World Domination According to Philipp Plein

With his growing empire and his debut New York Fashion Week show under his belt, Philipp Plein is a powerhouse who knows what he wants.

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Perched on a hilltop overlooking Cannes' scenic coastline, La Jungle du Roi is the sprawling two-villa estate of fashion tycoon Philipp Plein. The German mastermind chose this name for his home on the French Riviera after seeing its overgrown gardens for the first time. Today, his jungle is anything but unruly, with exotic plants in ornate pots and palm trees dotted around sparkling swimming pools. Pools, like supercars and chandeliers, invariably come in multiples for Plein; here’s an individual who doesn’t do things by halves.

One such pool features a square stone island on which rests a marble dining table that seats 20 guests and is shielded from the Mediterranean sun by a Romanesque gazebo. A 71⁄2ft, fire-engine red sculpture of a chest-pounding gorilla – the work of French artist Richard Orlinski – presides over Plein’s royal jungle and its menagerie, which includes a group of metal Mickey Mouse figurines, a wall covered in white ceramic antlers, two zebra heads mounted on mirrors, and an oversized teddy bear sporting a gingham necktie. Then there's Simba, a stuffed circus lion in predatory pose, the king of the jungle standing proud once more – an obvious allegory for a man who refuses to be tamed. Everything about this environment suggests that Philipp Plein is not your average fashion designer: machismo, exuberance and swagger are what he stands for, and he’s not afraid to shout – or roar – about it.

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