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the Women only: AllBright JOIN The AllBright founders Debbie Wosskow London, UK (main picture, left) and Anna Jones (right); the bar (below) and monochrome If the private members’ club has its styling (bottom left) at the origins in 18th-century gentlemen’s original Fitzrovia club; clubs (see page 56), reflecting a the roof terrace at the new AllBright Mayfair world where men ruled public life, (bottom right). then The AllBright is a sign of how far things have come. Established in CLUBNo longer just a place to network and wind down, London’s Fitzrovia in 2018 by Debbie today’s private members’ clubs offer coworking Wosskow and Anna Jones, the clue to the membership is in the name, zones and high-level fitness services alongside which pays homage to the famous restaurants, bars, and nightlife quote by former Unites States Secretary of State Madeleine Words BETHAN RYDER Albright: “There’s a special place in hell reserved for women who don’t help each other.” Aiming to create “opportunities for women to thrive In the decade or so before the turn of the millennium, when hedonism and flourish,” The AllBright has ruled in cities such as New York and London, a wave of members’ clubs clearly been successful. A second opened, where the lucky few could drink and dine away from the hordes. outpost has just opened in a five- These exclusive new haunts were the antithesis of the gentlemen’s clubs of story Mayfair townhouse, which CLEMENTS MICHAEL MAGAZINE BY yore, bastions of establishment such as New York’s Metropolitan Club or promises “contemporary and the Royal Automobile Club in London. Many, such as The Groucho, Met feminine, but not pretty” interiors, Bar, and Soho House in the British capital, opened to cater to a younger according to its designer Suzy clientele working in the creative industries of film, fashion, TV, media, Hoodless, who is known for high-end and advertising. And where London led, other metropolises followed. residential projects that combine a Becoming a member was simple: be nominated by a couple of existing confident use of color and pattern. members, pay the annual fee, and you were in. There were daytime meetings, “The most important thing was

but this club culture was more about drinking cosmopolitans and sea breezes flexibility,” says Hoodless. “The club ESTATE REAL INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIE’S into the early hours. Dining was an option, too, and there might be a DJ with needed to be able to host coworking, late-night dancing. But joining these clubs was about rubbing shoulders with socializing, talks, and events, but also fellow “movers and shakers,” where you could guarantee space on a sofa and accommodate fitness services.” She’s the mixologist (it was the ’90s) really did know your name. wrapped the interiors in tinted mirror How times have changed. In this digital, on-demand age—where the lines paneling and glossy paint, combined between work and play continue to blur—the members’ club has evolved, with brass light fixtures, tropical becoming a segregated and heavily specialized phenomenon. Call it the wallpapers, upholstery inspired by atomization of socializing, but technological advancements have in many Savile Row tailoring, and furniture ways intensified the cash-rich, time-poor dichotomy. A club today needs to by Eames, Thonet, Gubi, and Another be beneficial to your life in every respect and not simply a “home away from Country. Guests will find all the usual home” for drinking and dining where you catch up with friends. Judging club facilities, but The AllBright twist by the recently opened Conduit in London, which aims to foster social change, is the second-floor wellness zone with and the forthcoming Well, a modern wellness club in Manhattan, it seems fitness studio, beauty, and hair salon. that whether you are looking for serious networking, self-improvement, or Because, frankly, it’s hard to rule the want to change the world, there is a beautifully appointed club waiting to world without a decent blow dry. TARAN WILKHU TARAN welcome you. Here are six you might want to consider. allbrightcollective.com DEBBIE WOSKOW AND ANNA JONES PHOTOGRAPHED EXCLUSIVELY FOR

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Yellowstone Club ski-out access to individual ranches Montana, USA and mansions), in addition to the $400,000-plus joining fee. Taking the members-only concept to There is a fitness center and extreme altitudes in more ways than numerous restaurants and bars, one is Montana’s Yellowstone Club, among them a lunch spot in a yurt, a private residential community, ski, an American diner, and a Montana- and golf club spanning 24 square inspired roadhouse. At the club’s miles (62 sq km) in the spectacular heart is the Warren Miller Lodge, Rocky Mountains. Established in which like much of the architecture BRIDGEMAN 1997, Yellowstone is tailored to those is all very alpine, incorporating local movie stars, tech billionaires, and stone and wood. Although some History hedge-fund moguls who find Aspen members are commissioning THE GENTLEMEN’S CLUB just a little too busy and yearn for ultramodern glass-and-steel their own private slice of wilderness properties, most homes embody The first private gentlemen’s clubs and action-packed, Big Sky living. rustic chic, with timber and moss originated in London, and St James’s Perhaps with a side order of a private rock-clad exteriors and interiors was the original “clubland.” They jet or yacht charter—something of reclaimed oak, large hearths, took over the role played by 18th- membership can also secure via exposed roof trusses, soaring century coffee houses, where Yellowstone’s partnerships. So how ceilings, and acres of glazing to aristocrats and men from the upper do you share a chair lift with the likes reveal the mountain scenery. classes would meet to discuss politics of Bill Gates, Justin Timberlake, and It’s very Ralph Lauren on skis, and business. London’s original Jessica Biel? You need to spend with layers of shearling, cow gentlemen’s clubs, among them between $3m and $25m on a hides, Navajo textiles, and Brooks’s, Boodle’s, and White’s property (homes range from Christian Liaigre furniture. (pictured above in A Rake’s Progress chalet-style condos with ski-in, yellowstoneclub.com by William Hogarth), provided Dumbo House details. Amsterdam House, for members with somewhere not Brooklyn, New York, USA example, is full of motifs that pay just to socialize but to gamble— homage to the geometric patterns an activity still illegal outside of It’s hard to keep pace with the Soho found in the extraordinary limestone members-only establishments. House Group, as founder Nick Jones and granite-clad Bungehuis building, By the 1880s, London was thought circumnavigates the globe, opening which mixes architectural styles to be home to around 400 clubs, outposts from Amsterdam to of Art Deco, Functionalist, and their members often united by Mumbai. His burgeoning empire of Amsterdam School, with a hint of an interest in politics, literature, private members’ clubs for creative Brutalism. The result is that every a particular sport, art, travel, professionals began in London’s house easily slots into its host city, or some other pursuit. Soho in 1995 and now counts 23 feeling part of the fabric and yet The club scene in the United States houses (and some 70,000 members) with its Cecconi’s restaurants, also developed during the 18th worldwide. One of the newest is rooftop pools, art collections, and century, with most major cities Dumbo House, the third New York Cowshed spas, also very much part having at least one traditional club, which occupies the top two of the bigger Soho House picture. Big Sky living: At the heart of Montana’s Yellowstone gentlemen’s club. The oldest, floors of Empire Stores, a brick dumbohouse.com Club is the Warren Miller the Schuylkill Fishing Company, storehouse that has become a Inspiring panorama: Lodge (left), the perfect in Andalusia, Pennsylvania, opened mixed-use creative hub in this place for après-ski and Dumbo House has post-golf activities. in 1732. Others of note include thriving hipster neighborhood. incredible views of The Old Colony Club in Plymouth, As with most of the houses, Jones New York’s oldest suspension bridges— Massachusetts (1769) and New York is keen to reference the existing Manhattan and City’s Yale Club (1897), the largest architecture and context: “I always Brooklyn—best seen college clubhouse in the world. try to take something from the from the rooftop pool (top), while walls (left) Women began establishing clubs outside and bring it inside so that are painted the same in London in the late 19th century, there’s a continuation,” he says. shade of the former— among them the Ladies’ Institute, Dumbo House’s interiors are Manhattan Bridge blue. the Ladies’ Athenaeum, and the inspired by the 1960s and ’70s, when University Women’s Club, which the area was first colonized by artists. is still in operation now. Design director Linda Boronkay From the 1970s, some single- oversees the look of all the clubs and sex clubs opened to men and has become an expert at blending women, heralding the members’ vintage pieces and custom-made clubs that we know today—places furniture, as well as creating textiles with food, drink, and a rarefied feel. or tiling that reference original

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Annabel’s “The club has been Thirty Nine commissioned Morpheus London London, UK Monte Carlo, Monaco to execute his slick vision. Not just designed to feel like a gym, there is also a Pilates studio, “We wanted the entire club to feel One for the body-beautiful, self- altitude chamber, The Kitchen like a fantasy, dressed to impress as your own home—so improvement fitness tribe, Thirty restaurant, members’ lounge and though it were hosting a fabulous much attention has Nine is a private members’ sports terrace, hair salon, and Studio 39 spa house party,” says Martin Brudnizki, club on the Riviera founded by with Biologique Recherche products. the interior architect charged by gone into every detail.” Scottish ex-rugby international and Members are encouraged to improve entrepreneur Richard Caring to Ross Beattie Monaco resident Ross Beattie. their lives here, with programs create the new Annabel’s, a “Monaco is the center for global tailored to combine fitness training, maximalist, 21st-century-on-steroids luxury and it resonates style and diet, beauty, and wellness using version of the legendary Mayfair wonderment,” Beattie told the high-tech equipment and expert nightclub. Overlooking the plane Financial Times ahead of the club’s guidance from world-class sports trees of Berkeley Square, the new opening in fall 2016. “It’s natural professionals and nutritionists. reincarnation occupies a stately that large brands come to Monaco No surprise then that members four-story Georgian mansion and to be a part of the dream, but have included runner Paula Radcliffe is just a stone’s throw from Mark I wanted to do something different and tennis pro Novak Djokovic. Birley’s original subterranean boîte. and create a luxury brand that was 39montecarlo.com Now open from 7am–4am, the born here and could have the Bethan Ryder is editorial manager at club is designed to host members potential to take Monaco with it Elle Decoration and has written four throughout the day. “The design wherever it may go in the future.” books about restaurant and bar design had to move from morning to night Thirty Nine occupies a 1960s seamlessly, able to offer breakfast GETTY IMAGES property on Avenue Princess Grace. through to cocktails and dancing in Roppongi Hills Club Interiors are upscale glam with noble the evening,” explains Brudnizki, who Tokyo, Japan materials of marble, soft leathers, took inspiration from gardens for the rich woods, and bronze detailing, lavish, flora-and-fauna aesthetic. The Hyatt-managed Roppongi Hills which generate a neutral palette of Trims, tassels, fringes, candelabras, Club occupies the entire 51st floor of grays, taupes, and metallics. “The unicorns, exotic de Gournay murals, the Mori Tower and offers its almost club has been designed to feel like and swagged drapes abound. A pink literally high-flying members a an extension of your own home— paradise, the ladies’ powder room 360-degree panorama of Tokyo’s so much attention has gone into is an Instagram hit, but Brudnizki’s glittering skyline. Notoriously every detail,” says Beattie, who number-one spot is the Garden exclusive—its smart casual dress restaurant, a palm-fringed oasis code excludes shorts, sandals, complete with a retractable roof. T-shirts without a jacket, and for annabels.co.uk women, ripped “fashion jeans,” or camisole dresses—this is a fairly formal affair, as reflected in the membership, which includes political leaders from around the globe. There are seven restaurants and two bars, plus three banqueting halls and numerous private dining rooms, with the Fifty-One restaurant and bar at the club’s heart. Interiors are clean and contemporary, with the main attraction being the wraparound city views. A hub of culinary excellence, members can enjoy some of the finest dishes: Amakawa specializes in Wagyu beef, while Fifty-One does a Workout haven: Sporting mean prime ribeye platter. Members activities at Thirty Nine also benefit from invitations to include yoga out on the various events such as cooking water (above), while the The Kitchen (top) and Another world: The Garden classes, gourmet and wine dinners, terrace (right) offer Room, with murals by wine clubs, seminars with business stylish options for Gary Myatt (top); the leaders, and exclusive access to art dining and relaxing. Garden restaurant (above); the ladies’ fairs and galleries. powder room (right). CHEVALLIER PASCAL roppongihillsclub.com SMIT ANTON

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