Innholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2018 i Vogue Living

Dana Tomić Hughes DESIGN WRITER An interior architect by training, Tomić Hughes says that she became an editor, design writer and digital publisher by accident. “Having worked in the industry across a variety of amazing projects for more than a decade,” she says, “I started [my website] Yellowtrace eight years ago in my spare time so I could share my ongoing research, knowledge and passion for design.” Tomić Hughes’s inaugural column for Vogue Living this issue talks about the female retail zone (page 84). “I loved reflecting on how women are changing the world of design,” she says, “and how our evolving sensibility is giving rise to a new definition of the ‘feminine aesthetic’.” While she’s a Sydneysider, she admits a huge part of her heart still belongs to Yugoslavia…

When Frieda Gormley is pressed to describe House of Hackney — the bold, wildly exuberant British interiors brand she launched with her husband, Javvy M Royle, in 2011 — she recalls a recent quote that made her laugh. “It described our aesthetic as ‘if Edward Scissorhands and the Chelsea Flower Show had a love child,’” she says. “We thought it was funny but also quite true.” From wallpapers and fabrics to lampshades and dresses, House of Hackney’s distinctive patterns reverberate with a heady mix of bold florals, exotic foliage and birds, animal print, and a moody, seductive colour palette drawing from nature’s most succulent hues. The vibe is much more Gothic meets rock’n’roll than everyday traditional chintz. “There’s a beauty in it, but irreverence and humour, too,” Gormley says. The…

To design afficionados, the PH 5 pendant light is a familiar sight — comforting, timeless and distinctly mid-century. And when you learn that the philosophy behind Danish lighting manufacturer Louis Poulsen’s best-selling light — designed in 1958 by Poul Henningsen (known as PH) — is “human-centric, comfortable design”, you can appreciate why it’s been so successful. Rasmus Markholt, product and design director at Louis Poulsen’s head office, in the heart of sunny Copenhagen, muses on the subject: “It’s become a classic because of the subconscious pleasant feeling it gives — you don’t even realise why you like it.” The reason why is ingenious. Conceived by thinking about the way design can shape light, Henningsen’s creations bestow sublimely diffused, glare-free illumination. And it’s not just the PH 5. This enduring sentiment…

“It is still a male-dominated environment, and 70 per cent of the top creative jobs in this country are taken by men. This is under-representation. But I believe the future is bright and that gender difference is already being blurred in so many ways”FAYE TOOGOOD ITALIAN Rossana Orlandi THE MENTOR @rossana_orlandi BEST KNOWN AS Milan’s Queen of Design, indefatigable spotter and nurturer of new talent, and founder of the splendiferous Galleria Rossana Orlandi. Rossana Orlandi’s presence at Salone del Mobile is as imperative as Milan itself. Her performative look — that tiny frame; those giant glasses; that white cap of hair, pulled back tight — is impossible to ignore; it’s as if creativity oozes from her very pores, moulding itself into physical form. Orlandi is equally famous as a mentor to…

Here’s the plot summary: a Francophile writer and his partner find their dream apartment, not just in their desired neighbourhood in the heart of Warsaw, but in the exact building in which they want to live. They hire an insightful and intuitive interior designer, Marta Chrapka of Colombe Design, who understands her clients’ tastes as well as she does the subtle and refined aesthetics of gracious prewar-apartment living in the Polish capital. She completely redesigns the home, crafting smart and stylish spaces that blend old and new. The project takes about six months, and so far, everyone is living happily ever after. Located in the heart of Warsaw, the Powisle district has lovely parks and a bustling bankside stretch of the Vistula River lined with cafes, shops and restaurants. The…

MARK ELMORE, GENERAL MANAGER OF DESIGN AT FISHER & PAYKEL APPLIANCES, HAS DRIVEN DESIGN-LED THINKING ACROSS THE COMPANY. SPECIFICALLY, HE HAS A KEEN INTEREST IN THE PHYSICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL EVOLUTION OF KITCHENS, AND THE ACCOMPANYING SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS. OVER HIS YEARS AT THE COMPANY, MARK HAS CHAMPIONED ITS DEVELOPMENT AS A GLOBALLY FOCUSED, PREMIUM BRAND. IN 2011 HE WAS PRESENTED WITH NEW ZEALAND’S MOST PRESTIGIOUS DESIGN AWARD, THE JOHN BRITTEN BLACK PIN. THE KITCHEN IS NO LONGER JUST A PLACE WHERE FOOD IS PREPARED. It’s also a place where food is shared. It’s become a meeting place for the family, a place to work and entertain. WE’RE SEEING A RISE IN THE TREND FOR KITCHENS THAT SIT SEAMLESSLY WITHIN THE HOME AS A WHOLE. You can see this in…

TACTILE TEXTURE MIX Raw travertine with timber; natural stone with concrete; gloss with matte; translucent with opaque — 2018 is all about contrast. SEAMLESS The rise of handle-free designs from push-to-open drawers and cabinetry to sleek, built-in ovens and induction cooktops continues. RAW AND ORGANIC A back-to-nature aesthetic was also prevalent with rustic textures and earthy materials imbued with warmth and feeling DARK AND MOODY Industrial finishes from patinaed metal to dark stone, timber and smoky glass combine with moody blues, charcoal and sage. MAXIMALIST Sculptural kichen islands, disco-inspired lighting and bright, bold designer collaborations: maximalism is having a moment.…

Natural beauty All the surfaces of this Sicilian bathroom (pictured below), designed by Jean Pascal Lévy Trumet, are rounded, creating a soft, cocooning space. “I like my creations to be a reflection of the living, such as human beings, science and nature, all the way down to the macro world of tissues and cells,” he says. The wall and basin are in Libeccio Antico marble; the lights are by Peter Zumthor from Viabizzuno; and tapware is Zanetti Chini Fabrica. Visit jplt.net The colours of dusk were the inspiration for this Manhattan powder room designed by New York City architecture and interior design firm Space Exploration. Initially, the ombre-patterned wallpaper, Ray from Calico Wallpaper, was selected. The custom basin is in Belvedere marble, which has a gold vein that picks up…

It is a designer’s dream to be given free reign on a project, and Marion Duclos Mailaender of interior design firm Design et Fils got just that. “We were given a living room,” she says, “but I decided I would rather a bathroom.” The luxurious space allows for two stainless steel baths that face each other, so that bathers can engage in conversation. “We proposed that it would be like a living room, where people can read and discuss,” the designer says, “and we installed furniture and art so that one can take the time to contemplate.” The sleek use of stainless steel, inspired by 1970s French designer Francois Catroux, is enlivened by cobalt blue tapware and a playful ’80s Ettore Sottsass bench. “I mixed styles and genres, but also…

In the memorable opening moments of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, actor Hugo Weaving, frocked-up in sequins and blonde wig, lip-syncs to Charlene’s 1982 hit, ‘I’ve Never Been To Me’, while a rowdy crowd in an inner Sydney hotel jeer him on. The pub is The Imperial Erskineville, a 1940s classic corner landmark that, since the 1980s, has regularly hosted drag performances on a special stage in a back room. The curvaceous old hotel, a prime example of what is known as interwar functionalist style, designed by Virgil Cizzio, underwent a cultural transformation when it was purchased in 1983 by legendary entrepreneur Dawn O’Donnell, who also owned the famous Patchs and Capriccios nightclubs on Oxford Street. The former butcher turned it into a safe haven for the…

Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner and pals would have loved this ship. White-coated waiters serve Caesar salad and Lobster Thermidor in The Grill by Thomas Keller, a dark-shuttered restaurant with sexy banquettes and a soundtrack of eraappropriate American classics. At the bar, the Rat Pack Manhattan is shaken into frosty glasses. There are blackjack tables at the casino and tented cabanas with Bollinger on tap in The Retreat, for VIPs wishing to hang with their own rat pack. Seabourn’s newest boutique cruise ship, Seabourn Ovation, squeezes a lot of glamour into 12 decks. Renowned hotel designer Adam D Tihany (The Beverly Hills Hotel, the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas) has worked some serious magic on the interiors, which are richly jewel-like and as plush as those on a private yacht, with polished-mahogany…

STORE IT It’s easy to be obsessed with Tokyo’s department stores, especially the subterranean food halls with their dazzling array of exquisitely packaged crackers, sweets and cakes. At Ginza, visit the three Ms — Matsuya, Mitsukoshi and Matsuzakaya — or stroll to the newer Daimaru at the historic Tokyo subway station. COSTUME PLAY If you fancy yourself in a cute maid’s uniform, Shibuya 109 at Shibuya Crossing is the place to go. It’s several dizzying floors of fashions in the Japanese kawaii (cuteness) style, from furry pantaloons to rabbit hats. shibuya109.jp/en/ DO IT YOURSELF For the best store in the world for homemakers, don’t miss Tokyu Hands flagship store at Shibuya. It sells everything from fabulous handyman’s satchels to fluorescent toothbrushes. There are things here you never knew you wanted,…

Welcome to the reimagined and redesigned September/October issue of Vogue Living. The team has been working tirelessly on our new look-and-feel over the past few months and I’m excited to finally share this issue with you. I stepped into the editor’s role at Vogue Living not long after having my first baby — so I’ve come to the job with a renewed appreciation of the challenges that women face when forging their careers, as well as a new sense of just how driven and resilient we can be. So this issue is a celebration of women, our creativity and our excellence. On page 114 we share a portfolio of women who make up the world’s most visionary design talent — including interiors matriarch Rossana Orlandi, innovator (and new mum) Faye…

Shot on location at Beta Bar, Sydney; betabarsydney.com.au…

I try to make feminine design with a bit of poetry,” says designer Charlotte Juillard, from her chic loft apartment in Paris. “I think I’m a really sensitive person, so I don’t want to do big, commercial things. I’m more into design that makes you feel something.” For Juillard, it has always been thus. Having studied interior architecture at the École Camondo in Paris, she went on to do a residency in Treviso, Italy, at Fabrica. This multidisciplinary research centre, housed in a 17th-century villa refurbished by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, brings together people from diverse creative backgrounds to share ideas. It was here that she truly found her voice. “This was the great adventure of my life as a designer,” she says. “It was such a creative year that…

AMERICAN The Egg Collective FURNITURE, LIGHTING, ACCESSORIES, AND CREATORS OF THE ANNUAL ALL-FEMME EXHIBITION, DESIGNING WOMEN BASED IN New York City BREAKTHROUGH PROJECT The launch of Egg Collective’s first furniture collection at the 2012 ICFF in New York. “It was our sink-or-swim moment. We won the award for Best New Designer — it was a dream come true.” INSPIRED BY “Julie Scheu, one of our first furniture design instructors. She was fearless and showed us what a female designer and maker could look like.” CLIENTS INCLUDE Jamie Bush, Drake Anderson, Studio Shamshiri, Ellen Hanson, Deborah Berke, Pembrooke and Ives, Champalimaud, and Commune. Also collaborated with The Future Perfect, Studio Van Den Akker, Garde and M Naeve. CURRENTLY WORKING ON “Designing and prototyping new work for Egg Collective as well as…

In Guastalla, a town in the province of Reggio Emilia, Italy, the streets of the city centre are small pathways crossing each other while meeting a succession of gates; they speak of a time that appears to stand still. Here, a Neorealist atmosphere blends into a noble world with international flair, one that’s home to eclectic interior designer Francesca Orsi — the soul of atelier L’Orangerie. Her home, an opulent, three-storey Baroque former palace, dates back to 1600, its decorative wall layers revealing a succession of changes over time. It was pure chance that led Orsi to this magnificent building: she had an opportunity to acquire it 12 years ago when she was searching for a new living/retail space, but decided to go with another option in the nearby village…

Marloes Hoedeman is a high-flying Dutchwoman, an effervescent Titian blonde at the helm of the global lingerie brand Love Stories. She stands at 170 centimetres in flat, fluffy mules but somehow seems taller. Her face is sprinkled with light freckles, like ginger stardust. “Wow, don’t I look glamorous,” she laughs, disarmingly surprised at how well she scrubs up in front of Vogue Living’s lens. The Amsterdam home Hoedeman and her partner, Eric Bijlsman, recently renovated is equally self-assured, stylishly nonchalant. A former warehouse on the Amstelveld just off Prinsengracht, the city’s fourth concentric canal from the old centre, the four-storey red-brick building dates from the early 1800s, its high, arched ground-floor doors giving directly onto the historical veld, what was once an open field. “It’s more of a neighbourhood than…

Only three years old, the burgeoning Parisian interior design firm Jaune Architecture, cofounded by Marine Delaloy and Paula Alvarez de Toledo, was born of a mutual respect for the duo’s previous employers, Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty of Studio KO, and Joseph Dirand, respectively. This influence is evident in the way in which they designed this apartment in the Marais district of Paris — the pared-back restraint of Dirand can be seen in the kitchen island, and the sweeping curves of Studio KO in the pale oak timber arch that separates the kitchen and dining space. There’s nothing derivative about their design, however — Delaloy and Alvarez de Toledo have put their own stamp on this project with such quirky choices as the 1970s Zanotta Quaderna 2600 dining table by…

The brief was to design a tasteful-yet-fun children’s bathroom for a creative couple — an artist and a curator. US architecture and design firm Charlap Hyman & Herrero jumped right in, combining an array of unusual elements for this contemporary project, referencing Italian styles of the 1920s and ’30s, and featuring playful objects with kid appeal. “We incorporated a flamingo the kids call ‘mingo’, a painting by their father, artist Seth Cameron, and a Danish children’s chair to lighten the mood,” says Alexander Charlap Hyman, director of Charlap Hyman & Herrero. Inspired by the bathroom in Milan’s Villa Necchi, the wall tiles are a deep ink blue, offset with rich blue-and-cream tiles in a diagonal pattern on the floor (all sourced from Heritage Tile). The bathtub was found in the…

FOR THE TRADE Boyac boyac.com.au James Dunlop Textiles/Mokum jamesdunloptextiles.com Milgate milgate.com.au Orient House orienthouse.net.au Radford radfordfurnishings.com.au Seneca senecatextiles.com.au South Pacific Fabrics southpacificfabrics.com EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING Academy Tiles + Surfaces academytiles.com.au Abey abey.com.au ACV Studio acvstudio.com Adam Fuss enquiries to Cheim & Read; cheimread.com Alice Wormald enquiries to Daine Singer; dainesinger.com Angeline Drinan @angedrinan Anibou anibou.com.au Anthony Kennedy Upholstery anthonykennedy.com.au Apaiser apaiser.com Armadillo & Co armadillo-co.com Artedomus artedomus.com Artemest artemest.com Artemide artemide.com Arthur G arthurg.com.au Axess Glass axessglass.com Bally bally.com.au Bangin Hangings banginhangins.com.au Bastille and Sons bastilleandsons.com.au Bathe bathe.net.au Becker Minty beckerminty.com Blakebrough+King enquiries to Criteria Collection; criteriacollection.com.au Boffi Studio Sydney boffistudio.com.au Brodware brodware.com Burberry burberry.com Candana candana.com.au Castle castleandthings.com.au Chanel 1300 242 635 Christian Dior (02) 9229 4600 Classic Tiles classictiles.net.au Concrete Colour Systems concretecoloursystems.com.au Cult cultdesign.com.au Dedece dedece.com Designer Rugs designerrugs.com.au Dewar and Gicquel enquiries to Loevenbruck Gallery; loevenbruck.com Dinosaur Designs dinosaurdesigns.com.au Douglas & Bec douglasandbec.com Dulux dulux.com.au Eugenie Kawabata eugeniekawabata.com.au Fathiya Tahiri enquiries to La Galerie 38; lagalerie38.com Fendi fendi.com Filip Kalkowski enquiries to onsitegallery.com Fisher & Paykel fisherpaykel.com Fleurette fleurette.co Fred International fredinternational.com.au Georg Jensen georgjensen.com Giorgio…

For mind, body and spirit Yes, the scale-tipping buffets still exist, but these days, cruise companies are also mindful of wellness, offering juice bars, gluten-free and vegetarian meals, kilojoule-counted portions and the freshest ingredients. Power walk on the deck or treadmill, take Pilates, hire a personal trainer or indulge in a Nordic bathing ritual on Viking Ocean Cruises’ ships. Get plenty of sea air and restful nights gently rocking on the water, and return to shore feeling as if you’ve been on a health retreat. vikingcruises.com Feast at top tables On Crystal Cruises, guests can try famed chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s Japanese-Peruvian fusion without the usual six-month wait. Dine at Nobu’s Silk Road and The Sushi Bar on Crystal Serenity and Umi Uma on Crystal Symphony — the only Nobu restaurants…

RIDE A TRAM Lisbon’s quaint trams, some of which date back to the mid-1900s, rattle precariously up and down the city’s hills, offering an exhilarating ride. Avoid the too-touristy No 28 tram and explore the city like a local on one of the other lines that link the neighbourhoods. SHOP FOR SPECIALTIES Dedicated to Portuguese crafts, A Vida Portuguesa occupies an atmospheric old perfume factory in Lisbon’s Chiado neighbourhood. These are souvenirs with style — exquisitely packaged soaps and toiletries; ceramics by local artists; embroidery; and traditional foods, such as brightly labelled tins of sardines. avidaportuguesa.com TAKE IN THE TILES Lisbon’s traditional handpainted tiles, or azulejos, cover the façades and interior walls of many of its buildings. A medieval convent is home to the National Tile Museum, which showcases tiles…

Onsen of Japan BY STEVE WIDE AND MICHELLE MACKINTOSH Part ritual, part transcendent experience, there’s an art to the act of communal bathing in Japan — a custom that dates back thousands of years — that has tripped up more than one foreign visitor. If you haven’t dipped your toe in yet, you’re in luck; Japanophiles Wide and Macintosh have created the ultimate bathhouse guide to help minimise any cultural gaffes and to highlight 140 of the country’s best hot springs, spas and onsen towns. Hardie Grant Travel, 2018; $30 The Pisces BY MELISSA BRODER Lucy is a 38-year-old PhD student who feels heartbroken and untethered in her life in Arizona, when she receives an invitation to dogsit at her sister’s house in Venice Beach, California. After a series of…

THE HOT SEAT Gorsia Design has been creating covetable handcrafted furniture (such as the Rivoli-X lounge chair, pictured) for more than 20 years. But until recently, Australian shoppers could view the collection only online. Now, in good news for local design lovers — and anyone who’s lusted after a piece but wished they could see it in real life before committing — Gorsia Design has chosen Melbourne’s Southbank as the site for its first international showroom. “GORSIA DESIGN DELIVERS QUALITY ABOVE ALL — QUALITY IN TERMS OF MATERIALS, CONSTRUCTION, FINISHES, OVERALL LOOK, FEEL AND COMFORT” THINK GLOBALLY Thanks to his background in architecture and his extensive travels, Gorsia Design founder Jay Gorsia brings a unique approach to his furniture brand, with each piece designed to provide functional luxury. “Gorsia Design…

If it’s true that something done with love is done par excellence, then the work of Maria Pergay, the French artist-designer who made stainless steel chic in the 1960s and ’70s, shines in the most wonderful way. From her early days as a self-taught silversmith crafting exquisite, one-off decorative objects, Pergay seems only to have followed her heart, and never the market, when it came to her designs. Many did not become fashionable until years after they were created, but that’s not to say she didn’t attract a cultivated following of devotees along the way: her first collection of furniture, for example, exhibited at Galerie Maison et Jardin in Paris in 1968, was bought outright by couturier Pierre Cardin. “You can’t really categorise her,” says Suzanne Demisch of Demisch Danant,…

When Bodil Bjerkvik Blain transformed her early Victorian semidetached house in west London, she drew on Australia for inspiration. Wanting to replicate the way Australians embrace natural light was integral to her plan for converting what had been four rundown, dingy flats into an upbeat family home with generous proportions and multi-angle views of the trees and greenery outside. The Norwegian-born former model and art graduate lovingly remembers the year she spent living in Sydney in the 1990s, modelling for the likes of Country Road, after following her then boyfriend from the US to Hunters Hill. “There’s a great synergy between Norway and Australia,” says Bjerkvik Blain, “and I’ve always made the best friends there.” A decade or so later, now fully ensconced in London life as a budding interior…

“Our goal is to create a platform to support and honour these women, which will begin a conversation to encourage future female creatives”REBECCA CARATTI, EDITOR The inaugural Vogue Living Women of Excellence speaker series, in partnership with BMW, will bring together some of Australia’s most creative minds at intimate dinners in Sydney and Melbourne to talk inspiration, innovation and empowering experiences. For 50 years, Vogue Living has showcased Australia’s foremost creative talent. In keeping with this tradition, Vogue Living’s Women of Excellence speaker series champions the women who have risen to the top of their professions and have come to define what Australian design means today. Headlining the debut of the Women of Excellence event this November in Sydney will be award-winning creatives Caroline Choker of Acme & Co, Kirsten…

Standing in the calm, sophisticated living space of a Victorian-era home in the leafy enclave of Sydney’s Woollahra, Tamsin Johnson declares her design ethos as natural and without pretension. It’s a description you could equally attribute to the woman herself. “I would rather a signature feel than a signature look,” says the Melbourne-raised, Sydney-based designer who’s currently balancing an impressive 15 projects both at home and internationally, as well as two children younger than three years old. “I like creating spaces that don’t look overly designed — spaces that are comfortable and look as though they could have always been there.” Johnson’s approach has led to a successful portfolio spanning residential, retail and hospitality spaces. Among her most renowned works are a refresh of Rae’s on Wategos, Byron Bay’s retreat…

Once strictly the functional heart of the home, the kitchen is the new star attraction. With the rise of open-plan living, it’s become a multi-use space that seamlessly morphs from office to entertainment hub to family dining room. At this year’s Salone del Mobile’s biennial EuroCucina show in Milan — the global barometer for future trends — the humble kitchen has transformed into an innovative, sensory and increasingly social experience. “There’s a multitude of uses that now dictates how a kitchen needs to look,” says Simone Stephens, senior industrial designer at New Zealand premium appliance company Fisher & Paykel. “For some it’s disappearing completely into the home.” Mark Elmore, Fisher & Paykel’s general manager of design, agrees: “Today’s kitchen is on show to guests and family alike, so aesthetics matter…

“It would have a sense of serenity, comfort and warmth. I love natural light paired with organic textures and materials. Underfoot would be a heated palladiana marble floor interwoven with render wall texture in a nude hue. A Boffi bath and cast concrete basin would accent the classic brass tapware, rain shower and floor-mounted bath spout. The joinery would be finished in the same texture as the floor, and statement wall lights and a travertine stool would add an eclectic touch.” Visit acme-co.com.au…

“It would be separate to the living room — kitchens are functional zones but they should also still feel social, they need their own designated area. I love industrial kitchens and the charm of steel matched with warm materials such as timber or matte marble. The floor must be easy to clean — I love a plain resin floor that emphasises the furniture. I like to hide the fridge by integrating it into cabinetry. For the dining table, I find a round shape more convivial. Apart from the functional lights over the stove, the lighting should be decorative to create a warm atmosphere.” Visit cristinacelestino.com…

When Brazilian-born Thayse Viégas was completing her master’s degree in fashion buying at Milan’s Istituto Marangoni in 2011, her final project was to create an imaginary concept store. She was so taken with the notion that, five years later, she brought together 25 designers, artists and craftspeople to make that vision a reality. Undaunted by not finding the right space in Milan, she rented a beautiful apartment in the countryside — and turned her home into a gallery. Casa Canvas is a 40-minute drive from Milan, near Brianza, on the way to Lake Como and at the foot of the Italian Alps. It is located in the historic 18th-century Villa Stanga Borromeo Arese, which is set in immaculately maintained formal gardens. In the 1990s, the villa was sensitively divided into…

CHOOSE WISELY Do your research before the trip so you’ll have an idea of what you’re looking for and be less likely to buy something simply on a whim. PERUSE THE SHOPS Cruise lines are great places for retail therapy, and larger luxury ships devote entire decks to shopping malls — Cunard, for example, has the Royal Arcade in the style of London’s Burlington Arcade. Prices are legitimately duty-free, without local taxes, as the ships don’t trade on shore. In fact, they’re open only on sea days and closed in port. FIND THE DEALS Prices can be competitive with onshore retail, and you’re unlikely to come across a fake handbag or diamond ring, as cruise lines have reputations to uphold. Make sure you know the recommended retail price of an…

Dipping in and out of Asian ports, this spring cruise on the Silver Shadow has culture, chopsticks and even mechanical crabs. Shanghai looks like a funfair at night, with its madcap skyline, punctuated with buildings that look like robots, pagodas and giant bottle openers. The wide Huangpu River that divides the old town from the new is insanely busy after dark, a traffic jam of dark barges, sleek motor cruisers and ferries lit up with fairy lights. Sitting on our verandah on the sixth deck of Silversea’s Silver Shadow, we feel like we’re right in the river among it. The Silver Shadow is a small ship, so she has been able to dock right in the centre of the city, with views of both Pudong district and the famous riverfront…

The notion of cruising the South Seas is deeply romantic, but it’s also the best way to experience a part of the world scattered with thousands of islands, most of them inaccessible by air. Today, so many ships regularly sail the South Pacific, from small schooners to megaliners. So it’s important to find a cruise that suits your style. Rhiannon Taylor — editor of In Bed With, a lifestyle website that reviews and photographs beautiful hotels around the world — experienced luxurious small ship Crystal Symphony’s Polynesian Palette itinerary for Vogue Living, sailing from Lautoka in Fiji to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands by way of Nuku‘alofa in Tonga and Alofi, capital of the world’s smallest nation, Niue. “It’s perfect for couples,” says Taylor of the 1070-passenger ship, which is…

Nurture your wellbeing Regent Seven Seas Cruises will offer its popular Seven Seas Wellness program for summer 2019 voyages in the Mediterranean. Guests sailing aboard Seven Seas Explorer and Seven Seas Voyager will have about 10 options throughout Spain, Italy and Greece to join onshore excursions for body-and-soul nourishing. The possibilities include taking yoga classes on the Greek Island of Corfu and visiting the thermal springs in Sorrento, Italy. On board, guests can indulge in therapeutic treatments designed for the cruise line by the famed Canyon Ranch Spa in the US. Relax in single-sex hydrothermal environments, take a wellness seminar or improve disrupted sleep with the Mindful Dreams Ritual. Fitness classes range from gentle stretching and Kundalini yoga to personal training, weight-loss programs and more. rssc.com Relax Scandi style Viking’s…

It is the most peculiar experience I’ve had on a cruise ship: sound-bath therapy. I lie on the floor of the Seabourn Ovation’s exercise studio, covered in heavy blankets, on a special ‘bio-mat’ that’s filled with crystals and delivers far-infrared light. Three acupuncture needles puncture my skin. As the ship rolls on a gentle swell, a humming sound serenades me, as my trainer strikes and strokes crystal bowls of varying sizes with a mallet. The treatment aims to rebalance the nervous system by releasing the energy that has accumulated in my body through repetitive, restrictive behaviours and thoughts. I’m not sure this is what’s happening, but the experience is calming. The sound bath is one of several unusual rituals available as part of the Mindful Living Program devised by alternative-medicine…