To the uninitiated, the New York Yacht Club might seem just that, a yacht club somewhere in New York. For those in the know, however, the very name is legendary – and synonymous with the very best in yachting tradition.
Like a velvet revolution, a seamless new movement is making its presence felt in the upper echelons of men’s couture. Savile Row, the bastion of tailored quality, is being challenged by a new generation of couturiers that revive old-fashioned skills whilst creating exciting new designs. Oscar Udeshi is one of the leading lights of this new direction in men’s fashion.
The former banker had a career that involved travel, money and great perks, yet he gave it all up to commit himself to an entirely new calling. Rather than simply join the legions of designer wannabes, this economics and philosophy graduate really had something to say, and it’s a message that is helping to revitalise London’s luxury men’s fashion sector.
The queen is dead, long l
ive the queen. With the sad demise of the lovely Queen Elizabeth II comes the realisation that the new ‘Queen of the Seas’ is even lovelier.
Though its origins go back to the very birth of civilisation, the enduring popularity of the spa reflects a deep-seated human need for pampering and relaxation.
In the days of the Greek and Roman Empires the spa was valued as a place where citizens could gather to cleanse and socialise. Such public places evolved over time, taking in elements of distant cultures as they gradually became luxuriant havens of sweet pampering indulgence and relaxation. Even in classical times, therefore, visitors could enjoy a range of advanced treatments that not only felt good but rejuvenated body and mind.
The Roman bathhouse, for instance, was a complex structure, with rooms devoted to disrobing, bathing, hot and cold immersion, massage and rest. By the eighteenth century European spas came into their own again as it became fashionable to visit spa towns to drink and bathe in the waters. Jane Austen chose to set her novels Persuasion and Northanger Abbey in the famous British spa town of Bath, one of a growing number of fashionable health spots in Europe.
Let’s face it, there are few experiences that feel more self-indulgent and decadent – in the best sense of the word – than spending a few hours in a five-star spa. Here is our guilt-free guide to some of the world’s best.
Ask most people for their defi
nition of their ideal property and there’s a very good chance that the description will include a swimming pool. Given the vast amounts of money wasted every year on gym membership that is never adequately utilised, a swimming pool can be seen as something more than a sybaritic indulgence.
The name Fabe
rgé forever connects Russia with sublime works of jewellery. For many decades the famous maker of those iconic imperial Easter eggs and other exquisite works of art seemed destined for the annals of history. Now, as Russia regains its confidence and dynamism it is only fitting that the long absence has come to an end…
Rhode Island, long established as the home of some of the finest real estate in the world, seems to be in the vanguard of the revival of the luxury property market. Its otherwise buoyant market dropped off in the immediate aftermath of the financial crisis of late 2008, but the early signs point to 2010 as the year in which this region regained its dynamism.
BIG