September Harrods Magazine 2014

SEPTEMBER 2014

SEPTEMBER 2014

HARRODS SHOE HEAVEN

HARRODS SHOE HEAVEN THE SPACE, THE SERVICE, THE SILVER EXCLUSIVES AND THE GAME: STILETTO WARS

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MAGAZINE DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE MARKETING DEBORAH BEE DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE OPERATIONS BETH HODDER ART DIRECTOR BARNEY PICKARD PUBLISHER DAWN HALL

EDITORIAL EDITOR JAN MASTERS ACTING ASSOCIATE EDITOR GUY WOODWARD FASHION FEATURES EDITOR LINDSAY MACPHERSON LIFESTYLE EDITOR AMY BROOMFIELD CONTRIBUTING WRITER MARIA MILANO ASSISTANT BEAUTY EDITOR REBECCA BAIO CHIEF SUB-EDITORS LISA HILLMAN, NICOLETTE THOMPSON SENIOR SUB-EDITOR CAROLINE HUNT

ART DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR SONJA BURRI ART EDITOR NATALIE BOO MOSQUERA SENIOR DESIGNER RACHEL ESCUDIER JUNIOR DESIGNER OLIVER JAMIESON ART ASSISTANT JENNIFER KAY PRODUCER EMILY SELLERS PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKINGS EDITOR WENDY HINTON PICTURE ASSISTANT KIAAN ORANGE PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKINGS ADMINISTRATOR LAIDE PITAN

FASHION FASHION EDITOR VICTORIA GAIGER DEPUTY FASHION EDITOR POPPY ROCK SENIOR FASHION ASSISTANT BECKY BRANCH JUNIOR FASHION ASSISTANT OLIVIA HALSALL

DIGITAL DIGITAL MANAGER ARNAUD BURTIN DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER CLAUDIA ORRELL HEAD OF DIGITAL DESIGN BOB DEVSI DIGITAL DESIGNER JAIME RIVERA JUNIOR DIGITAL DESIGNER TAK YEUNG CHEUNG DIGITAL SUB-EDITORS JANICE MORTON, ROSE VICKERS

PUBLISHING MANAGING EDITOR SUZY CHAPMAN PUBLISHING ASSISTANT PHOEBE FISHER PA TO DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE MARKETING & DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE OPERATIONS

MADALAINE MCCARTHY PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER HAYLEY YOUNG PRODUCTION ASSISTANT CAMILLA JOSEPHS

HARRODS STORE IMAGE GROUP DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS KATHARINE WITTY DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT AND PERSONAL SHOPPING CHIARA

VARESE

HARRODS MEDIA MEDIA SALES DIRECTOR GUY CHESTON HEAD OF MEDIA SALES CHARLOTTE MARKS ACTING HEAD OF MEDIA SALES AND MEDIA SALES MANAGER, HOME CHRIS MEDIA SALES MANAGER NICOLE IVASCHENKO ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE LARA KELLY

SWEET

MEDIA MARKETING MANAGER KATIE ARNAUD MEDIA MARKETING EXECUTIVE LAURA PARSONS MEDIA PLANNING & OPERATIONS MANAGER CASSANDRA ASHFORD MARKETING & MEDIA SALES MANAGER, BEAUTY VIRGINIE DUIGOU MEDIA SALES EXECUTIVE, BEAUTY LOUISE FISH MARKETING EXECUTIVE, BEAUTY ABIGAIL SEKWALOR MEDIA SALES MANAGER, FASHION & FASHION ACCESSORIES SOPHIE READ MEDIA SALES EXECUTIVES, FASHION STELLA BUBEL,

OLIVIA YOUNG & STEFFAN LAING MEDIA SALES EXECUTIVE, FASHION ACCESSORIES LAURA MONTIGIANI MEDIA SALES ASSISTANT, FASHION GABRIELLA INWANG MEDIA SALES MANAGER, FINE JEWELLERY, FINE WATCHES AND LUXURY JEWELLERY LUCINDA ANDREWS MEDIA SALES EXECUTIVE, FINE JEWELLERY, FINE WATCHES AND LUXURY JEWELLERY HARSHEEL BAINS MEDIA SALES ASSISTANT, FINE JEWELLERY, FINE WATCHES AND LUXURY JEWELLERY ELISE HAWKINS MEDIA SALES ASSISTANT, FOOD HALLS, RESTAURANTS AND WINE SHOP NATHALIE NÖTZOLD MEDIA SALES EXECUTIVES, HOME ADELE BROUSSE, HASHIM JAVAID

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MIKIMOTO QUEEN BE AR PENDANT E XCLUSIVE TO HARRODS. THE FINE JE WELLERY ROOM , GROUND FLOOR .

124,957 Period: 1st July 2013 to 31st December 2013

CONTENTS

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94

September 2014

Photographer ISHI; Fashion Editor VICTORIA GAIGER; Hair DANIEL MARTIN at D&V Management; Make-up NINNI NUMMELA at Streeters London; Nails AMI STREETS at LMC; Model LOU at Premium Models1

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NEW THIS MONTH

BEAUTY

45 TOP 20 Launches, special offers and events for September 49 ZEITGEIST What people are talking about this month 57 MAID IN BRITAIN Famous the world over as lady’s maid Anna Bates in Downton Abbey, Joanne Froggatt proves she’s far from bound by apron strings

147 BEAUTY SCHOOL Make-up does more than enhance and conceal. Call it a lesson in reinvention that comes with a message: “Take me seriously” or “Give me your heart”…

156 GET THE LOOK Polished or playful, serene or sexy, make-up changes your mood in double-quick time 161 BEAUTY SCHOOL: THE TIMETABLE Top make-up artists are holding sessions in The Colour Hall on transforming your look with new-season cosmetics 162 HIGH FIVE Top five beauty treats for September 164 NURSE IT BETTER A new range of skincare devices and creams has put the expertise of skincare pro Nurse Jamie at our fingertips 167 BEAUTY NEWS Ultimune skincare from Shiseido; By Terry’s exclusive Eye PowderKajal; Ormonde Jayne and Miller Harris release exotic fragrances; stiletto-style nail varnish from Christian Louboutin; Erno Lazlo overnight beauty treatment; An interview with Byredo’s Ben Gorham; Miss Heaven Scent makes a fresh start

FASHION COVER

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61 STITCH CRAFT Knitwear gets a new spin with playful stitches, supersized styling and an abundance of statement-making embellishments 65 LOVE ACTUALLY From humble beginnings, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have built a billion-dollar brand, rooted in Italian craftsmanship and la famiglia, with love firmly at its heart 68 TREND WATCH: POLO NECKS Christmas staple or sci-fi adventure-wear, the polo neck is the sweater of choice this season 70 WOMENSWEAR NEWS Snake-inspired jewellery by Bulgari; Hervé Léger reinvents the bandage dress; classic denim staples from BLK DNM; Carolina Bucci reveals one of her favourite things 72 THE COMFORT ZONE Statement patterns and tactile textures are balanced by boxier proportions and cocooning cuts 78 WOMENSWEAR NEWS Alice + Olivia’s gothic gowns; the understated Anna tote from Fendi; tarot card-inspired jewellery by Bee Goddess; an interview with Colombian bag designer Nancy Gonzalez 80 SUGAR RUSH Taking cues from the world of fashion, luxury jewellery embraces seasonal flavour with brightly coloured stones 86 MENSWEAR NEWS Denim from Hollywood Trading Company; the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona; Teddy Boy-style suits from Richard James; The Grooming Guru homes in on heritage 89 3 WAYS TO WEAR A BOMBER The bomber is flying high with a new take on an old favourite 91 WAXING LYRICAL Lady Amanda Harlech has translated her love of the British countryside into a capsule collection for heritage brand Barbour 94 SENSE OF PROPORTION This season, designers are giving collections a new dimension, creating sculptural shapes with sweeping capes, oversized collars and thigh-skimming skirts 104 LONDON CALLING Designers are taking inspiration from the punk-rock spirit of The Clash, mixing tartans and stripes with tailored and leather jeans 117 HARRODS SHOE HEAVEN Whether you have a passion for stilettos or a weakness for wedges, when it comes to being seductively shod, Harrods Shoe Heaven lifts devotion to a whole new level

FOOD, INTERIORS & LIFESTYLE 171 HOT SHOT Produced and harvested in the mountains of Sumatra, kopi luwak isn’t just the world’s smoothest coffee, it also has the most fascinating story 176 CAFÉ COMPLETE Make a great cup of coffee even better with an indulgent accompaniment or two 181 BACK IN STYLE Elegantly refurbished, The Georgian is once again the place for afternoon tea 182 FOOD NEWS Highland Park Dark Origins Scotch whisky; elaborate buttercreamiced cakes; Bonieri chocolates; seasonal and exotic fruits 185 CHANGING ROOMS Innovative design and highly skilled construction create a new kind of luxury where quality is all. Combine bold flourishes with refined elegance to produce an individual look full of personality 191 DESIGN FOR LIFE As London Design Festival takes over the capital, exclusive global launches and events are taking place in-store 193 LIFESTYLE NEWS Sculptor Lorenzo Quinn at Halcyon Gallery; in-store pop-up for Hunton Powerboats; the Mini Harrods handwriting competition; inspirational fashion books 195 SOUTHERN REVIVAL Cape Town is having a renaissance. Contemporary art galleries are matched by innovative restaurants and extraordinary wineries 198 MY STYLE: CALGARY AVANSINO Californian influences run deep for the fashion editor turned wellbeing guru, taking on the London scene one frock at a time HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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3H\UJOLZ ZWLJPHS VăLYZ HUK L]LU[Z MVY :LW[LTILY 1. Estée Lauder brush Designed to fit the contours of the face, Estée Lauder’s Sculpting Foundation Brush provides a smooth, flawless finish. £37.

The Cosmetics Hall, Ground Floor

2. De Beers Aria Collection The necklace from De Beers’ white-gold and diamond Aria Collection is inspired by the twirling dress of a dancer. Price on request.

The Fine Jewellery Room, Ground Floor 3. Tom Ford suits Everyone from Bianca Jagger to James Bond has worn Tom Ford’s precise suits – sportier for AW14. Jacket £1,920 and trousers £530.

Tom Ford, Lower Ground Floor

4. Christian Louboutin Passage bag The Passage bag’s metal handles evoke the ironwork arches of the Galerie Véro-Dodat in Paris, home to the Christian Louboutin atelier. £1,495. Harrods Shoe Heaven, First Floor

5. My Burberry Discover the new My Burberry fragrance and Nude Glow colour collection with a 40-minute bespoke experience from 3rd to 20th September.

Fragrance 90ml, £90. The Cosmetics and Perfumery Halls, Ground Floor

6. Theo Fennell bridal collection Known for his playful designs, Theo Fennell is launching a more traditional bridal collection in platinum and diamonds. Ring £40,000.

The Fine Jewellery Room, Ground Floor

7. Harry Winston Diamond Loop Sinuous platinum forms and the house’s signature diamonds are the focus of Harry Winston’s latest collection. Earrings £14,400.

The Fine Jewellery Room, Ground Floor

8. Balmain AW14 The season has just begun, but Olivier Rousteing’s leopard-print-spliced leather dress has already achieved cult status. Dress £9,250. International Designer, First Floor

9. Vintage Panerai watch exhibition

Paneristi – Panerai watch devotees – have loaned rare vintage pieces to an exclusive in-store exhibition. Watch £5,000. From 29th August to 25th September in The Fine Watch Room, Ground Floor

10. Paul Smith AW14 The designer’s ’60s music-inspired collection includes dusky suit jackets. £699. Men’s International Gallery, Lower Ground Floor HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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11. Baume & Mercier Promesse watch Understated and slender, Baume & Mercier’s black mother-of-pearl Promesse ladies’ watch is set with 61 diamonds and has an alligator strap. £4,900; exclusive to Harrods. The Fine Watch Room, Ground Floor 12. Clinique cleansing brush Enhancing Clinique’s three-step skincare system, the Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush gently removes dirt and oil, which in turn helps skin absorb moisturiser. £79.

The Cosmetics Hall, Ground Floor

13. Crème de la Mer mask Helping combat the effects of pollution, Crème de la Mer’s Intensive Revitalizing Mask promotes hydration and radiance. 100ml, £105. The Cosmetics Hall, First Floor

14. Guerlain Eau de Cashmere Cocooning new Eau de Cashmere from Guerlain is designed to be sprayed onto sweaters, lapels and scarves. 125ml, £62.

The Perfumery Hall, Ground Floor 15. 3.1 Phillip Lim At the designer’s AW14 show, patchwork, shearling and asymmetric cuts were executed with Phillip Lim’s modernist sensibility. Shirt £415. Designer Studio, First Floor

16. Gucci Jackie bag Inspired by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ Gucci bag, the latest incarnation of the Jackie comes in soft colours and even softer leathers. £1,525.

Luxury Accessories, Ground Floor

17. Men’s Health Urban Active

Celebrate the third edition of Men’s Health Urban Active magazine by exploring the latest sports ranges at an exclusive event, sponsored by Imperial Vodka. Thursday 25th September 6-8pm, Men’s Casual Collections, Fifth Floor

18. Christmas Grotto Kicking off the festive season, the Christmas Grotto is offering two types of visit this year: one for under-fours and one for older children. To book, visit harrods.com/grotto

19. Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire Limited to just 100 pieces, the new Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire watch has an amphitheatre-style display, revolutionising the look of the perpetual calendar. £150,000.

The Fine Jewellery Room, Ground Floor

20. Colour Month In September, make-up artists from beauty brands including Dior, Chanel and Shu Uemura will recreate looks from our “Beauty School” shoot. The Colour Hall, Ground Floor

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PEOPLE & PLACES in the air in September BY

Portrait Stéphane Gallois

FASHION Daniel Kearns, Artistic Director of F “As a child I was fascinated by tailoring,” says Daniel Kearns. “My dad once caught me cutting the collar off one of his Façonnable shirts in a bid to figure out how it was constructed.” It’s a neat coincidence, then, that the Dublin-born designer has joined and been tasked with reviving the fortunes of the Nice-based brand. Founded in the early 1950s, Façonnable’s expertly cut tuxedos were an instant hit with Hollywood stars who visited the Côte d’Azur for the Cannes Film Festival. Kearns, who earned his stripes working for Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, has taken design cues for his first collection from the label’s archive, suffusing relaxed tailoring and elevated sportswear with the refined elegance of the French Riviera. He’s also resurrected Facorain, an invisible membrane the company developed in the 1970s that makes wool and cashmere wind- and waterproof. “It all goes back to clever construction,” Kearns says.

Available from Men’s Designer Casuals, Fifth Floor HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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ZEI T GEIST

EXHIBITION Constable: The Making of a Master

His loving studies of the British countryside in such masterpieces as The Hay Wain have made John Constable the nation’s favourite artist. Constable: The Making of a Master will display ZVTL VM OPZ TVZ[ ZPNUPÄJHU[ WHPU[PUNZ – including at least one work that has never been seen before.

From 20th September 2014 to 11th January 2015 at the Victoria and Albert Museum

BOOK

FILM Magic in the Moonlight

Surreal Things: Surrealism and Design

by Ghislaine Wood What began on canvas and celluloid as the most controversial of art movements eventually found its way into fashion and design, with results that were beguiling if bemusing for traditionalists rattled by Surrealism. Art curator Ghislaine Wood tracks how the legacy of Dalí, Buñuel, Picasso and Man Ray became the template for textiles, garments, jewellery and furniture design, creating an enduring legacy. Lavishly illustrated, Wood’s is a book you can study at leisure or simply flick through to lap up the captivating images. £24.99. Available from Bookshop, Second Floor

The Royal Swedish Ballet performing Mats Ek’s Juliet & Romeo

Woody Allen directs Emma Stone in Magic in the Moonlight

DANCE omeo While drawing upon its 240-year history, the Royal Swedish Ballet is also forward-thinking; that appetite for risk is summed up by the commission of a new take on a classic tale. Acclaimed choreographer Mats Ek recasts the story of Romeo and Juliet for the modern age, setting the drama in a city in crisis.

The result is an epic showcase for the 32-strong company, as well as a heartrending tale of the struggle for love in a hostile world.

From 24th to 27th September at Sadler’s Wells

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Constable © Victoria and Albert Museum, London; oyal Swedish Ballet Gert Weigelt

Even his biggest fans will admit that Woody Allen’s career was stuck in the doldrums for a while. But his recent films – the charming Midnight in Paris and Cate Blanchett’s dark Oscar-winner Blue Jasmine – have marked a clear renaissance. His latest comedy, set on the Côte d’Azur in the 1920s, stars Emma Stone as an alluring clairvoyant and probable con woman, and Colin Firth as the grouchy Englishman who is brought in to unmask her.

Opens on 19th September in the UK

ZEI T GEIST

Horst’s Mainbocher Corset, 1939

FILM Get on Up James Brown had the music and the moves; his act conquered first Harlem’s Apollo theatre and then the world. Mick Jagger, who coproduced this biopic, would be the first to admit that he owes much of his stagecraft to The Godfather of Soul. But behind the glamour and the glitz lay memories of the poverty Brown suffered while growing up in the segregated south. It’s this contrast that makes his life such a compelling subject. The buzz is that Chadwick Boseman – who starred as Jackie Robinson in 42 – is nothing less than sensational as Brown. Opens on 26th September in the UK Chadwick Boseman as James Brown

EXHIBITION

Horst: Photographer of Style

THEATRE Ballyturk

Irish playwright Enda Walsh collaborates with actors Cillian Murphy and Stephen Rea in a philosophical comedy about those old stand-bys, friendship and mortality. Ballyturk combines bittersweet humour and a touch of slapstick in a Beckettian, thought-provoking piece of theatre. From 11th September to 11th October at the National Theatre

Even if you don’t know the name Horst, you’ll know his work; he shot 87 covers for Vogue alone. Starting in the 1930s, the German emigré conjured up a world of seductive style and imaginative compositions, befriending and immortalising the models, artists and celebrities of international café society. From his Surrealism-influenced photos – Mainbocher Corset, from 1939, being perhaps the most famous example – to his final works in the early ’90s, Horst created a style that many photographers have aspired to but none has ever quite matched. Through pictures, films and haute-couture garments, the exhibition pays loving tribute to a groundbreaking visual artist.

From 6th September to 4th January 2015 at the Victoria and Albert Museum

When Kristin Scott Thomas told The Guardian ZOL ^HZ [PYLK VM THRPUN ÄSTZ her fans were taken aback. But the actress has not fallen out of love with the stage. ;OPZ H\[\TU ZOL [HRLZ [OL JVTTHUKPUN central role in poet and playwright Frank McGuinness’ adaptation of Electra WSH`PUN a woman whose father has been murdered.

From 22nd September to 20th December at The Old Vic

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Electra star Kristin Scott Thomas

Kristin Scott Thomas Katerina Jebb

THEATRE Electra

M I NUTSETRH V IAV EW E

Maid in BRITAIN

Famous the world over as lady’s maid Anna Bates in Downton Abbey, Joanne Froggatt proves she’s far from bound by apron strings

BY J DEPUTY F

Credits TK Images

I

Ralph Lauren sweater £990 and skirt £2,490; Jimmy Choo sandals £450

never leave the house without my mascara on, but I’ll happily let millions of people across the world see me without it,” admits actress Joanne Froggatt.

“I don’t ever care how bad I look on screen as long as it’s right for the character, even if it means avoiding the mirror at work. After all, it’s about the person I’m portraying – I’m not trying to project who I want to be or how confident I feel as myself. And that’s quite freeing.

That’s what I love about it.”

Chatting with Ms Froggatt, you soon learn she’s absolutely dedicated to her craft, seeking out roles that will stretch her, mixing it up with TV, film and theatre, and never shying away from learning a new accent. Her approach to research is always rigorous and she also makes sure she takes on very different projects in between Downton. “I’d like to be accepted in all areas of the business and still be acting when I’m 80,” she says.

The other thing you can’t help but notice is how petite and pretty the 34-year-old is, something that’s easy to forget when she constantly appears in that starched apron and hair-hiding cap. Today, she is all cool elegance in dove grey, floor-skimming Ralph Lauren. And her instant love affair with a pair of the strappiest sandals reminds you that beyond Downton, she lives a decidedly above-stairs life.

“A lot of people are surprised when they meet me. They usually say that I’m prettier. A lot younger. A lot thinner. I suppose that’s better than the other way around.”

Froggatt had to get used to public scrutiny early on, when, as a 16-year-old, she landed the part of Zoe Tattersall in Coronation Street. “I was this really awkward little teenager, able to walk down the road with no one batting an eyelid, and within a week of being on TV, all that changed.” Some unkind (unprintable) comments were hurled her way, no doubt because Zoe sold her baby girl, then stole her back, before the X HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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“What I learned on Coronation Street was a good work ethic, to rehearse by myself because there’s very little time, and to do my homework”

child died of meningitis and Zoe attempted suicide.

The distraught mother was last seen running away to a religious cult – all in a day’s work in soap land.

Reflecting on the experience, Froggatt says, “What I learned on Coronation Street was a good work ethic, to rehearse by myself because there’s very little time, and to do my homework.” Her parents had instilled that kind of discipline in her too. Not that they steered her towards acting, even though she had shown signs of thespian intent from an early age. “I was born in Scarborough, north Yorkshire, and when I was four, we moved to a small farm just outside Whitby. My brother was four years older and because my parents were running their own business and working hard, my brother and I spent a lot of time watching films. I knew then that I wanted to be an actress.”

Her parents, however, thought such dreams were a phase, even when she was asking the local newsagent to order The Stage. Then, she passed the audition for Redroofs Theatre School in Berkshire and the penny dropped that she was serious. “My parents couldn’t afford

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Issa dress £699

the boarding fees as well as the school fees, and I tried for a couple of years to get a grant. I ended up ‘auditioning’ for the council and they kind of invented a grant for me.

So, at nearly 14, I got to Redroofs and it was amazing – it even had its own agency. In fact, I appeared in an episode of The Bill before I left. I played an underage prostitute.

My parents were so proud.”

After that, Froggatt, at her mother’s instigation, took an NVQ that involved a retail placement, rather than sitting around and waiting for the phone to ring. So it was while working in WH Smith that the call came with news of an audition. “I turned up and all the casting director said was, ‘Sorry, but you don’t look right’. Not surprising, since it transpired she was looking for a mixed-race girl with dark hair.” But all was not lost. “She felt so sorry for me because I’d spent all my money on the train fare, she put my name forward for Coronation Street.”

A cache of TV roles followed, including a trio of true life dramas, each harrowing in their own way. Danielle Cable: Eyewitness was about a road-rage attack, and Froggatt met the real Danielle, whose fiancé was killed.

“Portraying her was a huge responsibility and I found I worked better under pressure. I thrived on the challenge.”

She also starred in See No Evil: The Moors Murders, in which she played Myra Hindley’s sister Maureen. It was her character’s husband, Dave, who shopped Hindley and Brady to the police.

A few years after that, she was in Murder in the Outback, playing Joanne Lees, whose boyfriend, Peter Falconio, was murdered, while she escaped. Froggatt admits Lees didn’t come across as very “emotionally available” to the public and press, which doubtless contributed to suspicions that perhaps she wasn’t simply an innocent victim (although Bradley Murdoch was subsequently convicted of the crime). “I had masses of research material, including an unedited version of the Martin Bashir interview. There’s a bit where he asks her about Pete [Falconio] and she gets really upset and it takes her about five minutes to carry on. On the edited version, she just puts her head down, looks up, flicks her hair and carries on.” Such insight helped her give a performance with greater dimension.

Career-wise, she likes to take “mile steps”. And that’s what Downton proved to be. “Having just finished playing a soldier with post-traumatic stress disorder in the film In Our Name, the part of emotionally secure and mature Anna was another really different character for me. And it

I N T E RV I E W

have died alone. “It went down a storm at the Venice Film Festival [in fact, it won three awards]; it’s quite European in feeling so I’m hoping it gets a release over here.”

What would Froggatt have been if not an actress?

“A psychologist. I’ve always been fascinated by people.

Emotions are very powerful things and in an intense experience, whether it’s good or bad, most people, I think, are a bit scared of them and it’s a very human thing to want to find a means of escape,” she analyses. She also admits it’s easy to rush around the whole time and forget to be grateful. It is her husband and long-time love, the dashing (and not easily fazed) IT director James Cannon, who reminds her to slow down and appreciate that everything is going great. “I’m in a good place personally and professionally,” she confirms.

Not bad for the girl who paid for herself to hang out in LA during the Emmys with her co-star Michelle Dockery the first year Downton aired, only for both to be nominated the next year.

“Downton will always be special. It’s been an amazing experience because we’ve worked with the same people for a few years – a bit like being in a band,” she says, glad that viewers have taken her character to their hearts.

“I think Anna is the kind of person you’d really like as your best friend,” she concludes. The same could be said of Ms Froggatt. HMN The new series of Downton Abbey starts on ITV1 in the autumn

Hair LISA EASTWOOD at Premier Make-up GINA KANE at Caren Photographer’s Assistants DANIEL BENSON and NICK MARTIN

was a period piece, so the total opposite to what I’d done.”

Not that as a lady’s maid she’s just been dutifully dropping curtsies and pinning hair. Last season, Anna was raped, which caused quite a stir, with some of the press suggesting it too raw a subject for comfy-Sundaynight viewing. Froggatt disagrees, as did many viewers.

“I think it was an important storyline because it must have happened a lot in those days, and someone with Anna’s social standing wouldn’t have had many rights.

I kept thinking, Why doesn’t she tell Mr Bates and get support? But our historical adviser said that it would have tarred her reputation and she may have lost her job, even her husband. It’s so sad and terrifying to think that it’s not so long ago such attitudes existed.”

In breaks between Downton, she doesn’t let the Abbey’s perfectly manicured lawn grow under her feet. Last year, for instance, she appeared with James McAvoy and Jim Broadbent in the film adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel Filth (cue a Scottish accent). She’s also in the moving film Still Life with Eddie Marsan, who plays a council case worker whose job it is to find the next of kin for those who

ABOVE Issa sweater from a selection; RIGHT Michael Kors sweater £575. Available from International Designer and Studio, First Floor; and Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor

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THE LATEST LOOKS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CATWALKS

Stitch

AFT

Knitwear gets a new spin as designers elevate their woollens with playful stitches, supersized styling and an abundance of statement-making embellishments

BY LINDSAY

3.1 Phillip Lim sweater ÂŁ725

MACPHERSON

FA S H I O N

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ne

u

Ch sto he

Miu Miu sweater £1,285

u

Tory Burch sweater £390

Miu Miu sweater £1,375

made an appearance, too: Tory Burch’s bejewelled embellishments found fresh expression when paired with fuzzy blue bombers. At Kenzo, slices of copper and silver ran down a heavily ribbed sweater and snaked around the hem of a matching midiskirt, making an appealing proposition for head-to-toe sweater dressing.

The pieces may be unconventional, but the centuriesold craftsmanship associated with woollens hasn’t been forgotten. Karl Lagerfeld tied with Yves Saint Laurent as winner of the first Woolmark prize in 1954, and the house he helms has always been a proponent of heritage knitwear. In 2012, Chanel acquired the ailing Borders-based Barrie Knitwear brand; far from it being an exercise in altruism for the fashion house, Barrie’s artisanal expertise has been put to good use. Lagerfeld’s sport-inspired, supermarket-themed AW14 collection is a case in point, spanning vibrant micro-ribbed designs and oversized turtlenecks scattered with multicoloured studs. Snug in fit but still experimental in form, the cowl-neck-and-legging combo that Cara Delevingne closed the show in looked cool, modern and – crucially – enjoyable to wear. Lagerfeld’s collection was a comment on consumerism, yet an underlying message was clear: it’s time to give fleece a chance. HMN Available from Designer Studio, International Designer and Studio, First Floor; and harrods.com

Kenzo sweater £490 and skirt £650

Models backstage Jason Lloyd Evans; Alexander Wang catwalk Anthea Simms; sweater background and stitching iStock

Chanel sweater £1,890

Alexander Wang sweater £799

Ken

Ch el

Brand item £xx.xx

To y u ch

Chanel sweater £1,290

Alex nde

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or years, knitwear was considered a fail-safe but staid staple, or was flung on as an afterthought.

Yet propelled by advances in knit technology and high-profile advocates such as the Prince of Wales (whose Campaign for Wool kicks off again next month) modern knits are far from run of the mill.

The sweaters in the new collections are bold, attentiongrabbing and have serious attitude. Alexander Wang’s agenda-setting AW14 collection offered the first clue that knitwear might be casting off its homespun connotations. Presented in the midst of America’s polar vortex, the show took its aesthetic cues from extreme weather; Wang’s supersized, super-cosy sweaters were the standout pieces. Perhaps spurred on by the success of the statement sweatshirts in his SS14 collection, Wang elevated his knitwear with edgy colours and experimental constructions. One particularly accomplished sweater fused chunky black cables with 3D fluoro and grey quilting.

Innovative knits continued at 3.1 Phillip Lim, where a sweater with off-kilter cables was rendered architectural by the addition of giant ruffles. In London, Christopher Kane confirmed his reputation as the capital’s most consistently creative designer when he debuted a tongue-in-cheek take on the homemade knits he grew up with in Scotland.

Sweaters took on a full complement of fancy finishes, with rows of textured, twisted stitches, bobble stitches and cables running down ribboned fronts; others juxtaposed classic fisherman ribs with frilled cutouts.

Like Kane, Miuccia Prada has a flair for elevating the ordinary, and her subversive schoolgirl knits at Miu Miu (worn oversized and layered) chimed with the flourishing normcore trend. Fashion’s fondness for surface decoration

Christopher Kane sweater £1,399

FA S H I O N I N T E R V I E W

Love actually From humble beginnings, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have built a billion-dollar brand, rooted in Italian craftsmanship and la famiglia, with love firmly at its heart BY

ADE

DEPUTY F

Dolce & Gabbana dress £2,815; Sanderson Peony Tree wallpaper £54 per roll HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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B

rowsing a fashion exhibit at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, you might encounter an ’80s corseted bra top encrusted with baroquestyle jet beads, and – like others before you – be struck by its mix of sensuality and subversion.

In the V&A, you could catch yourself marvelling at the sublime skills needed to produce a pair of gilded, embellished stilettos, whose intricate filigree invokes the frescoes of Sicily’s Monreale cathedral. But one person who wouldn’t share your sense of wonder is Stefano Gabbana. “When I see our designs from years ago I think, ‘No, no, no! Out!’” he cries, sitting in an eclectically outfitted library in his company’s Milanese HQ, surrounded by every conceivable fashion and photography book of the last century. “Through the eyes of today they seem so old, so wrong. But this is fashion, is it not? It’s a mirror of our times so it can’t last forever. It’s not like furniture or art. The clothes represent just one moment, then: finito.”

“Even though the proportions and fabrics are constantly changing, the concept still remains the same,” counters Domenico Dolce. And that consistency is the crux of the brand’s appeal. The brand has its leitmotifs (black tailoring, ecclesiastical iconography and elaborate embroidery to

Dolce & Gabbana dress £2,435

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name but three), but, while its themes evolve each season, the house’s identity has been remarkably unchanged, with the designers’ singular point of view largely ungoverned by trends. As Gabbana so succinctly puts it, “emotion is the gasoline”.

Emotion also underpins the synergy between the designers, who – while their romance ended nine years ago – have still been more or less inseparable ever since they first met in a Milanese nightclub when they were in their early twenties. And the paradoxes of their 33-year design partnership seem to propel them onwards. “We’re not similar at all,” explains Gabbana, “but even though we approach things from different angles, we end up at the same place.”

In terms of personality, the designers are indeed polar opposites. Gabbana (51, tall and slim, with close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair) is buoyant and wildly expressive, while Dolce (56, bald, with black-rimmed glasses) is more serious and reserved. Both, though, share a warmth and effusiveness that one wouldn’t necessarily expect from a duo at the helm of a billion-pound business – and together they make an almost comedic double act. They talk over each other, lapse into Italian and stop regularly to fuss over Rosa, the adorable black Labrador lounging at their feet.

Born in a small Sicilian village, Dolce grew up expressing himself through fashion; at an early age, his tailor father and fabric-seller mother instilled in him a love of cloth and craftsmanship. Gabbana, in contrast, was brought up in the metropolis of Milan, and came from a background in graphics and advertising.

“I would never have imagined becoming a fashion designer before I met Domenico,” he says. Dolce had moved to Milan to seek the new; Gabbana had a soft spot for the heritage and history of southern Italy. Together they developed a style that drew on traditions while remaining contemporary. Their collections attracted attention right from the start and soon “the boys”, as they became known, were the darlings of the fashion industry, dressing a roll call of red-carpet stars and ushering in a super-feminine new aesthetic a world apart from the prevailing Armani-style no-nonsense design. But their clothes weren’t the only thing to defy conventions. They were, as Gabbana recounts with pride, “the first couple to become famous in the fashion world”.

When, in 2005, they called time on their 20-year romance, many critics assumed the company couldn’t survive. Yet their professional partnership continued to flourish. “We’re incredibly lucky, it’s very rare to have a relationship like ours,” says Dolce. “But after such a long time, working this way just feels normal.”

Unlike most design duos, there is no firm division of responsibilities; while each has different expertise, they prefer to work on projects simultaneously. They still socialise together, go on holiday together and live in apartments in the same building. Their relationship today could be described as brotherly, and while both concede they are difficult to work with (“We’re very demanding,” says Gabbana, “of ourselves and also of the people around us”), their many collaborators and friends pay testament to the la famiglia feel they’ve cultivated in their company.

“It sounds like a cliché, but it’s one of the biggest fashion houses in the world and yet it does feel like a family,” confirms the model David Gandy, a longtime muse to the designers and the subject of a 2011 X

FA S H I O N

“Fashion is a mirror of our times so it can’t last forever.

It’s not like furniture or art.

The clothes represent one moment, then: finito” Stefano Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana dress £4,245 and shoes £615 Hair RANELLE CHAPMAN at David Artists using Aveda Make-up DANI GUINSBERG at Carol Hayes Management using Sisley Model LISA AKESSON at Union Set Design JENNIFER KAY Photographer’s Assistants CHRIS CHUDLEIGH and SIMON DI PRINCIPE Available from International Designer, First Floor; The Fabric Library, Third Floor; and Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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photography book: David Gandy by Dolce & Gabbana. “They’re incredibly loyal too: I’m still working with all the same people I did eight years ago.”

From the inside it might feel intimate, but the scale of Dolce & Gabbana is dizzying. Its collections are sold in more than 40 countries, their company has around 4,000 employees, and annual revenues approach €1bn. It’s a far cry from the days when they had to scrimp and save – pooling their savings, and surviving on milk and pasta for days – to finance their debut collection with just 2m lire (less than £1,000). “But we grew, little by little,” says Gabbana. “We didn’t have one ‘boom’ moment. There was no master plan. We were just young, in love, and we had all this energy and passion.” And the nature of the expansion – organic and largely unplanned – stood them in good stead. “It’s like a tree,” Dolce explains. “If it grows slowly and steadily, you have strong roots – the ability to make an error, to learn from it and to go on. And when the wind comes, you don’t fall down.”

It’s clear that the pair maintain a steely grip on even the minutiae of their business. “They absolutely live and breathe Dolce & Gabbana,” confirms Gandy. “They’re at the heart of every creative process and at the forefront of every decision.” And because the pair own the company outright, they enjoy a freedom that’s uncommon in the fashion industry. As such, in 2012, against the counsel of their business advisors, they decided to close D&G, their more contemporary secondary line. “It was very brave because D&G made a lot of money,” concedes Gabbana. “But we didn’t care.

We felt the era of lower-cost, globalised fashion was over for us.”

The company’s future, the designers say, lies in more couture-style pieces and the continued expansion of their beauty empire. The latest launches are two impressively scientific and extensively tested skincare lines: Essential – staples, like SPF and cleansers, that protect and purify; and the ultra-advanced Aurealux range, which enhances radiance and refines skin texture. They’re also expanding the Velvet Rose perfume collection, and adding a lifting foundation and a skin-perfecting, light-diffusing primer to their make-up line. Canadian supermodel Linda Evangelista – part of the designers’ glamorous coterie since the 1980s – is the face of the campaign. “She’s an icon,” says Dolce.

“A real Dolce & Gabbana woman,” agrees Gabbana. “And”, he adds with a smile, “her family are from Cassino, so she’s half Italian.”

Fiercely patriotic, the designers’ passion for Sicily, in particular, has underscored their work for the last few years. In their AW14 womenswear collection, folkloric elements – fairy-tale prints, fantastical embellishment and whimsical appliqués of woodland animals – are drawn from the island’s Norman invasion and conquest in the 11th century.

In 1997, the designers announced they would retire when they were 40, a promise they have patently ignored. “We’re ambitious, very ambitious, and we don’t want to stop,” says Gabbana. Ten days ago, they reneged on another decision when they agreed to meet with a big investment group. “We’ve had many, many multi-brand groups wanting to buy Dolce & Gabbana,” says Gabbana, “but we’ve always said: ‘No, thank you, we don’t want to sell.’ But this time we said, ‘Why not?’ We listened to what they had to say – but in the end we decided to say no. It might be difficult at times, but we want to stay alone. Because we don’t want to sell our children. For most people it’s money first, but for us, first and foremost, it’s always been love.” HMN

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Trend watch: POLO NECKS

Christmas staple or sci-fi adventure-wear, the polo neck is the sweater of choice this season

BY LA

TON

Archaeologists have spent many years attempting to excavate the polo neck from the 1970s. For nearly four decades, the once-popular sweater has lain buried beneath a mass of Open University lecture notes and Engelbert Humperdinck album covers. This autumn, it looks as if all that hard work may finally have paid off – but given the polo neck’s lengthy absence from our wardrobes, many of you may need to reacquaint yourselves with an item of knitwear described by scientists as “a genetic hybrid of a jumper and a scarf”.

Wearing a polo neck for the first time can feel peculiar; with its strange combination of warmth and confinement, you might find it conjures a similar reaction to spending Christmas at home with one’s extended family. Experts say this is perfectly normal, but advise against engaging in petty rows and squabbles with your woollens.

Instead, as you snuggle down into your leaf-printed Tory Burch jumper, focus on feelings of festive bonhomie and goodwill to all men. And should you feel your seasonal cheer starting to fade, simply pour yourself another eggnog and picture chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

Contrarily, the polo neck has also earned itself a reputation as the chosen knitwear of stealth, a vital component in the sorties of James Bond, Ethan Hunt (Mission: Impossible) and the Milk Tray Man, none of whom one could ever imagine slinking about in an Argyle sweater. If you’re about to engage in international espionage, your white, mod-style Louis Vuitton polo or your maroon-and-black Nina Ricci sweater with matching skirt are the perfect attire. Indeed, recent studies have shown that no other pullover will enable you to clamber up buildings, retrieve stolen diamonds or commandeer luxury yachts as effectively.

Several decades of science-fiction films have contributed to an understanding that the polo is also the chosen neckline of both space travellers and extra-terrestrial master races. To replicate that look here on earth, the official advice is as follows: pull on your highnecked Roberto Cavalli dress or your tight red Kenzo polo, then pause. Lift your chin and reposition your head at an angle that suggests either high-frequency communication with an alien craft or the kind of existential angst that stems from a childhood spent on a planet with five rings, 17 moons and an atmosphere made largely of helium. Then you’re good to go.

Available from Designer Studio and International Designer, First Floor.

To watch a video of this feature, download the Harrods Magazine app Laura Barton is a feature writer for The Guardian. She also writes for Q, The Word, Vogue and Red

FROM TOP Tory Burch sweater £599; Louis Vuitton sweater £1,061; Nina Ricci sweater £1,099; Roberto Cavalli dress £4,620; Kenzo sweater from a selection

Credits TK Images

“If a business grows slowly and steadily, you have strong roots.

And when the wind comes, you don’t fall down” Domenico Dolce

NEWS

Snake charmer

CAROLINA BUCCI

y f vou te things

With historical references as long as an anaconda, snakes have been coiling around wrists and arms since Roman times. Cleopatra apparently arrived in Rome in 46 BC decked out in snake bracelets, which led to Elizabeth Taylor asking her favourite jeweller to create a similar one for her role as the Queen of the Nile in the 1963 film. Enter Bulgari. Now celebrating its 130th anniversary, the brand has revisited the motif in the Serpenti collection.

A white-gold snake pendant and chain is set with 16.85 carats of pavé diamonds and a flexible pink-gold bracelet, one of the latest additions to the collection, has a diamond pavé chevron pattern on the head and tail. Bulgari Serpenti white-gold pendant £84,000; Serpenti Tubogas bracelet £23,500. Available from The Fine Jewellery Room, Ground Floor

The fourth generation of her family to work in fine jewellery, Florence-born Carolina Bucci launched her own line in 2002, and is now best known for her Lucky bracelets, handwoven from gold and silver threads using antique looms. The designer tells Harrods Magazine about a watch that is very important to her.

He vé Lége

Change of a dress

Black watch Bucking convention is nothing new to designer Johan Lindeberg. He’s the man behind Diesel’s “successful living” advertising campaigns as well as the game-changing golffashion brand J. Lindeberg. True to form, his latest launch, BLK DNM (pronounced “black denim”) is the antithesis of what we have come to expect from a traditional fashion label. For a start, it’s all about perfecting classics rather than chasing trends. Unfussy staples such as skinny jeans, biker jackets and tailored blazers benefit from tiny tweaks and thoughtful design details. Secondly, BLK DNM collections aren’t seasonal. Instead, Lindeberg releases new items whenever he pleases.

BLK DNM jacket £599 and jeans £145.

Available from Fashion Lab, Fourth Floor

One half of Hervé Léger, Lubov Azria, took the concept of renewal as inspiration for her latest collection; it’s a fitting theme for a label that continues to evolve beyond its signature bandage dresses. At the AW14 show, Azria’s train of thought was first visible in the textures; patterns from nature were transfigured into pixelated metal beading and 3D jacquards. It was also seen in the collection’s silhouettes: cage-style corset belts defined curves, while skintight dresses became fit-and-flare with the addition of strategic slashes. There were plenty of appearances of body-con dresses too, though. As Azria knows, nothing beats the transformative powers of the original bandage dress. Hervé Léger dresses, from left, £1,850 and £2,699. Available from Designer Studio, First Floor

“The way I design is sort of selfish, because I design things I really want.

That’s usually how a collection starts.

My husband can’t buy me jewellery as a gift, as I already own the pieces I crave. It’s hard to find something with the same emotional charge as jewellery, but watches have always been special to me. My great-grandfather had a business repairing pocket watches, and then started making gold chains to go with them.

“I have beautiful heirloom pieces, but the watch that really stands out is one I saw years ago when I walked past someone who was wearing it. I loved it so much, I followed her!

They had stopped making that model years before, but then my husband found one at an auction. It’s an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak – but the man’s version, not the women’s. This particular watch is made from an unusual satin-finish gold.

It was actually made in 1976, the year I was born, which makes it extra special.

“I wear it every day so it has little scratches, but I don’t mind; jewellery and watches FROM TOP Carolina Bucci should be enjoyed. pavé key pendant from a It had a leather strap, selection, Lucky bracelet £1,395, exclusive to Harrods, but I found a place and woven cuff £8,875. in Paris that put it Available from Luxury on a gold bracelet.

Jewellery, Ground Floor “I love the idea of reinventing something.That’s one reason why my 1885 collection is so popular. The designs are essentially three pieces in one – you can change the elements and make them look completely new.

“I use delicate techniques and precious materials – my pieces are designed to evolve with you and be enjoyed into the future.”

– By Lindsay Macpherson

MONOCHROME

Stella McCartney coat £1,150

Helmut Lang coat £2,450

u

u

Isabel Marant coat £790

Miu Miu coat £3,580 Whistles coat £275

SOFT TOUCH

THE COMFORT ZONE Gucci coat £3,950

Chanel coat £3,645

Temperley London coat £1,299

Chanel coat £5,535

Available from International Designer, First Floor; Fashion Lab, Fourth Floor; and harrods.com For more information, download the Harrods Magazine app

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Stylist Olivia Halsall

Miu Miu coat £3,490

Ch el

PATTERN

Statement patterns and tactile textures are balanced by boxier proportions and cocooning cuts

PROMO T ION

GIFTS FROM THE GODS

Credits TK Images

Greek deities, along with Indian maharajahs, have shaped Bulgari’s new – and typically audacious – high jewellery creations

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PROMO T ION

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othing better defines the sophisticated lifestyle of the early 1960s dolce vita era than pictures of the stars of Rome’s Cinecittà film studios – from Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida to high-octane Hollywood incomers such as Elizabeth Taylor – clad in Pucci prints and wearing Bulgari jewellery. But for anyone who sees Bulgari as an emblem of Roman glamour, its genesis and evolution may come as something of a surprise.

The brand’s founder, Sotirio Bulgari, came from a family of Greek silversmiths who had worked for generations in the remote and rugged region of Epirus in the northwest of the country. In 1879 he took his considerable skills to the Italian capital where he started off by selling silver ornaments. His original style quickly attracted buyers, and in 1884 he opened his first shop. Ten years later came the move to the via dei Condotti – the street where the brand’s flagship store, redesigned by Peter Marino in time for this year’s 130th anniversary, stands today.

Bulgari soon realised how well jewellery could sell – especially to the wealthy tourists starting to visit Rome in increasing numbers. His two sons became passionate about that side of the business, developing a flamboyant style based on Greek and Roman classicism and the Italian Renaissance. And Bulgari hasn’t looked back, growing into a brand that also includes watches, perfumes, handbags, sunglasses and now hotels in its portfolio. For its breathtaking anniversary collection of high jewellery, however, the brand has drawn inspiration from antiquity.

The new Bulgari collection, MVSA, is named in honour of the nine muses at the centre of one of the best-known allegories in ancient Greek mythology.

These female deities, daughters of Zeus, are said to have each taken control of one aspect of the arts. And while the term is still widely used – many artists and designers have claimed to be inspired by a beautiful woman – Bulgari has shifted the focus.

Out of 26 pieces in the MVSA ensemble, nine incomparable necklaces – each featuring rare stones and with its own character – have been singled out as “muses”.

And for each necklace there are matching bracelets, rings and earrings, incorporating amethysts and aquamarines alongside rubellite beads and diamonds.

Since espousing the style of mixed, coloured gems in the 1930s, Bulgari has established a reputation for audacious chromatic combinations, and for applying unusual cuts to exceptional gems. Many of these, historically, came from India, a country renowned for opulent jewellery, and Bulgari – with signature creativity – has linked the muse myth with Indian cuts and colours that showcase both the stones and the wearer to their best advantage.

Bulgari is the first to create contemporary high jewellery using the takhti cut (inspired by the palaces of the maharajahs) which adds a sensuous luminosity. Other gems are cut in a more free-form manner, or strung as beads large or small, creating an easily wearable informality.

These are set in either pink or white gold – depending on which most heightens the impact – and diamonds are sprinkled throughout to add an element of fire.

“Bulgari has linked the muse myth with Indian cuts and colours that show off both the stones and the wearer to their best advantage” The real glory of the collection, however, lies in the variety of stones – some ancient and recut – and the way they have spurred Bulgari’s designers and craftsmen on to new creative heights. Each of the nine pieces stands alone in design terms, from the simple necklace of large Burmese rubies and diamonds to the chunky chain necklace with its unlikely alliance of pebble-sized cabochons – peridot, amethyst, blue topaz, rubellite and citrine. Some are restrained – in diamonds alone or with mother-of-pearl. Others are mosaics: emeralds, amethysts and tourmalines in a seascape necklace; an elegant platinum sautoir with emeralds and rubies on white gold and diamonds; or an Indian fantasy with a recut emerald of almost 30 carats mixed with diamonds and combined with a tassel of ruby and emerald beads to create an abstract floral pendant.

The MVSA collection has been in-store since July; to view it is like staring into an unexplored treasure chest artfully arranged by the original Muses themselves.

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Bulgari

MVSA earrings £15,900, necklace £49,500, ring £3,270 and bracelet £5,600, all in 18kt pink gold with round, brilliant-cut pavé diamonds; OPPOSITE PAGE Bulgari white-gold necklace with emeralds (141.97cts), sapphires (149.31cts), rubies (95.42cts) and diamonds (53.9cts), price on request Available from The Fine Jewellery Room, Ground Floor

NEWS

An inte vie

NIGHT MOVES

NANCY GONZALEZ

by Lindsay Macpherson

It’s hard to believe it’s been more than 13 years since Stacey Bendet – the designer behind cult favourite Alice + Olivia – burst onto the fashion scene. Back then it was her cleverly cut trousers that attracted attention, but now, having dressed Angelina Jolie and Taylor Swift, she’s known as a purveyor of ultra-pretty partywear. The AW14 season sees Bendet play to her strengths with a capsule collection of gowns. Inspired by the gothic pop-up fairy-tale books by French illustrator Benjamin Lacombe, her dresses are a picture of extravagant adornments. Highlights include dresses with plunging necklines and kaleidoscopic prints, plissé gowns in foillike fabric and Fifties-style dresses studded with jewels. Alice + Olivia skirt £695.

Available from Studio, First Floor

Colombian Nancy Gonzalez launched her first collection of brightly coloured crocodile bags in 1998. In 2007 the Accessories Council named her Brand of the Year, and today her bags are carried by celebrities including Miranda Kerr and Michelle Williams. Gonzalez talks to Harrods Magazine about her innovative cutting techniques, her love of her native Colombia and her commitment to supporting social change in her local community.

CLEAN CUT The ultra-embellished Baguette may have been responsible for kick-starting the It-bag craze, but it’s craftsmanship that defines a Fendi bag. The label’s latest launch – the Anna – is a case in point. The pared-down tote pays homage to Anna Fendi, one of the five daughters of Fendi founder Adele. It was Adele who first asked master saddlers to create a collection of hand-stitched leather bags in 1925, and those traditions are still followed today. Each Anna bag is handmade and has a serial number – up to 1,322; a reference to the number of stitches used.

Fendi Anna bag £1,810. Available from Luxury Accessories, Ground Floor

H A R RODS M AGA ZINE

Duc e

Today, jewellery is used for adornment’s sake, but that wasn’t always the case. The Egyptians used pendants as lucky charms, while ancient cultures from the Celts to the Romans incorporated religious symbolism into jewellery. Following up on this design legacy is Ece Şirin, founder of Istanbul-based Bee Goddess, who imbues her fine jewellery with a mix of modernity and symbolism. Her delicate pendants draw from Middle-Eastern spirituality and her abstract, diamond-studded designs are suffused with ancient Greek mythology. For her AW14 collection – Illumination – Şirin takes tarot cards as her inspiration. A pair of eagle wing earrings are a real standout, their rose-gold and black rhodium feathers representing the divination card for mastery and power. Bee Goddess earrings £690.

Available from Luxury Jewellery, Ground Floor

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Mixed messages

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ith

Nature in my native city of Cali, Colombia, is a constant inspiration. We have blue skies 365 days a year; the largest number of bird species in the world; and an amazing array of shades of green.

The people are inspiring too; they have determination and a celebratory spirit.

Precious skins are the most luxurious material found in Colombia, so they were a natural choice. Colombians don’t have a history of working with crocodile skin but we do have a tradition of artisanal expertise. My craftspeople and I are inventing a new know-how.

I think of skins as being like gemstones; each must be cut and polished depending BAGS FROM TOP Nancy on its characteristics. Gonzalez Tartan bag It can be challenging, £3,450, Lunchbox bag as they have irregular £3,275, Bubble tote £3,950 and Metallic Weave clutch surfaces that are £4,575. Available from difficult to work Luxury Accessories, with. But our team Ground Floor takes it to a new level.

For example, we have lasers that cut skins into threads that we weave into patterns.

For AW14 our artisans used tailoring techniques such as pleats, folds and invisible cuts.

Linings are floated (attached only at the top) but cut so they fit seamlessly.

Purity, balance and rigour are the aesthetic pillars of my brand, but dignity and optimism are its essence. I employ over 400 local artisans and 90 per cent are women, as I believe if a mother has a job, then her child has a better chance for the future. By providing work and self-esteem, I encourage women to accomplish their goals.

M U S T- H AV E S

Sugar SH Taking cues from the world of fashion, luxury jewellery embraces seasonal flavour with brightly coloured stones

FROM TOP Marco Bicego Jaipur topaz ring £3,070; Pomellato Nudo ring in amethyst £1,555; Annoushka Dusty Diamonds citrine ring £2,200; Astley Clarke Rose de France ring £3,500; Monica Vinader Riva diamond cocktail ring £220. Available from Luxury Jewellery, Ground Floor

Stylist Olivia Halsall

TED HUMBLE-SMITH

PROMO T ION

CLASSIC good looks Harrods of London’s latest collection fits perfectly into a contemporary wardrobe; the highest-quality fabrics and the smartest construction give an easy yet elegant fit JASON ELL

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PROMO T ION

Harrods of London fur gilet £4,450

Harrods of London cashmere cable cardigan with fur trim £1,150

Harrods of London fur gilet with square detail £1,950

Harrods of London fur gilet £4,950

Harrods of London cropped leather jacket with fur collar £899

Harrods of London leather trapeze dress £699

Harrods of London pony-skin pencil skirt £499

Harrods of London belted coat with fur collar £1,425

Harrods of London quilted leather jacket £499

NEWS

Designer influence

Fashion often plunders other decades for inspiration, but the APC presentation was perhaps the first to credit leading designers, past and present. Jean Touitou, the brand’s founder, cited style arbiters Yves Saint Laurent and Marc Jacobs as influences for his AW14 collection. Of course, the designer was as understated as ever in his execution, but his references were plain to see: sharply tailored shirts and pinstripes were a subtle salute to Saint Laurent; the grunge element – plaid over shirts, shearling-collar blouson jackets and distressed jeans – was a more obvious ode, recalling Marc Jacobs’ early attire and his landmark AW92 collection for Perry Ellis.

APC tartan shirt £165, jacket £665 and shirt £145. Available from Men’s Contemporary Designer, Lower Ground Floor

BLACK WATCH Mixing hi-tech with tradition is the ethos of Swiss watchmakers Rado, whose DiaMaster Skeleton Limited Edition pairs a skeletonised movement with Rado’s signature contemporary black ceramic. The automatic movement is black-treated to match.

Rado DiaMaster £3,930. Available from The Fine Watch Room, Ground Floor

Punk ROCKS

Surprising, but cool; Lanvin, the oldest couture house in Paris, celebrated punk subculture in its AW14 collection. The precise tailoring and couture-level detailing we’ve come to expect from dream team Lucas Ossendrijver and Alber Elbaz were present and correct, but the designers underpinned them with an edgier, more aggressive sensibility that really set the collection apart. Models with mohawks and crew cuts stalked the catwalk in ultra-skinny trousers and graphic, slim-fit shirts worn with ties punctured by safety pins. Other pieces were more surreal – such as a multi-zippered bomber jacket emblazoned with a monochrome handprint. Lanvin trousers £575 and shirt £399. Available from Men’s International Gallery, Lower Ground Floor

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The G

ng Gu

homes in on heritage When I think of great heritage brands, I think of trust, consistency, craftsmanship and integrity.

And nowhere are these qualities more evident than in enduring fragrance brands from Aramis to Guerlain, whose long-standing appeal is the ultimate expression of their excellence.

Aramis Original is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Woody, leathery and spicy, with notes of bergamot, sandalwood and sage, it’s been part of my fragrance wardrobe for years thanks to its warm sensuality and impressive longevity on the skin. It’s presented in a commemorative bottle wrapped in leather, so if you haven’t worn it for a while, now’s the perfect time to get reacquainted.

Guerlain also has something to celebrate this month in the shape of L’Homme Ideal, its first men’s fragrance for six years. The sweet and sexy blend is based around notes of vanilla and almond, and is a wonderful complement to established Guerlain favourites such as Habit Rouge and Vetiver.

Bulgari honours its luxury goods background by referencing the design of its Roma timepiece in the rosegold-coloured lid of the new Man In Black fragrance.

FROM TOP Aramis Meanwhile, Clive Original eau de toilette 110ml, £60; Guerlain Christian stays true L’Homme Ideal eau de to its reputation toilette 50ml, £48; Bulgari for coming up with Man In Black eau de bold and luxurious parfum 100ml, £70; Clive Christian “L” For Men fragrances with the eau de parfum 50ml, £225; deliciously woody Trussardi Black Extreme and sensual “L” For eau de toilette 50ml, Men – a scent that £56. Available from garners compliments The Perfumery Hall, Ground Floor; and whenever I wear it.

My favourite nod harrods.com to heritage, however, centres on Trussardi.

Its latest fragrance, Black Extreme, echoes the company’s original Uomo fragrance in its bottle design, and its advertising campaign is fronted by none other than Tomaso Trussardi himself – a fourthgeneration Trussardi and CEO of the company’s fashion business. Now how’s that for drawing attention to your brand DNA? Lee Kynaston is the Online Grooming Editor of menshealth.co.uk and has his own blog at groomingguru.co.uk

FA S H I O N

3 ways to wear a

BOMBER

The bomber is flying high as designers put a fresh spin on an old favourite

Ken

Kenzo jacket £2,225

The Brooklyn Circus jacket £1,350, exclusive to Harrods

Burberry Prorsum trousers £495

Louis Vuitton jacket from £900

Louis Vuitton

Carven jacket £540

Prada sunglasses from £162

Marc by Marc Jacobs wallet £79.95

Givenchy jacket £1,399

Tom Ford shoes £830

Print RUN

That Seventies SHOW A nostalgia for all things

Bold prints, painterly patterns and pop-art graphics add a punchy new aesthetic to slim-cut bomber jackets

’70s emerged in the new collections, as designers brought back shearling, blue denim and tan leather

Sporting CHANCE

The enduring sportswear trend sees outerwear executed with an edgier, more urban attitude

Givenchy trousers £360

Dior Homme jacket £1,650

Balenciaga rucksack £875

e

Kent & Curwen sweater £395

Valextra briefcase £1,325

Alexander McQueen trainers £380

Stylist Becky Branch

Dio

Jimmy Choo shoes from a selection

APC T-shirt £89.95

o

Duchamp shirt £135

Markus Lupfer trousers £330

Available from Men’s Contemporary Designer and The Men’s Shoe Salon, Lower Ground Floor; and harrods.com

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Q&A

WAXING lyrical Lady Amanda Harlech has translated her love of the British countryside into a capsule collection for heritage brand Barbour BY

Harlech Getty Images

Lady Amanda Harlech was a muse to John Galliano and, since 1996, has worked with Karl Lagerfeld on his Chanel and Fendi collections.

Last year she won the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator at the British Fashion Awards.

What’s your role at Barbour?

It’s that of a consultant or collaborator, which means I offer up initial ideas, images and suggestions and the Barbour design team develops the finished products.

I see my part as helping to create the story.

How does your second collaboration with Barbour Gold Label differ from the first?

This time, I’ve been there from the start, so I’m much more aware of how the AW14 collection has evolved. In terms of design, the first collection had lots of tweed, and drew from the Yorkshire Dales and jockeys taking early morning exercise, with a bit of gymkhana thrown in. This is a bit stricter and more elegant. It’s about dressage and women riding side-saddle. It’s quite gothic and romantic with lots of black, velvet and lace. Barbour developed a special laceprint wax fabric for the collection, so you’ve got the very traditional Barbour wax combined with something that’s incredibly beautiful and very subtle.

What attracted you to Barbour?

I can’t remember a time when there wasn’t a Barbour jacket hanging up somewhere in my parents’ house, so, like many people, I’ve grown up with the evocative smell of Barbour’s waxed cotton. I like the fact that a Barbour jacket doesn’t really change very much: when you’ve got something that’s designed so well on a practical level, it doesn’t need to. Whether you’ve nicked your dad’s or got your own, everyone who wears one manages to put their personal stamp on it.

How has living in the countryside [Harlech splits her time between Paris and Shropshire] influenced your design aesthetic?

If I didn’t live in the countryside, I wouldn’t be able to ride horses, and that’s something that’s made me aware of all the practical aspects of designing clothes for the country. The designs have to be durable, waterproof and warm, but they also have to allow you to move easily.

Techie sportswear is an easy answer for anything athletic, but properly designed tailoring can be just as practical and looks much more elegant.

Could the collection also be worn in an urban environment?

The clothes are designed to be practical for the country, but they could easily transition to the city.

I can imagine pairing the tailored jacket with a pencil skirt, a really wonderful pair of 1940s platforms, some seamed stockings and a hat.

Why do you think equestrian style has influenced so many designers?

Don’t people always just look really elegant on a horse?

The cadence of a horse’s stride is a magnificent, musical thing. Throughout the centuries, people have tried to reflect that grace and make the overall picture beautiful, which is why riding attire is so attractive to designers.

I mean, you wouldn’t want to put a big, clodhoppery shape on top of such a wonderful creature. Side-saddle riding outfits show the shape of the woman in a very alluring but subtle way.

Which part of the design process do you find most inspiring?

The beginning is wonderful, as there’s so much potential.

It’s like a blank canvas where you can weave in whatever colours, shapes, moods and ideas you want. I also love when the stylist is working with the pieces for photographs, because you’re back talking about a story.

Of course, the final stage is when you actually see people wearing the clothes. That’s got to be the best part. HMN

FROM TOP Barbour Courbette jacket £449, Piasse quilt £249 and Capriole cape £599. Available from Barbour, Fifth Floor

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SENSE OF PROPORTION

Roberto Cavalli cape £7,660

THIS PAGE Emanuel Ungaro sweater £550 and skirt £650; Kurt Geiger shoes £110; OPPOSITE PAGE Alberta Ferretti gown £2,599

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THIS PAGE Gucci dress £1,505; Tabitha Simmons shoes from a selection; OPPOSITE PAGE Victoria Beckham dress £1,650; Chloé coat £3,050

THIS PAGE The Row coat £2,875; OPPOSITE PAGE Christopher

Kane dress £1,550 Hair RANELLE CHAPMAN at David Artists using Aveda Make-up LIZ DAXHAUER at Caren using Chanel Le Lift Serum and AW14 Fashion Assistant OLIVIA HALSALL Model AMANDA NIMMO at Premier Photographer’s Assistant LAIMONAS STASIULIS Available from International Designer and Harrods Shoe Heaven, First Floor; and harrods.com .

To watch a video of this feature, download the Harrods Magazine app Special thanks to Cass Sculpture Park, New Barn Hill, Goodwood

FA S H I O N

London

CALLING Designers are taking their cues from the punk-rock spirit of The Clash, mixing tartans and stripes with tailored and leather jeans PANI PAUL / F THIS PAGE Lanvin jacket £1,450; Helmut Lang T-shirt £110; Alexander McQueen scarf £215; Zadig & Voltaire trousers £160; OPPOSITE PAGE Saint Laurent jacket £1,450, T-shirt £285, trousers £775 and shoes £710

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FA SHION

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THIS PAGE Burberry Prorsum coat £1,895, vest and jeans from a selection; Jane Carr scarf £239; Shamballa Jewels necklace £16,450; OPPOSITE PAGE Harrods of London jacket (part of tuxedo) £699; APC top £160; Shamballa Jewels necklace £16,450; Paul Smith trousers £375

Issa top £550; Jay Ahr skirt £1,050; Sophia Webster shoes £495 Issa top £550; Jay Ahr skirt £1,050; Sophia Webster shoes £495

FA S H I O N

THIS PAGE Victoria Beckham coat £2,250; Christian Louboutin shoes £795; OPPOSITE PAGE Hockley coat £3,575; Victoria Beckham dress £1,450; Monica Vinader earrings £250 HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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THIS PAGE Markus Lupfer sweater £335; Balenciaga shirt £215; OPPOSITE PAGE Sandro jacket £790; APC shirt £145 and jeans £190; Shamballa Jewels bracelet £17,050 Alexander McQueen scarf £215; Falke socks £12.95; AllSaints shoes £148

FA SHION Fendi shirt £180; Harrods of London braces £129; APC jeans £190; Tateossian bracelet £129; Falke socks £12.95; AllSaints shoes £148

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FA S H I O N Zadig & Voltaire coat £475; Paul Smith shirt £129 and trousers £235; Falke socks £12.95; AllSaints shoes £148 Grooming LEE MACHIN at Caren using Kiehl’s Model MARC FAIELLA at FM Senior Fashion Assistant BECKY BRANCH Photographer’s Assistants LINDSAY WATSON and TOMMY WHITTY

Credits TK Images

Available from Men’s Accessories, Men’s Contemporary Designer, Men’s International Gallery, The Men’s Shoe Salon and Men’s Socks, Underwear & Nightwear, Lower Ground Floor; The Fine Jewellery Room and Men’s International Collections, Ground Floor; Men’s Fashion Lab, Fifth Floor; . To watch and harrods.com a video of this feature, download the Harrods Magazine app

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THE SPACE, THE SERVICE, THE SILVER EXCLUSIVES

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Whether you have a passion for stilettos or a weakness for wedges, when it comes to being seductively shod, Harrods Shoe Heaven lifts devotion to a whole new level. Discover unparalleled luxury in shoe shopping, with 17 stylish boutiques presenting collections from more than 50 leading designers and brands, such as Chanel, Dior, Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Louis Vuitton and Valentino. Float [OYV\NO THYISL ÅVVYLK JVYYPKVYZ ÄUK LSLNHU[S` LKP[LK displays and lounge on velvet seating to talk, breathe and live shoes. To celebrate, there’s a limited-edition collection showcasing 37 shining designs that have been exclusively created. From Valentino Rockstuds to Manolo Blahnik’s silver-brooched Ariona mule [V Z\LKL 2P[[` ÅH[Z I` *OHYSV[[L 6S`TWPH ¶ L]LY` style, a perfect addition to an autumn/winter wardrobe and for the forthcoming festive season.

Halos may slip, however, when you play the Stiletto Wars game. Compete to win an amazing pair of shoes every week throughout September.

Quite simply, this is the destination for shoe fans HUK HÄJPVUHKVZ (UK [OL QV\YUL` ILNPUZ ^P[O a single step… straight to heaven.

PREVIOUS PAGE Christian Louboutin shoes £625, exclusive to Harrods; OPPOSITE PAGE Alaïa boots £990, exclusive to Harrods

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Cover photography and models Ishi

FA S H I O N

Issa top £550; Jay Ahr skirt £1,050; Sophia Webster shoes £495 Issa top £550; Jay Ahr skirt £1,050; Sophia Webster shoes £495

“My shoe heaven is all about the Gucci Horsebit loafer. Comfort, versatility and style all in one.

The iconic accessory that makes a statement for every occasion” Frida Giannini, Gucci Creative Director

ABOVE Gucci Horsebit loafers £390, exclusive to Harrods; OPPOSITE PAGE Valentino shoes £1,045, exclusive to Harrods

PROVENANCE

WHAT WOMEN WANT Karl Lagerfeld’s vision for Chanel encapsulates the originator’s principles, giving us shoes that are elegant, practical and oh-so-cool

“With a mantra of, ‘Anything is possible here!’ the atelier lives up to its own high expectations”

THIS PAGE, FROM TOP

Design genius Coco Chanel; Chanel’s handcrafted shoes take shape in the company’s atelier; OPPOSITE PAGE Chanel boots £910, exclusive to Harrods

a favourite of Mademoiselle Chanel, and made all her personal shoes. Since 1957, the Massaro workshop has been behind the most sought-after creations from Chanel. It’s a fairy tale of a place, creating pumps and stilettos from heavenly fabrics and elaborate trims. With a mantra of, “Anything is possible here!” the atelier lives up to its own high expectations.

From the late 1990s, Karl Lagerfeld has engineered the acquisition of a number of specialist ateliers, realising that the French fashion industry relies on true craftsmanship, and that Chanel should be the brand to celebrate it. Chanel currently owns 11 of its key suppliers, including cashmere brand Barrie, embroiderers Lesage, feather house Lemarié and, of course, Massaro.

And each season Lagerfeld dreams up yet another challenge for the shoemakers.

At the summer 2014 couture collection for Chanel, Lagerfeld rewrote the fashion book by sending out all his models in sneakers. Each member of the audience gasped as their feet breathed a sigh of relief: at last, a reason not to wear heels! But these were not your average trainer – for although there were the normal chunky soles you’d expect from an Air Max, the pink-and-cream tweed uppers were spun through with metallic threads or wrapped in transparent layers of lace and chiffon.

The ease with which the models sashayed down the catwalk reflected the insouciance inherent in the fashion collection – but with Massaro behind each elegant wisp of silk, these shoes are no less a confection of perfection. Mademoiselle Chanel would be proud.

All photographs Getty Images

A

round 60 years ago a shoe was born. The two-tone slingback was a carefully conceived masterpiece, designed to cleverly shorten the toe with a black cap and elongate the leg with a beige upper. Genius. Trust Coco Chanel to know what a woman would want from a shoe.

However, despite her input, the invention really came from Raymond Massaro, whose grandfather founded a storied master bootmakers on Paris’ Rue de la Paix in 1894. With the Duchess of Windsor and Marlene Dietrich in his fan club, Massaro had always been

FA S H I O N

“A woman with good shoes is never ugly. They are the last touch of elegance” Coco Chanel

“Shoe heaven is a space where the most dashing and exciting ideas for shoes have room to be seen at their best” Rupert Sanderson

ABOVE Rupert Sanderson shoes £600, exclusive to Harrods; OPPOSITE PAGE Jimmy Choo Silver Linings shoes £575, exclusive to Harrods

FA SHION

“I wanted to create a pair of shoes that makes you feel happy, confident and positive” Sandra Choi, Jimmy Choo Creative Director

ABOVE AND OPPOSITE PAGE Prada shoes £705, exclusive to Harrods

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FA S H I O N

“Shoe heaven is a place for those whose only sin is shoes” Rebecca Farrar-Hockley, Kurt Geiger Creative Director

Kurt Geiger shoes £295, exclusive to Harrods

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FA S H I O N

Nicholas Kirkwood shoes £760, exclusive to Harrods

Salvatore Ferragamo shoes £429 and bag £905, both exclusive to Harrods

Giuseppe Zanotti shoes £1,125, exclusive to Harrods

Gianvito Rossi boots £605, exclusive to Harrods

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PROVENANCE

STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART True shoe devotion comes from a dream pair of shoes guaranteed by the high priest of the high heel

I

“Platforms were in fashion for the last decade, but I don’t like them, so I won’t make them”

THIS PAGE, TOP

Blahnik signs a pair of shoes for a fan at his New York store in 2009 (top left), and a selection of his creations; LEFT Blahnik, 1974; BELOW & OPPOSITE PAGE Manolo Blahnik shoes £675, exclusive to Harrods

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From Ossie, Blahnik designed exclusives for the great and the good of the international fashion scene.

Established mega-brands as well as young upstarts have been met with grace and consideration, from Calvin to Christopher Kane, Rifat Ozbek to Oscar de la Renta. But despite his close association with high fashion, Blahnik maintains that fashion plays no role in his designs.

“I don’t care for trends or fads, or whatever people say these days,” he says. “Platforms were in fashion for the last decade, but I don’t care. I don’t like them, so I won’t make them. I like the odd wedge here and there, but platforms are a no-no for me. They are so unflattering.”

Instead of following trends, Blahnik treats each collection like an opportunity to express his creativity.

Some 25,000 designs later (all carefully filed away), he is still never short of inspiration.

“I design in Bath or London, depending on where I’m living,” he says. “Sometimes I sketch on a plane or a train.

If an idea comes to mind, I draw it immediately; otherwise I forget it. That’s why I always carry a sketchpad. I often use botanical details; flowers and plants look lovely on shoes. My favourite shoe ever is the first catwalk shoe I did for Ossie Clark. It was the Ivy shoe, and it also had cherries on. This season, I’ve done shoes and ankle boots inspired by the contrasting spats on the Spanish royal saddles; there are spotty courts that remind me of my beloved country, Spain; there’s a tasselled shoe that uses fabrics that reflect a Fortuny style; and there’s a pink crystal boot that’s a favourite. Each season I design around 200 styles, then edit them down to around 100. Editing is difficult for me, though; I love them and want to keep them all.”

Manolo Blahnik and shoe (top) Getty Images

would rather save up for something really beautiful that will last me years than buy five cheaper things that would last me no time at all.” So says Manolo Blahnik, the universally acclaimed high priest of the high heel, whose Christian name has become a moniker for any statement shoe with a stellar price tag. Long before Carrie Bradshaw got mugged for her Manolos, the Spanish designer was inspiring devotion. Since Blahnik made his debut on Ossie Clark’s catwalk in 1971, he has been winning hearts with his handcrafted creations, which, he agrees, cannot easily be defined.

“I don’t know how to begin to describe my shoes,” he says. “But one thing is for sure: you always see my heart in my designs, whether my inspiration has been a building or a flower. I simply do what I love. I am quite selfish – I design whatever I like.”

FA S H I O N

“Shoe heaven is a place where you’re surrounded by exquisite shoes – shoes with beautiful silhouettes and perfect balance and proportion, all made with incredible materials” Manolo Blahnik

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ABOVE AND OPPOSITE PAGE Roger Vivier shoes £575, exclusive to Harrods

PROVENANCE

ONE STEP AHEAD Nicolas Ghesquière’s forwardthinking designs combine with good, old-fashioned quality at Louis Vuitton

“As far as production is concerned, the old-fashioned skills are the best, and each stage in the creation is done by hand” THIS PAGE, FROM TOP The company

headquarters in Fiesso d’Artico; Louis Vuitton luggage in the ’50s; handcrafting heels; LEFT Traditional skills remain fundamental to the brand; BELOW & OPPOSITE PAGE

Louis Vuitton Silver Python Sandals £1,120, exclusive to Harrods

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The workshops are now housed in a thoroughly modern concrete and glass building, built around a central courtyard filled with modern sculpture – including a huge, stop-you-in-your-tracks shoe made from stainless steel pans. The building is arranged into four separate ateliers; one for women’s fashion shoes, one for trainers, and the others for moccasins and classic men’s shoes. It’s a paean to light and sustainability with vast windows, solar panels and recycled rainwater.

But that’s where modernity ends. As far as production is concerned, the old-fashioned skills are the best and each stage in the creation of the design is done by hand, from the cutting of the leather to the skiving of the insole, and the hammering of holes in the upper to the screwing in of the heels. As well as the four workshops, there is a design room, a room full of wooden lasts and one devoted to materials – including exotic skins and printed satins. And it is from here that the 30 different styles are created each season to complement the everdesirable fashion collections now produced by boundarypushing designer Nicolas Ghesquière.

His debut collection features a variety of leathers from patent, plain and glazed calf leather to exclusive crocodile in a range of shades. The half boot, a confirmed favourite with the fashion cognoscenti this season, is showcased in various styles and heels, while the ankle-strap sandal is all set for stepping out during red-carpet season.

However, there is more to a Louis Vuitton shoe than a fleeting trend. These are creations to keep forever, and having passed through such loving hands, you can expect them to do just that.

Suitcase Corbis

T

he world’s most famous luggage-maker only began producing shoes in 1997 when, with Marc Jacobs newly appointed as Creative Director, the brand moved into high fashion, and bought a small family-run factory in Fiesso d’Artico, just outside Venice, in a region with an international reputation for shoe making. As far back as the 13th century, the Venetian aristocracy funded fine leather workshops and artisan detailing in the area, which became known as “The Land of Shoes” – and where, today, that small Louis Vuitton factory has grown some.

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FA S H I O N

“The wall of shoes in my dressing room is my own shoe heaven” Charlotte Olympia

Charlotte Olympia shoes £465 and bag £1,975, both exclusive to Harrods

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FA S H I O N

Stuart Weitzman boots £895, exclusive to Harrods

Aquazzura shoes £860, exclusive to Harrods

Gina shoes £655 and bag £750, both exclusive to Harrods

Tabitha Simmons shoes £745, exclusive to Harrods

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PROVENANCE

DIOR DRAMA Dior’s magical design aesthetic lives on in the house’s modernist mirrored leather mixed with elegant couture style details

S

ix years after Christian Dior launched his controversial, game-changing New Look, the need for a complementary shoe collection seemed obvious. All those nipped-in waists, dropped shoulders and swishing skirts required a little height

THIS PAGE, TOP

Christian Dior (top and right) at the heart of the design process in his Paris atelier; LEFT The 1956 collection takes shape; BELOW & OPPOSITE PAGE Christian Dior

stilettos £690, exclusive to Harrods

and a lot of drama. In 1953, with the help of Roger Vivier (who was already a big name on the French couture scene and went on to invent the stiletto), Dior let his creativity run riot with a collection of silk and satin court shoes that proved to be similarly sought after. The Dior/Vivier collaboration produced simple designs that showcased Vivier’s imaginative comma heel shapes, as well as extravagant embellished shoes that used pearls, lace, appliqué and jewels to create a bold statement.

Today there remains something utterly magical about anything bearing the Dior label. Still designed at the Paris atelier at 30 Avenue Montaigne, the collections are realised in Italy, the heart of the world’s shoe production. However, since Raf Simons’ arrival at the fashion house, a contemporary vibe has permeated the hallowed atelier. Of the 20 or so new styles created for autumn, there are classic ballet pumps in block colours, a new mod-inspired shape and extra-long boots with a rock edge.

An ultra-modern slip-on sneaker has also crept into the collection, albeit embroidered and decorated with crystals. Futuristic, urban and comfortable, yet dressy and feminine, the trainer collection adds a freshness to the personality of the brand.

However Dior wouldn’t be Dior without a statement heel. So, exclusively for Harrods Shoe Heaven, Simons has created a limited-edition, mirrored leather stiletto, with a rose motif on a peep toe, a platform and an arching heel. It’s about as heavenly as it’s possible to get.

Dior atelier Getty Images

“There remains something magical about anything bearing the Dior label”

FA S H I O N

“Shoe heaven is a place where the inspired story of something exclusively crafted and uniquely decorated comes to life” Christopher Bailey MBE, Burberry Chief *YLH[P]L HUK *OPLM ,_LJ\[P]L 6ĄJLY

Burberry Prorsum shoes £1,195, exclusive to Harrods

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“Everyone knows a pair of high-heeled shoes is the sexiest accessory a woman can wear to feel in heaven!”

Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana shoes £945, exclusive to Harrods

FA S H I O N

“My shoe heaven is a place where music is everywhere, and the click of heels with red soles gives the tempo” Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin shoes £625, exclusive to Harrods

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BEAUTY SCHOOL

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iStock

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TREVOR O’KEEFFE Global Make-up Artist, Laura Mercier “The Sensual Reflections collection embodies the spirit of women who feel empowered and confident. It’s all about embracing who you are and wearing what you want to wear. The look is modern and perfect for autumn. Eyes are sultry in green, plum and gold. Skin is smooth and even.

For balance, I’ve chosen berry and chocolate tones on lips, using Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Sienna, muted with Lip Glacé in Desire.”

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer £29, Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide £34, Secret Camouflage £26.50, Secret Concealer for Under Eye £19.50, Invisible Loose Setting Powder in Universal £29, Cheek Mélange in Sensual Reflections £32, Eye Basics in Wheat £20.50, Tightline Cake Eye Liner in Black Ebony £19.50, Satin Matte Eye Colour in Gold Seduction, Plum Allure and Tempting Green £19.50 each, Crème Eye Liner in Envy £19.50, Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Sienna £21, Lip Pencil in Red Chocolate £17.50 and Lip Glacé in Desire £19.50

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BE AU T Y

SHEHLA SHAIKH Head of the Lancôme Elite Team, Lancôme “I was inspired by Twiggy’s 1960s wide-eyed look. You can create something similarly striking if you build up lashes with several coats of Grandiôse mascara. I teamed this with a double flick of liquid liner on top and bottom lids to create a dark line at the base of the lashes.

As eyes are the key feature here, I kept the skin flawless and radiant and the lips very neutral – almost nude.”

Lancôme La Base Pro Perfecting Make-up Primer £28.50, Le Correcteur Pro Professional Concealer Palette £29, Teint Visionnaire Skin Perfecting Makeup Duo £36.50, Teint Miracle Perfecting Concealer Pen £26.50, Poudre Majeur Excellence Micro-Aerated Pressed Powder £29, Grandiôse Wide-Angle Fan Effect Mascara in Noir Mirifique £24.50, Hypnôse Palette Star Eyes in Brun Au Naturel £37; Artliner in Black £20, La Base L’Absolu Rouge Lip Treatment £22.50, Rouge In Love lipstick in Rose En Deshabillé £21.50 and Vernis In Love Nail Polish in Sugar Rose £12 HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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MARY GREENWELL Chanel Make-up Artist, Chanel “For this look, I was inspired by Coco Chanel herself. She was known for her red lipstick – in fact, she pretty much created red lips as we know them.

So I wanted to do something classic on the mouth, then bring a modern and gorgeously extended shape to the eyes. I achieved this by drawing a thick but elegant black line with the new felt liner pen, Écriture de Chanel. This updates everything at a stroke. It’s a wonderful contemporary twist.”

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow in Tissé Rivoli £40, Écriture de Chanel Eyeliner Pen in Noir £27, Le Volume de Chanel Mascara in Noir £25, Perfection Lumière Velvet Smooth-Effect Makeup £33, Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder £39, Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Innocence £31, Correcteur Perfection Long Lasting Concealer £27, Poudre Universelle Compacte Pressed Powder £33, Vitalumière Loose Powder Foundation with Mini Kabuki Brush £55, Rouge Allure Lip Colour in Passion £26, Le Crayon Lèvres Lip Definer in Rouge Profond £17.50, Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimer in Rose Rêvé £22 and Le Vernis Nail Colour in Atmosphère £18

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WENDY ROWE Burberry Make-up Artistic Consultant, Burberry “The Burberry AW14 look connects to the Bloomsbury Set: a group of British artists who painted in a free-spirited way. We wanted to translate that approach to make-up. Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base in Golden Radiance was washed over the face, and skin was given a satin finish with Fresh Glow Foundation. Light Glow Blush is a great sculpting tool too – I used it down the sides of the cheeks, under the chin and down the sides of the nose for a feline feel. I also took a painterly, freehand approach to creating light smoky eyes.”

Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base in Golden Radiance and Nude Radiance £34 each, Sheer Concealer £26, Fresh Glow Foundation £30, Light Glow Blush in Earthy Blush £29, Complete Eye Palette in Nude Blush £40, Effortless Mascara in Midnight Blonde £22, Effortless Kohl in Stone £18, Lip Cover in Tulip Pink £23, Nail Polish in Elderberry £15 and Nail Protect Base & Top Coat £15 HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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HAYDN JONES Education Executive & Senior Make-up Artist, Shu Uemura “This year, Shu Uemura’s theme is brave beauty – women wearing make-up like war paint – so I went for bold colour. First, to create a glow, I applied highlights and blush, before using new Lightbulb UV Compact Foundation. Orange for eyes is vivid, but it’s actually quite ‘safe’ to wear as it suits many skin types. To push the boundaries, I added electric blue to the inner corners of the eyes and white kohl inside the waterline.”

Shu Uemura Depsea Hydrability Moisturizing Cream £41, Poreraser UV Under Base Mousse £29, Lightbulb UV Compact foundation £30, Dualfit Pressed Powder £11.75, Glow On Blush in Matte Light Peach £16, Drawing Pencil in Matte Brick Brown, Matte Blue, Matte Red, Matte Purple and Matte White £17.50 each, Pressed Eye Shadow in Matte Vivid Orange and Matte Vivid Yellow £15.50 each, Eyelash Curler £20, Petal Lash Mascara £20, Flare Eyelashes £14, Tint In Gelato lipstick in CR03 and PK03 £18.50 each and Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte in MPK335 £20

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LUCY HOPE Make-up Training Manager, Dior “This has a feeling of urban couture – the kind of styling when haute couture is mixed with street for a certain edge. Although the base is full coverage, it appears as if it’s lit from within. That’s because we mixed Star Foundation with a dab of Glow Maximizer for a touch of ethereal glow. For the graphic eyes, I sketched out the shape first, then, once I was sure both eyes appeared symmetrical, filled in with the same colour.”

Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin £79, Glow Maximizer Light Boosting Primer £28.50, Diorskin Star Fluid foundation £32, Diorskin Star Concealer £22, Diorskin Nude Rose Powder £38.50, Diorblush Vibrant Colour Powder Blush in Cocktail Peach £30, 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Jardin £40, Diorshow Mono Wet & Dry Backstage Eyeshadow in Sequins £23, Dior Addict It-Lash £22, Dior Addict Lip Maximizer £23, Rouge Dior lipstick in Grège £26, Diorshow Brow Styler £18.50 HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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ALBANE LALOY International Make-up Artist, By Terry “Our look takes on board an electro vibe from east London and traditional smoky eyes from the Orient. For peachy skin, I brushed the Collection Haute Couleur in Blazing Sun all over the face, then placed blush high on the cheekbones. I applied black Kajal around the eye – right up to the outer brow – and blended it with blue, then finished with a dark shade of lipstick, mixed with Baume de Rose for a glossy effect.”

By Terry Cellularose Nutri-Baume balm £69, Baume De Rose £38, Cellularose Brightening CC Lumi-Serum in Apricot Glow £59, Terrybly Densiliss Foundation £75, Collection Haute Couleur in Blazing Sun, Coral Sunset and Midnight Blue £145 each, Touch-Expert Advanced in Beige £32, Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder £42, Hyaluronic Eye Primer £32, Eye Powder-Kajal in Intense Oriental £29, Crayon Khôl Terrybly in Black Print £23, Ombre Blackstar in Black Matte £28, Baume De Rose Nutri-Couleur in Fig Fiction £35, Eyebrow Liner in Brown £23, Eyebrow Mascara in Brown £32 and Nail Laque Terrybly in Moving Mauve £21

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BE AU T Y Hair JAY ZHANG at DWM using Bumble and Bumble Nails KIM TRACEY Model ELLEN BURTON at Profile Assistant Beauty Editor REBECCA BAIO Photographer’s Assistant NEAL JACKSON Available from The Colour and Cosmetics Halls, Ground Floor; and harrods.com To watch a video of this feature, download the Harrods Magazine app

HANNAH MARTIN Bobbi Brown Pro Artist, Bobbi Brown “This is Bobbi Brown’s current take on the smoky eye, created by layering lots of nude and neutral tones. To ensure the skin appears flawless, I applied foundation over our BB cream. It’s important to hide any dark shadows when creating this look, so I combined corrector and concealer.

Then I layered our plum eye shadow – which has a gorgeous metallic finish – with sparkling pink on top. I love the crushed diamond effect.”

Bobbi Brown BB Cream in Light £29, Skin Foundation Stick in Warm Sand £29, Corrector in Light Bisque £19, Creamy Concealer in Cool Sand £24.50, Bronzing Powder in Golden Light £28, Long-Wear Eye Base in Light £19, Blush in Desert Rose £19, Sparkle Eye Shadow in Ballet Pink £19, Eye Shadow in Grey, Ivory, Velvet Plum and Rich Caviar £17.50 each, Rich Lip Color in Bare Pink £19.50, Hydrating Eye Cream £38.50, Hydrating Gel Cream £38.50, Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in Pale Yellow £25, Smokey Eye Kajal Liner in Noir £18, Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink £18, Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in Beige £17.50 and Smokey Eye Mascara £22.50 HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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GET THE LOOK

Polished or playful, serene or sexy, this season’s make-up transforms your mood in double-quick time

FROM TOP Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide £34, Tightline Cake Eye Liner in Black Ebony £19.50, Crème Eye Liner in Envy £19.50, Invisible Loose Setting Powder in Universal £29, Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Sienna £21 and Lip Glacé in Desire £19.50

CHANEL

FROM TOP Chanel Écriture de Chanel Eyeliner Pen in Noir £27, Rouge Allure Lip Colour in Passion £26, Vitalumière Loose Powder Foundation with Mini Kabuki Brush £55, Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow in Tissé Rivoli £40 and Le Crayon Lèvres Lip Definer in Rouge Profond £17.50

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LANCÔME

FROM TOP Lancôme Grandiôse Wide-Angle Fan Effect Mascara in Noir Mirifique £25, Teint Miracle Perfecting Concealer Pen £26.50, La Base Pro Perfecting Make-up Primer £28.50, Vernis In Love Nail Polish in Sugar Rose £13 and Le Correcteur Pro Professional Concealer Palette £29

BURBERRY

FROM TOP Burberry Complete Eye Palette in Nude Blush £40, Fresh Glow

Luminous Fluid Base in Golden Radiance and Nude Radiance £34 each, Nail Polish in Elderberry £15 and Light Glow Blush in Earthy Blush £29

Foundation, lipstick and eyeliner smudges Alamy

LAURA MERCIER

BE AU T Y

SHU UEMURA

DIOR

FROM TOP Shu Uemura Lightbulb UV Compact foundation £30, Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil £75, Eyelash Curler £20, Flare Eyelashes £14, Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte in MPK335 £20, Drawing Pencil in Matte White £17.50 and Pressed Eye Shadow in Matte Vivid Orange £15.50

BOBBI BROWN

FROM TOP By Terry Baume De Rose Nutri-Couleur in Fig Fiction

£35, Crayon Khôl Terrybly in Black Print £23, Eye Powder-Kajal in Intense Oriental £29, Terrybly Densiliss Foundation £75 and Collection Haute Couleur in Midnight Blue £145

FROM TOP Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink £18, BB Cream in Light £29, Skin Foundation Stick in Warm Sand £29, Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in Pale Yellow £26, Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in Beige £17.50 and Smokey Eye Kajal Liner in Noir £18

Available from The Colour and Cosmetics Halls, Ground Floor; and harrods.com

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Foundation smudges Alamy

BY TERRY

FROM TOP Dior Diorblush in Cocktail Peach £30, Glow Maximizer Light Boosting Primer £28, Rouge Dior in Grège £26, Diorskin Star Fluid foundation £32 and 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Jardin £41

BE AU T Y

BEAUTY SCHOOL The timetable This September, from the 5th to the 20th, top make-up artists, many of whom worked on our Beauty School shoot, are holding sessions in The Colour Hall on transforming your look with new-season cosmetics This is your chance to have a make-up expert create a new look for autumn or to watch makeovers in session. You can even enter to win a £1,000 gift card by sharing your photo on Instagram and Twitter – #harrodsbeauty.

If it’s red lips and flawless eyeliner you’re after, head girl Mary Greenwell will show you how to achieve a pristine 10 out of 10. Or for those majoring in art, Shu Uemura’s Haydn Jones will teach you how to use brights to conjure a playful look. For homework, check out our film on the Harrods Magazine app – and for those who can’t make the scheduled events, there are also plenty of make-up tips to help you swot up. So eye pencils at the ready…

LANCÔME 5th–6th September Discover the new Grandiôse mascara from Lancôme with its innovative angled wand that makes emphasising those tricky inner lashes a problem of the past. What’s more, Lancôme artists will reveal their backstage tips to take your lashes to gold-star perfection.

SHU UEMURA 7th–8th September Psychedelic shades and dramatised lashes ensure the Shu Uemura look is too cool for school. Break the rules with Haydn Jones who, for two days, will show you how he pushes the boundaries with colour.

LAURA MERCIER 9th–10th September Grunge glamour is a new take for Laura Mercier, and the brand is urging you to explore unfamiliar territories too. Using the new Sensual Reflections collection, Sasha Ghodstinat will reveal how to upgrade your look to give you the edge.

BY TERRY 11th–12th September Electro-vibes from East London meet Oriental elegance at By Terry this season. To recreate our Beauty School

look, make-up artist Julia Krajnakova will use the brand’s new Eye Powder-Kajal – a mineral powder that doubles up as a smoky liner. A new pencil-case staple.

DIOR 13th–14th September Take note as Dior make-up artists give a step-by-step tutorial on how to replicate the brand’s bold Autumn/ Winter 2014 runway look. It’s all about symmetry and a sophisticated, yet urban vibe.

ESTÉE LAUDER 13th–14th September Get top marks with Estée Lauder’s new Perfectionist Youth-Infusing Makeup SPF 25 and Sculpting Foundation Brush. Learn how to apply the fluid foundation, which is supercharged with skincare technology used in the brand’s Perfectionist [CP+R] Serum to leave the skin radiant.

BOBBI BROWN 15th–16th September Make-up guru Hannah Martin and Bobbi Brown’s Pro Artistry team rework the smoky eye into a feminine, wearable look. Learn to layer this season’s iridescent shadows and discover techniques for flawless skin.

BURBERRY 17th–18th September Straight from the AW14 runway show, Burberry’s back-to-school look is inspired by the free-spirited painting style of the Bloomsbury Set. Take note as Burberry’s make-up artist effortlessly makes an impact at a stroke.

CHANEL 19th-20th September Renowned make-up artist Mary Greenwell is here on the 19th to create classic red lips and give eyes a modern extended flick. Brush up on how to replicate the look at home with senior artists from Chanel on the 20th.

Events take place during store opening hours in The Colour Hall, Ground Floor.

There is limited availability on slots; to book, please call 020 7730 1234 and ask for the relevant beauty brand.

For more information on the competition, go to harrods.com/content/shopping/terms-conditions/#19

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HIGH FIVE

Editor Jan Masters reveals her top five beauty treats for the month

Given that Bond No.9 is famous for honouring New York districts in its fragrances, I felt flattered, as a Londoner, to see it’s now offering something a little more SW1-centric.

Harrods Royal Rose showcases the heady union of rose centifolia and royal lys, two flowers that are suitably regal in nature and stature.

With narcissus, mimosa and orange blossom combining in the top notes, and amber, sandalwood and musk at the base, this is a fragrance that’s truly intoxicating. 100ml, £395

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I loved the Gold Collection, but now I’m feeling blue (in a good way). Omorovicza is launching the Blue Diamond Collection, designed to energise the skin. It contains diamond peptides for radiance, copper amino-acid compounds to increase collagen and elastin production, and extract of watercress that stimulates oxygenation for brighter skin.

With a serum, cream and peel, it’s the perfect trio for a new-season wake-up call. Super-Cream 50ml, £275

Yves Saint Laurent’s Or Rouge skincare collection has a new addition – Or Rouge Oil – featuring saffron, which contains a specific glycan (a sugar) called crocin, known for its antioxidant and soothing properties. The oil can be used on its own or mixed with Or Rouge Lotion for a skin-comforting cocktail. Its colour reminds me that it comes from the crocus; it takes 150 flowers to produce one gram of saffron, making it, ounce for ounce, more valuable than gold – a touch that makes it feel extra-special. 30ml, £165 All products are exclusive to Harrods. Available from The Beauty Apothecary and The Cosmetics and Perfumery Halls, Ground Floor; and harrods.com

Flower Alamy

Seaside breezes are inspiring perfumers right now (check out Miss Heaven Scent on Jo Malone London’s new Wood Sage & Sea Salt, for instance). Tomas Maier, Creative Director of Bottega Veneta, was clearly on to something when he imagined the Italian Riviera, with the scent of clementine trees and peonies in the air, mingling with blowy-fresh laundry. Perfumer Daniela Andrier translated this vision into Knot, a crisp fragrance with citrus and lavender notes introducing a sensual floral heart. It’s the olfactory equivalent of a meditative moment by the sea. 75ml, £86

I was immediately intrigued when I heard that Molton Brown was bringing out a bath collection called Oudh Accord & Gold, as I adore the brand’s lotions and candles – the latter come in such evocative blends, such as Firefly Embers, which smells like a campfire. The new body wash is a delicate balance of oud and sweetly spiced cinnamon-leaf oil that creates the aura of a steamy forest during a downpour, and the candle unfurls with notes of elemi, myrrh, black tea and tobacco. For post-bathing pampering, the body lotion has just the right touch of woods and spices to feel luscious yet fresh. 300ml, £20

Q&A

NURSE IT BETTER

A new range of skincare devices and creams has put the expertise of skincare pro Nurse Jamie at our fingertips

BY J

With more than 20 years’ experience in medical spas around the world, registered nurse Jamie Sherrill is a star of the Hollywood scene when it comes to transformative treatments.

Here, the owner of Santa Monica’s Beauty Park Medical Spa talks about the Healthy Skin Solutions collection that’s bringing the Nurse Jamie ethos from the spa to the home.

When did you first become interested in skincare?

I grew up in a small town in the midwest of America and fashion magazines were my only connection to the latest skincare and make-up trends. I was obsessed with skincare from an early age and I started working for a dermatologist when I was 18. He was a pioneer in laser therapy and we were a test site for (at that time) the largest laser company in the world, so I learned the importance of innovation in aesthetic medicine.

What treatments does your Santa Monica medical spa specialise in?

We’re into combination therapy – we do a little bit of laser, a little bit of filler and a little bit of Botox, so that nothing is overdone; each patient is treated as an individual. I hate it when you can tell who’s done someone’s face just by the style of the result – it’s what I refer to as a “Number 37”. We don’t want our clients to appear as if they’ve selected their look from a set menu.

Why did you decide to develop your own products?

It was a natural progression. I wanted people to be able to maintain their skin between treatments. Because I work, travel, and I’m also a mother of triplets, I understand life can be very busy – you can’t always get to the spa.

Why have you developed devices as well as creams?

My devices are designed to help clients achieve in-spa results at home. They help with toning, tightening and renewal, as well as enhancing the delivery and effectiveness of topical skincare. I believe that even when products incorporate the best ingredients, they can be more effective in conjunction with a device. It’s the future of beauty.

Which devices are you launching right now, and how do they work?

We’re launching three devices. The first is the Beauty Stamp, a microdermal impression tool that gently introduces microscopic channels into the skin. The effects are twofold: firstly it enhances delivery of skincare product; secondly, because your body thinks it’s been “injured”, it stimulates collagen and elastin production. I want to emphasise it’s not painful. But have you noticed how men often have fewer fine lines and wrinkles? That’s partly because they shave, which leaves the skin more receptive to creams.

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The second device is the ACELLerator Ultrasonic toning device, which uses ultrasound to tone, speed up cell turnover, and promote collagen and elastin synthesis.

It can help improve the appearance of cellulite on the body as well. I call it “a personal trainer in the palm of your hand”. Finally there’s the Exfoliband Silicone Loofah for face and body. It’s anti-microbial and washes away impurities while gently exfoliating the skin.

What are the innovations that are incorporated into your skincare products?

My formulations use ingredients like Epidermal Growth Factor [EGF] to help increase cell renewal, as well as functional botanicals, bringing science and nature together on a different level.

Out of the range, do you have a hero product?

Yes, the EGF Platinum System. It’s a combination of EGF Platinum 7 – an opulent cream – and an elixir we call EGF Platinum 3. The former contains seven special ingredients, including platinum and 24kt gold, to revitalise your skin’s barrier function while creating a “road map” to help key nutrients penetrate the skin. The latter includes essential oils of damascena rose, kahai nut, kukui nut and sandalwood oil for intense hydration. It’s a power couple, helping skin look and feel younger and more supple.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I just love the makeover. It’s amazing to help clients with their skin issues – to give them the benefits of my skincare knowledge – and to see them walk away feeling nurtured and looking more beautiful. I try to be the big sister they always wished they’d had. HMN Available from The Beauty Apothecary, Ground Floor; and harrods.com

TOP Jamie Sherrill; ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Nurse

Jamie Beauty Stamp £38, EGF Platinum 3 elixir £205, EGF Platinum 7 cream £510, Exfoliband Silicone Loofah £11 and ACELLerator Ultrasonic toning device £175; all exclusive to Harrods

NEWS

An inte vie

ith

BEN GORHAM ebecca Baio Having gone from professional athlete to artist, Ben Gorham then headed off in another new direction when he founded fragrance company Byredo. The Swede talks about the evolution of the brand and the inspiration underlying his scents.

Power of one Eastern medicine is about prevention rather than cure. So is Shiseido.

The brand’s new Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate focuses on boosting the performance of Langerhans cells, which help counteract damage by defending skin against the effects of stress and harmful aggressors. Shiseido’s research team reports that, while these cells perform at their optimum levels in our twenties, they become weakened over time – which is where Ultimune comes in.

30ml, £60. Available from The Cosmetics Hall, Ground Floor

Draw the LINE

Fruit and nuts iStock; model Camera Press

This is one of the best kohls of the season – perhaps ever. A mineral powder of micronised pigments, By Terry Eye Powder-Kajal goes on like a charm. Create the perfect ribbon of velvet along the lash line or use as a blendable eye shadow to frame eyes with inky clouds. £29; exclusive to Harrods. Available from The Cosmetics Hall, Ground Floor

SCENTS of discovery Two delicious fragrances are set to transport the wearer to exotic climes. Capturing the essence of Marrakech, Miller Harris has created La Fumée Maroc. Apricots, peaches and prunes open up a heart of Moroccan rose on a base of rich and smoky woods, incense and musk. Equally evocative is Ormonde Jayne’s Black Gold. Citrus accents and heady florals rest on deep, dreamy notes, including sandalwood, ambrette seed, labdanum and oud. Miller Harris La Fumée Maroc 100ml, £155; Ormonde Jayne Black Gold 120ml, £420, exclusive to Harrods. Available from The Beauty Apothecary and The Perfumery Hall, Ground Floor

Why did you enter the fragrance industry?

Having been a basketball player for most of my life, I then went back to art school. Around the time I was graduating, I met a perfumer called Pierre Wulff. It was my introduction to fragrance. I had never been the kind of person who wore it, but I became fascinated, particularly with the connection between scent and memory. So I decided to put together a project that I called Byredo [a contraction of the phrase “by redolence”], translating personal memories into scents. It grew into an obsession, so I founded a brand of the same name and added a level of commerce to be able to do it full time.

Did any skills from sport help you in perfumery?

Probably more than I understand; being competitive helps in building a company. At the same time, we created this brand to take a different direction, and I think that FROM TOP Byredo came from not being influenced by Pulp, Mojave Ghost, Encens how other brands do things.

What’s your biggest inspiration when Chembur and Black Saffron eaux de parfum 100ml, £130 creating a scent? each. Available from The It varies. I’ve designed 20 perfumes, Perfumery Hall, Ground Floor; and harrods.com bringing them to fruition with two perfumers. I’ve been inspired by places I go and people I meet. It started off with specific memories, like visiting the place in India where my mother was born and raised, and the way I remember my father smelling. But as I began to learn more about the technical process, I was able to express more complex ideas, such as emotions.

What’s the most obscure note you’ve used, and how did you discover it?

In terms of ingredients in the perfume lab, I created a fragrance called Bullion and used something called costus, a synthetic material that I smelled in the Middle East and tried to mimic. By itself it smells like a goat, but as an element to a floral or an oriental scent, it adds this animalic character.

How did your latest fragrance, Mojave Ghost, come about?

The idea started when I was visiting the Mojave Desert in California. I thought about what lives and dies there. Among the plants that manage to bloom, there’s one called the ghost flower that has no nectar of its own, so it mimics the form of other flowers to trick bees into pollinating it.

That reminded me of human behaviour.

Is there a scent from your range that you’re particularly fond of?

They’re a bit like children. You love them equally; they all have a special place.

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NEWS

MISS HEAVEN SCENT makes a fresh start

Seeing ED The story of Christian Louboutin’s famous red soles started with a stroke of genius. On seeing a prototype of Pensée, a shoe he’d designed in 1992, he felt something was missing, even though it was very close to his original sketch. While staring at it, he saw his assistant painting her nails at her desk.

He grabbed the polish and proceeded to cover the sole of the shoe in red lacquer.

He liked it. He loved it. Voilà. The signature scarlet sole was born.

So it’s natural for Louboutin to step into the beauty arena and introduce a range of nail colours… with a point of difference in the shape of the stiletto-shaped cap. First up is Rouge Louboutin.

And coming next are The Pops (brights), The Noirs (moody hues) and The Nudes (bare and beautiful). £36 each. Available from Christian Louboutin, Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor

GOOD NIGHT, wrinkles Catch an overnight beauty treatment with Erno Laszlo’s new Hydra-Therapy Memory Sleep Mask. With its weightless gel texture, it’s more pillow-friendly than many masks, and includes kelp extract to boost elastin and collagen, prickly pear to preserve moisture, and a blend of raspberry and tomato stem cells to help strengthen the skin’s defence. Simply apply. Blot off excess. Dream. And wake with a complexion that feels revitalised and ready to face the day. 40ml, £95; exclusive to Harrods.

Available from The Beauty Apothecary, Ground Floor

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Oh September, it’s so good to see you. You, with your invitation to pull on snuggly, super-soft knits and opaque tights. How I’ve missed you.

For me, September has always been the start of the year – the only truly new season. Maybe it’s that back-toschool feeling we never quite shake off; perhaps it’s because marking the end of summer seems so significant; or maybe it’s simply because I find womenswear collections so much more exciting in the autumn.

Whatever the reason, September feels like a new beginning… which is why I select a new fragrance, as critical as going through the seasonal handbag shake-up.

Weather affects how fragrance behaves, so it’s not so strange that we should want to introduce a new scent as the days become cooler. Chillier temperatures can handle more complicated fragrances, so pack away summer-fresh blooms and sweet fruits and replace them with layered accords of woods, resins, herbs, spices and cool florals (I’m thinking freesia and some interpretation of roses).

Jo Malone London is launching a pitch-perfect scent called Wood Sage & Sea Salt. Inspired by the wild and windswept British coastline, it features FROM TOP Jo Malone a crisp hit of salt spray, which leads into London Wood Sage & Sea soft, green, woody sage. It’s feminine Salt 100ml, £82; Giorgio but without frills – the olfactory Armani Sì Intense 100ml, £92; Terry de Gunzburg equivalent of a slip dress worn with Rouge Nocturne and Rose chunky black boots.

Infernale 100ml, £109 each, In refined Italian style, Giorgio Armani both exclusive to Harrods. has taken its 2013 fragrance Sì to new Available from The Beauty Apothecary and The heights with this month’s Sì Intense.

The original chypre accord has had black Perfumery Hall, Ground Floor; and harrods.com woods, amber resin and vanilla added, resulting in a velvety fragrance that wraps you up like a cashmere coat.

Terry de Gunzburg, meanwhile, has chosen to launch the second instalment of her rose fragrance collection. Autumn’s duo comprises Rose Infernale and Rouge Nocturne.

The former is a bold oriental accord with spicy and smoky nutmeg, frankincense and vetiver underpinning the central rose note. It’s a beautifully complex scent that will see you through winter. The latter is a lighter rose, exuding a warm, powdery trail from its base of amber, vanilla and patchouli – the perfect companion for strolling through crunchy leaves on a bright, crisp autumn day.

– By Fleur Fruzza

HOT shot Produced and harvested in the mountains of Sumatra, kopi luwak isn’t just the world’s smoothest coffee, it also has the most fascinating story

BY PAT ICK M C GUIGAN PHOTOG APHE JONATHAN G EGSON FOOD STYLIN ECIPES SEIKO HATFIELD

Villeroy & Boch Artesano Hot Beverages Tumbler 140mm, £15.95 and 68mm, £10.50; Alessi Il caffè spoons £23 for 4 HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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month,” explains Ross, who spent two years living in the region visiting farmers and becoming fluent in Indonesian before he set up the business. “We pay into a fund for our workers to help them when they need it,” he says. “We bought one guy a new motorbike, and someone else a new roof; it’s about working with people, not ripping them off. Some farmers supplying the big coffee chains couldn’t buy a latte with the amount they get for a kilo of beans.”

Part of the reason why Sijahtra works so closely with the farmers is that kopi luwak’s image has been tarnished in recent years; some farmers were using caged cats that had been poached from the wild.

Last year, leading expert and former coffee trader Tony Wild called for a ban on all types of kopi luwak – ironic, as it was him who introduced civet coffee to the West. But when he found out about the ethical practices of Sijahtra and its commitment to using beans from wild civets, he changed his mind. He is now backing a movement in Indonesia to create an independent certification scheme for genuine wild kopi luwak.

“If you’re spending that amount of money on coffee, you want to make sure it’s been made ethically, and with passion and expertise,” Ross says. “Kopi luwak is an Indonesian treasure, and I believe we represent that.

It’s a true distillation of the legend of the coffee.” HMN

ABOVE Indonesia is the world’s fourth-largest producer of coffee, and the world’s only producer of civet coffee

Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor. Homewares available from Kitchen Appliances and Villeroy & Boch, Second Floor. For more information, download the Harrods Magazine app Patrick McGuigan writes for Square Meal, ShortList and Restaurant

Coffee-picking © Arief Priyono / Alamy

F

or a nation that used to think a cup of Gold Blend was the height of sophistication, Britain has woken up and smelled the coffee in a big way. Flat white or skinny latte, Ethiopian or Costa Rican, you can have your caffeine fix any way you like these days. But there’s a special bean from Indonesia you won’t find in your average high-street coffee shop that has really got coffee lovers purring.

Produced by a brand called Sijahtra, the coffee – called kopi luwak, or civet coffee – is one of the rarest and most expensive in the world, selling for £2,000 a kilo. That might sound like a colossal sum for a bag of beans, but the hefty price tag makes more sense when you consider how it is made.

The civet is a small, catlike nocturnal creature that prowls the jungles of Aceh in Indonesia – a beautiful region high in the volcanic mountains of northern Sumatra. When cold rains start to sweep across the peaks, the animal goes in search of a natural pickme-up, stealing into organic Arabica coffee farms and feasting on the plants’ juicy red “cherries”, which are rich in caffeine and sugar.

What happens next is a wonder of nature, if a little awkward to describe. To put it delicately, the fruit goes in one end of the civet, and the seeds – otherwise known as coffee beans – come out the other. In between, they are fermented by enzymes in the animal’s stomach, which strip the beans of their bitterness and imbue them with complex flavours. The next morning, the coffee farmers search out and thoroughly wash the beans before sending them to Sijahtra’s cutting-edge processing facility.

“Civets are picky animals that have an amazing sense of smell, so they only eat the ripest cherries,” explains Matt Ross, a former stock-market trader who cofounded Sijahtra five years ago. “We buy just a few kilos of beans every month, and we never mix them. Each batch is influenced by different microclimates and soils, and what the civets have been eating.”

Quite how people realised that beans partially digested by civets made the world’s best coffee is not known. But it’s thought that the discovery stretches back to when the Dutch colonised northern Sumatra in the 19th century and started exporting coffee to Europe. Indonesian farm workers weren’t allowed to pick the beans for themselves, but they could keep whatever had dropped onto the floor.

Lower in caffeine than normal coffee, Sijahtra kopi luwak has a rich, complicated flavour. “It’s the smoothest coffee there is,” Ross says. “If you were to think of its flavour as a kaleidoscope, there would be beautiful browns, yellows, crimsons and dark rusts.

You get flavours like prunes, cinnamon, dark chocolate, burnt brown sugar and caramel.”

Sijahtra works with around 30 small family farms dotted across the volcanic mountains of Aceh, close to pristine jungle. These smallholders traditionally grow coffee as a cash crop, selling their beans to middle men for just a few dollars a kilo. They receive more like $100 from Sijahtra for a kilo of genuine kopi luwak from wild civets – but they have to go through a three-month trial period and rigorous inspections to become suppliers.

“We look at how they grow and process their coffee, give them advice, and then buy the best two kilos every

TIRAMISU Serves 8 250ml double cream 70g caster sugar 250g mascarpone 3 egg yolks 70ml raspberry or orange liqueur such as Chambord or Cointreau 1 tsp vanilla paste 180ml espresso 150–175g sponge finger biscuits, broken into 3cm pieces 1 tbsp cocoa powder 125g raspberries 1 tbsp chocolate shavings

COFFEE MOUSSE Serves 4 1 Whip the double cream in a bowl until it forms firm peaks. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and mascarpone. Add the egg yolks, one by one, and mix well. Combine with the double cream and set aside.

2 In a shallow bowl, mix your choice of liqueur with the vanilla paste and espresso.

3 Assemble the tiramisu in one large bowl. Spread a little of the cream mix on the bottom, then dip both sides of the biscuits into the coffee mixture and place on top. Using a small sieve, dust over some of the cocoa powder. Repeat to make a few more layers.

4 Leave the tiramisu to set in a fridge for at least 3 hours. Serve in dessert bowls/glasses with a handful of raspberries and the chocolate shavings.

Serve with...

Luigi Bosca Gala 1 Malbec 2011, Argentina, £24.95

For the coffee jelly 2 sheets gelatine 80ml espresso 30g demerara sugar For the coffee mousse 1 sheet gelatine 150ml double cream 25g sugar 20ml espresso 50g half-fat crème fraîche To decorate 8 tbsp ready-made cherry compote 4 cinnamon biscuits (speculoos), crushed 4 scoops vanilla ice cream

1 To make the coffee jelly, soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 5 minutes while brewing the coffee. Add the sugar to the coffee while hot and stir to dissolve. Lightly squeeze the gelatine sheets and add to the hot coffee, stirring well to make sure they have dissolved. Add 90ml of water and pour the liquid into a plastic container. Allow to set in a fridge for 3 hours.

2 For the coffee mousse, soak the gelatine sheet in cold water for 5 minutes. Pour the double cream into a large bowl and add the sugar. Whip until stiff. Squeeze the gelatine and add it to the hot espresso, mixing thoroughly to make sure it has dissolved. Add the coffee mix and crème fraîche to the cream to make a mousse and divide between four glasses. Refrigerate for two hours.

3 To serve, take the coffee jelly out of the fridge and divide the mixture between the glasses, placing it on top of the mousse. Put 2 tbsp of cherry compote on top, then add the biscuits.

Serve with a scoop of ice cream.

Serve with...

Penfolds Bin 138 GSM 2012, Australia, £22.95

William Yeoward Corinne footed tumblers from a selection; Alessi Eat It latte macchiato spoon £7.50 William Yeoward Corinne cocktail glass £24.95

Wine available from The Wine Rooms, Lower Ground Floor. Homewares available from Alessi and Entertaining at Home, Second Floor HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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Sugar SHOWCASE

Harrods Cocoa Dusted Coffee Beans £6.50

Cartwright & Butler Luxury Biscuit Assortment £22.50

Harrods sugar sticks £5.95 for 60g

Harrods Piccoli Florentines £5.95

Canasuc À la Bonne Heure cane sugar, box of 32, £9.90

Ladurée macaroons, box of 24, £49.50

CAFÉ complete Make a great cup of coffee even better with an indulgent accompaniment or two

Canasuc L’Envie en Rose cane sugar, box of 36, £9.90

Fendi dress £1,530

La Maison du Chocolat Coffret Craquants 710g, £55

Charbonnel et Walker Milk and Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles 650g, £45

The East India Company Cherry, Chocolate Chip and Chilli biscuits 150g, £5.25

Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor; and harrods.com

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Neuhaus Carré Crunchy Chocolates £18

Coffee photograph Jonathan Gregson; food styling Seiko Hatfield

Antico Forno Santi Chocolate and Pistachio Cantucci 200g, £5.75

FA S H I O N

A taste for ADVENTURE

F

or nearly 90 years, Belgian brand Godiva has set the benchmark for gourmet chocolates. Incorporating fresh and innovative ingredients – and inspired by the courage and passion of Lady Godiva herself – the company constantly sets itself new challenges to produce exciting avour combinations using a bold, creative approach. For the Chef Inspirations Saveurs du Monde collection, four Godiva chefs, all steeped in international cuisine, were tasked with taking chocolate lovers on an unforgettable world tour; inspired by their personal travels, the quartet created a selection of entirely new chocolates using distinctive ingredients from Africa, Belgium, Brazil, China, Japan and the USA.

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Credits TK Images

Using ingredients discovered during their travels, four Godiva chefs have created the Saveurs du Monde collection of artisanal chocolates

PROMO T ION Godiva Chef Inspirations Saveurs du Monde 8 pieces £15, 16 pieces £26

THIERRY MURET

PHILIPPE DAUE

Global Executive Chef Chocolatier

Chef Chocolatier Mousse de thé noir & Ganache à la banane

Miel caramelisé & Sirop de Liège Miel caramelisé

“For my first recipe I looked to America – and to the nation’s love of caramel. The best caramel is made from natural honey, so I selected wildflower honey for its floral notes, mixed it with brown sugar, then wrapped it in milk chocolate and sprinkled on almond pieces for texture. For the second recipe, I went back to my childhood in Belgium. My family was lucky enough to have an apple orchard.

I used to look out at it while enjoying my breakfast – typically sirop de Liège on fresh white bread. The syrup is made from an apple and pear reduction, and this memory gave me the recipe idea. I combined sirop de Liège with speculoos – a traditional Belgian cookie made from ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon – and coated it with dark chocolate.”

Sirop de Liège

Mousse de thé noir

ILSE WILMOTS

YANNICK CHEVOLLEAU Chef Chocolatier

Chef Chocolatier Ganache à la banane

Ganache au kuromitsu “I trained as a French pâtissier, and I’ve spent a great deal of my life working in hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants in France. I also spent a decade living in Japan, exploring its culinary artistry. I fell in love with a traditional Japanese dessert called kuzumochi, a rice cake made using the kudzu plant. It has a cool, sweet taste that makes me think of summer. Inside my chocolate are layers of kuromitsu; known as black honey in Japan, it’s much like molasses. With Valencia-almond praline, roasted hazelnuts and sea salt, it made a perfect flavour combination.”

“Having spent the majority of my career as a chocolatier travelling the world, especially through Asia, I’ve learned to fuse Eastern and Western flavours. One ingredient that I love working with is Sichuan pepper. It’s spicy and perfumed, strong yet charming. I found that, blended with the smokiness of Chinese black tea, it would go well with chocolate. The result is a slightly lemony mousse with floral undertones, complemented by the sweetness of dark chocolate. For the ganache, I drew upon a trip to Africa. I mixed banana with caramelised coconut flakes, then encased this in Godiva’s signature milk chocolate. The tops have African cocoa nibs for extra crunch.”

Ganache au kuromitsu

Café praline

Café praline “I love experimenting with flavours, so when we were asked to create a chocolate for Saveurs du Monde, I immediately thought of one of my favourites: coffee. I particularly love drinking filtered Brazilian coffee because of its distinctly rich flavour. I created a core using this, then coated it in white chocolate, and decorated it with milk-, dark- and white-chocolate rice confetti.”

Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor and Godiva Chocolate Cafe, Second Floor

FOOD

Back in STYLE

Elegantly refurbished, The Georgian is once again the place for afternoon tea

BY AMY B

OOMFIELD

It was the seventh Duchess of Bedford who started the British tradition of taking high tea. In the early 19th century, when two meals a day were customary, the Duchess complained of a “sinking feeling” in the afternoon – so ordered a pot of tea and a light snack to her boudoir. Later, she invited friends to join her and the event became a social gathering. Hostesses around the country began to emulate the Duchess, and some of London’s most famous landmarks, including The Ritz, soon followed suit.

The Georgian, Harrods’ signature restaurant, was also at the vanguard of the tradition, hosting the “dance teas” that were popular around 1920. One poster from the archives boasts of the restaurant’s “magnificent salon” and its “dainty cuisine and excellent service”. The most recent refurbishment looks to retain this reputation, while simultaneously breathing modernity into the space.

Two experts were entrusted with that task: Paul Gayler MBE, executive chef at the Lanesborough Hotel for 22 years; and Christopher Guy Harrison, head designer of his eponymous furniture company. “Harrods is my favourite place for lunch or tea, with its lavish surroundings and fabulous views across the Victorian chimney stacks,” says Harrison – who first dined at the restaurant aged just 15. “I feel like I’m in Mary Poppins.”

To create something inherently special, while preserving The Georgian’s heritage, Harrison drew from the elegance of the 1920s and ’30s, creating hand-carved pieces in mahogany and Asian lime wood, with brass and copper, for a neutral palette. “We produced 500 bespoke pieces, from the wall art and mirrors to the chairs – which include our criss-cross legs and silk-cut back rests,” he says. The designer also referenced the works of Art Deco designer Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann and glass artist René Lalique to strike a balance between modernism and classicism. The mosaics at the entrance comprise more than 130,000 individual pieces; “The Georgian Lady” copper statue is hand-beaten; and the restaurant features carved-wood, silver-leafed panels.

The same care was paid to refreshing the afternoon tea menu. “The ultimate afternoon tea should encompass

TOP Afternoon tea at The Georgian past (bottom left) and present; ABOVE “The Georgian Lady”

well-filled sandwiches, colourful and dainty pastries, and cakes. And everything should be made from great British ingredients,” insists Gayler. “This is what you can expect at The Georgian.”

The traditional menu includes sandwiches filled with tea-smoked salmon, roast beef and Stilton roquette, and coronation chicken with mango relish. Teas are selected by in-house tea sommeliers – with a tea mixologist on hand to create individual blends for specific preferences – and there is a special trifle, flavoured with rose-water jelly and topped with lavender crumble. Meanwhile, the luxurious Champagne afternoon tea includes an amuse bouche, freshly prepared patisserie and strawberries topped with cream or a Pimm’s syrup – all served with a glass of chilled Harrods rosé Champagne.

“This meal is such a fine British tradition and it should really be celebrated,” Gayler says. “As the novelist Henry James once wrote: ‘There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.’” HMN Afternoon tea £39 and pink Champagne afternoon tea £49.50. Available from The Georgian, Fourth Floor HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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NEWS

Se son l & exotic f ts

Jujube With exceptionally high levels of vitamin C, the jujube has been used medicinally for years. It has a crispy texture and a flavour not dissimilar to an apple.

Still standing Back in the late-1700s, Magnus Eunson was a man leading a double life: by day, a beadle at the local church; at night, an illegal distiller operating in his outhouse above Kirkwall on Orkney.

That’s where the distillery he founded still stands, and in tribute to Eunson’s pioneering spirit, Highland Park has now launched Dark Origins. On the nose, the filtered single malt delivers a sherriedspice flavour with a hint of ripe bananas and apple; on the palate, there’s a balance of maraschino cherries and chocolate; and it’s rounded off with a smoky finish. £64.95. Available from The Wine Rooms, Lower Ground Floor

Mirabelle plum A speciality of Lorraine in northeastern France, this sweet plum is primarily used for making jams and plum brandy, but also tastes delicious on its own.

Taste of TU IN The Piedmont hazelnut is widely considered the finest variety in the world, and Turin-based chocolatier Bonieri – which has recipes dating from 1883 – is famed for its use. The northern Italian nut is roasted, ground to a smooth paste, then combined with cocoa to create a rich, velvety praline that is at the heart of all the brand’s creations. Bonieri gift boxes include the Gemme, which blends hazelnuts with Sicilian almonds and pistachios, and the Cremini, featuring triple-layered squares combining three flavours of gianduja – the chocolate/hazelnut speciality for which Turin is renowned. From £8.95. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor

Golden kiwi This bronzed fruit is packed with vitamin C and potassium just like its greener counterpart, but is sweeter and smoother, and can be eaten as is, with no need to peel.

Greengage With its richly sweet taste, this green-fleshed fruit is considered the finest dessert plum of all. Smaller than most plums, greengages are used in cakes, but are best enjoyed uncooked.

Taking inspiration from our friends across the pond, the bakery is now offering a selection of cakes with frosting – and lots of it. The decadent, towering two- and three-layered creations include a sponge cake that resembles a real flower basket, and a triple-layer vanilla cake iced with ribbons of buttercream in a purple ombre effect. £65 per cake/£5.45 per slice. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor

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Muscat grapes Famously used in winemaking, Muscat grapes have a distinctive floral aroma and a honeyed sweetness. Delicious on their own, the grapes are also perfect with cheese.

Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor

All seasonal fruits Alamy

Icing on the cake

IN TER IOR S

Changing rooms

Rustic Elegance

Innovative design and highly skilled construction create a new kind of luxury where quality is all. Combine bold flourishes with refined elegance to produce an individual look full of personality

BY MICHELLE

OGUNDEHIN

/ STYLIST T

HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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W

hile there are no perfect rights or punishable wrongs when it comes to furnishing the home for Autumn/Winter 2014, there are some dominant stylistic themes emerging from the more forward-thinking designers that might help you steer towards a definitive look. Ultimately it doesn’t matter what you choose as long as you pick pieces that speak to you. Do you aspire to be snuggled in the corner of that Flexform sofa (above), all warm, grey, chic lines and deep cushions? Perhaps you see yourself sitting at that Reflex dining table (bottom right), quietly plotting world domination while tapping glossily manicured nails on its glass top.

Modern and contemporary, the Urban Loft look (above) is bold yet simple. It represents a place to come home to after a busy day, somewhere to chill but stay connected, somewhere that says, I’m hip, young, and have impeccably good taste.

The Slow chair from Vitra, designed by the French duo Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, here resplendent in pink, is a supreme example of the kind of understated presence combined with comfort that defines the subtleties of the trend. Its knitted cover slung over a metal frame cleverly re-interprets a traditional shape in a lighter, more up-to-date fashion. Likewise the Hive ottoman stools from B&B Italia: from afar they’re simple hexagons on skinny legs, but on closer inspection the exquisite craftsmanship of the leather “leaves” that form the seat pads is revealed. From the rug underfoot – think art for your floor via Paul Smith for The Rug Company – to the choice of very particular accessories, thoughtful details are the champion here: consider the quirky Perroquet statue from Eichholtz, graphic artworks from Wilcox, the

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Urban Loft

black-framed mirror from Ligne Roset and the shelving unit from Yoo Home that recalls a wooden puzzle. This is modernity with depth, a look for lovers of Sudoku, Tumblr and quoting Proust.

In the Structural Organics trend (bottom right), the statement making is more overt, the details more shouty and the look more exuberant, yet the whole is still refined, luxurious and sophisticated. The Reflex dining table with its look-at-me sculpted base is complemented by the velvet-upholstered Mary Q dining chairs by Munna, all vibrant orange, curved backs and swooping arms. Items such as the Porada Cozy screen, deftly used to separate one zone from another, are made for this look, being at once useful and strikingly beautiful. In the same vein, the rich woods of the Reflex sideboard emphasise its articulated front and make it as much an art piece as it is storage. In fact, the need for surface decoration here is the defining factor – cue the wall painted in Little Greene’s Felt, picture rails and panelling offset by Vitra Corniches shelving and Porada walnut-framed mirrors hung in pairs (one just wouldn’t do).

This sense of surface richness is echoed by the parquet floor, the perfect foil for the textures and weaves of the rugs, which add that requisite softness underfoot as well as further decoration. There’s Chromagraph by Kelly Wearstler, aka LA’s queen of print and pattern clash; the other is a patchwork Yamamak rug – both are from The Rug Company. This is modern glamour with bells on for lovers of Guitar Hero, Jamie Oliver and Twitter.

And relax… for the Contemporary Glamour room (top right) is to doze and dream in. Pretty in pastels yet bold in ideas. Sleek in finishes yet robust in forms. The look is a masterclass in refinement, at once reminiscent

IN TER IOR S

of times gone by but also resolutely contemporary.

The grounding influence and light touch of the colour palette is the key here. We see all the shades at play in the Iznik Garden rug, which draws the eye and focuses the room. These hues are then celebrated in key pieces of furniture; the fabulously retro-referencing Giorgetti Solemyidae sofa and a warmly enveloping Munna Sophia armchair. Finally, lending a little glamour, bronze and brass repeat as accents across the accessories, details and incidental furniture – the base of the Amy Somerville coffee table, the legs of the Les Trois Garçons sideboard, a clutch of Tom Dixon’s Etch lampshades. This is modern living with character for those who appreciate the finer, slower things in life.

Rustic Elegance (page 185) might seem a contradiction in terms, but here the “rustic” refers not so much to an aesthetic as to the idea of heritage. This look is the space where the two references meet: lofty ceilings and architectural profiles forming a serene backdrop to assorted natural woods, offset by calming shades of blue. The pieces are hewn from solid materials, shaped in traditional forms and designed with a sense of history but combined with a 21st-century twist. A formal table is juxtaposed with a casual bench. Cushions are given pizzazz by virtue of being covered in House of Hackney’s irreverent fabrics. Even Tom Dixon’s Pylon table (exclusive to Harrods) sneaks into the mix. It’s about unexpected and original flourishes, like displaying a delicate glassfronted cabinet from Cattelan Italia alongside the mass of the Flamant Aaron blue cupboard. The one complements the other by virtue of its difference. In other words, this effortless complicity comes from the confidence of not worrying about convention. This trend is an adventurous

modern look that’s good for gardeners, bookworms and travellers. Which style is the one for you? HMN Available from Entertaining at Home and Waterford Crystal, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Second Floor; B&B Italia, Cattelan Italia, The Fabric Library, Flamant, Flexform, Giorgetti, Les Trois Garçons, Ligne Roset, Porada, Roche Bobois, The Rug Company, Tom Dixon and Vitra, Third Floor THIS PAGE, FROM TOP

Contemporary Glamour and Structural Organics

Michelle Ogundehin is Editor-in-Chief of Elle Decoration UK HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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COOKING MASTERCLASSES

Throughout September, international kitchen appliance brands including Nespresso, Miele and Jura will be among those demonstrating the versatility of coffee. Satisfying caffeine cravings, the product of the month is used in a variety of ways, from cakes and desserts to iced drinks

KitchenAid Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th September, 11.30am–4pm, Kitchen Appliances, Second Floor Renowned for easy-to-manage appliances that bring professional techniques within easy reach, KitchenAid will be demonstrating its coffee machine’s multiple programmes; the team will also make aromatic coffee accompanied by classic coffee cake.

Nespresso

ELEGANCE IS IN SIMPLICITY Prepare all your favourite coffee shop drinks using fresh beans and fresh milk; the only way to create that perfect, authentic Italian cup of coffee and all at the touch of a button.

Make a classic crema-rich espresso or insert the patented milk carafe to make silky smooth lattes or the ultimate frothy cappuccinos using the new LatteCrema technology. Creates cappuccinos so luxuriously creamy, your sugar will rest on top of the dense foam bubbles!

Enjoy the latest coffee drink to hit the UK coffee shop with the exclusive Flat White coffee button on the Eletta Cappuccino Top.

Please visit De’Longhi Concession Second Floor

Friday 12th September & Saturday 27th September, 12pm–3pm, Kitchen Appliances, Second Floor The recently launched Lattissima+ coffee machine is designed to create the perfect blend of coffee with minimum effort; the Nespresso team will showcase the appliance’s simplicity by creating cappucino with white chocolate and iced caramel café.

Sage Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th September, 11.30am–6pm, Kitchen Appliances, Second Floor In partnership with Heston Blumenthal, Sage has created a range of highly sophisticated kitchen appliances. Using the Scraper Mixer and the turbo-charged Kinetix, its chefs will be whipping up a homemade coffee-and-walnut cake complete with espresso-infused icing, accompanied by iced coffee.

Jura Friday 19th & Saturday 20th September, 12pm–3pm, Kitchen Appliances, Second Floor Join Jura for a coffee break; the Giga 5 – with its duel grinders and double heating system – will be used to create an array of sweet, iced coffees, as the team demonstrates the appliance’s full repertoire.

Kuvings Sunday 21st September 12pm–4pm, Kitchen Appliances, Second Floor Customers will be shown a whole new use for the smoothie function on the Kuvings slow juicer: making coffee ice cream

Miele

Eletta Plus

Eletta Cappuccino

Eletta Cappuccino Top

Friday 26th September, 12pm–5pm, Kitchen Appliances, Second Floor Using the brand’s single oven, combination steam oven and induction hob, Miele will show how to make coffee snap biscuits, espresso brownies and, for the more adventurous, a layered French Opera cake with coffee and chocolate ganache.

For more information, please call 020 7730 1234 and ask to speak to Cookshop or Kitchen Appliances

IN TER IOR S

Sculpture by Barber Osgerby in the Raphael Gallery at the V&A Museum

DESIGN for life As London Design Festival takes over the capital, exclusive global launches and events are taking place in-store BY

TA THOMPSON

There was a time when designers were defined by their allegiance to strict aesthetic rules. It was “any colour as long as it’s black”, and “form follows function” all the way. These days, form is more likely to follow fun – and it can be any colour under the sun.

The choices for stylish, classic, functional and beautiful contemporary design are greater than they’ve ever been. And Britain is unarguably at the forefront of the action. London is widely considered to be the creative capital of the world, with a host of world-class galleries and museums, art schools and colleges, and thousands of international creative businesses. For decades, it has been a place where everyone comes and anything goes, and such diversity fosters a different kind of thinking, otherwise known as innovation.

Acting as the most concise and magnetic jamboree of its sort, the London Design Festival has been celebrating that fact for nigh on 12 years. With a showcase of wonderful international contemporary design against a backdrop of the capital’s most beautiful buildings, 2014 looks set to be the most ambitious and vibrant yet.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington, the festival’s mammoth focal point, has operated as the main hub of festivities for the last few years, with other exciting venues and pop-up exhibitions across the capital. A must-see this year is the giant, kinetic mirrored sculpture by Barber Osgerby – the designer behind the London 2012 Olympic Torch – in the museum’s Raphael Gallery.

Did someone say #instagram? All across town, photo opportunities abound as showrooms, shops, galleries, museums and even cafés and restaurants play host to design deities, rising stars, prototypes and ideas for future possibilities – with everything available to buy.

Clerkenwell, Brompton, Shoreditch and Covent Garden vie for pole position as London’s hottest design district, while group exhibitions include Design Junction, 100% Design and Tent.

This year, mapping out the mavericks of truly aesthetic living through the Home department, Harrods makes its LDF debut with an in-store “design trail”; visitors can expect to find exclusive global launches and happenings. Tom Dixon, for example – the poster child of the London design scene – launches three new lights in September, including a new brass-plated statement chandelier made from 18 double-layered white glass spheres distributed over three tiers. His brand will also unveil a new direction inspired by the traditional British members-only club.

Yoo Home – the new furniture and interior-design arm of Yoo that developer-to-the-stars John Hitchcox launched earlier this year – features original designs from British talents. Exclusive pieces lined up for September include the Maestrale desk (in walnut with a black nickel frame) and the Corina chair, both from Maserati for Zanotta.

Another to watch is British designer Bethan Gray. Fusing black and white marble in geometric formations to create striking pieces including a cake stand, cheese board and dome, Gray’s Alice tableware collection combines traditional craft techniques with modern production methods and her particular knack for setting visual trends. The designer will launch a special edition of the range along with her popular Stud and Carve furniture ranges in a pop-up shop during the festival.

Over in Trafalgar Square, the plinths are set to be overshadowed by interior dreams, as four designers set out their own domestic visions of a room they “wouldn’t want to leave”. If nothing else, it should invite visitors to rethink their own spaces. HMN London Design Festival 2014 is from 13th to 21st September Henrietta Thompson is Editor at Large at Wallpaper HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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NEWS

Balancing ACT Contemporary Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn is best known for his large-scale, gravitydefying sculptures in bronze, aluminium and marble. Works such as Give and Take (far left) and The Four Loves (left) appear around the world. In his studio in Spain, Quinn and his team explore the ancient lost-wax technique – a method of pouring molten metal into a wax mould which is melted away to leave the sculpture behind.

This method requires skill, as the wax mould must be refined with precision to ensure the accuracy of the finished model. During September, Quinn will be the designer-in-residence at the Halcyon Gallery, holding interactive workshops and creating bespoke commissions for customers. Halcyon Gallery, Second Floor

MAKING WAVES

In 1979, British champion powerboat racer 1Lă /\U[VU ^HU[LK H IVH[ [OH[ ^HZ Z[`SPZO HUK MHZ[ <UHISL [V ÄUK ^OH[ OL ^HZ SVVRPUN MVY OL Z[HY[LK THRPUN OPZ V^U ;VKH` /\U[VU 7V^LYIVH[Z PZ MHTLK MVY [OL Z[H[L VM [OL HY[ ZLH OHUKSPUN HIPSP[PLZ ZWLLK HUK X\PU[LZZLU[PHSS` )YP[PZO HWWLHYHUJL VM P[Z IVH[Z ¶ HSS VM ^OPJO HYL OHUKJYHM[LK PU /HTWZOPYL From £140,000. Available from Door 3 Pop-Up Area, Ground Floor in August

Mini Harrods handwriting COMPETITION

Oska-Poska and his friends in the Toy Kingdom are having a competition to see who has the best handwriting. Of course Oska-Poska probably doesn’t, given his great big paws, and the Tin Soldier’s will be very straight and proper, while G&J, the Turbo Twins, will most likely only leave tyre tracks. Our money is on Chloé the fairy.

If you would like to join in the competition, please email miniharrods@harrods.com for more information and to request an entry form.

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tion

Dior Couture by Patrick Demarchelier It’s small wonder that it took Parisian photographer Patrick Demarchelier over 18 months to piece together this colossal coffee table book. More than 100 couture confections – including some designed by Dior himself – are shot in exquisite detail, as Demarchelier enlists lavish locations and the world’s leading models. £75 Lanvin by Dean L Merceron The author recruits insiders Alber Elbaz and Harold Koda to reflect on Mme Lanvin’s ascent from apprentice milliner to one of the 20th century’s most acclaimed couturiers. He then delves into the house’s design archives to dig out original sketches, beading samples and embroidery swatches. £45 The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited by Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld Lagerfeld steps behind the camera to celebrate the boxy bouclé design that Coco Chanel conceived back in 1954.

Over 100 personalities, including Kanye West and Claudia Schiffer, put their own stamp on the jacket (with a little help from super-stylist Carine Roitfeld), proving it’s every bit as versatile as its stablemate, the LBD. £65 Valentino: Themes and Variations by Pamela Golbin After taking his final bow in 2008, the purveyor of glamour, romance and red-carpet style receives a fitting tribute in this stylish tome. Valentino himself provides a captivating first-person account of his 45-year career, while a series of behindthe-scenes photographs offers a fascinating glimpse into his private world. £40 Available from The Harrods Bookshop, Second Floor HAR RODS M AGAZINE

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T R AV E L

Southern revival

Cape Town is having a renaissance. Contemporary art galleries are matched by innovative restaurants and wineries with an eye for the extraordinary

Cape Town Getty Images

BY NIGEL TISDALL

“Welcome to the Mother City,” declares a large sign as I walk through the arrivals hall at Cape Town International Airport. It’s a reminder that this bedazzling city, set at the southern tip of Africa where the mighty Table Mountain presides and oh-so-hilarious penguins frolic in the Atlantic surf, is where the story of the Rainbow Nation begins. The Portuguese arrived in 1503 to write the opening chapter; then came Dutch, Indonesian (Cape Malay), French and British settlers, drawn by a rich coastline and fertile soil that would soon be filled with farms, orchards and vineyards.

South Africa is now celebrating 20 years of democracy, and while the shanty townships flanking the drive from the airport are a reminder that life is still far from perfect for many, there is a heartening sense of progress, creativity and integration in Cape Town. Served by direct flights from London, with no jet lag and a favourable exchange rate, it is also a fab place for some winter sun.

Most first-timers start on the V&A Waterfront, with its big hotels, international shops, and ferries to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years.

The city received a boost when the country hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and it’s now back in the spotlight

as the 2014 World Design Capital. “The world is getting interested in Cape Town again,” says Neil Markovitz, MD of Newmark Hotels, which has four properties in the city, including – my pick – the six-room Dock House Boutique Hotel & Spa, hidden away in the former harbour master’s residence with a walled garden and pool.

The city’s star will rise further when the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, housed in an old grain silo and designed by Thomas Heatherwick, opens at the V&A Waterfront in 2016. Downtown is also becoming hipper by the minute; there are stores specialising in South African design and, with your shopping done, you can take a break at the groovy Jason Bakery.

It’s in Woodstock, though, where the most exciting changes can be found. This former working-class suburb is still home to scrap merchants and tyre shops, but is now sprinkled with arty, home-grown stores. Interior design is a particular strength – don’t miss Vogel at the Foundry, which sells spectacular lights by Willowlamp that are constructed using bath-plug chains. Ingenuity is everywhere: I see ornate bangles fashioned from PVC piping, robust laptop bags created out of cement X

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sacks and earrings made using Nespresso capsules.

There’s a foodie revolution in progress, too, most evident at the Neighbourgoods Market, held every Saturday at Woodstock’s Old Biscuit Mill and home to The Test Kitchen, an industrial-look restaurant that’s creating a Noma-like buzz. You need to book months ahead, but it’s worth it for the inventive cuisine of East Sussex boy Luke Dale-Roberts, who creates masterly dishes such as Mozambique langoustine with star anise and champagne velouté, and kingklip (a local fish similar to cod) with chestnuts. Other notable Cape Town restaurants include the bohemian Kloof Street House, and the slick OYO at the Victoria & Alfred Hotel with its tea-based cocktails.

Perhaps the greatest joy of Cape Town is that there is so much to do, so close to the city. Join the beautiful people partying by the beach in Camps Bay and Clifton; walk the deserted sands of Noordhoek; take a scenic drive beside Chapman’s Peak; or jump in a helicopter from the V&A Waterfront heli-pad. One favourite jaunt is a chopper ride to the Winelands for lunch in Stellenbosch, Franschhoek or Constantia. A good place to touch down is Delaire Graff, a premium winery on Helshoogte Mountain Pass, offering tastings and pairings in a glamorous restaurant and tasting room designed by David Collins Studio. As well as 10 suites and a spa, there’s a terrific art collection that includes a coalition of bronze cheetahs by Dylan Lewis and bewitching portraits by Lionel Smit, winner of the 2013 Viewer’s Choice Award in the BP Portrait Award Exhibition at London’s National Portrait Gallery.

Another astonishing example of this resurgence is Babylonstoren, a Cape Dutch farm 45 minutes’ drive east of Cape Town where Karen Roos, a former editor of Elle Decoration South Africa, has created a 200-hectare Eden that includes an enchanting formal garden, 13 super-chic whitewashed cottages, a restaurant serving home-produced food and wine, and a spa and hammam. A night here is a complete realignment with all that’s sensual and beautiful in this world, from walking barefoot on a camomile lawn to dining on roasted guava with honey and thyme.

While the Winelands reflect centuries of work by human

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hand, Walker Bay, a two-hour drive east of Cape Town, is a place to let nature speak for itself. Call into Hermanus between June and December to enjoy the best land-based whale-watching in the world as hundreds of southern right whales swim up from Antarctica to mate, calve and raise their young. Inland, the hills are alive with fynbos, a heathlike shrubland unique to the Western Cape which harbours more than three times the floral species found in the Amazon. Regenerated by fire, the area has forests of crazily twisted milkwood trees and is the source of rooibos tea.

A fine place to appreciate all this is Grootbos, a 2,500-hectare private nature reserve with 16 huge suites.

Activities here include a 4x4 flower safari, forest walks and horseriding on the beach. Or you can dine on amazing local crayfish at the panoramic restaurant while having the virtues of the wines from the surrounding Overberg region explained by sommelier Eben Bezuidenhoud. But it’s not just about lotus-eating – 70 per cent of Grootbos guests take its Social Responsibility Tour, learning about the sports, life skills and horticultural programmes that the reserve supports. Many subsequently make a donation or plant a tree, because South Africa has become that sort of place, a reborn country where so many are chipping in to help. This really is the Cape of Good Hope. HMN Nigel Tisdall contributes to The Telegraph and is travel editor of Marie Claire British Airways flies from London Heathrow to Cape Town from £974 return; ba.com. For a tailor-made package, contact To Escape To; toescapeto.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Walker Bay;

Babylonstoren; Delaire Graff estate grapes; Nelson Mandela statue on the V&A Waterfront; Woodstock’s in-vogue Superette café

Walker Bay Getty Images; Superette and Mandela Nigel Tisdall

“Walk barefoot on a camomile lawn or dine on roasted guava with honey and thyme”

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MY STYLE

y style

CALGARY AVANSINO Californian influences run deep for the fashion editor turned nutrition and wellbeing guru, who is taking on the London scene one colourful frock at a time BY

You hardly ever wear black (a rarity in fashion), so how would you describe your personal style?

Life is too exciting to always wear black. I love colours, bold prints, vibrant patterns and quirky accessories – they can even change my state of mind. I do wear black, but always with something that has personality. I’d say 75 per cent of my wardrobe is dresses and skirts – they suit my body and I like their femininity. I rarely leave home without sunglasses and a great pair of shoes. Heading out in the evening, I always prefer to be slightly overdressed – an amazing outfit ensures you have more fun!

How does fashion play into your active lifestyle?

How I look when I’m exercising is as important to me as how I show up at a meeting or a cocktail party. I choose what I’m going to wear depending on the exercise I’m doing, how much I’m going to sweat, and what I have to do directly before or afterwards. If I put some thought into that, I’m more motivated and work out harder.

What tips and tricks have you picked up from those you’ve worked with during your career at Vogue?

How to pair things, new ways to wear old staples, how to combine new trends. Of course, the real trick is finding what is right for you. It’s best to dress true to yourself.

That’s when you feel confident and strong.

California is home to both easy-denim and red-carpet dressing; do you gravitate to one or the other?

I’m smack dab in the middle. On weekdays I do dress up – essentially, put more than one second of thought into what I’m wearing. If I have a lot of meetings, I’ll plan my outfit the night before so I don’t run out of time. I wear a

lot of dresses because they’re easy! But once the weekend comes, I’m normally super-casual. If I’m not hoping to fit in an exercise class or run, then it’s jeans, dungarees, sweaters, blazers and flat boots, brogues or Nike Air Max – no heels on weekends; you can’t run after kids in them.

Do you dress differently in different environments?

Absolutely – my inner California girl comes out the moment I land on the west coast of America. Cut-off jean shorts, bright T-shirts, short sundresses, with my hair in plaits or up in a topknot bun. In New York, it’s different.

In Manhattan, my alter ego comes out and I pack cocktail dresses, tight pencil skirts, black leather pants and high heels. It’s a dress-up town, so I dress up!

What’s at the top of your AW14 wish list?

A theatrical cape, a bejewelled dress, a quilted coat, a patchwork skirt, a Stella McCartney jumper and Dior’s brights… that’s a start.

Do you have a repeat buy every season?

Shoes, shoes and more shoes. I can’t resist updating my shoe collection. It’s an easy way to make your clothes feel new, even if they’re not. I tend to buy new jeans regularly, too – no matter how carefully you wash them, they just feel better when they’re new.

If money were no object, what would you invest in?

A Pilates reformer [a piece of resistance equipment] for my house, a treadmill for my office so I could walk and work all day, and a deep-tissue massage every week.

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