Roland Herlory, CEO of luxury swimwear brand Vilebrequin continues our Luxury Leaders series. He speaks to LUX about Saint Tropez’s 1970s rock’n’roll lifestyle, the influence of social media and working in St. Bart’s

Roland Herlory

LUX: How would you describe the Vilebrequin lifestyle?
Roland Herlory: When you think about Vilebrequin, you think about holidays and fantasy. About having a good time, relaxing, and sharing privileged moments with your loved ones. Vilebrequin wants to make this feeling of “lâcher prise” last all year long. Our style is elegant but casual and fun at the same time.

LUX: In the fast expanding luxury market, is heritage still as significant?
Roland Herlory: Of course it is! We were born in St-Tropez in 1971. At that time it was just a little harbour where many artists and icons gathered. It was a time when carelessness was allowed and freedom was in the air. Brigitte Bardot , Gunter Sachs, Françoise Sagan  …They all met and had fun together. It was rock’n’roll at that time and Mick even married Bianca Jagger in St-Tropez in 1971. Now times are different, but Vilebrequin still claims its St-Tropez 1970’s roots! It is very important because no other swimwear brand has this kind of heritage and expertise – apart from probably  Eres  created in 1969. Most of our clients work throughout the year in dark suits. Its only during their holidays that they allow themselves humour and freedom. Vilebrequin’s expertise is this delicate fine line between elegance and the joy to play. This is part of our heritage and we will keep working around this. The secret about men is that they embody strength when they feel comfortable with their bodies. Only then, they wear green elephants or pink crabs with an ultimate, male allure. For me, this is the St-Tropez spirit of the seventies for which Vilebrequin is still a symbol.

Read next: LUX takes a VIP tour of the Monaco Grand Prix 

LUX: What makes a product truly luxurious?
Roland Herlory: Quality is restless. The characteristic of real luxury is to always strive for more. For our golden swimsuits, it was our Italian embroidering company that came up with the idea to work with threads of real gold. Now, there are 15 grams of pure gold embroidered onto these special editions, plus 2 sapphires for the ends of the cords. Half of the 80 pieces that were produced were sold out in a second.

LUX: What are the most challenging issues you face as a CEO of an international business?
Roland Herlory: We always need to evolve. We still have the same ocean vocabulary but we always need to reinvent our classic, with the iconic turtle becoming bubbly or 3D. We don’t follow fashion, instead we are guided by our technological advances. What makes the human hand also allows us to progress stylistically. Today, thanks to ink jet printing, we can reach qualities of unsurpassed delicacy on a fabric, which is nevertheless extremely difficult.

Read next: LVMH’s Jean-Claude Biver on the singleness of real luxury 

LUX: How do you balance business with pleasure?
Roland Herlory: I live 10 days each month in St Bart’s, but I’m not at the beach as often as one might expect me to be living in the Caribbean. Having lived in St Bart’s for 15 years, you tend to look at the beach in a different way to tourists. If you’re were on holidays there, you would probably spend the whole day at the beach. But I work there, even if people don’t believe me when they hear ocean waves in the background of a phone call. The rest of the time I live in Geneva and Paris, travelling from subsidiary to subsidiary. I am moving around a lot.

LUX: How has the rise of social media affected or influenced your business decisions?
Roland Herlory: Under the #Poolside365 this year, and #SummerAllYearLong last year, fashion and lifestyle bloggers presented their favourite pools on the Vilebrequin blog and social networks. The whole digital Mise en Scène is a trend that is represented by these bloggers. Tradition stays alive if you inject modernity. It’s a skill I’m well accomplished in, having been at Hermès for 23 years. Tradition can become a part of the past very fast. We need these bloggers to add part of the modernity.

Read next: Bringing back the sounds of the seventies 

LUX: You’re a pioneer facing increasing competition, how do you deal with that?
Roland Herlory: You have to keep on fighting to maintain the level or to improve something. For example, quick dry was a big challenge during the last two years. The new collection dries three times quicker – I don’t know if I should even be telling you this yet – but my dream is to make completely water-resistant swim shorts. We are working on it, with nano-technology . But I don’t want the competitors to know more. Fabrics that dry fast are easy to be found, but they are thin and technical. When you leave water in such a fabric it sticks to your legs. Bad for selfies…Our material is- thanks to an elaborate fabrication process and incredible expertise – the ultimate elegance. Wet or dry , the swim shorts keep their look. But still the easiest solution for the problem is a second pair of shorts: one for the water, one for the beach.

Vilebrequin menswear

LUX: What are the most important developments for Vilebrequin this year?
Roland Herlory: Vilebrequin was created 45 years ago so for us, this is an age of maturity. We will open more shops in Asia and Australia. We have been developing accessories, including shoes and soon sunglasses. We grow at our own rhythm, step by step. We will continue creating more products.

LUX: How do you relax?
Roland Herlory: The best way to relax is yoga. Otherwise, when I am home in St Bart’s, on a beach at sunset.
vilebrequin.com

Speed and posing in Monte Carlo: Francesca Peak revels in the most glamorous destination on the F1 calendar, courtesy of Rolex

When you think of Formula One, you don’t think of the gruelling driver training, the complex mechanics, or the global travel involved in an exhausting 10-month schedule. Instead, it’s the lavish parties, glamorous crowds, and beautiful surroundings. More than any other international competition, Formula One is a seductive combination of speed and charm, and nowhere is this more evident than at the Monaco GP.

Read next: Why this billionaire investor loves Switzerland

Since the first race was run on the Circuit de Monaco in 1929, the event has remained one of the most competitive and desirable for drivers and fans alike. Along with the Indy 500 and Le Mans 24 Hour race, it forms the Triple Crown of Motorsport, lusted after by every driver that graces the tarmac. And this year, about 10 years into being a Formula One fan, it was my chance to see the sport’s most legendary race up close and personal.

For this year’s Monaco Grand Prix, I was hosted by Rolex, Formula One’s official timekeeper, and taken underground – literally – to see all sides of the race weekend. Driving into the city from Nice airport, the colours of the houses and Mediterranean nonchalance drew me in, definitely something I could get used to. Oddly, the track is opened to pedestrians and cars when races aren’t taking place which, while making it much easier to drive up to the hotel, meant walking to dinner was a little unnerving.

Read next: Boodles’ Michael Wainwright on taking luxury overseas

One question I always had about race weekends was what visitors do to amuse themselves on the mornings before qualifying and racing. The answer in Monaco is, of course, take a classic car for a spin along the Grande Corniche, the mountain road that connects Monaco and Nice. My ride for the morning was a navy blue Jaguar XK120, in perfect condition but seemingly produced in an age before seat-belts were compulsory. The almost dangerous lack of power steering and extremely low gearstick were certainly a glimpse into the world of Formula One before today’s technology kicked in – no wonder the drivers had to be thin and fit as marathon runners.

A rainy Sunday took us around The Paddock, otherwise known as the Beverly Hills of motorsport: this is where the teams park up their motorhomes for the weekend, worth tens of millions of pounds. The Red Bull motorhome is more of a floating disco – by day a modest bar, restaurant and press centre, by night a disco with live DJ and dancing until the early hours.

Read next: Constructing timeless elegance

Being shown around The Paddock by Sir Jackie Stewart (a Rolex Testimonee for nigh on 50 years) was an honour – this year celebrating the 50th anniversary of his first win in Monaco, Stewart spoke of the track and the sport with nostalgia, affection but a tone grounded in reality, as only a brutally honest Scot can. Walking through the teams’ homes with Stewart made one realise how revered and legendary a personality he is – the sport certainly couldn’t be blamed for forgetting those who made it what it is today.

The weekend ended with the race itself which, thanks to a dry qualifying session followed by a race in the pouring rain, made for a more interesting race than usual. We watched from the Norman Foster-designed yacht club, an impressive structure nestled next to the water on the edge of the track. While some braved the rain outdoors to watch the cars passing beneath, others stayed inside with a blanket and a glass of champagne to watch on television with live commentary by Jonathan Legard. Somehow everything’s more immediate when the commentator’s standing right behind you.

rolex.com

For the launch of UP COLLECTION, luxury accessory designer Stefania Pramma teamed up with artist Sara Berman to create a playful installation of handbags and paintings, displayed for one night only in the colourful interiors of 5 Hertford Street’s exclusive nightclub, Loulou’s. Millie Walton spoke to the designer about her inspiration, Italian heritage and obsession with dogs.

Stefania Pramma

Millie Walton: How did your collaboration with Sara Berman come about?

Stefania Pramma: I met Sara through my sister who is an art collector and we just clicked. I love the colours and the sense of the humour in her paintings – they’re so beautiful – and so I asked her almost immediately if she could create something that’s not too pretty and not too perfect that would work with Pramma’s playful ethos. The paintings Sara produced are about gesture and moments, and are inspired, I think, by images I have of my sister and I with the bags in a cab in New York and also dogs… I love dogs! Pramma is really about the intimacy of the bag, the way you hold it, everything that it means to be a woman. That’s why I paid particularly close attention to the bags’ clasps – they’re more mechanisms than locks – you really have to think about how to open it so it feels secret and personal.

Read next: Chopard’s Caroline Scheufele on the consumer of the future

MW: What are the inspirations behind this new collection?

SP: I always want to create timeless pieces. The bags have a signature shape, and then the freshness comes from different textures. For example with this collection, I wanted to feature embroidery, but not classic, ladylike embroidery, something a bit cooler and unique, which is why I chose chain embroideries although its extremely difficult to do! I am also really inspired by architecture and geometry; the way the bag is constructed is very specific so it stands in a certain way and the handle has a certain shape so you feel elegant when you hold it. The bags need to be special, which is why I incorporate precious gemstones and jewellery, but not untouchable. These are sturdy, day bags, but feminine too, there’s a softness created through curves and smooth lines.

Read next: Leading auctioneer Simon de Pury on the enduring legacy of art

MW: How has your approach to design changed over the years and is that a reflection of the contemporary consumer?

SP: I don’t design for any specific type of woman. I design into an idea or something that inspires me. It’s not that I think okay there is a hip-hop or Boho trend and design around that – I could do my own version of it, but the inspiration for this collection and all my collections is fundamentally about the timeless of an object. Women want something that they can keep and that’s out of the ordinary. Its not about a particular demographic; I want the bags to be versatile so they can be worn in different ways and by different people.

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MW: Is it important to you that your bags are constructed in Italy?

SP: Yes and by craftsmen in particular, but its actually very difficult to find artisans nowadays because so many have closed down. It has changed so much in the past twenty years. When I started working in fine jewellery in Italy, there were lots of craftsmen but they were already old – sixty or seventy years old – and the young people didn’t want to work in a little artisan shop so many of them didn’t have the support to keep going. There has been such an abuse of the “made in Italy” label with people just putting in the last stitch in Italy, but constructing the bulk of the product elsewhere. I really wanted all of my products to be truly, completely and honestly manufactured in Italy even if it is more of a struggle to find the hands.

<a href="http://pramma site link.com” target=”_blank”>pramma.com

Michael Wainwright is Managing Director and co-owner of Boodles, the British society jeweller, which has nine stores in London and its heartland of northwest England. Soon after the opening of the brand’s spectacular new flagship on London’s Old Bond Street, he spoke to LUX  as part of our on-going Luxury Leaders series, about Britishness, the retail experience, and possibly going to America.

Michael Wainwright

LUX: What is the state of play for the luxury industry?
Michael Wainwright: Our business is less tied to the economy than you might think. We are more dependent on wealthier people who don’t lose their wealth overnight. My thinking these days, after years of economic crises, is fairly optimistic. The prognosis is pretty good for the luxury goods and jewellery sector. The world is a richer place than it has ever been and people will continue buying.

LUX: Boodles is the only significant British jeweller and one of the only family-owned ones anywhere. How important is that?
Michael Wainwright: Britishness is important to our business. British people like to deal with a British brand and our overseas clients love to deal with “Britishness”. British clients account for 75% of our business. Telling the British story is important for us, and also the family story: we are a family business, and maybe we don’t tell that story enough.

Read next: LVMH and Hublot’s leading man, Jean-Claude Biver on personalising luxury 

The Boodles boutique on Bond Street

Inside the newly refurbished Boodles boutique

LUX: Are there disadvantages to being British?
Michael Wainwright: There are disadvantages to not being overseas. Lots of brands have presence in Hong Kong, Dubai and Paris. Clients see their brand everywhere; it’s a huge head start. But now there are quite a few Middle Easterners looking for more localized niche brands, which is an advantage for us. They don’t want a brand that is in every mall in the Middle East. Asians still are more about following the herd, but that will change.

Raindance Ring

LUX: What are your views on e-commerce?
Michael Wainwright: Only one percent of our sales are e-commerce at the moment, which is not high, but it is growing fast. I think it has potential to reach four to five percent. Most people will want to experience the story, to touch and see things. Online is a very cheap sale, which is very profitable. But in a shop, you have the chance of making an add-on sale, you build a relationship. If a customer buys online, you may never see them again. It doesn’t build the brand experience. Relationships are absolutely fundamental to business.

Read next: British businessman, Javad Marandi talks investment philosophy and strategy

LUX: What’s the greatest challenge you face?
Michael Wainwright: The Walpole Group (the British luxury association) recently noted there are two hurdles to growing a business: one at £20m (annual turnover) and one at £80-100m. We are now at the second hurdle, we are a £80m turnover business. We don’t feel we can build to the next stage just by being in the UK. We are very involved in our business as a family and we have not yet really learned the art of delegation, which is what is required if you are overseas. We would need to pick the right partners for, for example, opening in New York or the Middle East. We would need to acquire those skills of delegation. It’s an interesting stage. These are big hurdles.

boodles.com

With a billion people about to become luxury consumers over the next decade, real luxury will become more personal, more individual and more secretive. So predicts our columnist, Jean-Claude Biver, continuing our series on business philosophy and strategy 

Jean-Claude Biver

Luxury will always will be here. Growth will always be here. When people do better, they want to differentiate themselves, so the growth of luxury will always track economic growth.

But in the future we will have two different levels of luxury: accessible luxury, items that have an incredible image but an affordable price, and inaccessible luxury. This is the extreme luxury of people wishing to have something made for themselves or being completely different, being unique, saying, “What I have, you will never have”.

Accessible luxury will be huge: the middle class in China will develop to 500 million people, in India maybe 300 million, in Latin America around 200 million, so you will have a billion new customers in the next 20 years. This middle class will definitely go for the accessible luxury, but maybe 10 million out of this billion will want real luxury. That will comprise exclusivity, incredible quality, and uniqueness. And these two types of luxury will develop together. Luxury will be like a building with two floors – only a few people will go up to the second floor, while most people will remain on the first floor.

Read next: Leading auctioneer, Simon de Pury on the eternity of art 

The upper tier of luxury will be defined through exclusivity and also through the fact that it will adapt to the facets of made-to-measure luxury. These people want individuality, something made just for themselves. They want something that other people’s money cannot buy, because that’s the ultimate. You get access to something that normally money cannot buy, but you can buy it because you have the relationship and the contacts. That will be the extreme level of luxury, only for you, and to enable you to stand out from the masses and their accessible luxury. The way this extreme luxury is communicated will also change. It will be word of mouth, very discreet and only for the few who know. Like a secret: “Ah, you know this brand, wow, you belong, because you wear this shirt or this special tie or these special socks made in Rome.” The ultimate individualization of your person.

Jean-Claude Biver with Cara Delevingne at the TAG Heuer Yacht party during the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix

People will still collect, will always collect, but the problem with today’s goods becoming collectible is linked to the concept of eternity. If I collect a Ferrari that is from the 1980s or 1970s, that is a car that will enter eternity because whatever the new industrial revolution brings us, this car will comfortably be repairable. But modern cars, because they are not mechanical any longer, will not be repairable in 100 years because the microchips that control everything from the gearbox to the windows will be useless. That is why a Ferrari Testarossa (from the 1980s ) or a 275 GTB (from the 1960s) will still be collectible. Why should people collect what is due to die when they can collect what is due to become eternal? That’s why you can have an old Lockheed Constellation plane (from the 1950s) and it still works – you can fly with it! An Airbus A380 will not still be capable of flying in 50 or 100 years.

(From left) Lapo Elkann, Jean-Claude Biver, Bar Refaeli, Esteban Gutiérrex, Pelé and Ricardo Gudalupe celebrate the opening of Hublot’s second manufacture in Switzerland

Luxury should be marked by eternity. Great art is eternal and there is nothing else made by humans that doesn’t die, just art. So that means luxury is eternity and luxury is art; and if you can create the eternal, you have the business of the future in luxury.

Read next: Chopard’s Caroline Scheufele on the young luxury consumer 

But accessible luxury is very different, a more competitive field where you have more marketing and illusions. But everywhere there is going to be a reaction to mass luxury. People will want more and more to be considered individuals. We all need to be treated like kings, to be treated differently, because we are surrounded by mass. Look at travel – that’s why people have a special area to check in when they fly first class, a special line for security, a special seat, special food and so on. People need to be treated differently because now everything is going mass.

In the area of accessible luxury, the same brands are adapting, they are comfortably innovating and comfortably renewing their offering and positioning so they stay current. They will adapt and survive. In accessible luxury, it will be more difficult for newcomers to enter the market. But in the area of higher quality luxury, we may have new artists and creators coming. Because it will be very personal.

Jean-Claude Biver is president of LVMH Watch Brands and chairman of Hublot. lvmh.com, hublot.com

The investment potential of the best art will just keep on increasing, says Simon de Pury, one of the world’s most renowned auctioneers, as art becomes ever more aligned with high luxury.

Simon de Pury

Art is the ultimate luxury. You don’t need it to live, which is a definition of a luxury. And in the past few years other similarities between the art market and the luxury market have emerged.

Ten years ago you would go to different – not luxurious – parts of town to see art. In New York you would go downtown; in London you would go east for certain exhibitions and galleries, for example. Now, though, in the art business you need to be very central for the same reasons as you do in the luxury market: it’s all about location, location, location. Thus the concentration of top galleries that are installing themselves in Mayfair in London, while in New York there is a return to the Upper East Side. There’s a lot of artistic activity focusing on these areas because when the international traveller comes to town, he stays in the heart of the city, goes to the top hotel and wants to have everything in an immediate circle, and wants to not have to waste too much time pursuing these passions. So all of that has had an impact, changing the market quite fundamentally. Galleries are now seeking real estate in the same locations as the top luxury brands.

Read next: Interview with Guillaume Davin, CEO of Moynat

Art is also the ultimate luxury because you get emotionally involved, and if you go about it smartly it can be a very rewarding passion. Rewarding in every sense.

Erik Bulatov, Rouge a Levres, 1994, pencil on paper

In concurrence with these developments, the art market is changing also. The market has become global, so for the first time you now have people from all parts of the world buying art from all parts of the world. Compare this to the Cold War, when some artists in the east had no idea what was happening in the west: you had artists working in total isolation. Today there is much easier access to knowledge and information about what is happening in different places through the digital revolution. And this has fuelled further internationalisation. You have biennials in Havana, Sydney, Shanghai, Venice and Istanbul. There is a now a great exchange of information and knowledge, and with knowledge comes a greater interest in acquiring.

Read next: How one of Azerbaijan’s richest men does business 

The information that used to be accessible to a small group of insiders is now much more easily and much more widely accessible. As a result, if you look at a list of the most affluent people in each country, 20 years ago there would have been a relatively small percentage of those who were collectors, whereas now if you look at the same lists, there’s a much bigger percentage collecting. And it’s also that which gives art the ultimate status. You can be a very successful businessman, yet it will never give you the same kind of kudos as you get when you are building a great collection. It’s your cultural achievements that leave your biggest mark and your imprint, and that is one reason why individual collectors in different parts of the world have become the main cultural movers and shakers – much more so than the main institutions.

Erik Bulatov, Perestroika, 1989

Read next: Manufacturing millionaire: Javad Marandi reveals his Swiss investment secrets 

Nonetheless, there are factors any collector should be aware of. Your collection is your self-portrait. Collecting is an artistic, creative pursuit in itself. By collecting you show who you are and give yourself an identity. For that reason your collection cannot be put together by a committee: it has to be one person who takes the decision of what to buy and (just as important!) what not to buy. Equally, having a professional adviser who is very familiar with the market can help you avoid making mistakes and can help you to navigate the market, so it makes sense for people who have built substantial collections to have either in-house or external specialists that they consult. But even so, it is important that the person who is building the collection follows their own instincts. I often see people who start collecting becoming as knowledgeable as anyone else in the market.

There are questions of a market readjustment. Whenever the market becomes stronger and stronger there are always moments of readjustment. No market just goes vertically up without any fluctuations. And, of course, tastes evolve as well, so what is regarded today as the most desirable things may not be regarded as so in 50 years. Having said that, if you buy only the best quality you can only do well, because you can analyse it statistically from the 1850s onwards and see sufficient documentary evidence that the prices of major art transactions just keep going up. Still, there are some masters of the past – not just artists of our times – that we value much more highly today than 50 years ago. But be aware: there will always be artists who are like a fashion phenomenon – once the initial excitement dies down, so do the prices.

Simon de Pury is an art auctioneer and collector and the founder of de Pury de Pury. depurydepury.com

Guillaume Davin is CEO of Moynat, the uber-luxe leather goods brand established privately by Bernard Arnault as a rival to Hermes. Moynat is not part of Arnault’s LVMH group, and the brand is run as a boutique global atelier. In the second part of our series on luxury leaders, Davin, previously a Louis Vuitton veteran, speaks to LUX about conquering the East, and how to keep a brand’s mystique

CEO of Moynat, Guillaume Davin

LUX: Is Moynat a new luxury brand or an old one reimagined?
Guillaume Davin: Moynat is a House that is more than 160 years old, in which we have infused a new soul. We have been giving new life to a great name, staying focused and true to the essence and heritage of the Maison. This is not merely a renovation of what existed. The result is something that is true to our heritage but relevant to the present.

LUX: What is your consumer craving, that you provide?
Guillaume Davin: We create objects that contribute to fine living, objects which will become known for their craftsmanship, endurance, discretion, elegance and their innovative design rather than bowing to the trends of the day. A Moynat bag is of today and also timeless: always beautiful, always relevant. Moynat appeals to people who are independent in their tastes and choices and not influenced by fads, but looking for beautifully made objects.

Read more in this series: Interview with Javad Marandi, global investor

LUX: The luxury conversation has turned towards ‘experiences’. How does a purveyor of goods provide luxury experiences?
Guillaume Davin: When you enter a Moynat boutique, you discover a new world, you learn about natural leather and traditional techniques such as leather marquetry, angle stitching, wood sculpting, painting… We also feel that the purchase of a beautiful bag should be linked to a moment of your life, such as a memorable visit to Paris for example. Luxury is not just about the object you purchase but your personal connection to the brand and to the story that it tells. That is why we tell the story of our brand and of each product so that is becomes intimate and real for each of our clients.

LUX: Are stores still essential to the luxury experience?
Guillaume Davin: Our clients are looking for the human touch and are very attached to the service they receive. Our team is kind, friendly and passionate; they know our heritage, the leather, the craftsmen, our creative Director… they focus on building relationships and communicating our values. Our visitors can understand who we really are. You need to see our vintage trunks, touch the leather. The Moynat experience is very sensorial and cannot be fully transmitted in a virtual environment. Our products are quite sophisticated and one of our strengths is personalisation and customisation.

LUX: Your personal journey involves a deep understanding of Japan. How does Japan fit in the luxury world now that China is so dominant?
Guillaume Davin: Japan is a place where tradition meets innovation. The Japanese people respect tradition but love innovation: they actually hate change but love newness, a paradox! They protect their ancient crafts, ceramics, lacquer, textiles, woodwork, but expect the artisans to fuse modernity with ancient skills. It is a culture that has an eye for quality and a refined sensibility, which is a perfect fit for Moynat. China is often considered a newcomer to the luxury market, however our customers are just as discerning and sophisticated. We just opened our first boutique in Tokyo in March; it is as exciting to introduce Moynat to the Japanese as it is to bring Moynat to China.

LUX: What does it take to be CEO of a brand owned by your proprietor?
Guillaume Davin: Mr Arnault is a passionate explorer and a competitive entrepreneur. He decided to revive Moynat out of a “coup de coeur”. Moynat is a personal project for Mr Arnault, not a part of LVMH, so we are very different from the group in every sense, from size to way of functioning. Mr Arnault gives Ramesh the creative freedom to express his vision and Ramesh in turn challenges the craftsmen to express their talents.

LUX: Media and advertising has been so central to LVMH brands. Moynat stands apart – how do you do it and is it a challenge?
Guillaume Davin: We have been lucky to have clients who are have been our ambassadors. Their word of mouth has been the best and most authentic marketing tool that we could imagine. We use the best of social media (such as Instagram and Twitter ) to share our stories and life as a way of direct contact with our clients and friends.

The recently opened Moynat boutique on Madison Avenue in Manhattan

LUX: How do you see the climate for your products developing?
Guillaume Davin: We are seeing a return to the true meaning of luxury, where the product is invested with meaning and true rarity. Our clients are happy not to be just a cog in a machine, but to own something truly precious, authentic, timeless, historical, a product that requires time and patience.

LUX: What excites you most about opportunities going forward?
Guillaume Davin: We are growing in an organic way with total control on our manufacturing and quality. This is a challenge but also a great opportunity, to find new trends in social media to connect with people who share our vision of luxury and are looking for new, authentic experiences. We have to tailor the experience we offer to each market, and at the same time keep a common core that is constant and true to the spirit of Moynat.

LUX: What does your travel schedule involve? Why do you love doing what you do?
Guillaume Davin: Along with growth comes non-stop travel, which is exciting as well as exacting, because you can see the results of every decision on different markets. Each day brings its challenges, which is what keeps us passionate about our work. Being a marathon runner, I am in it for the long haul.

moynat.com

As artistic director and co-president of Chopard, Caroline Scheufele sees it as her duty not only to keep the famed jewellery house’s A-list clientele happy, but also to have a vision of the consumer of the future. She tells LUX why provenance will be everything

Caroline Scheufele

The ultimate luxury is when you really know how your product was produced. I met Livia Firth (Colin Firth’s wife) in Los Angeles, where she was representing Eco-Age, and she asked me, ‘Where do you get your gold from?’ I said, ‘from the bank’, but the minute I answered, I knew what she was really getting at and I admitted that we don’t really know where the banks get the gold from. It is obviously from mines, but the set-up is not at all transparent or regulated, and it made me think.

We started working with the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM), who certified the first mine in Colombia as fair-mined – not fair trade, there’s a big difference. From A to Z the process is transparent; there are no kids working; the workers have a fixed salary; they have insurance. The mine is secure, and although they are still using mercury, they are doing so in very small volumes, always following the guidance set out in the fair-mined standard, which ensures that they’re not putting it in rivers or the earth when separating the gold from the stones, which is the most important issue. As a result, the village where the mine is located is clean for people to live in. It’s a really beautiful project. Recently, a second mine has been certified in Bolivia and there will be another one in Colombia, so things are moving forward. For three years now Chopard has been engaged in what we call ‘the journey’ to reaching our ultimate aim of using only fair-mined gold, but it’s not something you can accomplish in one day.

Read next: Interview with Javad Marandi, global investor 

Palme Verte pendant and earrings

Clients like the story behind the gold. The first piece that we were able to produce was a cuff worn by Marion Cotillard on the red carpet in Cannes, and immediately it was a tremendous success with the media and clients. We sold it the next day. Of course, it is also a beautiful design – that has to come with it. We then made additional pieces, one of which was worn by Cate Blanchett when she won the Golden Globe for Blue Jasmine in 2014, and my brother has recently unveiled the first fair-mined gold mechanical watches. The whole company is behind the project and has to be because we cannot mix fair-mined gold with the other gold – I like to say it goes through the company like a VIP customer.

The younger generation, in particular, seems to be more sensitive to where their products come from. It’s the same as food – when you buy a piece of beef you want to know that it’s really a piece of beef and nothing else. You want to know the whole story. This is a huge problem in fashion, of course, because workers are dying just so that a T-shirt costs five cents less. Fortunately, being more alert and aware of the planet, nature and saving energy seems to be on trend now – or, as we say in French, du temps.

That said, at the highest price level I think people are still looking for something purer. The diamond will always be at the core. The high-end jewellery market is less affected by social media trends in that way. It is more intimate, people want to go into the store and see the quality. Whereas at the lower level, lots of pieces are now getting sold through online boutiques. For real luxury, people still like to get a physical feeling of the brand and be consulted, but when you’re living in a city where you don’t have a boutique and you want to buy a present, for example, that’s when online shopping becomes really useful and practical. Take China: the cities are so huge and there’s so much traffic that online boutiques save a lot of time. Also, people often go to the internet to get information first, visiting different websites of different luxury brands before they choose where they really want to go in person. We’ve got an online boutique in the US now and have just started one in the UK.

We are moving forward as fast as we can. My aim is ultimately to produce all the high jewellery pieces with fair-mined gold, and my brother wants to do the same with all the Luke Chopard watches. The ultimate goal would be for everything to be fair-mined gold.

chopard.com

Javad Marandi, international entrepreneur with investments in the UK and continental Europe, is the first to feature in our new Luxury Leaders series. Here Marandi describes his work in Switzerland, and how the nation retains investment appeal

The first investor featured in this series is Javad Marandi, a London-based entrepreneur with significant investments in the UK, continental Europe and Azerbaijan. Marandi focuses on hotels, commercial real estate, fast-growing retail companies, and blue chip companies in the manufacturing sector.

A UK Chartered Accountant by training, Marandi is also known as a successful second-tier investor in fast-growing British fashion retailers and is the owner of Soho House group’s Soho Farmhouse hotel in Oxfordshire, England. In the first part of our focus, he reveals the secrets of investing in Switzerland.

London-based entrepreneur, Javad Marandi

Key fact bio: Javad Marandi

Born: January 1968, Tehran, Iran
Education: Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Chartered Accountant
Lives: London
Nationality: British
Married to: Narmina Marandi, nee Narmina Alizadeh, daughter of Ali Alizadeh, a prominent oncologist in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Children: 3
Investment strategy: Looking for growth sectors within the more mature stable markets of Western Europe in the small to medium sized industries.

Part One: Investing in Switzerland

LUX: Which sectors did you choose to invest in, in Switzerland?
Javad Marandi: I am a major investor in one of the country’s best-regarded manufacturing companies. I also co-own commercial warehouses.

LUX: What attracts you about Switzerland as a place to invest?
JM: The country is renowned for its highly qualified workforce, excellent education, apprenticeship and training schemes and high-quality infrastructure. Its location at the heart of Europe means it will always be a commercial crossroads, and the highly developed nature of its economy mitigates risk. All of this makes it an attractive environment for the investor.

LUX: How closely correlated is the growth of your investments with the Swiss economy?
JM: Annual GDP growth in the country since 2010 has been between 1 and 3 per cent, in line with my expectations. Growth has slowed a little in the last year, but Switzerland is a mature, low-risk market and there are plenty of opportunities to grow our investments there regardless of the macroeconomic situation. Having said that, the overall economic climate is very positive.

LUX: Has the slowdown in other European countries affected your Swiss businesses?
JM: The sectors we invest in are not highly exposed to economic developments in the rest of the EU. The construction manufacturing business is focused on the Swiss market. The commercial real estate is located in the north of the country on the transport infrastructure hub and yields are exactly as projected by the executives of the businesses.

LUX: How has your construction manufacturing business performed over the past five years?
JM: It has seen compound annual growth of over 5% in both our turnover and EBITDA. This is extremely satisfying performance given the backdrop of the appreciating Swiss currency and the Country’s GDP growth. There are plenty of opportunities to preserve and grow investments in the country.

Switzerland: an effective place to do business, according to Javad Marandi

LUX: Has the recent appreciation of the Swiss Franc affected your investments?
JM: The tourism sector has been affected, as have manufacturers that rely on exports. My investments have not been adversely affected. I think the independence of the Swiss Franc is a positive for the investment climate.

LUX: Do you personally enjoy visiting the country?
JM: I have visited Switzerland frequently over the past 20 years both for leisure and business. My first job was a multinational company near Geneva. I am first and foremost, a family man and the children, my wife and I love the mountains and the skiing! The investment climate down on the plateau, where my investments are based, is a contrast to the chocolate box image of the high mountains. The Swiss are sophisticated, cosmopolitan people who have been trading with their immediate neighbouring countries for centuries. They are multilingual and very adept at dealing with investors from all over the world.

LUX: Do you have any further plans for investment in the country?
JM: We are continually assessing potential investments in Switzerland and all over Europe, to complement our existing portfolio. However we base our decisions an analysis of potential return, rather than focussing on any specific country.

Note: Javad Marandi sold his stake in the Swiss construction manufacturing business in early 2021

Jacky Tsai famously designed the iconic Alexander McQueen skull during an internship placement at the couture house, but the artist is now a name in his own right, as Millie Walton discovers

Millie Walton: What does it mean to be the first Chinese artist signed by the Fine Art Society?

Jacky Tsai: I feel extremely honoured because it’s a gallery with such a rich history. It’s also important for the Chinese art circle in London and Europe. For the past 25 years Cultural Revolution art has dominated the Chinese art market, but I represent a new generation of contemporary Chinese art, which is relaxed, funny and colourful. It’s art which can hopefully be enjoyed by both Western and Eastern people.

MW: How has your art evolved since moving to London?

JT: I trained in China as a graphic designer and I never thought I could actually be an artist. No one thought I was especially talented, but when I came here everything changed and I gained the confidence to enter the art world properly. I’m also influenced hugely by Western pop art, which isn’t a recognised art form in China.

Read next: Exclusive interview with photographer, Tierney Gearon

MW: Is your work received differently in China now that you have gained reputation as an artist?

JT: I don’t really explore my name in the Chinese media. I’m just trying to build up my reputation in western countries and sooner or later people in China will accept this kind of commercial pop art, but I don’t think that will happen right now, probably in ten years time or so.

MW: What’s the most difficult thing about your career?

JT: I’m lucky that my career has been relatively smooth so far, but you have to always be hard working and trust in yourself. Never give up. It’s also important to be extremely clever with managing your time. You have to manage yourself like any other company. In the contemporary art world, I think that it’s the idea you have, which is now the most important thing. So many people have the skill, but different ideas make you stand out.

faslondon.com