Arts & Culture
8 THE GLOSSARY EDIT
The season’s most joyous finds
11 ARTS & CULTURE
London’s must-visit art exhibitions
18 WINDRUSH 75
A celebration of the symbolic 75th anniversary of Windrush
22 GILBERT & GEORGE
The artist duo on their new gallery space in Spitalfields
Style
28 FASHION NOTES
Style updates and the latest feel-good buys
30 POPPY POWER
Poppy Delevingne opens up about her style icons, self-belief & the sisterhood
42 FASHIONING THE FUTURE
Mother of Pearl’s Amy Powney on creating a sustainable brand
Watches & Jewellery
46 WATCH & JEWELLERY NOTES
The glittering launches and most covetable pieces
48 WINGS OF DESIRE
Tiffany & Co.’s dazzling new Bird on a Pearl collection
50 THE ART OF MOVEMENT
The skeleton watches set to impress this season
Beauty & Wellness
54 BEAUTY NOTES
The new cult products and trends to try
56 THE NEW FRONTIER
Alessandra Steinherr investigates the anti-ageing benefits of exosomes
58 LONDON’S LATEST FACIALS
Alessandra Steinherr reviews the new face treatments in the capital
62 SCENTS OF THE SEASON
Fragrances to spritz this summer
If anyone encapsulates the joy of a fresh season, it’s Poppy Delevingne. Charismatic, vivacious and perennially chic, the model-actress-entrepreneur is a burst of sunshine. In an exclusive cover shoot for The Glossary, she talks to Francesca Babb about everything from her love of fashion - that began with a tweenage obsession with the Spice Girls - and why friends and family have her heart to how she’s forging a path in a male-dominated industry with her Prosecco brand Della Vite.
The next few months in London promise to be busy. The Chelsea Flower Show sees SW3 bloom with beautifully-planned gardens and brilliant floral displays at the end of May, and this summer promises a packed cultural calendar. Standout new exhibitions include a retrospective of pioneering photographer Yevonde Middleton, to mark the reopening of the National Portrait Gallery, and the unveiling of architect Lina Ghotmeh’s Serpentine Pavilion. On 22 June, the capital celebrates the 75th anniversary of Windrush Day and in this issue Lisa Anderson, Managing Director of Black Cultural Archives, writes about why it is a symbolic moment in our history.
As always, we tap into the city’s creative energy, speaking to iconic artist duo Gilbert & George about their newly-opened arts centre in Spitalfields, a space designed to form a major part of their legacy and showcase their body of work. And while Mother of Pearl’s Amy Powney reveals why there’s still a way to go in bringing about positive sustainable change within the fashion industry, Caroline Rush CBE, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council, pays tribute to the fearless activist and designer Vivienne Westwood, telling us why the Queen of Punk is her iconic Londoner.
Enjoy the issue.
Charlotte Adsett, Editorial DirectorAmanda Clayton
LEFT TO RIGHT: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Dress £2,390; VIVIENNE WESTWOOD Corset £1,115; LAUNER Adagio Bag, £2,400 FABERGÉ Colours of Love Ring £7,680; GENTLE MONSTER July BL2 Sunglasses, £234; ALEKSANDER SIRADEKIAN Pumps, £662
luciana@theglossarymagazine.com
Alessandra Steinherr
George Willis
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Acne Studios
Blue ripples through the SS23 collections, perfectly complementing the season’s mermaidcore trend. acnestudios.com
Feel uplifted with this season’s most joyful fi nds
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HAPPY FACE
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raising awareness of HIV and AIDS in Ukraine. aspinalo ondon.com
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
22 June - 15 October
Yevonde Middleton - known as Yevonde - was a London-based photographer of portraits and still life who revolutionised colour photography in the 1930s. So how better to mark the reopening of the NPG than with a retrospective of the forwardthinking creative and passionate advocate of women’s rights, with 150 works produced over her 60-year career on display, including a previously unseen photograph of Margaret Sweeny, who later became the Duchess of Argyll. npg.org.uk
V&A MUSEUM
16 September – 25 February 2024
This landmark exhibition is dedicated solely to the work of the pioneering French couturière Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel. Over 200 looks will be seen together for the first time, showcasing the evolution of her iconic design style and the establishment of the House of Chanel. A must-see for lovers of fashion. vam.ac.uk
17 May – 14 July
To commemorate the centenary of Richard Avedon’s birth, Hamiltons has curated a series of images - some iconic, others less well-known - taken by the photographer throughout his 60-year career. Forever pushing the boundaries of portraiture, this exhibition focuses on glamour, a central pillar to Avedon's oeuvre, with subjects ranging from models and actors to political figures and society names, including Ingrid Boulting, Andy Warhol, Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy. hamiltonsgallery.com
THE QUEEN’S GALLERY, BUCKINGHAM PALACE
Until 8 October
An exploration into life in the 18th century, presented through the fashions of the day. Works from the Royal Collection, including paintings, prints and drawings by artists such as Gainsborough, Zoffany and Hogarth, are shown alongside rare examples of clothing and accessories from the era to build a fascinating insight into Georgian society. rct.uk
GARDEN MUSEUM
Until 4 June
During the interwar period in Britain, many artists sought solace in their gardens, retreating to these private sanctuaries to plant and paint. This beautifully presented exhibition looks at how the creatives of the era - Charles Mahoney, Evelyn Dunbar, Eric Ravilious et al - depicted everything from their greenhouses to favoured plant specimens, with many also delighting in painting more public green spaces such as secret courtyards and parks. gardenmuseum.org.uk
THE NATIONAL GALLERY
Until 10 September
As a founding member of the circle of painters in Paris who became known as the Impressionists, Berthe Morisot was a trailblazer. Her paintings - which give glimpses into everyday life in the 19th century - featured prominently in exhibitions at the time, defying the social norms. Around 30 of Morisot’s masterpieces have been collated, displayed alongside artwork by Reynolds, Gainsborough and Fragonard to help highlight the originality and the inspiration behind her artistic vision. dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk
Until 13 August
The decades between 1880 and the First World War were ones of instability, but they were also a time of artistic innovation. At the forefront, of course, were Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin. This blockbuster brings together iconic works by these artistic greats to celebrate not just their achievements, but also the influence they had on the generations of artists that followed.
nationalgallery.org.uk
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Charles Mahoney, Autumn (1951); Albert de Belleroche (1864-1944), The Artist's Garden; Gilbert Spencer (1892-1979), The Balcony c.1928; Evelyn Dunbar (1906-1960), Conservatory at the Cedars
DESIGN MUSEUM
Until 30 July
Ai WeiWei’s very first exhibition to focus on design and architecture certainly lives up to expectation. Featuring new and never-before-seen pieces, the show centres around five major site-specific installations, aka ‘fields’, containing hundreds of thousands of objects including Stone Age tools and Lego bricks, all collected by the multidisciplinary artist since the 1990s. A fascinating insight into the different forms of making through the ages and the evolution of craftsmanship. designmuseum.org
DESIGN MUSEUM
19 May - 17 September
This exhibition unravels the role of the sari and its manifold definitions of India today. Over 90 saris will be on display including the first-ever one worn to the Met Gala and Tarun Tahiliani’s design for Lady Gaga. Through their textures, weaves and colours, all tell the story of how the sari is an expression of identity and resistance, as well as showcasing how this ubiquitous item of clothing has had a 21st-century overhaul. designmuseum.org
TATE BRITAIN
Until 20 August
London-born artist Isaac Julien is renowned for breaking down the barriers between different artistic disciplines - film, dance, photography, music, theatre, painting, sculptureand using them to construct his own visual narratives through his lyrical films and video art installations. Tate Britain presents a unique overview of Julien’s work, including his groundbreaking early films and immersive videos to the kaleidoscopic, sculptural multi-screen installations for which he is so renowned today. tate.org.uk
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The Quilted Sari, HUEMN Fall 17 Collection, 2017. HUEMN. Photography: Pankaj Dahalia. Model: Rachi Chitakara; Folia Saree, Other collection, 2021. Raw Mango. Photography: Amlanjyoti Bora; Holidaze, 2020. Norblack Norwhite. Photography: Bikramjit Bose
Until 10 September
Fashion fans will want to visit this major survey of designer Ashish Gupta where over 60 designs will be on display, created by his eponymous London-based fashion label over the past two decades. Known for making clothes that are at once glamorous and joyful, many exquisitely hand-embroidered in sequins and beads, Ashish has been worn by everyone from Beyonce and Rihanna to Debbie Harry. wmgallery.org.uk
Until 24 September
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the Rossettis - Dante Gabriel, his sister Christina and his wife Elizabeth (neé Siddal) Spanning the Pre-Raphaelite years and beyond, over 150 paintings and drawings have been brought togetherin what is the largest exhibition of Dante Gabriel’s work in two decades and the first full retrospective of Elizabeth Siddal for 30 years - to portray their unique approach to life, love and art. tate.org.uk
Until 18 June
Drawing its name from the work of the writer and activist Langston Hughes, this standout exhibition brings together 70 works created over the last century by Black artists from the American South. Working in near isolation from established practices, the pieces were made from local materials - clay, dri wood, roots, recycled objects - to express America’s painful past including enslavement, segregationist policies and institutionalised racism. royalacademy.org.uk
Until 11 June
LEFT: Quinten Massys, An Old Woman ('The Ugly Duchess'), about 1513. RIGHT: Quinten Massys, An Old Man, about 1513
TATE MODERN
Until 3 September
Though they never met, Hilma af Klint and Piet Mondrian had much in common, sharing a deep connection to the natural world and a desire to understand the forces behind life on earth. This exhibition presents the artists in close dialogue with around 250 works on display, including paintings, drawings and archival materials. tate.org.uk
THE WALLACE COLLECTION
Until 25 June
It’s no secret Queen Elizabeth II was a fan of Pembroke Welsh corgis, owning over 30 of them during her reign. This one-room display celebrates the connection, with a series of images that capture Her Majesty’s love of the breed. These include a photo of the 18-year-old Princess Elizabeth with her new puppy Susan and another from 1969 which shows the Queen with four corgis in tow, returning from Balmoral to London in order to meet the astronauts of Apollo 11 at Buckingham Palace. wallacecollection.org
On the cusp of spring 1948, HMT (His Majesty’s Transport) Empire Windrush - a former German naval warship turned British troopship - was on its way home from Australia via the Atlantic, docking in Kingston, Jamaica, to pick up British servicemen on leave. With more space on board than expected and, presumably, a desire to maximise earnings, the ship’s management placed an impromptu advert in The Daily Gleaner (a Jamaican newspaper) offering relatively cheap passage to anybody who wanted to travel to the United Kingdom. Demand soon outstripped supply and by the time of its arrival at Tilbury Docks in Essex on 22 June, 802 colonial citizens from across the Caribbean were ready to disembark for a new life, with 492 intending to exercise their rights as British subjects to work and live in the UK.
A pivotal piece of legislation cementing this right was being argued in Parliament during their journey. The British Nationality Act 1948, giving the status of citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies to all British subjects connected
Empire Windrush packed with West Indian immigrants on arrival at the Port of Tilbury on the River Thames on 22 June 1948. Contraband Collection/Alamy Stock Photo Jamaican immigrants welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after Empire Windrush arrived on 22 June 1948.with the United Kingdom or a British colony, came into law later that year.
Their decision to leave everything they knew of home was inextricably linked to the legacy of Britain’s colonial exploits in the Caribbean and the devastating economic aftermath of the Second World War at home. The ‘motherland’ desperately needed workers and this was widely known. Most who travelled assumed they would be welcomed into the imperial family fold to support the post-war rebuilding effort.
However, despite these noble intentions, the arrival of so many Black migrants was unexpected and largely unwanted. George Isaacs, the Minister of Labour, stated that there would be no encouragement for others to follow. Yet, others did follow. And although many only intended to stay for a few years, the majority would go on to settle permanently.
Between 1948 and 1952, between 1,000 and 2,000 people entered Britain each year. By 1961, according to the national population census, the number of people living in England and Wales who were born in the Caribbean was just over 161,000: 90,000 men and just over 71,000 women. Those who migrated during this time would come to be known as the Windrush generation, and it would come to be recognised as the most significant population change to contribute to the creation of multicultural post-war Britain.
‘Sons of the Empire’ disembark the Empire Windrush, Port of Tilbury, 22 June 1948. Courtesy TopFoto and Autograph, London
This contribution has touched every part of British society over the past 75 years. Be it manufacturing and construction or the development of services like public transport, the National Health Service and the Royal Mail - it’s impossible to think of how Britain would have recovered from the war without their work. Sadly, their service was widely marred by everyday racism in various aspects of life, whether through the schooling system, where many young Black children were labelled educationally subnormal throughout the 1960s and 70s, or experiences of policing, such as in the disproportionate use of sus laws to target and often abuse young Black men.
Despite these challenges, many of which remain in different forms today, the descendants of this generation have also gone on to help define Black British culture and the expansion of the British identity as a possibility. Examples such as Sir Lenny Henry, the artist Steve McQueen or the MP David Lammy all owe their success to the pioneering spirit of the Windrush generation. And in the areas where these populations settled such as Notting Hill, where Europe’s largest street carnival began, or Brixton in Lambeth, which is home to the highest number of Jamaican descendants, the influence on the markers of societyfood, language, music, style and civil society at large - was undeniable.
So it made sense that, in 1998, an area of public open space in Brixton was renamed Windrush Square, to finally commemorate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of Empire Windrush’s Caribbean passengers. And 16 years later, the oldest and only national heritage centre dedicated to collecting, preserving and celebrating the history of African and Caribbean people, Black Cultural Archives, would open its doors with a new headquarters at 1 Windrush Square.
When news of the Windrush scandal broke in 2018, which saw thousands from this generation have their entitlement to live in the UK denied
after years of dedicated contribution, it was at Black Cultural Archives that a pivotal community meeting was held, which resulted in the pioneering provision of free legal surgeries for people affected by the scandal.
As we approach the anniversary of Windrush’s arrival, the scandal sadly continues to rumble on. So while we celebrate the incredible impact the Windrush generation has had on society, we must also continue to fight for justice, lest their contributions to the fabric of Britain as one of the most successfully tolerant, ethnically diverse societies have been in vain.
blackculturalarchives.org; windrush75.org
“The Windrush generation would come to be recognised as the most significantpopulation change to contribute to the creation of multicultural post-war Britaina contribution that has touched every part of British society”A mother and her children arriving on Empire Windrush, Port of Tilbury, 22 June 1948. Courtesy TopFoto and Autograph, London
24 June
A free family festival focusing on celebrating 75 years since the Empire Windrush’s arrival in Britain. Expect a ‘music jam’ by musicians and spoken word artists, history brought to life by performers, calypso dancing, creative workshops, domino matches with the Caribbean Social Forum, as well as the opportunity to explore family connections, reminisce workshops and a free talks programme. rmg.co.uk
Until 16 July
The Migration Museum is displaying a new installation by Evewright exploring the multidisciplinary artist’s own perspectives on growing up in Lewisham, while also reflecting on the places and people of the area’s past and present that have shaped his life. The work complements Evewright’s site-specific art and sound installation Tilbury Bridge Walkway of Memories on the walkway used by passengers when they disembarked from the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Port on 22 June 1948. migrationmuseum.org
A series of events and exhibitions across London marks the 75th anniversary of Windrush
Until September
In 2020, the visual arts charity Autograph acquired a portfolio of 37 photographs from the TopFoto archives, all of which captured the journey of the Windrush generation - before, during and after arriving in the UK. Many of these images can now be seen for the first time in a free outdoor public display on the side of the charity’s gallery in Rivington Place, EC2, as well as online. autograph.org.uk
BUSH THEATRE
Until 10 June
Written and performed by Lenny Henry, this play is an insight into the lives of those impacted by the Windrush scandal. It centres around August Henderson who, thanks to his three kids, devoted wife-to-be and part-ownership of a fruit and veg shop, is content with the life he’s built since arriving in West Bromwich. So when he’s threatened with deportation, to a country he has no memory of, he isn’t prepared to go quietly. bushtheatre.co.uk
On a cobbled street in east London, nestled between The Pride of Spitalfields pub and a row of unassuming Victorian houses, a theatrical pair of green, wrought-iron gates bear the initials G & G. At the top C III R, the sovereign's monogram, glimmers in gold. This is the pleasingly eccentric entrance to the new Gilbert & George Centre, a museum dedicated to the work of Britain’s best-known artistic duo. Gilbert Prousch and George Passmore, now 79 and 81 respectively, have been working together since the 1960s, casting themselves on the world stage as a single artistic entity, a living work of art. They married in 2008. It was, they say, love at first sight. The centre, which opened on 1 April, is on Heneage Street, just off Brick Lane, a two-minute walk from Gilbert and George’s restored Georgian home and studio on Fournier Street. The couple hope this new space will form a major part of their legacy, with one or two exhibitions per year showcasing their creations. “We always wanted to do an art for all,” Gilbert exclusively tells The Glossary. “Now everyone can have a look at it, if they want to.” In keeping with this spirit, the centre, which is funded by the couple and registered as a charity, will be free to visit.
With the opening of the new Gilbert & George Centre in Spitalfields, the innovative art duo tell us why they’ve launched a free gallery space in east London
EMILY SPICER
George Passmore (left) & Gilbert Prousch at the gates to The Gilbert & George Centre. Photography: Yu Yigang © Gilbert & George / Courtesy The Gilbert & George Centre
It is housed in a former brewery dating to the 1820s, a time when the surrounding area was a multicultural hub of industry. This is where the city’s tanners, textile dyers, brewers and metalworkers were based, away from the more genteel world of the upper classes. “The poverty of the area was recorded in the writings of Dickens and Defoe,” says the project’s architect, Manuel Irsara. “Gilbert and George have always been nonconformists, in a similar manner to the revolutionaries who based themselves here in the 17th and 18th century. The centre is a fitting continuation of that spirit.”
In fact, just a few streets away sits the nonconformist burial ground of Bunhill Fields, the final resting place of radicals and freethinkers. William Blake,
a particular favourite of Gilbert and George, is buried here. How do they feel about this historic corner of London, which has been their home for more than half a century? “We believe it’s the centre of the universe,” George tells us. “We live on Fournier Street, which is French, not British, built on a Roman cemetery. The next street celebrates the name of John Wilkes, who invented the free press. What a clever thing to do. Extraordinary.”
The centre itself is accessed via a leafy courtyard where a small free-standing film room offers an introduction to Gilbert and George’s work. The main reception is a cosy space boasting many of the brewery’s original features, such as the riveted iron columns that support the low, beamed ceiling. In a nod to the couple’s Georgian home, the building includes high-end detailing such as oak flooring, bronze handrails and brass worktops. The spacious ground-floor gallery is lit with inset panels, which act like artificial skylights. The first floor provides a second exhibition space with an elegant vaulted ceiling that honours the building’s industrial past. During construction, a basement was excavated beneath the centre to house a third gallery and to provide space for the huge amount of art that will be stored behind the scenes.
“We always wanted to do an art for all. Now everyone can have a look at it, if they want to”
Gilbert Prousch
The centre’s inaugural show is titled The Paradisical Pictures. In these images, the artists’ faces are jumbled with rotting leaves and psychedelic flowers. In some works, noses, eyes and mouths are digitally collaged onto date stones, like nightmarish incarnations of Mr Potato Head. What does it all mean? “We’ve started The Gilbert & George Centre with the Paradisical Pictures,” George says. “Most people think of paradise as the after-party, so we’ve reversed it. The pictures are here to address the people who believe in the afterlife and they also talk to the people who don’t believe in the afterlife.”
Surely this is a strange vision of paradise?
“It’s about human thought,” George explains. “We’re not such damn silly people as to believe there’s such a place as paradise, but we’re discussing what people think, or don’t think, about it.” It is as though Gilbert and George have created in these images a vision of Eden. The decaying plant life is vibrantly coloured, as though receiving a second chance at life. The artists are the seeds, the figs,
the flowers, the agents of their own rebirth and immortality. One gets the sense that while Gilbert and George are touching on wider ideas of the afterlife, they are actually communicating a very personal perspective. “It is the inner feeling of a vision,” Gilbert says. “It could be paradise now, here, in some way.” If the couple were to enter an afterlife of their own design, what would
it look like? “I think walking up and down Brick Lane, George?”
Gilbert replies with a wry smile. Then off to their favourite Turkish restaurant in the evening, George says.
Running concurrently to the opening of the The Gilbert & George Centre is The Corpsing Pictures at White Cube Mason’s Yard, which can be viewed until 20 May. The show presents images of the two artists lying side by side in various arrangements, among scattered bones and knotted twine. The theme is one of togetherness, of a love carried to the grave. If the east London exhibition explores the afterlife, then this is surely the corporeal prelude. But do they feel the end is near? When asked what drives their work, Gilbert exclaims, “Expressing ourselves, being alive! That’s what an artist does.” It seems that while the afterlife is very much on their minds, they have no intention of taking their final bows just yet.
5a Heneage Street, Spitalfields, E1 gilbertandgeorgecentre.org
“We live on Fournier Street, which is French, not British, built on a Roman cemetery. The next street celebrates the name of John Wilkes, who invented the free press. What a clever thing to do.
George Passmore
With its slouchy silhouette, leather braiding and tassels, the Penelope bag is classic Chloé, perfectly encapsulating the French fashion house’s bohemian aesthetic. Inspired by and named after Penelope from Homer’s Odyssey, the tote also reflects the brand’s strong commitment to sustainability, with over 90% of the leather used in its SS23 collection coming from Leather Working Group certified sources. chloe.com
Say farewell to micro minimalist shades this summer - statement sunglasses are back and how. See the world through rose-tinted glasses with these eye catching crystalencrusted, heart-shaped, black-and-pink Gucci frames. Just add sunshine. £705; gucci.com
Modelled by emerging actor and animal lover Madelyn Cline, Stella McCartney’s SS23 collection was inspired by ‘Change the History’, an activist slogan by Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara. As ever, the designer’s ready-to-wear edit is innovative in its nature-positivity, this season crafted using 91% responsible materials including regenerative cotton. stellamccartney.com
Bottega Veneta creative director Matthieu Blazy’s new Andiamo tote has fast become the must-have bag of the year. With its soft, tailored silhouette, understated colour palette and timeless, expertly-crafted ‘intrecciato’ weave, a signature of the house, it perfectly encapsulates the current quiet luxury mood. No wonder there’s a waiting list. £3,500; bottegaveneta.com
The former c0-artistic director at Dior, Serge Ruffieux, has set up his own accessories brand, 13 09 SR, and it’s on every fashion editor’s wish list. The designer’s trademark is his flat pointed pumps. Embellished with crystals and ribbons and handcrafted from deadstock fabrics and recycled materials, they look like works of art. From £650; 1309sr.com
Compiled by CHARLOTTE ADSETT
Central Saint Martins graduate Nensi Dojaka has made a name for herself with her lingerie-inspired designs and now she’s brought her barely-there creations to a bridal line. Launching exclusively at Mytheresa, the capsule features 24 wedding pieces designed for the most daring of brides. Looks include figure-hugging cutout wedding dresses with Dojaka’s signature lingerie detailingsuch as spaghetti straps and layers of sheer fabric - as well as sequined evening gowns, bodycon minidresses and chic corset-and-trouser sets. mytheresa.com
Loewe’s anthurium has been hailed as the fashion flower of the summer, with the tropical bloom adorning almost every piece in its SS23 collection, whether wrapped across dresses, as a hyper-realistic corsage or adorning sandals. With its popart, glossy, plastic-like petals and suggestive sculptural shape almost at odds with nature, it’s little wonder horticulture has gone haute this season. loewe.com
Selfridges has launched ‘Worn Again’ as part of its wider ‘Reselfridges’ initiative, a summer of popups and activities encouraging customers to shop secondhand fashion and furniture, as well as bring in pieces to swap, upcycle and customise in-store. Running until August, highlights include a creative ‘atelier’ service from the pioneering design label Marine Serre at the Selfridges Corner Shop; a car boot sale hosted by Alex Eagle ( 20 May) ; and Coachtopia, a pop-up from Coach focused on circular craft (until 21 May), with further events to be announced. selfridges.com
She’s a style influencer and successful model, actor and whip-smart entrepreneur. The unstoppable Poppy Delevingne talks to Francesca Babb about her sisters, self-care and what she’s got planned next
Photography MATT EASTON Styling KAREN CLARKSON
MIU MIU Jersey T-Shirt, £580; Jersey Embroidered Skirt, £4,200; Cedro Boots, £1,550, miumiu.com
TIFFANY Link Earrings, £5,950; (On right hand) Lock Bangle in Yellow Gold with Diamond Accents, £9,300 Lock Bangle in White Gold with Full Pavé Diamonds, £33,500; Lock Bangle in Yellow Gold, £6,425 (On left hand) Knot Double Row Hinged Bangle in Yellow Gold with Diamonds, £22,300; tiffany.com
ARMANI BEAUTY Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, £37 Luminous Silk Foundation, £45; Luminous Silk Concealer, £37 Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow in 18M - Beige, £30 Eyes To Kill Stellar Mascara in Black, £32 Lip Power Lipstick in 113, £35; armanibeauty.co.uk
ust over a week ago, Poppy Delevingne came to the crashing realisation that she needed to take a break. After a hectic year of non-stop work - acting, running a business, modelling, to name but a few of her many hyphenatesshe had finally hit a wall. So she got out the Smythson diary she swears by, crossed through and rearranged anything important in her schedule, skipped her usual spot at Vanity Fair’s Oscar party (which featured Della Vite, the brand of prosecco that she co-founded with her sisters Chloe and Cara, as its pour of choice) and got on a plane to the Bahamas to “float in the sea, eat lobster quesadillas, drink pina coladas” and find some calm. And yet, five days into her weeklong trip with friends, she finds herself on the phone to me, talking about… work.
“I know!” she laughs, uproariously, in her disarmingly charming way. “This is the point. I can never really say no. I’m someone who gets a real kick out of being busy, so much so that I ran myself into the ground. In the weeks running up to this trip, I wasn’t getting more than four hours sleep a night. By the time I got out here, my eye bags were deep and huge, like icebergs, you could have sailed the seas on them. I needed to step out and recharge so I can feel like I’m back in my power.”
It would be easy to dismiss Poppy, 36, as a child of privilege. Her father, Charles, is a property magnate; her mother, Pandora, an 80s socialite turned personal shopper (whose heroin addiction and bipolar disorder framed much of the girls’ childhoods); her late maternal grandfather, Sir Jocelyn Stevens, owned and published Queen magazine (which went on to become Harper’s Bazaar), and her late grandmother, Janie Sheffield, was a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret. She’s privately educated and friends with royalty, so yes, there is no real avoiding that she is a child of privilege (if you count having to grow up witnessing your mother battle addiction as privilege, I suppose), but listening to her talk, there is also no avoiding that everything she has achieved in her multifaceted career, she has fought her damn hardest to make work.
“When we were teenagers, we always had this mad idea that we wanted to do business together,” she tells me of her sisters, supermodel Cara, 30, and Chloe, 37, co-founder of women’s cancer organisation Lady Garden (the sisters also have an older paternal halfbrother, Alexander). “We just didn’t know exactly what. And then one night, one of my best friends said to us, ‘Whenever I see you, you’re always either drinking prosecco or talking about prosecco. How about a prosecco brand?’ We all thought, ‘My God, we are really good at that!’ It’s always been part of our family life, there in the good moments, celebrating exam results, and the bad moments, breaking up with someone.”
Poppy’s not being flippant when she says that the sisters really are good at prosecco. Della Vite was developed meticulously over two years, and launched in 2020. It is vegan, sustainably made in a solar-powered winery, and stocked everywhere, garnering rave reviews and multiple accolades. It’s a smart move, delving into the prosecco business, when the UK alone consumes 131 million bottles of the stuff each year, just behind the US at 134 million. They are, of course, not the first celebrities to go into wine production, there’s Kylie’s brand of rosé, Jay Z’s Ace of Spades champagne - even Gary Barlow and Graham Norton are in on the game. But it’s not just the sisters’ name that is being used to back this venture. All three of them are deeply involved in the business side of Della Vite.
“I have to wear something that makes me smile because then I’m confident and I can end up dancing on the table, which is how I always want my night to end "
BULGARI Serpenti Earrings in 18kt White Gold, set with Pavé Diamonds, £49,000; bulgari.com
ARMANI BEAUTY Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, £37 Luminous Silk Foundation, £45; Luminous Silk Concealer, £37 Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow in 12 - Gold Ashes and 99M - Ebony, £30 each Eyes To Kill Stellar Mascara in Black, £32 Lip Power Lipstick 108 - In Love, £35; armanibeauty.co.uk
STELLA MCCARTNEY Diamanté Lace Bodysuit, £2,900 Stella Fishnet Heels, £695; stellamccartney.com
BULGARI (on left hand) Divas' Dream Ring in 18kt Rose Gold, set with a Central Pink Sapphire and Pavé Diamonds, £10,300 (On right hand) Serpenti Seduttori 18kt Rose Gold Double Head Ring set with Rubellite Eyes and Pavé Diamonds; £9,450; bulgari.com
ARMANI BEAUTY Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, £37 Luminous Silk Foundation, £45; Luminous Silk Concealer, £37 Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow in 12 - Gold Ashes, £30 Eyes To Kill Stellar Mascara in Black, £32 Lip Power Lipstick in 113, £35; armanibeauty.co.uk
“It felt like there was a gap in the market within prosecco,” Poppy says. “There were so many terrible ones out there, which did not represent the category at all, so off we went to Valdobbiadene and we found a winery that shared all our values on quality and sustainability, and that was that. The more I throw myself into it, the more I get out of it and I don’t think that we should stop at prosecco. I’d love to branch into homeware. Glassware sends me into a fit of excitement these days. Alice Naylor-Leyland is one of my best friends in the world, and she runs [interiors brand] Mrs. Alice - I’ll say to her, ‘Oh my God, I need that new bamboo rattan piece’, and she’s like, ‘Jesus. What happened to us? Why aren’t we still 20 and talking about going out?’”
Poppy says her family refer to her as “the connector” in their unit, making plans and keeping everyone in touch. I suspect connecting is her role in business too. She talks about the first Vanity Fair party that Della Vite was involved with in 2022 when she would “drive everybody mad”, dragging celebrities over to the bar to have their picture taken with a bottle. It’s quite the visual, the three Delevingne sisters in a meeting room, charming, cajoling and quietly defying expectations. A female-led brand taking over in a predominantly male industry? Well, that’s a challenge that’s right up their street.
“It is such a male-led industry, but we’re going to try and change that,” she says. “We’re speaking up for the ladies - if you have the three of us in the room, you don’t get a word in edgeways. I’ve always enjoyed making myself scared. I’m a Taurus, so by nature I like to be home and cosy, but I have a little bit of Leo rising in me, so there is also this other element that loves nothing more than putting myself on the line.”
It was a lack of fear, in fact, towards the latter years of her modelling career that led to her seeking out a place in the acting world. Ever since being spotted aged 15 by Storm models founder (and Kate Moss discoverer) Sarah Doukas at Cara’s school speech day, Poppy hit the ground running. She’s done campaigns for Roger Vivier, Chopard, Aquazzura, Burberry, been on every front row (Michael Kors in New York, Miu Miu in Paris, Christopher Kane in London to name but a few of her AW23 excursions), partnered with brands like Fendi and Etro as an influencer and covered a multitude of magazine covers.
“But modelling had started to feel too cosy,” she explains. “I’d say, ‘OK, one more year living in New York modelling and then I’ll go into acting’, and suddenly I was 28 and I’d been doing it for 10 years.” Did she enjoy it? “I loved the people I met, the clothes I got to wear, the places I got to travel to. I worked really hard at it, but it never felt like it was what I was meant to do, it didn’t feel like home in the way that acting does.”
That’s not to say she doesn’t love fashion, she really does. Her style awakening came in her tweenage years, thanks to a Spice Girls obsession, when she admits she went full Geri. She had the Union Jack dress and even dyed her then dog Molly’s beard ginger. “The Spice Girls were a revelation for me. They were the biggest girl band on the planet and got me thinking - what do I want to wear, how do I want to make an impression? It was girl power.”
These days, rather than the Spice Girls inspiring her, it’s Miu Miu and Prada (made even better by her friendship with Miuccia Prada - “one of my ultimate icons”), Giambattista Valli if she needs “something phenomenal”, Christopher Kane, Erdem, the list goes on.
“I’ve never been anyone that’s studied trends,” she says. “I’ve always just worn things that make me intrinsically happy. One day I’ll want to be Jacqueline Bisset, the next day, Twiggy, the next Zendaya. I dress to suit my mood. I love brands like Reformation or Réalisation, dresses that you
“Family is everything for me. If any of us go through a tough time, we all feel it. All I can say is that there is not a day that goes by where I’m not endlessly proud of Cara… She has a huge part of my heart, as do my older sister, and older brother, too"
can layer on with anything and everything. And I love vintage, I bought an amazing vintage Rick Owens dress the other day. I have to wear something that makes me smile because then I’m confident and I can end up dancing on the table, which is how I always want my night to end.” Indeed, if she had to pick one favourite fashion era, it would be the 90s with its simple slip dresses, slicked-back hair and minimum make-up, á la Kate Moss or the late Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. “I devour Carolyn’s style.”
Going from being a model to an actress was neither an easy nor a quick transition for Poppy. She made her acting debut in Perfect, a short film alongside Tom Hardy and Gemma Arterton in 2009, but it wasn’t until 2017 that she got a proper break, starring in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and Kingsman: The Golden Circle back to back.
“Initially, when I started acting, I thought it would go hand-in-hand with modelling - boy, was I wrong,” she says. “I had to put so much work and energy into getting my foot in the door and to be taken seriously by casting directors, directors and producers. It took so much perseverance to get there. I had some awful auditions, but there was always this part of me, keeping me up at night going, ‘No, you can do this and you are good at it, so you’ve got to keep pushing yourself.’”
Her biggest role so far came in Sky’s Riviera, in which she played Daphne Eltham from 2019 to 2020, with Juliet Stevenson as her mother - “watching her was the biggest acting masterclass.” Next up is The Chelsea Cowboy, which she filmed last summer and is due out later this year. The biopic is set in the 1960s and tells the story of actor/gangster John Bindon (played by Alex Pettyfer), with Poppy as Bindon’s girlfriend, Victoria Hodge. Then, in a couple of months, she’s heading to Tennessee to start filming on The Gun on Second Street which, other than the title and the location, she’s pretty much sworn to secrecy on. “It’s a role that I have never done before - multifaceted and gritty and I’m really excited about it.”
Poppy quite likes that the roles aren’t back to back. Firstly, it gives her the opportunity to be truly involved with Della Vite, secondly, it gives her time to regroup in between shoots. “Liv Tyler is a wonderful friend of mine and she’s great at advice,” she says. “She’s always talked about giving yourself time to decompress and ask yourself who you are. You put so much into filming and when it’s finished, there’s this moment you wake up and all these people that you’ve been with every single day, who have become like your family and this character you’ve built, suddenly it’s all gone. You have to grieve that process.”
She’s much better at allowing herself the notion of time and space these days. In her twenties, she describes herself as a “pocket rocket”, never being in a city for more than a couple of days before heading off again. “I’m proud of my work ethic, that I love working hard,” she says. “But a lot of my thirties have been about building up relationships with healers and working on self-care. I could never really stop my brain, or calm down, in my twenties. I didn’t feel like I was in control. Then I met Fiona Arrigo, who is a healer, therapist and mentor and she changed my life. I used to run myself ragged, not necessarily for myself, but a lot of the time for other people. She taught me about setting boundaries, and the power of saying no. I couldn’t have done my thirties without her. I’ve learned how to be present, focused and empowered. I also discovered yoga in lockdown - I literally never did any exercise and now I’m ten times stronger than I was in my twenties.”
“I’ve always just worn things that make me intrinsically happy. One day I’ll want to be Jacqueline Bisset, the next day, Twiggy, the next Zendaya. I dress to suit my mood "
EMILIO PUCCI Vintage 1960s Tights; foundandvision.com
TIFFANY Link Earrings, £5,950; Knot Double Row Hinged Bangle in Yellow Gold with Diamonds, £22,300; tiffany.com
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BALMAIN Leather Cut Out Dress, £7,905; balmain.com
TIFFANY (On left hand) Lock Bangle in Yellow Gold with Diamond Accents, £9,300; (On right hand) Knot Double Row Hinged Bangle in Yellow Gold with Diamonds, £22,300; tiffany.com
ARMANI BEAUTY Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, £37 Luminous Silk Foundation, £45; Luminous Silk Concealer, £37 Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow in 12 - Gold Ashes, £30 Eyes To Kill Stellar Mascara in Black, £32 Lip Power Lipstick in 113, £35; armanibeauty.co.uk
PACO RABANNE Vintage Chainmail Dress; foundandvision.com
TIFFANY Lock Bangle in White Gold with Full Pavé Diamonds, £33,500; tiffany.com
ARMANI BEAUTY Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, £37 Luminous Silk Foundation, £45; Luminous Silk Concealer, £37 Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow in Matte Beige, £30 Eyes To Kill Classico Mascara in Black, £32 Lip Power in 104 - Selfless, £35; armanibeauty.co.uk
She also swears by Shane Cooper for facials (whose endless client list includes Phoebe Dynevor, Lily Allen and Maya Jama), Sarah Bradden for acupuncture and Sienna Miller’s favourite, Jessica Appleby, for reflexology - “all people who set me straight when I come back from travelling.”
It’s hard to have this conversation about self-care without immediately thinking of Poppy’s younger sister, Cara, whose own battles with mental health and addiction have been so documented lately. “Family is everything for me,” she says, when I bring her sister into the conversation. “If any of us go through a tough time, we all feel it. All I can say is that there is not a day that goes by where I’m not endlessly proud of her.
“I saw pictures of her at the Oscars, and I was just so overwhelmed and so proud of her and her journey. I replayed the video of her presenting about 17 times like a crazed person thinking, how did I hold this person in my arms when she was born? How did this little creature that came out looking like a potato end up here, with these bright, fiery eyes and blooming skin, this confidence and power? She has a huge part of my heart, as do my older sister, and older brother, too.”
The sister role seems to be one she plays in friendships too. Her friendship group is ever expansive, and although she won’t name names for fear she’ll leave someone out and offend them, the list ranges from music (Rita Ora), fashion (Alexa Chung, Derek Blasberg, Charlotte Tilbury), society (Mary Charteris, Princess Beatrice, Violet von Westenholz), acting (Sienna Miller, Cush Jumbo, Gala Gordon)… The connector again, bringing people together and looking after them.
“If I have a friend that’s going through something,” she says, “I’ll always say to them, I’m leaving my phone on all night and the ring is on loud. It will be three in the morning and I will get out of bed, go downstairs in my dressing gown, make tea and chat to them. I think that’s my thing to offer, either light with laughter or the fact that I will always be there. I would do anything in the world for my friends.”
Weekends when she’s not working heavily feature her friends and family (and ten godchildren - “I’m always surrounded by children!”), particularly, you would assume, since the rumoured split from her husband of eight years, businessman James Cook, last year. London, where she lives in a house she spent two years lovingly refurbishing with the interior designer Joanna Plant, is home, and, after a flirtation with New York in her twenties, always will be. “My heart skips a beat when I touch down after being away. I immediately get tummy flutters.” She loves wandering around the Serpentine, Holland Park, going up to Camden or Portobello markets. “I love the hustle and bustle,” she says. “Even though it’s wild and intoxicating, in a weird way, it calms me.”
The house itself is pretty indicative of Poppy as a person. Filled with colour and contrastgolds, royal blues and emerald green, pinks and palm prints against velvet and dragon’s blood lacquered walls. “It’s me as a house,” she laughs. “My neighbours probably hated me for those two years of building, but the outcome was wondrous. I managed to win them over with endless bottles of prosecco, which is what I always do. ‘Oh, sorry, the music was a bit loud last night. Here’s a bottle of prosecco!’”
There’s that prosecco again, woven, as she says, into the fabric of her life, and a perfect note on which to end our time together. The sun is setting, the sea is calling, and who am I to stand in the way of Poppy’s search for a bit of well-deserved R&R?
“I’m proud of my work ethic, that I love working hard. But a lot of my thirties have been about building up relationships with healers and working on self-care. I could never really stop my brain, or calm down, in my twenties. I didn’t feel like I was in control "
GIAMBATTISTA VALLI Midi Dress in Golden Lurex Macrame and Sequined Braids, €3,900; giambattistavalli.com;
TIFFANY Link Earrings, £5,950; Lock Bangle in Yellow Gold with Diamond Accents, £9,300; Lock Bangle in White Gold with Full Pavé Diamonds, £33,500; tiffany.com ARMANI BEAUTY Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, £37; Luminous Silk Foundation, £45; Luminous Silk Concealer, £37; Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow in 12 - Gold Ashes, £30 Eyes To Kill Classico Mascara in Black, £32; Lip Power in 503 - Eccentrico, £35; armanibeauty.co.uk
MAKE UP by Sandra Cooke using ARMANI BEAUTY; HAIR by Daniel Martin; NAILS by Emily Rose Lansley PHOTOGRAPHER'S ASSISTANT: Harry Burner; STYLIST'S ASSISTANT: Molly Ellison SHOT AT SPRING STUDIOS; springstudios.com
Amy Powney on creating a sustainable brand, tackling supply chains and what’s next after her film
Fashion Reimagined
Words HARRIET COOPERIt’s only been a matter of weeks since Fashion Reimagined hit cinema screens when we catch up with Amy Powney, but the reaction to her thought-provoking documentary has been quite something. Critics and viewers alike have been full of praise for the film, which documents the Mother of Pearl designer’s 18-month journey as she creates a sustainable collection from field to finished garment, calling it “thoughtfullymade”, “edifying” and “accessible”.
Fashion Reimagined begins in 2017, with Amy winning the BFC/Vogue award for Best Young Designer and the cash prize that comes with it. She decides to use the money to make an organic, traceable No Frills line of clothing that is socially and environmentally responsible. The film follows Amy and brand manager Chloe from the MOP studio in Mile End to Uruguay, Peru, Turkey, Austria and Paris, as they meet sheep farmers, cotton pickers, factory owners and fashion buyers in their quest to transform their business. It’s a beautifully put-together, 90-minute insight into sustainability in fashion.
But, despite the critical acclaim, Amy isn’t one to rest on her laurels. As creative director of the ethical womenswear label, worn by the likes of Saoirse Ronan and Gwyneth Paltrow, she is acutely aware there’s still a long way to
go in bringing about positive change in the world of fashion. The industry’s stain on the environment continues to shock. Indeed, as we discover in the film, if the fashion industry were a country it would have the 3rd highest carbon footprint in the world, after the USA and China; it also accounts for nearly 20% of wastewater. And that’s just the tip of the (melting) iceberg. There’s the terrible labour conditions of many working in the garment industry - low wages, long work hours, physical abuse - not to mention animal cruelty.
“I hope the impact [of Fashion Reimagined] is twofold. I hope it opens the eyes of the consumer and encourages them to demand more from the brands they shop from, inspiring them to make better and more informed choices,” Amy tells The Glossary. “Secondly, I hope it is the starting point on a very long road to change at a legislative level. I’m fully aware that one film is not going to change an entire industry but we’re at a point, with the climate crisis, that change may come too late. Difficult decisions need to be made now.”
So what change would Amy like to see? High on her list is concrete legislation setting parameters on all areas of the supply chain, particularly around fabrics. “Brands and consumers are aware of what organic and fairtrade means, yet ‘organic cotton’ comes with its own complications,” she explains. “There’s no handbook on how to make a brand sustainable, but companies need to know, from start to finish, where their product was grown or derived, who was making it and the social impacts along the way.”
“I think brands which are truly trying to work in green and ethically-sound ways should be given support at a business level and incentivised. Businesses need to be encouraged to make the right choices and that comes from a legislative and government policy approach.”
At Mother of Pearl, Amy and her team have always put ethics, sustainability and transparency at the heart of their business. “I want to continue to ensure we hold ourselves to the highest standards at Mother of Pearl, to constantly reevaluate and change our systems so that we’re always making the right choices,” she says. “We’re doing a great job but we’re not perfect, and so for me it is important that we are constantly pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve when it comes to sustainability and transparency.”
It’s been well-documented that when Amy was a young girl, her parents uprooted her and her sister from their home in Lancashire to live off-grid in a caravan in the middle of a field. Her family’s lack of materialism would later become the grounding in her understanding of how we give and take from the earth. “I’ve always been an advocate of buying less, buying better. We have to step away and realise the damage we’re doing to the planet with our fastfashion mentality and throwaway culture. We need to start making more considered choices,” she says. “The late Vivienne Westwood was a huge champion of this approach to our wardrobes. We should, where possible, be investing in forever pieces, items which will last and we will love for years to come, not fast fashion, which is impulse-led.”
Amy might have her work cut out for her, juggling her successful fashion label with a young family (she has a three-year-old daughter and a son who is mere months), but her activism gathers pace. “I want to continue to expand my voice outside of the brand to support the right causes. I’m currently an ambassador for TENCEL, which is a cellulose fibre of botanic origin which comes from sustainable forestry. So I’d like to do more of that, but I am also a mother of two small children so I need to be there for them in the here and now, and also try to ensure they have a happy, stable world to grow up in.”
Fashion Reimagined is available on Sky Documentaries. fashionreimaginedfilm.com; motherofpearl.co.uk
“We’re at a point, with the climate crisis, that change may come too late. Difficult decisions need to be made now ”
Very few fashion brands offer a fully holistic approach to sustainability. When it comes to womenswear, Mara Hoffman and Maggie Marilyn aren’t UKbased [you can buy them widely here - in stores and online] but I like that they’re fully committed. Both brands are transparent on their platforms about their efforts around sustainability and their ethics. Same goes for Sheep Inc, which makes hand-finished merino jumpers. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t ever buy from the high street. I don’t love Arket as a full brand, but I’ll go there for something specific, like a non-mulesed knitwear piece.
I tried to find sustainable leggings as I’ve started going to the gym and it was a minefield. They’re either all synthetic, and even if they are made from recycled plastic they shed microfibres when washed, which end up in our oceans, rivers and soil - or they’re cotton with a load of elastane, which isn’t biodegradable. In the
end I bought a pair from Varley made from recycled plastic. I also have a pair from Girlfriend Collective, a brand that seems to be doing innovative things with postconsumer water bottles, old fishing nets, fabric scraps and other waste.
What Monica Vinader is doing in sustainability in jewellery is amazing. She’s very dynamic, very clever, very passionate. I recently did a second collaboration with her, but I also own lots of her pieces. All the gold and silver she uses is recycled and she’s launched a Product Passport so you can see the supply chain. What I love is that while she’s a strong woman as a business owner, she also has a maternal presence, she’s very nurturing. I admire these qualities in a leader. I also like Otiumberg, the jewellery brand founded by sisters Rosanna and Christie Wollenberg. It does lovely, understated layering pieces and it has really nice sustainable credentials as well.
The Glossary Edit
I have a clear opinion when it comes to supply chains and raw materials, but I find footwear complex. Leather versus plastic leather? I don’t know where I stand. I really like Neous, an Italian accessories brand that uses long-lasting, natural materials and champions craftsmanship. I’ve just bought a pair of the Ran Knit boots that are fabricated from a wool knit - I am really pleased with them. And I’d love a bag from Uri Studio - they do these amazing rattan bags; everything is handwoven and it’s big on transparency and circularity.
I’m not very good at buying vintage for myself as I mostly wear my own brand Mother of Pearl, especially as we do denim now. But I buy about 80% of my kids’ clothes from a website called Dotte, which offers the full circle: buying, selling, donating and recycling. A couple of girls I know set it up [Samantha Valentine and Louise Weiss] and it makes shopping for childrenswear pleasurable. I can buy brands I wouldn’t normally, as it’s all second-hand - I even bought my daughter a Frozen dress without feeling guilty.
Arizona Muse introduced me to the natural, organic beauty brand Weleda I use its calendula soap in the shower. There’s a holistic skincare brand called Reome which has been set up by former beauty editor and acupuncturist Joanna Ellner. She does this one product called Active Recovery Broth; it’s a serum that hydrates, calms, brightens… I use the Dede shampoo by Davines for my hair, which is more sustainable than a lot of brands. I never wear make-up but I do have a few products from Burt’s Bees; and one thing I always do is get my eyelashes tinted and lifted. It makes you feel really fresh in the morning.
We all need to consume less, consume better. There are a lot of amazing people coming up with solutions, like Melanie Milham, founder of the pre-loved fashion resale platform Curate & Rotate. I love that she curates second-hand items so they feel elevated and interesting. Platforms like Vinted and Depop are good too. We should also try and repair pieces rather than throwing them out. I’m not perfect with that stuff, but I think we need to stop looking at things as waste.
My husband Nick and I have just renovated our house in Walthamstow. We didn’t design it in a way that’s trendy - we kept it timeless. All our flooring is from the Copenhagenbased firm Dinesen, which only uses raw wood from sustainable forestry. We have a mix of vintage and new furniture - the sofas are from &Tradition. Our kitchen is by the Brixton-based company Pluck; it’s passionate about sustainability and makes everything locally.
We get most of our food from Riverford [the organic fruit and veg delivery service]. I love that it has a carbon limit on its produce - if something goes over the limit, it won’t sell it. Sustainability is part of Riverford’s everyday language and I like the fact it is educating me. We have a farmer’s market in Walthamstow on Sundays, which we go to every week. There’s a bakery called Dusty Knuckle that delivers pastries on a milk float, and we’ve just found out the milkman has started in our area so we can get organic milk and orange juice to our doorstep.
When it came to cra ing her latest collection, Lettre de Lumière, Danish designer Sophie Bille Brahe turned to literature and to her own handwriting for inspiration. The sparkling result is a modern ri on the signet ring, with stud earrings, rings and necklaces resembling dainty diamond calligraphy on the skin. From £610 for a single stud earring; brownsfashion.com
Minimalists, rejoice. Parisian maison Repossi’s new high jewellery collection, its first since 2020, is a masterclass in elegant restraint. Sleek, architecturalinspired silhouettes forged in white gold showcase rows of gleaming white brilliants, their graphic lines o set by curvaceous pear-cut diamonds for a pleasing contrast. Prices on request; repossi.com
Forged via a mutual admiration for each other’s work, first on Instagram and then IRL, the debut collaboration between jeweller Anabela Chan and couturier Sohee Park is glorious to behold. Inspired by Park’s SS23 couture line, the luscious floral pieces pay tribute to both women’s love of vibrant colours. Prices on request; anabelachan.com
When dusk falls in London and the city starts to twinkle, gazing upwards can be richly rewarding. Especially so for the jeweller David Morris, whose latest high jewellery, Skylines, shimmers with dramatic pieces inspired by London’s nocturnal cityscape - like his exquisite 36.20 carat white diamond Fusion necklace. Price on request; davidmorris.com
When it comes to the pearl, designer Melanie Georgacopoulos is a veritable magician. This season, her Baroque Drops collection for Japanese pearl brand Tasaki conjures up the shimmering lustre on the surface of the sea. Each jewel is crafted with the finest baroque South Sea pearls and hand-embellished by Tasaki’s artisans with delicate ‘water droplets’ of 18k yellow gold for an edgy yet elegant effect. From £5,460; tasaki.co.uk
Renowned as a lifelong source of inspiration for Gabrielle Chanel, Venice is now also the inspiration for the designer’s favourite jeweller, Goossens. La Serenissima’s ornate jewellery heritage is the motivation behind Goossens’ first bridal collection, Venise Mariage, which is replete with the brand’s signature natural rock crystal, plus luminous freshwater pearls and motherof-pearl adorning decadent hair clips, headbands, pendants, collars, earrings and rings.
From £215; goossens-paris.com
Descended from prolific art collectors, Lily Gabriella Elia has an expert eye when it comes to the creation and curation of beautiful things. Now, she has brought her passion for colour and love of bold forms to bear on a chic flagship in London’s historic Burlington Arcade. The jeweller designed the two-floor, 450 sq m showroom herself, blending classic details (mid-century furniture, sumptuous parquet flooring) with contemporary accents (innovative 3D-printed jewellery displays, bespoke lamps) for an impressive yet inviting space in which to discover her pieces. By appointment. The Penthouse, 73 Burlington Arcade, W1 lilygabriella.com
Crafting its new Bird on a Pearl collection with some of the world’s rarest pearls, Tiffany & Co. builds on a sparkling tradition
Words KIM PARKER
Tiffany & Co. may be a house famously associated with diamonds (not for nothing does Marilyn Monroe breathily namecheck the brand in her song Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend), but its founder, Charles Lewis Tiffany, was a man with a passion for rare and exquisite jewels of all kinds, including pearls.
It was Charles Lewis who appointed the respected mineralogist George Frederick Kunz (author of the definitive tome, The Book of the Pearl, which is still highly regarded today) as Tiffany & Co.’s chief gemologist in 1879 and charged him with scouring the United States for native treasures like rose-tinted pearls from the Mississippi River Valley. Kunz was also instrumental in naming and promoting new species of colourful gemstones for the brand, including kunzite (a glassy pink stone he christened for himself) and morganite (a peachy gem named after the banking magnate, J.P. Morgan). In the 1960s and 70s, Tiffany & Co. also named and introduced deep blue tanzanites and vivid green tsavorites to the world, cementing its position as the authority on show-stopping gems.
Among the most valuable gems in Tiffany & Co.’s collection, pearls have ranked right alongside many of its storied diamond jewels. In 1860, Charles Lewis sold a one-of-a-kind pink 23.25 carat freshwater pearl found in New Jersey to Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie, which the couple renamed the ‘Queen Pearl’. At the Columbian World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, an exposition designed to herald America’s arrival as the world’s new cultural powerhouse, Tiffany & Co.’s enormous stand displayed over a thousand sparkling items, including a spectacular pearl necklace worth $200,000 (roughly $6.7 million today).
Earlier this year, the house continued its tradition of producing high jewellery creations with prized pearls when it unveiled the Bird on
a Pearl suite: an exclusive capsule collection crafted with exquisite natural saltwater pearls from the private stores of Hussain Al Fardan, the foremost collector of Gulf pearls. Prized for their weight, clarity and creamy lustre, Gulf pearls have been hand-collected by divers in the Middle East for millennia and the region was responsible for most of the world’s pearl supply up until the 1950s. Now almost impossibly rare, it can take decades to acquire enough Gulf pearls for a single stranded necklace.
It’s remarkable, then, that the new Bird on a Pearl collection includes a triple-stranded necklace of graduated creamy white pearls totalling over 316 carats, which sold almost immediately during the lavish launch party for the collection, held in Doha. Of course, Tiffany & Co. master jeweller Jean Schlumberger’s feathered motif from his iconic Bird on a Rock brooch features prominently - perched atop several enormous baroque pearls which have been set into pins or staring quizzically from a dazzling pair of mismatched black and white pearl earrings. Said to be inspired by an encounter with a cockatoo, Schlumberger’s witty, gold-crested bird first appeared in 1965 on a lapis ‘rock’ brooch for the socialite Bunny Mellon and has gone on to adorn many other extraordinary gemstones, including the infamous Tiffany Diamond, one of the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered. A truly trailblazer designer, Schlumberger was feted for his ability to capture the energy and ‘randomness’ of natural forms in precious metals (spines, needles, thorns and all) and for adorning his pieces with the very finest gemstones available - not merely for their value (“you may as well pin a cheque to your chest!” he once quipped) but to highlight their rarity and incredible beauty. What would he and Charles Lewis Tiffany have made of this latest collection, which incorporates some of the most exceptional pearls around today? Chances are, they would have approved.
Tiffany & Co., 25 Old Bond Street, Mayfair, W1 tiffany.com
Words KIM PARKER
AUDEMARS PIGUET Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ Extra-Thin Openworked, 39mm, POA audemarspiguet.com
JAEGER-LECOULTRE Reverso Tribute Duoface Tou, POA jaeger-lecoultre.com
CHANEL Première Camélia X-Ray, POA chanel.com
BELL & ROSS BR 05 Skeleton Golden, £6,500 bellross.com
ULYSSE NARDIN Diver X Skeleton White, £23,210 ulysse-nardin.com
PATEK PHILIPPE Complications Rose Gold Skeleton 5180/1R, POA patek.com
CARTIER Santos Dumont Skeleton, POA cartier.com
Discover the #drsebaghskinprep secret to instantly clearer, brighter and more radiant skin. This powerful two-step ritual leaves skin primed for perfect makeup application. Start with Deep Exfoliating Mask, with azelaic and lactic acid to whisk away dead skin cells and impurities whilst boosting cellular renewal. Follow with the purifying and clarifying Skin Perfecting Mask, with mineral-rich kaolin clay from Brittany, to absorb excess oil, tighten pores and even out skin tone. Available in-store and at drsebagh.com
In keeping with Chanel’s long-held ethos of supporting women’s onthe-go lifestyle, creating beauty essentials that can be easily slipped into a handbag or piece of luggage, the maison has turned its attention to its Les Beiges collection. The new Summer-To-Go capsule contains limited-edition, travel-sized versions of the radiance-enhancing make-up products, including the Bronzing Cream, Illuminating Oil and Eau de Teint Foundation. Perfect for that healthy, holiday glow. chanel.com
Armani Beauty’s new powder blushes deliver a shimmery, soft-focus glow. Available in nine different shades, ranging from a peachy-beige to coral and raspberry, the silky lightweight formula is super-sheer but pigment-rich, giving both lasting colour and a luminescent fi nish. Buildable and blendable, it layers beautifully over foundation.
Luminous Silk Glow Blush, £39 each armanibeauty.com
Skincare brand Tata Harper’s latest launch, the Lip Crème is available from June, exclusively at Cult Beauty. The luxe balm-lipstick hybrid is packed with 12 antioxidant-rich superfruit oils and ultra-hydrating omega blends. Five easy-towear everyday sheer colours, from bare to berry, offer cushiony and plumping moisture with a nostalgic, sherbet sweet scent. £50 each; cultbeauty.co.uk
Jeanne Damas, queen of nonchalant Parisian style, has added Le Haircare to her Les Filles en Rouje beauty line. While L’Huile Cheveux is a nourishing blend of oils to repair and protect, La Brume Cheveux hairspray contains just sea salt, seaweed extract and glycerin, parfait for that oh-so-French-chic, just-got-out-of-bed vibe.
From £32; rouje.com
Margate-based beauty disruptor Haeckels is at it again, this time with three new products in its Lab range, formulated with ingredients that have been cultivated in a laboratory to reduce carbon emissions. e trioa Cleansing Milk, Hydrating Toner and EGF Serum - all contain Spiraglow, an algae that’s bio-fabricated in-house to hydrate, smooth and moisturise skin. From £42; haeckels.co.uk
Compiled by CHARLOTTE ADSETT
The models’ look at Richard Quinn’s The Secret Garden-inspired AW23 show mirrored the theme, with MAC Cosmetics director of makeup artistry Terry Barber creating a dreamy-meets-dark romanticism using the new limited-edition MAC x Richard Quinn collection. Silver, aquamarine and lilac shimmered on the eyes, perfectly tying into this season’s fantastical mermaidcore trend. Legendary hair stylist Sam McKnight added sleek 1920s waves, bringing the era’s iconic pin curls right up to date. MAC x Richard Quinn Quinning Eyeshadow Palette. £38; selfridges.com
So.Shell is our latest beauty discovery that’s just too good not to share. The new nail bar off Carnaby Street has been opened by two entrepreneurs from Ukraine, Maria and Yana, offering everything from express treatments to their signature gel or builder manicure. All the experienced nail technicians are Ukrainian - Ukrainians are renowned for their impeccable manicures with detailed cuticle work - and are super professional. As you’d expect, the results are meticulous. They also do lashes and brows and offer packages that include everything - Ukrainian gel mani and pedi, lash lift and brow lamination, eye patches and collagen gloves - all in 100 minutes. Hands down, it’s the most perfect and long-lasting manicure we’ve ever had - you’ll never want to go anywhere else again.
34 Marshall Street, Soho, W1; soshell.uk
Make-up minimalism gathers pace for summer with two brilliant skin tints that are both skincare-based and offer barely-there, ultra-light coverage. Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 30 (£46) has already created quite the buzz thanks to its innovative 3-in-1 hybrid formulation, fusing make-up, skin-boosting ingredients and SPF. The formula includes hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to lock in moisture and it comes in 30 shades. The Saie Glowy Super Skin (£34) comes in 36 hues; the luminous serum-based formula contains 85% skincare and is a true multitasker, giving weightless coverage while also hydrating, plumping and brightening skin.
Once the exosomes have penetrated the dermis via these microchannels, they then re-educate the skin to function at its best, encouraging it to behave more youthfully and leaving it ultra-rejuvenated. Indeed, the exosomes can then help boost collagen production by a staggering 700% and elastin by 300%, not just on the face, also around the delicate eye area, the lips and the neck. But as well as smoothing and plumping fine lines and supercharging skin quality, exosomes also work on pigmentation and, thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties, they help improve redness, rosacea and acne. These positive effects are usually noticeable within a few exosome treatments (clinics often recommend a course of between four and six sessions) and can last for up to 12 months.
If you haven’t already heard of exosome skin therapy, you soon will. It’s the very latest rejuvenating and anti-ageing treatment that many in the industry are calling the “new frontier of beauty on a global scale”. But what exactly are exosomes and what do they do? Exosomes are nanoparticles that are released by our cells, containing a mixture of lipids, proteins, amino acids and peptides. Their day-to-day function is to enable powerful cellto-cell communication. In terms of beauty, when exosomes penetrate the dermis, they send signals to our fibroblast cells to act optimally, triggering regeneration and stimulating the production of skin-boosting collagen and elastin.
Exosome skin therapy is the means of ensuring that these skin-transforming exosomes work at a cellular level. The best way to do this is in a professional environment via microneedling. As well as triggering the repair mechanism in the skin, the microneedle creates microchannels, after which an exosome-rich serum, elixir or gel is applied by the therapist. In some treatments, the exosomes can be applied prior to the microneedling or are sandwiched between a number of passes.
After just two Le Supreme Skin exosome treatment sessions at EF Future Health, I am blown away by the results. I 100% notice the difference - not only is the downtime minimal, my skin is smoother and tighter, and I definitely see a reduction in my fine lines, especially around the lower half of my face. No wonder that exosomes are being hailed as the new wonder treatment and a great alternative to botox and fillers. “We are definitely seeing a movement towards regenerating aesthetics,” explains Dr Shameema Damree, a leading expert in exosomes, who runs The London Exosomes Clinic. “The fashion is no longer to freeze with botox or fill with fillers, instead my patients are looking to exosomes for their anti-ageing and rejuvenating properties. They want to turn the clock back ten years by letting their body do the work.”
“The fashion is no longer to freeze with botox or fill with fillers, instead my patients are looking to exosomes for their anti-ageing and rejuvenating properties. They want to turn the clock back ten years by letting their body do the work”
Dr Shameema Damree
Andrea Pfeffer, founder of holistic beauty space Salon C. Stellar, agrees.
“The most exciting thing for me is that exosomes trigger a response in our own body to perform and be at its best. We are not stripping, peeling, plumping and freezing our way to looking and feeling better,” she tells me. “This new approach energises our cells, triggering a response from our body to do the work. This really is a fundamental approach across wellbeing generally. I want to support the body’s own function to be at its best and these new technologies are really paving the way for us to do this with significantly better results than we have ever seen before.”
There are two key factors in the efficacy of exosomes - quality and quantity - which is why it’s crucial that you have any exosome treatment in a professional clinic. For starters, the exosomes, which are in powder form before being mixed into a solution, need to come from a qualified laboratory and they must be refrigerated and used within four weeks. “Quality is number one, as not all exosomes are the same. High quality exosomes in treatments reduce the downtime a lot. Number two is the quantity of exosomes. Because they’re such tiny particles they need to be used in their billions,” Dr Damree tells me.
Although exosomes are best administered during a professional treatment, it is possible to apply them topically. But, despite many cosmetic companies jumping on the trend and bringing out exosome products, just because you see the word ‘exo’ on the box, I’d exercise caution. For topical products to be effective, Dr Damree tells me, they have to be pharmaceutical grade. The ASCEplus ExoBalm, for example, is powered by 2.5 billion exosomes and is an intensive at-home treatment for face and eyes rejuvenation.
“Exosomes are a major breakthrough,” says Dr Damree. “We will be speaking about exosomes in the next 20 to 30 years and in a very major way. They are going to be the next generation platforms for drug manufacturing to treat Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancer. But the clinical trials for these take a long time, so that’s why we’re seeing the benefits in skincare first.”
This is a new treatment from EF Future Health that harnesses the power of exosomes. The 90 -minute treatment begins with a thorough cleanse and consultation, after which the therapist creates a bespoke needling sequence. An exosome-rich elixir is applied and then the microneedling begins, but rather than using machines, the therapist uses a very fine microneedling pen. At the end, the therapist applies a cooling sheet mask and also gives you a proprietary exosome serum to apply at home. There’s very little downtime as the needle is so fine and skin feels firmer and smoother. A minimum course of three treatments, every two to four weeks apart, is recommended for best results. From £1,300 for 90 minutes.
29 Kensington Church Street, Kensington, W8; ef-futurehealth.com
For this treatment, Dr Damree utilises the world’s first cooling microneedling RF device, the VirtueRF, with an impressive 5 billion ASCE plus exosomes layered in between the passes. After assessing and cleansing your face, Dr Damree contours and tightens the chin area, jowls and upper face with the hi-tech device - and she also uses a smaller handpiece for around the eyes. She does five different passes with the machine, at different depths, so the skin is ultra-receptive; between each pass, she applies an exosome gel. Because of the device’s cooling tip, the downtime is minimal, leaving skin tightened, lifted and glowing from the get-go. For best results, five sessions are recommended every two weeks apart. £2,625 for 90 minutes with Dr Damree. Urban Retreat, 2-4 Hans Crescent, Knightsbridge, SW1; urbanretreat.co.uk
Andrea Pfeffer’s new opening Salon C. Stellar is a holistic space in Soho that offers progressive treatments for skin, body and mind. The 90-minute Stellar Face Exosome treatment is recommended for anyone who wants advanced skin rejuvenation (improved skin texture, minimised pores, fine lines and wrinkles, brightened skin) or who wants to combat pigmentation. The treatment starts with a double cleanse and a skin analysis, before a numbing cream is applied. The exosome infusion is carried out via a microneedling pen, with the treatment finishing with a professional microcurrent mask, followed by LED light therapy to enhance the skin’s natural rejuvenation and repair process. Recommended course of four to six treatments. £750 for 90 minutes.
19b Beak Street, Soho, W1; saloncstellar.com
Alessandra Steinherr shares the latest beauty openings in the capital that offer cutting-edge, skin-transforming facial treatments
One thing I often get asked is “Who is your favourite facialist?” or “What’s the best facial to get?” We’re very lucky in London, there are some incredible therapists and salons in the capital and there is such a variety of treatments, from hi-tech and cutting-edge to the more hands-on and holistic. While some people are looking for a relaxing facial, others want to reap visible results, so it’s impossible to choose one particular facialist or facial treatment that’s the best in the city, as everyone has different skin needs. That said, there are some excellent facial clinics that have opened recently which I would recommend for their skin-transforming treatments. Here is my pick of the best new places to get a facial in London for real results.
Chandos House, 2 Queen Anne Street, Marylebone, W1 drsebagh.com
When Dr Sebagh and his team announced they were opening a new HQ in the capital, it was sure to impress. The cosmetic doctor and anti-ageing expert has a global reputation for his next-gen aesthetics, as well as his science-driven skincare, setting a standard for the industry. He won’t name names - he’s the definition of discreet - but his clients include supermodels, actors and members of royal families around the world. Indeed, there are VIP waiting rooms for the A-listers at the brand’s new home and flagship London clinic, Chandos House. Set in the heart of Marylebone, on Queen Anne Street, the 18th-century townhouse has been beautifully renovated, with walls painted in a soft pastel palette and the Georgian period features exquisitely restored. It feels more like a five-star hotel than London’s latest beauty spot.
Dr Sebagh and his team of doctors are based on the 2nd floor and it’s here that clients can experience non-surgical anti-ageing and ‘ageing maintenance’ procedures for the face and body. These might include the new Vertical 3D Thread Lifting treatment, Lanluma - an injectable polymer for full body restoration - or PRF, a treatment which takes the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) facial to another level. In addition, there are seven treatment rooms where clients book in for Dr Sebagh Signature and Supreme facials, as well as a range of holistic facial treatments. Most of what’s on offer has been purposely designed for a fast turnaround time, the idea being you can pop into Chandos House during your lunch break and be done within the hour.
turnaround time, the idea being you can pop into Chandos House during your I’m here for the brand new and exclusive Ultralift Facial, aka the ‘Glass Skin
I’m here for the brand new and exclusive Ultralift Facial, aka the ‘Glass Skin Facial’, which promises to visibly lift, tighten and sculpt the face (£300 for 60 minutes). The treatment combines the use of high-intensity ultrasound technology with the application of Dr Sebagh products. It starts with a double cleanse, followed by an exfoliation - Evi, my facialist, mixes the Dr Sebagh Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream with the Deep Exfoliating Mask, so it’s extra brightening and smoothing. Then she uses the Ultralift machine over my face, which sends pulses deep under my skin to tighten muscles, increase blood flow and stimulate collagen production. They do warn you that it can be a little uncomfortable and my pain threshold is quite low, so I just had the ultrasound around my cheeks and jawline. What I will say is that this is a results-driven facial, don’t expect a passive, relaxing treatment. Immediately afterwards I look 100% snatched - my cheekbones are lifted; my jaw is tighter and a lot more defined. It’s really impressive and I would absolutely recommend the Ultralift Facial, especially before an event or a wedding. It definitely delivers.
technology with the application of Dr Sebagh products. It starts with a double Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream with the Deep Exfoliating Mask, so it’s extra over
Dr Sebagh Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream
classic for a reason. It’s an antioxidant powerhouse, helping to fight free radicals such as UV rays, environmental pollution and stress. The small test-tube vials are filled with a stabilised powder, which turns into a cream when applied to skin, for a plumping radiance boost.
The hero product:
Royal Fern is such a great brand. I’m a big fan of the Phytoactive Skin Perfecting Essence (£85). It’s a watery essence, which you use after cleansing before the next step in your skincare. It works on all skin types to gently exfoliate and moisturise, leaving pores reduced and a smoother, softer, more even-toned complexion.
112 Talbot Road, Notting Hill, W11
guendalinatheskinsculpter.com
Guendalina Gennari, also known as The Skin Sculpter, is a classically trained facialist and massage therapist, whose new salon is in Notting Hill. Though she does have a few tools, Guendalina is famous for her Sculptural Face Lift, an incredible facial massage technique which works on lymphatic drainage, muscle oxygenation and collagen stimulation to tighten and sculpt the skin. She also does buccal massage which involves massaging the facial muscles, but from the inside of the mouth. You definitely feel like you’ve had a proper facial workout.
Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, SW1
oetkercollection.com
The Lanesborough has a new spa partner, Royal Fern, and it’s the only place in London where you can have the Signature Royal Fern Treatment (£240 for 90 minutes). I am a huge fan of Royal Fern; formulated by dermatologist Dr Timm Golueke, the German brand is entirely plant-based, centring around the anti-ageing and antioxidant properties of the fern plant.
During the treatment, they use a series of Royal Fern products according to your skin type, combined with facial massage. What is really cool, however, is that they complement this with sculpting microcurrent and EMS technology, which works to lift and firm the facial muscles. They do this in two ways - with the traditional wand, but also the therapist wears sculpting microcurrent gloves. It’s like having a gently buzzing massage and it gives beautiful lymphatic drainage on the face, neck and chest. That’s what makes this treatment so special, it really depuffs and gets rid of excess fluid, leaving my skin visibly lifted and really fresh-looking.
the radiofrequency machine if required. This is a really good and jaw area are definitely less puffy afterwards and my skin
I have the bespoke Advanced Facial (£345 for 90 minutes with Guendalina) which, after a consultation, includes her sculptural face lift, as well as extractions, exfoliation, hydration, a mask, LED light with oxygen and a session with the radiofrequency machine if required. This is a really good treatment to take all the puffiness out of the face, and my eyes and jaw area are definitely less puffy afterwards and my skin feels instantly plumper and firmer.
The hero product:
Guendalina uses different brands in her treatments including the BioEffect EGF Power Serum (£165), which she sells in the salon. It’s a beautiful hydrating serum that contains barley to strengthen and protect the skin barrier, as well as hyaluronic acid for a deep hit of hydration.
25 Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill, W11 kerenbartov.co.uk
goals are and work out a tailored plan with you. What’s really
improvements before. As with anything, it’s important to keep it you have the same treatment at every appointment; she will see
Keren Bartov is a very well-known facial therapist from Israel, who has been in the industry for more than 17 years. As adept at tackling acne, scarring and rosacea as she is ageing, she’s built up quite a following (actress Gal Gadot and model Bar Refaeli are clients, the former referring to Karen as her “face’s best friend”). Now that client list looks set to grow, with Keren recently opening a salon in Notting Hill. Here, you don’t visit for a specific treatment as everything is completely bespoke, you book in for a time (from £250 for 90 minutes). During an appointment Keren - or one of her team of highly trained aestheticians - will discuss what your skin goals are and work out a tailored plan with you. What’s really impressive about Keren is that she has more hi-tech skin machines than any other clinic I have ever seen. During my first visit she used six different machines in one treatment, from ultrasound to radiofrequency to IPL. The best therapists know their machines and what to use when - Keren is an expert. Immediately after my treatment, I look super-glowy, fresh and my skin feels lifted. Over the course of my visits, Karen has also been working on some mild but stubborn hyperpigmentation that I’ve got. Hyperpigmentation is a long-term issue and I’ve started seeing some impressive results where I’ve never been able to see improvements before. As with anything, it’s important to keep it up and Keren asks to see you every six weeks. That doesn’t mean you have the same treatment at every appointment; she will see where your skin’s at and what you need at that point in time.
The hero product:
Keren has her own skincare brand and I use the Keren Bartov Advance Skin Repair Serum (£160) a few days after my treatment, once my skin has settled. As well as protecting and deeply moisturising, it’s incredibly soothing and my skin looks radiant and bright, plus it’s beautiful to apply under make-up.
Compiled by CHARLOTTE ADSETT
Eau de Parfum, 50ml, £148
This fragrance was made on a whim as a Studio Juice, one of 100 limited-edition batches handmixed by self-taught perfumer David Seth Moltz. The scent proved so popular last year it is now available in the D.S. & Durga collection. Designed to evoke the fun of pistachio and reminiscent of desserts, the nut features throughout, underpinned by cardamon, roasted almond, patchouli and vanilla crème for a joyfully sweet, nutty scent from a brand that doesn’t normally do sweet. e-scents.co.uk
Eau de Toilette, 100ml, £125
Eau de Parfum, 100ml, £235
with his latest composition
Celebrating the previously unsung perfume of paper, Fabrice Pellegrin evokes a literary world of spilt ink and well-thumbed pages with his latest composition
L’Eau Papier. Taking grain as the top note in the form of roasted sesame seeds, he adds white musk, floral mimosa and blonde woods to create a soft woody, yet paper-fresh, scent that is something to write home about. libertylondon.com
Eau de Parfum, 50ml, £118
Aire Anthesis is the fi rst in Loewe’s Botanical Rainbow family to feature the ‘Loewe Accord’, a new note crafted by perfumer Nuria Cruelles and based around the ambery scent of the rockrose, a wildflower native to Spain. Additional notes of pear, peony, sandalwood and rhubarb round off this woody fruity floral scent, its name deriving from the Latin for the moment a flower’s bud bursts into bloom. perfumesloewe.com
Designed to reference California’s health and wellness culture, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud’s Pacific Chill is the latest in the Los Angeles-inspired fragrance line from Louis Vuitton. Notes of blackcurrant, mint, cedrat and lemon bring a fresh, sunny energy to the scent, while coriander, ambrette seeds and peppermint capture the cool breeze of the Pacific coast, and fig, jujube and apricot create a fruity depth. louisvuitton.com
Eau de Parfum, 100ml, £115
Nerolia Vetiver Forte
Eau de Parfum, 125ml, £135
sandalwood and rhubarb round de parfum with Nerolia Vetiver.
The French beauty brand adds to its Aqua Allegoria Forte eaux de parfum with Nerolia Vetiver. The woody fragrance looks to Calabria in southern Italy, where orange trees flourish on the Ionian coast. Perfumer Delphine Jelk combines the warmth of vetiver and tonka bean with a heart of neroli, rose and a creamy fig accord, fi nishing it off with top notes of fresh, green fig leaves and sparkling bergamot for a burst of sunshine. guerlain.com
leaves and sparkling bergamot
season ahead. sunspel.com
The British heritage clothing brand has joined forces once again with leading London perfumer Lyn Harris to develop their third fragrance, Sea Moss. A woody hit of cedar combines with the light romance of rose and lavender and the earthy freshness of moss to create a crisp, clean and calming scent that embodies salty, sunny walks along the coast - the perfect fragrance for the Mediterranean
Eau de Parfum, 50ml, £100
A spritz of Clementina will transport you to warmer climes as Aerin Lauder looks to the glittering Amalfi coast for inspiration behind her latest scent. Top notes of Corsican clementine, orange bigarade and Italian bergamot set the tone, followed by jasmine sambac, cassis and honeysuckle and rounded off with warming ambrox and creamy musk for a fresh, vibrant take on an endless Italian summer. harveynichols.com
fragrances powered by flowers
Eau de Toile e, 100ml, £115 Escentric Molecules adds to its cult Molecule 01 + collection, in which founder Geza Schoen matches just one ingredient with his abstract synthetic Iso E Super wonder molecule. This season, it’s Ginger (the other new plusones are Guaiac Wood and Black Tea). In contrast to the warm, cocooning cedarwood tonality of the Iso E Super, the ginger brings a crisp zestiness and peppery spiciness for a fresh, sharp fi nish. escentric.com
GABAI
Oud Elixir
Eau de Parfum, 85ml, £290
A rich, sensual fragrance that has saff ron at its heart. Veronique Gabai, the nose behind some of the world’s most famous perfumes, combines its dark, leathery, spicy notes with myrrh, while other natural, ethicallysourced ingredients include a combination of oud, patchouli and amber, with top notes of rose and mate absolute. The result is a woody, ambery scent that’s at once rich and mysterious. harrods.com
Abundantia
Extrait de Parfum, 100ml, £177
London-based perfume house Memoize introduces another interesting scent to its collection, Abundantia. Designed to be uplifting and exuberant, punchy top notes of citrusy mandarin, bergamot and rhubarb set the tone, with a heart of geranium and osmanthus given a kick by spicy ginger. A rich, creamy base of caramel, vanilla and sandalwood completes this invigorating fragrance. memoizeperfume.com
Eau de Toile e, 100ml, £110 Maison Margiela’s Replica fragrances are designed to prompt forgotten emotions and personal memories, transporting its wearer with a single spritz. On A Date has been formulated by master perfumer Carlos Benaïm to recreate a date on a late summer’s evening in Provence. At its heart is Isparta rose petal, while the sweetness of blackcurrant rounded off by sensual vetiver and musk add to the romance. selfridges.com
Eau de Toile e, 50ml, £78 The latest Hermès ParfumsJardins scent, a collection inspired by both a sense of place and the inspiration the perfumer draws from it, looks to Kythira. Perfumer Christine Nagel does neither green nor floral; instead, this citrusywoody scent envelopes notes of yellow grasses, olive wood and fresh pistachio to echo the warm, sensual landscape of the sun-drenched Greek island. hermes.com
Santal Dān Shā
Eau de Toile e, 100ml, £150 Armani Privé’s nature-inspired Les Deux haute couture fragrance line now includes Santal Dān Shā, inspired by the aromatic woodland and serene lakes of East Asia. Sandalwood is the star of the show, infused both at its base and also as a top note, blended with sparkling bergamot and the aromatic spiciness of cardamom for a balmy, sensual fi nish to encapsulate an exotic breeze at dusk. selfridges.com
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Jacuzzi on Kensington High Street is our new go-to Italian with its maximalist interiors, theatrical vibes and next-level people-watching. Dishes are big and bold, the likes of caviar-topped pizzetta, spaghetti served in a 4kg wheel of pecorino cheese and Cioccolato Fondue for two. La dolce vita looks set to continue when the Big Mamma Group brings its fun, fantastical feasting to Marylebone in May with the opening of Carlotta, an intimate take on classic Neapolitan-meets-Sicilian-meets-retro Italian-American-inspired dining. Jacuzzi, 94 Kensington High Street, Kensington, W8 bigmammagroup.com
The new openings & places to know across the capital this season
Prada Ca è, Harrods’ latest café collaboration, celebrates Milanese café culture the way only Prada can. It’s impeccably styled in black, white and pale green, and fun too, with an all-day menu that moves from espresso and pistachio pastries at breakfast to suppers of pasta, risotto and Barolo. In-store until January 2024.
87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, SW1 harrods.com
Zapote in Shoreditch has burst onto London’s new Mexican scene bringing bold colours and fresh flavours. Chef Yahir Gonzalez has a way with seafood: try his sea bass aguachile with fennel, dill and cucumber or black bean pozole with white crab. The horseshoe bar opens all day for tacos and tequila cocktails. 70 Leonard Street, Shoreditch, EC2 zapote.co.uk
Tom Cenci’s contemporary take on comfort cooking is going down a treat at Nessa, the open-to-the-public restaurant and bar on the ground �loor of new Soho members’ club 1 Warwick Street. There are too many unmissable dishes to name but you could start with the celeriac carbonara with tru�le and egg yolk, aged beef tartare or gooseberry roly-poly. A useful central London destination for business or pleasure from breakfast to supper.
86 Brewer Street, Soho, W1 nessasoho.com
Compiled by HILARY ARMSTRONGThe Antinori family have been making wine in Tuscany for six centuries. They branched out into restaurants more recently, opening their original Cantinetta Antinori in Florence in 1957 They’ve now opened a particularly handsome London outpost off Sloane Street, where their magnificent wines shine in the company of traditional bistecca alla Fiorentina and handmade pasta. The terrace beckons on balmy nights.
4 Harriet Street, Chelsea, SW1 cantinetta-antinori.com
Asma Khan’s Darjeeling Express has come full circle, returning to Kingly Court in Soho where it first opened five years ago. The new space is larger and lovelier; all else is unchanged, including the team of female chefs cooking home food with heart and soul. Lunch is à la carte, while dinner is a £65 feast of such dishes as prawn malaikari, Bengali-style goat curry, and tamarind dal.
Kingly Court, Kingly Street, Soho, W1 darjeeling-express.com
On the lunchtime of my visit, the pretty pastel-toned dining room at Socca in Mayfair is packed to the rafters with famous faces. Or are they mere mortals? I can’t be sure. What I do know is that everybody in the room looks fascinating, whether they are or not in actuality the art collectors, music producers, artists and roués they all resemble. One magnificent lady keeps a flamboyant hat on all the way through lunch. And there are a handful of dapper older gentlemen dining solo, with
just a glass of red for company - always a good sign. As people-watching goes, Socca is practically Paris tier.
Socca is the latest creation of Samyukta Nair, the glamorous restauratrice behind Jamavar, Koyn, Bombay Bustle and MiMi Mei Fair, who, for her first French restaurant, has collaborated with no less than Claude Bosi, the chef behind two Michelin star Bibendum. Together, they’ve conjured the magic of a real French bistro right in the middle of London. It’s telling that we see none of our fellow diners posing for selfies or setting up flat lays; they’re all far too busy scarfing down snails and guzzling apple tart. So while Socca might be London’s prettiest dining room, this is not the Mayfair of caviar bumps, DJ sets and designer Champagne. It’s Mayfair like it used to be. Socca is a restaurant you could visit once a week or more, whether in the area for work, art, shopping or socialising. As Nair, a Mayfair resident herself, says, “I’m opening the Mayfair I want to go to.”
Lyon-born chef Bosi, though known for his refined cuisine at Bibendum, isn’t aiming for stars here. He’s written a menu for Francophiles and foodies, with a focus not on his native Lyon (Henry Harris has that covered at Bouchon Racine) but on the rustic food of the south of France. It’s food his parents who ran bistros themselves would recognise. Indeed, one whole section on the menus is devoted to ‘Claude’s Favourites’ including ‘My Mum’s Tripe and Cuttlefish Gratin’, ‘Grilled Andouillette’ (tripe sausage famous for its almighty
barnyard stink) and ‘Pieds Paquets Marseillaises’. That’s not one but three tripe dishes. Quite a statement. So too is the Niçoise Swiss chard tart for dessert. It’s not for me – too vegetal! Too authentic! – but for some it will be pure nostalgia.
I prefer the Menton tart with slowcooked onions in a short pastry shell, like pissaladière sans anchovy. I doubt I’ll eat anything more delicious this year. Rabbit leg à l’ail with confit pink garlic is also incredible, as is the accompanying polenta cooked for 12 hours to achieve the ambrosial soft texture. There are more typically ‘Mayfair’ dishes at more typically ‘Mayfair’ prices like Scottish lobster gnocchetti, raw Orkney scallops and blood orange, Angus beef carpaccio, and Joséphine oysters. You might want to gather friends to share a whole roast chicken or slow-cooked lamb shoulder. At £75 and £79 respectively, not too dear between four.
Given the strong French accent, it’s surprising the wine list (which starts at an eye-wateringly high £52 a bottle) is not more proudly Provençal – bafflingly, we’re poured a Chianti and Marlborough Sauvignon by the glass – but in all other respects Socca delivers a welcome dose of romantic Riviera escapism.
MEAL FOR TWO (with wine): £175
SIGNATURE DISHES: Socca; pesto fusilli; roasted chicken; tripe and cuttlefish gratin
WHAT TO DRINK: Rosé
Mister Nice is an international man of mystery. Who is he? We can’t say for sure and there isn’t a lot to go on. What we know for certain is that there’s a glossy new restaurant on Davies Street that bears his name, and it is a blast.
Typically, how it goes with new restaurants is that there’s a PR campaign that builds a year in advance. First, the whispers, then a brief notice in the trade press, eventually a press release and, finally, a flurry of interviews, profiles and a society page splash. Mister Nice has played it rather
cooler. Even its website reveals next to nothing: no menu, no wine list, just a cryptic ‘About’ page (“8.30 In the morning. Time to wake up. Eggs Benedict for Room 907, s’il vous plaît”).
The chic new spot is the creation of French entrepreneur JP Kley, founder of the luxury Mayfair members’ club Nikita a few doors away. Thrillingly, you can get from one to the other via a secret corridor (IYKYK). Los Angeles’ Italian American celebrity hang The Nice Guy, beloved of Drake, Gigi Hadid and co, is said to be an inspiration, though Mister Nice looks to France, to the Riviera of Jane Birkin and Alain Delon
midweek supper. The social set is out in force and the upbeat mood is contagious. We feel even better about our supper venue once we read the menu. Chef Javier Duarte (former head chef at Barrafina and Seabird) has compiled a dream menu that reads, in the best possible way, like luxury room service. Every dish is a craveable classic, think rigatoni al vodka, lamb cutlets, grilled sole, and Ibérico ham. If you’re being good, there’s superfood salad, yellowtail sashimi or salmon with sauce vierge. My friend and I look at each other with undisguised glee. Permission to order a club sandwich! An omelette! A Caesar salad! While it’s great to have one’s gastronomic horizons broadened, it’s sometimes fun to eat like a spoilt child, jetlagged traveller or pampered millionaire. To start, we settle on foie gras terrine with triangles of Melba toast and an endive and Roquefort salad with slices of crunchy pear. To follow, Le Club Sandwich with perfect pommes allumettes and, for me, a plate of coquillettes pasta (tiny macaroni) ‘au jambon’, a Gruyère-loaded nursery dish beloved of French preschoolers. I could make it at home but care not a jot; it’s exactly what I fancy. Add a bottle of Champagne or a prestigious bottle from the French wine list and, to me, that’s the definition of luxury.
Designer Victoria Vogel has decorated the former gallery space in a minimalist monochrome palette of black, white and silver. The waiting staff look the part too, in pristine white jackets. It’s smart and comfortable, though I notice nobody holes up at Mister Nice for the night. It’s somewhere to swing by before moving on to the next party. You just need to find that secret corridor.
for its style cues. The A-list will be all over it.
Word has got out about Mister Nice. The dining room is thrumming with life when we arrive for a
MEAL FOR TWO (with wine): £190
SIGNATURE DISHES: Le club sandwich
WHAT TO DRINK: Chassagne-Montrachet
Ever since Ralph Fiennes’ restaurant went up in flames in The Menu and René Redzepi announced the closure of Noma, one question has been preoccupying me: where does fine dining go from here? I may have found an answer at Humo, the new wood-fired culinary concept in Mayfair.
Humo, meaning smoke in Spanish, comes from the Creative Restaurant Group, a new partnership between Endo Kazutoshi of Endo at The Rotunda and restaurateur Misha Zelman of Goodman fame. Its chef is Kazutoshi protégé, Miller Prada. The dining room, no longer recognisable as Wild Honey, centres around a four-metrelong wood-fired grill, over which Prada cooks everything. He has no electricity, no gas for cooking, just di erent woods such as juniper, cherry, birch and apple to impart flavour.
87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, SW1 studiofrantzenlondon.com
and blistered and speared on pine twigs. It’s superb. Thereafter, the cuisine is as precise and refined as it gets, giving the lie to the notion that real fire cookery is somehow primitive. The level of nerdery involved is astounding, down to ageing times, temperatures and the types of wood (AB55 whisky barrels, HR2 applewood, CM13 silver birch… it’s arcane knowledge).
We have ike jime trout from Hampshire, served almost sashimi-style, aged for 14 days, seared with HP18 oak, then dotted with Baerii caviar, itself aged for three months, and grilled in kombu kelp. Or the Scottish langoustines, grilled one single kiss of smoke past raw, with a garnish of seaweed flatbreads anointed with a sauce of the brains. The biggest treat is the 7-day-aged Brixham turbot, a luxury actually outclassed by the garnish of fat morels, grilled and glazed with egg yolk sauce. It’s hard to believe that cuisine this ‘haute’ can be produced on such a medieval-looking contraption. I recommend the seats at the counter if you want to watch the chefs at work.
What do celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay and Björn Frantzén have in common? Answer: both have three Michelin star restaurants, both had promising professional football careers and both are now at Harrods. But no disrespect to the former Rangers trainee and his £85 wagyu burger available on the fourth floor, the AIK Fotboll signee’s jaw-dropping restaurant on the fifth is the winner.
Studio Frantzén, the restaurant in question, represents Björn Frantzén entry onto the UK dining scene and his first European restaurant outside Stockholm, where his flagship Frantzén ranks among the World’s 50 Best.
Harrods has carved out a vast two-storey space with a weatherproof terrace, especially for Frantzén. We marvel at the views – as far as the Shard, the London Eye and Big Ben – while sipping cocktails with lingonberry, yuzushu and Champagne and with pink gin, shiso umeshu and sakura. You’ll notice a theme: the blending of Nordic and Japanese ingredients to intoxicating e ect.
elderberries there) is commonplace in London, but to encounter the real thing is rare. Oysters are a favoured ingredient, paired raw with pine and fermented lingonberries and grilled with smoked butter sauce, herring caviar and seaweed oil. Gone in a single slurp, but what complexity. And I’ve never tried anything like roasted Orkney scallops, with scrambled duck eggs, tru le, crispy lichens and smoked pea soy. Hiramasa sashimi with tru le dashi vinaigrette edges closer to Japanese cuisine and is as pretty as can be on Royal Copenhagen’s iconic blue and white china. The fusion of east and west is best exemplified in ‘Sweden vs Japan’, a hearty dish of braised brisket, grilled wagyu, with lemongrass jus and Japanese mustard. The miniature deepfried Hasselback potato with whipped brown butter on the side tips victory in Sweden’s favour.
On one visit, I barely scratch the surface. I try enough to know I want to try more.
first course is the chicken
The menu is divided into four categories – Ignite, Smoke, Flame, Ember; geographically, it’s hard to pin down. Prada is from Colombia, his head chef from Italy, and we eat mostly Japanese-style with slender silver-tipped chopsticks. The ingredients, however, are the British Isles’ best, including Chalk Stream trout, Scottish langoustines and Cornish lamb. The first course is the closest we get to caveman cooking: a snack of Lancashire chicken thigh, blackened
Fine food calls for fine wine and Humo’s wine list delivers both classical and fashionable bottles. Bordeaux and Burgundy are well represented, and you’ll find sakes, sparkling wines and cocktails to complement the smoke.
MEAL FOR TWO (with wine): £300
SIGNATURE DISHES: Orkney scallop, whiskey barrel, Speyside sabayon and white konbu
WHAT TO DRINK: Anillo de Fuego, presented with a ring of fire
If the exterior is impressive, then the interior with its double height atrium, marquetry wall and sculptural lighting is another level. You could dine here 50 times and notice something new each visit. The same could be said for the menu. Frantzén eschews the tasting menu for an ambitious carte combining live fire, Scandinavian techniques, Asian influences and costly ingredients. The post-Noma, Scandi-lite approach (some sea buckthorn here, pickled
Frantzén’s food is unique, fascinating, at times challenging, and intellectually far beyond the average luxury dining experience. It’s another smart move from the world’s most famous department store.
MEAL FOR TWO (with wine): £200
SIGNATURE DISHES:
Steamed turbot ‘Jansson’s temptation’ and Koshihikari rice; tartar of tuna and red deer
WHAT TO DRINK: STHLM vs Tokyo cocktail with akvavit and wasabi
Going out to eat for a living as I do, the question I’m most often asked is: “So, have you been anywhere interesting lately?”
Regrettably, it’s not always easy to answer in the a irmative (alas, not everywhere I go is amazing!). Ever since visiting Akub in Notting Hill, however, I’ve delighted in having a good reply ready. I’m yet to meet anybody whose interest isn’t piqued by this new modern Palestinian restaurant from Franco-Palestinian restaurateur Fadi Kattan. Palestinian restaurants are rare in London and the food, in spite of the popularity of Middle Eastern food more broadly, is not well known.
The follow-up question, invariably, is “So what’s Palestinian food even like?”
Kattan, who also owns restaurant Fawda in Bethlehem, wouldn’t presume to o er one single definitive answer: he can only tell his story, informed by the teaching of his grandmothers, by his culinary studies in France and by the cooks, farmers and growers he’s worked with over the years. The narrative evolves at Akub, meaning cardoon, where he’s working with traditional Palestinian produce (supplied
by Fair Trade cooperative Zaytoun) and with British seasonal ingredients.
We decipher the menu over spritzy glasses of soda and date syrup in the window on the top floor of the townhouse, looking down at the pretty pastel street below. Some dishes are familiar, others call for some Googling. We’re familiar already with labaneh, here served as a trio of colourful balls, rolled in purply sumac, verdant za’atar, and fiery turmeric and Aleppo pepper. Simple but compelling. We double down on cheese and add grilled nabulsi to our order, a brined white cheese, with a contrastingly coal black crust of qizha, or nigella seed paste, unique to Palestinian cuisine. The cheese, chewy and pleasingly squeaky, sits in a pool of what looks like engine oil, a bold, monochromatic dish I would happily return for. There’s a strong focus on vegetables and lots of healthy pulses; add a selection of bread (including nigella seed crackers and za’atar bread) and some multi-coloured pickles (turnip, chillies, cauliflower…) and a vegan or vegetarian diner could have an absolute feast. The risotto of freekeh, roasted green wheat, powerfully smoky and savoury, is a must-order.
of the townhouse, looking below. Some dishes are familiar, others
photo she’d seen on Instagram. Instagram’s as good a guide as any: these parcels of lamb, rice and dried fermented yoghurt (jameed) had all the yielding texture and intense flavour of a slowcooked lamb stew but in shareable, snackable form (mansaf, eaten in Palestine and Jordan too, is more usually served over rice layered atop flatbread). Even now weeks later, I find myself thinking about them, and all the more so since reading writer Sue Quinn (@penandspoon)’s account of Palestinian women making her the same dish in the village of Um Al Khair, where they live in poverty, without running water, without electricity, and with the constant threat of demolition.
While Akub shines a light on the people and producers of Palestine, London is its home city. Its sta are multicultural –head chef Mathilde Papazian is French and Armenian – as are its customers. The produce and techniques that can come into play open up exciting possibilities for the cuisine. How will it evolve? It will be fascinating to find out. This is just the start of its story.
MEAL FOR TWO (with wine): £100
If there was one standout, however, it was the ‘crunchy mansaf’ which my lunch date insisted we order on the strength of a
SIGNATURE DISHES: Arak-cured gurnard; crunchy mansaf; Hilbeh baba
WHAT TO DRINK: Small batch Arak; craft beer from Taybeh
From classic Mayfair dining to new Notting Hill eateries, the former baker and TV star turned midlife coach shares her go-to foodie spots
My husband Dennis loves a soufflé and they do a very good one at the two Michelinstarred Claude Bosi at Bibendum, including a 100% chocolate soufflé with Madagascan vanilla ice cream. And the bread basket is the best – I always have to eat the whole lot because they do all those lovely warm breads with different butters. It’s very quiet in the dining room, but the tables are really spaced apart so it feels private. I get recognised a lot in restaurants, but no one has ever felt daunted to serve me food here. These fellas are way more experienced than me. Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, Chelsea, SW3 claudebosi.com
Le Gavroche is my favourite restaurant in the world, it’s beautiful. I always go for the Menu Exceptionnel, the tasting menu of seven courses and matching wines – the cheese soufflé cooked in double cream to start is the best you could find anywhere. Cheese is my guilty pleasure - I can’t resist it - particularly soft, blue cheese; the stronger, the better. They also make amazing bread, the fish is cooked to perfection and the tarte tatin is out of this world. Michel Roux Jr has two Michelin stars and Le Gavroche has the best service I’ve ever experienced – I call it telepathic service because they know exactly when you need them and when you don’t; and they anticipate what you want before you ask. It’s just perfect. 43 Upper Brook Street, Mayfair, W1 le-gavroche.co.uk
As told to LARA KILNER
Le Gavroche roast turbot
This Michelin-starred restaurant is another staple favourite of mine - I’ve been going here since it first opened in 2002. They do amazing antipasti and the pasta is incredible. One of the standout dishes for me is the spaghetti alle vongole and also the roasted monkfish, which comes with a walnut and caper sauce, rocket and samphire, is delicious. All the dishes are so fresh and well presented and the wine list is exceptional.
8 Seymour Street, Marylebone, W1 locandalocatelli.com
This is a new local restaurant in Notting Hill from Chris D’Sylva, owner of Notting Hill Fish Shop and Supermarket of Dreams. It opened over lockdown as a curated collection of food from all the local places people were missing out on. It’s really fun and buzzy. I don’t eat steak so much, but Dorian does it best and they cook it all in front of you, just perfectly. They have a sharing ribeye or bone-in sirloin, these big hunks of meat, and I love watching them cook over this huge flame. I turned 50 last November and I didn’t want to make a fuss, so I had my birthday dinner here and it was just very chilled.
105-107 Talbot Road, Notting Hill, W11 dorianrestaurant.com
restaurant under the heaters and watch all the passersby dressed head-to-toe in Louis Vuitton. I always start with the goujons of Cornish sole with tartare sauce and then I’ll go for the blackened miso salmon with bok choi and pickled enoki mushrooms and dashi. I’ll have it with some fries and a bottle of crisp Puligny Montrachet. 20 Mount Street, Mayfair, W1 scotts-mayfair.com
some fries and a bottle of crisp Puligny Montrachet.
Scott's Mayfair Dover sole Locanda Locatelli roasted monkfish
Chiawa Safaris has four carbon-neutral safari camps in the Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa national parks in Zambia. New this season at Chiawa Camp is the unique open-to-the-skies Star Bed tower, which sits on the bank of the Zambezi River. With its roll-top bath, huge double bed and front-row views of a wildlife-rich watering hole, this is safariing in style. chiawa.com
Waldorf Astoria is set to make quite the entrance later this year when it debuts in the Seychelles. The highly anticipated resort is located on Platte Island, south of Mahé, deep in the Indian Ocean. It’s tropical perfection, with the white sand beaches, palm forests and lagoon and coral reef home to native turtles, eagle and manta rays and whale sharks. Fifty seafront villas, six restaurants and bars, and a holistic spa will keep guests happy. So, too, the knowledge that the resort uses renewable energy, while the farm-totable menu comes from the island’s garden. hilton.com
Belmond takes to the water once again with its new luxury barge, Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat, Champagne. The latest addition to the brand’s boat collection features three ensuite cabins, an indoor salon and an expansive outdoor deck. From May, guests can climb aboard for a bespoke journey along the meandering canals of Champagne. By day, tour historic vineyards and mighty castles; by night, dine beneath the stars - with a glass of bubbles, of course. belmond.com
Ocean Drive Ibiza, the island’s original boutique hotel overlooking the Old Town, celebrates a quarter of a century with a brand-new look. While its Art Deco aesthetic and playful spirit remain, the renovation includes a jooshed-up lobby, lounge and restaurant, and refreshed rooms. Our favourite spot has to be the rooftop Sky Bar for chilled-out cocktails and sunset views. od-hotels.com
Compiled by HARRIET COOPER
The seductive, sun-soaked island of Mykonos has long welcomed the jet set. Now they’ve further reason to visit with the opening of Amyth of Mykonos. The breezy boutique hotel, just outside Agios Stefanos, is laid-back luxe, featuring 17 one-bedroom suites, a seafood restaurant and pool with views across the Aegean. Hedonists: the beach clubs are a stone’s throw away, making this new arrival the best of both worlds. amythhotels.com
Newly opened and architecturally-slick, The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne aims high as Australia’s tallest hotel. The lofty 257-room five-star is at the very top of an 80-storey skyscraper so, as you can imagine, the views of the city are quite spectacular. Drag yourself away from the floor-to-ceiling windows for the stunning infinity pool and seductive, speakeasy-style bar. ritzcarlton.com
From a Corsican villa to a glamorous hideaway on the Côte d’Azur, these private European retreats will welcome guests for their first summer season
Words HARRIET COOPER
There are villas with incredible views and then there is Casa di Macine. Perched atop the forestcloaked mountains of the PortoVecchio region, on the south east of Corsica, this villa offers panoramas you can only dream of. And they can be enjoyed from pretty much any angle: from the heated infinity pool, the expansive pergola-style terrace, the outdoor Jacuzzi, the yoga deck, the huge glass sliding doors from the master bedroom… There are endless spots to soak up the wild, fragrant beauty of this rugged Mediterranean island.
Tear yourself away from the scenery and you’ll discover that this property, with its helipad, indoor gym and sauna, means business. The high-spec kitchen, living area, five bedrooms (most with their own terraces) and six bathrooms are immaculately designed, fusing modern-luxe with a natural aesthetic - think thick stone walls, exposed beams, earthy tones and quirky design touches throughout (the lighting is particularly standout). Nearby Porto-Vecchio - once a hilltop fortress town - is well worth a visit; head straight for the old centre, which is a maze of narrow cobbled streets and local restaurants. The coast with its white-sand beaches and turquoise waters is also just a short drive away.
lecollectionist.com
The Marbella Club is one of the Mediterranean’s grande dames, welcoming a glamorous clientele since it was founded in 1954. The legendary Andalusian resort unveils its next chapter with the launch of Villa Punta Paloma; an hour’s drive from the hotel, it’s set in the wilds of Tarifa, against the backdrop of the El Estrecho Natural Reserve. Private access to the beach means there’s swimming, surfing and windsurfing on the doorstep; there’s also hiking, rock-climbing and horse riding, and your dedicated villa host can organise anything from birdwatching (Tarifa is famed for its birdlife) to whale-watching. That said, you might not want to venture too far from this villa. Its landscaped gardens offer many shady spots for long,
languorous afternoons, plus there’s an outdoor kitchen, infinity pool, fitness deck and a double treatment room with experts on hand for Pilates to massages.
Inside is as impressive, with a big open-plan lounge and five bedrooms spread across a trio of traditional lowlying stone buildings. Beds have been cleverly positioned in each to afford
guests uninterrupted views of the rolling Atlantic Ocean. Decor throughout mirrors that at the Marbella Club - rustic charm meets slow living - with a calming palette, giant basket lamps, handcrafted pottery and traditional mosaic tiles adding to the vibe.
marbellaclub.com
Kefalonia, the largest of Greece’s westerly archipelago, is an island of hidden coves and whitewashed villages. It now has a new five-star boutique hotel, Eliamos Villas Hotel & Spa, perched above the shoreline on the south coast with views stretching across the Ionian Sea. The retreat comprises a dozen villas, designed by London-based interior architect Maike Gruna to echo the island’s earthy character, with local stone and woods beautifully incorporated into the discreet-luxury aesthetic. Villas range from one-bedroom for romantic escapes to three-bedroom for family adventures, each with its own saltwater pool or Jacuzzi, outdoor dining area and garden. While the properties are wonderfully private, the public spaces - available to villa residents - are divine. With an emphasis on nature-based relaxation and wellness, there’s an al fresco gym
complete with wooden Pilates reformers; a pretty infinity pool surrounded by wildflowers; Pilates, yoga and meditation sessions; and a spa - plus pretty-as-a-picture gardens, which wind down to the secluded beach. The more energetic might want to borrow one of the hotel’s e-bikes or take a stroll through the surrounding olive groves.
The restaurant serves home-grown Mediterranean fare, with ingredients sourced from local farmers and organic producers. Do spend a morning genning up on Greek history in the nearby town of Argostoli, with its churches, museums and bustling port.
eliamos.com
As you’d expect from the glittering Côte d’Azur, Villa Palmira is five-star escapism. Set within the ultra-exclusive hills of Super Cannes (which isn’t in Cannes but above neighbouring Vallauris), the villa has a panorama of the majestic Les Alpes-Maritimes and, of course, the Med. The huge open-plan living area on the upper floor, with its floor to ceiling windows and expansive terrace, capitalises on the view and is the perfect place to sip ice-cold rosé while watching the super yachts bobbing on the water beyond. The pool and gardens are equally conducive to soaking up the French Riviera sunshine.
The villa is part of the Mandarin Oriental Exclusive Home portfolio (which sees MO collaborate with StayOne on a collection of ultraluxurious homes offering MO service and standards), so attention to detail is on point. The five ensuite bedrooms include the master, with its own terrace, dressing room
and bathroom with a freestanding tub. Staff - comprising a chef, dedicated concierge, housekeeping and villa manager - are on hand to cater to your every desire. Looking to charter a yacht or go on a helicopter tour? Or perhaps a spot of wine-tasting, a cooking class or a round of golf? Pas de problème. Alternatively, channel your inner Jane Birkin or Brigitte Bardot on the nearby La Croisette; the iconic boulevard is home to a food market, designer shops and the famous cocktail bar at Carlton Beach Club.
mandarinoriental.com
Montenegro is having a moment with many in the travel industry predicting that this small Balkan country with its charming towns, forest-cloaked mountains and pink-sand beaches is
going to be a hotspot for 2023. See for yourself with a stay at Villa Ponta Melagrana. Perched above the enticingly named Pomegranate cliff, near the fishing village of Pržno, and just walking distance from the stunning Sveti Stefan peninsula and the Milocer Forest, it certainly has location on its side (this stretch was once a popular holiday destination for the likes of Sophia Loren and Princess Margaret). Sleeping 22 people across eleven bedrooms, the villa is undoubtedly one of the largest and most luxurious in the area. The design is immersed in the surrounding scenery, not least the central staircase made of stone carved from the neighbouring cliffs, while huge windows give a front-row seat to the turquoise expanse of the Adriatic Sea (there’s a private pier, should you wish to take to the waters).
Expect elegant, well-appointed rooms and well-manicured gardens. There’s an indoor and an outdoor swimming pool, as well as a full-service spa, a sauna, gym, beauty and massage room. The chefs and concierge team have one aim: to make your stay as comfortable as possible, with a nothing-is-too-much-trouble attitude and bespoke service.
pontamelagrana.com
Following on from the viral success of their striped Studio Chair, you can now buy fabrics from London-based creative design duo Buchanan Studio. The collection features five styles in various colourways, including a floral-inspired ticking, an oversized checkerboard print and, of course, those signature stripes. Form an orderly line… buchanan.studio
Compiled by AMY MOOREA WONG
Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola looks to the almond tree as inspiration for her new sustainable modular lighting system Almendra. Suspended from the ceiling, it takes the form of a branch or branches, with the lights resembling the small open shell of the nut. flos.com
As rugs become more experimental, designs have broken free of the classic rectangle. Go abstract with Roger Oates’s Bespoke Tufted Design Service, which will handmake a 100% British blend wool rug in any size or shape with a choice of 190 colours. From £500 per sq m; rogeroates.com
Heritage wallpaper brand Cole & Son and Italian design atelier Fornasetti present their latest collection Senza Tempo II. In keeping with their previous collaboration, the new wall coverings o er a timeless aesthetic, drawing on both the natural world and architecture for inspiration, with details incorporating towns and cities, flora and fauna, the sun and the sky. cole-and-son.com
Handwoven by artisans in Jaipur using traditional shuttle looms, Camomile London’s cushions are made from a mix of di erent recycled cotton yarns, put together to create pleasing 3D blocks of contrasting tactile textures in a variety of tonal colours. £49. camomile.london
Australian interior stylist and textile designer Tim Neve draws on the warmth and tactility of rattan, teak and travertine for his long-anticipated debut furniture collection. The limited-edition capsule comprises organic-shaped handcrafted pieces in a natural, neutral palette, each one designed to work alone as a statement or to complement each other. timneve.com
Home accessories brand Polkra has teamed up with the London-based ceramics brand Hot Pottery on a tableware capsule that will bring a splash of colour to any dinner party. The Splatter Collection comprises 100% linen tablecloths and napkins featuring the signature “splatter” in lilac, electric blue and smoke green. 47.50; polkra.com
47.50
In her new book Kaleidoscope, Amy Moorea Wong showcases the homes of London’s leading creatives and talks to them about incorporating life-affirming hues into a space
Fashion photographer Candice Lake’s home was forged from a disused railway arch in Kennington, south London, which her husband Didier Ryan, architect and founder of Undercurrent Architects, transformed into a habitable house - the city’s first residential arch
Photography TARAN WILKHU
I didn’t say “Let’s make a multicoloured space here” – it just happened. I started very, very gently, began adding and adding and adding and the colour just sort of grew. My method was to bring in a bright chair and live with it to test it out – it was a discovery process. The house is bold, it’s unapologetic and it’s loud, but it’s also very considered. I didn’t choose anything just for the sake of having colour – the palette almost formed on its own.
The reds, blues and yellows make the house feel warm and welcoming, and when the day is a bit grey, they’re utterly joyous and uplifting. Anything purple is banished from my home – I have always had a deep aversion to it. I love to dress in orange, although I find it also a bit offensive in interiors. I like to bring in colour with big objects, as they create intensity and a sense of magic. Trying to make changes with small knickknacks is a mistake.
I really felt strongly about keeping the walls a blank canvas, and with that you have to make very brave colour choices. I filled each area with colour using objects that can be removed and changed - I don’t think I would ever touch the walls, as you need the neutrality to emphasise the brightness. Imagine how overwhelming it would be if they were painted.
If you want to experiment with textures, colours and prints, start in the guest loo. I love peeking into them when I’m at a friend’s house as it is usually where you find the true spirit of the homeowner. A lick of bright paint is a quick and easy foray into a life filled with colour – it instantly transforms a room (and you can always paint it back). Also, reupholstering a second-hand sofa in a bright fun fabric is a wonderful way to experiment.
My colour motto: don’t be afraid to be bold. Buy pieces you love and the room will inadvertently come together. Colour is exciting and a really brilliant way to bring happiness into your interiors - take risks and play with it, it’s fun!
Tatjana von Stein is founder and creative director of interiors-and-design studio Sella Concept. Her apartment, which she shares with wife and business partner Gayle Noonan, is set across the top two floors of a Georgian house overlooking Hampstead Heath
Photography SIMON BEVAN
Styling HARRIET DROHAN
Colour is such an easy way of adding ambience to a space. At the moment my colours are calm, subdued and smooth. I like to combine terracotta with any colour because of its warmth but I don’t tend to be drawn towards the particularly bright, although that will probably evolve. Once you start working with colour, it’s quite hard to go back.
I love being fully immersed in a space, so I rarely leave ceilings white – using all-over colour creates a full background so the room can focus on how everything moves together. Non-white ceilings are a step away from the more traditional British houses, which usually have that very separated look – I think white just draws attention to the ceiling. Corridors, too, benefit from colour to bring them to life as these are often the darkest corners of the house.
When you think of colour, don’t only think about primary colours - there are so many gorgeous, sensual shades that are incredibly subtle, but which make a huge difference in the home. Soft colours aren’t just backdrops; they are atmosphere.
Mix old and new when accessorising; let table lamps and paintings do a lot of the talking. The more colourful the walls, the more gorgeous colourful paintings look.
I try to avoid rules – each room should have its own motto. If I’m looking for colour inspiration, I go to my grandmother’s flat in Paris, which sings with yellows and lime greens across silk walls, carpets and all-over patterns.
For Niko Dafkos and Paul Firmin, co-founders of lifestyle brand Earl of East, their home in east London is a place to experiment in, an evolving aesthetic that doubles as a location for photographing soon-to-be sold design pieces
Photography SIMON BEVAN Styling HARRIET DROHAN
When people say they’re afraid of using colour, often it’s knowing how to put shades together - start with one or two tones that you like, and they can become a common link through the home. You can be big and bold, but there are ways to add colour to a house without it being too over the top.
Whenever the time is right – and the budget is available – we refresh a room and move it on to the next phase. We always look at Farrow & Ball. The paint is consistent and there’s a great narrative behind the colours – they feel like they stand the test of time.
Textiles are a quick, easy and affordable way to change the interior space. We have more cushions on the bed than we’ll ever need. And green life - plants and the odd bunch of flowers are great for the mood, as well as for making a space feel cosier.
When you’re adding accessories, use groupings. Have a trio (or other odd number) of objects and create landscapes with taller and shorter heights. It just looks more interesting that way. In our house, we’ve used artwork to add a surprise hint of colour. We have pieces all over – behind doors, at the top of the stairs, leaning against walls…
We love going to independent stores when we travel for colour inspiration, and we always like to go to the conservatory at the Barbican for a hit of green. The thread that runs throughout our place is a natural take on colourful shades that work together to emit a calmness, so the home becomes a sanctuary.
The east London Victorian home of Emma Morley, founder and creative director of commercial interior-design practice Trifle, and Simon Goff, owner of contemporary rug brand Floor Story, is filled with narrative, with each room different in terms of design and vibe
Photography SIMON BEVAN Styling HARRIET DROHANPeople say coming to our house feels like being on holiday, which we love. Our travels around the world have hugely influenced the look, feel, design and palette of our home. Some of it is more subconscious and subtle, and some more direct, but I don’t think you’d walk into our house and think that the colours are classically “British”
Certain elements of Spanish and Moorish culture have influenced our style. We look to El Fenn in Marrakech for colour inspiration, as well as the Gubi flagship store in Copenhagen and the Alhambra in Granada. Also, Mexico and Colombia in general are filled with incredible colour combos.
Year upon year we have added more colour. We push ourselves to be brave – why say it when you can sing it? That said, it’s advisable to stick to three complementary tones. When it comes to painting our walls, we’re not very brand loyal - we love Little Greene, Valspar, Dulux, Farrow & Ball and Paint & Paper Library.
The colours we’ve chosen have a calming effect, which is important to us as we’re in an urban environment. When we walk in from busy, bustling, stressful days, it makes us feel relaxed. It’s our happy place. As much as we like to travel, we always love coming back home.
Go bold in a small room first - pick an object that you love and design the décor around that. And don’t panic if you hate it initially. Live with it for a while and see if you get used to it (sometimes a change is a shock). You can always repaint it. And remember to sample the hell out of stuff! Use tester pots to paint A4 sheets of paper, try them on different walls and make sure you look at them throughout the day in different lights.
A room without a rug is not a complete room. They bring warmth and soul, and are a brilliant opportunity to gamble a little and lay down some personality with colour and design. You can be brave and have fun with them.
This is an edited extract from Kaleidoscope: Modern Homes in Every Colour by Amy Moorea Wong (Hardie Grant, £33), out now
Dame Vivienne Westwood is the embodiment of our extraordinary industry. A truly brilliant and unique individual. Over her illustrious career, she pioneered the look of punk and brought a rebellious edge to British style, ultimately helping to establish London as a leading and cutting-edge fashion destination. Vivienne made significant contributions and inspired many, including myself, with her bold and fearless approach to design and activism. Her innovative pieces pushed boundaries, and challenged conventional notions of what fashion can be. To this day, we see her rebellious spirit referenced and reworked in the collections of both established and emerging UK designers.
A fashion revolutionary, Vivienne was fiercely committed to social, environmental, and political causes. She was the first of
her kind to use her platform, status and designs to raise awareness around climate change, mass consumption and human rights. “All my motivation has been because I have been so upset about what can happen to people in the world,” she once said. “That has had something to do with my fashion clothes.” Indeed, Vivienne paved the way for positive activism in the fashion industry, and we now see both designers and brands following in her
footsteps to invoke change. She also set the tone for organisations like the British Fashion Council, and we are committed to keeping her memory alive by championing diversity, innovation, creativity, and a circular fashion economy.
I was honoured to attend Vivienne’s memorial in February, which was profoundly moving and a day I will never forget. We were tasked with carrying on her legacy. It was an honour to dedicate the entire London Fashion Week February 2023 to Vivienne and her remarkable work. As she herself has reflected, “Fashion is very important. It is life-enhancing and, like everything that gives pleasure, it is worth doing well.” Vivienne Westwood always was and always will be a true and everlasting London icon.
britishfashioncouncil.co.uk
From its magnificent light-filled residences to the exceptional facilities of London’s first Six Senses Hotel, every aspect of The Whiteley has been designed to invigorate the spirit. The perfect place to stimulate and unleash an unquenchable energy.
