Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
January is about setting the tone for the year ahead, and the Wallpaper* editors have been doing just that, immersing themselves in art, music, food, literature and film. This week brings a taste of London’s best new dining spots, a nostalgic return to childhood through art and an escape to the country
A week of watches
Louis Vuitton's Escale Worldtime (left); TAG Heuer's Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph (right)
Bill Prince, editor-in-chief
The beginning of the week was spent in Milan at the sixth annual gathering known as LVMH Watch Week. This start-of-year event for the group’s nine watch-producing brands acts as both a showcase and a tip sheet for the year ahead, with brands including TAG Heuer, Hublot, Zenith, Tiffany & Co. and, of course, Louis Vuitton itself unveiling new line-ups of timepieces that – in some cases – pointed to firm trends across the industry: smaller case sizes, wider use of precious metals (Tiffany & Co. revealed a stunning platinum-cased chronograph, the Timer, complete with a 'Tiffany Blue' lacquer dial) and, more generally, a greater emphasis on design. This was evident in a refreshed series of Escale models at Louis Vuitton, an extension of the Defy line at Zenith, and the brace of dial names now housed within LV’s watchmaking centre in Geneva, La Fabrique du Temps.
Here, the celebrated duo of Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini are overseeing the development of Gerald Genta and Daniel Roth – the former now represented by the cushion-shaped Geneva Time Only, the latter demonstrating its mastery of shape with the (literally) dazzling Extra Plat Rose Gold Skeleton. Further props went to TAG Heuer for producing its first split-seconds chronograph in a wristwatch, and to Hublot CEO Julien Tornare for creatively corralling last year’s Novak Djokovic Goat Edition Big Bang Unico into a colour-coordinated continuation model designed to keep pace with the world number four’s tournament wins across all three surfaces.
A sonic homecoming
Gabriel Annouka, senior designer
At Café Oto last week, Majazz Project’s Palestinian Sound Archive spun field recordings, Bedouin yarghoul melodies, radio fragments and carefully restored records from Palestine. It was a joyful listening night celebrating sonic heritage through rare, beautifully designed cassette releases (pure nostalgia), rounded off with a playful DJ set by Daniele Mizar.
A playful pilgrimage
Ailis Bickford, project manager
This week, I braved the rain and ventured to West London for Priest’s exhibition, Paper Cut, at the Saatchi Gallery in Sloane Square. The installation playfully unpacks childhood through a series of life-size renderings of key objects that shape art and creativity in one’s formative years. Priest dissects childhood play by magnifying recognisable objects; as you move through the space, it invites you to evaluate prevalent issues in London, from the housing and education crisis to youth violence. Priest: Paper Cut is a free exhibition, open until January 25.
A lunch that lingered
Ellie Stathaki, architecture & environment director
My photos are never as good as the professional ones, but looking back at my visit to Mezzogiorno a week ago makes me want to go again. The new restaurant has just opened on the ground floor of London’s Corinthia Hotel, designed by Afroditi Krassa to provide expertly balanced, welcoming comfort – and that’s before even trying the food. Seen here: the red shrimp starter, a personal favourite; parmigiana di melanzane; and a generous dollop of tiramisu. For the full review, read here.
A literary looking-ahead
Hannah Silver, art, culture, watches & jewellery editor
For a culture editor, January offers an exciting chance to preview key launches for the year ahead. This month, I have particularly enjoyed reading Granta’s upcoming April release, The Wonderful World That Almost Was: A Life of Peter Hujar and Paul Thek. Tracing their creative, tumultuous partnership, it offers a rare peek into the lives of two criminally overlooked artists.
An Electric night
Charlotte Gunn, director of digital content
I finally caught Marty Supreme at my favourite London cinema, the Electric on Portobello Road, and it was a riot. Chaotic, original and not really about ping pong at all, the film shares the same farcical, kinetic energy as one of the best flms of last year, One Battle After Another. Ahead of the screening, I stopped by Jackson Boxer’s Dove and found it far more compelling than its predecessor, Orosay. The tuna ragù, in particular, was a standout.
A snowy sojourn
Anna Fixsen, US editor
An assignment for Wallpaper* (no spoilers here!) took me to rural Sullivan County, New York, over the weekend. Unlike other Upstate enclaves, this particular region felt delightfully wild, thanks to its rural setting in a crook of the Delaware River and a refreshing lack of trendy shops and boutique hotels. I took advantage of the slower pace by playing cards with my husband, listening to an audiobook (Belle Burden’s engrossing memoir is a must!) and keeping an eye out for wild critters with my binoculars. It snowed six inches, blanketing the landscape in a fluffy white duvet – perfect when you’re snug-as-a-bug indoors, challenging when you find out your sporty rental car does not, in fact, have all-wheel drive. Fortunately, this hearty Minnesotan knows her way around a snowbank.