Making a point

The fountain pen isn't dead. Despite email, texting and the curse of the Blackberry, hand-written notes are cool and an ink signature much smarter than ball point. The Mayfair-based luxury emporium William & Son has stolen a march on its rivals with the launch of the new 1010 Limited Edition by Caran d'Ache. There's an eye-watering price tag but that isn't the point. This is about Swiss skill and design and an unparalleled rarity factor. The 1010 pays homage to the master watchmakers of Switzerland, referencing the artistry and mechanics of skeletonised case backs. The body of the pen recalls the delicate gears of the finest timepieces using jewels and precious metals. Available in 18-carat gold (only 10 in circulation) £45,000; and rhodium-plated silver (500 in circulation), £7,000. William & Son is owned by William Asprey, latest generation of the iconic family who made London synonymous with luxury. After a bit of a tussle with the new owners of Asprey & Garrard, he left the company in 1999, creating an impressive rival at the far side of Berkeley Square. It seems dreadfully unfair that he can't use his own family name but that's business for you. William & Son, 10 Mount Street, London W1, 020 7493 8385; www.williamandson.com

Caption:
Caran d'Ache 1010 Limited Edition available from William & Son

 
 
 
 

Tailor Made For You

"A bespoke suit should be forgotten by the wearer and envied by everyone else" says Tony Lutwyche, whose Soho-based tailoring business has acquired an impressive client list ranging from City high-fliers to celebs and sportsmen. Even laid-back media types know the value of a suit that fits and flatters. Lutwyche isn't flashy - he respects clean lines and traditional British understatement, and he guides clients through every process from cloth selection to the rigorous detail of bepoke tailoring. While the company has expanded significantly in the last two years with a factory in the provinces supplying suit-makers in the USA and Japan, Lutwyche Bespoke remains at the heart of his business. "Success is based on two principles" he says, "quality and service. If you strive for excellence you can't go wrong in life." Lutwyche Bespoke, 83 Berwick Street, London W1, 020 7292 0640; www.lutwyche.co.uk

Caption:
Tony Lutwyche gets the measure of super-chef Tom Aikens

 
 
 
 

Cocoon Collection

It's one thing to buy furniture, it's quite another to have it made to your specific taste and specifications. That's what Godeke von Wedel (Dickie to his friends) realised when he wanted to expand his furniture business in London. The Westbourne Grove store is approachable and fun but the new Cocoon Collection raises the stakes considerably. It's in the heart of Chelsea's interior-design heartland and appeals to both professional decorators and demanding private clients, especially Americans in the young banking set. All the furniture at Cocoon can be custom-made with a huge range of designs and materials to choose from. There are crisp, minimalist sofas, softly-curved boudoir couches with removeable covers, buttoned leather bench seating to wrap around a kitchen or a swimming pool, Chesterfield bed-heads in subtle shimmering colours, statement chairs in rich leather, faux croc or purple velvet, and eccentric tables and desks decorated with animal hide prints. It's a surprising career for von Wedel who comes from a long line of Pomeranian aristos and was destined for Sandhurst and the Coldstream Guards. He studied furniture design and cabinet making at Oxford, then antique restoration at Bonhams and Sotheby's. Nowadays his business partner runs the factory in Germany and Dickie is the creative arm and expands the product range. The company portfolio includes stores in Cologne, Munich, Dusseldorf (2), Mallorca and Marbella as well as London, and there is an interior design service. Both London shops have an eclectic range of lamps, rugs, picture frames and some startling objects of petrified wood that look like stone and are millions of years old. 602 Kings Road, London SW6, 020 7736 1747; 106 Westbourne Grove, London W2, 020 7243 2200; www.cocoon-furniture.co.uk

Caption:
Snuggle into the luxurious Red Ghost chair from Cocoon Collection

 
 
 
 

Silvia Nayla

A new arrival in Notting Hill is already a big hit with prosperous, international, design-conscious inhabitants of W11. Chic Brazilian Silvia Naya has a passion for modern furniture and her store showcases the best designers from her country and especially her home region, Belo Horizonte. There are dramatic pieces using exotic woods like mango, angeline and eucalyptus. There are even two very rare pieces of jacaranda which is now prohibited from export. Stylish but hardworking tables, chairs, sofas and cabinets are made from wood decorated with leather, metal and even semi-precious stones, and there is glamorous lacquer bedroom furniture with a high-gloss finish rarely seen outside Italy. The store is also full of enchanting smaller pieces just right for impulse purchases and presents: antique terracotta pots with a marvellous patina of age; ice buckets with bronze linings; creamy flowers made from fish scales; mysterious dolls from the Brazilian interior; and woven leather rugs that won't slip on polished wooden floors. A vast new warehouse in Southall holds a large stock range so you can see pieces for real and there aren't huge waiting times. A VIP car service will take clients to the warehouse where it's shop and go - instant decorating. A month-long pre-Christmas sale starts 1st December with the alluring prospect of same-day delivery. 108 Westbourne Grove, London W2, 020 7229 2262; and the warehouse at Unit 14, Southall Business Park, Johnson Street, Southall; www.silvianayla.com

Caption:
Sleek and curvy, pressed wood Joaquim chair by Porfirio Valadares available from Silvia Nayla