There has been some amazing motorcycles churned out by the world’s leading manufacturers since the year 2000. In just over two decades, the best motorcycles have gone from almost totally analog to rolling computers, and there’s been a level of innovation the likes of which has never been experienced before within the industry.
Out of this field, there are a few standouts that deserved to be called out. We’ve cobbled together our picks for the best models since the millennium, only including production machines. The focus is also on those bikes you can ride on the street or dirt road. Hang on, we’re going for a ride.
2000 Honda RVT 1000 (RC51)
Photo : Courtesy of PJ Archives.
By the end of the 1990s, Honda was sick of its exotic but outclassed RC45 getting defeated in the WorldSBK race series, so it went away to build a “better Ducati.” This was Honda’s first go at producing a twin-cylinder racer after decades on the four-cylinder train, and it worked better than anyone had hoped. Two WorldSBK crowns with Colin Edwards (2000/2002), and its last AMA Superbike crown (2002) with the late Nicky Hayden, cemented the RVT 1000’s reputation as one of the best superbikes that Honda ever created.
2001 Suzuki GSX-R1000
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
Suzuki took a few lessons learned from its iconic GSX-R750 and fitted them into the new big-bore superbike category that was now in full prominence, creating a 108kW powerhouse that promptly displaced Yamaha, then class king, and its YZF-R1.
The GSX-R1000 was instantly competitive, and when it came to AMA Superbike competition, the model won every championship from 2003 until 2010, when Yamaha fought back. The 2001 GSX-R1000 marked the first true Suzuki superbike of the modern era.
2001 Honda GL 1800 Gold Wing
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
Honda went back to the drawing board in 2000 for the following year’s GL 1800. The bike featured an increase in capacity from 1,520cc to 1,832cc, plus an emphasis on the sportier side of long-distance touring with improved suspension, brakes and ergonomics.
The result was a motorcycle so good that it would be 17 years before Honda could come up with another fully revised version worthy of the Gold Wing name. The model is still the standard by which all touring motorcycles are measured.
2002 Suzuki V-Strom 1000
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
While the world was slowly waking up to the benefits of the do-it-all motorcycle at the beginning of the century, Suzuki trumped the competition in that class with the 2002 V-Strom 1000. The ’Strom used the old TL1000S V-twin, a motor with oodles of torque and primarily designed for a sportbike.
The V-Strom’s power plant, however, was packaged in a chassis that could handle almost every type of riding except hardcore off-roading. Twisty roads, touring, two-up cruising, city commuting, dirt roads—the bike can do no wrong.
2004 Kawasaki ZX-10R
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
We’ve selected the 2004 Kawasaki ZX-10R for inclusion, not for its outright performance, but for the lasting mark it left on superbike culture in the early 2000’s. Others were quicker and won more races, but the ’04 10R’s reputation as a scare-your-pants-off sportbike is unmatched even to this day. A claimed 130kW (in truth it was about 111kW at the rear wheel) with a snappy, unruly chassis—devoid of simple rider aids like a steering damper—made this bike one that was only for those who weren’t even remotely faint of heart. The easy-riding 2021 Kawasaki ZX-10R is almost the antithesis of the original 2004 fire-breather. We guess it had to grow up, eventually.
2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
This is Suzuki’s all-time hit. A WorldSBK champion with Troy Corser, an AMA champion with Mat Mladin and a showroom star in sales across the globe. The 2005 GSX-R1000 combines light, precise handling with one of the best superbike motors ever made—a 130kW behemoth that put bikes like the Honda CBR1000RR and Yamaha YZF-R1 firmly in the mirrors. The engine and chassis were so good that Suzuki was still using the combination 10 years later when it introduced the GSX-S1000 range, and then a few years after that with the revamped Katana, which the company freely admitted was a 2005 GSX-R1000 in disguise.
2006 KTM 950 Adventure
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
The ultimate iteration of what many consider KTM’s greatest adventure bike, the 2006 KTM 950 was the last such machine to come from Mattighofen with carburettors. As such, it became a favourite with global travellers who could fix the bike in the middle of nowhere rather than deal with a finicky fuel-injection system.
Excellent WP suspension coupled with dual gas tanks meant that massive miles could be covered between stops. The 950 helped solidify KTM’s reputation as the motorcycle brand for serious adventure riders, rather than those who primarily commute to the café.
2006 Ducati Desmosedici GP16 RR
Photo : Courtesy of PJ Archives.
Ducati’s Desmosedici D16 RR (RR stands for Racing Replica) was as close as you could buy to a MotoGP bike for the street. Using a 990cc motor modelled on the 2004 Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP racer of Troy Bayliss and Loris Capirossi, Ducati claimed the machine made a rollicking 149kW and 115Nm of torque from the V-4 engine.
The bike is graced with the very best Öhlins suspension of the period, and was the first production motorcycle to use forged magnesium wheels. It’s an absolute gem that costs a treasure trove to run and service, but is currently skyrocketing in value as it will surely be coveted long into the future.
2006 Yamaha YZF-R6
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
The 2006 Yamaha YZF-R6 is to sportbike riders what a Remington Model Seven is to serious hunters. This machine debuted a number of technical firsts for Yamaha—the first ride-by-wire throttle in Yamaha’s Chip Controlled Throttle (YCCT), variable inlet tracts, titanium inlet and exhaust valves and an ear-splitting 18,000 rpm redline.
All of these elements helped make the ’06 R6 one of the finest sportbikes of all time. It formed the basis of the R6 line for the rest of the model’s life, which finally ended in 2020 when the last YZF-R6s rolled off the production line.
2008 Kawasaki Concours 14
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
Taking the design ethos of the Suzuki Hayabusa–killing ZX-14, Kawasaki launched the Concours 14 in 2008. The model is an elegant and fast long-distance touring machine. Thanks to its ZX-14-derived four-cylinder motor, the bike made 111kW. It also featured variable valve timing, digital tire pressure monitors, an electric windscreen, ABS and a cockpit that enabled pilots to ride for hour after hour in comfort.
In one fell swoop, Kawasaki nearly perfected the high-speed touring motorcycle. The model has remained essentially the same ever since, save for minor tweaks like traction control, some bodywork nips and tucks and subtle suspension changes.
2008 BMW F 800 GS
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
The F 800 GS was BMW’s answer to a growing call from adventure riders for slimmer, lighter off-road motorcycles that were easier to take to the far reaches of the world than the mighty (and heavy) R 1150 GS. The 2008 F 800 GS relies on a svelte parallel-twin motor that is also found in the F 800 R.
BMW mated the motor to a long-travel, dirt-friendly suspension with 21-inch front wheels and 19-inch rear wheels. Add the chain drive and it’s a true go-anywhere transport that proved immensely popular with everyone from expeditionary travellers to inner-city motorcycle couriers. And the F 800 GS proved an able sibling to the bigger 1150 GS range.
2009 Aprilia RSV4 Factory
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
With the redoubtable RSV4, Aprilia came back to superbike competition with a vengeance in 2009. Possessing the only V-4 motor you could buy in the class (at least at the time), the RSV4 benefitted from Aprilia engineers who used every bit of knowledge gained from their years of 250 cc Grand Prix domination to create a landmark, track-focused machine.
The bike delivers a stout 134kW and 115Nm of torque, and is equipped with the best production Öhlins suspension and Brembo brakes of the time. The first RSV4 was dominant almost immediately, taking the 2010 WorldSBK title with Max Biaggi in the saddle. Since then, the RSV4 has garnered two more titles and won countless shootout tests across the globe. The model is now part of the 1100 cc club with the debut of the stupendous 2021 edition.
2009 Harley-Davidson XR1200
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
The sportiest Sportster of all time, the XR1200 is on this list not so much for outright performance or even sales success, but as an indication of how on-point Harley-Davidson’s thinking was at the time. The manufacturer preempted the return of the flat-track style—universally favoured by custom builders around the world—by half a decade. But Harley-Davidson only produced the machine between 2009 and 2012.
After that, the executives gave up, confining what was a real sleeper of a machine to the history books. Today, an XR1200 that’s not in some state of disrepair is a rarity, as many were raced, crashed, poorly maintained or all of the above. Find a good one, though, and you’ve got a true modern classic on your hands.
2010 Honda VFR1200F DCT
Photo: Mark McIntyre, courtesy of PJ Archives.
Trust it to Honda to push the technical boundaries. The world’s largest motorcycle company did just that with the 2010 VFR1200F, the first such machine to come with Honda’s innovative dual-clutch transmission (DCT). The DCT was the first semi-automatic gearbox fitted to a production motorcycle.
You could still change gears manually via the paddle shifters on the left handlebar, but there was no clutch lever—something many riders needed time to get used to. Powered by a 1,237cc V-4 motor, the VFR is remembered as a good bike, not a great one, yet was the vehicle Honda used to bring the DCT system to market. That alone is reason enough to include it here.
2010 BMW S 1000 RR
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
Few superbikes have blown away the competition like the BMW S 1000 RR. At a time when the world was still reeling from the global financial crisis, BMW kept its development foot flat to the floor and released what is now remembered as the first true digital sportbike. A total of 141kW was on tap from the 999cc four-cylinder motor that ran a number of production firsts, including “finger-follower” valve actuation for the cams rather than the old “shim-and-bucket” design.
A twin-spar aluminium frame designed primarily for track use was employed, but the big news was the massive electronics suite that included ride-by-wire throttle, lean-angle-sensitive traction control and four variable ride modes. With the S 1000 RR, BMW changed the design game for all superbikes to follow.
2013 BMW R 1200 GS
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
The bike that started the ADV segment way back in 1980 got its biggest update yet in 2013. Dubbed the “wasser-boxer” (water boxer), the 1,170cc flat-twin engine was partially water-cooled, with power going from 82KW to 92kW, and torque measurably increased across the rev range.
With a focus on sporty handling, this GS could even be taken to the racetrack if so desired, and then eat up any dirt roads on the way home. Of course, true to BMW form, it seemed to carry every conceivable rider aid offered, so the tech more than matched the motor. The BMW R 1200 GS became king of the maxi-ADV class, a position it holds to this day.
2014 Yamaha MT-07
Photo: Jonathan Godin, courtesy of PJ Archives.
This is the little Yamaha that could. Yamaha has a proud history of excellent small-capacity roadsters that stretches back to the early 1970’s. Machines like the TX650 and subsequent RD350 had newbies lining up to ride them, and the MT-07 continues this legacy for a new generation.
There’s nothing overly flashy about the MT-07; it’s got a 687cc parallel-twin four-stroke motor good for about 52kW. But it’s finished beautifully and the ride experience is superb. Yamaha has sold mountains of MT’s since its release in 2014, and there’s little doubt that it will continue to do so for years to come.
2014 KTM 1290 Super Duke R
Photo: Brian J. Nelson, courtesy of PJ Archives.
The rise of the “super-naked” bike really began with the Aprilia Tuono V4 at the end of the previous decade, but the class was cemented when KTM brought out “the Beast” in 2014. That monster was the 1290 Super Duke R powered by a 1,301cc V-twin—a naked motorcycle designed for the hooligan in all of us.
The manufacturer quoted an incredible 134kW for the motor, wrapping it in KTM’s trademark orange steel-trellis chassis, WP suspension (admittedly not as top-of-the-line as it could have been) and just enough electronics and rider aids to lend a faint air of sensibility to the madness. More than that, however, the Super Duke heralded KTM—already an off-road powerhouse—as a truly major player in the street-bike market.
2015 Honda RC213V-S
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
It would be unfair to include the Ducati Desmosedici on this list and not the Honda RC213V-S. More exclusive, rarer and certainly pricier, the bike was Honda’s halo MotoGP replica based on the RCV1000 machine raced by the late Nicky Hayden.
Limited to just 200 examples and weighing a scant 170kg dry, the model—carrying a 999cc V-4—came in restricted 74kW. However, the purchase of the race pack, which included a stunning and barking-loud titanium exhaust, allowed for 160kW. This is likely the most exclusive street bike Honda has ever produced, besting even its other halo model, the 1992 NR750.
2015 Yamaha YZF-R1
Photo : Courtesy of PJ Archives.
For 2015, Yamaha went through the YZF-R1 model from top-to-bottom, releasing a superbike that could be considered the natural successor to the 2010 BMW S 1000 RR in terms of the loaded tech. A new, slender chassis and reworked crossplane-crank motor were crafted, and a slew of electronics were added, the latter including Slide Control.
The 2015 YZF-R1’s power plant was a massive step up from the original crossplane-crank engine in the iterations from 2008 through 2014. This version was such an improvement that Yamaha has only had to make incremental changes in recent years to keep it at the head of the superbike pack.
2017 BMW K 1600 GT
Photo: Daniel Kraus, courtesy of PJ Archives.
When considering BMW’s K 1600 GT, its long-distance touring tour de force, there is a laundry list of impressive features to note: the 1,649cc six-cylinder engine with ferocious torque, the self-levelling electronic suspension, adaptive headlights that see around corners, a reverse gear, an electric screen and all the rider-assist bells and whistles you could want.
First released in 2011, the model received a thorough rework in 2017 in order to challenge the Honda Gold Wing in the maxi-touring arena. It’s a far sportier machine than the Gold Wing, and the build quality is exceptional. The BMW K 1600 GT and even more luxurious K 1600 GTL represent the absolute pinnacle of Munich’s touring might.
2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
Although Ducati was arguably the first to bring a modern, scrambler-style production bike to market in 2014, it was Triumph who perhaps perfected the segment in 2019 with the brilliant Scrambler 1200 XE. The original scramblers are the forefathers of today’s motocross bikes, and while Ducati got the looks right, Triumph took it a few steps further to create a retro-style motorcycle that can go places many modern ADV bikes would struggle to get to, and that the Ducati Scrambler could only dream of. (Although the Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled somewhat fixed this problem).
Huge ground clearance, good suspension and comfort, a motor swiped from the Triumph Thruxton and aesthetics that would fit right in with Steve McQueen in the film On Any Sunday make the Triumph Scrambler an absolute treat to ride.
2020 Zero SR/F
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
The first company dedicated to electric motorcycles, California-based Zero had spent 13 years trying to convince famously reluctant riders about the benefits of electric propulsion. But it never quite managed to do so until the SR/F came along. The SR/F hit the market at the same time as the Harley-Davidson LiveWire, but its price (a third less than the LiveWire) made it a far more enticing prospect.
Then there was the ride experience. The machine covers zero to 100km/h in 3 seconds, not to mention its mind-bending acceleration between 60km/h to 120km/h. This is a proper motorcycle, not one of the sometimes gimmicky Zero offerings of the past. It shows that electric motorcycles really can excite, and provides a tasty preview of far more battery-powered bikes to come.
2020 Ducati Superleggera V4
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
Carbon fibre. That’s all you need to know about the Superleggera V4. Every structural component is made from the stuff—the front frame (chassis), subframe, bodywork, wheels, various engine and wheel guards, all of it. The Superleggera is the first street bike to feature a carbon frame for sale to the public (the other carbon bike, the BMW HP Race, was a track-only offering).
Due to the Ducati model’s lightness paired with its 224 hp V-4 motor, one that gets boosted to an eye-watering 234 hp with the race exhaust, the Superleggera V4 gets firmly placed in the pantheon of sportbike legends.
2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 S
Photo: Courtesy of PJ Archives.
The Ducati Multistrada took a massive leap forward in 2021, and not simply because it got a bigger V-4. It’s a ground-breaking motorcycle because it was the first production bike to be fitted with radar-assisted Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Blind Spot Detection (BSD), upping the safety game considerably over the rest of the field on the market today.
Combine that with an outrageous 1,158cc V-4 motor, optimum ergonomics for everything between sporty on-road riding and off-the-beaten-path adventuring, every possible rider aid Ducati could come up with and an excellent suspension and brake package, and you’ve got a bike Ducati says is its greatest yet. After time in the saddle, it’s very hard to argue that sentiment.
Chaise longue, daybed, recamier, duchesse brisée—elongated furniture designed for relaxing has a roster of fancy names. While the French royal court of Louis XIV brought such pieces to prominence in fashionable European homes, the general idea has been around far longer: The Egyptian pharaohs were big fans, while daybeds from China’s Ming dynasty spurred all those Hollywood Regency fretwork pieces that still populate Palm Beach living rooms. Even Mies van der Rohe, one of design’s modernist icons, got into the lounge game with his Barcelona couch, a study of line and form that holds up today.
But don’t get caught up in who invented them, or what to call them. Instead, consider their versatility: Backless models are ideal in front of large expanses of glass (imagine lazing on one with an ocean view) or at the foot of a bed, while more structured pieces can transform any corner into a cozy reading nook. Daybeds may be inextricably linked to relaxation, but from a design perspective, they put in serious work.
Photo: Courtesy of Egg Collective
Emmy, Egg Collective
In designing the Emmy chaise, the Egg Collective trio of Stephanie Beamer, Crystal Ellis and Hillary Petrie, who met as students at Washington University in St. Louis, aimed for versatility. Indeed, the tailored chaise looks equally at home in a glass skyscraper as it does in a turn-of-the-century town house. Combining the elegance of a smooth, solid oak or walnut frame with the comfort of bolsters and cushioned upholstery or leather, it works just as well against a wall or at the heart of a room. From around $7,015; Eggcollective.com
Plum, Michael Robbins
Woodworker Michael Robbins is the quintessential artisan from New York State’s Hudson Valley in that both his materials and methods pay homage to the area. In fact, he describes his style as “honest, playful, elegant and reflective of the aesthetic of the Hudson Valley surroundings”. Robbins crafts his furniture by hand but allows the wood he uses to help guide the look of a piece. (The studio offers eight standard finishes.) The Plum daybed, brought to life at Robbins’s workshop, exhibits his signature modern rusticity injected with a hint of whimsy thanks to the simplicity of its geometric forms. Around $4,275; MichaelRobbins.com
Photo: Courtesy of Reda Amalou Design
Kimani, Reda Amalou Design
French architect and designer Reda Amalou acknowledges the challenge of creating standout seating given the number of iconic 20th-century examples already in existence. Still, he persists—and prevails. The Kimani, a bent slash of a daybed in a limited edition of eight pieces, makes a forceful statement. Its leather cushion features a rolled headrest and rhythmic channel stitching reminiscent of that found on the seats of ’70s cars; visually, these elements anchor the slender silhouette atop a patinated bronze base with a sure-handed single line. The result: a seamless contour for the body. Around $33,530; RedaAmalou
Dune, Workshop/APD
From a firm known for crafting subtle but luxurious architecture and interiors, Workshop/APD’s debut furniture collection is on point. Among its offerings is the leather-wrapped Dune daybed. With classical and Art Deco influences, its cylindrical bolsters are a tactile celebration, and the peek of the curved satin-brass base makes for a sensual surprise. Associate principal Andrew Kline notes that the daybed adeptly bridges two seating areas in a roomy living space or can sit, bench-style, at the foot of a bed. From $13,040; Workshop/ APD
Sherazade, Edra
Designed by Francesco Binfaré, this sculptural, minimalist daybed—inspired by the rugs used by Eastern civilizations—allows for complete relaxation. Strength combined with comfort is the name of the game here. The Sherazade’s structure is made from light but sturdy honeycomb wood, while next-gen Gellyfoam and synthetic wadding aid repose. True to Edra’s amorphous design codes, it can switch configurations depending on the user’s mood or needs; for example, the accompanying extra pillows—one rectangular and one cylinder shaped— interchange to become armrests or backrests. From $32,900; Edra
With Watches & Wonders 2024 well and truly behind us, we review some of the novelties Hermès presented at this year’s event.
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HERMÈS
Hermes Cut
Moving away from the block colours and sporty aesthetic that has defined Hermès watches in recent years, the biggest news from the French luxury goods company at Watches & Wonders came with the unveiling of its newest collection, the Hermès Cut.
It flaunts a round bezel, but the case middle is nearer to a tonneau shape—a relatively simple design that, despite attracting flak from some watch aficionados, works. While marketed as a “women’s watch”, the Cut has universal appeal thanks to its elegant package and proportions. It moves away from the Maison’s penchant for a style-first product; it’s a watch that tells the time, not a fashion accessory with the ability to tell the time.
Hermès gets the proportions just right thanks to a satin-brushed and polished 36 mm case, PVD-treated Arabic numerals, and clean-cut edges that further accentuate its character. One of the key design elements is the positioning of the crown, boldly sitting at half-past one and embellished with a lacquered or engraved “H”, clearly stamping its originality. The watch is powered by a Hermès Manufacture movement H1912, revealed through its sapphire crystal caseback. In addition to its seamlessly integrated and easy-wearing metal bracelet, the Cut also comes with the option for a range of coloured rubber straps. Together with its clever interchangeable system, it’s a cinch to swap out its look.
It will be interesting to see how the Hermès Cut fares in coming months, particularly as it tries to establish its own identity separate from the more aggressive, but widely popular, Ho8 collection. Either way, the company is now a serious part of the dialogue around the concept of time.
The world remembers him for fashion. But as a new tome reveals, the iconoclastic designer is defined as much by extravagant, often fantastical, homes as he is clothes.
“Lives, like novels, are made up of chapters”, theworld-renowned bibliophile, Karl Lagerfeld, once observed.
Were a psychological-style novel ever to be written about Karl Lagerfeld’s life, it would no doubt give less narrative weightto the story of his reinvigoration of staid fashion houses like Chloe, Fendi and Chanel than to the underpinning leitmotif of the designer’s constant reinvention of himself.
In a lifetime spanning two centuries, Lagerfeld made and dropped an ever-changing parade of close friends, muses, collaborators and ambiguous lovers, as easily as he changed his clothes, his furniture… even his body. Each chapter of this book would be set against the backdrop of one of his series of apartments, houses and villas, whose often wildly divergent but always ultra-luxurious décor reflected the ever-evolving personas of this compulsively public but ultimately enigmatic man.
With the publication of Karl Lagerfeld: A Life in Houses these wildly disparate but always exquisite interiors are presented for the first time together as a chronological body of work. The book indeed serves as a kind of visual novel, documenting the domestic dreamscapes in which the iconic designer played out his many lives, while also making a strong case that Lagerfeld’s impact on contemporary interior design is just as important, if not more so, than his influence on fashion.
In the studio at the back of the Librarie 7L, Paris, in 2008 — a bookshop established by Lagerfeld himself.
In fact, when the first Lagerfeld interior was featured in a 1968 spread for L’OEil magazine, the editorial describes him merely as a “stylist”. The photographs of the apartment in an 18th-century mansion on rue de Université, show walls lined with plum-coloured rice paper, or lacquered deepest chocolate brown in sharp contrast to crisp, white low ceilings that accentuated the horizontality that was fashionable among the extremely fashionable at the time. Yet amid this setting of aggressively au courant modernism, the anachronistic pops of Art Nouveau and Art Deco objects foreshadow the young Karl’s innate gift for creating strikingly original environments whose harmony is achieved through the deft interplay of contrasting styles and contexts.
Lagerfeld learned early on that presenting himself in a succession of gem-like domestic settings was good for crafting his image. But Lagerfeld’s houses not only provided him with publicity, they also gave him an excuse to indulge in his greatest passion. Shopping!
By 1973, Lagerfeld was living in a new apartment at Place Saint–Sulpice where his acquisition of important Art Deco treasures continued unabated. Now a bearded and muscular disco dandy, he could most often be found in the louche company of the models, starlets and assorted hedonistic beauties that gathered around the flamboyant fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez. Lagerfeld was also in the throes of a hopeless love affair with Jacques de Bascher whose favours he reluctantly shared with his nemesis Yves Saint Laurent.
Hôtel Pozzo di Borgi, from 1977.
He painted the rooms milky white and lined them with specially commissioned carpets—the tawny patterned striations of which invoked musky wild animal pelts. These lent a stark relief to the sleek, machine-age chrome lines of his Deco furnishings. To contemporary eyes it remains a strikingly original arrangement that subtly conveys the tensions at play in Lagerfeld’s own life: the cocaine fuelled orgies of his lover and friends, hosted in the pristine home of a man who claimed that “a bed is for one person”.
In 1975, a painful falling out with his beloved Jacques, who was descending into the abyss of addiction, saw almost his entire collection of peerless Art Deco furniture, paintings and objects put under the auctioneer’s hammer. This was the first of many auction sales, as he habitually shed the contents of his houses along with whatever incarnation of himself had lived there. Lagerfeld was dispassionate about parting with these precious goods. “It’s collecting that’s fun, not owning,” he said. And the reality for a collector on such a Renaissance scale, is that to continue buying, Lagerfeld had to sell.
Of all his residences, it was the 1977 purchase of Hôtel Pozzo di Borgo, a grand and beautifully preserved 18th-century house, that would finally allow him to fulfill his childhood fantasies of life in the court of Madame de Pompadour. And it was in this aura of Rococó splendour that the fashion designer began to affect, along with his tailored three-piece suits, a courtier’s ponytailed and powdered coif and a coquettish antique fan: marking the beginning of his transformation into a living, breathing global brand that even those with little interest in fashion would immediately recognise.
Place Saint-Sulpice apartment from 1972. At his work station with on the table, his favourite Lalique crystal glass, complete with Coca-Cola.
Lagerfeld’s increasing fame and financial success allowed him to indulge in an unprecedented spending frenzy, competing with deep-pocketed institutions like the Louvre to acquire the finest, most pedigreed pearls of the era—voluptuously carved and gilded bergères; ormolu chests; and fleshy, pastel-tinged Fragonard idylls—to adorn his urban palace. His one-time friend André Leon Talley described him in a contemporary article as suffering from “Versailles complex”.
However, in mid-1981, and in response to the election of left-wing president, François Mitterrand,Lagerfeld, with the assistance of his close friend Princess Caroline, became a resident of the tax haven of Monaco. He purchased two apartments on the 21st floor of Le Roccabella, a luxury residential block designed by Gio Ponti. One, in which he kept Jacques de Bascher, with whom he was now reconciled, was decorated in the strict, monochromatic Viennese Secessionist style that had long underpinned his aesthetic vocabulary; the other space, though, was something else entirely, cementing his notoriety as an iconoclastic tastemaker.
Monaco apartment, purchased in 1981: Lagerfeld sits at a tale by George Snowden, with Riviera chairs by Michele de Lucchi. On the table, a cup and sugar bowl by Matteo Thun, flanked by sculptural Treetops lamps by Ettore Sottsass.
Lagerfeld had recently discovered the radically quirky designs of the Memphis Group led by Ettore Sottsass, and bought the collective’s entire first collection and had it shipped to Monaco. In a space with no right angles, these chaotically colourful, geometrically askew pieces—centred on Masanori Umeda’s famous boxing ring—gave visitors the disorientating sensation of having entered a corporeal comic strip. By 1991, the novelty of this jarring postmodern playhouse had inevitably worn thin and once again he sent it all to auction, later telling a journalist that “after a few years it was like living in an old Courrèges. Ha!”
Reverse view of the Monaco living room, featuring Masanori Umeda’s boxing ring and George Snowden’s armchair. Against the back wall the Carlton bookcase by Ettore Sottsass.
In 1989, de Bascher died of an AIDS-related illness, and while Lagerfeld’s career continued to flourish, emotionally the famously stoic designer was struggling. In 2000, a somewhat corpulent Lagerfeld officially ended his “let them eat cake” years at the Hôtel Pozzo di Borgo, selling its sumptuous antique fittings in a massive headline auction that stretched over three days. As always there were other houses, but now with his longtime companion dead, and his celebrity metastasising making him a target for the paparazzi, he began to look less for exhibition spaces and more for private sanctuaries where he could pursue his endless, often lonely, work.
His next significant house was Villa Jako, named for his lost companion and built in the 1920s in a nouveau riche area of Hamburg close to where he grew up. Lagerfeld shot the advertising campaign for Lagerfeld Jako there—a fragrance created in memorial to de Bascher. The house featured a collection of mainly Scandinavian antiques, marking the aesthetic cusp between Art Nouveau and Art Deco. One of its rooms Lagerfeld decorated based on his remembrances of his childhood nursery. Here, he locked himself away to work—tellingly—on a series of illustrations for the fairy tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes. Villa Jako was a house of deep nostalgia and mourning.
But there were more acts—and more houses—to come in Lagerfeld’s life yet. In November 2000, upon seeing the attenuated tailoring of Hedi Slimane, then head of menswear at Christian Dior, the 135 kg Lagerfeld embarked on a strict dietary regime. Over the next 13 months, he melted into a shadow of his former self. It is this incarnation of Lagerfeld—high white starched collars; Slimane’s skintight suits, and fingerless leather gloves revealing hands bedecked with heavy silver rings—that is immediately recognisable some five years after his death.
The 200-year-old apartment in Quái Voltaire, Paris, was purchased in 2006, and after years of slumber Lagerfeld—a newly awakened Hip Van Winkle—was ready to remake it into his last modernist masterpiece. He designed a unique daylight simulation system that meant the monochromatic space was completely without shadows—and without memory. The walls were frosted and smoked glass, the floors concrete and silicone; and any hint of texture was banned with only shiny, sleek pieces by Marc Newson, Martin Szekely and the Bouroullec Brothers permitted. Few guests were allowed into this monastic environment where Lagerfeld worked, drank endless cans of Diet Coke and communed with Choupette, his beloved Birman cat, and parts of his collection of 300,000 books—one of the largest private collections in the world.
Metal-base on a platform covered with chocolate brown carpet. Stratified leather headboard attributed to Eugène Printz.
Lagerfeld died in 2019, and the process of dispersing his worldly goods is still ongoing. The Quái Voltaire apartment was sold this year for US$10.8 million (around $16.3 million). Now only the rue de Saint-Peres property remains within the Lagerfeld trust. Purchased after Quái Voltaire to further accommodate more of his books—35,000 were displayed in his studio alone, always stacked horizontally so he could read the titles without straining his neck—and as a place for food preparation as he loathed his primary living space having any trace of cooking smells. Today, the rue de Saint-Peres residence is open to the public as an arts performance space and most fittingly, a library.
In the thriving world of luxury watches, few people own a space that offers unfiltered digital amplification. And that’s precisely what makes the likes of Brynn Wallner, Teddy Baldassarre, Mike Nouveau and Justin Hast so compelling.
These thought-provoking digital crusaders are now paving the way for the story of watches to be told, and shown, in a new light. Speaking to thousands of followers on the daily—mainly via TikTok, Instagram and YouTube—these progressive commentators represent the new guard of watch pundits. And they’re swaying the opinions, and dollars, of the up-and-coming generations who now represent the target consumer of this booming sector.
Can we please see what’s on the wrist? That’s the question that catapulted Mike Nouveau into watch stardom, thanks to his penchant for highlighting incredibly rare timepieces across his TikTok account of more than 400,000 followers. When viewing Nouveau’s attention-grabbing video clips—usually shot in a New York City neighbourhood—it’s not uncommon to find him wrist-rolling some of the world’s rarest timepieces, like the million-dollar Cartier Cheich (a clip he posted in May).
But how did someone without any previous watch experience come to amass such a cult following, and in the process gain access to some of the world’s most coveted timepieces? Nouveau admits had been a collector for many years, but moved didn’t move into horology full-time until 2020, when he swapped his DJing career for one as a vintage watch specialist.
“I probably researched for a year before I even bought my first watch,” says Nouveau, alluding to his Rolex GMT Master “Pepsi” ref. 1675 from 1967, a lionised timepiece in the vintage cosmos. “I would see deals arise that I knew were very good, but they weren’t necessarily watches that I wanted to buy myself. I eventually started buying and selling, flipping just for fun because I knew how to spot a good deal.”
Nouveau claims that before launching his TikTok account in the wake of Covid-19, no one in the watch community knew he existed. “There really wasn’t much watch content, if any, on TikTok before I started posting, especially talking about vintage watches. There’s still not that many voices for vintage watches, period,” says Nouveau. “It just so happens that my audience probably skews younger, and I’d say there are just as many young people interested in vintage watches as there are in modern watches.”
Nouveau recently posted a video to his TikTok account revealing that the average price of a watch purchased by Gen Z is now almost US$11,000 (around $16,500), with 41 percent of them coming into possession of a luxury watch in the past 12 months.
“Do as much independent research as you can [when buying],” he advises. “The more you do, the more informed you are and the less likely you are to make a mistake. And don’t bring modern watch expectations to the vintage world because it’s very different. People say, ‘buy the dealer’, but I don’t do that. I trust myself and myself only.”
Some Ferraris are just a little bit more important than others.
Take, for example, the 1960 250 GT SWB California that RM Sotheby’s is auctioning off during this year’s Monterey Car Week. Any example of the open-top beauty would attract interest, but this one just so happens to be the first one that was built.
The 250 is one of the most legendary series of cars in Ferrari history. Between 1952 and 1964, the company released 21 different 250 models—seven for racetracks, 14 for public roads—of which the “Cali Spider” might be the most well regarded, thanks to its potent V-12 and a Pininfarina-penned design that is one of the most beautiful bodies to grace an automobile. The roadster, which was specifically built for the U.S., made its debut in 1957 as a long-wheel-base model (LWB), but it wasn’t until the SWB model debut in 1960 that it became clear how special it was. This example isn’t just the first to roll off the line. It’s the actual car that was used to introduce the world to the model at the 1960 Geneva Motor Show.
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider by Scaglietti Remi Dargegen/RM Sotheby’s
Just 56 examples of the 250 GT SWB California Spider would be built by Scaglietti during the three years it was in production. The first of those, chassis 1795 GT, is finished in a glossy coat of Grigio. The two-door had a red leather interior at Geneva but was returned to the factory and re-outfitted with black leather upholstery before being delivered to its original owner, British race car driver John Gordon Bennet. Six-and-a-half decades later the car looks identical to how it did when it left the factory the second time.
In addition to its original bodywork, the chassis 1795 GT features its original engine, gearbox, and rear axle. That mill is the competition-spec Tipo 168, a 3.0-litre V-12 that makes 196.1 kW. That may not sound like much by today’s standards, but, when you consider that the 250 GT SWB California Spider tips the scales around 952 kilograms, it’s more than enough.
Remi Dargegen/RM Sotheby’s
The first 250 GT SWB California Spider is scheduled to go up for bid during RM Sotheby’s annual Monterey Car Week auction, which runs from Thursday, August 15, to Saturday, August 17. Unsurprisingly, the house has quite high hopes for the car. The car carries an estimate of between $24 million and $26 million, which could make it one of the most expensive cars ever sold at auction.