Like many of the Ritz-Carlton’s foreign clients, a westerner on business in China may feel initially as though they had been returned to a different era rather than a different country. The portrait-flanked lobby with its country manor architecture assures the deracinated passenger they are now among the denizens of luxury and comfort. One who is wearily regaled may let off a heavy sigh at the interior imitation design of 17th Century England. One perhaps a little apprehensive of Chinese cuisine will find respite in a familiar yet delicate choice of European restaurants including the French Aroma bistro and the piedmont-style Italian Barolo.

A Cantonese restaurant named Yu meanwhile offers a more local flavour to the palate rearing to embark. The Ritz-Carlton’s spa provides a Balinese massage bed and ancient treatments that serve as traditional Chinese rituals to balance natural, physical and mental energies. Yet all this is an essential counterbalance for the Ritz-Carlton client on business whose vocation demands grappling with a clash of cultures.

Doing business used to require only that companies locked hands and were seated a required number of hours before thrashing out contracts. Evidently, business etiquette is changing. As China flies its flag among the world’s leading economies, the corporate bull of the West has had to learn patience over charging headfirst on sight of a red invitation. Chinese businesses can take a remarkably long time to agree to contracts. The reason is partly due to China’s heavily regulated industry.

China’s government plays a firm hand in monitoring Chinese businesses and meetings often involve party officials sent to intervene in the decision making process. Chinese respect for hierarchy also demands that representatives properly correspond according to their rank. As in chess, a person’s role within a company determines their license to accost others. A knight who flouts their domain and ends up obstructing a king risks inflicting a miasma on the proceedings.

Tolerance alone will not suffice to nurture the West’s relationship with China. After all, China does not simply tolerate western culture. The Ritz-Carlton shows demonstrably how China studiously assimilates western traditions to obtain a thorough comprehension of what it values. This appreciation for foreign etiquette at such a relatively early stage in China’s development pays the greatest compliment to the West, one that the West must eventually return with time. –

by Jack Aldane

Ritz-Carlton Beijing, 83A Jian Guo Road, China Central Place, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100025, China
Tel:  +86 10 5908 8888

The post Luxury on form first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

An image from the new SHOWstudio film, Lee Alexander McQueen, 1969–2010

The video entitled, Lee Alexander McQueen, 1969–2010 (Fashion Film – Nick Knight/Edward Enninful/Alexander McQueen), was compiled and created with SHOWstudio collaborators Younji Ku and Jon Emmony, and features footage shot in 2010 for the tribute film, To Lee, With Love, Nick which displays some of McQueen’s most celebrated designs, chosen by Sarah Burton and stylist Edward Enninful, set in “breathtaking motion” to the accompaniment the Brandenburg Concerto No2 (BWV 1047) by Bach, (with additional ambient sound by Younji Ku).

The film is a companion piece to SHOWstudio’s two other videos about McQueen – Unseen McQueen and Black: 2015 projects.

Savage Beauty, which closed last week, was the V&A‘s most popular exhibit ever with 493,043 tickets sold.

The film is below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAa-zqiu0lI

by Caroline Simpson

The post New Alexander McQueen fashion film from ShowStudio first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

After meeting Howard Raymond, son of Soho property mogul and publishing baron Paul Raymond (affectionately dubbed The King of Soho due to his role in transforming Soho from a rundown area in the ‘50s into the vibrant and eclectic scene it’s known for today), Alex was asked to use her business experience to advise Howard on his portfolio of businesses.

Together, they created their first spirit offering, a super premium London Dry Gin, encapsulating the rich creativity and unique lifestyle of the effervescent London district. Their creation has successfully gained international recognition, but what can Robson share about her experiences and how easy is it to replicate their success?

What made you invest in the drinks industry?
I was already making small investments in a few fields and I became more interested in the drinks industry in general because with these small-income companies you get to meet the MD and the Chairman of the board and you just become more interested in what’s going on. It just sort of sparked an interest. Through that I became more interested in the spirits industry in general. We did look at perhaps taking over an existing gin, but we didn’t find anything where the flavour profile actually suited what we were looking for, or our visions from a brand perspective.

So you were already quite a connoisseur?
Well, connoisseur isn’t quite the word. I think because I had made this initial small investment I became more interested. By meeting people in the drinks industry and reading up about it, I started to gather more knowledge. The more people you meet, the more you read, the more you look into something, the more your knowledge increases. I wouldn’t say that at the time we did this I was an expert, but I would say there was an active interest there, and because it’s an industry, you don’t find out about it overnight.

You find out about it through experience. So I think I came from a position of looking in at an industry, to actually being involved in an industry. It’s having the interest to make that change from being an observer to somebody who’s actively participating. But you have got to start somewhere and something’s got to trigger it, so if you’re looking for the trigger, it’s making the initial investment. That led me down the path which led to a change in direction, which resulted in the founding of the King of Soho brand, which I co-founded with Harold Raymond.

So what were you doing previous to this?
Previously I was working as a business consultant, so I was working in a different sector, it wasn’t one specific centre. Because I think a lot of people are quite dubious about making an investment because they don’t know what to look for I’ve noticed a change over the years when it comes to investing. I think 20 to 30 years ago people were very afraid; it wasn’t a normal thing. But over the years the public companies have become privatised and I think that’s made investment more accessible. And you don’t have to invest huge amounts. But I think everybody has a little something invested somewhere nowadays because of the way society has changed in general. Again, it’s an evolutionary thing within society, and things are more accessible. You can buy shares on the internet now; you couldn’t do that before, you had to have a stock broker. And your bank would ring you up and say, “Oh, do you want to make an investment?”

I do think it is more common for people to make small investments as part of planning for retirement, or maybe it’s just that they want to take advantage of particular products that the government has launched. There’s a tax incentive in order to encourage investment in the economy in general. I think the tools are now there, where they weren’t 20 or 30 years back. I wouldn’t say I’m an investor, I would say I had a few small investments, and one of them was in a drinks company.

Tell me a little about your personal business philosophy. Do you have one?
I think, on a personal front, I’m always open to new challenges. I’m always looking to evolve in a positive way, drawing from the experiences that are around me. As a philosophy… well there are a lot of clichés out there now, and I don’t want to get into the cliché area, but I think I’m fairly focused on what I do, and I have good follow through; if I have an idea, I’ll follow it through and I’ll implement it. I think that’s quite important. Implementation is very important because having an idea in itself isn’t really enough, is it? It’s the easy part. It’s also about having the confidence. I think, especially for women, we have to be very confident; we have to have an inner strength that we carry into meetings with us or when we’re putting forward our views.

What advice would you give to somebody who was setting up their own business for the first time?
I think you have to have a very clear vision of what you’re wanting to achieve. Certainly with regard to the gin, we had a very clear brief because the design that we were trying to achieve was quite a challenge. And I also think that as you go along and you’re developing the product or your business idea, you’re going to meet people with lots of different opinions, and you have to really stick to your vision.

Don’t let people persuade you that they know best, because they don’t always know best. Everybody has an opinion, and you have to stick to your vision; listen but don’t be swayed unless you absolutely think that what you’re hearing is best. Stick to your guns. Consumers are looking for brands with individuality. It’s important in any part of life; it doesn’t just relate to the drinks industry.

How do you know when there’s room for your product? Obviously there’s already a lot of spirits around, so how do you know you’re going to have an audience for your product?
When we first sat down to do this, it was about three or so years ago, probably a bit longer now. There wasn’t a new gin every month back then. We felt that it was a good market and that there was room there for us. Obviously now it’s slightly different because there are lots of new gins, but that’s really been since we launched, which was October 2013. We had hoped to launch slightly before that, but with the development of the bottle we were slightly behind schedule. In the alcohol industry there was such an interest in gin, and since 2014 we’ve seen a lot of new gins.

You could say that with all these new gins there’s a lot more competition now, but at the same time the interest in gin is so much stronger because people are now seeing all of these artisan style brands coming out.

You can benefit from the wave, but I think when you’re bringing out a new product, you have to allow for the development time. There is always a lead time; you can’t just sit there and wait for it to happen tomorrow, you have to give it time. Our lead time by industry standards was not a lot, but we just wanted to get it out there to see it on the shelf. When you’re a small company you can move more quickly.

And how long was your lead time?
We finalised the design in January 2013, and prior to that we’d been working on it for a year before. But I think from finalising the design it took another eight months to get it on the shelf.

Did you do any market research before you launched?
We drank a few gins! (Alex laughs) We did our own form of market research; it was fun!

What would you say are the biggest lessons you’ve learnt?
I think my biggest lesson is learning when not to speak. I think on a professional level sometimes people can talk too much and they miss what’s going on. Sometimes the power of silence can get you a lot further. Listening is very important.

Do you feel there are times when you didn’t listen as much as you should or when you felt your opinion was more important?
Not that I can think of. I just think I’ve noticed it in some of the people I’ve come across.

by Nicola Kavanagh

The post Mixing business with pleasure first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Armenia is a unique country in many respects, least of which is its approach to education. For example, chess is a compulsory subject in almost all schools. Thus, it is the ideal place to launch a groundbreaking and first of its kind educational concept: the SMART campus.

Launched by the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF), SMART is innovative educational approach that marries new world technology with the practises established in rural cultures. It seeks to provide education and sustainable employment opportunities to the villagers enrolled in the programme whilst respecting the cultural integrity of this exceptional region.

Set up in 2000 by Dr Garo Armen, the COAF serves 28,000 villagers through multi-faceted development programmes in healthcare, economic, and social development, the fund seeks to assist a total of 40,000 with the implementation of its new SMART program. Armen describes the approach used by COAF as “outrageous and exceptional in all its aspects”.

SMART introduces groundbreaking programmes in technology, sustainability, the arts and music, modern healthcare and lifestyle, linguistics and languages, business and civic engagement. These programmes are regional- relevant and superior educational, social, economic, and community based models launched in rural areas.

Armen’s sentiments are echoed by the coterie of recognisable names that support the cause. “I think the work of this organisation is life altering, spiritual, and vitally important,” said Susan Kendall Newman, actress and philanthropist describing the COAF. With the endorsement of such visionaries as the architect Paul Kaloustian, the stylist Patricia Field, Andre Kissajikian, Dr Leon Kircik, the Alemian Foundation, the Hacet Family, and the Starr Foundation, SMART is revered as a singular concept in creativity, education, and connectivity.

According the Alexis Ohanian, Co-Founder of Reddit, activist, and investor, “the reason why organisations like the Children of Armenia Fund are so wonderful is because there is an opportunity the children of Armenia today to have opportunities that are even bigger than the opportunities that I got here in New York.”

This month Dr Armen oversaw a ceremony in  Lori, Armenia (the country’s largest province) to commemorate the construction of the first smart campus. A blessing was performed by Archbishop Sepuh Chuljyan of the Gugark Diocese. The site architecture and design is by Urban Unit LLC. and the construction was implemented by Kanaks OJSC.

Based on models which have charted success in 22 villages in the Armavir and Aragatsotn regions of Armenian over the last ten years, COAF relies on funds collected through its tireless fundraising efforts will be holding its 12th Annual Holiday Gala at Cipriani in New York on December 11 in anticipation of the opening of the campus in the latter half of 2016.

Armen describes the concept as “integrating new world methods in partnership with local approaches to iteratively develop a model that can connect rural communities through state-of-the-art, sustainable methods”. Armen believes that by launching the programme, communities throughout Armenia, and the the world, will subsequently advance.

by Yasmin Bilbeisi

The post SMART-move first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Colour. Innovation. Integrity. These are the three words which sum up what Bulgari stands for and which help to explain why, 130 years since its creation, Bulgari is still the most beloved of Italy’s fine jewellers. The brand has had many illustrious customers and moments over the years but it is in the world of cinema that Bulgari really made its mark and set itself a cut above.

The house’s client list, past and present, is a definitive who’s who of the film industry – both from Hollywood and from Cinecittà, one of the largest and most iconic film studios in Rome – and in Rome’s heyday of the ’50s and ’60s the Bulgari store was the place to see and be seen. No self-respecting traveller would visit the city without purchasing a trinket and lingering to catch a glimpse of cinematic royalty.

The relationship between the house and the silver screen runs deep. Anita Ekberg, the star of Fellini’s classic blockbuster La Dolce Vita (1960), refused to wear any jewellery other than Bulgari.

And Elizabeth Taylor would visit Gianni Bulgari (grandson of Bulgari’s founder) at the store every day while in Rome for the filming of Cleopatra (1963), where they would laugh and indulge in gossip. Later, when Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor would begin their scandalous affair, the Bulgari store became a favourite place for the couple to meet, a safe haven from media scrutiny and prying eyes.

Ever since opening its first store in Rome’s Via Sistina in 1884, and later on moving to the now legendary store on Via dei Condotti, Bulgari has been the ultimate Italian success story.

The founder, Sotirio Boulgaris, an émigré to Rome, was fortunate enough find himself at the right time in the right place for opening a new business. Rome had just been appointed the capital of Italy and consequently a new wave of elite travellers had begun flowing in. The Eternal City was, and still is, an essential part of the brand’s DNA. As Anita Ekberg once expressed it – “Dolce Vita is Roma and Roma means Bulgari”.

Could you tell us about the founder of Bulgari? Who was Sotirio Boulgaris?
The origins of the Boulgaris family can be tracked back to the small Greek village of Kallarytes, in the Epirus region in the northwest of Greece. The Bulgari ancestors were among the silversmiths of the village. Working side by side with his father Georgis, Sotirio Boulgaris became a skilled artisan.

At that time, under the Ottoman rule, the Epirus region was very unsafe, often subject to robberies and sieges (the region remained under Ottoman rule long after Greece became independent in 1830, despite numerous rebellions which were each time suppressed).

Due to the political instability of the area, countless incidents severely affected the business. Sotirio Boulgaris thus decided to leave continental Greece and headed to Corfù and then to Naples, where in 1880 he opened a small shop in collaboration with a Greek partner.

Unfortunately the shop was burgled and he was forced to close. But now he had a new destination in mind: Rome, the newly appointed Italian capital, a city which offered exciting opportunities to develop a business.

In 1884, Sotirio managed to set up his first own shop in Via Sistina, 85. The street was located in a city district known as the Tridente, (as it encompassed three streets – Via del Corso, Via del Babuino and Via Frattina) loved by Romans, artists and wealthy Americans and Englishmen for their walks.

Was he selling fine jewellery from the beginning?
At Via Sistina, Sotirio started a new life, since owning his own shop allowed him to fully express all his mastery and creativity. As a skilled silversmith, Sotirio was able to produce refined silver ornaments. In that period, he crafted buckles, oval medallions and girdles modelled in the Neo-Hellenic style, drawing on the features of Epirot ornaments used for traditional costumes, combining Greek, Byzantine and Islamic design elements.

The pierced decorations represented mythological or allegorical figures as well as floral and foliate scroll (leaf-like) motifs. His ornaments proved a huge success, especially among English tourists, who after the London Exhibition of 1851 on traditional European costumes were fond of “peasant jewellery”. In 1894, as business flourished, Sotirio opened another shop at 28 Via dei Condotti, and Italianised his surname.

The sign in fact reported: S. Bulgari – Argenteria Artistica, Antiquités, Curiosités, Bijoux. In this shop he started to trade a variety of goods, ranging from the gold and silver jewels he crafted to antiques and fashionable bric-à-brac. In 1905, a new shop was opened at 10 Via Condotti. The original name chosen for this store was “Old Curiosity Shop”.

What do you recognise as the launch of the brand? What were the circumstances surrounding its opening?
We consider 1884, in coincidence with the opening of the store in Via Sistina, as the founding year of the Bulgari Company. At that time, the archaeological areas like the Palatine, the Colosseum or the imposing Christian basilicas offered tourists a magnificent cultural and artistic landscape to be discovered.

Actually, in light of these unique assets, since the 18th century, Italy (and Rome in particular) was the mandatory destination for artists, noblemen and rich members of the middle class desiring to complete their “education”.

When Rome was appointed the Italian capital, its entry into a national commercial system, and the long-standing flow of rich and cultivated travellers, attracted a new generation of foreign, dynamic and enterprising merchants and businessmen willing to start or expand their businesses. Among them, many Greek merchants like Sotirio.

Where did the idea of using a lot of colour, that is now synonymous with Bulgari jewellery, come from?
It was Giorgio Bulgari, son of Sotirio, who started to introduce the daring colour combinations Bulgari is renowned for. Working side by side with his father, Giorgio began travelling abroad to develop the business and became more focused on the purchase of gemstones and jewellery-making. He went to Paris – the land of jewellery in the 1920s and 30s.

The French school of jewellery was dominant then and until the end of the 1950s Bulgari followed the French design and Parisian way of conceiving jewellery. Then, upon Giorgio’s impulse, the brand started to move away from the French school to forge its own style, made of experimentation, innovation and cross-fertilisation between the worlds of jewellery, art and architecture.

Where does Bulgari take most of its inspiration from?
It is a difficult question as at Bulgari inspiration can come from anything: a painting, an exhibition, a celebration, a landscape, a monument. Jewels are always designed to adorn women by radiating their taste and charisma. Yet behind each jewel there is much more.

Each piece can also tell a story of how a single detail, an idea or a motif can kindle the imagination and be transferred to a sketch, and from a sketch to a jewel. Rome, for example, has been a powerful source of inspiration since 1884; its domes are conveyed through Bulgari’s typical cabochon cut of the stones as well as the pure lines of Roman vestiges which have been reprised in the refined geometry of Bulgari’s design.

The celebrated Bulgari Parentesi motif of interlocking lines and curves has been inspired by the travertine junctions of the streets of Rome and even the Bulgari logo pays a tribute to ancient Roman inscriptions.

What do you think makes Rome so special?
Rome is indeed a magical city where present and past coexist in a way that is unique in the world, thus making you perceive the strength of history, the power of timeless beauty, the unceasing flow of human progress.

In the 1950s, Rome was suddenly catapulted to the position of the new place to be. Was the wedding of Hollywood actor and idol Tyrone Power and Mexican actress Linda Christian there (as the couple also met in Rome) the beginning of this rise in popularity, as well as initiating the connection between cinema and Bulgari? Why did Tyrone and Linda choose Bulgari to create their wedding bands?
Film historians claim that their fabulous wedding marked the beginning of the golden age of Italian film as it inspired MGM’s decision to shoot the blockbuster Quo Vadis at Rome’s Cinecittà. For sure it was the first glamorous event providing a global media impact and visibility for Rome. Tyrone Power and Linda Christian were among the prestigious Bulgari patrons who ignited the worldwide brand awareness.

However, they did not go to Bulgari accidentally. Already in the 1920s and 30s, Bulgari had been internationally renowned for its refined jewellery and could count on prestigious American patrons including Hollywood stars like Mary Pickford, Ava Gardner or Shelley Winters.

Bulgari’s devotees also included members of the aristocracy, industrialists and politicians. Rooted in one of the most prestigious areas of the Eternal City, the Bulgari Condotti store had long been the favourite destination for celebrities to buy gifts or jewels for themselves.

How did these long-lasting relationships with film stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Anita Ekberg (who wore only Bulgari jewellery), Audrey Hepburn or Sophia Loren come about?
In the 1950s, Italy’s post-war economic growth and social modernisation ignited the interest of the movie industry in Rome as a potential film set. Inaugurated by the fabulous wedding of Tyrone Power and Linda Christian, the Dolce Vita era (the sweet life), as it became known, thus began and the Eternal City became the set of choice for American film productions. Anita Ekberg therefore moved to Rome at the end of 1950s to consolidate her career and she then worked with Fellini for the film La Dolce Vita.

As happened to the other celebrities during the era, while in Rome she became acquainted with the Bulgari creations and fell in love. It is a huge honour for the company that all the jewels she owned were from Bulgari. At that time the sons of Sotirio, Giorgio and Costantino, who ran the business after the death of their father in 1932, had personal relationships with the special clients and celebrities.

Subsequently, Giorgio’s sons – Gianni, Paolo and Nicola – became involved with the family business at the end of the 1950s and maintained these relationships with the movie stars, VIPs and socialites visiting the store.

As for Elizabeth Taylor, when she was in Rome to film Cleopatra, her husband Eddie Fisher presented her with several Bulgari creations before news of her love affair with Richard Burton spread like wildfire. The new stellar couple then visited the Bulgari Condotti store often, as Richard Burton used to celebrate their love affair with fabulous Bulgari pieces.

The room in the Condotti store where they used to choose jewels with Gianni Bulgari has been restored in the recent refurbishment by architect Peter Marino, and that intimate place is still called today the salotto Taylor.

Even companies from the film industry, like Cinema Fox, commissioned pieces from Bulgari; for example, the hand mirror made for the set of Cleopatra that Elizabeth Taylor loved so much that she kept it for her private collection. Did the stars recommend and introduce Bulgari to them? Or was it the other way round?

Undeniably during the Dolce Vita epoch, Bulgari was the right jeweller in the right place. Having said this, many movie stars loved to wear their own jewels on the set, thus making them become part of the characters they interpreted. Elizabeth Taylor did that but also Ingrid Bergman, Soraya, Anna Magnani or Gina Lollobrigida. So we can say that the stars introduced Bulgari to the film sets.

Does Bulgari still take inspiration from the 1950s and 1960s era of cinema?
In 2013 we launched the DIVA collection, inspired by the unforgettable icons from the early 20th century until today. Blending exquisite craftsmanship, refined details, bold design and stunning coloured gemstones, each one-of-a-kind creation was designed having in mind a destination, like Costa Smeralda, Capri, Positano or Portofino, which in the 1960s were favoured among movie stars and jet-setters. The exceptional precious stones they mounted had very soft contours and warm colours, thus evoking the sun, the pebbles on the beach, the Mediterranean lush vegetation.

Bulgari is considered a symbol of la dolce vita among other things. What does the sweet life mean according to Bulgari?
Dolce Vita is a truly inspiring concept evoking leisure, self-indulgence, and a relaxed way of life where people enjoy all the pleasures life can bring. The way Bulgari conceives jewels is very close to this concept. Every jewel must be in fact a joy to see and to wear. Besides an unquestionable aesthetic made of daring chromatic combinations and perfectly balanced volumes, the Bulgari jewels must always be wearable and comfortable, like a second skin.

What are the main features of a Bulgari piece of jewellery? How can you tell that it is Bulgari?
I would pinpoint three main features: the daring colour combinations, the sense of volume and the exquisite craftsmanship, where even the back of the jewel must be perfect and pleasant to the eye, like the front.

Why do you think people love fine jewellery so much? What is it about jewellery that makes us often emotionally attached to it?
I think that one of the reasons we are so fascinated by jewels and precious stones is that they are immortal. Moreover, they are often tokens of love and mark the transmission of love from one generation to another.

What is the process of commissioning a piece of jewellery from Bulgari? How are all the details decided? How do you choose which gems to use for that specific piece and that specific client?
Be it a bespoke jewel or not, the key element in the creation of a high jewellery piece is always the stone. Sometimes the client brings the stones to us or we propose a set of stones we have in stock. The creative process begins with the cut, carat weight and colour of the gems.

The jewel’s design is conceived to fully enhance the intrinsic characteristics of the stones. Moreover, the personality and tastes of the client are translated into the Bulgari stylistic codes. Several variations are proposed, discussed and analysed in detail by our team of designers.

As soon as the ideas become beautiful designs, the client is invited to choose the most suitable style. Finally, in the process of transforming the design into a three-dimensional object, every phase is attentively monitored, with special attention reserved for minute details, since it is essential that every component fits perfectly into the whole.

Bulgari just celebrated its 130th anniversary. What does this milestone mark in Bulgari’s history? And where is the brand going from there?
We celebrated the 130th anniversary in coincidence with the renovation of our historical Condotti store, so it was a double tribute to our rich heritage and to a city which has brought so much luck and prosperity to the brand. For the future, Bulgari will continue to build on its main assets – creativity, innovation and distinctive style.

by Sara Hesikova

The post La Dolce Vita with Bulgari first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Under brand Creative Director Tomas Maier, the label launched a school in 2006 dedicated to continuing the informed craftsmanship of true, artisanal company members. At La Scuola dei Maestri Pellettieri di Bottega Veneta, employees, students, new hires and the like have since had the opportunity to continue their educations with the guidance of local institutions, experienced teachers and craftsman, and trade technicians with atelier backgrounds.

Carlo Alberto Beretta, CEO of Bottega Veneta; Maria Luisa Frisa, Director of the
graduate course in fashion design at the University IUAV of Venice; and student 

Now, in partnership with The University IUAV of Venice, La Scuola is seeing the newest fruits of its talent’s labor in the recent culmination of a post-graduate level course, its two parts being Laboratory Bag Design and Laboratory of Experimental Technique.

The programme has beget a class of professionals with a uniquely developed technical know-how, theoretical and historical perspectives on craftsmanship, and a comprehensive understanding of how these pieces of knowledge interlace with mature creative vision.

“As Bottega Veneta has grown, we have never lost sight of the fact that we need artisans who have the talent and skill to produce leather goods of superlative quality and extraordinary intricacy,” says Maier. “Our hope is not only to ensure the future of the company through a school that effectively trains the next generation, but to do so in a way that inspires as well as empassions them to carry these traditions even further.”

by Emily Rae Pellerin

Images via Bottega Veneta

The post IUAV students present projects developed at La Scuola dei Maestri Pellettieri di Bottega Veneta first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

For Finnish creative studio and design house Samuji, beauty is about more than meets the eye—and clothing is about more than the latest fashion. Since 2011, Samuji has been producing high quality, impeccably crafted designs regardless of the latest trend, a rebellious concept in a day when high, and than fast, fashion are the industry standard. Samuji’s business practice is a rare exception when it should be the rule.

The company emphasizes functionality, sustainability, and kindness — life values imbedded into each product and the company’s DNA — while ensuring its materials are responsibly sourced from suppliers in Japan and Europe. Each of its women’s, men’s and housewares lines are produced in European factories or workshops—all of which have been personally visited by Samu-Jussi Koski, the company’s visionary founder and creative director.

The fact that Samuji’s clothes are as beautiful as they are thoughtfully produced is a marker of the brand’s continued success. Koski brings a refined sculptural simplicity to each collection, elevating wardrobe “basics” to luxurious necessities in an exquisite selection of materials. Indeed, the fabric is Koski’s starting point for each collection and a talent for which he is especially qualified. (Koski served as creative director for the historic design powerhouse Marimekko before starting Samuji.) Glass recently chatted with Koski about his unique approach to clothing design and the intrinsic values that ensure the Samuji company to be as sustainable as its well-crafted designs.

Please describe the impetus behind Samuji’s creation.
We aim to create sustainable beauty: wardrobe and home essentials that last time, both in style and in quality. Samuji is not about the latest trends or flashy, outrageous design. We want to create clothes and homeware that serve a purpose, yet carry a story. I also hope that you can see our Finnish roots in Samuji’s design and aesthetics.

In the world of fast, mass-produced fashion, it is refreshing to find a company that is dedicated to creating sustainable, quality clothing. Why is this important to Samuji?
The world doesn’t need more throwaway stuff. Instead, we believe that people nowadays want to find lasting quality and have ethical standards for their clothes, too. Sustainable design is hard to promise and deliver, but we do our best. We know in person all our suppliers and I personally have visited all the factories and workshops we work with. Quality of the fabrics, other materials, and production, are essential for me.

One principle at the core of your business practice and fashion collection is kindness—a characteristic not typically associated with material culture. Can you explain how this is implemented into the design process and why it is important to Samuji?
For us the everyday beauty that we aim for is not only aesthetics. It’s also ethics, responsibility of our nature, and kindness towards other people.

What role, if any, does traditional Finnish dress play in the Samuji design aesthetic? I sense subtle allusions to certain aspects, such as the sarafan, for example …
Old Finnish traditions – in handcrafts and design, but also in other fields of life – are very important in our thinking and my design. The Finnish tradition is actually a mixture of two: western influences from Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, and eastern influences such as ornaments and deep, bold colouring, from Russia. Some of Samuji’s dresses (and other products) have more obvious influences from the Finnish traditional clothing and national costumes, some have the history in them in more subtle way.

Whether it be bold, graphic prints or a more subtle, exquisite selection of mohairs and metallics, textiles are clearly a defining element of each Samuji collection. What role does textile selection and creation play in the Samuji design process? Where do you source your fabrics?
It is the start of everything. My design process starts from choosing the fabrics. I usually source new fabrics, knits, suppliers and prints from the Paris fabric fair. I try to find something totally new and inspiring for each collection. For me, Samuji is a combination of tradition (our classic collection) and renewal (seasonal collections).

For the Spring 2015 collection, Samuji produced seven in-house patterns. Is this a future direction for Samuji?
One of the directions, yes. I am so proud and happy and humble to be able to work with these amazing print designers, and that is definitely a path I want to continue even deeper. From the very beginning we have collaborated with different artists in different projects – painters, musicians, illustrators, video artists, actors – and these collaborations with these print designers are one more example of that, too.

by Cassidy Zachary

The post Sustainable beauty first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

The One World Observatory, opening officially to the public on Friday, May 29, offers a downtown view that no other view of the city comes close to rivaling. The new, statuesque One World Trade building – the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere – has dedicated its three highest floors to the observatory experience. Floors 100, 101, and 102 each offer visitors a unique and experiential participation in the history, the je ne sais quoi, and the geographical wonder of New York City.

Upon entry, visitors will rise in “Sky Pod” elevators to the building’s top floors – an under 60-second ascension. There will be a video presentation in 3-D at the See Forever^TM Theater; a interactive skyline “concierge” called City Pulse, providing close-up and personalized introduction to each of the landmarks and neighborhoods viewed from above; and Sky Portal, which transports guests into a direct experience of the streets below, broadcasting real-time footage of NYC right under their toes. The Observatory will also offer dining options to its guests, including curated food spaces from casual café fare to seated fine dining. And unlike the other observatories in the city, One World Observatory will look directly down upon the island of Manhattan’s surrounding waters.

The One World Trade Center Building is located at the downtown tip of Manhattan, from where New York City itself was originally grown, climbing and thriving uptown and outward. Like the city, the World Trade has emblematically rebirthed, and invites its guests to partake in the hopeful experience cultivated in its wake. Its 1,250 feet view, complemented with exhibits and eateries, will offer visitors unique insight into the thriving, diverse, prideful city below.

by Emily Rae Pellerin

For tickets and more information, visit www.OneWorldObservatory.com.

The post Observatory at One World Trade Center opens to the public first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Yohji Yamamoto, whose clothing designs revolutionised the sartorial codes of the late 20th century, reveals to Peter Yeoh his views on how intelligent fashion can transcend sexuality, cultural boundaries and passing trends

Yohji Yamamoto’s fashion constructs, renowned for their unconventional forms and innovative use of fabrics, continue to create a sensation thirty years after his first show in Paris. His clothes have upended the age-old western aesthetic goal of over-sexualising or fetishising the female body. The fashion icon from Japan has always rejected clothes that accentuate the female form. “The obsession with the overall proportions at the expense of everything else is proof of how extensively western aesthetics have poisoned our sensibilities,” he explained in his new autobiography, My Dear Bomb. “Japanese culture of long ago found beauty in the nape of the neck and in the curve of the back. It is the most subtle line, curving like a serpent.”

In its place Yohji proposed a radically different silhouette. He creates clothes with the intention of capturing the transcendent moments when a woman is the most alluring – not the most sexual. He conjures up an image of a woman casually putting on her lover’s shirt in the morning after they have spent the night together. Even though the shirt is too big for her, it conforms to her shape. This vision of unexpected beauty – ‘the brightness of the shirt will flow to the peak of her breasts, the pleats will gather at her elbow, and the shadows will stretch across her chest’ – is what inspires the designer. To him, his garments are fleeting moments of sublime beauty.

Why do you prefer symbolic over ostentatious beauty?
Symbolic beauty is very erotic. To hide is sexier than to show, a production for seduction.

What inspired you to defy the extravagant fashion of the 1980s?
It was my vision. I was not reacting against something, but rather was acting on my vision.

Is minimalism in fashion still relevant?
I do not consider myself as a minimalist. My clothing is very, very complicated in cutting and draping.

Yamamoto’s first Paris runway show in 1981 caused a media furore. Critics were either thrilled or confounded by his collection’s asymmetrical forms, odd shapes, and skewed proportions. Models trotted around in oversized clothes and floppy hats. Layers of billowing textiles wrapped their bodies, concealing their feminine forms. Heavy fabrics drooped from their shoulders to produce a dissonant look. He was experimenting with a new type of garment that bypassed gender distinctions and made male and female interchangeable concepts.

His creative director and former fashion director of Vogue Paris, Irène Silvagni, remembers her own response when she saw his 1982 collection. ‘You could even call it a sort of revolution, the start of a new age in the world of fashion,’ she enthuses. Silvagni too was also becoming disillusioned with repetitive and gaudy fashion of the ’80s, and observed that Yohji’s collection was ‘a whole new language, and it was smart, too. It was charming, revolutionary, and it seemed rebellious.’

You’re celebrating 30 years after your arrival in Paris.
I am not celebrating. It happens to be 30 years. Well, there is the Victoria & Albert Museum and the two Wapping exhibitions (Wapping Project and Wapping Bankside) so that’s a kind of celebration, no?

Do you consider this as a moment of renewal or a time to look back?
I usually do not look back. I just think about today and the collection to come.

Can you share a memorable moment in Paris?
The success of the wedding collection (spring/summer 1999) – unexpected!

While it may be said that the frisson of Yamamoto’s constructions derives from their radical silhouettes, their true essence lies in inherent contradictions. From the sartorial to the personal, Yamamoto struggles with conflicting instincts that push him towards perfecting his craft. His artistic sensibility comes from a paradoxical and existential inner being that extends outwards into all aspects of his life, and Yamamoto firmly believes that inner struggle is crucial for an artist.

“If one would be a true actor in life, one must feel as if one is constantly at war,’ he states in My Dear Bomb.
Beyond his contradictory yearnings, Yamamoto attributes his restlessness to an absence that had haunted him since childhood, ‘a persistent sense that something is missing.”

He was born in Tokyo in 1943, two years before the end of World War II, and his father was killed in the mountainous region of Baguio in the Philippines. His remains were never returned to Japan. His mother raised him on her own, earning her living as a seamstress in the seedy Kabukicho district of Shinjuku. He recalls that, when he was a child, his mother arranged a war widow’s funeral for his father, since she had given up hope that he would ever return. As he watched the ceremony, he remembers experiencing ‘anger and emptiness for the first time.’

Despite losing his father to war, Yamamoto did not adopt a nationalistic or militaristic perspective. On the contrary, he questioned his country’s motivations for going to the war, and its actions during the conflict. In 2008, six decades after the war, he established the Yohji Yamamoto Fund for Peace (YYFP) in conjunction with the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD) as his way of healing cultural wounds.

YYFP’s mission is to help develop the Chinese fashion industry by sending an emerging designer to a fashion college in Japan or Europe, and a Chinese model to make his or her runway debut during the Paris prêt-à-porter season. About China’s young designers, Yamamoto has seen ‘many angry young people’, but believes that ‘being a fashion designer or an artist, you have to be angry.’

You said to be a designer or artist you have to be angry.
My feeling is I’ve always been ambivalent towards life, time, and women. Fundamentally, it’s my way of being. For a long time I have this constant magma inside me. I was born to be the only son of my mother who became a war widow: the fundamental inequality. So I named my book My Dear Bomb. The bomb can signify many things depending on the moment, sometimes anger, sometimes resignation, and sometimes resentment.

How has the war influenced you as a designer?
My father died during the war, my mother raised me alone. So women are my motto, so is my woman’s fashion.

Why did you establish the Yohji Yamamoto Fund for Peace?
It was my way to apologise as a Japanese war widow’s son to what we did to China.

Another contradiction is Yamamoto resists over-intellectualising the creative process even though it is the conceptual strains and sculptural interrogation of forms in his designs that differentiated him from other fashion designers. ‘Creativity will not flow from intellectual manipulations,’ he writes.  “Without asking the most fundamental questions of existence, one will not be able to create.”

Even his book is a paradox, refusing to adhere to the standard format of the biographic genre. True to his contrarian approach to everything, his biography is structurally incongruous, meshing memories, anecdotes, poetry, history, and design philosophy together in a disjunctive narrative style. This is the kind of incongruities that challenge and confound him. ‘The pendulum within me swings wildly back and forth.’

How would you describe the last 30 years of Japanese fashion?
Very influential but the change of the fashion industry, I’m feeling that it’s my fault. I cannot change the world. I’ve been a little lazy. I should have known a little more about the market. It’s like a film director getting old and cannot see anymore his audience. All that I can do is to keep sending the same message, I’m here, I don’t want to go down to the flat market. I am an animal making clothes. My body reacts when I see the clothes.

Yamamoto does not hide his distaste for fashion retrospectives in museums – another paradox – even though he has been the subject of more than 30 fashion-related exhibitions around the world. Ligaya Salazar, Curator of Contemporary Programmes at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and curator of the retrospective on Yamamoto’s oeuvre this spring, finds his reluctance not surprising when she considers “how closely his garments are linked to the human presence that is meant to inhabit and move in them.” And in her essay for the V&A catalogue, independent dress historian Alexis Romano argues that Yamamoto’s ambivalence is rooted in his lack of interest in his own past, and that fashion is progressive, not regressive. But in the end Yamamoto agreed to participate in the retrospective because the idea is to situate him in the fashion history’s timeline, and not to entomb him.

What does a retrospective at the V&A mean to you?
Two sides of a coin – happy and worried!

by Peter Yeoh

Taken from the Glass Archive – Issue Five – Dreams

The post Contrarian couturier first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

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Habitat – Brothers Pier Luigi and Sergio reveal five secrets of the house of Loro Piana, which was established in 1924 having grown from a family business which started in the textile district in northern Italy, Trivero, in the early 19th century, and is now aimed at social responsibility in its working practices.

Lotus flower fibre
In September 2010 the high-end luxury clothing brand Loro Piana announced the “discovery” of a natural and antique raw material, never used in the textile industry of Western countries to date – the Lotus flower fibre (Nelumbo Nucifera). Extracted from the stems of the sacred flowers which grow naturally on Burmese lakes, this extraordinary raw material has an unmistakable morphology, similar to perforated tape.

Through the cooperation with the local population, the development of this project gives Intha natives the possibility to work in their ancestral environments, so this very antique tradition will not be lost but, on the contrary, becomes the means to support future generations. “The Lotus flower gives an extraordinary aquatic fibre which I would define as Summer Vicuna for its exclusivity,” explains Pier Luigi. “The quantity today is really very limited but we hope our long-term project will allow increasing it so that locals may improve their quality of life in harmony with the natural environment.”

Vicuna
Loro Piana has acquired an area of more than 2,000 hectares to be converted into a private reserve to safeguard the vicuña, a species that was once in danger of extinction. Sacred to the Incas, these animals were revered in pre-Columbian times when more than one million vicuñas populated the Andes. Due to poaching and illegal hunting the vicuña numbered only 5000 at a headcount in 1960.

In the 1980s the Loro Piana brothers signed their first contact with the government and the communities of Peruvian breeders. In 1994, the Italian company won the competition of merit held by the Sociedad de Criadores de Vicuña (Society of Vicuña Breeders), under the protection of the government. This allowed them to help save the species through the re-introduction of monitored and legally sheared (on live animals) fibre in to the world market. The high value attributed to the fibre has created a primary economic resource for the people, with the added incentive of benefiting the protection of the breed.

“Through this further direct involvement – establishing the future reserve – a new stage has begun. This will allow us to carry on protecting the species and making the lives of local farmers easier, and to continue to guarantee consumers the absolute quality of our products,” remarks Sergio Loro Piana.

Baby cashmere
The year 2006 saw the arrival of Baby Cashmere made exclusively using fibres coming from the first combing of Hyrcus baby goat aged 3–12 months.

In order to survive the harsh winters and torrid summers of the mountainous regions of Asia – particularly Mongolia, where Loro Piana has been buying the unrivalled cashmere since 1997 – these baby animals develop an extremely fine undercoat consisting of fibres with a diameter about 13 microns (1 micron = 1 thousandth of a millimetre) that does not exceed 80 grams in gross weight.

Creative persistence, spanning over a 10-year period from 1995 to 2005, has made it possible to encourage Mongolian and Chinese breeders to set aside small quantities weighing approximately 30 grams at each first and only “combing”. Loro Piana specialists set out from Beijing and Ulan Bator to shepherd country where they meet the shepherds personally to conduct negotiations and follow ancient rituals that fully respect local traditions.

The record bale
To promote quality by supporting breeders in their pursuit of excellence, the annual Loro Piana World Wool Record Challenge was introduced in 2000. The competition is between the best Australian and New Zealand bales produced in the course of the previous year; The Challenge Cup is awarded to the finest bale of the two nations. This invariably sets an annual record, which is often also a world record. This year the World Record Bale is the finest wool ever produced to date.

Every Record Bale is archived by Loro Piana. Entries must comply with specific weight, length and strength standards. A bale weighs on average between 90 and 100 kg, which is also the minimum lot that can be transformed into fabric, suitable only for a few dozen made-to-measure suits. Clients who have already bought a Record Bale article can exercise a “pre-emption right” on their following purchases.

According to Pier Luigi “this award goes to the professionalism, to the skills and the passion so typical of these farms. Thanks to their constant efforts, the wool industry can count on quality and fineness, which was unconceivable ten years ago.”

Water Management and Eco-friendly Production
The jewel in Loro Piana’s crown is its water purification system, which discharges water used in the dyeing process into the river near the Quarona mill with a degree of purity far greater than the minimum required by law. The purification process takes place in a series of stages through a process of biological oxidation. Colonies of bacteria kept alive by constant oxidation carry out the crucial task of breaking down the chemicals in the water into simpler molecules.

Subsequent sedimentation makes it possible to separate the residual sludge from the clean water, which overflows and is channelled into two final treatment lines where it is further purified by passing through three active carbon filters. It’s a simple yet highly effective system that demonstrates yet another dimension of Loro Piana’s guarantee of all-round

From the Glass Archive – Issue Four

The post Secrets of the house first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

Following a strict liquid diet of D1 London Gin for the evening which consisted of the Blue Glass Bramble, the Pink Glass Aviation as well as the classic D1 G&T and a sublime Fino Martini, the party certainly kept on rolling thanks to the cultivated brand’s  stylish cocktail kicks. As the twilight affair reached it’s close Glass’ esteemed guests walked away far from empty handed, each in possession of a goody bag brimming with an array of salubrious Gold Collagen, signature House of Holland nails, perfumes by Liquid Imaginaires and Odin New York as well as an extra special pick of Yon Ka phyto-aramatic skincare courtesy of Notting Hill’s eminent MYZ Beauty Boutique and its founder Maryam Zandi.

by Liam Feltham

All images by Don Carlo

The post Glass celebrates its fifth anniversary during London Fashion Week first appeared on The Glass Magazine.

On hearing that there is never a  “dull moment” at De Beers – from the jewellers of light themselves – one might brush this off as a gimmicky bon mot. But from meeting three of De Beers’s most defining delegates, those who have made outstanding works of artistry synonymous with the name, it became brilliantly clear (excuse the pun) that the world leaders in diamond jewellery certainly aren’t wipers (a  “wiper” happens to be jewellery talk for a lacklustre  “dud” diamond). It’s a small but incredibly mighty team which keeps things running behind the scenes of this worldwide corporation.

Not at all surfeited by any hint of hubris, the individuals we met, from their bright spark Head Designer, Hollie Bonneville Barden, to their dedicated President of the De Beers Institute of Diamonds, Andrew Coxon, and Jennie Farmer, the brand’s enterprising Brand Director, all take pride in being able to work within a stimulating environment which they have each described as a playground for innovation in their own way.

With their rapidly rising reputation for quality – being an established retailer for only thirteen years, a comparatively short period in the jewellery industry – De Beers’s sui generis diamond excellence is instinctive to each and every gem the brand welcomes. Andrew, certainly the wisest gemmology giant in his field, with well over 40 years of experience selecting diamonds, did much to sum this up when speaking to Glass with his assertion that for De Beers, “It really is all about the beauty – and that’s the difference.”

Head Designer – Hollie Bonneville Barden
In 2011, De Beers saw in Hollie Bonneville Barden, primarily an illustrator with a background in fine art, the makings of a fine jewellery protégé. She is a Central Saint Martins graduate and a native of Hay-on-Wye, a village in the Black Mountains on the border of Wales and England, and tells us about her journey since her epoch-making promotion to head designer.

So Hollie, what do diamonds, your creative medium at De Beers, mean to you?
Diamonds are not only physically symbolic of one of the rarest materials on earth, but they possess both a kind of power and strength which, as a designer, intrigues me no end. On another level, there’s all the romance as well which surrounds diamonds

Your muse has actually been described as the diamond itself. Could you describe what qualities of a diamond inspire you?
They are lively, not just a material or an object; we don’t attribute Fire, Life and Brilliance to our diamonds at De Beers for nothing.

As De Beers’s head designer, it’s been said that you hold one of the most coveted creative positions in the luxury jewellery business. Could you tell us how it feels to have that to your name?
I’m delighted to hear that, but as for how it feels I would say I’m in a highly unique position. I graduated in 2009, and my relationship with De Beers has been a huge stepping stone in my career, one of the best opportunities I could have hoped for. And again, it’s hugely unique because of the brand’s young age. I think being able to have so much space for innovation is a dream for any young designer. I have all of the craftsmanship heritage to draw on, of course, but there is so much to play with in terms of design. If I could say it in a modest way, I’d say I’m in a dream position.

It seems as if everyone at De Beers plays their part to make sure the final product, whatever it may be, is flawless – from the jewellery designs and ad campaigns to the diamond sourcing, etc. How would you describe your role as part of a small but mighty team?
It’s a constant collaboration from day to day. As well working on design, I’m also very much involved in the production phase in the workshops to ensure the pieces are as per my vision. I’m also working with the communications team to make sure our vision is consistent before we share it with the world. The great thing about it all is feeding off each other’s knowledge.

At 28, your rise to such a sought-after position at De Beers, an exceedingly stimulating springboard to many things, has been rapid. However, you initially leaned more towards fine art. Could you describe how jewellery became something you wanted to pursue for the rest of your life?
I was 25 when I first joined De Beers. Before that, my first interest was in the world of art and design as a whole – though even now I’d say I am just as broad in my appreciation of art and design. During my art foundation I became really inspired by translating my ideas from something 2D into something three dimensional, and also something that related to the body.

I think these are two themes that always run through jewellery, turning something into a precious three dimensional object and specifically something that can be adapted to the body. This is something which really inspired me and led me to study Jewellery Design at Central Saint Martins, where I was finally able to experience a workshop environment for the first time.

Jewellery is often something that makes an indelible impact on you during your childhood at a time when imagination runs wild and you catch your first glimpse of your grandmother’s or mother’s prized jewels. Does this happen to ring any bells for you by any chance?
Correct. My grandmother actually had a fascinating collection of jewellery and so from an early age I had a chocolate box moment, trying on everything the moment I could. What I loved was not only the visual aspect of rummaging through all her pieces but also the storytelling that came with all her many heirlooms that belonged to people that I had never met and other amazing jewels that had come into her possession in Burma. I loved the dream that it would inspire within myself as I listened to her relaying stories to me.

Would you like to see your own granddaughters rummaging around in your jewellery collection one day?
It would be an absolute dream. I haven’t had the chance to think that far forward, but it’s a nice image that you’ve planted in my mind. I would certainly have some stories to tell too, direct from the horse’s mouth, as it goes.

President of the De Beers Institute of Diamonds – Andrew Coxon
When we met Andrew Coxon to talk about the innumerable facets of his career, he was eager to demonstrate his latest patent pending invention, the new De Beers Diamond Brilliance Polishing Cloths. It was this passion for his profession and eagerness to share his knowledge that made us feel instantly at ease; this was a man whose instinctive elegance goes so well with the dazzling industry he works in.

Being an all-round diamond industry guru, Andrew, I’m sure you’ll certainly have quite a few sentiments about what diamonds mean to you?
Visual excitement. That’s something that becomes ingrained in you, especially so if you look at diamonds every day like I do.

When did you first feel you had a sixth sense for diamonds?
I believe this was the moment that De Beers revealed that my colour vision was almost as good as a woman’s during my evaluation when I first approached the brand. Colour is key in correlation to a diamond’s value and I am almost able to put myself inside the rough diamond thanks to my trained eye.

You preside over the quality of De Beers diamonds. What would you say is everyone’s aspiration for the direction of the brand?
That we can change the way people wear their diamonds. It’s very much in our interest that a new diamond purchase should be as surprising and as delightful as buying a brand new handbag, though considerably more sentimental.

Sourcing the best diamonds must take you on quests that span the globe. Could you describe where De Beers takes you from day to day?
We do all the final selections and rejections here in London at the De Beers Institute of Diamonds, though this is not exactly light work when you have diamonds flying in from all around the world from Antwerp to New York and Southern Africa.

How exactly do you gauge a diamond that is ready to be taken to the next stages of development?
According to Fire, Life and Brilliance. Every beautiful diamond does three things and it’s more or less one of those three in combination – a personal combination at that. Fire is defined as dispersion, or the flash of a rainbow of light, life is scintillation and the natural brightness of the stone, brilliance comes courtesy of either mother nature or the 57 facets of the diamond being perfectly aligned.

De Beers is known for improving upon the industry standard grading system of 4Cs, which entails cut, colour, clarity and carat, by adding Fire, Life and Brilliance into the mix. What compelled De Beers to do so?
The 4Cs are terribly important. Originally the Gemological Institute of America invented them and accordingly De Beers has always marketed them. What we realised, however, was that what the diamond does is just as important, if not more so, than merely what it is. Knowing what a diamond does is where you find the great pleasure and we care enough about them to demonstrate this.

As for yourself, Andrew, how does one go about becoming President of the De Beers Institute of Diamonds?
Spend 40 years looking at diamonds with De Beers; becoming an expert in any field takes repetition.

Expanding on your history in this field and your passion for what is essentially an art of connoisseurship, where can you trace this back to?
It’s a bit of a long story, so I’ll give you the facts. When I was a teenager, my father was our man in Rio, the Naval and Air Attaché, and on my school holidays I would travel to Brazil and surf on Ipanema beach. I never had enough money to buy the latest surfboard so I would make money by picking out the best semi-precious gemstones to be polished for the local jeweller. He told me, “You’re good at this,” with a beaming smile on his face – he was one of the first people to do so – and this is when I knew I could look inside a stone. I was always interested in stones, shells and gems, you see. I even thought about becoming a geologist.

How does it feel now to be able to extend a helping hand and an expert eye to someone who is seeking the perfect diamond for a once-in-a-lifetime investment?
It really is an everlasting pleasure to witness the instant reaction when a woman finds the diamond she wants.

Where do you see your future of diamond delving taking you?
I’ve reached an age where I could retire, but after being invited by the Science Museum to host a talk on the science of diamonds, I have found that this is one of my new callings. I make sure to always include the beauty factor, however, where science and poetry meet. Sharing my knowledge before I forget it has turned out to be what I enjoy most of all.

Brand Director – Jennie Farmer
Jennie Farmer, engaging and with an infectious enthusiasm, has in many ways adopted the brand she directs – as a brainchild of sorts. And this has done the corporation the world of good since she joined De Beers Diamond Jewellers in 2011. Discussing the enterprising lengths to which a jewellery brand can go, Jennie revealed all that can be achieved by allowing personal ambition to unleash the true potential of luxury retail.

What do diamonds mean to you?
Emotional connection. Even as the world becomes progressively fast paced due to technology, diamonds still shine to me for this reason.

What type of character does it take to muster what is necessary to be one of the industry’s top strategy developers and brand builders?
Being able to balance the long-term with the details. It’s about surprising and delighting clients with details but always keeping in mind where you want to be in three years’ time.

You have clearly undertaken a variety of highly ambitious tasks throughout your career so far. What assignment would you say has shaped you most?
Definitely the Moments In Light campaign, something which started as a rather loose idea between me and Francois Delage, our CEO, based on centring everything on De Beers’s aim to celebrate women – specifically, talented women.

Moments in Light saw you assemble a selection of talented and inspiring women, celebrating their unique stories by capturing their spirit in light. How personal a project was this for you?
It was something that I felt very genuine about. I really wanted to do something that gave back, so we decided to start working with Women For Women International (WfWI), which was hugely inspiring. It allowed us to give something back to the women who are much less fortunate than those we deal with on a regular basis at De Beers. What’s so wonderful about WfWI is that they show you the real women you have helped and you actually feel like you’ve made a difference.

How did you go about choosing the five inspirational women – famed Australian chef Skye Gyngell, critically-acclaimed Canadian-born choreographer Aszure Barton, visionary Chinese photographer Chen Man, one of the UK’s foremost fine dress designers Alice Temperley and Turner Prize nominated artist Cornelia Parker OBE, an elected member of the Royal Academy of Arts?
We wanted those who are a true talent in their field, being masters of their own unique craft. We selected five women who were genuinely excited about the project and came together to make this clear.

Is this a project that you will be developing over time?
Absolutely. We are looking at working with Mary McCartney again, the wonderful photographer who captured Moments in Light in her imagery, and we’re also going to be introducing some new women next spring.

What did you learn from initiating the Moments in Light campaign, and how has this informed your tactics when it comes to the future of De Beers?
I was so impressed by all of the inspirational women involved, women who prove that you should always follow your dream – something which resonates with us as a brand with big ideas, big aspirations and a lot of belief in what we are doing.

Moments in Light was described as a project  “by women, for women”. Could you expand on what this meant to you?
Mary (McCartney) was the curator of the photography and from there onwards, everyone we worked with along the way, from stylists to art directors and even, by chance, Women for Women, were women. It really came together perfectly in that way.

How did the collaboration with Women for Women International come about?
It was very organic actually. When we started to think about the charity that made the most sense to De Beers looking to celebrate women, one of our team, an avid supporter of WfWI, introduced us to their work. Once we met them and witnessed all the amazing work they do, we knew it was a great fit.

Each of the profiles who contributed to Moments in Light was asked to unveil their own “Moment in Light”, essentially one of the most monumental moments of their life so far. What would you describe as your De Beers moment in light?
My De Beers moment in light would definitely be when I saw our new advertising campaign featuring Andreea Diaconu in print for the first time. When you’ve spent as long as we did developing the project, it was really special to see it in its finalised glory.

by Liam Feltham

From the current issue of Glass Winter 2014 – Destiny

If you would like a subscription to the print edition please go here.

The post The diamond standard – Glass meets three of the leading figures behind the world’s most famous diamond jewellers, 
De Beers first appeared on The Glass Magazine.