The youngest woman to have become a self-made billionaire ever. A former comedian and door-to-door fax machine saleswoman, Blakely founded the privately held Spanx undergarment business at the age of 27. Sales took off in 2000 when Oprah Winfrey endorsed the product and then when she signed a contract with QVC, 8,000 pairs were sold in the first six minutes. Married to a former rapper named Jesse Itzler, Sara Blakely intends to leave at least half of her wealth to charity and of her success comments: “In my wildest dreams I never thought I would have started with their butts. As it turns out, that was a great place to start”. A truly inspirational and decent lady.
This witty New York based fashion journalist and author’s first book, Classy: Exceptional Advice for the Extremely Modern Lady, was a New York Times bestseller in 2010. (more…)
Yesterday, FoxNews.com asked: “Can the internal combustion engine save the electric car?” and answered: “In the case of the Fisker Karma, it just might be”.
As David and Victoria Beckham continue their search for a new home in London, The Steeple Times suggests five of the best options
This morning, yet more “sources close to David and Victoria Beckham” were telling the press that they’re on the search for a London home. This unnamed individual stated that they need a “minimum of 10 bedrooms” (more…)
When Ken Livingstone lost for a second time to Boris Johnson May 2012, he announced “this will be my last election” and signaled that he might quietly disappear from frontline politics.
Sadly, he’s plainly reassessed the idea and today caused great offence with comments made on the Iranian television channel Press TV about the motives of the Boston bombers. (more…)
The Steeple Times asks entrepreneur Laurence Benson: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
I fear a 9 to 5 office job. I cannot run far enough away from it.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
“Cheer up, the worst is yet to come”.
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2013?
Unnecessary animal testing.
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
Long school summer holidays. 12 weeks of sun, sand and golf.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
To bring a tropical climate to the UK.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?
As a once recent graduate trying to find a job in the banking crisis, I feel bad for the kids that aspired to becoming a big shot in the City. These fresh faces are finding themselves in an environment where they must work inhuman hours, contribute a greater value, have no job security and get minimal rewards for their troubles.
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
“Alright for some!” – It is usually used as a negative statement, judgmental of others decisions, full of resentment and jealously.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
I support a lot of the main cancer charities as well as efforts in other areas. I have always been particularly close to The Aspinall Foundation and have worked with The Bill Clinton Foundation to provide clean water solutions to many parts of Africa.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
I loathe my mobile phone, but I am rarely detached from it when awake. They have become a ghastly anti-social necessity. More worryingly though, is my over riding belief that they will be the death of our generation.
Laurence Benson
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
From past and present I would invite Salvador Dali, Nelson Mandela, Vivienne Westwood, Elton John, Audrey Hepburn and David Mitchell to keep the conversation amusing.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
I would have a picnic on the beach between the port and castle of Mandelieu. The basket would contain a large array of starters including tomato and mozzarella salad and garlic gambas. For the main course, rosemary rotisserie chicken from La Maison du Bon Poulet. I’d finish off with a white chocolate parfait with honeycomb.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
I’m trying to stop drinking before 5pm. The emphasis is on trying.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
Always a cup of tea.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
Any within my close circle of friends. Luckily, we are all fairly good party hosts and know how to have a good time.
Who is the most positive person you know?
Lulu Otte. She has had a few downs recently, but knowing that she will be blessed by many more ups in the future, she is always positive.
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
Jaffa Cakes.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
A list of places I have visited and people I have met who have influenced my life, making me the person I am today.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
I think a beach buggy. Laid back, good fun but effective at the job they do.
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
Half of my family has roots in the Seychelles, which is why I hold a Seychellois passport.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
A large mirror, a chiming clock, an MCC fixture list and a postcard from a friend in Hawaii. She’s rubbing salt into our cold April wounds.
Laurence Benson is a Belgravia based businessman. He began his career in the City but left to found first Lily & Benson, a design bureau and creative consultancy, and most recently a luxury accessories brand, Touni Minuit.
The quintessence of any artist is what distinguishes them from others. So, when I met with Conor Mccreedy to ask him about his, he begins by reading me his artistic statement:
“I lose myself in a divine invention, where judgment is laid aside and my experiences in the world are left to breathe without the constraint of self-awareness or convention. The raw power and mysterious void of the ocean is my inspiration, the equalizer of mankind. We live in a volatile world where race, gender, time, and religion distract us from the real. My experiences of the human dilemma are archived in my mind; they arise in moments of unabashed and unbounded creativity. Tides of creation are painted and put into motion by pure adrenaline. This creative combustion has driven me to go beyond portraiture, and to explore new worlds of neo-expressionism and abstraction where volatile uncertainties are not only demolished but also become unheard of. The blue pigment that I use conveys a sense of ambiguity. It is a unique substance out of which almost elemental water emerges”.
“Blue Secret Angel” by Conor MccreedyArtist Conor Mccreedy in his signature colour “Mccreedy Blue”
Mccreedy divides his time between South Africa, the Unites States and Europe he loves discovering new things whilst traveling. His fascination with scents and colours is reflected in the candles and soap bars he collects and equally, he has become especially known for the colour he created, “Mccreedy Blue”. This blue is incorporated into his artistic works and most of his handmade European suits also.
Conor Mccreedy with a lion
Conor Mccreedy has a passion for animals that not only can be seen in his art but also can be seen in his life. He has his very own African lion, Mohlatsi, which is kept in South Africa at The Ranch Conservancy. Lions as well other cats are dear to Mccreedy’s heart, which is why he donates a percentage of most of his art sales to the Protecting African Lions (P.A.L.) foundation. Mccreedy is also an ambassador for the Ubuntu Educational Fund, which was founded, by Jacob Lief, a close friend of his.
Mccreedy’s creative vision has created a surge of interest in the art collecting community. One painting, Secret Movements, was sold to an undisclosed collector in Manhattan for approximately $196,000. This individual was offered $260,000 dollars for this rare piece in early 2013 but declined to accept.
In conversation, I asked Mccreedy further questions about his paintings and his philanthropic work and below I record some of his responses:
Thomas James: Is there something in particular about Secret Movements or your paintings in general that draws this undisclosed collector to your work?
Conor Mccreedy: “He has always loved my work. However, my trademark Mccreedy Blue paintings are what he collects mostly. This is the highest price for a single painting of mine to be sold as of yet. I am honoured that people would spend this amount of money on one of my creations. The collector turned down the initial offer as he felt it was not enough but equally, he does not intend on selling this piece anytime soon”.
TJ: Why does Secret Movements have an almost magnetic effect on people?
CM: “The lines and angles are unending in the painting. It can be looked at for hours as it starts to almost move within the canvas like a wild ocean. The piece is extremely powerful and strong. This is a unique sized piece being around 8 foot long by 3 foot high”.
TJ: What influencers and personalities have you sold your art to?
CM: “I do not really keep track of the ‘famous’ people who own my works. Time Warner has a piece or two and Steve Tyler liked an early work of mine so much he started to kiss it. We are working closely with Goldman Sachs and their art department this year and the following year to possibly create a mural for their Manhattan headquarters. I all goes well, the mural will be a painting almost as large as a tennis court”.
TJ: Assuming your favorite animal is the lion what ways are your trying to help and preserve lions in Africa.
CM: “Yes, my favorite animal is the lion. I am very upset to see what has happened to the rhino population also and do not want our lion population in Africa to continue to fall drastically. This is why I have decided to take a stand to make sure our lions don’t become extinct over the next 10 years”.
“We launch the ‘Mccreedy Blue P.A.L.’ bracelets in 2 weeks time. These bracelets won’t just support P.A.L., but will also fund my four affiliated foundations. It is a global movement that will be built up with tribes of believers and connectors and the bracelet will symbolise the connection between people and lions. Every time we sell a painting, I make sure that a percentage is put into the Protecting African Lions (P.A.L.) foundation. It needs all the seed funding and support it can get in its early stages so that it can flourish with the right team. We are fortunate enough to have amazing ambassadors from all over the world. This I am very grateful for and have worked extremely hard on pulling this together. It is something very close to my heart. I am African. I love Africa and will always be African”.
There is much interest in Mccreedy’s works amongst collectors living in international cities such as London and New York, but for him, the South African contemporary collecting art market is becoming increasingly important. This year, there will be two solo exhibitions of his works in Nigeria and South Africa and he will also be displaying two paintings at the Sydney Art Fair with his South African representative, the Everard Read Gallery.
This New Yorker is the son of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly filmmaker Julian Schnabel and curated his first exhibition aged 16. Vito Schnabel dated Demi Moore at the age of 26 and though that relationship ended in December 2012 supposedly because Schnabel didn’t like the intrusion of the paparazzi he subsequently took up with Heidi Klum. In February 2013, he again hit the press when he organised a group exhibition entitled “White Collar Crimes”. Naturally, amongst those featured at the show in Acquavella Galleries was an image of Ruth Madoff. Aside from art, Vito Schnabel wants to make a movie “one day” and worked with Jeff Zalaznick, Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone on the launch of the Italian-American Carbonne restaurant in Greenwich Village.
A happy hour with a difference launches at The Palm in London’s Belgravia
Opened in May 2009, The Palm replaced the legendary restaurant Drones of Pont Street. Amongst the original backers of Drones were David Niven Jr. and Sir Roger Moore. Nicky Kerman, a titan of the restaurant world, was another part owner. A later reincarnation was the brainchild of television chef Antony Worrall Thompson. Of the décor of this era, critic Nick Foulkes described it as: “Daphne’s meets The Magic Roundabout with a touch of Swedish sauna”. Next came a lady named Annie Foster Firth and most recently it opened as Marco Pierre White’s Drones in 2001.
The youngest woman to have become a self-made billionaire ever. A former comedian and door-to-door fax machine saleswoman, Blakely founded the privately held Spanx undergarment business at the age of 27. Sales took off in 2000 when Oprah Winfrey endorsed the product and then when she signed a contract with QVC, 8,000 pairs were sold in the first six minutes. Married to a former rapper named Jesse Itzler, Sara Blakely intends to leave at least half of her wealth to charity and of her success comments: “In my wildest dreams I never thought I would have started with their butts. As it turns out, that was a great place to start”. A truly inspirational and decent lady.
