pg 110 Why the St. Barths, superyacht set flocks to e xclusi v e LUX ONLAND The best villas in the BVIs 25 years after her launch On board the groundbreaking design, the groundbreaking On board An Enigma No More eet the world’s most adventurous yacht owner, pg 62 yachteet pg adventurous the owner, world’s most ARE BUILDS THE ON RISE? SUPERYACHT M ROUTELESS TRAVELED Southern hot spots hot Caribbean Southern GLOBAL ORDER BOOK clover

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boat international media ShowBoats International January 2017 vol. xxxvi #1 111

Some owners cap their builds at 60 meters just so they can tie up in Gustavia Harbour.

“It’s Saint-Tropez five thousand miles away from Saint-Tropez, with year-round sun and without the day-trippers,” explains Giuliano Lotto, owner of Le Sereno restaurant, a minimalist- chic setting on the beach offering up the island’s best Italian food with fresh, creamy burrata shipped in daily and a fully THE “IT” ISLAND imported Italian staff. St. Barths has a rich and colorful history that makes it unique New Year’s Eve is around the corner, and the place to be, as always, in the Caribbean; it’s a multifaceted place with so many little nuances and contradictions that it has become bigger than the is St. Barths. Joanna Della-Ragione finds out what makes the sum of its parts — which amount to a mere 9.7 square miles in total. trendy island so alluring to the superyacht set. Its primary inhabitants were Arawak, followed by the Carib Indians. Christopher Columbus spotted the island in 1493 and here so nothing grew, even the trees have been imported,” says named it after his brother Bartolomeo, but no Europeans arrived Martein van Wagenburg over a light lunch of tuna tartare, ceviche until a few French colonists from nearby St. Kitts came in 1648. and Ikon rosé at the five-star Le Guanahani property he manages. The Caribs promptly killed them and mounted their heads on There is a common misconception that because the island isn’t sticks along Lorient Beach. Several decades later, the Huguenots inhabited by Afro-, its air of exclusivity has pushed from Normandy landed and this time they settled. here is talk of going to a club the night I arrive on St. Barths, them out and it must be racist. In fact, because there were no “Although it looks pretty green now, there’s hardly any topsoil a drinking and dining spot called Le Ti with a costume room plantations it was never really a slave island like and where U.S. billionaires are said to put on wigs and dance on the . Slavery was abolished fully in 1813, far earlier than tables alongside live cabaret. most other Caribbean islands. T“Do we need to be on a guest list?” I wonder aloud. Rémy de Haenen, a sailor with the French merchant marine, “No,” says Marie-Claire Holthuizen, an attractive Dutch woman in her was the first person to develop the island when he arrived by late 30s, who moved here from London for a restaurant marketing job. boat during the Prohibition era and spotted an opportunity “Everyone is a VIP here, there are no guest lists.” to smuggle booze. He was also the first person to land a plane You have that sense before you even land on the island because it’s not the on St. Barths, and in 1953, he built Eden Rock on St. Jean Le Ti easiest place to get to. Boat or plane are the two options, but the tiny Gustaf III Beach. Named after the legendary Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc Airport has been rated the third-most dangerous in the world, with a treacherous, in Antibes, it was the island’s primary guesthouse for visitors barely there runway smack-bang next to the white sand of St. Jean Beach. Bathers lunching such as David Rockefeller. Tourism began to take off in the at Eden Rock watch the propeller jets whizzing off at regular intervals on what must be the 1960s and continued to flourish when the likes of Brigitte most glamorous flight path anywhere. Bardot and Zsa Zsa Gabor arrived in the 1980s. I hopped on a 25-minute flight from , on a tiny, eight-seat propeller plane with For the yachting crowd, St. Barths has never been more Tradewind Aviation, one of the few operators offering scheduled flights to the island. Most popular, explains Edmiston’s James Lloyd. “Much of the rest people charter planes, although Tradewind has managed to monopolize the scheduled market of the Caribbean has lost a little bit of its hype because there by offering a service so superior it’s akin to a private charter. are other destinations like the Maldives and Thailand that are The infamous descent into St. Barths is exhilarating — steep and rocky over an idyllic red, Planes fly directly over becoming more popular,” he says. “But St. Barths never drops St. Jean Beach, giving guests green and gray-roofed toy-town. You can virtually make eye contact with sunbathers and at the Eden Rock quite a show. off the radar. You’ve got the yachting side and the multitude of villa-dwellers on the way down. OF COURTESY (TOP), ISTOCK/CDWHEATLEY PHOTOGRAPHS: LE TI BARTHS ST. (CIRCLE) TOURISME DU COMITE (TOP), LIO OF COURTESY IISTOCK/ASTRIDA (TOP), PHOTOGRAPHS: ISTOCK/LUNAMARINA OPPOSITE: PHOTOGRAPHS: (BOTTOM) ISTOCK/KAPULYA (INSET PAGE: THIS (BOTTOM). RIGHT), CTTSB (BOTTOM) beautiful villas and thus a concentration of the type of clients

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J anuary 2017 anuary Villa Blanc Bleu right). (bottom Barths. Another is the parties, Beach is just one draw to St. The white sand of St. Jean Rockstar (center left) and which occur often Villa at

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAURENT BENOIT_CTTSB (TOP, MIDDLE ROW CENTER), COURTESY OF EDEN ROC-ST. BARTHS (MIDDLE ROW LEFT AND RIGHT, BOTTOM LEFT AND RIGHT )

PHOTOGRAPHS: DAVID X PRUTTING/BFA/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK (TOP), CHRIS O’MEARS/AP/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK (BOTTOM) of phones, it’s impossible to go incognito here. incognito go to impossible it’s of phones, game this It’s like else. someone text will and airport the at you sees Someone coming. you’re anyone told haven’t you observer.” an for fun tremendous it’s where, and whom with what “Who doing is Barths. onSt. avilla has who tycoon press. the to island it off makes nothing if even community, local the within gossip it.” for need a isn’t simply There security. no with Coopers Mini in island the around zipping McCartney Paul Jay Zand and Beyoncé see you’ll safe so it’s because and paparazzi, no are There eyelid. an bats one no and street the down way. that out works it naturally so go, to have you so there live to afford can’t you ajob, don’t you have If safe. it’s why that’s and poverty no is “There agrees. island, the on ayear months several spends who Aviation, Tradewind my car.” in keys the and unlocked house safe. so is island the that fact the is rife, more been never has intrusion press when atime at especially known, be.” need if there time spend and go can brokers our that so ahouse renting there, presence our increase to effort aconcerted made have we season first the is winter This with. business do to tend we “If you’re married, you tend to be able to avoid the gossip gossip the avoid to able be to tend you “If married, you’re if arrive…even you when know “People concedes, Zipkin property one says opera,” asoap like is scene whole “The with filled that’s one and island However, asmall it’s side by side walk can star amovie and “A herder goat of president vice Zipkin, David businessman American my “I leave Wagenburg. van says crime,” no is “There super-well- and super-wealthy the for pull biggest The the Maldives and Thailand bit of its hype there because are other destinations like like destinations are other Caribbean has lost alittle lost has Caribbean never dropsnever the off radar. that are becoming more popular. But St. Barths popular. Barths But St. Much of the rest of the ShowBoats International ShowBoats

113 of his final appearances. on theat party Shell Beach last year in one villa in St. Barths. Right: Prince performed host an annual New Year’s Eve bash their at Roman Abramovich and Dasha Zhukova (above) (Villa) Blanc Bleu.” Blanc (Villa) at another and Rockstar Villa at one “I to went says. he performances, so that was pretty cool. pretty was that so performances, final ofhis one It was Beach. Shell at played Prince year, last and Rihanna, and Peppers Hot Chili Red the had “We’ve Klem. explains villa,” his at aparty has and island life. island about me tell to he’s keen language, English ofthe command aperfect with haired floppy- and tanned Handsome, party-goer. a professional —and island the onaround going that’s all for resource —acomprehensive Guide” Smart Barths “St. of the shoes. ’s Tod and trousers red shirts, polo Simons Raf in clad men and dresses strappy limbs, golden oflithe, abundance an air, the through coursing energy electric an there’s and ontap is Veuve Clicquot opening. seasonal its for hotel Christopher the at crowd chic impossibly an Ijoin season. different!” completely something into turn stories the board, above everything “Even playing you’re if laughs. Zipkin ascene,” quite is world single the but train, “Leonardo DiCaprio has regular parties here, too,” here, parties regular has DiCaprio “Leonardo the to artist an brings Abramovich Roman year, “Every creator 25-year-old the Klem, Jeremy Imeet It’s here new the of weekend first the and November It’s early

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The Christopher hotel plays host to a chic crowd, who enjoys the island’s relaxed I’ve heard stories of luxury and many charms. locals who are sitting on land worth many millions of dollars but don’t have the money to pay the lawyer the transaction fee in order to sell it.

On an island where everyone is “someone,” invitations are procured organically. “I was working at the American Gourmet deli before, and this guy Bert, one of Leo’s friends, invited me,” Klem says. “If you cross paths with the right people, you’ll get an invite; they’re pretty open.” At the helm of St. Barths’ society is the longtime president, Bruno Magras. “He’s a local guy who owns the President Bruno company St. Barth Commuter,” Klem says. Magras (left) with St. Barths pioneer “He’s famous on the island; he’s the guy who developed and adventurer Rémy St. Barths and changed the system, making it a collective, de Haenen before his death at age 92. independent from , a few years ago. He’s a nice guy — well-liked and held in very high esteem.” Not everyone is in agreement. “St. Barths, in general, is very old school in the sense there are major conflicts of interests that are accepted and allowed,” one local tells me. Larry Ellison “The president is also a businessman, so he can push his influence around to protect his business interests instead of doing what he is elected to do, but it’s the Caribbean and anything goes. “Everyone knows he’s corrupt, so in private everyone complains, but in public they kiss his butt because ultimately he’s the one who green-lights everything. The island is so sophisticated in so many ways but its politics are archaic.” Zipkin is able to offer an outside perspective. “From what I’ve seen, the real locals are the ones whose families have been there for a long, long time; there are seven or eight families whose last names are very well-known to David Rockefeller everyone,” he says. “They own most of the land to this day; their Beyoncé grandparents were part of the first settlers. Then tourism happened in the 1980s and 1990s, and that brought with it the other group, the “Metros” from France, who came over to start businesses and hotels and restaurants and are now St. Barths has attracted very much a part of the landscape. power players since David Rockefeller arrived “From time to time, there are some competing goals of in the 1950s. Today, the two parties,” he adds. “The locals are cash poor and regular visitors include the likes of Larry Ellison land rich and their main aim is to profit off their land. I’ve and Beyoncé. heard stories of locals who are sitting on land worth many PHOTOGRAPHS: ISTOCK/ROCOCOFOTO (TOP), COURTESY OF ST. BARTHS.COM (CENTER INSET), ©LOUIE PSIHOYOS/WWW.PSIHOYOS.COM (LARRY ELLISON), ELLISON), (LARRY PSIHOYOS/WWW.PSIHOYOS.COM ©LOUIE INSET), (CENTER BARTHS.COM ST. OF COURTESY (TOP), ISTOCK/ROCOCOFOTO PHOTOGRAPHS: (BEYONCE) PHOTO ALAMY STOCK / INC EVERETT COLLECTION ROCKEFELLER), (DAVID PHOTO ALAMY STOCK / INC EVERETT COLLECTION PHOTOGRAPHS: PISCINE CARREAU P. (TOP RIGHT), LAURENT BENOIT_CTTSB(TOP LEFT), (BOTTOM ROLF ADLERCREUTZ LEFT), ©EDEN ROC-ST / ALAMY BARTHS STOCK (CENTER PHOTO LEFT), (CENTER RIGHT), ISTOCK/ ISTOCK/ MTCURADO CDWHEATLEY (BOTTOM RIGHT)

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J anuary 2017 anuary Stewart, Harvey Weinstein and Steven Spielberg. Steven and Weinstein Harvey Stewart, Martha Murdoch, Rupert Ellison, Larry Wexner, Leslie Melnichenko, Roman Abramovich and Dasha Zhukova, Paul Allen, Gagosian, Larry Andrey and Aleksandra players: power the are there Then Klum. Heidi and Carey Mariah Z, Jay and Beyoncé Maguire, Tobey Regular celebs include GOES Leonardo DiCaprio,WHO land. on a night spend to need no is there circles, right the in shoulders rubbing are you If Year’s. New to Christmas from night every superyachts on hosted parties private are There is. action real the where is ALL ABOARD harbor The yourunder dress. abikini Wear tip: Insider long. night all you entertain will DJs best the and spraying Champagne Beach. Nikki at ends never party The WILD AND YOUNG for old money. institution low-key awonderfully it’s crowd; elegant an and wine best the food, delicious has and spot hot island an is Public de Anse in restaurant waterside popular This Maya’s. at now atable Reserve OUT CHILL dresses and Alaia metallic laser-cut sandals. UNIFORM day. next the you for ready cure hangover the have to hand on be also will bar juice cold-pressed new Rock’s Eden sunrise. until going you keep to aDJ and displays fireworks with party abeach into transforms dinner luxury The Wild!” the “Into is theme year’s This beach. the on right Bar Sand the at dinner exclusive fabulously a hosts which hotel, Rock Eden the to head then list, invite the on not are you If stuff. their strut Beyoncé and Peas Eyed Black The seen have years previous and Prince was it year Last performing. artist a top always is there –and Beach Gouverneur on villa their in party Eve Year’s New Zhukova’s Dasha and Abramovich Roman is invite coveted most The PARTIES THE crowd! the in lost get will meters 60 than less Anything vessels. best the and biggest the for lot parking luxury the becomes Harbour Gustavia play. to come powerful the where is This Set. Jet York New the and billionaires tech glamour, Think Saint-Tropez VIBE THE mixed with Hollywood Jewelry designer and the ultimate insider insider ultimate the and designer Jewelry PARTY LIKE IT’S LIKE PARTY 2017 Jordana Reuben Yechiel Short Balmain and Yves Saint Laurent Laurent Saint Yves and Balmain Short New Year’s Barths New Eve inSt. on how to do to how on