BILLIONAIRE 31 - Savoir Faire

Acting appropriately is a concept that is in constant change, thankfully. What would have been socially acceptable 50 or 100 years ago is no longer so and mostly for good reasons. In the age we live in, I believe, we are required to not only consider our fellow humans but the other species that inhabit this planet and indeed the very place we call home, Earth. Acting appropriately must mean with utmost respect. It is, however, also about doing the right thing, even when perhaps it’s not socially acceptable. This is how we have moved forward, how we have advanced, how we have left behind certain societal norms and replaced them with better or even far better norms. As such, acting inappropriately at times is in fact the right thing to…

Savoir-faire, literally translated as ‘know-how’. It’s the gestures and knowledge of craftspeople passed down through generations. Many of these crafts are in danger of becoming extinct but, in some cases, they are being rediscovered and commercialised, and that should be celebrated. In this issue of Billionaire, we highlight experts and craftspeople all over Europe who are elevating and reviving ancient techniques; bringing them into the 21st century and beyond. Take Féau Boiseries, a fifth-generation wood paneller in Paris run by Guillaume Féau. His father had taken the family business down the interior-design road, away from traditional wood panelling. But Guillaume saw the opportunity to revive the old model, and now Féau Boiseries decoration can be seen in some of the world’s most famous properties, including Palais Rose in Paris and Villa Ephrussi…

Imagine reinterpreting timeless hand skills through cutting-edge materials such as carbon fibre, electroconductive ceramics, and self-healing, paper-based Fenix. Picture harnessing the natural properties of abundant, sustainable resources to create unique, never-before-seen forms and finishes. In recent years, traditional hand skills have been rapidly disappearing, overshadowed by the Western world’s technology-focused, digital transformation. However, a resurgence of interest in these ancient techniques is growing, as they become increasingly rare and coveted by leading design and craft commissioners. Reviving a craft technique is not enough, though. We must see it grow and evolve in the age of machines. Innovation is the key to preserving these ancient skills, whether it’s by applying traditional techniques to new materials or programming machines with more human-like qualities. Uniformity is dull, and we must strive to keep craftsmanship vibrant…

A trip to a magical party recently took me via Madrid. It had been years since I was at The Ritz, a historic five-star Belle Époque hotel on Madrid’s Retiro district, next to the Prado Museum. It has been fabulously renovated and is now part of Mandarin Oriental. I had left my wallet on the plane and the hotel staff jumped into action immediately, paid for my taxi and then followed up with calls to the airline and the airport to try and locate it. Already impressed at their service and support in a moment like this, I was nonetheless struck by the room-key cards, which are made of cardboard rather than the ghastly plastic that is too much of an industry standard. My room overlooked the Prado Museum and I guess this…

The co-founders of sustainable seafood brand The Wright Brothers, Robin Hancock and his brother-inlaw Ben Wright started off their journey 20 years ago when a stint in France yielded a chance meeting with oyster farmer Jerome. They realised that the British concept of oysters — elitist, only served with expensive Champagne in stuffy restaurants — was ripe for a makeover. They quit their jobs and bought a historic oyster farm on the Helford River. Today they supply some 500 of the UK’s top restaurants and Michelin-starred chefs and have opened three London restaurants, including in Borough Market and Battersea Power Station; while their depot in Brixham, Devon, has become quite a pilgrimage for seafood lovers. We sat down with Robin Hancock for a quick-fire Q&A about his day-to-day life. What is your morning…

Milan’s Salone del Mobile will take place on April 18-23, 2023, returning to its traditional Spring dates for the first time in three years. This 61st edition of the festival is dedicated to the theme Nothing Happens if Nothing Happens, inviting designers and studios to start a chain reaction of change to rethink, regenerate and rehabilitate, to come together and go beyond sustainable design thinking. Billionaire rounds up the must-see stands at this year’s fair. Bocci Canadian lighting and design studio Bocci will celebrate the launch of its permanent base in Milan in an early 20th-century building in Zona Vincenzo Monti. For Milan Design Week 2023, a collection of new product designs and bespoke lighting installations will be presented in the intimate residential setting of the space. This includes 118 glass spheres that…