The following article was published in Stylist on October 12 2011.
The following article was published in the November issue of Japanese Vogue
Here is a version in English:
This September, Josh Wood Atelier, the top British colourist’s first solo salon opened in London’s Notting Hill. It is set inside a small mews house behind black doors. As you enter, you will find yourself in a reception where you will find exclusive art works including a Sam Taylor Wood video and photographs by Horst and Tierney Gearon. It is reminiscent of the reception at an exclusive private member’s club. A glass-panelled corridor leads into the ‘atelier’, which has been designed with the feel of a couturier’s atelier. Paintings by Gary Hume and Martin Maloney line the walls and conceptual flower displays are positioned along the cutting table.
For his atelier, Wood wanted to bring in the skills of the session stylist who is exposed to new trends and ideas on a daily basis. ‘Most of my clients tend to like this idea because it is more inspiring and glamorous,’ he says. So, he has created a hub of experts, whose experience is as much from photo shoots and fashion shows, as from a traditional salon. Top session stylist, Eugene Soulieman is one of his team and will be at the atelier once every six weeks. Appointments with top make-up artists, such as Charlotte Tilbury and Kay Montano, will also be available.
Exclusivity is key, so there are just eight chairs. There is a concierge, clients have their own key and bills are settled on account. You can even have a personal I-Pad play list created for you by in house DJ Felix. There is an in house chef using locally sourced, market fresh food with a focus on skin and hair health. ‘We use oat milk in our shakes, because it is better for your hair,’ says Wood.
‘What has inspired me the most is working at the couture shows and seeing the attention to detail,’ he says. This, together with elements of service you might expect to find in the world’s top hotels, promises a winning formula.
Cut and blow-dry from £150; colour by Josh is by consultation. Also available: This Works Medi Pedi and Leg Treatment, £120. Josh Wood Atelier, 6 Lansdowne Mews, London W11 3AN, +44 203 0977, reservations@joshwoodcolour.com, www.joshwoodcolour.com.
The following appeared in Vogue Japan’s October issue, 2011.
Miller Harris launches two scents for autumn
Rain and smoke are the inspiration behind British perfumer, Lyn Harris’s two new scents. The first is called La Pluie and is a fresh floral scent, inspired by tropical rain and thunderstorms. It contains top notes of bergamot and tangerine. Floral heart notes centre around ylang ylang, with orange flower and jasmine. At its base there is vetiver and vanilla, ‘vanilla seals the rain accord,’ she says. A recent visit to Mauritius helped Harris to complete the fragrance after several years of work. ‘It had been an obsession,’ she adds. It was in Mauritius that she was inspired to include ylang ylang, which she says ‘adds steam and the exotic,’ to the scent.
The second, La Fumée, took less time to complete. It is a spicy, woody, smoky scent inspired by the burning of the cistus plant, which takes place in the south of Spain in September. ‘You get a sticky gum around the branches of the cistus and it smells like smoke. I thought how wonderful to catch a smoke fragrance so it wraps around you like a veil,’ she says. Top notes include cistus absolute, cardamom, coriander and cumin. Middle notes include cedar wood and sandalwood from Mysore, with a smoky, amber base.
Miller Harris La Pluie and La Fumée Eau de Parfum, £85 for 100ml, £60 for 40ml, candle, £34 from millerharris.com from September
C Side Spa – A Step into the Countryside
The tranquil, exclusive C Side Spa is nestled in the grounds of the quintessentially English, Cowley Manor. Its design reflects that of the hotel, and incorporates natural stone and wood, with splashes of colour and quirky contemporary furniture. The four treatment rooms are decorated with bird print wallpaper, which mirrors the packaging design of the Green & Spring skincare line, created by the founders of Cowley Manor.
There is an inside pool, lined with ocean green slate as well as a luxurious outdoor pool. Mini treatments are on offer as you lie on a sun lounger, poolside. The spa has just four treatment rooms as well as an area for manicure and pedicure, so retains an exclusive, intimate atmosphere.
This autumn the spa is offering a mid week, overnight package, to ease you into the new season. It includes two treatments of your choice from relaxing massage, or body exfoliation to a facial. All treatments use the natural, botanical based Green & Spring skincare such as Indulging Exfoliating Body Balm (£28), Body Cream (£28) or Deep Face Scrub (£24). It also includes an overnight stay, three-course dinner and breakfast. As a stylish, pampering getaway in the heart of the Cotswolds C Side is hard to beat.
Autumn mid-week package, from £305 at C Side Spa, Cowley Manor, Gloucestershire, tel: +44 (0)1242 870900. Green & Spring, from greenandspring.com
by email
RSS