The London Launch of Miguel Flores-Vianna's Sabbatical 2012

Sabbatical 2012, The Sequel

Miguel Flores-Vianna's world book tour hit London this week, fittingly held at Smythson's flagship store on Sloane Street where the renowned photographer and author signed copies of his most personal book to date, the leather-wrapped Sabbatical 2012.

📍 Smythson, Sloane Street

WORDS BY SOPHIE GOODWIN | HAPPENINGS | 16 APRIL 2025

Sabbatical 2012 by Miguel Flores-Vianna. Published by Cabana, covers by Smythson.

Less than a week after the Milan launch of Sabbatical 2012 during Salone del Mobile, author Miguel Flores-Vianna's closest friends and supporters - including Martina Mondadori, Amanda and Christopher Brooks, Kate Braine, Leonie Mir, Jean-Philippe Demeyer, Robert and Jane Sackville-West, Rebecca Ward and Alex, Charlotte, Tancredi and Chiara di Carcaci - gathered in London to toast his extraordinary new book.

Published by Cabana with covers by Smythson, Sabbatical 2012 is a faithful reproduction of Miguel's 2012 Smythson diary, which chronicles - in personal, unfiltered detail - the year he moved from New York City to a small village in rural England.

It was the year he met his partner, changed career (from magazine editor to interiors photographer), moved countries and took the bold first steps towards a new life in the UK.

Miguel Flores-Vianna and Sophie Goodwin at the London launch of Sabbatical 2012.

In a glorious tribute to the celebrated author and photographer, Smythson's resplendent flagship on Sloane Street was decked out with large-scale polaroids and photographs of Miguel's original collection of diaries, including his well-thumbed 2012 journal. As guests queued to have their books signed and friends from all stages of Miguel's career swapped notes, waiters circulated with magnums of Veuve Clicquot Brut champagne, along with MarGin Gin & tonics, and not a canape in sight.

Smythson engravers were on hand, as the first stock of books were snapped up in under two hours, each with a well-considered, hand-written note from Miguel.

Left to right: Kimberly Duross, Carol Woolton, Emma Askari, Charlotte di Carcaci and Kate Braine.

The book signing was followed by a riotous dinner at new Italian restaurant, Nina, in Marylebone, as guests piled into black cabs from Chelsea and sped to W1. Sister of the trendy Bottarga, Nina is run by the brilliant young duo: food aficionado, Yaroslava Malkova, and in-house artist and interior design specialist, Lunara Bramley-Fenton. 

Talented floral studio Grandirosa over-delivered once more, with elegant rows of blue and white wild flowers, English delphiniums, sweetpea and forget-me-nots decorating the eight individual tables, each lit with Cire Trudon tapered candles. 

Fresh off the plane from Milan, Cabana's Editor-in-Chief Martina Mondadori made herself heard over the excited clatter and music of the packed restaurant, giving a beautiful speech on her relationship with deputy editor and great friend, Miguel.

Everyone was greeted with trays of house cocktails on arrival, 'tinis (with an olive), spritzes and negronis, which rolled on throughout the night. Miguel's friends and admirers, including Isaac Benigson, Magnus Regna, Alec Cobbe, Cruz María Wyndham, and Tess Tomassini, feasted on endless Italian delights with a twist: beef carpaccio with parmesan and rocket, bluefin tuna on melon, spaghetti with tomato sauce and stracciatella, cacio e pepe, whole grilled sea bass, ribeye steaks and fries.

Left to right: Violet Caldecott, Ambrosia Hicks, Martina Mondadori and Camilla Frances.

The jury was out on the dessert: Martina Mondadori and Carol Woolton were championing the stracciatella burnt cheesecake, while Patrick Kinmonth declared the boozy tiramisu "beyond compare". Spirits were so high that the restaurant had to turn the lights on to close the party as Miguel and Martina called time on the night due to an important early morning meeting with Sanderson. Watch this space...

Left to right: Marina Bayliss, Jane Sackville-West and Alec Cobbe.