NICOLAS ENTREPRENEUR

T& L

Selected Artists & ICons

ISSUE : 14

All Photography by Lawrence James Thomas

NICOLAS MALLEVILLE ENTREPRENEUR AND HIS FAMILY FRANCESCA BONATO LEON SANTOS & FLEUR

Strange fruit movie https://vimeo.com/955858820?share=copy

SHOT AND STYLED BY LAWRENCE JAMES THOMAS

BIO

Born in Cordoba, Argentina, Nicolas Malleville is from a mixed background of Basque French ancestry on his paternal side and Italian ancestry on his mother’s side. As a child, he spent his days outside planting gardens filled with native florals, vegetables, fruits, and herbs. He grew up fully immersed in an organic, rural lifestyle in the Argentinian countryside.

His grandfather worked in the rural Pampas of South America in laboratory that created emulsions and cremes from natural flora to create natural products for daily life and a highly influential person for Malleville in his early years. Fond memories still flood Malleville’s mind from watching his grandfather mix natural creams, holistic medications, medicinal plants, herbs and even colognes in his childhood years. From an early age, he was immersed in the reality of plants, herbs, and botanicals within an authentic laboratory/apothecary setting.

Malleville went on to study agriculture in undergraduate school, before taking on a specialization in Industrial Design and Landscape Architecture. After graduation, Malleville moved to London to work as a freelance Landscape Architect in some of Europe’s most gorgeous and renowned botanical gardens. Shortly after, Malleville was scouted by a top modeling agency and began a new career, though his passion for botanicals always remained strong. During the next decade, Malleville lived between Paris, London, and New York while embarking on his rapidly growing modeling career. During this time, he fostered relationships with some of the top names in the fashion industry—Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, Carine Roitfeld, Anastasia Barbieri, among others. He sat for photographers such as Peter Lindberg, Steven Meisel, Michal Jansson, and Mario Testino. Most significantly, he worked with Tom Ford on campaigns during his final years at Gucci.

While traveling the world as a young model, he first came to French Polynesia in the 90’s.

Malleville had an instant love for the culture, botanicals, and vibrant landscapes that French Polynesia offered. He knew that one day, he would come back to live on these islands. In 2002 while in the height of his career, Malleville moved to the Yucatan Peninsula to merge his passions into a new venture. After years spent traveling the world as a young model, Malleville gained an appreciation for the landscapes and natural botanicals found in such remote areas of the world. In the Yucatan, his first fragrance collection was brought to life conceptually through merging his passions for perfumes, botanicals, architecture, and natural landscapes.

From his years in fashion, Malleville also gained a heightened expertise in the world of design, architecture, and art. Merging that world with his background in botany, his obsession with subtropical and tropical landscapes, and his fascination for travel led Malleville to found Coqui Coqui Perfumes, Residences & Spas in 2003. He first spent yearsexploring the flowers, fruits, herbs and woods native to the Yucatan Peninsula in order to create a fragrance line that captured the local flora, the landscapes, and the history and folklore of the region. On the shores of the Mexican Caribbean Sea, Coqui Coqui was born with a boutique residence and full service spa. There, Malleville created his first line of Yucatan-inspired fragrances for the home and body, with cents such as coconut, mint, lime, and tobacco. Today, this premier fragrance collection is now sold all over the world, alongside the Ilse de la Society collection, which is inspired by the landscapes, flora, and folklore of French Polynesia. The unisex fragrances are designed to complement the surrounding environment, inspired by the mix of nature and folklore which gives Malleville the guidelines for creating each unique bouquet.

Now with spas and fragrance collections in French Polynesia (Ilse de la Société) the French Riviera (Riviera dei Fiori), Argentina (Sierras Pampeanas), and the Yucatan (Yucatan Peninsula) — along with a residence and hotel in the Mayan jungle of Coba — his projects have grown across four of the world’s hemispheres. Alongside his partner, Francesca, and their three children, Leon, Santi, and Fleur, Malleville is living an authentic explorer’s lifestyle.

Malleville currently resides between Mexico, French Polynesia, and France while serving as the creative director of Coqui Coqui, continuing to grow his passions for landscapes, botanicals, local handicraft and arts.

Writing credits Sarah Rowland.

Nicolas's wife Francesca Bonato

‘As I’m older these days, it was important for us to do a project that focussed on character.

Lawrence talked about a story that would be set in the Forties. I love that period. So we started talking about cops and mystery and the American South.’ Paul Sculfor, model, actor and presenter

‘The idea was to shoot in Majorca, but make it double for Louisiana. I spent months trawling around

second-hand clothes shops, picking out Forties and Fifties garments.

I wanted that big-collared white shirt look. The clothes we used were vintage - even the shoes. I styled it myself - it wasn’t styling really, more wardrobe. I do like using old clothes in shoots and films. You can be more creative as it doesn’t matter if you wreck them!’

Lawrence James Thomas photographer and director

We shot the story in Calla San Vincens in Majorca, over a week - stills and video at the same time. The story featured three men and a girl. Paul and I have had experience of acting, but Matt hadn’t done any before. But he came into it and did really well.’ James Farrar, model and actor

The most beautiful way to harness the emotional expression of the places where we live is through our collections of fragrances and objects. All of this is born out of what we’re surrounded by in each place – essentially the botanicals, flavours, textures, and colours of these unique corners of the world. From the beginning, I have always rooted the Coqui Coqui concept in fragrance because of its ability to transcend memory and experience. But the concept also extends to objects that honour the handcraft and traditions of the specific regions where Coqui Coqui operates, which Francesca has brought her Italian artisan background to the production process. For us, the Coqui Coqui lifestyle is best expressed in natural fragrances and beautiful objects resulting in a combination of our shared passions – architecture, travel, fragrance, botany, art.

We will always have places that we call our “home away from home” – the places we return to. Our way of life has led us to navigate the four hemispheres of the world in which our collections exist. We move from place to place according to the seasons, often chasing after eternal springtime, because that’s when the florals and botanicals are in full bloom. In this way, we always have the desire to move within these four hemispheres of the world and to go back to these certain places that we call home.

Coqui Coqui is our interpretation of the explorers’ lifestyle that we have chosen for the last 21 years. Our objective is always to live a life fully immersed within the florals, the landscapes, and folklore of the tropical and subtropical regions that we choose to inhabit. These are the places where we discover the formulas and authentic aromas for our fragrance collections and also where we find inspiration for each of the objects that we design.

In 2006, our story was shared in several major magazines such as Conde Nast Traveler, AD France, W Magazine, and The New York Times. Many journalists were looking for authentic travel experiences at that time, and we started getting more attention through magazines and word of mouth. Having a perfumeria situated in the middle of the Mexican jungle was an unusual concept. We had this idea of wanting to share primitive and decadent luxuries in an unusual space, and we felt drawn to curating the experience for guests to arrive at a perfumeria and spa in the wildest corner of the Yucatan jungle. This was the first place where we began to share the region’s local arts, folklore, landscapes, and our own line of fragrances for the home and body that were inspired by the surrounding botanicals.

The name Coqui Coqui was born by accident when we started approaching the creation of fragrances for the home and body with coconut and monoi oils and coconut perfumes that were reminiscent of the Yucatan region where we began. This was the first fragrance ever made for our collection, and we curated it with two different types of coconuts, so Coqui Coqui felt like the right fit for our brand.

The magic of Coqui Coqui occurs within the transportive nature of fragrance and memory.

WRITING BY SARAH ROWLAND

Tve only done little bits of what you might call acting - nothing serious - for video being shot while we do campaigns. More and more people want video, and want to see you moving, making it look real. I love that approach - I prefer working with movement and where you can show your character a little bit. It’s more natural.’ Matt Trethe, model

COQUI COQUI INTRO --- HOW IT WAS BORN Argentine Nicolas Malleville arrived to the paradisiac shores of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula in 2001, where he fell in love with the culture, the flora, and the natural wild beauty and wonders of the area. As a landscape artist and botanist, he envisioned his life project and decided to build his dream home in the Mexican Caribbean. In 2003, he met Italian-born Francesca Bonato serendipitously, and the two fell in love. With shared interests in architecture, design, and interior decor, the couple built the Coqui Coqui lifestyle brand from scratch together. With longstanding backgrounds in fashion, recognizable names in the industry and friends of the couple began to visit their new home in the Yucatan Peninsula after its completion. Seeking refuge from the busy, fast-paced world of fashion, their guests also quickly fell in love with the breathtaking landscapes and inspired vision and lifestyle that Malleville and Bonato had created in the midst of the Yucatan.

This idyllic sanctuary quickly captured the attention of a multitude of people, as word spread quickly of this naturalistic and beautiful haven. It was evident that Malleville and Bonato had inadvertently tapped into a desirable concept for adventure-pursuing, creative people who were seeking a serene and inspirational break from their chaos-filled city lifestyles. Redefining the concept of luxury, Coqui Coqui’s owners decided to open the doors of their own home so others could also experience this inspiring way of life. This is

Photograph Britney Gill writing Sarah Rowland

COBA

COBA At the heart of one of the most important archaeological sites of the ancient Mayan civilization, Cobá is a small town situated deep within the verdant Mayan jungle. The enigmatic heritage site is home to Coqui Coqui Cobá Papholchac Residence & Spa. Built to resemble its surrounding landscapes, historical wonders, and natural beauty, Coba offers a one-of-akind exclusive hideaway. This alluring place awakens the inner explorer with a true sense of adventure, while serving as a sanctuary for finding peace and serenity. Inspired by the nearby Mayan ruins, the structure arises out of the jungle like a forgotten mirage, displaying some of the most unique architecture in the region, and blending into the natural surroundings and landscapes.

Two symmetrical limestone towers linked by a hanging wooden bridge make up the unique design, each featuring an outdoor plunge pool with private lounge areas. Inside, the interior design of every room has been meticulously curated in Coqui Coqui’s signature style, while capturing the essence of old world travelers from a time long gone. Each suite features safari inspired furniture in earthy tones, a stone bathtub and shower, hanging hammocks for leisurely afternoon sways, antique maps, botanical drawings, archaeological photographs, and an array of carefully selected anthropological books that add to the rugged elegance.

Coqui Coqui Cobá also houses a perfumery, complete with an exclusive collection of perfumes and fragrances. One boutique showcases local hand-craft and arts through Coqui Coqui’s Oficios Artesanos brand, which features handmade clothing, travel and furniture items. Cobá also features a complete spa offering, with outdoor showers, large stone baths, and a beautiful cenote-inspired pool. The spa offers a range of deep tissue massages, organic facials, and fruit scrubs using traditional Mayan techniques that focus on natural homeopathic healing, renewal, and energizing treatments.

Cobá Papholchac is one of the most fascinating and beautiful hideaways. The music of tropical animals, and the balmy breeze carrying fragrances of tropical flora provide the welcoming anthem. It’s a place to embrace the wildness and rustic luxury, and indulge in a transformative experience.

Photograph Britney Gill

Photos Cerruti Draime

TANDYS THOUGHTS I have known Nicolas since he was a young man,I took him to the Sunset Marquis in LA and the Arts hotel in Barcelona amopung many others where I shot him with Lawrence and helped him to shape his fashion future .Nicolas’s hotel in Mexico is enchanting ,magical and beautifully restful ,it takes you on a natural journey where your heart can run with the elements and the aromas of the jungle .H ie now an entrepreneur with perfume houses and hotels and I love that he has a deep connection with nature and he loves the people and his family is delightful.

**A Botanical Symphony at Hanbury Gardens** Nestled on the picturesque promontory of Mortola in Ventimiglia, the Hanbury Botanical Gardens stand as a testament to the profound appreciation of nature’s beauty through the love of plants. Established in 1867 by Sir Thomas Hanbury, this 18-hectare paradise is not merely a garden but a living museum of biodiversity, showcasing over 6,000 species from around the globe.

Walking through these gardens, one is immediately enveloped by a symphony of colors, scents, and textures. Each path winds through terraces where the Mediterranean climate nurtures both exotic and indigenous flora, from the vibrant blooms of cinnabar sage to the ancient, gnarled trunks of olive trees. The gardens are a mosaic of nature’s artistry, where the meticulous design reflects a deep respect for the natural cycles of plant life.

Sir Thomas’s philosophy, “Never go against nature,” resonates through every corner of the Hanbury Gardens. Here, plants are allowed to follow their natural rhythms, creating an environment where beauty is not forced but nurtured.

This approach not only preserves the integrity of the species but also educates visitors on the importance of ecological balance and the subtle beauty of natural processes.

The Hanbury Botanical Gardens are more than a place to admire flora; they are a space where one can reconnect with the earth, appreciate the simplicity and complexity of plant life, and perhaps, rediscover a love for the natural world that is too often overlooked in our daily lives. Whether you’re a botanist, a nature enthusiast, or someone seeking tranquility, the gardens offer a unique opportunity to celebrate the beauty of the natural world through the universal language of plants.

LAWRENCE JAMES THOMAS .PHOTOGRAPHERS THOUGHTS Shooting with Nicolas I found myself to be taking on a deep appreciation for all plant life which quickly spread to everything organic around me including an old dish cloth and people themselves .I found that a surreal element was beginning to arise in my photos a Dalinian quality a deep enlighteng appreciative quality for the beauty that surrounds me ,and even a Warhol view of the world a sixties post hippie fine art mantle for me to hang my pictures on .

A visit with Nicolas and his family goes a long way .

Artists & Icons

Select Model Management Tel: +44 (0) 20 7299 1322 E-mail: men@ selectmodel.com

All Photography by Lawrence James Thomas