A Magazine, Issue 89

People/Style/Culture/Art

Art in Fashion at the Venice Biennale. Beirut's Hottest Collaborations. Summer in Batroun

no.89 June/July '17 LL10,000

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89 No.

June/July 2017

Inside

The Unity Issue

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FRONT / 44 Who’s Who / 46 Editor’s Letter The inspiration behind this issue / 48

Contributors A brief selection / 52 Together We’re Strong Creatives who join forces

/ 62 In Focus What we’re doing this summer / 82 Objects of Desire Stylists offer their

top picks of the season / 98 In the Studio with Studio Safar / 104 A 1980s Comeback All-out glitz is back on the runway / 110 When the Shoe Fits Sergio Rossi talks design

and comfort / 114 Collab Me Crazy Fashion meets film, art and TV / 124 Trends

Looks, ideas, accessories / 128 Muse Squad looks / 138 If I Gave You Diamonds A

selection of unique jewelry pieces / 142 Style Fusion When Beirut designers take to

fashion / FASHION / 160 Viva Arte Viva Elizabeth shot by Cristina Coral, styled by

Amelianna Loiacono / 184 The Virgin Suicides Photography by Emmanuel Giraud,

styling by Francesca Turner / 198 And We Danced Elodia shot by Alice Rosati, styled

by Mari David / 220 Sizzling Summer Beach looks for her / FEATURES / 232 Subject

In conversation with Henry Dakak Jr. / 234 Trend Report: Rugs in Fashion The Rug

Company collaborates with Elie Saab / 238 Polo Power Why the polo shirt still rocks /

June/July 2017

242 All Together Now Beirut creatives reimagine fashion, design and entertainment / 244 Dialogue Along the Canals A walk through the Venice Biennale / 254 Union in

Fashion A glance at the greatest collabs / 256 Noir Jaune/Blanc Rouge An artistic

vision by Cynthia Merhej and Cyrille Karam / 278 Rediscovering Batroun Northern

Lebanon’s lively seaside town / PLAYGROUND / 294 On Travel Making your honeymoon memorable / 296 Where We’re Staying / 298 On Happiness A walking holiday / 300 Where We’re Detoxing / 302 On Food On the mashup trend / 304 Where We’re

Eating / 308 On Drink Flavored water takes over / 310 Where We’re Drinking /

THE END / 312 Meeting of Musical Minds Solo singles are out, collabs are in / 314

Reinventing the A Our logo as envisioned by Lebanon’s talents / 320 The Last Page

Series to watch this summer

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On the Cover Unity, love, power of two. Our cover girl Elodia embraces dancer Hélèna in a show of oneness.

Her look is by Céline and Marni, Hélèna’s is by Michael Kors. Shot in Paris by Alice Rosati / Styling by Mari David / Hair by Chiao Chenet and makeup by Min Kim

AÏSHTI BY THE SEA, ANTELIAS

04 717 716

People/Style/Culture/Art Publisher Tony Salamé Group TSG SAL

Editor-in-chief Marwan Naaman

Creative director Mélanie Dagher

Senior art and production director Maria Maalouf Junior art director Sarah Ashley Mrad

Associate editor Rayane Abou Jaoude 44

Editor-at-large Ramsay Short

Coordinating editor Sophie Nahas Digital editor Nour Saliba

In-house fashion photographer Raya Farhat Senior photo editor Fadi Maalouf Contributing writers

Feature photographers

Salma Abdelnour

Tony Elieh

Karim Hussain

Bachar Srour

Stephanie d’Arc Taylor Tala Habbal

Valerie Jones Nan McElroy

Michelle Merheb Folio artists

Cyrille Karam

Cynthia Merhej

Fashion photographers Cristina Coral

Emmanuel Giraud Alice Rosati

Marco Pinarelli Aly Saab Stylists

Joe Arida

Mari David

Amelianna Loiacono Francesca Turner

Advertising director Melhem Moussallem Advertising manager Stephanie Missirian

Chief marketing director Karine Abou Arraj Printing Dots: The Art of Printing

Responsible director Nasser Bitar

140 El Moutrane St., Fourth Floor, Downtown Beirut, Lebanon tel. 961.1.974.444, a@aishti.com, aishtiblog.com

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We Are One Is it better to do things together? A Mag’s Unity issue explores the collaboration craze that’s swept the fashion and design scenes.

We highlight some of the most exciting collaborations between fashion labels on one side and pop stars, models, artist and film directors on the other. We chat with Christopher Sharp, whose Rug Company is famous for teaming up with designers to create captivating rugs. The duo behind Lebanon’s Studio Safar explain how two individuals can complement one another by benefiting from each other’s strengths, while a host of Lebanese talents, including Serene Abbas and Narina Najm from Raghunter and David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem from David/Nicolas, tell us how teaming up has enhanced their creative ventures. We offer you visual bliss via dazzling fashion shoots, one of which sees us collaborating with a dance troupe to twirl and swirl our way into the spring collections, and the other of which provides an exclusive look at the 2017 Venice Biennale, as our models showcase the hottest trends of the season with the world’s most incredible art as a spectacular backdrop. Unity is strength. Unity is diversity.

Unity is changing the world.

Marwan Naaman @marwannaaman

S H O P O N LI N E AT FE N D I .CO M

Contributors

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Alice Rosati Alice Rosati has a personality that takes a minute to figure out. Creative, somehow eccentric, captivating and uncontrollable, this young fashion photographer – who seems to live for the fun of it – has very high goals. She has developed her unique style the hardest way – by doing the job – and this has led her to work with some of the most interesting fashion magazines in the world: Vogue Italia, Garage, Visionaire and Numéro, to name a few. No matter how busy her routine might get, she never stops creating concepts and telling new stories through her photographs.

Check out her shoot, “And We Danced,” on page 198.

Mari David Mari David is a stylist and consultant based between Paris and London. She has worked with and assisted fashion stylists and icons Catherine Baba and Giovanna Battaglia, and has collaborated with a variety of magazines and brands, including W, Vogue Taiwan, Vogue Russia, Each x Other, Glamour UK, Wallpaper* and L’Officiel. Of her work for our shoot in Paris (page 198), she says she loved the “constraint” of movement. “It was necessary to think of materials allowing Elodia and the dancers to move freely, and also to tune the color ranges on each image.”

Nan McElroy Nan McElroy is a freelance writer and photographer based in Venice, Italy. She is the author of Italy: Instructions for Use, a former contributor to Fodor’s travel guides and the creator of the Venice Vap Map vaporetto map. She is also an A.I.S. certified sommelier, specializing in Tri-Veneto food and drink, and a passionate practitioner of the voga alla veneta Venetian rowing style with Row Venice. In this issue of A Mag, she takes us on a whirlwind tour of the Venice Biennial (see page 244).

Sarah Ashley Mrad Sarah Ashley is a designer and the junior art director at A Mag. She studied graphic design at the Lebanese American University and interned with Lorem Ipsum and FOO before joining Aïshti. She enjoys working on and experimenting with collages (see her work on pages 242 and 324), discovering new approaches to the art direction of A Mag’s trends pages (page 124 and 128), organizing photo shoots for social media and the Aïshti Blog, and gifs.

TOGETHER WE’RE STRONG 52

The Wright brothers gave us flying. Paul McCartney and John Lennon gave us the Beatles. Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro gave us Raging Bull, Taxi Driver and six other blockbusters. Sometimes it takes two – or more – to get the ball rolling and create something spectacular. A Mag brings you the designers, artists and entrepreneurs who joined forces to give us some of Beirut’s greatest innovations. So find yourself a partner and get creative

Words Rayane Abou Jaoude

Photography Tony Elieh

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SERENE ABBAS AND NARINA NAJM Raghunter

If you’re a shopping enthusiast, chances are you’ve heard of – and used – Raghunter. Four years ago, Serene Abbas, 32, and Narina Najm, 33, founded the shopping search engine and reference site, and it’s been nothing short of successful. Abbas and Najm both grew up abroad before returning to Beirut and landing jobs at J. Walter Thompson where they first met. They both left in 2013 to start Raghunter. “She’s cool, calm and collected when I’m not,” says Abbas. For Najm, it’s Abbas’ passion for the job that did it.

“She’s passionate about the business and the work and you know what? About anything in life that she truly believes in. Her passion is contagious.”

What is the key to a successful partnership?

SA: To accept everything about your partner NN: To be able to set your ego aside, because at the end of the day it’s not about you, it’s about the business and for that you have to be able to work productively and even more creatively together

Who is the messiest out of the both of you?

SA: Narina, hands down NN: 100%, definitely, without a doubt, me. But I have to say, if there is chaos, it’s an organized one What is one thing you learned from your partner?

SA: To challenge my own thinking NN: Persistence. To push hard for something that you truly want and that includes not accepting no for an answer The secret to happiness is…

SA: Doing something you love because it’s going to make you someone you hope to be NN: Right now, apart from running Raghunter, I have a family and I’m raising a kid, so at this stage it’s really about accepting that you can’t give 100% to everyone and everything at all times Your favorite thing about summer in Beirut SA: Just one? Watching the sun go down at the beach after most people have left, a chilled glass of wine in hand NN: The energy and the buzz. You feel everyone and everything is alive

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DAVID RAFFOUL AND NICOLAS MOUSSALLEM David/Nicolas

Self-described retro-futuristic designers David Raffoul, 29, and Nicolas Moussallem, 28, met at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA) where they both studied interior design. They set up their now thriving studio in 2011, designing furniture and bespoke interiors, and blending retro with contemporary and futuristic elements. Their breakthrough came in 2014, when they launched the “Artichoke” safe with Agresti for Wallpaper* Handmade at Milan Design Week. The duo also launched the “Dualita” collection for Nilufar Gallery and held the “Loulou/Hoda” show at Beirut’s Art Factum Gallery.

What is your favorite thing about your business partner?

DR: He has a perfectly structured mind NM: My favorite thing about him is also my worst : his capacity to daydream. Sometimes it leads to making me repeat the same question over and over again until suddenly he asks, “What?”

What is the key to a successful partnership?

DR: Honesty and transparency NM: Unfiltered debates Who is the messiest out of the both of you?

DR: I definitely am!

NM: David. Of course What is one thing you learned from your partner?

DR: Be less messy!

NM: Everything happens for a reason!

Your favorite thing about summer in Beirut DR: Almaza with peanuts and carrots NM: Having all my friends back for a couple of weeks!

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OLIVIER GASNIER DUPARC AND YOUSEF HARATI

Founders of Behind The Green Door and Decks On The Beach

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They brought us the biggest parties, and for that, Beirut remains eternally grateful. Yousef Harati, 36, was born in the United States, raised in the Gulf and then Paris as a teenager, before moving back to Beirut and working in advertising until he “couldn’t fake it anymore.”

Olivier Gasnier Duparc, who says he’s older than French President Emmanuel Macron, was in the flower business before realizing that Beirutis generally preferred drinking to flowers. He met Harati in 2007, where they rocked the lobby of the Albergo Hotel. They then set up Behind the Green Door and, in 2012, it was Decks On The Beach, currently Gasnier Duparc’s favorite thing about summer in Beirut. Harati’s? “Loose clothing and looser morals.”

What is your favorite thing about your business partner?

YH: For one, he has exquisite taste, but mostly he excels where I fail miserably OGD: He partnered with me What is the key to a successful partnership?

YH: Trust at the forefront, egos stuffed deep in the trunk OGD: I do everything, he does the rest Who is the messiest out of the both of you?

YH: Your honor, I plead the Fifth OGD: I can’t find the answer, give me a minute What is one thing you learned from your partner?

YH: That alone I can achieve close to nothing OGD: How to lean one’s head on one’s shoulder in a sexy way The secret to happiness is…

YH: Choosing the right entourage OGD: Partnering with me

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PETRA ABOUSLEIMAN AND MARIANNE SARGI FAYAD A Dinner Thing

If you have yet to hear about A Dinner Thing, it means it’s working.

Petra Abousleiman, 34, and Marianne Sargi Fayad, 37, are behind the unique dinner concept that’s entirely secretive and entirely magical, so much so that the location is only revealed to the invitees a few hours prior to the dinner. On not so secretive days, Sargi Fayad is a freelance producer for television, content and advertising, and is obsessed with her three dogs. Abousleiman is a freelance advertising and events art director with a penchant for greenery, but she can never seem to keep her plants alive. One thing they learned from each other? “Dare to disagree, and patience.”

What is your favorite thing about your business partner?

PA: She reads my mind MSF: She reads my mind What is the key to a successful partnership?

PA: Wine and good fun MSF: Wine and laughter Who is the messiest out of the both of you?

PA: I wouldn’t call myself messy but she’s got OCD! MSF: Not me!

The secret to happiness is…

PA: More wine MSF: More wine Your favorite thing about summer in Beirut PA: Leaving it!

MSF: Secret dinners!

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SARAH HERMEZ, TRACY MOUSSI AND GEORGE ROUHANA Second ST.

Most people know Second ST.’s story by now. Sarah Hermez, 31, and Tracy Moussi, 30, conceived the brand on Second Street, Alphabet City, New York where they were both attending Parsons the New School for Design. The aim? To take an alternative path where the production of urban clothing could also support emerging talent. In partnership with Creative Space Beirut, Hermez and Moussi put a plan together to support free education.

The two then teamed up with the head of Creative Space’s art department George Rouhana, 34, to create the socially conscious brand, focusing on a more progressive take on the classic shirt.

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What is your favorite thing about your business partners?

TM: Sarah is the dreamer, and George is the perfectionist SH: George’s attention to detail, Tracy’s ability to accomplish a million things GR: Both of them suck What is the key to a successful partnership?

TM: Full-on transparency and constantly exchanging ideas SH: Trust, delegation, friendship GR: In general? Trust! For us? In monsters we trust Who is the messiest out of the lot?

TM: Sarah, Sarah, Sarah!

SH: Definitely me GR: Sarah, of course!

What is one thing you learned from your partners?

TM: To take it one step at a time SH: That we’re stronger as a team GR: That it’s fun working with them The secret to happiness is…

TM: Go with the flow SH: Love your work GR: Being thankful can generate happiness and a lot of things

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in focus Daydreaming in Dior_____ It’s been 70 years since the founding of haute couture house Christian Dior, and we think it’s high time we celebrate. Luckily, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris is doing just that with a major retrospective. “Christian Dior, Couturier du Rêve” revels in all things Dior and features designs by six of the couturier’s illustrious successors: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and, of course, the current Maria Grazia Chiuri. There are over 300 haute couture gowns on display, from 1947 to the present day, as well as a wide-ranging display (the biggest one yet) of toiles, photographs, illustrations, sketches, letters, notes, advertising photographs and fashion accessories, including hats, jewelry, bags, shoes and perfumes. Need we say more?

July 5, 2017-January 7, 2018, lesartsdecoratifs.fr

Les Arts Décoratifs/Nicholas Alan Cape

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the phoenician script collection

100 RUE DE MADRID, MAR MIKHAEL, BEIRUT

RALPHMASRI.COM

+961-1-566-538

in focus I Adior You___ Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut collection for Dior was dynamic and irreverent – much like the creative director herself. Highlights from the spring/summer 2017 women’s line included princess gowns, Christian Dior’s iconic 1948 Bar Jacket reinvented with slashed sleeves and, most delightfully, dazzling slingback pumps in black or soft pink, with “J’Adior” emblazoned across the ankle strap.

Available at the Dior boutique in Downtown Beirut and Aïshti by the Sea

Melissa Does Coachella_____ The California desert, the hot sun, the music: it’s Coachella, and it’s all fun, colors, and plastic with Melissa at the “Queens of the Desert” party. Hosted by Galore magazine at the Galore Motel and supported by the Brazilian brand, the party saw attendees like Moschino’s creative director Jeremy Scott, singer Charlie XCX and Melissa girls Taylor LaShae and Ariel Beesley decked out in the Hotness platforms, the Sportech and the classic Aranha 79/16. On the second day, Melissa hit the road with the girls and photographed a live editorial posted on Instagram sporting the jelly sandals, which you can find at Aïzone stores and at Aïshti by the Sea.

Arte Vetrina Creative Studio, Beiteddine Festival, Dior, Melissa

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Music in the Mountains_____ Leave the city and head to the Chouf mountains to take in one of Lebanon’s best summer festivals. Launched in the summer of 1985 at the height of the Lebanese war and set in the spectacular 200-year-old Beiteddine palace, the Beiteddine Festival served to preserve the country’s cultural role and creative power amid the chaos, and is still doing so over 30 years later. This year’s line-up includes local and regional stars like Magida El Roumi, Kadim Al Sahir, Emel Mathlouthi, Omar Kamal and Metro Al Madina’s “The Political Circus Show,” plus international sensations Pink Martini, Béjart Ballet Lausanne and Catalan composer and musician Jordi Savall with the Hespèrion XXI ensemble. It’s going to be a cool summer.

June 30-August 12, beiteddine.org

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Cloud Fashion___ In an inspired blend of art and fashion, Bologna-based Arte Vetrina Creative Studio has created a cloud-like installation for Aïshti by the Sea. Set in the window at the front entrance of the store, the giant, 10-meter “Nuvola” is made from Dacron fabric and possesses an RGB integrated illumination function that allows its color and intensity to vary throughout the day. With this ephemeral art piece, Arte Vetrina Creative Studio are blurring the boundaries between Aïshti’s dazzling fashion environment and the Aïshti Foundation’s vibrant contemporary art collection, encouraging interaction between the two worlds.

On view at Aïshti by the Sea

in focus Opera in Gold___ There are many wondrous offerings from Italian jewelry brand Buccellati this season, including the Opera Eternelle Ring, a chiseled gold piece adorned with four round-cut brilliant diamonds. The Opera collection is inspired by the Italian renaissance, featuring a flower as its recurring symbol. The floral motif is a nod to the Buccellati logo, which in turn references the dome of the San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane church in Rome. For the truly adventurous, Buccellati also has as set of earrings from the Opera collection, showcasing the same intricate workmanship.

Available at Aïshti by the Sea

Wedge Witchery___ To coincide with Bottega Veneta’s 50th anniversary, and the 15th year of his tenure as the label’s creative director, Tomas Maier has designed a spring/summer 2017 collection that stays true to the brand, while celebrating the idea of private luxury. In addition to clothes designed with eloquent fabrics and 15 bags brought back from the Bottega Veneta archives, Maier has created an inspired line of wedge heels using the San Crispino construction (providing a lighter shoe that becomes more flexible with wear), in a variety of styles that range from lace-ups and saddle shoes to open-toe ankle straps and slingbacks. The hard part is choosing the one model that you love best.

Available at the Bottega Veneta boutique in the Beirut Souks and Aïshti by the Sea

A Stylish Expansion___ Downtown Beirut’s Le Gray hotel has expanded its interior space and now boasts a magnificent new Lobby Lounge, accessible via a new pedestrian entrance on Weygand Street, directly across from Samir Kassir Square. The extended lobby is set below the atrium and offers a vast and elegant welcoming space for guests. Other new additions include a 52-seat cinema, a 20-people meeting room and an exhibition space. The hotel extension’s design comes courtesy of Gordon Campbell Gray and interior designer Galal Mahmoud. www.campbellgrayhotels.com/le-gray-beirut/

Bottega Veneta, Buccellati, Le Gray, V&A

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Decadent Fantasy____ If you thought ceramics were an artistic sideline, think again. These days they have entered the cultural mainstream with the ultra-fashionable work of Rachel Kneebone at its forefront. Her towering porcelain sculpture “399 Days,” all twisted limbs and eye-bogglingly erotic confections, in dialogue with masterpieces of the Renaissance, is at once spectacular and intensely disconcerting. Sensuality and fantasy are rife, female and male sexual organs, writhing legs, flowers and cord-like vines are everywhere, exploring themes of physical anguish and loss, transformation and renewal. Her work is fluid and moving and highly emotive, the limbs and organs never attached to bodies or heads, all vulnerable and trapped in the ceramic.

“399 Days” and three other Rachel Kneebone pieces are on display at London’s V&A. Until January 14, 2018, vam.ac.uk

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Living in a Box_____ Inspired by antique luggage and traveling chests, Alexander McQueen’s Box Bag conjures up the notion of unwrapping a box of treasures. With a distinctive fold and diamond-faced twist lock closure, the bag is crafted from grainy leather and finished with suede lining and high shine metal hardware, and it can be worn cross-body, over-the-shoulder or as a clutch. The Box Bag comes in a variety of colors, in small or medium size. A fierce statement indeed.

Available at Aïshti

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France Loves America____ The Champs-Elysées Film Festival this June is the first and only French-American film festival in France. The aim is to create a bridge between French and American cinema, and the 2017 edition, built around its independent long and short features competitions, puts several unreleased films under the spotlight. Highlights include the French language Wallay, a fish-out-of-water comedy about a rebellious 13-year-old sent to his cousin’s family in Burkina Faso for the summer holidays, and The Strange Ones, a US mystery that sees two brothers on a hiking trip in the American wilderness uncover dark secrets.

Alongside the films are a series of concerts and panels with filmmakers old and new, including a hot ticket with legendary French actor Claude Brasseur. All screenings take place at the beautiful cinemas dotting the Champs-Elysées itself.

June 15-22, champselyseesfilmfestival.com

Champs-Elysées Film Festival, Alexander McQueen

Byblos Blowout_____ The Byblos Festival has never failed us, and it’s not about to start now.

The yearly summer festival has managed to fly in some of the most talented and successful artists in the world, and 2017 is expected to be huge with electronica-folk band Milky Chance; Julian Marley (son of Jamaican legend Bob Marley) and the Uprising; jazz sensation Patti Austin; violin marvel Ara Malikian; French performer M Pokora; pop superstar Sean Paul; and a music and dance show honoring composer Philemon Wehbe and performer Nasri Shamseddine. Jump six months to December, and the legendary Elton John will grace the stage at the Beirut Forum.

July 3-August 4, Elton John December 10, byblosfestival.org

What is Art___ In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain,” the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale in South Florida is hosting “Some Aesthetic Decisions,” an ambitious show that raises a question that’s particularly pertinent today: What is art? Artworks on display include Alfred Stieglitz’s photograph of Duchamp’s original, published in 1917.

Since Duchamp’s “Fountain” was destroyed long ago, the Stieglitz image provides the only photographic record of his work. Other pieces include Sherrie Levine’s “Fountain (Buddha)” bronze sculpture from 1996, Mike Bidlo’s “Fountain” from 2015 and Jeff Koons’ “Balloon Dog (Blue),” 1994-2000, among others. All featured works share a common aesthetic: they offer a controversial new definition of art, while questioning who gets to pass judgment.

Until September 3, nsuartmuseum.org

Customize Your Whiskey_____ Blend it your way, make it your own and give it a name. Bar Du Port, Beirut’s unique dining experience, is giving whiskey lovers the chance to do just that. For those curious to experiment, you get to learn about the distilling techniques and maturing process, taste different styles of whiskey that contribute to a blend, and be guided in the art of blending and proofing. You can then fill, label, seal and document your personal whiskey to take home. We’ll take one on the rocks, please. facebook.com/BarDuPortBeirut, tel. 961.71.444.006

Bar du Port, Marcel Duchamp/Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thierry Le Goues/ ModeMuseum, Paolo Roversi/Comme des Garçons, Julian Schnabel/Artists Rights Society

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Rei Kawakubo and the In-Betweeness_____ Approximately 150 examples of Rei Kawakubo’s womenswear for Comme des Garçons, dating from the early 1980s to her most recent collection, are on show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. The Costume Institute is dedicating its spring 2017 exhibition to examining the work of the brilliant Japanese fashion designer, particularly her avant-garde designs and ability to challenge conventional notions of beauty and fashion.

The galleries demonstrate Kawakubo’s experiments with the spaces “in between.”

Did we mention that she’s only the second living designer after Yves Saint Laurent to have a solo show at the Met? Until September 4, metmuseum.org

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When Margiela did Hermès_____ From 1997 to 2003, the elusive Martin Margiela took over Hermès’ readyto-wear collection, focusing on designing for a real and natural woman.

His wardrobe was centered on comfort, quality and timelessness, made for different bodies and ages – avant-garde meets luxury. Now, Antwerp’s ModeMuseum is providing a glimpse into the designer’s vision for the iconic French house, displaying his collections in an exhibition titled “Margiela: The Hermès Years.” Says museum director Kaat Debo: “I think if you’re looking for an alternative from the establishment or questioning the fashion system, which is happening so much today, you easily end up with Martin Margiela’s ideas.” Here’s a chance to see why the rest of the world is so influenced by his 1990s designs.

Until August 27, momu.be

in focus Drama on the Nile_____ Chloé has outdone itself yet again and released the bag of the season: the Nile. Debuting in spring and already a cult favorite, the bag comes in two forms: Bracelet and Minaudière. The Bracelet bag takes the shape of your typical Chloé saddle with a jewelry signature, a golden bracelet that allows a hand carry and a leather band with golden studs. The Minaudière is an evening bag that comes in a half-moon shape and a metallic golden arc that underlines the round shape. Sophisticated, easy-going, feminine, this bag is here to stay.

Available at Chloé in Downtown Beirut and Aïshti

Bachar Srour

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The Bentley Pre-Owned Programme.

Only a Bentley Pre-Owned Retailer can offer you the confidence that your car is exactly as Bentley intended. Ensuring the excellence of your Bentley is not just a technical matter to us, it’s a sense of honour.

For more information visit saadtrad.bentleymotors.com or call +961 1 613670.

Model shown: Continental GT Convertible *Fuel consumption figures subject to Type Approval. The name ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B’ in wings device are registered trademarks. © 2016 Bentley Motors Limited.

Saad & Trad SAL Corniche du Fleuve, Saad & Trad Bldg. Tel. +961.1.613670 E-mail: bentley@saadtrad.com,Web: www.bentleymotors.com

in focus

Space and Time Travel_____ If you thought you had science fiction pinned down, think again. The Barbican Center’s “Into the Unknown: A Journey through Science Fiction” encompasses literature, contemporary art, film, music, comic books and video games to provide a new perspective on one of pop culture’s most beloved genres. The exhibition takes viewers to strange lands and virtual universes through four chapters: Extraordinary Voyages (featuring Jules Vernes’ original manuscripts and drawings), Space Odysseys (including props and models from Aliens, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Star Trek), Brave New Worlds (think television clips from 28 Days Later) and Final Frontiers (yes, clips from Doctor Who and Back to the Future). We’re definitely bringing our lightsabers to this show.

Until September 1, barbican.org.uk

Run for a Good Cause_____ Lace up your running shoes, it’s MySchoolPulse’s 1K and 5K runs, and it’s in Faqra Club on July 30. The runs are fundraising events for the nonprofit organization, which works in six major hospitals in Lebanon to provide tutoring and art therapy sessions to children suffering from life-threatening illnesses, helping 91% of them pass their classes in 2016. Participation fees also cover an open lunch buffet and a nursery for children whose parents participate in the races. A perfect reason to leave the city and breathe fresh mountain air. myschoolpulse.com

Out and Proud_____ Pride parades have always preached messages of inclusivity and tolerance, and this year is no different. The 2017 theme for Pride Toronto (June 25) is the “+” symbol, aimed at honoring diversity and adding new perspectives to our understanding of acceptance. “Pride is additive,” explains Pride Toronto’s executive director Olivia Nuamah. Sweden sees around 25 individual events across the country (starting July 31), with Stockholm Pride being the biggest Scandinavian pride event. LA is swapping its parade and opting for a resistance march on June 10 and 11 – instead of floats, the LGBTQ+ community is organizing a demonstration inspired by the Women’s March and the changing political climate. The Pride in London Parade (July 8) is extra special this year, marking 50 years since the decriminalization of homosexuality in the United Kingdom. Its theme, “Love Happens Here,” is intended as a message of hope, activism and love. Spread the word.

Jounieh’s Sizzling Summer___ The Jounieh Summer Festival’s spectacular fireworks display isn’t the only thing we’re looking forward to this summer. The 2017 festival stars crooner Michael Bolton and rapper Tinie Tempah, with comedian Marlon Wayans sharing his hilarious comedy routine.

The festival is also hosting the first-ever Arabic opera, Antar w Abla, performed by Opera Lebanon. The celebration ends with a street festival, so grab yourself a ticket and make sure to get a good seat for the fireworks show.

June 24-July 9, jouniehsummerfestival.com

MySchoolPulse, Roger Grant Archive

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in focus

Beirut As It Could Have Been___ When he started taking pictures of Beirut in 1960 (and he did so up until the outbreak of the Lebanon war in 1975), Waddah Faris inadvertently created a mirror that would, many years later, link that golden past with the urgency of the modern era. Faris, originally Iraqi and born in Syria, is a graphic designer, photographer, painter and former gallerist. His evocative images are now on display at Saleh Barakat Gallery in Clemenceau, in a show titled “Beirut, The City of the World’s Desires: The Chronicles of Waddah Faris (1960-1975).” There are candid portraits of Faris’ friends, glimpses of art shows at the Sursock Museum, peeks at Hamra’s mythic Horseshoe Café and other haunting images that serve as a commentary on an unrealized past, while providing a glimpse into Beirut’s future.

Until July 29, salehbarakatgallery.com

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Forever Young_____ It’s the antidote to the effects of stress and fatigue on the skin.

Valmont’s Prime Renewing Pack, a mask-cream with a light, nongreasy texture, is aimed at smoothing and relaxing facial features.

The end result is a fresh, healthy and radiant complexion with tightened pores and smoothed wrinkles (the depth of wrinkles decreases by almost 20% after a single thick layer is applied for 20 minutes). You get the same results as a good night’s sleep!

Available exclusively at Urban Retreat at Aïshti by the Sea, and Ï Day Spa at Aïshti Downtown Beirut

Winner Takes All_____ To ring in the new season, Aïshti announced the winner of the 2016 Audi A8 at an outdoor ceremony on March 22 at Aïshti by the Sea. Ets F.A. Kettaneh, Audi’s exclusive importer in Lebanon, co-hosted a gathering following the draw that saw Mr. Kabalan Yammine, holder of ticket number 03451, as the lucky winner and new owner of the 2016 Audi A8. As it goes, customers who purchased $200 or more at Aïshti stores during Christmas were able to enter the draw to have the chance to win the magnificent vehicle.

Baalbeck International Festival, Waddah Faris/Saleh Barakat Gallery, Valmont

Feasting in Baalbeck_____ The Baalbeck International Festival has found itself in the midst of geopolitical upheaval, war and regional turmoil since its inception over 60 years ago, but the show always goes on . This year’s diverse line-up includes “The New Generation, Celebrating the Lebanese Nights,” a performance headlined by Ramy Ayach, Aline Lahoud and Brigitte Yaghi; Angélique Kidjo, who pays tribute to late artists Nina Simone, Celia Cruz and Miriam Makeba; trumpetercomposer Ibrahim Maalouf; chamber ensemble Trio Wanderer; Moroccan-Egyptian pop artist Samira Said; and pop band Toto, performing on the Bacchus Temple steps.

July 7-August 15, baalbeck.org.lb

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OBJECTS OF DESIRE

WE JOIN FORCES WITH THE HOTTEST STYLISTS TO HIGHLIGHT THE TOP PICKS OF THE SEASON PHOTOGRAPHY ALY SAAB

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BAG CHLOÉ____________ AMELIANNA LOIACONO “WITH GOLD-TONE HARDWARE AND STITCHED DETAILING, THE HUDSON SHOULDER BAG FROM CHLOÉ IS A ROMANTIC, BOHEMIAN DREAM, VERY 1970S. I WOULD LOVE TO WEAR IT WITH A FLOATY FLORAL SKIRT FOR A VINTAGE STYLE”

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BRACELET CARTIER CACTUS COLLECTION_____ SEVINE SAMADI “JEWELRY AND PRECIOUS STONES HAVE A CERTAIN MAGIC TO THEM. THIS BRACELET IS PART OF CARTIER’S CACTUS COLLECTION AND HAVING JUST COME BACK FROM A TWO-WEEK TRIP TO MEXICO, WHERE YOU’RE SURROUNDED BY AN ENCHANTING DIVERSITY OF PLANTS AND CACTUSES, THIS SEEMS JUST THE RIGHT ITEM AS MY OBJECT OF DESIRE”

AÏSHTI, DOWNTOWN BEIRUT, T.01.991 111 AÏSHTI BY THE SEA, ANTELIAS, T. 04 717 716 EXT. 243

ALBERTAFERRETTI.COM

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BAG CÉLINE________ MOUNA HARATI “I WOULDN’T WANT TO HOLD ANYTHING ELSE THIS SEASON AND THE NEXT. THE MINIMALIST FRAME MAKES THIS PIECE A TIMELESS CLASSIC”

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BAG BALENCIAGA____________ JOE ARIDA “DEMNA GVASALIA IS AT THE FINAL FRONTIER OF FASHION, AND THE IRONY OF THE BLANKET BAG MAKES IT MY OBJECT OF DESIRE. IT IS SUCH A STRONG COMMENTARY ON THE CURRENT STATE OF THE WORLD, AND THAT’S WHAT FASHION IS – A REFLECTION OF ITS TIME. HIGHLY COVETABLE, CEREBRAL, A STREET-STYLE STAPLE”

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SHOES PRADA____________ A MAG TEAM SUMMER MEANS WE’RE ALL SET FOR A WALK IN THE SARTORIAL PARK IN PRADA’S CALF LEATHER SABOT SLIPPERS. WITH HAND-STITCHED LEATHER DETAILING AND A THICK RUBBER SOLE, OUR FEET HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE GRATEFUL

MOSCHINO.COM

Words Rayane Abou Jaoude Photography Tony Elieh

IN THE STUDIO WITH STUDIO SAFAR

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THE INSPIRATION COMES FROM THE HISTORY OF DESIGN IN THE ARAB WORLD AND THE LANGUAGE ITSELF

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This is communication material we designed for Irtijal

A card game that Hatem bought from Seoul. The cards are beautiful

They’re wedding invitations we designed for close friends

A Cinema House card, a project we handled for two years

It’s a CD cover for Annihaya Records, founded by Sharif Sehnaoui, Raed Yassin and Hatem

A friend stole this Martini ball.

It’s the most efficient thing

They’re coasters we designed for Salon Beyrouth, illustrations of buildings we like

Dar El-Nimer’s business cards.

We designed the entire identity

Hatem was invited to a comics festival in Seattle, a really cool independent publishing event

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It’s a cutting map. It’s tiny and cute

We’re working on a publication for all of our rejected projects, including this invitation card

This is a menu we stole from a place in Berlin

A cutout of the Lucky biscuit box

A postcard that we art directed and designed for Grenier De Vi

A double-sided tape dispenser designed by 200grs. It was a gift

It’s a Toilet Paper tray that was a gift. And coffee, which is very important, and a Hay ruler

All of our pins are from Berlin

It’s a patch from Burj Hammoud that Maya really loves

A postcard art directed by us for Leila Bissat’s last book that we designed

It’s a really cool box for notepads. Hatem’s students got this as a gift

Mohieddine el Labbad’s Nazar, the source of all inspiration

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A Nadine Ghosn campaign where Maya was also the model

It’s a pin that Maya got Hatem, which she then stole.

Then he stole it back This hand is a soap dispenser bought from Sidon and used for a proposal for Mashrou’ Leila’s album cover

This is a project we were doing for Raed Yassin on which he uses Tipp-Ex

A CD cover for the Baalbeck International Festival Hatem’s notebook. He keeps buying the same notebook

Our in-house envelope

Maya Moumne and Hatem Imam are scurrying across their studio, gathering trinkets, menus, postcards, a coffee pot and a magazine and arranging them on a large, green table in the back. The creative directors behind design and art direction agency Studio Safar step back and contemplate what they’ve just set up. They then proceed to tilt every item this way and that. Ah, much better.

“When the table was all neatly organized, I was a little anxious because it’s not at all how we work,” Moumne later explains. “The office is always like that. We go back and forth a lot, we redo things, we do things at the last minute sometimes; it’s just the way that we work.”

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And it’s been hugely successful so far. Studio Safar have headed projects like the Irtijal music festival, the Baalbeck International Festival and Art in Motion’s communication design as well as House of Today’s space branding, singer Aziza’s album artwork, Salon Beyrouth’s identity design and countless others.

Their studio, set in an old Gemmayze building, is exactly what you would expect it to be: spacious, with a lot of natural light, a lot of plants and colorful pieces of inspiration everywhere.

Imam and Moumne had worked together on a few freelance projects before deciding to found Studio Safar in 2012. They wanted to explore more exciting work, in which clients are hand-selected and the assignments are experimental, fun and created collectively. They’re a small agency of four at the moment, and will probably always remain small, Moumne says.

Their work is bilingual and incorporates Arabic and English, with the pair continually trying to find unconventional ways to combine both languages. It’s also how they publish their annual magazine, Journal Safar. According to Imam, a large chunk of individuals tend to forgo one language in favor of another, or try to equate the two by making the letters look same, which he calls a “forced gesture.”

“We think that we need to celebrate these differences rather than try to eradicate them or hide them or mask them by other things,” Imam explains.

And while they do have that thinking in common, both admit to having different tastes, but it’s the contrast that makes the partnership work so well – they complement one another, and it impacts the way they approach design. “We push each other. If you’re working with someone who thinks and does things the same way that you do, you’re just going to be stagnant,” Imam explains.

“She’s provocative and fun and very active, a go-getter, which is the opposite of who I am.”

For Moumne, it’s Hatem’s talent that she says makes the collaboration all the more thrilling. “It’s really exciting when we’re both working on the same projects, or different ideas or different projects, and he calls me in to give him feedback, and I check it and I’m like, ‘How’d you come up with that?’”

Imam adds that the two have always been drawn to working with musicians, artists and nonprofits engaged in meaningful causes.

Studio Safar has designed for Samandal comics and Annihaya Records, and they’re also part of these initiatives. “For us, [graphic design practice] is cultural and political. It’s not something that is about pairing nice colors and coming up with beautiful graphics. There’s a lot of thought into what the role of this kind of production is in a cultural scene, and this is really the content of the work.”

The inspiration comes from the history of design in the Arab world and the language itself, notably a rare series of publications titled

Nazar (“Sight”) by Egyptian illustrator and designer Mohieddine el Labbad. Picture-based publication Toilet Paper also serves as inspiration for the pair, as does something as seemingly trivial as a menu they stole from a restaurant in Berlin. (“It’s inspiring, we stole it,” Imam says.) A designer who at one point worked with Studio Safar went to the same restaurant and ended up stealing the drink menu for them as well.

Their work is clearly influenced by the past (they had at one point started Cinema House, a project restoring and selling vintage furniture), made obvious by stepping into their studio. But Imam makes the clear distinction between learning from the past and replicating it, which is exactly what they’ve set out not to do. “Our interest is not in repeating, we don’t want to have a nostalgic, fetishistic relationship with the past. We’re more interested in learning from the past because it’s important. It’s important to know how you got here by looking at what happened before,” he says.

They’ve got a long line of projects in the works as well, including, unexpectedly, commissions to design exhibition spaces, such as Le Musée Abderrahman Slaoui in Casablanca with Mazen Kerbaj, featuring visual material behind the experimental music scene in Lebanon. They’re also working on a new music venue, a new fashion brand and books – exciting and impressive for a firm that’s been in business for just five years.

“[MAYA’S] PROVOCATIVE AND FUN AND VERY ACTIVE, A GO-GETTER, WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHO I AM”

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Words Tala Habbal

ChloĂŠ

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A 1980S COMEBACK Get the lowdown on the hottest fashion trend of the summer

Saint Laurent

Balenciaga

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Saint Laurent

The 1980s were years of abundance, ostentation and all-out glitzy glamour. The spring/summer 2017 collections have sparked a revival of the era that brought us Dynasty’s stylish villain Alexis Carrington Colby and Dallas’ sultry vixen Sue Ellen Ewing. Both TV shows depicted a time when everyone wanted to be rich, and glamour was anything but understated.

Accessories from sunglasses to belts to earrings were oversized and over-the-top. Women’s power suits featured super-sized shoulder pads and exaggerated silhouettes. Eveningwear was bedazzled with sequins and beads, hair was big and teased and makeup was bold and colorful.

Balenciaga

Balenciaga, Gucci, Chanel, Balmain and Marc Jacobs were just a few of the luxury brands that drew inspiration from the era of excess in their recent collections. Kenzo, Saint Laurent and Moschino also

MARC JACOBS SHOWCASED A QUIRKY COLLECTION FULL OF FANCIFUL FRILL AND FROLIC

Marc Jacobs

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hit an interlude of high 1980s notes with their lavish, outrageous creations.

Leave it to newcomer Demna Gvasalia to take Balenciaga to new proportions with his first collection for the French label. The pieces, ranging from pencil skirts paired with crisp, loosely fitting, button-down shirts and wide belts to trench coats with overly exaggerated broad shoulders, could have been plucked straight from a 1980s fashion magazine. Bold colors of bright green and red popped against the more demure blue and white pinstripes and plaids.

Marc Jacobs is a fashion brand that rarely plays it safe, and the spring/summer 2017 collection was no exception. Already appreciated for quirky and out-ofthe-box creations, the brand returned to its fun and rambunctious flair with a collection full of fanciful frill and frolic. Theatrical pieces lit up the runways as models with candy-colored dreadlocks donned A-line coats in metallic lamé and rainbow patterned holographic sequins, crocheted cardigans with feathers and brightly colored mod separates, all paired with extremely high platforms.

Va-va-voom fabulousness blasted down the Gucci runway. Bold ruffles took over shiny blue cocktail dresses, and a pinstriped double-breasted blazer and tapered pants redefined the woman’s power suit. The collection also popped with bold colors and textures, from bright coral and bubble gum pink leather to royal blue taffeta. Gucci added a touch of 1980s glitz to its accessory collection with bedazzled, oversized glasses, wide belts and strappy stiletto heels.

Kenzo’s collection shined bright like a diamond. Lamé shirts with exaggerated ruffle sleeves were paired with fitted lamé skirts and gold lamé jackets popped against bright red lips, pink cheeks and flashy hoop earrings.

Channeling an edgy Madonna-esque vibe, glittery bralets were juxtaposed over tailored white shirts with overstated ruffle shoulder detailing.

Never one for understatement, Karl Lagerfeld redefined classic elegance for Chanel. Staying true to the brand’s iconic identity, tweed blazers were infused with fresh hues and new silhouettes. Accessories from bold colored baseball caps to large ornamental earrings showed more than a few 1980s touches.

Moschino’s collection was as flamboyant as always, with Jeremy Scott employing a new trompe l’oeil technique on his already kitschy designs. The collection featured

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Moschino

life-size paper doll clothing complete with illusions of deep cleavage and washboard abs. The pièce de résistance was a remarkable red evening gown with an effect mimicking voluptuous bows and ruffled trains.

Scott also pulled off another illusion with a long, bright, sky blue gown, complete with matching elbow-length gloves and bold billowy draping.

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Mini dresses with accentuated shoulders and gold lamé fabrics upped the glam factor at Saint Laurent.

The statement shoulder theme continued throughout the collection on sexy leather shirts, mini dresses and cleavage-baring tops. Shiny gold lamé was also a staple fabric for luxury French label Balmain, who swapped their usual embroidery for long split-seam slinky chain dresses paired with chunky metallic platforms.

Gucci

As flashy as the decade was, these collections have left us wanting more of the brazenly bold 1980s.

The spring/summer 2017 collections have sparked a revival of the era that brought us Dynasty’s stylish villain Alexis Carrington Colby Loewe

Create your own

Blended Whisky Masterpiece TASTE IT . LABEL IT . IT’S YOURS

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Words Rayane Abou Jaoude

FOR GIANVITO ROSSI, THE WOMAN WEARS THE SHOE, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND

Gianvito Rossi

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WHEN THE SHOE FITS

Gianvito Rossi is hard to miss in a crowd. Tall, handsome and refined, dressed in a black blazer and dark jeans, the designer is beaming as he poses by his shoes for a quick photo. He’s been surrounded by shoes his entire life, and when I ask about what that was like as a child, he smiles and says, “It was totally natural.”

Not surprising, seeing as Gianvito Rossi’s father is famed Italian designer Sergio Rossi, a second-generation cobbler celebrated for his elegant and geometric designs. The family home was on top of his shoe factory in San Mauro Pascoli, Italy’s most famous shoemaking district, southeast of Bologna. “It wasn’t even strange for people [there]. A lot of people grew up around shoe factories,” says Rossi.

Rossi’s shoes are celebrated for their subtle sophistication, with fans like the Kardashian-Jenner family, Kate Middleton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Beyoncé and Eva Longoria. His are of the timeless quality, favoring elegance and comfort over anything else. “It’s much better to smile than cry, no? Generally I like an elegant shoe to be light. I think that’s a good rule to follow.”

And follow that rule he did. While Rossi studied sociology, he eventually forsook the field and gravitated back to shoes. He had already become very involved in his father’s company at the time, and saw no point in studying fashion design or business – everything he needed to know, he learned from his father. The company was eventually sold to the Gucci Group, and that’s when the major turnaround happened. “It was the first time in my life I found myself without shoes around me,” he says. “My house was no longer on top of a factory, and I thought, what do I do now?”

he wanted with complete freedom and devoid of any expectations.

No embellishments, no gimmicks. And women loved it. “I think the shoe as an accessory should highlight the woman. It shouldn’t overwhelm her with elements,” Rossi says. “And it’s not just about comfort, it’s about feeling confident that the shoe you’re wearing reflects who you are.”

It’s not easy to stay true to the house’s style though, particularly with the cyclical nature of fashion. But trends aren’t as important as the evolution of his collection. His heels are usually high and thin, but easy to walk in. It’s about simple lines and defined silhouettes, like his pointed pump stiletto, his very first design. “The first shoe you should own is a pump,” he says, “that’s the one shoe you should have.”

Rossi designs for all women, looking to make shoes that fit different moods and moments: the desire to feel elegant and chic for a night out, the need for flats or low heels for a walk around the city. He’s even designed (luxurious) trainers for a more sporty feel. “I think it’s an important achievement, this freedom to change our look to the way we feel,” he says.

Much of his inspiration comes from travel, meeting new people and being introduced to new cultures. He is curious to see more of Beirut, he says, and hopes to come back for a longer trip. “I like when you have a combination of heritage and modernity. And this city also has this unique mixture of cultures. It’s very interesting,” Rossi says.

His fundamental aim is to design a classic for which his brand will be remembered. And while it’s a constant struggle, he doesn’t seem

“THE FIRST SHOE YOU SHOULD OWN IS A PUMP, THAT’S THE ONE SHOE YOU SHOULD HAVE”

So Rossi launched his eponymous brand in 2007, resolute to do it his way. A stickler for modernity, femininity and good craftsmanship, he moved away from volume, dimension and the ornate. He got lucky, he says, because he was able to design what

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too fazed by it; his passion for his work is visible, eyes sparkling as he points to some of his favorite designs, like the Vamp bootie with the high-strung back, which gives more strength to a woman while keeping a décolleté cut. Feminine and sensual, an “important combination,” he says.

His spring/summer 2017 collection embodies just that. Portofino sandals shorn in red-fringed satin, the Barth slide sandals in orange satin, platform sandals with chunky heels and printed fabrics, over-the-knee satin boots, the classic Gianvito pump and a whole lot of floral. For the brand’s 10th anniversary, he designed a capsule collection of evening sandals adorned with glittering crystals named after classic cocktails. While crystals are not a staple of his, the humor of it all was too appealing to pass up. See the Martini Portofino Ankle-Wrap – it actually comes with an olive.

“IT’S ABOUT FEELING CONFIDENT THAT THE SHOE YOU’RE WEARING REFLECTS WHO YOU ARE”

For a designer whose stilettos have already become global favorites, Rossi is still excited about designing and what the future will bring.

“Every season you get the chance to express [yourself] and realize new ideas, new styles and new concepts,” he says. “I’ve been very lucky to have this chance.”

Raya Farhat

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Aïshti By the Sea Antelias

04 717 716 ext 248

Words Tala Habbal

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COLLAB ME CRAZY

Artists, supermodels and singers delve into the world of high fashion

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Collaborations in the world of fashion are nothing new, but spring 2017 saw a full-fledged collab frenzy between highend fashion labels, artists and legendary movie directors.

Four of fashion’s greatest luxury brands have forged their way into unchartered territory with collaborations in the TV, film and art industries. Christopher Kane dipped his design hand into cinematic creations for his capsule collection with Disney for the remake of Beauty and the Beast. The 34-piece, eco-conscious collection for men and women balanced Kane’s eclectic aesthetic, while staying true to the film’s whimsical spirit. The movie’s motifs make an appearance on multiple pieces, however Kane avoided a literal interpretation of the movie.

Cartier made a move onto the silver screen as well as producing a new short film in collaboration with awardwinning director Sofia Coppola. Set for release on social media and in select cinemas this June, the promotional film will relaunch the brand’s famous Panthère timepiece, which hasn’t been produced by the house since 2004.

It was only a matter of time before a designer gravitated toward a collaboration with powerhouse music television channel MTV, and it’s no surprise that Marc Jacobs stepped up to the plate. Jacobs created a limited-edition capsule collection, bringing the nostalgia of the 1980s back in

This page and opposite page: Christopher Kane’s collection for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

Marc Jacobs’ capsule collection for MTV

his signature, irreverent manner. The quirky collection, unveiled as part of resort 2017, features tees, sweatshirts and totes all adorned with a very modern twist on the classic MTV logo.

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Louis Vuitton also embarked on a collaboration with iconic artist Jeff Koons. The collection of bags and accessories features Koons’ own interpretations of some of the world’s most famous paintings like Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and Van Gogh’s “Wheat Field with Cypresses.” The bags, which include the Speedy, Keepall and Neverfull, are emblazoned with the name of the

Sofia Coppola’s film for Panthère de Cartier

Luxury brands have forged their way into uncharted territory with collaborations in the TV, film and art industries

Bella Hadid’s collaboration with Chrome Hearts

LOUIS VUITTON EMBARKED ON A COLLABORATION WITH ARTIST JEFF KOONS

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Above: Gucci runway show. Below: Gucci campaign

original artist in gold, the iconic Louis Vuitton monogram logo and the artist’s initials.

Hollywood celebrities Zayn Malik and Bella Hadid took on more contemporary collaborations, Hadid with edgy LA-based brand Chrome Hearts, and Malik with high-end footwear label Giuseppe Zanotti. The Chrome Hearts x Bella Hadid collection, which features edgy clothing, was recently unveiled by the model herself at the brand’s Paris boutique on Avenue Montaigne. Malik’s recent partnership with high-end shoe label Giuseppe Zanotti has got the fashion industry talking. The former One Direction

singer created four unique menswear designs, including two sneaker-inspired styles and two boots, all featuring a “Giuseppe for Zayn” logo plate. Giuseppe for Zayn will be stocked globally at Giuseppe Zanotti stores and at select retailers like Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

These powerhouse couplings prove that, when it comes to collaborations, it really is anyone’s game.

L E B A N O N 2 2 5 F o c h S t . , D o w n t o w n B e i r u t , Te l . + 9 6 1 1 9 9 1 1 1 1 E x t . 4 8 0 A ï s h t i B y t h e S e a , A n t e l i a s , Te l . + 9 6 1 4 4 1 7 7 1 6 E x t . 2 3 4

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Illustrations Sarah Ashley Mrad

SUN SPLASH

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Brandon Maxwell dress and Dolce & Gabbana bag

etro.com

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Gucci shoes, CĂŠline dress (left) and Sonia Rykiel dress (right)

Black Calf Hammock with Slogan Intarsia and Calla Lily Charm, 2017

loewe.com Aïshti by the Sea, Antelias

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A SQUAD THAT DRESSES TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER. DESIGNERS NOW COME COMPLETE WITH THEIR OWN GANG: POLISHED, CONFIDENT, CHIC AND DONNING PIECES PLUCKED RIGHT OUT OF THEIR COLLECTIONS. IT’S THE ERA OF THE FASHION SQUAD, AND HERE’S THE RUNDOWN

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1. Sacai 2. Gianvito Rossi 3. Self-Portrait 4. Nancy Gonzalez 5. & 6. Saint Laurent 7. Proenza Schouler 8. Balenciaga 9. Stella McCartney 10. Saint Laurent 11. Frame 12. Saint Laurent 13. Valentino 14. Ellery 15. Lisa Marie Fernandez 16. Loewe 17. Jimmy Choo 18. Gucci

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1. Valentino 2. Marni 3. Moschino 4. Balenciaga 5. Loewe 6. Stella McCartney 7. Dior 8. & 9. Balenciaga 10. Fendi 11. Dior 12. Prada 13. Balenciaga 14. ChloĂŠ 15. Prada 16. Bottega Veneta 17. Gucci 18. Attico

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n a ncyg on zale z.com AÏSHTI, DOWNTOWN BEIRUT 01. 99 11 11

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1. Etro 2. Oscar de la Renta 3. Jimmy Choo 4. Gucci 5. Dior 6. Prada 7. Valentino 8. Gucci 9. Prada 10. Alice + Olivia 11. Marc Jacobs 12. Gucci 13. M2Malletier 14. Dolce & Gabbana 15. Chloé 16. Alexander McQueen 17. Saint Laurent 18. Gucci

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1. Attico 2. Nancy Gonzalez 3. Alexander Wang 4. T by Alexander Wang 5. & 6. Dior 7. Helmut Lang 8. Alexander Wang 9. Chloé 10. Dolce & Gabbana 11. Balenciaga 12. Marc Jacobs 13. Stella McCartney 14. Fendi 15. Kenzo 16. Alexander Wang 17. Monse 18. Alexander McQueen

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Aïshti Downtown Beirut Aïshti By the Sea Antelias Aïshti Verdun dvf.com

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C’EST FAÇONNABLE.

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IF I GAVE YOU DIAMONDS

THE DARING CACTUS DE CARTIER RING IN YELLOW GOLD AND DIAMONDS (LEFT)

GEORGE HAKIM’S GRACEFUL RING IN PINK GOLD TANGLES AND WHITE GOLD, WITH A DIAMOND CENTRAL PIECE (BELOW)

BUCCELLATI’S DELICATE RAMAGE EARRINGS IN WHITE AND YELLOW GOLD (RIGHT)

BULGARI’S DRAMATIC DIVAS’ DREAM RING IN PINK GOLD AND PAVÉ DIAMONDS (LEFT)

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AZAR’S ARTISTIC BUTTERFLY RING IN ROSE GOLD WITH DIAMONDS AND COLORED SAPPHIRES (LEFT)

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SYLVIE SALIBA’S VIBRANT DE GRISOGONO RING IN WHITE GOLD WITH DIAMONDS, EMERALDS, AMETHYSTS, SAPPHIRES AND A PEARL (ABOVE)

ELEGANT CHATELAINE STUDS EARRINGS FROM DAVID YURMAN IN YELLOW GOLD AND CHRYSOPRASE (RIGHT)

FIERCE RINGS: RALPH MASRI’S PHOENICIAN SCRIPT (LEFT) AND TABBAH’S ARUM (RIGHT)

STYLE FUSION

When Beirut designers take to fashion PHOTOGRAPHY BACHAR SROUR

Memphis Milano lamp. Available at Aïshti

STYLING JOE ARIDA

Emilio Pucci shoes on Rina Menardi plate. Available at Aïshti

Loewe clutch from Aïshti on Nada Debs Tatami tables

Nada Debs Obi Floating Stool

Karen Chekerdjian Elephant Chair

PradaLaurent Saint top andclutch.

Cindy Lamp Available

by Ferruccio at Aïshti Laviani for Kartell

David/Nicolas Dreamstatic custom collection for Moooi Carpets at KalĂŠo restaurant

Céline bag. Available at Aïshti

CĂŠline bracelet and earrings. Available at AĂŻshti

Jessica La Terre K Est top Folle and Saint Trophy Laurent Mirrorsneakers and bag

Balenciaga bag from AĂŻshti on Karen Chekerdjian's Platform Table

Karen Chekerdjian Totem Table

David/Nicolas Dreamstatic custom collection for Moooi Carpets at KalĂŠo restaurant

Céline bag. Available at Aïshti

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She’s wearing a silk blouse and skirt by Fendi Art by Karla Black

Viva Arte Viva PHOTOGRAPHY CRISTINA CORAL STYLING AMELIANNA LOIACONO SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE VENICE BIENNALE, ITALY

She wears Prada’s georgette dress Art by Abdoulaye Konaté

She wears a dress by Marco De Vincenzo Art by Koki Tanaka

She’s in an Alberta Ferretti top and skirt and CÊline sunglasses Art by Kiki Smith

She wears a romper by Emilio Pucci Art by Juan Calzadilla

She wears a dress by Marco De Vincenzo and shoes by Ermanno Scervino Art by Koki Tanaka

She wears a dress by Ermanno Scervino Art by Olafur Eliasson

She’s in an MSGM dress and Stella McCartney shoes Art by Sheila Hicks

She wears a Gucci dress Art by Alicja Kwade

She’s in a Céline dress Art by Olafur Eliasson

She’s wearing a dress and shoes by Dolce & Gabbana Art by Lee Mingwei

She’s in a Marni dress Art by Martín Cordiano

She’s wearing a Valentino jacket and skirt Art by Thu Van Tran

She’s in a Burberry sweater and shirt Art by Carol Bove Model Elizabeth at IMG Models Hair and makeup Valerio Sestito at Bumble and bumble

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES PHOTOGRAPHY EMMANUEL GIRAUD STYLING FRANCESCA TURNER SHOT ON LOCATION AT LEE VALLEY CAMPING AND CARAVAN PARK, LONDON

From left to right: Cassey wears stylist’s own outfit; Alice wears a black blazer and pants by Frame Denim, boots by Fendi; Kali wears a velvet blazer

by Marco de Vincenzo, velvet trousers by Frame Denim and loafers by Prada; Jonne wears a blue velvet dress by Sonia Rykiel

This page: Cassey wears a coat by Bottega Veneta and a Prada belt Opposite page: Alice wears a sweater and pants by Stella McCartney and boots by Fendi

This page: Jonne is in a denim jacket and jeans by M.i.h Jeans and shoes by Gucci Opposite page: She’s in a Gucci blazer

Cassey wears a Gucci blouse

This page, from left to right: Jonne wears a denim jacket and jeans by M.i.h and shoes by Gucci; Alice wears a Dries Van Noten T-shirt and MM6 jeans; Cassey wears a Mother of Pearl jumpsuit Opposite page: Jonne wears a blue velvet dress by Sonia Rykiel

She’swears Kali in pants a Marco

by Sonia de Vincenzo Rykiel blazer, pants by Frame Denim and loafers by Prada

Alice wears a Dries Van Noten T-shirt and MM6 jeans

Alice is in a Frame Denim blazer by Prada

Kali wears a Prada sweater and skirt Models: Cassey Chanel, Jonne and Alice Vink at Wilhelmina; Kali Shore at Select Makeup: Michelle Dacillo at Caren Hair: Stelios Chondros

AND WE DANCED

PHOTOGRAPHY ALICE ROSATI

STYLING MARI DAVID

SHOT ON LOCATION IN PARIS

Elodia is wearing an Alexis Mabille gown

This page: Elodia is in a Balenciaga total look Opposite page: Elodia is in a Jil Sander dress

Elodia wears a Boss dress and CĂŠline boots

Elodia is in a Kenzo dress

This page: Dorine is wearing a Marni blouse Opposite page: HÊlèna (left) is in a Michael Kors trench coat and Miu Miu pants; Elodia (right) is wearing a CÊline dress and sandals and Marni earrings

Elodia is in a Rochas dress and knit and Balenciaga shirt

Elodia is in a vintage bra and panties

Elodia is in a Balenciaga total look

Hélèna (left) is in a Michael Kors trench coat; Elodia (right) is in a Céline dress and Marni earrings

Elodia is in a Boss dress

Elodia is in a Sies Marjan dress and Marni jacket Model: Elodia Prieto at Silent Models Dancers: ClĂŠment Gyselinck Crew Makeup: Min Kim Hair: Chiao Chenet

Clutch Dolce & Gabbana

MAKE LOVE NOT WALLS

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SIZZLING SUMMER

Stylish beachwear for your seaside escapades PHOTOGRAPHY ALY SAAB

Boucheron sunglasses and Le Silla slippers

Bottega Veneta sunglasses, Fendi slippers, Moschino swimsuit and Buji Baja bag

Gucci sunglasses, Fendi slippers, Stella McCartney swimsuit and Inverni hat

THE ORIGINAL AMERICAN BRAND AÏSHTI BY THE SEA ANTELIAS | 04-717-716 EXT 232 AÏSHTI DOWNTOWN BEIRUT | 01-991-111 AÏSHTI DUNES CENTER VERDUN STREET | 01-793-777

Marysia swimsuit, Alexander McQueen sunglasses and Dolce & Gabbana slippers

AÏSHTI DOWNTOWN, AÏSHTI BY THE SEA, AÏZONE ABC ACHRAFIEH AND DBAYEH 01 99 11 11

Proenza Schouler clutch

Diane von Furstenberg swimsuit, Gucci sunglasses and Loewe clutch

Mühlbauer hat and Fendi swimsuit

HALE Y BENNET T FOR R AG & BONE NE W YORK

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Diane von Furstenberg swimsuit, Fendi sunglasses and Camilla Elphick slippers

Aïshti By the Sea, Antelias T. 04 717 716 ext.288 Aïzone Stores T. 01 99 11 11

Words Marwan Naaman Photography Raya Farhat

IN CONVERSATION WITH HENRY DAKAK JR.

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Building on a rich art and design legacy, Henry Dakak Jr. has created a jewelry label that looks to the past but feels delightfully contemporary Henry Dakak Jr. makes jewelry that feels everlasting, the kind that you expect to see on classic screen sirens like Sophia Loren, Catherine Deneuve and Romy Schneider. Under his own HHD Henry Dakak Jr. label, he creates bracelets, rings, earrings and pendants that speak volumes about artistry, heritage and effortless chic.

Dakak’s foray into jewelry is fairly recent. He launched his jewelry line, Les Bijoux HHD, two years ago, but prior to that he spent over a decade in the furniture industry, first running the family business Charme d’Antan (2001-2008) and later launching HHD to design his own pieces (in 2009).

A graduate of the University of Buckingham, where he studied art history, Dakak has long been fascinated by all things artistic, from motion pictures to rare objects, and this is evident in his designs. “My furniture is inspired by machines and antiques,” he says, in a nod to

both his own artistic flair and his family’s background as furniture manufacturers and dealers.

At his store, located on Abdel Wahab el Inglizi Street in Beirut’s Ashrafieh neighborhood, Dakak showcases his designs, including tables, cabinets, vases, door handles, paperweights and more. While varied, the pieces possess a common lineage, with such details as bronze inlay and ironwork, and an emphasis on raw materials.

For the most part, the feel is sober and masculine – Dakak’s pieces look best in an office, a man’s bedroom or perhaps a gentlemen’s club.

While this masculine essence worked well for his furniture, Dakak also wanted to create pieces with more femininity, more sensuality. “I got into jewelry design to feminize my product,” he says. He launched his first collection, The King and I, consisting mainly of nail-shaped pendants in gold adorned with precious stones, at Beirut Art Fair in 2015. The pieces garnered

some interest, but it took a meeting with a woman who once worked at Piaget and Van Cleef & Arpels to set Dakak on his current course. Upon her encouragement, Dakak earned his HRD Diamond Grading Certification and enrolled in the Jewelers Syndicate. “That’s when I entered the world of high jewelry,” he says. “I didn’t have the same skills at the beginning.”

In the same atelier in Mkalles where he designs his furniture, Dakak set up a jewelry manufacturing unit where skilled jewelry-makers now create his Bijoux range by hand. There’s the gold Ming ring, reminiscent of a Chinese hat, featuring diamonds and topped by a ruby; and the Evey ring, a distinctive piece showcasing a square amethyst on a gold setting and then bordered on two sides by diamonds and tsavorites. Providing a gracious nod to the Dakak family’s noble history as antique dealers, the Armoiries Figaro necklace has a Roman coin at its center, set inside a yellow gold frame and hanging from a gold pendant adorned with rubies. “I use 21-karat gold for most pieces,” Dakak says, “so the pieces have a stronger glow. It’s a very pure type of gold that was once used by Romans.”

His jewelry creations speak volumes about artistry, heritage and effortless chic One particularly devastating piece, L’Age d’Or, is a handcrafted 21-karat gold bracelet shimmering with diamonds and rubies, and enhanced with pearls. A bit of a Renaissance piece, this bracelet wouldn’t look out of place on the wrist of a 15th-century Venetian princess.

As with other HHD pieces, the precious stones are all sourced from Antwerp and come with certificates.

Les Bijoux HHD are on view at Dakak’s store in Ashrafieh, interspersed among his various pieces of furniture and accessories. In a way, the young Lebanese man seems to have struck a balance between the delicate sensuality of his jewelry, and the sober elegance of his furniture designs. And for the imminent future, Dakak is eyeing the overseas market – possibly Geneva and London – in a bid to introduce his jewelry to European audiences.

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Words Marwan Naaman

TREND REPORT RUGS IN FASHION In its new Beirut boutique, The Rug Company showcases a collection created by Elie Saab

The success of their venture is partially due to a savvy strategy that saw the duo collaborate with some of the world’s top fashion designers to create rugs that are contemporary in their style, but also timeless in their outlook. “The wonderful thing about working with some of the best designers in the world is that they push us to explore the boundaries of rug design and craftsmanship,” says Christopher Sharp. “We collect

great design, not designers, and are always looking for names who can bring a new inspired direction to our collections.”

Their most recent collaboration, and one that Christopher Sharp introduced in April when he was in Beirut, is with Elie Saab. For The Rug Company, the celebrated Lebanese fashion designer created three dazzling rugs – Brushstrokes, Lace Leaves and In Bloom – all shimmering with his artistic elegance. “Elie Saab is a fashion designer we have always greatly admired, and we felt that his signature aesthetic and incredible eye for detail would translate into an exceptional rug collection,” says Sharp. “Turns out we were right!”

While the three rugs evidently exude Saab’s personal style, they still look quite different. “In Bloom features oversized florals, which burst from both ends of the rug creating an elegant mirror pattern,” says Sharp, “and the bold Brushstrokes design is an abstraction of painterly movements gently merging together in hand-spun silk yarns.” The third piece, Lace Leaves, “is an exquisite translation of the intricate lacework frequently seen in Saab’s designs,” Sharp adds. All three are hand-woven by skilled craftsmen in The Rug Company’s weaving houses in Nepal.

The Elie Saab collection marks The Rug Company’s first collaboration with a Lebanese designer, but it fits in with the firm’s desire to work with established fashion designers in order to create bespoke rugs. “The first collaborations happened in a very haphazard way, and then the business model evolved,” says Sharp. “We actually met Paul Smith in his shop 17 years ago, where I was having a suit made, and we started talking, and he loved the idea of designing a rug. As soon as we had some really talented designers on board, it became easier to encourage new talent. We’re now in a position where we have the opposite problem and have many great designers who would like to collaborate with us, but we have a limited capacity, and have to be selective.”

Suzanne and Christopher Sharp

In addition to Paul Smith, designers who have collaborated with The Rug Company include Vivienne

The Rug Company

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Christopher and Suzanne Sharp, the husband and wife team who founded The Rug Company, are widely credited with having transformed the ubiquitous rug into a coveted trend piece. Their rugs, while handmade from the wool of Tibetan sheep and woven using the Tibetan knot, are distinctively Western in their design, showcasing a modern aesthetic combined with quality craftsmanship.

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“We effectively give designers a blank canvas to work on” Westwood, Diane von Furstenberg, Rodarte and Alexander McQueen, whose Hummingbird Aubusson tapestry is something of an art piece. “We don’t want to give [the designers] limitations,” says Sharp, “but effectively give them a blank canvas to work on. That’s how we get the most exciting results.’

The unveiling of Saab’s collection coincided with the launch of The Rug Company’s new Beirut boutique, which is set inside a glorious old building on Abdel Wahab el Inglizi Street in Ashrafieh. The original, smaller store was in Tabaris, and this move marks a definite step up, as customers can now view all of The Rug Company’s offerings, including the Elie Saab rugs, amid an expansive, light-filled space.

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As for the near future, Sharp says various developments are currently in the works. “We have some exciting collaborations in the pipeline and are working on a collection to celebrate our 20th anniversary this autumn. Watch this space!”

Words Ramsay Short

POLO POWER

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Clint Eastwood

There are polo shirts and then there are the men who wore them best. Here’s why the polo shirt (still) rocks

from America to international stardom. And that was when he gave the polo shirt a Hollywood dimension – colored or striped, collar rolled up, Elvis made the polo shirt the sports top you wanted to wear to the drive-in with the girl next door.

Then there’s Pelé. Arguably the world’s greatest football player, he had style on and off the pitch. During his playing career, Pelé’s attacking flair and that of his teammates awed the world. Off the pitch he could rock a piqué cotton polo shirt like nobody’s business – at once making it look laid-back, worn alone or with a jacket, with the feeling he could drop a few ball tricks at any moment.

While the 1970s and 1980s saw toweling polos and polos worn tight with flared pants, the 1960s was when the shirt first came into its own. And that’s down to movie royalty. Japan’s leading actor of the age, Toshiro Mifune, favored by legendary director Akira Kurosawa, was a fan. He was the Clint Eastwood of Japan – in fact maybe he picked up the polo shirt trend from Eastwood himself during the actor’s 1960s heyday. The

Toshiro Mifune

What do Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, Toshiro Mifune, Elvis Presley and Pelé have in common?

If you answered they’re all actors – even Pelé appeared in the fictional movie of his own life – you’d be right.

STEVE MCQUEEN WAS A MAN WHO COULD MAKE ANY ITEM OF CLOTHING OOZE UNDERSTATED COOL

But a better fit might just be they are all singular style icons – and the one enduring item of clothing that ties them together is the polo shirt.

© Saint Laurent

If ever there was a match made in heaven, the one between these men and this staple of smart casual wear is it. And there’s no doubt they made the polo shirt cool. Without them it may never have left the tennis court, the sport for which it was first created in the 1920s by French tennis ace René Lacoste. Seeking an alternative to the long-sleeve tennis whites of the day and inspired by a polo-playing friend with a similar shirt, Lacoste designed a short-sleeve, textured-cotton top with a button-down collar, added a crocodile logo (his nickname was “Le Crocodile”) and after wearing it at the US Open Tennis tournament in 1926, the modern day polo shirt was born.

Championed not just by Lacoste but also Polo Ralph Lauren and Fred Perry, the polo is a unanimous crossover sportswear winner that will never go out of style. Look to the legends as to how to wear it. One of the first to adopt the polo shirt was Elvis. Back in the 1950s, before The King sported rhinestone jumpsuits and gold-rimmed sunglasses, Presley was a teen heartthrob, a star not just for his silky voice and rock ‘n’ roll hits, but also for those classic romantic and rebellious black-and-white movies that brought him

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Steve McQueen

crisp white polo shirt and slacks was one of Mifune’s wardrobe go-tos.

Very few manage to carry off that elusive quality of ineffable cool like Eastwood and his contemporary American screen idols Paul Newman and Steve McQueen.

McQueen was a man who could make any item of clothing ooze understated cool, from a short-sleeve sweatshirt and chinos in The Great Escape (1963) to that famous navy roll neck in Bullitt (1968). AllAmerican, blue-eyed Newman could pull off an unbuttoned polo shirt alongside a gold chain and a tan with aplomb.

Lacoste couldn’t have possibly predicted back in the 1920s that his unassuming tennis shirt would have such an enduring impact on fashion. It’s in no small part down to these style icons that it does.

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The polo is a unanimous crossover sportswear winner that will never go out of style. Look to the legends as to how to wear it

Etro

Canali

Fendi

Dolce & Gabbana

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Words Stephanie d’Arc Taylor Illustration Sarah Ashley Mrad

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ALL TOGETHER NOW Designs by Joe Arida, Ghida Younes, Hussein Bazaza and Sarah’s Bag

Beirut creatives join forces to reimagine fashion, design, entertainment – and anything else under the sun These days, it seems, everything is collaborative. In the worlds of fashion, art and music, for every single-artist collection or album drop there is another that lists two artists with an x between their names – indicating a collaboration, or “collab” in today’s parlance. The more unexpected the combination, the more headline worthy: recent high/low collabs that have made news of their own accord include rap wünderkind Kendrick Lamar’s oddly satisfying track with dad-rockers U2 on his new album Damn., and cult streetwear brand Supreme’s new line with Louis Vuitton, purportedly launching this summer.

As usual, Lebanon is on trend. The microcosm of Lebanese creatives has been aflutter this past year with crossand intra-disciplinary collaborations of all stripes, says Sarah Hermez, at a pace we haven’t seen before. Hermez is a co-founder of Second ST, the self-described socially conscious brand that reimagines the classic button-down shirt (among other things). “When I first came back to Lebanon [from design school at Parsons the New School for Design in New York],” says the young designer, “I found that people were scared to share their ideas. It’s changing now as the design community grows larger.”

Hermez, along with her Second ST co-founders Tracy Moussi and George Rouhana, have participated in a number of collabs since they launched the label in late 2014, and they’re getting better at it. The most recent partnership the team has undertaken, a capsule collection co-produced with Joe Arida’s design house La Terre Est Folle, almost sold out at the early April launch party at Beirut boutique 6:05 at depechemode.

Eclectic fashion designer Bashar Assaf is in the midst of preparing partnerships with entities outside the realm of clothes, if not fashion. In July he will launch a capsule collection with the Beirut nightlife institution The Grand Factory (at, where else, a fabulous party in The Grand Factory’s converted warehouse). The collection will comprise 12 to 14 looks, half menswear and half womenswear, as well as several products created with the input of The Grand Factory team.

Assaf is also due to announce partnerships with a Beirutbased magazine and visual artist in coming weeks. “I dislike people who are so into their own designs and don’t want to listen to someone else. The most beautiful things come from collaboration. [I love] the idea of making a

fashion collection with someone who is not into fashion,” he says. “In the design world people are sick of having the same person do the same thing. At a certain point you will repeat yourself,” he adds.

Second ST, says Hermez, collaborates with other stars in Beirut’s fashion firmament to supplement the founders’ own understanding of their clientele. “It’s interesting to build relationships with boutiques because they’re the ones dealing with clients.”

Most recently, in May, Sarah’s Bag hosted Disco at the Beach, an event during which they unveiled pieces designed by the likes of Hussein Bazaza, Vanina, Ghida Younes and Amine Jreissati. What set this collaborative collection apart is that all items – shoes, caftans etc. – were inspired by Sarah’s Bag’s Discotheque collection.

The cynical view is that collaboration seems to be happening more because the personalities involved, in our Truman Show-esque world of paid posts and the Instagram famous, are driven to squeeze every last drop of attention and social media #content out of everything they do. Any opportunity to tag a famous friend or colleague must be exploited to the maximum.

Assaf and Hermez both cite social media as an important element of inspiration and collaboration. “I see people on Instagram every day who inspire me, people who are doing something totally different from me,” says Assaf.

One of the perks of collaboration for Hermez’s Second ST has been “bringing different crowds together, promoting each other on social media networks.”

But the ties that underpin today’s collaborations between Lebanese artists are more meaningful than a simple @ on Facebook might indicate. Carl Halal, one of the four photographers behind the year-old Fiiierce collective, sees collaboration within his creative discipline as a modern-day necessity. “Collaborating with people makes everything more fun. There’s communication rather than a monologue,” he says. “Better communication leads to better work together,” which leads to better and more work with clients (Fiiierce lists Mashrou’ Leila, Elie Saab and a bevy of hot young Beirut fashion designers among its clients), and ultimately their own social impact projects.

“The goal in my approach,” Halal says, “is to never have clients, but instead people with whom we can create great stuff.”

“COLLABORATING MAKES EVERYTHING MORE FUN. THERE’S COMMUNICATION RATHER THAN A MONOLOGUE”

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Words and photography Nan McElroy

DIALOGUE ALONG THE CANALS 244

ARTISTS HAVE THEIR SAY AT THE VENICE BIENNALE

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This page: “The Home of My Eyes” series by New York-based, Iranian artist Shirin Neshat Opposite page: “The Horse Problem” by Argentinean artist Claudia Fontes

As curator of the 2017 Venice Biennale “Viva Arte Viva,” Christine Macel set her intention to feature the voices of contemporary artists in the form of the works that best represent them. Beginning with Central Pavilion in the Giardini and continuing into the Arsenale, Macel has created nine themed pavilions, or “chapters,” in which the works of 120 artists (83 of them invited for the first time) from 51 countries are exhibited.

Many visitors have commented that the 2017 Arsenale has a more approachable feel in contrast to some past editions.

Due to extensive use of textiles as the medium of choice for many of the works, and the human presence in a number of instances, the walk through the Corderie

is an inviting and welcoming discovery of everything on offer.

You may bring clothing in need of mending to Lee Mingwei’s “The Mending Project,” in which spools of hundreds of brilliant colors cling to a wall, their threads strung from each to the table where the work is done.

Maria Lai has sewn script into cloth books, and bound them in bread. In the Pavilion of the Earth, Kananginak Pootoogook’s enchanting drawings provide insight into contemporary Inuit life, while Michelle Stuart’s black, white and sepia Galapagos Islands images on archival paper hover somewhere between reality and memory.

Michel Blazy’s “Collection de Chaussures” turns tennis shoes into tiny, individual planters, and Heidi Bucher melds articles of

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This page: “The Mountain,” a multisensory installation by Egyptian artist Moataz Mohamed Nasr Eldin (above) and “Il Mondo Magico” Italian pavilion by Giorgio Andreotta Calò, Roberto Cuoghi and Adelita Husni-Bey (below) Opposite page: Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto’s “A Sacred Place”

women’s clothing into delicate yet powerful works exploring the relationship between identity, body and external objects.

The Pavilion of Colors in the Corderie closes with two towering installations.

Japanese artist and Paris resident Takesada Matsutani has pierced a bag of Sumi ink and water and suspended it high above a wooden sphere that sits on a white basin; the drops stain the ball creating a design on the white surface surrounding it.

Sheila Hicks’ mounds and mounds of pure pigment-died fabric climb the walls to the ceiling of the Arsenale. The exhibit doubles as a respite: visitors can pause there before proceeding to view Lebanon’s Biennale return by taking the dedicated boat to Tesa 100 in the Arsenale Novissimo. Composer and artist Zad Moultaka’s “ŠamaŠ” (literally Sun Dark Sun, a palindrome that oscillates between justice and injustice) is a mesmerizing, profound and monumental work perfectly adapted to the colossal space of the ancient ship bay.

The arrival of the Biennale always attracts collateral exhibitions that populate campi and palazzi across the city. Look for Sam Gilliam’s “Drapes” across the entrance to the Biennale Central Pavilion. Hop any Grand Canal vaporetto to spy Lorenzo Quinn’s spectacularly massive plaster-

white hands, which “Support” the walls of Ca’ Sagredo, as well as the James Lee Byarsinspired (he’s no longer living), 20-meter tall Golden Tower that soars above Campo San Vio. The colossal Damien Hirst show consumes the Punta della Dogana and the Palazzo Grassi.

On a smaller scale, “Space Even More than Time” pays homage to gusty Torino artist Carol Rama in the beautiful Palazzo Ca’ Nova; the video interview with the artist is as captivating as the works themselves. The Museo Correr hosts “The Home of My Eyes,” Iranian-born, New York resident Shirin Neshat’s powerful silver-gelatin portraits of individuals from Azerbaijan grace a 17thcentury sala overlooking Piazza San Marco.

Also, British Turner Prize-winning artist Chris Ofili is showing at Victoria Miro gallery.

The Cini Foundation and the island of San Giorgio Maggiore seem to be hosting their own mini-Biennale, with no less than five exhibitions. Michelangelo Pistoletto inhabits

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LEBANESE ARTIST AND COMPOSER ZAD MOULTAKA’S “ŠAMAŠ”

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This page: American artist Michelle Stuart’s “Earth Diptych” (right) and “Support,” the monumental hands sculpture by Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn (below) Opposite page: “Venice Stream” by Japanese artist Takesada Matsutani

the Palladian church, and Luca Massimo Barbero has curated both the conceptual works of Alighiero Boetti in “Minimum/ Maximum,” and the more than 200 pieces by architect-turned-hot glass designer Ettore Sottsass at the Stanze del Vetro. Across from the Stanze, visit American artist Pae White’s “Qwalala,” a flowing wall of clear and colored hand-cast glass brick.

The artists are certainly making their voices heard at the 2017 Venice Biennale – and distinctively. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able stop by and hear what they have to say.

Italian sculptor Lorenzo Quinn’s spectacularly massive plaster-white hands “Support” the walls of Ca’ Sagredo

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Zoe Saldana

Feels Weightless. looks FlaWless.

NOIR JAUNE/BLANC ROUGE A DUAL EXPERIMENT

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As part of A Mag’s exclusive series of artistic visions, Cynthia Merhej, founder of Renaissance clothing label, teams up with photographer Cyrille Karam to bring the Renaissance brand to life, using unique color combinations and body language inspired by Picasso and the city of Beirut.

“We wanted to collaborate on a project where we would use each of the other’s talent and strengths. The unique collaboration between label and artist emerged from a desire to represent an essence rather than a product. The primal gesticulations and colors visible in the images reflect the theme of the next Renaissance collection, which draws inspiration from the paintings of Pablo Picasso and the shattered topography of Beirut. The meeting point between textile, color and movement is explored to translate the language of the label into striking imagery.”

WORDS, CREATIVE DIRECTION AND PHOTOGRAPHY CYNTHIA MERHEJ AND CYRILLE KARAM

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www.melissa.com.br/us

AĂŻshti by the Sea, Antelias T. 04 71 77 16 ext. 274 and all AĂŻzone stores T. 01 99 11 11 Follow us on instagram: @melissashoeslebanon

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REDISCOVERING BATROUN PHOTOGRAPHY MARCO PINARELLI

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While Byblos gets much of the adulation, Batroun, a short drive further north, is just as lovely, with the added advantage of having retained much of its authenticity. Batroun’s dreamy old town, complete with narrow alleyways, ancient churches and traditional homes surrounded by lush gardens, is a pleasure to explore. There are varied attractions to suit every visitor, from fish and seafood restaurants set right on the sea and lively outdoor pubs, to charming boutique hotels that capture the leisurely pace of the beach lifestyle. You can swim in the Mediterranean, hike or bike the forested hills and even go wine-tasting at nearby wineries. Here’s a look at what makes Batroun such a special place, in summer and year-round

Batroun’s whitewashed homes and its scenic seaport

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Batroun’s traditional old souk

Pebble beaches abound in Batroun and its vicinity (above). The town is also renowned for its Phoenician sea wall.

This ancient archeological relic was used by the Phoenicians as protection against storms and invading armies (below)

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The old souk’s cobblestone alleyways

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Beit al Batroun is a five-room bed & breakfast owned by Colette Kahil. The place has a pool and enjoys a serene setting

Colonel is a microbrewery, restaurant and pub founded by Jamil Haddad (pictured below on the right) and offering a wide selection of homemade beer

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Ô-Glacée is one of Lebanon’s most popular beach bars and summer resorts

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St. Stephen’s Maronite cathedral (this page and opposite page)

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ST. STEPHEN’S CATHEDRAL WAS BUILT BY ITALIAN ARCHITECT GIUSEPPE MAGGIORE IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY

Ixsir, which opened in 2008, is one of Lebanon’s most reputable wineries. The place also has its own restaurant, where you can enjoy local and international specialties while sipping on Ixsir wines

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Seaside restaurant Chez Maguy, owned and operated by Maguy al Mouhawas, serves fresh Mediterranean fish and seafood specialities in a simple yet congenial setting

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Jammal restaurant, established in 1981, is Batroun’s most iconic restaurant, specializing in fresh fish and seafood dishes

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Mayouli bed & breakfast is an idyllic hideaway located a few minutes away from the shore

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Words Ramsay Short

FLIGHTS OF FANCY It’s the first and most romantic trip after your wedding.

Here are a few options to make your honeymoon one to remember

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Perhaps you’ll pass the time kayaking in calm exhilaration across stunning fjords rimmed by mountains; or paddling to islets where it’s just the two of you alone among the vast wilderness, mingling with seals and dolphins and whales. Perhaps you’ll go salmon-fishing in the clearest, swiftest river you’ll ever see, travel on a huskydriven sleigh at dawn and go snowmobiling through epic white plains at night. You will certainly be stunned into dreamy silence by the sight of the majestic Northern Lights, swirling bolts of electric green and purple partying in the sky – not a bad place for your first dance. And you’ll sleep, wrapped tight together, in the magnificent icecarved bridal suite at the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, your fourposter bed covered in reindeer skins.

Indeed when it comes to romance there is no one-sizefits-all.

Perhaps along with the buzz of tying the knot it’s the buzz of ultimate adventure that drives your honeymoon vision. In which case camel trekking across the Sahara and camping out under the stars with your loved one might be an option. Or going on a gorilla safari to Uganda – gazing into the deep pools that are the eyes of this endangered species is a moving experience, even more so when shared with your spouse. There are just 700 left in the forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

If you’re foodies and lovers of art, culture and music, a city break is your couple heaven. In which case Paris is and always will be the city of love, as will Rome. The pair never get old. But other oft-overlooked cities make perfect romantic honeymoon getaways. Like Lisbon. The Portuguese capital offers fine food and wine – sumptuous presunto (dried ham), port, seafood and pasteis de nata (custard tarts) – plus fado, music of the soul, and incredible architecture with sizzling beaches, surf and nightlife just 26km away in Cascais.

If it’s the glossy magazine dream of sunsets, infinity pools and sugar-white beaches you want, you also have many options. Paradise can be found at the foot of the Piton Mountains of St. Lucia. Here you can enjoy the beautiful beaches and resorts around Soufrière Bay in the south, but get messy (and physically invigorated) bathing in the healing mud of the island’s sulphurous hot springs. There’s even the option of cacao massages in the many luxury spas on St. Lucia.

Finally if you fancy a castaway experience, where you can be truly alone, with just each other on a desert island, forget both these options and head to Polynesia, which is as far away from it all as you can get.

Shutterstock

It’s a myth that a honeymoon has to be somewhere hot. You could, for example, spend days walking together through the hush of a frozen landscape, inspired by the quiet majesty at day and gazing in wonder at the Milky Way and a star-streaked sky at night. There’s such a place in remote northern Norway, close to the Arctic Circle, where the subzero temperatures will bring you not only closer to the elements, but closer to each other. It’s called Sorrisniva, it’s little known and it’s magical.

Where We’re Staying

ROME

HOTEL EDEN

dorchestercollection.com/en/rome/hotel-eden/ Rome’s iconic Hotel Eden reopened in April after a multimillion, 18-month renovation. Architect Bruno Moinard and interior designer Claire Betaille, from 4BI & Associates, upgraded the 98 rooms and suites, while introducing a new food and drink concept, all in keeping with the hotel’s classic Italian style. Other new attractions include Eden Spa, offering treatments from Sonya Dakar and Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, as well as a blow-dry bar. Part of the Dorchester Collection, Hotel Eden benefits from a spectacular location, walking distance from Villa Borghese and the Spanish Steps, as well as panoramic views over the Eternal City. – Marwan Naaman

LOS ANGELES

WALDORF ASTORIA BEVERLY HILLS waldorfastoriabeverlyhills.com

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NEW YORK

While Manhattan’s iconic Waldorf Astoria is now closed, pending its transformation into luxury condos, June sees the opening of the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, a 12-story marvel that houses 170 rooms and suites. Walking distance from glitzy Rodeo Drive, the hotel sports floor-to-ceiling windows in every room, opening onto private balconies and offering views of the Hollywood Hills, Century City and beyond. Dining options include Jean-Georges,

by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, as well as the more casual but incredibly romantic Rooftop Restaurant.

There’s also a 465-square-meter spa by La Prairie, for those seeking relaxation after an arduous day of shopping and dining.

– Michelle Merheb

THE WHITBY

Firmdale Hotels, the boutique firm behind such iconic London properties as Ham Yard Hotel and Haymarket Hotel, just opened its second Manhattan locale, The Whitby, on West 56th Street, steps from Central Park and the shopping delights of Fifth Avenue.

Building on the success of their first New York property, Crosby Street Hotel in Soho, husband-and-wife team Tim and Kit Kemp, owners of Firmdale, have created a distinctive experience at The Whitby, celebrating contemporary art and design. The new hotel includes 86 individually designed rooms and suites, The Whitby Bar and Restaurant, a light-filled Orangery, a Drawing Room replete with books and a lush terrace. The nine-meter pewter bar, a definite hotel highlight, is a great place to sit back and sample The Whitby’s artisan cocktails. – Marwan Naaman

Firmdale Hotels, Hotel Eden, Waldorf Astoria

firmdalehotels.com/hotels/new-york/the-whitby-hotel/

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Words Karim Hussain

HAPPY WALKING Combine your summer trip with a healthy dose of exercise

So it is with great excitement that we’ve recently discovered a trend in hotels offering opportunities for walking as part of their hospitality packages. Ramblinns (ramblinns.com) are a small collection of charming, independent and distinctive country inns located in the United Kingdom’s counties of Kent and East Sussex – The Woolpack, The Five Bells and the Globe Inn Marsh. The inns are united by a healthy hiking distance between each, with a canal to navigate your walk, during which the Ramblinns Harrier Bus will meet you en route with a rug and a picnic basket. Founder John Roger has a passion for providing great, locally sourced

food and drink within lovingly created, beautifully appointed surroundings, each designed to warmly welcome local people and travelers from further afield and to give back to the local community and producers in the region. With a strikingly original and modern-rustic design aesthetic, each unique inn welcomes its guests with a roaring fire in winter and alfresco terraces perfect for summer evenings.

There are also more famous walks where you can follow in the footsteps of bygone eras. The Lycian Way is a 509km footpath in Turkey around part of the coast of ancient Lycia. It is approximately 540km long and stretches from Oludeniz near Fethiye to Geyikbayiri, about 20 kilometers from Antalya. The path is marked with red and white stripes and, since 2010, has been annually embraced as a trail for ultramarathon runners, who cover some 240km of the path over several days. For a lighter approach, Letoonia Resorts (letoonia.com) has hotels at either end of the trail. Club and Hotel Letoonia is in Fethiye, while Sentido Letoonia Golf Resort is located in Belek.

The easiest trail to traverse from Letoonia’s all-inclusive experience is in Fethiye and can be enjoyed as a series of day-hikes, with picnics where you can expect to pass by historical villages and ancient ruins, and frequently pause to enjoy dizzying views across the Aegean Sea. Walk is also spiritual and the El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain has meaning for many. Hospitality options range from hostels to paradors, a luxury hotel belonging to the state-run company

Paradores. They are located in historic buildings such as castles and monasteries, as well as nature reserves. The most famous Camino de Santiago parador is the Hostal dos Reis Catolicos in Santiago de Compostela (parador.es), in operation for 500 years. It is located in Obradoiro Square, near the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, welcoming pilgrims as they finish their journey at the location of the remains of Saint James the Great, who is buried there.

Letoonia, Ramblinns

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We might think we all know the benefits of walking: maintaining a healthy weight and improving your mood being just the start. This gentle, low-impact exercise that’s easy, free and available to everyone also strengthens your heart, lowers the risks of heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Walking prevents dementia, improves balance and coordination, tones up legs, bums and tums, boosts vitamin D and, most importantly, gives you energy. Throughout history, walking holidays and adventures have a place in literature: As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning is a memoir by British poet Laurie Lee who embarks on an epic journey by foot from England to Spain. Bill Bryson traversed the North American Appalachian Trail in his book A Walk in the Woods. And, of course, hiking the Alps and Pyrenees was considered a rite of passage during the 17th- and 18thcentury era of the Grand Tours.

Available in all AĂŻzone stores T. 01 99 11 11

Where We’re Detoxing MONTE-CARLO, MONACO

MONTE-CARLO BAY HOTEL & RESORT www.montecarlobay.com

In a relaxed yet sophisticated ambiance, the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort offers a new experience in this legendary destination. Gardens, groves, pavilions and footpaths meander through the grounds, which are built to form a lagoon creating dramatic changes in scenery in an idyllic setting that leads directly to the seashore. The world-class Cinq Mondes Spa and Michelinstarred Blue Bay restaurant, which sports a brand-new outdoor terrace, are part of this haven of quiet luxury. Attractions this year include direct access to the sea via a newly built walkway, a new bar at the lagoon and live shows at the Blue Gin. Monte-Carlo’s size makes it an ideal destination to get to know on foot, and this hotel offers a respite from the city plus idyllic views over the Med. – Karim Hussain

ST. BARTS, CARIBBEAN

LE BARTHÉLEMY www.lebarthelemyhotel.com/en

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AMALFI COAST, ITALY

MONASTERO SANTA ROSA

Le Barthélemy is St. Barts’ newest five-star hotel. Located on a crescent-shaped, white-sand beach, the property offers a calm, soothing, delightfully Caribbean experience in Grand Cul-de-Sac, which forms part of a nature reserve on the northeastern part of the island. As with most St. Barts hotels, the emphasis here is on comfort and understated sophistication, rather than over-the-top glitz. Le Barthélemy houses 46 casually elegant rooms and suites, most with plunge pools and ocean views. Sybille de Margerie, best known for creating stylish places that react to their particular location, designed the hotel’s interior, dousing the space in various shades of emerald, turquoise and navy blue. At only 25 square kilometers, this island is perfect for exploration on foot, and you can also stay in shape at Le Fitness or enjoy R&R at Le Spa. – Valerie Jones

Perched on the cliff-edge, Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa was originally a 17th-century monastery and has been restored into an exclusive boutique hotel with a superb Santa Maria Novella spa. Ideally located between Positano and Amalfi, the hotel has its own chapel and ancient herb garden, and all 20 rooms boast sea views. Sensitive to the fact that pizza and pasta can weigh down an Italian vacation, the hotel developed a Health & Hike package where you experience the natural beauty of the Amalfi Coast on foot by embarking on a guided hike offering stunning views of the surrounding area. Accompanied by a local expert, you are navigated through beautiful, otherwise inaccessible parts of Amalfi, uncovering natural treasures that few people have ever seen. – Karim Hussain

Le Barthélemy, Monastero Santa Rosa, SBM

monasterosantarosa.com

www.aeronautica.difesa.it www.aeronauticamilitare-collezioneprivata.it AĂŻshti by the Sea, Antelias T. 04 71 77 16 ext. 273 and all AĂŻzone stores T. 01 99 11 11 Produced and distributed by Cristiano di Thiene Spa

Words Salma Abdelnour

DOUBLE THE PLEASURE The mashup trend rolls two contrasting flavors into one crazy new food invention In a classic TV ad from the 1980s, a guy strolling on the sidewalk munching on a chocolate bar crashes into a woman eating peanut butter straight from the jar as she walks down the street. Their snacks smash together – “Hey, you got your chocolate in my peanut butter! You got your peanut butter on my chocolate!” – but they’re both ecstatic when they taste the result: “Ohhh! Mmmmm. Delicious.”

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That not-so-subtle ad for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and the meme it immortalized – “two great tastes that go great together” – was a prescient example of the mashup trend that’s now taking over the world. We have the Peanut Butter Cup and its spiritual heir, the Cronut, to thank for the Sushi Burrito, the Ramen Burger, the Poutine Taco and every other can-you-top-this invention that’s popped up lately.

The mashup fad keeps mutating into ever-wilder variations, from the Bourbon Bagel Burger in Sydney, to the Burgerizza in Atlanta, the Piescream Sandwich in Los Angeles, and even the PizzaTopped-Pizza in Brooklyn. Beirut is in on the action too, of course. Marly’s Goodies in Ashrafieh is serving a Meghle Cupcake, which takes the traditional Lebanese pudding and stuffs it into a cupcake flavored with cinnamon and aniseed and topped, meghle-style, with coconut shreds and nuts.

Marly’s Osmaliye Cupcake refashions another iconic sweet into a cupcake that preserves the dessert’s key flavors and textures, like mahlab, sweetened pistachio chunks, vermicelli and candied rose petals. At La PizzAria in Gemmayze, there’s no need to choose between pizza and dessert: You can have both at the same time, in the form of pizza-dough breadsticks dipped in Nutella. Cairo’s hot new Lebanese restaurant Elna is getting lots of buzz for its Nutella Man’ouche.

In an era when “collaboration” is a major buzzword, and mashups show up in every realm, from music

to fashion to architecture, it was just a matter of time before the food world finally took the “two great tastes” concept and ran with it. But wait, you might say: What’s so revolutionary about merging a couple of foods together? Isn’t that what humans have been doing for millennia, pretty much anytime we’ve prepared a meal using more than one ingredient? Sure, but a mashup involves more than just cooking a lasagna; it’s what you get when you combine two lasagnas together, or merge two desserts, or even join a lasagna with a dessert if you’re feeling extra-crazy. It’s what happens when two or more “finished” foods unite in one concoction that’s greater than the sum of its parts – or at least weirder.

If there’s nothing new under the sun, mashups at least look, feel and taste new, even if they’re just new ways of conceiving the old. Mashups are also a marketer’s dream, because if you love birthday cake and you’re addicted to croissants, what could be better than a Birthday Cake Croissant? And if you’re into lasagna and can’t get enough peanut butter, wouldn’t you go crazy over Peanut Butter Lasagna?

(Yes, there is such a thing.) And if the mashup you’re dreaming about doesn’t exist yet, you can simply invent it, Instagram it and watch the “likes” roll in.

Whether or not you think the whole concept is absurd, complaining about food mashups is a losing battle. In a world of ever-more imaginative, brilliant or disastrous collaborations, where “more is more” is, if not ultimately better, at least worth a try, mashups are here to stay. At least for much longer than you might think. But for skeptics, there’s still hope. Only the mashups that can pass the desertisland test will survive: If you had to eat the thing by yourself on a deserted island, with no one to show off to and no access to social media, would you still savor every bite? Would you close your eyes, smile and mumble, “Ohhh! Mmmmm. Delicious?”

If the answer is yes, then that pizza-cheeseburgerice-cream-cake you just dreamed up definitely deserves to live. No, that particular mashup doesn’t exist yet as of press time. But wait a few minutes, refresh your Google search and see what happens.

Where We’re Eating BEIRUT

Brass

Open daily 4pm-1am. Monnot, facebook.com/brassbeirut If you’ve ever been to Brass, you know the food is entirely worth the visit. Now picture this: the new Brass, which just reopened in Monnot, is bigger, better and exceeds all expectations. In keeping with its old identity, the restaurant still sports its burgundy chairs, odd-shaped mirrors, bar concept and a general air of coziness, except now it’s more spacious and the food menu is significantly larger, for which we’re very grateful. Start with their poutine, possibly the best thing on the menu (the secret? Red wine for that extra tang) and follow with the seafood orzo: shrimp, calamari, mussels and, of course, orzo, topped with a delicious pesto sauce and parmesan cheese. For something simpler but just as good, go for the poulet frites (grilled chicken drenched in mushroom sauce) and the quinoa smoked salmon salad, best guzzled down with a glass of white wine. – Rayane Abou Jaoude

HONG KONG

Le Pan

Open Monday-Saturday noon to 2:30pm and 6:30pm-9:30pm; Sunday 6:30pm-9:30pm. Goldin Financial Global Centre, 17 Kai Cheung Road, Kowloon Bay, lepan.com.hk

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Award-winning Singaporean chef Edward Voon had this in mind when crafting Le Pan’s cuisine: elevating Hong Kong’s level of gastronomy. And that he did, reimagining contemporary French cuisine with an avant-garde element and new, added flavors that are never too heavy on the palate or the stomach. All this in a château-like setting of white marble and leather, crystal chandeliers and plush armchairs. We suggest starting with their distinctive seafood plates, particularly the chef’s signature Kristal caviar with Botan shrimps and sea urchin served on a bed of crustacean jelly, and the Hokkaida scallop and squid tortellini. If you prefer some meat on your plate, the soft-boiled egg and cured pork belly in a champignon emulsion is as good as it sounds. – Rayane Abou Jaoude

Red Rooster New York chef Marcus Samuelsson just opened his first London restaurant inside The Curtain hotel in Shoreditch. Samuelsson’s original Red Rooster in Harlem is a New York institution, offering a contemporary take on classic dishes from the American South.

For the London outpost, Samuelsson stays true to his New York restaurant’s Southern roots, but also enhances the menu with ingredients and dishes inspired by Shoreditch’s multicultural vibe. Menu highlights include buttermilk- and coconut-milk-fried chicken, plus Helga’s meatballs, named after the Ethiopian-Swedish chef’s grandmother, and the decadent chicken and waffles served with maple syrup. It’s hearty fare – and like nothing you’ve ever tried before. – Marwan Naaman

Brass, Le Pan, Red Rooster

45 Curtain Road, thecurtain.com

Words Marwan Naaman

BRASSERIE ADVENTURES New York’s Boucherie, from chef Jerome Dihui, serves French cuisine in a setting that captures both Paris and Manhattan

Set on busy Seventh Avenue South, the place is hard to miss: red brick walls, potted plants, abundant ivy and a red awning above which hang crimson roses. Inside, the restaurant is expansive, spreading over two levels and featuring tiled floors and walls, café tables, wooden chairs and a retro-flavored bar enlivened with engaging Art Deco posters.

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Manhattan restaurant buffs probably remember Pastis, the iconic French bistro set in the Meatpacking District that closed three years ago.

Pastis’ former chef de cuisine, Jerome Dihui, is now executive chef at Boucherie, and he’s created a menu of classic bistro fare that offers beloved French dishes as well as modern variations on Gallic standards, plus a few delectable surprises.

For starters, you can choose traditional dishes such as onion soup, escargots de Bourgogne or steak tartare. If you’re feeling more adventurous, opt for the sinfully delicious mousse de foie gras, served

with onion compote and red wine port sauce. For a (slightly) lighter beginning, opt for the frisée lettuce salad, with big chunks of fresh bacon and a poached egg, in a delicate sherry vinaigrette.

Remember that the name of the restaurant is Boucherie, so choose meat for your main dish. You can have the steak frites au poivre, a hearty 14-ounce New York strip topped with peppercorn sauce and served with a side of golden, crispy, addictive French fries. Then there’s the côte de veau aux champignons, a grass-fed veal porterhouse in a fragrant jus, accompanied by mushrooms and sweetbreads. If you decide to forego meat, you can choose from various other dishes, including the flétan poêlé (seared halibut with roasted parsnips, green beans and carrot puree) and the particularly rich duck confit, which comes with truffled potatoes.

As befits any dignified brasserie, Boucherie also offers a distinguished cheese selection (Morbier, Comté, Fleur de Maquis and more) as well as a nice spread of charcuterie. The carefully devised wine list, courtesy of sommelier Theo Mahy, features an inspired mix of Old and New World wines,

Brent Herrig Photography, Jai Nima Idowu

While French brasseries abound in New York City, few are as enticing as Boucherie, the newest bistrostyle affair to open in Manhattan’s West Village.

including a California Cabernet from Chateau Montelena and a Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe.

France’s most iconic desserts – profiteroles, crème brulée, tarte tatin, crêpes suzette and mousse au chocolat – are all on offer. For those seeking a lighter end to their meal, the sorbet (try lemon and raspberry) is supremely refreshing.

While the food is reason enough to visit Boucherie, the place also has a lively bar scene, where New Yorkers congregate after work to sample awardwinning bartender Anthony Bohlinger’s artisan cocktails. One of Boucherie’s most appealing traits, in fact, is its ability to offer an experience that effortlessly combines the best of Paris and New York: you get the atmosphere of a typical Parisian bistro, most notably via the food and décor, but at the same time you have Manhattan’s effervescent vibe, in the superior service, the pulsating energy at the bar and the feel that anything and everything is possible in this most dynamic part of the world. boucherie.nyc

Words Salma Abdelnour

COMING FOR YOUR THIRST Flavored water is taking over the world Quick. Name one drink you need in your life every single day. If you answered wine, you got the first letter right. But the correct answer is, of course, water, the hydrogenoxygen compound that’s absolutely essential for survival.

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As important as water is, the liquid is by no means unanimously loved, or even liked. Around 20% of people don’t enjoy drinking water, according to a US-based report in the Wall Street Journal. If you simply don’t like the taste of water, even a water sommelier – like the one at certain high-end restaurants in Los Angeles – will have a hard time convincing you to fall for a glass of spectacularly refreshing H2O from a 15,000-year-old glacier. The fact that a whopping one-fifth of people have an aversion to the taste of the most basic life-giving liquid helps explain the stratospheric rise of flavored waters in recent years. Flavored versions have become so ubiquitous in food markets that it’s become a challenge to find plain-old water amid all those rows of bottles. As of last year, sales of all kinds of bottled water – including flavored varieties – surpassed soda sales for the first time ever.

For water-haters, the union of H2O with a never-ending array of flavors, from fruit to vegetables and even meat, is an exciting development. There are so many tempting, attractively packaged options to choose from now. We can drink aloe water in the morning, sparkling pomegranate water at lunch and artichoke water (for real!) with our dinner. At the gym, we can guzzle refreshing coconut water – which is technically juice, not water, but who’s quibbling. A few years ago, one company even tried to market bacon water, via effervescent bacon tablets you mix into your glass. Whatever your tastes or habits, it’s now easier and

more fun than ever to stay hydrated all day. So everybody wins.

But there must be a catch in here somewhere, right? Well, yes. Plenty of products that try to pass themselves off as flavored waters aren’t exactly “water” anymore. Sure, some flavored waters are precisely what they say they are: water plus fruit flavor, and that’s it. A famous example is LaCroix, which contains just two things: carbonated water and “natural flavors,” which can range from Pamplemousse to Apricot. The seeming simplicity of the brand’s contents in an era of inscrutable ingredient labels is one reason why the 36-year-old brand has soared in popularity over the past few years, never mind that “natural flavors” are often created in a lab and bear little resemblance to any ingredient that occurs in nature. You’re better off just squeezing some actual grapefruit or apricot juice into a glass of water.

For an increasing number of flavored varieties on the market, water is just one among so many ingredients – it’s not unusual to find 10 or 15 unpronounceable words on the label – that you have to wonder if they still count as “water” at all. Nowadays, can any beverage pass itself off as water as long as it contains some H2O? And what’s the difference between soda and a flavored water that’s also loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners – not to mention nearly as many calories? You might as well drink cola.

As for wine, unfortunately it’s hard to find a nutritionist who considers fermented grape juice an acceptable form of hydration. Then again, perhaps wine, beer and cocktails just suffer from an image problem. Don’t be surprised if any day now, your local market starts selling sleek, irresistibly packaged bottles of Fermented Grape Water, Malted Barley Water and Aperol Prosecco Water.

You won’t hear us complaining.

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• 10% discount on all your purchases at Aïshti* • 4% gift voucher twice a year • Free access to VIP airport lounges across MENA • Up to three free supplementary cards • Free subscription to A magazine and L’Officiel Levant • Home delivery for purchases over $4,000 • Win gym kit upon yearly gym membership • Advance notification of private sales and promotions • Pay in 3 installments with 0% interest • Win yearly packages to international fashion events

* Discounts are not applicable at Cartier and Dior Terms and conditions apply

Where We’re Drinking BANGKOK

Bangkok Heightz

Open daily, 6pm-1am. 413 Sukhumvit Road, thecontinentdining.com We like our drinks with a view, and that’s exactly what Bangkok Heightz is offering. Set on the 39th floor of the Continent Hotel and overlooking the cityscape, Bangkok Heightz brings together unique concoctions – literally elevating drinks to new levels – paired with plates comprising traditional mixes of spices and herbs. Go for the Chaopraya, made with house vodka, vanilla syrup, lime, fresh passion fruit and fresh watermelon, or the Khan Thong: house rum, jasmine syrup, strawberry, lime juice and eggs. For the seafood enthusiast, take your drink with the Lobster Rad Prik, a Canadian lobster covered in sweet and sour sauce, or the Pu Nim Pad Prik Thai Dam, a stir-fried soft-shelled crab with black pepper and salted eggs. Gobble that down, and then order some more Chaopraya. – Rayane Abou Jaoude

BEIRUT

Santana

Open daily, 5pm-2am. Abdel Wahab el Inglizi Street, Sodeco, facebook.com/SantanaBeirut

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MIAMI

Prohibition

Drawing inspiration from Latin American cuisine, Santana brings “the soul of South America” to the heart of Beirut.

There’s no signage that indicates the name of the place, but the restaurant is hard to miss if you know what you’re looking for – pergolas, greenery, barrels functioning as makeshift tables and a general Latin vibe. For all those reasons, we strongly suggest taking your drinks on the patio outside. Begin with a potent caipirinha (cachaça rum, fresh lime and brown sugar) and the El Diablo (tequila white, crème de cassis, fresh lime and ginger ale) with complimentary nachos, and end the night with Santana’s signature sangria pitcher coupled with a dish of roasted potatoes with rosemary – the richest one we’ve ever had. The cocktails list (and it’s a really good one) goes on and on, so salud!

– Rayane Abou Jaoude

Not so long ago, Midtown Miami was something of a no-man’sland, a derelict part of town that city residents and visitors alike were careful to avoid. With the advent of Wynwood and the Design District, the whole area underwent an urban renaissance, becoming Miami’s most dynamic destination. Prohibition, a restaurant and speakeasy set in the middle of the action, captures Midtown Miami’s racy, sexy edge. Inspired by the Chicago speakeasies of the 1930s, Prohibition features servers dressed in newsboy caps and ties, and hostesses decked in glittery flapper dresses. The cocktail menu is particularly seductive, including creative concoctions like the Reverse Vesper Martini, a mix of vodka, gin and Lillet Blanc, and the Mary Pickford, a Prohibitionera drink made with rum, Maraschino liqueur, pineapple juice and grenadine. A most stylish nod to Miami’s rambunctious past as the rum-running capital of the 1920s and 1930s. – Marwan Naaman

Bangkok Heightz, Prohibition, Santana

Open Monday-Thursday 5pm-midnight; Friday-Saturday 5pm-1am.

3404 North Miami Avenue, Midtown, prohibitionmiami.com

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Words Rayane Abou Jaoude

MEETING OF MUSICAL MINDS 314

The charts have spoken: solo singles are out, collabs are in

It begins with the “ft.” prefix. As listeners, we see big names coming together and we’re scrambling for our dancing shoes and putting on a hands-in-theair attitude, as so many songs preach. It’s the era of musical partnerships, and everyone wants a taste.

By the end of 2016, eight of the top 10 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 were a collaboration, including the top three – “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane, “Starboy” by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk and “Closer” by The Chainsmokers and Halsey.

By March 2017, music distributor DistroKid had analyzed over 1.2 million songs that were uploaded to them over the last four years. They found that the number of songs that feature collaborations more than doubled since 2015, rising from 5% to 11%.

Music collaborations are certainly not a new phenomenon. The world went bonkers when Queen and David Bowie released “Under Pressure” in 1981.

Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson got together in 1983 and released the successful “Say, Say, Say,” and to top all genre crossovers, Aerosmith and Run-D.M.C put out “Walk This Way” in 1986, paving the way for future rock/hip-hop partnerships. Collaborations existed even before then, but rarely were artists “featured,” if ever.

Enter hip-hop and rap at the turn of the 21st century, genres oftentimes defined by their sense of community and creative collaborative aspect. Hiphop has been described as a “collective behavior,” with artists featuring not one but sometimes two or three (the count goes on) vocalists – think Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, Kanye West and Jay-Z, Method Man and Mary J. Blige, Ciara and Ludacris. Remember Drake’s “Forever,” featuring Kanye, Lil Wayne and Eminem?

Now it’s moved on to DJs who produce tunes with vocalists, resulting in a practically new genre that blogger and critic Simon Reynolds back in 2011 called “the Ibiza-ification of pop,” rife with infectious dancepop beats and a euphoric “summer lasts forever” vibe.

At the very top? Calvin Harris, now the highest paid DJ in the world, who’s partnered with big names like Rihanna, Ellie Goulding and Frank Ocean and brought us “Slide,” “Heatstroke” and “How Deep is Your Love.”

Add other DJs like David Guetta, Avicii, Tiësto, Armin

van Buuren and Steve Aoki, and you’ve got yourself the perfect party playlist. With the solo artist no longer fated to take center stage, DJs also have the luxury of cutting the inclusion of a band from their budget and relying on their computer to produce their anthems instead. And with record sales going down, it seems only fitting that the more the names, the bigger the chances of the song being a hit, which brings in more money. A case in point: Lana del Rey and The Weeknd’s “Lust for Life.”

Collaborations are also a great way to expose and break in new artists. English singer Jess Glyne rose to fame as a featured artist on Clean Bandit’s Grammy Awardwinning “Rather Be” in 2014. That same year, her solo single “Right Here” made the UK Singles Chart’s top 10.

Bruno Mars was featured on “Nothin’ On You” by B.O.B and as a result was able to launch his solo singing career.

Is this the future of music? Perhaps. For the time being we’ll just be over here blasting The Chainsmokers and Coldplay’s “Something Just Like This” – and sipping margaritas by the beach.

This page, clockwise from the top: The Chainsmokers with Halsey, Lana Del Rey with The Weeknd, The Chainsmokers with Coldplay, David Bowie with Queen and Calvin Harris with Rihanna Opposite page: Aerosmith with Run-D.M.C (top) and Calvin Harris with Ellie Goulding (bottom)

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REINVENTING THE A 316

“It takes two to make a thing go right,” rapped Rob Base and D.J. E-Z Rock back in 1988, and here at A Mag, we couldn’t agree more. Two minds are better than one, so we teamed up with some of Lebanon’s most talented creatives to redesign our cover’s A. Left to their own devices, they had only one rule to follow: their logo had to be inspired by fashion, Aïshti and their own personal style

ZENA EL KHALIL

“I transmute violence into love, merging with the absolute and healing with art.” – Zena el Khalil, visual artist

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NOUR AL NIMER 318

“The A is from “I’m Off to Join the Circus,” an exclusive limited edition collection I created for Architectural Digest’s the Art of Dining event. It’s inspired by a book called The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and vintage circus posters. In this collection I tried to tell a tale about magic, fantasy and ultimately, the circus.” – Nour Al Nimer, home décor designer

“Just like my own personality, the A is full of paradoxes.

It’s a clash of Latin and Arabic, lightness and depth.” – Amine Jreissati, stylist

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AMINE JREISSATI

CARLA BAZ

“I work with metal, so I designed the letter as I would a product. I decided to go with a gradient color to convey the similar texture and feel as brushed metal. My fashion inspiration would have to be Jil Sander’s minimalist yet sophisticated universe, so the letter is the reflection of that elegance and boldness.” – Carla Baz, furniture designer

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COLLEZIONE AUTOMOBILI LAMBORGHINI

Available at Aïzone stores T. 01 99 11 11 - 04 71 77 16

RANI ZAKHEM

“Given that I come from an architectural background, I wanted to give the A a little more depth and make it more three-dimensional so it would pop out of the cover page. I also wanted to integrate something I love to use in my design aesthetic and fashion, French lace, into the A and create a pattern out of it that I could extrude and add texture to, showing a carved yet delicate element within the A.” – Rani Zakhem, fashion designer

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INTRODUCING THE 247 WOMEN’S The New Balance 247 for women features a synthetic mesh upper with neoprene sock construction for a modern look with performance-inspired comfort for everyday wear. This new core silhouette features clean lines rounded out with classic details like a welded N logo and woven tongue label for a bit of branded style. With a silhouette that combines craftsmanship, technology, comfort and fit, the New Balance 247 caters to the onthe-go metropolitan consumer.

Aïshti By the Sea, Antelias, T. 04 71 77 16 ext. 272 - Aïzone stores and retail sport shops Follow us on instagram @NEWBALANCELEBANON on facebook New Balance Lebanon and on twitter @NBlebanon

Words Marwan Naaman

THE LAST PAGE: SERIES TO WATCH TV BUFFS TAKE NOTE. MANY OF THE HOTTEST SHOWS ARE PREMIERING DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. HERE’S A LOOK AT SOME OF OUR FAVORITES

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HOUSE OF CARDS Season five of House of Cards premiered on Netflix on May 30, and all 13 episodes are now available for streaming.

This riveting political drama – so relevant during the current Trump/Putin era – stars Kevin Spacey as US president Frank Underwood and Robin Wright as his wife Claire. When we last saw Frank and Claire, they were getting ready to launch a massive war to distract the American public from the murder allegations threatening to destroy their ambitions and unseat Frank from the presidential chair.

Will they go forward with their Machiavellian plan for a global war?

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK The last season of womenin-prison dramedy Orange is the New Black ended with a massive prison riot caused by the death of major character Poussey.

Little has been revealed about upcoming season five, which is set to drop in its entirety on Netflix on June 9. But we do know the following: most of the cast, including Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Uzo Aduba and Kate Mulgrew, will be returning, and all 13 new episodes will take place over a few days. We also know that this won’t be the final season of the show, so fans rejoice!

YOUNGER Darren Star, who created such iconic TV series as Melrose Place and Sex and the City, is the creative force behind Younger, a small screen ode to cougars and the luscious men they love. The Manhattanbased show’s fourth season debuts on June 28 on TV Land, as we catch up with Liza Miller (played by Sutton Foster), the 40-something single mother pretending to her friends and co-workers (and much younger lover) that she is a fresh graduate in her 20s. When we last saw Liza, she had just revealed her true age to best friend Kelsey (Hilary Duff). Will she be able to keep up with the younger charade after her confession?

GAME OF THRONES Winter is here. And so is the penultimate season of Game of Thrones. The seventh season of HBO’s most successful show premieres on July 16, and it follows the destinies of the three remaining contenders to the Westeros throne: Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow and Cersei Lannister. We also catch up with the Starks (Sansa, Arya and Bran), Tyrion Lannister and the other characters who have populated the show for the past six years. With only seven episodes, this is the shortest Game of Thrones season to date – all the more reason to relish every glorious instant.