Sur la Terre Arabia 37 - Spring 2015 by Firefly Communications

C ov eted C losets - 70 We raid the houses of five of the Middle East’s most stylish fashion tastemakers with The Coveteur

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issue 37

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to duty, with upscale denim making its way into our new season wardrobes in a big way

a new stage

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With a willing audience, fashion finds itself under a new social media spotlight, but how is it faring? Sophie Jones-cooper investigates how Instagram, Facebook and bloggers has changed the world of style

sev enties fl air

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Flashback to flares, fringing and frolicking hippies basking in hedonistic bliss and the disco lights of Studio 54

gy pset

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Bringing a laidback luxe approach to sun drenched dressing, designers have taken on an air of bohemian spirit this spring

denim r emix

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Everyone’s favourite off duty staple has been called up

the shelfie

Style

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The social media bandwagon has moved on over to Instagram’s latest craze and we’re all rushing to artfully arrange our most stylish possessions for that coveted must-have Shelfie shot

dr essed to the t

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A full-time lawyer by day, stylish blogger by night, Bahraini Dana Al Khalifa is truly living up to her blog’s name, TheOverdressed, one stylish outfit at a time

tulle time

for tutus into her latest collection

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Turning to her well-followed Instagram page to spread the word on her designs, Showg Al Mudhaf’s fascination with ballet goes one step further as the fashion designer incorporates elements of ballerinas’ grace and her love

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soci al status

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The latest crop of It accessories are loud, proud and hashtag-worthy. See which pieces made our list

beauty deep fr eeze

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With warmer days ahead and everyone getting their spring beauty regimen in place, we usher in the new season with a popsicle-bright pout in our pick of super saturated shades. After countless research, and testing of course, here’s what made it into our makeup bags

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B er luti - 108 The hand-made ready-to-wear luxury shoe line is still going strong, with a cult following of glamourous clientele to prove it

M eet the Porters - 76 Leading the way for e-tailers worldwide, find out how Natalie Massenet managed to create a luxury fashion emporium that has changed the way we shop forever

spr ing clea ning

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We go in pursuit of self-repair and a healthier existence in Doha’s latest wellness centre. See how we faired!

the sw eat ga me

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Now is the time to get seriously fit and seriously hot with our pick of 2015’s coolest new workouts

bijoux beauty

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Designer Shourouk Rhaiem teams up with beauty emporium Sephora for a bejeweled capsule collection

play - 52

Finding your signature scent is only half the battle. Knowing how, when and where to spray is what separates the boys from the men. We turn to an international perfume superstar for some tips

follow your nose

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A professional perfumer must be able to identify 2,000 smells. Here are the most powerful noses behind your favorite bottles

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With the latest in equipment refreshing as fast as our Instagram feeds, how can we keep up with all the developments in technology? SLT explores what’s on the market for photography aficionados

c aught on c a mer a

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John Sypal’s new book, Tokyo Camera Style, has found

we spread some festival fever with a roundup of the most note-worthy music events of the season. Have a look and see what you need to book now

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life globetrot ter

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Achingly hip, Berlin has edged out Paris and London as Europe’s coolest capital. Here’s our guide to 24 hours spent in the once divided, now united hot spot

m y mor roco

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Tatiana Santo Domingo and Dana Alikhani, founders of Muzungu sisters, have visited far-flung destinations always seeking a new nomadic adventure, but it seems Marrakesh has them hypnotized

tr av el notebook

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Our wanderlust travellers share with us how billowy kaftans and ethnic-inspired prints make their way into their travel bags

culture music

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From online to offline – see how the world’s favourite social media stars are moving away from the Internet and heading to the printing press

Dine, dream and delight your senses like a local with the latest hotel openings, restaurant launches and luxurious goings-on for the global traveller. This is a must-have list for those planning a trip soon

a rou nd the wor ld

how to spr ay

sna p h a ppy

a cult following of international devotees who share his passion for analog cameras. Check out some of the cool images he has snapped over the years

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For those of you who plan their life around their music

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a rt

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commerce

A platform making waves this side of the globe is Artscoops, an online website offering an exciting handpicked selection of the most prominent contemporary art from the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Iran

jeff koons

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Controversial Artist Jeff Koon graces Doha with his larger than life presence

features flow er pow er

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In Qatar to launch her first jewellery collection, Carolina Herrera de Báez tells SLT why a whiff of jasmine can send her on a journey through time

backpage tw it ter worth y

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Find out what the industry’s most fashionable peeps are coveting in 140 characters or less

ditor's letter

If there’s one thing worth mourning in the postInternet age of all-things-digital, it’s the lost art of just being. Don’t you miss the days when you were able to wake up, make a less-thanaesthetically-pleasing breakfast and not feel obliged to make it look like you were dining at Hotel Costes, or go to the gym all geared up so that your mother, neighbour and the whole world know you’re devoted to getting your #Instafit on?

the planet, and with the help of The Coveteur (creators of the much coveted #Shelfie), we were able to go behind-the-scenes and into the closest of some of the region’s most fashionable ladies, showing that the duo’s SLR toting skills are still as tweet-worthy as when they first started.

I have never taken a Selfie (the word still sends a shiver down the spine, doesn’t it?) and I don’t think I ever will. Twitter has never tempted me; if I can’t express myself in more than 140 characters then I am not interested. But when Instagram came along (thank you #KevinSystrom) and our world looked prettier in Valencia and Earlybird, I happily jumped on board with the rest and proved that I had some Insta-game (yes that is a thing) in me after all. I still blame it all on that rush, you know, the one you get from taking a good picture and watching the likes escalate (total euphoria!).

Having just come out of the crazy month that is Art Dubai, we’re still high on paint fumes and fighting each other over cubism vs. surrealism (#aneverenedingbattle), we caught up with Jeff Koons, the controversial pop culture icon at the Art of Tomorrow conference in Doha. Find out why his risk-taking art is nothing short of magical.

It seems that nowadays, a big social media following is major currency – platforms like Blogspot, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr have gone on to garner their owners everything from designer collaborations to ad campaigns and then some. Our Social Power Players features a definitive hotlist of those whose expertlycurated blogs and ‘gramming skills, has earned them high recognition, after all, we have to applaud those who get it right (and make it look easy). We’re always looking for excuses to poke around some of the most chic wardrobes on

Meet the Porters this issue, quite literally, with our special insiders all-access look at the world’s hottest e-tail powerhouse commanding our attention, and much more, our bank accounts. Find out just how Natalie Massenet managed to change the way we shop for luxury fashion forever.

Here’s to putting together a killer Social Media Issue if we do say so ourselves, and for the sake of self promotion and the never-ending quest for a sea of dedicated followers, don’t forget to pick up that little-photo-sharing-app and follow @sltarabia.

. sur la terre . editor's letter .

Dina Kabbani

senior Editor

ontributors

“Those ubiquitous 45-minute show delays certainly take the edge off such events, but it also has to do with the fact that I have likely already seen the designer’s mood board on Instagram or been privy to a sneak preview of the collection on Facebook.” - Sophie Jones-Cooper, our stylish columnist, on how she social media has changed fashion week for her

“I'm not big into social media in general but I admit to creeping on Facebook. I rarely post but I love seeing what other people are up to.” - Julia Seidl, our Editor-at-Large, on her daily digital activity

" I love sneakers… I was always a Converse fan (from pink to white - I had a lot of them), now I like the new Chanel or Vans with prints, but I only wear them for cool things, like if I have to get my son from school or take a walk with my dog. Otherwise I never go to any event or show in sneakers! It’s just not me." - Hala Salem Achillas, who illustrated the cool workout gear in “The Sweat Game”, on following fashion’s latest sneaker obsession

“Even though we're just coming out of winter, a whole new "winter is coming", in the form of Game of Thrones! I'm currently half way through the fifth book, trying to get well ahead of the upcoming fifth season airing in April. I am old school, I don't use a kindle - ever!” SLT’s design maverick Helen Louise Carter, on how she digitally unplugs

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“Last year I went to Copenhagen and North Zealand in Denmark and fell in love with the food and the people's approach to life. I would love to explore Sweden next. See the northern lights. And stay in the Mirror Cube at the TreeHotel.” - Our travel insider Rosie Garthwaite, shares what’s top on her travel bucket list after hitting the historic Moroccan city of Marrakesh

“I’m not personally an advocate, not to mean I wouldn’t take a self portrait. The Selfie is an effect of people realising how interesting they are, but in turn is making them so boring.” - Budding young photographer Malak Kabbani, shares her two cents on the issue of Seflies

DETAILS Director of Publications Mohamed Jaidah m.jaidah@firefly-me.com General Manager Joe Marritt j.marritt@firefly-me.com - Editorial Regional Managing Editor James McCarthy Senior Editor Dina Kabbani d.kabbani@firefly-me.com Editor-At-Large Julia Seidl j.seidl@firefly-me.com Fashion & Style Sophie Jones-Cooper Staff Writer Yara Jishi

Sur la Terre International S.A.

- Contributors Malak Kabbani Hala Salem Achillas Rosie Garthwaite

Head office 26 avenue de la Praille 1227, Geneva, Switzerland. Tel: + 41 22 310 48 00 Fax: + 41 22 310 48 01

- Art & Design Art Direction Helen Louise Carter In-House Photography Jerome Elizaga Foto Arabia Paolo Mallari Production Coordinator Ron Baron

ARABIA HASHTAG WORTHY

- International Sales International Sales Director Julia Toon j.toon@firefly-me.com

The latest crop of “It” accessories

CLOSET CONFIDENTIAL SUR LA TERRE ARABIA > ISSUE 37 > SPRING 2015

- Sales & Marketing Area Manager, Doha Chirine Halabi c.halabi@firefly-me.com Senior Sales Manager, UAE Nesreen Shalaby n.shalaby@urjuan-me.com

JEFF KOONS

On achieving equilibrium

MEET THE PORTERS A look at the online world’s biggest e-tailer

SOCIAL STATUS It’s a blogger’s world & we’re all just living in it

QR40

AED40

BHD4

KWD3

OMR4

Deputy Sales Manager Masha Ivanova m.ivanova@firefly-me.com

At home with the region’s most revered stylemakers

n. 37

- Printing & Distribution Distribution Manager Azqa Haroon a.haroon@firefly-me.com

Cover image: Zayan Ghandour By The Coveteur

Logistics Manager Joseph Isaac j.issac@firefly-me.com

- Printer Ali Bin Ali Printing Press, Doha, Qatar

- Publisher Firefly Communications PO Box 11596, Doha, Qatar. Tel: +974 4434 0360 Fax: +974 4434 0359 info@firefly-me.com www.firefly-me.com

copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of Firefly Communications, is prohibited. All content is believed to be factual at the time of going to print, and contributors’ views are their own derived opinions and not necessarily that of Firefly Communications or SLT. No responsibility or liability is accepted by the publishers or editorial staff for any loss to any individual or company, legally, financially or physically, as a result of any statement, fact, figure or expression of opinion or belief appearing in SLT. The publisher does not officially endorse any advertising or advertorial content for third party products. Photography and image credits, where not otherwise stated, are those of Getty/Gallo Images and/or Shutterstock or iStock Photo and/or Firefly Communications, each of which retains their individual copyrights.

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FASHION’S NEW STAGE

With a willing audience, fashion finds itself under a new social media spotlight, but how is it faring? Words: Sophie Jones-Cooper Image: Victor Chavez/WireImage

s a fashion week veteran, when a show-invite lands on my desk, I have to admit I am no longer filled with the excitement and eagerness about witnessing first hand the much anticipated new season collection. Those ubiquitous 45-minute show delays certainly take the edge off such events, but it is also to do with the fact that I have likely already seen the designer’s mood board on Instagram or been privy to a sneak preview of the collection on Facebook. For most designers and fashion lovers, our current social media infatuated world is a dream come true. Designers can reach out and engage with fans and turn them into customers thanks to new reach-all visual channels, and designer devotees get to be part of a formerly VIP only world, previously taped off for the eyes of industry insiders alone. Today anyone can get behind the runway, on the runway and beyond the runway.

Social media has also launched the careers of another set of fashion personalities – the social media PRs. OscarPR Girl for Oscar de la Renta and Aliza Licht for DKNY, for example, are changing the way we see fashion, working hard to turn their brand’s fashion fans into customers using a personal approach of friendly tweets and behind the scenes online glimpses of the inner workings of the fashion house.

What was once a simple three step process of design clothes, show clothes, sell clothes; transforming a spark of inspiration in a designer’s mind into a genius collection of fabrics and tailoring a season later, has now become a mind boggling journey encompassing Tumblr bloggers, Instagram feeds, FROW tweets, live video streams and pre-orders. First up, is pre-fashion week - the backstory of the collection with designers posting their show mood boards on Pinterest weeks ahead of the show and promoting live streamings to their millions of followers on Facebook. Michael Kors is reportedly the most-searchedfor designer brand on the Internet (according to Bing) and has 17 million fans on social media. So it is likely these 17 million fans have seen the collection before it has even made it to the runways. Next, are the incessant tweets throughout the show itself. And the FROW is no longer reserved for only high-ranking magazine editors, but tweet-obsessed celebrities (Kim Kardashian springs to mind with her 20 million Instagram followers) and of course the newfound fashion darlings – the bloggers. Just over a decade ago, bloggers were still just heavily opinionated fashion fanatics, and then they were given an exciting new digital platform from which to air and visualise their views. They are now giving fashion editors

a run for their money as the voice of the industry. Since its 2013 launch, Instagram has become the most used instrument in the fashion industry and has propelled style bloggers into fashion fame. The stats say it all – according to a report by Fashionibi, bloggers have a larger audience on Instagram than traditional online magazines do, a poll by Mashable reported Instagram’s brand posts four times more effective with fans than those on Facebook or Twitter and top blogger Chiara Ferragni of The Blonde Salad has more than 3 million Instagram followers and her expected revenue for 2015 is over $9 million.

So with these PRs, bloggers and every man and his dog tweeting every stitch and seam making its way down the runway, and the designer’s themselves live streaming their show for the world to see, the collections are instantly in every corner of the globe. The six-month wait for them to hit the stores is now becoming a thing of the past with websites such as Moda Operandi taking pre-orders and brands themselves selling pieces direct from the catwalk online. This season, as part of their FW15 show, Topshop streamed the tweets of the front row onto six advertising hoardings across the UK and encouraged fans to tweet images of the hoardings to receive a customised shopping basket of relevant clothes to buy on the website there and then. This ‘next season now’ mentality is certainly catching on and the main aim of the social media game, converting fans to customers, is definitely succeeding. Even the big boys Chanel and Louis Vuitton are collaborating with bloggers to widen their customer base. But for me, because of this new ‘access all areas’ approach to fashion, I cannot help but feel that maybe a little of the magic has been lost.

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The Edit

ashion is continually evolving, but has a sneaky habit of reclaiming and resurrecting the past with a contemporary spin. This season it is the turn of the fabulous 70s. Flashback to flares, fringing and frolicking hippies basking in hedonistic bliss and the disco lights of Studio 54. For spring, Gucci, Coach and Loewe were just a few of the designers inspired by the happy-go-lucky spirit of the decade and we saw a resurgence of bold power florals, inky retro shades and rainbow prints, towering platform heels, pussybow necks and of course fabulous flares. High waisted denim was the way most designers showed their flare. We love Victoria Beckham Denim’s flared jeans for an off duty Farrah Facwett feel, or for a more chic approach, go for Alexander McQueen’s disco ready wool and silk black flares. And in true 70s spirit, designers streamlined top halves with feminine blouses, boyfriend shirts and tight polo necks, while down below, we're seeing chunky platforms and wedges under elongated trousers suits and billowing maxi gowns. All hail the haute hippy.

NEW YORK CITY, UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 06: Farrah Fawcett at the Park Lane Hotel in 1977

Emilio Pucci

Floral inspired silky fabrics and plunging V-necks scream 70s appeal and Acne Studios certainly injected this subtle essence of Studio 54 glamour into their cool and collected retro ready collection.

Photo by Tom Wargacki/WireImage

70s FLARE

Team Fendi’s skinny printed scarf with a tailored suit or boyfriend shirt for an instant ode to the effortless elegance of seventies style icon Bianca Jagger.

As a firm fan of the bell bottomed trouser, it is no surprise that Victoria Beckham’s first self designed shoe collection includes these chunky discoready platforms.

Oversized frames, pussybows and shoulder slung handbags… Gucci’s SS15 RTW collection is bursting with seventies flair.

Tan leather, glossy waves and chic 70s prints were just a few of the references making up Emilio Pucci’s SS15 collection.

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For shades with boho luxe appeal, go for aviators, oversized or circular frames, such as these new, yet golden oldies from Ray Ban.

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The Edit

s the sun begins to rise on the dawn of the new season, an air of bohemian spirit comes to life, with designers, including Roberto Cavalli, Hermès, Chloé and Emilio Pucci, bringing a laidback luxe approach to sun drenched dressing. Silhouettes are fluid and dresses diaphanous, yet the mood utterly enchanted by a strong femininity. You can always rely on French label Chloé to lead the way when it comes to such a contemporary feminine aesthetic, and this season the Chloé girl does not disappoint, embracing cheesecloth mini dresses, peasant blouses and billowing chiffon maxi gowns. But what gives this look its edge this season, and what Peter Dundas did so successfully with Emilio Pucci, is the interjection of a roguish seventies gypsy appeal. Warrior like gladiator sandals, heavy fringed bags, denim, leather belts and suede boots give this look its finishing touch.

THE GYPSET

Chloé

Giorgio Armani’s chic beaded fringe bag proves fringing can be equally as wearable after dark as when the sun is up.

These wedge gladiator sandals from Chloé are one of this season’s most versatile shoes. Wear with mini, maxi and midi hemlines.

Be sure to add some fringing to your boho luxe ensemble. Choose a fringed bag or a midi skirt, or do it the Sonia Rykiel way, and double up with both.

This season’s Chloé girl is feminine, dreamlike and beautifully bohemian.

We love Stella McCartney’s effortlessly layered and flared nude dress. A midi length asymmetric or handkerchief hemline gives a demure and graceful allure.

Teaming the purity of guipure lace and the off duty ease of washed denim, was just one of Roberto Cavalli’s stunning interpretations of boho carefree chic.

Valentino’s free-spirited collection was a master class in prints and colour.

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The Edit DENIM REMIX

Chloe

Chloé’s denim maxi skirt and sweater combo is the epitome of spring’s laidback luxe appeal.

veryone’s favourite off duty staple has been called up to duty, with upscale denim making its way into our new season wardrobes in a big way. From sleek double denim at Michael Kors and slick tailoring at Stella McCartney to embellished jeans at Dolce & Gabbana and denim maxi skirts at Chloé, designer after designer showcased denim as a key player in the ready-to-wear department. Yet it is not only the big name runway royalty who have been dazed by denim; style icon Alexa Chung has put her cool and eclectic stamp on a newly launched denim collaboration with AG Jeans featuring a bevvy of denim delights, and heritage jeans brand Levi’s have brought out a limited edition version of their classic 501, the 501 CT – a contemporary hand customised version of the original.

The faithful jean doesn’t miss out this season, especially at Dolce & Gabbana, who upped the glam levels, bedecking theirs in a sea of jewels.

Even our shoes have been given a denim makeover. These espadrilles from Jimmy Choo will go with everything from a denim maxi skirt to a white cheesecloth dress and spring’s cropped pants.

Make sure your denim jacket is updated for SS15 with embellishment, added texture and intricate tailoring like this fur-lapelled jacket from Burberry Prorsum.

Stella McCartney wowed with double denim ensembles on her SS15 runway. She scores a hat trick with this denim handbag.

Pencil, maxi or midi – the denim skirt is the wardrobe staple for spring. We love this flattering buttoned pencil skirt from Carolina Herrera.

Fendi proves layered denim can look cool and sophisticated.

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Photographed By Jake Rosenberg / Styled By Stephanie Mark

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LET’S TAKE A SHELFIE!

editor's pick

We know that the Selfie reigned supreme in ’14, but this year the Sheflie (the latest twist on the Selfie) is stealing the spotlight as the coolest new way to show off. Yes, the social media bandwagon has moved on over to Instagram’s latest craze and we’re all rushing to artfully arrange our most stylish possessions into striking, most importantly, filter worthy compositions. Now the only question - Earlybird or Lo-Fi ?!

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DRESSED TO THE T You’ll never catch her in sweat pants or anything less than a billowy skirt and with an impressive résume (she’s a full-time lawyer by day, stylish blogger by night) she is more than just your average girl-abouttown; her Instagram following is going strong at 40,000 followers! Yes, Bahraini blogger Dana Al Khalifa is truly living up to her blog’s name, TheOverdressed, one stylish outfit at a time. WHEN I WAS FIVE MY MOTHER DRESSED MY OLDER SISTER AND I… in matching denim jumpsuits with pearly buttons. To accessorize the jumpsuit, my mother made us white tulle headbands and matching white tulle clip-on earrings by hand; she’s very crafty!

“Always look presentable; it’s good manners.”

MY OLDER SISTER CAME UP WITH THE NAME… because she thinks I always look I’m going somewhere. MY STYLE IS VERY FEMININE… that’s why Erdem was and will always be my favourite designer. I have a hard time doing the comfortable casual thing, but I’m learning now that that too can be feminine and beautiful. STRONG INTELLIGENT WOMEN IMPRESS ME… I look to older women for inspiration; very little phases them, they are grounded and confident which is the epitome of elegance. My mother and my sisters are

my greatest influencers. She (my mother) always looks immaculate even when she’s relaxing in what she calls “home clothes.” I DON’T SPEAK TO A PARTICULAR AGE GROUP… as I don’t dwell on age – I insist that elegance and beauty can be, and should be, yours at any time because every age is beautiful, and more importantly, it is always beautiful to be a woman.

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A TYPICAL DAY IS LONG… one minute I could be arguing about a company registration gone wrong with the ministry, the next I could be at a designer’s studio viewing their latest collection. Juggling a legal job and TheOverdressed can be hard work, but I take pleasure in doing two very different things – it keeps everything realistic. THE FASHION SCENE IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS VERY DIFFERENT… because as Middle Easterners our daily demands are much different than those in large metropolitan cities. We thankfully have the luxury of comfort; no one here pounds the pavement, and runs up and down tube stairs all the while battling horizontal rain and snow. Our lifestyles are different, so by default we dress differently; in Kuwait you have the Avant-Garde risk taking women and in Riyadh you have elegance so sharp it can cut glass. These are my two favourite cities to look to for inspiration. www.theoverdressed.com

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Tulle Time

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t’s only natural that Ghain Ghada’s Spring Summer 2015 collection would incorporate tulle. “When I was four years old, my mom bought me an undergarment with tutus in it to wear under a dress to make it poufy,” says Showg Al Mudhaf, the designer behind the Kuwaiti label. “I remember I wore that undergarment every single day for at least a month. I refused to take it off. And from that day forward I have always loved anything with tutus.” After attending a recent outdoor ballet production, she took that fascination one step further, incorporating elements of the ballerina’s grace and the elaborate elements of the set into her latest collection. “I wanted to get floral fabrics and geometric prints of the same colours of the gardens.” Despite her love affair with an art form as traditional as ballet, when it comes to social media, Showg is on the cutting edge. Instead of relying on a website, the talented designer turns to her wellfollowed Instagram page to spread the word on her designs, including her latest, a line of luxe clutches. “They are made with Grade A python skin, hand stitched with love and care,” says Showg. Here, the designer lets us tiptoe ('en pointe', of course) into her world.

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"The brand is named after my sister, may she rest in peace. She is the love of my life."

Q&A On her craft: I started designing 4 years ago. I was never into fashion, I was an artist. I love to sketch, paint and sculpt - basically anything that I can create with my two hands. I once was dared to do a dress so I went to a fabric store to get what I wanted and started stitching. It was the most horrifying experience since the dress turned out horrible. But I enjoyed the experience so much that I started doing it over and over again. Then I got good at it. On her brand’s namesake: The brand is named after my sister, may she rest in peace. She is the love of my life. She passed away two years ago from lupus and she made me who I am today. She was beautiful, kind, graceful and everything you could imagine in a woman. She was a year older than me and I looked up to her my entire life. This brand is made for her, as a tribute. I want everyone in the world to know that every beautiful piece that I create has a little bit of her in it. On her heritage: My Kuwaiti heritage has been my number one inspiration. I always use our golden embroidery, loose cuts or black tulle in my clothes. In every collection, I make a black dress with gold embroidery as a tribute to my heritage.

Tulle, printed linen, lightweight cottons and organza make up Ghain Ghada’s SS15 collection.

On her fans: To be perfectly honest, I’ve been the most proud to see my friends wear my clothes. They are the most critical, judgmental, scrutinizing and honest people in the world. So the fact that they actually bought and wore my dress is an absolute honour.

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Hentsch Man washed cotton jersey sweatshirt, MrPorter.com

Sojourn Essentials

espite calling the oft-cloudy city of London home, Alexia Hentsch and Max von Hurter of menswear label Hentsch Man know a thing or two about sunny day style. Their SS15 collection takes

inspiration from the muggy streets of Latin America (Alexia was born in Brazil) and infuses the brand’s signature prints with 1950s-cut shorts and sharply tailored suits that are practically begging to be packed for your next tropical vaca. Accessorize their main line and their exclusive new collection for MrPorter.com with an icy cold caipirinha for one very fashionable fiesta. www.hentschman.com

Watch & Wear

f you found yourself distracted by Francis Underwood and Remy Danton’s impeccably tailored suits while binge watching season three of House of Cards, you aren’t alone. Enter looklive.com. The folks behind the new website aim to hook you up with items from your favourite TV characters and celebrities with just a click of the button. Members need only browse the site to discover that the classic black suit Frank wears for his first term in the White House is Burberry’s Modern Fit Wool Suit and that Remy’s more fitted two pieces are by Dolce & Gabbana. With links to each item, plus recommended substitutes when the original sells out, watching television will never be the same. www.looklive.com

L’Eau de Qatar

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Dolce & Gabbana

f Coco Chanel’s declaration that a woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future is correct, Qatari duo Noora Bu-Helaiqa and Shiekha Al-Misnad would prefer you entrust your future to their first two scents, S’ishira White and S’ishira Black. Made in Qatar using the finest natural ingredients including Cambodian oud, cardimum from Jordan and the Qatari mimosa flower, S’ishira is the only luxury unisex perfume created in the GCC that has been recognized by the prestigious International Fragrance Association in Belguim. It’s this international recognition that Noora is hoping will help put Qatar and S’ishira (an Arabic and Latin hybrid meaning brightest star in the universe) on the fragrance map. Only 1,000 bottles of the homegrown scent have been created, all numbered to mark their place in history. “The numbered stamp on the bottom means so much to me,” says Noora. “I couldn’t stop smiling when I saw it for the first time.”

Watchmen

t isn’t often that Cartier launches a new collection of watches so when they do, it's best to pay attention. “The last time was in 2007 with Ballon Bleu so therefore it’s a big deal to be launching a new Cartier aesthetic,” says regional managing director Laurent Gaborit of the historic French watchmaker’s latest prized possession, Clé de Cartier. Incorporating a new movement called 1847 MC – an homage to the year of Cartier’s inception – the minimalist timepiece uses a rapid barrel to provide remarkable chronometric stability while relying on a specially designed lever system to provide a dual-direction winding automatic mechanism for added durability. Gentlemen, your wrist is naked without one. www.cartier.com

#Warrior

unch at Zuma was all regional style icon Anum Bashir and designer Nadine Kanso of Bil Arabi jewellery needed to forge a close companionship. “After meeting Nadine, I knew I had made a friend for life,” says Anum, the talented scribe behind the popular blog, DesertMannequin.com. “In fact, I would say she’s family now.” Friendship wasn’t the only asset the pair took away from their lunch. A desire to work on a collection together had their creative juices flowing. “My first reaction was if I wanted to collaborate with any blogger, it would only be Anum!” says Nadine. One year later, the trendsetters are celebrating the outcome of their lunch with the debut of Alef/20, an eight piece jewellery capsule collection. “All good things take time,” says Anum. “The process and passage are always what’s most important.” Only twenty of each 18-karat gold, sapphire and diamond piece have been created making this launch, which includes statement rings, architectural cuffs, mismatched earrings and pavé pendants, a must-have for jewellery aficionados. Modelled after an Arabicised

version of jewellery that Anum was given by her parents for her wedding, the limited edition collection also embraces the strength of the Alef. “The shape of the Alef letter is one of the strongest in the Arabic alphabet,” says Nadine. “It looks like a sword and is the first letter of the alphabet, which gives it power.” For Anum, the image of a warrior woman featured heavily in her mind. “We wanted to create something for those who felt similarly about their struggles and plight,” says the blogger. The feeling of fortitude isn’t the only message the pair hope to inspire with their collaboration. “The inclusion of sapphires in this collection is also quite special as Nadine had never used the stone before,” says Anum. “I wanted to use sapphires as they represent one attribute I value most in a person, loyalty. Plus, my husband proposed with one!”

Ring my bell

Julia Restoin Roitfeld, daughter of fashion editor Carine Roitfeld, is the face of Savelli Genève, which is available at Al Majed Jewellery.

hen Alessandro Savelli launched his eponymous luxury smartphone collection in 2013, he knew that a smart man always listens to his mother-in-law. “My wife Helene’s mother explained to me that the recipe for a happy marriage is to have your ‘jardin secret’ [secret garden], something that is just yours and that you don’t share with your companion,” says Alessandro. “Every woman has a secret and your phone keeps all your secrets.” And so became the inspiration behind his Jardin Secret collection of blingedout phones, which are crafted not by tech geeks but by some of the best jewellery and watch designers in the world. Incorporating exquisite materials often found in couture collections, from the same ceramic used by

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Chanel for their watches to the same alligator skin that Hermes incorporates into its Birkin, Savelli Genève has already found a place in the heart (and hands) of fashion royalty, including friend Julia Restoin Roitfeld who is the face of the brand. The latest incarnation from Alessandro, whose family stems from the jewellery trade, is a collaboration with Gemfields on a Rubies Limited Edition collection. Inspired by a rediscovery of an old family jewel that incorporated the “king of gemstones”, the team at Savelli hand-set the patented curve of the phone with 365 brilliant cut rubies sourced from the north-east of Mozambique. Limited to only eight pieces, the Ruby Passion also marks the first time the brand has worked with yellow gold. www.savelli-geneve.com

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COVETED COLLABORATIONS

Partnering up with New York-based beauty brand, Kiehl’s, our two favourite Emiratis, designer Khalid Shafar and co-founder of The Dinner Club by No.57 Alamira Noor Bani Hashim, talk about designing a special limited-edition label for the brand’s popular ‘Ultra Facial Cream’

THE CULT DESIGNER

he made wearing a single earring look that Paris breed of cool; don’t ask us how, but she managed to, sending out a cult following who were able to rock it without looking like a pirate. And good thing you’re only meant to wear one, our bank accounts definitely wouldn’t be able to handle a pair! Yes Gaia Repossi has taken her family’s once old-school (yet famed) jewellery brand and given it a youthful spin with her eponymous minimalistic aesthetic. “I always believe that the most beautiful designs are always the simplest. They might look easy, but there’s usually so much technique that goes into making them that way,” says the young Artistic Director. Considering we are walking brand ambassadors ourselves, her Berbère rings never leave our fingers; we can definitely understand why the fashion world is picking up her pieces like hot cakes. And with several high-profile collabs under her belt (Repossi has teamed up with Alexander Wang and Joseph Altuzarra) it’s easy to see why everyone is going gaga for Gaia!

LABEL LINEUP

o kick off the fifth season of Fashion Forward (FFWD), the industry’s leading platform in the Middle East, we’ve put together the list of budding young designers set to showcase this April in Dubai. Along with the massive lineup (this kicks last season’s in the chins) the event seems to be moving forward with a number of networking events set to take place on April 10th, followed by catwalk shows and various presentations from April 11-12 and, finally, panel discussions for industry professionals on the 13th on site at the Dubai Design District (d3).

COUTURE

READY TO WEAR

Amato (UAE)

Aiisha Ramadan (Lebanon)

Hussein Bazaza (Lebanon)

Reemami (UAE)

Ezra (UAE/Philippines)

Amber Feroz (UAE/India)

House of Nomad (UAE)

Starch Foundation (Lebanon)

Jean Louis Sabaji (Lebanon)

Bouguessa (Algeria/France)

Lama Jouni (Lebanon)

Said Mahrouf (Morocco)

Zareena (UAE)

Daneh (KSA)

Madiyah Al Sharqi (UAE)

Taller Marmo (UAE/Italy/Argentina)

Dima Ayad (Lebanon)

Maral (Iran)

The Emperor (UAE/UK)

Hâshé (UAE/Iran)

Mauzan (UAE)

Three Fifty Nine (Egypt)

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ON THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THEIR LABEL… K: I had this image in mind of a horse’s carousel; it brings back childhood memories. N: I love a look that is clean, modern, and natural so I wanted to reflect some of those preferences; I used layered images of plants to echo the brand’s commitment to natural ingredients and give off a clean vibe.

ON BEING THE MIDDLE EAST’S KIEHL'S AMBASSADOR… K: I am very proud as an Emirati designer to be associated with an international brand; it’s an honor and a big responsibility at the same time. N: I’m a huge fan of Kiehl’s and love testing out new products. I don’t have a lot of free time these days, like so many people, so pampering myself with skin and hair care that really works for me feels like a necessary luxury. ON THEIR MUST-HAVE KIEHL’S PRODUCT… K: The list is very long but the Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is my favourite product. N: I cannot live without the ‘Midnight Recovery Concentrate’ for my skin and the ‘Olive Oil Hair Pak Restorative Mask’ for my hair. The desert sun and wind can take a toll and sap all the moisture!

ON WHAT’S IN THEIR BATHROOM CABINET… K: Almost the full men range of Kiehl’s! N: I like to keep things as simple and uncluttered as possible, and when I find something that works I become a devotee! In my cabinet currently are a whitening toothpaste, my Kiehl’s Calendula Face Wash and the Rosa Artica Face Cream. Kiehl’s limited edition products across all Kiehl’s outlets in the UAE.

BEAUTY BAZAAR

ou can spot a Louboutin from a mile away; it’s stunning shade of blood red has the power to stop even the most fashion savvy dead in their tracks. And now thanks to architecture genius Pierre Yovanovitch, and Monseiur Louboutin himself, we can all leg our beautiful cherry soles to Paris’ historic Passage Vero-Dodat for a fix of French beauty with the launch of Christian Louboutin’s first ever boutique exclusively for cosmetics. Can anyone say Ohlala!

KOOL KIDS ON THE BLOCK

hey say couples over time soon start to look like each other; the way they act, talk and even dress. Taking the latter quite literally to heart is one of Paris’ most hyped about fashion labels, The Kooples, whose current narrative is based on designing men’s and women’s collections to complement each other (think X & Y dressing meets borrowing from the boys/girls). Unashamedly retro, their dandyish skinny cuts, 80’s punk air and postmodern style has become their trademark, but what’s more interesting is the brand’s signature ad campaigns, which feature real-life couples (hence the name), captured outside of the studio, carefree around the city– a nod to the live and let live atmosphere of Paris and now something that has become synonymous with The Kooples. www.thekooples.com Watch out: The Kooples opens shop in Lagoona Mall, Qatar this May!

FUR-REAL

PSSST-HAVE YOU HEARD? Karl Lagerfeld has confirmed the debut of fendi's first fourrure (that’s high fur in French) collection in Paris during the July couture season, so mark your calendars! . sur la terre . news .

SUBCULTURE STYLE

e has transformed the classic skate shoe and in the meantime, garnered a cult following, mixing urban New York cool with traditional Italian handcraftsmanship; Joshua Sanders has us all ditching our high heels (not permanently though!) for his cool bold graphics and chunky rubber soles. It’s definitely time to get on the slip-on wagon. www.joshua-sanders.com

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PRIME TIME

ll you need to know about Panerai’s Luminor Submersible 1950 Carbotech

MOVEMENT: Automatic mechanical, P.9000 calibre FUNCTIONS: Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, calculation of immersion time CASE: 47 mm, carbotech DIAL: Black with applied luminous dots and Arabic numerals. Date at 3 o’clock, seconds at 9 o’clock POWER RESERVE: 72H WATER-RESISTANCE: 30bar (~ 300 metres)

www.panerai.com

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avid Morris has been a British institution for over five decades but instead of debuting one of their most exciting pieces of the year in front of a local audience, the London jeweller choose Qatar to launch a dazzling Burma “pigeon blood” ruby cuff. “There are a lot of rubies in there and they are all certificated pigeon blood and natural,” says managing director and principal designer Jeremy Morris of the 67.14 carats of rubies and 59.70 carats of white diamonds that make up the showstopper. “The cuff took us almost a year to make. We bought the stones in April of last year and we finished it the day before we got to Doha. It’s pretty amazing!” We’d say amazing is a bit of an understatement. www.davidmorris.com

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f there’s one thing we’ve learned from Elie Saab’s SS15 runway show, it’s that the ocean is a vast world of endless inspiration. Taking a cue from the designer’s “dive into the deep blue” themed collection, we’re topping off our party dresses with a piece from Chaumet’s exquisite 53-piece Lumière D’Eau collection. We couldn’t image a better way to up the glamour quotient than with opal icebergs, a shower of emeralds or a river of diamonds, all from the Palace Vendôme jeweller’s H2O -inspired collection. www.chaumet.com

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LOCKING LINKS

trademark of the brand and one of its most emblematic aesthetics, the word interlacing has become synonymous amongst the most iconic collections of the Geneva- based jewellerwatchmaker De Grisogono. Joining this close-knit family is Vortice, a two-piece creation that twirls and turns with grace and sensuality. www.degrisogono.com

“I think in volumes, I imagine in colours, I design in lights.” Fawaz Gruosi

WATCH OUT FOR

Jaeger LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Minute Repeater www.jaeger-lecoultre.com

n its third year as global Associate Partner of Art Basel, Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Audemars Piguet has just announced renowned curator and artist, Ruijun Shen as the second guest curator for their innovative art commissioning project, the Audemars Piguet Art Commission, to coincide with Art Basel in Hong Kong 2015. So mark your calendars! www.audemarspiguet.com

Arnold & Son Instrument Collection DSTB www.arnoldandson.com

STRAP HAPPY

n search of some new wrist candy to add to your collection? We absolutely love these dapper brown leather beauties, which make for a chic yet practical summer accessory.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Quatuor www.rogerdubuis.com.

Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time www.patek.com

The Diamond MasterGraff Grand Date Dual Time Tourbillon is a truly iconic timepiece, combining the craft and skill of our gem-setting experience, with haute horology and the finest Swiss complications. The Graff Calibre 5 took an expert team over 2,000 hours to develop - a perfect example of our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation, taking our collections to the next level with every new release.” – Michel Pitteloud, chief executive officer at Graff Luxury Watches. www.graffdiamonds.com

make a wish

isney may have the fairy godmother market cornered but Van Cleef & Arpels is catching up with their new Peau D’Âne high jewellery collection, inspired by a French fairytale of the same name. Paying tribute to the tale, the French jeweller has crafted the Miroir enchanté necklace. A tassel of cultured pearls and over 6,500 emerald beads adorn the statement collar but la pièce de resistance is the detachable Burmese sapphire weighing 24.77 carats. We know what we’ll be asking our fairy godmother for come birthday time. www.vancleefarpels.com

The new Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40

DID YOU KNOW?

riginally created in 1956, the ‘President’ bracelet made the DayDate an instantly recognizable style, and got its name after it was spotted on countless presidents and world leaders! www.rolex.com

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heikha Noor bint Hamad Al Thani, QELA’s official spokesperson and VicePresident for brand image, reveals why 2015 is QELA’s time to shine.

OUR INSPIRATION DEFINITELY COMES FROM… Qatar’s natural landscape whether it’s the beautiful dunes or the iconic sand rose; it is part of the brand’s DNA. THE PEARLS WE HAVE USED… have all been locally cultivated through the Qatar Peal Legacy. The 2015 collection sees the first batch that have come out. You can tell they’re from Qatar because of their subtle golden hint; that’s how you differentiate them from the rest! WE STARTED OUR FIRST EVER COLLECTION… with all high-end jewellery, which included some of our heaviest pieces. But this season we’ve introduced simpler designs for daywear. That’s why you can come to us - we went from very high couture to working on everyday pieces so everyone can afford a bit of QELA. www.qela.com

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

oes your arm party need a refresh? Wrap your wrist in Shamballa’s latest blinged out bangle, the Nyima cuff. The Copenhagen-based jeweller, whose fashionable fans include Karl Lagerfeld, Carine Roitfeld, Diane von Furstenberg and Giorgio Armani, named their latest creation after the Tibetan word for sun, giver of life and light. Crafted from 18k gold (rose or rhodium plated) and pavé diamonds in white or black, these stunners are a stylish (and UV-safe) way to soak up some rays. www.shamballa.com

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FABERGE REVIVES TRADITION

Biding tribute to the forthcoming centenary of the last Fabergé Imperial Eggs ever created (the last one was in 1917), Fabergé teamed up with Qatar’s Al Fardan family, one of the world's most renowned collectors of pearls, for the creation of its latest masterpiece. The first ‘Imperial Class’ object is a spectacular, one-of-a-kind egg with a painstakingly-crafted mother-of-pearl exterior which opens to reveal a unique grey pearl of 12.17 carats, sourced from the Arabian Gulf and hand-selected by Hussain Ibrahim Al Fardan from his private collection. www.faberge.com

SLT COVETS

Whether it’s the Madmoiselle Privé Camelia watch with its 330 brilliant cut diamonds that catches your eye (a beautiful tribute to Gabrielle Chanel), or if you’ve fallen head-overtail for Bulgari’s latest Serpenti interpretation, these masterpieces epitomize just what a jewellery-watch can be. www.chanel.com www.bulgari.com

PEARLY WHITES

rom the mysterious birth of a pearl to the painstaking care it takes to harvest it, luxury brand and originator of cultured pearls, Mikimoto, share their grading system for picking the perfect one – Here’s what you need to know…

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is for Lustre. From the smoothness of the surface to the content of impurities, this is one of the most important elements. is for Surface & Shape. The closer the pearl is to a true sphere and the thicker the nacre is, the higher the quality of the pearl is for Flaws. A no brainer - the fewer the flaws the better the quality! www.mikimoto.com

TURNING TEN

elebrating a decade long partnership with Mercedes-AMG, Swiss luxury watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen unveiled the new ‘AMG GT’ edition of its Ingenieur Automatic. Limited to 25 pieces, it’s the world’s first watch to have a case made of pure boron carbide, one of the hardest and most scratch-resistant materials known to man. www.iwc.com

Chopard L.U.C. XP Urushi Year of the Goat www.chopard.com

WRITTEN IN THE STARS

Haute horologerie is going all lunar with beautiful limited edition artworks inspired BY the Year of the Goat.

Ulysse Nardin Classico Goat www.ulysse-nardin.com

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Goat www.vacheron-constantin.com

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Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Relief Goats www.jaquet-droz.com

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Social Status The latest crop of â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;? accessories are loud, proud and #hashtag-worthy

Chanel plexiglass and resin clutch

#wordstoliveby 40

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#curvesahead

Christian Louboutin leather mule

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Christian Dior calfskin flap bag

#lookonthebrightside 42

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#wingingit

Paul Andrew leather sandal at Per Lei Couture

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Deep Freeze

Usher in the new season with a Popsicle-bright pout in spring’s super saturated shades.

Clockwise from top left: Christian Dior Cheek and Lip Glow, Chanel Rouge Coco #422 in Olga, Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Pink Petal, Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in #194 Crazy Fuchsia, MAC Cosmetics The Matte Lip Lipstick in Fashion Revival, Nars Audacious Lipstick in Vera, Guerlain Gloss D’Enfer Maxi Shine in #441 Tangerine Vlam, Tom Ford Beauty Matte Lip Colour in Flame, MAC Cosmetics The Matte Lip Lipstick in Lady Danger, Guerlain Gloss D’Enfer Maxi Shine in #470 Magenta Waouh, Nars Audacious Lipstick in Michiyo, Sephora Collection Rouge Cream Lipstick in Cougar

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#FITSPO

Find motivation and inspiration in the most beautiful bodies on Instagram

@Jenselter Jen Selter – Fitness personality #5.7 million followers

SPRING CLEANING

SLT goes in pursuit of self-repair and a healthier existence

o say that we put a lot of consideration into what we put into our bodies would be a pretty big understatement. Hours are spent comparing diets, detoxes, power foods (the battle of kale vs. arugula is a tough one) and how to avoid the three C’s (carbs, chocolate and champagne). So it’s no surprise that, along with these day-to-day religiously followed habits (some might call them nuisances but we beg to differ), we also tend to subject our bodies to pretty much every sweat inducing workout, toxin eliminating body wrap and any treatment out there with a promise-of-a-better-body. Thankfully for us, in our line of work, we have been lucky enough to get whisked away to holistic retreats from the lower foothills of the Indian Himalayas to private Ashrams tucked away amongst the Californian mountains. So when we were asked to drop everything for a chance to recharge and reset we weren’t ones to argue. Tucked away from Qatar’s vibrant, yet hectic capital, and only a boat ride away, is the new Banana Island Resort Doha by Anatara; a paradise sanctuary that could be very well mistaken for a Maldivian getaway, water bungalows and all. But what peaked our interest, and the main reason that got us out of hibernation (that and the fact that beach season is just around the corner), was the opening of the Balance Wellness Centre. New to the region, one usually has to leg it to Bodrum to stave off any guilt of over-indulgence, it offers a myriad of holistic lifestyle programmes that are set to make the island the next go-to wellness getaway for residents of the Gulf. With so many hot new treatment trends it can get a bit confusing on how best to nourish your beautiful body and soul. That’s why, with eight different customisable journeys all focused on natural therapies and healthy eating, including weight management, detoxing and

@iza_goulart Izabel Goulart – Model #1.7 million followers

@yoga_girl Rachel Brathen – Yoga instructor #1.2 million followers

sleep regulation programmes, the centre is a mecca for those who seek relaxation and a lush landscape and the knowledge of a team of professionals (from consultants and therapists to chefs) brought in from around the world, to guide you along the optimal path to ultimate wellness. Rebalance physically and mentally via the General Wellbeing journey with holistic healing, wellness seminars and fitness classes for the body and mind or get a youth-enhancing fix in the form of results driven spa treatments and healing alternative therapies that’ll have you looking forward to natural beauty at its best. Forget punishing routines, here they offer bespoke recommendations and programmes to suit everyone’s personal ideals, needs and time. So if you, just like us, need a to reset your buttons and jumpstart that system, it’s definitely time to schedule a visit to the Balance Wellness Centre because it’s never too late to follow up on that resolution of a new year new you! www.doha.anantara.com

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@balletbeautiful Mary Hellen Bowers – Ballerina #321,000 followers

@amandabisk Amanda Bisk - Former Australian Pole Vaulter #266,000 followers

The A to Z guide to beauty’s buzziest folks Looking for a little inspiration? Break out your iPad and let your fingers do the walking towards the best online destinations for a daily dose of pretty. Read on for the best hashtags and YouTube tutorials to the most follow-worthy Instagram and Pinterest pages.

efg EMILY WEISS There’s no excuse not to visit the beautyprenuer’s site IntoTheGloss.com daily.

#FOTD Face of the day. No beauty-savvy selfie is complete without this hashtag.

GUCCI WESTMAN A backstage fixture, the makeup artist’s retro Pinterest board has us dreaming of days gone by.

NARS COSMETICS Their online handle @NARSissist uses Snapchat to preview new collections.

ORLANDO PITA Expect almost hourly tweets from this mane magician during fashion week.

HUDA KATTAN HudaBeauty.com is the Hollywoodtrained makeup artist's baby.

PICMONKEY Wrinkle remover, spray tan and blush boost are all possible with this photo-editing app.

uv URBAN DECAY We’re sure their latest brand ambassador Gwen Stefani has taken a peek at the edgy brand's almost 100 YouTube tutorials.

VOGUE EDITOR LAUREN SANTO DOMINGO We can’t steal her wardrobe but we can take hair and makeup tricks from her well-edited Pinterest board.

BY TERRY Terry de Gunzburg's Instagram is as chic as the French makeup artist behind the cult cosmetics brand.

CHANEL Six million Coco fans follow Chanel’s Twitter feed. How many does Chanel follow? Zero!

DALAL ALDOUB The Kuwaiti beauty blogger’s Arabic YouTube tutorials are a hit with hundreds of thousands of viewers.

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#IWOKEUPLIKETHIS The hashtag that captivated the world wide web and celebrity set is still going strong.

mno p q MADELINE POOLE At MPNails.com, the nail guru shares the mani masterpieces she creates backstage at Stella McCartney.

ANASTASIA SOARES The eyebrow specialist to the stars’ Instagram page is teeming with behind-the-scenes images of clients J.Lo, Lady Gaga and of course, expert brow tutorials.

QATAR BEAUTY BOUTIQUE The online retailer is your one-stop shop for hard to find luxury cosmetics.

JIN SOON CHOI Visit fashion week’s most coveted nail ninja’s journal at Jinsoon.com

ROLANDO BEAUCHAMP The hair stylist’s Instagram is a treasure trove of model’s hamming it up on set.

WOJOOH BEAUTY Thanks to the frequent contests that dot the Middle Eastern beauty boutique’s Instagram page, we never miss a post.

FORMULA X The high octane nail brand’s #NOTD (nail of the day) Instagram posts are an endless source of mani inspiration.

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YSL BEAUTY One major reason to follow the luxe beauty brand on Instagram? Cara Delevingne Selfies.

KYLEE HEATH The celebrity stylist’s red carpet Instagram updates are our guilty pleasure.

L’OREAL PARIS MAKEUP GENIUS The beauty brand’s smartphone app lets you test drive red carpet makeup looks.

SIR JOHN Beyonce and Karlie Kloss’ makeup artist of choice's Instagram page is a colourful treat.

TARYN MULTACK Known as Miss Lady Finger, the self-taught nail artist replicates the runway’s dizziest prints on her tutorialheavy blog.

ZENIA JAEGER Keep up with the makeup artist antics (including spreads in Vogue and L’Officiel) via her hilariously candid Instagram feed.

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The sweat game

Now is the time to get seriously fit and seriously hot with our pick of 2015’s coolest new workouts Words: Sophie Jones-Cooper Illustrations: Hala Salem Achillas

ack in the day when an apple was merely a fruit and not a hand held device with the ability to decipher the number of calories in said fruit, fitness had little to do with pursuing a Selfie worthy set of abs to parade on social media or ‘#fitspo’ for the world to scrutinize and admire. Gone are the days of Jane Fonda and leg warmer clad ‘Keep Fitters’. Thanks to our infatuation with honing an A-list celebrity derriere, wooing our friends with our Pilates lean thighs and most importantly our prescription inducing social media addiction, we live in a body conscious and ‘fitness for followers’ obsessed world. The gym has become the new dating mecca and the studio the new catwalk, where simply fat burning and getting fit will not suffice. Half an hour on the treadmill or even an urbane yoga session is just so passé and forget leaving your iPhone in the locker; get your zoom on overdrive as the workout selfie has never been so prevalent. If you want to keep fit while keeping your place amongst the Twitterati and Instagram elite, we suggest you invest in some Stella McCartney luxe workout gear and try your hand at one of these trend and sweat soaked workouts for 2015.

barreASANA at BarreCore

Fusion classes are quite the way to work out these days, in the way an espresso martini is a genius way to enjoy the perks of caffeine and a cocktail. So for those who find yoga a little static and ballet or barre somewhat strenuous, why not try barreASANA. Combining the strengthening and toning elements of ballet and the stretching and poses of yoga, barreASANA aims to lengthen muscles, tone limbs and tighten the core, as well as producing those much desired ‘lifted seats’ and ‘whittled waists’. While this class may offer a more Zen-like exercise experience than many, don’t be fooled into thinking this is the place to pose rather than practice. BarreASANA is an hour long fast-paced class to a soundtrack of reggae, hip-hop, rock and chilled beats that will certainly keep you on your toes (pointe shoes not required).

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Hydrofit

While the idea of aqua-aerobics may conjure up images of over weight geriatrics bouncing up and down in the local leisure centre pool, exercising underwater is not to be poohpoohed. And in a society where a jog in the park is considered not an exercise but merely a way of getting to and from your picnic hamper,

upping the exercise anti is a prerequisite for serious workout aficionadas. So take your spinning bike or treadmill underwater and get on board with Hydrofit who, after becoming a huge hit in New York and Paris, have recently opened their first centre in the UK on London’s Fulham Road. Offering single or dual cabins, each with flat screen TVs and Bluetooth headsets (for those too important to silence calls even when working out), the submerged bikes and treadmills call for a serious resistance workout. In just a short 30-minute lunch hour session, a minimum of 300 calories can be zapped as well as that dreaded cellulite, thanks to the lymphatic drainage system stimulation.

1 Rebel

1Rebel is the boutique hotel of the fitness industry, offering just two super intensive classes in an impeccably cool, sleek and polished ‘pay-as-you-go’ urban destination. Their group spinning class, Rebel Ride consists of 45 minutes hardcore cycling incorporating free weights and resistance bands while the grueling Reshape class combines treadmill interval training with a unique workout platform consisting of free weights, medicine balls and resistance bands, designed to condition and re-sculpt selected muscle groups. Both classes are as cool as they are sweat inducing, set to a backdrop of club land lights and sounds including DJ-curated playlists and live music sessions. The current fitness boutique, complete with organic juice bar and ‘sports-luxe retail fashion zones’, is minutes from London’s Gherkin and a new Rebel is joining the gang this spring with their second studio opening in Broadgate Circle.

Bodyism

Fad diets and impulsive exercise programmes are always short lived, but for long-term achievable health and fitness with incredible results, the Bodyism regime is the way forward. Favoured by iconic bodies including Elle Macpherson, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and David Gandy, the Bodyism philosophy is based on a holistic approach to getting fit which includes living an active lifestyle, eating nutritionally (owners James and Christiane Duigan also have their own line of ‘Clean & Lean’ books) and including some core fat burning exercises into your routine. Their ‘healthy body is a lean body’ regime begins with a Body Oracle Evaluation from which a personal programme is designed for you to optimize health and fitness. Top-notch personal trainers work with you to burn the fat and create a healthy and lean body, with most of the moves focused on body weights and short 15-minute circuits.

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BIJOUX BASICS

proving that makeup maketh the best of accessories, Shourouk Rhaiem has teamed up with beauty emporium Sephora for a capsule collection. The Tunisian designer dishes the (glittery) dirt on the new collab for SLT… ON GETTING INVOLVED IN THE WORLD OF BEAUTY: It all with my makeup addiction - I love collecting eye shadows simply because I adore their colours. It has always been a dream of mine to have my own makeup collection and thanks to Sephora, my dream came true! ON THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE COLLECTION: I think it was about three or four months before the idea materialised. We started following the colour codes of Shourouk and kept in sync with Sephora’s kitschy vibe until we finally saw the birth of this capsule collection, which is all about Hippie- Capri. My muse was Marisa Berenson; I got inspired by her makeup, the way she combined it with her dresses, her purple and green turbans with matching bikini and makeup in Capri . ON HER FAVOURITE PIECE: I love the palette, it is the best piece that describes both our universes – Sephora's and mine, makeup and jewellery. The box looks like a jewellery box and when you open it looks like a bracelet. ON WHAT’S IN HER MAKE UP BAG: Eyeliner, mascara, YSL’s Touch Éclat and some blush; those are the products I always have in my makeup bag. ON HER MUST-HAVE SEPHORA PRODUCT: I can’t live without the Sephora Masque Microbulles Detoxifiant Oygenant. When you have it on your face, the gel turns into a thousand micro bubbles and it tickles you – It’s the perfect detox! ON BEAUTY ITEMS SHE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: I am crazy about lipsticks!! I can’t stop buying them, I have one in every bag - in my

makeup bag, in the pockets of my coats and you’ll even find them in the kitchen! All are more or less the same colour, vibrant redorange… one’s a little more orange, others more red, but all the same! I am obsessed with them! ON HER SECRET BEAUTY RITUALS: One of my rituals revolves around my hair,

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that’s why I love “Orofluido Beauty Elixir”. My second ritual would have to be maintaining a clean face; I learned this lesson so young when I used to spend afternoons in the Hammam in Tunisia with my mum. That’s why I use Natura Bisse Glycoline Extreme Peel; I love the refreshed feel it gives me and its roselike scent!

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Brains & Beauty

Nilo Haq cut sharpened her skills as a makeup artist for MAC Cosmetics, Faces and Toni & Guy. Now the pro is sharing her wisdom with the world as the founder and editor-inchief of the region’s most influential beauty hub, SaudiBeautyBlog.com. Here, SLT gets the scoop on Nilo’s must-haves, magic moments and the one trend she thinks is overrated. When did you know you wanted to become a makeup artist? There was never really a moment when I knew. It began as quest when I wanted to fill a vacuum in my life during my university days. I explored many option of things I thought I liked, but when I connected myself with makeup and beauty I felt the happiest. I was always good at makeup but I never knew I would make it my career. I started taking makeup classes and everything just slowly fell into place. It happened so naturally that it felt like it was meant to be. What beauty trend do you wish would end already? Ombre hair. It’s been way overdone.

@ A ishw

What spring beauty trend are you most excited about? I love the glossy skin trend because it’s all about the glow. S/S ’15 is the season for radiance and shine. It’s futuristic makeup where foundation is minimal with a focus on strategic concealing to make skin look perfect.

Nilo swears by Nars Semi Matte Lipstick in Schiap and the glowing skin trend as seen backstage at Stella McCartney.

4d @ Je ssica

Alba

ar ya R ai

Your biggest beauty obsession is lipstick. What three shades should every woman have in her makeup arsenal? MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick is such a great nude! Mix it with any colour lip liner and customize the shade to your liking. Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Lovely is a pretty everyday pink. I love how these liquid lipsticks last all day with no need to touch up. The tone of this lipstick is so flattering and looks good for any occasion. I wear it all the time. And Nars Semi Matte Lipstick in Schiap is one of those lipsticks that are always sold out. It’s a hot pink that looks good literally on all skin tones. It’s neither too bright nor too dull. What form of social media is your favourite? These days I love Snapchat. I’m so addicted to it. My username is Nilohaq so follow me. It really is the best way to get to know someone and it’s a great way to share your life with your followers. I can share product reviews quicker then doing a YouTube video. You can speak your heart out or share your life through images.

@ StellaM

cC ar tney

What’s next for you and Saudi Beauty Blog? As a team we are always working on growing, we never want to stand still. We are working on a beauty forum for readers to engage with each other. We are also updating our beauty directory along with working on an app for Saudi Beauty readers to download and stay connected. We’ve talked about starting my own line of lipsticks. I have a few names in mind for the brand, but they are top secret until we are ready with the project!

Instant Glam

Nilo’s tips for a perfect selfie 1. Powder is a must. “For you skin to look smooth and finished in images, you have to set your foundation with a powder.” as a makeup artist, Who have you been most excited to work with? For sure Jessica Alba. I meet her a couple of times and worked with her along side a small group of bloggers for her campaign with Braun.

2. Contouring is your friend. “Contouring looks best in images so make sure you contour as needed to correct your face shape. Don’t go overboard with it.”

What makeup artist do you admire the most and why? Pat McGrath. She is an incredible artist.

3. Go easy on the shimmer. “Shimmer and shine can make the skin look oily in images so highlight sparingly. Shine comes from lighting more then it comes from products.”

Which celebrity would be your dream client and why? There are so many but who comes to mind is Aishwarya Rai. She’s a beautiful woman and I love her style.

4. Say yes to lip liner. “Line your lips with a slightly darker lip pencil. It gives the lips shape and looks great in pictures.”

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The expert’s way to spray

Scents for Gents

The l atest bo t t les you r medicine c a bine t is l ack ing 1) L’Artisan Parfumeur Mon Numero 10 Eau de Parfum Originally launched as a limited edition in 2011, the Parisian perfumery is bringing back the incense-based unisex scent this spring at Blue Salon, Harvey Nichols and Rubaiyat.

K now ing how a n d w her e t o spr ay you r signat u r e sce n t is w h at sepa r ates t he boys f rom t he me n. cr e ati v e dir ec t or of Om a ni lu x u ry f r agr a nce br a n d A mouage , Ch r ist opher Chong, gi v es SLT a cr a sh cou r se in t he a rt of t he spr it z . Where should a man spray his cologne to ensure it lasts? The chest, because the scent rises gradually rather than in one instant burst, especially if the man has a hairy chest. Perfume lasts a lot longer on hair. The wrist is also good for a gradual build up. Press the nozzle with conviction! Don’t dab. Should you mist the air with your scent and walk into it? Definitely not. It’s not a pretty scene if you do that in the store or gym, perhaps only in the privacy of the home. would you ever suggest a man spray directly onto his clothing?

He shouldn’t unless he wants a lot of dry cleaning bills. Fragrances stick to fabrics for a very long time.

adventurous and daring, he can always steal his wife’s or girlfriend’s perfumes.

How many spritzes are optimal? I always do three, at least 30 minutes before you make your grand entrance. It really depends on your personal comfort and the fragrance’s potency.

What is the biggest mistake most men make when spraying cologne? A lot of men think it’s more masculine to treat fragrances as an “after shave” and pat it on their faces. Firstly, it’s not pleasant and secondly, it isn’t good for the face and it won’t last very long.

How many different fragrances should a man have in his cologne arsenal? I think a man should have one floral, one wood and one fougère to start. They are the basics that a man can be comfortable with. When he becomes more

If you had to abide by a personal perfume motto, what would it be? You should only kill others with kindness and not with your fragrance.

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2) Tom Ford Noir Extreme A woody oriental, the fashion designer’s latest olfactory indulgence harnesses milky Indian Kulki, an accord inspired by an ancient royal blend prepared for 16th century Mughal Emperors.

3) Ermenegildo Zegna Peruvian Ambrette The Italian luxury purveyor is adding a seventh fragrance to their prestigious Essenze Collection. Mandarin oil, bergamot, black pepper, guaiae wood and an exotic suede accord make this a must-buy for spring.

4) Odin New York Vert Reseda Eau de Parfum Discerning gentleman callers to the men’s lifestyle boutique will be so thrilled with the brand’s latest line of pure plant blended scents that they won’t mind the trip to their NYC shop, Liberty London or Colette in Paris to pick up a bottle.

Jacques Polge

Follow Their Noses A professiona l per fumer must be a ble t o ide n tif y 2 ,0 0 0 smell s. Her e a r e t he most pow er ful noses behin d you r favou r ite bo t t les.

Note-worthy scent events

Chanel’s legendary nose from 1978 to 2013.

Thierry Wasser

Fabrice Penot

Frederic Malle

Carlos Huber

The king of niche fragrances since his eponymous line launched in 2000.

The former architect bottles his love of history with Arquiste Parfumeur.

Olivier Polge Officially took over the reins at Chanel from his father in 2015.

1709

The first bottle of cologne as we know it today is created in Cologne, Germany by Italian expatriate Giovanni Maria Farina.

1904

Guerlain revolutionizes men’s perfumery with the introduction of the ‘fougère’ accord (fern-like notes of bergamot, lavender, geranium and coumarin) in Mouchoir de Monsieur.

1937

Old Spice is invented - for girls. Called Early American Old Spice, the scent is a precursor to their iconic male version that launches one year later.

1994

Ushering in a wave of unisex scents, Calvin Klein ignites the shared fragrance trend with CK One. At its peak, twenty bottles are sold a minute.

1999

Clive Christian launches the world’s most expensive fragrance, No.1. It's price tag earned it a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

2002

Tom Ford’s scintillatingly sexy ad for YSL’s men’s fragrance M7 caused an uproar thanks to a full frontal image of a buff Samuel de Cubber.

Perfume developer for Armani before cofounding indie label Le Labo.

Guerlain’s in-house perfumer since 2008.

Bottles by the numbers To spray or not to spray

37% of men never spray

23% always wear cologne

170,000

the number of different odours our noses can distinguish

30 minutes

the time it takes for a scent's base notes to be detected

percentage of men’s perfumes worn by women

40% do on occasion

10,000

bottles of perfume are sold every day in France

$7,000,000 the amount Brad Pitt reportedly earned as the first male face of Chanel No.5 in 2012

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6 years

since rumours began circulating about a Kanye West cologne. Sources say expect to get a first whiff this year.

Eight and Bob the name of the niche French cologne discovered by a young John F. Kennedy on a trip to Cote d’Azur. After bringing the scent stateside, Hollywood heroes Cary Grant and James Stewart soon sent word for their own bottles.

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Snap happy

With the latest in equipment refreshing as fast as our Instagram feeds, how can we keep up with all the developments in technology? For most industry professionals this isn’t a worry, but for those of you who want to know what camera gear to use when, SLT has explored what’s on the market for everyone from the professional photographer, to the self-proclaimed selfie kings and queens. Words: Malak Kabbani

For the portrait photographer Essentially a great portrait relies heavily on having the lighting that’s just right, but that doesn’t mean your camera doesn’t help too. If you want to catch gripping portraits why not try using a 50mm lens? If you are willing to spend a little more, invest in a lens with a lower aperture like the canon 50mm f1.2 lens for best results.

For the videographer Whether you’re an amateur home filmmaker or a professional videographer the market today has something to offer everyone. Most DSLR’s are designed to attract photographers, yet a range of cutting edge DSLRs with stunning video features is available. If you’re a videographer, or just want to make your home videos look ten times better, why not check out the Canon 7D? Recently redesigned, the 7D is famous for its video features; many could say it’s partially to blame for half of the Vimeo footage we see today. With stunning 1080p HD shooting features and great camera features with 18 MP, what’s not to like?

For the adventurer Since its entry into the market, the GoPro has held the title of the ultimate adventurer’s camera. Great for its versatile size and underwater features, it has made a groundbreaking difference in the way we film and photograph our everyday lives. With the release of its fourth series, the Hero 4, which comes in either black or silver, is the latest in the GoPro series. The guarantee of quality for price is a footstone with GoPro, with prices starting from $430. The series also includes a line of accessories to suit the activity you take the little sucker on.

PICTURE PERFECT

WHAT: Pieter Hugo: Kin at Foundation Henri CatierBresson (Paris) WHEN: Now until April 26th

Why not check out:

WHAT: Viviane Sassen: Pikin Slee at Stevenson Gallery (London) WHEN: Now until April 12th

WHAT: Qajar Women at MIA (Doha) WHEN: April 8th - January 30th 2016

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The On-the-goer For those of us who aren’t professional photographers yet still enjoy snapping high quality pictures the option is within reach and in our pockets. Due to the recent developments in technology it is now easier than ever to take high quality images with our smart phones. A leading contender in the market is Samsung with the release of the Galaxy 6S – even our Selfies can look top notch too. Featuring a rear camera with 16 megapixels and a front camera with infrared white balance correction, why not up your Instagram game and invest in the S6, set to come out April 2015.

For the Fashion photographer While leading industry photographers will use Hasselblads and Phase one equipment, dishing out that kind of money on a camera isn’t in everyone’s range, yet fret not because a high quality solution exists. The top contenders today for both those in and out of the industry come from the godfathers of cameras, Nikon and Canon. The Canon 5D mark III, winner of the European Imaging and Sound Associations DSLR of the year 2012-2013 has been considered to be the leading choice in DSLR’s for most fashion photographers, boasting a full frame option and 22-megapixel option. With a higher megapixel range of 36.3 megapixels, the other contender is the Nikon D810. Although the debate lies mainly in preference with Nikon and Canon, the DSLR series raises the bar for image quality and dynamic range.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Founded in 2008, John Sypal’s blog, Tokyo Camera Style, has found a cult following of international devotees who share his passion for analog cameras. He has managed, over the years, to visually chronicle Tokyo’s filmcamera enthusiasts posing with their favourite photographic equipment in street portraits that not only catalog the amazing series of cameras used by the most obsessive photography geeks, but that manage to capture a real sense of the street photography scene in Japan. Now Sypal is releasing a book, with 300 colourful photographs, of some of the most captivating weird and wonderful cameras (and their owners) on the streets of Ginza, Harajuku and Shinjuku. Tokyo Camera Style is available on amazon.com

Dipesh Depala, Managing Partner of PR power house The Qode Dubai, and man about town, shares his e-habits and digital addictions WHAT ELECTRONIC DEVICE can YOU not LIVE WITHOUT? I can’t be without my iPhone 6. any FAVOURITE APPS? Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, Google maps and Shazam. WHAT IS THE DIGITAL TRAIT YOU HATE MOST IN OTHERS? Being on too many social media platforms! HOW DIGITALLY ACTIVE ARE YOU DAILY? I’m always on! Active throughout the day, as I blog too, and link that to my social media apps. HOW LONG CAN YOU GO WITHOUT PLUGGING IN & DO YOU EVER UNPLUG? I must admit I have major withdrawal symptoms if I’m not connected, so I am always plugged in. I never consciously unplug!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Look u p # selfiestick on Instagr a m a n d a lmost 58 0 ,0 0 0 r esult s of gr in ning cou ples a n d h a ppy- go -luck y fa milies holding t he dev ice a ppe a r . Bu t a s w it h most pop cult u r e t r e n ds, m a ssi v e popul a r it y comes w it h it s side serv ing of h ater s. The dev ice h a s ga r ner ed quite a bit of negati v it y w it h some going a s fa r a s du bbing it t he “na rcistick”, a t ool f or a self- ce n ter ed age . Could t his sh a meless accessory r e a lly be m a k ing us a ll e x t r emely self-in volv ed ? . sur la terre . play .

IS THERE ANYONE YOU’RE ADDICTED TO FOLLOWING? @Visionaireworld and @derekblasberg.... I love the visual aspect of Visionaireworld, and I love the fun celebrity facet of Derek’s account. It’s always interesting to see these people in various situations. FAVOURITE INSTAGRAM FILTERS? Ludwig, Amaro and Rise. SELFIES – LOVE THEM OR HATE THEM? Depends on the Selfie, and the person taking the Selfie! WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT THE DIGITAL AGE? I love the connectivity with so many types of people across the globe! Open horizons! Love that. FAVOURITE HASHTAG? #swag

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POP ART

For those who aren’t as tech savvy as the rest of the bunch, you can still keep up with the smartwatch obsessed herd and not feel left out with Withings’ Activité Pop. The analog watch strikes the perfect balance between quality and performance, keeping track of its user’s daily activity by identifying if they’re running or swimming as well as monitoring the quality of their sleep and even waking them up with the help of a light vibration. Now how cool is that? www.withings.com

IT’S MORE THAN WEARABLE

The Apple Watch marks the most personalised Apple device yet - one that’s meant to be worn rather than held in your hand or carried in your pocket. Set to be released on April 24th, app developers have started revealing what they’ve programmed for this highly publicised gadget. We’ve rounded up the top five apps that’ll make the Apple Watch more accessible and relevant to you.

WRIST ACTION

Wondering what all the fuss surrounding Montblanc’s latest model is? It seems the world has gone crazy over the brand’s new woven leather and carbon wristband and rightfully so. Equipped with a mini touch screen, it allows its wearer to preview e-mails, read messages, and see incoming calls as well as social media status updates. But the most useful feature is undoubtedly the Find-Me function, which enables its user to look for their watch via phone and vice-versa within a 30-metre radius. www.montblanc.com

1. Pipes Pipes is a news app that allows you to stay up-to-date with breaking news, feature stories, and subjects you’re interested in. By simply typing in a keyword or a hashtag, Pipes keeps you up to speed in a personalised and customisable way. 2. Todoist For those with a compulsion to organise Todoist is a must-have. The task manager, which will keep you organised and on track, will allow you to view the items (on your wrist) yet to be completed. A simple tap will allow you to open the main app, access your inbox, reply to a comment and more. 3. Dart On the run and have no time to write

a lengthily email reply? Dart takes care of all that with an email system that lets you add pre-set replies to the recipient, making email correspondence faster and easier. You’ll soon be able to reply to an email with a single tap, directly from your phone. 4. Instagram Yes you can now access your Selfies (as well as others’) from your wrist! Browse your feed, like photos, leave emoji comments and more with everyone’s favourite app. 5. Nike+ Running You’ll still need to take your iPhone with you, but it can stay in the pocket for your entire run. With this app, you’ll be able to check your distance, duration and pace directly

ON TARGET

Robust and technical, Swiss brand Snyper has always been committed to taking technology to new limits without compromise, as evidenced in the powerful design of its Snyper Two – Orange Edition. Here’s everything you need to know about this model…

It seems like everyone is going into the smartwatch business even Italian fashion house Gucci, who just announced that they’ve partnered up with musicianturned-tech-visionary Will.i.am to launch a new “smartband”, which the Black Eyed Peas singer dubbed a “fashion-ology” – a meeting of fashion and technology. Launch date yet to be revealed.

Getty Images/Dave J Hogan

DREAM TEAM

Case: 50mm diameter. Stainless steel 316L/1.4435, black PVD coated, machined from the block. Screw-down crown, brushed with orange graduation marking. Movement: Self-winding Snyper Calibre F100 - Day/Date. Frequency 4 Hz, 28’800 vibrations/hour. 24 jewels. Special Snyper finish: customised oscillating rotor in Grey PVD coated with target logo in red. Power reserve of 48 hours. Dial: Black carbon fiber. Orange flange. Orange seconds hand. Day and date at 3 o’clock.

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Image courtesy of Timur Emek

news

the journal When it comes to the weird and wonderful world of Selfies, it seems like everything is being snapped up in a photo, put through a filter and unapologetically hashtagged. We go behind-the-scenes with the pros of page-worthy shots, Stephanie and Jake of The Coveteur, as they capture some of the most stylishly influencing women in our region. For those much coveted #foodporn moments, the girls of The New Potato share their tips and tricks on how to bust out the perfect Instagram “hero” shot. And finally, we share our much-anticipated list of those ruling the social media world. Curious who made the cut? You’ll have to turn the pages to find out!

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globetrotter Where to dine, dream and delight your senses like a local - the latest hotel openings, restaurant launches and luxurious goings-on for the global traveller.

New York It won’t be hard to take a shine to Manhattan’s latest haute hotel. The Baccarat Hotel marks the storied French crystal company’s first foray into the accommodation business and it’s not without the heritage brand’s sparkling artisanal elements. Jaw-droppingly gorgeous chandeliers dot the lobby of the 50-storey hotel that brings a touch of French flair with the first La Mer spa in the United States and the launch of Chevalier, a “brasserie de luxe” headed by Michelin-star chef Shea Gallante. www.baccarathotels.com

Berlin Only in a hipster haven like Berlin would you find a menu that marries Asian, Italian and modern German cuisine. That’s the modus operandi at the new Restaurant Grace at Hotel Zoo. Dine on fresh daily oysters served with Sicilian herb butter and aged Pecorino cheese or indulge in tomato Yum Yum soup with tiger prawns topped with Kaffir lime leaves and coconut cream pesto while reveling in the cosmopolitan-chic atmosphere of the lofty 115-seat dining room. www.grace-berlin.com

Venice

London

Navigating the channels is half the fun of a trip to the floating city and thanks to the soon-to-open The St. Regis Venice San Clemente Palace, you can do so from the comfort of the hotel’s exclusive (and Wi-Fi enabled) boat. Where will you go? To your home away from home on the historic private island of San Clemente. Founded in 1131, the former papal residency nestled in the heart of the Venice lagoon is home to the freshly restored 17th century monastery turned luxury retreat. www.stregisvenice.com

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Leave your gems at home for Abercrombie & Kent and Christie’s Jewels of London tour. The short sojourn, which takes place in June, requests guests abide by their “no jewels” dress code for dinner at Christie’s. After all, you need available appendages to try on pieces from their upcoming Magnificent Jewels auction. A private viewing of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London and more are on tap. www.abercrombiekent.ae

Bath There’s no better place to experience the healing powers of thermal water than the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bath. Founded in the 1st century AD by the Romans who made fine use of the area’s natural hot springs, the city is about to open up it’s latest luxury aquatic destination, Spa Village Bath at the new five-star Gainsborough Bath Spa hotel. Designed around a circuit of three natural thermal pools of varying temperatures, guests can also get their spa on in the traditional and infrared saunas, ice chamber and steam room. www.thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk

Indonesia Cruise through the Nusa Tenggara island chain, spot Komodo dragons in their natural habitat and dive or scuba to your hearts content while aboard the Amanwana Amandira, a hand-crafted custom-built, 52-metre, twomasted luxury sailing vessel by Aman Resorts. Setting sail on her maiden voyage this April for a seven-night journey, the Amandira comes equipped with world-class diving equipment, a 14-member crew, five spacious cabins, a bar, lounge, library and entertainment room. www.amanresorts.com

St. Kitts Foraging for your supper may not sound like a vacation, but the team at Kittitian Hill’s Belle Mont Farm has turned vegetable harvesting into a gourmet experience. The 400-acre tropical organic farm is also a sustainable luxury resort with sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea below. Guests are invited to pick fresh fruit in between holes at their Irie Fields golf course or bring their foodie finds to cooking workshops. If lounging by your own private pool or getting pampered at the Mango Walk Spa is more up your alley, don’t fret - those are both on offer. www.bellemontfarm.com

Kyoto Only 39-rooms and suites (complete with private terraces and open-air baths) make up the intimate Suiran, a Starwood Luxury Collection property set within the grounds of the Tenryuji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Modeled after a high-end ryokan (a traditional Japanese inn), this moon-themed spot incorporates two original historic structures, the Hasshoken built in 1901 and the EnmeiKaku built in 1899, to house a chic restaurant and café. www.starwoodhotels.com

Toronto

Maldives

Chef Alvin Leung has earned three Michelin stars at Bo Innovation in Hong Kong and one at Bo London and now the immensely talented gourmand is opening up his latest outpost, R&D, with his mentee and winner of MasterChef Canada, Eric Chong. Drawing on dishes the duo enjoyed on their travels throughout Asia, expect to find innovative concoctions like sweetbreads served with crispy seaweed and oyster sauce and beef tongue with Sichuan green sauce paired with bread and butter pickles. www.rdspadina.com

What could be better than tucking into gourmet Asian delicacies, from Thai to teppanyaki, on a private island retreat in the midst of the Indian Ocean? We think listening to the sound of the rustling leaves overhead as you enjoy your feast suspended in a private pod six metres above the ground tops that. Burrowed in the heart of the jungle, Nest is a multi-level treetop restaurant that uses seasonal produce from the Chef’s own private garden and can be found on Play, the second island in the Niyama resort portfolio. www.niyama.peraquum.com

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where in the world . . . Achingly hip, Berlin has edged out Paris and London as Europe’s coolest capital. A guide to 24 hours spent in the once divided, now united hot spot In your wildest dreams With views overlooking the animal enclosures of the zoo on one side and the bustling cityscape on the other, the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin lives up its urban jungle theme. The hipster haven offers guests free bicycles (as the locals will tell you, two wheels are the best to see the city) or Mini Coopers if your legs are in need of a break. www.25hours-hotels.com @ Sauv

ageB er

lin 3h

Caveman Cuisine The city’s meat elite are no stranger to Sauvage, the world’s first Paleo restaurant. The protein-packed grain-free menu stays true to the Stone Age diet, meaning natural unprocessed ingredients like meat from wild game or grass-fed, pastured livestock are slow cooked without the use of modern techniques. Adventure seekers can test their taste buds with lamb testicles served with parsnips and celeriac, while guests with more traditional palettes, can chow down on duck rillettes with honey fermented blood orange peel. www.sauvageberlin.com

The Trendsetters Where the locals stock up on sartorial finds Garments Vintage Vintage YSL (before the Saint Laurent switch-up), Dior and Givenchy abound at this well-edited consignment boutique. Extremely reasonable prices make it quite easy to fill your suitcase with stylish treasures.

Markt im Mauerpark Hunting for bicycles, furniture and old vinyl records is just part of the fun at this hipster-dominated flea market. Dress accordingly and join the locals in Sunday afternoon karaoke at the park’s amphitheatre.

Voo Hidden in a Kreuzberg courtyard, this concept store stocks a mix of German designers including Munichbased A Kind of Guise and Berlin jeweller Ina Beissner plus contemporary faves like Acne and Helmut Lang.

Pit stop-worthy fans are privy to their ever-changing location.

powder) is a local delight with some 70 million

Burgers & Hip Hop: Street vendors battle

eaten yearly. This stand is the city’s top spot.

it out for the title of best burger in Berlin at

Stattbad Wedding: Dance your way to

this not-so-regular Saturday afternoon event

the deep end of this abandoned community

that turns into an epic dance party until the

swimming pool turned night club/art house

wee hours of the morning.

that was originally built in the early 1900s.

The Barn: It’s bio milk (strictly served

Die Dollen Knollen-

steamed) and whole cane sugar at this iconic

Puffermanufaktur: A vintage 1977

café, which is arguably the king of the city’s

Citroën H van houses this portable German

third wave coffee scene.

They may not roll off the tongue too easily but these toocool-for-school neighbourhoods should be part of your Berlin vocabulary ▼

Prenzlauer berg, Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Friedrichshain

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A Kind of Guise

potato pancake purveyor whose Facebook

(sausage covered in ketchup and curry

DSquared2

Konnopke’s Imbiss: Curry wurst,

Christian Dior

Your trip to Berlin isn’t complete without a stop at one of these gems

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my marrakesh the founders of Muzungu Sisters, have visited far-flung destinations always seeking a new nomadic adventure, but it seems Marrakesh has them mesmerised. Here’s their little black book to the “red” city. FOODIE FAVOURITEs For breakfast, head over to Grand Café de La Poste or the rooftop of Riad El Fenn where much of the produce comes from the owner’s organic garden.

PICTURE PERFECT Snap amazing photographs at Place Jamaa El Fnaa then catch the sunset with Berber musicians in the Atlas Mountains. @ muzu

ngusist

ers 3d

SECRET LUXURY ADDRESS Riad El Fenn or La Mamounia. If you want to feel like you’re on more of a retreat then definitely the Amanjena!

SEE & BE SEEN The hottest tables in town are at hotspots Bo Zine, Al Fassia and Dar Yacout. Everyone loves to head over to the Mamounia or Djellabar; they’re the chicest bars in the capital.

COCKTAIL HOUR We’re usually too tired from early starts in the souk to go out dancing, but Pacha Marrakech usually has something good on.

SHOPPING LIST MUSTS Don’t leave Marrakesh without heading out to the markets for spices, made-to-measure velvet kaftans or jackets, babouches and beautiful silver jewellery.

FOR A REAL TASTE OF MOROCCO Check out the ancient city of Fez as well as the Atlas Mountains, and don’t forget to walk through the blue city of Asilah and Tangier.

DON’T MISS A traditional hammam!

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SOUVENIR SHOPPING Don't leave without some argan oil, black soap to do a hammam at home and orange blossom water.

travel notebook TATIANA SANTO DOMINGO & DANA ALIKHANI The wanderlust travellers share how billowy kaftans and ethnic-inspired prints make their way into their travel bags.

WHAT DO YOU PACK IN YOUR LUGGAGE?

DANA: A Muzungu Sisters Tiger Shawl to keep warm, silk blouses, my navy Fatima jacket in velvet, and a Muzungu Sisters straw mochila bag to take me from sightseeing or the local bazaar straight to dinner. TATIANA: My laptop and a Muzungu Sisters pashmina shawl which also works as a perfect blanket on flights. Also, I never travel without my Muzungu Sisters Dana tassel loafers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they are the most comfortable shoes ever made and they work for both daytime and evening.

@ muzun

gusister

s 2h

VACATION STYLE

TATIANA: Relaxed! I wear my kaftans every single day in the summer, I keep them simple during the day and dress them up with our Indian sandals and Jaipur beads in the evening. The kaftans and long velvet jackets we feature in our collections are made in Morocco and are very much influenced by Marrakech in its heyday during the times of YSL and Talitha Getty. Actually one of our tailors apprenticed with YSL himself.

TRAVEL BUCKET LIST

DANA: Guatemala, Vietnam, South Africa, Kenya, Mongolia, Ethiopia and so many more

BEAUTY BAG ESSENTIALS

DANA: Indie Lee Rosehip cleanser, Clarisonic brush, Tata Harper serum and raw organic coconut oil.

Argentina's 7 Colour Mountains

FAVOURITE TRAVEL MEMORY EVER

TATIANA: While sourcing for Muzungu Sisters through South America we were blown away by the vast landscapes of northwestern Argentina, especially when contrasted with Buenos Aires, which feels very old-world European in parts. As well as having incredible forms of indigenous craftsmanship and amazing artisanal markets, in the northern provinces of Salta and Jujuy we saw the 7 Colour Mountains that are purple, orange and green in colour, as well as the breathtaking Salinas Grandes salt flats. We were there during the rainy season so the water had gathered on the salt plains, reflecting with the clouds in a surreal way.

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OUT OF THIS WORLD

MESMERISING MOROCCO The historic city of MarrakeSh is a true testament to the senses. It’s where sumptuous luxury meets aesthetic simplicity, where private rooftops can be found hushed secretly atop 18thcentury riads, and where the late Yves Saint Laurent, who turned the city into a jetsetters paradise in the Eighties, made his home. Get lost in the labyrinthine souks of the old city, hagglers, snake charmers and all or head out to the new-wave riads and fabulous nightclubs and bust out some Berber-worthy moves into the early mornings. Whether it’s the chaos of the Medina that captures your heart or the tranquility and promise of peace that call to you from the intimate oases beyond the city’s walls, this is definitely the coolest place to be. We tag along as Rosie Garthwaite sips tea with blacksmiths and dances amongst the palm groves of this magical city.

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Words by Rosie Garthwaite

MOST STYLISH HOTEL IN THE CITY The Royal Mansour in Marrakesh is where everyone from visiting Royals to pop stars choose to stay, relax, eat and where the rest of us should go for exactly the same, plus a good dose of people watching. Order afternoon tea by the stunning pool or central courtyard or a drink in one of the many small and unique bars. Be part of the beautiful people scene!

BEST BREAKFAST SPOTS TO HIT

"Ther e a r e so m a n y pl aces t o choose f rom a n d I fin d t h at I a m e a sily dist r ac ted f rom best -l a id pl a ns by some t hing el se a l ong t he way… bu t t he r e a l cl a ssic is t he Chu rchill Ba r at M a mou ni a ."

If you have not already had an amazing breakfast as a part of your Riad deal then I think the morning is a great time to hit Jamaa El Fna Square. The fresh juices are sweet and delicious. And there are far few street sellers at that time of day so you can actually get a clear view across the beautiful square. Sit in one of the coffee shops, order a strong coffee or mint tea and one of the best hangovers of French colonialism, great bread and croissant, and watch the crowds grow beneath you.

WHERE THE HIPPIE CROWD GOES Essaouira, a city on the Atlantic coast, two hours driving distance from Marrakesh, is where Cat Stevens became Yusif Islam and where you can find dozens of music and other festivals in and around the walled fishing town, which sits at the far end of the Sahara. It is also a centre for kite surfing as the waves are big and there is wind all year round.

BEST SPOT TO CATCH THE SUNSET A view of the sun turning the Atlas mountains pink with the dusty satellite dish covered roofs of the city below can be caught from any rooftop. But many of them now have places set up for exactly this purpose. I prefer the smaller more relaxed style of something like Café Des Espices compared to the cafés around the central square or the more clubby places. Or for something a bit more on your own terms you could walk through the gardens of La Palmeraie, listen to the birds heading to bed and join the Moroccans out for an evening jog or stroll with their family as the sun comes down through the palm trees.

WHERE TO GO FOR THE PERFECT PICTURES Point your camera anywhere in Marrakesh and you are going to get a fantastic shot. But the number of tourists means that the locals are quite rightly fed up of having their picture taken so they will either charge you or stop you in the busy areas. The smaller markets like Rahba Lakdima, further away from Jamaa El Fna Square, are a better place to get a cleaner non-tourist filled shot of the action.

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CHICEST BAR AROUND There are so many to choose from and I find that I am easily distracted from best-laid plans by something else along the way, but the real classic is the Churchill Bar at Mamounia. It is pretty much the same today as it was when the hotel was built in 1923. It has added meaning for me as my grandparents had their honeymoon in this hotel after they met during the Second World War.

HOTTEST TABLE IN TOWN The food at the Moroccan and French restaurants at the Royal Mansour is some of the best and most original I have had ever. An endless array of detailed and witty amusebuches and some jellies that explode with orange juice in your mouth for pudding were the parts that I will remember most.

SHOP THE MARKETS The markets around Jamaa El Fna square are a love/hate experience for many. Be prepared to battle down prices and ditch your map, you are going to get lost! I never take any money with me the first time as I find it all so tempting and it stops me making impulse buys. Try to find the real local markets amongst the touristy ones if you can, like the Souk Loghzel, which used to be the slave market; your camera wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be welcome, but you will be. Sit down, have some tea and learn about the real housewives of Marrakesh. Or ask young Zachary who has a fully stocked apothecary at the entrance to this small souk to show you his live scorpions for curing heart problems or some of his other mysterious lotions and potions!

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T MISS The art scene, ancient and modern, dotted around the city. For some modern art that is hitting the homes of billionaires worldwide visit Yahya in the very trendy Gueliz area and you will find lots of little galleries displaying up and coming talent.

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR Less than an hour away from the city are the Atlas Mountains, a different pace of life, on foot and by donkey and a different language; you'll get a wonderful chance to meet the Berber people over there. It is also a really good way to beat the pumped up prices of the souk on key buys like carpets and tagine pots. And you can even have a go at making them at one of the many roadside family-sized factories. Meet the owner of Chez Mohamed, a higgledy-piggledy carpet shop in Douar Asguine near Ourika for instance and you will find yourself a gaptoothed friend who will teach you the art of haggling rather than rip you off. A place for lunch and a great view would be La Pause or stay in one of the tents for the night for a lot of fresh air!

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CONFIDENTIAL

CLOSET

culture

How do you know going into a home that you're going to like what you see? We research all of our subjects beforehand so it is hard for us to be disappointed. Every person we feature is so unique and their space is a reflection of that. What's the most embarrassing or funny story from your job? Jake got to participate in the most recent Chanel show- he played a photographer who rushed the girls protesting! That was pretty amazing. What has been the most amazing closet you’ve gained access to so far? Any favourite Coveteurs… It is hard for us to pick a favourite but some shoots stand out for us. For our first project with Chanel, we were flown to Paris for the first time (we had never been!) and got a private tour of Coco Chanel’s apartment and were guests at their Metier show- the theme was Paris-Bombay and it was just an amazing experience. Of course, some standouts are Hugh Hefner, Anna Dello Russo, Nicole Richie, Rosie HuntingtonWhitley and going backstage at some amazing shows like Dior and Victoria’s Secret. Who is on your wish list? We would love to feature Neil Young. Going through the archives of Michael Jackson and Elvis would also be amazing. What's it like to run a business/website with a friend? Do you ever want to kill each other? Never! Well…sometimes. But in all honesty we are really lucky that we can be open and express our opinions to each other and know they will be respected. How digitally active are you daily? Do you ever unplug? Rarely! It takes going somewhere very far with very poor internet connection.

"Street style had just exploded and we thought it would be interesting to see inside the lives and closets of all these people!" You recently visited Dubai. What did you

Since launching in 2011, The Coveteur has been giving us behind the scenes access into the homes and closets of today’s influencers. SLT caught up with Stephanie Mark and Jake Rosenberg as they raided the houses of five of the Middle East’s most stylish, to find out why these fashion tastemakers were willing to let them into their most personal spaces.

think of the Gulf and Arab women? All the women we met were both inspirational and incredibly chic! They all had an incredible sense of style and a great mix of both local and international designers in their wardrobes. They were all very well curated! Do you have any advice for tech start-ups in the region? It is a great place to have a start up. Everyone is motivating and encouraging and things are happening in real time. It was very

You have featured some amazing, high-level

inspiring to talk to all of the people that we met who had their

The idea came to be over brunch one morning. Street style

actresses and models. Was it hard to get

own businesses and were doing amazing and very exciting things.

had just exploded and we thought it would be interesting

that access?

to see inside the lives and closets of all these people. We

We were very lucky that people were supportive about The

FAVOURITE FOUR THINGS ABOUT DUBAI

also wanted to shine a light on all of the behind the scenes

Coveteur right from the beginning. We don’t take the fact that

Restaurant: La Petite Maison

people of the fashion industry- the buyers, editors, make-up

we are going into people’s homes lightly at all and treat their

Shop: Sauce

artists, hairstylists, etc…. who helped set the trends that

space with respect and care. As well, each subject gets to

Hotel: Waldorf

everyone follows.

review and approve the photos before they are posted.

Activity: Indoor Skiing/ relaxing at the pool/shopping.

Tell us how The Coveteur came to be?

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NADINE KANSO

Artist, Photographer, Jewellery Designer

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zayan ghandour

co-founder & creative director, S*uce. Dubai

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maliha tabari

gallery director, artspace

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rosemin manji

Director of RR&Co. Bespoke Luxury Management

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FATIMA GHOBASH

Co-Founder, S*uce Dubai

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MEET THE PORTe RS NATALIE MASSENET The woman behind it all

She changed the way we shop for luxury fashion forever, bringing style to the world’s keyboards. Call her a visionary, an entrepreneur or one smart woman, she saw a world where people could buy what they covet, where the magazine pages meet the mailman and where everything could happen just from the click of the mouse. Yes, Massenet has managed to turn what started out as a tiny company based out of her living room into what is now an estimated 3.4-billion-dollar business; she has gone from selling designer clothes over dial up modems from a tiny apartment in London’s Chelsea, to managing the most powerful e-tailer in the fashion industry. And with MR PORTER, THEOUTNET.COM and Porter magazine, the worlds of fashion and commerce have changed, all partly because of one woman.

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NET-A-PORTER

Before the retail phenomenon that is NAP launched, women only bought fashion that they could touch. Flashback to today and millions are snapping up $3,000 pair jeans online without so much as trying them on. Sasha Sarokin, Buying Manager of NAP, explains how fashion has become a one-click wonder. ON THE NAP WOMAN… There is no average profile but a common denominator is that they are often time-poor and use NAP as a go-to destination to provide them with everything they need, from the latest fashion news, to inspirational video content and the very best edit of designer products delivered to them with world-class service. ON DISCOVERING NEW TALENT… As buyers we attend back-to-back shows at fashion weeks along with numerous appointments. It’s important to be at as many shows as possible to be able to capture the mood and atmosphere of a collection. Afterwards, we provide feedback on the collections we’ve seen and then select the best products for the site. As well as our incredible buying team we also work with the world’s most talented stylists and editors for PORTER and THE EDIT who are able to advise us on the best upcoming brands and products. ON PICKING THE COLLECTIONS… We focus on a balance of form and function. We have to love the product first and have to feel like the designer is offering something new and relevant. It’s all about the fit, function and technicality of the piece and of course the value – there is no price on what we love but it has to make sense for our customer. Top: Net-a-Porter's Buying Manager Sasha Sarokin bolstered the online luxury retailer’s designer and superbrand ready-to-wear offering through launching brands such as Lanvin, Gucci, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana to name a few.. Bottom: The NAP headquarters in London.

ON NEWCOMERS TO WATCH OUT FOR… Protagonist - A gorgeous collection to make up the basics of every woman’s wardrobe, which includes the ultimate white shirt, bodysuit and cashmere sweater. Merchant Archive - Sophisticated clothing line full of fabulous eveningwear from gowns and dresses to super chic jumpsuits and capes, perfect for parties and weddings. Wes Gordon - We love this sophisticated designer who already has a celebrity following from the likes of Maggie Gyllenhaal. We’ve bought heavily into his lace and printed midi skirts, which will update any look with ease and elegance. ON HOW TO SHOP ONLINE… If you’re like me and you need to browse on-the-go my top tip is to shop on your mobile – it’s the perfect way to get anything you want online and you won’t miss out on any new products. I also check out NAP's online magazine THE EDIT for inspiration every week, if you see anything you like you can just click on it and it takes you straight through to the product on the site.

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THE WOMEN BEHIND NET-A-PORTER Founder of Net-A-Porter Natalie Massenet

Net-A-Porter Fashion Director Holli Rogers

Net-A-Porter President Alison Loehnis

Net-A-Porter Editor in Chief Lucy Yeomans

Porter Fashion Director Gabriele Hackworthy

PORTER – THE MAGAZINE “PORTER has given NET-A-PORTER customers a unique fashion experience. It is much more than a print magazine; it combines the intimacy of print with the instant gratification that technology provides.” - Sasha Sarokin

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DID YOU KNOW… That Natalie Massenet initially wanted to call NetA-Porter "What's New Pussycat?"

BESPOKE SERVICE “From personalised recommendations of the best brands and products landing in your inbox, through to the user-friendly browsing experience and the quality of styling and photography. MR PORTER goes the extra mile to offer those special touches that we are so well known for too – the instantly recognisable black and white box arriving at the doorstep, labelled with the customer’s name to add a personal touch.” REAL MEN “MR PORTER is for every man who wants to look good. It’s as simple as that. These days men are shopping more frequently for themselves but they still want to do this conveniently whether from the office or from home. They want access to realms of information about how to look good, and they also want a myriad of product information, all so that when they do make a purchase that it is an informed one. They don’t buy into the concept of ‘must have’ fashion but they are becoming more experimental, and we have seen that if you help them make an informed choice that they are happy to buy into a new brand or designer that they may not previously have heard of. Everything about MR PORTER has been developed to support men in making informed purchases.” STYLE 101 “The site’s real-life style advisers are experts in their field and have a good understanding of how clothing needs to work in different ways for different men. At MR PORTER they try on every product to get an idea of how it fits, the weight of the fabrication and the proportions, and we also measure every item so our customers can make an informed judgement on sizing rather than relying on the universal sizing of S, M or L for instance.”

MR PORTER

Call it NAP’s little brother or its male equivalent, with over 2.5 million visitors every month it’s hard to believe that just only four years ago MR PORTER did not exist. Ian Tansley, Managing Director of the online retail Mecca, tells SLT just how they’ve managed to get the modern-day man to shop online.

Costume Designer, Arianne Phillips & MR PORTER Buying Director, Tobey Bateman.

he debut of MR PORTER was the biggest ever launch of a men's luxury-goods website, closely watched by the fashion industry to see whether male shoppers would take the bait. And they did! “We are well aware that for some men shopping for clothes is a chore; we try to ensure that when shopping with us, that the experience is as easy and hassle free as possible,” says Tansley. “MR PORTER is for every man who wants to look good. It’s as simple as that. We cater for men interested in more trend driven product and who enjoy the experience of shopping.” Having cracked that notoriously difficult hurdle, the online retailer has cemented itself with an audience that has grown massively, developing a hunger for experimenting with fashion, with MR PORTER there to guide them along the way.

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MR PORTER FAST FACTS

THE JOURNAL “Our editorial aspect is to inform, educate and inspire. The Journal provides us with a voice, which not only gives us the opportunity to create a new online shopping environment that’s more interactive where customers can buy from the page, but it also allows us to speak to them directly by providing them with a wealth of information that embraces all aspects of a guy’s life.”

CONSTANT UPDATES “We welcome so many new brands every season, whether it’s a Savile Row stalwart, a luxury giant or niche fashion brand, each has its place and keeps MR PORTER consistently relevant and contemporary. From a designer point of view both Hussein Chalayan and Tomas Maier are new for Spring Summer 15. With tailoring, we have Gieves & Hawkes and Huntsman who recently joined the ranks and we are also very excited about the launch of MR PORTER SPORT. Watch this space!”

Men read, browse and shop every month The average age of the MR PORTER customer

The highest customer base is from the USA

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2 million followers across the different social media channels

Shutterstock

OUT OF THE BOX “Launched in January this year, The Kingsman line was developed in collaboration between Director Matthew Vaughn, Costume Designer Arianne Phillips and MR PORTER Buying Director Toby Bateman, where they developed the costuming for Matthew’s latest film Kingsman: The Secret Service into a collection sold on MR PORTER. It’s a new brand for the modern gentleman, a contemporary take on Savile Row and traditional British tailoring. We feel quite strongly that it’s redefined the way fashion and film work together, but aside from this, it was developed to have longevity and the second season of the range will launch in May. It has been our most successful launch on MR PORTER to date, and is currently one of the top five performing brands on site for the season.”

THEOUTNET.COM

Stepping out of the shadow from NAP, and away from the stigma that comes along with being a discount site, THEOUTNET.COM is proving that it has more to offer than just cut-price designer buys as Stephanie Phair, Director of the site, takes it to the next level!

he destination for the smart and style-conscious shopper, THEOUTNET.COM might have once been known as the go-to for chic hand me downs from older sister and e-tail power house, NAP, but things have changed since its launch in 2008. “When we first started out most of our stock came from NAP. Now over 90 percent comes directly from the designer brands, which are bought from our own dedicated team,” says Phair, the woman who is leading the site finally into a league of its own. “It is our relationship with these brands that elevates us as a business and sets us apart from the rest of the industry.” Now all grown up, gone is the outdated looking site replaced with a new minimalist, streamlined looking online portal, proving that you can shop at discount and still look and feel like a million bucks. IT IS KEY TO BE ABLE TO INFLUENCE AND HELP… our customer without dictating, as they know what they want. THEOUTNET.COM woman is cultured, successful, well-travelled and incredibly fashion savvy. Fashion is an integral part of her personal life and a way to express her individuality. She is confident in her style and does not feel pressured to buy “it” items.

THE TRUST THE BRANDS HAVE IN US… is at the heart of our business. When THE OUTNET.COM first started out we faced several challenges in getting the buy for the site; however brands started to realise they couldn’t pretend that side of the business didn’t exist, and they had to embrace it. Everything online is visible – so it is better to have control over your image and put the product into the right context. The discount world can support the full-price model by educating the customer about what a great brand they are buying. Our exclusive collaborations are testament to our great brand relationships. WE REALIZED THERE WERE SEVERAL KEY PIECES… of clothing we returned to again and again as styling tools when shooting our editorial content for the site. We recognised that this was not only something we were looking for – our customers were too! That became the making of Iris & Ink – a selection of well-priced styling essentials to complement the exceptional designer finds available at THE OUTNET.COM.

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Top: Stephanie Phair, the driving force behind the new look for the site. Left: Alice Temperley's collection for THEOUTNET.COM modelled by Liberty Ross.

THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THEOUTNET.COM 1. Natalie Massenet broke the news of the launch of THEOUTNET.COM in 2008 to the blogging community at a breakfast she hosted. 2. The first item purchased when THEOUTNET.COM went live in April 2009 was a pair of Christian Louboutins. 3. They ship to 170 different countries across the globe. 4. Designers Oscar de la Renta and Erickson Beamon have both collaborated with THEOUTNET. COM on exclusive pieces. 5. The inspiration behind the name of the site’s own brand “Iris & Ink” came from fashion icons Iris Apfel and Iris Palmer.

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The Social

Because who are we kidding, it’s a blogger's world and we are all just living in it!

THE BLOGGERATI

Leaders of the pack, they are why everyone is rushing off to start a blog of their own

Gary Pepper Girl It’s hard not to get jelly over fashion and travel blogger Nicole Warne’s glamourous lifestyle. From collaborations with Mulberry to postcard-worthy trips to Oahu, the Australian native shares shots of the good life on her sweet-as-pie site. www.garypeppergirl.com

Camille Charrière

The Blonde Salad She’s the first blogger to land the cover of Vogue (check out the April issue of the Spanish edition) and with 3.4 million followers on Instagram, Chiara Ferragni doesn’t look like she’s slowing down. www.theblondesalad.com

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Half English, half French, this crossbreed import brings her stunning parisienne chic and mixes it with good old English humor for our amusement. www.camilleovertherainbow.com

Power List Soraya Bakhtiar A cultural savant, follow the native Swiss beauty (with a very intriguing Middle Eastern and Egyptian background) on her exotic travels one stylish outfit at a time. www.sorayabakhtiar. com

Pernille Teisbaek Our favourite Scandi cool-girl has boy/girl chic all wrapped up. No wonder she was Tommy Ton’s snap obsession throughout Paris, Milan and New York these past fashion weeks. www.lookdepernille.com

Song of Style Interior designer Aimee Song mixes her two passions – fashion and décor - on her LA-based blog. www.songofstyle.com

Beckerman Bite Plate Street style photographers go crazy over the outrageous ensembles these bubbly Canadian twins throw together. Their cheeky blog documents their over-the-top adventures that include trips to Chanel shows and front row seats at Moschino. www.beckermanbiteplate.blogspot.com

AtlanticPacific

Negin Mirsalehi

As a former merchandiser for Gap and Tory Burch, Blair Eadie knows how to put an outfit together. If you’re looking for daily outfit inspiration, this New Yorker should be at the top of your list. www.atlantic-pacific. blogspot.com

Her friends’ names read like a who’s who of the most fashionable players, and her Persian roots can’t help but make us love her even more – we know we’re biased! www.neginmirsalehi. com

#OHBOY

We’re obsessively following this trio, and you should too! Derek Blasberg The coveted magazine editor runs in the hottest fashion circles from Paris to New York and is always surrounded by every It-Girl in town. They love him and so do we! @derekblasberg Nickelson Wooster The king of men’s street style, follow him for his sharply tailored blazers, cooler-than-cool handlebar moustache and badboy armsleeve tattoos. @nickwooster Johannes Huebl Olivia Palermo’s stunning other half, this German model is just as stylish as his tastemaker and style maven wife. @johanneshuebl

CELEBRITY CRUSH

She might be more famously known for her role as Rachel Zane on the hit TV series Suits, but Meghan Markle’s real winning performance is The Tig, her new blog and hub for the discerning palate, targeting anyone with a hunger for food, travel, fashion and beauty. www.thetig.com

Carin Olsson The freelance photographer and Stockholm native moved to Paris for a short four-month stay. Flashforward to 2015 and she’s still there, taking readers on a journey of the City of Lights through her blog. www.parisinfourmonths.com

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THE REGION’S “IT” GIRLS

Their fiercely individual style has everyone following suit

Natalia Shustova

Dana Al Khalifa Bahraini trendsetter and fashion darling, she’s always dressed to the T. After all, they don’t call her The Overdressed for nothing! www.theoverdressed.com

When she’s not commanding the boardroom as a fulltime lawyer, she’s off spreading fashion fairy dust with her larger than life style and a closet packed with over 250 pairs of designer shoes. www.shoestova.com

Tala Samaan Having inherited her love for clothes from one of the region’s most stylish, Lina Samaan, Dubai’s favourite girl-about-town Tala shares her love of fashion, food and travel on her sweet blog. www.myfashdiary.com

Samar Seraqui de Buttafoco No stranger to the front rows of some of the world’s most influential designers, you’ll get magazine-grade content with this journalist turned blogger as she lives the chic life in Paris. www.unelibanaiseaparis.com

Raya Alkhalifa

Anum Bashir Communications officer for Qatar Museums by day and fashion savvy blogger by night, this Qatar-based gem is proving to be quite the one to watch. Did we also mention she just recently collaborated with jeweller Nadine Kanso? How’s that for a local Doha chick! www.desertmannequin.com

Don’t expect to find this Sheikha’s feed full of Selfies. The Qatarbased Bahraini’s Instagram page is a collage of cheeky vintage fashion photos and covetable accessory snaps. @RayaAlkhalifa

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Dalia Nsouli Banker by day, Instagrammer by night, this Qatarbased beauty has mastered the art of mixing and matching prints in the boldest of shades. @DaliaNsouli

Nadya Hasan An Emirati lifestyle & fashion blogger, this is one girl that doesn’t shy away from playing dress up every single day! www.thefiercediaries.com

Diala Maki Between interviewing George Clooney and Tom Cruise for her hit TV show Mashaheer, this Lebanese-Iranian stunner has managed to secure a legion of loyal fans, and her Instagram account can prove it with over 135k followers. @dialamakki

Dana Wolley Known for her bold eyebrows and love of a good lipstick, founder of Wayed Vintage online boutique, Dana is also Sunsilk’s regional brand ambassador @Doooonie

Alanoud Badr Saudi-born and Dubai-based Alanoud Badr is juggling it all; TV host, fashion designer and Instagrammer du jour. Join her 340k sea of followers now! @fozaza

Jessica Kahawaty It was love at first sight when we saw this stunner. The LebaneseAustralian TV personality and runner-up of Miss World 2012 has us all wagging tongues! @jessicakahawaty

BOYS FROM THE HOOD

Why should the ladies get all the attention when these five are making just as much noise?

Fazza From selfies at the top of the Burj Khalifa to the most stunning #mydubai shots, the Crown Prince of Dubai H. H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's Instagram is definitely one to follow! @faz3

Mr.Moudz With a massive shoeaddiction (somewhere along Carrie Bradshaw’s) try and keep up with Mahmoud Sidani as he rushes from shows to dining with some of the most creative minds in the industry. @mrmoudz

Mr.Levier Part-blogger, part-DJ, part-designer, UAEbased Isaac Jon Ode is clearly a master of many trades. His frequently updated lifestyle site features the latest gadgets, runway recaps, cool kicks and hot cars. www.levierconcepts.com

The Shade and Scarf Ushi Sato may be his alter-ego, but this emerging Dubai-based designer’s sense of style is all real. www.theshadeandscarf

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Style by Kieren Dubai-based stylist and fashion writer Kieren Kanda’s doesn’t post every day but when he does, he makes it worth your while. www.stylebykieren.com

Sherif Fayed He might not be into fashion like the rest of the boys in our list, but his adventure packed Instagram account has picked up quite the following (how does 284k sound?) @sheriffayed

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The Kosann sisters have mastered the art of food photography garnering a cult group of followers who just can't seem to get enough of their #foodporn shots.

in the kitchen Catching Up With Food’s New “It” Girls

ince Instagram made taking photos of one’s food oh so popular (we have all been guilty of whipping out our phones at a sight of a much coveted #foodporn moment), there is nothing the Internet (albeit the SLT team) loves more than to see fashionable people doing mundane things and yes, in this case, eating ranks high on that list. And if anyone can make us want to lick the screen of our iMacs it would definitely have to be the girls behind The New Potato, the fashion industry's favourite food blog. With a motto of “Everyone has to eat” the Kosann sisters, left behind their daytime jobs, Danielle, 27, an art director in fashion and Laura, 24, in production at Showtime, and armed with nothing but passion and a joint love for food, combined it all in a website dedicated to exploring the gustatory habits of interesting people. “The New Potato simply approaches the world through the LENS of food. So whether that be the ideal food day of a designer, what a Brooklyn chef is cooking up, a huge editor's thoughts on the future of print over lunch or the beauty regimen of a model… it's all through a culinary lens.” The duo, who think of themselves as the “anti-foodie foodies”, style and conceptualise all stories and shoots together, Laura taking a more editor-in-chief approach giving Danielle the reigns to run free as creative director. With an amazing eye and a knack for eye-candy, picture-perfect layouts, they have created a site that looks so darn pretty it has helped them tap into the hard-to-access fashion crowd. Over the past year, their interview subjects have included Diane von Furstenberg, Vogue’s Alexandra Shulman and model Hilary Rhoda. “It's hard to pick favourites, but we recently did an interview with Donna Karan that was inspiring and amazing, and our recent interview with Robert De Niro was also pretty surreal.” Continuously blurring the lines between food, fashion, design and media the Kosanns are proving that food really is the great equaliser!

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SLT BITES Favourite ingredient: Coconut Oil Pick me up dish: Chicken Curry Cuisine to live on: Italian Sweet or Savory: Savory Dining destinations: Paris, Milan, London and Shanghai Blog to follow: Manrepeller.com

FOOD STYLING & PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS:

We use only natural light, which gives everything a really beautiful glow. It feels more accessible than a studio shoot.

Clean is always the best way to go! When shooting food, keep it simple. We love the Canon III Mark 5D, it’s our camera of choice!

Remember, to capture that “hero” shot it can take anywhere from 10-100 shots!

When there is too much going on and the food looks messy it could make for an unappealing photograph. Brighter and fresher colours always look better; browns and grays don’t look so good on food.

Stay away from anything that is bland in colour – it’s always the hardest thing to shoot! . sur la terre . life .

Develop the recipe, prep the ingredients, discuss the creative vision for the shoot, cook and shoot – those are the elements that go into each photo.

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S I S AC T E R With almond milk being the new soy - or wait was that rice milk? - and vegan being the new black, it’s difficult for even the healthiest of us to keep up with this new gluten-obsessive world. Now, if there’s anyone who knows how to break it down and make even bone broth (yes you heard us right!) a delicious and heart-warming undertaking it’s the Hemsley girls, who won our appetites with their healthy eating blog and now, have us making Courgetti (courgette spaghetti) from their best-selling cookbook, The Art of Eating Well. SLT caught up with Melissa and Jasmine to find out just why we should be heading to the butchers.

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When did healthy eating become a passion for you? Growing up there was always good, homecooked food on the table. Our Mum cooked intuitively based on what was in the fridge and cupboards. She worked full time but was a big believer that home-cooked food was best. Eating well in our childhood definitely set the foundations for a good relationship with food. Why did you write a cookbook? We wanted to share the philosophy that wellness begins from within. Through our blog, contributing weekly to Vogue.co.uk and recipes for The Guardian, we began to spread the message. Soon we realised that a go-to guide for healthy eating packed with all of our tips, tricks and over 150 recipes was the best

Images courtesy of Nick Hopper

way to give our followers the entire Hemsley + Hemsley package in one place. What are your pantry/fridge basic musthaves? Sea salt (we prefer this to ‘table salt’ which is highly processed), lemon juice (fresh and full of vitamins), natural/animal fats (think butter, ghee, duck fat and coconut oil), cauliflower (we love making Cauliflower Tabbouleh for dinner parties), mung beans (ideal for a dip, curried stew or our warming and restorative Mung Dahl) and animal bones. What should we be doing with coconut oil? Love it, because its uses are endless! Cook, bake and roast with it, use it to moisturise your skin and hair or as a gentle eye make-up

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remover and when you’re craving something sweet, rustle up some of something delectable like our Mint Choc Paves with it! Why do we need a spiralizer? For us, spiralizing has always been one of the simplest and fastest ways to get more veg into you. We launched the Hemsley Spiralizer earlier this year in January and it’s already almost sold out! Spiralizing changes the way people look at vegetables, instead of being relegated to being a garnish or a side they become the star of the show. What are the ingredients you can’t live without? Our number one ingredient, the key to so many of our recipes and pretty much our raison d'être has got to be homemade bone broth. It is our elixir for glowing skin, packed with vitamins,

Buy Hemsley + Hemsley's Art of Eating Well on www.amazon.com

“A lot of the recipes in The Art Of Eating Well are interpretations of classic dishes, inspired by our family, friends and clients who often ask us to rework their favourites. There's nothing we love more than the challenge of reinventing classic dishes to make them healthier and more nutrientdense!”

minerals, collagen and keratin, making it amazing for skin, hair, digestion and even the dreaded cellulite. The slogan on our Hemsley + Hemsley tote bags is #BoilYourBones! Almond milk, Kale, Coconut Water, and Chia Seeds.…What’s the fuss with all these new food stars? There’s always a new superfood being hailed by the media as ‘the next best thing’ and this keeps eating well really exciting. We love the above but our favourite superfoods and key healthy ingredients usually come as a surprise. We count foods like broccoli, organic chicken livers, eggs, watercress, grass-fed butter, garlic and bone broth as our superfood staples. These ingredients are far more traditional, readily available, less expensive and closer to home.

refresh the palate but our favourite has to be the green smoothie – done right it’ll keep you sustained for hours.

What is your last day on earth meal and why? Melissa: Beef ragu and courgetti and lots of parmesan on top and a glass of red wine followed by our sticky toffee pudding. Jasmine: A seafood platter or a grass-fed ribeye steak, watercress and cauliflower mash, a jug of our lime and lavender vodka cocktail and our chocolate molten pots would be a good send off.

Your sinful delights? One of our most popular sweet treats are the Black Bean Brownies from our book; they’re rich and fudgy and best of all, free from refined sugar, grains and gluten! Favourite food Instagram accounts to follow? @Kinfolk - A slow lifestyle magazine with arresting visuals. @Gkstories - Vegetarian food and photography from David Frenkiel who is the author of The Green Kitchen. @Bonappetit - One of our favourite food publications, which we’re lucky to have been featured in several times.

Green juice or smoothie? We love both a homemade green vegetable based juice AND smoothie (with minimal fruit) - as they allow you to concoct a bespoke nutritional hit which you can drink on the go. A green juice is great to clear a foggy head and

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#FurryFollowers 2d

NORMAN JENNER Kylie Jenner’s Italian Greyhound "Norman says he doesn't like his new bag very much” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/ NORMIEJENNER

CECIL DELEVINGNE Model of the moment Cara Delevingne’s Rabbit “Hard at work” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/ CECILDELEVINGNE

NEVILLE JACOBS Marc Jacobs’ Bull Terrier “I never got your letter because my do...g...err...I ate it!” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/ NEVILLEJACOBS

ALEISTER VON TEESE Dita von Teese’s Devonshire Rex Cat “Helping momma autograph books!” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/ ALEISTERVONTEESE 4d

CHOUPETTE LAGERFELD Karl Lagerfeld’s Birman Cat “The secret to my #beauty is out! Fluff, puff, and plump with my @shuuemura_ww collection! #shuuemura #Choupette” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/ CHOUPETTESDIARY

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REMY LARKBASSI W Magazine beauty director Jane Larkworthy’s Standard Poodle “Moody today. Not sure I need the shades. Or the vest. Style over necessity.” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/ MYHIGHERSTANDARD

These loyal companions are stealing the limelight from their famous owners, proving that they’re just as snappy happy and dare we say #evencuter to follow. 6d

MERLIN MANHATTAN Too cool for school NYC boutique Condor’s English Angora bunny “Getting #primped and #polished #onset @luckymagazine.” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/MERLIN_ MANHATTAN

MARNIE THE DOG Furry friend to Lena Dunham, Betsey Johnson, James Franco and more A-listers “This guy still won’t stop copying me @jamesfrancotv.” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/ MARNIETHEDOG

TACO CAT Celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s Maine Coon cat “Best restaurant in NYC? #GATO, of course. #proudofmydad #thankyouNYTimes” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/ THEREALTACOCAT

CAIRO THE KAT Macklemore’s tabby kitten “Borrowing pop’s gold.” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/ CAIROTHEKAT 4h

12h

OLIVIA BENSON SWIFT aka DIBBLES Taylor Swift’s fluffy feline “All these naps are exhausting me…” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/OLIVIABSWIFT

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BAT GRAND Love editor and legendary stylist Katie Grand’s rabbit “I’m feeling beige for next season.” Follow me on: INSTAGRAM.COM/ BATGRAND

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music sounds of summer

Catch festival fever at the most note-worthy events of the season

editor's pick

Coachella WHAT: What you wear to this boho-infused festival is almost as important as who you see on stage (and in the celebrity-filled crowd). Opt for vintage Levi’s cutoffs for the Alabama Shakes and a Eugenia Kim panama hat for Belle and Sebastian. WHEN: April 10 to 12 & April 17 to 19 in Indio, California www.coachella.com

BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend WHAT: Between Taylor Swift and Florence and the Machine, this free ticketed festival is heavy on the girl power. We fully support sporting a bright red lip in solidarity with T-Swizzle. We wouldn’t be surprised if attached-at-the-hip BFF and number one fan Karlie Kloss also makes the trip to cheer on her bestie. WHEN: May 23 to 24, Norwich, England www.bbc.co.uk

The Governor’s Ball WHAT: It’s well worth the ferry ride from Manhattan to Randall’s Island to attend this jam-packed weekend that includes Deadmau5, The Black Keys, Drake and Björk. Lawn games like bocce ball and a mixology tent for hand-crafted cocktails are even more reasons to make the trip. WHEN: June 5 to 7, New York City, New York www.govball.com

Glastonbury WHAT: With names like Kanye West, Foo Fighters and Lionel Richie on tap for 2015, this time's lineup, which marks the festival’s 33rd year, is sure to be an eclectic mix. Just remember, the muddy countryside means kneehigh wellies in a rainbrow bright shade are nonnegotiable. WHEN: June 24 to 28, Glastonbury, Scotland www.glastonbur yfestivals. co.uk

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Ultra Europe

Osheaga

WHAT: The Chemical Brothers headline this electronic music festival off the coast of Croatia. In between sets by David Guetta, Hardwell and Afrojack rent a yacht and party off shore in the Adriatic Sea or at one of the festival’s renowned beach parties. Start shopping for a new twopiece today. WHEN: July 10 to 12, Split, Croatia www.ultraeurope.com

WHAT: Set on the grassy slopes of Parc JeanDrapeau, this little cousin to Coachella is turning ten this year. In addition to epic performances by Weezer, Of Monsters and Men, The Avett Brothers, Milky Chance, Ben Harper and The Decemberists, expect over 100 more artists to knock your socks and shades off. WHEN: July 31 to August 2, Montreal, Canada www.osheaga.com

pages Online to Offline

They’ve mastered the world wide web and now these social media stars are heading to the printing press Selfish by Kim Kardashian West

censor

It’s hard to imagine that there are photographs of Kim Kardashian West that haven’t been shared with her millions of follows. But alas, there are and Kimmie fans are about to get their fill with her first Selfie-filled book. The one volume hardcover, which is available from Rizzoli in May, features behind-the-scenes images, throwback snaps and glamour shots all hand-selected by the social media savvy socialite. Expect to find babies-firstselfies with North and Mr. & Mrs. poses with hubby Kanye West. If the 746,000 likes she racked up when she Instagrammed the cover are any indication, it’s sure to be a best seller.

Cupcakes and Cashmere At Home by Emily Schuman Almost three years after releasing her best-selling manual for living a luxurious life, Cupcakes and Cashmere blogger Emily Schuman is putting pen to paper once again with a new interior design-focused book. Out this May, the hardcover book is chock-full of do-it-yourself projects, party planning ideas and blends Emily’s cheeky and sophisticated design philosophy with her practical and easy-to-follow advice. The only dilemma will be deciding which DIY project to tackle first.

Building u p a n d ou t It took ten visits to Qatar for author Philip Jodidio to select the more than fifty impressive projects that appear in his latest tome, The New Architecture of Qatar. The Harvard art history graduate and former editor-in-chief of French art magazine Connaissance des Arts was already familiar with Doha after editing a book on the Museum of Islamic Art in 2008 and was the ideal candidate to tackle the city’s changing skyline. Featuring interviews with some of the world famous architects behind Philip’s picks plus a preface by H.H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the coffee-table companion hits bookshelves in April. Here, SLT chats with the Switzerland-based author about his latest passion project. What three words encapsulate the new architecture of Qatar? Daring, exciting and new.

#Fashion: Designers on Instagram by the CFDA

What project is the most impressive? Education City as a whole is the most ambitious project involving contemporary architecture and indeed the planning of an entire campus which at the end will almost be like a new city dedicated to science and education.

You can count on the Council of Fashion Designers of America to come up with the most comprehensive list of designers to follow on Instagram. After all, they already include an Instagrammer of the Year category at their annual awards ceremony. The style committee has scoured their feed to reveal the best photographs from your favourite designers including Zac Posen, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren and Diane von Furstenberg and packaged them in a glossy book of stylish and ultra glamourous snaps.

In comparison to other Middle Eastern cities, how would you rate the level of uniqueness found in the architecture in Qatar? For the moment Qatar has fewer “iconic” buildings than a city like Dubai for example, but on the whole, there is a thought process behind the development of Qatar that may be lacking in other cities. Aside from cities along the Gulf, other Middle Eastern cities may have a much denser history in terms of architecture and therefore, the element of freshness seen in Doha is lacking.

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art and commerce

There’s no denying that the online art boom is upon us, making the world’s art accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. One such platform making waves is Artscoops, an online website offering an exciting handpicked selection of the most prominent contemporary art from the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Iran. Founded by Raya Mamarbachi, the site offers collectors and art novices alike the chances to learn, meet, browse, purchase and bid on artworks from both renowned and emerging artists. Here Artscoops shows us who and what to look out for in the next few months… www.artscoops.com

Fereydoun Ave

ONLINE EXHIBITIONS

Re-discover the work of the Iranian artist, one of the major players in the art scene in Tehran, whose work can be found in the private as well as public collections of The British Museum in London, the Contemporary Art Museum in Tehran, The Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

From the 9th till the 23rd of April, "Artists in dialogue with the Past" offers a contemporary rewriting of the region's history through more than 30 works from artists Andisheh Avini, Hossam Ballan, Ali Cherri, Morteza Darehbaghi, Mohammad El Rawas, Josef Harb, Khosrow Hassanzadeh, Shahram Karimi, Salam Omar, Mathias Poisson, Kourosh Salehi, Salah Saouli, Khaled Takreti, Saad Yagan. In June, Artscoops will celebrate the month of Ramadan with a unique exhibition entitled “Reminiscence of Calligraphy in contemporary art”.

Hassan Darsi Definitely one to look out for, this multidisciplinary Moroccan artist (Casablanca, 1961) has his work in international prestigious collections (Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the Contemporary Art Museum-MuHKA in Antwerp and Zorlu Art Center in Istanbul) and he’s regularly shown in some of the world's most popular museums such as Bozar (Brussels), Museum of Modern Art (MuHKA-Antwerp), or the World Culture House (Berlin). Keep an eye out for him!

Clockwise from left: Ahmad Moualla, Mountakhbat min Cheikh Abou Bakr Ibn Zuhur; Ali Cherri, Heroes – The Rise and Fall, 2013 ; Hussein Madi, Artwork 4, 2007; Khaled Takreti, The Kiss, 2004.

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EMERGEAST SUGGESTS... Online gallery EMERGEAST.com shines light on some of the Middle East’s hottest emerging artists to look out for: the who’s who in the regional art scene. Amongst the heap of talent under their umbrella, they give us an intimate insight on the artists with promising careers ahead of them. (All artworks available at www.emergeast.com)

SPRING FLING Paying homage to the wonderful world of flora, Italian fashion house Gucci has unveiled its seventh contemporary art exhibition with “The Language of Flowers” - an exploration of different life themes through the imagery of flowers. Curated by Martin Bethenod, director of Venice’s Palazzo Grassi-Punta della Dogana, the exhibition features four key pieces included in the Pinault Collection, all evoking Gucci’s signature Flora motif. The exhibition will run until September 20 at the Gucci Museum in Florence.

ELHAM ETEMADI “My paintings evoke dreams, a magical world of a thousand colours, making me wonder about my influences and my choices.” From: Shiraz, Iran / Lives in Strasbourg, France Latest exhibition: Solo show at Omnibus Gallery in Besancon, France Inspiration: Fantasy vs. reality Her art is: What could be EMERGEAST says: Since joining the EMERGEAST team, Elham has received much attention and success! Her pastel canvases laden with a fantastical story of their own has awakened the imagination of the viewer – each viewer desiring to become immersed in Elham’s inspirational works. Already snapped up by many collectors, EMERGEAST says Elham Etemadi will be finding her way to lightening up many young collectors’ homes.

SEEING STARS In a big contribution to the cultural scheduling of Milan’s Expo 2015, Tod’s has brought over David Bailey's stunning “Stardust” exhibition to the prestigious Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea. With portraits of the Rolling Stones, Johnny Depp, Kate Moss, and other famous faces, the exhibition is presented thematically across several rooms, mixing India with Australia, Sudan with Papa New Guinea, East End Londoners with Pin-Ups. Stardust: A Project by David Bailey is at the Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea until June 2.

BECHARA BAROUDI “Less is more, but more is always more.” From: Lebanon / Chile Latest exhibition: Art Beat Festival in Dubai’s DIFC Inspiration: His nomadic life His art is: An escape, where he is the director of his own animation series, starring – himself EMERGEAST says: A vibrant and animated personality, understates Bechara’s infectious aura. His works possess much detail and intricacy through his use of acrylic and marker, the result? Breathtaking mural-esque art that are sure to consume your attention with their vibrancy and story.

Clockwise from left: Mick Jagger, 1964; Kate Moss, 2013; Johnny Depp, 1995; Andy Warhol, 1965; Diana Vreeland, 1967; Grace Jones, 2008; Anna Piaggi, 2002; Bob Dylan, 1986.

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Koons' Commune The often controversial artist Jeff Koons graces Doha with his larger than life presence and out of this world vision. The results? Nothing short of magical.

eff Koons is widely celebrated as one of the most significant, influential and provocative artists of the post-war era and Doha was lucky to have the pop culture icon in our midst at the Art for Tomorrow conference. As he beguiled the crowd with tales of his youth in York, Pennsylvania, he also shared insight into his risk-taking creative vision. The 60-year old former investment banker turned artist challenges conceptualisations of commercialism, accessibility and populism as he devises highly imaginative approaches to readymade, even household objects. Utilising materials from vinyl to reflective stainless steel, the New Yorker plays with elements of context and scale in fun and original ways to create pieces that have been known to break records, like his Balloon Dog (Orange) piece that sold at Christieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New York in 2013 for $58.4 million. Here, we share a peek into Jeffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fascinating world.

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It’s the remoteness of the materials that’s interesting...… as well as the abstraction of just the reflection. If you pick up any philosophical book, the first thing you read about is reflection and how you can reflect on society or reflect on culture. So if they move, or you move, everything changes. It’s on a very simple basis. My grandparents, my uncles, they were all merchants...… and they were interwoven in the community - I always enjoyed the sense of partaking and being involved in a dialogue within it all. So automatically as an artist I was very interested in being everything that was very accessible. In the Duchampian tradition, I enjoyed this aspect of acceptance. What I really enjoyed was the interest of the material...… With vinyl, the color is inherent into the material itself and this was something that was relatively new to America after the World War. You started having these products that are made in abundance, and everything became accessible. So you have something that’s inflatable and anthropomorphic at the same time. One of the amazing things artwork does is it so effortlessly connects all the human disciplines...… I think that almost anything can do that, but art does it in such a graceful way. And so I was able to, as a person involved in art, become involved in philosophy, sociology, statistics and other different areas. I called Dr. Richard P Feinman, the Nobel Prize winner...… and ended up working with him. He would take my calls and we would speak a couple of times a month about how I could achieve equilibrium. This is an equilibrium tank, where the basketball is just hovering in equilibrium. I wanted it to be permanent, but it’s only temporary, it only lasts for about six months and then the liquid becomes completely homogenous, and the balls falls to the bottom. But I wanted to keep the purity of that liquid, it’s just better, if I would have used oils I could have made it permanent but it wouldn’t have had the same purity.

"Ther e’s a conf ron tation of ina nim ate w it h t he a nim ate ."

Opposite page: Rabbit, stainless steel, 1986; Michael Jackson and Bubbles, porcelain, 1988. This page, clockwise from top: Lips, oil on canvas, 2000; New Hoover Deluxe Shampoo Polishers, acrylic, fluorescent lights,

1980-1986; Inflatable Flower and Bunny, vinyl, mirrors, 1979; Lifeboat, bronze, 1985; Hulk (Wheelbarrow), bronze, wood, cooper, live plants, 2004-2013; Landscape (Waterfall) II, oil on canvas, 2007; Two Ball Total Equilibrium Tank, 1985

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Julian Lennon - Horizon

the list

8 - 11

april

World Art Dubai 2015 Where: Dubai, UAE When: April 8 - 11 What: The backdrop of a strong visual arts scene (Dubai is proving to be quite the regional art hub. This April, strong off the heels of its successful Art Week, it’s attracting more than 100 galleries and artists from 25 countries, who are set to descend on the city for the inaugural World Art Dubai. The new platform (call it the coolest addition to the UAE city's art rooster) is set to bridge the market gap by presenting affordable works that won’t break the bank! Yes, finally regional art lovers and budding collectors, as well as just the curious, will have the chance to embark on a oneof-a-kind visual journey where they can walk away with a piece of art irrespective of their budget. The booths, divided up into 60 percent for galleries and 40 percent for individual artists, offer a sharp distinction from most other art fairs, which usually insist on only exhibiting galleries that have been established for more than three years. Housing an affordable collection of several hundred modern, contemporary and fine artworks comprising paintings and prints, photography, sculpture, installations, performances, mixed media, new media and street art, this is set to become the region’s most accessible art fair! www.worldartdubai.com

9 - 11

7 - 13 may

March

Middle East Film & Comic Con

Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

Encounters

Where: Dubai, UAE When: April 9 - 11 What: Yes, it is that time of year when everyone gets the sacred carte blanche to parade around as their favourite comic book hero (Batman anyone?) and trek on over to the Dubai World Trade Centre to eat, breathe, and drink everything comics for the next three days. From TV shows and movies to comic books as well as collectible action figures, it’s all here under one roof! This year’s edition will see a bevy of celebrities descend on the convention, with the likes of William Shtaner (Star Trek’s Captain James T. Kirk), Karl Urban (Lord of the Ring’s Eomer) and Sam J. Jones (Flash Gordon) to name a few. Don’t forget to buy tickets to the 30 Seconds to Mars concert; the perfect way to end it all. www.mefcc.com

Where: Abu Dhabi, UAE When: May 7 – 13 What: That’s right, Gulf-based bookworms, the UAE capital’s Book Fair is back for its 25th and unquestionably biggest edition! A joint venture between the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and the Frankfurt Book Fair, it boasts a unique catalogue of exhibitors (available both in print and online!) and will feature more than 500,000 titles on display. Get ready to catch up on your reading in a big way this year! www.adbookfair.com

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10 - 12

Where: Manama, Bahrain When: March 12 - 10 What: Located in the heart of Manama (close to the old souq) is La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art, a historical monument and home to a number of modern art galleries as well as the base for Encounters, Sueraya Shaheen’s latest photography exhibition. The Syrian artist pays homage to internationally known Middle Eastern artists in a collection of documentary-style portraits in which she portrays a demographic of working artists in a thriving art world. Encounters is a beautiful reminder illustrating the essence of the artist in their surrounding environment, one that should not be missed! www.lafontaineartcentre.net

14 - 16

march

Marvellous Creatures Where: Doha, Qatar When: March 14 - 16 What: For those who love a good story (who honestly doesn’t?) then a trip to Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art will have you come face to face with the wonderful and mysterious, through an exhibition focusing on the real and mythical animals of legends, tales, and fables told throughout the Islamic world. Travel to far-flung times and places and discover the messages and lessons found in stories such as Kalila wa Dimna and the world-popular 1001 Nights. www.mia.org.qa

6 - 12 may

Saudi Design Week Where: Riyadh, KSA When: May 6 – 12 What: After a successful inaugural launch last year, the festival for design and visual culture is back once again in May this time with a distinctively cultural theme! For those just as excited as we are, prep yourself for an upcoming programme that promises to be centred on the role that culture plays in design. And what does that exactly mean? Well the SDW will be asking participants and creative practitioners to explore the notion of identity through design, so put on your thinking caps – it’s time to get creative! www.saudidesignweek.com

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Mar 31

- 4 apr

MidEast Watch & Jewellery Show Where: Sharjah, UAE When: March 31 – April 4 What: Cultural and style aficionados, we have always had a week spot for rockstars especially when said rockstars are the rocks on the world’s most sought after jewellery and watches. Yes, we have acquired a taste for fine and beautiful objects, which if you happen to be in Sharjah in April, will be on display at the Expo Centre for the 39th Edition of the MidEast Watch & Jewellery Show. www.mideastjewellery.com

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The Power of a Flower In Qatar to launch her first jewellery collection, Carolina Herrera de Báez tells SLT how a whiff of jasmine can send her on a journey through time and why two isn’t always better than one

on’t expect to stumble upon a Selfie of Carolina Herrera de Báez posing in a piece from her new fine jewellery collection. Like her mother, fashion designer Carolina Herrera, the Venezuelanborn beauty is not a fan of the medium. “I’m totally worried about the social media frenzy and the Selfie thing because I think, what message is that?” says Carolina when we meet in a private dressing room at her mother’s Qatar boutique. Clad in navy wide-leg trousers, a striped sleeveless shell and laser cut peep-toe leather booties, the designer continues, “I think there is too much on ‘me, myself and I’ all the time. I hate the Selfie obsession.” Instead of scouring Instagram, you’ll have to make your way to Doha’s CH Carolina Herrera boutique to get a glimpse of her Falling Jasmine collaboration with Argentinean artist and friend Grillo Demo. The Villaggio Via Domo store will play exclusive hostess to the collection until it debuts internationally in late April.

Opposite page: A portrait of the designer by friend and artist Grillo Demo; Top right: A cuff from the Falling Jasmine collection

It isn’t often that a luxury brand chooses Qatar as the launching pad for a new collection, but then again Falling Jasmine is not your average collection. “When I was growing up, my first smell was that of jasmine. My mother used to mix jasmine and tuberous to make her own perfume. I smelt that all my life,” says Carolina, who is also the creative director of fragrances at Carolina Herrera. The delicate white floral is also a passion of Grillo’s, whose fascination with the flower is the cornerstone of his work. “I’ve been to his house in Ibiza and there is jasmine

all over his place. He paints jasmine, writes about jasmine, embroiders jasmine on his clothes and makes the most amazing jasmine flower necklaces when you go visit him. He lives in a jasmine wonderland,” says Carolina. When her mother first introduced her to Grillo, whose pieces are highly coveted in the fashion community (Kate Moss, Elle MacPherson and Carine Roitfeld are collectors), she says it was a given that their shared love of the bud would spiral into a jewellery collection. “It was so natural and so meant to be that there wasn’t even a moment of reflection.” The seemingly organic result of their mutual appreciation for the star-shaped blossom is ten different designs, from a delicate tiara and cuff to a choker and spiral ring, all crafted from goldplated silver and white enamel, including five styles of earrings that are each sold individually. “You don’t buy pairs. The idea was that you can customise it. It’s fallen jasmine so it falls wherever it falls,” says Carolina, who has been wearing only one earring in her left ear since she was in high school. Those days, despite access to her mother’s closet bursting with designer pieces, she says fashion wasn’t even on her radar. “At 14 or 15, I was so not interested in my mother’s clothes but now I am. I was interested in Cyndi Lauper, Madonna and Blondie. I wanted to look like them, I didn’t want to

"My mother used to mix jasmine and tuberous to make her own perfume. I smelt that all my life."

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look like her! That came later with age and knowledge. My fashion was Guess, Lacoste, Benetton, that was the extent of it.” Letting Carolina find her own footing in fashion might have been her mother’s plan all along. Talking shop over the dinner table was, and continues to be, a very rare occurrence at the Herrera household. “Professionally, my mother is very good at separating work and personal. She doesn’t bring her work home and I think that’s good.” Instead, Carolina was encouraged to pursue a dream in medicine. “I wanted to be a doctor, the most dreary kind. I wanted to study forensic medicine.” While studying for her MCATs, her fervor for cinema superseded her love of medicine, which resulted in ten years in the film industry and a documentary. Shot in Spain, Maletilla (Spanish for little suitcase) follows five children for five years as they dream of becoming bullfighters. During this time, Carolina was also tip toeing into the fragrance side of her mother’s business. An internship in the summer of 1996 resulted in the creation of 212, one of the brand’s most iconic scents. “We were going to do a perfume about New York, two generations - my mother

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and I - and how we perceived New York at the time. It was going to be full of energy. It was a very organic period and we worked on it for two years. Eventually, I had more and more involvement [with fragrance].” It’s too early to tell if her own children, daughter Olimpia, ten, sons Miguel and Atalanta, nine and seven respectively, with husband and ex-bullfighter Miguel Báez, will choose a similar path. For now, her daughter is unaware of the glamourous industry that envelops her mother and grandmother, a thought that makes Carolina smile. “I guarantee my daughter has no idea who Dolce & Gabbana is. That’s probably because she lives in Madrid. If she lived in New York, she would probably know,” says the fragrance aficionado with a chuckle. As for letting Olimpia near her Instagram feed (it’s private, in case you’re wondering), that’s out of the question. “I recognise the value and the strength of social media but I think we are too obsessed with how much people can know us,” says Carolina. “Having 26 million followers to me is frightening. It’s a country!” That’s several million more reasons why that Selfie will never come to fruition.

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Left: A model displays the layered effect of the collection; three sizes of earrings. Bottom: Carolina and her co-designer artist Grillo Demo.

origins

from paris with love

What started 120 years ago as la crème de la crème of leather footwear has evolved into a head-to-toe suiting and sportswear brand that has clients lining up to be measured. the man responsible for Berluti's new wave, Alessandro Sartori, tells SLT why nothing beats bespoke.

Venetian linen and the light of the quarter moon, which according to Berluti legend, gives transparency to leather. Known for its subtle handfinished patina, the sheen of their Venezia leather is not something you mess around with. This ceremonial preservation is more than just a sartorial celebration; it’s a salute to the labour that goes into crafting a custom shoe by hand. 250 steps and fifty plus man-hours over a period of at least six months are typical for a bespoke pair. These aren’t shoes you put aside after a season or two. These are shoes you wear for life.

t the conclusion of Berluti’s Fall Winter 2015 show at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris earlier this spring, guests were treated to a very unconventional kind of after-party. Following sumptuous bites prepared by Michelin master Thierry Marx, flutes of Dom Pérignon were distributed, not for consumption purposes but to polish guests' footwear. While this might sound like an odd party trick for anybody unfamiliar with the storied French brand, if you’ve ever heard of the Swann Club, a light bulb should have just gone off in your head. Hosted by the maison's grande dame Olga Berluti, the post-show polishing session, named after the dandified protagonist Charles Swann in Marcel Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past, was a recreation of the annual gathering of hand-picked Berluti clients. Since it’s inception in 1992, members have met intermittingly in Paris, London or New York to buff their boots and oxfords using bubbly,

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When Alessandro Sartori stepped up to the role of artistic director in 2011, this devotion to customised luxury of the highest order remained vital, even as he introduced a ready-to-wear collection to the 120-year old leather brand the following season. “Luxury is not a word but is the time and the amount of hours that each garments needs to be produced,” says the designer of Berluti’s 90 percent handmade runway collection. “When you have real artisans behind every garment and when you think that each piece can be as unique as each one of our customers, it is a new way to think about luxury.” The concept of uniqueness is one that has been at the heart of Berluti since its inception in 1895. A wood worker by trade, a restless Alessandro Berlutti left his native Italy at the age of 19 in search of opportunities

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Clockwise from top: A work bench at Berluti's rue Marbeuf atelier; founder Alessandro Berluti; outside the atelier; the new Alessio anniversary design; drawings by in-house master tailors.

abroad. After spending some years crafting exclusive footwear for a troupe of street performers, Alessandro found himself in Paris where he set up shop as a bespoke bootmaker for a glamourous clientele that included dance pioneer Isadora Duncan and the first ladies of lipstick, Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. It was his namesake shoe, the Alessandro - a lace-up court shoe crafted from a single piece of leather without any visible stitching - that was widely embraced by the Parisian elite and cemented Berluti as a sole with status in the remaining days of the nineteenth century. The torch was passed on to his son Torello whose artistic flair flourished in the Roaring Twenties thanks to the introduction of two new styles - the Richelieu à Plastron and Sans Gêne, a lace panel Oxford and elasticised boot, respectively. It was then, in 1928 that Torello opened up Berluti’s first atelier-store on rue Du Mont-Tabor. Within years, word of the brand’s prowess had reached royal ears and the Duke of Windsor came calling for his own pair, the Napoleon III, a fashion-forward high cut style. It wasn’t long before the luxury leather workers had outgrown their first shop and a larger abode at 26 rue Marbeuf was acquired in the 1940s. It’s a spot that is still of importance to the brand as the original of three Paris ateliers. “I often go to our rue Marbeuf workshop to meet our master shoemaker or the one on rue de Sèvres to meet our master tailor,” says Alessandro Sartori. “They will always come up with the best advice when you are working on a shoe or a garment.” It was there, in 1959, that two significant events involving a younger generation of Berlutis propelled the business forward. First, Torello’s son Talbinio introduced a hand-made ready-to-wear shoe line, thus ushering in a younger clientele who could enjoy the quality found in a pair of Berluti’s but at a different price point. It was around the same time that Talbinio’s younger cousin Olga arrived on the scene to become the world’s only female bootmaker. By that point, the shoe salon was quite used to the famous faces (from Yves Saint Laurent to Jacques Lacan) that would place an order but in 1962, Olga was greeted by their most artistic patron yet, Andy Warhol. Eager to please his rebellious side, Olga went against the established Berluti aesthetic and created a modern silhouette with a thick vein that ran across the top of the loafers. When Andy returned to collect his pair, Olga explained that she had deliberately chosen leather from a wayward cow that enjoyed rubbing up against barbed wire fences. The artist was delighted at the thought, which helped to solidify the style as a classic for the house, forever carrying his name ever after.

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Clockwise from top: A master shoemaker cuts leather to size; a drawing of a boutonnieriste (buttonhole maker); wooden shoe molds at Berluti's atelier.

"I often go to our rue Marbeuf workshop to meet our master shoemaker or the one on rue de Sèvres to meet our master tailor. They will always come up with the best advice when you are working on a shoe or a garment." — Alessandro Sartori from denim to a safari jacket. “Blazers and jeans have always been the base of my style and I think this is the case for many men,” says Alessandro who believes, like Berluti’s founders, that absolute comfort and fit is best achieved through complete customisation, whether it be a three-piece suit or a pair of weekend trousers. Alessandro’s appreciation for fine tailoring and firm understanding of made-to-measure can be traced back to his mother, a dressmaker. “My mother has always been my teacher and since I was a kid I enjoyed watching, cutting, sewing and ironing in her atelier,” says the designer. “I was enchanted by the craftsmanship.” Degrees in fashion and textile engineering from schools in his northern Italian hometown, Biella and Milan were a natural progression for the rising design star. It was then, as a student on his first trip to Paris that Alessandro first crossed the threshold of the Rue Marbeuf store and splurged on a pair of Berlutis. It was the legend of Andy Warhol that first attracted him to the shop but it was quality and design that encouraged him to order a pair. Little did he know then that, following an extremely successful decade as the creative director of Z Zegna, Alessandro would find a home as the leader of the historic French leather brand.

For the next several decades, Olga helped drive Berluti’s success internationally, including entry in the Japanese market and the creation of her prestigious Swann Club. When LVMH group purchased the house in 1993, further expansion plans were soon underway including boutiques in New York, China, Hong Kong, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. It was Alessandro Sartori’s entrance four years ago that has ushered in some of the brand’s most significant contemporary achievements. In addition to Berluti’s ready-to-wear clothing collection, he has introduced Grande Mesure, a bespoke suiting program and even bespoke sportswear

In Paris, celebrations have already begun for Berluti's 120th anniversary. To mark the occasion and pay homage to the founder, a new signature shoe was introduced to guests at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs show earlier this year. Named the Alessio, it borrows the upper of the house’s emblematic Alessandro lace-up court shoes, the pair that started it all. Crafted from a single piece of leather without any panels, seams or inserts, it’s a style that proves the timeless nature and inventive craftsmanship of a Berluti. “Can you imagine creating such a modern shoe made with one single piece of leather?” says Alessandro. “In 1895, this was a revolution in shoemaking.” To appeal to a more active clientele, the Alessio has been updated with a more casual sole. Layers of leather, rubber and Micro, a flexible high-tech material used in sporting equipment, form the underfoot. It’s a launch worthy of a grand celebration and obviously, worthy of a champagne buff every now and then. www.berluti.com

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the scene AN INSIDE TOUR OF THE PARTIES, HAPPENINGS AND PULSE OF THE GULF'S BUSTLING CAPITALS. SEE WHO WAS SNAPPED OUT AND ABOUT.

PRINTS CHARMING

The Emirates’ favourite luxury retailer Harvey Nichols Dubai brought together its loyal stylish clients for a VIP private lunch with fashion’s print king Peter Pilotto. Guests arrived at hotspot The Farm to a beautiful garden setup and feasted on a scrumptious menu while getting a sneak peek at the designer’s Pre-Fall collection.

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THE LETTER A

Qatar’s favourite shopping haven, Per Lei Couture, played host to the much-anticipated launch of Alef/20, a limited edition capsule jewellery collection between designer dujour, Nadine Kanso of Bil Arabi, and Doha’s darling blogger, Anum Bashir of Desert Mannequin.

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the scene

FLOWER POWER

To celebrate their new look, leading multibrand Etoile “La boutique” threw an enchanted garden party for the city’s fabulous, showcasing the season’s must-have looks at their Mall of the Emirates location.

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NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Zayan the Label fans rejoiced as the Dubaibased advanced contemporary ready-to-wear line, designed by Zayan Ghandour, opened its first standalone store at the Galleria Mall, Dubai. Â&#x201E;

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the scene

FLORAL NOTES

For the debut of Carolina Herrera de Baezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first ever jewellery collection 'Falling Jasmine', which she created in collaboration with friend artist Grillo Demo, the daughter of iconic fashion designer Carolina Herrera showed off the ten piece line to Dohaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most stylish followed by a private dinner with the designer to commemorate the new project.

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BIG DREAMERS

Qatari siblings Hend, Ghada and Maha Al Subaey teamed up with The Closet for a special trunk show dedicated to their Spring 2015 collection. The city’s fashion crowd weaved through a maze of huge black chalkboards erected with the trios’ sketches as they viewed the stylish 60s inspired pieces of wearable luxury which The Kayys have become so popular for.

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the scene

BEJEWELLED DIMENSIONS

Marrying both bag and jewel once more together, Bahraini designer Noof Al Shekar translated precious stones, exotic skins and geometrical lines into a stunning Fall 15 collection of statement pieces, which she debuted in in Paris at the rue du Faubourg Saint HonorĂŠ luxury boutique Aloha.

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UNDER THE HAMMER

On a mission to promote the Middle Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s burgeoning art scene and its fast rising talent, online gallery Emergeast brought together aspiring young collectors at Brownbook's Magazine Shop in DIFC for their first ever art auction. Â&#x201E;

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the scene

RETAIL THERAPY

Qatar’s Katara Cultural Village unveiled plans for the capital’s latest retail destination Katara Plaza, an Ali Bin Ali project set to house the upmarket French department store, Galeries Lafayette, the Middle East’s first Evian spa and a children’s mall.

ITALIAN EXCELLENCE

Alfardan Sports Motors brought Qatar’s motoring enthusiasts together at The Pearl’s Medina Centrale to celebrate the launch of Maserati’s state-of-the-art showroom.

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Our WorldWide Sales Network If you would like to advertise in Sur la Terre Arabia from outside the GCC, we are represented globally through a growing network of international sales representatives.

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Covets

Tweets worth a repeat What the industry’s most fashionable peeps are coveting in 140 characters or less

@victoriabeckham Victoria Beckham Packing for Hong Kong! Obsessed with my new Francesco Russo shoes!! They r sooooo good!!!

@Tavitulle

Tavi Gevinson My favourite part of my body is the spot on the right side of my head that I itch when someone I waved at ignores me

@ManRepeller

@Bat_Gio

Giovanna Battaglia Essential for next season ... The bistro plate clutch @chanel

Man Repeller Sweatpants are the only thing on the agenda today

@Miranda_July @RachelZoe

Rachel Zoe I mean does it get more timeless than Jane Birkin's style..I think not #1975or2015 #fringemoment #moodboardmonday

@TheCoveteur

The Coveteur The suede fringe jacket, Western (but not)

Miranda July The best part of the new Dorothy Iannone book is seeing a woman's thinking change, age, evolve.

@KateUpton

Kate Upton A fun body scrub from my kitchen to yours! Epsom salt sea salt eucalyptus oil lavender oil rosemary

@Karolinakurkova

Karolina Kurkova #Bodega Pollo taco with kale and pickled onions and squeeze of lime, Yum! #kkhealthyliving #Miami

@Caradelevingne

Cara Delevingne This album is so inspiring! Pure genius @kendricklamar he is eliminating musical boundaries

@Garancedore

Garance Doré I’ve really been loving the suede trend lately, so I’m looking for the perfect suede skirt to wear this spring!

@Jaime_King

Jaime King I would literally do unspeakable things to be on @ScandalABC @shondarhimes is my HERO! Actually, anything Shonda breathes on.

@Lenadunham

Lena Dunham Let's bring back the MEAN PEOPLE SUCK sticker. We need it more than we did in the 90s!

@ElisabethTNT Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis My Monday pickup: the amazing #superfreak #RickJames the onl

@Tom_Ford Tom Ford Mile-high club. Discover platforms

@Carolssa

Caroline Issa Sunnyhills - the one stop (beautiful) shop for pineapple cake. Incredible. #Tokyo

@Cocorocha

Coco Rocha In love with my new @Longchamp #LePliage with the neon edging, its perfect for spring! Spring, please come already Follow us on Twitter @SLTMiddleEast

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@Susiebubble

Susie Bubble Out of this world... Solar system embedded in @maisonvalentino lucite heel

@Tabithasimmons Tabitha Simmons Building sand castles never gets old!!!