ART & DESIGN THE
ART & DESIGN THE CENTURION SELECTION SKI FREE An Italian skimaker creates products that are not just fine-tuned but fully crafted to your style Andreas Pichler never understood the disconnect between skiing positioned as a luxe experience, and the lack of high-end equipment to match. Foil makes skis to correct that. “They are,” he suggests, “the Steinway of skis.” In large part this is because each pair is custom-made, based on the buyer’s height, weight, stance, skiing experience and even the kind of environment they most typically ski in. Details can be submitted by email, though a face-to-face meeting – at the company’s workrooms in Italy – is always preferable for fine-tuning, especially for very competent skiers. The skis are highly technical too: each is made with an all-wooden core – comprising a balance of ash, bamboo, mahogany and rosewood – to get the best ratio of stability and flexibility for the individual; edges are trimmed in stainless steel; and the base is made of graphite. A secret treatment gives the skis a glossy top-sheet. “When you use them you do notice the difference too,” says Pichler. “It’s all down to improving the dynamic of the ski, how fast it pushes you out of a turn, and that’s down to materials and construction.” This, however, does not come cheap: ,000 a pair. For those more into posing than skiing, there’s the ,000 option, using ancient bog oak and inlaid with gold. foilskis.com SCULPTING THE STARS FROM SUNDIALS TO PENDULUMS AND A SCALE MODEL OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM, ASTRONOMICAL SCULPTURES CAN FIT ANY SPACE L ike many artists, David Harber came to his craft by chance. Relaxing in the evening on his theatre barge in Amsterdam, he became obsessed with the stars. Almost a quarter of a century later, he has become Britain’s most prominent maker of scientifically accurate sundials (which tell the time), armillary spheres (globes displaying the tropics and poles) and mirrored sculptures (which reflect the sun and stars, such as the obelisk, right), for spaces from Heathrow Airport and Hôtel du Cap to Frégate Island and Eton College. Each work is bespoke, whether that’s a sculpture inspired by the paintings of MC Escher for a New York art collector or an armillary sphere personalised with dates and quotes pertinent to the client. His most ambitious project? “A brass solar system and a 200-tonne henge for someone’s garden,” he says. And his biggest? “A giant pendulum in Jeddah as a reminder that the first pendulum was made here a thousand years ago.” davidharber.co.uk PHOTOS FROM TOP: ROBERTO PASTROVICCHIO, CLIVE NICHOLS 48 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
The Textile Fixer PHOTOS FROM TOP: © RM WILLIAMS, © FAMEED KHALIQUE (2), RICHARD GREEN (2) BUSH BOOTS For generations of Australian men choosing a new pair of RM Williams boots (or RMs) was simple: brown for the sheep station; black for the boardroom. So the launch of its Bespoke range is a radical departure for the outbackborn brand. An online tool allows customers (male and female) to design their own Craftsman or Adelaide boots, choosing from a wide range of vibrant colours, leather types, threads, tugs and elastics. The boots are then handcrafted in the company’s South Australia workshop – the Au0 price tag includes free delivery in Australia but they can send worldwide. The idea of RMs in wedding white or crocodile skin may horrify traditionalists, but CEO Raju Vuppalapati says that the Bespoke range underlines the sheer flexibility of these handmade boots: “They have a rugged elegance that can be put to any use or location – whether it be on the weekend at your farm or at a formal dinner.” rmwilliams.com.au For one-of-a-kind fabrics, there’s one name to know: Fameed Khalique The intricate, innovative and breathtaking detail of haute couture is brought to the design world as Fameed Khalique marries fashion techniques with traditional and cuttingedge craftmanship such as weaving, cutting, pleating, stitching and embossing. His extraordinary, often unique collections transform materials such as snakeskins, fur pelts and the finest calf leathers with elements such as semiprecious gems, copper and silver, horsehair and even fishing line. One of the few go-to guys for new and interesting materials (Kyoto-based Hosoo is another), he works with artisans around the world to do everything from handweave microstrips of leather with naturally dyed silk to sand-cast aluminium for herringbone flooring. “The back stories of these techniques enrich the wow factor of a material,” he says. In his library of 30- plus collections, 85% is customisable in colour, material and embellishment to work in any space, from a grand hotel or cosy chalet to private jet (previous clients have included Four Seasons, Ace Hotels and Penhaligon’s). fameedkhalique.com Khalique and his work, including a bespoke embroidered foot stool, left CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 49
