He became a household name in his 20s as Princess Diana’s favourite designer, and later created the wedding dress of Princess Margaret’s daughter, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones.
But Jasper Conran — son of Habitat founder Sir Terence Conran and bestselling ‘Superwoman’ author Shirley Conran — is now intent on proving himself as a stellar hotelier.
Less than three years after opening L’Hotel Marrakech — a converted 19th-century palace in the heart of the Moroccan city — he has, I can disclose, acquired Villa Mabrouka, Yves Saint Laurent’s old house in Tangier on the country’s Mediterranean coast.
Jasper Conran, who became a household name in his 20s as Princess Diana’s favourite designer, is now intent on proving himself as a stellar hotelier. Conran, pictured above (right, with Diana in 1986)
Less than three years after opening L’Hotel Marrakech (pictured) — a converted 19th-century palace in the heart of the Moroccan city — Conran has acquired Villa Mabrouka, Yves Saint Laurent’s old house in Tangier on the country’s Mediterranean coast
‘He plans to turn it into a hotel like his one in Marrakech, which is enormously popular,’ I’m told. ‘All the fashionistas stay there.’
Conran’s new acquisition is one of the most coveted properties in Tangier, positioned on a clifftop from where it looks out over the Strait of Gibraltar.
Saint Laurent (above), who died in 2008, bequeathed Villa Mabrouka to his partner, Pierre Berge, who died 18 months ago, and enjoyed inviting stars of stage and screen to enjoy its splendour
‘It’s got an enormous garden with a swimming pool dug out of the bedrock,’ a regular visitor tells me. ‘It’s a very spectacular place.’
Yves Saint Laurent bought the house in 1999. Thereafter it became a favoured refuge for his friends, including his muse Loulou de la Falaise, niece of Mark Birley, founder of Annabel’s nightclub in Mayfair, and cousin of Robin Birley, who named his own nightclub Loulou’s in her memory.
Saint Laurent, who died in 2008, bequeathed Villa Mabrouka to his partner, Pierre Berge, who died 18 months ago, and enjoyed inviting stars of stage and screen to enjoy its splendour. ‘Kenneth Branagh used to stay there,’ I’m told.
Now it is Conran’s turn, after paying what Tangier society believes to have been between £3 million and £4 million.
His spokeswoman says that Conran, who has remarked that he has wanted to be a hotelier ‘since the age of eight’, is ‘unable to make a comment at this time’.
But he and his husband, Oisin Byrne, an Irish artist 24 years his junior whom he married in 2015, will surely be heartened by the villa’s name, Mabrouka — Arabic for ‘luck’.
Pippa's struggle to juggle keep-fit with baby
Pippa Middleton chose her sister the Duchesss of Cambridge’s favourite boho designer when she went to a charity ball at the Guildhall in a high-neck £2,000 Alice Temperley dress.
Health fanatic Pippa, who has a four-month-old son Arthur with financier husband James Matthews, is relishing motherhood, but is finding it hard to find time to exercise.
‘I’m sure I’m not alone in finding it near-on impossible to keep my fitness up while breastfeeding,’ says Pippa, 35.
Pippa, who has a four-month-old son Arthur with financier husband James Matthews, is relishing motherhood, but is finding it hard to find time to exercise
‘Despite every good intention, there just aren’t enough hours in the day. I’m sure every parent will agree that finding time to exercise just doesn’t get any easier.
‘The baby routine is never-ending — I wouldn’t change this for the world, the quality bonding time is invaluable, but I know for my sanity I must find a way to weave in fresh air and daily exercise into my routine.’
Simon Mayo, who launches classical station Scala Radio next week after quitting Radio 2, claims that his symphonic credentials are not in doubt. ‘I presented a classical show on Radio Nottingham in the Eighties and I had the run of the record library. Torvill and Dean, who were local heroes, came in because they wanted some help,’ Mayo tells me.
‘They wanted to dance to Ravel’s Bolero, but there were lots of different versions. I helped them go through the different recordings.’
So the Olympic champions owe their famous 1984 Sarajevo success to the DJ? ‘I can’t take the credit,’ says the too-modest Mayo.
Comedian Barry Cryer says the snowflake generation is too easily offended
Comic Barry Cryer decries the snowflake generation
Comedian Barry Cryer says the snowflake generation is too easily offended.
‘Comedy always risks being offensive, but the problem now is that people, especially young people, are waiting to be offended,’ the 83-year-old tells me. ‘We have to stop being so sensitive and make room for different opinions.
‘There was a young comic recently who was going to do a gig in a university, and they gave him a list of topics he must not mention. He said: “Sorry, I’m not doing it.” We mustn’t do that! If somebody says something you disagree with, debate with them — don’t ban them. Don’t no-platform them.
‘Germaine Greer, whom I’ve known for years, was no-platformed twice.
‘She said, “If they disagree with me, get me up there and let them have a go at me!” That’s what it’s about.’
He may no longer be at the crease, but former England captain Sir Ian Botham continues to score boundaries when it comes to knocking out fine wines.
‘What most people don’t know is that I’ve been dabbling in this industry for many, many years,’ he says, ‘and I haven’t played professional cricket since 1993.
‘So in this respect, I’m no longer Ian Botham the cricketer — I’m Ian Botham the winemaker.’ Howzat!
Fan's just gilding the Lily...
Proving she is as pretty as a picture, Lily Collins, star of the BBC drama Les Miserables, is transformed into a Renaissance portrait.
The 29-year-old daughter of musician Phil and his ex-wife, Jill Tavelman, shared this image — created by a fan — with her 13.5 million followers online, her face having been imposed onto one of the world’s most famous pictures, with her natural brunette locks supplanted by voluptuous long red hair.
‘Certainly not standing in for Botticelli’s Venus . . . but might as well be!’ she jokes.
Proving she is as pretty as a picture, Lily Collins, star of the BBC drama Les Miserables, is transformed into a Renaissance portrait
BBC newsreader Kate Silverton displayed gallows humour ahead of husband Mike Heron’s admission to hospital.
‘My husband’s having a heart procedure tomorrow,’ she told her followers on social media.
‘He’s currently playing me his choice of funeral music — you know “just in case”.’ Happily, the op went just fine.
Weller girl's style counsel
As the daughter of Modfather Paul Weller, it’s no surprise she has inherited his love of style.
Model Dylan, 21, whose mother is American make-up artist Lucy Halperin, turned heads at a party in Mayfair this week where she combined a De La Vali striped dress with chunky Stella McCartney faux leather boots.
‘I take inspiration from so many people, varying from Aaliyah in the Nineties to my dad,’ says Dylan, one of Weller’s eight children, who recently moved back to London from LA.
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2019/03/01/sebastian-shakespeare-jasper-conran-forks-out-4m-for-yves-saint-laurents-tangier-home/
Main photo article He became a household name in his 20s as Princess Diana’s favourite designer, and later created the wedding dress of Princess Margaret’s daughter, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones.
But Jasper Conran — son of Habitat founder Sir Terence Conran and bestselling ‘Superwoman’ author Shirley Conran — is now ...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves Celebrity News HienaLouca
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