Air Magazine - Al Bateen - February'19

FEBRUARY 2019

THE STYLE ISSUE / JAMIE DORNAN

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Contents FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

EDITORIAL Editorial Director

John Thatcher Managing Editor

Faye Bartle Editor

Chris Ujma christopher@hotmediapublishing.com

ART Art Director

Kerri Bennett Senior Designer

Hiral Kapadia Illustration

Leona Beth

COMMERCIAL AIR

Managing Director

Victoria Thatcher General Manager

David Wade

david@hotmediapublishing.com Commercial Director

Rawan Chehab

rawan@hotmediapublishing.com

PRODUCTION Production Manager

Muthu Kumar

Forty Two

Forty Eight

Fifty Four

Sixty

The claims that Fifty Shades would be a career grenade for Jamie Dornan couldn’t have been more inaccurate

As the mastermind behind his eponymous British fashion label, Jonathan Anderson is a shaper of contemporary style

A photographer and a former model join forces in NYC to discover that Ghosts Don’t Walk in Straight Lines

With an arsenal of books and a treasure trove of curios, Assouline are masters at curating the ultimate library

The Fall Guy

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Trendsetter

Spirit of the Streets

Shelf Preservation

Contents

AIR

FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

Eighteen

Thirty Four

Timepieces

Motoring

Sixty Six

Seventy Four

Jimmy Nelson’s portraits of remote tribes and indigenous peoples show ‘style’ through the lens of cultural tradition

Part timepiece, part art, the creations from Van’t Hoff represent a breathtaking way for women to tote the time

It’s the devilish gauntlet that any self-respecting supercar strives to survive: welcome to the Green Hell

At One&Only Royal Mirage Dubai, authenticity pervades all aspects of this much-loved resort, enticing a return visit

Twenty Eight

From Thirty Eight

Seventy

How did Martin Parr go from ironic photos of British life to working with fashion’s biggest brands?

Sweet treats from the house of Harry Winston; Cindy Chao provides an encore to her acclaimed Masterpiece

Sustainability is served: Eneko Atxa’s Michelin-star Spanish enclave is fine dining with a natural difference

Radar

Art & Design

10

Jewellery

Travel

Gastronomy Tel: 00971 4 364 2876 Fax: 00971 4 369 7494 Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from HOT Media Publishing is strictly prohibited. HOT Media Publishing does not accept liability for omissions or errors in AIR.

Service and detail that shape your journey.

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Enjoy celebratory dining in more than 15 restaurants and bars, and pampering at the luxurious Saray Spa.

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Welcome Onboard FEBRUARY 2019

Welcome to AIR, your personal guide to Al Bateen Executive Airport, its people, partners, developments, and the latest news about the only dedicated business aviation airport in the Middle East and North Africa.

We wish you a safe journey wherever you are going, and we look forward to welcoming visitors to Al Bateen Executive Airport to experience our unparallelled commitment to excellence in general, private and business aviation.

Al Bateen Executive Airport Contact Details: albateeninfo@adac.ae albateenairport.ae

Cover: Jamie Dornan

by Williams + Hirakawa / AUGUST Images

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Al Bateen

AIR

FEBRUARY 2019: ISSUE 93

Welcome to World-Class

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From humble beginnings in the 1960s when it served as Abu Dhabi’s first main airport, Al Bateen Executive Airport (ABEA) is now the only exclusive business aviation airport in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region – a world-class luxury aviation service facility aiming to meet and exceed the expectations

of business travellers from all around the world.

With the 1982 opening of Abu Dhabi International Airport just 32km outside the city centre, ABEA underwent its transformation into a military air base the following year.

Military operations continued until 2008, when Abu Dhabi Airports took

www.albateenairport.ae

Al Bateen FEBRUARY 2019: ISSUE 93

over its operation and developed it into a world-class executive airport.

Over a 50-year timespan, ABEA’s wealth of experience, under both civilian and military management, facilitated its smooth transition to what European Business Air News (EBAN) named the Second Best Executive Airport in the World in 2013. The award – and the many accolades since then – mark a remarkable ascent for the airport, which enjoys a strategic position within reach of major businesses and leisure facilities at the heart of Abu Dhabi city.

With a stand capacity for up to 50 private jets served by efficient 16

turnarounds, ABEA upholds its excellence in air traffic and ground management operations through its partnership with Munawala, a proprietary fixed-base operations (FBO) service provider. This unique offering provides a single point of contact for all requirements and a full range of competitively priced FBO services.

ABEA maintains an unwavering commitment to delivering a worldclass passenger experience. As the region’s only exclusive business aviation airport, it always welcomes travellers from across the globe to its unrivalled location with warm Emirati hospitality.

WHERE DREAMS LIVE AND EMOTIONS ARE BORN

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Radar FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

Photo: XXII 5 - Longhorn Miao, SuoJia, Miao Village, Liupanshui, Guizhou, China, 2016. By Jimmy Nelson

AIR

Away from the mainstream, the components of ‘style’ assume new meaning – cultural symbolism, for example – and can be as intricate as haute couture itself. The headdress of South China’s Longhorn Miao minority, for instance, is created by wrapping wool, linen and the hair of the girl’s ancestors around a pair of animal horns. The group, along with likes of the Wodabbe of Chad and the Chicimeca of Mexico, are among the dwindling groups documented in Homage to Humanity – an immersive tribute to indigenous cultures by photojournalist Jimmy Nelson.

Homage to Humanity is published by Rizzoli. Visit jimmynelson.com

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Critique FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

Film Arctic Dir: Joe Penna Stranded, a man must decide whether to remain in his makeshift camp, or embark on a deadly trek in hope of surviving AT BEST: “Elegantly shot, crisp and unfussy, its near-invisible use of digital effects creates a persuasive you-are-there feeling.”

Hollywood Reporter AT WORST: “It’s well-trod terrain... but it cuts straight to the difference between endurance and survival.” indieWire

Daughter of Mine Dir: Laura Bispuri A young girl’s peaceful Sardinian childhood is shattered when she discovers her birth mother is not the woman who has raised her AT BEST: “A wrenching, heartfelt drama with social commentary that again seeks a new definition of womanhood.” The Film Stage AT WORST: “Even when it trips up in its later stages, “[it’s] a noble rarity, passionately exploring motherhood not just as an abstract concept, but as a real and vivid, painfully sacrificial thing.” Variety

Everybody Knows (Todos Lo Saben) Dir: Asghar Farhadi Secrets are revealed when a girl is kidnapped at a family wedding

Images: Bleeker Street; Match Factory Production; Focus Features; Working Title

AT BEST: “Popcorn-chompingly compelling, with each new piece of info adding shading and dimension to the true shape of the family.

Nobody is above suspicion or below empathy.” Vulture AT WORST: “Absorbing but lacking in any real sense of revelation, this undeniably gifted storyteller seems firmly stuck on Cruz control.” Los Angeles Times

King of Thieves Dir: James Marsh A true crime film about a crew of retired crooks who pull off a major heist in London’s jewellery district AT BEST: “Rattles along in diverting enough fashion. The old hits are welcome. Footage from the cast’s back catalogue is integrated amusingly.” The Irish Times AT WORST: “Really should have delivered way more cinematic swag than it does.” Hollywood Reporter 21

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Critique FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

Theatre

King Kong on Broadway. Photo by Matthew Murphy

“T

he first thing you see of Kong is his teeth: sharp, white, gleaming in the dark, the mouth of an enormous Cheshire ape,” says Adam Feldman, setting the scene for King Kong in his Time Out review. “He has been summoned by an ambitious young actress, Ann Darrow (Christiani Pitts), on the ominously named Skull Island: ‘It seems empty, but it feels alive,’ she says. And sure enough, no sooner has Ann tangled herself in vines and let out a scream than the fearsome monster emerges from the jungle to find her, grab her and spirit her off to his lonely mountain lair – as the audience gapes, claps and whoops with glee.” The ape is on an open run at Broadway Theatre, Midtown West, and “May change Broadway forever,” muses Jerry Portwood in Rolling Stone. “The main attraction is naturally the muchanticipated 20ft tall, 2,000 pound wonder of the world that’s been shipped in from Australia for all of us to admire.” Sarah Holder defines the event in Vulture as, “An amped-up blockbuster with largely forgettable

songs, many of them of the beltand-inspire variety. It’s thunderous and technologically impressive...

As with, say, Space Mountain, the idea is just to go along for the ride.”

Off Broadway, Colin Quinn “Brings his cutting wit and keen observations to the state of our currently fractured union in his latest solo show,” says US-based title Hollywood Reporter of Red State Blue State, at Minetta Lane Theatre, until 3 March. “To his credit, Quinn doesn’t just point out the problem, he also offers a solution.”

Writes Raven Snook for Time Out New York, “Laughs will keep us together – at least, perhaps, for the length of his diatribe... The former Saturday Night Live star cynic punch-lines his way through American history... We may be hopelessly divided as a country, but he stakes out territory for comedy as a temporary common ground.”

Deb Miller at DC Metro writes that Quinn’s “No-holds-barred barrage unapologetically calls out liberals and conservatives, capitalists and socialists alike... His razor-sharp observations [give] good cause for all

of us to ‘take a look in the mirror.’”

Songs for Nobodies is “A virtuoso celebration of five singing legends, as seen through encounters with their fans,” writes Tom Wicker for Time Out. “The documented celebrity encounter is fairly ubiquitous these days. [This] delves into the effect of meeting famous people in a pre-internet era. In doing so, it finds a touchingly affecting space somewhere between fabricated folklore and fact.” Says Paul Vale for The Stage, “These vignettes explore the celebrity effect, and the ability of lives to be transported by a chance encounter.” At Ambassadors Theatre, Covent Garden throughout February, “Five apparently unremarkable women – the nobodies of the title – relate their brushes with musical celebrities,” critiques Henry Hitchings in the Evening Standard. “Bernadette Robinson plays them all... First she captures the yearning voice of Judy Garland, before revelling in Patsy Cline’s smoky candour. The most intriguing sketch, though, involves Edith Piaf.”

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A NEW WATERFRONT DESTINATION AT PALM JUMEIRAH

Critique FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

Books I

conic New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham was the creative force behind the columns ‘On the Street’ and ‘Evening Hours’, and his posthumous memoir Fashion Climbing “Is smart and pure, revealing of a person’s sense of truth, self, business, confidence and wonderment at the world...

It is tremendously important in fraught times that we remember we can devote ourselves to finding inspiration, pursuing dreams and chasing joy,” says the Los Angeles Times review of the book. Cunningham “Left us one final treat,” says the San Francisco Chronicle, fondly, “in the shape of a memoir as sweet, modest and compelled by beauty as Cunningham... The mid-century world of salon fashion shows and great society dowagers he evokes offers a fabulous escape.” In addition to the charming narrative, “The book features photographs of some of the author’s designs and social sphere, and he offers readers a reminder that characters like him still might roam NYC streets,” say Kirkus Reviews. “It is a lively tale of a life in style and a delightful homage to the days before women stopped wearing hats.”

The subtitle says it all,” writes Kirkus Reviews of The Snow Leopard Project and Other Adventures in Warzone Conservation. “Such efforts in war zones are the real subjects of this intriguing, detailed, frequently unnerving account, one in which snow leopards play a relatively minor role... Alex Dehgan tells his unique story of conservation efforts in postwar Afghanistan... Nature lovers’ expectations may be unfulfilled, but Dehgan’s lessons provide a sort of textbook on the frustrations and complexities of working on conservation in a place where science runs into the snarls of politics and diplomacy – and often loses.” Say Politics and Prose, “In this uplifting book, he recounts how international organisations and local Afghans have found common cause in restoring the land, wildlife, and the

human culture that grew from them.

His story begins in 2006 and includes reports of international teams working unarmed in some of the most dangerous territory on Earth as well as descriptions of rare and beautiful species.” Write Publishers Weekly, “In addition to deserts, it contains thick coniferous forests, home to Asiatic black bears, flying squirrels, and wolves. Shallow lakes and wetlands host waterfowl, pelicans, and flamingos, while the mountains ‘that carve up the country’ provide essential habitats for snow leopards, Marco Polo sheep, and golden eagles... He leaves readers with an optimistic message that, in any sphere of life, effective collaboration toward common goals can benefit everyone.”

Chinese New Year, on 5 February, often sparks interest and intrigue in the Far East nation. For a light read (or indeed a younger reader) arrives China: A History, by Cheryl Bardoe and The Field Museum. Kirkus Reviews call it an “Ambitious project [that] opens with an assertion that further challenges its mission: ‘There is no single China.’ From the outset, the author acknowledges the great diversity of people, governance, and geography that make up what readers may understand as China.

Yet over millennia, China’s rulers forged an empire that lasted through the 20 th century, with cultural traditions that persist even today... Its vast scope, the narrative, supported by expertise and artifacts from the Field Museum, offers focus and insight. Each chapter concludes with an opportunity for reflection (‘Imagine being Empress Dowager Cixi…’), bringing readers into the text.” Booklist talks about the author’s challenge: “Covering so much in work of less than 200 pages is a daunting endeavour, but Bardoe, a former senior projects manager at the museum, does her best to give a broad overview encapsulating high points of the region’s accomplishment.”

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Critique FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

Art

Ethel Scull 36 Times, 1963, by Andy Warhol. Jointly owned by the Whitney Museum of American Art and The Metropolitan Museum of Art; gift of Ethel Redner Scull © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS) New York

“I

n a certain sense, this retrospective of Andy Warhol is redundant,” writes Howard Halle for Time Out New York of From A to B and Back Again .“If you want to see his work, just look around you... His oft-quoted insight, ‘In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes,’ nailed our penchant for disposable celebrity, foreseeing Instagram influencers, YouTube stars and other assorted meme-sters.”

Writes Peter Plagens for The Wall Street Journal, “The initial shock of Pop Art... came not from the art itself, but rather its crashing the gates of ‘high art’... Although multiple generations of post-1960s artists live and work unconsciously in Andy’s world... many of them are oblivious to that frisson.” The showcase is at Whitney Museum of American Art in New York’s Meatpacking District until 31 March. “There have been a lot of Warhol shows... His popularity is guaranteed,” says Waldemar Januszczak for The Times. “Think you know Warhol? Think again. This

reveals a depth to the artist beyond the soup cans and screen prints.”

“Can kids, disco and poetry fix the world’s turmoil?” asks Adrian Searle in The Guardian, about Beatrice Gibson: Crone Music, at Camden Arts Centre until 31 March. “From panic attacks and political chaos to a letter to the unborn, video artist Gibson’s intense films present a kaleidoscope of our fears – while her six-year-old offers a live ‘afternoon of mayhem.’”

Crone’s films, writes journalist Laura Cumming, “Are dreamy, fantastical...

It has its catharsis, too.” There is, says Rosemary Waugh, for Time Out London, “A building sense of menace, an unnameable hint of bad things lurking. And by the time it gets to the final scene of mother and child boogieing to ’90s club hit Rhythm of the Night it all becomes clear: this is what we do when we no longer know what to do; we make friends, we make art and we dance.”

Russia: Royalty & The Romanovs reigns at The Queen’s Gallery, St. James’s Park until 28 April. “Relations

between Britain and Russia are not entirely happy just now but it’s always useful to put these things into perspective. Which is where this exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery comes in,” writes Melanie McDonagh for Evening Standard.

“There is a succession of portraits of royal and military personages, imposing personal and diplomatic gifts, a remarkable collection of paintings and photographs... and royal knick-knackery – inevitably including a fine Fabergé egg.” It’s all “In exquisite condition, as is always the case with the Royal Collection,” praises Rosemary Waugh in Time Out, “and it’s all very grandiose – or, as the plaques keep saying, ‘splendid’”. The BBC’s arts editor Will Gompertz defines it as “A grand tale of international relations and inter-family arrangements, of cultural exchange and competing agendas. The major players line the walls in over-the-top gilt frames, while the objects that fill the exhibition spaces tell their stories.”

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Art & Design

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FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

Above Parr He’s made a career out of ironic images of British life, but Martin Parr also shoots for one of fashion’s most talked-about houses WORDS: LOUIS WISE

S

itting in the middle of one of Frieze London’s restaurants, Martin Parr is as happy as a pig in muck. Here, where the global art world convenes in Regent’s Park for one blingy weekend a year, there is too much for the photographer to take in — the people, that is, never mind the art.

“Look at those two behind us,” says Parr in his clipped, British way. The 66-year-old from Surrey, to many the greatest photographer of his generation, is generally quite calm, but you could almost say he was excited as he points to two Japanese women, each staring intently at their mobile phone. He has just been explaining why, contrary to what you might expect, everyone glaring at their small screens doesn’t bother him.

“It’s about the times we live in,” he reasons. “And, of course, they’re both in black. That classic artworld uniform.” He sighs. “Here I am talking to you, when I could be taking photographs.” He’s not being rude, but it’s obvious he means it.

Passion may not be the first thing you think of with Parr — certainly his standard uniform of loose shirt and old V-neck jumper, huge camera slung around his neck, plus cosy socks and sandals, wouldn’t suggest it. But obsession is his defining trait. For more than 50 years, since he decided to become a photographer aged 13, he has doggedly pursued

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Martin Parr, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2007.

Autoportrait. Š Collection Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

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AIR

his vision, making the world seem ever more Martin Parr. He made his name in the 1970s and 1980s with a succession of photo books chronicling a particular slice of British life, all lawns and sofas, chippies and seasides and the people who populate them. As a language, it’s ironic and surprising, with a taste for the absurd; imagine if Juergen Teller had overdosed on Victoria Wood. It was not a choice but a “calling”, he says.

He had a grandfather obsessed with photography, and a father obsessed with bird-watching. From one he has inherited the vocation, the other the look. “You have to be an obsessive,” he shrugs. “If you’re an artist of any description, it’s inevitable.”

Parr has a way of ending his answers with clipped “yeps”, to make sure you’re up to speed. “You don’t need to ask if they’re successful. Yep?” He’s at Frieze taking pictures for Magnum, the agency of which he was president from 2014 until last year. When you consider that this is a man who has published a whole book of photos of postboxes on Scottish islands, the art fair might seem quite the step up. Yet the parade of severe fringes, strange glasses and avantgarde silhouettes are pure catnip to him. Today only one person asked not to be snapped. “If people have got garish, colourful clothes on, it’s because they want to be seen,” he says.

It’s no surprise, then, that the fashion world loves him too. Though people would mark Parr first as a documentary photographer, he has actually done fashion work for more than 30 years. Things have definitely snowballed of late, including a menswear project for Henry Holland, a 12page shoot for American Vogue and, most markedly, a string of jobs for Gucci, photographing campaigns and shows. Last year he was in Paris for one of the Italian label’s live extravaganzas, producing a “zine” for them. It’s logical, really: the brand’s current vision, all surrealism and oddity, dovetails perfectly with Parr’s own eccentric eye. Don’t ask him to critique the clothes, though.

“Oh, I’m not interested in fashion at all,” he says. “I mean, I’ve noticed that Gucci clothes are quite distinctive, but I wouldn’t know Gucci from Chanel.” Um, really? “No. Well, I suppose I see a lot of Gucci. I might have an inkling, especially if it’s got Gucci written on the back, which it

often does, as does Massimo…?

Macchini…?” Moschino? “Yep.” He had never met the model Stella Tennant, before shooting her for the cover of a magazine: the two embarked on an email correspondence before he shot her near her home in the Scottish Borders. He persuaded her to get locals, such as the fisherman she buys crab from, to take part. “When you’re doing something like this, there’s got to be some soul. I wanted to find out about her life, and how I could tell a story through the pictures and show something that’s relevant to her, rather than just using a backdrop. Yep?” Over the decades Parr has travelled the world (he’s particularly obsessed with Japan), but it’s fair to say his main love affair has been with Britain. Or is love affair the right term? “It’s love-hate. There are many aspects of Britain I don’t like, and many I love, so I can use this process of photographing as therapy. The therapeutic value is quite intense.”

Humour is, he says, vital to his technique. The thing he is always asked, though, is whether he’s laughing at, or with. “It’s both, if you like, isn’t it? It’s not for me to say. My priority is to make entertainment, hopefully with a serious message, if you want to look for it.”

Another of his specialities is tourism: the clash between what you dream a place to be and the reality of it is very him. He, however, doesn’t go on holidays. “Oh no, no, no,” he tuts. “I’m doing my hobby, remember? There’s no need to have holidays.” Parr has been with his wife, Susie, for more than 30 years. (They have one daughter.) If they go to the beach, she’ll have what she calls a holiday, and he’ll have a working trip. Does he take photographs every day? “No. Tomorrow I won’t be photographing at all. I’ll be editing.”

Although he has now reached some kind of retirement age, stopping is out of the question. In Bristol, where he lives, he is constantly adding to his Martin Parr Foundation, where he is creating “an archive of contemporary Britain in the time I’ve been alive”. Next month, he’ll have a huge exhibition, a look at where Britain is now, at the National Portrait Gallery in London. And the weekend after we met he was off to the mythic French palace of Versailles on assignment. “It should be busy at the weekends, I gather,” he says. I’m about to commiserate, and then I remember that for him, that’s bliss.

Oh I’m not interested in fashion at all. I’ve noticed that Gucci clothes are quite distinctive, but I wouldn’t know Gucci from Chanel

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These pages: All images from Cruise 19 Lookbook by Martin Parr, Courtesy of Gucci by Martin Parr

OB JECTS OF DESIRE

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Master craftsmanship, effortless style and timeless appeal; this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s must-haves and collectibles

OB JECTS OF DESIRE

BOV E T

R É C I TA L 2 2 G R A N D R É C I TA L

and combines several technical and astronomical complications: hours indicated by a rotating Earth with day/night indication, retrograde minutes, one-minute tourbillon, power reserve indicator, retrograde perpetual calendar and precision moon phase.

As early-year watch summits flood the industry with new timepieces to ponder, the Grand Recital will live on far beyond any post-event excitement. It secured Bovet an Aiguille d’Or – the highest distinction at GPHG 2018 (the ‘Oscars of Watchmaking’), 1

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JOSEPH & ALEX A NDER

FAT H E R A N D S O N C O L L E C T I O N

Joseph & Alexander’s Instagram feed is chock-full of sun-kissed images showing the brand’s wares in their natural setting: these beach shorts are totally at home in and around the ocean. Plastic, however, should not be – which is why J&A founder

Alana Sorokin is on a sustainable mission, styling her eco-friendly fashion out of fabric that is made from plastic found floating in the sea (and the designs are even printed in eco-friendly ink).

A short story truly worth sharing.

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OB JECTS OF DESIRE

T& F SL ACK

103 OXBROGUES

When it comes stylish footwear, this shoemaker has cornered the market on cool. In the 1970s, couple Tim and Fiona began by making shoes for artists visiting Glastonbury Festival, then went on to produce designs for David Bowie.

Now based in London, the company has kept its finger on the pulse; Peter Saville favours a pair of ivory lace-ups with brick red rubber sole, for example. These oak leather-insole Oxbrogues, in eyecatching colours, stamp personality on a classic.

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FERRARI

MONZA SP1

Mere months after its unveiling, this special edition is already considered one of the most stylish cars of all time, as modernity meets nostalgia. The upper of this jaw-dropping Barchetta is made of F1-grade composites such as kevlar and carbon fibre, while a scoop

before the dashboard sucks-in incoming air, attending to the lack of windshield. Its weight-to-power ratio (think 810hp) makes for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pure, intoxicating driving experience,â&#x20AC;? enthuses Nicola Boari, head of product marketing at the Italian marque.

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OB JECTS OF DESIRE

N AT H A L I E T R A D

LUCIA CLUTCH

They say ‘you can’t hurry love’, and the adage rings true with every sculptural objet from Beirut-born designer Nathalie Trad. Her one-of-a-kind clutches take over 330 hours to carefully handcraft, and each is inlaid with a combination of distinctive

shells that were sourced from around the Far-East region. These toteable treasure troves each tell a tale, and in the case of the Fall/Winter 2018 collection, the celestial designs depict the story of the Sun, Moon and stars.

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OB JECTS OF DESIRE

C H O PA R D

HAPPY DIAMONDS JOAILLERIE

Chopard is known as the ‘Artisan of Emotions’, so its Valentine’s Day collection is certain to increase the heartbeat of any recipient. Among the maison’s romantic gift assortment is this Happy Diamonds Joaillerie timepiece, with a romantically red

leather bracelet guaranteed to catch Cupid’s attention. The watch, with its resplendent mother-of-pearl dial, is crafted from 18ct rose gold and is generously frosted; five dancing diamonds populate the dial, while the bezel and central ring are diamond set.

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OB JECTS OF DESIRE

JW ANDERSON

RESORT COLLEC TION 2019 / WOMENSWE AR

On its launch, JW Anderson focused on menswear, before moving into womenswear in 2010. Thankfully the British brand did diversify, otherwise fashion would be deprived of inventive bags such as this one, from the 2019 Resort Collection.

Smooth calf leather, a silver belt buckle flap and an open suede pouch comprise this Black Bike Bag from the British designer. Turn to p48 to read more about the rise of Jonathan Anderson, the former creative director at Loewe.

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Timepieces FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

Stars of SIHH TARIQ MALIK

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paint started to be applied to the hands and hour markers, but it is still a complication of note to connoisseurs.

This watch, however, is a worldfirst. The chime tells the time audibly, instead using your eyes – a useful feature for some, but H.Moser has taken the concept to the extreme. You might say it is the ultimate minimalist’s watch, except for the fact that there is flying tourbillon displayed beautifully through an aperture on the dial – a nod to the watchmaking ingenuity of H. Moser, and a lovely juxtapose.

ach January the watchmaking industry descends on the prestigious Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, (or SIHH). In the magnificent setting of the Palexpo facility in Geneva, the crème of horology get together to meet, to exhibit, to exchange opinions and set trends. It’s a place for both the trusted familiar brands and for the avant garde newcomers – and this year’s entries were a colourful and interesting mix.

Here’s a trio of interesting watches from the show.

Richard Mille’s Bonbon Collection

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillion

Richard Mille is a watchmaker that likes to stir things up. This year was the brand’s final year presenting at SIHH, and they made sure to go out with a bang with a colourful Bonbon collection, comprising 10 distinctively different models – from marshmallow to liquorice to candy canes. It’s inspired by candy and all things delicious, and the colours evoke a sense of whimsy and joie de vivre.

They make me smile – the 10 pieces are the ultimate eye-candy for watches.

Eye-catching grand feu enamel dials – created with a novel firing and glazing technique – depict lollipops, liquorice and gumdrops, along with marshmallows and fruits. The enamel technique uses a sandpapered finish to conjure up the association with confectionary. Is it a subtle statement about the watchmaking industry as some have hinted at? Or is it all merely a bit of fun?

Don’t be fooled by the playful exterior, though. These 10 models all offer carbon or quartz TPT cases with titanium baseplates and bridges, and

Vacheron Constantin makes some of the most complicated watches in the world. A tourbillon, like the one at sixo-clock on the dial of the Overseas, was originally intended for counteracting the effects of gravity on a pocket watch – making it far more accurate than the standard watches that would lose time.

On a wristwatch it is more a case of showing off your manufacture skills, from a watchmaking perspective at least. Generally watches with a tourbillon are a total flashy package, complete with a gold case, skeletonised dial, and a host of other complications.

This watch in stainless steel is understated, keeping a sober balance, with handsome, simple, and mostly empty dial. It’s a noteworthy addition to the Overseas Collection from this elegant brand, and definitely deserves a mention as one of the highlights of SIHH 2019.

the candied fruit and candy miniatures are all made in titanium and painted by hand. There is some serious machinery hidden behind all that colour.

H. Moser & Cie’s Tourbillion with Minute Repeater (and no hour markers or hands) Then, in stark contrast, there’s the complete opposite – a watch that is simple and elegant black with no dial, no hour markers... nothing. Why would anyone want to own a watch with no hands and no dial to speak of?

It almost seems like an inside joke – yet this is exactly what H. Moser & Co. presented this year at SIHH. Minute repeaters were originally invented for telling the time in the dark, when it was impossible to see your watch’s dial (also useful for the vision-impaired, before braille dials). It’s something that went out of fashion when luminous

Dubai’s DIFC is home to Momentum, Tariq’s co-founded vintage watch boutique. momentum-dubai.com 33

Timepieces FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

Miniature Masterpieces A Van’t Hoff timepiece astounds from every angle – as much a work of art as an instrument that tells time AIR

WORDS: CHRIS UJMA

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rdinarily, the first thing you glance at when studying a timepiece is, well, the time – or how the watchmaker has chosen to display the hours and minutes, at least. It’s testament to the Van’t Hoff mission, then, that when glancing at its intricate cases and dials, the elapsing of time takes second place in the admiration stakes.

Speaking to Dick Steenman, the architect of these miniature scenes, uncovers the poetry and passion behind the project.

“The company was born for a particular reason: the need to create a ladies-only watch collection, expressing a new form of craftsmanship in a three-dimensional universe,” he enthuses.

The brand was founded by Steenman in 2016, yet the creative has helmed a Geneva based workshop for decades, accruing 35 years of Swiss watch industry experience in the process. He has created bespoke timepieces for a raft of high profile brands

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and watch companies – their names are kept confidential, naturally.

However, his work under the Van’t Hoff guise recently surfaced in the wider conscious when one of its creations – the oval shaped, butterfly-graced Ballet in Blue – was one of the six shortlisted watches in the Artistic Crafts category at the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) 2018.

The road to this recognition began two years earlier. Steenman says he started to question “The vision for ladies watches and the excess of testosterone in their designs.”

This muscles in on the majority of releases, Steenman believes. He voices that “The big luxury groups need to sell more mechanical movements to keep production costs low, and this has pushed the predominant (male) designers to present most ladies watch collections in large sized cases

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Opening pages: The Quintessence Ballet in Blue, shortlisted in the Artistic Crafts segment at GPHG 2018 Opposite: Quintessence Ruby Arabesque, in 18k white gold set with diamonds, a central ruby of 4.10cts, and mother-of-pearl base

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It became obvious from the beginning that we needed to expel mechanical movement from the top of the watchmaking pyramid, and dedicate the space to art

with very little space for feminine elegance. Besides sports pieces, I believe the industry has simply gone too far.”

In this regard, he sees Van’t Hoff as an antidote; majesty to offset masculinity, and this mindset started not with the watch, but at an operational level.

“The first step was to involve women in my first designs and prototyping,” says Steenman. “The staff in my workshop are predominantly female, and so are those who have collected the feedback amongst high end female customers. We have simply kept man’s opinion out of the game, which is a unique exercise in Swiss watch making.”

Yet even within this narrow niche, he notes a distinct difference between Van’t Hoff and other ‘crafted’ efforts in the industry. “It became obvious from the beginning that we needed to expel the mechanical movement from the top of the pyramid and use the space for art work instead, this is the fundamental difference between our collections and most art watches on the market,” he expresses.

“By inverting the usual pyramid or doctrine of Swiss watchmaking we place three-dimensional jewellery art work at the top of our priorities.”

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For the Ballet in Blue, this resulted in a microcosm with hand sculptured butterflies, positioned on a dial of hand-engraved flowers in mother of pearl; enamel wings in ‘grand feu’ on hand-engraved white gold (deployed by the talented Anita Porchet, a name renowned amongst watch collectors worldwide); small diamonds on the wing tips; a watch case in ‘snow setting’, with diamonds and blue sapphires.

“For inspiration, I have the natural world as my ally: it is time honoured and all around us – but requires skill to be captured in design,” he says. “Our compositions always play with the light and shadow within the dial’s space, and I use many materials: sculptured gold, precious stones, wood, and feathers.”

It’s a blueprint for splendour. Among the collections is Pegasus, depicting the mythical winged horse. It leaps from a creamy mother-of-pearl dial, the steed jewelled in 18k white gold and set with white diamonds and black spinels.

When crafting a masterpiece for the wrist, every millimetre matters. In order to maximise the real estate for design, Van’t Hoff therefore chose to use the very smallest of Swiss quartz movements.

Going smaller was a deliberate choice,

to create more height for the threedimensional art work to breathe, allowing for up to 5mm of thickness in the centre of the domed glass.

Gaining such insight into Van’t Hoff’s detailed endeavour puts the brand’s GPHG awards recognition into context.

“The fact that we were selected came as a great joy and has given us wonderful feedback and positive reactions,” says a humbled Steenman, adding, “We are small, independent and have to finance all aspects of the business without any financial backup. For many in the business, our approach is perceived as a sweet act of madness in the midst of a predominantly corporate environment.”

Their story is testament to what can be accomplished in Swiss watchmaking, once a creative mind finds his or her niche (and perfects it).

“Our objective is to concentrate on bespoke works of art. Our cluster of clients can play an active role in composing their unique watch, and realising that vision in collaboration with our workshop,” Steenman reflects.

“Was creating this company an exercise in making just another watch, or crafting artwork that also tells the time? We hope it will be celebrated as the latter.”

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Jewellery FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

Back to Black

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As an encore to her award-winning Black Label Masterpieces, Cindy Chao dips back into the wonders of nature for inspiration

This page: Dragonfly Brooches Opposite: Emerald Feather Brooches; The ruby Peony Brooch, which was awarded ‘Outstanding Exhibit’ at Masterpiece London 2018; Mystère de la mer Bangle. All creations by Cindy Chao – The Art Jewel 38

I’ve always hold the belief that every piece of high jewellery should be a miniature work of art

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rtists, it is often said, are rarely appreciated in their own time. Their work gets labelled as a masterpiece, they are lauded by peers, and their creative efforts are worthy of placement in museums – but often the acclaim arrives far too late.

Not for fine jewellery designer Cindy Chao: she has achieved the above in the past 12 months alone.

The jeweller debuted her museumcalibre Black Label Masterpiece collection at Masterpiece London, and one of the pieces – the Ruby Peony brooch – earned her the ‘Outstanding Exhibit’ honour.

Among the other sculptural delights on show was her Phoenix Feather, boasting 36 different cuts of fancy yellow diamonds that totalled close to 100cts; the jewellery world was suitably wowed

by Chao’s one-of-a-kind creations.

The Taiwanese jeweller founded her eponymous label ‘Cindy Chao – The Art Jewel’ in 2004, and one of her pieces, an iconic butterfly, was inducted into the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

in 2013 – so she was not exactly unknown.

Masterpiece 2018, however, ensured recognition for her work went more mainstream, as it marked a rare public showcase for her creations: until last year, Chao only entertained private sales to elite clientele at her boutiques in Taipei and Hong Kong, as well as at auction.

“Since I established my brand, I have always hold the belief that every piece of high jewellery should be a miniature work of art,” she enthuses. “The private viewing only approach was taken based on my want for discerning collectors and connoisseurs to be able to sit down and enjoy the jewellery pieces in an intimate, tranquil, relaxed environment; that has proven to be essential to communicate my design concept with my collectors.”

Chao’s decision to show her yearly creations at international events such as Paris Haute Couture and the Paris Biennale was “To share my creative philosophy with a much broader audience in a much efficient way,” she explains.

Each year there is dual excitement, for her signature collections come in two lines: the Black Label Masterpieces and the White Label Collections. “The latter is an introductory gateway through

which collectors may first explore and experience my vision and artistry,” she defines. “This series of jewellery is inspired by the same core design concepts as the prestigious Black Label Masterpieces, but are more varied and are rather designed for everyday wear.”

Her first jewellery flourish of 2019, the Aquatic Collection, is inspired by a snorkelling experience, and comprises glittering Coral earrings and a bangle composed from hundreds of specially cut baguette diamonds. It is certain to garner yet more kudos.

She has charming humility about all of the praise, though, and sees her role as continuing a time-honoured legacy. “I am always astonished and in awe whenever I see 18th century craftsmanship of jewellery,” she reveres.

“As an artist in the 21 st century utilising this centuries-old craft, I am honoured to have the ability to pass on to future generations this long-lost artistry. I hope more artists will be able to understand and continue this sophisticated craft, which captures the real essence behind jewellery art.” They’d do well to observe Chao, one of the best in the business.

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Jewellery FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

Sweet Tooth An assortment of Candy cocktail rings proves yet another delectable treat from the house of Harry Winston

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WORDS: CHRIS UJMA

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tepping across the threshold of a Harry Winston boutique is enough to make even the hardened connoisseur feel like a kid in a candy store. Well, there’s no shame in succumbing to a state of gleeful, wideeyed wonder when confronted with the kaleidoscopic offerings from this famous high jewellery house.

Winston may have been dubbed ‘The King of Diamonds’, but the late founder had an eye for a splash of colour – and the brand’s current day designers share his appetite for the exceptional. They have created a pick and mix of cocktail rings that are a treat for the eyes.

The newly unveiled Winston Candy collection is a sweet addition to this jeweller’s portfolio, and was aptly debuted at its three-storey West Coast flagship salon on Beverly Hills’ iconic Rodeo Drive. Los Angeles is a city which “Holds a very special place in his story,” said Nayla Hayek, CEO of Harry Winston Inc. “It was there, while working under his father in the family jewellery business, that Mr. Winston learned the trade, developed an eye for quality,

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and gained the confidence to venture out on his own. He quickly made Hollywood connections, received famous endorsements, and earned a second title, ‘Jeweller to the Stars,’ redefining redcarpet glamour,” she adds.

His reputation was forged on being a creative force, and he could summon a vast array of fine jewellery ideas: as such, the company is blessed with an archive chock-full of his design renderings.

One particular set of impressions from the 1950s/60s depicted an idea for a stunning array of cocktail rings, deploying Winston’s penchant for seeking out stones that resembled brilliantly hued candies for some of his most precious designs. In these drawings, his vision was to pair fancy shaped stones with round brilliants of contrasting shades, making for an intriguing combination of colours.

To bring these sketches to life in the present day, the house assembled a team of experts who worked for over a year to curate this delectable collection.

The contemporary interpretation of his imagined suite, Winston Candy, pays homage to his own signature

styling while showcasing the brand’s continued skill with proportion and dimensionality, using varied stonecutting techniques.

The result is a joyful assortment of 27 vivid rings, whose colour palette brings back memories of strawberry bon bons, chocolate limes, sherbet-filled f lying saucers and everlasting gobstoppers.

The equally mouthwatering aesthetic – though far more refined, of course – is sweetened by stones such as mandarin garnet, rare tourmalines, pastel sapphires and lively spinels.

In one of the rings, an example of how these gems are harmonised is evident by its teaming of yellow and pink sapphire droplets with pear and round brilliant diamonds, framing a 16.32ct oval cut red spinel in the centre.

The cocktail ring was the ultimate Art Deco symbol of excess; a 1920s example of ostentation to showcase dramatic, oversized gemstones.

This famous house has created a beautiful rendition on a classic silhouette, filled with coveted candy gems that satisfy fine jewellery cravings as only Harry Winston can.

Harry Winston had a penchant for seeking out stones that resembled brilliantly hued candies for some of his most precious designs

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Jamie Dornan talks fatherhood, friends and shunning the spotlight WORDS: HILARY ROSE

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I’ve still got the same group of mates I grew up with.

They don’t give a damn about what I do. I don’t think they’re impressed by anything

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he first time I met Jamie Dornan, five years ago, it was just the two of us in a café on Kings Road in London. It was the day before he got married, he was known as a model, not an actor, and we were talking about a television programme no one had heard of called The Fall.

“So, Jamie,” I say now to the world-famous star of Fifty Shades of Grey, veteran of three series of the award-winning The Fall and happily married father of two, “you haven’t been up to much lately. What’s new?”

Sitting in the Soho Hotel, Dornan grins. “Was it really the day before I got married? Man, that’s mad. Why did I ever agree to that?”

His role as a serial killer in The Fall turned out to be the point at which people started to forget his previous career. He’d had a few acting parts here and there – his first in Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette – but until then he was a model with ideas above his station, smouldering on billboards in his Calvin Klein pants.

“It turned everything around,” he says, dripping honey into a cappuccino. “In terms of my working life, there’s before The Fall and after The Fall. I think there’s a label attached to someone who has had their photograph taken for a career that says you can’t be an actor.”

It’s no coincidence, then, that his most recent TV role, Death and Nightingales, was adapted

by Allan Cubitt, the man who wrote The Fall.

Cubitt fought for Dornan to be cast back then, and took a leap of faith that he’d be up to it.

Dornan says he knows that nearly everyone else involved said that he was wrong for the role, “and by the way, they were right to think that. I hadn’t done anything to warrant being a co-lead.”

Adapted from a novel by Eugene McCabe, Death and Nightingales is a beautifully shot, sombre tale of love, betrayal and revenge. Dornan likes 44

that his character is ambiguous, that there’s something he’s not quite revealing. He thinks he’s drawn to such characters, when he could easily have ended up being pigeonholed as the good-looking, romantic lead in a rom-com.

“Maybe what we can take from that is that I’m not good-looking,” he says drily. “Look, Fifty Shades is probably about as much of a ‘Hey, good-looking guy’ role as exists.” True, but it’s not a rom-com.

“No, it’s not. I wish it was. I would love to do a rom-com. I love rom-coms. I always thought I’d do comedy, not because I think I’m funny, but because those are the movies I enjoyed growing up.”

As for all the people who said that Fifty Shades would be the end of his career, he worried they might be right. “Of course I did! Are you kidding? But my whole life is to back yourself and make the best out of any situation. Without Fifty Shades I don’t get to do Anthropoid, I don’t get to do A Private War. So I’m grateful to it, even though it was panned.”

Dornan, 36, was brought up on the outskirts of Belfast, the youngest of three children and the only boy. His father is a retired obstetrician; his mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when he was 14 and died when he was 16. Now the father of two daughters – Dulcie, five, and Elva, two – with a third baby on the way, he says fatherhood brings that early loss into sharper focus.

“We try to keep Mum’s name alive,” he says. “We were looking at lots of photos of her yesterday, on my daughter’s birthday. We want our kids to have a very strong understanding that they have another granny who’s no longer with us.”

Dornan is married to Amelia Warner, a musician who composes music for television and films, and the couple chose to live in England’s Cotswolds precisely because it’s unstarry. Being a movie star there, he says, doesn’t help you.

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“It doesn’t better your Cotswolds existence. It’s a choice we made not to be too close to this industry, because it’s not life, is it? It’s just a job. It’s a great job, and it’s very nice to me, and I love it, but I don’t want it all the time. Far from it. I do the school run.”

Do the other parents do a double take?

“They don’t care. They all know us. It was my daughter’s fifth birthday party yesterday and it’s that thing where you have to invite every single kid from her whole year and all their parents. There’s not one person talking to me about my career. We’re talking about our kids.”

So was his daughter’s birthday party at Soho Farmhouse, the private members’ retreat not far from where they live? Dornan chokes on his sandwich, which has arrived, to his amusement, under a silver dome, and on to which he has dolloped a big splodge of HP Sauce. “She’s five!” he protests. “Listen, I know those worlds where that sort of thing happens, but I’m not giving a birthday party that costs a lot of money for a five-year-old.

It’s insane. The party was at the local youth centre.”

Dornan started acting when he was at school, winning the school drama prize for his role as Widow Twankey. He flunked his A levels and dropped out of a marketing degree at Teesside University. He says today that, while lots of his mates work in the City, he’s simply not bright enough. Instead he was scouted as a model and had instant, enormous success. He won lucrative advertising contracts with Dior and Calvin Klein, and travelled the world with supermodels including Kate Moss and Natalia Vodianova. He could easily have gone off the rails, but didn’t.

“I think I had my moments, but maybe not too consistently,” he says. “I had fun in my twenties, but the luckiest thing about me is that I’m not an addictive personality. You’re in a world where you can become inured to excess.

If you have a bit of success early on, then a lot of stuff’s presented to you that you could take advantage of in a big way. It’s pure luck that I don’t have an addictive personality. I love drinking, but I don’t need to do it every day.”

Somewhat improbably for a man who counts Keira Knightley as an ex-girlfriend, he claims he was rubbish at chatting up women and never particularly successful. He met Warner at a party in Los Angeles and waxes lyrical on the joys of marriage. “It’s a relief to be married.

It’s just lovely. That sort of complete feeling it gives you, especially when you start building a family. The idea of having to chat up another girl. To save Ireland, I couldn’t do that.”

With him and Warner busy with their careers, juggling home life is a constant battle. He has just come back from a week doing a voiceover for Trolls 2 in LA, something he agreed to purely so his children can watch something with Daddy in it. Generally, though, it’s a balance. Is the shoot close enough that he can fly home at 46

It’s a relief to be married. That sort of complete feeling it gives you, especially when you start building a family weekends? Is it for long enough that the family can temporarily relocate? The couple have just sold their house in LA because they were never there, and although he loves the place, he doesn’t like that movies dominate every conversation.

“Work is not anywhere near as important to me as my family and my friends,” he says. “I’ve still got the same group of mates I grew up with. They don’t give a damn about what I do.

I don’t think they’re impressed by anything.

We’re brutal with each other. Where we come from, taking the mickey is our currency.”

Dornan laughs a lot, but he has quite a severe resting face, apart from when he talks about his family. Then his whole face lights up. He absolutely loves being a father, he says, loves it.

There’s not one thing he doesn’t love about it, not even the sleepless nights and 4am feeds.

“If you’re not okay with that, you’re truly screwed,” he says. “You have to embrace it. It’s a shock with the first one for some people – you’ve gone from 4am being the time you get in from your night out and suddenly it’s changing nappies, but it’s a monumental part of being a parent. You’ve had it good, sleepwise, until that point, and you’ll get it back when they’re older.”

He’s good friends with Eddie Redmayne, who also has a young family, their friendship going back a decade to their time as aspiring actors in LA. They did pilot season after pilot season, “essentially having four or five job interviews a day and failing four or five times a day”. Redmayne once said that sharing a house with Dornan was like living with an endlessly energetic puppy.

“What an idiot,” mumbles Dornan, joking. “I was with him last week in LA, we were driving past places that we had very sad stories about.

We weren’t really working then, nothing was going very well. It was similar to what you’d see outside the job centre, but with scripts.”

Dornan spent years being told that he would fail.

He was never going to make it as an actor, then he was never going to be good enough in The Fall, and finally Fifty Shades of Grey would make him a laughing stock. In spite of all the Hollywood hype, he still seems to be a lovely, down-to-earth bloke from Northern Ireland with a cracking sense of humour. And he’s having the last laugh.

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Credits: Words by Hilary Rose/The Times/News Licensing, Images (p45 & 47) courtesy of Hugo Boss Fragrances

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THE BOY

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Jonathan Anderson is one of fashion’s biggest success stories – and he’s still only 34. Here, he discusses the ‘anxiety driven spark’ that keeps him at the top, and why his family will always be on the front row WORDS: JANE MCFARLAN

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Unfortunately there’s a trend for loud things, and loud doesn’t necessarily mean good

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y most standards, Jonathan Anderson seems to be the antithesis of a fashion designer. Dressed in a nondescript jumper and scruffy Nike trainers, the 34-year-old Northern Irishman lacks any of the frippery normally associated with the industry. Only the three iPhones and the packet of cigarettes he carries everywhere hint at his ruthlessly organised schedule and quasi-obsessive manner.

Today, however, over coffee in London, Anderson is relatively mellow. It has been six weeks since he presented two catwalk collections, one for his London-based eponymous label and the other for the Spanish luxury brand Loewe. He has just come back from a weekend at his second home in Norfolk, where he disconnects from juggling the two roles.

“I live in Stoke Newington and have a house near Holt, in Norfolk. I love going to stately homes, and Norfolk has so many. There’s an amazing beach at Holkham, and it can clear your head. If you’d asked me years ago I wouldn’t have known how to do that, I would have had no idea, because it was just continual,” he says, his Irish lilt mildly tempered after living in London for more than a decade.

“I’ve realised that by going away on a weekend, I am ready to start on a Monday and I’m not dreading it.”

Indeed, the past few years have been a whirlwind — not only for the highly successful designer, but also for the fashion industry that has followed and critiqued his every move since 2008, when, three years after his graduation, he launched JW Anderson as a menswear label.

In 2010 he added womenswear and in 2012 designed a sold-out Topshop collaboration, before 50

inking a one-year deal with Versus, Versace’s diffusion line.

In September 2013, Anderson went global when the luxury conglomerate LVMH took a 46 percent stake in his own-name label and hired him to take the creative helm at Loewe, the Madrid-based brand known for its leather goods. At the 2015 British Fashion Awards, he was named both womenswear and menswear designer of the year — the first time anyone had won both categories. This level of sustained hype is unheard of, not least for a thirtysomething from Northern Ireland.

So what’s Anderson’s secret? Well, he does things his way. He’s perfectly polite, of course, but rather than court celebrities or schmooze industry folk, Anderson is more interested in championing unknown creatives in fields outside fashion. His belief in a fashion brand as a multifaceted entity — he introduced a prestigious craft prize and a lifestyle collection at Loewe, for example — has caused other labels to follow suit.

He also sent gender-blurring collections down the catwalk years before the rest of the industry caught on. Then there is his lucrative line in accessories: the Puzzle bag for Loewe and the Pierce for JW Anderson (according to Lyst, the most-searched bag in 2016) are just two of his many Insta-hits. Perhaps most important, Anderson hasn’t lost self-belief along the way. “No matter what season it’s been, we do exactly what we feel is right, so maybe this time it struck more of a chord with people,” he says, draining his second cup of coffee.

“I was really happy with the show this year. I liked the femininity in it, I liked the fluidity in it, which I think was a new step for us.”

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Credits: JW Anderson SS19 backstage imagery by Daisy Walker

The financial backing of a luxurygoods group has also marked Anderson’s transition into entrepreneur — commercial considerations became as important as creative instincts.

“You have to be [commercially aware],” he says. “It’s not a vanity project. It’s business, and it has to work, or what is the point, really, in the end?”

For the past five years Anderson’s weeks have been split between his east London studio and Loewe’s Paris atelier, as well as the monthly trips to its Madrid HQ — hence the three iPhones. His own brand now employs 50 people, and he has recently appointed a new CEO. Indeed, far from resting on his laurels, Anderson is busier than ever — part of his success is due to his relentless curiosity. His shows are never just a presentation of clothes on a catwalk. There is always something interesting to take in: a photography exhibition; works by the Japanese ceramicist Ryoji Koie. His east London store, JW Anderson Workshops, showcases evolving art installations and limited-edition collaborations.

This predilection for storytelling comes from Anderson’s earliest days in fashion, when he worked for Prada as a visual merchandiser. “I learnt the idea of a 360° environment, that the [shop] window mattered, the styling mattered, the chair mattered, the art mattered. I think that brand configuration has had a lasting influence on me,” he says. Last year he curated his first art exhibition — “It’s one of my proudest things; it merged me and all the things I love” — and he recently launched his Your Picture/Our Future initiative to find and encourage young photographers.

His passion for the artisan (his grandfather was a textile designer) is obvious in the 16 collections he designs each year for Loewe and his own label, and his collaborations with the high-street brands Uniqlo and Converse. Clearly Anderson, who shifts restlessly throughout our conversation, thrives on the variation: “That’s why I love my collaborations — it changes the rhythm of it, so you’re not just a seasonal junkie.”

He’s part of a cadre of designers, including Phoebe Philo and Christophe

Fashion can be isolating. As much as it looks glamorous, you can become quite insular and negative’ Lemaire, promoting pragmatic and empowering concepts — Anderson’s intellectual clothes are a rebuttal of seasonal fads or trends. Neither are they about attracting the male (or female) gaze. “Unfortunately there’s a trend for loud things, and loud doesn’t necessarily mean good,” he sighs.

Instead he provides clothing with depth. Mindful of Britain’s political and financial climate, he insists that fashion should reflect its sociopolitical times.

“I think it’s a moment where you have to be incredibly awake. Every morning I watch the news, every morning I read the newspaper, and every morning I look at the figures — I tackle all problems in the morning.

But what you realise is you have to take everything with a pinch of salt.

I take the news, even the BBC, with a large pinch of salt, because what is the political agenda? What is the focus?

And you start to realise that in society you have to question things, and we have to be aware, because it’s better to be 10 steps ahead than 10 steps behind.

“I always look at a Cecil Beaton image of a Digby Morton suit — it’s of a woman whose back is turned to the camera and she’s beside a rubble building that’s been bombed during the war. And you realise that clothing has to reflect the period.

But it also has to take you out of it.

So if you don’t know what’s socially or culturally happening, it’s difficult for you to be able to be, like, ‘I am the utopia creator’, because ultimately society doesn’t want that now.

“There has to be a realism to things.

And you have to be on your toes today, because if you take anything for granted, then it can go quickly.

Personal things can affect you, stress can affect you, workload can affect you and what is happening can affect you, but you need to be able to turn that into energy. You need that anxiety-driven spark. Or it becomes a little bit boring.”

As immersive as Anderson finds work, he does seem clearer on the need for respite. “I think, as any person does, there is a tipping point.

I know when to stop now.” His life is a mix of the most fashionable and the wholesome, whether that’s gardening in Holt or visiting auctions to add to his modern British art collection. He remains close to his family (he grew up one of three children, and h is older brother now works for his label), and his parents, Heather and Willie, a former Irish international rugby player, applaud him from the front row every season. He’s least likely to be found at a fashion party, and tends to stick to his close-knit group of friends.

“Fashion can be isolating. As much as it looks glamorous, you can become quite insular and you can become quite negative, because it’s a natural process of reinvention. I think my parents have been very good in moments where you have to make emotional decisions. They’re good at guiding in that, because they don’t know the entire picture, but they know what are the more human things that you need to know. And they know me and what I’m like, for the good and the bad.”

It’s the late Manuela Pavesi, Miuccia Prada’s right-hand woman, whom Anderson credits for his fashion education. “She was a great mentor.

In a weird way, Prada had a lasting effect on me. When I worked there, it was a very family-run business.

It was about fashion. She [Miuccia] enjoys it, she relishes it, and at the same time she could take cultural things and throw them into the pot. I think she is one of the early period of female designers who really empowered women in a different way.

I do feel like that has had a lasting effect on me. And I think I learnt the ambition to always be the best.”

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Ghosts donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t walk 54

in straight lines Once more accustomed to treading the catwalk than roaming the Manhattan grid, model Saskia De Brauw took to New York’s streets and beat a pathway alongside its wandering souls WORDS: CHRIS UJMA

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oyers Street is a peculiar one,” remarks Saskia De Brauw. The lane, a 200ftlong patch located in the heart of New York’s Chinatown, has a sharp bend in the middle, “And it is said that Doyers St. was modelled on the zigzagging pathways that the Chinese built to ward off evil spirits, who were said to travel only in straight lines, unable to follow twisted paths.”

Having interviewed De Brauw, I can confidently attest that she is not evil – hence why she was able to safely chart said street. She also traversed countless other thoroughfares that make up the bustling Manhattan grid, and her journey (along with the souls she encountered en route) form part of a fascinating cultural observation called Ghosts Don’t Walk in Straight Lines; Doyers Street inspired the title.

The Dutch fashion model has walked the runways for the likes of Chanel, Versace, Bottega Veneta and Prada, but has found a new lease of life in the art world. She embarked on the ‘New York walk’ concept with long-time partner, photographer Vincent van de Wijngaard.

This project was about the pair going through different neighbourhoods where different kinds of

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The hidden people – those in the shadows – have a deep way of seeing the city that most of us miss as we go about our daily, speedy lives

communities live. “For me, New York – aside from the interesting architecture and the way space is used – is about the people,” says De Brauw. “They make the story of New York, and as the walk progresses, you capture these different atmospheres, shaped by the people who reside there.”

The pair’s GDWISL project resulted in an exhibition that is charged with captivating photography, a film, plus a book that shows artefacts and spoken exchanges which punctuated the prep days leading up to the final walk.

“The grid determines our way of moving through the city. It forces us to walk in straight lines,” she elaborates.

Broadway is the only road within the grid that crosses right through the grid, and parts of Broadway are ancient Native American pathways; routes that, in days past, snaked through swamps and lakes, along rivers and rocks.

“Broadway has a specific history before the implementation of the grid,” adds De Brauw. “It exemplifies how we would naturally walk, meandering through a city. When people would choose a natural route they would never walk in straight lines, only in the landscape of the city. As people go around objects and each other, they will be influenced by ‘invisible forces’ like their memories, their thoughts and their desires which never travel in straight lines.”

Van de Wijngaard’s photography background lies in documentary work and street photography, so he’s been walking the streets “For what feels like forever,” he laughs. “The different approach to Ghosts... is that usually I wander around to find ‘visual delights’ and where the light guides me, I go.

With this project, I didn’t set out to make beautiful imagery, I wanted to represent the walk – which is a 56

straightforward approach yet resulted in something intimate.”

Both De Brauw and Van de Wijngaard concur that the individuals who resonated in their mind were “the hidden people; those in the shadows” – those who stay in one spot, a fixture of the city; the homeless gentleman who sits in the same place each day, or the guy who is selling newspapers at the same spot, day in, day out.

“These people have a deep way of seeing the city that most of us miss as we go about our daily, speedy lives.

As mainstays, they make the most extraordinary observations of the world around them,” outlines De Brauw.

“We encountered a birder in the middle of the Financial District, who was on the lookout for the tiniest birds. He was focused on finding this particular species in order to cross it off his list,” she recounts. “It was an interesting sighting, and though I know nothing about bird watching, he showed me that even these tiny animals make up the patchwork of New York City.”

For the film, De Brauw became a piece of that patchwork herself. She walked the grid, being filmed, while wearing a specially created outfit by designer Haider Ackermann. “When we started it was a case of finding ideas from old monks’ robes. Eventually, Haider had the idea of using lots of leftover materials from a textile company, pieced together.”

Its aesthetic reflects the surface of the New York streets, with the garment dyed one colour –a dark, pavement-like hue. “It’s a dress of someone who has been walking for a long time,” says its model. “It was so lengthy that it dragged on the floor, collecting pieces of glass and sticks along the way, defining this image of a traveller passing through time.”

Opening pages: Bowery and Grand Street, 2018 which features Saskia de Brauw wearing an outfit that was specially created for the project

by Colombian-born French designer Haider Ackermann Below: West 178th Street Washington Bus Terminal, 2018.

Images Š Saskia de Brauw Vincent van de Wijngaard

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It is less about a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appearance, and more about the way they pace around, stop, observe. The relationship between the person and the space around them is important

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Below: Broadway and West 50 th Street Metro 2018.

Image © Saskia de Brauw Vincent van de Wijngaard

Just as the dress collected street debris, De Brauw and Van de Wijngaard picked up anecdotes along the way.

“There was a Sudanese man selling newspapers who didn’t speak English, but we recorded him speaking in his own language”, they recall.

“We had the text translated, and he’d shared with us that he started selling newspapers because he was just hanging around in the house and had nothing to do. He told us how, for him, America is a place of freedom. He describes it as having justice, which is not the case in his country. This is a man standing on the street, invisible to all, but he has a heart and a story to tell. Many people we pass on a daily basis have extraordinary stories.”

In a sprawling metropolis, what factors about a person in the crowd attract Van de Wijngaard’s lens?

“For me it is based less about the physical appearance, and more on movement of a person, and the way that pace around, stop, observe. The relationship between the person and the space around them is important, too,” he says. “I’m also sensitive to those I think will be open for me to take their picture, I look to break that barrier by being open and friendly; then when I talk to them, I use that window in time to take their picture.”

This process goes against the grain of conditioning, he admits. “We’re raised to ‘not stare at a person’, but I don’t see anything wrong with observing someone, so long as it is done with respect. After all, for a street photographer, the best picture is always the ‘stolen’ picture.”

Saskia is prompt with admiration for his method. “Vincent has the ability to become invisible. That may sound strange, but over the many years I have been with him, he has taken many photographs on the streets, and he can approach someone, with just 10cm distance between the person and his camera, and somehow people accept it; they don’t see it as an intrusion,” she enthuses.

With the public behaving candidly and not posing, the pair caught people in their natural state, observing both the best and the worst in humanity.

“I was walking in lower Manhattan, following the route near Broadway, and came across this tin collector and there

were some other guys leaned against a jewellery shop, making fun of this guy who was out there, in the rain, collecting the tins from the street,” Van de Wijngaard recalls.

“It was one of those moments you’d wish that the guy were encouraged, rather than criticised. I became rather upset and told the people leaning against the store that they should be ashamed of themselves, and that this tin collector, picking up the fragments of society’s waste, might one day be successful – and laughing at you.

He and I talked and he was a nice, charming man, and I know it’s odd to praise this moment, but it was quite heartfelt and moving.”

As an exhibit, Ghosts Don’t Walk in Straight Lines first showed at The Store X at 180 The Strand, and a more immersive showing takes place this month at FOAM in Amsterdam, which offers a deep delve and a classic look at analogue versions of the prints.

The photography is accompanied by quotes from the people the artists encountered, and visitors enter a room where the movie is being screened.

Van de Wijngaard’s reaction to his Tin Man anecdote is a microcosm of the experience visitors have felt viewing the entire project, notes De Brauw, saying, “What I noticed in the previous viewings was that somehow, people were quite moved by what they saw.”

The pair are ideal co-curators, and the beauty of two minds means two interpretations. The photographer says that, “For me the project is one slice of life – one person doing this one particular walk. The ‘meaning’ of the images is difficult to summarise, though I like to think its message as being ‘I’ll just keep walking.’”

De Brauw, sees the impact of the project through different eyes. “Yes, there’s something very universal about the imagery but although the walk can indeed go on, there’s a beginning and an end to this particular journey,” she interprets. “Perhaps what resonates with people is that all of our lives take their own route, and we carry untold stories as we walk.”

‘Ghosts Don’t Walk in Straight Lines’

by Saskia de Brauw & Vincent van de Wijngaard shows at Foam Photography Museum from 1-10 February. Visit foam.org 59

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In an increasingly digital world, Maison Assouline fiercely guards the printed word. But where to keep those coveted tomes? Well, to curate the ultimate personalised library, this premier publisher uses every trick in the book

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Interview/Words: Chris Ujma. This page: Prosper Assouline Š Guillaume Gaudet

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ho would you entrust to compile your legacy? For a whole host of luxury brands, the answer has been a familyrun publisher which started in the basement of a couple’s Parisian home – and was built into a lifestyle empire.

There are so many stories that once ached to be shared: the house of Dior, wishing to document its glorious couture under the guidance of Yves Saint Laurent; the history of Cartier’s Panthère – an iconic motif that is always on the prowl; Tiffany & Co. documenting decades of stunning holiday window-visuals, on display at its Fifth Avenue flagship; jeweller Chaumet, showcasing its regal suites of crown jewels; Bentley, capturing the spirit of a century of automotives.

Maison Assouline put the tales of these fabled brand names (and many others) into lush print format.

“Today, the luxury book market has become an indispensable tool for luxury brands,” says Prosper Assouline, brand co-founder. “With the rise of digital media and ‘influencers,’ luxury brands need a tangible product to define their DNA and position themselves in the marketplace.”

In 1994, Prosper and his wife, Martine, set up (what was, at first) a book publishing company – though without such lofty ambition.

The couple’s first self-published effort was a modest tome called La Colombe d’Or – the book celebrated a quiet hotel in the south of France where the Assoulines had spent many blissful weekends, the couple explained to Departures. It would open the door to a new world.

Over time, Assouline developed its global outreach and, leaving the basement behind, has expanded headquarters into New York and London, with boutiques around the globe. (Its most recent was unveiled at The Dubai Mall).

The publisher has built an arsenal of over 1,500 special edition titles, covering subjects such as art, design, fashion, fine dining, lifestyle, and travel. The books fall under five collection names – Ultimate, Legends, Classics, Icons and Connoisseur. “Each one has its own way of life, and has babies every year,” says Prosper, with a laugh.

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The luxury book market has become an indispensable tool for luxury brands

Prosper and Martine have since welcomed family members Alex Assouline (vice president) and Sébastien Ratto-Viviani (director of Europe) into the corporate fold, and the company is a go-to when it comes to publishing a glossy keepsake.

Yet it has diversified into the art of curating an actual library, comprising a bespoke collection of books (naturally), right through to the aesthetics of furniture and assorted art curios.

“The vision of the brand is obviously to make a fantastic curated book on an interesting subject,” Prosper reinforces, “But most important, is to also create spaces for the books to live.

We created our boutiques to feel like a private library and, because of this, our clients would often tell us how calm they felt to be surrounded by all of the culture and request for us to make a similar environment for them in their own homes. We began to create these spaces for clients in residential buildings, as well as in apartments and in the lobbies and curated them with the same spirit of our stores.” Among its luxury residential projects in New York are pockets of tranquillity at The Caledonia, 432 Park, and The Shephard.

Even for the avid reader, to build a library worth perusing seems an

admittedly daunting task – where does one even begin? “It’s about that first conversation with the client,” says Prosper. “And the first question is always what era the books should address.”

Assouline once created a space for a gentleman who requested a library “Centered around the theme of ‘man’.

So we found a few thousand books including vintage volumes and objects very orientated on the settling and on maritime and manly themes, but at the same time very chic,” Prosper details.

“We also had a lady who wanted a great fashion library. I first discussed with her to best understand how far we could go: did she wish to focus on contemporary fashion or the culture of fashion, dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries? So, it’s really about the conversation.”

The savoir-faire of the bespoke library, he believes, is in the details. The books are a core component, of course, “But the objects are very important as they capture the spirit of a complete library – a library is not just books,” he stresses. “Martine and I wanted to supply everything for a contemporary space; we started working with top perfumers for scented candles, with Goyard for a book trunk, with Chanel on a quilted leather slipcase, and so on.”

Top: The Impossible Collection of Fashion; Fendi Roma; CHANEL; Rajasthan Style Second row: French Style; Frida Kahlo – Fashion as the Art of Being; Rolex, from the Impossible collection; The Night Before BAFTA Third row: The Style, Inspiration and Life of Oscar de la Renta; The Pearl Necklace; Cardin; Dressing for the Dark – From the Silver Screen to the Red Carpet Bottom: The Spirit of Bentley; Young Hollywood; Dior – Yves Saint Laurent, part of the Dior Designer Series.

All books published by Maison Assouline; cover images courtesy of The Qode and Maison Assouline 63

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Books are a matter of intellect and emotion, of heritage and innovation

Prosper admits to spending a lot of his time looking for precious objects for libraries, “And every day I buy something and place it in one of the warehouses I have in New York, London and Paris, for when the time is right. When we begin a new project, I go to my warehouse files to select the perfect piece for the library.

This is the beauty of our work” For each library design, the client details to the company what kind of room they envision. “I always recommend it to be a complete room,” says Prosper. “I love furniture to be very classic and comfortable, but also very contemporary. In our high society collection, the pieces have a spirit of the 1940s, but they are lacquer with gold leaf which brings in something very contemporary. My feeling is to mix the old and the past with today, to make something very contemporary.”

The company routinely thinks outside the box. It worked with Neiman Marcus to offer a complete Assouline curated library in its Festive catalogue, for example.

“Our library was sold within the first hour it went up online,” he announces, “by this great woman in Nevada who contacted us to create a library on her ranch. After discussing ideas with her, I proposed to her to do something unique. I had bought for her two Spanish paintings that dated 64

back to the 18th century, both over five metres tall; we anchored the aura of the library around these giant paintings.”

I recall a pertinent comment Prosper made about creating coffee table tomes for leading luxury names: “When we work with a brand, we don’t want to just create another book.” This approach is clearly distilled in the company’s work with individuals – each project is a personal journey, be it for a billiondollar French fashion maison or an individual with their own story to tell.

And, just as when delving into a good book, the only limit is one’s own imagination; Assouline is adept at rising to the occasion. To illustrate, Prosper recounts the time they put together a book – South Pole – commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the British Antarctic Expedition there.

“We were approached to assemble this very special book, but had no idea what style to create it in. I had this dream of creating something very special for all of the people who had make the journey and had died on the way back. In this dream, I wanted to create a real fantasy of discovering this book in the snow and ice, after the whole adventure.”

Assouline created a book that was entirely waterproof: the first of its size at the time, where every detail was waterproof – the paper, the glue, the ink. “For the glue, we went to the Champagne region of France to

meet with the company that glues the label to the bottle, since the bottles are always on ice,” he explains.

“The presentation of the final book was held at Sotheby’s and we had the large book on this huge piece of ice and by the end of the event the book was completely submerged in the water. The Wall Street Journal even did a piece testing out South Pole in a swimming pool and a Turkish hammam – very great and very fun.”

Assouline is having a blast – you don’t get to revolutionise the art of the coffee table tome without a good dose of enjoyment for what you do each day.

But this company can be equally profound about its craft, too. “Our digital world goes faster than ever and nothing remains of it, but books are the solid part of our past and present,” Prosper muses. “For us, books are a matter of intellect and emotion, of heritage and innovation – because information is not only about today, and the past is a sensational source of inspiration.”

By creating enviable library spaces in which to be inspired, Assouline has proven to be as good as its word.

Maison Assouline Dubai, the brand’s Middle East flagship, recently opened at The Dubai Mall. The ground floor concept store has a private salon, where guests can consult with experts to customise their own personal library

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Motoring FEBRUARY 2019: ISSUE 93

The Green Hell Professional drivers quiver at the thought of its extremes, and certain luxury marques daren’t dream of releasing a new model before they’ve put the car through its paces on these corners. Welcome to the merciless Nürburgring

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WORDS: CHRIS UJMA

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pringtime marks Motor Show season, with the upcoming Geneva showcase in March a launchpad for many luxury marques to unveil their latest on-road conqueror.

Models from the likes of Aston Martin, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Lamborghini will sit silent and pristine – gleaming on a rotating podium. But before they finally make it to the road, they’ll have roared through ‘hell’ to get there.

Be it a brutish supercar, front-wheel drive hot hatch or a four-door saloon, automakers want to push their creation to its limits and validate the car as ‘best in class.’ For many, that means braving Germany’s Nürburgring.

“It is the longest permanent racetrack in the world,” explains Alexander Gerhard, the main point of contact at ‘The Ring’, when you’re eager to dig through the venue’s history archives.

“When you combine the Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit and the Nordschleife – as it is driven during the legendary, annual 24 Hours race – you arrive at a total length of over 25km.”

It boasts 73 turns (33 left, 40 right), a maximum gradient of 17 percent,

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maximum sloping of 11 percent, and there’s a 300m altitude difference between its highest (Hohenrain / Hatzenbach, 627.7 m above sea level) and lowest (Breidscheid, 320m) points.

Those are the numbers on paper, but this track’s legend was forged by its unforgiving nature, not merely by numbers. It may cut through lush Hansel and Gretel forest, but this is no fairytale scene.

“Since its completion in 1927, the Nordschleife has enjoyed a reputation as a terrifying and merciless route through the Eifel forests,” admits Gerhard.

An English journalist who attended its inaugural race on 18 June 1927 concluded, “It seemed as if a reeling, drunken giant had been sent out to determine the route”, and this wasn’t mere poetic prose: some of the world’s most accomplished drivers have been chewed up and spat out here, adding a gilt of respect to their hero status.

Formula 1 pilot Sir Jackie Stewart – three-time world champion in 1969, 1971 and 1973 – was so impressed by the circuit that he gave it the name which it will probably never lose:

‘Green Hell’. “If you weren’t scared, you weren’t driving fast enough,” he also observed.

“I like it because it’s not like most circuits; if you make a mistake, then bang, you are in the fence or in the forest,” now-retired two-time World Rally Champion Walter Rohrl detailed to Car and Driver. “If all the racetracks were like the Nürburgring I would have been a [road-racing] driver; I never get bored there and every lap is a new challenge.”

The track was originally built to promote the economy of the poor Eifel region, which to that point had only agriculture, and because there was a national need for a permanent test and racing circuit. The Nürburgring was opened as a ‘mountain, race and test track.’ Gerhard remarks that, “The mountains and the complete countryside were also designers of the racetrack, which was built with shovel, pick, axe and wagon.”

In the summer of 1925, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for this venue, located in the heart of the Eifel mountains. Construction cost 14million Reichsmark (around USD39 million in today’s money) and involved up to 2,500 workers at peak times. Only two years later, the track hosted its first race and, until today, the Nürburgring is ‘the engine of the whole region.’

It has hosted the likes of the World Touring Car Championship, Superbike World Championship, and Formula 1 Grands Prix. Every driver has their own favourite (or feared) section.

There are high speed sections as well as fast, tight or blind turns; bumps, as well as sections with incline and dips.

There’s no room for devil-may-care in hell: “You understand pretty fast that a perfect lap is nearly impossible and that it needs only a tiny fault to end up in the guardrail,” cautions Gerhard.

Notable locations are the uphill (then downhill) plunge of the Fox Hole, the blind right-hand corners of the Small Well, the notorious Mine (one of the make-or-break corners that can dictate a lap time) and the huge hill jumps of the Planting Garden, where a sudden drop can cause cars to go airborne.

This gruelling layout proves tempting for manufacturers to benchmark their creations; indeed, a handful have set up permanent facilities on-location

If you weren’t scared, then you weren’t driving fast enough Opening pages: Aerial view of the Nordschleife. © Robert Kah Opposite: The Lamborghini Huracan Performante (in camouflage) which set a new production car lap record at ‘The Ring’.

Courtesy Lamborghini Above: VLN Endurance Championship. © Jan-Brucke

for honing of durability, reliability and endurance, clocking up the kilometres to simulate the life cycle of a car.

“If you want to make a perfect car you have to test it there,” said Rohrl, and Gerhard agrees. “To navigate 20 challenging kilometres with impressive turns, gradients and slopes is a big task. If you test your car or components like dampers successfully on the most challenging race track in the world, you prove their supremacy.”

The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ currently reigns supreme with the fastest ever time for a production car, clocking up a blistering 6:44.97s to dethrone the Porsche 911 GT2 RS in 2017. (This is a tasty tussle, as Porsche itself had stunningly

toppled Lamborghini’s Huracan Performante from top spot). For all the 0-100km/h quotations and quarter kilometre split times touted by manufacturers, a consistent lap time here remains the ultimate metric.

That’s not to discredit merely making it around the course without incident – an accomplishment in itself, as any avid ‘Ringer’ will readily agree.

It has an avid fanbase as, for just EUR25 (USD28) a time, members of the public can partake in an adrenaline fuelled tourist ride of either the Nordschleife route or Grand Prix track in their own road legal vehicle. Chances are, such an experience might just be retracing the car’s route through this gauntlet; the spiritual home of testing.

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Gastronomy

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FEBRUARY 2019: ISSUE 93

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The Perfect Climate With sustainability at its heart, Michelin acclaimed Azurmendi is an environmentally-friendly setting where exceptional fine dining flourishes WORDS: CHRIS UJMA

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ebruary arrives hot on the heels of ‘Veganuary’ – a wordplay on the name of the month where millions pledged to adopt a meat-free dietary approach for four weeks.

While the methods of the movement are a discussion for another day, the underlying ethic is one that both omnivores and herbivores can break bread on: we are becoming more cognizant about the wider impact of what is on our plate, and there’s a keen interest in just how it arrived there, to be savoured.

For clarity, Azurmendi – chef Eneko Atxa’s exemplary fine dining enclave, located just outside the Spanish city of Bilbao – is not a vegan bolthole (diners would be remiss to depart without having tried the standout Basque spider crab, or a sensational roasted and peeled lobster with juice, coffee butter, and purple onion from Zalla).

But he is fiercely passionate about the topic of sustainability; so much so, that Atxa masterminded a mindful destination that has earned three coveted Michelin stars.

“I believe that sustainability is not a tendency, but is instead a way of understanding everything around us; a coexistence with people, the environment, the economy and the future,” he urges. “It is not a trend or an idea. For me it is something fundamental; an obligation, a commitment, and a responsibility as a human being.”

To translate this approach into a tangible experience, in 2010 Atxa created a restaurant where “The building and operations have been developed according with respect for our surrounds. I see the territory and Basque cultural heritage as one and the same: the environment, people, and society – pillars of sustainable development – are the foundations of our project,” he explains.

Atxa began with the property itself. He designed and constructed a glass-fronted bioclimatic building that incorporates non-invasive methods of working with the environment, using local and recycled materials. He also deployed the most cutting-edge technology in terms of renewable energies available at the time: photovoltaic solar panels on glass roofs, storage batteries, and climate control systems using geothermal energy.

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Sustainability is not a trend. For me it is something fundamental; a commitment and a responsibility as a human being There is rainwater collection for irrigation and cleaning work, water accumulators, and even charging points for electric vehicles.

“Sustainability is a wide field,” Atxa admits. “Our philosophy is to make people happy with our cuisine, but also aim to cook a better future. Gastronomy is the socio-cultural thread that drives and boosts our progress. Health, sustainability, social commitment and multidisciplinarity will lead Azurmendi to ‘The gastronomy of the future.’”

This deep respect and admiration for the environment inspires all matters at Azurmendi, and the produce – derived from the likes of the on-location sustainability centre, which contains a seed bank where over 400 local seed varieties of vegetables are cultivated – impacts the exceptional menu.

The World’s Best 50 Restaurants guide talks about how Azurmendi is ‘Far from the straightforward sit-down restaurant experience.’ The journey starts in the rooftop vegetable garden where guests inspect the home-grown produce before continuing via the kitchen to an indoor greenhouse for a selection of snacks.

Diners are eventually seated in a section

of the dining room, flanked by temporary fabric walls projecting different scenes for different courses.

Bread is baked in a traditional way, such as milk bread from Juan Zabala’s farmhouse or corn bread from Mungia.

In addition, all herbs, buds, flowers and an assortment of vegetables are collected or cultivated by the Azurmendi team on a daily basis.

There are two menu pathways to take: Adarrak (‘The Branches’), with dishes to engage the diner in a seasonal experience for senses, and Erroak (‘The Roots’), a series of Eneko Atxa’s essential dishes that remain at the heart of the Azurmendi experience.

“I am privileged to live close to the sea, the mountains, the countryside, and to have four absolutely different weather seasons which provide me with a very wide product pantry,” Atxa enthuses.

“When composing menus, I find out what products I will have for each season. There are certain products that are given by nature. The changes of the menu each year depend on the environment, the climate. Every season I am excited about what nature offers us. In autumn I am crazy about

Right: Eneko Atxa, chef and owner of Azurmendi Below: The glass-fronted restaurant, located in Larrabetzu in northern Spain

mushrooms, in spring about good peas or in summer about extraordinary tomatoes.” Atxa refuses to be drawn on recommending ‘must tries’ among his on-plate innovations, though. “I think the most interesting thing is to try, live and enjoy the whole experience”, he says with a smile.

The owner’s overarching desire is to offer guests “Something that I have at my heart: my culture, my habits, my roots and my desire to evolve from the mayor of respect. I believe I must offer something that you can only find here in the Basque Country, that is in our roots and our identity.”

Yet despite his long-term ambition and established success, Atxa takes each day as it comes – it is the only way an acclaimed restaurant can shoulder the expectation, he believes.

“We work and live for the client.

Just before starting a new day at the restaurant, one must divest themselves of everything previously acquired: all the awards, recognition, the good reviews from the previous day or throughout your career, because before you open the doors, when you are going to be with the clients that are going to visit you that day,” the chef expounds. “You have to be ‘naked’, without any prize or recognition, with the ambition to summon newfound prestige in the eyes of each and every guest.”

This in-the-momentism filters into his sustainability mindset, too; Atxa does not see himself as Captain Planet, just someone trying to affect what he can.

“It is our responsibility to transfer the environment to future generations as minimally as you received it. Our motto here is that we cannot change great things every day, but every day we can change small things” he outlines. “With that in mind, if we change a small thing every day, throughout the year there are 365 small things that we have changed.”

For nearly a decade at his restaurant in northern Spain, those small things have added up to something quite colossal.

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Travel

AIR

FEBRUARY 2019 : ISSUE 93

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37 JOURNEYS BY JET

One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai

S

ince the One&Only Royal Mirage opened more than two decades ago, stretched across 65 acres of beautifully maintained gardens and fronted by a kilometre of soft sand, it’s somewhat of an understatement to say that a lot has changed in Dubai.

One of the world’s fastest growing cities continues to set the pace, constructing more sky-skimming towers and manmade islands to house recordsetting attractions.

Returning guests to One&Only Royal Mirage, of which there are many, drawn from all over the world, will have seen Dubai literally grow up around them; with Dubai Marina at the resort’s side and Palm Jumeirah out in front. Yet what brings each of them back time and again isn’t what’s changed, but what remains the same: the now legendary service, grandeur and, above all, warmth of a resort that’s every bit deserving of the billing, one and only. There’s simply nowhere else quite like it in Dubai.

Of course, that’s not to say that One&Only Royal Mirage hasn’t moved with the times. Far from it. Its recent past includes the opening of the Jetty Lounge, a chic, beachside bar with a wonderful laid back vibe that quickly became the cool crowd’s go-to hotspot, which is now the case of DRIFT, a beautiful private beach club at the far end of the resort’s Arabian Court, where an award-winning mixologist and artful chef de cuisine add substance to the style.

And yet, the familiar favourites here continue to excel. The utterly romantic Beach Bar & Grill still grills sublime seafood and prime steaks; the sushi platters at Eauzone (best enjoyed at lunch

with your toes in the sand) are always on note; the spectacular setting of Celebrities well worthy of its fine dining fare; and Tagine, which captures perfectly the full flavour of Morocco – food, ambience and all. Then there’s the globally renowned destination spa, home to a stunning traditional oriental Hammam, skilfully manned by masseurs from Turkey, Tunisia and Morocco.

In fact, authenticity pervades all aspects of this much-loved resort, a growing trait of the One&Only brand. Wherever they are in the world, from Los Cabos to Mauritius, One&Only resorts better all others when it comes to encapsulating the local culture, doing so in a way which never feels forced, and offering a genuine sense of place. One&Only Royal Mirage is truly an Arabian resort.

You’ll notice an artful touch of Arabia in every one of the plush rooms and grand suites, effortlessly luxurious whether you select to stay at The Palace, Arabian Court or the intimate Residence & Spa. Not that your options begin and end with the choice of just the three hotels in the same resort: a one-of-a-kind twobedroom Beach Garden Villa, steps from the beach, accessed by a private entrance and boasting its own pool, offers up the upmost privacy and the opportunity to customise certain aspects of its internal layout to suit your particular needs.

The years may roll by but the appeal of this resort is truly timeless. Long may it continue.

Private VIP transfers can be arranged from Dubai International Airport and from Abu Dhabi International Airport. oneandonlyresorts.com 75

What I Know Now FEBRUARY 2019: ISSUE 93

AIR

Tommaso Melani CEO, STEFANO BEMER CO. – THE FLORENTINE SHOEMAKER

My grandfather always told me that a man’s greatest treasure is his reputation, so he advised me to build mine and protect it with integrity, fairness and generosity. He also told me to always shine my shoes, because you judge a man by the way he cares for his shoes – though I’m sure he didn’t think I’d take his advice quite so literally...

and a logo is not required in order to validate my ‘style.’

Confidence is the most important factor that goes into a person’s personal style identity: in order to express yourself, you need a good measure of it – first to learn the rules, then to break them.

According to my own personal taste – which obviously gravitates toward classic menswear – I believe a man has ‘style’ when he finds an effortless way to represent himself; when he has a presence and manages to capture attention, without his choices screaming out loud to obtain it.

One of the aspects of my life that I like the most is having the pleasure of meeting individuals with whom I share interests and passions, from timepieces, classic cars and fine dining, to cycling, books and beyond.

I feel blessed in being able to share conversations and moments with clients that possess such refined taste.

The definition of style has changed profoundly over the years. Like many, I started as a ‘follower’, wearing brands and logos to state my belonging to a certain group. Nowadays, most of the things I wear are made for me –

I still think that in the style industry, ‘quality’ is the one trait that is most often misunderstood – possibly because the industry, in general, doesn’t really focus on communicating what makes quality, such. Despite my

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many years in the craft, I never cease to be surprised about how mediocre products from certain brands can be perceived as ‘luxury’; to me, quality is paramount.

With this in mind, I admire a number of businessmen who have shaped the history of men’s classic fashion (such as Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani), setting high standards. They’re an inspiration in how they committed to their vision. That said, I believe that we’re our own hero, and that we need to aspire to be the best possible ‘self’ we can be.

The challenge – and joy – of continuing the legacy of the brand’s late founder, Stefano Bemer, is to continue growing a New Renaissance company. We want to become leaders in our segment but we also want to know each client in-person – for that, after all, is what the bespoke experience must always be about.

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