I was looking over the pristine, snow-covered Alps in Lech am Arlberg. It was at that moment – struck by a sense of calm and reflection – that the idea for Schön! alive came to me. I wanted to create a magazine that moves beyond the surface, that goes deeper into the minds, stories and insights of the individuals who are shaping how we live and connect with the world.
For years, Schön! has celebrated images – the artistry of fashion, the drama of style. With Schön! alive, my team and I invite you on a journey beyond the visible, exploring the stories, philosophies and creative souls shaping the way we live, think and feel.
This first issue focuses on mindfulness – an exploration of how intentionality can transform our everyday reality. On the Croatian island of Hvar, we visit the Maslina Resort near the 2,400-year-old town of Stari Grad which epitomises the philosophy of ‘mindful luxury’. In Tuscany, the serene Castelfalfi Resort offers a unique escape where guests can connect with nature and history. In Bonaire, photographer Stephanie Pistel captures the unspoilt magic of the Caribbean Island. Adventure lovers will find inspiration in the story of BMW Motorrad riders who embarked on an epic 40-day motorcycle journey from Europe to Namibia. We also meet visionary Banu Akan, whose Maxx Royal Resorts redefine luxury and relaxation.
Lighting plays a pivotal role in shaping how we experience the world. Helen Neumann, Chief Lighting Designer at Occhio, offers insights into how lighting affects our well-being, complemented by a feature showcasing furniture illuminated by Occhio’s designs. Sound, too, shapes our lives in profound ways. In an inspiring interview with Steph Carter, Director of Culture Marketing at Marshall, we explore how sound serves as a powerful force in our lives.
We journey into vastly different spheres when it comes to taste, from a whirlwind 72-hour tour of Oslo to the wisdom of culinary legend Raymond Blanc OBE. Michelin-starred chef Hélène Darroze discusses how creating emotions, rather than chasing stars, lies at the heart of her restaurants, while Scottish chefs are rewriting the story of British cuisine, proving that innovation and heritage can coexist beautifully.
As with Schön!, creativity is dear to us. There’s an intimate look into the world of scent with Frédéric Malle, an exploration of champagne’s evolution with Ruinart’s Chef de Caves, Frédéric Panaïotis, and Philippe Starck’s avant-garde olive mill, where art, history and gastronomy merge seamlessly. We meet four artists, suggested by Fabien Vallérian, International Director of Arts & Culture at Maison Ruinart, who celebrate natural elements through their work, while advocating for sustainability.
As you turn these pages, I hope you’ll feel inspired to pause, reflect and explore the stories that make life richer – just as I was in the Alps – because life isn’t just about what we see: it’s about what we feel and how we connect.
Welcome to this exciting new chapter. Welcome to Schön! alive.
— Raoul Keil, Editor in Chief at Schön! and Schön! alive
It’s difficult not to think of Iceland as anything but otherworldly when visiting, as Schön! experienced earlier this fall after meeting Icelandic artist and actress Elín Hall. Despite the chill beginning to tighten its grip on the Nordic landscape, there isn’t a friendlier — or cozier — festival than Iceland Airwaves. For four days, Reykjavik becomes a living, breathing entity, with music flowing through its veins. It’s been 25 years since its start and its ethos still rings true: a celebration of music, culture, and community, particularly making space for Icelandic artists to shine.
What really sets Iceland Airwaves Festival, which is sponsored by IcelandAir, apart from others is the extent they use every venue — and makeshift venue — to give a home to artists. From the intimate, cozy settings of local bars to the grandeur of the city’s larger venues, every corner of Reykjavik echoes with the sounds of Airwaves. The artists, too, are running amok just like the festival attendees — while sitting at Mokka, a conversation was started by someone who I would later find out is part of rock band spacestation who I’d later see play later that night to a completely packed room at an off-venue event at Smekkleys.
One of the standout aspects of Iceland Airwaves is its ability to cater to a wide range of musical tastes. This year was no exception, with genres spanning from indie rock and electronic to hip-hop and folk. The bookers bring in larger names — The Vaccines, Charlotte Day Wilson, and Magdalena Bay — but it’s the lesser-known acts that find most exciting. Throughout the four days, it was easy to go through the schedule for the day and handpick a group of acts that will be as different as the next. Catching atmospheric black metal band Vampíra — now called Skurðgoð — who won the city’s Battle of the Bands this year, was a fluke but ended up being a top act to see over the entire festival, simply because: where else are you going to see an Icelandic black metal band if not in Iceland?
credit. Joana Fontinha
credit. Joana Fontinha
Credits
credit. Joana Fontinha
credit. Joana Fontinha
Credits
My most anticipated band to see was Virgin Orchestra, an avant-garde post-punk band from Reykjavík, which genre-blends everything from electronic music to dream pop against their gritty sonics. The band was formed by Starri, Stefanía, and Rún while on a school trip and during Iceland Airwaves they played at their favourite venue, Gaukurinn. Their set is dynamic and compelling, keeping the packed room’s attention with ease.
When slinking off between venues, there’s a thrill of potentially discovering something brilliant by pure chance whether it’s at one of the six official venues or the off-gigs around the city. One of those unofficial parties was an impromptu ‘sleepover‘ at the Bíóparadis cinema on the outskirts of the city with duo Amor Vincit Omnia, a gritty electro-pop pair we only caught by chance the night before at Lemmy. Like with most things in Iceland during Airwaves, their set was by word-of-mouth or social media. The entire cinema has been rented out for this sleepover with girls and boys alike dressed in silky sleepwear with pillow feathers covering every surface imaginable.
The band I saw the most over the four days was Supersport!, simply because everywhere you turned, they were there supporting their friends — whether that was at Silvurdrongur’s set, which was larger-than-life, to say the least, or outside of a venue chatting with attendees. My first impression of the quartet was earlier this autumn when they performed at a slightly janky yet incredible party in a dimly lit basement of a home in the city. The second impression was in the Icelandic countryside when they treated a group of us to a stripped-back extempore performance of a handful of their songs. Seeing them go from small, intimate rooms of 10 or so people to a large crowd in the city’s Kolaportið was jarring in the best way, clearly speaking to the progress their “DIT” — do it together — initiative has occurred throughout the city, weaving that passion and determination into Iceland’s DNA.
When Schön! spoke with Elín Hall in the fall, she spoke about learning to write in English, stating: There are so few things that haven’t already been said in English. In Icelandic, you can say many basic things, and nobody has said them before because the language is spoken by so few people. That’s an advantage. But now, I’m trying to find my own narrative voice in English. I wanted more people to be able to understand and connect with my music. That’s the aim of translating and trying a different language.” And at Iceland Airwaves, what she spoke about came to fruition after performing a handful of songs in English during her set, like the atmospheric “Wolf Boy” and her moving finale, “America.”
credit. Julie Van Den Bergh
credit. Julie Van Den Bergh
Credits
With all of the great work and progress Iceland and the music scene have done to empower homegrown talent, there’s still a glass ceiling to break. Venues are closing often, forcing new talent to find alternative ways to establish and market themselves. Like the movement Supersport! is trying to initiate by taking the reins, the bands & artists I speak to are doing what they can to keep their music dreams alive — whether that means playing at a sleepover party or learning how to sing in English to become more of an international act.
Still, not many cities or countries have a festival as special as Iceland Airwaves. As a Canadian who sees many of the domestic talents there flee the country the minute they get a record deal, it’s gratifying to see both artists and those in power do what they can to work together to support arts & culture in the city. As the final notes of the festival faded and the crowds began to disperse, there really was a palpable sense of satisfaction and anticipation for what is to come in future iterations. Even if the sun doesn’t rise until 9am and it’s brisk at times, Iceland is the most otherworldly place — likely thanks to the people, culture, and music that shapes it.
credit. Joana Fontinha
credit. Joana Fontinha
Credits
The 2025 edition of Iceland Airwaves will take place from November 6-8th in downtown Reykjavík, tickets and travel packages are available now in partnership with Icelandair.
Relaxation isn’t the first word that springs to mind when you think of Mallorca. But a little resort nestled in Santa Ponça—just 15 minutes from Palma de Mallorca—is aiming to change that notion. Falling under the IHG Hotels & Resorts umbrella, Kimpton Aysla Mallorca is a tranquil hotel surrounded by lush, fragrant gardens and serene sun-drenched spaces to hide away in. As soon as you step onto its grounds, its tranquillity seeps into you like the Mallorcan sun.
Room-wise, there are 79 in total, all boasting floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies in every single one. The vibes are rustic, arty and stylish with bright furnishings (a very Spanish flair!), local artwork dotted about the rooms and the novelty quirk of being able to access your wood-drenched terrace from your own shower. Designed by local architect Guillermo Reynés, it’s all very bright and cheerful with clean, zen lines, stunning leafy views and quirky features.
There’s a huge emphasis on wellness here. The spa is a whopping 900sqm and you can spend a whole day here with its 25-metre indoor pool, salt cave, sauna and steam room. If you can manage to drag yourself away from the sauna-to-steam room rounds, there’s a MAISON CODAGE spa which offers a generous treatment menu filled with tailored facials and some great body treatments. Fitness enthusiasts will appreciate the generous gym stocked full of the latest Cybex machines and a workout class timetable chockablock with all kinds of classes. For the more outdoorsy sports enthusiasts, there’s the Golf Santa Ponsa golf course and tennis courts of the Mallorca Country Club right on the resort’s doorstep.
It’s not all virtuous lemon-infused water and fitness classes, however. Kimpton Aysla boasts some great eats. There’s the uber-chill Zayt pool bar, which serves up classic Mediterranean eats—think burrata salad, pizzas, croquettes, grilled meats and fish—under a shaded canopy where you can lay back and look out at the Mallorcan mountains. Dishes are full of fresh flavours and carefully crafted with local ingredients, capturing the essence of the region in every bite.
For evenings, the Saba Restaurant offers a unique dining experience where Asia meets Mallorca. Headed by Executive Chef Juan González, the goal is to create Korean and Japanese dishes using only locally sourced ingredients. Dishes are adventurous, playful—take the grilled artichoke kimchi or the eggplant marinated in miso and meats flavoured with herbs from Kimpton’s own gardens—and insanely delicious with sushi and sashimi galore. To really appreciate it, go for the Omakase menu and let the chef dish out the best for you. Unlike the super laidback Zayt, the atmosphere at Saba is (pleasantly) loud and lively thanks to the open theatre kitchen.
Ideal for a weekend wellness detox or a chill-out-by-the-pool-and-do-absolutely-nothing getaway, Kimpton Aysla Mallorca is a serene getaway tucked away in the heart of a lively city.
