Connect with:
logo
mobile-logo

Standard Blog Whole Post

Partner Profile, Travel

“Our clients save time and money in the complex environment of business aviation,” says Virginie Clément, Founder and CEO of STM Aircraft. Headquartered in Switzerland, STM Aircraft and Virginie Clement IS your partner in the business aviation industry when you plan on acquiring or selling your aircraft.

She adds: “We realise our clients’ time is precious. So we make it simple and efficient to select and acquire the best business jet fit for them. This has allowed our clients to focus on the quality time with their beloved ones while the transaction flows swiftly. It also has given them the best partner in making sure their transaction is done properly, legally and at the best financial situation for them!”

The company’s awareness of jet owners’ desires allows for specified counseling and guidance to our clients in aircraft acquisition or sale (new or preowned), as well as aircraft ownership experience.

STM Aircraft combines with its team more than 35 years of experience in business aviation and working directly with manufacturers such as Gulfstream, Bombardier, Dassault, Textron and Pilatus amongst others. The company recognised that its core mission is to serve the best interest of its clients. “We will only select the services and assets which fulfill our clients’ requirements,” states Virginie, pictured left.

STM Aircraft unequivocal commitment to its clients is backed by key values: Independence – as an independent specialist, the company is free of any in-house inventory and isn’t tied to specific aircraft manufacturers; Partnership – STM Aircraft builds a true partnership with its clients, supporting them through the entire ownership experience; Thinking out of the box – the company’s team is dedicated to finding the best solution for its clients, bringing in new ideas and innovative concepts; Integrity and Transparence – Your interest is assured by setting mandates details from the outset, thus enabling a relationship based on mutual trust and integrity.

Mandating STM Aircraft for your aircraft transaction enables you to save time for yourself whilst not missing opportunities, and having the right team to oversee an important transaction. We will be accountable for your transaction flow, work proactively to avoid delays in delivery and focus on reducing all costs.

Ready to know what your aircraft is currently worth on the market or to select your next business jet?

Contact our team NOW for a confidential evaluation and kick start an exciting journey! You will be offered a deeper analysis of your situation at preferred rate. Contact us now at info@stm-aircraft.com

0 Comments

“Our clients save time and money in

Lifestyle, Travel

By Mark Tungate

Like many of those who make it big in the luxury business, César Ritz was a dreamer and a chancer, with more than a touch of the ringmaster.

In the beginning, the fact that his name should come to define opulence and sophistication  was unimaginable: he was born in Switzerland, the youngest of 13 children, into a family that owned a smallholding – not even large enough to be termed ‘a farm’ – on the slopes of the Alps. He entered the hospitality trade at 15, as a sommelier at a hotel in Brig, a small resort town at the foot of the Simplon Pass. Things got off to a rocky start: not only was he dismissed from the post, but he was told that he ‘would never make a true hotelier’. At least one account (cited in Fritz Gubler’s 2008 book Great, Grand & Famous Hotels) suggests that he then spent a couple of years learning how to be a locksmith – a craft that perhaps came in handy later, given some of the goings-on at his hotels.

But you can’t keep a good chancer down, and in 1867 César finally packed his bags and headed to Paris in time for the World Exhibition, when he was certain there would be work for waiters with even the most rudimentary skills. At the age of 18, he was working as a bellhop at the Hotel de la Fidelité. Legend has it that he had an affair with a Russian aristocrat, who smoothed out his rough edges and taught him how to behave in society. But the romance was discovered – and Ritz was fired yet again.

Wily and tenacious, César survived the dark winter of 1870–71 – the height of the Franco-Prussian war – when Paris was besieged and then occupied by the Prussian army. During his stint as a waiter at one of the city’s finest restaurants, the Voisin, the situation became so desperate that the zoo was raided for meat – hence the appearance on the menu of ‘elephant trunk in sauce chasseur’. This effort was not enough to save the establishment.

César waited out the conflict at a downmarket café, but by the time France had made peace with Germany, in 1872, he had bobbed to the surface again – this time as a waiter at the restaurant of the Hôtel Splendide in the Place de l’Opéra. It was here that Ritz noticed a group of newcomers who were to help him carve out his destiny: wealthy Americans, who had arrived in Paris hungry for French fashion, cuisine and culture. César gave them wine – very expensive wine.

Ritz charmed them all: Cornelius Vanderbilt, JP Morgan, Jay Gould, John Wanamaker… these were the power brokers of the new world, and they followed Ritz as his star rose. Having made something of a name for himself, Ritz returned to Switzerland in an entirely new guise – as the manager of the Grand Hotel National in Lucerne. Now he began to put into place some of the innovations that would forge his legend.

In 1898, when he finally opened the Paris hotel that bore his own name, Ritz adorned his establishment with all the modern innovations he’d finessed over the years: electric lighting, fast elevators, en suite bathrooms, uncluttered interiors, built-in cupboards rather than wardrobes (Ritz had an almost pathological hatred of dust), brass beds instead of wooden – while retaining an atmosphere of spectacle and indulgence. He was exacting with staff but strove to work miracles with guests; he may have invented the term ‘the customer is always right’.

The Escape Industry: How Iconic and Innovative Brands Built the Travel Business by Mark Tungate, pictured above, is  published by Kogan Page, priced £19.99.

0 Comments

By Mark Tungate Like many of those who

News

An exciting new national qualification for the fashion and textiles industry has been launched. The Level 5 Diploma in Bespoke Tailoring will provide learners with the practical skills and knowledge needed within bespoke garment production and the luxury garment market to work as a highly-skilled tailor and/or cutter.

Combining the heritage of bespoke garment production with key production skills and cutting practices, this specialist qualification will give learners the opportunity to develop industry-relevant knowledge and demonstrate high levels of speed, accuracy, precision and consistency.

The qualification comprises of one mandatory unit followed by a choice of specialised pathways in tailoring and/or cutting. Learners will build knowledge of textile brands and standards while developing superb customer relations, in addition to advancing in disciplined processes such as hand stitching, finishing and pressing.

A handbook to support this apprenticeship is available to purchase. Email info@bespokeapprentice.com to reserve a copy.

0 Comments

An exciting new national qualification for the

Accessories, Grooming

Gino Russo, a master barber who plys his trade at Truefitt & Hill, the world’s oldest barber shop, in St James’s, London, tells Savile Row Style about his rewarding job

First of all, Gino, can you tell me how you qualify as a master barber?

Experience is the key when it comes to becoming a master barber. For me it all began when I was 12 years old and had returned home from a trip to my local barbers. I was so disappointed with the service I received – and very much to my mother’s dismay – I took the kitchen scissors to my locks and treated myself to a complete restyle. It was the day I vowed never to visit a barber again and that I would learn everything I could about the art.

In 2003, I opened my own salon in my home town in Romania. I hired the best barbers I could find and set up business. I was the most inexperienced in the shop, and each haircut I did took twice as long as my co barbers. They all took me under their wing and, before long, I was the best barber in town. I wanted to keep learning so I sold my business and headed to London to seek a job with the oldest barber shop in the world. Now, 15 years into my career, eight of which have been looking after the finest gentleman in London, I still get so much joy out of each and every haircut.

What do you particularly enjoy about your job?

Each day brings so much variety. I have the opportunity to be creative as each customer is a new canvas. I meet such a huge array of different people, all with their own interesting stories and experiences, and yes, they do like to tell me about their holiday plans. Nothing beats a satisfied customer. Knowing that your work has brought such a smile to a client’s face is so very rewarding.

How has male grooming developed in recent years? What have been the big changes?

Barber shops seem to come in and out of fashion. In recent years, we have experienced a big boom in the industry. Every time barber shops come in to fashion, it’s like a rejuvenation, as the demand is there and the technology gets better and better. The hair styles also change. As we progress through different eras, people’s ideas of style become so much more varied. For example, I often have requests for styles inspired by  James Dean and Paul Weller! David Beckham is also a regular hair style icon.

What are the main mistakes men make when it comes to their grooming?

One of the biggest mistakes men make is heading to see their barber with the idea they can look exactly like their inspiration image, when they don’t have the same hair type, head shape or overall personal style. The best thing a man can do is speak to their barber. Tell them as much about their lifestyle as they can and listen to the advice given. A good barber will always try to achieve the client’s desired cut but should always offer what they feel is best suited to the type of hair the client has.

What advantages do you think good grooming gives a man?

When a man looks good on the outside, he feels good on the inside. And it’s that inner confidence that enables him to put his best foot forward. Good grooming should be part of every man’s daily regime.

How should a man’s approach to grooming change as he gets older?

This is really dependant on how a person’s hair ages, its thickness and its colour. I am a firm believer in growing old gracefully and highlighting your better bits. There are a number of things you can do as you get older – embrace the greys, they show a man has had a life full of experiences. For hair that’s thinning, a man can always follow in Prince William’s footsteps and go short. Or he can have a haircut that works with the thinning areas instead of against. Male grooming doesn’t need to take a back seat with age, it should be fully embraced.

If a young person asked your advice about following your trade, what would you tell them?

I would tell them never to use kitchen scissors on their hair! But seriously, it is a great industry to work in. We are a family of artists and we are only getting more creative. I feel like there is so much more to come from this industry and it’s an exciting time to embark on a career. Men are becoming more and more aware of their appearance and always want to look their best. They are also very loyal; a number of my clients are still those I first looked after when I joined Truefitt & Hill.

Truefitt & Hill was established back in 1805. Tell us a bit about its history and its famous clients.

I am very proud to work at a company with such rich history. Truefitt & Hill has been of service to many who have shaped the history of the world including William Gladstone, the Duke of Wellington, Sir Winston Churchill, and Field Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein. Many other legendary figures from the world of the arts and entertainment have also enjoyed the Truefitt touch, including Charles Dickens, William M Thackeray, Lord Byron, Oscar Wilde, Beau Brummell, Alfred Hitchcock, Laurence Olivier and Danny Kaye as well as the celebrated John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Stewart Granger, Fred Astaire and Cary Grant.

Truefitt & Hill

0 Comments

Gino Russo, a master barber who plys