Joan collins london home

My London: Dame Joan Collins

Home is …

My flat in Belgravia, where I have lived for the past 30 years, 20 of which I’ve spent happily with my husband, Percy Gibson.

Eaton Square, Belgravia

/ Alamy Stock Photo

Where do you stay in London?

When we were flooded out of our flat, we stayed at Claridge’s. It’s our home away from home and they always welcome me as if I actually live there. Their food is wonderful and I particularly like their club sandwich.

What’s the best meal you’ve had?

At the moment, I am a fan of The Ivy Chelsea Garden on King’s Road because I love the shepherd’s pie and you can hear yourself talk, which is sadly not the case at far too many London restaurants.

Where would you most like to be buried?

Next to my wonderful mother, and close to Kay Kendall and Anton Walbrook, at St John-at-Hampstead church.

What would you do if you were Mayor for the day?

Stop all the building works that are clogging up all the streets.

Which shops do you rely on?

For fashionable clothes, Selfridges; jackets, Zara; pyjamas and cashmere sweaters, Marks & Spencer; over-the-top evening gowns, Harrods, and wonderful hats Philip Treacy.

Harrods

/ LightRocket via Getty Images

What makes someone a Londoner?

Being born within the sound of Bow Bells. My parents said I was.

Who is the most iconic Londoner in history?

Winston Churchill — if he wasn’t a Londoner he should have been.

What’s the best thing a cabbie has ever said to you?

They made me an honorary cabbie because I support them so staunchly! I take dozens of taxis each week.

Where do you go to let your hair down?

My hairdresser.

What’s your biggest extravagance?

Caviar, heaps of it on a baked potato.

What are you up to at the moment for work?

Publicising my best-selling book, My Unapologetic Diaries, and a couple of scripts that I’m deeply involved with.

Who do you call when you want to have fun?

Christopher Biggins, Julian Clary, Andrew Pierce or any of my other friends. None of them are boring. I can forgive anything else but that.

Julian Clary

/ Alamy Stock Photo

What do you collect?

Camels: prints, pictures, paintings and statues of them.

Which podcast are you currently obsessed with?

I don’t do or listen to podcasts.

What’s your favourite beauty spot?

My bathroom! My hairdresser Alyn Waterman comes to me.

What was the last thing you googled?

A shop in Soho that sells platform-soled high-heeled shoes — I couldn’t find it.

‘My Unapologetic Diaries’, by Joan Collins, £20 (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) is out now in hardback, audio and ebook

Joan Collins, 87, calls the police on scaffolders who aren't wearing masks as they work on her £3m London mansion

DAME Joan Collins does not mess about when it comes to Covid safety protocols.

The Dynasty actress' £3 million Belgravia mansion is in the middle of a series of renovations of flats surrounding her home.

Dame Joan Collins, 87, called the police on some tradesmen who were not wearing face masks at her flatCredit: Darren Fletcher - The Sun

She spotted the scaffolders - who were carrying out routine property maintenance - not wearing face masks as they climbed on to her balcony.

"Woke up to find two workmen on my balcony not wearing masks and several of them maskless all over the building putting scaffolding up," the acting legend told the Daily Mail.

Dame Joan and her producer husband Percy Gibson have gone to extra lengths to be safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Being careful to quarantine and having no contact with people," she said.

The legendary actress lives in a luxurious flat in London's Belgravia suburbCredit: Ray Collins - The Sun

But works on the buildings around her, meant she woke to find the scaffolders on her balconyCredit: Ray Collins - The Sun

"Why should others invade my quarantine?"

Without hesitation, Dame Joan called the Metropolitan Police to complain about the workmen and the cops wasted no time in getting to her mansion.

Percy said: "They are talking to Joan outside now."

The producer could not see the point in carrying on with renovations during the national lockdown.

She lives in the posh flat with her husband, Percy GibsonCredit: Getty Images - Getty

"What is so annoying is that these works are unnecessary. Surely, they could have waited until lockdown is over. Are they really essential?" he said.

"I can understand works taking place to repair gas mains or build houses, but not this, which is external redecoration to make a house pretty."

Police confirmed the tradies were complying with all applicable regulations.

According to a spokeswoman of landlord carrying out the renovations, the contractors were exempt from wearing masks.

Dame Joan was enraged at their lack of safety after she had been very careful to protect herself during the coronavirus pandemicCredit: Rex Features

Dame Joan, 87 has lived in the fancy London flat for more than 20 years, and in 2019, when she escaped with her life after a blaze broke out inside an en-suite bathroom.

The fire was started by sunlight striking a shaving mirror and reflecting onto a blind, firefighters said.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dame Joan, 85, said her husband is a "hero" for his actions.

She told the newspaper: "The thing is, if Percy hadn't gone in with the extinguisher the entire flat would have been consumed by flames.

She has lived in the flat for more than 20 yearsCredit: Darren Fletcher - The Sun

Percy and Dame Joan have been married since 2002Credit: Getty Images - Getty

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"What he did, in fact, was save the whole building. Percy's a hero. I know a lot of guys who wouldn't have gone in. He made a great sacrifice.

"And we're lucky to be alive. I keep thinking: 'What if we'd been asleep and hadn't heard the alarm? What if we'd gone to a movie?'."

Dynasty series, shoulder pads, sharp tongue and more

FASHION•STYLE ICON

TEXT: Tatyana Yakimova

Collins. The first was a British writer, the second was a film star and the star of the legendary TV series Dynasty.

In the sixties Joan Collins was considered a budding starlet and the most beautiful girl in Britain, in the seventies - "Elizabeth Taylor for the poor", in the eighties - the goddess of style and queen of glamour, in 90th is an old-fashioned star whose fame is in the past. But today, many top brands somehow quote the images of Joan - both on-screen and everyday. Let's figure out how the old-school grand lady, who calls herself "something like a bridge between the golden era of Hollywood and today, when the gloss begins to fade", suddenly became an influencer again - after almost 40 years from her finest hour.

She created the image of Alexis

The main bitch of all television series, Alexis Colby from "Dynasty" was the epitome of the excessive glamor of the eighties. But you had to be able to wear all these chic things! Joan did. Producer Aaron Spelling was personally convinced of this when he met her at a party. By then Hollywood standards, the 48-year-old actress was almost an old woman, but radiated luxury, self-confidence, audacity and sex - exactly what was needed for the role of the insidious ex-wife of the protagonist of "Dynasty". True, the legendary costume designer Nolan Miller (who was called the "secret weapon" of all Spelling films) had his own vision of the wardrobe of the villain Alexis. "Joan. I see you in little tweed jackets with Peter Pan collars and a Jackie Kennedy hat!” “No, Nolan. I've just come from Paris, and believe me - Alexis should not have tweed and Peter Pan, but Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin! Alexis is high fashion!” nine0003

Thus was born the couture wardrobe inspired by old Hollywood, but with an eye on the fashion of the 80s: dresses with huge shoulders, giant sleeves (and batwing sleeves), power-suits, sequins, gold brocade, silver lamé, suits for breakfasts, wide-brimmed hats, veils, fur stoles and elegant turbans for all occasions. And jewels - many, many jewels. “When we were asked what we would choose today - diamonds, emeralds or rubies, we answered: bring everything at once! And we wore everything we could stand, and the guards, who brought jewelry worth millions of dollars, followed us on our heels. nine0003

Joan used to buy clothes for Alexis herself. Once, in Paris, she grabbed an avant-garde Pierre Cardin suit with high puffed shoulders that reached to her ears. “I starred in this chic jacket, and the next day the producer called and ordered never to buy anything like that again: “We want to see you, not your fucking shoulder pads !!!”

For Dynasty outfits - primarily Alexis - Nolan Miller received an Emmy in 1984 and set the trend for thick, thick shoulder pads for a whole decade. On the wave of success, the designer created the Dynasty brand - a collection of various power suits based on the clothes of the main characters of the series. nine0003

He said that Joan helped him create an image in which everything asserts itself: a suit, hats, gloves, jewelry ... "When a woman like that walks down the hall, you may not know who she is, but you know that she is rich and you know it's better to get out of the way."

Miller designed costumes for television until the late nineties and created a collection of costume jewelry that sold well until his death in 2002. And "Dynasty" went down in history as the highest-budget "soap" and one of the best series about fashion. nine0003

Joan herself admits that the character of Alexis was partially transferred to her. “But we are still different. I could understand many things Alexis did, but I wouldn't do them myself. And I like her strong character. Every time trouble comes into my life, I look her in the eye and say, "Don't mess with Alexis!"

She's not afraid of anything

"Good friend" Collins Tom Ford admitted that he thinks she's completely fearless - and he's right. The school years of the future queen of glamor fell on wartime - Joan's parents often took Joan away from London, away from the bombings. She changed 13 schools. I saw hunger and death. And she hardened. nine0003

Since her first appearance in Hollywood, she has constantly faced harassment, so #MeToo is not an empty phrase for her. "What can I say? If you are being chased, give the man a knee in the groin or just run away. But don't stand frozen in fear." Collins lost a lot of opportunities by ditching the "overtures" on the couches. One day, a famous producer came out of the bath naked to her and asked her how much she wanted the role. “Don't forget how old you are. Twenty five! You are no longer young for this business.” "Old fart sitting in the bathroom! I said: "All the best to you, and my boyfriend is waiting for me." Of course, I was not approved, although I was ideally suited for the role. nine0003

Her first four husbands are full of tears: an abuser, a swindler, a gigolo and a drug addict. Which did not prevent Joan from marrying for the fifth time in 2002 - to theater agent Percy Gibson, 30 years younger. And even without a marriage contract.

When it became clear that it was Alexis-Joan who had saved Dynasty from failure, the actress demanded the same salary as her on-screen ex-husband, actor John Forsythe. And received. Although the producers, stunned by such impudence, even thought about killing her heroine, they did not dare. nine0003

She has a sharp tongue

For several years the superstar was a contributor to the Spectator magazine - and rocked to the fullest. So, in August last year, her column was called "Why do people confuse my title of Lady?" (She received the title of Dame Officer of the British Empire in 1997 for her contribution to cinema and charity), and in February, “Do you want to know why all the Oscar-winning films are so boring? I'll tell you." And all in this spirit - with her characteristic grace and audacity. nine0003

Joan always says what she thinks and then laughs: "Oh, it was my impolite impromptu, but, you know, people like it."

— Madam, are you not afraid to marry with such a difference in age?

No, I am a fatalist. If my husband dies before me, then it is destined to be so.

- They say you had affairs with the husbands of many famous women. Which of these men was the best?

Your husband, dear.

Are there any questions you don't like to answer? nine0003

— I'll put it this way: I don't want to answer THAT question!

Are you aware that you are a gay icon?

- Of course, it couldn't be otherwise - gays love glamorous women.

— You were filming in Dynasty for a long time, but there were moments when you thought: that's it, I can't do it anymore?

— No. Excuse me if you can.

- Do you regret that you starred in the films "Stallion" and "Bitch", which are very similar to super soft porn?

— No, I was good there, right?

- What can you say to your detractors?

Nothing. Looking good is the best revenge.

— How do you spend time with your godchildren — you have 13 of them? (Including Poppy and Cara Delevingne and ex-Bond's son Roger Moore.)

- Well, Queen Victoria had 50 godchildren, and she ignored almost all of them, although many were named after her. But none of the goddaughters was named after me. Although I understand them: Joan is a boring name.

And she has always been like that. Back in her youth, when another suitor unexpectedly told her: You are fucking bore, she replied: You are boring fuck! Although she was very upset, because she had a better opinion of his manners. nine0003

She is LGBT supporter

In a Spectator column, Joan admitted that as a teenager she wanted to wear—and secretly wore—her father's corduroy slacks and loose shirts, rather than her mother's womanly dresses. “I clearly remember my thoughts: “So, mommy should wear all these suspenders, petticoats, stockings so that the creases in the back are even, then a bra and a combination ... and daddy only slacks and a T-shirt! I want to be a guy." True, the impulse passed after entering the Royal Academy of Arts, where fans followed the stunning beauty in droves. nine0003

Joan showed her loyalty to LGBT people while playing Alexis, when it was even dangerous. “In addition to constant intrigues, a very important topic was raised in Dynasty: the attitude of parents towards their gay son. “You know, my on-screen son Steven was the first gay character on mainstream television. And I really wanted to show that I loved the "wrong" son no less than the other two children. Whereas the on-screen father, this nerdy tycoon, disapproved of his own son's lifestyle - and constantly made it clear. A familiar story, isn't it?" nine0003

Joan has a lot of gay friends (“For a man to be friends with me, he must be only gay”), among her thirteen godchildren, two were adopted in same-sex marriages. One of these friends is Ivan Massov, a super-successful entrepreneur, former president of the British Academy of Modern Art, a former alcoholic, and now a happy father, who claims that it was Joan who saved him from alcoholism and set him on the right path. “When I realized that he had drunk eight bottles of wine and two bottles of vodka during the night, I threw him into the pool and gave a lecture on the topic “You cannot continue like this, my third husband died due to drugs and alcohol, this will destroy your life !" Surprisingly, he listened. Rigidity in love and friendship sometimes works great.” nine0003

Her street style inspires (turns out)

Every time Joan goes out to a restaurant (with her beloved Percy, of course) demonstrates: elegance rules! Karin Rothfeild and Kate Moss certainly approve of her animal print looks, her evening coats are Olivia Palermo's dream, and not a single it girl in the world today will refuse her impressive size jewelry, inlaid shoes, vintage bags, "grandmother's" jackets, a silver cloak Dries Van Noten and a blue fur cap. And yes, this season no one will judge her corporal tights. nine0003

“I want to be elegant and stylish, not chasing fashion. Of course, I love fashion. But not what is happening in it now,” Joan said last year. - Today there are very few couturiers who can inspire me. First of all, Philip Tracy.

But fashion has a chance to win back its love. Today, what Joan wears can be found in many fashion houses. Balmain, Celine, Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana... and even McQueen. The young London brand 16Arlington, whose fans include Lady Gaga, Edie Campbell, Adat Alesha and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, dedicated his spring-summer 2019 collection to her.. “We were inspired by some imaginary dinner that Joan Collins invited Gina Lollobrigida to: sheer glitz and ultra-glamor.”

By the way, the latest glamor queen makes no secret of the fact that she can order a fake copy of a Versace blouse online and buy a pair of silk skirts from Primark. She knows how to add chic to any thing, regardless of the cost. Once, during an interview, she liked a journalist's scarf. "As you said? Zara? No, I haven't heard it, but it looks great." As a result, the faux fur scarf was accepted as a gift, and when Joan threw it over her well-groomed eighty-five-year-old shoulders, the cheap thing instantly acquired a status look. nine0003

In her opinion, a cheap scarf can be good, but holey jeans are always bad, even from a couture house. "I am not jeans and T-shirts." At the same time, the star is sure: you need to dress without regard to age. “Once upon a time, one actress gave me good advice: remember what you wore with pleasure at the age of thirty - and do it all your life! I will easily go out in public in a leather miniskirt. I wear a bikini on the beach. Who said it's only for the young?! Like? Is it coming? Wear it!”

The main investment in the wardrobe Joan calls the installation of large mirrors - to see yourself from head to toe from all sides. “You can be overweight, but beautiful skin - so focus on it! Show your legs, if they are good, show your shoulders, chest, wrists . .. what is flattering is also fashionable. And don't forget about our secret weapon - sequins: they reflect light, make the skin glow and bring intrigue to any outfit. nine0003

Joan also loves large pearls. Remember her mantra: Go bold - or go home. And yes, this is also the trend of the new season.

She is genuinely beautiful

Everyone who has seen eighty-five-year-old Joan unanimously repeats: she is fantastically beautiful! And he shares his secrets with pleasure: you need to do ice compresses for five minutes before going out. Hide your face from the sun. Buy only suitable care products. Always keep false eyelashes ready. And know how to paint. True, for the last 14 years Alun Waterman, a star makeup artist, has been responsible for makeup on the set (covers of Vogue, Sorbet, Citizen K). "My beloved Alun and his magic brush." nine0003

Star denies surgery. “Who likes to think that I did plastic surgery, let him think. If you look closely at my face, you can see wrinkles and loose skin on my chin. But I've seen younger women get plastic surgery and they look worse than me. You can't stop the aging process, but you can always be a lady!"

Like another great lady, Helen Mirren, Joan is against hard training. “It is stupid and harmful to overwork yourself in the gym if you are already over forty. But having a husband thirty years younger is very useful!” She works out with a trainer two, sometimes three times a week: stretches, lunges to the side, squats. Favorite fitness is swimming, but not in the pool, but on the Cote d'Azur. Collins has a villa in Saint-Tropez, where she, surrounded by family (husband, children, grandchildren) and friends, spends several months a year and enjoys visiting social events and the best restaurants. “I love simple food, and the legendary Le Club 55 has the best nicoise salad in the world and delicious omelettes.” According to her, you need to eat a lot of vegetables, fruits and sardines, but also cookies - if you really want to. And be sure to have at least one signature homemade dish when you invite loved ones. Collins has spaghetti bolognese. nine0003

Joan sometimes boozes. But her criticism is clearly worth listening to, “Oh, these young stars. All of them are obsessed with self-expression. But here's the strange thing: this self-expression makes them remarkably identical! Only the inscriptions on the t-shirts differ... A bright individuality is what is lacking today.”

And Joan Collins has that personality in abundance. Even in the 90s and zero, when her image was considered an anachronism, she calmly wore only what she wanted. And the diva wanted absolutely according to Wilde - only the best. In her own mind. nine0003 {"width":1200,"column_width":120,"columns_n":10,"gutter":0,"line":40}false7671300falsetrue{"mode":"page","transition_type":"slide", "transition_direction":"horizontal","transition_look":"belt","slides_form":{}}{"css":".editor {font-family: tautz; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 21px;}"}true

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tags: STYLE ICON

London calling | Robb Report magazine

Over the past year, prices for premium class housing in the British capital have grown by 40%, and in December London overtook New York in terms of the cost per square meter and now shares the first place with Monaco. According to CB Richard Ellis, the average cost of one square meter of housing in prestigious areas of London is $24,600, while in New York it is $20,400. And this is not the limit: developers from Surrey, brothers Nick and Christian Candy, believe that the cost square meter in the best houses in London can soar up to $120,000. They recently proved it in practice: apartments in the new One Hyde Park residential complex were sold for a record amount of £84 million. nine0003

Which areas of London are the most sought after by shoppers today? Which real estate agency addresses have the longest "waiting lists"? We turned to four experts for advice - Christie's Great Estates (a division of the Christie's auction house responsible for real estate transactions), Knight Frank, Harrods Estates and IntermarkSavills. Almost without exception, experts identified the three most popular districts of Central London—Belgravia (SW1), Knightsbridge (SW1) and Mayfair (W1). nine0003

In turn, in these areas, there are ten most popular addresses where expensive (worth over £5 million) properties are concentrated.

The most prestigious areas of London:

BELGRAVIA: Eaton Square, Chester Square and Wilton Crescent.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE: Lowndes Square, Cadogan Place, Cadogan Square and Egerton Crescent.

MAYFAIR: Grosvenor Square, Upper Grosvenor Square

and Park Lane.

List of broker Stephen Lindsay looking for a home for Madonna and other celebrities:

Regents Park, London NW1

St Johns Wood, London NW8

Belgravia, London SW1

Knightsbridge, London SW1

Kensington, London W8

Mayfair, London W1

Holland Park, London W11

Marylebone, London W1

Little Venice, London W9

Hampstead, London NW3

NOBLE NEIGHBORHOOD

BELGRAVIA (SW1) ALWAYS, SINCE MASS DEVELOPMENT IN THE 1820s (in those years, a significant part of the land of Belgravia was owned by the second Marquis of Westminster, Richard Grosvenor, and was the most fashionable and prestigious area of the city. Traditionally, most of the embassy buildings are located here. Celebrities have always lived here. Composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Frederic Chopin, actress Vivien Leigh , writer Ian Fleming, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain - this is an incomplete but more than worthy list.Today's Belgravia is home to former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, actress and writer Joan Collins.0003

“The spacious houses in Belgravia are some of the most expensive in the world,” says Christie’s Great Estates European business development director Joachim Rang-Wieden. “Eaton Square is one of the most desirable addresses for property buyers in the area.” This area of Belgravia began to be built up in 1827. A typical house on Eaton Square consists of three interconnected 4-5-story buildings with columns, terraces and houses for servants. If before the Second World War, Eaton Square was somewhat inferior in prestige to such addresses as Grosvenor Square or Park Lane, now they are equal in the London hierarchy of values. Eaton Square has been and remains a residential area, while other prestigious streets and squares have begun to be built up with office buildings. Today, famous residents of Eaton Square are philanthropist George Soros and actor Roger Moore. nine0003

It was in Belgravia that Candy & Candy's flagship facility was recently built: 21, Chesham Place, designed by Norman Foster, this darling of London (and now you can even say Moscow). The cost per square meter at this address exceeds $57,000. The complex, which was built using unique species of trees, onyx, marble and other natural materials of this class, has six deluxe class apartments. The cost of each is more than $45 million.

In the secondary market in Belgravia, you can find something cheaper. So, a house with an area of 439sq. m with a plastered facade and a view of Chester Square costs 6.5 million pounds (about $13 million). The house is in perfect condition, it has 6 bedrooms, a reception hall, a dining room, a living room-library, a spacious kitchen and a servant's room. A terrace adjoins the mansion, and there is a small outbuilding in the backyard. There is a garage for two cars. Plus, the immediate neighborhood with Baroness Margaret Thatcher, who lives here, on Chester Square.

Another housing development in Belgravia that is highly noteworthy is the 6-story mansion at 47 Belgrave Square. Its total area is 1 692 sq. m. The redevelopment permit provides for the arrangement of 7 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, 6 reception rooms, a recreation complex, a kitchen and premises for staff in the house. The mansion is planned to have 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a garage for 4 cars. Roof terrace. Like many of the houses on the east side of Belgrave Square, No. 47 was designed by architect George Bazevie and exhibited at the Royal Academy. By 1830, the house was already occupied: its first official occupant was John Abel Smith, a senior partner in the banking house of Smith, Payne & Smith. Smith's son never married, but representatives of this family lived here until the beginning of the 20th century. Among the well-known owners of the house can also be called a field marshal, Viscount Combermere, who became famous at the Battle of Waterloo. In the 20s In the 20th century, when Belgravia became an extremely fashionable area, the Earl of Mount Edgecumbe, a member of one of the high-ranking families of Cornwall, and later a friend of King Edward VII, settled here. After a series of eminent tenants, the building served science for almost 35 years—from 1961 to 1996 It housed the Institute of Physics. Today's price of yesterday's temple is £35 million.

Here, in the immediate vicinity of Belgrave Square (36, Groom Place), a three-story mews house worth £3 million is for sale, almost on Belgrave Square. Mews in London are former stables that have been rebuilt for the needs of people for several decades now. In the former refuge of horses, there were: a living room, a living room, a dining room, 4 bedrooms (2 of them with bathrooms), 2 separate bathrooms, 2 kitchens. Garage and parking in the yard for two cars. The total area of the house is 213 sq. m.

EVERYTHING IS CRAZY FOR MAYFAIR

THE 80-YEAR-OLD QUEEN OF THE GREAT BRITAIN ELIZABETH II still does not disappoint her subjects (according to ITV, 57% of respondents were in favor of keeping her on the throne). It is noteworthy that the first 10 years of the Queen's life were spent in Mayfair, in the family home at 17 Bruton Street.

experts from Harrods Estates.—They are not only British, but also foreign buyers." Today, in the area bounded on the north by Oxford Street, on the west by Hyde Park, on the south by Green Park and the most prestigious and expensive real estate properties in the area are owned by several members of the royal family of Saudi Arabia and fashion designer Tom Ford.0003

However, the Mayfair area, developed between 1660 and 1750. did not immediately become prestigious. It owes its name to the 15-day May Fairs, which were regularly held here from 1686 to 1764. It was then that Shepherds Market was built at the site of the fairs. Currently, there is a pedestrian zone filled with shops and shops, pubs, restaurants, cozy street cafes.

Here, in the Piccadilly area, there is another attraction - the Burlington Arcade. Built it in 1819Lord George Cavendish. Today, the arcade is a safe haven for respectable buyers.

Another fashion oasis in Mayfair Bond Street. Here, along with the usual chain stores for the leading shopping streets, you can find boutiques of Alexander McQueen, Louis Vuitton, Prada.

According to Yelena Norton, head of overseas real estate at Knight Frank Russia, there are three most prestigious addresses in the Mayfair area: Grosvenor Square, Upper Grosvenor Square and Park Lane. nine0003

Grosvenor Square is a giant green square in Mayfair. From the moment of construction (the beginning of the 18th century) until the Second World War, this area was considered aristocratic. The western part of the square is called "American": at present, the US Embassy is located here, and during the Second World War, Dwight Eisenhower's headquarters was located at number 20 Grosvenor Square. Somewhat earlier, in the 1920s XX century, here was another headquarters of the Bentley Boys group, which included racing drivers who won victory in Bentley sports cars. The company's patron was Wolf Barnato, under whom the Blue Train Bentley model, which brought the company worldwide fame, appeared. The most famous of the Bentley Boys—Wolf Barnato, Tim Birkin, Glen Kidston, and Bernard Rubin—subsequently bought apartments in the trendy southeast section of the square. So this microdistrict got its nickname - "Bentley Corner". nine0003

Another top Mayfair address is 55 Park Lane, a £11 million penthouse for sale. The house overlooks Hyde Park and the legendary Dorchester Hotel adjoining it. Apartments with 1-4 bedrooms in the complex are sold at prices ranging from 525,000 to 3 million pounds. Approximately this amount is estimated at six apartments for sale at the address: 131-132, Park Lane. These apartments range from 177 to 247 sq. m. However, each of them has a garden and a terrace. Price: from 3 million pounds. nine0003

At 11 Wyndham Place, this 320 sq. m with patio. The house has 4 bedrooms, 3 living rooms, 4 bathrooms. Price: 3.5 million pounds.

In general, the cost of housing in Mayfair is quite high even by London standards. “Most of the properties we work with in this area are £1.5 million to £2 million,” Harrods Estates says. But there are also more expensive properties, the cost of which exceeds 15 million pounds.” nine0003

BILLIONAIRE'S HOUSE

KNIGHTSBRIDGE IS FAMOUS for its neat, slightly ornate houses, sleepy little squares, delightful backdrop pubs and numerous antique shops and shops. It is also home to the world-famous London department stores Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

Residents of this area are not spoiled by apartment buildings. However, the new 198-unit The Knightsbridge residential complex, located on a 1.7-acre plot of land, significantly changed the traditional look of the area, becoming popular as soon as they started talking about it. According to Jones Lang LaSalle, “This is the most significant residential building in the Knightsbridge area in the past 30 years. The range of offered apartments is extensive, from miniature, by British standards, studios to luxurious penthouses with an area of 743 sq. m with terraces of 557 sq. m. The complex also includes seven houses of the mews type. The complex is equipped with underground parking for 340 cars. All apartments in the house have windows along the entire height of the walls, which offer picturesque views of Hyde Park and the inner garden. The house has its own business center. Notably, The Knightsbridge is managed by one of the world's leading hotel chains, Hyatt International, so its residents are guaranteed first-class 24/7 service, including, for example, classes in the gym, food delivery from the best restaurants, etc.

Here, in Knightsbridge, there is another prestigious residential complex: 17/22, Trevor Square. An unfurnished apartment here costs £14 million and a furnished apartment costs £14. 65 million. Interior solutions in the complex were developed by Candy & Candy. Initially, Harrods warehouse was located on the 4th and 5th floors of the building. Now it is one gigantic apartment of 613.6 sq. m. Black, silk wallpaper in the hallway, a spacious hall, designed in decadent aesthetics, 12.2 meters long. On both sides of it are bathrooms "for him" and "for her", which connect to a shower cabin with a double coating - glass and marble. nine0003

However, the most high-profile project not only in the Knightsbridge area, but throughout London is the One Hyde Park residential complex, which is being built according to a joint project of the Richard Rogers Partnership and Candy & Candy. Mr. Rogers began his architectural career with Norman Foster and is known for such projects as the Pompidou Center (Paris), the building of the European Court of Human Rights (Strasbourg), the Millennium Dome complex (London), etc. For his architectural merits, Mr. Rogers was awarded a peerage and received the title of baron. nine0003

While One Hyde Park is set to be completed by 2010, four units have already sold for a record price of £84 million each (and One Hyde Park averages £45,000 per sqm) . Thus, the sale of two apartments recouped the investment of the consortium of developers - the purchase of Bowater House (the office building on which the complex is being built) cost them only 150 million pounds.

Developer brothers Nick and Christian Candy candidly declare that One Hyde Park will be a complex "for multimillionaires and billionaires", "Every day, somewhere in the world, there is a millionaire or billionaire," says Candy & Candy CEO, Nick Candy, “And they all want to own property in London.” Detractors sarcastically call the new complex a "ghetto for billionaires", hinting that a significant part of the buyers will be foreigners from Russia and the Arab world. Indeed, the best houses and apartments in London have long been bought not only by the British. According to statistics, foreigners buy more than 20% of housing in London, and according to the agency Knight Frank, foreigners buy up to 40% of all property worth over £1 million.