LETTER FROM THE EDITOR- IN- CHIEF
With nostalgia reigning supreme, Spice pounds the dusty annals of old- world ways and explores the promise of provenance through a series of extended flashbacks that toast the enduring legacy of icons. Paying homage to heritage, we conjure a tale of opulence and fantasy that is the pride of the past and boast of the contemporary.
The mellifluous medley of history and glamour would be inadequate without a mention of the time- honoured craftsmanship and artistry of Louis Vuitton. In gentler times when travel was an elaborate ritual and an important avocation of the aristocrat, crowned and titled heads of old Europe, heiress queens of New World society, and barons of finance and industry made a custom of having their trunks, readied a week before setting off on a trip, and sending it to its destination to be laid out and ready for their arrival. The sheer indulgence of this custom has outlasted even though lifestyles and means of transportation have revolutionised the very principles of travel. Louis Vuitton’s lure resonates with a similar echo as it continues to play companion to the royal pastime of excess.
Spice drops by the hallowed halls of Vuitton’s archives to journey with the marque’s most royal customers over its 158- year- old history. The empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, was the first crowned head to have a direct influence on the destiny of Louis Vuitton, when she entrusted him with the packing of her beautiful gowns ( the most voluminous ever seen in those times). Soon the courts of Europe and monarchs worldwide were coming to him with orders for special trunks.
If legends whisper tales, it is alleged that Louis Vuitton was the only luggage to survive the sinking Titanic without damage to the contents. However, for those who do not like to dilute their water of life experience with accoutrements, can delight in the mellow warmth of amber gold as
Spice’s Highland fling begins at Strathisla, Scotland’s oldest operating distillery. Liquor giant Pernod Ricard brews two of its flagship brands, Chivas Regal and Royal Salute here. The Royal Salute vault is a lesson in royal history since it was originally created as a tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on her coronation in 1953. From Strathisla, we slug down past quaint Craigellachie to the spot where The Glenlivet extends its reign over all things amber.
Distinguished single malts may define fiery passion for some, but Spice finds reason to serenade the haunting melodies of nostalgia in heritage obsessed London. Here, the newly renovated 150- year- old Langham hotel serves up a delicious cocktail of period drama and iconic traditions. We gorge on its prime seduction: heritage, while connecting to the hotel’s rich associations with royalty, artists and writers.
While the Langham resonates in the quiet glory of its recent £ 80 million refurbishment; the legendary Ritz Paris closes its doors for a 27- month renovation; the most extensive since its foundation by Cesar Ritz in 1898.
Spice revisits the world’s most celebrated hotel as a glorious tribute to heritage, history and Hollywoodesque glamour. After all, time is nothing unless it’s a moment to remember.