This issue of The Rake seeks to align itself with the Christmas mission sent over by our American cousins, and we want it to be teeming with tidings of great joy and goodwill to all readers. Our cover star, Antonio Banderas, is as universally liked as Old St. Nick. David Gandy, our nation’s most handsome export, and Hugo Wilson, arguably the finest artist in Britain, and certainly the most evocative and profound, take their place too. The world The Rake inhabits needs a healthy roster of artisans, artists - men of substance - and this pair exemplifies that. Vincent Zanardi, who runs the Birley Bakery in Chelsea alongside its eponym, Robin Birley. David Flint Wood, our man in the Caribbean, writes about the new brand of premium rum he has helped create, called Idle Assembly. The levers of power have shifted a lot this year, some left, some right. People have got their way, and not. An antidote for the turmoil we have experienced can be found in The Rake. We are convinced that we have tapped into a universality and established common ground by talking about the most important matters, such as why regimental stripes on a tie in Britain go left to right, and in America right to left. We zealously trust in the power of a game of backgammon to solve the world’s problems, and that clothes have an empowering effect in which everyone can share. God bless the gods of the structured shoulder, or the patron saints of double pleats. All hail the cigar makers and whisky distillers. Glory to the Jeremy King, and the elegant restaurateurs of his ilk, such as Gavin Rankin. This world is a sceptred isle of its own; it banishes negativity and obnoxiousness. Remember this: if things feel worrying, a tad unsteady, or indeed if you are joyful and triumphant, this space is for all of you, and as long as we are here, we shall let no man tear it asunder. Merry Christmas.
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