Robb Report, January 2022

Теги: advertising magazine robb report

Год: 2022

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Текст

LU X U R Y W I T H O U T C O M P R O M I S E

THE GIVING ISSUE

OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD GIFTS
( I N T W O C A S E S , L I T E R A L LY )
+ The Maverick Philanthropists
D E C E M B E R / J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

R A LPH L AUR EN

Please scan the QR code or visit:
Steinway.com/rr-spirio

THE WORLD’S FINEST
HIGH RESOLUTION PLAYER PIANO
En joy p er for man ce s c ap tu re d by g re at
p ia ni st s — p l aye d w ith su ch nu an ce ,
p ower a nd p a ssi on th at th e y a re utter ly
i nd i st i ng u is h able f rom a
live p er for man ce .

MODEL B
58" / 148 cm
Length 6' 11" / 211 cm, Width

MODEL A
57 ¾”/ 147 cm
Length 6' 2" / 188 cm, Width

MODEL O
57 ¾” / 147 cm
Length 5' 10 ¾”/ 180 cm, Width

MODEL M
57 ¾” / 147 cm
Length 5' 7" / 170 cm, Width

MODEL S
57 ½”/ 146 cm
Length 5' 1" / 155 cm, Width

request a steinway grand
piano floor template.
Lo oking for a pi a no ?
Env ision a steinway i n yo ur
hom e — this com p l i ment a r y f l o or
tem plate w il l he lp yo u de cide on t h e
piano size b es t for yo u.

Please scan the QR code or visit :
Steinway.com/floor-template

BREGUET.COM

breguet
inventor of the tourbillon

MARINE 5887

Polestar 1
—
A collector’s item

polestar.com

COL L ECTION

Villeret

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L A S VE G A S · T H E F O R U M S H O P S AT C A ESA RS PA LA C E · 702 369 1735

Committed to our community.
Past, present and future.

XPLORE

W
E

A
R
E

U
L
Y
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S
E

Starting at USD 48’500.

N 40° 45’ 31’’ W 73° 58’ 43’’

100 CARATS of

P U R E LU X U R Y
e xclusi vely at P rovident Je welr y

In GIA’s history, very few polished diamonds of gem quality have
surpassed the 100-carat mark. Already part of an elite group due
to its size, the highly transparent nature of this diamond adds
to its rarity. This pure diamond is classified as type IIa which
scientifically means it is lacking measurable levels of impurities like
nitrogen, thus giving this diamond its pure white color.

This diamond was fashioned into a classic old world cushion cut,
with its smaller table and open culet. Its faceting bears resemblance
to other world-renowned diamonds, such as the 45.52 carat
Blue Hope Diamond and the 105 carat Koh-I-Nur.

WEST PALM

JUPITER

FORT MYERS

NAPLES

PALM BEACH

WELLINGTON

For serious inquiries, please email Rob@providentjewelr y or call 561.801.2550
P R O V I D E N TJ E W E L R Y. C O M

100.08 carat diamond, Cushion Cut, D color,
VS1 Clarity. *Shown at actual size

d e c e m b e r /j a n u a r y 2 0 2 2 , v o l u m e 4 5 , n u m b e r 1 0

145

The Ultimate
Gift Guide

F E AT U R E S

Robb Report’s annual and
exclusive list features 42 one-ofa-kind items and experiences,
from a space walk to ultra-rare
watches to a ready-to-beshipped French château.
191

The Giving Spree
A new urgency is empowering
philanthropists to make tangible
and rapid change a priority.
Here, six individuals who are
leading the charge.
BY JACKIE COOPERMAN

200

Louis Vuitton’s Objets
of Desire
The estimable French maison
may be known for its oversized
trunks and logo bags, but its line
of designer furniture and home
accessories draws an entirely
more rarefied audience. The
brief, says chairman Michael
Burke, is simple: “Surprise me.”
BY CHRISTINA BINKLEY

208

High Tee
On the move with Bravo Whisky
Golf, a new travel company that
blends exhilarating hard-toaccess courses with distillery
visits, surfing, classic cars and
lots of action.
BY JEN MURPHY

216

Don’t Panic
That bookcase of old classics in
your friend’s home office may
be hiding a bulletproof steel
door, because the safe room has
become the most recent musthave home accessory.
BY LUCY ALEXANDER

222

P. 170

Bordeaux isn’t known for
embracing change, but one
second-growth producer is
marrying a new way of working
with contemporary art and
design. Where Ducru leads, will
others follow?
BY TED LOOS

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

ALLEN D. WALKER

Old World,
New Attitude

extend your international limited warranty
from up to 8 years on panerai.com

D E PA R T M E N T S
42

C ON T RI BUT ORS

ED I T OR’S L ET T ER

T HE A NSW ERS

with gallerist and
Cartier connoisseur
Harry Fane.

G ENI US AT WORK

Joshua Ellis makes
cashmere scarves for
others, but its own
label is a sleeper hit.
Its centuries-old
production techniques
involve combing the
fabric with a thistle,
giving it a unique,
rippled finish.

P. 58

THE GOODS

135

F I ELD NOT ES

FOOD & DRINK

You know your Barolo
and Brunello, of course.
But are you familiar
with Bolgheri? Italy’s
unsung region creates
elegant wines thanks to
long days of sunshine,
cool Mediterranean
air and—shhh—
French grapes.

Nashville becomes a standout culinary destination, a
restaurant in a new cliffside
hotel on the Côte d’Azur
serves up sustainable
seafood, and an exclusive
wine club lets you travel the
world blending bottles of
your own. For a price.

232

T HE DUEL

Harrods vs.
Neiman Marcus

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

WATCHES & JEWELRY
MB&F and Bulgari join
forces to create a cosmic
timepiece that’s both opulent

and exotic. Plus, a new book
from a former Robb Report
staffer sheds light on Glenn
Spiro’s under-the-radar
masterpieces, and Chanel’s
famous fragrance inspires the
brand’s latest collection.

STYLE
This winter, knitwear takes
center stage, with clever
and colorful twists on
cardigans and sweaters;
four contemporary corduroy
stylings get on the right lines.

ART
We visit artist Michal
Rovner at her studio: a farm
in Israel where olive trees,
pomegranates and oranges
provide inspiration for
her conceptual videos and
sculptures. Her latest works,
about climate disruption,
head to the US this month.

TRAVEL

P. 50

Next year is all about
untouched, unseen destinations, such as a floating hotel
in Rwanda and a private
island off the coast of Mozambique. Tell them we sent you.

MISTY COPELAND
Principal Dancer
American Ballet Theatre

THE ART OF AWE
THE TECHNOLOGY OF ELEVATION
Introducing a remarkable expression of form and function - the world’s first rollable TV.
The LG SIGNATURE OLED R rolls up to captivate you with self-lit pixels for realism and richness.
Then it rolls down to disappear. Welcome to the bold new world of LG SIGNATURE.

THE ART OF ESSENCE
Find yours at www.LGSIGNATURE.com

D E PA R T M E N T S
DOMAIN

OBJECTIFIED
As the weather cools, bring
dark woods such as walnut
into the home for added
depth and warmth.

NEWS
Soho House unveils a
Manhattan retail outpost for
its own stylish furnishings;
go hands-on with Zanotta’s
chairs and sofas at a historic
Greenwich Village home.

THE ROOM
In London, interior
designer Katharine Pooley
incorporates nods to an
owner’s car collection.

REAL ESTATE
After a well-documented
exodus, execs are
returning—part-time,
anyway. The answer for
a three-day workweek? A
pied-à-terre, with extras.

HIGH SOCIETY
Got art? Hang it here. This
$7.2 million San Antonio
penthouse was designed as a
unique home-slash-gallery.

P. 122

DREAM MACHINES
LU X U R Y W I T H O U T C O M P R O M I S E

THE GIVING ISSUE

104

114

118

130

All the highlights from
fall’s biggest yachting
events, from a 279-foot
explorer that was 14 years
in the making to a speedy
Azimut dayboat.

Bombardier upgrades
the Challenger 350, dogs
and cats fly private, and
Airbus’s ACH160 just
might save your life.

Lamborghini’s new
racecar-for-the-street, a
go-fast take on Ferrari’s
classic V-12 formula and
Rolls-Royce’s newer,
edgier Ghost model. Plus,
we test-ride all the best
new motorcycles.

Get the best of futuristic
and retro playback with a
massive, 325-inch home
cinema and a souped-up,
stylish Bauhaus-inflected
turntable.

WATER

OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD GIFTS
( I N T W O C A S E S , L I T E R A L LY )
+ The Maverick Philanthropists
D E C E M B E R / J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

Dec_Cover.indd 1

11/5/21 7:53 PM

C OV ER
I L LUSTRATI O N BY
MARK THOMAS

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

WINGS

WHEELS

TECH

LOVE IN VERONA COLLECTION | robertocoin.com

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Contributors

Christina Binkley
Binkley is a Pulitzer-winning writer whose
work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal
and The New Yorker as well as Robb Report.
Of Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades furniture
collection, the subject of her piece “Louis
Vuitton’s Objets of Desire” (p. 200), she says:
“It’s an example of a broader move among
luxury companies to return to making rare and
difficult-to-obtain objects. This is a shift from
several decades of commercializing luxury in
order to make it more attainable. Now these
companies want to sell logo wallets to the
masses and $20,000 folding chairs to the few.”

Marina Grinshpun

Aleks Cvetkovic

Rachel Ng

Daniel Stolle

Grinshpun is Robb Report’s
art director. She has conceptualized and created magazine
layouts for publications such as
Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveler,
National Geographic and others.
For this issue, she pieced
together all the visual aspects of
our annual Ultimate Gift Guide
(p. 145). Of the many offerings
she read through, two stood out.
“I love to travel and experience
cultures through food, so the
gourmet olive-oil experience in
Jordan and the Michelin-star
meal in Provence sound especially inviting,” she says. Before
moving to the US, Grinshpun,
who was born in Moldova, lived
in Austria and Italy.

A Robb Report regular, Londonbased Cvetkovic also writes
about men’s style for How to
Spend It, Monocle and British
GQ, among other publications.
He caught up with the master
cashmere artisans at Joshua
Ellis for this month’s Genius
at Work feature (p. 98). “It
never ceases to amaze me
how supposedly very simple
handmade objects require a
huge amount of work, care and
skill to create,” he says. “You’d
think making a scarf would be
a straightforward process, but
age-old producers like Ellis raise
the act of sourcing and spinning
cashmere to an art form.”

An award-winning travel
writer, Ng recently made a
pandemic-inspired move from
Los Angeles to a village on
the island of Hawaii. While
researching her story on
pieds-à-terre for this issue
(“The Condo Crush,” p. 94),
she learned that while scores
of others have followed suit
and moved out of urban areas,
many are now returning on a
part-time basis. “As a lifelong
city girl, it was a culture
shock moving to a small town
with no traffic light,” she says.
“I love being surrounded by
nature, but having a secondary
space in the city is definitely
an attractive option.”

Stolle is a German-born,
Finland-based illustrator
whose work has appeared
in The New York Times, The
Washington Post, Wired and
more. He sketched a depiction
of an in-home safe room for
“Don't Panic” in this month’s
issue (p. 216). “I’ve been
renovating a small, wooden
house in Finland with my
family,” he says. “No panic room
has been installed behind the
bookshelf, but many hidden
windows, doors and hatches
have been discovered in the
process.”

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

Editor’s Letter

Whether by serendipity or study, the act of discovery is an
unfailing thrill. It can last just a few minutes, in the
case of a song that captures your mood, or it might remain
with you forever, if what’s learned is transformative,
opening up a new world of experiences and possibilities.

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

Paul Croughton
Editor in Chief
@paulcroughton

for decades is an exquisite example of deferred discovery,
what about those who want something magical for right
now, too? For them, we devised a new model: Every member
will receive two bottles each of three varieties of red every
quarter—three to drink now, three of the same for the cellar.
Why choose between pleasure today or perfection
tomorrow? Go to robbreport.winesavage.com to learn more
and sign up.
Elsewhere in these pages, you’ll find Louis Vuitton’s
collection of Objets Nomades, created by some of the great
designers of the day (p. 200), first-drive reviews of three
new beauties—Ferrari’s 812 Competizione, Lamborghini’s
Huracán STO and the Black Badge edition of Rolls-Royce’s
Ghost (p. 118)—and a stack of new motorbikes (p. 124), plus
an exceptional Italian wine region you may have yet to
discover (p. 135).
Enjoy the issue.

JOSHUA SCOT T

Over the years, my list has included everything from
destinations, authors and artists to tailors, meals (a
magnificent eggplant pasta in Sardinia springs to mind) and
designers. But it can also, of course, be deeper than an object
or a fleeting experience; on occasion it’s as profound as a
cause or charity that becomes a lifetime’s commitment.
In this annual Giving Issue, we have a dual focus: on the
act of gifting during this holiday season, for which we have
curated—and in many cases created—42 genuinely extraordinary
opportunities to own or take part in something unique and
spectacular (more on that shortly), and on philanthropy. In the
US, charitable giving rose nearly 4 percent in 2020, to a total of
$471.44 billion. That’s proof of the trend for more aggressive
spending, in recognition of the challenges we’re currently facing
on multiple fronts, be they Covid-19, America’s racial reckoning
or increasingly devastating climate change. In our portfolio
spotlighting some of those leading this charge toward donating
huge sums now, rather than leaving the funds to a foundation
to divest later (p. 191), we interviewed philanthropists and
executives who are intent, as writer Jackie Cooperman reports,
“to effect change, and to do it quickly.”
I promised you fantastic gift ideas, and if you turn to
page 145, you’ll find I’m true to my word. How about a private
concert by Rufus Wainwright with the autographed, ultra-rare
Steinway he played on as your souvenir? Or the last unspokenfor Hennessey Venom F5 hypercar, plus a truck and trailer to
transport it? An exceptional color-changing diamond ring; a
neoclassical French château from 1890, boxed up ready to be
built wherever you choose; or a set of six now-discontinued
F.P. Journe watches? A delicious week of romance in Provence
or a spot in the Carrera Panamericana rally, with a car thrown
in to race with? Perhaps, if those all sound too pedestrian,
being the first civilian to spacewalk from the International
Space Station is more your thing? Or a trip to the edge of the
atmosphere in a very big balloon? Whatever you select, rest
assured you’ll be discovering something very special and very
precious. Just like the person you’ll be giving it to (even if
that’s, ahem, you).
Speaking of discovery (and perhaps gifting, too), let me
announce something I hope will intrigue you: Robb Report’s
just-launched 672 Wine Club. We’ve teamed with Wine
Savage to bring members under-the-radar bottles, often
from boutique, family-run producers, that you’d be unlikely
to unearth anywhere else. The 672 refers to the number of
bottles on a standard 56-case pallet, but also to the number of
people we’re accepting into the club, in order to access these
highly allocated lots. And while buying vintages to lay down

THE GOODS
THIS MONTH’S WHO, WHAT AND WEAR

Nashville's
Rocking
Dining Scene
GUT TER CREDITS

EMILY DORIO

Music City is transforming into a serious
restaurant town, with highflying new ventures from incoming celebrity
chefs and established locals alike.

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

GUT TER CREDITS

Appalachian
greasy beans with
leather breeches
pot likker at Sean
Brock’s Audrey

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

The Goods | C A T E G O R Y

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

GUT TER CREDITS

ver the past decade,
Nashville has made a push
to become the next great
American city. Adding to
its cachet, fueled in part from launching
pop and country superstars such as Taylor
Swift and Blake Shelton, were a roaring
economy and attractions like the Country
Music Hall of Fame and Museum, all of
which helped draw in a record 16 million
visitors in 2019. And while it’s had its
share of buzzy restaurants, Nashville’s
never quite boasted a full roster of
world-class dining destinations.
Consider that corrected. The city's
latest openings rival the type of culinary
gamesmanship more familiar to New York,
Los Angeles and Las Vegas, with bigmoney build-outs, celebrity chefs and
plenty of sex appeal. One of Nashville’s
favorite adopted sons, Sean Brock, came
out swinging with three new spots over
the past two years, culminating in October

F O O D & D R I N K | The Goods

CLOCKWISE FROM

THE DUTCH: BRIANA BALDUCCI; THE TWELVE THIRT Y CLUB: JASON BIHLER

LEFT: Snapper
with corn, summer
succotash and
truffle at Yolan;
Andrew Carmellini’s
the Dutch, at the
new W Nashville;
the Twelve Thirty
Club’s Honorary
Member Bar.

with the opening of the fine-dining
stunner Audrey, which bridges his
Appalachian roots—seen in dishes such as
cobia poached in chicken fat and grilled
over embers—with his love of Japanese
minimalism, reflected in the design. Justin
Timberlake, who lives in one of the tony
suburbs-on-steroids outside the city,
partnered with restaurant-empire
builder Sam Fox on the Twelve Thirty
Club, a multilevel AvroKO-designed
establishment that exudes cosmopolitan
cool. Consider it the world’s first gastro
honky-tonk: a live-music venue with
elevated comfort food on the ground floor
and a 400-seat Supper Club up top offering
seafood and steak-house fare, plus a
cocktail bar and rooftop lounge.
But it was the blossoming luxury-hotel
scene that attracted some of the biggest
names in 2021, including Andrew
Carmellini, who opened outposts of his
New York spots the Dutch and Carne
Mare in the new W Nashville, in the
Gulch neighborhood; Tony and Cathy

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

The Goods | F O O D & D R I N K

Mantuano, who, after leaving their Michelinstar restaurant in Chicago, have returned
with the lavish Italian fine-dining spot Yolan,
inside the Joseph hotel downtown; and
Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who introduced
two new restaurants as part of a reported $15
million revamp of the historic Hermitage
Hotel. Brock also got in on the hotel act,

The blossoming luxury-hotel
industry attracted some
of the biggest names in 2021.

A BBQ-chicken
spread at Martin’s

diverse culinary heritage. This is, after all,
where Prince’s invented the now-ubiquitous
hot chicken in the 1940s and still serves it
with eight levels of heat at its two locations.
Old-school and modern barbecue coexist
here as well, with standouts including
Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint and Peg Leg Porker,
the latter helmed by a pit master who also
distills award-winning bourbons under the
same name. The hits from Music City just
keep on coming. Richard Martin

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

Tapas, including fisheggs tartlet and fish
crackers, at Ceto

JEWELS OF THE OCEAN
Since arriving on France’s Côte
d’Azur in the 2000s, Mauro
Colagreco has had his eye on
the cliffside hotel now known
as the Maybourne Riviera.
Formerly the Vista Palace
before it was bought and
given a modernist revamp by
the Maybourne Hotel Group,
the exemplary address sits
perched atop a rocky peninsula
above the town of RoquebruneCap-Martin, a location Mauro
always thought would make
“a very nice spot” for a
restaurant. Now 15 years
later, Colagreco’s newest
destination, Ceto, has opened
as the hotel’s flagship, housed
in a very nice spot indeed,
set on the highest floor
with sweeping views of the
Mediterranean.
Whereas his nearby,
Michelin three-star Mirazur
offers an experience that
transports you between the
ocean, the mountains and

its own gardens, Ceto is
firmly focused on the waters
below. With the ambition to
create something more than
a restaurant—more like a
“marine culinary workshop”—
Colagreco has worked
with the Oceanographic
Museum of Monaco to research
sustainable, seasonal fishing
for a menu that takes an
exceptionally deep dive into
what the sea has to offer. To
wit: After traveling to several
countries, including Japan,
to learn the traditional
techniques for maturing fish,
Colagreco developed his own
maturation chamber for the
new restaurant. “It’s one of
the only chambers built to
mature fish at this level of
precision,” he says, adding
“even I didn’t believe that
we could increase the flavor
like that.”
Inspired by the chef’s native
Argentina and holidays spent

eating grilled sardines on the
beach, a grill in the kitchen
adds a taste of summer to the
menu. Familiar plates include
a sea bass served with grilled
leeks and ajo verde sauce, but
diners can also expect lesserknown ingredients such as
sea fennel, sea herbs and
seaweed, dried leaves of which
are layered with toffee and
vanilla notes in an unexpected
mille-feuille dessert.
Colagreco hopes to show
diners that the diversity in our
oceans goes beyond just fish
and shellfish. “As a chef, it’s
more interesting to work
with a bigger palette, to express
all the tastes and textures of
the sea,” he says, “but through
teaching people about the
diversity of the ocean, we
will learn to respect it and value
it. The ocean is an extremely
rich source of food, but only
if we take care of it.”
Nicola Leigh Stewart

CETO: MAT TEO CARASSALE

perfecting the lost art of tableside service at
the Continental (if you’ve missed the subtle
glamour of a prime-rib cart, here’s your spot)
inside the Grand Hyatt. And at the stylish
Bobby Hotel, another well-known local, Ryan
Poli, signed on as executive chef, a position
he formerly held at the Catbird Seat, the
influential, avant-garde fine-dining restaurant
that recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.
He’s currently prepping a total of four
restaurant and bar concepts, with the first
slated to open by the end of 2021.
Homegrown celebrity chef Maneet
Chauhan, a frequent Food Network host and
Chopped judge whose Chauhan Ale & Masala
House opened in 2014 and continues to
impress with its combination of Indian cuisine
and in-house craft beers, says, “Just as
Nashvillians appreciate good music, they also
appreciate good food, and that’s now showing
throughout the city.”
It’s worth noting that today’s success is
only possible thanks to the city’s rich and

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The Goods | F O O D & D R I N K

THE GREAT ESCAPES
for some, wine is the lens through
which they view the world. Such
oenophiles spend vacations in the
great producing regions around the
globe, hunting for both rare bottles and
enlightening conversations with top
winemakers, discerning a land’s culture
via its vines and grapes and soil.
Now there’s a community of people
who not only share that vinous worldview
but take it a step further. The Vines, an
exclusive new membership club, offers
enthusiasts “blending escapes” to some of
the world’s finest wine regions where,
over the course of three or four days,
you’ll work with leading local
winemakers and producers, learning
about their processes and traditions and
tasting base wines in order to create a
barrel of your own—25 cases of a uniquely
personal blend, bottled and shipped to
your cellar when the time is right. (While
the wine matures, you’ll collaborate with
a designer to create your custom label.)
During your trip, the Vines will also
facilitate a deep dive into the local
culinary, entertainment and art scenes.

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

“It’s a bit like the Explorers Club
meets the Sierra Club meets the James
Beard society,” says Vines CEO and
founder Michael Evans. “We get to know
our regions intimately by cooking with
world-renowned chefs, learning from
world-class musicians and artists and
engaging with local authors,” as well as
connecting travelers with “the people,
restaurants and activities that our local
winemakers, members and friends
return to over and over—the hidden
trattoria on a back street of Montalcino,
the fishmonger in Barcelona, or even

Like-minded
oenophiles connect
and blend in the
world’s best
wine regions,
including Priorat,
Spain (above)
and Montalcino,
Italy (below).

attending the Ordre des Coteaux
de Champagne black-tie gala.” Recent
itineraries have also included going
backstage with the Foo Fighters
and cooking with Argentina’s legendary
open-fire virtuoso, Francis Mallmann.
Membership comes by way of an
application questionnaire on the website,
with an initial joining fee of $100,000
and annual dues ranging from $1,500 to
$3,000 per quarter, which include a
$2,000 credit toward the wine you
produce, the cost of which can range
from $6,000 to $37,000, depending on
the region. It also comes with access to
your own private wine concierge, to
track down hard-to-find bottles or curate
a wine list for a special occasion, plus
cases of “discovery wine” sent to you
throughout the year so the team can
learn what you like and where you might
like to travel next. With eight partner
producers now—including Germany’s
Ernst Loosen and Michel Drappier, of
Champagne—and more coming on board,
the world is just waiting for its next great
winemaker: you. Sara L. Schneider

FIND

your

at the

HOME
E N D S of

the

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S.R.L. USES THE RITZ-CARLTON MARKS UNDER A LICENSE FROM RITZ-CARLTON, WHICH HAS NOT CONFIRMED THE ACCURACY OF ANY OF THE STATEMENTS OR REPRESENTATIONS MADE HEREIN. THIS IS NEITHER AN OFFER
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WAT C H E S & J E W E L R Y

Stars Aligning

GUT TER CREDITS

Two watch-industry creative
heavyweights join forces for a cosmic new
women’s timepiece.

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

WA T C H E S & J E W E L R Y | The Goods

GUT TER CREDITS

B&F founder Max
Büsser is leaning into his
female clientele. Back in
2018, during a sneak
peek of his first ladies’
watch, the LM FlyingT, he admitted to
Robb Report that he was unsure of his
ability to design for women. “Men
don’t understand women,” he said, “so
I thought, ‘How am I going to do
this?’ ” That may sound like an
antiquated notion of gender norms,
but the watch itself was anything but
conventional. Its futuristic design was
unlike anything on the market and
proved to be such a hit the company
has since launched seven versions. The
eighth, a collaboration with Bulgari
that debuted at the end of November,
may be its biggest headliner yet.
The joint design was born out of a
friendship between Büsser and
Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani,
Bulgari’s creative director of watches.
Both have a penchant for bucking
tradition and are known for housing
extraordinarily inventive mechanics in
out-of-the-box designs. The new 39
mm-by-20 mm LM FlyingT Allegra
uses the same vertically built 3-D
movement (it features a flying
tourbillon on the upper end of the
axis) and space-age domed case design
as the original but now comes decked
out in Italian opulence. A system of
large, colorful gems orbit the
tourbillon, all set within a galaxy of
diamonds covering the mainplate; the
combination of stones—which include
tsavorite, topaz, amethyst, tanzanite,
rubellite and tourmaline—varies
depending on whether you opt for the
18-karat white-gold or rose-gold case.
In addition to the case, buckle and
crown, the offset dial is likewise
decked in diamonds, and the fact that
it’s positioned at a 50-degree angle, so
that only the wearer can read the time,
is perhaps the only discreet feature of
the new FlyingT. The crowning touch:
a presentation case that displays the
timepiece in an aluminum orb
encircled by a large, waterjet-cut metal
ring; when dramatically tilted on a
desk or dresser, it has the effect of
a Saturn-like planet from some
ultra-luxe universe far, far away. With
the LM FlyingT priced at $185,000 and
just 20 pieces made in each case
material, it’s a fitting home for a rare
piece of watchmaking from two of the
most relentlessly creative minds in the
business. Paige Reddinger

BOTTLE
STOPPERS
“i didn’t want this N°5
High Jewelry collection
to be just a tribute,” says
Patrice Leguéreau, director
of Chanel’s Fine Jewelry
Creation Studio, of the
Parisian maison’s first
jewels designed with its
iconic fragrance in mind. “I
conceived it as an immersive
experience,” he says, “a
journey into what constitutes
the very soul and the secrets
of the N°5 perfume.” To
capture the essence of the
scent at its literal roots,
Leguéreau toured the fields
of flowers and plants in
Grasse, home to Chanel’s
fragrance headquarters,
with the brand’s house
perfumer, Olivier Polge.
Those olfactory notes, along
with key design elements
such as the bottle, stopper
and numeral, became
reference points for the new
line of ornate jewels.

Some of these references
in the 123-piece collection
are quite direct, such as a
55.5-carat diamond necklace
fashioned with the iconic
bottle as its centerpiece
and a pair of diamond
chandelier earrings, one
of which drops from a
number five. Others offer
a more nuanced approach.
The Bubbly Stopper bracelet
in white and yellow gold,
seen here, is set with a
47.06-carat, emerald-cut
imperial topaz—a color that
evokes the scent’s amber
notes—punctuated with
cultured pearls that mimic
tiny droplets of liquid.
Chanel’s jewelry has more
than a few visual cues with
which to play; pearls, quilted
bags, double C’s and tweed
have all become synonymous
with founder Gabrielle
“Coco” Chanel’s elegant,
cultivated style. But coming
this year, on the centennial of
Chanel No. 5, leaning into the
brand’s signature scent for
inspiration was, shall we say,
right on the nose. Price upon
request P.R.

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

G IS FOR GEMS
known to many simply as “G,” Glenn
Spiro is a London-based private jeweler
who creates one-of-a-kind designs sought
by collectors and connoisseurs for their
unexpected pairings of rare colored
gemstones with offbeat materials. And yet,
outside of those privileged circles, his work
remains largely unknown. A new book, G:
Glenn Spiro—The Art of a Jewel, published by
Assouline in October, looks to change that.
“I don’t think anyone is doing what
Glenn is doing,” says author Jill Newman, a
veteran jewelry writer (and former
longtime Robb Report editor) who met
Spiro some 20 years ago, when she
encountered his work at the Baselworld

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

luxury fair, in Switzerland. “Each piece is
such a triumph,” she says.
Newman refers to a necklace Spiro
designed using 20 natural, cushion-cut
Colombian emeralds totaling 212 carats.
“Anyone else would take these rare stones
and make rings, necklaces—several
pieces,” she says. “He took all of them and
set them in a green titanium choker. You
could wear it to a black-tie affair, but if
someone wore it down the street with a
white T-shirt and jeans, you wouldn’t even
know.” That kind of irreverent approach
to the rarest of stones—think Burmese
rubies, Kashmir sapphires and Golconda
diamonds, but also more esoteric gems
such as fine spinels, antique turquoise and
demantoid garnets—is classic Spiro.
The jeweler, who hails from
East London, got his start at age 15 as an

CLOCKWISE FROM
RIGHT: Sirene cuffs

in titanium and
diamonds; Pea-Leaf
brooch in 18-karat
yellow gold,
demantoid garnets
and diamonds;
necklace in 18-karat
white gold, antique
coral, natural spinel
and diamonds;
ring in bronze and
18-karat red gold
with a 10-carat,
D-color, internally
flawless diamond.

apprentice at English Artworks, a
workshop owned by Cartier in nearby
Hatton Garden. He burnished his
reputation when he began partnering
with Lançon, a Geneva-based jewelry
manufacturer renowned for its boundarypushing designs. In 2014, Spiro established
his own atelier, and since 2016 he has
operated out of a historic salon in Mayfair,
the former studio of fashion designer Sir
Norman Hartnell. Unlike many of his
contemporaries, however, he’s never
pursued the limelight, preferring to let his
idiosyncratic jewels stand on their own.
Spiro tells Robb Report that he wants
his jewelry to be remembered for its
impact. “This is jewelry for confident
women who enjoy life,” he adds, “so I
hope they are remembered for looking
great in it, too.” Victoria Gomelsky

ADAM NORTON AT JAK JAES LTD

The Goods | WA T C H E S & J E W E L R Y

THIS
IS
HOW
WE
VEGAS
FR OM RARE TO WELL DONE
WAGY U AT J E AN G EO R G E S STE AK H O U S E
S P I N N I N G TH E R O U L E TTE WH E E L
C E L E B R I TY S I G H TI N G AT CATC H

A RT

IN THE STUDIO WITH

MICHAL ROVNER
The Israeli artist discusses farming, climate change, refugees and
the importance of place in her conceptual work.

nsofar as a studio is a space for an
artist to contemplate and to create
work, Michal Rovner’s studio is her
farm, located in a village between
Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. “I start every
day in the field, very early, 5:30,” she says
at the end of a clear autumn afternoon.
Sometimes she picks poppies or beans—
she loves the shape of the legumes when
they’re dried—but mostly, she says,
“I’m looking,” whether at her large plot,
surrounded by olive trees and planted
with a fig, pomegranate and orange
orchard, or at her three white donkeys.
“The field is very simple. It’s kind of a
dialogue that I have with my longing for

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

BELOW, FROM LEFT:

Michal Rovner,
Golden Field, 2021,
and Netivim, 2021,
both LCD screen
and video.

the Canaan landscape, you know, the old,
original landscape of Israel.”
That landscape, both natural and
built over millennia, has long nourished
Rovner’s work, and she has returned the
favor. “My mother said that the landscape
which I constructed here is my best work
of art,” she says with evident pride.
Nature, as well as the present dangers
posed both to and from it around the
globe, was the starting point for her
latest body of work, which will be shown
at Pace Gallery in Palm Beach, Fla., in
an exhibition opening December 16.
“Current Climates” is a series of videos
that, digitally stripped down to erase

identifying details, appear like painterly
abstractions of small figures trudging
through barren, burning or watery terrain.
“When I was making the work, [there
were] the floods in Europe, then all the
fires in Greece, in Turkey, in California,
then in Israel,” she recalls. “I was standing
here, and I was watching the smoke
coming from the hills of Jerusalem.
These experiences went into the work
and made them more intense. There was
this sense of heat.”
Rovner is sitting on her patio,
shaded by a sukkah, a traditional shelter
consisting of a fabric roof held up by
tree-branch poles. Behind her are three
Makom sculptures. After being
constructed there with the help of an
Israeli and Palestinian crew from 60 to
70 tons of stone each, two were then
disassembled, shipped to Paris and
rebuilt at the Louvre opposite I. M. Pei’s
iconic pyramid in 2011 before the process
was repeated in reverse. “Makom” is
Hebrew for “place,” and, in a poignant
reference to the region’s ancient and
lasting strife, the stones were salvaged
from destroyed homes on the West Bank
and on the Syrian border.
A sense of place is inextricable from
Rovner’s work. Her country’s landscapes
“echo entire history, a very dramatic
history that I feel a part of,” she says,
noting that biblical associations and
archeological artifacts are layered into
the region’s contemporary environment,
including on her own farm, where she
regularly finds pottery shards dating to
the reigns of the Old Testament kings
David and Solomon. “You feel you are
connected. I am aware that I have roots.

LCD SCREEN AND VIDEO: MICHAL ROVNER, COURTESY OF PACE G ALLERY

Photography by JORDAN POLEVOY

A R T | The Goods

BELOW: Michal
Rovner on her
farm. LEFT: Rovner
with some of the
stones she uses in
her work.

art is a lure, she notes, like an appetizer.
“Then I just serve them another dish,
so to speak,” she says of a deeper
engagement with the work.
As we talk via Zoom, the light quickly
fades, leaving a luminous moon hanging
low over the field. Two of her six dogs,
half of them adopted from the wild,
wander in and out of the camera frame.
“I always wanted to have a wolf,” she
says. Rovner, who has also long had a
studio in New York City, has relished her
extended time on the farm during the
pandemic. From the eve of lockdown,
when a storm felled seven old cypress
trees, through a heat wave that brought
crows in search of water, she took time
to reflect and to film a hawks’ nest,
which could evolve into her next project.
“I’m very lucky,” she says, “because I
have a very big field.” Julie Belcove

GUT TER CREDITS

I see the continuation of time here.” Yet,
though she describes her art as dealing
with “questions of identity, of place and
often time,” she emphasizes, “my work
is not about this place. I try to take it to a
broader place.”
“People always ask me, ‘Who are
these people? Where is this place?’ ”
she says. “It could be anybody. These
landscapes really are about the human
condition.”
Even her pieces seemingly about
animals have more to do with humanity.
In 2016, Rovner made a haunting series
featuring jackals, capturing the elusive
desert creatures using night-vision
equipment, in part as a metaphor for
the refugees streaming out of Syria and
parts of Africa who are often feared as
the “other” the way jackals have been
historically. The aesthetic beauty of her

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

STYLE

Fall,
in Lines
From pinwale shirts
to thickly ribbed suits,
this season’s corduroy ditches
the bookish connotations
for rakish cool.
Photography by
JOSHUA SCOTT
Styling by
CHARLES W. BUMGARDNER
Style Editor
KAREEM RASHED

GO WES, YOUNG MAN
A certain cinema auteur
can be thanked for
lending corduroy suits
some offbeat street
cred. Follow his lead with
tactile cords in a louche,
unstructured silhouette
that’s more style-savvy
than professorial.
Massimo Alba
cotton-corduroy jacket,
$895, and trousers,
$475; Sunspel wool
turtleneck, $355;
G. Inglese denim shirt,
$285; Prada eyeglasses,
$288; Bruno Magli
leather sneakers, $250;
Il Bisonte leather-andsuede tote bag, $895.

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

8
©

7 723

The Goods | S T Y L E

MIX MASTER
One of the beauties of
corduroy is how well it
plays with other
winter-appropriate
textiles, from nubby
tweeds to refined flannels.
Particularly when subbing
in for the standard nylon
of a puffer jacket, the
material makes a natty
topper for a wide range of
cold-weather looks.
Brunello Cucinelli
cotton-corduroy down
jacket, $4,495; Luigi
Bianchi Mantova
wool-and-silk flannel
blazer, $1,295; Thom
Browne mohair
tweed sweater, $790;
Paul Stuart cashmere
scarf, $275.

BRIGHT IDEA
More than just a tool for keeping warm, a knit cap offers an opportunity to inject
a shot of color into the season’s muted palette of neutrals. Keep things interesting
with a variety of downy cashmere and wool beanies in every shade of the rainbow.

Inis Meáin
wool-and-cashmere
Donegal hat, $115

Louis Vuitton
cashmere hat,
$560

Gabriela Hearst
cashmere hat,
$390

Phineas Cole
cashmere hat,
$225

Lock & Co. x
Johnstons of Elgin
cashmere hat, $266

N. Peal
cashmere hat,
$130

GUT TER CREDITS

Drake’s
wool hat,
$70

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

C A T ESG
TO
YR
LE
Y | The Goods

BIG EASY
Stuck alternating between
jeans and chinos? Add a
pair of cords to your
off-duty trouser rotation
for some extra texture.
This wide-legged,
wide-wale pair wears like
sweats while looking
considerably smarter.
Loro Piana cashmereand-microfiber reversible
bomber, $4,295; Amiri
cashmere turtleneck,
$1,090, and cottoncorduroy trousers, $990;
Etnia Barcelona Rodeo
Drive sunglasses,
$285; Hermès lambskin
gloves, $710; Anderson’s
calfskin belt, $195;
Goral suede chukka
boots, $362.

Elegantly disheveled
corduroy strikes
an ideal balance between
rugged and refined.

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

The Goods | S T Y L E

Cad & the Dandy
waxed-cotton jacket, $795;
Finamore cotton-corduroy
shirt, $445; Officine
Générale cotton-corduroy
trousers, $335; Ralph
Lauren silk-and-cashmere
scarf, $295; London
Undercover umbrella,
$100; Manolo Blahnik
suede derby shoes, $845;
Lock & Co. Escorial wool
bucket hat, $240.

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

GUT TER CREDITS

THE PLUSH LIFE
Corduroy’s distinctive
velvety texture instantly
ups the luxe factor of any
outfit. Here, the double-soft
combination of a pinwale
shirt with jumbo-wale
trousers makes a hardy
waxed jacket look urbane
enough for the office.

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New Publishing
Model Propels
NAVY SEAL to

“I wanted to own all of
my own life story.”

GLOBAL
ICON
STATUS

–DAVID GOGGINS

How DAVID GOGGINS
spurned the gatekeepers, chose
himself and found fame and
fortune as a role model for others.

avid Goggins’ childhood was a living
nightmare filled with poverty, prejudice
and physical abuse. But today his grand,
aspirational dreams have come true. Through
self-discipline, mental toughness and hard work,
Goggins transformed himself from a depressed,
overweight young man with no future prospects
into a US Armed Forces icon, a best-selling author
and one of the world’s top endurance athletes.

The only man in history to complete elite training
as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger and Air Force
Tactical Air Controller, Goggins went on to set
records in numerous endurance events, even
inspiring Outside magazine to name him “The
Fittest (Real) Man in America.”
After being profiled in Jesse Itzler’s book, Living
With A Seal, Goggins’ visibility and platform
grew. Based on that and some very popular
podcast appearances, he was offered a multiplesix-figure advance for a book deal from a major
traditional publisher.
But Goggins was never one to take the traditional
path. Despite the substantial financial advance
dangled in front of him, Goggins (and his
manager) did detailed research and asked

important questions about royalties, payments
and intellectual property. After all, this was his life
story and deciding how best to put it out into the
world was critical. “Your life and the journey you
put yourself through—there’s nothing more than
that,” says Goggins.
After carefully evaluating his options, Goggins
turned down the multiple-six-figure traditional
publishing deal—for someone who started his
journey as an overweight exterminator making $6.25
per hour, this was a huge deal—and hired Scribe
Media to publish his 2018 book, Can’t Hurt Me.
“I wanted to own all of Can’t Hurt Me, and I wanted
to own all of my own life story,” Goggins explains.
By choosing professional publishing instead of
traditional publishing, he retained ownership of
his content and his story and ultimately made 3.5
times more in royalties than he would have with a
traditional deal.
The book was an instant success. Goggins shares
his astonishing life story, illustrates how most of us
tap into only 40% of our capabilities (the 40% Rule),
and illuminates a path that anyone can follow to
reach their full potential. It immediately hit every

best-seller list and has consistently remained there,
selling over 3 million copies to date.
By eschewing traditional publishing in favor of
Scribe Media’s professional publishing services,
Goggins was able to apply his proven philosophies
of independence and self-determination to his
career as an author, as well as earn more than
triple the royalties that he would have otherwise.
These cutting-edge, professional publishing services
are available to you too. Scribe Media’s suite of
professionals assist in writing, editing and publishing,
and provide a top-notch marketing team to ensure
books are introduced to the market with the utmost
professionalism, quality and excellence.
In addition to David Goggins, Scribe Media has
successfully worked with 2,000-plus authors,
including 20 New York Times and Wall Street
Journal best-sellers.
Will you be next?

For more information or to schedule a free consultation
to discuss your book idea with a Scribe Media Author
Strategist, visit SCRIBEMEDIA.COM/GOGGINS.

The Goods | S T Y L E

KNIT PICKS
last year’s lockdown illustrated
what really becomes of idle hands. Some
kneaded sourdough, others assembled
puzzles, and many knitted, crocheted and
macraméd the days away. From Bernie
Sanders’s Inauguration Day mittens to
Tom Daley’s poolside crafting at the
Summer Olympics, knitting has gone from
granny pastime to zeitgeisty fascination.
Even if you didn’t take up the needles
yourself, there’s a new guard of knitwearfocused brands reinvigorating homespun
classics. Sweaters, long dismissed as
sartorial backup singers, are now taking
center stage.

Long dismissed as
sartorial backup singers,
sweaters are taking
center stage.
It’s not that the category has been
reinvented so much as reappraised. While
a beautiful cashmere sweater is perfectly
nice, it’s a garment that generally lacks the
sexiness of a sharply cut suit or a
swaggering coat. But does that always
need to be the case?
“We wanted to look at cardigans,
things that people perhaps perceive as
old-fashioned, and reinterpret how they
could be more modern or worn differently,
or just be the piece on its own,” says
designer Julian Taffel, who along with
codesigner Paolina Leccese, has
imbued thoroughly traditional sweater
silhouettes with a playful wink. Their
brand, Leorosa, launched in 2019 with a
range of sweaters that look timeless as can
be—a lambswool V-neck cardigan and
vest for him, a merino and cashmere
crewneck cardigan for her—but rendered
with unexpected pops of color on the
pockets or trim: camel and tomato red,
lemon yellow, loden green and shell pink.
The results retain the charm and
wearability of Mister Rogers’s staple but
with an unerring sense of cool.
Fashion brands’ sweaters typically fall
into one of two camps—staid or
souped-up—but this new crop of knitters
manages to strike a balance between both.
Nicolò and Carlotta Oddi of Alanui took
the intricate jacquard weaving expertise
of their native Italy and applied it to
Southwestern motifs, drawing on
everything from Navajo blankets to

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

Country of Origin
wool turtleneck,
$260; Leorosa wool
gilet, $340; Brunello
Cucinelli alpacaand-yak turtleneck,
$1,895; Alanui wool
cardigan, $1,950.

BUDDHAMAMA.COM

The Goods | S
CT
AY
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Rubato camelhair
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bandannas. Their Baja-inflected cashmere
wrap cardigans, each of which takes at
least 11 hours to make by hand, have
quickly become a favorite of the onepercent beach-bum set. In a similar vein,
British brand Country of Origin riffs on
the UK’s rich heritage of knitting
techniques, upping the ante on Guernseys
and Arans with graphic color-blocking or
Japanese boro patchworking. “All of the
garments are hand-linked, which is a skill
that’s dying,” says label cofounder Ben
Taylor. “We want to preserve those skills
and thought the best way to do that was
to change the way people perceive British
knitwear.” It’s a shift that goes beyond
simply updating traditional designs;
given the casualization of menswear
over the past several years, which the
pandemic kicked into overdrive, knitwear
has taken on new significance in the
male wardrobe.
“It’s become more and more essential,”
says Oliver Dannefalk, one half of the duo
behind Swedish knitwear brand Rubato.
“Before, it was something you just picked

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

up along the way because you had to have
it for layering.” Rubato launched in 2019
with the founders’ version of the perfect
wool V-neck, with a deeper V, a shorter
body and a boxier fit than anything that
they could find from contemporary
makers. Produced in Scotland in a range
of elegant neutral hues, it’s the kind of
garment that’s ideally suited to the fluid
dress codes of the moment.
Whether subbing for a shirt and tie,
dressing down a suit or elevating an old
pair of jeans, there are very few occasions
when wearing a great sweater isn’t
appropriate. “It’s that classic, hardwearing everyday piece,” says
Rubato cofounder Carl Pers.
“Your favorite sweater, the
one that you throw on
when you’re not
entirely sure what
you’re looking for
that day—that’s
what we want
to make.”
Kareem Rashed

Jeweler James de
Givenchy is known for
blending unexpected
materials into
wearable art, so it’s
perhaps unsurprising
to learn that early in life
he seemed destined
for a career in
perfumery. His father
ran the fragrance
division for his uncle
Hubert de Givenchy’s
couture house, and
James’s first job was
filling flacons at the
factory outside Paris.
While he ditched base
notes for bijous, de
Givenchy has been
plotting a perfume
of his own since he
launched his jewelry
brand, Taffin, 25 years
ago. Now, this fall sees
the debut of Taffin
Fragrance, a range of
seven unisex scents.
Developed over
the course of four

years with input
from several of the
industry’s top noses,
each pure parfum is
a richly layered blend
named after a different
color. Much like de
Givenchy’s designs,
the perfumes are
harmonies of elegance
and irreverence: Le
Vert sees bracing
vetiver spliced
with lavender and
Sichuan pepper, for
example, while Le
Gris mixes citrusy
bergamot with freesia
and cedarwood,
and Le Marron
grounds tuberose
in sandalwood and
amber. As with the
best jewelry, these
scents make an impact
when they enter a
room and leave an
impression after
they’ve departed. $480
each K.R.

BERNIE SANDERS: OLIVER CONTRERAS/SIPA USA /AP

Haute Parfum

T R AV E L

All That’s
New
for '22
Get ready for a travel year
unlike any other.

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

ABOVE: A hilltop
view of Lake Kivu,
in Rwanda. RIGHT: A
terrace and Jacuzzi
overlooking the
ocean at Etéreo,
on Mexico’s
Riviera Maya.

LAKE KIVU: SERRAH G ALOS; ETÉREO: D. BERRUECOS; SOMMERRO: LARS PET TER PET TERSEN

or luxury travelers, 2022 is set
to be a frenzy thanks to
postponements—of personal
trips and hotel openings
both—and the sheer force of
pent-up, pandemic-primed demand.
“Next year, it’s all about ‘Get me in there,’ ”
says Jules Maury, who runs Scott Dunn
Private, the elite division of the UK-based
travel specialist. Planning for 2022, she
says, brings to mind the Star Trek mission:
It’s all about destinations where no man
has gone before. That notion is seconded
by Christopher Wilmot-Sitwell, of
London-based Cazenove + Loyd, who
adds that charter-ready destinations,
where private aviation has long been the
preference, will be especially popular
thanks in part to stripped-down
commercial aviation schedules.
Take the pioneering Mantis Kivu
Queen uBuranga, the first floating luxury
hotel on Rwanda’s main lake, an elegant
barge that will glide through the waters
and make nature-centric pit stops along
its edges. Opening Q2, from $990 per
person for two nights, it’s an ideal,
indulgent pause between chimpanzeefocused safaris in the southeast and
gorilla-heavy trekking in the northeast.
Elsewhere in Africa, Banyan Tree’s first
property on the continent, Ilha Caldeira
(opening Q3, rooms from $1,079 per
night) is located on a private island about
12 miles off Mozambique. The 40-villa
resort is entirely solar-powered and sits
within a marine reserve that’s packed
with coral, but the real draw is the chance
to enjoy the Indian Ocean’s lush sands
and clear waters in an area that’s not

T R AV E L | The Goods

almost 2,500 acres of private wilderness.
Even in Europe, the appeal and
isolation of the outdoors are drawing
attention to less-trafficked destinations,
including Oslo. “People are surprised
by its beauty, and it reminds me of New
Zealand, nature’s playground,” says Mollie
Fitzgerald of Frontiers Travel. Previously,
Oslo’s lack of an exciting luxury hotel was
Norway’s biggest hurdle to attracting the
elite traveler; with Sommerro slated to
open in Q3 (rooms from $289) that barrier

Charter-ready
destinations, where private
aviation has long been
the preference, will
be especially popular.

groaning under a glut of luxury hotels.
Australia’s borders are expected to
reopen to travelers by early next year.
When they do, book a room at the Finniss
River Lodge (opening Q2, rates from
$1,200 per person per day) in the Top
End, one of the country’s wildest and
most remote corners. Wilmot-Sitwell
notes the six-room property is both a
luxury lodge and working cattle station,
with a mineral pool overlooking the
grasslands, superb bird-watching and
barramundi fishing plus the chance to
experience indigenous culture at nearby

A lush, colorful
suite at Sommerro,
Oslo’s most exciting
new hotel

Litchfield National Park, a 20-minute
hop by helicopter. Another rural camp,
this time in Costa Rica, will be next year’s
ultimate invitation-only getaway: Edge of
Wildness tented camp, in Guanacaste on
the country’s northwest coast, is a fourtent pop-up aimed at previous guests of
hotelier James McBride’s Indonesian
property, Nihi Sumba, with diving,
horseback riding and waterfall hikes on
the itinerary. This property, set to open in
Q2 (as of this writing, nightly rates have
yet to be set), is a teaser for the full-scale
Nihi Santo Tomás, opening in 2023, on

will soon be gone. Complete with rooftop
swimming pool and murals by the late
Norwegian artist Per Krohg, the Art Deco
hotel is housed in the former headquarters
of a local electric company.
If you’re considering a short-haul trip,
two new hotels are of particular note.
Rock House Resort, in Turks and Caicos
(opening spring 2022, with rates from
$850) is one. “The Caribbean doesn’t have
many destination hotels,” says Scott Dunn
Private’s Maury, “and this could be one
of them.” The 14-acre sister spot to Grace
Bay has its own secluded beach and a pool
perched on a 25-foot cliff. Plus, service
should be exceptional from the outset, as
it’s rumored that the hotel poached several
top staffers from nearby Como Parrot
Cay, the country’s current top destination.
Or book the new Kanai complex on the
Riviera Maya, in Mexico, which boasts
an advantage over Mayakoba, its longestablished neighbor. “Most of the luxury
properties there are set significantly
back from the beach,” says Jack Ezon of
Embark Beyond, “but everything here is
pretty much oceanfront, with a little bit of
mangrove in between.” One of the first of
several hotels here will be Etéreo, part of
the Resorts Collection, slated to open in
Q1, with rooms from $1,299.
And if you simply can’t wait until next
year, there’s an all-new lodge primed to
open in time for Christmas that Ezon
calls “game-changing.” Montage Big
Sky—opening mid-December, with rooms
from $1,395—is a new way to access
the world-class Montana ski runs and
mountain treks that have largely been the
domain of Yellowstone Club, Moonlight
Basin and Spanish Peaks Mountain Club
members and their guests. It’s yet another
unexplored corner of the world—only
this time, it’s right in our backyard.
Mark Ellwood

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The Answers
with . . .

HARRY FANE
Over the past four decades, Harry Fane has become the go-to source for vintage
Cartier watches and jewelry, which he sells out of his private gallery, Obsidian, in
London’s Mayfair. He began his career at Sotheby’s London, LA and New York,
before venturing off on his own to sell American art, eventually homing in on
smaller collectibles. Looking for a coveted Cartier Crash timepiece? Fane sold the
last of 20 to be made in the ultra-rare London series but is known for hunting down
equally rare models. Need the delicate mechanism of a Cartier Mystery Clock
repaired? His team has restored plenty over the years. In fact, he has had a long
working relationship with the Cartier Museum and a little while ago was involved
in discussions with its executives on the reintroduction of a past model. “When
they reintroduced the Cintrée,” says Fane, “I was very much a part of that process.”
PAIGE REDDINGER

Which apps do you use the most?
I probably use all the auction and antiques apps, like Christie’s and
Sotheby’s. If you’re lucky enough that you have relationships with some
people at the auction houses, then you’re looked after well, but if you’re a
nameless person calling up to get information, it’s a bloody jungle. “Buyer
beware” has never been truer. There are a lot of shenanigans going on.

What advice do you wish you’d followed?
Do not sacrifice today for regret of yesterday or fear of tomorrow.

What do you do that’s still analog?

Robert Maxwell
is the late
Czechoslovakian
turned British
media baron
and Ghislaine
Maxwell’s father,
who died when
he mysteriously
fell off his yacht,
named Lady
Ghislaine, in 1991.

Read books. The last ones I read were The House of Fragile Things by
James McAuley, Letters to Camondo by Edmund de Waal and the Henry
‘Chips’ Channon diaries. Channon was an American who lived in England
in the 1920s and 1930s. He was a tremendous diarist, and this book is
aristocrat soup. It’s just pages and pages and pages of the goings-on of the
British aristocracy. Before that, I read Fall by John Preston about Robert
Maxwell1 and When Paris Sizzled by Mary McAuliffe, which is very much
up my street because it’s all about Paris in the 1920s.

What in your wardrobe do you wear most often?
I wear suits and ties. I used to have all of my clothes tailored, but I’m such
a tricky customer. Now when all the tailors hear I’m coming to town, you
can hear them all closing their shutters in case I try and come in.

Where do you get your clothes?
The best tailor in London is a man named John Pearse on Meard Street.
He makes clothes for everybody, including Paul McCartney.

Who is your guru?
Life, because no one teaches you more. My other guru is my brilliant wife,
because she’s able to fade the lights on the past and keep the future road
well illuminated.
A diamond-set diamond bangle made by Cartier, London in the 1930s.
This bangle is studded with diamonds of different shapes and cuts and
is an incredible example of the sophistication of the Cartier, London
designers and craftsmen. Likewise, I have recently acquired a multi-gem,
flower brooch also made by Cartier, London, but in the 1950s. It is so
vibrant and luscious, it’s hard to tear one’s eyes away from it.

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y DY L A N T H O M A S

GUT TER CREDITS

What’s the most recent thing you’ve added to your collection?

Harry Fane, shot
amid the treasures
in his gallery,
Obsidian, in London

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

The Answers with . . . HARRY FANE

The most recent thing you regret not buying?
In my world, you buy what you can and there’s no point in regretting
what you don’t buy. There are things I look back at over my career and
think, “My God, I must have been mad!” But I don’t think there’s any
point in being sentimental.

What’s the most impressive dish you cook?
If I told you that I’m a whiz in the kitchen, my children would probably
shoot me. My best dish is something like baked beans with my special
toast, which I call normalement brûlée [“typically burned” in English].

Who is your dealer, and what do they source for you?
I work with quite a few dealers. There’s no point in naming them,
because it would be the ones who I don’t name that would be upset.
But there are three things that everyone should look for with dealers:
knowledge, a good eye and honesty. I think today, so much of the
art world has been polluted by money. People know more about the
monetary aspect than they do about the work of art. And that is sad.

What is your exercise routine, and how often do you do it?
I used to think that I ran like a gazelle around Hyde Park every
morning. But the other day a woman came into my office and said, “Oh,
I know you. I see you walking in Hyde Park.”

If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?
Languages. Anything outside of English would be an enormous task
for me. I would like to learn Hindi so I could know what the Indian
diamond dealers are saying behind my back.

Which are your regular tables in London, New York and LA?
I never go to LA, and in New York, I’m always taken to nice restaurants,
but I never remember what they are. In London, my favorites places
are in the Robin Birley stable, like Oswald’s and Hertford Street.2

Are you wearing a watch? How many do you own?
FROM TOP: Cartier,
Paris “Jasper”
ashtray; Cartier,
Paris “Grain de
Café” necklace
and earrings;
Fane in his London
gallery; his Rolex
“Pepsi”; Cartier’s
famous red boxes.

A 1924 Cartier Paris Tank Normale. I also own a Rolex “Pepsi”
GMT-Master from 1970, which I wear when I’m running like a cheetah
around Hyde Park. For me, that’s enough.

If you could stick at one age, what would it be and why?
Every age brings different advantages. One always wishes they could go
back to being 21, but I wouldn’t want to repeat the agonies of being 21.
I’m equally content where I am now, but some of the attributes I had at
21 I wouldn’t mind having now.

What’s your favorite hotel?

The Sukhothai in Bangkok or the Imperial in Delhi.3

Whom do you admire most?
There’s an Indian woman named Reeta Devi, who is about 80 years
old and is a living saint. She has her own foundation, Ila Trust, and she
looks after some 60,000 poor and dispossessed people in India every
year. She’s quite amazing and worked very closely with Mother Teresa.

What’s your favorite neighborhood in your favorite city?
Mayfair, London, because I know every corner, every street, every shop,
every restaurant.

What are you afraid of?
I’m afraid of dying in a plane crash.

What was the last live performance you saw?
I go to the theater, but I don’t really like rock concerts. But, actually, the
last person I saw was Joe . . . Joe Lo . . . what’s she called? [The singer J.
Lo.] I saw her in London.

Bowie or Dylan?
Bowie.

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

Robin Birley
is an English
businessman who
owns Oswald’s,
a private club
for wealthy wine
enthusiasts on
Albemarle Street,
and Hertford
Street, also known
as 5 Hertford
Street or 5HS, a
members-only
club in Mayfair.

The Imperial hotel
was designed
by British architect
F. B. Blomfield,
conceived as a
monument for the
city of New Delhi,
which was
designed by
Blomfield’s
associate, the
famed British
architect Edwin
Lutyens. It
combines Victorian,
Old Colonial and
Art Deco styles and
has hosted
everyone from
Gandhi to Lord
Mountbatten.

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DOMAIN
WHERE DESIGN LIVES

Wood Works

Walnut, oak and other darker-hued hardwoods
warm up the colder months (and rooms) ahead.

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

Domain | O B J E C T I F I E D

Arciform Bureau, Skylar Morgan
Like any good chest of drawers or sideboard,
Arciform is built for storage first and foremost.
The drawers are tall and deep, so you can
stash plenty of T-shirts, linens or tech. Made
from walnut with brass accents, it has textured
patterns that run along its back, showcasing
Skylar Morgan’s woodworking mastery. If you’d
prefer a smoother look, that extra bit of visual
and tactile pizzazz can be removed. $8,350

Roger, Minotti
Modular sofa systems remain popular, but
this year the materials get a change-up. Italian
architect Rodolfo Dordoni’s version, dubbed
Roger, comes in myriad wood options for the
attached console, including deeper tones such
as stained palisander Santos. The only downside
here is that the seemingly endless customization
options will have you preoccupied with tweaking
backrests, armrests and storage elements for
who knows how long. Price upon request

Paravent Ambassade Screen, Cassina
Charlotte Perriand was inspired by Japan—its
art, its landscape and, of course, its furniture.
The renowned French designer first made this
screen in 1969 for a Japanese ambassador
following her many travels to that country. But
she didn’t have a large budget for it, so Perriand
used rosewood scraps from another project
and pieced the variegated castoffs together like
a puzzle, connected by rods. Today’s walnut
reissue has all the same design elements, albeit
with a bit more polish. From $11,060

OW58 T-Chair, Carl
Hansen & Søn
As is the case with most
Scandinavian design, the
T-Chair’s ruling principle
is simple: less is more.
It’s an ethos that goes
back to 1958, when the
seat was created by the
prolific Ole Wanscher. The
Dane’s design merged the
T-shaped back into the legs,
giving it a more seamless,
function-first look. The
only adjustment that’s been
made to the leather-andwalnut chair for this reissue
is the taller back height
to accommodate modern
statures. From $1,425

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

Kendo Low Table, Natuzzi
Kendo combines the deep color and organic textures of walnut with smooth,
seamless metal accents. This union is most evident with the table’s storage
compartment, a built-in feature for stashing books, glasses, pens and more. It’s the
brainchild of design duo Manzoni & Tapinassi, who applied the same material motif to
a larger line of Kendo furnishings, from lamps to sofas—great if you’re the type who
loves more of a good thing. From $4,190 Helena Madden

Domain | N E W S

SOHO IN YOUR
HOUSE

Try out Zanotta’s pieces
in person at its new
villa in the Village.

FROM TOP: The

London Soho
Home Studio; the
Marena desk riffs
on furniture from
the Barcelona Soho
House.

a Soho House with seating arranged for
conversation. Brooklyn’s Future Flowers
sells fresh stems and advises on arrangements. At in-store events in London, a bartender mixes cocktails at the marble bar,
so you can sample not only a drink but also
the glassware it comes in, handblown in
Slovenia and available for purchase. “We
want to bring the theater of Soho House

into people’s homes,” says Yorke-Long.
The stores will also serve as showcases for
member creatives from around the world
to display their own brands. Inside the
London store, for instance, Nigerian artist
Tejumola Butler Adenuga handmade his
lamps that are on offer there.
Each store will host interactive
workshops and events, such as wreath
making. Expect to find furnishings that
already populate various Soho Houses
or collections inspired by them, such as
the Marena cabinet (from the Barcelona
location) and the Garrett armchairs as
well as whole bedroom kits, from frame
and mattress to linens and pillows.
Janice O’Leary

THE ITALIAN
EXPERIENCE
future-thinking furniture brands
have ditched the old showroom formula
in favor of more experiential offerings.
Zanotta, a storied Italian company with
multiple pieces in the Museum of Modern
Art’s permanent collection, takes that
ethos a step further by opening a home
decorated almost entirely with its furnishings, both new and vintage. It’s not just for
popping by and test-driving a few chairs,
either—“friends of Zanotta” can use the
residence for events or meetings, and
invite-only overnight stays are gratis.
The concept, dubbed Zanotta House,
is located in New York City’s Greenwich
Village. Guests can take a dip in the indoor
pool or host an alfresco gathering on the
rooftop deck. The only downside? You
may encounter some unofficial paparazzi:
Taylor Swift once lived here, and her fans
still take pictures outside and leave letters
in the mailbox. H.M.

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

SOHO HOUSE LONDON: TOM GRIFFITHS

soho house got into the online retail
business back in 2016 with a three-month
beta test, selling collections of coveted furnishings to members only. “Members were
always asking Nick where we got things”
for the houses, says Aalish Yorke-Long,
managing director for Soho House Retail.
Recognizing an opportunity for brand
expansion when he saw one, founder and
CEO Nick Jones decided it was time to
start producing some items in-house.
Now Jones and Yorke-Long are
translating that digital store to brick-andmortar ones, beginning with the debut of a
London flagship this past September and,
in November, an outpost in Manhattan’s
Meatpacking District, not far from the
Soho House there. The aesthetic of each
Soho Home Studio takes cues from the
architecture of its building, be that classic
or industrial, as in the New York space.
The furnishings are “always contemporary
in shape and always comfortable,” says
Yorke-Long. And the spaces, much like the
houses themselves, regardless of location,
“are always textural and layered. There’s
never just one rug; it’s always a pile.”
The New York store occupies 4,000
square feet and looks like the interior of

P R AT E S I I S L O V E . S I N C E 1 9 0 6 .

P R AT E S I . C O M

Domain | T H E R O O M

THE ROOM

WORKING
ORDER
when british interior designer
Katharine Pooley revamped
the Notting Hill home of an
international client, the office
became a priority. It’s not only
one of the first rooms seen upon
entering the house but also where
the owner, a car and guitar collector,
spends eight to 12 hours a day. The
space lives within a white-stucco,
seven-story mansion that’s hundreds
of years old. Pooley’s thoughtful,
contemporary approach juxtaposes
the building’s heritage with the
owner’s particular passions.
H.M.

➤ Carpet
Gold lurex fabric has been woven with dark
blue for the custom silk rug. The metallic
accents are meant to evoke the drift marks
made by a racing car—a subtle nod to the
owner’s automotive collection. The palette
extends beyond the ebonized wood doors
of the study, where the same hue is used
in the living room for continuity.
➤ Desk
Pooley worked with the joiners at Halstock
to create a bespoke wooden desk, which
has a blue veneer paired with antique
brass inlays. Drawers built into both of
the wide legs help keep the client’s tech
organized. The team left the central section
of the piece open to show off the thin,
statuesque legs of the chair—also accented
with antique brass—just behind. The desk
faces the doors, positioned for a grand
reception when business partners drop
by for a meeting.
➤ Shelves
The dark walnut shelves have brass and
suede inlays in the back of each nook.
Pooley sourced many of the objects on
them herself, including the petrified-wood
bookends, the tiger’s eye sculptures and
the antique books. The owner displays his
guitars on the shelving that runs along the
side of the room opposite the window.
Automotive design served as some
of the inspiration here, too: The lower
cabinet handles reference the shape of a
McLaren’s headlights.

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

TABLETOP
TOMES

an apartment on Manhattan’s
Upper West Side, Workstead
redesigned virtually everything,
adding oak cabinets to the
kitchen and new furniture to
the living areas. The studio’s
lighting collection, such as the
otherworldly Orbit chandelier
and the geometric Hieroglyph
pendant, pepper the pages.
Those who want a small piece
of the design practice’s look
can purchase these fixtures
separately online. $65

American Equestrian
Design
It’s one thing to create a
gorgeous barn, but if its equine
occupants don’t appreciate it
as much as you do, the point
has been missed. Blackburn
Architects has become
known for engineering breezy
stables that keep horses
cool in summer and warm in
winter. Strategic siting moves
air through the spaces and
allows for natural light to infuse
what might otherwise be dark
corners. The firm has also
become expert at creating
stylish, cozy spaces for the
humans, as well as grooming
and veterinarian stations within
the structures. This tour de
force of stunning stables takes
you through New England and
horse country in the South
to projects in the West and
Midwest. $55

Gilles & Boissier
Interior-design duo Patrick
Gilles and Dorothée Boissier
met while working at Liaigre.
The couple founded their own
practice in 2004; commissions
from Moncler CEO Remo Ruffini
helped get the ball rolling from
there (they’ve since worked on
many of the skiwear brand’s
retail stores). The Paris-based
duo’s work, like much of the
interior design found in France,
feels incredibly sumptuous
and incorporates both ornate
furnishings and dynamic
artworks. Their book chronicles
a wide range of projects,
from the opulent Baccarat
Hotel in New York to a palatial
residence on Lake Como. It’s
a great gift for museumgoers
looking to integrate their own
collection into a home, as Gilles
& Boissier deftly balance art
and design in their work. $65

JAMES MACDONALD

Workstead: Interiors of
Beauty and Necessity
Interior-design firm Workstead’s
projects combine Danish
minimalism with the leatherand-wood accents of American
design traditions. As a result,
its homes and condos feel both
contemporary and practical,
balancing light-filled rooms with
tranquil-yet-functional layouts.
For one project, a Victorianstyle mansion in upstate
New York, the team added a
modern pavilion structure; for

undulating wooden gift shop
he created for the National
Museum of Qatar, which graces
his monograph’s cover. Inspired
by the crystal-filled Cave of
Light nearby, it’s indicative
of Takada’s larger oeuvre,
which always considers a
building’s responsibility to
the environment. Because
the Sydney–based architect
uses only natural materials,
there’s a sense of comfort
and ease to his work that’s
a welcome antithesis to the
glass-and-metal boxes of most
contemporary architecture.
He’s looking to the future, too:
One of his most significant
in-the-works projects is a
residential high-rise that will
incorporate more than 1,000
trees and 20,000 plants. Should
it pan out as planned, it just
may set a new standard for
sustainable living. $75

Koichi Takada:
Architecture, Nature
and Design
Of all of Takada’s designs,
perhaps the best known is the

Kuma. Complete Works
1988—Today
There’s no question that Kengo
Kuma has significantly changed
the shape of contemporary
architecture—in particular, its
preference for natural materials
over man-made ones. Like
works from peers Shigeru
Ban and Tadao Ando, Kuma’s
projects are wide-ranging
and take stylistic risks. While
he’s now most celebrated for
his design of the monolithic,
cedar-paneled Japan National
Stadium—the centerpiece
of the Tokyo 2020 Summer
Olympics—he began his career
with more small-scale projects
in rural regions such as Tohoku
and Shikoku. In the mid-1990s,
he worked on a villa in coastal
Shizuoka, where a layer of
water covers the terrace,
connecting the bay views to the
home itself. This retrospective
includes 500 photographs
and sketches depicting every
facet of the prolific Japanese
designer’s creative process.
$200 H.M. and J.O.

Domain | R E A L E S T A T E

it’s not news that during the pandemic
many urbanites moved out of Manhattan
and other major cities, trading floorthrough flats for country estates and suburbia. But as the lights in offices begin to
turn on again, the old battle of convenience
versus commute is being waged once more.
And as international travel resumes, some
executives prefer to stay in a space of their
own, rather than in a hotel, perceiving it as
safer. The solution? A pied-à-terre.
According to Centurion Real Estate
Partners, some who migrated away from
the city are realizing they want to be back
in the action—or closer to work—but
maybe not full time.
Literally translated as “foot on the
ground,” a pied-à-terre is a centrally located
apartment or condo that serves as a home
away from home. The term evolved in the
1700s from the French phrase mettre pied
à terre (“to dismount”), when members
of the French cavalry alighted from their
horses and rested in temporary abodes.
With the increasing popularity of hybrid
workplaces, this classic real-estate option is
enjoying a resurgence in the 2020s.
In addition to a proximity to the C-suite
and entertainment, an ideal pied-à-terre
sits within a building that offers amenities

such as housekeeping, laundry services,
spa and fitness centers and a concierge,
so the few days spent there each week
or month are as seamless as possible. A
hotel-branded residence could check all
the boxes. Since the Waldorf Astoria New
York announced the sale of its apartments
within the Waldorf Towers just before
the start of the pandemic, the property
has received more than 8,000 inquiries
from around the world. “One buyer from
Australia purchased a residence sight
unseen to use as a pied-à-terre for his
travels,” says Dan Tubb, senior director of
sales there. The new Waldorf residences
provide the “ultimate ‘lock and leave’
purchase for a buyer,” he says, “with
every hotel service they could imagine, as
well as management services to take care of
the residence when they’re away.”
According to April 2021 housing-market
data from Redfin, urban condo sales were
up nearly 30 percent, a bigger increase
than any other home category. Miami, with
its many condo towers, has felt the flush.
South Florida’s real-estate market has been
on a hot streak since the start of the year
with buyers from around the US flocking
to purchase their pied-à-terre in the

Magic City, according to Eduardo Pruna,
regional sales director at One Sotheby’s
International Realty. “Unlike in years past,
where waves of snowbirds have descended
to Miami for the ‘season,’ ” he says, “the
pandemic has spurred buyers to set up
more permanent roots, either following
the half-a-year-and-a-day rule to claim
residency or making more frequent trips,
including in the off-season.” Even smaller
cities such as Charleston are seeing a jump
in part-time condo deals. Between 2020 and
2021, the MLS shows that condo sales there
rose 23 percent.
Globally, the demand for pieds-à-terre
has risen to 19 percent in 2021 from 12
percent in 2020. “This is likely to reflect
demand for larger, more spacious apartments in city centers to use as mid-week
bases,” according to the Knight Frank’s 2021
Global Buyer Survey. In London, brokers
are seeing a marked increase in overseas
clients wanting to purchase. Camilla Dell,
managing partner at Black Brick Property
Solutions says, “With prices having fallen
some 20 percent since the end of 2014, a
weaker pound and record low interest rates,
the timing for many international buyers is
perfect.” Rachel Ng

According to 2021 housing-market data,
urban condo sales were up nearly 30 percent.

Inside one of the
new residences
at the Waldorf
Astoria New York

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

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Domain | H I G H S O C I E T Y

ART OF LIVING

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

The stark white walls and floors
serve as backdrops for paintings,
photography and sculpture; the 19-foot
ceilings allow for bigger pieces.

TOP: The lofty

spaces can double
as an art gallery.
BOTTOM: The view
from the roof
deck, which is
done in heattolerant Ipe wood.

ing housed several other businesses over
the years before being bought by Pace in
2001 and converted into 17 luxury condos.
The penthouse occupies the fifth
and sixth floors of the building and has a
7,500-square-foot roof deck. The jetted
pool has a resistance current or can be
used as a hot tub; from it, you can see any

prominent building in the city, from the
Frost Bank tower to the old flour mill.
Inside the six-bedroom, 10-bath unit,
there are 33 rooms in total, including two
full kitchens, with the main one located
on the fifth floor, where much of the living
space is. The primary suite clocks in at
1,000 square feet on its own, with dual
walk-in closets containing an island for
storing watches, jewelry and ties and a
midnight bar for morning coffee or evening
cocktails. The bathroom is also built for
two, with a duo of showers as well as a deep
soaking tub. A gas fireplace separates the
bedroom from a sitting area, while several
terraces dot the property.
One wing houses staff quarters—two
private bedrooms and baths with a kitchen.
Small bars appear in the various living
and entertaining spaces. A temperaturecontrolled room serves as a wine cellar.
It’s an unusual property for San
Antonio, for sure, and priced at the higher
end of the condo market at $7.25 million,
but it’s aligned with the city’s other luxury
offerings, says broker Michael Reisor.
“Because it’s unique, it’s sort of in a
different category,” he says. “Usually homes
at this level are freestanding houses. It’s
hard to compare this with anything else,
just because of the sheer square footage.”
He adds that the new owner could split
the unit into two residences, if so desired.
But it would be difficult to part with such
dramatic space so ideal for collecting and
showcasing art. J.O.

LIFEST YLE PRODUCTION GROUP

this san antonio penthouse’s views
might be better inside than out, but
only because nearly every inch has been
designed with art in mind. The stark
white walls (backed by thick plywood
for hanging heavy canvases) and floors
serve as backdrops for paintings, photography and sculpture; the 19-foot ceilings allow for bigger pieces; motorized
shades cover most windows for protection; and strategic spotlights illuminate
individual artworks. Included with the
15,076-square-foot duplex is an additional
2,000-square-foot, climate-controlled
space intended for storage of any items
not currently on display. The private
cargo elevator—with a fingerprint scan
for secure access—from the garage to the
penthouse can move oversized works,
both within its carriage and above it.
Even the location is art-centric. Sitting
in the heart of Southtown, the city’s
cultural district, the building is a stone’s
throw from the Sir David Adjaye–designed
Ruby City art museum and other galleries.
It all makes sense when you discover who
built the home: the late artist, collector
and philanthropist Linda Pace, of Pace
Picante Sauce fame. The current owner
is also a collector and is offering the bluechip works shown on the walls for sale for
an additional fee.
Originally a candy factory known for
its lemon drops, jawbreakers and pecan
fudge in the 1920s, the Camp Street build-

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C ELLI N I
N EW YORK

Genius at Work

SOFTLY, SOFTLY
The heritage English weaver secretly behind top designer scarves.
B Y A L E KS CV E T KOV I C
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER WERRET T

In the luxury stakes, Italian and Scottish
cashmere tend to garner all the glory. And
not necessarily fairly: Joshua Ellis is an
under-the-radar producer in northern England
that has quietly supplied premium textiles to
high-profile brands including Burberry, Ralph
Lauren and Chanel.
The mill was founded in the small Yorkshire
town of Batley in 1767 by the namesake Ellis, who
chose Batley for its proximity to soft spring water
(which is still used to treat textiles today) and got
his business off the ground by making hardy
materials at affordable prices. Early customers

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

included armies, which needed a steady supply of
sturdy woolen serge for uniforms.
But Ellis also understood that to succeed
long-term he had to exploit a gap in the market. In
the 18th century, Yorkshire was a global textile
hub, filled with similar mills weaving hardwearing tweeds and worsted wools for export. His
solution was to rise above the competition and
specialize in luxe fibers such as cashmere. His
tactic worked. At its peak, Joshua Ellis was the
largest employer in Batley, with a workforce of
around 300 people.
Today the firm has 65 staff under the

stewardship of managing director Oliver Platts,
who has worked to contemporize the brand and
improve the mill’s sustainability credentials while
maintaining its old-school, small-town spirit.
Alongside weaving luxury fabrics in both
cashmere and Escorial (an expensive wool that’s
sourced from Australia and New Zealand) for
fashion brands, Joshua Ellis produces its own
accessories. Its oversize cashmere scarves—the
brand calls them stoles—are exceptional,
indulgently soft and warming. Here’s how they’re
made, following a process that’s barely changed
during the past century.

FAR LEFT

Source Material
A stole will start life as raw cashmere fiber, which
the mill procures from independent goat farmers
in China and Mongolia. “By going direct to source,
we can more closely monitor animal welfare and
the sustainability of the grasslands the goats feed
on,” says Platts.
LEFT

To Dye For
Joshua Ellis colors the raw cashmere to the mill’s
own specifications. Once dyed, the individual
cashmere fibers are blended in giant metal bins to
ensure that once they’re spun into yarn, they will
be true to hue. Then the cashmere is spun and
collected on sizable yarn cones, ready for warping.
BOTTOM

Warp Speed
Workers weave huge lengths of cloth that are later
cut down to size. This process starts with warping,
when the stole’s lengthwise yarns are drawn
out and held in place by one of two giant warping
machines, ready for the widthwise yarns to
be woven across them. Cloths can be warped
between 200 and 3,300 feet in length.

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

Genius at Work

TOP RIGHT

Slow Fashion
The mill’s 17 looms vary in character. Platts’s favorites
are the “good old chuggers” installed in the 1980s.
Cashmere yarns are delicate, so the machines
operate at a gentle pace and are often restricted to
weaving a single length of cloth each day.
MIDDLE

Hand and Eye
The fabric then goes to the mending department for
its first quality inspection. Every inch of the cloth is
reviewed, and minute faults, breaks or knots in the
weave are repaired by hand.
BOTTOM LEFT

Softening Them Up
When cloth comes off a loom, it feels more like
sandpaper than cashmere. “You have to burst the
fibers to get the softness out,” Platts explains, “so
we scour and rinse out the oils it picks up on its way
through the looms and soften it up.”
BOTTOM RIGHT

Ripple Effect
True to tradition, Joshua Ellis then uses teasels
(thistle-like plants with small spikes) to gently brush
and “tease” at the milled cloth. This process lends
all the company’s pieces their famous “rippled”
finish—the subtle iridescent sheen that you’ll find on
the very best cashmere.

100

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

#TimeIsFlying

T OND A PF ANNUAL CALENDAR

Genius at Work

TOP LEFT

Brushing Up
When almost finished, the fabric goes through a
final brush, steam and press. This raises and
then sets the cashmere fibers in their softest,
most luxurious state. After that, another quality
inspection beckons.
TOP RIGHT

Making the Cut
Only once the material is finished is it then cut
into shapes resembling scarves or stoles by a
machine called a slitter, “a little like making
spaghetti,” says Platts. The slitter’s blades are
guided by specialists who judge by eye when to
cut the cloth.
LEFT

Seal of Approval
Finally, each Joshua Ellis label is sewn on by
hand—a last act of care that also includes an
inspection to ensure there are no marks or pulls
across the surface of the stole before it’s
shipped out.

102

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

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DREAM MACHINES
A DEVOTION TO MOTION

The most interesting debuts from yachting’s top fall events:
Cannes, Monaco and Fort Lauderdale.

Best in Shows

Turkey’s largest-ever
build, Victorious is an
explorer yacht with a
Formula 1 pedigree.

104

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

105

Dream Machines | WA T E R

DRIVEN TO WIN
VICTORIOUS
the largest new yacht to ever come
out of Turkey is an explorer billed for
world circumnavigation that also includes
the usual Jacuzzis, gym, steam room and
cinema. But it’s the more unusual features
on 279-foot Victorious, including the fire
pits, “members club” and 42-foot catamaran
tender, that made this yacht stand out
among this year’s launches at Monaco.
Victorious began life in Northern Chile,
in 2007, originally as a 253-foot build
that was never completed. New Zealand
businessman Graeme Hart eventually
took on the project, shipping the yacht to
Auckland before deciding two years later
to build the even larger 351-foot Ulysses
instead. The project then restarted in
earnest in 2016, when it was rediscovered
by serial yachtsman Vural Ak.
An automotive enthusiast with many
classic and supercars in his private
collection, Ak established Turkish shipyard

106

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

The interior’s oak,
teak and dark
Macassar combine
for a muted,
contemporary look.

Akyacht in order to complete the build, as
well as other superyachts going forward.
His previous boats include the 164-foot Dr
No No by CRN and several performance
vessels, including a 118-footer he still
owns, so Ak knew precisely what he
wanted. Delivered just ahead of the
Monaco show, Victorious is a highly
personalized yacht that’s also designed for
the charter market.
Boasting an immense 2,291 gross
tons of interior volume, the motor yacht
includes 11 guest suites and designated
family areas. Twenty-six feet were added
to the stern for a swimming pool, while
a kids’ playroom takes up significant real
estate on the main deck. The commercial
galley, rarely seen on a yacht of this size, is
as unusual as the full-beam VIP stateroom.
UK-based H2 Yacht created the
interior, filling what amounted to empty
spaces throughout the yacht with the
owner’s specific requests. White oak
and teak are used with darker Macassar
accents, silver travertine defines the
corridors and stairways and Calacatta
marble is used in other wet areas
to maximum effect. Back-lit onyx has

been implemented in several areas to
enhance the design.
It’s impossible to miss the automotive
references sprinkled throughout the
interior. Each of the 11 cabins is named
after a Formula 1 racetrack, for example,
including the aft-facing owner’s suite on
the upper deck, Intercity Istanbul Park—
also owned by Ak—that features a Jacuzzi
and private terrace. The other stateroom
on the bridge deck is designated as a
hospital room (a Covid-era necessity) with
medical equipment and an independent
ventilation system.
But the real treat is the club room on
the sundeck, with a large wood fireplace
flanked by a pair of giant mahoganycovered speakers, curved sofas, a humidor
and a wine cellar. The sundeck’s aft dining
table remains under cover, complete with
heaters for colder climates. “The boat will
be used in summer, but the sundeck is
primed for winter—that makes it a yearround boat,” says Kivanç Nart, project
manager at Akyacht.
Fourteen years in the making,
Victorious’s debut on the yacht circuit is
certainly worthy of its name. Julia Zaltzman

Dream Machines | WA T E R

CH-CH-CHANGES
BENETTI MOTOPANFILO 37M

The new Motopanfilo
is a modern
interpretation of
the 1960s Benetti
classic, minus any
retro clichés.

beams that extend from the floor and
across the ceilings. These are most
prominent in the salon, where Lazzarini
likened them to the ribs of a whale. When
combined with mirrored surfaces and
expansive windows, they evoke an instant
connection to the sea.
The use of wood is one traditional
motif that the designers put to unexpected
use, cladding not only the floor in teak but
the ceilings as well. The soft furnishings
continue the subdued palette of materials
and colors: The team offset Loro Piana
fabrics, with names like Connemara and
Papeete, in warm white Biancore tones
against blue-and-malachite accents to
conjure up a ’60s nautical sensibility.
Alcoves in the walls between the ribs

are shaped like portholes and display
decorative artwork.
The owner’s suite is situated on the
main deck in front of the salon and the four
guest staterooms are on the lower deck.
On the upper deck is a smaller salon and
pilothouse with an open skydeck; on the
top level is the highly inventive observation
deck, a glassed-in nook with a sunbed
providing crow’s-nest views.
Even with its retro elements, Francesco
Struglia’s soft-lined exterior feels
contemporary, with a vertical bow and
slanted transom featuring a fold-down
beach club with what the designer describes
as a “clamshell silhouette,” a dramatic
flourish of which David Bowie, we feel,
would surely have approved. Richard Alban

GUT TER CREDITS

benetti’s new 121-foot fiberglass
Motopanfilo 37M premiered at the
Cannes Yachting Festival before making
its way across the Atlantic to the Fort
Lauderdale show. The design brief for
this modern interpretation of the 1960s
classic motor yacht was clear: Get back
to the roots of the “Panfilo” series, as
American owners called it, and instill
the Italian elegance then favored by
owners like Monaco’s Prince Rainier and
David Bowie.
We toured the 2021 Motopanfilo at
Cannes with Claudio Lazzarini, one half
of the Rome-based Lazzarini Pickering
Architetti, responsible for the interior
design. “Benetti insisted this shouldn’t
become a nostalgic exercise that just
reproduced past concepts,” Lazzarini
said. “Instead, we were tasked with
reinventing the genre by breathing new
life into old designs.”
The veteran architectural firm created
a sense of airiness and volume typically
found on larger yachts, with dominant
elements including curved, bone-white

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Dream Machines | WA T E R

RULE BREAKER
WALLY WHY200
at the dock, the Wally WHY200 looks
like a soft, middle-aged version of the
typically tight and angular Wallys. Yes, it
has the same arrowhead shape, but as a
longtime fan of the brand, I prepare for
disappointment. But the moment I see
the 25-foot-wide stern and huge cockpit, I
understand: The 200WHY is a waterborne
SUV, where the ride and experience, not
exterior beauty, are the priorities.
Supersizing interior volume is a
current trend among yacht builders,
especially those trying to stay below
the 24-meter (78-foot) hull load-line
length. (In Europe, boats over that
figure are designated as ships and must
adhere to different regulations.) The
WHY200 hull is just under the class

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
LEFT: All that volume
means a more-thanseaworthy ride;
the glass-enclosed
salon; an expandable
stern; the main
suite comes with
270-degree views.

divide, even though its superstructure is
closer to 89 feet.
But its biggest differentiator is
volume. Even the name is a reference
to volume—200 gross tons, or 2,150
square feet—rather than length, which
is common. The exterior adds another
1,550 square feet, all optimized to enhance
life on board. Essentially, it’s a 150-foot
superyacht in a much smaller hull.
Features like the full-beam main
suite in the bow, a central glass-enclosed
staircase that serves as structural support
and architectural detail and the gourmet
kitchen (which includes induction
hobs, oven, sinks, counters and a wine
refrigerator) are among the notable
breakthroughs. The interior by Wally
founder Luca Bassani and A. Vallicelli
& C. Yacht Design is simple and elegant
instead of showy, dressed with teak
floors with black inlays (matching the
outer decks) as well as teak walls with
ovangkol accents. The forward main suite

shows some welcome rule-breaking—270
degrees of windows give panoramic sea
views, including through the bow—as does
the main deck cockpit’s unusually large
protected area. It all adds up to a fresh
experience of what a yacht can be.
Bassani, along with Laurent Giles Naval
Architects Ltd., designed the high-riding
hull for a notably dry ride: At a windy event
in Monaco, the WHY200 was the only
boat that left Port Hercules for open water,
where seas were running four to six feet.
“We wanted it to run smoothly in most
conditions,” says Bassani. “This hull rises
only two degrees as it accelerates, with
minimal pitching in big seas.”
Four Volvo Penta D13-IPS drives, rated
900 hp each, deliver a top speed of 21 knots,
while the upgraded 1000 hp IPS quads bump
that up to 23 knots. The IPS configuration
allows for more spacious crew quarters,
while providing a choice of three or four
staterooms on the lower deck. All in all, my
favorite debut at Monaco. Michael Verdon

DISCR E T ION | PR I VAC Y | PRODUCT I V I T Y | S A F E T Y ™

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Dream Machines | WA T E R

FAST LEARNER
AZIMUT VERVE 42

azimut is on a roll. Last year’s launch
of its Verve 47 created a new template
for dayboat design, with a potent
and finely tuned combination of high
performance and high luxury. This
year, at Fort Lauderdale, its Verve 42
immediately inherited our mantle of
Coolest New Dayboat.
“This is a boat for lounging in the
sun, swimming off the back,” says
Federico Ferrante, president of AzimutBenetti USA. And, he adds with a bit of

The second in
Azimut’s inventive
dayboat series

Ghost Helm
Once cramped, captain-only
nav stations, pilothouses
have evolved into larger
enclaves where owners
and guests gather to take in
ocean views. Designers now
consider the space a social
area, adding tables, lounges
and other comforts and
amenities.
But Team Italia is pushing
that evolution a generation
ahead with its Dharma Next
pilothouse, powered by the

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company’s intuitive I-Bridge
touchscreen software, which
was unveiled in October at
the Monaco Yacht Show.
While the name references
the Hindu concept of aligning
oneself with the cosmic
order, there’s something
of the fighter jet to the
execution, with its large
central head-up display
that relays vital information
without blocking the
sea view. The designers
also added a second helm
station, just forward, as
part of a first-of-its-kind

lounge positioned beside the
forward windshield.
“The owner and guests
can sit and enjoy the view,”
says Team Italia cofounder
Massimo Minnella, adding that
“if the owner also wants the
captain there, we’ve designed
a small navigation console.”
The compact helm, embedded
in an armrest, looks like a
high-tech gaming controller
with mini throttles, a trackball
and two small displays. It’s
more sci-fi than samsara—the
type of “cosmic alignment”
Captain Kirk would relish. M.V.

understatement, “going fast.” Powered
by a trio of 450 hp Mercury Racing V-8
outboards, the sleek 42-footer tops out
at 52 mph, with a stepped hull designed
by Michael Peters, a Florida-based
naval architect known for fast running
surfaces. The patented “two-step” design
channels air underneath, to add lift and
reduce drag, while the hull’s architecture
enhances stability at speed.
During a tour at the Fort Lauderdale
show, the Verve was clearly the outlier
among Azimut’s larger, more traditional
motor yachts. But what an outlier: New
owners had already ordered 14 boats by
show’s end, with 25 production slots sold
out for a year. Starting at $1.1 million, what
sets this boat apart from the booming
sports-weekender market is Francesco
Struglia’s design. With its swept-back
windshield, carbon superstructure and
windows set into the amidships hull
sides to allow the driver and passengers
to watch the ocean rushing by, the Verve
looks different from anything else on the
water. Adding to the effect, its rear deck
folds out to double the cockpit space.
There is no shortage of lounging
areas across the topside, from the large,
C-shaped bow sofa and tilting sun
pad—made possible because there’s only
a single side passage, which creates a
nook up front—to the L-shaped sofa in
the cockpit. Belowdecks, the weekender
cabin has a double-bed aft, a convertible
forward V-berth, a sizable galley and a
head with separate shower.
Dayboats are currently enjoying a
renaissance, but the Verve, powered by
plenty of Mercury Racing vim, is a fresh
and notably fast take on the traditional
design. Howard Walker

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

BOUNDLESS:

ORCAS AT SUNSET
Writer and world sailor Diane Selkirk encounters a rare
sight while kayaking off Canada’s Vancouver Island.

the move
Orcas on

Northern Vancouver Island 2021 — Journal Entry
I hear their echoing huffs of breath before I
see them. Gradually out of the sunset glow,
dorsal fins appear: the male’s upright and
as tall as a man, the female’s smaller with a
gentle curve and the orca calf’s fin so tiny it
brings to mind a toddler. As the sky shifts to
pink, the orcas race across the strait. Each
time one dives beneath the surface I hold
my own breath, exhaling gleefully when the
animal surfaces still closer and puffs out a
fine mist that shimmers in the evening light.

The whales have their own idea though,
and on our first evening, I watch in wonder
as a pod of five or six of them swim toward
our oceanside camp. Just meters from the
steep beach they dive and begin rubbing
their bellies in the rocky depths. As the night
grows darker, the activity continues—we can
hear the muffled rumble of undersea rocks
joining the puffs of exhalation. Quietly, as
moonlight replaces sunset’s final hues, one
of the guides talks about the belly rubbing.

Before setting off on a multiday kayaking trip
in Johnstone Strait off northern Vancouver
Island, I listened as our guides offered a full
orientation to our gear and this region—
the traditional territories of the ‘Namgis
(NOM-gees),
Mamalilikulla
(Mammaleel-eh-quala)
and
Kwikwasut’inuxw
Haxwa’mis (Kweek-soo-tain-nuk-an-kwaa-meesh) peoples. Thanks to the nutrientrich currents circulating through this
stunning landscape of islets and inlets, we’d
undoubtedly see seabirds, dolphins, seals
and even bioluminescence, an algae that
glows at night. But whale sightings couldn’t
be guaranteed.

The activity has been witnessed since
time immemorial; old stories mention it.
According to one myth, a whale spotted near
shore was a human transformed into a whale
and was now trying to communicate with
his family. Scientists don’t know why some
orcas rub their bellies. But the territorial
family groups each have favorite spots. Our
guides say they know of several in the area,
but the rubbing happens unpredictably and
is a special sight.
As the night grows cool, I head to my tent
and fall asleep to hypnotic whooshes of
orca breath. In the morning, we pack up our

PICTURED: Orca at sunset by Reuben Krabbe, TOP. Pod of orcas by Reuben Krabbe, BOTTOM LEFT. Kayaker by Nathan Martin, BOTTOM RIGHT.

Kayakin

g Johnst
one Stra
it

As the
sky shifts to
pink, the orcas race across the
strait. Each time one dives beneath
the surface I hold my own breath,
exhaling gleefully when the animal
surfaces still closer.
kayaks and paddle deeper among the islands.
Coming around one bend, we catch sight of
an orca pod in the distance. We stop paddling
and watch as they forage and play. Finally,
they swim away, leaving only the fine mist of
their breaths drifting above the water.

For more information, visit

FORGLOWINGHEARTS.COM

GUT TER CREDITS

The Goods | S E C T I O N

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WINGS

Command + Control
Thanks to its advanced autopilot, the ACH160 combines
sumptuous creature comforts with peace of mind.

ou’ll forget the generous
cabin space, low decibel
levels and the spine-coddling
comfort of the supple leather
seats. You’ll definitely forget
the 68 patents that helped transform
helicopter design. Because even in the
ACH160, the world’s most luxurious
helicopter, niceties go out the window
when you’re in free fall over the ocean,
blue water rushing up to meet you.
But in that moment, one of those 68
patents won’t forget you: The autopilot,
in recovery mode, arrests the plummet,
bringing the copter back to a stable
flight. It’s a stunning show of technology
for Airbus’s most advanced corporate
helicopter, which will be delivered to
a US client next year. Airbus will
also complete the interior on this first
ACH160, which I had a chance to
experience in Monaco.
“This is the latest of a new generation
designed from the passenger’s point
of view,” says our test pilot, Olivier
Gensse, who has been with the H160, the
standard version of the ACH160, since the
program’s inception. Between the sleek
body, Fenestron tail rotor, spacious fourfoot-four-inch cabin headroom, oversized
windows and low vibration levels, it’s clear
what he means.
During the simulated vortex-ring-state
free fall, a condition where the helicopter’s
rate of descent rapidly increases, Gensse

The spacious
interior, low
vibration levels
and next-gen
avionics make
the ACH160 the
ultimate corporate
helicopter.

pushed a button on the control stick
twice that causes the machine’s automatic
recovery mode to take over. Gensse also
simulated an out-of-control flight in
brownout conditions, resembling limited
pilot visibility.
“Helicopter accidents often involve
human error, especially if avionics are
complicated,” Gensse says. “We designed
the Helionix 3 system to be intuitive and
simple, displaying critical information as
needed. It’s about reducing the workload
for the pilot without a hundred buttons
on the display.” The ACH160 also has
automated takeoff and a collisionavoidance system, both of which signify “a
lot of new technology” incorporated into
the design, according to Frédéric Lemos,
chief executive of ACH. “We’ve had three
prototypes flying, so many test hours have
gone into the development.”
I also experienced the ACH160’s more
civilized side, flying around Monte Carlo
Harbor, with the Monaco Yacht Show in
full swing. I imagined landing on one of
the largest superyachts. Vibration and
decibel levels were indeed low, especially
after comparing it to an A125 in Las Vegas
a few weeks later, and the bigger chopper’s
executive cabin offered an entirely different
experience—more town car than cramped
clown car. And while the ACH160’s new
owner chose the clean, corporate look of
the ACH Line interior, other customized
versions are also available. M.V.

ZERO SUM
bombardier’s redesign of its
Challenger 350 extended even to the
name, with the new plane now known as
the Challenger 3500, though the overhaul
itself wasn’t a surprise to industry
watchers. “We’ve expected the upgrade
for a while, since the super-midsize
segment is so competitive,” says businessaviation analyst Rollie Vincent, who notes
that the 3500 will go head-to-head with
the Embraer Praetor 500 and 600 models,
Citation Longitude and Gulfstream G280.
“Bombardier needed to do something to
keep it fresh,” he says.
As we saw during a recent tour
of a full-scale interior mockup, the
Challenger’s makeover includes luxe
features found on Bombardier’s ultralong-range Global 7500 flagship, including
that jet’s Nuage seats, which Bombardier
calls the first new business-aircraft
seat design in 30 years and which can
tilt into a “zero-gravity” position to
reduce pressure on the lower back. “We
carved out space behind your feet, so
you can tuck them under your center of
gravity while working,” says Bombardier
designer Alexandre Curthelet. Other
enhancements include standard wireless
phone chargers, a voice-command
system (for the lights, temperature,
entertainment and more) and a largestin-class 24-inch 4K video display. The
sound system can be adjusted to create an
audio “sweet spot” in the cabin, which,
even cruising at 41,000 feet, can feel
like walking around Denver, since the
engineers reduced cabin pressurization to
the equivalent of 4,850 feet.
Covid-influenced design elements
are also apparent. All cabin buttons have
been replaced with one-touch haptic-glass
controls, similar to smartphone buttons,
which are not only sleeker but easier to
clean. The design team also left ample

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

115

Dream Machines | W I N G S

“It makes a great fleet
aircraft: Just fill up the
tanks and off you go.”

space around the furnishings, eliminated
the gaps between galley accessories and
used larger latches on the doors and
drawers, which facilitate easier cleaning
and disinfecting.
The 350 has been the best-selling
super-midsize jet for the past seven years,
a distinction Vincent attributes to its
reliability and good operating economics.
First deliveries of the 3500 are expected
in the second half of 2022, and Vincent
says it promises to retain its predecessor’s
appeal. “It makes a great fleet aircraft
for charter and fractional: Just fill up the
tanks and off you go.” Plus, with the same
listing of $26.7 million as the 350, the most
notable change Bombardier didn’t make
was to the price tag. J. George Gorant

FURRY FLIERS
private-jet travel is
witnessing a surge in new
clients. “People are traveling for
longer periods of time and often
to a second home,” says Lezlea List,
executive vice president of sales at XO,
a Fort Lauderdale–based charter and
membership firm. “Many times, they
bring along pets.”
Aerial Jets recently booked a charter
on a Gulfstream IVSP, a transatlantic
business jet capable of accommodating up
to 16 passengers, so a client could fly his
dog from Miami to meet him in New York.
Such stories are becoming increasingly
common, with data from two of the largest
aviation firms giving a sense of the boom:
NetJets, which hosted 20,000 pets in 2019,
welcomed 4,000 more pets on
fewer flights in 2020, while
VistaJet reports an 86
percent jump in pet travel
from September 2019
through September
2021. The company’s
pet-passenger manifest
is mostly dogs but also

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includes birds and even rabbits; cat
travel, meanwhile, rose 357 percent from
2019 to 2020.
Operators are leaning in with new
programs and promotions. Most business
jets accept pets on board and the
charter company may even
assist with logistics, though
some aircraft owners
who list their planes
for charter may charge
a fee or even opt
out. “It varies,” says
Joel Fenn, president
of Miami-based Air
Charter Service. “It
can be a flat fee or up
to a few hundred dollars,
while some only charge for
special cleaning needs.” And
there are other restrictions. XO considers
the animal’s weight, with any pet over
35 pounds requiring its own
seat (and ticket) for takeoff
and landing. Certain
breeds have to wear
muzzles, and all dogs
and cats must be fully
vaccinated, with vet
records.
NetJets and VistaJet

provide services ranging from organic
treats to post-travel sanitizing. NetJets’
new NetPets Instagram feed, featuring
pictures of animals in flight, has added
momentum to the pets-on-board trend.
“Showing pictures of dogs on
planes makes a difference,”
says Fenn. “It’s something
people didn’t realize
they could do until
they saw it.”
VistaJet has
expanded its VistaPets
program to include
training for more than
200 in-cabin personnel
in pet first-aid and
animal behavior. That’s in
addition to partnerships with
pet-friendly hotels and transport
companies, handmade sleep mats, toys
and—yes, really—a four-week “fear of
flying” course that helps nervous furry
loved ones acclimate to air travel.
But, as with human travelers, it pays to
make sure your plane matches your pets’
needs. “Owners also have to be specific
about the type of aircraft they choose,”
List says. “For instance, the Challenger
300 has a flat floor, so it’s great for big
dogs to lie down.” J.G.G.

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WHEELS

The Wild Ones
Three extreme new variants from Lamborghini, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce
inject beloved base models with extra drama—and lots of speed.

REAPING THE WHIRLWIND
Lamborghini Huracán STO

Racing great Parnelli Jones is often
attributed to the quip that “if you’re in
control, you’re not going fast enough.”
That notion is now being challenged by
Automobili Lamborghini’s 640 hp Huracán
Super Trofeo Omologata (STO), a racecarfor-the-street homologation that allows
drivers to push the performance envelope
without becoming unglued.

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Upon entering the STO’s snug, angular
cockpit at Willow Springs International
Raceway in Rosamond, Calif., there’s
little inside that hints at the differences
between this rear-wheel-drive variant and
the automaker’s previous benchmark for
athleticism, the all-wheel-drive Huracán
Performante. Yet attacking Castrol Corner,
punching onto the subsequent incline
and managing traction around the aptly
named Rabbit’s Ear bend, the 2,952-pound
coupe reveals its frenetic combination of

explosiveness and gymnastic precision—
like Simone Biles performing her
trademark physics-defying feats while
draped in aluminum and carbon fiber.
With a more finely tuned version of the
Performante’s 5.2-liter, naturally aspirated
V-10 engine, this is the model line’s most
powerful rear-wheel-drive iteration, and
it has greater agility than any other raging
bull in the Huracán stable, bar none.
Starting at $327,838, the STO is based
on the Super Trofeo Evo and Huracán

W H E E L S | Dream Machines

This is the model line’s
most powerful rearwheel-drive iteration,
and it has greater
agility than any other
raging bull in the Huracán
stable, bar none.

GT3 Evo racecars, the latter of which
holds multiple overall victories at the 24
Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring.
That pedigree is partly responsible for a
37 percent improvement in aerodynamic
efficiency compared to the Performante,
aided by a rear shark fin for directional
stability and an adjustable split wing
that can generate up to 926 pounds
of downforce. Being 75 percent carbon
fiber, including the clamshell-style
“cofango” comprising the hood and front

bumper, the STO is also nearly 95 pounds
lighter than its sibling.
But the car also has brains to go along
with its brute force, with its LDVI super
processor precisely managing power
delivery based on a host of inputs from
the car, the driver and road conditions
alike. Through the circuit’s S-turns, a
combination of rear-wheel steering,
Bridgestone Potenza rubber (wrapped
around lightweight magnesium rims)
and the rigid MagneRide 2.0 suspension

Lamborghini’s
640 hp Huracán
STO shows off
its motorsport
pedigree at
Willow Springs
International
Raceway.

helps hold the racing line and nimbly
transition the vehicle into a full-tilt
descent. When it comes time to scrub
all that prodigious speed, Formula 1–
derived carbon-ceramic racing brakes, the
strongest used in the marque’s history, can
haul the car down from 124 mph to a dead
stop in just 361 feet.
Less impressive is the seven-speed
dual-clutch transmission, but only in the
standard STO setting for the street, one of
three modes that also include competitionfocused Trofeo and the Pioggia, for rain.
Hammer on the gas in automatic and you’ll
experience some delay—not something
one expects to find in a car with a naturally
aspirated engine, or in any Lamborghini—
though switching to the manually operated paddle shifters (the only option in
Trofeo mode) yields brisk, quick shifts
along with a reassuringly linear throttle
response. The car, which tears from zero
to 62 mph in 3.0 seconds on its way to a top
speed of 192 mph, inhales straightaways,
its roof scoop force-feeding air into that
voracious, gas-burning mill, among the last
of its kind before Lambo goes completely
hybrid in 2024.
Unlike the Huracán Evo, the stiffer
STO doesn’t pretend to be a daily driver;
it’s best reserved for the track, where,
as Lamborghini’s chief technical officer
Maurizio Reggiani points out between
laps, it’s the Huracán line’s “best car in
terms of trust.” Which means, with all due
respect to Mr. Jones, you can both be in
control and find yourself going plenty fast
indeed. Viju Mathew

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

119

Dream Machines | W H E E L S

SUCCESSION
Ferrari 812 Competizione

Despite the invasion of hybrid power
trains, all-wheel drive and a first-ever
V-6-powered road car, the soul of Ferrari’s
73-year-old lineup rests on a timeless
formula: power delivered to the rear
wheels by a sonorous V-12 engine under
the hood. Enzo Ferrari famously resisted
switching to mid-engine racecars for
years, a decision that hurt his motorsport
efforts but endeared Ferrari loyalists to the
front-engine layout.
Loyalists, rejoice: Ferrari’s new,
limited-edition 812 Competizione
keeps a flag planted firmly in tradition,
a race-inspired special that follows the
front-engine, 12-cylinder paradigm
while introducing a slew of innovative
workarounds for added speed. The
Competizione’s 6.5-liter V-12 is the most
powerful naturally aspirated roadgoing mill in Ferrari history, sending a
whopping 818 hp to the back tires. Press

the red “Engine Start” button on the
steering wheel and you’re treated to that
unmistakable V-12 snarl, like a jungle cat
poked with a hot iron.
Laps at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track
reveal a remarkably charismatic package
that combines the marque’s traditional
high-revving heart with a disarming
amount of maneuverability. Clad with
the optional sticky Michelin Pilot Sport
Cup 2 R tires, the Competizione turns
corners with instantaneous bite. Giant
carbon-fiber paddle shifters instigate
rapid-fire gear changes, and the engine’s
9,500 rpm powerband is a smooth, punchy
playground of visceral and aural delights.
Much of the Competizione’s aero
prowess is owed to ingenuity. Ferrari
engineers rarely position large wings at the
back of street-legal cars, and the challenge
of avoiding an enormous appendage on
the 812’s rump inspired a novel solution:
replacing the rear window with carbonfiber vortex generators attached to a solid
piece of painted aluminum. The hockey

Press the red “Engine Start” button on the steering
wheel, and you’re treated to that unmistakable V-12
snarl, like a jungle cat poked with a hot iron.

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The 818 hp Ferrari
812 Competizione
pairs innovative
aero with the
automaker’s most
powerful naturally
aspirated roadgoing engine.

stick–shaped flicks divert airflow toward
an enlarged rear lip, increasing downforce
without resorting to a boy-racer wing. (For
those wondering about minor details such
as visibility, the rearview mirror is actually
a digital display fed by a video camera
embedded into a dorsal fin.)
A series of complex diffusers, slots
and airflow-management techniques
also boost downforce and keep drag to
a minimum, all while subtly rebuking
Enzo’s famous maxim that “aerodynamics
are for people who can’t build engines.”
The engineers also added a clever feature
to the rear-wheel-steering system: In
addition to turning the back rubber in or
out of phase with the fronts, it can now
toe the rear wheels outward under hard
braking to keep the tail in check.
The test for any Ferrari is how well
it honors the Prancing Horse legacy
while still managing to embrace the
future. The 812 Competizione adheres to
arguably the most fundamental aspects
of its heady lineage—though not the most
performance-oriented—while absolutely
devouring a racetrack, lagging behind the
high-tech, all-wheel-drive hybrid SF90
flagship at Fiorano by just a single second.
Consider it a remarkable triumph for both
formula and function. Basem Wasef

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Dream Machines | W H E E L S

THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS
Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost

The Florida police officer turns and peers
ahead, then looks back and gives me the
thumbs-up. I stomp the throttle, and the
nearly 5,490-pound sedan I’m piloting
responds like a locomotive with jet
turbines, the soft growl of its exhaust note
keening higher and higher as I ride the
wave of acceleration. This drag-strip-style
launch is to test not an Italian supercar
but a stately British four-door, the 2022
Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost, just hours
after its global debut in Miami.
Rolls-Royce introduced its Black Badge
treatment in 2016 to attract a younger
clientele, and applied to the newly revised

standard Ghost, Robb Report’s Luxury
Car of the Year for 2021, the upgrade
enhances the base model’s already
spirited ride. Built on the Ghost’s same
aluminum spaceframe platform, it also
shares that car’s 6.75-liter twin-turbo
V-12, but with the Black Badge tune the
mill now delivers 591 hp and 664 ft lbs of
torque—an increase of 28 hp and 37 ft lbs,
respectively—allowing zero-to-60 mph
coverage in 4.5 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster
than before.
Performance is further juiced by the
package’s exclusive Low mode, a setting
that unleashes full torque at only 1,700
rpm and cuts shift time by half when the
pedal is at least 90 percent deployed.
(The Ghost’s eight-speed automatic

The nearly 5,490-pound sedan I’m piloting responds
like a locomotive with jet turbines, the soft growl
of its exhaust note keening higher and higher.

transmission, you may have heard, is
aided by satellite to best match gear
selection according to road conditions.)
The added thrust and athleticism are
appreciated even after exiting the closed
course at Key Biscayne’s Crandon Park,
with the $395,000 (starting price)
sedan able to jockey deftly through the
rush-hour gauntlet and around gobs of
construction. It’s deceptively agile given
its mass, thanks to its modified all-wheel
drive, four-wheel steering (for a shortened
turning radius) and larger air springs
on the wafting planar suspension. Each
system is tailored to the vehicle’s more
aggressive performance capabilities.
The posh yet uncluttered aesthetic—a
fairly new look dubbed “post opulent”

W H E E L S | Dream Machines

After its recent
makeover, RollsRoyce’s best-selling
model now has an
even edgier alter
ego: the 591 hp
Black Badge Ghost.

by the automaker—is defined inside by
Bolivar wood paired with composite
veneers and shaded brightwork. Outside,
the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy hood
ornament and striking Pantheon Grille,
both blackened with a chrome electrolyte,
are complemented by formidable 21-inch
wheels, each comprising 22 layers of
carbon fiber.
Crossing Rickenbacker Causeway after
sunset, the celestial headliner seems an
extension of the myriad lights along the
Miami skyline; the car becomes the night.
Fittingly, the opening to Shakira’s “Don’t
Wait Up” flows from the 1,300-watt sound
system, a message that’s likely to be every
Black Badge Ghost owner’s sentiment
when behind the wheel. V.M.

A Better Base Camp
as a base—and deftly managed
by a suspension buoyed with
Rad-Flo shocks and custom
springs. Mated to a 10-speed
automatic transmission, the 350
hp, 7.3-liter Godzilla V-8, with 468
ft lbs of torque, flexes plenty of
muscle and quickly dispatches
moderate climbs.
The all-season composite
camper electronically extends
to a roofline of 10.5 feet and
offers amenities for up to
four occupants, including an
induction cooktop, a fridge and
freezer, an indoor shower, a
freshwater reservoir and loads
of cargo space. And, if work
must come with you, tailored
connectivity solutions are an
easy add-on, with solar panels
replenishing the 12-volt lithium
battery. V.M.

GUT TER CREDITS

Overlanding, already on the
rise pre-pandemic, has seen its
popularity explode as outdoor
enthusiasts take social distancing
to the extreme. If you’re in the
market for a turnkey go-anywhere
machine, the EarthCruiser
Terranova is an all-in-one escape
pod that’s a giant leap from your
everyday modified 4x4, ideal for
off-the-grid recreation (or when
the proverbial fan takes a hit).
On the narrow roads of
Southern California’s coastal
mountains, the over-cab
explorer, starting at $315,000,
is surprisingly friendly to drive
despite weighing as much as an
African bush elephant. There’s
little sway as the 10,800-pound
weight is distributed evenly
across the Ford 350 chassis—you
can also use Dodge’s Ram 3500

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

123

The Goods | S E C T I O N

CLASS WARFARE

ALL-TERRAIN TITAN
2021 KTM 890 Adventure R

entertainer dan aykroyd once
observed, “You do not need a therapist
if you own a motorcycle, any kind of
motorcycle!” Perhaps unluckily for the
therapy industry, there’s now a production
bike to suit nearly every personality,
many delivering levels of versatility and
performance that were unthinkable a
decade ago. We recently tested a run of
new motorcycles, from naked performance
bikes and off-road adventure machines to
cruisers and tourers, finding very different
but equally effective prescriptions for
mind-clearing escape. Peter Jackson

During a three-day trail foray, the KTM
890 Adventure R’s performance was, as
expected, exemplary. The 899 cc twincylinder motor has grown from the 799 cc
edition released in 2019, and with it
comes improved torque and a crisper
throttle response, not to mention more
brute power.
The $14,199 model is suspended by
WP’s 48 mm XPLOR inverted fork and
XPLOR PDS shock, developed in the US
with off-road maestro Quinn Cody. Not
surprisingly, there really was no limit to
where we could take the bike on the dirt.

The chassis, suspension and traction-control
settings combine to help the machine seemingly glide
up and over impediments during rocky ascents.

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

Street performance is also good, though
after just an hour on the tarmac the firm
seat and stiff suspension add up to a lessthan-comfortable ride.
Where the 890 Adventure R really
nails it, though, is with its electronics. The
manufacturer introduced Rally mode a
number of years ago, which allows various
levels of electronic intervention to be
fine-tuned to a degree not seen before in
the off-road category; although it’s listed
as an option, consider it a must-have
feature that allows the rider to spin the
rear tire with exceptional accuracy and
greatly reduces the risk of flying over
the handlebars.
Unconventional in its design, the
model features a low-slung gas tank that
wraps around the frame, a configuration
that contributes to the KTM’s agility. The
chassis, suspension and traction-control
settings combine to help the machine
seemingly glide up and over impediments
during rocky ascents. Dial the traction
control back and the KTM becomes

KTM 890: RUDI SCHEDL

2021 KTM 890 Adventure R

Dream Machines | W H E E L S

more unruly, though the chassis is so
responsive you can still feel what the bike
is about to do. Make no mistake, this is
an extremely potent motorcycle, perhaps
best suited to experienced riders, but also
arguably the best adventure bike out there.
BARE ESSENTIALS
2021 Aprilia Tuono V4

This past year, Aprilia substantially
differentiated its Tuono V4 and Tuono V4
Factory models, but after carving canyons
with both, one thing is clear: Aprilia
has perfected the naked-bike formula.
And there have been some fundamental
changes along the way, such as new
settings for the suite of electronic assists,
including enhanced traction control
and wheelie control, a stiffer swingarm
(debuted on the 2021 RSV4 superbike)
and a new five-inch TFT dash that’s built
into the bike fairing.
Aprilia has also taken a few lessons
from its MotoGP program, fitting similar
inboard winglets to the side bodywork,
serving to direct engine heat away from
the rider and increase downforce. Given

The revamped Tuono V4
is the machine Aprilia
should have built years ago.

2021 Aprilia Tuono V4

2022 Harley-Davidson
Sportster S

that the two variants share the same V-4
motor and twin-spar aluminum chassis,
the $15,999 base model doesn’t shirk on
performance compared to its V4 Factory
sibling, plus offers extra versatility with its
taller screen and properly crafted storage
options for the tank and flanks.
We would have preferred having the
V4 Factory’s electronic suspension, but
the conventional, adjustable Sachs setup
has come a long way, offering bump
absorption that’s less abrupt than in
the past. And the larger passenger seat,
touring-specific handlebars (increased
by 20 mm in height) and lower passenger
footpegs mean a more relaxed riding
position that makes it easy to forget
there’s 175 hp beneath you. The revamped
Tuono V4 is the machine Aprilia should
have built years ago—a naked bike
that manages to reveal the competition’s
shortcomings instead.
SO LONG, OLD SPORT
2022 Harley-Davidson Sportster S

While this is the biggest overhaul yet to
the manufacturer’s classic Sportster range,
the $14,999 bike still retains the stumpy,
angry personality that made it such an
icon. The latest version is about as big
a deviation from traditional Sportster
thinking as you can get, substituting the
long-serving air-and-oil-cooled pushrod
V-twin for the new Revolution Max 1250
liquid-cooled motor. The latter is the
same power plant that was introduced on

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

the Pan America, but with torque moved
further down the rev range and a slight
power reduction to better fit the cruiser
aesthetic. The 120 hp output is plenty for
such a small machine, but its unwelcome
heat detracts from the ride experience.
The rear suspension’s range of
travel—all of two inches—is another
oversight, as larger bumps pose a real
threat. And while the Sportster S, with its
stiff ride, hustles through twisting roads
with relative ease, its limited ground
clearance means cornering becomes an
additional concern.
It’s easy to see that Harley-Davidson
is going after a fresh crowd with this bike,
and while this new iteration is a bit rough
around the edges, we’re happy to watch
the brand branching out and challenging
its own status quo—not exactly something
Harley is known for.
MASS APPEAL
2022 BMW R 18 Transcontinental

Glancing at the spec sheet for the new
BMW R 18 Transcontinental, one finds it
hard not to raise an eyebrow in suspicion.
The model is big. Really big—bigger than
however big you’re thinking right now.
But even weighing in at 942 pounds full
of fuel, this $24,995 motorcycle offers an
experience that’s as close as one can get
to a flying carpet—but only when brought
up to speed.
Unfortunately, even the Transcontinental’s massive hunk of crafted

Dream Machines | W H E E L S

aluminum that is its 90 hp, 1,802 cc flattwin motor is not enough muscle for a
bike this size, especially factoring in the
likelihood of two riders and all the cargo
that’s meant to be stored in the 12.6-gallon
top case and 7.1-gallon side bags. In our
opinion, output needs to be increased by
at least 30 percent for the model to live up
to its true potential.
The machine’s superb promise is
hinted at by an auto-sensor that can tell
how much preload to automatically set
on the rear suspension, as well as BMW’s
optional radar-assisted Active Cruise
Control. With the fork mounted behind

the steering head and the steering angle
steepened, the Transcontinental will work
through tight spaces, assuming some
forward planning from the rider.
Also noteworthy is the Tesla-like
10.25-inch TFT display complemented
by a new sound system from Marshall

The machine’s superb promise is
hinted at by an auto-sensor that can
tell how much preload to automatically
set on the rear suspension.

Amplification. The dash, however, does
not offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
capability, so pairing phones and using
navigation requires more effort than might
be expected. Other elements lost on us
are the flimsy passenger-seat attachment
and a gearshift location—just behind
the left cylinder—that leaves little room
for anyone with large feet. Intended to
go toe-to-toe with Harley-Davidson’s
heavyweights, the R 18 Transcontinental
has the aesthetics and engineering to
make it a solid contender, but a few
miscues have prevented BMW from
squarely landing its punch.

2022 BMW R 18
Transcontinental

ROBB RECOMMENDS...

High-Impact
Glass

128

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

“Look where you want
to go” is the mantra of
every performance-driving
instructor for good reason:
The hands naturally move
where the eyes tell them.
So, you might want to snag
a pair of the new Air Spring
sunglasses from Porsche
Design (the model ranges
from $535 to $625), which
claim to both enhance
visibility and prevent eye
strain. But don’t just
take their word for it: During

a recent track session at
the Porsche Experience
Center in sunny Los Angeles,
the efficacy of the Air Spring
was, dare we say, glaring.
Changes in lighting
conditions come fast on the
1.3-mile circuit, yet there was
never a lapse in clarity with
these aviator-style shades.
The Vision Drive Polarized
XTR lenses—with four layers,
including a contrast enhancer
and polarizing filter—shield
intense reflection, sharpen

depth perception and cut
side glint, all with minimal
color distortion.
Complementing the visual
comfort are the Air Spring
frames, named for their
secondary pair of titanium
hinges that give each
temple additional pliability
for a secure fit without
squeeze. They seem to
disappear on the face; you
don’t realize you’re wearing
them until you have to take
them off. V.M.

TECH

Something Old, Something New
A colossal television and a radical
turntable explore the respective outer limits
of digital and analog playback.

kip that trip into space and
spend your ticket money on
experiencing otherworldly
video and audio journeys
that will never require you
to leave the couch. Approaching from
opposite ends of the playback spectrum,
these new digital and analog releases,
representing stratospheric levels of both
cost and technological achievement, are
on a mission to present the most precise
simulacrum of a theatrical experience or
live musical event from the comfort
of home. Robert Ross

LG DVLED HOME CINEMA DISPLAY

LG’s new 325-inch DVLED Home
Cinema Display represents a giant leap in
television advancement with a brilliant,
ultrahigh-definition model unmatched
in its combination of size and picture
quality. While most modern TVs use
light-emitting diodes on or behind a
liquid-crystal display (LEDs in an LCD,
for short), here a direct-view LED screen
employs more than 99.5 million individual
diodes—one red, green and blue per
pixel—to render an image on a screen

More than 99.5 million
diodes are used in LG’s
325-inch DVLED Home
Cinema Display.

130

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

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© 2021 Sotheby’s International Realty. All Rights Reserved. The Sotheby’s International Realty trademark is licensed and used with permission. Each Sotheby’s International
Realty office is independently owned and operated, except those operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. The Sotheby’s International Realty network fully supports
the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. All offerings are subject to errors, omissions, changes including price or withdrawal without notice.

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Dream Machines | T E C H

OMA’s K3 turntable
features a Frank
Schröder–designed
tonearm, the first
to use selective
laser melting in its
fabrication.

that runs 27 feet diagonally. The
impressive proportions are matched by
8K resolution that’s touted to deliver
incredibly accurate contrast and colors,
all without burn-in artifacts that can
plague typical flat screens. And unlike
projector-based systems that perform
only in darkened rooms, the DVLED
reproduces an intense picture even in a
brightly lit interior. Previously available to
commercial clients exclusively, LG’s 2,222pound display is now offered to the home
market for an equally hefty $1.7 million.

Pennsylvania-based Oswalds Mill Audio
(OMA), known for its artisanal music
systems employing horn loudspeakers and
vacuum-tube electronics, has introduced a
state-of-the-art assault on old-school vinyl
playback. In development for seven years,
OMA’s over 200-pound, $363,000 K3
turntable is an analog rig that suggests a
construction crane atop a Bauhaus edifice.
The cast- and machined-iron base ensures
the type of micro-detail and articulation
that the finest phono cartridges are
capable of when uncompromised.
The direct-drive motor is more

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

powerful than any ever employed on a
turntable and is accurate to arc seconds,
with stability further enhanced by the
high-mass platter. The tonearm, designed
by Frank Schröder of Berlin, is the first
to use selective laser melting, an additive
3-D printing technology that allows for
the manufacture of designs previously
impossible to fabricate. Cartridges
can be fine-tuned for optimal tracking
force and alignment, while its low-mass
counterweight reduces resonance. And
the outboard, Xenon tube-rectified
power supply can be concealed within
a dedicated turntable stand designed
expressly for the K3 system.

The direct-drive motor is more
powerful than any ever
employed on a turntable and is
accurate to arc seconds.

CYNTHIA VAN ELK

OMA K3 TURNTABLE +
SCHRÖDER TONEARM

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Field Notes

BY MIKE DeSIMONE AND JEFF JENSSEN

Bolgheri, Italy’s Other B
WINE

Why this unsung region deserves some respect.
Illustration by CELYN

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

135

Field Notes

certain faction of wine
drinkers like to state (often
emphatically) they drink
only old-world wine. It is
widely accepted that they
mean bottles from France,
Italy and Spain made with
native grapes and specified growing and aging
requirements. In Italy, this statement refers
to Barolo and Brunello, two standouts among
many excellent Italian regions. Some of those
snobs will not taint their palates with products
from Bolgheri, claiming that Italian wine
made with French grapes lacks character and
provenance. But they’re wrong.
For a tiny region, Bolgheri has a surprisingly
aristocratic provenance and a unique
microclimate that brings out the best of the
fruit. But Italians have long memories and
strong regional prejudices. About the size of
two city blocks and lacking any hilltop views
(or even a hilltop), the walled medieval village
would be unremarkable were it not for the
three-mile stretch of cypress trees lining its
entry road or for the surrounding countryside,
which is awash with vines bearing Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc.
Once the center of a mosquito-ridden malarial
swamp, Bolgheri owes its provenance, however
brief (by Italian standards), to Marchese Mario
Incisa della Rocchetta, who had Cabernet
Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vines planted on
Tenuta San Guido in the 1940s. He made wine
only for family and friends, calling it Sassicaia,
which is a reference to the region’s stony
soil, similar to the gravel found in Bordeaux
vineyards. At that time, planting Cabernet
Sauvignon and other “Bordeaux” varieties
in Tuscany, even flat, coastal Tuscany, was
considered heresy.
But the marchese, like any good Italian,
wasn’t one to adhere to the “rules.” He knew
what he had was delicious. In the late 1960s,
at the urging of his nephew Piero Antinori,
he agreed to sell Sassicaia commercially. The
first vintage to be offered, 1968, was released in
1972. Because it was not made with Sangiovese,
the dominant red grape of Tuscany, it bore the
humiliating moniker vino da tavola, or table
wine. Despite this, his Sassicaia developed an
excellent reputation, and other winemakers
from elsewhere in Italy followed suit, planting
vineyards here with Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot and Cab Franc. Other early adopters
in Bolgheri include Piermario Cavallari, who
founded Podere Grattamacco in 1977; Marchese
Lodovico Antinori, who established Ornellaia;
and his brother, Piero, who founded Guado al

136

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

Tasso. It is said the only Bolgheri native who
started a winery here was Eugenio Campolmi
at Le Macchiole.
In time the wines were called Super
Tuscans, because bottles of such high quality
deserved a much better designation than table
wine. While the name Super Tuscan is now
used to describe red wine from anywhere
within Tuscany made with grapes other
than Sangiovese, only vintages made by the
65 wineries in the specified region around
Bolgheri may be labeled Bolgheri e Bolgheri
Sassicaia Consorzio di Tutela DOC. (The
vineyards of Sassicaia are their own official
subzone.) But the name Bolgheri may soon
be more important than the Super Tuscan
moniker, if it isn’t already to those who know.
The area surrounding Bolgheri is lowlying, like Bordeaux, and fine gravel is found
throughout the region’s sandy soils. It’s the
long days of sunshine and proximity to the
cooling effects of the Mediterranean that have
the strongest impact on the grapes grown
here. Wine from Bolgheri is noted for its
combination of power and elegance. While
most viticulturists and winemakers in the area

In short, there is interest and there is curiosity,”
Jacopo Cossater, an Italian wine journalist who
also works with e-commerce, tells us.
Tannic structure and acidity add long cellar
life to Bolgheri wines, which retain their value
and fetch high prices at auction. Along with
Tenuta San Guido and Ornellaia, Le Macchiole
is considered one of Bolgheri’s crown jewels.
Le Macchiole Messorio, made with 100 percent
Merlot, was one of the first single-variety
wines produced in the region. The 2013 shows
arresting intensity of dark fruit with anise
and black olive notes; it clearly has another 12
to 15 years of drinkability ahead. The opulent
2015 has flavors of black cherry, cassis and
coffee bean, while the 2016 shows refinement
and restraint.
Each vintage at Ornellaia is given a name
that represents the qualities of the growing
season and finished wine. Ornellaia 2018
La Grazia Bolgheri Superiore is named for
the “balance of symmetry, proportion and
harmony” of the vintage. A blend of mostly
Cabernet (40 percent) and Merlot (51 percent),
it’s intense in the mouth, with flavors of dark
plums, anise and hillside herbs.

Planting Cabernet Sauvignon and other
“Bordeaux” varieties in Tuscany, even flat,
coastal Tuscany, was considered heresy.
consider the region too hot for Sangiovese, the
widely varied microclimates within Bolgheri
DOC appear to be perfect for growing grapes
that came from elsewhere but are now clearly
at home here.
The major testament to Bolgheri’s
importance as a winemaking region is the
number of prominent oenophile families
from other areas in Italy who established an
additional winery here, such as Piedmont’s
Angelo Gaja with Ca’ Marcanda, Veneto’s
Allegrini family with Poggio al Tesoro and the
Frescobaldi family’s purchase of Ornellaia
in 2005. And while most Italian consumers
are not going to spend $800 on a bottle of
Masseto, Ornellaia’s 100 percent Merlot-based
big sibling that is now produced at its own
winery, there is growing national (as well
as international) enthusiasm for the more
accessible offerings from Bolgheri. “Interest is
increasing, and people are generally interested
in the ‘Bordeaux’ [style] produced in the area.

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia remains a
blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet
Franc. While Sassicaia 2011 is drinking
wonderfully right now, the 2016 vintage is
considered one for the record books, and its
flavors of ripe cherry, black currant and clove
will remain in full force for years to come. The
2018 is also one to lay down; it will be another
four years before its tannins begin to mellow
and let notes of black currant, cedar and violet
shine through.
Despite its relatively recent emergence on
the wine scene, Bolgheri is home to outstanding
wines that testify to its position in the pantheon
of revered wine regions not just in Italy but
in the world at large. Get a case or two now, if
you can.
When they are not at home in New York City or
southern Spain, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen,
aka the World Wine Guys, devote their time to
chasing the grape harvest around the globe.

Paradise awaits

OCTOBER 7-10, 2022
WALDORF ASTORIA LOS CABOS PEDREGAL
Spectacular dining. World renowned chefs.
An experience unlike any other.

RR1.COM/CMCABO

in focus

SEA ISLAND

seaisland.com

Mild winter temperatures make this expansive, private beach resort on Georgia’s coast the perfect
setting for over 90 activities, many of them outdoors, including golf. It’s an excellent time to visit the
only resort in the world to receive four Forbes Five-Star awards for 13 consecutive years. TOP LEFT

COLLECTIONSUITES

collection-suites.com/evolved

CollectionSuites continues to evolve. The new Le Mans building harbors 8 luxury storage suites with
more ample spaces, exclusive technology, security features, and a clubhouse. Located in Miami,
CollectionSuites is an exclusive community of like-minded collectors. TOP RIGHT

HEATHER B. MOORE

heatherbmoore.com

Introducing the new lockets from Heather B. Moore. Keep your stories close to your heart with
their new round and rectangular lockets, unique with a personalized page inside. For more
information, call (833) 33-CHARM. BOTTOM LEFT

ARTURO FUENTE

arturofuente.com

After years of creative and passionate blending this unique cigar will soon be released into the
world just in time for the holidays adding two new sizes to the lineup. Created by the one and only
toymaker, Carlito Fuente and inspired by his daughter Liana Fuente. This exceptional cigar truly
captures the strength and courageous spirit of the next generation. BOTTOM RIGHT

in focus

SANDI MILLER BURROWS DESIGNS LTD

sandimillerburrowsdesigns.com

Custom-designed precious monogram jewelry is a specialty of Sandi Miller Burrows Designs, available
as pendants, cufflinks, bracelets, and belt buckles. Shown here is a monogram pendant in 18K white
and pink gold set with white diamonds in the initials O and S, on a white diamond chain. TOP LEFT

BEVOLO GAS & ELECTRIC LIGHTS

bevolo.com

The Bevolo Collection presents “The Color of Bevolo.” Offering a unique collection of Mid-Century
modern pieces, curated from Italy, Scandinavia, France & Vintage MCM Designs. TOP RIGHT

BUDDHA MAMA

buddhamama.com

This mother-daughter creative team is influenced by Buddhism, Eastern traditions and talismanic
symbolism. Buddha Mama’s prolific collections are also inspired by beautiful gemstones, enamel work,
and pop-culture iconography. A portion of all proceeds are contributed to charitable organizations.
BOTTOM LEFT

AGING ROOM

altadisusa.com/cigars/aging-room

From the makers of Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigar of 2019: Rafael Nodal introduces the Aging Room
Rare Collection. A luxurious cigar that blends a special wrapper grown and aged by AJ Fernandez
with the delicate Pelo De Oro. BOTTOM RIGHT

California Coastal
AN INCREDIBLE
RALLY EXPERIENCE
JUNE 12-16, 2022

RR1.COM/CALI

Luxury Without Compromise
Subscribe and get one year of Robb Report magazine for only $99.
Plus, receive free access to the iPad and iPhone editions.
robbreport.com/subscribeoffer
Savings based on our $204.50 annual cover price.

Just in time for the holidays, Robb Report and To’ak
have produced a tasting kit of an exclusive selection of
single-origin Ecuadorian dark chocolate, crafted from the rarest
and most prized cacao on Earth.
ORDER NOW ROBBREPORT.COM/TOAKCHOCOLATE

C A R S , S P I R I T S , T R AV E L , A R T, F O O D , WAT C H E S , B O AT S , S T Y L E , W I N E , J E W E L R Y, D E S I G N , S P O R T

ILLUSTRATION BY ILOVEDUST

THE

ULTIMATE
GIFT
GUIDE
42 EXCLUSIVE OBJECTS, TRIPS AND EXPERIENCES FOR
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AND BEYOND

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

145

GUT TER CREDITS

GUT TER CREDITS
NASA

JOURNEY TO THE
INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION
AND TAKE A
RECORD-SETTING
SPACE WALK

• Nothing says “I love you” like passing up the
opportunity to be the first civilian to walk in space so your
partner/BFF can make the record books instead. The
potential for such, well, astronomical self-sacrifice is but
one perk of this genuine one-of-a-kind trip of a lifetime.
Yes, you and your guest will spend two weeks on the
International Space Station (ISS), with the luckier half
eventually donning an Orlan space suit to make what will
become a world-famous stroll through space. Deciding
who will be the space walker could involve pre-launch
couple’s therapy, but that’s about the only thing that’s not
included in this extraordinary opportunity.
The space walk is no cakewalk, however. It will
involve four months of preparation, primarily at the Yuri
Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, outside
Moscow, before blasting off on a Soyuz rocket. “We train
them on Soyuz and ISS operations, including emergency
preparedness, along with medical exams and gym
training, stints in hypobaric chambers and space walks in
a neutral-buoyancy pool,” says Tom Shelley, president of
Space Adventures, which organized the first ISS spacetourist trip, for Dennis Tito, in 2001.
Even with all that prep work, stepping into space
won’t be a solo experience: A professional cosmonaut will
join you as a guide. One word: Wow. From $120 million;
info@spaceadventures.com, 703-524-7172 Michael Verdon

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

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• German athlete Klaus Ohlmann is
a record-breaking glider pilot,
holding more than 60 laurels,
including for speed and distance; he
was even the first to fly a glider over
the summit of Mount Everest.
Ohlmann’s favorite hardware is the
Stemme Motor Glider, which
swoops and soars like an oversized
bird of prey. “It has better
aerodynamics than even the fastest
sports car,” he tells Robb Report.
“And the price is the same as the
most expensive Ferraris.”

In this package, Ohlmann will
personally take a guest along for the
ride on a one-day adventure over
the French Alps. (As each glider can
carry only one passenger, a second
guest can fly with an additional
pilot on the same day or go up
with Ohlmann the next day.) Start
in Cannes, or one of several other
locations in the South of France,
and expect thrilling speeds and
altitudes—up to 155 mph at almost
four miles high—with views of
snow-capped mountains, including

Mont Blanc. He’ll also share some of
his secrets to finessing such flights.
“Finding the strongest lift requires
focus, attention, observation
and a deep understanding of the
atmosphere,” he says.
You’ll cap the day with a
celebratory dinner at Château des
Marres, a family-owned Provençal
vineyard whose Rosé Prestige Cuvée
is a yacht-world staple. $25,500
for one person or $37,500 for two;
mark@untoldstorytravel.com,
44-20-7523-5858 Mark Ellwood

GLIDER: TOBIAS BARTH; CAP-FERRAT: CHRISTIAN HORAN

GLIDE OVER THE ALPS
WITH A WORLD-RECORD
BREAKER

WINE TOUR OF NAPA VALLEY
AND CAP-FERRAT WITH FOUR SEASONS

• A celebration of the Old World
and the new, this 10-night
oenophile’s itinerary samples a
soupçon of Napa’s finest wines
before jetting off to the French
Riviera to enjoy an exceptional
selection of Provençal vintages.
Beginning in the new Four
Seasons Resorts and Residences
Napa Valley, the area’s only resort
set within a working winery, take a
private tour of the recently opened
Elusa Winery in Calistoga followed
by a tasting of limited-production
fine wines in the company of
Thomas Rivers Brown, Elusa’s
founder and one of California’s most
influential winemakers.
Over the next few days, the
schedule, created especially for
Robb Report, includes a private
dinner at Opus One Winery as well
as a private chef’s table dinner with

DESIGN A ONE-OFA-KIND FURNISHING
WITH ACHILLE
SALVAGNI

wine pairings at Truss, the new
restaurant from Erik Anderson.
While at the Four Seasons, guests
will have use of the on-site holistic
spa, with wine-inspired treatments
including the Vineyard Scrub—
useful for easing the aftereffects of
all that alcohol.
After a private jet and helicopter
transfer to the celebrated GrandHotel du Cap-Ferrat, guests will join
winemakers at the Château de Selle
estate. There they will explore how
the annual viniculture cycle takes
shape and enjoy a tasting and picnic
prepared by the hotel’s Michelinstar chef, Yoric Tièche. Depending
on the time of year, guests can also
participate in the harvest itself.
$500,000 for two people, including
round-trip Napa-France flights;
fourseasonsnapapr@jwadepr
.com Lucy Alexander

The quintessential Riviera
town of Cap-Ferrat

• A common thread throughout Achille Salvagni’s
furniture is that it’s all meticulously crafted by
master Italian artisans, some of whom seldom, if
ever, lend their talents to any other atelier. One
Robb Report reader will have the rare chance to
create a custom piece with Salvagni and this
exclusive troupe, a roster that includes bronze
specialists whose families have worked in the
Vatican for generations, and cloistered nuns whose
embroidery tradition dates back to the 12th century.
You’ll first travel to London for a one-onone design consultation with Salvagni at his

new atelier in Mayfair. The acclaimed Italian
architect and designer will consider every detail,
from the best quarry to source stone to the ideal
lacquer artist to commission for a cabinet. You’ll
get a sneak peek at his next collection before it’s
exhibited in his showroom and receive a signed
copy of his monograph. The furnishing will take
about four months to be completed—this level
of craftsmanship can’t be rushed, after all—but
you’ll be involved in the creation process via Zoom
every step of the way. From $35,000; london@
achillesalvagni.com, 44-20-7409-0026 Helena Madden

Achille Salvagni’s
Tête-a-Tête loveseat

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

149

• Fashion fades, but style—and
portraiture—is forever. Fab
Gorjian is an expert in both:
The London-based artist first
took up the brush while creating
patinas for such esteemed
shoemakers as John Lobb and
George Cleverley, eventually
finding that his true passion was
in illustrating menswear, not
making it. Gorjian’s signature
style is heavily informed by the
elegant Art Deco advertisements
of the early 20th century, using
gouache paints to mimic the
graphic look of vintage printed
posters and paper ephemera.
His dapper designs have been
commissioned by many a Savile

CALIFORNIA WINE
TOUR, FROM
THE MOUNTAINS
TO THE COAST

The ultimate insider’s California experience, this four-day
immersion (not literally) in some of the Golden State’s best
vintages is a master class in the finer points of terroirspecific winemaking. In a Robb Report exclusive, two
couples will be in the hands of a pair of the industry’s most
respected winemakers, Chris Carpenter and Greg Brewer,
for a summit-to-sea exploration of the diversity and
extremes of California wine country.
You’ll spend time with Carpenter at Lokoya’s remote
mountain vineyards in Napa—on Mount Veeder and Howell,
Spring and Diamond mountains—where volcanic soils,
moderate climate and high elevations produce concentrated
fruit, powerful tannins and weighty, textured wines.
A private jet will then whisk you down to the coastal
Sta. Rita Hills wine region in Santa Barbara County,
where Brewer, named 2020’s Winemaker of the Year by
Wine Enthusiast magazine, will invite you into the private
winery where he crafts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for
Brewer-Clifton and Diatom and lead you in a tasting.
The winemakers will help each couple select a 24-bottle
collection, including several 100-point wines.
A concierge will customize your visit to include dinner at
the French Laundry, a helicopter tour and accommodations
at a private villa in St. Helena and the Rosewood Miramar
Beach resort in Montecito. $65,000 for four adults (minimum
age 21), including round-trip airfare to San Francisco from
the contiguous US, some items subject to price cap; bradley
.wasserman@lokoya.com L.A.

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Row maker, and now he’s
offering to immortalize one
Robb Report reader in a
timelessly handsome painting.
After you sit for him in London
(or dispatch him to your
location), Gorjian will consult
with you on the composition
before rendering it on a canvas
of whatever size you wish,
which will be mounted in a
one-of-a-kind frame of Gorjian’s
design—because truly great
style should be commemorated
in something more dignified
than a selfie. About $8,200,
airfare and accommodations not
included; fab.gorjian@gmail.com
Kareem Rashed

GREG BREWER: SILAS FALLSTICH

A PORTRAIT BY
FAB GORJIAN

RED SEA
KITESURFING
ADVENTURE

• The Red Sea is one of the world’s finest water-sports
locations, with near-constant sunshine, beautiful coral
reefs and calm turquoise water. A Robb Report reader
and their guests can spend a week exploring it on a
yacht, as part of a kitesurfing safari in Egypt arranged
by Heli, the adventure-travel specialists.
The trip will be led by Heli’s CEO, Andy Culp,
from September 18 to 25, and the crew will include
professional kitesurfers, photographers and even a DJ.
Guests will stay for seven nights aboard a private 130foot yacht that sleeps up to 28 in luxury cabins, touring
uninhabited islands accessible only by boat, with
crystal-clear lagoons and sand-bottomed bays—an area
rich with world-class kitesurfing spots.
Guests will be collected from Hurghada airport,
and will be aboard the yacht within 15 minutes. After
breakfast each morning, you’ll be transferred to a new
kitesurfing spot, attended by a team of safety crew
and beach staff. After lunch on the yacht, enjoy more
kitesurfing, snorkel or relax until dinner.
Instructors can cater to novices and seasoned
kitesurfers alike, and guests can also spend their time
wakeboarding, stand-up paddle-boarding or just
hanging out on the beach. On one night the crew will
host a special barbecue island feast, complete with
a campfire and dancing under the stars, and your final
day includes sightseeing in Hurghada. $100,000 for
maximum of 28 guests, excluding round-trip flights to
Hurghada, visas, gratuities and alcoholic beverages;
spencer@heli.life, 888-420-6534 L.A.

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TIFFANY & CO.
BIRD ON A
ROCK BROOCH
BY JEAN
SCHLUMBERGER

• Over the course of its 184-year-long
history, Tiffany & Co. has most often
been recognized for its robin’s-eggblue boxes, its diamond engagement
rings or its famed 128-carat yellow
diamond, which can be seen adorning
Beyoncé’s neck in the company’s
current ad campaign. That gem, which
is not for sale, having remained in
the house’s possession since its
acquisition in 1877, once served as the
centerpiece of a Jean Schlumberger
Bird on a Rock brooch. First conceived
by the late designer for Tiffany in
1956, the brooch remains an important
historical design from the New York
house. Coveted by savvy jewelry
collectors, the brooches reserve their
perches for some of the company’s
more serious gemstones, typically
weighing no less than 20 carats.
The piece offered here comes with
a sizeable tanzanite, a stone that also
has long been entwined with Tiffany.
The jeweler introduced (and named)
tanzanite in 1968 with a collection
that marked the opening of its San
Francisco flagship. This Schlumberger

brooch, the only one of its kind in the
US, features a rare emerald-cut stone
over 60 carats and was unveiled in
the American Museum of Natural
History’s Beautiful Creatures exhibition
in Manhattan this year. It sat next to
other instantly identifiable animalthemed jewelry such as Belperron’s
butterflies and Cartier’s panthers.
Spotting a Tiffany bird in a
boutique's vitrine, however, has
become unusual. “You will not see any
of these in store for a while,” says the
company’s chief gemologist, Victoria
Wirth Reynolds. “Recently, [sales]
have been direct-to-client. There is a
waiting list.”
But you can jump the line:
Tiffany is offering this iconic Jean
Schlumberger Bird on a Rock brooch,
in 18-karat yellow gold, platinum,
diamonds and tanzanite, exclusively
to a Robb Report reader from
December 1 to 10. It will arrive in time
for the holidays boxed and bowed in
Tiffany Blue, ready to be pinned on
one very lucky recipient. $155,000;
888-546-5188 Paige Reddinger

G V
X R

G
R

PENFOLDS.COM

9 10

BRING HOME THE WORLD’S BEST BAR
• Many a homeowner has contemplated designing a
home bar to create their personal cocktail nirvana.
But none—yet—has had the opportunity to install the
World’s Best Bar under their own roof. Now you can,
at least for one night. One Robb Report reader can
welcome Mayfair’s Connaught Bar, which claimed
first place in last year’s World’s 50 Best Bars rankings,
into their home for an evening.
You’ll enjoy libations crafted by master mixologist
Agostino Perrone and his team, including the
Connaught’s signature, superlative martini. Part
of what makes ordering this particular tipple at

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the elegant London watering hole so satisfying is
the black lacquer trolley on which it’s prepared; a
bartender wheels the cart tableside so that patrons
can choose from a selection of aromatic bitters
and customize the drink’s flavor profile. To make this
experience even more memorable, you’ll have the
opportunity to design a custom trolley in advance
and keep it after last call. And since it’s the first time
that the Connaught will be bringing its expertise into
a private home, you’ll want to invite friends—up to
50 can join as part of this package. From $100,000;
Christina Norton, cnorton@maybourne.com H.M.

AN ART
DECO BOX
BY CARTIER

• The Art Deco era was a seminal
time for design, and Cartier led
the charge with its artfully
rendered, deeply luxurious
bibelots for everyday life. This
circa 1928 box is a prime example:
Its half-cylinder base, formed
from a single curved piece of
nephrite jade, rests on lapis lazuli
feet and is topped with panes of
frosted crystal opened by nephrite
handles mounted in 18-karat gold.
Created during the period Louis
Cartier produced his influential
Mughal-inspired jewels—one of
the hottest commodities on the
secondary market—this box
brings the same heady aesthetic
to an objet for the home. Procured
by dealer Lee Siegelson and
available exclusively to a Robb
Report reader through January, it
is a stunning way to stash, well,
anything. $475,000; info@
siegelson.com, 212-832-2666 K.R.

• As recounted in his best-selling
memoir, Little and Often, Trent
Preszler built his first canoe after
inheriting his estranged father’s
toolbox. Today, Preszler’s custom
vessels are intricate, sought-after
floating sculptures that combine
exotic woods across the hull and
interior. His most recent is a 16-footer
weighing about 80 pounds, but he has
built wooden watercraft from 14 to 20
feet in length.
Working with each client to create
a one-of-a-kind design, Preszler
makes the hull primarily from
West African sapele mahogany, and
customers can choose a combination
of walnut, ash, aspen, macassar ebony,
basswood or Mexican ziricote, among
other woods to create a unique look
for the hull and interior. The latest
generation features waxed hemp
and woven-leather seats, as well as a
crystal-and-bronze compass.
For Robb Report readers, Preszler
will design a striking Viking cutwater
for the bow, paired with a baseballstitched ring tie-down in a metal
of the owner’s choice (though
corrosion-resistant bronze is his
preferred material), and the bronze
porthole inside the boat will be
custom-engraved. The watercraft’s
bent tiger-maple stand with ebony
tusk tenons can be reengineered as
a wall-hanging bracket to transform
the canoe into the centerpiece of
any summer home. $125,000; trent@
preszlerwoodshop.com M.V.

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GUT TER CREDITS

A BESPOKE
CANOE BY TRENT
PRESZLER

EQUESTRIAN
RETREAT IN
THE WYOMING
WILDERNESS

CANOE: A ARON JOSEPH; SNAKE RIVER SPORTING CLUB: ORIGIN MEDIA

• Snake River Sporting Club is a
resort community on almost 1,000
acres of pristine Wyoming
wilderness near Jackson Hole.
The private club—currently in the
midst of a lavish upgrade under
the expert eye of Sandy Beall,
founder of Blackberry Farm—is
offering Robb Report readers a
personalized equestrian package,
with options to suit both the
beginner and the seasoned rider.
The fun begins before you step
foot in Wyoming: Snake River
will connect you with Lucchese
to design custom boots, engraved
with your initials. Then you’ll
fly to Jackson Hole in style with

Evojets and kick off a five-night
stay with a private shopping trip
to downtown Jackson, where
you’ll pick up some equestrian
clothing, including hats and
belts. After being matched with a
horse, beginners will learn riding
skills, proper horsemanship
and grooming, and set out on
some horseback adventures.
Experienced riders will enhance
their technique with a personal
instructor, spend days exploring
Grand Teton National Park and
return home with a customized
leather saddle. All riders will enjoy
luxury picnics in the mountains.
A professional photographer

and videographer will document
your trip and create a personalized
leather photo album. You’ll
also have access to equine therapy
sessions, sports massages and
private dining, as well as the
wider array of activities offered
seasonally by the club, among
them shooting, archery, tennis,
fly-fishing, rafting, heli-skiing,
snowshoeing and cross-country
skiing. Facilities include a
wellness center, an infinity pool
with mountain views and a Tom
Weiskopf–designed championship
golf course. From $73,600 for two;
Chuck Greenwald, cgreenwald@
srsportingclub.com L.A.

STATE-OFTHE-ART GAME
TABLE

• Hokusai’s The Great Wave may be a famous
image, but to the best of our knowledge, it has
never served as a template for billiards and
poker tables—until now. The curvaceously
cantilevered Sonami game table from 11 Ravens
rises out of the floor like a particularly shapely
wave, lending flair to your foosball match or
panache to your ping-pong.
Inspired by the undulating steel sculptures
of Richard Serra, as well as by Hokusai, and
cleverly engineered to support a 700-pound
surface atop a slim base, the table can sit on
existing flooring as a standalone furniture piece.
For the full sculptural effect, it can also be built
into your home during the construction of your
floor for a seamlessly contoured installation.
The company was cofounded in 2011
by professional table-tennis player Michael

Zaretsky, who also established the Gilbert Table
Tennis Center in Los Angeles, and awardwinning designer Bernard Semerdjian. Their
signature, sleekly designed tables have become
fixtures in hotels across the US, and 11 Ravens
customers have included Wayne Gretzky
and the late Kobe Bryant.
The new Sonami is available in a variety of

styles, including pool, table tennis, foosball,
blackjack and shuffleboard—or even as a
dining table—and is completely customizable,
with a wide selection of high-end finishes
to fit your taste and decor. $62,800 without
installation into flooring, or price upon
request for integrated flooring installation;
Sea Zeda, sea@11ravens.com L.A.

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

157

A RARE COLORCHANGING DIAMOND
RING BY SYLVA & CIE

• As the foremost authority on
precious gems, the Gemological
Institute of America (GIA) knows
every rock under the sun. So the
fact that its experts were stumped
by the stone that features in this
Sylva & Cie ring hints at just
how singular it is. As a type IIB, a
distinction shared by less than 0.1
percent of diamonds, it is among
the purest, rarest gems in the world.
But that’s only one facet of what
makes it so unusual.
Originally hailing from an
Indonesian mine known for
producing some of the world’s finest
blue diamonds, this 3.85-carat radiantcut specimen spent considerable
time being assessed before it was
officially deemed to be fancy gray with

YOUR OWN
PERSONAL
HOTEL, HIGH IN
THE SWISS ALPS

• If you really want to get away from it all, here’s the chance,
exclusively for Robb Report readers, to enjoy the Swiss Alps from
a private, purpose-built hideaway in summer. The team at
Luxaviation will construct safari-tent-like domes deep within the
mountains in advance of guests’ arrival. Expect soaring views
and low-impact architecture, which will not leave any permanent
imprint on the countryside in the canton of Valais. Each of two
sleeping domes will feature a private indoor bathroom and plush
bedding with bespoke pillows and throws; separate domes will
serve as a lounge and restaurant, a spa and a kitchen, where a
chef will be on call for everything from snacks to suppers.
Just four guests will inhabit these domes for four nights,
with the chance to take part in adventures such as horseback
riding through the peaks and valleys—or cruising above them
by helicopter to sip sundowners on a remote mountaintop.
There’s even the option to enjoy a cheese-making class, the
ultimate Valais treat: Raclette is a local specialty and forms the
base of Switzerland’s national dish of the same name. $310,000
to $380,000, depending on additional activities, including flights
within Europe; berangere.marceau@luxaviation.com M.E.

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LUX AVIATION: FABIEN COURMONT

flashes of violet that, when exposed
to extreme cold, transforms into a
brilliant canary yellow. Unlike most
color-changing diamonds, which have
slight shifts in hue depending on the
light, this one is a thermochromic
stone that transforms drastically
according to temperature—the largest
example of its kind that the GIA has
ever encountered.
“This is a stone that will be passed
down for generations,” says Sylva
Yepremian, who accordingly set it in a
timeless design of oxidized platinum
with a simple white-diamond pavé
embellishment. Available exclusively
to a Robb Report reader through
December, it is a jewel that’s sure to
dazzle even the savviest of collectors.
$650,000; info@sylvacie.com K.R.

CELEBRATING OUR HISTORY.
CONTINUING THE LEGACY.

Since 1970, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars has
showcased Napa Valley’s amazing wines
to the world. Experience timeless terroir
with acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon
from our historic estate vineyards and
continue the legacy with us.
StagsLeapWineCellars.com

• Know someone with not just a need but a
craving for speed? Consider it sated with this
ballistic combo from Hennessey Performance.
“Making fast cars faster” has been Texasbased super-tuner John Hennessey’s tagline
for 30 years, but the 1,817 hp Venom F5 is the
first model he’s developed from scratch.
Created with the goal of breaking the 300
mph mark, the carbon-fiber bragging right
boasts the ability to crush zero-to-62 mph in
2.6 seconds, thanks to its 6.6-liter twinturbocharged V-8—making 1,193 ft lbs of
torque—and a dry weight of just 2,998 pounds.
Only 24 examples of the $2.1 million hypercar
will be made, and all are spoken for except
this one, reserved for a Robb Report reader.
Delivery will take place at Formula 1’s
2022 United States Grand Prix—hosted by the
Circuit of the Americas racecourse in Austin,

Texas—attended by the recipient and a
guest via round-trip first-class flights
from anywhere in the contiguous US. Also
included are top-tier accommodations for
five nights, VIP access to the track’s exclusive
Champions Club and a private dinner with
Hennessey himself.
Even more exclusive is the invitation
to reach 250-plus mph steering your new
ride (or being driven by a professional)
down NASA’s Space Shuttle runway in
Florida (airfare also included). And though
the Venom F5 is street-legal, Hennessey is
throwing in a custom trailer and, naturally,
something to haul it: a new 1,012 hp
Hennessey Mammoth 1000 TRX truck in
livery that matches the car. Now that’s a
power couple. $3.21 million, offer expires April 1;
alex@hennesseyperformance.com Viju Mathew

GUT
HENNESSEY:
TER CREDITS
DREW PHILLIPS

HENNESSEY’S DEBUT HYPERCAR
PLUS TRUCK AND TRAILER

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

JEWELRY AND
PORTRAIT BY
WILFREDO ROSADO
AND DAVID
LaCHAPELLE

GUT TER CREDITS

Wilfredo Rosado’s
Green Rhythm
earrings in black
rhodium-plated
18-karat gold with
diamonds and 21
carats of emeralds

• New York–based Puerto Rican
jewelry designer Wilfredo Rosado
first met photographer David
LaChapelle in the early 1980s,
when both were members of Andy
Warhol’s entourage. Their 40-year
friendship underpins this gift,
which sees these creative minds
partnering on a never-to-berepeated project for one Robb
Report reader.
Rosado is known for his
subversive, witty riffs on luxury:
Note how he nodded to the chains
favored by hip-hop artists in the
pearl necklace he designed for Vice
President Kamala Harris to wear
when she took her oath of office at
the 2021 inauguration. He’ll bring
that same sensibility to a bespoke
piece designed in concert with
you, though he won’t simply invite
you over to his atelier. Instead,
Rosado will whisk you first-class
on Emirates to Milan, which
he knows well from his former
longtime role as Giorgio Armani’s
fashion director. After showing
off the city, he’ll lead a trip to the
jewelry-making center of Valenza,

where your piece will
be crafted.
Eight weeks later,
once the jewel is finished,
LaChapelle will take the reins.
The photographer, who has
captured countless celebrities,
from Mariah Carey to Hillary
Rodham Clinton, in highly
stylized portraits, will conduct a
two-day portrait shoot—the ideal
time to spotlight that brand-new
heirloom-to-be. Hair and makeup,
plus a local stylist, will be part of
the experience, and when
you’re not under the lights, you
can relax in your suite at the
Beverly Hills Hotel. Rosado and
LaChapelle together will host a
celebratory dinner to cap off the
experience. The personalized
framed portrait will be delivered
four weeks later. $600,000,
including first-class air travel,
hotel accommodations, airport
transfers, spa service, meals,
local transportation and portrait.
Jewelry materials and production
not included; gabriela@wrosado
.com M.E.

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

161

INDIAN OCEAN
ISOLATION

• On the western fringe of the Indian Ocean lies an islet called
Nosy Anko, one of a tiny, mostly uninhabited archipelago
strung like seed pearls off the northeast coast of Madagascar.
This 2,500-acre private island is home to the Miavana resort
by Time + Tide, a luxury travel company specializing in
remote African locations—and there are few more secluded
than Nosy Anko. Madagascar remains one of the most isolated
and untouched places on Earth; according to the World
Wildlife Fund, about 95 percent of the country’s reptiles, 92
percent of its mammals and 89 percent of its plant life exist
nowhere else on the planet.
Miavana, which is accessed by helicopter from
Madagascar, is available as a full-island buyout for up to 44
guests. Exclusively for Robb Report readers, the experience
will include the full-time services of a kitesurfing instructor
and a “Robinson Crusoe” picnic on the palm-fringed, whitesand beach of Manampou, a nearby uninhabited island. The
similarities to Crusoe will surely fade as staff set up a gourmet
lunch on the beach while guests arrive by Jet Ski or helicopter.
Staff are on hand to arrange kayaking, water-skiing, helisurfing, surf-skiing, fishing, whale-watching, snorkeling,
paddle-boarding and a range of diving experiences. On land,
guests can take part in guided treks in search of lemurs,
chameleons and rare orchids and enjoy yoga classes as well as
sample local rum while exploring the island’s village.
The accommodations consist of 14 beachfront villas, each
with a private pool, a beach buggy, beach cruiser bikes and a
personal butler. Guests may choose to dine 24/7 around the
main pool and rooftop bar, in the island’s pizzeria or privately;
local specialties include mangoes, vanilla, pink peppercorns,
yellowfin tuna and caviar. From $149,600 per night for full
buyout for a minimum of four nights, including helicopter
transfers from Madagascar, excluding $300 per person per night
for conservation levies; michele@timeandtideafrica.com L.A.

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19
ENJOY A PRIVATE PERFORMANCE
BY RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
AND TAKE HOME A NEVERBEFORE-SEEN STEINWAY
• Singer-songwriter Rufus
Wainwright has been playing
piano since he was six years
old, and he’s been touring
professionally since age 13. So in
addition to his many professional
accomplishments, which include
earning two Grammy nominations,
composing multiple operas and
mounting Judy Garland tribute
concerts at Carnegie Hall to great
acclaim, he knows how to tickle
the ivories. One Robb Report
reader, along with five friends, will
have the opportunity to enjoy a
short private performance from
the musician on a stylish new
piano from Steinway & Sons—and
then take home the instrument.

The day will start with a
tour of the Steinway factory in
Queens, New York, where the
brand has been making pianos
since 1873. The one in this offer
isn’t like the others there, though:
It’s the first Steinway Model B
Spirio in Jet Noir, which has
all-black hardware (except for
the ivory keys, of course). The
interior plate and pedals are
black, and the exterior is rendered
in Steinway’s signature, supershiny DiamondGloss finish. After
you meet with Wainwright
and listen to him play a few
numbers, he can autograph the
plate in silver for you. $250,000;
agilroy@steinway.com H.M.

FLORENCE
AND VENICE BY
PRIVATE JET

• An exceptional behind-the-scenes
eight-day tour of Tuscany and
Venice, arranged for a Robb Report
reader and guest by TCS World
Travel, a private jet-expedition
specialist, begins with a helicopter
tour of the Brunello di Montalcino
wine region, followed by lunch at
Michelin-star restaurant Silene.
During a three-night stay at the
Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, a
5,000-acre country estate founded

by Massimo and Chiara Ferragamo
of the famed fashion house, enjoy a
bird’s-eye view of the Tuscan olive
groves and villages from a hot-air
balloon, followed by a Prosecco and
Pecorino breakfast. Learn how to
prepare traditional Tuscan dishes
using seasonal produce from the
hotel kitchen’s garden and ride a
vintage Vespa into Siena for dinner.
Next, choose an Italian
sports car, such as a Ferrari or

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JEWELLERS
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of rough diamonds as a symbol of
power, long before they became a
symbol of love, the Talisman collection
accentuates their raw beauty. Gift her
the Talisman collection from De Beers
Jewellers. From $8,900; debeers.com

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

a Lamborghini, stop at a local
farmhouse for a picnic in the
vineyard or another pretty spot
on the grounds and drive on to
Florence. Enjoy dinner by the Arno
after dropping your bags at the
Four Seasons, with its 15th-century
garden. In Florence, you’ll learn
leather-working at the Scuola del
Cuoio (School of Leather) inside
Santa Croce Basilica, concoct your
own eau de parfum at Aquaflor

DOGE’S BALL: LUKE MACGREGOR /BLOOMBERG VIA GET T Y IMAGES

Firenze, visit a 13th-century
goldsmith’s atelier on the Ponte
Vecchio, collaborate with a fashion
designer from Dolce & Gabbana
to create your own piece of custom
clothing, visit the Gucci Museum
and enjoy lunch at Gucci Osteria
by Massimo Bottura, and to top
it all off, listen to Andrea Bocelli
performing for you alone, in
the Presidential Suite at the
Four Seasons.
After a private jet transfer to
Venice, where you’ll stay on the
Grand Canal at the St. Regis,
attend the Doge’s Ball, a Venetian
masquerade party, after choosing
historical costumes from an atelier
with over 1,500 creations. A team
of personal fitters, makeup artists
and hairdressers will be at your
service. The ball takes place during
Carnival in February; if attending in
September, guests can instead walk
the red carpet at the Venice Film
Festival, traveling via private water
taxi, with tickets to VIP screenings
and an after-party.
At other times of the year, you
might take a jaunt to Milan Fashion
Week or the Verona Opera Festival,
for two examples, but whatever
the season, plan on ending your
adventure with a unique dinner
for two inside the clock tower
on Piazza San Marco, after it has
closed to visitors for the day. From
$353,300 for two, excluding roundtrip flights to Italy, some events and
activities subject to availability;
guestrelations@tcsworldtravel.com,
866-875-5238 L.A.

21
• Watchbox, one of the largest
pre-owned watch dealers in the
world, is known for having a vault
of coveted and collectible models
from the hottest independent
makers—in addition to the usual
suspects from big-name brands. The
Philadelphia-based company is
offering one Robb Report reader a
unique opportunity to acquire a set
of six F. P. Journe watches, something even the most connected
collectors would be hard-pressed

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

to score in one fell one swoop.
The collection includes an Octa
Calendrier, a Chronomètre à
Résonance, an Octa Chronographe,
an Octa Réserve de Marche, a
Tourbillon Souverain and an
Octa Lune.
“This ultra-rare collection
represents the foundation of F. P.
Journe as a brand and includes six
extraordinary pieces with 38 mm
platinum cases, 18-karat yellowgold dials and brass movements,”

A SET OF SIX
F. P. JOURNE BRASSMOVEMENT WATCHES
FROM WATCHBOX

says Danny Govberg, cofounder and
executive chairman of Watchbox.
“F. P. Journe, the man, is one of the
finest living watchmakers of our
time, and he has rightfully earned
the respect of the global watch
community. All six of these watches
could take years to find and collect
individually.”
That may be an understatement
given Journe’s skyrocketing
trajectory in the marketplace. The
company is reportedly nearly sold

out of its inventory through 2023,
and prices have been exploding on
the secondary market: A 38 mm
platinum-cased Chronomètre à
Résonance “Souscription” from
2000, with an estimate between
$87,400 and $175,000, sold for
$1,096,900 at Phillips in 2020, and
a 38 mm Tourbillon Souverain
“Souscription” from 1999, which had
a top estimate of $328,000, went for
$1,476,590 in the same auction.
The six watches from Watchbox

Jumby Bay Island

THE BEST OF THE
CARIBBEAN IN ONE TRIP

• Imagine a vacation that combines the two
equally enticing but polar-opposite sides of the
Caribbean: the chance to recharge and relax in
seclusion on a well-appointed private island and
the opportunity to party on the world’s best
beaches at a glamorous resort. You can do both
on this 10-night adventure, offered exclusively
to Robb Report readers by Oetker Collection and
Tradewind Aviation.
First, reboot over the course of five nights at
a 10-person private residence at Jumby Bay in
Antigua, staffed by a personal chef and a butler.
Enjoy a private sailing lesson at the resort’s
own academy, a dinner at its farm, a full day of
unlimited spa treatments and a day’s charter on
the resort’s 45-foot catamaran, Yennecot. You’ll

SPONSORED

JUMBY BAY ISLAND: STEFANO CANDITO

ROBB REPORT
672 WINE CLUB

are an exceedingly rare opportunity
to own a chunk, rather than a piece,
of watchmaking history that, given
the current market, may continue to
rise in value. Consider the fact that
Journe stopped producing yellowgold dials and brass movements
in 2004 and put a halt to 38 mm
models in 2015, and you have yourself one of the most exceptional
offerings that money can,
immediately, buy. $3 million; rr@
thewatchbox.com, 888-457-6411 P.R.

Every true oenophile is an
explorer at heart. Gift the
wine lover in your life a
chance to nose out new
favorites that are both rare
and exclusive by treating
them to membership in the
672 Wine Club. Any good
wine geek will appreciate
knowing that 672 is the
number of bottles on a
standard 56-case pallet (it’s
also the number of members
the club is capped at). The
limited-edition reds are all
age-worthy—from Cabernet
Sauvignons produced in
Napa to Pinot Noirs made in
Sonoma and more—and are

even spend a day on Little Jumby, the private
island within an island, where a lavish picnic
spread will be set up on the beach.
Now that you’re suitably revived and
relaxed, prepare yourself for a five-night party
on St. Barts, staying at the Eden Rock’s aptly
named Villa Rockstar. The hotel describes the
17,000-square-foot house as a superyacht on
land, and it comes with a private chef and ample
space to host a fabulous bash or two poolside.
Tradewind will arrange a private charter to
shuttle you between the two properties, as well
as one from and back to anywhere in the US
before and after your trip. $238,667 for up to 10
guests, excluding taxes, fees and private charters;
jumbybay@oetkercollection.com M.E.

crafted by pedigreed
winemakers in small
quantities. Help a new
collector get started or give
connoisseurs a leg up on
their peers by adding
something fresh to their
cellars. Each quarter a

shipment of six will include
two bottles of three different
wines, one to drink
immediately and one to tuck
away to age. $570 for the
Holiday shipment: full-year
subscriptions billed quarterly;
robbreport.com/672wineclub

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

167

A WARDROBE
OF BESPOKE
TURNBULL &
ASSER SHIRTS

• The foundation of any great outfit is a superlative shirt, and
Turnbull & Asser’s are among the finest one can own. Founded in
1885, the British Royal Warranted haberdasher has dressed
distinguished men from Winston Churchill to Pablo Picasso and Sean
Connery. The brand’s bespoke service represents the very height of its
abilities and, exclusively for Robb Report readers, the company will
provide a collection of its best shirts, made expressly for you. After a
fitting at the New York or London stores, you will make selections
from over a thousand fabrics—everything from linen to cashmere
flannel—25 collar and cuff options, 20 monogram styles and various
collar linings. Your specified designs will be handmade in Turnbull &
Asser’s workshops and dispatched to your door, two at a time, every
month for a year. Whether you stick to the classics or opt for
something unusual in each delivery, you can rest assured that your
wardrobe will always be stocked in style. From $11,160; bespoke@
turnbullandasser.co.uk or bespoke@turnbullandasser.com K.R.

TIME-TRAVEL
BACK FOR A
WEEKEND IN PREREVOLUTIONARY
FRANCE

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

• The 45,000-square-foot Château
du Grand Lucé is one of the most
beautiful country estates in France’s
Loire Valley. It was built by a
courtier who was a close confidant
of Louis XV, a monarch who
inherited the opulent court
established by his great-grandfather,
Louis XIV, the Sun King himself.
The estate’s gardens are a nod to
those at that royal’s masterpiece,
Versailles, and some of the statuaries
were a housewarming gift from
Louis XV.
The château has been converted
into a luxury hotel and is exclusively
offering Robb Report readers the
chance to time-warp back to that
pre-revolutionary era of cake-eating
aristocrats and Enlightenmentminded intellectuals. This total
buyout of 12 rooms (the other five
are undergoing refurbishment)
will transport up to 24 people
for one weekend via a series of
events, including a scavenger hunt
around the 80-acre grounds and a

private, Marie Antoinette–inspired
ball, complete with costumes, hair
and makeup.
As host of the bash, commandeer
the best room for yourself: the
Baron’s Suite, with its own
private entrance from the garden

and a library of classic French
literature; completists should curl
up there with a little Rousseau or
Voltaire. $200,000 for a three-night
buyout, meals, cocktails and all
activities; Ludovic Poirier, ludovic@
chateaugrandluce.com M.E.

Known for its dense wool, long guard hairs and
rich color, northern New York State beaver fur
is some of the finest in the world. Adirondack
Beaver Blankets invites you to discover our
truly unique line of luxurious blankets, fine
apparel and home accents.

WATER AND ICE
ADVENTURE FROM
SOUTH AFRICA
TO ANTARCTICA

on a five-hour flight across the
Southern Ocean to Antarctica
for a seven-day exploration of
the frozen continent. From your
base at the luxurious Wolf’s
Fang Explorer Camp, you’ll take
a two-hour scenic flight above
Antarctica’s mountain ranges and
coastline before landing at Atka
Bay, home to a 28,000-strong
colony of emperor penguins.
Later, you’ll travel by foot and
snowmobile over glaciers and
around nunataks (mountain
peaks poking through the ice) to
the Drygalski Mountains. After
camping on the glacier, you’ll
take advantage of the 24-hour

sunlight and trek into the
mountains to scale a virgin peak
and try your hand at ice climbing
before returning to a Champagne
celebration at base camp. During
your final days in Antarctica, a
Basler BT-67 aircraft will whisk
you to the Polar Plateau, where
you’ll visit the South Pole and get
your passport stamped.
On your return to Cape Town,
you’ll take a private tour of
the South African Winelands
and enjoy a picnic lunch in the
idyllic landscape. $1.2 million
for a buyout for 12 people; Jamie
Mehrotra, jamie@ejafrica.com,
212-226-7331 L.A.

GUT TER CREDITS

• This pioneering itinerary is
strictly for thrill seekers. The
12-day Water and Ice adventure,
designed exclusively for Robb
Report readers by Extraordinary
Journeys, starts in Cape Town
during December or January, the
southern hemisphere’s summer.
Here you’ll stay at the Silo hotel on
the Atlantic waterfront and spend
two days training to free dive with
South African record holder Hanli
Prinsloo, exploring the kelp
forests of Hout Bay and swimming
with sea lions and dolphins.
On your fourth day, a
Gulfstream 500 will take you
soaring over thousands of icebergs

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS
OF ANTARCTICA’S GREAT
ADVENTURERS

GUT
HANLI
TER
PRINSLOO:
CREDITS ALLEN D. WALKER; ANTARCTICA: JUSTIN HOFMAN

• Antarctica has become a bucket-list destination for world
travelers. But journeying from the South Pole to the unforgiving
Ross Sea, tracing the trail of explorers Sir Ernest Shackleton and
Roald Amundsen, is a much more exclusive proposition. “No
one has ever flown across Antarctica to join a yacht on the Ross
Sea because of its harshness and extreme remoteness,” says Rob
McCallum, cofounder of EYOS Expeditions, which designed the
15-day journey for Robb Report readers. “It’s as hard-core as
Antarctica can get,” he adds, quipping that the more typical
itinerary to the peninsula, 20 degrees north, is like a holiday on
the Riviera.
A few highlights of the adventure: landing by private jet on
a blue-ice runway at Union Glacier, flying on a ski-equipped
Basler aircraft to the geographic South Pole and then taking the
plane to the Ross Sea, where an expedition superyacht will meet
the party to explore the world’s most remote ocean. Victoria
Land’s dramatic coastal mountains and the ice floes, whale pods,
seal herds and penguin colonies define the land- and seascape.
“The trip will be a combination of yacht-based cruising, snowshoeing, hiking, sightseeing from a helicopter and seeing the
water by Zodiac,” says McCallum. “It’s a nice combination of
luxury and exploration.” Guests will even drop by Shackleton’s
hut in Cape Royds—built in 1908 during his penultimate
expedition and still in its original state, thanks to the cold, dry
climate—and catch a glimpse of the book he left by his bed.
Superyacht choice will depend on expedition timing; most
have submersibles for underwater exploration. “It’s so remote
we definitely won’t see anyone else,” says McCallum. “But that’s
part of the appeal.” $5.2 million for 12 guests; info@eyos.com M.V.

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

171

A GOLDEN TICKET
TO A YEAR OF RR1
SPECIAL EVENTS

GET A GOOD
NIGHT’S
SLEEP WITH
HÄSTENS

through breathtaking countryside
to a new luxury destination. The
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
is an automotive escape of a more
classic kind. In August, you’ll
join in that five-day vintagecar showcase, enjoying exclusive
driving experiences with the
world’s top marques.
September brings Dream
Machines Las Vegas, an adrenaline-

• Sleep is one of the most important elements of good
physical and mental health, but the challenge is in getting
those eight hours regularly. It's a lot easier with a
top-of-the-line mattress beneath you, so revered Swedish
manufacturer Hästens is offering one Robb Report reader
the opportunity to leap-frog the wait list for its premier
model—and snag a host of bonus services to further
enhance their slumber.
The mattress, dubbed the Grand Vividus, was created
in partnership with interior designer Ferris Rafauli, who’s
best known for decorating rapper Drake’s over-the-top
Toronto digs. Rafauli’s bed is similarly spare-no-expense:
The mattress, which has Hästens’s signature checkerboard
pattern, is made with horsehair, wool, cotton and flax. The
company will fly you to Miami to take a “test-drive” at its

28
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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

fueled weekend of road-testing
elite machines, including a
helicopter trip into the Grand
Canyon. In October, the world’s
best chefs congregate at the
Culinary Masters, a foodie festival
at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos
Pedregal, with private dining, a golf
tournament, a charity auction
and a gala dinner.
Next, join a truffle-foraging party

in Italy. Finally, in November, testdrive and judge each model in the
20th Car of the Year awards in Napa
Valley. $100,000, including airport
transportation (not airfare), tickets
for two people per experience,
food and beverage, two spa
treatments per experience. Dates
are subject to change, terms and
conditions apply; Caroline Barry,
carolineb@robbreport.com

Sleep Spa. You’ll also Zoom with psychologist Michael
Breus, a sleep expert who has consulted on products and
programs for Princess Cruises and Six Senses resorts.
For this exclusive gift, Hästens is committed to helping
you rest easy even after you’ve taken delivery. Members of
the team will come to massage, flip and rotate the mattress
four times a year, scheduled at your discretion, for 25
years after purchase, which helps keep the bed soft and
supple, effectively extending its already-long lifespan. The
brand’s wellness experts will also be at your disposal; you
can arrange for 10 home appointments that run the gamut
from acupuncture to yoga and life coaching. And, for a
firsthand look at how Grand Vividus is made (it takes 600
hours altogether), a trip to the Hästens factory in Sweden
is also included. $507,000; miami@hastensstores.com H.M.

GUT TER CREDITS

• Every year, Robb Report curates
the finest experiences imaginable
for a select group of bon viveurs.
This year, we’ve created a golden
ticket that grants two people access
to all of 2022’s events, normally
available only to members of the
RR1 private community.
Start your engines in June
at California Coastal, a five-day
automotive adventure along
600 miles of iconic coastline.
Each morning drivers will take
their favorite car, rally-style,

A RARE FRENCH
CHÂTEAU,
BOXED UP AND
READY FOR DELIVERY

A rendering of
the assemblyrequired château

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

• Once upon a time, American industrialists
of the Gilded Age could tour Europe
snapping up a crumbling French monastery
here, a neglected Venetian palazzo there, and
have them rebuilt back home. Today, such
architectural shopping sprees are
constrained by European Union culturalprotection laws, which typically forbid the
export of national treasures.
A Robb Report reader, however, has a
unique opportunity to play the modern-day
Rockefeller and import a rare neoclassical
château from France for reconstruction in
their own backyard. The 14,000-square-foot
building is exempt from the French culturalexport ban because it was dismantled in
1989, three years before the relevant laws
took effect.
Alisanne Frew, an American antiques
dealer who specializes in sourcing French
architectural materials (her company is
called Alisanne Wonderland), discovered
the château's stones boxed up in a Bordeaux
warehouse in late 2020. The owners,
aristocrats whose great-grandfather had
built it as a hunting lodge in 1890, sold the
contents and disassembled the building when
they could no longer afford to maintain it.
The stonemason who took it apart by hand

cataloged 5,389 hand-carved limestone blocks
and decorative features, which collectively
weigh around 800 tons and are stored on 432
pallets, ready to ship anywhere in the world.
The stonework consists of the four
complete facades of the original château.
The front and back each measure 134 feet
wide and feature pediments. The remaining
facades are 45 feet wide, and the tallest point
is 46 feet high. The roof terraces include
balustrades. Frew has recruited a team of
expert craftsmen who, for an additional fee,
can reassemble the walls along with a new
interior in matching Bordeaux limestone,
or as freestanding palatial elements in
a garden, or reconfigured as part of an
expanded estate compound.
Frew, who guarantees compliance
with French law, believes it is the only
period château available to leave France.
She is offering it exclusively until January
31. Prospective buyers are invited to visit
Bordeaux to inspect the warehouse and meet
her team and the 88-year-old stonemason
who dismantled the château more than three
decades ago. $7.5 million for the sale and
shipping to agreed-upon international port,
reconstruction not included; alisannefrew@
me.com, 512-734-7711, 33-6-2910-4504 L.A.

FO R SO ME O N E
IT’ S A SHA P E .

Custom Line 106'

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A N A M A Z IN G SC U L P T U R E.

Manolo Valdés - Mariposas, 2017
Courtesy of Contini Art Gallery

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GOURMET OLIVEOIL EXPERIENCE
IN JORDAN
COMMISSION
YOUR
DREAM
MOTORCYCLE

31
GUT TER CREDITS

• A unique mix of history, design and gastronomy, this
experience explores boutique olive-oil cultivation as part of
an immersion into Jordanian culture. The Bilbeisi family,
producers of the sought-after extra-virgin olive oil Onsuri,
invites a Robb Report reader and three additional guests to
visit Jordan during the November and December harvest and
create their own personal blends of olive oil.
The five-day trip begins with first-class travel to Amman,
Jordan’s capital, and the city’s St. Regis hotel. The Bilbeisi
family will introduce guests to local food and culture at
off-the-beaten-track art galleries and souks, followed by
dinner prepared by one of the country’s most renowned
chefs, Omar Sartawi. Next, guests will take a helicopter to
the ancient city of Petra and stay at the Al Manara luxury
hotel in Aqaba, then sail the Red Sea on a private yacht and
enjoy a multicourse meal prepared by Mitch Lienhard, former
chef de cuisine at Manresa, a Michelin three-star restaurant
in Silicon Valley.
The experience culminates at Onsuri Estate, a 296-acre
family farm that employs Syrian and Iraqi refugees to tend
its 185,000 olive trees. Prior to an olive-oil-sommelier master
class, guests can join in the harvest and select their favorite
varieties for their custom blends, which will be shipped to
their homes in personalized bottles.
After a final day of quad biking, falconry, clay-pigeon
shooting and a Bedouin-themed dinner under the stars, guests
will depart with traditional Bedouin gifts bestowed by the
Bilbeisi family. From $248,000 for up to four guests (5 percent
will go to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
to aid displaced Syrians); sales@onsurioliveoil.com L.A.

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

• A custom, hand-built motorcycle
has a spirit unlike any off-the-shelf
bike. Revival Cycles in Austin,
Texas—among the most
accomplished custom-motorcycle
fabricators in the world—is offering
one Robb Report reader the
opportunity to jump to the head of
a multiyear queue. The experience
begins when you meet the team,
take a shop tour, then sit down for a
design kick-off session with Revival
founder and CEO Alan Stulberg to
chart the course of your dream
build over the next 12 months.

After a personal fitting to
determine the perfect size and
stretch of the bike, you’ll select
the style and engine type, dialing
in the frame, bodywork, exhaust
and accessories to establish the
aesthetic direction of your oneof-one creation. You’ll be involved
throughout the entire design and
build process, going behind the
scenes via professional video and
photography (or visiting in person)
to observe the welding, machining,
mechanical assembly, metal
fabrication and painting.

Upon completion, you’ll don
your new custom leathers, gloves,
boots and Hedon helmet painted
to match the bike—naturally—and
a professional photographer will
capture your long-anticipated
moment of delivery. Then you
have two equally exciting choices:
Experience either a private track
day with Revival Cycles at Circuit
of the Americas or enjoy a scenic
ride with Stulberg through Austin’s
hill country on some of the best
motorcycle roads in the US.
And in April 2023, you and your

bike will return to Austin,
where your creation—securely
transported there and back—
will be exhibited at the worldrenowned Handbuilt Motorcycle
Show. There you’ll be presented
with your Supporter Gift Box
and participate in the Builder’s
Circle with collectors and industry
celebrities. $500,000, including
first-class airfare and five-star
accommodations for the initial
meeting and the Handbuilt Show
2023; custom@revivalcycles.com
Robert Ross

GUT TER CREDITS

The Henne
Revival BMW
Landspeeder,
based on the 1928
BMW R37 that
Ernst Henne rode
at record-breaking
speeds in the
1920s and ’30s

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

177

GUT
FJORD:
TER MAT
CREDITS
TIAS FRDRIKSSON

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

GUT TER CREDITS

REMOTE
ADVENTURE
GETAWAY IN THE
NORWEGIAN
FJORDS

• The dramatic landscape of the
Norwegian fjords is best observed
from the point of view of the
locals—specifically, the puffin and
the herring: a bird’s-eye panorama
by helicopter and an underwater
exploration via freshwater dive.
These are just two of the
experiences offered as part of a
customized itinerary for a group of
four Robb Report readers, curated
by 62°Nord, an experiential travel
company specializing in a very
Scandinavian blend of bracing yet
stylish outdoor adventures.
In addition to breathtaking
fjords, the seven-day journey
around Norway’s northwest coast
takes in spectacular waterfalls,
swaths of wild forest and wildlife,
including seals, orcas and eagles.
You’ll explore by kayak, boat,
bicycle and helicopter, in the
company of expert local guides,
and try a little light canyoning,
cliff-jumping, wild swimming and
diving to the submerged village of
Lyngstøylvannet.
Almost as exciting as the great
outdoors are the indoor delights
of the cozy accommodations and
the coastal cuisine. You’ll spend
five nights at the alpine-chic
Storfjord Hotel, built in the style of
a traditional Norwegian log cabin,
except with an outdoor hot tub,
before escaping for one night to a
former lighthouse-keeper’s home
on the remote island of Giske.
The final night will be spent at
Hotel Brosundet (renowned for
its signature cocktails), in the Art
Deco town of Ålesund, one of the
most beautiful small fishing ports
in the world. About $58,500 for four,
including meals; gareth@62.no L.A.

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

179

33
A LIMITEDEDITION
PEN
BY PINEIDER

SEVEN DAYS OF
UNINTERRUPTED ROMANCE
IN PROVENCE
• Think of this trip to the South of France as a decade’s
worth of Valentine’s Days in a single week, whisking guests
through an itinerary of romantic greatest hits in pictureperfect Provence, from countryside to coastline.
The first three nights, at the hilltop Château SaintMartin & Spa near Vence, are anchored by an indulgent
dinner cooked by Michelin-star chef Jean-Luc Lefrançois,
with Grand Crus–focused private tastings from its cellars.
As a nod to Picasso, Matisse and the other creative geniuses
who helped establish the region’s artistic reputation,
guests will also spend a day with artist Agnès Sandahl
at her ceramics studio, where she’ll fire their personal
masterpieces in her own wood-burning kiln.
The second three nights will be at the waterfront Hotel
du Cap-Eden-Roc. From there, venture out on the famed
hotel’s purpose-built Aquariva to the island of SaintHonorat about five miles offshore for a private lunch, then
scoot down on that speedboat to Antibes, home to a classic
Provençal market. A personal concierge will guide guests on
a stroll through the old town, grazing on local delicacies.
After your visit, jet-charter specialist Sparfell will fly you
to your final destination within Europe, and there’s even
a Globe-Trotter–branded trunk to take home, produced
in partnership with the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. Around
$52,400 for two people, with blackout dates during the Cannes
Film Festival and at peak summertime; reservations.hdcer@
oetkercollection.com M.E.

Breakfast at Château
Saint-Martin & Spa

• Founded in Florence in 1774,
Pineider was the stationer of
choice for the likes of Napoleon
and Lord Byron. Since then, the
firm’s sleek writing instruments,
which are still hand-crafted in
Tuscany, have been regarded as
one of the most refined ways of
putting ink to paper. The latest
entrant to its collection is the
Taormina, a fountain pen inspired
by the dynamic designs of Italian
Futurism. It features a body in
pearlized, ultra-durable resin, a
large, flexible quill nib in 18-karat
rose gold and Pineider’s patented

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

magnetic lock closure. The
limited-edition run of 50 pieces
will be released in February, but
Robb Report readers are being
given access to the first five
models now. Whether or not you
opt for the “RR” engraving
alongside the edition number on
each cap, this is a writing
instrument fit for the most
discerning stylophiles—a pen
mighty enough to persuade you to
transcribe your thoughts in a
notebook rather than on a screen.
$995; rockcenter@pineider.com,
212-265-7367 K.R.

LIGHT UP
THE GAME
You got this.

RATED

Perfected over
156 years,
yours to enjoy now.
#LightUpYourSoul
PlasenciaCigars.com

A RARE BOVET
RÉCITAL 26
BRAINSTORM
CHAPTER TWO
AND PRIVATE VISIT
TO THE SWISS
HEADQUARTERS

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

But this piece is much more
than just a luminous face. It packs
serious watchmaking gravitas
recognized by the Grand Prix de la
Haute Horlogerie (aka the Oscars
of horology) with the award for
Mechanical Exception. It comes
with four different patents: for
its double-face flying tourbillon;
a radial guidance system, which
increases the power reserve to
five days; a writing slope case; and
a 3-D V-shaped needle at three
o’clock that indicates the time
zone of the collector’s choice. The
universal time-zone function,
however, allows for a reading of 24
time zones simultaneously. It also

sports a 3-D moon phase at nine
o’clock. Flip it over and you will
find the hand-engraved movement
in full view, and as a bonus, Bovet
will custom-engrave the piece
with your initials.
To bring its exceptional
craftsmanship and technical
expertise full circle, Bovet will
also arrange a three-day, twonight reception at the Château
de Môtiers, the company’s
unique manufacture, set within
a 14th-century castle on a hilltop
overlooking the scenic landscape
of Val-de-Travers in Neuchâtel, to
see its artisans and watchmakers
in action. The trip also comes

BOVET: GUSTAVO KURI

• The independent watchmaker
Bovet is offering one Robb Report
reader the opportunity to acquire
its Bovet Récital 26 Brainstorm
Chapter Two Sunshine—an
ultra-complicated timepiece that
is fifth in a series limited to just
seven worldwide. The model’s
convex yellow dial, set within a
sloped full-sapphire crystal case, is
positioned at 12 o’clock and was
inspired by the sun at its zenith as
it appears in the sky above the
brand’s manufacture in Neuchâtel,
Switzerland. A Super-LumiNova
treatment allows the dial to absorb
sunlight by day and transform into
a glowing green hue by night.

• Luxury-travel-and-residence company Ultima
has created a 14-day extravaganza exclusively
for Robb Report readers at its two chalets in
Megève in the French Alps. Combining wellness,
skiing and pure pampering, the experience,
ideal for a group of friends or extended family,
begins with a private flight to Geneva and, after
landing, a 20-minute helicopter ride to the
chalets’ helipad.
Together, the connecting homes have seven
bedrooms that sleep 14, plus a dormitory for
four children, and feature an underground
nightclub, a wine cellar, an arcade room,
an indoor swimming pool, a gym and a spa.
A butler, a house manager and a massage
therapist will be on site, and a hairdresser and
a physical therapist will be on call. Upon your
arrival, a doctor will conduct a health check of
each visitor, prescribing a wellness plan and

WELLNESS AND
HELI-SKIING
IN THE MEGÈVE
MOUNTAINS

individualized supplement regimen. Next
come fittings for designer ski clothes
handpicked by a stylist. Personal ski instructors
will help plan the fortnight’s outings, including
early-morning heli-skiing on virgin trails.
Private use of the slopes at night—guests ascend
via snowcat and ski downhill while wearing
multicolored LED suits—is sure to be another
unforgettable experience.
The culinary portion will include a feast with
a Krug sommelier flown in from Champagne, as
well as a caviar and Swiss-wine tasting beside
an alpine lake. Valais sommelier Marie-Thérèse
Chappaz will visit on another day for more wine
tasting, followed by dinner with wine pairings.
And, of course, a personal chef will always be on
hand. From $572,000 for eight guests and six days
of heli-skiing; reservation@ultimacollection.com,
41-2-2779-3333 M.V.

with the chance to meet the lord of
the manor, owner Pascal Raffy, who,
as a collector himself, is known for
being deeply passionate and can
speak about his watches in a way
that is as vibrant and poetic as the
timepieces themselves.
The offer is valid through
January and includes businessclass travel from the US to Geneva.
The client must communicate
travel plans 30 days in advance of
departure. Blackout dates, including
weekends and summer, may apply.
$409,000 (excluding sales tax and
VAT; retail price may vary depending
on country); bovet.northamerica@
bovet.com P.R.

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

183

37
PORTRAITS OF
YOU AND YOUR
PET BY A
TOP ANIMAL
PHOTOGRAPHER

• Jim Dratfield specializes in
capturing the grace, humor and
character of horses and pets in
spirited color and black-and-white
portraits. His photographs have
been exhibited in galleries
throughout the country, and he
counts Elton John, Jennifer
Aniston, Laura Dern, Billy Joel,
Charlize Theron and their animal
companions among his clientele.
Dratfield’s latest project, a
coffee-table book titled Her Horse,
is an exploration and veneration

Georgina
Bloomberg
and friends

of the relationship between horses
and their female owners, featuring
actresses (Dratfield is a former actor)
as well as prominent equestrians
such as Olympic silver medalist
Jessica Springsteen and Georgina
Bloomberg, who wrote the foreword.
For Robb Report readers who
similarly wish to encapsulate

and celebrate their own love of
horses—or any pet—Dratfield will
travel to your home or a location
of your choice in the continental
US, where he will spend half a day
photographing you and your animal
companions. You will receive three
portraits from the sitting suitable
for hanging, including one in a

contemporary black frame.
The package also features two
limited-edition signed prints
from Dratfield’s collection
of dog, cat and horse photographs
and an autographed copy of Her
Horse, published by G Editions.
$7,500; fulfillment@geditions.com,
212-810-7519 L.A.

GOLF IN THE CARIBBEAN WITH
LEGENDARY PRO GREG NORMAN

38
184

D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

• Hall of Fame golfer Greg Norman has one of the most
impressive résumés in the sport: He won 90 championships,
including two British Opens, and ranked No. 1 in the
world for 331 weeks. Nowadays, the Shark, as he is
affectionately known, divides his time among golf-course
design, his wine company and other business ventures.
One Robb Report reader and a guest will have the rare chance
to play a round with the retired champ at the just-opened
Aurora Anguilla resort. He’ll doubtless prove to be stiff
competition: His expertise with a club aside, he also designed
the 18-hole course.
During your week-long visit at the idyllic resort, you’ll stay
in a suite with direct access to the white shores of Rendezvous
Bay, one of the area’s best beaches. You’ll go on a deep-sea
diving adventure with Norman at his favorite spot to take
the plunge in Anguilla. Later, you’ll stop by the resort’s spa
for a wellness treatment and visit one of the many on-site
restaurants for a dinner prepared by chef Abram Bissell—an
Eleven Madison Park alumnus—that’s tailored to your culinary
preferences. From $315,000, including private airfare from the
continental US; leisuresales@auroraanguilla.com H.M.

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RIDE AND
DINE IN A
SPACE
BALLOON

• Floating in a space balloon
100,000 feet over Earth while
enjoying haute cuisine served by one
of the world’s most celebrated
gourmets sounds like something out
of a Jules Verne novel. But Space
Perspective and renowned chef
Gaggan Anand have prepared an
exclusive voyage to the edge of the
atmosphere for Robb Report readers.
Spaceship Neptune, a footballfield-sized balloon carrying a large,

39
pressurized lounge, will transport
seven passengers, a pilot and Anand,
whose Bangkok restaurant, Gaggan,
was awarded two Michelin stars
and ranked No. 4 among the World’s
50 Best Restaurants in 2019 (and
was voted No. 1 in Asia a record
four times). Its successor, Gaggan
Anand, debuted at No. 5 in the 2021
Asia rankings and is preparing to
reopen in 2022.
Space Perspective, which has

40
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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

begun test flights, is planning
its maiden commercial voyage
for 2024 and will work with the
buyer to select a flight date. The
six-hour, suborbital experience on
the space balloon, with bathroom,
refreshments and Wi-Fi, will be a
contrast to the frenzied, g forceheavy rocket flights of competitors:
You’ll soar into the sky at a gentle 12
mph. As the balloon launches from
Kennedy Space Center, passengers

will watch the Florida peninsula
below recede through the picture
windows, with Earth’s blue edges
coming into focus and the blackness
of space above—all while tasting
wines and sampling Anand’s unique
gastronomy. The chef’s quirky
style prioritizes fun while eating,
so the journey promises to be more
than a space adventure. From $1.19
million for a group of seven; fly@
spaceperspective.com M.V.

A SET OF BUCCELLATI
DOMINOES IN SOLID
SILVER
• Mario Buccellati may have been nicknamed the
Prince of Goldsmiths after rising to prominence in
the 1920s, but he was just as celebrated for his
intricately crafted silver objets as for his gilded
jewels. Today the family-run firm keeps the
tradition alive with an array of decorative designs
and, most recently, some exquisite additions to
game night. After introducing a high-rolling
backgammon set in 2017, Buccellati is now offering
to create a one-of-a-kind set of dominoes with sleek,
solid sterling-silver tiles housed in a glossy wood
box, all made by hand at the company’s Milanese
workshops for one Robb Report reader. Regardless
of your skill, these pips will certainly step up your
game. $17,000; 212-308-2900 K.R.

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

41
A FIRST-OFITS-KIND DAMEJEANNE
OF HENNESSY

GUT TER CREDITS

• Every morning at 11 a.m. Renaud
Fillioux de Gironde sips some
brandy. The master blender for
Hennessy, the eighth generation of
his family to hold the job, leads his
team in evaluating 50 to 60 samples,
from trying new distillates to
assessing the full Hennessy stock,
which they do annually. “This is the
only way to monitor quality,” he
says. “Because if you don’t taste, you
don’t know.”
A year ago, he found himself
tasting an eau-de-vie aging at
Hennessy since 1893, and after 127
years, de Gironde determined it had
finally reached peak maturity. But
that doesn’t mean it was bottled and
sold right away. Hennessy pulled
the liquid from the barrel and stored
it in dames-jeannes—large glass
containers nestled inside woven
baskets that halt the aging
process. Not every vintage will
warrant a dame-jeanne, but the
Hennessy deemed worthy of this
special treatment constitutes a
rarefied library of some of the finest
Cognac the company has made—
and one that has never been offered
to the public.
For the first time, Hennessy will
fill and sell two dames-jeannes with
a Cognac sourced exclusively from
this collection of generations-old
brandy. While French law prohibits
de Gironde, who is concocting the
spirit, from revealing the age of
the eaux-de-vie blended into the
dame-jeanne, it typically takes 60 to
70 years to make the transition from
barrel to glass vessel and sometimes
more than a century. This Cognac,
offered first to Robb Report readers,
will arrive in 10 Baccarat crystal
decanters along with the empty,
handmade dame-jeanne, for which
the buyer will work with a French
master craftsman to customize the
leather and monogram.
For the 43-year-old master
blender, who assumed the role
from his uncle in 2017, creating
this unique, unprecedented blend
is a tribute to the generations who
came before him at Hennessy and
represents his attempt to uphold
the standard of the famed maison.
“When I taste,” de Gironde says,
“I’ve got the pressure of never
disappointing 200 years of my
family.” $700,000, offer valid
through January; privateclient@
moethennessy.com Jeremy Repanich

RACE IN THE CARRERA
PANAMERICANA RALLY

• During the golden age of motorsports, long-standing
European endurance events such as the Mille Miglia, 24
Hours of Le Mans and Targa Florio were magnets to
those cut out for life on the razor’s edge. Mexico’s
original Carrera Panamericana road rally, although held
only from 1950 to 1954, became equally mythic—the
treacherous route made some old-world counterparts
seem like milk runs by comparison.
Firing up its engines again in 1988, the annual
competition has since focused on camaraderie and
cultural exploration, which its organizers are inviting one
Robb Report reader to experience firsthand. And what
better way than with an entry for the 2022 edition, along
with ownership of a classic racecar to pilot across the
2,237-mile course navigated over seven days in October.
Naturally, success requires teamwork, so count on

a veteran racer to share the cockpit and a full support
crew—including mechanics. All the action will be
recorded by a personal videographer, photographer
and drone pilot, while a dedicated butler will handle
luggage delivery to each hotel’s presidential suite
or comparable VIP accommodation every evening.
In addition to a custom helmet (with intercom) and
tailored race suits, an engraved special-edition Tag
Heuer watch will also commemorate this remarkable
occasion. Post-race, while the vehicle is being serviced
and shipped back to anywhere in the contiguous US as
part of this offer, a five-night stay at a private villa—with
accompanying chef—will fast-track the participant’s
own needed restoration. $3 million, including airfare,
accommodations and meals; Karen León Grossmann,
info@lacarrerapanamericana.com.mx V.M.

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The

GIVING
SPREE

A new breed of benefactor is rewriting the rules of
philanthropy. Meet some of those leading the charge.
BY J A C K I E C O O P E R M A N P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y M A R K M A N N

philanthropy is changing. Spurred by the Covid19 crisis, America’s racial reckoning, increasingly frequent
climate disasters and a profound sense that traditional
ways of giving are insufficient to meet burgeoning needs,
donors are re-examining not only what but how they give.
“We’re at a point of inflection for philanthropy. When
we look at the past 18 months, there is a growing awareness that existing approaches to social impact are not
enough,” says Nicholas A. Tedesco, president and CEO
of the National Center for Family Philanthropy. “When
you look at the crises in aggregate, what we’re seeing is an
inability to recover. Philanthropists are starting to reflect
on how we might provide guardrails to be more resilient
and hopefully to prevent additional crises—to the extent
possible—from happening.”
Following the examples of donors like MacKenzie
Scott, who has given away more than $8 billion in short
order with a “no strings attached” approach, philanthro-

pists are revamping their protocols. They’re lessening
reporting burdens on grantees and establishing more
trusting relationships with the communities they want to
help. Progressive benefactors are also adding an urgency
to their spending, eschewing foundations that operate
in perpetuity and creating models to spend their entire
endowment in as little as 10 years.
These innovations come as charitable giving in the US
is rising, with American individuals, bequests, corporations and foundations contributing $471.44 billion in 2020,
up nearly 4 percent from 2019 when adjusted for inflation,
according to statistics from the Giving USA Foundation.
Robb Report spoke with leaders in the field, including
philanthropists and executives, who are addressing pressing issues, notably racism, mass incarceration, education
inequalities and the climate crisis, with both sophisticated
financial structures and the simplest of tools: the will to
effect change, and to do it quickly.

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Jennifer
and David

RISHER
#HalfMyDAF, Founded in 2020

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“

a month after covid hit san francisco, Jennifer and
David Risher found themselves ensconced in their Napa Valley
home, discussing how they could step up during the crisis.
Jennifer worked for Microsoft early in her career, as did
David, and has long shared her largesse with organizations such
as Planned Parenthood, the United Way and NPR. David, after
leaving Microsoft and later Amazon, founded Worldreader, an
organization that has distributed over 67 million digital books to
more than 18 million children and young adults since its founding
in 2010. But the pandemic made them rethink their approach to
giving. “Covid has spotlighted the reality of economic and racial
inequality, and we’re facing climate change in new ways,” says
Jennifer. “We knew that nonprofits were strapped and stressed,
and we thought, ‘What can we do to help?’ ”
The couple quickly hit upon a solution: targeting the money
that was sitting at the ready—but languishing in donor-advised
funds, or DAFs, which hold an estimated $140 billion. “We were
highly aware of all the money stuck in DAFs. There’s this whole
‘wait for a rainy day’ mentality,” she says. “This is the rainy day.
This is the moment. We need to move that money.”
And so they have: In May 2020, the couple joined with GivingTuesday to launch #HalfMyDAF, offering $1 million in matching grants to donors
who pledged to spend half of their DAF
accounts by the following September 30.
Qualifying donors nominated nonprofits,
and the Rishers selected grantees at random
from a vast array of organizations, including
the Alzheimer’s Association, the Chinese
Progressive Association, Earthjustice and
the Equal Justice Initiative.
“We didn’t insert ourselves in the process,” Jennifer says. “The goal was just to
get the money moving.”
It is. Since its inception, #HalfMyDAF
has inspired donors along with others who
have now joined the Rishers in matching donations to move $19.2 million from
donor-advised funds to nonprofits. “The
conversation is very exciting, with donors
telling us, ‘This is the nudge I needed,’ and
families talking about values and what they
wanted to give,” says Jennifer, who delved into issues about money
and family dynamics in her 2020 memoir, We Need to Talk.
The couple plan to continue #HalfMyDAF, but while it’s helpful, the Rishers believe it’s not enough. “We need policy changes,”
Jennifer says. “I should pay more taxes, we need to increase minimum wage, we need a higher social safety net, we need to make
reparations.” In particular, she supports the Accelerating Charitable Efforts Act, bipartisan legislation that would require DAF
holders to distribute their funds within 15 years in order to receive
upfront income-tax deductions.
The country’s racial reckoning, particularly around health
disparities highlighted by Covid, has fueled her sense of urgency,
prompting her to invest with Black women and Latina fund managers. “When I look at philanthropy, it’s white people of privilege
controlling the wealth,” she says. “I want to cede my power and
my capital to marginalized communities, and to the people on
the ground helping those communities.” Re-evaluating traditional
philanthropy, Jennifer says, is essential to creating a healthy society, but, with many of us uncomfortable talking about money,
transparency is not easy. “Our silence keeps the status quo in
place and keeps us from examining our relationship with money,
from holding ourselves accountable,” she says, “and it keeps us in
a bubble unaware of our own privilege.”

There’s this
whole ‘wait
for a rainy day’
mentality.
This is the rainy
day. This is the
moment. We
need to move
that money.”

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Christina

LEWIS
All Star Code, Founded in 2013

self-described “philanthropreneur” Christina Lewis has
a mission: “to provide not just something decent, but something
excellent,” to Black and Latino boys, she says, “which is what
they deserve.”
Lewis is fostering those high standards through All Star
Code, which she founded in 2013. All Star Code takes a holistic
approach, identifying promising Black and Latino high school
boys and enrolling them in summer intensive programs in computer coding. The New York City–based nonprofit mentors the
students, leading most of them to major in computer science in
college and ultimately to land jobs at blue-chip companies such
as Microsoft, Facebook, JPMorgan Chase and Google. To date, All
Star Code has graduated over 1,000 students, nearly 70 percent
of whom qualified for free and reduced lunch and 95 percent of
whom went on to college.
“All Star Code has broken this ground with tech and media
companies,” Lewis says, and has inspired AT&T, JPMorgan Chase,
Goldman Sachs and other major corporations to contribute by
serving as sites for the courses and helping with college-search
and job-placement efforts.
Lewis’s own family story straddles the opportunity divide:
Her father, Reginald Lewis, was raised by his mother and grandparents. “I grew up knowing about my father and his mother and
others being Black in segregated Baltimore and having to work
all their lives for white people who thought they were inferior,
cleaning houses for a buck and change,” she says. “That story has
always been with me.”
Reginald went on to become a prominent corporate-takeover
financier, a self-made multimillionaire and the first Black man
to own a company with more than $1 billion in annual revenues,
TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc., before his death at
age 50 from brain cancer in 1993. He was also a philanthropist, bestowing millions upon Howard University and Harvard
Law School, his alma mater, as well as homeless shelters and
churches. His daughter, who wore his monogrammed shirt for
Robb Report’s photo shoot in tribute to him, grew up in privilege
and studied at Harvard.
After working as a journalist at The Wall Street Journal for

“

five years, Lewis attended
her first tech conference in
2011 and noted the industry’s dynamism. “It was
such a fun business, but
I saw no Black or Latino
people participating in
the core of that,” she says.
“I realized this was where
Black people need to be
to close the wealth gap,
to leapfrog over historic
inequities. I wanted to
build on the legacy I was
given.” Working with her
mother, she founded All
Star Code and remains
actively involved in students’ lives, exchanging direct messages and
encouraging them to polish their LinkedIn pages.
The aftermath of George Floyd’s murder has spurred her to more
action: Lewis recently cofounded Giving Gap, formerly known as
Give Blck, a platform connecting donors to over 700 Black-founded
nonprofits. “I do feel more urgency. The language around systemic racism has been really empowering,” she says. “When I
started All Star Code, I had to explain the entire history of segregation in this country and make a link from segregation to the
wealth gap to entrepreneurialism and to the business sector and
to boys and girls. I don’t have to do that anymore.”
As for her own legacy, Lewis is mindful of teaching her three
young children the importance of collaboration and helping
others, often bringing them to events. But when they eagerly
asked if they are part of All Star Code and Giving Gap, her
response reflected another value she inherited from her parents
and hopes to pass along: hard work and fierce independence.
“I said, ‘No, those are my foundations,’ ” she says with a smile.
“ ‘You’ll have to start your own.’ ”

I realized this
was where
Black people
need to be to
close the wealth
gap, to leapfrog
over historic
inequities. I
wanted to build
on the legacy I
was given.”

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regan pritzker grew up in chicago, vaguely suffocated by
seeing her famously philanthropic family’s name on schools, hospitals and even parks. “It felt very self-congratulatory, instead of
focusing on community and the true root of Jewish philanthropy,
which is to be more anonymous in your giving,” says Pritzker, who
distanced herself by moving to California and working as an elementary schoolteacher.
With her siblings, Pritzker served somewhat halfheartedly on
the Libra Foundation, a social-justice nonprofit founded by her
parents, but became more enthusiastic when she confronted her
qualms. “My discomfort came from recognizing that my wealth
came at the expense of others,” she says, and from realizing the
issues she cared about profoundly—environmental and social injustice—were connected to the wealth inequalities from which she
benefitted.
Her work at Libra with groups such as Movement Generation—
which seeks to shift traditional philanthropy, with its top-down
management and frequently onerous reporting requirements, to a
more relationship-based and community-minded endeavor—helped
persuade her to start the Kataly Foundation in 2018. Part of her goal,
she says, “is to say to philanthropists like me, people with money
and race privilege: ‘We need to be willing to critique the system that
we have benefitted from in order to move forward.’ ”
Led by Nwamaka Agbo, a social-justice activist and specialist
in the field of restorative economics, Kataly was capitalized with
$445 million and focuses on economic and environmental justice,
community wealth-building and mindfulness training. The foundation has a notably short 10-to-15-year horizon to spend out its
assets and directs them to communities of color.
Crucially, Agbo notes, Kataly’s program directors “come out of
direct lived and movement-building experience,” which helps them
build trust. “BIPOC communities experience systemic barriers
in accessing the typical ‘friends and family’ capital that wealthier
communities have,” Agbo says. To offset obstacles imposed by structural racism, Kataly provides “non-extractive” loans, permitting
financial loss in return for greater social impact. The foundation’s
Restorative Economies Fund enables stakeholders to make collective decisions about which initiatives to invest in.
“It seems so obvious to me that philanthropy should be funding projects like that,
but many foundations have restrictions on
capital projects—they won’t fund a building
campaign or an ownership campaign,” Pritzker says. “For us, that’s the clear way to make
these resources durable and have a benefit
that outlives our foundation.”
Kataly funds nearly 300 organizations,
an eclectic list that ranges from the East Bay
Permanent Real Estate Cooperative, which
helps BIPOC communities purchase mixeduse and residential properties, and the Asian
Pacific Environmental Network, a green
advocacy group representing immigrant
communities, to the Harvard Divinity School.
The twin crises of Covid and racially motivated violence further
solidified Kataly’s relevance, Pritzker says. “So many of our problems are all connected to this broader, unacknowledged history of
racism in America,” she says. “We’ve been showing up at a significant enough scale to get people’s attention in the philanthropy
world, and therefore to serve as an invitation to others. Big funders
are moving more money, they’re moving it at scale, and they’re moving it to Black-led and Indigenous-led groups.”
For Pritzker, who spent years struggling with a sense of guilt,
Kataly has provided a clarity of purpose. “I don’t think traditional
philanthropy has permission anymore to be holding all the cards,”
she says. “Private individuals with wealth shouldn’t be the ones
determining where community resources should go.”

“

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So many of our
problems are
all connected
to this broader,
unacknowledged
history of racism
in America.”

Nwamaka

AGBO
Regan

PRITZKER
Kataly Foundation, Founded in 2018

Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx

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decades ago, when agnes gund was just beginning to explore
charitable giving, her mentor, the late philanthropist Irene Diamond, provided seminal advice. “She told me: ‘Be generous during
your lifetime,’ ” rather than creating an endowment, says Gund,
who is matter-of-fact and humble, despite her outsize role supporting dozens of organizations, including the ACLU; the Barnes
Foundation, where she is a trustee emerita; the Cleveland Museum
of Art, on whose board she currently sits; the Museum of Modern
Art, where she is president emerita and life trustee; and the Studio
Museum in Harlem.
Since 2017, the New York City doyenne of philanthropy has
spent more than $100 million fighting mass incarceration with
her Art for Justice Fund, which aims to safely reduce the prison
population and, like many of her efforts, incorporates art and artists
in the solution.
In 1977, when the city’s dire financial situation led to art classes
being slashed at public schools, Gund rallied her art-world friends
to help create Studio in a School, bringing instruction and working artists directly into classrooms. Studio now encompasses eight
US cities, managed by two organizations—Studio in a School NYC
and the Studio Institute—with a combined operating budget of $7
million. Celebrated contemporary artists, such as Glenn Ligon and
Sarah Sze, teach classes, and the program also offers coveted training for public school art teachers.
“All of this is based upon Agnes’s vision of equity and inclusion and serving the communities that need us most,” says Alison
Scott-Williams, president of Studio in a School NYC.
At 83 years old, Gund remains sharply focused on making her
philanthropic dollars stretch, often awarding multiyear grants
to ease the burden on nonprofits and providing direct support
rather than funneling money through other foundations, which
then fund grantees and sometimes take administrative fees. “This
allows me to make immediate impact and pivot more quickly if
needed,” she says.
That sense of urgency has propelled Gund, a white heiress to a
banking and real-estate fortune, to become a leader in the fight for
criminal-justice reform. After seeing Ava DuVernay’s documentary
13th, which draws a direct line from slavery to mass incarceration, Gund began reading about the issue
and seeking out Bryan Stevenson, Michelle
Alexander and other experts. Her horror
prompted her to sell one of her favorite
paintings, Roy Lichtenstein’s 1962 Masterpiece, and use $100 million from the proceeds to start the Art for Justice Fund.
In the four years since its inception, the
fund has dispersed $92 million to 287 nonprofits, while also raising nearly $25 million
from over 100 individual donors, including
art collectors, artists and incarcerated people. Among the beneficiaries is A New Way of
Life, an organization providing housing and
support for formerly incarcerated women.
Gund also continues to personally donate to
nonprofits that she “loves and adores” in the
field, such as Puppies Behind Bars, which trains prison inmates to
raise service dogs for wounded war veterans and first responders.
Not one to rest, Gund has visited prison and detention centers
and is now actively involved in helping female inmates who have
suffered severe abuse at New York’s Rikers Island jail. She is also
turning her attention to climate change, citing artist Maya Lin’s
installation Ghost Forest in Madison Square Park as inspiration.
Harnessing art as a force for good remains central to her approach.
“Agnes is an extraordinary philanthropist. She has an incredible
sense of timing,” says Helena Huang, project director of Art for
Justice. “She is wonderfully impatient. She’s always saying, ‘Why
can’t we do more?’ ”

In four years,
Art for Justice
has dispersed
$92 million to
287 nonprofits
working
against mass
incarceration.

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Agnes

GUND

Art for Justice Fund, Founded in 2017

Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx

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Louis
Louis Vuitton
Objets Nomades
Cosmic table by
Raw Edges, with
a leather-covered
base and a glass
top, and Merengue
leather-and-wool
pouf by Campana
Brothers, prices
upon request

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY S T E V E N S F R É M O N T

STYLING BY VIRGINIE DUB O S CQ

Vuitton’s
Objets of Desire
The venerable French house’s collection of cutting-edge furniture and accessories
taps a discerning clientele—and pits it against its longtime rival.
BY C H R I S T I N A B I N K L E Y

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W
202

MARCH 2021

Louis Vuitton’s Objets of Desire

W
w h e n m i c h a e l b u r k e arrived as
chairman and chief executive of Louis
Vuitton in 2012, an idea had been bouncing around the French luxury-goods
maker for several years: Why not sell
the many furnishings that decorated the
legacy brand’s stores? The sticking point
had always been that the items were the
equivalent of theatrical props—luxurious-looking tables and chairs that lacked
the functional design and safety certifications to allow them to be manufactured or
sold to the public. So Burke, an American

who had completed stints at Dior, Fendi
and Bulgari, kindled the concept of producing a new line, inspired by these props,
that would serve not only as seats, lamps
and end tables but also as collectible high
design. He hoped they might become as
iconic in the 21st century as the original 19th-century Louis Vuitton steamer
trunks—rare and beautiful objects created
for a discerning clientele. “In this digitalized world,” Burke tells Robb Report in
an exclusive interview via Zoom, “I think
that is something that is going to become
more and more precious.”
Louis Vuitton introduced the first of
these pieces in 2012 and now calls them
Objets Nomades—a name chosen because

each object is in some way inspired by
travel, harkening back to those original
trunks. In the past nine years, the collection has come to include a trove of covetable furniture and home accessories
conceived by some of the biggest names
in the business—from Atelier Oï’s woven
leather hammock for $48,500 to the
Campana Brothers’ Bulbo chair, resembling the blooming petals of an exotic
flower, available in raspberry and other
colors for $103,000—that are upping the
brand’s design cachet and drawing in
a new, young, hyper-affluent clientele.
And in the process, Objets Nomades may
also be stoking one of the luxury industry’s longest and fiercest rivalries.

ABOVE: Tropicalist
vase by Campana
Brothers, $11,200.
LEFT: Diamond
leather-trimmed
mirror by Marcel
Wanders Studio,
$4,650.

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Petal dining
chair by
Marcel Wanders
Studio, with
leather cushion
and cast-aluminum
legs, price upon
request

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As a brand, Vuitton has embraced
mass consumerism and pop culture while
maintaining its high-fashion bona fides.
Its logo bags and wallets are ubiquitous
in airports and shopping malls around
the world, priced so those hungering for
upper-class status symbols can afford
them on a splurge. Virgil Abloh, artistic
director for menswear, has reinvigorated
the fashion and monogram-covered luggage and accessories, splashing the bags
with colorful cartoonish drawings and
creating clothes with a haute-streetwear
vibe that have been adopted as a uniform
for rappers and are worn by stars from
Jay-Z to Timothée Chalamet. Women’s
artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière’s
armor-like gowns, meanwhile, bring the
house plaudits from red carpets; Agathe
Rousselle, the breakout star of the 2021
Palme d’Or–winning film Titane, has been
wearing Ghesquière-designed looks to
the movie’s premieres and film festivals
all around the globe.
Objets Nomades are not of that busy
world. Made to order or produced in
small quantities, requiring buyers to wait
months in anticipation of their delivery,
they appeal to customers who prefer privacy and calm appreciation. “This is not
fashion. This is not architecture. This is
design,” says Burke, speaking from his
Paris office. He sees the effort as taking
Vuitton back to its roots in innovative,
sometimes whimsical luggage, such
as the so-called Bed Trunk—essentially a
cot that popped out of a suitcase—ordered
in 1874 for the French explorer Pierre
Savorgnan de Brazza, known for signing treaties that established the French
Congo colony.
Today, the brand’s iconic trunks are
responsible for only a tiny fraction of
the company’s sales and are primarily
purchased as decor rather than for use
during travel. Yet their quality, inventiveness and implied wanderlust provided
the inspiration for the entire house as it
moved into ready-to-wear, jewelry and
fragrance over the past 25 years and, now,
Objets Nomades. “We were born actually
designing,” says Burke. “We’re not born
in fashion.”
With Objets, Vuitton seeks a variety
of design talents, as opposed to the singular visions of its fashion divisions. One
of its first entries was a circular folding
chair called the Concertina, which recalls
leather origami on ash-wood stilts. Without defining what the object would be,

Vuitton asked the London-based design
group Raw Edges, whose principals are
Shay Alkalay and Yael Mer, to come up
with an idea and develop it. The chair
was four years in the making, its early
iterations too uncomfortable to sit on,
the designers say. As they worked out its
mechanics, drawing the project two years
past deadline, Alkalay and Mer were surprised by the patience they encountered
from Vuitton, which seemed unconcerned with cost overruns and missed
due dates. Their marching orders were
first, make it beautiful, and then, make it
structural and comfortable. “I don’t think
a lot of brands could afford this level of
commitment,” says Mer, via a Zoom call
from Tel Aviv, where the pair spent part
of the pandemic. The Concertina chair
is now available by special order, priced
at $20,500. Conceivably, one could take
the collapsible seat on safari or sink into
it while extreme glamping, but buyers
are more likely to keep it in their living
rooms, where it would add a chic pop of
color and texture.
Yet Objets Nomades is not simply a
design exercise. Burke credits the artful, lighthearted collection with opening
Vuitton’s doors to the world’s youngest
generation of self-made wealth—clients
in their 30s and 40s who place orders
from $100,000 to $1 million. “We recruit
our wealthiest customers through Objets
Nomades,” Burke says, noting that the
company’s high jewelry tends to draw
the same cohort.
Often as young as 30, these clients
spent the first decade or so of adulthood
focused on building businesses, and

of the product, the raw material. They’re
really into old-fashioned carriage tradetype relationships.”
Those relationships can play out,
though, in the most modern of ways,
including with augmented reality if, for
instance, a client would like to see how a
sofa might look in their living room from
the convenience of their phone or laptop.
Many of the Objets are on Louis Vuitton’s
website; largely, though, the company
encourages clients to discover them at
design weeks around the world and at
a roving lineup of “Savoir Faire” events
and other gatherings that it holds in
private homes and temporary locations.
At a recent such event in Los Angeles,
a warehouse space was transformed
into a series of rooms furnished with
Vuitton products; the one for Objets felt
like a cross between the Jetsons’ living
room and an exhibit at the Museum of
Modern Art.
Vuitton doesn’t dictate to its designers, but it does leave room for crosspollination, opening the doors to its
archives on the outskirts of Paris, which
contain 300,000 objects. In time, just as
Abloh and Ghesquière take inspiration
from the legacy trunks—locks one season, logo canvas another—Burke hopes
Objets will fuel creativity down the road.
“The Objet Nomade aspires to be another
iconic object that survives centuries,” he
says. Burke is aiming for Vuitton to produce pieces that, like Isamu Noguchi’s
paper lanterns, Charlotte Perriand’s
wooden tables for Cassina or the Eames
lounge chair for Herman Miller, outlive
their designers.

“This is not fashion. This is not
architecture. This is design.”
Burke says they now derive pleasure from
developing connoisseurship: They’re
finished with instant gratification and
product drops. Made-to-order goods that
require time to craft with precision offer
another level of satisfaction.
“They’re paying to wait,” Burke says.
“They don’t want something overnight.
They do want a physical relationship
with the brand. They do want to research
the origin of the product, the design

Objets Nomades now differentiates Louis Vuitton from the crowd of
luxury-brand competitors—with one
exception. Because Objets Nomades is
not a wholly original idea. Louis Vuitton is dipping its toes in what has been
the territory of Hermès, another French
company with roots in the 19th century—
though in saddlery rather than luggage.
While Hermès offers fashion collections
and holds runway shows during Paris

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Fashion Week, the company remains
broadly focused on furnishing a luxury
lifestyle. Its internal Paris showrooms—
used by its global retail managers to order
inventory—are reminiscent of an insanely
opulent and playful department store,
filled with furniture, housewares, art
objects, sports equipment and toys, in
addition to leather goods, jewelry, scarves
and apparel.
There is almost no element of a
gilded life that Hermès doesn’t consider
with some article or other, including
many rare ones, sparsely produced. It’s
possible to furnish a living room with
Hermès’s $83,100 three-seat Sellier sofa,
play on a $40,000 mahjong game set in
solid rosewood or toss a $620 calfskin
frisbee. “There’s almost no other group
today that touches the customer so
much in how they live,” says luxury
consultant Robert Burke (no relation to
Michael), founder of New York–based
Robert Burke Associates.
And there’s no love lost between
LVMH, Louis Vuitton’s parent company,
and Hermès. LVMH, led by chairman
and chief executive Bernard Arnault,
famously—and initially in secret—
acquired a large stake in Hermès, a
family-controlled public company, over
a period of years in the 2000s and was

know more about us than we know about
them.” Hermès declined to comment for
this article.
Commending Hermès for adhering to
its heritage, Burke also is quick to note
what he sees as Objets Nomades’ biggest
point of divergence. “They’re coming at
it from a different vantage point that is
very much in tune with their DNA, so I’m
not knocking it,” he says. “It’s basically a
continuation of what they’ve been doing
for so long, so I’m complimenting that.
I think our approach is typically more
audacious. It’s based on giving more
freedom to the designers. Our briefs are
basically two words: Surprise us.”
As a result of these efforts, Louis Vuitton is rising above its own runways and
the famous fashion designers who have
shaped the brand’s public perception,
beginning with Marc Jacobs, who introduced the company’s first prêt-à-porter
collections after taking the helm as creative director in 1997. “Vuitton as a company has become greater than fashion
or accessories,” says Robert Burke, who
has worked for Jacobs’s namesake house,
which is owned by LVMH. He points to
the example of a Louis Vuitton shop on
the Place Vendôme in Paris that is as
much gallery as retail store, and LVMH’s
Cheval Blanc hotels, which offer a level

“I think our approach is typically
more audacious. It’s based on giving
more freedom to the designers.
Our briefs are basically two words:
Surprise us.”
roughly rebuffed. The two luxury behemoths ended up suing each other in a
legal melee that lasted for several years
and played out like a bitter one-sided
romance. LVMH ultimately agreed to
stay hands-off and to divest much of its
stake in Hermès.
Today, Michael Burke acknowledges
that the two companies “absolutely”
share clientele and that Vuitton is a diligent student of Hermès. “And vice versa.
They shop us,” he says. “They’re very
aware of what we’re doing. I think they

of art, decor and service that extends
luxury goods into pure lifestyle. “If you
know artwork and highly collectible furniture,” he says, “it’s off the charts as soon
as you walk in.”
The latest additions to the Objets
Nomades collections will be shown at
its Miami stores during the city’s Design
Week in December. Two boldly colored,
cartoonishly rounded outdoor chairs and
a sofa by Chinese designer Frank Chou
will join pieces from an eclectic array of
acclaimed designers, including the Cam-

pana Brothers, Patricia Urquiola, Marcel
Wanders and Raw Edges. In 2018, Vuitton introduced Petits Nomades, a playful
collection of smaller objects by some of
the Objets designers. It’s now possible to
furnish a home full of Objets and Petits
products, from lamps and mirrors to
swing chairs and stools.
Michael Burke says it took about four
years for the line to become profitable
but notes the brand would gladly have
waited longer: “It could have been 10
years.” What’s more, profitability was not
the goal. Objets is about brand elevation,
so there was not even an annual budget.
Burke describes the approach as, “Damn
the torpedoes, we’re going to truly be
slaves to design.”
The house can afford profligate
spending, of course, because LVMH is
controlled by the Arnault family, which
is far more patient than Wall Street fund
managers. Bernard Arnault is generally
ranked among the top five richest people in the world on the Bloomberg and
Forbes billionaires lists, with his wealth
currently estimated between $160 billion
and $180 billion. “Bernard always says,
‘If the stock tanks, I’ll just buy more,’ ”
says Burke. “The executive has to think
in decades, not years.”
That puts the brand’s designers, both
in-house and commissioned, in enviable
positions of independence, creatively and
financially. Mer and Alkalay, who have
continued to design for Objets Nomades
since introducing the Concertina chair,
say they don’t bother to familiarize themselves with what Vuitton’s two artistic
directors, Abloh and Ghesquière, send
down the runways each season. They
have taken note, though, that Vuitton is
looking for a memorable, modern sensibility. “There were bold aesthetics that
they wanted. This is not for every corner in a room,” Alkalay says. Mer adds,
“Everything is very bold and pop-y.”
The freedom that astonished Mer
and Alkalay, Burke says, often frightens
designers at first. “It’s basically a white
piece of paper, which for designers, initially, scares the hell out of them,” he says.
“It’s a lot easier designing with boundaries. But I know that if I don’t give them
boundaries, they’re going to create them
themselves. We just say, ‘Make us smile,’
and that’s about it.”
“At the end of the day,” he notes,
“your report card is: Did anybody buy
anything?”

Lanterns by
Zanellato/Bortotto
are made with
woven leather and
feature blownglass light domes
and rechargeable
LED lights, $7,050
and $9,350.

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CLARA YOUNG: NORTH BERWICK GOLF CLUB

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High
Tee

When is a round of golf as exciting
as heli-skiing? When revolutionary enthusiasts
take charge of logistics.
By J E N M U R P H Y Photography by A M A N D A F A R N E S E H E AT H

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

209

tion 40 Years Old. As we taste our way through a
flight of the Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old, the
distillery’s Double Cask 15 Years Old and the 2021
release of its Rare Cask, my whisky-warmed worries about the ominous weather forecast spill out.
Geddes, a baby-faced 49-year-old with a predilection for extreme skiing and fine French wines,
seems anything but concerned as he takes another
sip of the Rare Cask, which he poetically describes
as Christmas in a glass. “We’ll be fine,” he says
with a sly smile. “Plus, a helicopter and helipad
are a backup if we can’t make a water landing, and
if it’s too windy, a private boat is on standby.”

The dramatic clifftop golf course at Ardfin Estate sits mostly on rock
and clay rather than on sand and dunes, with holes placed on slivers of beach
and in towering bluffs. Boldly sculpted into the rugged shoreline of the
southern tip of Jura, an island in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides, it requires an
adventurous soul to play, not to mention to reach.
George Orwell described the secluded isle, population 230 people and
6,000 deer, as “an extremely un-get-atable place.” In the late 1940s, it was
the perfect remote retreat to pen his final work, 1984. Today, it’s home
to one road, one pub, one whisky distillery and Ardfin, one of the world’s
most ambitious and lavish golf retreats. It’s exactly the type of edge-of-theworld locale Bravo Whisky Golf specializes in discovering and making accessible to guests.
Some of Scotland’s most spectacular links are tucked away in the deepest
corners of fissured coastline and middle-of-nowhere islands, calling for hours
of travel by car, plane and ferry to reach. Accessing Ardfin from Edinburgh,
for example, typically demands a full and exhausting day requiring a nearly
five-hour drive plus an hour-long ferry ride, or an hour drive to Glasgow to
catch a regularly delayed regional flight to Islay, followed by a ferry crossing
and short drive, all at the whims of the west coast’s unpredictable weather.
But Bravo Whisky Golf founders Neil Scott Johnson and Paul Geddes adamantly believe that a proper golf holiday should never involve more than 30
minutes of driving in one day. Whether zeroed in on their native Scotland or
looking farther afield in Scandinavia, the duo aligns hard-to-reach courses
with airstrips, boutique hotels and VIP experiences, such as special entry
to distilleries or a private dinner with a lord at his grand ancestral estate.
Thanks to a relationship with the only commercial seaplane company in the
UK, they’re able to escort guests like me to Ardfin in under an hour.
The evening before my scheduled departure for Jura, Geddes surprises
me with a private whisky tasting at my hotel, Edinburgh’s grande dame, the
Balmoral. Scotch, the hotel’s exclusive whisky room, boasts over 500 varieties of the Scottish spirit, including the sought-after Macallan Red Collec-

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PREVIOUS SPREAD,
CLOCKWISE FROM
FAR LEFT: Bravo

Whisky Golf brand
ambassador Clara
Young takes a
swing; a vintage
Daimler V8 250 from
Edinburgh Classic
Cars transports
guests; the course
and boathouse at
Ardfin Estate on
the Isle of Jura;
cycling on Ez-Riders
electric bicycles;
Ardfin’s reception
area; Bruichladdich
Distillery on the
Isle of Islay.

Geddes and Johnson, I quickly learn, aren’t
just golf and whisky fanatics. The NATO alphabet
code words that form the company’s name are
a nod to the duo’s military-esque logistical and
tactical mastery. “We don’t sit around,” Geddes
assures me. “There’s always a plan A, B, C and even
D.” They are also connoisseurs of the finer things
in life (classic cars, Champagne, contemporary
art, bespoke tweed suits) with the uncanny ability
to secure everything from tee times at St. Andrews
to a private showing of one-of-a-kind tartans by
cult textile designer Araminta Campbell.
The friends met over 20 years ago while studying at Aberdeen University. Their professional
paths veered—Johnson went into property management and ran a catering business with his
wife, while Geddes traded commodities—then
three years ago, they took a ski trip to Chamonix, France. Deep into their second bottle of
wine après ski, they hatched the idea for a company that would make playing 18 holes as exciting
as heli-skiing.
Being someone who thrives on adrenaline,
I was dubious. But Bravo Whisky Golf is not a
conventional golf travel company. It’s a luxury
travel company that specializes in golf. A variety
of flight plans serve as jumping-off points to build
the trip of your dreams. And if you prefer to mix
in some time on the rails, the pair can schedule
a break around a charter of the Royal Scotsman,
the Belmond luxury train. Given the company’s
short season—May through September—and diligent flight organizing, which can require weeks
to puzzle together followed by six months of
fine-tuning, Geddes and Johnson take on only
12 to 16 groups, each ranging from two to eight
guests, every year.
For golf obsessives, Bravo Whisky Golf can
curate journeys such as a 2022 booking set to
hit 17 courses in 19 days across five countries.
Another plan, which saves 21.5 hours of travel and
hops to four off-the-beaten-path Scottish courses
via four private flights in three days, serves as a
muse for guests like me, who are short on time
and like a round of whisky as much as one on the
links. Most groups—nearly 90 percent—are couples looking to complement playing time with
insider experiences.
Geddes or Johnson, a fit 53-year-old who
keeps his game sharp by waking at dawn to do
qigong, personally escorts every trip. Whoever
stays behind runs logistics to ensure everything

High Tee

from the transfer of golf clubs to the backup helicopter flights is executed seamlessly. I was lucky
enough to have both gents by my side and got to
watch firsthand as they smoothly shifted activities around weather delays and unexpected pandemic restrictions.
Geddes’s instincts were correct, and despite
the wind and mizzle, a Scottishism for mist and
drizzle, we take off, as planned, in a Cessna 208
seaplane over Loch Lomond. The UK’s largest lake
spans 23 miles, and in the eyes of Bravo Whisky
Golf, doubles as its longest runway. We could fly
direct to Jura, but Ardfin’s team messages to say
the weather is wet and blustery—by a Scot’s measure, that’s akin to a hurricane—so we splash
down on the banks of Loch Voil for Champagne
and plump, briny oysters shucked by Tom Lewis,
the bald, brazen chef-owner of Monachyle Mhor,
a restaurant with rooms where Bravo Whisky Golf
sometimes hosts guests.
Johnson and Geddes pride themselves on
finding unique accommodations. Their portfolio
includes classics such as the Balmoral as well as
relative newcomers, including the Fife Arms, a
Highlands inn reimagined by the owners of juggernaut art gallery Hauser & Wirth. But then there
is also a retired lighthouse tender turned floating luxury hotel, a 13th-century castle and Laudale Estate, a buy-out property with 10 uniquely
designed guest rooms and a toy-filled boathouse
located on the shores of the Morvern Peninsula.
Our plan A had been to arrive at Ardfin by
late afternoon for 18 holes. I have no complaints
with our backup strategy, which, in addition to
the mid-morning oyster snack, includes a potential splashdown on Tiree to surf the long peeling waves of Balevullin beach and visit Welan,
the men’s favorite maker of woolly hats in Scotland. But we decide to linger at Monachyle Mhor
instead, and when we depart, the ever-changing
light up above feels almost biblical. After the veil
of mizzle finally lifts, our flight also serves as an
aerial tour of the archipelago’s wild beauty.
When our pilot gently eases us down near the
shore of Ardfin just before dusk, estate manager
Willie Macdonald is already waiting with the rib
boat to shuttle us to the hotel. Throughout our
trip, a drink seems to be the antidote for Scotland’s
damp weather, but for once we’re greeted not with
whisky, but gin.
Macdonald escorts us into the glass-ceilinged
Atrium, where Claire Fletcher, one of the three
female owners of the island’s six-year-old gin distillery, Lussa, is behind the bar. As she mixes G&Ts,
she schools us on the 15 botanicals—all foraged on
Jura—that give Lussa its distinctive aromatics and
velvety finish. Savory house-cured venison salami
topped with shaved olives and Parmesan accompany the zesty cocktails almost too well. Luckily,
Macdonald gathers us for dinner before a third
round is ordered.
All stone and wood, decorated with just the
right mix of taxidermy and tweed (spun from
looms on neighboring Islay), Ardfin is the quintessential Scottish estate. It’s the type of destination
that immediately lulls you into a slower pace with

its oversized fireplaces, coddling staff and sprawling grounds. Australian
multimillionaire Greg Coffey—nicknamed the Wizard of Oz for his financial
brilliance—acquired the 12,000-acre property in 2010 and hired compatriot
and renowned golf architect Bob Harrison to craft what some are calling the
greatest course on the planet.

One look at his creation and its punishing geography, and it’s

immediately clear that Harrison designed the 18 holes for a unique breed
of golfer—more thrill-seeker than perfectionist. Six years in the making, the
course was initially invite-only. But Coffey’s vision for Ardfin grew beyond
golf. Last year he debuted five-star accommodations, including the exclusiveuse Jura House, which has nine guest rooms, plus 13 art-filled rooms and two
apartments located in the estate’s former farm buildings. Guests have access
to his much-hyped golf course, but Coffey hopes they will also come, as he
does, to soak in the raw wilderness on deer stalks with Jura-born gamekeeper
Scott Muir or kayak expeditions in the bay and its surrounding skerries.
We, however, have one mission: golf. The drying cupboard in my room is the
first hint that I’ll be playing in the morning’s sideways downpour. Rain gear
supplied by Bravo Whisky Golf is the second. “If you want to golf in Scotland,
you can’t be scared of a little weather,” says a giddy Johnson. He has played
the course before—one of the many benefits of having an escort who is also a
global panelist for Golf Digest International—and I can sense his excitement
as we step foot on the first tee box. “This is golf nirvana,” he says with a sigh.
We are the sole players out here today. As I take in the wilderness around
me—sheep and stags in the distance, crashing waves on the rocks—I know
this place is something special.
The distractingly cinematic scenery makes it hard to focus, and this is
a course that requires concentration. There is no room for error with the
wind and the slope. It’s not uncommon for players to lose five balls in the
Jurassic-sized bracken and thick carpets of heather or off devilish cliffs. The
rain subsides, but the wind doesn’t let up as Johnson approaches the back
tee of the par-3 10th hole. Precariously perched on a vertigo-inducing cliff
jutting out above the ocean, this cliff-to-cliff hero shot spans 178 yards. “This
is adventure golf,” Johnson shouts into the howling wind. The extreme environment seems to heighten his competitiveness. He nails the shot and lets
loose a simultaneous fist pump-hip shake that Geddes and I later name the
Jura jive. As much as we tease, I’d be jiving, too, if I’d made that drive.
The 11th hole is a challenging par-4 that meanders from the cliff tops
across wetlands down to a small boathouse on the shoreline. Music buffs
might recognize the site where Scottish
band KLF set fire to 1 million pounds in
the 1990s in the name of art. Now it’s
a cushy comfort station where players
can warm up by the fireplace, regain
focus and refuel on seafood platters and
venison steaks. We battle the elements,
lose way more than five balls each and
finish the round with weary legs and
ruddy faces. It is hands-down the most
exhilarating course I’ve ever played.
The next day, we hop a five-minute
ferry across to Islay. Just 15 miles from
Ardfin, another multimillionaire, former BBC chairman Gavyn Davies, and
his wife, Baroness Sue Nye, have recently reinvented the Machrie, one of
Scotland’s iconic links courses. Originally laid out in 1891 by famed Scottish
golfer Willie Campbell, it weaved in and out of what many describe as the
wildest dunes in all of Scotland. Unruly tufts of marram grass resembled the
furry heads of Highland cattle, hiding both the ocean view and, infuriatingly
to golfers, many a pin.
The redesign is equally challenging yet more refined, and even traditionalists will concede the new seascapes are dazzling. While Ardfin’s course
aims to intimidate, the Machrie encourages progression and fun. The Wee
Course, with six par-3s, for example, is the perfect setting for whisky-fueled
sunset putt-putt, which we play with antique hickory clubs one evening.
Similarly, the renovated Machrie Hotel is the antithesis of Ardfin’s masculine wilderness estate. Baroness Nye enlisted her friend hotelier Campbell

“We don’t sit
around. There’s
always a plan A, B,
C and even D.”

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GUT TER CREDITS

From the sea, I’m able to fully appreciate the immensity

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High Tee

GUT TER CREDITS

of Bass Rock, soaring about 350 feet into the sky.

Paddleboarding
past Bass Rock,
Scotland’s onetime
version of Alcatraz

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

213

DINING ON THE BALGONE ESTATE: ALLAN MYLES

In true Bravo Whisky
Golf fashion, wind-in-myhair adventure is
followed by a formal affair:
tea with a lord.

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High Tee

Gray to create a stylish, 47-room country home that celebrates golf heritage
with shelves of historic tournament trophies and framed Hermès and Gucci
golfing-themed scarves hung throughout the halls. Whisky is even more
acclaimed than golf on this sleepy island, and the hotel’s restaurant and bar,
18, aptly overlooking Machrie’s final hole and Laggan Bay, stocks bottles from
all nine island distilleries, plus many more. But as a guest of Johnson and
Geddes, I visit the cellar doors of lauded producers such as Bowmore, where
we tour the No. 1 Vaults, said to be the world’s oldest scotch maturation warehouse, set on the shore of Loch Indaal, and Bruichladdich, where original
Victorian-era equipment, including a seven-ton mash tun and 20-foot narrow-necked stills, is still in use.

A private plane delivers us back to the east coast to play our final holes

at North Berwick West Links, Geddes and Johnson’s seaside home course.
Blessed with a sunny, blue-sky day, we cut our game short and detour to EzRiders, a new e-bike outfitter in nearby East Lothian. Tina O’Rourke, the
sporty co-owner, guides us on a ride along the craggy coast, past the ruins
of Tantallon Castle and down along the sandy beach of Seacliff. Learning
that the ocean would be uncharacteristically calm and knowing my deep
love of water activities, Geddes and Johnson called ahead: Paddleboards
from local operator Ocean Vertical are awaiting us on the shore. I zip into
a 5-millimeter wetsuit just in case my balance fails me. From the sea, I’m
able to fully appreciate the immensity of Bass Rock. Soaring about 350 feet
into the sky, Scotland’s Alcatraz sits just 1.2 miles offshore and today shelters
the world’s largest colony of northern gannets, snowy-white seabirds with
black-tipped wings.
In true Bravo Whisky Golf fashion, wind-in-my-hair adventure is followed by a formal affair: tea with a lord. Our car turns down a hidden driveway, delivering us to Broomhall House. The 300-year-old home of the family

CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP: An aircraft
from Loch Lomond
Seaplanes; local
oysters and
scallops served at
Monachyle Mhor
in Balquhidder;
Bravo Whisky
Golf founders Paul
Geddes and Neil
Scott Johnson;
dining alfresco;
the writer heading
to Seacliff Beach
in North Berwick;
Johnson, Young
and Geddes head
to the next hole.

of King Robert the Bruce—father of Scottish independence—is straight out
of Downtown Abbey and closed to the public. Lord Charles Bruce, heir to the
Earldom of Elgin and Kincardine, ushers us inside the library, where shelves
of books, including a first edition of Adam Smith’s The Theory of Moral Sentiments, contain some of the greatest ideas of the past three centuries. Charles
is just as much historian as host and entertains my inner history nerd by sharing letters exchanged between his great-grandfather, the 9th Earl of Elgin,
who served as Secretary of State for the Colonies, and Winston Churchill,
his undersecretary at the time. A neighboring room has been turned into
a museum that currently displays artifacts, such as a compass, musket and
handwritten journal, from the travels of explorer James Bruce of Kinnaird, a
cousin of the 5th Earl. Charles could indulge me for hours, but Geddes insists
we can’t be late for our final appointment.
It’s my last evening back in Edinburgh, and the gents don their
finest tweeds and wow me with a loaner vintage gown. A driver appears in a
midnight-blue Daimler V8 250 to whisk us off to dinner. Bravo, indeed.

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

215

DON’T
PANIC
Whether disguised as a bookcase or a tricked-out closet,
the all-star safe room is your neighbor’s little secret.

GUT TER CREDITS

BY LUCY ALEXANDER ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL STOLLE

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R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

217

M
Most people don’t notice the bookcase in the
Costa Rica hilltop vacation home, lined with
popular biographies and thrillers by Clive
Cussler, John Grisham and Dan Brown. Their
eyes rest instead on the tropical views through
the room’s windows. But like the adventure
stories it holds, the bookcase also has a mystery at
its heart: Its deliberately ordinary facade conceals
a bulletproof steel door weighing hundreds of
pounds, yet so finely balanced that a small child
can easily open and close it. And behind that door
lies a panic room.
Adam Carter, owner of the house and its hidden internal refuge, describes himself as “a very
ordinary, nondescript 58-year-old, with a family,
working from home.” A marketing consultant
from the Southwest, Carter has “valuable possessions” to protect, but not “bars of gold or stock
certificates.” Instead, he wants to ensure that his
wife and children “can get someplace safe where
there is literally no way that anybody can force
entry,” he says. “That’s peace of mind.”
Peace of mind is what panic-room manufacturers sell. Carter, who asked that we not use his real
name because of security concerns (of course),
built his six years ago, when custom bunkers were
still uncommon outside of celebrity compounds
and doomsday cults. Today, purveyors of con-

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The most secret
doors to be installed in a
single residence
— Creative Home Engineering

$10,000
The cheapest reinforced
security door
— Fortified & Ballistic Security

36
to
inches

The average thickness
of a security door
— Fortified & Ballistic Security

cealed armor-plated doors say demand has moved
decisively from the fringes into the mainstream.
“We used to be the niche within a niche,” says
David Vranicar, managing partner at Fortified &
Ballistic Security, in Miami. “In order to be our
client, you had to be really, really paranoid and
you had to be really, really wealthy. That’s not
the case anymore.” Demand is roughly four times
higher than it was pre-2020, he says, and requests
are increasingly elaborate.
Though safes, alarm systems and cameras are
now standard fare, and private security services
have a host of other methods at their disposal,
part of the appeal of a panic room, Vranicar says,
is that “you pay me once, we put it in there, and
you can lock me out. That last line of defense
between you and the bad guy should be controlled
only by you and your loved ones.” But the sudden
popularity of reinforced-concrete shelters may
say more about the state of our national psyche
than about an actual lack of residential security.
The new generation of panic rooms are usually multipurpose, says Tom Gaffney, president
of Gaffco Ballistics, based in Vermont. “It tends
to be her walk-in closet,” which he says can double as a vault for jewelry, guns and art and a place
to shelter in case of home intrusion. “In the type
of residence we’re working in, they can be 1,000
square feet.” The room itself—walls, doors and
windows—will be blast-resistant and impervious
to ballistics and forced entry, he explains: “We
base the criteria on what the US government does
for their embassies overseas.”

ill Rigdon, CEO of Los Angeles–based
Building Consensus, whose panic rooms
start at $50,000 and go up to more than
$1 million depending on the specs, makes
his doors out of AR500 armor plate, used in bank
vaults and by the military. “You can shoot at it all
day long and you’re not going to get in there,”
Rigdon says.
Vranicar coats his panic rooms in a bulletproof
concrete called BallistiCrete, which is applied
like plaster. His security windows start at $3,000,
his doors at $10,000, “and they’ll go to infinity and
beyond,” he adds. A popular option is a hidden
gun safe in the back of the door.
Rooms are accessed by fingerprint reader or
facial recognition—ease and speed are crucial in

Don’t Panic

“That last line of defense
between you and the
bad guy should be
controlled only by you and
your loved ones.”
an emergency. “You’re asleep at 3 o’clock in the
morning,” says Gaffney. You hear your alarm, “you
need to go into a room that you’re used to using
on a regular basis so you don’t have to think about
it, straight into the walk-in closet or the master
bathroom, [then] hit the button,” which locks the
door and alerts the police. Families with children
often turn a kids’ bathroom or closet into a safe
room. And if an intruder were to cut the power,
entry would revert to a manual lock, with a key
for the outside. If you’re already secured inside,
the door would remain locked until you use a
“thumb turn” to release it.
Those haunted by the fate of Edmond Safra,
the billionaire banker who died in 1999 of smoke
inhalation, along with one of his nurses, inside
the panic room of his Monaco penthouse from a
fire apparently set by another of his nurses, will
be reassured to know that modern versions come
with sprinkler systems, fireproofing and a separate, filtered air supply.
A panic room is not a success if it induces
panic on sight, says Gaffney, so the safety features
must be “extremely low-key—they want it, but
they don’t want to see it.” Some companies, such
as Arizona-based Creative Home Engineering,
make clever concealment a priority. Steve Humble, the company’s president, says he hides secret,
sometimes motorized doors behind “brick walls,
fireplaces, bookcases, wood paneling, grandfather
clocks, staircases that lift up and whatever else
the client [has] seen in a movie.” The cost of a single door ranges from $2,500 to $190,000; options
include resistance to 50-caliber rifle fire.
Humble’s most cautious clients will, when
building a new house, privately designate one
(concrete) room as their safe haven without tell-

Secret doors, such
as this bookcase
by Creative Home
Engineering, rely on
concealment to
foil intruders.

The average number of
secret doors
sold globally per month
_

Creative Home Engineering

ing their builders about its intended use. “They
will come to us after the house is complete and
have us build a door that doesn’t look like a door,”
says Humble. Some rely on camouflage while others add in extra security, such as thicker walls or a
layer of BallistiCrete.
In other cases, the secret room becomes a spymovie gimmick. Ray Nosrati, a developer who
builds LA mega mansions, now includes a standard cement-and-steel panic room. It’s “very similar to a bank safe,” he says, except sometimes hidden underneath the swimming pool. “It’s really a
conversation piece.”
Some homeowners opt for entrapment as a
bonus feature, such as a client of Vranicar’s, who
didn’t want a hypothetical thwarted intruder to
be able to simply slink away unapprehended. “He
had a spiral staircase [that] led up to where the
family’s sleeping quarters were,” Vranicar recalls.
“We made it that the bottom door, you could open
freely. When you got about halfway up the staircase, it locked.” The client told Vranicar, “I want
to catch him like a rat in a trap.”

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

219

Don’t Panic

Panic rooms also appeal to the dilettante vigilante. “Some of these guys, you go in there and it
looks like, you know, the end of the world,” says
Rigdon. “They’ve got gun racks, you name it, it’s
in there. It’s all military-grade stuff.” He ensures
clients are prepared for a siege, stocking rooms
with dehydrated food and medical kits.
Some use panic rooms to stow gold bars (“They
can get a break on their insurance if they’re stored
in a secure room,” says Humble) or as repositories
for collections of watches, art, stamps, high-end
sneakers or vintage baseball cards. Nosrati’s clients have asked him to kit out their secure spaces
as various types of man caves, such as a cannabis
den, a cigar lounge and a sex room.

n Vranicar’s opinion, having just one impenetrable space is impractical, and he’s not a big
fan of the term “panic room.” If you’re awoken
at night by “something nefarious,” he says, the
last thing you want to do is have to run to another
room, “which is probably full of luggage.” A panic
room, in his view, “is a place of fear, anxiety; it’s
a place you would never want to go.” Instead, he
says, “why don’t we create a sanctuary, which is a
place you’d never want to leave?” His solution is
to fortify the primary bedroom or whole sections
of the house. Most of his clients—the majority
of whom are women—start off asking for a safe
room, “and they just end up doing every door and
window in the house.”
The recent rise in demand for panic rooms is
almost entirely a US phenomenon, manufacturers
agree. There’s a small but steady overseas market
in embassies, authoritarian Middle Eastern states
and countries with high socioeconomic inequality and crime, such as Nigeria, where Gaffco has
done work for businessmen, or Israel, where
every residential building constructed after 1990
must incorporate a reinforced-concrete shelter.
In these countries, safe rooms are deadly serious,
not bachelor-pad novelties.
London is something of an anomaly, despite
its history of terrorist attacks and a housing market that acts as a piggy bank for the wealthy of the
world. Harrods, the department store favored by
Russian and Middle Eastern homeowners (see
The Duel, page 232), sells panic rooms, but in a
country with few guns, the stakes are lower. Given
the “serious art collections in private houses” in
London, there is “surprisingly little security” in

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

$210,000
The cost of converting
a 600-square-foot
walk-in closet into a
dual-use panic room at
$350 per square foot
— Gaffco Ballistics

20%
The increase in
client requests since
the pandemic
— Gaffco Ballistics

102
minutes
The length of time it
takes to break down a
maximum-security door
— Fortified & Ballistic Security

much of the city, says Simon Barry, head of new
developments at Harrods Estates, the store’s
real-estate arm. He has tried to “push the idea of
installing panic rooms” with developers, “but I
can’t say as we’ve had any takers yet.”
So what’s stoking recent demand in America? “There is a trigger,” says Rigdon, for whom
website inquiries have jumped from between 20
and 100 per week up to almost 10,000 weekly
during the pandemic, “and the trigger is, they’re
watching the news.” In 2020, the US recorded the
biggest annual increase in homicides since the
government began keeping statistics in the 1960s,
according to FBI figures.
Panic rooms are particularly popular in Beverly Hills, where the local police department
reported a 58 percent rise in residential burglaries from October 2020 through September 2021,
compared with the previous 12 months. Over the
same period, there was also a 34 percent rise in
aggravated assaults, defined as “an assault with
a weapon or with the intent to inflict severe or
aggravated bodily injury.” High-profile incidents
such as an armed robbery at Il Pastaio, a popular
Beverly Hills restaurant, have unsettled residents,
says Nosrati. In March, a man dining at an outdoor
table there was robbed at gunpoint; the three perpetrators stole his $500,000 Richard Mille wristwatch and shot another patron (who recovered).

n even more doomsday scenario: Vranicar
says some of his clients “think there’s an
internal struggle coming in the United
States between the haves and the havenots. And they’re preparing for it.” This perceived
threat is, he admits, very good for business.
Companies also increasingly provide domestic protection to their top executives. At the San
Francisco home of one multinational CEO, Gaffney says, “all the exterior doors and windows had
to be bullet-resistant and forced-entry-resistant.
That was mandated by the corporation themselves. They looked at it as key-man insurance.
Lose him, the stock goes down.”
Other motivations seem less grounded in reality. “We’ve had people before say, ‘I think there’s
going to be an atomic bomb going off next year,
and I want to be prepared,’ ” says Rigdon, with a
chuckle. “So we go, ‘Yeah, that’s a possibility!’ ”
Manhattan clients often cite the fear of terrorist attacks as their primary driver, says Gaffney,

Creative Home
Engineering’s
ultrahigh-security vault
door looks like
something out of an old
movie, but the bolt work
is protected inside
the door itself, making
it immune from being
pried open—the Achilles’
heel of conventional
vault doors.

If you’re awoken at night
by “something nefarious,”
the last thing you want
to do is have to run to another
room, “which is probably
full of luggage.”

noting that he has sometimes been asked to install
an additional panic room in a townhouse basement
as a place to wait out a city-wide lockdown. “We’ll
take a [home] movie theater, for example, and
make that into a secondary safe room,” he explains.
“It’s belowground, so if there is a nuclear, biological, chemical attack, the radiation can’t leak down.”
These requests are typically channeled through
“ex-governmental guys, FBI, Secret Service” now
employed as personal-security consultants.
Sometimes fear is driven by a lack of control.
One of Vranicar’s clients—“He’s not a celebrity, but
he’s on the Forbes list”—ordered 48 bulletproof
doors and about 60 windows, enough for every
room in his house. “I said, ‘Why? Nobody even
knows who you are,’ ” Vranicar recalls. “He said,
‘There are many things that can harm me, my wife,
my daughters and my grandchildren that I am powerless to stop. They can get hit by a car; they can get
sick. This is something I can stop, and for the want
of a little money, I’m not going to let that get ’em.’ ”
This need to mount a proactive defense is also
the goal of “mainstream” panic-room buyers, such

$100,000
to
$500,000
The average client
spend per panic room
— Building Consensus

as Carter, who secretly designated a room when
building his getaway in Costa Rica. In his hometown in the US, where he owns a firearm, the police
take an average of six and a half minutes to respond
to an emergency call. “Well, that’s an eternity,” he
says. “And in a developing country, that could be
hours. We had to simply be responsible for our
own safety and security, and the safe room was the
most practical way that I could ensure that.”
Carter instructed his architect to include a reinforced-concrete room, ordered a $22,000 bulletproof steel door from Humble, concealed it behind
a built-in bookcase and installed motion sensors
inside and outside the house that he can control
remotely from the US. There are no humidors or
diamonds within the mini fortress, merely emergency food and water and a bucket, in case, he says,
“you really had to, you know, spend hours there.”
Gaffney knows of just four times his panic
rooms have been used in emergencies; Humble
is aware of at least two; Vranicar, none. Rigdon
reports a few, each one resulting in a business
opportunity: “They want to upgrade,” he says. “And
then we also provide them with bulletproof vests.”
Carter’s panic room has been used only once.
He was away, and his wife was taking an afternoon
nap, when the alarm went off. She followed the
well-rehearsed protocol, says Carter, and ran into
the protective chamber, cell phone in hand, and
closed the door behind her, securing herself inside.
She called her husband, and they reviewed the
surveillance footage on their phones, though the
suspected miscreant cleverly evaded the cameras.
“A gecko walking across the sensor,” Carter speculates, adding, “there’s no perfect system.”

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

221

Old
World,
New
Attitude
From the vaunted wine to the contemporary art, modernity
reigns at Bordeaux’s Château Ducru-Beaucaillou.
BY T E D L O O S

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Château Ducru-Beaucaillou,
an 18th-century chartreuse
in the Médoc region of France

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

223

ordeaux is a beloved wine region, but it has a reputation for being a little staid. For an elite
property, incentives for radical change are few. Take Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, the revered
second-growth producer in the Saint-Julien appellation. Founded in 1720, Ducru is celebrating
300 years of exceptional winemaking with the recent release of its 2020 vintage, decked out
with a special commemorative label, to high demand at $239 a bottle. The château has had a
level of longevity that is hard to grasp: When the estate was formed, the French Revolution was
still nearly 70 years away.
“Ducru has historically had an aura about it,” Jamie Ritchie, the worldwide head of Sotheby’s
wine department, says of its reputation for plush and long-lived red wines based primarily on
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
But the current custodian of the legend of Ducru (insiders use just the first part of its name),
Bruno-Eugène Borie, doesn’t quite fit the expected mold. His family took over the vineyard in

Old World, New Attitude

When the estate was founded, the French
Revolution was still nearly 70 years away.
“Ducru has historically had an aura about it.”

LEFT: The formal

dining room, with
Lunar chairs by
Stellar Works and
Tassel sconces by
Apparatus. BELOW:
Frog table by Hella
Jongerius.

the like). It cradles the bottle and makes
it easy to serve.
“We are 300 years young,” says Borie,
who, at 65, is possessed of high energy,
intense focus and the ability to wink at
pretension. Like a lot of Frenchmen, he
has the gift of gab, but he actually has
something to say, especially about taking a
revered name and giving it a good shake to
make sure it can move forward. He adds
that his motto, borrowed from an artist
friend, is “Modern Forever.”
That’s certainly reflected in his taste
in art and design. Borie was a collector of

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work in the 1990s,
before it was de rigueur for high-end buyers, and he put a neon artwork of a cat
dribbling a basketball, by French artist
Alain Séchas, in the august cellars where
the wines age before they are released.
The time he spent in his younger years
trawling the galleries in New York’s SoHo
and Chelsea neighborhoods seems to
have paid off.
When Borie was on the professional
association called the Conseil des Crus
Classés de Bordeaux in the 1990s, he tried
to realize an elaborate installation by the

1942, and Borie, who personally assumed
control in 2003, is something of a “bad
boy,” in his own words, and someone
who is constantly innovating and blowing through the stop signs of convention.
When he realized, for instance, that there
was no way to decant and pour those
enormous large-format bottles seen in
wine-auction catalogs and on top-tier
restaurant wine lists, he simply invented a
contraption, the Somm Butler, to help out
(it’s been used at Spago, Robuchon and

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

225

Old World, New Attitude

great French conceptual artist Daniel
Buren for the group’s headquarters. It
involved, he recalls, “61 tall poles, each
carrying a striped banner bearing the silhouette of each of the 61 growths.” The
proposal was too radical for his Bordelais compatriots, so he had to give it up.
Looking back on the project now, it seems
ahead of its time.
Closer to home, he has gotten his way,
with spectacular results. Borie hired a top
interior designer from Paris to gut-renovate the château itself—a massive stone
pile with a center wing dating to 1820,
flanked by later-Victorian towers at either
end—and the result is full of eye-popping
color and cutting-edge lighting and furniture, a vibrant and un-quiet scheme
that is miles away from the musty and
fusty environs seen elsewhere in the
neighborhood.
Wineries, particularly ones housed in
old castles, are a very high-end version
of living above the store, where design
choices are intensely personal. Not only
did Borie grow up in the château, but he
now lives there with his wife, Frederique,
and their son and daughter. His 93-yearold mother, Monique, also has her own
apartment in the château; she’s been

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

Ducru’s wine cellar,
lit at the end with a
neon sculpture by
Alain Séchas, seen
in close-up below

Running Hed

Caption tk tk
Bustis arum sedis
qui dendis eum re
xxxxx xxxxx xxx
eum re xxxxx
xxxxx xxx

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

227

Old World, New Attitude

living on-site since 1950. Among its other
charms, the estate is set on an elaborately
landscaped 12-acre park, designed by
Eugène Bühler in the 19th century.
The Bories are also the previous proprietors of Bordeaux’s Château Haut-Batailley, and Borie’s brother, François-Xavier,
owns and runs Château Grand-PuyLacoste, which has a lesser ranking than
Ducru but is respected and venerable.
Given that major corporations such as

Home to Ducru, the legendary Médoc is
located on an isthmus between the Atlantic Ocean and the estuary of the mighty
Gironde River, which has a profound
impact on the wines.
In the living room overlooking the
lush park, the dining table is a round, chic
concrete piece by Martin Szekely, surrounded by tubular chairs from Cassina
based on a design by the great Frenchwoman Charlotte Perriand. Throughout,

Borie reduced production by more than half
and extended the wine’s pre-release cellar time.
“Many of the decisions were opposite to our
accountant’s suggestions.”
LVMH are running some of the highestprofile neighboring producers, it’s worth
noting that members of the Borie family
control two of the best, oldest names in
the region.
The decorator Borie hired to energize
the Ducru château, Sarah Poniatowski,
founder of Maison Sarah Lavoine, notes
that Bordeaux has a reputation within
France of being “very conservative”
and that the fun comes from how Ducru’s
current principal upends expectations.
“That’s what’s great about Bruno,”
says Poniatowski. “When you look at
him and meet him for the first time, you
think he’s always a conservative man.
But he’s the opposite of that. We really
had a great time on this project, because
he’s so bold.”
Poniatowski knows something about
updating gilded lineages: She’s technically a princess, being descended from a
king of Poland, and she was married to
French pop star Marc Lavoine. Her strategy
for Ducru was all about pairing “very
strong contemporary pieces that
contrasted a lot with the classical side of
the house.”
In the reception room known as the
Grand Salon, objects by some of the
world’s most cutting-edge designers
are juxtaposed with moldings, paneled
walls and other elaborate woodwork. A
mirrored commode by the Paris design
duo Garouste & Bonetti as well as Ron
Arad’s Big Easy chair and Marc Newson’s Zenith chaise, made of gleaming
aluminum, enliven the centuries-old
architecture.
The walls and some of the upholstered furniture are in different shades
of the same rich teal color used all over
the house—highly untraditional in one
way, but then again, it may evoke the deep
influence of water on the Médoc district.

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

the lighting is unexpectedly sleek and
surprising, including a fringed lamp by
the Dutch designer Wieki Somers and a
mod wall sconce by Apparatus. But the
house’s past wasn’t discarded. When,
during construction, a layer of old wallpaper was revealed in the dining room, Poniatowski had it replicated and installed in
several spaces.
All of it delights Borie. “Sarah is very
modern,” he says. “She gave us something
comfortable, but also hedonistic.”

Of course, it’s the hedonism in the bottle that the larger world is focused on,
given that the average person stands scant
chance of snagging an invitation to the
château (though Borie, an enthusiastic
cook, does a lot of entertaining).
When he arrived in the top job a
few years after his father died, Borie
was lucky enough to start with a storied brand. But his first year running the
estate, 2003, was a notoriously hot, tricky
vintage, with weather that was responsible for thousands of deaths across
Europe. Right away, he demonstrated a

serious hands-on attitude and a commitment to flexibility.
Going against an instinct that would
become his hallmark—what he calls a
“constant process of reduction” in the
vineyard, referring to pruning and the
selection of grapes—he made sure that
the method for this special vintage left
leaves on the vine, forming what’s called
a canopy, in an effort to protect the grapes
from the heat. It worked.
In the 18 vintages since then, he has
significantly reduced the amount of wine
the château produces—what had once
been 15,000 yearly cases is now more
like 7,000—a decision about quality that
is not great for the bottom line (given
that whatever Ducru makes will always
sell). With a sly smile, Borie says, “Many
of the decisions were opposite to our
accountant’s suggestions,” something of
an understatement.
The process of aging Bordeaux in
oak is always an expensive endeavor,
and Borie increased the length of Ducru’s pre-release cellar slumber by 50 percent, from 12 months to 18 months, before
the wine is sold. “We make wine for the
future,” says Borie. “And what is the maturation in casks? It’s mainly to give the
aging capacity to the wine.”
Not that Borie lacks business acumen. In 1985, well before his stewardship
of Ducru, he purchased the famed French
aperitif Lillet, increased the sales by

LEFT: Proprietor

Bruno-Eugène Borie
with his Keith Haring.
RIGHT, FROM TOP:

The château and
two views of its
library collection.

ABOVE: Château
Ducru-Beaucaillou
2020 Tercentenary
Vintage, marked by
a commemorative
label. BELOW: Ducru’s
12-acre park, designed
by Eugène Bühler.

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

229

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

Old World, New Attitude

Caption tk tk
In the living room, an Olivier Gagnère vase sits atop
a commode
by
Bustis
arum sedis
Garouste & Bonetti. The grouping by the window includes
Wieki
qui dendis
eum re
Somers’s lamp, Marc Newson’s Zenith chair, Ron Arad’s
Easy
xxxxx Big
xxxxx
xxx
chair and a Geta black coffee table by Ronan and Erwan
Bouroullec.
xxxxx xxx

a factor of 20 in France and a factor of
six in the United States, and then sold
it in 2008—just before the global economic meltdown.
And he made a move at Ducru that
goes against an ingrained part of French
culture: He eliminated automatic August
vacations for workers on the estate. As
the climate has warmed, late summer
has become a much busier period in the
vineyards, with harvests coming earlier
and earlier. Joking that it’s considered
“criminal in France” to make people work
at that time of year, Borie says it is all in
the service of “changing and adapting,
making sure we don’t do the same things
every year just because it’s comfortable.”
Bucking the system has paid off. As
Ritchie of Sotheby’s notes, “Bruno has
brought more volume and weight and
more dimension to the wine, but keeping
it refined and classy.”
The 1970 Ducru is the one that keeps
popping up at auction, Ritchie adds,
and is one for collectors to seek out. In
November 2020, 10 bottles of the 1970
went for nearly $2,000 at Sotheby’s Hong
Kong. Or you can go to a fine restaurant
such as Eleven Madison Park in Manhattan. “We’re fortunate enough to be able
to feature several legendary vintages,
including 1961 and 1966, the latter of
which is in magnum,” says the restaurant’s wine director, Watson Brown.
“When Ducru reaches a full maturity,
there is a certain softness on the palate
which is really inviting, but the wine
still maintains its length and aromatics.”
Eleven Madison Park’s list also offers the
1988, a bit of a sleeper vintage that will
reward oenophiles with the elegant flavors of a mature Bordeaux, such as mellow cassis and coffee.
For collectors, a good entry point for
the estate’s charms is Ducru’s “second
label,” Croix de Beaucaillou, made from
different plots. The 2010 (around $75)
demonstrates Borie’s interest in design
to be sure, with a label dreamed up by
jewelry maven (and daughter of Mick)
Jade Jagger. It needs decanting and/or
cellaring time but then keeps your interest with a tightly wound intensity.
Borie jokes that he can pursue quality at this level via unconventional means
because “I will not fire myself” for overspending or overthinking things. It’s good
to be the roi. But the passion for the process and the results is deeply felt on his
part and can be deeply tasted by everyone. “We’re experimenting all the time,”
he says, “and there’s a real ambition to
find the best solution.”

R O B B R E P O R T. C O M

231

The Duel
Stumped by what to get friends and family for the holidays? There’s a Robb Report
Ultimate Gift Guide for that (p. 145), but perusing the shelves of a major luxury
retailer can help, too, we suppose. In Harrods and Neiman Marcus, you have two
of the finest stores that have long histories of pulling out all the stops for the festive
season. Which is more worthy of your big December splurge?

Harrods Neiman
Marcus
VS .

F OU NDE D BY

Herbert Marcus, his sister Carrie Marcus Neiman and her husband,
A. L. Neiman, in 1907. They passed on an opportunity to invest in the
barely-on-the-radar Coca-Cola brand to make it happen. Whoops.

Henry Charles Harrod in 1849. It was originally a
grocery store—which goes a long way in explaining
the first floor’s culinary Disneyland.
MOT TO

Omnia, Omnibus, Ubique, or “All Things, for
All People, Everywhere.” A better version
might be Omnia, Divitibus, Ubique, or “All
Things, for the Affluent, Everywhere.”

Its most notable slogan is its holiday one, which
changes every year. For 2021, it’s “Celebrate Big,
Love Even Bigger,” which is corporate-speak for
“All Things, for the Affluent, Everywhere.”

CRE ATU RE F E ATU RE

One of the brand’s first Christmas-catalog offerings was a live
Black Angus steer with, erm, an accompanying roast-beef cart.

An Egyptian cobra guarded a pair of $120,000 Rene Caovilla
diamond-encrusted shoes in 2007. (Snake not included with purchase.)

DID IT F IRST

In 1984, Neiman’s became the first luxury retailer to have
a customer-loyalty program. Spend $10,000 a year and a
concierge will book dinners and arrange travel for you.

Installation of an escalator, or “moving staircase” as it was referred to
then, in England. The year was 1898; traumatized customers were offered
brandy and smelling salts to calm their nerves once they reached the top.

WE IRDE ST THING SOL D

A “Welcome Present for Friends
at the Front” during WWI.
The kit contained cocaine,
morphine and syringes.

His-and-hers mummy cases in its 1971
Christmas catalog. When they arrived
at the Florida store, the manager found
a genuine corpse inside one.

PIVOT

GOOD E AT S

In keeping with its carnivore theme, you
can buy whole turkeys at Neiman’s
online store.

The sprawling food hall includes selections of chocolate
wine, sushi and plenty of caviar. A bell rings every half
hour to signal the arrival of fresh bread.
SANTA SHOWING

Barring a global pandemic, kids can meet Santa at the in-store
Christmas grotto . . . if their parents have spent $2,700 or more
at Harrods during the year. Ah, the sweet spirit of the season.

Kids can schedule a virtual meetup with Santa
for 2021. Like the rest of the working-fromhome world, St. Nick will call in via Zoom.
AK A

The Londonist referred to the store as a
“louche palace for the bolshy” in 2015.

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D E C E M B E R /J A N U A RY 2 0 2 2

Foes and fans alike call it
Needless Markup.

HARRODS, CAOVILLA SHOE, SANTA (NEIMAN MARCUS):
ALAMY; BLACK ANGUS, CAVIAR: ADOBE STOCK; TURKEY:
ALISON MARRAS/UNSPLASH; SANTA (HARRODS): AP

Shuttered its NYC store in Hudson Yards after just 16 months there, despite having
signed a 50-year lease. Turns out, plans change. (Read: Chapter 11.)

Shuttered its pet department in 2014 to make way for a women’s fashion floor,
trading a pet spa, diamond-studded collars and live animals for skirts and dresses.

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