Like it or not, the Coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we travel. Waiting in lines at crowded airports and feeling crammed into a commercial airliner was a horrifying experience before global quarantines forced people to stay home; now it’s unthinkable.
...Actress and wellness author Cameron Diaz is so health conscious that she knows every ingredient in everything she puts in and on her body. Or so she thought. One day, while drinking wine in her backyard with entrepreneur Katherine Power (of Who Wh
...Fourteen CEOs of America’s most recognizable travel-related companies sent a letter to the president and congressional leaders this week stating that more and better COVID-19 testing is an indispensable component of pursuing an economic recovery, and urging a stepped-up federal role in making effective testing more widely available. The letter stresses that a sustained recovery […]
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Are you a trail enthusiast who wants to work out on challenging routes while marvelling at the beauty of the landscape? Since lockdown in the UK began, more than 858,000 people downloaded the NHS-backed Couch to 5K app. A huge number of Brits used their daily allowance of exercise to hit the streets and local […]
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As British Columbia moves forward with its Restart Plan and restrictions further begin to ease, travelling in the province may be a little different this year. We’ll need to take more time with planning, and be more conscious of our impact on communities—especially the smaller ones, when we visit. As a starting point, Destination BC […]
The post 10 ways to travel safely and responsibly in BC this Summer appeared first on A Luxury Travel Blog.
Encompassing the communities of Port Salerno, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Indiantown, Jupiter Island, Hobe Sound, Sewall’s Point, Rio and Hutchinson Island, Martin County in Florida serves up more than 22 miles of beautiful uncrowded beaches and over 100,000 acres of parks and conservation lands – not to mention the most bio-diverse lagoon ecosystem in […]
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In Alaska’s Interior and Arctic, the caribou far outnumber the people. In fact, according to Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Bob Hunter, there are almost five caribou to every one human in Alaska’s Interior and Arctic. These two immense, far north regions of Alaska are home to just over 137,000 souls and over 645,000 […]
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The Coral Triangle is home to the richest coral reefs on the planet. The region stretches from Malaysia in the west, to the Solomon Islands in the east, and reaches as far north as the Philippines. At its heart, are the bio-diverse tropical waters of Indonesia and a habitat for marine life like nowhere else […]
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With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic irrevocably changing what it means – and looks like – to fly commercial, incentives for choosing private jet travel have never been higher. And respected Carlsbad-based charter operator and aircr
...Virgin Galactic has revealed the new design for its commercial spaceship.
...Viking’s famous World Cruise is back. Starting 2021, the 136-day long adventure stops at 56 ports in 27 counties on six different continents with overnight visits in 11 cities around the world.
...Loftus Hall, which is considered one of the most haunted houses in Ireland, is currently for sale for only €2.5 million ($2.95 million USD).
...Actress and wellness author Cameron Diaz is so health conscious that she knows every ingredient in everything she puts in and on her body. Or so she thought. One day, while drinking wine in her backyard with entrepreneur Katherine Power (of Who What Wear and Versed Skincare fame), the women realized that they had never […]
The post Cameron Diaz Introduces Avaline “Clean” Wine appeared first on Pursuitist.
Books to encourage you to slow down and become more content and productive (seems impossible, but it’s not!), a new olive oil subscription service, simple decor items that offer great signature style and comfort as well as sales, articles and much more. Books —The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor The essential […]
Tailor made for armchair travelers itching to see the world again, Viking Ocean Cruises has revealed the itinerary for a new 2021-2022 Viking World Cruise that will sail to 27 countries and 56 ports over 136 days. Departing from Fort Lauderdale on December 24, 2021, the once-in-a-lifetime journey will include overnight stays in 11 cities […]
The post Make Your Great Escape on Viking’s 2021-22 World Cruise appeared first on Pursuitist.
I perfectly happy planning my Upstate and New England trips until I saw this Canoneta Orchard Townhouse for sale in Sóller, Mallorca. It was designed by Berrow Projects which was founded in 2016 by Archie and Monty Berrow who fell in love with the architecture and natural beauty of Sóller and saw an opportunity to turn the spectacular 19th century buildings into luxury homes unlike anything else in Mallorca. They develop boutique properties and also work on client projects. The Canoneta “property sets a new luxury standard where timeless elegance merges with contemporary design for the ultimate year round living experience.” It features a pool, garden, orchard, outdoor living areas, and updated French architect designed interiors, The name Canoneta comes from the variety of orange that fills the historic orchard. “It is known to be the sweetest in the world and is responsible for Sóller’s economic boom when scientists discovered the health benefits of Vitamin C in the late 19th-century.” To quote another fruit, Liz Lemon, “I want to go to there.”
When you hear the name Maserati, you probably start picturing sleek, sexy sports cars with incredible power — and you wouldn't be far from reality. Maserati is a brand known for creating some of the most powerful and expensive supercars
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For more than 130 years, Aston Martin has defined timeless elegance and British handcrafted luxury within the automotive world. Aston Martin is translating its precision engineering and design innovation for the company’s first ever foray into luxury residential development. Aston Martin Residences in Miami is anticipated to become one of the country’s most sought-after addresses upon its completion in 2022, with a prestigious exclusivity and one-of-a-kind edifice that represents the pinnacle of elegant living, while setting a global benchmark in luxury residential design. For its vision of the 66-story tower located on the Miami River at 300 Biscayne Boulevard Way in downtown Miami, Aston Martin has partnered with global property developer, G&G Business Developments, founded by CEO, German Coto, whose creative ethos is “Love for beauty and passion for excellence.” Designed by Revuelta Architecture and Bodas Miani Anger Architects, with interiors inspired by Aston Martin, the tallest residential development south of New York will encompass the beauty of Miami’s tropical environment.
At the core of Aston Martin’s heritage and evolution is a guiding principal that adheres to the utmost honesty in authenticity of materials that are used in the fundamental design process—from inception to final presentation. The interior design elements at Aston Martin Residences bring the greatest sense of integrity and refinement to the development with a graceful aura that residents will experience in every detail. The vision for this exceptional interior craftsmanship has brought three of nature’s finest materials to Miami, that will be woven into the luxury fabric of the Aston Martin lifestyle. From the shores of ancient Greece, white Thassos marble is imported to bring an aesthetic brilliance of light and radiance to the floors of every residence; Aston Martin’s signature leather, originating from the Scottish Highlands, will accentuate specific touchpoints for the condominiums and common areas, and natural Red Oak from the woodlands of North America and Canada will be available for wall and home furnishings at the resident’s discretion.
“Our design language is based on beauty and the honesty and authenticity of materials,” says Marek Reichman, EVP and Chief Creative Officer at Aston Martin. “It’s simple and pure and it has an elegance attached to beautiful proportions. We are incorporating Aston Martin’s DNA through subtle details and fine craftsmanship, with an emphasis on comfort. This building is for people who appreciate the finest quality and craftsmanship, who love the feeling of something that is timeless.”
From the Emerald Island and the jewel of the North Aegean Sea to the turquoise Miami River, the finest Thassos marble will journey from Greece across the Atlantic Ocean to its new home at Aston Martin Residences in Miami—one of the country’s rare properties that offers finished floors with such a uniquely superior quality. Marble is derived from the Greek word Marmaros, meaning ‘shining stone,’ and Grecian marble is considered to be of a world-class calibre with unquestionable historical value. Throughout history, iconic sculptures, statues and architectural masterpieces have been carved from variations of this beautiful metamorphic rock. The celebrated Winged Victory of Samothrace sculpture from the second century B.C. is one example, and recently, Thassos marble has been used to restore the Parthenon Temple in Athens. Marble has become an icon of culture, tradition and refined taste. In folklore, it is associated with the astrological sign of Gemini and viewed as a symbol of purity and immortality. Revered for its crystal white hue that reflects the sun’s rays, this brilliant-white stone from Thassos is one of the most beautiful and precious in the world. The feeling of well-being and tranquillity that it conveys calms visitors to any space it inhabits.
Aston Martin Residences has a refined and elegant design aesthetic, so the world’s finest marble with unbeatable clarity, beauty and durability has been specified for the floors of the residences and penthouses. Approximately 1,400,000 square feet of Thassos marble has been hand-selected for its characteristics that perfectly compliment the clean proportions of Aston Martin Residences. When residents walk through the impressive entrance door into the lobby, they will be welcomed by a serene haven and a bright, airy aesthetic. As each homeowner steps into their own apartment or penthouse, the feeling of timeless elegance will endure with smooth and luxurious Thassos marble floors throughout each room.
“For the floors of the condos and penthouses, we chose the finest snow-white Thassos marble from Greece,“ says German Coto, CEO of G&G Business Developments. “Known for its beauty and durability, I enjoy the sense of calmness it brings to any room. We hand-selected 1,400,000 square feet of marble of extraordinary purity from Thassos because its characteristics fit perfectly with the Aston Martin Residences. We’re building an exquisite residential development in the heart of downtown Miami, and it’s essential for me that the visual impact, both inside and out, epitomizes contemporary design.”
For more than a century, Aston Martin selects the world’s finest leather for its automotive interiors, classic accessories and home furnishings. Its signature Balmoral leather from the Scottish Highlands is a true testament to the company’s lasting commitment to the honesty and authenticity of materials used within Aston Martin Residences. Leather accents and detailed fixtures will come in the form of kestrel tan leather door tabs and bespoke artisan handles on the doors of each residence, with variations on the doorways of common areas throughout the building. Balmoral leather comes from The Highland, a Scottish breed of rustic cattle, originating in the Scottish Highlands and the Balmoral region. Known for its long horns and a long shaggy coat, the hardy breed is bred to withstand the intemperate weather conditions and repels insects from damaging its skin due to its thick hair, resulting in a pristine quality of leather. The first herd dates back to 1885, making it the oldest type of cattle in the world. Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852. The Balmoral leather boot was designed for Prince Albert as a quality walking boot to wear on the grouse moors of his Scottish estate. The leather was naturally waterproof to protect his feet from the wet gorse. Queen Victoria also took a liking to the style and had several pairs made for herself, whereby women adapted the leather boots for daywear before they were eventually called Balmoral boots, a popular and classic style even today.
Owners will have the opportunity to work with the Aston Martin design team to customize the interiors of their home to a particular specification. Residents will have the option to install custom-built furnishings or wall fixtures made from natural Red Oak, a premium quality wood that is grown in the northernmost rural states of the U.S. Red Oak is a native of eastern and mid-west America and southeast and south-central Canada. The red oak group as a whole is more abundant today than when European settlement of North America began. Red Oak is of a premium value and used in construction as well as flooring, veneer, interior trim, finishes of houses, and for the highest quality furniture when carefully treated. Arguably the most popular hardwood in the United States, Red Oak is a ubiquitous fixture in luxury homes. Hard, strong, and moderately priced, Red Oak presents an exceptional value to woodworkers—which explains why it is so widely used in high-end cabinet and furniture making. The northern Red Oak has been a favorite of both lumbermen and landscapers since colonial times. The tree has also found favor when transplanted in Europe. It is believed that Bishop Compton’s garden, near Fulham in England, received the first Red Oak transplant abroad in the late 17th century.
“I’m obsessed with design, and I’m resolute that every decision we make, and every material we select will complement our pure and elegant design aesthetic,” says German Coto, CEO of G&G Business Developments. “As soon as Aston Martin was on board, a company ready to work hand-in-hand with our architects and designers to achieve a luxury style and authentic design experience, it set the tone for the entire project. At G&G, our ethos is ‘Love for beauty and passion for excellence,’ as a way of life that guides every decision we make on the projects we undertake.”
Every aspect of Aston Martin Residence has been measured to meet the needs of today’s modern and cosmopolitan lifestyles, which is why Aston Martin’s design team has specified the finest in authentic materials to conform to its own artful and classic heritage. Aston Martin Residences, located at 300 Biscayne Boulevard Way in Miami, will consist of 391 luxury residences and penthouses priced from $970,000 to upwards of $50 million. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2022.
Visit Aston Martin Residences on Instagram @AMResidencesMiami and astonmartinresidences.com
The post Authenticity and Honesty of Materials At Aston Martin Residences Set A New Paradigm in Luxury Interior Design appeared first on LUXUO.
Avantone Pro promises quality and performance for musicians, mix engineers, audiovisual content creators, and others who seek acoustic fidelity.
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I read a stat the other day that said Brits are set to add 27 billion to the economy via staycations in 2020 and to be honest, I’m not exactly surprised. When travel is unpredictable, to say the least, people…
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The Scope coffee machine takes three easy steps to make the perfect cup of drip coffee: scale, grind, and brew, done automatically in a single apparatus that could double as an elegant kitchen centerpiece.
The post The Scope Coffee Machine Automates The Process Of Making Drip Coffee appeared first on Men's Gear.
As early as mid 2019, after years of dealing with Thom Browne lengths and proportions, the longer-length tailored jacket is finally stepping back onto the sartorial stage. By 2020, runways were already astride with the welcome return of classic tailoring but the rise of the coronavirus put a nip in the bud for the nascent revival of classic men’s tailoring. After a lengthy and casual work from home stint, is there a market for well dressed men?
Dressing well helps us feel powerful, and considering how out of control most of 2020 has been as we careen from medical crisis to an economic one, the suit is a highly visible, statement that come hell or high water, we’re going to ride through the torrential tragedy in style
Alessandro Sartori, Zegna’s artistic director since 2016, recently celebrated the menswear institution’s 110th anniversary with a “phygital” – a combination digital and physical – fashion show at the brand’s native home town of Trivero, a historic hub of Italy’s weaving industry; a place where Mr. Ermenegildo Zegna himself established the firm’s operations using imported English looms. Since then and over half a million trees later, the Zegna’s Trivero and the Oasi Zegna, nature reserve it encompasses has become a global menswear institution which defies even the likes of a global pandemic.
On the last day of Milan’s Digital Fashion Week, models traversed over 3 kilometres of “runway” which took livestream viewers through the forested Oasi Zegna, into the brand’s looming mills (sorry pun intended), through the brand’s archives and then onto the factory’s rooftops where Sartori’s big concept unveiled the “reconceptualisation” of the suit. It’s a big idea for sure – even till today, men’s suiting tilts a little more in the wheelhouse of Brook’s Brothers, recently demised, a little more serious, and a little more Wall Street, leaving very little of the rakishly insouciant and men who wish to express that Italian flair known as sprezzatura.
From Zegna’s TechMerino, a machine washable treated wool that allows you to launder suits or technical sneakers in the comforts of your own home and waterproof leather paper with the thickness and flexibility of card-paper, everything from tailored blazers to checked field jackets (made from recycled linen and nylon apparently under the #UseTheExisting label) expressed a direction of lighter fabrics, fresher colours, and a joie de vivre which runs counter to the dour and sour few months we’ve found ourselves in as we shelter in place against the storm of a deadly virus.
“Dress the message” is a powerful psychological phenomenon about how clothes and the way you groom yourself alters the perspectives and perceptions that people have of you. It’s why actors dress in white coats and we take them as doctors in infomercials and it’s why anyone in a high visibility vest and a hard-hat or a security uniform is waved past security with nary a second glance.
Things were already bublling in 2014 when Taron Edgerton donned a double breasted suit in Kingsman
Dressing well helps us feel powerful, and considering how out of control most of 2020 has been as we careen from medical crisis to an economic one, the suit is a highly visible, statement that come hell or high water, we’re going to ride through the torrential tragedy in style; but it won’t be his grandfather’s suit. Instead, the power suit of 2020 will see some of mens’ tailoring traditions give way to more advanced materials – yes – there will still be hallowed occasions for super wools and natural materials but given the confluence of viral warfare and climate change induced heat waves, suiting will get friendly with technical attributes like those offered in Zegna’s TechMerino such anti-wrinkle, water resistance and antimicrobial properties; sometimes stretch – a concept often associated with cheaper fabrics but now ubiquitous thanks to Japanese activewear pioneer Uniqlo’s groundbreaking innovations will now see men’s suits, almost the last bastion of menswear endowed with performance features once associated with women’s athleisure.
The contemporary silhouette is now oversized and boxy, mirroring streetwear trends (hence, this editor will urge caution), double-breasted referencing a classical era, in part heralded by the likes of Kingsman as it entered the cultural zeitgeist. And then Gucci’s Alessandro Michele got into the game; having starred in four campaigns for Gucci, and no one embodies Michele’s eclectic suiting aesthetic better than Harry Styles. If things were already bubbling in 2014 when Taron Egerton donned a double breasted suit as a Kingsman agent, Harry Styles in a Gucci double-breasted cream trouser suit with retro flares and a low-cut white vest, and rose shades at the 2019 Met Gala sent things to a boil.
Donald Glover in baby blue Gucci tuxedo
Some guys may pair the suit with everything from upscale T-shirts to sneakers but it takes a real sartorial maven to go full Crockett and Stubbs ala Miami Vice with a ribbed wife beater and accompanying chest hair. Heck, the suit is a sartorial garment which isn’t just the purview of the slender and lanky like the One Direction member, even the ultra-muscular and the overbuilt have been honing in on suiting – Floyd Mayweather is a notable aficionado for Gucci’s latest threads as is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the latter being a more tailored suit enthusiast.
Ilaria Urbinati, the woman behind The Rock’s sartorial street cred is a firm believer in what she calls “aggressive styling”. With a client list that also counts Ryan Reynolds, and Donald Glover, Urbinati has been putting Hollywood’s leading men in bright colours, vintage cuts, and unique materials, seeding fertile soil for a generation of men who skipped their father’s grey and charcoal office suit for something a little more sartorial and infinitely more versatile for a weekend out.
Indeed, since taking the reins of menswear at Louis Vuitton two years ago, Virgil Abloh’s have sent even a traditionalist institution like Louis Vuitton into streetwear riffs on classic luxury pieces. By studying the evolving anthropology of the suit, Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director twists and turns traditional codes through a variety of techniques: shirts and ties are folded and wrapped around the body then pressed into a single shirt, ‘Broderie Anglaise’ is magnified and rendered in suiting material. Within Virgil Abloh’s ongoing exploration of the constraints of menswear, this collection sees tailoring and suiting depart from a corporate comfort zone to be re-appropriated and embraced. For Fall 2020, Abloh took Paris by metaphorical storm – disrupting the idea of an office staple into deconstructed affairs with colour gradients, ruffles, or even a powder blue cloud print with embossed monogram, it was a party outfit that you could wear in the day, if the suit represented sombre constraint, Louis Vuitton and frenemy Gucci were content to turn establishment rules on its head.
For fall 2020, Tom Ford went full pastel suit with a sheen, dialling the echoes of Miami Vice to 11 and channeling the sort of 80s vibe that even most of us who grew up in the 80s want nothing but to forget and turning a nightmarish hodgepodge of experimentation into a tight, appealing collection that somehow titillates and excites our contemporary grasp of aesthetics and proportions. The suit isn’t back, it never left, it just got updated and these brands are rocking it.
Tom Ford Fall 2020 ready-to-wear menswear
The post Not Your Grandfather’s Suit: Zegna, Gucci, Vuitton, Tom Ford lead a men’s suit revival appeared first on LUXUO.
Celebrating Bugatti’s 110th anniversary, the French car manufacturer, introduces the smallest member of its family, dubbed the Baby II. Limited to a mere 500 builds, this high-performance automobile represents a modern tribute to Italian-born designer and brand founder, Ettore Bugatti’s half-scale Type 35.
Initially constructed in 1926 for his youngest son, Roland’s fourth birthday, the car which Ettore had intended to be a one-off present, soon became an official Bugatti vehicle, entering production and sold between 1927 and 1936. Cherished by Bugatti enthusiasts worldwide, today no collection is complete without a Baby. However, with only around 500 ever made, they have been the preserve of the lucky few.
Unlike the original, which was only suitable for the youngest drivers, the Baby II is a three-quarters-size replica of the Bugatti Type 35, accommodating both adult and children drivers. With the aim to enable enthusiasts from across generations to share the love of driving and of the classic marque of Bugatti, the Baby II thus features a rear-wheel-drive battery-powered electric powertrain, a removable lithium-ion battery pack, a limited slip differential, and regenerative braking.
Available in two selectable power modes, including a 1kW ‘novice mode’ with top speeds of 20km/h, and a 4kW ‘expert mode’ capable of accelerating to speeds of 45km/h, plus an optional ‘speed key’ upgrade which allows a power top-up of up to 10kW whilst disengaging the speed meter.
Launching almost a century after its predecessor, the Baby II has been created using the latest technology, but with the utmost respect for Bugatti’s automotive heritage. Hand-built with the aid of a precise digital scan of the original Type 35, built for the 1924 French Grand Prix in Lyon, this all-new ride showcases the brand’s iconic ‘Macaron’ badge, made of 50g of solid silver, alongside its own unique plaque and chassis number.
Complete with a signature turned aluminium dashboard, leather seating, custom instruments, and scale recreation of the Type 35’s distinctive four-spoke steering wheel, the Baby II is coated in an array of immaculate colourways, including the traditional French Racing Blue.
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Kongo in Karl Largerfeld’s studio. Photo by Laurent Segretier
Kongo aka Cyril Phan has never been particular about the surface he leaves his mark on, whether wall, canvas, shop window, trunk, dress, bag, scarf, jewellery, champagne bottle, humidor, car or even airplane, multiplying collaborations with French brands like Chanel, Hermès, Richard Mille, Daum and La Cornue to showcase traditional European savoir-faire. The 51-year-old French-Vietnamese artist likes the idea of being able to appropriate an everyday object and transform it into a work of art, something that makes life more beautiful. An early proponent of the Parisian graffiti art scene who earned a reputation for his pictorial alphabets reconciling painting and writing, he has soared to new heights, reinterpreting varied universes in a language filled with colours, shapes and letters. Now his focus has shifted to his Asian heritage, as he plans to set up an atelier-showroom in Singapore and a boutique-gallery in Hanoi to highlight age-old Southeast Asian crafts that have been given his joyful, energetic and optimistic touch. We sit down with him to find out about his life during the Covid-19 crisis, giving back to society and his plans for the future.
How did you live out the confinement in France put in place to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus?
The first month was a month of forced rest, which allowed me to ease off from my hectic pace in 2019. The second month, as I live next to my studio, I went directly to my studio and all I did was work. I worked on large formats and drawings. It was a moment that really inspired me, that especially inspired in me a lot of gratitude to the medical personnel, who have a dedication to their profession, saving thousands of lives with ridiculously little means. So I proposed a project to the Paris hospitals: I donated a painting to the Hospitals of Paris – Hospitals of France Foundation, which they sold at auction to raise funds to help these hospitals. My second initiative was an installation at Lariboisière Hospital to thank the nursing staff directly, and then I made a digigraph of this work, which I’m currently selling via my website, where all profits will be donated to the hospital. These guys had no masks and wore the same PPE while treating several people, when usually they’re supposed to change them each time. They had to wear cooks’ outfits to work. It was completely crazy. It’s absurd in a country like France. That’s why I wanted to serve, but I felt so helpless. As an artist, I wanted to bring something more, so I carried out these actions during the confinement. I also drew and painted a lot. It was even easier to create because it was very inspiring and I was blocked in one place, when normally I spend my life travelling, meeting people for projects, going abroad to exhibit my works. I was stuck for over two months in my universe developing my e-commerce and things that I wanted to do or that I could push a little further.
Did the subject of your artworks change?
I did a whole series on paper on the present moment called Confinement, where I forced myself to make one drawing per day to crystallise this unique moment. Over several generations, we didn’t have the occasion to experience a global pause. No country, person, government or law has succeeded in stopping the world like that, and there are certainly going to be catastrophic consequences compared to the old world, but in the new world, a lot of reflexes will be created where the planet will also have a real break in terms of pollution, new forms of intensified communication and a new form of consumption. During confinement, there were a lot of Instagram Live events where artists exchanged and plenty of online creation, which was very interesting. Whether the pandemic is a good thing or not, I can’t answer. That’s how it is, but I’m sure the world of 2021 will not be the same as that of 2019.
What role can artists play in such a context?
In a world of anxiety like the one we’re living in, we need to offer something fun, enjoyable, some positive emotion. For example, when I stress, I like to drink a glass of wine and eat cheese – this is my French side. For people to have a painting of a given moment, that they put at home and change their decor, I think it’s something that de-stresses, that gives a desire for renewal. What an artist can offer in such a context is to bring a little beauty into the world and uplift spirits, which is necessary, because if people watch the news all the time, it is so anxiety-provoking. We get so much news, real and fake, even through important media.
How did you go from the street to art galleries and recognition?
With a lot of determination. But the world of art galleries is not the ultimate aim. The ultimate aim is really to continue to express yourself, to be seen by as many people as possible and to always be able to express your art in as many places as possible, so I’m not satisfied with just galleries. However, I’m happy to have recognition and success.
You don’t speak about collaborations with brands, but about encounters between creators from different universes. What do you mean by that?
All the collaborations that I have been able to achieve with these universes have in fact been encounters. I met the decision-makers with whom we exchanged ideas, which then created a bridge between our two universes. That’s why each collaboration was never done by a marketing team, for example. Moreover, I refuse 90 per cent of the projects that have been brought to me like this. I think that the success of a collaboration comes first through an encounter, authenticity, integrity in creation, then comes the sales or marketing work. That’s not my job, but it comes afterwards. That’s why I don’t like to talk about collaboration with a brand, even if I am considered a brand or Richard Mille is considered a brand. It’s true, but above all, it is the vision of someone. This vision has taken on the dimension of a brand, but ultimately it’s more the consumers who see us as brands, not ourselves. For us, it’s a savoir-faire that we have and that we want to convey onto everything. In fact, the idea is to get out of our comfort zone and push our respective universes further. That’s why I don’t like the name “street art” because it puts limits on you directly and confines you to the street. Yes, it’s in my DNA , yes, I spent almost 30 years creating works in the street, but for me, borders do not exist in fact. That’s why I don’t mix too much in street art fairs or group exhibitions, not that I denigrate it, but I find that it pulls us down, and my interest over the past 10 years is precisely to bring my art to universes that surprise and, above all, that aim for excellence. For me, graffiti has always aimed for excellence. When we painted huge walls with my MAC collective, we had a positive competition with other artists and we wanted to impress them. I’ve continued in the same energy, but by creating bridges with the universes of watchmaking, silk, crystal and especially traditional savoir-faire. For example, my collaboration with La Cornue, the two worlds were so unexpected. It was to make a cooking piano, but beyond that, it was the know-how around enamel and sheet metalwork, around people who have dedicated their lives to their skills. That’s what moves me and what I want to express all the time actually.
Video by Aurielle JioyaYou’ve also partnered with the Antoine de Saint Exupéry Youth Foundation to paint a vintage Nord 1000 airplane…
The idea was to raise funds to produce The Little Prince tactile art book with drawings in relief for the blind. My grandfather was blind. He had jumped on a mine in Vietnam and lost his eyes. As a kid, I read the newspaper to him, so when the Saint Exupéry Foundation proposed this project to me, I accepted because it was in the direction of my life and it served others. I believe the most important thing in the life of a person is to serve concretely for a cause and to be able to inspire people.
Kongo portrait by Pramith Lokuge
When did your almost visceral relationship with Asia start?
I am half Asian. My dad is Vietnamese and therefore I have always been linked to Asia, especially Southeast Asia, by half my family. I had the chance to progress between Europe, Africa and Asia, so I am a true citizen of the world.
You were one of the first artists to present street art in China. How did it come about?
I created the Eating Frogs Tour in 2004 with a group of friends comprising big names in graffiti painting, DJing and dance to present French hip-hop in South China: Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. At the time, I met a 16-year-old kid called Fansack, who is a Chinese artist, super passionate, and he told me he started graffiti in China in 2000 and had seen me in various documentaries. I told him if he came to France one day to call me. Two or three years later, I received a phone call from him saying he was in France. He became my assistant and I showed him my savoir-faire. Now, he has returned to China, to Chengdu, to develop his career and I believe he’s an artist who will make it big. He has a head start today because he saw my progression and knows which way to go, so he is positioning himself. He discovered graffiti during its infancy in China. It’s funny how it takes time, how tightly closed the borders were. It’s opening up drop by drop and there are lots of things to do there still.
We’ve seen you in Jakarta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, etc. What was your best experience in Asia? Your favourite capital?
Each experience is magnificent. I have a special fondness for Singapore, which impresses me by the modernity of its vision. The country is managed like a company and everyone follows the same path. I find it interesting as a Parisian where here everything is all over the place. Sometimes it feels good to have some boundaries for the common good, and Singapore impresses me a lot with regards to that. I find that there is a quality of life there, which is very interesting. I also love Indonesia, especially Bali, where I find a lot of spirituality and a bit of the disorder of Paris. I particularly like Vietnam because it’s part of my blood. I love Japan for its modernity and the total change of scenery that we can have there, and the vision they have of art, too. I am very impressed by China, by its power, how it managed to rebound and become a major force in the world, knowing how to mix politics, industry and capitalism. Asia impresses me enormously – they are progressive, they evolve rapidly every day, they’re determined and they’re categorical. I really like Asia for that.
Tell me about your collaboration with Singapore’s finest bespoke tailor, Kevin Seah.
Kevin is above all a friend. Once again, it was an encounter. I held my first exhibition in Singapore in 2012, and Kevin was working in the same building. Kevin is someone who’s very well dressed and very British, but at the same time he was a skateboarder who understands urban culture. Therefore, when we met, it attracted me straightaway and there was mutual respect. I was impressed by his know-how, all his suits are sewn by hand. He asked me to make a painting for him and I asked him to make me a jacket, and that’s how it started. He made me a denim jacket, and for the lining inside, he used the silk scarf I’d done for Hermès. It was super chic and casual at the same time. I loved it. Then he made me a camouflage jacket. Then we had the idea of making jackets out of linen canvases that I paint. But it’s not the same linen that I use for my paintings, which is very stiff. He has a linen that is very fine, so I can’t put a lot of paint on it. He sent me the linen to Paris, I painted the canvases, sent them back to Singapore and he reinterpreted my paintings, cutting them to make jackets. The lining was taken from a colourful painting where I marked Kevin Seah, Kongo, Kevin Seah, Kongo. We made three or four unique jackets. They are priceless works of art that you wear. We did that in 2013, then I did the collection with Karl Lagerfeld in 2019, but what I did for Kevin was much more precious because everything was original. Chanel was a fabulous collection that they put in store windows worldwide. It was a completely insane experience. But I didn’t make the collection for Chanel. I met Karl who offered me to make a whole series of paintings at his atelier on Quai Voltaire, and he chose the paintings to make dresses and bags out of. It was a real meeting between creators.
After your successful pop-up studio in one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in Paris in 2017, you opened one in Singapore, too…
In November 2018, I went to see Kevin Seah in Singapore and I told him about the experience of my ephemeral workshop on Rue François 1er in the 8th arrondissement. He asked me why don’t I do it in Singapore? I told him I didn’t have a place and I didn’t want to do it with a gallery. He told me to look next door, where there were premises that were available. He introduced me to the landlord of The Mill, Roy Teo, who left me the space to create my workshop for a month, so I did the same pop-up studio concept. However, it is no longer ephemeral since I kept it in the end to set up my showroom-atelier in Singapore because I feel good in Singapore and I’m planning to settle there to create my works to continue the Asian adventure. It will be a private atelier-showroom not open to the public, where people can visit by appointment.
Tell me about the boutique you’ll open soon in Hanoi.
Some Vietnamese people asked me to come back to Vietnam. At the beginning, I was moderately keen because I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into. Finally, I decided to do it, so I partnered with a financier who’s opening a Cyril Kongo brand boutique for me to highlight Vietnamese and Southeast Asian artists. He had approached me by telling me that in all Vietnamese families, both north and south, there are family members who went overseas, who were immigrants in the United States, England, Canada, Europe, who travelled far. But he said, “Your case is very special because the Vietnamese and all the Asians who have succeeded consume the brands by whom you have been recognised. Therefore, you’re like a hero to them because you left. We know very well the pain that all Vietnamese families who left far from their countries suffered to get back on track, but very few have succeeded in doing what you have done: collaborating with Richard Mille, Chanel, etc. It was an incredible journey because you left as a political refugee, immigrated, without speaking French, and now in your midlife, you are recognised by the biggest brands that to us are at the summit of the excellence of chic. You’ve made us proud and we’d like to give you the opportunity to express yourself in Vietnam.” So it will be a flagship store-gallery. I will present objects and original drawings, but I also want to develop the savoir-faire of Southeast Asia, like Vietnamese lacquer, carving and Indonesian batik. I’ll go around Southeast Asia and reinterpret – just as I interpreted traditional French skills through my work with Daum or La Cornue – Southeast Asian savoir-faire. I want to highlight all these traditional skills that we have at home that we are proud of, but which seem a bit old-fashioned, and give my contemporary vision to them. For example, sang-de-boeuf ceramics, I want to give my take on them. Batik, which is very traditional and coded, I want to remake it. I will present all of this exclusively in my boutique in Vietnam, and will set up an e-commerce website linked to this store. Currently under construction, it should open in early September.
Hymne a la beaute premontage 450x400cm 2020
What is your most recent painting?
My latest painting is based on a poem by Charles Baudelaire that I reinterpreted called Hymne à la Beauté (Hymn to Beauty), which is part of Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil). It’s a painting that takes me a lot time, in which I put in a lot of energy, but I always work on several paintings at the same time, otherwise I get bored very quickly. Sometimes, when I’ve advanced well on a painting, I let it sleep for a while. With Hymne à la Beauté, I had started to sketch it last November, and I’ve been at it for eight months already. I come back to it regularly, at least a good week or 15 days every month, but there was a moment when I couldn’t take it anymore because it’s really big. It’s 4 metres wide and 4.5 metres high and full of tiny letters, so it requires a lot of work and a lot of time.
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This article was written by NINA STARR.
All photography is courtesy of KONGO.
The post Urban Artist Kongo on His Love Affair with Asia appeared first on LUXUO.
