The most exclusive and most expensive club in the world, Apollo’s Muse, has opened in London.
Its owner is fast fashion pioneer Richard Kering, who has devoted recent years to building an empire that critic A.A. Gill called the restaurant analogue of LVMH. The Ivy, Sexy Fish, Annabel’s, Harry’s Bar, Soho House – the names of these prestigious restaurants, private clubs and hotels are known even to those who have never been there.
To get to Apollo’s Muse, you first need to go to the recently opened Bacchanalia restaurant by Kering, which was decorated by Martin Brudnicki and Damien Hirst, famous for Annabel’s. But if the atmosphere in the restaurant really resembles an orgy, then in a private club, which is located behind a safe-deep door, the atmosphere is just the opposite, this is a place for people with class. Who these people are is anyone’s guess.
There is a known entry fee to be paid for membership which is £1,750, as well as an annual fee of £5,000. But not everyone will be given the opportunity to spend this money: the club will have only 500 members, and you can get into their number only if you are invited. The interior, which is decorated with real antique statues, is made in the “more is more” style – this is a shameless, blatant luxury. Some compare it to a museum, others to a temple, and I would compare it to a very high-budget cabinet of curiosities. I think the collection of people in this office will be no less interesting.
