Elite Living Africa - Issue 1 2015

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 2015

ULYSSE NARDIN CEOARRIVES IN NIGERIA

FLYING WITHAFRICAS JET SET

FASHION. WATCHES. STYLE. TRAVEL. TECHNOLOGY. LEISURE. FOOD & DRINK.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWWITH ROJA DOVE

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US$10 NGN2,000 ZAR130 KES1030 EGP79 GHS42 GBP6.80

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12AVIATION &

YACHTING the world of private jets

and superyachts

22HIGH FLYERS

interviews with successfulAfrican entrepreneurs

33WATCHES &JEWELLERY

the latest and mostluxurious watches

and jewellery

41STYLE

clothing and accessoriesfrom exclusive designers

50TRENDING TECH

the latest gadgets and electronics

72VIP TRAVEL

luxury hotels and casinosat 40,000 feet

80CONNOISSEUR

fine wines and sumptuous liquors

86DESTINATION:

LONDONpick of the best property

for sale in London

4CONTENTS

ELITE LIVING AFRICA / ISSUE 1 2015

CONTENTS

SILK ON THE ROAD

A look at the newRolls Royce Phantom

LIQUID GOLDInterview with master

perfumer Roja Dove

AFRICA INMOTION

Interview with UlysseNardin CEO

Patrick Hoffman

THE AFRICAN JET SET

How Africas private jet industry

is booming

HEDONISTICTASTES

Interview with CEOof Hedonistic Wines

26 55

36

12

80

S02 ELA July 2015 - Contents_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:46 Page 4

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 2015

ULYSSE NARDIN CEOARRIVES IN NIGERIA

FLYING WITHAFRICAS JET SET

FASHION. WATCHES. STYLE. TRAVEL. TECHNOLOGY. LEISURE. FOOD & DRINK.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWWITH ROJA DOVE

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LONDONS HOTTESTPROPERTIES

US$10 NGN1,990 ZAR130 KES1030 EGP79 MAD98

TIME FOR BUSINESS AND LEISURE

MAKING

8EDITORS LETTER

EDITORS LETTER

Sit back, relax and enjoy a warm welcome to the first issue of EliteLiving Africa, your guide to luxury life. Let our InternationalInsider take you to the best dining and hotel destinations fromaround the world, including a night club, underwater (pg. 70) and aretreat that will take away all the stresses and tensions of everydaylife (pg. 66).

Scouring the catwalk for the latest unique and timeless pieces, ourfashion and jewellery recommendations (pg. 33) are sure to bringmany compliments to your wardrobe, while you can read about whatit is like to play the most extreme golf hole in the world (pg. 74), ortest drive the exquisite one-off Rolls Royce Serenity (pg. 55).

As our London special edition we are bringing you the mostdesirable properties from the city (pg. 86), celebrating master ofperfume Roja Doves arrival in Nigeria (pg. 26) and speaking withwine experts about the brilliance of South African vineyards (pg. 80).

Finally, if youve ever wanted a private jet with a casino onboard,turn to page 72, and see how to make your dreams become reality.

Gemma TaylorEditorElite Living Africa

Cover image: Caliber 1141 by Vacheron Constantin. Available from $52,797. www.vacheron-constantin.com

Image provided by Jonathon Kambouris/Gallery Stock

Managing EditorBen Watts

EditorGemma Taylor

Assistant EditorTom Michael

Senior DesignerLee Telot

Assistant DesignerThomas Davies

ProductionDonatella Moranelli &Sophia Pinto

Magazine ManagerSteve Thomas

West African Business ManagerChidinma Anah

International AccountManagerRoman Zincenko

PublisherNick Fordham

Publishing DirectorPallavi Pandey

ChairmanDerek Fordham

Published by

University House, 11-13 LowerGrosvenor Place,

London, UK, SW1W 0EX+44 (0) 20 7834 7676 www.alaincharles.com

Subscriptions:[email protected]

Printed by Buxton Press

Alain Charles Publishing Ltd. hastaken all reasonable care to ensure

that the information contained in thispublication is accurate on the date ofpublication and cannot accept any re-sponsibility for unsolicited submis-

sions and photographs.While every care is taken, prices and

details are subject to change andAlain Charles Publishing Ltd. takes

no responsibility for omissions or errors.

We reserve the right to publish andedit any contributions.

All rights reserved.

ISSN: 2059-7134


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+234


12AVIATION


THE

JET SETAFRICAN

Africas billionaire club is growing faster than that ofany other continent, and this growing elite has one,must-have, status-affirming accessory the private jet.BY MELANIE MINGAS


13AVIATION


(Photo: Anton Akhmatov)


14AVIATION


(Photo: Anton Akhmatov)

As the saying goes, style cannotbe bought. But if you haveanything upwards of $50mlying around, stylish travel certainly can.

The Middle East and Africa maycontribute only 6.1 per cent to theglobal private jet market, but the jetswhich reside in the regions airfieldhangars could give even DonaldTrumps $100m Boeing 757 a run forits money. From Saudi Arabia toNigeria, this trend is growing.

Last year, Prince Alwaleed bin TalalAl Saud upgraded from an alreadyrenowned personal plane to become the

owner of the worlds most expensiveprivate jet. The customised AirbusA380 reportedly boasts a two-cargarage, a stable for horses and camels,and a prayer room that rotates toconstantly faces Mecca. It is estimated tohave cost the Middle Eastern royalmore than $500m.

Not wishing for guests at his FourSeasons hotels to miss out on a chanceto experience similar opulence, his co-owned hospitality group unveiled itsown, 52-capacity Boeing 757 earlierthis year. Designed to take VIP guestson bespoke journeys around the world,

the experience is described as exceedingthe needs of the modern luxurytraveller, through the integration ofFour Seasons hospitality on the groundand in flight.

Africas wealthiest businessman AlikoDangote, was one of the first in line forBombardiers Global Express XRSprivate jet. A spacious option for long-haul journeys, the interior is lined in asumptuous leather finish, and it cantravel for 16 hours between re-fuels. Itwas delivered, in 2010, to Dangote inNigeria the African nation with thehighest number of private jets.


15AVIATION


WINGS OF DESIRE

Oil baroness Folorunsho Alakija andAmerican celebrity Oprah Winfrey bothhave the $42m Bombardier GlobalExpress XRS, although after clinchingthe title of the worlds richest blackwoman from Winfrey earlier this year,Alakija may now be looking to upgrade.

Winfrey, however, seems quitecontent with her choice in travel andwas quoted as telling Americanuniversity students, during acommencement address at DukeUniversity, in 2010, Of all the

wonderful things that have happened,what really makes me feel successful isbeing able to use my life in service tosomeone elses. It is really fantastic tohave your own jet, anybody who says itisnt is lying to you. That jet thing isreally good.

Its worth noting Bombardiers otherfamous fan club members include Jay-Z,who owns a Challenger 850.

THE NEW JET SET

If ownership of a single jet isnt makinga big enough statement, the options are

upgrade, or, buy more. After all,owning a jet is one thing, owning afleet is quite something else. When AirForce One lands on the tarmac itdoesnt do so alone. Flanked by anumber of security jets, its presencedefines the very meaning of makingan entrance.

African mobile phone tycoon MikeAdenuga owns a Bombardier and, asthe occasion calls for, also has theoption to fly in his Falcon 7X, said tobe valued at $51m. On the other endof the scale, actor John Travolta owns,and flies, 11 private jets.

As China witnessed only a decadeago, private jets are the first in

terms of status symbols todemonstrate the presence and

magnitude of new money.


16

It is purchases like this thathave helped Textron Aviationboost sales of its business jetsCessna Citation and Hawker byalmost half over the lastdecade. Albeit, these arent al-ways vanity exercises and areoften a business necessity.

Bill Harris, the companysVP of sales, explains, As wellas the ongoing economicdevelopment of Africa,demand has been driven inpart by the fast-growing naturalresources sector. Miningcompanies often operate inremote locations and Cessnaand Beechcraft products enablethem to access areas not servedby airlines.

A key factor for additionalgrowth is the continuedunderstanding that businessaviation is a valuable tool thatpromotes more economicgrowth for all levels of abusiness, he says.

The reversal Nigerias plansto introduce a luxury levy onprivate jets in 2013 has helped,but it isnt the only reason forthis boom.

Africas economy is growing,and with it the number ofmillionaires and billionaires.Since the millennium, thecontinents average growth ratehas outstripped the globaleconomic growth rate, buoyed

by everything from increasinglystable politics to external forces,such as commodity prices andforeign direct investment.

As China witnessed only adecade ago, private jets are thefirst in terms of status symbolsto demonstrate the presenceand magnitude of new money.

While the ChineseGovernments move to repealits ban on individuals owningand flying jets has helped, arecent survey concluded thatChina will be the largestbusiness jet importer by 2018.Trend-setting as always, actorJackie Chan already travels inthe Embraer Legacy 650. Thecountry is now home to morethan 60,000 people whoseassets exceed $15m and 13 percent of whom intend topurchase a private jet.

In Africa, the total numberof billionaires on the continentmay be the smallest of all thecontinents, but that group grewat the fastest rate in the worldbetween 2012 and 2014; up 81per cent, according to datafrom Bombardier.

The trend isnt anomalous.Bombardier data states thatapproximately 80 per cent ofAfricas business jets are inSub-Saharan Africa, with SouthAfrica and Nigeria accountingfor more than 50 per cent of

the entire fleet. The remaining20 per cent is in North Africa,mainly in Egypt, Libya andMorocco, where jets are oftenreceived as gifts.

The data predicts Africa willremain an important region forbusiness aircraft deliveries.Between 2014 and 2033, 685business jet deliveries areexpected in the region, with afleet CAGR of five per centover the forecast period.

Supporting the findings,Harris adds, Africas businessjet market is expanding rapidly,particularly in South Africa andNigeria, but also in some otherparts of the continent. Thelight-to-midsize Citationaircraft family is excellentlysuited to the needs of manyAfrican passengers and aircraftowners, which is reflected inthe commanding market sharewe enjoy in those categories inthe region.

With that in mind, it lookslike Africas jet industry isalready following in thefootsteps of Asia, the Americasand Europe. All that remains isto ensure trade continues on astable trajectory and the privatejet industry will likely continueits take off throughout Africa,in turn providing anotherboost to the continentsaccelerating economy.

AVIATION

BELOW Private jet technology isever improving and some

models, such as BombardiersGlobal 8000, can travel foralmost 8,000 nautical miles

without refuelling.

(Photo: Mikhail Starodubov)



17

MOROCCO The royal family owns an entirefleet, including a 737-8KB, the stretch versionof the ubiquitous Boeing 737, which forms thebulk of so many commercial fleets.

EGYPT The government has the use of anA340-200, a gift to its former president, AnwarSadat, from the Saudi royal family.

NIGERIA The airforce maintained a 737called Eagle One for former presidentGoodluck Jonathan, the flagship craft in anextensive presidential fleet, which was said tostretch to 11 jets by the time he left power.

KENYA Travelling in relative humility,president Uhuru Kenyatta travels in popularcommercial city hopper Fokker 70; speciallycustomised and with capacity for 26 passengers.

African Jets: A History

World Private Jet Market

%US

49.7 per cent

Europe20.8 per cent

Asia Pacific11.8 per cent

Latin and South America11.6 per cent

Africa and the Middle East 6.1 per cent

(Photo: Jordan Tan)

AVIATION

ABOVE AND LEFT From luxuryseats and onboard casinos, to

marble bathrooms andaquariums, the interiors of private

jets often accentuate thepersonalities of their owners.



18AVIATION


$100,000 per person, Four Seasons, www.fourseasons.com/jet

AROUND THE WORLD BY PRIVATE JET

ABOVE The interior features leather flat-bed seats, which are the work of Italian design Iacobucci.

Time is precious, so when there is agap in the schedule to holidaywith family and friends, it isimportant to make sure that it is asunforgettable and stress-free as possible.Luxury hotel group The Four Seasons hasrecently launched a solution in the shapeof a sleek black reconfigured Boeing 757,designed to fly successful CEOs and theirfamilies around the wonders of the worldin style.

Applying the famous service standardsof The Four Seasons hotels at 35,000feet, at any one time there are a minimumof 21 hotel-trained crew and staff onboard, including three pilots, twoengineers, a journey manager (travel

coordinator), a concierge, and anexecutive chef. A physician and aphotographer may also attend whenadventurous itineraries, such as diving theMaldives coral reefs or game watching inthe Serengeti, require it.

A recent trip facilitated a 16-dayCultural Escape tour that saw passengersvisit some of Europes most significantcultural attractions, including MilansTeatro alla Scala and Istanbuls HagiaSophia. That particular trip was priced at$185,000 per person and included allflights, meals and overnight stays. Thefood is incredible, with menu optionssuch as branzino with lobster and, ofcourse, caviar and Dom Perignon.

A number of packages have beenlaunched for 2016, including TimelessDiscoveries a 24-day, around-the-worldjourney that will visit enduringly popularattractions such as the Taj Mahal and thebeaches of Bora Bora, which costs from$132,000 per person.

The International Intrigue experiencebegins in Seattle and goes to Tokyo,Beijing, Maldives, Serengeti, Istanbul, StPetersburg, Marrakech and Boston, whileExtraordinary Adventures sets off fromAustin, Texas and calls in at Costa Rica,Hawaii, Sydney, Langkawi, Mauritius,Serengeti, Petra and Lisbon. This jet, staff and crew are also available forprivate charter.

(Photo: Martin Valigursky)


TIVE FOAUSIVE REPRESENTCLTHE EX AIRCRAFTOR BOMBARDIER BUSINESS AAFRIC IN

el: (+27) 011 T az.oc.noitaivaemit.ww784 0085 w


20YACHTING


Sailing 180 feet of steel onsome of the worldschoppiest and coldest seas,while in unadulterated luxury, isno mean feat for the Azamanta.Made by Heesen Yachts, inpartnership with Van OossanenNaval Architects, this is theworlds first fast-displacementyacht of its size made from steel.The patented fast-displacementhull form allows for greaterefficiency of movement throughthe water at all rates of speed,not just those at the top.

The advanced design allowsAzamanta, with a top speed justshy of 17 knots, to motor at 15knots under the power of its two1,850 hp engines and to cruise at13 knots with a 4,500-nautical-mile range. The hullssupplemental ice-reinforcementtechnology gives the ability totravel through the more extremelatitudes of the northern andsouthern hemispheres, meaningthe world is your oyster.

As a world cruiser, everythingis designed to maximiseopportunities to appreciatebeautiful views, a goal achievedby the use of vertical windowsand glass insertions in the

bulwarks. Enticement to take inthe surroundings is furtherenhanced by the nearly 1,200-square-foot sundeck, with a hottub large enough to double as alive performance stage whencovered, and a 750-square-footowners terrace thataccommodates dining for up tosix guests.

The interior is inspired byMetropolitan-style art decodesigns from Sinot ExclusiveYacht Design, replete with darkwood and silk fabric that extendsthrough the master suite and thesix guest cabins equipped withen suite bathrooms.

Additional onboard amenitiesinclude a beach club, gym, andwatercraft housed in a forwardgarage made accessable bygullwing doors.

For those looking for a family-friendly round-the-world-cruiser, Heesen Yachts will beexhibiting its various seafaringmodels at the 2015 MonacoYacht Show on 23 September,showing alongside 120 of theworlds most innovative andexclusive superyachts.

www.heesenyachts.comwww.monacoyachtshow.com

ABOVE AND RIGHT Omegaintelligently engineered the

superstructure to be entirely freeof pillars so there are

uninterrupted views of the sea andsurroundings beyond.

THE GRACEFUL

GIANT

S04 ELA July 2015 - Africa Life_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:52 Page 20

Running a PR and marketingcompany representingheavyweight brands, suchas Versace, Davidoff and TagHeuer is no mean feat. For morethan 20 years, CEO DeremiAjidahun has been fighting to givethese companies a name andpresence in the African market.With an unrivalled passion for hisfield, no one understands luxurylike this man.

Elite Living Africa (ELA): How didyou get into your industry?Deremi Ajidahun (DA): My latefather gave me a gold Longines watchfor my 16th birthday and by the timeI was 19-years-old, I was passionateabout collecting watches. But gettinginto the business is a funny story. Fortwo years I visited Basel World, thelargest annual watch exhibition, withmy wife as a pure inquisitive collector.On one occasion, my wife, who wasbored following me from hall to hall,casually asked why I didnt just turnthis great passion into a business, as allmy businesses tend to be around mypassions (our first business is centeredaround the sport and lifestyle of golf).It took three months for her questionto sink in and that was it. I was on theway back to Switzerland. Fortunately,I knew my way around, having goneto school there, but I can assure you,the beginning was extremely difficult.The brands just werent interested infirst-timers, doors were regularlyslammed shut and still are sometimes.

ELA: Who and what inspires you to continue?DA: My late parents inspired me.They were both extremely industriousand always had style and panache. Myfather enjoyed taking me everywherewith him because I was alwaysfascinated by everything around me.Though I was still very young, weenjoyed shopping together. Mymother knew every jeweler and fineboutique on Bond Street, but after my

father passed away my motherabandoned all forms of luxury andthis really taught me that so much ofthis can be mere vanity. Havingluxury products or living a luxuriouslife should not define a person. Thistakes me to my inspiration of today,my wonderful and beautiful wife,whose soul and character is luxurypersonified, yet who lives a simplelife. Shes my inspiration, as are mywonderful children. I watch them intheir daily lives and Im inspired. Itwas funny, as only this morning mywife told me she had a fixation forluxury sun glasses; I was shocked!

I must also mention the late CEOof Hole19, Yaakov Chai, who was atrue pioneer but was never reallygiven the credit because he was seenas a hard businessman. Yaakov taughtme to always think outside of the boxand to be fearless.

Love is all conquering, itproduces passion which in turnproduces creativity, and this iswhat inspires me. I give gloryto God; my ultimateinspiration.

ELA: Where are yourfavourite places to go in yourhome town?DA: I live and work in Abuja, ayoung city with the potential tobecome one of the great cities of theworld. It also happens to be thecapital city of Nigeria. We dont haveplenty of bars and clubs or premiumboutiques, restaurants and locationsfor leisure activities, and that is whyIm in the business of marryingpassion and opportunities. Im not aclub goer; done that, got the t-shirt.But my two go-to restaurants areZuma in the Hilton and Wakkis nearmy office, a fusion Indian restaurant.

Theres a new mall about to becompleted on the banks of the lake,which will definitely be popular. Wewill also have some of our brandslocated there. I love my golf course;IBB international golf and country

22HIGH FLYER


LUXURY LIFE

My mother knewevery jeweler andfine boutique onBond Street, butafter my fatherpassed away my

mother abandonedall forms of luxuryand this taught methat much of this

can be mere vanity.Having luxury

products or living aluxurious life

should not define a person.

ABOVE AND RIGHT DeremiAjidahun works with luxury brandsacross Africa.

Deremi Ajidahun, CEO of Hole19 Group, talks to EliteLiving Africa about what it takes to succeed in the world ofluxury PR and how he is taking on Harrods to encourage

consumers in Nigeria to shop closer to home.


23HIGH FLYER


club, one of the best and most beautiful in Africa,and theres no better scene than sitting on the upperterrace of the 10th hole with the amazing Aso Rocklooming below you. It is magical.

ELA: As an international globe-trotting CEO,where is your favorite place to go in the world?DA: Ive traveled and spent time in so manywonderful places across this globe that it is sodifficult to pick; its like asking me to choose myfavorite watch! I love Geneva. I was schooled there; itwas home then and has become my second homenow. Though small, its very international and apowerful financial city. It has a bit and enough ofeverything. And you can never forget the amazingLac Leman, one of the most beautiful lakes in theworld, running through several stunning cities fromGeneva, to Evian in France, back to Lausanne,Montreux and more. Its absolutely stunning.

I also love Hamburg in Germany, a relatively smallcity, but full of vibrancy, entrepreneurship and someof the most amazing culinary secrets in Europe. Andof course, you just have to love London, for anendless multitude of reasons.

ELA: What is your most treasured possession?DA: Aston Martin motor cars.

ELA: What has been your biggest challenge?DA: My biggest, ongoing, challenge is winning theminds and hearts of my Nigerian consumers. Fordecades, they have shopped in London, Paris,Geneva, New York, and now Dubai. They arechronic travellers and the globe is their playground.So how do I now begin to influence them to shop athome? I can confidently estimate that 75 per cent ofNigerian spend is still international; Harrods ratesNigerians as one of their biggest consumers.

Its a challenge Im yet to overcome, but Imdefinitely at the beginning of the process byproviding like products in like environments atcomparative international retail prices. Its a processand there are many domestic issues to overcome,from lack of premium retail real estate, finding theappropriate workforce, battling the grey market,inflated logistics costs to zero access to adequatefinancing. And even if you find what you are lookingfor, the interest rates are extortionate.

ELA: What advice would you give youngpeople looking to get into PR?DA: My elder children are beginning to get into theindustry. I tell them its all about passion, If you

dont have passion for this get out of it. I encouragethem to fully master their brands and products, befully aware of consistent progress and understandthat its a lifetime of creativity and commitment. Italways helps to start working from the bottom,master the ropes with solid international brands. Ifyoungsters have this opportunity, this is the greatestlearning curve.

ELA: Who do you admire and why?DA: I admire my younger brother, Afolabi Ajidahun.He is the bravest and most loyal person Ive evermet. I admire Roger Federer, pure luxury in motionand Muhammed Ali, perhaps the greatest sportsmanof my time. I also admire Jean Claude Biver, Head ofLVMH Watch Group. The man is a marketing beast.Once he decides to get his teeth into something, orsomeone for that matter, watch out!

In this industry how could you not admire thelikes of Bernard Arnault, chairman of LVMH, whotook a small distribution company and built a$33.2bn annual revenue empire, and hes notfinished yet. Theres also Francios Pinnault, chairmanof Kering, who took over an empire from his fatherand has been fearless in radically changing its focusto the luxury world. He has a clear vision. Thentheres our very own African giant, Johann Rupert,chairman of Richmont; youve just got to admire thisman for the amazing brands he has acquired andbuilt over the years. I only hope in the next fewyears hes going to champion the luxury retailrevolution on the African continent, not just inSouth Africa.

And there are so many more, but my biggestadmiration and love (outside my family) goes to mylong-suffering football team, Tottenham Hotspur, forgiving me so much passion and hope these past 45years. Its been a long love affair and Im still hopefulwere going to win the premiership this season!

ELA: Where do you see yourself in five years time?DA: With my wife and with many beautifulgrandchildren, wonderful family, leading the greatestemporium of luxury brands on the African continentand being courted by the likes of LVMH orKERING. Five years is just around the corner, so Ihave to remain focused.

ELA: What is important to you in life?DA: To achieve my dreams I must continue to learnto give back to society, remain focused, stay closewith God and build on my faith.

ABOVE With a passion for Aston Martin cars, Deremi canoften be found going for gold on the race track.


24HIGH FLYER


Fashion label April By Kunbi is the brain childof Olakunbi Oyelese (pictured right), agraduate of the renowned Fashion Institute ofTechnology in New York. Inspired by the season ofspring, April by Kunbi has been built on thephilosophies of newness, freshness and colour.

Elite Living Africa (ELA): How did you get into fashion?Olakunbi Oyelese (OO): I've always loved fashion andknew that I'd someday do something fashion related. Iworked as the PR manager for an energy drink brandand part of my job was to make sure the ushers andhostesses looked good at all times. I made a lot of funpieces for them, which always got a lot ofcompliments. I learnt to sew as I was also quite petitegrowing up and found it hard to find stylish clothes inmy size. I had to shop in the junior section a fewtimes. When I got tired of doing this, I started makingmy own clothes, and the rest, as they say, is history.

ELA: Who and what inspires you?OO: I'm my own muse, so I would only make whatI can see myself wearing. I take inspiration from theoccasion I am designing for, the weather, season,silhouettes and, most importantly, from the fabric.

ELA: Where are your favourite places to go in Lagos?OO: For fine dining, I love Otres and Wheatbaker,their steak is amazing. In my leisure time, I love tospend time with friends, either at the club Spice andEscape, or at home watching a movie or reading agood book.

ELA: Where is your favourite place to go inthe world and what do you love about it?OO: New York! I studied fashion design at theFashion Institute of New York and because of mytight school schedule I never really got to enjoy thecity I had seen in films. Once I completed mycourse, it was a different story. I explored the cityand loved it. It's my second favorite city in theworld. I love New York, especially the shopping.I've been told I will love Paris more, so I will haveto visit there soon.

ELA: What is your most treasured item ofclothing?OO: A handbeaded clutch purse I inherited from myfashionista late mother.

ELA: What has been your biggest challengeand how have you overcome it? OO: Being able to say, no, without feeling bad. Ifound that I was getting overwhelmed with workbecause I took on orders I had no business taking.

It's against my policy to disappoint clients, so itmeant putting in extra hours. It started to take atoll on my body and my teams. Now I say, no,without feeling like I'm disappointing anybody.

ELA: What advice would you give thoselooking to get into the fashion industry?OO: It is not easy and it's not the most glamorousjob. There will be days you will question yourselfbut you have to push through those days. I wouldsay, remember that it is quality over quantity andthat well finished clothing items should not be aluxury. Also not everyone has to be a designer,there are so many important jobs that make fashionwhat it is: styling, window display, illustrators, youname it. Find what you're good at and never stoplearning and practicing.

ELA: Who do you admire and why? OO: I have a few but I'll say every entrepreneurout there trying to make an honest living. It's noteasy to step out of a steady income to do your ownthing. To be brave enough to do that means youshould never give up.

ELA: Where will you be in five years time?OO: That's easy, to be the go-to designer foranything bridal. The April By Kunbi dream is to bea lifestyle brand, from clothing to bedding tosilverware. To be featured in Forbes magazine, astore on 5th Avenue, stocked at Saks, Selfridges andCo. are things I am trying not to jinx.

ELA: What is important to you in life?OO: God, family and April By Kunbi...that's myfirst baby.

Its not easy to step out of a

steady income todo your own thing.

To be brave enough to do that means

you should nevergive up.

DESIGNINGSUCCESS

Olakunbi Oyelese, CEO of April By Kunbi

Fifteen minutes with the brightest and best ofAfricas high achievers

April By Kunbi is permanently instock at Davida Plaza, 31AAdmiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1,Lagos. www.aprilbykunbi.com


Everyone has scent imprints, establishedwhen we are very young and these are

very telling as to a persons background.People say its like seeing a

psychotherapist, as I form a deepunderstanding of my client

Smell is one of the mostevocative of all the senses, withthe ability to transport you backin time to a warm summers day or towhen you first learnt to swim. Formaster perfumer Roja Dove, aperfumer is a poet who createsproducts that weave into his clientsmemories. These bespoke bottlesarent constrained by advertisingbudgets or costs and now a RojaDove boutique has opened inNigeria, which is the first in Africa tocarry a Roja Dove collection.

Elite Living Africa (ELA):Congratulations on launching RojaDove in Nigeria. As you work withclients all over the world, do you findthat perfumes behave differently indifferent climates?Roja Dove (RD): Perfume is affectedby heat, sunlight and oxygen. Themoment perfumes are unstoppered,oxidisation begins to destroy themore fragile top notes, whilst heatcauses the alcohol to evaporate if theseal is loose. Like wine, a naturalperfume will continue ageing in the

26INTERVIEW


LIQUID GOLDMaster perfumer Roja Dove can take up to a year to createthe perfect fragrance for a client. Now he tells Elite LivingAfrica what it takes to find the smell of someones soul.

BY GEMMA TAYLOR

S05 ELA July 2015 - Roja Dove Perfume_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:53 Page 26

27INTERVIEW


ABOVE AND RIGHT Roja is oneof the most significant noses ofthis century, famous for his abilityto identify more than 800 differentscents blindfolded.

bottle, beautifully, as long as it is airtight. Though,it is not always easy, try to retain the integrity ofthe scent by storing perfume in its box at aconsistent temperature of about 6-10C. A goodplace to store perfume is in a cold cupboard or acool drawer.

Different climates can also affect the behaviourof perfume when sprayed onto the skin. The mainfactor here is heat, as the warmer the climate, thewarmer the body becomes. The increased bloodcirculation heats the skin, which causes the scent todissipate faster, taking with it the citrus top-notes,which are the first to disappear from a perfume.Perfume worn on a hot day can make the fragrance

be ever so slightly more intensified, if for a shorterperiod of time.

ELA: For frequent flyers, what is your advice forretaining an air of freshness in different climates?RD: As the temperature rises, to feel refreshed,light, citrusy scents are the perfect quick-fix pick-me-up. Richer, more indulgent compositionsproduce a comforting and enveloping sensation toguide us through colder months. For thosefrequently travelling through different climates,who desire that one signature scent, then a lightChypre would be the answer a balanced blend oflight top notes and deep base notes; they sitperfectly in the middle as an ideally transitionalpalette. If you arent the type thats fussed byhaving that one signature scent then carry twoperfumes, one for each continent you are on. Thereare some brilliant smaller-sized perfumes and travelperfume accessories to enable you to do this withease and, most importantly, style.

ELA: When approached by a client, how do yougo about designing a scent for them?RD: When designing a bespoke scent for a client, Iput them through a process I invented namedOdour Profiling, which tests their reactions tohundreds of raw materials amd means I can learnmore about their life. Everyone has scent imprints,established when we are very young; these are verytelling as to a persons background. People say itslike seeing a psychotherapist, as I form a deepunderstanding of my client, and find the rawmaterials that will tell the story of their life. I thencompose the fragrance and tweak it until it smellslike that persons innermost soul. This process takesbetween 6 and 12 months. When I create abespoke fragrance I am creating a fragrance thatreflects that persons personality so everything Iwork from has to come from them.


I was asked tocreate the scent of

sex itself for anexhibition at TheHayward Gallery

in London, onsocial attitudes

towards sex, fromantiquity throughthe modern era ...

Guests wereshocked when they

were told.

28INTERVIEW


CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFTEnigma, $537 (50ml); Roja, $3,889(100ml); Nwa, $1,167 (100ml).

Ingredients worth their weight in goldAmbergris

When sperm whales swallowcuttlefish, their respiratory tractand intestine are irritated,which causes the whale tosecrete a waxy paste around it,ambergis, in much the sameway that a pearl is formedinside an oyster. It is the mostcostly of all raw materials andworth around 10 times theprice of gold.

Jasmine

This takes five million flowers,picked by hand before the sunsstrength touches them, to make1kg of oil. If you think a pickercan only reap around 6kg ofJasmine a day, then eachkilogram of Absolute requires200 days of labour.

Rose de Mai

It takes more than 300,000roses, grown in Grasse, France,in May, picked before sunrise,to produce one kilo of oil. Itcosts $50,419 per kilo, and theentire production of the monthis less than a days productionof the Bulgarian Rose. In thelast two years, this oil has goneup 40 per cent in price becauseof poor harvests.

Sandalwood

The finest sandalwood, whichhas highly aromatic wood,comes from India. The treeneeds to be aged for aminimum of 30 years before itdisplays its typical odour, soharvesting it is strictly regulatedby the government.

Tuberose

The moment the flower opens, its no longer of any use,so tuberose must be pickedwhen its in bud. The floweritself is worth its exact weightin gold and takes some1,200kg of buds to produce200g of Absolute. For thisreason, nearly all the Tuberoseused in perfumery issynthetically replicated.

ELA: What are your favourite and least favourite smells?RD: My favourite smell, simply put, is my ownfragrance. After using Mitsuoko as my signaturescent for 30 years, I, one day, found the formula hadchanged, so, rather than trying to find a new scent, Idecided it would simply be easier to create onemyself. It took me nine months to complete and Imade it using all the ingredients I love the most.After 10 years of people asking me what I waswearing and how they could get it, I decided toshare it with the world, so now a small number ofbottles exist called ROJA: Haute Luxe.

ELA: Its a very personal thing to design a scent foryourself why did you decide to release yours ?RD: I was recently asked why I waited so long toshare it. Of course, it was never created to be sharedat all. I had never given, not even a sample of it, tomy closest of friends. Somehow, now the timeseemed right to share the fragrance that sits on myskin, and possibly runs through my veins. It feelsgood to let just a little of it go off into the world.

ELA: Have you ever wanted to make a perfumethat replicated someone's natural smell?RD: I once created a perfume that really didresemble someones natural smell. I was asked tocreate the scent of sex itself for an exhibition atThe Hayward Gallery in London, on socialattitudes towards sex, from antiquity through themodern era.

I created a scent that was understated butseductive, using hints of raw materials with plentyof indole, a material, we as humans, naturallysecrete that can also be found in musk, or in plantssuch as jasmine. Guests were shocked when theywere told that the perfume they were enjoying hadbeen made to smell like a crotch. It wasn't asalacious exhibit, it was more dignified, andcertainly had something to say about modernattitudes towards sex. The scent now lives on asUnspoken by Roja Parfums, because it is seductivein a way that isnt obvious.

www.rojadove.com


30INTERNATIONAL INSIDER


BUY IT NOWCurious objets dart for thosewho have almost everything

PIXEL CABINET$30,356, Boco Do Lobo,www.bocadolobo.com

Boca do Lobo has mastered the art of statement-making home accessories with this flamboyantpiece. Featuring 1088 triangles in a myriad offinishes, including silver leaf, gold leaf and 10different types of wood leaf, this piece more thanpacks a punch. The patchwork-look cabinet sits atopa brass base, grounding it with a sophisticated ArtDeco look. Inside this amazing piece, Boca doLobo reinterprets aged mirror and capiton, amaterial and technique almost lost in time.

This magnificent Steinway piano is encrusted with half a million Swarovskicrystals and took six months to build by British bespoke piano companyGoldfinch. Renowned for its unique, luxurious and fantastical art pianos,in the past, Goldfinch has created a bespoke piano to match the colours ofan RAF fighter plane and a baby grand piano that appears to melt downthree flights of stairs. Each one can be installed with self-play invisiblecontrols, allowing the piano to play itself.

CRYSTAL STEINWAY PIANO$668,144, Goldfinch, www.goldfinchpianos.com

S06 ELA July 2015 - International Insider_ Buy it Now_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:54 Page 30

IPHONE 6DIAMONDCOVER$2,700,000, Amosu Alexander,www.alexanderamosu.co.uk

This striking handset takestwo months of detailedintricate handcrafting in18k solid gold to create.Named the 'Amosu Call ofDiamond iPhone 6', itincludes more than 6,127brilliant-cut diamonds andan Apple logo cut from51.29 carat gold with acushion flawless cut.Alexander uses the samegold techniques used togold plate Rolex watchesand an additional serviceto have it engraved isavailable upon request.

31INTERNATIONAL INSIDER


Most lunar rockresides in museum

collections andresearch

institutions,leaving only 15kgor so available to

individualcollectors,

worldwide. Sinceacquiring an

Apollo moon rockis virtually

impossible, theonly realistic wayto own a piece of

the moon is byacquiring a lunar

meteorite. Thislimited edition

book features oneof the largest lunar

meteorites everdiscovered, in

Morocco.

LEFT More Precious than gold, apiece of the Moon is one of therarest substances on Earth.

LUNAR ROCK. NO 1969 $539,417, TASCHEN Books, www.taschen.com

Limited to just 12 copies, the Lunar Rock Edition of Norman Mailers MoonFire is designed by MarcNewson. Each book is contained in a case made from a single piece of aluminum, the surface of which isan actual 3D recreation of the moon, and comes with a unique piece of lunar rock. Meteorites from theMoon are exceptionally hard to find and there are fewer than 70 lunar meteorites known ,with a totalcombined weight of approximately 55kg, making them millions of times rarer than gem grade diamonds.Most lunar rock resides in museum collections and research institutions, leaving only 15kg or so availableto individual collectors, worldwide. Since acquiring an Apollo moon rock is virtually impossible, the onlyrealistic way to own a piece of the moon is by acquiring a lunar meteorite. This limited edition bookfeatures one of the largest lunar meteorites ever discovered, in Morocco.


33


Only 20 of these watches exist in the world,and its not hard to see why. The solid golddial of each DB25 Quetzalcoatl has beenhand-carved into its namesake, a coiled, featheredsnake, surrounded by hour indexes in the shape ofancient temples. The feathered serpent is one ofthe main divinities of the Mesoamericancivilisations and reigned for many centuries overpre-Columbian America. This powerful symbol of

Mesoamerican culture was at the core of worshipand sacred rituals and, in conjunction with theevening star, was considered to govern the cycle oftime from dawn to dusk. The snakes head showsthe hours and the tail of the snake indicates theminutes. This historical dimension is clearlysupported by the dial, which provides an aerialview of the ruins of the Aztec temples from thecity of Tenochtitlan.

ABOVE The snake staysanatomically correct as it moves.

ONE TO WATCH

$119,878, De Bethune, www.debethune.ch

DB25 QUETZALCOATL

WATCHES & JEWELLERY


34WATCHES & JEWELLERY


EXPOSING TIME AND SPACE

Master horologers around the world spend years refining their skillsto create pieces of precision and beauty. These three watches let the

wearer see these intricate mechanisms at work, and celebrate thehours of complex craftsmanship that goes into taming time.

Feared by the Romans, the great Carthaginiangeneral Hannibal Barca was considered one ofthe worlds greatest military commanders. As theultimate strategist, in his quest to triumphantlytake Rome during the Second Punic War,Hannibal crossed the Pyrenees and Alps with anarmy of soldiers and his secret weapon,elephants. Ulysse Nardin depicts thismonumental journey in the Hannibal MinuteRepeater. Presented worldwide as a limitededition of 30, the timepiece is crafted fromplatinum and granite taken from the Alps. TheHannibal Minute Repeater has four gongs, whichhave been painstakingly and flawlessly tuned.

HANNIBAL MINUTE REPEATER$800,000, Ulysse Nardin,www.ulysse-nardin.com

S07 ELA July 2015 - Watches & Jewellery_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:55 Page 34



Inspired by Londons Big Ben, the Sopranochimes with music from the WestminsterQuarters, a four-note tune originally writtenin 1793 for the bells of the St Mary the GreatChurch in Cambridge, England. The minuterepeater watch is considered, with goodreason, to be one of the most demanding anddifficult horological achievements, due to themarriage of technical complexity with artisticmusical tonality. A minute repeater tells thetime with two small hammers striking twogongs: one for the hours, one for the minutesand a combination of the two for the quarterhours. To further ensure the richness of thesound, the central case band is in grade fivetitanium, a metal known for its superioracoustic properties and often used whenmaking musical instruments.

THE SOPRANO$500,000, Christophe Claret,www.christopheclaret.com

There are some watches so beautiful that theyliterally take your breath away and seldom doesone find a perpetual calendar watch more elegantand artistic than this one.The third in Bovets Virtuoso series, this watch isa tourbillon with five-day power reserve andperpetual calendar with retrograde date. Thistimepiece can be worn on both sides thanks tothe reverse hand-fitting feature and, like allAmadeo models, can be fully convertible, easilymorphing from wristwatch to pocket watch andtable clock. Its movement, elaborately named, theCalibre Virtuoso III Spcialit Horlogre Dimier1738, is manually-wound and comprises 656components. The 46mm watch comes in red orwhite gold and is limited to just 39 pieces foreach version in rose gold.

AMADEO FLEURIER TOURBILLON VIRTUOSO III$498,000, Bovet, www.bovet.com


Elite Living Africa (ELA): Taking the helm ofUlysse Nardin since 2011, how would youdescribe your experience as CEO and how wasthe transition from predecessor Rolf Schnyder?Patrick Hoffman (PH): I joined Ulysse Nardin in1999, when we decided to start our owndistribution in the United States. The managementteam of five, including myself, worked with RolfSchnyder for decades and the transition wasalready planned before Rolf Schnyders suddendecease. The transition was very smooth and thecompanys direction, and strategy, in terms ofproduct, was all in place.

ELA: How would you describe Ulysse Nardin toa consumer and what goes on at your Le Loclemanufacturing site in Switzerland?PH: Ulysse Nardin is the iconic precision marinewatchmaker with a touch of technical avant-garde.Innovation is at the heart of everything we do andI can confidently claim that Ulysse Nardin is oneof the most innovative of the Swiss watchmanufacturers. Most importantly, we are about tobe 95 per cent independent and verticallyintegrated in terms of movement manufacturing.This was, to a large extent, possible through ourentrepreneurial spirit and our development of thetechnology of Silicium. We were the first companyto apply the Silicium technology in the watchindustry and many have followed us. Over the lastfew years we have introduced additionalrevolutionary inventions such as the flying anchorUlysse Anchor Escapement (pictured right) or theUlyChoc, a new shock absorber system based onSilicium technology.

ELA: What is your view on Africa as an emergingmarket and its potential for the luxury industry?PH: We have seen some encouragingdevelopments, not only in South Africa, but alsoNigeria. However, luxury brands are taking a whileto setup on the continent. I think the reason istwofold. On the one side, the luxury industry wentthrough a substantial growth period and wasconcentrating on the large markets. On the otherside, Africa, in general, and Nigeria, in particular,have been quite mysterious to a lot of marketersand was, for many business people, perceived as anunsafe place to travel. A feeling I never shared. Ifeel personally attached to Africa, as it is one of themost fascinating places for me. The flora andanimal world is indescribable and my absolutefavourite places to go are Botswana and theOkavango Delta. I have not been back for over 10years now and I am looking forward to visiting ournew retail partners, Zakaa, in Nigeria this year.

ELA: Tell us about your partnership with Zakaaand Ulysse Nardin's new boutique in Abuja.PH: The new Ulysse Nardin boutique in Abuja willprovide us with the perfect platform to showcasenot only our products but to also communicate thebrand philosophy.

ELA: This will be Ulysse Nardins first Mono-boutique in Africa. Why Nigeria?PH: We have learned that many travelers fromNigeria seek our product all over the world, inplaces such as Dubai, Geneva and Florida. So wethought, why not bring the world of Ulysse Nardinto Nigeria and explain the brand and its philosophy.



ABOVE Patrik Hoffman, CEOof Ulysse Nardin.

AFRICA IN

As Ulysse Nardin watches are comingto the continent, CEO Patrik Hoffmantells Elite Living Africa about why theyare one of the most innovativewatchmakers in Switzerland.

MOTION




ELA: What has been your biggest challenge andhow have you overcome it?PH: I think the biggest challenge, everyday, is toaccept change and to adapt to it.

ELA: What advice do you have for brands seekingto tap into the growing market?PH: To be patient, have passion and to be creative.

ELA: What is your favorite Ulysse Nardin watch?PH: How could I possibly choose? I like them all,but I have only two wrists. With that being said, Ithink the Freak (pictured above) is the UlysseNardin timepiece that was not only a milestone forUlysse Nardin, but for the Swiss watch industry asa whole. Just a few weeks ago, CNN Style listedthe Ulysse Nardin Freak as one of the 10 watchesthat changed the course of history in watchmaking.

ELA: Can you give us a glimpse of the futureprospects for the Ulysse Nardin brand?PH: With the partnership that we signed for the45th Americas Cup with Swedens sailing team,Artemis, we are committing to our heritage in theworld of marine. Like Africa, Ulysse Nardin has along, rich history, full of craftsmanship andtradition. In the next five years we will nurturethis and continue to be one of the leading Swisswatch manufacturers.

The new Ulysse Nardinboutique in Abuja will

provide us with the perfectplatform to showcase our

products and communicatethe brand philosophy.




This striking new collection from multi-award-winning luxury jeweller TomaszDonocik, has been inspired by the neon-litskyscrapers of cult sci-fi movie Bladerunner.Electric Night is a dazzling collection of stylishcocktail rings, earring cuffs, drops, and necklaces.Set in 18 carat rose gold, rows of baguette-cutstones, including amethyst, tanzanite, bluesapphire, iolite, blue topaz, emerald and whitediamond, form continuous rays of light that evokea futuristic nightscape. The futuristic earrings wonthe prize for best colour gemstone jewel at the LasVegas Couture Jewellery show earlier this year.Tomasz takes his creative cues from the art decomovement, eighties fashion and retro-futurism.Tomasz says, I was inspired by the dark, seductiveaesthetic of neo-noir films such as Bladerunner: thelightening bolts, light beams broken by whirringfans and neon advertising glowing in the rain. Thehero in Electric Night is the baguette stone, withshape and form playing supporting roles.

1. Earring Cuffs, $8,220; 2. ComboDrop Earrings, $9,300; 3. Necklace,$3,100; 4. Earring Cuffs, $2,980; 5. Cocktail Ring, $4,200; 6. Cocktail Ring, $5,870.

LIGHT UP THENIGHT

I was inspired bythe dark, seductive

aesthetic of neo-noir films such

as Bladerunner:the lightening

bolts, light beamsbroken by whirring

fans and neonadvertisingglowing in the rain.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Electric Night, Tomasz Donocik, www.tomaszdonocik.com, +44 7985 636639


39ACCESSORIES


In 1885, Yong Koon,a young Chinesepewtersmith, set outto Kuala Lumpur tobegin his business as acraftsman. Creating arange of objects frompewter, he called thecompany RoyalSelangor. Still run as afamily business, todaythe brand has animpressive rsum,responsible for FormulaOne trophies andLVMH Mot Hennessychampagne chillers.

Innovative eyewear label Rigards has dedicated aspecial model to Mr. Koon, inspired by a pair ofspectacles he wore all his life. Royal Selangor,which is celebrating its 130th year, provides thepewter used in the round frame, which is fusedwith horn materials. The bridge works with an M shape, while the arms are slim, finished with a hammered satin effect.

Made using the organic by-product of rearing waterbuffalo on small farms, the horn for Rigards glassesis handpicked for its colour, grain and thickness.Each piece of horn is thoughtfully matched with thestyle that best enhances its inherent traits. Throughthis method, Rigards, adapted from the Frenchword regard, is giving a new meaning to theultimate in handcrafted sunglasses. Rigards & Royal Selangor Horn & Pewter sunglasses,$1,099, Rigards, www.rigards.com

ANTI-CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Mr. Koon with the glasses he wore all hislife; outside the original Royal Senagor shop; Rigard design development;Rigard horn-rimmed sunglasses honouring Mr. Koons craftsmanship.

STOP AND STAREAvant-garde eyewear specialists Rigards are

sure to make people look for the right reasons


40ACCESSORIES


Fordite, also known as Detroit Agate, is afascinating and beautiful material - showingoff layers of spectacular color. These"stones" were actually created by paint deposits,resulting from the hand spray-painting ofAmerican cars in the mid-twentieth century.

Until the mid-70s, and the development ofelectrostatic painting, automobile bodies werehand-sprayed. In order for the paint spray to coverthe entire car body, a lot of the paint naturallymissed the car body, and built up on walls, pipes,rails, skids and floors of the paint bays. As each

PAINT IT REDLet your outfit start the conversation

with these statement pieces.

ABOVE One-of-a-kind ForditeDisk Cufflinks in 20K peach gold,price available upon request',Reinstein Ross.

car body was baked at high-heat, this over-spraybuild-up was hardened, with many of the depositsreaching more than 100 layers thick.

As the build-up became too thick, it waschipped off and mostly discarded. Some of theseinteresting chips were collected by people whosaw beauty in the layers of psychedelic, metalliccolour. Since this material has been repeatedlybaked and hardened, it can be cut and polishedlike a stone to create these truly unique "gems",which are now becoming quite rare, and highlyprized by collectors.

S08 ELA July 2015 - His Style_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:57 Page 40

TOUCH OF GOLD

44HIS STYLE


SUITING UPStep out in style with a bespoke-fit Saville Row suit

Navy White

Burgundy Navy

WHIP LINEARCUFFLINKS,

Self styled as America's Original Clothier, Brooks Brothers wasfounded in 1818 by Henry Sands Brooks as the first 'ready-to-

wear fashion emporium' in the USA. The company hasoutfitted Brooks Brothers has outfitted 39 of the 44 US

Presidents, including the incummbent President, and suppliedclothes for the global television success Mad Men.

Burgundy

Light Blue Navy

1

DRESS FOR BUSINESSwww.brooksbrothers.co.uk

Inspired by the whipping that attaches a polostick together, the Gold Whip collection fromBritish jewellery designer Theo Fennell presentsa clean, linear aesthetic. Crafted from 18 karatyellow gold, the GoldWhip Cufflinks will adda polished finishingtouch to formal looks.

2

3

$2,920, Theo Fennel, www.theofennell.com

DARK MOTHER OF PEARL CUFFLINKS

Longmire is an independent Englishjeweller with a renowned internationalreputation as the cufflink connoisseur.

Highly skilled craftsmen have usedthe finest Tahitian mother of pearl

and 18k rose gold with a flutedborder to make these exquisite

accessories.

$3,907, Longmire, www.longmire.co.uk


45HIS STYLE


1. Milano fit saxxon wool brownplaid suit, $1,298

2. Milano fit double-breasted stripe1818 suit, $1,198

3. All ties, $79.50

4. Homme Murano Pure Oil, $865,Xerjoff, www.harrods.com

5. Grey suit, $5,613

CASUAL ELEGANCEwww.dege-skinner.co.uk

Family-run Saville Row tailer Dege &Skinner has been producing mens bespokesuits and shirts since 1865.

All materials are cut by hand by craftsmentailors and shirt makers, and the companyoffers a special appointment travel service forcustomers unable to make it to Saville Rowthemselves.

Current chairman Michael Skinner was atcoronation of Queen Elizabeth II at WestminsterAbbey in 1953, when he, his father and JohnDege dressed the Peers of the Realm for theRoyal occasion.

4

5


AFRICA FA

48FASHION


Africa Fashion Week 2015 proved thatAfrican-inspired design is continuing

its global takeover.

F rom catwalk runways to street style, thevibrancy and dazzling nature of African-inspired prints have long now permeatedthe fashion capitals of the world. This August, Africa

Fashion Week London (AFWL) 2015 proved that thereis more to this trend than peplum tribal print and stiff

waxy textiles. Taking place at Olympia, London, the two-dayevent saw buyers, retailers and designers gather to admiredesigns by talented visionaries, such as Gabor Szanti andMonika Schiable (pictured right), which exude an innatesense of style, femininity, timelessness and opulence.

Congolese model Noella Coursaris Musunka, one of thebrand ambassador for AFWL 2015 said, "It has always beenmy belief that fashion can be a tool for breaking downbarriers and transcending cultures. This industry has theability to put Africa on the world stage and can provide forcountless job opportunities on the ground and abroad, fromlocal retailers to international stores. It is time for the worldto see the amazing talent that lies within Africa. I amdelighted to be serving as one of this years brandambassadors to Africa Fashion Week London 2015 and tohelp showcase the brilliant work of African designers.

Innocente Messy, a young Congolese designer at AFWL2015, shows there is more to Congo fashion than thefabulous Sapeurs, and collections from Taiwan by AimeeKuand Thai designer Porjai Thai Printer prove that Africanfashion is already inspiring Asia in a big way.

Africas apparel and design industry is presently worth$31bn, according to Euromonitor, with Kenya standing asthe leading exporter of apparel, earning $400m, annually.The World Bank estimates that in 2020, consumers in Africawill be spending more than $1.4tn on fashion goods andservices.

L O N D O N C A L L I N G F O R

RIGHT Face of AFWL 2015Maggie Smith wearing greendress by Bestow Elan (price onapplication).


FASHION

49FASHION


ABOVE Mary Martin collection byMonika Schiable

Victoria Michaels alsoattended the event as anambassador and is one of themost sought-after models forleading businesses in Africa.She has played major roles incommercials for Hertz Rent-a-car, Vodafone, MTN, Nexcafe,Da-Vica and Bela-Aquamineral water. She said, Itfeels really great to be chosenas the Brand Ambassador for aglobally acclaimed proudlyAfrican event like the AfricanFashion Week London.

I am particularly excited tobe part of this grand platformthat showcases the originalAfrican creativity, style andtalent.

We have a very rich fashionculture and I look forward toworking with inspiring Africandesigners from both within thecontinent and the Diaspora, aswe thrill and dazzle the worldwith authentic mind-blowingdesigns that speaks only of ourincredible creativeness.

We thrill anddazzle the worldwith authenticmind-blowingdesigns thatspeaks only ofour incrediblecreativeness.

VICTORIA MICHEALS


With the likes of the cloud, tablets andthe Internet of Things becoming evermore present in each and every one ofour lives, it's almost shocking to be remindedthat not so long ago, a passion for the latest techwas a niche reserved almost exclusively for thegeeks and some of the freaks among us.However, the technological revolution of the lastdecade has changed that for practically everyone,and nowhere on the planet has felt its impactmore substantially than Africa.

Here we look at some of the latestdevelopments that may be finding their way intothe hands of Africas technology enthusiasts.

50TECHNOLOGY


TRENDINGTECHThe gadgets that can make life richer, aschosen by technology expert Sid Pinzon

If Apple has created the phone for one-and-all, thenVertus offerings are most certainly the opposite, asthey are for the few the very wealthy few. Theluxury phone companys Signature Touch Clous deParis handmade-handset features a Grade-5 titaniumback plate wrapped in the finest calf leather, a 4.71080p high-contrast display, protected by a 118 caratpiece of sapphire crystal and access to a 24-hourconcierge service at, quite literally, the touch of aruby encrusted button. And all for the tidy sum of$21,900. Without a doubt more than just a phone,this is a status symbol in its own right.

VERTU SIGNATURETOUCHLEFT Featuring Bang and Olufsen speakers and access to a 24-hourconcierge available via voice, email and live chat.

PANASONICS TOUGHPAD 4K TABLET

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the tablet marketplace begins and endswith the iPad. Apples offering did, after all, effectively establish this sector ofthe technology market. But even in this veritable monopoly, Japaneseelectronics giant Panasonic has managed to carve out something of a niche bydeveloping the worlds only ultra HD tablet in its Toughpad 4k. At an impressive 20 inches, its more than twice as big as the iPads screen, andat a cost of $6,000 its also almost 12 times as expensive.

ABOVE Made with reinforced glass fibre and a magnesium alloy case.

S09 ELA July 2015 - Technology_Layout 1 26/08/2015 11:59 Page 50

51TECHNOLOGY


CANON EOS-1D X DSLR

Camera phone technology may have brought the joysof photography to most people, but, despite its manyadvancements, none of the results can quite stand upto the quality and depth of a picture taken on atraditional SLR camera. No other unit on the marketcurrently matches the prowess of Canons EOS-1DX, when coupled with the right lens.

With more than 18 megapixels being shot at animpressive 14 frames per second, unbeatable low-light performance and a 61-point autofocus, whichensures perfectly still images time after time, it reallyis difficult to argue with the $10,000 price tag.

AUDEZE LCD-3

Clever marketing campaigns mean that people areoften concerned with style over substance when itcomes to their choice of garishly-colouredheadphones. For the audiophiles among us, it really isabout sound quality and little else.

In this respect, the industry seems to agree thatnothing has succeeded as much as Audeze with itslatest LCD-3 Zebrano wood headphones. At almost$2,000, making them among the most expensiveheadphones out there, youd expect them to deliver.And they really do. Rich, vibrant and full-bodied,much like a fine wine, the output of these headphoneshas to be experienced to be truly appreciated.

RIGHT Comes with a Ruggard Navigator 55 DSLR shoulder bag andVello Wireless ShutterBoss timer remote.

LEFT AND ABOVE Unlike most headphones, the Planar Magneticspeakers use a flat, lightweight diaphragm suspended in a magnetic field.



52TECHNOLOGY


Its already the most talked about gadget ofthe year and its barely been released.Nevertheless, its safe to say that despite thehype, Apple Watch - the brands first foray intothe world of wearable tech - has delivered. Eventhough several have come before it, critics agreethat this is the first smartwatch effort to trulysucceed. This is, in part, thanks to the devicesDigital Crown used to navigate through theinterface, minimising the interaction with thesmaller-than-were-now-used to touchscreen. Ina break from its norm, Apple has launched with22 variants available, including the exclusiveEdition range, which boasts an 18-karat goldcasings and a price tag of up to $17,000.

APPLE WATCH

ABOVE AND LEFT One of the Apple Watch apps available is aremote control for BMWs i8 electric car.


53TECHNOLOGY


55MOTORING


By combining the elegance of silk with anopulent and bespoke car design, Rolls-RoyceMotor Cars has introduced a million-dollarmotor that offers more than power and prestige.

Introduced at this years Geneva InternationalMotor Show, Serenity, a one-off Phantomlimousine, was described by Rolls-Royce aspresenting the new standard in authentic, bespokeluxury motoring, showcasing the efforts of the carmanufacturers designers and craftspeople at thecompanys famous base in Goodwood, UK.

Aiming to take the best that exists and make itbetter, Serenity introduces a completely new levelof individualised luxury, applied to a Rolls-RoycePhantom a vehicle widely considered by ownersand admirers alike to be the best car in the world.

Sir Henry Royces maxim, When it does notexist, design it, acted as the inspiration for the

latest generation of Rolls-Royces bespokedesigners, giving them the impetus to take a newapproach towards the type of luxury demanded bythe longstanding and exacting customers of Rolls-Royce. Their answer, the car manufacturer says,came in the form of Rolls-Royces deepunderstanding of one of the most precious,beautiful and natural materials, silk. The materialoffered an opportunity to create a canvas for acompletely unique design.

The marques Bespoke Design team tookinspiration from the opulent interiors of

Rolls-Royces that have conveyed kings andqueens, emperors and empresses and world leaders.Combined with contemporary interpretations offurniture design combined with Japanese royal robemotifs, Serenitys designers delivered an innovativeand tranquil interior.

ABOVE The mother of pearl finishwas polished for 12 hours toshimmer in various colours.

SILK ON THE ROADThis new million-dollar baby from Rolls-Royce

Motor Cars, a one-off silk-lined Phantom, showsthat when it comes to bespoke interiors, it still

has the edge.

S10 ELA July 2015 - Motoring_Layout 1 26/08/2015 12:00 Page 55

The Rolls-RoyceMotor Cars Bespoke

Design team hascreated a magnificent

one-off Phantomwhich will set a new

benchmark forluxury

individualisation inthe motor industry,

Torsten Mller-tvs, CEO,Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

FABRIC OF THE ULTIMATE PHANTOMGiles Taylor, director of design at Rolls-RoyceMotor Cars, remarks, Having revisited the historyof the amazing interiors of the elite Rolls-Royces ofthe early 1900s, we felt inspired to share thisheritage with our new customers in an extremelycontemporary way.

The choice of Phantom for this project was anobvious one for the company, but creating the motifthat would define this most unusual and modern of automotive interiors would require considerablenew expertise.

Cherica Haye and Michelle Lusby, both textile artsgraduates from the Royal College of Art andPlymouth University in the UK, respectively, joinedRolls-Royces Bespoke Design department to helprealise the direction of the core motif for this one-offRolls Royce Phantom.

Some of the most opulent silk motifs come to usfrom the Orient, where imperial families and richmerchants robes were made from the finest silkmaterials, Lusby notes.

The ultimate example of the most luxurious robedesign became the junihitoe, a highly complexhandmade twelve-layer robe of silk worn only byfemale Japanese courtiers. The colours and thearrangements of the layers were very important, with

the colours given poetic names such as crimsonplum of the spring.

In addition, during the Japanese Edo period(1615-1868), the merchant and artisan classescommissioned beautiful clothes to demonstrate their wealth and good taste. Clothing developed into a highly expressive means of personal display,an important indicator of rising affluence andaesthetic sensibility.

A new aesthetic known as iki, or elegant chic,meant anyone with real taste focussed on subtledetails, while those with style and money foundways to circumvent rules that forbade the use ofcertain colours, such as red, by applying them toundergarments and linings.

The rear compartment of a Phantom is the mosttranquil, beautiful place to be, a place where timeand the outside world simply slip past, says Haye.This tranquillity made us think of the Orientaltradition where emperors would take to theirprivate gardens to reflect in solitude under theblossom trees.

The blossom motif is one that is cherished in FarEastern culture and has been beautifully applied toroyal robe design over the centuries. We felt it wasthe perfect representation of tranquillity and serenityfor a beautiful modern interior from Rolls-Royce.

56MOTORING


ABOVE The unique interiorfeatures hand-painted silk with ablossom motif.


formed the centrepiece of Serenity would take up to600 hours of work per panel.

UNCONSCIOUS PAINTINGThe style of painting employed in the design of theSerenity silk is a centuries-old technique known asunconscious painting. Much of Japanese paintingtechnique is learned through very fine and detailedrendering of classical forms within nature. The workcan be painstaking with the same form renderedagain and again. The purpose of this repetition is toimbue in the artist an innate understanding of thesenatural forms until their balance and nature isunderstood without thought.

In order to paint a calm and beautiful image, theartist must be calm of mind. Mood becomes allimportant as it will influence the balance and moodof the work. A meditative state results where thebrush can flow freely in the artists hand a state ofunconscious painting.

In preparing to paint the panels for Serenity, theserene state of mind was all important. The branchesneeded to have life, movement, spontaneity butwith grace and calm.

INSPIRING SERENITYFrom renaissance times to the modern day, eminentpeople have surrounded themselves with rare fabricssuch as silk to signify their power and position insociety, whether at home or on the move, explainsTaylor. In the early 20th Century, as closed Rolls-Royces replaced luxurious carriages, these opulentfabrics began travelling with their owners in the rearcompartments of the worlds finest motor cars.

As discerning customers in the early 1900s movedfrom horse drawn carriage to motor car, the style formany of their luxury automobiles was the Sedanca deVille. With open cockpits, chauffeurs continued to siton leather, a naturally robust material suited toexposure to the elements. Sumptious fabricsremained the upholstery of choice for the occupantsof the rear compartment.

Only when automotive leather became morerefined was it accepted by patrons of the prestigiousmarques as a luxury material. At the same time theincreasing availability of artificial fabrics to the widercar industry meant that leather was seen as a luxury,and the best leather, the ultimate luxury.

The desire for the finest, most indulgent fabricsendures among the cognoscenti around the world,including many Rolls-Royce owners, Taylor says.The thought that fabrics such as silk have beendiscounted from use because of their delicacy onlyspurred us on to go further than any other car makeris capable of doing. The result is Serenity.

MORE THAN JUST SILKOf course, the creation of the interior of any luxurycar could not simply rely on beautiful silk upholstery.Embracing modern furniture design, the rearoccupants elevated and powerful seating position hasbeen accentuated with the valances of the seats madefrom rare smoked cherrywood. Reminding one ofthe drivers position in the early 1900s motor car,the seats in the front of the car are clothed in Arcticwhite leather. Smoked cherrywood continues the

CREATING AN EXCEPTIONAL INTERIORAs with the creation of every Rolls-Royce, the genesisof Serenity and its blossom motif began with a blankpiece of paper. Unlike any other Rolls-Royce,however, it also began with a blank bolt of the finesthand-woven silk.

In order to create this one-off bolt of silk forSerenity, the Bespoke team looked to Suzhou, China,a town renowned for its imperial embroidery. Theteam sourced the unspun silk thread and had it hand-dyed by local craftspeople.

The silk was transported to one of Britains oldestmills where it was hand-woven into just 10m of thefabric or enough to clothe the interior of Serenity.The process took a total of two days and thenumerous colours of silk thread were painstakinglyblended into the highest quality warp, featuring 140threads per centimetre, resulting in the smokey greenof the underlying silk fabric.

The smoke green silk was then transferred toLondon where the blossom motif, designed by Hayeand Lusby, began to flourish across the fabric asBritish and Chinese craftspeople embroideredcopper-coloured branches and white petals.

The final touch was the detailed petal by petalhand-painting of crimson blossoms directly onto thesilk. The resulting panels and swatches that have

57MOTORING


In preparing topaint the panelsfor Serenity, theserene state ofmind was allimportant.

ABOVE Mother of pearl has beenlaser cut and inlaid into the cherry-wood panelling.


Oriental theme within the cabin, applied to theSerenitys door cappings, dash fascia and rear centreconsole, but further embellished by another Far-Eastern wood Bamboo with the skilledapplication of Bamboo cross-banding.

In addition, the blossom motif from the silk isrecreated through the finest marquetry on the reardoor cappings through the use of Mother of Pearl,which is laser-cut and hand-applied, petal by petalinto the wood. Mother of Pearl is created when twosubstances, one mineral and the other organic,combine. Tiny hexagonal plates of aragonite, a formof calcium carbonate, are arranged in layersalternating with conchiolin, a flexible protein similarto silk that is secreted by the mollusk.

This theme is continued in the driverscompartment of the car with Mother of Pearl appliedto the face of Bespoke Serenitys clock and thedrivers instrument dials. This Mother of Pearl face isetched with concentric circles redolent of the rakedgravel seen in Japanese gardens, and is inlaid withhand-applied rubies that echo the colour of the hand-painted flowers in the panels of silk lining.

Continuing the theme of ultimate luxury, theluggage compartment of Serenity is lined in Arcticwhite leather with an Arctic white carpet.

As a final touch, two parasols featuring theSerenity motif are held by bespoke leather loopsincorporated into the boot lid.

SEDUCTIVE AND BEAUTIFUL EXTERIORThe lustre of Phantom Serenitys exterior dazzleswith its powerful and noble presence, and its bespokeMother of Pearl paint is the most expensive one-offpaint ever developed by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

The paint has been added in a three-stage pearleffect and hand-polished for 12 hours to deliver thevehicles shimmering presence.

The coachline that adorns Serenitys exterior hasbeen applied by the squirrel-hair brush of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars coachline expert, Mark Court, withthe asymmetric nature of the coachline signifyingPhantom Serenity is the latest one-off commission tocome from the Bespoke team at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

One-off commissions and Bespoke Collections hashelped Bespoke sales to grow globally by 31 per centin 2014, with 85 per cent of all Rolls-Royce motor carssold around the world commissioned with some levelof Bespoke content.

While every Rolls-Royce is special, nearly everycustomer desires extraordinary distinguishing features

58MOTORING


ABOVE Some of the interior silkpanels are said to have taken upto 600 hours to complete.

In order to createthis one-off bolt of

silk for Serenity,the Bespoke teamlooked to Suzhou,

China, a townrenowned for its imperial

embroidery.


to make their car completely unique. Fulfilling theserequests falls to the marques Bespoke Designdepartment; a collective of the automotive worldsfinest designers, engineers and craftspeople.www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

59MOTORING


SHOWROOM NEWS

When it does notexist, design it,

Sir Henry Royce,co-founder, Rolls-Royce.

Coscharis Motors in Lagos, Nigeria, now holdsan exclusive franchise for Rolls-Royce cars withthe availability of the Phantom, Ghost I and IIseries and the new Wraith models in its Lagosand Abuja showrooms, respectively.

Dr Cosmas Maduka, Coscharis Motors CEOsaid, This remarkable feat marks a new era inthe history of automobile dealership in Nigeriaand we are pleased to be among the pacesetters.It shows our desire to always set the bar in thepremium automotive segment in Nigeria.

The luxury car dealership recently won Bestperforming new dealer in the Middle EastRegion at the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars 2015Regional Dealer Conference in Dubai. Groupmanaging director Josiah Samuel (picturedbelow) received the award for the dealershipsoutstanding sales record and maintenance of theglobal standard of positioning the luxury brandof Rolls-Royce in the Nigerian market.

Coscharis Motors is the sole franchisee of otherpremium brands including Jaguar, Land Rover,BMW and MINI in Nigeria.

ABOVE (Left to right) Business Manager, Tolulope Gbadamosi;Group Managing Director, Josiah Samuel; General Manager,

Marketing, Abiona Babarinde, all of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Lagos,Coscharis Motors, Nigeria, with the award for Best Performing New

Dealer in the Middle East region at the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars 2015Regional Dealer Conference in Dubai.


62MOTORING


THE SPORTS CAR

Mercedes car tuner extraudinaireBrabus has taken one of the mostpowerful cars money can buy andgiven it rocket fuel. The Brabus Rocket 900 is theultimate way to get around.

The kind of car that makespassengers jealous of thechauffeur, the Mercedes-Maybach S600 will already go from0-62mph in five seconds flat, butGerman car tuner Brabus has created aversion, the Brabus Rocket 900, thatdoes it in 3.7 seconds. This insanelypowerful acceleration is on par with aFerrari FF.

The chassis sits 25mm lower than astandard Maybach, features new, moreimpressive, 21-inch wheels and someredesigned bodywork, including new airintakes, a new front spoiler and radiatorgrille, and a new rear bumper.

Inside, you can design the BrabusMaybach to whatever specification youdesire, the word limitless issurreptitiously deployed by Brabus as anindication of the kind of finishes buyerscan request.

The idea, as with all supercarmanufacturers, is that more is moreand this is precisely what Brabus hasdone to the already-stretched 6.0-litreV12 Mercedes-Maybach S600. Gone isthe off-the-rack 523bhp output,subdued, featureless leather interior andsmall 20-inch wheels.

To create the Rocket 900, Brabusrebored the engine to 6.3 litres, fitted anew billet crankshaft with forgedpistons, upgraded the turbochargers andattached them to larger intakemanifolds. To keep temperatures downunder the bonnet, it has also been fittedwith real gold heat shields.

The results are 900 metric horsepower(888bhp), 1,106lb ft of torque, a 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds and a topspeed of 217mph, which is 0.1seconds faster than an AstonMartin Vantage V12.

Prices start at $390,371www.brabus.com

AS A LIMOUSINEDISGUISED


63MOTORING


ABOVE AND LEFT With nospeed limiter, the

speedometer can easily reach217mph and more.

RIGHT Interiors can bedesigned to any specification.


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S11 ELA July 2015 - International Insider_ Hotels_Layout 1 26/08/2015 12:04 Page 64

S11 ELA July 2015 - International Insider_ Hotels_Layout 1 26/08/2015 12:04 Page 65

66VIP TRAVEL


ABOVE Azura at Quilalea has anamazing house reef within a fewfeet of the beach and wheresightings of turtles are common.

ISLAND PARADISE$128,000 per person, Azura Retreats

www.azura-quilalea-mozambiquetravel.com

Directors whose businesses have enjoyed agood year and are looking for thatultimate bucket-list experience to spendtheir hard-earned bonuses on might like toconsider the exclusive use of a private island inthe Indian Ocean.

At $28,000 a night, guests can check in andtune out from the corporate chaos at AzuraRetreats Quilalea resort, an uninhabited islandparadise, which is surrounded by the crystal-clearwaters of the Quirimbas Archipelago marinesanctuary just off the coast of Mozambique.

Perfect for a large family, group of friends or aCEO who wants to treat their top performers, the86-acre island has nine seafront villas that canaccommodate a maximum of 18 guests looking to

relax, unwind and forget about the world on theirown island castaway home.

Theres a restaurant, African spa and a divecentre. Guests can also go snorkelling, fishing,kayaking, take part in island exploration andhistorical tours, try their hand at sailing ontraditional Mozambican dhows and bird watching.

The rental price includes all meals, drinks, aselection of premium wines from the wine cellar,the use of diving and snorkelling equipment andguided activities such as fishing, island hopping,kayaking, scuba diving and star-gazing.

Dining is completely flexible, with theMozambican butler hosts offering a range ofspecial se

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Elite Living Africa - Issue 1 2015