Celebrity Interview - Gordon Powell
The king of luxury outdoor lounging
Gordon Powell The king of luxury outdoor lounging
YOU'VE HEARD THE NAME, YOU'VE SEEN THE ADVERTS, AND YOU'VE PROBABLY EVEN LAID ON THE BEDS... NOW NICOLA McGEORGE INTRODUCES US TO THE MAN BEHIND MARBELLA'S CHILL-OUT BEDS, IN OUR SPECIAL SERIES ON MOVERS AND SHAKERS WHO HAVE SETTLED ON THE COSTA DEL SOL.
Originally from Portsmouth, where he ran a highly successful empire in the entertainment industry, Gordon Powell moved to Marbella five years ago. After a series of violent incidents at his nightclub, which culminated in Gordon having to throw his own body over a man to save his life, he thought, "Why am I doing this?" That night he packed up his belongings and headed for Marbella, a place he had been visiting for 30 years.
My meeting with Gordon is at his home/show house. I find him spread out on one of his four-poster Chill Out Beds, resembling a certain Mr Richard Gere, and with a devilish grin he says, "Would you like to join me on my bed?" I can't help but giggle like a schoolgirl and immediately understand why he has won the hearts of the women of Marbella.
I want to know what brought this charismatic entrepreneur to Marbella. "I love everything Spanish. The way they eat, the way they drink and the way they live. Stress takes a back seat for Spanish people. I also love nothing more than dining in the Old Town or at Benahavis, but my absolute favourite pastime is spending Sunday at the beach clubs. Heaven, Pedro's, Marbella Club, any of the ones that buy my beds," he adds with a chuckle.
For the first year, Gordon enjoyed being at the centre of the Marbella social scene, and I have to say I remember him always surrounded by beautiful women, but after one too many hangovers he felt he needed a new direction. He decided to come out of retirement, and Chill Out Beds was born. So how did the idea come about? "I was sitting in my garden thinking, 'Why do I have to sit on a single sun lounger?' I wanted more room, for perhaps two or three people," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "I wanted to provide stylish outdoor wooden beds, something where the whole family could enjoy the climate together, relax and just chill out. That's really where the idea of my business came from; and let's face it, there is nothing better than being chilled out and making money.
"I wanted to set myself a real challenge, to build a product that I knew nothing about, in a country where I couldn't speak the language, and sell them to people who didn't really need them. So that's what I did. After finding out that Spanish wood was very expensive I set off on a trip to Asia. I visited Bali, Java, Thailand and Vietnam, and spoke to people about what I wanted. Most of them thought I was crazy, bearing in mind they were all five foot tall and could fit into a pushchair, never mind a Chill Out Bed.
"After weeks of having some very peculiar meetings, such as in an office full of chickens who pecked at my feet while I was trying to negotiate, or the time I was halfway through a conversation with a builder and was made to shove my shoulder up his prize bull's backside, to free it from sinking in the mud, I finally got somewhere. My factory is now situated in Java and the supplies come from Bali."
So where can we find these beds? "I am getting international inquiries everyday. I have shipped my beds to Mallorca, the Algarve, Atlantic City and Bali. I don't wish to reveal names but they can also be found in the homes of a top tennis star, a James Bond actor, a glamour model, international footballers and even royalty. I would say the most popular beds for hotels and beach clubs are the large 2x2 metre square, the round and the four-posters, which are accessorised with billowing drapes. For personal use the elaborate day beds and the benches are the most requested." Gordon says he has already started to go global, and is in the process of finalizing "an incredible deal" in Dubai. "I can take this product anywhere the sun shines, but I will eventually base myself in the Caribbean or the US. There has been interest from some London nightclubs, so I have decided to design an indoor range that can be used in clubs, bars and restaurants. With this company the sky really is the limit."
Obviously Chill Out Beds has changed Gordon's life, but this is not what has had the biggest impact on him. Travelling to Asia every year has affected his life more than anyone would know. "I meet all of these amazing people who have nothing. They live, eat and sleep in only one room which they have to share with eight other people, yet they are always genuinely happy. Then when I go down to Puerto Banús everything is about the glitz and excess; it just feels wrong to me now." Is this the same Gordon I met three years previously? He shares with me a few of the monumental events which really opened his eyes and caused this re-evaluation of his life. Last year he was supposed to go to Bali with a friend who sadly died before the trip. He was still grieving when the subject came up in conversation with the manager of the hotel where Gordon was staying. After expressing his sympathy, the manager explained that in Bali they performed a ceremony/blessing when someone close to them passed away. He told Gordon to meet him on the beach at sunset. He arrived to find a high priest, who proceeded to lead the blessing, and home-made offerings which were for the gods. It was an act of kindness that you would rarely find in the western world. Gordon loves to spend time talking to the market people in Bali, and every day he tries to buy from a different person. On this certain trip, one of the market women approached him. She was not able to speak English, so another worker translated for Gordon. He was told that the woman was really going to miss him as he was always so happy. She wanted him to know that, "he had sunshine". Those few words touched his soul.
With Gordon's business flair, charisma and sheer hard work, it is obvious that his company will go from strength to strength. But what I really want to know is why nobody has managed to tie him down. I mean, this man can cook, has trained in Balinese massage and can charm the pants off anyone.
"It would take a very large hammer and some very long nails," he says laughing. "No really, she would have to be spiritual, have a great sense of humour and love great food." Well that's me to a T, so ladies, I'm first in the queue.
THE H! QUESTIONNAIRE
What smells do you remember from your childhood?
Beer - I lived in a pub.
What was your favourite subject in school?
How to get out of cross-country.
What person, still alive, do you admire most?
My bank manager.
And not alive...?
My father, a great singer, scratch golfer and a humble man.
What's your idea of perfect happiness?
Friends, humour, beauty, Rioja and the time to enjoy.
What element of modern life gives you the most problems?
People
What's the worst thing about being a man?
What women expect.
What word or phrase do you use most?
Honestly, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.
What scares you most?
One day the sun won't shine.
What book would you always have in your library?
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
What's the last film you saw at the cinema?
Pirates of the Caribbean
What's the last CD you bought?
John Legend - once again.
What's the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?
Another day in paradise.
And the last thing you think about when you go to sleep at night?
I love my bed.
What section of the paper do you read first each day?
Travel
How much time are you connected to the Internet each day?
24/7 for work
What's one thing you don't leave home without?
Front door key
What alternative profession would you like to have taken up?
Singer, actor.
If you could travel in time, what era would you choose?
Twenty years from now.
What's the most exotic place you've visited?
Bali - I think my soul belongs there.
Favourite...
Number? 0 - what we start with and what we leave with
Colour? Bright red
Animal? Cat - graceful yet independent
Flower? A fragrant English rose
Sport? Football
Meal? Anything shared with someone you love
Hobby/pastime? Thinking
Luxury? Remembering
Star sign - Gemini (21 May 1972)
Your favourite joke?
See above!
