ISSUE 17
NEW DIMENSIONS
UZBEKISTAN
STIR CRAZY
DOUBLE EAU 7
CRYSTAL CLEAR
ON THE SILK ROUTE IN A 4X4
TEA IS AFRICA’S NEW BLACK GOLD
WHY THE FUTURE MAY SMELL ROSY
PSYCHICS AND THE MARKETPLACE
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CONTENTS
PHOTOGRAPHY: WARREN RASMUSSEN
[From left] Eva-Wren’s coat R3 350 and dress R1 895, Burberry; shoes R300, Zara. Jean’s trench coat R6 850, Burberry; scarf R1 090, Bensimon; quilted tote R1 090, Bensimon; pen R6 600, Montblanc
Artwork by Nicky Broekhuysen, WHATIFTHEWORLD/Gallery
of the world’s finest teas, Yswara’s business model is right on the money.
12 ED’S LETTER New dimensions: Looking behind and beyond face value.
14 INSIDE TRACK
Great opportunities abound in ‘second tier’ property stocks.
36 EVEN STEVENS Considering the virtues of sports watches, and the singular appeal of the Mediterranean holy trinity...
16 PSST Fabergé treasures garner new devotees; sporty watches make their mark; we bring you the latest in fine wines, dining and décor.
26 ART MEETS FASHION Carefully constructed fashion takes
on an arty edge.
34 BIG WINES AND A LITTLE OAK
A sommelier recommends the very best local wines.
35 CAUSING A STIR Acknowledging Africa as a source
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GREAT MINDS
We look at how the decisions of influential leaders reshape the world we live in.
44
THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING
The more precarious the present looks, the keener we are for a glimpse of the future.
48 THE SECRET BEHIND REAL STYLE Cartier’s design ethic drives its success, backed by a tradition of history and romance.
Cover shot by Warren Rasmussen. Styling: Suzannah Garland. Cassian Tulleken is represented by Boss Models. Rollneck R1 500 and felt hat R695, both Fabiani. Grooming: Merle Titus, represented by Infidels ARTWORK BY PETER EASTMAN , WHATIFTHEWORLD/ GALLERY
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CONTENTS
50
TAKEN CAPTIVE BY BIRDS
65
THE WILD WEST
An artist’s dream takes flight with a publishing collaboration that puts passion to paper.
Abalone House offers an idyllic retreat, cocooned in comfort.
52
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66 WINDGURUS Kitesurfers revel in the element
A LIFE IN 3D South African artist Donna White’s decision to follow her ikigai – ‘a life journey in search of meaning’ – has pushed her artistic perspective.
DOUBLE EAU SEVEN If that high, minty wind of change gusting into your mall’s air ducts can change buying patterns, imagine what it can do for your home.
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A DISTINCTIVE SIGNATURE
A Johannesburg home hand-built on imagination and courage borders on hallowed ground.
that makes most of us run for cover.
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AN MTN INITIATIVE
MTN takes its Prestige clients in to untamed territory – biking through a Waterberg Big-Five reserve.
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TRAVELLER BUCKET LIST
Uzbekistan is the cradle of culture in the southern states of the former USSR. The expidition replaces the age-old desert beast – the camel – with the speed and comfort of a 4x4.
79
HIGH SOCIETY
Private Edition and Elizabeth Arden entertain in style.
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WAKE POINT
Joy, pleasure and wonder are wrapped in aquatic extravagance.
64 BELLISSIMA! CastaDiva glows with theatrical splendour; it’s Lake Como’s newest and coolest addition where movie stars and sports celebrities hang out for cocktails.
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ODE TO FERRARI
A teenager falls in love with Ferrari, which becomes a driver for success.
‘My illustrations were inspired by the memoir as well as the character and behaviour of each bird portrayed. Marguerite’s ability to describe birds, places, events and people in the finest detail makes my creative mind overflow with the most incredible imagery. (page 50) European Bee-Eater, by Craig Ivor
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IRELAND/DAVENPORT 70099
Wealth & Investment
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CONTRIBUTORS
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
JUSTIN FOX is a travel writer and novelist based in Cape Town. He spent more than a decade at Getaway magazine, travelling the length and breadth of Africa for writing and photography assignments. His journeys saw him crossing the Sahara by camel, exploring the highlands of Ethiopia, sailing the coast of East Africa by dhow and ballooning over the wildebeest migration in Kenya. His articles and photographs have appeared internationally in numerous publications and on a wide range of topics, while his short stories and poems have appeared in various anthologies. Justin is also a two-time Mondi journalism award winner. His most recent books include Cape Town Calling, Under the Sway: A Photographic Journey Through Mozambique, Africa Lens and The Marginal Safari. The latter was nominated for the 2011 Alan Paton Award for non-fiction. He’s currently completing a swashbuckling Somali pirate novel.
JACQUES ROSSOUW is a Capetonian who, from a young age, took an interest in most things to do with cars. His automotive interests range from pre-WW2 racing cars to the latest supercars. Jacques founded an informal American Muscle Car Club, which he co-managed for four years. He also writes for the Southern Equatorial Ferrari Club and participates in various Ferrari-related events. Jacques holds a Bachelor of Accounting Science (UNISA) and is currently completing his Honours degree. He also enjoys mountain biking and current affairs.
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MIGUEL CHAN is the Mauritianborn sommelier for the Tsogo Sun Group. He’s certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers and is a Wine Locations Specialist in the Port and Champagne regions, accredited by the Port and Douro Wines Institute (IVDP) in Portugal and the Comité interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (CIVC) in France. He serves as Vice Echanson of the Johannesburg Bailliage of the Chaînes des Rôtisseurs, as well as Vice Chair of the South African Sommeliers Association. He’s judged various top local events and competitions.
WARREN RASSMUSSEN had an early fascination with vintage cameras and old photo albums. His training to work with film has made him sentimental and partial to anything retro/vintage, so his move to digital was slow and reluctant. Even now, he’s seriously influenced by his film days. With occasional still-life commissions and car-shooting stints, he prefers photographing people. Encompassing everything from boardrooms to bush camps, fashion runways to back alleys, and local and international travel and adventure shoots, his work also includes TV commercials and video portraits.
JEAN-PIERRE GOUWS has been retouching images for major retail brands and their photographers for over 10 years. He’s been a contributor to Private Edition since the magazine’s inception. He runs a small retouching company in Cape Town called Blink. A portfolio of his work can be seen at www.blinkshoot.me.
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FROM THE ED’S HEAD
EDITOR LES AUPIAIS privateedition@tppsa.co.za PUBLISHER MARK BEARE CREATIVE AND FASHION DIRECTOR SUZANNAH GARLAND MANAGING EDITOR DEBBIE HATHWAY COPY EDITOR RIEKIE HUMAN
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digs about and comes up with an offbeat answer to why the financial markets are in a bit of a shambles (page 44). ‘New Dimensions’ took an arty turn when I met up with Donna White in Maidenhead in the UK and found out that she’d turned from super-realism and become what could be called an abstract colourist. She’s the only artist in the world using a curious 3D plastic material in her paintings that gives them a fascinating dimension. Do we ever see more than a person’s single dimension in business? Kathy Malherbe interviews maverick Jannie Mouton, who has staggered away from a career hammering and proceeded to reinvent himself – with advice from some of the world’s smartest men. From business to design genius: The BMW Eurostyle Tour was an extraordinary experience this year (covered in Private Edition Issue 16), but the craftsmanship behind Riva yachts (page 62) and the voluptuous charm of CastaDiva resort (page 64) on Lake Como made it to this issue simply because – if Italy’s on your map – you must go and delight in the design. Besides, Clooney’s been known to hang out on the lake and, if ever there was a man of irresistible dimensions, it is he. We also feature an extraordinary Johannesburg house on page 58. Architect Aurelio Cimato says of the project: ‘It’s as if the ridge was carved out into a penthouse like living space.’ The hand-built architectural masterpiece that was utterly inaccessible for large machinery abuts a nature reserve where Gandhi walked in the early 1900s. Dimensions are found everywhere, in different guises. Just take a look at the kitesurfing photo essay (page 66) to catch a glimse of a sport that takes you into a space that’s beyond the physical.
ADVERTISING MANAGER NIC MORKEL 021 488 5926 082 468 6490 nmorkel@tppsa.co.za ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES CLAIRE JOOSTE 021 481 3518 083 453 5539 cjooste@tppsa.co.za SAMEEGHA SAMAAI 021 488 5938 078 356 9521 ssamaai@tppsa.co.za AD SALES COORDINATOR JANICE MCLEAN 021 488 5928 jmclean@tppsa.co.za EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS MARK BEARE, JOHN MORKEL HR MANAGER JOLINDA KEMP ACCOUNTS NAEEMA ABRAHAMS KAUTHAR CERFF ELMON SEARLE MICHÉ STEVENS OFFICE MANAGER MARCHÉ JASON
PRIVATE EDITION IS PUBLISHED BY
Private Edition is published by The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd, 9th Floor, Tarquin House, 81 Loop Street, Cape Town 8001. Copyright: The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd 2010. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent from The Publishing Partnership or the authors. The publishers are not responsible for any unsolicited material. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of The Publishing Partnership or the editor. Editorial and advertising enquiries: PO Box 15054, Vlaeberg 8018; tel: 021 424 3517; fax: 021 424 3612; email: privateedition@tppsa.co. za. Reproduction: Hirt & Carter. Printing: ABC Press. ISSN: 2218-063X Private Edition is produced using certified paper from GOLDEAST PAPER CO LTD, an accredited company committed to environmental protection. The paper is made from legally harvested trees using environmentally friendly materials. The supplier is subjected to regular environmental audits.
PHOTOGRAPHY: WARREN RASMUSSEN. LES AUPIAIS WEARING BURBERRY. EARRINGS BY LOUIS VUITTON
THE THEME OF ‘NEW DIMENSIONS’ for this issue came to me after a series of coincidental experiences and meetings. It began in London recently, listening to Jimmy Carter, former US President and now a member of The Elders. It’s a shame really that if you say ‘Jimmy Carter’, most people vaguely recollect ‘peanut farming’ before ‘president’, because it seems that his humanitarianism, his commitment to peace and his liberal outlook were overwhelmed by what the politics of the day demanded. After 10 minutes, you begin to get a picture of someone who’s highly principled – a humanitarian, diplomat and peacemaker. Desmond Tutu was also there and the room stilled when he said, in reference to warmongering in the world, ‘If we are family, how in the name of everything that is good can we ever tolerate spending billions on implements of death and destruction when we know a minute fraction of those budgets will ensure children everywhere had clean water to drink, had enough food to eat?’ (Page 38) So who generates the good, who sees to it that Africa hands back rather than relies on a hand out? I spoke to Cote d’Ivoire-born Swaady Martin-Leke, who is about to launch a range of high-end teas in Africa – destined for world consumption. She’s not just a smart businesswoman who’s seen a gap in the market, but has also been selected as part of the 2012 African Leadership Institute’s Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellowship Programme – and named in a UK newspaper article as one of the Top 20 women to watch in Business in Africa (page 35). She’s that rare breed of business-minded executive who balances profit with social conscience. And she echoes what Luke Bailes, CEO of the Singita group says about sustainable development in game lodges (page 39). It’s not the bottom line. It’s the longterm legacy that counts. Martin-Leke may not read her tea leaves to spy into her future, but if she’s following a UK trend in business, she might end up sitting down with a certain Madame X and a crystal ball to plot the way forward. Tabitha Lasley
OPINION
Property Outlook
Richard Cardo, an Investec Wealth & Investment portfolio manager, looks at the outlook and opportunities for property stocks. Words RICHARD CARDO
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zoned and serviced land in the right locations, and long delays by local councils in processing project applications. But repeating this performance in the coming year could be more challenging. Listed property prices are currently at all-time highs – as are forward-income yields – which should limit any increase in capital values (at least to the same extent as previously). The sector is currently trading at an 18% premium to NAV. Long bond yields will clearly remain a major determinant of performance, but we don’t foresee further interest rate cuts unless the global economic outlook deteriorates significantly further. On the cost side, administered prices (such as electricity and rates) are rising above rental growth, but this should be mitigated by subdued supply and continued growth in the economy, so rentals should escalate over the next two years. While we’re generally positive about the outlook for property stocks, the real opportunity could be in the ‘second tier’ stocks. The big five stocks, which make up over 62% of the property index, tend to be the most heavily researched by the analyst community and held by the major institutional investment funds.
Outside of these are some hidden gems among the smaller, under-researched or overlooked counters. We’ve discovered some decent quality, higher-yielding, and high growth companies such as Investec Property Fund, Dipula, Arrowhead and Vunani, which have added value to our portfolio. Management’s ‘hands-on’ approach and ability to do materially accretive deals can be a key differentiator in this space. The smaller counters are currently trading at an average forward yield premium of anywhere between 1,5% and 2% more than the established stocks. They typically have brighter income growth prospects too, well in excess of inflation in some instances. While we are positive on several select smaller stocks, we should note the proviso that tradability and liquidity can sometimes be an issue.
Richard Cardo is a portfolio manager at Investec Wealth & Investment. For more information, go to investec.co.za/wi.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY INVESTEC WEALTH & INVESTMENT WWW.INVESTEC.CO.ZA/WI
PHOTOGRAPHY: INGA HENDRIKS
THE BIG LISTED PROPERTIES have performed very well, but replicating these returns in the coming year could be more challenging. The opportunity may lie in some of the smaller companies that aren’t on the radar screens of the analysts or big institutional investors. Listed property has enjoyed a very good run over the last 12 months, especially in 2012, generating a total return of around 35% and outperforming all other SA asset classes. Property loan stocks outperformed property unit trust stocks by 7% over the last 12 months. Retail has generally fared better than industrial, which in turn has done better than office. Much of this has been driven by bond markets. Listed property has a high correlation with the SA government long bond yield. This year’s July interest rate cut provided a further boost. Other factors have contributed too; on the demand side, we’ve seen increased domestic institutional and foreign investor appetite, the anticipated introduction of new Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) legislation, the entry of foreign retailers to SA and a relatively robust domestic consumer. On the supply side we’ve seen an oversupply of lower-quality office space, a slowdown in building activity, a shortage of
D E LA I R E
E S T A T E
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UTTERLY RANDOM AND OCCASIONALLY TACTICAL TRIVIA
Sergei Diaghilev may consider his early 20th-century formation of Ballets Russes to be his greatest creation, ‘a total artwork’, but his founding of the Mir iskusstva journal perpetuates Russian artistry of another kind. It’s an ode to the masterworks of Peter Carl Fabergé, former artist-goldsmith and court jeweller to the Romanovs, as well as artists from a variety of creative disciplines. Since Fabergé’s relaunch in 2009 with a high-jewellery collection, guided in legacy by Tatiana and Sarah Fabergé (Peter’s great-granddaughters), the iconic brand has flourished. Creative and managing director Katharina Flohr and her team have recaptured the famed workmanship and signature style of the jewels that won the hearts of Tsar Nicholas II and his Empress Alexandra. The exquisite egg pendants that make up Les Favorites de Fabergé, the range that’s inspiring the latest collections on international runways, have become sought-after adornments among socialites like Amber Le Bon. Meanwhile, Salvatore Ferragamo incorporated egg handbags in his recent Autumn/Winter 2012 parade while Dolce & Gabbana channelled the baroque style of the Oeuf Rose Duchesse charm for their elegant floral dress. Olivier Rousteing’s second collection for Balmain owes its inspiration to a Fabergé moonstone egg bought by Richard Burton for Elizabeth Taylor. There’s no question. Fabergé objets remain an artistic trompe l’oeil. For more details, visit faberge.com. Renowned fashion illustrator Tanya Ling captures the catwalk appeal of Les Favorites de Fabergé
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PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
ABSOLUTELY CHARMING A royal flush
PSST NEWS
PALATE TEASERS Grande Provence It takes more than a flair for food to be a great chef. At a restaurant like the one at Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate in Franschhoek, where diners will likely be after tasting the estate's fine wines, you need a menu that'll tantalise the most discerning taste buds – as well as those that simply yearn for a delicious, satisfying meal. Darren Badenhorst, the executive chef with je ne sais quoi far beyond his age, has it well in hand. His take on French cuisine with an Asian twist is beautifully presented, and recommended with estate wine pairings. Each meal begins with an amuse-bouche and the selection is varied without being overwhelming. The service? Suitably subtle. There’s no hint of the pressure that comes with serving eight guests in The Jonkershuis private dining room while Darren’s staff of four simultaneously caters for a walk-in group of 20 in the main restaurant. They're too busy with the next course to notice anyway. For more fine-dining detail, visit grandeprovence.co.za.
TOUGH JUDGES Twelve Apostles Spa’s rated tops
WATER OF LIFE The Macallan
HIDDEN ASSETS Discover your senses
Champagne may be the nectar of gods, but whisky is immortalised as the ‘Water of Life’ and its distillation is considered to be an art form. This is why The Macallan teamed up the talents of world-famous photographer Annie Leibovitz with the rugged looks of actor Kevin Mckidd for its award-winning Masters of Photography series. McKidd, who starred in Grey’s Anatomy and Trainspotting, hails from Elgin, a few miles from The Macallan Distillery, where he even worked as a young man. The Annie Leibovitz Edition consists of 1 000 limited-edition bottles and includes signed Leibovitz prints. The Macallan, a single-malt Scotch, was founded in 1824 and combines natural materials with traditional craftsmanship. Perhaps it was The Macallan to which Mark Twain was referring when he said, ‘Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.’ For more details, visit themastersofphotography.com.
If wine, as Robert Louis Stevenson said, is bottled poetry, then there'll be several collections of rare anthologies under the hammer at this year’s Nederburg Auction – 4 441 cases from 76 brands to be exact. The prestigious event, with a central theme of ‘Discover your senses’, offers wine buyers the chance to select, sample and bid on stringently selected wines. The auction is held on 28 and 29 September at Nederburg in Paarl. For more information, visit nederburgauction.co.za.
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TEXT: KATHY MALHERBE AND DEBBIE HATHWAY. PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa may be poised above the Atlantic in arguably one of the most magnificent sites on our coastline, but the view alone doesn’t win awards – it’s what a guest says that counts. Readers of Travel and Leisure voted the Twelve Apostles Hotel the number one Hotel Spa in Africa in 2012. The magazine spotlights the top hotels, airlines and cruise lines that excel in service, as rated by readers. Apart from the award-winning spa, the hotel has two pools perched above the ocean; the Azure restaurant, Café Grill, the Leopard Bar and various meeting rooms. It caters for events and weddings for up to 90 guests and boasts a private 16-seater cinema. For more information, visit 12apostleshotel.com.
Need a distinct insurance solution? Sounds like the perfect brief. After the success of the first Fabergé egg, Tsar Alexander III gave its creator, Peter Carl Fabergé, a simple brief: do whatever you want as long as each egg contains a surprise. It’s not unlike the bespoke insurance solutions that Aon Household and Motor Insurance creates for our high-nett-worth clients. Every tailor-made Aon Private Insurance Broking solution comes with a set of benefits that surprises even our most distinct clients. From guidance in terms of risk absorption, risk mitigation and risk transfer, to specialist knowledge, expert advice and incomparable service. Because a distinct lifestyle deserves a distinct insurance solution.
Call us today on 0800 400 400 for a quotation or email quoterequest@aon.co.za. Alternatively, visit www.aon.co.za for more information.
Distinct. Inspired. Bespoke. Aon South Africa (Pty) Ltd is an Authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP #20555). Aon is the Principal Sponsor of Manchester United.
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PSST WATCHES
TIC OF THE CROP Perfect timing for Olympic champions Omega could only have been ambivalent as two of their swimming ambassadors battled it out at the Olympics in the 200m butterfly. Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian of all time, was ousted by five hundredths of a second by one of his greatest fans, Chad le Clos. Not only does Omega back these two winners, but also swimming legends Alexander Popov and Natalie Coughlin. Celebrating 25 years of expertise at the Olympics, the brand continuously redefines the art of timekeeping working with the governing federation of each sport. Their pioneering spirit has taken them to the Moon, helped them conquer the oceans’ depths and allowed them to time the world’s most important sporting events. For more information, visit omegawatches.com.
IT’S ALL IN THE VIBE Grand Carrera Calibre 36 RS Caliper Chronograph The world has been mesmerised by sport recently, so it seems fitting to shine the spotlight on TAG, where the DNA is precision engineering, quality and sporting heritage. Since 1860, TAG has been creating timing masterpieces and the Grand Carrera Calibre 36 RS Caliper Chronograph is no exception. It's the only automatic chronograph capable of measuring and displaying 1/10th of a second. The Grand Carrera is driven by a COSC-certified automatic movement visible through a double sapphire crystal caseback that oscillates at an impressive 36 000 vibrations per hour. This enables the central seconds hand to tick off at 1/10th second intervals, giving readings of absolute precision, made possible by a special information display developed by TAG Heuer – the Caliper Rotating Scale. For more details, visit picotandmoss.co.za.
Maurice Lacroix, established in 1975, might be a relatively new player, but their Manufacture Horlogère Suisse (terminology to define a brand with in-house manufacturing of high-level mechanical movements) has enabled them to compete with established brands with excellent reputations. The new Pontos collection combines Swiss watchmaking traditions and technical mastery with modern design. One of the new 2012 models, the Pontos S, is perfect for short dives and boasts a modern style that perfectly combines form and function. Its character is clearly inspired by the world of sport, from the tautness of the watch's silhouette to the determination of its face. The 43mm-diameter stainless steel case is water-resistant to 200m and will appeal to sports and diving enthusiasts, or those who view sportsmanship as a way of life. For more details, visit mauricelacroix.com.
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TEXT: KATHY MALHERBE. PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES Not just a pretty face
DEFYING GRAVITY Panerai Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT
This timepiece features a hand-wound mechanical movement, a six-day power reserve, a 24-hour indicator with hours, minutes and small seconds, a second time zone and tourbillon
The haute horlogerie tourbillon regulator mechanism is the real heart of the sophisticated Panerai Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT Ceramica. The complex mechanism patented by Officine Panerai includes a balance that rotates on its own axis every 30 seconds, correcting any potential errors caused by gravity. The Luminor reinforces innovative and technological aspects of the Panerai brand, while strengthening its position as a sport watch. The ceramic used by Officine Panerai is a special synthetic ceramic made by a complex series of working and finishing processes on zirconium oxide powder. The result is an even and uniform matt black appearance that is exceptionally hard and resistant to scratches, corrosive agents and high temperatures (up to five times greater than stainless steel, while still remaining lightweight). Whether it’s the aesthetic appeal as a classic fashion item or the strength and durability of a sport watch, the Luminor epitomises the art of watchmaking. For further information, visit panerai.com or contact Vendôme Distributors on (011) 317 2600.
ISSUE 17 P R I V A T E E D I T I O N 2 1
PSST MOTORING
GREASED LIGHTNING Aston Martin unveils a new hero Speed, beauty and soul encapsulates the new Aston Martin Vanquish, designed and hand-built at the brand's global headquarters in the UK. The new Vanquish is available either as a 2+2, or as a simple two-seater. Whatever the configuration, the Vanquish rockets from 0-100km/h in an astonishing 4,1 seconds and reaches a top speed of 293km/h, thanks to a significantly upgraded 6.0 litre V12 engine that's considerably more potent than before. The Vanquish continues Aston Martin's enviable tradition of producing some of the most beautiful sports cars in the world and is seen as the ultimate Grand Tourer. Its launch celebrates the company’s 99-year history. If this appeals as the next addition to your collection, it's recommended that you book your Vanquish now. But remember, patience is a virtue – delivery of the first vehicles in South Africa is only in the first quarter of 2013. For further details, visit astonmartin.com.
A FULL HOUSE Sensationally sleek
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response is an adrenalin rush. The BMW Gran Coupé 650i takes a mere 4,6 seconds to reach 100km/h with an average fuel consumption between 8,6 and 8,9 litres/100km. The acceleration to 100km of the BMW 640i Gran Coupé is 5,4 seconds and it has an average fuel consumption of 7,7 to 7,9 litres/100km. Then, for the diesel devotees, there's the 640d, which has an admirable sprint of 5,4 seconds and a fuel consumption that’s even more favourable – at 5,5 to 5,7 litres/100km. The BMW Gran Coupé has ample space for two passengers in the rear, with an extra seat in the back for a third passenger on short journeys. For more information, visit bmw.co.za.
M-PRESSIVE Sassy, swanky and oh-so swift If you need to go from 0 to 100km/h in 4,3 seconds, a bit of boom factor comes in handy. The new BMW M6 gives that and more. Designed to celebrate 40 years of the BMW M Performance badge, this two-door, soft-top convertible is streamlined, sexy and a serious head-swiveller. Pleasing both to the eye and the ear, its high-revving 4,4-litre V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology (cocooned in the imposing body design) gives a deep-throated roar as you accelerate – music to the ears of any petrolhead. It doesn’t miss a beat as it continues to 200km/h – in a total of just 13,1 seconds. The 10,3 litres per 100km, a consumption cut of more than 30 percent from its predecessor, is respectable and enhanced by the auto start-stop function and further Efficient Dynamics technology. Appearances can be deceptive, but the exterior of the M6 is the giftwrapping for a beautifully appointed interior. The cabin is a work of art, with a double-spoked and leather-clad steering wheel with controls for audio and other functions. For more info, visit bmw.co.za.
TEXT: KATHY MALHERBE. PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
There are degrees of being indulged. Three versions of the BMW Gran Coupé and a covetable M6 twodoor convertible will do it. A route to Hermanus via Franschhoek Pass is the perfect place to test a car’s performance. The bends are as tight and convoluted as a coiled python – just as ready to strike if you don’t have your wits about you, and a decent set of wheels under you. The BMW 650i Gran Coupé’s driving dynamics, smooth performance and efficiency are the hallmarks of this lean vehicle and, with its low centre of gravity, it hugged the hairpin bends with consummate ease. Whether you chose ECO or PRO Mode on the Driving Experience button, the
Copyright lies with ExecuJet.
BE YOUR OWN CREATOR OF TIME. In today‘s dynamic and competitive air charter environment, it is more important than ever to choose a business aviation partner that understands your needs. A partner that takes a serious and responsible approach to business aviation. When chartering an aircraft from ExecuJet, you can be assured of a personalised journey that is discreet, safe, comfortable and time-efficient. You can select from a large fleet of aircraft types and sizes to match your needs – worldwide. For more information email charter@execujet.co.za South Africa Lanseria International Airport, Tel.: +27 82 330 7399 Cape Town International Airport, Tel.: +27 21 934 5764
AFRICA
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PSST DESIGN
WOOD BE KING Design au naturel Richard Stretton, the man behind Koop, produces buildings and products that are environmentally sensitive and energy efficient. In short, sustainable green architecture. His career began in his home with handmade designs, followed by the receipt of the Elle Decoration Design Award in 2004. It evolved into an architectural and product design practice that received the first award for Sustainable Architecture presented by the South African Institute for Architects in 2010, followed by two awards of merit from the KZN Institute for Architects in 2011. As a member of the Southern Guild, the benchmark of collectable South African furniture design, he participates regularly in local and international exhibitions. Stretton’s 22 years of experience in architecture, design and manufacture has established collaborations with old-school carpenters, hi-tech fabricators and development workshops in rural KwaZulu-Natal. The architecture is spatially refined, conceptually responsive and technically resolved. He never sacrifices the authenticity of his work, despite the size of the projects. For more information, visit koopdesign.co.za.
'MAD BAD SAD GLAD' Solo exhibition in Cape Town
DOUBLE VISIONARY Celebrating freedom of spirit
WHATIFTHEWORLD/Gallery's 'Mad Bad Sad Glad' – a solo exhibition by Janet Werner – runs in Woodstock in Cape Town until 15 September 2012. Werner’s work focuses on the invention of fictional characters based on images from popular culture including models, celebrities, dolls and figurines. The paintings take anonymous female figures and imbue them with fictional personalities. The result? Composite portraits where the proportions of the figures shift; they possess an otherworldly quality with a suggestion, and a suggestion only, of witchcraft. The figures wear their complications like a crown; they confront the viewer, beckoning like sorcerers practising a kind of rough magic. Visit whatiftheworld.com for more details.
If you asked a room full of people to shut their eyes and think Ray-Ban, there's no doubt each one will draw on a memory. It’s also certain that they'll be different – yet encompass the values, authenticity and uniqueness that's the DNA of Ray-Ban. RayBan Legends, a photographic campaign by photographer Mark Seliger, is a celebration of the 75-year history of the iconic brand. Never Hide frames seven legendary moments (one per decade), each inspired by a real-life and free-thinking spirit of the time. They evoke specific stories and are epitomised by the chromatic tones of the relevant decades. The extraordinary gallery of powerful images unconsciously break through barriers. For more information, visit ray-ban.com/southafrica.
Elie Saab’s passion for couture began at the tender age of nine, when he started creating clothes for his sisters. Today, his sensual mastery isn't restricted to haute couture, as his fragrances also epitomise femininity. The latest in the collection is the Elie Saab eau de toilette. Saab grew up in the Mediterranean and the memory of the ethereal fragrance of orange blossom on the breeze stayed firmly in his mind. Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian created this fragrance – mingling mandarin blossom with the sensuality of gardenia and vetiver. For more details, visit eliesaab.com.
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TEXT: KATHY MALHERBE. PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
THE CHEEK OF IT Elie Saab’s new fragrance blossoms
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Capturing the essence of tailormade, out-of-the-box trends.
Exhibition Photography WARREN RASMUSSEN Styling SUZANNAH GARLAND
PSST FASHION
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[From left] Simon’s blazer R2 499, Ben Sherman; denims R3 300, Replay; opticals R3 880, Cartier. Werner’s top R2 995, Burberry; pants R350, Markham; boots R3 000, Replay; bracelet R3 755, Montblanc. Roberta’s dress R1 499, Diesel; bag R22 900, Louis Vuitton; earrings R1 820, Kirsten Goss London; watch R21 800, Montblanc. Pope’s shirt R899, Stenströms at Stuttafords; denims R3 199, Diesel; cap R130, Old Khaki; sneakers R799, Adidas. Annie’s tank top R650, Bensimon; pants R499, Forever New; clutch R4 750, Missibaba; heels R799, Aldo. Cassien’s waterproof jacket R1 950 and cardigan R1 100, both Ben Sherman; T-shirt R1 150, Porsche Design; denims R2 799, Diesel
ARTWORK BY ROWAN SMITH (THIS PAGE) AND NICKY BROEKHUYSEN (OPPOSITE), WHATIFTHEWORLD/GALLERY
Jean’s jacket R11 995, Burberry; scarf R3 650 and bag R7 000, both Louis Vuitton; watch R58 700, Piaget. Simon’s jumper R1 799, Ben Sherman; denims R3 300, Replay; shoes R999, Aldo; leather satchel R3 900, Bleu de Chauffe at the Edwin Store
PSST FASHION
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[From left] Cassien’s knit top R1 699 and denims R2 799, Diesel; belt R690 and shoes R2 000, both Edwin Store. Annie’s top R799, G-Star Raw; pants R499, Forever New; bag R3 850, Missibaba; earrings R1 300 and ring R2 180, Kirsten Goss London; sunglasses R2 980, Dior at Extreme Eyewear; Pope’s jumper R1 899, Ben Sherman, denims R2 800, G-Star Raw; cap R130, Old Khaki; leather satchel R3 900, Bleu de Chauffe at the Edwin Store. Roberta’s jersey R1 790, Bensimon; skirt R600, Second Time Around; leather belt R1 400, Missibaba; earrings R1 320 and necklace R3 350, Kirsten Goss London. Simon’s shirt R2 350, Porsche Design; jumper R1 500, Fabiani; trousers R2 600, Burberry; belt R690, Edwin Store ARTWORK BY NICKY BROEKHUYSEN, WHATIFTHEWORLD/GALLERY
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ADIDAS ORIGINALS 021 421 8262; ALDO 021 421 5674, 011 884 4141; BEN SHERMAN 021 425 8996, 011 684 2969; BURBERRY 021 425 8933; CARTIER 011 666 2800; DIESEL 011 630 4000; EDWIN STORE 021 418 1948; EXTREME EYEWEAR 021 421 1179, 087 940 3830; G-STAR RAW 021 418 9000, 011 784 0321; KIRSTEN GOSS LONDON 011 447 2234, 031 312 7573, 021 424 3453; LOUIS VUITTON 021 405 9700; LUXOTTICA 021 486 6176; MARKHAM 021 418 5518, 011 685 1428; MISSIBABA 021 424 8127; MOSCON OPTICS 011 483 8001; OLD KHAKI 0860 034 000; PORSCHE DESIGN 011 325 5706; REPLAY 021 418 8507, 011 884 6727, 011 783 1233; SECOND TIME AROUND 021 423 1674; SHOP-LABEL.COM 021 422 3825; STUTTAFORDS 011 450 4634; ZARA 011 302 1500
stockists
Models: Roberta, Pope and Cassian/Boss Models; Werner Viln/Ice Model Management; Simon Hill, Annie Brookstone, Jean Almond and Eva-Wren Garland. Hair and make-up: Merle Titus/Infidels, assisted by Dale Titus/Infidels. Photographer’s assistant: Mario Rabie. Fashion assistant: Alexandra Hamilton Brown. Fashion intern: Nicole Beale. Shot on location at WHATIFTHEWORLD/Gallery
Cassien’s rollneck R1 500 and felt hat R695, both Fabiani ARTWORK BY PETER EASTMAN, WHATIFTHEWORLD/GALLERY
PSST FASHION
AT YOUR SERVICE
Big wines and a little oak
We asked Tsogo Sun Hotels’ group sommelier to choose the wines that blow him away. Words MIGUEL CHAN
FIVE SPECTACULAR REDS 1. Ashbourne Walker Bay 2009 Delicate, elegant and athletic; outstanding precision. You’ll never say it’s a Pinotage. Food suggestions: Duo of chargrilled local venison, such as Springbok and Kudu fillet, with Madeira sauce. 2. KWV The Mentors Orchestra 2009 Impressive Bordeaux-style; blackcurrant, cassis, cigar box; juicy and savoury graphite notes. Food suggestions: Wood-fired milk-fed lamb rack and loin with root vegetables. 3. Paul Cluver Estate Seven Flags Elgin Pinot Noir 2009 Finest expression of Pinot Noir in Elgin to date; Burgundian Premier Cru leaning towards Grand Cru profile; ethereal and intellectual. This wine will engage you – it’s simply magical. Food suggestions: Roasted poussin wrapped in pancetta, stuffed with sausage and sage.
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4. Shannon Vineyards Mount Bullet Elgin Merlot 2009 Tuscan-Pomerol in style; gorgeously ripe and structured; grainy tannins; world class. Food suggestions: Seared tuna loin with Mediterranean grilled vegetables and olive tapenade. 5. Idiom Wines 900 Series Stellenbosch Nebbiolo 09 More Barbaresco than Barolo in style; fragrant and pure with classic cherries, dry rose petal, tar and tobacco notes – and a spicy farewell. Food suggestions: Spit-roast pork or slowroasted belly with black truffle sauce. FIVE ELECTRIFYING WHITES 1. De Grendel Durbanville Pinot Gris 2012 Pears, lemon, honey, light cream; broad texture and racy; perfect on its own, but better paired with food. Food suggestions: Bouillabaisse.
2. KWV The Mentors Paarl Grenache Blanc 2010 or 2011 Lemony with granite minerals; chiseled focus with impressive energy drive. Food suggestions: Grilled crayfish, extra-virgin olive oil, citrus salad. 3. Howard Booysen Swartberg Riesling 2011 Fragrant, citrus burst; pineapples, orange segment; slate mineral; zesty and pure. Food suggestions: Honeyed chicken, beans, prawns, cashew nuts, soy sauce and sesame oil. 4. The Bernard Series Whole Bunch Paarl Roussanne 2010 or 2011 Exotic fruit; citrus; honey; light toast; creamy, yet precise and fresh. Food suggestions: Crab-and-leek puff pastry. 5. Morgenster Estate Stellenbosch White 2010 Semillon-Sauvignon blend; impressively pure and delicate with spicy, honeyed texture. Food suggestions: Pan-fried white fish (SASSI) with fennel salad.
ILLUSTRATION: GETTYIMAGES.COM
I OFTEN GET ASKED about my favourite wines, yet I must admit I can be pretty boring when it comes to my choices. Give me Riesling as white; either a great Mosel from Germany, Eden or Clare Valley from Australia, or some local gems. They must be low to moderate in alcohol (8-13%) with high natural acid, screaming of ‘liquid rocks and minerals’ – and preferably little or no oak to appreciate its purity. The same applies for my red wine choices. Pinot Noir is by far my favourite. I seek delicately structured reds with crunchy ripe tannins, savoury on the palate. The oak must be supportive, yet inexistent almost. Sappy freshness is key, with natural acidity and an unshowy profile to keep me going for glass after glass, medium to moderate-plus alcohol (12,5-13,5%, at a push 14%, as long as it’s in balance). Anything higher (14,5-16%) is way too much and they simply don’t work on the table anymore – crashing and burning when paired with food. Below is a (hard) selection of five spectacular reds and five whites beaming with energy – all off the beaten track. They’re profound examples of South Africa’s greatness in producing world-class wines at a reasonable price. You’ll be impressed once the cork has been pulled; they have a guaranteed X-factor and your guests will be blown away. Ignore them at your peril.
Causing a Stir Words LES AUPIAIS Photography WARREN RASMUSSEN
Swaady Martin-Leke is very smart and very driven. Her mission? Africa will be a key source of one of the world’s finest brands of tea.
AT YOUR SERVICE
ARTWORK BY ROWAN SMITH, WHATIFTHEWORLD/GALLERY
Immediate plans for Yswara include online access to the products internationally, followed by plans to roll out business-to-retail and business-to-business models with airlines and hotels
IT’S TOUGH INTRODUCING Swaady MartinLeke. Do you say she was responsible for the growth of General Electric Transportation (a subsidiary of GE) from $20 to $300 million in Sub-Saharan Africa? Do you speak about her work with mobile banking company Pagatech and growing a customer base in Nigeria to 50 000 in six months? Or do you mention that she has a Masters in Economic Sciences and an Executive MBA (London School of Economics)? If that’s too corporate or academic, how about a Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellowship? She could, by harnessing all this, either run a country or rub shoulders with the world’s business brains, but she’s done the unexpected. This month, Swaady founded Yswara, Curator of precious African teas. Tea is a $56,6 billion global market with the gourmet and niche tea market rocketing in popularity with brands such as the French Mariage Frères and England’s Fortnum & Mason. In SA, tea accounts for over
45 percent of the hot drinks market. We love it on a mass scale, but is there a gap in the market for refined teas? Oh yes. Swaady’s done her homework to a T, so to speak. More importantly, it’s not just wellhoned business savvy that told her something was wrong about the fact that Africa only sees five to 10 percent of the final packaged tea value retained on the continent when the product is an abundant resource. The business imperative aside, she confesses to drinking up to two litres of tea a day. If she can coax consumption off the back of her habit alone, the prospects look good. Swaady will go some way to promoting a ‘rich and refined African culture’ that’s often overshadowed – at best underplayed – by a largely negative media portrait of the continent. She’s not denying that there are problems. Growing up in Côte d’Ivoire she saw first-hand the devastation caused by political unrest and violence, but she sees no reason to allow that
become a barrier to good business. ‘If you’re born African, you’re born with a responsibility,’ she says, echoing her father’s message to his children. The family travelled a lot and she admits a degree of privilege in education and lifestyle, but never a sense of entitlement. She launches this month in SA with a popup store at Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg, and will sell Yswara tea through luxury brand retailers in Nigeria. To get your taste buds excited, think Abla Pokou – a vanilla honeybush and lemongrass blend; Hatshepsut, Queen of Kemet – a rosebud and fennel blend; and King Lalibela – a Nigerian hibiscus and citrus blend. No surprise then that she says, ‘If you were to scan my heart, you’ll see it has the shape of Africa.’
For further information, call 011 325 5685 or visit yswara.com.
ISSUE 17 P R I V A T E E D I T I O N 3 5
EVEN STEVENS: INVESTMENT
Olympians of the Wine World Gunning for gold, rare ‘Old World’ gems lead the pack. Words STEVEN LACK Photography FIONA ROYDS/INFIDELS
WHEN CLEOPATRA arrived at the first Olympiad, Grecians and Sumatrans, Persians and Romans referred to the great Roman Empire – now Italy – as Oenotria – the land of wine. Today, the santa trinita Mediterranea (Mediterranean holy trinity) of delicious bread, olives and wine is as much a part of our culture as it was theirs. Like the Olympic athletes of varying nationalities, wine regions of the world each have their strengths and weaknesses, with varying styles, qualities and characteristics for which each is uniquely famed. The Chad Le Clos’s of wine connoisseurs, dreaming of Olympic-grade cellars and striving for liquid gold, have dreams for Château d’Yquem 1900. This 112-year-old First ‘Great’ Growth of Bordeaux Sauternes can outrun our own Caster Semenya. Chateau d’Yquem 1900 or Olympic silver medallist d’Yquem 1929 are drinking well now, yet will reward further cellaring. Like Semenya, their best is yet to come. However, if R500 000 per bottle of 1900 – or R1,2 million per case of 1929 – isn’t in the budget, your Olympic dreams cellar could take bronze, with Chateau d’Yquem 2001 earning a
full 100 Robert Parker points. Santé is golden deliciousness, in its purest liquid form, which you can enjoy now – as can your children, and your great grand-Olympians with aspirations for liquid gold. No dream cellar with Olympic aspirations could win gold without being home to many wines of Oenotrian origin. There are 3 000 registered grape varieties grown in Italy, producing styles as diverse as the aromas and flavours they yield. The current Italian DOCG classification system is no guarantee of quality and the Italians are considering revising this system to one similar to the AOC system of France’s famous regions. Let experts guide you, sure, but be guided most by your palate and hopefully, with the training regimen of Roland Schoeman, you’ll win gold – and the magnificent Tuscan Sassicaia 1985, acclaimed as one of the top five wines ever produced in European history, with rankings just after Château Palmer’s 1961 (Bordeaux). But beware: Sassicaia 1985 is one of the greatest and most sought-after wines in the world, and also the most forged. Having read my column in the previous
issue of Private Edition, you’re fully prepared to not buy counterfeit wines. It may be rare to find a Sassicaia 1985 and acceptable alternatives are any Tuscan wines of 1997 vintage – Tuscany’s greatest gold-medal achievement. Holding the gold for Italy jointly with Sassicaia 1985 are any of the wines from team Angelo Gaja with his highly acclaimed winners hailing from Piedmonte. With Spain’s hot and dry climate, one would expect their wines to have all the refinement of a wild orang-utang. Don’t judge a wine by its climate, because like a Jamaican bobsled team, there’s gold to be won and Spain is home to one of the old world’s greatest achievements: Vega Sicilia’s Riserva Especial. Always a blend of three vintages – individually matured for a minimum of 30 years – it will no doubt leave you breathless. Olympic dreams are never achieved in the absence of a lifetime of devotion to a passion. There’s absolutely no need to rush and fill your cellar overnight and a lifetime of rewards can be found with the likes of another Mark Spitz, and another vintage not far behind. Likewise all the great wines of the ‘New World’.
A counterfeit bottle of Bordeaux Grand Cru Classe will lack a neck label like the one shown on this bottle
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EVEN STEVENS: INVESTMENT
Dive, Fly, Dream A man may wear the ultimate sport watch not for its function, but for the fantasy it creates. Words STEVE KOCHER Photography FIONA ROYDS/INFIDELS
PHOTOGRAPHY OF PRODUCT: SUPPLIED
The Movado Sapphire Synergy Chronograph: An ultra-modern quartz chronograph timepiece of artful precision, incorporating the iconic dot motif in clever new ways. The flat sapphire crystal on this futuristic watch flows to the very edge of the case, creating a fluid, unbroken surface
WEARING A BEAUTIFUL TIMEPIECE is synonymous with wearing beautiful jewellery. For a man, a watch is often the only piece of jewellery he wears. It’s not surprising then that when we buy a watch, we choose very specific looks to express our personalities. The watch connoisseurs differentiate between dress, fashion, jewellery and sport watches. Today, the sport watch is without any doubt the preferred look in the luxury and haute horlogerie segment. High-level brands often associate themselves with particular sports categories and try to make it their own via sponsorships and special designs and functions. Breitling, for example, is immediately associated with flying, while Omega seems to have cornered sailing; Tag Heuer represents motor racing and Oris diving. As the luxury brands primarily use mechanical movements, the characteristics of sport watches are mostly a high-level water resistance and/or a chronograph function. Sometimes it’s just the ‘look’, like in the recentlylaunched Franck Muller Grand Prix. The Girard Perregaux Seahawk and the Oris ProDiver are two excellent examples of how to provide
the highest possible functional specifications, without introducing fancy electronic gadgets for the professional diver. Think waterproof to 1 000m, strong protection against knocks, the best time readability in darkness and the highest safety standard for timing function. The indication of the test pressure, however, doesn’t indicate the recommended usage of the timepiece as it only indicates the test of static pressure on a new watch. It’s accepted that only watches tested to 200m and more are suitable for diving. In fact, 30/50m water-resistant watches are only splash/rain-resistant and will protect the wearer if he forgets to remove his watch before having a shower or a dip in the pool. Water-resistant watches of 100m are suitable for swimming, surfing, snorkelling and other water sports. Technically, the water resistance depends on the quality of the case, the thickness of the glass and the seals around the case back, the glass and the crown. The crown, for instance, has a single seal inside the knob for 30/50m and a double seal for 100m. Whether combined in a diving watch or featuring a more sleek design, like the Movado Sapphire, the chronograph function is the
most common denominator for characterising sport watches. But a chronograph must not be mistaken with the term chronometer. The chronograph has a stopwatch feature, allowing the wearer to measure time. It has one or more subdials and extra pushers in addition to the crown for the start/stop and reset functions. For mechanical timepieces, the chronograph function is by far the most popular complication. A chronometer on the other hand is a very accurate mechanical watch. The high-grade mechanical movement needs to be adjusted at the factory in several physical positions and temperatures and then each and every piece needs to be certified by an independent standards laboratory, like the observatory in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. While this procedure has lost some of its importance due to the high accuracy of quartz watches, Rolex still maintains this tradition with many of their models. A sport watch isn’t often purchased for its function and few people will actually use a chronograph, a diver’s or pilot’s watch for its intended purpose. It’s all about reflecting a certain lifestyle – not the extreme demands of the sport itself.
ISSUE 17 P R I V A T E E D I T I O N 4 39 7
LEADERSHIP
The Game Changers Words LES AUPIAIS
IT’S BEEN A HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE nine months as editor of Private Edition, a year so far coloured by a stellar line-up of interviews and meetings with quietly powerful and influential men and women who are helping to reshape the world. When I could steal oneon-one time, I asked about their toughest and most challenging decisions, or I simply listened along with a captivated audience to what they were doing to bring some measure of sanity back to the planet. In a Harvard Business Review article, Rosabeth Moss Kanter (author of SuperCorp) reinforces the idea that any decision is better than none at all. ‘Doing nothing seems easy,’ she says. ‘It’s often an invisible mistake − a sin of omission rather than commission. To act requires courage.’ Richard Branson, arguably the most
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successful multifaceted entrepreneur of the 21st century – with over 360 companies in the Virgin Group – should know. In a recent article on decision-making for entrepreneurs, he says: ‘Most good chief executives or entrepreneurs only make three or four key decisions every year… so there are usually only a few that stand out − the game-changing decisions that can make or sometimes break a business.’ For Branson, the courage came in the form of launching a company in the face of what detractors saw as insurmountable odds: Virgin Atlantic versus the fierce competition of BA back in the ’80s. While fellow executives chewed their nails to the quick about tackling Goliath, Branson said, ‘I felt that our competitors had become complacent; that passengers wanted something different. With the right energy,
Robinson. Tutu. Carter. Branson. Bailes. They lead, innovate, make strategic moves and take tough decisions. They engineer peace, conserve our natural heritage and drive economic recovery.
THE ELDERS [From left] Graça Machel, Fernando H Cardoso, Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson, Kofi Annan, Nelson Mandela, Gro Brundtland, Martti Ahtisaari, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
LEADERSHIP
focus and flair, we could make our mark.’ The same executives might’ve passed out entirely if they’d had crystal balls and an inkling that in 2012 he’d be launching Virgin Galactic and space travel for non-astronauts. Back on earth, there are other challenges. No-one knows the tough road better than The Elders, an independent group of global leaders including Desmond Tutu, Mary Robinson, Graça Machel, Gro Brundtland, Kofi Annan, Fernando H Cardoso and Martti Ahtisaari. The idea for the group came from Richard Branson and Peter Gabriel, who asked Nelson Mandela to front the initiative that called for a small group of independent leaders who might be able to find new ways of resolving conflict. Since then, The Elders go where men and women half their age might fear to tread. In London in July, Intelligence Squared presented a debate and discussion hosted by iconic broadcast journalist Jon Snow. Three elders were there: the first female president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, former US president Jimmy Carter and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. For two hours, the group enthralled an audience of nearly two thousand people with a conversation that ranged from the meaning of true democracy to the work they hoped to do in Syria. The discussion was an extraordinary window on what these leaders sans frontiers do behind the scenes. Carter, 87, who has arguably done more for global peace since his presidency ended in ’81, has put his considerable influence behind peace, particularly in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and disease prevention, said of the group dynamic: ‘We disagree quite often but less now than we did at first. I would say we have learned to know each other... We have also seen strength in harmony. When we do make a decision, it is by consensus. I think we see now that, although none of us are involved in politics, basically we go where we want to and we meet with who we choose and we say what we really believe, without any fear that we will be voted out of office.’ The Elders’ decision to travel, for example, between Southern and Northern Sudan and between leaders Salva Kiir Mayardit and Omar Hassan al-Bashir, while also working with the
United Nations, the United States, the African Union and the Arab League, aims at trying to keep the long-standing conflict from erupting into full-scale war. They also challenge abuses of power and are committed to supporting equality for women. Could any other group of men and women do the same? It’s highly unlikely. Their collective clout, their lack of political agenda and their energy, which seems to have escalated with age – is unique. Meanwhile, as The Elders grapple with world peace, Singita works a different kind of magic in Africa. In January this year, I spent a valuable morning with Luke Bailes, CEO and founder of Singita, arguably the most awarded collection of game lodges in Africa. Bailes spoke about the key factors of ‘authenticity’ and ‘rarity’ to explain the phenomenal success of Singita and their decision to offer ‘fewer beds in a larger area’. With Singita, this translates to 200 beds between seven lodges from Sabi Sands to Zimbabwe and Tanzania, and 500 000 hectares. The success formula (Google ‘best hotels in the world’ to count the awards) also includes the words ‘discipline, integrity, education, service, detail’ and ‘innovation’. It’s a tall order in a market where 99 percent of game lodges are collectively and globally marketed as ‘luxury’ and are in danger of brand blur. Bailes works tirelessly to convince governments and local communities that upmarket tourism is good for business; sustainability in the long run will preserve a rapidly diminishing resource. While The Elders use their leadership and diplomatic skills across borders, Bailes’ challenge is no less daunting. ‘We have one main objective and that is to preserve and protect significant tracks of land; pristine wilderness for future generations,’ he says. ‘There are seven billion people in the world today and, within the next 45 years, that’s going to reach 10 billion people. With populations growing as rapidly as they are, true wilderness − pristine wilderness − is being threatened like never before.’ ‘There is a balance between the way in which we manage nature and the sense of
urgency needed to protect nature,’ he says. ‘When we manage the land, we recognise that we need to be delicate and sensitive, moving with the long-term and slow rhythms of the wild, while maintaining a sense of urgency to save the environment as quickly as possible.’ For Bailes, ‘modern conservation is the interdependent relationship between local communities, wildlife and tourism, and Singita constantly has to paint a picture of an interconnected process. ‘If you protect the wildlife, tourists will come in to see it and if tourists come in, you will get jobs, business linkages, agricultural schemes and schooling.’ Another factor is the changing face of the wealthy and highly discerning traveller, who now asks about where their ‘investment’ is going. It’s not uncommon for guests to visit local schools or clinics to see with their own eyes what community ‘initiatives’ really mean. That requires 100 percent transparency and a very literal take on putting your money where your mouth is. ‘We feed 22 000 children in Zimbabwe every morning,’ says Bailes. ‘We have a chef school. We have a home for disabled people that we sponsor. We have agriculture schemes, irrigation schemes, water provision, bee-keeping…’ Mary Robinson would agree. She said that night in London: ‘People who give back know they gain far more than they gave. The idea of the social dimensions of the business before the bottom line is hugely satisfying for those involved in it. ‘The world needs people to think in terms of “I can make a difference.” We need to be thinking more about how we live as good citizens in the 21st century and what we demand of governments.’ A decision to launch an airline because passengers were being short-changed on service and pricing; the decision to set aside the notion of retirement beyond ‘four score years and 10’; the decision to offer the best hospitality in in the world and at the same time do what’s right for communities and the planet… We don’t see enough of these stories in the media, because we’re told that good news doesn’t sell. What a shame. What a sham. It will and it should.
ISSUE 17 P R I V A T E E D I T I O N 3 9
LEADERSHIP: PART 1
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LEADERSHIP
Shop Boy to Top Boy Getting fired at least once in your career either makes or breaks you. For Jannie Mouton, it turned out to be Life: Part II. Words KATHY MALHERBE
JANNIE MOUTON, LISTED IN FORBES as one of Africa’s 40 richest men, is a Warren Buffett man. However, the single book he says that’s changed his life was Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill − particularly Hill’s philosophy that whatever the human mind can believe and conceive, it can achieve. The book turned out to be a why and how of the way Mouton clawed his way out of a midlife career abyss and reinvented himself. During his enforced sabbatical, he read every single one of Buffet’s books (as well as over 100 other business books), earning him the sobriquet of South Africa’s ‘Boere Buffett’. But there are limitations in the word alone. Buffet once said that, ‘If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians.’ Mouton read, then saw and conquered. He started investment holding company PSG 16 years ago and the company’s exponential growth under his aggressive acquisition-and-identification programme increased the share price from 36c at formation to R140 in 2012, which included the unbundling of Capitec. PSG now delivers profits of R4,3 billion and employs 38 000. Things were different in 1995 when Mouton, the maverick tycoon, was firing on all cylinders as MD of Senekal, Mouton and Kitshoff (SMK) – one of the country’s leading stockbroking firms at the time, which he and his partners started in 1982. Then he was fired. Unceremoniously. By colleagues and friends on his board. Crippled by shock, he says, ‘I was so
tortured by raw emotion that it took me a long time to even ask why.’ Apart from his wife, he told no-one. So what do you do when you’ve lost your high-flying position, friends, identity and colleagues? The high-flier, who admits he was perhaps ‘too big for his boots’ before this, says: ‘You have a meltdown.’ He remembers being so ‘on the up’ before being fired that he phoned Kango Beach Buggies and enquired about colours in stock; then ordered one of each colour. He says being ‘so self-confident and gearing to the point of bursting’ was asking for trouble. So why does he think he was canned? ‘I was perhaps too single-minded and too driven. I was born like that.’ As a schoolboy living in Carnarvon, his sense of duty was developed from an early age while working in his father’s shop. ‘Initially I thought it unfair, having to work while everyone else was on school holidays, gallivanting on their wide-rimmed bicycles. ‘But I worked my way up from the storeroom to the men’s department of the general dealer, then the groceries section and, finally, bookkeeping. Even in a holiday job, I aimed for the top. At school, at sport and at varsity I always wanted to be a leader and never failed. It’s in my DNA.’ Success might be in Mouton’s genome, but on 3 August 1995, as he packed up his desk at SMK, things were not looking good. So, he started to think. ‘I had to analyse myself. No-one else can do it for you. In retrospect, it’s the best thing that could’ve happened to
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me. It’s a defining moment in your life when you think you’re popular, successful and on an exponential curve of triumph one day; the next, unemployed with nothing to do. So for eight hours a day, I read and thought about inspiring people. I believe the more you read, the more streetwise you are; the more gut feel you develop. It gives you an edge. ‘And of course, it gave me something to do. I summarised Buffet’s books in Afrikaans and did my own painful and enlightening SWOT analysis. One of the inspirational quotes I remember during my darkest moments was another one of Hill’s: ‘No man is ever whipped until he quits in his own mind.’ Apart from motivational and business
even the smallest firm with all of this in place. ‘We’re an investment company, not a financial services company. We acquire strategic stakes in established businesses with strong management, good corporate governance, a history of earnings, growth and positive cash flows; and create innovative ideas for existing businesses. ‘We invest in companies with potential and start other businesses like manufacturers, retailers or service companies.’ The investments are always backed by a strategy. In May 1998, Mouton developed a Charter for Extraordinary Achievement for PSG. It’s something he sticks to today. And it’s simple: Have a vision or dream, goals and
Just as in war, to go in prepared, you need to understand your own capabilities and limitations, your opponent and the circumstance in which they fight. books, Mouton also read oriental military strategist Sun Tzu’s Art of War, from where he says he drew his philosophy when starting PSG. Does he equate successful business to fighting and winning a war? ‘No, that’s too simplistic. It’s the strategy of war that fascinated me; and how to harness this in a business venture. Without a strategic plan, enthusiasm is useless. Just as in war, to go in prepared, you need to understand your own capabilities and limitations, your opponent and the circumstance in which they fight. I love Tzu’s wisdom. You hit fast and hard; then you win.’ In 1995, he gained control of Professional Alignment Group (PAG) – a personnel agency; an unusual buy, but a company Mouton says had good leadership and was making a profit. From there he started Professional Securities Group (PSG), in which PAG had a 50 percent stake. Mouton sold PAG two years later, for a profit of R100 million. Since then, PSG has grown like Jack’s beanstalk in the world of acquisitions: new ventures; purchasing stakes in existing companies or the buy-out of entire companies. ‘We seldom start up. At PSG we have a saying that you should invest in a company already “making tea”,’ says Mouton. ‘Setting up a stockbroking firm with premises, telephones, offices, staff and licences is enormously complicated. We’d rather buy
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a strategy team, participate, be positive, have faith, be a stickler for corporate governance and communicate! He adds two further essentials – assertiveness and decisiveness. ‘One of my abilities,’ says Mouton ‘is to think or know what to think. One of my limitations remains not working gently with the people helping me apply them. I struggle with that even now. My chances of getting a gold for diplomacy are slim, but I’ve mellowed with age – considerably.’ The PSG story is not all fairy-tale happiness and triumph. ‘We’ve had many setbacks and made spectacular mistakes in the first 16 years.’ Mouton cites the disastrous m Cubed acquisition where he blames himself for not learning enough about the company and who ran it. Mouton calls it the halo effect. ‘You think someone is a saint on the basis of a single trait. m Cubed was a failure we won’t and can’t hide.’ Then there was the ‘thorny problem of the Pioneer Foods scrap’, where Mouton had to sort out alleged price-fixing within the company with the Competition Commission, and other ventures where perhaps due diligence wasn’t exercised. Conflict and drama make for good reading, but everyone likes a happy ending to the tale, even if it’s not the end of the book. The PSG and group companies have a market capitalisation of R61 billion, and Mouton is particularly proud of one project
– the development of Capitec Bank. It wasn’t always the hero of the piece though. It was started as a micro-lending business, which was frowned upon by many. Although Capitec, of which PSG is a 32,5 percent shareholder, is now a thriving bank, giving access to capital for people who’d not normally have it, its roots as a microlending business were seen by many as grubby. PSG Smartfin Financial Services, as it was known, was immediately put in the same stable as the many unscrupulous and ruthless lenders in the industry. The process of collecting debt read like a third-rate thriller with an armed PSG employee at an autobank in the dead of night with a police escort. A simple process of taking bank cards, deducting the debts and returning the card to the debtor in the morning might have meant a 97 percent collection rate, but it took its toll on everyone. ‘Not quite how I pictured it when I read Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus’s Banker to the Poor,’ says Mouton. ‘My aim was to relieve poverty to a certain degree by making capital available to people without collateral.’ Today, Capitec flourishes and was recently distinguished by 3 000 analysts of the Swissbased financial services group Credit Suisse along with Amazon, Apple and Mercedes Benz as one of the 27 outstanding brand names of tomorrow. Such is Mouton’s passion for PSG that he confesses to never having sold a share in the company and, in fact, to borrowing money to buy more. Borrow? ‘Yes,’ he says. ‘If I’m not in debt, I can’t sleep. Some of my colleagues are horrified by the fact that sometimes I don’t only put all my eggs in one basket and carry it myself, but overpack it by borrowing eggs as well!’ Why does he do it? ‘It’s the edge, the uncertainty, the adrenaline rush. But I never borrow more than the value of 10 percent of my assets. It’s reckless if it’s too big,’ he adds. Considering his assets, it’s a bit ingenuous. Mouton’s enthusiasm for business and companies embraces the future of South Africa as well. Just like Richard Branson and Mark Shuttleworth, he believes it’s a country full of opportunities. ‘It would’ve been impossible to start Capitec Bank anywhere else.’ Where to now? Considering he doesn’t do stamp collecting or pigeon racing, there’s little chance of him retiring completely and he’ll continue to drive the company with his sons, Piet and Jan, to grow PSG even more.
PHOTOGRAPHY: GALLO IMAGES/FOTO24/DENZIL MAREGELE
LEADERSHIP
A NEDERBURG AUCTION RELEASE
Marked for Quality On 28 and 29 September, the who’s who of the local and international wine industry will come together at the oldest, most prestigious event on the country’s wine calendar.
THIS IS THE NEDERBURG AUCTION – South Africa’s own industry showcase for the country’s top wines. Held at Nederburg in Paarl, a selection of 157 of South Africa’s best, rare wines will be sold at this annual event, recognised as one of the world’s five major wine auctions and offering a collection of distinctive, rare wines often only available in limited quantities. All wines sold at the Auction bear the golden ‘Seal of Approval’ label. This seal is unique to the Nederburg Auction and indicates that a group of wine experts have selected only the cream of South Africa’s wines, all of which have been matured under optimal conditions, will drink well now, yet still have ageing potential.
• Red wines submitted must be at least five years old and white wines at least two years old. • Each wine must then pass the exhaustive selection process that sees them overcome character, style, and quality benchmarks, as judged by the panel of wine experts that includes Cape Wine Masters and Sommeliers. • The final consideration is whether the wines will, in the opinion of the selection panel, continue to evolve and mature in order to provide a return on investment for buyers.
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
Look out for this golden seal on bottles in the wine section of your local wine outlet – it’s your endorsement of quality and a guarantee that there is virtually zero risk in buying wines sold at the Nederburg Auction
DID YOU KNOW? Every wine selected for the Nederburg Auction has to fulfill four criteria before they can be deemed worthy to come under the hammer: • Winemakers are invited to submit wines for scrutiny that they feel represent the pinnacle of their winemaking skills, and which are no longer in general circulation in order to create a rarity factor for the wines that will be auctioned.
Web: nederburgauction.co.za | Facebook: Nederburg Auction | Twitter: @NedAuc | The Nederburg Auction is sponsored by Nederburg
BRAINPOWER
The Year of Magical Thinking
The recession has ravaged many sectors, but not the psychic industry. The more precarious the present looks, the keener we are for a glimpse of the future. Words TABITHA LASLEY
MONDAYS AT THE FARMER’S ARMS are usually quiet. But tonight, the place is packed. There’s an expectant buzz in the air, and a snaking line of punters along one wall. One by one, they’re admitted into the curtained sanctum of the dining room. Some time later, they emerge. Several look shell-shocked. A few are in tears. This is Psychic Night, where £20 will get you a ten-minute tarot reading. It’s become something of a fixture at our local. As I hover at the tail end of the queue, a girl stumbles blindly from behind the curtain. She is sobbing freely. ‘Go and see Joan,’ she says, wiping mascara from her cheeks. ‘She’s spot on. It’s scary.’ Joan is a sweet-faced woman in her sixties. She doesn’t look fey, or otherworldly. She’s warm and practical. I like her instantly. I want her to be good. ‘You’re going on a journey this weekend, up a motorway,’ she says. ‘It will be a healing trip. You’ll come back a better person.’ Half right. I am going to the Lake District with my family, but will a week’s worth of fell walks and internecine bickering leave me flourishing on a personal front? ‘You’ve had a tough time. You’ve hit rock bottom.’ I’ve just moved back from Johannesburg, I tell her. It’s been hard. ‘You want to go now, don’t you?’ This is directed at my sister. She shakes her head. ‘Well, do you want to go away? Or maybe you’ve been away?’ Her reading continues along these lines. Joan combines leading questions, non-specific aperçus and a couple of intransigent, strangely sure-footed statements. I’m definitely getting the job I interviewed for last week. I’m definitely
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having a son this year. She tells me my paternal grandfather is watching over me. It sounds unlikely. An inveterate gambler, even in this life he took a decidedly hands-off approach to parenting. She wraps things up and gives me her business card. As I hand over £20 in return, I feel like having a bit of a cry myself. Accuracy may not be her métier, but Joan will probably go on to turn a healthy profit this year. For psychics, business is booming. In Britain, the industry is worth over £40 million annually. In the US, the figure is estimated to run into billions. Despite the deepening economic crisis, people will still pay handsomely for a glimpse of the future. Analysts predict the trend will ratchet up throughout 2012. Trendspotter Marian Salzman forecasts the rise of ‘semi-scientific voodoo’ as people seek solace in a potent blend of ‘folk remedies and alternative beliefs’. Chris French, Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths College in London, finds this upswing unsurprising: ‘It’s almost certainly a reflection of the fact we live in uncertain times. Looking back, you’ll find that it’s at times like these that people resort to magical thinking. In the period leading up to World War II, there was an increase in people consulting astrologers and mystics. If you’re in a situation over which you have no direct control, you’ll go for anything which offers even the illusion of control.’ A cursory look at the most superstitious professions bears this out. French says many soldiers, stockbrokers, athletes and fishermen consult psychics as a matter of course. ‘It tends to be people in occupations where a successful outcome doesn’t just depend on following a set procedure. For them, it doesn’t
Palmisty originated in India, before moving on to China, Egypt and Ancient Greece. The right palm is usually used for line-readings
matter how carefully you follow procedure, or how perfect your own performance is. Other things can intervene and knock it off course.’ That said, there are people who’ve made a career out of critical thinking and still proved susceptible. Take Simon Cowell, one of the most powerful men in television, famous for his tack-sharp business sense and coruscating put-downs. On screen, he flies the flag for common sense and hard truths. Off screen, he takes vitamins intravenously. There’s no evidence to suggest this treatment will do anything other than empty your wallet, but Cowell claims his weekly cocktail of vitamins B12, C and magnesium keeps him young and feels ‘incredibly warm (and) calming’. Or Steve Jobs, who put off potentially lifesaving surgery for nine months while he tried to treat pancreatic cancer with alternative therapies and macrobiotic diets. Time that could’ve been spent seeking conventional medical help, he spent visiting spiritualists. According to his biographer, it was a decision he came to bitterly regret. Jobs had one of the finest analytical minds of our age, and still capitulated to the pull of pseudo-science. It seems that under pressure, we’re all hardwired to behave irrationally. ‘Our minds work in terms known as heuristics – quick and dirty rules of thumb that usually give us the right answer,’ says French. ‘The standard example is the Stone Age man who hears a rustle in the bushes. The one who stands there thinking, “I wonder if that’s a sabre-toothed tiger” won’t live to pass on his genes. The one who thinks. “It’s a sabretoothed tiger, I’m out of here” will. So evolution has favoured this mode of thinking. The price we pay is that sometimes we see patterns that aren’t really there.’ It’s certainly true that those who rely on magical thinking up their dependency during stressful life events – bereavement, break-ups, illness. And it’s the ethical implications of these cash-for-comfort transactions that trouble critics like James Randi. Once a conjurer,
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Randi is now the world’s most famous sceptic. White-haired, bearded, bluff, he looks a bit like Father Christmas might, if Father Christmas were to go about stoutly refuting his own existence: ‘People want magical solutions,’ he says. ‘But they have a higher height from which they can fall if they depend on the promises made by so-called psychics. It’s dangerous because it destroys people’s mental security, and their future.’ For years, he’s offered a million-dollar prize to any psychic that can prove their powers in controlled conditions. Comparatively few have come forward to try. ‘People haven’t responded the way we thought they would,’ he says. ‘We thought they’d be clamouring to take the million dollars. I think there’s an obvious answer there. Most people know they’re outright fakes.’ Rather than rely on any real gift, Randi says that most psychics deploy a wily combination of ‘cold reading’ (suggestions based on body language and verbal cues), ‘hot reading’ (information collected in advance), and socalled ‘Barnum Statements’ (generalised insights that seem deeply personal, but when they’re shaken down, do no more than describe the human condition). I put this to Robin Lown, Master Palmist and President of the British Astrological and Psychic Society. He gives me a reading over the phone. He tells me I’m independent, academic, articulate and prefer working alone. He also discerns – correctly – that I have a difficult relationship with my father. His reading is pretty accurate. But apart from this final flash of inspiration, it could all be gleaned from the fact I called in my capacity as a freelance journalist. When I say this, he counters that he doesn’t usually talk to clients. More often, they send him a print of their hands. He tells me he’s got a stack of correspondence at home attesting to his accuracy, including an email from a man who moved to California, 25 years after Lown predicted it. I ask him why he doesn’t take up Randi’s challenge.
I’m curious, mainly because if somebody offered me a million dollars to do my day job in controlled conditions, I’d say yes. ‘You’re missing the point,’ he says. ‘It’s not about money. The fact that money is being put up actually debases the whole issue. If it were being done for free, people would do it.’ (For the record, the Royal College of Psychic Studies charges Lown out at £70 an hour. He’s not the most expensive psychic on their books.) Pure-minded distaste for money notwithstanding, it’s worth remembering that no-one has ever been able to offer countervailing proof they possess psychic powers. No-one has graduated past the preliminary stages of Randi’s test. At the time of writing, the milliondollar prize is still unclaimed. GK Chesterton once said, ‘When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing – they believe in anything.’ For now, this rule is holding good. To a certain extent, we’ve stopped believing in the tenets we were raised with. The economic crisis has shaken our faith, and made a lie of many middle-class totems. An ideological vacuum has been created, ready to be filled with a whole new set of beliefs. Industry apologists often argue that if said beliefs offer succour, they can’t be wholly harmful. But it’s succour of a very fleeting sort. If a psychic’s forecasts don’t come true, the corollary can be crushing. Three months after my reading, none of Joan’s cosier predictions have come good. I didn’t get the job I wanted. I’m not pregnant. And maybe that’s a good thing. Because while it’s soothing to imagine an invisible hand, guiding us through life’s little squalls, you have to ask yourself if it’s helpful, particularly in the current climate? Sitting back and ceding all agency to some unseen force sounds neither sensible nor empowering, even at the best of times. And though I don’t claim to be any kind of expert on the global economy, I can’t imagine it’s an attitude that will pull us out of this recession any time soon.
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTYIMAGES.COM
BRAINPOWER
TJDR51854
How can 100 trees help a child overcome his greatest obstacle? In South Africa, many children spend exhausting hours walking along dusty roads to school. They arrive tired and struggle to concentrate if they’re able to arrive at all. However, through Qhubeka and MTN Business, this is changing. Working in partnership with the Wildlands Conservation Trust, Qhubeka and MTN Business are providing bicycles to children that have either grown 100 trees or collected over 1500 kg of recycling. So, children can cycle to school, arrive on time, have a chance to reach their potential and have a better future.
How can your company help? With an MTN Business Qhubeka contract, your business can positively uplift communities and the environment while receiving a range of enterprise voice, data and ISP solutions on a world-class network. For more information, visit www.qhubeka.org
INVESTMENT
Cartier’s Rotonde Repetiteur is a masterpiece in sound and conception. It incorporates different tones to chime the hour, quarter hour and minutes, comprises 457 components and follows 12 different steps in finishing
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INVESTMENT
The Secret Behind Real Style
Creativity and craftsmanship are in the brand’s DNA. Cartier’s design ethic is its secret to success. Words DEBBIE HATHWAY
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
The minute repeater concept is over 100 years old and Cartier is revamping their work of art this year
WHEN GALLIANO OR TOM FORD choose to wear Cartier, it’s personal. They’re no followers. ‘Our culture is to create a beautiful object without thinking about trends. Our basic motivation is enjoyment of the object; appreciation of its beauty coupled with the pleasure of living with it. We think about how people will wear it,’ says Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s Image, Style and Heritage Director. And because the Swiss-centred watchmaking industry isn’t seasonal, evolving instead in 10year cycles, it’s up to experts like him simply to foresee how and when that evolution will affect the development of a brand’s signature lines. As integral as the technical component is to premier watchmaking brands, so is the intrinsic romance that accompanies the history of haute horlogerie. Two years ago at Christmas, either because he was an incurable romantic or that the showroom drove him to a conspicuous display of affection, a man proposed to his lady love inside Cartier’s Champs-Élysées boutique in Paris. Staff cried and champagne corks popped. It’s since become the wedding venue of choice and the bridal range occupies an entire floor, with a view of the Arc de Triomphe. ‘We try to create the romance; that’s what it’s all about. At Cartier, it’s the story of the couple rather than the ring itself,’ says Rainero. The emotional connection to a high jewellery piece can easily transcend to fine watchmaking. Rainero’s favourite timepiece
is the one he dreamt of owning long before he joined Cartier. ‘It’s the Traffin from the ’80s; a version of the Louis Cartier model created in 1922. I now have one and I wear it with a lot of pleasure. To me, it is the ultimate in elegance among watches,’ he says. Where some watch owners seek romance in design and sparkle, others connect with the brand through its technical prowess and history. ‘It’s about savoire-faire as well as responsibility, respect and humility,’ says Rainero. Each maison has its own requirements in terms of level of quality and Cartier has its own school (or manufacture) in La Chaux-De-Fonds to further entrench the skills and standards they’ve developed since inception in 1847. ‘Skills transmission is key. There’s nothing better than the stimulation and emulation that comes from the oldest and youngest working side by side. It’s the same for high jewellery,’ he says. For young designers, adopting the Cartier design ethic is a question of time. New, ‘revolutionary’ ideas won’t fly if they don’t fit the Cartier style. Rainero explains that once you get into the brand’s rich heritage and its language of creation, it can be daunting. ‘They need time to acquire that knowledge without feeling stifled by it. The best designers are those who don’t go back to the archives for inspiration; they totally integrate the language and are able to express their creativity freely through it. Time and maturity… that’s the positive point of difference
in the Cartier style.’ One of the masterpieces of Cartier’s fine watchmaking collection displayed at this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva was a model of the Rotonde Repetiteur, a watch that gives you far more than the hours and the minutes. ‘The more we rely on modern methods to tell the time, the more we are driven to develop value in craftsmanship. A watch handmade with precious materials, to exacting standards, is an artwork,’ says Rainero. The Rotonde Repetiteur is a minute repeater that bears the prestigious Geneva seal, a certification given to a watch with a mechanical movement assembled and adjusted in Geneva. The accreditation also requires that each calibre meet 12 technical and aesthetic criteria, which have bearing on the quality, and the calibre must be approved and officially recognised by the Office for Voluntary Inspection of watches from Geneva. The minute repeater is the most difficult complication of them all and a craftsman needs no less than 20 years’ experience to attempt one. It’s triumph? Chimes that incorporate one tone for the hour, another for the quarter hour and yet another for the minutes. And all of this triggers a symphony of melodic notes at significant intervals. For further information, visit cartier.com or call 011 666 2800.
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IN CONVERSATION WITH...
Taken Captive by Birds A serendipitous visit to a trendy Bo Kaap coffee and art space created an opportunity that took flight. Words DEBBIE HATHWAY
WHEN CRAIG IVOR MOVED with his family to Cape Town in 2010, he left a decade of graphic design in fashion retail behind him and fixed his gaze firmly on the pursuit of passion. In his world, that equates to art and birds (the feathered variety). Craig’s artistic ability was recognised early. At the age of 12, the still life that he entered into a West Rand school art competition won first prize and was exhibited at Pretoria’s State Theatre among the best works of art from Gauteng schools. Meanwhile, his interest in wildlife was fostered by frequent family visits to the Kruger National Park; and bird watching became a daily pursuit when his father built an aviary in their garden. ‘I was about 10 years old, and I remember sitting for hours in the aviary on this little red chair studying the birds, watching how they interact with each other. I knew which birds were a pair, which nest was theirs, how many eggs they laid and roughly when they would hatch,’ he says. After matriculating in 1995, he worked for the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa, which reinforced his ideal of combining his passion for wildlife and birds with his art. Nonetheless, he completed a two-year art diploma, and entered the clothing design industry as a graphic designer. Now determined to make his career change work, Craig decided to market himself by illustrating a 2012 bird calendar, which was endorsed by BirdLife South Africa. The originals were exhibited at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden (where two were sold to an art collector who also bought a Tinus de Jongh), the Cape Gallery, and Haas − a trendy design and coffee collective in Cape Town’s Bo Kaap district where you’ll see art that ‘challenges you to see the world from a different perspective’. It’s that perspective in Craig’s lifelike pencil drawings that caught the eye of our editor, Les Aupiais, whose husband is an avid
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birder. Featuring his work in Private Edition turned out to be the beginning of a chain of events. The magazine’s creative and fashion director, Suzannah Garland, knew that author Marguerite Poland was publishing her memoir this year, aptly entitled Taken Captive by Birds, and correctly guessed her reaction to Craig’s work. Before long, their collaboration was sealed through Penguin Books South Africa and 18 works commissioned for the book. Each chapter is dedicated to the significance a particular bird had in Marguerite’s life. ‘My illustrations were inspired by the memoir as well as the character and behaviour of each bird portrayed. Marguerite’s ability to describe birds, places, events and people in the finest detail makes my creative mind overflow with the most incredible imagery. Working with her has been an honour and an experience that I will always cherish.’ Craig’s medium of choice is graphite – it gives him more control in achieving the contrast and depth he demands. ‘I’m forever sharpening pencils! The challenge is to capture the character within the bird first so that its personality comes alive in the work,’ he says. And that’s his USP. The best piece of advice he’s ever received? ‘A lecturer told me once to draw what I see, not what I think I see.’ Inspired by Warwick Tarboton’s photography, Craig says he has such respect for copyright that he buys all the photographs he references. ‘Warwick’s work speaks to me. I know when I see the photograph that it’s going to produce a successful drawing.’
Taken Captive by Birds by Marguerite Poland (Penguin Books SA) launches in Johannesburg in November. Craig’s framed original drawings will be exhibited and sold at the launch. For more information, email craigivorvv@gmail.com.
‘Zitting Cisticola’, by Craig Ivor. This work illustrates the artist’s drive to capture the essence and expression of each bird he portrays
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IN CONVERSATION WITH...
A Life in 3D
South African artist Donna White followed her ikigai – a ‘life journey in search of meaning’ – that’s found her exploring new dimensions in art. Words LES AUPIAIS
PERHAPS BETTER KNOWN AS A PHOTOREALIST, Donna White now paints colourintense and texture-rich abstracts. As a student, one of her large paintings was selected by leading American art critic Clement Greenberg for exhibition on Art South Africa Today; later on, her work was exhibited on a South African photorealism retrospective, and her photorealistic work was discussed in a book on South African art. Why the shift? ‘I’ve received a great deal of recognition for my photorealism and I do occasionally complete a photorealistic commission, which allows me the financial freedom to explore all of my current preoccupations. However, I could only go on being “clever” for so long before curiosity set in about what I might be missing. I decided instead to follow my ikigai, that Japanese word that describes a lengthy and important search for “self”, the discovery of which brings satisfaction and meaning to life,’ says Donna. The colour-intense abstracts came at a much later stage in her development as an artist. She was given a projector, which confronted her with the fact that a machine could compete with her own accuracy with likenesses. She also discovered that she could no longer draw from life, after painting photorealistically for so long. ‘I started to see twodimensionally because of all the close scrutiny of photographs, and frightened myself silly when I attempted to draw a real person for the first time in years,’ she says. Donna gave up painting for five years, during which time she drew intensively, using all sorts of experimental media, including shoe polish. The drawings got bigger, and more colourful, until she realised that drawing with brushes on a canvas was a logical extension.
After many years of success with this, she was painting her kitchen door one day (she paints everything that stands still long enough; that’s why husband Peter Snyman says their family keeps moving) and she dripped some household gloss paint on the newspaper below. ‘I was fascinated! I covered that newspaper with dripped lines of paint and then set about exploring the amazing spatial possibilities of this dripped paint on canvas. Initially I used the dripped paint as a matrix for my portraits, but discovered that my involvement with the background began to predominate. So my abstracts were born out of a constant evolution of my obsession with the two-dimensional surface of the canvas as a metaphor for the 3D space we inhabit.’ Donna’s designs are a wonderful juxtaposition of ‘other world’, a microscopic organic universe, almost a world unseen with the naked eye. She says that ever since she was a photorealist, she’s been fascinated with how the world is conveyed by marks on a flat surface. ‘Our very existence gone splat! I always wanted to tease out a space from that surface. There are materials out there that give a sense of 3D – holograms and lenticular 3D, but they shatter the illusion of solidity through their movement when you walk past. I’ve come across an amazing 2D/3D plastic that visually maintains its spatial integrity – a substance that is for me the perfect interface between sculpture and painting. ‘When you hold it against a wall, it gives the appearance of the wall having been excavated by one or two inches. Quite astonishing, and excellent for showing to crying children on the London underground – it stops them in their tracks,’ she says. ‘I see further potential for this amazing technology.’
Donna believes that she is the only artist working with this material and therefore she feels a need to create ‘new worlds’ to celebrate its birth. This comes through in two of her recent painting titles: ‘Through a Glass, Darkly’ and ‘There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio’. She says the work becomes like a space within space that she surrounds with paint. ‘I enhance the visual depth with washes of colour and surround them with my dripped paint, so the shapes are bordered and melt into the painted surrounds. It is very labour-intensive but highly rewarding at the same time. I feel I’m working with an almost magical world.’ The gloss paint is quite toxic to work with, so she’s adopted an attack-and-run approach, returning when it’s dry and assessing her next development. ‘I think about my work even when I’m occupied with everyday tasks, so I don’t really take much time off. But this is my ikigai, so it contributes to a general sense of happiness,’ she says. Donna’s latest commission is a print version of her original work. ‘Photographic print reproductions have advanced in quality so much in the last couple of years that I see them being hung increasingly where original paintings used to be. Art accessible to everyone, in HD detail. The project in question, a large office block, is filled with prints of my paintings only – 81 large painting-size prints.’ In order to do this number of works, Donna had to print details of some of them. She says it was fun finding the paintings within paintings, and creating new compositions. ‘The surge of colour through the building made my fingers tingle. All the desks, carpets and chairs are in monochrome. The purpose of the refurbishment of the building was to provide
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IN CONVERSATION WITH...
[Previous page] ‘Through a Glass, Darkly.’ Here, Donna worked with a new plastic technology that is visually simultaneously 2D and 3D. ‘It’s a plastic that’s neither lenticular nor holographic, but provides a stable 3D image. [Above) ‘Graffiti Explosion’. Of this work, Donna says that she’s trying to create a balance between chaos and control; and the organic and the mechanical/synthetic – ‘the forces that define our existence today’
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Extraordinary creativity seems to run in the family. The building her husband was involved with as the only quantity surveyor on the project has just been awarded the title of Britain’s Best Building of 2012 by Building Magazine. Donna’s eldest son, Jason, has worked on over 18 feature films in the last nine years as an animator on films such as Avatar, King Kong, The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, IRobot, 10 000 BC, Harry Potter and Troy. He’s considered a master in capturing reality, and has worked in all capacities of CGI, but is best known for his animation. Her middle son, Matthew, obtained his A-levels in filmmaking and has won several awards for his short films, one of which has
been shown on the Big Screen in Times Square in New York. Youngest son Steven is just out of the College of Contemporary Music last year. He toured with Rihanna through Europe as a back-line tech. He’s been on a further European tour since then, and has seen more of Europe than any of the family.
For further information, visit www. donnawhite.co.uk.
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
an environment that lifts the quality of life for all the people working there, and I hope this will be the case.’ In addition, Donna teaches art to a very interesting mix of people. It happened unexpectedly, arising out of a friend’s desire to have art lessons nearly seven years ago. ‘I’m regularly astonished by the variety of people coming to my studio, ranging from wives and lovers of rock and pop legends, to people living in mansions, and daughters of African leaders – people from around 15 countries represented here! They all come to this comparatively small space to enjoy a noncompetitive environment where the focus is on personal artistic evolution.’
TREND
Double Eau Seven
Can a retailer lead you gently by the nose and stir your senses enough to make you buy? Apparently, Greg Briscoe has a licence to thrill... Words ANDRÉ WIESNER
SHOCK, SUSPICION AND GUFFAWS OF LAUGHTER. Branding pioneers have to take them in their stride, and Greg Briscoe is no exception. Not long ago, out on the beat to promote his high-tech fragrancing wares, it was common for him to get the reaction: No ways, boet, I don’t want my hotel to honk like a toilet. People thought he was touting bathroom-fresheners, aroma-cloakers – or gimmicky, slightly effete, luxury items. Butch motor dealers crinkled their noses at him and his sidekick. Eau de… what? Scents in cars, fragrances in showrooms? That stuff’s for the wife. For chicks. The dealers would study the promo team more closely. Well, hello, sailors. Briscoe is 5’8”; his sidekick, a mate he’d brought in as an associate, is a burly 6’4”. After delivering their spiel, they’d leave the presentations beside themselves with mirth.
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They felt, he says, like Mitch and Cam, the gay couple in Modern Family. ‘Initially, when we were learning, we’d mix our words up, come across as a bit unsure, and people would have a good laugh at us. But once they understand what we’re trying to achieve, that all falls away. It’s seldom we have those reactions now.’ Briscoe is managing director of Success on Hold (SOH), a marketing company specialising in multisensory branding at customer touchpoints and working cannily to keep its some 5 000 clients abreast of global innovations. Originally solely a provider of telephone onhold advertising, SOH has grown to encompass TV and radio ads as well as in-store music; in its latest move, with sight and sound already covered, it’s homing in on the sense of smell and aiming to put ‘the power of scent to work
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTYIMAGES.COM
TREND
in your business’. Inspired by the retail scent frenzy in Europe and America, Briscoe started developing his offering in 2010, sourcing hardware internationally, forging ties with fragrance houses and learning the ropes on shop floors and boardrooms in Miami and elsewhere. It all went to market later that year and, after a wary reception, is ‘moving very fast’, garnering clients ranging from hotels and conference centres to book, lingerie and jewellery stores. A decade ago corporates scoffed at in-store music, calling it a fad; a decade on, it’s virtually ubiquitous. He believes this new offering will go the same way. A high, minty wind of change is gusting into your mall’s air ducts from overseas, and it has a name: scent marketing. Briscoe is quick to acknowledge the many companies that supply fragrancing products for business use, but what makes SOH different is that it doesn’t sell a house product of its own. It provides a customised service, one in which scents are harnessed to vivify a client’s brand – or, as the brochure has it, ‘sculpt positive environments, enhance brand communication, and create memorable customer experiences’. In conventional marketing, Briscoe says, smell is a neglected, undercapitalised sense. ‘Most clients spend a lot of time and money on the visual – wonderful posters, entrance halls – but scent is always forgotten.’ And forgotten, apparently, to the detriment of the bottom line. Aerating a shop with the right confection of smells can not only eliminate nasty odours or pep up a bland interior, it can induce customers to linger at the shelves, encourage return visits, incite an eagerness to buy, and endow run-of-the-mill merchandise with an enchanting mystique. ‘When somebody’s buying a fancy item of clothing or jewellery,’ Briscoe explains, ‘they want to feel they’re in Tiffany’s in New York. They’re aspiring to nicer things. By having products smell pleasant in a decent environment, you’re enabling consumers to create positive associations with your brand.’ Engineering these brand associations is all-important. Scenting lets consumers form ‘strong emotional connections’ with products and properties, connections that can be recalled long into the future and which help brands to migrate outdoors, off-premises and into people’s conversations and deepest memories. ‘If you went to boarding school and smell
polish, you’ll immediately think of your dormitory; if you played cricket or rugby, you’ll remember the smell of cut grass when you were out on the field twenty years ago. ‘You’re trying to identify a scent with a brand, so that when people smell it again, they’re taken back to that place.’ Businesses underestimate the emotional power of smell, but even when they do appreciate it they can go wrong in their approach. Coffee shops regularly call Briscoe, wanting to get into scent marketing. Their request? The shop must smell of coffee. He replies: Er, it already smells of coffee. Sure, they say, but we want it stronger. Briscoe rubs his brow, then tells them: No, don’t put coffee in your coffee shop. Scent it with choc-chip cookie. People will come in and say, ‘Wow, what are you baking? Smells fantastic – and I’ll have a slice of cheesecake with my latte, please.’ Briscoe admits he’s not a French-trained perfumer or a graduate with a PhD in olfactory science. Instead, he styles himself as an ‘ordinary consumer’ who knows what he likes and dislikes when it comes to the subject of smell – the first dislike being smell itself. ‘The big challenge for me was learning not to use the word smell. Say smell, and people run a mile.’ It’s been replaced with fragrance, slowly and with difficulty. Yet even though he’s a relative newcomer to the arcane world of perfumery and such, it must be said that the bloke has a handy grasp of what he does to earn a crust. Different scents produce different responses, he explains. ‘For instance, in the hospitality industry, you want people to be comfortable. We’ll say, right, let’s use a base of vanilla and a slight citrus feel at the top end so that although the environment’s relaxed, it’s still invigorating.’ For gyms, you’d look first at the basics. ‘Why do people go to gym? To get fit; to get healthy. Straight away we’ll cross out a lot of fragrances and switch to other, fresher ones. Fragrances with a citrus note, something maybe with eucalyptus or a touch of mint, tend to open your lungs and make you feel good. ‘Then we’d whittle it down. How much comfort do you want to add into the scent? Do you have different areas where you want people to sit and play on a computer, or do want them to exercise only?’ The point is ‘unless we’re told to do something, we won’t do it; unless we’re told to sit, we’ll not sit’. In a bookstore with a coffee
shop, the intention is that customers should sit, read and let their guard down. Then again, Briscoe says, ‘We seldom walk into a shop, take off our shoes and sit on the couch. The bookshop would want something to make people feel comfortable, perhaps with a base note of cedar wood and sage, a fragrance that’s a little heavy, that lingers.’ By contest, in a jewellery store you wouldn’t want a vanilla base, which ‘makes customers sleepy and lazy, because then they’re not concentrating on what the sales rep is saying. We would definitely put in something that’s fresh and makes the lady feel attractive – grapefruit, for instance, which is the base of many female perfumes. The science is that it makes women feel younger and men see them as younger. A hint of grapefruit wakes their senses up, makes them feel alive, so that when they put the jewel on and look in the mirror, they think: I really look good, I feel sexy.’ Crumbs, you could flood the grocery stores with pheromones or marijuana. He laughs. Yes, they do stock a cannabis fragrance, but there’ve been no bizarre requests. ‘Most of the stuff’s pretty standard.’ Fragrancing technology is one thing; the human shrewdness that guides it is quite another. Briscoe’s systems rely at bottom on a combo of spritz bottles, stand-alone diffusers and fixed units that pump air into an onboard reservoir of fragrance oils, atomise the lot and let it waft through the store air-conditioning. It’s pretty nifty, yet in the long view it’s simply a means to an end. For some clients, it’s an end enough to perk up their joints with a benign ambience, or at any rate, to neutralise (say) the eau de armpit of a gym, the garlicky fumes seeping into the conference hall from an adjoining restaurant, or the broken sewer pipe rumbling up through the five-star foyer like Godzilla on a month of beer and bully beef. Other clients – the ‘hard hitters’ – are prepared to dig into their pockets and ‘build their brand story’, complete with custommade fragrances capable of being sell-on commodities on their own. These are the ones who fully understand Greg Briscoe’s mission; a mission to convert brands and scents into rands and cents.
For more information, visit sohgroup.co.za or call 031 312 0019.
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INVESTMENT Materials from the ridge give the house its context. A rugged floor finish with a textured external wall finish in a mud colour blends in well with the surrounds. The house is positioned to maximise its view over Johannesburg
ARCHITECT AURELIO CIMATO loves a challenge. The architect who’s become the smart choice of anyone with imagination and courage when it comes to unusual home design does admit that the 3 462 square-metre property was something of a challenge. Challenge doesn’t begin to cover it. The land at the end of a cul-de-sac on Johannesburg’s Linksfield Ridge is almost vertical, but owners Frank and Anne Scherf fell for its position
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and proximity to a reserve that borders the land. That and the fact that Mahatma Gandhi walked the hills in the early 1900s. So it has historic significance but still, with no access for anything mechanical to help dig foundations and move rock, the house was hand built. Every stone. Every bucket of concrete mixed. Not many homes can claim similar credentials.
INVESTMENT
A Distinctive Signature
Bordering on hallowed ground, a hand-built Johannesburg home more than catches the eye when it comes to impeccable credentials.
The result is that from its foundation upwards, the home is crafted rather than just built and although it took 22 months to complete, there’s a quiet spirit to the house. Perhaps not quite a labour of love, but certainly a determined effort by the men who laboured long and hard on it. There is one element that’s obvious evidence of this. Linking two levels is a suspended staircase that forms the ‘spine’ of the interior and
each wooden step curves gracefully upwards. A delicate steel balustrade leads your eye down to an open-plan kitchen with Smeg appliances that provide the high-tech stage for any wannabe Master chef. The 1 200 square-metre house has seven garages, five levels, three bedrooms (with a fourth guest suite), two staff bedrooms, two studies, two TV lounges and a library. Electric fencing and security systems make it
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Johannesburg-compliant, but those are the physical characteristics. The house itself is as near to a Hollywood experience that SA can have – that famous position that offers a sea of night-lights that spread in a carpet at its feet and, by day, a feeling that you’re on the final entry path in a plane. On the market for R30 million, the house offers pretty much every element that turns staying home in Johannesburg into a glamorous affair. The pool area has a gas braai and a heated rim-flow pool, which almost demand that weekends are for entertainment or relaxation. The Scherfs have separated the property below the house at the halfway
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mark. A gate in the palisade fencing leads to an indigenous wilderness where family and friends can ramble. No-one can build there as access to the land is only from the home. With Gandhi’s hallowed ground to the right, the trees of the city spread as far as the eye can see, turning this home into an unusually private retreat.
For more information on the property, contact Charlene Leibman (082 448 0440) and Marina Konidaris (083 307 3882) of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty or visit sothebysrealty.co.za.
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
INVESTMENT
INVESTMENT
[Opposite above] Two TV lounges and a library create ample space for a family. Hand-woven carpets and the soft, neutral tones of silk and linen add warmth and comfort to an interior where glass and wood create a linear structure [Opposite below] A curved stairway links two key living areas and forms the fluid spine of the home
[Top] The kitchen is fitted with Smeg appliances and offers ample storage to ensure no clutter [Above] Beyond the rim-flow pool lies a wilderness of indigenous bush – an area of historic importance at the turn of the century
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DRIVE BY DESIGN
Wake Point
Never mind the usual symbols of luxe: the diamonds, the furs, the luggage, the sports cars. Riva rules.
BRIDGET BARDOT LIES ACROSS the deck of a luxury motor boat. She is, at the time, the most beautiful woman on the planet and pursued by half its men. There’s not an image to beat it, but she’s no deck candy. The year is ’68, the place St Tropez and the speedboat a Riva Junior with a 180 horsepower engine capable of doing a fair 70km/h; hers. Sophia Loren, Liz Taylor, Sean Connery and Jackie Stewart all flew Riva colours. Anyone who has ever lusted after the impeccable craftsmanship of Italian design will get that when it comes to looks and speed, nothing much beats the 170-year-old legend in the industry founded and driven by Riva men who were creative, mad and adventurous in bouts. It’s a high point in exposure to world-class design on the BMW Eurostyle Tour of 2012. Owned since 2000 by Ferretti Spa, which also produces Pershing and other supercraft, Riva photographs are often spread as provocatively as girls on gloss − all sleek lines and sophisticated finishes − in magazines such as Protagonist, arguably the Playboy of luxury yachts. In their spring issue, on page 58, is a Riva ’86 Domino. It’s sheer Bond; a shark-like silhouette with walnut finishes, leather inserts and white lacquering. The Domino is fitted with twin MTU 16V 2000 M93 engines and can reach speeds of up to 38 knots. That’s enough to blow your hair back. But that’s Riva now. Back in 1842, it was carpenter Pietro Riva who set it all in motion. When family members Ernesto and Serafino added a love of speed and racing to the art and the invention of a combustion engine, the die was cast. In the ’50s and ’60s, the Riva family broke racing records, but also created a design lineage that would reach out to the 21st century: the speedboats were smart, they invited envy, they attracted Hollywood’s most gorgeous and became the epitome of glamour. The Riva reputation became so well established that even when fibreglass was introduced in the late ’60s (to the shock and dismay of wood purists), by combining the new material with the wood they
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PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
Words LES AUPIAIS
DRIVE BY DESIGN
An iconic beauty hailing from the 60s, the Riva Junior proved to be a bit of a hit with the chic set. So it’s hardly surprising that it was preferred by flesh-and-blood icons like Bridget Bardot
crafted so beautifully, they kept the boat’s soul and their customer base. And with the introduction of a new material came a new design; you could sleep on a Riva. It signalled the birth of the cabin cruiser and a new era in pleasure craft. In February this year, Carlo Riva turned 90. He was the man who ‘travelled to the States’, writes author Decio Giulio Riccardo Carugati in his book on the marque, ‘and imported the first batch of America engines, so solving his most serious problem. From then on his boats feared no competitors.’ He was known to inspect the building stages of one of his boats in the yard and overnight destroy the entire boat if it had a flaw. There’s a photograph of him in Protagonist, beaming into the lens. And he should be. Prince Albert II of Monaco gave him the equivalent of a
nautical knighthood recently. Today, the company produces anything from a modest 27-footer to a 92-foot extravagance which the brochures say are all about ‘joy, pleasure and wonder’. And sheer bloody hard work. It takes 1 000 hours to make a modest 10m craft. On the day I visit the Sarnico shipyard, I take to the lake with colleagues in a new Riva Aquariva destined for the South of France and with a price tag of R20 million. The recession is not as all-pervasive as it seems. How does it feel to tear about in one? You could look like the back end of a bus, but in a Riva, you’re forever Bardot.
For further information, visit riva-yacht.com.
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TRAVELLER BUCKET LIST
Bellissima!
CastaDiva is Lake Como’s bel canto of architecture and opulence.
[Above] Villa Roccabruna enjoys pride of place at CastaDiva, which is surrounded by a lavish botanical park. The villa features a tantalising spa and stunning salons, as well as 10 magnificent suites
[Below] The hallway of Villa Roccabruna – a beloved meeting place of celebrated artists, composers and singers in the 1800s
IF YOU THRILL to the opulence and sheer theatricality of an opera, then a weekend at CastaDiva, in the little village of Blevio on the shores of Lake Como, is as near as you’ll get to performing your own aria. The original mansion belonged to famous soprano Giuditta Pasta, who restored it in the 1800s. But even then, the place had a colourful reputation. The oldest villa is arguably the luscious heart of the resort. Villa Roccabruna was originally owned in the 1700s by Madame Ribiere, who made a considerable fortune making gowns for wives of French high society while, it’s said, undressing their husbands after hours. Madame had an appetite. The five-star resort, the first new one to be built in 100 years, now consists of luxurious villas, all named after characters in Italian opera. It hums with a subtle sexuality. In the central villa, with its reception rooms and bar, everything is big, voluptuous, purple and gold: hundreds of metres of finely woven silk fabric and plush upholstery; oversized mirrors and windows in triple-volume rooms. And true to form, BMW, as part of this year’s Eurostyle Tour, assembled the interior team to give behind-the-scene glimpses of the project that’s had Lake Como buzzing for years. Bellini Bar is a hot spot on summer nights on the terrace, where men seem to enjoy a Cognac and cigar and women some exotic mix of liquor and fruit. (George Clooney’s had dinner here, and so has supermodel Tyra Banks. So, eye candy all round.) The new resort and spa have been open for just over a year. It’s a splendid hideout that was 10 years in the remaking and, to fit in with modern demands, built on eco-sustainable lines with cars tucked under the rocky villas and a sophisticated system of heat generation based on drawing water from the lake. The clincher is the spa – comprising a heated pool, technogym, chromotherapy showers to fix your emotional disarray, ice cascades (lest the atmosphere is too steamy for you), a Finnish sauna (that’s capital F), Turkish and Mediterranean baths and a salt room for thalassotherapy. There’s also an intriguing Skin Man therapy (a ‘phytoceutical antiage treatment’), specifically for men. So there. You stay, you fantasise, you leave looking 10 years younger.
For more info, visit castadivaresort.com.
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PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
Words LES AUPIAIS
TRAVELLER BUCKET LIST
The Wild West Paternoster’s topography could place you in three countries: Ireland, when the fog rolls in from the hills; Greece, with its coastline cottages; or South Africa, at the heart of a cleansing Cape storm. Words DEBBIE HATHWAY
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED
The pristine location and decor at Abalone House juxtapose tranquil vistas with clusters of valued collectibles. Mental distraction is guaranteed
THERE’S A HIGH-PROFILE local politician often in the news who swears by Paternoster’s magical ability to ease a wrinkled brow and lift the weight of the world off his shoulders. He’s not alone. The quaint little West Coast fishing village, about two hours’ drive from Cape Town, subtly maintains its restful ambience through architecture and lifestyle, with nary a traffic light in sight. There’s little to do except unwind with long (often solitary) walks on the glorious beaches, indulge in delicious local seafood specialties and entertain yourself with recreational pursuits that you seldom get time for otherwise. The white-washed fisherman’s cottages with mostly pretty blue wooden shutters and doors have long been sought-after getaway retreats and are now being snapped up by people who want to make peace and tranquillity a permanent fixture. Behind one of the unassuming façades is Paternoster’s only five-star boutique hotel, Abalone House. It harbours what may well be one of the town’s best-kept secrets in the form of Welsh chef Darren Stewart, who presides over the kitchen at the establishment’s Saffron Restaurant with practiced ease. Abalone House is the converted former home of Johan Jansen van Vuuren and Stef Venter; happily the oversized display cabinet for their myriad collectibles from Tretchikoff
prints, silverware and books to chandeliers and objets d’art. Somehow, they all fit together in sumptuous splendour. Redecorating the carefully arranged bar with its magnificent fireplace is strictly nonnegotiable. In that sacred space, Borekoa Langa, a former Limpopo villager-turnedwaiter, must be content with channelling his creativity into creating signature cocktails to welcome guests. Langa had impressed his employer so much at one of his other hotels with his eloquent conversation, discreet service and impeccable manner that he was transferred to a front-ofhouse position at Abalone House a few months ago, until then having never seen the sea or flown on an airplane. Equally efficient in the restaurant, Langa was delighted to present a pesco-vegetarian high tea in the Orchid Room, complete with fresh hake and mushy peas, bite-sized bunny chows and apple and cinnamon pancakes. The pièce de résistance? A vegan chocolate cake! For the diner who still bows to what most chefs think they can’t work without – eggs, butter, cream, sugar and flour – there’s an equally tempting array of decadent treats. Darren’s pre-dinner enquiry around our gastronomic preference led to a delicious mushroom starter garnished with fried parsnips, grilled Hottentot (black bream) that
literally ‘smacked of the sea’ on couscous, topped with lightly blanched vegetables, and a black pepper macerate pineapple carpaccio with mint granite to counter the bite. Paired with Darren’s recommended white wines, it proved to be a mouthwatering feast. For breakfast? Suffice it to say it started with cucumber juice. We also spotted organic molasses on the buffet. Little touches, thoughtful service, attentive staff, incredible surroundings. They make all the difference. When planning a break in this incredibly beautiful part of the world, don’t be fooled into thinking that summer is the best time for a short stay. The wind-free winter offers fair compensation for the Western Cape chill, and visitors are easily persuaded to thaw next to a roaring log fire with a glass of something warm. It’s arguably the best time for rejuvenation when there are fewer visitors in evidence. Property prices for some of the prized beach villas in Paternoster range from R6,5 to R7,5 million, with spacious living areas and the requisite view of the Atlantic Ocean. So, if you’re in the market and your idea of a good time is to stay out of the kitchen, fortunately Darren’s is a short stroll away.
For more information and reservations, visit abalonehouse.co.za.
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PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY
Windgurus Kitesurfers make the most of the element that sends many of us to hide indoors, wishing for calmer times. Words JAZZ KUSCHKE Photography and captions CRAIG KOLESKY
FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR THINKING the irony buried in the expression ‘go fly a kite’ is lost on the kiting fraternity. The cliché – by most accounts in reference to Benjamin Franklin’s famous electricity experiments – is a kind of manifesto they live by. ‘Oh yes, we will’ – they’re fully aware of the dangers, and they know non-kiters regard them with a kind of resentful annoyance. If you’re not jealous of someone who can harness and revel in that most loathed of natural elements then you’ve never spent more than 20 minutes in Cape Town in summer. WATER Kiteboarding is a lifestyle best described by what it’s not. It isn’t surfing, paragliding, wakeboarding, windsurfing, sailing or waterskiing, yet it has something in common with all of these. From barrelling reef break to gin-clear tropical lagoon, inland waterway and purpose-built lake, the type of surface holds a pivotal sway in the style you ride. Waves are for carving; wind-chop and manmade obstacles ask for freestyle trickery. Open water is where you go as fast and as far as you can. The canvas may be different, but if you distil it down, it’s always a board and a kite and a rider on the water. EARTH Watch a good wave rider and you’ll notice their feet are always moving. Micro-weight adjustments influence the trim of the board on the wave. While
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The Cape West Coast is to kiters what North Shore (in Oahu, Hawaii) is to surfers. The prevailing summer southeasters mean that there’s good riding to be had on most days from late November through February. The warm, sunny blue skies are a novelty for visiting European pros and the icy water temperate hardly bothers them as they’re usually up above it
PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY
TERMINOLOGY The terms kiteboarding and kitesurfing are often used interchangeably, but this isn’t entirely correct. You won’t find many boardriders complaining about the misinterpretation, but it’s best to get it right. Generally, kitesurfing is more oriented to wave riding and carving, usually on strapless boards that resemble surfboards. Kiteboarding encompasses freestyle and performance riding – big airs and technical tricks on double-sided boards bred from wakeboarding
‘Mowing the lawn’ is the term used for cruising close to the wind, hard on the rail. For expert riders it’s usually a time of quiet reflection in between frenzied maneuvers. To the less skilled it’s as fast and good as it gets – the ride of their lives
they’re riding strapless, grounded to their surfboards by gravity and skill alone, freestylers spend as much time as possible in the air. Aided by bindings and foot straps, they prefer equipment that won’t look out of place boosting off the wake behind a boat. With the aid of man-made obstacles such as rails and kicker ramps, skateboarding, snowboarding and wakeboarding manoeuvres have been borrowed, mastered and improved. To the point that some may say riding a twin tip is finite. That there are no new variations to be invented. These doubters are proven wrong every day. If the board brings the joy, it’s the kite that provides the drive. While you (may) eventually settle on a board, a real rider will most probably never be satisfied with his or her kite. There exists a constant search for the perfect combination of drive, power, manoeuvrability, ability to depower and ease of setup. And, the nuances in shape, size, colour (sure, why not?) and configuration are so vast that the average is to own three. At least. FIRE Like most things worth doing, to learn how to ride a kite can be downright frustrating. The variables at play – from learning to ride with both your left and right foot forward (like a windsurfer) to where the kite needs to be to harness the most power (like a paraglider) – means you don’t just wake up one day and decide you want to be a kiteboarder. You don’t simply show up at the beach as you would at the court, newly purchased racket in hand ready to become a tennis player. There’s a frame of reference to master, a certain hierarchy to understand and ultimately fit into. And it’s dangerous. Dislocated shoulders, blown knees, rolled ankles. People have died. Kiters then are made, not born. They’re drawn to it from surfing, from wakeboarding, windsurfing and even sailing. Very rarely is it their first sport, most often it is the chief. Real riders know their place in the line-up and understand the flow. It’s the reason you can go to a busy kiting beach on a semi-gale day and be amazed at how there are no big crashes. How they don’t all get tangled up. If they speak one language, they speak many. Kiting has fuelled travel to exotic locations most other adventure sportsmen have traditionally avoided. Trade winds and windy seasons are now embraced. The strip from Milnerton to Melkbosstrand in Cape Town is the centre of the kiting universe from December through February. And the vibes are good. Because above all, everybody loves the wind.
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As with most boardriding sports, style and self-expression are paramount. If you’ve mastered the technical moves, but can’t pull them with style, you’re more than likely to be eyed with contempt –even by less-skilled riders. The ultimate goal is to make something that’s incredibly difficult look smooth and simple
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Danger is relative to skill – the more horizontal (lower) a kite is to the wind, the more power it generates. Here, a kiter harnesses the power pocket to fly above the line of his kite
Special thanks to Nikon, Lexar and Jazz Kuschke for the great words.
AN MTN INITIATIVE
A Legend is Born The inaugural MTN Tour of Legends effortlessly combines the untamed spirit of mountain biking with all the luxuries of a five-star safari experience – and the thrill of pedalling through a Big-Five reserve. Words COETZEE GOUWS Photography INGA HENDRIKS
AS DUSK STOLE ACROSS Limpopo’s sunbaked plains, a new tribe was gathering in the shadow of the Waterberg escarpment. They came from all corners of South Africa, pulling their SUVs with custom-fit bike racks into a sporting laager against the stresses of modern living. And for one extraordinary weekend in August, Entabeni Safari Conservancy – meaning ‘place of the mountain’ in Zulu – became the place of the mountain bikers as the prestigious MTN Tour of Legends was born. The Legends Golf & Safari Resort within the 33 000-hectare reserve played host to the inaugural three-day stage race, which was developed exclusively for the cellular network operator’s Prestige clients.
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In true African tradition, the entrancing beat of the drum, flaming torches and voices raised in song welcomed top executives as they passed through the pillars of the great enclosure. The event was the first of its kind worldwide, incorporating five-star luxury accommodation with unfettered riding on game trails in a pristine Big-Five reserve. ‘This is an experience that, up until now, money couldn’t buy; it simply didn’t exist,’ says MTN’s General Manager for Customer Management, Megan Ashman. ‘And even now, you can’t come here and ride this route at any other time, because it crosses private land. It’s an amazing, once-ayear opportunity.’ Ashman says she was first approached by
race organisers Advendurance a year ago and quickly realised that the concept would be a perfect fit for her company, which also sponsors the MTN Qhubeka professional cycling team, the National Marathon Series and races such as the Zoo Lake Criterium in Johannesburg. ‘It’s all good and well sponsoring these events from a brand perspective, but we needed to make cycling come alive for our clients,’ she says. ‘The Tour of Legends is very much about rewarding our loyal customers with an unforgettable experience and getting to know them better.’ According to Ashman, MTN Prestige is an invitation-only programme for around 2 000 individual and corporate customers with a minimum monthly spend of R4 500. Benefits
AN MTN INITIATIVE
[Opposite] A weary rider progresses to the finish against the backdrop of Hanglip Mountain. [Clockwise, from left] Inside the Entabeni Safari Conservancy; veteran mountain biker and corporate executive Andrew Procter explains why mountain biking is the ‘new golf’; technical support and a complimentary bike wash were some of the finer details provided at SA’s first luxury race
include an annual upgrade and access to a concierge programme and airport lounges, as well as priority routing in the call centre. ‘It’s very lifestyle oriented, catering for the busy executive on the move. Time is the most valuable resource for these customers.’ Ashman says her ultimate aim is to create the cellular equivalent of personal banking. ‘Prestige members are price aware, but not necessarily cost-conscious – for them it’s all about the value.’ Value and VIP treatment was certainly what the 250 participating teams and their families received. From the nightly turndown service to the massage and spa treatments, shuttle service and game drives, no detail was overlooked.
Among the many delights was an exclusive starlight performance by singer Jesse Clegg as riders dined in the boma at the Legends Wildlife and Cultural Centre. ‘I’ve done lots of mountain bike events, but not specifically a client-relationship weekend like this. It’s just spectacular,’ raves South African Breweries’ General Manager for Sales and Distribution, Andrew Procter. ‘Corporate golf days are almost out of vogue and mountain biking is taking over; it’s a great way to rub shoulders and network.’ Procter says the sport is becoming increasingly popular across all age groups and also promotes a healthy lifestyle and exercise, which many relationship-building activities do not. ‘A lot of executives are realising that to
have that kind of balance is really important. We operate in very stressful, often sedentary, environments, so I’ve been looking forward to this weekend for a long time.’ A veteran of several gruelling stage races such as the Absa Cape Epic, Procter says the MTN Tour of Legends route is something special because of its proximity to the Big Five. ‘I understand that at one point there were a couple of lions basking in the sun about 50 metres from us.’ The course takes riders past dams and waterholes, across open grasslands, through indigenous forests, over rocky outcrops, up onto the escarpment and along deep ravines. It covers just over 140km in total and is aimed at the intermediate level rider in terms of
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AN MTN INITIATIVE
[Clockwise from above] MTN’s General Manager for Customer Management, Megan Ashman, surveys the set-up for the inaugural MTN Tour of Legends; riders take on the final obstacle, a water crossing, en route to the finish; SA Rugby Legend and former Sharks centre Jeremy Thompson shows he’s still up for a sporting challenge
distance and difficulty. ‘But this is not really about the racing, because you’ve got people of varying degrees of fitness,’ says Procter. ‘It’s more about the participation and being together in good company with friends and colleagues.’ Among the illustrious company were some of the SA Rugby Legends, including former Springbok and Sharks centre Jeremy Thompson. Together with former Boks Justin Swart, Mornay Visser, Marius Hurter and Wayne Fyvie, he was there to create awareness for the various sporting charities they support. ‘This event is unique – it’s more of an adventure than a race. Riding through the
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middle of a game reserve just doesn’t happen, so I feel very privileged. It’s so special to be out here,’ Thompson says. He admits, however, to being slightly nervous too. ‘You’re riding the whole time wondering what’s around the corner, always with the idea that you’re going to see a lion or something. And then you see these huge elephant droppings...’ A keen mountain biker for the past five years, he says it is the ideal pastime for former professional sportsmen whose bodies have taken a lot of hard knocks. ‘Cycling is very easy on your body, especially the knees. Except if you fall, of course. But we
(rugby players) like falling, we’re used to it.’ Unlike Procter, Thompson confesses that the MTN Tour of Legends provides the perfect release mechanism for most sporting and business achievers’ competitive natures. ‘What’s so great about mountain biking is that you can still be competitive in your age category. If you’ve played sport at a high level, it leaves a bit of a hole when you stop and this kind of event secretly fills the void.’
For more information on The Tour of Legends, visit touroflegends.co.za.
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SAvOUr THE MOMEnT ExCLUSIvE OFFEr: r1099* PEr PErSOn SHArInG, PEr nIGHT. Includes: One night stay in a Deluxe Suite for two people including breakfast, a 2 course candlelit dinner for two at Savour restaurant, champagne and chocolate platter on arrival, a romantic turndown, complimentary late check-out and a 15 minute couples massage. *Terms & Conditions Apply. Subject to availability. valid until 30 April 2013
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(Clockwise from top left) Fabrics for sale in a Bukhara market; an Uzbek girl poses in a doorway in Bukhara’s Jewish quarter; Yue Chi leads the Land Rovers out of Khiva; the gold-leafed ceilings of the Tilla-Kari Madrasa, Samarkand; traditional dancing in Bukhara; inside Khiva’s western portal; the vaulted colonnades of the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa, Bukhara
WAYS AND MEANS AAST Adventures offers a unique annual package – to drive the Silk Road. A fully catered and guided self-drive journey from Europe to China, the trip is between April and June, using Land Rovers provided by the company. It’s the trip of a lifetime: three months, 15 countries, 20 000 kilometres and no more than 16 travellers. Most of us can only dream of something as long, but there is the option of flying in to join one of the expedition’s legs. I chose the 18-day, Central Asian section, flying into Turkmenistan and out of Kyrgyzstan.
For bookings, call +1 866 564 1226, email info@aast-journeys.com or visit drivethesilkroad.com.
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TRAVELLER BUCKET LIST
Jewels of the Silk Road
Central Asia lies way off most people’s travel radar. But the southern states of the former USSR do have some bucket-list gems. Perhaps the most compelling of these is the trio of cities at the heart of the old Silk Road. Words and photography JUSTIN FOX
UZBEKISTAN IS THE CRADLE of culture in Central Asia. For the better part of two millennia, camel caravans snaking along the various Silk Roads passed through a triumvirate of wealthy cities beside the Oxus River. Despite the pillaging and destruction by warlords down the ages – from Genghis Khan to Joseph Stalin – these trading cities retain their charm and still work their sultry magic. Since the dissolution of the USSR, the union’s southern states – the Islamic ‘Stan’ countries – have sought to find their political feet and national identities to pin their aspirations to. A fledgling tourism industry is beginning to attract Western travellers with Uzbekistan’s three ancient cities providing the major draw card in the region. But travelling in Central Asia is difficult; the roads are bad, distances long and the languages opaque, so it’s best to go with a tour group. Every year, AAST Adventures, a CanadianSouth African company, offers a self-drive trip in Land Rovers along the Silk Road from Europe to China. The tours are led by an intrepid and indefatigable Chinese woman, Yue Chi, who somehow manages to thread her way through the complexity of border crossings, tetchy police, customs, visas and Byzantine bureaucracy across the length of Asia. Some guests do the whole journey; others fly in for sections. I was most interested in seeing the Silk Road cities and joined the Land Rovers in Turkmenistan, from where we crossed into Uzbekistan. A golden summer’s afternoon found our 4x4s trundling across a plane towards the mudwalled city of Khiva, famous for its slave market and impregnable fortress. I imagined us as part of an ancient camel caravan, having crossed deserts and steppes, endured freezing nights
and attacks by wild tribesmen, to finally reach the towering gates of Khiva. Legend has it that the town was founded when Shem, son of Noah, discovered a well there. Destroyed seven times by invaders, Khiva rose to regional prominence when the Uzbek Shaybanid dynasty made this their capital in the 16th century and it grew into an important slave market. We parked outside the city and entered on foot through the ornate western portal. Here was the magical Ichon-Qala – the inner city – in all its glory. Beside the gate stood the mud-walled Ark, for centuries the fortress and residence of Khiva’s rulers. We wended our way through the throne rooms, harem, barracks and up a flight of stairs to the watchtower. From there you had a gorgeous view of the encircling city walls, the monotoned, mud-plastered warren of houses, bazaars and mosques within. Wandering the cobbled lanes of Khiva is like stepping into the pages of the Arabian Nights: wailing music pours from high windows; a doorway is adorned with a cat basking on a Persian carpet; women tend to their looms in darkened interiors. A camel sagely chews her cud as she watches the world go by; the call to prayer echoes across the roofs. We passed a series of alcoves where slaves were once displayed for sale. ‘Pretty young girls fetched the highest prices,’ titters our guide with a mouthful of gold teeth. The terrible road to the oasis of Bukhara led through the dry wastes of the Kyzyl Kum Desert – filled with molten tar, cavernous potholes and insane truck drivers. For the better part of a day, we travelled at 20 kilometres per hour. Yue admitted it to be ‘the harshest road in Asia’. Bukhara is the region’s holiest city and is crammed with sumptuous Islamic architecture.
As capital of the Samanid dynasty in the 9th and 10th centuries, Bukhara experienced an intellectual and commercial renaissance and rose again for a second flowering in the 16th century. During this golden age, it boasted a vast marketplace with dozens of bazaars and caravanserais, more than 300 mosques and over 100 madrasas (Islamic schools) housing 10 000 students. We spent days exploring the city’s sights, its stately buildings and bustling markets. There are circuitous warrens of multi-domed bazaars that can waylay you for hours. The carpets and embroidery work there are excellent and affordable, as are the jewellery and earthenware, leading to many a hard-bargaining detour. Architecturally, the most striking section of Bukhara is a complex comprising the bluedomed Mir-i-Arab Madrasa, Kalon Mosque and its adjacent minaret. The two towering edifices stare at each other across a square. The mosque can host 10 000 people in one sitting and is a honeycomb of vaulted ceilings and colonnades. Its 12th-century minaret looks like a giant terracotta lighthouse. Indeed, the structure served a double function. Fires were lit in the ‘lantern’ at its summit as a night-time beacon for caravans approaching across the desert. Our second evening found us at a dinnershow in the Nadir Divan-begi, a former madrasa. There was traditional music and dancing by lithe young women. We sat in the courtyard, eating delicious shashlik (lamb kebab), plov (a staple of rice and vegetables) and nan bread. The sound of lutes, fiddles and frame drums dipped and swirled about us as the women danced – sometimes veiled, sometimes in Russian Cossack garb, and then in flowing Indian robes or whirling in dervish mayhem. All
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TRAVELLER BUCKET LIST
[Above] The carved plasterwork of a Khiva Madrasa (nowadays converted into the Hotel Orient Star)
of Asia was there in their dress and movements, and in their genes, for their features seemed a comely blending of the whole continent. We drove east, into the rising sun across the dusty steppe. The lines of James Elroy Flecker’s 1913 poem, ‘The Golden Journey to Samarkand’ echoed in my head: ‘Sweet to ride forth at evening from the wells When shadows pass gigantic on the sand, And softly through the silence beat the bells, Along the Golden Road to Samarkand’. Like Timbuktu or Xanadu, the name Samarkand conjures a place that hovers somewhere between fact and romantic fiction. Its fame reaches back into the mists of time. In 329 BC, Alexander the Great famously exclaimed: ‘Everything I have heard about Samarkand is true, except that it’s more beautiful than I ever imagined!’ This city is the jewel in the crown of the Silk Road. In the 14th century, under the rule of Tamerlane, that ruthless warlord and patron of the arts, it became a shimmering Islamic capital that eclipsed all other Central Asian cities. These days, however, the approach is anything but golden and not a bit romantic. You
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have to endure kilometres of grey, Soviet-style apartment blocks before reaching the old centre. Once there, you can resume your dreaming, as the Registan has been painstakingly restored. This is medieval Samarkand’s commercial centre and is dominated by three madrasas facing off across a square. Their façades are a riot of colourful majolica and azure mosaics that dazzle the eye. It’s best to set aside a whole day to explore these buildings with their gold-leafed interiors, cool courtyards and colourful bazaars. For those with limited time, the other mustsees are the Bibi-Khanym Mosque and nearby mausoleum. The former used to be one of the world’s biggest mosques and, at the time, stretched construction techniques to the limit. Even so, Tamerlane executed the architects for making the portals too low. The mausoleum comprises an avenue of blue-and-green burial buildings with some of the richest tile work in the Islamic world. The inner sanctum is the last resting place of the cousin of the Prophet Mohammed who brought Islam to the region in the seventh century. It is a hauntingly beautiful spot.
It’s sunset on Registan square. A few notes of baksheesh slipped to the friendly policeman gain you access to the tall, leaning minaret. The spiral staircase narrows until your body presses the sides. You squeeze out the top like a cork to find Samarkand laid out in gold at your feet. A sickle moon hangs above snow-capped mountains to the south. Beyond them, Afghanistan and trouble. But here it is all peace. Children play in the square below, dervish music pulses from a ghetto blaster. The air is warm and sultry. Stars begin to prickle above the domes. You stare at the great buildings and marvel at the flowering of learning and science, astronomy and law, which took place in this ancient seat of enlightenment and civilisation. You narrow your eyes to erase the sprawl of the suburbs. Out there in the distance, you see a caravan wending its way towards Samarkand, laden with trade goods. Thick-haired Bactrian camels are straining forward at the prospect of water and rest. And tonight, man and beast will take their ease in this magical place, the most beautiful of all Silk Road cities.
PRIVATE EDITION SOCIAL EVENT
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ATLANTIC APPEAL When extraordinary brands get together at a pristine location, an evening of exceptional networking and lively banter is guaranteed. 1) Decadent treats, courtesy of Godiva 2) Chateau d’Ax’s lavish furniture 3) Mouthwatering fare at The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa 4) Gareth Dewar-Pienaar (Uwe Koetter Jewellers), Richard Schafer (Cape Cobra) 5) Fran Hills and Megan Honeyman (Elizabeth Arden) 6] The answer to younger looking skin 7] Heather Braybrooke (Elizabeth Arden), Les Aupiais (Private Edition) 8] Wendy Hesse (Bytes), Claudine Wright (Bytes), Coleen Daniels (AON) 9] Customised cocktails 10] Reven and Hemlata Naidoo, Sameegha Samaai (Private Edition) 11] Candice Mare (Lew Geffen Sotheby’s), Sam van Zyl (Lew Geffen Sotheby’s), Jo Thomas 12] Cape Cobra bags
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PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIE NEL
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BROUGHT TO YOU IN CONJUNCTION WITH LEW GEFFEN SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY, PREVAGE, CHATEAU D’AX, GODIVA, AON, CAPE COBRA AND THE TWELVE APOSTLES HOTEL AND SPA
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BY THE WAY
Ode to Ferrari First impressions can be lasting. For a young boy with a passion for cars, it was love at first sight.
FERRARI’S 1986 TESTAROSSA – this flamboyant, mid-engined model has become something of a symbol for the flash and wealth of the 1980s. Featured in video games and the TV series Miami Vice, the Testarossa is nonetheless a pure-blooded Ferrari, with a powerful 12-cylinder engine and racetrack-ready suspension
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PASSIONS. WE ALL HAVE THEM. Some like fine food, some like fine houses, some like the fine life. I, too, love all of those, but I have a real passion for Ferraris. Yes, you say, many people love the car, but with me it’s different. Ferrari has gone beyond being a passion to be a part of my life. It was 20 years ago when my dad brought home his boss’s Ferrari 308 GTB. I stood looking in wonder at this piece of automotive art. I’d always had an interest in cars but, from that day, my big passion was Ferrari. I can recall that passenger ride like it was yesterday; from the sound of the engine to the smell of the leather – and that indescribable Ferrari feeling. From that moment, I made it my mission to save my pocket money and buy anything Ferrari-related I could find. Where other children were reading comics, I was reading Enzo Ferrari’s biography. Where other children collected toys, I collected die-cast Ferrari model cars. Reading Enzo’s words gave me not only an understanding of Ferrari, but also an understanding of life. He fought against the odds and created a legend. Along the way he faced huge hardship and obstacles, but he never gave up. To this day, it’s a principle I believe in. Enzo may have left this earth in 1988, but I believe that every single one of the cars that bears his name holds his spirit, and each time I’m lucky enough to climb into a Ferrari, I feel it. The outside worlds matters very little. It’s a world of engine music, astonishing speed, jaw-dropping handling and, of course, the spirit of the man. At 13 years old, I vividly remember standing in the middle of what must have been 50 Ferraris parked at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town (during Ferrari’s 50th anniversary) and I started talking. Within minutes I had a crowd of owners standing around listening to me, nonplussed – and impressed – with my knowledge.
Of course, being a passionate Ferrari enthusiast has its down side. I had to endure much mocking during high school when the F1 team failed to perform. To many of my peers, Ferrari was trivial. One Friday just before my final school dance, a lavish affair where the goal was for everyone to outdo everyone else, I was asked: ‘So, Jacques, what car are you arriving in?’ ‘A Ferrari 355,’ was my reply. This was greeted with much amusement and some derision as surely this quiet, reserved guy was talking a load of rubbish? That Saturday, I arrived at the venue in a red Ferrari 355. Teachers gazed in wonder, jaws hit the ground and a classmate who arrived in a Maserati was more than a little unhappy at being overshadowed. Suddenly, I had a lot of new friends and the hype had a halo effect that lasted the rest of the year. For me, it was just another milestone. In Ferrari culture, there are three letters that are of special significance: ‘GTO’. The original 250 GTO was launched in 1962 and today these models are worth over $25 million. In 2010, when Ferrari launched only the third car ever to wear the 599 GTO letters, I had no idea that later that year I would be going with a friend to collect his, or that I would be part of a GTO convoy of two cars blasting around Cape coastal roads. The sound of the V12 screaming to 8 500 rpm must be the finest mechanical music on the planet. Over the years, there have been many track days, quite a few car collections, many mornings spent at the Ferrari dealer and a considerable list of passenger rides in Ferraris. Would my life be the same without Ferrari? Could I imagine a life without Ferrari? No. It’s what motivates me to succeed, and perhaps one day I will be one of those owners who stand open-mouthed as another 13-year-old boy gives a flawless and passionate summary of Ferrari history.
PHOTOGRAPHY: GALLO IMAGES/GETTYIMAGES
Words JACQUES ROSSOUW
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