Style
The Top Twenty Lasting Legacies
At Ocean Independence, we honour and respect the craftsmanship and tradition of the past, while looking optimistically to the possibilities of the future.
At Ocean Independence, we honour and respect the craftsmanship and tradition of the past, while looking optimistically to the possibilities of the future. In this edition of PURSUIT, we celebrate the storied brands and pioneering individuals whose innovations will leave the greatest inheritance.
The Winning formula
The America’s Cup is the world’s oldest and most prestigious sporting competition, and its legacy is continuing with the growing involvement of Formula One. In 2024, Barcelona will host the 37th edition of the America’s Cup. With its unique combination of history and modernity, the Spanish city is a fitting venue for an international sporting event which is older than the Olympic Games yet at the forefront of technological advancement.
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The Auld Mug
The Winning Formula
The forthcoming competition will see the rivalry of the Formula One race circuit transplanted to the Balearic Sea. First, the America's Cup Challenger of Record, Great Britain’s INEOS Britannia, partnered with Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1, then the Swiss challenger Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi announced its return to the fray in collaboration with Red Bull Racing.
The partnership throws down the gauntlet to Great Britain’s Sir Ben Ainslie. “We are going to take the F1 DNA and we are going to use it within the boat,” said Red Bull Formula One’s Christian Horner at the launch of Alinghi’s challenge for the Cup.
Making a powerful statement about the scale of their ambition in sailing and the legacy of the America’s Cup, Alinghi Red Bull Racing will also field teams in the debut of the Women’s America’s Cup Regatta, as well as in the return of the Youth America’s Cup.
With Formula One Championship-winning technology and bravura combining with the fast foiling monohulls of the AC75 class, the legacy of the America’s Cup is one of boundless innovation.
PHILANTHROPIC HOTELS
For these bold new hotels, exceptional service means giving back to their communities
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Nihi Flores
Philanthropic Hotels
Nihi Sumba has achieved International recognition as a luxury resort with a conscience and was awarded ‘World's Best Hotel’ for two consecutive years. Located on the remote shores of Indonesia’s Sumba Island, Nihi was born of a vision to protect and preserve the unique Sumbanese culture and empower local communities to support themselves and their families. The brand’s philanthropic reach in Indonesia can now expand with the opening of Nihi Flores on Bangkau Island in 2024.
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Singita
Philanthropic Hotels
Conservation and ecotourism brand Singita has been committed to preserving Africa’s wildlife and wilderness legacy since it opened Singita Ebony Lodge in South Africa in 1993. Beyond offering guests exceptional safari experiences at its 15 luxury lodges and camps, Singita’s latest conservation initiatives include offering guests carbon neutral stays, and opening an art gallery in the Sabi Sand to support rising African talent, the proceeds of which support their partner NGO in South Africa, the Singita Lowveld Trust.
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Auberge Resorts
Philanthropic Hotels
The collection’s Enriching Lives programme provides tailored schemes to benefit the local communities surrounding its destinations, such as Auberge Beach Residences in Fort Lauderdale. The hotel has joined forces with the National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation, adopting sea turtle nests to protect the endangered sea turtles which nest along Florida’s coast.
Revival of Couture
Couture has made a triumphant return and is reasserting fashion’s noblest values: creativity, craftsmanship, artistry, technology and sustainability. Three houses show how heritage is key to the future of couture.
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ARMANI PRIVÉ
Revival of Couture
The optimism, joy and wonder of the Roaring Twenties were magically distilled into Pétillant, Armani Privé’s AW22 show at Paris Couture Week. With Tamara de Lempicka – the Polish artist whose highly stylised portraits became synonymous with the Art Deco period – serving as his muse, Giorgio Armani created a collection which was at once nostalgic and modern. Echoes of de Lempicka’s rebellious elegance were felt in the graceful longline jackets, slouchy trousers, sweeping gowns and effervescent sparkles of this infinitely wearable day-to-night collection. References to the Eastern world abounded, while the palette of whites, blacks and blues was broken up with splashes of intense blues and pinks across the 92 looks. Mr Armani described de Lempicka as “a strong-willed, rebellious, independent woman who was much ahead of her time.” The essence of the Armani Privé woman.
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IRIS VAN HERPEN
Revival of Couture
To mark her label’s 15th anniversary, Dutch designer Iris van Herpen looked back through the history to the eighth century to create a visionary collection for the era of the metaverse. Inspired by three poems from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, those of Daphne, Arachne, and Narcissus, van Herpen designed 16 physical looks and three digital looks to be worn by avatars for her AW22 show at Paris Haute Couture Week. Named Meta Morphism, it was Iris van Herpen’s debut into the metaverse, and included 3D printing and highly luxurious biodegradable materials. “Couture is where my heart is,” said van Herpen at a preview. “For me, technology is a tool that makes it possible to bring the craftsmanship forward.”
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CHANEL AW23
Revival of Couture
If any house has proven that haute couture is alive and well, it was Chanel when Charlotte Casiraghi trotted majestically down the runway on horseback for the unforgettable SS22 Haute Couture show.
Creative Director Virginie Viard conceived the AW23 show as a continuation of the last, with models wearing equestrian-style cowboy boots peeping out from the hems of long skirts and dresses, “designed as Mademoiselle Chanel imagine them in the 1930s,” Viard explained.
Classic signatures of tweeds, twin sets and feminine details of tulle and bows came together in a palette which incorporated vivid green and khaki, beige and pink, as well as magnificently bold all-black gowns. It was quintessential Chanel: classic yet subversive.
unlocking human potential
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The Future of Health
Imagine enjoying a lifetime of vitality and wellness – and leaving that legacy for the next generation. With pioneering global wellness operator Chenot, that vision can become a reality.
Our health is a privilege often taken for granted until it is compromised. Illness is treated, while health goes unobserved. The Chenot philosophy, however, challenges us to change our approach and reframe how we think about our health – for our own good.
“We envision health not in terms of the absence of disease and disability but in terms of what is unseen – our human potential for higher levels of functioning, resilience and adaptation to our unique prevailing conditions,” says Dr George Gaitanos, Chief Operating and Scientific Director of The Chenot Group.
Eschewing the idea that health and vitality are the preserve of the young and that decline and disease are inevitable facts of growing older, Chenot’s vision is of ‘unlocking human potential’ at any age. “We are in good health and very likely feeling well when our body, mind, and soul work harmoniously and transmit us in a deep sense of peace and happiness,” says Dr Gaitanos.
Founded nearly 50 years ago by the late Henri Chenot, an advocate of prevention rather than cure, the Swiss-based wellness brand is rooted in a holistic approach to health. Fascinated by the impact of lifestyle choices on our genetic inheritance, Chenot combined the latest scientific advances in Western medicine and diagnostics with Chinese healing and alternative medicines to create a revolutionary multidisciplinary approach to promote wellness.
This led to the development of the Chenot Method® of resetting the physiology of the body, first applied when Chenot opened the first Espace Henri Chenot at the General Hospital in Cannes in 1974. Now found in locations around the world from Azerbijan to Malaysia, Chenot’s spectacular new flagship Chenot Palace Weggis opened in Switzerland in June 2020.
Set on the shores of Lake Lucerne, it consists of a beautifully renovated wooden hotel originally built in 1875, complemented by a state-of-the-art white-timber-clad 5,000 sqm wing designed by Swiss architect Davide Macullo which houses contemporary suites and a labyrinthine medical spa.
Chenot Palace Weggis offers three dedicated wellness programmes for guests to choose from. Its core programme, ‘The Advanced Detox’ uses a combination of plant-based anti-inflammatory diet, diagnostic testing and treatments across six departments including Cryotherapy, Hydrotherapy and daily massage to promote a deep purification and detoxification of the body. “This helps the body to work more efficiently and towards its optimal capability,” says Dr Gaitanos. ‘Recover and Energise’ is for guests experiencing prolonged elevated stress and fatigue, and ‘Prevention and Ageing Well’ is for those seeking to maintain a healthy and physically active lifestyle.
A week at the Chenot Palace Weggis will leave you revitalised, reset and ready to embrace a lifetime of optimum wellness, with lessons we can pass on to the next generation. “The greatest legacy we can leave is to invest in educating our children on how to grow healthier, as childhood is the best time to establish great habits,” says Dr Gaitanos. “Good habits are built in good times.”
continuing a legacy
We speak to the leaders of celebrated family-owned yacht companies and ask: what does legacy mean to you?
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Bernerd Meyer, Meyer Werft
Continuing a Legacy
It is an extraordinary achievement to look on 227 years of ship building. We developed our family company further with pioneering spirit and courage and permanently adapted to changing market conditions. Today’s scale of Meyer Werft was inconceivable when Willm Rolf Meyer founded the Company as Thurm Werft in 1795. It is our legacy to continue this journey over the next generations.
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Dickie Bannenberg, Bannenberg & Rowell
Continuing a Legacy
Undeniably, the design bar for yachts was placed at the highest possible setting by my father, Jon Bannenberg, and it’s our job to try and keep it there. It’s no exaggeration to say his legacy shaped the entire industry.
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Peter Hürzeler, Ocean Independence
Continuing a Legacy
To ponder one’s own legacy could be distracting from what matters most: that we do our very best at every given moment. If we treat all human beings with compassion, love and fairness, and meet all challenges with creativity, energy and optimism, legacy will define itself.
designing the future
From ancient Middle Eastern landscapes to iconic 20th century buildings, these extraordinary redevelopments set to open in 2023 succeed in being both sensitive to their heritage and pioneering in their vision.
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The Red Sea Project, Saudi Arabia
Designing the Future
Encompassing 200km of coastline and an archipelago of 90 untouched islands; dormant volcanoes; desert; mountains; extraordinary wildlife and cultural heritage, the Red Sea Project and sister destination AMAALA will put Saudi Arabia on the international tourism map.
With phase one set for completion by the end of 2023, the project will comprise 50 hyper-luxurious resorts – including the Ritz Carlton Reserve, Miraval and Rosewood – offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and more than 1,000 residential properties. Committed to sustainable development, the Red Sea Project will also mitigate carbon dioxide emissions, waste production and light and noise pollution.
AMAALA will be home to a luxurious new Yacht Club with a 120-berth marina, setting out Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become an international yachting hub.
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The OWO, London
Designing the Future
The astonishing redevelopment of The Old War Office, The OWO is the most hotly anticipated new opening in London. The backdrop to world-shaping events, with icons of the 20th century including Winston Churchill and Ian Fleming walking its corridors, the Grade II* listed Edwardian landmark on Whitehall has received £1.5bn of investment and a meticulous six-year renovation spearheaded by the Hinduja Group.
Hosting the UK’s first Raffles Hotel; 85 residences designed by British design studio 1508 London and managed by Raffles; nine restaurants led by internationally renowned chefs and restaurateurs; three bars, and Guerlain’s first London spa, The OWO is reborn for the 21st century.
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Five Park, Miami Beach
Designing the Future
Miami Beach is set to be transformed with Five Park, a glamorous new residential development due for completion in early 2024. Designed by renowned architecture and planning studio, Arquitectonica, Five Park will showcase a gleaming residential tower – the tallest in Miami – with an expansive three-acre public park, retail space, and a landmark art-inspired bridge, connecting the community.
With 98 luxurious residences, the elliptical floor plans offer residents access to abundant natural light and expansive views, as well as a host of considered amenities. Fitness areas, swimming pools, work spaces, a private beach club and curated dining experiences combine to usher in a new era for Miami Beach.
A Legacy of Luxury
What gives a luxury brand real staying power? These three legendary houses have each marked their bicentenary with a potent combination of tradition and innovation.
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BOVET 1822
A Legacy of Luxury
Founded in Fleurier, BOVET’s pioneering designs of the 1800s focussed on intricately decorated and chronometrically advanced pocket timepieces. With their cases embellished with enamel paintings and often adorned with pearls, their precision movements were just as beautiful, leading BOVET to become the first brand to feature an exhibition case back.
That pioneering spirit continues today under the careful ownership of Raffy Pascal. Thirty per cent of BOVET’s limited production is bespoke, from engraved initials through to full bespoke timepieces. Their partnership with Pininfarina has produced a number of cutting edge timepieces, and a revolutionary new partnership with Automobili Pininfarina has unveiled the Battista, an entirely bespoke timepiece at the pinnacle of haute horology.
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Louis Vuitton
A Legacy of Luxury
Louis Vuitton’s journey to founding a behemoth luxury brand began with a two-year odyssey on foot from Anchay in eastern France to Paris, when he was just 13.
To mark the bicentenary of its pioneering founder’s birth, the Louis Vuitton company has unveiled myriad celebratory launches including 200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries: The Exhibition. Creatives from the worlds of art and culture, science, sport and humanitarian causes were invited to personalise an emblematic Louis Vuitton trunk with their fees donated to 15 creatively focussed NGOs across 13 countries.
In December, the 200 trunks will be auctioned at Sotheby’s, with all proceeds going to a creative scholarship programme. A suitably visionary tribute to the founding father of luxury.
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Boodles
A Legacy of Luxury
Founded in 1798, storied British jewellers Boodles is already comfortably into its 200s. Steered by six generations of the same family – the Wainwrights, Boodles is the only fine jewellery company to hail from Liverpool, which is still home to its head office today.
Boodles recently launched the Around the World in 16 Days high jewellery collection, inspired by the remarkable journey to circumnavigate the globe undertaken in 1962 by the late former Chairman, Anthony Wainwright. Featuring 26 astonishing modern rings inspired by the places he visited, including New York, Jaipur, Marrakech, St Petersburg and Sydney, the collection is a fitting tribute to Boodles’ unique heritage.
rising stars
Meet the millenial purveyors of luxury, creating bold new empires from their families’ legacy brands
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Alex Assouline
Rising Stars
The recently appointed COO of famed publishing house Assouline, 30-year-old Alex Assouline is continuing the legacy of the cultural bellwether founded in 1994 by his parents, Prosper and Martine. Having expanded into designing lifestyle objects and beautiful bespoke libraries, including at 550 Madison in New York, the future looks bright.
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Garret Leight
Rising Stars
The son of Larry Leight, founder of the luxury eyewear brand Oliver Peoples, 37-year-old Garrett Leight grew up in the eyeware industry. When his father sold the business in 2008, Garett realised the importance of keeping his family’s legacy alive. Today, his eponymous brand, Garrett Leight California Optical, is seen on everyone from Brad Pitt to Jeff Bezos.
future retro
A new generation of whisky connoisseurs is making this traditional spirit a desirable modern collectible. Discover what’s driving it, and how to start your own whisky collection.
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Future Retro
Think of a whisky drinker, and you probably don’t imagine one of the thirty-somethings frequenting The Swan Song in Singapore or Milroy’s of Soho in London. You may also be surprised to note that at the Sotheby’s spirits sale in March, 54 per cent of bidders were under 40.
So why has whisky become so popular with this age group? Call it the ‘Don Draper effect’. “This came in simultaneously with the box set generation,” says Jonny Fowle, Director and Head of Whisky & Spirits at Sotheby’s. “Shows like Mad Men, Breaking Bad and Boardwalk Empire started a glamorous whisky revolution. There was a perfect storm where modern culture collided with whisky companies’ ability to put out extremely old whisky.”
Whisky has become the most expensive category in alcohol. In 2019, Sotheby’s sold a bottle of Macallan Fine & Rare 1926 for $1.9m – still the record. While Japanese whiskies have grown hugely in popularity, Scotch whisky still dominates the market. The most expensive bottle of Japanese whisky – a first edition Yamazaki 55-Year-Old – sold for just under $800,000, while for the most expensive American whiskey – a bottle of LeNell’s Red Hook Rye 24 Year Old Barrell #4 – sold for $43,750.
If you’d like to start your own collection, Fowle advises becoming “obsessed” with the category. He also recommends buying something you like: “if it goes up in value perhaps you benefit from it, and if it comes to drinking it you’ll genuinely enjoy it.”
If you wish to speculate, buying “en primeur” from one of the crop of new distilleries could prove a worthwhile investment. However, Fowle adds “if you want to have the best collection in the world you have to have the Macallan 1926 – there’s no doubt about that.”
