Some places are so impressively stylish and proportioned that they make you feel trendy just by walking around in them. The Puro Mallorca is a fine example. And naturally it’s a Design Hotel.

Take an historic palacete in the very heart of Palma de Mallorca – just footsteps away from its earthy markets, trendy cafés and harbour area – and add a brief to convert it into something special. Something with Cannes glamour, laid-back Miami languor and über-cool design that feeds off its historic setting and ambient surroundings. (more…)

Watchmaker Alexander Shorokhoff is a man fascinated by both culture and technology. As an engineer and enthusiast of Russian tradition he is perfectly qualified to marry the best in modern precision engineering to an artistic vision laced with the distinctive touches of his motherland. The result is a remarkable collection of timepieces that are fast gaining a reputation for Russian excellence in design and jewellery.

Trained as an engineer, Alexander Shorokhoff was working in Moscow when selected to become one of the first professionals invited to study abroad at a free market university. In his case, the road led to Frankfurt, where he would subsequently become involved in watch making. “It was a fascinating new experience and one I took to very naturally,” says Shorokhoff. “Even when I was studying engineering in Moscow I always had a fascination with design, geometry and architecture, so working with watches was a perfect environment for me, as it combines both the technical and the artistic sides.” (more…)

In a world saturated with self-proclaimed experts and art dealers few can truthfully claim to be buyers and sellers of Picassos, Chagals and Kandinskys. For Helly Nahmad, it is part of a proud family dynasty that spans over 50 years.

A man with such a diverse background could not do something banal for a living. Born in Lebanon of Syrian origin, Helly Nahmad grew up in Italy before living in France, Brazil, Argentina, Switzerland, and now in Marbella, Southern Spain. The result is a lively and inquisitive personality that has served him well, for it is his ability to connect with a broad range of people that has proved a particularly valuable asset in his unique line of work.

“My family set up the business when I was still very young, so I grew up with it and was exposed to it for as long back as I can remember,” says Helly. “My uncles, who still play a very active role today, chose to locate their first gallery right next to La Scala, in Milan.” It was from here that they built up one of the most renowned art dealerships in the world – one that specialises exclusively in the very pinnacle of art and the very greatest names. (more…)

Many of the world’s famous brands may come from Paris, Milan and London, but whilst in many cases iconic, much of what they make is actually produced on a considerable scale. For one-off pieces designed and made by master craftsmen, smaller bespoke jewellers are making a welcome comeback. (more…)

High up, on the foothills of the Sierra Blanca range lays an artist’s retreat with magnificent views over Marbella and the Mediterrean Sea. Inspired by this perspective and the rich light of southern Spain, renowned painter Armando Sendin has been producing a prolific body of work that has long since seen him established as the leading representative of Brazilian realism.

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