Since opening in 1995, Soho House has become the epitome of cool, urban chic, redefining the private club concept by attracting a trendy crowd of creative types and a long list of celebs such as Lady Gaga, Kate Moss, Rihanna, George Clooney, Madonna or Scarlett Johansson. As well as opening satellite “houses” in Notting Hill, Shoreditch and Chiswick, it has exported its own brand of exclusiveness abroad, with outposts in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Berlin, Chicago, Toronto, Istanbul, and soon in Oxford and White City. The Soho House brand has also grown into a group that includes restaurants (Cecconi’s, Pizza East, brasseries…), cinemas (Electric and Aubin), spas (Cowshed) and hotels (Babington House, Dean Street Town House…) Here, its founder Nick Jones (53) reveals some of his personality traits and talks to Chic-Londres about his life as an entrepreneur.

The character trait that defines me best Drive

The trait I most deplore in myself Impatience

The trait I’m most proud of My creative force

If I could change something in the way I look I wouldn’t… I’m quite happy with the way I look!

The quality I appreciate most in a man Straightforwardness

The quality I appreciate most in a woman The same

My definition of friendship A friend is someone you can rely on and have a good laugh with.

My definition of love Someone you love is a person you want to be with all the time. read more

The talented French Chelsea footballer is as famous for his brilliant game on the field as he is for his “difficult” reputation, which wasn’t much improved during the last World Cup scandal. However, when the notoriously secretive Nicolas Anelka (33) overcame his usual reserve towards the press to welcome Chic-Londres in his Wimbledon’s home a few months ago, he gave us a very different glimpse of his personality.

My main character trait Simplicity

The trait I most deplore in myself Frankness.

My biggest quality The same.

If I could change something in the way I look I would change my eyes colour and would go from dark to a very light brown.

Faults in others or myself that I am most likely to forgive Lying to spare someone’s feelings.

What I most value in my friends Honesty.

My favourite occupation Watching a National Geographic documentary on lions or crocodiles while lying on my sofa.

My idea of happiness Being healthy, having a healthy family and staying somewhere sunny. read more

Roland Mouret (51) moved from Paris to London in 1991, where he has become one of the most talented fashion designers around, with a glamorous fan base that includes Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Scarlett Johansson, Cameron Diaz, Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore and Carla Bruni-Sarlozy. The Frenchman reveals to Chic-Londres some of his personality traits.

My main character trait I always say « No » at first.

My worst trait Control freak.

My best quality Control freak.

If I could change something to the way I look I wouldn’t lose my hair.

The quality I appreciate most in a man His feminity.

The quality I appreciate most in a woman Her masculinity.

The quality I value most in my friends Their honesty.

Faults in others that I am most likely to forgive All the ones that I used to have.

My favourite hobby An afternoon nap.

My most beautiful memory My father. read more

To Arsenal fans, he’s a legend: the man who won three FA Cups and two FA Premier League titles, and was voted one of the club’s greatest players in History. To his fellow Frenchmen, he’s a hero, having won both the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000, two of the greatest moments in Gallic football history. And to anyone who gets to meet him, he’s one of the nicest men in sport: friendly, humble and approachable -not to mention easy on the eye- which has earned him legions of fans, both male and female. And while he officially retired from competitive football two years ago, the Reims-born, London-based champion is still busy. The father of three (Naïa, Theo and Alessio, respectively 7,5 and 2) has not only become an ambassador for Arsenal, he is also a prolific charity worker: as ambassador of Grassroots Soccer, an association who helps fighting HIV in South Africa, and as patron of Le Rêve de Clara, his wife Jessica’s charity that helps deprived children from the Indian Ocean countries. Here, Robert Pirès, who’ll turn 40 in one month, reveals to Chic-Londres some of his personality traits.

Your main character trait Optimism

The trait you most deplore in yourself People say I tend to be too nice…

The trait you are most proud of in yourself Generosity

If you could change something in the way you look I’d like my hair to stop falling! I still have quite a lot of them, but with my 40th birthday fast approaching, I’ve started to notice a difference.

The quality you most appreciate in a man Honesty

And in a woman Strength of character

What you value most in your friends Straightforwardness read more

In the UK, she might be more famous for being James Bond’s love interest in For Your Eyes Only, Carrie’s confident in Sex and the City: an American in Paris or as the former face of Chanel Number 5, but in her native France, Carole Bouquet (54) is much more than that: a living screen icon of such status that she can only be compared to Catherine Deneuve or Brigitte Bardot. Like her former partner of ten years, Gérard Depardieu, she has been directed by France’s leading film makers and has won countless awards, including best actress at the Césars (the French Oscars). During a recent visit to London to promote her wine she produces in the Italian island of Pantelleria, the passionate actress shared a long lunch with Chic-Londres at The Connaught. There she talked candidly for two hours about her personality, life, career and passions.

My main personality trait: As most people, I can be quite ambivalent. I guess others tend to form a stronger opinion about myself than I do.

My main quality: It is not up to me to tell- what might seem likeable in a person suddenly becomes much less so if she boasts about it- although I should probably say fearlessness. I tend to push boundaries as far as I can without thinking about the risk, which can be a good or a bad thing.

My main character flaw: There is a very long list of them! The one I dislike the most is melancholy- I don’t mind it in others, but hate it in myself. I am also quite sensitive to the climate, and my moods tend to change accordingly. read more

As the author of cult series Thorgal, XIII and Largo Winch, which have sold more than 33 million copies worldwide and been translated in 25 languages, Jean Van Hamme (71) is undoubtedly one of the most successful comics writers of his time. Born in Belgium, Van Hamme switched from a successful career in marketing to full time writing at the age of 37. Apart from graphic novels, which have also included two very successful episodes of Blake and Mortimer, the prolific author also wrote the script for Diva, the 1981 cult classic directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix. XIII has been aired as a TV miniseries in the US, while Largo Winch was made into a film.

My main character trait: Impatience.

My greatest fault: Impatience.

The trait I am most proud of in myself: Tolerance.

My favourite quality in a man: A pretty wife.

My favourite quality in a woman: A sense of humour.

What I most appreciate in friends: The fact that they are real friends, and have been here for me in tough times.

The fault that I am most likely to forgive: Weakness, when someone does something wrong because he or she is not strong enough to face difficult circumstances.

If I could change something in the way I look: I would get younger, grow some new hair, have a smaller nose and be taller. read more

Once described as “the dark soul of Tony Blair” and “the real deputy Prime minister” -as his influence on the government was deemed to be so powerful- Alastair Campbell (52) appears nowadays in much more relaxed form than during his Downing Street years. The former Spin Doctor in chief has now has turned to fundraising for research into leukaemia, as well as writing, with a second novel, Maya, recently published.

My main character trait: determination

The trait I most deplore in myself: impatience

The trait I am most proud of: loyalty

If I could change something in my physic: my lungs because I have asthma

The quality I appreciate most in a man: a sense of humour

The quality I appreciate most in a woman: intuition

What I most value in my friends: honesty and loyalty

Faults in others or myself that I am most likely to forgive: temper

My favourite hobbies: watching football and cycling

My idea of happiness: a day which would include a family event, a football win and an electoral disaster for the Tories read more

The Cambridge and Harvard educated writer, who moved to England as a boarder at the age of eight, was born in 1969 in Switzerland in a prominent Jewish family. He is the author of ten bestselling books, has produced and presented five TV series -including the acclaimed BBC documentary Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness- and is a founding member of the School of Life and Living Architecture. Despite having inherited a fortune at the death of his father, a successful financier, he has made the choice to support himself solely from the proceeds of his work. He lives in Shepherd’s Bush with his wife Charlotte and their two young sons.

My main character traitA desire to understand the world, a curiosity about other people and the world around me.

The trait I am most proud of in myselfThe capacity to analyse situations and feelings.

My greatest faultI worry too much about everything.

The qualities I want to see in a manKindness and openness, an absence of machismo. I like men who cry and can admit to feeling sad, isolated and lonely.

My favourite quality in a womanKindness and sensitivity.

What I most appreciate in friendsBeing open about their worries. read more

The London-based artist and architect, born in Israel in 1951, is without a doubt one of the most influential designers of our time, whose creations -from unique pieces of sculpture to everyday objects such as the iconic Bookworm shelves and Tom Vac chair- have already become modern classics. His work -which was shown last year at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris- is currently exhibited at the Barbican Art Gallery. Here, he reveals to Chic-Londres some of his personality traits.

The character trait that defines me the mostLaziness.

If I could change something in the way I lookI would have a head full of hair.

What I most value in my friendsBenevolent intelligence, which I define as the kind of intelligence that goes with being a good person, as opposed to nasty intelligence.

Faults that I am most likely to forgiveMistakes that come from good intentions.

My favourite hobbiesPlaying Snatch, which is like Scrabble on steroids, and the best game in the world. I also like ping pong. read more

Hélène Darroze (43), the most famous French female chef, surprised everyone when she moved from Paris to London 2008 to oversee the cuisine at the revamped Connaught hotel, which has just gained its second Michelin star under her direction. Despite coming from an old family of restaurateurs, she first chose to study business, before being discovered at the age of 25 by celebrated chef Alain Ducasse while she worked as a manager at his Monaco hotel. Since then, she has won three Michelin stars, inspired a Disney character in Ratatouille, adopted two little girls in Vietnam and wrote a bestselling book.

My main character trait: Generosity.

My worst character trait: The same. I tend to give too much, too quickly and some people take advantage of that.

My main quality: Honesty combined with fairness.

If I could change something in myself: I wouldn’t mind losing a stone and a half!

The quality I appreciate most in a man: Kindness.

The quality I appreciate most in a woman: Frankness.

What I appreciate most in my friends: Their honesty towards themselves and others.

The weakness I am most likely to forgive: A fondness of food. read more

With the combined worldwide sales of his nine novels -translated in 41 languages- exceeding the 19 millions copy mark, Marc Lévy (48) is the most read French author in the world. At 18, he joined the French Red Cross in Paris while studying Economy, before setting up two businesses, first in the States then in Paris. In 1999, he left his office architecture company to dedicate himself to writing and moved to London (where he lived until last year), after selling the rights of his first novella, If Only it Were True, to Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks, which adapted it to the screen in a film starring Reese Witherspoon. His new novel, The First Night, will be published in France on 2 December.

The character trait that defines me the most I wouldn’t have the slightest idea…

The trait I most deplore in myself An excessive fondness of food.

My main quality That is something you should ask to my friends and my wife.

If I could change something in the way I look I would change the way I look.

The quality I appreciate most in others A sense of humour and generosity.

The fault that I am most likely to forgive Fear.

My favourite hobbies Watching movies and flying.

My idea of happiness Being surrounded by the people I love. read more

Like his creations, James Dyson (64), made famous by the invention of the bagless vacuum cleaner, is a rather unique prototype : as an engineer and designer equally interested by looks and functionality, he appears as a prolific inventor as well as a shrewd business man. Despite a fortune estimated by Forbes magazine at more than one billion pounds, a knighthood by the Queen and a guest starring role in popular American TV series Friends, he remains incredibly low key, and more likely to be found gardening than attending jet set parties. Here, the inventor reveals to Chic-Londres a few of his personality traits…

My main character trait: Perseverance.

The trait I most deplore in myself: Dissatisfaction, as it doesn’t make for an easy life.

The trait I am most proud of in myself: Obstinacy… I don’t give up easily.

If I had to change one thing about the way I look: Actually, I would quite like to change the way I see, as I still have to wear glasses despite braving laser surgery.

The quality I appreciate most in a man: Inquisitiveness, I like people who ask “Why?”.

The quality I appreciate most in a woman: Ditto. read more

With his restaurants, bars and clubs (Momo, Sketch, Double Club…), Mourad Mazouz has left his unique mark on the London food and party scene. Here, the French-Algerian “restaurateur extraordinaire” offers us a glimpse of his personal world.

My main character trait: Curiosity, which makes me want to get up every morning. I believe this is one of the most beautiful qualities to have, as it means that you are interested in other people.

My main weakness: Laziness, even though I work very hard, and perfectionism. I find the latter awful because to want everything to be perfect means to live in a state of suffering, as one can’t achieve true perfection.

My main strength: Straightforwardness. I always see things through to the end, I always do what I say and I never let people down. read more