SLT 23 Nov 2012 by Firefly Communications

EdiTOrial sur la terre has always claimed to bring the world of luxury to your doorstep, and that claim has never been truer than in this, the final issue of 2012. in total, the SLT team has travelled no less than 32,643 miles around the globe in order to bring you the best luxury lifestyle the world has to offer. admittedly, 12,914 of those miles were eaten up by flying newlywed, senior editor, steven paugh, back to Qatar from his Montreal love nest to conduct a tour of doha’s finest hotels; refreshing your memory of some of the existing luxury domiciles that have established themselves as pillars of finery among the city’s sybaritic elite, as well as introducing you to the newest palaces of perfection to have opened their gilded doors over the last 12-months. i, myself, have travelled no less than 12,551 miles between Qatar and the côte d’azur, where i report from the Monaco yacht show, arguably the most important event in the boating calendar, and between doha and paris, where i trawled the halls of porte de versaille to bring you the highlights of the paris Motor show.

a reMinder HoW to use SLT VISION 1. download the free aurasma lite app. 2. activate it on your device. 3. Hold your apple or android-powered device over the page when you see this symbol

staff Writer, laura Hamilton started racking up her first SLT airmiles with a 6,178-mile round-trip to paris to be one of the first to experience l’ecole van cleef & arpels, the haute joaillerie house’s new masterclass in jewellery making. she also made the short hop to abu dhabi for a st. regis event that will appear in a future edition of Sur la Terre. finally, sophie Jones-cooper, our fashion and style maven, swapped her countryside idyl of Gloucestershire in the uK for the sprawling french metropolis on a 616-mile round-trip, this time for paris fashion Week, where she not only witnessed the birth of a new heavyweight fashion feud, but experienced heaps of haute couture from the top designers’ spring/summer ’13 collections. on top of all that, we have a spectacular set of home-grown photoshoots, interviews with major players from the recent doha tribeca film fesival, a focus on the design trends in the high-end furniture market and fine art from both sotheby’s and the anima Gallery.

4. Watch the picture come to life! to see a video demonstration of how to use SLT Vision, visit www.facebook.com/sltme

so, as the bloated winter sun hangs wearily lower in the sky, and the darkness of the velvet arabian night engulfs the region ever earlier, let this bumper issue of Sur la Terre light your path to the warm embrace of an opulent new year.

James McCarthy

regional managing eDiTor

. sur la terre . editor’s letter .

CONTENTS

DOHA NUMBER 23

the list A r t , c u lt u r e , l i f e s t y l e

the scene W e r e yo u s e e n o n t h e s c e n e ?

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

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

st y le con fiden ti a l J e t- s e t g o

rev ue M a s h ata s pa

i n focus S i g u r d s t r Ă¸ m ta l k s f u r n i t u r e d e s i g n

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

Acce ssor ie s E s p r e s s o yo u r s e l f

d o h a â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s b e s t h ot e l s

. sur la terre . contents .

. sur la terre . section .

CONTENTS

DOHA NUMBER 23

tr en ds con fiden ti a l P a r i s fa s h i o n w e e k

look book Th e b e s t lo o k s f o r g u y s

fe atu r e Va n c l e e f

fa s h i o n H er e & d h ow

104

arpel s: fi r st cl a ss

i n mo tion P a r i s m o to r s h o w

20 12

114

b e au t y Pa l l e t t e - a b l e

119

lifestyle M o n a c o ya c h t s h o w

126

o u t o f t h e b ox A fi n e art frenz y

132

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

girls

20 12

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“ W i n t er i s no t a se a s o n , i t ’ s a n o c c u pat io n .” - Sinclair Le wis

the list arts and culture

17 oct 19 jan

26 & 28 dec

2013

Arabick Roots

The Nutcracker

Qatar Motor Show

WHEN: 17 October - 19 January 2013 WHERE: Doha, Qatar WHAT: Art Exhibition Within the walls of the iconic architectural feat that is Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art lies a new exhibition that was launched by the Royal Society of London and made its way to Qatar, the fascinating Arabick Roots. Both educational and visually impressive, it uses the 17th century spelling of Arabic to highlight the rich and surprising connections between pioneers of Muslim civilisation and 17th century Europe’s greatest scholars and scientists. It focuses on the golden age of Muslim civilsation from the 7th to the 17th century and there will be cultural events and seminars which will be sure to open your eyes. No longer is the story of how knowledge in the Arab world inspired the scientific revolution in Europe untold and forgotten. The plan is to inspire the younger generations to create and invent so that in another thousand years there will be exhibitions of their achievements. www.qma.org

WHEN: 26 and 28 December WHERE: Royal Opera House, Muscat, Oman WHAT: Opera The theatre’s more sophisticated cousin, the opera is a decadent outing and there is nothing quite like going to see the most popular opera of all time during the winter festivities. The Royal Opera House of Muscat are proud to present The Nutcracker, as performed by Moscow Classical Ballet aka the ‘ballet star factory’ this December. If you do go to the opera, then it should be less Black Swan and more White Russian; ballerinas from the former USSR are by far the most dedicated, going to great pains to perfect their craft and stun their audiences. The Nutcracker is a masterpiece, set to Tchaikovsky’s famous score, the story is of an epic battle between the Mouse King and the eponymous hero and his army of gingerbread men. What could be more glorious than that? Put it on your bucket list. www.rohmuscat.org.om

WHEN: January 2013 TBA WHERE: Doha Exhibition Center, Qatar WHAT: Car Exhibition The fastest things on four wheels are driving back into Doha for the Qatar Motor Show in January, where petrol heads will gather for Qatar’s biggest motoring event. Each year attracts thousands of visitors desperate to find out the latest developments in the world of motoring excellence and who have come to gaze with lust at the latest supercars that Lamborghini and Porsche have to offer. As always, the hi-rev show will feature stunts ranging from bike jumping to drifting and will be sure to impress hardcore motorist fans and casual comers alike with their dare devilry. www.qatarmotorshow.gov.qa

. sur la terre . the list .

jan

ThE liST entertainMent

5-9

MaR

31 dEc 2 jaN

3 jaN 3 FEB

Dubai International Boat Show

Big Boys Toys UAE 2013

Dubai Shopping Festival

WHen: 5 - 9 March, 2013 WHere: dubai international Marine club, dubai, uae WHat: Boat show in this part of the world, you are nothing if you do not have your own boat to sail the azure waters and surely the best part of having a yacht is showing it off... and buying more yachts? the dubai international Boat show is a world class event, attracting yachting enthusiasts from all over and parading the latest models of aquatic elegance in the beautiful dubai international Marine club. the keen marine enthusiast can stock up on jet skis and other boating must-haves while admiring the works of beauty. the event is a must for anyone interested in luxury sailing. www.boatshowdubai.com

WHen: 31 december - 2 January WHere: dubai, uae WHat: Gadget exhibition Who doesn’t love messing around with gadgets? at heart, we are all just big kids, and therefore, Big Boys toys is a dream come true; a licence for everyone to regress to their inner five year old. it’s the ultimate playground for those on the lookout for some super-cool gadgets to play around with, to update your geektastic collection of gizmos or to look out for kitsch one-off presents to delight technophiles. all the big brands flock to dubai to give live demos of their unique gadgets. iman Maghsoudi llc will be revealing their avant-garde super cars, super bikes and super yachts, while Bang & olufsen will be flaunting the electronic audio swag that made their name. www.bigboystoysuae.com

WHen: 3 January - 3 february 2013 WHere: dubai, uae WHat: shopping festival dubai is famous for its mall culture; it boasts the largest collection of international retail brands in any world city. there are shops which are so vast, you can literally get lost in them. if you can’t find it in dubai, then it’s not worth having! every winter, they celebrate their shopping credentials in style with what else but a festival of shopping! there are fireworks across dubai creek and, in the malls, prizes of cars, jewellery and cash, as well as entertainment, discounts, in-house catwalks and fashion shows. it’s enough to tempt anyone who is in denial about being a shopaholic and lure everyone into the most blatant materialism. Big brands, big deals, big bags full of bargains. www.dubaievents.ae

. sur la terre . the list .

the list Lifestyle

23 - 26

Feb

27 - 29

jan

2013

Commercialbank Qatar Masters

Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition

Mubadala World Tennis Championship

WHEN: 23 - 26 January 2013 WHERE: Doha Golf Club, Qatar WHAT: Golf Tournament The gentleman’s sport once again returns to prominence when the European PGA tour stops at Doha Golf Club for another round. Doha Golf Club has been hosting the Qatar Masters on its challenging desert-style golf course since 1998, and an incredibly popular event amongst the die-hard but genteel golfing population of Qatar. Last year, Paul Lawrie won the US $2,500,000 prize money and held up the cup with pride after completing the 18 holes. The Scot will be defending his championship in January 2013, but no one has managed to hold the cup for more than one year at a time, but good luck to him all the same. It’s sure to be an exciting tournament. www.qatar-masters.com

WHEN: February 2013 WHERE: Doha Exhibition Center, Qatar WHAT: Jewellery and Watches Exhibition Every year, the Doha Exhibition Center lights up when the annual Doha Jewellery and Watch Exhibition heads back to town. If you are a magpie, drawn to shiny bling, or a connoisseur of gems, then you must brave the crowds to witness the unprecedented luxury and adorn yourself with diamonds and emeralds. The high calibre of craftsmen and designer brands, who bring their finest pieces to show, include the celebrated Cartier and Harry Winston, but don’t worry gentlemen, this is also a watch exhibit so prepare to start coveting some serious pieces of “man jewellery”. This is the tenth year of the Doha Jewellery and Watch Exhibition, so prepare for something spectacular as they celebrate a decade of glorious jewellery. www.dohajewels.com

WHEN: 27 - 29 December WHERE: Abu Dhabi, UAE WHAT: Tennis Championship Six stars. Three Days. One Champion. For a quarter of a million dollars and the championship title, six of the world’s top tennis players will battle it out in Zayed Sports City in the UAE’s capital. Britain’s Grand Slam Champ and Olympic Gold medal winner, Andy Murray, will take on World Number 2, Novak Djokovic, 10-times Grand Slam winner, Rafael Nadal, as well as Spaniard David Ferrer, Czech Tomas Berdych and Serbian Janko Tipsarevic. With their pride at stake, the six tennis icons will play in front of a sold-out stadium of 5,000 spectators. Apart from the competitive sport, which will surely have sports fans flocking to the event, there is also a unique spectator’s village full of activities to keep everyone entertained. www.mubadalawtc.com

. sur la terre . the list .

dec

tH e scen e

Airmiles Summer League, Doha Golf Club â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

a f t er 10 -W eeK s of s t i ff c o M pe t i t io n i n t H e a i r M i le s s u M M er le aGu e G o lf t ou r na M e n t, i t s W i n n er s , pa r t ic i pa n t s a n d t H ei r fa M i li e s c eleBr at ed at t H e d oH a G o lf c lu B

1. the toon family 2. susan and roy Holmes 3. steve and Beverly Mullins and Julia Martigani 4. Kelly, paul, Bernadette, pol, and susie 5. uzma Mir family 6. Bruce, perl, eugene, and patrick 7. Jorge, Julia, and Mr. and Mrs. digginis 8. Kimerly and dirk 9. l. chong, Melany, roland, emma, and Mark

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

. sur la terre . the scene .

th e scen e

Harley Davidson —

Doh a bec a me “route 6 6” for the day when h a r ley dav idson ow ner s — tur ned out in force to r a ise fu nds for the UN’s Wor ld Food Progr a mme

1. Soul Riders 2. Terry, Willy and Anna Mae 3. Tiar, George, Nizar, Amin and Arie 4. Ronel, Sherr and Ahmed 5. Karim, Bob, Rachel, Anas and Ian

. sur la terre . the scene .

Mercedes-Benz —

D oh a’ s lu x u ry c a r e n t h u s i a s t s e n j oy ed t h e s pe c tac u l a r l o c a l l au n c h of t h e n ew m erc ede s SL at t h e n bk s h ow ro o m i n D oh a

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6 1. Sheikh Nawaf Bin Nasser tries the new car for size 2. Tarek El Habbal, NBKA Marketing Manager, Mario Von Glahn, DMEL Regional Sales Manager, Frank Bernthaler, DMEL Middle East Sales and Marketing Director 3. Sheikh Nawaf enters with his guests 4. NBK demonstrated new RFID Technology 5. Sheikh Nawaf with Jameel Al Majed 6. Sheikh Nawaf poses with the new Mercedes SL 7. Ahmed Azmy and Nehal Maher 8. The big reveal

. sur la terre . the scene .

WAW Hosts Rolf Benz Event — the “waw” factor came to the pearl qatar when the showroom hosted the — latest innovative furniture collection from German designer rolf benz

3 1. Rupert, Anne, Tobias, Patricia and Sanjib 2. Dilshan and Jamal 3. WAW staff 4. Baria, Sanjib and Ghada Sholy 5. Moataz, Danya, Lina and Ralph 6. Mr and Mrs Attallah 7. Grace Ghanem and Angelica Renate Storz Chakavji, Gemrany’s Ambassador to Qatar

. sur la terre . the scene .

Sea Lounge at Sharq Village & Spa —

Doh a’s glit ter ati enjoy ed a n ev ening by the shimmer ing a r a bi a n gulf when sh a rq v illage & spa opened the sea lou nge on its da na terr ace

5 1. Nariman, Edna and Ayen 2. Ziad, Arbi, Eli, Laila and Assem 3. Bob and David 4. Al Sharq Team 5. Amina, Antonio, Melissa, Carsten Fritz and Ayen

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u r eyes o

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.

For Archives Only >>> Okay, this may not be the usual “ridiculux” item we look for and celebrate in this portion of SLT, but let’s be honest here, thematically speaking, not much goes better with a section called “For Your Eyes Only” than a suitably expansive (not to mention reasonably expensive, at US$200) tome dedicated to the honour of the world’s greatest fictional spy, James Bond. Having just recently celebrated his 50th anniversary, as well as a new movie, which many fans are touting to be the character’s best, there is no better way to toast Britain’s greatest super-agent than poring over the 600 pages of this, quite possibly the ultimate James Bond Archive. EON Productions has been at the helm of a sum total 23 James Bond films, and has here, for the first time (at least so explicitly), prised

open its vault of Top Secret materials to share with the viewing public. It took editor Paul Duncan an estimated two full years to compile all of the backstage interviews, images, memos, documents, storyboards and stories within its pages, many of which have never before been shared, let alone published! The archive spans from 1962’s Doctor No all the way up through Bond’s latest escapade, Skyfall, and to date, there has never been a more complete account of the Bond legacy. Complementing its reading with a certain drink (shaken, not stirred) while snuggling up to some dangerous, yet alluring supermodel is, of course, your own call... but we’d judge you quietly with neither. www.taschen.com

. sur la terre . for your eyes only .

Record Breaker >>> If you absolutely, positively have to impress every hipster in the room, accept no substitute to the Bad Habits Made-To-Order DJ Console. Brought to you by the good folks over at LN-CC, this woodpaneled turntable is inspired by the vintage cool of once-proud (and illicit) clubs like Studio 54 and Paradise Garage, where the American dance culture was arguably born. Although they have been rendered with the club in mind, by artisanal talents, no less, whose creations grace some of the most trafficked international dance hall hot spots, particularly those in London, these decks also look great at home and will impress even your most fickle footloose friends. Of course, we here at Sur la Terre love being bespoke, and therein lies one of the greatest things about the Bad Habits DJ console. As the name subtly implies, each unit is made to measure to your most minute specifications. Depending on your spacial requirements and/or taste, everything about the console can be adapted to suit your pad, from size to materials to finishes, all for the reasonable base asking price of about $1,200 to start. It’s a given that house music is the de facto style of music here in Doha, so if we have to be subjected to it... LITERALLY everywhere we go... then we may as well suffer in style! www.LN-CC.com

Generation X >>> As the GCC weather starts to become a little more civilised, we will be taking to the dunes in our droves, so why not go on a Sand-X Motors T-ATV1200, a dune-bashing device that looks like something from Call of Duty? Sand-X Motors is a Swiss land-system manufacturer, founded back in 2005, that provides a range of innovative and specialised “solutions” for traversing all kinds of terrain. Its products can be found in the garages of various military and security forces around the world. Now, they are available to everyone, enabling us to conquer sand, and for those with the means to take it away on holiday, also marsh, ice, mountainous terrain, snow, mud, shallow water,

dirt, rocks, road, swampland and grass. With a fuel-range of more than 300 kilometres and a payload of up to 400 kilograms, the vehicle’s centre of gravity is exceptionally low and the Kevlar/rubber-made track provides optimum grip for superior traction and safety - as well as ultimate durability. Powered by a 1200cc engine which delivers 130bhp, the T-ATV1200 has a top speed of 180km/h, meaning that, for the relatively small sum of $25,000, you are guaranteed to win all of those dune-climbing events, which can be seen nearly always ending badly on youtube. www.sand-x.com

. sur la terre . for your eyes only .

Sonic Boom! >>> Bang & Olufsen have long taken a tactile approach to sound. Yes, we know that sounds a bit like our weird Uncle Henry, who swears he can smell purple, but stay with us here. All of B&O’s creations have something extra-sensory about them. The same is true for the B&O Play A9 Speaker. Instead of the now archaic black boxy speakers of olde, the A9 looks like the love child of a satellite dish and Superman’s phantom zone projector, inspiring a desire to caress its curvaceous contours and simply to enjoy its visual aesthetic, rather than chucking it behind a bookcase or entertainment system. As such, B&O has catered its three-legged halo (or no-legged, if you choose to mount it on your wall) accordingly, with a nifty buttonless volume control - all you have to do is slide your hand along the arc of its top to decrease or increase the level of sound. It’s also a “jack” of all trades, allowing you to connect your phone, tablet, computer or other digital music device by plugging in with a cable or wirelessly through Apple Airplay, or an open streaming standard DLNA. Of course, the A9 is more than just a pretty face with a good head on its shoulders, it’s also got a great set of lungs, with an 8” woofer, two 3” midrange speakers, another two 3/4” tweeters and three different amplifiers behind them. All of this, and its price tag of $2,600 transforms the A9 from more than just another speaker, and into a work of art. www.beoplay.com

HotTug Good-Time Machine >>> Oh, that’s right; this is a thing now. In fact, the HotTug, which is not the name of some sketchy backstreet pleasure emporium, is instead one of the weirdest - and by virtue of that, one of the coolest - things we have ever featured in For Your Eyes Only. That’s no lie. Seriously, we wish we could have been in the meeting when bargeman, trained sculptor and inventive entrepreneur, Frank de Brujin, came up with the idea of the wood-fired HotTug, in which you can you can sail your way merrily upriver, while at the same time, soaking in a deliciously warm bath. Seriously, this guy must be one of the most interesting people to hang out with, and that’s saying a lot. Equipped with a woodburning stove (that apparently doesn’t burn to the touch, thanks to a clever little cooling system), the HotTug heats up 2,000 litres of water to 38 degrees Celsius in a matter of an hour or two, after which, you can enjoy tottering about any body of water of your choosing with up to eight of your friends. We think that $14,800 is a small price to pay for something this unique, and just imagine the feeling of tooling around the emerald water of the Gulf in your very own vehicular hot tub! www.hottug.nl

. sur la terre . for your eyes only .

GlOBetrOtter

Where: lonDon, uK WhAT: ValenTino: maSTer of CouTure WheN: from noVember 29 To marCh 3, 2013 Where: parK CiTy, uTah WhAT: SunDanCe film feSTiVal WheN: from 17 To 27 January 2013

www.somersethouse.org.uk

www.sundance.org/festival/

Where: barCelona, Spain WhAT: CirQue Du Soleil – alegria WheN: 26 DeCember www.cirquedusoleil.com

glObal gaThEriNgS 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.

. sur la terre . globetrotter .

Where: pariS, franCe WhAT: Van Cleef & arpelS: The arT of high JeWellery WheN: unTil 10 february, 2013 www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr

Where: berlin, germany WhAT: berlin faShion WeeK WheN: from 14 To 17 January, 2013 www.berlin.com

Where: hong Kong, China WhAT: TenTh hong Kong fooD feSTiVal WheN: 23 To 26 DeCember www.hka.com.hk

Where: Doha, QaTar WhAT: The gallery aT VCuQaTar preSenTS mariana heilmann WheN: from 27 noVember To 20 DeCember www.qatar.vcu.edu

Where: hong Kong, China WhAT: 2013 hong Kong WinTerfeST WheN: from 23 noVember To 1 January, 2013 www.discoverhongkong.com

Where: Dubai, uae WhAT: SanDanCe neW yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S eVe 2013 WheN: 31 DeCember www.sandance.ae

Where: ViCToria, auSTralia WhAT: feSTiVal of SailS WheN: from 24 To 28 January 2012 www.festivalofsails.com.au

. sur la terre . globetrotter .

GLOB ETROTTER

nightlife

SHOPPING

Tjing Tjing Rooftop Bar

Brown Thomas

Where: Cape Town, South Africa GPS: 33˚ 65’ 20.46” S, 18˚ 25’ 07.82” E

Where: Dublin, Ireland GPS: 53˚ 20’ 33.21” N, 6˚ 15’ 35.02” W

According to Conde Nast, Tjing Tjing Rooftop Bar is the 4th hottest bar in the world in 2012. Found in the heart of Cape Town, it’s something of a hidden gem. A surprising eclectic mix, the bar is a melting pot of old and new, local and Asian. The red bar was inspired by a Japanese shrine and is decorated by artistic, black-and-white photos of Tokyo, Kyoto and Hokkaido. The lofty outside terrace affords a stunning view of the Cape Town vista and a glimpse of the iconic Table Mountain. You can enjoy taking in all of this atmosphere while snacking your way through Tjing Tjing’s tapas menu, which includes favourites like cheesy quedillas and risotto balls. Try a Dawa, which is Swahili for “medicine,” a heady mix of voka, lime, crushed ice and honey. www.tjingtjing.co.za

Brown Thomas is Ireland’s premiere luxury department store. It’s basically the Harvey Nichols of Dublin, and for those in the know, the very name evokes thoughts of exclusivity and confidence. Opened by haberdashers and drapers Hugh Brown and James Thomas in 1849, the business flourished through generations, gaining along the way a reputation for excellence. Celebrating creativity and luxury for almost 200 years, Brown Thomas is home to the very best Irish, as well as international names in fashion and beauty, including prestigious luxury brands such as Cartier, Chanel and Louis Vuitton, and attracting fashionistas from all over the world to bedeck themselves in fabulous apparel. Listed among the best stores in the world, it remains quintessentially Irish. www.brownthomas.com

. sur la terre . globetrotter .

HOTEL

restaurant

Song Saa Private Island

Camélia

Where: Koh Ouen and Koh Bong Islands, Cambodia GPS: 10˚ 45’ 27.57” N, 103˚ 15’ 46.27” E

Where: Paris, France GPS: 48˚ 25’ 02.07” N, 2˚ 19’ 37.63” E

Song Saa Private Island sits in the uninhabited islands of Cambodia’s Koh Rong Archipelago amongst oases of virgin rain forests, coral reefs ad pure white beaches. This luscious paradise is Cambodia’s private island resort. The resort spans two exclusive islands called Koh Ouen and Koh Bong, referred to collectively as “Song Saa,” which in Khmer means “the sweethearts.” The islands are connected by a footbridge over a sea teeming with marine life, such as seahorses, turtles and tropical fish. This perfect honeymoon spot has 27 bedrooms with jungles and ocean views, a spa and wellness centre suspended in the air in the rainforest and a yoga and meditation centre for guests to enjoy, as well as beaches and an infinity pool. www.songsaa.com

Tucked away in heart of the fashion capital, enveloped in Art Deco architecture, is the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which boasts a new restaurant that is making waves in the food world on account of its French/Japanese fusion cuisine and stunning interior design. Named after the camélias in the landscaped garden that it seamlessly opens out onto, the design of the restaurant has a white petal motif, which makes for a gentle, if not tranquil refuge. Infused with exoticism and romance, Thierry Marx’s menu is based around the ingredients of French cuisine and the culinary traditions of Japan, and includes highlights such as lobster bisque with gnocchi and green peas purée, veal roasted with potatoes boulangère and the ever-popular staple, ratatouille. Outside is the innovative La Table du Jardin, a private table reminiscent of a giant bird cage that can seat six to eight guests. www.mandarinoriental.com/paris

. sur la terre . globetrotter .

style confidential

On your marks, jet set, go… As the holiday season approaches, make sure you have all the style essentials for a luxe-laden winter adventure.

DESTINATION SHOPPING Entering into a little retail therapy while travelling should be on everyone’s to-do list. Make sure these new style openings are on your itinerary.

OPENING CEREMONY OPENS IN COVENT GARDEN, LONDON

VERSACE OPENS IN SOHO,

NEW YORK

Don’t miss the very first downtown Versace boutique in the city that not only houses men and women’s RTW and accessories, but additional one-off collaborations with various curators. The first curator is Christopher Kane. Donatella and Christopher’s collection includes everything from t-shirts featuring archive Versace images to golden ear-buds emblazoned with the Medusa. “Versace has always been about the blending of influences – fashion mixed with music, dance, art and celebrity,” explains Donatella Versace. “In Manhattan we now mix uptown with downtown – our new Soho boutique offers a great alternative to our established, glamorous Fifth Avenue store.” Where: Versace, 160 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012

DIOR REOPENS IN RODEO DRIVE, LA After an eight-month renovation, Dior reopens its doors on the infamous Rodeo Drive. With five stunning floors (including a VIP salon), this boutique will certainly impress even the most A-list of fashion clientele. Raf Simon’s summer couture collection is displayed in the windows while the interior is based on the design of the flagship store on Avenue Montaigne in Paris. There is a beautiful blend of French tradition and contemporary flair, with 18th century inspired furnishings mixed with contemporary works of art commissioned by the house. Raf Simon’s first RTW collection, for SS 13, will arrive in store from February 2013. Where: 309 North Rodeo Drive, Beverley Hills, LA

Now there is no need to head Stateside or to Tokyo to get your edgy Opening Ceremony fashion fix. Last month, the cult New York store opened its very first European store in London’s Covent Garden. Lovers of the brand’s cool and offbeat offerings can now shop ‘til they drop while in town. Not only will you find men’s, women’s and kids collections, but unique and bespoke collaborations and products from big names such as Chloë Sevigny, Topshop, Adidas and House of Holland. Where: 35 King Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2

EMILIO PUCCI REOPENS IN

ST. MORITZ, SWITZERLAND As the Swiss Alps prepare for their first snowfall, the snow bunnies must also prepare their alpine looks. There is no better place to deck yourself out in the most luxurious of on- and off-piste attire than the Emilio Pucci boutique in the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St Moritz. The store has been recently renovated with a stark and modern design aesthetic - the perfect backdrop for Peter Dundas’ latest RTW and accessories collections. Where: Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, Via Serlas 27, St. Moritz, Switzerland

Here on home turf, the Temperley London boutique store opens in The Gate Mall next year, and that’s not all. Alice Temperley tells us: “We have plans to travel out to Qatar for events and presentations in early 2013.” So we look forward to more fashionable fun from the British brand in the New Year.

. sur la terre . style confidential .

A-LIST TRAVEL Follow in the footsteps of the celebrities and don’t let your style credentials slip whilst on the go. This winter, channel a chic yet casual look on your international travels.

Demi Moore keeps her jet-setting style off.. duty and relaxed yet goes with an oversized.. Salvatore..Ferragamo tote and slick Louboutin.. stiletto heels for a cool and glamorous edge...

Get Demi’s look… SWEATER River Island, JEANS J Brand at Neta-Porter.com, BAG Accessorize, SUNGLASSES Versace, SHOES Dune.

TAKE 5 SLT picks 5 travel essentials that will bring a dash of style and sophistication to your jet-setting jaunts. Head master En route, at your destination or on the journey home, lose yourself in music and escape from the world around you with these tweed earphones from Urban Outfitters.

HIS & HERS Tripp’s wheeled duffle bag and holdall are the ultimate unisex travel companions for him and her.

COVER STAR Give your iPhone a break too with this cool and contemporary flexible rubber cover from Vans.

WILD WORLD Christian Louboutin’s animal print travel document holder will keep your itinerary and travel essentials in one stylish place, no safari required.

CARRY ON Tumi’s Holiday Macon Carrier in honey is a slim and sleek tablet carrier – ideal for style savvy women who want their technology to look as chic as they do.

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CLICK, BUY & PACK Don’t have time for mall trawling before check-in? Shopping online has never been easier, and with these new collaborations, your holiday wardrobe just got better. Eveningwear for him… Holidays aren’t always about kicking back in board shorts and bikinis, especially at this time of year. So making sure you have cocktail-ready eveningwear at hand is a must. If you’re planning to be away over New Years Eve, then a slick tux may well be the order of the day. MrPorter.com and Acne are here to get you kittedout. Available online from November 13th, MrPorter.com has teamed up with Acne to produce a 14-piece eveningwear capsule collection including smoking jackets and trousers, an evening overcoat, formal shirts, a tuxedo T-shirt, bow ties and shoes. Just remember to ask for your martini shaken, not stirred. www.mrporter.com

Don’t forget accessories… No holiday wardrobe is complete without accessories, so why not shake up your jewellery box with some new additions. If you are working the vintage trend this winter (if you’re not, why not?), then get onto TheOutnet.com from November 5th onwards. Whimsical and wonderful jewellery duo, Erickson Beamon, has created a 15-piece capsule collection exclusively for the site, inspired by 1920s Art Deco style and injected with fluorescent and colourful jewels. No one can say earrings take up valuable packing space, so get shopping. www.theoutnet.com

...And eveningwear for her. Choosing a holiday capsule wardrobe isn’t the easiest of tasks, but when it comes to eveningwear, the best plan is to keep things luxurious and minimal. This is where hot young British designer, William Tempest, and his new capsule collection for high street favourites River Island comes in to play. In keeping with winter’s opulent and elegant attitude, the collection is full of 1920s silhouettes, beautiful embellishments, an edgy and opulent beetle motif and all in an easy to wear palette of black and peach. If these gorgeous illustrations of the collection are anything to go by, this has luxe holiday eveningwear written all over it. www.riverisland.com

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OPULENT TOUCHES Whether lounging under sunny skies or snuggling up under snowy clouds, bring an air of new opulence to your accessories. Think glittering jewels, dark florals, oriental motifs and lashings of all things luxe. Image courtesy of Accessorize..

EARRINGS Azza Fahmy at Bloomingdale’s, RING Versace, RING H.Stern at Bloomingdale’s, NECKLACE Accessorize, CLUTCH House of Fraser, WATCH Versace, CLUTCH House of Fraser, WEDGES Office, SCARF Accessorize, COLLAR Karl at Net-a-Porter, BELT Miu Miu at Net-a-Porter.

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r evu e s pa

Al Mashata Spa: the philosophy of ultimate beauty Four pearls SLTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Staff Writer and occasional spa correspondent, Laura Hamilton, discovers what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to be truly pampered.

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Recently, while wandering around Education City, visiting exhibitions and the like, I felt very underdressed. Where I come from, you have to be careful when you associate with students, as they’re always suffering from “Fresher’s Flu” and they have purposely dressed as the homeless or Kate Middleton. Students milling around Doha’s hub of education, especially the girls at Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar (VCUQatar), come straight out of the glossy pages of high fashion magazines; beautiful and intelligent girls, brilliantly accessorised and ready for anything. Glowing skin, shapely eyebrows, manicured, pedicured and coiffed to perfection...how do these women do it? I was beginning to think it couldn’t possibly be Maybelline and maybe they were just born with it; that is, until I stepped into Al Mashata Spa, which is like a spa version of the TARDIS.

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Behind the closed doors is a mansion of beauty. If I wasn’t employed at surely the best luxury magazine in Qatar, I would spend all my time at this salon. With no idea of what to expect, I rocked up in the morning to Al Mashata Spa, which is behind The Mall, and saw a fleet of cars parked outside, which is always a good sign. As soon as I pushed open the ornate door and stepped through the threshold, I was in a lady of leisure’s paradise. Bright, spacious, feminine, luxurious, I felt relaxed and looking forward to spending a half day in the spa. First I was ushered downstairs to a substantial gym, where some ladies were working hard in the yoga/dance room, which is very popular. Nearby was a pool and jacuzzi. After lazing around in the jacuzzi for a while, I relaxed in the pool, swam a few lengths and played with the power taps, which aid circulation and are just plain fun. Warning: bring your own swimming cap, as the ones they have are impossible to get on, even if they are a rather fetching shade of green. After drying off, I wandered up two flights and was given a tour by the spa manager Rouba through the labyrinth of luxury. Al Mashata is massive, a palatial spa; anything you could possibly want you can find here,

from body polishes & scrubs, massages and body & facial treatments to foot care. They have the first and exclusive Vichy shower in Qatar, a hydrotherapy shower in which seven jets massage you while you lie down. Along the darkened corridors lit by candles, I peek through doorways into Moroccan baths; stunning mosaic tiles pattern the walls, massage and treatment rooms. There is also a VIP area for a private girls’ spa day or a bridal shower, where you can get your nails and hair done and even have a foot massage while sitting on a throne! After my relaxing swim, I was led to a darkened treatment room where I lay back on a reclining chair and the lovely May from Thailand, who has very soft hands, took my feet and scrubbed, massaged and kneaded away at the knots while I sat back and tried not to fall asleep. I find that living in Doha destroys my feet, ironically for a country in which I walk very little; dust and sand sneaks through my sandals and dries out my skin. At the end of the hour massage, in which my hands and shoulders are given a short rubdown, too, my feet were as soft as a newborn baby’s and I felt lighter than a cloud.

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After that, I went to the ground floor, which is divided into two sections, to the left, manicures and pedicures (behind a secret door there is even a place full to the brim with cosmetics) and to the right, an area devoted to coiffures. Plastic heads displaying various elaborate hair styles line the room, and I sat down in front of a giant mirror and waited for my blow dry, while I people-watched. I have never seen anyone with longer and shinier hair than the Qatari women in Al Mashata Spa; perhaps they wash it with Evian.

The hairstylist coiled my hair with the ease of the long-practiced, and fastened my hair up with one hand while blowdrying with the other. Even quickly pinned up, my hair has an elegance that I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t manage and I was loath to let her take it down, although when she did, I was pleased with the natural curls. I admired my hair in the mirror until I became quite vain. As I walked out, calm and collected, I felt I was halfway there to being one of the pretty girls at VCUQatar. For more information, visit www.almashataspa.com

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r evu e H OTE L

WelCome To The hoTelS QaTarfornia In a bid to rediscover old accommodation haunts and test out new hotel waters, sur la terre has enlisted prodigal Senior Editor, Steven Paugh, to return to Qatar and give you a brand new lowdown of dear old D-town’s decadent domiciles.

The Trusty Veteran: W Doha Hotel 3.5 pearls i still remember the first time i ever visited the W Hotel doha. it was back in 2008, when a (relatively) fresh-faced editor was just cutting his teeth upon these very pages. the hotel was still largely unfinished, apart from a few rooms, but even as i sat inside the drywalled eye of its construction storm, conducting an interview with the hotel’s interior designers, i could already envision the spirit of the place, and could tell, even then, that the W was bound to become an institution in doha. fast-forward four years, and as i sit amongst the plush interior of the W’s superior room environs, i can say this for sure: i was right. the W Hotel doha has realised the destiny that i prophesied for it those many years ago, not only as a benchmark of the city’s ever-more bustling nightlife, but also as the go-to place to take part in either a stay- or vacation. unlike many other similar five-star establishments, the W doha, like its international brethren, relishes luxury. this is not a place of timidity, but of indulgence; a rather more jocular opulence. you can feel this approach in everything, from the famous “Whatever/ Whenever” promise to its guest - which has, in the past, been used to grant guest wishes involving everything from helicopter rides to bathtubs filled with chocolate - to the revelrous ostentation within the decor of its public spaces, restaurants and 441 guest rooms and suites.

if the W could move, it would swirl - not unlike the cavalcade of weekend merrymakers that make their pilgrimage to its two most popular bars, the always-thumping Wahm and the slightly more, let’s say, “grandeur-deluded” crystal lounge. like them, the W chain of hotels dances to the beat of whatever music it finds itself amidst... even if that music is of the perpetual House variety, a style which i describe

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as “music” in the loosest possible sense. In the case of our W here in Doha, you can see an indigenous song in the calligraphic curves that twist through the designs in its finishings, and its overall feel makes it truly a fun place to find yourself. Not for nothing, after all, has the W Hotel Doha been awarded a host of awards throughout its existence, including most recently being named the Middle East’s Leading Business Hotel, as well as the Leading Hotel & Residence by the World Travel Awards. The culinary team was also awarded no less than 14 medals at the Diyafa 2012 hospitality exhibition for the service and quality found in the hotel’s two great restaurants, Spice Market and Market by Jean-Georges, the Friday brunches of which should not be missed by either locals or visitors. In terms of sheer enjoyment of both luxury and lifestyle, you will be hard-pressed to find a much more iconic venue for good times, great food and inspired surroundings in Qatar than the W Hotel Doha.

The New Kid on the Block: Hilton Doha 3 pearls Speaking of subtle, the next stop on my Doha homecoming is the brand new Hilton, which only just opened its doors in October 2012. While its ribbon-cutting ceremony on the 21st of that month was a grand ceremony built around an almost surreal “festival of the senses” involving impossibly-limbed angels and ethereal decorations, the Hilton Doha is, excepting the five-star level of luxury that each enjoys, the antithesis of the W Hotel. Where the latter celebrates a more epicurean eccentricity, the Hilton stands for something a bit more, shall we say, refined. Now, this is not to say that the Hilton appeals any less than the W; it does, but quite differently, choosing to express itself in a more traditional way. The foyer, for example, is a vast, gilded landscape of light and marble. You immediately feel a resonant elegance at the new Hilton, but one that is neither stuffy nor unnecessarily exclusive. It breathes and hums with an excited and infectious “newness,” but at the same time doffs its welcoming cap with an old-school sense of luxury. This is the Hilton, after all, and with that name comes a certain sense of gravitas. If the W, as I mentioned before, could be said to swirl, the Hilton would glide, with either the graceful canter of a model careening down a catwalk in an evening gown or the self-assured gait of an impeccably dressed businessman. It must be said, however, that this particular dance ends somewhat between the threshold at the foyer and the hotel’s rooms. While the King Hilton Deluxe room in which I stayed was pleasant enough and kitted-out with the latest luxurious mod-cons, not to mention an impressive view over the azure waters of the Gulf (a scene displayed in each and every one of the hotel’s all ocean-facing 309 rooms), it lacked a certain spirit felt in some other hotels in town, like, say, the W. I felt as though I could have been anywhere else in the world, really, and while my comfort was never in question, any feeling I could divine from my surroundings was nigh-imperceptible. Saying that, the Hilton was clearly meant for the business-orientated in mind, and that requires a more structured luxury; one with a more international flavour. Speaking of flavours, one of the highlights from my stay was La Sahtaine restaurant. Although not, as the name implies, yet another Lebanese restaurant, it is a credit to the Hilton name, not to mention an elegant and vastly superior fine dining option to the overpriced-forwhat-it-is Trader Vic’s.

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The Wild Card: Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels the official launch of the accommodation collective known as the souq Waqif Boutique Hotels only occurred this past november, but their impending arrival on the scene here in town has been a much-talked-about event, and each one’s soft opening has been met with no small measure of excitement. needless to say, i too was intrigued, and decided to see for myself whether the rumours were true.

Al Najada

3.5 pearls

originally built as three separate homes in 1930, al najada Boutique Hotel, which sits welcomingly at one of the entrances to souq Waqif, is a surprisingly underrated venture in re-injecting some culture into an often stale doha hotel market. its 22 asymmetrical rooms and three suites are linked together by labyrinthian walkways, all of which feel as authentic as they do winding. this is exactly the type of approach to accommodation that Qatar has been missing, at least during my four-year tenure here as a permanent

resident. While other regional establishments play at paying homage to the past, the result usually becomes a mockery of the ever-ubiquitous “arabesque.” al najada, however, is different. it has soul. even though the corridors are mostly covered and air conditioned, al najada makes it feel like you are walking through the arab equivalent of a pueblo, or a small village; much, indeed, like the surrounding souq Waqif itself. this is a rustic luxury, if there could be such a thing in Qatar, and its asymmetrical approach to design and decoration makes al najada feel, like its origins would suggest, more lived-in. it’s comforting in that way, and it succeeds in making you feel at the same time like a valued guest, but also secluded enough so that you could fancy yourself an explorer. i was lucky enough to have stayed at al najada over the recent eid al-adha holidays, and the blurred line between its walls and those of the surrounding souq begs you to conduct your own expedition. one of the best things about this particular boutique hotel is its placement, which is just next to the beautifully revamped Waqif art centre and adjacent to the largest group of the souq’s culinary options. of course, in terms of food, you don’t even need to leave the hotel, since it has, quite simply, one of the best restaurants in the entire country. More on that later. al najada has done something which is often forgotten when it comes to forging an accommodation identity by tapping into Qatar’s visual and spiritual culture, and it has done so very well. for pure, exquisite luxury, however, you need only take a short walk to its sister hotel, al Jasra.

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Al Jasra

4 pearls

Skirting the outside of Souq Waqif, like a star slinking in shadow, is the Al Jasra boutique hotel, and from the moment you step into its lobby, you immediately feel an artistry that I, quite frankly, have never before experienced in the Middle East, let alone Doha. Al Jasra represents a completely unabashed enjoyment of Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s richness, and I mean that in a variety of different ways. Its wealth of beauty is expressed visually in the finishings, fixtures and furnishings, from the fountains that tip their bounty in a tumble of flawless, liquid drapery over what can only be described as a Khaliji answer to a Japanese garden, to the colourful contemporary touches that cascade similarly through its cafe and greeting areas. There is a sheer, unbridled joy of being luxurious at Al Jasra, and for reasons even I cannot describe, it just feels more authentic. There is a greater depth to its lightness, like a solid-gold statue vs. one, which, elsewhere, would simply be gold-plated. Out of the 22 rooms and four suites that make up its offerings, I was fortunate enough to be placed in Al Jasraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crown jewel, the Coral Suite. Rarely anymore does my jaw drop out of being impressed, thanks mostly to my jaded disposition as a now somewhat seasoned luxury-lifestyle writer, but the Coral Suite made me feel like I was once again that green journalist, previewing the W Doha Hotel years prior.

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The entire suite is rife with the palpable luxury I mentioned before. Ornate engravings and a retinue of colours and textures shine, literally, beneath lights that can be catered to the whims of the suiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lucky attendees. The bathroom is a celebration in marble, with an onyxcoloured, free-standing tub standing out amidst a canopy of white, while the massive rain shower transforms the rather mundane venture of your morning ablutions into an otherworldly experience. The acute wow-factor of Al Jasra continues into facilities I often forgo mentioning in similar articles, but must be noted here, such as the singularly impressive, fully-equipped gym, alongside which sits

a breathtakingly-rendered and authentic Moroccan Hammam, the multiple rooms of which are so absolutely beautiful, it must have been done with a practiced hand and keen heart; a true labour of love. Perhaps that is what makes Al Jasra my favourite amongst all of the places I stayed in during my trip back to Doha; the time and attention that were spent in creating something special, something homegrown, something I have never seen before. With respect to the other options I visited, if you are going to stay somewhere in Doha and want to experience a level of luxury heretofore unseen, even in this city, which drips with the stuff, there is nothing quite like Al Jasra.

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Where to Eat: Al Najada, The Dining Room 4.5 pearls While I sampled a great many options during my tour, it is Al Najada’s signature restaurant, The Dining room, which literally took the culinary cake. Upon entering its tastefully understated layout, you will immediately be proffered one of the restaurant’s signature mocktails - I recommend the star of its beverage barrage, a grape, kumquat and strawberry puree concoction spiced perfectly with a hint of chili. What follows thereafter is a taste bud tour de force, kicked off with an inventive wasabi cream-topped cracker and followed-up with an absolutely unreal poached egg, parmesan cheese and cauliflower puree served inside a cracked egg shell, which is then placed atop a mother of pearl dish. As you do. My dinner guest, a good friend, who has lived in Doha for 12 years, after seeing and sampling this particular course, said with genuine amazement, “I have never had food like this in Doha.” Her impressed disbelief continued

with the third and fourth courses, respectively: a tender seared Scottish salmon served with a crispy garnish of salmon skin, and then what appeared to be a Jackson Pollock painting, rendered with quinoa, green sponge and pumpkin puree. The fifth course was a shot of hummus. That’s right, a shot... of hummus. This was a celebration of culinary deconstruction and reapplication, with a consistency not unlike a milkshake and served in what was, for all intents and purposes, a chemistry set. You have never had hummus like this. We finished our mind-blowing meal with a final quest of textures - sumptuous, meaty monkfish served with octopus and amidst small lagoons of zucchini cream, and a plate of “mango pasta” for dessert, which, while still being one of the most inventive things I’ve ever seen in Doha, was not really to my taste. Still, the complete experience at The Dining Room is exemplary and to miss it, quite frankly, would be a sin of omission.

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i n FO CUS

Evolution by design

Sigurd Strøm, Professor of Furniture Design at Oslo National Academy of the Arts and Founding Partner of breakthrough Scandinavian design outfit By Corporation, speaks to special contributor Scott Lang about global furniture trends, the nature of good design and the importance of asking difficult questions.

ince the 50s and 60s, Scandinavia has long been at the forefront of creative design excellence. With its roots in simplicity and nature, it has delivered a brand of conceptuality that speaks of more than just function. However, in today’s volatile financial climate this trend is changing, as manufacturers are turning to China for cheaper production costs and designers are more frequently compromising their principals in place of aesthetics. Typically in a downturn market, furniture is the first to be relegated and often the last to be upgraded when the economy improves. This translates into prolonged periods of uncertainty and prompts many designers to abandon their values and instead focus on making beautiful items that have no purpose other than being “stash.” This is inherently a consequence of a demanding market and the fact that it is tough to make a living in such a competitive industry. But not all enterprises are following the fray, and are consequently reaping the benefits of being true to an original design philosophy. By Corporation, comprised of a think tank trio of creative minds including Benjamin Stenmarck and Henning Romero, is a relatively new Nordic studio with a simple vision; to discover and develop brilliant design ideas and bring them to life. As a designer and manufacturer, you have to think differently, and the first question we always ask is why? Collectively there exists enough products in the world to last a million years, so why bother designing new commodities? This is a decisive query that drives our thinking and allows us to look beyond the standard rationale that dictates the development of many designs. In today’s market, so much of all the products on show have very little to say and do for mankind except confirm a sense of status. It seems that the only pre-requisites to be expected from new designs are geared towards physical functions, aesthetics and rationality.

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But at By, we believe in something other than the obvious, what we call a meta-dimension. Products should demand something of the user, that make them invest time in understanding its story. To do this it has to make a critical statement and provide an unexpected experience. This in itself is the beauty of good design as it has the power to distil a sense of consciousness. The positive thing about this approach is that it extends the life of an object and provides a new enrichment to the experience. Users should approach design with the same openness as they do with art. Design itself is nothing; to evolve it has to learn from art. It must have the ability to communicate and not only be the answer to a need but also a question. One difficult question that recurrently occupies the thoughts of the world’s design milieu is why not manufacture products in China? For better or worse, China has steadily risen to occupy the mantle as the world’s most important production country and exports a number of the planet’s most notable furniture brands. However, this dominant export market has generated a number of knock-on effects throughout the design industry. The most

notable concern for the European manufacturers is that China is twice its size and has the potential to poach all of its business. The lure of cheaper production costs has its benefits, although it shouldn’t come to the detriment of quality. Moving manufacturing offshore also throws up other questions about wider ecological implications associated with hefty transport emissions being detrimental to the environment. But while China has a lot to offer in terms of production, By is preoccupied with sourcing manufacturers that offer an element of flexibility and shares its values. It seems today’s consumer is particularly susceptible to this philosophy, judging by the success of the company’s first signature product, dubbed the Imueble. This modulated, wall mounted storage unit, designed by Bjørn Jørund Blikstad, has a fittingly true expression of By’s meta-dimension as it literally dances between the 2D and 3D space, depending upon which angle you look at it. It is an ambiguous optical illusion that plays on the idea of a link between the storage inside and outside our heads. It is an idea that memory functions are spatial, like when you’re reading a book, spatial images occur of scenes and characters. The unit is already an icon, having taken the Stockholm Furniture Fair by storm and scooped an Award for Design Excellence from the Norwegian Design Council. Like the Imueble, By’s future has many dimensions, having already started work on a number of new projects. But whether it’s furniture or storage, all of our creations share the same discernible motive, to shake the design world with new products that continue to ask difficult questions.

About Sigurd Sigurd has been a Professor at Oslo National Academy of the Arts for a number of years as a Professor of Form, Associate Professor in Geometry and most recently a professor of Furniture Design since 2012. In addition to academic accreditations that also include lecturing posts at The Oslo School of Architecture and Design and Oslo Academy of Art (KHiO), Sigurd runs his own studio in Oslo, focusing on furniture design and sculpturing. In the hours in between, Sigurd manages his partnership role within By Corporation and also finds time to design freelance creations for companies throughout Europe for the likes of Walter Knoll, Franz Wittman and Fora Form. His work in the industry to date has also garnered four awards for Design Excellence from The Norwegian Design Council.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153; I n t h e dep t h of w i n t er , I fi na lly le a r n ed t h at t h er e wa s i n m e a n i n v i nc i ble s u mm er .â&#x20AC;? - Alber t Camus

The Reel Deal?

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Abdulaziz Al-Khater It was big news and something of a surprise when Amanda Palmer, a woman known for her love of film, was replaced as Doha Film Institute’s public face and leader before the 2012 Doha Tribeca Film Festival, even more so when it was revealed that her successor was a man with a background in... banking? Senior Editor Steven Paugh speaks with new DFI CEO, Abdulaziz Al-Khater, to find out if his background in dollars will make any sense for DFI.

ou come from a background in finance and business, so what drew you to DFI? How did you get involved with one of the country’s, and indeed region’s, grandest modern icons? Yes, you’re absolutely right, I do come from a banking background, and before that, I came from a computer science background – I was a software developer – so this is my second career change, if you like. I think my experience and background in this particular case is relevant. Anyone with organisational and leadership experience has to have the ability to identify the right skillset within the more specialised fields of either film production or film financing. We’re extremely lucky to have some very capable, very passionate and very talented people on our team, and they believe in the mission of DFI. My job is really to give them the environment and direction to do the best job they can.

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Still, there will be some detractors who will say that your background will not translate well to running a film institute. How do you respond to those claims that DFI will now be taking a different track, or is somehow shifting their mission because of this move? The vision of DFI is to help develop the film industry in Qatar and the entire Middle East. That will not change. While DFI itself is a young organization and will continue to evolve, we’re not going to turn into a bank. There won’t be anything that detracts DFI from our primary mission, which is to help promote an appreciation of film in this country and region, as well as that of local and regional artists, be they producers, directors, scriptwriters or any of the other talents related to filmmaking. And of course, with the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, we want to give these people a platform to share their talents with the world. These will ALWAYS be DFI’s core set of objectives and values. We understand that the Made in Qatar section of the film festival has been growing and expanding in scope, and has reached new levels this year. Will this type of local fare continue to grow? If so, why is it so important to have a homegrown film industry? The film industry is a very powerful platform for expression, and all over the Middle East, people are craving to express themselves. By helping people get the tools, training and knowledge necessary, I think we’re set to see an explosion of creativity within the region, and it’s important for us to do what we can to help people find the right knowledge, tools and financing in order to realise those visions. We are all really excited about the Made in Qatar lineup, as well as the international festival. Not only are there more movies, we’re also very careful about the balance and types of movies; whether they are features, documentaries, dramas or shorts, we like to maintain a variety. As I said earlier, it’s about exposing and developing film appreciation here, and that’s where bringing in films from all over the world comes into play. Speaking of bringing the international flare, do you believe the Doha Tribeca Film Festival will change into something like a Cannes Film Festival? Obviously Cannes is an amazing film festival with an extremely good reputation, and they do what they do very well. There would be little point for DTFF to emulate Cannes or any other festival. That is part of the DFI objective this year, to produce a Doha Tribeca Film Festival that is a lot more Qatari, and speaks a lot more with a Qatari voice. Now, that does not mean that we will stop being an international film festival in ANY way, but we feel that it is a platform to create that dialogue. If we do our jobs right in promoting local content and creation, then DTFF could be a platform for creating a unique mix of both a Qatari and international set of films.

The Doha Tribeca Films Festival this year does seem a lot more compact, or focused, if you will. It appears to be more cohesive than in other years with its vision. It feels more intimate, more approachable. Well, I’m glad you say that, because that feel for this year’s festival was one of our major objectives going in. For example, adding Souq Waqif as one of our venues; with that, we wanted to make the festival more cozy than it has been in the past. I think we have done that, and I believe it will set the tone for festivals here sometime in the future. And now a bit of a fun one. As you are now at the helm of the Doha Film Institute, you must be a fan of cinema. What is your favourite film? Oh wow… Well, there are quite a few films I really enjoy. My favourite? [takes a long, thoughtful pause] I guess that would have to be… Casablanca. Are there any films or projects that you are particularly looking forward to, whether on the festival circuit or for mass release? Well, maybe… but I don’t want to give anything away. No spoilers! [laughs]

The vision of DFI is to help develop the film industry in Qatar and the entire Middle East. That will not change.

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I BRING TO YOU CULINARY EXCITEMENT FROM THE FAR EAST

MY NAME IS

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a Name?

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Hend Fakhroo Local and first-time filmmaker, Hend Fakhroo, recently participated in the 2012 Doha Tribeca Film Festival’s Made in Qatar competition with her entry, His Name , which takes an as yet untapped and very real approach to cultural appreciation on a human level here in the Gulf. Senior Editor Steven Paugh speaks to Fakhroo about her inspiration and her vision.

understand you have a background in marketing, receiving your degree from a university in America before returning to Qatar and doing significant work for Qatar Petroleum. Now you’ve devoted yourself to being a full-time mum (with another on the way) and, with this, your first short, to making films. What made you want to get into the industry in the first place and what films or people were your influences in doing so? I’ve always been in love with film. My maternal grandfather was an acclaimed Egyptian actor and director. My great aunt is also a famous Egyptian actress, and my extended family is very involved in all aspects of media. So you can say film is in my blood. I grew up watching classic black & white Egyptian films, and I still wish I could have been living during that time. I’ve always known making films was my true passion, and, although it sounds strange, my brain functions in film sequence. I observe everything around me and wonder how it can translate on camera. I’m interested in telling stories about people. I’ve traveled quite extensively, and I’ve always found myself wanting to make films about everything I saw. They say traveling turns you into a writer; to me, it turns me into a filmmaker. I love watching foreign films, and have been heavily influenced by filmmakers such as Pedro Almodovar, Mira Nair and Woody Allen. Everything in those films contributes to the story: the colors, the music, even the flowers. This is my aim when it comes to filmmaking, to really allow the audience to feel, and be part of the story.

What was it like to have your film selected as one out of 70 others for the Made in Qatar section of the 2012 Doha Tribeca Film Festival, which is arguably the event’s most homegrown-focused, and what does it mean more generally for aspiring filmmakers in and especially from the region? This year’s Made in Qatar programme is quite strong! Out of 70 submissions, only 19 were selected. The fact that my first film was selected is a huge personal achievement, and I am truly honoured. I’m extremely lucky to be Qatari, and to have an institution like the Doha Film Institute interested in giving me the proper exposure to develop my skills as a filmmaker. The Gulf region has a long way to go in terms of film making, but I truly believe that the last four years are a clear indication that we are moving in the right direction. Aspiring regional filmmakers have hope that their work will be seen, and appreciated by audiences both regionally and internationally. Your film, His Name, deals with the relationship between a Qatari woman and her foreign street cleaner. What was the inspiration behind the story? Is it a way of approaching the more general (and arguably sensitive) subject of interaction between cultures in the region? In essence, what is the story you are trying to tell here, and why did you decide to tell it? The story behind the film is very personal; it’s the true story of my friendship with the man who cleans the streets of my neighborhood. The idea to make this film came to me a few months ago. I was

. sur la terre . up close and personal .

How much do we really know about the people who clean our streets, fill our cars with petrol, or build our schools and houses?

standing in a parking lot and noticed two indian men who clean cars for a living. they were greeting every single person who walked past them, but most people didn’t respond. it really struck me how invisible they were, and how there is such a disconnect between the different social classes that coexist in the same country. these people travel to our countries to earn a living, and we need them here to provide certain services. it’s a very dependent relationship, yet there’s rarely any interaction between the two parties. How much do we really know about the people who clean our streets, fill our cars with petrol, or build our schools and houses? all of these thoughts led me back to thinking of my friend, the street cleaner, and how i didn’t even know his name. so i contacted my good friend Mohammed al-Hamadi, who is an executive producer at innovation productions, and he agreed with his partners to produce the film. it was important for me to be extremely sensitive when making this film, and i believe the focus on our friendship really delivers the message. in addition, i chose to make the film in english in order for it to be more relatable to international audiences. the idea of having an expatriate worker cleaning your streets is foreign enough to some people; i wanted there to be a connection between us, be it language or music. after watching this film, i hope people will be a little more inclined to be kind to one another, even if it’s just by waving hello to a man in a yellow jumpsuit.

exposure to other cultures, or is the influx of new filmmaking as a result of there being more opportunities for local filmmakers, like the Made in Qatar section of DTFF, and the mission of DFI in general? i believe it’s a combination of both. the fact that i’m extremely multi-cultural gives me a somewhat different perspective; and yes, i absolutely approach and create film differently because of that. But i also know that a lot of the young regional generation is just as multi-cultural and well-traveled, so they would be able to accept, and absorb, these creative differences. yet i wouldn’t be able to portray any of these messages without the opportunities from institutions like innovation productions or the Made in Qatar section of dtff.

Your parents are from Qatar and Egypt, respectively. Your husband is of Bahraini and British descent. As we said earlier, you also have experience living within other cultures. Do you think your international upbringing and experience have changed the way you approach and create film? Do you think that there is a broader application of this multiculturalism, wherein your generation has benefitted, artistically or otherwise, from travel and

What subjects do you want to see addressed in film by your fellow Gulf-based filmmakers, and which ones would you like to approach, yourself? Are you working on anything now, for example, that you could tell us about? there are so many stories coming out of this region, and i would love to see anything culture-related made into a fi lm. i’ve been working on two separate projects that i’d like to turn into features. one is a romantic comedy with a khaliji flare, the other is an international project with other fi lmmakers focusing on women dealing with postnatal depression.

His Name is a short film. Was that format a conscious choice, or simply a more functional way of telling the story? Making a short film is not an easy feat. in a way, it’s easier to tell a feature-length story than it is to tell a story in under five minutes. as i mentioned earlier, i think of everything in film sequence, so when i knew i wanted to tell the story of our friendship and also find out his name, it all fell into place. i didn’t have a time limit in mind. i knew i didn’t want to bore the audience, but i also wanted to give the story its importance. We shot the film in less than three days, and it all turned out exactly how i imagined it. it was an unconventional way of filmmaking, and i have to admit it worked out quite well. Particularly in the past few years, thanks possibly to an increase in international and regional film festivals (like DTFF), more Gulf nationals are making feature-length films. Would you like to work within that longer medium, or are you quite happy to continue making shorts? i’m a lot more comfortable making longer films, although the work it takes to make a short is just as extensive. i have a lot of stories to tell, and they’re going to need more than five minutes of the audience’s time.

. sur la terre . up close and personal .

acc e s so r i e s

espresso Yourself Production: Firefly Communications and Firefly Pictures Art director: Roula Zinati Ayoub Photographer: Lionel Gasperini Stylist: Farah Kreidieh Model: Alicia from Crystal Model Agency, Paris and Johan Madarasz Hair: Bilal Zalghout for salon Jean Louis David Makeup: Hadya Al Mohtar from salon Pace e Luce, St Regis Hotel Doha Nails : Kirsten McLachlan from Nails Boutique Location: Wahm, W Hotel Outfits & Accessories : Razan Alazzouni - www.razanalazzouni.com; EMPORIUM for Escada, Kenzo, Mulberry, Love Moschino ; REMZA for Karen Millen, ABS by Allen Schwartz, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Class Roberto Cavalli; ALI BIN ALI for Dunhill ; CHALHOUB for Marc Jacobs, Carolina Herrera; The Crown Turbans - Available at JoLamode, Hyatt Plaza

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Bag: Karen Millen, Ring and Earrings: CH by Carolina Herrera, Overall and Fur: BCBGMAXAZRIA, Bangles, XAZRIA, Earrings: ABS Necklace: Escada, Hat: Kenzo, Belt: BCBGMA

Opposite page: Dress and Fur; BCBGMAXAZRIA, Hat; Love Moschino, Necklace; BCBGMAXAZRIA, Ring; BCBGMAXAZRIA, Bangle; Mulberry, Bangle; BCBGMAXAZRIA, Necklace on the table; ABS, Bag: Love Moschino, Earrings; ABS . sur la terre . accessories .

Top: Razan Alazzouni, Bag: Marc Jacobs, Bangles: BCBGMAXAZRIA, Bracelets: CH by Carolina Herrera, Turban: The Crown Turbans, Ring: BCBGMAXAZRIA, Sunglasses: CH by Carolina Herrera

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Dress: Razan Alazzouni, Mask: BCBGMAXAZRIA, Bag: Class by Roberto Cavalli, Bangle: CH by Carolina Herrera, Earrings: ABS

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Jacket, Shirt, iPad Cover, Bracelets, Sunglasses and Hat; Dunhill

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Jacket, Shirt, Tie, Bracelet, Gloves, Sunglasses and Pen; Dunhill

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tr en ds confidential

Love fashion...

Love Paris Sophie Jones-Cooper explores Paris to report on the latest Spring/Summer ‘13 collections, but also takes a look back at the city’s long standing love affair with fashion

aris is a magical city at any time of the year, but twice a year a very special spotlight shines on the city of love, with the main attraction being not the revered Eiffel Tower or the infamous patisseries, but my favourite pastime… fashion.

Having just witnessed first hand, not only a close-up view of the city’s finest offerings for next season, but also what can only be described as a “legendary” Fashion Week, I would have to agree with the age-old saying that Paris truly is the style capital of the world. Yes, this season was the battleground for two of Paris’ biggest fashion players – Yves Saint Laurent vs. Christian Dior. More precisely, this was a battle between the houses’ new creative heads – Hedi Slimane for the newly-named Saint Laurent and Raf Simons for Dior. But such fashion feuds are nothing new. For decades designers have been battling it out on fashion’s front line, sorting the rags from the riches, the followers from the leaders and allowing only the very best to hold their place in the saturated style market. We saw Coco Chanel vs. Elsa Schiaparelli in the 30s, Yves Saint Laurent vs. Karl Lagerfeld in the 70s and Alexander McQueen vs. John Galliano in the 90s. Now was the turn of Saint Laurent vs. Dior. For 2013, the fashion pack waited with bated breath as to what creations the two designers would muster up for their respective houses and whether we would be looking at a new realm of fashion magic or a hands-down fashion faux pas. In the end, both designers triumphed, although they didn’t escape without their fair share of battering from the critics. In my eyes, these two newcomers have certainly made a good first impression on their mission to create the new future of French fashion, but before I delve into their new SS 13 collections, I can’t help but look back at how this magical style-soaked city crafted its couture credentials. Whilst on my trip to the city for Fashion Week, I decided to not only take my seat to witness, up close and personal, next season’s collections on the catwalk, but to take a few steps back and dig a little deeper into Paris’ fashion roots.

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paris has been known for years as the capital of fashion and, even though the likes of Milan, london and new york are all constantly battling it out for the golden crown, paris retains the title year after year. so what gives paris the right to this title? What paris has over any other city in the world is that it is, without a doubt, the birthplace of haute couture, as well as some of the world’s most cherished fashion heavyweights; coco chanel, yves saint laurent, christian dior and Balenciaga all started here and have made their name in this city. But haute couture only came about in the early 1900s. i am not one for recounting history, but when it comes to fashion, what went on in the world between the 13th and 20th century has, in fact, helped shape paris into what it is today and brought about the birth of haute couture.

elie saab ..

rewind back to the 13th century. the influx of money and textiles around this time allowed more importance to be placed on clothes. it was only then that people started producing and wearing their finest duds to show off their wealth and status, and the fashion industry was really born. france still didn’t become a major player in the fashion world, however, for quite some time. But when louis xiv was born in the mid 1600’s, he changed the course of fashion forever. louis xiv had a unique sense of aesthetic and was a lover of lavish art, furniture and, of course, clothes. By the late 1600s, his rule of france had generated a great economy for the country and a large portion of this was thanks to clothing and dress-making goods. france had become the capital of fashion, many years before the birth of haute couture and it remained this way until the french revolution in 1789. following the war, napoleon took control of france in 1804 and began to rebuild the country’s economy. for this he turned to none other than fashion. But when napoleon was overruled in 1815, french fashion fell out of favour, was superceded by the British and it wasn’t until 1853, when napoleon iii married eugenia of spain, that france took up the fashion reigns once again.

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louis vuitton .

it was, in fact, a British designer, charles frederick Worth, who was the reason for the birth of haute couture. the talented designer moved to paris and soon caught the eye of the fashionforward eugenia. in turn, Worth garnered a fine fashion reputation and became the first designer to show his clothes on live models, the first to put his name inside garments and the first to organise seasonal showings for clothes. He became widely considered as “the father of Haute couture.” By the end of the 19th century, haute couture was well and truly born and paris was at the epicentre of its creation. names such as dior, chanel and Balenciaga followed and the rest, as they say, is history. so fashion and paris have walked together hand-in-hand for centuries and the city has worked strenuously, year after year, to retain its title, fighting off the likes of london, Milan and new york. paris remains the ultimate finale too when it comes to fashion, always taking the final spot on the fashion week roster following new york, london and Milan. the houses’ slots are also set in stone due to paris’ archaic show schedule. dior always falls on a friday afternoon so, for ss 13, it was over to raf simons to pack the first punch. following Galliano-gate, raf simons had an impossible task at hand. after his stunning summer couture collection which he created

saint laurent .

for the brand just six weeks after his arrival at the house, and his highly praised final collection for Jil sander, he had a lot to live up to. Wisely, simons included some elements of his couture show within the expansive rtW collection, and also updated and reinvented some dior classics. among the highlights were slim trouser-suits, a tux jacket-dress, the renowned peplumed Bar silhouette, which he re-created to be worn every which way, long full new look skirts inspired by the dior flower gardens and sleek strapless cocktail dresses. simons introduced a modern minimalism to the collection - a welcome break after Galliano’s love of sumptuous excess. “if you do minimalism now - and it seems to be having a big moment,” explained simons. “it has to be fun and sensuous, not just about a white shirt.” He also used the word “freedom” to describe this new era of dior that he is embracing. With this modernist touch, i look forward to the future freedom of fashion, the dior way.

saint laurent..

this was a tough act to follow for Hedi slimane. Having returned from a five-year sabbatical from fashion, after leaving dior Homme in 2007 and living in l.a. as a photographer, Hedi slimane had a lot to prove. the jury was definitely out on this collection, but it was another defining moment for paris, as the previous menswear designer brought his forward-thinking l.a. rock ’n’ roll flair to the traditions of parisian womenswear. there was a distinct 70s vibe, with plenty of skinny tailoring, mini sequined jackets, tuxedo jackets with skinny leathers, billowing full-sleeved maxi dresses and long capes were all topped off with pussy bows, feathers, fringing, while every look sported a wide-brimmed hat. it was a definite homage to the late founder, but with the change of the brand name to saint laurent and the re-design of the logo, which has been standing since the 1960s, it looks like we are in the early stages of witnessing a new modern era of le smoking territory. i am welcoming it with open arms.

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Taylor Swift at Elie Saab ..

Elie Saab ..

Not gaining quite the same media hype as the Dior/YSL rivalry, but still another first, was Lydia Maurer’s debut collection for Paco Rabanne which also took place at the Grand Palais the day after the Slimane show. Again, Maurer didn’t do away with the old and well-loved Rabanne silhouettes. The famous Bardot dress was given a fresh makeover and she also introduced new sensual textures such as lace, silk and silicone. Riccardo Tisci also kept the house’s rich past in sight, paying homage to its late great founder, Hubert de Givenchy, by revisiting the 1960s Givenchy archive. It was a classically elegant and ecclesiastical collection but with a modern and romantic twist. At Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, who has been Creative Director at the house since 1997, explored mirrors and symmetry with his collection, which he showed at Paris The Louvre. Models paraded down four moving escalators two-by-two in modish 60s and 70s style silhouettes. If Louis Vuitton opted for a Noah’s Ark approach for their catwalk, Chanel chose fashion en masse, with 15 models on the catwalk (gridded with solar panels) at any one time, and against a backdrop of 13 revolving wind turbines. Why? “The wind and sun are free,” explained Karl Lagerfeld. “Energy is the most important thing in life.” So if clothes come second to energy, it would be the A-line silhouette and the bolero that would make Chanel’s cut. As well as the big fashion players, Paris is also a platform for newer designers such as Anthony Vaccarello and Stella McCartney, I was also privileged enough to attend the show of relative newcomer to the Paris fashion merry-go-round, Lebanese designer of the moment and favourite

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Saint Laurent..

louis vuitton ..

Dior .

of the a-list, elie saab. even the torrential rain didn’t put a dampener on this show, or keep the celebs away. american singer taylor swift made her way through a sodden Jardins de tuileries for the designer’s ss 13 show during a break in shooting for her new music video. What the day lacked in brightness, the designer made up for on the catwalk. this was elie saab’s boldest of collections, with a medley of strong monochromatic colours and graphic print chiffon creations, striding their way down the catwalk. He dubbed the collection “Heiress,” yet it was daytime power dressing that took centre stage – buttoned up shirts with beautifully tailored trousers and pencil skirts, fitted sheath dresses and v-neck dresses with pleated skirts. for evening, exquisite sequin and lace cocktail dresses and gowns were beautifully nipped at the waist with grosgrain ribbon. as well as the clothes, fashion week is also about the who’s who, the who’s at whose and the who wore what to whom. it is one thing trying to eye-spy the celeb “frowers” (the new “it” phrase for front rowers, for those not in the know) from a few rows back, it is quite another sipping champagne with the a-list at a fashion packed party. the latter, i am happy to say, i enjoyed my fair share of during my jam-packed parisian extravaganza of style. after a long day doing the rounds in paris, i had invites to two brand events, the tod’s ss 13 signature collection event at the italian embassy and the roger vivier ss 13 shoe collection event at the latin american embassy. i found myself sipping champagne with scarlett Johansson, Jessica stam and erin Wasson at the tod’s event (and yes, i was a little overwhelmed by the beauty per square foot) and sharing canapés with the iconic model, ines de la fressange at roger vivier. at tod’s, the mood was high-tech and glamorous, even without the influx of the beautiful people – the melange of celebrities, high fliers, fashionistas and politicians. Models were set up in metropolitan designer sets, or tableaux vivants as they are called in french, dripping in new tod’s luxury leather, with the iconic Gommino masterfully imprinted onto the collection. there were beautiful women in catwalk-ready creations and style-clad men at every corner.

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chanel ..

A few streets away in the same arrondissement, at the Latin America Embassy, Roger Vivier opted for an altogether more vintage approach. Ahead of their opening in The Dubai Mall, the Urban Summer collection of shoes was beautifully displayed and presented by the Creative Director, Bruno Frissoni, and his muse, Ines de la Fressange. She was as tall and skinny as any French woman I have ever met, bright-eyed and sporting the archetypal Parisian effortless off-duty uniform of skinny jeans (hers were in autumn burgundy), a delicate blouse and ballerinas. Although she is now in her mid 50s, after years and years in the business, still holds her fashion standing in Paris’ eyes - an industry legend.

Louis Vuitton ..

Chanel..

Tod’s SS’13 Signature Collection ..

Diego Della Valle, Scarlett Johansson and Andrea Della Valle .

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roger vivier press presentation ..

as unique articles from that era, taking in the beauty of such exquisite tailoring and painting, i couldn’t help but feel that, even over so many years, not much has really changed in the world of fashion. While we may not spend so much time painting our objects of desire today, the modern day paparazzi and style bloggers, who capture today’s fashionistas in their everyday surroundings for others to ogle, are in essence capturing the same spirit of fashion that the impressionists did all those years ago.

roger vivier ..

in fact, paris thrives on its past. on a post-show shopping spree to Bon Marché, i saw that the department store (the second oldest of its kind in the world) was celebrating its 150th birthday. the store, which was opened back in 1862, is still thriving today. everywhere i went in paris, whether to a purpose-built show space, an iconic parisian building, an age-old international embassy, or just the city streets, i was reminded of the city’s rich historic past and its longstanding love affair with fashion. art is another of paris’ greatest loves, and has always been very closely knit with fashion. to tie in with paris fashion Week, paris’ Musée d’orsay opened a very unique exhibition entitled Impression and Fashion. this expansive exhibition, focusing on late 19th century fashion in painting and portraiture at a time when fashion became a thriving industry and pastime (the same era as Bon Marché was opening its doors), is on display in paris until January 20th, before moving to the Metropolitan in new york. after witnessing some of the fi nest of the city’s contemporary fashion creations during the week, i couldn’t leave paris without taking in some of these age-old fashion creations, dating from 1860 – 1900, and all beautifully depicted in everyday scenes by the extremely talented impressionist painters. as i wandered around the many masterpieces at the stunning Musée d’orsay, each with accompanying literature about the particular outfit, the woman or the scenario depicted, as well

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there are also similarities in the clothes themselves. “We wanted to show how lifelike and modern all the impressionist fashions were,” explains robert carsen, the famed canadian set designer who curated the exhibit. “i wanted to link the fashions of then to the fashions of today. not much has changed in some ways. i discovered that the same chairs used in paris catwalks today are the one we see in the impressionists’ paintings.” this was another unique touch that brought the exhibition to life. two of the rooms were set up like contemporary catwalks with chairs on either side (wonderfully labelled with 19th century figure names) and huge Manet and Monet oil paintings hung down the centre. these women, these clothes and these painters are all over a century old. as i packed my capsule paris wardrobe back into my suitcase, waved goodbye to my beloved paris, i couldn’t help but, in a city with such a rich and style-soaked past, be excited by the future of fashion. over the years when people, fashions and designers have come and gone, one thing has never changed. Women love clothes and, in paris, the capital of fashion, never more so.

LO O K BO O K

FIERCELY FEMININE

Don’t wait until after dark to amp up the glam levels. Now is the time to unleash your inner vixen.

CATWALK MOMENT:

Versace and Alexander McQueen amped up the attitude and fashion stakes with their catwalk vixens. LEATHER SKIRT ASOS.com, TOP River Island, DRESS ASOS.com, TOP Temperley London at Net-a-Porter.com, JACKET Preen Edition for Debenhams, PENCIL SKIRT River Island, LEATHER LEGGINGS Current/Elliot at Net-a-Porter.com, TUX JACKET ASOS.com, BOOTS Office, SHOES Jonathan Kelsey for Debenhams, DRESS ASOS.com, DRESS Peter Pilotto at Net-a-Porter.com, TROUSERS Derek Lam at Net-a-Porter.com

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TOP TIP: Leather is the new season’s fast track to fierce fashion and a pair of skintight leather leggings is a wardrobe essential.

LO O K BO O K

COOL CONTRASTS Update your style for autumn with your very own pick and mix of textures. For starters, try combining leather, wool, denim and suede.

Image courtesy of River Island ..

JEANS Balmain at MrPorter.com, BOMBER JACKET River Island, JUMPER Urban Outfitters, TROUSERS ASOS.com, JACKET Gucci at MrPorter.com, TROUSERS John Rocha at Debenhams, DENIM SHIRT ASOS.com, BIKER Balenciaga at MrPorter.com, SHIRT ASOS. com, JEANS Balenciaga at MrPorter.com, HOLDALL Mulberry at MrPorter.com, BOOTS G-Star Raw, SHOES River Island

TOP TIP: A two-tone bomber jacket is an effortless way to

adopt the new season fabric frenzy into your wardrobe.

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“ Ho t c offee a n d c old w i n t er mor n i ng s a r e t wo of t h e be s t s ou l m at e s who ev er di d fi n d e ac h o t h er .” - Te r r y G u i l l e m e t s

fe at u r e

First-Class:

L’Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels In the first arrondissement in Paris, the exclusive jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels has opened its doors to jewellery aficionados. Laura Hamilton enters the world of glittering jewels at a brand new kind of master class, discovering that the institution known as l’Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels is jewellery’s answer to wine tasting.

part from trying to single-handedly bring down the British Monarchy, The Zip was Wallis Simpson, the controversial Duchess of Windsor’s greatest idea: innovative, iconic and stunningly beautiful. The Duke of Windsor loved to buy her sparklers, and at its essence, that is what the famous Maison Van Cleef & Arpels is all about - l’amour... and covetable jewellery. The Maison itself was founded on a love story. When the daughter of a precious stones dealer Estelle Arpels married Alfred Van Cleef, the son of a stonecutter, the Dutch families united and set up a boutique in the heart of Paris. Since then, Place Vendôme has become a symbol of Parisian luxury and the benchmark for international elegance in the late 19th century. It was also strategically chosen to catch the eye of the rich and beautiful streaming out from The Ritz Hotel opposite. For the last century, Van Cleef & Arpels has created iconic pieces for private clients, from maharajahs of Kapurthala and Indore to the Royal Family of Monaco, not to mention Hollywood stars like Elizabeth Taylor. The jewellery scene has changed since the Maison began, and while the cosmopolitan and prestigious clientele remain, the latest vogue is showcasing the latest creation on the clavicles of celebrities, as starlets need a bit of extra glitz while sashaying up the red carpet. Constantly ahead of the current, the Parisian jewellery house has now started a school, L’Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels.

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L’Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels “We’ve been quite good at creation, if I may,” said Nicolas Bos, President & Chief Executive Officer, Creative Director and soon to be CEO, “And now it’s time for transmission. In a way, we’re answering a question. Clients, connoisseurs and editors have been asking for a platform to learn about Van Cleef & Arpels, and haute joaillerie in general. There are a lot of educational programmes for art, wine and cooking. Now now there is one for jewellery.” He notes that Michelinstarred chefs give haute cuisine lessons, and that has inspired Van Cleef & Arpels to follow in the same vein. It’s a very secretive world, the world of haute jewellery, but Bos feels that opening doors is in keeping with Van Cleef & Arpels’ values. The new L’Ecole offers a sneak peek for aspiring jewellery makers, designers or simply the curious, creating an experience that you won’t forget, rather than simply receiving a lecture. This is not the kind of school that keeps you looking out the window, although the environment is tempting enough to inspire a gaze or two. Across from the Maison, in the Place Vendôme, L’Ecole is held in an 18th century townhouse, bedecked with gold and sun motifs to honour the “Sun King,” Louis XIV. It feels as if you are on a period film set. There are seven masterclasses (more will be added), each around four hours long, with breaks for espressos and pains au chocolat. The class I was invited to was called Jewellery Mix and Match. It was similar to an art history class, but in all my years of studying Rothko or Goya, I never touched one, whereas at L’Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels, you are encouraged to touch the jewellery and even try it on. But first, we learned about the history of styles, the relationship between jewels and meaning, how the wearing of jewels has changed, twisted and turned from

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“There are a lot of educational programmes for art, wine and cooking. Now now there is one for jewellery.”

strict rules to an era of jewellery liberty. For example, in 18th century Paris, rubies were considered inappropriate for unmarried ladies to wear, so instead, sapphires were favoured. Of course, in our enlightened times, no one would assume anything malevolent about a ruby encrusted young woman... or man, for that matter! Like magpies drawn to anything shiny, people have, since the dawn of time, desired to adorn themselves. There is plenty of evidence for this, from jewels found in ancient Egyptian tombs, to the torque necklaces uncovered in Europe (curiously, no depiction of aliens in either books or film has been accompanied by jewellery, so we must think of it as a purely human experience). Jewellery has long been associated with power, status and royalty, while jewels themselves have always been precious to us. Jewellery is also a symbol of relationships. A simple ring is so imbued with meaning that the sight of one can make any Bridget Jones gasp, but engagement jewellery in other culture is much more than a simple diamond. In the Middle East, the bride is bedecked with gold jewellery; the more the better, and of course ruling families are on another level entirely. The relationship between the Royal Family of Monaco and Van Cleef & Arpels began in 1955, when “America’s Sweetheart,” Grace Kelly, became engaged to Prince Rainier III. Van Cleef & Arpels created an engagement set for the occasion - a three strand pearl necklace, bracelet, earrings and a ring. After that, the Maison was named “Official Supplier to the Principality of Monaco.” The Alhambra necklace that was owned by Grace Kelly went on to become one of the Maison’s most iconic pieces, and you can try it on in Jewellery Mix and Match, where, draped in necklaces, bangles, earrings and some intriguing hats that are worthy of the Mad Hatter himself, you can have a professional photographer take a snapshot as a one-of-a-kind keepsake. It’s easy to pretend that you’re Grace Kelly when you’re in Paris and wearing the same jewellery as her.

One of the many incarnations of the infamous Zip necklace.

The Minaudier in black from 1935 on display at Les Art Decoratifs, Paris

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Palais de la Chance The Maison Van Cleef & Arpels likes to build narratives, so that the jewellery has a timeless feel to it. The latest collection is inspired by the twelve zodiac signs, a recurring theme for the Maison. Elizabeth Taylor owned a talismanic jewel given to her for her birthday by Richard Burton in 1974; a yellow gold pendant with two fish. Called Palais de la chance, the collection focuses on brooches depicting star signs; universal but still individual pieces of jewellery. The standout pieces in the collection are the Gemini and Libra Sautoires. The Gemini long necklace of lapis lazuli beads is in keeping with Van Cleef & Arpels’ tradition of transformable jewellery; a detachable brooch of two figures with mother of pearl wings holding a 14 carat yellow sapphires sits on the right. The Libra Sautoir is compromised of onyx beads, interspersed with tsavorite garnets, and the tassel is a detachable clip.

Les Arts Decoratifs All masterclasses involve a trip to Les Arts Decoratifs, a Parisian museum dedicated to decorative arts, where a retrospective of Van Cleef & Arpels’ masterpieces is on show in The Art of High Jewellery. Over 400 pieces will be showcased, until the 10th of February in a dark antechamber dotted with lights that look like stars in the sky; the hushed reverence it inspires being the perfect atmosphere to view the priceless jewels. Loaned by the Maison and private collectors, the exhibition takes you through the decades so you can see the evolution of style; Van Cleef & Arpels’ style is timeless in its influence by current events. The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb led to an Egyptian theme in the 1920s, as seen by the bracelet, which mimics Egyptian hieroglyphics. The Maison is also ahead of its time; for example, metal clutch bags currently in vogue harken back to a Van Cleef & Arpels design from 1935.

Gemini Sautoir, Van Cleef & Arpels’ latest collection, Palais de la chance

Conceived by Charles Arpels, the Minaudière case is a masterpiece; a flat rectangular box to replace the evening bag, it is decorated with cold, diamonds and platinum, and opens up to reveal different compartments for everything a lady could require. It is both beautiful and practical! Van Cleef & Arpels: L’art de la haute joaillerie is being held at Les Arts Decoratif from 20th September 2012 to 10th February 2013 in Paris, France. For more information visit the website at www.artdelahautejoaillerie-vancleefarpels.com

Zodiac Set Aquarius Clip, Van Cleef & Arpels’ latest collection, Palais de la chance .

Chrysanthemum Clip, 1937 .

An Egyptian style bracelet from 1924, on display at Les Art Decoratifs .

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The Secrets Within - A Trip to the Workshop The master class culminates in a tour of the The Van Cleef & Arpels workshop; the original one, in which Alfred Van Cleef himself worked. Located above the flagship store, the workshop is full of quiet industry, where the experienced craftsmen known as the Mains d’Or - jewellers, setters, lapidaries and polishers - are sandwiched into the original beechwood workbenches; forty artisans devoted to their work. The workshop’s fierce security is reminiscent of Fort Knox; you cannot take photos of the work or of the artisan’s faces, who in turn have to sign strict confidentiality papers. Everything is made in the Paris or New York workshop, so they are sworn to secrecy. The first step in making a piece of high jewellery is “creation.” First, a 3D design is conceived, designed and then a mock up is made and vetted to see if it works as a piece, if it’s wearable and if it can be improved, which is something the artisans are always thinking about, especially concerning the stonecutting and setting techniques. After it’s been approved, the stones are allocated and the precious metal is shaped into the jewellery. Then the gems are cut. For some pieces, the famous “Mystery Setting” is used to insert the gems into a frame. Created in 1935, it can take over 300 hours of work to create a single brooch. Each faceted stone is delicately inserted onto thin gold rails less than 2/10 mm thick, making the gems appear to be free-standing. The technique involves making a groove in the stones (rubies work best), so it can slide it into a lattice, which locks all the stones in place. There are whispers that only five people know the secret of how the infamous Mystery Setting works. Simple in theory, more difficult in practice, each lapidary can recognise his or her own work. Mystery Set pieces are very rare because the process is so complex and the Maison produces only a few each year. After the gems are set, each piece is polished by hand three times until the jewels gleam! You can see a virtual tour of the workshop on the website at www.vancleefarpels.com

Place Vendôme .

L’Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels L’Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels currently boasts seven modules, which you can take in any order you like. The first class is called Stories & Inspirations, in which students discover historical relevance and the evolution of jewellery. In Interpreting the Gemstones, an expert gemologist teaches students everything about jewels, from their extraction to their shaping. Students learn about the relationship between jewellery and fashion and get to try on the jewels themselves in Jewellery Mix & Match. In Symbols & Power of Jewels, students find out about the deep imprint jewels have made on world culture. The savoir-faire of how to create a masterpiece is taught in Admiring Uniqueness & Team Craftsmanship. Students discover the history and universe of Van Cleef & Arpels creations, crafts and sources of inspiration in Entering the Van Cleef & Arpels Universe and all classes include Having Access to Van Cleef & Arpels Creations, in which students visit the workshop and start designing. For more information, visit the website at www.lecolevancleefarpels.com

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Here & Dhow

Production: Firefly Communications and Firefly Pictures Art director: Roula Zinati Ayoub Photographer: Lionel Gasperini Stylist: Farah Kreidieh Model: Alicia from Crystal Model Agency, Paris Hair: Bilal Zalghout for Salon Jean Louis David Makeup: Hadya Al Mohtar from salon Pace e Luce, St Regis Hotel Doha

Outfits : HESSEH Abaya Haute Couture - www.hesseh.com; Roselle - Available at JoLamode, Hyatt Plaza - www.rosellecouture.com; Vera Wang - The Pearl Qatar, Porto Arabia Accessories : CHALHOUB for Carolina Herrera; REMZA for BCBGMAXAZRIA, Karen Millen; EMPORIUM for Love Moschino ; SALAM STORES for Bijoux Oriental, Noir, Erickson Beamon

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Page 93: Abaya; Hesseh, Ring; CH by Carolina Herrera, Bracelet (left); Bijoux Oriental, Bracelet (right); Karen Millen, Shoes; CH by Carolina Herrera This page: Dress; Vera Wang, Necklace; BCBGMAXAZRIA, Bracelet; Bijoux Oriental, Ring; Noir

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Opposite page: Abaya; Hesseh, Shoes; Love Moschino This page: Abaya; Hesseh

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Dress: Vera Wang, Earrings: BCBGMAXAZRIA, Bracelet: Erickson Beamon Opposite page: Abaya; Roselle, Turban; The Crown Turbans from JoLamode, Ring; Bijoux Oriental

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Page 100/101: Top, Skirt and Shoes; Vera Wang This page: Abaya; Roselle, Earrings; BCBGMAXAZRIA

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Paris 2012:

The Great British Bail-Out At a rather poor Paris Motor Show, James McCarthy witnesses a British invasion force once again saving the localsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; blushes, while at the same time beating off some stiff competition from the Germans. Photography: Phil McGovern, Awesome Group

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he austere gloom that hung like a pall over the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year was equally evident in rainy Paris. There were not many cheery faces at the 2012 Mondial de l’Automobile and, unlike its bi-annual running mate, the Frankfurt Motor Show, there was very little exciting news.

It was very much a British affair, when it came to the highlights, particularly on the first day, with the press programme being topped and tailed by some of Albion’s finest automotive unveils to date. That

aside, apart from some cool concepts, everything else had a decidedly eco-friendly and budget motoring feel.

The F-Word It was an early start on the first day, with bleary-eyed motoring hacks convening at the Jaguar stand at the ungodly time of 7:45am, in order to get a decent spot for what, as it would turn out, would be the best news of the show.

Jaguar’s design maven, Ian Callum, unveiles the gorgeous F-Type to a waiting world..

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Regular SLT readers might remember last year’s Frankfurt report, in which I gushed over the Jaguar C-X16 concept as being the company’s longawaited saviour in the sports coupe segment of the market. At the time I urged them to fastrack the car into production and, while I would never be so vain as to suggest they listened to me, the cacophony of approval from all corners of the world’s media seemed enough of a push.

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With pretty much every single sensual line intact from the concept of a year ago, the f-type invokes all of the post-war hedonism and rakish, pencil-moustachioed charm of its e-type predecessor, thanks in part to its long sweeping bonnet, an opulentlyappointed, rear positioned cabin and, depending on the spec, a v8 growl that will twist knickers at 500 yards. the main aesthetic alteration from the concept is the roof, or lack thereof. Jlr decided that the inaugural f-type should be a convertible, and who are we to argue. the thing is stunning. performance-wise, Jag has kept the f-type pretty much in line with the figures mooted for the cx-16 a year ago. the front-engine, rear-wheel drive sportscar will arrive in three

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iterations, the standard f-type, the f-type s and the f-type v8 s and with the three models come a trio of supercharged engine configurations. in the standard spec, the 3.0-litre v6 gets pumps out 335bhp, pushing the car from 0-60mph in 5.1sec and to a limited top speed of 161mph. When you start to move up the range, the performance starts to set the pulse racing as much as the aesthetics, the v6 s lays down 375bhp and does the 0-60mph dash in 4.8sec to a limit of 171mph. With the top of the range v8 s, you won’t see to much change out of $160,000 but the 5.0-litre v8 will chuck its driver to a top speed of 186mph, employing all of its 488bhp and capping the 60mph mark from a standing start in a mere 4.3sec. not quite supercar stats, but more than enough to get the blood pumping in all the right places. there are some visual cues, so you’ll know which f-type you are trailing behind on the road. the centrally-mounted twin pipes look the part as they poke out of the back of the v6 models, while the two sets of twin exhausts on either side of the crouching back end of the v8 s will have automotive audiophiles quivering with delight. in reality, though, it doesn’t really mater how fast it goes. it is the car that will redefine Jaguar as a sports car manufacturer. it is a triumph; a show stealing-beforeit’s-even-started tour de force. the f-type is pretty, oozes cool and is, hopefully, exciting to drive. even if it is not, it still achieved the nigh on unachievable: it shook from their jaded torpidity, a few hundred journalists at 8am on a rainy thursday morning in paris and became the first car in very long time to give me goosebumps.

Bentley signalled a return to motorsport..

Eco Road Warriors While VW’s big group night was an audio visual ballet of colour and, again, dubstep, there was very little of interest on show at the top end of the company’s portfolio. Highlights included the new Lamborghini Gallardo-range, which while having a refresh after a decade of being the marque’s top seller, is essentially unchanged underneath bonnet. Bugatti rolled out out another Vitesse iteration which, while beautiful, is still a case of the “same car, but different.” A brief conversation with Stefan Brungs, head of Sales & Marketing, hinted that the Galibier concept of a few years ago is still in the pipeline, yet he remained vague on when a working concept might purr to life on the floors of a European show. We can only hope that this long wait for the a four-door Bug doesn’t end with another luxury SUV. Ettore will be spinning so hard in his grave that half of Strasbourg will get sucked into the resulting sinkhole. We can but hope that the current management don’t do unto his memory what Bentley’s board are doing to W.O.’s with the EXP-9F. Speaking of the original Bentley boy, his brand made an announcement that he would be more in tune with, with news of a re-entry into motor-racing. A Continental GT3-spec model was paraded around, but no news on whether it will see tarmac as a road-legal

customer car, or whether it will see a Le Mans line up - where Bentley first made a real name for itself with racing honours. Then there was Porsche, which somehow managed to deliver a seventeen percent uglier “estate” version of its already hideous Panamera, rolled out under the moniker “Sport Tourismo.”

The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo..

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the soectacular-looking Mercedes sls AMG coupé electric Drive..

What was interesting from vW was the raft of electric hybrid cars at the mid- to low-end of its spectrum. pretty much every other car was a Blu Motion this or an eco-friendly that. the company also made the announcement that by 2016, at least one car in every segment of its market - and across all of its brands - will have an electric hybrid model. Quite how this will play out for the Bentleys, Bugattis and lambos is yet to be seen, but porsche is taking a lead with its spectacular 918 spyder, which is due to hit showrooms at some point in the next twelve months. also making a big play on the eco-drive was another German powerhouse, Mercedes. the last car in its line-up that i expected to see targeting the polar-bear lobby was the already iconic aMG sls, but there it was, shimmering in a blue chrome wrap. the new sls aMG coupé electric drive has four electric motors producing a total output of 552 kW and a maximum torque of 1000 nm. as a result, claims Merc, the gullwing model has become the world’s fastest electrically-powered series production vehicle, boasting a zero to 100 km/h sprint time of 3.9 seconds and can reach a top speed of 250 km/h. the dynamics of the tourque delivery can be manually adjusted across three modes, “comfort,” “sport,” and “sport plus.” While the immediate torque delivery will create a, possibly, more dynamic driving experience, the sls only works as a near perfect supercar when every element is in place. you need to have the gullwing doors (check), the speed and acceleration (check) and, of course, the cacophony of sound produced by that monster 6.3-litre v8. you know, the one that sounds like armageddon and makes unicorns weep at its raw, visceral beauty? umm... apparently, check... according to Mercedes, after an elaborate series of in-house tests as well as numerous test drives, the aMG experts have created an artificial soundtrack. starting with a characteristic start-up sound, which rings out on pressing the “power” button, there is a tailor-made driving sound for each driving situation: incredibly dynamic when accelerating, subdued when cruising and as equally characteristic during recuperation. the sound is not only dependent on road speed, engine speed and load conditions, but also reflects the driving conditions and the vehicle’s operating state. all of this is pumped through the 11-speaker surround sound audio system, which makes the cabin of the aMG coupé electric drive possibly the only place on earth that cannot get infected by the lilting tweeny tones of Justin Bieber. that alone has to be worth the eye-watering $550,000 asking price. also taking a top-billing in the green motoring stakes was fisker, which finally brought its first showroom to the Gulf and officially launched its Karma in the region earlier in november. the company has also just completed its latest round of venture capital funding, raising another $100 million or so for its coffers, no small part of which was supplied by Qatar, which is heavily involved in funding the californian company.

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“very early on i went to a meeting in dubai with a person from Qatar,” explains founder and executive chairman, Henrick fisker. “they made the first investment in the company and today Qatar is one of the biggest investors. they understood very early on our vision that if you want to live in a healthy world you need to have cars that you can switch into zero emission mode when you are driving around your home neighbourhood. it is nothing to do with the fact you don’t use oil.” unlike toyota’s much vaunted prius or vW’s Blu Motion, the Karma is a car with a fairly unique hybrid system. Basically it is a single-gear electric sports car, pumping out huge amounts of torque and acceleration, but when the power starts to wane, a low-emission gasolinepowered generator delivers further electric power to keep the car moving. the car also features the world’s largest automotive solar panel in the roof. However, early test drives have been marred by some reports of exploding batteries, charging issues and other troubles brought on by the harsh Gcc environment. the company, though, claims that the Karma is problem-free and ready to take the region’s roads by storm. “We have done all the tests,” says co-founder Benrhard Koehler. “We have made a few adjustments and little changes to things like the fan, which is a bit bigger. We have double seams, so sand is not an issue. We did the sand test in detroit; we did a hot weather wind tunnel. We did everything and the car performed well.” addressing the problem of the Gcc’s questionable electric power delivery, he added: “the solar panel in the roof will deliver about one hundred and thirty watts come rain or shine, giving you about 300km a year of completely free charging. equally, because we charge with 3.3 kilowatts, when you plug it into a normal outlet, it doesn’t matter if its 110w or 220w, it takes five and a half hours. if you needed 20 or 30 kilowatts to charge the car, then it is an issue.” a bit like the Mercedes, there is an artificial sound system to warn pedestrians that the Karma is about to pounce.

The Fisker Karma..

However, unlike the Merc, this noise simulation comes with a twist. “We actually went to Hollywood and talked to the people that actually worked on the Batman movies and said that we want a sound like the Batmobile,” explains Fisker. “So we actually got that for the weatherprotected external speakers. As you accelerate the volume goes up, with a limit at 50km/h.” Coupled with the reclaimed wood touches, recycled glass paintwork and environmentally-conscious fixtures and fittings, the car is definitely the genuine article and not just some big conglomerate’s lip service to the emissions lobby. But does it do what it says on the tin? Shortly after speaking with Fisker and Koehler, SLT got to do a circuit of the Porte de Versailles in the Karma. The cabin is as quiet as a Rolls-Royce and far more comfortable than most low-slung supercars, while the delivery of power when you touch the “loud” pedal is staggering in its responsiveness, thanks to the vast

amounts of torque at your disposal. Equally, at the relatively low, suburban speeds we were pootling along at, the car still felt light and nimble, though it took a little while to get a handle on the width of the vehicle. The only real issue that I had was the visibility. It just seemed that the fat A-pillar was always in my line of sight. However, that shouldn’t dampen anybody’s enthusiasm for what is potentially a groundbreaking, segment-busting car and I remain fascinated by the Karma. We will, hopefully, get the opportunity to give it a proper workout in the near future.

To The Macs While Jag opened the show with a bang, it was down to McLaren to close the first day with some more British fireworks. The last press conference of the day took place on the company’s stand (the first time Mclaren Automotive has ever exhibited at a motor show) which sat overlooking the JLR installation and the F-Type which McLaren’s new unveiling had to match. Merely a few days before, the McLaren Special Operation team had released to the world pictures of the one-off X-1, an MP4-12C with a completely reworked body that looked like the bastard child of a PT-Cruiser and a 1950 Citroen. It’s aesthetic had divided the world’s automotive hacks, with some proclaiming it a work of genius and others an abomination, so we were keen to see what lay beneath the parachute silk on the company’s minimalist stand.

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BBC F1 presenter, Lee McKenzie with McLaren’s top brass, Ron Dennis and Anthony Sheriff..

The P1 has a mid-engine design that uses a carbon fibre monocoque and roof structure safety cage concept called a MonoCage - a development of the MonoCell used in the current 12C and 12C Spider. The structure of the MonoCage, unlike the 12C’s MonoCell, also serves to guide air into the engine through an integral roof snorkel and air intake ducts, saving further weight. It has much higher levels of downforce than any current road car, with 600kg achieved at well below its maximum speed of plus-200mph (about five times as much downforce as the McLaren MP4-12C, from which it is derived).

The new McLaren P1..

While the huge crowd waited in breathless anticipation, I did get the chance to see the MP4-12C Spider in the metal for the first time. Whether or not SLT will get to take the wheel and give it an examination is yet to be seen but, even when static, it stirs more in me than the coupe, which I still believe, looks rather benign. When the time came, McLaren rolled out company bigwigs Ron Dennis and Antony Sheriff, along with the BBC’s F1 presenter, Lee McKenzie, who delivered the launch as a Q&A. After rattling through the company’s history and F1 achievements, they finally pulled the silk teepee up to the reveal the company’s third new car in 18 months, the McLaren P1. At first glance, it looks a lot like a more extreme version of the MP4-12C, however, the car, which is currently a design study, is mooted to be the successor to the legendary McLaren F1.

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Though McLaren wouldn’t specify engine details, it has confirmed its power-to-weight ratio will exceed 600bhp per tonne, though given the fact that the P1 employs the same carbon tub and wheelbase as the 12C, an educated guess would point to some iteration of the twin-turbo V8 already in use in the current line up. The P1 will be limited to a production run of just 500 cars, possibly in order to justify its $1.3 million price tag. With a remit to create the “best driver’s car on road and track,” expect the McLaren hype-machine to spring into life around July or August 2013 for a September launch, with the finished product possibly making its debut at next year’s Frankfurt motor show.

Peugeot’s Onyx conept was breathtaking .

Get Down Onyx While most of the paris headlines were being hogged by les rosbifs with their Mclarens and Jaguar f-types, the points for the best concept car were definitely chalked up to the home team. Peugeot’s onyx supercar is not only exquisite in the fact that it’s a cool french car, but also in its build, design and ability to actually work. this is not just your average “on the show but doesn’t go” effort, it is capable of doing three figures courtesy of a 600bhp, 3-litre hybrid v8 turbodiesel powerplant and six-speed gearbox which have been lifted straight from peugeot’s now defunct le Mans racer. not bad for a car made from copper, felt and old newspapers. yes, you read that correctly. the stunning carbon fibre exterior not only has a sultry, sweeping shape, but is dominated by an imposing set of hand-beaten, 0.8mm thick pure copper front wings.

as it is one-off concept that will not be homologated and fast-tracked to production. the company noted that it is not a supercar maker and that the onyx is just a testbed for new techniques and an opportunity for its designers to flex their creative muscles. saying that, it is not unlikely that some touches and cues will not find their way into future peugeot cars, just take a look at the the stunning “bubble-roofed” rcZ concept that became a successful reality and, possibly, a saving grace, for the company which was struggling in a tough european automotive market. regardless of what it may, or may not, spawn in the future, the onyx was without a doubt the most coveted of concepts at what was a weak show for design innovation and headlinegrabbing launches. However, while peugeot may have pulled back some pride for the tricolore, just like at Waterloo in 1815 and agincourt 400 years prior, it was the British that won the day at porte de versailles in 2012.

to accomplish this striking veneer, the company had to come up with a new way of opening the doors, meaning that the panel gradually separates and drops to cover the front wheels as the door opens. very futuristic and very cool. that’s when the felt and pulped tabloids come into play, with a seamless covering of the boiled wool adorning nearly every surface in the cockpit, apart from the dashboard and parts of the centre console, these are made from recycled editions of l’equipe and the sun (probably), which have been compressed and processed so tightly that they have basically become wood again, meaning they can be carved, shaped and polished as such. sadly, though, it is unlikely that you will see a fleet of peugeot onyxes in convoy up the champs elysee,

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“ O, w i n d, i f w i n t er c o m e s , c a n s pr i ng be fa r beh i n d ? ” - Pe rc y Bysshe Shelle y

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Pushing The Boats Out James McCarthy finds his sea legs while trawling through the best of the 2012 Monaco Yacht Show.

et among the grand surroundings of the ultimate playboy’s paradise, it is one of the most important shows in the annual boating calendar, for companies and customers alike. It was about time that Sur La Terre hoisted the main brace and set sail for the Monaco Yacht Show, where, under a blazing September sun, the hulls of more than 100 super yachts sparkled on the cobalt waters of the Côte d’Azur.

Boasting a record attendance of more than 33,000, with participating luxury yachting and related companies on more than 500 stands, MYS 2012 proved beyond doubt that while many global industries are languishing in the mire of austerity, the truly high-end of the luxury segment is still flourishing on the back of emerging markets such as China, India and, of course, the established wealth of the GCC.

Many of the companies SLT met with were keen to stress the importance of the region, with a particular focus on Qatar, citing its rapid development of waterfront lifestyle destinations such as The Pearl and the new Lusail City project. So, treading an average of 10,000 steps per day over the two and half we attended, team SLT weaved its way through the tents and jetties to explore the opulent floating palaces and beautifully-crafted tenders and toys. There were so many spectacular vessels on show, and practically everything we passed had a “wow” factor worthy of these pages, but we couldn’t cover everything in this short article, so what follows is a parseddown filter of highlights from the greatest show on water, which started in a cafe on the apex of the famous Rascasse Corner...

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Silver Arrows Marine’s concept..

seems very much like a branding effort, with merely some minor aesthetic flourishes tying the project in to the German car brand in order to increase its appeal. This, from what we could glean from commentators within the established yachting press that we talked to, is probably to entice more buyers from China, because, as we know from their automotive dealings, the market is very much geared towards the heritage aspect of their luxury brands, which is why the likes of Rolls-Royce, Range Rover and Mercedes are doing so well there.

The concept will have design input from Mercedes-Benz Style .

Silver Arrows Marine is a new venture, which was promoting a partnership with Mercedes-Benz Style, a design arm of the famous motoring manufacturer. The newly formed company was set to unveil a much-anticipated concept for a new 14ft luxury motor yacht, supposedly fusing marine and automotive influences, and due to be launched by SAM in 2013. Unfortunately, though, the end result was pretty underwhelming; the 20-minute presentation was nothing more than a series of buzzwords, joined together by a lot of design rhetoric and a raft of rendered images of what the boat might, possibly, but probably not, actually look like. What was obvious was a dearth of hard facts, which when requested, were delicately danced around like Mitt Romney answering questions about tax policy. There was no mention of who might supply the twin 350hp propulsion system or even what kind of interior touches could be expected. Despite drawing heavily on the Mercedes-Benz name, even giving the venture the same moniker as the company’s iconic Silver Arrow racing cars of the 1950s, the project

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However, from the perspective of those immersed in the very cliquey yachting world, there is more than enough to make this project appealing without the seemingly gimmicky addition of a few Mercedes tri-stars on the hull, with two of the most accomplished yacht designers, Martin Francis and Tommaso Spadolini, essentially the boat-building equivalent of Malcolm Sayer and Sergio Pininfarina, signed up to collaborate on the actual design and engineering of the boat. The consensus from the assembled press corps was that with these two on board, Mercedes input would be minimal, despite all the talk of “interpreting the Mercedes design language” from road to water. Of course, we could be wrong, and until something more tangible is unveiled, we can only speculate, just as we were doing before the press conference when we hoped to see some gullwing doors and some real Mercedes touches in the renderings. While I know I have taken a bit of a negative stance towards the Silver Arrows project, much of that is down to reality not matching the expectation prior to the show and, what seems at first glance to be just another cynical bit of brand marketing, rather than something truly unique. I will withhold further judgement until more details are revealed next year. www.silverarrowsmarine.com

Team SLT’s next stop was Majesty Yachts, which are sold under the auspices of Gulf Craft here in the GCC, where we met with Denis Bochkarev, Sales Manager at Aurora Yachts & Trading, Gulf Craft’s Qatar representative. As we sat aboard the stunning Marina Wonder, a beautifullyappointed Majesty 125, Bochkarev was keen to wax lyrical about business in the Middle East. “Dubai is a bit fed-up. Right now there are not many sales. Before the crisis, it was a great place to be, everyone was buying everything; all different sizes. Now, Dubai is full, you have some sales, but it will either be a really big size or something very small,” he laments. “With Qatar, this is a growing market, where before they only had fishing boats, now they have started buying highend products. Customers are starting to understand that buying a yacht is not like investing, you will never make your money back by selling a boat, but it is an investment in a lifestyle.”

Majesty 125 living room

So what is driving this new interest in owning and running superyachts? According to Bochkarev, it is the country’s rapid construction and a growth in seaside lifestyle destinations. “When the Pearl appeared, there was a lot of interest in boats, because before then, there were only marinas at the Marriott, the Four Seasons and the Ritz Carlton, but they were full. Even if you wanted to buy a boat you had nowhere to put it. When the Pearl opened, people started moving in there, despite the high berthing prices. Now that they are opening Lusail, it means competition between different marinas; the prices come down and it becomes more viable to buy a yacht.”

“When someone starts yachting, they start with something in the middle. Testing the water, so to speak. As they grow to love yachting and they start to see the lifestyle benefits, on average, two years down the line, we see these customers upgrading to larger boats.

According to Bochkarev, the trend is currently towards 40-foot to 65-foot boats, firmly in the medium size of the superyacht category. “This is normal though,” he explains.

“Recently we sold a 70-footer and a 101- footer, but these tend to be the exception and were just for one customer.” www.majesty-yachts.com

Majesty 125 master bedroom.

The Majesty 125..

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Palmer Johnson’s PJ48..

On the way back to the tents, I got chatting to Giacomo Michelini Tocci, a naval architect for Palmer Johnson, the American boat builder that pioneered the use of aluminium in superyacht construction and is now doing the same with carbon-fibre composites. By using the super-tough material, Tocci explained, it allows the designers to have far more freedom when creating the next generation of sporty and muscular superyachts. The rigidity of the material allows naval architects and designers to forego certain limiting construction elements in order to create a more fluid exterior form without compromising on safety. Also, he added, in many cases it can even make the experience aboard more comfortable. One such example he proffered was illustrated on a concept model on the company’s stand, where a window ran, uninterrupted by pillars and frames, around the entire deck, while another example was the sweeping aft design of Palmer Johnson’s first carbon composite project, the 48-metre J48 SuperSport, which was designed, according to the company, with not a single flat surface.

The PJ48 will boast fluidly-designed living spaces ..

With its innovative “wavepiercer displacement hull,” the PJ48 is three times more stable than a monohull yacht, with a wave-piercing bow that reduces pitch, roll and slamming as the boat cuts through waves instead of riding over the top of them. It is capable of hitting speeds of more than 30 knots, which it can do while consuming 50% less fuel than comparable craft.

and development process is expensive, once the moulds for the composite hull have been made, Tocci told me, the scaleability of the production was practically limitless. Essentially, he explained, Palmer Johnson can make as many as it wants, quickly and efficiently, easily recouping its initial investment.

He noted, that while many of the other designs on show were still at a conceptual stage, there were serious financial and manufacturing advantages to working with the carbon-fibre material. While the initial outlay

The result, from an SLT point of view, is that a fleet of stunningly lithe and agile-looking superyachts, that are not only tough, but very fast and look like they belong in the next James Bond flick, could be stalking the waters of the GCC in next few years. www.palmerjohnson.com

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Pj48’s sundeck .

When we got to the Moonen Shipyards stand, we met with Dorien Bilterijst, communication manager for the company and daughter of the Managing Director, Emile Bilterijst. She told us that the company was promoting its latest creation and had berthed the impressive “94 Alu,” Nilo, in the quay. Nilo is the first model in Moonen’s new “Fast Yacht” series. Designed by René van der Velden, and offering a sportier look compared to Moonen’s other van der Velden creation, the hugely successful predecessor to the “94 Alu,” the Moonen “84 Alu.” The “94 Alu” has a more aerodynamic feel to its exterior and offers expanded forward accommodation, a larger swim platform and a considerably longer engine room to house the Caterpillar ACERT High-Performance engines that power the super sleek mega yacht noiselessly up to a potential top speed of more than 25 knots. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the opportunity to climb aboard to see it, but the interior styling of Nilo has been created by long-time collaborator, Art-Line. As previously mentioned, Nilo is the first of a new breed of Moonen boat, with an even bigger sister the company’s “99 Alu” - already on order and under development. www.moonen.com

Moonen’s 84 Alu, Nilo .. .

It was back out into the sunshine to check out the critically-acclaimed Canados 120’ Enhanced, Far Away. One of my favourite boats berthed in Port Hercules, it sits in the water like a gunmetal-coloured arrowhead. The stunning yacht was fresh from its unveiling at the previous week’s Cannes Boat Show where it picked up not one, but two, prestigious awards. The 36-metre vessel is the perfect blend of comfort, style and top-notch performance, sporting an interior created by Francesco Paszkowski Design, one of yachting’s elite design brands.

Nilo interior .

Inside, the fixtures and fittings are a masterwork of luxurious minimalism, boasting surfaces opulently upholstered in satin, marble, leather and glass. Up to eight guests can enjoy a stay on Far Away with several state-of-the-art guest cabins located on the lower deck, each of them fitted with a fully-equipped private ensuite. The simply exquisite master bedroom is the height of sea-faring elegance and luxury, with not only Canados 120’ Enhanced, Far Away..

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a cosy fi replace for the colder nights on the ocean, but a marble-covered bathroom you could swing a fully-grown tiger in. However, at first glance, it’s the canados-designed exterior that takes the breath away, with its striking, aerodynamic lines and its glittering silver hull. the shape seamlessly incorporates the swimming platform and aft beach club, while the main deck includes an additional four retractable terraces, some of which are accessible via stunningly engineered gullwing doors, that bring the indoor spaces out into the sunshine and seamlessly merge the bold exterior with the stylish interior. Wrapping up the whole spectacular package is a lavishly appointed flybridge, which is both spacious and wide and provides dining spaces, sunbathing and lounge areas that even the most exacting billionaire oligarch would struggle to find fault with. www.canados.com

Far Away ’s elegant interior .

Mclellan Jacobs’ Kyak 1 .

the ubiquitous seabob .

away from the big boats, Sur La Terre took some time to check out what was creating a buzz in the toys & tenders segment. We had a chat with our friends from J Craft, which was getting a lot of traffic past its stand. the company was showing two fantastic examples of its gorgeous torpedo (SLT21), one of which did a 16-hour, non-stop, full-tilt run from ibiza to be at the show, proving that the torpedo’s beauty is not just skin deep. www.j-craftboats.com

trundling around among the submersibles, seabobs and carbon-fibre kayaks was an old For Your Eyes Only favourite, the YikeBike. Sur La Terre featured this clever little conveyance way back in 2011 and, according to the company rep in Monaco, it is proving very popular among the boating set, either for getting from one end of their mega yachts to the other, or for pootling around the port when they don’t want to unload the car from the garage. it was great to finally see one in the flesh, but not as great as seeing SLT’s uae sales Manager, roger cousin, trying to ride one along a shaky jetty without falling into the lapping waves of Monaco harbour, a video of which is available to watch on our facebook page. www.yikebike.com

nestled between the darse sud and darse nord marquees was Jamie Mclellan, from McLellan Jacobs, proudly showing off his company’s first product, the Kayak 1. Built in carbon fibre by the same boat builders who construct new Zealand’s america’s cup vessels, the incredibly lightweight, but strong single-person kayak is truly a must have for the modern mega yacht owner. featuring teak timber detailing from one of new Zealand’s top furniture makers, as well as gold-plated brass fittings, the basic gloss carbon finished kayak costs around us$15,250. the price only goes up from there as varying bespoke fi xtures can be added at the customer’s request. Mclellan told us about one customer that wanted his family crest inlayed in gold into some of the timber work and, while the company offers a number of colours, finishes and materials, the look and feel of this beautiful boat is limited only by the imagination of the customer. www.mclellanjacobs.com also making quite a splash was the Seabob, a 10-gear, 7hp electric “scooter” that will pull you over, through and under the water at speeds up to 12mph and to a depth of 40-metres. these things were quite literally everywhere. While the German company had its own stand, nearly every yacht and tender on the quay had at least one of these sitting next to the jet-skis and inflatables. using e-Jet technology and drawing power from 14 cayago batteries, the seabob charges in just under two hours and gives you up to 75 minutes of operation at full tilt. With several models in the range, the most powerful is the cayago f7 which will have you streaking through the brine for just $19,200. there is also a comprehensive list of accessories and add-ons available for both use with seabob, as well for storage and charging. www.seabob.com

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the yikeBike

out of the box

Sotheby’s: Bringing Art to Qatar It’s not often that famous and iconic artworks make their way to the little peninsula that is Qatar, but Katara is doing its best to remedy this unfortunate situation. On the 21st and 22nd of October, Sotheby’s came to the Cultural Village to offer a short but sweet preview of 16 key pieces from leading American and European contemporary artists that were then sold in New York on the 13th of November.

“W

e travel around different countries trying to give as much access as possible to the artworks,” said Alexander Rotter, Head of the Contemporary Art Department, whose team took the paintings around the world, from Los Angeles to London, before taking them back to New York for the auction. The collection is split into two genres, the first being abstract expressionism. This artistic vanguard was the breaking point between modern and contemporary art, and included in its school such luminaries as Jack Pollock, aka Jack the Dripper, and Mark Rothko. It broke away from conventions in style and subject matter, with a sole emphasis on energetic gesture and abstract imagery to link together artists who were never formally associated. The second genre, pop art, is much more easily categorised by its use of bright colour, and is heavily influenced by the news and advertising. Employed most famously by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, pop art challenged ideas of fine art as it became mass produced and wildly popular.

Five paintings by pop art mogul Andy Warhol were on display, created shortly after Warhol pioneered the silk-screening technique that transformed his work and changed art. Warhol’s art depicts what people see in daily life through an artistic perspective, elevating the ordinary to the extraordinary, as seen when Warhol chose to immortalise the humble cup of joe when he made a painting of Martinson Coffee, one of the first instant coffees in the USA. The repetitive print and bold colour borrows from the advertising of the era, linking the piece back to the world of consumerism as it resembles a stack of coffee cans on a shelf. Warhol’s other pieces are cinema screen shots from early 20th century film, transposed onto canvas to capture the intense emotions of the moment, and to prove that cinema is an art form.

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Untitled (Pope) by Francis Bacon

Martinson Coffee by Andy Warhol .

“I’m a Warhol enthusiast,” admits Rotter, “but I know he’s not for everyone; and yet, he’s still talked about, still controversial. From a beauty point of view, the Richter is my favourite.” German artist Gerhard Richter recently had a huge retrospective at The Tate, and is currently enjoying his new accolade as the most expensive living artist. Last October in London, Sotheby’s sold Abstraktes Bild (809-4) for a staggering $34 million. On show at Katara, this piece, is estimated to be worth in excess of $16 million. Richter has a fascination with painting’s uneasy relationship with photography, and how both media can only express an incomplete view of a subject. Richter explains his art as an attempt “to bring together in a living and viable way, the most different and the most contradictory elements in the greatest possible freedom.” His work

lies somewhere between figuration and abstraction, while the artist himself has never fully embraced any of the late twentieth century art movements, preferring instead to create his own niche. In Abstraktes Bild (712) , he uses layers of paint which he drags across the canvas, blurring, obscuring or revealing previous coatings to create a piece full of motion. Another highlight of the preview was British artist Francis Bacon’s Untitled (Pope), painted around 1954. The vision of a screaming pontiff is part of a series that is a reinterpretation of Spanish painter Diego Velazquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X. A darkly terrifying painting, Untitled (Pope) draws the viewer into the intense anguish and rage brought on by the horrors of the early 20th century, but the pope is silenced by the nightmarish darkness within which he is forever encased.

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Abstraktes Bild (712) by Gerhard Richter

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He Loves Me...

She Loves Me Not! Like all artists, Kezban Arca is mysterious. Her sunglasses conceal piercing eyes and her long, dark, wavy hair shrouds her face as she shows Laura Hamilton her paintings. “My theme is always women,” she says with a strong Turkish accent, “because I am one.” It’s quite the welcome to her solo exhibition at Anima Gallery & Lounge.

hen Leila Heller happened upon a large piece of Kezban’s at Art Turkey, the New York gallerist knew that she wanted to exhibit her work. Leila’s specialty is bringing Middle Eastern art to her gallery in New York with the goal to challenge the cliché that Arab women are seen and not heard. From there, Anima Gallery became

involved and together they commissioned original artwork for Kezban to bring to Qatar. Leila cites the strong female influence of the art scene in Doha, particularly thanks to the work of Sheika Mayassa, as the draw to display Kezban’s artwork in the country. “People in the west have all sorts of preconceptions about women in the Arab world,” she notes, “that make Kezban’s artistic offerings bold and insightful.”

Pigeon 2 by Kezban Arca .

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Shadow by Kezban Arca..

Kezban likes to view all her works as part of a narrative, a story she is telling. “I see the art as part of a film,” she says, explaining that the ideas come to her whole, which perhaps isn’t so unusual considering her father Atif Yilmaz Batibeki was a Turkish auteur, a filmmaker who captured the family life of 20th century Turkey. Her artwork seems like film shots, each with its own slightly voyeuristic aspect, intruding into the domestic life of Turkish women. “They whisper a story that only a woman can tell,” says Ghada Sholy, the owner of Anima Gallery & Lounge. Kezban agrees, “Because I’m a woman, I like to do things from a woman’s perspective.” There are five steps in Kezban’s work - a complicated, highly technical process. First, she paints with acrylic; then, she uses stencils to create a sheen on certain images, scatters different kinds of granules to pick up the light, airbrushes and also sews on sequins. The use of stitching on sequins is a throwback traditional female work which had its glory days with Ottoman embroidery. Every group of Kezban’s work has a different colour theme, and this time it includes a striking deep blue that is very personal to her. “It represents my feelings,” she says, “But I don’t understand why.” In the West, the colour scheme is very divisive with blue being deemed “male” and with pink attributed to women, whereas in Turkey the colour palette is different. As Leila points out, blue is everywhere in Turkey, a favourite colour, used in everything from mosaic tiles to dress material. Even the charms that are popular in Turkey that are used to ward away the evil eye are blue. Leila gave one to Ghada when the Anima Gallery & Lounge first opened for good luck; it hangs in the gallery, nestled between paintings. One of the most intriguing pieces is the painting called Too Loud, in which a woman wears a glitzy cat mask and presses her hands to her ears. Simplistic yet profound, it features an enigmatic figure against a glittery background, the deep purple blue of which juxtaposes the intense and beautiful dress made of a thousand hand-sewn sequins. “Everyone wears a mask,” said Arca, “I think women are a lot like cats.” The feline aspect of women is their unknowability, their grace and elegance and most importantly, their desire to be independent. Kezban is also well known for her film I Shot Andy Warhol in Istanbul, a play on words; referring both to the incident where Andy Warhol was shot by writer Valerie Solanas and Kezban’s short film. A synthetic doll is shown watching the Bosphorous, the river in Istanbul which separates the East from the West, throughout the seasons. The footage was taken from the artist’s own home and signifies the voyeuristic nature of art Andy Warhol staring out at the Bosphorous and the viewer watching Warhol. The 12 minute film has an amusing incident capture on it, where Kezban’s cleaner, unaware of the artistic experiment going on, cleans the camera lense - as her face looms into the camera it adds another layer (incidental) of voyeurism into the film.

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Gossip by Kezban Arca..

Too Loud by Kezban Arca..

Ghada Sholy asks all exhibiting artists to install something behind its exterior glass facade; a calling card, something unique to the gallery. Kezban chose to display antique dollhouses; something from the female realm that epitomises the voyeuristic element of her work. If you peek through the windows, you can see black and white clips from her father’s films, snapshots of 20th century Turkish family drama. It contrasts with The Pearl’s shiny newness and adds a personal touch to her work, her dollhouses and her father’s films.

He loves me... she loves me not is at Anima Gallery & Lounge at The Pearl, Doha until the 5th of January 2013.

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M A R K ETPL ACE

WelcomE

to the SLT Market place.

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