< Previous28 ARBITER RAKE-IN- PROGRESS Navy wool jacket, Ralph Lauren Purple Label; faded denim brushed cotton shirt, Emma Willis; mid-grey wool pleated trousers, Pantaloni Torino at The Rake; grey cotton and linen knit tie, Brunello Cucinelli; navy ombré cashmere scarf, Anderson & Sheppard. 29 ARBITER What was your childhood like? Generally I had a very blessed upbringing. I think the only trauma in my childhood was my parents getting divorced, although at the time it was more of an inconvenience, having to live between two houses. I was always pretty athletic — gymnastics, free running, trampolining, karate — so came to musical theatre from that side of things. I’ve never actually been in a fight, so I don’t know if I could apply the karate skills in real life. It’s good to seem like a badass as long as you don’t have to show it. My dad wanted me to continue my education, but mum was pushing me to be a performer, so I finished my A-levels and went to [the] Arts [school] in Chiswick. On the night we finished our end-of-year showcase, I had a call saying I’d been cast in Mr Selfridge. So you were an unemployed actor for about three hours? Yes, which is not everyone’s story. I’m very blessed. On Mr Selfridge I was a fish out of water, bullshitting my way through. T.V. is a completely different kind of performance, because the camera picks up every little detail. It was nice for me, because I’m quite naturalistic and had struggled to be big enough for the stage. But there’s a scene in my first episode — you can see the moment on set — where suddenly hundreds of people stop and focus on you for 20 seconds. You can see in my face the fear of God, having some existential crisis behind the eyes. But you learn on the job, and I’ve learnt a lot since then. Th en on to playing a lead in the Doctor Who spin-off Class. Yeah. I had flown out to L.A. with my then fiancée — that’s You don’t want to fi ght Greg Austin. Partly because he seems like a charming guy, with the irresistible energy of a young actor on the rise, but mostly because his parents were karate teachers and their only child got his black belt at 14. On the mean streets of early noughties Bournemouth, this martial prowess gave the teenaged Greg enough confi dence to develop a passion for musical theatre. He was cast in the ITV drama Mr Selfr idge straight out of drama school. A lead role in the Doctor Who spin-off Class followed, as well as smaller parts in staples like Endeavour and Being Human. Not bad for a 27-year-old. But 2020 is set to be a breakout year, thanks to his performance as the villainous Travis Leich in Amazon Prime’s new mega-budget drama Hunters, which follows a gang of Nazi- hunting Jews in 1970s New York. With an American accent and a swastika tattoo, the murderous psychopath Travis is as far fr om Austin’s previous roles as it’s possible to imagine. By the time Th e Rake shoots him, he has grown his hair and beard out, and is looking decidedly more casual than his closer-cropped character, but there’s no mistaking his keenness. another story — and got called back to England. It was a lot of money for me at the time to fly back, and a big gamble, but being in the Doctor Who universe has paid dividends. It has such an intense fanbase. Some can be interesting, but on the whole they’re an incredibly loving group of people. The programme was mishandled. I don’t think the BBC knew what to do with it, and it was a transitory moment, moving it on to BBC Three. The ratings reflected that. But the five or six months I had filming it was some of the best fun I’ve had, and a big step up. Now all of a sudden you’re opposite Al Pacino. I feel like I’ve been waiting for this role [in Hunters] my entire life. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted. I’ve always played the geeky, affable Englishman, so I was giddy at getting to play a psychopath. I find evil done well on screen inspirational, to be able to access that part of your psyche. I took a lot of inspiration from Jodie Comer in Killing Eve. Playing an American with a bunch of Americans was intimidating, but I think I got there. Hunters is a balancing act of so many different tones and themes, and gets into some brutal stuff with the Holocaust. I don’t know how they pulled it off, but they did. The scale of it is mind-boggling, the budget is insane. There are scenes where you can see the L train chugging past because it’s actually going past. Amazon have put a lot into this, so I hope it works. Pacino is synonymous with the whole industry, and will be remembered as one of the greats, so getting to share the space and trying to bring a character to life in front of him was intimidating and inspiring, but he’s someone everyone else could rally around. With the Amazon Prime drama Hunters, Greg Austin’s career has found its groove. He talks to the rake about working with Al Pacino, living with his ex-wife (yes, we said ‘ex’), and the somewhat celebrated role he’d like in the future... CLASS ACT by ed cumming photography sean gleason fashion direction veronica perez30 ARBITER What about the show resonates? Anti-semitism is on the rise, which I find shocking. I grew up in a very sheltered, white part of England. Bournemouth is 90 per cent white, and either very old or very young. Coming to London was eye-opening, so going to New York, one of the most diverse places in the world [was even more so]. It’s always baffled me there can be so much hate for people. People are just people. Back to the divorce… Ha! I was with my partner Abby for 11 years. We were born on the same day, then we were childhood sweethearts. We got married in 2016 and soon ended after that in 2017. We’re still very amicable, and still live together in Bournemouth. I still love her to bits and we’re best mates, but that’s what we are. Hang on, you still live with your ex-wife? Lots of people raise their eyes at that, but it works. We wanted to buy a place when I had some money from Mr Selfridge, so we looked around London, but that was too expensive so we went to Bournemouth. I self-tape at home and then travel around the world to film. I love my hometown, and the industry makes you insane, so it’s good to have the same mates I had when I was at school. How are you spending your downtime? I spend too much time gaming. Other than that, I am trying to enhance myself in as many areas as I can with the free time: playing guitar, meditating, generally fulfilling the stereotype of the long-haired, bearded, guitar-playing wanker, just trying to be that guy. The gym is the other big passion — I had a gay sex scene in Class, so I had to get in shape for that, but since then I’ve fallen in love with weightlifting. Clothes matter a lot more to me now that I’m single. When I was in a relationship I never cared how I appeared, but I’ve started looking into my style. I’m playing around with my look! And what comes next? Hopefully another series of Hunters; we’re waiting to hear. But in the meantime I’m going to keep on keeping on. I always wanted to be James Bond, and I’m not saying it’s likely, but it’s possible. I am an English actor. It’s not impossible, just definitely not likely. 31 ARBITER 31 ARBARBITER --------------------- Opposite page, left: Blue jersey cotton Degas jacket, The Gigi at The Rake; turquoise corduroy shirt, Emma Willis; grey cotton T-shirt, Hamilton and Hare; grey linen trousers, Brunello Cucinelli; brown suede shoes, George Cleverley; grey ottaway- style cotton sock, London Sock Company. Navy linen turtle linen pocket-square, Anderson & Sheppard, property of The Rake. Opposite page, right: Beige cashmere single-breasted jacket, B Corner at The Rake; white and light blue cotton striped shirt, Emma Willis; brown silk printed tie and blue printed silk pocket-square, both Rubinacci; brown wool pleated trousers, Lardini at The Rake; brown scotch grain calf shoes, George Cleverley. This page: Grey linen jacket, Ralph Lauren Purple Label; grey striped navy cotton crewneck sweater, Cifonelli at The Rake; white cotton trousers, Anderson & Sheppard; chestnut burnished calf Selby shoe, Crockett & Jones; blue and red dotted cotton sock, London Sock Company. Navy linen turtle pocket-square, Anderson & Sheppard, property of The Rake. TAILOR: FRANCIS P ALEY PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIST ANT : SACHA PHILLIPS GROOMING: EMMA DA Y @ W ALL GROUP USING LEONOR GREYL P ARIS RAKE-IN- PROGRESSGETTY IMAGES CHERCHEZ LA FEMMETHE BACH VARIATION She was compared to a mid-century screen siren before burning brightly as another of 007’s love interests. And almost as suddenly, she receded from the spotlight to pursue social activism. However you look at it, Barbara Bach’s life has riffed heavily on the Bond girl theme. by david smiedt The story of one Bach begins with another. Catherine Bach, the hot-pantsed eye candy in the smash American series The Dukes of Hazzard, found herself at a swish party in London in the 1970s. At that point she was as big a star as all of the Charlie’s Angels combined (but minus Farrah) thanks to a pair of stratospheric pins, minuscule denim shorts, and a smile as broad as Venice Beach. She caught the eye of Barbara Broccoli, whose father, ‘Cubby’, produced the Bond films and was taking an increased role in the family business. When Barbara introduced herself, Bach thought she was pulling her leg and replied, “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Cathy Carrot.” And so the search began for another actress to star opposite Roger Moore in 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me. She turned out to be the other Bach. Barbara Ann Goldbach — later shortened by ditching the metal — was born in 1947 in Queens, New York, with war still raging in the countries of her ancestors: Romania, Austria and, um, Ireland. Gamine and willowy of body, and with a pert, preppy nose and heavy-lidded eyes that spoke of sweaty secrets, she was snapped up by the Eileen Ford Agency in New York in 1965. A year out of high school she appeared on the cover of Seventeen magazine, but things swiftly got more faaaaaaarshun when she featured on the cover of Elle and was later shot by Avedon for Vogue. International gigs beckoned, and at the age of 19 she “met this attractive Italian on the plane and he eventually convinced me that it would be much nicer in Italy for my career”. On such long- hauls are marriages made, and paying scant regard to the 11-year age gap she married Augusto Gregorini. Ensconced in Rome and making some serious coin from modelling, she was, in her words, “casually asked on the street in Italy if I would do something for television. One of those things they say happen, and it did.” Sidestepping the obvious responses of ‘who says this?’ and ‘no, they don’t’, Bach went on to appear first on the small screen and then in nine Italian films. Her worldwide fame arrived when she switched to English projects. The producer/director Tony Richardson noted that, “Barbara had the look of a tiger. Tall (1.7m) and streamlined (35-24-35), she was very sexy. She is often compared to Brigitte Bardot in looks, in image.” Please bear in mind that the statistical inclusions are Tony’s, not ours, and The Rake is well aware that these would most likely get you slapped with both a suit and a closed fist today. Richardson, however, was clearly smitten. As were the Bond team a year later, when she beat out Catherine Deneuve and others for the role. Her turn as Anya Amasova — opposite Roger Moore — spawned her own action figure doll, a Playboy cover, and increased attention from casting agents. In that perennial wet Saturday afternoon favourite Force 10 from Navarone, she played the Yugoslav partisan Maritza. She was not only the sole female cast member but refused any ministrations from hair and make-up, as it would detract from the role. The professional life of a Bond girl is as incandescent as it is short. Bach was not immune. In 1979 she was a frontrunner to become one of Charlie’s Angels, but depending on whom you spoke to, she was “too European and sophisticated for the role” or “looked too much like Jaclyn Smith”. Bach never got to work for the disembodied voice of Charles Townsend, and returned to Europe to make films with titles such as Jaguar Lives! Note the exclamation mark as well as the IMDb summary, which notes that “the world’s new karate hero (Joe Lewis) is out to stop drug dealers, gangs and help save the world from an evil con (Sir Christopher Lee)”. Another film in her ‘what the hell were you thinking’ canon was 1981’s Caveman, where said grotto dweller spent an hour and a half seeking revenge on a much bigger Neanderthal for the hand of a beautiful cave-lady (guess who?). The movie was forgettable, the romance it fostered was not. Starring opposite Bach was a long-haired musician she’d seen as a 15-year-old at a gig at New York’s Shea Stadium. The band was The Beatles; the drummer was Ringo Starr. Predating the likes of Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley’s ‘how on earth did he end up with her’ muso- supermodel combo, the pair have endured to this day. In another dodge of faded Bond girl stereotypes, Bach moved into work of a more socially significant hue. In 1991 she established the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation with fellow Beatle wives Olivia Harrison, Linda McCartney and Yoko Ono. Initially a fund for abandoned children, it now cares for young people affected by socially excluding conditions such as HIV/ Aids and tuberculosis. Another A-list collab took place the same year, when Bach established SHARP (Self-Help Addiction Recovery Programme) in London in conjunction with George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Pattie Boyd. Two years on, she clocked up a master’s degree in psychology from U.C.L.A., and two years after that set up the Lotus Foundation, which works across animal care, substance abuse, cancer, domestic violence and homelessness. Asked about her second career as opposed to the first, she has said it has “more meaning and, in the future, I’ll probably do some counselling”. Can you imagine being shown into a generically soothing safe space only to see Major Anya Amasova sitting across from you — with a box of tissues should you need them. And I think we’ll leave it at that. 33atelier INVESTMENT HANKER; UPCYCLING LUXURYGodefroy de Virieu, the Artistic Director of petit h, Hermès’ luxury upcycling arm, explains how the atelier balances creativity, sustainability, tradition and a sense of humour. LOWER CASE, HIGHER PURPOSE by christian barker As a little girl exploring the Hermès workshops in the 1960s, Pascale Mussard was forbidden from touching the works-in-progress on craftspeople’s desks. She had free rein, however, to play with anything discarded on the atelier floor. “I would pick up these pieces of material and wonder what they could be,” the great-great-great-granddaughter of founder Thierry Hermès told The Rake in 2013. “I think, looking back, the concept for petit h began as early as this.” Mussard spent most of her life working at the family firm, eventually launching the long- gestating sub-label in 2010. Crafting whimsical objects from leftover materials, abandoned components and imperfect products, petit h was established by Mussard as “a laboratory and a place of innovation” that bridged Hermès’ numerous métiers — “an atelier where we invite artists, designers, craftsmen together… to look at our material and make a new object”. By-products of Hermès’ punctilious craftsmanship serve as grist for the mill. Despite the exacting perfectionism of the maison’s artisans, occasionally an item made in the Hermès workshops will fail the strict test of quality control. A minuscule mark on a scarf, a stitch amiss, a tiny bubble in a piece of crystal, a near-invisible scratch on a panel of leather… any flaw of this sort will result in an Hermès product being deemed unworthy of leaving the atelier. Even when things go right, the production process unavoidably results in wastage — offcuts, over-runs, redundant trimmings and such. In the past, rejected objects and remnants of this sort were destroyed. With petit h, they’re given a second chance at life. When Mussard retired in 2018, she left petit h in the capable hands of her longtime collaborator, Godefroy de Virieu. Appropriately enough, the Artistic Director references an artistic movement when describing the petit h creative process. “What we do we describe as creation in reverse. It’s a little bit surrealistic,” he says. “In the 1930s, the Dadaists would create poetry by cutting up words from the newspaper and mixing them up, then placing them together again as something readable. I think what we do at petit h is similar. Hermès writes the ‘sentences’, we take some ‘words’ from Hermès, and then we use them to tell another story.” A culinary analogy is equally relevant, the designer says. Like a chef foraging in the woods or picking the choicest produce from a market at dawn, de Virieu and his team never know for certain what the next batch of ingredients will contain. Devising the figurative menu du jour, they’re at liberty to create whatever type of product they like with the materials they’re given. One hard and fast rule is that the items petit h make must be useful. “It’s important to me as a designer to bring utility to objects that would otherwise be wasted. It’s very important for me — and even more important for Hermès,” de Virieu says. “From the beginning, Hermès has always made utility products, useful and functional products. So I really want to keep this aspect, but in a joyful way and a creative way, making products that can remind you of your childhood. Hermès has a sense of humour, we want to transmit lightness, a sense of play, and a sense of the poetic.” 36 In the past, rejected objects of this sort were destroyed. With petit h, they’re given a second chance at life.RIP HOPKINS UNSTITCHED Godefroy de Virieu, the Artistic Director of petit h.Next >