Creo que la mejor definición es la que utiliza la gente para definirlos: simples, sobrios y utilitarios.

La palabra “simple” podría malinterpretarse como algo negativo, pero no lo es….

En efecto, no tiene nada que ver. “Simple” es una palabra que tiene dos puntos de vista, y es fantástica si la entiendes como contraposición a complicado. Si la entendemos como “simplicidad” o “poco interés”, entonces no me interesa para nada.

La mujer para la que yo diseño no es complicada, es una mujer segura, con las ideas muy claras y no necesita demasiados artificios ni transformación.

¿Madrid le llena de energía, o de vez en cuado necesita salir para pensar, recapacitar y trabajar?

“LA MUJER PARA LA QUE DISEÑO NO NECESITA DEMASIADOS ARTIFICIOS” La moda española está atravesando una situación difícil…

Es cierto que España está atravesando una situación difícil financiera, laboral y social, y quizás no sea el mejor momento, pero España tiene sin duda un gran potencial creativo y tenemos la inmensa suerte de poder conectar con un mercado importantísimo de manera muy fácil, como es el latinoamericano. Sin olvidar el mercado Europeo, en el cual en un futuro tendremos algo más de relevancia de la que tenemos ahora. Seguro.

Así que tiene la mirada puesta en países de Latino América como mercado emergente...

Sin lugar a dudas mi primera mirada está en Europa que es sin duda con el que más me identifico, aunque es un mercado más difícil y quizás, más natural. Ángel Schlesser no solo es ropa, también son accesorios y perfumes, y de hecho ahora va a lanzar u nuevo perfume “Purewet”. ¿A que se debe este nombre?

Detrás está la historia de una bailarina, y gira entorno a la pirueta… De hecho hay puntos en común con mi próxima colección por el

uso del rosa y el negro juntos. Supongo que inconscientemente hay puntos en común pero conscientemente no. ¡Soy un poco romántico! ¿Cuando diseña para pasarela es diferente que cuando diseña para una película?

No, tiene mucho que ver porque un director cuando recurre a ti para vestir a un personaje, en realidad lo hace porque le gusta tu estilo.

Vienen a mi para recrear una realidad.

Entonces ¿se concentra en el personaje?

Si, en el personaje y en la persona.

Después de ganar el premio Cibeles y el premio Marie Claire, ¿cuáles con los restos para este año?

Para mí, los retos no son ganar premios. El reto es trabajar día a día y conseguir más o menos aceptaciones. Es más una labor diaria, de esfuerzo diario.

Y en ese día a día ¿qué es le que le mueve y le ilusiona?

La inspiración no es algo que llegue como una racha de viento, más bien llega cuando estás trabajando, por eso para mi es fundamental revisar tu trabajo, analizar los defectos y pensar.

Todo se centra en reflexionar sobre el trabajo

INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE PHOTOS REBECA SARAY

SPRING & SUMMER 2012

Empezó diseñando colecciones de hombre ¿volverá algún día?

Por el momento no. Me gustaba mucho hacerlo y eso que en un principio me dio más disgustos que satisfacciones, y me quedó ese sabor de boca. Ahora lo haría siempre y cuando alguien se encargase de su distribución y fabricación.

La ciudad de Madrid me da una energía especial para vivir, algo que para mi es fundamental para luego poder diseñar. Pero viajar es muy enriquecedor y a la vez muy necesario.

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MADRID

Designer of Simple Clothing In 2011, he received the L’Oréal Award for Best Collection at the Pasarela Cibeles and the Prix d’Excellence Fashion Award from the magazine Marie Claire as Best Spanish Designer.

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adrid’s bustling Malasaña Neighbourhood accommodates the showroom of one of Spain’s most prestigious fashion designers. To talk about Ángel Schlesser is to talk about style and women who leave an indelible impression.

We find this Cantabrian designer in his natural habitat: among his clothes. Ángel, if you had to choose three words to define your designs, what would they be?

I think the best definition is the one people use to define them: simple, discreet and utilitarian.

The word “simple” can be misconstrued as having negative connotations, but it doesn’t...

Indeed, not at all. “Simple” is a word which can be viewed from two perspectives, and it’s great if you see it as the opposite of complicated. If we understand it as “simplicity” or “uninteresting”, then it doesn’t strike my interest.

The women I design for aren’t complicated.

They’re secure, know exactly what they want and don’t need artful tricks or alterations.

“THE WOMEN I DESIGN FOR DON’T NEED A LOT OF ARTFUL TRICKS” You started out designing for men. Do you think you’ll ever do so again?

Not for the time being. I enjoyed it, although, at the time, it was more trouble than it was worth, and I was left with that kind of taste in my mouth.

I’d be happy to do it provided someone else took care of distribution and manufacturing.

SPRING & SUMMER 2012

Does Madrid energise you, or do you need to escape occasionally to think, get back to your senses and work?

The city of Madrid gives me a unique energy I need to live, something that’s vital for my design work. But I find travelling extremely enriching, as well as necessary.

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Spanish fashion is immersed in a difficult situation...

While there’s no denying that Spain is currently immersed in a difficult financial, occupational and social situation, and times are indeed tough, Spain has an immense creative potential, and we’re extremely lucky to have such an easy connection with one of the most important markets: Latin America. Not to mention the European market, in which, at some point in the future, I’m positive we’ll have a more prominent role.

Therefore, you view Latin American countries as an emerging market...

Europe is undoubtedly my main focus, as it’s the one I most identify with. But it’s also the most complicated and perhaps most natural market. Ángel Schlesser is not just clothes, but accessories and perfumes as well. You’re about to launch a new perfume, Purewet. Where did the name come from?

It’s inspired in the story of a ballet dancer and is based on the pirouette... It actually has a few things in common with my next collection, as they both combine pink and black. I guess the things they have in common are more subconscious than conscious. I’m a bit of a romantic!

Does fashion show design differ from film design?

No, they’re quite similar, because, when the director asks you to dress their characters, they’re really doing it because they like your style. They come to me to recreate a reality.

Do you focus on the character?

Yes, on the character and on the person.

Having won the Cibeles and Marie Claire Awards, what are your goals for the year?

In my opinion, winning awards isn’t a goal. My goal is to work hard every day and earn greater acceptance. It’s more of a daily chore, a daily effort.

And what is it about day to day life that motivates and excites you?

Inspiration isn’t something that blows in like a gust of wind. It appears while you’re working, which is why you have to go over your work, analyse your shortcomings and think. It’s all about reflecting on your work

F MADRID

SPRING & SUMMER 2012

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fashion

Sita Murt W

e meet with the designer Sita Murt, who was recognised with the “Al Treball Francés Maciá” Medal so she can talk to us about her line, her passion for Barcelona and the secret of her new creations.

Do you think Barcelona is more feminine and Madrid is more masculine?

I see Barcelona as feminine and masculine.

I like the city...perhaps for its name.

You began here, now you just opened a store in Paris, those are some big steps...

Yes, this step has been important. We began here many years ago, walking the Gaudí catwalk in 1989 and little by little we’ve been opening stores and now we have one in Paris.

· Summer 2010

For those who come here and don’t know the city, could you share a secret?

They should wander through El Borne, El Gótico, Paseo de Gracia, The Picasso Museum and should visit the sea.

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What type of woman do you design for, what do you see when you close your eyes and draw?

I always see a woman. In my life, I’ve stopped wondering if it’s a Catalan, German, or French woman. We design for the young, contemporary woman, who during the day takes the kids to school and by night, enjoys a cocktail.

I think yes, before there was a Spanish design as well one for each region but I think that is over. Now, if a design is good, it’s good in every place in the world.

What do you think of the up and coming countries, do you see them as imporant for your label?

I think they are essential as much for me as they are for those who have a label and want to expand throughout the world, it doesn’t end here but rather you have to move around, travel.

We’re in a prime moment, we’re growing and our objective is to internationalise the label.

I’d like to be in New York, Munich, Berlin.

Tell me secrets about the new collection...

One secret is that we are going to launch the first important shoe collection. We had tested out four pairs and it went well, so now we are debuting the first important shoe collection.

One always wants to dress in the designer’s universe...from there what accessories are sure winners...

Yes, the whole look: pants, scarf. Shoes. We try to have the whole look, we try to think of that.

What is luxury for you?

The luxury of Sita Murt is a modern luxury and I keep this in mind. It’s not an ostentatious luxury, it’s simple.

With respect to colours, the last collections were in very natural tones...

I like collections with colours that flatter women. When I design, I consider that. But the colours of the Sita Murt collection are universal because they are neutral. However, I like to add others to these bases and also because we adapt them to the designs of each country.

You received the “Al Treball Francés Maciá” Medal...

Yes, it’s a recognition of my work. I was thrilled by all that it entails because I like my work. They gave it to me but it’s actually a recognition of the entire team.

fg INTERVIEW C L A U D I A T R I M D E HAIR & MAKE UP B A L I S P I R I T PHOTO A N A I I B A R R A

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econocida con la medalla “Al Treball Francés Maciá”, nos encontramos con la diseñadora Sita Murt para que nos explique la línea de sus diseños, su pasión por Barcelona y además, nos comente secretos de sus nuevas creaciones. ¿Crees que Barcelona es más femenina y Madrid más masculina?

Yo veo a Barcelona femenina y masculina. Me gusta la ciudad..quizás por el nombre…

Has empezado aquí, ahora has abierto una tienda en París, son grandes pasos…

Si, este paso ha sido importante. Comenzamos aquí hace unos cuántos años, desfilando en la Pasarela Gaudí, en el 1989 y, poco a poco, hemos ido abriendo tiendas y ahora ya en París.

Para las personas que vienen aquí y no conocen la ciudad, ¿les podrías soplar un secreto?…

Que paseen por el Borne, el Gótico, Paseo de Gracia, el Museo Piccaso y ver el mar. ¿Para qué tipo de mujer diseñas, qué ves al cerrar los ojos y dibujar?

Yo siempre veo una mujer. En mi vida me he parado a pensar si es una mujer catalana, alemana o francesa. Nosotros diseñamos para la mujer, contemporánea, joven, la que debe llevar los niños al colegio y que a la noche tiene un cóctel.

Creo que antes sí había un diseño para España y uno para cada región pero esto se ha acabado.

Si ahora un diseño está bien, lo está en cualquier parte del mundo.

Una siempre se quiere vestir en el universo de la diseñadora… de allí que los complementos son muy acertados…

Si, todo el look entero: pantalón, foulard. Zapatos. Nosotros pretendemos tener todo el look entero, intentamos pensar en ello. ¿Qué es “lujo” para ti?

El lujo de Sita Murt es un lujo moderno y yo lo tengo en cuenta. No es un lujo ostentoso, es simple.

En cuanto a los colores, las últimas colecciones fueron en tonos muy naturales…

A mi me gustan las colecciones que los colores favorezcan a la mujer. Cuando diseño pienso en ella. Pero los colores de la colección de Sita Murt son identificables porque son neutros. Sin embargo, me gusta agregar otros a estas bases y también los adaptamos a los diseños de cada país.

Has recibido la medalla “Al Treball Francés Maciá”…

Si, es un reconocimiento al trabajo. Me ha hecho mucha ilusión por todo lo que conlleva, porque a mí me gusta mi trabajo. Me la han dado a mí pero es un reconocimiento a todo el equipo.

Summer 2010·

¿Qué opinas de los países emergentes, los consideras importantes para la evolución de tu marca?

Creo que son imprescindibles tanto para mí como todos los que tengan una marca y la quieran expandir por el mundo, no todo se acaba aquí, hay que moverse, viajar.

Estamos en un momento dulce, estamos creciendo y nuestro objetivo es internacionalizar la marca. Me gustaría estar en Nueva Cork, Munich, Berlín.

Cuéntame secretos de la nueva colección…

Un secreto es que vamos a lanzar la primer colección importante de zapatos. Habíamos probado con cuatro pares y ha salido muy bien, así que ahora, lanzamos la primera colección importante de zapatos.

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walk

Rosa Clará · Summer 2010

the catalan designer

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INTERVIEW C L A U D I A T R I M D E PHOTO J A V I E R L O R I T E

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cT cLaUDIa TrIMDe // rc roSa cLarÁ

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he Catalan designer Rosa Clará gives us an exclusive peek of her new collection and discusses her new muse: the model and actress Mischa Barton. We take advantage of the opportunity to ask her about the new outlets and the success of her designs which are inspired by life in Barcelona.

CT Is the new collection aimed at a bride from Barcelona or were you thinking of an international public?

RC We were born without borders, with a global spirit. When we first started 15 years ago. our aim was to try to link everyone together. Thus, our dresses have to be ones that can sell anywhere in the world. If we come to a country where the collections do not fit in, we adapt and make specific collections, which is the case in Arab countries, where we are opening 18 new stores.

CT Is the Barcelona store the flagship?

RC Well, we already have several locations in Barcelona. I would say that it could be Paris with a store measuring 500 m2 in Sant Honore; and also in two months we are opening one in Miami with 700m2 and another in Mexico of 600m2.

CT How many points of sale do you have?

RC We have almost 100 Rosa Clará stores, some 30 for Aire Collection. In the Multibrand store, we have more than 1,800 clients.

CT For this new collection, Mischa Barton is your new muse...

RC I first discovered her through the show “The O.C.” and for me, she seemed to be a fashion icon. In addition, I loved the show´s style and I thought it would be a good option to bring her to Barcelona.

CT Do you have ambassadors in each country?

RC Actually, we take certain people when we have special events. If we take on someone as part of our image, it should be someone with international recognition.

Barcelona is your birthplace...

RC Yes, I was born here and I come from a Catalan family, very Spanish and very Catalan.

CT Is this reflected in your designs?

RC Yes, I think that Spanish women have this idea that Catalan women are more serious and obviously, Rosa Clará dresses are a definite departure from the simple and the sober.

CT What inspires you about Barcelona?

RC Absolutely everything. Walking through the street and seeing a shirt, feeling something that you like, all that makes the dresses what they are.

CT Where can we find you in Barcelona?

RC I am very much a city person. I love walking through Barcelona from Pedrables until Port Olimpic. I lose myself in all the little nooks...the old part of Barcelona has some spectacular buildings and stores. During the weekends, I try to take this route.

CT What steps does Barcelona have to take to adapt to what is going on worldwide?

RC I think we are at a difficult moment with respect to the city. We all have to do our part because I think Barcelona is experiencing a restructuring of many things, like the exodus of people moving to Madrid. I think we have to get our act together and make a concerted effort.

CT What can you do with respect to that?

RC I think that by setting trends, not just me but rather all of the companies, we are getting Barcelona’s name out to the world. For Bridal Week, more than 1,800 clients patronised us.

That is really important.

CT What do you think of putting “Barcelona” in the name of your brand like Custo does?

RC In Rosa Clará it would be difficult because the brand was started with that name and changing it would be very complicated as it is registered like that all over the world. However, Aire, which is our second brand, was started as Aire Collection but now is called Aire Barcelona, which says that we are delighted to bring our city to everyone.

Summer 2010·

CT What plans are there for the future?

RC My dream is to be able to have a store in all the most important cities in the world and for any bride who likes our product to be able to find a site to buy it.

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· Summer 2010

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www.fovinco.com

w

la DiseñaDora catalana

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a diseñadora catalana Rosa Clará nos presenta en exclusiva su nueva colección y nos habla de su nueva musa: la modelo y actriz Mischa Barton. Aprovechamos la oportunidad para además preguntarle sobre los nuevos puntos de venta y el éxito de sus diseños que, adaptados a todas las culturas, se inspiran en la vida de Barcelona.

CT¿La nueva colección es para una novia de Barcelona o has pensado en el público a nivel internacional?

RC Nosotros nacimos sin fronteras, con espíritu global, intentando ligar con todo el mundo, este fue nuestro objetivo desde hace 15 años cuando arrancamos. Por ello nuestros vestidos tienen que ser colecciones que puedan venderse en cualquier parte del mundo. Si llegamos a un país en el que las colecciones no encajan, nos adaptamos y hacemos colecciones específicas, este es el caso de los países árabes en donde este año estamos abriendo 18 tiendas.

CT¿El flagship store es el de Barcelona?

RC Bueno, allí ya tenemos unos cuantos. Yo diría que puede ser París con una tienda de 500 m2 en Sant Honore; también en dos meses abrimos en Miami con una de 700 m2 y otra en México de 600 m2.

CTPara esta colección Mischa Barton es tu nueva musa…

RC Conocí a Mischa por la serie O.C y me pareció una niña icono de moda, además me encantaban los estilismos de la serie y pensé que sería buena opción traerla a Barcelona.

CT¿Cuentas con embajadores de cada país?

RC En realidad cogemos a ciertas personas cuando tenemos actos especiales. Si cogemos a alguien como imagen debe ser alguien de repercusión internacional, que la conozcan en todo el mundo.

CTBarcelona es tu cuna…

RC Si. Nací aquí y soy de familia catalana, muy española y muy catalana.

CT¿Esto se refleja en los diseños?

RC Si, creo que la mujer española tiene el concepto de la catalana como más sobria y evidentemente los vestidos de Rosa Clará parten de la sencillez y la sobriedad.

CT¿Qué te inspira de Barcelona?

RC Absolutamente todo. Caminar por la calle y ver una camiseta, sentir algo que te gusta, todo ello hace que los trajes sean lo que son.

CT¿Dónde podemos encontrarte en Barcelona?

RC Soy una persona muy urbana, me encanta caminar por Barcelona, de Pedralbes hasta el puerto olímpico, me pierdo por todos los rincones… la parte antigua de Barcelona tiene unos edificios y una tiendas espectaculares, los fines de semana intento hacer ese recorrido.

CT¿Qué paso tiene que dar Barcelona para adaptarse a lo que estamos viviendo mundialmente?

RC Creo que estamos en un momento difícil a nivel ciudad. Todos tenemos que poner de nuestra parte porque yo creo que Barcelona está sufriendo una deslocalización de muchas cosas, de huída de gente hacia Madrid, creo que nos tenemos que poner las pilas.

CT¿Qué puedes hacer tú al respecto?

RCreo que marcando tendencias, no sólo yo sino todas las empresas, estamos llevando el nombre del Barcelona al mundo. Para el Bridal Week vienen a comprarnos más de 1.800 clientes esto es muy importante.

CT¿Qué piensas de llevar en la marca “Barcelona” como lo hace Custo?

RC En Rosa Clará sería difícil porque la marca se creó así y cambiarlo sería muy complicado porque está registrado en todo el mundo. Sin embargo, por ejemplo Aire que es nuestra segunda marca nació como Aire Collection pero ahora es Aire Barcelona, es decir que estamos encantados de llevar nuestra ciudad a todo el mundo.

Summer 2010·

CT¿Con cuántos puntos de venta cuentan?

RC Tenemos casi unas 100 tiendas de Rosa Clará, unas 30 de Aire Collection y en las multimarca tenemos más de 1.800 clientes.

CT¿Qué planes hay para el futuro?

RC Mi sueño sería poder tener una tienda en todas las ciudad más importante del mundo y que cualquier novia que le gustara nuestro producto encontrara cerca un sitio dónde comprarlo.

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letter

Summer 2010

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PHOTO ANAI IBARRA HAIR & MAKE UP BALI SPIRIT

e welcome you to search for passion and excellence on every level in this new issue of MADRID deluxe. As a proud exclusive partner of the Madrid Premium Fair, we have undertaken a very special project this year: the benefit dinner for OrphanAid África, an organization responsible for introducing children in orphanages to their families.

We are also very proud to announce the launch of our new SOCIAL CLUB and its world wide luxury portal, found at: www.le-citydeluxe.com.

I would like to extend my warmest welcome to our new ambassador who champion compassion on every level in their field of expertise -Fiona Ferrer Leoni - opinion of leadership.

ENJOY!

verano 2010

L Claudia Trimde

· Summer 2010

claudia.trimde@barcelona-deluxe.com Directora de Madrid deluxe

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e damos la bienvenida a esta nueva edición de MADRID deluxe, en búsqueda de la pasión y la excelencia en todos sus niveles.

Como socio exclusivo del Madrid Premium Fair, hemos emprendido un proyecto muy especial este año: una cena benéfica en favor de OrphanAid Africa, una organización que tiene com objetivo mejorar la vida de los niños en los orfanatos y con sus familias.

También estamos muy orgullosos de anunciar el lanzamiento de nuestro nuevo club social y su portal de lujo mundial: www.le-citydeluxe.com.

Me gustaría extender mi más cálida bienvenida a nuestra nueva embajadora que promueven la compasión en todos los niveles, dentro de sus propias experiencia Fiona Ferrer Leoni, lider de opinión. ¡DISFRUTA!

design

AILANTO Premieres New Shop in Barcelona

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ñaki and Aitor Muñóz, the designers behind Ailanto, open the doors of their first Barcelona location to talk to us about their career, design and new projects.

Congratulations on inaugurating your first Ailanto shop. We have been waiting for it to open…

We’d been mulling the idea over for a long time, but we never quite found that perfect place.

We’ve always adored Enrique Granados Street, with all its trees, so when they told us the locale was empty, we snatched it up.

· Summer 2010

Ailanto is always innovating, creating new things, the shop, collaborations…

Yeah, now, in the store, we have a collection of children’s pots and patterned jugs that we created alongside Sargadelo. Our handbags and shoes come from a collaboration we do with GEISER; the lamps with Santa & Cole.

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When will we see you in Madrid?

Opening a shop in Madrid figures among our projects, but for the time being, we’ve done the most important thing: set the shop’s style.

Do you know what your next international move will be?

At the minute we’re busy visiting the shops in Paris and meeting with our international clients, who want to work with us in Italy and the Middle East.

Where do you sell the most?

In Japan. Ever since our first fair in Paris, the first clients we had were Japanese because they are better suited to sophisticated yet casual shapes and style; a style that can be used more, all day long.

How do you split the work? Does it occur naturally?

Both of us have a hand in everything, in runway production, scenography, music and make-up.

While you are both from Bilbao, Barcelona is your hub…

We came here to study Fine Arts and we ended up settling in Barcelona because at the time, in the 80s and 90s, it was the city of design.

Nowadays you find a lot of non-native people

here, people from different cultures, and that’s very enriching.

They say Barcelona is a tough city. As emerging designers, how have you found it?

We began in 92-93 with two clients in Barcelona and one in Madrid. Yet, little by little, we gradually gained more clients in Spain.

Do you miss the catwalk in Barcelona?

We displayed our collections for three years in Gaudí, and truth be told, they treated us incredibly well and we learned a great deal.

Afterwards we came back to Madrid, because unfortunately, that’s where the press is.

Future projects… Is there anything we don’t know about?

We’re on the verge of signing a licensing contract, but we’re not allowed to say anything… however, we’re always weighing different ideas from people who are looking to work with us, like the latest collaboration we did with Hotel Vela.

Can we find elements of Barcelona in

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Ailanto estrena nueva tienda en Barcelona

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ñaki y Aitor Muñóz, diseñadores de Ailanto, nos abren las puertas de su primera tienda en Barcelona para conversar acerca de su trayectoria, el diseño y los nuevos proyectos.

Felicitaciones por la inauguración de la primera tienda de Ailanto, ya deseábamos que la abrieran…

Hace tiempo que veníamos pensando en la idea pero nunca encontrábamos el sitio idóneo.

Siempre nos había encantado esta calle de Enrique Granados, de árboles y cuando nos dijeron que el local estaba vacío, lo cogimos.

your designs, signs or sentiments?

We’re from Bilbao, and even though we came here to study we still retain our background from the place we were born. We have a little bit more North in us, and maybe you identify more with designers from up there.

Describe the quintessential Barcelona woman. How do you view her?

In Barcelona you find an enormous range of styles, and the people who aren’t from here enrich the city as well. If we asked what kind of women buy Ailanto, they are people involved in the creative world and in culture.

What are your favourite Barcelona spots?

Aitor is addicted to the Ciutadella Park, and I (Iñaki) am a huge fan of the Labyrinth in Horta.

And what restaurants do you frequent?

Me, which is a Venezuelan/Vietnamese restaurant. Wushu del Borne, Giardinetto and Flash are our favourite places…

¿Cuándo los vemos en Madrid?

Tenemos un proyecto para abrir una tienda en Madrid, por ahora hemos hecho lo más importante, marcar el estilo de la tienda. ¿Tenéis en vista el próximo paso internacional?

Por ahora estamos visitando las tiendas de París y nos quedamos con nuestros clientes internacionales, con los que quieren trabajar con nosotros en Italia y en Middle East . ¿Dónde vendéis más?

En Japón. Desde la primera feria que realizamos en París, los primeros clientes que tuvimos fueron los japoneses porque encajan con las formas y el estilo que es sofisticado pero casual, para usar más durante todo el día. ¿Cómo os repartáis el trabajo, surge naturalmente?

Hacemos de todo los dos, la producción, escenografía, música y el maquillaje de un desfile.

Vosotros sois de Bilbao pero Barcelona es vuestra cuna…

Vinimos a estudiar Bellas Artes aquí y final-

Dicen que Barcelona es una ciudad difícil, ¿cómo lo habéis encontrado vosotros como diseñadores emergentes?

Nosotros empezamos en el 92-93 con dos clientes en Barcelona y uno en Madrid pero poco a poco comenzamos a tener más clientes en España. ¿Echáis de menos la pasarela en Barcelona?

Estuvimos desfilando durante tres años en Gaudí y la verdades que nos trataron súper bien y aprendimos muchas cosas, luego volvimos a Madrid porque lamentablemente allí es donde está toda la prensa.

Proyectos para el futuro… ¿qué mas hay ahí que no sabemos?

Estamos a punto de firmar un contrato para una licencia, pero no podemos decir nada…pero siempre tenemos diferentes propuestas de gente que quiere que colaboremos con ellos como lo último que hicimos con el Hotel Vela. ¿Podemos encontrar algunas marcas o sentimientos de Barcelona en vuestros diseños?

Nosotros somos de Bilbao pero, aunque hayamos venido aquí a estudiar, tenemos un background del sitio en el que hemos nacido. Tenemos un poco más del norte , igual te sientes un poco más identificado con diseñadores de allí. ¿Cómo es la mujer de Barcelona, cómo la veis vosotros?

En Barcelona hay un abanico enorme de estilos y la gente de fuera le da también enriquecimiento a la ciudad. Si preguntamos cuál es el perfil de las mujeres que compran Ailanto, son personas que tienen que ver con el mundo creativo y la cultura. ¿Cuáles son vuestros sitios preferidos en Barcelona?

Aitor es Adicto al Parque de la Ciudadela. A mí (Iñaki) me gusta mucho el Laberinto de Horta.

Y, ¿a qué restaurantes vais?

El Me que es venezolano- vietnamita. El Wushu del Borne, el Giardinetto y el Flash son nuestros sitios favoritos…

Summer 2010·

INTERVIEW C L A U D I A T R I M D E PHOTO J A V I E R L O R I T E HAIR & MAKE-UP A L D E I R

Ailanto está siempre innovando, creando cosas nuevas, la tienda, las colaboraciones…

Si, ahora tenemos en la tienda una colección de vasijas infantiles y jarrones estampados que hicimos con Sargadelo. Los bolsos y zapatos es una colaboración que hacemos con GEISER, las lámparas con Santa & Cole.

mente nos instalamos en Barcelona porque en aquellos años, en los 80-90 esta era la ciudad del diseño. Ahora aquí hay mucha gente de fuera, de diferentes culturas y eso es muy enriquecedor.

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ne of the best writers and travellers in the world once reflected: “The meaning of our lives can be found in crossing frontiers: those of language and culture.”

BARCELONA Deluxe wants to share with you the renewed spirit with which we have set out on this new stage. We have been rewarded for all the effort and hope we have invested over the years in every one of our pages, in the form of the AEEPP award for “best publication of the year”. We want to share this with all of you, who have made it possible by believing in us.

BARCELONA Deluxe is crossing a frontier of commitment and maturity. We believe in the human spirit, and we are capturing it by taking responsibility for ourselves and for the world we live in through the creation of a new initiative called “CHARITY deluxe”, a quarterly event which will support a charitable cause, this time UNICEF. We want to be this window to the world, from the city of Barcelona, giving our best, believing in and creating a better world. By opening ourselves up to the world we will understand and discover the beauty of our existence!

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Claudia Trimde

claudia.trimde@barcelona-deluxe.com Directora de Barcelona deluxe

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no de los mejores escritores y viajeros del mundo nos hacía esta reflexión: “El sentido de nuestras vidas está en cruzar fronteras: las de la cultura, el idioma” BaRcEloNa Deluxe, quiere compartir con vosotros el espíritu renovado con el que emprendemos esta nueva etapa. Nos han recompensado por el esfuerzo y la ilusión que hemos depositado, en estos años, en cada una de nuestras páginas, con el reconocimiento a nuestro trabajo con el accésit a “la MEJoR PuBlicaciÓN DEl aÑo” otorgado por la aEEPP. Y queremos compartirlo con todos vosotros que lo hacéis posible, por haber confiado en nosotros.

BaRcEloNa Deluxe, cruzará la frontera de la madurez y el compromiso. creemos en el espíritu y lo plasmamos en la responsabilidad con nosotros mismos y con el mundo que nos rodea creando una nueva iniciativa llamado “chaRitY deluxe”, un evento trimestral que apoyará una iniciativa benéfica, esta vez con “uNicEF”.

Queremos ser esta ventana al mundo, desde la ciudad de Barcelona, dando lo mejor de nosotros mismos, siendo capaces de creer y crear un mundo mejor a nuestro alrededor. abriéndonos al mundo habremos comprendido y descubierto ¡la belleza de nuestra existencia!

| Walk TEXT: CLAUDIA TRIMDE PHOTOS: NAYELI ZARAGOZA PELUQUERIA & MAKE-UP: BACKSTAGE WARDROBE CLAUDIA: MITMATMAMA

an afternoon with

Antonio Miro

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Una Tarde con anTonio Miro

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orn in Sabadell in 1947, Miró opened his own shop named Groc at the tender age of twenty, and his business took off during a time when Spanish design was in dire need of a new lease of life.

In 1976 he created the pioneering brand Antonió Miró, which became internationally renowned following promotion in Europe and the United States. He was in charge of wardrobe design for the inauguration and closing ceremonies of the 1992 Olympics.

The seemingly effortless stylistic simplicity belies the perfectionism and individuality inherent in his designs, which make great use of soft and natural fabrics. Antonio Miró was the first to use ordinary people instead of models on the catwalk, sending a strong message about his personal vision of fashion and ensuring his shows were always original and unique.

Miró’s company made €15 million in the first half of 2001, an enormous sum generated by the success of an array of products and collections such as Miró Jeans, furniture lines, accessories, uniforms and his perfume ‘Siesta’, launched in 1996, produced and distributed by Puig.

For the benefit of our international readership who may not be familiar with your work, how would you describe your fashion style? Is it typically ‘Barcelonian’?

I don’t work exclusively in fashion, but my clothes could be described as Barcelona style. My life doesn’t centre on clothing, it’s about furniture, accessories, and I’ve also done interior design and lighting, music… I’ve done many things, always because I enjoy it. My style reflects the fact that I’m enjoying myself.

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Many people know Custo because he named Barcelona in his brand.

Why haven’t you done the same?

I have! The brand name Antonio Miró Barcelona existed back in the Eighties, but somebody told me that it was too long so we decided to lose the word Barcelona. It’s great to say Chanel Paris, but if you get rid of Paris, Chanel still works. It suits Custo well because a long word like Barcelona complements a short word like Custo. In my case it sounds a bit cumbersome, like reciting a small poem. I’m also not much of a nationalist... I love Barcelona but it’s not the be all and end all.

Readers might also get confused by the surname Miró, which you share with the painter Joan Miró. Any relation?

No, no relation at all. But I am very close to the Miró family, to the extent that the painter´s grandson is my daughter Blanca’s godfather. We’ve had some great times, we’ve even been to the Philippines together, and I’ve met the whole family, including his grandfather (Joan Miró) and grandmother.

Emilio Miró always calls me these days when he’s in Barcelona.

What do you value most about your work?

I enjoy what I do. The best part of the day is when I get up to go to work, and the worst is at the end of the day because I’m so tired.

Is it hard mentoring your team and imparting your knowledge to them?

I give fashion classes; I’m the director of a fashion masters course in

Walk | Elisava (a local design school) and I try to share everything I know with my students. Obviously I feel that everyone around me teaches me too – I believe the teacher is a student and the student is a teacher. One never stops learning.

What new challenges do you face?

I think survival is the biggest one right now.

So you don’t see the current crisis as a time of opportunity?

Crises make you think, and thinking is always good. But there’s obviously a negative side too – unemployment, people who are struggling and troubled. Success doesn’t make you think, it’s a pressure that you don’t know how to bear because everything acknowledges you. In failure this pressure disappears and you stop moving forwards. The good thing about the crisis is that everybody has to engage more in reflexive side of life than in the sociable, euphoric side. I think reflection is the more interesting side.

If you had to do a ranking of all the cities in the world, do you think Barcelona is number one for visitors?

It depends what you’re looking for. I think the three best capital cities are Rome, Paris and London. But if you want a little flirtation, if you’re looking for culture, sunshine, good food and a feeling of freedom, Barcelona wins hands down.

How would you describe the Catalans?

A Catalan is typically bored, cultured and hedonistic - deep down he wants to have fun. But he isn’t very... inquisitive. But you can probably come up with a better definition, or maybe someone who’s got an outsider perspective and can make an unbiased judgement. A Catalan doesn’t have many friends; he has a few, just like people everywhere. In other cities like Madrid or New York, it’s normal for strangers to talk to you, in a bar for example; that doesn’t happen here. The Catalans are more reserved, shy, with a noticeable sense of the ridiculous.

You always opened your catwalk cycle at Gaudí (a former Barcelona fashion catwalk), but now you do it in Paris. What happened?

You’re getting political now...

Ok… but people who aren’t from here see Barcelona as a city of fashion, but they recognise that Custo also does shows in New York and it’s no big deal Due to its political situation, Barcelona has lost its way a bit in this area.

The ‘Bread and Butter’ fashion show has left us too...

Yes, everyone’s leaving, it’s a shame. This year I’m doing a show in Madrid too.

“I feel that everyone around me teaches me too – I believe the teacher is a student and the student is a teacher. One never stops learning.”

Somewhere to take the kids?

Tibidabo is fantastic.

A good museum?

The MNAC (Museu Nacional d’Art de Barcelona), which has all the Catalan Romanesque art, which is crazy. I’ve always found Roman culture, like Pompeii, more interesting than Romanesque. But Catalan Romanesque is interesting for its madness, for the fears and demons which filled the medieval world. And then you have the section for modern Catalan art which is very interesting. It would be ridiculous to recommend the Picasso Museum when you know that the one in Paris is much better. I also like the Fundación Miró which is housed in a fantastic building designed by Sert (a Catalan architect from the 1930s). But I’ll have to stick with the MNAC, because it’s so exotic.

Let’s say that I’m looking to open an office in Barcelona. Which part of the city you recommend I do it in?

Barcelona is expensive all over. It’s expensive whether you’re in Sants or Hospitalet or somewhere nearer the centre. But if we’re talking about offices, it’s got to be somewhere sunny.

And somewhere to live?

L’Eixample, which is the nerve centre of the city. But if I was a tourist... I don’t know... Plaza Real isn’t bad, although it’s very noisy; maybe el Borne. In l’Eixample everything is more refined; everything is where it should be. It retains that Barcelona character... if you go to el Borne it sometimes feels a bit like New York.

I’d like to finish with some recommendations, starting with a good restaurant.

For tourists, Siete Puertas, which is a classic. It’s like Chez Luis in Paris.

A bar?

Well... El Glaciar, it’s a great place right?

You can say that again! And a hotel?

I haven’t been there for a while, but Hotel Colon has some magnificent views and is a lovelly hotel by the Gothic Quarter.

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acido en Sabadell en 1947, con tan solo 20 años abrió Groc, su propia tienda, y salió adelante en una época en la que el diseño español carecía de presencia alguna. En 1976 creó la marca Antonio Miró, pionera dentro del mercado nacional, y con ella alcanzó gran notoriedad internacional al presentar sus colecciones en Europa y Estados Unidos. Fue el encargado de realizar todo el vestuario de las ceremonias de inauguración y clausura en las Olimpíadas del 1992.

La simplicidad de su estilo no rehúye la perfección a la hora de elaborar sus diseños, en los cuales los tejidos suaves y naturals tienen un papel protagonista. Su ropa tiene un sello muy personal. Antonio Miró fue el primero que subió a la pasarela a gente normal de la calle, en lugar de modelos. Con ello consigue aportar su visión personal de la moda y logra que sus desfiles sean siempre originales.

Su empresa facturó 15 millones de euros en el primer semestre de 2001, un gran volumen de negocio al que han contribuido las líneas Miró Jeans, sus colecciones de muebles, accesorios, uniformes y su perfume 'Siesta', lanzado al mercado en 1996 y producido y distribuido por Puig.

Para nuestros lectores a nivel internacional, que quizá no te conozcan, como se puede describir su moda, ¿completamente barcelonesa?

No hago exclusivamente moda, aunque mi ropa sí se podría describir como estilo barcelona. Mi mundo no es la ropa exactamente, mi mundo son muebles, accesorios, también he hecho decoración, lámparas, música…. He hecho muchas cosas, siempre como una forma de pasármelo bien. Mi estilo muestra que lo estoy pasando muy bien.

Mucha gente conoce a Custo porque incluyó en su marca el nombre de Barcelona, porque no utilizaste el mismo recurso?

Sí que lo utilicé! Existió la marca Antonio Miró Barcelona en un primer momento, en los años 80, pero alguien me dijo que había demasiadas letras i decidimos prescindir del nombre de la ciudad. Está muy bien poner Chanel París, pero si le quitas París también funciona Chanel. A Custo le queda muy bien porque complementa un nombre corto con Barcelona, que es largo. En mi caso sonaba un poco recargado, casi como recitar un pequeño poema.

Además yo tampoco soy muy nacionalista…quiero mucho a Barcelona pero las cosas pasan como pasan.

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Los lectores también pueden estar confundidos por el apellido Miró porque lo relacionan con el pintor Joan Miró, tenéis algún vínculo familiar?

No, no tenemos nada que ver. Lo que sí que es verdad es que soy muy amigo de la família Miró, hasta el punto que el nieto del pintor fue el padrino de mi hija Blanca. Hemos compartido mucha amistad, incluso fuímos juntos a Filipinas. Y conocí a toda la família, incluidos el abuelo (Joan Miró) y la abuela. Ahora tengo relación con Emilio Miró, que me llama cuándo viene a Barcelona.

Qué es lo que mas valoras de tu trabajo?

Disfruto con lo que hago. El mejor momento del día es cuando me levanto por la mañana para ir a trabajar, y el peor al final de la jornada, porque estoy cansado Es difícil hacer de mentor con el equipo que trabaja contigo, transmitirles tus conociminetos?

Doy clases de moda, soy director de un máster de moda en Elisava (escuela de diseño de Barcelona) e intento transmitir todo lo que sé a mis alumnos. I lógicamente, considero que todas las personas que están a mi lado me enseñan. Yo creo que el profesor es alumno y el alumno es profesor.

Nunca se deja de aprender.

Cuáles son tus nuevos retos?

Creo que por ahora sobrevivir.

Entonces, no ves en la crisis una época de oportunidades?

La crisis es reflexiva y lo reflexivo siempre es bueno. Pero evidentemente existe el lado negativo, el paro, gente que lo pasa mal, que tiene inquietudes.

El éxito no es reflexivo, es una tensión muy grande que no sabes como sobrellevarla porque todo se te reconoce. En el fracaso esta tensión desaparece, te quedas frenado. Lo bueno de la crisis es que todo el mundo tiene que implicarse mas en el aspecto reflexivo que en el aspecto expansivo o eufórico.

Para mí es mas interesante lo reflexivo.

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De entre todas las ciudades del mundo, si tuvieras que hacer un ranking, cree que Barcelona es la ciudad numero uno para el visitante?

Depende de lo que busques. Yo creo que las tres capitales reinas son Roma, París y Londres. Ahora, si tu quieres coquetear, buscas cultura,sol, buena comida y un poco de sensación de libertad, Barcelona de lejos.

Como definirías a los catalanes?

El catalán es un hombre más bien aburrido, culto, hedonista, en el fondo quiere pasarlo bien. Pero no es un hombre muy…curioso. Aunque la definición la puedes encontrar mejor tu o alguien que haya venido de fuera y pueda analizarlo sin prejuicios. Un catalán no tiene muchos amigos, tiene algunos, lo normal como en todas partes. En otras ciudades, como Madrid o Nueva York es habitual que gente desconocida te hable, por ejemplo en un bar; esto aquí no pasa. El catalán es un hombre mas bien reservado, tímido, con un acusado sentido del ridículo.

Siempre abriste el ciclo de desfiles en Gaudí (pasarela de moda de Barcelona, ahora desaparecida) y ahora desfilas en París, ¿qué ha pasado?

Pero esto ya es político…

Como quieras…pero de cara a la gente que viene de fuera, ven Barcelona como un ciudad de moda pero reconocen que Custo también desfila en Nueva York y no pasa nada…

Barcelona, por una situación política, ha perdido un poco la cabeza sobre este tema. …tampoco el Bread and Butter va a seguir aquí…

Sí, se ha ido todo el mundo, es una pena. Este año desfilo en Madrid también.

Me gustaría acabar con algunas recomendaciones, empezando por un buen restaurante.

De cara al turista…el Siete Puertas,que es un clásico. Es como decir Chez Luis en Paris

“Todas las personas que estan a mi lado me enseñan. Yo creo que el profesor es alumno y el alumno es profesor. Nunca se deja de aprender”

Un bar de Copas?

Pues mira…El Glaciar, hemos estado bien ahí,no?

Sí,y tanto…y un hotel?

No sé como estará ahora el Hotel Colón, pero tiene unas vistas magníficas y es un hotel bonito, delante del gótico.

Algún sitio para llevar a los niños?

El Tibidabo es fantástico.

Un buen museo?

El MNAC, que tiene todo el románico catalán que es una locura. Siempre me había parecido más interesante lo romano que lo románico, me interesa más Pompeia que lo románico, pero el románico catalán es interesante por la locura, por estos miedos y demonios que impregnaban el un mundo medieval.

Y después tienes todo la parte de la pintura moderna catalana que es muy interesante. Lo ridículo es decir: véte a ver el Museo Picasso cuándo sabes que el de París es más importante. También la Fundación Miró con un edificio fantástico de Sert (arquitecto catalán de los años 30). Pero si me tengo que quedar con uno me quedo con el MNAC, por lo exótico.

Pongamos que soy una persona que quiere abrir una oficina en Barcelona, en qué parte de la ciudad recomendaría que me ubicase?

Barcelona es cara de arriba abajo, es caro tanto Sants como Hospitalet como algún lugar más cerca del centro. Por lo que se refiere a oficinas, yo recomiendo que toque el sol.

Y un lugar para vivir?

L’Eixample, que es el centro neurálgico de la ciudad. Pero si fuera turista… no lo sé...la Plaza Real no está mal, pero tiene mucho ruido; quizá el Borne.

En l’Eixample todo es más educado, todo está en su sitio. Mantiene el carácter barcelonés, porque a veces vas al Borne y te parece un poco Nueva York.

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Emilio Sanchez Vicario

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The values of sport

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n encounter with Emilio Sanchez Vicario, inevitably draws you into a world in which tennis is the undisputed protagonist. Having a conversation with someone who has represented Spain both as a player and captain of the Davis Cup is a great opportunity to find out more about the values he has acquired throughout his extensive career as one of the world’s top tennis professionals. These are the very values he aims to pass on at his academy, located in the outskirts of Barcelona. So I went to meet him to discover the secrets behind the academy’s success, which has produced some of the tennis world’s current top players.

After a professional career in which you ranked among the tennis elite, you decided to set up the Sanchéz Casal Academy, which has been running for ten years…

The academy came about from a desire to pass on all I´d learnt along the way and to give young players the breaks we never had.

We had a tough time trying to keep up with our studies, and had to make a pretty big effort to do so. The fact that our students have everything under one roof, enabling them to prepare for a professional career and work towards achieving a successful future both in and out of tennis, is something that brings us great satisfaction.

So what you’re saying is that your students not only come here to become “the best player in the world” but that they also obtain their academic qualifications…

It is fundamental that the two go hand in

hand. As the kids grow up, we give them the tools to achieve success in their personal lives, not just in tennis. They are obviously here to become great champions but at the end of the day, there aren’t that many top tennis players simply because there aren’t that many “vacancies”. One thing’s for sure though, they can become one of life’s winners. The sound set of values the sport teaches you, enables you to achieve whatever you want.

You and Sergio Casal have been professional colleagues for many years and have then become business partners. It seems you make a successful team…

Sergio and I have been partners since we played together. I always say that to make a good team you have to act as a foil for one another, since if you’re too alike, you tend to clash. I was always the steadier player, while he was the more spontaneous. When it comes to running a business I ‘m better suited to a management role, while Sergio’s forte lies in interacting with the parents and students out on the courts. We complement each other extremely well and I think that this is why ours is such a successful partnership.

Sportsman, businessman and founder of a charity that bears your name and to which you bring your values…

The Emilio Sánchez Vicario Foundation was set up at the end of last year. It’s based in Madrid where we collaborate with a major non-competitive tennis club. The idea is to undertake projects that help adults with disabilities or children who might not have the

TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE PHOTO ANAÍ IBARRA

chance to play: To give people the opportunity to enrich their lives through tennis. We are trying to develop a forum that invites the sport’s major stars to give talks on various different issues, in order to raise funds for the foundation’s charitable projects.

Have you a secret hideaway in Barcelona?

This club could be considered a secret hideaway for most, but it’s not so secret for me!

I think Barcelona has some amazing places to visit and enjoy. It’s so vast and has so many great places that I’d be hard pressed to choose just one.

If you had to recommend one of the city’s restaurants, which would it be?

If I had to pick a place to eat in Barcelona I’d opt for Italian restaurant Xemei and Japanese restaurant Yashima. When I’m entertaining friends who are here as tourists, I tend to take them along to more traditional restaurants such as Passadis del Pep. While on the subject of secrets…who do you consider to be the “promising rising stars” of the academy?

It’s hard for me to pick out just one. At the academy the pupils we work with are too young for their names to be widely known. Famous stars produced by the academy include Andy Murray and Argentinean player Juan Mónaco.

Our most successful female player to date is Svetiana Kuznetsova. As to the current students - to me they’re all potential stars

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Los valores del deporte

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na charla con Emilio Sánchez Vicario siempre supone el acceso a un mundo donde el tenis es protagonista ineludible.

Dialogar con quien ha defendido los colores españoles como jugador y capitán de Copa Davis es una gran oportunidad para conocer los valores que ha adquirido a lo largo de su extensa carrera en la elite del tenis mundial. Esos mismos valores son los que procura transmitir en su academia, ubicada en las afueras de Barcelona. Allí estuvo Claudia Trimde, directora de Le City Deluxe, para conocer los secretos de la academia por la que han pasado algunas de las actuales estrellas del planeta tenis.

Después de una carrera profesional en la elite del tenis, decide crear la Academia SánchezCasal que ya lleva diez años…

La Academia surge de esa necesidad de traspasar la experiencia que yo he recogido a lo largo del tiempo y de dar la oportunidad para que otros jóvenes tengan lo que nosotros no tuvimos. Para poder estudiar nosotros nos lo pasábamos bastante mal y teníamos que hacer esfuerzos bastante grandes. El hecho de que los chicos tengan todo en un mismo sitio, que puedan desarrollar sus carreras y puedan tener un futuro tanto a nivel de tenis como a nivel de vida y desarrollo personal, nos hace mucha ilusión.

Es decir que aquí no sólo se entrena para ser “el mejor jugador del mundo” sino que además, los alumnos se forman en el nivel académico…

Es fundamental poder compaginar las dos cosas. Los chicos van creciendo y aquí se les dan las pautas para poder tener éxito en sus vidas, no

solo en el tenis. Es claro que quieren venir aquí para ser grandes campeones. Pero al final grandes campeones de tenis hay muy pocos, porque no hay muchos “puestos de trabajo” disponibles. En cambio, en la vida sí que pueden ser campeones.

Pueden tener los valores justos, que son los que da el deporte para tener el éxito que buscas.

Usted y Sergio Casal han sido durante muchos años compañeros de profesión, ahora son socios, un tándem de éxito…

Sergio y yo fuimos compañeros desde que jugábamos juntos. Siempre digo que para ser una buena pareja te has de compensar, ya que dos caracteres iguales no suelen llevarse muy bien. Él y yo siempre nos hemos compensado muy bien como jugadores. Yo era un jugador más estable y él era un jugador más definitivo. Y en la gestión es lo mismo: yo soy un personaje más de gestión y dirección, y él es más de pista, de estar con los padres y los chicos en el campo. Entonces nos compensamos muy bien, y yo creo que eso hace que seamos una pareja muy importante.

Deportista, empresario y creador de la fundación que lleva su propio nombre y con la que trabaja en base a ciertos valores…

La Fundación Emilio Sánchez Vicario la hemos creado a finales del año pasado. Tiene su base en Madrid, donde colaboramos con un importante centro de tenis no competitivo. La idea es hacer proyectos para ayudar a la gente con minusvalías o a chicos que no puedan jugar.

Darle la posibilidad a gente para que a través del tenis se pueda beneficiar en sus vidas. Estamos

tratando de desarrollar un foro en el que invitamos a grandes personajes a hablar de diferentes temas para generar los recursos para invertirlos en proyectos fundacionales. ¿Cuál es su rincón secreto en Barcelona? ¡Un rincón secreto podría ser este club, aunque para mí no lo sería tanto! Yo creo que Barcelona tiene sitios espectaculares como para visitar y disfrutar. Es tan amplia y tienen tantos sitios que definirme por uno me costaría bastante.

Si tuviera que recomendarnos un restaurantes en la ciudad, ¿cuál sería?

Si tuviera que elegir un sitio en Barcelona sería el restaurante italiano Xemei y el japonés Yashima. Cuando voy con gente que hace turismo los llevo a sitios más tradicionales, como Passadís del Pep. Conversando acerca de secretos, ¿quiénes considera que son “las jóvenes promesas” de la academia?

Para elegir uno lo tengo difícil. Aquí en la academia trabajamos con edades demasiado tempranas como para que el gran público conozca los nombres. Entre los que han salido de la academia y son famosos están Andy Murray y Juan Mónaco, de Argentina. De las chicas, la alumna que ha tenido el mayor éxito es Svetlana Kuznetsova. De los demás me quedo con todos

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Modesto Lomba “Luxury is design itself” TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE PHOTO KATTIA ZANETTA MOLINA

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ore than two decades have passed since the Basque designer Modesto Lomba, showed his first collection at the “Pasarela Cibeles” fashion show. He did so under the name “Devota & Lamba”, a brand that has led him to embark on countless successful projects.

As well as being one of the top Spanish fashion designers with Devota & Lomba, you are the chairman of the Spanish Association of Fashion Designers …

That’s right and just to add to the mix I like to remind people that I am also a businessman.

A businessman I often said I didn’t want to be, but have somehow become. In Spain, above all, we not only have to be our creative selves and show our work, but also become actively involved in the management side of things.

Your multi-faceted company has covered everything from perfumes to architecture.

What is your definition of luxury?

Well, I think that I’m not alone in believing that design itself is luxury. Design allows us to see life from a much more practical point of view, but at the same time makes it a much more comfortable, refined and sensual experience.

Where do you draw your inspiration from in Madrid?

Here in our studio, working away. But it’s also true to say that what one sees, feels, hears and tastes also serves to inspire… We’ve just shown our new collection in the Yucatán Peninsula and Mérida in Mexico and our next collection is inspired by the ancient Mayan culture but with a distinctly modern twist.

Where do you recommend we eat out in Madrid?

You could start by having breakfast in La Mallorquina. It’s a traditional place where they serve coffee with fabulous freshly baked buns. For lunch, a very traditional restaurant in Madrid is the Malacatín, which is right next to the Rastro flea market along Plaza de Cascorro. It’s a tiny place that serves a great “cocido” (chickpea stew). Its peculiarity lies in that is run by an ex-soldier who left the army in order to do so, and who is quite brilliant.

Lastly, for dinner, I would recommend my

favourite cuisine - Japanese, which I find is the best type of food to dine out on, as it’s so light. …And your preferred places of cultural interest?

There is so much to see in Madrid, it would be an aberration to just dedicate one day to cultural pursuits, but as a magnificent writer and actor once said: “I have come here to promote my book”, so I would start with a visit to the Museo del Traje (costume museum), which is a fabulous museum. It’s a little out of the way because it’s in the Moncloa district…but it also has a fantastic restaurant and garden. …And for nightlife and partying?

Madrid offers an unrivalled nightlife.

However, I’m not the best person to ask because I’m not a night owl, but I have to say that I live just off the Gran Via and the traffic and number of pedestrians that are around at night are probably even greater than during the day, which never ceases to amaze me.

Where do the artists tend to meet?

I believe that there are many places… there’s the Museo Chicote, one of the most traditional places in Madrid which had its heyday in the 50’s and 60’s and is still popular, but I think they tend to gather in Madrid’s neighbourhoods such as Malsaña, Chueca, Lavapies or La Latina, all of which have a large artistic community who always enjoy a good party

SPRING & SUMMER 20111

As chairman of the Spanish Association of Fashion Designers – can you tell us what projects you’re currently working on?

The Association is committed to many cultural projects with exhibitions such as the one we are about to inaugurate in Moscow, in addition to being involved in education, collaborating with major universities in their degree studies alongside magazines such as Vogue, Marie Claire or Yo Dona, as well as participating in all other activities that help promote Spanish Fashion via Madrid’s Fashion Week.

What future challenges do you face?

Our aim is to create our very own “Devota & Lomba” world. We’re continually working on new projects. Right now, we’re designing a range of tableware.

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“El lujo es diseño”

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a han pasado más de dos décadas desde que el diseñador vasco Modesto Lomba presentase su primera colección en la Pasarela Cibeles. Lo hacía bajo el nombre de “Devota & Lamba”, una marca que le ha llevado a emprenderse en numerosos y exitosos proyectos.

SPRING & SUMMER 2011

Aparte de ser un gran diseñador de la moda española con Devota & Lomba, es el presidente de la Asociación de Creadores de Moda de España…

Sí, y por añadir algo que también me gusta recordar que también empresario. Empresario que muchas veces dije que no quise ser pero que de alguna forma doy. En España, sobre todo, no solo tenemos que ser y demostrar nuestro trabajo creativo, también nuestro trabajo como gestores.

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Como presidente de la Asociación de Creadores de Moda de España, ¿qué proyectos tenéis ahora sobre la mesa?

La Asociación está acometiendo muchos proyectos desde el punto de vista de lo cultural con exposiciones como la que vamos a inaugurar los próximos días en Moscú, como desde el terreno formativo, con colaboraciones con Master en importantes universidades con medios de Comunicación como Vogue o Mary Claire o con la revista Yo Dona, o como también con todo lo que tiene que ver con la difusión de la moda española, a través de Madrid Fashion Week.

Su firma ha abarcado muchos elementos, desde perfumes hasta arquitectura. ¿Qué desafíos tiene para el futuro?

Tratamos de crear un mundo Devota & Lomba o “devotizar” un mundo, casi me atrevería a decir. Nosotros trabajamos continuamente en proyectos nuevos. Ahora estamos haciendo una vajilla. ¿Qué es lujo para usted?

Bueno, el lujo para mí, y yo creo que para muchos, es el diseño. El diseño lo que nos está aportando es un modo de ver la vida de una forma mucho más práctica, mucho más cómoda, mucho más exquisita, mucho más sibarita.

En Madrid, ¿dónde se inspira?

Aquí en nuestro estudio, trabajando. Pero es cierto que uno no puede evitar desde lo que ve hasta lo que siente, lo que oye, y lo que degusta también… Nosotros acabamos de presentar nuestra colección en Yucatán, en Mérida, y nuestra próxima colección tiene una inspiración conceptual de la cultura maya que mira hacia al futuro. ¿Qué sitios recomienda para comer en Madrid?

Podemos empezar desayunado en la Mallorquina. Es un sitio tradicional, donde se puede tomar un café y bollos recién hechos, magníficos.

Para comer, un sitio muy tradicional de Madrid, que es el Malacatín, que está además al lado de la plaza del Rastro, de Cascorro. Es un sitio pequeñito donde se come un cocido impresionante, y es curioso porque lo montó un ex militar que dejó el ejército para dedicarse a esto, y que es brillante. Y luego para cenar recomendaría mi co-

mida preferida… la japonesa, que me parece que además es lo mejor para cenar, es lo más ligero.

En cuanto a lugares culturales…

Madrid tiene tanto que mostrar, sería una pequeña aberración dedicarle a Madrid un solo día cultural, pero como dijo un escritor y magnífico actor: “yo he venido aquí a hablar de mi libro”, así que empezaría por el museo del traje, que es un museo magnífico, fuera un poco del circuito porque está en la zona de Moncloa… que además tiene un restaurante y un jardín maravilloso.

Y de noche o a una fiesta…

Probablemente Madrid tiene en estos momentos unas de las fiestas más divertidas. No soy el más adecuado para decirlo porque a mí la noche no me gusta, pero tengo que decir, yo que vivo al lado de la Gran Vía, allí el tráfico y la intensidad de peatones por la noche es casi mayor que la que hay por el día, y es algo que sorprende. ¿Dónde se reúnen los artistas?

Yo creo que hay muchos sitios… Está el Museo Chicote, que es uno de los lugares tradicionales de Madrid, que ha tenido su vida en los años cincuenta y sesenta, y sigue teniéndola, pero yo creo que hablaríamos más de barrios, barrios como Malasaña, Chueca, el propio Lavapies o la Latina, tienen una vida cultural de los artistas que les gusta la vida social

LETTER

Grow your Wings

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ear readers, “Sometimes, if your aren´t sure about something, you have to just jump of the bridge and grow your wings on the way down”- says Daniel Steel. And this is just what I urge you to do. Get inspired- don´t take “no” for an answer- believe in your capabilities to fly, to recreate and indulge- discover a new horizon! At Le CITY deluxe we are already reaping the fruits from this great challenge.

We welcome “ISTANBUL deluxe” which is now part of our exciting luxury city guide family.

I also would like to give my special thanks to the Jury of the SPANISH National Marketing awards, who has chosen us as FINALIST of the NATIONAL PYMES MARKETING award. Yet we don´t stop here, since the launch of our iPAD apps for our Magazines we are in the TOP 20 most downloaded publications in the world!

PHOTO: ANAI IBARRA

Jumping takes a lot of courage especially if you don’t know where you land, but those wings you grow on the way down, will take you all the WAY UP!

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Claudia Trimde

claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com Directora de BARCELONA deluxe

stimados lectores, “A veces, si no estás seguro de algo, debes saltar del puente y abrir tus alas en el camino que te conduce hacia más abajo” - dice Daniel Steel. Y este es precisamente el reto al cual debes enfrentarte. ¡Anímate a no aceptar un “no” por respuesta, a creer en tu capacidad para volar, para recrear y para descubrir un nuevo horizonte. En Le CITY deluxe ya estamos cosechando los frutos de este gran desafío. Damos la bienvenida a “ISTANBUL deluxe” que ahora es parte de nuestra guía de lujo internacional y de nuestra gran familia.

También me gustaría dar mi agradecimiento especial al jurado de los Premios Nacionales de Marketing de España, que nos ha elegido como FINALISTAS del Premio Nacional categoría PYMES. A pesar de este reconocimiento, no nos hemos conformado, desde el lanzamiento de nuestras revistas en la aplicación iPad & iPhone, nos hemos colocado en el ¡TOP 20 de publicaciones más descargadas del mundo!

SPRING & SUMMER 2011

El salto tiene mucho más valor cuando no sabes exactamente dónde esta el fin, pero debes abrir tus alas en el camino que te lleva hacia lo más bajo para poder subir, después, a lo más alto.

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II N N TT EE RR V V II EE W W

Kike Sarasola Hotels with personality w w w. r o o m - m a t e h o t e l s. c o m

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e caught up with Kike Sarasola, owner of the Room Mate chain of hotels. Created to have a distinct personality and style, under the concept “your new friend in every city”; their owner spoke to us about this novel hotel notion and also gave us some tips for relishing true luxury.

SPRING & SUMMER 2011

What’s the inspiration behind the Room Mate concept?

It came about because none of us could find a hotel in which we truly loved to stay: A good hotel that was attractive, inexpensive, beautifully decorated and in the city’s centre.

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But the image your hotels present is one of luxury…

That’s the secret. The image is one of affordable luxury, because we don’t like referring to ourselves as being low cost. Rooms have different rates according to location, so they’re competitively priced but offer a great décor and package.

Above all, they’re hotels with personality, precisely because they’re each named after a person… how did this idea come about?

We all felt that the best way to travel is to stay with a friend, who takes care of you, tells you what to do and see.., well, that’s how our hotels are and that’s why they’ve been named after a “friend”: Oscar, Mario, Alicia… each with its own personality and different from the rest, just like people.

Where can we find a Room Mate hotel when we’re travelling abroad?

Right now we’re in New York, Miami, Mexico and Buenos Aires. We’re also about to open in Paris and London. For instance, our Waldorf in Miami has a special charm; it’s stunning, located on Ocean Drive’s 9th Avenue, with a funky beach/surf culture personality. It’s completely different to the others.

And your next venture in Spain is going to be in Barcelona?

That’s right, it’s a delightful project we’ll be opening in Plaza Catalunya in the next few months.

While on the subject of Barcelona – what places would you recommend?

For me, Barcelona means strolling through Las Ramblas, along Paseo de Gracia checking

out all the fabulous shops. One of the things that most surprises me, is how I always find new restaurants and shops every time I go there.

And for going out in Madrid?

Without a doubt – our Oscar Pool Club Terrace. And then if you want to eat out, Madrid’s fantastic: there’s a vast culinary choice from tapas to trying out the fusion Japanese/Peruvian cuisine served at NIKEI 225, on Paseo de la Castellana.

If you had to define where luxury is to be found in Madrid, what would you say?

Everywhere! In my opinion, luxury doesn’t mean having to fork out 500 euros for a meal, but in getting good value for money. When you have to pay for something but its quality is exceptional, that’s a luxury. For me, a delicious tapa that costs me 5 euros, is a luxury in itself.

Luxury is also to be had from taking a leisurely walk from Calle Fuencarral to the San Miguel market, where there are countless bars and restaurants in which you can lose yourself…

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Hoteles con personalidad

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os encontramos con Kike Sarasola, dueño de la cadena Room Mate Hoteles.

Creados con personalidad propia, con estilos diferentes y bajo el concepto de “un amigo nuevo en cada ciudad”, su propietario nos habla de este nuevo concepto de hotel y además, ofrece algunos consejos para disfrutar del lujo de verdad. ¿Cómo empezó el concepto de Room Mate?

Empezó porque nosotros no encontrábamos un hotel donde nos gustara de verdad quedarnos.

Un hotel bueno, bonito y económico, con mucha decoración y en el centro de las ciudades.

Pero, vuestros hoteles tienen imagen de lujo….

Ese es el secreto. La imagen es de un lujo asequible, porque no nos gusta decir que somos un low cost. Las habitaciones tienen diferentes precios dependiendo de la ciudad, así que son precios muy ajustados, pero con una gran decoración y empaque.

viajar, es a casa de un amigo, que te cuida, te dice donde ir, que hacer… pues, así son nuestros hoteles, por eso tienen el nombre de un amigo: Óscar, Mario, Alicia…cada uno con su personalidad y diferente a los otros, como las personas.

Si viajamos fuera, ¿dónde podemos encontrar un hotel Room Mate?

Ahora mismo estamos en Nueva York, Miami, México y Buenos Aires. Estamos a punto de abrir también en Paris y Londres. Por ejemplo, el Waldorf de Miami tiene un carácter muy especial, es precioso, está en Ocean Drive con la 9ª en Miami Beach, y su carácter es muy playero y medio surfero. Diferente a todos los demás.

A nivel nacional, ¿el próximo proyecto será en Barcelona?

En efecto, es un proyecto muy bonito que va a tener lugar en la Plaza Catalunya en los próximos meses.

Aprovechando que hablamos de Barcelona, ¿qué lugares nos podrías recomendar?

Para mi Barcelona es pasear por las Ramblas, por Paseo de Gracia y ver las tiendas maravillosas

que hay. Además una de las cosas que más me sorprenden, es que cada vez que voy encuentro restaurantes y tiendas nuevas.

Y en Madrid, ¿qué sitio consideras que deberíamos visitar?

Sin lugar a dudas la Terraza del Óscar. Y si luego hay que ir a comer, Madrid es maravilloso, hay una oferta muy amplia que te permite desde comer de tapas, hasta probar la mezcla de comida japonesa y peruana en el NIKEI 225, en el Paseo de la Castellana.

Si tuvieses que definir dónde encuentras el lujo en Madrid, ¿qué podrías decirnos?

El lujo está por todos lados. Para mí el lujo no significa pagar 500 euros por una comida, sino que haya una buena relación calidad-precio.

Cuando estás pagando una cantidad de dinero, pero lo que recibes es superior, ahí está el lujo.

Para mi tomarme una tapa que esté deliciosa y me cueste 5 euros, eso es el lujo. Lujo también es darte un paseo desde la calle Fuencarral hasta el Mercado de San Miguel, donde hay bares tiendas y restaurantes para perderse…

SPRING & SUMMER 20111

Sobre todo son hoteles con carácter, porque cada uno tiene su nombre propio… ¿Cómo surge esta idea?

Nosotros pensamos que la mejor manera de

TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE PHOTO KATTIA ZANETTA MOLINA

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GOURMET

Alejandra Ansón

“Made in Spain” - taking Spanish gastronomy to new heights

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SPRING & SUMMER 2011

e recently caught up with Alejandra Ansón, founder of Elite Gourmet at Madrid’s “Le Cabrera” restaurant.

Over a Gin Fizz and a passion fruit cocktail, she outlined the whys and wherefores of the “Stamp of Quality” the association awards to Spain’s finest food and beverage products. She assures us that nowadays it is the quality of the product itself, inherent to Spanish cuisine, which is valued above all else by both chefs and restaurants.

Hailing from a family of gastronomes, her culinary heritage stands her in good stead to head up this association alongside her father, Rafael Ansón (President of Spain’s Royal Academy of Gastronomy) from whom, she declares, she never stops learning.

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For those of us not yet in the know … what is Elite Gourmet?

It’s a cultural, non-profit making association, which aims at promoting the best of Spanish produce abroad. One of the association’s latest enterprises is the creation of its “seal of quality” which identifies the best food and beverage products in Spain. Nowadays, many of our chefs are internationally renowned and our gastronomy, widely acclaimed, but the focus has invariable centred on our restaurants and

chefs. The time has now come to talk about our natural produce as well, thus enhancing the prestige of Spanish gastronomy. ¿Who came up with the idea behind this seal?

I’m in charge of its implementation, but it’s an enterprise in which all the companies and products that have wanted to climb on board have participated. It’s thanks to our combined efforts that it has finally come into being.

What requirements need to be met by products wishing to obtain this seal of quality?

The first thing to do is to get in touch with us. The product will then pass before our tasting panel and if it’s accepted, its producer will be invited to join the association, since you have to be a member to be awarded the seal.

The product must fulfil three requirements: it must be unique, individually produced, and of limited production.

So who exactly decides if the products are worthy of being awarded the seal?

The tasting and assessment is carried out by a panel of recognised industry professionals, which lends a certain cachet to the award. We also have the backing of the Royal Academy of Gastronomy, which in itself speaks volumes.

Can you give us some examples of products that have made the list of successful candidates to be awarded the seal?

To date, it has been awarded to 30 products from 23 different companies. These feature some of Spain’s traditional classics such Iberian ham and the full Iberian charcuterie range; wines, of course, and even extra virgin olive oil.

There is also an assortment of less-known but nonetheless exceptional products such as fresh-water caviar, foie gras or gin. It’s all about promoting a wide-ranging selection; from our more traditional products, to the latest trend in haute cuisine ingredients.

As an expert in the matter…which restaurants would you recommend we try in Madrid?

Right now, there’s the Hotel UNICO restaurant in the Salamanca district of the city, which is run by Catalonian chef, Ramón Freixa - not only a creative genius, but also an exceptional human being.

For great tapas Mui in Calle Ballesta is a must-try and for more traditional tapas, Casa Lucio, a must. I recently discovered Gabinoteca, a fun and lively gastro bar that’s great value for money… there’s a world of endless gastronomic possibilities on offer in Madrid

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Gourmet del más alto nivel made in Spain

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os encontramos en “Le Cabrera” con Alejandra Ansón, Fundadora de Elite Gourmet. Frente a un Gin Fish y un Cóctel de fruta de la pasión, nos cuenta el cómo y el por qué de un sello de calidad para las materias primas. Asegura que ahora son ellas las protagonistas frente a los cocineros y los restaurantes, y es la esencia de la cocina española.

De familia gastronómica, creció rodeada del mundo culinario, una escuela perfecta que le permite hoy en día estar al frente de esta asociación, junto a su padre Rafael Ansón (Presidente de la Real Academia Gastronómica), del que asegura aprender cada día.

¿Qué se debe hacer para conseguir este sello de calidad? ¿Cómo debe ser el producto?

Lo primero es ponerse en contacto con nosotros, luego el producto pasará un comité de cata, y si se acepta, podrá entrar a formar parte de la asociación, porque para tener el sello hay que ser socio.

El producto tiene que cumplir tres requisitos: carácter único, procesamiento particular y oferta limitada.

Entonces, una vez dentro de la asociación, ¿Quién decide que productos merecen o no el sello de calidad?

La cata se lleva a cabo por profesionales de un alto nivel reconocido, que es lo aporta el nivel a este sello. Además tenemos el apoyo de Real Academia de la Gastronomía, lo que le da un gran peso al proyecto.

Ahora mismo, por ejemplo, qué productos tienen este sello…

A día de hoy, tenemos unos 30 productos, de 23 empresas diferentes. Tenemos desde productos tan clásicos de nuestra cultura, como el jamón ibérico y toda la gama de ibéricos, vinos por supuesto y hasta el aceite de oliva virgen extra.

También hay una amplia gama de productos menos típicos, pero de una altísima calidad como el caviar de río frío, el foie gras o la ginebra. Se trata de ir seleccionando desde lo más clásico, hasta lo último en alta gastronomía.

Usted que es una experta en este tema… ¿qué restaurantes nos recomienda en Madrid?

Ahora mismo está el restaurante del Hotel ÚNICO en el barrio de Salamanca, que lo lleva Ramón Freixa un catalán con una creatividad impresionante y además una persona excepcional.

Para tomarse unas tapas, sin duda el Mui en la calle Ballesta y de los tradicionales, por supuesto Casa Lucio. Hace poco descubrí la Gabinoteca que en relación calidad-precio está muy bien, es un gastrobar divertido, animado…La oferta gastronómica de Madrid es infinita SPRING & SUMMER 20111

Para quienes no conocen todavía… ¿Qué es Elite Gourmet?

Es una asociación cultural, sin ánimo de lucro, para la promoción de la materia prima española.

Y uno de los proyectos que tenemos ahora mismo en marcha en la asociación, es un sello de calidad para identificar a los mejores alimentos y bebidas de España.

Hoy en día nuestros cocineros son muy conocidos, y nuestra gastronomía ha alcanzado un nivel muy alto, pero siempre hablamos de cocineros y restaurantes. Ahora hay que hablar también de la materia prima e incrementar el prestigio de la gastronomía española

¿De quién fue la idea de este sello?

Yo me estoy encargando de llevarlo a cabo, pero es un proyecto común, de todas las empresas y productos que han querido unirse a nosotros y participar en este proyecto. Gracias al esfuerzo de todos ellos se está haciendo realidad.

TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE PHOTO KATTIA ZANETTA MOLINA

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bcn inf luential people

Luis del Olmo

“Good morning Spain, this is Luis del Olmo, coming to you from the moon”

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is voice is unmistakable, and his presence too. Luis del Olmo is one of the journalists with the most years of airtime under his belt. The broadcast show Protagonists (Main Characters) has been his home for the past 35-odd years. Yet he still manages to keep the show fresh. He says that without radio he would simply cease to be, that he needs it to feel alive. Here he speaks to use about life, about radio, about Protagonistas, the city of Barcelona and his favourite hideaways.

· Spring 2010

You’ve been behind the microphone now for 60 years. Is there anything left to learn about the radio?

I still have tonnes of things to learn: the morning show, with different guests each day, opening up the airwaves and letting listeners share their experiences and opinions. I need radio to stay alive, and I’ve still got everything to learn.

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With more than 10,000 shows under your belt, it must be difficult to come up with new ideas. How do you do it?

What’s happening today has nothing to do with what will happen tomorrow, because each day takes on a different colour. The protagonists will change and so will the listeners’ reflections. That’s the great thing about our media: you can never get tired, and there’s no way to become monotonous.

What have been your favourite Protagonistas moments?

That’s a hard one, because there have been thousands of fantastic moments... If I had to pick just one moment of pure bliss, I’d have to choose the time I had the chance to speak live with Don Juan Carlos (the King of Spain).

And on the other hand, the worst and most miserable moment was my interview with terrorist Jon Idígoras. But fortunately the good times outweigh the bad.

Is this a good time for radio in Spain?

Especially now when the entire world is wallowing in the depths of crisis.

Radio has faired the crisis better than any other means of communication, and I think it’s the one with the greatest subsistence possibilities. I can understand that one day, although I hope not, newspapers are replaced with Internet technology. But I can’t see the radio being silenced and not being heard by listeners in the US or in a remote village in Afghanistan.

Barcelona is a very special city for you, but what are your favourite spots?

I love the Barcelona around Santa María del Mar, the Ramblas, Diagonal... It’s a city that has treated me exceptionally well, a place that feels like my second home. The day I discovered this city I asked myself why nobody had brought me to this wonderful corner of the Mediterranean before.

b What restaurants would you recommend?

Via Venetto or Casa Castro, where you can find the best Galician seafood. But the great thing about Barcelona is that at any restaurant you’ll find dishes that will surprise even the most refined palettes.

What are your hobbies outside of radio?

In the little amount of free time the radio affords me, I usually help out with the public relations for the Harley Davidson business one of my sons has opened in Barcelona, which the General Manager of Harley Davidson in Europe called Europe’s most important centre.

I’ve been a fan of motorcycles all my life.

The world of Harleys is great fun, it entertains me, keeps me company. I would recommend to everyone that they get involved with this world, because they’ll have a great time.

What Harley projects are you currently involved in?

Among the many projects the store is planning, we are about to open a cafe – restaurant featuring Carlos Abellán’s nouvelle cuisine.

What is your biggest hope?

I know it’ll never happen, but I’d love to be able to say, “Good morning Spain, this is Luis del Olmo, coming to you from the moon”.

“Buenos días España, desde la luna les habla Luis del Olmo”

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u voz es inconfundible, y su presencia también. Luis del Olmo es uno de los periodistas que más años lleva en las ondas.

“Protagonistas” es su casa desde hace más de 35 años, y sigue renovándose cada día. Dice que sin la radio sería un difunto y que necesita hacer radio para sentirse vivo. Nos habla de su vida, de su radio, de sus “protagonistas”, de la ciudad de Barcelona y de sus rincones favoritos.

Lleva 60 años detrás de los micrófonos ¿Le queda algo por aprender de la radio?

Me queda muchísimo por aprender, me queda el programa de mañana, con invitados distintos a los de hoy, abrir los micrófonos para que los oyentes me alimenten con sus experiencias y sus opiniones. Para mantenerme vivo necesito hacer radio y aún me queda todo por aprender.

Con más de 10.000 programas detrás debe ser difícil pensar cada día en algo nuevo ¿Cómo lo consigue?

No tiene nada que ver lo que sucede hoy con lo que sucederá mañana, porque cada día es de un color. Los “protagonistas” serán distintos y también las reflexiones que hagan los oyentes. Es lo apasionante de nuestro medio, no tienes posibilidad de cansarte ni de caer en la monotonía. ¿Qué momento de todos los “Protagonistas” destacaría?

Es muy difícil porque han sido miles de momentos….Si tuviera que subrayar algún momento de felicidad diría cuando tuve la oportunidad

de hablar en directo con Don Juan Carlos. Y en la otra cara, el momento más infeliz y miserable fue la entrevista que mantuve con el terrorista Jon Idígoras. Pero afortunadamente los momentos buenos pesan más que los miserables. ¿Es un buen momento para la Radio en España? Sobre todo en estos momentos en que la crisis afecta a casi todo el mundo.

Con la crisis la radio ha sido el medio que mejor parado ha salido y creo que es la que más posibilidades tiene de subsistir. Puedo entender que algún día con la tecnología de Internet nos quedemos, espero que no, sin periódicos, Pero no entiendo que la radio enmudezca sin la posibilidad de escuchar un oyente en EEUU o en un pueblo remoto de Afganistán Barcelona es una ciudad muy especial para usted, pero ¿Qué rincones destacaría?

Me apasiona la Barcelona de Santa María del Mar, la de las Ramblas, la de Diagonal…. Es una ciudad que se ha portado extraordinariamente bien conmigo y que siento como mi segunda tierra. El día que descubrí esta ciudad me pregunté por qué nadie antes me había traído hasta este maravilloso rincón del Mediterráneo. ¿Qué lugares nos recomendaría para comer?

Via Venetto o en Casa Castro donde se come el mejor marisco de Galicia. Pero lo bueno de Barcelona es que en cualquier restaurante puedes encontrar platos que sorprendería a cualquier gourmet.

Cuáles son tus aficiones fuera de la radio…

Los escasos ratos libres que me deja la radio, los aprovecho para dedicarme a la dirección de relaciones públicas del establecimiento Harley Davidson que ha abierto uno de mis hijos en Barcelona, considerada por el Director General de Harley Davidson de Europa, el centro más importante de Europa.

Yo he sido motero toda la vida. A mí, el mundo Harley me divierte, me entretiene, me acompaña… Invito a quien lo desconozca a introducirse en este mundo porque se va a divertir mucho. ¿En qué proyectos estás trabajando ahora con Harley?

Dentro de los proyectos de la tienda estamos a punto de inaugurar una cafetería – restaurante con la nueva cocina de Carlos Abellán.

INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE TEXT ELENA CELLA PHOTO FELIPE PFISTER

Spring 2010·

¿Cuál es su mayor ilusión?

Ya se que es inalcanzable, pero me encantaría poder decir “Buenos días España, desde la luna les habla Luis del Olmo”

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letter

Spring 2010

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he sweet smell of spring is in the air, which this year seemed to never arrive. Back comes the urge to go out and meet new people, evolve business and explore unknown sites of our city.

What better way to take your copy of the brand new Barcelona deluxe and relax in one of the cities beautiful gardens, and take it all in, as Luis del Olmo one of spains most prestigious radio presenters tells me-"Barcelona is best explored walking".

Moreover we have created a new luxury social platform for our city- come and join us at www.le-citydeluxe.com . Create a group and chat with city people, evolve your business and sell your products to other members online. You can also join our many networking events happening in the city, just log into www.barcelona-deluxe.com and sign in.

Wishing you a wonderful spring. .................................................................

PRIMAVERA 2010 Photo: DoLChE & LECRo

P

Claudia Trimde

· Spring 2010

claudia.trimde@barcelona-deluxe.com Directora de Barcelona deluxe

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arecía que la primavera nunca iba a llegar este año pero por fin, ya se respira el dulce aroma de ésta en el aire. Resurgen las ganas de salir, conocer gente nueva, evolucionar en los negocios y explorar los sitios más sorprendentes y desconocidos de la ciudad.

Según las palabras de Luís del Olmo, uno de los periodistas más prestigiosos de nuestro país, no existe mejor manera de sucumbir a los encantos de la ciudad de Barcelona, que pasear por sus calles. Si además contamos con la compañía de la nueva edición de Barcelona deluxe, en uno de los jardines más bonitos de la ciudad, qué más se puede pedir para disfrutar y relajarte durante tu tiempo libre?

Esta primavera viene cargada de un gran proyecto, hemos creado una plataforma de lujo social de nuestra ciudad, ven y únete a nosotros en www. le-citydeluxe.com. Crear un grupo y charlar con gente de la ciudad, optimizar su negocio y vender sus productos a otros miembros en la red son, entre otras aplicaciones, todo lo que puedes encontrar en nuestro portal. También puedes asistir a nuestros eventos de Networking, sólo tienes que entrar en www.barcelona-deluxe.com y registrarse.

Te deseamos una maravillosa primavera.

gourmet

Grup Cacheiro Good Times

F

or almost two decades now, Grup Cacheiro has treated us to many a good time in its restaurants. Quality, good atmosphere and exceptional treatment are just a few of the adjectives we could attach to each and every one of the businesses that comprise Cacheiro Restaurants: Benedictus, Piper’s, Divinus, El Gran Café, La Pulpería, La Tramoia, Telirium, Tenorio, Trobador and Le Chef Catering. We had a word with José Cacheiro, the company President, and spoke about these good times.

How has the group changed over the years?

The unit we consider the group has grown.

We started in number 93, Passeig de Gràcia and have opened more and more establishments, adapting to the times.

· Spring 2010

Why the jump to Madrid?

Because with 15 locations in Barcelona, it was the right time to jump to Madrid, because it’s a very important city, the capital, and we think that our concept will fit nicely there.

In fact, we opened a Trobador a year ago, and it’s a roaring success. We want to keep expanding there.

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www.grupcacheiro.com

What changes from one city to another?

Barcelona is a much different city than Madrid. It’s a city that has a great deal of tourism, very cosmopolitan. But Madrid, although it doesn’t have as many tourists, has a huge floating population. I don’t know, it’s different.

Other mannerisms. But there isn’t such a huge difference between the two.

Does Barcelona pose any industry defect?

I think you have to look at Paris and Rome, cities which showcase lovely terraces; something that here in a Mediterranean city like Barcelona, with this weather, we don’t have.

Your restaurants are frequented by a lot of famous people. Do they make reservations, or just show up?

Tonnes of celebrities have come to our establishments, but they always make reservations, even if they usually come incognito.

Any good stories?

Well, when Clinton showed up the restaurant was heaving. The Tenorio has a very long entranceway, and then the dining hall is an open space. So, naturally, when they saw him everyone stood up and starting clapping.

He walked from table to table greeting peo-

ple, even though his bodyguards weren’t too chuffed. He was smoking a cigar and everything. It was an incredible evening.

Of all your restaurants, which is your favourite?

They’re all my favourite. I go to Tenorio a lot. El Gran Café is a restaurant I just adore, but I like them all. The Divinos are very modern, up-to-date restaurants and I think they’re great. In the Trobadors, I love how the food is prepared, with natural charcoal grills, all the meats and fish turn out brilliantly. I prefer product-based cuisine, rather than elaborate cooking that looses its flavour; sometimes you don’t even know what you’re eating.

Is there a Cacheiro common denominator?

I think so, and the public recognises it.

What is it?

I couldn’t tell you. I think it’s the atmosphere. But it could be the quality or the price.

The Cacheiro motto?

Our motto is basically Bons moments, good times. Tell them to come to our restaurants for good times, a good meal and good atmosphere.

g TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE PHOTO MERCEDES IÑIGUEZ

que es muy cosmopolita, pero Madrid aunque no tiene tanto turismo, tiene mucha población flotante y no sé, es distinto, son otras costumbres, pero tampoco hay una gran diferencia entre ambas ¿Barcelona tiene algún déficit en el sector?

Yo creo que deberían fijarse en Paris o Roma, ciudades donde hay unas terrazas muy bonitas, que es una cosa que aquí en una ciudad mediterránea como Barcelona, con este clima no tenemos.

A vuestros restaurantes ha acudido mucha gente famosa ¿reservan antes, aparecen sin más?

Han pasado muchísimos por nuestros locales, pero siempre reservan, aunque suelen venir de incógnito.

BUENOS TIEMPOS

D

urante casi dos décadas el Grup Cacheiro nos ha hecho pasar muy buenos momentos en sus restaurantes. Calidad, buen ambiente, trato exquisito son algunos de los adjetivos que se le pueden otorgar a todas y cada una de las marcas que integran Cacheiro Restaurants: Benedictus, Piper’s, Divinus, El Gran Café, La Pulpería, La Tramoia, Telirium, Tenorio, Trobador y Le Chef Catering. Hablamos con José Cacheiro, presidente de la compañía, de esos buenos momentos. ¿Cómo ha cambiado el grupo en estos años?

Lo que es el grupo ha ido creciendo, empezamos en el 93 en el Paseo de Gracia y bueno hemos seguido abriendo locales, adaptándonos a los tiempos. ¿Por qué el paso a Madrid?

Porque con 15 locales en Barcelona era un poco el momento de saltar a Madrid porque es una ciudad muy importante, es la capital y creemos que nuestro concepto puede encajar muy bien allí. De hecho, hemos abierto hace un año un Trobador y estamos teniendo mucho éxito y queremos seguir creciendo allí.

Entre todos sus restaurantes, ¿tiene un favorito?

Yo creo que son todos. Yo voy mucho al Tenorio, el Gran Café es un restaurante que me encanta, pero me gustan todos, los Divinos son restaurantes muy modernos, actuales y me encantan. En los Trobadores me gusta mucho como se come, con las parrillas de carbón natural, las carnes y los pescados salen fantásticos. A mí, me gusta mucho la cocina de producto, no me gustan la cocina elaborada que pierde un poco el sabor, no sabes si comes una cosa u otra. ¿Hay un denominador común Cacheiro?

Yo creo que sí. La gente lo reconoce ¿Cuál es?

No te sabría decir, creo que es el ambiente.

Quizás la calidad y el precio ¿El lema Cacheiro?

Nuestro lema es un poco Bons moments, Buenos momentos. Que vayan a nuestros locales a disfrutar de unos buenos momentos, una buena comida y un buen ambiente.

Spring 2010·

¿Qué cambia de una a otra ciudad?

Barcelona es una ciudad muy diferente a Madrid, es una ciudad que tiene mucho turismo,

¿Alguna anécdota?

Pues cuando vino Clinton el restaurante estaba llenísimo. El Tenorio tiene una entrada larga y después la sala es toda abierta y entonces claro, al verlo se pusieron todos en pie y lo empezaron a aplaudir. Se pasó por las mesas a saludar, a pesar de que los guardaespaldas no estaban de acuerdo. ¡Se fumó un puro y todo! Fue una noche increíble

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walk

ENRIC

· Spring 2010

MASIP

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w CT CLAUDIA TRIMDE // EM ENRIC MASIP TEXT ELENA CELLA / PHOTO FELIPE PFISTER

E

nric Masip is one of Spanish handball’s sturdiest pillars. With over 200 international caps, two Olympic Games, three European Championships and almost twenty years on the front line at Barça under his belt, this Barcelona native is one of the country’s most revered athletes. We sat down to discuss sports and his life in Barcelona.

EM In reality, Barça is an umbrella organisation that encompasses a number of disciplines, and it has its good side and bad. The good part is having a name like Barça, which attracts great teams with vast potential, and it is hugely beneficial with respect to image. The bad part is that people automatically associate it with football, and with the success this sport is having at the minute, it’s hard to compete.

CT While you retired from the world of handball in 2004, you keep in close contact with the sport as Barcelona handball’s technical advisor and through a summer camp.

EM Yeah, this year marks the 12th edition of the Handball Camp in Andorra, which brings together over 150 kids. During these 11 days, besides training, we conduct all manner of activities such as hiking, paintball... and all this within Hotel Roc Blanc’s incomparable setting. Furthermore, the camp isn’t all about athletics. We try to instil in them values that we feel are important, and not just as future athletes, but as people.

CT With all your years of experience, which is better: forming a team or forming superstars?

EM In all teams, the individual with the most skill and ability will become the leader. Yet without the others’ efforts it’s impossible to form a team. A team requires everyone to lend as much support as they can, and the sum of all individual roles promotes unity.

That’s why creating unity is so important, as is showing it during the game. And that’s how you accomplish great things.

CT Do you feel that handball has become a forgotten sport?

EM The main sport in Spain is undoubtedly football, but in countries like Germany, for example, where indoor sports are more popular, handball is the sport per excellence. Here, the people lack information about this sport, and if you’re not familiar with it, you won’t watch it. Basketball has gained popularity thanks to the NBA; otherwise it would’ve ended up like handball. The country’s climate is also a factor.

Spain, with the amount of sunlight we receive each year, is more suited to playing outside in the street, picking up two stones and setting up a goal. You can play football anywhere. In Scandinavian countries, on the other hand, with their sub¬-zero temperatures, it makes more sense to play other kinds of sports.

CT It seems to me you really enjoy Barcelona. Name me a spot you’ll never get tired of walking through?

EM The Borne district enthrals me, although I feel that the government should invest a bit more, take more advantage of it. They need to look after those parts of Barcelona that, while incredible, have become a little sketchy over the years, and it’s a shame, because they’re losing their charm. Despite this, taking a walk through the city’s central streets, around the Catedral del Mar, for example, is time well spent. You’ll find great restaurants and can eat

CT In terms of cuisine, Barcelona is at the cutting edge. It seems to be a cradle of creativity. Would you recommend any place in particular?

EM Barcelona has taken huge strides in terms of cuisine. Before, everyone was talking about France and nouvelle cuisine. Yet with the changing tides, chefs like Adrià, Ruscadella and Arola have taken over the front spots.

Personally, I love Hotel Me’s Dos Cielos or Àbac. I’ve been to El Bulli once and had a great time. I’m a fan of creative cooking, although fusion with traditional Mediterranean recipes seems like the perfect combination. I like to try different things, something that extends outside gastronomy and into other facets of my life; I’m always looking to innovate.

CT Can the creativity inherent in Barcelona blend with sports?

EM Sports are part creativity, the sum of skill, effort, desire and ambition. There are people who manage to combine all these qualities, and that’s when you get athletes like Michael Jordon. Skill alone doesn’t suffice to become one of the best athletes on the planet. You need to blend other aspects to become number one. It’s difficult to find athletes who exhibit all these qualities, but effort and sacrifice have to be the priority. Skill comes later.

Argan oil, is one of your newest projectswhy this decision?

There are several reasons: first, because of the oil´s property, -in our case 100% natural, very good for the skin, nails, hair, etc ... The second, because it is innovative and unknown in our country. Finally it is a product for the very demanding customer of today, special and different things make the difference. I love wellness and personal care and Asvan Argan help us to get it.

Spring 2010·

CT When people hear the name Barça, the first thing that comes to mind is football. Does this worry you?

CT How do you like to spend your evenings off ?

EM Well, I like to do a little sport, take a stroll along Passeig de Gràcia, do some shopping and then go for tapas. I really enjoy theatre and concerts, so I tend to jump on any chance I get to visit the Palau de la Música. And at night, while I’m not a big fan of going out, I like having a drink at Hotel Om, Hotel Me. As you can see, I prefer quiet places where you can have a nice drink and chat with friends.

everything from pizza to tapas to unbelievable sushi; places where creativity shines forth.

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· Spring 2010

w

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www.fovinco.com

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(Director of Hotel Florida) ls na Ca eu dr An & ip as M ric En

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nric Masip está considerado como uno de los pilares más importantes del balonmano español. Más de 200 partidos como internacional, dos olimpiadas, tres campeonatos de Europa y titular indiscutible desde 1990 del Barça avalan a este barcelonés como uno de los deportistas mejor valorados del panorama nacional. Hablamos con él del deporte y de su vida en Barcelona.

CT Aunque en 2004 se retiró del mundo profesional del balonmano sigue relacionado con este deporte como Asesor Técnico del equipo de Balonmano del Barça y con un campus de verano EM Sí, este año cumplimos doce ediciones del Campus de Balonmano en Andorra, que reúne en cada edición a más de 150 niños que durante 11 días, aparte de dedicarse a entrenar, tienen otras actividades como excursiones, paintball…y todo esto en un marco incomparable como es el Hotel Roc Blanc. Además no sólo nos dedicamos a entrenarles, sino que les intentamos inculcar valores que creemos muy importantes no sólo como futuros deportistas sino también como personas.

CT En estos años de experiencia, ¿qué es mejor, hacer equipo o hacer estrellas?

EM En todos los equipos el que más calidad y facultades tiene será el líder, pero sin la fuerza de los otros, no es posible hacer equipo, se necesita que cada uno soporte lo que pueda y la suma de roles de cada uno hace que se consiga esa unidad.

Por eso es muy importante crear esta unidad y por supuesto demostrarla en el juego, así es como se hacen grandes cosas.

CT Y cuando no trabaja, ¿cómo es su tarde perfecta?

EM Pues hacer un poco de deporte, pasear por Paseo de Gracia, Shopping y tomar unas tapas.

Me gusta mucho el teatro y los conciertos, así que siempre que puedo aprovecho para ir al Palau de la Música. Y por la noche, aunque no soy mucho de salir, me gusta ir a tomar una copa al Hotel Om, al Hotel Me. Como verás busco sitios tranquilos donde poder tomar una copa y charlar con los amigos.

CTPor lo que veo disfruta de Barcelona, pero ¿cuál es ese lugar por el que no se cansa de pasear?

EM El Borne es una zona que me encanta, aunque pienso que el Ayuntamiento debería invertir un poco más y sacarle más partido .Deberían cuidar ciertas zonas de Barcelona que aunque son maravillosas con los años se han convertido en zonas poco recomendables, y es una pena por que pierden el encanto. Aún así pasear por las calles del centro, de la Catedral del Mar no tiene desperdicio y puedes encontrar restaurantes de calidad donde comer desde una pizza, unas tapas o un estupendo sushi, y son sitios donde destaca la creatividad.

CT Barcelona está de moda a nivel gastronómico, parece que es la cuna de la creatividad. ¿Nos puede recomendar algún sitio?

EM Barcelona ha dado un paso adelante a nivel gastronómico, antes sólo se hablaba de Francia y de la Nouvelle cuisine, pero con este cambio de tendencia cocineros como Adrià, Ruscadella o Arola están ocupando los primeros sitios. Personalmente, me encanta el “Dos cielos” del Hotel Me, o el “Àbac”. Estuve en una ocasión en “El Bulli” y disfruté muchísimo. Me gusta la cocina creativa, aunque la fusión con la tradición Mediterránea me parece la combinación perfecta.

Me gusta probar cosas diferentes, y esto no sólo me pasa en la gastronomía, en otras facetas de mi vida busco innovar continuamente.

CT¿Se puede mezclar esta creatividad barcelonesa con el deporte?

EM El deporte tiene parte de creatividad, suma de calidad, esfuerzo, ganas y ambición. Hay gente que sabe sumar todas estas cualidades y entonces aparecen deportistas como por ejemplo Michael Jordan. Sólo con calidad no se consigue ser uno de los mejores deportistas del planeta, hacen falta muchos otros aspectos para convertirte en el número uno. Es difícil encontrar a deportistas que reúnan estas cualidades, pero hay que apostar primero por el esfuerzo y por el sacrificio, luego ya encontrarás la calidad.

CT Te has embarcado en una nueva aventura cosmética llamada aceite de Argan, por qué este nuevo proyecto?

EM Hay varias razones: la primera, porque las propiedades del aceite, que nuestro caso es 100% natural, son muy buenas tanto para la piel , uñas, pelo, etc…La segunda, porque es algo innovador y poco conocido en nuestro país. Y la tercera es que, se trata de un producto para un cliente muy exigente y hoy en día, las cosas exigentes, especiales y diferentes son las que marcan la diferencia. La última es que me apasiona el wellness y el cuidado personal y Argan de Asvan es el ejemplo perfecto

Spring 2010·

CT¿Cree que el balonmano es un deporte olvidado?

EM En España sin duda el deporte rey es el fútbol, pero en países como por ejemplo Alemania que son más de deporte indoor, el balonmano es el deporte por excelencia. Aquí falta información sobre este deporte, y si no lo conoces, no lo vas a ir a ver. El baloncesto tiene más importancia por la NBA, sino pasaría como con el balonmano.

También influye mucho el clima del país, aquí en España con la cantidad de horas de sol que tenemos al año, llama más a salir a la calle y con dos piedras montar una portería y jugar a fútbol en cualquier parte, en cambio en los países nórdicos con temperaturas bajo cero, es más normal que practiquen otro tipo de deportes.

CT Cuando la gente piensa en el Barça lo primero que piensa es en el fútbol. ¿Esto le preocupa?

EM En realidad el Barça es un paraguas que engloba distintas disciplinas, y tiene su parte buena y su parte mala. Lo bueno, es tener el nombre del Barça que tiene los mejores equipos con un gran potencial y a nivel de imagen, por supuesto que beneficia. Lo malo, es que enseguida se relaciona con el fútbol, y con la oferta que hay hoy en día de este deporte es difícil competir

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motor

Dani Clos

INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE TEXT ELENA CELLA PHOTO FRANCISCO JAVIER LORITE

D

ani Clos has been active in the world of motorsports since he was seven. He started out karting and now forms part of Trident Racing. While he is anxiously awaiting his call up to the Formula 1, this 22 year old is busy enjoying his love for speed, for life and Barcelona’s wonderful locales.

Dani, tell us a bit about your karting career?

Well, I began karting when I was 7, on a track close to the Circuit de Catalunya, and started racing in regional championships with my dad. Soon after, I began to develop a liking for it, and really got into it, and I wasn’t half bad. Plus, going fast didn’t scare me. I began to climb the levels and started winning championships in Catalonia.

· Spring 2010

When did you practice?

I didn’t have much time during the week because of school, and I had to fit both into my schedule, as studies were very important to me. But when it got to where I was competing in Spanish and international championships, I was missing a lot of class, and it was hard to keep up. So the time came when I had to quit school and devote all my time to this.

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What was your first circuit?

The one in Lliçà de Valls, and I still like to go there and practice handwork, improve reaction time and keep active. The thing with single-seater cars is that test days are very limited, and you’re not given a great deal of time inside the car. We have to find a way to keep active, whether it’s karting, biking, swimming: whatever I can do to keep fit.

For someone with no experience, what advice would you give them to become successful?

Concentrate, stay calm and don’t let the car spin too much. Everything has to be smooth and, most importantly, don’t get distracted.

I’ve been going to that Circuit for years; I was even a member there. I remember when I was a kid, when I used to go karting with my dad. We used to drive past the Circuit and say, “I wonder if one day...”, and now, look, waiting for the home race...

What’s the next step?

There’s only one: reaching the Formula 1. Ideally, I’d like to make it there next year, but you never know in this world. Think about it. There can only 24 Formula 1 drivers in the world, and all positions are taken, and everyone in Formula 2 wants to get up to Formula 1. If you take a closer look, 60 to 70% of Formula 1 drivers pass through Formula 2, like Hamilton and Kovalainen.

It’s a springboard.

Where can we find you in Barcelona?

I really enjoy going to the cinema. I usually watch films in San Gervasi, and I like it a lot: it’s quite a peaceful neighbourhood. I tend to go running along the Camino de las Aguas, because, although you’re still in the city, you’re surrounded by nature, and I like that.

How important is the Barcelona Circuit to you?

And at night?

Well, truth be told, I’m not a huge fan of going out at night. I prefer films, having dinner with friends and going to bed. But I have to recognise that Barcelona does have a fairly active nightlife.

m

D

ani Clos lleva desde los siete años en el mundo del motor. Empezó compitiendo en el karting y ahora forma parte del Trident Racing. Espera ansioso el momento de llegar a la Formula 1, y mientras, con 22 años disfruta de su afición, de la velocidad, de su vida y de sus rincones de Barcelona.

Dani, cuéntanos un poco tu trayectoria en el karting.

Empecé con 7 años en el karting, en uno muy cerca del Circuit de Catalunya, y empezamos con campeonatos sociales mi padre y yo.

Luego me empezó a gustar, le cogí afición, no se me daba mal y además, no tenía miedo a la velocidad. Empezamos a avanzar categorías y a ganar Campeonatos de Catalunya. ¿Cuándo entrenabas?

Durante la semana no mucho porque estudiaba y lo tenía que compaginar ya que para mí eran importantes los estudios. Pero cuando llegamos a un cierto nivel, con Campeonatos de Europa y Mundiales, faltaba mucho a clase y me costaba seguir el ritmo, así que llegó un momento que tuve que dejar el colegio para dedicarme a este mundo. ¿Cuál fue tu primer circuito?

El de Lliçà de Valls, que me gusta mucho ir ahora también a hacer manos, para reaccionar bien y estar siempre en activo. La pena de los monoplazas es que los días de test son muy limitados y el tiempo en el coche es muy poco y tenemos que encontrar la manera de estar siempre en activo. Ya sea con el karting, con la bici, la natación, lo que sea para estar en forma.

¿Cuál es el próximo paso?

Sólo hay uno: llegar a la F1. A mi me gustaría que fuese el año que viene, pero en este mundo nunca se sabe. Piensa que en todo el mundo sólo hay 24 pilotos de F1 y no hay más plazas, y todos los que estamos en la GP2 queremos subir a la F1. Si te fijas, el 60 o 70% de la parrilla de F1 son pilotos que vienen de la GP2 que han subido, como Hamilton o Kovalainen, es como un trampolín. ¿Qué importancia tiene para ti el circuito de Barcelona?

Llevo viniendo a este Circuit muchos años, incluso formé parte del circuito. Me acuerdo de pequeño, cuando mi padre y yo íbamos hacia el karting, pasábamos por delante del Circuit y decíamos “A ver si algún día...” y ahora, esperando la carrera en casa… ¿Dónde te podemos encontrar en Barcelona?

Me gusta mucho ir al cine, suelo ir por la zona de San Gervasi que me gusta mucho porque es un barrio muy tranquilo. Voy a correr por el Camino de las Aguas, porque aunque estás en la ciudad, respiras naturaleza y eso me gusta.

Y por la noche…

Pues la verdad es que no soy de salir por la noche, prefiero ir al cine, cenar con los amigos e irme a dormir. Pero reconozco que Barcelona tiene una vida nocturna bastante activa.

Spring 2010·

A alguien que no tiene experiencia, ¿qué consejos le darías para ganar?

Concentración, tranquilidad y que el coche derrape poco. Ha de ser todo muy suave y sobre todo no distraerse.

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· Spring 2010

walk

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w

Béatrice d’Orléans CT CLAUDIA TRIMDE // BD BÉATRICE D’ ORLÉANS

PHOTO DOLCHE & LECRO

Vestido-chaqueta David Delfin Zapatos Louboutin by David Delfin Traje de chaqueta pata de gallo Christian Dior Zapatos de ante de rejilla Dior Maquillaje y peluquería Juan Pedro Atienza para Clarins Localización Casino de Madrid

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s soon as she enters the Casino de Madrid, an impeccable figure, her conversation quickens, becomes fertile, replete with stories and sidenotes about luxury and her upcoming project: the Premium Fair.

CT Was Premium Fair something that was missing from your lengthy professional career?

BD It’s not about whether it was missing or not. In fact, it’s a project we created along with luxury firms, always working with luxury, collaborating alongside the finest fashion magazines, such as WWF. Fashion has always called me, and fashion is information. There are 1,000 different definitions of luxury, and each one is different. In essence, it’s what isn’t necessary to live, something extra. For some people, luxury may be time, or a jewel, while for others it could be a house...luxury is one of life’s little extras, but it isn’t something you need in daily life.

CT¿Era Premium Fair una cita pendiente que usted tenía en su larga trayectoria profesional?

BD No se trata de una cita pendiente. De hecho, es un proyecto con firmas de lujo, siempre trabajando con el lujo, trabajando con las mejores revistas de moda como WWF. La moda siempre me ha atraído y la moda es información. Hay 1000 definiciones de lujo y cada definición es diferente, es lo que no te hace falta para vivir, es un plus.

Para uno el lujo puede ser el tiempo, o una joya, para otro una casa…el lujo por sí mismo es un plus en tu vida, pero no es indispensable para la vida cotidiana.

CT Se celebran otras ferias del sector lujo, como por ejemplo: Luxury Market, Millionaire. ¿Qué tiene de diferente Premium Fair, es un nombre puesto adrede?

BD Es lujo, no glamour. Glamour es una palabra caducada y obsoleta, era glamour en los años 50, 60 y 70. Pero el glamour no es lujo, el glamour es un invento de Hollywood, algo que define lo superficial. El glamour hoy en día no está adaptado a la vida de hoy. Me gusta más la palabra elegancia, la actitud, la manera de ser…

Premium es una palabra del latín y el griego, es “the most” “el númber 1”, con lo que ya solo la palabra es sofisticada, elitista y culta.

Una cosa que me gustaría decir es que no me gusta nada la palabra feria, feria es un mercado donde vendes huevos, un sitio más vulgar y popular… Una palabra para describir lo mejor, lo que vamos a hacer es un encuentro Premium.

La palabra Luxury es para los nuevos ricos que tienen que intentar aparentar mientras Premium es algo único. Esta agenda que tengo esta hecha a mano, para mí es “unique”, no algo que brilla solo para aparentar. Premium: es “Savoir Faire” el mejor de todo.

CT Cita Internacional ¿lo es Madrid más que Barcelona?

Spring 2010·

CT There are several other luxury industry trade fairs, such as, for example, Luxury Market and Millionaire. What stands Premium Fair apart? Was the name chosen on purpose?

BD It’s luxury, not glamour. Glamour is a dated word, obsolete. Glamour existed in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. But glamour isn’t luxury. Glamour is a Hollywood invention, a superficial concept.

In the here and now, glamour doesn’t adapt well to today’s means of living. I prefer the word elegance; its attitude, how it is...

Premium comes from Latin and Greek, it means “the most”, number 1. Even the word has a sophisticated, elitist and cultured edge.

Something else I’d like to mention is that I’ve never cared for the term “fair”. Fair is a market where you go to buy eggs, a more vulgar, more common place... We need a word that describes the best, thus we say we’re putting together a Premium Gathering.

The word “luxury” is for the nouvelle riche, who need to try and keep up appearances, while

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n cuanto hace su entrada en el Casino de Madrid, con un aspecto impecable su conversación se vuelve interesante, fértil y repleta de anécdotas y matices sobre el lujo y su próximo proyecto en la Premium Fair.

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w Premium is unique. My agenda is hand-made, which in my eyes makes it unique. It doesn’t shine for the sake of appearances. Premium is savoir faire, the finest.

CT An international gathering. Is Madrid more international than Barcelona?

BD Hands down. Madrid is a lot more international than Barcelona, and it always has been.

Madrid is the capital of culture, a blend of all the world’s nations. They’re two distinct cities, and you can’t compare them. They’re different.

I’m not even going to attempt to compare them...they’re different. It’s like comparing Seville and Valencia. They’re both marvellous, but different.

CT What can we find at Premium Fair that we couldn’t find on Serrano Street?

BD Serrano Street isn’t representative of luxury in Madrid. Ortega and Gasset Streets represent Madrid luxury; this is where you’ll find all the finest designers.

Here at this gathering, you’ll find the best of the best, exclusive and hand-made products.

We want the visitor to have a true experience, see first hand how everything is made.

CT What parts of Madrid represent luxury?

BD Besides Ortega and Gasset Streets, the old Madrid. Right here, where we are now. The Casino de Madrid represents genuine luxury in the city’s history. They’ve managed to respect the luxury of days past alongside more avantgarde luxury. You’ll find the best example of this in Café Romano, which journeys us back to the times of old, while its restaurant and terrace carry a more modern air, all under the same roof.

· Spring 2010

CT What will be this gathering’s pillars of success?

BD Everything you’ll find there will be made and finished to perfection with a great deal of detail and affection. What we display here at this gathering will be the complete opposite of vulgar. The best ham, the finest chocolate...

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CT Have you attended all global luxury fairs?

BD Yes, I’ve been to the Luxury Fair in Moscow, and I thought it was awful. And that’s precisely what we’ve steered clear of here.

We’ve opted for values not vulgarity.

CT Do the ambassadors play an important role in promoting this event?

BD The ambassador’s role is the same as the diplomats’. It boils down to the manner, promoting it, knowing how to behave. They project the image and transmit this event to the rest of the world.

We’re living in different times. A lot of people don’t understand, in our case, how we’re planning to release a luxury magazine in the capital and, in your case, how you can promote a luxury fair in times like these, perhaps not the most appropriate.

People with money will always have money.

The world of luxury adapts to the times. The crisis has all but finished in all other countries besides Spain. The crisis has spelt a return to true luxury, ushering back more refined things, essential luxury. Small luxuries, like having more time, are the true luxuries. For example: having the time to take a stroll through Retiro Park.

BD No hay color, Madrid es mucho más internacional que Barcelona y siempre lo ha sido. Madrid es la capital cultural, donde está la mezcla de todos los países del mundo. Son dos ciudades distintas y no se pueden comparar. Son distintas, no voy hacer ninguna comparación…..son distintas. Es como comparar Sevilla con Valencia, cada una es fantástica pero son distintas.

CT ¿Qué podemos encontrar en este encuentro de lujo Premium Fair que no podríamos encontrar en la calle Serrano?

BD La calle Serrano no representa el lujo de Madrid lo que sí que lo representa es la calle Ortega y Gasset, donde puedes encontrar a los mejores diseñadores.

En este encuentro habrá lo mejor de lo mejor, exclusivo y artesanal queremos que el visitante viva una experiencia y que pueda vivir en primera persona como se realizan las cosas.

CT¿Qué rincón de Madrid representa el lujo?

BD A parte de la calle Ortega y Gasset, el viejo Madrid. Aquí y ahora donde estamos, el Casino de Madrid representa el autentico lujo en la historia de la ciudad. Han sabido respetar el lujo antiguo con el lujo vanguardista. El mejor ejemplo es el Café Romano que nos transporta a los viejos tiempos mientras que en el restaurante y la terraza se respira un aire de modernidad, todo bajo el mismo techo.

CT Cuáles van a ser los pilares de éxito de este encuentro?

BD Todo lo que vais a encontrar allí esta hecho y acabado perfectamente, con mucho detalle y cariño. Lo que mostraremos en este encuentro es lo opuesto a la vulgaridad! El mejor jamón, el mejor chocolate…

CT Usted ha ido a todas las Ferias de lujo a nivel mundial?

BD Sí, he ido a la Feria de Lujo de Moscow y la encuentro horrible y por este motivo es el que nosotros no queremos hacer lo mismo.

Estamos apostando por los valores y no por la vulgaridad.

CT Qué importancia tienen los embajadores para promocionar este evento?

BD El embajador tiene la función como la de un diplomático, es la forma, es promocionarlo, es comportarse. Ellos dan la imagen. Transmiten este evento al mundo exterior.

Estamos en unos tiempos especiales y mucha gente no entiende, como en nuestro caso, que lanzaremos una revista de lujo en la capital y, en vuestro caso, estáis promocionando una Feria de lujo, en estos tiempos que nos son tal vez los más adecuados.

La gente que tiene dinero siempre lo tendrá.

El mundo del lujo se adapta. La crisis en todos los demás países esta “over “ solo sigue aquí en España. Con la crisis, volveremos al lujo de verdad, cosas más refinadas, el lujo esencial. Al pequeño lujo, como el hecho de tener tiempo, esto es un verdadero lujo. Por ejemplo: tener tiempo para dar un paseo por el parque del Retiro CT Nosotros como revista hemos creado un nuevo concepto, Charity deluxe, unos eventos benéficos en los cuales destacamos que el compromiso es el mayor lujo.

Usted esta muy implicada en causas benéficas, cómo encuentra la combinación entre los más necesitados y las firmas con un alto nivel adquisitivo?

BD Las marcas de lujo desde siempre han ofrecido trabajo a muchísima gente en todo el mundo.

El trabajo que requiere hacer las cosas a mano y con mucho detalle da trabajo a mucha gente y se necesita mucha mano de obra. Para la elaboración de un bolso de Hermés se necesitan unas 400 horas de trabajo. El lujo es detalle y requiere el tiempo y la dedicación de todo tipo de personas.

CT Francia la condecoró como Caballero de la legión de honor.

BD Es un gran honor tener esta distinción. La

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Spring 2010·

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· Spring 2010

We, as a magazine, have formed a new concept, Charity Deluxe, which features charity events that praise commitment above all else.

You’re very active in charitable causes. How do you forge a balance between those in need and companies with exorbitant purchasing power?

Luxury brands have provided work for tons of people across the globe. Employment that necessitates hand-crafted and highly detailed products has spelt a great deal of jobs for many people, given the extensive man power required. To produce a Hermés handbag, you need some 400 work hours. Luxury is detail and thus requires time and dedication from all kinds of people.

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CT The French Legion of Honour has made you a knight.

BD This distinction is a tremendous honour.

You don’t ask for this distinction. There is a committee behind the Legion of Honour, and your merits must deem you worthy, your moral and professional career. This decoration reflects your worthiness. Then the President of the Republic decides whether you deserve it or not.

It’s funny. I’m the first Princess of Orleans to have received it. Furthermore, this decoration was created by Napoleon, thus it was created by an emperor, is awarded by the President of the Republic and was given to me, a member of the royal family.

CT While the decoration is compensation for a long career, does it create a sense of obligation?

BD It affords a sense of patriotism, being French for your country. It makes you very proud, gives you a notion of patriotic responsibility. I can’t begin to tell you how proud my children are, especially my sons-in-law.

CT Now you’re working on a new project, as SHA’s director of communications and ambassador. What does this mean exactly?

BD SHA is Europe’s only true macrobiotics centre. A place that helps your rejuvenate body and mind and comes equipped with an excellent medical team.

distinción no se pide, hay un comité que va a legión de honor, tienes que probar con tus méritos, la trayectoria moral, la trayectoria profesional. Es una condecoración por tu valor, entonces el Presidente de la República dice si esto es así o no. Es gracioso porque soy la primera princesa de Orleans que la tiene. Además es una condecoración que creó Napoleón, por lo que fue creada por un emperador, la entrega el Presidente de la República y la recibo yo que soy de la monarquía.

CT Con esta condecoración se recompensa la larga trayectoria, ¿crea alguna obligación?

BD Te da sentido patriótico y es un gran orgullo.

Te da una responsabilidad patriótica. No sabes el orgullo de mis hijos, sobre todo de mis yernos.

CT Ahora tiene un nuevo proyecto, ser Directora de Comunicación y Embajadora del SHA, ¿qué es exactamente?

BD El SHA es el único centro macrobiótico de verdad en Europa. Un lugar donde puedes renovar cuerpo y mente con un excelente equipo médico.

| Letter

The Gift of Wisdom .................................................................

Photo: clauDio valDés / MaKE-uP & haiR: PEluQuERia tito

EL DON DE LA SABIDURIA

Claudia Trimde

claudia.trimde@barcelona-deluxe.com Directora de Barcelona deluxe

4 | BARCELONA deluxe | Spring 2009

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nother year has begun, and this year has seen motherhood return to my life. Looking at my baby daughter it is impossible not to feel moved, knowing that I am at her side for the very first moments of her life in this world. Everything is a first: the first smile, the first gaze, the first cry... and with her I’m discovering all over again the art of living, the art of dreaming, and of feeling.

Looking around me, however, I see a less than perfect world, a world full of disappointment and lost hope.

All of the team here at Barcelona deluxe engage in that world, but at the same time we are shielded against negativity by a thick protective layer. We live our lives, but we are determined that no one will take away our fighting spirit and our desire to reinvent ourselves and move forwards.

We know that we are blessed with an immense potential – that of wisdom – which is passed on from generation to generation, rooted in intuition and in the ability to discern what is right and correct in each of life’s passing moments.

It is this wisdom which gives my daughter, and all human beings on Earth, the gift of life.

And it is this wisdom that we carry inside, but which we sometimes forget, which makes us truly special. ................................................................. ................................................................. ................................................................. ................................................................. ................................................................. ................................................................. .................................................................

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strenamos un año nuevo, y con él la maternidad ha llegado de nuevo a mi vida. Mirando a mi hija, me emociono, pensando que la estoy acompañando en sus primeros minutos de vida en este mundo. todo pasa por ser la primera vez: la primera sonrisa, la primera mirada, el primer llanto...y yo voy redescubriendo con ella el arte de vivir, de soñar, de sentir.

Mirando a mi alrededor, veo un mundo que no me seduce, un mundo donde el desánimo últimamente lo llena todo.

Barcelona deluxe y todo el equipo que lo formamos estamos immersos en el mundo, pero protegidos por una gruesa capa repelente contra las malas vibraciones. vivimos en el mundo, pero también sabemos que no queremos que nada ni nadie nos quite las ganas de luchar, de respirar, de reinventarnos, de crecer. sabemos que estamos dotados de un potencial immenso basado en el don de la sabiduría, esa que nos transmitieron de generación en generación, basada en la intuición y el saber discernir lo correcto y bueno en cada momento.

Esa sabiduria que llena de vida mi hija y todos los seres de la tierra... y ese don que tenemos dentro pero que a veces olvidamos que realmente existe para hacernos especiales y únicos.

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

WELLN ESS

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Testimonio de la plenitud

AUUTMN & WINTER 2011

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obert Vadra es conocido por ser hijo político de la India ya que está casado con Priyanka Gandhi, hija de Sonia Gandhi, actual presidenta del Congreso Nacional Indio.

Los negocios son importantes para Vadra.

Propietario de la empresa de joyería Artex y asociado a proyectos de aviación, hostelería y bienes raíces, él está involucrado hasta en el último detalle en estos asuntos. Sin embargo, hay una faceta que ha hecho que Vadra sea aún más conocido: su estado físico.

Le CITY deluxe conversó con Robert Valdra acerca de por qué hacer ejercicio y mantenerse en forma es una parte crucial en su vida, y por qué mantener la mente, el cuerpo y el alma en perfecta armonía, es la base de su filosofía fitness.

Para Vadra, el equilibrio es clave a la hora de mantener una vida saludable. La doctrina “El ejercicio físico es mi vida”, él la traduce: “No se trata sólo de mejorar mi aspecto físico, sino también de mejorar mi salud y la mente”.

Vadra apareció en el 2009 en la revista Mens Health, una de las más vendidas en su país sobre estilo de vida, montado en su moto Suzuki Boulevard, mostrando una pose en la que se dejaba ver su cuerpo delgado y musculoso.

El hijo político de la India es un hombre en constante movimiento y viajar es parte de su vida. “Cuando estoy de viaje me levanto y voy directo al gimnasio del hotel para realizar un entrenamiento rápido de 45 minutos”. Si el viaje es más largo, programa un circuito de entrenamiento y running. Realizar ejercicio al aire libre

es un beneficio que le permite hacer lo que él denomina “Window Shopping by running”, “la mejor manera de ver la ciudad”, enfatiza.

Los entrenamientos de Vadra son exigentes.

Normalmente corre entre y 10 y 12 kilómetros pero si se encuentra en India, sólo corre 5 o 6 kilómetros ya que, explica, “las condiciones ambientales no son muy buenas”.

Sus vacaciones no son demasiado diferentes y el deporte siempre está incluido. Compartir actividades con sus hijos Raihan y Miraya, son una prioridad. Si ellos no están hacienda buceo, están practicando ciclismo, rafting o en un zafari.

Vadra también hace deporte con su cuñado Rahul Gandhi. Ambos hacen hasta 50 kilómetros de bicicleta en una sesión.

Animado por su hermana, Vadra comenzó a hacer deporte hace 12 años y desde hace 3 que lo lleva a un nivel superior. Un desafío que implicó que, después de que un amigo lo retara a perder peso, el atleta pasara de pesar 86 a 66 kilos. Esta experiencia permite que hable con conocimiento de causa: “No creo en una solución rápida. “He perdido peso de forma gradual, de una manera sana y he sido capaz de mantenerlo”.

Vadra anima a quienes quieren perder peso y se sienten desanimados con respecto al ejercicio físico: “¡Seguid así, no os desaniméis! Es un reto, hay que esforzarse más que antes, es un gran esfuerzo y puede ser muy difícil, pero se debe seguir trabajando duro, los resultados hacen que el esfuerzo valga la pena».

El esfuerzo es clave en su filosofía de vida e

influye en los negocios. “Trata de ser el reflejo de quién eres, la manera en la que caminas hacia una reunión de negocios, qué energía tienes en ese momento y cuán seguro te sientes de ti mismo.

Fuerza mental y equilibrio es lo que consigues y esto se refleja en toda tu vida”.

Cuando se trata de incorporar el ejercicio físico a la vida diaria, el experto dice: “Se deben incorporar entrenamientos en torno a la vida normal que se lleva. Introducir pequeños cambios: caminar después del trabajo o pasear en bicicleta los fines de semana”.

Para Vadra el concepto de ‘moderación’ es fundamental. “Es la clave, te ayudará en todos los niveles de la vida”. Su filosofía también admite algunas pausas: “Por supuesto que me permito salir un poco de la ‘dieta’, siempre y cuando esto sea equilibrado y balanceado: si por la noche como un poco más, al otro día realizo más running o bici”.

Su filosofía de su vida va más allá del ejercicio físico o de ser hombre de negocios. Es parte de su manera de ser. “No se trata sólo de la cantidad de flexiones que haces o lo lejos que corres. Se trata de hacer que sea divertido y que puedas incorporar las actividades que te gustan a tu rutina diaria. No es sólo trabajar el cuerpo, el ejercicio te da fuerza personal, seguridad y la posibilidad de enfocar los objetivos que tienes en tu vida. Para poder llegar a ser una persona equilibrada y respetada necesitas centrarte en el ejercicio físico. Esta es una herramienta que siempre te dará algo lujoso: salud”

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Robert Vadra Witness the fitness

TEXT CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTO ANAÍ IBARRA / INTERVIEW ANA CRISTINA ALEXANDRE

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He is a man constantly on the go, travel is a big part of his life, “In the morning I wake up and head down to the hotel gym for a quick 45 minute work out”. Depending on his travel routine, long hotel stays will involve circuit training and running. Getting out in open air a is major bonus for Vadra with his own self styled ‘Window Shopping by Running’, “It’s the best way to see the town” he emphasizes.

His vacations are no different, sports orientated activities are a priority with his two childrenRaihan and Miraya, if they are not scuba diving with marine life, they are out cycling, river rafting or on Safari.

Vadra workouts are demanding and he usually runs a solid 10-12kms at a time, 5 or 6kms back in his home in India “Because of the weather conditions” he adds.

He embraced exercise 12 years ago when encouraged by his sister, 3 years ago he began to take it to the next level. At the time he weighed 86 kilos and after being challenged to lose weight by a friend he reduced his weight to 66kg. “I don’t believe in a quick fix” Vadra exclaims “I lost weight gradually, In a healthy way and I’ve been able to maintain it”.

For those readers feeling somewhat discouraged about exercise and weight loss Vadra has some sound advice. “Keep at it!” he declares “It becomes challenging, you need to push yourself further than before than you have before, yes it is a lot of effort and it can be difficult, but stick with the hard work, the results are worth it”. Vadra’s philosophy and hard work reflects in business he emphasizes this with a guru like concept “It’s about how you walk into a meeting, how much energy you have,

how good you feel about yourself. The mental strength and balance is what you achieve.”

Vadra has words for those who find it hard to fit exercise into their daily lives. “Incorporate your workouts around your regular life but initiate small changes such as after work walks and bike rides on weekends”Moderation in life is fundamental for Vadra to able to maintain his lifestyle and outlook. “Moderation is key, it will help you with everything in life”. Vadra’s philosophy allows for breaks in his regime “I indulge, yes of course, but I practice balance, if I decide to eat a little more one night, I know that the next morning ill run or cycle longer”.

His passion for sports are shared by his brother-in-Law Rahul Gandhi and the two often cycle together, clocking up to 50kms in a session.

Vadra’s advice for Le CITY’s deluxe readers extends further than the gym and business, his life’s philosophy is part and parcel of his everyday being “It’s not just about how many pushups you can do or how far you can run.

It’s about making it fun and incorporating activities that you love to do in your daily routine. Don’t think that you are just working out your body. Exercise will greatly effect your strength and focus your mind. To become balanced strong and a well respected person, you need to do an all round workout-focused exercise, this is the ultimate tool to grant you the greatest luxury life has to offer; health.”

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

obert Vadra is well known as the son-in-law of Indian politics, married to Priyanka Gandhi daughter of Sonia Gandhi – the current president of The Indian National Congress.

Business is Vadra’s middle name, owner of Artex, a fashion accessories company, and his other partnership ventures in aviation, hospitality and real estate means he is involved in every component of business right down to the last detail.

“Its always good to keep things in moderation to make things interesting and not biting off more than one can chew, that’s the principal I maintain in my business” says Robert.

However there is something more Vadra has become known for; his fitness.

Mental balance and a strong dedication to his workout routines have a strongly influenced his business practise’s, the need to stay one step ahead of the pack, both introspectively and physically.

Robert Vadra talks to Le CITY deluxe about why exercising and staying in shape is a crucial part of his life, keeping mind, body and soul in perfect harmony; the mandate for his fitness philosophy.

Balance is the key factor for Vadra when maintaining a healthy and invigorating life and he is openly candid about this “Fitness is my life” he proclaims “It’s not just about improving my looks, it has improved my health, and overall mindset.”

He featured in 2009 Mens health Magazine, India’s largest selling lifestyle magazine mounted on his Suzuki Boulevard super bike, striking a lean and muscular pose.

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GOURMET

RAMON FREIXA

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INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTO REBECA SARAY CLOTHES PINKO

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Taste and luxury in 21st century cuisine

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amón Freixa is a consummate benchmark in Spanish cuisine. Idolised in Barcelona, where he enjoys immense success, this Catalan chef decided to try his hand in Madrid. In 2009, he opened a restaurant in the heart of the Salamanca neighbourhood and since then, has not stopped receiving awards, among them two Michelin Stars and two Repsol Guide Suns.

A tireless worker, Ramón dreams of following in his grandparents footsteps and opening a bakery. One things for certain: the customer comes first.

You have 2 Michelin Stars, 2 Repsol Guide Suns, 3 restaurants in Madrid and another two in Barcelona. You have quite a busy schedule...

My schedule’s full... but of enjoyment. I love what I do. My schedule’s completely booked, but I don’t feel stressed.

Your headquarters are in Madrid...

My headquarters are in Ramón Freixa Madrid, in Hotel Único, although I travel to Barcelona every week.

How are you organised?

I have three teams: the Avalon, Tradició and Madrid teams. I spend more time in Madrid, because I view it as the cathedral. The rest are parishes, and the bishop has to give mass at the cathedral. Despite this, we manage all three teams. Although what’s really important is being surrounded by good people.

Your parents received a Michelin Star in 1988. A hefty responsibility for you...

I sustained it.Then we moved to Madrid and got two Stars in two years with the restaurant Freixa Tradició.

What are your plans for the future?

My main goal is to consolidate Ramón Freixa Madrid and keep going with the Barcelona locations. Although my biggest dream is to open a pastry shop. I’m currently looking for a location in Madrid.

Would you like to have a television show or your own media slot?

My place is in the kitchen. I’ve been offered several things in different media, but it steals too much time. If you’re recording for the television, you’re not in the kitchen, and customers are my top priority.

Why are there so many Michelin Star restaurants in Spain?

Here in Spain, we like to eat well. We also grow exceptional products. It’s a fantastic warehouse in which all regions are rich in products and have their own cuisine. No other country has such a wealth of produce. This helps us prepare good food, means people enjoy eating and makes us a gastronomically rich country.

Certain Michelin Star chefs like Carlos Abellán have planted gardens next to their restaurants to ensure products picked directly from the earth. Have you also gone this way?

I prefer to outsource. We have excellent suppliers. We keep in touch with farmers who produce especially for us. We don’t have a garden, but we do search for the finest produce.

A friend treats you to pizza and champagne, do you accept?

Of course, because it’s a friend. And because I love pizza and champagne. And what’s better than sharing them with friends.

Which Madrid restaurants would you visit to try something new?

The options are endless. If I’m after a gastronomic dinner I’d go to restaurants run by 3 of my friends: Sergi Arola, Paco Roncero and Óscar Velasco. If I fancy Italian I’d go to Andrea Tumbarello’s Don Giovanni. For Catalan cuisine with a delightful twist I go to El Tomate. If I’m in the mood for oysters, I’d go to Lucy Bombón, a restaurant that just opened. For tapas, I recommend getting lost among the bars in the city centre and having a beer and a tapa. All in all, there’s plenty to choose from.

Do you travel much outside of Spain? Is foreign cuisine a source of inspiration?

I love to travel, although I don’t have as much time as I’d like. I travel quite often, sometimes for work, and I make sure to visit the market, try the local cuisine... You always end up finding some source of inspiration.

What’s your next destination?

(He thinks about it). The next thing we have is Argentina for work. We’re going to Asia in early 2012.

Do you transfer new ideas directly to the plate?

First I jot them down in my iPad’s notepad and then gradually develop them. Before, everything was disorganised. Now, with the iPad, I have everything a little more under control.

What does a luxury dish require?

Heart, a lot of feeling, technique and flavour.

There you have yourself a luxury dish. And if you also have some good company like I do right now, then the dish isn’t just luxury, it’s grand luxury

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Your family has a long restaurant tradition (his grandparents were pastry chefs). Did you ever consider a profession outside the culinary world?

No one forced me to continue the family tradition. I’m a chef because I want to be.

When I was little, I wanted to be a singer, like all kids. Until I discovered it really wasn’t for me. From then on I was certain I wanted to be a chef. I started out as a pastry chef and to this day.

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Sabor y lujo en la cocina del siglo XXI

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amón Freixa es todo un referente de la cocina española. Idolatrado en Barcelona donde tiene un enorme éxito, el chef catalán decidió probar suerte en Madrid. En 2009 abrió un restaurante en pleno barrio de Salamanca, y desde entonces no ha dejado de acaparar premios, entre ellos dos estrellas Michelín y dos soles en la Guía Repsol. Trabajador infatigable, Ramón sueña con seguir la senda trazada por sus abuelos y abrir una pastelería. Eso sí, una cosa tiene clara, el cliente es lo primero.

Cuenta con 2 estrellas Michelín, 2 Soles de la Guía Repsol, 3 restaurantes en Madrid, y otros dos en Barcelona. Tiene la agenda bastante apretada...

Mi agenda está llena... pero de disfrute. Me encanta lo que hago. Tengo la agenda completa pero no me agobio.

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Su sede directiva está en Madrid...

Mi sede está en el Ramón Freixa Madrid, en el Hotel Único, aunque viajo todas las semanas a Barcelona.

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¿Cómo se organiza?

Cuento con tres equipos: El del Avalon, el Tradició y el de Madrid. Yo estoy más en Madrid, porque es considero que es la catedral. El resto son parroquias y el obispo debe decir misa en la catedral. Aún así, gestionamos los tres equipos.

Pero lo verdaderamente importante es que estoy rodeado de muy buenas personas.

Sus padres recibieron la Estrella Michelin en 1988. Una gran responsabilidad para usted...

Yo la mantuve. Luego nos mudamos a Madrid y conseguimos dos estrellas en dos años con el restaurante Freixa Tradició.

Su familia tiene una gran tradición en el mundo de la restauración (sus abuelos fueron pasteleros). ¿En algún momento se planteó no dedicarse al mundo de cocina?

Nadie me ha obligado a seguir la tradición familiar. Soy cocinero porque quiero. De pequeño quería ser cantante, como todos los niños. Hasta que descubrí que eso no iba conmigo. A partir de ahí tuve claro que quería ser cocinero. Empecé siendo pastelero y hasta hoy. ¿Cuáles son sus planes de futuro?

Mi objetivo principal es afianzar Ramón Freixa Madrid y continuar con los locales de Barcelona.

Pero mi gran ilusión sería montar una pastelería.

Estoy buscando un local en Madrid. ¿Le gustaría contar con un programa de televisión o tener un espacio propio en los medios de comunicación?

Mi lugar está en la cocina. Me han propuesto hacer cosas en diferentes medios pero eso te roba mucho tiempo. Si estás grabando para la televisión, no estás en tu restaurante ni en tu cocina y mi prioridad es el cliente.

¿A qué se debe que en España haya tantos restaurantes con estrellas Michelin?

En España nos gusta comer bien. Además contamos con muy buenos productos. Es un almacén fantástico donde cada región es muy rica en productos y tiene una cocina diferente.

No hay un país en el mundo con tanta riqueza de productos. Esto hace que se cocine bien, que la gente disfrute comiendo y que seamos un país rico en gastronomía.

Hay cocineros con estrella Michelin como Carlos Abellán que han puesto un huerto junto a su restaurante para contar con productos cogidos directamente de la tierra. ¿Usted también ha optado por esta opción?

Yo prefiero externalizarlo. Tenemos muy buenos proveedores. Contamos con campesinos que producen cosas para nosotros. No tenemos huerto pero sí que buscamos el mejor producto.

Un amigo le invita a una pizza con champán. ¿Aceptaría?

Por supuesto. Porque se trata de un amigo.

Además, me encantan la pizza y el champán. Y qué mejor que compartirlo con los amigos. ¿A qué restaurante de Madrid iría a probar algo nuevo?

Hay muchas opciones. Si quiero hacer una cena gastronómica voy a restaurantes de 3 amigos míos: Sergi Arola, Paco Roncero y Óscar Velasco.

Si quiero comer cocina italiana, me voy al “Don Giovanni” de Andrea Tumbarello. Para degustar

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STARTING WITH A TOMATO… A partir de un tomate…

la cocina catalana con un toque divertido me voy a “El tomate”. Si quiero comerme unas ostras, iría a “ Lucy Bombón”, un restaurante que acaban de abrir Para tapear, recomiendo perderse por los bares del centro y tomar una caña con la tapa.

Al final, tengo mucho donde elegir. ¿Viaja mucho fuera de España? ¿Se inspira en la cocina extranjera?

Me encanta viajar aunque no tengo todo el tiempo que quisiera. Viajo bastante, a veces por trabajo, y aprovecho para ver el mercado, la cocina local... Al final siempre surge algún tipo de inspiración. ¿Cuál será su próximo destino?

(Se lo piensa). Lo más cercano que tenemos es Argentina por temas de trabajo. A principios de 2012 iremos a Asia. ¿Traslada directamente al plato las nuevas ideas que ha adquirido?

Primero anoto las cosas en el blog de notas mi iPad y luego las voy madurando poco a poco.

Antes lo tenía todo desordenado. Ahora con el Ipad tengo las cosas más controladas.

Quarter the tomato and dress with olive oil, salt, pepper and vinegar / Escaldar los tomates para pelarlo, enfriar y dejarlo entero

Grilled tomato / El tomate asado 4 moruno tomatoes / tomates morunos Blanch the tomatoes and peal them, let them cool and leave them whole /

Escaldar los tomates para pelarlo, enfriar y dejarlo entero

Grilled tomato sauce / La salsa de tomate asado 100g butter / mantequilla 50g muscovado sugar / azúcar moscovado 200g tomato sauce / salsa de tomate 1 vanilla bean / vaina de vainilla Pepper / Pimienta Salt / Sal Make caramel with the butter and muscovado sugar. Add the tomato sauce and season with the salt, pepper and the vanilla bean / Hacer un caramelo

con la mantequilla y el azúcar moscovado. Acabar añadiendo la salsa de tomate, condimentar con sal, pimienta y la vaina de vainilla.

Place the whole tomato on an oven tray, cover with the tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven at 200ºC for 10 minutes. Set aside until served / Disponer el tomate entero en una bandeja de horno, na-

parlo con la salsa de tomate, salpimentar y hornear a 200º durante 10 minutos.

Reservar para el servicio.

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

Un plato de lujo, ¿qué tiene que tener?

Corazón, mucho sentimiento, técnica y sabor.

Con eso tienes un plato de lujo. Y si además tienes una buena compañía como la que tengo ahora mismo, tenemos un plato no de lujo sino de lujazo

Tomato salad / La ensalada de tomate 1 raf tomato / tomate raft Extra virgin olive oil / Aceite de oliva virgen extra Vinegar / Vinagre Pepper / Pimienta Salt / Sal

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LETTER

Autumn & Winter edition

PHOTO ANAI IBARRA

I

Claudia Trimde

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com CEO MADRID deluxe

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t brings me immense pleasure to present to you the latest edition of MADRID deluxe. A magazine that has arrived to share the upcoming autumn/winter 2011-2012 with you, and do so in fine style.

Without stopping there, each edition is a challenge and a fresh opportunity to illustrate our know-how and provide both information and quality service. With this new edition, we are releasing a more complete magazine with more elaborate content, the result of an arduous effort from a team comprising numerous industry professionals and talents.

We are drawn by a project which implies, first and foremost, energy and passion, feelings we experience as part of a magazine, city and industry on which our friends, customers and readers rely.

With this new edition we premiere our new COVER, and do so with none other than Dani Clos.

We encourage you to savour this edition, meander through its pages, read them as you spend a few nights in a hotel, enjoy an exquisite dinner or travel comfortably towards new horizons. We urge you to become part of this edition and ring in 2012 with energy, passion, willingness and dazzling smiles: a real luxury in these times of “crisis”. With this philosophy, we shall continue to launch projects and successfully mitigate the different stages which confront us, because, as in life, meeting objectives denotes hard work and continuous commitment. In this regard, we know what we’re talking about

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s intensamente gratificante ofrecerles una nueva edición de MADRID deluxe.

Una revista que llega para compartir con ustedes el próximo otoño-invierno 2011-2012 y que lo hace de la mejor manera posible.

Sin conformarnos, cada edición es un reto y una nueva instancia para demostrar lo que sabemos hacer y para ofrecerles tanto información como un servicio de calidad. En esta nueva entrega, les ofrecemos una revista más completa y producciones más elaboradas resultado de un gran trabajo en equipo, compuesto por diferentes profesionales y talentos en este tema.

Nos convoca un proyecto que implica, sobre todo, energía y pasión; aquella que sentimos al formar parte de una revista, una ciudad y un sector que es en el cual confían nuestros amigos, clientes y lectores.

Para esta nueva edición, estrenamos PORTADA y lo hacemos nada más y nada menos que con el piloto Dani Clos.

Les invitamos a disfrutar de esta edición, a pasear por sus páginas, a leerlas mientras disfruta de la estancia en un hotel, una exquisita cena o mientras viaja cómodamente hacia un nuevo horizonte. Les invitamos a ser parte de esta edición y a recibir el 2012 con energía, pasión, predisposición y con brillantes sonrisas, eso es un lujo en estos tiempos de “crisis”. Es así como deseamos continuar emprendiendo proyectos y resolviendo con éxito las diferentes etapas que nos tocan atravesar porque, tal y como sucede en la vida, concretar metas exige esfuerzo y un compromiso constante. En eso, sabemos de qué hablamos

FASH IO N

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTO REBECA SARAY

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Ainhoa García Director of Jesus del Pozo

THE MASTER’S LEGACY

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n exceptional company, the driving force behind Spanish fashion and bearer of a professional acclaim which transcends time and borders. Jesús del Pozo is a name which became the symbol of Spanish design. For this reason, MADRID deluxe sought out Ainhoa García, the company’s director, who greets us in the showroom and explains the master’s legacy, along with the steps they are taking following the designer’s passing.

After 30 years conquering the fashion world with the Jesús del Pozo brand, how are you preparing to continue without the designer’s presence?

With the utmost respect for his legacy. Jesús created a style, and this style is easily recognisable and clearly identifiable. To create this style, he used a certain methodology, certain techniques. Respect for his work method and the brand’s characteristic traits is going to be our leitmotif to move forward.

How was the most recent show in Cibeles?

Bursting with contained emotion. It was lovely. Everyone who formed part of Jesús’s team was extremely united, and not just us, but the entire profession as well. This togetherness would have made Jesús very proud.

How are you going to follow this sublime history?

As I mentioned earlier, with utmost respect for the brand’s characteristic traits. From now on, the creative team he himself assembled will be responsible for each and every one of the collections. Aside from this, I should mention the Jesús del Pozo Foundation, which administers the legacy of knowledge he left behind.

How do you design your shapes?

Based on research. We deal with sculptural shapes, which move beyond the body, because there is a highly personal way of controlling volume. How do we design them? With a technique inherited from haute couture which most industry companies no longer use, but which allows us to fashion unique articles of clothing with that identifiable Jesús del Pozo stamp. A good example would be threequarter length poet sleeves or a draped bust on evening gowns...

You mentioned the Jesús del Pozo Foundation, created in 2004. What is its purpose?

To help raise awareness of the knowledge Jesús and his team amassed over 37 years of fashion research. To do so, we have opened the studio to help students from a host of diffe-

rent disciplines (design, patterning, communication and fashion company management) acquire practical knowledge. “To get to know a company on the site”, as Jesús once said. The foundation has signed collective agreements with over 15 universities, business schools, etc.

As the brand’s director, what is your biggest challenge?

To ensure the organisation follows the strategic objectives Jesús laid out. Aside from this, internationalising our prêt-à-porter collection. Jesús del Pozo perfumes are now sold in over 130 countries, and our biggest challenge is moving our fashion to where we feel it should be.

Will you keep the fashion spotlight on women?

Yes. While Jesús began by dressing men, women’s fashion is where he showcased the mastery of his mastery.

Which markets are of primary importance at this time?

European expansion and, first and foremost, the US market. We recently launched a new perfume, Halloween Fever, dedicated to New York City.

How do you define luxury?

Jesús used to say he’d rather have silk on the inside than on the outside. Luxury is something you feel. Something personal and highly intimate

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

The collection was all but finished...

While the collection was already designed and patterned, our work process allows for changes up until the second before it hits the runway, so we had to move ahead with work that was in the final stages, but needed to be taken all the way.

Jesús used to speak about “honest beauty”.

Explain this concept...

In his opinion, beauty, elegance and luxury were something that emerged from within.

Something very intimate and which belonged to the person. His leitmotif dealt with searching for, discovering and exalting natural beauty without tricks or ostentation.

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El legado del maestro

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irma de excepción, impulsora de la moda española y poseedora de un reconocimiento profesional que trasciende épocas y fronteras. Jesús del Pozo es un nombre convertido en emblema del diseño español. Es por ello que MADRID deluxe ha querido conversar con Ainhoa García, directora general de la firma, quien nos recibe en el showroom y nos describe el legado del maestro así como los siguientes pasos a dar tras el fallecimiento de su diseñador.

que ya estaba muy adelantado pero que se tuvo que terminar hasta el final.

Después de 30 años de conquista de la marca Jesús del Pozo, ¿cómo os estáis preparando sin la presencia del diseñador?

Con un gran respeto su legado. Jesús creó un estilo y ese estilo es muy reconocible y claramente identificable por los demás. Para llegar a ese estilo, él utilizó una metodología y unas técnicas.

El respeto a su metodología de trabajo y de las señas de identidad de la marca va a ser nuestro leiv motiv para seguir adelante.

¿Cómo vais a seguir esta gran trayectoria?

Como comentado antes, con un gran respeto a las señas de identidad de la marca. A partir de ahora va a ser el equipo creativo que él ha formado el que se va a llevar adelante cada una de las colecciones. Por otro lado hay que citar la Fundación Jesús del Pozo, que gestiona el legado del conocimiento que ha dejado.

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

¿Cómo se vivió la ultima presentación en Cibeles?

Con una emoción contenida. Fue muy entrañable. Todos los que formábamos parte del equipo de Jesús estuvimos muy unidos y no sólo nosotros sino también toda la profesión. Jesús hubiera estado muy orgulloso de esta comunión.

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La colección estaba casi acabada..

La colección ya estaba diseñada y patronada pero nuestro proceso de trabajo requiere cambios hasta el último segundo antes de salir a la pasarela, con lo cual era seguir con un trabajo

Jesús se refería a una “belleza honesta”. Explícanos este concepto…

Para él la belleza, la elegancia y el lujo era algo que salía de dentro a fuera. Era algo muy íntimo, y que pertenecía a la persona. Su leiv motiv era buscar, descubrir y exaltar la belleza natural sin artificios ni ostentación.

¿Cómo se definen vuestras formas?

A base de la investigación. Nosotros hablamos de formas escultóricas, que van más allá del cuerpo, porque hay una forma muy personal de gestionar el volumen. ¿Cómo se consiguen? A través una técnica heredada de la alta costura que la mayoría de la industria ya no utiliza, pero que a nosotros nos permitirá que una prenda se identifique como una prenda singular y que se identificará como “Jesús del Pozo”. Por citar un ejemplo pueden ser unas mangas afaroladas o un busto drapeado para un vestido de noche…

Has mencionado la Fundación Jesús del Pozo, que se creó en el 2004. ¿A qué se dedica?

A difundir el conocimiento que Jesús y su

equipo han llegado a obtener a través de los 37 años de investigación en moda. Para ello se abre el estudio para que estudiantes de diferentes disciplinas (diseño, patronaje, comunicación y gestión de empresas de moda) puedan adquirir un conocimiento practico. “A saber como es una empresa a pie de obra”, en palabras de Jesús.

La Fundación tiene convenios con más de 15 universidad, escuelas de negocio, etc…

Como directora de la marca ¿cuál es su mayo desafío?

Que toda la organización siga el rumbo estratégico que dejó definido Jesús. Por otro lado, la internacionalización del prêt-à-porter. Los perfumes Jesús del Pozo ya se venden en más de 130 países y el gran reto es que al moda también allí donde creemos que es importante estar.

En moda… ¿os vais a seguir concentrando en la mujer?

Si. Jesús empezó vistiendo al hombre pero es en la moda femenina donde se ha visto su maestría. ¿Qué mercados son vuestro objetivo clave en estos momentos?

La expansión europea y sobre todo el mercado estadounidense. Recientemente acabamos de lanzar un nuevo perfume “Hallowen Fever”, dedicada a la ciudad de Nueva York. ¿Cuál seria vuestra definición del lujo?

Jesús decía que prefería la seda por dentro que por fuera. El lujo es algo que tú sientes. Algo personal y muy íntimo

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INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTO ANAÍ IBARRA

Dra. Elena Barraquer Seeing life through different eyes

S

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

ince it was founded in 1941, not only has the Barraquer Clinic’s “altruistic vision” persisted unaltered, it has broadened its scope of action. We are talking about the Barraquer Foundation, which operates in developing countries and helps those neediest see again. Its vice-chairman, Dr. Elena Barraquer, expounds upon the projects and activities which make the dreams of a large number of people around the world a reality.

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How did the Foundation come into being after your grandfather founded the Barraquer Ophthalmology Clinic in 1941?

The Barraquer Clinic has always made room for patients who can afford private medicine, as well as those with no resources.

Consistent with this philosophy, and looking to expand in this line of work, my father, my brother Rafael and I decided to create the Barraquer Foundation in 2003, to reach those most in need in places where ophthalmological

health care either doesn’t exist or is extremely precarious.

In which countries do you operate?

We started in Senegal, but we’re now in Morocco, Cameroon, Gabon, Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi and India.

What is the situation like in these countries?

In some regions, they haven’t seen an ophthalmologist in their lives. And, as coincidence would have it, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in developing countries.

Lucky for us, this problem can be resolved with an operation.

How many people do you treat on your expeditions?

We usually treat around 100 cases of cataracts during each weeklong expedition. In Kenya, for example, my brother and I operate upwards of 200 cases of cataracts in partnership with the África Digna Foundation.

Impressive. I bet you are very proud...

More than proud, I feel good, because I know our actions help resolve these people’s lives and the lives of their families as well.

We often operate on fathers who couldn’t see, couldn’t work and couldn’t feed their families.

And after the operation they’re able to see again, and return to work.

How much aid does the Barraquer Foundation receive?

Not much. It relies on resources from the Barraquer Ophthalmology Centre, which supports us in terms of economic resources and staff. And on aid from patients, friends, family members, companies, etc. However, we don’t receive any state or government aid.

What role does the 1st Charity Regatta play within the Foundation?

It’s a way of raising funds. This time, we’re hoping to finance the expedition to Kenya scheduled for July 2012, in partnership with the África Digna Foundation

S 1ST BARRAQUER FOUNDATION CHARITY REGATTA The competition was held in Barcelona in October and featured the participation of 27 ships and 280 crewmembers. All raised funds, which totalled 22,000 euros altogether, will be donated to help treat the cataracts of 135 patients in the Nyeri region (Kenya) next year.

1ª REGATA BENÉFICA FUNDACIÓN BARRAQUER La competición tuvo lugar en octubre en Barcelona y contó con la participación de 27 barcos y 280 tripulantes participantes. La totalidad de Fondos recaudados fue de 22.000 euros que se destinarán a la operación de 135 pacientes de cataratas en la región de Nyeri (Kenia) en el próximo año.

Ver la vida con otros ojos

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esde que se fundó en el año 1941, la “visión altruista” de la Clínica Barraquer no sólo se ha mantenido inalterable sino que ha ampliado su campo de acción. Hablamos de la Fundación Barraquer, que opera en los países en vías de desarrollo devolviendo la vista a los más necesitados. Su vicepresidenta, la Dra. Elena Barraquer explica los proyectos y actividades que hacen realidad los sueños de muchas personas alrededor del mundo. ¿Cómo nace la Fundación después de que su abuelo fundara la Clínica Oftalmológica Barraquer, en 1941?

La Clínica Barraquer siempre ha tenido cabida tanto para los pacientes que podían costearse una medicina privada como para los que no tenía recursos.

Siguiendo con esta filosofía y para ampliar esta labor, en el año 2003 mi padre, mi hermano Rafael y yo decidimos crear la Fundación Barraquer para llegar a las personas más necesitadas allí donde la asistencia sanitaria oftalmológica no existe o es muy precaria.

¿En que países actúan?

Empezamos en Senegal y ahora ya estamos en Marruecos, Camerún Gabón, Kenia, Mozambique, Malawi y la India. ¿Cuál es la situación en estos países?

En algunas zonas no han visto a un oftalmólogo en su vida. Y se da la casualidad que en los países en vías de desarrollo, la catarata es la causa número uno de ceguera. Por suerte esto se puede solucionar con una operación. ¿Cuánta gente están tratando en sus expediciones?

Solemos operar unas 100 cataratas en cada expedición de una semana. En Kenia, por ejemplo, mi hermano y yo llegamos a operar más de 200 cataratas en colaboración con la fundación África Digna .

Impresionante. Seguro que se siente muy orgullosa…

Más que orgullosa, me siento bien, porque sé que nuestras acciones pueden resolver la vida

de estas persona y además de sus familias. En muchos casos, operamos a un padre que no veía, no podía trabajar y no podía alimentar a su familia. Y después de la operación pueden volver a ver y a trabajar. ¿Con qué apoyos cuenta la Fundación Barraquer?

Con muy pocos. Se nutre de los recursos del Centro de Oftalomología Barraquer que nos apoya tanto con recursos económicos como de personal. También de ayudas de pacientes, amigos, familiares, empresas etc. Sin embargo no tenemos ayuda estatal o gubernamental.

Dentro de la Fundación, ¿qué papel juega la 1º Regata Benéfica?

Es uno de los medios para conseguir fondos.

En este caso esperamos financiar la expedición que se llevará a cabo en julio de 2012 a Kenia con colaboración con la Fundación África Digna

w w w. f u n d a c i o n b a r r a q u e r. o r g

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

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AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

COVER

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DANI CLOS

knocking on the Formula 1’s door INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTO REBECA SARAY / CLOTHES CUSTO

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he Formula 1 will continue to speak Spanish in the years to come. Because Spain produces phenomenal drivers. The latest gem is Dani Clos, a 23 year old from Barcelona who began in the kart world at the tender age of 7. In 2006, he was proclaimed champion of the Italian Formula Renault 2.0 and is currently the sole Spanish GP2 driver. His dream: racing with the big boys. And he’s certainly not lacking the drive or talent.

were championship contenders, and, towards the middle of the season, I had an accident in which I fractured a vertebra. They had to operate, and I missed two races. Even so, it was a pretty good year. I finished fourth, just one point away from third. This year (his third in GP2), while I had more experience, certain decisions and changes within the team meant we had problems tuning the car and with tyre wear early in the season. We wound up losing quite a few points, and this proved costly.

How would you sum up your career through GP2?

I’ve always been crazy about motorsports.

I started driving karts when I was young, around 7. Then came championships in Catalonia, Spain, Europe and the world until I moved into open-wheel cars, with which I’ve competed in several categories.

Will you continue in Racing Engineering?

You never know. We’re currently studying a number of options, in both GP2 and the Formula 1...

Describe a normal day in the life...

My daily life consists of both physical and mental training. Although it seems we (the drivers) only move the steering wheel and pedals, races are long, and you lose tonnes of

Which specific sporting activities do you practice?

A driver needs to be an athlete and have skills in all sports. Cycling, swimming and running are fundamental. Working on balance and reaction is also important. At 300km/h, you need to react very quickly. What’s more, maintaining accuracy at these speeds is extremely complicated.

Nutrition is another important aspect...

Of course. I don’t adhere to a strict diet, but I eat very healthy, low in fat. And my body thanks me for it.

You have been the subject of our first male editorial. How was the experience?

Very positive. I’m not used to posing and I felt very comfortable. The team’s been great.

You’ve treated me phenomenally and I must say I’m grateful

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

You’ve spent three seasons in the GP2, the prelude to the Formula 1. Your first year you finished 21st. The second you came fourth, and now eighth. How do you explain these changes?

The GP2 is one of the world’s most challenging championships. Your first year is always difficult. We endured a lot of accidents, some caused by other drivers. Last year we

Your big dream must be to take that leap into the Formula 1...

The Formula 1 is my ultimate dream; it’s what I’ve worked for my entire life. I’m ready, thing is, unfortunately, it’s extremely complicated. While you might have excellent results, the team needs the driver to have money.

liquid. We have to be extremely well prepared, and, as we have virtually no time to train with the car, we spend session upon session in the simulator. I also like to study languages and spend time on my hobbies.

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Llama a las puertas de la Fórmula 1

L

a Fórmula 1 seguirá hablando español los próximos años. Y es que España cuenta con una gran cantera de pilotos. La última joya se llama Dani Clos, un barcelonés de 23 años que empezó en el mundo karting con tan sólo 7 años. En 2006 se proclamó campeón de la Fórmula Renault 2.0 italiana y ahora mismo es el único piloto español en GP 2. Su sueño: correr junto a los más grandes. Ilusión y talento no le faltan.

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

¿Qué resumen haces de tu carrera hasta llegar a la GP 2?

Siempre me ha apasionado el mundo del motor. Empecé en el karting muy pronto, con 7 años. Luego vinieron los campeonatos de Cataluña, España, Europa y del mundo hasta llegar a los monoplazas, en los que he pasado por diferentes categorías.

8

Llevas tres temporadas en la GP 2, antesala de la Fórmula 1. El primer año terminaste en el puesto 21, en la segunda temporada fuiste cuarto y ahora octavo. ¿A qué se deben estos cambios?

La GP 2 es uno de los campeonatos más difíciles que existen. El primer año siempre es difícil. Tuvimos muchos accidentes, algunos provocados por otros pilotos. El año pasado estábamos luchando por el campeonato y a mitad de temporada tuve un accidente en el que me fracturé una vértebra. Tuvieron que operarme y me salté dos carreras. Aún así, fue un año bastante bueno. Quedé segundo a un punto del tercero.

Este año (el tercero en la GP 2) contaba con más experiencia, pero ha habido decisiones y cambios dentro del equipo que han hecho que tuviéramos muchos problemas con los reglajes del coche y el desgaste de los neumáticos a principios de

temporada. Al final hemos perdido muchos puntos y lo hemos pagado. ¿Seguirás en Racing Engineering?

Nunca se sabe. Tenemos varias opciones tanto en GP 2 como en Fórmula 1 y hay que estudiarlas...

Tu gran sueño será dar el salto a la Fórmula 1...

La Fórmula 1 es mi gran sueño, he trabajado toda la vida para ello. Estoy preparado aunque desgraciadamente es muy complicado. Puedes conseguir muy buenos resultados pero para un equipo es necesario que un piloto lleve dinero. ¿Cómo es un día en tu vida?

Mi día a día consta de entrenamiento físico y mental. Aunque parezca que (los pilotos) sólo movemos el volante y los pedales, las carreras son muy largas y se pierde mucho líquido. Tenemos que estar muy bien preparados y como casi no podemos entrenar con el coche, hacemos muchas sesiones con el simulador. También me gusta

estudiar idiomas y dedicar tiempo a mis hobbies. ¿Qué actividades deportivas concretas realizas?

El piloto debe ser un atleta y tiene que abarcar todos los deportes. Hacer bicicleta, nadar y correr son esenciales. También es importante trabajar el equilibrio y la reacción. Yendo a 300 km/h tienes que reaccionar muy rápido. Además, es muy complicado ser preciso a esas velocidades.

La alimentación es otro aspecto importante...

Por supuesto. No sigo una dieta estricta pero como muy sano, con poca grasa. El cuerpo lo agradece mucho.

Has hecho nuestro primer editorial de hombres. ¿Cómo ha sido la experiencia?

Muy positiva. No estoy acostumbrado a posar y me he sentido muy cómodo. El equipo ha sido fantástico. Os habéis portado fenomenal conmigo y eso es de agradecer

C U LT U R E

Carmen Posadas LITERATURE WITHOUT SECRETS

INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTO REBECA SARAY / CLOTHES SITA MURT & CUSTO / JEWELS CHOPARD / LOCATION RITZ MADRID

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conversation with Carmen Posadas implies entering a world where literature grasps centre stage. A world which, for her, holds no secrets. This writer, born in Uruguay, but also a citizen of the world, has trodden a number of literary paths, from children’s stories, essays and film scripts to novels. She also received the Planeta Award for Pequeñas infamias (1998).

Our encounter takes place in Madrid’s Hotel Ritz, a familiar setting for Carmen. In 1965, this location became her home for the next three years, after her father was named Uruguayan Ambassador in Spain. Until recently, revisiting the Ritz allowed Carmen to greet some of the hotel employees she knew during her initial stay.

An elegant suite sets the scene for a conversation concerning her initial forays into the world of the arts. “I started by writing children’s literature. Namely because it seemed easier; and secondly because I don’t have a formal education, as I never went to university”, she clarifies. With literature a constant presence in her life, Carmen only worked up the courage to show her family her early work after publishing her first book. She was always burdened by the judgement of her father, a literature professor with a classical education. “My father would say that after what Shakespeare and Cervantes had written, he had absolutely nothing more to add. So, when I said I wanted to be a writer, it was like profanity. I was breaching this territory my father adored, and it seemed a bit risky. That’s why I started with children’s literature. It took me a long time to write novels”.

And it hasn’t gone at all badly. Carmen Posada has published 28 books between children’s

stories, essays and novels. Her work has been translated into 21 languages and her books can be purchased in 40 countries. Hoy caviar, mañana sardinas (2008), written in tandem with her brother Gervasio, was recently republished thanks to its popularity.

Member of that innumerable group of writers who have forged their work far from their native shores, her literature offers flashes of autobiographical references, the driving force in her stories. At times, geographic references suffice, as she has also lived in Moscow, London and Buenos Aires. While at others, it is a theme or a character, inflicting a manner of literary revenge to which she openly admits.

“When I haven’t liked someone, I’ve turned them into a literary character and killed them.

I change the name, of course. Otherwise they would probably kill me”.

Do autobiographical references inspire your stories from start to finish?

It depends how they come to mind. In my latest book, Invitación a un asesinato (2010), the main character and her sister have lived in Russia. I was married in Moscow, for example.

I remember offering my bouquet to Lenin, which is what all Soviet brides did, and my mother almost killing me. So that part is autobiographical, and from then on I make it up.

Carmen begins her daily work routine very early in the morning. Seated at her desk, in front of the computer, she works on projects or writes articles. When inspiration proves scarce, she sets about editing her texts, making sure each day is productive.

This stage of professional maturity has also allowed her to commit a “slight betrayal of the writers’ guild”. Alongside her brother

Gervasio, she imparts courses to help people find their footing in the literary world. “It’s a creative writing course, because a lot of people harbour desires to become a writer or simply tell things about their lives. So we explain the guidelines and tricks. Because writers are like chefs: they never give you the recipe”.

Could you give me a few key ingredients?

The most important thing is being an avid reader. I meet people who, when I ask if they read a lot, say no, because it contaminates their style. I’m awfully sorry, but they should probably find another profession. Being an avid reader is essential. Afterwards, I feel you need a great deal of patience, because you may do great work one day and nothing the next.

And you need to keep at it.

Carmen knows what she is talking about.

With her talent and perseverance, she has vanquished the initial bias about her not fitting the traditional build, for belonging to a wellto-do family. She has forged a solid career from a distinct perspective: first as a wife, later the mother of two daughters, Sofía and Jimena, and then by uncovering her literary passion.

A self-proclaimed admirer of Marcel Proust, for being “the person who has best described the world, its glamorous side as well as its immense misery”, Carmen Posadas is well aware of her trade’s difficulties.“This profession is not a sprint, but a very long marathon. It may seem you’re heading nowhere, and then one fine day you’re famous the world over”. Something she can attest to and dreamed about as a girl in her Ritz hotel room. “I was 12 years old, and I remember looking at these trees and thinking I would do something important with my life.

I think I have”

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“Cuando alguna persona me ha caído mal le he colocado como personaje de una novela y la he matado. Por supuesto que le cambio el nombre, sino me mata esta persona a mí”. ¿Las referencias autobiográficas te inspiran para llevar la historia de principio a fin?

-Según como vaya surgiendo. En mi último libro, Invitación a un asesinato (2010), la protagonista y su hermana han vivido en Rusia. Yo me casé en Moscú, por ejemplo. Recuerdo que le dejé mi ramo de novia a Lenin, que es lo que hacen todas las novias soviéticas, y mi madre casi me mata. Entonces, esta parte sí es autobiográfica y a partir de allí invento.

Carmen comienza su rutina de trabajo todas las mañanas bien temprano. En su escritorio, frente al ordenador, trabaja en sus proyectos o escribe artículos. Cuando la inspiración no llega, entonces da paso a la corrección de sus textos, procurando que esa jornada resulte siempre productiva.

Esta etapa de madurez profesional también le permite hacer “una pequeña traición al gremio de los escritores”. Junto a su hermano Gervasio dicta cursos para ayudar a quienes se inician en el mundo literario. “Es un curso de escritura creativa, ya que hay mucha gente que tiene deseos de ser escritor o simplemente de contar cosas de su vida. Entonces, nosotros les damos las pautas y los trucos. Porque los escritores son como los cocineros, ya que nunca te dan la receta.”

¿Me puedes dar algunos ingredientes esenciales?

El más importante de todos es ser un gran lector. Hay gente a la que cuando le pregunto si lee mucho me dice que no, porque contamina su estilo. Lo siento mucho, pero en ese caso es mejor que se dediquen a otra cosa. Es importante ser un gran lector. Después, yo creo que es importante tener una enorme paciencia, porque un día salen cosas maravillosas y al día siguiente no sale nada.

Y tú tienes que seguir intentándolo.

Carmen sabe de qué habla. Con su talento y constancia logró vencer los prejuicios iniciales por no encajar en el target tradicional, al pertenecer a una familia acomodada. Construyó una carrera sólida desde un lugar distinto: primero fue esposa, luego madre de dos hijas -Sofía y Jimena- y luego dio paso a su pasión literaria.

Devota confesa de Marcel Proust por ser “quien mejor ha descrito el mundo, su parte glamurosa y también sus grandes miserias”, Carmen Posadas tiene claras las dificultades de su oficio. “Esta profesión no es un sprint, sino un maratón muy largo. Puede parecer que no llegas a nada y un buen día te conviertes en un personaje conocido en el mundo entero.” Algo de lo que puede dar fe y con lo que soñaba siendo todavía una niña desde una habitación del Ritz.

“Yo tenía 12 años y recuerdo que miraba estos árboles y pensaba si haría algo importante en la vida. Creo que lo conseguí”

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

n diálogo con Carmen Posadas supone el acceso a un mundo donde la literatura es la gran protagonista. Un mundo que para ella no tiene secretos. Esta autora nacida en Uruguay, pero a la vez ciudadana del mundo, ha transitado por diversos caminos literarios, desde cuentos infantiles, ensayos y guiones hasta novelas, y ha sido galardonada con el Premio Planeta por Pequeñas infamias (1998).

La cita es en el Hotel Ritz de Madrid, lugar que a Carmen le resulta familiar. En 1965 este lugar fue su hogar por tres años, debido a que su padre fue nombrado embajador de Uruguay en España. Hasta hace poco tiempo pasar por el Ritz le permitía a Carmen reencontrarse con algunos de los empleados del hotel que conoció en aquella primera estadía.

Una elegante suite sirvió de ámbito para conversar acerca de sus inicios en el mundo de las letras. “Empecé escribiendo literatura infantil.

Primeramente porque me parecía más fácil; y segundo porque yo no tengo una educación formal, ya que no fui a la universidad”, adelanta. Con la literatura presente en su vida desde siempre, Carmen se animó a mostrar a su familia el producto de sus primeros trabajos sólo cuando tuvo el primer libro publicado. En ella siempre pesó el juicio de un padre profesor de literatura con formación clásica. “Mi padre decía que después de lo que había escrito Shakespeare o Cervantes no tenía absolutamente más nada que añadir.

Entonces, el hecho de que yo dijese que quería ser una escritora era como una profanación. Era entrar a ese territorio que mi padre adoraba, y me parecía un poco arriesgado. Por ello empecé con la literatura infantil.Tardé mucho en escribir novelas”.

Y mal no le fue. Carmen Posadas lleva publicados 28 libros entre cuentos infantiles, ensayos y novelas. Su obra ha sido traducida a 21 lenguas y sus libros se venden en 40 países. Hoy caviar, mañana sardinas (2008) –escrito junto a su hermano, Gervasio- fue reeditado recientemente debido a su éxito.

Perteneciente a ese innumerable grupo de escritores que ha producido su obra lejos de su tierra natal, en su literatura se adivinan las referencias autobiográficas, que obran como disparador de sus historias. A veces, basta una referencia geográfica, ya que Moscú, Londres o Buenos Aires también han sido su hogar. Otras veces, con la temática o algún personaje, ejecutando una suerte de venganza literaria que ella misma confiesa.

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CO C KTA I L

Alberto Pizarro Barcelona’s cocktail culture w w w. b o b b y g i n . c o m

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AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

n recent years, cocktails have morphed into something other than a simple drink. Consumers have become experts.

They know what they like, and they know want they want. For this reason, bars like Bobby Gin in Barcelona prove a popular setting to commence the evening and choose from among its different types of gin or from its extensive cocktail list. If, on top of this, we throw in the cocktail repertoire of bartender Alberto Pizarro, we wind up with a delicious drink and an unrivalled atmosphere where suggestions are the order of the day. We ask this young, 32 year old for a suggestion, from across the bar.

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Before we get started, congratulations on being named Best Bartender in Spain and on your participation and triumph in the World Class Competition 2011.

Thank you very much. Truth is I’m very proud. It’s all down to a year of non-stop hard work. And having the chance to take part in the World Class Competition was an enriching

experience both personally and professionally.

Tell us more about your involvement in the World Class Competition 2011.

Well, I won in the Cocktail Theatre and the Stars category, one of the contest’s most challenging, with a cocktail called Undermales.

This cocktail revolves around Zacapa Rum, a Guatemalan rum that ages at over 2,000 metres above sea level. Hence its spectacular presentation; the glass is veiled in smoke, to symbolise the clouds.

As the contest was held in New Delhi, where many people do not drink alcohol, how is it substituted?

We have a significant branch of non-alcoholic cocktails or cocktails with low-proof alcohol. There are lots of alcohol-free ingredients to work with, such as juices, soft drinks, syrups or non-alcoholic herbal liqueurs. The trick is in the presentation, making it attractive, so there’s no reason for them to be jealous of people with alcoholic drinks.

While Alberto prepares a Cloudy Day, a non-alcoholic cocktail containing pineapple juice, mandarin juice and a sweet syrup called génépi, we discuss the latest bar trends in Barcelona.

A few years ago, these types of more specialised bars weren’t frequented by all kinds of people. They had a very specific public.

But now, everything is changing, and we’ve seen a trend which has benefitted bars like Bobby Gin, where you’ll also find a highly diverse crowd. We now have a cocktail culture in which people savour their drinks, and an increasing number of people have a favourite cocktail.

What is the cocktail world’s newest trend?

It’s a theatre; everything plays a role from an extremely visual point of view. The list of ingredients is expanding, as with those from Asia, which used to be quite difficult to come by. All of this is creating a brand new world

C INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTO ANAÍ IBARRA / CLOTHS CUSTO / MAKE UP CARLOS OLIVERA

La cultura del coctel en Barcelona

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esde hace unos años los cocteles se han convertido en algo más que una simple bebida, ahora los consumidores se han transformado en especialistas y saben lo que les gusta y lo que quieren. Por eso, bares como el “Bobby Gin” de Barcelona resultan un reclamo para comenzar la noche catalana y escoger entre sus variedades de ginebras, o entre su extensa carta de cocteles. Si a esto, se añaden la coctelera del bartender Alberto Pizarro, el resultado es un sabroso trago y un ambiente inmejorable en el que dejarse aconsejar. Y nosotros le pedimos consejo a este joven de 32 años, desde el otro lado de la barra.

Antes de nada, enhorabuena por el título de “Mejor coctelero de España” y por tu participación y galardón en el “World Class Competition 2011”…

Muchas gracias, la verdad es que estoy muy orgulloso, todo ha sido fruto de un año entero de trabajo. Y tener la oportunidad de participar en la “World Class competition” ha sido una experiencia enriquecedora tanto a nivel personal como profesional.

Cuéntanos más sobre tu participación en la World Class Competition 2011…

Pues gané en la categoría de “Coctel theatre and the Stars”, que es una de las pruebas más exigentes del certamen, con el un coctel llamado Undermales. Este coctel gira en torno al Ron Zacapa, un ron de Guatemala que se añeja a más de 2000 metros de altitud. De ahí su espectacular presentación, la copa esté rodeada de humo, como símbolo de las nubes.

Siendo el certamen en Nueva Delhi, donde hay mucha gente que no bebe alcohol ¿Cómo se suple?

Existe una importante rama de la coctelería sin alcohol, o con baja graduación. Hay muchos ingredientes con los que trabajar exentos de alcohol como zumo, refrescos, siropes o licores de hierbas sin alcohol. El truco también es su presentación, hacerlo atractivo y que no tenga nada que envidiar al que toma uno con alcohol.

Mientras Alberto prepara un “Cloudy day”, un cóctel sin alcohol a base de zumo de piña, zumo de mandarina y un dulce sirope llamado “génépi”, hablamos de las nuevas tendencias de bares en Barcelona.

Hace unos años este tipo de bares, más especializados no eran tan visitados por todo tipo de gente, tenían un público muy concreto. Sin embargo ahora esto está cambiando y se ha creado una tendencia que beneficia a bares como “Bobby gin”, donde el público además es variado. Ahora existe esa cultura de coctel, de disfrutar de una bebida, y cada vez son más las personas que ya tienen su coctelera de referencia. ¿Cuál es la nueva tendencia en el mundo de los cocteles?

Es un teatro; todo juega un papel desde un punto de vista muy visual. También se está ampliando la carta de ingredientes, como los de Asia, que antes eran más difícil de conseguir.Todo esto está creando un mundo nuevo

RECIPE / RECETA UNDERMALES Zacapa Centenario nº23 rum Pedro Ximénez Cocoa distillate A splash of orange cream 40 proof Ron Zacapa Centenario nº23 Pedro Ximénez Destilado de cacao Un toque de crema de naranja 40º de graduación

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inter v iew

Manuel Campo Vidal

· Autumn 2010

NGO AMREF ambassador

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ith a long career in media communication, serving as a host and director of various media spaces, Manuel Campo Vidal, has been the public face of the Flying Doctors Foundation since 2009. AMREF, or the African Medical and Research Foundation, is an organization dedicated to medical services, research and training of health professionals and the general African population.

Alfonso Villalonga, President of AMREF Flying Doctors in Spain defines the involvement of Manuel Campo Vidal as, "An honor to have the assistance from a professional like him, whose rigor and seriousness perfectly represent the values of AMREF Flying Doctors.”

With this new challenge and having selected AMREF as the next foundation for the MADRID Deluxe Charity, we approached the renowned journalist for an explanation on his work with the foundation and why he believes it is necessary to support these causes.

How were you approached for your involvement in AMREF? The truth is that I heard of AMREF from a very good friend and excellent communicator Ladislao Azcona. He presented me with the news and since we have a very good friendship, he said, "Man, would you have a hand to lend to these people," and so it appeared.

And from that moment you were the ambassador for AMREF… Yes, before me was Emilio Aragon but last year I undertook that responsibility, to represent the NGOs and to enhance their reputation and visibility.

How do you combine this work with your work as the chair of the Academy of Arts and Sciences Television of Spain?

The truth is I'm very busy because I am also the President of the Academy. The foundation's work is very beautiful because we do a lot of social work and mission of the organization is extraordinary. That is what motivates me day to day even when there is a heavy workload.

EMBAJADOR DE LA ONG, AMREF

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on una larga trayectoria en los medios de comunicación, como presentador y director en diferentes espacio mediáticos, Manuel Campo Vidal, es desde el 2009 el nuevo rostro público de la Fundación AMREF Flying Doctors (African Medical and Research Fundation), una organización dedicada a la prestación de servicios médicos, la investigación y la formación de profesionales de la salud y de la población africana en general.

Alfonso Villalonga, Presidente de AMREF Flying Doctors España definió la incorporación desinteresada de Manuel Campo Vidal como: “Es un honor poder contar con la colaboración de un profesional como él, cuyo rigor y seriedad representan, a la perfección, los valores de AMREF Flying Doctors”.

Con este nuevo reto y sabiendo que es justamente con AMREF con quien MADRID deluxe realizará el próximo Charity Deluxe, nos acercamos al prestigioso periodista, para que nos explique acerca de sus comienzos en la institución y por qué es necesario apoyar estas causas. ¿Cómo surgió su acercamiento e implicación en AMREF? La verdad es que yo llegué a AMREF por un muy buen amigo y excelente comunicador, que se

llama Ladislao Azcona, él presentaba el telediario mucho antes que yo y como tenemos una muy buena amistad, me dijo: “hombre tendrías que echar una mano a estas personas”, y entonces así surgió.

Y desde ese momento es embajador de AMREF… Si, antes había sido Emilio Aragón pero desde el año pasado he asumido esa responsabilidad, la de representar a la ONG y potenciar su notoriedad y visibilidad pública. ¿Cómo combina este trabajo con el de presidir la Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias de Televisión de España?

La verdad es que estoy muy ocupado justamente porque además soy el Presidente de la Academia. Pero el trabajo de la fundación es muy bonito, porque hacemos mucho trabajo social y los fines de la entidad son extraordinarios. Eso motiva el día a día aún cuando hay gran volumen de trabajo.

Los valores de la institución son los pilares de su motivación…

Si, creo que a mí la idea original de AMREF Flying Doctors me sedujo mucho. Particularmente me atrajo mucho el hecho de que alguien dedique una semana o diez días de sus vacaciones para ir a intervenir quirúrgicamente en África; estos actos merecen el apoyo de toda la sociedad y la sociedad debe conocerlos. Por nuestra parte, además, hemos estado interviniendo en algunos actos en diferentes ciudades del España, próximamente daremos una conferencia en Barcelona con el Dr. Pedro Alonso, principal referente en la investigación sobre la vacuna de la malaria.

Para vosotros, como medio de comunicación, ¿qué importancia tiene apoyar estas causas?

Creo que estamos un poco en deuda con toda una serie de personas que están desarrollando una labor y un proyecto humano realmente ejemplar.

Deberíamos contar más las historias de esas personas y deberíamos lograr que la gente fuera más cómplice. Debemos hacer una llamada a todos los ciudadanos porque son ellos quienes quieren saber y conocer qué hacemos y cómo actuamos.

La gente quiere que le contemos historias, y las de AMREF Flying Doctors son historias reales de personas que luchan por un futuro mejor y por una mejor calidad de vida en África.

Autumn 2010·

Do you think that the values of the institution are the pillars of their motivation?

Yes, I think the original idea of AMREF Flying Doctors appealed to me greatly. Particularly I was attracted to the fact that someone

was spending a week or ten days of vacation to surgically make a contribution in Africa. These acts deserve the support of society and society must know about them. For our part, we have also been speaking at events in different cities around Spain, and soon we will be holding a conference in Barcelona with Dr. Pedro Alonso, the main reference in the research on the malaria vaccine.

In media communication, how important is to support these causes?

I think we are a little indebted to the number of people who are developing work with really special human projects. We should have more stories on these people and we should ask people become more involved. We should make a call to all citizens because they are the ones who want to know what we do and how we work. People want us to tell them stories and the works of AMREF Flying Doctors are true stories of people struggling for a better future and a better quality of life in Africa.

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letter Dear readers, friends and Le CITY deluxe members

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great deal, this is what all of us are looking for. No matter how much money you have you will always want to get the best, an upgrade, for the least possible- prolonging the indulgment of VIP experiences.

And there you have it; let´s start with the magazine! With this issue we invite you to one of the greatest SPA´s “O2” of your city. Furthermore when you become a member of our Le CITY deluxe club you get VIP treatment, discounts and gifts from the best places in town. Moreover our CHARITY events, give a little and make a huge difference in someones life!

Welcome to the world of divine, affordable CITY luxury. www.le-citydeluxe.com

PHOTO: ANAI IBARRA

QUERIDOS LECTORES, AMIGOS Y MIEMBROS DE LE CITY DELUXE

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Claudia Trimde

· Autumn 2010

claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com Directora de MADRID deluxe

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n gran parte, esto es lo que todos estamos buscando. No importa el dinero que usted tiene, siempre querrá conseguir lo mejor, una mejora sustancial, con tal de conseguir una prolongación en sus experiencias VIP. Y este es el resultado, comenience a disfrutar de nuestra revista! Con este número le invitamos a uno de los mejores SPA “O2” de su ciudad.

Hazte miembro de nuestro club Le CITY deluxe y disfruta de nuestro servicio VIP, descuentos y regalos en los lugares más exclusivos de la ciudad.

Por otra parte nuestros eventos de caridad, hacen que, con un poco de todos, poder ofrecer mucho a personas que lo necesitan!

Bienvenido al mundo de lo divino, el lujo asequible de la ciudad. www.le-citydeluxe.com

walk

Breakfast star

in La Boqueria

Carles Abellán & Michael Mina

· Autumn 2010

PHOTO ANAI IBARRA

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CT What has been the most outstanding experience out of all the things that you have seen?

M: I think the seriousness of the products and technique with which they work here. The level of the products is very high, the highest in the world. In Barcelona the food has more style and the flavors are pronounced in the dishes, the flavors are very interesting CT What do you look for in the selection of your products?

M: I always look and smell the products. I touch them and feel their texture.

CT What inspirations will be born from this trip?

M: When you're a chef and you travel, the inspiration that you take back home with you is what you have gotten from an entire restaurant’s concept, especially the atmosphere, bye inspiration is only an idea to further develop in a restaurant.

Carles Abellán believes the differences between American and Mediterranean cuisine is due to the culture. In the sense that the two kitchens are different but the common denominator is the technique and internationality.

Elements both these cuisines share.

CT I would like to see how different it is. For example, what would you make with this fish?

M: First I would like to see what Carles would make.

C: I would make a Suquet with potatoes, tomatoes and garlic, a typical dish here...

CT And you Michael... do you have an inspiration for this dish?

M: In the kitchen, I like to use four infallible elements: acidity, spice, sweetness and delicacy.

Those are the four elements that I always try to balance in food. Staying true to the products I use in the United States, I would introduce a bit of seafood combined with pepper in a slow cooker. It would be like a fish with strong flavors of meat.

CT Interesting...

C: Now I change my plate ... (laughs) CT How important is the decoration in a Michelin Restaurant?

M: My personal opinion is that it comes last.

Always start with the product, the technique and the flavor idea, the balance of acidity, sweetness and salt. If you start with this, the presentation will be very easy.

CT And you Carles?

C: To me, everything has an order and the presentation is the last stage.

After a stroll through the Boqueria stands, discussing similarities, differences, dishes and inspirations, Carles invites us to breakfast where he makes a dish in one of the restaurants in the market. We are welcomed by the owner, who greets us and reminds us that the market is characterized for being also, a meeting place.

Laughter and flavors prolong a morning full of stars.

Autumn 2010·

breakfast star is in the Boquería Tuesday at 9:30 am. BARCELONA deluxe is meeting with Michael Mina, an internationally recognized chef, and Carles Abellán, Executive Chef at the W Hotel and mentor of Project 24. With them is Claudia Trimde, Director of the magazine, as they travel through the stands of the Boquería market, a badge of fresh, local produce in the city and a space alive with authenticity. Where everyone knows each other and every customer has their favorite stops. Lights, cameras, flashes and a delicious breakfast made to liven a morning star.

Carles Abellán, student of Ferran Adria, has managed to successfully surf the executive kitchen at the W Hotel in Barcelona. For the past four years he has also worked with Project 24, guiding the cuisines of a group of local Mediterranean restaurants into one of their greatest accomplishments, Commerce 24, which earned a Michelin star.

Michael Mina is a distinguished chef who has been awarded two stars in the Red Guide Gourmet with restaurants that bear his name in San Francisco and Las Vegas. In his search for inspiration, a hidden element in all of his 16 restaurants spread throughout the United States and Mexico, he is in Europe to be nurtured by the culture and cuisine of Greece and the cities of Istanbul, San Sebastian, Rome, Florence and Naples. After passing through St. Tropez and Monte Carlo, he arrived in Barcelona for dinner at El Bulli, and for insight into the tastes of this country. "I really wanted to know the flavor and the taste of Mediterranean cuisine and products," he says as he walks with his eyes on the colors that emerge from each product in the market.

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· Autumn 2010

DESAYUNO ESTRELLA EN LA BOQUERIA

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esayuno estrella en La Boquería un Martes cualquiera 9:30 am. BARCELONA deluxe se encuentra con Michael Mina, reconocido chef internacional, y Carles Abellán, Chef ejecutivo del Hotel W y mentor de Project 24. Con ellos, Claudia Trimde, Directora de la revista, recorre el singular Mercado de la Boquería, una insignia de los productos frescos y autóctonos de la ciudad y un espacio que revive con autenticidad la forma de comprar en la que todos se conocen y cada cliente tiene sus paradas preferidas. Luces, cámaras, flashes y un delicioso desayuno hacen vivir una mañana de estrellas.

Carles Abellán, discípulo de Ferrán Adriá, ha sabido surfear con éxito la cocina ejecutiva del hotel W Barcelona y, desde hace unos años encara Project 24, un grupo de restaurantes referente de la gastronomía mediterránea local que, en uno de sus mayores exponentes, Comerç 24, se valió de una estrella Michelín.

Si algo distingue a Michael Mina, chef galardonado con dos estrellas en la Guía roja del Gourmet por los restaurantes que llevan su nombre en San Francisco y Las Vegas, es la búsqueda de inspiraciones, un elemento latente en el total de sus establecimientos, 18 repartidos entre Estados Unidos y México. En su paso por Europa, se ha

nutrido de la cultura y la cocina de Grecia y las ciudades de Estambul, San Sebastián, Roma, Florencia y Nápoles. Después de pasar por Saint Tropez y Montecarlo, llegó a Barcelona para cenar en El Bulli, y para conocer a fondo los sabores de este país. “Realmente quería conocer el sabor y el gusto de la cocina y los productos mediterráneos”, expresa mientras recorre con la mirada los colores que surgen de cada producto del Mercado.

CT ¿Cuál ha sido la experiencia más sobresaliente de todas las cosas que ha visto?

M: Pienso en lo serio de los productos y la técnica con la que trabajan aquí. El nivel de los productos es muy alto, el más alto del mundo. En Barcelona la comida tiene más estilo y los sabores se pronuncian en los mismos platos, los sabores son muy interesantes CT ¿Qué busca en la selección de los productos?

M: Siempre busco cómo lucen y huelen los productos. Tocarlos y sentir la textura.

CT ¿Qué hará con todas las inspiraciones que nacieron de este viaje?

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Carles Gaig M: Cuando eres un chef y viajas, al volver coges la inspiración de lo que has conocido para todo el concepto de restaurante, especialmente para la atmósfera, la inspiración es solo una idea a desarrollar en un restaurante.

Sobre las diferencias entre la gastronomía Americana y la mediterránea, Carles Abellán considera que el punto se debe a “la cultura”, es decir que, en este sentido, ambas cocinas son diferentes pero el común denominador es la técnica y la internacionalidad, elementos que poseen las dos.

CT Me gustaría ver qué tan diferente es….

Por ejemplo, ¿qué harían con un pescado?

M: Espero a ver qué hace Carles…

C: Yo haría un Suquet, con patatas, tomate y ajo, un plato muy típico de aquí…

CT Y Usted Michael… ¿tiene alguna inspiración para este plato?

M: En la cocina, me gusta utilizar cuatro elementos infalibles: acidez, especias, dulzura y exquisitez. Esos son los cuatro tipo de elementos que yo siempre trato de equilibrar en la comida.

Manteniéndome fiel a los productos que utilizo en Estados Unidos, introduciría un poco de mariscos combinados con pimienta en una cocción lenta… sería como un pescado con los sabores fuertes de la carne…

CT Interesante…

C: Ahora yo cambiaría mi plato… (risas) CT ¿Qué tan importante es la decoración en un restaurante Michelín?

M: Mi opinión personal es que la decoración viene al final. Siempre se empieza por la técnica del producto y la idea de sabor, el balance de la acidez, la dulzura y la sal. Si empiezas con esto, la presentación va a ser muy fácil.

CT ¿Y usted Carles?

C: Para mí, es así también, todo tiene un orden y la presentación es la última etapa.

Después de un paseo por los puestos de la Boquería, de hablar de similitudes, diferencias, platos e inspiraciones, Carles nos invita a desayunar con un plato que él mismo cocina en una de las paraditas del Mercado. Saludamos al dueño, quien nos recibe y nos recuerda que el mercado se caracteriza por ser, además, un lugar de encuentro. Risas y sabores dilatan una mañana llena de estrellas

Autumn 2010·

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LETTER

Grow your Wings

D PHOTO: ANAI IBARRA

ear readers, “Sometimes, if your aren´t sure about something, you have to just jump of the bridge and grow your wings on the way down”- says Daniel Steel. And this is just what I urge you to do. Get inspired- don´t take “no” for an answer- believe in your capabilities to fly, to recreate and indulge- discover a new horizon! At Le CITY deluxe we are already reaping the fruits from this great challenge.

We welcome “ST PETERSBURG deluxe” which is now part of our exciting luxury city guide family.

Yet we don´t stop here, since the launch of our iPAD apps for our Magazines we are in the TOP 20 most downloaded publications in the world!

CLAUDIA TRIMDE claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com Director of ST. PETERSBURG deluxe

Jumping takes a lot of courage especially if you don’t know where you land, but those wings you grow on the way down, will take you all the WAY UP!

LETTER

Grow your Wings

PHOTO: ANAI IBARRA

D CLAUDIA TRIMDE claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com Director of ST. PETERSBURG deluxe

ear readers, “Sometimes, if your aren´t sure about something, you have to just jump of the bridge and grow your wings on the way down”- says Daniel Steel. And this is just what I urge you to do. Get inspired- don´t take “no” for an answer- believe in your capabilities to fly, to recreate and indulge- discover a new horizon! At Le CITY deluxe we are already reaping the fruits from this great challenge.

We welcome “ST.PETERSBURG deluxe” which is now part of our exciting luxury city guide family.

Yet we don´t stop here, since the launch of our iPAD apps for our Magazines we are in the TOP 20 most downloaded publications in the world!

Jumping takes a lot of courage especially if you don’t know where you land, but those wings you grow on the way down, will take you all the WAY UP!

LETTER

PHOTO REBECA SARAY

CEO Le CITY deluxe

CLAUDIA TRIMDE

Ceo & Founder Le CITY deluxe claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com

Follow me on Twitter: @claudiatrimde Claudia Trimde Blog www.claudia-trimde.com

Dear Friend,

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elcome to this very special International edition of Le CITY deluxe. Since our last encounter, our Family has grown and we now welcome also INDIA and the USA (florida) to our family of regionally focused magazines. With now over 70.000 printed copies worldwide and more over 1 mio downloads a year- we want to thank our dear readers and friends their dedicated following. We are also excited to announce that we are soon making another leap into a other markets like Africa at the end of this year.

Warm regards, Claudia Trimde

LETTER

PHOTO REBECA SARAY

CEO Le CITY deluxe

Ceo & Founder Le CITY deluxe claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com

Follow me on Twitter: @claudiatrimde Claudia Trimde Blog www.claudia-trimde.com

SUMMER 2012

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ummer time is holiday time, finally the relaxing moments we all cherish so much are here. For many of us it’s one of the yearly islands of fun, where we can let loose, spend and explore together with our loved ones.

The world has much to offer and I am delighted that our worldwide edition of Le CITY deluxe, comprises the best of the best our regional editions in RUSSIA, INDIA, SPAIN, TURKEY and beyond have to offer. Emerge yourself in the world of Fashion, Gourmet and a Special on Luxury Watches. Le CITY deluxe was invited to exclusively cover for you the height of events around the globe and proudly announce a distribution agreement of the magazine at F1 – HRT team at all GP’s around the world

Wherever you are, enjoy the summer breeze, Yours truly, Claudia Trimde.

CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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Dear Friend,

SUMMER 2012

SPORT

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Pascual Sainz de Vicuña best handicap IN SPAIN

INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE / PHOTO SNOOPY PRODUCTIONS

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ascual Sainz de Vicuña, shooting the ball goalwards, displays a remarkably delicate “near side” swing. Currently the top handicap among Spanish polo players, his passion is certainly not happenstance. Born into an Argentinean family, a country where polo is a highly traditional sport, his father is an ex-polo player, which made it easier for him to take command of the family cavalry.

At just 26 years of age, he has taken part in all major tournaments in Argentina and the United Kingdom and is a member of the Spanish national team. We met up with him at the spectacular and exclusive Dos Lunas Polo Club, where we discussed the inner workings of this sport.

How did you get where you are?

I’ve been playing seriously for about ten years, and it all comes down to perseverance and playing a great deal, virtually every day of the year. Along with the experience you get playing in different tournaments in Spain and travelling around Argentina.

“Polo is not very popular in Spain or Europe. It’s still not televised” Why is polo such an elitist sport?

There are fewer places to play in Europe, where it’s difficult to find grassy areas and there isn’t much of a tradition. In Argentina, on the other hand, horses are much more accessible and you can play almost anywhere, meaning it isn’t quite as elitist over there.

It’s a particularly famous sport in England...

Yes, in England it is, although it’s becoming more popular in Spain. I remember 10,000 people attended the final of the Gold Cup in Sotogrande. But it’s more of a household name in England, thanks to British Royal Family’s longstanding involvement.

How do you train to be a champion?

We organise practice matches to exercise the horses and play amongst ourselves. We ride, knock the ball around and train physically.

Whereas, before, players didn’t exercise much, they do today. Like all sports, polo has evolved, and now we train and go running.

Do you always ride the same horse?

No, not at all. That’s another reason it’s complicated. At one point, polo was an Olympic sport and then it was dropped. Every player needs between six and seven horses, as they’re forced to cover large distances.

Do you have a favourite horse?

Yes, a 15 year old mare named Casilda. I’ve had her since I began, and she’s been with me throughout the years, as my handicap has improved, and she’s always been fantastic. We understand each other, and while she might not suit other players, I think she’s great.

What are your plans for this year?

I’m currently taking part in the Sotogrande tournament at the Santa María Polo Club. It’s a great competition and we hope to do well. Then I have the Argentinean league, from September to December, and afterwards we’ll see. The US might be an option.

SUMMER 2012

How old were you when you started?

I was 15, which is relatively late in the world of polo. In Argentina, there’s a championship called the “Foals’ Cup” where kids start playing at the age of 8. A lot of my friends began when they were 12, and I started at 15, as I was somewhat afraid of horses as a child.

Is the sport popular in Spain?

No, it’s not very popular in Spain or Europe.

It’s still not televised. As I see it, the fact that exclusive brand names like Rolex and Cartier are so highly involved in polo indicates it isn’t a sport for everyone; which is what makes it distinctive.

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What are the mallets made from?

From bamboo; the canes come from the India. They’re difficult to make; a painstaking process, all done by hand. As they’re wooden, they have to be stuck together, crafted, adjusted, the head has to be fitted, and all the alterations that are involved.

How long do the mallets last?

They could very well last an entire season, depending on the fields you play on and how lucky you are. If you strike with the head it’ll last longer than if you do so with the shaft, where it’ll break easily.

What kind of uniform do you use in polo?

Boots, knee guards, helmet, wrist guards, gloves and goggles.The goggles are very important.

The ball is extremely hard, and more than a few players have lost an eye. I remember a match where, had I not been wearing goggles, I’d have lost an eye. Underage kids are required to wear goggles in Argentina. Then you need a mallet, riding crop, horse, and you’re set!

SUMMER 2012

And the horses?

They also undergo lots of preparation. For example, when we train, the saddles and horseshoes have to be prepared. Each horse uses a different horseshoe. Everything has to be organised; polo requires a lot of work. But the horse keepers do an excellent job. Not only do they look after the horses, they also need a fantastic memory.

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How many people do you have helping you?

Two horse keepers; normally the head horse keeper and an assistant. We’re also there to

ILLUSTRATION FELIPE PFISTER

mount and lend a hand. They do an incredible job; without them it would be impossible.

They’re up and out with the horses at five in the morning. The horses sleep after lunch, and then they’re back out with them from half past four until eight.

Which are better, males or females?

Polo is traditionally played with females. In the past, if something happened to a male, if he got injured, he was no longer fit for breeding and most were gelded. Females, on the other hand, could still be used for breeding.

They’re more sensitive in terms of handling, in the mouth, which is why polo players tend to prefer mares.

How long can they keep playing?

Like footballers, it depends on injuries, on their physical condition. Some horses keep going for 8 years, which is a long time for a horse. They normally don’t start until they’re 6. They’re tamed when they’re 3, gradually introduced to polo when they’re 4 and enter serious competition at 6. We have to wait quite a while

LETTER

Dear brand new CITY deluxe readers,

Y

PHOTO ANAI IBARRA

ou are holding in your hands the very first copy of what inspires to be from now on your worldwide luxury city guide. The insight to the ultimate DELUXE experiencein which ever capital you are in the world. Meet the people that drive savoir fair businesses, artists that challenge boundaries, editorials that feature the most exquisite garments, or gourmet temples that challenge your taste buts.

I invite you to become a member of our Le CITY deluxe Social Club which you can join online at www.le-citydeluxe. com and with our exclusive Club card reap benefits wherever you travel in the world. Explore and get inspired by our take on luxury in major capitals of the world.

Sincerely, Claudia Trimde

Claudia Trimde

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

claudia.trimde@le-citydeluxe.com CEO Le CITY deluxe

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PORTRAIT

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

JUDIT MASCÓ Unveiling longlasting Beauty

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AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

looks: Losson Couture // jewels: Union Suiza

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AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

looks: Sergidevcia // shoes: YSL

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AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

looks: Thierry Mugler PARIS VINTAGE // shoes: D&G

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AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

looks: Losson Couture // jewels: Union Suiza

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P PHOTO & EDITION REBECA SARAY HAIR & MAKE UP STYLE JOSE VALLE SPECIAL THANKS UNION SUIZA & PARIS VINTAGE LOCATION EL PALAUET LIVING BARCELONA

INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE

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he began modelling at a tender age.

The cover girl for domestic and international magazines and the image of prestigious brands, Judit Mascó is an icon for femininity, elegance and luxury. With words influenced by her personal experience in this profession, she speaks to us about Barcelona and other parts of her life. She is the star of this edition.

Since the legendary Sports Illustrated cover which established you as the “first Spanish model to grace the cover of this publication”, how has that cover influenced your career?

While I had been working as a professional model for years and had a portfolio full of covers from the most acclaimed domestic and international fashion magazines, being on the cover of that famous American magazine certainly did increase my popularity. It represented international recognition. It raised my profile as a model, and I feel I used it to my benefit. From that point forth, I started taking part in fashion shows in Milan and New York, had the top fashion photographers calling me and was featured in a number of television adverts. It changed the direction of my career.

Watching you mature, jovial, friendly, incredibly beautiful, helps view modelling from a different perspective. That is, not as a career which ends when you reach a certain age, but as a profession viable at any stage of life and at any age.

There’s no denying our profession is intimately linked with youth, but also with a good image, professionalism, charisma, femininity, experience and elegance, or knowing how to emphasise the clothes we wear, so that, while I always thought this would be a short career, experience tells me not only am I still working and making a living from my job as a model, but that I’m enjoying it more than ever.

Ever charitable and deeply involved in a number of causes concerning, above all, childhood and food, what spurred your commitment to these NGOS? Do you feel that when celebrities or high-profile individuals support certain causes this encourages people to discover the organisation and help out?

Yes, provided they’re doing it from the heart.

What made me decide to get involved was verifying that we all have certain basic rights to

a decent life, and as some people can’t exercise them, we need to ensure they’re exercised for them.The needs aren’t enormous. We just have to make a change.

My goals are just like those of any other person looking to collaborate with an NGO, not simply donating money, but seeking a greater implication. And the advantage or difference I have is that my popularity means my voice reaches more people. Hence why my commitment started by getting to know and getting involved in the projects I now collaborate in.

You were born in Barcelona and have always lived here. What is the first thing that comes to mind about this city?

I travelled a lot for many years, but I always came to the conclusion that Barcelona is a city that has the perfect amount of everything, and is extremely well positioned. Beside the Mediterranean Sea and just over an hour from the Pyrenees, it lets you ski and eat paella on the seafront in the same weekend! And as a cosmopolitan city, it has the virtue of being more human than other European capitals, not only thanks to its size but the way of life in its neighbourhoods, which end up feeling like little towns. It’s a great city to live in and I love it.

This year you are the image of Union Suiza.

What are your ideas for next year? Which job would you be thrilled to receive?

I’m the image of Ferrero Rocher chocolates and I still feature in the television advertising campaigns, I have my weekly slot on Catalunya Radio with Manel Fuentes and I’m excited to work with the Union Suiza jewellers.

Soon, I’ll be starting a blog for the magazine Marie Claire, and I hope other pending projects will materialise in the upcoming year.

I’d be thrilled to go back to television. I had a great time and learned a lot

AUTUMN & WINTER 2011

In your opinion, what is the most gratifying part of this profession?

I’m independent, and I’ve always liked and still like travelling, but spending extended periods of time alone made me miss my loved ones and my city. But I’d say the best part is the job itself, that is, walking the runway, posing in front of the camera or filming an advert. I find it incredibly exciting! It’s something I’ve enjoyed ever since I was little, and still do.

All the sacrifice was worth it. Modelling is my profession, and along the way I’ve grown and learned a lot. All professions, and even modelling, although it sounds superficial from the outside, are tools which help you make the most of life. Well-assumed sacrifices and successes are part of my life experiences. Both the good and the bad have helped me become who I am today.

How has your professional life changed since becoming a mother? How do you balance your profession with family and personal life? What’s your secret?

When you really want something, it’s not so complicated. I got pregnant at 27 because it represented an incredible source of joy for both of us. I had been working hard for many years, as I started out young. There weren’t any complications, but I did harbour certain fears about what would happen to my career after having my first child. To my surprise, work increased, and it became clear that with effort and good organisation, it was possible to balance family and work. Like so, so many other women who work in this country, nothing is perfect. But with hard work, it’s possible. Especially if the grandparents lend a hand!

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