HAUTE so FABULOUS

Interiors Inspiration

Universal Providers by Kokon to Zai

Travel 3, Style 3Rebecca O'ByrneComment

There are places in London that hold a certain electricity — not loud or obvious, just quietly charged, alive with creative pulse. Golborne Road is definitely one of them for me. It’s the kind of street that resists regular definition or the typically obvious cool that most of London is so swept with: Moroccan cafés beside antique stores, faded façades giving way to bursts of colour, sound, + scent. And somewhere along its enigmatic curve sits a space that feels as though it exists slightly outside of time, less a boutique + more a living, breathing installation. Universal Providers.

Founded by Marjan Pejoski + Sasko Bezovski, Universal Providers feels like a natural continuation of the duo’s boundary-defying universe — one that began with KTZ, the cult fashion label long synonymous with London’s avant-garde, streetwear, + music scenes. But KTZ was never simply about clothes; it was about culture, conversation, + energy — and that same pulse runs through Universal Providers. Their physical space on Golborne Road, which I visited for the last time recently as it closes after more than two decades, marking the end of one chapter and the evolution into another — an online presence + new projects that promise to carry forward their unparalleled, multi-sensory vision, shaped by a lifetime of creating + collecting extraordinary interior pieces + objects from around the world.

After 20 years on the Golborne Road, I feel the continued evolution of everything Universal Providers is about will continue whatever Pejoski + Bezovski do next. To step inside is to enter an experience that transcends retail. The air hums faintly with sound — sometimes ambient, sometimes ritualistic — while objets, garments, + sculptural forms line the space in quiet dialogue with one another, not forgetting their three little pugs who greet you. There are pieces here that feel like armour, ceremonial in nature, alongside handcrafted artefacts, exquisite furniture, decadent incense, + sound instruments. Everything here has intention. It vibrates with presence + creative intention.

There are stores that sell things, + then there are portals that sell worlds. Universal Providers belongs firmly to the latter. It’s a space that doesn’t shout for your attention; instead, it invites you to tune in. To slow your pace, open your senses. To truly feel something. There’s an alchemical quality to the curation, to every creation — as though the worlds of art, design, + spirituality have been distilled into one unified offering. Every corner reveals something unexpected: a mirror that distorts perspective, a talisman resting beside a book on sacred geometry. The lighting: also designed + created with utter genius — sculptural pieces that feel almost celestial, casting a glow that transforms space into atmosphere. Everything feels like temptation, something to take home.

What’s most striking about Universal Providers to me is its refusal to separate aesthetics from meaning. Here, beauty is not decoration; it’s devotion. And I respect that unreservedly. The entire space functions as a kind of living organism — part gallery, part temple, part creative lab — honouring the idea that art + fashion are not products, but conduits + it represents Pejoski + Bezovski’s collective energy impeccably.

In a city known for its relentless tempo, Universal Providers is a sanctuary. It’s the rare kind of place that asks nothing of you but presence. A place where you can remember that creativity is not an accessory to life — it is life. In short + as the duo move on to what’s next, beyond this physical space, Universal Providers is more than a store + that will live on wherever they create from. It’s an energy field that will continue to vibrate — a frequency for the curious, the seekers, the makers, + those who value the quietly radical.

Visit UNIVERSAL-PROVIDERS.com


 

Who Is.. Linda Boronkay

InteriorsRebecca O'ByrneComment
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It’s an undeniable love, an elegance as such, of a moment, a day or perhaps a night spent at any one of Soho House’s series of fabulous clubs around the world. As with most things in well working order though, beyond the scenes there is a strong, talented woman with a vision. Linda Boronkay, design director of the groups UK, Europe and Asia territories, is just that for the famed hospitality group. A woman with a fantastical dream that lives far beyond her aesthetically pleasurable designs, Boronkay joined the group in 2016 and has overseen the direction of the brands newest openings since. 

Boronkay was born in Budapest where her love of design was cultivated at home from a young age; her father an architect and her mother the editor of a fashion magazine before eventually becoming an antiques dealer. Full of antiques and vintage pieces, her home was a solid starting ground for what her career would later become. She moved to Paris to study fashion at first and, travelled the world as a model before acknowledging that her heart was really in interiors, moving to London to pursue her career in the industry. Her job is a dream for many, something she has worked undeniably hard for and nurtured since winning the prestigious recognition of Britain’s Best Emerging Interior Design Award. Prior to undertaking her position at Soho House she worked with some of the world’s top designers and firms including Martin Brudnizki, global studio Woods Bagot, Tara Bernerd & Partners and Tom Dixon, each of whom she gained significant experience with and invaluable knowledge from at such high level of design. 

Pioneering in her ability to create a feeling through the combination of the functionality and aesthetics of her creations, Boronkay is a busy lady, traveling the world to oversee the groups newest global openings. For Nick Jones, Soho House’s founder, deciding to open a new club for the brand is always about finding the right building rather than location. Each club has a history and the team begins every project through a conversation with a local historian to understand the buildings past, aiming to bring it’s natural characteristics to life in the redesign. Furniture is either bought vintage or custom made - something Boronkay is very much involved in from her experience of product design during her time with Tom Dixon. The design process is a lengthy one that sees her and her team take into account everything from the history of the building to the important aspects of comfort and functionality of the buildings various spaces, all while keeping the celebrated strong, distinctive style of Soho House very much in tact. And she does it seamlessly. 

During her lengthy and successful career, the designer has developed a diverse and impressive portfolio in luxury hospitality and residential design. Some of her completed projects include work for Nobu, Jamie Oliver, Qantas, Morgans Hotel Group, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Starwood Capital Group, Lend Lease and of course Soho House. Spanning 4 continents and 10 countries, you’re bound to stumble upon a Linda Boronkay creation no matter where your travels may take you.


SHOP HOMEWARES FROM SOHO HOUSE


 

Sexy Fish, London

InteriorsRebecca O'ByrneComment
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A regular hit on almost every London hotlist, Sexy Fish is one of London’s most seductive Asian fusion restaurants. The experience-style eatery, located on the corner of Berkeley Square, Mayfair, is not just a hit in the sushi department but notably celebrated as an meeting place of the senses, where Japan hits London with a flavour difficult to describe as anything other than sexy AF. 

The upmarket seafood brasserie is another brainchild of British businessman Ricard Caring, who boasts Annabels, The Ivy Group, Le Caprice and Bam-Bou as just a few of the famous restaurants he light’s up London’s food, drink and club scene with.

Designed by the infamous Martin Brudnizki of Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, the interiors are lavishly over-the-top and just as much an attraction as the food itself. With works of art that reportedly make it the most expensive collection of artworks created exclusively for a London restaurant ever, it’s a feast that delights many tastebuds. Damien Hirst collaborated with Caring to create bronze mermaids that bookend the bar while Vanity Fair’s style editor-in-chief Michael Roberts produced a custom-made golden mural that spans a large part of the ceiling. One of the prominent features is the statement bar, which lays beneath the largest collection of Frank Gehry’s iconic Fish Lamps. A huge live coral reef tank features in the basement’s private dining room which hosts a party of 48 and is supposedly the largest in the world. Drinking in the reality of your surroundings, it’s more a museum vibe than just simply another place to grab a bite to eat. 

Taking your eyes from the room to your plate though, the food itself is a delectable treat too of course. And in keeping with it’s general grandeur, Sexy Fish is home to the largest collection of Japanese whiskies in Europe - 358 varieties and counting. 

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PHOTOS: SEXY FISH