Editorial To honour his fifth year of sumptuous penmanship and landmark 25th issue of SLT, we handed over the reins of this edition to the one, the only, the ineffable, Steven Paugh.
A lot can happen in five years... For example, five years ago, the subprime mortgage crisis was only just baring its teeth to the world economy. Meanwhile, perhaps coincidentally (though I somehow doubt it), Beverly Hills Chihuahua was tearing up cinemas. Remember when that was a thing? No, you’re right, best we forget. However, the biggest thing to happen in October of 2008, at least in my life, was landing the very gig that allows me to write the words you are currently reading: words like “unicorn” and “blunderbuss.” And I have to say, the five years that have passed after that fateful day have indeed been, very much like those two words I only now just mentioned, absolutely delightful! Since coming to SLT, I have been afforded a literal wealth of opportunities; opportunities which have introduced me to, and tempered me within, a world of luxury. Taking inspiration from our name, I have been truly blessed to travel to many points “on the earth” and throughout some of its most gilded avenues, bringing you tales of adventure you simply could not get anywhere else. During my tenure here, I have been stuck in a top-down convertible on a winding Austrian mountain path during a blizzard. I’ve seen a motorcyclist collide against (and barrel over) the hood of a Rolls-Royce Phantom along a narrow British country road. I’ve quaffed Cristal with CEOs and paraglided into Omani coves. I’ve supped on lobster beneath a blood moon in Bodrum, waxed philosophical with award-winning directors, geeked-out with Hollywood screenwriters, seen the bigger picture with international and local artists, driven the world’s fastest street-legal car and chewed the fat with globally-lauded chefs. I even got engaged during a review of The Witchery, Scotland’s most iconic restaurant! Throughout it all I have had the chance to work with the finest writers, editors, graphic designers, marketing and sales specialists and photographers this industry has to offer, all of whom work tirelessly every day to produce the very best lifestyle magazine the Middle Easy (as I like to call it) has ever seen: a luxury I hold paramount above all others. On this, the occasion of my fifth year at Sur la Terre, marked quite symmetrically by my 25th issue, it is truly fantastic to look back and remember all of the friends I’ve made and great experiences I’ve had filling its pages, matched I hope only by the fun you have had in reading them. More exciting, however, is what we have in store for you in the next five years and 25 issues to come, starting with the very one you hold in your hands. As I leave you now to sink your sybaritic teeth into the extravaganza we call Issue 28, I first want to thank you for allowing me to join you on this ludicrously luxurious misadventure. May we continue to luxuriate throughout evermore resplendent channels together, for as long as the roads of luxury stretch or at least as long as you will have me to guide you through them. Cheers! Steven E. Paugh
Senior Editor
. sur la terre . editor’s letter .
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CONTENTS
DOHA NUMBER 28
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the list A r t , c u lt u r e , l i f e s t y l e
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the scene W e r e yo u s e e n o n t h e s c e n e ?
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f o r y o u r e y e s o n ly Th e t h i n g s yo u n e e d to o w n
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rev ue G lo b a l ta s t e s a n d ta n ta l i s i n g s pa s
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gl obe tro t ter Yo u r g u i d e to g lo b a l l u x u r y
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st y le con fiden ti a l Autumn calling
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u p cl ose & per son a l Ta l e n t e d & pa s s i o n at e p e o p l e
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a rt opi a P e a r l s & p i lg r i m a g e : q ata r u k
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tr en ds con fiden ti a l In with the old, in with the new
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CONTENTS
DOHA NUMBER 28
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look book Th e b e s t lo o k s f o r g u y s
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i n mo tion Th e 20 13 b e n t l e y m u l s a n n e
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ac c e s s o r i e s A u t u m n va r i at i o n
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fe atu r e Q e l a : q ata r ' s n e w l u x u r y b r a n d
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fa s h i o n B ri ngi ng six ti e s back
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jetset Th e s u r r e y , n e w yo r k
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hor izons Pleasure island
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m a r k e t p l ac e P r o d u c t s ava i l a b l e lo c a l ly
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o u t o f t h e b ox A fe a st of ti m epiece s
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girls
. sur la terre . contents .
" Fashion is only the attempt to reali Se art in li v ing forms ." - Fr a n c i s B a c o n
the list arts and culture
18 sep 30 oct
24 oct 11 nov
9 oct 5 Jan
The Fountain and the Fig: Nadia Ayari
Christie’s Online Auction Part III
Hajj - The Journey Through Art
WHEN: 18 September - 30 October WHERE: Project Space, The Third Line, Dubai WHAT: Art Exhibition The Tunisian-born artist was prompted to create art inspired by her roots only when she left her homeland for New York and became interested in ideas and symbols of identity. Ayari, whose work has been exhibited across the world and is patronised by the Saatchi Gallery, is a rare new talent who has a very unique style. The exhibit at the Third Line features five of her abstract paintings that are dream-like and surreal, called Tongue, Splitting, Pouring, Spit and Fountain. The theme of her work is allegorical and symbolic, using strong imagery and vivid colours to evoke a macabre aesthetic that calls into question the purity of nature. www.thethirdline.com
WHEN: 24 October - 11 November WHERE: Online WHAT: Auction Since its launch a mere seven years ago, Christie’s has sold over US $231 million in art, watches and jewellery throughout the Middle East and is now set to open its first online venue for the sale of Arab art. Highlights from the collection include the striking photograph "Over My Dead Body" by Palestinian/British artist Mona Hatoum, which shows the artist in profile while a plastic toy soldier climbs up the bridge of her nose, which is expected to sell for over $30,000. Similarly evocative and intriguing is Amina Benbouchta’s photograph of a woman in the woods, obscuring her face with a teapot, which is expected to go for around US$7,000. www.christies.com
WHEN: 9 October 2013 – 5 January 2014 WHERE: Museum of Islamic Art, Doha WHAT: Art exhibition The brainchild of renowned curator Venetia Porter, the hugely successful exhibition was shown at the British Museum in London last year and now is set to arrive in Doha, almost entirely changed by the great minds at Qatar Museums Authority to reflect a more Qatari experience. The annual Muslim pilgrimage is an emotional event for many people, with the Ka’ba being at its literal and figurative heart. The cube-shaped building is what all travelling Muslims face when they pray, and even if you don’t believe in the spiritual symbolism of its subject, it has still been known to produce an emotional response within Muslims and nonMuslims alike, such as when it was exhibited in the UK. The interactive exhibition traces the history of the Hajj, from historical perspectives to modern day reactions, all the while charting the course of those who have undertaken this great journey. www.qma.com.qa
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. sur la terre . the list .
the list ENTERTAINMENT
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AUG
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Rihanna “Diamonds” World Tour
Sandance, feat. The Killers
Omid Djalili Live in Dubai
WHEN: 16 August WHERE: Yas Island, Abu Dhabi WHAT: Concert “Oh na na, what’s my name?” Need you ask, RiRi? Surely by now, everyone and his or her dog is aware of the Bajan beauty and her catchy pop tunes. Appreciated as much for her outrageous fashion choices as for her vocal talents, Rihanna's fifth world tour promises to be a heck of a show as she belts out songs from her album Apologetic and some of the hits from her back catalogue that made her a household name. Her previous world tours have been critically acclaimed and finally overshadowed the controversies surrounding her personal life that have continued to dog her, so her fans can finally just enjoy the music. www.rihannanow.com/live
WHEN: 11 October WHERE: Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai WHAT: Concert The award-winning Sandance is so much more than a boogie in the desert. This October, Sandance continues pulling in international stars and has announced that Altantis Beach will be host to American rock band The Killers, who shot to fame in the early noughties with hits like “Somebody Told Me” and “All These Things That I’ve Done.” The band has released four studio albums and enjoys renown for anthemic songs and indie rock grit. The lineup also includes Of Monsters And Men and The Wailers, plus international DJs. Remember to buy your tickets early before they sell out. Altogether now, “You sit there in your heartache, waiting for your beautiful boy...” www.sandance.ae
WHEN: 11 October WHERE: Sheikh Rashid Hall, Dubai WHAT: Comedy Gig Sharp as a razor blade and faster than the Roadrunner, the English comedian has built a name for himself making gags about race, religion and politics with typical childish glee and mania, calling on his Iranian roots to deliver stand-out performances. Internationally known for his hilarious shows in diverse films such as Gladiator, The Mummy and Mr Nice, Omid Djalili is a comedian with eclectic talents, who believes that laughing is the best kind of exercise. So why not burn off some calories by listening to and guffawing at one of Britain’s legendary talents? www.yakevents.com
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. sur la terre . the list .
the list Lifestyle
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Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience
Dubai’s Big Pink Ball
The 1st Red Bull Flugtag in Qatar
WHEN: 10 October WHERE: Dubai Mall WHAT: Fashion Festival As Dubai Mall is the largest of its kind in the world, it is only fitting that it plays host to the biggest fashion extravaganza the world has to offer: the Vogue Fashion Experience. For one day only, Dubai Mall will be teeming with supermodels, fashionistas, fashion editors, designers and muses, headed by Vogue Italia Editor and style legend Franca Souzzani, herself. For anyone interested in fashion, this is a must-see event and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Dubai, as 250 international brands will descend on the fashion hub where there will be catwalk fashion shows and exhibitions, all culminating in a gala dinner. www.thedubaimall.com
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WHEN: 24 October WHERE: Abu Dhabi WHAT: Summer Festival Cancer is a killer, as we all know, and while the fight to cure the disease rages on, with scientists and researchers soldiering forth towards a breakthrough, it is up to civilians to offer our support by raising both awareness and funds. While this cause is noble and honourable, there is no reason why it can’t be fun! Run by the Ladies Day Out, Dubai’s Big Pink Ball is a gala event that will feature a charity auction, fashion shows and some first-class entertainment that will raise vital funds for local cancer charities. Partying for a cause is the best kind of partying! www.ladiesdayout.com
. sur la terre . the list .
WHEN: 1 November WHERE: MIA Park, Doha WHAT: Competition In German, “flugtag” means flying day, and that day has been marked as the first of November for the 45 teams who have been working hard for the last few months to create a vehicle that will fly from the pier at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. A hard task, some might say, but human flight has long been a dream in the Arab world; ingenious inventor Abbas Ibn Firnas designed a flying machine with large wings and managed to fly a short distance in the 19th century. Only time will tell if Doha’s finest will soar into the fly or plummet into the watery depths. www.redbullmea.com/flugtag
th e scen e
My Rock Star Series Volume I —
The Gallery at Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar opened its first exhibition of the year, by acclaimed artist/ photographer Hassan Hajjaj.
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5 1. Fleming, Amy and Mathias 2. Zach, Zoe and Amit 3. Begum, Alisha, Fatema and Habeeb 4. Giorgio, Lesley and Grace 5. Muneera Spence and Caitlin Doherty
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Jaidah unveils the new Chevrolet Impala —
amid photos of vintage Chrvrolets, jaidah automotive revealed the latest incarnation of an american classic , a sleek and masculine sedan that combines the style of the past with the technology of the future.
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4 1. Jaidah Group Photo 2. Ynara and Elize 3. Sami and Rodolfo 4. Mark Jerkins (Automotive General Manager)
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Shoot for a Cause —
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Several photography groups including warp, pinoy lente, 21 elements, dpsc, tclq, picacts and nrs held a charity photoshoot for the typhoon victims in the philippines .
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Qatari Fashion Comes to London —
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As part of Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London hosted a fashion exchange with internationally acclaimed UK milliner Philip Treacy and female entrepreneurs from Qatar’s Rouda Centre.
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The Ritz Carlton celebrates International Charity Day —
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On International Charity Day, The Ritz Carlton Hotel, in collaboration with Qatar Red Crescent, held a charity event to raise awareness of the plight of families and children inside Syria and refugees in neighbouring countries.
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For your eyes only
WELCOME To a world where money is no object and Cool comes at a price. FYEO is A millionaire’s shopping list that gives you an iNSIDE track to the things you need to own.
See Through Music >>> We here at Sur la Terre like to think we’ve always had “record vision,” peering as we often do into peerless luxury. The same is true for our discerning readership. Now, thanks to a company called Vinylize, we can all showcase to the world our more sonorous viewpoints in a more literal sense, and with no small amount of style. Wishing to give unloved vinyl records a second, more “visual” form, Vinylize has perfected a process that transforms the musical castoffs of a bygone age into eyeglass frames that will make even the most bohemian hipsters among us openly weep with “I saw through music before it was cool” envy. The frames have been
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rendered into a bevy of different styles, all of which conform to or play upon current eyewear trends, but with a quality finish that is arrestingly unique, ripplingly dynamic and a whole lot of fun. Not only does Vinylize redefine the term “scratching your lenses,” but each one of these frames comes with a “Handmade in Hungary” guarantee, and it’s clear that they are all made with love. When we first saw this, the next stylish step in upcycling, we absolutely fell in love with it! In fact, you could say it was... music to our eyes. www.vinylize.com
. sur la terre . for your eyes only .
Time on Your Hands >>> The next time someone asks you for the time of day, don’t look at your wrist... give them the finger! Now, before you start popping more birds than Duck Hunt, what we’re actually talking about is one of the cleverest accessory reimaginings we’ve ever seen! The Ringclock does exactly what it says on the tin: it’s a watch for your finger, but it’s also much more than that. Wrought with a clean, decidedly un-cumbersome and fantastically futuristic design, the Ringclock works by spinning its surgical-grade stainless steel loops to reveal LED-lit numbers, thus creating a deceptively-minimalistic and conceptually-fresh time delivery system. Water-resistant (though not
water-proof), not only does it have a great relationship with splashes and rain, but also with electricity. Equipped with already impressive energy-saving technology, one of the coolest things about these rings is that it charges wirelessly by setting it atop its included dock. The charge lasts about a week with everyday use and automatically shuts down after a minute without use. The only downside we can see is that the battery lifetime currently stands at three years, and it cannot be replaced. Of course, even after it eventually dies, you will still have a very cool-looking ring. www.ringclock.net
Hats Amore >>> Having become somewhat passé in preceding decades, the humble hat has enjoyed a resurgence as a must-have fashion accessory. However, in a world increasingly more “haturated,” is there a candidate at the head of the class? Is there an uncontested crowned king of caps? Well, for our money (and yours), Italy’s own SuperDuper Homemade Hats is at very least a fierce contender. Based in Florence and under the auspices of an architect, a dancer and a musician-cum-graphic designer, each of whom has personal experience and professional training in international fashion and technology, SuperDuper is a company dedicated to literally reshaping the hat world. After falling in love with the traditional wooden
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hat blocker, around which each lid is built, the three visionaries played with form, doffing the static hat attraction for something a bit more radical. In their own words, “Every SuperDuper is a creative jewel inspired by the suggestion of the moment and is the result of a traditional process, almost totally lost in the chaos of mass production.” Whether it’s a flagrant disavowal of preconceived dimensions of brim and volume, or outrightly modeling hats upon various exotic fruits, each SuperDuper hats is a handmade, fun and flagrant work of art. It’s the perfect feather in your cap of personal style. www.superduperhats.com
. sur la terre . for your eyes only .
Drive Straight Jacket >>> Hey, remember that time in 1964 when legendary icon of cool, Steve McQueen, rode bravely through then-communist East Germany on a 650 Triumph during the event which is now called the International Six Days Enduro? Sure you do! He had one of his spectacular little spills and everything! Well, now you can imitate that dramatic motorcycle run - minus McQueen’s nasty crash, preferably - with this Barbour Steve McQueen Rexton Jacket. Based on the original A7 “The Steve” wore during that harrowing two-wheeled adventure, this 8 oz. heavyweight wax, multipocket men's belted motorcycle jacket comes with all of the highlights you demand from such an historical artifact, from its fantastically vintage, distressed finish to its always-classic American flag lining. It even features the original international label and I.D.S.T team badge, just in case you need that extra little bit of procured street credibility. It may not be exceptional in terms of road safety and/or overall protection, but if you need to look fierce as you pierce the literal and figurative roadways that wind precariously through life, then you may as well do so with all of the “cool” you can muster. And nothing says cool like McQueen. www.orvis.com
All-Starcade
>>>
No one ever said “settling down” must necessarily and/or mutually exclude video games. In fact, we here at Sur la Terre have oft-spoken about the benefits of the everyday audio-visual digital dalliance, and reaffirm our position that video games can, and often do, save marriages. Okay, maybe that’s going a bit far, but if the Arcade Tables produced by Surface Tension have proven anything, it is this: compromises can be made. Housed within high-quality, real-wood veneers that boast higloss finishing in any colour and a thick pane of darkened glass, these gorgeously-appointed, modern tables bely a heart that throbs with the classic family fun of a walk-in arcade. Switching on and transforming the Arcade Table reveals a playground of joysticks aching to be fiddled, buttons begging to be mashed and hours of fun with hundreds of titles waiting to be played. Sold with a stock armada of over 100 games, including everything, from Pac-Man, Galaga and Frogger to Mortal Kombats 1 to 3, Spy Hunter II and NARC, each table can also be customised to your most intimate whims, whether purely aesthetic, or by facilitating your entertainment with an even richer library of emulated games. Game on, friends and fashionistas. Game on. http://www.surface-tension.net
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. sur la terre . for your eyes only .
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A Hammam to Remember Three and a half pearls SLT gets the royal treatment by the Moroccan-inspired Hamman at The Four Seasons. Words: Laura Hamilton Photography : Herbert Villadelrey
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M
y friend Catherine and I were walking around Covent Garden in London this summer, when a little pop-up shop caught our eye. For a limited time only, the shop was selling rather dubious pots of cream swirled with 18k gold flakes, which a charming if effete salesman expertly massaged onto the back of my friend’s hand. The gold acted as exfoliation and it astonished me how much dead skin flaked from one hand. Ever since then, I’ve been entertaining the idea that I am covered in dead skin that no loofa can handle. Living in a hot and dusty climate is the perfect recipe for dry, unhappy skin, so when The Four Seasons offered up its Moroccan-inspired Hammam as a remedy, I was game. The spa is very relaxing and the treatment room felt like a hotel suite; there was the shower room, my own private Jacuzzi, a few comfortable and homely sofas and two treatments beds. As I nibbled on a date and sipped my detoxifying hibiscus tea, Jennifer washed my feet with lemon and mint water, and gave them a good scrub. Then I submerged myself in the Jacuzzi, ostensibly to soften my skin but also to play in the water. It’s very indulgent, sitting in a little Jacuzzi on a Monday morning, while others are sitting in the office, heads glued to a computer screen. It gives one both a sense of privilege and smug satisfaction to ponder this. Then I headed into the steam room. As The Four Seasons don’t have a hammam, the treatment is only inspired by a hammam, which means a lot more privacy than you would usually get and also a lot of walking back and forth between the various water outlets. Shower, Jacuzzi, steam room, soap, steam room, scrub, shower, clay mask, shower, moisturiser, shower. It’s fun, especially for those of us who love water. This is not a treatment for those with a busy schedule, however - it takes two hours to enjoy the Hammam Experience. That pesky dead skin is hard to get rid of, but for those daunted by the prospect of spending two hours in a room being scrubbed, don’t worry, it flies by. In the steam room, Jennifer soaped me up with the disingenuous Moroccan Black soap (in the dim light of the sauna, it was an orange jelly) and left me there to steam for a while. It is the products used in this experience that really make this treatment so successful; they all smell divine and had an amazing effect on my dull and scratchy skin, which gradually became softer and softer. As I rubbed more Black soap on myself, I wondered about my dead skin.
. sur la terre . revue .
With two Moroccan Kessa gloves, which feel like toilet brushes, Jennifer destroyed me. Scratching my back was quite relaxing, but my calves were unhappy at the treatment; through gritted teeth, however, I somehow survived. It was all worth it in the end, and I was vindicated. Little flakes of dead skin were dotted all over my body; it was disgusting that my body sheds skin like that, but I was happy to be rid of it. The rhythm had lulled me into stupor, like Cerberus by music, and by the time the Rhassoul Body Clay Mask was applied and I was wrapped up in plastic like a mummy, I was in a deep sleep. The impurities were drawn from my body while I slumbered. I have no memory of the Argan oil being applied to my scalp, and later, I sleepily wondered how my hair became so oily, but apparently it strengthens the hair follicles. Cocooned in my clay mask wrap, Jennifer gave me a mini-facial with a lavender cleanser, a calming mist and a face mask, which made my skin feel soft and clear (after I inspected myself in the mirror afterwards, I saw no need to apply any foundation, which is unheard of). Then another rinse in the shower and I was ready for the final act: Argan body and face moisturiser. After chilling in the relaxation room, drinking my Moroccan tea, and stroking my soft skin, I was given my very own Kessa gloves and some 24k gold soap with which to keep my skin soft and clear. I’ve never been to Morocco before, but do you really need to, when The Four Seasons is down the road?
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Al Sanbouk: Cuisine with a Capital “SEA” Four pearls Sur la Terre visits Al Sanbouk in Al Jasra Boutique Hotel and bites off more than it can chew. Words: Laura Hamilton Photography : Herbert Villadelrey
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Next, we had tempura prawns from Bahrain; light, crisp, fluffy and dipped in a little sweet and sour sauce, they were perfect. There is a soft spot in my Scottish heart for anything fried, or deep fried, and this was one of my favourite parts of the meal.
Everything was so fresh and apart from the lobster from Nova Scotia, local, so we saw it as our duty to sample everything. There was a moment when I thought our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, but I had underestimated us; we were seriously greedy foodies.
The barracuda was a meaty alternative to all the light, white meat, but unless you like your fish tough, I would suggest you give it a miss. Then we were back to prawns (surely everyone’s favourite shellfish), this time grilled and from Oman. Dipped in shallot sauce, they were mouthwatering, but paled in comparison to their tempura-dipped cousins. At this point, normal people would have stopped, clutching their stomachs while shouting, “No more!” But those people are wimps.
t’s surprising the amount of people who don’t like seafood, but that just means there is more for the rest of us. A good fish restaurant is a rare find, but Al Sanbouk at Al Jasra Boutique Hotel in Souq Waqif nails it. Huge black bowls filled with ice line the kitchen, where fresh fish is kept cold and ready to be picked. It is up to the customer to decide how to cook the fish, although Chef Piak is full of helpful suggestions. I was with my friend Ranran, who has a particular fondness for Nova Scotian lobster after living in Canada for years, and was excited when she spotted some in one of the cauldrons. “It’s the best kind of lobster!” she told me, and then gave very precise instructions on how it should be cooked. When there isn’t a menu per se, merely a selection of food to choose from, the temptation is to go overboard and want everything. Like the erstwhile Oscar Wilde, I can resist anything except temptation.
After perusing the buffet of Middle Eastern staples (I suggest the beetroot moutabel, it is gloriously pink), we sat down to the best the sea has to offer. I had been led to believe that the proper way to consume an oyster was to swallow it, but etiquette has told me that there is a more proper way, which is to chew, rendering the swallowing malarkey as improper and invalid. Unsure as to who to believe, I did a taste test. With oyster number one, I dipped my head back, letting the ice-cold, salty mollusc speed down my throat, leaving a lemony trail. Oyster number two, I shelled into my mouth and chewed with trepidation. There was an undeniable winner; you should, as mothers are wont to say, always chew your food. There is a texture to the oyster which is quite unique; while the mussel is chewy and rubbery, the oyster is delicate, salty, hovering between solid and liquid and truly delicious. Al Sanbouk boasts a Thai chef, so there is a definite Asian flavour running through the restaurant. The Tom Yum Soup serves as a perfect compliment to the fish; the Thai staple has little flakes of fish and mushrooms swimming in the dark red, oily and spicy depths.
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We had decided to go big or go home, so we ordered two lobsters; one of them hailing from Nova Scotia, steamed with butter and garlic, while the other was a Lobster Thermidor from Oman. After an epic battle, I was forced to disavow my beloved Oman and admit that the lobster from Nova Scotia won, although it was all down to the way it was cooked. As Ranran, a great chef and a knowledgeable person told me, the best way to cook food is plainly. With seafood, you need only boil it for a short amount
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of time, add a little garlic and some butter and you’re good to go. The lobster benefited from merely being steamed, the meatiness and texture were strong and light, whereas the Lobster Thermidor simply had too much going on in its composition. In my humble opinion, Lobster Thermidor is aimed at people who don’t like lobster, but want to be thought of as sophisticated and classy. The lobster meat is slathered in cheese, and while I love cheese, it’s not a good mix. Ranran ordered some mussels, intrigued by the blue-rimmed shells that she had only ever seen in China and Thailand. Delicious and authentic, the steamed mussels were best without the rich sauce; less is always more. After I rested my stomach, we ordered coffees and took a gander at the dessert buffet, where the cheesecake caught my eye. Perhaps it seems a little incongruous that the fresh fish are bookended by Arabic mezze and international desserts, but as the seafood is the star of the show, the starters and desserts are mere periphery acts. The restaurant is a little hidden away, but as it is far removed from the hoi polloi, Al Sanbouk has an air of exclusivity. The selection of fresh fish here is impressive and expertly whipped-up, while the staff is equally helpful and attentive, making this dining experience a great local catch.
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Mom Tri’s Kitchen Four pearls Burgeoning foodie, Laura Hamilton, travels to the island of Phuket in Thailand and discovers an internationally acclaimed restaurant nestled in the jungle.
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ome things are worth the wait. Rattling around the darkly-lit streets of Kata Noi with only Google Maps and a hungry stomach to guide us was perhaps not the best start to the evening. Roaming around in the dark is no way to appreciate the beautiful surroundings, and tempers were starting to get heated when the sign popped out at us and we hurried through the arch, very late. Mom Tri’s was stumbled upon, quite by accident, by Lalini in a serendipitous fashion, and she and her husband invited us back. Met by an impressive driftwood sculpture in the entrance, we swept through the garden, pausing to admire the size of the frogs in the pond, or wonder what on earth was making the strange honking sound that emanated from up one of the trees (unresolved mystery). Intertwined with nature, the boutique hotel and restaurant were dreamed up by Mom Luang Tridhosyuth Devakul, better known as Mom Tri, a Harvard grad who returned to his native Thailand to set up Club Med in Kata Beach during the 80s and then the eponymous kitchen, which has gathered international accolades for its cuisine. Packed at night, the sound of the waves and the lights around the curve of the bay made for a romantic setting, the waves crashing with roaring violence onto the shore; this is not the usual Thai cuisine experience, where travellers can feast for mere pennies. While generalising is frowned upon, I would go as far to say that the Thai people are very good chefs; none of the meals we had in our two and a half weeks in Phuket were less than satisfactory and some were downright delicious. Walking into Mom Tri’s Kitchen, I had no idea what to expect, whether I was in for a night of high Thai cuisine, or European food, or Italian (the island is dotted with restaurants claiming to be a dubious fusion of Italian and Thai cuisine). No ordinary travellers are we; indeed, The Great Taster and I braved the ten hour flight from Doha to Phuket to master the ancient art of Muay Thai, and spent our days in boxing gloves, aggressively punching and kicking in the humidity. Needless to say, by the time night fell, we were starving.
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During the day, turquoise hills covered in jungle, you can see a little corner of the bay that has been tamed by Mom Luang Tridhosyuth Devakul aka Mom Tri, and made into a haven. Mom Tri’s Kitchen has two menus: European and Thai, and as much as I love Thai food, I had been gorging myself on it for a week, and had probably consumed my weight in Pad Thai and curry. As there are certain restrictions on what you can eat back home, you can probably guess what I ordered. The soft tender belly of Babe was complimented by sea scallops, with steamed bok chop, curried pumpkin puree, rhubarb and ginger chutney, and it was so soft and juicy, I was momentarily left speechless. It’s not something I would have necessarily thought to put together, but this odd couple were a perfect match, and as I slowly savoured each forkful, I immediately decided we were coming back for lunch. The Great Taster had made a beeline for the steak, which was grilled to perfection and accompanied by the usual juicy vegetables. The desert menu tempted us, but it took a roundtable discussion of ten minutes to decide. I had a fondant au chocolat chaud, a warm, melting chocolate cake with hazelnut ice cream and chocolate sauce that I refused to share, although I sampled a friend’s basil sorbet (fairly unimpressive). The tempura banana, a rather innovative way of making fruit very naughty, was devoured quickly by The Great Taster and declared delicious. Sipping on our crisp vino, we laughed and chatted away to the sound of the ocean; the perfect holiday snapshot. A few days later, we returned during the day for a late lunch. A cool breeze swept through the open-plan architecture as we admired the surfers braving the waves below us. Darkly romantic at night, during the day, the relaxed atmosphere gave Mom Tri’s a calmness to the luxury surrounding us. Scanning the lunch menu with an eagle eye, I was keen to repeat my order again; but alas, it was not to be, so I had a baked Andaman crab salad instead. The Great Taster skipped straight to dessert and tucked into some lemon sorbet, as we gazed out at the sea. www.momtriphuket.com
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GLOBETRO TTER
Where: TORONTO What: Art Toronto When: From 25 to 28 October www.tiafair.com
Where: New York, USA What: MOMA, Magritte: The Mystery of the Ordinary, 1926–1938 When: From 28 September to 12 January 2014
Where: London, UK What: Tate Modern Saloua Raouda Choucair When: From 17 April to 20 October
www.moma.org
www.tate.org.uk
Where: mIAMI What: Art Basel Miami Beach When: From 5 to 8 December
Global Gatherings www.artbasel.com
Global Gatherings is your at-a-glance map of magnificence, directing you to all of the culturally essential, entertaining and luxurious events and happenings that will be taking place across the world (or perhaps, we should say, “sur la terre”) over the coming months.
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Where: HAMBURG What: Hamburg International Boat Show When: From 26 October to 3 November www.hanseboot.de
Where: cairo What: International Film Festival When: From 27 November to 6 December www.ciff.org.eg
Where: SHANGHAI What: Shanghai Rolex Masters When: From 6 to 13 October
www.shanghairolexmasters.com
Where: DUBAI What: Dubai Rugby Sevens When: From 28 to 30 November www.dubairugby7s.com
Where: Hong Kong What: Fine Art Asia When: From 4 to 7 October www.aaifair.com
Where: PRAGUE What: Christmas market When: From 1 December to 1 January 2014 www.czechtourism.com
Where: ABU DHABI What: Abu Dhabi Film Festival When: From 24 October to 2 November www.abudhabifilmfestival.ae
Where: Cape Town What: Cape Town International Boat Show When: From 4 to 6 October www.boatshow.co.za
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GLOBETRO TTER
nightlife
SHOPPING
Death & Co
QELA
Where: New York, USA GPS: 40˚ ° 43' 33.21" N, 73˚° 59' 02.88" W
Where: Doha, Qatar GPS: 25˚° 21' 55.81" N, 51˚ ° 32' 26.02" E
According to the Death & Co philosophy, prohibition evoked the fear that on entering a speakeasy, you would have a life shadowed by death (or perhaps, just the law). This dramatic bar embraces the dark, tipping their hat to those who shun the night and partake of libations along with Death & Company. From the inconspicuous entrance, you might not expect much, but in Manhattan, exclusivity is everything and the forbidding doors open up into a dark and intimate atmosphere. The menu is extensive and elaborate, and with romantic names for cocktails like The Gypsy Wedding and Cobra’s Fang, it’s easy to see why Death & Co has become so popular amongst the Manhattan crowd. www.deathandcompany.com
What defines Qatari style? Luxury, of course! With strong inclination for the European fashion houses, the Gulf marries its ostentatious wealth and Arabic traditions with an affinity for a timeless, classic style. It was only a matter of time before the small peninsula of Qatar punched above its weight again, and opened its first fashion brand. Offering a plethora of leather goods, stylish shoes, jewellery and haute couture, QELA will open in The Pearl on September 25 and in the following months, a boutique in the fashion capital itself, Paris, is also on the cards. www.qatarluxurygroup.com
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HOTEL
restaurant
The Tschuggen Grand Hotel
The Optimist
Where: Arosa, Switzerland GPS: 46˚° 46' 39.02" N, 9˚° 40' 09.21" E
Where: Atlanta, USA GPS: 33˚ ° 46' 49.89" N, 84˚ ° 24' 38.33" W
Amidst the stunning Graubünden mountains in Arosa rests a worldfamous spa at the The Tschuggen Grand Hotel, where jetsetters retreat for indulgence and rejuvenation. Architecturally unique, the organic, geometric buildings are designed to channel light, opening up the vista so guests can enjoy the dynamic countryside, and the views of the private mountain railway. The spa, which spans four floors, includes saunas, pools, steam baths, treatment rooms, medical wellness centres and an iBed solarium. After pampering yourself, there are four restaurants to feast in, as well as an old-school bar and Cigar Lounge. www.en.tschuggen.ch
Although Atlanta is landlocked, Chef Ford Fry saw no reason why that should stop him from setting up a restaurant that pulls together the best sustainable seafood from around the States and serves it to salivating seafood enthusiasts. The rustic restaurant is decorated with whitewashed brick walls, darkly stained wooden floors and a phalanx of stripes, evoking an atmosphere of seaside glamour so rich, you might think you can taste the salt of the sea in the air. The menu is peppered with delicious treats like blackened mahi mahi, duck fat-poached swordfish and crispy whole black fish. Connected to The Optimist is The Oyster Bar, where you can sample fresh oysters on ice or roasted in a wood-fired oven. www.theoptimistrestaurant.com
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style confidential
AUTUMN CALLING We bring you the hip, the cool, the edgy and the luxe of the new season ahead.
Paws for thought It is time to go wild for animal print, but do not make the many faux pas so often associated with the lure of leopard spots and zebra stripes. Worn incorrectly, an animal print can look cheap and tacky. Choose good quality fabric, make sure you stick to one animal at a time and most of all do not overdo it. Accessories are a great way to bring a subtle hint of this trend into your new season wardrobe. A handbag, belt or (best of all) shoes should break you in gently. Whether cute kitten heels, luxe stilettos or new season slippers, animal print footwear is spot on this season – dusk or dawn.
Burberry Prorsum, Adidas by Stella McCartney, Lanvin, Dolce & Gabbana, Brian Atwood, Burberry Prorsum, Katie Grand Loves Hogan, Katie Grand Loves Hogan, Gianvito Rossi, Miu Miu, Simone Rocha All shoes available at Net-A-Porter.com
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Sketch Style
Jump on the fashion illustration trend train and instead of an antique oil painting or renaissance watercolour, add to your collection with a style-drenched fashion illustration. Thanks to Fashion Illustration Gallery (FIG) internationally acclaimed pieces from artists, including David Downton, Tanya Ling, Francois Berthoud and Hiroshi Tanade are brought together in one place and this now highly sought-after genre is fast becoming the new “it” art. While appointments are taken at the Mayor Gallery on Cork Street, London, a selection of FIG’s work is available online at www.fashionillustrationgallery.com.
The Eye of the City
Too alternative for Lonely Planet? Done the Wallpaper guides and now seeking a new way to explore some of the world’s most breathtaking destinations? Well, Louis Vuitton has launched a range of Travel Books offering a contemporary vision of travel, exploring destinations through the eyes of four artists who are unfamiliar with them. This rather novel insight into Easter Island, London, Paris and New York (more destinations to follow) is a collection of their impressions of the destinations by way of painting, drawing, cartoon and collage. We particularly love New York by French artist Jean-Philippe Delhomme. Available at Louis Vuitton stores.
Dolly Mixture
Madonna and Lady Gaga are both known for reinventing their looks, and now there is another lady back on the style radar with a fresh new wardrobe: Barbie! Following a recent high-fashion makeover from American brand Coach, Barbie’s iconic status is now back in the limelight with her new, enviable New York City wardrobe, including Tattersall Trench Coat, Red Coach Classic Duffle and a bevvy of delectable arm candy. For AW 13, Barbie has jetsetted over to London, where she has received a cool and urban makeover from new-gen British designers Fred Butler, Nasir Mazhar and Sister By Sibling. The special limited edition one-off dolls are available at the new Selfridges Toy Shop in London’s Oxford Street.
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For Her... Billowing Beauties
Nothing screams effortless chic louder than a kaftan, and these billowing one-pieces needn’t be banished to just the beach. Thanks to Parisian couture designer Stéphane Rolland, this season, more than ever, the kaftan is a fabulous alternative for evening allure. His limited edition collection of kaftans, tunic dresses and accessories (part of his new readyto-wear line) are exquisitely tailored for an exotic, elegant and luxurious contemporary approach to style.
Velvet Allure
Autumn sees fashion all grown up with elegant handbags, demure shoes and womanly dresses, but grown up doesn’t mean frumpy. For the ultimate in the new season mature allure, make your evening dress a velvet version. Queen of style Diane Kruger proves that velvet is the perfect evening choice, oozing subtle glamour in this Alberta Ferretti dress at the JaegerLeCoultre Gala Dinner in Venice.
Take Cover
While a heavy winter coat may not be top of your wardrobe wish list here in the Middle East, this winter, coats are so covetable that we will be wishing for the sun to go down and the weather to turn, so we can flaunt a new season coat at any given opportunity. Think oversized and mannish, but tailored and offering a shapely silhouette. Be inspired by Stella McCartney and opt for rich and luxurious fabrics, go for pale yet appealing pastel hues or wrap yourself up in a gorgeous contemporary cape.
The Row
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Stella McCartney
. sur la terre . style confidential .
Chloé
For Him... Tag Yourself
It’s time to up your game when it comes to accessorising your style this autumn, and there is really no excuse not to look every bit the suave and sophisticated gent you are. Let the jet-setting world of Tag Heuer lead the way with motor sports, precision engineering and contemporary design as your style inspiration, and refine your look with the brand’s new Avant-Garde Accessories collection. We are particularly fond of the oh-so-dashing travel bag: the perfect excuse for a weekend jolly.
His & Hers
Ladies, if you are planning on investing in some new shades this season, a pair of Tod’s new season sunglasses should keep the man in your life happy; and gents, keep an eye on your shades, as Tod’s new eyewear collection for AW 13 is unisex. Now you can both benefit from a new season splurge. The limited edition collection has a retro feel, with the colour contrast frames bringing a dash of 60s style to your look but with a cool contemporary twist.
Sweater Shop
Printed tees and sweaters are big news for autumn, and Parisian fashion giants Balenciaga have decided they can’t leave out the boys, so they have replicated their infamous Sphinx printed tee and sweater for men this season. Wear yours under one of autumn’s new favourite cover-ups, either a cool 70s style shearling jacket or 50s style beatnik hooded parka.Don’t forget the all-important backpack, the must-have accessory for keeping up with the cool kids this season.
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" For in the tru e nat u re of thing s , if we rightly consider , ev ery green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of g old and silv er .." - Ma r t i n L u t h e r
The ART OF ABSTRACTION
u p close a n d per so n a l
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Lisa Mounteer-Watson Laura Hamilton speaks to locally-based artist, Lisa MounteerWatson, about abstract art, the relationship between artist and the environment and her ambitions for the future.
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hen Lisa Mounteer-Watson moved to the Middle East 12 years ago, she was so inspired by the stark landscape that she felt the urge to paint. Now an established artist, who has exhibited in the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi and The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Doha, Mounteer-Watson’s abstract paintings evoke a feeling of otherworldliness with their texture, depth and ambiguity. Her latest collection, Chronofusion, is on display at InterContinental Doha The City. Although you have always painted, what pushed you into becoming a professional painter? I was inspired by the landscape, the starkness and the earth tone colours [of the Gulf]. All of a sudden, I had all this time on my hands to explore what I wanted to do. It’s the real Arabia. When we moved to Oman, it was just after the second Gulf War and it was pretty undiscovered at the time. The geometric feel of the structures of Oman and Abu Dhabi, from the architecture to the rocks and mountains, really intrigued me. Would you consider yourself self-taught? I studied art a little at university, and had painting classes over the years, but I would say I’m self taught. I don’t have the voices of teachers in my head questioning me, which allows me to be free! I don’t want to take any more classes; I’m afraid it would stifle me. How has your art evolved over the years? It’s much more abstract now. It used to be more figurative, but as you grow, your personality takes on different forms, as do your paintings. I’m more intrigued by abstract art, when things are much more ambiguous than purely figurative work. I like people looking at a painting and trying to figure out what it means to them, rather than just an overt figure that is self-explanatory. Although I do like painting birds.
Would you describe yourself as an introvert or an extrovert? That’s a very interesting question! I think I’m inherently very shy, but it depends on the situation. Painting is a way for me to be an extrovert. I really feel at peace and serene when I’m painting, that this is what I’m supposed to be doing. In writing, people say that you should write something you want to read. Is that the same in painting? At the end of the day, if it doesn’t look good on my wall, it won’t look good on anyone else’s. I do some wacko art that I love, which is neither decorative nor commercial, but to me it’s very interesting. One of my paintings in the exhibition at The InterCon City is called Warrior’s Reprieve, which I painted while I was thinking about Syria, and to me it’s a really powerful painting, but it’s not commercial. Not in this market. People don’t want very challenging art. I am making gross generalisations here! The paintings that sell very well are the Doha landscape paintings, and paintings that are red. I have a friend who is a fantastic artist called Linda Nijenbandring De Boer. She paints local men on horses, camels, which is very figurative and those are very popular. If someone says to me, ‘I really like that painting,’ I think to myself, I’m going to do another painting like that. Unfortunately, then it becomes contrived, and I can’t repeat what I’ve done. I can tell if someone doesn’t like the painting and it will be on my mind the next time I paint. I have to throw all the voices out of my head, otherwise it constricts you. Ultimately, I have to like a painting, and I know when a painting is working and when it isn’t. Your recent exhibitions have been held in hotels. Is there a difference between art in a hotel gallery and a more traditional exhibition space? Art for hotels can be arguably purely decorative. When art is in a hotel, people walk by it, whereas in a gallery they sit in front of it and think
Damien Hirst said he painted for the mind, rather than the eye. Would you agree with that? Absolutely! I paint intuitively and I like to let my subconscious come through. It’s very hard to articulate what I’m feeling, I feel like I speak through my paintings and even then it’s hard to explain. I hope they generate a feeling, an emotional response. This series is called Chronofusion. A lot of artists are interested in science, does that ring true for you? I’m interested in physics, in the idea that there are multi-dimensions, parallel universes. I think that my art is another parallel of the environment I’m in. I actually don’t feel like I’m on this plane all the time, especially as I get older. I’m much more aware that there are different dimensions out there. I’m a very empathetic person and I think we’re receiving a lot of information from the environment. That’s how I live my life.
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about it. However, you’re just using a hotel as a space, and The Square at InterContinental Doha The City is a wonderful space for an artist. There are all these empty walls and there is all this light. The hotel has been very supportive of my work and I’m very grateful to them. What are your thoughts on the art scene here? Qatar’s art scene on the world stage is really exciting, on so many levels. HH Sheikha Al Mayassa has been buying really important works of art, like the gigantic teddy bear that’s going into the new airport. It’s so progressive. There is a small artist community here, all of whom are very supportive of each other and there are two very successful Qatari artists, Salman Almalik and Ali Hassan, who I think are brilliant and inspiring. What are your other inspirations? Lately, I love Frank Bowling. There is an ambiguity in his work, an energy that vibrates from his paintings. I really like the late John Bellany, a powerful Scottish painter, who did seascapes and boats. Peter Doig, another young, upcoming Scottish painter is another artist I admire. In general, I love birds, animals, cave paintings, ancient crumbling stones and tablets, papers, because I feel these things are imbued with an energy from past generations. Do you have any ambitions, things you want to explore in the future? I want to do a series of Arabic bird paintings, but mostly I just want to keep progressing, and take my painting to another level. I want to take away more, paint more simply. I paint, and then I take away. There’s a lot underneath the surface, so I just scrape away and see what comes through. It’s quite textured. Today, I was working on a painting that I’ve been struggling with since May. It’s quite big, and it wasn’t working, I was trying to leave it. So I just painted over it, and then scraped away, and I’m so happy with it now. Suddenly, it feels like I’ve reached another level in my art. The more I paint, the more experience I have, the more I know when to finish a painting. Whereas before, I just didn’t stop. What I’m trying to do now is make my paintings a lot simpler than they used to be. Less is more. It’s interesting that you like layers metaphysically, metaphorically and literally with textures in your art. This painting was done thinking about relationships I’ve had with people, people going away and people coming back. It’s all about relationships. So I was scraping away, and I was thinking of calling the painting After Reconciliation. Lisa Mounteer-Watson’s series Chronofusion is on display in The Square at InterContinental Doha The City. www.lisamounteerwatson.com
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Dr Sabine Donnai dr sabine donnai gave up a high flying career to start her own practice in harley street, a private client health management service, set to change the way we look at medicine. SUR LA TERRE investigates the future of high-end healthcare.
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r Sabine Donnai is the co-founder of Viavi, a private client health management service, based in the Harley Street area of London. International clients are given complete control of their health, as well as a wealth of options; Viavi has a wide network that can provide round-the-clock care, advancement into medical trials, and where needed, anonymity. Satisfied customers include Andy Stevens, CEO of the Commercial Bank of Qatar and Jacqueline Gold, CEO of Ann Summers and Knickerbox. What made you decide to set up Viavi? Having held leadership positions at many top international healthcare institutes, did you find something lacking in the philosophy or practice behind them? The founders have wide experience in the healthcare industry, but in creating Viavi we wanted to deliver a health management service without barriers – clinically, geographically and financially. We wanted to challenge the traditional way of doing things and apply a combination of world-leading science, deep root cause analysis and utter personalisation. We wanted to develop meaningful ongoing relationships with our clients, providing the support to help them achieve their goals and take real control of their health. Your approach to healthcare is holistic rather than linear. Do you find this to be a better approach than relying on, for example, a private hospital or a single doctor? Addressing health issues properly is often not straightforward. We like to get to the root cause of a problem and not just treat the symptom. Equally, there might be a number of factors that have to be taken into account to ensure the optimum outcome. It is essential we consider the needs of the whole person, not just the symptom. That’s why we feel that it often makes sense to draw on the expertise of a number of leading specialists and facilities – highly skilled in their different fields – but with us pulling it all together to ensure that treatment and care comes together . You describe Viavi as a health management service. What attracts clients to Viavi? There is no doubt that there is an underlying trend of people wanting to proactively manage their health and capabilities, and are prepared to invest to do so. Clients are attracted to us largely because we give them the ultimate control over their health, enabling them to live their lives to the fullest, safe in the knowledge that they don’t have to worry about their health; we are doing that for them. Clients also love the convenience of the service; they are hugely busy people and ultimately it saves them time, whilst delivering the health outcomes they are looking for.
Do the majority of Viavi clients have pre-existing healthcare issues, or are they busy professionals who don’t have the time to deal with ordinary health care? Viavi’s clients tend to be leaders of nations and their families, or senior figures in business, so it is absolutely true to say that time is a precious commodity for them. The vast majority of our clients come to us for our “Health Evaluation and Health Optimisation” service, which gives clients the ultimate control over their health, often for the very first time. Whether the client wants to address health issues or concerns, or wants to do all they can to protect their future health whilst maintaining the energy and performance levels they need to meet their demanding lifestyle - the service is carefully crafted around the individual needs of each client. We have other clients who come to Viavi for our “Health Advocacy” programme, which supports them and acts in their best interests when complex health problems occur. In the event of a health issue, Viavi acts as the client’s personal health advocate, pulling everything together, guiding and supporting them through the medical labyrinth to the best possible outcome. How large is your client base? And how many clients return after one year? We offer our clients an exclusive, high touch service, so we are very careful to manage the growth of our client base sensitively. Our client retention is almost one hundred per cent; something which we are extremely proud of. After experiencing the service in the first year and the benefits which Viavi offers first-hand, the majority of clients choose to stay with us in subsequent years. The team at Viavi is very small. How are the clients looked after? Each client receives a highly bespoke service and is supported and guided throughout the process. During the initial day of tests, clients will be looked after by their own health management team; an experienced consulting general physician who is a specialist in early disease detection, integrated medicine and preventive health, a personal health manager, a senior applied physiologist and a specialist in health and performance management. The client’s team is complemented by additional clinicians with particular expertise that is directly relevant for their personal circumstances. This would typically include a clinical nutritionist, clinical psychologist and consultant physiotherapist; however, other specialists cover the full range of clinical fields. As you would expect, exceptional service levels are maintained throughout a client’s visit. Located in beautifully appointed facilities, most investigations and consultations are provided in-house, with clinical specialists coming to meet the client directly, removing the need for clients to travel.
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When a new client visits Viavi, you perform a variety of tests. On this initial visit, what are you looking for? The first stage of a client’s initial visit is a detailed interview with a senior general physician, either face-to-face or over the telephone, immediately followed by a first range of tests. There really isn’t a onesize-fits-all approach with regard to the tests and investigations as they are selected for a client’s specific requirements, but initial tests are likely to include full blood analyses, genomic profiling, DNA analysis, saliva tests for sex and stress hormone levels, urinalysis, comprehensive tumour markers and hormone analysis. This is in addition to real-time heart rate variability monitoring over a three-day period to analyse sleep quality and recovery, physiological stress fluctuations throughout the day and night, and activity and exercise quality. The samples taken on the day are couriered to chosen laboratories throughout the world, selected for their specific expertise. If a client is located internationally, then all the samples will be taken locally and the findings from these tests will also help shape the next stages of the programme. Is this approach the future of healthcare? We have the firm view that as we are all living longer, there is absolutely no practical reason that we shouldn’t be as productive and energetic in our 80s as we were in our 20s and 30s. If you can gain unusually detailed health insights from adopting the very latest investigations and tests, it allows you to develop entirely focused and bespoke health management programmes – one size doesn’t fit all. This in turn can help resolve niggling health problems, reduce the risk of future health issues, retain our energy and cognitive performance, and manage the ageing process. Viavi is not only concerned with curing illnesses, but maintaining health and improving quality of life. Why is this aspect of healthcare often neglected and why is it so important? With more and more people living longer, coupled with the frightening rate of growth of lifestyle-related diseases, we believe that it is essential that health is managed proactively, as well as the ageing process generally. This is about helping to reduce the risk of illness like cardiovascular disease and diabetes, which contemporary lifestyle medicine is able to do, but also ensuring that as we age, we do so with as much energy and good cognitive performance as possible. A further benefit is that it also helps us stay looking good as well. If a client has a health issue while travelling, his healthcare manager can arrange for the relevant services to come to him – how big is your network and is there anything you can’t do? We are able to provide high quality clinical support wherever in the world our clients may be located, whether they are travelling or even if they require treatment or support at home. We have clinical practitioners based in the UK with a wide range of specialities who visit our clients. Equally, we can source practitioners to “live-in” with our clients to provide support over a shorter or longer period of time. You’re not afraid to use complementary medicine; as highly experienced physicians, is this a case of keeping your mind open? We are very careful to always remain open-minded on what treatment type will work best for our clients, both to resolve health issues or to help prevent problems in the future. Whilst our programmes tend to be based primarily on the very latest traditional medicine approaches, we are not frightened to try alternative approaches where we feel that it will complement the treatment programme. Our senior clinical team ensures that its members remain fully up-to-date on the very best of traditional and complementary medicine You have a partnership with Quintessentially, the luxury lifestyle management service. What does that involve and do you think good health should be a luxury? We don’t feel that good health should be a luxury, we feel that it is essential if we want to live life and maximise our potential. Our approach at Viavi ensures that our health is managed proactively, just as we would other areas of our life, such as our financial position, career and family. The aim
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throughout is to give our clients control over their health, often for the first time. Contemporary medicine, practised in the right way, allows us to do this. As regards Quintessentially, we work closely with them to provide their members the sort of health support they would require to underpin their busy and successful lifestyles, with the service levels to match. And finally, do you use Viavi yourself for healthcare? We believe passionately in what we do and through Viavi have access to the very best in health management. Why would we not embrace it and realise the many benefits that we are seeing for our clients? www.viavi.com
. sur la terre . up close and personal .
A rto pia
The Year of Culture Laura Hamilton looks at the highlights of two exhibitions, Hajj -The Journey Through Art at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha and Pearls in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
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ere memories of the holy pilgrimage evoke a very emotional response, and for non-Muslims, who have restricted access to Mecca, it represents a point of intrigue. Last year at the British Museum, Venetia Porter curated a magnificent and hugely popular exhibition about the Hajj, which extolled the history and traditions of the pilgrimage, that caught the eye of Qatar Museums Authority (QMA). In collaboration with that venerable British institution, The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) has curated its very own Hajj exhibition, using five pieces from the British Museum as a starting point to build on, to create the first exhibition of its kind in the Middle East: Hajj - The Journey Through Art. The exhibition has been in the making for a while, with the two curators Mounia ChekhabAbudaya (MIA Curator of Manuscripts) in association with Cécile Bresc (former MIA Curator of Coins) extending every effort to make it very local in its context. Around 90% of the exhibited objects are from Qatari collections, whether works from the Museum of Islamic Art or private collections like Sheikh Faisal’s Museum, some of which have never before been seen by the public. QMA’s Media
Brass Qibla Indicator MW.452
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Kitab Kharida al-Ajayib wa farida wa farida al-Gharayibi, al Marrakshi, MS.523
Department has even lent the MIA old footage of one of the pilgrimage trails. QMA asked the residents of Qatar, both national and expat, to contribute their own Hajj souvenirs and artifacts, making the exhibition a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see some truly rare works of art. As one of the pillars of Islam, all Muslims should go on Hajj at least once in their lifetime. It is a religious duty that is perhaps not necessarily associated with art, but as with all such undertakings, it is accompanied by the most beautiful and elaborate objects, from the Ka’ba keys (the Ka’ba is the black cubic structure that sits in Al Masjid al Haram mosque, one of the largest in the world) to a Mahmal (a large palaquin or litter, carried on a camel) that led the journey to Mecca, indicating that it was a holy trip. “Mahmals were very important because they symbolised the power of the Sultans over holy cities,” explains Porter. “Put on top of a camel, and empty inside, they formed the focal point of the caravan.” Part of the Hajj exhibition will focus on the journey from Doha to Mecca, which even though a short distance, was a laborious trip until recently. There is also an oral history section from residents and nationals, where
Ka'ba key - 14th century MW.473.2007
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Brass Qibla Indicator Safavid Iran Isfahan late 17th century signed 'Abd al-A'imma W.452
people tell their stories, and a photo exhibition on the bridge outside MIA, with photos by five international Muslim photographers, offering their own interpretations of the Hajj. This is the third Hajj exhibition of its kind; the first was in London and the second was in Leiden, South Holland. “The Hajj, in a sense, is an idea and an idea is something that can get translated,” says Porter. “We decided this wasn’t going to be a touring exhibition, but decided to make the intellectual property available. We encourage venues to make it into their own story and gear it to different kinds of audiences.” Hajj - A Journey Through Art uses contemporary artworks alongside antiquated objects to immerse you in Islamic rituals and also provide a sense of the continuing traditions that surround a journey to Mecca. One of the most iconic pieces from the exhibition is “Magnetism”, a work of conceptual art by Edge of Arabia’s rising star, Ahmed Mater. The Saudi Arabian’s work reimagines the rituals of walking round the Ka’ba in an urban and modern context. The tawaf (the ritualistic walk around the Ka’ba) is reimagined as metal drawn to a magnet, likening the state of spiritual awakening to the force of nature. It’s a powerful piece that was first shown in The British Museum’s Hajj exhibition, gaining great popularity for its modern reinterpretation and simplification of the act of tawaf. “One of the important things
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about Hajj,” says Porter “is everyone looks the same.” During the tawaf, everyone wears plain white robes, to represent that in the eyes of God, everyone is equal. One of the interesting drawings from the MIA’s collection is a 16th century map of the world, with Mecca at its centre. “This map is a perfect illustration of the concept of ‘sacred geography,’” says Aisha Khater, Director of MIA. “Here, Mecca is placed at the centre of the world, which itself is given the shape of a whale. “Kitab Kharida al-‘Aja’ib wa Farida al-Ghara’ib" (‘The Pearl of Wonders and the Uniqueness of Things Strange’) is a beautiful example of how the sacred city inspired and influenced artists and scientists of the time, just as it continues to do today.” The map has a simplistic beauty to it, and it is interesting to see scholars around the world depict the physical centre of their world as their metaphorical centre. According to ancient legends and myths, the Earth is balanced on the horns of a bull, which in turn is balanced on a whale. Derived from the same scientific tradition as an astrolabe, the 17th century brass Qibla Indicator (the Qibla is the direction to Mecca) is a beautiful and practical piece of art, as well as a technological invention from the Islamic Golden Age when the Arab world was at the forefront of science. “This Qibla indicator shows the direction of the Ka’ba from 30 locations across the Middle East and even further afield,” explains Khater. “It is not only of practical use, but highlights the importance of Mecca as a holy site for Muslims’ every day existence. Muslims face the Qibla during prayer, sacrificial offerings and even in death, Muslims are buried facing Mecca. More than just a striking piece of art, this object shows the centrality of Mecca in the lives of Muslims past, present and future.” One family was gifted with the privilege of looking after the Ka’ba, the Bani Shaiba tribe in Saudi, who must grant permission to whomever wishes to enter the Ka’ba. Every year, a new set of keys to the black cube is made and the family often gives old ones to museums. The keys are the ultimate form of religious power and are extremely precious; in 2011, a Ka’ba key from the 12th century was sold for over $18 million. The MIA is lucky enough to be showing two keys, both from the 14th century, inscribed with Arabic. The exhibition is set to be MIA’s most popular yet.
Hajj - The Journey Through Art is exhibited at The Museum of Islamic Art in Doha from 9th October 2013 - 5 January 2014.
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Pearls at the V&A Museum Over on the other side of the world, the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) are exhibiting a work called Pearls in collaboration with QMA. The way pearls were formed, which, up until fairly recently, was a mystery, as well as their strong connotations, have always kept them at the forefront of fashion. Pearls have always symbolised authority and status, but also have been associated with purity and chastity. They have also featured prominently in mourning jewels; Queen Victoria gifted friends black pearls after Prince Albert died. Pearls had significance as tears, but also as a subtle alternative to gems when wearing the requisite mourning black. Mexican black pearls that were all the rage amongst European queens, Marilyn Monroe’s string of pearls as given to her by then-husband Joe DiMaggio, some of Elizabeth Taylor’s vast collection, the remarkable single pearl earring Charles I was wearing when he was beheaded, and the Mary Tudor pearl that goes back to 1581 are just some of the famous and historical pearls shown in the exhibition. Co-curated by jewellery historian Beatriz Chadour-Sampson and QMA’s Hubert Bari, Pearls consists of the V&A’s marvelous collection of jewellery, most of which was previously seen in the The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery, as well as pieces lent from other British institutions, like the British Museum and many private collections. “We have several pieces from private estates in Britain, like Chatsworth House, and a lot of Dukes that have kindly offered their jewels,” reveals Chadour-Sampson. Unusually for an exhibition that focuses on stunning pearl jewellery, the curators chose to bust the myth of how pearls are made. “The diving technique used in the Gulf has lasted for thousands of years,” says Chadour-Sampson, “but ladies wearing pearls didn’t know how the pearls came out of their shells.” It is possible if the fashionable ladies throughout the centuries knew the truth of how pearls were created, they might have been less eager to don them. Natural saltwater pearls are formed when a parasite like a worm or a sponge intrude into the shell’s mantle, which produces nacre aka mother of pearl, as shown in a video at the exhibition. The pearl is essentially a cyst over which the nacre grows.
Magnetism by Ahmed Mater. Image courtesty of Athr Gallery, Saudi Arabia and the artist
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The rather unsightly process nevertheless gives way to a pearl, which are almost as rare and certainly as beautiful as they were hundreds of years ago; for every 2000 oyster shells, only one contains a pearl. The pearl-wearing Europeans also certainly were ignorant of the hardworking pearl divers in the Gulf, who harvested oysters with only a loin cloth, wooden nose clip and a leather sheath. QMA has supplied a wonderful selection from Qatar of natural Gulf pearls, which will be an “eye opener for the V&A,” according to Chadour-Sampson, as well as several pieces by Cartier, including a magnificent pearl necklace, with platinum and diamonds clasps. “It’s a very simple pearl necklace with diamonds,” says Chadour-Sampson, “And you don’t realise how many divers and how many oysters had to be found to create the piece. It’s not just a decorative, beautiful piece. There’s a story behind it.” It is a little-known fact that Jacques Cartier, one of the Cartier brothers, travelled to the Gulf to buy pearls and set up an import/export business there. This was to last until the end of the golden age of Gulf pearls in 1930, when Mikimoto Kokichi created synthetic pearls and the game significantly changed. "Frozen” by Sam Tho Duong (above) is truly the pearl of the exhibition. As with gems, the bigger the pearl, the most precious it is, which is what makes this necklace so subversive. Composed entirely of tiny fresh water pearls, this contemporary piece is reminiscent of a frost bitten twig, or frozen fruit, a stunning necklace that proves that pearls are continuing to inspire jewellery designers.
Pearls is exhibited at the V&A in London from 21 September 2013 - 19 January 2014.
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tr en ds confidential
IN WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW Sophie Jones-Cooper delves into AW13 and reveals how a new pink coat, her 90s sweatshirts and a hint of animal print are the perfect partners for her new season style.
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t wasn’t that long ago that I was writing about summer staples, and now it is already time to get into autumn mode. September always heralds the dawn of a new season, and doesn’t it always come around sooner than you think? No sooner do I find my feet with the current season, wardrobe wallowing in the perfect blend of trend versus wearability, than the new season bursts onto the scene and the next must-haves begin jockeying for position. This is not to mention, of course, the hot-off-the-press buzz of SS14 filtering its way onto my radar. Before we fast-forward to next summer, though, let’s focus on autumn. Now, if we are clever about this scenario, and especially here in the Middle East, where seasons are really only applicable in the fashion sense (it’s pretty much spring/summer all year round), we can make the transition into the new season as seamless as possible, with minimal wardrobe overhaul. For AW 13, it couldn’t be easier! This new season in particular offers a rather more friendly crossover. There are a handful of SS13 pieces and trends that should maintain pride and place in your wardrobe and could simply be worn the new season way, as well as those items that if you were clever, you hung onto first time round; notably,
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this includes anything plaid, leather, sporting a 60s shape or having a Kate Moss grunge feel.
and One Direction’s Harry Styles has also been spotted in the playful print.
So while I may be ditching my neon pink blazer for a dusky pink version, and adding a femme fatale approach to my eveningwear, I will also continue to flourish in florals, work my boymeets-girl minimal style, dig out past season leopard print and wish I had kept anything plaid circa 1995.
For Mulberry, plaid was a main player for many designers, including Lanvin, Celine, Tommy Hilfiger, Dolce & Gabbana and Alberta Ferretti. When it comes to plaid, as well as checks and tartans, you can take a no-holdsbarred approach, choosing statement coats, two-piece skirt suits or tailored dresses. As well as her autumnal plaid, Mulberry designer Emma Hill also brought us oversized coats with fur detailing and for those who prefer trousers to skirts, two very wearable trouser styles – a super flattering satin boot cut and a chic ankle grazer.
Instead of rolling out a bank-breaking list of new season must-haves and an ever-increasing designer wish list, I have decided to share a select list of the easiest ways to give your wardrobe a new season flair. The shapes, styles, colours, fabrics, embellishments and themes all caught my attention from the shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris. My hometown of London, with its eclectic style reputation, has to be the best place to start. While New York may be cutting edge, Milan sophisticated and Paris resonant with its chic edge, you can always count on London to bring a medley of styles to our attention and this season it did not disappoint. Taking inspiration from British heritage brand Burberry, make sure you sharpen your pencil skirt this autumn, as second skin skirts are making a comeback. If you have a leather version, all the better, and make sure to team pencil skirts with delicate knits, accessorise with a metal belt and throw a dash of animal print into the mix to add a contemporary spin. I also love the heart print (pun intended), which Burberry splashed over many of its separates. And I am not alone: both Victoria Beckham
Matthew Williamson’s collection also gives us reason to dig out our bell-bottoms and bootcut jeans, thanks to his 70s-inspired billowing flares. But when it came to the majority of his pieces, it was the 60s that the designer used for inspiration in shape and tailoring. The catwalk was awash with cocoon-shaped coats and shift style dresses. In fact, cocoon coats and silhouettes took over the catwalks this season. If there is one shape that you need to fit into your wardrobe for autumn, it is the cocoon. Temperley London’s swinging 60s collection featured swing coats and cocoon styles while Antonio Berardi’s collection was also awash with cocoons, as well as another big C for autumn: capes. If you do want to invest in a new season coat, go for a softshouldered cocooning cut overcoat, play with panels of colour and bold geometric prints, don a chic structured cape or add elegance with a ladylike 60s swing coat.
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collection for Saint Laurent, took a flashback to the era of 90s grunge. This is the season to revamp your old sheepskin coat, don a skinny scarf, and dig out your ex’s plaid shirt and baggy sweaters. “Californian grunge” is back! In keeping with a laid-back and somewhat masculine approach, this is the season to pack away your ballet flats and step into your Oxfords. Even Lanvin, the purveyors of ballerinas, opted for a preppy approach to footwear with Oxfords accompanying Alber Elbaz’s somewhat schoolgirl-esque approach to the new season, with the skirt suit another easy way to bring a new season style to your workwear.
Across the ocean in New York, Michael Kors showcased some futuristic cocoon coats in a riot of primary colour as part of his urban and athletic collection. However, his big story for eveningwear was fitted mini dresses with peplum overskirts. Peplum lovers can rejoice as this figure-flattering cut continues its wardrobe dominance for the new season. A leather peplum top paired with a gripping pencil skirt is a great way to work autumn’s femme fatale mood. New York was bursting with fashion highs including Diane Von Furstenberg’s discoready collection, complete with oversized fur collar jackets, clashing brights, rich velvet and shimmering skinny scarves. To cope with the city’s temperature lows, fur was in abundance. Fur is one of those embellishments that seems to crop up every winter season and this year its guise is lush coloured and techo patterned. Take inspiration from the more subtle fur trims seen at DVF, J Mendel in New York, Osman and Peter Pilotto in London, Prada in Milan and Nina Ricci and Loewe in Paris, or make fur your style statement with fullblown rainbow colour fur separates, which we saw everywhere, including Kenzo, Moschino Cheap & Chic and Versace. While fur is emblazoned on everything and certainly not shy about coming forward, when it comes to other decoration, a more subtle approach should be taken; although, this season, adornment needn’t be limited to after dark. Marc Jacobs’ show highlighted a
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crossover use of embellishment for both day and night with models shimmering in sequins and working pyjamas, both looks for daytime chic. So amp-up your daytime look by updating an existing favourite winter knit with some delicate gem work, or invest in gem-encrusted jeans or a jacket and go for glittering sequins for after-dark glamour. Over in Milan, Peter Dundas has done away with summer’s maxi and midi lengths (although many designers are rocking the midi length this season), opting for a dress code of mini dresses, hot pants and short skirts. While the models strutted down the catwalk in sleek thigh-high boots, as did front row guest Rita Ora, this is not an easy look to keep chic. For a more wearable take on this trend, go for boots that stop just at or over the knee, or give last season’s riding boots another outing. We are in for a tough winter. Punk references and rock chick spirit was in abundance and none more so than in Donatella Versace’s camp. Vinyl was her fabric of choice and while this may not be the most Middle East-friendly fabric, it is certainly hot, along with leather, tartan and leopard print for the new season. A simpler way to inject a little rebel warrior into your wardrobe is with punk-inspired embellishments. Add studs, spikes, chains, buckles and metalwork to leather or toughen up your look with some biker boots or anything leather. Get trawling through your accessory box! In Paris, the Chanel show has a distinctly tough luxe vibe and in a similar vein, Hedi Slimane’s
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Still, the fast track to new season style has to be autumn’s hottest hue – pink. Before you get excited that your bright neons from the past few seasons will continue to work their magic, however, you might want to hold your horses. This season, pink has gone demure on us and in keeping with autumn’s new feminine allure, it comes in pale pastels and dusky rose shades. Simply throw on a powder pink overcoat, look to Mulberry, Celine and Miu Miu for inspiration, add a candy floss skirt suit, a la Jonathan Saunders or Sonia Rykiel to your daywear, or slip on a silky evening dress in dusky rose for subtle evening allure. With a little clever dressing, digging out some old goodies and making a few “I want now” purchases, bringing our wardrobes up-to-date never looked so rosy.
LO O K BO O K
HIP TO BE SQUARE
One print that can do no wrong for the new season is anything chequered. Choose from autumn’s edgy punk tartans or more demure and subtle plaids.
TOP TIP:
Combine classic tartans with black leather for a rock-chic vibe or a plaid overcoat with pastel hues for a subtle femininity.
SKIRT Moschino at Net-A-Porter.com, SKIRT ASOS.com, COAT ASOS.com, COAT Hobbs, DRESS Alexander McQueen at Net-A-Porter.com, JACKET Dickins & Jones at House of Fraser, SKIRT ASOS.com, SWEATER Marc by Marc Jacobs at Net-A-Porter.com, SHOES Charles Philip Shanghai at Net-A-Porter.com, BAG Vivienne Westwood
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CATWALK MOMENT:
Moschino goes for classic tartan head-to-toe while Stella McCartney opts for pastel plaid in this season’s hottest colour – pink.
ON ORANGE ALERT Get your wardrobe ready for autumn with anything and everything orange.
Courtesy of River Island
ANORAK Martin Margiela at MrPorter.com, TROUSERS J Crew at MrPorter.com, SHIRT Debenhams, TROUSERS Dockers at House of Fraser, WATCH Luminox at MrPorter. com, SOCKS Falke at MrPorter.com, JUMPER Nautica at Debenhams, TSHIRT Superdry, SWEATER Burberry London at MrPorter.com, SCARF Polo Ralph Lauren, BAG Vivienne Westwood, SUNGLASSES Ray Ban at MrPorter.com,, TRAINERS River Island
TOP TIP: If brights aren’t normally your thing, simply add a colour injection with a pair of orange socks, some subtle shades or a scarf.
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" L ov e of beau t y is taste . T he creation of beau t y is art." - R a l p h Wa l d o E m e r s o n
i n mot io n
Earning
His Wings
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SLT's Lee Winter steps in to the fine leather shoes of a potential Bentley customer; being flown to the UK factory to witness the birth of a 2013 Mulsanne before getting to test its “metal” on the majestic roads of north Wales.
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hen perusing the high-end luxury car market there are certain criteria that one would expect to find therein: coma-inducing comfort, eye-watering price tags and styling that is cooler than the other side of the pillow; but how many car companies are prepared to invite its clientele to witness their very own car being manufactured? In fact, Bentley actively encourages its customers’ attendance at the famous Crewe factory (the home of Bentley Motors), with the belief that “the experience of seeing the way their cars are made will deepen the pleasure of ownership.”
So, based on the understanding that some (well, most) Mulsanne customers will likely snub this enlightening experience in favour of simply placing an order over the telephone, Bentley allowed a small group of journos to take the place of those slothful sybarites, thereby allowing us to imagine, if only for a day, what it must be like to witness a Bentley being crafted especially for us. And so it came to pass that this humble, aspiring writer was set an enviable - if not highly ambitious - challenge by Regional Managing Editor, James McCarthy: “I know you’ve never driven anything better than a Ford Mondeo, Lee, but by all means: fly to the UK; meet some of the Bentley execs that will inevitably convene for such a prestigious event concerning their flagship model; drive it – but don’t crash it - and then produce a rich and compelling story that not only conveys lucent expression and vivid imagery, but also allows your readers to live vicariously through you for six or seven pages.”
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And so it begins, quite embarrassingly, with me getting comfortable in what I later discovered was somebody else’s seat in the Business Class cabin of the Emirates flight from Dubai to Manchester. It could’ve started better. Ever onward; once I was ensconced in my rightful place, I proceeded to enjoy the excellent in-flight services, not to mention copious amounts of complimentary champagne, before disembarking and collecting what I later discovered was somebody else’s suitcase. Tomorrow, I pray, will surely be better.
The Build Fortunately, it was. Upon arriving at Bentley’s Headquarters, we are presented, again, with a glass of champagne before being taken on a Mulsanne-specific tour of the Lineage Exhibition (a museum-esque area that is periodically redesigned to feature different aspects of the company’s history). Immediately, my appetite for the exorbitant designprocess that I envisaged a Bentley to comprise of is whetted by Senior Interior Designer for the Mulsanne Range, George Bowen, when he begins to discuss the sanity-defying detail that these men tackle on a daily basis. The interior alone is subject to a seven-stage elimination-style process that begins with six concept sketches. Virtual, foam and clay models are then created as part of the witling-down process - all of which encompass unerring foreshadowing of the final production model. Incredibly, when the car is still at the clay model stage, the designers can spend between 6 and 12 months correcting the integration of material lines and aspect ratio to get details as minor as the reflections of the chrome precisely as they desire. Often, these movements are as little as 0.1mm. To give that concept some mind-blowing context, that’s roughly the thickness of a single piece of paper.
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During this address, we also learn that, should a customer happen to own their own forest (apparently, owning a forest is a real thing), they can request that the wood from their very own trees be used in the construction of their Mulsanne interior. That, by the way, is not some preposterous declaration made to emphasise the level of personalisation that is seemingly unrepeatable within other cars; I am assured that this has actually been done, raising questions about that particular customers’ totalitarianism and Bentley’s propensity to please. From there, we are escorted into the Bentley ”Living Room” - an elegant, family-friendly cigar room of sorts that one might associate with the affluent - where I am presented with yet another glass of champagne. Already, I was beginning to experience - and seriously enjoy - the luxurious feeling of being a Bentley owner. I could get used to this. Since virtually nobody has a basic model, it is here, whilst sat around the meeting table, that the customer would commission their Mulsanne; determining the specifications and scrutinising the 114 colour-schemes (I can’t even think of 114 colours - they must have 50 shades of greyscale). For that personal touch that Bentley so values however, this can also be done whilst sat on the sofas, drinking tea, surrounded by one’s family. Apparently, Bentley offer over a million combinations of colour/design and during my time there, not one person I spoke to could recall the refusal of a customer’s colour preference. A Saudi Princess even requested that her Continental be made to match her favourite green nail polish. Bentley were only too happy to oblige.
Within the factory, the level of attention to detail is spectacular. After each car is “completed,” it is individually checked by eye and touch to ensure flawlessness. This can take a painstaking three hours. The paintwork is then subjected to its own inspection that lasts a further two hours. Upon finding the slightest imperfection, the car is resubmitted into the production-line for rectifications. This process is repeated until their stratospheric standards are met, meaning that, in theory, a single car could literally do several ”laps” of the production-line until it is finished to a merely satisfactory level. The sound engineering too, is incredible. Aluminium acoustic padding is used for noise reduction, and the interior design and trim is engineered in laboratories. Blending several natural materials such as wood, leather and metal (as opposed to heavily manufactured plastics), while simultaneously eliminating the irritating noise these materials can make when they interact, is considerably more difficult than it sounds (pun intended). Switching from regular to sport mode will actually change the sound of the engine and exhaust because it’s been engineered that way. Even the indicator ”click” you hear is tuned specifically to sound like a traditional grandfather clock, as requested by the CEO. The production-line, incidentally, is unlike you might have imagined, marrying oldfashioned, labour-intensive practices with modern robotic construction. There are only two welding robots in the whole factory. The rest of the vehicle is hand-built. By people. Let that sink in, because it is more impressive than it first sounds. Tomorrow, I would get to taste the fruits of these exacting labours.
The Drive The track selected - Trac Môn - is set on the breathtaking West Coast of Angelsey, where the Irish Sea meets the undulating landscape of the Snowdownia mountain range; all of which conspires against the driver to make a constantly dangerous distraction. The Corkscrew corner in particular provides a sight that is almost impossible to break your glare from, before you realise you’ve once again missed the apex by a country mile. I settled into the car for the first time and plumbed immediately for the obligatory “red-line whilst in neutral” option, which produced a cacophonous growl of epic proportions. With my adolescent vim satisfied, it was time to release the handbrake and pray this wouldn’t all end in panic, screams and a
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ridiculously expensive pile of twisted metal. The circuit was winding and challenging; comprising several technically formidable mid-range corners and two hairpin bends. Much to the consternation and frustration of Chris, my accomplished driver, this wasn’t enough to stop me plunging the drilled alloy pedal into the deep, plush carpet at every opportunity and calling upon the assistance of the 505 raucous horses that sit beneath the sweeping aluminium bonnet; causing me to overshoot pretty much every apex in sight. Despite my blindingly obvious lack of expertise, it was evident that the Mulsanne is sure-footed in the corners, without being particularly agile or nimble. Unsurprising, considering its 3.2 tonne weight, but sports-car handling is never going to be this titan’s priority. The monstrous weight doesn’t seem to detract from its ability to gather pace either. Producing 752lb/ft, it is among the torque-iest production cars in the world (second only to the Bugatti Veyron). This is due to the traditional V8 engine with over-sized cylinders, and it all equates to a sprint from 0-60 in 5.1 seconds and effortlessly achieving acceleration all the way to 184mph. Staggering, when you consider that weight has actually been engineered into this car. What looks like metal, is metal. The ashtray alone weighs roughly the same as a Fiat 500. It’s true that, to observe it from the outside, it looks like a chauffeurdriven car. One would imagine the owner be permanently perched in the rear-cabin. But a lot of Mulsanne owners choose to sit directly behind the heated, wood-veneered steering wheel. The car has the uncanny characteristic of seeming to shrink around you. In fact, as more time passes, the confidence to throw it around a little grows exponentially. Which was a relief, as one of my first thoughts upon entering the cockpit was that the “Flying B” was a hell of a long way away. With the testing portion of the day concluded, I stepped from the car, and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. My time as its pilot had been a resounding success, in as much as I hadn’t totalled the most expensive car I’d ever driven. Not much of an achievement, I’ll admit, but the feeling of pride that washed over me was embarrassingly notable.
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It was at this point that I decided to fully assess the appearance of the Mulsanne for the first time. It truly is colossal. The thrusting, masculine grille gives the front face an assuredly imposing look. The wheels, too, are striking and grand, without being garish. I’m told that the styling of this car is of the type that you either love or hate. Perhaps because I am in the “love” camp I am biased, but I simply cannot see how somebody could dislike it. Well, from the front, at least. The rearview, so to speak, is a different story. From that vantage point, it does not look like a distinguished, £250k automobile - it looks like a Nissan Maxima. Save for the pair of flat, shovel-shaped exhausts that I do appreciate; it doesn’t have a particularly attractive derrière. Opening the boot lid assuages some of this dismay. Again, Bentley has spared no expense; it is layered with the same Axminster carpet that adorns the cabin interior and comes fully equipped with fleece blankets and a twin-set of umbrellas. As Bowen explains: “You don’t want to pull up at a five-star hotel, in the lap of luxury and opulence, only to open the boot and get an eyeful of plastic.” I’ll have to take his word for it. Simply running your hand through this rich carpet will tell you that you’re looking at a luxurious cruiser that encourages relaxation, but, as I stood in its presence, the sense of anticipation and excitement I felt as a 10-year-old boy looking at an Aston Martin DB5 for the first time seemed to come rushing back. The panache, the prestige, the sleekness: there’s no way I’m going to be able to relax in this. An audible sigh and impatient rattling of the keys shakes me from my reverie and serves to suggest that I’d spent enough time ogling; it was time to be chauffeured. Once inside and immersed within the rich smell of leather, I immediately began to feel pampered. The heated, reclining and massaging seats were very, very welcome during a typically brisk “summer’s” day in the UK. It was difficult to distinguish between Business Class on the 777 and rear cabin of the car. If anything, the Mulsanne felt superior, apart from the notable absence of a complimentary Veuve Clicquot.
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"In the "Living Room," an abundance of Bentley memorabilia is to be found; from paperweights and cufflinks, to a limitededition copy of Sebastian Faulks’ novel Devil May Care turned, coincidentally, to the very page where the protagonist jaunts through the Middle East."
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We set off and it immediately dawned upon me that the level of power that is so apparent whilst behind the wheel, seems to melt away in the rear cabin. As it devoured the miles of road, I had to look out of the window just to make sure we were moving. Normally, this level of power is accompanied by sound. That’s not really the case with the Mulsanne, which is handy, when trying to catch forty winks. Not that your average Bentley passenger can afford to spend much of the day napping – or much of the night, for that matter, given the sizeable dent this purchase will make in their bank balance. Unlike me, Mulsanne owners generally come with a healthy dose of determination and business acumen. Given its £250,000 price tag, the pleasure of owning one without these attributes is unlikely in the extreme. And this machine really is a high-flyer’s dream. The adage “time is money” matters to Mulsanne owners. They can travel in style - and genuine comfort - while continuously being at the hub of their business world. In the 21st Century, where deals do get made in the back of a limousine, features like a dedicated antenna (housed inside the boot lid) that makes the car a Wi-Fi hotspot, really matter. And this is where Bentley really excel: in the detail. They were acutely aware however, that the pleasure of unwinding in the sublime cockpit could be criminally replaced by an attack of the senses, given all of the technology that the Mulsanne is draped with. It comes fully equipped with twin, 8-inch LCD headrest screens that incorporate a 20GB hard drive, an additional 8-inch High-Resolution colour screen that displays the Sat-Nav System and other assorted ”infotainment,” a DVD player, two sets of Bluetooth headphones, a remote control and two hide-trimmed picnic tables designed specifically to accommodate an iPad and wireless keyboard. Add it all together and instead of relaxing in this plush environment, your eyeballs could feel like they’re being challenged to a fight. So, when it is time to “switch-off”, Bentley have made several concerted efforts to allow you to succumb to the Mulsanne’s lush and lavish settings by concealing this plethora of technology wherever possible. By making the technology deliberately discreet, interruption to the ambience is drastically limited. Of course, the mood lighting also helps. As we sauntered through the rolling Welsh hills, which sat impressively beneath the rolling cumulus clouds, every inch of the landscape vied for our attention. This picturesque setting seemed almost perfect. Bentley had catered to our every need thus far, granted, but the thought that they had managed to contrive such a dramatic skyline for our visit was pushing the boundaries of my imagination. Sometimes, people get lucky, I surmised. It’s likely I’ll be logging this whole experience in the ”lucky” column. And no sooner had I come to my senses and shaken off that ridiculously cheesy sentiment, Daft Punk’s funk-drenched comeback Get Lucky began pouring through the über-cool “Naim for Bentley” premium audio system. It’s wonderful when the universe conspires to make these coincidences for us. With this, the sun began to set on my time with the Mulsanne and it wasn’t long before I found myself back aboard the plane, awaiting departure. As I settled in to my seat with a slightly heavy heart, I am offered a final glass of champagne. I duly oblige. When I exit the airport at Doha, reality hits me in the face like a bucket of (very warm) water. I flag a Karwa taxi, but inside, there is no woodgrain trim. There is no Axminster carpet. That seat will neither recline nor massage me. And sweet lord, I don’t know what that smell is, but it’s definitely not leather! “I don’t suppose you have any bubbly back here, do you?” I asked. His stony silence clearly indicated that my flirtation with the champagnelifestyle had sadly ended almost as abruptly as it had started.
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Autumn variation Soft colours, light textures, precious materials: from watches to shoes through bags and scarves, men’s acccessories paint many different pictures this autumn.
"Heuer vintage motor racin g" bag by Tag Heuer Leather basket by Hugo Boss Blue wallet by Balenciaga (D rake Store) Two tone leather bracelet by Tod’s "Epic X" titanium watch by Jacob &Co "Seamaster Aqua Terra" wa tch by Omega Sunglasses by Tod’s Printed cufflinks by Marinell a (Bon Génie Grieder
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Gene va)
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Weekend bag by Hackett London Suede shoe by Tod’s Green suede gloves by Brunello Cucinelli Brown scarf by Hugo Boss "Milan II" matte black sunglasses by illesteva (Le Labo) "Villeret Quantième Annuel" watch by Blancpain "Grande Seconde Quantième" watch by Jaquet Droz (Boutique Tourbillon) . sur la terre . accessories .
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Brown leather briefcase by Brunello Cucinelli Tartan vest by Etro (Drake Store) Blue hat by Paul Smith (Bon GĂŠnie Grieder Geneva) White gold slim titanium wire frame round sunglasses by Linda Farrow (Le Labo) Silver accessory for sunglasses by Laloop (Le Labo) "Midnight Monochrome Automatic" watch by Harry Winston Striped tie by Brunello Cucinelli Brown leather derby by Brunello Cucinelli "Calatrava" pink gold watch by Patek Philippe
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Tote bag by Dries van Noten (Bon Génie Grieder Geneva) Printed tie by Chanel Printed scarf by Altea (Bon Génie Grieder Geneva) Suede loafer "Ferrari" by Tod’s Blue leather belt by Tod’s Black carbon cufflinks by TF EST.1968 H3101 watch by Chanel . sur la terre . accessories .
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fe at u r e
QELA:
Quintessentially Qatari SLT sent Staff Writer, Laura Hamilton , to infiltrate QELA’s atelier and boutique to get a sneak peek at a new home-grown fashion brand that is set to take the world by storm.
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Birth of a Brand Fashion houses usually begin with one talented individual as their driving force, the artistic genius who spots a niche in the market for their designs. They usually don’t emerge, fully realised, out of the blue, but the highly secretive QELA is the exception to the rule. Emphasising creative collaboration over individual talent, QELA was developed by the hybrid mind that is Qatar Luxury Group (QLG) to not only benefit the graduating students of Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar (VCUQ), but also act as a catalyst in the creation of a fashion industry in Qatar. No pressure, then. The notion of QELA being an international brand that represents Qatar may seem premature, but there are already plans in place to open a boutique in fashion capital Paris, as well as the flagship store in The Pearl. Haya Al Nasr, QLG’s CEO argues that QELA’s focus on art as an international language, as well as Qatar’s cultural positioning as a melting pot, will help push QELA to the global stage. “Qatar’s ancient traditions, nomadic way of life and openness in welcoming new cultures have been integrated into the brand at its heart,” she says of the fashion house that consists of many international artisans and designers who contribute their own cultural paradigms to the fashion maison’s aesthetic. “QELA is a creative distillation of Qatari culture that subtly pervades the brand, but doesn’t overpower it,” she maintains. Indeed, subtlety is the key element at QELA, and it permeates all of its designs. It is also evident in the name, which is derived from the Arabic word Ekheelah, a breed of Arabic horses known for their beautiful, dark ringed eyes, which resemble the kohl Arab women use. The name highlights the characteristic Middle Eastern femininity and the simplistic and natural beauty that QELA aspires to, and has already achieved. QELA’s founding vision does not rely too heavily on artistic director Fedor Savchenko, but finds nuanced interpretation through the work of its team of studio designers, each of whom is also a specialist in shoes,
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bags, couture or jewellery. Valery Bolliger, a shoes and accessories designer, has been at QELA from the very beginning, and notes that as a start-up, QELA and its collaborators have certain values that they want to make very clear in the company's products: the high quality of the materials, the Arabic influence and its timeless style. “We have different lines within the collection that will appeal to different customers,” explains Valery. “For our next collection, we have three categories in the shoe line. Casual, which highlights our skill and craft values, a more ornamental line, that’s sensual, a little more feminine and softer, and lastly something a little more playful and brave. When looking at these themes, we search for colours and materials that speak to us. Sometimes the focus is geometric lines, the sense of freedom or the leather. Then we start sketching, sketching, sketching!” Having the atelier next to the designers facilitates collaboration: “We have the workshops here, so we can immediately try things out,” explains Valery. Designers and artisans exchange a lot of opinions until they find a technique that works with the designs, according to Maria Argyraki, who designs shoes and jewellery. She explains that ideas run through the departments. “The mashrabiya,” she explains, “started as a detail on the clothes and then we took it to the jewellery department.” The mashrabiya is one of the most alluring Arabic details in QELA’s collection. An Islamic architectural lattice often seen on oriel windows, it can be seen in the jewellery designs and in the couture, such as the jacket, where it is made from leather and cut by lasers in the atelier. Used in architecture, the abstract geometric pattern gives the inhabitants privacy, as well as being aesthetically pleasing. Other small touches can be seen in the tassel belts that are reminiscent of the Qatari headdress, the dune shapes in the pockets of purses and handbags, and most of all in the muted and sandy colours. QELA has opted not to brand its products with its name, choosing rather to imbue an asymmetrical ring with its essence and use it as an emblem. It’s a subtle touch seen throughout the products, from buckles on belts, to shoes to necklaces and even the cabochons. By choosing something so subtle and using it as a recurring theme within the whole collection, and collections to come, QELA has created its own style that will be subliminally picked up, but never too obvious. It is in the jewellery collections, however, where the Qatari influence is most clear. The Wardat Al Sahra Collection was inspired by the stunning and unique sand roses found in the desert dunes of Qatar. “All the jewellery houses have their own flower,” notes Maria, “Chanel has a camellia, Cartier has the orchid, so we chose the sand rose that forms in the desert. We looked at the way the stone was formed at the structure and we were inspired by Jean Nouvel’s design of the National Museum of Qatar.” The result is a pendant and two rings in white gold with diamonds, and one with white pavé diamonds, with an influence that is both subtle, beautiful and quintessentially Qatari. “We have a lot of Arab themes and ideas,” says Valery, “but we interpret them in very modern, contemporary ways. We’re trying to keep an element of feminine mystery and not be too obvious, while at the same time staying accessible.” Maria says that luxury has to do with quality, “but a bad design can have good quality, so it’s about the aesthetic, the stylistic effort in combination with quality.” “That’s the beauty of this project,” says Valery. “There is this emphasis in searching for quality. We test our materials, we find the best leather, skins, gems. I think the aspect of looking into every detail is quality at its truest.”
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“Timelessness is also a quality that we think of when we consider luxury,” says Maria. “An heirloom we inherit from our grandmother, something precious that runs through generations, rather than a throwaway item, is the true epitome of luxury.” In that vein, QELA is aiming for timelessness, for luxury products that will be passed down from generation to generation rather than disposable fashion. Style, rather than fashion, is the name of the game, and it is something often reflected in the country’s own personal style. Every city has a different ambience, a different vibe that is reflected in the style of those who live there, and every capital city has a fashion house with which it is inextricably entwined. Being a conservative nation, and one that has been relatively isolated, Qatar’s style eschews the newest and latest looks for a more classic style. QELA has tapped into this ethos to create a fashion house that will offer a new Qatari twist on wardrobe staples. QELA is keen to prove that it is no flash in the pan, and that longevity is its goal. “Our ambitions are clear,” says Al Nasr, “In 10 years we want to be recognised as a serious player in the market of luxury goods.”
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The Atelier Guillaume Bernard de Bayser, Leather Good Technical Leader, smoothes out an orange crocodile skin and points out the tag that shows it comes from a crocodile farm, rather than being illegally poached. It’s amazing how small the skin is, and Guillaume explains that it takes at least two crocodiles to make a single handbag. While the tannery is in France, which sources the best leather from the USA, all QELA products are designed, prototyped and tested in Qatar, even the more exceptional pieces such as unique commissions of exotic leather goods (like crocodile, for example), and shoes, designed to client specifications and hand-made in the Doha atelier. The jewellery and couture pieces are also made in Qatar, cementing its homegrown brand status. The designers and artisans come from a multitude of backgrounds, de Bayser, for example, is French and previously worked at many of the big names in Europe. Al Nasr thinks diversity and multiple influences are essential to the brand. As she points out, every design house interprets an original vision through multiple creative procedures involving many individuals, and QELA is no exception. However, there are two deviations from the standard fashion house; firstly, the atelier is attached to the design house to maximise creative collaboration, and secondly, the identity of the brand is shaped by art.
The Boutique Subtle and elegant femininity are at play in QELA’s first boutique. Boasting a prestigious address - the first parcel at The Pearl - the store has a spacious and low key feel, where understated luxury will lure you behind the drawn curtains and into the low-lit boutique. For the shy
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and retiring, there is a VIP entrance, which enables you to avoid the hoi polloi; the boutique has the ambience of a hidden treasure trove, where stylish women in the know will come to browse for one-off pieces and to have their haute couture fitted. Mannequins dressed in the couture are dotted around the store, much like works of art in a gallery. Seen together, it is hard to believe that this is a first-time collection of an untried brand, as the fashion house has emerged with its identity fully-formed. The couture and leather products perfectly compliment each other, and it is easy to imagine wearing entirely QELA products without being reduced to an outfit that looks like it came from one store. There is an abundance of leather, although crocodile skin makes a few appearances, and while I am amused at the thought of so many leather jackets and skirts in Doha’s weather, Qatar is a place that encourages travel and transience. It strikes me that QELA’s collection is appropriate for any culture. Nothing is flashy or opulent, the cut and style are as important as the material and everything is classic and timeless, a uniform ready for any woman to put her own stamp on it. The boutique also serves as gallery space, and is currently exhibiting the work of Qatar’s most famous artist, Ali Hassan, which was specially commissioned for the opening of QELA. The exhibition, which is called Village of the Poets, depicts the heritage and history of Qatar, as well as Hassan’s preoccupation with the Arabic letter “noon.” QELA, in collaboration with Al Markhiya Gallery, will hold two exhibitions a year, further confirming its dedication to the arts.
QELA’s flagship boutique opened on September 25th at The Pearl Doha.
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BRINGING SIXTIES BACK Early 1960s style returns with luxurious textures, muted colours, block heels, bold bling and masculine watches. Feeling feminine is a style of its own. Clothes & Accessories available at Bongénie Grieder Geneva Photographed by www.lamanufacture-studio.com Styled by Mélanie Hearnden Hair by Victorine Guérin (Christophe Durand - Le Bal des Créateurs) Make-up by Adeline Willi (Christophe Durand - Le Bal des Créateurs) www.lebaldescreateurs.wordpress.com Model : Clara Berry (VIP Models) Post-processing : S&H Paris Assistant : Lionel Daviet Special thanks to Bongénie Grieder Geneva Claudia Torrequadra and the team www.bongenie- grieder.ch
Photographed by www.lamanufacture-studio.com Fashion styled by Mélanie Hearnden Assistant & post-processing : Lionel Daviet
Black dress by Miu Miu Round diamond wave necklace by Graff Diamonds Round diamond wave bracelet by Graff Diamonds Round diamond ring by Graff Diamonds
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Navy blouse by Stella McCartney Diamond earrings set with amethysts by Bogh-Art Heart-shaped aquamarine sets with diamonds and sapphires sautoir by Bogh-Art Brillant pavĂŠ diamond watch by Jacob&Co Green tourmaline and white gold ring by Bijouterie Kunz
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White silk blouse by ChloĂŠ, Leather belt by AlaĂŻa, Black skirt by Miu Miu, Black watch by Bulgari (Bijouterie Kunz), Pink gold and ebony "Camuration" ring by Vhernier
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Pink mousseline top by Barbara Bui, Skirt by Balenciaga, "Paris-Edimbourg" necklace by Chanel, "Falabella" burgundy bag, by Stella McCartney, "Midnight Monochrome" watch, by Harry Winston, Spinel and diamonds inlaid into, pink mother of pearl ring by Bogh-Art, Fuchsia leather bracelet with charms, by Tirisi (Bijouterie Kunz)
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Grey pullover by Markus Lüpfer, Mustard leather skirt by Hôtel Particulier, Black boots by Valentino, "Big Bang Unico King Gold Céramique" watch by Hublot, Leather and pave rose gold bracelet by Bucherer
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White wool jumper by ChloĂŠ Navy printed skirt by Stella McCartney Navy and black moccasin by Balenciaga Black shoe by Marc by Marc Jacobs "Seamaster Aqua Terra" watch by Omega White "Allegra" bracelet by de Grisogono Pink gold "Verso" earrings by Vhernier
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" Fashion is not something that e x ists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sk y..." - C o c o C h a n e l Wr i g h t
J ETSET
The Found
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Sur la terre's Senior Editor, Steven Paugh, takes a spin within the din of New York City, telling you where to check-in to live pretty.
New York City: The Walking Cacophony “You know what New York City is?” my Bronx-born mother was often wont to rhetorically ask during our regular trips to her beloved home city. “It’s a cacophony ... it’s this beautiful, wonderful, endless cacophony.” It’s hard not to get wistful when my mom talks New York, and it’s just as easy to see exactly what she means when you go there. Take, for example, the day my wife and I arrived in the Big Apple this past June. Heralding our arrival was a thousands-strong throng of merrymakers, all of them celebrating the ever-popular Puerto Rican Day Parade, which annually consumes the city’s 5th Avenue like a swarm to honey. Everything seemed to be completely awash in a kaleidoscope of colour, a fabulous farrago of scents and sights and (inter)national pride. My mom was right: this was quite the cacophony, but while hectic, it was also beautiful, wonderful and definitively “New York.” Forgive my philosophical waxing, but this is a city both singularly distinctive and strident, existing at the epicentre of a boundless collision of cultures, the like of which this world has never seen. Within its ever-widening gyre of possibility, it’s easy to get lost in New York, and I mean that both in the romantic sense and quite literally, as a functional challenge to overcome. Even amidst the relative calm that relaxes across the affluence of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, this remains the most kinetic city on the planet, abuzz as it is in the incessant and tremorous tenor of denizens, the welcome yet claustrophobic caresses of its stresses. As such, you may find it difficult to find retreat, while at the same time luxuriating in the essence that makes it so pleasantly effervescent. And yet, I have found such a place, nestled amongst its avenues and within its soul, almost impossibly encapsulating in one building what makes New York City so special. This is how I found myself at The Surrey.
Of Presence and Pasts: Artistic Guides and Upper East Sides Originally constructed in 1926, the majority of The Surrey’s growth has been at the behest of humble beginnings, enjoying a previous modicum of renown as a three-star hotel. All that changed nearly five years ago, however, when the hotel underwent a significant, form-redefining renaissance. Famed interior architect Lauren Rottet, who led the charge of the hotel’s much-talked-about $60 million recreation in late 2009,
knew exactly what she wanted to do with The Surrey; updating it, surely, but also affirming a proud and lasting memory in the presence of its past. She achieved this not by leveraging anything so cheap as plasticine nostalgia, but by establishing, as she says, “a traditional sophistication with modern personality.” In actual fact, the relatively new look and feel of the hotel echoes the history of the neighborhood in which it enjoys prime real estate: the now extravagant Upper East Side. Once known as the “Silk Stocking District” for its manufacture of same, the Upper East Side (or “UEC,” in the cellular parlance of its locals) constitutes the area between 59th Street, 96th Street, Central Park and the East River. Prior to the late-19th century, “prestige” was not a thing so easily associated with the area, but much like Brooklyn continues to see an influx of new bohemian influence, so too did the UEC benefit from wealth, though more from speculative real estate than hipster sensibility.
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Meanwhile, other renowned names within the international visual arts community abound, such as Germany’s Matthias Weischer, American minimalist Richard Serra, modern-day abstract impressionist Cecily Brown and London-based avantgarde furniture firm, Jimmie Marton, each one peppering The Surrey with what is, for all intents and purposes, a semi-permanent exhibition; a new and fresh curatorial take on luxury accommodation. And yet, even though the hotel does enjoy its more overt displays, the artistry of The Surrey doesn’t end at the boundaries of a painting or installation; it transcends to the space as a whole, from floor to ceiling, and all points in between.
By the early-to-mid 20th century, the neighborhood blossomed with palatial residences, independently wealthy schools and of course, celebrity. Today, the Upper East Side stands as the most densely highpriced and highly-prized residential areas in the entirety of the United States of America, with high-profile neighbours including everyone from Ricky Gervais to Madonna. When Lauren Rottet took on the challenge of renovating The Surrey to more aptly fit its surroundings, she wanted to celebrate that self-determination of place, maintaining the outward structure of an old Upper East Side townhouse, but filling it with a rather more refined and contemporary luminescence. As the only Relais & Châteaux-rated hotel in New York, as well as its largest at 189 rooms, stretching above 17 floors, The Surrey redefines the “art of accommodation,” starting, in a very real sense, with a showcase of the visual.
you in toward the end of the main hallway, beckoning you forward, sinking you inside its uninterrupted gaze, welcoming you home. Close’s work is joined by that of such luminaries as Jenny Holzer and William Kentridge, both of whom employ specific brands of textual intercourse, and again exemplify Rottet’s desire to fuse the old with the new. Other works, such as Donald Sultan’s prints within The Surrey’s Bar Pleiades, which feature frozen loops of billowing smoke, evocative of those legendarily blown by Rottet’s personal heroine, Coco Chanel, only further The Surrey’s fervent commitment to being more than just another hotel. In fact, the explicit cool of Chanel haunts the whole of The Surrey, from the carpet pattern that Rottet took from the wallpaper of the legend’s 1920s Paris studio to the tufting on the journals held within the writing desk.
Lost & Found: Redefining the “Art” of Accommodation The official hotel partner of the nearby Whitney Museum of American Art, The Surrey is a firm patron of the arts, a commitment which acts as the first hint that this hotel sets itself apart, by creating a genuine feeling of Experience. Its entire collection boasts 31 original pieces, perhaps the most immediately prominent of which is “Kate, 2007,” by multimedia artist Chuck Close. Greeting guests near the atrium, this raw, evocative piece is a fantastic take on the beauty of celebrity laid bare and has become about as iconic as the hotel itself. It draws
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Again beginning with the lobby, Rottet wanted to give her particular spin on yet another traditional fixture in the styling of Upper East Side accommodation: a sprawling Oriental rug. However, the “carpet” that spreads across the atrium floor is anything but; instead, it is a deconstructed mosaic, like an echo in marble. Chic, sleek and visually arresting, this fantastic spin maintains that rich visual tradition of opulence without being pretentious or unnecessarily solemn, accomplished by the simple act of updating its medium. As you perambulate through elegant yet simple hallways and enter one of its deceptively numerous and expansive rooms, the true artistry of The Surrey’s soul shines through unabashedly, not necessarily just in its curated art, but in the design employed within the hotel itself. Whether it is in the Ultra Deluxe Suite, the smaller but similarlyappointed Grand Deluxe, the open-planned studio feel of the Ultra Deluxe Salon (which comes with a working fireplace), the expansive Penthouse suite with its 1100 square-foot terrace and private elevator
entrance (with a stunning door reclaimed from the original Surrey) or the pièce de résistance, the Presidential suite, there is an uncommon commonality that threads and weaves through each corner: personality. Other luxury accommodation stations are just that: stiff, absurdly gilded things with no heart, no spirit; but at The Surrey, there is a surplus. I personally have never been made to feel so at ease by any hotel staff anywhere else I’ve stayed in the world, which is saying quite a lot, really. My wife and I felt like old friends or extended family, welcomed so familiarly by the front-of-house as they gleefully gave us tips on things to visit in New York during out whistle-stop stay. It wasn’t forced, or hot with the labored breath of lip service; it was true and comfortable. There is a very real, palpable spirit of fun and home life at The Surrey, which transcends even through its fixtures.
modern age’s most impressive urban leviathan: New York City. Unfortunately, our stay was saturated by an atmosphere thick with rain, but that made the lush yet understated environs of its rooms all the more cozy and welcoming, and also allowed me to pour over its highlights. These include, but are not limited to, its almost dollhouse-inspired painted wardrobe, a functionally transformative desk/vanity table, its nigh-inescapable Duxiana beds ($10,000 each), not to mention its pristine yet not ostentatious bathrooms, fitted with Waterworks fixtures and Pratesi robes. Set amidst a monochromatic, neutral and soothing palette reflecting a residential feel, coming back to your Surrey room after a full day of New York feels like returning to your dream home. Well-placed beside some of the best shopping in NYC on Madison Avenue and set against
For example, you may notice that the doorknobs in each room boast a rather mysterious animal head, but this is no grand, empty gesture; it is the carved visage of Lauren Rottet’s beloved puppy. In another funny story, each bathroom also contains its own hand-laid mosaic monogram. During renovation, the ownership of The Surrey apparently could not decide whether to keep the original name or go with something new, so they decided on a stylized spelling-out of the word “HOTEL.” It’s stories like that which inject a subtle yet resounding charm here. Simple, effective, a bit hilarious and completely unpretentious, they manifestly sum up The Surrey nicely. Along the same “lines” (pun intended), if you are like me - a fan of wordsmithery - you will also note the evocative window cushions present in each room; all of them contain one of five different sayings to muse over as you look out over the
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“Unwind, Wine and Dine” The Cornelia Spa: The Surrey only recently became partnered with the Cornelia Spa in 2012. Its philosophy harmonises around personalised treatments for every guest. Every room is completely private with its own shower, perfect for the more discerning wellness aficionados. Each treatment begins with a spoonful of honey to initiate the cleansing process, and ends with a botanical tasting. We suggests the “caviar treatment” to elicit an even greater sensual depth. Steve’s guest (who also doubles as his wife) sampled the Signature Cornelia Facial with the essential add-on of a Papaya Pumpkin Polish, which she described as “scientifically informative, refreshing and quintessentially New York high-life.” Bar Pleiades: Decorated with hand-painted scenes of India and directly inspired by Coco Chanel (even including a Chanel banquette that ruminates throughout), Bar Pleiades is a fantastic place to unwind over a perfect cocktail with the local elite of the Upper East Side. Atmospherically, it is almost lusty in its robustness; in fact, each of the bar stools is numbered - a design stroke from Rottet to evoke and facilitate a “secret rendezvous” between lovers. Interestingly, a video directed by Angelica Houston was shot here, starring Jack Davenport and Felicity Jones. Completely by coincidence, the concept of the shoot, a commissioned piece for Donna Karen, was a romantic affair.
the luxurious, resplendent Upper East Side, near Central Park and a holy host of art galleries and cultural institutions, The Surrey sits at the event horizon of your exploration into the depths of a rather more refined New York. Infinitely hospitable, minutely well-manicured to an almost bespoke degree, The Surrey is not just a fantastic place to stay, it is a one-of-a-kind experience: an unmissable accommodation dream in The City That Never Sleeps.
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Café Boulud: Once the site of famed Chef Daniel Boulud’s first New York restaurant, Daniel, The Surrey now hosts his next culinary concept, Café Boulud, which takes great joy in fusing together the experiential nature of cuisine. Opting for a unique tasting, Steve and his guest easily understood and affirmed the validity of its myriad accolades, which includes a Michelin star. With stylings inspired by timeless continental European luxury, this is a bastion of fantastic taste in the Upper East Side. Roof Garden: Unfortunately, the roof garden was closed for preservation work while our team was there, but if the images and local legends hold true, this venue is a MUST for private events and sundowners.
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ho r izo n s
Pleasure Island Mauritius may well be the best African destination you’ve never heard of, but as visiting SLT alum Megan Masterson discovered, it’s a tropical paradise that puts the likes of the Seychelles and Maldives in the shade.
As we buckle into our Qatar Airways seats, I am near-giddy at the prospect of my first holiday in three years without children. This is my third trip to Mauritius, a tropical island paradise about 2,000 kilometres off the southeast coast of Africa and a long-time favourite with South African and French travellers. Set in turquoise waters, it is indeed as far as you can get from deadlines, traffic and 5am toddler wake-up calls. Palm-fringed beaches, luxury resorts and world-class golf courses look out onto the warm Indian Ocean, while inland, majestic mountains offer hiking trails, birdwatching and spectacular scenery. Throw in almost year-round sunshine and a fantastic old colonial capital, and it’s easy to understand why so many of us are never sated with just one visit. Local tour operators are fond of trotting out a quote by famous American writer, Mark Twain, who visited the island in 1896 and said, “Heaven is copied after it.” It’s a description that certainly fits. If there is an overriding memory of Mauritius that will stay with any visitor, it’s likely to be one of lushness, abundance and vivid colour - an ocean that deepens from aquamarine to indigo, emerald cane fields swaying gently in the breeze, crimson sunsets bringing each day to a close, and brightlypainted Hindi temples dotting every village. We drive southwest from the airport to where the looming Le Morne mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serves as the dramatic backdrop for some of the world’s most beautiful resorts and pristine beaches. My first trip to Mauritius was a budget, adventure-packed vacation in my 20s; my second, a five-star honeymoon in my 30s. This time around, we’re hitting our 40s, frazzled parents desperate for some peace and quiet, and daydreaming of the luxury of being able to finish a book under a grass umbrella.
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LUX* Le Morne, our home for the next 10 days, is lit up for our nighttime arrival. Tiki torches cast an exotic glow, while the smell of coconut, frangipani and the ocean fill the air. The recently renovated resort is everything you’d expect - a private beach that’s swept clean of debris every morning, four rimflow swimming pools, sea-view restaurants serving up a myriad of cuisines, suites surrounded by bouncy green lawns and palm trees and a top-notch spa.
A cool old colonial capital An idyllic little universe, LUX* Le Morne is like the ultimate comfort blankie, so accommodating and comfortable that you would never feel the need to go sightseeing, which would be a pity, because Mauritius is a pleasure to explore, placing it a spot ahead of the Maldives on my personal and admittedly unscientific tropical getaway rating system. Around the same size as London, it’s possible to drive from one end of the island to the other in a morning, taking in the many influences of the country’s multiethnic population, a fusion of cultures including IndoMauritian, Creole, Chinese and European. Apparently the first Portuguese explorers found no indigenous people on the island as far back as the 1500s. It was then inhabited – and abandoned a century later – by the Dutch, only for the French to arrive and develop sugar plantations, and for them, in turn, to be replaced by the British for almost two hundred years. The many influences of this long line of colonisation can be found in the architecture of the vibey capital, Port Louis, which is an excursion that is definitely worth leaving the beach to experience.
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For tourists, a first-stop must be the bustling Central Market, which is jam-packed with stalls selling everything from hard-to-find spices to hand-embroidered linens that make great gifts for friends back home (watch out for the meat section of the market though - one wrong turn and it’ll ruin your day). Stock up on local crafts and treasures at the Caudan Waterfont, before taking a time-out for the passionfruit crème brulee at the Le Suffren hotel restaurant. Head on over to the Citadel-Fort Adelaide, which was built by the British (to watch out for riots before the abolition of slavery), or Champ De Mars, the oldest racecourse in the southern hemisphere (and second oldest in the world), where you can catch races on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, May through November. There’s a Natural History Museum, telling the sad story of the nowextinct dodo, a flightless bird unique to Mauritius, which became extinct in the 17th century, and a Blue Penny Stamp Museum which showcases the so-called “Post Office” stamps from 1847, among the rarest in the world.
The real green room Port Louis is full of people, cars and shopping, and is, in fact, so buzzy that it won’t be more than a few hours before you’ll be longing again for the peace of your beach lounger or the quieter environs of the island’s green inland. Much of the Mauritian interior is protected by nature reserves, such as the Casela National Park and the Yemen Nature Reserve in the west, where zebra, antelope and wild pigs roam. Try the family-friendly
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Domaine les Pailles Park at the foot of the Moka Mountains, which offers tours in a horse-drawn carriage, or Ile aux Aigrettes, a conservation site off the east coast, home to several near-extinct bird species, including one of the world’s rarest, the pink pigeon.
to find the fairway. Other courses garnering the SLT seal of approval include the Ernie Els course at the Four Seasons Anahita, and the Belle Mare Plage, which offers two championship courses and is home to the Mauritian Open.
But if there’s one sight any Gulf resident should rouse themselves to see, it is the simply magnificent Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden. Named after the leader who secured independence from Britain in 1968, the Garden covers more than 62,000 acres close to the northern town of Pamplemousses. It is filled with thousands of exotic plants, more than 80 different varieties of palm, ancient, massive-trunked baobab trees, sacred figs, ebony and mahogany trees, flawless orchids, water lilies that grow two metres wide, and shaded avenues that provide welcome respite from the heat. It makes for a quiet, pretty afternoon and, of course, some really great wish-you-were-here Facebook and Instagram snapshots.
While everyone has their favourite, the course widely considered the best on the island is Golf du Chateau, an 18-hole course designed by South African golf architect, Peter Matkovich, and featuring mostly wide fairways and large greens with ocean and mountain views. There are lakes, streams, two rivers and tropical trees to take in, with a number of holes featuring tricky elevations and blind greens.
Make time for tee Then there is the other type of green, the kind that keeps visitors packing up their argyle socks and checked shorts and coming back to Mauritius over and over again. Let’s talk golf courses. The island is covered in them, and is, in fact, home to the southern hemisphere’s oldest golf course, the Gymkhana Golf Club, which dates back to 1844. As you’d expect, the backdrop for each and every course is spectacular – mountains, beaches and lagoons for the most part, but the 18-hole championship course at Le Telfair is carved out of sugar-cane fields, and at the spectacular Bernhard Langer-designed course at Iles aux Cerfs, Le Touessrok Resort, tee shots must be hit across the sea
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But let’s get back to us! We’re still here, one week in, exactly where we were on Day One: on loungers, under a grass umbrella, finishing off yet another book on the iPad. Our days have been punctuated by the odd activity – photographing the seven coloured earths at Chamarel followed by lunch at Le Chamarel restaurant, near the top of the Black River mountain, a surfing lesson in the world-famous Tamarin Bay, snorkeling the ocean in front of the resort - our evenings quiet and indulgent. Just last night we were escorted by LUX* Le Morne staff down a candlelit pathway to a table set for two on the beach. Surrounded by glowing lanterns, with our feet in the sand, and a small personal bonfire to ward off any chill, we were served a fourcourse dinner. Our expectations were so high for this holiday, that I was afraid, in all honesty, that Mauritius would disappoint. But it didn’t. And it never does. So of course, we’ll be back again.
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YOUR KIND OF HOLIDAY grants it a direct view of the island’s incredible sunsets, which you can enjoy from the comfort of huge woven cushioned beds that are specially set up on the beach. It is staffed by helpful, friendly locals eager to cater to your every whim, which, as we discovered to our great pleasure, included a private candle- and bonfire-lit dinner for two on the beach.
Adventure, romance, family fun... Take your pick. Adventure Most resorts offer a smorgasbord of watersports such as parasailing, kayaking, scuba diving, waterskiing and wakeboarding. The Shandrani Resort, perched on a private peninsula, has a dive centre on a wild beach, while LUX* Le Morne and the One&Only Le Saint Geran host their own kitesurfing schools. Beyond the resorts, there are operators offering early-morning swims with dolphins and underwater safaris on sub-scooters or in piloted submarines, some of which will even serve you a meal as you enjoy your view of the ocean, 35 metres below the surface. Mauritius has some of the best deep sea fishing in the world and the Marlin World Cup is held here every year. Look for expert charters and try your hand at catching the big one. If you prefer land-based adrenaline, look out for family quad-biking expeditions at Domaine de l’Etoile on the east coast. Tours take in muddy mountain paths, gorges and waterfalls, slipping and sliding past the island’s best plant and animal life. Or fly high by zip-lining above it all. The St Felix plantation offers visitors “flights” over sugarcane and banana fields, waterfalls and ravines, all while harnessed to a series of wires. Pack your big boy pants! Alternatively, for something altogether cool, make a point of tracking down Tamarin Falls, where a series of seven cascades empty themselves into a deep, quiet pool. You’ll need to hop some rocks to reach them, but the refreshing dip at the end will make it worthwhile.
Romance Mauritius is an island of honeymooners and destination weddings (it’s quite normal to suddenly find yourself sunbathing next to someone’s beach wedding), simply because it is as romantic as you can get. Many hotels complement the scenic surrounds with extras that turn a wonderful honeymoon into something altogether more magical. For example, Le Mauricia has two rooftop suites, each with private plunge pools and terraces, where champagne can be sipped while watching the waters of Grand Baie. Le Touessrok, meanwhile, takes the whole dinner-for-two concept to a new level by placing your table on your own private platform and mooring it in the ocean. My personal favourite remains LUX* Le Morne, the site of our honeymoon and another romantic stay this year. It consistently receives high rankings from visitors and manages to walk the line between luxurious and unpretentious. The resort’s location is just killer, tucked away as it is in a quiet corner of the island, between a perfect beach and the Le Morne peak, sheltered from the wind. Its position also
Family We’ve done Mauritius every way except with children, and given the island’s many kiddie-friendly activities (the Mauritius Water Park, glass-bottomed boat trip to Blue Bay Marine Park and the Crocodile and Giant Tortoises Nature Reserve, just for starters) and the family-friendly set-up at many of the resorts, this looks to be our next family holiday. Most of the resorts offer kids clubs, some for babies from 6 months, but if you don’t mind being surrounded by shrieking children all day and want to be sure your kids have the kind of holiday that they’ll brag to their friends about, then you can’t go wrong with Club Med La Pointe aux Canonniers. The resort offers separate agebased kids’ clubs catering for babies as young as four months right up to 18-year-olds, as well as a Baby Zone in the main restaurant especially for parents to prepare kiddie meals. There are spacious suites with separate lounge areas, and interconnecting rooms for a modicum of parent privacy, and babysitting services so you can let your hair down whenever you feel like it. Other highly recommended options are the Plantation Resort & Spa, Sugar Beach, the Movenpick Resort & Spa, and the Anahita, which offers kiddie dance and golf lessons, and even English-trained nannies caring for children from eight months.
Luxury If those family-friendly resorts sound like your worst nightmare and you’d prefer to keep it luxe, Jay-Z and Beyonce style, then here’s a sampling of what’s on offer. For top-tier accommodation, any one of these spots will tick every box: the Royal Palm in Grand Baie, the One&Only Le St Geran (which won the 2012 World Travel Award for the Indian Ocean’s Leading Resort and offers a private, fully-staffed villa for those wanting to holiday away from the riff-raff), the new St Regis, the five-star Le Touessrok (also with waterfront villas and Givenchy Spa), and the Four Seasons Anahita, which has a private plunge pool for every guest. There are, of course, plenty of five-star activities and day trips to keep you occupied, should all that spa-ing, golfing and sunbathing begin to bore you. Take a private helicopter tour of Mauritius, or spend a day at the races in the VIP suite. Gather your closest friends for a swim with the dolphins followed by lunch at a private island, or book a big game fishing trip and try your hand at beating one of the world fishing records currently held by Mauritius. Just about every one of your tropical island fantasies is waiting to be indulged.
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M A RKETPL ACE
WelcomE
to the SLT Marketplace.
a go-to guide
Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Celestial, available in all Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques across the Middle East and in Al Majed Jewellery outlets in Qatar.
Karen Millen Lace Laser Cut Shoe Boot, available region-wide through Karen Millen boutiques.
to the hot products that are available in the regional market now.
Venini Blown handmade glass vases in transparent colours, available at VENINI SPACE - Doha, The Gate Mall.
Reed Krakoff Handbag, available at Fifty One East, Lagoona Mall branch.
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Arnold & Son UTTE Asprey Special Edition, available in Ali Bin Ali Watches & Jewellery boutiques in qatar and saudi arabia.
Lacoste bag, available at Lacoste boutiques region-wide.
Natura Bisse Diamond Life Infusion, exclusively available in doha at 4U retail boutiques.
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Alfred Dunhill Black Resin Provenance Fighter Pen, available at Dunhill boutiques region-wide.
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Tod's Ferrari shoes, available at Tod's boutiques region-wide.
Guerlain Tenue De Perfection Timeproof Foundation, available at all Salam and 4U retail boutiques.
IWC Big Pilot’s watch Top Gun Boutique Edition, available in Qatar through Al Majed Jewellery.
scarf by Kenzo, available at Kenzo stores region-wide.
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Piaget Strawberry Margarita Cocktail Inspiration Ring, exclusively available in Piaget boutique in Abu Dhabi.
De Witt Furtive Automatic , available in Ali Bin Ali Watches & Jewellery boutiques in qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Athens Lounge Chair by Thomas Pheasant for Baker Furniture, available at Living In Interiors' showrooms in Qatar and Egypt.
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Boucheron Serpent Bohème Toi et Moi ring in yellow gold set with diamonds, available in qatar at lagoona mall and Boucheron Boutiques region-wide
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out of the box
Time for
a Change? Sur la Terre gets deep and tells you how to take back “time” with Bamford Watch Department
S
omeone once said, “I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.” Wise words, and a perfect introduction into the ethos and spirit of the Bamford Watch Department. First, though, let’s all realise and agree that “time” has long been thought of as merely a facade. Famously referred to as “an illusion” by the man who arguably studied it the most, Albert Einstein, time was ostensibly created by the fleeting whims of Man to suit His needs. Like many things, its essence has been defined, trapped and held captive by “the great illusion’s” own illuminati. Style, too, is a man-made construct; amoebic, undulating and ill-defined, it is often arrested and conducted by a select few at the top: the 0.1% of the 1%, so to speak. If style is catered to or relinquished within the hands of the masses, chances are, such honours will inevitably be accorded to high-profile members of the entertainment community.
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Now, we don’t know if you, gentle reader, have invented some mindbending, business-redefining algorithm, wrote some snappy rap song or if you tyrannically lord over your own island nation with an iron fist: we’re not here to judge. Regardless, we also certainly don’t know whether your involvement in any of these worthy life paths is enough to warrant your own style-dedicated timepiece, but now, thanks to the Bamford Watch Department, it no longer matters! The Bamford Watch Department has been in production for about a decade, and in that time, the company has established itself as a touchstone in the bespoke rein-taking of personal horological style, offering, as they do, each timepiece wearer the unique opportunity to almost infinitely tailor, personalise and direct the appearance of his or her luxury watch’s appearance. This, ladies, gentlemen and readers of indeterminate gender, is the rebirth of exclusivity! This gives luxury and time (not to mention the manifestation of one within the other), however illusory, back to the people! No longer are we all doomed to be “governed by the clock,” least of all by its appearance! To explore www.bamfordwatchdepartment.com is to be impressed. Offering a fantastic online customisation platform, it really makes clear all of the possibilities available within the company. Working independently from, though simultaneously associated with, some of the most premiere brands in the industry, such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Tag Heuer, Bamford offers a massive range of cusomtisation options to its ever-growing clientele. Vetted through a fun and dynamic little customiser on the site itself, it’s clear to see that the point behind this business model is to recapture the fun and bespoke nature of luxury.
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“We are driven by our passion for engineering excellence and innovation,” states the company website, “inspired by the demand of our clients to wear watches that are exclusive and individual.” You may not be a rapper or a dictator, but by virtue of the fact that you are holding this magazine, you are a VIP, and you deserve to reignite your passion in the finer things, particularly as it pertains to your personal style choices. Bamford goes way beyond a simple engraving (though that is available, too); you can feel free to completely change, mix and match or repurpose the colour and thus feel of your watch face. Feel like changing your Rolex Explorer’s numerals from a drab grey to a more robust royal purple? Go for it! Wish your Tag Heuer Monaco had a more gilded look with a bright yellow date wheel, dial and minute markers? Knock yourself out! Everything, from the stitching on the band to the dial, even to the Rolex or other brand logo can be manicured to suit your individualised taste, and not simply those prescribed to you by the brand. Also available through Bamford are some pretty fantastic artistic collaborations from which to choose or be inspired. Our favourite of these has to be the “Army vs Navy ‘Popeye’,” which re-imagines the classic sailor surrounded by a halo of gilded luxury; perfect for the intrepid cartoon character in your life. Bamford also offers a host of accessories like carbon fibre watch rolls, extra straps and bands, and leather tool kits. So whether you wish to accentuate the look of your watch with a simple, minute change or give your piece a complete horological overhaul, Bamford will set your life-clock back to fabulous. Yes, time may be limited, but your options to visually chart its passing just became markedly less-so.
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Watch out, It's Hammer Time SLT discovers that although it enjoys a relatively new placement atop the world's elite geographical locations, Dubai also has an eye for vintage.
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watch is a future heirloom, passed down through the generations, gathering more prestige and worth throughout the years. The timepieces that men consulted now rest on their grandsons’ wrists, the hands and seconds ticking away like it was yesterday. Of course, for those of us unfortunate enough not to receive antiques from our dearly departed, there is the lauded auction house. SLT's own Laura Hamilton is a beloved gold Omega which came from an auction house in Edinburgh, where it glinted temptingly until it was snapped up by her father. A vintage watch holds a certain prestige. Horology, from a grandfather clock to a wristwatch, is a signifier of luxury; in the past, having a timepiece illustrated your time was precious and now, when everyone can glance at their smart phone, a watch is a status symbol. Vintage, however, has a bad rap in the Middle East, where everything has to be the latest edition, the newest fashion, where old is bad and new is good. That’s why it may come as a surprise that vintage watches are all the rage in the Middle East, with unique stores such as Momentum popping up in Dubai, offering to source and preserve prized timepieces. Auction houses also offer another window to pick up limited editions, which may have slipped out of reach the first time around. Christie’s, the auction powerhouse that took the Arabian world by storm when it opened its doors in Dubai seven years ago, has reopened its vintage watch sales. The first is set to take place this October. “Between 2007 and 2010, Christie’s held a vintage watch sale twice a year in Dubai,” says Frederic Watrelot, Christie’s Associate Director. “The sale through rates
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were above 90%.” After Christie’s hired Watrelot as the new regional watch specialist based in Dubai, it decided to relaunch the watch sales. “Last year we showcased watch highlights from our main selling centres in Geneva, Hong Kong and New York to test the market, and the interest was even stronger than before.” Around 50 watches will be on auction, with estimates ranging from $1,000 to $80,000. “We offer the best Patek Philippes to the usual outstanding Rolex models,” says Watrelot. There is a wide range of vintage watches available in this auction, mostly from the early 21st century, but with some select choices from the mid-20th century. The Patek Phillipe was manufactured in 1958; the 18k gold wristwatch is a simplistic, masculine aesthetic that brings to mind the 1950s style. Rolex continues to be the wristwatch of choice in the region and there are plenty of fine examples in the auction that are bound to catch the eye of the consummate buyers, such as the Daytona ProHunter Stealth Issue IV model from 2011, which is estimated to go for $14,000 - $20,000. Also from Rolex, this time for the ladies, there is an outrageously pink Cosmography Daytona going for around $15,000 - $20,000. The feminine features include a white gold automatic chronograph and a mother-of-pink pearl dial, and is a beautiful, feminine wristwatch. Another timepiece in the collection which features a fair amount of pink, is a beautiful oversized pink gold Cartier skeletonised wristwatch with a flying tourbillon from 2011 that is estimated at $40,000 60,000. The stunning pink gold Roman numerals juxtapose with the technology of the tourbillon to create a unique and stylish watch that marries modernity and antiquity together, and is inherently masculine. For those who like a more classical looking watch, the Swiss Breguet is a fine and very rare limited edition. The timepiece is made from 18K pink gold, has a half hunter case and is valued at $60,000 - 80,000 and has a simplistic appeal. A very rare stainless steel limited edition with a triple barrel, cushionshaped, water resistant dual time wristwatch from Panerai is also on auction for a mere $40,000 - 60,000. The black dial and the bold hands and numbers give the wristwatch a masculine gravitas. “The selection of watches cater for all tastes and for a wide range of collectors, including the more established watch enthusiasts, who are looking for a rare model of a certain reference number, as well as the young collectors, who would like to buy their first watch outside the traditional offering of the international watch brands,” explains Watrelot. Christie’s watch department made $128 million in 2012, with a Bregeut watch sold at Geneva for a stunning $4.68 million, establishing a new world record for any Bregeut watch sold at auction. “The first half of 2013 started well and we are sure that the demand for exceptional watches is as dominant as ever,” Watrelot says, adding that he is looking forward to his first auction in Dubai. Auctions are full of anticipation, opportunity and adrenaline; lifting the paddle to bid on a watch that catches your eye, with no guarantee that the person sitting a few rows in front of you will outbid in and steal away your treasured possession can be nerve-wracking, ecstatic and addictive. We look forward to seeing the results of Christie’s auction and wish good luck to all that are bidding.
Christie's watch auction will take place on 29th October in Jumeirah Emirates Tower Hotel at 8pm.
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