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AUTUMN 2026 VOLUME 19 NUMBER 3

SPHERE THE LONG LENS ON LUXURY

LEGENDS OF THE FALL Our pick of autumn’s finest

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CONTENTS 38

COVER ILLUSTRATION PIETARI POSTI

REGULARS 08 NUCLEUS

The best of autumn’s fashion, culture, travel, beauty, food and drink

28 FASHION

Fiercesome animal print for women and dandy served with a rock ’n’ roll twist for men

62 JEWELLERY

How today’s designers are embracing the positive beauty of negative space design

89 SPHERE LIFE

A treasure trove of wellness, interiors, nature and gifting inspiration

FEATURES 32 STRIKING A CHORD

In conversation with Sir Antonio Pappano, Chief Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James’s Piccadilly

34 CALL OF THE WILD

British heritage shoemaker Crockett & Jones’ new A/W Collection is inspired by the rocky terrain of Yosemite

38 CREATURE COMFORTS

Exploring the growing trend for homes that inspire all five senses

52 DARE TO DREAM

Spotlight on superyacht maker Sanlorenzo and its new Mayfair showroom

56 IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN

Why London’s incredible art offering is hard to beat

68 MADE IN LONDON

What is driving the capital’s emergence as the sartorial home of demi-couture?

76 SHAKEN AND STIRRED

Delve into the alchemy of the mixologists bringing mastery and magic to a cocktail bar near you

82 TIME TO PRESS PAUSE

Jemima Sissons takes a look at the latest wellness offerings around the globe

98 MASTERCLASS

A guide to Burgundy wines, courtesy of Château la Commaraine’s Paul Krug

AUTUMN 2026

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EDITOR’S LETTER elcome to the autumn issue, along with our partners, Sanlorenzo and Crockett & Jones, featuring a bespoke cover by Pietari Posti that heralds the new season. Jonathan Bell gets on board with Sanlorenzo for a journey from design to the setting sail of a unique yacht, and we discover how shoemakers Crockett & Jones are taking the changeable weather in their stride with their stylish new collection.

Elsewhere, Charlotte Metcalf puts the spotlight on the most alluring art exhibitions in the capital over the coming months, and Avril Groom takes a deep dive into the historic and modern-day use of the ‘negative space’ technique in jewellery. With escape in mind, we round up the finest restaurants with rooms and drink in the latest cocktail trend for avant-garde libations. If it’s time for a detox, we look at some of the latest new offerings in the world of wellness; indeed, the health craze is spreading to the world of property — Zoe Dare Hall discovers how neuro-design is shaping how we live and build. As ever, we unearth the leaders in style, culture, food, drink, travel and wellness. For weekly access to the hottest news and insights, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter at spherelife.com, and please let us know at sphere@iln.co.uk if you would like to subscribe to the magazine in the future. Enjoy the read!

Jemima Sissons

SPHERE Editor Jemima Sissons Art Directors Dominic Murray-Bell Jo Murray-Bell Sub-Editor Rachel Roberts Account and Production Director David Gyseman Colour Reproduction Lorna Wilson Group Advertising Director Jane Washbourn tel: +44 (0)7920 821 577 email: jane.washbourn@iln.co.uk Luxury Sales Manager Dylan O’Connor tel: +44 (0)7345 532 796 email: dylan.oconnor@iln.co.uk Chief Executive (and Online Editor spherelife.com) Lisa Barnard tel: +44 (0)7887 823 116 email: lisa.barnard@iln.co.uk Contributor Lucia Ferigutti SPHERE PARTNERS CROCKETT & JONES crockettandjones.com SANLORENZO sanlorenzoyachts.co.uk

website: spherelife.com instagram: @sphere_life email: sphere@iln.co.uk

© 2026 Illustrated London News Limited. Articles and other contributions published in this journal may be reproduced only with special permission from the Publishers. The Publishers Illustrated London News Ltd accept no responsibility for any views or statements made in the articles and other contributions reproduced from any other source. All details and prices are subject to change. No responsibility is accepted for the claims made in advertisements appearing in this journal and the Publishers reserve the right to accept or refuse advertisements at their discretion.

CONTRIBUTORS

Printed by: Paragon

PIETARI POSTI After studying graphic design in Lahti, Finland, illustrator Pietari moved to Barcelona, where he founded Studio Posti. He is now based in A Coruña on Spain’s Atlantic coast, where he continues to work with a wide range of international clients across advertising, publishing and editorial.

CHARLOTTE METCALF Writer and award-winning filmmaker Charlotte Metcalf contributes to various publications, is the editor of Great British Brands, an associate editor at Country and Town House, and co-presents the Break Out Culture podcast. Her book Walking Away is about her time making television documentaries in Africa.

JONATHAN BELL A writer specialising in architectural and transportation design, Jonathan Bell is transport and technology editor at Wallpaper*. His books include Concept Car Design and The New Modern House and he also contributes to international lifestyle and design magazines. He lives in South London with his family.

AVRIL GROOM Avril Groom writes about luxury jewellery, watches and fashion for a number of upmarket publications and websites, including the Financial Times HTSI magazine, Condé Nast Traveller and Telegraph Time. She also edits Country and Town House magazine’s jewellery and watch supplement.

BEN MCCORMACK London-based Ben McCormack has been the restaurant expert for Telegraph Luxury since 2013. His work was shortlisted in the Restaurant Writer category at the 2020 Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards. He is also a regular contributor to The Standard, Food and Travel and Decanter.

CLARA TAYLOR Specialising in travel, luxury lifestyle and fashion, Clara Taylor writes weekly for spherelife.com and regularly contributes to SPHERE Magazine. Born in London, she routinely covers the vibrant dining scene in her home city, as well as exceptional destinations, inspiring personalities and the trends shaping modern luxury.

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SPHERE Magazine is published by Illustrated London News Limited, Soho Works, 4th Floor, The Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JJ Registered in the United Kingdom No. 15725542 Website: iln.co.uk ISSN: 2040-5316

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AUTUMN 2026

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The perfect balance of Your Mediterranean Escape beauty, decadence and discretion In the Heart of Mayfair Opening 14th September 2026

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Book your table now pearlmayfair.com | +44 (0)20 7499 9499

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NUCLEUS |

T R AV E L

C U LT U R E

STYLE

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE It landed with one of the most star-studded bangs the capital has seen for some time, with queues of A-listers snaking around the block and Petrossian caviar on tap. RH, the lifestyle and retail company coveted for years by Americans for its Hamptons-ready styles, has arrived in London. Taking over one of the finest Palladian houses in Mayfair, Foster + Partners has created a space of wonder — a gold-plated glass lift ascends past a tea salon and wine bar clad in bronze Armani Spanish marble. After lunching on langoustines and oysters, you might well come away with a Timothy-Oulton-designed sofa in performance lustrous chenille. MFI this is not… rh.com

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BEAUTY

Image: Mark Seelen

FOOD

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Shine bright this season with this smart new Anglepoise lamp, inspired by the company’s history. The Original 315 Desk Lamp, Navigation Edition was first designed in the 1940s, adapted to illuminate the navigator’s chart table in aeroplanes. Remade for home use, the piece features a matt black arm, springs and bolts and a polished aluminium shade, with a new pale putty shade as an option. £219, anglepoise.com ON THE NOSE Sink into autumn with a sultry new fragrance from Maison Francis Kurkdjian, the French perfume house founded in 2009. Oud Velvet Mood Extrait de Parfum is the third in the perfumer’s fabricinspired trilogy, here rich with peach and osmanthus to offer a more subtle iteration of the distinctive fragrance. OUD Velvet Mood is available in 35ml (£225) and 70ml (£360), harrods.com

GAME PLAY The fervour for Mahjong seems to show no sign of abating — from yummy mummy salons to ‘mahj’ invite-only groups jumping on the trend, as well as five-star hotels hosting dim sum and Mahjong soirees. Luxury homeware company Addison Ross is the latest to release a set, all housed in their signature lacquer box designs, from Palm Beach blue to Ikat Mink, each with 164 hand-painted tiles. Complete set, £495, addisonross.com AUTUMN 2026

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STRIKE A POSE Known for their soigne, Slim Aarons-esque swim shorts showing off some of the world’s glitziest destinations — from East Hampton to the Côte d’Azur — Orlebar Brown presents its autumn collection, inspired by the moody romance of Lake Como. Designed around printed silks — created with artisans in mills on the shores of the lake — these passeggiata-ready designs come in cool linens, knits, seersucker and fine tailoring. This is more the Como of George and Amal Clooney than influencers-for-the-day: pieces made for private garden parties and Riva hops to hidden villas. orlebarbrown.com

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Images: Cathy Kasterine, Felix Speller

AND SO TO BED Housed on a site where a shepherd once tended his flock, The Shepherd Mayfair hotel is a new boutique offering, with 82 rooms and suites spanning six floors. Located on the ground floor, Fayre is its 62-cover restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, alongside The Lounge — a café with a terrace setting — and Teddy’s, the late-night cocktail bar. theshepherdmayfair.com

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NOW AND FOREVER They are known for their exquisite jewellery collections, bespoke craftsmanship and careful restoration services, breathing new life into much-loved pieces. Make a statement this autumn with G. Collins & Sons’ ‘Infinity Collection’, which celebrates the timeless symbol of eternity through bold ribbons of solid 18ct gold. It includes a Rose Gold Diamond Set Necklace and Rose & White Gold Diamond Set Crossover Ring. Add an elegant pair of matching 18ct Rose Gold earrings to complete the look. gcollinsandsons.com

IMPECCABLE TASTE With a peerless reputation for crafting some of the softest pieces in the finest cashmere, silk and leather, Brunello Cucinelli launches its new collection, with a campaign set in the misty English countryside. Feminine pieces elevated with lace and embroidery sit alongside houndstooth, Prince of Wales check and tartan. You can also stay warm with their new woollens range, which features fur-like stitches highlighted with luminous accents, twisted mouliné-effect fringes and strands of sequins. The collection also offers an animal-inspired twist, such as this soft shearling pouch bag with lynx-effect pattern. (£1,600), shop.brunellocucinelli.com

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WORK OF ART Founded on the belief that pieces should be loved, cherished — and preserved for the next generation — Cult Gaia has morphed from an accessories brand to a full lifestyle offering, spanning bags, shoes, jewellery and Ready-to-Wear. Sculptural in their own right — and deserving of a plinth — are the new ladies’ evening shoes, ranging from playful mules to neo-wedges. We love this Sunella gold sandal, featuring a distinctive zinc alloy fringe heel design (the beads swish when you walk) that’s designed to stand out from the crowd. Pair with the Grecian Deirdra dress, adorned with pleated gold embellishments, and the art-like Caldera clutch bag in white. Sunella Sandal, £575, cultgaia.com 12

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Images: Rob Besant, Chris Ram Photo

COUNTRY RETREAT With its ferny forests and mystical moss-draped woodlands, the Forest of Dean holds a captivating charm for many. Located in pretty Clearwell, the 13th-century Tudor Farmhouse is a beautiful working smallholding, complete with rescue chickens, Indian geese and kitchen gardens overflowing with bounty. Head Chef Arron Christopher cooks dishes like Dorset Crab with XO cracker, Momoya, pickled cucumber and dashi. Guests can also enjoy seasonal foraging excursions or wildlife safaris. £165, tudorfarmhousehotel.com

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NUCLEUS FEEL THE HEAT Warm the soul and body with nourishing dishes from Spiced: Recipes Celebrating Spices from Around the World. Author and food historian Priya Mani has written about the influence of spices — from trade to migration to cooking itself. Covering 50 different spices, from prickly ash to saffron and white cardamom, the book delves into the origins, history, flavour profiles and preparation methods, featuring dishes such as Massaman curry and jollof rice. £39.95, phaidon.com

COME RAIN OR SHINE Stride out on the moors in style with the new shooting collection by Huntsman, created under Campbell Carey. Crafted from a new tweed, finished with Teflon™ coating for water resistance, the collection offers a field coat, vest and breeks (trousers). The jacket will endure the chilliest of days out, with fleece-lined pockets and adjustable waist strings, and the breeks feature snug Velcro ankle fastenings and suede-lined pockets. huntsman.com 14

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Image (top): Chris Tonnesen Photography

IN FULL BLOOM Having made a name for themselves for their perfectly imperfect pieces, all with natural dips and curves, Feldspar pottery has launched three new fine bone china vases, all with playful names: Giant Footed, Big Ears and Tubby. With hand-painted rims and smooth surfaces, they can be filled with anything from regal to hedgerow blooms. The Devon-based company has also launched its first lighting collection, including table lamps, textured ceiling and wall staples, and elongated pendants that work well on their own or grouped together as a trio. feldspar.studio

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Image: Victor Bellot

RAISE A GLASS Singing with autumnal notes such as apple and orchard fruits, La Grande Année 2018 from Champagne Bollinger is crafted exclusively from Grand and Premier cru grapes. Entirely vinified in oak barrels and sealed with natural cork, it has slumbered in the Maison’s chalky cellars for 10 years before being unleashed. A crisp blend of 19 crus, mainly from Verzenay, Aÿ, and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ for the 66% Pinot Noir, and Chouilly and Cuis for the 34% Chardonnay, it is the perfect drop with which to toast the new season. £175, champagne-bollinger.com

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YOUR DAILY BREAD

London Epicerie has opened in Belgravia with the aim of being known as a day-to-day grocer. Piled high with traceable and high-quality produce, it’s the brainchild of London Cheesemongers founders Jared Wybrow and Raissa van Dijk. The store’s approach to balance is shaped by nutritional therapist Edmund Swinburn, while former Brat head sommelier Daniel Garcia Thomas curates the wines. From Westcombe Dairy cheddar to Alma Bakery ancient-grain bread, the focus is on small, traditional producers. londonepicerie.co.uk

Image: Courtesy of Monte Lys

FINDERS KEEPERS Embrace autumnal russet, ochres and mellow yellows with your accessories this season. Newly launched by Montblanc, this stylish tangerine-grain leather key holder features a distinctive silhouette and two metal rings to securely hold multiple keys, so no more fumbling around at the bottom of a bag. Pair it with their mini wallet in sartorial leather. Key holder in grain leather, £235, montblanc.com

A STITCH IN TIME It is a charming full-circle story. In the 1930s, Spaniard Manuel Benito cut his teeth as a tailor on Dover Street before returning to Madrid, where he founded Monte Lys. Eight decades on, his grandson Juan Carlos has returned to London, where the family house will reopen in Bury Street bearing the same name. The opening will feature a private cutting room, family archive and exclusive Bury Tweed, woven in Scotland. montelys.com AUTUMN 2026

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TRÈS CHIC For those in the know, the ONLY time to travel to St. Tropez is once the first days of autumn arrive, when the crowds have departed, and the temperatures are still balmy but clement. You can also manage to get tables at places like the new elegant Monsieur Dior, Mauro Colagreco’s Provençal-style restaurant, which is alongside all-day Café Dior, offering pâtisseries, breakfast and afternoon tea. dior.com 18

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Images: Ivonwolak.com; Laora Queyras

SKIN SAVIOUR After 50 years in chemistry labs and a Nobel Prize, Sir Fraser Stoddart launched Noble Panacea as part of his mission to benefit humankind. Those benefits today? Visibly smoother, firmer and plumper skin in just 10 days. Under the skincare brand’s new RetiNAD+ Renewal Booster, three retinoid forms, all amplified by NAD+, are clinically proven to renew cells for a healthier and more youthful appearance. Powered by patented OSMV™ Technology, this intensive treatment delivers active ingredients in a controlled and sequenced manner, building from gentle to potent over time. Best applied to a cleansed face and neck in the evening. noblepanacea.com

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Image (top): Celia Birtwell

POWER COUPLE They were one of the most flamboyant and notable fashion unions of 1960s and ’70s London. Celia Birtwell and Ossie Clark created a name for themselves with her playful illustrative designs and his exquisite tailoring. Painted by David Hockney and holidaying with the Rolling Stones, they lived the rock ’n’ roll life – and their designs reflected it. Told through more than 120 garments, the new exhibition at the Fashion + Textile Museum, Ossie Clark + Celia Birtwell, illuminates the impact they made on the fashion scene, and also spotlights their independent careers in later years. fashiontextilemuseum.org HIGH SPIRITS Ryan Chetiyawardana is known as one of the industry’s most forward-thinking mixologists. Now, he has launched the fifth iteration of his cocktail menu at his bar, Seed Library, in east London’s One Hundred Shoreditch. With 15 new serves, all focused on stripping back ingredients, highlights include The Green Juice, which brings together Thompson Bros x Seed Library whisky, lime, parsley and pressed pear juice, and the innovative The KJ Daisy, which reimagines lime through the lens of ketchup’s universal appeal, with subtle cola and cacao notes riffing on a classic gin serve. seedlibraryshoreditch.com

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NUCLEUS FOOD AND DRINK

A FAMILY AFFAIR Bringing Italian flair to the heart of Wandsworth Common, Adam Byatt’s new eaterie, Rosina, is named after his daughter, Rosie. Known for his artful touch in fine dining restaurants across London, here you can expect plates like Datterini tomatoes with Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, nectarine and basil, and Adam’s PSP (Post Service Pasta) — spaghetti with anchovy, chilli and garlic. rosinarestaurant.co.uk 20

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Image: Mike Sim

TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF When it opened in Notting Hill, there was a waitlist at big and bold eatery Gold. Nick House and Executive Chef Theo Hill have now spread their wings to a bucolic setting in Richmond on the Thames with Tower House. Resplendent with candelabra, marble and foliage, there are river-view cocktails and an open kitchen that turns out hand-cooked pastas and day-boat fish grilled to perfection. thisistowerhouse.com

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E L I Z A B E T H H A R R O D & ST E V E N M C R A E , S O L O I ST & P R I N C I PA L , T H E R OYA L B A L L E T

NUCLEUS FOOD AND DRINK

ON THE MONEY Embrace autumn with uplifting Lebanese dishes at new restaurant Kinz in Notting Hill. Housed in an old bank and centred around family sharing plates, enjoy dishes such as Warak Enab — vine leaves and baby courgettes stuffed with lamb and rice — alongside Fattet Aubergine, layered with yoghurt, pomegranate, nuts and crisp pitta, all complemented by Lebanese wines. kinzrestaurant.com

THAT’S THE SPIRIT He is known for his deft and creative cooking, championing seasonal and local ingredients in his welcoming establishments. Now, Jackson Boxer has opened Vesper in Exmouth Market and is already earning rave reviews for sensational snacks such as Salt and Vinegar Crisps, Smoked Onion, Pepper Jelly, Trout Roe, and Spring Onion Pancake, Raw Tuna, Cantabrian Anchovy. Don’t miss the killer cocktails, which include a Dirty Negroni and Gooseberry Margarita. vesper.restaurant 22

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Image (top): Safia Shakarchi

LA DOLCE VITA The Laughing Heart in Hackney was something of an institution before it closed its doors in 2022, with ebullient proprietor Charlie Mellor flitting between tables and magnum-fuelled dinners stretching into the early hours. The same convivial atmosphere now lures diners to Soho at Mellor’s new restaurant, Osteria Vibrato, which celebrates regional dishes — from Sicily’s fritto misto to Lombardian risotto bianco and a delicious tranche of grilled turbot inspired by the cooking of Campania. osteriavibrato.co.uk

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NUCLEUS TRAVEL

A FAMILY AFFAIR For harried parents, it is one of the UK’s most welcome escapes. With a kids’ club (two hours free per day), fairy garden and pool, Woolley Grange near Bath knows its market. It has now launched garden rooms in the most divine setting. Mornings are spent watching butterflies dance over salvia borders, and the rooms come with roll-top baths. Rooms from £250 per night on a B&B basis. luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk BREATHING SPACE Chablé Yucatán is more than just a place to stay. Set in the heart of Mexico’s Yucatán jungle, it spans 750 acres of lush tropics featuring a series of indoor-outdoor casitas, azure pools and pathways woven through ancient stonework. Rooted in Mayan wisdom, guests can enjoy a deeply connective — even transformative — experience. Casita with private pool, including breakfast, from £822 per night. yucatan.chablehotels.com 24

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Images (Savoy): Will Pryce

SWEET DREAMS Known as one of London’s most iconic Art Deco landmarks, the grand dame hotel Savoy offers new rooms this season, crafted in the influential style. Overseen by design studio GA, the suites feature woven brass detailing, lacquered surfaces and scalloped panelling, softened by bespoke geometric rugs. A halo light created in alabaster casts a warm glow. Head down to enjoy cocktails in the American Bar, including original recipes from its 1930s Savoy Cocktail Book. Rooms from £800 per night. thesavoylondon.com

FEAST FOR THE SENSES It commands one of Lake Zurich’s finest spots with its own private sunbathing garden. The pretty Sonne boutique hotel is an insider’s gem in the Swiss city and has just launched a smart new restaurant, Pavillon. Dishes ranging from pea velouté to lobster ravioli are served on the terrace in warmer weather, accompanied by delicious local wines. Rooms from approximately £270, including breakfast. sonne.ch AUTUMN 2026

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NUCLEUS BEAUTY HEAD START

A summer spent chasing the sun likely left you with lasting memories — and stressed-out strands. Chāmpo’s Pitta Repair Mask is a deep conditioning treatment that visibly repairs damage from the very first application. In just three minutes, your hair is left stronger, smoother and more hydrated, thanks to its proprietary Pitta Liquid Crystal™ Technology, which is designed to mimic the hair’s natural lipid structure. £42, champohaircare.com

TIME TO SHINE

Formulated with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to nourish, plump and soften, the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Kiss Theory Lip Balm delivers a glossy, high-pigment colour payoff similar to a lipstick, with the skincare benefits of a traditional balm. Available in 23 shades, from soft nudes to vivid reds. £17, anastasiabeverlyhills.com FACE FACTS As temperatures begin to drop, your complexion may start to look dry and dull. Enter Omorovciza’s new Acid Milk — a powerful yet gentle resurfacing toner that blends glycolic, lactic, salicylic and azelaic acid with the brand’s patented Healing Concentrate™ and barrier-supporting ingredients. Use three times per week to achieve skin that looks fresh and radiant without irritation. £85, omorovicza.com

BRIGHT SPARK Les Rituels de Soin is Diptyque’s debut wellness collection. It centres around morning and evening rituals, accompanied by the scents of two new candles, Le Matin and Le Soir. In the morning, the focus is on energy, with dry body brushing and invigorating body scrubs, while the nighttime routine introduces relaxing body oils and gua sha massage. Self-care has never smelled so good. diptyqueparis.com 26

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FASHION 10

CAROLINA HERRERA AW26, CAROLINAHERRERA.COM

3 9

5 7

Fierce prints return with a loud roar this season. From crocodile to cheetah and everything in between, think queen of the jungle 1 Toteme Crocodile-effect leather clutch, £520, harveynichols.com 2 Anna Sui Honey animal-print jersey wrap, £185, net-a-porter.com 3 Etro Leopard-print coat £2,025, mytheresa.com 4 Saint Laurent Etolel-leopard frayed printed wool-twill scarf, £620, net-a-porter.com 5 Boulo Sphaless Nest Stone Ring Smoky Quartz in 14k yellow gold with hand-carved smoky quartz and pink sapphires, £3,720, bouloworld.com 6 Jennifer Chamandi Mario 65 in black nappa, £650, jenniferchamandi.com 7 Nili Lotan Keelah leopard-jacquard cashmere cardigan, £695, net-a-porter.com 8 Dolce & Gabbana Leopard-print chiffon culottes, £1,800, dolcegabbana.com 9 Kinraden Legacy sterling silver and Mpingo blackwood bracelet, £2,475 kinraden.com 10 Tasaki Danger fang diamond necklace in 18k white gold and diamonds, POA, tasaki.co.uk

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Image: Sipa US/Alamy

Animal instinct

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MEGA YACHT MANAGEMENT CHARTERING AND SALES NEW BUILDS AND REFITS

BERTHING AND MARINE SERVICES OFFICIAL PARTNER — GREECE

ATHENS OFFICE

FASHION 1 10 11 3

PRADA AW26, PRADA.COM

Fine and dandy

Sharp tailoring gets the rock ’n’ roll treatment with band T-shirts and Gothic accessories. Wear with your best tortured artist attitude 1 Dolce & Gabbana Nylon bucket hat, £285, dolcegabbana.com 2 Satoshi Nakamoto Grid Lock Logo-Print cotton-jersey T-shirt, £380, mrporter.com 3 Oliver Spencer Mersey cord brown neckerchief, £45, oliverspencer.co.uk 4 Our Legacy Mohair-blend Whale overcoat, £760, harrods.com 5 Tiffany & Co. Large link bracelet in titanium and platinum with diamonds, £15,400, tiffany. co.uk 6 Tom Ford Leather ankle boots, £1,850, harveynichols.com 7 Lemaire Leather shoulder bag, £1,157, mytheresa.com 8 Ara Vartanian 18kt white, yellow and rose gold brooch set with rubies and black and white diamonds, £14,000, aravartanian.com 9 Agolde Magnus Trouser Jean, £300, agolde.com 10 Vilebrequin Merino wool, cashmere and silk crewneck sweater, £370, vilebrequin.com 11 Dior Dior Line S2I sunglasses, £370, dior.com

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Image: DPA Picture Alliance/Alamy

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A REGAL ROAM ABOUT BRITAIN THE ILLUSTRATED

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Royalty in Britain Royalty in Britain THE ULTIMATE REGAL ROAM BY ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS

THE ULTIMATE REGAL ROAM BY ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS

THE AGE OF ELIZABETH BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT

BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT

THE ILLUSTRATED ROYALTY IN BRITAIN

In collaboration with the Royal Warrant Holders Association

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A Centenary Celebration

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STATE VISIT STYLE

ELIZABETH IN PICTURES

A Prince for Our Times

Rare Archive Images Insights by Royal Experts Autumn 2025 edition

LIVE LIKE A KING

THE WORKING ROYALS

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Queen Elizabeth II Commemorating a Historic Reign Spring 2026 edition

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Autumn/Winter 2026 edition will be available on newsstands (£9.99) from 16th October Order Copies: hello@iln.co.uk & at amazon.co.uk from Illustrated London News www.iln.co.uk 31

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Lucy Winkett is passionate about the music offering at St James’s Piccadilly

Striking a chord Sir Antonio Pappano, Chief Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James’s Piccadilly, find themselves in harmony discussing the hope of music WORDS PIPPA LOWE

Sir Antonio Pappano: To make music, there has to be a degree of emotional intelligence. When someone has that quality, you sense it immediately. It has to do with being able to strategise and create a narrative. On top of that, if you’re working with other people, you must be able to listen to what they’re doing, react to it, converse with it, argue with it even. LW: That’s a great summary of what making music demands. When did you first realise 32

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music was your calling? Perhaps I should use the word vocation, given this conversation. AP: I was encouraged, healthily or unhealthily, to practise the piano. My father was a singing teacher, so I started playing the piano when I was about six and a half. Later, I began accompanying his voice students, which I did for over 12 years. I vividly remember receiving the brown envelope with the results of my Grade Five piano exam, and I’d passed with distinction. That was the light bulb moment. I didn’t know specifically what I wanted to do, and conducting wasn’t even remotely an idea. I mean, I was lousy with my hands! But I always knew what I wanted to hear and could articulate it, even if I couldn’t do it with my hands.

Image (left): ©Harry Michael Photography/ harrymichaelphotography.com 2020

Lucy Winkett: Tony, you and I have met a couple of times and, before I was a priest, I trained as a soprano. Do you think musicians can find a particular connection, even if they subsequently pursue other paths?

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LW: I’ve seen you conduct at the Royal Opera House. Recently, you’ve been performing more intimate chamber concerts with the London Symphony. When you’re much closer to the audience, do you approach conducting differently?

Sir Antonio Pappano believes that the richness of St James’s music programme is “a beacon to the world”

AP: Chamber concerts usually imply that I’m playing the piano. That’s the real business; I do it to keep myself honest. The interpersonal relationship with my musicians is also much more intimate and, from a social aspect, it’s more enriching. LW: Would you give a solo piano recital, Tony? AP: I don’t have the nerves for it anymore. My hands tremble at first. I can play the piano quite well, but I do get very nervous because I don’t have that much time to practise when I’m studying new pieces as a conductor. That takes hours of solitary confinement! You don’t want to get up in front of the London Symphony and not know your music. LW: That brings me nicely to commissioning new music. You’ve been a fantastic friend to St James’s Church, and we commission a piece every year for our Christmas for All Gala Concert. Where do you think we are in terms of contemporary classical music? AP: I think any classical music institution will strive to create an honest equilibrium with the old and the new. No institution wants to be called a museum. New music has to have emotional content, because, in my opinion, not enough of it really hits the heartstrings. Everybody’s trying to be very clever.

Image: ©Musacchio & Ianniello

LW: Yes, maybe it’s too much head and not enough heart with contemporary music? Alongside the Christmas for All Gala Concert, we host lunchtime concerts supporting around 5,000 musicians every year, with live performance opportunities. They’re free to attend and we know from talking to our audiences that this free music helps alleviate loneliness in London. For 50 minutes, people can sit as they are and listen to amazing music. How do you see that contributing to our city and society at Christmas? AP: When I first stepped into St James’s, I knew I was in a very special place. The richness of the music programme is a beacon in this world. It’s a place made for community, and at Christmas, it’s cold outside but warm inside in every possible way. That’s what we need: to come together and embrace each other. That’s what happens at Christmas at St James’s. LW: If every person who comes through the doors of St James’s this Christmas leaves carrying one thought or feeling with them —

“New music has to have emotional content, because, in my opinion, not enough of it really hits the heartstrings”

particularly about music — what would you say to inspire them to come along and experience it? AP: You’ve been given the gift of music. Support it, stay with it. It’s not a onetime thing; it’s a life thing. Make it your vocation to support this wonderful initiative. I truly believe that. LW: That’s so encouraging, thank you. It genuinely helps us carry on! I sometimes reflect that whether it’s the London Symphony or a smaller place like St James’s Piccadilly, keeping a cultural institution going day-to-day means remembering why you’re doing it. We

sometimes think of a musical score as silent until we sing it, so we have to keep singing it; otherwise, it remains ink on paper, and that doesn’t serve anybody in the end. Thank you so much, Tony.

The St James’s Christmas for All Gala Concert takes place on 3 December, featuring The Sixteen and Genesis Sixteen choirs, and the St James’s Chamber Orchestra, plus invited soloists and celebrity readers. Help give a gift of hope this season by making a donation to the St James’s ‘Christmas for All’ Appeal 2026. Visit sjp.org.uk/Christmas AUTUMN 2026

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SPHERE PARTNER

CALL OF THE WILD

Opposite: The Vail, a hand-stitched apron boot, comes in dark brown or taupe suede Below: The classic Aspen shoe in dark brown

Crockett & Jones looks to the rocky terrain of Yosemite for inspiration behind its Autumn/Winter 2026 Collection, translating 147 years of craftsmanship into a technical, all-weather range built to withstand even the most untamed landscapes

WORDS CLARA TAYLOR

o witness Yosemite in person is to be reminded of nature’s true grandeur and sheer power. Standing at the foot of the staggering El Capitan, a 3,000ft granite monolith, or the vertiginous face of the Half Dome — which reduces seasoned mountain climbers to the size of ants — you’re immediately faced with the scale of your own humanity. It is here, amongst the ancient giant sequoia trees, thundering waterfalls and roaming wild bears, that the Crockett & Jones Autumn/Winter Collection was born. As James Fox, Head of Marketing for the classic heritage brand, explains: “The great outdoors, weekend wear and casual sectors are where we’re experiencing most of our growth, and there really is no greater ‘great outdoors’ than Yosemite. It’s one of the most awe-inspiring backdrops on the planet, and whilst our shoes aren’t quite as resilient as granite, they aren’t far off where footwear is concerned!” The Great Outdoors Collection meets the demands of the elemental Sierra Nevada terrain, which requires durability beyond that of any city pavement — no matter how slick with rain. Anchored by a mixture of Vibram cleated and British-made Commando rubber soles, each pair has been designed to grip. Whether the wearer intends to ramble along the valley floor or traverse scree and rock, both comfort and security are necessities and are core pillars across the collection. Beyond the soles, the collection showcases materials considered essential for genuine outdoor performance. Heritage Scotch Grain AUTUMN 2026

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leather and matte, rugged, yet supple rough-out suede not only blend seamlessly with the natural surroundings but can shrug off rain and mud after a long day exploring the great outdoors. This is evident across the line’s three signature styles. The Hickstead 4 is a regularfit boot that supports the contours of the foot while still prioritising style, with bronze buckle detailing. The Vail, the second design, is a hand-stitched apron boot that mirrors but reimagines the brand’s classic loafers and comes in dark brown and taupe suede, lending a timeless feel to a versatile shoe. The last component of the collection, and perhaps the model that best embodies the brand’s history on both sides of the Atlantic, is the Boston 2, a sportier, weatherproof loafer that brings a more rugged feel to one of Crockett & Jones’ signature silhouettes, perfect for wearing to a post-hike dinner or on a particularly rainy day in London. Crockett & Jones has long been heralded as a Great British brand: a family-run business for 147 years, founded in Northampton, the shoemaking capital of the world (yes, really). 36

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While synonymous with British heritage, not least because it supplied James Bond with two styles in the 2021 film No Time to Die, the brand has deep roots in North America. After first establishing a presence on the West Coast in the 1970s, Crockett & Jones has been a master shoemaker behind the scenes for decades, supplying household names like Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers and Barneys New York with thousands of pairs. Of course, it is this history that paved the way to the opening of two flagship stores in New York City, now fixtures in one of the world’s iconic global shopping destinations. After all, American customers have long held a healthy appreciation and admiration for the dapper and refined nature of English style. Speaking about why Crockett & Jones’ craftsmanship has translated well across the pond, Fox says: “While tastes are very similar, the main difference is that our American customers always reacted first to our more casual developments.” It is perhaps natural, then, that the Great Outdoors Collection finds its spiritual home on American soil. That the utilitarian boots designed to withstand

Scotch Grain leather and rough-out suede can shrug off rain and mud after a long day exploring the great outdoors

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SPHERE PARTNER

Images: Fraser Shott Ltd

Clockwise from top left: The Hickstead 4 is supportive and stylish; the Vail, shown here in taupe, reimagines the brand’s classic loafers; the versatile Boston 2 in black rough-out suede; a closer look at the Vail’s details

granite peaks and valley floors have found favour over the quintessential business loafer that the brand is beloved for back home. While the link between a Northamptonshire shoemaker, best known and loved for its business attire, and a national park thousands of miles from its front door may not be immediately obvious, upon further inspection of the Great Outdoors Collection, the synergy is clear. The partnership speaks to a broader shift in how heritage brands evolve — not by forgetting their roots or what resonates with long-term customers, but by reinterpreting what this looks like in new landscapes. Ultimately, this partnership is grounded in a shared appreciation and deep respect for the whims of nature — one through generations of craftsmanship that designs to withstand the changing seasons, the other through vast landscapes sculpted by time and the elements. Either way, both are firmly here to stay. The Crockett & Jones Autumn/ Winter 2026 Collection will be available online and in-store in September 2026. crockettandjones.com AUTUMN 2026

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CREATURE COMFORTS

Cutting-edge homes are increasingly shaped by neuro-design, where “sense-scaping” harnesses the power of all five senses to deeply nourish our feelings of wellbeing WORDS ZOE DARE HALL

Clockwise from above: Park Nova in Singapore by architect firm PLP is designed with a ‘garden’ for every resident; Casa Fuzetta in Olhão has been transformed into a space to appeal to all of the senses. The rooftop pool is a highlight, and guests can dine al fresco

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Images: Garrett Walsh at Algarve Photography

hen Tara Donovan first laid eyes on Casa Fuzetta, a large, derelict 16th-century mansion in the Algarve fishing town of Olhão, she felt the house call out to her, she says. The 58-year-old former CEO of Jamie Oliver’s media group describes it as “the only explanation for what we did.” She and her barrister husband, Jonathan Tod, spent three years transforming the dilapidated building into an extraordinary townhouse that now hosts a range of retreats and private rentals. Every visitor will have their favourite spot — from the stained-glass meditation room and rooftop pool with views towards the Ria Formosa estuary to Donovan’s “Instagram darling”: the spiral suite that leads to a private terrace. But “Casa Fuzetta was never designed to be only visual,” says Donovan. “It’s a house designed to appeal to all the senses, grounded in synaesthesia — the principle that everything we see, hear, touch and smell influences our sense of wellbeing.” When she later met — and subsequently teamed up with — Louisa Canham, a clinical

psychologist and founder of the wellness brand La-Eva, Donovan discovered a kindred spirit who understands the power of neurodesign: the science-backed approach to shaping work and living environments that optimise our mental and physical wellbeing. We are fickle beings, easily seduced by good looks. And neuro-design — with its largely subliminal effects — remains a hard sell in an age of eye-candy properties curated by Pinterest and paraded on Instagram. But as Donovan explains, “it’s about how a house makes you feel, not just how it looks. When guests arrive at Casa Fuzetta, they say the same thing. First, it’s something about the house — the light, the courtyard, the gentle aura of the rooms. Then it’s about the scent. ‘Where can I get these products? They smell amazing,’” says Donovan of La-Eva’s “ethereal scentscapes” that infuse different areas of the house. Canham, an expert in complex child and adolescent mental health who has worked in schools, hospitals and prisons, has long been interested in the impact of sensory experience on our living and working AUTUMN 2026

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Image: Mark Tan/Studio Periphery

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Images: Rodić Davidson Architects

Clockwise from opposite: Park Nova’s gently undulating floors mimic the shape of butterfly wings; the Kensington house renovation by Rodić Davidson Architects for a client with dyspraxia includes a suspended study and calming colours

environments. Of all the senses, she says, “scent has a special place. Biologically, there is a close connection between our olfactory system and our emotions and memories. It all involves the limbic system, and it’s why scent can transport you in an instant and unlock a moment from the past. “When we’re smelling, we’re feeling and remembering,” adds Canham, whose earthy, natural aromas can now be experienced in Claridge’s, Six Senses hotels in London and Portugal, and The Capston, a new residential development in London’s Nine Elms. “It’s about layering scents to create intentional fragrance for what you need in any given moment. Through scent, we’re trying to reach the state of homeostasis — when your nervous system resets.” So, how new is neuro-design? There’s no doubt ‘neuro’ is the prefix of the moment, from the neuro-luxury emerging in high-end hospitality to neuro-wellness, one of the biggest trends of 2026, according to the Global Wellness Summit. Essentially, it’s about applying insights from neuroscience to fields that have traditionally relied on intuition or aesthetics. Juhani Pallasmaa, the Finnish godfather of neuroarchitecture, has been saying for decades that modern design should engage the senses of touch, sound and smell, rather than being purely about the visual. And the architect Lee Polisano, whose

global practice PLP is behind groundbreaking projects on just about every continent — including Bankside Yards and Park Modern in London — questions whether ‘neuroarchitecture’ is just a modern name for an age-old practice that architects do instinctively, “which is to design spaces for people to inhabit not only physically but emotionally,” Polisano says. One of his latest projects, Park Nova, a luxury residential tower in Singapore, exemplifies this approach. “It’s about using materials to influence emotions,” he explains. “In this case, the material was greenery and biophilia. The ambition was to design a building where every resident lives within a garden, as immersing ourselves in nature has a positive impact on our emotions.” What’s changing now, says Polisano, “is that we have more evidence from neuroscience, environmental psychology and health research to explain why certain spaces affect us in the way they do.” Andrew Watson, at London-based Rodić Davidson Architects and long-inspired by Pallasmaa, believes sensory architecture has come to the fore since Covid. “The pandemic acted as a circuit breaker that made people value their homes more acutely. This created an opportunity — for architects and clients alike — to promote an architecture of haptics, acoustics, light and shadow, texture and spatial quality. We’ve seen a shift away from

minimalism and modernism towards a new materialism that offers warmth, protection and tactile surfaces, and that prioritises experiential quality over visual style.” The shift has run alongside our growing understanding of neurodivergence. Watson is working on a house renovation in Kensington for a client with dyspraxia, a condition that affects her coordination, motor skills and spatial awareness. “We were asked to create a suspended study where she could retreat to write, away from external noise, light and heat. Our features include temperature-controlled ventilation, secondary glazing, and finishes and paint colours that create a calming environment,” he explains. Just as we’re recognising the value to mind, body and soul of this kind of subtly immersive, multi-sensory design, however, AI may throw a spanner in the works. “A key question is whether the rise of AI will produce antisensory architecture. It’s still early days, but its influence on neurology and architecture could go either way,” says Watson. “Voice activation and contact-free sensors are making traditional handles and switches redundant. But if the handle disappears, something in our relationship with the built environment may vanish with it.” Another challenge, says Donncha O’Shea, a partner at the Gustafson Porter + Brown landscape architectural practice, who is working with the world-renowned Japanese AUTUMN 2026

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architect Kengo Kuma on Wedyan, a new biophilic residential high-rise in Dubai, is how to translate the principles of neurodesign into contemporary developments. “Competing demands for servicing, infrastructure and hard landscaping often reduce opportunities for meaningful planting,” says O’Shea. His solution is to prioritise landscaping from the outset of a project “rather than treating it as a residual space,” he explains. “That enables us to create environments that are not only more biodiverse and climateresilient, but also richer, more restorative places for people to live over the long term.” The interplay between neurology and design may be something that creative spirits understand intuitively, but developers are now getting on board. At The Capston, organically shaped furniture, tactile finishes and a gym and library overlooking a soothing Japanese garden and carp pond are among the ways that Ballymore is “helping to shape environments that positively influence how people feel, think and live,” says Ballymore’s managing director of sales and marketing, Brian De’ath. “A holistic, future-focused approach to wellness is central to designing projects that meet buyers’ changing lifestyles, and neuroaesthetics are an increasingly important consideration,” he adds. “The dialogue between a home and our senses is fundamental to our wellbeing,” agrees Maddy Bull, senior interior designer 42

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at HollandGreen, who recently redesigned Rosewood Manor — a historic Cotswolds house — for its owner, including adding a separate wellness pavilion. She talks of creating a “restorative experience” throughout the property, using natural limestone and terracotta tiles for their grounding qualities and layered linen for the windows to soften acoustics. “These aren’t just decorative choices. They are deliberate sensory inputs designed to foster a sense of calm and belonging,” she explains. In London’s super-prime market, buyers no longer want meaningless bling. Instead, neuroaesthetics are playing an increasingly big role in design, “to create a genuine sense of ease and wellbeing,” comments Hamish Brown, partner at 1508 London, whose projects include crafting the 85 Rafflesbranded residences at The OWO on Whitehall. The Edwardian building’s high ceilings, tall sash windows and grand proportions “naturally support orientation and spatial clarity, which are key principles in neuroarchitecture,” says Brown. And the use of multi-sensory materiality — including hand-applied plaster and layered textiles — “is visually cohesive but also sensorially engaging,” he adds. You should never underestimate the power of colour, too. “It’s not just something we see, it’s something we feel, and it has the power to shape our emotional and mental

wellbeing,” comments Laura Perryman, who is a renowned and in-demand colour psychologist and interior designer. Her concept at The Eades, a design-led rental community in Walthamstow, north-east London, features a visually arresting palette that stands out from most catch-all, newbuild schemes. Pink, orange and mustard yellow encourage social connection in living rooms. In bedrooms, layered shades of blue promote calm and help slow down the body, readying it for sleep. “Before we read a room intellectually, we respond to it physically. From a neurological and physiological perspective, that response is shaped not only by the colour itself but by the shade’s saturation or intensity,” Perryman explains. To some extent, we’re now just doing to our homes what luxury hospitality has been doing for years — “choreographing an atmosphere through layered, sensory clues,” says interior designer Andrew Clark, who heads hdesign at Hamptons. “Spaces such as Annabel’s and a new wave of characterful restaurants in London such as Lilibet’s show how art, texture, scent, acoustics, lighting and spatial partitioning can work together to create comfort, theatre and memory. Clients are increasingly bringing those expectations home with them. They want spaces that feel immersive, restorative and tailored, not just decorated.”

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Clockwise from far left: Contemporary luxury blends with biophilic design at Wedyan; Rosewood Manor uses terracotta tiles for their grounding qualities; soothing tones are used in The Capston’s gym; a suite at The Eades, envisioned by colour psychologist Laura Perryman

Images: Eleven Visualisation, Ellen Christina Hancock, Astrid Templier

“A holistic, future-focused approach to wellness is central to designing projects that meet buyers’ changing lifestyles”

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Rooms at the inn ESCAPE

Is there anything better than a top-notch culinary experience rounded off with a good night’s sleep? These restaurants and pubs certainly won’t argue… WORDS BEN MCCORMACK

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When Jill Stein — who converted the flats above Padstow’s Seafood Restaurant into guest rooms back in the 1980s — recently urged her fellow restaurateurs to add bedrooms, “even if it’s only two or three,” she was talking about revenue. For the rest of us, the appeal of a restaurant with rooms on the side is more to do with comfort and convenience. With a mere handful of rooms rather than a hotel’s corridors of them, you’re a house guest, not a room number — often with priority at a table that might otherwise take months to book. Nobody needs to be the designated driver, so you can linger over a final glass of wine, then wake to breakfast cooked by the same kitchen that dazzled you the night before. The past 18 months have produced a new crop of excellent restaurants with rooms across Great Britain and Ireland, combining destination cooking with hotel-worthy accommodation. Here are 10 of the best. Clockwise from left: Lyla’s four guest rooms have contemporary vibes; the Michelin-starred restaurant; seafood-focused tasting menus highlight Scotland’s maritime bounty

LYLA, EDINBURGH Chef Stuart Ralston grew up in Glenrothes before moving to New York to work for Gordon Ramsay, then returning to his homeland to become Edinburgh’s pre-eminent restaurateur. His restaurants in the Scottish capital include Asian-influenced Noto, Italian Tipo and French Vinette. But Michelin-starred Lyla is far fancier — a special-occasion fine-diner housed in a grand 19th-century terrace built for the local shipowners, who could watch their vessels sailing in and out of Leith through the huge windows. Lyla’s views extend beyond the Firth of Forth to the Fife coastline. Seafood-focused tasting menus offer up a fishmarket of Scotland’s finest maritime produce, from lobster with kohlrabi to monkfish with caviar, while expert wine matchings amplify the experience. You

can push the boat out for the £300 “Reserve” pairing, which will likely bring a glass of Krug at some point. After dinner, it’s a short toddle up the sweeping staircase to four guest rooms that would not disgrace the famous names on Edinburgh’s hotel scene. Breakfast the following morning arrives as a hamper full of goodies, such as a banana chocolate miso muffin. Walk it all off with a saunter around the UNESCO-listed Old and New Towns or a yomp up Arthur’s Seat if you’re feeling especially energetic. Double room B&B from £345, or from £715 for two, including 14-course dinner. 3 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh, EH7 5AB, lylaedinburgh.co.uk AUTUMN 2026

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THE BLACK HORSE, WEST SUSSEX A pub rather than a restaurant with rooms, though given that owners the Gladwin brothers are behind dining rooms in some of London’s smartest neighbourhoods — Rabbit in Chelsea, The Shed in Notting Hill — you can sleep soundly in the knowledge that the quality of what ends up on the plate will be several notches higher than the average village pub. Not least because some of it has been farmed by Gregory Gladwin up the road at Nutbourne, the vineyard bought by the

brothers’ parents in 1991 as a pioneering experiment in English winemaking. Dishes on the menu include bresaola made from Gregory’s cattle, cured for a month in red wine from the vineyard barrel, then hung in the vineyard to air dry. It can be washed down with a glass of Nutbourne Blush if Harvey’s Sussex Best doesn’t appeal. Breakfasts in the skylit dining room or out on the terrace feature both cooked à la carte options and a buffet. For those with furry

friends, two of the 12 retro-chic guest rooms are dog-friendly. Amberley village is on the doorstep, complete with tearoom and many gorgeous flint-walled, thatched cottages; the South Downs Way passes just south of the village, and vineyard tastings can also be arranged. Double room B&B from £125; three-course dinner approx. £45. High Street, Amberley, West Sussex, BN18 9NL, blackhorse-pub.com

The Gladwin brothers are behind dining rooms in some of London’s smartest neighbourhoods — Rabbit in Chelsea, The Shed in Notting Hill

Chris McClurg and partner Alice Stewart’s first solo restaurant occupies one of Belfast’s most imposing settings: the only crescent in the boho Queen’s Quarter, home since 2022 to a five-star hotel but, until this summer, no public-facing restaurant. The pair spent years at Michelin-starred Paul Ainsworth at No6 in Cornwall — he rising to chef patron, she to restaurant director — before returning to McClurg’s home city and taking over the entire property. The 40-cover dining room promises a Parisian luxe bistro with a Northern Irish accent. Delicious dishes include Conway Farm courgette flower with scallop and lobster stuffing, or Murley Mountain lamb 46

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chops with red garlic ketchup and lovage. The eight bedrooms and six suites upstairs provide a civilised city-centre base, with free parking at the hotel — handy for day trips along the Causeway Coastal Route or to the Mourne Mountains, though Queen’s University and the Botanic Gardens are a short walk away and Titanic Belfast an easy taxi ride. Double room B&B from £275, suites from £495; three-course dinner approx. £65. 11 & 12 Upper Crescent, Belfast, BT7 1NT, regencyhouse.co.uk

Images (The Black Horse): Catherine Frawley

REGENCY HOUSE, BELFAST

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CORSHAM HOUSE, WILTSHIRE You could count on the Beckford Group — the West Country operators behind posh pubs with rooms, including The Beckford Arms and The Talbot Inn — to make something special of a Georgian town house on Corsham’s high street that spent the last century as a bank. Opened in July, their first restaurant with rooms pairs an 80-cover British brasserie with an on-site outpost of their Beckford Bottle Shop in Bath, stocking around 200 wines; pick something from the shelves or opt for one of 20 by the glass. Head chef James Harris arrives from six years running the kitchen at the Bath shop, a Bib Gourmand holder, here swapping small plates for brasserie dishes such as pig’s head fritter with gooseberry ketchup and Cornish monkfish tail with morels. The 11 bedrooms upstairs blend traditional florals with Bramley bath products, while oven-fresh pastries and coffee are included come morning. Bath is close by, as is the National Trust village of Lacock, with its unspoiled 13th-century streets that have appeared on screen in Harry Potter, Downton Abbey and Pride and Prejudice. Double room B&B from £150; sharingplate dinner for two, approx. £110. 13 High Street, Corsham, Wiltshire, SN13 0ET, corshamhouse.com

Images: Dave Watts

Clockwise from left: The smart Georgian façade of Corsham House; brasserie-style dishes are served; one of the 11 guest rooms; Belfast’s Regency House; bresaola is a signature dish served at The Black Horse

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OUTLAW’S GUEST HOUSE & BISTRO, CORNWALL Nathan Outlaw, alongside his wife, Rachel, opened his Port Isaac guest house on one of the most stunning stretches of the north Cornwall coast in 2022. In March this year, he closed his Michelin-starred Outlaw’s New Road restaurant in the village and opened a more casual bistro within the guest house. With eleven tables for the nine bedrooms, most of the dinner reservations are usually taken by overnight guests, with menus led by the farmers and fishermen Outlaw has developed relationships with from over 20 years of owning restaurants in Cornwall. Here, the chef offers meat and game alongside the fish and seafood that made his name, so you might have pork belly with plum chutney and grilled spring onions followed by baked turbot with warm tartare sauce and fried potatoes. With mesmerising views out to sea from five of the bedrooms (three have a balcony), there’s little reason to leave guest rooms decorated in easy-breezy shades of cream and blue and hung with marine-themed art. Why not stay another night and book dinner in Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen by the harbour in Port Isaac? B&B for two people from £195 per night; B&B one-night stay with three-course dinner from £380. 1 The Terrace, Port Isaac, Cornwall, PL29 3SG, outlaws.co.uk

Images: Kate Whitaker

This page: Outlaw’s Bistro menu is led by local Cornish produce; five guest rooms have sea views Opposite from top: Pignut & The Hare’s 23-cover restaurant and seasonal dishes; pub classics are served at The Bryntirion Inn, a 300-yearold establishment with rooms

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PIGNUT & THE HARE, NORTH YORKSHIRE Husband-and-wife Tom and Laurissa Heywood, former owners of The Pignut restaurant in Helmsley, transformed The Hare pub (hence the name) in the nearby village of Scawton last summer. The 12th-century building is now home to a 23-cover dining room, softly lit and furnished in natural materials, with four cosy guest rooms upstairs. Chef Tom’s sustainably minded ethos has stayed the same with the move: hyperseasonal produce farmed and foraged from

the local landscape, cooked with a zerowaste policy. Meals kick off with a first course made from ingredients that would otherwise go to waste, proceeding through half or full tasting menus, with wines matched from Laurissa’s natural and biodynamic list to dishes such as East Coast crab. Breakfast, meanwhile, likewise follows a multi-course format. Nearby, there’s Rievaulx Abbey (like Fountains Abbey but without the crowds),

the pretty market town of Helmsley (like the Cotswolds but without the crowds), Castle Howard (which supplies beef and pork to the restaurant) and, perhaps best of all, the wilderness of the North York Moors, one of Britain’s most underrated national parks. Double room B&B and dinner for two from £415. Scawton, North Yorkshire, YO7 2HG, pignutandthehare.co.uk

Hyper-seasonal produce is farmed and foraged from the local landscape, then cooked with a zero-waste policy

Images: Mollie Rose Photography

THE BRYNTIRION INN, SNOWDONIA Palé Hall’s chef partner Luke Selby is most familiar to London diners from his stint at Michelin-starred Evelyn’s Table in Soho; he was then executive chef at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons before the hotel closed for its 18-month redevelopment. Selby trained at Le Manoir, but Palé Hall is even more spectacular — a Relais & Châteaux property that truly looks like a château. On the restaurant front, the hotel is very much in fine-dining territory, with Japanese precision meeting French technique — except at The Bryn, the estate’s 300-year-old pub with rooms that Selby took on earlier this year. Pub classics such as pea soup with ewe’s curd and mint, and braised chicken pie

with baby vegetables, draw from the produce of the Palé Hall kitchen garden and the surrounding countryside, accompanied by Welsh ales, log fires, exposed beams and original stone walls. Breakfast is a continental hamper delivered to guests in six bedrooms, each named after a Welsh mountain peak — all the motivation required to tackle the walking routes and fishing spots of the Snowdonia National Park on the doorstep. Double room B&B from £140; three-course dinner approx. £50. Llandderfel, Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7RA, palehall.co.uk/dine/ the-bryntirion-inn AUTUMN 2026

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ESCAPE

THE TOWN HOUSE, ARUNDEL Few English towns look more like a fairy tale than Arundel, with its castle and cathedral rising above the river Arun, and few restaurants offer a better view of the storybook scenery than this Georgian town house, where the master bedroom’s fourposter looks across to the castle. Husband-and-wife team Matthew and Jennifer Price opened here in May — he previously headed up the kitchen at Michelin-

starred Sorrel in Dorking, where she was general manager — and run the 18-cover dining room with Matthew cooking and Jennifer curating the wine pairings from a 60-bin list. The seven-course tasting menu changes monthly; summer brought Nuthurst Farm hogget with elephant garlic and girolles, and a raspberry ripple with meadowsweet and lemon verbena. Guests are encouraged to look up on arrival at the ornate 16th-century

Summer brought Nuthurst Farm hogget with elephant garlic and girolles

ceiling, originally commissioned in Florence. Four ensuite bedrooms make an ideal base for exploring the castle and the surrounding South Downs, while Goodwood, its Revival, Festival of Speed, and racecourse are a short drive away. Double room B&B from £120; seven-course dinner from £95. 65 High Street, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9AJ, townhousearundel.com

Clockwise from left: The Town House is set in Arundel’s fairy tale scenery; culinary artistry courtesy of chef Matthew Price; a zen aesthetic runs through the guest rooms at Ómós

You’ll need to pack your passport for this new restaurant with rooms in the Republic of Ireland, but it’s well worth the extra weight in your hand luggage. Ómós, which opened in July, is the brainchild of Cúán Greene. The chef and writer has launched a 16-room guest house and 40-cover restaurant in Abbeyleix, just over an hour’s drive south-west of Dublin in County Laois. The historic village is most famous for Morrissey’s, a wood-panelled pub and grocers that has been operating since 1775. Greene’s CV is a roll call of restaurants from the World’s 50 Best list, including former number ones Geranium and Noma, both in Copenhagen. The latter is the most obvious influence, both for the combination of Scandi-chic interior design with local Irish art, and the foraging and fermenting ethos of the 50

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kitchen. Thus the none-more-Irish dish of mammy salad gets a tasting menu-worthy makeover, involving elderflower, gooseberry, fermented barley and rare-breed ham. Other ingredients on the 14-course menu include seaweed from the Aran Islands and heritage grain from County Monaghan, while handmade tables and crockery display the same strong sense of Irish place. The 16 individually designed rooms — 10 in the main house and six in the adjacent coach houses — are just as thoughtfully crafted, featuring luxurious Irish bed linen, ceramics and Ómós bodycare. Double room B&B from €395; 14-course dinner from €175. Abbeyleix, County Laois, R32 K259, Ireland, omos.co

Images (The Town House): John Carey

ÓMÓS, IRELAND

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OSIP, SOMERSET The rural French auberge — bed, board and a menu dictated by whatever the land yields that day — is the guiding spirit at Osip, which decamped in 2024 from central Bruton to a 17th-century coaching inn in the nearby countryside, before adding four luxurious bedrooms in June last year. Merlin Labron-Johnson’s cooking holds a Michelin star, with most ingredients sourced within five miles, including from his own two farms, for the 10-course tasting menu; alternatively, the £75 three-course table d’hôte is built from the farms’ daily surplus. The rooms are named after Somerset rivers, with oak headboards cut from trees felled within 10 miles. Two duplexes feature freestanding baths. Breakfast means black cardamom buns, honey from Osip’s own bees and hay-smoked trout from a spread crowned by a butter mountain. The restaurants and art galleries of Bruton are a short drive away, or there are walks around Batcombe and Westcombe — though Labron-Johnson’s top tip is the Seymour Arms at Witham Friary: “a pub that hasn’t changed since the 1950s, where you order cider through a hatch,” he says. Double room B&B from £240; three-course table d’hôte from £75, 10-course menu £165. 25 Kingsettle Hill, Hardway, Bruton, Somerset, BA10 0LN, osiprestaurant.com

Images: Dave Watts

Clockwise from left: Somer, one of Osip’s rooms named after local rivers; Osip is housed in a 17th-century coaching inn; the beautifully presented breakfast

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SPHERE PARTNER The SD132. From a set of standard blueprints, clients can adapt, amend and enhance a Sanlorenzo vessel to bring their sea-faring vision to life

DARE TO DREAM

Sanlorenzo rules the waves in the art of the superyacht and now clients can embark on their co-creation journey in London’s Mayfair WORDS JONATHAN BELL

Image: Guillaume Plisson

overs of the finer things in life understand that the journey is just as important as the destination. And so it is in the rarefied world of superyachts, where the processes of commissioning, designing, planning and specifying your own bespoke vessel can take the best part of four years, depending on scale and ambition. For many fortunate owners, that journey begins right here, in a prime but modestly sized corner showroom on London’s Park Lane. Located in the heart of Mayfair, the UK representative of Italian shipyard Sanlorenzo is discreet yet perfectly placed. Big windows offer a view of the relentless Park Lane traffic, with Hyde Park beyond; for passers-by, the spot subtly embeds the Sanlorenzo name into the public consciousness. More importantly, those already in the know are just a few minutes away, amid the businesses, hotels, homes and family offices of Mayfair. This particular spot was once McLaren’s only showroom, housing a solitary example of the original hypercar, the F1. Chassis 065 spent many years on display here before the showroom closed its doors in 2004, and this most original example of the 106 cars was sold for £2.5m. But we digress, although not necessarily to realms unfamiliar to the new generation of visitors to 61 Park Lane. The art of the superyacht — from initial approach to launch and maiden voyage — sets a high-water mark for the relationship between client and manufacturer in the luxury sphere. This is a deeply personal journey. Overseeing Sanlorenzo Yachts UK, and guiding the first part of that voyage, is Nick Hatfield. With two decades of industry experience, Hatfield was appointed MD in January 2025, having been

instrumental in bringing the brand to the UK in 2020 and growing its presence over the ensuing years. The new showroom followed in April 2026. Before that, the company’s UK presence was focused on its showroom located on the south coast at Swanwick Marina, on the River Hamble. “This space was always in the planning from day one,” Hatfield tells SPHERE. “It was just a matter of finding the right location. It’s good we waited — this space is perfect in every respect.” Sanlorenzo UK serves as an essential bridge to the shipyard, with its HQ and five shipyards in Italy. It also unlocks the world of chartering and brokerage, all handled here. For those looking to dip their toes into the world of yacht chartering, Hatfield and his team are on hand to talk through all the options. For existing owners, the Park Lane space is a convenient place to check in with the UK team and shipyard, whether to discuss seasonal plans, get advice on moorings and anchorages or scheduled maintenance. And then there are those clients who are looking to take the first step towards ownership. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 61 Park Lane gets a fair share of walk-ins. “There are more than I ever thought there would be,” Hatfield admits. “We’ve had quite an array of people walk in since we opened, including clients who live nearby. It’s a perfect space to sit down, talk through things, share a coffee and learn a bit more about each other.” Relationship building is at the core of everything Sanlorenzo does, right from the shipyard’s earliest days. Sanlorenzo was founded in 1958 by Gianfranco Cecchi and Giuliano Pecchia in Limite sull’Arno, a Tuscan town west of Florence. In 1972, Giovanni Jannetti took ownership, moving the company west to Viareggio. As its technical prowess increased, AUTUMN 2026

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SPHERE PARTNER

“You don’t buy a Sanlorenzo; you build one… It’s an incredibly emotional thing for clients to see their new yacht go in the water”

especially in the art of GRP hulls, Sanlorenzo expanded further, moving to a shipyard in Ameglia and then opening up a second facility back in Viareggio. A further location, the Sanlorenzo Superyacht shipyard in La Spezia, opened in 2016. Since 2005, the company has been owned and overseen by Massimo Perotti. Visiting these Italian facilities is very much a rite of passage for every Sanlorenzo owner, something that Hatfield is well placed to facilitate. “Our yachts are mainly based in the Mediterranean, but our clients generally live here,” says Hatfield. “This space gives us a central link to our clients — they might not all be London-based, but they all pass through the capital.” Once through the doors of this Park Lane portal, the world of Sanlorenzo opens up. There’s an array of beautiful boat models and publications, alongside large screens to run through presentations and videos of what’s currently available or could be achieved. But as Hatfield stresses, “there’s nothing like seeing the boat through the construction process.” That means a trip to Italy and direct liaison with the two project managers assigned to every project — one overseeing the decor, the other the technical aspects of the build. Hatfield admits that many of the people he sees are repeat customers, returning to a brand they’re familiar with to explore the huge range of options and scales. Sanlorenzo builds GRP boats up to 40.7m in length (the SD132), while its steel-hulled vessels top out at 74m. From a set of standard blueprints, clients can adapt, amend and enhance as 54

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required, driven by personal requirements, previous experience or changing family dynamics. This is where the technical project manager comes in, establishing exactly what is and isn’t possible and making the necessary accommodations that can be sent up the line before a boat enters build. “Some clients have a huge amount of knowledge,” Hatfield admits, noting that ownership tends to change after between three and five years. “Ownership evolves — one of our owners came from a modest day boat and has ended up in something much larger because of the way their usage was changing.” At all scales, layouts are innately flexible. “Maybe that cabin suddenly needs to be an office. But they want the ability to be able to turn that back into a cabin in two years,” he explains. “Whatever it is, we try and find a solution. And, rarely, we have ever come back with a ‘no’.” The charter industry is different in its demands, and boats created purely for chartering might have a greater focus on toys and amenities, as well as accommodation for a larger crew. “It’s also more focused on location — people are normally quite clear on where they want to charter, whether it’s Sardinia, Corsica or the Amalfi Coast, for example,” says Hatfield, adding that “we see chartering as a kind of gateway to ownership.” Before a client gets down to the business of specification, they’ll often travel with the brand to see completed yachts on the water. “In terms of boat shows, our big four are boot Düsseldorf (January), the Palma

Clockwise from top: The Sanlorenzo UK showroom in Mayfair; a SD132 flybridge and the magnificent 40.7m vessel gliding across the ocean; clients have free reign to design a unique build — here a contemporary main deck staircase on the SX120

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International Boat Show (April/May) and the Cannes Yachting Festival and Monaco Yacht Show (both September),” says Hatfield. Although there are often Sanlorenzos to be seen further afield — Dubai, Miami and Shanghai, for example. Like all good things, the personal touch takes time. “For a 30m boat, you are probably looking at between 18 and 20 months to do everything from start to finish,” says Hatfield. Sanlorenzo completes around 65 to 70 boats each year, with a Timeless department for restoration and retrofit. Europe remains the strongest market, taking around two-thirds of production, with the rest apportioned between the US and Asia, and a growing presence in the Middle East. The average age of owners is also coming down, driven by the rise in fintech wealth. That said, Sanlorenzo prides itself on repeat clientele, with many families having a long connection to the brand. While Italian studio Zuccon International Project oversees the majority of Sanlorenzo’s exterior design, the interior approach is entirely down to the client. Since 2018, acclaimed designer Piero Lissoni has been Sanlorenzo’s art director, bringing a classic contemporary elegance to the look and feel of the interiors, as well as guiding their architectural flow and function. Lissoni’s studio is always on hand to develop things further, but many clients use their own interior architects — oftentimes working with familiar studios who might have shaped their house or vacation home. “They have an idea. They have a style, maybe from home

or a favourite hotel, and whatever it is, they incorporate it into their boat,” says Hatfield. The MD won’t be drawn on whether the Sanlorenzo ethos is analogous to other luxury sectors. “Yachting is so different,” he explains. “However, building and owning a Sanlorenzo is experiential rather than product-driven because it’s what that yacht then allows them to do with their family in their own environment, one they’ve co-created with the shipyard.” “You don’t buy a Sanlorenzo; you build one,” Hatfield adds. It’s this sense of starting out on a journey — one that potentially spans

many future generations — that draws our clients to the brand. “It’s an incredibly emotional thing for clients to see their new yacht go in the water,” says Hatfield. “From our side, it’s also an extremely proud moment, creating this first emotional contact with the yacht. I don’t think you normally get that from a standard buying process.” It might seem counterintuitive to begin such a voyage in the heart of Mayfair, yet all journeys must start with a single step. A visit to Sanlorenzo Yachts UK could launch a whole new life on the ocean waves. sanlorenzoyachts.co.uk

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CULTURE

From world-renowned museums and historic houses to cutting-edge galleries and vibrant fairs, London’s creative spirit is unmatched WORDS CHARLOTTE METCALF

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Image: David Parry/Royal Academy of Arts

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Images: Churchill Heritage/The Wallace Collection, Neil Speakman/Studiomaple.co.uk

longside Paris, New York and Tokyo, London is defined as one of the four truly global cities. This has little to do with a city’s size, wealth or productive output; rather it reflects how each is instantly recognisable for its distinct character and culture. And what London represents is irrepressible creativity, with an enduring reputation as the art capital of the world. No other city boasts such a variety of art museums, institutions, galleries and art fairs. The Courtauld, Hayward, National, National Portrait, Saatchi, Tate Britain and Tate Modern are all major tourist destinations — and they are just the beginning. The capital also boasts a plethora of immaculately restored historic houses that exhibit art. Buckingham Palace’s galleries are open, alongside other important houses like The Wallace Collection in Manchester Square,

Clockwise from opposite: The Royal Academy’s 2026 Summer Exhibition; Sketch of Lake Carezza by Sir Winston Churchill, on show at the Wallace Collection; The Hampden Portrait on display at Philip Mould

Leighton House in Holland Park, Sir John Soane’s Museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, and Soane’s “country” house, Pitzhanger Manor, in Ealing. An exhibition of Sir Winston Churchill’s paintings is at the Wallace until late November. Sir John Soane’s Museum is showing an exhibition of Michael Landy’s drawings of iconic buildings in museums, while Pitzhanger has a major exhibition of Peter Blake’s work, opening on 25 November. Then there are the smaller galleries, like all those around Cork Street, White Cube — founded by Jay Jopling and famous for launching YBAs (Young British Artists) like Tracey Emin and Gavin Turk — and Philip Mould on Pall Mall, which draws visitors partly because of Mould’s reputation as an art sleuth on television show Fake or Fortune? On top of that, London is also home to Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Bonhams and Phillips — four of the best globally known art auctioneers. AUTUMN 2026

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Images: Daniel Fărcașiu/Brukenthal National Museum,

Clockwise from above: Camille Monet and Her Son Jean in Their Garden (1874) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir; Dominant Curve (1936) by Wassily Kandinsky, part of the Royal Academy’s Peggy Guggenheim exhibition; Jan van Eyck’s Portrait of a Man with a Blue Chaperon (c1430) at The National Gallery; vibrant mural by Amy Almeida to celebrate Tate Modern’s Frida: The Making of an Icon exhibition

As Dr Flavia Frigeri, the National Portrait Gallery’s chief curator, explains, “London is a very cosmopolitan city to start with, and then you have huge variety, from incredible national institutions like ours to smaller organisations like Camden or the South London Gallery. Being able to accommodate so many different kinds of programming is absolutely key to giving the city its vibrancy. For example, where Rome is very much skewed towards classical art, London has a bit of everything, and that is incredibly powerful.” This winter’s offering across the capital is as varied and alluring as ever. Tate Modern’s Frida: The Making of an Icon continues until January and is a crowd-pleasing blockbuster. Lord Vaizey, a former Minister of Culture, who is now a trustee of Tate and a director of Tate Liverpool’s Advisory Board, says, “Tate is a major draw for tourism, a global brand attracting visitors from all over the world. Tate Modern in particular is an iconic building, with a reputation for showing some of the world’s greatest artists. Our recent exhibitions of Frida Kahlo, Tracey Emin and Nigerian Modernism have worldwide appeal.” Tate Modern’s vast turbine hall has played host to stand-out moments the art world — and visitors — will not forget, from Ai Weiwei strewing the entire floor area with millions of ceramic sunflower seeds in 2010 and Olafur Eliasson’s 2003 Weather Project to Kara Walker’s 2019 controversial shark-infested monument to slavery, Fons Americanus. Such is London’s reputation and power that it can persuade major museums and private collectors to part temporarily with priceless, rarely seen pieces for once-in-alifetime shows. Take Siena: The Rise of Painting exhibition at the National Gallery in 2025. It’s doubtful whether any other gallery in the world could have borrowed so many priceless, rare 14th-century paintings, artefacts, triptychs and altar panels that had never before been seen together under one roof. Renoir and Love is running at the National until January, while Van Eyck: The Portraits continues until April. As the introduction to this phenomenal gathering of paintings states, “This exhibition marks the first and only time these works can be brought together. And this incredible display can only happen here, at the Gallery.” It’s a boast many London galleries could make based on their singular buildings alone, which Londoners and visitors alike hold in great affection. Rebecca Salter is the first female to be elected President of the Royal Academy of Arts. “People just love the Royal Academy,” she says, “and to such an extent that they trust us. Even if we show work by an unfamiliar artist, they’ll give it a go. Our Main Galleries are simply magnificent and such fundamentally generous spaces that any other gallery lending

Images: Mickey LF Lee, The National Gallery Photographic Department/National Gallery of Art, Washington

CULTURE

Images: Daniel Fărcașiu/Brukenthal National Museum, Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Tate Modern’s vast turbine hall has played host to stand-out moments the art world — and visitors — will not forget

us art absolutely knows it will be displayed to its very best.” To prove her point, she highlights David Hockney’s video walls of trees, the William Kentridge show with its films, and the more recent show of 93-year-old Rose Wylie’s vast paintings, the first time a woman had inhabited the Main Galleries. “And of course there’s the annual Summer Exhibition,” Salter continues. “I don’t know another city that would hang a completely unknown artist next to a very famous one. Anyone can submit their work and find it beside an Anselm Kiefer or Grayson Perry. This is profoundly democratic and reflects London’s character as a whole.” This winter, the Royal Academy is showing the beautiful, colour-drenched paintings of the French Riviera, followed by an exhibition celebrating Peggy Guggenheim’s pioneering spirit. It focuses on 1938, when her Cork Street gallery shook up the art establishment by exhibiting artists like Kandinsky, Cocteau and

Tanguy, again indicative of the way London pushes boundaries. The National Portrait Gallery houses the world’s largest portrait collection. “We’re the first stop for many tourists because there’s something for everyone,” says Dr Frigeri. “You can go into so many galleries and not be sure what you’re looking at, but here the second you walk in you’ll recognise someone. Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait was hugely popular. Now we have the photographer Tim Walker’s Fairyland, a very personal exploration of queer identity, community and love, celebrating the icons who have shaped his experience and London’s inclusiveness.” Then take our fairs. It’s no surprise that Frieze returns to London’s Regent’s Park every October and the success of this year’s Treasure House Fair was further proof that our art market is as buoyant as ever. Treasure House has risen like a fast and furious phoenix from the temporary ashes AUTUMN 2026

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Images: Osborne Samuel Gallery; Tim Walker Photography;

Clockwise from left: A Portrait/Marilyn Monroe (1955); Golfe Juan (1927) by Raoul Dufy will be shown at the Royal Academy’s Painting the French Riviera exhibition; Self Portrait with Loose Hair (1947) by Frida Kahlo; an embroidery piece by Tracey Emin, featured in her A Second Life exhibition at Tate Modern

Images: Sonal Bakrania/Tate; Milton H Greene; Frida Kahlo/ Royal Academy of Arts; McNay Art Museum

“London’s art market is bigger than the whole of the rest of Europe combined and is second only to America”

Images: Osborne Samuel Gallery; Tim Walker Photography; Treasure House Fair

Clockwise from left: Chappell Roan photographed in New York by Tim Walker, part of his Fairyland exhibition; the Osborne Samuel Gallery; Treasure House Fair highlights London’s in-demand art market

of the Masterpiece Fair, which drew big international crowds prior to Brexit and Covid. This summer, the mood was positively festive. On opening night in the vast tent at Royal Hospital Chelsea, champagne flowed, and oysters were ferried to guests, delighted by the high standard of exceptional antiques and art on offer from top galleries like Messums, Osborne Samuel, Christopher Kingzett, MacConnal-Mason, Portland, Richard Green and Sladmore. “London’s art market is bigger than the whole of the rest of Europe combined and is second only to America,” comments Thomas Woodham-Smith, who runs the fair. “Napoleon described us as a nation of shopkeepers, and we do love to buy and

to sell — it’s in our DNA. And we remain outward-looking and adventurous. The point about Treasure House and London is that the art is of an exceptionally high standard. What we’ve understood is that there’s no room for the middle ground; people want cheap and cheerful or the very best of the best — and that’s what we give them.” Thousands of smaller galleries also thrive, not just around Cork Street but all over the capital. Despite global uncertainty, political turmoil and our cost-of-living crisis, when it comes to art, we remain firmly and confidently in the ascendant with our wide variety of world-class institutions, galleries and fairs to sate any art lover’s appetite, however gargantuan. And our galleries serve as an arena

for some of the capital’s most sought-after events. Perhaps one of the late Princess Diana’s most famous appearances ever was at the Serpentine Gallery’s 1994 Vanity Fair gala in her famous black “revenge” dress. Art in our capital is everywhere you look — it’s sold and exhibited on park railings, in tiny galleries and our finest palaces and stately homes. Public art is all around, too, from Barbara Hepworth’s 1963 Winged Figure on the side of Selfridges and Henry Moore’s Knife Edge Two Piece on College Green to Banksy’s surviving stencils in Shoreditch. We are probably never more than a few feet away from a work of art. What other city in the world plays host to such a flourishing, diverse and evolving art scene? AUTUMN 2026

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JEWELLERY

A FINE BALANCE

The negative space technique in jewellery is having a renaissance, with today’s designers creating innovative and harmonious pieces WORDS AVRIL GROOM

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Left: Tasaki x Niccolo Pasqualetti Fluid earrings, Akoya pearls, white South Sea pearl, rutilated quartz, 18ct yellow gold Right: Van Cleef and Arpels Fascinating Egypt Mythe Celeste Clip, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, green tourmalines, mismatched coral cabochons, lapis lazuli, malachite, 18ct yellow gold

here’s a new phrase being used in the jewellery industry which doesn’t seem appealing. “Negative space” sounds like a hard sell but is currently on the lips of many designers and business heads. The concept is not new — it dates back centuries to the early days of finely crafted jewellery made for royal courts. It arguably needs a less downbeat moniker; this phrase is merely shorthand for an intentional absence of material for strategic purposes, applied to many areas of design. In the glamorous world of high jewellery, where items are designed to amaze, delight and terrify with vast prices, a more flowery term might seem appropriate. However, this catch-all term covers all market levels where for various reasons, the idea is catching on. Historically, the idea of leaving an area of unfilled space in jewellery was a craftsman’s ploy to draw attention to a miraculously large

and beautiful gem, suspended almost invisibly by delicate yet strong metal, free from the distraction of closely packed smaller stones. Gold had become a weighty concern. The heaviest British crown, made for Charles II in the 17th century and employed solely for coronations, weighs just under five pounds. As design evolved and became more sophisticated, craftsmen devised ways to create lightweight, precious-metal frameworks to support gems, leading especially to delicate headband-style tiaras and showy but lightly metalled chandelier earrings. Later still, positioning the spaces in a jewellery piece became an integral part of the aesthetic design — by the mid-20th century it was reflecting similar voids in contemporary sculpture and art. As Anne-Eva Geffroy, design director of Graff, whose traditional jewels are crafted in London, explains: “A sense of openness enhances the gemstones; every element has room to exist in harmony with

the next. The jewellery is defined by the dialogue between presence and absence, so space guides the eye through a piece, creating rhythm, lightness and balance.” Today’s circumstances have refocused attention on this unsung design essential. Now that individuals can become trillionaires, the mega-rich can afford to adorn themselves like royalty and are as interested in jewellery’s investment worth as they are in its rarity or intrinsic value. So when very large, top-quality gemstones come to market, competition is fierce, and prices rocket — especially for vanishingly rare, intensely coloured diamonds. When these are set, the principle of allowing them to shine in space still holds, as does the necessity for a lightweight framework. In Europe, Paris was the original source of highest-level jewelcraft, servicing the extravagant needs of the French court. Historic names there remain the great practitioners — from the oldest, Mellerio, AUTUMN 2026

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JEWELLERY

established in 1613, through Napoleon’s court jeweller Chaumet, to the top 19thcentury names of Cartier and Boucheron, which forged trade links west to America and east to India’s royal houses. In the early 20th century, Van Cleef and Arpels became as associated with Art Deco as Cartier. All these and others still work in the traditional, handcrafted way and are the trusted first ports of call for international, top-level clients. A stunning example is Chaumet’s Verbena Bouquet suite, in its new Journey through Nature collection. Here, gold mesh is fringed with multicoloured sapphires, creating — as Olga Corsini, director of the creative studio, explains — a “balance between voids and solids which allows significant volume and great lightness. The intersection of diagonal gold threads makes rhomboidal spaces a distinct code within the overall design.” Her assertion that “beauty often lies in the precision of balance, and emptiness contributes to this success,” lies at the heart of modern versions of this ancient technique. Van Cleef and Arpels’ new Fascinating Egypt high jewellery references both the 1920s Tutankhamun obsession,

in which it fully participated, and Ettore Sostass’s 1980s Memphis group work — though in a bolder, more colourful version than either, capitalising on negative space like soft geometry. This is evident in pieces such as the snake-like meanders of a diamond and pink sapphire necklace, or the concentric rings of a hardstone brooch with a central void that emphasises two mismatched coral cabochons. Most strikingly, a trompe l’oeil necklace appears as more air than metal, resembling interwoven, draped ribbons of ribbed gold and diamonds. With a shorter heritage but similar principles is De Beers’ all-diamond Lotus collection, where chevron voids separate and help to articulate the geometry of high jewellery drop earrings and, as diamondedged void petals, help make fine jewellery bangles more accessible. Graff’s 12 new high jewellery butterfly brooches-cum-hair decorations, based on one design, but each unique, create a layered effect with space between the elements that, says Geffroy, “allows the composition to breathe, ensuring clarity and balance.” Founded in the 1960s, Pomellato helped define contemporary Italian goldwork, rooted

in traditional craft. Today, expressed through the delicate precision of gold openwork, says creative director Vincenzo Castaldo, “it allows light and shadow to move through the jewel, bringing lightness, depth and rhythm to our rounded volumes.” This includes both fine gold lacework, interspersed with large, bezel-set diamonds through which light streams, and a freer interpretation which is, says Castaldo, “inspired by chain falling into a spontaneous, unruly composition” and almost abstract, in gold or lightweight black titanium, both overlaid with signature diamond pavé chain. Contemporary Paris brand Messika’s Groove sautoir has the look of modern Art Deco, with diamond open ovals “that allow light to circulate and enhance the stones’ vibrancy”, explains founder Valérie Messika. “Negative space requires exceptional craft and brings modernity and sophistication.” These high-end examples naturally inspire both new clients with access to limitless information sources and independent jewellers. As a result, the negative space principle becomes integral across the board — some designers aspiring to high jewellery status, others aiming to deliver high-quality,

“Negative space requires exceptional craft and brings modernity and sophistication”

Hermès Into the Horsescape high jewellery Étreintes necklace, diamonds, brown diamonds, pink-brown tourmaline cabochons, 18ct white, yellow and rose gold

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Images: xxxxxxxxx

Clockwise from top: Messika high jewellery Groove sautoir, diamonds, spessartite garnets, 18ct white gold; Kavant and Sharart ring, pear-shaped emerald, baguette and brilliant cut diamonds, 18ct yellow and white gold; De Beers Lotus bangle, diamonds, 18ct white gold; Chaumet Journey Through Nature high jewellery Verbena Bouquet earrings, diamonds, varied colour green and yellow sapphires, 18ct yellow gold

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centre, based on letter fonts. “The frame is an ‘O’, based on a 1980s dot-matrix font,” she says. “I create quite large pieces and am very aware of the weight of gold, so negative space is my friend.” London-based Swiss designer Cora Sheibani sets top-quality, unusual stones into airy frameworks of gold wire. “I love empty space because it creates a 3D effect when looked at from all angles — and that’s very exciting,” she says. Greek designer Lito Karakostanoglou creates an equally lightweight gold headband with a natural scarab centrepiece, as part of her new Cosmic Guardians collection. Finally, clever traditional houses are giving negative space a contemporary twist. Pierre Hardy, Hermès’ jewellery genius, represents all aspects of equine paraphernalia in his Into the Horsescape high jewellery. He uses the spacious circles of horsebit rings tangled together or the enclosing coils of a whip — both heavily paved — to outsize effect, while Japanese pearl experts Tasaki’s most recent collaboration, with modernist Italian fashion designer Niccolò Pasqualetti, sees minimal, fluid shapes based around pearls and rutilated quartz. Yet another sign of the growing influence on jewellery of what we should surely now call positive space.

From top Kiki McDonough Wings Over Water collection earrings, diamonds, graduated tanzanite and aquamarine baguettes, 18ct yellow gold; Lito Chrysina Strasseri Tiara, diamonds, natural taxidermied scarab, 18ct and 14ct yellow gold; Graff Butterflies high jewellery pin/ hair jewel, baguette, oval and geometric emeralds, diamonds, 18ct white gold

Image (Lito Chrysina Strasseri): Litofinejewelry.com

more accessible pieces to a younger clientele. Thai duo Kavant and Sharart brings modern design to traditional technique in their use of space. Co-founder Shar-linn Liew explains that “it gives a feeling of continuous flow and motion, allowing light, movement, and the wearer’s own skin to become part of the design, bringing it alive.” An example is a bi-colour gold ring where space emphasises both a feature pear-shaped gem and finely set baguette and brilliants diamond pavé. Wellknown London jeweller and balletomane Kiki McDonough also favours tradition with a twist for her Wings Over Water collection, inspired by Swan Lake. Gracefully arcing swan necks or openwork ring-shoulders create abstract designs around limpid, portrait-cut stones, and separating graduated blue baguettes from pavé waves creates a shimmering water effect. Other art media provide ideas for today’s free-thinking jewellers. Alexandra Jefford, who works from a Chelsea studio once occupied by Pre-Raphaelite leader Dante Gabriel Rossetti, is also a sculptor. She says she is inspired “more by the enigmatic voids in works by Eduardo Chillida, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth than other jewellery”. Her best-known pieces include large rings giving the impression of a frame round an empty AUTUMN 2026

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Clockwise from top left: Fonts series Oakland ring, textured 18ct yellow gold, Fonts series Dot Matrix ring, hammered 18ct rose gold, Susan’s Five Moillebeau ring, diamonds, 18ct yellow and white gold, all Alexandra Jefford; Cora Sheibani Moth Brooch, triangular green tourmaline, 18ct yellow gold; Pomellato Stile Libero high jewellery Ipnotica earrings, diamonds, black titanium, 18ct rose gold

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FASHION

MADE IN LONDON

With the capital’s growing collection of demi-couture designers, Clara Taylor investigates why the city has become their sartorial home

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Image: Jason Lloyd-Evans

here’s an unlikely affinity between a couture house and a science lab. Not only due to the sporting of white cotton work coats in both environments — a blouse blanche or lab coat — but primarily because of a sanctified devotion to detail. Where pipettes dispense precise droplets, beads are meticulously strung; where microscopes bring molecular structures into focus, patterns are painstakingly sketched. In both realms, greatness is achieved through the patient accumulation of minute refinements. The true challenge has always been translating this meticulous discipline into the real world. With fashion specifically, unless you have the gravitas of Isabella Blow, integrating couture into the everyday can be as complex as solving a chemical equation. Here lies the entry point for demi-couture. Demi-couture is not a new phenomenon. To the surprise of designer Harris Reed, former creative director of Nina Ricci and founder of his eponymous brand, the term can be traced back almost three decades: “I thought I made it up,” he says, “then quickly realised it was something that was used in Vogue in the 90s.” Essentially, it’s a catch-all phrase for everything that lies between ready-to-wear and the strict criteria set by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM), which includes the requirement that the atelier have a Parisian base. AUTUMN 2026

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Image: Suleika Mueller

Opposite and this page: Designer Harris Reed flanked by models wearing his striking maximalist demi-couture creations from The Aviary, his S/S 26 Collection. The pieces have a bird-like beauty with a nod to the gothic

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FASHION

Images: £POA, Susie Cave, Weddings & Funerals

Susie Cave joins a growing cohort of designers choosing to sit in the in-between

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While Paris may, by virtue, retain a nearmonopoly on couture, London is emerging as the sartorial home of demi-couture. The most recent addition to this growing subset is none other than Susie Cave, with the launch of Susie Cave Weddings & Funerals. Her monochromatic, gothic-romantic new line comprises 25 pieces that echo much of what fans loved about her Vampire’s Wife brand — a heady blend of Victorian silhouettes, dark, spectral elegance, spun together with handfinished details. Occupying this space, which Cave sees as “a place where things are made slowly, by hand, with care and with purpose”, she joins a growing cohort of designers choosing to sit in the in-between. Her debut is the latest signal that demi-couture may no longer be a niche proposition but a defining feature of London’s fashion landscape. So, what makes our city such fertile ground for demi-couture? Many designers speak to a rebellious creative undercurrent that charges through the capital. As fellow London-based designer Bora Aksu, also known for a dark fairy-tale aesthetic, frames it: “London encourages you to build your own identity instead of fitting into an established mould.” Of course, we have a long, storied history of producing designers who revel in the unexpected, something which Reed recognises even today: “London still has the theatricality and the prestige of Westwood, McQueen, Galliano.”

Images: Sølve Sundsbø, James Tarry

Opposite: A selection from the 25-strong Susie Cave Weddings & Funerals collection, featuring her signature Victorian silhouette aesthetic Above: The designer in one of her ethereal creations Right: Cave’s Kensington atelier

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FASHION

Image (left): Fredrick Horn

That spirit of creative independence does not emerge in a vacuum. Going back to the start of their creative journeys, McQueen and Galliano share an alma mater for their training — Central Saint Martins (CSM). It no doubt played a key role in shaping their respective design identities and continues to be a critical component in the formula for demi-couture. Speaking on why this is, Daniela Karnuts, founder and creative director of Safiyaa, explains that the school “teaches designers to develop a point of view before developing a product.” That distinction is important. “Demi-couture requires a designer to think beyond seasonal product. It demands an understanding of silhouette, identity and the relationship between a garment and the individual wearing it.” Aksu echoes this sentiment, detailing how his CSM training “fundamentally shaped the way I think about design”, teaching him to “question conventions, develop a strong point of view, and see fashion as a form of cultural expression rather than simply a commercial product.” When creating pieces that employ such rich artisanal techniques, a truly unique perspective is an absolute pre-requisite. Arguably more ingrained in the fabric of London’s fashion heritage is Savile Row. Since the late 18th century, this small street in Mayfair has produced some of the world’s finest tailoring, much of which, says the Savile Row Bespoke Association, must be handcrafted. There’s certainly a consensus between tailors and designers that this heritage has shaped the demi-couture approach. Daisy Knatchbull, founder and CEO of Knatchbull — the first women’s-only tailoring house with a shopfront on Savile

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Image: Fredrick Horn

Opposite: Captured moments at Knatchbull, which made history as the first women’sonly tailoring house on Savile Row Below left and right: Safiyaa is also helmed by a woman and is renowned for its architectural-meets-organic design ethos

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FASHION Left: Zahara dress and Solara bag from Onalaja’s S/S26 Marked Collection Below: Designer Kanyinsola Onalaja

Row — believes the parallels are implicit: “Savile Row has always been synonymous with craftsmanship, precision and garments that are made to last. Those values are very much at the heart of demi-couture. Traditional tailoring techniques, hand-finishing and an obsession with fit all influence the process.” There are also similarities in the logistics of the process, too, in that the customer has sway over what goes into the garment. Sean Dixon, managing director and founder of Savile Row tailor Richard James, notes: “Both bespoke and made-to-measure tailoring involve fittings and the customer deciding on the cloth and fine details of their garment, such as lapel width and the colour and style of 74

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the buttons and the lining.” This collaborative process is fundamental to the demi-couture design process and can be as involved as customers like. Should clients want to customise colour or measurements, designer Kanyinsola Onalaja says that requests can be made online. “We’ll also travel to our clients for consultations, or we’ve had them at our trunk shows,” she adds. It’s precisely this access to bespoke garments that’s helping propel demi-couture further into the mainstream — in London and beyond. In an age of algorithmic sameness, or as Reed sees it, “where everything can be scrolled past,” demi-couture provides an easier opportunity to own something largely

Images: Frederick Horn/Onalaja

irreplicable. “Even if it’s the same print or the same dress, each item is actually individual,” says Onalaja. “We can get it similar, but it would still be slightly different.” Paradoxically, demi-couture’s rise may be rooted in one of luxury’s oldest principles. At a time when fashion has never been more visible, it promises rarity and individuality. Moreover, the appeal of something that is designed to suit the singular contours of our bodies is undeniable. People are tired of luxury garments that are indisputably works of art yet fail to fit properly. Where a local tailor was previously used to address these issues, demi-couture cuts out the middleman. When women enter Cave’s Kensington atelier, she wants them to “feel seen, to feel transformed, and then to leave with something that somehow feels as though it has always belonged to them.” She aims to create the Goldilocks of garments — “nothing uncomfortable or too tight or too long — just perfect in every way.” For Harris Reed, it’s an outlet that allows him to create a genuine “sculpture for the body”. Clothing that moves beyond being a possession or status symbol and becomes an extension of the wearer. As London is often touted as a cultural mosaic — a tapestry of traditions where individualism can thrive — it’s perhaps only natural that the city has whole-heartedly embraced demi-couture and its homegrown designers. In a city shaped by diversity, a form of luxury dressing that caters to the individual rather than the masses was always going to find an audience.

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THURSDAY 3 DECEMBER 2026 The ‘Christmas for All’ Gala supports the work of St James’s across the community. Play your part and join us for a spectacular evening, filled with the very best seasonal music and readings from our celebrity friends, and give a gift of hope this Christmas.

Classic FM The Sixteen St James’s Chamber Orchestra

Conducted by Harry Christophers

PRESENTS

Matthew McKinney Tenor

Readings by Celebrity Friends Group/corporate packages contact: Brian Willetts Director of Development development@sjp.org.uk

Donation Tickets From £35 Scan QR code for availability SUPPORTED BY

St James’s Church Piccadilly is a registered Charity Number 1133048

DRINK

This page and opposite: Dalston’s A Bar with Shapes for a Name features science-lablike spaces; a lychee cocktail

Shaken and stirred

Forget shimmying a cocktail shaker above one shoulder; modern mixologists are more likely to be found using ultrasonic homogenisers or rotary evaporators in a laboratory. Welcome to the evolving specialisation of the cocktail maker today WORDS IZZY SCHAW MILLER

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Image: CAKE

t was 1987 when Ferran Adrià, head chef of El Bulli, rewrote gastronomy’s handbook forever with the words “creativity means not copying”. With his novel outlook, the Catalonian restaurant pushed boundaries between the rigidly decorous, butter-laden tables of monopolising French dining and the graceful, daintier plates of more progressive nouvelle cuisine. Bursting into much louder, more experimental territory, El Bulli carved the way for the most simultaneously serious and playful time the culinary world had ever seen. Under Adrià’s “techno-emotional” approach, ingredients were deconstructed, combined, twisted, awakened and transformed into formations and textures never tasted before. Not only did this allow diners to strap in for a fantastical sensory ride of thought and feeling, but his ethos also inspired many creatively curious chefs to embark on new adventures within their own kitchens. Where molecular gastronomy pushed what’s on our plate galaxies beyond mere sustenance, what’s concocted in our glass is now facing a similar path — beyond the simpler purpose of relaxation. For many years, since the moody days of prohibition, cocktails were reserved for a blurry, hushed affair, confined to cave-like dens where classics and modern classics — often four-part spirit, water, sugars, bitters — reigned supreme. But this harks back to a time where drinking was meant to be secretive and rebellious. Where the very idea was to knock down whatever liquor you were lucky to get hold of, even if it came with an unsavoury, bootlegged side of toxic pesticides or rotten meat traces. Have we been locking our drinking styles in a different era? Today, on El Bulli’s home turf in Barcelona, intimate Bar Esencia and its avant-garde AUTUMN 2026

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DRINK

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Clockwise from left: A mixologist brings the drama at Panda & Sons; the bar’s playful cocktail menu; a Black Cherry, courtesy of De Vie

Images: Aw Aye Media, Millie Tang

drinking experience embody how the liquid tide may have turned. Enthused by their pioneering late neighbour — and perhaps a dash of Dutch courage — acclaimed bartenders Simone Caporale and Marc Álvarez serve an omakase-style tasting menu of up to 14 mini cocktails, where the drink takes centre stage. In the form of spiral foams, smoke clouds and spherical bubbles that burst on bite, guests are encouraged to savour every drop of their potion — its profile, its complexities, its all-encompassing, sometimes familiar, tastes. Iain McPherson, founder of Edinburgh’s illustrious bar Panda & Sons, tells me we’ve seen “a minimalist cocktail trend for a bit too long now” and that more bars are shifting focus to “textures and different aesthetics, like cloudy and creamy drinks”. We might expect a freedom of creative expression to unleash a desire for revelry and excess, yet it’s instead stirring up a more refined and elevated stage — where the bartender shifts from server to chef, or mixer to scientist. Classic bars remain revered, with Satan’s Whiskers and Attaboy still recognised as the crème de la crème of global bar talent, but a rise in haute bartenders demonstrates that there’s no single way. Cocktails are becoming more exploratory and personalised, as Barney O’Kane, founder of Parisian bar De Vie, states: “Bars with clear cocktail identity are leading the way.” Resembling their culinary counterparts, more bars are crafting AUTUMN 2026

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ingredients from scratch — spirits, distillates, acids, syrups, carbonated drinks and ice — as well as partnering with like-minded brands. For venues like FlipDog, this is crucial: “When guests visit your bar, they should taste something that belongs only to that place.” In London, stepping inside the nondescript jet-black exterior of Dalston’s A Bar with Shapes for a Name feels more like a crime scene than a bar. Come for a rendezvous here, and you’ll be met with staff clad in boiler overalls bearing drinks sheathed in vast geometric ice cubes, while liquids downstairs whizz through an array of pipes, spin in high-speed centrifuges and carbonate in chamber sealers. While benches, apparatus and a side of R&D don’t exactly scream romantic or celebratory evening, the bar’s recognition on both The World’s 50 Best Bars list and the UK Top 50 Cocktail Bars suggests there’s certainly appeal. Co-founder Paul Lougrat says: “We now borrow from food science, perfumery, fermentation, distillation and even industrial design.” Referencing how mixologists are breaking new ground, he adds: “The level of understanding behind a great cocktail has become much deeper.” Many bars are developing techniques on site to unleash and enliven flavours that are uniquely their own. McPherson’s speciality – congruous with his Scottish backdrop – involves plunging the liquid down to piercing levels, having pioneered a flurry of frozen mixology rituals himself. To make a Coconut Daiquiri, through “Switching”, he takes the spirit (Bacardi Carta Blanca rum) to sub-zero temperatures, where the water separates and is removed, then replaced with another liquid (coconut milk) to pack an enhanced punch. For Panda & Son’s esteemed lilac-hued, vinous-tinged Sability cocktail, the contents — sherry, vermouth, sable grapes — are pressurised through “‘Sous Pression” into a deep freeze, to fuse them intensely into one smooth finish. FlipDog, a new Ukrainian technologyfocused bar in London from Artem Skapenko and Alex Kostenyuk, takes the opposite approach — using one of its methods to heat ingredients to incandescent temperatures. Under the bar’s Loggerhead technique, a specially engineered steel element is heated to around 1,000°C to caramelise ingredients directly inside the cocktail. Skapenko insists the effort is justified, as science unlocks new characteristics and qualities that conventional methods simply cannot achieve. However, beneath all the fanciful equipment and spun-out processes, the objective remains simple: to evoke emotion. Giacomo Giannotti, founder of Paradiso, explains, “Technology is just a tool… guests don’t remember centrifuges or rotovaps [rotary evaporators], they remember how a drink made them feel.” Lougrat echoes

“When guests visit your bar, they should taste something that only belongs to that place”

Above: A creation by FlipDog, a new Ukrainian technologyfocused bar in the capital

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DRINK

Image (top): CAKE

“We build every element around the concept: the flavour, the aroma, the vessel, and the timing of service”

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Clockwise from left: Contemporary vibes at A Bar with Shapes for a Name; Hakkasan Mayfair cocktails substitute one ingredient to reflect a culinary heritage; a work-of-art cocktail by Paradiso

this sentiment, emphasising that “precision should never become the experience itself,” recognising the need to prevent the bar from feeling clinical or cold. To reach this sentimental north star, technique, vessel, ambience and story are all crucial — but the concept is where it begins. Once that’s clear, Giannotti says, “we build every element around it: the flavour, the aroma, the vessel, and the timing of service”, each reinforcing the same emotion. Lougrat agrees, asserting that “every ingredient, every glass and every piece of ice have to justify its existence… if something doesn’t improve the experience, it doesn’t belong.” Where a speakeasy might lean on nostalgia for atmosphere, modern cocktail creators seek to let the drink speak for itself. Shapes’ Lougrat, whose bar features no more interior design than a stripped-back white wall, bald steel pipes and a set of mahogany high tables,

says removing visual cues “shifts the attention onto the drink itself.” Guests are therefore encouraged to judge a cocktail by its taste, rather than relying on nostalgia or spectacle. In haute cuisine today, waiters often bring a recital of the backstory, essence and even spirit of the dish, some offering details like the flight time of the catch you’re about to enjoy. Many bars, however, share the belief that all the time, techniques and drops of sweat must disappear into the background for a drink that can speak for itself — despite the extravagance of science behind the preparation. “The story is there if guests want to explore it, but a cocktail should never need a lengthy explanation to be enjoyed,” says Wendy Hopkins, director of beverage at Hakkasan Mayfair. Hopkins’ process begins with a familiar cocktail before substituting one ingredient to reflect a culinary heritage: “The best cultural references are the ones

that reveal themselves naturally through the flavour.” A Silk Road Margarita on the menu, for instance, includes a fat-washed spirit that sees Casamigos Blanco Tequila infused with pistachio before it’s strained for a velvety, opulent finish, which — reflective of its name — glides like silk across the palate. Skapenko echoes the idea: even the most complex product should be explained in accessible language. If the story is too technical or overwhelming, the drinker disconnects. “Most people don’t care about how we make our ingredients,” adds McPherson. “We will only geek out with them if they want to.” Rather than copying molecular gastronomy entirely, the high-flying bartenders of today are shaping the philosophy into their own — where identity shines modestly, even ethereally. And if his famous maxim is anything to go by, we’re sure Ferran Adrià would approve. AUTUMN 2026

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Images: xxxxxxxxx

WELLNESS

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For many, autumn is a time to reset, hunker down, and refresh the mind and body as the nights draw in and the high energy of summer subsides. Many choose to enjoy ‘Sober October’ — they may even head to the world’s first ‘Sober Hotel,’ Longlane, which has opened in West Sussex. For others, it can mean a week-long retreat or a drop-in treatment for a pick-meup. From emotional healing to longevity, heritage brand collabs to dance healing and forest immersion, Jemima Sissons takes a look at the latest wellness offerings around the globe.

IT’S TIME TO PRESS PAUSE

Leave the frenetic pace of modern-day life behind and embrace the rejuvenating power of nuturing your mind, body and soul

THE CAVIAR FACIAL It is a nurturing union between two well-loved heritage brands. The Dorchester has partnered with Swiss skincare clinic La Prairie to create a new partnership for its spa alongside its sister hotel, 45 Park Lane. A highlight is a bespoke facial using La Prairie’s Caviar range (despite the name, there’s not an actual fish egg in sight; it refers to the texture of the products). Upon entering the serene subterranean space, the treatments begin with a consultation to assess the skin, before being guided through one of three sensory concepts — Lakes, Mountains or Forests — each inspired by Switzerland’s natural landscapes and expressed through scent, sound and touch. At the heart of the

partnership is the 1931 The Dorchester Skin Caviar Ritual, which begins with a back massage using British marble stones, inspired by the hotel’s interiors, before continuing with a Skin Caviar facial designed to support elasticity and structure. Guests staying at The Dorchester can use the 20m pool at 45 Park Lane. After the spa, enjoy lunch or dinner at The Dorchester’s Promenade restaurant — with its urns of flowers, piano music and gilt detailing, it might be one of the grandest and most elaborate post-spa bites you might have. Tuck into tuna carpaccio and the most delicious buttermilk chicken — there’s always the gym tomorrow. dorchestercollection.com

Opposite: An oasis of serenity and refinement greets visitors at The Dorchester Spa Above: La Prairie Caviar products are used for facials

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WELLNESS

THE EMOTIONAL HEALING RETREAT With its piped “Om” music, Tibetan flag-lined garden and rows of medicinal herbs ready to be turned into tisanes and teas, the spa garden at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru is one of the most tranquil spots to recuperate, restore and reflect. The new spa, AyurMa, offers a holistic approach to health, overseen by the inspirational Dr Arun Tomson — an expert in naturopathy (the ability for the body to heal itself). Based around four pillars — Ayurveda, Planetary Wellbeing, Yoga Therapy and Wellness — the resort strikes a perfect balance between a sand-in-the-toes multi-generational escape and what feels like a health retreat akin to some of the best you might find in Switzerland or Thailand. The PraMā wellness screening kicks off the experience, providing biomarkers, pulse readings, postural and metabolic evaluations to create a bespoke programme. Launching later this year (which we got a sneak peak at) is their emotional healing retreat, overseen by clinical psychologist Dr Greeshma, who offers a hypnotherapy treatment to unearth buried anxieties and conducts an Ayurvedic psychological assessment with insightful results. A rather interesting ending to the experience is “channelling” negative thoughts into a shell and then throwing it into the Indian Ocean — a simple but surprisingly effective and cathartic process. fourseasons.com/maldiveslg

Images: Kenseet

Clockwise from left: The AyurMa spa offers aerial yoga and four Indian-trained teachers; Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary is set in 76 acres of woodland; the pool at The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, where you can float your cares away

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THE FOREST RETREAT Nestled among coffee plantations and verdant rainforests, the recently opened Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary is exactly that — a serene haven in 76 acres of peaceful woodland in India’s beautiful Western Ghats. A new programme in the 27,000-square-foot spa is shaped around the Trinity of Balance, bringing together Shakti (Energy & Vitality), Shanti (Inner Peace) and Soumya (Inner Beauty). This can mean anti-inflammatory cuisine, tea

journeys using locally foraged botanicals, and nightly sleep rituals. Daily guided nature immersions are a key part of the programme, allowing guests to explore the estate, to learn about local flora and fauna, or join birdwatching excursions, waterfall hikes and stargazing adventures at night. You can choose from 71 suites and enjoy a yoga deck offering panoramic views over the lake, PanAsian cuisine and estate-to-brew coffee

tours. Back in the spa, extra treatments include Trataka, an ancient yogic practice that cultivates concentration, mental clarity and inner stillness through gazing at a candle flame. Guests can also immerse themselves in culture with a trip to centuries-old megaliths, followed by a lavish on-site breakfast spread. Further afield. you might be lucky enough to spot a tiger on a safari in Nagarahole’s tropical forests. theleela.com

Guests can explore the estate, and join birdwatching excursions, waterfall hikes and stargazing adventures at night

THE FLOATING SOUND BATH The sound — or gong — bath is now a firm fixture on every spa menu, corporate away day and community WhatsApp group. But at The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, they are taking the experience one step further with their new Frequency Float experience — a 45-minute floating sound bath in a pool bathed in candlelight. After relaxing in the spa suite, guests enter the water where they then drift weightlessly with a therapist, surrounded by sound frequencies and meditative music that travel through the water. Designed to calm the nervous system and reduce stress, the treatment draws inspiration from the surroundings of the Great Lakes. Other new spa treatments here include an Alpine Rose

Facial with sculpting techniques to lift the skin and a full-body massage featuring nourishing mimosa blossom-scented oil. Those who have hit the hotel gym too hard can enjoy one of their signature stretching treatments, where therapists realign the body after a workout. Continue the waterside journey with a stay in one of its newly renovated Lakeside Suites, complete with a custom wet bar, sapphire-hued furniture, and panoramic views of Lake Michigan — or you can take a pew at the hotel’s rooftop cocktail bar for sundowners. ritzcarlton.com

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WELLNESS

THE EMOTIONAL DANCE RETREAT The transformative benefits of dance have been understood by many for millennia, from Whirling Dervish worshippers getting closer to divinity to Gen-X-ers welcoming the sunrise in an open field. Now — like Viking skincare and caveman fitness — free-flowing movement is the latest ancient practice to receive a luxury reboot. Lefay Resort and Spa, located in the lakes of Italy and sister to their Dolomites property, has introduced Emotional Dance for its guests, combining music, mindfulness and uninhibited movement. Guests are invited to release tension and reconnect with the body through intuitive dance. “Emotional Dance particularly benefits from being in a group to create the right energy and engagement,” says Spa Manager Monica Mescoli. “Dance allows us to express our strong need to free ourselves from judgment, to feel free in our bodies, and to let go.” Other holistic experiences at this lavender and olive tree-flecked resort include Qi Gong, guided breathwork and stretching the meridians — all practised overlooking Lake Garda. They also offer Aufguss in the 90°C Finnish panoramic sauna, where a sauna master smashes balls of ice infused with aniseed and eucalyptus onto the woodburner, wafting the scents around the sauna to the sounds of nature. lefayresorts.com

Images: Lefay Resorts

Peaceful and grounding rituals are part of the Emotional Dance offering at Lefay Resort & Spa Lago di Garda

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THE LONGEVITY CLINIC Back in the ’90s, a “spa” experience at Whiteleys shopping centre in Bayswater meant a fish pedicure in a dingy side room surrounded by pound shops. Today, the same space is unrecognisable as the recently launched Six Senses London. The distinctive sweeping staircase that once formed the centrepiece of the shopping mall has been moved in its entirety, now serving as the gateway to a 2,300-square-metre wellness haven, alongside a sculptural installation of porcelain petals by artist Ula Saniawa. The space caters to residents, local members and spa guests, and is rooted in longevity, highlighted by its new partner Hum2N, which offers medical-grade diagnostics, screenings, and personalised programs — from ageing to personal fitness performance. The aim is to treat the body “as a system,” says Medical Director Dr Enayat, “not treating symptoms in isolation.” The spa features a range of signature treatments, such as the Lymphatic Detox Body Reset Massage. The experience continues with a series of biohacking recoveries, including red-light therapy, compression boots and cryotherapy. The mood shifts from futuristic to ancient wisdom with its alchemy bar, a modern apothecary offering treatments created with seasonal botanicals. Afterwards, relax in the 20-metre indoor lap pool or take a dip in London’s first dedicated magnesium pool. sixsenses.com

Images: Martin Morrell

Six Senses London features a cocoon-like lap pool, a sauna and a hyperbaric chamber, with a strong focus on longevity

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Life SPHERE

GIVING

LIVING

N AT U R E

NURTURE

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ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY?

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GIVING GIFTING

PHILANTHROPY

CHARITY

GIRL POWER Based in Mumbai, luxury resortwear label Verandah features colourful prints inspired by India’s landscape and culture, with influences from travel. Operating as a zero-waste company, the garments are crafted in small batches by local artisans, using traditional techniques and natural, sustainable fabrics. Through its Baagh Pari initiative, the brand supports the education of Moghiya tribe girls in the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. Crop shirt, £325, and flared pants, £300, studioverandah.com

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TREASURE TROVE Born and raised in Birmingham, second-generation jeweller Laura Vann is committed to preserving the heritage of the city’s Jewellery Quarter and to supporting local craftsmen. Her exquisite autumn/winter collection is inspired by the Art Deco lines of one of Birmingham’s landmarks, the former Odeon cinema in Sutton Coldfield, as well as the drawings of its Brummie architect, Harry Weedon. 18ct Vermeil and Rhodium Plated Silver Box Office Mixed Metal Ring with White Topaz, £330, lauravann.co.uk

Image (Arcove): Ben Stevens

INSIDE JOB British interior designer Isabella Worsley launched Arcove, an offering of fabrics, wallpaper and homeware designed in London and crafted by artisans across the UK. Alongside the main collection, the brand releases a collection of 12 limited-edition pieces every 12 weeks. For autumn, expect a study-themed drop, including letter racks and wastepaper bins. arcove-london.com BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Chantecaille’s new autumn makeup collection supports the Lion Guardians, a conservation organisation that was founded in 2006 in the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem in Kenya. The organisation works to find solutions that enable humans and lions to coexist. With seven products, the capsule includes three limited edition eyeshadows and two limited edition lipstick shades. The Lion Collection, from £33, chantecaille.co.uk

A CUT ABOVE Founded by a former chef, Allday Goods produces colourful, professional-grade kitchen knives with blades forged in Japan and handles made from recycled plastic. To date, it has saved over 24 tonnes of plastic from landfill. The company also supports environmental charity Cleanhub and Chefs in School, an organisation dedicated to improving food in schools and promoting nutrition education. £140, alldaygoods.co.uk

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LIVING INTERIORS

D E C O R AT I O N

HOME

STYLE STATEMENT

Image: Mariluz Vida

Long a signifier of finger-on-the-pulse style, owning a classic piece of Danish design is a timeless investment for many. It seems that every light-filled apartment in Copenhagen is kitted out with at least one piece by one of the greats, from Arne Jacobsen to Hans J. Wegner. Equally covetable are Carl Hansen & Co’s sleek designs. The Scimitar chair by featured designers Fabricius & Kastholm was first presented in the Cabinetmakers’ Autumn Exhibition in the Danish capital in 1963, bringing together sculptural form and technical precision. Named after the curved sword, and created to allow a more natural sitting position, it comes in steel and leather and is now also available in textile. From €2,976. carlhansen.dk

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A LIGHT TOUCH Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the female-founded design company Ochre launches an elegant new range this season, showcasing its love of subtle colour (the name Ochre was named after the subtle pigment shade) and materials. Jesmonite ‘Kinoko’ tables are darkened with charcoal powder, and the Oceana pendant (pictured) is a glowing centrepiece, crafted in blown Murano glass with patinated brass fittings. ochre.net

STROKE OF GENIUS Referencing European Delftware, these exquisite tiles from Balineum by Nottingham-based artist Katrin Moye elevate the smallest space to one of joy. The new Midland range comes in seven designs, featuring botanical flourishes and mustard-yellow circular motifs. All made in Stoke-on-Trent, artisans paint the tiles with slip before screen-printing the design, hand-finishing them, and completing them with glazed or rounded edges. The lead time is 6-12 weeks. balineum.com

AFTER A FASHION Welcome autumn’s cool days and russet hues with a cosy refresh of the home. This season, British homeware brand Tori Murphy offers a warming new tweed collection, inspired by couture textiles (think: if Chanel did sofas). Mother’s Tweed and Daughter’s Tweed are influenced by Murphy’s three daughters, as well as her life in fashion, and are made to last. Woven in the UK, the cream and beige palette with splashes of dusky pink suits any home and perfectly complements her new matching wallpaper collection. Founded in 2012, the designer also crafts made-to-measure headboards and hardware. torimurphy.com

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NURTURE WELLBEING

F A M I LY

S PA

The trend for ‘leaf peeping’ shows no sign of abating — the desire to immerse oneself in a bosky setting as a form of meditative relief. For those who don’t want to skimp on luxury, look no further than the Fairmont Windsor’s new treehouse suites. Located amidst a quiet, calming forest on the grounds of the five-star hotel next to the Great Windsor Estate, the four two-bedroom treehouses are built with family living in mind. With a kitchen, a lounge area and a bedroom on each side, they provide a resting place of wonder for all generations. Unwind in the spa with a 25m pool, steam room, sauna and some of the best deep-tissue massages you will find in the south. From £2,300 per night, fairmont-windsorpark.com

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Image: Carin Thakrar

INTO THE WOODS

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CHILD’S PLAY Known for its fairytale turrets, Badrutt’s Palace in St Moritz has been welcoming generations since 1896. Winters are spent skiing in powder-soft snow, while summers offer hiking through wildflower meadows. The hotel has now unveiled a new kids’ club, plus yoga and cocktail-making classes. Welcoming children ages 3-12, an indoor playground recreates the palace, and themed days include pirate activities and ’80s disco parties — proving that, in this fun-loving town, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. badruttspalace.com

Image (Pepa London) :Anika Birchall

NATURE KNOWS BEST Even if you can’t get to the forest, bring the calming woodland scent into the home with Acqua di Parma’s new Cedro Virtuoso, infused with Virginia cedarwood and hazelnut. Developed over a 30-day maturation process, the hazelnut offers a rich, creamy note while the cedarwood adds structure. Complete the collection with the Eau de Parfum (£257), along with a diffuser and candle, and nourish the body with the hand and body wash (£71). harrods.com

READY TO WEAR Pepa London is a go-to for timeless, beautifully crafted children’s clothing, including the new Charlotte Dress. Crafted from a delicate bespoke floral print, the garment features intricate hand smocking and a hand-embroidered frill bib front with a bow at the back for a party-ready finishing touch. Accessorise with their Satin Organza Bow Party Shoes in Champagne. Dress, £135, pepalondon.com

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NATURE T H E G R E AT O U T D O O R S

E C O - AWA R E N E S S

S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

Image: Franco Guidi Photography

ROCK STARS Combining layers of malachite, lapis lazuli, black onyx, or tiger’s eye with layers of white diamonds and topped with a high-impact oval-cut stone, jeweller Lily Gabriella’s Naia Collection is conceived as a tribute to nature’s power and vibrancy. The rings, earrings and pendants draw from the strength and elegance of freshwater nymphs. Naia pendant, earrings and ring in 18k white gold set with a black onyx cabochon, black onyx inlay and diamonds. From £6,450, lilygabriella.com

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT Bring the outside in and forage your home decor with lights&lamps’ Portobello lights. Available as a statement chandelier or as wall lights, their sand-cast metal stems, handfinished in dark aged brass, are topped by linen shades resembling mushroom cups and gills. Founded by UK-based lighting experts Niki Wright and Scarlett Hampton, the company specialises in chic and contemporary original designs. From £449, lightsandlamps.com

FOLLOW YOUR NOSE Drawing upon the legacy of 19th-century botanist Louis de Montravel, Maison Monravel’s home fragrances and candles are crafted in Grasse using up to 90 per cent ingredients of natural origin. Tapping into the spirit of a particular destination, each scent is designed to evoke a specific feeling — from the peppy citrus freshness of the Mediterranean gardens of Cap Martin to the grounding notes of sandalwood inspired by Southern India. Candle, £75, maisonmonravel.com

SHELL OUT Found in Highland burns, Scottish freshwater river pearls are extremely rare, and the few available specimens predate 1998, when their fishing was banned. Jeweller Hamilton & Inches, which is licensed to sell them, has incorporated them into a collection designed in collaboration with Scottish fashion label Le Kilt. Hair pin in sterling silver, £385, hamiltonandinches.com

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MASTERCLASS

Grape expectations Paul Krug, Estate Manager at Château la Commaraine, shares his passion and expertise on Burgundy wine, and offers a guide to discovering its charms for yourself

Can you give those who aren’t familiar with the wine a quick introduction? Red Burgundy is Pinot Noir: pale in colour, aromatic rather than powerful. Silky tannins, fresh acidity, moderate alcohol. The pleasure lies in texture and perfume, not weight. White Burgundy is Chardonnay: dry, structured by the limestone soils it grows on. Ripe citrus and hazelnut balanced by a fresh, almost saline mineral edge. What distinguishes Burgundian wines and wineries from those in other French regions? Three things. First, we work with one grape 98

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per colour, so the variety steps aside and the place does the talking. Two vineyards just 50 metres apart can produce genuinely different wines. Second, in Burgundy, we classify the land, not the producer. In Bordeaux, the château carries the ranking. Here, it is the vineyard itself — village, premier cru, grand cru — regardless of who farms it. That keeps us humble: the terroir is always greater than we are. Third, the human scale. Burgundian domaines are small: the people who prune the vines in winter are the same people you will find running the fermentations in autumn. Which Commaraine Burgundy wines would you suggest for food pairing? For the red, the Clos de la Commaraine, Pommard Premier Cru Monopole. Pommard has a reputation for power, but our Clos has always been described as producing wines of finesse and silkiness. I would serve it with a truly great roast bird: a Bresse chicken with its juices. The silky tannins wrap around the tender flesh, and the wine’s depth answers the savoury roasting juices. For the white, our Saint-Aubin Premier Cru Les Murgers des Dents de Chien. This is a vineyard of almost pure limestone, a stone’s throw from Montrachet, whose name refers to stones as sharp as dogs’ teeth. It is a taut, saline, energetic white. Pair it with langoustines

or turbot in a beurre blanc: the wine’s salinity echoes the iodine of the sea, and its tension cuts through the butter’s richness. What is the best way to store the wine? The same rule applies to both colours. Keep them at a steady temperature of between 11 to 14°C, with 70 per cent humidity in darkness, in a consistent cellar. What is the best way to drink them? Cooler than you think for the reds, warmer than you think for the whites. Serve red Burgundy at the true cellar temperature of 15–16°C. Whites are best at 12°C: straight from the fridge is too cold and mutes everything that makes a premier cru interesting. Pour them slightly cool and let them warm in the glass. What are some fun ways to enjoy discovering the wines of the region? Burgundy is at its best when discovery feels like play. Ride through the Climats in an old car — there is no better pace for this landscape. Rent an electric bike and follow the Voie des Vignes from Beaune through Pommard and Volnay down to Santenay: you cross a dozen legendary appellations. Take a sunrise hot-air balloon and you will finally understand the mosaic of the Climats. chateaulacommaraine.com

Image (Commaraine): John Athmaritis

What makes the terroir in Burgundy so good for producing great wines? Burgundy sits on the floor of a sea that disappeared around 150 million years ago. That ancient seabed left us a narrow, east-facing slope where limestone and clay meet in endlessly changing proportions — sometimes shifting within just a few metres. Over centuries, monks and winegrowers observed these differences and gave each “parcel” a name. Today, there are over 1,200 of these named vineyards, known as the Climats, recognised by UNESCO. Add a climate that is just cool enough to keep the wines tense and alive, and you have a place where a single grape variety can produce a thousand different wines.

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BY APPOINTMENT TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING MANUFACTURER AND SUPPLIER OF FOOTWEAR CROCKETT & JONES LIMITED, NORTHAMPTON

EST 1879

AND 1879 MADENORTHAMP IN ENGLTON AND| ENGL | SINCE

VA IL | A BENCHMA RK OF CO MFO RT & Q UAL I TY, E VO LVE D FRO M 14 7 YE ARS O F FI N E S H OE M A KIN G

CROCKETTANDJONES.COM

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AUTUMN 2026 VOLUME 19 NUMBER 3

SPHERE THE LONG LENS ON LUXURY

LEGENDS OF THE FALL Our pick of autumn’s finest

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