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Little black book for the City
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February 2012
Urbane foxsmart and bright spring tailoring / classic watch auctions / private(ish) jets
an aFrican river saFari / 2012’s must-have tech / spain’s bordeaux-beating wine
the little black book For the city
“1932” COLLECTION
80TH ANNIVERSARY
173 NEW BOND STREET - LONDON W1
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HARRODS FINE JEWELLERY & WATCH ROOM - LONDON SW1
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CONTENTS | BRUMMELL 09
Foreword
The City needs to win the debate about
bonuses, says David Charters – and, he
argues, it would help if the payments were
viewed as a reward not an entitlement
Money no object The leaner, greener, new V8 version of
the Bentley Continental GT
BeaumondeNews
Fabergé returns to London; a British car
manufacturer is reborn; and the City Ski
Championships have a new home
Wine
Five years ago López de Heredia was an
unfashionably subtle Rioja. Now, its vintages
are desirable, collectible – and cheap
Private jets
A new scheme for jet-sharing means luxury,
convenience and smart budget management
Technology
Just unveiled: the new screen, sound and
comms devices you will almost certainly
want to own as soon as they are available
Shooting
Live out your Sharpe’s Rifles/Jack Sparrow
fantasies by collecting muzzle-loading guns
After the City
How Olivier Bonnefoy swapped global
macro-products for ‘product’ with his
Gentlemen’s Tonic grooming salons
FeaturesTravel The luxury riverboat Zambezi Queen
offers safaris from a very different angle
SuitingIt may be bespoke for the personal touch, but
for up-to-the-minute fabrics and a cutting-
edge silhouette, look to the fashion houses
Style
Tailoring with a bigger splash of colour, as if
David Hockney were your personal stylist
Watch auctions
A guide to acquiring classic timepieces, from
around £50 to over £1m for some Pateks
By George
Angelo Galasso: the bold Italian designer
who says we’re ready for more flamboyance
12
15
17
20
22
27
31
34
37
40
44
50
54
Contents
Show Media Brummell editorial 020 3222 0101
Editor
Joanne Glasbey
Art Director
Dominic Bell
Associate Editor
Henry Farrar-Hockley
Chief Copy Editor
Chris Madigan
Picture EditorJuliette Hedoin
Copy Editor
Sarah Evans
Fashion Director
Tamara Fulton
Creative Director
Ian Pendleton
Managing Director
Peter Howarth
Advertising & Events Director
Duncan McRae
07816 218059
showmedia.net
Visit Brummell’s website for
more tailor-made content:
brummellmagazine.net
Colour reproduction by Fresh Media Group, groupfmg.com
Printed by The Manson Group, manson-grp.co.uk
Brummell is designed and produced by Show Media Ltd
and distributed with Financial News. All material ©
Show Media Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without
written permission is strictly prohibited. While every
effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information
contained in this publication, no responsibility can
be accepted for any errors or omissions. The information
contained in this publication is correct at the time of
going to press. £5 (where sold). Reader offers are the
responsibility of the organisation making the offer – Show
Media accepts no liabillity regarding offers.
Cover illustration by Brett Ryder
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41
The Notting Hill location for this issue’s style shoot was designed by architect Tchaik Chassay for David Hockney. When the artist moved to LA, Chassay moved in with his wife Melissa. The couple are the subject of one of Hockney’s best known portraits.
Tchaik wears: glasses, £290, Cutler & Gross; linen jacket, £995, and cotton linen trousers, £550, both Burberry Prorsum; print shirt, £175, Burberry Brit
Too much was paid out in cash
rather than being held back, and
there was a clear and logical
potential for a conflict of interest
It’s that time of year again, when we suffer slings and arrows for earning outrageous
fortunes. We need to win the media war and explain the positive impact we
deliver – and also remind ourselves that bonuses are a reward, not an entitlement
Words David Charters Illustration Brett Ryder
Does anyone apart from me want a bonus this year? Of course you do. We all do. If for nothing else, because of all the ‘A’ words – ambition, avarice and, of course, awesomeness.
The problem is that a whole bunch of people who ought to know better have seized on the credit crunch as an excuse for payback time against all the people they knew at university who have outshone and above all out-earned them by going into the City rather than something dodgy and unethical like politics or journalism.
No one with as many as two brain cells to rub together would ever seek to minimise the impact of the crunch. It was huge – far bigger than anything any of us had experienced in our careers up to that point. And it is undeniably true that getting over it will take years and come at great cost.
But demonising an entire industry, most of whom had not the remotest connection with the very specific areas that got us all into trouble, is intellectually dishonest. Other industries have their moments too – try pharmaceuticals, or the nuclear industry, or oil and gas – but we are sufficiently rational not to interfere with the parameters within which they operate.
Investment banking is different. Bankers make better targets than oilmen because what we do seems so remote, our work (and often our successes) so abstract, that the rewards we reap are for many people unacceptable.
As an industry, we have been lamentable at explaining the positive impact that we deliver. And in today’s world, winning on the battlefield is not enough – you have to win the media war as well. When politicians fail, they rarely come clean and take responsibility. Regulators and civil servants certainly don’t. And of course the media are never wrong.
So when something really bad happens, the first priority is to find a scapegoat. The ideal scapegoat – with a big target stuck to his back – is someone that most other people don’t know, or if they do know, don’t particularly relate to. ‘Bankers’ as a generic group are ideal. The fact
Target pracice
that bankers do a myriad different things is an inconvenient detail best swept under the carpet.
What many people don’t understand is why bankers need to be paid in the way they are. That is because most people have never worked as investment bankers and indeed could not – or in some cases would rationally decide not to, given the demands and the sacrifices required.
Traditionally, in a business where revenues are lumpy and unpredictable, every firm wants to keep its fixed overheads to a minimum. But, by the same token, in a highly mobile job market, significant success for the firm should be rewarded by equivalent success for the individual. Given the scale of the ambitions at work in investment banking – and here we really do need to tell the story of our achievements for governments, corporates and ultimately society as a whole – we should be incentivising people to aim for the stars, and reward them in a stellar way if they deliver. To me, none of that should be controversial, any more than rewarding stellar talent in other fields.
The problem is that we failed as an industry to implement our own system properly. If we had stuck to first principles, then we might not be in the position we are in today. By the time of the crunch, the system that had led to such huge growth and great success in investment banking, turning the industry into a massive global talent magnet, had become distorted.
Unhealthy unspoken assumptions had crept in. Bonuses were no longer that – a dividend, a reward – but instead were expected. Top achievers did justifiably well,
but the mediocre middle did relatively far too well. Super-managers did astronomically well, often without actually meeting any clients or taking any trading decisions themselves. Too much was paid out in cash rather than being held back, and there was clear and logical potential for a conflict of interest between the risk-takers and their owners. And no one should ever be paid a bonus for unrealised profits – how crazy is that?
So the system we had invented, and which turned us all into tigers, had become warped and distorted. It no longer served the interests it was meant to, and when things went wrong, it is hardly surprising that we were criticised.
But before anyone tries anything too radical – particularly if the anyone in question happens to be one of the many who have felt for years that they had their noses pressed against the glass, looking in at the glorious world of the City – can we have a go at sorting this out ourselves? By which I mean doing bonuses properly again.
It would mean managers managing, taking tough decisions, possibly themselves agreeing to forego some of what they have come to regard as their entitlement – pay for organisational seniority rather than revenues they have generated themselves, and perhaps leading once more from the front. The most impressive bankers that I ever worked with remained producer-managers to the end, regardless of seniority, always pitching business, cultivating clients and overseeing transactions.
If we don’t get this right, others will do it for us. It may already be too late, but at least let’s try, and let’s engage actively – and with humility – with the people who may otherwise mess things up, in some cases with the best and most honourable of intentions. If we don’t tell our story in 2012, no one will.
The Ego’s Nest, the fifth novel by David Charters about City anti-hero Dave Hart, is published by Elliott and Thompson, price £6.99
FOREWORD | bRUMMELL 13
TRANSOCEANNAVITIMER CHRONOMAT
BREITLING.COM
With its Manufacture Caliber 01, Breitling has created the most reliable, accurate and top-performance
of all selfwinding chronograph movements – entirely produced in its own workshops and chronometer-
certifi ed by the COSC. A perfectly logical accomplishment for a brand that has established itself as the
absolute benchmark in the fi eld of mechanical chronographs.
One heart Three legends
For your nearest stockist in Great Britain and Ireland telephone 020 7637 5167
The sleek, sporty and ecologically sound new
V8 version of the Bentley Continental GT
Words Simon de Burton Photography Tif Hunter
bRUMMELL 15
Less could very well be more in the case of the
Bentley’s new Continental GT V8. Those familiar
with the quintessentially British (but German-
owned) marque will know that the original
Continental GT first appeared in 2003 with a vast,
six-litre, ‘W12’ engine of 567 horsepower which
promised a top speed nudging 200mph. The ‘Conti’
has proved to be the best-selling Bentley of all time,
but now it sits slightly uneasily in our increasingly
ecologically aware world. Enter the new four-litre,
V8 version. The twin-turbo GT V8 is 40 per cent
more fuel-efficient than the W12, yet is still capable
of a licence-losing 180mph and can cover the
0-62mph dash in 4.9 seconds, just three-tenths
slower than its stablemate. It remains, of course,
superbly appointed with an options list as long as
your arm yet, at £122,000, the ‘basic’ V8 costs 10
per cent less than the equivalent W12 – although
the latter will remain available for those who
still can’t accept that size really doesn’t matter…
Available at HR Owen; hrowen.co.uk;
bentleymotors.com
MONEY NO
OBJECT
T H E 4 . 8 L I T R E P L U S 8
Car pictured: 4.8litre Morgan Plus 8. Fuel economy: 25.2mpg (Combined) CO2 : 269gr/km. Price: £71,000+VAT
The new Morgan Plus 8 makes use of technology from the aircraft industry to achieve an unladen weight of 1150kgs. This makes the car the lightest V8 passenger car in the world. One of the stiffest in its class; The aluminium chassis braces the mighty BMW V8 coupled to a six speed manual or automatic gearbox. With a truly coachbuilt body handcrafted onto this, the car can then be built bespoke to your taste down to the last detail.
Superbly responsive, the car is the ideal companion on country and urban roads. You can have all the fun possible in a car with a clear conscience that impact on nature is kept at a minimum.
For more information please visitwww.morgan-motor.co.uk
Photo courtesy of Magic Car Pics
NEWS | bEAumoNdE 17
Hand-picked holiday homes, masterpieces of photography and the finest footwear
Ski here For many City ski enthusiasts,
mid-March has, for the past 10 years
or so, meant a trip to Courmayeur in
Italy’s Aosta Valley for the City Ski
Championships. However, this year’s
event is at a new destination, and part
of the Momentum Ski Festival in
Crans Montana, Switzerland, with
comedy and music adding to the
on-slope fun. Performing at the
Momentum Ski Festival will be some
of the UK’s best stand-up comedians,
including TV and BBC Radio 4 stars
Marcus Brigstocke and Rufus
Hound, with music from The Feeling.
Crans Montana is the coming resort
in Switzerland and has seen a lot of
development – mainly in the building
of five-star hotels and luxury chalets.
The ski area is topped with a glacier,
running into an open bowl and
descending into interesting tree runs.
It’s a lot of fun – very much like the
nightlife. 15-18 March. Packages
from £665pp for three days;
momentumskifestival.com
Home from home
SJ Villas is a personalised service that
specialises in beautiful holiday home
rentals round the globe, chosen by the
duo running the company. They say they
turn down more properties than they list,
claiming to be ‘very picky’. Which is good
news for those with no time to trawl the
internet; you can be sure that each
property is of the highest standard in
location, accommodation, services and
every luxury. Whether you want to stay in
The Beach House in Koh Samui – an
elegant and sophisticated beachfront
home, pictured – or Casa Diana in the
Dominican Republic – a colonial-style
villa five minutes by golf cart from a PGA
course, you can be assured of top quality
all through the experience. sjvillas.co.uk
Horse play As suggested by its name, Breitling’s Colt
– newly redesigned – offers a fresh, youthful
and dynamic style, balanced with sturdiness
and comfort. Available in three versions –
including a chronograph (pictured above) and
a wonen’s watch – the Colt offers water
resistance to 300 metres or 500 metres.
Sophisticated, sporty and playful: a winning
combination for a spirited character. £3,110;
breitling.com
Auto revival The most dedicated petrolhead could be
forgiven for finding themselves unfamiliar with
Atalanta Motors, but the British car
manufacturer that sank without trace in 1939
after just two years of production is making
a comeback. Businessman and classic car
enthusiast Martyn Corfield bought the rights to
the Atalanta name and will launch a limited run
of brand new cars in March this year. ‘The story
of Atalanta Motors needs to be told,’ says
Corfield. ‘It was a company that was ahead of
its time, but stopped dead by the outbreak of
war.’ The design will remain faithful to the
elegant Thirties originals but, thankfully, there
has been a full under-the-hood overhaul. Prices
from £80,000; atalantamotors.com
Eve’s eye The late, great, Eve Arnold was a pioneering
photographer whose oeuvre was truly diverse
and magical. A retrospective of her work is
taking place at Art Sensus next month,
presenting over 100 images. All About Eve
offers a wide range of work drawn from her
personal archive, including photographs of
Marilyn Monroe, portraits of other Hollywood
legends, and many political figures, often taken
in her work for The Sunday Times Magazine and
for Magnum agency. It also outlines Arnold’s
extensive travels and insatiable curiosity about
the world and its people. In the accompanying
book almost half of the images have been rarely
seen. Prints of her work are still available and
very collectable. All About Eve is at Art Sensus,
2 March–27 April; artsensus.com
Well shod They say you can judge a man by the shoes he’s
wearing, and if this widely held belief has you
shaking in last season’s boots, you had better
pay a visit to Justin Deakin. You’ll find his shop
situated on east London’s Hanbury Street where
Deakin takes on the best of British: Chelsea
boots, brogues and loafers receive his renowned
attention to detail, shape, style and quality. And,
as all his shoes are made in England (even the
tassels and silks are UK-sourced), you’ll be
sure to leave a small yet stylish carbon footprint.
justindeakin.com
Art beat TEFAF Maastricht, is known as the
world’s leading art and antiques fair,
giving visitors a unique chance to
view and to buy works from artists
as diverse as Renoir and Anish
Kapoor, as well as objects reflecting
7,000 years of excellence in the
decorative arts (even BMW Art
Cars, such as the Jeff Kons edition
pictured). A distinctive feature of
TEFAF is elegantly displayed genuine
masterpieces offered by more than
260 prestigious art and antiques
dealers from 18 countries. The fair
has led the way in establishing proper
vetting procedures: 29 committees,
made up of over 170 experts in
every field of art represented at the
fair, verify each and every object for
quality, authenticity and condition, so
visitors always buy with confidence.
To celebrate its silver jubilee, this
year TEFAF also has an exhibition
of master drawings, including works
by Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens and
Rembrandt. 16-25 March; tefaf.com
bEAumondE | nEWS18
HISTORIC RETURN
Iconic jewellery house Fabergé
has returned to London with a
brand new flagship store on
Mayfair’s Grafton Street.
Famous historically for its
precious eggs embellished with
exquisite enamel and fancy
stones, Fabergé now produces a
range of handmade men’s and
women’s watches in addition to
fine jewellery. Particularly
special is a limited collection of
egg pendants in 60 different
designs featuring rose gold and
diamond detailing. An opulent
love token indeed. faberge.com
beAumonde | wine20
more difficult to sell. How times change. Over the
last two or three years, López de Heredia’s flagship
single-vineyard wines have become the most
unlikely global cult wines among collectors and
sommeliers. Meanwhile, general manager María-
José López de Heredia, great-granddaughter
of the founder, finds herself hosting vertical
tastings in Miami, Tokyo or London.
María-José is delighted by her family’s new-
found fame. Not least, because they compromised
none of their principles in order to achieve it. ‘We
never set out to be fashionable. We simply wanted
to make the best wines we can, wines that are true
to our heritage and terroir. We haven’t changed
at all. It is the market that has come back to us.’
Not that long ago, the wines of López de
Heredia were astonishingly cheap. Now, with
collectors clamouring for them, they are moving
up in price. Even so, they still represent remarkable
value when compared to some neighbours and an
absolute steal compared to Cru Classe Bordeaux.
Further good news for its ever-increasing fan
base is that López de Heredia still has plenty of
vintages in its magnificent fungus-covered cellars
– largely due to the previous lack of demand. There
are reportedly several hundred thousand bottles
of Gran Reservas alone, going back to the 1885.
A number of these are commercially available
from the bodega itself, including the legendary ’64
at €600 a bottle or the ’42 (closer to €1,000).
Reserva and Crianza wines can be picked up much
more cheaply. At a recent Christie’s sale a case
of the ’64 Tondonia Crianza went for just £800.
Younger vintages are in more plentiful
supply. In the UK, Berry Bros & Rudd offer
several vintages including the relatively recently
released 1991 Vina Bosconia Gran Reserva
Tinto at £95 a bottle. According to the critic
Stephen Tanzer: ‘For this much complexity in
aged Burgundy, you’d pay twice as much.’
Berry Bros & Rudd is also listing several
other wines including the ’87 and ’91 Tondonia
Blanco Gran Reservas for £95 and £65 apiece.
However, there’s no hurry to drink them up, as
these unique wines will age as well as any great
white Graves. According to María-José, ‘the
Gran Reserva whites will peak at around 50
years of age’. The reds take even longer.
In the last two years, London wine merchant
The Sampler has begun selling an exciting and
ever-changing range of traditional, fully mature
Riojas going back to the Twenties. Many of the
wines come direct from bodegas’ own cellars and
include some of Rioja’s most famous names such
as La Rioja Alta, Paternina, Contino, Berberana,
Riscal, Murrieta and Carlos Serres as well as
López de Heredia. According to The Sampler’s
Jamie Hutchinson, one of the reasons for their
popularity is value for money. ‘Wine-lovers like
the fact that they can buy a great 20-30 year
old wine for as little as £30-£40 a bottle. Right
now sales of the older vintages are out-stripping
the younger vintages by 10 to one.’
lopezdeheredia.com; bbr.com; christies.com;
thesampler.co.uk
words John Stimpfig
When Spain’s winemakers
turned up the dial on fruit and
tannin and alcohol, one bodega
rejected the trend. After two
decades in the wilderness, it is
now the toast of connoisseurs
Riojaof ages
Anyone visiting the historic region of Rioja
cannot fail to be struck by the remarkable
number of dramatic, cutting-edge ‘statement’
wineries which dot its rugged landscape. One is
the brilliantly mesmeric Ysios Bodega near
Laguardia; another is Frank Gehry’s fabulous
hotel and winery at Marques de Riscal in Elciego.
But arguably, the most distinctive of all the
bodegas is ancient rather than contemporary.
Founded in 1877 and situated in the Rioja Alta
capital Haro, López de Heredia’s only ‘statement
architecture’ is a funky little tasting room designed
by Zaha Hadid. Otherwise almost nothing has
changed in a century or more. Least of all, its
ultra-traditional methods of winemaking.
Over the last two decades, while the rest of
Rioja rushed to make fashionable alta-expresion
reds – full of power, alcohol, fruit and tannin –
López de Heredia did the opposite. It remained
true to its roots and carried on producing the
most exquisitely elegant, aged red (as well as
white and rosé) Riojas. Many thought this was
commercial suicide as the wines became ever
wine oF THe TimeS
Clockwise from below: López de Heredia’s original 1877 bodega; the label of the great 1942 vintage; Zaha Hadid’s tasting room pays respect to the vineyard’s heritage
beAumonde | privAte jets22
Victor members can buy single seats on a private
jet that is already flying at a time and to a
destination that is also of interest to them. Those
using Victor to charter a private jet can sell spare
seats on it, be it when they’re travelling or on the
otherwise unused leg. Having chosen my route
and date on the site, my particular flight, for
instance, comes up as costing around £750.
By logging in to the site Victor members can
see what flights by private jet are going where
and can register their interest in buying a seat.
The more who fly on a plane, the lower the price
per seat and the more who join Victor, the
greater availability of seats on the site.
The name, which Jackson the marketer
thought carefully about, is more than an airline
call sign. ‘It’s about playing and winning, in this
case, getting the best deal on a flight,’ he explains.
A jet charterer receives an email informing them
when a seat has been sold. ‘So instead of
paying, say, £6,000 for their aircraft, it could
now only be £2,000. It’s a nice little bonus.’
Private jet travel is convenient and
luxurious – that’s a given. But now,
thanks to an innovative flight-sharing
company, it can mean value too
Air supply
Victor makes its money from a 30 per cent
commission on this fee plus a five per cent charge
per sale. Jackson has funded the business himself
from its concept and now, following a successful
soft launch last summer, he is seeking to raise
another £1.5m to accelerate Victor’s expansion.
Already there are just over 700 members and the
potential for 441,000 route combinations as the
system develops and more jet charterers use it.
Jackson claims that he is ‘democratising
private jet use’ , but isn’t exclusivity the whole point
of this mode of travel? Well, 87 per cent of Victor’s
clients say they are happy to share their cabin
space (not just take advantage of an empty leg).
And Jackson believes that even more charterers
will come to understand that accommodating other
passengers can save considerable sums while still
offering private jet travel’s freedom and flexibility.
‘It also depends who you’re travelling with
– some members are happy to talk to like-
minded individuals, others might be thrilled to
be seated alongside a world famous golfer or
mountaineer,’ he says. ‘Others might just say
hello and then politely ignore each other.’
Certainly the Victor member whose jet
Jackson and I used to reach Palma and which
would otherwise have flown down to the island
empty is not averse to sharing. ‘I’d have no
objection,’ he says, ‘and if it brings in a bit of
extra cash then that’s all to the good.’
flyvictor.com
Words SImon Brooke
Clive Jackson has owned a holiday home in
Mallorca for some years. Thanks to a BMI flight
from Heathrow, he and his wife have escaped to
the island whenever possible. So when BMI
cancelled its service he was not best pleased. But
unlike many who might simply grumble, Jackson,
who has made millions in digital marketing,
decided to do something about it.
‘I was sitting with a group of other regulars
and I asked them, “What can we do about this?”
he remembers. ‘The man sitting next to me
suggested that we charter a plane but that
would cost around £8,000 and we’d have to
know that we all wanted to use it the same time.’
Convinced that there must be an alternative,
Jackson began to research the demand for flights
to Mallorca. By January 2010, he believed that
there were sufficient numbers to merit some kind of
service, albeit not a conventional scheduled route.
‘I didn’t want to start an airline but I realised
that the solution was a platform that allowed
people to see in real time how many others
might want to charter a plane,’ he says. This
platform is called Victor. Describing itself as ‘an
online community of people with a shared desire
to use private jets,’ Jackson’s new venture is a
sort of very high-end eBay and price comparison
site with a social media element, which makes
using private aviation more affordable than the
traditional business of simply chartering a private
jet by allowing those affluent travellers who are
willing to share a private aircraft to do so.
Someone chartering a jet can
sell spare seats on it… so
instead of paying, say £6,000,
it could now only be £2,000
Paradise Found
Petite Anse Bay, on the south west coast of Mahe, is the location for one
of the world’s finest and most exclusive beaches. The three- to six-bedroom
freehold Four Seasons Private Residences nestle amid secluded plots
averaging one hectare.
Each villa is uniquely designed by the internationally acclaimed architect
Cheong Yew Kuan to harmonise with the dramatic granite landscape and
panoramic ocean views. Owners can take advantage of the Concierge Service
and the extensive facilities at the renowned Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
set in the middle of the 70 hectare estate.
Prices from US$7,250,000
LONDON: +44 20 8166 8122sales@petiteansedevelopments.comwww.petiteansedevelopments.com
Four Seasons Private Residences Seychelles are not owned, developed or sold by Four Seasons Hotels Limited or its affiliates (Four Seasons). The developer, Petite Anse Developments Ltd., uses the Four Seasons trademarks and tradenames under a license from Four Seasons Hotels
and Resorts Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. The marks “FOUR SEASONS”, “FOUR SEASONS HOTELS AND RESORTS,” any combination thereof and the Tree Design are registered trademarks of Four Seasons Hotels Limited in Canada and U.S.A. and of Four Seasons Hotels (Barbados) Ltd. elsewhere.
hac
ket
t.co
m
Hackett Mayfair represents the very best in design
and tailoring. Offering luxury from top to toe, the
Hackett Mayfair collection is synonymous with
contemporary city style, blending formal luxury
with modernity for today’s gentleman and his
lifestyle. Inspired by classic style icons from early
1960s London, the Hackett Mayfair cut has an
overall ‘trim’ aesthetic and is recognised by the
symbol of a bowler hat with crossed umbrellas – a wry
gentleman’s take on the iconic skull and crossbones.
30 years of “in-house”expertise in providing:
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TECHNOLOGY | bEAumONdE 27
THE POWER LISTFresh from this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas,
we select the technology you should know about in the coming months,
from intelligent television screens to a computer made of glass
Words Henry Farrar-Hockley
Samsung ES8000If this year’s key trend is the so-called ‘smart
TV’, then the movement’s flag bearer is
arguably this Minority Report-inspired LED
screen from Samsung. The ES8000 uses the
same dual-core processors found in PCs to
allow you to switch quickly between, say, Twitter
and Top Gear, while a built-in webcam provides
two distinct benefits over and above the usual
video calls to Australian relatives. The first is a
facial recognition feature that identifies
the viewer, then automatically loads up your
favourite apps, channels and multimedia
content. The second allows users to bypass the
remote and change channels, find programme
information and adjust the volume via voice
commands or simply by waving your hand. Last,
but not least, a discreet slot on the back of the
set permits future hardware upgrades without
having to buy another TV set.
Price yet to be announced; samsung.com/uk
FujiFilm X-Pro1 In 2011, Fuji’s X100 made waves: a fixed-lens
camera, it provided the optimal blend of vintage
styling and bleeding-edge technology. It had the
clout of a much larger SLR, but also the portability
and aesthetics of an old Leica. This year, the
concept has been advanced. The X-Pro1 is the
first X series camera to offer interchangeable
lenses, as well as an improved 16MP light sensor
that manages exceptional colour reproduction.
From around £1,100; fujifilm.eu/uk
Invoxia NVX 610French technology start-up Invoxia has combined
the best elements of mobile, internet and landline
telephony with its polished smart desktop phone.
A plug-and-play device with no long-winded set-up
or line rental, it operates via both iPhone and VOIP
services such as Skype. With eight microphones
built into the base to allow crystal-clear conference
calls, and a traditional handset design letting you
make calls and access iCalendar simultaneously,
it’s ideal for business. £499; invoxia.com
Parrot Zik by StarckThese over-the-ear, noise-cancelling
headphones effectively eradicate two common
personal-audio gripes. First, thanks to
Bluetooth, there’s no dangly cabling. Second:
a simple, gesture-based control system makes
a fiddly remote control panel unnecessary.
To turn up the volume, run a finger up the
outside of the earcup; to change tracks, just
drag your digit left or right. Even better: the
music only starts playing when you put the
headphones on, and stops when you remove
them again. Price TBA; parrot.com/uk
TECHNOLOGY | bEAumONdE 29
Arcam rPacA drawback of PCs is a lack of sound performance,
yet they are typically where we store our music.
Hence Cambridge-based audiophiles Arcam’s
little black box, the rPac. A combination digital-to-
analogue converter and headphone amplifier, the
USB-powered device gives depth and clarity to
your Mac’s or PC’s tinny, lifeless audio. This
sonic nirvana can either be outputted to a hi-fi
system or headphones, and the box is slim enough
to fit in a laptop case. £150; arcam.co.uk
b&O Play beolit 12Bang & Olufsen launches its ‘high street’ sub-brand Play
with the covetable Beolit 12 AirPlay speaker. Designed by
outsider Cecilie Manz – whose products have turned up
everywhere from Georg Jensen to the set of cult TV series
Forbrydelsen – this diminutive sound system uses three
concealed speakers powered by a 120-watt digital amplifier.
It is built to travel too, with a compartment to store cables;
leather carry handle; and a built-in battery that musters eight
hours’ use from a single charge. Price TBA; beoplay.com
HP Envy 14 SpectreThe vaunted Ultrabook laptop niche has been
gathering momentum this year, and HP’s glossy
new model is a prime example of this emerging
category that promises equal doses of power
and portability. The first talking point is purely
aesthetic: the lid is made of highly resistant
‘Gorilla Glass’ (a pleasing design quirk that
continues on to the backlit keyboard). Other
key specs include a borderless 14in screen;
Intel Core i5 processor, NFC contactless
technology; and 128GB of solid-state storage.
From around £1,200; hp.com/uk
57 - 58 South Audley Street
london W1K 2ed
+44 (0)20 7499 1801
www.purdey.com
duel control
A cased pair of 40-bore flintlock duelling pistols by Joseph Manton, circa 1815, which sold for £18,000
guns | beAumonde 31
Find pheasant shooting a little
ho hum? Try a mighty muzzle-
loader for maximum effect
SHOT
AND
AWE
The average Kalashnikov weighs in at about
11.5lbs, is 34 inches long and fires between
600 and 650 rounds a minute. In terms of use,
it’s an easy tool compared to the weaponry
Wellington’s soldiers were brandishing at the
Battle of Waterloo.
The early 19th-century British infantryman’s
stock firearm, the Brown Bess, fired – if you were
really quick – three rounds a minute and was up
to 62 inches long. That’s about five inches less
than the height of an average soldier. It was
undoubtedly a gun for those of a robust spirit;
you’d need arms of steel to wield and load it for
hours on end in a close-fought battle. In 2012,
it is also one of a select group of firearms –
muzzle-loaders – that you can buy and keep in
the UK without having to hold any form of licence.
SHOOTING STARS
From top: A pair of 28 bore double-barrelled percussion travelling pistols by J. Lang, circa 1830; one of a pair of 38 bore Silesian flintlock holster pistols which sold for £12,000; part of a pair of 22 bore silver-mounted flintlock pistols by Barbar, circa 1770
beAumONde | GuNS32
Muzzle-loading guns consist of pistols, muskets
and rifles. As the name suggests, they are
loaded by manually wedging gunpowder (or
black powder, as it used to be known), a bullet
and wadding down the barrel. At face value,
they may sound rather an odd investment
vehicle but, as Thomas Del Mar, one of the
country’s top antique armoury specialists,
points out: ‘Any antique firearm is exempt from
capital gains tax because it has moving parts
and is thus classified as a machine.’
As a general rule of thumb, industry
insiders advise that firearms increase in value
at five to 10 per cent above inflation. Moreover,
muzzle loaders made by the great makers, such
as Manton and Purdey, have an extra rarity
value. Created with extreme skill, they often
feature extraordinary embellishments.
David Williams of Bonhams observes that,
while these weapons may have been built for
a grimly practical purpose in their day, their
aesthetic value now earns them a place among
the applied arts: ‘They’re beautifully decorated
and made. It’s why most museums have a
gallery dedicated to arms and armoury. They’re
works of art in their own right.’
As such, they can come with quite
substantial price tags. At its next auction in
April, Bonhams is selling a pair of rare
18th-century pistols with solid silver barrels
and locks, with an estimated value of
£40,000-£60,000. At Thomas Del Mar’s
June sale, in conjunction with Sotheby’s, there
are over 200 antique firearms for auction with
prices ranging from as little as £200 up to
£30,000. For example, a Brown Bess, in good
condition and with a Waterloo provenance, may
set you back £5,000. A decent pair of English
duelling pistols – which were often given by
women to their fiancés as wedding presents –
can cost from £6,500.
You can actually fire these guns, but it won’t
do their value or their condition a great deal of
good. As soon as you want to pull the hefty
trigger, it’s mandatory to acquire a firearms
licence and join one of the muzzle-loading clubs
approved by the Home Office. One such is the
Muzzle Loaders Association of Great Britain
where trainer Andrew Grimmett reckons that he
can get most people managing to shoot pretty
accurately and loading safely by the end of one
day. You’ll probably only manage one shot every
four minutes and it’ll take you some time to get
used to the fog of black smoke engulfing your
head every time you fire but, if nothing else, it
surely has to beat the repetition of shooting at
endless pheasants.
If you’re interested in buying a muzzle-loader at
auction, Thomas Del Mar Ltd (thomasdelmar.com)
has sales on 27 June and 7 December;
Bonhams (bonhams.com) has them on 18 April,
18 July and 28 November and Christie’s
(christies.com) on 26 June. Go to Henry Krank
& Co (henrykrank.com) to buy reproduction
weapons. And to learn to shoot muzzle-loaders,
contact the Muzzle Loaders Association of
Great Britain (mlagb.com)
Words Eloise Napier
They’re beautifully
decorated and made. It’s
why most museums have
a dedicated arms gallery
Ima
ge
s c
ou
rte
sy o
f T
ho
ma
s D
el M
ar
Ltd
Bell & Ross UK +44 207 096 08 78 . [email protected] . e-Boutique: www.bellross.com
HERITAGE COLLECTION
AVIATION BR 03-92 42 mm
VINTAGE BR 126 41 mm
E V O L U T I O N O F T H E B R M I L I T A R Y W A T C H
beAumonde | After the city34
Olivier Bonnefoy traded in global
macroproducts for men’s grooming
and hit on a winner with his no-
nonsense Gentlemen’s Tonic salons
Tonic
boom
Recently, Olivier Bonnefoy overheard two men
discussing waxing in Waitrose. ‘Two straight
guys, who were quite happy to have that
conversation in a supermarket,’ he says with
the tone of a man vindicated. As founder
of men’s grooming salon Gentlemen’s Tonic,
he was at least partially responsible for the
conversation. ‘When we opened seven years
ago, men would never divulge where they go for
a massage or wax,’ he says, ‘but now they’re
more frank when talking about these things.
You’ve got scrubs being advertised during the
football – not shaving creams, scrubs.’
Smart, fast-talking and supremely
engaged, Bonnefoy, 38, is still on a mission. A
Frenchman raised on the American East Coast,
until eight years ago he was in global macro-
products at the London branch of French bank
Fimat International, ‘running a desk that
suggested trading commodities, government
bonds and so on to clients. It was huge fun but
I was very keen to create something, create
a brand.’ He settled on men’s grooming having
looked into a variety of industries, mainly in the
food and beverage arena… bars, nightclubs
and restaurants. It came less from passion than
hard figures – cheaper set-up costs, no
competition and the fact that men here have
long spent more on grooming than in any other
country – but masculine intuition had something
to do with the concept of a city spa dedicated
for men, a Soho House version of the traditional
Mayfair barber’s. ‘There was the fine tradition
of Trumper’s and the rest, who had been around
for 150-some years, but they only offered so
much and there was a scare factor for them to
offer more. We knew men were going to unisex
establishments and feeling awkward, so we
created a place that made them feel comfortable.’
Hence the sedate and grown-up haven
of green walls and light wood, hidden behind
discreetly frosted glass, in which we talk. Here,
located just off Berkeley Square, haircuts,
wet shaves, massages and skin treatments are
briskly undertaken by staff who won’t chatter
about your holiday plans but will mix you a
Bloody Mary. There are showers in every
treatment room, no wandering around in robes,
and no hanging around waiting: ‘Men want an
efficient, clean service, an instant fix, and they
are creatures of habit, they want somewhere
they can come back to again and again.’
There were doubters at first, but Bonnefoy
had research and timing on his side: ‘When we
first set out, people were talking about the
“metrosexual”, using examples like David
Beckham, and that helped, but it was clear that in
this country men just needed a bit more of an
outlet.’ He was also aware that there were plenty
of others who wanted it too. ‘I don’t think I could
have found a better city if I’d tried,’ he says. ‘Not
only does London have all the heritage, but it’s
the most international city in the world.’
There are now three salons in the capital –
the others are in Savile Row (inside Gieves &
Hawkes) and at Selfridges, keeping to the same
beat since that’s where the demand is – and a
Hong Kong branch opened in 2011. Doha and
New Delhi are next. The global perspective,
says Bonnefoy, is a hangover from his banking
years: ‘I keep up with the finance world, I have
to. The first 150 clients we had
in Hong Kong were bankers who’d moved from
London. We knew that our clients were
emigrating, that’s why we went.’
Much of his time is now spent abroad,
preparing for new ventures; the New Delhi
branch will encompass a private members’
club. There is also an ever-expanding product
range, though Bonnefoy is aware of his clientele’s
limits, even those who are ready to discuss waxing
in Waitrose. He tells a story about a large
corporation who came to him about a new product:
‘It was a pre-cleanser cleanser. I said, “Do you
really think so?” Men are looking for simplicity,
for routine. You over-complicate that routine
and you have a problem.’
gentlemenstonic.com
Words James Medd Photography Philip Sinden
Contac. Argento Fine Producs T. 020 7722 24 38 . www.frederique-constant.com
Live passionyourwih Maxime Manufacure
Pisa approximately 45 minutes, Florence and Siena approximately 1 hour
Toscana Resort Castelfalfi is a 1,100 hectare estate set around a stunning
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of new build villas. Overlooking an established 27-hole golf course, the borgo
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Apartments from €230,000 (due for completion May 2013)
Villas from €1,200,000
Traditional farm houses – price on application
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TRAVEL | BRUMMELL 37
traditional lodges for minimalist chic, linear design and vast windows: less Out of Africa than ‘out of Manhattan’.
An air of sophisticated nonchalance might suit the boat’s contemporary vibe. But as I board at the isolated custom post of Kasane, in the north of Botswana, my eyes widen at what the owners call ‘wild Africa with whistles and bells’. One half of the top deck has the crisp elegance of a city restaurant; the other is more metropolitan cocktail bar, all cream suede sofas, club chairs and stainless steel stools around a counter of white Italian marble.
It’s not total design fascism. Nguni cattle skins and huge, mesmerising paintings of zebra eyes are stylish, low-key reminders of our location. Both ends of the eclectic space open onto sun decks, one sporting a plunge pool with an angular design worthy of Philippe Starck. It’s either marvellously modern or, if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist, utterly baffling.
After a night serenaded by cicadas and laughing hyena, we start with a four-wheel safari among the 120,000 elephants of Chobe
River wildA contemporary floating safari lodge offers a
unique vantage point for watching African wildlife
Words Ian Belcher
I could be dreaming. I’m not, but I could be. The world has a sublime, ethereal quality. I’ve been awake for mere seconds and, with nothing more exacting than a raised eyelid, I can see 30, perhaps 40, elephants. They’re just across the river from my open window, drinking with gusto in the soupy light of an African dawn.
As hippos grunt and fish eagles shriek, I sit up in bed, plump my pillow and immediately spot five more of the herd ambling down to the water. Short of watching an Attenborough documentary from my sofa, this is the laziest safari on earth.
It’s also one of the most stylish. I’m swaddled by high-thread count cotton sheets in a light, white, bright bedroom with floor-to- ceiling windows and walls studded with monochrome photographs. Nothing shouts. Everything’s understated. But for the savannah breeze it could be London’s Hempel Hotel.
It’s one of 14 en-suite cabins on the Zambezi Queen, a converted casino boat now cruising the Chobe River – a relentless ink- dark current bisecting the plains of Botswana and Namibia. It has traded the ubiquitous dark wood, tribal regalia and ethnic kitsch of
AFRICAN QUEENFrom top: View over Botswana at sunset from the foredeck of the Zambezi Queen; the former casino boat, with its 14 cabins, floats serenely along the Chobe River
BRUMMELL | tRavEL38
National Park. The wildlife is prolific – without a hint of stage fright – and our drive climaxes with the sound of lions gorging on freshly butchered warthog. ‘It’s definitely a kill,’ whispers our guide Boata. ‘I heard the crunch of bones.’
It’s an incongruous environment to experience the Zambezi Queen’s startling grand design. But if I need conclusive proof that we really are in the sticks, it comes from The Voice newspaper: a suicide victim has reappeared as a zombie dog; a chicken wearing a necklace has been arrested, imprisoned and executed (I suppose it could happen in Norfolk); and a Cheryl Cole lookalike has given birth to a child fathered by a snake.
Life’s a tad saner on board. We head west on the second afternoon of the three-night cruise, and, washed by a warm tropical breeze, the deck mutates into a Balearic beach bar. The plunge pool’s packed, bikini-clad guests recline on sun loungers and a dude in surf shorts strums a guitar. Chilled Tafel beer and fine Cape vino are flowing freely.
An unlikely atmosphere for game viewing? Not at all. Powered by muscular jets rather than propellers, the three-storey craft moves like a silently stalking predator, ghosting alongside pods of wallowing hippo. I’m sure I saw a gargantuan buffalo do a double take.
The game viewing is immense. Barely five minutes pass without someone pointing excitedly. The wiry, charismatic Brett McDonald, who was the driving force in restoring the boat he spotted rusting on the banks of the Chobe in 2007, is not a man for understatement. He claims the Chobe has the most densely concentrated wildlife of any riverbank on earth. ‘It’s the Galapagos of Africa,’ he says. ‘On winter days at Luguva, our second night anchorage, you’ll see herds of 1,500 buffalo and up to 1,000 elephant.’
We travel a modest 22km. This certainly isn’t Southern Africa’s answer to cruises on
the Nile, Amazon and Mekong. ‘We don’t spend eight hours a day watching the world slip by,’ he insists. ‘We stop, explore and smell the roses. We’re a floating safari lodge.’
Make that a highly exclusive floating safari lodge. Brett owns the mooring rights to the only safe anchorages on this stretch of river, ‘It’s like our own private game park,’ he smiles. ‘No one else can do it.’
Which begs the question: would they want to? Converting the Queen’s rusting hulk in the middle of remote wilderness – without a crane, let alone a shipyard – became an obsession reminiscent of Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo. ‘I was like Noah building the ark,’ he recalls. ‘Locals were thinking, “What has possessed this imbecile?”’
Perhaps they were thinking of the river. The Chobe quickly becomes unnavigable for a large vessel. The solution is to travel with five small satellite boats – the equivalent of lodge Land Rovers – opening up a further 135km of water for safaris and fishing.
Perfect. We downsize and spend the dusk – iced sundowners in hand – floating up close and personal with generous herds of animals. It’s an aperitif for a night of bush culture where 150 flaming torches – straight out of a Hollywood tribal epic – kettle us into a massive boma, or enclosure, on the Namibian shore, for impala stew, oxtail and vigorous local dancing.
We need the exercise. Fusing safari and cruising, the Zambezi Queen is a gourmet hybrid of the two biggest waist-expanders in the tourist universe. You may be an antelope when you board, but gorge too often on butternut and macadamia soup, fillet beef with bordelaise sauce and decent D’Aria wine, and you’ll depart an elephant.
We’re not the only ones with heavyweight appetites. The tiger fish, the world’s greatest piscene fighter, combines the teeth of Nosferatu with the fervour of Gérard Depardieu at an all-you-can-eat buffet. For an astonishing 30 minutes on our final night, every cast ignites an explosion of silver-scaled fury.
High on adrenaline, we head back towards the mothership, negotiate a river bend and receive a vivid reminder that the Zambezi Queen is a quite extraordinary modernist creation. Beneath a blue, purple and gold abstract masterpiece of a sunset, the illuminated craft glows like an exotic spaceship landed in the African bush: a final ethereal dream-like vision.
Cazenove+loyd (020 7384 2332; www.cazloyd.com) offers nine nights in Botswana including three nights on the Zambezi Queen and full-board stays at Kwando Kwara and Kwando Lagoon Camps, including all flights and transfers, from £4,975pp. Since this trip, Brett McDonald has sold his share in the Zambezi Queen to concentrate on his lodges and tailor-made African holiday business Flame of Africa (flameofafrica.com), but maintains a relationship with the boat.
RivERBoat song
From top: One of the Zambezi Queen’s bright, contemporary cabins, with unbeatable views of the river; smaller boats – the equivalent of a lodge’s Land Rovers – offer close-up views on the less easily navigable stretch of the Chobe; a beautiful and fierce tiger fish
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Brioni
tailoring | BrUMMEll 41
Bespoke is desirable, of course, but many tailors adhere to
deeply ingrained house styles. For suits with the latest cuts and
fabrics, it’s fashion houses who have the edge
Words David Waters
Shape
ShifterS
flatter your form and provide instant style cred – without veering off into the more fashion-forward foothills.
Unlike most ready-made suit jackets, Canali’s are not fused but canvassed, with a camel and horse-hair canvas which moulds to your shape over time, making the fit unique to you. The made-to-measure service uses a choice of blocks, making a smart fit. And, in addition to established favourite fabrics, such as ultra-lightweight, superfine 220- and 230-micron wools, this season’s 200 new fabrics give an almost limitless range of possibilities. canali.it
Su Misura, Giorgio Armani’s made-to-measure service that launched in 2006, is this season available throughout Armani’s global retail empire. ‘I realised that I have clients who really do want a unique product, made specifically for them,’ says Armani. This season, trousers have pleated waistbands for seated comfort while the two silhouette collections, relaxed ‘Linea Naturale’ and the fitted ‘Linea Costruita’, offer a range of day and evening suits. armani.com
Not to be left out of all this fine tailoring, Gucci headlines its spring made-to-measure ads featuring chiselled actor James Franco poured into his perfectly fitting dinner suit.
‘Personalised formalwear is the ultimate way for a man to express his own style,’ says Gucci’s creative director, Frida Giannini. Fighting words, but hard to execute, perhaps, when you want to look exactly like Mr Franco. gucci.com
It is refinement and attention to detail that is making ready-to-wear and made-to-measure suits worth investing in this year. New British brand Rake has taken the detailing of bespoke and loosened it up with the possibility of buying trousers and jackets separately and accompanying their elegantly proportioned tailoring with silk scarves or open-necked shirts. With a collection that includes linen and cotton blends as well as waffle-weave pure wools, their half-lined construction offers cool ease, and comfort comes virtually guaranteed. Available at matchesfashion.comWith three tailoring labels, Ralph Lauren’s suit offering this season includes ‘monochromatic navy and tan’. This is found in the tailored Purple Label while Ralph Lauren’s business-ready Black Label brandishes razor-sharp proportions in black and blue. The standout piece right now is a two-button pinstripe styled with a deco-inspired wide-dot tie. It would hang happily in
The old school of thought concerning the well-made suit goes something like this: an off-the-peg suit is made for somebody else; a bespoke suit is made only for you. Signor Rubinacci uttered these exact words only the other day at the Mount Street branch of the Neapolitan tailor – albeit with a chuckle. But there is no doubt of the mantra that he, his clients and many others hold dear. Anything less than hand-made tailoring is not worth the trouble.
However, it is this very lack of bother which make bespoke’s wallet-friendlier cousins so worth checking out. Those of us lucky to have more than a couple of bespoke suits are fortunate indeed: that subtle correction of your sloping shoulder; the slight dip at the back of the trouser to cover your shoe heels; the tailor’s chalked signature; the chosen silk linings are among bespoke’s multifarious pleasures. Yet, as individualised as they are, bespoke suits will always be made with reference to the tailors’ house styles. In fact, this season, the most exciting suits are straight off the catwalks of Milan, London and Paris and are ready now to pull off the hanger. These top-end collections and made-to-measure services are coming up trumps with the sharpest contemporary silhouettes that
the wardrobe of Italian dandy Lapo Elkann and give George Osborne a fright. But it expertly shows the breadth of classic tailoring on offer this year. ralphlauren.com
Over at Ferragamo and E. Tautz (the British Fashion Council’s 2010 menswear designer of the year), double-breasted suits are making an impressive comeback. Gone are the DB’s excess-baggage details of chalk striped wool and gaping jacket fronts. Neat, sharp and fitted, the new double-breasted is worn fully buttoned and with a slight crop, and is worn over slim-fitting trousers. Patrick Grant, E. Tautz’s designer, took creative inspiration for this from Felix Carvajal, a marathon-running postman from Havana who competed in the 1904 Olympics. It’s the sportiness of the lightweight flannel that makes these double-breasted suits so comfortable and easy to wear. ferragamo.com; etautz.com
For those of us who don’t have to don a suit daily, make space for Dunhill’s ‘Cambedoo’ blazer – the wardrobe’s latest most versatile weapon. The odd name comes from the region in South Africa this exclusive mohair is from. This particular fibre’s benefits include its crease-resistance, as well as, astonishingly, being stronger than steel of the same diameter. And luckily for this overheated season, it niftily wicks away moisture and excess body heat. Elsewhere in Dunhill’s spring/summer 2012 collection slick suits in black and navy are leavened with retro rowing motif silk ties. dunhill.com
Kim Jones’s first collection as men’s style director at Louis Vuitton under creative director Marc Jacobs was a triumphant mix of tailoring and sportswear united under a travel theme. The playboy/artist Peter Beard – that dashing man who has combined James Bond and David Attenborough in one racy,
Spring’s silhouettes continue
the ongoing trend for slim and
to-the-body neatness. Yet there
is a more relaxed feel this season
loUiS VUitton E. taUtZ Canali
tailoring | BrUMMEll 43
Africa-centred life – was the collection’s handsome lodestone. ‘Beard is a hero of mine,‘ says Jones. ‘This collection is a fictionalised imagining of that period of travel to Africa in the Sixties and Seventies, which was the time I was growing up in Africa.’ The result of this fine inspiration is a relaxed display of sharp grey two-button suits with rolled up hems and cropped navy blazers over mid-grey flannel trousers and Varsity sportswear under bright Masai-inspired red scarves. They may sound like unlikely combinations yet are very convincing in execution. louisvuitton.com
The suits at Aquascutum this season are much more subdued. Using cloths developed exclusively in English mills, long silhouettes of summer-weight worsteds are elegant and versatile. The company’s classic cut Pritchard suit is the house’s most popular, while the Henderson, which features a contemporary, cropped shape, is cut from Aquascutum’s
best-selling high-twist fabric, making it crease resistant. aquascutum.co.uk
It is colour that is really defining this season’s tailoring. That great colourist himself, artist David Hockney, is the inspiration behind Brioni’s spring/summer 2012 men’s offering. Eucalyptus, lavender, wine, royal blue and red feature throughout the line. New fabrics display the brand’s reputation for innovation by spinning silk and nylon or microfibre to creative high-performance yet delicate yarns. brioni.com
More subdued pastel hues are key to the Ermenegildo Zegna spring offering. Zegna has done more in fabric development than probably any other fabric company in the world. It’s this expertise in cloth that allows it to showcase shiny silk suits in pastel hues, crispest cotton one-button suits, as well as matt and ‘crafted’ fabrics such as silk and linen herringbones and Prince of Wales plaids.
Double-breasted suits and blazers in cotton and linen crepe pick up on tailoring’s biggest trend while keeping shapes short and to-the-body. zegna.com
The diversity of colour, shape, pattern and fabrication in men’s suits this spring has never been bettered. The silhouettes continue the ongoing trend for slim and to-the-body neatness. Yet there is a more relaxed feel this season. Gone are the whip-thin trousers of a year or two ago and personal style statements are more likely to be made with your choice of shirt, tie and pocket square than the cut of your jacket. Much of what is exciting about these suit lines is ‘under the hood’ where cut-away linings, open weave fabrics and high-tech yarns are only appreciated by you the wearer. Even so, business attire has never looked, well, so unbuttoned.
Your suit may not be made for you exactly, but then again no one need ever know.
ZEgna arMani gUCCi
ORange segMentFrom left: Colour block knit, £335, and trousers, £209, both Paul smith
Double-breasted jacket, £506; blue shirt, £119; and brown trousers, £289; all Paul smith. Glasses, £290, Cutler and gross. Orange and steel-strapped Seamaster Planet Ocean watch, £3,700, Omega. Socks, £12, Hackett. Leather boots, £395, alexander McQueen
style | BRUMMell 45
Bold tailoring with blocks of colour evoke
David Hockney’s exuberant palette
in a shoot photographed in what was
the British master’s Sixties flat
Photography Emma Hardy styling Tamara Fulton
A biggerslash
tangeRine scheMe
This page: Linen and cotton jacket (part of a suit), £1,060, and trousers, £360, both canali. Linen shirt, £120, hackett. Belt, from £69, and socks, £17, both Paul smith. Silk square, £19.95, harrods
Opposite: Suit, £1,000, gieves & hawkes. Shirt, £120, hackett
style | BRUMMell 47
BRUMMeLL | FeATURe TITLe48
KIND OF BLUeOpposite: Linen jacket, £450; linen trousers, £130; linen shirt, £120; all Hackett. Glasses, as before, Cutler and Gross. Belt, from £69, Paul Smith
This page: Velvet blazer, £1,120, and trousers, £370, both Alexander McQueen. Cashmere sweater, £150, Ralph Lauren at Harrods. Linen shirt, £125, Gieves & Hawkes
Grooming Hina Dohi at Soho Management using Clinique
Models Marc Goldfinger at Models 1, Max Rogers at Storm, Adam Holden at Select
Photographer’s assistant Gabby Laurent
Styling assistants Cat Stirling and Madeleine O’Flaherty
With thanks to Candy at East Photographic STOCKISTS DETAILS ON PAGE 54
RECORD DEVICES
The Rolex split second chronograph fetched the highest price for any Rolex wristwatch sold at auction, while the Patek Philippe chronograph achieved the world’s highest auction price for a Patek Philippe simple chronograph wristwatch. Overleaf: A rare Patek Philippe watch set the world record for an auction price of this model
and one a staggering $3.6m. Such stellar prices helped Christie’s to become the first auction house to smash the $100 million barrier for watch sales in a single year – with a total of $116.3 million realised – while its main rivals, Sotheby’s, Antiquorum and Bonhams, grossed $64.97m, $60.93m and $15m respectively.
The really big money, however, is reserved for a single brand: Patek Philippe. Its vintage watches from the Forties and Fifties are far and away the most sought-after by truly serious collectors, and a 1946 Patek World Time which sold for CHF6.6 million a decade ago remains the most expensive wristwatch ever to cross the auction block.
Rolex comes next in the league table of collectable names, although the record for the make stands at a ‘mere’ $1.1 million for a 1942 split-second chronograph (pictured, left) that was sold by Christie’s last May. After this,
With luxury timepieces holding their value remarkably well, watch auctions
are a must for the serious collector. But it pays to do your homeworkWords Simon de Burton
Hammer time
you’ll find committed vintage collectors battling for watches by brands such as Cartier, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet.
But the times, they are a-changing in the world of watch auctions. Until recently, the world centres were Geneva and New York and, generally speaking, it was older watches that reached the biggest prices. During the past five years, however, some of the new Chinese money that manages to escape being mopped up by the luxury goods giants is finding its way to the Hong Kong watch sales being organised by Antiquorum, Bonhams, Christie’s and Sotheby’s as wealthy Asian enthusiasts attempt to satisfy their burning desire for timepieces.
The overall trend in Asia is to bid for contemporary watches by cutting-edge brands such as Richard Mille, Greubel Forsey and Urwerk – although some buyers are gaining
In recent years, retail sales of luxury watches have proved to be defiant in the face of financial crises, with all the major brands posting dramatic increases across the board – the giant Swatch Group, for example, shifted timepieces worth almost £5 billion last year, a rise of more than 21 per cent.
One of the effects of such buoyancy can be seen in the market for pre-owned watches, notably those being sold at auction. The average man in the street (especially here in parsimonious Britain) still struggles to come to terms with the idea that people spend tens of thousands of pounds on a wristwatch, but such figures pale into insignificance when compared with the sums being splashed out at auction on the rarest vintage pieces.
During 2011, Christie’s sold no fewer than nine wristwatches for more than $1 million apiece, two of which fetched in excess of $2m
WatCh auCtIOnS | BRuMMELL 51
sufficient confidence in the timepiece market to start paying large amounts of money for blue-chip vintage pieces.
Regardless of where a pre-owned luxury watch is bought or sold, however, the benefits of picking one up at auction remain the same: in the case of most contemporary models, it’s possible to acquire a virtually new watch in excellent condition for a considerable saving over retail; a typical watch auction will feature 200 to 400 lots, so there is a wide choice instantly available. Provided you buy from a reputable house, you can bid with confidence and, not least, if you don’t get carried away and bid over the odds, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to re-sell your purchase later at little or no loss.
The biggest watch auctions in London are staged by Bonhams and Sotheby’s. The former holds sales at two levels: it offers more expensive ‘fine watches’ in its New Bond Street rooms and more affordable pieces at its Knightsbridge location.
Activity in the London market has also increased recently with the arrival of a new specialist horological auctioneer, Watches of Knightsbridge, while Birmingham-based Fellows has established itself as the leading regional house to specialise in watches at all levels - it stages four sales per year of higher quality pieces together with large, weekly auctions of watches priced from as little as £50.
4Attend the pre-sale view and look carefully at
any watches that interest you. Try them on,
ensure they are working correctly and, above
all, ask the auction house specialists as many
questions as possible. They are there to help
and will be very happy to explain the process of
buying in detail, as well as giving you all the
necessary information about individual lots.
5Select the watch or watches that you are
interested in, mark them in the catalogue and
resolve not to bid on any that you haven’t
researched. If you are planning to bid for
a current model, check the retail price and bear
in mind that you might end up paying more for
a pre-owned example at auction than you would
for a brand new one. In any event, look up prices
achieved for similar watches in recent sales
in order to discover the market value.
Antiquorum’s online database is an excellent
way to do this.
6Do not be tempted to buy a timepiece which
looks tatty or badly restored – in the current
market, condition is everything, regardless
of make or model.
7Look for watches that come supplied complete
with their original boxes and paperwork. Any
other documentary provenance relating to the
watch is also good to have.
8If you are interested in a very specialised piece
– perhaps a high complication, a military Rolex
or an exceptionally valuable ‘blue-chip’
collector’s piece, for example – seek the advice
of a respected expert in the field. If you are
hoping to buy a watch that has been made in
several different variants, research the options
as thoroughly as possible to avoid paying too
much for a less desirable version.
9If you don’t want to attend the entire auction
but you do want to arrive in good time to bid
on your chosen lot, roughly calculate when it
will be offered on the basis that a moderately
fast auction moves at the rate of around 100
lots per hour.
10When the time finally comes to bid on your ideal
watch, set a price limit and stick to it resolutely.
Unless it’s a real rarity, avoid paying over the
odds – another example will probably appear
at auction in the near future.
No matter how inexpensive the object, buying at auction can be a nerve-wracking experience for the absolute beginner – so we’ve compiled a 10-point guide for novices. Follow it closely and you should be able to strap on your dream watch without feeling you’ve been handcuffed.
1Attend a sale, but go with no intention of
bidding. Ideally, go with someone who has
experience of auctions, so you can watch what
they do and ask questions.
2Closely observe what goes on and get a
measure of how the auctioneer works the room,
how bidding increments change as prices rise
and how experienced buyers ‘time’ their bids.
3 When you eventually feel ready to buy, get hold
of a catalogue for a forthcoming auction and
read it carefully. Check the terms and
conditions; be sure you understand about
‘buyer’s premium’ and any additional taxes that
will be added to the amount of a successful bid.
Around the world in 20 watch auctionsAntiquorum antiquorum.com11 March, Geneva
4 April, New York
19 May, Geneva
2 June, Hong Kong
20 June, New York
11 August, Hong Kong
Bonhams bonhams.com23 May, Hong Kong
7 June, New York
13 June, London (New Bond Street)
Christie’schristies.com21 May, Geneva
30 May, Hong Kong
13 June, New York
Fellowsfellows.co.ukAuctions held weekly –
see website for details.
Sotheby’ssothebys.com6 April, Hong Kong
12 May, Geneva
14 June, New York
10 July, London
Watches of Knightsbridgewatchesofknightsbridge.com10 March, London
12 May, London
14 July, London
22 September, London
BRUMMELL | WAtCh AUCtioNS52
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BRUMMELL | BY GEORGE54
One of Italian fashion’s
most flamboyant figures,
Angelo Galasso believes
that the time is right for men
to dress more expressively
Bold
rush
Stockists Alexander McQueen alexandermcqueen.com Blancpain blancpain.com
Breitling breitling.com Burberry Prorsum 020 7806 1303; burberry.com
Canali canali.it Cartier cartier.com Chanel chanel.com Chopard
chopard.com Cutler and Gross 020 7581 2250; cutlerandgross.com
Gieves & Hawkes 020 7432 6403; gievesandhawkes.com Hackett 020 7939 6865; hackett.com Harrods 020 7730 1234; harrods.com
Omega omegawatches.com Panerai panerai.com Paul Smith 0800
023 4006; paulsmith.co.uk TAG Heuer tagheuer.com
‘A guy can see life in one way, and then see it in
another way,’ suggests Angelo Galasso. ‘After
all, everyone likes to evolve.’ The flamboyant
Galasso may not be a name to rival fellow
Italians Armani or Versace, but he has had his
influence on menswear: Galasso is the car
salesman turned investment banker turned
shirtmaker who launched the Interno 8 brand in
1990, bringing with it not just the Gianni Agnelli-
inspired watch-cuff – a section cut out of the cuff
to better accommodate a statement timepiece
– but a trend for towering collars, open necks
and loud prints. In short, he rescued the humble
shirt from wardrobe obscurity, creating a 100-
shop international business in the process.
Of his decision to sell up, Galasso says,
‘I like to work with passion and just didn’t feel
it any more. We’d built a new reputation for the
shirt but I spent a lot of time on the shop floor
and could see that the market was going
towards something more haute couture…’
Haute couture may sound like an exaggeration,
but Galasso’s latest incarnation – as the front
man of an eponymous brand, after launching
Billionaire Couture with Flavio Briatore, with
whom he in now in a protracted, ‘stressful’ legal
battle – comes close. It is not for the wallflower:
lavish print and colour, crossed with a high Italian
luxe creates the kind of menswear difficult to
ignore. Everything, from fat ties to pointy shoes,
is available in a more bespoke version should
you wish to turn the volume right up.
‘It’s about selling the right fashion for the
right customer,’ says Galasso. ‘And there is
a customer who wants something bolder.’
For those more comfortable with muted
sobriety, Angelo Galasso’s style may prove a leap
too far. For others it’s a breath of Neapolitan or
Florentine air. Look beyond the extravagant
detailing (jackets lined with tie silk, for example)
and it is, Galasso argues, actually all rather
traditional: Savile Row on a psychedelic high.
‘Savile Row,’ says Galasso, ‘because that’s where
the most elegant men are. There, and in Naples.’
Galasso concedes that his new business is
more ‘build it and they will come’ than answering
a clear need. But he hopes to, as he puts it, ‘catch
the right moment… I think in the coming years
we’ll start to see men begin to dress much more
expressively, a bit Euro, a little more flashily, and
they’ll get compliments for that,’ he adds. ‘You
can’t overdo the flashiness, of course. You do it
with one piece, not head to toe. Some people
will still think it’s too much, and that’s fine.’
Fine perhaps because Galasso – who
thinks he could build his young business up into
another 100-store chain – has something of a
track record of going his own way and finding
enough men to follow him. It was while he was
working in finance and unable to find clothes he
liked for himself that, despite a lack of training,
he started to make his own. Soon colleagues
were placing orders, enough that he decided to
go full-time - with the novelty of having women
on motorbikes buzzing around Rome taking
client measurements at work. Soon, the unlikely
combo of Jay-Z, Tony Blair and King Abdullah II
of Jordan started buying too.
Now, he reckons, we are all undergoing
what might be called the mozzarella
transformation. Galasso frequently cites
the cheese in an analogy of the difference
between the quality of men’s clothing a decade
ago and today. Ten years ago, the only mozzarella
that was available in the UK was standard, even
dull. Today, the UK consumer can buy divine
burrata mozzarella which comes, coincidentally,
from the region of Puglia where Galasso was
born. It’s in another class. It’s the kind of
difference men are seeing in their clothing
choices. Just don’t drip §olive oil on any of it.
angelogalasso.com
Words Josh Sims
OWn CO-RESPOndEnTS Having made his name as a
shirtmaker, Angelo Galasso has taken his extravagant aesthetic
into all areas of fashion
www.omegawatches.com
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