Country & Town House - May/Jun 2025 by Country & Town House Magazine

CHELSEA’S NEW GROOVE

What Deliciously Ella did next

LOVIN’ SUMMER

MIRROR IMAGE

How to age well (with a little help)

Sublime gardens, super supper clubs and serious villas

ALL IN ME

OLIVIA COOKE PHOTOGRAPHED BY CAMILLA ÅKRANS

n elebration of ears of Raindance

COLUMNS

26 THE GOOD LIFE Alice B-B is feeling orbital

30 THE RURBANIST Broadway superstar Billy Porter

216 LAST WORD Power doesn’t always have to be loud, as Michael Hayman learns from MOBO Awards founder Kanya King

STYLE

33 FANCY THAT Hats at the ready for Royal Ascot

34 THE STYLIST Slow fashion for the social season

36 THE EDIT Fashion, beauty and jewellery news

38 GARDEN PARTY Pretty in pastels

40 HORSE WHISPERS Equine excellence at Hermès

42 MY STYLE Sustainable fashion advocate, Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey

46 THE MAGPIE All that shines

48 HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU Shane C. Kurup singles out the latest in men’s summer style

51 ON SPEED DIAL is year’s hottest watches, selected by Simon de Burton

HEALTH & WELLBEING

59 HAIR TODAY Hersheson’s new Multi-Tasker

60 THE SCOOP Seeking the perfect red

61 BODY & SOUL Decisions, decisions –they’re leaving us exhausted

62 BODY LANGUAGE Hacks to hone and tone

64 BARE NECESSITIES No make-up make-up

68 THE NUTRITIONIST Dr Frederica Amati uncovers the nuances of ultra processed foods

CULTURE

71 SUCKER PUNCH Photo London’s tenth edition

72 CULTURAL CALENDAR What to book now

75 BIBLIOFILE Belinda Bamber meets Anna Hope

76 THE EXHIBITIONIST Ed Vaizey goes daytripping to see a Stanley Spencer masterpiece

78 ARTIST’S STUDIO LA-based artist Umar Rashid

80 THE GREEN LANE Rolls-Royce’s new Black Badge Spectre is not for shrinking violets

82 SCARFES BAR Charlotte Metcalf meets Victoria Siddall, the National Portrait Gallery’s new – and rst female – director

GOOD NEWS

85 POLLINATOR PARADISE Feel-good stories

87 THE SOLUTIONISTS Fighting food waste

88 THE CONSERVATIONIST Time to pickle, ferment, whittle and brew, says James Wallace

90 LITTLE GREEN BOOK Lisa Grainger meets the woman running the coolest new innovation hub in London’s King’s Cross

PHOTO: ANNIE NOBLE; STYLING NICOLE SMALLWOOD

Top Louis Vuitton

Fashion Director: Nicole Smallwood

Photographer: Annie Noble

Makeup: Lan Nyugen-Grealis using Lancome

Production: Jo at Adrenalin

FEATURES

92 GOOD VIBES Get set for a seventiesinspired summer of style

100 CHELSEA’S GLOWING UP – AGAIN

From a new arts festival to a fresh creative quarter, Chelsea is back and re-conquering the cultural zeitgeist, says Jessica Salter

104 RIPE FOR REINVENTION Ellie Smith meets the mission-driven Ella Mills as Deliciously Ella enters a new chapter

106 GRIT WITH GRACE All hail the FANYs, the heroines in our midst, says Michael Hayman

108 ROCKING THE FOUNDATIONS

e Duke of Richmond tells Lucinda Baring why he’s building the world’s greatest art foundation

112 ALL WE NEED IS LOVE Juliet Kinsman on the human stories behind those seeking asylum

C&TH AESTHETICS GUIDE

115 Can we future-proof our skin and bodies? Our annual guide – edited by Annabel Jones – looks at the latest ways to hack the ageing process, with the industry’s best writers and practitioners

INTERIORS

167 GARDEN OF DREAMS Clare Coulson sneaks a peek at the personal gardens of some of Britain’s best horticulturalists

172 DESIGN NOTES New season interiors picks

174 MEET ME IN THE HALL Which hall are you? Salvesen Graham has some ideas

176 MY EXTERIOR LIFE Poppy Okotcha

TRAVEL

179 WHERE THE WILD THINGS STILL ARE For wildlife you can’t beat Madagascar, says Emma Love

182 LANDSCAPE OF THE APES Lauren Jarvis tracks western lowland gorillas

184 HOUSE RULES Stonking summer villas

188 THE WILDIST Fee Drummond gets soulful at Soneva in the Maldives

190 THE ESCAPIST Travel news

SWING!

195 Everything you need to get set for a summer on the green – plus Jeremy Taylor meets Ryder Cup hero Tommy Fleetwood

FOOD & DRINK

213 ZEST IS BEST Summer dining from Kew

215 WHAT’S SUP? Supper clubs to single out

REGULARS

EDITOR’S LETTER

ON THE COVER

Ololade Ibrahim wears bikini by Alemais, turquoise pendant

necklace by Robinson Pelham, choker, earrings and bracelets by Jessie Western and sunglasses Louis Vuitton. Lilo is an Orlebar Brown x Double J x Oliver James collaboration

PHOTO: STYLED BY URSULA LAKE; PHOTOGRAPHED BY MATEUSZ SITEK

Imost of us would only dream of – building a business with both purpose and nancial reward. Stories such as hers need telling with that nuance. Mills said she ‘was so extraordinarily average growing up… I didn’t excel at anything’, yet down to a twist of seemingly unfortunate fate thanks to illness – it turned out to be the making of her. Circumstance, adversity, character, sense of purpose, determination and luck all conspired to set Mills on her incredible path. Read about her journey on page 104. Our cover shoot is all about summer vibes – positive, colourful and fun. And, hopefully, this issue will give you an energetic shot in the arm (especially if you’re a golfer – our Swing! section is just for you, p195), along with some thoughtful writings on both immigration (‘all we need is love,’ says Juliet Kinsman on page 112) and a celebration of the fantastic FANYs (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry). I really had little idea how these everyday volunteer heroines, who played such a signi cant role in both World Wars, are still called upon to bring their own breed of care and compassion, as well as support and training to our everyday lives. Recent deployments include assisting with the Grenfell Tower re, and the pandemic. I was so inspired, I felt like signing up (p106).

Editor’s LETTER

n 2011, when Ella Mills (née Woodward) began to blog about her journey towards improving her health through a plant-based diet, little did she know that it would become the food empire it is now. Deliciously Ella is a household name – and has just been sold to Swiss food group Hero, making Mills a very pretty package. Like most female founders I’ve met though, she’s incredibly humble and su ers from imposter syndrome, yet she’s achieved something

To tweak or not to tweak, that is the question. As ever, our annual Aesthetics Guide, edited by Annabel Jones, takes a holistic approach to what can be a divisive subject (starting on page 115). e facts stand, though: aesthetics are on the rise, so we want to give you the opinions and insights of the best writers in the eld (including Alice Hart-Davis, Olivia Falcon and Claire Coleman) – and highlight the best practitioners too, so you can make an informed choice about any treatments you might be considering. None of it has to mean going under the ‘knife’, either.

Celia Walden is adamant that non-invasive procedures can have the same e ect as a facelift, it just might take longer (p134).

Away from the art of aesthetics, to the visual arts and the opening of the Duke of Richmond’s new art foundation at Goodwood. Lucinda Baring brings you the story of his ambitious vision (p108). Happy reading.

CHUKKA

CONTRIBUTORS

JESSICA

SALTER

What have you booked this summer? Two work trips to Copenhagen, for 3DaysofDesign in June and fashion week in August. I love my morning routine of cycling – in a Cecilie Bahnsen dress – to La Banchina for a swim and eggs on the deck before my appointments start. Cool city secret? London has some incredible secret gardens. Postman’s Park near the Barbican has a beautiful series of memorials to everyday heroes. Best spot for an al fresco drink? It’s hard to beat a cold beer on the rocks under Les Bords De Mer hotel in Marseilles, where all the locals squeeze in to watch the sun set over the sea. Who or what is your greatest teacher? I met my now husband as someone who needed quite a lot of softening and opening up; he’s had a good go over the last 17 years and my children have knocked the remaining brittle edges off.

MICHAEL HAYMAN CELIA WALDEN

What have you booked this summer? New season Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. I am chair of the advisory council so I am biased but it is unforgettable. Cool city secret? London has a knack for hiding its gems in plain sight. When I visit Heywood Hill I always think about the city in the roaring 20s. Nancy Mitford was one of its early employees. Best spot for an al fresco drink? Keeping with a literary theme are two hotel terraces that could come straight from an Ian Fleming novel. The Villa d’Este for a sundowner Negroni overlooking Lake Como, or Beaverbrook with its sweeping views of the North Downs. Who should be in charge? An academic once told me the problem with many leaders is they have the answers before they know what the questions are. I’d vote for someone who asks great questions, to open minds and bring us together.

CLARE COULSON

What have you booked this summer? I’m taking my two sons to Paris for a week of culture as they’ve never been. We will be mainlining museums, gardens, cafes and I will probably be coerced into a visit to Paris Saint-Germain. Cool city secret? Not really a secret but I spent much of my 30s in St John. My last supper would be the Welsh rarebit and green salad. Utter perfection. Best spot for an al fresco drink? Bagni Sillo in Sori, Liguria, a fabulous and well concealed bar and restaurant built into the cliffs up the coast from Portofino. Delicious antipasti and the best sunset views. Who or what is your greatest teacher? My first editor, Fiona Macpherson, at Harpers & Queen. In everything she was elegant, dignified and precise. She was truly inspirational. Who should be in charge? Gareth Southgate for PM!

What have you booked this summer? The Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum, a weekend in Vienna and a table for two at my new favourite west Hollywood restaurant, Chez Mia. Cool city secret? Manhattan Beach in LA. Although it’s no secret to Angelenos, I like to go. Best spot for an al fresco drink? Julie’s in Holland Park, where they also do miniature scotch eggs, and who doesn’t love a miniature scotch egg? Who or what is your greatest teacher? My daughter, who is Yoda crossed with a 90-yearold Jewish grandmother, and whose parting words the other day when I left the house for an important meeting were: ‘Whatever happens, don’t be yourself.’ Who should be in charge? Children. Their powers of negotiation are second to none. They could probably achieve global peace in a week.

Grit with Grace, p106

Chelsea’s Glowing Up, p100

Gardens of Dreams, p167

Raise Me Up, p134

DEPUTY EDITOR LUCINDA BARING

EDITOR-AT-LARGE ALICE B-B

ASSOCIATE EDITOR CHARLOTTE METCALF

MANAGING EDITOR TESSA DUNTHORNE

SUB EDITORS KATIE BAMBER, ANDREW BRASSLEAY

FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD

BEAUTY DIRECTOR NATHALIE ELENI

INTERIORS DIRECTOR CAROLE ANNETT

CULTURE EDITOR ED VAIZEY

EXECUTIVE RETAIL EDITOR JULIET HERD

MEN’S STYLE EDITOR SHANE C. KURUP

TRAVEL EDITOR-AT-LARGE FRANCISCA KELLETT

EDITOR-AT-WILD FEE DRUMMOND

SUSTAINABILITY EDITOR LISA GRAINGER

PROPERTY EDITOR ANNA TYZACK

MOTORING EDITOR JEREMY TAYLOR

ONLINE CONTENT DIRECTOR REBECCA COX

DEPUTY ONLINE EDITOR ELLIE SMITH

ONLINE CULTURE EDITOR OLIVIA EMILY

ONLINE STYLE EDITOR CHARLIE COLVILLE

ONLINE WRITER MARTHA DAVIES

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER MCKENZIE MULLANY

CREATIVE & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR PARM BHAMRA

DESIGN & PRODUCTION MIA BIAGIONI

LUCY CLELAND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ELLIE RIX

HEAD OF FASHION EMMA MARSH

HEAD OF BEAUTY BANDI MANZINI

SENIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR PANDORA LEWIS

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR SERENA KNIGHT

ACCOUNT MANAGER COSIMA WOODARD

DIGITAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR JOEY GOLDSMITH B CORP & PROJECTS MANAGER XA RODGER

MANAGING DIRECTOR, C&TH EVENTS LOUISE CLOSE

SENIOR EVENTS MANAGER, C&TH EVENTS JOSIE WILLIAMSON

MARKETING & PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE, C&TH EVENTS DOMINIC CHRISTIE

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR MARK PEARSON

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER GARETH MORRIS

FINANCE CONTROLLER LAUREN DELGADO

FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR RIA HARRISON

HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTANT ZOE JONES

CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER TIA GRAHAM

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER JAMES THROWER

MANAGING DIRECTOR JEREMY ISAAC

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

BELINDA BAMBER, STEPHEN BAYLEY, OLIVIA COLE, TIFFANIE DARKE, FIONA DUNCAN, OLIVIA FALCON, DAISY FINER, AVRIL GROOM, LAUREN HO, EMMA LOVE, MARY LUSSIANA, CAROLINE PHILLIPS, THE EDITOR editorial@countryandtownhouse.co.uk FASHION fashion@countryandtownhouse.co.uk

ADVERTISING advertising@countryandtownhouse.co.uk

PROPERTY ADVERTISING property@countryandtownhouse.co.uk

ACCOUNTS accounts@countryandtownhouse.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTIONS subscribe@countryandtownhouse.co.uk

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MASTER OF MATERIALS

RADO

The GOOD LIFE

New kicks, a near-zero-gravity pool with massaging soundscapes, and Alice B-B is feeling orbital

CH ANGING MY SHOES… is probably my biggest win of the year. Might sound daft, but ever since I got my dog Betty, who needs a good two hours exercise a day, I’ve been in pain. Chronic pain. e kind that throbs like a background theme tune, makes you feel a bit cross all the time, and erases from memory what pain-free feels like. I’d wake in the night with a sore back, wake in the morning with sore feet and spend most of the day trying to stretch out my sore hips. Re exology, osteopathy, contrast therapy – all gave me glimmers of relief, but the beast would return with a roaring vengeance. And then I interviewed Galahad Clark, co-founder of Vivobarefoot. He explained that we’re stuck in a shoe matrix that began in the 1800s when we started riding horses to get around. High-heel, pointy-toe riding boots were both a necessity and high-status fashion. Since then footwear hasn’t looked back; even most trainers have a heel-to-toe drop and a narrow toe-box. All of which screws up our posterior chain, the body compensating for our being awkwardly pushed forward. And thanks to thick rubber soles, we hit the ground too hard with each step. So I switched trotters. I slung my Asics and started wearing Vivobarefoot. With their wide toe-box and at sole, they’re a bit weird looking and so very di erent to anything else out there. But I persevered. And would you bloody believe it: three months later I’m blissfully pain free. Galahad Clark – I could kiss you (vivobarefoot.com).

DAYDREAMING, like skipping or lollipops, is one of those things you’re meant to grow out of. But in the adult world where everything needs quanti able outcomes, I nd myself sneaking ways to daydream. e latest is Damu, the new spa at e Mandrake Hotel in Fitzrovia. Firstly: round of applause to hotel owner Rami Fustok. Where most hotel spas look dull, Damu is a dark, moody bathhouse with a wild-jungle relaxation space far away from the rat-race. e star of the show is the Origin Pool, a circular, near-zero-gravity, warm pool where di erent soundscapes ‘massage’ you through the water as you oat. It’s been years in the making; a collaboration with ‘water haptics’ inventor Arny B Arnold who wanted to recreate the bene ts a musician has when playing an instrument. I bobbed beneath a light show as the sound poured into my ears and the underwater vibrations travelled through my body. At times I felt like I was in the womb, or maybe in space? Was I an old star in the sky, or a seed bursting with life? Had I been oating for ve minutes, or ve hours? Creative thoughts raced. e ultimate daydream. And for grown-ups, there’s science to back it all up (damu.uk). n

Three months after switching

her shoes, Alice B-B is blissfully pain free

Covent Garden | East Piazza

The RURBANIST

Billy Porter on consciousness, Cabaret and the dress that changed his career

What’s bringing you joy at the moment? Cabaret. I absolutely love doing this show. And I have a new man, after a divorce, so I’m very joyful. Advice you’d give to your 15-year-old self? Keep going, no matter what. Be your authentic self, always, and don’t let anybody change that. People will say it can be a liability – and it was for me, until it wasn’t. A moment that changed everything? I have had many. e Oscars dress in 2019 changed my career. at snowballed into so many other things, not just fashion, and it put me on the radar internationally. Where do you go to escape? e beach. Any beach where the sun is out. I will go to a pebble beach with the right shoes, but I prefer a sandy one. What’s the best way to put a smile on your face? True kindness. You wouldn’t know it but… I’m an introvert. I know how to be an extrovert because my job requires it. But if you want to know the real me, I’m a home boy, I want to be with my friends. It’s something that has shifted over the years; I think I started out as an extrovert as a young person.

What does sustainability mean to you? Being conscious enough to understand we are destroying the planet and to be aware of the little things we can do as individuals to make a di erence. None of us can do it alone. We have to engage in possible solutions.

How can we save the world? I don’t know; no one knows. All we can do is keep showing up. It’s a collective choice and requires collective action. Your greatest failure? I don’t think in terms of failure. Everything happens for a reason and our perceived failures are always the greatest life lessons.

Your greatest triumph? e need for us to always rate and rank drives me crazy. But if I had to give one, it would be the relationship with my mother, which has shifted from something that was distanced and separate because of queerness and religion to a togetherness.

Your epitaph would read... ‘He loved unconditionally and was loved’. What does a life in balance mean to you? I wish I knew. I’m actively in the process of nding out and it is fun and joyful because I’m nding space where there was no space before.

Best thing that has ever happened to you? My whole life is the greatest thing that ever happened. As a black gay man on this earth in this time. What’s so great about London? I love the people, the architecture. I love how art is still for everyone, even though I know you guys are holding onto that concept by a thread. I love the fashion here, it is open and fun and not muted by masculine tropes. I also love the sex positivity in London – it is very healing to me. Tell us something few people know? I like to cook and I can cook for real. I make everything. Give me a dish and I’ll make it.

Billy Porter is playing the emcee in Cabaret until 24 May (kitkat.club) and is directing is Bitter Earth at Soho eatre from 18 June to 26 July (sohotheatre.com). n

QUICK FIRE FAVOURITES...

SCENT Tom Ford Café Rose. SONG Audacity (live).

BOX SET Sex and the City. CHOCOLATE Twix. DISH A piece of fried chicken. GADGET Phone. RESTAURANT Café Murano or Rita’s in Soho. HOLIDAY Sitges in Spain.

Billy Porter loves London’s sex positivity and escaping to the beach in Sitges

Café Murano

Celebrate spring with MR MARVIS’ sophisticated trousers. Try one of our new styles, like The Easy Chinos, or opt for trusted favourites like The

and The

Busy wedding season on the cards? Pair the lightweight Linens with the new

and one of our refined shirts. Made in Portugal. Discover MR MARVIS’ full collection now on mrmarvis.co.uk

Longs

Seersuckers.

Linen Shacket

STYLE

FANCY THAT

Go for the horses, stay for the showstopping hats. The social season is a milliner’s raison d’etre. This year, the Royal Ascot Millinery Collective celebrates its tenth anniversary and, for the ﬁrst time ever, presented at London Fashion Week with ten bespoke designs created exclusively for Royal Ascot, including Alexandra Harper’s dazzling feathery debut. Royal Ascot, 17-21 June, ascot.com

The STYLIST

With the summer season upon us, what are your slow fashion options? asks Tiﬀanie Darke

If you are a fan of Bella Freud’s Fashion Neurosis podcast, you will have heard a conversation between Bella and Cate Blanchett about the clothing they value the most. Bella frequently mentions how much she loves a uniform, and told Cate her mother used to make hers for school. To which Cate replied that her mother used to hand cut and sew her underwear. Her underwear! Remarkable that such everyday items as school uniform and knickers – items which we pick up today in plastic wrapped three packs – were once lovingly hand sewn by our mothers. Having something made for you, just you, is the very opposite of fast fashion. Rabid and rapid fashion consumption has conditioned us into thinking of clothing as disposable, one season wonders (or even less) that time out as the trend cycle marches on. How deeply unsatisfying. A bespoke out t, however, is a lengthy collaboration between you and designer, tailor or seamstress, one that’s thought out and carefully plotted. It’s the premise of couture and I’m tempted. F irst stop would be Knatchbull, the womenonly tailors on Savile Row. ‘When I had my rst three-piece suit made, I felt like I could put my feet up on the table at a board meeting and tell everyone what I wanted,’ says founder Daisy Knatchbull, perfectly articulating the power of the ultimate t. e process takes weeks of delicious planning, as you choose buttons, monogramming, secret embroidery, split hems, even side-adjusters on trousers, (for those after dinner moments).

If you are planning weddings, trips to the races or panicking slightly as the summer social calendar lls up, look to Lisa Redman. She specialises in reimagining heritage haute couture, creating opulent out ts intended to last a lifetime. Lisa can also start with something you already have, turning unloved gowns into jumpsuits, or modernising something ancient that has been hanging unworn for too long. She’s also brilliant at using o cuts to create matching headbands, belts and all manner of quirky accessories. Or have a look at Deploy, where founder and designer Bernice Pan has engineered her business to gain the highest B Corp certi cation in fashion. Beloved by her fanbase for making versatile, adjustable corporate clothing, there’s no reason why those Deploy suits can’t step out of the boardroom and into the paddock. One can only imagine the Freud and Blanchett matriarchs would thoroughly approve. n

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Knatchbull’s suits are made bespoke for the perfect ﬁt; Lisa Redman reimagines heritage haute couture; Deploy is fashion’s highest scoring B Corp

The EDIT

Your style guide for a sizzling summer season, by

Juliet Herd

CONSCIOUSLY CRAFTED

This cute summer smocked dress has a compelling backstory. Crafted in regenerative cotton grown on Oshadi’s own chemicalfree farm in India, it’s part of a pioneering seed-to-sew initiative rooted in ancient agricultural practices. Dress, £216, oshadi.in

URBAN SAFARI

e name Tracker Jacket is lure enough for us. We’re all set for an urban safari in this beautifully nished cotton drill jacket, complete with monogrammed bone buttons, £250. troylondon.com

DISAPPEARING

ACT

Trust eco-brand Wildsmith Skin to come up with home compostable packaging that leaves no trace. Vivomer, a bio-based, vegan alternative to plastic, gently breaks down until – voilànothing remains but the soil it sprang from. Active Repair Copper Peptide Cream, £115. wildsmithskin.com

RACY RHYMES

Like its nursery rhyme namesake, there’s a deeper meaning behind this ﬂirty Oranges and Lemons silk slip dress. Look closely and you’ll see a cheeky green parrot, representing the arrival of an alien new species to 19th-century England. Now that’s a conversation starter... Slip dress, £890, sabinasavage.com

RADAR

ARTY TOUCH

Who better to immortalise Miu Miu’s signature matelassé than long-time brand a cionado and cultural icon, Gigi Hadid? In a nod to high society 20th-century portraiture, she poses for photographer Steven Meisel with the new suede iterations – the Wander and Arcadie handbags. We’re getting Grace Kelly vibes...

WHAT’S THE BUZZ

Bamford’s new SS25 collection of owing linen separates, sleeveless cotton dresses and draping wraps is the beesknees. Inspired by the planet’s nifty pollinators, each piece has been crafted using only natural bres in a pretty palette of hazel, sky blue and new neutral, buttery yellow. ‘We hope to remind wearers of the beauty of the earth’s resources,’ says nature-loving founder Carole Bamford. bamford.com

GARDEN PARTY

Charlie Colville picks the prettiest pastels and ﬂorals

REFORMATION Gloria dress, £298. thereformation.com

MALONE SOULIERS

CYD 70 beige rafﬁa heeled sandals, £645. malonesouliers.com

ROBINSON PELHAM

Rebel rose quartz bead necklace, £2,165. robinsonpelham.com

LIBERTY 9ct gold Constellation Nanostone earrings, £1,180. libertylondon.com

ERDEM Blazer, £2,195, and wide leg trousers, £995. erdem.com

KATE SPADE @ JOHN LEWIS RENTAL

CLIO PEPPIATT @ HURR

Peacock dress, from £244.25. hurrcollective.com

Twirl Top-Handle bag, from £46. johnlewisfashionrental.com

LOEFFLER @ BY ROTATION

Randall Camellia Gold

Bow sandal (size UK 5), from £10. byrotation.com

BIJOUX DE FAMILIE @ HEWI Crystal & Chrysolite cocktail ring, £165. hardlyeverwornit.com

LULU GUINNESS

Lily Of The Valley basket bag, £345. luluguinness. com

SIMKHAI @ HEWI Pink crystal-embellished kaftan (size UK 14), £319.95. hardlyeverwornit.com

HERMÈS @ HEWI

ZIMMERMANN @ SELLIER KNIGHTSBRIDGE

Floral rufﬂed maxi dress (size UK 8), £495. sellierknightsbridge.com

Limited edition Lucky Daisy Picotin-Micro bag, £6,480. handbagclinic.co.uk

Preloved

YVES SAINT LAURENT @ VESTIAIRE

Arty earrings, £459. vestiairecollective.com

OLIVIA VON HALLE @ HEWI

Orange Caladrius Contessa slipper (size 37), £214.20. hardlyeverwornit.com

ILTA @ SELFRIDGES Evie dress (multiple sizes), from £56. selfridgesrental.com

LELE SADOUGHI @ BY ROTATION

Celementina headband, from £7. byrotation.com

CHRISTIAN DIOR @ 4ELEMENT

Vintage gold Butterﬂy bracelet, from £65. 4element.co.uk

OZEVLAT @ HURR

Blush Yasmine hoop earrings, from £21.28. hurrcollective.com

HORSE WHISPERS

Whether

Think of Hermès and likely it is a Birkin or Kelly that comes to mind, but the brand that was founded in 1837 as a harness maker for carriages still puts its equestrian metier at the heart. ‘Our rst customer is the horse; the second, the rider,’ former chairman and artistic director Jean-Louis Dumas used to say. is heritage is woven into the fabric of Hermès, the bridle and saddlery expertise translating to leather goods (and the inspiration for their stirrup fastenings) and horses a recurrent motif in the silk carrés. e leather and equestrian metier was the strongest performing division last year (up 18 percent) and as luxury brands struggle in the wake of Trump’s trade wars, Hermès is holding steady. On 15 April it pulled ahead of LVMH to become the world’s most valuable luxury brand.

Nowhere is Hermès’ passion for horses – and the brand’s partner riders – more visible than at the Saut Hermès, a three-day showjumping competition at the Grand Palais in Paris. One of the most challenging showjumping competitions in the world, the course is both tight – with barely a stride between each jump – and technical. When a horse and rider go clear, the noise is deafening, as if to rattle the Grand Palais’ glass roof. ‘Actually, some horses wear earplugs,’ says Chloé Nobecourt, director of the Hermès equestrian métier.

At this year’s competition its partner riders triumphed, with 23-year-old Jeanne Sadran winning the Saut Hermès and Simon Delestre, a Hermès partner rider for 14 years, winning the Grand Prix for the third time. Nine Hermès partner riders also competed at the Paris Olympics. ‘When we choose our riders, we are looking for shared values and rst is always a love of horses,’ Nobecourt says. en it’s a quest for excellence, humility, team spirit, a strong work ethic. ‘And at the heart of the partnership is the products. eir experience helps improve the quality of our metier.

ey speak to our craftsmen, give them ideas.’

It’s a triple alliance of rider, saddle expert and craftsman – and anyone investing in an Hermès saddle would have the same experience. Saddle experts travel from France to a client’s stables with a selection of saddles to try and, using an equine scan, take 99 points of measurements. e horse is then reproduced at the Hermès workshop on the top oor of the agship store at Faubourg Saint Honoré. ‘It’s been there since 1880. It is tiny, like a maze.’ One craftsman makes the saddle from start to nish: ‘We believe it is the best quality control but it is special too, the synergy.’ A bespoke saddle costs between €7,300 and €8,300.

‘People ask why we keep up the craft, if it is just for the story,’ says Nobecourt, ‘but these saddles last a lifetime. And while we work with partner riders at the highest level to make sure we meet the highest requirements, you don’t need to be an incredible rider to ride.’ Nor, it seems, to own an Hermès saddle. n

At Hermès, horses have always taken centre stage

MY STYLE

Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey shares her go-to labels and summer favourites

What’s your daily uniform? My BAM gym kit for the school run, and Mother of Pearl jeans, Blaze Milano blazer, WNU shirts and my Metier handbag for days I need to dress up. If I’m going into a challenging situation, I’ll wear red for con dence, like the Aspiga cardigan I wore on a TV interview recently. Who’s your style crush? I will forever love Sienna Miller’s style, but in reality I’m more inspired by my friends. Yesterday I met up with my old Vogue pals. We were all dressed for the days we were having (varied; emotional; up and down, just like everyone else’s) yet everyone was wearing something that made the others go ‘Ohhh, I love that’, whether it was leopard print jeans, a pink knit or a great striped jumper. No one looked perfect, or too ‘done’; everyone had brought their own style to the table, and – mostly –everyone was comfortable.

What’s your go-to piece in your wardrobe for early summer? My Sézane Will jacket, which I recommend to every client I dress; my Chloé denim dress, which still gets comments nine years after I purchased it, or new Alemais

shirtdress; anything by Mondo Corsini; and my Prada velvet sliders, which have minimal branding, go with everything, and are great for slipping into as I walk out the door. I sometimes add socks. What does country style mean to you? I don’t don tweed and tartan every day, that’s for sure. I am quite dishevelled compared to city folk so I would say there is an ease to country style. I’d go for a muted palette (greens, blues, burgundy), great jeans that I don’t mind getting mud on, and the odd pop of something va va voom, like my favourite JW Anderson coat. Favourite accessories for a ﬁnishing touch? My Jessica McCormack jewellery (I rarely change my earrings). I have just discovered Ballinger jewellery, and I love the colour and clout of Lucy Simmons. What do you wear on a night out?

Recently I’ve been leaning on my Citizens of Humanity barrel jeans with my 90s (‘boarding school’ as my husband calls them) Valentino loafers, a silk shirt and a Navygrey knit around my shoulders. For smarter evenings, it’s my beloved Altuzarra tie-dye dress and Rupert Sanderson white Clava pebble heels. I love Rupert’s shoes. Favourite under-the-radar labels? Come to e FairGround to nd out! I love Maria de la Orden; soon-tolaunch AKYN (I’ve seen the collection); Charl’s Norfolk knits; and MONC eyewear. Do you go for timeless or trend-led pieces? Timeless, every time. I have worked in fashion long enough to know trends come and go. For instance, I don’t own a brightly coloured pair of Adidas and last year we were bombarded by the New Balance rebrand (the big ‘N’) and now that looks out of date. Go for longer term investments where you can. Any style hacks? Always look at menswear, particularly for basics like sweaters and t-shirts. Roll up the sleeves if it’s oversize for a more attering t.

vchstyle.com and the-fairground.com n

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

ALEMAIS

Surrealist Summer

Ramie shirtdress, £570, alemais.com

LUCY SIMMONS Happy necklace, £150, the-fairground.com PRADA Velvet sliders, £730, farfetch.com

STYLE CRUSH Sienna Miller BALLINGER

gold hoops, £95, ballingerjewellery.com

barrel jeans, £380, selfridges.com

Chadwyck-Healey is a former Vogue editor turned personal stylist and founder of sustainable fashion marketplace The FairGround

RIVIERA

Maison de parfums d’intérieur eu.baobabcollection.com

© Serge Anton

Santo Sospir scented candle photographed by Serge Anton in front of a work by visual artist Florence Pirlot.

HERO’S TALE

Ella Mills shared her founder journey with C&TH and guests

When a group of bright, talented women get together, the energy is palpaple. is year’s C&TH and J/PR Female Founders lunch at the Hari Hotel in Knightsbridge welcomed special guest Ella Mills, of Deliciously Ella fame. For all she’s achieved (the fastest selling plant-based snack brand in the UK, no less), Ella shared the failures and the stress (don’t ask her about the factory re) of running a business, but moreover, it was her absolute dedication to her mission around the impact of food on health that shone through as her guiding star. She ultimately really cares about what she does and that comes without compromising – or having her head turned. We can all drink to that.

Jade Holland Cooper

Ella Mills

Sarah Chapman

Vivien Wong

Hum Fleming

Penelope Chilvers

Rebecca Cox

Rosie van Cutsem

Jo Dalton

Rose Hulse

Henrietta Rix

Amy Powney

Alice Edwards

Yasmin Salmon

Sophie Paterson, Emma HartlandMahon and Susheel Schroeder

Sabina Savage, Laura Harnett and Lucinda Baring

Alexandra Llewellyn and Georgina Grifﬁth-Jones

Marine Tanguy and Lucy Cleland

Charlotte Mensah and Tiffanie Darke

Camilla Elphick and Natalie Salmon

Carmen Borgonovo and Sophie Shelton

PHOTOS: MARCUS DAWES

BUTTERFLY EFFECT

MAKING WISHES

ese limited-edition Lucky bracelets symbolise the hopes and dreams of the three children who designed them as part of a special hook-up between Carolina Bucci and charity Art of Wishes. £195 (with £100 going to charity). carolinabucci.com

To mark the 50th anniversary of its iconic butter y motif, Gra has designed this showstopper of a necklace boasting a whopping 57.13 carats of snow-set pavé emeralds. It’s is one of ve new high jewellery suites celebrating this ephemeral beauty. £POA, gra .com

The Magpie

Butterﬂies and ballet shoes are beguiling Juliet Herd

RING BEARER

A little art deco mixed with sci- ? at’s the inspo behind one of the distinctive rings in Bear Brooksbank’s new bridal collection. Drawn from the costumes in Dune: Part Two, e Bombé II (£18,000, on left) features an emerald-cut diamond set in 18ct gold. bearbrooksbank.com

FLIGHTS OF FANCY

Harry Winston has added new one-ofa-kind pieces to its Marvelous Creations high jewellery collection. Of the eight bejewelled bird brooches, this Exotic Bird features moveable crested plumes of diamonds, emeralds and black onyx and a rubellite cabochon throat. harrywinston.com

LOTUS POSITION

Inspired by the 1920s Lotus Flower tiara worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales, Garrard’s new Lotus collection is as fresh as the bloom it celebrates. We’ve got our eye on these white gold Bloom diamond and aquamarine drop earrings (£34,000), paired with matching ring (£17,500). garrard.com

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF ART DECO

EN POINTE

For someone who describes ballet shoes as ‘an extension of my body’, it’s no surprise Royal Ballet star Marianela Núñez opted to design a diamond and rose gold slipper keepsake when invited to create a capsule collection with Loquet London. Part of the Charms for Change initiative, a percentage of sales goes to the Royal Ballet’s Pointe Shoe Appeal. Charm, £320, loquetlondon.com

1 DAVID MORRIS Pearl rose Deco bangle with 42.30ct Akoya pearl and 3.93ct white diamonds, set in 18ct white gold, £40,000. davidmorris.com

2 LITO FINE JEWELLERY 18ct yellow gold and black spinel Falling Water earrings, £8,408. litoﬁnejewelry.com

3 LAURA VANN 18ct yellow gold vermeil olive gold ring with white topaz, £200. vbylauravann.com

4 KIA SCHWAN Disc earrings in turquoise and tiger’s eye with blue sapphire cabochons set in 18k rose gold, £6,800. kiaschwan.com

HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU

Shane C. Kurup selects the season’s new style hits

KICKS OF CHARACTER

Step into these box-fresh beauties

1 VEJA x P.ANDRADE

Fitz Roy Alveomesh, £215. veja-store.com

2 Santoni Oly sneakers, £550. santonishoes.com

3 Flower Mountain IWANO 2 Yamano 3 sneakers, £250. ﬂowermountain.com

4 Équipement De Vie Lemieux Off Shore sneakers, £155. equipementdevie.com

4 CAMPERLAB Tormenta sneakers, £295. camperlab.com

DOWN TO A TEE

Once the ‘putt’ of style jokes, golf clobber has been given a hole-in-one by Swedish label J.Lindeberg. Created with prodigy golfers Marcus Smith and Mia Baker in mind, the slick range of performance gilets, windbreakers, techprint polos, natty knits and green-to-pavement sneakers is too good to be conﬁned to the fairway. What else would you expect from the oﬃcial clothing for the DP World Tour? From £35, jlindeberg.com

GO BIG OR GO HOME

If clingy ts are anathema to you, then the comeback of capacious cuts should be welcome news. Saigonbased Hypnotism Studio’s range of oversized poplin-cotton shirts, architectural tailoring and wide-leg trousers have avant garde air with the kind of comfort that’s a world away from the ballbusting skinny suits and jeans of the Noughties. From 710,000 VND (around £22). hypnotism.studio

HEAVY LIFTING

Going under the knife to turn back the clock takes serious commitment and downtime. But Ardour Sculpt, offered at Marylebone’s Ardour clinic, uses non-invasive electromagnetic and radiofrequency energy with growth factor formulations to boost collagen, plump and strengthen, giving you a more snatched visage. It’s a lunch-hour pick-me-up for your mug, minus the nasty scalpels and needles. Ardour Sculpt facial, 30 minutes, £400. theardourclinic.com

TURF CLUBBIN’

Cut a dash course-side at your next meet

SOFT TOUCH

We all know appearances can be deceptive and the Aquila denim line from Alan Scott has more going on behind the seams than meets the eye. e utilitarian trucker jackets and jeans might look like selvedge, but their cloud-soft texture reveals they’re actually made from a plush cashmere-cotton twill developed by material alchemist mill, Ardizzone. e fabric has been engineered with a generous amount of stretch, knocking your standard indigos for six for comfort. Alan Scott Aquila cashmere denim collection, from £1,300. alanscottstore.com

CELLULOID STYLE

For Hackney-based streetwear label, SCRT – an acronym for Screen Test – cult icks with exceptional visuals and obscure media formats provide the creative framework for its street-worthy football jerseys, graphic tees and rugged workwear. Cinematic works from Wong Kar Wai’s 1995 neo-noir Fallen Angels, to 2001’s Donnie Darko have in uenced its hypey drops. For SS25, 2004’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind provides premiere inspiration. From £55. scrt.orl

On Speed Dial

From turbocharged tourbillons to suspended seconds, Simon de Burton brings you this year’s most eye-catching watches (Lewis Hamilton not included)

FANCY YOUR PRANCES?

Ultra-high-end watch brand Richard Mille chose the weekend of the Chinese Grand Prix to unveil its latest watch made in collaboration with Ferrari – the RM43-01 Ferrari Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph. Just 150 Lewis Hamiltonapproved examples will be made, half in titanium and half in Carbon TPT, with each version featuring numerous details inspired by the celebrated Italian marque’s cars. ese include a strap based on the pattern of a Purosangue’s seats, a ‘Prancing Horse’ engraved on a plate in the shape of a wing-tip of the 499P Le Mans hypercar, and barrel jewel setting in the style of a clutch plate. From 1,150,000 CHF, richardmille.com

MY, THAT’S GRAND, THAT IS…

Dior’s watch making division goes to impressive lengths to reference its haute couture roots in its horological creations, even coming-up with the ingenious notion of placing the triangular-shaped oscillating weight of an automatic movement on the dial side to give the e ect of a swaying dress. is latest model in the ‘Grand Bal’ collection features a honeycomb dial onto which tiny, handpainted and engraved owers, diamonds and pink sapphires are laid to give the impression of embroidery on a Dior dress. A ring made from black mother-of-pearl surrounds a bezel set with 80 diamonds, while the sapphire crystal case back is enhanced with its own oral scene. £POA, dior.com

ANY TIME, ANY PLACE, ANYWHERE…

With the state of the world today, isn’t it time to say, ‘Comeback 70s, all is forgiven?’. And what could be more redolent of that once-misunderstood decade than the blue and red stripes of the Martini logo that signi ed the drink they called ’the bright one, the right one’? e livery became synonymous with motorsport, notably through Martini’s backing of the Porsche and Lancia teams. Now, Breitling has struck a deal to use the colours on this special edition of its Top Time driver’s chronograph. Just 750 examples of the 38mm watch will be available, each featuring the famous stripes on the dial and paired with a dark blue, perforated leather strap. £5,950, breitling.com

SPLIT PERSONALITY

An early visit to the Patek Philippe stand is a must for visitors to Geneva’s annual Watches & Wonders show. Why? Because it never disappoints. is year’s gem was a new version of the existing Reference 5370R split-seconds chronograph with a 41mm case that appears for the rst time in a rose gold case complemented by a truly delectable red enamel dial in brown with a beige tachymetre scale and subdials. Not only is it edible from the front, it’s delicious from the back, too – even those with the most basic interest in micro mechanics will appreciate the exquisite hand-wound movement with its impeccable nish. As might be expected, it’s not exactly cheap… £247,250, patek.com

TUDOR THROUGH IT?

As many a horophile will tell you, ‘Montres Tudor’ was created in 1946 by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf with a remit to o er good quality watches at more a ordable prices than those of its parent brand. Almost 80 years later, that ethos still stands rm – as evinced by this fresh take on the popular Black Bay Pro dual time watch launched in 2022. e new model gets a zingy ‘opaline’ dial complemented by a yellow GMT hand, with the main hands and hour markers being outlined in black, all in the name of legibility. e 39mm, steel watch can be had on a choice of fabric or ‘hybrid’ straps or a matching metal bracelet. From £3,450, tudorwatch.com

CHANEL SURFING? SURE, IT’S WATERPROOF…

Jacques Helleu was Chanel’s artistic director for 40 years and, in 2000, he created a watch that proved to be one of the biggest horolological success stories of the 21st century: the J12 sports model. Inspired by his love of sailing, Helleu made it from scratch-proof, salt-resistant ceramic and named it after the celebrated J-Class racing yachts of the 1930s. e original black version was joined by a white model in 2003 and now, to mark the 25th anniversary of the J12, matte blue is added to the line-up. Due to become part of the main collection, the Bleu will initially be available in nine limitededition models ranging from simple, three handers to a gem-set ying tourbillon. From £9,150, chanel.com

JUST HANGING OUT?

Back in 2011, luxury leather house (and horological think tank) Hermès invented a mechanism that stopped time to allow us to savour our best moments. e complication, called ‘Le Temps Suspendu’, o ered the wearer the option of pressing a button that moved the hour and minutes hand into a ‘V’ shape either side of 12 o’clock. Pressing the button again at any point later instantly restored the hands to the correct time. e playful animation has now been incorporated into the successful ‘Cut’ watch launched last year which, in this special version, gets a larger, 39mm case (up from the standard model’s 36mm) and a choice of white or limited edition red dials – but can only be had in rose gold. £42,980, hermes.com

GUICHE US A LOOK

With a design archive as rich as Cartier’s, launching a new watch is simply about digging into the lucky dip of past triumphs and pulling-out a model worth reviving. is year, it’s the turn of the ingenious Tank à Guichet, a watch that rst saw the light of day in 1928. ese original ‘digital watches’ featured revolving discs concealed behind a solid front with two small apertures to show the hour and minutes. Cartier has replicated the original to nearperfection in a series available in yellow gold, rose gold or platinum, while a limited edition platinum version gets a minor tweak with an o -centre minutes window and an hour display turned 90 degrees from normal. From £43,500, cartier.com

GET OFF MY LAND (DWELLER)!

Rolex evoked the wonders of the galaxy with its Space-Dweller watch of 1963, followed it up four years later with the Sea-Dweller extreme dive watch and then set about catering for the international jet-set with the Sky-Dweller travel number of 2012. So that left just one place for the mighty brand to cover –Mother Earth herself. Enter the Land-Dweller, an integrated bracelet watch that harks back 51 years to the ‘Oysterquartz’ Reference 1630. But the LandDweller is bang up to date, with a state-of-the-art, high-frequency mechanical movement, a slim new case and a patented bracelet clasp. Choose from 40mm or 36mm versions in steel and white gold, rose gold or platinum. From £12,250, rolex.com

HEART ON SLEEVE?

There’s some debate about when the first wrist watch was created – but there’s a good chance that it was in the late 18th century when horologist to the stars AbrahamLouis Breguet made an ovalshaped number fitted with a strap crafted from strands of silk for Caroline Murat, Napoleon Bonaparte’s sister and the Queen of Naples. The modern-day Breguet has reprised the design on numerous occasions, the latest being in the form of this heavily gem-set Reference 9915 model. The heart decorating the mother-of-pearl dial represents an entwined ribbon made from graduated diamonds, pink sapphires and red rubies, while the ‘knop’ at the bottom of the case is snow set with 52 diamonds. Just 28 examples of the watch will be produced. £48,700, breguet.com n

Rolex’s Land-Dweller was built for ‘those who assert their place in the world’, as epitomised by Roger Federer

HEALTH & WELLBEING HAIR

With the change of season comes a change of haircare routine. We’re loving Hersheson’s new Multi-Tasker, a 3-in-1 tool designed to deliver salon-quality results with minimal effort at home. Whether you’re after tousled waves, glossy curls or a bouncy blow dry, this multitasking marvel does it all – and fast. It can also be used on dry hair. £195, hershesons.com

The SCOOP

Charlotte Cole ﬁnds the perfect red

TAKE IT IN YOUR STRIDE

Meet Stride: the sleek new health optimisation company shaking up wellness with a hyper-personalised, digital- rst approach. Founded by former Olympian Andrew Steele, Stride o ers everything from at-home DNA, blood tests and gut health testing to bespoke supplements and access to quali ed clinicians (based on the results) – all without leaving your sofa. Our verdict from trying out the DNA test? It was eminently easy to swab your mouth and send o the sample. What follows a couple of weeks later is an in-depth and genuinely useful report (which you can download), with clear, actionable insights and recommendations. Most importantly, you can follow-up with a dietitian to guide you through it and ask as many questions as you like. It’s representative of a new wave of services allowing us as individuals to take control and get some really personal insights – a trend that will only grow and grow. getstride.com

JO MALONE LONDON STEPS INTO WELLNESS

We know and love Jo Malone London for its beautiful scents for both home and body, but its latest foray into the world of wellness ratchets the brand up a notch. e Restorative Ritual, created in partnership with AIRE Ancient Baths, introduces Jo Malone London’s rst full-body treatment experience. Set in the candlelit, subterranean sanctuary of AIRE Covent Garden, the 150-minute treatment begins with a journey through the baths, followed by a 75-minute scrub and massage using Jo Malone’s new Care Collection – a blend of nourishing body oils and scrubs infused with jasmine, neroli and rosehip. Inspired by the rituals of ancient Roman bathing, you’ll be fully immersed in scent, touch, and stillness. e Jo Malone London Care Collection is exclusive to Selfridges. 150 minutes, £290, beaire.com

THE PERFECT RED

I lost the only red lipstick that suited me. And then discovered it had been discontinued. Oh the misery. I haven’t worn lipstick since – until now. ankfully, the team at Cosmetics à la Carte came to the rescue when I visited recently for a glow-up (with my teenage daughter in tow for her rst grown-up makeup lesson). Located on Pavilion Row, o Sloane Square, this unique make-up paradise has been quietly formulating bespoke products for the most well-heeled of clientele for over 50 years, founded by two pioneering cosmetic chemists – and friends – Christina Stewart and Lynne Sanders out of a frustration with the lack of quality concealers in the 1960s. Its bespoke approach is a breath of fresh air among the overwhelm of products out there. It’s no wonder it has endured for such a long time – personal touches, expertise and passion will become more and more desired as we ounder in a mass of social media driven algorithms. cosmeticsalacarte.com

BODY& SOUL

Can’t choose between coﬀee and tea?All these daily decisions are leaving us exhausted, says Camilla Hewitt

Life is a series of choices – it’s estimated that the average adult makes 35,000 each day. ese decisions, from routine ones to major life shifts, don’t just shape our journey, they also have a direct impact on our wellbeing. While many are made without a second thought, there are some choices, big or small, that can feel impossible, leaving us anxious or exhausted.

Now more than ever, we’re overwhelmed with information, options and opinions, making even simple decisions – like what to have for breakfast – seem complicated. Whether you struggle with making the ‘right’ choice, always feel pressured to say ‘yes’, or you’re afraid of the unknown, decision-making can be debilitating. To uncover strategies for overcoming indecision, I spoke to Adrienne Adhami, wellbeing coach and author of Decisions at Matter.

How do we move forward from indecision? Adhami recommends setting a deadline. ‘Every decision, big or small, can bene t from a clear timeframe. If it’s a low stakes choice, give yourself a few hours. If it’s high, set a realistic deadline (a week, a month) and commit to making the call.’ She also advises simplifying the decision-making process by focusing on what truly matters. ‘We often get caught up in details,’ she explains. ‘Instead, ask yourself: “What is the core factor driving this decision?”’ While Adhami acknowledges some choices require time and re ection, she warns against getting stuck in an endless cycle of overthinking. ‘ e key is recognising when you’re procrastinating just to avoid taking action.’

Head or heart? One common challenge with decision-making is knowing what, or who, to listen to. Your head may push you in one direction, while your

heart pulls you in another, and then there’s the added weight of other people’s opinions. ‘Your head brings logic, your heart intuition. Other people bring perspective. e key is knowing when to lean on each.’ If you’re feeling stuck, Adhami recommends asking yourself: ‘What does logic say? Consider pros, cons, risks, and opportunities. What does my gut say? Does the choice excite you, make you anxious, or ll you with dread? Whose advice actually matters?’ Not everyone’s opinion is valuable; speak to the people who genuinely want to see you succeed.

Creating the right environment for decision-making. Finally, Adhami advises cultivating space for e ective decision-making.

‘Imagine trying to make a life-changing decision in a room full of noise and distractions – you wouldn’t be able to hear yourself think. Clarity comes from creating space, whether that’s a weekend retreat, therapy, a long walk, or simply switching o your phone for a few hours.’ By stepping away from external noise and tuning into your own thoughts, you’ll probably nd that you already know the answer. ‘Knowing is the easy part,’ Adhami continues. ‘Following through is often the most important step.’ n

CHECK IN

Decisions That Matter by Adrienne Adhami (left) might help us with our indecision (£18.99, uk.bookshop.org)

Borgo Egnazia, Italy

Held twice a year, the Fìrmete retreat at Borgo Egnazia offers an opportunity to pause and listen to yourself. Mindfulness practices and cognitive enhancement techniques help recalibrate the mind, while workshops on the art of juggling foster concentration, balance, and ﬂuidity. borgoegnazia.com

Valldemossa, Mallorca

A sanctuary for quiet contemplation, Valldemossa Hotel has just 12 luxurious suites, each with views over sun-drenched orchards and the Tramuntana mountains beyond. A haven for writers, artists, and composers, this historic town has long been a source of creative inspiration. valldemossahotel.com

Seven Lion Yard, London

This new wellbeing centre in southwest London is founded on the belief that true psychological change comes from integrating what people know with what they feel, and offers a unique blend of traditional therapy and somatic practices. sevenlionyard.com

HEALTH & WELLBEING | Spring Boost

BODY Language

Olivia Falcon has the hacks to look toned and honed for summer

Yo u don’t need to have supermodel DNA to feel con dent in your swimwear this summer. Head to Dr Galyna’s Wellness Hub in Knightsbridge (drgalyna.com), where those in-the-know visit for high-tech body treatments to rm ab, smooth dimpling and, in some cases, even help improve your eating habits. e mistress of ceremonies, Dr Galyna (aka the ‘ Body Sculptor ’ ), is most excited about the new LPG Cellu M6 In nity, a high-spec endermologie treatment (£300) that uses motorised heads that gently roll, pulse and vacuum esh (it feels super relaxing) to reduce the sensation of heavy legs and slim the body. Recent clinical studies after a six-week course of treatments have shown an average drop of 5.8cm on the belly, and over 4cm on the hips and 2cm on the thighs. LPG In nity also stimulates the body to produce leptin, a hormone that makes one feel fuller for longer, which is incredibly useful for snackers and people (like me) who lack willpower around food.

For those that prefer a more hands on approach, Brazilian nurse Flavia Morellato ( aviamorellato.co.uk) has opened the doors of a smart Belgravia mews house where she o ers her signature detoxifying lymphatic drainage massage (from £200). is helps with bloating, constipation, sluggish circulation, water retention and is just the thing you need to get your body back on track after a longhaul ight. Using a bespoke cream and a light touch, the massage temporarily attens

BRUSH

When it comes to beauty, what VB touches turns to gold, so we can't wait to get our hands on her new brush collection. You won't be able to blame your tools when you have one of these ergonomically sculpted brushes to sweep bronzer over your face this summer season. Victoria Beckham fan brush, £40. victoriabeckhambeauty.com

Facialist Lord Gavin McLeod-Valentine counts Lupita Nyong'o among his clients

tummies, slims ankles and tones thighs. Also on the menu are recovery therapies for post-cosmetic or reconstructive surgery. is includes low-level laser treatments to improve scars, kinesio taping to get rid of bruising, and compression garment adjustment to reduce swelling. For the best new face refreshers, I called my friend Lord Gavin McLeod-Valentine, the LA-based celebrity facialist who’s been busy this last award season prepping the skin of actresses Cynthia Erivo, Lupita Nyong’o and Zoe Saldana. He says Augustinus Bader’s new Hydrogel Face Mask (kept in the fridge) works wonders to depu the face and gives an instant glow. I can vouch it’s brilliant around the eye area (£25, augustinusbader.com). As someone who avoids the sun at all costs, I’m always on the hunt for innovative new sunscreens. e Sunsolve MD range (from £60, sunsolvemd.com) has an array of di erent SPFs that not only shield skin but also target speci c concerns. Its Balance and Clear is designed to reduce sebum, while Calm and Revitalise reduces the appearance of redness with ceramides. ere is even a special Firm and Replenish Eyes cream for protecting the delicate eye area while targeting crow’s feet. e devil is in the details. n

SUMMER LOVIN'

SHINE

Bufﬁng dull or dirty skin into a peachy glow, this gentle creamy cleanser is packed with colloidal oatmeal so you can use it around the delicate eye area to remove make-up too. Drunk Elephant Mello Marula Cream Cleanser, £34. drunkelephant.co.uk

REFRESH

From Margate, nucleus of cool, Haeckels is famed for its signature seaweed extracts, which nourish and hydrate skin. The forwardthinking packaging is made from Vivomer, a 100 percent home compostable material that biodegrades in just one year. Haeckels Bladderwrack and Pegwell Bodywash, £39. haeckels.co.uk

DEFINE

Aiming to thicken your brows, this clean formula contains vegan keratin, peptides and pumpkinseed oil but is free from prostaglandin analogues that can have side effects such as lash changes and skin pigmentation. Sweed The Brow Serum, £42. sweedbeauty.com

PHOTOS: ALAMY

STYLE. ICON.

Bare Necessities

No make-up make-up never tires. Nathalie Eleni shares the art of creating a natural look

Keeping up with the latest makeup trends can be quite challenging. Our algorithms target our weak spots with a stream of new ‘musthave’ beauty products we can’t live without – only to nd, once purchased, we can’t live with them because we already have more products than we know what to do with.

ankfully, the no make-up make-up look, unlike our faces, never tires. So, here is how you can create a polished version of ‘you’ – only better – with things you may already have lurking in your make-up bag, along with some tried-andtested heroes of mine.

FAKE A GLOW

e key to a good natural make-up look is your base. Cleanse, hydrate, and protect your skin with SPF; healthy skin allows makeup to apply more easily and last longer. For a super quick glow, mix equal parts of moisturiser, liquid highlighter, and foundation on the back of a clean hand. One of my all-time favourite products to add to this mix is By Terry Cellularose Brightening CC Serum (£62, spacenk.com). en, using a stippling brush, bu the magic mixture over your face, neck and décolleté. Conceal blemishes separately with a concentrated concealer. For small areas, Lisa Eldridge’s Pinpoint Concealer Micro Correcting Pencil (£27, lisaeldridge.com) is perfect. For under-eye brightening, use a light-re ecting concealer like Erborian Skin Hero Eye-Under Eye Radiance (£29, lookfantastic.com), which is great for dark circles.

BRIGHTER EYES

First, for extra brightening, blend a concealer over the eye socket and upwards towards the brows. To subtly de ne your eyes without overdoing it, choose a neutral peach cream shadow with a hint of shimmer like RMS Eyelights Cream Eyeshadow in Sunbeam (£29, rmsbeauty. com) to smooth, brighten, and even out any discolouration. To enhance lashes, apply a black mascara zig-zagged along the root of the lash, and a rich chocolate brown coating the length of the lash and the bottom

lashes. is gives a soft look while maintaining de nition along the lash line for a more attering e ect. Finish with a soft pearl shimmer applied to the inner corners of your eyes. Try ILIA Eye Stylus Shadow Stick in Opulent (£32, iliabeauty. com). Keep brows simply de ned with a brow gel that has a spoolie applicator; Glossier Boy Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel-Pomade (£22, glossier.com) is one of the best around.

ROSY CHEEKS

For those who need a volume boost, use a oral tone blusher with a hint of shimmer running through to give the illusion of fuller cheeks. Peachy pink is very attering; you can always mix a little highlighter with your blush for some DIY lustre. Smile and apply to the fullest part of your cheeks, blending upwards. Tata Harper Vitamin-Infused Cream Blush is a dreamy choice – shade Lovely for pale skin, Lucky for medium to dark, and Flirty for dark skin tones (£40, naturisimo.com).

LOVELY LIPS

Use a lip tint to enhance lip colour and hydration, but don’t forget to use a lip sculpting pencil in a shade one or two tones darker than your natural lip colour to de ne your lip shape. Refy’s Sculpt Transfer Proof Lip Liner (£18, refybeauty.com) comes in a beautiful collection of natural shades that are easy to apply and don’t budge.

FINISHING TOUCHES

A dusting of translucent powder on the T-zone, either side of the nose, and gently patted under the eye area will help keep makeup looking awless. Try Decorté Face Powder XIV (£170, decortecosmetics.co.uk), which gives a sheer silk nish to your skin and looks beautiful on your dressing table. n

Decorté Face Powder XIV: apply for the ﬁnal touch

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Hide dark circles with Erborian’s Skin Hero Eye

Put on your best bare face

Tata Harper’s Cream Blush is great for rosy cheeks

Peachy and creamy, RMS Beauty’s Eyelights

4 PILLARS OF WELLBEING

...are the focus of Buﬀ’s health programmes

ALTITUDE CLIMATE TECHNOLOGY

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

The new Buff Medical Resort offers healthcare like no other, combining cutting-edge medical facilities and holistic therapies all with the comfort of a five-star hotel

On the serene shores of Lake Constance on the border of Switzerland and Germany, luxury hotelier Hans-Jürg Buff has launched the Buff Medical Resort, embodying a new era of healthcare and wellbeing. The resort sets the highest bar in preventative and regenerative medicine with its seamless synergy of medical excellence and holistic healing, delivered by world-class experts fusing conventional and integrative medicine.

For Hans-Jürg Buff, this luxurious medical resort fulfils a long-held dream. His vision: to place people – and the four central pillars of health – at the heart of everything, with tailormade innovative programmes to improve cardiac and metabolic health, gut and muscle health, mobility and cellular regeneration. Stateof-the-art technology – including a cardiac MRI suite, one of only ﬁve in Germany (with the other four at university hospitals) – and diagnostics are used hand-in-hand with ancient Ayurvedic knowledge to provide integrative healthcare, helping people from all over the world restore, increasing their healthspan and quality of life.

The spacious resort includes 5,000 sqm of medi-spa space, including 60 treatment rooms, traditional, bio and infrared saunas, a Wim Hof room and ice baths, shiatsu and Kneipp pools, and a 40m indoor-outdoor infinity pool with views of Lake Constance.

Set in a park surrounded by ancient trees on the sunny southern side of the lake, the resort is especially beautiful this time of year. Guests can walk beside the lake – stretching like an endless millpond – under blazing blue skies, while the superb Alpine scenery is visible from every room.

Alongside expert care, the stunning lakeside setting and luxurious comfort, Buff Medical Resort can be defined by the warm and impassioned staff, each person – from leading cardiologist to head chef – invested in improving the guests’ health, longevity and transformation. Here, people are not only treated but also educated to lead a more conscious, better lifestyle. ‘I’d like people to come for three weeks and never return,’ Hans-Jürg Buff says – as with the with the tools provided by Buff Medical Resort, guests won’t need to.

All rooms and suites feature technology that simulates high mountain altitudes up to 4,000 meters above sea level. This globally unique method increases oxygen intake in the body, improving circulation, stimulating cellular metabolism, and enhancing regeneration. It supports cardiovascular health, strengthens the immune system, and energizes the cells, alleviating inﬂammation and promoting healing. And: it improves sleep quality.

CARDIO-MRI TECHNOLOGY

The Buff Medical Resort uses Cardio-MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) for precise and noninvasive analysis of heart health, including early detection of heart risks and detailed evaluation of heart performance. This allows for the creation of customised treatment plans to sustainably improve heart health.

MAYR MEDICINE & GUT HEALTH

The health programme offers a modern interpretation of Dr F.X. Mayr’s internationally recognised fasting method to cleanse and regenerate the gut. The resort’s specialist doctors use precise analysis of the microbiome to offer individually targeted diets and manual abdominal treatments to optimise digestion, promote the absorption of essential nutrients and strengthen health from within.

MOVEMENT ANALYSIS & MUSCLE HEALTH

Muscle mass decreases by one percent annually from the age of 30. Taking groundbreaking performance diagnostics, a team of orthopedists, sports scientists and physiotherapists works with guests to develop an exercise program to strengthen muscles, improve ﬂexibility, reduce pain and improve mobility. Innovative gait and movement analysis precisely analyses misalignments, imbalances and movement patterns of the body, correcting them to address chronic complaints, back problems and sports injuries.

The huge indoor-outdoor pool has views of the resort’s stunning Lake Constance location

FOOD & FASTING

We know much of our overall health begins in the gut. Dr F.X. Mayr’s therapeutic fasting principles offer an internationally recognised method for detoxiﬁcation and cleansing the intestines, in turn allowing the whole body to regenerate and revitalise. The Buff Medical Resort’s 21st-century interpretation of this proven fasting cure is focused on strengthening the immune system and promoting long-term health – without ever feeling hungry.

Q&A WITH DR CLAAS HOHMANN, MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT BUFF MEDICAL RESORT

WHO DESIGNED THE FASTING PROGRAMME? It was designed by our BuffMed medical team based on modern Mayr medicine principles. It’s not rigid or strict – instead, the programme is customised for each guest in consultation with our physicians. The approach depends on the guest’s physical constitution, personal wishes and medical history. Some guests aren’t recommended for fasting at all; it’s not suitable for everyone and every condition.

WHAT TYPICAL DISHES CAN THOSE WHO ARE FASTING EXPECT?

This varies signiﬁcantly depending on the fasting stage the guest is in. Options range from several days of water and tea fasting (rarely used with our guests) to an easily digestible, low-carbohydrate, organic and healthy diet. For those who aren’t fasting, we offer the BuffMed gourmet cuisine.

IS THE FASTING MENU CALORIE CONTROLLED? We don’t count calories. What’s important is that guests rediscover their natural feeling of satiety and consume their meals in a calm, relaxed environment with proper and sufﬁcient chewing. We want to teach our guests a healthy way of eating. We believe how we eat has a substantial and routinely underestimated effect on digestion and health.

HOW STRICT IS THE PROGRAMME?

We establish this in consultation with the guest. We see guests every two days, and fasting and eating is always a topic during these consultations. Therefore the programme can be adjusted at any time.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FASTING, WHAT KIND OF DISHES CAN THEY TYPICALLY EXPECT TO ENJOY?

For these guests, we provide an easily digestible, multi-course Mediterraneaninspired meal sequence that can stand in comparison with top gastronomy.

The Nutritionist

Dr Federica Amati, head nutritionist at Zoe, separates the wheat from the chaﬀ when it comes to ultra-processed foods

The term ultra-processed food (UPF) rst entered our vocabulary in the 1980s, but only recently has it become a household name. Once a niche topic of interest only to scientists and epidemiologists, today even the White House has UPFs front and centre.

Scientists use the NOVA classi cation system to categorise foods by their levels of processing from 1 to 4. Category 1 includes the least processed foods, such as whole plants, grains and dried herbs. Category 4 are UPFs, which are heavily, industrially processed and contain ingredients you wouldn’t nd in your kitchen at home.

NOVA was designed as a research tool and has been very useful. But it was never intended to provide information about a food’s health impact for individuals. Many studies show that consuming high levels of UPFs is linked to poorer health outcomes, but the latest research has uncovered important nuances.

A recent study conducted by Harvard and published in e Lancet shows that people who consume the most UPFs have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. But when the researchers broke UPFs into categories, a di erent story emerged. Some, like sugar-sweetened drinks and processed meats, were linked to increased cardiovascular disease risk, but other UPFs, like breads and cereals, were linked to a reduced risk.

Many studies show that consuming HIGH levels of UPFS is linked to POORER HEALTH outcomes, but the latest research has uncovered important NUANCES

Similar research on type two diabetes showed a familiar split. Once the UPFs were analysed, re ned breads and arti cially and sugarsweetened beverages were associated with increased risk, whereas whole-grain breads and cereals were linked to reduced risk. is last study underlines the complexity of the relationship between food and health. Anyone who’s ever visited the bread aisle in a supermarket knows how many options are available. How can you tell what’s healthy or unhealthy? We don’t have time to read scienti c papers when we’re picking up groceries before the school run. And in the UK and the US, around 60 percent of our calories are consumed as UPFs – cutting them all out would be near impossible and, as we’ve seen, unnecessary.

To make matters more bewildering, the slogans food manufacturers add to make products more appealing – like ‘high in protein’ or ‘low fat’ – create a ‘health halo’, which tricks us into thinking they are healthy. In reality, low-fat and high-protein products might be high in sugar and contain a raft of harmful additives like certain emulsi ers, and reduced salt products may be high in sugar and fat.

Clearly, something is wrong in the way that nutrition information is communicated to us. To help make informed decisions quickly and easily, Zoe has developed a new tool called the ZOE Processed Food Risk Scale. Unlike the NOVA classi cation system, this scale takes into account the additives in a product, not just how many there are but what they are. Where NOVA’s classi cation lumps all additives together –for instance, ultra-processed but bre-rich cereals without added sugar or salt are penalised for including vitamins and minerals – ZOE rates these additives favourably, providing a more accurate description of the food’s health impact.

e ZOE Processed Food Risk Scale measures two other important metrics. It assesses hyper-palatability – foods designed to be exceptionally tasty and di cult to stop eating. A food might be relatively unprocessed but include large amounts of honey, butter and Himalayan rock salt; legally the manufacturer can print ‘all natural ingredients’ and ‘no added sugar’ on the label. Our new tool ags this as something you should enjoy once in a while.

It also measures energy-intake rate, or how quickly a food can be eaten. We know that eating more quickly is linked to poorer health outcomes. A smoothie made from three apples can be consumed in seconds, but eating three whole apples would take much longer. is is just one of the reasons why smoothies and juices are not linked to the same health bene ts as whole fruit.

It is time to empower people to make healthier choices, not just based on what’s least processed. It’s good to have minimally processed foods where you can, but it’s not always possible and the fear around UPFs is adding to the cognitive load of trying to stay healthy in a modern world. n

CULTURE

SUCKER PUNCH

This 1963 still of Muhammad Ali shadowboxing at home in Louisville – taken by celebrated US photojournalist Steve

– will be exhibited by Berlin’s Camera Work Gallery at the tenth edition of Photo London, which brings together the best big-name and emerging photographic talents from 120 galleries across the globe. 15-18 May at Somerset House, photolondon.org

Schapiro

THE CULTURAL CALENDAR

Glorious outdoor theatre and summer season shopping. By Tessa Dunthorne

THE KING OF VOGUE

e late Sir Cecil Beaton was a regular to Hawarden Estate, owned by the Gladstone family, and the mementos he left there chronicle the photographer’s life. e estate has opened up its intimate archive that contains childhood photos, scrapbooks and even hats. Cecil Beaton: A Family Archive, gladstonehellen.co.uk

TURNER AT 250

JMW Turner was born on 23 April 1775. A year’s programming will celebrate his sestercentennial in UK-wide museums, galleries and institutions. To begin, the Tate Britain is exploring the Turner Bequest (the largest donation of paintings to the National Gallery) and showcasing its highlights, including Turner’s incredible watercolour works. Open now, tate.org.uk/art/ turner-250

TOPS AND TAILS AT THE READY

If the approach of the summer season is leaving you with a sense of wardrobe angst, here's the tonic: e Good Clothes Show, a curated luxury shopping event dedicated to the classic British season, with a sustainable twist. Celebrity stylist Sarah Kate Byrne and ITV racing’s Francesca Cumani have handpicked over 50 chic and sustainable brands to shop direct from Chelsea Old Town Hall. ere's tops and tails for chaps, too. 30 May to 1 June, thegoodclothesshow.com

HAMLET HAIL TO THE THIEF

Shakespeare meets Radiohead in this joint endeavour from the RSC, Thom Yorke, Christine Jones and Steven Hoggett. Samuel Blenkin stars as Hamlet. Until 18 May at Aviva Sudios, Manchester (factoryinternational.org); 4-28 June at the RSC (rsc.org.uk)

CROSS IT OFF

Callum is a ‘nought’ and Sephy is a ‘cross’, and, despite society’s best e orts to keep them apart, they fall in love. Malorie Blackman’s bittersweet alternative history of segregation, Noughts and Crosses, will be revived on the open-air stage in Regent’s Park this summer. From 28 June, o ciallondontheatre.com

PARK FAIR

The three-day festival arrives at the Great Tew Estate in the Cotswolds for a fourth year. Line up for the pooch parade, a spin on an Electrogenic EV, unlimited fairground rides and Jeremy Clarkson’s pop-up pub. 20-22 June, parkfair.uk

RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

The best of British horticulture is back for another year, says Olivia Emily

Nestled in the peaceful grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show ( rst known as the ‘Great Spring Show’) dates back to 1912, and the annual display of botanical brilliance has attracted a loyal legion of fans (almost) every year since. ese fans span everyone from professional horticulturalists to at-home gardeners, reaching all the way up to the Royals.

But it’s not all pomp and show: representing cutting-edge gardening techniques and designers, the Chelsea Flower Show has evolved into a frontrunning eco-conscious event, where issues like urban greening, water conservation and biodiversity preservation are tackled head on. Since 2023, it has been a requirement of every garden involved to have a planned second life, whether in their entirety or rehomed in parts. In 2025, planned bene ciaries include schools, hospitals, a women’s shelter and the Royal Hospital itself. e site showcases everything from micro gardens to individual plants and gardening techniques, but the real scene-stealers are the show gardens. is year’s theme is ‘Your Space, Your Story’, and we’ll be beelining e Boodles Raindance Garden (a 25th anniversary celebration of the jeweller’s ‘Raindance’ collection) designed by former Chelsea gold medallist Catherine MacDonald, while e Avanade Intelligent Garden will showcase how AI can create more hospitable living conditions in urban environments, using sensors that track tree health. Plenty of gardens are presented in the name

of important charities, from Hospice UK to the King’s Trust to the British Red Cross in its RHS Chelsea debut. Another debutant – after many years of expert commentary on the show’s happenings – is Monty Don. Set to be relocated to Battersea Cats & Dogs Home, Don’s rst Chelsea Flower Show garden will also be the very rst dog-friendly garden in history, featuring a playlist curated by Radio 2’s Jo Whiley and a dedicated lawn for his Gardeners’ Worldfamous pups to roll, sleep, op and play.

20-24 May (20-21 May for RHS members only), rhs.org.uk

Ocean Vuong’s sophomore novel promises love and loneliness, multigenerational community, and the lyricism the Vietnamese American writer is known for. 15 May (£20,

Penguin)

Three Olivier awards later, Regent Park’s Fiddler on the Roof transfers to the Barbican at the end of May before embarking on a UK tour. 24 May–19 July, Barbican

An ensemble of stars has gathered for Wes Anderson’s black spy comedy The Phoenician Scheme, led by Benicio del Toro and Kate Winslet’s daughter Mia Threapleton. 30 May

Nine new unsuspecting strangers join Nicole Kidman’s unsettling wellness guru Masha Dmitrichenko in season two of Nine Perfect Strangers 22 May, Prime Video

This year’s theme is ‘Your Space, Your Story’

The Royals are Chelsea Flower Show regulars

THE C&TH GUIDE TO…

PREVIEW

Venues across the country are celebrating the 250th birthday of Jane Austen, says Olivia Emily

Austen has ties to Bath, Reading and the Peak District, but her story began in Hampshire where she was born in 1775. Exhibitions, a country fair, Regency balls and writing festivals will mark her 250th birthday throughout the year (visit-hampshire.co.uk), while Winchester College will open the doors to No 8 College Street for the very rst time on select dates; this small house is where the writer spent her nal weeks of her life, dying there on 18 July 1817.

Nearby in Reading, Austen’s former school room will open for a series of special events and tours. Hidden in the Abbey Quarter, it’s considered the inspiration for Mrs Goddard’s School in Emma (visit-reading.com).

In Pride and Prejudice, Miss Bingley gushes ‘there is not a ner county in England than Derbyshire’. Mr Darcy’s Pemberley is thought to be based on Chatsworth House, which played the part in the 2005 adaptation

starring Kiera Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. It will play the role once more in a three-day celebration this summer; think talks, performances and Regency dress galore (13-15 June; chatsworth. org), with more events scattered across the year. Nearby Bakewell, thinly disguised as Lambton in Pride and Prejudice, is a must-visit.

Across the county border, the novelists’s transformative depiction of the English country house is explored in tandem with that of artist JMW Turner in Harewood House’s celebratory exhibition, Austen and Turner: A Country House Encounter, featuring rare books, manuscripts, period costume, fashion plates, artistic tools, oil paintings and watercolours (2 May to 19 October; harewood.org).

But nowhere is more closely connected to Austen than Bath where her Georgian England is preserved in sandstone promenades, villas and the iconic Royal Crescent. e Jane Austen Festival consumes the city every September, and 2025 begs a bumper edition (12-21 September;janeausten.co.uk) Elsewhere in town, exhibitions, theatrical performances, tours, special menus and balls ll up the calendar.

MY Cultural Life

Rose Ayling-Ellis stars in British crime drama Code of Silence this May

Life is quite crazy at the moment… So much of my year’s work is all coming out at once, but I’m loving it. It’s so rewarding to see everything come together.

I’ve had the privilege of working alongside actors I admire so much… Anne-Marie Du , Andrew Buchan, Eddie Marsan, Charlotte Ritchie, and David Mitchell. All in just one year. Mad! In Code of Silence… My character, Alison, is a young deaf woman trying to make ends meet, working in a police station canteen. She’s super nosy, sharp, and never to be underestimated. She plays the role of ‘the deaf girl’ but secretly uses it to her advantage. I loved playing her – it’s fun to be a bit dangerous. Reunion (BBC) also involved deaf actors and characters. It’s such an exciting time. I really hope this isn’t a one-o moment – we shouldn’t have to wait years between stories with deaf characters.

I’d try anything and everything… Put me in a cowboy lm, drop me in the 70s, let me play a psychopath. But give me the tragic ‘deaf girl gets run over’ storyline, and it is a ‘no’.

I don’t always have the luxury of choice. I’ll always be cast as the deaf character, so it’s the story that matters most.

I know it sounds clichéd… But I’d love to work with Wes Anderson. It would be cool to see how he uses sign language in his style.

I recently wrote my ﬁrst children’s book. And there are more coming. I’ll keep creating books I wish existed when I was little. My documentary about teaching BSL in a retirement home was such an emotional journey. ese incredible people thought their learning days were behind them, but they proved that as long as your mind is active, it’s never too late. Favourite painting… Anything by Chuck Close.

I love to watch… Girly classics like Mean Girls, Clueless, Legally Blonde, Wild Child , St Trinian’s. Full of nostalgia, and a reminder of how far we’ve come in media.

I’m always listening to… e one and only Dolly Parton.

Code of Silence premieres on 18 May on ITV1 and ITVX

Jane Austen (1775-1817) by an unknown artist, based on a portrait by her sister Cassandra; Chatsworth House is thought to have inspired Pemberley

PHOTOS:ALAMY; ROSE AYLING-ELLIS IS PHOTGRAPHED BY BILLIE SCHEEPERS, STYLIST: NATHAN KLEIN, HMU: MALIN COLEMAN

BIBLIOFILE

Anna Hope talks to Belinda Bamber about rewilding, radicalism and summer raves

Albion shows a dysfunctional family reuniting at their ancestral pile in Sussex for the patriarch’s funeral. How did it start? I wanted to write something that felt close to home in every sense, that dealt with the deepest questions I was carrying about how we can move forward as a country, as a species – what we owe to the past, to future generations, to the land itself. To wrap all those within a family drama set on a beautiful patch of English countryside. I’ve always loved a good country house novel.

Which building inspired the house? I drew on two Greek Revival houses near my house in Sussex, both by the architect Benjamin Latrobe, but with very di erent fates. One, owned by plantation owners who campaigned against abolition, became a prep school mired in abuse scandals. e other had an eccentric, countercultural history: Led Zeppelin lived there. I’m interested in those two di erent poles of the English psyche. Why Albion? I’m a northerner with workingclass Irish roots, so who the hell was I to write a book called Albion? But my ideal Albion is a plural place that doesn’t rely on birth, class or politics. It’s exempli ed by the 1932 Kinder Scout Mass Trespass, led by young Manchester factory workers sick of being penned into thin, muddy paths in the Peak district while the rest was kept for grouse shooting. eir act of non-violent protest, animated by a love of land, encapsulates a certain spirit of Albion for me.

years. I’m taking my daughter for the rst time this summer and I can’t wait.

How can estate owners like Frannie eliminate ‘dirty’ money from ‘clean’ initiatives? When you’re looking for those larger amounts of investment it’s hard to nd truly clean money. Very wealthy characters are drawn to rewilding. James Goldsmith was this corporate titan, ripping into the post-war social compact in the US and the UK and remaking the nancial sector with an explicit predator style capitalism, then retreating to a wild idyll on the Paci c coast of Mexico.

Does seven-year-old Rowan’s love of nature reﬂect your own experience? Yes, I moved to the Sussex Weald when my daughter was a baby and together we learned to know and love the countryside that surrounds us. At her Nature Connection course she learns how to skin a shrew and forage for bramble heads. ere’s not much sentimentality or projection

in her relationship with the living world. I wanted Rowan to carry that practical, grounded way of being and seeing in Albion

What’s the signiﬁcance of Ned, the mage-like woodsman? I wanted a touch of enchantment, and Ned’s wood to be a sort of Arden – a place of deep green to which the characters are irresistibly drawn, where they can change, rearrange, fall in love with each other and the living world.

Do you enjoy summer festivals like Albion’s Teddy Bears’ Picnic? I love festival season. At solar-powered festivals like Big Green Gathering, people opened my eyes to di erent ways to live.

You’d meet a grizzled old bloke at 6am in a gazebo who’d put on a rare music vinyl, fry you an egg butty and talk to you about Britain’s wild, radical past. Glastonbury’s been my favourite for over 30

Did you feel daunted as a white writer telling dual-heritage Clara’s story? I did feel daunted, yes. But I thought Albion would be thinner without her voice. I sought help from friends and had sensitivity reads.

Which satirists of social mores inspire you? Jane Austen, of course – I thought about Mans eld Park while writing Albion, the way she juxtaposes ideas of stability and certainty, legacy and continuity, against progress and disruption. en Edward St Aubyn’s Melrose novels – he rips into the viciousness and brutality of his class and nds pitch-dark humour – and Rachel Cusk, for her precisiontooled skewering of middle-class discontent in Arlington Park.

How has your earlier acting career, including Dr Who, impacted your writing? I spent way more time in call centres than on stage, but I had a lot of auditions and read a huge number of scripts, which taught me about pace and structure in novels. I’m now adapting Albion for screen, a challenge I’m really loving.

What does ‘regeneration’ mean to you? First, Pat Barker’s wonderful novel Regeneration, about trauma from WW1, which is echoed in Milo’s boarding school trauma in Albion: domination, empire and colonialism have desecrated our relationship to the living world. But regeneration is also the everyday magic of waking each morning with the rst birdsong, feeling the web of life that surrounds us. at makes me feel connected and held and deeply alive.

Albion by Anna Hope (Fig Tree, £16.99). Read the full interview at countryandtownhouse.com/ culture/cth-book-club

THEY F*CK YOU UP, YOUR MUM AND DAD

A vulnerable man discovers his birth family in Edward Sy Aubyn’s PARALLEL LINES, (Vintage, £20); an unwanted baby cleaves the heart of Sarah Moss’s RIPENESS (Picador, £20); a naive girl flees her mother for a Paris casting couch in Lin Ullman’s autofictional GIRL, 1983 (Viking, £19); sibling rivalry animates FAVOURITE DAUGHTER, by Morgan Dick (Viking, £16.99); Brighton club worker Jules is left holding the baby in queer gem GUNK, by Saba Sams (Bloomsbury, £16.99); family ghosts flavour a New York restaurant when spirits are summoned in AFTERTASTE, by Daria Lavelle (Bloomsbury, £17). n

The EXHIBITIONIST

This might be the perfect summer jaunt, says Ed Vaizey

The painter Stanley Spencer (1891-1959) spent most of his life in the Berkshire village of Cookham. is beautiful location now serves almost as a shrine to this quirky, eccentric and very English painter. e Stanley Spencer gallery is housed in the old Methodist chapel, which Stanley would have attended as a child with his parents. It has some hundred of his paintings. Wander around the village (especially with one of the excellent volunteer guides from the gallery) and you will see his childhood home, and many of the houses and even the magnolia tree (in full bloom when I visited) that he depicted in his paintings.

I love Spencer’s work, a sort of cross between the brutal portraits of Lucian Freud and the cartoonish characters of Beryl Cook. In fact, when I was the arts minister, a magazine asked me to choose my favourite painting. I selected Spencer’s Self-Portrait (1914), painted when he was 23, which hangs in Tate Britain – a haunting, dark and unsparing depiction of a troubled soul. Except Spencer doesn’t seem to have been all that troubled. As someone who has always lived close to where I was born, I empathise with his determination to stay near to the familiar. He had a large family of brothers and sisters, and apart from a troubled marriage late in life, he seems to have been a popular gure

I love SPENCER’s work, a sort of cross between the brutal portraits of LUCIAN FREUD and the cartoonish characters of BERYL COOK

and the very life and soul. He loved people. And he loved Cookham. e new exhibition at the Stanley Spencer Gallery gives the background to his un nished masterpiece, Christ Preaching at the Cookham Regatta. e regatta was one of the highlights of the social season from the 1890s until about the 1930s. ousands of people descended on the village to watch the boats of the ‘swells’ parade up and down the river.

Christ Preaching is a huge painting, permanently installed at the gallery, and rightly regarded, even in its un nished state, as a masterpiece. Christ bends over on the barge, displaying the exibility of a yoga master, preaching to assorted members of the local community on the evening of the Grand Concert. It was, according to Spencer, ‘everything to do with love. In that marvellous atmosphere nothing can go wrong’. A blend of Christ’s love for the world and Spencer’s love for Cookham and its people.

e painting was bought by Spencer’s patron Viscount Astor, and displayed at the RA’s Summer Exhibition a year after the artist’s death. It’s a painting everyone must see, and to be mundane for a moment, you can just hop on the Elizabeth Line and be in Maidenhead in 40 minutes. Relish the show, walk around the village, and then have tea at Cliveden, Spencer’s ‘local’. e most perfect summer day trip.

at Marvellous Atmosphere: Stanley Spencer and Cookham Regatta, until 2 November. stanleyspencer.org.uk; clivedenhouse.co.uk n

FROM ABOVE: Detail from Stanley Spencer’s Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta (1952-9), private collection, on long-term loan to the Stanley Spencer Gallery. Spencer on table with Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta

REVISION TIME

Olivia Cole meets US artist Umar Rashid, whose layered canvases – in major museums around the world – oﬀer a revisionist view of imperial and colonial history

‘My imagination was on top form,’ says Umar Rashid of his childhood on the south side of Chicago in the early 80s. As a seven year old, Rashid would be dropped o with his older brother by his dad at the library with their lunch. ‘I would just read books all day,’ he remembers. Another treat was seeing Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte at the Art Institute of Chicago. ‘I felt like I had everything at my ngertips,’ he says, ‘because we went to all these places.’ e reality was a bit di erent though and, despite those memories, times could be tough. Rashid’s parents had made their own way as artists; his dad a playwright, actor and drama teacher, and his mother, who died in 2022, travelled the world as an actress, just at the moment where drama and civil rights came together. ‘She loved the world as the world,’ he says of her in uence. ‘She would say, “Oh you know, the people in France eat this way” or “people in Nigeria do this”.’

With their work in civil rights, both Rashid’s parents wanted him to see history beyond the limits of an American perspective. at’s a promise on which he has truly delivered: his writing at school drew attention for retelling familiar narratives, which has become his signature in the development of his art. Paintings from his ongoing Frengland series – depicting a ctional universe fusing the warring colonial powers of England and France – have homes in some of the world’s best museums, from the Hammer Museum in LA (his adopted home city) to the Zeitz collection in South Africa.

Rashid’s canvases might be fantastical but they are never far from reality, as he pays careful attention to appalling details – whether from the torments of history or their grim contemporary resonances. For his next show –at Tiwani Contemporary in London’s Mayfair – he is focused on his schoolboy fascination with Admiral Nelson, as well as British history in India and the Caribbean. Egyptian hieroglyphs and Native American folk stories have provided inspiration, but with layers and layers of in uences, the style is all his own. In a new departure, Rashid is simultaneously working on large-scale sculptures for a public installation in San Francisco exploring untold experiences of the Gold Rush.

ere’s a veri able sadness, he says, in getting so close to history in detail. Having rst found success as a rapper – under the alias Frohawk Two Feathers – a huge and varied library of music helps him spend long hours in psychologically di cult places. He works by day at his studio in east LA, but retreats to the ‘sanctity of home’ in nearby Highland Park and has a longstanding nocturnal routine, going back to his days of performing music at night.

Rashid’s children are now too old (at 15 and 12) to be playing amid the work at hand, but his art took on an urgency when he became a dad. ‘I don’t ever want them to feel the way I felt, he says of coming of age as a black American. at commitment to keeping the stories of injustice vivid and alive for the next generation, and to trying to change the landscape, keeps him at that kitchen table through the night.

Umar Rashid is part of group show Black Gold: Stories Untold at Fort Point, San Francisco, 6 June to 2 November (for-site.org); his solo show at London’s Tiwani Contemporary runs 9 October to 20 November (tiwani.co.uk). n

Umar Rashid’s paintings are imbued with layers and layers of inﬂuences

PHOTOS: RUBEN DELGADILLO

The GREEN LANE

The world's oldest known Rolls-Royce was once owned by my late neighbour, Tom. One afternoon, we drank wine in his kitchen and discussed what a 1904 10hp might achieve at auction. When the hammer fell, the car sold for three times what we thought, a work of art for £3.5m.

Minus a windscreen and roof, equipped with a ‘squeeze’ horn and little else, registration U44 was more a leather sofa on wheels than a car. What might Tom, let alone Charles Rolls and Sir Henry Royce, have thought of the all-singing Black Badge Spectre?

Rolls-Royce unveiled the ‘standard’ Spectre in 2023: a fully electric coupé with zeroemissions, 578bhp and stellar levels of re nement. A snip at £320,000. Unusually, RollsRoyce ne-tuned the new 2025 Black Badge version with the help of existing Spectre owners, who drove a clandestine eet of them for thousands of miles before reporting their ndings. Most urged engineers to add even more oomph.

e Black Badge Spectre is aimed at a younger, more driver-focused owner. With dual motors punching out 659bhp, it is o cially the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history. Despite weighing almost three tons – or two Mini Coopers – it can hit 60mph in just 4.1 seconds. Driving the car myself, I discovered the suspension and steering are beefed up to cope with the extra performance, yet still provide the legendary Rolls-Royce magic carpet ride – the company call it ‘waftability’.

Maximum thrills come via a discreet ‘in nity’ button on the steering wheel, momentarily upping the power to heady levels of performance. ‘Spirited Mode’ adds a launch system for an even faster getaway at the tra c lights. A cringeworthy name in a Rolls-Royce? Possibly, but the company claims the go-faster button was inspired by the iconic Spit re ghter plane. Fitted with a 12-cylinder Merlin engine – also built by RollsRoyce – RAF pilots could ip a switch in the cockpit to engage the enemy with an extra burst of speed.

This is the most POWERFUL Rolls-Royce in HISTORY. Despite weighing almost three tons, it can hit 60mph in just 4.1 seconds

While every Black Badge has a darkened aesthete to enhance its youthful nature, Rolls-Royce says the rst Spectre o the Goodwood production line was inspired by a more unlikely source –the neon ambience of 1980s club culture. at’s dance club, not gentlemen’s club.

Painted Vapour Violet, with an illuminated front grille and 23-inch alloy wheels, my car was also decidedly disco heaven inside the cockpit, with 5,500 bre optic ‘stars’ and a handcrafted dash cut from carbon- bre and ne metal thread.

Not for shrinking violets, Black Badge Spectre in this Boogie Wonderland colour is a bold vision that will appeal to a growing market of new Rolls-Royce buyers. Fortunately, there are another 44,000 colours to choose from, as this new Spectre is the ultimate expression of luxury electric motoring.

RATING: ★★★★

3 PRAM POWER Let the pushchair take the strain. This electriﬁed buggy does both uphill and rough terrain, and the rocking function to send a baby to sleep. e-Gazelle S, £1,049. cybex-online.com

2 ON SPEED

This new book tells the story of Enzo Ferrari, the greatest name in global motorsport history. Enzo Ferrari, £12.99. octopus books.co.uk

1 PLUG AND PLAY

Never have the right cable adaptor for your car and don’t know your USB-A from a USB-C? This penknife-style multi adaptor has everything you need, minus the messy cables. Connex All-inOne, £29.99. kraftedtech.com

After 20 years at Frieze, Victoria Siddall has become the ﬁrst woman to take the helm at the National Portrait Gallery. And there’s change afoot, ﬁnds Charlotte Metcalf

PORTRAIT

BY ALEXANDRA DAO

IN BRIEF

COUNTRY COTTAGE OR PENTHOUSE?

‘My parents live in Wiltshire so cottage, somewhere in the West Country.’

COUNTRY PUB OR MICHELIN STAR?

‘ It might not have a Michelin star yet, but The Portrait at the Gallery takes some beating for the views and Richard Corrigan’s menu.’

FLATS OR KILLER HEELS?

‘ Both! I love heels but I need to be able to run around, too.’

DOG OR CAT?

‘An artist friend gave me a kitten 14 years ago and she’s still with us.’

COUTURE OR COUNTRY CASUALS?

‘ I love designers inspired by art, like Erdem, Roksanda and Duro Olowu.’

Last August, Victoria Siddall became the rst woman to become National Portrait Gallery’s director in its 168-year history. ‘It’s my dream job,’ she says. ‘ e gallery is full of incredible people and tells their stories in such a powerful way that really resonates. e rst room is full of modern history makers, like Marcus Rashford, the Princess of Wales and Jacqueline Wilson. Everyone will recognise somebody and understand what they’re looking at. en on the top oor are the Tudors, people who’ve shaped our history that we all learn about in school. I’ve been watching Wolf Hall again and it’s extraordinary seeing what Anne Boleyn or omas Cromwell really looked like.’

Siddall fell into the arts world serendipitously. After studying English and philosophy at the University of Bristol, her rst job was writing consignment proposals for Christie’s. ‘Suddenly a whole new, fascinating world of art opened up that I never knew existed,’ she says. ‘It was 2000, a moment of such creativity and optimism, with more and more galleries opening in London.’

It was visiting Frieze in 2003 that convinced Siddall the art world was for her: ‘Frieze galvanised the whole city. is vast tent appeared in Regent’s Park out of nowhere full of incredible artworks from all over the world. It was electric, magical.’

Siddall went on to work for Frieze for 20 years, setting up Frieze Masters in 2012 and eventually running all its global fairs, starting Frieze LA in 2019 and Frieze Seoul in 2020. Her tirelessness and enthusiasm spring from her unshakable belief in the power of art to change things. While at Frieze, they launched a Green Guide for the visual arts with Nicholas Serota, then Tate’s director, and Boris Johnson then mayor. Frieze also founded Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC), with a group of arts organisations committed to the 2030 carbon reduction goals. Today, GCC has more than 1,000 members, including major museums, in 40 countries.

Later, Siddall helped found Murmur, channelling funds from art and music businesses into environmental initiatives: ‘As a group we believed culture, and artists in particular, can play a really important role in inspiring change.’ We chat about how the recent television drama Adolescence as well as Mr Bates vs e Post O ce galvanised people into confronting important issues. ‘Culture does that!’ she says. ‘Art in all its forms makes people feel and care in a really powerful way.’

In 2022, Siddall wanted a change and to be more involved with the non-pro t world. She left Frieze and gravitated

towards the National Portrait Gallery as a volunteer committee member and then a trustee. ‘I’d always loved the gallery and when Nick Cullinan announced he was leaving for the British Museum, I’d fallen in love with the place, so I went for the role.’

We talk about the current exhibitions: ‘What Edvard Munch Portraits does brilliantly is take an artist that everyone thinks they know and show a di erent side to him, while Culture Shift, about e Face magazine, is really drawing crowds, some nostalgic for the 80s and 90s, but many younger people too.’

In June, the gallery stages the major exhibition Jenny Saville: e Anatomy of Painting. ‘She’s an incredible artist who came of age among the YBAs [young British artists], but is so relevant today because of her fascination with esh and how it can be distorted by plastic surgery.’ And an exhibition of Cecil Beaton’s fashion photography opens in autumn.

Siddall is determined that people outside London experience the collection, so Joshua Reynolds’s hugely admired Portrait of Mai is coming o the walls to travel to Bradford’s Cartwright Hall, then on to the Fitzwilliam in Cambridge, and Plymouth’s e Box. In partnership with Frameless, Stories – Brought to Life, the rst immersive art experience based on a major museum collection, will premier in Manchester’s MediaCity. ‘It takes key gures in the gallery, from Shakespeare and Darwin to Malala and Amy Winehouse, and is a great example of how we’re innovating. Also thanks to Collecting the Now, a new fund supported by the Bukhman Foundation, we can buy important current work, and have acquired a rare self-portrait by Sonia Boyce and an adorned bust of Edward VII by Hew Locke.’

We end talking about the annual Portrait Award and the Photo Portrait Prize: ‘Daily, we’re creating millions of portraits on our phone, so the prizes are a counterpoint, encouraging people to look closely at what makes a great painting or photograph. And the prizes bring in the next generation from all over the world.’

Siddall is about to y to Venice and then to Paris, to the opening of David Hockney 25 at Louis Vuitton. ‘I couldn’t be happier,’ she says. ‘What a privilege to head such a unique museum full of portraits representing people of so many di erent beliefs and backgrounds. ere’s this wonderful feeling of what unites us rather than what sets us apart, fostering social cohesion and tolerance, and that’s so important right now.’ n

‘Art in all its forms makes people FEEL and CARE in a really POWERFUL way’

Enabling children from underserved communities to experience the adventure of working together on our farms in the heart of the British countryside

farmsforcitychildren.org admin@farmsforcitychildren.org @farmsforcitychildren

GOOD NEWS Pollinator Paradise

According to the UN, more than 90 percent of wild owering species and 75 percent of the world’s crops rely on tiny pollinators. And pollinators aren’t just bees: butter ies, bats and birds also play a crucial role in helping our planet thrive. For World Bee Day (20 May), the UN aims to raise awareness of their plights. Pictured is Paul Webb, co-founder of Black Bee Honey, the B Corp beekeeping collective that has planted over 30 acres of wild meadows to sustain our furry little winged friends.

Edited by Tessa Dunthorne

SECONDHAND SUPREMACY

We’re obsessed with resale, according to the redUp Resale Report 2025. e market for secondhand clothing is set to be worth $367bn by 2029, growing 2.7 times faster than the traditional retail market. To boot, 58 percent of shoppers bought something preloved in 2024, up three percent. And a small ray of sunshine: tari troubles, redUp predicts, will only bolster the resale market.

WASTE AWAY

e global fashion industry has a waste problem (92 million tonnes of clothing a year ends up in land ll). Recycling solutions – as drab as that might sound – are vital to helping resolve the issue and Circ, which uses novel technology to separate polyester from cotton in polycotton blends, might be the answer. Circ allows both bres to be recovered and reused for like-new textiles.

PILL POWER

A ‘game-changing’ pill targeting advanced breast cancer has been approved for NHS use, potentially bene ting 3,000 women a year. Capivasertib, produced by AstraZeneca, is an AKT inhibitor, which blocks a protein that allows cancer cells to divide and multiply.

Source: the Guardian

DAM GOOD

You might have followed the Ealing beavers, a community-led project backed by Natural England to reintroduce beavers to West London for the rst time in 400 years. Now the government has given the go ahead for beavers to be released into the wild for good. e rst beavers from a Scottish nature reserve were released into the wild in Dorset in March.

PHOTOS:

BRAND BULLETIN

Hoorah for brilliant British brands working hand-in-glove with charities. John Bell & Croyden has partnered with Toiletries Amnesty (toiletriesamnesty.org) to reduce global hygiene poverty through donation of excess stock (and is encouraging its suppliers to do the same). Fairfax & Favor, too, has joined forces with Greenspark ( getgreenspark. com), which plants a tree in a Kenyan mangrove restoration project for every order placed with Refavored, Fairfax & Favor’s circular fashion collaboration with e Boot Repair Company launched to give preloved footwear new life.

THE SOLUTIONISTS

Our food system has a huge carbon problem, says Matilda Davies. So, how can we eat our way into a greener food value chain?

THE PROBLEM

Around a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions comes from the food sector. There are things that could (and should) be done at the farm level to minimise agriculture’s impact, but we too have a massive role to play when it comes to ‘greening up’ our food value chain – starting with how much we throw away. Each year, 6.4 million tonnes of food and drink is wasted. And, according to WRAP, this is in turn responsible for a staggering 18 million tonnes of CO2e. These solutions are helping us gobble up the food waste problem.

THE ANSWERS

SUNNY SIDE UP

A study from the University of Sussex has found that –should we deploy rooftop solar at scale – solar power could satisfy two-thirds of global energy demands, while lowering global temps by 0.13°C. Across the world, rooftops cover an area the size of Italy and present ripe real estate for energy generation. At the same time, the study emphasises that solar now outperforms nuclear in terms of cost, deployment speed, and environmental risks. Untapped potential!

Source: Univ of Sussex

JOYOUS RETURNS

A fashion show in Wandsworth (15 June) will showcase how discarded textiles might be reused for fabulous new garments. e Remaykit show is part of the Wandsworth Arts Fringe 2025. Exciting fashion school grads will showcase alongside sewing and craft enthusiasts, and present inspiration for how we might reimagine unloved clothes.

Smart gel food labels

Very often, consumers throw packaged goods away as soon as the ‘best before’ date passes – even when the food inside is still safe to eat. As a replacement for these static (and potentially inaccurate) labels, London-based startup Mimica created Bump Tags. These plant-based gel labels react to changing temperatures, giving users a dynamic indication of product safety depending on how it’s stored in real time. When the food is still fresh, the gel stays smooth, turning bumpy once a product is no longer safe to consume so that users can avoid binning items prematurely. mimicalab.com

Mushrooms boost shelf life

Maximising food freshness is key to reducing unnecessary waste – and saving customers money on their weekly supermarket shops. At the moment, unsustainable plastic packaging plays an important role in this, but Canadian company Chinova Bioworks has another, more ecofriendly solution using chitosan, a ﬁbre from the stems of white button mushrooms. Called Chiber, this mushroom-based preservative offers a safe way for food companies to protect their products from mould, bacteria, and yeast. Chiber is colourless, tasteless, and odourless, and can be used in everything from sauces and plant-based meats to dairy and baked goods. chinovabioworks.com

An AI meal-planning app

With so many different products bought every week, it can be hard for customers to make the most of their ingredients and use them all up before they expire. AI-powered platform Remy, which recently acquired UK food waste startup Kitchen, hopes to change that. By using receipt scanning technology or integrating into a customer’s online supermarket account, Remy automatically uploads food purchases to a user’s digital kitchen. Not only does it keep track of when items are eaten or will go off, but Remy also recommends and schedules recipes based on available ingredients, helping customers use up all their food and try new meals. remyapp.io

Matilda Cox is content editor at Springwise, a leading global innovation platform. springwise.com

The POSITIVE DISRUPTOR

Meet the man who’s really living the good life, says James Wallace

DIFFERENTLY, ACT NOW

Six-foot tall, bearded, rugged, humble with a big smile and even bigger hugs. at’s Keith Scott. Born in rural Scotland, maturing in suburban Wales, he is the epitome of a man with a conscience, a lover of nature and seemingly endless creative urges to walk his gentle talk.

We met while camping in St David’s, Pembrokeshire and quickly learned of a shared love of shing (badly), hiking (wet), birds (feathered) and beach barbecues (burnt). But it wasn’t until I rst stayed with him and his tribe at their home near Cardi that I witnessed the many hidden talents of this wild man.

My induction started with home brewing. Now that’s not so uncommon these days in the bowels of a man’s cave, but Keith’s blends of hops and lime, for example, gave ight to the earthiest and zestiest of palates. Even since I’ve gone boringly teetotal, he persists with strange brews of a more sobering kind.

Next was his extension of fermentation to the realms of food. Give him a pile of veg – or rather step outside and harvest a crop from his small-holding – add some salt and spices, wait a couple of weeks and, boom, there go your taste buds exploding all over the place again. From Korean kimchi and German sauerkraut to Cornish sourdough and Indonesian tempeh washed down with a Bohemian kombucha, his kitchen is a world tour de force of nature.

Now let’s cross to the living room, past his wife Lisa’s spinning wheel and loom – she turns sheep eeces into spun wool and textiles, when she isn’t home-educating three children – and there’s Keith’s latest project: a pair of beautifully tailored trousers and shirt. Not only can he turn random bacteria into liquid elixir, he can make his own clothes from thin air. And pretty darned nice ones too.

And it’s not just about eating and dressing well with the Scott family. You feel good too. All those healthy morsels combined with wholesome mini adventures up a Welsh valley give you a surge of energy and, in my case, a welcome cut to the body fat budget.

But none of this comes with a hint of superiority or better-than-thou preachiness. Keith is just a very decent bloke who really enjoys keeping busy making things. Birthday presents from him have included the obligatory case of home-brew, a woollen hat and a wooden spoon made of driftwood from our favourite beach. All of which I love. I, in turn, buy him a bottle of single malt each year… nice, but somewhat lacking in equitable reciprocity.

Between Keith and Lisa, you could feed and t out a community, and warm yourself on their seemingly endless hospitality. So I know where I am going when the apocalypse hits the home counties. e one thing I haven’t spotted yet is homemade music, but no doubt there’ll be a handcrafted didgeridoo waiting for me to play next time our weird lives meet.

MAKE A STARTER

Read all about it in The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz. foyles.co.uk

GROW YOUR OWN Royal Horticultural Society advice on getting started with veg, fruit and herbs. rhs.org.uk

Keith Scott, a man with a conscience living a life of kindness and creativity

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LITTLE GREEN BOOK

The Mills Fabrica in King’s Cross has become one of London’s coolest businesses and one of Europe’s most innovative hubs for start-ups, says Lisa Grainger

Every now and then an organisation or an individual comes to our attention and instantly gives us hope. In 2025, that organisation for me has been e Mills Fabrica.

As its name suggests, the startup platform started out in the textile world, the brainchild of Vanessa Cheung, who is the granddaughter of the founder of Hong Kong’s textile-manufacturing Nan Fung Group. Having studied in the US and witnessed the re-use of old industrial buildings for innovative businesses, in 2018 Cheung persuaded her family to utilise their shuttered old factories. One they turned into an exhibition space; another into a shopping centre; and the third a home for e Mills Fabrica: an innovative platform that helps startup businesses in the textile and agri-food businesses. When the latter took o in 2018, the founder

took on her rst employee, Amy Tsang, and a year later they opened their rst outpost in Britain, in King’s Cross.

What Berkshire-born Tsang has achieved from their converted multi-use warehouse is nothing short of astonishing. In just six years, e Mills Fabrica has become not only one of the city’s coolest businesses but one of Europe’s most innovative hubs for start-ups.

Why they focus on clothes and food is pretty straightforward, Tsang explains from her shared workspace housing 12 employees alongside 130 co-workers from about 50 companies working in sustainability. ‘Both are integral in our daily lives,’ she says. ‘ e minute you wake up, you think about what to eat and what to wear. And given collectively the apparel and food industries produce over 44 percent of the world’s carbon emissions, if we could reduce that, it could have a huge impact on our planet.’

e way they work is to support early-stage start-ups through funding, mentoring, competitions and links to a powerful network they’ve brought together – of international funders, specialists, organisations, academics and retailers, who collectively can help to improve and speed up the process, and bring the innovations to market.

We’re not talking small players, either. At their most recent gathering, in February, to brainstorm future foods, they brought together bigwigs from HSBC and the World Bank, Associated British Foods and Waitrose, alongside inventive companies such as MicroHarvest and Better Dairy. Networking is key, she says rmly. ‘If we can connect people, that’s the best way to accelerate a global transition to a more sustainable future.’

In the UK, the AgriFoods businesses are really pretty innovative, Tsang tells me. Take Nukoko, which has started to make chocolate from UK-grown fava beans. ‘We all love chocolate,’ she says, but instead of growing cocoa, ‘which is a direct cause of deforestation in some of the poorest parts of the world, Nukoko takes a local waste resource and turns it into chocolate powder.’ Or, she adds, e Supplant Company in Cambridge, which is up-cycling agricultural side-streams like wheat straws and corn husks and cobs, and turning them into alternative ours and sugars.

The way they work is to SUPPORT earlystage start-ups through funding, mentoring and links to a POWERFUL network they’ve brought together, helping bring the INNOVATIONS to market

ere is no speci c type of business e Mills Fabrica supports, either. Some are in tech that helps save water or resources; some use plants to make proteins or fabrics; others make machinery that sorts second-hand clothes for recycling. Many, she says proudly, are already out in the market – such as Unspun, which uses 3D weaving machines ‘that can weave thousands of yarns into a single piece of clothing’, wasting nothing. ‘Already they have partnerships with Decathalon and Wallmart to scale across Europe,’ she adds. ‘So they’re doing really well.’

Ultimately, she says, ‘we encourage everyone to work together. Innovations don’t work in silos. We have to work together to make a di erence to the planet’.

Taste of Tomorrow, an exhibition about future foods, is at e Mills Fabrica until 31 July. themillsfabrica.com n

Amy Tsang runs one of Europe’s most innovative hubs for start-ups, The Mills Fabrica

Bodysuit and skirt Zimmermann Necklaces, earrings, rings and gold bracelets Fope Cuff, silver bangles and cowboy boots Jessie Western Sunglasses Gucci

VIBES Good

Gearing

FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD PHOTOGRAPHER ANNIE NOBLE

Top, bralette, skirt and earrings Etro

Shoes Manolo Blahnik

Index ﬁnger gold

turquoise ring Robinson

Pelham Silver turquoise rings Jessie Western

Shirt, skirt and shoes

Burberry Bikini top Louis

Vuitton Gold chain, earrings, bracelet and ring Gucci Scarf, turquoise ring and choker Jessie Western

Dress and shoes

Louis Vuitton Earrings and bracelet

Jessie Western Rings Robinson Pelham

Fringed top, shorts and jewellery Isabel Marant

Playsuit, bralette and scarf Hermès

Necklaces and earrings

Robinson Pelham

Cape, jeans, shoes and jewellery CHANEL

TEAM

Photographic

Retouch:

Photographer’s assistants: Harriet Turney and Finn Waring Fashion assistant: Lacie Gittins

Make-up: Lan Nguyen-Grealis @ Eighteen Management using Lancôme Make-up assistant: Jade Mistry

Model: Ololade Ibrahim @ Established

Video: Cassidy Lawless

Production: Jo @ Adrenalin

Marina Karaskevich

CHELSEA’S

GLOING VV

PHOTOS: ALAMY

GLOING VV UP – AGAIN

Long synonymous with bohemian brilliance and subversive style, this storied district is reclaiming its place at the cultural forefront, says JESSICA SALTER

There has been a quiet revolution on the streets of Chelsea. Long famed for its cultural hedonism and subversion (think Mick Jagger and Princess Margaret partying in dell’Aretusa), fashion bite (brought to us by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren’s SEX boutique), artistry and innovation, the area had slipped into comfortable respectability. But thanks to a series of innovations, multi-million-pound investment and world-class talent coming back into the area, the neighbourhood is reclaiming its cultural heritage and stamping some punk attitude back into its manicured streets.

It’s an area with a rich tapestry of history and a ‘cradle of creativity’, according to Hugh Seaborn, chief executive of Cadogan, the major landlord in the area, managing 93 acres and an association that dates back to 1717. Back then Chelsea was an a uent village, miles from the City of London, but accessed by boat. e 1st Earl Cadogan, Charles, owned 89 acres of elds between Knightsbridge and the King’s Road, and employed architect to the nobility, Henry Holland, to create a ‘New Town’. He named the streets after his family – Sloane Street and Cadogan Place among them – and commissioned handsome three-storey terraced houses for minor aristocrats and the burgeoning upper middle classes.

In the 19th century, the area became ‘a haven for celebrated artists and bohemians’, according to Seaborn – the start of wild talent to come. JMW Turner lived on Cheyne Walk, Rossetti had his studios nearby. Literary giants of the 1920s including Somerset Maugham, Sir John Betjeman, and AA Milne were all local residents. Fast forward to the 1960s and 70s and the King’s Road was a living catwalk for ‘rebellious creatives’. From David Bailey capturing the swinging Sixties from his Chelsea studio to McLaren and Westwood’s punk boutique, to Led Zeppelin establishing its own record label, Swan Song on the King’s Road, to Marianne Faithfull appearing at the Royal Court. Chelsea was ‘nothing short of a cultural cornucopia,’ according to Seaborn.

‘At the heart of Chelsea’s allure is its rich heritage, woven into the very fabric of its architecture, institutions, and community,’ Seaborn says. He adds that as the landlord, Cadogan has a delicate balance to maintain. ‘To be a custodian is to dance along a tightrope, between the risqué and respectable, heritage and future, encouraging constant progress while celebrating the past.’

let’s say, the most buoyant, Chelsea maintains a sense of optimism and community,’ says Hayley Menzies, founder of her eponymous brand with a vibrant store in Duke of York Square. ‘Few neighbourhoods in the UK are as resilient and I’d credit this to our landlord Cadogan’s long-term vision for the area. Collaborating with cool independent brands like mine as well as a smattering of bigger brands o ers shoppers a reason to visit.’

It’s also given the collective Chelsea community a reason to engage in events, including the fantastically popular Chelsea in Bloom, according to Amelia Okell, head of communications at the Saatchi Gallery. ‘ e neighbourhood thrives with art trails, seasonal events, and local pop-ups, creating an environment where creativity is always celebrated,’ she says. e boost to the area has beeen enhanced further with the appointment of the talented David Byrne at the Royal Court, whose ambitious programming is putting the theatre back on the map for avant-garde theatre goers. ‘ e Court’s artistic team and I have thrown everything we’ve got towards presenting some of the most vibrant new drama the British stage has to o er in our programme,’ he says. He believes that, ‘ e Royal Court has a strong claim to be the most important theatre in the world’, but also, importantly to him, ‘it’s a fantastic local theatre and creative centre for King’s Road and Chelsea residents.’ Giant – a debut play by Mark Rosenblatt and a debut stage performance by John Lithgow, which transferred to the West End from the Royal Court – triumphed at the recent Olivier Awards and was staged in Byrne’s rst season last year.

‘To be a CUSTODIAN is to dance along a tightrope, between the RISQUÉ and respectable, heritage and FUTURE, encouraging constant progress while CELEBRATING the past’

HUGH SEABORN

But then, there was a period, not long ago, where it got too safe. Yes, the Royal Court had reopened, and the Saatchi Gallery had relocated its headquarters to Duke of York Square, bringing cultural panache to the area. But on the whole, Chelsea seemed, whisper it, a bit boring.

Like any grand dame who feels her joie de vivre has waned, Chelsea was due an injection of vitality. at came in the form of a multi-pronged approach. First there was a series of ongoing multi-million-pound investments, such as the £46m transformation of Sloane Street, which has led to the development of public art spaces and zeitgeisty retail experiences, including a live yoga class put on by the premium Los Angeles athleisure brand Alo. Another recent development is e Gaumont, a £235m development on the King’s Road with a dedicated creative quarter assigned to independent brands, which has further ‘cemented Chelsea’s position as a hub for innovation,’ according to Seaborn. is includes New Forms by NDR, a new vinyl shop on Chelsea Manor Street.

Finally, Piers Adams, king of London’s nightlife and the name behind such legendary hotspots as Mahiki, added extra sparkle to the revival with the opening of Rex Rooms – a glamorous new venue on the site of the old 151 Club that nods to Chelsea’s decadent past while returning a dollop of after-dark hedonism to the area.

Retailers are feeling the bene t of the rejuvenation. ‘In times that aren’t,

But the nal feather in the cap of the rejuvenation of Chelsea comes this September, in the form of a groundbreaking new annual arts and culture festival with an ambitious three-day programme that will span all genres – from music to dance, theatre, literature, podcast, visual arts and much more. Chelsea Arts Festival will feature headline events – and talent such as William Boyd, Matt Haig and Jordan Stephens – across key venues, like Cadogan Hall, the Saatchi Gallery and the Royal Court. Festival goers will enjoy a wide range of events including panel discussions, creative workshops and an entertainment programme in and around Duke of York Square, closing o with the Women’s Prize Literary Salon with June Sarpong and Kate Mosse, among others, at Cadogan Hall. ‘ e streets of Chelsea will come to life with outdoor performances, music nights at pubs and secret supper clubs,’ says Louise Close, managing director of Country & Town House Events, who is masterminding the three-day festival, in association with Cadogan.

Close points out that while London is a creative hub of the world, with ‘exceptional contemporary talent across fashion, arts and culture’, there is currently no festival based in the capital that celebrates the diversity across all arts disciplines. e aim of Chelsea Arts Festival is ‘to capture the wild bohemia that Chelsea is known for, tie in all the history that the area has in its DNA as well as looking towards the future’.

e festival is a celebration of community as much as it is of culture, and has an ambition to create a positive legacy by working closely with local residents and businesses. Along with free ticket allocations to community groups, there will be mentorship schemes for young residents to learn about careers across the arts.

Byrne feels that the neighbourhood is ‘about to enter a new era. You can feel the dust is in the air, and again all eyes are on Chelsea to see which way the wind is blowing. e artists, the writers ocking to the King’s Road will be the voice of the next generation to lead the way. And we’re all inviting you to come and be a part of it.’

Chelsea Arts Festival, 19-21 September 2025; register for more information at chelseaartsfestival.com n

Ripe for Reinvention

Deliciously Ella started as a food blog before growing into a multi-million pound business. Ella Mills reﬂects on her founder journey with ELLIE SMITH

In 2012, a 21-year-old Ella Mills (née Woodward) sat down to write her rst blog post: a recipe for sweet potato wedges with an avocado dip. Little did she know that was the beginning of the multi-millionpound business, plant-based food brand Deliciously Ella. Over the past 13 years, the company has grown to colossal success, launching an app, products and cookbooks, as well as garnering a devoted online community. Meanwhile, the wellness industry has exploded, yet the UK’s collective health has arguably never been worse. Nutrition is at the forefront of the national conversation, so why did Mills decide now was the right time to sell her business? And what’s her mission going forward?

Right from the get-go, Mills has been the face of the brand – and, indeed, the original poster girl for wellness. Yet Mills started Deliciously Ella after her health had hit rock bottom.

During university, Mills became very unwell, and spent months in and out of hospital before eventually being diagnosed with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome, a condition that a ects the autonomic nervous system. ‘It left me with a whole range of symptoms that meant I could barely get out of bed,’ she says. At one point, she adds, she was on 25 di erent medications a day, yet nothing was helping.

e turning point came when Mills dramatically changed her diet, moving towards a whole food, plant-based way of eating. She documented her journey online, and within two years her site had 120 million hits from readers all over the world. ‘Suddenly we had reached the mainstream, and I had approaches from people saying, “can we license the brand? Can we make this product for you? Can we put your name on this?” And I knew very quickly that our path had changed slightly, and this is where it all started. I didn’t want to use this platform to sell other people’s products.’ But how to scale the business while staying true to her values?

Around this time, Mills met her now-husband, Matthew. It was a whirlwind romance: they moved in together after a week, and within the year they were married. Quickly, it became apparent that they had complementary work skills too. ‘My passion was the brand, the recipes, the concept, the community, and his was through the business lens.’ Matthew quit his job in nance and became CEO, and the couple built up the business together, while also growing their family (they have two girls, Skye, ve, and May, four).

Of course, running a company with your husband is not without its challenges. As Mills says, ‘It’s very di cult to have boundaries and balance… you suck each other down into a hole when there’s something stressful going on.’ But the good certainly outweighs the bad. ‘I love it, it might not be for everyone but it’s been brilliant for us. We both love work… it’s not conventionally cool, but I think it’s realising that’s who you are and embracing that.’

Together, the couple have created a food empire: Deliciously Ella has sold more than 100 million products, and is now the UK’s fastest-growing snack bar brand. Yet Mills still nds the term entrepreneur ‘mildly uncomfortable’, something she attributes to the fact that she – like many women – started her business ‘accidentally’ to solve a personal problem. ‘I feel like growing up, all the entrepreneurs I’d heard of were a) men and b) people who were always brilliant. I absolutely didn’t have that, I was so extraordinarily average growing up… I didn’t excel at anything. I think as a result, the success of the business feels really at odds with how I saw myself as a person for decades.’

Amid the busyness of navigating work and family life, Mills has some non-negotiables for wellbeing – but rather than ‘all or nothing thinking’ she emphasises consistency and simplicity. ‘For me, movement is key to my mental health, but I’ve let go of the idea that it needs to be a full workout every day. Some days it’s a 20-minute walk on my lunch break; other days it’s 10 minutes of at-home yoga or just walking them [her children] to school.’

And, like all successful entrepreneurs, Mills also swears by a morning routine: getting up a little ahead of her kids to make time for a quick meditation and a quiet co ee. ‘It’s not about doing something elaborate – it’s about creating space to breathe, reset, and feel just a little more grounded before the full-on juggle begins.’

In September 2024, it was announced that Deliciously Ella was being sold to Swiss food group Hero. ‘Selling the company was a huge decision and one we thought about very carefully,’ says Mills. ‘Deliciously Ella had been our whole world for ten years. But we’re incredibly proud of what we built. Our goal is to reach the masses though, and the new infrastructure, resources, and knowledge that we have as part of the Hero Group will help us take the brand to the next level.’

So what’s next? Well, Mills isn’t going anywhere. ere are big plans for international expansion at Deliciously Ella. She and Matthew also own Plants and recently acquired plant-based meal brand allplants, which they’re currently integrating into their existing start-up.

Another big focus for Mills is her new podcast, e Wellness Scoop, which she hosts alongside nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert. It’s all about debunking fads – and this June, they’ll be hosting their rst live event.

Ultimately, Mills’ goal is to bring some sanity back to the health space. When she started out, wellness was a somewhat niche concept, but now it feels like we’ve gone too far the other way, with wild new fads popping up every week. So what’s the answer? ‘ e next step is simplifying things, helping people cut through the noise and focus on what actually works for them, in a way that feels realistic, supportive and sustainable.’ In a world lled with sensationalist advice, Mills’ approach feels refreshingly down-to-earth. n

‘I was so EXTRAORDINARILY average growing up... I didn’t excel at ANYTHING’

Grit with GRACE

How much could we learn from this tenacious group of volunteer women? MICHAEL HAYMAN salutes the unbroken spirit of the FANYs

As the UK commemorates the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe on 8 May, it is in many ways a celebration of those who coped. Not just survived but found a way through. In a world turned upside down, they turned grit into grace. And in doing so, they became the golden generation Coping is an intangible virtue. Quiet, unassuming but essential. And a group that embodies that spirit both then and now is the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry – or the FANY, as they’re a ectionately known. ey’ve been showing us how to face adversity head-on for over a century.

Their motto? Arduis Invicta –Unconquered in Adversity. W hich is about as British as it gets. ink stoic with style. Formed initially as a mounted nursing corps, the FANY galloped onto the scene in 1907 and never looked back. During the First World War they drove ambulances, ran soup kitchens and even operated a mobile bath vehicle nicknamed ‘James’. By the Second World War, they were moonlighting for the Special Operations Executive (SOE), slipping behind enemy lines as coders, couriers, and wireless wizards. e phrase ‘unsung hero’ could well have been coined just for them.

Fast forward to today and FANYs are still showing up on the front line. Albeit, rarely on horseback, but in high-vis jackets and with the same unshakable commitment. e battle has changed; the mission hasn’t. When crisis hits – be it a pandemic, a terrorist attack or a national emergency –FANYs answer the call. All unpaid volunteers. All in.

of the nation’s response – keeping the lights on, the wheels turning, the calm holding steady.

And this isn’t a walk-in-the-park kind of volunteering. New recruits are put through their paces: rst aid, comms, leadership, teamwork, resilience, navigation – basically, everything you’d want in your corner if things went sideways. ey’re on-call all year round and ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.

During COVID, FANYs racked up more than 18,000 hours of VOLUNTARY service. They were at the HEART of the nation’s response – keeping the lights on, the wheels turning, the CALM holding steady

During COVID, FANYs racked up more than 18,000 hours of voluntary service. From helping the NHS and City of London Police to bolstering the work of three London coroners, they were at the heart

But here’s the real magic: these women are not career soldiers. ey’re teachers, techies, lawyers, linguists. ey train in their spare time and serve for the love of it. For community. For country. And for the simple idea that coping isn’t just something you do, it’s something you live.

As the Commanding O cer of the FANY, Lisa Giles tells me: ‘We train for what we hope never happens – but when it does, we’re ready.’ at quiet readiness, that resilience in reserve, is what VE80 is really about. Yes, it’s about remembering the end of war in Europe, but it’s also about recognising the spirit of those who stood up when it mattered most. And who keep doing so today.

Because coping isn’t some memory of the past. It’s about how we face and prepare for tomorrow. From cyber threats to climate shocks, it’s the skill we’ll need most in the decades to come. And the FANY? ey’ve been giving a masterclass in it for 118 years.

So whether you raised a glass to fallen family on VE Day or simply paused to re ect, remember that the story doesn’t end with commemoration. It continues in the women who still wear the badge, carry the motto, and live the mission. In those who remain, in every sense, unconquered in adversity. Arduis Invicta , indeed. n

HAILING HEROINES

MADELEINE DAMERMENT: A Heroine of Wartime Resistance

Madeleine joined the British SOE in 1942 after ﬂeeing Nazi-occupied France. This secret organisation conducted espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in occupied Europe. To provide her with cover under the Geneva Convention, Madeleine was enlisted in the FANY. Parachuted into France in 1944, she was captured and executed at Dachau. Her legacy is continued by her great-niece, Zoe Brooke, who serves in the FANY today. ‘I can never be entirely sure when or how my family joined the Resistance. All I know is that in the face of unimaginable horrors, they chose to take a stand.’

LAURA LEAN: The Embodiment of Selﬂess Service

Building on the legacy of her grandmother who served in the Corps during the Second World War, Laura joined the FANY in 2009. She supported operational response to incidents including the Grenfell Tower disaster and the terrorist attacks at London Bridge; during the pandemic, she deployed to the Nightingale Hospital as a liaison to families of critically ill patients; and the following year she supported the arrival of evacuees from Afghanistan. Shortly before she died of cancer in 2023, aged just 48, Laura was awarded the Order of the League of Mercy in recognition of her commitment and leadership.

The ﬁrst FANYs arrived in France in October 1914; the modern-day FANYs in training mode

ROCKING the FOUNDATIONS

LUCINDA BARING meets the Duke of Richmond as he launches what he hopes will become the world’s greatest art foundation in the grounds at Goodwood House

Charles Gordon-Lennox, 11th Duke of Richmond and Gordon, CBE, is chairman and custodian of the 11,000-acre estate that has been in his family for 300 years

Right: Canaletto’s Whitehall and the Privy Gardenfrom Richmond House and The Charlton Hunt, 1759, by George Stubbs both hang in His Grace’s private collection

‘Come with me.’ I am sitting in the Duke of Richmond’s private study, a charming little antechamber to the library, reached through a concealed door in the bookshelves. His Grace picks up a small painting and together we go through a series of doors until we reach the grand entrance hall of Goodwood House. He holds up the painting: ‘You see that?’ In his hands is an oil of a hound that mirrors exactly one in the vast George Stubbs painting – one of three in the Duke’s collection – hanging above the double mahogany doors. A study made by Stubbs when he was staying at Goodwood House in the 1800s (commissioned by the third Duke of Richmond to paint his horses), the painting had recently come up for sale in the US and the current Duke is delighted to have brought it home. is Stubbs joins one of the most signi cant private art collections in the country – comprising paintings by Canaletto (depicting Richmond House in London), Reynolds, Romney and Van Dyck; porcelain; and tapestries gifted by Louis XV. ‘ e house is very Grand Tour. Not really the right feel for my niche collection of post-war German photography,’ His Grace says with a laugh. Any spare resource goes to buying pieces important to the collection. ‘It’s amazing when you look at Chatsworth and families who have bought Freuds and pictures that now hold great value. But I’m not buying Bacons because they just wouldn’t t here.’

e Duke is a considered and hospitable custodian of the estate that has been in his family for 300 years (given, along with the title, by King Charles II to his illegitimate son, the rst Duke of Richmond and Lennox), striving to make it self-sustaining and welcoming over a million visitors to its 11,000 acres every year. Building on a sporting legacy dating back to Goodwood’s rst public race meeting in 1802, His Grace launched the Festival of Speed in 1993 and Goodwood Revival in 1998, two of Britain’s biggest car events outside Formula One. ‘It’s very levelling,’ he says. ‘Whether it’s a shared passion for horses or cars, everyone rubs shoulders.’

Now the Duke is launching the Goodwood Art Foundation, a not-for-pro t set across 70 acres of the estate integrating contemporary

art, the natural environment and education. With a team that includes international curator (and former director of collections in British art at Tate) Ann Gallagher, renowned landscape designer Dan Pearson, and leading cultural educator Sally Bacon (all OBEs) – and with Rachel Whiteread con rmed as the rst headline exhibitor – the Duke’s ambition is to create the greatest art foundation in the world.

‘His Grace doesn’t do anything by halves,’ foundation director Richard Grindy says as he shows me around. ‘If you look at what he did with Festival of Speed and Revival, his attitude is, “If we’re going to do it, we may as well aim to be the very best”.’ e site encompasses what was originally the Cass Sculpture Foundation, launched by Wilfred and Jeanette Cass in 1992; when Wilfred died in 2022, the land came back to the estate. ‘We took Wilfred’s blueprint – about 20 acres with two lovely galleries – and asked: “how can we really set it on re?”’ says His Grace. e two galleries have been restored – by their original designers, Studio Downie Architects – and upgraded to museum-grade spaces; the bigger of the two will exhibit Whiteread’s rarely seen collection of photography, while New York artist Amie Siegel’s 2022 lm installation Bloodlines, tracing the works of Stubbs, will be shown in the Pavilion Gallery. Whiteread’s sculptures and new works by, among others, Turner Prize-winning Veronica Ryan and the irreverent Rose Wylie are peppered throughout the dense, ancient woodland, cherry grove and gardens, where thousands of trees and bulbs have been planted by Pearson to create 24 seasonal moments throughout the year. Chosen by His Grace (or, to be exact, his Duchess) for his naturalistic style, Pearson’s planting has been masterminded in tandem with Gallagher’s curation.

‘ e selection of work for the rst season is by artists who have an a nity with the environment or an interest in Goodwood’s history,’ Gallagher says. ‘Each artwork is sited so that it is encountered by chance, to enhance rather than disrupt the enjoyment of exploring the varied natural environment. As the landscape changes over seasons, so the selection of art will expand and change.’

In a woodland glade rises Hélio Oiticica’s monumental, labyrinthine Magic Square #3, the late Brazilian sculptor’s rst Magic Square to be constructed in Europe. ‘Everyone goes, “Wow” because no one’s ever seen one,’ says His Grace.

Yet of the foundation’s three pillars, it is education that most drives the Duke – a legacy he inherited from his father, the tenth Duke, who established an education programme at Goodwood in the 70s. ‘My father was ahead of his time. My parents realised how important it was to share Goodwood with the community, what it can contribute locally and nationally.’ His Grace hopes the Goodwood Art Foundation will take what his father did – inviting 4,000 children a year to the estate to connect with the rural landscape and foster an understanding of where their food comes from – and create something much bigger.

‘ We are trying to make it really meaningful for the people who need it most,’ he says. ‘We want to make it as easy as possible for those schools, so the foundation will provide the transport, a cost that often prohibits schools from taking trips.’ Bacon’s programme, launching in September, will identify children who have been excluded from mainstream education. ‘With art being de-prioritised in the curriculum, we can make a real di erence,’ His Grace adds. ‘I had a miserable time at school, but the things I am interested in now are the same things that caught my attention when I was ten. All it took was a couple of inspiring masters to ignite something.’

Alongside the visual art, there is also a natural amphitheatre surrounded by trees and framed by a historic int wall where the foundation will host outdoor performances, classical album playbacks, theatre. e season kicks o with a performance by Nabihah Iqbal, musician and radio DJ who has composed music for the Turner Prize and collaborated with Wolfgang Tillmans at Tate Modern. ‘We want people to engage in art in the widest sense by including all mediums and creating a touchpoint for everyone,’ says Grindy.

A new oak and glass café by Studio Downie is built into the landscape,

designed to feel as if you are oating amid the woodland canopy, a corridor of trees leading the eye across wild ower meadows to the sea. Harry Cartwright, formerly of e Mulberry in Falmouth, will serve small plates made with ingredients from the estate’s organic farm; on certain evenings, the space will host supper clubs and guest chefs. It seems more akin to a high-end restaurant but Grindy is adamant. ‘Like the rest of the foundation, the remit was that it needs to be accessible to all.’ is ancient woodland is where His Grace launched Nucleus ten years ago, an invitationonly ‘automotive Davos’ held under the Chatham House Rule. ‘We mix dyed-in-the wool car guys and tech bros, and once they had a huge bust-up,’ he says. Has Elon attended?

‘Not Elon, no. But lots of SpaceX guys. ey are all about 19 and have been terri c.’ In future, the foundation will convene its own thought leadership symposiums centred on contemporary art, landscape and education.

‘ is is not “art in the park”,’ says His Grace. ‘We want people to visit from all over the world and for the foundation to become a really important addition to the contemporary art landscape while fostering mental and physical wellbeing, creativity and learning for people of all backgrounds. We’ve been reasonably successful at convening people to have a great time. When you create a shared experience that everyone is enjoying, you can do some serious stu together.’

e Goodwood Art Foundation opens 31 May. goodwoodartfoundation.org n

FROM TOP: The Pavilion gallery, by Studio Downie Architects at the Goodwood Art Foundation; Hélio Oiticica’s Magic Square #5; British artist Rose Wylie has cast a bronze pineapple based on her Pineapple, 2021

PHOTOS: TOM BAIGENT; CAROL LOPES; COURTESY THE ARTIST AND DAVID ZWIRNER

LOVE

Asylum Speakers is a charity set up by Jaz O’Hara, who is running a series of live speaker events at Inhabit hotel in London to share stories to spark hope and love

Halimot Ogunnaike’s journey is a testament to resilience, hope and the power of human connection.

JULIET KINSMAN explores how storytelling can bridge divides

When Halimot Ogunnaike talks about her boys – just like any mother might – her face lights up. Her love is palpable. Known as ‘Hali Berry’ for her baker and entrepreneur identity (she’s a whizz cake and cookie maker), like many, she juggles the needs of her children with earning enough to cover all her daily cost of living in east London. Yet Halimot has just whispered a story, as if only to me, about how, when she was nine years old, she took her rst trip far from home with her auntie to learn about a new school. She’s speaking not just to me though, we have a much bigger audience present, who have come to a boutique hotel in west London to an Asylum Speakers event.

Jaz O’Hara founded the charity, Asylum Speakers, to challenge stereotypes and raise awareness around migration issues, while providing refugees with a voice and a space to educate others. She’s a erce advocate for bringing extraordinary stories to London through her speakers, using storytelling to inspire empathy and action – and Halimot is holding the room captivated.

Growing up in Nigeria, Halimot loved learning, a keen student with encouraging parents who nurtured their smart daughter. When her father died, a long-lost ‘auntie’ appeared, o ering to help her continue her studies. e idea of travelling away to further her education lled her with excitement, even if it meant leaving her mother and siblings behind. ey took a car, a bus and a taxi with other girls her age, eventually arriving in Lagos. She arrived at a small hotel, expecting to go shopping for new schoolbooks or a uniform, but things did not turn out like that.

Now in her 30s, Halimot doesn’t recall much of what happened next – only that she woke with a deep pain between her legs, unable to move. It’s not my place to share what she endured that night, nor the years that followed. But let me ask you this: have you ever been in a room when someone tells a story so powerful that everyone collectively holds their breath?

at’s the power of storytelling when it comes from the heart. Hearing rst-hand accounts like this allows you, if only for a moment, to imagine what it might have been like to have lived a completely di erent life, just because of where you were born or how events unfolded. As Halimot recounted her journey of exploitation – from early years in Nigeria, tra cked as a child to work by the roadsides of Italy, and then into the underworld of Spain, before eventually escaping her captors in London – the reality of her life was almost unimaginable to those gathered in the Inhabit hotel’s tiny library in Paddington.

After hearing her speak, it’s impossible not to care more deeply about the world around us. More women than we dare to picture have lived stories we only know from lms or ction. And once you’ve heard the truth, you can never unknow it. As Leo Tolstoy put it: ‘If you feel pain, you are alive. If you feel other people’s pain, you are a human being.’

Hearing stories such as that of Halimot Ogunnaike helps ignite empathy and understanding

ASYLUM SPEAKERS AT INHABIT

COME HEAR EXTRAORDINARY STORIES OF LOVE with Country & Town House Hear from heartwarming changemakers at these events from Bouteco at Inhabit hotel Southwick Street, W2. Tickets £25; 100 percent of ticket sales support Asylum Speakers. eventbrite.co.uk

GIEL FROM SOUTH SUDAN, Wednesday 11 June

Aged 13, from the Nuer ethnic group, Giel had lived a happy childhood until civil war broke out in 2013. Years of displacement, slavery and imprisonment followed before he made a ﬁnal treacherous journey across the Mediterranean. His survival story represents countless others who perished along the way, and he now shares it to give voice to those who cannot tell their own.

However, we know that there’s a huge rise in antiimmigration across the world. When you hear about the rise in hostility towards displaced people, it’s interesting to know that this shared ‘othering’ (the o cial de nition of which is the process of labelling some individuals or groups as outsiders, for not tting into our ways of being, or looking di erent) might also be sparking an addictive hit of oxytocin. Oxytocin is often nicknamed the ‘love hormone’, since it’s the hypothalamus-made neuropeptide triggered through loving connections with others. ey say it takes 20 seconds of a proper hug to spark its production. Breast-feeding mums or lovers romancing produce it. What people reference less is the fact that it’s also prompted by a collective aversion to strangers.

Halimot went through hell to escape her tra ckers, experiencing homelessness and sleeping on the streets as part of a long-drawn-out journey to apply eventually for asylum. Hearing her share her story is an important reminder that underneath the terms ‘refugee’ or ‘asylum seeker’ are people who have experienced something outside of their control. ough bad things may happen to us, they don’t de ne us. Instead of labels that divide, we’d do well to remember they are mothers, daughters, grandfathers, brothers. Bringing together voices from Asylum Speakers, hearing stories such as Halimot’s humanises the people behind the statistics. ey are individuals who have been displaced, faced unimaginable hardships, fought for safety and dignity. And by listening, by engaging, we bridge the gap between ‘us’ and ‘them’. We cultivate empathy. And, ultimately, we create a world where love – the real, active, world-changing kind – spills forth, sparking hope, leading the way.

You can order Hali Berry’s bespoke decorated cakes to be delivered anywhere in London – nd her on Instagram @haliberrycake or email haliberry2016@ gmail.com; to book Halimot as a speaker, visit asylumspeakers.com n

THE AESTHETIC

Edited by ANNABEL JONES

CALL MY DOCTOR

The latest news from the aesthetics frontline

GREAT BARRIER GRIEF

Have you damaged your skin barriers, asks Claire Coleman

POUT OF CHARACTER

There’s more than one way to achieve the perfect pout, says Alice Hart-Davis

RAISE ME UP

Celia Walden says it may take longer, but you can achieve facelift-like results non-invasively

SEEING IS BELIEVING

Annabel Jones on the rise of eye rejuvenation treatments

WHAT THE EYE CAN’T SEE

Injectables aren’t over, they’re just cleverer than ever, says Olivia Falcon

THE LAST TABOO

Finally, we’re beginning to talk about ‘down there’, says Beatrice Aidin

TRIED & TESTED

Reporting on the treatments we’re loving

DOCTOR, DOCTOR!

Questioning the experts ON CALL

The aesthetic practitioners you can trust

Editor’s LETTER

All

Ae sthetic medicine is, for we enthusiasts, as nail biting as the nale of e White Lotus And, unlike world politics, looking ahead is mostly optimistic as advancements are by and large focused on natural ways to hack the ageing process.

In this year’s special, I dive into the rise of eyelid surgery and the undetectable advances that make it so sought after (p144). On page 134, Celia Walden writes about the emerging trend for tough-love facial massage and medical-grade facials. Alice Hart-Davis tackles the innovative new ways to rejuvenate lacklustre lips without injecting ller on page 128, while Claire Coleman dives into the causes and cures for our broken skin barriers (p124). Not one to shy away from delicate matters, Beatrice Aidin investigates the empowering world of intimate procedures for midlife women on page 148.

We’re not all talk – we’ve tried ten of the latest procedures from hormone tweaking to hair loss interventions and given them our honest appraisal (p153).

Finally, we’ve updated our doctor’s directory with our tried and true aesthetic practitioners (p162). Enjoy!

On Cover: CHANEL Camelia Gua Sha tool

photography in the C&TH Aesthetic Guide has been art directed by Ursula Lake and photographed by Mateusz Sitek, with hair by Richard Scorer for Haringtons Hairdressing, using L’Oreal; make-up by Marco Antonio using CHANEL Les Beiges Golden Hour and No.1 de CHANEL Body Sérum-In-Mist; nails by Nichole Williams at Stella Creative Artists using Aesop Lucent Facial Concentrate. The model is Annie Tice at Premier

Call my doctor

Annabel Jones introduces the practitioner-led brands on a mission to solve your skin woes

MURAD RESCULPT BODY TREATMENT

We’re already a fan of Murad’s Retinal Resculpt for face, so naturally we gravitated towards the body cream. Targeting stretch marks, sagging skin – and cellulite, it turns out retinal is just as e ective on our thighs as our jowls. £79, murad.co.uk.

DR SEBAGH VITAMIN C BRIGHTENING PRIMER SPF15

With summer weeks away we’re adding in a makeup primer to give our skin tint staying power. is one by Dr Sebagh combines the brightening and collagen-boosting power of Vit-C with hydrating Hyarulonic acid and pigmentation reducing ingredients. And if you don’t care about all that, it will give your complexion a radiant canvas to apply make-up on. £58, drsebagh.com

DR MUNIR SOMJI SIGNATURE SERUM

Sometimes you just want one cream to do it all. Dr Somji’s answer to everything your skin needs from hydration to radiance, texture and skin tone is answered in this fortifying serum made with 15 active ingredients. £85, drsomjiskincare.com

PERS RETINOL CONCENTRATE SERUM

PERS (protect, enhance, repair, stimulate) is the invention of French dermatologist Dr Antoni Calmon who developed a fourstep skincare system to make skincare shopping easier. ough he maintains you don’t need to buy his, we’re fond of it all. But mostly his Retinol Concentrate Serum which Calmon recommends to use every other night. Plus, the in nitely recyclable aluminum tube is bijou enough to pop in your carry on. £95, harrods.com

DR SAM’S FLAWLESS BRIGHTLY EYE SERUM

Dr Sam Bunting knows what women want. Her a ordably priced eye serum brightens eyes instantly, reduces wrinkle depth by 10.2 percent in 28 days and diminishes dark circles in seven. We’re sold. £40, drsambunting.com

THE SKIN DIARY NIGHT REPAIR THERAPY

e result of research by Dr Chris Gri ths OBE and Dr Tamara Gri ths, this seminal night cream claims it’s 20 times more e ective than retinol in its ability to boost collagen and repair sun damage. £135, theskindiary.com

A SCULPTOR’S EYE

Using a palette of cutting-edge minimally-invasive and non-surgical techniques, Mr Dean Rhobaye is a leading specialist for natural-looking facial harmonisation

Transforming a face isn’t all that hard; transforming it beautifully and imperceptibly is a rare art. It rarely takes a single product or device: often, it requires a careful balance of precisely dosed technologies and therapies, administered by a highly experienced specialist.

At Sloane Clinic, the approach reﬂects the background of its medical director, Mr Dean Rhobaye. A facial aesthetics specialist of over 15 years with a background in plastic surgery who’s a passionate sculptor in his free time, his professional and artistic skills inform his aptitude for naturally elegant results. It’s earned him not one but two prestigious AMWC Aesthetic Awards – the aesthetic industry’s highest honour.

Using a combination of 3D and VISIA imaging, AI-assisted facial analysis, and ultrasound/MRI radiology, Mr Rhobaye meticulously plans each treatment, ensuring optimal, bespoke results and the highest standards of safety.

The recent pushback against facial ﬁllers has been driven primarily by alltoo-visible ‘bad work’ by less-than-skilled practitioners, and has instead popularised energy-based devices that supercharge skin function rather than instantly altering features. But inside top medical aesthetic clinics like Sloane Clinic, it’s never a

question of one or the other, it’s both. Which techniques are required for each individual patient depends not only on their anatomy but on their skin condition.

Some of the unique protocols available include Facial Harmonisation, Sloane Clinic’s flagship multi-modal facial transformation (executed over multiple sessions to ensure enhancement that’s entirely sympathetic to the patient’s face) using advanced injectable techniques and regenerative treatments for structure, symmetry and rejuvenation. Other options are the Laser & Light Cocktail™ (a scientiﬁcally-backed photorejuvenation protocol for visible results with minimal downtime), and Skin Tightening (which combines Fractional Radiofrequency Microneedling or AFRM™ with the latest ultrasound technology for deep skin remodelling).

‘We are sculpting faces and transforming appearances – but you’re less likely to achieve a satisfactory result if you do not have intrinsic artistic acumen,’ Mr Rhobaye explains his point of difference. ‘Ultimately, this is an aesthetic art.’

Mr Dean Rhobaye, Sloane Clinic, 10 Harley Street, London W1 9PF. +44 (0)20 7340 1488; sloaneclinic.co.uk; @deanrhobaye

Dr Dean Rhobaye transforms faces with the skill of an artist

COPPER HYPE

Infused with copper peptides, hyaluronic acid and the brand’s proprietary cell-signalling ingredient, TFC8, Augustinus Bader’s Hydrogel Face Mask is the ideal travelling companion. More than a photo opportunity, it’s been clinically proven to improve skin hydration by 95 percent, skin luminosity by 42 percent and ne lines by 15 percent in one use. Moreover, it’s biodegradable. From £25, augustinusbader.com.

PARTNERS IN SUBLIME

Stellar C Stellar is the brainchild of Andrea Pfe er, whose Beak Street clinic is known for its high-tech treatments with an ancient wisdom twist. Now it has taken up an exclusive wellbeing residency at e Savoy hotel. On o er are non-injectable protocols and microneedling, among other treatments, plus Stellar C’s signature e Best Facial, which feeds skin with a bespoke blend of pharmaceutical grade vitamins and amino acids (proteins) directly to the cells. All treatments end with LED light for extra glow. saloncstellar.com

THE ART OF HEALING

Last month, MhM – the healthcare facility dreamt up by leading Houston physicians – opened its doors in South Kensington. A radically unique concept, MhM, which stands for Memorial Houston Medical, combines top-tier medical care with luxury design and a strong focus on emotional wellbeing. MhM prides itself on its medical excellence in treating diseases such as cancer and diabetes alongside cosmetic surgery o ering an environment that’s highly conducive to recovery. With its patient focused philosophy, the hospital has considered every nuance of its design from exposure to natural light and fresh owers to the artwork (Sir Peter Blake and Andy Warhol are but two of the artists on display). memorialhouston.com

CELEBRATING MILESTONES

SKINCEUTICALS CE FERULIC VITAMIN C

ANTIOXIDANT SERUM

It’s been 20 years since SkinCeuticals popularised vitamin C and it would be hard to find a reputable dermatologist who doesn’t recommend it. A combination of 15 percent pure vitamin C with one percent vitamin E and 0.5 percent ferulic acid, it protects against UV damage, brightens and firms the skin while minimising fine lines. It’s not cheap, but neither is the 20 years of scientific research that proves it works. £165, skinceuticals.com

BIODERMA SENSIBIO H20

MICELLAR WATER VICTORIA

BECKHAM EXCLUSIVE

The original micellar water, Sensibio H2O has been duped hundreds of times since the French pharmacy icon launched – and yet it’s still unrivalled. To celebrate, Victoria Beckham, a longtime devotee, has put her face to this limitededition exclusive. £18, 500ml, lookfantastic.com

DR BARBARA STURM HYARULONIC ACID SERUM

Dr Barbara Sturm’s HA serum is celebrating ten years at the top. Available in three sizes: 10ml, 30ml and 100ml, this potent hyaluronic acid serum takes away dehydration lines in the blink of an eye thanks to its combination of high and low molecular weight molecules. It also includes Sturm’s favourite ingredient, purslane, to calm the founder’s raison d’etre inﬂammation. From £85, drsturm.com

The Art of Timeless Beauty

Inside Dr Sebagh’s World of Advanced Aesthetic Medicine

Step into the serene elegance of Chandos House in Marylebone and discover the renowned Dr Sebagh Clinic––a sanctuary where medical precision meets aesthetic artistry. Trusted by clients around the world, Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh and his expert team o er a bespoke approach to beauty, deﬁned by innovation, subtlety, and enduring results.

AESTHETICS

Regenerative Fat Transfer

Using nano-fat stem cells and micro fat grafting, this transformative treatment replenishes lost volume and address concerns such as hollow eyes and dark circles while rejuvenating the skin with growth factors for long-lasting renewal.

K Thread Lift (3D Thread Lift)

An advanced thread-lifting technique using PDO, PLLA and PCL threads to elevate sagging skin, stimulate collagen and reshape facial contours.

Once inserted beneath the skin, the threads are gently lifted to reposition and anchor sagging tissue. Beyond the mechanical lift, they stimulate collagen production and neovascularisation, improving blood ﬂow, skin elasticity, and overall texture.

This technological breakthrough presents a unique opportunity for women seeking a rejuvenated appearance with immediate e ects, circumventing the lengthy downtime typical of surgical facelifts.

Ultimate Skin Booster with PRP

Wonder what all the supermodels are getting to keep their skin plump, youthful and radiant? A regenerative tailor-made skinperfecting cocktail featuring PRP, salmon DNA polynucleotides, Profhilo, vitamin C, vitamin A and exosomes to deliver glow, hydration, and ﬂawless texture.

SOFT SURGERY

The modern alternative to the scalpel

A cornerstone of Dr Sebagh’s philosophy, Soft Surgery redeﬁnes facial rejuvenation without the need for traditional surgery. Using techniques such as the K Thread Lift (3D Thread Lift) and Regenerative Fat Transfer, the face is gently lifted, contoured, and revitalised. These procedures stimulate collagen, restore lost volume, and deliver an instant lift—all with minimal downtime.

DR SEBAGH – THE MASTER OF MODERN

THE EXPERT TEAM: ARTISTRY ACROSS EVERY DISCIPLINE

DR MARITON – LASER PRECISION & SKIN RENEWAL

Fraxel Laser & IPL

Fractional laser therapy rejuvenates skin by replacing damaged cells and stimulating new collagen. Combined with IPL, it targets pigmentation and texture for a ﬂawless ﬁnish.

PRP/PRF Skin and Hair Regeneration

A natural filler alternative using growth factors from your own blood to stimulate repair, refine pores and soften fine lines for radiant, healthy skin, or treat androgenic alopecia to stimulate natural hair regrowth.

Rosacea Vascular Laser

This targeted treatment calms inﬂammation and reduces visible capillaries, helping rosacea-prone skin look and feel more balanced and comfortable.

PREJUVENATION

Stay ahead of the ageing curve

Designed to prevent rather than correct, Prejuvenation focuses on early intervention. Through skin-boosting treatments such as The Ultimate Skin Booster with PRP and personalised laser therapies, collagen production is supported, hydration is restored, and the foundations of healthy, youthful skin are maintained.

DR KOLLI – NATURAL CONTOURING, “GLASS SKIN” AND DERMATOLOGY

Microtox

A precision micro-Botox technique that improves skin texture and pore size while maintaining natural movement. The ultimate solution for smooth, dewy “glass skin.”

Lip Enhancement

Tailored lip augmentation using a combination of HA ﬁllers, lip ﬂips and Botox to achieve volume and shape that feels balanced, subtle and bespoke.

HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound)

A needle-free solution to facial lifting, HIFU targets the deeper layers of skin to tighten and ﬁrm over time — ideal for natural-looking structure.

DR DUGGAN – LASER

INNOVATION &

INTIMATE

WELLNESS

Carbon Peel Laser Facial & The Ultimate Skin Booster

The Helios III fractional Q-switched Nd:YAG laser resurfaces and clariﬁes skin, while the Ultimate Skin Booster restores hydration and radiance. Ideal for acne, dullness and pigmentation.

Women’s Intimate Health Treatments

Launching this autumn, advanced nonsurgical treatments to restore tone, sensitivity, and intimate wellness. Using regenerative technologies, these bespoke procedures o er a discreet, supportive solution to enhance conﬁdence, comfort, and quality of life—empowering you to feel your best, inside and out.

Great Barrier Grief

Is your skin feeling tight, red, sore or ﬂaky? You might have damaged your skin barrier. But help is at hand, says Claire Coleman

a st year there were almost half a million searches for the term ‘skin barrier’ on Google, over 200,000 TikToks and more than 400,000 Instagram posts on the topic.

So what exactly is our skin barrier, and why have we become so obsessed with it?

‘ e skin barrier is the outermost layer of the skin,’ explains consultant dermatologist and founder of skincare brand, Klira, Dr Emma Craythorne. ‘It’s made up of predominantly dead skin cells that are held together in a bricks and mortar structure, where they’re the bricks and the mortar is a mixture of free fatty acids, lipids and cholesterol. It’s a waterproof barrier that prevents external irritants from getting in.’

e problem comes when the skin barrier is compromised. at can happen for all sorts of reasons, including genetic predisposition, stress and age – as we get older, our body produces fewer of the lipids required by the barrier, and the lack of oestrogen in postmenopausal women exacerbates this. But all too often it’s self-in icted.

We’re still living with the legacy of lockdown, when we saw a huge focus on skincare and an explosion in the number of social media accounts talking about products, leading many consumers to think that they can diagnose and treat skin issues themselves.

‘ e most common reason for patients to have a disrupted skin barrier is overuse of exfoliating ingredients,’ says Dr Ellie Rashid, a consultant dermatologist in

private practice and with skincare brand CeraVe. ‘ at may be because they have an existing problem, such as acne, and want to throw everything at it. Or it may be because they don’t understand the properties of di erent ingredients and are using a vitamin A derivative, such as retinol, but at the same time they want to brighten their appearance so they’re using a vitamin C, and alongside that a glycolic acid cleanser [all of which are acidic].’

Social media TRENDS , such as glass skin, or the pursuit of a clear, RADIANT complexion that’s as smooth as GLASS , often achieved through AGGRESSIVE exfoliation, really don’t help

Physical scrubs and dermablading can also irritate the skin’s barrier. However the damage is in icted, the result is that gaps are created, allowing water to leave the skin more easily, but also letting pollution, dirt, microbes and ingredients in, resulting in irritation.

According to Dr Craythorne, however, we might also be trying to solve problems that don’t actually exist. ‘ ere’s a really unrealistic expectation of what skin should actually look like,’ she says. ‘It’s driven by the constant video calls that we do and the constant ltering that’s on almost every device. I see loads and loads of patients –and their pictures on Instagram and their skin in real life are very di erent.’

And social media trends, such as glass skin, or the pursuit of a clear, radiant complexion that’s as smooth as glass, often achieved through aggressive exfoliation, really don’t help. According to the Harley Street Skin Clinic, by the end of 2024, the trend had accumulated 1.2 million Instagram posts, 469,200 TikTok mentions and the term ‘glass skin’ had been searched on Google 1.1 million times that year. ere’s a certain irony that in the quest for skin perfection we’ve actually made things worse and in doing so have spawned an entirely new category of products. Brands like Byoma, which launched in 2022, have made barrier protection and repair their focus, while skincare experts, like Sarah Chapman, who recently launched her Barrier Restore facial, have added to their portfolios.

In our quest for perfection, are we actually making our skin worse?

Japan Fusion

Moisture Mask Beauty Pie

ingredients, such as glycerin, ceramides, fatty acids, hyaluronic acid,’ says Dr Rashid.

‘Lots of people think that if they’ve got a skin barrier issue, something like Vaseline will help but actually it’s just an occlusive agent – which means it traps any moisture that’s already in the skin. But you also need humectants that will draw water to the skin, and ingredients like ceramides that will help rebuild the barrier.’

‘ e new facial was really a response to what I was seeing in the clinic with clients who’d been deep diving into acids and retinoids with no guidance or control. e skin was at the point where it couldn’t tolerate anything,’ explains Chapman, who combines near infrared light to reduce redness and in ammation, cryotherapy for a cooling sensation, and her own R&R Glow Recovery Cream, which contains ceramides alongside anti-in ammatory ingredients such as ectoin and asiaticoside.

So how do you know when you’ve got an issue with your skin barrier?

‘Anything you apply to the skin – even products that you’ve tolerated in the past – can sting, because the external environment can penetrate more easily,’ says Dr Craythorne. ‘ at’s one of the rst signs. Skin might also be red, because it’s irritated, or you’ll get patches of dryness appearing, because skin is losing water more easily.’

Once you know it’s damaged, repairing it is often a question of doing less, rather than more, and doing it as gently as possible. ‘Stop doing everything,’ says Dr Rashid. is can mean reducing your skincare routine to just two steps – cleansing and moisturising. ‘As long as they’re not planning on being outside much, I’ll even tell patients to stop using an SPF until things are restored.’

Dr Craythorne concurs. ‘Gentle cream or oil cleansers, nothing with fragrance, nothing that bubbles [as the surfactants can irritate skin or dry it further].’ en, for your moisturiser, you want to look for something that will replace what has been lost from the barrier.

‘Look for products that are rich in hydrating

If you’re doing all the right things, you can expect skin to feel more comfortable within four to ve days. After a couple of weeks it should be greatly improved. en, Dr Rashid recommends going easy when bringing other products back into the routine, or starting anything new. ‘I’d say start with one at a time, rather than all at once. Wait a week or two between reintroducing each product.’

And, if you want to protect, rather than repair, your skin barrier, similar advice stands. It’s about knowing your own skin and what it can tolerate, avoiding fragrance if your skin is sensitive to it, moisturising regularly with products that contain those barrier-enhancing lipids, and taking it slow when you want to try something new. n

NINE OF THE BEST BARRIER CREAMS

1 CeraVe Advanced Repair Ointment

A Vaseline-style texture but with those allimportant ceramides. £11.50, boots.com

2 La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume

B5+ Repairing Balm

Soothing and gentle enough to use on even baby skin. £11, laroche-posay.co.uk

3 Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules

The original proponents of ceramides, these concentrated capsules pack a punch. £50, elizabetharden.co.uk

4 First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Rescue Barrier Balm

Packed with soothing and protective ingredients. £28, lookfantastic.com

5 Dr Jart Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturising Cream

With ceramides, panthenol and glycerin to moisturise, strengthen and soften. £15, drjart.co.uk

6 Byoma Barrier Repair Eye Cream

Speciﬁcally targeted for the eye area. £13.99, byoma.com

7 Naturium Barrier Bounce

A serum designed to hydrate and replenish thirsty skin. £26.50, spacenk.com

8 Dr David Jack Skin Cushion

Reduces redness while repairing and reinforcing the skin barrier. £139, drdavidjack.com

9 SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore

A nourishing cream packed with ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. £150, skinceuticals.co.uk

LIGHT YEARS AHEAD

Dr Ariel Haus combines an exceptional breadth of expertise with the most advanced technologies

If you have a skin condition, an experienced dermatologist is your best route to results. But there are few who have such a wide net of treatment options for everything from teenage acne to adult facial tightening as Dr Ariel Haus.

Celebrating 15 years on Harley Street, Dr Haus is unquestionably one of the most trusted names in his ﬁeld. With a team of over 20 professionals, including six dermatologists, the Brazilian skin doctor –who studied under Professor Ivo Pitanguy (the forefather of cosmetic surgery) – has brought the world of medical dermatology and cosmetic skin treatments together under one upscale roof.

Spanning the first floor of a Grade IIlisted building in Harley Street, Dr Haus Dermatology offers not only luxurious surroundings but a warm and inviting service, putting his patients immediately at ease – a part of the service that’s deeply important to him. (Dr Haus was first inspired to specialise in dermatology because of its ability to transform a person’s confidence and self-esteem.)

With one of the widest ranges of high-tech devices, from lasers and IPL to radiofrequency and ultrasound, of any clinic, Dr Haus Dermatology is the premier destination for everything skin from trickyto-treat pigmentation to saggy jowls, lacklustre lips and a loss of radiance.

Dr Haus is the ﬁrst in London to offer Ultherapy Prime, a faster, more precise version of the FDA-approved technology that harnesses ultrasound to lift and ﬁrm the face – including hooded eyes, formerly the reserve of oculoplastic surgeons.

One of its smartest features is the new DeepSEE technology, allowing the practitioner to monitor in real time the areas of the skin that are about to be treated. The beneﬁt, says Dr Haus, is even better accuracy. Better accuracy, better, safer results.

The ideal option for anyone who wants non-surgical face lifting, Ultherapy Prime works on the deep layers of the skin, targeting the SMAS, or the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, the ﬁbrous network of muscles and connective tissue and a key structure in facial aging.

Of course, Dr Haus also offers the latest skin-boosting injectables like polynucleotides, plus a host of lasers and light therapies like the new Smartxide Tetra Pro Cool Laser, which works on skin texture.

And with the skin barrier function being front and centre, you can rest assured that with his vast medical experience and cutting-edge tech, healthy resilient skin is his raison d’etre.

Dr Ariel Haus, 75 Harley Street, London W1G 8QL. +44 (0)20 7935 6358; drhausdermatology.com; @drarielhaus

Dr Haus is one of the most trusted names in dermatology

Love your lips again. There are many ways in which you can protect your pout

POUT of Character

The backlash against lip ﬁller is real – but there’s more than one way to plump your lips, says Alice Hart-Davis

Much as we all want that little bit more for our lips, no one wants a weird trout pout – we’ve seen too many of them on high pro le faces to ignore.

We’ve heard celebs talk of how much better they look since dissolving their (bad) lip ller and we’ve started worrying about ‘migration’, the term for when ller moves outside of the lips resulting in a bizarre ‘shelf’ or unnatural roll to the outer perimeter of the lip.

If you ask top practitioners, however, lip ller isn’t going anywhere – in the best hands, the work they do is beautiful and undetectable. ose vocalising their regret fail to mention that they can’t bear de ated lips and almost always have the ller redone, just more subtly and skilfully.

Well-placed ller won’t migrate, either – it’s over- lling, or bad technique that causes the product to shift. But still, the anxiety lingers. e good news, for anyone wary of ller, is that there are many other ways to freshen up your lips, to improve their colour and shape – and they look entirely natural.

THE HYDRATION JAB

What else could you inject into older lips to smooth and soften them other than traditional hyaluronic acid ller? What about a product that’s runnier than lip ller, but which still contains some hydrating hyaluronic acid? ‘Restylane Skinboosters can be used to give the lip a hit of hydration and a tiny amount of volumisation given that it’s hyaluronic acid-based,’ says Dr Ash Soni. ‘Some patients have chronically dry and cracking lips, and in those patients a touch of Skinboosters can be just what they need to hydrate them beautifully, which really helps their symptoms, especially during the colder months.’ Restylane Skinboosters costs from £300, thesoniclinic.com

LASER YOUR LIPS? HERE’S WHY

We rarely notice the way our lips lose their colour, as well as their volume, as they age. It’s partly due to decreased blood circulation in the lips, and also to hydration. Can you bring back the rosy hue of younger lips? Absolutely, and that’s one reason dermatologist and laser expert Dr Ariel Haus uses laser in his clinic to improve

lip quality and colour. ‘Lasers can rejuvenate and tighten the vermilion border, stimulating collagen and elastin production to improve texture and tone,’ says Dr Haus. He uses either the Fotona (a solid state laser) or the RedTouch (a diode laser) on the lips. ‘ ey can help to enhance de nition, smooth ne lines, and restore a fuller appearance to the lips,’ he adds. From £490, drhausdermagology.com

Lasers can also be used to help reduce barcode lip lines – the ones we used to call ‘smoker’s lines’, though non-smokers get them too – around the upper lip. Dr Sebagh is a big fan of using CO2 laser to tackle these. ‘ e results are amazing,’ he says. Caveat: CO2 laser is notoriously uncomfortable and has some downtime. From £2,000 to treat lines on the top lip area. drsebagh.com

LIP REHAB

Dr Sophie Shotter o ers an extensive, personalised ‘lip rehab’ menu that starts with intensive hydration using injections of Volite (a very uid form of hyaluronic acid) and can be backed up with a lip ip (toxin injected at the corners of the mouth and the edges (vermillion border) of the lips. Alternatively, or in addition, Dr Shotter incorporates injections of ller to lift drooping mouthcorners, as required. From £450, illuminateskinclinic.co.uk

Dr Uliana Gout has conceived LAM Lip Gloss & Glam, which uses some of the world’s smallest needles to deliver powerful molecules from humectants, soft hyaluronic, antioxidants, peptides and amino acids in a personalised cocktail. It takes only 15 minutes and lasts for up to six months. From £500, london-aestheticmedicine.com

PINK UP YOUR LIPS

complicated than ller and it’s cheaper.’ But be warned, there can be side e ects. ‘It’s not for everyone. If you have very thin lips it won’t do much for you,’ she says, ‘and for some people, it can make sucking through a straw di cult.’ Results can last up to 12 weeks. From £295, drwassimtaktouk.com

THE NON-FILLER TROUT POUT

Polynucleotides – yes, the very ones derived from trout or salmon DNA, popularly known as the ‘salmon-sperm’ injectable, can also be used in the lips to rejuvenate the skin. Dr Paris Acharya uses Plinest polynucleotides: ‘We can inject these directly into the body of the lip, as well as into the upper lip lines to kickstart the broblasts into producing more collagen and elastin, so it’s a preventative, regenerative treatment.’ If the patient’s lips are mature and drier, she might pick a brand called Newest instead, where the polynucleotides have the backup of hyaluronic acid. ‘If there has been volume decline, Newest is better as we have added hydration to help the lips to become smoother,’ she says. From £450 a treatment (you’ll need more than one). theardourclinic.co.uk

The mere thought of having your lips TATTOOED might make you want to run for the hills, but this is done with the gun on a LOW SETTING and with plenty of numbing cream

e latest trend in semi-permanent make-up is lip blushing, which involves micro-deposits of pigment into the lips to give them a consistent colour that lasts. e mere thought of having your lips tattooed might make you want to run for the hills, but I’m told this is done with the tattoo gun on a low setting and with plenty of numbing cream. Aim for a natural, bitten-lip colour and pick an expert like Daxita Vaghela (daxitavaghela. com) or Nez Hasan (nezhasan.com), who both do gorgeous work.

FLIP YOUR TOP LIP

One way to make your upper lip look that little bit larger without ller is to try a lip ip. Dr Christine Hall explains how this works. ‘For a lip ip, we put tiny doses of Botox into the top border of the lip. is relaxes the muscles there a little, so that the top lip ‘everts’ or rolls outwards and gives the illusion of a bigger lip – but it’s not adding any volume to the lip at all.’ e bene t, says Dr Hall, is that ‘it’s not permanent. It’s less

THE SURGICAL LIP LIFT

One of the less delightful aspects of ageing is the way the philtrum – the groove of skin between the nose and the upper lip – lengthens with age, so that when we open our mouths, our upper lip hangs down and covers the upper teeth. What can be done? Well, it takes surgery, namely a Lip Lift, where a sliver of skin is taken out from just below the nostrils in a ‘bullhorn’ technique – this shortens the philtrum to give a lifted, more youthful look. Consultant plastic surgeon Dr Georgina Williams does a neat job but advises that patients need to be ready for two weeks of swelling and bruising before stitches are removed, and for the scar to take up to six months to heal. £4,800, montroseclinics.com

LIP MASKS

If the mere thought of injectables or indeed surgery is enough to make you reach for your comfort blanket, try Sarah Chapman’s Overnight Lip Concentrate (£40, sarahchapman.com) which contains bakuchiol to plump and smooth lips along with hydrating and collagen-boosting ingredients to lock in vital moisture. And don’t forget lip SPF, to protect that delicate skin during the day. Albus & Flora make fabulous ones that come in clear, or in a range of pretty tints (Lip Shield SPF 30, £16. albusand ora.com).

Alice Hart-Davis is founder of thetweakmentsguide.com n

LIQUID GOLD

Imagine creating a serum that still can’t be bettered after 20 years. No wonder SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic is top of the list of skin doctors’ product recommendations

Back in 2005, vitamin C may have featured in many skincare products – but it was rarely the star of the show. That all changed with the introduction of SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, opening the ﬂoodgates to the countless vitamin C serums available today.

They all espouse the multiple beneﬁts for skin health and appearance that the humble vitamin can bring about. Not only does it shield skin from pollution and other environmental aggressors, it helps clear up dullness and dark spots and can visibly reverse eight signs of ageing, resulting in the improved look of ﬁne lines, wrinkles and skin elasticity.

CONTAINING A DIVA MOLECULE

It would be great if it was easy to capture all that power in a skincare formulation – but it isn’t. While claims of vitamin C’s beneﬁcial properties feature heavily in product marketing, many can’t make good on their promises. That’s because the molecule in skincare’s greatest diva is prone to throwing strops and refusing to collaborate. Eminently unstable and resistant to absorption into the skin, it will go from hero to zero when it’s not formulated with the right type of vitamin C, at exactly the right pH and concentration, and with the correct complementary ingredients.

THE PERFECT COMPLEMENT TO SKIN PROCEDURES

SkinCeuticals’ recent study on C E Ferulic revealed that it complements the outcome and shortens the downtime of laser procedures and has also now been tested with seven types of lasers*. A relatively new ﬁeld of interest, integrated skincare is the practice of pairing topical products with minimally invasive non-surgical treatments to enhance results, and according to aesthetic doctor Dr. Wassim Taktouk of London’s Taktouk clinic, ‘C E Ferulic is the product I most recommend to complement the results my patients get from their tweakments’.

‘Even 20 years on, I have yet to ﬁnd a VITAMIN C product that outperforms C E FERULIC ’

DR. CHRISTINE HALL

Twenty years ago, it was SkinCeuticals’ founding scientist, Dr. Sheldon Pinnell, who patented the clinical parameters for an active and effective vitamin C formula, and C E Ferulic’s revolutionary antioxidant blend of 15 percent pure vitamin C, one percent vitamin E, and 0.5 percent ferulic acid was born.

CLINICALLY BACKED – OVER 50 TIMES

To this day, it is one of the only vitamin C serums that can present clinical proof for visibly reversing eight signs of ageing in all skin tones, and doubling its photoprotection of skin. The product is backed by more than 50 clinical studies, more than 25 dermatological publications, and more than 30 years of antioxidant research.

It helps explain why C E Ferulic is SkinCeuticals’ number one vitamin C serum (based on sell-out value and volume in 2024), selling one bottle every ten minutes – and why it remains an avowed favourite not only of in-the-know beauty editors and celebrity fans including Sydney Sweeney, Ashley Graham and Sienna Miller, but also of countless dermatologists and cosmetic doctors around the world.

The serum, he explains, can prepare the skin to improves its response to aesthetic procedures like laser treatments, which rely on a level of controlled damage to the skin to kick-start a healing and re-generative process. The result is that skin emerges even glowier and smoother than it would have without the add-on of this ‘jewel in the crown of SkinCeuticals’ (which is what Dr. Taktouk, who’s a fan of the product as well as the brand’s global ambassador, calls it).

His colleague, cosmetic physician Dr. Christine Hall, concurs, saying, ‘even 20 years on, I have yet to find a vitamin C product that outperforms C E Ferulic. Backed by rigorous scientific research, it remains my gold standard in antioxidant skincare. It’s a product that patients consistently return to and consider a true investment in their skin health’.

A TRUE SKIN-VESTMENT

That sentiment is echoed by beauty editors including Annabel Jones of The Daily Telegraph and Country & Town House Aesthetic Guide, who says: ‘After 20 years this is still the vitamin C serum I use, and the one protectant worth the investment.’ From someone with access to every skincare product in the world, that’s saying something.

Two decades of a guaranteed glow, and skin empowered to age slowly and beautifully: happy birthday indeed, C E Ferulic.

skinceuticals.co.uk

*If you are considering an aesthetic treatment, always consult a Medical Professional. C E Ferulic is a cosmetic skincare product for topical use. Only apply on healed skin.

Sydney Sweeney is a devout fan of SkinCeuticals’ C E Ferulic

You don’t always have to opt for injectables to achieve youthfullooking skin

RAISE ME UP

From at-home tools to tough-love facial massage, non-invasive measures may require some patience, but the results are enduring, says Celia Walden

‘Honey,’ I’m standing at a zebra crossing in West Hollywood when the woman accosts me. She puts a hand on my bicep, narrows her eyes with a concern verging on pity – like I’ve got toilet paper stuck to my shoe, or maybe my skirt is tucked into my knickers. Either way, I’ve clearly breached some kind of etiquette. ‘Can I give you my guy’s number?’ she asks, eyes icking from my forehead to my nasolabial folds (and widening a fraction as they drop down to my jawline). ‘He’ll x all that right up.’

‘All that’ was my 43-year-old face. Because this charming little vignette happened six years ago, when I was living in LA. And ‘her guy’? When I looked him up, he turned out to be some Beverly Hills injectables messiah whose work was – how can I put this? – about as subtle as an over-pumped-and-ready-to-pop helium balloon. So I gave him and the injectables a miss, but the encounter did get me thinking. If you don’t want to go down the injectables route, what are your

options? And I mean real, as-good-as-ifnot-better options? It got me researching and compiling a non-invasive beauty armoury I rely on (and keep adding to) today. And if that sounds ludicrously high maintenance, it’s because I am.

I’ll pretend to be Zen about ageing in front of my husband and daughter, but really, I’m not. ere are aspects of this I can deal with ( ne lines around the eyes, a few, deeper brow lines) and

He turned out to be some Beverly Hills injectables MESSIAH whose work was –how can I put it? –about as SUBTLE as a ready-to-pop BALLOON

others I’m just not prepared to take lying down. e jowls, for example and the pouchiness: the weird, generalised facial subsidence. My dermatologist of 15 years, Dr Rowland Payne, calls this ‘the slowly melting half pound of butter’. He explains how, because the middle third of our faces is ‘largely unanchored and has more fat in it than the other two thirds, it su ers from gravity and drifts inexorably downwards,’ like that half pound of butter, culminating in what I call ‘Churchill bulldog face’. Oh no.

So, what do you do? You ght tooth and nail against gravity, you keep pounding up the downward moving escalator, using those essential tools: a combination of occasional heavy-hitters, super-facials and daily face-saving ‘n’ snatching habits.

e most e ective needle-less heavyhitter I’ve discovered for jowls is HIFU. Dr Rowland Payne introduced me to high intensity focused ultrasound ve years ago, and I’ve been doing it twice a year ever since. It doesn’t hurt, it takes just 20 minutes, there’s no downtime – and crucially: it works. ‘Most face lift surgery works by putting a tuck in the SMAS [super cial musculoaponeurotic

system, the layer connecting mimetic muscles to the dermis], thereby pulling the middle third of the face back towards the ear,’ the London Clinic dermatologist explains. ‘HIFU achieves a similar e ect by causing microdots of in ammation within the SMAS layer that lead to the creation of new collagen and a consequent tightening – all without a scalpel or an injection.’

e best super-facialists can achieve a similar tightening e ect, if less permanent and more frequently needed, using just their hands. I’ve been seeing Su-Man, the Taiwanese former dancer whose long-term celebrity clients include Juliette Binoche, Sienna Miller and Gemma Arterton, for 22 years. Famous for her 90-minute ‘facelift facial’, she treats my face like an Italian pizza chef does dough, kneading and pumping and beating it back into the correct shape. Ruthlessly ignoring my pleas to ‘spare the blow-dry’, she’ll work her miracle hands just as vigorously over my scalp. ‘Scalps are a big part of what I do,’ says Su-Man, whose 60+ face is tighter than mine. ‘ e scalp is connected to the facial muscles and fascia, and tightness in the scalp can pull the facial skin downward, contributing to sagging.’ ese forceful movements ‘clear meridian blockages, whilst activating and lifting muscles, boosting blood ow to the face, and delivering oxygen and nutrients to the skin.’

Sarah Bradden, the renowned London-based cosmetic acupuncturist (whose needles are allowed), places a similar emphasis on relaxing facial tissue, as well as de ning and sculpting. Both women’s philosophies go well beyond physical techniques.

‘It’s about living your life in a holistic way that supports skin health from within,’ con rms Su-Man. ‘Looking young doesn’t mean no wrinkles. It’s about the sparkle in your eyes – and no amount of injectables is going to give you that.’

Dr Liliana Sytnyk – a London dermatologist specialising in skin quality at Devonshire Dermatology – works according to the same holistic principles when delivering her medical-grade facials. Dr Sytnyk – who is originally from Ukraine –

Cooling massage globes Nuxe

believes that the ‘preventative pillars’ of a serious medical facial should always be ‘exfoliation, stimulation and hydration’. She also says that, ‘Injections should never be done to people who are very stressed or anxious in any case, as they will not be bene cial. e same goes for anyone who is exhausted’. e kind of aesthetic treatments she gives ‘should never be standardised’, she explains. ‘Not only is every woman di erent, but every patient could require something di erent every time he or she comes in, depending on what is happening inside, in terms of mood or hormones.’ For that reason, Dr Sytnyk, who I see every three months, has never given me the same combination twice, always varying techniques – from lymphatic drainage and microcurrent to myo-stimulation – to make me look and feel like the best version of myself again. (Ironically, after my last appointment, Dame Joan Collins did ask me where I’d ‘had work done, because it’s very good.’) e truth, says Joomee Song, the celebrity facialist whose regular clients include Zendaya, Kaia Gerber and Sydney Sweeney, is that ‘as injectables and cosmetic lasers have become more available to the masses, it’s become more common to see the less desirable results of these procedures’. Hence the new wave of demand for holistic facials like hers. At her LA studio, Faceworks, she combines technology with her famous KAIKA sculpting massage techniques, which release the (over 40) muscles in the face. ‘Because it is possible to “snatch” or contour the face and signi cantly improve skin texture using non-invasive techniques like facial massage,’ she insists. ‘It just takes time. Together with practiced consistency, you can retrain the intricate muscles of the face and release tension that has accumulated over the years, resulting in skin that glows from within.’

Since ‘training’ is the key word here, it’s worth investing in daily tools that will make keeping good beauty habits easier. ere are some shocking ‘face pillows’ out there but I nally conquered half a lifetime of sleeping on my front with the LuxeRest face pillow (shaped, hilariously, like a giant satin claw, £44.95, tryglasskin.com). I use Dimple Amani’s Kansa Wand and Velvet Miracle Oil (£85 each, dimple-amani.com) to depu my eyes every morning (she provides helpful video tutorials for at home use), and

I’m obsessed with Nurse Jamie’s UpLift Massaging Beauty Roller (£64, revolve. com). Talk about holistic hangover cures. Shouldn’t we all also be starting our ‘training’ earlier, emulating the French and the Ukranians, who traditionally take young girls to see their rst dermatologist when they go through puberty? Dr Sytnyk says that back home the culture is preventative rather than reactive, which should always be the way. ‘Every Ukrainian woman will go and see their aesthetician at least once a fortnight, if not once a week. It’s part of our culture. As soon as we get our rst pay cheques, we start on regular maintenance facials of whatever kind we can a ord.’

A ordability is the second most crucial point – the rst being that yes,

you can indeed avoid injectables. Is a more holistic and less invasive route better value for money though? at might be pushing it. Injectables are, in many ways, the fast food of the cosmetic world. So, whereas Botox will typically cost you between £300-£400 and ller between £350-£600 – and last variously between four to 12 months – super and medical-grade facials will typically set you back upwards of £200 a time. en again, as Song says, in the end it comes down to ‘what you’re willing to exchange for a short-term x? A healthy skin barrier? Facial muscles that lose their ability to properly function? Non-invasive measures may require some patience, but the results are lasting and worth the wait.’ n

Sarah Bradden performs The Bradden Method, harnessing facial acupuncture

V-neck swimsuit Eres

THE LIQUID FACELIFT

By combining two complementary injectables in one treatment, Galderma has got your glow and lift covered

The facelift has never been so admired. Formally a hush-hush procedure performed under a shroud of secrecy by the well-heeled in wealthy pockets of the globe, restoring facial angles is now not only open for discussion, it’s top of the agenda for those in midlife. Not least because facial restoration is now possible via injectables and energy devices, giving those who aren’t ready for the surgeon’s scalpel, a less invasive option.

Galderma, the brand leader in dermatology aesthetics from post-procedure skincare to hyaluronic acid injectables and bio-stimulators, is innovating multi-layered protocols that treat the superﬁcial and deeper layers of the skin in one harmonising treatment.

Dr Munir Somji, founder of Dr MediSpa, a CQCregistered clinic, has been instrumental in pioneering such combination treatments including The Liquid Facelift, a bespoke procedure that marries the Galderma’s HA ﬁller Restylane Lyft with Sculptra, a bio-stimulating injectable that works with the skin’s natural processes.

There are multiple ways in which people age, says Dr Somji. ‘In speciﬁc areas over time we lose bone and deep fat, and this leads to soft tissue descent causing the emergence of jowls, as well as nose to mouth lines.’ For these areas, says Dr Somji, he injects on the SMAS layer where surgeons’ target. ‘Restylane Lyft is injected deep beneath the skin close to the bone to provide structure and projection. It also helps to lift the ligaments and replace lost volume.’

Sculptra stimulates fat along with collagen and elastin to improve the quality of the skin but also to tighten the upper layers for a more natural overall effect. ‘Restylane Lyft is providing most of the structure, then you’re sort of shrink wrapping everything on top by injecting Sculptra,’ he adds.

Despite the assumption that after a certain age, a surgical facelift is the only remaining option, Dr Somji says this technique can be suitable for patients in their 30s as well as those in their 60s and 70s, depending on the individual.

As bone and fat continue to resorb as we age, to maintain the results Dr Somji recommends yearly injections of Restylane Lyft – whereas Sculptra has a more long-term role. As it fortifies the function of the ﬁbroblasts which are responsible for collagen and elastin production, Sculptra addresses more than one concern from a lack of radiance to firmer, bouncier skin which continues to improve long after it’s injected, says Dr Somji. ‘The skin actually looks better over the course of two or three years.’ And you can’t ask for better than that.

Dr Somji is a Key Opinion Leader for Galderma. This article is funded by Galderma. For more information, visit galdermaaesthetics.com/uk-en

WHAT’S IN YOUR GLOW?

Two injectables – one great result

SCULPTRA

Sculptra is a bio-stimulator made from powdered PLLA (poly-L-lactic acid), a biodegradable material which is diluted with sterile water, explains Dr Somji. ‘This causes a controlled inflammatory response at a low level that sparks a long-term stimulation of collagen and elastin.’ The new collagen tissue helps to improve facial laxity in areas of the skin that’s losing firmness. Dr Somji uses it on over 50 percent of his patients from those in their early 30s who’ve begun to notice the beginnings of facial laxity to much older patients who are not considering surgery. Moreover, the collagen-stimulating injectable is versatile and can have benefits on a number of indications, including acne scarring. ‘I’ve begun combining Sculptra with microneedling on the surface of the skin to improve its texture,’ says Dr Somji. More typically, it’s injected into the sides for the face such as the temples and jaw line, but it’s also good for nasal labial folds and the neck area.

RESTYLANE LYFT

Hyaluronic acid fillers are not all created equally. Restylane Lyft is what doctors refer to as a high G prime filler. This means it’s a firmer solution of hyaluronic acid with additional cross-linking which makes it suitable for creating structure when injected in the deeper layers. Lyft is designed to mimic bone and fat padding that diminishes with age therefore allowing the practitioner to add sympathetic projection or structure in specific areas of the face. Most commonly, Restylane lift is used to lift the cheekbones, enhance the jawline and diminish lines and wrinkles. However, as Restylane’s firmest filler, it’s the go-to injectable for nonsurgical rhinoplasty. Lyft is also used to redefine the chin, which is subject to bone and fat resorption as we age.

Eye surgery is actually growing in popularity, whereas other invasive surgeries are diminishing;

Mermaid Cryo tools

Oxygen Boutique

SEEING Is Believing

An instant age giveaway, Annabel Jones reports on the rise of eye rejuvenation treatments

’m sitting in oculoplastic surgeon Dr Daniel Ezra’s o ce wading through the transformation photos of some of his patients.It’s rather like thumbing through a fashion catalogue. ‘Ooh, that’s a good one,’ I say silently to myself. ‘Crikey, she looks ten years younger,’ I think next. What strikes me is how a rming blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) is, not only for the eyes but the whole face. e men and women staring back at me are unrecognisable in some instances. And yet nothing else has changed. ey’re not even cracking a smile. But it’s obvious; a weight has been lifted. Without the heavy eye bags and drooping lids that befall us all (some earlier than others), their whole demeanour has changed.

Dr Ezra is one of the UK’s leading oculoplastic surgeons managing his time between his private practice on Harley Street and his NHS work at Moor elds Eye Hospital. Moreover, Dr Ezra lectures, both at Moor elds, where he is medical training director, and internationally for the oculoplastics fellowship in aesthetics, which he set up to pass on his knowledge to up-and-coming surgeons.

Blepharoplasty isn’t new but it is unquestionably having a moment. According to BAAPS (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) in 2022 blepharoplasty procedures rose by 74 percent and brow lifts by 163 percent. e fourth most popular aesthetic surgery has continued to rise by a further four percent from 2023-2024, while nearly every other cosmetic surgery, excluding the facelift, showed a signi cant downturn.

I know four women who’ve recently had the procedure and a handful more who are considering it. While a deep plane facelift costs in the region of £25-£30,000 (for a good one) and is a six-hour procedure under general anaesthetic with up to six months recovery, a ‘bleph’ (its colloquial name) can come in under £10,000 and is comfortably performed awake, with sedation.

e secrecy surrounding all types of facial surgery is waning, especially given that methods are increasingly subtle, but for a certain bracket of middle-aged women – myself included – putting one’s entire face in for an upgrade feels like broaching some other universe in which everything thereafter is subject to scrutiny. In other words, it’s not something to take lightly.

e actress Jane Fonda told Vogue in 2022 that after having a facelift in her 40s, she put the brakes on for fear of going too far. ‘I stopped because I didn’t want to look distorted,’ she said, adding, ‘a lot of women… they get addicted.’

Granted, eyelid surgery is still an operation but the reasons for having it are nuanced, and oftentimes functional. Overly hooded eyelids, for instance, can begin to obstruct one’s vision if the excess hanging skin is not surgically removed. en there’s the burden of under-eye bags, which for some are so obtrusive, they can make the person appear permanently exhausted, a signi cant psychological burden if nothing else.

Brow lifts, which are often combined with blepharoplasty, can change how we emote expression. A deep set frown signals meanness, whereas eyes that slope downwards at the outer corner can make you look sad. According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, eyebrows have been found to play a key role in the expression of a number of emotions, including happiness, surprise and anger. Needless to say, the former is preferable.

Dr Ezra has his own theory. ‘ ere appears to be no functional reason for why we have eyebrows other than it’s one way to communicate how we are feeling,’ he tells me. ‘My young daughter and I watched the Disney lm Wall-E the other day. She asked me why the main character was sad,’ he says, adding the only clue she had was Wall-E’s eyes, which are pitched at a downwards slant. Naturally, there’s a great deal of patients opting for cosmetic eye surgery for the aesthetic bene ts alone. It’s not surprising considering eyes are not only the windows to our emotional wellbeing but often they are the rst feature (other than hands) to show the signs of ageing.

Dr Elizabeth Hawkes, an eye surgeon and aesthetic doctor, says women tend to notice a di erence when it becomes more di cult than usual to apply eye make-up. ‘ e outer part of the eyelid is the rst part to sag, therefore when you go to apply eyeshadow or eyeliner it smudges because the skin is no longer taught,’ she says, adding, ‘my clients often complain that it’s happened overnight but it’s really just the tipping point to an ageing process that has been happening gradually over time.’

Ageing eyes, stresses Dr Hawkes, happens to everyone eventually. Excess eyelid skin, otherwise known as hooded eyes, can be a touchy turning point for men and women. ‘Perhaps a client isn’t sleeping well because of the menopause, or they’ve got two kids and are being pulled in every direction. en someone at work mentions they look tired; suddenly they feel like the oldest person in the room.’

Dr Hawkes says changes to the skin around our eyes begins in our 30s, depending on a number of factors from genetics to lifestyle. ‘ e average age for someone to have an upper blepharoplasty is 45, and for a lower blepharoplasty it tends to be a bit later, usually in the 50s,’ she explains, citing non-surgical interventions as the reason for delaying the latter.

Dr Hawkes, who has always had a keen interest in cosmetics (‘I was the girl who was doing all her friend’s make-up at college’),

o ers undereye rejuvenation injectables like polynucleotides and prudent under ller alongside or instead of surgery.

For loose upper skin, however, the gold-standard treatment is blepharoplasty, says Dr Hawkes, as lasers ‘don’t work’ and can be damaging to the delicate eyelid skin. Preventive measures such as Botox, when strategically injected, will raise eyebrows enough to make an impact but it isn’t a long term solution. ‘Botox can work really well to lift the eyes for a good ve years or so, but after a certain point surgery is the only viable option.’

Easy ways to protect the eyes from ageing are to wear sunglasses regularly to shield from UV radiation and being extra gentle when taking contacts out and make-up o .

As most skincare products for the eyes are targeted towards the lower eyelid where dark circles or pu ness persist, it’s common to forgo using a cream on the upper lids. Dr Hawkes says this is key to fending o the droop. She recommends one with hyaluronic acid to hydrate and peptides to rm and encourage collagen formation, and not forgetting to extend your SPF to the eyelid area.

At night, she recommends a mild over-the-counter retinol serum to help with skin turnover, but warns against using anything stronger, like prescription tretinoin, as the skin on the eyes is more sensitive.

As far as injectables go, Dr Hawkes is seeing good results with polynucleotides, a good option for the skin beneath the eyes that doesn’t have subcutaneous fat. ‘Studies say polynucleotides can improve dark circles by increasing angiogenesis [blood supply], which puri es and rejuvenates the area; it also has a mild volumising e ect for patients that aren’t candidates for ller.’

Dermal ller, says Dr Hawkes, should be prescribed carefully. In the wrong patient, such as someone with malar edema ( uid retention just above the cheekbones), a condition that’s often missed, it can cause pu ness. And while ller can be dissolved, this has its own issues, especially if the area has been over lled to begin with. ‘I see a lot of patients in this position who’ve been left with a sunken appearance from ling, dissolving, then lling again, which is very tricky to correct even in the best of hands,’ she emphasises.

Dr Ezra has his own method of under-eye ller that he’s honed over the years to mitigate for issues. ‘We’ve developed a special technique called a three-point tangent technique, which has a low risk of complications. e secret is to use a very light dose.’

Dr Ezra is known for his subtlety, particularly when it comes to a direct brow lift, a procedure where an incision is made just above the brow line to lift the outer corners of the eyes. While surgeons are increasingly placing the incisions further back in the hairline to minimise scarring, it’s a compromise. ‘Typically the further away from the brow you get, the less impactful the lift,’ Ezra explains.

He adds: ‘We’ve made some modi cations to the way we do a direct brow lift so that the scarring is as invisible as it gets. In our scar acceptability study we found that over 90 percent of people didn’t notice the scarring at all. And the eight percent that did notice were happy with the results. Even in those one to two percent of cases where a patient is unhappy, there’s an opportunity for a scar revision follow up.’

Brow lift surgery, however, is one of the most di cult procedures to get right, emphasises Dr Ezra. ‘ ere’s a tension between avoiding scarring and creating an e ective result,’ he says.

e Ezra method marries novel geometric techniques (removing tissue at speci c geometries) with meticulous suturing. ‘We’ve had fantastic results,’ he a rms, revealing he’s due to publish a paper on the procedure later this year.

For many people, though, a standard upper blepharoplasty is all it takes to rejuvenate the whole eye area, which for a minimally invasive, rapid healing surgery, is pretty powerful.

Dr Ezra (danielezra.co.uk) and Dr Hawkes (drelizabethhawkes.com) n

GETTING AHEAD

Microneedling your scalp to boost hair growth could be your best investment yet

Proven in numerous scientific studies to successfully treat a number of skin concerns from enlarged pores to stretch marks, stubborn acne scars and wrinkles, medical microneedling is increasingly being harnessed to stimulate hair growth, used in isolation or alongside energy devices such as fractional radiofrequency.

The best results, however, are gleaned from a combination of microneedling with a topical application of PRP (platelet rich plasma) or growth factor serum. Though PRP is reliant on the quality and potency of the growth factors present in the patient’s plasma, which can vary depending on a person’s age or wellbeing at the time of the treatment, CALECIM®’s Advanced Hair System, has been shown to garner visible results without drawing blood.

The proprietary ingredient in CALECIM®’s stem cell serum is PTT-6®. Derived from mesenchymal stem cells ethically harvested from the umbilical cord lining of red deer, PTT-6® contains more than 3,000 proteins, growth factors, cytokines (essential proteins) and exosomes that send signal to the ﬁbroblasts to regenerate, increase cell turnover and stimulate the natural production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid.

‘With the right candidates, I’ve found CALECIM®’s Advanced Hair System delivers excellent results, even in patients who were unresponsive to Minoxidil,’ states Kelly Morrell, a leading qualified scalp micropigmentation technician and aesthetic practitioner at Scalp Conﬁdential.

Though CALECIM®’s Advanced Hair System is available through medical clinics and trichologists, it is also an effective at-home solution. A six-week hair restoration programme, it includes a prescriptive course of CALECIM’s professional stem cell serum along with a dermastamp applicator to maximise penetration.

In hair loss, PTT-6® prolongs the anagen (active hair growth) phase, thus restoring a normal hair follicle cycle, while stimulating the growth of new hair follicles and suppressing cell death.

‘For some years, medical clinics have been using microneedling to boost blood flow circulation to the scalp to try to increase hair growth. The addition of PTT-6 was the game-changer: it is an elegant solution for hair thinning as the topical application is simple, and results are consistent with regrowth usually observed between the sixth to 12th treatment,’ explains Dr Manav Bawa, Medical Director at Time Clinic Medical and Aesthetics, who presented at The Aesthetic and Anti-Ageing Medicine World Conference in March this year.

PTT-6 combined with microneedling is the ‘game-changing’ protocol for hair growth, says Dr Bawa

CASE STUDY

Having tried at home microneedling in the past to no avail, Jude Chao (@ﬁddysmried) found that her hair shedding decreased dramatically throughout the six week programme. She says: ‘I had tried dermastamping on my scalp before on a similar schedule, but with a different serum, and it didn’t really do anything. So for me, the serum is key. I have tried other hair loss products, but there is nothing that comes close to the results I have had with the Advanced Hair System.’

From £295. calecimprofessional.com

What the Eye CAN’T SEE

The overdone look is over. But that doesn’t mean injectables are out – they’re just smarter and less obvious than ever. Olivia Falcon reports

n the fast-paced world of aesthetics, the celebrity face is getting a makeover. Out are the gold sh lips, golf ball cheeks and juddering jaws. Obvious ‘look at me’ work is now a cause to look away. e new beauty goal is to keep your audience guessing. After all, if you can tell someone’s had work done, then it isn’t good work.

In Hollywood, stars such as Lindsay Lohan, Christina Aguilera and Demi Moore are all serving up fresh-faced looks en pointe. ey are women of ‘a certain age’ who have sent social media sleuths into a frenzy trying to gure out who (doctor? surgeon? derm?) or what (dissolved ller? facelift? maybe a bit of both?) is responsible for their elegant glow-ups.

Well-heeled women (and men) who continue – often unknowingly –to walk around with last decade’s archetypal in ated face, clearly haven’t got the memo – while money talks, good injectables whisper.

Over the last few years llers have fallen out of favour with consumers.

e British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons Audit of 2022-23 reported a 27 percent drop in patients having ller treatments, while Dr Munir Somji, who has clinics across London and Essex, says most dermal ller companies are reporting a 20 percent fall in sales for hyaluronic acid injectables.

e term, ‘ ller fatigue’, which refers to the overuse or improper application of

dermal llers has entered the lexicon and patients are voting with their feet. ‘We see fewer requests for the overly in ated lips or the frozen foreheads that de ned past decades,’ observes Dr ivos Sokratous, an aesthetics doctor at Ouronyx Clinic in London. ‘Instead, clients want to emote without revealing obvious signs of intervention. e industry has evolved from dramatic transformations to gentle re nements – it’s a more natural aesthetic that ages gracefully.’

WHAT ARE THOSE IN THE KNOW DOING DIFFERENTLY?

Rather than just chasing lines and wrinkles, top doctors are treating the skin and facial tissues more holistically by layering di erent modalities. Doctors now know hyaluronic acid llers last longer than rst thought, and an accumulation of ller in the face draws in water, leading to a pu y, over lled look. Bio-stimulating injections that signal the patient’s cells to create their own collagen and skin boosters that re ne skin texture are more in demand. Dr Ashwin Soni, who has clinics in London and Ascot, is leading the charge with dynamic injectable protocols.

‘In the past year I’ve noticed around a 30 percent decline in people asking for llers, and I’m dissolving a lot of old ller – but I’m not replacing like with like. One of my most popular treatments for rejuvenating a de ated face is Sculptra

by Galderma, a bio-stimulatory product made of Poly-l-Lactic (the same material used in dissolvable stitches), which stimulates collagen and elastin to gently remodel the face. e e ects of Sculptra can last a couple of years and it works to delay the need to do a ller top up. For radiance and skin texture, I then might use small doses of polynucleotides [Soni, like many other top doctors including Dr Uliana Gout and Dr Ariel Haus, likes the Plinest brand, which he says is the most researched with an excellent safety record] to gently hydrate and rejuvenate the skin from the inside out. To address skin textural issues such as larger pores, I may Microtox the skin. is is a Korean technique that uses super cial doses of a toxin injected into the top layers of the skin to re ne the pores rather than freeze the muscles.’ Soni uses tiny doses of Azzalure (toxin) to improve skin texture.

Hyaluronic acid llers are still used of course, but less abundantly and more thoughtfully. Dr Sophie Shotter, who has clinics in London and Kent, observes, ‘Undetectable work is about the skill of the injector and the consultation. Saying “no” can be hard when you have a powerful client in front of you, but great results are about the partnership between patient and practitioner. When injecting, the key is a thorough assessment that has a strategic plan that’s staggered, so not too much is done at once. I call this a “layering strategy”.’

Dr Shotter commonly injects the face laterally to achieve lift rather than projection. ‘My clinical experience has shown injecting the lateral part of the face – i.e. in the hairline, the area in front of ears, the temples and the jawline – helps to lift everything up without adding heaviness or pu ness to the face,’ she explains.

Her lateral approach is akin to ‘ e Swift Lift’, pioneered by Canadian surgeon, Dr Arthur Swift, a muchtemplated injectable technique that uses highly concentrated hyaluronic acid llers that have a sti texture – such as Juvaderm VoLux – in the lower face to tighten jowls. While pulling the skin under the cheekbone backwards towards the front of the ear, tiny droplets of ller are injected along the midface. is works like little doorstops to reinforce the ligaments that hold skin onto bone, indirectly giving

a lift to the jawline below.

In London, Dr Somji can elevate a downturned mouth with the ‘Tower Technique’, where small drops of ller are placed from the chin to the corners of the mouth to modulate muscles and turn up the corners of the mouth. Instead of overstu ng lips with hyaluronic acid ller, some doctors inject micro droplets of ller around the Cupid’s bow and philtrum, (the little column between lips and nose that attens as we age), for an elegant enhancement that’s much less detectable. Not only are techniques being re ned, so too are the products in the syringe. e resurgence in popularity of Sculptra (which has been around for 25 years) has been driven by recently revised dilution strengths. ‘In the last three years Sculptra has changed their dilution protocols to avoid over-stimulating collagen nodules which have led to lumps and bumps,’ says

Dr Soni. ‘We have gone from a ten percent complication rate to now only 0.04 percent globally.’ is hyper dilution has paved the way for treating ‘o label’ areas such as the thin skin on the neck, as Sculptra works remarkably well to smooth and thicken crepey skin with natural looking results.

Doctors are also nessing neurotoxin techniques, with dermatologists such as Dr Alexis Granite often o ering patients seeking lip treatments a ‘Lip Flip’ (strategic injections of toxin around the lips to expose the pink of the lip) rather than ller.

Perhaps, though, the most intriguing developments are the fat stimulating injectables. As we age, fat cells atrophy and so to recapture the plumpness of a youthful face, Renuva, (currently only available in Dubai and the US), is designed to be injected into areas where fat has been lost. Creating a honeycomblike matrix in the tissues, Renuva creates the perfect environment to incubate a patient’s own fat cells. e e ects are said to last between ve and ten years.

Miami-based dermatologist, Dr Shino Bay Aguilera is one of a handful of doctors to o er Renuva ($1,500 per syringe), and believes it is a great alternative to expensive fat grafting, a procedure where a patient’s own fat is harvested from donor sites such as the tops of the knees and injected back into the face.

‘Fat grafting only lasts one to three years and doctors usually have to overtreat, as 20-25 percent of the fat will be metabolised by the body, so this can lead to weeks of swelling,’ says Dr Aguilera, who had fat grafting around his own eyes with lumpy complications. He has since injected his own face with Renuva and is delighted with the authentic looking results. ‘You can’t treat the eye area as it’s unpredictable how much fat you will make, but it works brilliantly on temples, cheeks and the lower face. I use a super ne cannula to avoid bruising and there is very little in ammation, so patients can go straight back to work after treatment.’

Talking to those at the forefront of aesthetic medicine, it’s clear that bioregenerative techniques (those which are autologous, i.e. from our own bodies) are coming to the fore. ‘Individualised treatment is key,’ says Dr Aguilera. ‘We are developing products that are longer lasting and that work with your own body to stimulate collagen and bring your own fat back. ese treatments will allow people to look 15-20 years younger without surgery,’ he predicts.

WHAT’S IN YOUR NEEDLE?

Three types of undetectable injectables

HYBRID FILLERS

HArmonyCa and Radiesse combine hyaluronic acid with calcium hydroxyapatite, a mineral form of calcium that works to stimulate collagen production, to gradually lift and tighten the skin. HArmonyCA is ideal for sharpening jowls, contouring cheekbones and lifting bulldog folds around the mouth, while Radiesse is better for areas that need support like the nasolabial folds and hands. ese hybrids can last for up to 24 months.

BIOSTIMULATORS

A new development in PLLA (poly lactic acid), Julaine stimulates the body’s own type I collagen with spherical molecules that don’t clump together, considerably reducing the risk of lumps. For best results three sessions four to six weeks apart are recommended for results that last up to two years. It’s great for gently volumising cheeks, softening nasal labial folds and sharpening jawlines.

Derived from sh DNA fragments, polynucleotides stimulate collagen and elastin and reduce in ammation. e Plinest range has speci c products to treat the eye area and a thicker solution that combines polynucleotides with hyaluronic acid for more structural support to the skin on the neck. It’s best for younger patients or those who want subtle skin rejuvenation and/or in the under-eye area.

Increasing type I collagen by 67 percent in 12 weeks and upping antioxidant levels in the skin, Sculptra has also recently been found to upregulate new and healthy fat cells to maintain a perky skin tone. Used for lower face and cheek rejuvenation, it’s also e cient at smoothing crepey skin when used o -label on the neck.

Cellenis PRP DermaF iller is a new type of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) that utilises a proprietary separation technology to heat and then cool the patient’s own blood platelets, concentrating them into a mesh that is then injected back into the face to gently volumise.

Platelet-r ich brin (PRF) is a newer generation of PRP preparation that can be used in a variety of ways to treat the

Not only are TECHNIQUES being redeﬁned, so are the products in the SYRINGE . The resurgence in popularity of SCULPTRA has been driven by revised dilution strengths

skin. It regenerates collagen and reverses the signs of aging. It can also be used on the scalp to stimulate hair regrowth. It’s excellent for correcting eye hollowing and improving skin texture.

SMART NEW TOXINS

BoNT/E , which is set to launch at the end of this year, has a quicker onset (taking e ect in just eight hours) and is shorter acting, meaning the e ects only last a month or so. Anxious rst-time patients or those who need a quick pre-event x should give it a try.

Relfydess, however, o ers rapid results in one day and results last up to six months rather than the usual three to four, therefore less clinic visits are needed. Treating angry-looking glabellar lines that hang between the brow is one of its best applications. n

Intimate procedures are on the rise

White ‘Bari’ bikini

Melissa Odabash

THE LAST TABOO

As more intimate procedures are being performed than ever before, it’s high time we began talking about our private parts, Beatrice Aidin shares

nce upon a time, it was common for LA cosmetic surgeons to o er plastic surgery named of all things the ‘designer vagina’... created largely for the male gaze so that women’s intimate anatomy adhered to the pornographic ideal. Nowadays, intimate female procedures are mostly performed by women practitioners for women; to empower them, rather than devalue them, with non-surgical interventions and without painful surgery.

A long held taboo, those who are post-childbirth or in the menopause transition can su er from vaginal laxity, incontinence and dryness. Basic anatomical irregularities such as enlarged labial folds can also cause distressing irritation and pain during sex, as well as UTIs.

Except we aren’t talking just about the vagina (the passage inside the body that connects the uterus, or womb, to the outside of the body) –most of the time we aren’t even using the correct vocabulary.

‘Everyone’s VULVA looks a bit diﬀerent,’ says Dr Sophie Shotter. ‘The PORN industry has done a terrible job of helping women accept this part of their BODY ’

‘While the word vagina has become the more widely used term, the vulva refers to the external female genitalia, which includes the mons pubis, labia majora – outer lips where pubic hair grows – and labia minora – the inner lips, clitoris and urethral and vaginal openings,’ explains women’s health expert Dr Shirin Lakhani from Elite Aesthetics.

With intimate procedures on the rise, what’s important to accept, says Dr Sophie Shotter, is that ‘everyone’s vulva looks a bit di erent,’

adding: ‘ e porn industry has done a terrible job of helping girls and women to accept this part of their bodies.’ ankfully, it’s rare these days that women are seeking surgical intervention for looks alone. According to consultant gynaecologist Miss Tania Adib, who is performing considerably more procedures than eight years ago, 95 percent of women are having treatment for functional reasons ‘because it’s interfering with their life in some way,’ emphasises Miss Adib, who favours MonaLisa Touch, a laser treatment used to address vaginal atrophy. e most common ‘down there’ issue is weak pelvic oor health. ‘It isn’t spoken about enough and it’s not something that not only a ects women who have had children by vaginal delivery – it can a ect all women,’ says Dr Shotter. It’s no laughing matter. Laxity can lead to incontinence or even prolapse, and for some women it can stop them from laughing at all in case they leak, which along with other vaginal issues can a ect con dence terribly. Who wants to be dependent on Depends?

Dr Shotter highly recommends the Emsella chair in her clinic. Just 30 minutes sitting clothed on the loo-like chair delivers muscle contractions equivalent to over 10,000 Kegels with studies showing tightness increased by 64 percent after a course (she recommends to start with ten). e sensation is forceful but not painful. Supermodel Paulina Porizkova, an outspoken advocate for shining an unapologetic

lens on ageing, has Instagrammed herself on the Emsella throne, crediting it for tightening her vaginal canal along with another advantage – stronger orgasms. ‘I do this on every visit to the o ce and my sex life thanks me.’ We’ll have what she’s having. e Emsella chair is often combined with EmFemme 360 in clinic, which harnesses a radiofrequency probe inserted into the vagina to improve the blood ow, increase collagen elastin and moisture, which makes the tissues tighten and contract so the walls are stronger and tighter. Depending on laxity or dryness, your doctor will be able to recommend how many treatments you need and it too is considered painless – other than a slight warming sensation. It shows a 114 percent improvement of tightness in three sessions of just eight minutes ( from

TIGHTEN UP

1 The Emsella treatment with Dr Sophie Shotter costs £300 a session. She recommends a course of ten. drsophieshotter.com

2 Core to Floor Thérapie Clinics charge £275 per session for both Emsella and Emsculpt. therapieclinic.com

3 EMFemme 360 with Dr Galyna Selezneva costs £3,200 for three sessions. drgalyna.com

4 Empower RF with Dr Shirin Lakhani at Elite Aesthetics costs from £1,500. elite-aesthetics.co.uk

5 MonaLisa Touch with Miss Tania Adib costs £650 a session. adib.org.uk

6 New Gyn by Mastelli with Dr Yusra Al-Mukhtar at Dr Yusra Clinics costs from £1,000 a session. One to three treatments are recommended. dryusra.com

£500 a session, drsophieshotter.com). Body expert Dr Galyna Selezneva says this new and improved version of the EmFemme treatment has the advantage of a 360-degree turn of the probe that creates a uniform tightening of internal and external vaginal areas.

Dr Lakhani uses Empower RF, a similar radiofrequency device that she says helps to target the vagina wall, enhance sensitivity and lubrication and reduce incontinence to enhance quality of life.

When it comes to the labia, ‘a lot of women I see feel that they are too elongated, making it uncomfortable when they walk or cycle or horse ride; when the labia rub it can cause a lot of discomfort,’ says Miss Adib, who uses radiofrequency on the external lips.

For intense dryness which can cause bleeding and UTIs – and as for sex, forget it – Miss Adib also recommends the MonaLisa Touch laser. ‘It’s a probe that sends little jets of carbon dioxide that go a fth of a millimetre into the skin. It works by tricking the body into the healing process, bringing in growth factors that promote collagen and healthy bacteria, all of which can help put the vagina back to a pre-menopausal state. It can be life changing.’

Miss Adib also uses EMFemme 360 for the reduction of the inner and outer labia aps. ‘I run the radiofrequency probe along the labia, the inner labia and the outer labia, and it can shrink them. But alternatively if there is a lack of volume I will inject ller.’

On the subject of injections, New Gyn takes the DNA of trout gonads to create polynucleotides, which are injected for vaginal dryness, irritation, itching and recurrent UTIs, with trials showing a reduction on average of 60 percent for all conditions. Dr Yusra Al-Mukhtar combines polynucleotides with platelet rich plasma (PRP) ‘which can be used on its own or as an adjunct to improve symptoms’. Certainly the goal for the doctors championing these procedures is to normalise intimate concerns – and to bring awareness to the solutions on o er, which are, for the most part, quick and pain free. e e ect these procedures can have on a woman’s quality of life, however, is unquestionably life-changing. n

THE FUTURE OF AT-HOME SKINCARE

NIRA Pro+ is the beauty tech hero that smoothes, lifts, and tightens your complexion in just 90 days

Achieving professional-grade wrinkle reduction at home is now a reality thanks to NIRA Pro+, the most powerful at-home laser on the market.

As we age, our collagen production naturally diminishes, resulting in the unwelcome appearance of wrinkles, sagging skin, and volume loss. While a great skincare routine is paramount for maintaining a healthy and hydrated complexion, it often falls short in effectively lifting, tightening, and smoothing aging skin. Until now, achieving wrinkle smoothing and facial lifting required frequent trips to the dermatologist’s ofﬁce for often painful and expensive procedures that are timeconsuming. Finally, here is a home-use device that delivers professional-grade results with just two minutes of use each day.

Engineered with patented 1450nm nonfractional laser therapy, the NIRA Pro+ is the most powerful at-home laser available. Clinically proven, FDA-cleared, and safe for all skin types, this device requires no pain or downtime, allowing you to easily integrate advanced technology into your daily routine, even alongside existing skincare products. The NIRA Pro+ combines the power of in-ofﬁce laser technology with the convenience of at-home use. Utilising the same technology found in leading dermatology clinics, it targets and renews collagen without the pain, redness, or downtime associated with traditional laser treatments. Designed for use on the face, neck, chest, and hands, it is suitable for all skin tones. Wrinkles are smoothes, skin is lifted and collagen is plumped.

Backed by over 20 years of research and blinded clinical studies overseen by medical professionals, results show that 93 percent of users achieved their desired outcomes, and 90 percent would recommend the NIRA Pro+ to

others. With just two minutes of daily use for 90 consecutive days, you can reignite the collagen you already possess, resulting in lifted features, softened lines, diminished crow’s feet, and a smoother, ﬁrmer, more youthful appearance.The NIRA Pro+ is your path to radiant, age-defying skin – because everyone deserves to look and feel their best at any age.

‘Regularly using NIRA can provide cumulative energy beneﬁts that surpass inoffice treatments, leading to even better results,’ confirms Dr Hadley King, Board Certiﬁed Dermatologist.

Experience a smarter skincare journey with the NIRA Pro+ Laser, enhanced by the NIRA iOS app. The app seamlessly connects with your device to track your progress to provide personalised insights, and reward consistent use, making your skincare routine more effective and engaging than ever before. Track your progress: capture stunning before-and-after photos and document your transformation. Watch your skin improve in real time. You’ll never look back.

Nira Pro+Last, £615. niraskin.com

PRETTY POLY

Plinest polynucleotides are setting the benchmark in regenerative aesthetics

As the aesthetics industry moves beyond simply masking the signs of aging with ﬁllers and Botox, true skin regeneration is now seen as reversing the signs of aging rather than hiding them. Glowing skin is always in, and achieving a fresh, hydrated, and radiant complexion, along with enhanced collagen production and improved skin elasticity, is easily achievable with Plinest Polynucleotides.

Not all polynucleotides are created equally, and the results achieved, as well as how long they last, are very much determined by the quality of product used. Awardwinning brand Plinest sets itself apart as a market leader for many reasons. With a far superior manufacturing process and innovative combinations of polynucleotides and hyaluronic acid, Plinest Polynucleotides are sourced from freshwater trout, which are ethically bred in Italy primarily for food supply. They are grown according to the strictest regulations to guarantee the highest quality and safety, adhering to pharmaceutical standards. The DNA is extracted in a controlled environment in the Mastelli lab and sterilised using High Puriﬁcation Technology (HPT), making the Polynucleotides far superior in preservation and efﬁcacy.

With 20 years of scientiﬁc data behind it, a CE certification (the European Union’s standard for product safety), and winning the award for Injectable Product of the Year 2025 at the renowned Aesthetics Awards, Plinest Polynucleotides are the top choice for the UK’s leading aesthetics doctors.

‘With over 90 scientiﬁc publications and more than 100 global abstracts supporting their role in tissue repair, they have been widely used in applications ranging from wound healing to reducing inflammation in sensitised skin. In my practice, they are my go-to treatment for patients with inﬂammatory skin conditions such as rosacea or eczema, consistently delivering predictable, reproducible results, even in delicate areas like the under-eyes,’ says Dr Yusra Al-Mukhtar.

As well as using this highly purified technology to stimulate fibroblast activity to help naturally treat dark under-eye circles, fine lines, and a lacklustre complexion, their application now extends to the perioral area with CollagenLips Treatment, a unique new procedure introduced at the Dr Yusra Clinic. Unlike traditional lip fillers, it does not add volume but instead enhances hydration, smooths perioral lines, and refines lip texture for a subtle yet youthful plump.

‘This INNOVATIVE approach has become a standout treatment in my clinic, offering a refined and SOPHISTICATED alternative to volumising fillers; one that aligns with the growing demand for NATURAL , REGENERATIVE AESTHETICS ’

DR YUSRA AL-MUKHTAR

The UK’s leading aesthetic doctors are choosing to use Plinest Polynucleotides

PHOTOS: PEXELS

TRIED and TESTED

When considering a tweak or two, there’s nothing like word of mouth to put you in the picture. Here, our dedicated team of beauty experts put ten aesthetic treatments

on trial

1 PROFHILO STRUCTURA

BEST FOR… RESTORING LOST VOLUME NATURALLY

What happens: Building on the success of Profhilo, IBSA’s latest innovation, Profhilo Structura, is designed for those experiencing facial hollowness, particularly in the mid-face. Whether you’re an avid exerciser, have naturally slim features, or prefer a subtle, non- ller approach, this treatment is a game-changer. Unlike traditional llers that add bulk, Profhilo Structura works by deeply hydrating and stimulating collagen production, restoring lost volume while maintaining natural contours.

Results: Expect an immediate boost in skin hydration, with visible lifting and sculpting appearing after four weeks. Optimal results peak after two sessions, spaced a month apart, leaving the face subtly volumised and refreshed. Book it: £900 for two sessions. drjoneydesouza.com

2 CELLUTION® CELLULITE

TREATMENT BY DELEO

BEST FOR… NON-INVASIVE TREATMENT FOR PERMANENT REMOVAL OF STUBBORN CELLULITE DEPOSITS

What happens: Cellution® is a four-stage one hour non-invasive, pain-free treatment to smooth skin and tighten skin, combat stubborn cellulite, promote lymphatic drainage and slim down the silhouette. Fifteen years of research have honed DELEO’s patented protocol to combine HIFD™ technology, lymphatic drainage, vibration waves and a potent anti-cellulite serum packed with active ingredients such as marine minerals and red algae, which leave skin soft and ultra-smooth after just one treatment. e anti-cellulite oil is applied to the treatment area and then targeted by HIFD™ technology, which stimulates the release of fats and triggers the production of collagen and elastin. Lymphatic drainage is

then used to encourage the destruction of brous septums, the deepest and most stubborn fat cells within the cellulite. Finally, vibration massage harnesses specially calibrated impulse waves, to boost microcirculation in the cellulite tissue and reduce water retention.

Results: My skin was left smoother and noticeably more toned, and less dimpled. e full course comprises an hour’s treatment for six weeks and areas that can be targeted include buttocks, abdomen, arms and thighs. As a huge fan of massages, I found this particular treatment both highly effective and deeply relaxing, which is not usually the case for such stubborn cellulite remedies. Book it: From £390 per treatment. drhausdermatology.com

What happens: AirSculpt® by Elite Body

Sculpture is like waving a magic wand over persistent fatty deposits that won’t budge, no matter how strict your diet and tness regime. This cutting-edge treatment, without the cutting, provides results akin to traditional liposuction and a tummy tuck, with a down time of only 48 hours and using only topical anaesthetic, which is cleverly applied through air pressure to the area being treated so discomfort is minimal

and you are awake throughout the process. Surgeons can precisely target fat from any area between the chin and ankles using a ne, oscillating cannula to suck out fat cells one by one. e skin is then tightened and lifted with a blend of helium gas and radiofrequency energy delivered through the tiny incision to create a plasma for precise and tailored contouring and smoothing. Results: Although you can see a marked improvement after about two weeks when the main swelling has gone down, the nal results are seen after three months when the body has fully healed, revealing a sculpted and tightened treatment area. Book it: From £7,000 for the abdomen area. uk.elitebodysculpture.com

4 INMODE FACETITE: JAWTITETM

BEST FOR… A SCULPTED, DEFINED JAWLINE

What happens: For those looking for a lift without the traditional scalpel wielding facelift, the new JawTiteTM treatment is a gamechanger in non-surgical facial contouring. JawTiteTM o ers a powerful solution for sagging skin and loss of de nition in the lower face, targeting double chins, jowls, areas with deep lines and loose skin. Using radio-frequency assisted lipolysis (RFAL), it tightens, lifts and sculpts the jawline while melting away excess fat to create a streamlined contour. First, local anaesthetic is applied before a small entry point is made to allow a ne probe to be inserted beneath the skin. is delivers controlled heat energy, triggering collagen production and firming the skin from within. With Dr Saleena I felt comfortable throughout the treatment; you can feel a little tugging warmth as the technology works its magic, but the procedure is comfortable with minimal downtime and results continue to improve over the following months as new collagen forms. A chin strap does have to be worn 24 hours a day for the rst seven days, then at bedtime for the next six weeks for maximum results.

Results: A jawline dreams are made of. There are no large incisions or widespread bruisi ng (in fact, I didn’t bruise at all) and you can expect a dramatically more defined, youthful jawline, with initial results visible within weeks and optimal results developing over three to six months.

Book it: £3,995. skindoctorclinics.co.uk

Want your jawline back? Try InMode’s Facetite JawTiteTM

5 VAGINAL REJUVENATION WITH EMPOWER RF

BEST FOR… NON-INVASIVE VAGINAL TIGHTENING, IMPROVED INTIMATE HYDRATION, AND PELVIC FLOOR STRENGTHENING

What happens: e InModeEmpower RF system is a revolutionary, non-surgical treatment that enhances vaginal health using a combination of complementary advanced technologies for the ultimate in intimate rejuvenation. Forma V delivers controlled radio-frequency (RF) energy to stimulate collagen production, improving elasticity, lubrication, and overall vaginal tone. VTone uses electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to strengthen pelvic oor muscles, helping with mild stress incontinence, overactive bladders and improving core support. Morpheus8V uses fractional radiofrequency treatment combining micro-needling with RF energy to enhance tissue remodelling, increasing rmness, helps reduce incontinence and improves texture by increasing collagen production. Each session is quick and comfortable, though it takes a little getting used to initially. Typically lasting around 30 minutes there is no downtime, so you can resume daily activities immediately. Results: Improved vaginal tightness and a stronger pelvic floor. Some benefits are noticeable after the first session, with optimal results developing over the following months.

Book it: £2,500-£3,000 for a treatment course. elite-aesthetics.co.uk

6SCULPTRA

BEST FOR… PLUMP, LIFTED CHEEKBONES THAT DON’T SCREAM ‘FILLER’

What happens: Unlike traditional hyaluronic acid llers that deliver instant volume, Sculptra takes a slow-burn approach to rejuvenation. Using poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), it works by stimulating your body’s own collagen production over time. I had Sculptra injected into the cheekbone area to combat early signs of volume loss and to subtly enhance contour without changing my natural features. e treatment was quick – after a consultation and cleanse, a ne needle was used to inject the product in strategic points around the cheeks. ere was mild swelling and a bit of tenderness, but nothing makeup couldn’t cover.

Results: Don’t expect overnight

transformation – this is a slow-building glow-up, and it usually takes more than one session. By week four, I started noticing a soft lift and a plumper, smoother texture across my cheek area. By eight weeks, friends were asking if I’d ‘done something di erent’ – my skin looked rmer, more luminous and subtly sculpted. e best bit? It still looked completely natural – just fresher, like I’d nally caught up on sleep. Book it: Starting from £550.00 for a treatment. drmedispa.com

7 DR. JACK’S

MICROBIOME

MEDICAL FACIAL

BEST FOR… ANYONE WITH REDNESS, ROSACEA, ACNE OR DULL LACKLUSTRE SKIN

What happens: Dr David Jack’s anti-in ammation facial begins with a deep cleanse followed by a micropeel to exfoliate the skin using Mandelic, Azelaic and Lactic acids to elicit turnover. Next Lumixa’s Fluorescent Light Energy (FLE) targets in ammation while stimulating collagen.

Finally, a blast of cold plasma (an ionised gas treatment) strengthens the skin barrier, enhances the delivery of active ingredients and prompts yet more collagen production – i.e. firmer, squidgier skin. A superb functional facial designed to reprogramme your skin to its factory settings.

Results: Your complexion will feel as smooth as a pebble and as glowy as a toddler’s. You’ll need to repeat every six weeks or so to maintain the status quo. But then again, it’s the kind of skin reboot you’ll wish you’d done sooner. Book it: £350 for a 50 minute treatment. drdavidjack.com

8 HORMONE REVIEW

BEST FOR… MENOPAUSE, FERTILITY, PCOS, PMS, ENDOMETRIOSIS, GUT HEALTH AND HORMONAL IMBALANCES

What happens: Dr Sohère Roked has such a renowned speciality for hormone balance issues that her waiting list for new patients is two to three months. Tests are carried out in

Geneva

swimsuit

Melissa

Odabash

the initial appointment, with a thorough consultation and a bespoke plan created in the follow up. By analysing an extensive array of tests (including blood panels that cover vitamins, minerals, hormones, cortisol levels and insulin resistance – in my case it was a thorough female hormone review and thyroid check), lifestyle factors and medical history, Dr Roked aims to rebalance the body, mind and spirit to prevent diseases that the patient might be susceptible to, balance unruly hormones and where possible, leans on natural medicine to complement conventional western therapies. Her friendly and down to earth approach and expertise helps patients manage day to day life helping in all areas to rebalance hormones and help fertility, menopause, weight issues and exhaustion, symptomatic of the underlying cause.

Results: e bespoke plan in the follow up appointment that Dr Roked created for my peri-menopause symptoms paid dividends. My sleep and mood improved almost immediately thanks to the bio-identical hormone therapy she prescribed. On my

follow up nine months later I was given a new tailored plan and no longer needed oestrogen as my levels were high enough and a new prescription means everything is in balance and daily stresses are much easier to handle.

Book it: Initial consultation, £350. Hormone review from £220. drsohereroked.co.uk

ALMAHARMONY

MULTIPLATFORM & NEXT GENERATION

COLLAGEN FACIAL

BEST FOR… COLLAGEN BOOSTING, AGEING, HYPERPIGMENTATION AND DULL SKIN

What happens: The Alma Harmony device is a non-invasive, collagen-boosting, skin rejuvenation treatment that promises to restore your glow in the shortest time (i.e. can be conveniently slotted into your lunch break), with minimal down-time. Using cutting-edge laser technology, Fractional Ablative Laser, Vascular Laser, Non-Ablative Laser and IPL all in

one session, means the maximum results are delivered in the shortest time. e combination of therapies can address a multitude of skin concerns such as laxity, scarring and pigmentation. As with all laser treatments, a patch test and full consultation are required rst to work out your individual treatment plan, and although at times it can feel a bit ‘zappy,’ it’s tolerable and Dr Ahmed will keep you smiling throughout, with only the odd bit of wincing.

Results: After about two weeks my skin started to look brighter, smoother and had more bounce. As catalyst for collagen renewal and elastin production, results continue up to six months post-treatment so it’s a brilliant kickstart to a more advanced, yet non-surgical, skin plan. Book it: Bio-Boost treatments from £350. theaestheticsdoctor.com

10 MICRO GRAFTING

IN WOMEN

What happens: This treatment harnesses the growth factors and progenitor cells in the patient’s own scalp tissue to help slow down hair loss and stimulate existing follicles. First up, a trichoscopy exam to check for vitamin de ciencies, hormonal imbalances and establish the level of alopecia and track the hair regeneration progress. After a local anaesthetic is applied, tiny skin grafts are taken from wherever the strongest follicles are located. ese are then placed in a special device to extract the progenitor cells and growth factors before the mixture is injected back into the scalp where hair is thinning or where strands are ne or sparse. e procedure takes approximately one hour, the treatment is virtually pain-free and leaves no scarring. Unlike a hair transplantation procedure that will take weeks for a full recovery, after this treatment there is no downtime whatsoever.

Results: Micrografting encourages existing follicles to grow, so sparse areas on the scalp will become thicker and fuller, making it an excellent way to prevent hair loss. Optimum results are visible after the rst session and can last up to 18 months, with the option of redoing the treatment for sustained results.

Book it: £2,950. ouronyx.com n

V neck

swimsuit

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Discover the Power of Polynucleotides

Polynucleotides are the latest revolutionary tools in regenerative medicine that work on a cellular level to repair tissue and boost skin quality.

Doctor, Doctor!

C&TH gets top advice

from some of the UK’s leading aesthetic practitioners

What is the right age to start procedures?

Dr Uliana Gout, London Aesthetic Medicine

As an industry, we recommend around 35 years old as an ideal age to begin tailored skin management, incorporating medical-grade skincare, doctor-led facials, radiofrequency, lasers, botulinum toxin (such as Botox), and hyaluronic injectables. However, for those with a lot of sun damage, strong facial muscles, or early genetic ageing, starting sooner with skincare and minimally invasive procedures may be bene cial. e key to e ective aesthetic medicine lies in a highly personalised approach. At London Aesthetic Medicine (LAM) clinic, our LAM Hyper-Personalised Consultation examines everything from epidermal health to bone structure, alongside genetic predispositions and lifestyle factors. is allows me to design a strategic treatment plan for long-term skin health, ensuring a natural, preventative approach to ageing. london-aesthetic-medicine.com

What are the best procedures for looking less tired?

Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh, Dr Sebagh Clinic

For skin that feels tired, depleted, and in need of renewal, the Ultimate Skin Booster o ers a targeted approach to hydration, rmness, and radiance. is treatment is designed to revive dull complexions, restore elasticity, and smooth ne lines while addressing the e ects of stress and environmental exposure. Using a combination of PlateletRich Plasma (PRP), exosomes, polynucleotides, hyaluronic acid, amino acids, and peptides, the treatment is delivered through mesotherapy ‘air gun’ injections, a minimally invasive technique that enhances absorption. ese ingredients work together to support collagen production, boost cellular regeneration, improve circulation, and deeply hydrate the skin. With its focus on replenishment and renewal, the Ultimate Skin Booster is well-suited for those looking to restore a healthier, more refreshed complexion. drsebagh.com

I’m perimenopausal and my hair is thinning. This is damaging my conﬁdence. Are there any treatments that really work?

Dr Manav Bawa, Medical Director at Time Clinic

We see many patients su ering from hair loss or thinning who are transitioning from perimenopause to menopause. Hair quality changes dramatically as oestrogen drops or levels of stress escalate. We have had a huge success with Calecim growth factors as they can help improve the quality of a patient’s hair as well as its thickness and quantity. Calecim is special as it’s a mixed media exosome which is game-changing. It’s ethically sourced from red deer umbilical cord-derived stem cells that are the richest source of stem

cells from a non-embryonic source. Just 1ml contains over 3,000 growth factors and proteins and mid-life hair loss can be treated e ectively in typically six to 12 weeks. Hair quality is improved, scalp in ammation is calmed and the scalp environment itself is transformed. calecimprofessional.com; time-clinic.com

I’m a teeth grinder. What are the aesthetic options to repair damage caused by grinding?

Dr

Edward Li, ABC Dental

Worn or damaged teeth are best restored with porcelain or composite resin, materials that closely mimic natural enamel in strength and look. ese restorations are often protected with custom-made night guards to prevent further wear from bruxism (teeth grinding) and, in some cases, complemented by Botox in the masseter muscle to reduce excessive clenching forces. e primary goal is to restore natural tooth anatomy, which enhances both facial harmony and bite function. Successful treatment requires careful design to achieve a balance between aesthetics and biomechanics, ensuring long-term durability and comfort. Achieving this harmony involves precise planning and visualisation, accounting for factors such as desired lower facial height, chewing e ciency, and overall smile integration with your face and genetics. e expertise needed extends beyond individual teeth to the entire smile, ensuring nature-inspired results that supports long-term health with minimal maintenance and upkeep. abc.dental

I don’t care about wrinkles, I just want a healthy glow. What treatments will give me the best results?

Dr Stefanie Williams, EUDELO Dermatology & Skin Wellbeing

A healthy glow isn’t just about good skincare – it’s the result of strong skin renewal, even tone, and cellularlevel skin health. Achieving this requires a thoughtful, multi-layered approach that supports the skin’s natural functions while protecting it from external stressors. e foundation is a skin-friendly lifestyle and evidence-based skincare. High-quality antioxidants and retinoids help defend against environmental damage, encourage skin renewal, and boost collagen production – key factors in maintaining radiance. Because skincare plays such a crucial role, I developed Delo Rx (delorx.com) to meet rigorous standards. In my 50s, I want active ingredients that slow down skin ageing, but as someone who also experiences adult breakouts and rosacea, I need lightweight formulations that hydrate without clogging pores. Beyond skincare, dermatology-grade facials and regenerative treatments take skin health further. Regular peels, exokine medical needling, and carboxy facials stimulate skin renewal, re ne texture, and regulate pigmentation – enhancing glow from within. Skin boosters add a layer of deep hydration, completing a well-rounded routine. eudelo.com n

Early asethetic intervention can be recommended in some speciﬁc cases, says Dr Uliana Gout

Plump Up microneedle tool

Trinny London

ON CALL

AESTHETIC DOCTORS’ GUIDE

Find an expert from our vetted list of aesthetic wizards who specialise in everything from non-surgical facial lifting to subtle skin enhancements THE A-Z

A-D

Dr Aggie Zatonska

Dr Zatonska is known for her undetectable work, making her one of the most called-for injectors in Surrey. A former ENT surgeon, Zatonska prefers a 360-degree approach and will combine injectables with newer modalities that deliver exceptional skin quality over the long term. @atelier.dr.aggie; atelier.clinic

Dr Ahmed El Muntasar

Dr Ahmed is an impressive ﬁgure within the health industry. The youngest ever medical student at St Andrews University, he completed 12 courses in aesthetics by the time he was 26 and won three awards at the British Aesthetics Awards in 2020. He believes deeply in a patient-centered approach. @theaestheticsdoctor; theaestheticsdoctor.com

Dr Alexis Granite

With a medical degree from the prestigious Weill Cornell Medical School in New York City, Dr Alexis is boardcertiﬁed in dermatology in the US and a dermatologist in the UK. Her practice spans skin biopsies to aesthetic injectables, and she is one of the most recommended skin doctors in London. @dralexisgranite; dralexisgranite.com

Dr Anjali Mahto

A medical and cosmetic consultant dermatologist working on Harley Street, whatever your skin concern,

from rosacea to acne scarring or ageing, Dr Mahto has a tailored approach from diet and lifestyle to prescription skincare and devices. She is the author of The Skincare Bible. @anjalimahto; dranjalimahto.co.uk

Dr Ariel Haus

A genius with lasers, according to online patient reviews, dermatologist Dr Haus and his entire staff are renowned for their professional and welcoming manner at his state-of-the-art clinic on Harley Street. From speciﬁc concerns like acne and rosacea to holistic aesthetic treatments, Dr Haus is the king of skin. @drarielhaus; drhausdermatology.com

Dr Ashwin Soni

A GMC-registered plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr Soni specialises in injectable procedures like non-surgical rhinoplasty. He is trusted for his medically safe and aesthetically pleasing results. @thesoniclinic; thesoniclinic.com

Dr Christine Hall

A GMC-registered GP, Hall is also a former pharmacist with a passion for skincare. She makes frequent trips to Seoul where skincare and aesthetics are at the cutting edge and, astonishingly, continues to work as an emergency medicine doctor and GP alongside her aesthetic work. @drchristinehall; drwassimtaktouk.com

Dr Daniel Ezra

Prof Ezra is a pioneer in functional and aesthetic eyelid surgery. A leading oculoplastic surgeon, lecturer and researcher, there’s few better than Ezra for surgical and non-surgical solutions to everything from droopy brows to hooded eyelids. @eyesbyezra; danielezra.co.uk

Dr David Jack

With his delicate touch, you’ll never look overdone with his ‘naturally beautiful’ approach. If you’re nervous about injectables, he’s your go-to guy for natural-looking results. @drdavidjack; drdavidjackclinic.com

Dr Dean Rhobaye

Dr Rhobaye has developed a bespoke method of facial harmonisation using dermal ﬁllers and neurotoxins to achieve beautiful results. Winner of the non-surgical facial beautiﬁcation category at the annual Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress awards, Rhobaye is undoubtedly a cut above your average injector. @deanrhobaye; sloaneclinic.co.uk

Dr Deepti Kolli

A cosmetic dermatologist, Dr Kolli is a specialist in injectables and state-ofthe-art treatments such as personalised PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and mesotherapy to enhance and rejuvenate the skin. She practices at the Dr Sebagh clinic. drsebagh.com

E-I

Dr Edward Li and Dr Tanya Patel

A team in dental artistry, Dr Li and Dr Patel meld creative ﬂair with innovative technology. Their meticulous attention to detail and dental precision result in exceptional smile enhancements. @theabcsmile; abc.dental

Dr Frances Prenna Jones

Known for her red light therapy to give skin an ever-fresh glow, Dr Prenna Jones is rumoured to have treated several high-proﬁle models and celebrities due to her light-handed approach and skincare know-how. @drfranceswprennajones; drfrancesprennajones.com

Mr Georgios Orfaniotis

Mention the deep plane facelift and Orfaniotis’s name is inevitably mentioned. With a plastic surgery fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons, Mr Orfaniotis is on the GMC specialist register for plastic surgery. He has over 15 years’ experience in some of the most advanced facial rejuvenation techniques. @dr_georgios_orfaniotis; orfaniotis.co.uk

Dr Georgina Williams

A co-founder of Montrose London, Dr Williams is a consultant plastic surgeon and fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, specialising in facial and breast plastic surgery and

microsurgery. She divides her time between her NHS surgical practice and her private clinic at Montrose where she focuses on non-surgical work such as Botox and ﬁllers. @drgeorginawilliams; montroseclinics.com

Mr Hagen Schumacher

A highly qualiﬁed plastic and reconstructive surgeon and a wellregarded NHS consultant, Mr Schumacher has private practices in London and Cambridge where his main interest includes breast surgery, rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, chin alterations and facelifts. Whatever your concern, his guiding principle is to improve the conﬁdence and selfesteem of his patients. @hagenschumacher; adore.life.com

Dr Galyna Selezneva

A whizz with the world’s leading high-tech machines, Dr Galyna is the beauty insider’s trusted body guru. From ﬁrming jowls to sculpting love handles and tightening down there, her expertise and warm bedside manner make her special. @dr_galyna; drgalyna.com

Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme

Her Instagram feed is a destination for targeted skincare advice including the lowdown on askedabout ingredients, to pregnancy skincare advice. As founder and medical director of Adonia Medical Clinic, she offers state-ofthe-art treatments from PRP for hair loss to microneedling for skin rejuvenation. @dr_ifeoma_ejikeme; adoniamedicalclinic.co.uk

J-L

Dr Joanna Christou

Being a dual qualiﬁed dentist and medical doctor has enabled Dr Christou to pursue a special interest in facial musculature when performing non-surgical procedures and creating the discreet, holistic results she is renowned for. @the_cosmetic_skin_clinic; cosmeticskinclinic.com

Dr Johanna Ward

An award-winning cosmetic doctor, GP and expert in cosmetic laser, Dr Ward is a leading ﬁgure in the science of preventative antiageing medicine from both a clinical dermatology and nutrition standpoint. @drjohannaward; cosmeticskinclinic.com

Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh

A former surgeon, Dr Sebagh has mastered the art of non-surgical face and neck lifting using cosmetic procedures to achieve natural-looking results. One of his signature treatments includes UltraliftTM, using HIFU technology to help slack skin and facial muscles snap back into shape. @drsebagh; drsebagh.com

Dr Joney De Souza

A pioneer in new technologies, Dr De Souza delivers luminous skin quality through his layering of laser modalities to reduce pigmentation, ﬁrm facial contours and tighten sagging jaw lines. @drjoneydesouza; drjoneydesouza.com

Dr Judy Todd

Dr Todd is the expert celebrities trust for a nonsurgical facelift. Renowned for transforming the neck

and lower face, she’s a pro with high-tech machines from Morpheus8 to FaceTite and NeoGen Plasma, the device lauded for Shirley Ballas’s facial transformation. @dr_judy_todd; cadoganclinic.com

Mr Kshem Yapa

A GMC-certiﬁed consultant plastic surgeon who works between the NHS and his private practice, Mr Yapa specialises in facelift surgery and rhinoplasty. His Deep Lift and Restore Face Lift incorporates the specialised deep plane lifting technique with fat grafting to replace lost volume, naturally. yapaplasticsurgery.com; @yapaplasticsurgery

Dr Lizzie Tuckey

A member of the Royal College of Medicine and the British college of Aesthetic Medicine, Dr Tuckey’s advanced surgical training has given her an edge in both facial rejuvenation and body contouring with a huge emphasis on achieving a natural look. @drlizzietuckey; drmichaelprager.com

M-P

Dr Manav Bawa

A member of the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of General Practitioners, Dr Bawa is passionate about facial aesthetics. Moreover, Dr Bawa is getting proven results with his hair loss scalp treatment which he presented at this year’s Aesthetic & Anti-Aging Medicine World Conference in Monaco. @drmanavbawa; time-clinic.com

Dr Marco Nicoloso

An expert injector, Dr Nicoloso isn’t one for aesthetic trends. He takes a holistic approach to the face, treating it like a piece of ﬁne art that needs gentle restoration rather than reinvention. He is renowned for creating a subtle look which has gained him a loyal following of discerning clients. @drmarconic; ouronyx.com

Dr Marwa Ali

With a global client base, men and women travel far and wide for Dr Ali’s expertise. Never one to overdo it, light injectable enhancements are her thing, from artful Botox to undetectable tear trough ﬁller. She combines these with HIFU and IPL to give her clients the luminous skin quality they desire. @dr_marwaali; harrods.com

Dr Maryam Zamani

An oculoplastic plastic surgeon, Dr Zamani has a passion for facial aesthetics and works both in the US and UK. With a bestselling skincare line including her sell-out LED facial device, Dr Zamani knows that great skin is all about balance. @drmaryamzamani; drmaryamzamani.com

Dr Michael Prager

Offering what he calls ‘cosmedical wellbeing treatments’ at his Knightsbridge clinic, Dr Prager specialises in natural-looking injectables that boost your conﬁdence without looking as though you’ve had anything done. @dr_michael_prager; drmichaelprager.com

Dr Mitul Shah

A renowned periodontist and implant specialist, Dr Shah is an expert in cosmetic gum improvements such as crown lengthening with extensive experience managing complex gum issues including recession. One of the most trusted names in mouth health. @drmitulshah; chelseadentalclinic.co.uk

Dr Munir Somji

Founder of Dr Medispa, Dr Somji is a key opinion leader in aesthetic medicine with a reputation for excellence in a number of modalities from skin health to hair loss, facial tightening and injectables. @drsomji_ skin; drmedispa.com

Dr Nina Bal

Italian-born Dr Bal was a professional skier before she studied to be a dentist, and later an advanced aesthetic doctor specialising in facial sculpting treatments. A TV personality and social media star, Dr Bal’s clients head to her for natural-look injectables and signature sculpting technologies such as Endolift. @drninafacialsculpting; facialsculpting.co.uk

R-T

Dr Rhona Eskander

An award-winning cosmetic dentist that specialises in everything from ultranatural veneers to minimal edge bonding. If you’re looking for a youthful smile enhancement, she is a class above. @drrhonaeskander; chelseadentalclinic.co.uk

Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai

This oculoplastic aesthetic surgeon is the go-to eye expert if you suffer from hollow, drawn-under eyes – her knowledge is unparalleled. Her signature treatment, the Eye Boost, combines tear trough ﬁller with complementary modalities to refresh the eyes. @drsabrinashahdesai ofﬁcial; perfecteyesltd.com

Dr Selena Langdon

A trained plastic surgeon, Dr Selena Langdon is the founder of Berkshire Aesthetics, a patientfocused clinic that specialises in long-term skin health. A skilled injector and CoolSculpting expert, she is internationally renowned for her body treatments. @drselenalangdon; berkshireaesthetics.com

Dr Sindhu Siddiqi

A champion for enhancing individual beauty, Dr Siddiqi is a GP and aesthetic doctor who grew her practice entirely from word of mouth. Dr Sidiqi has further qualifications in endocrinology and women’s health, making her popular with female patients. @nofiltercliniclondon; nofilterclinic.com

Dr Sophie Shotter

From face tightening to delicate lip rejuvenation and hormone replacement therapy, Dr Shotter believes all work should look ‘invisible’ to the naked eye. She’s the beauty editor’s injector and a pioneer in regenerative aesthetic medicine. @drsophieshotter; illuminateskinclinic.co.uk

Dr Stefanie Williams

A highly regarded dermatologist, Dr Williams is a genius at correcting all kinds of pigmentation with her medical grade facials and combination approach of peels, laser, IPL and freezing techniques to achieve clear, even toned skin. @drstefaniew; eudelo.com

Dr Tracy Mountford

With her bespoke, intuitive approach to rejuvenation, Dr Mountford has decades of experience with injectables and knows how best to treat each face by eye. She combines injections with devices like Ultherapy that target the deeper layers of the skin for longer-lasting results. @the_cosmetic_skin_clinic; cosmeticskinclinic.com

U-Z

Dr Uliana Gout

As president of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine, Dr Gout’s extensive knowledge has led her to develop her ‘intelligent aesthetic’ technique using complementary procedures that target every layer of the face from the bone to the muscle and the skin surface for the most natural-looking results. @lam__clinic; london-aestheticmedicine.com

Dr Vicky Dondos

Author of The Positive Ageing Plan, Dr Dondos believes in a gentle insideout approach to natural beauty. Beauty editors prize her injectable skills as being rejuvenating and undetectable. Best

for a subtle refresh. @drvickydondos; medicetics.com

Dr Victoria Manning and Dr Charlotte Woodward

Known for a holistic approach including offering nutrition and ﬁtness advice with minimally invasive treatments, Drs Manning and Woodward are leading experts in Silhouette Soft, a subtle thread lift treatment to reduce sagging. @river_aesthetics; riveraesthetics.com

Dr Wassim Taktouk

Dr Wassim Taktouk is the insider’s go-to doctor. A master at subtle facial contouring, he is loved by women and men looking for a subtle tweakment. @drwassimtaktouk; drwassimtaktouk.com

Dr Yusra Al-Mukhtar

A dental surgeon and medical aesthetic clinician, Dr Al-Mukhtar notched up several years’ experience in maxillofacial and skin cancer surgery before focusing on aesthetic medicine. She is known for her natural, non-surgical facelifts combining dermal ﬁller, thread lifts and advanced devices. @dryusra.almukhtar; dryusra.com n

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INTERIORS

Edited by Carole Annett

Gardens of Dreams

How do famous gardeners (and not-so-famous ones) create their own private bucolic idyll at home?

Clare Coulson went on a horticultural odyssey to discover their secrets

Sheila Jack transformed a concrete farmyard into a garden of perennials and grasses that fold gently into the surrounding Wiltshire meadows

The ripples of in uence from the world’s leading landscape architects and garden designers stretch out exponentially, in uencing what we plant and how, shaping our approach to horticulture, biodiversity and sustainability; a stand-out show garden at the Chelsea Flower Show can dictate planting palettes, design details or choice cultivars for years to come.

But what happens in a garden designer’s own space at home, and how do these gardens feed into their process? In Wonderlands: British Garden Designers at Home those private spaces are revealed, as 18 leading landscape architects open up their garden gate for me and photographer Éva Németh, with sumptuous, inspiring and often surprising results. Some of the gardens are lifelong projects – Arabella Lennox-Boyd has crafted her extraordinary garden at Gresgarth Hall in Lancashire for 45 years, a lifetime of collecting trees and shrubs, sculpting the landscape and creating lavish borders. Arne Maynard has spent two decades nurturing his jewel-box of a garden at Allt-y-bela, his home in the bucolic hills of Monmouthshire – a garden studded with immaculate topiary and delicious planting.

Many of the gardens in the book were started – as with so many projects across the nation – in the spring of 2020. Brothers Harry and David Rich began work on their mesmerising garden of billowing plants around a fairytale cottage hidden deep in the Brecon Beacons; Miranda Brooks worked on an awe-inspiring landscape from pasture using stunning topiary to bring a sense of instant maturity. And Sheila Jack – a former magazine art director-turned-landscape architect – transformed the most unprepossessing concrete farmyard into a contemporary garden of perennials and grasses that sits gently in its surrounding meadows.

As well as being rich with ideas and clever design solutions, the gardens all illustrate the resourcefulness and ingenuity of designers to sculpt a patch of land into a transporting garden. In Wiltshire, Catherine FitzGerald conjures a similar magic, immersing her characterful former brewery into a froth of romantic and statuesque planting while her husband, the actor Dominic West, carved out the most exquisite natural swimming pond where bird and insects swoop down in the early evening, adding to the dream-like scene. ese are hands-on projects – they may feel out of reach but they are attainable too. With his heavenly cottage garden in west Sussex, Chris Moss illustrates how he has made a garden in a rented home, mindful of what he might take if ever he moves on, but also of what would stay for any future owners. And that perhaps is the beauty of these wonderlands –they evolve in myriad ways, and inspire us to plant our own garden of dreams.

Wonderlands: British Garden Designers at Home by Clare Coulson is out now (£40, Quadrille) n

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: ‘Mrs Oakley Fisher’, a hybrid tea rose in Chris Moss’s garden; Butter Wakeﬁeld’s west London garden with Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ and ‘Purple Rain’, red campion, sorrel, knapweed, and vetch; the Artle Beck river curves around Arabella LennoxBoyd’s Gresgarth Hall; the courtyard at Tom Stuart-Smith’s Hertfordshire home was redesigned using long Corten steel water tanks; a view of the meadow orchard at Catherine FitzGerald’s Wiltshire home

What makes a design last generations? Is it exceptional craftsmanship? Is it honest materials? Is it timeless design? For us, it’s all of these. That’s what makes a Neptune home.

Over 30 stores across the UK and Europe neptune.com

BEDFELLOWS

Aquatic and Dutch Orange tone beautifully in a sitting room (2.5l natural emulsion, from £66). Struggling? Get a colour consultancy from the experts (£275 for two hours). edwardbulmerpaint.co.uk

CRYSTAL MASTERY

Blaze 12” rechargeable table lamp re ects New York’s Art Deco architecture. Waterford + Visual Comfort Blaze lamp, £999. visualcomfort.com/uk

Design NOTES

Sunseeking for spring? Step on out, says Carole Annett

SAVAGE JUNGLE

Rousseau by artist Hugh Dunford Wood, a handblock design for Hamilton Weston wallpapers inspired by the work of Douanier Rousseau. Printed in the UK. Four colourways, £360 per 10m roll. hamiltonweston.com

SEASCAPE

Kezia wallcovering in Boathouse blue, reminiscent of coral shapes, £115 per roll at Romo. romo.com

OUTDOOR DINING

LET THE LIGHT IN is free-standing greenhouse is inspired by Tatton House and made by Alitex in collaboration with the National Trust. £35,404, alitex.co.uk

SUNSEEKER

Amari three-seater sofa, £9,968, by JANUS et Cie. janusetcie.com

GROOVY

Mandarin Stone’s Violetta, a ﬂuted, honed marble, from £226.62 per sq/m. mandarinstone.com

Old Rectory

‘The hall leads out to the garden,’ says Mary Graham, ‘so we wanted to leave the view as the focal point. Pops of yellow keep it youthful.’ The runner is an antique Swedish ﬂatweave, paired with Salvesen Graham table lamps and mustard check shades.

Georgian House

‘The house was full of colour, so we wanted the hallway to provide a moment of calm as you move between rooms, acting like a palette cleanser,’ explains Graham. The pendant globe lights are by Hector Finch and the console table was sourced at Shacklady’s Antiques.

Pied-à-Terre

‘This clever jib door conceals a bathroom in a Mayfair apartment where space was at a premium. Secret doors add an element of fun and surprise,’ says Graham. The silk wallpaper is de Gournay’s Earlham design in Blue Grey 122.

MEET ME IN THE HALL

Four Salvesen Graham hallways from the design duo’s new tome

Home

‘This room was a rather unloved internal hall, so we decided to turn it into a library. Even if it’s just a walkthrough, it now has lots of character.’ The picture light is by

is by

Mountain

Soane and the chair

Salvesen Graham, upholstered in Claremont Milano Linen 518.

My EXTERIOR Life

Horticulturist,

regenerative

gardener and advocate Poppy Okotcha shares her wild ways

What does your typical work day look like? We have a one year old, so if I’m doing computer work, I’ll leave him with my mum or husband and head to the library. Otherwise, my mornings can include anything from writing to calls with my agent, planning content, placing seed orders and compost deliveries. en we usually spend the afternoon together in the garden.

Where do you ﬁnd inspiration? Untended ‘ wild ’ spaces are my main inspiration, from how they look to what they can teach us about ecological gardening. I think about cottage gardens a lot too. Beauty and productivity is a combination I nd very exciting and traditional cottage gardens exemplify it so well. ey often featured little orchards, fruit bushes, lots of food and herbs, native ower plantings and livestock like chickens or bees. Before the widespread use of herbicides and pesticides following the Second World War, they would have been organic by default.

What's moving you at the moment? Soil: e World At Our Feet exhibition at Somerset House was an incredible exploration of something overlooked yet so powerful. e Garden Museum has recently digitised its archives, which is exciting. I also love Knepp estate, a 3,500-acre rewilding project in Sussex. eir work there is incredible – and it's well worth a vist. Are there any design items or furniture you are coveting? I’m always in the market for vintage baskets à la Jane Birkin and glass garden cloches (the best for protecting plants from

slugs). Our cottage is dug into the ground, so a little footbridge connects our living room to the garden. It’s made of concrete but I am planning to pave it to give it a ‘cuties’ vibe, so currently I’m mostly obsessing over reclaimed slate Cathedral agstones. Niche but necessary.

Who are your design icons? Beyond the garden, I love the Bloomsbury group and Vanessa Bell’s artistry at Charleston. I'm also obsessed with the pre-Raphaelites; the politics that drove their art is fascinating – they were pushing back against the mechanisation of the Industrial Revolution and highlighting the value in nature. When it comes to outdoor spaces, I respect all permaculture practitioners and designers. I once visited a permaculture forest garden in Auroville, India, which was incredibly inspiring – Krishna, the guy who designed and maintains it, is one of my icons. I love Piet Oudolf’s, Jo McKerr’s and Masanobu Fukuoka’s work too. What would your dream garden look like? A cottage garden and pottager meets edible woodland. It would feel wild and full of food and owers, with a huge compost area. You’d wander around tasting things as you go, a true forager’s garden. It would have a babbling stream and mossy stepping stones that weave into a secret area full of owering bulbs. I’d also like a big swing like the one Truly Scrumptious sings on in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and a meadow and natural swimming pond. We’d eat dinner in a huge vintage glass house among the tomatoes. ink e Secret Garden meets Marie Antoinette’s faux-village. What is your sustainable gardening hack? Grow organic and focus on cultivating a healthy garden ecosystem. at way the predators in your garden will manage any pests for you. Having a compost heap, pond, standing deadwood, hedge or log/brick pile is a great way of doing this. Step away from the pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilisers. ey might seem to help in the short term but wreak havoc in the long term. e garden becomes dependent on them.

A Wilder Way: How Gardens Grow Us (£18.99, Bloomsbury) detailing a year in Poppy Okotcha's Devon garden is out now. Okotcha is speaking at Hay Festival on 29 May. poppyokotcha .com n

Poppy Okotcha in her Devon garden PHOTOS:

Poppy draws inspiration from the pre-Raphaelites; The Day Dream by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Step into the rhythm of Market Day, from Morrocco’s maze-like souks to the floating markets of Thailand and beyond. To fully grasp their vibrancy, their stories and to uncover hidden treasures, you’ll need more than a map. You’ll need specialist knowledge. That’s where we come in. After all, we’ve been creating tailor made adventures for over 30 years. Talk to our experts today.

HOTELS & TRAVEL

Where the wild things still

are

In Madagascar, Emma Love discovers primary tropical rainforest and a rich mosaic of biodiversity from game-changing beachfront resorts scattered through this less-travelled Indian Ocean island

HOTELS & TRAVEL | Madagascar

Late afternoon in Masoala National Park on Madagascar’s northeast coast and still-hot shafts of sunlight are piercing through the shady palm tree canopy of the primary rainforest. Critically endangered red ru ed lemurs are one of the most vocal – and loudest – primates in the world, so it’s perhaps no surprise that I hear their distinctive call, a series of high-pitched screeches underpinned by a honking bark. My animated guide, Rachelle, points them out and, craning my neck skywards, I glimpse ashes of chestnut fur as a pair leap between the tallest branches. ere are about 100 types of lemurs that live in Madagascar but the red ru ed can only be found here, in this 240,000-hectare, Unesco-protected patch.

It’s the possibility of sightings such as this that draw many travellers to Masoala Forest Lodge, a sustainable hideaway only accessible by foot or boat, with just seven thatched treehouses on stilts in an 80-hectare private reserve. Yet although visitors might come for the lemurs – which also include the dwarf, sportive, woolly and mouse lemur, a beady-eyed creature so small it can t inside a teacup, all of which I’m lucky enough to see on a post-dinner, after-dark walk around the camp – there’s far more to this biodiversity hotspot. Almost all the plants and creatures here are endemic to Masoala or, more widely, Madagascar. According to papers produced for Science journal in 2022 by Kew Science and 50 organisations around the world, 82 percent of the 11,516 vascular plants found in Madagascar are nowhere else in the wild (for animal vertebrates, the gure is even higher, at 90 percent).

On our walk, Rachelle’s excitement is infectious as she nds a sleeping baby leaf-tailed gecko, then an emerald tree boa curled up in a cus trunk. We spy resting electric-blue Malagasy king shers, golden orb-weaver spiders (in 2012, silk harvested from more than a million of them was woven into a brocaded shawl and cape, and shown at the V&A), a scops owl itting across the sky and ginormous canarium trees with buttress roots, used for making dugout canoes.

‘Generally, what all our visitors have in common is an interest in nature and seeing something new. A lot of them have been on safari in Africa and want adventure,’ says Maria Bester, co-owner of Masoala Forest Lodge, which opened in 2004. ‘Our destination is hard to reach so you have to work hard to get here, but there’s so much to do, from hiking to kayaking. We often get specialists coming for orchids or frogs or chameleons – there are many species still being discovered.’ In 2024, for instance, the 33mm-long Brookesia nofy was spotted by tourists further south in Ankanin’ny Nofy – the rst leaf chameleon to be found in a coastal rainforest.

ere’s more wildlife to be seen on the virtually untouched island of Sainte-Marie, a three-hour speedboat ride away. ‘Sainte-Marie is famous for two things: 16th-century pirate visitors like Captain Kidd, and humpback whales,’ says Swedish-born Philippe Kjellgren, founder of the referralonly travel advisory service PK’s List and also of Voaara, a recently opened game-changing resort on the northern tip, spread over 100 acres of beachfront and jungle. ‘Migrating humpback whales can be spotted from July to September in the bay where they come to calve, and it’s a beautiful sight.’

Guests stay in one of the seven gorgeous solar-powered beach bungalows or the three-bedroom villa (with more in the pipeline), all of which have thatched roofs, driftwood beams collected from nearby beaches and locally made, custom-wood furniture.

ere’s also La Plage by Sarrion, a Mediterranean-meetsAsia restaurant, a spa and plenty of watersports – in other

words, it’s brilliant for anyone wanting to twin wildlife with a beach break. While the whales are the headline attraction during the summer, it’s the smaller creatures that bring joy all year round. You can hear sunbirds warbling from bed early in the morning, see bulbuls and crested drongos on a birdwatching walk, and glimpse eye-catching blue-and-red giant chameleons scuttling among the greenery. Days can also be spent snorkelling on the in-house reef and deep-sea shing.

‘In Madagascar, there are a lot of ecosystems. at’s why you have such a unique mosaic of biodiversity,’ says Christophe Caumes, founder of tour operator Madascarenes, which works mainly across Madagascar, the Seychelles and Réunion (a one-hour 40-minute plane ride from Antananarivo, with its own Unesco-listed national park, which covers 40 percent of the island and includes two volcanic massifs, a cloud forest, gorges and fern-carpeted valleys). ‘ e last tropical rainforests of Madagascar are on the east coast while the west is made up of places like the Unesco limestone Tsingy de Bemaraha nature reserve and dry forests, which have seven of the world’s eight baobab species, six of which are endemic to the country.’

Just like in the Galapagos – which receives about 267,000 visitors a year compared to Masoala National Park’s 3,000 – the importance of this extraordinary biodiversity can’t be overemphasised. At Masoala Forest Lodge, Maria and her husband, Pierre, run an ongoing reforestation project, growing endemic trees at their onsite nursery. ‘At the beginning, we just had a small garden around the lodge.

en we started renting or buying land to create a forest that acts as a bu er zone for wildlife,’ she says.

Of the many pressures on Madagascar’s natural environments, one of the largest is change of land use. ‘Land gets burned to make space for rice elds,’ she says.

‘I’m convinced that if our lodge wasn’t here, the peninsula would be more under threat. We have around 300 guests per year and although the numbers are low – which we like – it draws attention to the area, which is so important for conservation. If the primary forest near us wasn’t here next year, we would notice and that’s a big deal.’

BOOK IT: Red Savannah o ers a nine-night package in Madagascar from £8,682pp based on two people sharing, including ights and domestic travel, one night at Maison Gallieni in Antananarivo, four nights at Voaara, and three nights at Masoala Forest Lodge. redsavannah.com

Emma’s ights from London to Sainte Marie via Paris, Réunion and Antananarivo and back via Dubai had a carbon footprint of 3,209kg of CO2e. Ecollectivecarbon.com n

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A panther chameleon; the beachfront Voaara; Masoala Forest Lodge drinks time; a Madagascar paradise ﬂycatcher; one of Voaara’s beach bungalows

Landscape OF THE APES

Lauren Jarvis tracks western lowland gorillas in the ancient forests and steamy swamplands of the Congo Basin

Istand motionless on the trail, the distant hum of bees whispering around the forest, as our guide, Leon, raises his hand to signal our silence. From beyond a bend in the path, bushes of dark-green marantaceae plants begin to shiver, while branches snap and fallen foliage is roused from its slumber, heralding the arrival of beasts anticipated but unseen. Within seconds, a battalion corners the curve, striding con dently towards us on all fours, instantly stirring me and my companions into motion: four western lowland gorillas, mighty and magni cent, are purposefully marching our way.

‘OK, guys, time to go!’ We fall into line and reverse hastily along the trail, trying to shoot the once-in-a-lifetime sight on shaky smartphones, while obeying Leon’s hushed command to haul out as fast as the tangle of forest allows. Backing us up through the bushes, the apes continue their advance, as we dance through the forest on a no-contact Congolese conga towards camp.

Tracking the gorillas that roam the Unesco World Heritage-listed OdzalaKokoua National Park in the Republic of the Congo (ROC) is the highlight of my eight-night safari with Kamba African Rainforest Experiences, the only private operator licensed to run lodges within the country’s national parks. Staying at Kamba’s Ngaga, Lango and Mboko lodges o ers unique opportunities to explore this almost mythical land, cloaked in ancient forests and steamy swamplands, by 4x4, boat, kayak and on foot.

Not to be confused with neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has a volatile security situation, the Republic of the Congo is a small, safe and stable destination straddling the Equator in Central Africa, with FCDO advice only restricting travel to the country’s far-north Likouala region, which borders the Central African Republic.

Lying in the Congo Basin – the world’s second-largest rainforest after the Amazon – most visitors arrive in Brazzaville, a lively port city on the banks of the Congo River, and spend a day or two touring European and African-inspired architectural icons such as the Basilica of St Anne, browsing the Poto-Poto souvenir market, and learning about the country’s cultural heritage at the National Museum of Congo.

Leaving the capital behind, I board a 12-seater plane for the two-hour ight to the private airstrip of Mboko in the national park, soaring over the vast forest, laid out like broccoli below. More than 60 percent of the country is wilderness, home to a dazzling diversity of species from birds, butter ies and bugs to herds of forest elephants and bu aloes, rare bongo antelopes, spotted hyenas, chimpanzees and groups of critically endangered western lowland gorillas.

‘ e mountain gorillas of Rwanda can attract more than 500,000 tourists each year, but we welcome around just 3,000 visitors annually to Odzala and ROC, so it’s a very unique experience,’ says Kamba’s managing director, Kristina Plattner, whose mother Sabine fell in love with ROC after her rst visit in 2007 and opened the three luxurious but low-impact lodges in 2012.

While Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park protects about 480 mountain gorillas and Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is home to about 400, there are an estimated 25,000 western lowland gorillas roaming Odzala-Kokoua. Smaller and more agile than their mountain-dwelling cousins, with shorter fur and more pronounced brows, Odzala’s gorillas climb trees to seek out fruit, and also eat seeds, bark, roots, invertebrates, and the leaves and shoots of the ubiquitous marantaceae plants, which also o er them protection.

PHOTOS: SCOTT RAMSAY

There are an estimated 25,000 western lowland gorillas in Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo |HOTELS & TRAVEL

‘Our gorilla experience from Ngaga Lodge leads groups of just four guests into the heart of pristine, almost inaccessible jungle, with local trackers who are completely attuned to the ecosystem,’ says Leon, as we set out at dawn to search for the apes. Congolese tracker Gabin sets the pace, using established trails and creating pathways anew with the machete he keeps at his side, intuitively following the gorillas’ calling cards through the forest. Recognising signs that are invisible to our unaccustomed eyes, it takes Gabin just an hour to locate the gorillas: bends in the leaves, broken stems and detached hairs, and nally, the musky smell con rming that we’re close.

In the hot, humid jungle, some may nd the trekking tough. ‘Guests need to be prepared to work a little harder to nd the gorillas in Odzala, but the interactions they have here are like nowhere else on earth,’ says Leon, as we watch the group’s silverback, Jupiter, weighing us up from under a tree, two young males playing rough and tumble in the forest, and recent mother Europa e ortlessly carrying her baby high into the canopy above.

ese close encounters are possible thanks to Dr Magdalena (Magda)

Bermejo and her team, who’ve spent years habituating three gorilla family groups to accept the presence of humans. A Spanish primatologist and world-renowned authority on western lowland gorillas, Bermejo is known as the Dian Fossey of the Congo, using camera traps and AI to understand gorilla behaviours, and assess the impacts of climate change and other environmental factors on their populations.

Along with her videographer and naturalist husband, German Illera, Bermejo works from her research HQ at Ngaga, established with support from Sabine Plattner African Charities, which focuses on communitybased business development. With the help of members from the nearby village of Mbomo, their research has identi ed 250 categories of behaviour, and Kamba’s sustainable tourism model continues to help fund their globally recognised research and conservation, while putting the welfare of the gorillas front and centre.

‘Gorillas are threatened by illegal hunting, habitat loss and climate change. ey are also very susceptible to human diseases, including respiratory issues, so we take great care to make sure the habituated gorilla groups are never put at risk,’ Bermejo says, before we head out on our second trek. ‘We always wear masks when we go to see them and guests must be up to date with any vaccinations, too. We have worked with the gorillas for many years, earning their trust, and I feel a huge responsibility to protect them.’

Masked and maintaining a respectful distance, we spend our last hour

with the gorillas silently observing them foraging for fruit, browsing on leaves and playfully teasing each other with twigs, like testy teenagers. ‘Just by being present in the national park, our guests are helping to protect the apes and spotlight their global importance,’ says Plattner. With so many of Africa’s species sadly under threat, travelling with ethical operators such as Kamba can make us all guardians of the forest.

BOOK IT: Rainbow o ers an eight-night Odzala Discovery itinerary with Kamba African Rainforest Experiences from £14,155pp, including all ights, permits and fees. rainbowtours.co.uk

Lauren’s return ights from LHR to Brazzaville via Paris had a carbon footprint of 1,892kg of CO2e. ecollectivecarbon.com n

Young western lowland gorillas; the main guest area at Ngaga Lodge; a river walk from Lango Lodge

HOUSE RULES

Swap your usual four walls for a fabulous change of scene. A villa holiday gives you the best of both worlds – but where to start? Jemima Sissons has some sage advice

For one opera loving client, it had to be a soprano who could sing arias from Bellini’s La Norma note perfectly, to be performed at their sprawling Catania villa. For another client holidaying in Greece, a request was put out at 11pm to scour the restaurants of Antiparos to nd a speci cally shaped tin so that she could bake a birthday cake in time for her granddaughter’s breakfast. For some, no summer sojourn is complete without the local pizzaiolo coming to whip up a wood- red capriccioso on the last night under starlit skies or the Wimbledon nal being screened in an outdoor cinema alongside ice-cold glasses of cordial made with Amal lemons plucked from estate trees.

For many seeking the perfect villa rental, the requests can be more practical: the direction of wind (hold onto your hats on some of the breezier sides of Mykonos), the security set up and how close the nearest loaf of bread (and beer) can be found. Whatever the desire or need, those who want a seamless stay should have one of the many highly reputable villa companies on speed dial.

First things rst, how to begin picking the dream villa for the week (or much longer, as is the trend, particularly for American vacationers).

‘Start by asking about the location – how close are the nearest amenities. Clarify what is included in the price to avoid unexpected costs. And ask for personal recommendations,’ says Pete Brudenell from CV Villas, who can source everything from the perfect wellness retreat villa in Morocco to rustic boltholes on Portuguese beaches. ‘One common pitfall is not considering public and private transport options

Villa Elvira on Paros, from €29,500 per week with Bright Blue Villas

that suit the speci c needs of the guests, such as non-drivers. Larger villas, while great for groups, are sometimes located in more secluded areas, away from amenities or on hilly terrain, which might not suit everyone. Additionally, customers often assume they are paying for the entire villa, whereas many villas are priced based on occupancy. is pricing structure makes the villas more accessible to smaller groups but can sometimes cause confusion.’

‘We rst ask about the group composition and priorities,’ says Rossella Beaugié founder of inking Traveller. ‘Most complex to organise are big multi-generational trips – the mum who wants a babysitter, teenagers who have to have watersports. Privacy for VIPs is the biggest priority – they want big grounds that are not overlooked.’ Trends she is noticing is a strong desire for wellness elements, from fully kitted out gyms to hammams, as well a surging interest in areas like Noto in Sicily and Paros in Greece. O season travel in May and September when temperatures are slightly cooler is on the rise too. And while those chefs from Michelin-starred establishments have their place, ‘even more valued is the lady from the village who can tell you recipes from generations’.

Some sage advice comes from Natasha Martsekis, CEO and founder at Bright Blue Villas, which has sourced incredible requests from celebrities and royal guests: ‘Stick to villa companies with local expertise and direct access to the owner, so they have negotiating powers, and it’s not done through intermediaries. Always ask for oor plans and orientation. Some homes can be very isolated.’

Boosting the trip with memorable experiences is high on everybody’s lists, from ceramics classes with Puglian duchesses to out of hours vineyard tours. ‘We can manage pretty much any request, within limits,’ adds Rosella.

CV Villas offers Santa Ana in Menorca from £2,566pp (including ﬂights), based on maximum occupancy of 12

Belladonna in Noto, Sicily costs from £5,762 per week with The Thinking Traveller

TAKE THREE

Book a home-from-home holiday

MONTE DA PALMEIRA, Algarve, Portugal

is is a ‘love at rst sight’ house. A place so full of charm that days are soon spent plotting how to stay longer or even never leave. It is not particularly big; three bedrooms, en-suite with deep pink marble bathrooms, in the main house, with one study/child’s room and a separate one-bedroom cottage on the other side of the pool. But it feels big because it brims throughout with generosity. Bedrooms are spacious, with dressing rooms and outside terraces, from where you can sip your co ee at sunrise as birds chatter, an uninterrupted landscape of hills and vineyards around you. Dining is as much about where as what. In winter you could have a cosy supper by the log re; in summer you could breakfast outside under the orange trees on small round tables, lunch down by the pool on one long, shaded table and dine upstairs, on the marble slab set under a roof of wisteria. Between meals of the freshest of sh and seafood, prepared by local chefs if you wish, laze in the large pool, leafy plants on all sides, gazing up at the terracotta roof tower outlined against the blue skies. BOOK IT: Doubles from £390pp if sleeping nine. montedapalmeira.com

PALAZZO NELLE, Tuscany, Italy

is villa operator is big on historical properties, and opts for characterful, family-run properties – which Palazzo Nelle has oodles of. It’s essentially a wing of an enormous manor overlooking classic Chianti countryside, with a pool, rambling olive groves and a sprawling terrace shaded by 500-year-old trees, strung with twinkling lights. Inside is lled with antiques, frescoes and oil paintings, and there are three traditional bedrooms to choose from in the main house, including a two-bedroom apartment on the rst oor and a bedroom with mezzanine on the ground oor. Giuseppe and Rosanna are your hosts; they live on-site and can do everything from whizz up scrumptious Tuscan feasts to booking restaurants and organising city tours in Florence or Siena. Matteo, their son, is on hand for local wine- and olive-oil-tastings – perfect on a balmy Tuscan night on the terrace, with views over the vineyards. BOOK IT: From £7,747 for seven nights. Sleeps ten. tuscanynowandmore.com

ROYAL HIDEAWAY CORALES VILLAS, Tenerife

Nestled on Tenerife’s sun-soaked Costa Adeje, Royal Hideaway Corales Villas o ers an elegant villa experience escape but with the all-round facilities of a top- ight resort. Designed by the renowned architect Leonardo Omar, the aesthetic is e ortlessly sophisticated – think crisp white façades, expansive glass panels, and interiors that blend natural textures with sleek, modern lines. Each villa comes with its own private pool and terrace, providing uninterrupted Atlantic views and a sense of complete privacy. e atmosphere is serene, yet the service is warm and attentive, ensuring a seamless stay from start to nish. Food is a real highlight here, with a strong focus on local and seasonal ingredients. e resort boasts several exceptional places to eat, including Crater, where traditional Canarian avours and fresh seafood are reimagined with modern air. For something more relaxed, Bon re utilises ancestral techniques of re, wood and smoke to o er charred meats, and ame-kissed vegetables infused with deep, aromatic avours. Beyond the resort, guests can explore nearby beaches, take a boat trip to spot dolphins, or venture to Mount Teide for breathtaking volcanic landscapes.

BOOK IT: ree-bed villas from €550 per night. barcelo.com n

MAKING MEMORIES

Discover perfect independent stays for the whole family with PoB Hotels

Precious holiday memories: ice-creams devoured on a sandy beach, muddy boots kicked off after a day spent exploring through rugged countryside, the whole family piling through the hotel lobby – ready to do it all again the next day. And while the perfect family holiday is not all about the location, PoB Hotels has the nous to identify the best independent stays for families. Whether it’s a countryside adventure, coastal retreat, or cultured city escape, there’s a hotel adventure waiting for every member of your tribe.

COUNTRYSIDE & COASTAL RETREATS

Trek rolling valleys and discover ﬂora and fauna. Or get sand between the toes on pretty shorelines. Here’s where to stay:

Stay in Devon’s pretty Dartmoor National Park with Bovey Castle. This hotel is catnip for littler ones – for starters, they’ll be staying in an actual castle, and they can try their hand at anything from falconry and archery to meeting the ferrets; the youngest of your clan will be busy all day.

Seaside escapes don’t get better than Cornish gem The Headland Hotel & Spawhere surﬁng, rock pooling, and oceanfront relaxation await. In the same county, The Nare offers an intimate coastal retreat with private beach access and spectacular sea views.

CULTURE & CITY DISCOVERIES

Museums, musicals, and so much more – city stays promise formative fun for the young ones (and you’re never too far from a top-notch bar for a post-bedtime date).

The Hari is situated in Belgravia, steps from Hyde Park – where kids can paddle on pedalos – and just an arm’s length from Harrods. Fussy eaters fear not: the restaurant has a special children’s menu – providing perfect fuel for seeing all of the city’s top attractions.

Children under three stay for free at Bath’s Homewood Hotel & Spa. This elegant Georgian hotel has a sun-drenched outdoor heated pool and pretty gardens,combining the joys of a countryside retreat with proximity to the nearby Roman baths and literary sights.

DISCOVER

PoB Hotels has been curating the best in independent British hotels since 1982. Explore its collection of familyfriendly hotels and start planning your next unforgettable family adventure at pobhotels.com.

FROM ABOVE: Let the little ones discover fauna and ﬂora; afternoon tea time is sure to please all generations; whether it’s outdoor activities or somewhere cosy to read, PoB Hotel’s family collection have a hotel for you

The Wildist

Arrive at any Soneva resort, and your shoes will be con scated, slipped into a bag labelled ‘no news no shoes’, and you will be invited to walk, cycle and reap the grounding bene ts of being unashamedly without shoes for your entire stay. is is true barefoot luxe and the most comfortable I have felt at a ve-star tropical island resort. Walking the wooden jetties to and from my stilted house over the translucent waters at both Soneva Jani and Soneva Fushi is a joy. I’m ever hopeful of spotting precious baby sharks chasing shoals and stingrays playing in the shallows. Wandering between lush mangroves encasing treetop wellness rooms, the occasional wild rabbit hops across my dusty path. is is a place to feel at home in nature. I am here for Soneva Soul, a retreat and health summit featuring panel discussions with globally renowned thought leaders and speakers. With

toes in the sand, we listen and learn from speakers including oncologist Dr Nasha Winters, who shares her metabolic approach to cancer and Jamie Wheal, founder of the Flow Genome Project o ering leadership and performance training. My experience is transformational in many ways – but a memorable treetop sound bath led by two very special souls remains a highlight. A belly-deep gong powerfully vibrates through everything in its wake and I am immediately transported as though leaving my body and up, up, up into the air. From there, I appear to watch the gong’s momentous waves ripple and reach, racing like liquid mercury to ll dark caves and tidal caverns. I smile often, unable to keep the creases at the corner of my mouth straight. e feeling of restoration is powerful.

Soneva Soul ,9-13 October 2025 (soneva.com)

Fee Drummond ﬁnds sanctuary at the Soneva Soul festival in the Maldives

SANCTUM ON A SANDBAR

Jumping on a boat as dawn breaks, we are deposited on a secret sandbar to let loose our minds, bodies and spirits during a Sanctum class with Luuk Melisse. He is the co-founder of this fusion practice of fitness and holistic wellbeing that has swept London recently. The energy and vulnerability of Luuk’s leadership throughout this energetic class is one of my favourite experiences here.

ENCOUNTER WITH AN OCEAN SOUL

A turtle and I embark on an extraordinarily poignant experience, floating together for 45 minutes with just inches between us. The current guides us, as we eyeball one another along the reef. I mirror his gentle glide, joining him as he comes up for air. I eventually bid goodbye when I realise how far away I am. This moment with an old ocean soul will never leave me.

ICE BATHS & BREATH WORK

So used to my cold-water sea swims at home on the blustery British south coast, the idea of an ice bath in the tropics seems balmy. After intense breath work led by Marcel Hof, whose lilting Nordic voice reassuringly echoes his famous brother Wim’s, we are led to the baths, completing our cellular reset as a group, witnessing each other through the biochemical highs and lows that come with breath and hot-cold therapy.

SUSHI SUBLIME

WILD STYLE EDIT

From scrunchable hats to barely there sandals

1 Lack of Color Raffia cowboy hat, £126. uk.lackofcolor.com

Japanese Chef Akira – who has three 3-star restaurants around the world – meticulously leads us on the most exquisite sushi journey. We savour delicacies and considered cuts of fish and find ourselves mesmerised by his art and precision, chef’s clogs clacking on the floor amid the sounds of the waves.

2 Sweet Bee Sweet Sleep Magnesium Butter, £26.99. sweetbeeorganics.co.uk

3 Eres Effigie one-shoulder onepiece, £405. eresparis.com

4 Pai British Summer Time™ SPF 30, £39. paiskincare.com

5 Amanu Senegal leather sandals, £325. mytheresa.com n

HORSE SAFARI IN THE SURREAL NAMIB DESERT

e greatest wealth comes from meaningful experiences. Never a more accurate phrase from travel specialists Explorations Company, who have been curating unforgettable journeys – from heliskiing in Patagonia to road trips through Antarctica – for more than three decades. e group’s latest o ering takes place in Namibia, where up to 12 people can travel on horseback through the vast and surreal landscapes of the Namib Desert. Starting in Windhoek, the ten-night safari takes riders through the towering dunes of Sossusvlei, along the foothills of the Naukluft Mountains, and crosses the dramatic Gaub and Kuiseb Canyons before leading to the Atlantic coastline. explorationscompany.com

The ESCAPIST

Lauren Ho has the latest feel-good travel news

BALI’S NEAR ZERO-WASTE HOTEL

It’s true that travel and sustainability don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand. But it only takes one person to make a di erence, and ever since it rst opened its doors in 2019, Desa Potato Head has been leading the pack, merging its cool beach club resort vibes with a serious sustainability programme. Located on the shores of Bali’s Petitenget Beach, the creative village – which unfolds through a 226-room hotel, multiple restaurants, and spa facilities – is not just a place to stay. It aims to tackle waste management across Bali’s hospitality industry. Following a full audit by local environmental consultancy, EcoMantra, it seems e ort yields rewards, with the resort achieving 0.5 percent zero waste – down from 2.5 percent last year – and setting the benchmark for regenerative hospitality. seminyak.potatohead.co

PRIORITISING FEMALE SAFETY

From the moment we begin researching our trips to how it can professionally streamline operations and enhance customer service, it’s no secret that AI innovation is rede ning how we travel. e latest to tap into this is Plotpackers, a female-founded tour operator that has invested in Epowar, a personal safety app that uses AI and wearable technology to detect distress, sound alarms and notify contacts. Whether it’s climbing Mount Kilimanjaro or trekking through the jungles of Costa Rica, Plotpackers’ itineraries put female safety and solo travel front and centre, alongside sustainability and accessibility. plotpackers.com

HOTELS &TRAVEL

SECRET ATLAS GETS INTIMATE WITH MICRO CRUISING

With typically around 200 passengers or so, expedition cruises are a great and intimate way to experience remote and often inaccessible destinations, such as Antarctica and the Falkland Islands, with a focus on landscapes and wildlife. Stepping up the luxe factor, British expedition cruise company Secret Atlas believes the best way to experience the polar regions is on a micro cruise, voyages hosted on purpose-built expedition vessels that accommodate just 12 people. With a series of zodiac landing crafts and two guides, you not only get to navigate smaller spaces, bringing you closer to glaciers and wildlife, but the experience is richer, less hurried and accompanied by like-minded people. Due to their compact size, micro cruise ships create less disturbance to the wildlife and have lower emissions, plus Secret Atlas o sets all its emissions by funding tree planting in the Arctic with its partner, Greenland Trees. secretatlas.com

TRAVEL TO TAP INTO OUR INNER FEELINGS

Why do we travel? e simple answer, according to luxury travel company Black Tomato, is because we need to feel something that we can’t nd in our everyday lives. It’s true that when we embark on a trip, our emotions are intensi ed. ‘Our clients may not know where they want to go but always know how they want to feel,’ company’s co-founder Tom Marchant says. And so, stepping things up as always, the British brand is encouraging us to tap into our inner selves with the launch of e Pursuit of Feeling, a new platform with an emotion-driven approach to travel. To start, over 100 curated experiences are accessible through a micro-site, while ve new journeys – that have been created around the emotions of feeling Revitalised, Freed, Distracted, Challenged, and Content – have been released. ere is also a new podcast series, where leaders from the culinary world to art discuss how their travel experiences have shaped their lives. blacktomato.com

THREE HOT NEW OPENINGS

SIR DEVONSHIRE SQUARE, London, UK

Since its first opening in Amsterdam with Sir Adam nearly 12 years ago, Sir Hotels has expanded across Europe – from Berlin to Barcelona. Known for its locally inspired designs in interesting neighbourhoods, its latest opening is in London. Located in the City, within the charming brick courtyard of Devonshire Square, the 81-room hotel is steps away from Spitalfields Market and the eclectic energy of Shoreditch. In other words, after a day walking the streets of London, it’s the perfect base to return to, thanks to its buzzing restaurant and bar, a private members’ club, as well as a gym, yoga studio and a shop with local products that reflect London’s diversity. sirhotels.com

CAPELLA TAIPEI, Taipei, Taiwan

Even though its Singapore property, which opened in 2009, was a local favourite, it was only when the group opened its second hotel in Shanghai 14 years later that things really started to take off. Its latest in Taipei marks the group’s eighth hotel, with a further eight due to open in the next three years. Located along vibrant Dunhua North Road, the 86-room property is the work of Hong Kong designer André Fu, whose timeless and reﬁned aesthetic blends quietly with the Capella group’s ethos. Unfolding over four restaurants, a handful of bars, and a tranquil spa, this new opening is set to transform the Taiwanese capital’s luxury hotel scene. capellahotels.com

Paris, France

In a full circle moment, the Experimental Group has returned to Paris with the launch of its ﬂagship property in the vibrant Marais. The hotel is the work of local designer Tristan Auer, who transformed the existing property into a 43-room urban sanctuary layered with neo-Gothic interiors inspired by the history and culture of the Parisian district, grand arches, stained glass windows and bold architectural lines. There’s a spa developed with skincare brand Susanne Kaufmann, a Roman bath, and the 100-seat Temple & Chapon helmed by French chef Mélanie Serre, who serves up classics such as T-Bone steaks and grilled seafood alongside Experimental’s signature cocktails. experimentalmarais.com n

HOTEL EXPERIMENTAL MARAIS,

GOLF Special

SWING!

Designed by Kim Jones, Dior is seriously elevating golf style

SWING OUT SISTER!

From catwalk to fairway? These brands are elevating golfwear to new sartorial heights

Trousers or shorts and a polo shirt?

Fairway fashion has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years with more versatile clothing for players to wear both on and off the course. Functionality and comfort come to the fore with our favourite design houses that allow you to step onto the green in style.

GLENMUIR

Established in Lanarkshire in 1891, Glenmuir has knitted the Ryder Cup team together since Europe’s ﬁrst famous victory on US soil in 1987. It has also diversiﬁed with a range of women’s clothing worn by players and celebrities alike, from LPGA winner Gemma Dryburgh to TV presenter Clare Balding. Connie v-neck cable front cotton sweater, £90. glenmuir.com

VARLEY

Walter knit jacket, £158, Fritton performance tank, £70, and Clarendon 2.0 high-rise skort, £72. uk.varley.com

LULU LEMON

RLX RALPH LAUREN Performance polo-collar jumper, £229, and pleated straight-leg trousers, £349. ralphlauren.co.uk

TORY BURCH

Heavy French terry logo crewneck, £250, and jacquard performance jersey pleated overlay skirt, £195. toryburch.com

Wrap-front midrise golf skirt, £88. lululemon.co.uk

J.LINDEBERG

Joanna knitted cardigan, £160, Asa soft compression top, £75, and Naomi skirt, £130. jlindeberg.com

GALVIN GREEN

The Swedish luxury golf brand – granted a Sustainability in Sport award in 2021 –specialises in high-performance, multi-layer clothing that suits the British climate. This Amy jacket is unfussy and offers plenty of freedom when you swing. £319, galvingreen.com

THE GREAT ESTATE

Les Bordes Estate oﬀers golfers two of the ﬁnest courses in Europe and the region’s most exclusive homes with Six Senses Residences Loire Valley

The world-class courses at Les Bordes Estate in France remain two of golf’s best-kept secrets. The famed Old Course, widely considered Robert Von Hagge’s masterpiece, has ranked among Europe’s top three for over 30 years.

The par-72, tree-lined layout weaves around scenic lakes, contrasting with the heathlandstyle New Course by Gil Hanse (designer of the Rio Olympics course), which has been rated among Golf Magazine’s top 100 courses worldwide.

Golf is just one of many pursuits available at Les Bordes, 90 minutes south of Paris. Sitting within the haven of the Sologne Forest, part of the Unesco World Heritage Site of the Loire Valley, the prestigious country address has long been recognised as one of the most exclusive in France.

A retreat from urban life, the 1,400-acre estate includes a wealth of outdoor pursuits and eco-conscious facilities. Residents and guests can choose from a wide variety of activities, including tennis and padel courts, a ﬁshing lake, a white sand beach and forest cycle tracks. The latest addition is a new equestrian centre, run in partnership with double British Olympic gold-winning showjumper, Scott Brash. Also on the estate, Les Bordes’ 15th-century priory will soon be renovated to become Le Village, a relaxing social hub for the estate’s members. A kids club run by Worldwide Kids is also on hand to help entertain the children.

Les Bordes’ next chapter sees the arrival of a new 50-key Six Senses hotel, 18,000sq/ ft Six Senses Spa and 52 branded Six Senses Residences Loire Valley. Those looking for the ultimate French escape can choose from three- to seven-bedroom homes, each with their own private pool. Owners will enjoy full access to the amenities and services of a Six Senses hotel and spa, and may also have the opportunity to place their home in the Six Senses hotel-run rental program while not in residence (conditions apply). Sales are now open, with prices starting from €2,890,000.

Alternatively, buyers can explore Les Bordes’ Cour du Baron villas, which are ready to move into. Designed by Michaelis Boyd architects, known for their work with Soho House, each of the spacious properties reﬂects the charm of the traditional French countryside, featuring stone tiles, vaulted ceilings and exposed beams. Prices start from €1,900,000. A number of estate lots are also available for those wishing to build a bespoke home nestled in nature.

Normally reserved for members and residents, Les Bordes is opening its gates for a limited time, in conjunction with the launch of Six Senses Residences, to give people the unique opportunity to sample life on the Estate.

For further information or to apply to stay please visit lesbordes.com/oial

FROM ABOVE: The stunning golf course at Les Bordes; a Six Senses Loire Valley property; dine at the estate’s chateau; Scott Brash runs the new equestrian centre

GOLF LIKE THE GODS

Famous for the Olympics, beautiful islands and a fascinating history and culture, Greece is now making a name for itself in a diﬀerent arena

Ask yourself the question ‘what is Greece is famous for?’, and there’s a good chance the Olympics, the Greek Gods, its breathtaking islands and fascinating ancient history and culture will feature among the answers.

It’s also a fair bet that a sizeable percentage of the UK population will be jetting off in the Greece’s direction over the coming months for a Mediterranean break under cloudless sunny skies.

But did you know that, among this group of holidaymakers, there will be a growing number of people who will set sail for Greece not to laze on one of its many sandy beaches or by a pool but, instead, to experience the many delights of Costa Navarino – a world-class golf destination.

‘Golf, you’re kidding me?’ we hear you say, but what started out as the ambitious vision of one man is now a glorious reality and Costa Navarino fully deserves its growing reputation among the world’s premier modern golf developments.

The lifelong dream of ship owner and keen environmentalist Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos to create a sustainable tourism destination in his home region of Messinia, Costa Navarino was unveiled to the golﬁng world in 2010 and has come a long way in a very short time. As well as being named ‘World’s Best Golf Venue’ at last year’s World Golf Awards, Costa Navarino has also been ranked number one in the last two editions of Golf World’s industry-leading ‘Top 100 Resorts in Continental Europe’ list.

It is, however, far more than a resort: it is a destination with a choice of four signature 18-hole golf courses, four ﬁve-star luxury hotels and private residences, not to mention the available array of sports, leisure, gastronomic and cultural experiences. Add

Mouratoglou Tennis Centre at Costa Navarino

The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort

The Bay Course

everything up, and it’s easy to see why golfers have headed in increasing numbers to Greece’s southwest Peloponnese to see for themselves what the fuss is all about.

Costa Navarino’s four signature courses consist of The Dunes Course, The Bay Course and two courses at Navarino Hills, the International Olympic Academy Golf Course and The Hills Course, both designed by two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal.

Situated within a maximum distance of 13km, each golf course at Costa Navarino offers a different and enjoyable challenge. Built using the best sustainable practices and GEO certiﬁed, all are equally memorable in their own right – from the technical demands of The Dunes Course and dramatic backdrops of The Bay Course to the challenges set by the two layouts at Navarino Hills, which opened in 2022 and are perched high above the historic bay of Navarino.

Away from golf, the abundance of facilities and activities include 17 state-of-the-art courts at the Mouratoglou Tennis Centre, where guests can choose from tennis, padel and pickleball at the ﬁrst facility of its kind outside France; the new watersports centre offers a wide range of water sports such as windsurﬁng and waterskiing, as well as kayaks and SUPs; and the NBA Basketball School covers on-court training, skill development and basketball education for all levels. You can also discover the great outdoors through cycling and hiking.

Guests can choose from four ﬁve-star hotels at Costa Navarino: The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, is ideal for couples seeking a distinctive luxury holiday; The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino is the perfect choice for families and has unveiled a renewed look with re-designed accommodation, revitalised popular spaces and a new lap pool; while the adult-friendly W Costa Navarino is ideal

COSTA NAVARINO FULLY DESERVES ITS GROWING REPUTATION AMONG THE WORLD’S PREMIER MODERN GOLF DEVELOPMENTS

for those seeking a chilled and relaxing holiday in a vibrant, chic beachfront setting. Finally, there is the Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino, where guests can enjoy the ultra-luxury experience. The nearby Navarino Agora is open to guests and locals and is a hub of gastronomy and shopping, alongside cultural events which showcase the region’s heritage.

Getting to the destination from the UK has never been easier, with new and expanded ﬂight services from the likes of Heathrow, Manchester and Bristol over the coming months making this idyllic corner of Greece an increasingly attractive proposition to live.

Costa Navarino Residences feature a collection of luxury villas for private ownership, developed in the most privileged locations in terms of privacy and views, within the multi-awarded Navarino Dunes resort.

The villas are offered off-plan with extensive customisation options, or ‘turn-key’ within a framework to ensure harmony of the built and natural environment, governed by comprehensive design guidelines and operating regulations that safeguard the interests of all owners. Residence owners will enjoy privileged access to all resort services, sports facilities, golf courses and events as well as exclusive beneﬁts available only to them.

Moreover, those seeking to immerse into the home-owner experience of Costa Navarino Residences can select from a range of luxury villas available to rent, whilst enjoying all the facilities and services the destination has to offer through Villa Rental Collection.

costanavarino.com

Pool time at the W

Costa Navarino Villa Rentals

The Hills Course

GREEN HORIZONS

Jeremy Taylor pinpoints the must-play courses in 2025, from Texas to Tasmania

Just how many golf courses are there? Latest ﬁgures suggest about 40,000, with some 9,000 in Europe and 3,000 in the UK alone. The world record for the most played by one person is 580 18-hole courses in 365 days – but which ones should be on your visit list?

1 JACK NICKLAUS HERITAGE COURSE, Bahamas

A sensational links course bathed in sunshine for much of the year. Bordering sandy beaches and dramatic cliffs, the new Heritage Course at Jack’s Bay private club is located on the stunning island of Eleuthera. The world’s ﬁrst Jack Nicklaus Heritage Championship Course has been created by the legendary American golfer and course designer to challenge players of all levels. jacksbayclub.com

2

BARNBOUGLE DUNES, Tasmania

Created by sought-after designer Tom Doak in collaboration with Mike Clayton, the holes route through sand dunes just east of Pipers River on a pristine stretch of coastline near Bridport. Even for Tasmanians, just travelling to this remote 18-hole links course is a challenge. The rewards include voluptuous dunes, sandy waste and breathtaking views. Weather is best described as ‘variable’ so dress accordingly. barnbougle.com.au

SHURA LINKS, Saudi Arabia

Designing a golf course from scratch included creating a new land mass in the Red Sea for this venue. Shura Island is off the coast of Saudi, connected to the mainland by a two-mile causeway. While ﬁnding sand for the bunkers wasn’t an issue, the country’s ﬁrst 18-hole island course also includes 11 new hotels and resorts, luxury villas and sustainable green spaces. The par 72 measures out at a championship length of 7,500 yards and offers players year-round sunshine. redseaglobal.com

OLD PETTY AT CABOT HIGHLANDS, Scotland

Another incredible Tom Doak design, this epic links course follows the shores of a tidal estuary, close to 400-year-old Castle Stuart. Designed to celebrate the history of Inverness, golfers play alongside Old Petty Church, a landmark property in the region. The opening and closing holes have criss-crossing fairways and the whole course has been built in harmony with the natural surroundings. Golfers can walk the course from August, with a grand opening next spring. cabothighlands.com

THE COVEY AT BIG EASY RANCH, Texas

Everything in Texas is big and this Chet Williams-designed course stretches a massive 7,511-yards. The new 18-hole championship offering complements an existing nine-hole course and takes full advantage of the rolling Texas terrain. Built as part of a 2,000-acre hunting reserve 75-miles west of Houston, some of the most challenging holes offer up to 60ft of elevation change and cut through dry creek beds and pine forest. bigeasyranch.com

A LANDMARK INVESTMENT

DREAM LOCATION TO BUILD A DREAM HOME

North Grove offers the opportunity to build your very own residence in Europe’s most prestigious destination, Quinta do Lago. With 13 exclusive golf-front plots overlooking the North Course and surrounded by pine grove views, this is a rare chance to design a bespoke villa with no architectural limitations. Whether your vision is contemporary or traditional, these private homes will guarantee unmatched tranquillity with seamless access to the resort’s world-class amenities. Available exclusively through Quinta do Lago Real Estate.

T: +351 289 392 754

E: northgrove@quintadolago.com

quintadolago.com/northgrove

STAY THE COURSE

Jeremy Taylor handpicks the best places to tee-oﬀ and stay over this summer

P1

lanning a tour of top courses is a bucket-list adventure for golfers. Whether you fancy a coast-hugging links course with windswept greens and dramatic scenery, or a famous championship club with history to match, here are our favourite golﬁng venues to visit and stay in the lap of luxury.

W Hotel, Costa Navarino, Greece

Four 18-hole courses in one idyllic, sun-soaked location, Costa Navarino is a world-class golﬁng experience. The Dunes, set in diverse natural landscape with incredible sea views, is designed by two-time US Masters champion Bernhard Langer, while the other challenging links-style courses are played along the stunning Bay of Navarino. The ﬁrst W hotel in Greece (welcoming guests aged 12 and above) is a modern take on a traditional Greek village stretching along 450m of the Ionian Sea shore offering contemporary chic design using local materials, lagoon pools, beachfront suites – and plenty of vibrant nightlife. costanavarino.com

2 Bengaluru Prestige, India

For golfers in need of restful meditation to improve their swing before a round, this Marriott resort and spa is set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Nandi Hills. Man-made and modern, the hotel is family-friendly, with plenty to occupy young minds while you play a round of the 18-hole course. Half-an-hour’s drive from Kempegowda International Airport, the fairways are routed around lakes and clusters of guest mansions. The complex sits on a 275-acre property – highlights include an outdoor cinema, sunset boat rides, kiteﬂying and hikes in the surrounding hills. Known as the jewel in the crown of Bangalore, India’s Silicon Valley, the Bengaluru is one of the ﬁnest hotel golf resorts in South Asia. marriott.com

3 Mission Hills, Shenzhen, China

Anyone hoping to tee-off at one of the biggest golf resorts in the world will need to travel to southern China. Mission Hills boasts an incredible 12 courses, ﬁve-star luxury accommodation and sporting facilities to rival a top-ﬂight soccer club. Guests have use of two outdoor pools, a fully equipped gym and a gigantic, state-of-the-art spa. Choose from seven restaurants – Sunrise café has a wonderful view; Mountain Café overlooks the putting green of the World Cup course. A self-contained destination for golf enthusiasts, Blackstone should be your pick of the courses to play. Fairways cut through jungle vegetation and black rock lava; it’s the centrepiece of the resort. missionhillschina.com

4

Rusacks St Andrews, Scotland

St Andrews is where golf began. The Old Course is considered the oldest in the world, affectionately known as the Grand Old Lady. Players from the around the world ﬂock to the home of golf, a veritable playground for those interested in the sport. Rusacks oozes 18thcentury charm and offers commanding views over the fairways. Upmarket but casual, the bedrooms have been updated in recent years, with themed antiques to inspire any player. The 18 rooftop restaurant is a destination in itself, with a putting practice hole on the high-rise terrace. Room 116 is not a bedroom but an exclusive whisky lounge overlooking the 18th hole and available for private hire. Enjoy a curated collection of drams, including rare archive casks, while soaking up the ﬁnest view in golf from the balcony. marineandlawn.com

5 Michlifen Resort, Morocco

The rugged terrain of the Atlas Mountains is the setting for this ﬁve-star, chalet-like resort swathed in 100-year-old cedar trees and evergreen oak. The ﬁrst championship course in North Africa designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus, it takes players through mountain woodland and along cliffdrops. Michlifen offers extensive facilities, including a feature stone and wood clubhouse that complements the beautiful natural surroundings, which peak at 1,650m and provide an epic backdrop. Accommodation includes 70 air-conditioned rooms and suites, each one with a balcony overlooking the swimming pool or forest. michlifen.com

FLEETWOOD HAS SEVEN EUROPEAN TOUR WINS UNDER HIS BELT BUT IT WAS SECURING THE VITAL WINNING POINT AT THE RYDER CUP THAT ENDEARED HIM TO MILLIONS OF FANS

Tommy Fleetwood has his sights set on winning a major this summer

TFLEETWOOD’S FLAIR

Jeremy Taylor meets Tommy Fleetwood, Ryder Cup hero, Olympic silver medallist and one of golf’s brightest stars

ommy Fleetwood isn’t one to argue with the old adage that behind every successful man is a woman. The player who clinched the last Ryder Cup for Europe attributes much of his success to his wife of eight years – Clare – who also happens to be his manager.

Born in Southport, Fleetwood enjoyed a successful amateur career before turning pro in 2010, joining the lucrative European Tour two years later. With ofﬁcial prize money now totalling more than £20m, the 34-year-old is also a favourite with fans for his downto-earth and approachable character.

Fleetwood was just a name on Clare’s agency list of young players to watch when she first met her future husband, at a tournament in Italy over a decade ago. At first, the pair were just friends, travelling back and forth on the same flights to international golf tournaments.

‘I rightly thought she didn’t have any interest in me, so it was a couple of years before anything happened,’ he says. ‘When we ﬁnally kissed it really freaked Clare out. Any hope of a romance disappeared for a while. There was a strong connection but as she was my manager by that stage, our relationship focused on golf. We both tried to keep things professional but it just didn’t work out that way.’

The pair were married in 2017 and split their time between homes in Dubai and Cheshire. They have a boy called Frankie, while Fleetwood is also stepfather to Clare’s sons from a previous marriage, Oscar and Mo.

Twenty-three years his senior, Clare says Fleetwood broke all her golden rules. ‘Never mix business with pleasure, don’t go out with a much younger man, no more children. And deﬁnitely no dogs!’ He was the cheeky, ﬂirty northern lad who made her laugh. ‘The last thing on my mind was a relationship.’

Clare now manages one of golf’s hottest talents. After a career best third at the US Masters in Augusta last April, Fleetwood followed up with a silver medal at the Paris Olympics. He has seven European Tour wins under his belt – but it was securing the vital winning point at the Ryder Cup back in 2023 that endeared him to millions of golf fans.

Oscar was on the 17th green when his stepdad won the hole. As the pair hugged, both were seen sobbing on TV. ‘I have personal ambitions and dreams, like winning my ﬁrst major, but I also want to motivate and inspire our children.’

Next on the list of major tournaments for Fleetwood will be the PGA Championship in North Carolina this May, followed by the US Open in June, then the oldest of golf’s major events – the British Open, this year held in Northern Ireland in July. Finally, there’s the small matter of trying to retain the Ryder Cup in the US in September.

‘Sometimes all the family travel with me to events and we often get comments on what an amazing family unit we are. Just to have the relationship with Oscar and Mo is unbelievably cool. When we are all together I feel complete,’ Fleetwood says.

FLEETWOOD FACTS

1Fleetwood’s caddie, Ian Finnis, was also the best man at his wedding in 2017

He has been part of a winning Ryder Cup team twice – the ﬁrst time at the 2018 event when he won four points from ﬁve matches

He is an avid supporter of Everton football club but sometimes plays golf with Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City

Together with his father, Pete, Tommy would sneak on to the Royal Birkdale course at Southport to play when he was a child

Clare says her husband is a wonderful dad. ‘Both our older boys play golf with him. Frankie is showing early promise, too. I’m incredibly proud of Tommy. He’s genuinely the best person I have ever met and I am so lucky to share my life with him, and for the boys to have him as a role model.’

And did they get a dog? ‘Clare’s nickname is Yogi Bear, so the cockapoo’s called Yogi,’ Fleetwood says, ‘Of course, as soon as we got her, Clare fell in love with her.’

Tommy Fleetwood is a partner of BMW and ambassador for TAG Heuer and DP World Global n

MAGICAL MONTENEGRO!

Year-round sunshine, stunning waterfront views and Montenegro’s ﬁrst 18-hole golf course – emerging town Luštica Bay is a breathtaking destination to thrill discerning travellers and golfers alike.

Set between the sparkling waters of the Med and the magnificent, Unescoprotected mountains of Boka Bay, Luštica Bay is an elevated property investment opportunity which offers visitors an exquisite place to belong.

Attracting over 450 families from more than 50 countries, Luštica Bay will eventually become home to more than 6,000 residents. This vibrant town-in-the-making will comprise of over 3,000 apartments, 300 luxurious sea-view villas, and seven hotels, including the renowned hotel, The Chedi.

Exceptional restaurants, shopping and entertainment activities add to the appeal, while Luštica Bay also hosts an array of prestigious events from sailing regattas and beachfront wellness, to open-air concerts and curated culinary experiences.

The first green field investment in Montenegro, Lu š tica Bay represents a £1.25bn investment, with built-in infrastructure valued at £125m, including a three-mile coastal path.

Of its four neighbourhoods, Marina Village, a ﬂagship part of the project, is in

its final stages. Centrale is the newly emerging urban hub, while Horizon is a private community inspired by Mediterranean villages.

The Peaks neighbourhood, however, is where golf lovers should flock: indulging in the global trend for opulent living and golﬁng destinations, it includes a collection of elevated residential homes and a championship course designed by the worldrenowned Gary Player, which will be completed in 2028.

Spanning an impressive 212 acres, the golf course stretches 6,519m in length and offers a par 72 challenge. Dramatic elevation changes are evident in its altitude range, with the lowest hole at 130m above sea level, and the highest reaching 310m. This provides varied play and stunning vistas – indeed Luštica Bay is part of the elite 10 percent of golf courses globally that offers sea views from every single hole.

Player, the winner of nine major championships, took the first, symbolic swing on the course last summer, stating: ‘The property’s natural beauty is extraordinary, with its rugged terrain, diverse wildlife, and Adriatic Sea views. Its development has demanded innovative solutions but also unparalleled opportunities, enabling us to create a course that will offer golfers a truly unique journey. It is with great pride that we’re expanding the game of golf to Montenegro. If I could have a house or a villa on any golf course in the world, this would be my place.’

Crafted to complement the landscape, The Peaks showcases authentic Mediterranean architecture, seamlessly integrating with the destination’s vibrant colours and textures.

Botanika is the ﬁrst completed residential district at The Peaks, featuring villas, townhouses, and apartments, co-designed by internationally acclaimed architects Block 722 and local firm NRA Atelier. Refined outdoor spaces include private pools, landscaped terraces and breathtaking views of the sea and mountains.

With three international airports putting you within three hours’ reach of most European hubs, The Peaks offers a standout opportunity in the European real estate investment landscape. Luxury properties start at £618,000, with a down payment of just 20 percent and zero interest. For more information visit lusticabay.com

Lustica Bay offers an unparalleled location

FROM ABOVE: The Peaks offer high-end amenities, carefully crafted design and an indoor-outdoor living concept; the Gary Player designed golf course

HOME FOR TEE

Martha Davies on hot properties near the greatest golf courses

The Links, St Andrews, £7.25m

You can’t get much closer to the famous St Andrews Links golf course than this handsome townhouse. Inside, you’ll ﬁnd three bedrooms, three bathrooms and even a two-car garage. knightfrank.co.uk

2 Antognolla, Tuscany, £POA

This country club and 18-hole course is set to be joined by Six Senses Residences – the only brand of luxury residences in Umbria – which offer modern design paired with world-class facilities . antognolla.com

3 Swinley Road, Ascot, £3m

Dating back to the 1930s, this seven-bedroom family home is ideally located near three golﬁng hotspots: Sunningdale, Wentworth and The Berkshire. You’ll be spoilt for choice. johndwood.co.uk

4 Les Bordes Estate, France, from €2.65m

While the 1,400-acre Les Bordes Estate already boasts a magniﬁcent country club and golf course, it’s also home to a collection of Six Senses Residences, too. lesbordesestate.com

5 Quinta do Lago, Portugal, from €3.5m

Quinta do Lago’s new North Grove plots offer an exclusive opportunity to live in one of the resort’s most coveted areas: directly facing the North golf course. quintadolago.com

DRIVING HOME

Houses in sought-after golf communities oﬀer so much more than golf, says Anna Tyzack

Golf is just one of the reasons celebrities such as Hugh Grant choose to own a home in La Zagaleta in southern Spain. The exclusive Andalusian community is on a 900-hectare former hunting estate, and features a sports and equestrian centres, as well as two esteemed golf courses. Beyond the gates, the coast at Marbella is just ten minutes and the white-washed town of Benahavís, the gastronomic capital of the Costa del Sol, is a short drive into the hills.

‘The best golf communities are places to unplug and spend time with loved ones,’ says Jules Cowan-Dewar, CMO of Cabot, a developer of residential golf destinations. ‘You can play tennis, go for a bike ride, sit by the pool or have a round of golf in total privacy. If you want to venture outside the community, you’ll ﬁnd spectacular scenery and local culture.’

On average, only about 30 percent of homeowners within a golf community play golf, says Robert Green of boutique estate agency Sphere Estates, so facilities and an interesting local scene are paramount. Buyers are looking for scenery that ‘shakes them in their bones’, agrees Cowan-Dewar. ‘The more spectacular the surroundings the better. Buyers want to surf the waves, climb the peaks or go ﬂy ﬁshing: they’re looking for so much more than golf.’

‘Extreme’ golf destinations are therefore becoming more popular: buyers at Cabot’s Revelstoke community in Canada, for example, can also go heliskiing as well as play a Rod Whitmandesigned course, while owners of lodges at Cabot’s new links course on the remote Lofoten Islands, Norway, will enjoy hiking and boating in the fjords. The Swiss ski resort of Andermatt is proving particularly popular with British golf buyers, with homeowners skiing in winter and playing a its Swiss PGA championship course at an altitude of 1,500m in summer.

Hugh Grant owns a home in La Zagaleta

Meanwhile, Evian in France offers a triumvirate of golf, snow sports and water sports, thanks to its position on the shores of Lake Geneva.

Prior to the pandemic, golf was in decline but now enquiries for golf properties are up by 30 percent, says Green, thanks to the lifestyle beneﬁts of a golf destination. The price for a four-bedroom property with a pool in top-drawer destinations such as La Zagaleta or Costa Navarino in Greece’s Peloponnese, starts at €1.5m. At this level, buyers will expect worldclass golf, even if they don’t play every day. ‘A serious golf course adds a premium of 20 to 40 percent to the value of the property,’ Green says.

Spain and Portugal are still top of his clients’ list: Sotogrande in Spain has ﬁve courses, including the renowned Real Club de Golf designed by Robert Trent Jones, while Quinta do Lago in Portugal has three championship courses, as well as access to the Royal Course and Ocean Course at neighbouring Val do Lobo. ‘The golf has to be so challenging that you’ll want to play it again and again,’ Cowan-Dewar says, though, buyers are also looking for grassroots golf: a fun, short course to play with children or grandchildren.

As buyers increasingly intend to spend whole winters or summers at their golf properties, they’re prepared to invest further from home. According to Savills, there’s been increasing demand from British buyers for properties in Barbados – where more than 70 percent of buyers are now from Britain – on Royal Westmoreland and Sandy Lane, as well as the 475-acre Apes Hill resort. Douglas Craig, a British businessman who bought a villa at Apes Hill last year

describes it as ‘a vibrant living community, rather than a resort’. Meanwhile Canouan, home to a challenging Jim Fazio-designed course, and the Bahamas, which hosts the Hero Challenge each year, are also attracting British buyers as is Cabot St Lucia’s new Point Hardy Golf Club on St Lucia. Even Mauritius is on British buyers’ radar: owners of properties at Heritage Villas Valriche will have views over the Indian Ocean’s ﬁrst contemporary links course, La Réserve, as well as access to the Heritage Golf Club.

At the top end of the market, hotel amenities and ﬁve-star service are standard in the new breed of branded golf residence. In Portugal, Six Senses Pinheirinho Comporta will feature an 18-hole championship golf course, part of the larger Terras da Comporta development being designed by Sergio Garcia, while the Viceroy-branded residences on the Ombria Resort in the Algarve have access to a Christy O’Connor Jr course; in Spain, St Regis apartments are available through Lucas Fox at Finca Cortesin, an exclusive golf community on the Costa del Sol. Green is receiving interest for Six Senses Les Bordes (p194) in the South of France, which have access to two of the world’s ﬁnest courses and the ten-hole Wild Piglet.

While buyers at the top of the market regard their homes as investments, more often than not it is a legacy purchase, says Cowan-Dewar. ‘Families are making more of an effort to spend time together and golf is a screen-free activity for all generations,’ she says. ‘A golf property is something special to share with family and loved ones. Once you become part of the community, it’s very hard to leave.’ n

‘THE MORE SPECTACULAR THE SURROUNDINGS THE BETTER. BUYERS WANT TO SURF THE WAVES, CLIMB THE PEAKS OR GO FLY FISHING: THEY’RE LOOKING FOR SO MUCH MORE THAN GOLF.’

THE WORLD’S MOST SOUGHTAFTER GOLF DESTINATIONS

A seven-bedroom

estate

with saltwater swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi, guest apartment and wine cellar. €19.9m, hamptons.co.uk

La Foret is a collection of 18 residences with access to gym, spa, outdoor hot tub, ski and bike room. The ski lifts and championship golf course are a short walk away. From CHF1.95m, andermatt-realestate.ch

A stone villa with mountain views, large living areas, four bedrooms, and gardens with pool. It’s within the Terre Blanche golf community, which features a luxury hotel and two courses. €3.95m, savills.co.uk

Owners of cottages have access to four golf courses designed by leading architects plus tennis, pickleball and padel. There is also canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding. From $1.675m, cabotcitrusfarms.com

FROM TOP LEFT: France’s Evian resort offers golf, snow sports and water sports; Canada’s Cabot Revelstoke is considered an ‘extreme’ golf destination; Six Senses Les Bordes has access to two of the world’s ﬁnest courses THIS PAGE: St Regis-branded apartments are availalble at Spain’s heavenly Finca Cortesin

LA ZAGALETA, Spain

villa

La Zagaleta

near Benahavís

ANDERMATT, Switzerland

TERRE BLANCHE, France

CABOT CITRUS FARMS, Florida

LET US SWAY YOU

The Manor at Sway is the perfect bolthole for your next New Forest getaway

In 2014, hotelier Tim Holloway and his wife Edlyn Cunill decided to swap London for the peace and quiet of the New Forest, with happy results for anyone looking for an affordable yet stylish rural trip. In the sought-after village of Sway, surrounded by open heath and woodland that’s ideal for walking, riding and cycling, they found The Manor, built in 1906.

With the help of interior designer David Bentheim they’ve given the solid brick Edwardian house a stunning makeover, its 15 beautifully coloured bedrooms decorated with prints from John James Audubon’s Birds of America, an open-plan restaurant and bar, and a sitting room that daringly pairs William Morris fruit wallpaper with lime green furnishings and black and white check carpets, to stunning effect.

The food at the eponymously named dining room is elegant, fresh and seasonal, sourced locally where possible. The menu changes regularly and offers creative spins on classics – think a harissa-spiced lamb rump, or roast cod ﬁllet paired with a rich clotted cream butter sauce. The wines are picked by local merchant Solent Cellar; enjoy a glass on the terrace overlooking the gardens (made up of ﬁve acres of sloping wooded grounds). Or perhaps afternoon tea with warm scones direct from the kitchen.

Best of all is the monthly music event which features live jazz performances and acoustic guitar sets, all to be enjoyed with dinner and drinks. The Manor is also licensed for civil ceremonies and is the ideal location to host unforgettable exclusive hire parties and get-togethers (exclusive hotel hire, B&B, from £2,600). Doubles from £120 B&B, themanoratsway.com

FOOD &DRINK

ZEST IS BEST

The new Kew Gardens Salad Book is quietly vegetarian. But you’ll barely notice – Jenny Linford has packed it full of fresh ideas and zesty recipes to liven up any summertime supper

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

– 2 blood oranges

– 150g cooked carlin peas, rinsed if jarred or canned

– 8 radicchio leaves, roughly torn

– 50g vegetarian Manchego cheese, shaved or ﬁnely sliced

For the dressing:

– juice of ½ blood orange

– grated or zested skin of

1 blood orange

– 3 tbsp olive oil

– 1 small garlic clove, grated

– 1 tsp wholegrain mustard

– salt and freshly ground pepper

RADICCHIO, CARLIN PEAS, BLOOD ORANGE & MANCHEGO SALAD

Fragrant blood oranges and bitter radicchio leaves are combined here with nutty-tasting carlin peas and salty Manchego cheese to excellent e ect. Carlin peas, also known as black peas or maple peas, are a traditional but now littleknown British pulse grown and championed by innovative British bean suppliers Hodmedod’s.

METHOD

Grate or zest one of the blood oranges. Slice this orange in half and squeeze the juice from one half.

Peel the remaining one-and-a-half blood oranges. Cut them into slices, then into chunks, removing any pith. Set aside.

Make the dressing. Place the blood orange juice and zest in a jar. Add the olive oil, garlic and mustard. Put the lid on the jar and shake well until combined. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. In a bowl, toss the carlin peas with the dressing and set aside.

Place the radicchio in a serving bowl. Add the carlin peas together with the dressing and toss well. Add in the blood orange chunks and lightly toss. Scatter over the Manchego cheese and serve.

FOODIE TALES

What’s your food philosophy?

Support independent food shops and markets; cook from scratch; and make the most of seasonal ingredients. Don’t be afraid to try new ingredients and recipes –that’s how you ﬁnd new favourites.

Favourite in-season ingredient?

British outdoor-grown asparagus: what a glorious vegetable. I gorge on it when it’s in season, either simply with melted butter or in a salad with goat’s cheese.

Your go-to throw-it-together dinner? Spaghetti con aglio, olio e peperoncino, which I learnt when I lived in Italy as a teenager. Super quick and easy to make and so tasty.

What’s in your fridge right now? My essentials include lots of butter for baking, a big bunch of ﬂat-leaf parsley, parmesan, cheddar, miso paste and mustard.

Do you have any cooking rituals? Listening to the radio or Audible, and in the evening sipping a glass of ﬁno sherry as I cook.

When you’re not in the kitchen (or garden), where are you?

Eating out. I live in London and love trying the city’s diverse and cosmopolitan restaurants.

What restaurant should everyone try before they die?

Trattoria Sostanza in Florence is an unpretentious gem. Try their beautifully cooked butter chicken.

What cookbook do you refer to the most? Jane Grigson’s Vegetable Book is an old favourite, packed with recipes and beautifully written.

One cool way of using up leftovers? Rather than throwing away Parmesan rind, store in the fridge and use it when making a minestrone: it adds a good umami kick.

The Kew Gardens Salad Book is out 15 May, £22, shop.kew.org n

JENNY LINFORD, FOOD WRITER

WHAT’S SUP?

Supper clubs are on the up and up,

What do household names Thomasina Miers, Jamie Oliver, Asma Khan and a fresh crop of chefs like Andy Beynon (BEHIND), Masaki Sugisaki (Dinings SW3), and Abby Lee (Mambow) all have in common? They are all supper club hosts.

If you’ve never tried a supper club, you might have stodgy preconceptions: Taggy’s jellied catering in Rivals, tupperware parties from the 80s... But that’s yesteryear’s supper club. Today’s version comes in many forms: in East London, these are hot ticket events where lithe models serve you exotic dishes; in the countryside, you’re more likely to don the wellies and enjoy wild field-tofork dinners by a bonfire. In either case, the order of the day is Instagram-friendly tablescaping, riproaring entertainment, and chefs who’ve manned Michelinstarred kitchens handing you the plate.

Yes, they have their downsides: dietaries are harder to cater for, you have less choice in what you’re eating, and it’s typically not a private affair. But those are small sacrifices, when supper clubs end up honing in on everything that’s right about the hospitality industry... Stories, culture and community, bringing people together over a shared plate or two. For chefs, they’re an opportunity to experiment and meet their patrons directly.

Asma Khan, the chef-owner of Darjeeling Express (of Chef’s Table fame), credits supper clubs with launching her career; when she first started cooking for paying guests in

says Tessa Dunthorne

her home in 2012, she was entering an industry dominated by men. ‘I loved feeding people, but more than that, I loved the connection it created,’ she says. Her earliest supper clubs were for charity, raising money for hunger relief organisations: ‘I thought at least if they hated it, they’d know it was for a good cause.’

Khan’s supper clubs proved so popular she built a devoted following. Indeed, this is true for many other supper clubs: they’re a cult affair. Take Dinner For 100 – a pizza night that sells out in seconds and seats exactly one hundred guests. They’re filling a gap for curious diners who want a more sociable way to eat out, and at better prices. (Chefs have less overheads – ‘you’re not renting out a place,’ says Khan, ‘or hiring full-time staff’ – so diners can expect to pay closer to ingredient-cost price.)

To boot, they’re an opportunity to broaden your taste horizons, too. ‘I recently went to a supper club serving Somalian food,’ says Khan, ‘I had no idea that the food of Mogadishu was so layered and flavoursome.’ Or to encounter a more experimental side of chefs you already love. ‘I can be a little more creative, deviate from restaurant dishes and test new ideas,’ says Chef Masaki Sugisaki of Dinings SW3. He regularly cooks for supper clubs and says it’s ‘more like a dinner party’.

So, if you aren’t already convinced to book a supper club this summer, we’ll leave the last words to Khan, who says those who typically come are ‘adventurous, probably well-travelled, read up on history, love art and music,’ and, crucially, ‘have dreams’. Better get booking.

PLATE UP

Supper club spotlight

EPICUREAN SAFARI, KENYA Kenyan restaurateur Kiran Jethwa is presenting a supper club with a difference this December. Think bucket list trip: this is a several day experience where guests discover the Maasai Mara through a foodie’s lens. The menu is crafted from locally gathered ingredients, a forager-hunter will tell you vivid stories over dinner, and you might enjoy a bush feast centred around ostrich. cottars.com

WE ARE ONA, WORLDWIDE

Glamour and mystery: this is the game of the global fashion set’s experiential dining darling We Are Ona. Whether it’s a table in an abandoned train station in Paris or a former municipal water tank in Hong Kong, the idea is to give trailblazing chefs (think Mexican Elena Reygadas or culinary artist Imogen Kwok) creative freedom in a wow setting. weareona.co

WILD FEASTS AT OXMOOR FARM

Set amid the rolling Chiltern Hills, Oxmoor’s Wild Feasts feature up to 60 guests, an open firepit and four-courses from the best head chefs in the UK. This year Apricity head chef Eve Seeman and Mambow’s Abby Lee are among the Michelin-starred talent cooking up a storm (if the weather doesn’t hold, expect to cosy inside by a woodburner). oxmoorfarm.co.uk

WILDKITCHEN X CAROUSEL

Carousel, the guest chef concept on Charlotte Street, is decamping to Guy Ritchie’s Ashcombe Estate this May. Andy Beynon (BEHIND) and Masaki Sugisaki (Dinings SW3) are special draws this year. Stay over for the full luxury suite, Iglucraft sauna, wild swimming experience. carousel-london.com

Eating elbow-to-elbow with strangers? That’s the hottest way to dine right now

She saw TALENT where others saw risk. She saw INCLUSION where others saw indiﬀerence. And she BUILT something the world couldn’t IGNORE

Tales of our Time

You don’t always have to be the loudest in the room to exert inﬂuence, says Michael Hayman

There are people who blaze trails not for their own glory, but so others can walk more easily with them. Kanya King is one of those rare individuals. e founder of the MOBO Awards –honouring British ‘music of black origin’ every year since 1996 – has long been celebrated as a pioneer in music and culture, but her true legacy lies in the lives she’s lifted, the doors she’s opened, and the quiet, consistent kindness that de nes her.

I recently had the privilege of presenting King with a Lifetime Achievement Award – a moment that moved me deeply. To see someone who has spent her life creating opportunity for others being recognised so wholeheartedly was something I won’t forget. In an age where applause often seems to be reserved for the loudest voices, King’s ovation was for something far rarer – a life lived in the service of others.

Her speech was extraordinary. Delivered in the wake of a diagnosis of Stage 4 cancer, it wasn’t a message of defeat – it was a declaration of determination. Her rallying cry was clear, don’t wait for permission. If the door won’t open, build your own. Be the CEO of your life, not just your business. And remember that legacy isn’t something you leave behind; it’s something you live, every day.

She said, ‘As I re ect on my journey, I know that MOBO has always been bigger than an awards show. It has been about creating lasting change, about honouring talent, celebrating culture, and breaking

down barriers. And as we approach MOBO’s 30th anniversary in 2026, this milestone will be more than a celebration. It will be a movement.’ at vision of a future shaped by courage, community, and culture ignited the room.

KANYA’S TIPS

1 Create Your Own Opportunities

Don’t wait for permission. The most transformative ideas often start as something no one else sees value in. If the door doesn’t open, build your own.

Be the CEO of Your Life Success isn’t just about what you achieve, but how you live. Take charge of your health, happiness, and decisions with the same energy you put into your work.

3 Your Legacy Starts Now Everything you do today lays the foundation for those who follow. Make decisions that will inspire, uplift, and create lasting change beyond your own journey.

K ing’s journey hasn’t been conventional. She didn’t come from privilege. She didn’t inherit a blueprint. But what she did have was a erce belief in the value of what others overlooked. When she launched MOBO, the industry didn’t see the need. She did. She saw talent where others saw risk. She saw inclusion where others saw indi erence. And she built something the world couldn’t ignore.

Her impact on my own life came in a way that was completely typical of her: quietly generous. I received an honorary degree from the University of London some years ago. It was only much later that I discovered it was King who had nominated me. No fanfare. Just a simple, heartfelt gesture to lift someone else up.

at’s the essence of her leadership. Not just visionary, but generous. Not just successful, but signi cant. As MOBO moves into its fourth decade, King’s influence is only growing. rough the MOBO Trust, she’s ensuring the next generation is empowered with the tools and platforms they need to thrive.

K anya King reminds us that real power lies not in what you take, but in what you give. Her kindness is not an aside to her success, it is its foundation. In a world obsessed with hustle, her power is quieter. One built on belief, purpose, and love. And that really is an achievement for a lifetime. n